The Throne of David, Treatise · Section 48
II SAM. Chap. 22. from the 20. Verſe to the end.
DAvid having ſpoken before of his deliverances, and liberation, he continues in the confirmation of the propoſition of Gods goodneſs, and benefits beſtowed on him, and from the 21. to the 26. He declares the Lords goodneſs towards him in a mercifull remuneration. 1. According to his righteouſneſs. 2. According to the cleanneſs of his hands, both which he repeates, verſ. 25. By which righteouſneſs, is underſtood either the righteouſneſs of his cauſe againſt his enemies, whoſe cauſe on the contrary was unrighteous, or if perſonall, and not only cauſall, the righteouſneſs of integrity or ſincerity is to be underſtood, as he ſaies verſ. 24. I was alſo upright before him. And by the cleanneſs of his hands is meant, the innocency of his Actions, and that as he had a juſt and righteous cauſe on his ſide, ſo he proſecuted not the ſame by unlawfull meanes, as his enemies did. Likewiſe it is to be remarked, that he ſaies not, that the Lord rewarded him for his righteouſneſs, as meriting any waies thereby, but according to his righteouſneſs, according to that excellent diſtinction of Pope Gregory, on the ſeaventh penitentiall Pſalm, and words (fac auditam.) who ſaies thus. If the felicity of the ſaints be mercy, and not acquired by merits. Where is that which is written, who ſhall render to every one according to his workes? If it be rendred then according to works, how ſhall it be eſteemed mercy? but it is one thing (ſaies he) according to their workes, and another thing for the workes themſelves, for in that it is ſaid, according to his workes, the quality of the work is underſtood, that whoſe workes are ſeen to be good, his reward ſhall be alſo glorious, as whoſe workes are evill his reward ſhall be contrary. But as for eternall life which we have from God, and with God, no labour can be equalled, (ſaies he) no work can be compared. They are therefore (as Bernard ſaies via regni, non cauſa regnandi) not the cauſes of Gods favour or delight in us, but the effects, not proceeding but ſucceeding the ſame, and not the provocations, but the declarations thereof. Therefore he ſubjoynes (for I have keept the waies of the Lord) declaring, 1. Poſitively what he did. And 2. Negatively, what he did not, in theſe words (and have not wickedly departed from my God.) By the waies of the Lord, underſtanding his word and precepts, which are called his waies, as Pſal. 119. 3. Becauſe he is the Author thereof, by the inſpiration of his ſpirit, as alſo becauſe there is nothing commanded therein but holineſs, which is the Lords way, he being holy in all his waies, and laſt, becauſe the ſame leads to him, as the ſtarre did the wiſe men to Chriſt. Next his keeping thereof is 1. In mind and meditation, as Pſ. 1. 2. & 119. 11. And 2. In practice, meditation, and converſation: againe, his not departing from God, is not in relation to place, which none can do, in reſpect that God is omnipreſent. But in relation to his commandments, as he expones himſelfe, in the next verſe, and this he did not wickedly: that is, through preſumption, and in a conſtant courſe of ſinning, though through frailty, and force of temptation one may fall, as David did indeed, and Peter likewiſe: but on the contrary, he ſets Gods Word or precepts alwaies before him to be the directory of this life, which he calleth his judgments, as Pſ. 119. 30. 1. Becauſe they ſerve to diſcerne good from evill. And 2. becauſe Gods Word is not a naked ſentence, but as it points out evill, ſo it pronounces plagues againſt it, which ſhall be executed according to the ſentence thereof. Likewiſe the ſame is called here Gods ſtatutes, as Pſ. 119. 8. Becauſe of the obligatory power thereof to the Lords obedience; as ſubjects are bound to obey the lawes and ſtatutes of their King. And this David profeſſes he did in ſincerity, and uprightneſs, which the Lord requireth, Pſ. 5. 6. And without any hypocriſie which the Lord hateth. Whereby he by the grace of God, did keep himſelfe from ſinning againſt God, as Pſ. 119. 11. Which he calleth his iniquity, becauſe what grace we have is Gods, but what iniquity we commit is our own, and from corrupt nature.
