7 ): whereby this inheritance may be seen and possessed. “Yea moreover too even unto night my reins have chastened Me. ” Yea besides understanding, even unto death, My inferior part, the assumption of flesh, hath instructed Me, that I might experience the darkness of mortality, which that understanding hath not. 8. “I foresaw the Lord in My sight always” ( ver. 8 ). But coming into things that pass away, I removed not Mine eye from Him who abideth ever, foreseeing this, that to Him I should return after passing through the things temporal. “For He is on My right hand, that I should not be moved. ” For He favoureth Me, that I should abide fixedly in Him. 9. “Wherefore My heart was glad, and My tongue exulted” ( ver. 9 ). Wherefore both in My thoughts is gladness, and in my words exultation. “Moreover too My flesh shall rest in hope. ” Moreover too My flesh shall not fail unto destruction, but shall sleep in hope of the resurrection. 10. “For Thou wilt not leave My soul in hell” ( ver. 10 ). For Thou wilt neither give My soul for a possession to those parts below. “Neither wilt Thou grant Thine Holy One to see corruption. ” Neither wilt Thou suffer that sanctified body, whereby others are to be also sanctified, to see corruption. “Thou hast made known to Me the paths of life” ( ver. 11 ). Thou hast made known through Me the paths of humiliation, that men might return to life, from whence they fell through pride; in whom because I am, “Thou hast made known to Me. ” “Thou wilt fill Me with joy with Thy countenance. ” Thou wilt fill them with joy, that they should seek nothing further, when they shall see Thee “face to face;” in whom because I am, “Thou wilt fill Me. ” “Pleasure is at Thy right hand even to the end. ” Pleasure is in Thy favour and mercy in this life’s journey, leading on even to the end of the glory of Thy countenance.
Psalm XVII. A prayer of David himself. 1. This prayer must be assigned to the Person of the Lord, with the addition of the Church, which is His body. 2. “Hear My righteousness, O God, consider My supplication” ( ver. 1 ). “Hearken unto My prayer, not in deceitful lips:” not going forth to Thee in deceitful lips. “Let My judgment from Thy countenance go forth” ( ver. 2 ). From the enlightening of the knowledge of Thee, let Me judge truth. Or at least, let My judgment go forth, not in deceitful lips, from Thy countenance, that is, that I may not in judging utter aught else than I understand in Thee. “Let Mine eyes see equity:” the eyes, of course, of the heart. 3. “Thou hast proved and visited Mine heart in the night-season” ( ver. 3 ). For this Mine heart hath been proved by the visitation of tribulation. “Thou hast examined Me by fire, and iniquity hath not been found in Me. ” Now not night only, in that it is wont to disturb, but fire also, in that it burns, is this tribulation to be called; whereby when I was examined I was found righteous. 4. “That My mouth may not speak the works of men” ( ver. 4 ). That nothing may proceed out of My mouth, but what relates to Thy glory and praise; not to the works of men, which they do beside Thy will. “Because of the words of Thy lips. ” Because of the words of Thy peace, or of Thy prophets. “I have kept hard ways. ” I have kept the toilsome ways of human mortality and suffering. 5. “To perfect My steps in Thy paths” ( ver. 5 ). That the love of the Church might be perfected in the strait ways, whereby she arrives at Thy rest. “That My footsteps be not moved. ” That the signs of My way, which, like footsteps, have been imprinted on the Sacraments and Apostolical writings, be not moved, that they may mark them who would follow Me. Or at least, that I may still abide fixedly in eternity, after that I have accomplished the hard ways, and have finished My steps in the straits of Thy paths. 6. “I have cried out, for Thou hast heard Me, O God” ( ver. 6 ). With a free and strong effort have I directed My prayers unto Thee: for that I might have this power, Thou hast heard Me when praying more weakly. “Incline Thine ear to Me, and hear My words. ” Let not Thy hearing forsake My humiliation. 7. “Make Thy mercies marvellous” ( ver. 7 ). Let not Thy mercies be disesteemed, lest they be loved too little. 8. “Who savest them that hope in Thee from such as resist Thy right hand:” from such as resist the favour, whereby Thou favourest Me. “Keep Me, O Lord, as the apple of Thine eye” ( ver. 8 ): which seems very little and minute: yet by it is the sight of the eye directed, whereby the light is distinguished from the darkness; as by Christ’s humanity, the divinity of the Judgment distinguishing between the righteous and sinners. “In the covering of Thy wings protect Me. ” In the defence of Thy love and mercy protect Me. “From the face of the ungodly who have troubled Me” ( ver. 9 ). 9. “Mine enemies have compassed about My soul;” “they have shut up their own fat” ( ver. 10 ).
They have been covered with their own gross joy, after that their desire hath been satiated with wickedness. “Their mouth hath spoken pride. ” And therefore their mouth spoke pride, in saying, “Hail, King of the Jews,” and other like words. 10. “Casting Me forth they have now compassed Me about” ( ver. 11 ). Casting Me forth outside the city, they have now compassed Me about on the Cross. “Their eyes they have determined to turn down on the earth. ” The bent of their heart they have determined to turn down on these earthly things: deeming Him, who was slain, to endure a mighty evil, and themselves, that slew Him, none. 11. “As a lion ready for prey, have they taken Me” ( ver. 12 ). They have taken Me, like that adversary who “walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. ” “And as a lion’s whelp dwelling in secret places. ” And as his whelp, the people to whom it was said, “Ye are of your father the devil:” meditating on the snares, whereby they might circumvent and destroy the just One. 12. “Arise, O Lord, prevent them, and cast them down” ( ver. 13 ). Arise, O Lord, Thou whom they suppose to be asleep, and regardless of men’s iniquities; be they blinded before by their own malice, that vengeance may prevent their deed; and so cast them down. 13. “Deliver My soul from the ungodly. ” Deliver My soul, by restoring Me after the death, which the ungodly have inflicted on Me. “Thy weapon: from the enemies of Thine hand” ( ver. 14 ). For My soul is Thy weapon, which Thy hand, that is, Thy eternal Power, hath taken to subdue thereby the kingdoms of iniquity, and divide the righteous from the ungodly. This weapon then “deliver from the enemies of Thine hand,” that is, of Thy Power, that is, from Mine enemies. “Destroy them, O Lord, from off the earth, scatter them in their life. ” O Lord, destroy them from off the earth, which they inhabit, scatter them throughout the world in this life, which only they think their life, who despair of life eternal. “And by Thy hidden things their belly hath been filled. ” Now not only this visible punishment shall overtake them, but also their memory hath been filled with sins, which as darkness are hidden from the light of Thy truth, that they should forget God. “They have been filled with swine’s flesh. ” They have been filled with uncleanness, treading under foot the pearls of God’s words. “And they have left the rest to their babes:” crying out, “This sin be upon us and upon our children. ” 14. “But I shall appear in Thy righteousness in Thy sight” ( ver. 15 ). But I, Who have not appeared to them that, with their filthy and darkened heart, cannot see the light of wisdom, “I shall appear in Thy righteousness in Thy sight. ” “I shall be satiated, when Thy glory shall be manifested. ” And when they have been satiated with their uncleanness, that they could not know Me, I shall be satiated, when Thy glory shall be manifested, in them that know Me. In that verse indeed where it is said, “filled with swine’s flesh,” some copies have, “filled with children:” for from the ambiguity of the Greek a double interpretation has resulted. Now by “children” we understand works; and as by good children, good works, so by evil, evil.
