Davids Harp Strung and Tuned, Book 1 · Psalm 32
PSAL. XXXII. Is Doctrinal; and ſets forth the happineſs of one whoſe ſins are remitted.
THE Title of the Pſalm is Maſchil, and at the eighth verſe the reaſon is given, I will instruct thee, and teach thee. In this then there is an inſtruction given, eſpecially about theſe three points, which divide the Pſalm.
1. The Happy eſtate of a juſtified perſon, verſ. 1, 2.
2. The unhappy condition of that man, who is not aſſured that he is juſtified and reconciled to God, verſ. 3, A juſtified perſon is happy.4. and the way preſcribed, how to gain that aſſurance, verſ. 5.
3. A Leſſon given for obedience after a man is brought into that ſtate, v. 8, 9.
1. The Prophet firſt inſtructs us in what juſtification conſiſts: It is a free remiſſion, The firſt part. How he muſt be qualified.a covering of ſin, a non-imputation of iniquities. 2. How the man muſt be qualified that obtains it. He muſt have an honeſt, ſincere, and upright heart, Vers. 1 be far from guile, doubling, hypocriſie, verſ. 3. Now ſuch a one he pronounceth, Vers. 2 A Happy man. Bleſſed is he whoſe tranſgreſſion is forgiven, whoſe ſin is covered: He muſt confeſs his ſin, not excuſe or hide it.Bleſsed is the man, unto whom the Lord imputes not iniquity, and in whoſe spirit there is no guile: who doth not excuſe, palliate, extenuate his ſin, but confeſſeth it.
2. The ſecond part.And this he makes good by his own experience, he hid his ſin, he doubled with God, he confeſſed not, and he was in an unhappy, and unquiet condition all the while.This David did, he hid it,
1. I held my peace, I confeſſed not, I did not ask pardon, and, When I held my peace, And he was unquiet in his ſoul.and kept ſilence, diſſembled my ſin.
2. I was wounded with the ſting of a guilty conſcience, fears, horrours, troubles of ſoul, &c. My bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me, my moyſture is turn'd into the drought of Summer.
3. But when he confeſſed it,And then he ſhews you the way he took to recover his happineſs, which was a clear contrary courſe. He would conceal his ſin no longer, from which he had ſo much unreſt, but he was reſolv'd to open and diſplay it before his God.
1. Vers. 5 I acknowledg'd my ſin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid.
2. I ſaid, I will confeſs my tranſgreſſions to the Lord.
Of which the effects are divers.1He obtained remiſſion.
1. The firſt upon himſelf. He recover'd his happineſs, conſ…ing in Remiſſion: And thou forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſin.
2. 2By his example others ſeek for grace.The ſecond upon the whole Church, upon every good man, that took out and follow'd his example. For this, i. e. that thou haſt been ſo merciful to me, Vers. 6 and pardoned me, a penitent confeſſor, ſhall every one that is godly, pray unto thee for pardon, in a time, when thou may'ſt be found, in the day while grace is offered.
3. Vers. 6 Comfort in extremities, and ſafety in the greateſt dangers. Surely in the floods of great waters, 3And are ſecure in extremities.in an inundation of calamities, the troubles ſhall not come nigh him, that depends upon Gods goodneſs and mercy, and is reconcil'd unto him by repentance. And he ſhews the reaſon from his own experience, God was his Protector.
1. Thou art my hiding place, thou ſhalt preſerve me from trouble.
2. Thou ſhalt compaſs me about with Songs of deliverance; deliver me, and make me ſing for joy, and give thanks.
3. And now David ſets down the Duty of a juſtified perſon, The third part. David inſtructs a juſtified perſon in his way.that he be after his pardon obedient to his God, and that not out of compulſion, but freely and willingly. About which that he be not to ſeek, either God from Heaven, or David in his perſon becomes his Doctor; I will inſtruct thee, and teach thee in the way that thou ſhalt go; I will guide thee with my eye. Vers. 8 And a good ſervant needs no ſtripes, he will obſerve nutum, or nictum heri. As my eye is alwayes over you, carefully to inſtruct, ſo be you as ready to obſerve it.
