Davids Harp Strung and Tuned, Book 4 [i.e. 5] · Psalm 119 · Stanza 14
14. NUN.
IN this Octonary, The Contents. The commendation of Gods Word.David gives a commendation of Gods Law. 2. Obliges himſelf, and reſolves to keep it, notwithſtanding all oppoſition.
1. The commendation he gives Gods Word, is, That it is a lamp, Ver. 1 and a light. Thy Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my wayes: For the Law of the fleſh and ſin, darkens the underſtanding; that which is the true good, is not diſcerned from bad, till the Word of God is called for to be the light, to which, if men have an eye, and follow it, they will avoid all precipices, and arrive ſafely at the determinate end.
2. Of this David was aſſured, and therefore upon it he makes a proteſtation, and binds it with an Oath:
Ver. 2 I have ſworn, Ver. 2 and will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.
1. I have ſworn, David tyes himſelf by oath to keep it'Tis not ſufficient to begin well, except we end well, and David knew our humane frailty, and that we are apt to ſlip from our Duty, and therefore he binds himſelf to it by a ſolemn Oath or Vow, viz. To follow the lamp, or light of Gods Word.
2. Which he retracts not.And ſecondly, It never repented him of it, he did not retract his Vow: I have ſworn, and I will perform it.
3. And I will keep; yea, but this was beyond Davids power: True, legally it is ſo; but to co-operate with Gods grace, and do his beſt, it is not; and that is it which Davd vowes.
4. I will keep thy righteous judgments; for ſo they are in themſelves, Rules of the greateſt equity, and David therefore reſolves to keep them.
3. Not would, though diſcouraged by afflictions.Yea, but calamities, afflictions, and many dangers accompany the profeſſion of Religion, and ſtudy of piety; for they that will live godly in Christ Jeſus, muſt ſuffer perſecution, 2 Tim. 3. of this David had experience.
1. Ver. 3 I am afflicted very much, outwardly, inwardly; and yet he was conſtant, and reſolved to keep his Oath and Vow.
2. So that God did enable him He deſires that God accept of his vow.And of theſe two, the inward affliction was the greateſt, and therefore he prayes, Quicken me, reſtore my decay'd ſtrength, as thou haſt promiſed.
This now was a free-will-offering, to ſwear and vow thus much, proceeded freely from him, and he expects not to merit by it, but deſires of God to accept of it.
Two things he asks in this verſe.
1. Ver. 4 Accept, O Lord, I beſeech thee, th… free-will-offerings of my mouth: Let my endeavours, vowes, to keep thy Law; my invocation, giving of thanks, confeſſion of my ſin, profeſſion of thy Truth, patience under the Croſs be accepted by thee.
2. And teach me thy judgments. Without thy help I am not able to perform my vow, give me therefore ſtrength, that I may perform what I have vowed.
4. That I am reſolved to keep my vow, and thy Law appears in this, that though for it I am daily in danger of life, yet I forget it not, I erred not from thy precepts.
1. My life is in thy hand: That is, I am expoſed to a preſent danger of life; Ver. 5 a phraſe it is borrowed from War, where the Souldiers life is in his hand, And then no dangers ſhall affright him from his duty.and lies upon the valiant uſe of his Weapon; for if he be a Coward, and reſiſt not ſtoutly his enemy, he is like to loſe it; ſo Jeptha is ſaid, Judg. 12.3. & Job 13.14. 1 Sam. 28.21. Ver. 6
2. But yet, though death be alwayes before my eyes, yet do I not forget thy Law.
3. And he ſhewes his danger by another ſimilitude: They have laid ſnares for me. What they cannot do by force and violence, they ſeek to do by craft; they ſeek to take away my life by a ſnare, as they do that hunt after wild Beaſts; both which were verified in Saul that fought againſt him, and hunted after his life, both by violence and ſubtilty he would have ſlain him.
4. Yet I erred not from thy precepts: But he would not lay violent hands on the Lords Anointed, and therefore erred not, 1 Sam. 23. & 26.
