avid's care for the ark. (1-10) The promises of God. (11-18)
Verses 1-10: David bound himself to find a place for the Lord, for the
ark, the token of God's presence. When work is to be done for
the Lord, it is good to tie ourselves to a time. It is good in
the morning to fix upon work for the day, with submission to
Providence, for we know not what a day may bring forth. And we
should first, and without delay, seek to have our own hearts
made a habitation of God through the Spirit. He prays that God
would take up his dwelling in the habitation he had built; that
he would give grace to the ministers of the sanctuary to do
their duty. David pleads that he was the anointed of the Lord,
and this he pleads as a type of Christ, the great Anointed. We
have no merit of our own to plead; but, for His sake, in whom
there is a fulness of merit, let us find favour. And every true
believer in Christ, is an anointed one, and has received from
the Holy One the oil of true grace. The request is, that God
would not turn away, but hear and answer their petitions for his
Son's sake.
Verses 11-18: The Lord never turns from us when we plead the covenant
with his anointed Prophet, Priest, and King. How vast is the
love of God to man, that he should speak thus concerning his
church! It is his desire to dwell with us; yet how little do we
desire to dwell with him! He abode in Zion till the sins of
Israel caused him to give them up to the spoilers. Forsake us
not, O God, and deliver us not in like manner, sinful though we
are. God's people have a special blessing on common enjoyments,
and that blessing puts peculiar sweetness into them. Zion's poor
have reason to be content with a little of this world, because
they have better things prepared for them. God will abundantly
bless the nourishment of the new man, and satisfy the poor in
spirit with the bread of life. He gives more than we ask, and
when he gives salvation, he will give abundant joy. God would
bring to nothing every design formed to destroy the house of
David, until King Messiah should arise out of it, to sit upon
the throne of his Father. In him all the promises centre. His
enemies, who will not have him to reign over them, shall at the
last day be clothed with shame and confusion for ever.
avid's care for the ark. (1-10) The promises of God. (11-18)