TITLE. To the Chief Musician, A Psalm for
the sons of Korah. There is no need to repeat our observations
upon a title which is of so frequent occurrence; the reader is
referred to notes placed in the headings of preceding psalms.
Yet it may not be out of place to quote Ne 12:46. In the days
of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and
songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.
OBJECT AND OCCASION. It is the prayer of a patriot for
his afflicted country, in which he pleads the Lord's former
mercies, and by faith foresees brighter days. We believe that
David wrote it, but many question that assertion. Certain
interpreters appear to grudge the psalmist David the authorship
of any of the psalms, and refer the sacred songs by wholesale to
the times of Hezekiah, Josiah, the Captivity, and the Maccabees.
It is remarkable that, as a rule, the more sceptical a writer
is, the more resolute is he to have done with David; while the
purely evangelic annotators are for the most part content to
leave the royal poet in the chair of authorship. The charms of a
new theory also operate greatly upon writers who would have
nothing at all to say if they did not invent a novel hypothesis,
and twist the language of the psalm in order to justify it. The
present psalm has of course been referred to the Captivity, the
critics could not resist the temptation to do that, though, for
our part we see no need to do so: it is true a captivity is
mentioned in Ps 85:1, but that does not necessitate the nation's
having been carried away into exile, since Job's captivity was
turned, and yet he had never left his native land: moreover, the
text speaks of the captivity of Jacob as brought back,
but had it referred to the Babylonian emigration, it would have
spoken of Judah; for Jacob or Israel, as such, did not return.
The first verse in speaking of "the land" proves that
the author was not an exile. Our own belief is that David penned
this national hymn when the land was oppressed by the
Philistines, and in the spirit of prophecy he foretold the
peaceful years of his own reign and the repose of the rule of
Solomon, the psalm having all along an inner sense of which
Jesus and his salvation are the key. The presence of Jesus the
Saviour reconciles earth and heaven, and secures to us the
golden age, the balmy days of universal peace.
DIVISION. In Ps 85:1-4 the poet sings
of the Lord's former mercies and begs him to remember his
people; from Ps 85:5-7 he pleads the cause of afflicted Israel;
and then, having listened to the sacred oracle in Ps 85:8, he
publishes joyfully the tidings of future good, Ps 85:9-13.
EXPOSITION
Verse 1. LORD, thou hast been favourable unto thy
land. The self existent, all sufficient JEHOVAH is
addressed: by that name he revealed himself to Moses when his
people were in bondage, by that name he is here pleaded with. It
is wise to dwell upon that view of the divine character which
arouses the sweetest memories of his love. Sweeter still is that
dear name of "Our Father, "with which Christians have
learned to commence their prayers. The psalmist speaks of Canaan
as the Lord's land, for he chose it for his people, conveyed it
to them by covenant, conquered it by his power, and dwelt in it
in mercy; it was meet therefore that he should smile upon a land
so peculiarly his own. It is most wise to plead the Lord's union
of interest with ourselves, to lash our little boat as it were
close to his great barque, and experience a sacred community in
the tossings of the storm. It is our land that is
devastated, but O Jehovah, it is also thy land. The
psalmist dwells upon the Lord's favour to the chosen land, which
he had shewed in a thousand ways. God's past doings are
prophetic of what he will do; hence the encouraging
argument—"Thou hast been favourable unto thy land,
"therefore deal graciously with it again. Many a time had
foes been baffled, pestilence stayed, famine averted, and
deliverance vouchsafed, because of the Lord's favour; that same
favourable regard is therefore again invoked. With an immutable
God this is powerful reasoning; it is because he changes not
that we are not consumed, and know we never shall be if he has
once been favourable to us. From this example of prayer let us
learn how to order our cause before God. It is clear that Israel
was not in exile, or the prayer before us would not have
referred to the land but to the nation. Thou hast brought
back the captivity of Jacob. When down trodden and oppressed
through their sins, the Ever merciful One had looked upon them,
changed their sad condition, chased away the invaders, and given
to his people rest: this he had done not once, nor twice, but
times without number. Many a time have we also been brought into
soul captivity by our backslidings, but we have not been left
therein; the God who brought Jacob back from Padanaram to his
father's house, has restored us to the enjoyment of holy
fellowship;—will he not do the like again? Let us appeal to
him with Jacob like wrestlings, beseeching him to be favourable,
or sovereignly gracious to us notwithstanding all our
provocations of his love. Let declining churches remember their
former history, and with holy confidence plead with the Lord to
turn their captivity yet again.
Verse 2. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy
people. Often and often had he done this, pausing to pardon
even when his sword was bared to punish. Who is a pardoning God
like thee, O Jehovah? Who is so slow to anger, so ready for
forgive? Every believer in Jesus enjoys the blessing of pardoned
sin, and he should regard this priceless boon as the pledge of
all other needful mercies. He should plead it with
God—"Lord, hast thou pardoned me, and wilt thou let me
perish for lack of grace, or fall into mine enemies' hands for
want of help. Thou wilt not thus leave thy work
unfinished." Thou hast covered all their sin. All of it,
every spot, and wrinkle, the veil of love has covered all. Sin
has been divinely put out of sight. Hiding it beneath the
propitiatory, covering it with the sea of the atonement,
blotting it out, making it to cease to be, the Lord has put it
so completely away that even his omniscient eye sees it no more.
What a miracle is this! To cover up the sun would be easy work
compared with the covering up of sin. Not without a covering
atonement is sin removed, but by means of the great sacrifice of
our Lord Jesus, it is most effectually put away by one act, for
ever. What a covering does his blood afford!
Verse 3. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath.
Having removed the sin, the anger is removed also. How often did
the longsuffering of God take away from Israel the punishments
which had been justly laid upon them! How often also has the
Lord's chastising hand been removed from us when our waywardness
called for heavier strokes! Thou hast turned thyself from the
fierceness of thine anger. Even when judgments had been most
severe, the Lord had in mercy stayed his hand. In mid volley he
had restrained his thunder. When ready to destroy, he had
averted his face from his purpose of judgment and allowed mercy
to interpose. The book of Judges is full of illustrations of
this, and the psalmist does well to quote them while he
interceded. Is not our experience equally studded with instances
in which judgment has been stayed and tenderness has ruled? What
a difference between the fierce anger which is feared and
deprecated here, and the speaking of peace which is foretold in
verse 8. There are many changes in Christian experience, and
therefore we must not despair when we are undergoing the
drearier portion of the spiritual life, for soon, very soon, it
may be transformed into gladness.
"The Lord can clear the darkest skies,
Can give us day for night.
Make drops of sacred sorrow rise
To rivers of delight."
