out, with a fond and longing impatience, "but thou, O LORD, how long?" His strength is supposed to fail him, and the sentence is left imperfect. What, blessed Jesus, were thy "troubles," when to thy companions thou saidst, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death!" By those thy sorrows we beseech thee to hear the voice of thine afflicted church, crying to thee from the earth, My soul also is sore troubled; but thou, O LORD, how long?" 4. Return, O LORD, deliver my soul; O save me for thy mercy's sake. A third argument is formed upon the consideration of God's "mercy;" for the sake of which, as it is promised to penitents, he is requested to " return," or to turn himself towards the suppliant; to lift up his countenance on the desponding heart; to "deliver" it from darkness and the shadow of death, and to diffuse around it light and life, salvation, joy, and gladness, like the sun in the morning, when he revisits a benighted world, and calls up the creation to bless the maker of so glorious a luminary, so bright a representative of redeeming love. 5. For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks. The fourth argument proceeds upon a supposition, that God created mau for his own glory, which, therefore, would be so far diminished, if man were permitted finally to perish. The body could not glorify God, unless raised from the dead: nor could the soul, if left in hell. The voice of thanksgiving is not heard in the grave, and no hallelujahs are sung in the pit of destruction. This plea, now urged by the church, was urged for her without all doubt, by her Saviour in his devotions, and prevailed in his mouth, as through him, it will do in hers. 6. I am weary with my groaning: all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. The penitent is supplied with a fifth argument, by the signs and fruits of a sincere repentance, which put themselves forth in him. Such was his sorrow, and such revenge did he take upon himself, that for every idle word he now poured forth a groan, like him that is in anguish through extremity of bodily pain, until he was weary," but yet continued groaning; while the sad remembrance of each wanton folly drew a tear from the fountains of grief. The all-righteous Saviour himself wept over sinners: sinners read the story, and yet return again to their sins! 7. Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies. H Grief exhausts the animal spirits, dims the eyes, and brings on old age before its time. Thus it is said concerning the man of sorrows, that "many were astonished at him, his visage was marred more than any man, and his form was more than the sons of men." Isai, lii. 14. How long in these times, might youth and beauty last, were godly sorrow their only enemy? 8. Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity, for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping. 9. The LORD hath heard my supplication, the LORD will hear, or, hath heard my prayer. Repentance having performed her task, having taught her votary to forsake sin, and to renounce all communication with sinners, now gives place to faith, which appears with the glad tidings of pardon and acceptance, causing the penitent to rejoice in God his Saviour, with joy unspeakable; and inspiring his heart with vigour and resolution to run his course in the way of righteousness. Risen to newness in life, he defies the malice, and predicts the final overthrow of his spiritual adversaries. 10. Let all mine enemies, or, all mine enemies shall be ashamed, and sore vexed; let them, or, they shall return and be ashamed suddenly. Many of the mournful Psalms end in this manner, to instruct the believer, that he is continually to look forward, and solace himself with beholding that day, when his warfare shall be accomplished; when sin and sorrow shall be no more; when sudden and everlasting confusion shall cover the enemies of righteousness when the sackcloth of the penitent shall be exchanged for a robe of glory, and every tear become a sparkling gem in his crown; when to sighs and groans shall succeed the songs of heaven set to angelic harps, and faith shall be resolved into the vision of the Almighty. PSALM VII. ARGUMENT. David is said to have composed this Psalm concerning the words or the matter of Cush the Benjamite. Whether Saul, or Shimei, or any one else, be intended under this name, it is sufficiently clear, that David had been maliciously aspersed and calumniated by such a person; that the Psalm was written to vindicate himself from the imputation, whatever was the nature of it; and consequently, may be considered as the appeal of the true David and his disciples against the grand accuser and his associates. The person speaking, 1, 2. declares his trust to be in God; 3-5. protests his innocence; 6-8. desires that judgment may be given in the cause; 9, 10. prays for the abolition of sin, and the full establishment of righteousness; 11—13. sets forth the divine judgments against sinners; 14-16. describes the beginning, progress, and end of sin, with, 17. the joy and triumph of the faithful. 1. O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust; save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me. To a tender and ingenuous spirit, the "persecution" of the tongue is worse than that of the sword, and with more difficulty submitted to; as indeed a good name is more precious than bodily life. Believers in every age have been persecuted in this way; and the King of saints often mentions it as one of the bitterest ingredients in his cup of sorrows. Faith and prayer are the arms with which this formidable temptation must be encountered, and may be overcome. The former assures us, that God can 66 save and deliver" us from it; the latter induces him so to do. 2. Lest he tear my soul like a lion rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver. The "lion," of whom David stood in fear, was probably Saul, roused, by a false accusation, to destroy him. The rage of tyrants is often in the same manner excited against the church. And we all have reason to dread the fury of one, who is "the roaring lion," as