Psalm XVIII. To the end, for the servant of the Lord, David himself. 1. That is, for the strong of hand, Christ in His Manhood. “The words of this song which he spoke to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him out of the hands of his enemies, and of the hand of Saul; and he said, On the day when the Lord delivered him out of the hands of his enemies and of the hand of Saul:” namely, the king of the Jews, whom they had demanded for themselves. For as “David” is said to be by interpretation, strong of hand; so “Saul” is said to be demanding. Now it is well known, how that People demanded for themselves a king, and received him for their king, not according to the will of God, but according to their own will. 2. Christ, then, and the Church, that is, whole Christ, the Head and the Body, saith here, “I will love Thee, O Lord, My strength” ( ver. 1 ). I will love Thee, O Lord, by whom I am strong. 3. “O Lord, My stay, and My refuge, and My deliverer” ( ver. 2 ). O Lord, who hast stayed Me, because I sought refuge with Thee: and I sought refuge, because Thou hast delivered Me. “My God is My helper; and I will hope in Him. ” My God, who hast first afforded me the help of Thy call, that I might be able to hope in Thee. “My defender, and the horn of My salvation, and My redeemer. ” My defender, because I have not leant upon Myself, lifting up as it were the horn of pride against Thee; but have found Thee a horn indeed, that is, the sure height of salvation: and that I might find it, Thou redeemedst Me. 4. “With praise will I call upon the Lord, and I shall be safe from Mine enemies” ( ver. 3 ). Seeking not My own but the Lord’s glory, I will call upon Him, and there shall be no means whereby the errors of ungodliness can hurt Me. 5. “The pains of death,” that is, of the flesh, have “compassed Me about. And the overflowings of ungodliness have troubled Me” ( ver. 4 ). Ungodly troubles stirred up for a time, like torrents of rain which will soon subside, have come on to trouble Me. 6. “The pains of hell compassed Me about” ( ver. 5 ). Among those that compassed Me about to destroy Me, were pains of envy, which work death, and lead on to the hell of sin. “The snares of death prevented Me. ” They prevented Me, so that they wished to hurt Me first, which shall afterwards be recompensed unto them. Now they seize unto destruction such men as they have evilly persuaded by the boast of righteousness: in the name but not in the reality of which they glory against the Gentiles. 7. “And in Mine oppression I called upon the Lord, and cried unto My God. And He heard My voice from His holy temple” ( ver. 6 ). He heard from My heart, wherein He dwelleth, My voice. “And My cry in His sight entered into His ears;” and My cry, which I utter, not in the ears of men, but inwardly before Him Himself, “entered into His ears. ” 8. “And the earth was moved and trembled” ( ver. 7 ). When the Son of Man was thus glorified, sinners were moved and trembled. “And the foundations of the mountains were troubled.
” And the hopes of the proud, which were in this life, were troubled. “And were moved, for God was wroth with them. ” That is, that the hope of temporal goods might have now no more establishment in the hearts of men. 9. “There went up smoke in His wrath” ( ver. 8 ). The tearful supplication of penitents went up, when they came to know God’s threatenings against the ungodly. “And fire burneth from His face. ” And the ardour of love after repentance burns by the knowledge of Him. “Coals were kindled from Him. ” They, who were already dead, abandoned by the fire of good desire and the light of righteousness, and who remained in coldness and darkness, re-enkindled and enlightened, have come to life again. 10. “And He bowed the heaven, and came down” ( ver. 9 ). And He humbled the just One, that He might descend to men’s infirmity. “And darkness under His feet. ” And the ungodly, who savour of things earthly, in the darkness of their own malice, knew not Him: for the earth under His feet is as it were His footstool. 11. “And He mounted above the cherubim, and did fly” ( ver. 10 ). And He was exalted above the fulness of knowledge, that no man should come to Him but by love: for “love is the fulfilling of the law. ” And full soon He showed to His lovers that He is incomprehensible, lest they should suppose that He is comprehended by corporeal imaginations. “He flew above the wings of the winds. ” But that swiftness, whereby He showed Himself to be incomprehensible, is above the powers of souls, whereon as upon wings they raise themselves from earthly fears into the air of liberty. 12. “And hath made darkness His hiding place” ( ver. 11 ). And hath settled the obscurity of the Sacraments, and the hidden hope in the heart of believers, where He may lie hid, and not abandon them. In this darkness too, wherein “we yet walk by faith, and not by sight,” as long as “we hope for what we see not, and with patience wait for it. ” “Round about Him is His tabernacle. ” Yet they that believe Him turn to Him and encircle Him; for that He is in the midst of them, since He is equally the friend of all, in whom as in a tabernacle He at this time dwells. “Dark water in clouds of air. ” Nor let any one on this account, if he understand the Scripture, imagine that he is already in that light, which will be when we shall have come out of faith into sight: for in the prophets and in all the preachers of the word of God there is obscure teaching. 13. “In respect of the brightness in His sight” ( ver. 12 ): in comparison with the brightness, which is in the sight of His manifestation. “His clouds have passed over. ” The preachers of His word are not now bounded by the confines of Judæa, but have passed over to the Gentiles. “Hail and coals of fire. ” Reproofs are figured, whereby, as by hail, the hard hearts are bruised: but if a cultivated and genial soil, that is, a godly mind, receive them, the hail’s hardness dissolves into water, that is, the terror of the lightning-charged, and as it were frozen, reproof dissolves into satisfying doctrine; and hearts kindled by the fire of love revive. All these things in His clouds have passed over to the Gentiles. 14.
“And the Lord hath thundered from heaven” ( ver. 13 ). And in confidence of the Gospel the Lord hath sounded forth from the heart of the just One. “And the Highest gave His voice;” that we might entertain it, and in the depth of human things, might hear things heavenly. 15. “And He sent out His arrows, and scattered them” ( ver. 14 ). And He sent out Evangelists traversing straight paths on the wings of strength, not in their own power, but His by whom they were sent. And “He scattered them,” to whom they were sent, that to some of them they should be “the savour of life unto life, to others the savour of death unto death. ” “And He multiplied lightnings, and troubled them. ” And He multiplied miracles, and troubled them. 16. “And the fountains of water were seen. And the fountains of water springing up into everlasting life,” which were made in the preachers, were seen. “And the foundations of the round world were revealed” ( ver. 15 ). And the Prophets, who were not understood, and upon whom was to be built the world of believers in the Lord, were revealed. “At Thy chiding, O Lord:” crying out, “The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. ” “At the blasting of the breath of Thy displeasure;” saying, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. ” 17. “He hath sent down from on high, and hath fetched Me ( ver. 16 ): by calling out of the Gentiles for an inheritance “a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle. ” “He hath taken Me out of the multitude of waters. ” He hath taken Me out of the multitude of peoples. 18. “He hath delivered Me from My strongest enemies” ( ver. 17 ). He hath delivered Me from Mine enemies, who prevailed to the afflicting and overturning of this temporal life of Mine. “And from them which hate Me; for they are too strong for Me:” as long as I am under them knowing not God. 19. “They have prevented Me in the day of My affliction” ( ver. 18 ). They have first injured Me, in the time when I am bearing a mortal and toilsome body. “And the Lord hath become My stay. ” And since the stay of earthly pleasure was disturbed and torn up by the bitterness of misery, the Lord hath become My stay. 20. “And hath brought Me forth into a broad place” ( ver. 19 ). And since I was enduring the straits of the flesh, He brought Me forth into the spiritual breadth of faith. “He hath delivered Me, because He desired Me. ” Before that I desired Him, He delivered Me from My most powerful enemies (who were envious of Me when I once desired Him), and from them that hated Me, because I do desire Him. 21. “And the Lord shall reward Me according to My righteousness” ( ver. 20 ). And the Lord shall reward Me according to the righteousness of My good will, who first showed mercy, before that I had the good will. “And according to the cleanness of My hands He will recompense Me. ” And according to the cleanness of My deeds He will recompense Me, who hath given Me to do well by bringing Me forth into the broad place of faith. 22. “Because I have kept the ways of the Lord” ( ver. 21 ).
That the breadth of good works, that are by faith, and the long-suffering of perseverance should follow after. 23. “Nor have I walked impiously apart from My God. ” “For all His judgments are in My sight” ( ver. 22 ). “For” with persevering contemplation I weigh “all His judgments,” that is, the rewards of the righteous, and the punishments of the ungodly, and the scourges of such as are to be chastened, and the trials of such as are to be proved. “And I have not cast out His righteousness from Me:” as they do that faint under their burden of them, and return to their own vomit. 24. “And I shall be undefiled with Him, and I shall keep Myself from Mine iniquity” ( ver. 23 ). 25. “And the Lord shall reward Me according to My righteousness ( ver. 24 ). Accordingly not only for the breadth of faith, which worketh by love; but also for the length of perseverance, will the Lord reward Me according to My righteousness. “And according to the cleanness of My hands in the sight of His eyes. ” Not as men see, but “in the sight of His eyes. ” For “the things that are seen are temporal; but the things that are not seen are eternal:” whereto the height of hope appertains. 26. “With the holy Thou shalt be holy” ( ver. 25 ). There is a hidden depth also, wherein Thou art known to be holy with the holy, for that Thou makest holy. “And with the harmless Thou shalt be harmless. ” For Thou harmest no man, but each one is bound by the bands of his own sins. 27. “And with the chosen Thou shalt be chosen. ” ( ver. 26 ). And by him whom Thou choosest, Thou art chosen. “And with the froward Thou shalt be froward. ” And with the froward Thou seemest froward: for they say, “The way of the Lord is not right:” and their way is not right. 28. “For Thou wilt make whole the humble people” ( ver. 27 ). Now this seems froward to the froward, that Thou wilt make them whole that confess their sins. “And Thou wilt humble the eyes of the proud. ” But them that are “ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seek to establish their own,” Thou wilt humble. 29. “For thou wilt light My candle, O Lord” ( ver. 28 ). For our light is not from ourselves; but “Thou wilt light my candle, O Lord. O my God, Thou wilt enlighten my darkness. ” For we through our sins are darkness; but “Thou, O my God, wilt enlighten my darkness. ” 30. “For by Thee shall I be delivered from temptation” ( ver. 29 ). For not by myself, but by Thee, shall I be delivered from temptation. “And in my God shall I leap over the wall. ” And not in myself, but in my God shall I leap over the wall, which sin has raised between men and the heavenly Jerusalem. 31. “My God, His way is undefiled” ( ver. 30 ). My God cometh not unto men, except they shall have purified the way of faith, whereby He may come to them; for that “His way is undefiled. ” “The words of the Lord have been proved by fire. ” The words of the Lord are tried by the fire of tribulation. “He is the Protector of them that hope in Him.
