Davids Harp Strung and Tuned, Book 3 · Psalm 84
PSAL. LXXXIV. foreign.
WHEN David compoſed this Pſalm, he was enforced to be abſent from the houſe of God, and the holy Aſſembly of Gods people. In this Pſalm then
The Prophet doth,
1. Set forth his love to Gods houſe, and his deſire to be preſent, verſ. 1, 2, 3.
2. Account thoſe happy, who might continue in that Aſſembly, verſ. 4, 5, 6, 7.
3. He prayes to God for his reſtitution thither, and ſets down the cauſes, verſ. 8, 9, 10, 11.
4. Yet he accounts himſelf happy, becauſe he truſts in God, verſ. 12.
1. He begins with a pathetical Exclamation, as raviſhed with the beauty, The firſt part. By a foreign, he expreſſes his love to Gods houſe.the excellency, the comforts which he once enjoyed in Gods houſe, which he calls Gods Tabernacle.
How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of hosts?
Which form is uſual, when we conceive more than we can expreſs: As, Vers. 1 Quam bonus Deus? O death, how bitter is thy remembrance? So that, How amiable? is as if he had ſaid, More amiable than I know which way to tell you.
2. And his deſire to be preſent in it.Then next in plainer terms he expreſſes his ardent affections to be preſent in the houſe of God, to the Miniſtry and Service there done.
1. My ſoul longeth, yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord.
2. My heart, and my fleſh, ſoul, and body, cryes out for the living God.
The Ark of God, which was the ſign of his preſence, was ſo dear to him, that he longs, faints, cryes, heart, hands, eyes, tongue, all earneſtly deſire to be preſent with it.
3. He laments his abſence, 3He laments his abſence from it.(whether now forced to it by being preſent with his Armies abroad, or driven away by Abſolon) ſo that he accounts his caſe more miſerable in this reſpect, than ſome Birds, Sparrows and Swallows, that might build about the Temple.
Yea, the Sparrow hath found her a houſe, Vers. 3 and the Swallow a neſt for her ſelf, where ſhe may lay her young, even thy Altar, i. e. thy houſe, by a Synecdoche. They may neſtle there, build there, ſing there, be preſent there, but I may not, that's my grief. They then upon the point, more happy than I.
O Lord God of hoſts, my King, and my God. By which words he would move God to pity.
1. O Lord God of hoſts. That I acknowledge thee, now I am in Arms.
2. My King. I a King over thy people, but thou a King over me.
3. My God, whom I ſerve, The ſecond part. For he accounts thoſe only happy, that might be where the Ark was.therefore I deſire to be in the place of thy ſervice, and where thou doſt moſt gloriouſly adminiſter thy Kingdom, i. e. in thy houſe.
2. In the ſecond place, he pronounceth them happy, who had free liberty perpetually to live in that Aſſembly which is call'd the Church, whether they did reſide there, or were but in their way and journey thither.
1. Vers. 4 Bleſsed are they that dwell in thy Houſe, viz. The Prieſts and Levites.And that in four particulars.
1. Bleſſed they are, for thou in thy Houſe, as the good Maſter of the Family, 1There Gods diſpenſations to be expected.doſt there diſpenſe unto them all thy adminiſtrations, viz. all thy goods, thy righteouſneſs, the gifts of the Spirit, an inheritance of eternal life, &c.
2. 2Dwellers there.That dwell, continue, remain, not that come and look into it, and go out preſently from it. They muſt be Citizens, dwellers in it, not Tenants at will, and Paſſengers, habitandi locum habeant, non divertendi non commorand….
3. A third part of their happineſs conſiſts in this, that they will do their duty. Vers. 4 They will be still praiſing thee. Which is a true Note of Gods Servants. 3There perform their Duties of piety.They will offer to God Invocation, Thankſgiving, Confeſſion, they will vow to propagate his Truth, and other duties of love and piety.
4. Vers. 5 The fourth is, That their truſt is in God. Bleſſed is the man, 4There they look for an anſwer to their prayers.whoſe strength is in thee. Who relie not ſo much in their external performances in the Temple, as unto thy promiſes which thou haſt made to thoſe who worſhip thee ſincerely in thy Temple.
2. And they alſo are happy, who though they cannot be preſent, yet deſire it.This is the happineſs thoſe enjoy that dwell in Gods houſe, and they are happy alſo, who in their hearts are there, and have a deſire, and are in their journey, yea though in their way they encounter many difficulties. So ſaith our Prophet,
1. Bleſſed are they, in whoſe heart are the wayes of them, that is, who not in hypocriſie dwell there, or that truſt in their external performances, but in whoſe heart are fix'd thoſe duties, which they that dwell in the Temple, perform ſincerely.
