Davids Harp Strung and Tuned, Book 4 [i.e. 5] · Psalm 119 · Stanza 12
12. LAMECH.
THIS Octonary is an Encomium of the Word of God, The Contents.and of the perfection thereof, which he commends from the immutability and conſtancy thereof. 2. Then from the comfort he received from it in his trouble.
1. Gods Word immutable, both.In the three firſt verſes the Prophet ſhewes, That Gods Word is immutable, by an inſtance in the creatures.
1. Ver. 1 In the Heavens: For ever, O Lord, thy Word is ſetled in Heaven: For the Heavens were made by his Word, In heaven and earth.and continue in the ſame frame, they were made by his Word to this day.
2. In the Earth: Whoſe foundations are yet immoveable. Thy faithfulneſs is unto all Generations, Ver. 2 Thou haſt eſtabliſhed the earth, and it abideth.
3. Ver. 3 They, Heaven and Earth both continue this day according to thy Ordinance.
4. The Reaſon is, For all things ſerve thee. Thy creatures they are, and thou their Lord Creator, they then muſt be at thy Beck and Command.
2. 2It brought him comfort in his trouble.Next he ſhewes the excellent perfection of Gods Word, by a rare effect it had upon himſelf, it gave him comfort, and kept him from deſpair in his trouble, he collected it from the former inſtances; thus, if the Word of God ſuſtained the Heaven and the Earth, he ſaw no reaſon but it might alſo ſuſtain him, and ſo leaning upon it, he was delighted in it, and that delight held him up, he knew it would be an Anchor of hope that would not fail him.
Ʋnleſs thy Law had been my delight, Ver. 4 I ſhould have periſhed in my trouble. This he knew he could not do, becauſe God had promiſed him the contrary; no ſuch comfort in trouble, as Gods Word and Promiſe; this will abide, when other fails.
3. Upon this comfort, he vowes.Upon which joy and comfort, firſt, he makes a promiſe of thankfulneſs; he had found life in Gods Word, and he reſolves never to forget it.
1. Ver. 5 I will never forget thy precepts; that men forget them, is, becauſe they find no heart in them.
2. 1Never to let it ſlip out of his memory.His Reaſon is, For with them thou haſt quickned me. He ſaith not, the Word quickned him, but God by his Word: For the Word quickens not, till Gods Spirit come to it; Vitam gratiae augendo, & vitam gloria promittendo.
2. 2To be Gods ſervant.Then next he devotes himſelf to be Gods ſervant, for the preſent, and for ever.
1. Ver. 6 I am thine: And I do, and will ſerve no other Lord, no baſe pleaſure, no profit, nor the World, nor the fleſh, nor the Devil; and therefore I can with a good conſcience ask,
2. O ſave me. It is for a Lord to protect, and ſave his ſervant.
3. And that I am thine, is evident in this, that I am ready to do thy Will: For I have ſought thy precepts. I am thine, becauſe I ſought nothing but that which is thine, and how I might pleaſe thee. O how few can ſay this, and upon this account cry to God, O ſave me.
4. Which to do, David had very great reaſon at this time; This he had reaſon to do, having many enemies, and thoſe:for he had bitter enemies, from whom he could not be ſafe, except God ſaved him; two things he notes in them.
1. Diligence: Te wicked have waited for me, waited for an opportunity.
2. Cruelty: Waited to deſtroy me. Their malice was ſo great, Ver. 7 that no leſs would ſatisfie them.1Diligent in miſchief.
3. And here now in ſuch an extremity, 2Cruel. Amidſt which Gods promiſe ſuſtained him.the comfort of Gods Word is very ſeaſonable, the conſideration of that is able to ſtay a fainting ſoul, Pſal. 124. with which David comforts himſelf here: But I will conſider thy Testimonies; that thou haſt teſtified that thou art able, and wilt deliver thoſe that truſt to thy Word, Dan. 6.16. & 22.