” And all that hope not in themselves, but in Him, are not consumed by that same tribulation. For hope followeth faith. 32. “For who is God, but the Lord? ” ( ver. 31 ) whom we serve. “And who God, but our God? ” And who is God, but the Lord? whom after good service we sons shall possess as the hoped-for inheritance. 33. “God, who hath girded me with strength” ( ver. 32 ). God, who hath girded me that I might be strong, lest the loosely flowing folds of desire hinder my deeds and steps. “And hath made my way undefiled. ” And hath made the way of love, whereby I may come to Him, undefiled, as the way of faith is undefiled, whereby He comes to me. 34. “Who hath made my feet perfect like harts’ feet” ( ver. 33 ). Who hath made my love perfect to surmount the thorny and dark entanglements of this world. “And will set me up on high. ” And will fix my aim on the heavenly habitation, that “I may be filled with all the fulness of God. ” 35. “Who teacheth my hands for battle” ( ver. 34 ). Who teacheth me to work for the overthrow of mine enemies, who strive to shut the kingdom of heaven against us. “And Thou hast made mine arms as a bow of steel. ” And Thou hast made my earnest striving after good works unwearied. 36. “And Thou hast given me the defence of my salvation, and Thy right hand hath held me up” ( ver. 35 ). And the favour of Thy grace hath held me up. “And Thy discipline hath directed me to the end. ” And Thy correction, not suffering me to wander from the way, hath directed me that whatsoever I do, I refer to that end, whereby I may cleave to Thee. “And this Thy discipline, it shall teach me. ” And that same correction of Thine shall teach me to attain to that, whereunto it hath directed me. 37. “Thou hast enlarged my steps under me” ( ver. 36 ). Nor shall the straits of the flesh hinder me; for Thou hast enlarged my love, working in gladness even with these mortal things and members which are under me. “And my footsteps have not been weakened. ” And either my goings, or the marks which I have imprinted for the imitation of those that follow, have not been weakened. 38. “I will follow up mine enemies, and seize them” ( ver. 37 ). I will follow up my carnal affections, and will not be seized by them, but will seize them, so that they may be consumed. “And I will not turn, till they fail. ” And from this purpose I will not turn myself to rest, till they fail who make a tumult about me. 39. “I will break them, and they shall not be able to stand” ( ver. 38 ): and they shall not hold out against me. “They shall fall under my feet. ” When they are cast down, I will place before me the loves whereby I walk for evermore. 40. “And Thou hast girded me with strength to the war” ( ver. 39 ). And the loose desires of my flesh hast Thou bound up with strength, that in such a fight I may not be encumbered. “Thou hast supplanted under me them that rose up against me.
” Thou hast caused them to be deceived, who followed upon me, that they should be brought under me, who desired to be over me. 41. “And thou hast given mine enemies the back to me” ( ver. 40 ). And thou hast turned mine enemies, and hast made them to be a back to me, that is, to follow me. “And Thou hast destroyed them that hate me. ” But such other of them as have persisted in hatred, Thou hast destroyed. 42. “They have cried out, and there was none to save them” ( ver. 41 ). For who can save them, whom Thou wouldest not save? “To the Lord, and He did not hear them. ” Nor did they cry out to any chance one, but to the Lord: and He did not judge them worthy of being heard, who depart not from their wickedness. 43. “And I will beat them as small as dust before the face of the wind” ( ver. 42 ). And I will beat them small; for dry they are, receiving not the shower of God’s mercy; that borne aloft and puffed up with pride they may be hurried along from firm and unshaken hope, and as it were from the earth’s solidity and stability. “As the clay of the streets I will destroy them. ” In their wanton and loose course along the broad ways of perdition, which many walk, will I destroy them. 44. “Thou wilt deliver Me from the contradictions of the people” ( ver. 43 ). Thou wilt deliver Me from the contradictions of them who said, “If we send Him away, all the world will go after Him. ” 45. “Thou shalt make Me the head of the Gentiles. A people whom I have not known have served Me. ” The people of the Gentiles, whom in bodily presence I have not visited, have served Me. “At the hearing of the ear they have obeyed Me” ( ver. 44 ). They have not seen Me with the eye: but, receiving my preachers, at the hearing of the ear they have obeyed Me. 46. “The strange children have lied unto Me. ” Children, not to be called Mine, but rather strange children, to whom it is rightly said, “Ye are of your father the devil,” have lied unto Me. “The strange children have waxen old” ( ver. 45 ). The strange children, to whom for their renovation I brought the new Testament, have remained in the old man. “And they have halted from their own paths. ” And like those that are weak in one foot, for holding the old they have rejected the new Testament, they have become halt, even in their old Law, rather following their own traditions, than God’s. For they brought frivolous charges of unwashen hands, because such were the paths, which themselves had made and worn by long use, in wandering from the ways of God’s commands. 47. “The Lord liveth, and blessed be my God. ” “But to be carnally minded is death:” for “the Lord liveth, and blessed be my God. And let the God of my salvation be exalted” ( ver. 46 ). And let me not think after an earthly fashion of the God of my salvation; nor look from Him for this earthly salvation, but that on high. 48. “O God, who givest Me vengeance, and subduest the people under Me” ( ver. 47 ). O God, who avengest Me by subduing the people under Me.
“My Deliverer from My angry enemies:” the Jews crying out, “Crucify Him, Crucify Him. ” 49. “From them that rise up against Me Thou wilt exalt Me” ( ver. 48 ). From the Jews that rise up against Me in My passion, Thou wilt exalt Me in My resurrection. “From the unjust man Thou wilt deliver Me. ” From their unjust rule Thou wilt deliver Me. 50. “For this cause will I confess to Thee among the Gentiles, O Lord” ( ver. 49 ). For this cause shall the Gentiles confess to Thee through Me, O Lord. “And I will sing unto Thy Name. ” And Thou shalt be more widely known by My good deeds. 51. “Magnifying the salvation of His King” ( ver. 50 ). God, who magnifieth, so as to make wonderful, the salvation, which His Son giveth to believers. “And showing mercy to His Christ:” God, who showeth mercy to His Christ: “To David and to His seed for evermore:” to the Deliverer Himself strong of hand, who hath overcome this world; and to them whom, as believers in the Gospel, He hath begotten for evermore. What things soever are spoken in this Psalm which cannot apply to the Lord Himself personally, that is to the Head of the Church, must be referred to the Church. For whole Christ speaks here, in whom are all His members.