Next, Verſ. 26. He ſubjoynes an Apoſtrophe converting his ſpeech to God. And 1. extolling his goodneſs, and equity towards the Godly, as alſo his equity and ſutable dealing with the wicked, and as for the Godly, he gives them three Epithets, whereby he deſcribes them. 1. Mercifull. 2. Ʋpright. And 3. Pure. The firſt being relative to offenders and the poore, and contrary to cruelty and uncharitableneſs. The ſecond, being contrary to hypocriſie towards God, and diſſimulation towards man, whereby a Godly man is like a Nathaniell. And the third being contrary to uncleanneſs either of heart, as Matth. 5. 8. Or life and converſation. As for the wicked the Epithet which he gives them. Is 1. Froward, (as Naball was ſaid to be, 1 Sam. 25. 17.) who is, (as he would ſay) of an obſtinate, rebellious and perverſe diſpoſition, who neither will heare, nor obey good Counſell: and with ſuch (he ſaies) the Lord will ſhew himſelfe unſavory, and unpleaſant to them, becauſe of his ſharp judgments, which he will inflict upon them. 2. The other Epithet that he gives to them, is pride, or haughtineſs, both againſt God, in refuſing to obey Gods commandments, or taking his yoke upon them, as we ſee Pſ. 2. 3. And in Pharaoh, Exod. 5. 2. As alſo againſt man, and in ſpeciall the Godly, whom they afflict uſually. Whom notwithſtanding the Lord will ſave: but as for thoſe wicked proud ones, the eyes of the Lord is upon them in wrath (as his eyes are on the Godly in mercy) that ſo he may bring them down.
After which from the 29. verſe to the 50. he continueth the extolling of the Lords favour particularly to himſelfe, taken eſpecially from the victories granted by God to David over all his enemies, forraine, and domeſtick: in the firſt whereof he laies down a generall, that God is his lamp who will lighten his darkneſs; by a Metaphor, darkneſs being taken for mens miſeries, and calamities, and light for mens felicity and proſperity, ſo that hereby he declares how the Lord turned his calamity to comfort, and his adverſity into proſperity.
In the next three verſes he has an Epiphonema from the works of God, from his eſſence or nature, from his word, and his preſervation of all them who truſt in him. 1. From his workes, in making him runne through the thickeſt troups of his enemies, while they are in the field, and when they have their recourſe to their ſtrong Cities, in making him ſcale them nimbly, and take them in victoriouſly. 2. From his eſſence, that he is perfect in his way. 3. From his Word, that it is pure, like gold tryed in the fire, and without mixture of any errour therein, but true and infallible. 4. From his preſervation of all them, who truſt in him. Which Epiphonema David cloſeth with a compariſon of others that are called Gods, by way of interrogation or challenge, ſaying, who is God but the Lord, and who is a rock, ſave our God? as if he would ſay, none are ſuch, the like interrogation having ever the force of a negation. Thereafter from the 33. verſ. to the 50. He applies the generall to himſelfe in particular, by many arguments by way of gradation. Whereby he proves that God had beſtowed upon him, all thoſe things that are neceſſary or requiſite, for obtaining deliverance from his enemies, and victory in battle. Which are 1. That the Lord is his ſtrength, and power, whereby he underſtands that he gave him courage of heart, as we ſee in his going againſt Goliah, and which is the firſt vertue of a commander in warres. 2. That he maketh his way perfect or plaine, which ſignifies the removing of all impediments, and facilitating his enterpriſes. In making his feet ſwift to purſue, and fall upon his enemies, and having over taken them, to get the victory over them, and to be ſet above them. 4. That he he taught his hands to fight, which ſignifies his skill in military affaires, and how to uſe his weapon. 