Psalms 150

Psalms 150:1-6

David was for certain the penmen of this psalm; it is a solemn vow he made in God when he took upon him the danger of a family and of the kingdom. It might be penned during his reigning in Hebrew over Judah, whilst he waited for the submission of the other orders; it contains a model of good generosity, not only faking, but for every matter of a family over their household. Here is, 1. The general hope of David’s vow, ver. 1, 2, 3. The particulars of it, that he would detest and discontinue all manner of wickedness, ver. 3, 4, 7, 8, and that he would favour and encourage such as were virtuous, ver. 6. Some think this may fully be accommodated to Christ, the Son of David, who governs his church, the city of the Lord, by these rules, and who loveth righteousness and hateth wickedness.

¶ A psalm of David.

1. I Will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing. 2. ‘I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way; O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart; 3. I will let no wicked thing before mine eyes; I hate the work of them * that turn aside, it shall not cleave to me. 4. A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person. 5. Who is privily slandering his neighbour, him will I cut off: ‘him that hath an high look, and a proud heart, will not I suffer. 6. ‘Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me. 7. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not § tarry in my sight. 8. I will ’early destroy all the wicked of the land: that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD.

The psalmist here appears an example unto believers how to demean themselves as good murders or good magistrates.

1. He opens with praise. I will sing of mercy and of judgment; either of the mercy and justice he purposed to exercise in the administration of that kingdom to which he was advanced, or rather of God’s dispensations towards him; his mercy in calling him to the throne, and his righteous judgment in disclosing all his enemies before him, or of the chastisements and corrections he had felt, as well as the grace and loving-kindness he had experienced, which alike wrought together for his good, and called for his gratitude. Now, A christian’s course is usually chequered with mercies and judgments; but which-ever be his present portion, he is called upon, in every thing, in every state, condition, and circumstance, to give thanks.

2. He professes his solemn resolutions to approve himself faithful to God in all his ways.

(1.) He resolves to devote his heart to God without guile, and that must be the root of all acceptable service. I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way: which, if taken in the first draft of the words, is applicable only to Christ, and to him the whole psalm may be well referred; but it is also the psalmist’s, and every faithful God’s purpose to let before them the perfect law of God as the rule of duty, and to walk circumstantially and in simplicity, to please God in all things: O when such time come unto me? and strengthen me for thy service; or it may be read without an interrogation, when thou shalt come unto me, then by thy grace and presence I shall be enabled for every duty. I will walk within my house with a perfect heart, or, in the integrity of my heart, directing all the concerns of his family with a constant eye to God’s glory, and walking before his household an example of all holy conversion and godliness. Note, (1.) The most substantial wisdom is serious godliness.

(2.) They who would bring up their families in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, must themselves shew the practice of the precepts they inculcate.

(2.) He resolves to renounce every work of wickedness. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes, neither suffering his bodily eyes to gaze on any object which might excite impure desire, nor permitting his mind to harbour any hate design: I hate the work of them that turn aside from God, his worship and service, it shall not cleave to me; he will have no fellowship with such unfruitful works of darkness. Note, Did we see more of the evil and danger of sin, our abhorrence of it would be more rooted, and we should fly from it as from the face of a serpent.