Psalm XIX. To the end, a psalm of David himself. 1. It is a well-known title; nor does the Lord Jesus Christ say what follows, but it is said of Him. 2. “The heavens tell out the glory of God” ( ver. 1 ). The righteous Evangelists, in whom, as in the heavens, God dwelleth, set forth the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, or the glory wherewith the Son glorified the Father upon earth. “And the firmament showeth forth the works of His hands. ” And the firmament showeth forth the deeds of the Lord’s power, that now made heaven by the assurance of the Holy Ghost, which before was earth by fear. 3. “Day unto day uttereth word” ( ver. 2 ). To the spiritual the Spirit giveth out the fulness of the unchangeable Wisdom of God, the Word which in the beginning is God with God. “And night unto night announceth knowledge. ” And to the fleshly, as to those afar off, the mortality of the flesh, by conveying faith, announceth future knowledge. 4. “There is no speech nor language, in which their voices are not heard” ( ver. 3 ). In which the voices of the Evangelists have not been heard, seeing that the Gospel was preached in every tongue. 5. “Their sound is gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world” ( ver. 4 ). 6. “In the sun hath He set His tabernacle. ” Now that He might war against the powers of temporal error, the Lord, being about to send not peace but a sword on earth, in time, or in manifestation, set so to say His military dwelling, that is, the dispensation of His incarnation. “And He as a bridegroom coming forth out of His chamber” ( ver. 5 ). And He, coming forth out of the Virgin’s womb, where God was united to man’s nature as a bridegroom to a bride. “Rejoiced as a giant to run His way. ” Rejoiced as One exceeding strong, and surpassing all other men in power incomparable, not to inhabit, but to run His way. For, “He stood not in the way of sinners. ” 7. “His going forth is from the highest heaven” ( ver. 6 ). From the Father is His going forth, not that in time, but from everlasting, whereby He was born of the Father. “And His meeting is even to the height of heaven. ” And in the fulness of the Godhead He meets even to an equality with the Father. “And there is none that may hide himself from His heat. ” But whereas, “the Word was even made flesh, and dwelt in us,” assuming our mortality, He permitted no man to excuse himself from the shadow of death; for the heat of the Word penetrated even it. 8. “The law of the Lord is undefiled, converting souls” ( ver. 7 ). The law of the Lord, therefore, is Himself who came to fulfil the law, not to destroy it; an undefiled law, “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth,” not oppressing souls with the yoke of bondage, but converting them to imitate Him in liberty. “The testimony of the Lord is sure, giving wisdom to babes. ” “The testimony of the Lord is sure;” for, “no man knoweth the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him,” which things have been hidden from the wise and revealed to babes; for, “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.
” 9. “The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart” ( ver. 8 ). All the statutes of the Lord are right in Him who taught not what He did not; that they who should imitate Him might rejoice in heart, in those things which they should do freely with love, not slavishly with fear. “The commandment of the Lord is lucid, enlightening the eyes. ” “The commandment of the Lord is lucid,” with no veil of carnal observances, enlightening the sight of the inner man. 10. “The fear of the Lord is chaste, enduring for ever” ( ver. 9 ). “The fear of the Lord;” not that distressing fear under the law, dreading exceedingly the withdrawal of temporal goods, by the love of which the soul commits fornication; but that chaste fear wherewith the Church, the more ardently she loves her Spouse, the more carefully does she take heed of offending Him, and therefore, “perfect love casteth” not “out” this “fear,” but it endureth for ever. 11. “The judgments of the Lord are true, justified together. ” The judgments of Him, who “judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son,” are justified in truth unchangeably. For neither in His threatenings nor His promises doth God deceive any man, nor can any withdraw either from the ungodly His punishment, or from the godly His reward. “To be desired more than gold, and much precious stone” ( ver. 10 ). Whether it be “gold and stone itself much,” or “much precious,” or “much to be desired;” still, the judgments of God are to be desired more than the pomp of this world; by desire of which it is brought to pass that the judgments of God are not desired, but feared, or despised, or not believed. But if any be himself gold and precious stone, that he may not be consumed by fire, but received into the treasury of God, more than himself does he desire the judgments of God, whose will he preferreth to his own. “And sweeter than honey and the honey comb. ” And whether one be even now honey, who, disenthralled already from the chains of this life, is awaiting the day when he may come up to God’s feast; or whether he be yet as the honey comb, wrapped about with this life as it were with wax, not mixed and become one with it, but filling it, needing some pressure of God’s hand, not oppressing but expressing it, whereby from life temporal it may be strained out into life eternal: to such an one the judgments of God are sweeter than he himself is to himself, for that they are “sweeter than honey and the honey comb. ” 12. “For Thy servant keepeth them” ( ver. 11 ). For to him who keepeth them not the day of the Lord is bitter. “In keeping them there is great reward. ” Not in any external benefit, but in the thing itself, that God’s judgments are kept, is there great reward; great because one rejoiceth therein. 13. “Who understandeth sins? ” ( ver. 12. ) But what sort of sweetness can there be in sins, where there is no understanding? For who can understand sins, which close the very eye, to which truth is pleasant, to which the judgments of God are desirable and sweet? yea, as darkness closes the eye, so do sins the mind, and suffer it not to see either the light, or itself. 14. “Cleanse me, O Lord, from my secret faults.
” From the lusts which lie hid in me, cleanse me, O Lord. “And from the” faults “of others preserve Thy servant” ( ver. 13 ). Let me not be led astray by others. For he is not a prey to the faults of others, who is cleansed from his own. Preserve therefore from the lusts of others, not the proud man, and him who would be his own master, but, Thy servant. “If they get not the dominion over me, then shall I be undefiled. ” If neither my own secret sins, nor those of others, get the dominion over me, then shall I be undefiled. For there is no third source of sin, but one’s own secret sin, by which the devil fell, and another’s sin, by which man is seduced, so as by consenting to make it his own. “And I shall be cleansed from the great offence. ” What but pride? for there is none greater than apostasy from God, which is “the beginning of the pride of man. ” And he shall indeed be undefiled, who is free from this offence also; for this is the last to them who are returning to God, which was the first as they departed from Him. 15. “And the words of my mouth shall be pleasing, and the meditation of my heart is always in Thy sight” ( ver. 14 ). The meditation of my heart is not after the vain glory of pleasing men, for now there is pride no more, but in Thy sight alway, who regardest a pure conscience. “O Lord, my Helper, and my Redeemer” ( ver. 15 ). O Lord, my Helper, in my approach to Thee; for Thou art my Redeemer, that I might set out unto Thee: lest any attributing to his own wisdom his conversion to Thee, or to his own strength his attaining to Thee, should be rather driven back by Thee, who resistest the proud; for he is not cleansed from the great offence, nor pleasing in Thy sight, who redeemest us that we may be converted, and helpest us that we may attain unto Thee.
Psalm XX. To the end, a psalm of David. 1. This is a well-known title; and it is not Christ who speaks; but the prophet speaks to Christ, under the form of wishing, foretelling things to come. 2. “The Lord hear Thee in the day of trouble” ( ver. 1 ). The Lord hear Thee in the day in which Thou saidst, “Father glorify Thy Son. ” “The name of the God of Jacob protect Thee. ” For to Thee belongeth the younger people. Since “the elder shall serve the younger. ” 3. “Send Thee help from the Holy, and from Sion defend Thee” ( ver. 2 ). Making for Thee a sanctified Body, the Church, from watching safe, which waiteth when Thou shalt come from the wedding. 4. “Be mindful of all Thy sacrifice” ( ver. 3 ). Make us mindful of all Thy injuries and despiteful treatment, which Thou hast borne for us. “And be Thy whole burnt offering made fat. ” And turn the cross, whereon Thou wast wholly offered up to God, into the joy of the resurrection. 5. “ Diapsalma. ” The Lord render to Thee according to Thine Heart” ( ver. 4 ). The Lord render to Thee, not according to their heart, who thought by persecution they could destroy Thee; but according to Thine Heart, wherein Thou knewest what profit Thy passion would have. “And fulfil all Thy counsel. ” “And fulfil all Thy counsel,” not only that whereby Thou didst lay down Thy life for Thy friends, that the corrupted grain might rise again to more abundance; but that also whereby “blindness in part hath happened unto Israel, that the fulness of the Gentiles might enter in, and so all Israel might be saved. ” 6. “We will exult in Thy salvation” ( ver. 5 ). We will exult in that death will in no wise hurt Thee; for so Thou wilt also show that it cannot hurt us either. “And in the name of the Lord our God will we be magnified. ” And the confession of Thy name shall not only not destroy us, but shall even magnify us. 7. “The Lord fulfil all Thy petitions. ” The Lord fulfil not only the petitions which Thou madest on earth, but those also whereby Thou intercedest for us in heaven. “Now have I known that the Lord hath saved his Christ” ( ver. 6 ). Now hath it been shown to me in prophecy, that the Lord will raise up His Christ again. “He will hear Him from His holy heaven. ” He will hear Him not from earth only, where He prayed to be glorified; but from heaven also, where interceding for us at the Right Hand of the Father, He hath from thence shed abroad the Holy Spirit on them that believe on Him. “In strength is the safety of His right hand. ” Our strength is in the safety of His favour, when even out of tribulation He giveth help, that “when we are weak, then we may be strong. ” “For vain is” that “safety of man,” which comes not of His right hand but of His left: for thereby are they lifted up to great pride, whosoever in their sins have secured a temporal safety. 8. “Some in chariots, and some in horses” ( ver. 7 ). Some are drawn away by the ever moving succession of temporal goods; and some are preferred to proud honours, and in them exult: “But we will exult in the name of the Lord our God.
