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Psalm Twenty-six
Psalm 26
Chapter Contents
David
in this psalm
appeals to God touching his
integrity.
David here
by the Spirit of prophecy
speaks of himself
as a type of Christ
of whom what he here says of his spotless innocence was
fully and eminently true
and of Christ only
and to Him we may apply it. We
are complete in him. The man that walks in his integrity
yet trusting wholly
in the grace of God
is in a state of acceptance
according to the covenant of
which Jesus was the Mediator
in virtue of his spotless obedience even unto
death. This man desires to have his inmost soul searched and proved by the
Lord. He is aware of the deceitfulness of his own heart; he desires to detect
and mortify every sin; and he longs to be satisfied of his being a true
believer
and to practise the holy commands of God. Great care to avoid bad
company
is both a good evidence of our integrity
and a good means to keep us
in it. Hypocrites and dissemblers may be found attending on God's ordinances;
but it is a good sign of sincerity
if we attend upon them
as the psalmist
here tells us he did
in the exercise of repentance and conscientious
obedience. He feels his ground firm under him; and
as he delights in blessing
the Lord with his congregations on earth
he trusts that shortly he shall join
the great assembly in heaven
in singing praises to God and to the Lamb for
evermore.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Psalms》
Psalm 26
Verse 1
[1] Judge me
O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I
have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.
Trusted — I have committed my cause and affairs to thee.
Verse 3
[3] For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have
walked in thy truth.
For — I dare appeal to thee
because thou knowest I have a
deep sense of thy loving-kindness
by which I have been led to love and obey
thee.
Verse 4
[4] I have not sat with vain persons
neither will I go in
with dissemblers.
Sat — Continued with them. I have been so far from an
imitation of their wicked courses
that I have avoided their company.
Vain — With false and deceitful persons.
Go in — Into their company.
Verse 6
[6] I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass
thine altar
O LORD:
Compass — Approach to thine altar with my sacrifices: which I
could not do with any comfort
if I were conscious of those crimes
whereof
mine enemies accuse me.
Verse 8
[8] LORD
I have loved the habitation of thy house
and the
place where thine honour dwelleth.
House — Thy sanctuary and worship.
Honour — Thy glorious and gracious presence.
Verse 9
[9] Gather not my soul with sinners
nor my life with bloody
men:
Gather not — Do not bind me up in the same
bundle
or put me into the same accursed condition with them.
Verse 12
[12] My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations
will I bless the LORD.
Standeth — I stand upon a sure and solid foundation
being under
the protection of God's promise
and his almighty and watchful providence.
Congregations — I will not only privately
but in
the assemblies of thy people celebrate thy praise.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Psalms》
Exposition
Explanatory Notes and Quaint Sayings
Hints to the Village Preacher
Other Works
TITLE. A Psalm of
David. The sweet singer of Israel appears before us in this Psalm as one
enduring reproach; in this he was the type of the great Son of David
and is an
encouraging example to us to carry the burden of slander to the throne of
grace. It is an ingenious surmise that this appeal to heaven was written by
David at the time of the assassination of Ishbosheth
by Baanah and Rechab
to
protest his innocence of all participation in that treacherous murder; the
tenor of the Psalm certainly agrees with the supposed occasion
but it is not
possible with such a slender clue to go beyond conjecture.
DIVISION. Unity of
subject is so distinctly maintained
that there are no sharp divisions. David
Dickson has given an admirable summary in these words:—"He appeals to
God"
the supreme Judge
in the testimony of a good conscience
bearing
him witness; first
of his endeavour to walk uprightly as a believer
Ps
26:1-3; secondly
of his keeping himself from the contagion of the evil
counsel
sinful causes
and examples of the wicked
Ps 26:4-5; thirdly
of his
purpose still to behave himself holily and righteously
out of love to be
partaker of the public privileges of the Lord's people in the congregation
Ps
26:6-8 Whereupon he prayeth to be free of the judgment coming upon the wicked
Ps 26:9-10 according as he had purposed to eschew their sins
Ps 26:11 and he
closes the prayer with comfort and assurance of being heard
Ps 26:12.
EXPOSITION
Verse
1. Judge me
O Jehovah. A solemn appeal to the just tribunal
of the heart searching God
warranted by the circumstances of the writer
so
far as regarded the particular offences with which he was wrongly charged.
