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Psalm Chapter Sixteen

Psalm 16

Chapter Contents

This psalm begins with expressions of devotion which may be applied to Christ; but ends with such confidence of a resurrection as must be applied to Christ and to him only.

David flees to God's protection with cheerful believing confidence. Those who have avowed that the Lord is their Lord should often put themselves in mind of what they have done take the comfort of it and live up to it. He devotes himself to the honour of God in the service of the saints. Saints on earth we must be or we shall never be saints in heaven. Those renewed by the grace of God and devoted to the glory of God are saints on earth. The saints in the earth are excellent ones yet some of them so poor that they needed to have David's goodness extended to them. David declares his resolution to have no fellowship with the works of darkness; he repeats the solemn choice he had made of God for his portion and happiness takes to himself the comfort of the choice and gives God the glory of it. This is the language of a devout and pious soul. Most take the world for their chief good and place their happiness in the enjoyments of it; but how poor soever my condition is in this world let me have the love and favour of God and be accepted of him; let me have a title by promise to life and happiness in the future state; and I have enough. Heaven is an inheritance; we must take that for our home our rest our everlasting good and look upon this world to be no more ours than the country through which is our road to our Father's house. Those that have God for their portion have a goodly heritage. Return unto thy rest O my soul and look no further. Gracious persons though they still covet more of God never covet more than God; but being satisfied of his loving-kindness are abundantly satisfied with it: they envy not any their carnal mirth and delights. But so ignorant and foolish are we that if left to ourselves we shall forsake our own mercies for lying vanities. God having given David counsel by his word and Spirit his own thoughts taught him in the night season and engaged him by faith to live to God.

Verses 8-11 are quoted by St. Peter in his first sermon after the pouring out of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost Acts 2:25-31; he declared that David in them speaks concerning Christ and particularly of his resurrection. And Christ being the Head of the body the church these verses may be applied to all Christians guided and animated by the Spirit of Christ; and we may hence learn that it is our wisdom and duty to set the Lord always before us. And if our eyes are ever toward God our hearts and tongues may ever rejoice in him. Death destroys the hope of man but not the hope of a real Christian. Christ's resurrection is an earnest of the believer's resurrection. In this world sorrow is our lot but in heaven there is joy a fulness of joy; our pleasures here are for a moment but those at God's right hand are pleasures for evermore. Through this thy beloved Son and our dear Saviour thou wilt show us O Lord the path of life; thou wilt justify our souls now and raise our bodies by thy power at the last day; when earthly sorrow shall end in heavenly joy pain in everlasting happiness.

¢w¢w Matthew Henry¡mConcise Commentary on Psalms¡n

Psalm 16

Verse 2

[2] O my soul thou hast said unto the LORD Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;

To thee ¡X Thou dost not need me or my service nor art capable of any advantage from it.

Verse 3

[3] But to the saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight.

But ¡X I bear a singular respect and love to all saints for thy sake whose friends and servants they are and whose image they bear. This more properly agrees to David than to Christ whose goodness was principally designed for and imparted to sinners.

Verse 4

[4] Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer nor take up their names into my lips.

Sorrows ¡X Having shewed his affection to the servants of the true God he now declares what an abhorrency he has for those that worship idols.

Offerings ¡X In which the Gentiles used sometimes to drink part of the blood of their sacrifices.

Names ¡X Of those other gods mentioned before.

Verse 5

[5] The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.

The Lord ¡X I rejoice in God as my portion and desire no better no other felicity.

Cup ¡X The portion which is put into my cup as the ancient manner was in feasts where each had his portion of meat and of wine allotted to him.

Lot ¡X My inheritance divided to me by lot as the custom then was.

Verse 6

[6] The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea I have a goodly heritage.

Lines ¡X My portion which was measured with lines.

Are fallen ¡X In a land flowing with milk and honey and above all blessed with the presence and knowledge of God.

Verse 7

[7] I will bless the LORD who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.

The Lord ¡X Hath inspired that wisdom into me by which I have chosen the Lord for my portion and am so fully satisfied with him.

Reins ¡X My inward thoughts and affections being inspired and moved by the holy spirit.

Instruct ¡X Direct me how to please God and put my whole trust in him.

Night ¡X Even when others are asleep my mind is working upon God and improving the silence and solitude of holy meditations.

Verse 8

[8] I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

I have set ¡X I have always presented him to my mind as my witness and judge as my patron and protector. Hitherto David seems to have spoken with respect to himself but now he is transported by the spirit of prophecy and carried above himself to speak as a type of Christ in whom this and the following verses were truly accomplished. Christ as man did always set his father's will and glory before him.

Right-hand ¡X To strengthen protect assist and comfort me: as this assistance of God was necessary to Christ as man.

Moved ¡X Though the archers shoot grievously at me and both men and devils seek my destruction and God sets himself against me as an enemy yet I am assured he will deliver me out of all my distresses.

Verse 9

[9] Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

My glory ¡X My tongue which is a man's glory and privilege above all other living creatures.

Rejoiceth ¡X Declares my inward joy. For this word signifies not so much eternal joy as the outward demonstrations of it.

My flesh ¡X My body shall quietly rest in the grave.

Shall rest ¡X in confident assurance of its incorruption there and of its resurrection to an immortal life: the flesh or body is in itself but a dead lump of clay; yet hope is here ascribed to it figuratively as it is to the brute creatures Romans 8:19.

Verse 10

[10] For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Hell ¡X In the state of the dead.

Holy one ¡X Me thy holy son whom thou hast sanctified and sent into the world. It is peculiar to Christ to be called the holy one of God.

To see ¡X To be corrupted or putrefied in the grave as the bodies of others are.

Verse 11

[11] Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Life ¡X Thou wilt raise me from the grave and conduct me to the place and state of everlasting felicity.

Presence ¡X In that heavenly paradise where thou art gloriously present where thou dost clearly and fully discover the light of thy countenance; whereas in this life thou hidest thy face and shewest us only thy back-parts.

Right-hand ¡X Which he mentions as a place of the greatest honour the place where the saints are placed at the last day and where Christ himself is said to sit Psalms 110:1.

Pleasures ¡X All our joys are empty and defective: But in heaven there is fulness of joy. Our pleasures here are transient and momentary; but those at God's right hand are pleasures for evermore. For they are the pleasures of immortal souls in the enjoyment of an eternal God.

¢w¢w John Wesley¡mExplanatory Notes on Psalms¡n

 
Psalm 16 - David's Golden Secret
 
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS PSALM
 
1) To observe the use and possible meaning of the word "Michtam"
 
2) To consider David's trust in the Lord and his preference for God's
 people
 
3) To note the Messianic prophecy of the resurrection of Christ
 
SUMMARY
 
The heading describes this psalm as A Michtam of David. The meaning of
"Michtam" is uncertain
though rabbinical sources guess it to mean "a
golden poem" (ISBE). Another suggestion is that it means "a mystery
poem" (Leopold). The psalm does reveal David's trust in life and hope
in death
and so I have called it "David's Golden Secret".
 
David's secret was that he placed his trust in the LORD (Jehovah)
along
with delighting in His saints on the earth (God's people). He found the
LORD to be a good inheritance
and sought to bless Him for His counsel.
Having set the LORD always before him and at his right hand
David was
confident he would not be moved (1-8).
 
David's secret was also that he had great joy and hope for the future

even for his flesh (body). The basis for his confidence appears at
first that he (David) would not be left in Sheol (Hades
the realm of
the dead) nor would he see corruption. Yet we learn from Peter and
Paul that David was prophesying of the resurrection of the Messiah (cf.
Ac 2:25-31; 13:33-37). Of course
Jesus' resurrection ensures that one
day we (and David!) will also be raised from the dead (cf. 1 Co 15:
20-23)
which serves as the basis for our hope (1 Pe 1:3). The psalm
ends with a statement of confidence in the Lord's future provision and
the blessings in His presence (9-11).
 
OUTLINE
 
I. HIS REFUGE IN LIFE (16:1-8)
 
 A. THE LORD IS HIS LORD (1-4)
 1. An introductory plea...
 a. For God to preserve him
 b. For he has placed his trust in God
 2. The LORD is his Lord...
 a. His goodness is nothing apart from Him
 b. He delights in His saints
the excellent ones on the earth
 3. Those who hasten after another god...
 a. Their sorrows will be multiplied
 b. He will not offer their drink offerings of blood
 c. He will not take up their names on his lips
 
 B. THE LORD IS HIS PORTION (5-6)
 1. His inheritance and his cup
 2. Who maintains his lot...
 a. The lines have fallen in pleasant places
 b. He has a good inheritance
 
 C. THE LORD IS HIS STRENGTH (7-8)
 1. Whom he will bless for His counsel
and the instruction of his
 heart in the night seasons
 2. Whom he has set before him at his right hand
so he shall not
 be moved
 
II. HIS HOPE IN DEATH (16:9-11)
 
 A. HIS JOY AND ASSURANCE (9)
 1. His heart is glad
his glory rejoices
 2. His flesh also rests in hope
 
 B. HIS HOPE OF THE RESURRECTION (10)
 1. God will not leave his soul in Sheol
 2. God will not allow His Holy One to see corruption
 
 C. HIS ANTICIPATION OF THE FUTURE (11)
 1. God will show him the paths of life
 2. In His presence is fullness of joy
 3. At His right hand are pleasures forevermore
 
REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE PSALM
 
1) What are the main points of this psalm?
 - His refuge in life (1-8)
 - His hope in death (9-11)
 
2) What are the possible meanings of the word "Michtam"?
 -"golden poem" or "mystery poem"
 
3) Who is the author of this psalm?
 - David; confirmed by Peter in Ac 2:25-31 and Paul in Ac 13:33-37
 
4) In whom did David place his trust? (1)
 - The LORD
 
5) In whom did David find great delight? (3)
 - The saints who are on the earth
 
6) What is happens to those who hasten after another god? (4)
 - Their sorrows are multiplied
 
7) What did David consider as the portion of his inheritance? (5)
 - The LORD
 
8) Why does David bless the Lord? (7)
 - For giving him counsel
 - For giving him a heart that instructs him in the night seasons
 
9) What had David done? What was the result? (8)
 - He set the LORD always before him
at his right hand
 - He will not be moved
 
10) What was David's attitude regarding the future? (9)
 - His heart was glad and his glory rejoices; his flesh also rests in
 hope
 
11) To whom is verse 10 applied to by Peter in Acts 2?
 - To Jesus Christ
as proof of His resurrection
 
12) What will be found in God's presence and at His right hand? (11)
 - Fullness of joy; pleasures forevermore
 
"I HAVE SET THE LORD ALWAYS BEFORE ME"
 
 Psalms 16:8
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. In Psa 16:11 we are reminded that in the presence of God there is
 fullness of joy and true happiness...
 
 "You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness
 of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
 
2. I am sure that all Christians would agree; but even so
there are 
 times...
 a. We all find ourselves not as close to God as we would like
 b. We find ourselves spiritually weak
filled with depression and
 anxiety
 
3. In such times
what can we do in order to become close to God again?
 a. The answer is found in Psa 16:8
 b. "I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right
 hand I shall not be moved."
 -- It is when we "set the Lord before us" that we receive the 
 benefits of His Presence...
 
[In this lesson
I wish to review ways that you can draw closer to God

or to "set the Lord before you"
anytime you find ourselves drifting
away from God. Perhaps a good place to start is to...]
 
I. SET THE LORD BEFORE YOU THROUGH GOD'S CREATION
 
 A. LET NATURE HELP YOU DRAW CLOSE TO GOD...
 1. For the Creation speaks to us of God
 a. It tells of His glory and His knowledge - Psa 19:1-2
 b. It impresses us with His eternal power and His deity - Ro 
 1:20
 c. In their own way
such inanimate objects worship God - Psa
 68:8
11-13
 2. When we take time to contemplate God's creation...
 a. We understand more of His power and of His person
 b. This understanding enables us to come closer to God
 1) Just as increasing understanding between friends 
 enhances friendship
 2) As it does any relationship (e.g.
marriages)
 
 B. OTHERS USED NATURAL SETTINGS IN DRAWING CLOSER TO GOD...
 1. Isaac would go out into the fields to meditate - Gen 24:63
 2. Jesus would often go to the mountains to pray - Mt 14:23
 -- It may be easier to draw closer to God in the midst of God's 
 creation (nature)
and away from man's creation (cities)
 
 Walking alone at eve and viewing the skies afar

 Bidding the darkness come to welcome each silver star;
 I have a great delight in the wonderful scenes above

 God in His power and might is showing His truth and Love.
 -- Alone At Eve
Will W. Slater
vs. 1
 
[But God's creation can tell you only so much about Him. To draw
closer
you need to...]
 