” But we, fixing our hope on things eternal, and not seeking our own glory, will exult in the name of the Lord our God. 9. “They have been bound, and fallen” ( ver. 8 ). And therefore were they bound by the lust of temporal things, fearing to spare the Lord, lest they should lose their place by “the Romans:” and rushing violently on the stone of offence and rock of stumbling, they fell from the heavenly hope: to whom the blindness in part of Israel hath happened, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and wishing to establish their own. “But we are risen, and stand upright. ” But we, that the Gentile people might enter in, out of the stones raised up as children to Abraham, who followed not after righteousness, have attained to it, and are risen; and not by our own strength, but being justified by faith, we stand upright. 10. “O Lord, save the King:” that He, who in His Passion hath shown us an example of conflict, should also offer up our sacrifices, the Priest raised from the dead, and established in heaven. “And hear us in the day when we shall call on Thee” ( ver. 9 ). And as He now offereth for us, “hear us in the day when we shall call on Thee. ”
Psalm XXI. To the end, a psalm of David himself. 1. The title is a familiar one; the Psalm is of Christ. 2. “O Lord, the King shall rejoice in Thy strength” ( ver. 1 ). O Lord, in Thy strength, whereby the Word was made flesh, the Man Christ Jesus shall rejoice. “And shall exult exceedingly in Thy salvation. ” And in that, whereby Thou quickenest all things, shall exult exceedingly. 3. “Thou hast given Him the desire of His soul” ( ver. 2 ). He desired to eat the Passover, and to lay down His life when He would, and again when He would to take it; and Thou hast given it to Him. “And hast not deprived Him of the good pleasure of His lips. ” “My peace,” saith He, “I leave with you:” and it was done. 4. “For Thou hast presented Him with the blessings of sweetness” ( ver. 3 ). Because He had first quaffed the blessing of Thy sweetness, the gall of our sins did not hurt Him. “ Diapsalma . Thou hast set a crown of precious stone on His Head. ” At the beginning of His discoursing precious stones were brought, and compassed Him about; His disciples, from whom the commencement of His preaching should be made. 5. “He asked life; and Thou gavest Him:” He asked a resurrection, saying, “Father, glorify Thy Son;” and Thou gavest it Him, “Length of days for ever and ever” ( ver. 4 ). The prolonged ages of this world which the Church was to have, and after them an eternity, world without end. 6. “His glory is great in Thy salvation” ( ver. 5 ). Great indeed is His glory in the salvation, whereby Thou hast raised Him up again. “Glory and great honour shalt Thou lay upon Him. ” But Thou shalt yet add unto Him glory and great honour, when Thou shalt place Him in heaven at Thy right hand. 7. “For Thou shalt give Him blessing for ever and ever. ” This is the blessing which Thou shalt give Him for ever and ever: “Thou shalt make Him glad in joy together with Thy countenance” ( ver. 6 ). According to His manhood, Thou shalt make Him glad together with Thy countenance, which He lifted up to Thee. 8. “For the King hopeth in the Lord. ” For the King is not proud, but humble in heart, he hopeth in the Lord. “And in the mercy of the Most Highest He shall not be moved” ( ver. 7 ). And in the mercy of the Most Highest His obedience even unto the death of the Cross shall not disturb His humility. 9. “Let Thy hand be found by all Thine enemies. ” Be Thy power, O King, when Thou comest to judgment, found by all Thine enemies; who in Thy humiliation discerned it not. “Let Thy right hand find out all that hate Thee” ( ver. 8 ). Let the glory, wherein Thou reignest at the right hand of the Father, find out for punishment in the day of judgment all that hate Thee; for that now they have not found it. 10. “Thou shalt make them like a fiery oven:” Thou shalt make them on fire within, by the consciousness of their ungodliness: “In the time of Thy countenance:” in the time of Thy manifestation. “The Lord shall trouble them in His wrath, and the fire shall devour them” ( ver. 9 ).
And then, being troubled by the vengeance of the Lord, after the accusation of their conscience, they shall be given up to eternal fire, to be devoured. 11. “Their fruit shalt Thou destroy out of the earth. ” Their fruit, because it is earthly, shalt Thou destroy out of the earth. “And their seed from the sons of men” ( ver. 10 ). And their works; or, whomsoever they have seduced, Thou shalt not reckon among the sons of men, whom Thou hast called into the everlasting inheritance. 12. “Because they turned evils against Thee. ” Now this punishment shall be recompensed to them, because the evils which they supposed to hang over them by Thy reign, they turned against Thee to Thy death. “They imagined a device, which they were not able to establish” ( ver. 11 ). They imagined a device, saying, “It is expedient that one die for all:” which they were not able to establish, not knowing what they said. 13. “For Thou shalt set them low. ” For Thou shalt rank them among those from whom in degradation and contempt Thou wilt turn away. “In Thy leavings Thou shalt make ready their countenance” ( ver. 12 ). And in these things that Thou leavest, that is, in the desires of an earthly kingdom, Thou shalt make ready their shamelessness for Thy passion. 14. “Be Thou exalted, O Lord, in Thy strength” ( ver. 13 ). Be Thou, Lord, whom in humiliation they did not discern, exalted in Thy strength, which they thought weakness. “We will sing and praise Thy power. ” In heart and in deed we will celebrate and make known Thy marvels.
Psalm XXII. To the end, for the taking up of the morning, a psalm of David. 1. “To the end,” for His own resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself speaketh. For in the morning on the first day of the week was His resurrection, whereby He was taken up, into eternal life, “Over whom death shall have no more dominion. ” Now what follows is spoken in the person of The Crucified. For from the head of this Psalm are the words, which He cried out, whilst hanging on the Cross, sustaining also the person of the old man, whose mortality He bare. For our old man was nailed together with Him to the Cross. 2. “O God, my God, look upon me, why hast Thou forsaken me far from my salvation? ” ( ver. 1 ). Far removed from my salvation: for “salvation is far from sinners. ” “The words of my sins. ” For these are not the words of righteousness, but of my sins. For it is the old man nailed to the Cross that speaks, ignorant even of the reason why God hath forsaken him: or else it may be thus, The words of my sins are far from my salvation. 3. “My God, I will cry unto Thee in the daytime, and Thou wilt not hear” ( ver. 2 ). My God, I will cry unto Thee in the prosperous circumstances of this life, that they be not changed; and Thou wilt not hear, because I shall cry unto Thee in the words of my sins. “And in the night-season, and not to my folly. ” And so in the adversities of this life will I cry to Thee for prosperity; and in like manner Thou wilt not hear. And this Thou doest not to my folly, but rather that I may have wisdom to know what Thou wouldest have me cry for, not with the words of sins out of longing for life temporal, but with the words of turning to Thee for life eternal. 4. “But Thou dwellest in the holy place, O Thou praise of Israel” ( ver. 3 ). But Thou dwellest in the holy place, and therefore wilt not hear the unclean words of sins. The “praise” of him that seeth Thee; not of him who hath sought his own praise in tasting of the forbidden fruit, that on the opening of his bodily eyes he should endeavour to hide himself from Thy sight. 5. “Our Fathers hoped in Thee. ” All the righteous, namely, who sought not their own praise, but Thine. “They hoped in Thee, and Thou deliveredst them” ( ver. 4 ). 6. “They cried unto Thee, and were saved. ” They cried unto Thee, not in the words of sins, from which salvation is far; and therefore were they saved. “They hoped in Thee, and were not confounded” ( ver. 5 ). “They hoped in Thee,” and their hope did not deceive them. For they placed it not in themselves. 7. “But I am a worm, and no man” ( ver. 6 ). But I, speaking now not in the person of Adam, but I in My own person, Jesus Christ, was born without human generation in the flesh, that I might be as man beyond men; that so at least human pride might deign to imitate My humility. “The scorn of men, and outcast of the people.