Worried and worn out by the injustice of men
the innocent spirit flies from
its false accusers to the throne of Eternal Right. He had need have a clear
case who dares to carry his suit into the King's Bench of heaven. Such an
appeal as this is not to be rashly made on any occasion; and as to the whole of
our walk and conversation
it should never be made at all
except as we are
justified in Christ Jesus: a far more fitting prayer for a sinful mortal is the
petition
"Enter not into judgment with thy servant." For I have
walked in mine integrity. He held integrity as his principle
and walked in
it as his practice. David had not used any traitorous or unrighteous means to
gain the crown
or to keep it; he was conscious of having been guided by the
noblest principles of honour in all his actions with regard to Saul and his
family. What a comfort it is to have the approbation of one's own conscience!
If there be peace within the soul
the blustering storms of slander which howl
around us are of little consideration. When the little bird in my bosom sings a
merry song
it is no matter to me if a thousand owls hoot at me from without. I
have trusted also in the Lord. Faith is the root and sap of integrity. He
who leans upon the Lord is sure to walk in righteousness. David knew that God's
covenant had given him the crown
and therefore he took no indirect or unlawful
means to secure it; he would not slay his enemy in the cave
nor suffer his men
at arms to smite him when he slept unguarded on the plain. Faith will work hard
for the Lord
and in the Lord's way
but she refuses so much as to lift a
finger to fulfil the devices of unrighteous cunning. Rebecca acted out a great
falsehood in order to fulfil the Lord's decree in favour of Jacob—this was
unbelief; but Abraham left the Lord to fulfil his own purposes
and took the
knife to slay his son—this was faith. Faith trusts God to accomplish his own
decrees. Why should I steal when God has promised to supply my need? Why should
I avenge myself when I know that the Lord has espoused my cause? Confidence in
God is a most effectual security against sin. Therefore I shall not slide.
Slippery as the way is
so that I walk like a man upon ice
yet faith keeps my
heels from tripping
and will continue to do so. The doubtful ways of policy
are sure sooner or later to give a fall to those who run therein
but the ways
of honesty
though often rough
are always safe. We cannot trust in God if we
walk crookedly; but straight paths and simple faith bring the pilgrim happily
to his journey's end.
Verse
2. There are three modes of trial here challenged
which are said in
the original to refer to trial by touch
trial by smell
and trial by fire. The
psalmist was so clear from the charge laid against him
that he submitted
himself unconditionally to any form of examination which the Lord might see fit
to employ. Examine me
O Lord. Look me through and through; make a
minute survey; put me to the question
cross examine my evidence. And prove
me. Put me again to trial; and see if I would follow such wicked designs as
my enemies impute to me. Try my reins and my heart. Assay me as metals
are assayed in the furnace
and do this to my most secret parts
where my
affections hold their court; see
O God
whether or no I love murder
and
treason
and deceit. All this is a very bold appeal
and made by a man like
David
who feared the Lord exceedingly
it manifests a most solemn and complete
conviction of innocence. The expressions here used should teach us the
thoroughness of the divine judgment
and the necessity of being in all things
profoundly sincere
lest we be found wanting at the last. Our enemies are
severe with us with the severity of spite
and this a brave man endures without
fear; but God's severity is that of unswerving right. Who shall stand against
such a trial? The sweet singer says "Who can stand before his cold?"
and we may well enquire
"Who can stand before the heat of his
justice?"
Verse
3. For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes. An object of
memory and a ground of hope. A sense of mercy received sets a fair prospect
before the faithful mind in its gloomiest condition
for it yields visions of
mercies yet to come
visions not visionary but real. Dwell
dear reader
upon
that celestial word lovingkindness. It has a heavenly savour. Is it not
an unmatchable word
unexcelled
unrivalled? The goodness of the Lord to us
should be before our eyes as a motive actuating our conduct; we are not under
the bondage of the law
but we are under the sweet constraints of grace
which
are far more mighty
although far more gentle. Men sin with the law before
their eyes
but divine love
when clearly seen
sanctifies the conversation. If
we were not so forgetful of the way of mercy in which God walks toward us
we
should be more careful to walk in the ways of obedience toward him. And I
have walked in thy truth. The psalmist was preserved from sin by his
assurance of the truthfulness of God's promise
which truth he endeavoured to
imitate as well as to believe. Observe from this verse that an experience of
divine love will show itself in a practical following of divine truth; those
who neglect either the doctrinal or practical parts of truth must not wonder if
they lose the experimental enjoyment of it. Some talk of truth
it is
better to walk in it. Some vow to do well in future
but their
resolutions come to nothing; only the regenerate man can say "I have
walked in thy truth."
Verses
4-5. So far from being himself an open offender against the laws of
God
the psalmist had not even associated with the lovers of evil. He had kept
aloof from the men of Belial. A man is known by his company
and if we have
kept ourselves apart from the wicked
it will always be evidence in our favour
should our character be impugned. He who was never in the parish is not likely
to have stolen the corn. He who never went to sea is clearly not the man who
scuttled the ship.
