Psalms 143

Psalms 143:1

This pislin seems penned during Abyssin’s rebellion. 1. David complains of his troubles, ver. 3, 4, 5. 2. He prays, and prays corruptly, ver. 6. 1. That God would hear him, ver. 1, 7. 2. That he would not deal with him according to his fate, ver. 2. 3. That he would not hide his face from him, ver. 7. but manifest his power to him, ver. 8. 4. That he would guide and direct him in the way of his duty, ver. 8-10. and quicken him in it, ver. 11. 5. That he would deliver him out of the troubles, ver. 9, 11. 6. That he would in due time review with his perfectors, ver. 12. We may the other accommodate this pislin to ourselves in the singing of it, because most of the petitions to us are for spiritual blessings, which we all need at all times, mercy and grace.

¶ A pislin of David.

1. HEAR my prayer, O LORD, Give ear to my supplications: ‘in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. 2. And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for ‘in thy sight shall no man living be justified. 3. For the enemy hath perfected my soul, he hath fimites my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. 4. Therefore ‘is my spirit overwhelmed within me: my heart within me is desolate. 5. ‘I remember the days of old, I mention on all thy works: I move on the work of thy hands. 6. ‘I stretch forth my hands unto thee: ‘my soul thirfteth after thee, as a thrifty land. Seals.

When we are in trouble, God permits us to pour our sorrows into his bosom.

7. The psalmist begs an audience to his prayers, and pleads, as the ground of his hope, God’s faithfulness to his promise, and his righteousness; either his grace, or the divine righteousness of Jesus, the purchase of all our blessings. Note, If ever we hope

for God’s acceptance of us, it must be not for any thing in us, but purely of grace for his dear Son’s sake, according to the promises of his word.

2. He humbly prays, Enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. Note, (1.) The most righteous man alive cannot bear the severity of God’s justice. (2.) They who best know their own hearts, will ever be the first to condemn themselves, and cry for mercy at God’s hand. (3.) They who plead guilty before the law, and fly to the grace of the gospel in Jesus Christ, shall be justified from all things.

3. He complains of his afflicted state. Perfected by his bitter foe; brought to the gates of the grave; compelled to hide himself in solitary caves, as if driven from the light, and already a companion of the dead, v. 3. his spirit melancholy as his circumstances; and his heart within him desolate, dejected, and ready to sink into despair. Note, (1.) When our own distress is grateful, God’s power and grace shall be the more magnified in our deliverance. (2.) The best of men have had their faith fore shaken, perplexed, but not in despair.

4. Meditation and prayer are his chief recourse. I remember the days of old; the wonders God had wrought for his church and people, and for himself also, in former days. I meditate on all thy works; on the power and goodness of God therein displayed, and draw from thence encouragement for my soul. I made on the work of thy hands, and spent thereof to others, as the most pleasing subject of discourse. I stretch forth my hands to thee, in anger and impatience to prayer. My soul thirfteth after thee, as a thrifty land. Seals, with such longings as the parched ground, whose failures seem to gaze for the refreshing showers. Note, (1.) Rememberance of God’s dealings with his people of old, and with ourselves in time pall, is most encouraging in our distresses. (2.) They who are athirst for God, his love, and favour, shall never be sent from a throne of grace empty away.

5. Hear me speedily, O LORD, my spirit failed: hide not thy face from me; left I be like unto them that go down into the pit. 8. ‘Cause me to hear thy loving-kindness in the morning, for in thee do I trust; ‘cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for ‘I lift up my soul unto thee. 9. Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. 10. ‘Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God: thy spirit is good, lead me into the land of uprightness. 11. ‘Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness sake bring my soul out of trouble. 12. And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for ‘I am thy servant.

All the returns for mercies we can pay, are blessing and praise ascribed to the gracious giver of all good. Of this the psalmist sets us the example.