2. Ne ſitis. Be not like beaſts, like horſe and mule, Vers. 9 which have no underſtanding: whoſe mouths muſt be held in by force with bit and bridle, To obey freely.leſt they come near unto thee, …ing thee, hurt thee, kick thee, kill thee. Conſtrain'd obedience is for a beaſt; free and voluntary for a man.
3. Beſides, to quicken your obedience, I will teach you two reaſons.Which he perſwades by two reaſons.
1. Ab incommodo. Many ſorrows ſhall be to the wicked, their griefs, their troubles, their puniſhments many and grievous. Vers. 10 Be not then diſobedient like the wicked. Rebellious as they are.1That the troubles of the rebellious are grievous.
2. A commodo. Your obedience ſhall be rewarded, and that amply: But he that truſteth in the Lord, mercy ſhall compaſs him about. It ſhall be like the girdle, that he is girded withal. 2The willing obedience of the good rewarded.God will be preſent with him in his troubles, he ſhall perceive he is in favour with God, that his ſins are covered, and that he is an beir of eternal life.
Upon which he concludes with this Exhortation, Be glad in the Lord, Vers. 11 and rejoice ye Righteous: and ſhout for joy all ye that are upright in heart. Theſe he exhorts to rejoice in God.As there is great reaſon; for this Doctrine of the Free Remiſſion of ſin, can alone quiet the Conſcience.
The Prayer collected out of the 32. Pſalm.
O Merciful Father, Lord of Men and Angels, to whoſe Will and Command all Creatures ought to be obedient, I have béen through my whole life a rebellious wretch, and with a high hand ſinn'd againſt Heaven, and againſt thée, neither am I worthy to be call'd thy Son; I have ſerv'd thée with a double heart, and after the commiſſion of many a grievous ſin, I have ſought for fig-leaves to cover my nakedneſs, either extenuated, and ſought to conceal it from thy eyes. I have done wickedly, Vers. 3 and have not open'd my mouth in confeſſien, and therefore now that my ſins preſent themſelves to my conſcience out of the ſenſe of thy wrath, I roar all the day long, my bones are dryed: Night and day thy hand is ſo heavy upon me, that my moyſture is become like the drought in Summer.
But, O my God, I humbly acknowledge that the ſtate of my ſoul is ſad and deplorable, and by my own fault I am in an ill condition, and how to recover I know no other way, but to fall at thy féet, and confeſs my errour. I do therefore now acknowledge my ſin unto thee, and my iniquity do I not hide. A time there is when thou may'ſt be found, and in this time I do confeſs my tranſgreſſions unto thee, forgive, O Lord, the iniquity of my ſin. O let not the ſloods of great waters come ſo near my ſoul, that they drown me in deſpair. Be thou to me a hiding place, till thy anger is overpaſt, deliver me, and let me rejoice in thy ſalvation. Cover my ſins, forgive my tranſgreſſions, impute not unto me mine iniquities, but impute unto me thy Sons righteouſueſs for my juſtification, when I ſhall appear before thy great Tribunal. For this alone can make me Bleſſed and Happy.
And for the future. Inſtruct me and teach me in the way that I am to go, Vers. 8 guide me with thy eye, let the leaſt intimation of thy Will, be a powerful motive to my ſoul, and win it to obedience. Suffer me not to be like a bruit beaſt, like the head-ſtrong horſe, or the ſottiſh mule, whoſe mouths muſt be held in with bit and bridle, kept in their way by force and violence, rather out of love give me Grace to do my duty, than out of, fear and compulſion.
If, O Lord, thou wilt procéed in wrath and anger, let it be againſt the rebellious, ſtiffmecked ſinners, let the ſorrows of the wicked, ſtubborn, and perverſe men be many: But let all thoſe that truſt in thée, be compaſſed and defended by thy mercy. And let all thoſe, who labour to ſerve thée with an upright and in an honeſt heart, though in great imperfection and weakneſs, rejoice in thée, and ſhout for joy, knowing that they ſerve a good Lord, who will remit their ſin, hide their tranſgreſſions, and not impute their iniquiies. Amen.