” In which humility I was made the scorn of men, so as that it should be said, as a reproachful railing, “Be thou His disciple:” and that the people despise Me. 8. “All that saw Me laughed Me to scorn” ( ver. 7 ). All that saw Me derided Me. “And spake with the lips, and shook the head. ” And they spoke, not with the heart, but with the lips. 9. For they shook their head in derision, saying, “He trusted in the Lord, let Him deliver Him:” “let Him save Him, since He desireth Him” ( ver. 8 ). These were their words; but they were spoken “with the lips. ” 10. “Since Thou art He who drew Me out of the womb” ( ver. 9 ). Since Thou art He who drew Me, not only out of that Virgin womb (for this is the law of all men’s birth, that they be drawn out of the womb), but also out of the womb of the Jewish nation; by the darkness whereof he is covered, and not yet born into the light of Christ, whosoever places his salvation in the carnal observance of the Sabbath, and of circumcision, and the like. “My hope from My mother’s breasts. ” “My hope,” O God, not from the time when I began to be fed by the milk of the Virgin’s breasts; for it was even before; but from the breasts of the Synagogue, as I have said, out of the womb, Thou hast drawn Me, that I should not suck in the customs of the flesh. 11. “I have been strengthened in Thee from the womb” ( ver. 10 ). It is the womb of the Synagogue, which did not carry Me, but threw Me out: but I fell not, for Thou heldest me. “From My mother’s womb Thou art My God. ” “From My mother’s womb: My mother’s womb did not cause that, as a babe, I should be forgetful of Thee. 12. “Thou art My God,” “depart not from Me; for trouble is hard at hand” ( ver. 11 ). Thou art, therefore, My God, depart not from Me; for trouble is nigh unto Me; for it is in My body. “For there is none to help. ” For who helpeth, if Thou helpest not? 13. “Many calves came about Me. ” The multitude of the wanton populace came about Me. “Fat bulls closed Me in” ( ver. 12 ). And their leaders, glad at My oppression, “closed Me in. ” 14. “They opened their mouth upon Me” ( ver. 13 ). They opened their mouth upon Me, not out of Thy Scripture, but of their own lusts. “As a ravening and roaring lion. ” As a lion, whose ravening is, that I was taken and led; and whose roaring, “Crucify, Crucify. ” 15. “I was poured out like water, and all My bones were scattered” ( ver. 14 ). “I was poured out like water,” when My persecutors fell: and through fear, the stays of My body, that is, the Church, My disciples were scattered from Me. “My heart became as melting wax, in the midst of my belly. ” My wisdom, which was written of Me in the sacred books, was, as if hard and shut up, not understood: but after that the fire of My Passion was applied, it was, as if melted, manifested, and entertained in the memory of My Church. 16. “My strength dried up as a potsherd” ( ver. 15 ).
My strength dried up by My Passion; not as hay, but a potsherd, which is made stronger by fire. “And My tongue cleaved to My jaws. ” And they, through whom I was soon to speak, kept My precepts in their hearts. “And Thou broughtest Me down to the dust of death. ” And to the ungodly appointed to death, whom the wind casteth forth as dust from the face of the earth, Thou broughtest Me down. 17. “For many dogs came about Me” ( ver. 16 ). For many came about Me barking, not for truth, but for custom. “The council of the malignant came about Me. ” The council of the malignant besieged Me. “They pierced My hands and feet. ” They pierced with nails My hands and feet. 18. “They numbered distinctly all My bones” ( ver. 17 ). They numbered distinctly all My bones, while extended on the wood of the Cross. “Yea, these same regarded, and beheld Me. ” Yea, these same, that is, unchanged, regarded and beheld Me. 19. “They divided My garments for themselves, and cast the lot upon My vesture” ( ver. 18 ). 20. “But Thou, O Lord, withhold not Thy help far from Me” ( ver. 19 ). But Thou, O Lord, raise Me up again, not as the rest of men, at the end of the world, but immediately. “Look to My defence. ” “Look,” that they in no wise hurt Me. 21. “Deliver My soul from the sword. ” “Deliver My soul” from the tongue of dissension. “And My only One from the hand of the dog” ( ver. 20 ). And from the power of the people, barking after their custom, deliver My Church. 22. “Save Me from the lion’s mouth:” save Me from the mouth of the kingdom of this world: “and my humility from the horns of the unicorns” ( ver. 21 ). And from the loftiness of the proud, exalting themselves to special pre-eminence, and enduring no partakers, save My humility. 23. “I will declare Thy name to My brethren” ( ver. 22 ). I will declare Thy name to the humble, and to My Brethren that love one another as they have been beloved by Me. “In the midst of the Church will I sing of Thee. ” In the midst of the Church will I with rejoicing preach Thee. 24. “Ye that fear the Lord, praise Him. ” “Ye that fear the Lord,” seek not your own praise, but “praise Him. ” “All ye seed of Jacob, magnify Him” ( ver. 23 ). All ye seed of him whom the elder shall serve, magnify Him. 25. “Let all the seed of Israel fear Him. ” Let all who have been born to a new life, and restored to the vision of God “fear Him. ” “Since He hath not despised, nor disregarded the prayer of the poor man” ( ver. 24 ). Since He hath not despised the prayer, not of him who, crying unto God in the words of sins was loath to overpass a vain life, but the prayer of the poor man, not swollen up with transitory pomps. “Nor hath He turned away His face from Me. ” As from him who said, I will cry unto Thee, but Thou wilt not hear. “And when I cried unto Him He heard Me. ” 26. “With Thee is My praise” ( ver. 25 ).
For I seek not Mine own praise, for Thou art My praise, who dwellest in the holy place; and, praise of Israel, Thou hearest The Holy One now beseeching Thee. “In the great Church I will confess Thee. ” In the Church of the whole world “I will confess Thee. ” “I will offer My vows in the sight of them that fear Him. ” I will offer the sacraments of My Body and Blood in the sight of them that fear Him. 27. “The poor shall eat, and be filled” ( ver. 26 ). The humble and the despisers of the world shall eat, and imitate Me. For so they will neither desire this world’s abundance, nor fear its want. “And they shall praise the Lord, who seek Him. ” For the praise of the Lord is the pouring out of that fulness. “Their hearts shall live for ever and ever. ” For that food is the food of the heart. 28. “All the borders of the earth shall remember themselves, and be turned to the Lord” ( ver. 27 ). They shall remember themselves: for, by the Gentiles, born in death and bent on outward things, God had been forgotten; and then shall all the borders of the earth be turned to the Lord. “And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship in His sight. ” And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship in their own consciences. 29. “For the kingdom is the Lord’s, and He shall rule over the nations” ( ver. 28 ). For the kingdom is the Lord’s, not proud men’s: and He shall rule over the nations. 30. “All the rich of the earth have eaten, and worshipped” ( ver. 29 ). The rich of the earth too have eaten the Body of their Lord’s humiliation, and though they have not, as the poor, been filled even to imitation, yet they have worshipped. “In His sight shall fall all that descend to earth. ” For He alone seeth how all they fall, who abandoning a heavenly conversation, make choice, on earth, to appear happy to men, who see not their fall. 31. “And My Soul shall live to Him. ” And My Soul, which in the contempt of this world seems to men as it were to die, shall live, not to itself, but to Him. “And My seed shall serve Him” ( ver. 30 ). And My deeds, or they who through Me believe on Him, shall serve Him. 32. “The generation to come shall be declared to the Lord” ( ver. 31 ). The generation of the New Testament shall be declared to the honour of the Lord. “And the heavens shall declare His righteousness. ” And the Evangelists shall declare His righteousness. “To a people that shall be born, whom the Lord hath made. ” To a people that shall be born to the Lord through faith.