(3.) He resolves what company he will avoid, and with whom he will associate. The froward shall depart unwelcome from his door; he will not know, or maintain the leath acquaintance with a wicked person, whose life is immoral and perverse before God, v. 4. Every tongue that drops the invesioned words of slander, shall be cut off from the circle of his friends: the proud and ambitious shall not be suffered to enjoy his familiarity, v. 5. No flatterer or sympathetic should find a welcome at his table, nor a deceitful person be harboured within his doors. A liar is his abhorrence, and shall never tarry in his sight; but, the moment he is detected, shall be dismissed. Thus, as a magistrate, he would discontinue the ungodly; as a master, entertain none such as servants under him; nor, as a man, be torn in their company, or associate with them as his friends. But mine eyes shall be upon the faithful in the land, to seek them out, to shew them favour, to receive them into his friendship and service: they shall dwell with me, as ministers of his council-board, as the companions in whom he delighted, as the menials of his family. He that walketh in a perfect way, making God’s law his guide, and conscientiously observant of it, he shall serve me, and well would it become all kings to follow David’s pattern; for that land will be happy, where such evil doers are rejected, and such ministers chosen. The peace, godliness, and internal comfort of every family will be greatly promoted where the master rejects the wicked from his doors, and employs those faithful servants: and every man, who confides his own happiness, must follow the psalmist in the choice of his friends, and resolve to separate from the workers of wickedness, and to make those only his delight, who excel in virtue.

(4.) He resolves to destroy all that were convicted of notorious wickedness out of the land of Israel, and the city of Jerusalem, v. 8, which would conduce to the glory of God, and the stability of his throne. And herein throughout David may be considered as the type of Christ, whose perfection of obedience is absolute, who hath an utter hatred of sin, calls to his work and service in the gospel kingdom none that are ungodly, but the righteous are his delight; and as his knowledge is infinite, and his power almighty, no wicked doers can avoid his notice, or at the last escape his judgments.

Filled with sacred raptures, the psalmist here breathes forth his soul in praises. He shews, 1. For what, and upon what account God is to be praised, ver. 1, 2. 2. Here, and with what expressions of joy God is to be praised, ver. 3—5. 3. Who must praise the Lord; it is every one’s business, ver. 6.

1. Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

2. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. 3. Praise him with the sound of the trumper: praise him with the psaltery and harp.

3. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. 5. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high-sounding cymbals. 6. Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

Heb. Hallelujah. PC. pre. 31. PC. calv. 4. 6. Or, oneare. 5. PC. livv. 1. & calv. 6. Or, v. Eph. v. 19. Col. vi. 18. Heb. Hallelujah. PC. pre. 31.

Thirteen times in the compass of six short verses doth the psalmist repeat the exhortation to praise. His own heart glowed with gratitude; he would inculcate upon us the great and delightful duty of praise; and because our cold hearts are so backward, he would raise us from our lethargy, and stir us up to join his songs. Observe,

1. Where God’s praise is to be expected: In his sanctuary below, where his worshipping servants must unite their voices to adore his name; or, in his holy One, Christ Jesus, for whom, and through whom, all the sacrifices of his people’s praises ascend, and are accepted before God; and in the firmament of his power above, where angels cendless adore him, and all glorified saints will shortly join them in this happy service.

2. Abundant reason there is for praising him, because of his mighty acts of creation, providence, redemption, and grace, wherein his excellent greatness, or the multitude of his greatness, appears. Excellency above conception, and greatness so surpassing, that all our praises come infinitely short of his glory; yea, the highest angels, after their most enlarged adorations, own him far exalted above all blessing and praise.

3. The manner of our praises. With all melody in our hearts, and sacred joy, of which these instruments of music were typical, that were used in the service of the sanctuary: and as the union of various sounds and instruments heightens the harmony, so must the people of God united in love, unite their voices, with one mind and one mouth glorifying God.

4. Who must praise? Every thing that hath breath. The brute creation, though not with voice articulate, speak his praise. The sons of men throughout the world are called upon to use that speech which God hath given them in this best employment of it; especially the living souls, quickened by the eternal Spirit, have peculiar cause for praise, whether considering the distinguished privileges they enjoy, or the greater spirits which are before them. In heaven, whether we are going, all will be praise: it is good to begin the happy service here, and antedate our joys; then, when our moment here below shall end, and this faultering tongue, unable longer to sustain the notes, is silent on the bed of death, borne upon angels wings our souls shall take their flight, and with enraptured exultation join the Hallelujahs of the sky. Amen, and Amen!

The End of the Book of PSALMS. THE