Verse 4. Turn us, O God of our salvation. This
was the main business. Could the erring tribes be rendered
penitent all would be well. It is not that God needs turning
from his anger so much as that we need turning from our sin;
here is the hinge of the whole matter. Our trials frequently
arise out of our sins, they will not go till the sins go. We
need to be turned from our sins, but only God can turn us: God
the Saviour must put his hand to the work: it is indeed a main
part of our salvation. Conversion is the dawn of salvation. To
turn a heart to God is as difficult as to make the world revolve
upon its axis. Yet when a man learns to pray for conversion
there is hope for him, he who turns to prayer is beginning to
turn from sin. It is a very blessed sight to see a whole people
turn unto their God; may the Lord so send forth his converting
grace on our land that we may live to see the people flocking to
the loving worship of God as the doves to their cotes. And cause
thine anger toward us to cease. Make an end of it. Let it no
longer burn. When sinners cease to rebel, the Lord ceases to be
angry with them; when they return to him he returns to them;
yea, he is first in the reconciliation, and turns them when
otherwise they would never turn of themselves. May all those who
are now enduring the hidings of Jehovah's face seek with deep
earnestness to be turned anew unto the Lord, for so shall all
their despondencies come to an end. Thus the sweet singer asks
for his nation priceless blessings, and quotes the best of
arguments. Because the God of Israel has been so rich in favour
in bygone years, therefore he is entreated to reform and restore
his backsliding nation.
Verse 5. Wilt thou be angry with us for ever?
See how the psalmist makes bold to plead. We are in time as yet
and not in eternity, and does not time come to an end, and
therefore thy wrath! Wilt thou be angry always as if it were
eternity? Is there no boundary to thine indignation? Will thy
wrath never have done? And if for ever angry, yet wilt thou be
angry with us, thy favoured people, the seed of Abraham, thy
friend? That our enemies should be always wroth is natural, but
wilt thou, our God, be always incensed against us? Every
word is an argument. Men is distress never waste words. Wilt
thou draw out thine anger to all generations? Shall sons suffer
for their father's faults, and punishment become an entailed
inheritance? O merciful God, hast thou a mind to spin out thine
anger, and make it as long as the ages? Cease thou, as thou hast
ceased aforetime, and let grace reign as it has done in days of
yore. When we are under spiritual desertion we may beg in the
like manner that the days of tribulation may be shortened, lest
our spirit should utterly fail beneath the trial.
Verse 6. Wilt thou not revive us again? Hope
here grows almost confident. She feels sure that the Lord will
return in all his power to save. We are dead or dying, faint and
feeble, God alone can revive us, he has in other times refreshed
his people, he is still the same, he will repeat his love. Will
he not? Why should he not? We appeal to him—Wilt thou not?
That thy people may rejoice in thee. Thou lovest to see thy
children happy with that best of happiness which centres in
thyself, therefore revive us, for revival will bring us the
utmost joy. The words before us teach us that gratitude has an
eye to the giver, even beyond the gift—thy people may rejoice in
thee. Those who were revived would rejoice not only in the
new life but in the Lord who was the author of it. Joy in the
Lord is the ripest fruit of grace, all revivals and renewals
lead up to it. By our possession of it we may estimate our
spiritual condition, it is a sure gauge of inward prosperity. A
genuine revival without joy in the Lord is as impossible as
spring without flowers, or daydawn without light. If, either in
our own souls or in the hearts of others, we see declension, it
becomes us to be much in the use of this prayer, and if on the
other hand we are enjoying visitations of the Spirit and
bedewings of grace, let us abound in holy joy and make it our
constant delight to joy in God.
Verse 7. Shew us thy mercy, O LORD. Reveal it
to our poor half blinded eyes. We cannot see it or believe it by
reason of our long woes, but thou canst make it plain to us.
Others have beheld it, Lord shew it to us. We have seen thine
anger, Lord let us see thy mercy. Thy prophets have told us of
it, but O Lord, do thou thyself display it in this our hour of
need. And grant us thy salvation. This includes deliverance from
the sin as well as the chastisement, it reaches from the depth
of their misery to the height of divine love. God's salvation is
perfect in kind, comprehensive in extent, and eminent in degree;
grant us this, O Lord, and we have all. Having offered earnest
intercession for the afflicted but penitent nation, the sacred
poet in the true spirit of faith awaits a response from the
sacred oracle. He pauses in joyful confidence, and then in
ecstatic triumph he give utterance to his hopes in the richest
form of song.
Verse 8. I will hear what God the LORD will speak.
When we believe that God hears us, it is but natural that we
should be eager to hear him. Only from him can come the word
which can speak peace to troubled spirits; the voices of men are
feeble in such a case, a plaister far too narrow for the sore;
but God's voice is power, he speaks and it is done, and hence
when we hear him our distress is ended. Happy is the suppliant
who has grace to lie patiently at the Lord's door, and wait
until his love shall act according to its old wont and chase all
sorrow far away. For he will speak peace unto his people, and to
his saints. Even though for a while his voice is stern with
merited rebuke, he will not always chide, the Great Father will
reassume his natural tone of gentleness and pity. The speaking
of peace is the peculiar prerogative of the Lord Jehovah, and
deep, lasting, ay, eternal, is the peace he thus creates. Yet
not to all does the divine word bring peace, but only to his own
people, whom he means to make saints, and those whom he has
already made so. But let them not turn again to folly. For if
they do so, his rod will fall upon them again, and their peace
will be invaded. Those who would enjoy communion with God must
be jealous of themselves, and avoid all that would grieve the
Holy Spirit; not only the grosser sins, but even the follies of
life must be guarded against by those who are favoured with the
delights of conscious fellowship. We serve a jealous God, and
must needs therefore be incessantly vigilant against evil.
Backsliders should study this verse with the utmost care, it
will console them and yet warn them, draw the back to their
allegiance, and at the same time inspire them with a wholesome
fear of going further astray. To turn again to folly is worse
than being foolish for once; it argues wilfulness and obstinacy,
and it involves the soul in sevenfold sin. There is no fool like
the man who will be a fool cost him what it may.
Verse 9. Surely his salvation is nigh them that
fear him. Faith knows that a saving God is always near at
hand, but only (for such is the true rendering) to those
who fear the Lord, and worship him with holy awe. In the gospel
dispensation this truth is conspicuously illustrated. If to
seeking sinners salvation is nigh, it is assuredly very nigh to
those who have once enjoyed it, and have lost its present
enjoyment by their folly; they have but to turn unto the Lord
and they shall enjoy it again. We have not to go about by a long
round of personal mortifications or spiritual preparations, we
may come to the Lord, through Jesus Christ, just as we did at
the first, and he will again receive us into his loving embrace.
