Davids Harp Strung and Tuned, Book 4 [i.e. 5] · Psalm 119 · Stanza 6
6. VAU.
THIS Octoſtich is foreign, The Contents.for he vowes and promiſes in it to be thankful.
1. Firſt, He prayes for mercy at Gods hands, and the Petition being granted, he promiſeth to ſhew his thankful heart two wayes.
1. By a bold confeſſion of Gods Law, and the defence of it before the greateſt Adverſary.
2. By a holy Converſation toward God in obedience to the Law.
The whole Section then conſiſts of two Petitions, and ſix Promiſes.
1. Ver. 1 The firſt Petition is, Let thy mercies come alſo unto me, O Lord, even thy ſalvation according to thy Word. He prayes for mercy.In his firſt Petition, he joyns theſe two, mercy and ſalvation, as the cauſe and the effect; for the mercy of God ever brings ſalvation.
2. Which being granted.This being granted, he would be thankful, and ſhews it by his boldneſs in confeſſion of Gods Name in the preſence of the proudeſt Adverſary; he would fear nor malice, nor power of man, when he found God kind and merciful to him.
1. Ver. 2 So ſhall I have wherewith to anſwer him that reproacheth me. When thy mercy ſhall be extended to me, 1He vows to confeſs Gods Law.I ſhall not fear to anſwer any Adverſary, hitting me in the teeth, That I fear God in vain: For I ſhall give them a ſhort anſwer, and a true one.
2. That I trust in thy Word; I put my confidence in thee, who canſt make good thy promiſes, becauſe thou art Omnipotent; and wilt, becauſe thou art Merciful.
2. Ver. 3 His ſecond Petition is, Take not the Word of Truth out of my mouth: The Reaſon; And deſires to continue in this reſolution.For I have hoped in thy judgments.
1. Take not thy Word of Truth, in which I boaſt and glory before my Adverſaries.
2. Take not this Word out of my mouth, ſo that I dare not to ſpeak, and profeſs it openly.
3. Take it not utterly: If for a time I conceal it, yet let it not be alway ſo.
4. For I have hoped in thy judgments: For my hope is in thy fidelity and juſtice, which thou wilt ſo execute upon the deſiders of thy Word, that I ſhall have no need to be aſhamed, that I have taken thy Word of Truth into my mouth.
3. Ver. 4 And now he begins to ſhew his thankfulneſs for Gods mercy, by his profeſſion of a holy Converſation, 2To ſhew himſelf thankful by a holy Converſationin heart, in mind, in word, in deed.
1. In keeping Gods Law: So ſhall I keep thy Law continually, for ever and ever.
2. Ver. 5 In making the right uſe of his liberty: Deo ſervire libertas. A liberty there is of the fleſh, Serving God, 1. With a free heart.taken up by men, but not given by God; but the liberty that God gives, is, That being freed from our luſts, we ſerve him with a willing mind, not out of fear, but love; in joy, affection, and with peace of conſcience; which David profeſſeth to do in this place: For I ſeek thy precepts, as a thing much to be deſired and loved.
3. Ver. 6 In the ſervice of his tongue: I will ſpeak of thy Teſtimonies alſo, even before Kings, 2Tongue.and will not be aſhamed. This is no ſmall thing, eſpecially if we conſider, that though no men are more bound to God, than Kings, yet to none is Gods Word more unwelcom; well, yet even before them, David would ſpeak of Gods Teſtimonies, and not be aſhamed to do it.
4. In the ſervice of his affections: Ver. 7 And I will delight my ſelf in thy Commandments, which I have loved. 3Affections.It is no ſmall progreſs in Piety to delight in it, and this followes upon our love; for a man will delight in that he loves. This will make that which would be other wayes burdenſom, a very light load; an eaſie yoke, and a light burden.
5. In the ſervice of his actions: 4Actions.My hands alſo I will lift up to thy Commandments, which I have loved. Ver. 8 The hand is the chief inſtrument of operation, when David then ſaith, He would lift up his hands; his meaning is, that he would labour to expreſs Gods Will in his Works. He knew well, that not the heart without the mouth and hand, nor the mouth, nor the hand without the heart would pleaſe God, but that theſe muſt be conjoyned, and that with delight, in the ſtudy of true Piety, and therefore he makes profeſſion of all.
The Prayer.
WHILE we conſider, O Omnipotent God, on one ſide, the abſolute perfection of thy Law, and on the other ſide, our own infirmities and diſabilities, we eaſily perceive, that our obedience muſt néeds be very imperfect, except thou ſhalt aſſiſt us with thy grace, and extraordinary favour. Let then thy mercies come unto us, O Lord, even thy ſalvation, Ver. 1 according unto thy Word, and ſo ſhall we have wherewith to anſwer our Adverſaries, that object unto us our ſlips and falls; and be bold, Ver. 2 upon the truſt we have in thy Word, who canſt make good thy Promiſe, becauſe Thou art Omnipotent; and wilt, becauſe Thou art a Merciful God.
O take not thy Word of Truth utterly out of our mouths, Ver. 3 nor let us be ſo faint-hearted and diſmayed, as for ever to conceal thy Word; for we rely upon thy fidelity and juſtice, being aſſured, that thou wilt poure down thy judgments upon thoſe that deride thy Truth: Notwithſtanding all their oppoſition, aſſiſt us with thy Spirit, Ver. 4 and we will keep thy Law continually, for ever and ever. We ſéek thy Commandments, frée us from the bondage of ſin, and the ſlavery of our luſtful affections, that we may walk at liberty, and ſerve thée with a willing mind, and a loving and quiet ſoul.
For then will we ſpeak of thy Commandments, even before Kings, and not be aſhamed. Then will we delight our ſelves in thy Commandments, which we have loved. Then will we lift up our hands to thy Commandments, which we have loved, and meditate in thy ſtatutes. Our heart being ſurprized with delight, we will expreſs it with our tongue, and our tongue ſhall call to our hands, and ſet them to work: Heart, tongue and hand ſhall teſtifie that we are thy ſervants, and that it is our whole delight to meditate in, and kéep thy Commandments in the Name of Ieſus Chriſt our Lord.