Verse
4. I have not sat with vain persons. True citizens have no
dealings with traitors. David had no seat in the parliament of triflers. They
were not his boon companions at feasts
nor his advisers in council
nor his
associates in conversation. We must needs see
and speak
and trade
with men
of the world
but we must on no account take our rest and solace in their empty
society. Not only the profane
but the vain are to be shunned by us. All those
who live for this life only are vain
chaffy
frothy men
quite unworthy of a
Christian's friendship. Moreover as this vanity is often allied with falsehood
it is well to save ourselves altogether from this untoward generation
lest we
should be led from bad to worse and from tolerating the vain should come to
admire the wicked. Neither will I go in with dissemblers. Since I know
that hypocritical piety is double iniquity
I will cease all acquaintance with
pretenders. If I must need walk the same street
I will not enter the same door
and spend my time in their society. The congregation of the hypocrites is not
one with which we should cultivate communion; their ultimate rendezvous will be
the lowest pit of hell
let us drop their acquaintance now! for we shall not
desire it soon. They hang their beads around their necks and carry the devil in
their hearts. This clause is in the future tense
to indicate that the writer
felt no desire to begin an acquaintance with the characters whom up till then
he had shunned. We must maintain the separated path with more and more
circumspection as we see the great redemption day approaching. Those who would
be transfigured with Jesus
must not be disfigured by conformity to the world.
The resolution of the psalmist suggests
that even among professed followers of
truth we must make distinctions
for as there are vain persons out of the
church
so there are dissemblers in it and both are to be shunned with
scrupulous decision.
Verse
5. I have hated the congregation of evil doers. A severe
sentence
but not too severe. A man who does not hate evil terribly
does not
love good heartily. Men
as men
we must always love
for they are our
neighbours
and therefore to be loved as ourselves; but evil doers
as such
are traitors to the Great King
and no loyal subject can love traitors. What
God hates we must hate. The congregation or assembly of evil doers
signifies
violent men in alliance and conclave for the overthrow of the innocent; such
synagogues of Satan are to be held in abhorrence. What a sad reflection it is
that there should be a congregation of evil doers as well as a congregation of
the upright
a church of Satan as well as a church of God; a seed of the
serpent as well as a seed of the woman; an old Babylon as well as a new
Jerusalem: a great whore sitting upon many waters
to be judged in wrath
as
well as a chaste bride of the Lamb to be crowned at his coming. And will not
sit with the wicked. Saints have a seat at another table
and will never
leave the King's dainties for the husks of the swine trough. Better to sit with
the blind
and the halt
and the lame
at the table of mercy
than with the
wicked in their feasts of ungodliness
yea
better to sit on Job's dunghill
than on Pharaoh's throne. Let each reader see well to his company
for such as
we keep in this world
we are likely to keep in the next.
Verse
6. I will wash mine hands in innocency. He would publicly
avow himself to be altogether clear of the accusations laid against him
and if
any fault in other matters could be truthfully alleged against him
he would
for the future abstain from it. The washing of the hands is a significant
action to set forth our having no connection with a deed
as we still say
"I wash my hands of the whole business." As to perfect innocence
David does not here claim it
but he avows his innocence of the crimes whereof
he was slanderously accused; there is
however
a sense in which we may be
washed in absolute innocency
for the atoning blood makes us clean every whit.
We ought never to rest satisfied short of a full persuasion of our complete
cleansing by Jesus' precious blood. So will I compass thine altar
O Lord.
Priests unto God must take great care to be personally cleansed; the brazen
laver was as needful as the golden altar; God's worship requires us to be holy
in life. He who is unjust to man cannot be acceptably religious towards God. We
must not bring our thank offerings with hands defiled with guilt. To love
justice and purity is far more acceptable to God
than ten thousands of the fat
of fed beasts. We see from this verse that holy minds delight in the worship of
the Lord
and find their sweetest solace at his altar; and that it is their
deepest concern never to enter upon any course of action which would unfit them
for the most sacred communion with God. Our eye must be upon the altar which
sanctifies both the giver and the gift
yet we must never draw from the atoning
sacrifice an excuse for sin
but rather find in it a most convincing argument
for holiness.