Psalm XXIII. A psalm of David himself. 1. The Church speaks to Christ: “The Lord feedeth me, and I shall lack nothing” ( ver. 1 ). The Lord Jesus Christ is my Shepherd, “and I shall lack nothing.” 2. “In a place of pasture there hath He placed me” ( ver. 2 ). In a place of fresh pasture, leading me to faith, there hath He placed me to be nourished. “By the water of refreshing hath He brought me up.” By the water of baptism, whereby they are refreshed who have lost health and strength, hath He brought me up. 3. “He hath converted my soul: He hath led me forth in the paths of righteousness, for His Name’s sake” ( ver. 3 ). He hath brought me forth in the narrow ways, wherein few walk, of His righteousness; not for my merit’s sake, but for His Name’s sake. 4. “Yea, though I walk in the midst of the shadow of death” ( ver. 4 ). Yea, though I walk in the midst of this life, which is the shadow of death. “I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.” I will fear no evil, for Thou dwellest in my heart by faith: and Thou art now with me, that after the shadow of death I too may be with Thee. “Thy rod and Thy staff, they have comforted me.” Thy discipline, like a rod for a flock of sheep, and like a staff for children of some size, and growing out of the natural into spiritual life, they have not been grievous to me; rather have they comforted me: because Thou art mindful of me. 5. “Thou hast prepared a table in my sight, against them that trouble me” ( ver. 5 ). Now after the rod, whereby, whilst a little one, and living the natural life, I was brought up among the flock in the pastures; after that rod, I say, when I began to be under the staff, Thou hast prepared a table in my sight, that I should no more be fed as a babe with milk, but being older should take meat, strengthened against them that trouble me. “Thou hast fattened my head with oil.” Thou hast gladdened my mind with spiritual joy. “And Thy inebriating cup, how excellent is it!” And Thy cup yielding forgetfulness of former vain delights, how excellent is it! 6. “And Thy mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:” that is, as long as I live in this mortal life, not Thine, but mine. “That I may dwell in the house of the Lord for length of days” ( ver. 6 ). Now Thy mercy shall follow me not here only, but also that I may dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Psalm XXIV. A psalm of David himself, on the first day of the week. 1. A Psalm of David himself, touching the glorifying and resurrection of the Lord, which took place early in the morning on the first day of the week, which is now called the Lord’s Day. 2. “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof, the compass of the world, and all they that dwell therein” ( ver. 1 ); when the Lord, being glorified, is announced for the believing of all nations; and the whole compass of the world becomes His Church. “He hath founded it above the seas. ” He hath most firmly established it above all the waves of this world, that they should be subdued by it, and should not hurt it. “And hath prepared it above the rivers” ( ver. 2 ). The rivers flow into the sea, and men of lust lapse into the world: these also the Church, which, when worldly lusts have been conquered by the grace of God, hath been prepared by love for the reception of immortality, subdues. 3. “Who shall ascend into the mount of the Lord? ” Who shall ascend to the height of the righteousness of the Lord? “Or who shall stand in His holy place? ” ( ver. 3 ). Or who shall abide in that place, whither He shall ascend, founded above the seas, and prepared above the rivers? 4. “The innocent of hand, and the pure in heart” ( ver. 4 ). Who then shall ascend thither, and abide there, but the guiltless in deed, and pure in thought? “Who hath not received his soul in vain. ” Who hath not reckoned his soul among things that pass away, but feeling it to be immortal, hath longed for an eternity stedfast and unchangeable. “And hath not sworn in deceit to his neighbour. ” And therefore without deceit, as things eternal are simple and undeceiving, hath so behaved himself to his neighbour. 5. “This man shall receive blessing from the Lord, and mercy from the God of his salvation” ( ver. 5 ). 6. “This is the generation of them that seek the Lord” ( ver. 6 ). For thus are they born that seek Him. “Of them that seek the face of the God of Jacob. Diapsalma. ” Now they seek the face of God, who gave the pre-eminence to the younger born. 7. “Take away your gates, ye princes” ( ver. 7 ). All ye, that seek rule among men, remove, that they hinder not, the entrances which ye have made, of desire and fear. “And be ye lift up, ye everlasting gates. ” And be ye lift up, ye entrances of eternal life, of renunciation of the world, and conversion to God. “And the King of glory shall come in. ” And the King, in whom we may glory without pride, shall come in: who having overcome the gates of death, and having opened for Himself the heavenly places, fulfilled that which He said, “Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world. ” 8. “Who is this King of glory? ” Mortal nature is awe-struck in wonder, and asks, “Who is this King of glory? ” “The Lord strong and mighty. ” He whom thou didst deem weak and overwhelmed. “The Lord mighty in battle” ( ver. 8 ). Handle the scars, and thou wilt find them made whole, and human weakness restored to immortality. The glorifying of the Lord, which was owing to earth, where It warred with death, hath been paid. 9.
“Take away your gates, ye princes. ” Let us go hence straightway into heaven. Again, let the Prophet’s trumpet cry aloud, “Take away too, ye princes of the air, the gates, which ye have in the minds of men who ‘worship the host of heaven. ’” “And be ye lift up, ye everlasting gates. ” And be ye lift up, ye doors of everlasting righteousness, of love, and chastity, through which the soul loveth the One True God, and goeth not a-whoring with the many that are called gods. “And the King of glory shall come in” ( ver. 9 ). “And the King of glory shall come in,” that He may at the right hand of the Father intercede for us. 10. “Who is this King of glory? ” What! dost thou too, prince of the power of this air, marvel and ask, “Who is this King of glory? ” “The Lord of powers, He is the King of glory” ( ver. 10 ). Yea, His Body now quickened, He who was tempted marches above thee; He who was tempted by the angel, the deceiver, goes above all angels. Let none of you put himself before us and stop our way, that he may be worshipped as a god by us: neither principality, nor angel, nor power, separateth us from the love of Christ. It is good to trust in the Lord, rather than to trust in a prince; that he who glorieth, should glory in the Lord. These indeed are powers in the administration of this world, but “the Lord of powers, He is the King of glory. ”
Psalm XXV . To the end, a psalm of David himself. 1. Christ speaks, but in the person of the Church: for what is said has reference rather to the Christian People turned unto God. 2. “Unto Thee, O Lord, have I lift up my soul” ( ver. 1 ): with spiritual longing have I lift up the soul, that was trodden down on the earth with carnal longings. “O my God, in Thee I trust, I shall not be ashamed” ( ver. 2 ). O my God, from trusting in myself I was brought even to this weakness of the flesh; and I who on abandoning God wished to be as God, fearing death from the smallest insect, was in derision ashamed for my pride; now, therefore, “in Thee I trust, I shall not be ashamed. ” 3. “And let not my enemies mock me. ” And let them not mock me, who by ensnaring me with serpent-like and secret suggestions, and prompting me with “Well done, well done,” have brought me down to this. “For all that wait upon Thee shall not be confounded” ( ver. 3 ). 4. “Let them be confounded who do vain things unrighteously. ” Let them be confounded who act unrighteously for the acquiring things that pass away. “Make Thy ways, O Lord, known to me, and teach me Thy paths” ( ver. 4 ): not those which are broad, and lead the many to destruction; but Thy paths, narrow, and known to few, teach Thou me. 5. “In Thy truth guide me:” avoiding error. “And teach me:” for by myself I know nothing, but falsehood. “For Thou art the God of my salvation; and for Thee have I waited all the day” ( ver. 5 ). For dismissed by Thee from Paradise, and having taken my journey into a far country, I cannot by myself return, unless Thou meetest the wanderer: for my return hath throughout the whole tract of this world’s time waited for Thy mercy. 6. “Remember Thy compassions, O Lord” ( ver. 6 ). Remember the works of Thy mercy, O Lord; for men deem of Thee as though Thou hadst forgotten. “And that Thy mercies are from eternity. ” And remember this, that Thy mercies are from eternity. For Thou never wast without them, who hast subjected even sinful man to vanity indeed, but in hope; and not deprived him of so many and great consolations of Thy creation. 7. “Remember not the offences of my youth and of my ignorance” ( ver. 7 ). The offences of my presumptuous boldness and of my ignorance reserve not for vengeance, but let them be as if forgotten by Thee. “According to Thy mercy, be mindful of me, O God. ” Be mindful indeed of me, not according to the anger of which I am worthy, but according to Thy mercy which is worthy of Thee. “For Thy goodness, O Lord. ” Not for my deservings, but for Thy goodness, O Lord. 8. “Gracious and upright is the Lord” ( ver. 8 ). The Lord is gracious, since even sinners and the ungodly He so pitied, as to forgive all that is past; but the Lord is upright too, who after the mercy of vocation and pardon, which is of grace without merit, will require merits meet for the last judgment. “Wherefore He will establish a law for them that fail in the way. ” For He hath first bestowed mercy to bring them into the way. 9. “He will guide the meek in judgment.
” He will guide the meek, and will not confound in the judgment those that follow His will, and do not, in withstanding It, prefer their own. “The gentle He will teach His ways” ( ver. 9 ). He will teach His ways, not to those that desire to run before, as if they were better able to rule themselves; but to those who do not exalt the neck, nor lift the heel, when the easy yoke and the light burden is laid upon them. 10. “All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth” ( ver. 10 ). And what ways will He teach them, but mercy wherein He is placable, and truth wherein He is incorrupt? Whereof He hath exhibited the one in forgiving sins, the other in judging deserts. And therefore “all the ways of the Lord” are the two advents of the Son of God, the one in mercy, the other in judgment. He then attaineth unto Him holding on His ways, who seeing himself freed by no deserts of his own, lays pride aside, and henceforward bewares of the severity of His trial, having experienced the clemency of His help. “To them that seek His testament and His testimonies. ” For they understand the Lord as merciful at His first advent, and as the Judge at His second, who in meekness and gentleness seek His testament, when with His Own Blood He redeemed us to a new life; and in the Prophets and Evangelists, His testimonies. 11. “For Thy Name’s sake, O Lord, Thou wilt be favourable to my sin; for it is manifold” ( ver. 11 ). Thou hast not only forgiven my sins, which I committed before I believed; but also to my sin, which is manifold, since even in the way there is no lack of stumbling, Thou wilt be made favourable by the sacrifice of a troubled spirit. 12. “Who is the man that feareth the Lord? ” from which fear he begins to come to wisdom. “He shall establish a law for him in the way, which he hath chosen” ( ver. 12 ). He shall establish a law for him in the way, which in his freedom he has taken, that he may not sin now with impunity. 13. “His soul shall dwell in good, and his seed shall, by inheritance, possess the earth” ( ver. 13 ). And his work shall possess the stable inheritance of a renewed body. 14. “The Lord is the stay of them that fear Him” ( ver. 14 ). Fear seems to belong to the weak, but the Lord is the stay of them that fear Him. And the Name of the Lord, which hath been glorified throughout the whole world, is a stay to them that fear Him. “And His testament, that it may be manifested unto them. ” And He maketh His testament to be manifested unto them, for the Gentiles and the bounds of the earth are Christ’s inheritance. 15. “Mine eyes are ever unto the Lord; for He shall pluck my feet out of the snare” ( ver. 15 ). Nor would I fear the dangers of earth, while I look not upon the earth: for He upon whom I look, will pluck my feet out of the snare. 16. “Look upon me, and have mercy upon me; for I am single and poor” ( ver. 16 ). For I am a single people, keeping the lowliness of Thy single Church, which no schisms or heresies possess. 17. “The tribulations of my heart have been multiplied” ( ver.