II. SET THE LORD BEFORE YOU THROUGH GOD'S REVELATION
 
 A. GOD'S WORD PROVIDES THE FULL REVELATION OF GOD...
 1. Through nature we are limited in what we can learn from God
 a. We can see His power
divinity
glory
and knowledge
 b. But we learn nothing of His will and purpose for us
 2. It is only through Divine revelation that God has made His
 Will fully known
 a. He has revealed many things through His Spirit
who in turn
 revealed them through the apostles - 1 Co 2:9-12
 b. Such things were written for our benefit and understanding
 - Ep 3:3-5
 
 B. OTHERS DEPENDED UPON THE WORD TO REMAIN CLOSE TO GOD...
 1. David used it in many ways to stay close to God - Psa 119:92-
 93
105
147-148
 2. Jesus used it to ward off the Tempter - Mt 4:4
7
10
 -- Let God's Word help you draw near to Him who is the source of
 peace and strength
 
 Sitting alone at eve and dreaming the hours away

 Watching the shadows falling now at the close of day;
 God in His mercy comes with His word He is drawing near

 Spreading His love and truth around me and everywhere.
 -- Alone At Eve
Will W. Slater
vs. 2
 
[But do not stop with listening to God through His Word. To really
draw close to God
you need to...]
 
III. SET THE LORD BEFORE YOU THROUGH YOUR PRAYERS
 
 A. A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP MUST BE A TWO-WAY STREET...
 1. God has revealed Himself to us through His creation and
 revelation
 2. We must reveal ourselves to Him
which we do through prayer
 a. The means by which to express every concern
to receive
 appropriate blessings - Ph 4:6-7
 b. The means by which to draw boldly to God
to obtain mercy
 and grace to help - He 4:14-16
 
 B. OTHERS FOUND PRAYER THE MEANS TO RECEIVE HELP FROM GOD...
  1. David found that confessing sins to God brought forgiveness
 - Psa 32:3-6
 2. Jesus found prayer to be a source of strength in times of
 trial - Mt 26:36-44
 -- Draw near to God's throne through prayer
let Him know of your
  deepest needs
 
 Closing my eyes at eve and thinking of heaven's grace

 Longing to see my Lord
yes
meeting Him face to face;
 Trusting Him as my all wheresoever my footsteps roam

 Pleading with Him to guide me on to the spirit's home.
 -- Alone At Eve
Will W. Slater
vs. 3
 
[Finally
allow me to suggest that you...]
 
IV. SET THE LORD BEFORE YOU THROUGH YOUR FELLOWSHIP
 
 A. STRENGTH COMES FROM ASSEMBLING TOGETHER...
 1. Just as there is strength in numbers - cf. Ecc 4:9-12
 2. In view of the very real danger of falling away...
 a. We need to exhort one another daily - He 3:12-13
 b. We need to admonish one another through our frequent
 assemblies - He 10:24-25
 -- Like coals in a fire keeping each other hot
assembling
 together is designed to keep the "spark" alive in our
 relationship with God
 
 B. THE EARLY CHURCH FOUND STRENGTH BY ASSEMBLING TOGETHER...
 1. As when Peter and John were released after being arrested
 - Ac 4:23-31
 2. As when Peter was imprisoned - Ac 12:12
 
 C. OUR ASSEMBLIES CAN BE A FORETASTE OF GOD'S PRESENCE...
 1. In which we drawn near to God together through song
prayer

  and His word
 2. In which we enjoy the fellowship of God and His servants even
 now - cf. Re 7:9-17
 
 Oh! for a home with God
a place in His courts to rest

 Sure in a safe abode with Jesus and the blest;
 Rest for a weary soul once redeemed by the Savior's love

 Where I will be pure and whole and live with my God above!
 -- Alone At Eve
Will W. Slater
chorus
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. Do you desire to draw closer to God?
 
2. Then "set the Lord before you" through these avenues:
 a. Contemplating nature
 b. Meditating on God's word
 c. Spending time in prayer
 d. Having fellowship with other Christians
 
Do this
and we can draw closer to God
singing with David:
 
 "In Your presence is fullness of joy;
 At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
 (Psa 16:11)

¡Ð¡Ð¡mExecutable Outlines¡n

Psalm 16

Exposition
Explanatory Notes and Quaint Sayings
Hints to the Village Preacher
Other Works

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TITLE. MICHTAM OF DAVID. This is usually understood to mean THE GOLDEN PSALM and such a title is most appropriate for the matter is as the most fine gold. Ainsworth calls it "David's jewel or notable song." Dr. Hawker who is always alive to passages full of savour devoutly cries "Some have rendered it precious others golden and others precious jewel; and as the Holy Ghost by the apostles Peter and Paul hath shown us that it is all about the Lord Jesus Christ what is here said of him is precious is golden is a jewel indeed!" We have not met with the term Michtam before but if spared to write upon Psalms 56 57 58 59 and 60 we shall see it again and shall observe that like the present these psalms although they begin with prayer and imply trouble abound in holy confidence and close with songs of assurance as to ultimate safety and joy. Dr. Alexander whose notes are peculiarly valuable thinks that the word is most probably a simple derivative of a word signifying to hide and signifies a secret or mystery and indicates the depth of doctrinal and spiritual import in these sacred compositions. If this be the true interpretation it well accords with the other and when the two are put together they make up a name which every reader will remember and which will bring the precious subject at once to mind. THE PSALM OF THE PRECIOUS SECRET.

SUBJECT. We are not left to human interpreters for the key to this golden mystery for speaking by the Holy Ghost Peter tells us "David speaketh concerning HIM." (Acts 2:25.) Further on in his memorable sermon he said "Men and brethren let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David that he is both dead and buried and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loins according to the flesh he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; he seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ that his soul was not left in hell neither his flesh did see corruption." (Acts 2:29-31.) Nor is this our only guide for the apostle Paul led by the same infallible inspiration quotes from this psalm and testifies that David wrote of the man through whom is preached unto us the forgiveness of sins. (Acts 13:35-38.) It has been the usual plan of commentators to apply the psalm both to David to the saints and to the Lord Jesus but we will venture to believe that in it "Christ is all;" since in the ninth and tenth verses like the apostles on the mount we can see "no man but Jesus only."

DIVISION. The whole is so compact that it is difficult to draw sharp lines of division. It may suffice to note our Lord's prayer of faith verse 1 avowal of faith in Jehovah alone 2 3 4 5 the contentment of his faith in the present 6 7 and the joyous confidence of his faith for the future (8 11).

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EXPOSITION

Verse 1. "Preserve me " keep or save me or as Horsley thinks "guard me " even as bodyguards surround their monarch or as shepherds protect their flocks. Tempted in all points like as we are the manhood of Jesus needed to be preserved from the power of evil; and though in itself pure the Lord Jesus did not confide in that purity of nature but as an example to his followers looked to the Lord his God for preservation. One of the great names of God is "the Preserver of men " (Job 7:20 ) and this gracious office the Father exercised towards our Mediator and Representative. It had been promised to the Lord Jesus in express words that he should be preserved Isaiah 49:7 8. "Thus saith the Lord the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One to him whom man despiseth to him whom the nation abhorreth I will preserve thee and give thee for a covenant of the people." This promise was to the letter fulfilled both by providential deliverance and sustaining power in the case of our Lord. Being preserved himself he is able to restore the preserved of Israel for we are "preserved in Christ Jesus and called." As one with him the elect were preserved in his preservation and we may view this mediatorial supplication as the petition of the Great High Priest for all those who are in him. The intercession recorded in John 17 is but an amplification of this cry "Holy Father keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are." When he says "preserve me " he means his members his mystical body himself and all in him. But while we rejoice in the fact that the Lord Jesus used this prayer for his members we must not forget that he employed it most surely for himself; he had so emptied himself and so truly taken upon him the form of a servant that as man he needed divine keeping even as we do and often cried unto the strong for strength. Frequently on the mountain-top he breathed forth this desire and on one occasion in almost the same words he publicly prayed "Father save me from this hour." (John 12:27.) If Jesus looked out of himself for protection how much more must we his erring followers do so!
"O God." The word for God here used is EL (Heb.) by which name the Lord Jesus when under a sense of great weakness as for instance when upon the cross was wont to address the Mighty God the Omnipotent Helper of his people. We too may turn to El the Omnipotent One in all hours of peril with the confidence that he who heard the strong crying and tears of our faithful High Priest is both able and willing to bless us in him. It is well to study the name and character of God so that in our straits we may know how and by what title to address our Father who is in heaven.
"For in thee do I put my trust " or I have taken shelter in thee. As chickens run beneath the hen so do I betake myself to thee. Thou art my great overshadowing Protector and I have taken refuge beneath thy strength. This is a potent argument in pleading and our Lord knew not only how to use it with God but how to yield to its power when wielded by others upon himself. "According to thy faith be it done unto thee " is a great rule of heaven in dispensing favour and when we can sincerely declare that we exercise faith in the Mighty God with regard to the mercy which we seek we may rest assured that our plea will prevail. Faith like the sword of Saul never returns empty; it overcomes heaven when held in the hand of prayer. As the Saviour prayed so let us pray and as he became more than a conqueror so shall we also through him; let us when buffeted by storms right bravely cry to the Lord as he did "in thee do I put my trust."

Verse 2. "O my soul thou hast said unto the Lord Thou art my Lord." In his inmost heart the Lord Jesus bowed himself to do service to his Heavenly Father and before the throne of Jehovah his soul vowed allegiance to the Lord for our sakes. We are like him when our soul truly and constantly in the presence of the heart-searching God declares her full consent to the rule and government of the Infinite Jehovah saying "Thou art my Lord." To avow this with the lip is little but for the soul to say it especially in times of trial is a gracious evidence of spiritual health; to profess it before men is a small matter but to declare it before Jehovah himself is of far more consequence. This sentence may also be viewed as the utterance of appropriating faith laying hold upon the Lord by personal covenant and enjoyment; in this sense may it be our daily song in the house of our pilgrimage.
"My goodness extendeth not to thee." The work of our Lord Jesus was not needful on account of any necessity in the Divine Being. Jehovah would have been inconceivably glorious had the human race perished and had no atonement been offered. Although the life-work and death-agony of the Son did reflect unparalleled lustre upon every attribute of God yet the Most Blessed and Infinitely Happy God stood in no need of the obedience and death of his Son; it was for our sakes that the work of redemption was undertaken and not because of any lack or want on the part of the Most High. How modestly does the Saviour here estimate his own goodness! What overwhelming reasons have we for imitating his humility! "If thou be righteous what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?" (Job 35:7.)

Verse 3. "But to the saints that are in the earth." These sanctified ones although still upon the earth partake of the results of Jesus' mediatorial work and by his goodness are made what they are. The peculiar people zealous for good works and hallowed to sacred service are arrayed in the Saviour's righteousness and washed in his blood and so receive of the goodness treasured up in him; these are the persons who are profited by the work of the man Christ Jesus; but that work added nothing to the nature virtue or happiness of God who is blessed for evermore. How much more forcibly is this true of us poor unworthy servants not fit to be mentioned in comparison with the faithful Son of God! Our hope must ever be that haply some poor child of God may be served by us for the Great Father can never need our aid. Well may we sing the verses of Dr. Watts:

"Oft have my heart and tongue confess'd
How empty and how poor I am;
My praise can never make thee blest
Nor add new glories to thy name.
Yet Lord thy saints on earth may reap
Some profit by the good we do;
These are the company I keep
These are the choicest friends I know."

Poor believers are God's receivers and have a warrant from the Crown to receive the revenue of our offerings in the King's name. Saints departed we cannot bless; even prayer for them is of no service; but while they are here we should practically prove our love to them even as our Master did for they are the excellent of the earth. Despite their infirmities their Lord thinks highly of them and reckons them to be as nobles among men. The title of "His Excellency" more properly belongs to the meanest saint than to the greatest governor. The true aristocracy are believers in Jesus. They are the only Right Honourables. Stars and garters are poor distinctions compared with the graces of the Spirit. He who knows them best says of them "in whom is all my delight." They are his Hephzibah and his land Beulah and before all worlds his delights were with these chosen sons of men. Their own opinion of themselves is far other than their Beloved's opinion of them; they count themselves to be less than nothing yet he makes much of them and sets his heart towards them. What wonders the eyes of Divine Love can see where the Hands of Infinite Power have been graciously at work. It was this quicksighted affection which led Jesus to see in us a recompense for all his agony and sustained him under all his sufferings by the joy of redeeming us from going down into the pit.