Whether it be a nation under adversity, or a single individual
under chastisement, the sweet truth before us is rich with
encouragement to repentance, and renewed holiness. That glory
may dwell in our land. The object of the return of grace will be
a permanent establishment of a better state of things, so that
gloriously devout worship shall be rendered to God continuously,
and a glorious measure of prosperity shall be enjoyed in
consequence. Israel was glorious whenever she was faithful—her
dishonour always followed her disloyalty; believers also live
glorious lives when they walk obediently, and they only lose the
true glory of their religion when they fall from their
steadfastness. In these two verses we have, beneath the veil of
the letter, an intimation of the coming of THE WORD OF GOD to
the nations in times of deep apostacy and trouble, when faithful
hearts would be looking and longing for the promise which had so
long tarried. By his coming salvation is brought near, and
glory, even the glory of the presence of the Lord, tabernacles
among men. Of this the succeeding verses speak without
obscurity.
Verse 10. Mercy and truth are met together. In
answer to prayer, the exulting psalmist sees the attributes of
God confederating to bless the once afflicted nation. Mercy
comes hand in hand with Truth to fulfil the faithful promise of
their gracious God; the people recognise at once the grace and
the veracity of Jehovah, he is to them neither a tyrant nor a
deceiver. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. The
Lord whose just severity inflicted the smart, now in pity sends
peace to bind up the wound. The people being now made willing to
forsake their sins, and to follow after righteousness, find
peace granted to them at once. "The war drum throbbed no
longer, and the battle flags were furled; " for idolatry
was forsaken, and Jehovah was adored. This appears to be the
immediate and primary meaning of these verses; but the inner
sense is Christ Jesus, the reconciling Word. In him, the
attributes of God unite in glad unanimity in the salvation of
guilty men, they meet and embrace in such a manner as else were
inconceivable either to our just fears or to our enlightened
hopes. God is as true as if he had fulfilled every letter of his
threatenings, as righteous as if he had never spoken peace to a
sinner's conscience; his love in undiminished splendour shines
forth, but no other of his ever blessed characteristics is
eclipsed thereby. It is the custom of modern thinkers(?)
to make sport of this representation of the result of our Lord's
substitutionary atonement; but had they ever been themselves
made to feel the weight of sin upon a spiritually awakened
conscience, they would cease from their vain ridicule. Their
doctrine of atonement has well been described by Dr. Duncan as
the admission "that the Lord Jesus Christ did something or
other, which somehow or other, was in some way or other
connected with man's salvation." This is their substitute
for substitution. Our facts are infinitely superior to their
dreams, and yet they sneer. It is but natural that natural men
should do so. We cannot expect animals to set much store by the
discoveries of science, neither can we hope to see unspiritual
men rightly estimate the solution of spiritual problems—they
are far above and out of their sight. Meanwhile it remains for
those who rejoice in the great reconciliation to continue both
to wonder and adore.
Verse 11. Truth shall spring out of the earth.
Promises which lie unfulfilled, like buried seeds, shall spring
up and yield harvests of joy; and men renewed by grace shall
learn to be true to one another and their God, and abhor the
falsehood which they loved before. And righteousness shall look
down from heaven, as if it threw up the windows and leaned out
to gaze upon a penitent people, whom it could not have looked
upon before without an indignation which would have been fatal
to them. This is a delicious scene. Earth yielding flowers of
truth, and heaven shining with stars of holiness; the spheres
echoing to each other, or being mirrors of each other's
beauties. "Earth carpeted with truth and canopied with
righteousness, "shall be a nether heaven. When God looks
down in grace, man sends his heart upward in obedience. The
person of our adorable Lord Jesus Christ explains this verse
most sweetly. In Him truth is found in our humanity, and his
deity brings divine righteousness among us. His Spirit's work
even now creates a hallowed harmony between his church below,
and the sovereign righteousness above; and in the latter day,
earth shall be universally adorned with every precious virtue,
and heaven shall hold intimate intercourse with it. There is a
world of meaning in these verses, only needing meditation to
draw it out. Reader, "the well is deep, "but if thou
hast the Spirit, it cannot be said, that "thou hast nothing
to draw with."
Verse 12. Yea, the LORD shall give that which is
good. Being himself pure goodness, he will readily return
from his wrath, and deal out good things to his repenting
people. Our evil brings evil upon us, but when we are brought
back to follow that which is good, the Lord abundantly enriches
us with good things. Material good will always be bestowed where
it can be enjoyed in consistency with spiritual good. And our
land shall yield her increase. The curse of barrenness will fly
with the curse of sin. When the people yielded what was due to
God, the soil would recompense their husbandry. See at this day
what sin has done for Palestine, making her gardens a
wilderness; her wastes are the scars of her iniquities: nothing
but repentance and divine forgiveness will reclaim her
desolations. The whole world also shall be bright with the same
blessing in the days yet to come,—
"Freed from the curse, the grateful garden gives
Its fruit in goodly revenue. Nor frost,
Nor blight, nor mildew fall, nor cankerworm,
Nor caterpillar, mar one ripening hope.
The clouds drop fatness. The very elements
Are subject to the prayerful will of those
Whose pleasure is in unison with God's."
Verse 13. Righteousness shall go before him; and
shall set us in the way of his steps. God's march of right
will leave a track wherein his people will joyfully follow. He
who smote in justice will also bless in justice, and in both
will make his righteousness manifest, so as to affect the hearts
and lives of all his people. Such are the blessings of our
Lord's first advent, and such shall be yet more conspicuously
the result of his second coming. Even so, come Lord Jesus.
EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS
Whole Psalm. This beautiful psalm, like some others,
has come down to us without name or date; the production of some
unknown poetic genius, touched, purified, and exalted by the
fire of celestial inspiration; a precious relic of that golden
age, when the Hebrew music was instinct with a spirit such as
never breathed on Greece or Rome. It is interesting to reflect
on the anonymous origin of some of the psalms; to remember how
largely the church of God is indebted to some nameless worthies
who wrote for us hymns and spiritual songs, full of richer
strains than were ever poured forth by the most illustrious of
pagan name. These holy men are passed away, they have left no
record of their history; but they have bequeathed legacies of
rich, varied, and inspired sentiments, which will render the
church debtors to them to the end of time. John Stoughton.
1852.