1. He blesses God for all the goodness he had experienced. Blessed be the Lord my strength, by whose power I have been upheld, and by his providence protected; which elecoth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight; and from a shepherd’s crook enabled him to wield Goliah’s sword. My goodness; the author of all grace, and engaged to be mine, to blush me in a covenant of everlasting love; and my fortress, where I am safe from the attacks of my enemies: my high tower, above the reach of human or Satranical malice; and my deliverer out of every danger: my shield, to guard me in the day of battle; and be in whom I pray, who neither can nor will ever fall me, or disloyalize my confidence: who subdueth my people under me; bringing me, after all my wanderings, to the peaceable possession of Irma’s throne. Note, (1.) The persections of an everlasting God, and the flashing of everlasting promises, are every believer’s security. (2.) The Lord Jesus is now exalted to the throne, and God will give him the hearts of his people, and the necks of his enemies.

2. He expresses his admiration of God’s condescension and kindness. Lord, what is man, so low in his original, and now become so vile by sin, that thou taketh knowledge of him? or the son of man, that thou maketh account of him? shewing such poor and merciless creatures such kindness and regard, especially finding his Son to be incarnate to redeem them. Men in this is vanity, an empty nothing, or a vapour. His days are as a shadow that passeth away; so swift, so transitory. O that men were wise, that they pondered these things, that they considered their latter end. If their moment be so faint, and eternity depends on it, how diligently should they redeem each hour!

3. He looks up to God for support against all his remaining enemies; and calls on him to manifest his presence in some tremendous displays of his power, as when he descended on Saint’s being top, b. 5. to scorch them with his lightnings, and shoot forth those arrows of his vengeance, which no human powers can for a moment withstand, v. 6. By this divine interposition he hopes for deliverance out of the deep waters of trouble, and the hosts of enemies which surrounded him, v. 7. And then chandler called for such righteous judgment against them: their mouth speaketh vanity, false and deceitful; and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood; whether lifted up in prayer, or in a solemn oath; the one is hypocritical, the other faithless. Note, (1.) There is a terrible day approaching, when vengeance will overtake the sorrows of God. (2.) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of the deepest waters of affliction; and they who call upon him will find him near to save them. (3.)

Falsehood and lies may for a moment prosper, but in the end will issue in men’s everlasting confusion.

—9. This and the following plains to the end are full of praises: it is called David’s Plain of Praise, as being probably often made use of by him.

1. He opens with his holy resolution, I will send thee, my God, O King; the glorious Jehovah, the King Messiah. Continued and persevering should be his song; every day his tongue should not be silent; and not only through the years of time, but to the ages of eternity, he hoped to be engaged in this blessed employment. I will bless thy name for ever and ever.

2. Excited by his example, others would join his songs, v. 6. and from age to age the blessed work he transmitted to posterity, and generations yet unborn perpetuate the sound; for God shall never want a people to the end of time, and it should be our desire and delight to see the rising generation improving on the party of their forefathers.

3. The subject for their praises is boundless. Great is the Lord, in all his divine perfections, and greatly to be praised, tho’ our highest expressions fall infinitely short of his greatest, which is unfavorable. Transcendently glorious is the honour of his majesty; whether considered as of the One Divine Effortor, in his petition the brightness of the Father’s glory; or as mediator, exalted to be the head over all things, angels, principalities, and powers being made subject unto him. Glorious also are his wandray works of creation, providence, but especially of redemption, his incarnation, sufferings, glory, and the great things he daily doth in behalf of his church and people. Terrible are his acts of judgment against his enemies; such as he hath already executed upon his enemies in all the ages past, and greater still are reserved for the day of his appearing and glory. And withal good as he is great, in all his dissensions of providence and grace, especially towards his people, becoming incarnate, living, dying, rising, reigning to bless and save them. Goodness is great, that it is more than we are able to express, but the memory of which should ever be warm upon our hearts. Glorious, to pardon all our sins; full of compulsion, to pity the ignorant and the tempted; slow to anger, notwithstanding the manifold provocations we daily give him; and of great mercy towards every miserable soul that flies to him for honour. Good to all, in a way of providential kindness; and his tender mercies are all his works, particularly over that workmanship of his hands, the souls of his redeemed people, and all in a way of strict righteousness, v. 7. he having, by his obedience unto death, fully satisfied the demands of God’s law, and, without any impeachment of his holiness or truth, he can now exercise his mercy and grace to the sinful sons of men: and these views of the grace and glory of our Immanuel furnish subjects for our praise, that eternity can never exhaust.