Verse 4. The same loving heart which opens towards the chosen people is fast closed against those who continue in their rebellion against God. Jesus hates all wickedness and especially the high crime of idolatry. The text while it shows our Lord's abhorrence of sin shows also the sinner's greediness after it. Professed believers are often slow towards the true Lord but sinners "hasten after another god." They run like madmen where we creep like snails. Let their zeal rebuke our tardiness. Yet theirs is a case in which the more they haste the worse they speed for their sorrows are multiplied by their diligence in multiplying their sins. Matthew Henry pithily says "They that multiply gods multiply griefs to themselves; for whosoever thinks one god too little will find two too many and yet hundreds not enough." The cruelties and hardships which men endure for their false gods is wonderful to contemplate; our missionary reports are a noteworthy comment on this passage; but perhaps our own experience is an equally vivid exposition; for when we have given our heart to idols sooner or later we have had to smart for it. Near the roots of our self-love all our sorrows lie and when that idol is overthrown the sting is gone from grief. Moses broke the golden calf and ground it to powder and cast it into the water of which he made Israel to drink and so shall our cherished idols become bitter portions for us unless we at once forsake them. Our Lord had no selfishness; he served but one Lord and served him only. As for those who turn aside from Jehovah he was separate from them bearing their reproach without the camp. Sin and the Saviour had no communion. He came to destroy not to patronize or be allied with the works of the devil. Hence he refused the testimony of unclean spirits as to his divinity for in nothing would he have fellowship with darkness. We should be careful above measure not to connect ourselves in the remotest degree with falsehood in religion; even the most solemn of Popish rites we must abhor. "Their drink offerings of blood will I not offer." The old proverb says "It is not safe to eat at the devil's mess though the spoon be never so long." The mere mentioning of ill names it were well to avoid ¡X"nor take up their names into my lips." If we allow poison upon the lip it may ere long penetrate to the inwards and it is well to keep out of the mouth that which we would shut out from the heart. If the church would enjoy union with Christ she must break all the bonds of impiety and keep herself pure from all the pollutions of carnal will-worship which now pollute the service of God. Some professors are guilty of great sin in remaining in the communion of Popish churches where God is as much dishonoured as in Rome herself only in a more crafty manner.

Verse 5. "The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup." With what confidence and bounding joy does Jesus turn to Jehovah whom his soul possessed and delighted in! Content beyond measure with his portion in the Lord his God he had not a single desire with which to hunt after other gods; his cup was full and his heart was full too; even in his sorest sorrows he still laid hold with both his hands upon his Father crying "My God my God;" he had not so much as a thought of falling down to worship the prince of this world although tempted with an "all these will I give thee." We too can make our boast in the Lord; he is the meat and the drink of our souls. He is our portion supplying all our necessities and our cup yielding royal luxuries; our cup in this life and our inheritance in the life to come. As children of the Father who is in heaven we inherit by virtue of our joint heirship with Jesus all the riches of the covenant of grace; and the portion which falls to us sets upon our table the bread of heaven and the new wine of the kingdom. Who would not be satisfied with such dainty diet? Our shallow cup of sorrow we may well drain with resignation since the deep cup of love stands side by side with it and will never be empty. "Thou maintainest my lot." Some tenants have a covenant in their leases that they themselves shall maintain and uphold but in our case Jehovah himself maintains our lot. Our Lord Jesus delighted in this truth that the Father was on his side and would maintain his right against all the wrongs of men. He knew that his elect would be reserved for him and that almighty power would preserve them as his lot and reward for ever. Let us also be glad because the Judge of all the earth will vindicate our righteous cause.

Verse 6. Jesus found the way of obedience to lead into "pleasant places." Notwithstanding all the sorrows which marred his countenance he exclaimed "Lo I come; in the volume of the book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O my God: yea thy law is within my heart." It may seem strange but while no other man was ever so thoroughly acquainted with grief it is our belief that no other man ever experienced so much joy and delight in service for no other served so faithfully and with such great results in view as his recompense of reward. The joy which was set before him must have sent some of its beams of splendour a-down the rugged places where he endured the cross despising the shame and must have made them in some respects pleasant places to the generous heart of the Redeemer. At any rate we know that Jesus was well content with the blood-bought portion which the lines of electing love marked off as his spoil with the strong and his portion with the great. Therein he solaced himself on earth and delights himself in heaven; and he asks no more "GOODLY HERITAGE" than that his own beloved may be with him where he is and behold his glory. All the saints can use the language of this verse and the more thoroughly they can enter into its contented grateful joyful spirit the better for themselves and the more glorious to their God. Our Lord was poorer than we are for he had not where to lay his head and yet when he mentioned his poverty he never used a word of murmuring; discontented spirits are as unlike Jesus as the croaking raven is unlike the cooing dove. Martyrs have been happy in dungeons. "From the delectable orchard of the Leonine prison the Italian martyr dated his letter and the presence of God made the gridiron of Laurence pleasant to him." Mr. Greenham was bold enough to say "They never felt God's love or tasted forgiveness of sin who are discontented." Some divines think that discontent was the first sin the rock which wrecked our race in paradise; certainly there can be no paradise where this evil spirit has power its slime will poison all the flowers of the garden.

Verse 7. "I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel." Praise as well as prayer was presented to the Father by our Lord Jesus and we are not truly his followers unless our resolve be "I will bless the Lord." Jesus is called Wonderful Counsellor but as man he spake not of himself but as his Father had taught him. Read in confirmation of this John 7:16; 8:28; and 12:49 50; and the prophecy concerning him in Isaiah 11:2 3. It was our Redeemer's wont to repair to his Father for direction and having received it he blessed him for giving him counsel. It would be well for us if we would follow his example of lowliness cease from trusting in our own understanding and seek to be guided by the Spirit of God. "My reins also instruct me in the night seasons." By the reins understand the inner man the affections and feelings. The communion of the soul with God brings to it an inner spiritual wisdom which in still seasons is revealed to itself. Our Redeemer spent many nights alone upon the mountain and we may readily conceive that together with his fellowship with heaven he carried on a profitable commerce with himself; reviewing his experience forecasting his work and considering his position. Great generals fight their battles in their own mind long before the trumpet sounds and so did our Lord win our battle on his knees before he gained it on the cross. It is a gracious habit after taking counsel from above to take counsel within. Wise men see more with their eyes shut by night than fools can see by day with their eyes open. He who learns from God and so gets the seed will soon find wisdom within himself growing in the garden of his soul; "Thine ears shall hear a voice behind thee saying This is the way walk ye in it when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left." The night season which the sinner chooses for his sins is the hallowed hour of quiet when believers hear the soft still voices of heaven and of the heavenly life within themselves.

Verse 8. The fear of death at one time cast its dark shadow over the soul of the Redeemer and we read that "he was heard in that he feared." There appeared unto him an angel strengthening him; perhaps the heavenly messenger reassured him of his glorious resurrection as his people's surety and of the eternal joy into which he should admit the flock redeemed by blood. Then hope shone full upon our Lord's soul and as recorded in these verses he surveyed the future with holy confidence because he had a continued eye to Jehovah and enjoyed his perpetual presence. He felt that thus sustained he could never be driven from his life's grand design; nor was he for he stayed not his hand till he could say "It is finished." What an infinite mercy was this for us! In this immovableness caused by simple faith in the divine help Jesus is to be viewed as our exemplar; to recognize the presence of the Lord is the duty of every believer; "I have set the Lord always before me;" and to trust the Lord as our champion and guard is the privilege of every saint; "because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved." The apostle translates this passage "I foresaw the Lord always before my face;" Acts 2:25; the eye of Jesus' faith could discern beforehand the continuance of divine support to his suffering Son in such a degree that he should never be moved from the accomplishment of his purpose of redeeming his people. By the power of God at his right hand he foresaw that he should smite through all who rose up against him and on that power he placed the firmest reliance.

Verse 9. He clearly foresaw that he must die for he speaks of his flesh resting and of his soul in the abode of separate spirits; death was full before his face or he would not have mentioned corruption; but such was his devout reliance upon his God that he sang over the tomb and rejoiced in vision of the sepulchre. He knew that the visit of his soul to Sheol or the invisible world of disembodied spirits would be a very short one and that his body in a very brief space would leave the grave uninjured by its sojourn there; all this made him say "my heart is glad " and moved his tongue the glory of his frame to rejoice in God the strength of his salvation. Oh for such holy faith in the prospect of trial and of death! It is the work of faith not merely to create a peace which passeth all understanding but to fill the heart full of gladness until the tongue which as the organ of an intelligent creature is our glory bursts forth in notes of harmonious praise. Faith gives us living joy and bestows dying rest. "My flesh also shall rest in hope."

Verse 10. Our Lord Jesus was not disappointed in his hope. He declared his Father's faithfulness in the words "thou wilt not leave my soul in hell " and that faithfulness was proven on the resurrection morning. Among the departed and disembodied Jesus was not left; he had believed in the resurrection and he received it on the third day when his body rose in glorious life according as he had said in joyous confidence "neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." Into the outer prison of the grave his body might go but into the inner prison of corruption he could not enter. He who in soul and body was pre-eminently God's "Holy One " was loosed from the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. This is noble encouragement to all the saints; die they must but rise they shall and though in their case they shall see corruption yet they shall rise to everlasting life. Christ's resurrection is the cause the earnest the guarantee and the emblem of the rising of all his people. Let them therefore go to their graves as to their beds resting their flesh among the clods as they now do upon their couches.

"Since Jesus is mine I'll not fear undressing
But gladly put off these garments of clay;
To die in the Lord is a covenant blessing
Since Jesus to glory through death led the way."

Wretched will that man be who when the Philistines of death invade his soul shall find that like Saul he is forsaken of God; but blessed is he who has the Lord at his right hand for he shall fear no ill but shall look forward to an eternity of bliss.

Verse 11. "Thou wilt shew me the path of life." To Jesus first this way was shown for he is the first begotten from the dead the first-born of every creature. He himself opened up the way through his own flesh and then trod it as the forerunner of his own redeemed. The thought of being made the path of life to his people gladdened the soul of Jesus. "In thy presence is fulness of joy." Christ being raised from the dead ascended into glory to dwell in constant nearness to God where joy is at its full for ever: the foresight of this urged him onward in his glorious but grievous toil. To bring his chosen to eternal happiness was the high ambition which inspired him and made him wade through a sea of blood. O God when a worldling's mirth has all expired for ever with Jesus may we dwell "at thy right hand " where "there are pleasures for evermore;" and meanwhile may we have an earnest by tasting thy love below. Trapp's note on the heavenly verse which closes the Psalm is a sweet morsel which may serve for a contemplation and yield a foretaste of our inheritance. He writes "Here is as much said as can be but words are too weak to utter it. For quality there is in heaven joy and pleasures; for quantity a fulness a torrent whereat they drink without let or loathing; for constancy it is at God's right hand who is stronger than all neither can any take us out of his hand; it is a constant happiness without intermission: and for perpetuity it is for evermore. Heaven's joys are without measure mixture or end."

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EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Title. There is a diversity of opinion as to the meaning of the title of this Psalm. It is called "Michtam of David " but Michtam is the Hebrew word untranslated¡Xthe Hebrew word in English letters¡Xand its signification is involved in obscurity. According to some it is derived from a verb which means to hide and denotes a mystery or secret. Those who adopt this view regard the title as indicating a depth of doctrinal and spiritual import in the Psalm which neither the writer nor any of his contemporaries had fathomed. According to others it is derived from a verb which means to cut to grave to write and denotes simply a writing of David. With this view agree the Chaldee and Septuagint versions the former translating it "a straight sculpture of David:" and the latter "an inscription upon a pillar to David." Others again look upon "Michtam " as being derived from a noun which means gold and they understand it as denoting a golden Psalm¡Xa Psalm of surpassing excellence and worthy of being written in letters of gold. This was the opinion of our translators and hence they have rendered it on the margin¡X"A golden Psalm of David." The works of the most excellent Arabian poets were called golden because they were written in letters of gold; and this golden song may have been written and hung up in some conspicuous part of the Temple. Many other interpretations have been given of this term but at this distance of time we can only regard it as representing some unassignable peculiarity of the composition.¡XJames Frame 1858.