Whole Psalm. This Psalm may be thus divided: Ps
85:1-3, express the thanks of the people for their return from
captivity; Ps 85:4-6, their prayer for their own reformation;
in Ps 85:7, they pray for the coming of Messiah; Ps 85:8
contains the words of the High priest, with God's
Gracious answer; which answer is followed by the grateful
acclamation of the people, to the end of the Psalm. To
prepare for this interpretation, let us observe, how very
strangely the words are expressed at present—I will hear
what God the Lord will say: FOR he shall speak peace unto his
people. But surely, God could not be consulted, because
it was unnecessary; nor could the High priest possibly say, that
he would ask of God, because he knew what God would
answer; especially, as we have now a question to God
proposed, and yet no answer from God given at all. Under
these difficulties we are happily relieved; since it appears, on
satisfactory authorities, that, instead of the particle rendered
for, the word here originally signified in or by
me, which slight variation removes the obscurity, and
restores that very light which has long been wanted. The people
having prayed for the speedy arrival of their great salvation;
the High priest says, (as it should be here expressed), I
will hear what the Almighty sayeth.—Jehovah, BY ME sayeth,
PEACE unto his people, even unto his saints: but let them not
turn again to folly. Whereupon, as the Jews understood peace
to comprehend every blessing, and of course their
greatest blessing, they at once acknowledged the certainty
of this salvation, the glory of their land—they
proclaim it as nigh at hand—and then, in rapture truly
prophetical, they see this glory as actually arrived, as already
dwelling in Judea—they behold God in fulfilling most
strictly what he had promised most graciously—they see
therefore the mercy of God, and the truth of God
met together—they see that scheme perfected, in which the righteousness
(i.e. the justice) of God harmonizes with the peace (i.e.
the happiness) of man; so that righteousness and peace salute
each other with the tenderest affection. In short, they see
TRUTH flourishing out of the earth; i.e. they see him,
who is the way, the truth, and the life, born here
on earth; and they even see the righteousness, or
justice of God, looking down from heaven, as being well
pleased. Ps 85:12 is at present translated so unhappily, that it
is quite despoiled of all its genuine glory. For, could the
prophet, after all the rapturous things said before, coldly say
here, that God would give what was good and that Judea
should have a plentiful harvest? No: consistency and good
sense forbid it; and truth confirms their protest against it.
The words here express the reasons of all the preceding
energies, and properly signify—Yea, Jehovah granteth
THE BLESSING; and our land granteth HER OFFSPRING. And
what can be the blessing—what, amidst these sublime
images, can be Judea's offspring—but HE, and HE only,
who was the blessing of all lands in general, and the
glory of Judea in particular? And what says the verse
following? Righteousness goeth before HIM—certainly,
not before the fruit of the earth—but certainly before
that illustrious person, even the MESSIAH. Righteousness
goeth before HIM, and directeth his goings in the way. As to
the word rendered the blessing, and applied to the
redemption; the same word is so used by Jeremiah, thus: Behold,
the days come, that I will perform that good thing (the
blessing) which I have promised... at that time will I cause to
grow up unto David the Branch of righteousness (Jer
33:14-15). And as to the Messiah being here described, partly as
springing up from the earth; so says Isaiah: "In that day
shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious; and the
fruits of the earth shall be excellent and comely." But
this evangelical prophet, in another place, has the very same
complication of images with that found in the psalm before us.
For Isaiah also has the heavens, with their righteousness;
and the earth, with its salvation: "Drop
down, ye heavens from above, and let the skies pour down
righteousness: let the earth open, and let them
bring forth salvation." But, "let them bring
forth"—who, or what can be here meant by them, but
the heavens and the earth? It is heaven and earth
which are here represented as bringing forth, and
introducing the Saviour of the world. For what else can be here
meant as brought forth by them? What, but HE
alone; who, deriving his divine nature from heaven, and
his human from the earth was (what no other being ever
was) both GOD and MAN. Benjamin Kennicott.
Verse 1. Thy land. The land of Jehovah the poet
calls it, in order to point out the close relation of God to it,
and to the people thereof, and so confirm the favour of
God towards it. For this land God has chosen as the dwelling
place of his people, true religion, and his own presence; this
also in his own time He himself had trodden in the person of his
Son, and in it He first gathered and founded his Church. Venema.
Verse 1. The captivity of Jacob. All true
believers are the sons of Jacob, and the seed of Abraham; as
well as the believing Gentiles, who are the sons of Jacob
according to the Spirit, as the believing Jews the sons of Jacob
according to the flesh; and the Church of these true Jacobins
and Israelites is the land of the Lord, and the captivity
here mentioned is bondage under sin. In this captivity Satan is
the gaoler, the flesh is our prison, ungodly lusts are the
manacles, a bad conscience the tormentor, all of them against
us; only Christ is Emmanuel, God with us; he turneth away
the captivity of Jacob in forgiving all his offences, and in
covering all his sins. Abraham Wright.
Verse 2. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity. nvs
tsn, nasatha avon, Thou hast borne, or carried away,
the iniquity. An allusion to the ceremony of the scapegoat. Adam
Clarke.
Verse 2. Thou hast covered all their sin. When
God is said to cover sin, he does so, not as one would
cover a sore with a plaster, thereby merely hiding it only; but
he covers it with a plaster that effectually cures and removes
it altogether. Bellarmine.
Verse 2. Selah. Rabbi Kimchi regards it as a
sign to elevate the voice. The authors of the Septuagint
translation appear to have regarded it as a musical or rythmical
note. Herder regarded it as indicating a change of note;
Mathewson as a musical note, equivalent, perhaps, to the word repeat.
According to Luther and others, it means silence.
Gesenius explains it to mean, "Let the instruments play and
the singers stop." Wocher regards it as equivalent to sursum
corda—up, my soul! Sommer, after examining all the seventy
four passages in which the word occurs, recognises in every case
"an actual appeal or summons to Jehovah." They are
calls for aid and prayers to be heard, expressed either with
entire directness, or if not in the imperative, "Hear,
Jehovah!" or Awake, Jehovah! and the like, still earnest
addresses to God that he would remember and hear, &c. The
word itself he regards as indicating a blast of the trumpets by
the priests. Selah, itself, he thinks an abridged expression,
used for Higgaion Selah—Higgaion indicating the sound of the
stringed instruments and Selah a vigorous blast of trumpets. From
the "Bibliotheca Sacra, "quoted by Plumer.
Verse 3. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath. Or
gathered it; sin occasions wrath, and the people of God
are as deserving of it as others; but the Lord has gathered it
up, and poured it forth upon his Son, and their Surety; hence
nothing of this kind shall ever fall upon them, either here or
hereafter; and it is taken away from them, so as to have no
sense, apprehension, or conscience of it, which before the law
had wrought in them, when pardon is applied unto them, which is
what is here meant. John Gill.
Verse 3. Thou hast turned thyself. Here are six
hasts drawing in the next turn, Ps 85:4. God hath,
and therefore God will is a strong medium of hope, if not a
demonstration of Scripture logic. See 2Co 1:10. John Trapp.
Verse 4. Cause thine anger toward us to cease.
The phrase, break thine indignation towards us, (that is,
wherewith thou art angry with us, in order that it may cease of
itself,)comprehends the abolition of the signs and the effects
of anger. The word drk, for this is the root to be taken,
properly denotes a breaking by means of notches
and gaps, as when the edge of anything is broken
by many notches and gaps, and it is made utterly worn and
useless. Indignation, so long as it is vigorous and
spreads its effects, has an edge, which smites and
pierces; but it is considered blunt and broken, when it ceases
to exert itself, and produces evils no longer, this they affirm
of the anger of God. Venema.