5. That with skill he had alſo given him ſtrength of body requiſite for warre, So that a bow of ſteel was broken by his Armes. 6. That he had given him the ſhield of his ſalvation, whereby he ſignifies his ſurety from the weapons, or darts of his Enemies, and ſubjoynes that the Lords greatneſſe of power was the cauſe of his greatneſſe by Victories. 7. That he inlarged his ſteps under him, ſo that his feet did not ſlip, whereby he ſignifies his proſperous ſucceſſe in all his marchings. 8. He ſets down the conſequences of all the former in the execution, and practiſe thereof, in perſuing his Enemies; deſtroying them, conſuming them, and deadly wounding them, that they could not riſe, but were fallen under his feet, ſo that the Lord had given the necks of his Enemies, who would not lie under the yoke of his obedience unto him, for that end, that he might deſtroy them, and when they were in this extremity, when they looked for help from man, they were diſappointed, for there was none to ſave then, and when they ſought help from God, he did not anſwer them, and thus being helpleſſe, he compares them to moſt vile things, and ſhewes that he did beat them as ſmall as duſt, and did ſtamp them, as myre the in ſtreet, and diſperſe them, as they ſpread dung on the ground. And thereafter he amplifies yet more the Lords goodneſſe to him. From the 44. verſe to the 50. In that this Lord had not onelyonly delivered him from the ſtrivings of the people, who were his own ſubjects; but alſo that he had ſubdued under him the Nations, that were round about him, as the Syrians, Ammonites, and Philiſtims, &c. Wherefore Verſ. 47. he burſts forth in a Patheticke doxologie, for the Lords deliverance of him from all his Enemies, and his advancement over them, and laſt by way of concluſion, From the 50. verſ. to the end. He reſolves to be thankfull to the Lord, while he lives, which he doth upon two reaſons, the one is, ab antecedentibus, implied in the particle, therefore, that is for all the before rehearſed benefits: the other is à conſequentibus, becauſe he will ſhew mercy to his anointed, and to his ſeed for ever. Wherein David is a cleer type of Jeſus Chriſt, who is called the Sonne of David, whom the Lord anoynted with the oile of gladneſſe above his fellowes, (as his name Chriſt imports) and who has ſubdued all his, and our Enemies, ſinne, Satan, Hell, Death, and the Grave, and Triumphed over them on the Tree of the Croſſe, and led captivite captive, to whom alſo the Lord has given the Nations, and the heathen for an inheritance, as Pſal. 2. 8. And the uttermoſt parts of the Earth for a poſſeſſion, by the converſion of the gentiles to the profeſſion of Chriſtianity, and embracing of the Goſpell.
OBSERVATIONS.
1. V. 21. IN true piety, or ſanctification we ſee that integrity, or uprightneſſe of heart, and outward practiſe thereof in our lives, which is cleanneſſe of hands ſhould ever go together, and not the voyce of Jacob, and the hands of Eſau, or an hypocriticall, and ſimulate ſhew of Godlineſſe, denying the power thereof, and not joyning the practiſe, which is to have leaves like the Figtree, which Chriſt curſed, or a name that they live but are dead, like the Church of Sardis, Revel. 3. 2.
2. David had ſaid before, Verſ. that the Lord favoured, and had delight in him, wherefore he ſubjoynes as an evidence thereof, the grace of ſanctification. Thereby ſhewing, that this is the only true evidence of the Lords love, towit, grace and ſanctification, and by no other thing can it be known, ſeeing worldly proſperity is rather the portion of the wicked in this life, as we ſee, Pſal. 73. And in the examples of the rich fool and glutton, than the lot of the Godly, to whom God gives the gifts of his right hand, and for whom he has appointed the inheritance, as Abraham did for Iſaac, and the birthright with the bleſſing, which Iſaac gave to Jacob.