Title. Such are the riches of this Psalm that some have been led to think the obscure title "Michtam " has been prefixed to it on account of its golden stores. For (Heb.) is used of the "gold of Ophir" (e.g. Psalm 45:9) and (Heb.) might be a derivative from that root. But as there is a group of five other Psalms (namely 56 57 58 59 60) that bear this title whose subject matter is various but which all end in a tone of triumph it has been suggested that the Septuagint may be nearly right in their Sphlografia as if "A Psalm to be hung up or inscribed on a pillar to commemorate victory." It is however more likely still that the term "Michtam" (like "Maschil") is a musical term whose real meaning and use we have lost and may recover only when the ransomed house of Israel return home with songs. Meanwhile the subject matter of this Psalm itself is very clearly this¡Xthe righteous one's satisfaction with his lot.¡XAndrew A. Bonar.

Whole Psalm. Allow that in verse ten it is clear that our Lord is in this Psalm yet the application of every verse to Jesus in Gethsemane appears to be farfetched and inaccurate. How verse nine could suit the agony and bloody sweat it is hard to conceive and equally so it is with regard to verse six. The "cup" of verse five is so direct a contrast to that cup concerning which Jesus prayed in anguish of spirit that it cannot be a reference to it. Yet we think it right to add that Mr. James Frame has written a very valuable work on this Psalm entitled "Christ in Gethsemane " and he has supported his theory by the opinion of many of the ancients. He says "All the distinguished interpreters of ancient days such as Eusebius Jerome and Augustine explain the Psalm as referring to the Messiah in his passion and his victory over death and the grave including his subsequent exaltation to the right hand of God;" and in a foot note he gives the following quotations: Jerome.¡X"The Psalm pertains to Christ who speaks in it. . . . . It is the voice of our King which he utters in the human nature that he had assumed but without detracting from his divine nature. . . . . The Psalm pertains to his passion." Augustine.¡X"Our King speaks in this Psalm in the person of the human nature that he assumed at the time of his passion the royal title inscribed will show itself conspicuous."¡XC. H. S.

Whole Psalm. The present Psalm is connected in thought and language with the foregoing and linked on to the following Psalm by catchwords. It is entitled in the Syriac and Arabic versions a Psalm on the Election of the Church and on the Resurrection of Christ."¡XChristopher Wordsworth D.D. 1868.

Verse 1. "Preserve me O God." Here David desireth not deliverance from any special trouble but generally prayeth to be fenced and defended continually by the providence of God wishing that the Lord would continue his mercy towards him unto the end; whereby he foresaw it was as needfull for him to be safeguarded by God his protection in the end as at the time present; as also how he made no less account of it in his prosperity than in adversity. So that the man of God still feared his infirmity and therefore acknowledgeth himself ever to stand in need of God his help. And here is a sure and undoubted mark of the child of God when a man shall have as great a care to continue and grow in well-doing as to begin; and this praying for the gift of final perseverance is a special note of the child of God. This holy jealousy of the man of God made him so desire to be preserved at all times in all estates both in soul and body.¡XRichard Greenham 1531-1591.

Verse 1. "For in thee do I put my trust." Here the prophet setteth down the cause why he prayeth to God; whereby he declareth that none can truly call upon God unless they believe. Romans 10:14. "How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?" In regard whereof as he prayeth to God to be his Saviour so he is fully assured that God will be his Saviour. If then without faith we cannot truly call upon God the men of this world rather prate like parrots than pray like Christians at what time they utter these words; for that they trust not in God they declare both by neglecting the lawful means and also in using unlawful means. Some we see trust in friends; some shoulder out as they think the cross with their goods; some fence themselves with authority; others bathe and baste themselves in pleasure to put the evil day far from them; others make flesh their arm; and others make the wedge of gold their confidence; and these men when they seek for help at the Lord mean in their hearts to find it in their friends good authority and pleasure howsoever for fear they dare not say this outwardly. Again here we are to observe under what shelter we may harbour ourselves in the showers of adversity even under the protection of the Almighty. And why? "Whoso dwelleth in the secret of the Most High shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty." And here in effect is showed that whosoever putteth his trust in God shall be preserved; otherwise the prophet's reason here had not been good. Besides we see he pleadeth not by merit but sueth by faith teaching us that if we come with like faith we may obtain the like deliverance.¡XRichard Greenham.

Verse 2. "O my soul thou hast said unto the Lord Thou art my Lord." I wish I could have heard what you said to yourself when these words were first mentioned. I believe I could guess the language of some of you. When you heard me repeat these words "O my soul thou hast said unto the Lord Thou art my Lord " you thought "I have never said anything to the Lord unless when I cried out Depart from me for I desire not the knowledge of thy ways." Has not something like this passed in your minds? I will try again. When I first mentioned the text "Let me consider " you secretly said "I believe that I did once say to the Lord Thou art my Lord; but it was so long ago that I had almost forgotten it; but I suppose that it must have been at such a time when I was in trouble. I had met with disappointments in the world; and then perhaps I cried Thou art my portion O Lord. Or perhaps when I was under serious impressions in the hurry of my spirits I might look up to God and say Thou art my Lord. But whatever I could or did formerly say I am certain that I cannot say it at present." Have none of you thought in this manner? I will hazard one conjecture more; and I doubt not but in this case I shall guess rightly. When I repeated these words "O my soul thou hast said unto the Lord Thou art my Lord;" "So have I " thought one; "So have I " thought another; I have said it often but I said it with peculiar solemnity and pleasure when in an act of humble devotion I lately threw my ransomed rescued grateful soul at his feet and cried "O Lord truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant; thou hast loosed my bonds." The very recollection of it is pleasant; and I shall now have an opportunity of renewing my vows and hope to recover something of the divine serenity and joy which I at that time experienced."¡XSamuel Lavington's Sermons 1810.

Verse 2. "Thou art my Lord." He acknowledgeth the Lord Jehovah; but he seeth him not as it were then afar off but drawing near unto him he sweetly embraceth him; which thing is proper unto faith and to that particular applying which we say to be in faith.¡XRobert Rollock 1600.

Verse 2. "My goodness extendeth not to thee." I think the words should be understood of what the Messiah was doing for men. My goodness (Heb.) tobhathi "my bounty" is not to thee. What I am doing can add nothing to thy divinity; thou art not providing this astonishing sacrifice because thou canst derive any excellence from it; but this bounty extends to the saints¡Xto all the spirits of just men made perfect whose bodies are still in the earth; and to the excellent (Heb.) addirey "the noble or super-eminent ones " those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. The saints and illustrious ones not only taste of my goodness but enjoy my salvation. Perhaps angels themselves may be intended; they are not uninterested in the incarnation passion death and resurrection of our Lord. They desire to look into these things; and the victories of the cross in the conversion of sinners cause joy among the angels of God.¡XAdam Clarke.

Verse 2. "My goodness extendeth not to thee;" "My well-doing extendeth not to thee." Oh what shall I render unto thee my God for all thy benefits towards me? what shall I repay? Alas! I can do thee no good for mine imperfect goodness cannot pleasure thee who art most perfect and goodness itself; my well-doing can do thee no good my wickedness can do thee no harm. I receive all good from thee but no good can I return to thee; wherefore I acknowledge thee to be most rich and myself to be most beggardly; so far off is it that thou standest in any need of me. Wherefore I will join myself to thy people that whatsoever I have they may profit by it; and whatsoever they have I may profit by it seeing the things that I have received must be put out to loan to gain some comfort to others. Whatsoever others have they have not for their own private use but that by them as by pipes and conduits they liberally should be conveyed unto me also. Wherefore in this strain we are taught that if we be the children of God we must join ourselves in a holy league to his people and by mutual participation of the gifts of God we must testify each to other that we be of the number and communion of saints; and this is an undoubted badge and cognizance of him that loveth God if he also loveth them that are begotten of God. Wherefore if we so profess ourselves to be of God and to worship him then we must join ourselves to the church of God which with us doth worship God. And this must we do of necessity for it is a branch of our belief that there is a communion of saints in the church; and if we believe that there is a God we must also believe that there is a remnant of people unto whom God revealeth himself and communicateth his mercies in whom we must have all our delight to whom we must communicate according to the measure of grace given unto every one of us.¡XRichard Greenham.

Verse 2. "My goodness extendeth not to thee." Oh how great is God's goodness to you! He calls upon others for the same things and conscience stands as Pharaoh's taskmasters requiring the tale of bricks but not allowing straw; it impels and presseth but gives no enlargement of heart and buffets and wounds them for neglect: as the hard creditor that taking the poor debtor by the throat saith "Pay me that thou owest me " but yields him no power to do it; thus God might deal with you also for he oweth not assistance to us; but we owe obedience to him. Remember we had power and it is just to demand what we cannot do because the weakness that is in us is of ourselves: we have impoverished ourselves. Therefore when in much mercy he puts forth his hand into the work with thee be very thankful. If the work be not done he is no loser; if done and well done he is no gainer. Job 22:2; 35:6-8. But the gain is all to thee; all the good that comes by it is to thyself.¡XJoseph Symonds 1639.

Verse 2 (last clause). It is a greater glory to us that we are allowed to serve God than it is to him that we offer him that service. He is not rendered happy by us; but we are made happy by him. He can do without such earthly servants; but we cannot do without such a heavenly Master.¡XWilliam Secker.

Verse 2 (last clause). There is nothing added to God; he is so perfect that no sin can hurt him; and so righteous that no righteousness can benefit him. O Lord my righteousness extendeth not to thee! thou hast no need of my righteousness. Acts 17:24 25. God hath no need of anything.¡XRichard Stock 1641.

Verse 2. As Christ is the head of man so is God the head of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:3); and as man is subject unto Christ so is Christ subject to God; not in regard of the divine nature wherein there is an equality and consequently no dominion or jurisdiction; nor only in his human nature but in the economy of a Redeemer considered as one designed and consenting to be incarnate and take our flesh; so that after this agreement God had a sovereign right to dispose of him according to the articles consented to. In regard of his undertaking and the advantage he was to bring to the elect of God upon earth he calls God by the solemn title of "his Lord." "O my soul thou hast said unto the Lord Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee; but to the saints that are in the earth." It seems to be the speech of Christ in heaven mentioning the saints on earth as at a distance from him. I can add nothing to the glory of thy majesty but the whole fruit of my mediation and suffering will redound to the saints on earth.¡XStephen Charnock.

Verses 2 3. "My goodness extendeth not to thee; but to the saints." God's goodness to us should make us merciful to others. It were strange indeed a soul should come out of his tender bosom with a hard uncharitable heart. Some children do not indeed take after their earthly parents as Cicero's son who had nothing of his father but his name; but God's children all partake of their heavenly Father's nature. Philosophy tells us that there is no reaction from the earth to the heavens; they indeed shed their influences upon the lower world which quicken and fructify it but the earth returns none back to make the sun shine the better. David knew that his goodness extended not unto God but this made him reach it forth to his brethren. Indeed God hath left his poor saints to receive the rents we owe unto him for his mercies. An ingenuous guest though his friend will take nothing for his entertainment yet to show his thankfulness will give something to his servants.¡XWilliam Gurnall.

Verse 3. "But to the saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight." My brethren look upon saintship as the greatest excellency to love it. So did Christ. His eye was "upon the excellent ones in the earth;" that is upon the saints who were excellent to him; yea also even when not saints because God loved them. Isaiah 43:4. It is strange to hear how men by their speeches will undervalue a saint as such if without some other outward excellency. For whilst they acknowledge a man a saint yet in other respects they will contemn him; "He is a holy man " they will say "but he is weak " etc. But is he a saint? And can there be any such other imperfection or weakness found as shall lay him low in thy thoughts in comparison of other carnal men more excellent? Hath not Christ loved him bought him redeemed him?¡XThomas Goodwin.

Verse 3. "But to the saints." I understand that a man then evinces affection towards God and towards those who love God when his soul yearns after them¡Xwhen he obliges himself to love them by practically serving and benefiting them¡Xacting towards them as he would act towards God himself were he to see him in need of his service as David says he did.¡XJuan de Valdes 1550.