2. Who paſſing through the Vale of Baca, make it a Well, the rain alſo fill the Pools.And ſtill aſcending on going thither.
1. They paſs. The Iſraelites in great numbers did aſcend dayly to Gods houſe.
2. They might, or often did paſs through the Vale of Baca, or Bochim, the Vale of Mulberries, a dry Land, and then they wanted water: or through Bochim, the Valley of ſorrow, and then they had tears to drink, and the rain fill'd the Pools of their eyes. For many are the afflictions of the righteous: and yet for all this, go on.
3. They paſs from strength to strength, from Caſtle to Caſtle, from Town to Town, from one degree of vertue to another, Till every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. Nor length of the journey, nor wearineſs, nor roughneſs of the way, nor difficulties, nor dangers in it, can diſcourage them, on they go, till they come to Gods houſe in Zion. And are therefore, Bleſſed.
3. The third part. He begs protection.To his deſire to be preſent in this Aſſembly, he adds a Prayer, O Lord God of hoſts hear my prayer, give ear, O God of Jacob. Behold, O God our ſhield, and look upon the face of thy anointed, i. e. of me whom thou haſt anointed to be King. And that he may come again to Gods houſe.He deſires that the God of Armies would protect, defend, give Victory, be a Buckler to him and his Army, and reduce them again, that they may do him ſervice in his houſe. And he gives his reaſon, For one day in thy houſe, is better than a thouſand, viz. out of it: I had rather be a door-keeper in the houſe of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedneſs. For it is far more pleaſant, more profitable; better it is. Which he illuſtrates by an oppoſition of time, place, perſons.
1. One day in Gods houſe, 1Reckoning of that day, better than a thouſand.to a thouſand out of it. Abroad luxury, pleaſure, vanity, oſtentation, death. In Gods houſe the contrary, therefore out-doors here is beter. I had rather be a door-keeper here, than, &c.
2. Gods houſe, to the tents of wicked doers. 2To be a door-keeper there, than a dweller elſewhere.Abroad luxury, pleaſure, vanity, oſtentation, death. In Gods houſe the contrary, therefore out-doors here is beter. I had rather be a door-keeper here, than, &c.
3. A door-keeper, a Corite, to the Nobleſt dwellers. Abroad luxury, pleaſure, vanity, oſtentation, death. In Gods houſe the contrary, therefore out-doors here is beter. I had rather be a door-keeper here, than, &c.
And in the next verſe he gives us a more ſolid reaſon for this his choice, or rather indeed three reaſons.His reaſons for it.
1. The firſt taken from the properties of God. For the Lord is a Sun, 1God the Lord Protector.and a Shield.
1. A Sun, he diſpels darkneſs, illuminates, comforts, heats, gives life, increaſe.
2. A Shield he is, foreign. The Lord Protector of his people.
2. The ſecond from his Bounty, he gives the beſt gifts, Grace, 2A bountiful God.and Glory.
1. Grace, for freely he adopts us for his Sons, and makes us heirs of eternal life.
2. Glory in this life, for he raiſeth to dignities here: and glory in heaven.
3. From his Al-ſufficiency, or rather Efficiency. 3Al-ſufficient.For no good thing will he with-hold.
But that every man do not ſerve himſelf of theſe reaſons, as ſuppoſing that all theſe things belong to him, that God will be a Sun, a Shield to him, give grace and glory, or with-hold no good thing from him: The Prophet very cautelouſly limits his words, But efficient only to the ſincere.No good thing he will with-hold from them that walk uprightly. Hypocrites then, and back-ſliders, may challenge none of theſe bleſſings.
1. They muſt walk. Go on conſtantly, and continue in their way.
2. They muſt walk uprightly, in ſincerity of heart, and not diſſemble with God, if they mean to have a portion of the good things he gives.
4. The cloſe of the Pſalm, is an Acclamation, O Lord God, The laſt part.bleſſed is the man that truſts in thee. In which he tacitely anſwers an Objection. Vers. 12 If ſuch are bleſſed that dwell in the houſe of the Lord, then thoſe are not bleſſed, An Acclamation, that the man is bleſſed who truſts in God.which are exiled from thence. Yes, ſaith David, bleſſed they may be, and are, though they want that happineſs. For all are bleſſed, who with a firm faith relie and truſt in God, though being detain'd by priſons, tyrants, exile, and Schiſmatiques, they enjoy not the outward communion of the Church, becauſe by a true and ſolid confeſſion of the Truth, they are ſtill join'd to the true ſociety of Saints.