Verse 6. Wilt thou not revive us again? The
Hebrew is, Wilt thou not return and revive us? We
translate the verb return by the adverb again: Wilt
thou not revive us again? Thou hast given us many revives:
when we were as dead men, and like carcases rotting in
the grave, thou didst revive us, wilt thou not revive us once
more, and act over those powerfully merciful works and strong
salvations once more, or again? Joseph Caryl.
Verse 6. That thy people may rejoice in thee.
Bernard in his 15th Sermon on Canticles says Jesus is honey in
the mouth, melody in the ear, joy in the heart. Is any among us
sad? Let Jesus enter the heart, and thence spring to the
countenance, and behold, before the rising brightness of his
name, every cloud is scattered, serenity returns. Origen in his
10th Hom on Genesis, has the remark, Abraham rejoiced not in
present things, neither in the riches of the words, nor deeds of
time. But do you wish to hear, whence he drew his joy? Listen to
the Lord speaking to the Jews, Joh 8:56: Your father, Abraham
rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad: hope
heaped up his joys. Le Blanc.
Verse 6. That thy people may rejoice in thee.
When God changeth the cheer of his people, their joy should not
be in the gift, but in the Giver. David Dickson.
Verse 6. It is the most natural thing, the most
delightful thing, for the people of God to rejoice in God. God
is the fountain of joy, and whom should he fill with it but his
people? And whom should his people breathe it into again but
him? This posture God delights to have them in; this posture
they delight to be in; but this cannot be in that estate of
death and captivity wherein God for a long season shutteth them
up. "The living, the living shall praise thee, "but
alas, the dead cannot. John Pennington, 1656.
Verse 6. Truly sin kills. Men are dead in trespasses
and sins, dead in law, dead in their affections, dead in a loss
of comfortable communion with God. Probably the greatest
practical heresy of each age is a low idea of our undone
condition under the guilt and dominion of sin. While this
prevails we shall be slow to cry for reviving or quickening.
What sinners and churches need is quickening by the Holy Ghost. William
S. Plumer.
Verses 6-7. Wilt thou not revive us, by the first and
spiritual resurrection, and so thy people, quickened from a life
of sin to a life of grace, will rejoice in thee, not in
themselves, presuming nothing on their own power. And in order
that these things may be fulfilled in us, Shew us, O Lord,
thy mercy, that is, Christ, through whom thou hast pitied
the human race, shew him to us after this exile that we may see
him face to face. Richardus Hampolus.
Verse 7. Thy mercy. It is not merely of the
Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, but all is mercy, from
first to last,—mercy that met us by the way,—mercy that
looked upon us in our misery,—mercy that washed us from our
sins in his own blood,—mercy that covered our nakedness and
clad us in his own robe of righteousness,—mercy that led and
guided us by the way,—and mercy that will never leave nor
forsake us till mercy has wrought its perfect work in the
eternal salvation of our souls through Jesus Christ. Barton
Bouchier.
Verse 8. I will hear, etc. The true attitude
for a sinner to take in the presence of divine revelation, is
that of a listener. To enter the place of a doer
before you have occupied that of a listener, is to
reverse God's order, and throw everything into confusion. Adam
tried this plan, and found it a failure. He tried
"works." He "sewed fig leaves together, "but
it was no use. He could not even satisfy his own conscience, or
remove his guilty fear. He had to listen to the voice of
God—to hearken to divine revelation. "Things New and
Old." 1859.
Verse 8. I will hear, etc. The eye as a mere
organ of sense must give place to the ear. Therefore it is
wittily observed, that our Saviour commanding the abscession of
the offending hand, foot, and eye, (Mr 9:43-47), yet never spake
of the ear. If thy hand, thy foot, or thine eye, cause thee to
offend, deprive thyself of them; but part not with thine ear,
for that is an organ to derive unto thy soul's salvation. As
Christ says there, a man may enter into heaven, lamed in his
feet, as Mephibosheth, blind in his sight, as Barzillai, maimed
in his hand, as the dry handed man in the gospel; but if there
be not an ear to hear of the way, there will be no foot to enter
into heaven. If God be not first in the ear, he is neither
sanctifiedly in the mouth, nor comfortably in the heart. The
Jews had eyes to see Christ's miracles, but because they had no
ears to hear his wisdom, therefore they had no feet to enter
into his kingdom. The way into the house is by the door, not by
the window: the eye is but the window of the heart, the ear is
the door. Now Christ stands knocking at the door, not at the
window. Re 3:20. And he will not come in at the window, but at
the door. "He that entereth in by the door is the shepherd
of the sheep." Joh 10:2. He comes now in by his oracles,
now by his miracles. "To him the porter openeth; and the
sheep hear his voice, "Joh 10:3. The way to open and let
him in is by the door; to hear his voice. There was a man in the
gospel blind and deaf; blind eyes is ill; but deaf ears, worse.
It is bad to have the eyes seeled (Seel, to close up: a
term in falconry), but worse to have the ears sealed up. Open
your ears therefore to this heavenly voice. Bernard hath this
description of a good ear: Which willingly hears what is taught,
wisely understands what it heareth, and obediently practises
what it understandeth. O give me such an ear, and I will hang on
it jewels of gold, ornaments of praise. Thomas Adams.
Verse 8. I will hear, etc. My text carries in
it a poetical allusion to the consulting of the cloud of glory,
which was between the cherubims, and to the receiving answer
from it, upon all critical occasions. David turned his thoughts
from all the other views he might have, to this, I will hear
what God the Lord will speak and that so he might depend
wholly on the assurances that he should receive of God's favour,
upon the repentance and prayers of the people; and in
consideration of God's covenant with them, he knew the answer
would be peace; which being the form of salutation in
those ages, among friends, imported as entire reconciliation. So
that by speaking peace is to be understood as assurance
of God's love and favour to his people, and to his saints:
that is, to the people that was sanctified, and dedicated
to the service of God by so many federal rites. Gilbert
Burnet, 1643-1714/5.
Verse 8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak.
Carnal men speak peace to themselves on account of some supposed
goodness in themselves. And unsound professors steal peace from
God's promises, such as Isa 55:7 Ho 14:4. But an upright heart
will not be satisfied without hearing God speak peace to his
heart by his Spirit. And for this he will pray, and wait, and
hearken, and when God speaks peace, there comes such sweetness
with it, and such discovery of his love, as lays a powerful
influence on the soul not to turn again to folly. This peace is
an humbling, melting peace, which brings humiliation to the soul
as well as joy; but this never happens when men speak peace to
themselves. John Berridge, 1716-1793.
