Davids Harp Strung and Tuned, Book 2 · Psalm 52 – Psalm 53
PSAL. LII.
THIS Pſalm was compoſed by occaſion of Doegs cruelty in falling upon, and ſlaying the Prieſts of God, 1 Sam. 21, 22. and the Subject is Doegs malice, and Gods goodneſs.
Three parts there are in this Pſalm.
1. An Invective againſt Doeg and his fall, from ver. 1. to 6.
2. The comfort that Gods people ſhould take in it, ver. 6.
3. The ſecurity and flouriſhing eſtate of thoſe who truſt in God, and Davids thanks for it, ver. 9.
1. David begins with an abrupt Apoſtrophe to Doeg, The firſt part.and figures it by an Eroteſis, Why boaſteſt thou thy ſelf in miſchief, thou Mighty man? and anſwers, Ver. 1 that this boaſting was but vain; The goodneſs of God endures continually; An invective againſt Doeg. 1. His Character.which was enough to quiet any ſoul, that was affrighted with his brags and threats.
And ſo having put this black character upon him, that he was a malicious bloody man, and arrived to that height of impudence, that he boaſted in miſchief; he deſcends to particulars, and ſets him out in his colours, eſpecially by the ill uſe of that part by which he did moſt miſchief, his tongue.
1. Thy tongue worketh miſchief, like a Raſor, working deceitfully.
1. Which is an inſtrument to cut the Beard, but it comes too near the Throat.
2. When this is done, a deceit there is in it; for the man who came under the edge of the Raſor, expected no ſuch uſage.
2. Thou loveſt evil more than good: His wickedneſs was habitual, he bore a love to it.
3. Thou loveſt lying, rather than to ſpeak righteouſneſs: An enemy he was to the truth, and by lyes and flatteries ready to deſtroy good men.
4. Which David in the next verſe more plainly expreſſeth, Thou loveſt all devouring words, O thou falſe tongue; he was, as it were, all tongue, and wholly falſe and deceitful.
This is his Character; now David foretels his ruine and total deſtruction, which he amplifies from the Author by a Congeries of words: 2His ruine.God ſhall likewiſe deſtroy thee for ever, he ſhall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the Land of the living: The Rooters up of Gods Prieſts, ſhall be unrooted.
2. The ſecond part. The comfort Gods people take in it.Then follows how Gods people ſhould be affected upon Doegs fall.
1. They, The Righteous ſhall ſet it, and fear; fear and reverence God more than before, as taking a juſt revenge on a wicked man.
2. And they, ſhall laugh at him, uſing this bitter Sarcaſm, Lo, this is the man that made not God his ſtrength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and ſtrengthned himſelf in his wickedneſs: This ruine is juſtly hapned to him, he truſted in his gold more than God; and by adding one wickedneſs to another, thought to ſtrengthen himſelf.
But ſuch a fearful end ſhall not fall upon David, The third part. The flouriſhing eſtate of the good.not any good man; when a wicked man ſhall be unrooted, he ſhall flouriſh as an Olive, that is never deſtitute of leaves nor fruit; a good and bad man are here oppoſed, and their ſucceſſes.
1. As for me, I am like a green Olive Tree, fruitful and green.
2. An Olive Tree planted in the Houſe of God, without which the fruits are but ſowre, and the leaves bare leaves only.
3. His faith is the cauſe of it.An Olive laſts long, two hundred years, and long liv'd a good man ſhall be, for ever and ever; to a good life longaevity is promiſed here, hereafter eternity.
4. And the Reaſon of all this, the good mans faith: I truſt in the mercy of God.
Upon which his Concluſion being full of confidence, Which is accompanied with praiſe and hope.and expectancy follows.
1. I will praiſe thee for ever becauſe thou hast done it.
2. And I will wait on thy Name, for this is good before thy Saints; this alone is the foundation of their hope, who commend themſelves to thy goodneſs, and are favoured by thee.
The Prayer collected out of the fifty ſecond Pſalm.
O Lord God Almighty, who haſt ſeperated the Tribe of Levi to come near unto thée, and haſt commanded them to teach Jacob thy judgments, and Iſrael thy Laws, behold, and look down from Heaven, and conſider the diſgrace and injury we ſuffer for thy Name; Thou haſt ſent us as ſhéep among wolves, and as wolves they fall upon us, and devour us; counted we are, as the offſcouring of all things for thy ſake, and made a ſpectacle to Men and Angels.
The tongue of the Mighty deviſeth miſchief againſt us, like a ſharp Razor, they wound and cut, Ver. 2 and work deceitfully; inſtead of love, they return us haired; Their tongue is deceitful, they ſpeak lies againſt us, and words that may devour us: Nay, to that height of pride and impiety they are come, that they glory, they boaſt in this miſchief, Ver. 1 as if in deſtroying of us, they thought they ſhould do God good ſervice.
And now Lord, what is our hope, truly our hope is even in thée: Thy goodneſs, O Lord, endureth continually; we know whom we have truſted, we know on whom we rely, and we are aſſured, that thou wilt perform thy promiſe unto us; as they have ſought to deſtroy us, ſo ſhall God likewiſe deſtroy them for ever; he ſhall take them away, and pluck them out of their dwelling place, and root them out of the Land of the living.
This the righteous ſhall live to ſee done with their eyes, and for it ſerve thee their Lord with more fear, and rejoyce before thee with the greater comfort, being delighted not ſo much with their deſtruction, as with the expreſs of thy juſtice. Laugh they ſhall, and ſay, So, ſo let it happen unto all thoſe, who make not God their ſtrength, but truſt to the abundance of their riches, and ſtrengthen themſelves in their wickedneſs.
But, O Lord, let the fate of him, that for thy ſake is ſeperated from his brethren, be altogether otherwiſe. Let every one of the Tribe of Levi, that ſeeks his God with a clean heart, and in ſincerity ſerve thee in thy houſe, be like a green Olive tree, full of fruit, and full of youth; and for ever and ever be joyful in thy mercy.
Which thing if thou wilt do for us, then ſhall we praiſe thy Name, then will we wait upon thee, and expect to ſee thy goodneſs in the land of the living, through Ieſus Chriſt our only Lord and Saviour.
PSAL. LIII.
THIS Pſalm is the very ſame with the fourteenth. The Analyſis then muſt be the ſame, and the Prayer, and therefore I refer you thither.