3. We ſee that although the Godly merit not by any condignity of their works, or Perſons, yet that piety and Godlineſſe wants not its own reward, ratione pacti, becauſe God has promiſed the ſame thereunto, and therefore it is juſt with him to perform, and onelyonly of meer mercy, as we ſee Pſal. 62. 12. and Hoſe 10. 12. Where we are willed to ſow in righteouſneſſe, and reap in mercy. Therefore ſayes Paul, 2 Tim. 1. 16, 17. concerning Oneſiphorus, who had refreſhed him oftimes in his bonds. The Lord grant that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day, towit, of death, and his account, the wages of ſinne being death, but life everlaſting being the free gift of God, Rom. 6. 23. And therefore called an inheritance, Jam. 2. 5. Which comes to Children not by their own purchaſe, but which is given them by their Father. Which recompenſing therefore of ſinceer holineſſe, and practicall piety ſhould be a great encouragement, to the Godly to perſevere therein, and abound in good works, in which as the way which leads to that heavenly Kingdome, we are exhorted to walk, Eph. 2. 10. And to abound therein, and bring forth much fruit, Joh. 15. 2.
4. Verſ. 22. Davids keeping the wayes of God, and not departing wickedly from him, or his ſtatutes. We ſee, not onelyonly the Godlies care of ordering their converſation aright; but likewiſe wherein true Godlineſſe conſiſts, which is, as Iſa. 1. 16. To ceaſe to do evill, or not to depart from Gods commandments, and to learn to do well, or to keep his wayes, as we ſee alſo, Pſal. 34. 14. and Amos 5. 15. Where we are commanded to hate evill, and love good, that is, to eſchew ſinne, not onelyonly in action, and to do good, but alſo to hate the one, and love the other in our affection.
5. We ſee here likewiſe the difference between the ſinning of the Godly, and of the wicked, the Godly ſinne daily, and therefore are taught to crave daily forgiveneſs: but this their ſinning is, but through frailty, and by ſins which we call Quotidianae incurſionis, but they are not, as the ſinnes of the wicked are, of preſumption, by departing wickedly from God with delight, making a trade of ſinne, and ſinning againſt both knowledge, and conſcience.
6. Verſ. 23. David ſayes, That the Lords judgements were alwayes before him. Whereby we obſerve that the right way how to eſchew ſinne, is, to hold Gods Word, or his ſtatutes, called here his judgments ever before our eyes, a the directory of our life, and converſation, as David did here, and which he hid alſo in his heart, that he might not ſinne againſt God, as he ſhewes, Pſal. 119. 11. As alſo if by Gods judgments, his puniſhments of ſinne were meant, the ſame likewiſe ſerves as a powerfull preſervative from ſinne to the Godly, as we ſee, Pſal. 119. 120.
7. Whereas he ſayes, That all his judgments were before him, which is all one with that, which he ſayes, Pſal. 119. 6. That he had a reſpect to all Gods commandments, we obſerve that it is not the practiſe of the Godly to nouriſh any one boſome ſinne, as Herod did, in hearkning to the Baptiſt in many things, except in the matter of Herodias, but as it is the commendation of Zachary, and Elizabeth, Luke 1. 6. That they walked in all the commandments of God blameleſſe, ſo to abandon and mortify all ſinnes whatſoever, and to obſerve all Gods ordinances, and ſo to ſtrive to be perfect by that perfection which we call of parts, though we cannot in this life attain to that perfection, which we call of degrees.
8. Verſ. 24. Where David ſayes, That he was upright before God. We ſee not onelyonly wherein the Lord delights, towit, ſincerity in his ſervice, and worſhip, which Pſal. 51. 6. He calleth truth in the inward parts. But likewiſe that it is the care of the Godly to be ſinceer without hypocriſy, and to approve themſelves to God, as doing all before him, and in his ſight, whom they know to be omniſcient, and the ſearcher of the heart, and reines.