Verse
7. That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving. David
was so far instructed that he does not mention the typical offering
but
discerns the spiritual offering which was intended thereby
not the groans of
bullocks
but songs of gratitude the spiritual worshipper presents. To sound
abroad the worthy praises of the God of all grace should be the everyday
business of a pardoned sinner. Let men slander us as they will
let us not
defraud the Lord of his praises; let dogs bark
but let us like the moon shine
on. And tell of all thy wondrous works. God's people should not be
tongue tied. The wonders of divine grace are enough to make the tongue of the
dumb sing. God's works of love are wondrous if we consider the unworthiness of
their objects
the costliness of their method
and the glory of their result.
And as men find great pleasure in discoursing upon things remarkable and astonishing
so the saints rejoice to tell of the great things which the Lord hath done for
them.
Verse
8. Lord
I have loved the habitation of thy house. Into the
abodes of sin he would not enter
but the house of God he had long loved
and
loved it still. We were sad children if we did not love our Father's dwelling
place. Though we own no sacred buildings
yet the church of the living God is
the house of God
and true Christians delight in her ordinances
services
and
assemblies. O that all our days were Sabbaths! And the place where thine
honour dwelleth. In his church where God is had in honour at all times
where he reveals himself in the glory of his grace
and is proclaimed by his
people as the Lord of all. We come not together as the Lord's people to honour
the preacher
but to give glory to God; such an occupation is most pleasant to
the saints of the Most High. What are those gatherings where God is not
honoured
are they not an offence to his pure and holy eyes
and are they not a
sad stumbling block to the people of God? It brings the scalding tear upon our
cheek to hear sermons in which the honour of God is so far from being the
preacher's object
that one might almost imagine that the preacher worshipped
the dignity of manhood
and thought more of it than of the Infinite Majesty of
God.
Verse
9. Gather not my soul with sinners. Lord
when
like fruit
I
must be gathered
put me not in the same basket with the best of sinners
much
less with the worst of them. The company of sinners is so distasteful to us
here
that we cannot endure the thought of being bound up in the same bundle
with them to all eternity. Our comfort is
that the Great Husbandman discerns
the tares from the wheat
and will find a separate place for distinct
characters. In the former verses we see that the psalmist kept himself clear of
profane persons
and this is to be understood as a reason why he should not be
thrust into their company at the last. Let us think of the doom of the wicked
and the prayer of the text will forcibly rise to our lips; meanwhile
as we see
the rule of judgment by which like is gathered to its like
we who have passed
from death unto life have nothing to fear. Nor my life with bloody men.
Our soul sickens to hear them speak; their cruel dispatches
in which they
treat the shooting of their fellow men as rare sport
are horrifying to us;
Lord
let us not be shut up in the same prison with them; nay
the same
paradise with such men would be a hell
if they remained as they are now.
Verse
10. In whose hands is mischief. They have both hands full of
it
plotting it and carrying it out. And their right hand
with which
they are most dexterous
is full of bribes; like thieves who would steal
with impunity
they carry a sop for the dogs of justice. He who gives bribes is
every way as guilty as the man who takes them
and in the matter of our
parliamentary elections the rich villain who give the bribe is by far the
worse. Bribery
in any form or shape
should be as detestable to a Christian as
carrion to a dove
or garbage to a lamb. Let those whose dirty hands are fond
of bribes remember that neither death nor the devil can be bribed to let them
escape their well earned doom.
Verse
11. Here is the lover of godliness entering his personal protest
against unrighteous gain. He is a Nonconformist
and is ready to stand alone in
his Nonconformity. Like a live fish
he swims against the stream. Trusting in
God
the psalmist resolves that the plain way of righteousness shall be his
choice
and those who will
may prefer the tortuous paths of violence and
deceit. Yet
he is by no means a boaster
or a self righteous vaunter of his
own strength
for he cries for redemption and pleads for mercy. Our integrity
is not absolute nor inherent
it is a work of grace in us
and is marred by
human infirmity; we must
therefore
resort to the redeeming blood and to the
throne of mercy
confessing that though we are saints among men
we must still
bow as sinners before God.
Verse
12. The song began in the minor
but it has now reached the major
key. Saints often sing themselves into happiness. The even place upon
which our foot stands is the sure
covenant faithfulness
eternal promise and
immutable oath of the Lord of Hosts; there is no fear of falling from this
solid basis
or of its being removed from under us. Established in Christ
Jesus
by being vitally united to him
we have nothing left to occupy our
thoughts but the praises of our God. Let us not forsake the assembling of
ourselves together
and when assembled
let us not be slow to contribute our
portion of thanksgiving. Each saint is a witness to divine faithfulness
and
should be ready with his testimony. As for the slanderers
let them howl
outside the door while the children sing within.
EXPLANATORY
NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS
Whole
Psalm. This Psalm is coupled on to the foregoing by thoughts and words.