well as the "accuser of the brethren." From him none can deliver us, but God only. 3. O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in hands; my David makes a solemn appeal to God, the searcher of hearts, as judge of his innocence, with regard to the particular crime laid to his charge. Any person, when slandered, may do the same. But Christ only could call upon heaven to attest bis universal uprightness. In his "hands" there was "no iniquity;" all his works were wrought in perfect righteousness; and when the prince of this world came to try and explore him, he found nothing whereof justly to accuse him. The vessel was thoroughly shaken, but the liquor in it continued pure. 4. If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me ; yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy. David probably alludes to the life of Saul, which was twice preserved by him, when he had been pressed by his attendants to embrace the opportunity of taking it away. See 1 Sam. xxiv. xxvi. Of the Son of David St. Paul says, "in this he commended 1 his love to us, that when we were sinners, he died for us." Rom. v. 8. In so exalted a sense did he "deliver him that without cause was his enemy." Wretched they who persecute their benefactor; happy he who can reflect, that he has been a benefactor to his per secutors. 5. Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. These are the evils which David imprecates on himself, if he were such as his adversaries represented him; persecution, apprehension, death, and disgrace. Christ, for our sakes submitting to the imputation of guilt, suffered all these; but being innocent in himself, he triumphed over them all; he was raised and released, glorified and adored; he pursued and overtook his enemies, he conquered the conquerors, and trampled them under his feet; and he enableth us, through grace, to do the same. 6 Arise, O Lord, in thine anger, lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded. To a protestation of innocence succeeds a prayer for judgment upon the case, which is formed on these two considerations; first, the unreasonable and unrelenting fury of the persecutors; secondly, the justice which God has "commanded" others to execute, and which therefore he himself will doubtless execute upon such occasions. How did he "awake," and "arise," and "lift up himself to judgment," on the behalf of his Anointed, in the day of the resurrection of Jesus, and the subsequent confusion of his enemies? And let injured innocence ever comfort itself with the remembrance of another day to come, when, every earth-born cloud being removed, it shall dazzle its oppressors with a lustre far superior to that of a noon-day sun. 7. So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about; for their sakes, therefore, return thou on high. The meaning is, that a visible display of God's righteous judg ment would induce multitudes who should behold, or hear of it, to adore and glorify him. For their sakes, therefore, as well as that of the sufferer, he is entreated to reascend the tribunal, as formerly, and pronounce the wished-for sentence. Thus the determination of the cause between Jesus and his adversaries, by his resurrection, and "return on high," brought "the congregation of the nations" around him, and effected the conversion of the world. Nor, in human affairs, does any thing more advance the reputation of a people among their neighbours, than an equitable sentence in the mouth of him who sitteth in judgment. 8. The LORD shall judge the people; judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. Conscious of his "righteousness and integrity," as to the matter in question, David desires to be judged by him, who is to judge the world at the last day. How few, among Christians, have seriously and deliberately considered, whether the sentence of that day is likely to be in their favour? Yet, how many, with the utmost composure and self-complacency, repeat continually the words of this Psalm, as well as those in the Te Deum, “ We “believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge!" Legal, or perfect righteousness and integrity are peculiar to the Redeemer: but evangelical righteousness and integrity all must have, who would be saved. 9. O let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just; or, the wickedness of the wicked shall, &c. for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins. 10. My defence is of God, who saveth the upright in heart. It is predicted, that wickedness will, in the end, be abolished, and the just immoveably established, by Him who knoweth intimately the very thoughts and desires of both good and bad men, and will give to each their due reward. How can we doubt of this, when it has pleased God to afford so many examples and preludes to it, in his dispensations of old time? The righteous cause hath already triumphed in Christ; let us not doubt, but that it will do so in the church. Happy the man, whose hope is therefore in God, because " he saveth the upright in heart." 11. God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. The sense seems to be, that there are daily instances in the world of God's favour towards his people; as also of his displeasure against the ungodly, who are frequently visited by sore judgments, and taken away in their sins. In this light we should consider and regard all history, whether that of our own age and nation, or of any other. 12. If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready, 13. He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors. The sinner, who is not converted by the vengeance inflicted on others, will himself at length be made an example of. The wrath of God may be slow, but it is always sure. In thoughtless security man wantons and whiles away the precious hours; he knows not that every transgression sets a fresh edge on the sword which is thus continually whetting for his destruction; nor considers, that he is the mark of an archer who never errs, and who at this very instant, perhaps, has fitted to the string that arrow which is to pierce his soul with everlasting anguish. |