9. Likewiſe where he ſayes, And have keept my ſelf from mine iniquity He ſhewes the difference between grace, and ſinne in the Godly, the one is from God onelyonly, for what have we which we have not received? And therefore ſayes the Apoſtle, Yet not I, but the grace of God, which was in me: but the other which is ſinne, is onelyonly from ourſelves, and our corrupt nature, and therefore juſtly ſhould we own it as ours, and be humbled therefore.
10. Verſ. 26. 27. From the properties whereby he deſcribes the Godly, that they are mercyfull, and not cruell, or uncharitable: as alſo upright, and not hypocriticall, nor diſſemblers, and that they are pure both in heart and life, and not unclean like Dogs and Swine. Let us learn to be like them, as herein they are like to God, and do as the Apoſtle ſayes, 1 Cor. 10. 1. Follow me as I follow Christ.
11. Where he ſayes, With the forward, God will ſhew himſelf unto them unſavory, or diſpleaſant. We ſee not onelyonly the naturall diſpoſition of the unregenerate, that they are froward, rebellious and perverſe; but alſo that themſelves are the cauſe why the Lord delights not in them, as he doth in the Godly, and that the Lord is as an unſavory thing, and unpleaſant to them, eſpecially when he puniſhes them juſtly for their ſinnes, who otherwiſe to the Godly is ſo ſweet and deſireable, that they exhort others to taſte how ſweet he is, and excellent, and to ſeek after him, Cant. 5. 9. So that he is like that cloud, Exod. 14. 10. That was darkneſſe to the Egyptions, but gave light to Iſraell.
12. Verſ. 28. Gods people is called an afflicted people, where we obſerve what their condition is, and ever has been in this World, as our Saviour foretold his Diſciples, and therefore are compared to a Lilly amongſt Thornes, Cant. 2. 2. Sheep amongſt Wolves, and to Noahs Ark toſſed upon the Waters, with which condition they ſhould reſt content, ſeeing the ſame was of their head and Saviour, and that the Lord does this for their good, as David profeſſes, Pſal. 119. 71. And as the Apoſtle many wayes ſhewes, Heb. 12.
13. As for the comfort of his afflicted people it is ſaid, That God will ſave them, ſo to the terrour of the proud and ungodly who afflicts them it is ſaid, that the Lords eyes in wrath is upon them, that he may bring them down: whereby we ſee that as the Godly ſhould referre their cauſe, and wrongs to the Lord, ſo that aſſuredly he ſees there injuries, and hears their cryes, as he did Iſraells in Egypt, And his peoples in the book of the Judges, and will certainly revenge their cauſe, (for vengance is his and he will repay▪ ) and he will bring down the haughtieſt of them all, who oppreſſe them, as he did Pharaoh, Siſera, Synacherib, Haman, Herod, and others, and has brought down ſince mighty Princes, noble houſes, and the flouriſhing eſtates of many for their pride and oppreſſion.
14. Verſ. 29. As the Lord was Davids Lamp, and enlightned his darneſſe; ſo is he the author of our proſperity, to whom therefore with a thankfull acknowledgment, we ſhould referre the ſame, and it is he alſo who lightneth the darkneſſe of our minds, by his Word and eye-ſalve of his Spirit whereof he ſpeaketh, Revel. 3. 18. And maketh his Church alſo like Goſhen wherein was light only, when all others are like the Egyptian who were plagued with darkneſſe, or like the Sodomites who were ſtricken with blindneſſe before their deſtruction. Whereupon we collect what a great bleſſing to any Nation, or people the light of Gods Word is, and a faithfull Miniſtery.