17 ). The tribulations of my heart have been multiplied by the abounding of iniquity and the waxing cold of love. “O bring Thou me out of my necessities. ” Since I must needs bear this, that by enduring unto the end I may be saved, bring Thou me out of my necessities. 18. “See my humility and my travail” ( ver. 18 ). See my humility, whereby I never, in the boast of righteousness, break off from unity; and my travail, wherein I bear with the unruly ones that are mingled with me. “And forgive all my sins. ” And, propitiated by these sacrifices, forgive all my sins, not those only of youth and my ignorance before I believed, but those also which, living now by faith, I commit through infirmity, or the darkness of this life. 19. “Consider mine enemies, how they are multiplied” ( ver. 19 ). For not only without, but even within, in the Church’s very communion, they are not wanting. “And with an unrighteous hate they hate me. ” And they hate me who love them. 20. “Keep my soul, and deliver me. ” Keep my soul, that I turn not aside to imitate them; and draw me out from the confusion wherein they are mingled with me. “Let me not be confounded, for I have put my trust in Thee” ( ver. 20 ). Let me not be confounded, if haply they rise up against me: for not in myself, but in Thee have I put my trust. 21. “The innocent and the upright have cleaved to me, for I have waited for Thee, O Lord” ( ver. 21 ). The innocent and the upright, not in bodily presence only, as the evil, are mingled with me, but in the agreement of the heart in the same innocence and uprightness cleave to me: for I have not fallen away to imitate the evil; but I have waited for Thee, expecting the winnowing of Thy last harvest. 22. “Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles” ( ver. 22 ). “Redeem Thy people, O God,” whom Thou hast prepared to see Thee, out of his troubles, not those only which he bears without, but those also which he bears within.
Psalm XXVI. Of David himself. 1. It may be attributed to David himself, not the Mediator, the Man Christ Jesus, but the whole Church now perfectly established in Christ. 2. “Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in my innocence” ( ver. 1 ). Judge me, O Lord, for, after the mercy which Thou first showedst me, I have some desert of my innocence, the way whereof I have kept. “And trusting in the Lord I shall not be moved. ” And yet not even so trusting in myself, but in the Lord, I shall abide in Him. 3. “Prove me, O Lord, and try me” ( ver. 2 ). Lest, however, any of my secret sins should be hid from me, prove me, O Lord, and try me, making me known, not to Thee from whom nothing is hid, but to myself, and to men. “Burn my reins and my heart. ” Apply a remedial purgation, as it were fire, to my pleasures and thoughts. “For Thy mercy is before mine eyes” ( ver. 3 ). For, that I be not consumed by that fire, not my merits, but Thy mercy, whereby Thou hast brought me on to such a life, is before my eyes. “And I have been pleasing in Thy truth. ” And since my own falsehood hath been displeasing to me, but Thy truth pleasing, I have myself been pleasing also with it and in it. 4. “I have not sat with the council of vanity” ( ver. 4 ). I have not chosen to give my heart to them who endeavour to provide, what is impossible, how they may be blessed in the enjoyment of things transitory. “And I will not enter in with them that work wickedly. ” And since this is the very cause of all wickedness, therefore I will not have my conscience hid, with them that work wickedly. 5. “I have hated the congregation of evil doers. ” But to arrive at this council of vanity, congregations of evil doers are formed, which I have hated. “And I will not sit with the un godly” ( ver. 5 ). And, therefore, with such a council, with the ungodly, I will not sit, that is, I will not place my consent. “And I will not sit with the ungodly. ” 6. “I will wash mine hands amid the innocent” ( ver. 6 ). I will make clean my works among the innocent: among the innocent will I wash mine hands, with which I shall embrace Thy glorious gifts. “And I will compass Thy altar, O Lord. ” 7. “That I may hear the voice of Thy praise. ” That I may learn how to praise Thee. “And that I may declare all Thy wondrous works” ( ver. 7 ). And after I have learnt, I may set forth all Thy wondrous works. 8. “O Lord, I have loved the beauty of Thy house:” of Thy Church. “And the place of the habitation of Thy glory” ( ver. 8 ): where Thou dwellest, and art glorified. 9. “Destroy not my soul with the ungodly” ( ver. 9 ). Destroy not then, together with them that hate Thee, my soul, which hath loved the beauty of Thy house. “And my life with the men of blood. ” And with them that hate their neighbour. For Thy house is beautified with the two commandments. 10. “In whose hands is wickedness. ” Destroy me not then with the ungodly and the men of blood, whose works are wicked.
“Their right hand is full of gifts” ( ver. 10 ). And that which was given them to obtain eternal salvation, they have converted into the receiving this world’s gifts, “supposing that godliness is a trade. ” 11. “But I have walked in mine innocence: deliver me, and have mercy on me” ( ver. 11 ). Let so great a price of my Lord’s Blood avail for my complete deliverance: and in the dangers of this life let not Thy mercy leave me. 12. “My foot hath stood in uprightness. ” My Love hath not withdrawn from Thy righteousness. “In the Churches I will bless Thee, O Lord” ( ver. 12 ). I will not hide Thy blessing, O Lord, from those whom Thou hast called; for next to the love of Thee I join the love of my neighbour.
Psalm XXVII. Of David himself, before he was anointed. 1. Christ’s young soldier speaketh, on his coming to the faith. “The Lord is my light, and my salvation: whom shall I fear? ” ( ver. 1 ). The Lord will give me both knowledge of Himself, and salvation: who shall take me from Him? “The Lord is the Protector of my life: of whom shall I be afraid? ” The Lord will repel all the assaults and snares of mine enemy: of no man shall I be afraid. 2. “Whilst the guilty approach unto me to eat up my flesh” ( ver. 2 ). Whilst the guilty come near to recognise and insult me, that they may exalt themselves above me in my change for the better; that with their reviling tooth they may consume not me, but rather my fleshly desires. “Mine enemies who trouble me. ” Not they only who trouble me, blaming me with a friendly intent, and wishing to recall me from my purpose, but mine enemies also. “They became weak, and fell. ” Whilst then they do this with the desire of defending their own opinion, they became weak to believe better things, and began to hate the word of salvation, whereby I do what displeases them. 3. “If camps stand together against me, my heart will not fear. ” But if the multitude of gain-sayers conspire to stand together against me, my heart will not fear, so as to go over to their side. “If war rise up against me, in this will I trust” ( ver. 3 ). If the persecution of this world arise against me, in this petition, which I am pondering, will I place my hope. 4. “One have I asked of the Lord, this will I require. ” For one petition have I asked the Lord, this will I require. “That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life” ( ver. 4 ). That as long as I am in this life, no adversities may exclude me from the number of them who hold the unity and the truth of the Lord’s faith throughout the world. “That I may contemplate the delight of the Lord. ” With this end, namely, that persevering in the faith, the delightsome vision may appear to me, which I may contemplate face to face. “And I shall be protected, His temple. ” And death being swallowed up in victory, I shall be clothed with immortality, being made His temple. 5. “For He hath hidden me in His tabernacle in the day of my evils” ( ver. 5 ). For He hath hidden me in the dispensation of His Incarnate Word in the time of temptations, to which my mortal life is exposed. “He hath protected me in the secret place of His tabernacle. ” He hath protected me, with the heart believing unto righteousness. 6. “On a rock hath He exalted me. ” And that what I believed might be made manifest for salvation, He hath made my confession to be conspicuous in His own strength. “And now, lo! He hath exalted mine head above mine enemies” ( ver. 6 ). What doth He reserve for me at the last, when even now the body is dead because of sin, lo! I feel that my mind serves the law of God, and is not led captive under the rebellious law of sin? “I have gone about, and have sacrificed in His tabernacle the sacrifice of rejoicing.