Verse 3. "The saints." The Papists could abide no saints but those which are in heaven; which argueth that they live in a kingdom of darkness and err not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God; for if they were but meanly conversant in the Scriptures in the holy epistles they should find almost in every epistle mention made of the saints who are thereunto called in Jesus Christ through whom they are sanctified by the Holy Ghost. And mark he calleth them "excellent." Some think rich men to be excellent some think learned men to be excellent some count men in authority so to be but here we are taught that those men are excellent who are sanctified by God's graces.¡XRichard Greenham.

Verse 3. By David's language there were many singular saints in his day: "To the saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight." Was it so then and should it not be so now? We know the New Testament outshines the Old as much as the sun outshines the moon. If we then live in a more glorious dispensation should we not maintain a more glorious conversation?. . . . "The excellent." Were the sun to give no more delight than a star you could not believe he was the regent of the day; were he to transmit no more heat than a glow-worm you would question his being the source of elementary heat. Were God to do no more than a creature where would his Godhead be? Were a man to do no more than a brute where would his manhood be? Were not a saint to excel a sinner where would his sanctity be?¡XWilliam Secker.

Verse 3. Ingo an ancient king of the Draves who making a stately feast appointed his nobles at that time Pagans to sit in the hall below and commanded certain poor Christians to be brought up into his presence-chamber to sit with him at his table to eat and drink of his kingly cheer at which many wondering he said he accounted Christians though never so poor a greater ornament to his table and more worthy of his company than the greatest peers unconverted to the Christian faith; for when these might be thrust down to hell those might be his comforts and fellow princes in heaven. Although you see the stars sometimes by reflections in a puddle in the bottom of a well or in a stinking ditch yet the stars have their situation in heaven. So although you see a godly man in a poor miserable low despised condition for the things of this world yet he is fixed in heaven in the region of heaven: "Who hath raised us up " saith the apostle "and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."¡XCharles Bradbury's "Cabinet of Jewels " 1785.

Verse 3. To sum up all we must know that we neither do nor can love the godly so well as we should do; but all is well if we would love them better and do like ourselves the less because we do love them no more and that this is common or usual with me then I am right: so that we are to love the godly first because God commands it because they are good; and in these cases our faith doth work by our love to good men. Next when I am at the worst like a sick sheep I care not for the company of other sheep but do mope in a corner by myself; but yet I do not delight in the society of goats or dogs it proves that I have some good blood left in me; it is because for the present I take little or no delight in myself or in my God that I delight no better in the godly: yet as I love myself for all that so I may be said to love them for all this. Man indeed is a sociable creature a company-keeper by nature when he is himself; and if we not associate ourselves with the ungodly though for the present and care not much to show ourselves amongst the godly the matter is not much it is a sin of infirmity not a fruit of iniquity. The disciples went from Christ but they turned not to the other side as Judas did who did forsake his Master and joined himself to his Master's enemies but they got together. Some say that Demas did repent (which I think to be the truth) and then he did "embrace this present world " but for the present fit: put case he did forsake Paul; so did better men than he. Indeed as long as a man hath his delights about him he will embrace the delights of this present world or the delights which belong to the world to come; join with Paul or cleave to the world. In this temptation our stay is first that we care not for the company of goats; next that as we should so we would and desire that we may take delight in the company of sheep to count them the only excellent men in the world in whom is all our delight. The conclusion is that to love the saints as saints is a sound proof of faith; the reason is for that we cannot master our affections by love but first we must master our understandings by faith ¡XRichard Capel 1586-1656.

Verse 4. "Drink offerings of blood." The Gentiles used to offer and sometimes drink part of the blood of their sacrifices whether of beasts or of men as either of them were sacrificed.¡XMatthew Poole.

Verse 4. "Drink offerings of blood." It is uncertain whether this expression is to be understood literally to be blood which the heathen actually mixed in their libations when they bound themselves to the commission of some dreadful deed or whether their libations are figuratively called offerings of blood to denote the horror with which the writer regarded them.¡XGeorge R. Noyes in loc. 1846.

Verse 4 (last clause). A sin rolled under the tongue becomes soft and supple and the throat is so short and slippery a passage that insensibly it may slide down from the mouth into the stomach; and contemplative wantonness quickly turns into practical uncleanness.¡XThomas Fuller.

Verse 5. "The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance." If the Lord be thy portion then thou mayest conclude omnipotentcy is my portion immensity all-sufficiency etc. Say not If so then I should be omnipotent etc. There is a vast difference betwixt identity and interest betwixt conveying of a title and transmutation of nature. A friend gives thee an invaluable treasure and all the securities of it that thou canst desire; wilt thou deny it is thine because thou art not changed into its nature? The attributes are thine as thy inheritance as thy lands are thine; not because thou art changed into their nature but because the title is conveyed to thee it is given thee and improved for thy benefit. If another manage it who can do it with greater advantage to thee than to thyself it is no infringement of thy title. . . . . The Lord is our portion and this is incomparably more than if we had heaven and earth; for all the earth is but as a point compared with the vastness of the heavens and the heavens themselves are but a point compared with God. What a large possession have we then! There is no confiscation of it no banishment from it. Our portion fills heaven and earth and is infinitely above heaven and below earth and beyond both. Poor men boast and pride themselves of a kingdom but we have more than all the kingdoms of the world and the glory thereof. Christ has given us more than the devil could offer him.¡XDavid Clarkson.

Verse 5. "Portion of mine inheritance and of my cup " may contain an allusion to the daily supply of food and also to the inheritance of Levi. Deuteronomy 18:1 2.¡X"Critical and Explanatory Pocket Bible." By A. R. Fausset and B. M. Smith 1867.

Verses 5 6. "The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance: the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea I have a goodly heritage." "Blessed are the people that are in such a case; yea blessed are the people whose God is the Lord." No greater mercy can be bestowed upon any people family or person than this for God to dwell among them. If we value this mercy according to the excellence and worth of that which is bestowed it is the greatest; if we value it according to the good will of him that gives it it will appear likewise to be the greatest favour. The greatness of the good will of God in giving himself to be our acquaintance is evident in the nature of the gift. A man may give his estate to them to whom his love is not very large but he never gives himself but upon strong affection. God gives abundantly to all the works of his hands; he causeth the sun to shine upon the evil and upon the good and the rain to descend upon the just and the unjust; but it cannot be conceived that he should give himself to be a portion a friend father husband but in abundance of love. Whosoever therefore shall refuse acquaintance with God slighteth the greatest favour that ever God did bestow upon man. Now consider what a high charge this is; to abuse such a kindness from God is an act of the greatest vileness. David was never so provoked as when the king of Ammon abused his kindness in his ambassadors after his father's death. And God is highly provoked when his greatest mercies bestowed in the greatest love are rejected and cast away. What could God give more and better than himself?. . . . . Ask David what he thinks of God; he was well acquainted with him he dwelt in his house and by his good will would never be out of his more immediate presence and company; enquire I pray what he found amiss in him. That you may know his mind the better he hath left it upon record in more than one or two places what a friend he hath had of God. "The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea I have a goodly heritage." Why what is that you boast of so much O David? Have not others had kingdoms as well as you? No that's not the thing; a crown is one of the least jewels in my cabinet: "The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup."¡XJames Janeway.

Verses 5 6. Take notice not only of the mercies of God but of God in the mercies. Mercies are never so savoury as when they savour of a Saviour.¡XRalph Venning 1620-1673.

Verse 6. "The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea I have a goodly heritage." Bitter herbs will go down very well when a man has such delicious "meats which the world knows not of." The sense of our Father's love is like honey at the end of every rod; it turns stones into bread and water into wine and the valley of trouble into a door of hope; it makes the biggest evils seem as if they were none or better than none; for it makes our deserts like the garden of the Lord and when we are upon the cross for Christ as if we were in paradise with Christ. Who would quit his duty for the sake of suffering that hath such a relief under it? Who would not rather walk in truth when he hath such a cordial to support him than by the conduct of fleshly wisdom to take any indirect or irregular method for his own deliverance?¡XTimothy Cruso.

Verse 6. "The lines." Probably alluding to the division of the land by lot and the measuring of it off by ropes and lines. David believed in an overruling destiny which fixed the bounds of his abode and his possessions; he did more he was satisfied with all the appointment of the predestinating God.¡XC. H. S.

Verse 7. "I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel." The Holy Ghost is a spirit of counsel powerfully instructing and convincingly teaching how to act and walk for he directs us to set right steps and to walk with a right foot and thereby prevents us of many a sin by seasonable instruction set on upon our hearts with a strong hand; as Isaiah 8:11. For as the same prophet says (Isaiah 11:2) he is the spirit of counsel and of might. Of counsel to direct; of might to strengthen the inner man. Such he was to Christ the Head of whom it is there spoken. For instance in the agony (on the determination of which our salvation depended) and conflict in the garden when he prayed "Let this cup pass " it was this good Spirit that counselled him to die; and he blessed God for it: "I bless the Lord that hath given me counsel." It was that counsel that in that case caused his heart to say "Not my will but thine."¡XThomas Goodwin.

Verse 7. "My reins." Common experience shows that the workings of the mind particularly the passions of joy grief and fear have a very remarkable effect of the reins or kidneys and from their retired situation in the body and their being hid in fat they are often used in Scripture to denote the most secret working of the soul and affections.¡XJohn Parkhurst.

Verse 7. "My reins also instruct me in the night seasons." This shows that God who he says was always present to him had given him some admonition in his dreams or at least his waking thoughts by night from whence he gathered a certain assurance of his recovery; possibly he might be directed to some remedy. Antonine thanks the gods for directing him in his sleep to remedies.¡XZ. Mudge in loc 1744.

Verse 7. "My reins also instruct me in the night seasons." We have a saying among ourselves that "the pillow is the best counsellor;" and there is much truth in the saying especially if we have first committed ourselves in prayer to God and taken a prayerful spirit with us to our bed. In the quiet of its silent hours undisturbed by the passions and unharassed by the conflicts of the world we can commune with our own heart and be instructed and guarded as to our future course even "in the night season." David especially seems to have made these seasons sources of great profit as well as delight. Sometimes he loved to meditate upon God as he lay upon his bed; and it was no doubt as he meditated on the Lord's goodness and on the way by which he had led him that he was as it were constrained even at midnight to arise and pray. While therefore we acknowledge the pillow to be a good counsellor let us with David here acknowledge also that it is the Lord who gives the counsel and sends the instruction in the night season.¡XBurton Bouchier.

Verse 8. "I have set the Lord always before me." David did not by fits and starts set the Lord before him; but he "always" set the Lord before him in his course; he had his eye upon the Lord and so much the Hebrew word imports: I have equally set the Lord before me; that is the force of the original word that is I have set the Lord before me at one time as well as another without any irregular affections or passions etc. In every place in every condition in every company in every employment and in every enjoyment I have set the Lord equally before me; and this raised him and this will raise any Christian by degrees to a very great height of holiness.¡XThomas Brooks.

Verse 8. "I have set the Lord always before me." Hebrew I have equally set or proposed. The apostle translateth it "I foresaw the Lord always before my face." Acts 2:25. I set the eye of my faith full upon him and suffer it not to take to other things; I look him in the face oculo irretorto as the eagle looketh upon the sun; and oculo adamantino with an eye of adamant which turns only to one point: so here I have equally set the Lord before me without irregular affections and passions. And this was one of those lessons that his reins had taught him that the Holy Spirit had dictated unto him.¡XJohn Trapp.

Verse 8. "I have set the Lord ALWAYS before me." Like as the gnomon doth ever behold the north star whether it be closed and shut up in a coffer of gold silver or wood never losing its nature; so a faithful Christian man whether he abound in wealth or be pinched with poverty whether he be of high or low degree in this world ought continually to have his faith and hope surely built and grounded upon Christ and to have his heart and mind fast fixed and settled in him and to follow him through thick and thin through fire and water through wars and peace through hunger and cold through friends and foes through a thousand perils and dangers through the surges and waves of envy malice hatred evil speeches railing sentences contempt of the world flesh and devil and even in death itself be it never so bitter cruel and tyrannical yet never to lose sight and view of Christ never to give over faith hope and trust in him.¡XRobert Cawdray.

Verse 8. "I have set the Lord always before me." By often thinking of God the heart will be enticed into desires after him. Isaiah 26:8. "The desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee;" and see what follows verse 9: "With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early." Love sets the soul on musing and from musing to praying. Meditation is prayer in bullion prayer in the ore¡Xsoon melted and run into holy desires. The laden cloud soon drops into rain; the piece charged soon goes off when fire is put to it. A meditating soul is in proxima potentia to prayer.¡XWilliam Gurnall.

