Davids Harp Strung and Tuned, Book 1 · Psalm 11
PSAL. XI. In this Pſalm David manifeſts his confidence in God in the midſt of his extremities.
IT is compoſed Dialogue-wiſe, betwixt David, and thoſe his Counſellours that perſwaded to fly to ſome place of ſafety from Sauls fury, which if he did not, he was in a deſperate condition.
It hath two parts.
1. He brings in his Counſellours words; verſ. 1, 2, 3.
2. To which he returns his anſwer, verſ. 1. and confirms it, verſ. 4. ad 7.
1. The firſt part. The advice of Davids Counſellours.You my Counſellours whether of good or bad will I know not tempt me, that depoſing all hope of the Kingdom, I go into perpetual baniſhment, (ſuch you ſay Sauls fury is againſt me) Thus you adviſe, Flee as a bird unto the mountain; and your Arguments are, Vers. 1
1. Vers. 2 The greatneſs of the danger I am in: For lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the ſtring, Their reaſons.that they may privily ſhoot at upright in heart.1The great danger.
2. The want of aid and aſſiſtance. There was no hope of help; For the foundations were caſt down. Vers. 3 Saul had broken all Leagues and Covenants he had made with him. 2The want of aſſiſtance.The Prieſts were ſlain with the Sword. His fortreſſes taken from him. His outward eſtate deſtroy'd. Laws ſubverted. If he ſtaid, periſh he muſt, ſome few righteous men are left. But what can the righteous do?
2. The ſecond part.To theſe their Arguments and counſel, David returns his anſwer in a ſharp reprehenſion. I tell you,
1. Davids anſwerI truſt in God, In the Lord put I my truſt. How ſay you then to my ſoul? Vers. 1 and he gives his Reaſons for it from the Sufficiency and Efficiency of God.1That he truſts in God.
1. What ſay you, the foundations are caſt down? yet I deſpair not, for God is ſufficient.1Who is ſufficient.
1. Preſent in his holy Temple. He can defend.
2. Vers. 4 He is a great King, and his Throne is in heaven.
3. Nothing is hid from him, His eyes behold, and his eye-lids try the children of men.
4. 2Juſt.He is a juſt God, which is ſeen in his proceeding both to juſt and unjuſt. Vers. 5
1. He tryeth the righteous by a Fatherly and gentle correction.
2. But the wicked, and him that loveth violence, his ſoul hates.
Theſe two laſt Propoſitions he expounds per partis, and begins with the wicked.
1. Vers. 6 Ʋpon the ungodly he will rain ſnares, fire and brimſtone, and an horrible Tempeſt, For he will puniſh the wicked.this ſhall be the portion of their cup.
1. Pluet. He ſhall rain upon them when they leaſt think of it, even in the midſt of their jollity. As rain falls on a fair day.
2. Or he ſhall rain down the vengeance when he ſees good, for it rains not alwayes. Though he defers it, yet it will rain.
3. The puniſhment comes to their utter ſubverſion, as Sodoms fire.
4. This is the portion of their cup; that which they muſt expect from him.
2. Vers. 7 But he does good to the juſt: For the righteous God loveth righteouſneſs; his countenance doth behold the upright. And reward the juſt.He bears him good-will, and is careful to defend him.
The Prayer collected out of the eleventh Pſalm.
IT is not unknown to thée, O merciful Father, to how many dangers, to how many enemies thy elect people are expoſed.
Our enemies drive us from our dwellings, and ſay unto our ſouls, Vers. 1 Fly and wander as a bird from hill to hill, as Fowlers they purſue us, and ſuffer us in no place to build, or to be at reſt. And when they have chaſed us from houſe to home, even in this obſcure place they give us no reſpite, Vers. 2 but hunt us as a Partridge upon the Mountains, they bend their how, and make ready their arrow upon the ſtring, that when we think leaſt of it, Vers. 3 they may privily ſhoot at the upright in heart. To thoſe ſtreits and miſeries we are brought, that we know not what to do. All our fortunes are decay'd, all our ſtrong holds taken, all outward helps fall us, the very foundations of our hope and help is periſh'd, when that Religion, truth, and ſervice, in which we were wont to glory and rejoice, is taken from us. Yea, thoſe very Leagues, Oaths, Covenants, which they have given us for our ſecurity, they have null'd and broken off from their necks, and caſt away thy cords from them.
O Lord, what ſhall the righteous do? what ſhall he ſay? Vers. 3 whether ſhall he fly for aid and ſuccovr? to whom ſhall he make his moan, when they whoſe heart is upright, and would, are unable to help. And what have we done, that theſe men ſhould purſue us to take away our lives?
O Lord, thou art my God, in thee will I truſt, who art able to do all things, Vers. 1 and wilt never forſake thoſe who hope in thy mercy, and relie upon thy word and power. And though theſe preſent dangers hang over my head, yet I will not deſpair, For I know the Lord, whom I have believed, fits above in Heaven, as in a Royal Palace and. Throne, and is over and above all. Therefore I will not fear, though the foundations of the earth be moved, deſpair I will not of help, nor depoſe my expectation of deliverance, ſince his eyes behold from that holy Temple, and his eye-lids ſée, conſider, try, Vers. 5 and judge the doings and ſufferings of the children of men. Thou, Lord, knoweſt how to diſcern the juſt from the unjuſt, and to put a difference in their rewards, Vers. 6 for thou doeſt approve, try, and gently correct the righteous, but the wicked, and him that loveth violence, thy ſoul hates.
For as the faireſt day is overcaſt with clouds, and thunder, and lightning ſuddenly break out from abova, and affright, and involde the world in an unexpected Tempeſt. So wilt thou, O Lord, though thou defer thine anger, rain down vengeance on the wicked in their greateſt jollities, when they think not of it, and promiſe to themſelves the faireſt dayes, and are in greateſt ſecurity. Thou wilt caſt down ſnares and take them, a ſudden fire and brimſtone ſhall deſtroy them, as it did Sodom, the ſtorm and tempeſt of thy fury ſhall overwhelm them. This is the portion, this their reward, this their lot, which thou haſt meaſured to them out of thy cup.
But I know thou art in thy Temple, Vers. 7 and wilt be preſent with the juſt in all his dangers, to govern, to help, to defend, to frée him. For it is not as men think, and as Reaſon would over-haſtily judge, the foundations are not overthrown, nor all our helps and aids periſhed. For thou, O Lord, loveſt righteouſneſs, and thy countenance doth behold the upright. A juſt God thou art, and a lover of juſtice and juſt men, and thou wilt ſet thy face to do good to thoſe who are upright in thy eyes. Theſe thou wilt love, their cauſe thou wilt defend, their perſons thou wilt protect, for the merits of thy dearly beloved Son Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. Amen.