At the close of the foregoing the psalmist had prayed for integrity Ps
26:1. Unless this Psalm is regarded as a sequel to the preceding one
it will
seem vainglorious; but being combined with the penitential acknowledgments of
sin
and with the earnest supplications for pardon and grace
and with the
earnest profession of faith that God has heard his prayer
which breathe forth
in the foregoing Psalm
it will be seen that the declarations which the
psalmist now makes of integrity
are not assertions of human merit
but
acknowledgments of divine mercy. As Augustine says
"Non merita mea
sed misericordia tua
ante oculos meos est." Christopher Wordsworth.
Verse
1. Judge me
O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity. A
good cause
a good conscience
and a good deportment
are good grounds of
appeal to God. Ingram Cobbin.
Verse
1. Judge me
O Lord. Nothing is so pleasing to him that is
upright as to know that God knoweth he is so. As it is a small matter with
those who are sincere to be condemned by men
so it is not much with them to be
condemned or approved by them; for indeed neither "he that commendeth
himself
"as the apostle speaks 2Co 10:18
nor he that is commended by others
"is approved
but whom the Lord commendeth." The testimony
or
letters commendatory of all the men in the world will do us no good
unless God
give us his also. Joseph Caryl.
Verse
1. Judge me
O Lord. As an instance of appeal to heaven
we
quote that mighty preacher of the word
George Whitfield. "However some
may account me a mountebank and an enthusiast
one that is only going to make
you methodically mad; they may breathe out their invectives against me
yet
Christ knows all; he takes notice of it
and I shall leave it to him to plead
my cause
for he is a gracious Master. I have already found him so
and am sure
he will continue so. Vengeance is his
and he will repay it." George
Whitfield
1714-1770.
Verse
1. "Integrity." (Mh)
or (Mymt) is used of whatever
is uninjured
or is free from any spot or blemish; and hence we find the term
applied to an unblemished animal offering in sacrifice. Le 1:3 3:9. George
Phillips.
Verse
1. Mine integrity. There is a force in the possessive pronoun
"my
"which must be attended to. The psalmist intimates that he had
proceeded in one uniform course
notwithstanding all the devices of his
enemies. W. Wilson
D.D.
Verse
1. I have trusted in the Lord. Trust in God is the fountain
of "integrity." Whoever places his hope in God need not seek to
advance his worldly interests by violating his duty towards his neighbour: he
waits for everything from above
and is
at the same time
always
determined that he will not be deprived of the favour of his heavenly Father
through violating his commandments. E. W. Hengstenberg.
Verse
1. I shall not slide. It is a striking word
as fully
expressive of the completeness of God's protection and the security of his
upholding hand as the psalmist's language of the integrity of his walk and
trust in God. It is not
as in our Prayer book version
"I shall not fall
"but it is
"I shall not even slide; "not even make a
false step or stumble. Barton Bouchier.
Verse
2. The psalmist uses three words
examine
prove
try.
These words are designed to include all the modes in which the reality of
anything is tested; and they imply together that he wished the most thorough
investigation to be made; he did not shrink from any test. Albert Barnes.
Verse
2. Examine—prove—try. As gold
by fire
is severed
and parted from dross
so singleness of heart and true Christian simplicity is
best seen and made most evident in troubles and afflictions. In prosperity
every man will seem godly
but afflictions do draw out of the heart whatsoever
is there
whether it be good or bad. Robert Cawdray.
Verse
2. Prove me. The work of conscience within us doth prove
us. God hath set up a light within us
and when this is enlightened by the
Word
then it makes a man's breast full of light. Now a faithful godly man loveth
that this should be tender
active
speaking out of God's Word for every duty
and against every sin. You see the quickness of it in David
when it is said
"His heart smote him; "and 1 John 3.
"If thy heart condemn
thee
God is greater than thy heart." Alas! if thou within thine own self
judgest thyself to sin thus and thus
God doth much more. Try thy integrity;
art thou willing to have a tender conscience
and an informed conscience? Dost
thou love to hear what that speaks out of God's Word? whether peace or duty?
this is comfortable. But on the other side
if thou art a man that rebellest
against the light of it
wouldst fain put out the sting of it
wouldst be glad
to feel no such living thing in thy breast
then thou hast cause to suspect
thyself. Oh
it is to be feared that there are many that give themselves to
lusts
and carnal pleasures
that so they may put a foggy mist between their
conscience and themselves. Others dig into the world
labouring to become
senseless
that so there may be an eclipse of this light by the interposition
of the earth. Others run to damnable heresies
denying Scriptures
God
heaven
hell; pleading for an universal salvation of all. What are these but refuges of
guilty consciences? We must distinguish between our carnal concupiscence
and
conscience; between deluded imaginations
and conscience; between an erroneous
and scrupulous conscience
and a well grounded and truly informed conscience;
and when we have done so
we must follow conscience as far as that follows the
Word. Anthony Burgess.