5. He hath ſhewed the perfection of Gods Word, in eſtabliſhing and upholding the frame of the World. 2. And then the excellency thereof, in bringing joy, comfort, help to an afflicted ſoul; but in the cloſe of this Section, he compares it with all other things, which we eſteem as excellent and perfect, be they Riches, Honours, Scepters, Crowns, Kingdoms, &c. among which, the Word of God hath ſtill the preheminence; they fail, but Gods Word endures.
1. I have ſeen an end of all perfection. Ver. 8 Jonah's Gourd is ſmitten with a worm; the golden head had feet of clay, &c. 3The preheminence of Gods Word.the faireſt day is enter'd at night.
2. But thy Commandment is exceeding broad: Exceeding broad indeed; for in it are contain'd all other National and Municipal Lawes, they being nothing elſe, if juſt, but extracts of it; or exceeding broad, becauſe all Lawes of a good life, and the rewards of thoſe that keep the Law; and on the contrary, the prohibitions of all vices, and the puniſhments of Tranſgreſſors are contained in it: Or, exceeding broad, becauſe it is the Commandment of love, which extends to God, Angels, men, enemies: Or, exceeding broad, which is nearer Davids purpoſe, becauſe it extends to, and refreſheth all that are in diſtreſs and affliction, it abides by them in tentations while they live, and forſakes them not in their death, but conveyes them into their grave in peace, and the comfort of it abides with them for ever when they are diſſolved.
The Prayer.
O Omnipotent God, Thou haſt given us aſſurance of thy Faithfulneſs and Truth in the performance of thy Word and Promiſe made unto thy ſervants, even by that conſtant order and continuance which we behold in thy creatures: For why is it, that thoſe orbs above have béen ſo long-liv'd? why are they not corrupted? why do they continue in that excellent beauty, Ver. 1 and perpetual motion? but that thy Word is ſetled in Heaven. Why is it, that the foundations of earth do not decay and ſhake? Ver. 2 but that thy faithfulneſs is to all generations; they continue this day according to thy Ordinance; for they are thy creatures, Thou their Lord, Ver. 3 and they muſt ſerve and do their homage to thée.
We alone are thy diſobedient creatures, and for this thou bringeſt us juſtly into trouble, and under theſe we ſhould have fainted, and utterly periſhed, had it not béen from the comforts that we receive from thy Word, Ver. 4 it delights our ſouls, and confirms our hearts even in the extremities of our ſorrowes, when we find in it thy Word, many gracious promiſes made unto thy ſervants.
I will never therefore forget thy precepts, for with them thou haſt quickned me. Ver. 5 I was ready even to expire and dye, till I meditated on, and called to mind thy Law, which by the power of thy Spirit hath encreaſed grace in me, and by the promiſe of glory brought me again to life: Ver. 6 For which promiſe I am thine, and I vow my ſelf to be thine; I will no more be a ſervant to the Devil, the World, and the fleſh, I renounce them all, I forſake them, and betake my ſelf wholly to thy ſervice. And ſince I have given my ſelf wholly unto thée, let me be thy care, Ver. 7 O ſave me, ſave me, O my God; for I am invironed with malicious and cruel enemies, whom nothing can ſatisfie but my blood; they are diligent, and wait for an opportunity to deſtroy me, and take away my life; but thou, O Lord, haſt teſtified, that thou wilt deliver thoſe that truſt in thée, and therefore I will conſider in my troubles theſe thy teſtimonies.
I ſée an end of all perfection, Riches, Honours, Crowns, Kings, Friends fade and fail, Ver. 8 and are but miſerable comforters, but thy Commandment is exceeding broad, it extends to, and refreſheth all that are in affliction, it abides by them in tentations while they live, and forſakes them not in their death; in life and death therefore I will adhere to this: Take not then the comfort of thy Word out of my mouth while I live, and never let it leave me, till it hath brought me to eternal happineſs, through Ieſus Chriſt my Lord and Saviour. Amen.