4. PC. cit. 1.

5. All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD: and thy saints shall bless thee. 11. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power. 12. To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. 13. Thy kingdom is a everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. 14. The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raifeth up all those that be bowed down. 15. The eyes of all I wait upon thee, and thou giveth them their meat in due season. 16. I thou openeth thine hand, and a kisseth the desire of every living thing. 17. The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and I holy in all his works. 18. The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. 19. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. 20. The LORD prefereth all them that love him: but all the wicked will be destroy. 21. My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.

6. PC. cit. 1.

Psalms 143:7-12

Oppassed, and ready to faint under his trials, we have his fervent cries. My spirit failed; swooning with the weight of his affliction, or with the sense of his fate; but a step from the pit of death, or perhaps in his own apprehension from the belly of hell; therefore, Hear me speedily, or I am past recovery. His particular requests are,

1. Hide not thy face from me; for the sense of God’s displeasure to a gracious soul is more bitter than death, and the findings of his countenance the forest affliction.

2. Cause me to hear thy loving-kindness in the morning; for God hath kindness still in store for his people in their deepest state of anguish, and faith embraces it; for in thee do I trust; and they who do so, can never perish.

3. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for in our afflictions our eyes are often so filled with tears, that we cannot see the path of duty; but the faithful heart is conscious that he hath but one desire, and that is, to please God; and therefore I lift up my soul unto thee for guidance and direction.

4. Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: they are many; they are mighty; too mighty for me to oppose; but I flee unto thee to hide me; and they are safe from every foe, spiritual or temporal, who are covered with the shadow of his wings. My soul, flee ever thither for thy refuge!

5. Teach me to do thy will; for we have neither understanding to know what it is, nor ability to follow it, till God instruct and guide us: for thou art my God; I give myself up to thee as my covenant God, to be made such as thou wouldst have me to be.

6. Thy spirit is good; or, Let thy good spirit lead me into the land of uprightness. It is not only the essential perfection of this Spirit to be good, but his office it is to sanctify our souls, and lead us in the right way, that we may come through the paths of holiness to the land of eternal purity and blessedness; and hitherto every gracious soul longs to come.

7. Quicken me, O Lord, from my love and dejected state, and revive thy fainting soul, for thy name’s sake, for the glory of thy grace and faithfulness. For thy righteousness sake bring my soul out of trouble; not only deliver my body from death, but my

8 T PHILADELPHIA

falsit from the first temptations which insist me; for if our soul is false, then our all is true.

8. And if thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul, my persecutors, who will meet just judgment from an avenging God, who repudiate the quarrel of his oppressed people; for I am thy servant, who, engaged in thy service, may hope for thy protection. And thus shall all the enemies of David and his people be cut off at the fall, and tribulation in full measure be given to those who troubled us.

P S A L M C X L V. When David uses some to the throne he had full enemies to encounter.

1. He acknowledged the great goodness of God to him in advancing him to the throne, ver. 1—4. 2. He prays to God to help him against the enemies that threatened him, ver. 5—8. and again, ver. 11. 3. He rejoiceth in the assurance of victory over them, ver. 9, 10. 4. He prays for the prosperity of his own kingdom, and pleaseth himself with the hopes of it, ver. 12—15.