Verse
2. Reins...heart. The "reins
"as the seat
of the lower animal passions; the "heart
"as comprising not
only the higher affections
but also the will and the conscience. He thus
desires to keep nothing back; he will submit himself to the searching flame of
the Great Refiner
that all dross of self deception may be purged away. J.
J. Stewart Perowne.
Verse
3. The practical effect of divine goodness is seen in this text. As
the chief thing communicated from God is the divine nature
whereby we are made
to resemble him
so the promises of God set home upon the soul are the means of
communication; they are the milk and honey of the Scripture
which do not
cherish the old man
but support the new; they are no pillows for sinful sloth
but spurs to holy diligence. The promises of grace animate the soul to duty;
and when we thus see the goodness of the Lord
it encourages our subjection to
his government. Timothy Cruso.
Verses
3-4. I have walked in thy truth
I have not sat with vain persons.
Be as careful as thou canst
that the persons thou choosest for thy companions
be such as fear God. The man in the gospel was possessed with the devil
who
dwelt among the tombs
and conversed with graves and carcasses. Thou art far
from walking after the good Spirit
if thou choosest to converse with open
sepulchres
and such as are dead in sins and trespasses. God will not shake the
wicked by the hand
as the Vulgate reads Job 8:20
neither must the godly man.
David proves the sincerity of his course
by his care to avoid such society: I
have walked in thy truth; I have not sat with vain persons.
There
is a twofold "truth." 1. Truth of doctrine. Thy law is the
truth
free from all dross of corruption and falsehood of error. 2. Truth of
affection
or of the inward parts. This may be called "thy truth
"or God's truth
though man be the subject of it
partly because it
proceedeth from him
partly because it is so pleasant to him; in which respect
a broken heart is called the "sacrifice of God." Ps 51:6. As if he
had said
I could not have walked in the power of religion
and in integrity
if I had associated with vile and vain company; I could never have walked in
thy precepts if I had "sat with vain persons."
Observe
the phrase
"I have not sat with vain persons." 1. Sitting is
a posture of choice. It is at a man's liberty
whether he will sit or stand. 2.
Sitting is a posture of pleasure. Men sit for their ease
and with delight;
therefore
the glorified are said to "sit in heavenly places." Eph 2:6.
3. Sitting is a posture of staying or abiding. 2Ki 5:3. Standing is a posture
of going
but sitting of staying. The blessed
who shall forever be with the
Lord and his chosen
are mentioned "to sit down with Abraham
Isaac
and
Jacob
in the kingdom of heaven." Mt 8:11. David in neither of these
senses durst sit with vain persons. He might
as his occasions required
use their company
but durst not knowingly choose such company. They could not
be the object of his election who were not the object of his affection. "I
hate the congregation of evil doers
"saith he. As siting is a posture
of pleasure
he did not sit with vain persons. He was sometimes amongst them to
his sorrow
but not to his solace. They were to him
as the Canaanites to the
Israelites
pricks in his eyes
and thorns in his sides. "Woe is me
that
I sojourn in Mesech
that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!" Ps 120:5. It
caused grief
not gladness
that he was forced to be amongst the profane. George
Swinnock.
Verses
3-4. I have walked in thy truth
I have not sat with vain persons.
See Psalms on "Ps 26:3" for further information.
Verse
4. I have not sat with vain persons. There is a necessary
commerce with men in buying and selling
or as the apostle says
"We must
needs go out of the world
"but do not voluntarily choose the company of
the wicked. 1Co 5:10. "I have written unto you not to keep company
"etc. 1Co 5:11. Do not be too familiar with them. What do Christ's doves
among birds of prey? What do virgins among harlots? The company of the wicked
is very defiling
it is like going among them that have the plague. "They
were mingled among the heathen and learned their works." If you mingle
bright armour with rusty
the bright armour will not brighten the rusty
but
the rusty armour will spoil the bright. Pharaoh taught Joseph to swear
but
Joseph did not teach Pharaoh to pray. Thomas Watson.
Verse
4. Neither will I go with dissemblers. Chaldee: "I will
not go in with those that hide themselves to do evil." Wickedness is not
candid
and loves concealment
while truth and righteousness are open
and seek
scrutiny. Job 24:13-17 Joh 3:20-21. None will deny that the candid man has far
fewer troubles with his own conduct than the tortuous and deceitful. The
righteous shun the wicked both for the sin and for the misery that are
in their ways. William S. Plumer.
