Davids Harp Strung and Tuned, Book 1 · Psalm 23
PSAL. XXIII. The Scope is, to ſhew the Felicity of that man who hath God for his Protector, and is under his Care and Tuition.
FOR this Protection David in this Pſalm congratulates, and expreſſeth his thoughts under two Allegories, the one of a Shepherd, the other of a Free-hearted man, given to hoſpitality, and bountifully entertaining his gueſts.
Two parts then there be of it.
The firſt ſets forth Gods 1. Care of him, in providing him with all neceſſaries, in the four firſt verſes. 2. And then his Liberality, in ſupplying him abundantly with more than he needed, verſ. 5.
The ſecond is his confidence in Gods Grace, Davids poſition or inference, what God would do for him, being his Shepherd.and his profeſſion of thankfulneſs, verſ. 6.
He begins the firſt part with this Poſition, or Aſſertion: God is my Shepherd; and upon it infers, Therefore I ſhall not want. He will do for me, what a good Shepherd will do for his ſheep.
1. He will feed me in green paſtures, verſ. 2.The firſt part.
2. He will there provide for my ſafety. He makes me there lie down. Vers. 1
3. He will provide waters of comfort for me. 2. Vers. 2 He will feed, provide, &c.And theſe waters ſhall be gentle flowing ſtreams, ſtill waters, not turbulent and violent.
4. He will have a care to preſerve me in health, if ſick, Vers. 2 he will reſtore me.
5. He, ducit, he goes before and leads me, that I miſtake not my way. He leads me in the path of righteouſneſs. Which is his love. For 'tis for his Name-ſake.
6. Nay Reducit, which is my Security. If I erre, and go aſtray, and walk through the valley of the ſhadow of death (as 'tis poſſible, for a ſheep is a ſtragling creature) yet I will fear no evil: for he hath a Rod of the Law to chaſtiſe me, and a Staff of Evangelical promiſes to ſuſtain me, and in both, Thou art with me, thy rod, and thy ſtaff comfort me.
2. Thus as a good Shepherd he ſupplies me of Neceſſaries, 2But as a bountiful Lordthat I want nothing, but over and above, as a bountiful-minded Lord, he hath furniſh'd me copiouſly with varieties, which may be for Ornament, and my Honour.
1. He hath prepared a Table before me, He provides him abundance.and that in the preſence of my enemies.
2. He hath anointed my head with oyle. To refreſh my ſpirits, Vers. 5 and chear my countenance.
3. And my cup runneth over with the choiſeſt wine. He glads my heart. The laſt Verſe, The ſecond part.1. Sets out Davids confidence, that it ſhall be no worſe with him: For this David expreſſesSurely goodn…ſs and mercy ſhall follow me all the dayes of my life.
2. 1His confidence.Then expreſſeth his thankfulneſs: And I will dwell in the houſe of the Lord for ever. In thy houſe among the faithfull I will praiſe thee for ever.2Thankfulneſs.
The Prayer collected out of the twenty third Pſalm.
O Lord, I am that loſt ſhéep, that ſtray'd into the Wilderneſs, but thou in mercy-haſt gone after me, lay'd me on thy own ſhoulders, and brought me back to the fold. Vers. 1 Ever ſince thou haſt been my Shepherd, and not ſuffer'd me to want any thing that ſhould be neceſſary for me. Thou makeſt me lie down in green Paſtures, Vers. 2 among the Congregation of thy Saints, féeding and cloathing my body, but refreſhing more my ſoul with the ſwéet, and rich, and wholeſome Doctrine and promiſes made unto me in the Goſpel. Thou haſt alſo led me from the turbulent ſtreams of a troubled ſoul, to the ſtill waters of comfort, confirming and raiſing my heart by the conſolations of thy Holy Spirit. Thou haſt refreſhed and reſtored my fainting ſoul; thou haſt recall'd me from my erroneous wayes, and led me in the paths of righteouſneſs, thoſe plain, eaſie, ſtrait paths of thy Commandments, not for any merit of mine, but only for the glory of thy Holy Name.
I acknowledge mine own condition; that in this valley of tears I am ſubject to many dangers, many errours: a cloud there is upon my underſtanding, and a dark diſorder upon the faculties of my ſoul, though then I walk through the valley of the ſhadow of death, uphold me, that I fear no evil, be thou with me in all my tentations, chaſtiſe me when I go aſtray with the rod of thy Fatherly correction, and when I am ready to fall ſuſtain me with the ſtaff of thy Goſpel-promiſes, let me be ſenſible of thy arm whipping me, and thy hand embracing me, that from both I may receive comfort.
Thoſe that envy my happineſs are many, they murmur at my proſperity, and emulate my plenty, but let it be thy goodneſs to continue thy bleſſings to me, prepare a Table for me, anoint my head, and let my Cup run over, even in the preſence of my enemies, and let them eat their own hearts for envy, to ſée, that with ſo liberal and plentiful a hand thou haſt imparted thy outward bleſſings to me. But theſe I weigh little in compariſon of thy Spiritual favours: O Lord, I beſéech thée ever ſupply me copiouſly with theſe. Thy Holy Word is a well-furniſh'd Table of all various dainties, let that be alwayes prepared to my hand, and by meditation and rumination alwayes ready provided, that I may have whereon to féed my ſelf, and ſufficient to nouriſh thoſe that néed it. There is the oyle of thy Holy Spirit, thoſe Graces that flow from thée the God of Grace, O Lord, anoint my head with this oyle of Grace, and not my head alone, but my heart alſo, fortifie my underſtanding with truth, infuſe goodneſs into my will, chear up my affections with charity, that chearfully I may run the way of thy Commandments. Thou haſt alſo prepared a Cup for me, the Cup of bleſſing fill'd with the blood of thy Son, in which runs over a Sea of mercies to man-kind, prepare me to receive this cup, let me be a worthy gueſt at thy Table, that ſo ſome of the overflowings of this cup, may ſtream alſo to me, and rejoice my fainting and dying ſoul. This wine can alone make glad the heart of man, ever, ever let me drink it to my comfort.
To this day I have had experience of thy bounty and preventing Mercy, and I begg of thée, that thy goodneſs and favour may never leave nor forſake me, let it accompany, and kéep me all the dayes of my life, through all-thoſe dangerous wayes I am to paſs, till it bring me, and ſet me ſafe in a place of reſt and happineſs. In the mean time, I ſhall think my ſelf happy, if I may dwell in thy Houſe, thy Church, among the company of thy faithful people here, and with them ſing praiſes unto thée; for that will put me in good hope, when I ſhall paſs from hence, I ſhall dwell with thée in that celeſtial houſe above, and with them ſing Honour and Glory to thee who ſits upon the Throne, and to the Lamb for evermore. Amen.