5. He kept his reſolution, and vowes ſtill; Yet conſtant he was.and now he goes on to ſhew his diligence and conſtancy in the ſtudy of piety, and ſhewes the Reaſon.
1. Thy Testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever. Ver. 7 Such is the eſtimation of the godly, Gods Law was his, 1. Heritage.when they compare the Word of God with other things, they account them of no price. The honey, and the honey-comb hath no ſweetneſs; gold and ſilver are of no worth in compariſon of it: No, not all Canaan it ſelf, Iſraels heritage, all is but dung to it; they therefore David choſe for his inheritance. He had but one Patrimony or Legacy left him, which he eſteems and loves beyond all.
2. Yea, and delighted in above all: For they are the rejoycing of my heart. 2His delight.Riches and wealth bring care and fear, the Word of God joy to a pious ſoul; for it is the Charter of ſalvation, ſealed and confirmed by God; ſealed by the Sacraments, confirmed by the Oath of God, ſecured and delivered to us by his Spirit, and ſubſcribed by the blood of Chriſt, all which muſt upon neceſſity bring joy of heart.
3. And upon it he concludes, And he therefore adheres to it.That he would be a faithful keeper of this great Treaſure, ſo long as he had a day to live; he would co-operate with Gods Spirit.
1. I have applied my heart; or, inclined my heart; that is, when on one part the Law of ſin drew me, and on the other part thy Law. I inclined my heart to thy Law, and not to the Law of ſin. The counſel of the ſoul is like a balance; and the mind, which hath the commanding power over the affections, inclines the balance to that which is beſt.
2. To fulfil and perform. In purpoſe of heart and reſolution, he ever willed and deſired it; in performance he might fail, To the end.but never in his intention.
3. Even unto the end. His motions were not taken by ſtarts, he was no Temporizer, whoſe goodneſs is like the morning dew; the ſeed of Gods Word was rooted in his heart, and therefore as he begun well, ſo he would end well.
The Prayer.
O Gracious God, in the night of this preſent life I am encompaſſed with darkneſs, the Miſts of ignorance do darken my underſtanding, and a thick cloud ariſing from my affections, Ver. 1 doth bewitch my will, ſo that I neither know my way, nor can chooſe that which is good: O let then thy Word be a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path; that I may not wander, ſtumble, and fall, as it happens to thoſe, who adventure into dark places without a light, without a lanthorn.
And great tentations I have to fall; Ver. 3 for behold, I am afflicted very much, my ſoul is alway in my hand, every day my life is in danger, becauſe I kéep thy righteous judgments. Ver. 4 The wicked, for this, are become mine enemies, and what they cannot do by violence, that they labor to do by craft; for they lay ſnares for me: And yet, O Lord, Thou knoweſt the ſincerity of my heart, nor their force, nor ſubtilty, have béen able to overcome my conſtancy; yet I do not forget thy Law, yet I do not erre from thy Precepts.
And that to them my reſolution may be the more fixed, Ver. 4 and my conſtancy the more firm, I have bound my ſelf by oath and promiſe, I have ſworn, and by the help of thy Spirit I will perform it; Ver. 2 tyed my ſelf I have by vow, That I keep thy righteous judgments. Accept, O Lord, I beſeech thee, the freewill-offerings of my mouth, Ver. 4 thoſe promiſes of obedience which I have made with a voluntary frée heart; and teach me to moderate all my actions by thy rule of equity; theſe I prefer before gold and ſilver, theſe are ſwéeter unto me than the honey and the honey comb; of theſe I eſtéem as my patrimony, and my heritage, they are indéed the joy and rejoycing of my heart; be pleaſed then, O Lord, to quicken me in them, according to thy Word and Promiſe; and incline my heart to fulfil thy Statutes, ſo long as I have a day to live. Let me be nor Hypocrite, nor Temporizer, whoſe goodneſs is like the morning dew; but grant that the ſeed of thy Word may take ſuch déep root in my heart, that it may bring forth fruit to everlaſting life, through Ieſus Chriſt my Lord.