15. Verſ. 30, 34. and 35. &c. We ſee by the many endowments, which David rehearſeth for fitting him for warre and for Victory, that the Lord when he calleth any man for any work in his Church, or Commonwealth he furniſhes him with abilities fit for the work, as he did Bezaleel and Aholiab, for the work of the Tabernacle, Sampſon for delivering his people from the Philiſtims, the artificers for building the Temple, and as our Saviour furniſhed and fitted his Apoſtles with the gift of tongues and miracles; ſo that they who want this furniture and fitnes, with ſuteable gifts, cannot pretend to a calling from God for the work.
16. Hence alſo we ſee the Lawfullneſſe of ſome warres, whereof we have ſpoken before, and of the art military; which ſerves to confute the errour of the Anabaptiſts. And in the example of David, that it is Lawfull for the civill Magiſtrate to puniſh rebellious and ſeditious offenders, this being the Lawfull uſe of the ſword given by God to ſuch, for correction of them who do evill, and to whom they ſhould be a terrour, as the Apostle ſhewes, Rom. 13. 3, 4.
17. Verſ. 36. David thankfully acknowledgeth that the Lords gentleneſſe, or kindeneſſe to him had made him great, as Job alſo profeſſed, That God had given him all that he had, whoſe example O that theſe who are great in honour, or wealth, in promotion and advancement would follow, and that they would honour God, and be comfortable inſtruments to his Church and people, as Joſeph was, and David here, and as his Sonne Solomon, Joſiah, Hezekiah, Esther, Nehemiah and Daniel, with others were, and not Enemies to Gods Church, to their own deſtruction, as Pharaoh, and the wicked Kings of Iſraell were, eſpecially Ahab and Jeſabell, and as Haman, Herod, and others.
18. V. 42. David tells us, That his Enemies in their ſtraight, they cryed to the Lord for help, but he anſwered them not. Which ſhewes that in their diſtreſſe the wicked can call upon God, but it is like the howling onelyonly of a Dog, like Pharaohs deſiring of Moſes, to pray for him to be free from the plague, but not from repentance for the cauſe, which is ſinne to be freed from; nor yet from faith▪ which grace they have not, therefore their prayers being onelyonly from ſelf love, and Worldly fear, and being the prayer of unregenerate perſons habituated in ſinne, the Lord did not hear nor anſwer them, as it is ſaid Of ſuch; that God hears not ſinners.
19. Verſ. 43. The wicked are by David, here compared to vile things, as duſt, mire and dung, whereas the Godly on the contrary, are compared to moſt precious things, as the Lords treaſure, his inheritance, and his jewell's, Mal. 3. 17. Fruitfull Vines, Kings and Prieſts, (Revel. 1. 6.) Sonnes to God, coheirs with Chriſt, and the most excellent on the earth; (Pſal. 16. 2.) Whereby we ſee, what ever be their earthly prerogatives, how vile the wicked are in Gods ſight, and in the Godlies, as Pſal. 15. 4. And that the Godly are onelyonly in high eſteeme with God, and truly honourable, and therefore let them correſpond to theſe titles where with they are ſtiled.
20. Verſ. 44. By the Lords ſubduing of the Nations to him, and by making David to be head over them; we may ſee here Chriſts Kingdome cleerly prefigured, to whom the Lord hath not onelyonly ſubdued all his Enemies, and given him Victory over them, triumphing on the Croſſe, and leading captivity captive, but alſo by the converſion of the Gentiles, he has made him head and Lord over all, according to that promiſe, Pſal. 2. 8. I will give thee the heathen for an inheritance, and the uttermoſt parts of the Earth for a poſſeſſion.
21. Verſ. 51. After Davids reſolution of a conſtant thankfulneſſe to God for all his benefits, in the preceeding verſes; he calls himſelf here his King, acknowledging the Lord hereby to be the Author of his promotion, (for by him Kings raigne) and he calleth all the benefits that that he had received from God, his mercy which he had ſhewn to him, excluding thereby merit; which two things would God that Kings, and all other men in place, or power would ſeriouſly acknowledge, and then as they have their power, and places from God, they would imploy the ſame for God, and walk humbly before him.