avid's integrity. (1-7) The character of his enemies. His
hope of happiness. (8-15)
Verses 1-7: This psalm is a prayer. Feigned prayers are fruitless; but
if our hearts lead our prayers, God will meet them with his
favour. The psalmist had been used to pray, so that it was not
his distress and danger that now first brought him to his duty.
And he was encouraged by his faith to expect God would notice
his prayers. Constant resolution and watchfulness against sins
of the tongue, will be a good evidence of our integrity. Aware
of man's propensity to wicked works, and of his own peculiar
temptations, David had made God's word his preservative from the
paths of Satan, which lead to destruction. If we carefully avoid
the paths of sin, it will be very lead to destruction. If we
carefully avoid the paths of sin, it will be very comfortable in
the reflection, when we are in trouble. Those that are, through
grace, going in God's paths, should pray that their goings may
be held up in those paths. David prays, Lord, still hold me up.
Those who would proceed and persevere in the ways of God, must,
by faith prayer, get daily fresh supplies of grace and strength
from him. Show thy marvellous loving-kindness, distinguishing
favours, not common mercies, but be gracious to me; do as thou
usest to do to those who love thy name.
Verses 8-15: Being compassed with enemies, David prays to God to keep
him in safety. This prayer is a prediction that Christ would be
preserved, through all the hardships and difficulties of his
humiliation, to the glories and joys of his exalted state, and
is a pattern to Christians to commit the keeping of their souls
to God, trusting him to preserve them to his heavenly kingdom.
Those are our worst enemies, that are enemies to our souls. They
are God's sword, which cannot move without him, and which he
will sheathe when he has done his work with it. They are his
hand, by which he chastises his people. There is no fleeing from
God's hand, but by fleeing to it. It is very comfortable, when
we are in fear of the power of man, to see it dependent upon,
and in subjection to the power of God. Most men look on the
things of this world as the best things; and they look no
further, nor show any care to provide for another life. The
things of this world are called treasures, they are so
accounted; but to the soul, and when compared with eternal
blessings, they are trash. The most afflicted Christian need not
envy the most prosperous men of the world, who have their
portion in this life. Clothed with Christ's righteousness,
having through his grace a good heart and a good life, may we by
faith behold God's face, and set him always before us. When we
awake every morning, may we be satisfied with his likeness set
before us in his word, and with his likeness stamped upon us by
his renewing grace. Happiness in the other world is prepared
only for those that are justified and sanctified: they shall be
put in possession of it when the soul awakes, at death, out of
its slumber in the body, and when the body awakes, at the
resurrection, out of its slumber in the grave. There is no
satisfaction for a soul but in God, and in his good will towards
us, and his good work in us; yet that satisfaction will not be
perfect till we come to heaven.
avid's integrity. (1-7) The character of his enemies. His
hope of happiness. (8-15)