Verse
4. Dissemblers. The hypocrite has much angel without
more
devil within. He fries in words
freezes in works; speaks by ells
doth good by
inches. He is a stinking dunghill
covered over with snow; a loose hung mill
that keeps great clacking
but grinds no grist; a lying hen that cackles when
she hath not laid. Thomas Adams.
Verse
4. Dissemblers. Perhaps when the bright sunbeams of an early
spring have robed all nature in a smiling garb
you have taken your little
baskets
and gone in quest of a bank of sweet smelling modest violets
and you
may have found flowers so like them
in form and colour
that you have been
deceived
and eagerly grasped you prize; but alas! the sweet odour which should
have scented the gale
was found wanting
and betrayed the dog violet. An apt
emblem this of those
who
"having the form of godliness
deny the power
thereof." 2Ti 3:5. Mrs. Rogers
in "The Shepherd King."
Verses
4-5. As rotten apples corrupt those sound ones that do touch them and
lie close to them
even so the evil manners and bad conditions of the ungodly
do infect those that keep them company. Robert Cawdray.
Verses
4-5. "It is difficult (saith a late ingenious writer) even to a
miracle to keep God's commandments and evil company too." How suddenly
after your soul refreshments in your closet communion have you lost all your
heats and spiritual fervencies
which you had in secret
and have instantly
cooled by going forth into cold and corrupt air! When a saint hath been in
private ravished with the love of God and the joys of heaven
and afterwards
meets with company
which neither doth nor can speak one word of such matters
what a damp it is to him! What a quenching
as it were
of the Spirit of God in
him! Nay
is not that true which one saith
that "the people of God do
generally lose more by worldly men
that are of a blameless conversation before
men
than they lose by wicked and profane men"? Lewis Stuckley.
Verses
4-5
9. He that would not be found among sinners in the other world
must
take heed that he do not frequent their company in this. Those whom the
constable finds wandering with vagrants
may be sent with them to the house of
correction. "Lord
"said a good woman
on her death bed
when in
doubt of her salvation
"send me not to hell amongst wicked men
for thou
knowest I never loved their company all my life long." David deprecates
their future doom upon the like ground
and argues it as a sign of his
sincerity: I have not sat with vain persons
neither will I go in with
dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with
the wicked...O gather not my soul with sinner. Lord
I have not loved the
wicked so well as to sit with them for a little time
and shall I live with
them forever? I have not lain amongst them rotting on the earth; and wilt thou
gather my soul with those sticks for the unquenchable fire of hell? Lord
I
have been so far from liking
that thou knowest I have loathed the congregation
of evil doers. Do not I hate them that hate thee? Yea
I hate them with perfect
hatred; and shall thy friends fare as thy foes? I appeal to thy Majesty
that
my great comfort is in thy chosen. I rejoice only to be amongst thy children
here
and shall I be excluded their company hereafter? "O do not gather
my soul with sinners
"for the wine press of thine eternal anger!
Marcion
the heretic
seeing Polycarp
wondered that he would not own him. Do
you not know me
Polycarp? Yes
saith Polycarp
"Scio te esse
primogenitum diaboli; " "I know thee to be the firstborn of the
devil
"and so despised him. George Swinnock.
Verse
5. I have hated the congregation of evil doers
etc. The
hatred of God's enemies
qua his enemies—"yea
I hate them right
sore" so entirely opposed to the indifferentism of the present day
has
always been one distinguishing mark of his ancient servants. Witness Phinehas
Ps 106:41; "And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all
generations for evermore; " Samuel with Agag; Elias with the priests of
Baal. And notice the commendation of the angel of Ephesus
"Thou canst not
bear them that are evil." Re 2:2. J. M. Neale.
Verse
5. I have hated the congregation of evil doers. We consider
them as God's enemies
so we hate them; not their persons
but their vices; for
that
as Augustine defines it
is odium perfectum
a perfect hatred. And
indeed it is the hatred that God beareth to his enemies; for "the wrath of
God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men"
Ro 1:18; not against their persons—they are his workmanship
and carry his
image in some sort
though much disfigured; but against the unrighteousness and
ungodliness of men
by which their persons do stand obnoxious to his
displeasure. And thus I find the saints of God have triumphed over the wicked
as Israel over Pharaoh
and the Gileadites over the children of Ammon; not
rejoicing in the destruction of God's creatures
but of God's enemies; and
wishing with Deborah and Barak
"So let all thine enemies perish
O
Lord." This is no more but an applauding of the judgment of God
and a
celebration of his justice. Edward Marbury.