Verse 8. "I have set the Lord always before me " etc. He that by faith eyes God continually as his protector in trouble "shall not be moved" with any evil that he suffers and he that eyes God by faith as his pattern in holiness shall not be moved from doing that which is good. This thought¡Xthe Lord is at our right hand¡Xkeeps us from turning either to the right hand or to the left. It is said of Enoch that "he walked with God" (Genesis 5:22) and though the history of his life be very short yet 'tis said of him a second time (verse 24) that "he walked with God." He walked so much with God that he walked as God: he did not "walk" (which kind of walking the apostle reproves 1 Corinthians 3:3) "as men." He walked so little like the world that his stay was little in the world. "He was not " saith the text "for God took him." He took him from the world to himself or as the author to the Hebrews reports it "he was translated that he should not see death for he had this testimony that he pleased God."¡XJoseph Caryl.

Verse 8. "Because he is at my right hand " etc. Of ourselves we stand not at any time by his power we may overcome at all times. And when we are sorest assaulted he is ever ready at our right hand to support and stay us that we shall not fall. He hath well begun and shall happily go forward in his work who hath in truth begun. For true grace well planted in the heart how weak soever shall hold out for ever. All total decays come from this¡Xthat the heart was never truly mollified nor grace deeply and kindly rooted therein.¡XJohn Ball.

Verse 8. "He is at my right hand." This phrase of speech is borrowed from those who when they take upon them the patronage defence or tuition of any will set them on their right hand as in place of most safeguard. Experience confirmeth this in children who in any imminent danger shroud and shelter themselves under their father's arms or hands as under a sufficient buckler. Such was the estate of the man of God as here appeareth who was hemmed and hedged in with the power of God both against present evils and dangers to come.¡XRichard Greenham.

Verse 8. Even as a column or pillar is sometimes on thy right hand and sometimes on thy left hand because thou dost change thy standing sitting or walking for it is unmovable and keepeth one place; so God is sometimes favourable and bountiful unto thee and sometimes seemeth to be wroth and angry with thee because thou dost fall from virtue to vice from obedience and humility to pride and presumption; for in the Lord there is no change no not so much as any shadow of change. He is immutable always one and everlasting. If thou wilt bend thyself to obedience and to a virtuous and godly life thou shalt ever have him a strong rock whereupon thou mayst boldly build a castle and tower of defence. He will be unto thee a mighty pillar bearing up heaven and earth whereto thou mayst lean and not be deceived wherein thou mayst trust and not be disappointed. He will ever be at thy right hand that thou shalt not fall. He will take thy part and will mightily defend thee against all enemies of thy body and of thy soul; but if thou wilt shake hands with virtue and bid it adieu and farewell and forsaking the ways of God wilt live as thou list and follow thy own corruption and make no conscience of aught thou doest defiling and blemishing thyself with all manner of sin and iniquity then be sure the Lord will appear unto thee in his fury and indignation. From his justice and judgments none shall ever be able to deliver thee.¡XRobert Cawdray.

Verse 9. "My heart is glad." Men may for a time be hearers of the gospel men may for order's sake pray sing receive the sacraments; but if it be without joy will not that hypocrisy in time break out? Will they not begin to be weary? Nay will they not be as ready to hear any other doctrine? Good things cannot long find entertainment in our corruptions unless the Holy Ghost hath changed us from our old delights to conceive pleasure in these things.¡XRichard Greenham.

Verse 9. "My heart is glad and my glory rejoiceth." His inward joy was not able to contain itself. We testify our pleasure on lower occasions even at the gratification of our senses; when our ear is filled with harmonious melody when our eye is fixed upon admirable and beauteous objects when our smell is recreated with agreeable odours and our taste also by the delicacy and rareness of provisions; and much more will our soul show its delight when its faculties that are of a more exquisite constitution meet with things that are in all respects agreeable and pleasant to them; and in God they meet with all those: with his light our understanding is refreshed and so is our will with his goodness and his love.¡XTimothy Rogers.

Verse 9. "Therefore my heart is glad " etc. That is I am all over in very good plight as well as heart can wish or require; I do over-abound exceedingly with joy; "God forgive me mine unthankfulness and unworthiness of so great glory" (as that martyr said): "In all the days of my life I was never so merry as now I am in this dark dungeon " etc. Wicked men rejoice in appearance and not in heart (2 Corinthians 5:12); their joy is but skin deep their mirth frothy and flashy such as wetteth the mouth but warmeth not the heart. But David is totus totus quantus quantus exultabundus; his heart glory flesh (answerable as some think to that of the apostle 1 Thessalonians 5:23; spirit soul and body) were all overjoyed.¡XJohn Trapp.

Verse 9. "My flesh shall rest in hope." If a Jew pawned his bed-clothes God provided mercifully that it should be restored before night: "For " saith he "that is his covering: wherein shall he sleep?" Exodus 22:27. Truly hope is the saint's covering wherein he wraps himself when he lays his body down to sleep in the grave: "My flesh " saith David "shall rest in hope." O Christian bestir thyself to redeem thy hope before this sun of thy temporal life goes down upon thee or else thou art sure to lie down in sorrow. A sad going to the bed of the grave he hath who hath no hope of a resurrection to life.¡XWilliam Gurnall.

Verse 9. "My flesh shall rest in hope." That hope which is grounded on the word gives rest to the soul; 'tis an anchor to keep it steady. Hebrews 6:13. Which shows the unmovableness of that which our anchor is fastened to. The promise sustains our faith and our faith is that which supports us. He that hopes in the Word as David did (Psalm 119:81) lays a mighty stress upon it; as Samson did when he leaned upon the pillars of the house so as to pull it down upon the Philistines. A believer throws the whole weight of all his affairs and concernments temporal spiritual and eternal upon the promises of God like a man resolved to stand or fall with them. He ventures himself and all that belongs to him entirely upon this bottom which is in effect to say if they will not bear me up I am content to sink; I know that there shall be a performance of those things which have been told me from the Lord and therefore I will incessantly look for it.¡XTimothy Cruso.

Verse 10. "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell " etc. The title of this golden text may be¡XThe embalming of the dead saints: the force whereof is to free the souls from dereliction in the state of death and to secure the bodies of God's saints from corruption in the grave. It is the art which I desire to learn and at this time teach upon this sad occasion [A Funeral Sermon] even the preparing of this confection against our burials.¡XGeorge Hughes 1642.

Verse 10. Many of the elder Reformers held that our Lord in soul actually descended into hell according to some of them to suffer there as our surety and according to others to make a public triumph over death and hell. This idea was almost universally and as we believe most properly repudiated by the Puritans. To prove this fact it may be well to quote from Corbet's witty itinerary of

"Foure clerkes of Oxford doctors two and two
That would be doctors."

He laments the secularisation of church appurtenances at Banbury by the Puritans whom he described as

¡X¡X¡X¡X¡X¡X¡X"They which tell
That Christ hath nere descended into Hell
But to the grave."

¡XC. H. S. The quotation is from Richard Corbet's Poems 1632.

Verse 10. "My soul in hell." Christ in soul descended into hell when as our surety he submitted himself to bear those hellish sorrows (or equivalent to them) which we were bound by our sins to suffer for ever. His descension is his projection of himself into the sea of God's wrath conceived for our sins and his ingression into most unspeakable straits and torments in his soul which we should else have suffered for ever in hell. This way of Christ's descending into hell is expressly uttered in the person of David as the type of Christ. Psalm 86:13; 116:3; 69:1-3. Thus the prophet Isaiah saith "His soul was made an offering." Isaiah 53:10. And this I take it David means when he said of Christ "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell." Psalm 16; Acts 2. And thus Christ descended into hell when he was alive not when he was dead. Thus his soul was in hell when in the garden he did sweat blood and on the cross when he cried so lamentably "My God my God why hast thou forsaken me?" Matthew 26:38.¡XNicholas Byfield's "Exposition of the Creed " 1676.

Verse 10. "In hell." Sheol here as hades in the New Testament signifies the state of the dead the separate state of souls after death the invisible world of souls where Christ's soul was though it did not remain there but on the third day returned to its body again. It seems best of all to interpret this word of the grave as it is rendered; Genesis 42:38; Isaiah 38:18.¡XJohn Gill.

Verse 10. "Thine Holy One." Holiness preserves the soul from dereliction in the state of death and the body of the saint from corruption in the grave. If it be desired by any that doubt of it to see the clear issue of this from the text I shall guide them to read this text with a great accent upon that term "Thine Holy One " that they may take special notice of it even the quality of that man exempted from these evils. In this the Spirit of God puts an emphasis on holiness as counter-working and prevailing over death and the grave. It is this and nothing but this that keeps the man dead and buried from desertion in death and corruption in the grave.¡XGeorge Hughes.

Verse 10. The great promise to Christ is that though he took a corruptible body upon him yet he should "not see corruption " that is partake of corruption: corruption should have no communion with much less power over him.¡XJoseph Caryl.

Verse 10. Quoted by the apostle Peter (Acts 2:27); on which Hackett (Com. in loc.) observes:¡X"The sense then may be expressed thus: Thou wilt not give me up as prey to death; he shall not have power over me to dissolve the body and cause it to return to dust."

Verse 11. In this verse are four things observable:

1. A Guide THOU.
2. A Traveller ME.
3. A Way THE PATH.
4. The End LIFE described after. For that which follows is but the description of this life.
This verse is a proper subject for a meditation. For all three are solitary. The guide is but one the traveller one; the way one; and the life the only one. To meditate well on this is to bring all together; and at last make them all but one. Which that we may do let us first seek our Guide.
The Guide. Him we find named in the first verse¡XJehovah. Here we may begin as we ought in all holy exercises with adoration. For "unto him all knees shall bow;" nay unto his name. For holy is his name. Glory be to thee O God! He is Deus therefore holy; he is Deus fortis therefore able. "For the strength of the hills is his;" and if there be a way on earth he can "show" it; for in his hands are all the corners of the earth. But is he willing to "show?" Yes though he be Deus holy (which is a word terrible to poor flesh and blood) yet he is Deus meus my holiness. That takes away servile fear. He is meus we have a property in him; and he is willing: "Thou wilt show " etc. And that you may know he will guide David shows a little above how diligently he will guide. First he will go before he will lead the way himself: if I can but follow I shall be sure to go right. And he that hath a guide before him and will not follow is worthy to be left behind. But say I am willing I do desire to go and I do follow: what if through faintness in the long way I fall often? or for want of care step out of the way shall I not then be left behind? Fear not; for "He is at my right hand so that I shall not slip." Verse 8. This is some comfort indeed. But we are so soon weary in this way and do fall and err so often that it would weary the patience of a good guide to lead us but one day. Will he bear with us and continue to the end? Yes always; or this text deceives us; for all this is found in the eighth verse. We must have him or none; for he is one and the only one. So confessed Asaph: "Whom have I on earth but thee? Seek this good Guide he is easy to be found: "Seek and ye shall find." You shall find that he is first holy; secondly able; thirdly willing; fourthly diligent; and fifthly constant. O my soul! to follow him and he will make thee both able to follow to the end; and holy in the end.
The traveller. Having found the Guide we shall not long seek for one that wants him; for see here is a man out of his way. And that will soon appear if we consider his condition. For he is a stranger ("Thou wilt show me"); and what am I? "I am a stranger and a sojourner as all my fathers were " says he in another place. But this was in the old time under the law; what are we their sons in the gospel any other? Peter tells us no: that we are strangers and pilgrims too; that is travellers. We travel as being out of our country; and we are strangers to those we converse with. For neither the natives be our friends nor anything we possess truly our own. It is time we had animum revertendi; and surely so we have if we could but pray on the way Converte nos Domine. But it is so long since we came hither we have forgot the way home: obliti sunt montis mei. Yet still we are travelling; and we think homewards. For all hope well: oculi omnium sperant in te. But right like pilgrims or rather wanderers. For we scarce know if we go right; and what is worse have little care to enquire.
"Me." David still keeps the singular number. As there is but one guide so he speaks in the person but of one traveller. There is somewhat peradventure in that. It is to show his confidence. The Lord's prayer is in the plural but the creed is in the singular. We may pray that God would guide all; but we can be confident for none but ourselves. "Thou wilt show " or thou dost or hast as some translate: all is but to show particular confidence. "Thou wilt show me;" me not us a number indefinite wherein I may be one; but me in particular that am out of the way; that am myself alone; that must walk in "the path" alone. Either I must follow or go before others; I must work for myself alone; believe for myself alone; and be saved by one alone. The way in this text that I must walk is but one; nay it is but a "path" where but one can go: this is no highway but a way of sufferance by favour: it is none of ours. It is no road; you cannot hurry here or gallop by troops: it is but semita a small footpath for one to go alone in. Nay as it is a way for one alone so it is a lonely way: preparate vias ejus in solitudine saith John and he knew which way God went who is our Guide in solitudine: there is the sweetness of solitariness the comforts of meditation. For God is never more familiar with man than when man is in solitudine alone in his path by himself. Christ himself came thus all lonely; without troop or noise and ever avoided the tumultuous multitude though they would have made him a king. And he never spake to them but in parables; but to his that sought him in solitudine in private he spake plain; and so doth he still love to do to the soul in private and particular. Therefore well said David "Thou wilt show me " in particular and in the singular number. But how shall I know that I in particular shall be taught and showed this way? This prophet that had experience will tell us: mites docebit the humble he will teach. Psalm 25:9. If thou canst humble thyself thou mayst be sure to see thy guide; Christ hath crowned this virtue with a blessing: "Blessed are the meek;" for them he will call to him and teach. But thou must be humble then. For heaven is built like our churches high-roofed within but with a strait low gate; they then that enter there must stoop ere they can see God. Humility is the mark at every cross whereby thou shalt know if thou be in the way: if any be otherwise minded God also shall reveal it unto you for "Thou wilt show."
"The path." But let us now see what he will show us: "The path." We must know that as men have many paths out of their highway¡Xthe world¡Xbut they all end in destruction; so God hath many paths out of his highway the word but they all end in salvation. Let us oppose ours to his (as indeed they are opposite) and see how they agree. Ours are not worth marking his marked with an attendite to begin withal; ours bloody his unpolluted; ours crooked his straight; ours lead to hell his to heaven. Have not we strayed then? We had need to turn and take another path and that quickly: we may well say semitas nostrus . . . vis tus. Well here is the Book and here are the ways before you; and he will show you. Here is semita mandatorum in the one hundred-and-nineteenth Psalm verse thirty-five: here is semita pacifica (Proverbs 3:17); here is semita aequitatis (Proverbs 4:11); here is semita justitiae (Psalm 23:3); here is semita judicii (Proverbs 17:23); and many others. These are every one of them God's ways; but these are somewhat too many and too far off: we must seek the way where all these meet and that will bring us into "the path;" these are many but I will show you yet "a more excellent way " saith Paul. 1 Corinthians 12:31.
We must begin to enter at via mandatorum; for till then we are in the dark and can distinguish no ways whether they be good or bad. But there we shall meet with a lantern and a light in it. Thy commandment is a lantern and thy law a light. Proverbs 6:23. Carry this with thee (as a good man should lex Dei in corde ejus); and it will bring thee into the way. And see how careful our Guide is; for lest the wind should blow out this light he hath put it into a lantern to preserve it. For the fear or sanction of the "commandments " preserves the memory of the law in our hearts as a lantern doth a light burning within it. The law is the light and the commandment the lantern. So that neither flattering Zephyrus nor blustering Boreas shall be able to blow it out so long as the fear of the sanction keeps it in. This is lucerna pedibus (Psalm 119:105); and will not only show thee where thou shalt tread but what pace thou shalt keep. When thou hast this light take Jeremy's counsel; enquire for semita antiqua before thou goest any further. "Stand (saith he) in the ways and behold and ask for the old way; which is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls." This will bring you some whither where you may rest awhile. And whither is that? Trace this path and you shall find this "old way" to run quite through all the Old Testament till it end in the New the gospel of peace and there is rest. And that this is so Paul affirms. For the law which is the "old way " is but the pedagogue to the gospel. This then is "a more excellent way" than the law the ceremonies whereof in respect of this were called "beggarly rudiments." When we come there we shall find the way pleasant and very light so that we shall plainly see before us that very path that only path "the path of life" (semita vitae) in which the gospel ends as the law ends in the gospel. Now what is semita vitae that we seek for? "All the ways of God are truth " saith David. Psalm 119:151. He doth not say they are verae or veritates but veritas; all one truth. So all the ways of God end in one truth. Semita vitae then is truth. And so sure a way to life is truth that John says he had "no greater joy: than to hear that his sons "walked in truth." 3 John 1:3. "No greater joy:" for it brings them certainly to a joy than which there is none greater. Via veritatis is "the gospel of truth " but semita vitae is the truth itself. Of these Esay prophesied "et erit ibi semita et via " etc. "There shall be a path and a way;" and the way shall be called holy the proper epithet of the gospel: "the holy gospel " that is the way. But the path is the epitome of this way (called in our text by way of excellence "the path " in the singular); than which there is no other. "The gospel of your salvation " saith Paul is "the word of truth;" and "thy word is truth " saith our Saviour to his Father. Truth then is "the path of life " for it is the epitome of the gospel which is the way. This is that truth which Pilate (unhappy man) asked after but never stayed to be resolved of. He himself is the word; the word is the truth; and the truth is "the path of life " trodden by all the patriarchs prophets apostles martyrs and confessors that ever went to heaven before us. The abstract of the gospel the gate of heaven semita vitae "the path of life " even Jesus Christ the righteous who hath beaten the way for us gone himself before us and left us the prints of his footsteps for us to follow where he himself sits ready to receive us. So the law is the light the gospel is the way and Christ is "the path of life."¡XWilliam Austin 1637.

Verse 11. It is Christ's triumphing in the consideration of his exaltation and taking pleasure in the fruits of his sufferings: "Thou wilt show me the paths of life." God hath now opened the way to paradise which was stopped up by a flaming sword and made the path plain by admitting into heaven the head of the believing world. This is a part of the joy of the soul of Christ; he hath now a fulness of joy a satisfying delight instead of an overwhelming sorrow; a "fulness of joy " not only some sparks and drops as he had now and then in his debased condition; and that in the presence of his Father. His soul is fed and nourished with a perpetual vision of God in whose face he beholds no more frowns no more designs of treating him as a servant but such smiles that shall give a perpetual succession of joy to him and fill his soul with fresh and pure flames. Pleasures they are pleasantness in comparison whereof the greatest joys in this life are anguish and horrors. His soul hath joys without mixture pleasures without number a fulness without want a constancy without interruption and a perpetuity without end.¡XStephen Charnock.

Verse 11. "In thy presence " etc. To the blessed soul resting in Abraham's bosom there shall be given an immortal impassible resplendent perfect and glorious body. Oh what a happy meeting will this be what a sweet greeting between the soul and the body the nearest and dearest acquaintance that ever were! What a welcome will that soul give to her beloved body! Blessed be thou (will she say) for thou hast aided me to the glory I have enjoyed since I parted with thee; blessed art thou that sufferedst thyself to be mortified giving "thy members as weapons of righteousness unto God." Romans 6:13. Cheer up thyself for now the time of labour is past and the time of rest is come. Thou wast sown and buried in the dust of earth with ignominy but now raised in glory; sown in weakness but raised in power; sown a natural body but raised a spiritual body; sown in corruption but raised in incorruption. 1 Corinthians 15:43. O my dear companion and familiar we took sweet counsel together we two have walked together as friends on God's house (Psalm 55:14). for when I prayed inwardly thou didst attend my devotions with bowed knees and lifted-up hands outwardly. We two have been fellow labourers in the works of the Lord we two have suffered together and now we two shall ever reign together; I will enter again into thee and so both of us together will enter into our Master's joy where we shall have pleasures at his right hand for evermore.
The saints entered as it were into the chambers of God's presence shall have joy to their ears in hearing their own commendating and praise "Well done good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21); and in hearing the divine language of heavenly Canaan; for our bodies shall be vera et viva perfect like Christ's glorious body who did both hear other and speak himself after his resurrection as it is apparent in the gospel's history. Now then if the words of the wise spoken in due places be like "apples of gold with pictures of silver" (Proverbs 25:11). if the mellifluous speech of Origen the silver trumpet of Hillary the golden mouth of Chrysostom bewitched as it were their auditory with exceeding great delight; if the gracious eloquence of heathen orators whose tongues were never touched with a coal from God's altar could steal away the hearts of their hearers and carry them up and down whither they would what a "fulness of joy" will it be to hear not only the sanctified but also the glorified tongues of saints and angels in the kingdom of glory? . . . . . Bonaventure fondly reports at all adventure that St. Francis hearing an angel a little while playing on a harp was so moved with extraordinary delight that he thought himself in another world. Oh! what a "fulness of joy" will it be to hear more than twelve legions of angels accompanied with a number of happy saints which no man is able to number all at once sing together "Hallelujah holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come." "And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all them that are in them heard I saying Blessing and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." Revelation 4:8; 5:13. If the voices of mortal men and the sound of cornet trumpet harp sackbut psaltery dulcimer and other well-tuned instruments of music passing through our dull ears in this world be so powerful that all our affections are diversely transported according to the divers kinds of harmony then how shall we be ravished in God's presence when we shall hear heavenly airs with heavenly ears!
Concerning "fulness of joy" to the rest of the senses I find a very little or nothing in holy Scriptures and therefore seeing God's Spirit will not have a pen to write I may not have a tongue to speak. Divines in general affirm that the smelling and taste and feeling shall have joy proportionable to their blessed estate for this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal immortality; the body which is sown in weakness is to be raised in power; it is sown a natural body but it is raised a spiritual body; buried in dishonour raised in glory; that is capable of good and as being impassible no way subject to suffer evil insomuch that it cannot be hurt if it should be cast into hell fire no more than Shadrach Meshech and Abednego were hurt in the burning oven. In one word God is not only to the souls but also to the bodies of the saints all in all things; a glass to their sight honey to their taste music to their hearing balm to their smelling.¡XJohn Boys.

Verse 11. "In thy presence is fulness of joy." The saints on earth are all but viatores wayfaring men wandering pilgrims far from home; but the saints in heaven are comprehensores safely arrived at the end of their journey. All we here present for the present are but mere strangers in the midst of danger we are losing ourselves and losing our lives in the land of the dying. But ere long we may find our lives and ourselves again in heaven with the Lord of life being found of him in the land of the living. If when we die we be in the Lord of life our souls are sure to be bound up in the bundle of life that so when we live again we may be sure to find them in the life of the Lord. Now we have but a dram but a scruple but a grain of happiness to an ounce to a pound to a thousand weight of heaviness; now we have but a drop of joy to an ocean of sorrow; but a moment of ease to an age of pain; but then (as St. Austin very sweetly in his Soliloquies) we shall have endless ease without any pain true happiness without any heaviness the greatest measure of felicity without the least of misery the fullest measure of joy that may be without any mixture of grief. Here therefore (as St. Gregory the divine adviseth us) let us ease our heaviest loads of sufferings and sweeten our bitterest cups of sorrows with the continual meditation and constant expectation of the fulness of joy in the presence of God and of the pleasure at his right hand for evermore.
"In thy presence IS " etc. there it is not there it was nor there it may be nor there it will be but there it is there it is without cessation or intercision there it always hath been and is and must be. It is an assertion aeternae veritatis that is always true it may at any time be said that there it is. "In thy presence is the fulness of joy;" and herein consists the consummation of felicity; for what does any man here present wish for more than joy? And what measure of joy can any man wish for more than fulness of joy? And what kind of fulness would any man wish for rather than this fulness the fulness kat exochn? And where would any man wish to enjoy this fulness of joy rather than in the presence of God which is the ever-flowing and the over-flowing fountain of joy? And when would any man wish for this enjoyment of the fulness of joy in the very fountain of joy rather than presently constantly and incessantly? Now all these desirables are encircled within the compass of the first remarkable to make up the consummation of true felicity. "In thy presence is fulness of joy."¡XThe Consummation of Felicity " by Edward Willan 1654.

Verse 11. The human nature of Christ in heaven hath a double capacity of glory happiness and delight; one on that mere fellowship and communion with his Father and the other persons through his personal union with the Godhead. Which joy of his in this fellowship Christ himself speaks of as to be enjoyed by him: "In thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore." And this is a constant and settled fulness of pleasure such as admits not any addition or diminution but is always one and the same and absolute and entire in itself; and of itself alone sufficient for the Son of God and heir of all things to live upon though he should have had no other comings in of joy and delight from any creature. And this is his natural inheritance.¡XThomas Goodwin.