2. B Lested be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight. 2. My goodness and my fortress, my high tower; and my deliverer, my shield, and be in whom I trust: who subdueth my people under me. 3. ‘LORD, what is man, that thou taketh knowledge of him? or the son of man, that thou maketh account of him? 4. ‘Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away. 5. ‘Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. 6. ‘Catt forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them. 7. ‘Sand thine hand from above, rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children: 8. ‘Whose mouth speaketh vanity; and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

Psalms 143:9-15

We have here,

2. The psalmist prays for the continuance of the same care over himself; many enemies of the same ill character resented, from whom he desires to be delivered, v. 11. and for his subjects, that prosperity, plenty, and peace, might reign among them; their families be increased; their sons and daughters endowed with every corporal and mental accomplishment, v. 12. their garners fall with every kind of flore; their foods multiplied exceedingly; their oxen strong; no irruptions from an enemy; no leading out to captivity; no complaints of faction, famine, sickness, or the sword, ever heard; but all peaceful without, and quiet within, v. 13, 14. Such a flore cannot but denote a happy people: not that happiness confids in these outward blessings merely, but where bestowed are marks of God’s favour, which is the supreme felicity. Happy therefore, now and eternally so, are the people who have the Lord for their God. Note, (1.) The blessings of the hasest and the flore, so far as they come from God in a way of love, are doubly sweet; and they twice enjoy this world’s good things, who see and gratefully bless the hand which bestows them. (2.) All that earth can give is but shadow, without God. He alone can truly satisfy the desires of the soul. (3.) They who have God for their Lord, bound to them in a covenant of everlasting love and peace, must needs be happy; for all his things are theirs, and to eternity his unchangeable regard secures their unchangeable blessings.

P S A L M C X L V.

In this psalm, 1. David ingageth himself and others to praise God, ver. 1, 2, 4—7, 10—12. 2. He fastens upon these things that are proper matter for praise; God’s greatness, ver. 3. His goodness, ver. 8, 9. The prays of hath in the administration of his kingdom, ver. 13. The kingdom of providence, ver. 14—16. The kingdom of peace, ver. 17—20. And then he concludes with a persecution to continue praising God, ver. 21. with which persecution our hearts must be filled and fixed in singing this psalm.

¶ David’s psalm of praise. a Pl. c. 6.

1. Will extol thee, my God, O King, and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. 2. Every day I will I bless thee, and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. 3. ‘Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and ‘his greatness is unbearable. 4. One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. 5. I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. 6. And now shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts; and I will declare thy greatness. 7. They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness. 8. The LORD is conscious, and full of compassion; how to anger, and

§ of Philip CXLVI. § 1. the Great in mercy. 2. Mal. v. 43.

§ 4. of great mercy. 9. The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

Psalms 143:10-21

New matter for our praise is here fuggished from the administration of the divine government among men. All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; all hear enslumped upon them the wisdom, power, and goodness of their Creator. But they stand silent monuments of his praise: man is the tongue of this lower world; and thy saints, as many as by divine light have their eyes opened, and their hearts enlarged with divine love, they shall bless thee, ascribing to him the honour of all his glorious works.

1. They shall speak of the majesty, glory, and power of his kingdom, quite different from that of the sons of men, established as the hearts of his people, and consisting in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost: his mighty acts, the miracles he hath wrought of old for his church and people, and the wonders of his gospel-wood converting thousands of souls

in a day; and the perpetuity of his dominion, which through all generations shall endure, and run coeval with the days of eternity, v. 13.

2. His grace is as his power infinite. On him the eyes of all men, and all their wants, from the lead to the greatest, are liberally supplied, v. 15, 16. And with especial care he watches over his people, upholding those who fall into affliction or temptation, that they sink not under their burdens; and raising up those that he bound down under a sense of sin and corruption, or groaning under their sorrows; near to every poor sinner that calls upon him in truth, really feeling his burdens, and fighting to be relieved; and those who fear and love him, have every desire granted that faith can tax, whether respecting the blessings of grace or glory, of time or eternity. Salvation present and everlasting is their affluent portion, and God will preserve them from falling, and bring them to the rest provided for his people: but all the wicked will be destroy, with everlasting destruction of both body and soul in hell. In all which his dissensions, both of mercy to his people, and punishment of his enemies, the Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works: and he will appear to be to at the last day, when all will be obliged to own the equity of his procedure, his saints adore him, and farmers he speechless before him.

3. The plaintiff concludes with his fixed purpose to praise this great and gracious God, and exhorts all, as many as the Lord shall call, to join his praises, and to eternity adore his holy name. May my soul be ever engaged in this blessed work, Amen, and Amen!