Verse 8. I will hear what God the LORD will speak,
etc. His prayer being finished, and he having spoke, he now
stands and listens, as you used to do when you expect an echo,
what echo he should have, what answer would be returned from
heaven, whether his prayer had already come: I will hear what
the Lord will speak; or, as some read it, I will hear
what the Lord doth speak: for sometimes there is a present
echo, a speedy answer returned to a man's heart, even ere the
prayer is half finished. He will speak peace. When the
child of God wants peace, he can have no peace till God speaks
it... Let God's people be in never so great distress, yet it is
an easy thing for God to give peace to them. Mark the expression
here used: it is but speaking peace, that is, it is as
easy for him to give peace as it is for you to speak a word; it
is no more to him. Then our comfort is, that as he only must do
it, so he easily can do it, even with a word. Thomas Goodwin.
Verse 8. He will speak peace unto his people, and
to his saints, etc. The voice of the Lord is comfortable,
and his words are sweet to those that fear him. It is a plain
sign that all is not well with us, when the voice of God doth
cast us into fear, when we are afraid to hear the word preached,
when just reproofs of our sins are unwelcome to us, and anger
us, and make us think the less of our minister that chideth and
threateneth us. A good life and a well governed conversation
doth not fear the voice of God; the word of God is the light
which God hath set up in his church, to guide her feet in the
ways of peace. They that do evil hate the light, and will not
come near it, lest their works should be reproved; the children
of the light resort to it, and call upon God: "Search my
veins and my heart, and see if there be any way of wickedness in
me." Edward Marbury.
Verse 8. To his people and to his saints. He
will give prosperity to the people in general; and
to his saints—his followers, in particular. Adam
Clarke.
Verse 8. To his saints. It is remarkable that
we have the suffrage of a celebrated Jewish writer, Kimchi, to
understand the word rendered saints in this place, of the
godly among the Gentiles, as distinguished from the Lord's
people, the Jews. John Fry.
Verse 8. He will speak peace unto his people, and
to his saints: but let them not return again to folly. This
imports that if his saints turn again to folly, which by
woeful experience we find too frequently done, God may change
his voice, and turn his peace, formerly spoken, into a
warlike defiance to their conscience. Thomas Fuller.
Verse 8. But let them not turn again to folly.
If God did not in the end speak peace, they would indeed return
to folly. For his end of speaking peace is, that they might not
return to folly: Ps 125:3, "The rod of the wicked shall not
always be upon the righteous, lest they put forth their hand to
iniquity; "therefore, at the last verse, "peace shall
be upon Israel." As it is a rule in physic still to
maintain nature, and therefore when that shall be in hazard to
be destroyed, they leave giving purging physic, and give
cordials; so doth God with his people: though with purging
physic he often brings their spirits very weak and low, yet he
will uphold and maintain their spirits, so as they shall not
fail and be extinguished, but then he will give cordials to
raise them up again. Thomas Goodwin.
Verse 8. It is hard to know, in spiritual exercises,
whether is be more difficult to attain some good frame, or to
keep and maintain it when it is attained; whether more
seriousness is required for making peace with God, or for
keeping of it when made; whether more diligence should be in
preparing for a communion, or more watchfulness after it: sure
both are required; and it was our blessed Lord's word, Mt 26:41,
after the first celebration of his supper, "Watch and pray,
that ye enter not into temptation." Here that saying holds
eminently: "Non minor est virtus, quam quaerere, parta
tueri:" no less virtue and valour is requisite to
maintain, than to make a purchase or conquest. In the words
there are,
1. A great mercy promised from the Lord to his people, viz., He
will speak peace to them.
2. A special caveat and advertisement given them, pointing at
their hazard: But let them not turn again to folly: that
is, let not his people and saints to whom he hath spoken peace,
return to sin; let them beware of bourding (Bourding—jesting),
and dallying with God's mercy, and of turning his grace into
wantonness, of cooling in their affections to him, of slipping
back to their old way, and of embracing their old lovers and
idols: for that is folly, even in folio, to speak so. James
Durham, in "The Unsearchable Riches of Christ."
Verse 9. That glory may dwell in our land. What
land the true church of Christ, the saints and they that fear
God, do dwell in; there doth glory dwell: there God,
there Christ by his Spirit bringing righteousness and salvation
to such a society, is glorious; and for his presence the people
are glorious; and the land glorious above all other lands
whatsoever. David Dickson.
Verse 10. Mercy and truth; righteousness and peace.
Note, four virtues stand out prominently in the incarnation;
namely, mercy, truth, righteousness and peace, or love producing
peace. These were like four steps of the throne of Christ, or
four princes standing near and accompanying Him.
1. On the right hand, is mercy presenting the olive.
2. On the left, truth holding the white lily.
3. Before Him walks justice bearing the balance.
4. Peace follows Him, having a cornucopiae full of
flowers, and scattering the flowers around. Le Blanc.
Verse 10. Mercy and truth; righteousness and peace.
These four divine attributes parted at the fall of Adam, and met
again at the birth of Christ. Mercy was ever inclined to save
man, and Peace could not be his enemy; but Truth
extracted the performance of God's threat,—"The soul that
sinneth, it shall die; "and Righteousness could not but
give to every one his due, Jehovah must be true in all his ways,
and righteous in all his works. Now there is no religion on
earth, except the Christian, which can satisfy the demands of
all these claimants, and restore an union between them; which
can show how God's word can be true, and his work just, and the
sinner, notwithstanding, find mercy, and obtain peace. George
Horne.
Verse 10. This is a remarkable text, and much has been
said on it; but there is a beauty in it which, I think, has not
been noticed. Mercy and peace are on one side; truth
and righteousness on the other. Truth requires righteousness;
mercy calls for peace. They meet together on the way;
one going to make inquisition for sin, the other to plead for
reconciliation. Having met, their differences on certain
considerations, not here particularly mentioned, are adjusted;
and their mutual claims blended together in one common interest;
on which peace and righteousness immediately
embrace. Thus, righteousness is given to truth,
and peace is given to mercy. Now, where did
these meet? In Christ Jesus. When were they reconciled?
When he poured out his life on Calvary. Adam Clarke.
Verse 10. Mercy and truth are met together.
1. They meet together in God; for all the paths of
the Lord are mercy and truth, Ps 25:9; mercy in
making, and truth in keeping his promise to his people.
Paul saith, Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision to
the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the
fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.