Verse 11. "In thy presence is FULNESS of joy." In heaven they are free from want; they can want nothing there is unless it be want itself. They may find the want of evil but never feel the evil of want. Evil is but the want of good and the want of evil is but the absence of want. God is good and no want of good can be in God. What want then can be endured in the presence of God where no evil is but all good that the fulness of joy may be enjoyed? Here some men eat their meat without any hunger whilst others hunger without any meat to eat and some men drink extremely without any thirst whilst others thirst extremely without any drink. But in the glorious presence of God not any one can be pampered with too much nor any one be pined with too little. They that gather much of the heavenly manna "have nothing over;" and "they that gather little have no lack." They that are once possessed of that presence of God are so possessed with it that they can never feel the misery of thirst or hunger.¡XEdward Willan.

Verse 11. "Fulness." Every soul shall there enjoy an infinite happiness because it shall enjoy an infinite goodness. And it shall be for ever enjoyed without disliking of it or losing of it or lacking any of it. Every soul shall enjoy as much good in that presence by the presence of that good as it shall be able to receive or to desire to receive. As much as shall make it fully happy. Every one shall be filled so proportionably full; and every desire in any soul shall be filled so perfectly in that presence of glory with the glory of that presence that no one shall ever wish for any more or ever be weary of that it has or be willing to change it for any other.¡XEdward Willan.

Verse 11. "Fulness of joy." When a man comes to the sea he doth not complain that he wants his cistern of water: though thou didst suck comfort from thy relations; yet when thou comest to the ocean and art with Christ thou shalt never complain that thou hast left thy cistern behind. There will be nothing to breed sorrow in heaven; there shall be joy and nothing but joy: heaven is set out by that phrase "Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Here joy enters into us there we enter into joy; the joys we have here are from heaven; the joys that we shall have with Christ are without measure and without mixture. "In thy presence is fulness of joy."¡XThomas Watson.

Verse 11. "In thy presence is fulness of joy." In this life our joy is mixed with sorrow like a prick under the rose. Jacob had joy when his sons returned home from Egypt with the sacks full of corn but much sorrow when he perceived the silver in the sack's mouth. David had much joy in bringing up the ark of God but at the same time great sorrow for the breach made upon Uzza. This is the Lord's great wisdom to temper and moderate our joy. As men of a weak constitution must have their wine qualified with water for fear of distemper so must we in this life (such is our weakness) have our joy mixed with sorrow lest we turn giddy and insolent. Here our joy is mixed with fear (Psalm 2) "Rejoice with trembling;" the women departed from the sepulchre of our Lord "with fear and great joy." Matthew 28:8. In our regenerate estate though we have joy from Christ that is "formed in us " yet the impression of the terrors of God before the time of our new birth remains in us; as in a commotion of the sea by a great tempest after a stormy wind hath ceased yet the impression of the storm remains and makes an agitation. The tender mother recovering her young child from danger of a fall hath joy from the recovery; but with much fear with the impression of the danger; so after we are recovered here from our dangerous falls by the rich and tender mercies of our God sometime prevening us sometime restoring us; though we rejoice in his mercy and in our own recovery out of the snares of Satan yet in the midst of our joy the remembrance of former guiltiness and danger do humble our hearts with much sorrow and some trepidation of heart. As our joy here is mixed with fears so with sorrow also. Sound believers do look up to Christ crucified and do rejoice in his incomparable love that such a person should have died such a death for such as were enemies to God by sinful inclinations and wicked works; they look down also upon their own sins that have wounded and crucified the Lord of glory and this breaketh the heart as a widow should mourn who by her froward and lewd behaviour hath burst the heart of a kind and loving husband.
The sound believers look to their small beginnings of grace and they rejoice in the work of God's hands; but when they compare it with that original and primitive righteousness they mourn bitterly as the elders of Israel did at the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 3:12; "They who had seen the first house wept." But in heaven our joy will be full without mixture of sorrow (John 16:20); "Your sorrow " saith our Lord "shall be turned into joy." Then will there be no sorrow for a present trouble nor present fear of future troubles. Then their eye will deeply affect their heart; the sight and knowledge of God the supreme and infinite good will ravish and take up all their heart with joy and delight. Peter in the Mount (Matthew 17) was so affected with that glorious sight that he forgot both the delights and troubles that were below; "It is good to be here " said he. How much more will all worldly troubles and delights be forgot at that soul-satisfying sight in heaven which is as far above that of Peter in the Mount as the third heaven is above that Mount and as the uncreated is above the created glory!¡XWilliam Colvill's "Refreshing Streams " 1655.

Verse 11. "In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Mark for quality there are pleasures; for quantity fulness; for dignity at God's right hand; for eternity for evermore. And millions of years multiplied by millions make not up one minute to this eternity of joy that the saints shall have in heaven. In heaven there shall be no sin to take away your joy nor no devil to take away your joy; nor no man to take away your joy. "Your joy no man taketh from you." John 16:22. The joy of the saints in heaven is never ebbing but always flowing to all contentment. The joys of heaven never fade never wither never die nor never are lessened nor interrupted. The joy of the saints in heaven is a constant joy an everlasting joy in the root and in the cause and in the matter of it and in the objects of it. "Their joy lasts for ever whose objects remain for ever."¡XThomas Brooks.

Verse 11. "Pleasures for evermore." The soul that is once landed at the heavenly shore is past all storms. The glorified soul shall be for ever bathing itself in the rivers of pleasure. This is that which makes heaven to be heaven "We shall be ever with the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 4:17. Austin saith "Lord I am content to suffer any pains and torments in this world if I might see thy face one day; but alas! were it only a day then to be ejected heaven it would rather be an aggravation of misery;" but this word "ever with the Lord " is very accumulative and makes up the garland of glory: a state of eternity is a state of security.¡XThomas Watson.

Verse 11. This then may serve for a ground of comfort to every soul distressed with the tedious bitterness of this life; for short sorrow here we shall have eternal joy; for a little hunger an eternal banquet; for light sickness and affliction everlasting health and salvation; for a little imprisonment endless liberty; for disgrace glory. Instead of the wicked who oppress and afflict them they shall have the angels and saints to comfort and solace them instead of Satan to torment and tempt them they shall have Jesus to ravish and affect them. Joseph's prison shall be turned into a palace; Daniel's lions' den into the presence of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah; the three children's hot fiery furnace into the new Jerusalem of pure gold; David's Gath into the tabernacle of the living God.¡XJohn Cragge's "Cabinet of Spiritual Jewels " 1657.

Verse 11. This heavenly feast will not have an end as Ahasuerus's feast had though it lasted many days; but "At thy right hand are pleasures for evermore."¡XWilliam Colvill.

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HINTS TO THE VILLAGE PREACHER

Michtam of David. Under the title of "The Golden Psalm " Mr. Canon Dale has published a small volume which is valuable as a series of good simple discourses but ought hardly to have been styled "an exposition." We have thought it right to give the headings of the chapters into which his volume is divided for there is much showiness and may be some solidity in the suggestions.
Verse 1. The seeking of the gold. The believer conscious of danger trusting in God only for deliverance.
Verses 2 3. The possessing of the gol.d The believer looking for justification to the righteousness of God alone while maintaining personal holiness by companionship with the saints.
Verses 4 5. The testing of the gold. The believer finding his present portion and expecting his eternal inheritance in the Lord.
Verse 6. The prizing or valuing of the gold. The believer congratulating himself on the pleasantness of his dwelling and the goodness of his heritage.
Verses 7 8. The occupying of the gold. The believer seeking instruction from the counsels of the Lord by night and realising his promise by day.
Verses 9 10. The summing or reckoning of the gold. The believer rejoicing and praising God for the promise of a rest in hope and resurrection into glory.
Verse 11. The perfecting of the gold. The believer realising at God's right hand the fulness of joy and the pleasures for evermore.

Upon this suggestive Psalm we offer the following few hints out of many¡X

Verse 1. The prayer and the plea. The preserver and the truster. The dangers of the saints and the place of their confidence.

Verse 2. "Thou art my Lord." The soul's appropriation allegiance assurance and avowal.

Verses 2 3. The influence and sphere of goodness. No profit to God or departed saints or sinners but to living men. Need of promptness etc.

Verse 2 3. Evidences of true faith.

• I. Allegiance to divine authority.
• II. Rejection of self-righteousness.
• III. Doing good to the saints.
• IV. Appreciation of saintly excellence.
• V. Delight in their society.

Verse 3. Excellent of the earth. May be translated noble wonderful magnificent. They are so in their new birth nature clothing attendance heritage etc. etc.

Verse 3. "In whom is all my delight." Why Christians should be objects of our delight. Why we do not delight in them more. Why they do not delight in us. How to make our fellowship more delightful.

Verse 3. Collection sermon for poor believers.

• I. Saints.
• II. Saints on the earth.
• III. These are excellent.
• IV. We must delight in them.
• V. We must extend our goodness to them.

¡XMatthew Henry. Verse 4. Sorrows of idolatry illustrated in heathens and ourselves.

Verse 4 (Second clause). The duty of complete separation from sinners in life and lip.

Verse 5. Future inheritance and present cup found in God. (See exposition.)

Verse 6.

• I. "Pleasant places." Bethlehem Calvary Olivet Tabor Zion Paradise etc.
• II. Pleasant purposes which made these lines fall to me.
• III. Pleasant praises. By service sacrifice and song.

Verse 6 (second clause).

• I. A heritage.
• II. A goodly heritage.
• III. I have it.
• IV. Yea or the Spirit's witness.

Verse 6. "A goodly heritage." That which makes our portion good is¡X

• I. The favour of God with it.
• II. That it is from a Father's hand.
• III. That it comes through the covenant of grace.
• IV. That it is the purchase of Christ's blood.
• V. That it is an answer to prayer and a blessing from above upon honest endeavours.

Verse 6. We may put this acknowledgment into the mouth of¡X

• I. An indulged child of providence.
• II. An inhabitant of this favoured country.
• III. A Christian with regard to his spiritual condition.

¡XWilliam Jay.

Verse 7. Taking counsel's opinion. Of whom? Upon what? Why? When? How? What then?

Verse 7. Upward and inward or two schools of instruction.

Verse 8. Set the Lord always before you as¡X

• I. Your protector.
• II. Your leader.
• III. Your example.
• IV. Your observer.

¡XWilliam Jay.

Verses 8 9. A sense of the divine presence our best support. It yields

• I. Good confidence concerning things without. "I shall not be moved."
• II. Good cheer within. "My heart is glad."
• III. Good music for the living tongue. "My glory rejoiceth."
• IV. Good hope for the dying body. "My flesh also " etc.

Verse 9. (last clause).

• I. The saint's Sabbath (rest).
• II. His sarcophagus (in hope).
• III. His salvation (for which he hopes).

Verses 9 10. Jesus cheered in prospect of death by the safety of his soul and body; our consolation in him as to the same.

Verse 10. Jesus dead the place of his soul and his body. A difficult but interesting topic.

Verses 10 11. Because he lives we shall live also. The believers therefore can also say "Thou wilt show me the path of life." This life means the blessedness reserved in heaven for the people of God after the resurrection. It has three characters. The first regards its source¡Xit flows from "his presence." The second regards its plenitude¡Xit is "fulness" of joy." The third regards its permanency¡Xthe pleasures are "for evermore."¡XWilliam Jay.

Verse 11. A sweet picture of heaven. (See EXPOSITION.)

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WORKS UPON THE SIXTEENTH PSALM

An Exposition upon some select Psalms of David. . . . . . By ROBERT ROLLOCK. 1600. 16mo.

A Godly Exposition of the Sixteenth Psalm: in R. Greenham's "Works:" pp. 316-331. Folio: 1612.

In the "Works" of John Boys 1626 folio pp. 898-908 there is an Exposition of Psalm Sixteen

"Devotions Augustinianae Flamma; or Certayne Devout Godly and Learned Meditations. Written by the excellently accomplisht gentleman WILLIAM AUSTIN of Lincolnes Inne Esquire. . . . 1637 " contains "Notes on the Sixteenth Psalme; more particularly on the last verse." Small folio.

The Golden Psalm. Being an Exposition practical experimental and prophetical of Psalm Sixteenth. By the Rev. THOMAS DALE M.A. Canon Residentiary of St. Paul's London and Vicar of St. Pancras Middlesex. London: 1847.

Christ in Gethsemane. An Exposition of Psalm Sixteen. By JAMES FRAME Minister of Queen Street Chapel Ratcliff London: 1858.

¢w¢w C.H. Spurgeon¡mThe Treasury of David¡n