The Prayer collected out of the eighty fourth Pſalm.
O Almighty God, whoſe Throne is in the higheſt heavens, Vers. 1 and yet haſt paſt thy word to be in the midſt of thy people, even when two or three are gathered together in thy name, gather us together that at this time are ſcatter'd and vaniſh'd from thy houſe, and let us meet again in thy Temple, and with one heart and one voice offer up our praiſes to thy name, and pour forth our ſupplications before thee.
O how amiable are thy dwellings, thou Lord God of hoaſts? my heart cannot conceive, my tongue cannot expreſs the content I have formerly taken to be preſent in theſe Aſſemblies. And therefore now being exiled from thence, Vers. 2 my ſoul longeth, yea even fainteth for the great deſire I have to meet with thy people again in thy Courts. For, for thee alone, and to enjoy thy preſence, my heart is iuflamed, and my fleſh follows the dictates of my heart, and beth together cry out to appear before the face of the living God. My preſent condition preſents to my memory my own unhappineſs, which is in this reſpect, below the Sparrow and Swallow, they can make their approaches to the walls of thy Temple, they there can build their neſts, they there can hatch and lay their young, but I am not ſo happy: Thou art the Lord of hoſts, who now doeſt protect me in battail, thou art my King, I a King over thy people, and thou a King over me. Thou art my God, whom I have alwayes ſerved, and yet at this time I am not admitted to the place of thy ſervice, where I may publickly acknowledge thee to be all theſe.
O happy men, that may dwell in thy houſe! for there, as a good Maſter of the Family, thou diſpenſeſt to them the bread of eternal life. Thou ſupplieſt unto them matter of praiſe, and they again are as ready to praiſe thee, in which conſtiſts the chief pleaſure and ſelicity of man. So often as they meet there, they will invocate thy name, offer thankſgiving, confeſs their ſins, and give glory to God, vow they will to propagate thy Truth, and in reverence and fear, do all acts of piety and devotion.
Theſe are happieſt, but thoſe are alſo happy, that have a deſtre and a liberty to aſcend thither. O Lord, increaſe in us theſe deſtres, and give us again this freedom, our ſtrength is in thee, and our hearts are in thy wayes; and though we muſt paſs through the Valley of tears, yet we deſire to aſcend to that place, which thou, Lord, haſt appointed to thy ſelf for an habitation. In the ſtrength of the Lord God we will procéed, till we appear before God in Zion, and find that Majeſty and mercy, which we ſo earneſtly long for, and ſéek. For whatſoever happineſs we are capable of in this life, we know it is to be obtained in the pious Aſſemblies of thy Saints.
O Lord God of hoſts, hear my prayer, give ear, O God of Jacob. Thou who art our Shield and Protector, behold me with a ſerene countenance, and when I ſhall lift up my eyes unto thee, O turn thy face toward thy Anointed, and for his ſake look upon me and thy people with mercy, and bring us back again to thy houſe. Grant that the love of thy houſe, may be to us, that which thou deſireſt, that we may think the time of one day ſpent in it, better than thouſands in doing our own pleaſure; yea, and that it is better to be the meaneſt ſervant, a door-kéeper in the houſe of God, than to dwell with honour in the Tents and Palaces of ungodly men. The pleaſures and delights which we may hope for in thoſe Tents, are nothing to the contents we may enjoy in thy houſe, for there we ſhall enjoy thée, who art our Sun, our Shield, the Father of all good gifts, and wilt deny no good thing to thoſe who ſincerely ſerve thée.
O Lord, be unto me a Shield and a Sun. A Sun to illuminate us: A Shield to protect us. Diſpell our darkneſs, comfort and warm our hearts with thy light, increaſe us with thy ſwéeteſt influence, and defend us by thy power. Give us grace, and adopt us for thy Sons, and at laſt beſtow upon us eternal glory. Thou haſt promiſed to deny no good thing to thoſe who walk before thée in ſimplicity and integrity. Inable us then, O God, to walk in thy wayes with a pure and an honeſt heart. For then we may be comforted with this hope and aſſurance, that we ſhall be bleſſed, and that we ſhall come at laſt to thoſe eternal Manſions in heaven by the merits of Ieſus Chriſt our Lord.