Ro 15:8. God promised his Son unto the Jews, and he gave him in
the fulness of time to be both a light to the Gentiles, and
glory to his people Israel; herein shewing his mercy more
principally to the Gentiles, his truth unto the Jews, and
so his mercy and truth embraced each other so that he made both
people but one, to wit, one flock, in one sheepfold, under one
shepherd. If we take truth and righteousness for God's
justice in punishing, mercy and peace for his
graciousness in pardoning; yet as they meet together in all his
ways unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. For as
the mercies of the wicked are full of cruelty, so the very
judgments of God upon his servants are full of mercy. In his
wrath he remembers pity; punishing a little, that he may pardon
a great deal; destroying the flesh only to save the spirit, 1Co
5:5. Misericordiae est aliquando subtrahere misericordiam.
It was good for Joseph that he was a captive; good for Naaman
that he was a leper; good for Bartimaeus that he was blind, and
for David that he was in trouble. Bradford thanked God more of
his prison, than of any parlour or pleasure. All things are for
the best unto the faithful, and so God's mercy and truth are
met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other,
his mercy being just, and his justice being merciful; but God in
giving his only Son unto the world, more abundantly shewed his mercy
and justice kissing one another. His justice that
every soul that sins should die; but his mercy desires
not the death of a sinner. Eze 33:11...
2. Righteousness and peace meet together in man; so
Augustine expounds it: an unjust man is full of quarrels, like
Ishmael, "every man's hand is against him, and his hand
against every man; "but he who is righteous, and giveth
every man his due, shall have peace, so much as is possible with
all men, especially with his own self and soul. Righteousness
and peace are so near, so dear, that thou canst not have the one
without the other.
3. Righteousness and peace meet in Christ, God's man;
for by these two, some divines understand the Old Testament and
the New. The Law doth exact justice, requiring of a
malefactor "eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand,
foot for foot; "but the Gospel is full of mercy and peace,
saying unto the sinner, who truly repenteth him of his sins, and
unfeignedly believes the word of promise, "Son, be of good
comfort, thy sins are forgiven thee; ""Daughter be of
good cheer, thy faith hath made thee whole; ""Go thy
way, they belief hath saved thee; ""Behold, thou art
now made whole, sin no more." These two testaments meet
together in Christ, as in their proper centre, they kissed
each other on this (Christmas) day, because the gospel
performed what the law promised. John Boys.
Verse 10. When our Lord spake that parable of the
prodigal son, and represented the Father as seeing his child
afar off in his misery, and how he had compassion on him, and
ran and fell on his neck and kissed him, one cannot but feel
what a touching and tender illustration he has given of this
most exquisite passage of his own word: Mercy and truth are
met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
Barton Bouchier.
Verses 10-11. Mercy and Peace if they had met, or
Truth and Righteousness, either of the two, it had not been
strange. But for these that seem to be in opposition to do it,
that makes this meeting marvellous in our eyes. Will you stay a
little and take a view of the parties? Four they are. These
four,
1. Mercy, and
2. Truth,
3. Righteousness, and
4. Peace. Which quaternion at the first sight divides itself
into two and two. Mercy and Peace, they two pair well; they be collectanae,
as Bernard saith of them in one place, `bed fellows, 'sleep
together; collectanae, as in another place, `sucked one
milk, one breast' both. And as these two, so the other two;
Truth and Righteousness seem to be of one complexion and
disposition, and commonly take part together. Of these Mercy
seems to favour us; and Peace no enemy to us or to any (seeing
we must speak of them as of persons); mild and gentle persons
both. For Righteousness I know not well what to say: gestat
gladium, (bears the sword), and I fear non frustra
(not in vain). Nor of Truth, who is vera and severa,
`severe' too otherwhile. These I doubt are not like affected.
The reason of my doubt. One of them, Righteousness, it is told
here for great news, that she but "looked down hitherwards
from heaven." Before then she would not have done that. A
great sign it is of heart burning, when one will not do so much
as look at another—not endure his sight. We cannot promise
ourselves much of her. No, nor of Truth. One was so bold in a
place to say, omnis homo mendax (Ro 3:4), and feared no
challenge for it. By that it seems all stands not well with her
neither. So then two for us, two against us. For their order.
Mercy is first, and Peace last. With both ends we shall do well
enough. God send us to do but so with the midst! Yet this is not
amiss that they which favour us less are in the midst; hemmed in
on both sides, closed about with those that wish us well; and
they between us and them. On the one side, Mercy before; on the
other, Peace behind another; that in this double meeting Mercy
sorts not herself, goes not to Righteousness; nor Righteousness
to her, but to Peace. A kind of cross meeting, as it were, there
is—the better hope of accord. Mercy and Righteousness have no
symbolizing quality at all, no hope of them; but Truth with
Mercy hath. There is truth as well in the promise of Mercy as in
the threat of justice. Lancelot Andrewes.
Verse 11. Truth shall spring. The literal sense
is, that the promises which for a long time are not fulfilled,
and seem like seeds or roots hidden and concealed under ground,
when they shall be fulfilled, shall be considered to spring up,
to grow, etc. Lorinus.
Verse 11. Spring. The Metaphor is taken from
flowers and trees. In the Greek the expression is aneile, that
is, has sprung like the morning, for anatllw and anatolh
are properly said of the rising of the sun and moon. Le
Blanc.
Verse 11. Shall look down. This looking down,
pqsg rendered generally parakuptw in the Greek, implies such a
look as in 1Pe 1:12, angels give into the things of salvation,
and such a look as the disciples gave into the sepulchre. It is
really the Righteous One who is resting over them in
complacent love, not as in Ps 14:2 53:2, but fulfilling Ps
102:19-20. Andrew A. Bonar.
Verse 12. It has sometimes been objected that the
Christian doctrine of a Millennium cannot be true, for the earth
could not support the teeming millions that would naturally be
found upon it, if wars and vice should cease to waste its
population. But omitting other and pertinent answers that have
been given, we find one here that covers the whole ground, the
earth shall yield her increase. Now and then the season is
unusually propitious, and we have a specimen of what God can do
when he chooses. He can without any miracle make it many times
more fruitful than it has ever been. William S. Plumer.
Verse 13. Righteousness shall go before him,
etc. The meaning of this difficult verse may probably be as
follows:—Righteousness shall go before Him (Jehovah), and
shall make his footsteps a pathway for his servants to walk
in.—Ernest Hawkins.
Verse 13. Shall set us in the way of his steps.
It is reported in the Bohemian History, that St. Wenceslaus,
their king, one winter night going to his devotions, in a remote
church, barefooted in the snow and sharpness of unequal and
pointed ice, his servant Podavivus, who waited upon his master's
piety, and endeavoured to imitate his affections, began to faint
through the violence of the snow and cold; till the king
commanded him to follow him, and set his feet in the same
footsteps, which his feet should mark for him: the servant did
so, and either fancied a cure, or found one; for he followed his
prince, helped forward with shame and zeal to his imitation, and
by the forming footsteps for him in the snow. In the same manner
does the blessed Jesus; for, since our way is troublesome,
obscure, full of objections and danger, apt to be mistaken, and
to affright our industry, he commands us to mark his footsteps,
to tread where his feet have stood, and not only invite us
forward by the argument of his example, but he hath trodden down
much of the difficulty, and made the way easier and fit for our
feet. For he knows our infirmities, and himself hath felt their
experience in all things but in the neighbourhoods of sin; and
therefore he hath proportioned a way and a path to our strength
and capacities, and like Jacob, hath marched softly and in
evenness with the children and the cattle, to entertain us by
the comforts of his company, and the influence of a perpetual
guide. Jeremy Taylor.
Verse 13. (last clause). The sinner who feels
his need of salvation, is set—in the way of his steps;
as Bartimaeus sat by the way side begging, by which way Jesus
walked; and when he came where he was, heard his prayer, and
restored him his sight. Adam Clarke.
HINTS TO THE VILLAGE PREACHER
Verse 1. There is,
1. Captivity.
(a) Of the people of God.
(b) Although they are the people of God.
(c) Because they are the people of God. You only have I
known, etc.
2. Restoration from Captivity: Thou hast brought back,
etc.
(a) The fact.
(b) The Author: Thou: by thine own power; in thine own
manner; at thine own time.
3. The cause of the Restoration; the favour of God: Thou
hast been favourable.
(a) On account of favour past: "Thou hast."
(b) On account of favour in reserve.
Verse 2.
1. The subjects of forgiveness: Thy people.
(a) By choice.
(b) By redemption.
(c) By effectual calling.
2. The time of forgiveness: Thou hast forgiven, etc.
3. The method of forgiveness.
(a) Forgiven. Hebrew, borne, same word as in Le 16:22:
"The goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities."
(b) Covered; as the mercy seat covered the law that had been
broken. IV. The extent of forgiveness: all their sin.
Verse 3.
1. The language of penitence. It is implied here that the
wrath was,
(a) Great:
(b) Just thy wrath.
2. The language of faith.
(a) In the grace of pardon: Thou hast turned away wrath.
We could not, by anything we could do or suffer.
(b) In the method of pardon: Turned away. Turned it
from us to our Surety.
3. The language of praise: Thou hast—thou hast.
Verse 4.
1. In what salvation consists.
(a) In the removal of God's enmity from us.
(b) In the removal of our enmity to him.
2. By whom it is accomplished. By the God of salvation.
(a) He causes his anger toward us to cease, and
(b) Our anger toward him.
3. How is it obtained? By prayer: "Turn us, "etc.
Verse 6.
1. Revivals imply decline.
(a) That there is grace to be revived.
(b) That this grace has declined.
2. Revivals are from God: Wilt not thou, etc.: they
cannot be got up by men.
3. Revivals are frequently needed: Wilt not thou revive us
again.
4. Revivals are in answer to prayer: Wilt thou not,
etc.
5. Revivals are occasions for great joy.
(a) To the saints.
(b) In God.
Verse 7.
1. Salvation is God's work: Thy salvation.
(a) The plan is his.
(b) The provision is his.
(c) The condition is his.
(d) The application is his.
(e) The consummation is his.
2. Salvation is God's gift.
(a) Of his mercy: Show us thy mercy.
(b) Of his grace: Grant us, etc.
3. Salvation is God's answer to prayer.
(a) It is the first object of prayer.
(b) It includes every other.
Verse 8.
1. We should look for an answer to prayer. Having spoken to
God, we should hear what he has to say to us in reply.
(a) In his word.
(b) In his providence.
(c) By his Spirit in our own souls.
2. We should look for an answer of peace: He will speak
peace.
3. We should avoid whatever might deprive us of that peace: But
let them not turn, etc. G. R.
Verse 8. Thomas Goodwin has three sermons upon
this verse, (First clause), entitled The Return of
Prayers. (Second clause).—Tidings of Peace. (Last
clause)—The Folly of Relapsing after Peace spoken.
Verse 8. (last clause). They should not turn
again to folly,
1. Because it will be a greater aggravation in sinning. It is
made the aggravation of Solomon's sin (1Ki 11:9), that "God
had appeared to him twice."
2. The second reason is intimated in the word folly:
as if the Lord should have said, Set aside the unkindness and
wrong you do to me, yet therein you befool yourselves; you will
have the worst of it. T. Goodwin.
Verse 10.
1. The attributes displayed in man's salvation.
(a) Mercy in the promise.
(b) Truth in its fulfilment.
(c) Righteousness in the manner of its fulfilment.
(d) Peace in its results.
2. These attributes harmonized in man's salvation.
(a) How? Met together—kissed each other.
(b) Why? Each on its own account. All on each others'
account.
(c) Where? Met and kissed—(1.) In the covenant. (2.) At the
incarnation. (3.) At the cross. (4.) At the conversion of every
sinner. (5.) At the completion of the saints in heaven. G. R.
Verse 10. The Pulpit, vol. 28, 1836, contains a sermon
by R. W. Sibthorpe, in which the preacher,
1. Considers the harmony of the divine perfections in the
redemption of a sinner.
2. The wisdom of the divine dealings in the calling
and guidance of the believer; so that mercy, truth, etc., each
becomes in turn conspicuous in our experience.
3. The completeness of the divine image in the sanctified
soul, so that the perfected saint abounds in mercy and
truth, is filled with peace, and is conformed to his righteous
Lord.
Verse 12.
1. All spiritual good is from God: The Lord will give,
etc.
(a) Is repentance a good thing? The Lord will give
repentance.
(b) Is pardon? The Lord, etc.
(c) Is faith?
(d) Is justification?
(e) Is regeneration?
(f) Is growth in grace?
(g) Is preservation unto the end?
(h) Is eternal glory? The Lord will give, etc.
2. All temporal good is from God. Our land, etc.
(a) In a lawful manner our land.
(b) In the use of appointed means: Shall yield her
increase, etc.
(c) In dependence upon the divine blessing. "Who giveth
fruitful seasons, "etc. Spiritual good is not less given in
the use of appointed means. G. R.
Verse 12. The fertility of our spheres of labour the
gift of God.
Verse 13.
1. The righteousness by which we are justified long precedes
our justification: this righteousness is gone before, etc.
2. Our justification by that righteousness precedes our
sanctification.
3. The righteousness of sanctification invariably follows
that of justification. G. R.
WORK UPON THE EIGHTY-FIFTH PSALM
In an old quarto volume of 788 pages,
containing Expositions of several passages of Scripture, is a
short Exposition of this Psalm (pp. 452-64) entitled "A
Taste of the Breathings, Pantings, Waitings, and Hopes of Israel
after the true Saviour, and his effectual Redemption."
There is no Author's name, but some previous owner has written "John
Pennington" on the title page: date 1656.