Verse
5. I have hated
etc. Consider that there can be no true
friendship betwixt a godly and a wicked person; therefore it concerneth thee to
be the more wary in thy choice. He that in factions hath an eye to power
in
friendship will have an eye to virtue. Friendship
according to the
philosopher
is one soul in two bodies. But how can they ever be of one soul
that are as different as air and earth
and as contrary as fire and water? All
true love is
motus animi ad fruendum Deo propter ipsum; se et proximo
propter Deum—a motion of the soul towards the enjoyment of God for himself
and his neighbours for God's sake; so that he can never truly love man who doth
not love his Maker. God is the only foundation upon which we can build
friendship; therefore such as live without him
cannot love us in him. That
building which is loose
without this foundation can never stand long. A wicked
man may call that profession he maketh to his brother by the name of love
but
heathens can tell us that virtue alone is the hand which can twist the cords of
love; that other combinations are but a confederacy
and all other but
conjunctions in hypocrisy. George Swinnock.
Verse
5. Wheresoever we perceive any people to worship God truly after his
word
there we may be certain the church of Christ to be
unto the which we
ought to associate ourselves
and to desire
with the prophet David
to praise
God in the midst of this church. But if we behold
through the iniquity of
time
congregations to be made with counterfeit religion
otherwise than the
word of God doth teach
we ought then
if we be required to be companions
thereof
to say again with David
"I have hated the synagogue of the
malignant
and will not sit with the wicked." In the Apocalypse
the
church of Ephesus is highly commended
because she tried such as said they were
apostles and were not in deed
and therefore would not abide the company of
them. Further
God commanded his people that they should not seek Bethel
neither enter into Galgala
where idolatry was used
by the mouth of his
prophet Amos. John Philpot (Martyr). Burnt at Smithfield
1555.
Verse
5. How few consider how they harden wicked men by an intimacy with
them
whereas withdrawal from them might be a means to make them ashamed!
Whilst we are merry and jovial with them
we make them believe their condition
is not deplorable
their danger is not great; whereas if we shunned them
as we
would a bowed wall
whilst they remain enemies to the Lord
this might do them
good
for the startling of them
and rousing of them out of their unhappy
security and strong delusions wherein they are held. Lewis Stuckley.
Verse
6. I will wash mine hands in innocency. There are two eminent
lavers in the gospel; the first
Christ's bath
a hot bath
lavacrum
sanguinis
the laver of Christ's blood; the second
our bath
a cold bath
lavacrum
lachrimarum
the laver of repentance. These two mixed together will prove a
sovereign composition
wrought first by Christ himself when he sweat water and
blood. The first is as that pool of Bethesda into which whoever enters with faith
is healed; the blood of Christ is the true laver of regeneration
a fountain
set open for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in. "The blood of Christ purgeth
us from all sins." 1Jo 1:7. We account it charity in mothers to feed their
children with their own milk: how dear is the love of Christ
that both washes
and feeds us with his own blood! No sooner are we born in Christ
but just as
our mother's
so Christ's blood is turned into milk
nourishing us to
everlasting salvation. What is calamus benjamini
or storax
or a
thousand rivers of oil
to make us clean
except the Lord purge and cleanse us?
No; it is his blood "that speaks better things than the blood of
Abel." "Unto him
therefore
that loved us and washed us from our
sins in his own blood
and hath made us kings and priests to God and his
Father: to him be glory and dominion for ever." Re 1:5-6. But yet it is
the second bath
the laver of repentance
that must apply and make the first
operative. This bath of Mary Magdalene's repentance
it is a kind of rebaptism
giving strength and effect to the first washing. And it implies a three fold
act: first
to bruise our hearts by contrition; secondly
to lay our
wounds open by confession to God; thirdly
to wash our hands in
innocency
by satisfaction to men...Wash now and wash all; from the
crown of the head to the sole of the foot there is nothing in us but wounds and
sores; yet above all there is something here in it that David washes his "hands."
Indeed it is not enough to come with wet eyes
if we come with foul hands to
offer with unwashen hands; the Gentiles would not do it. Contrition and
confession to God make not up complete repentance without satisfaction to men. Non
remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum: (Augustine)
it is as true as
old
and in old father Latimer's English it is "Either there must be
restitution
open or secret
or else hell." Whoever repairs not the wrong
rejoiceth in the sin. Pr 2:14. Where there is no satisfaction
Non agitur
sed fingitur paenitentia
saith St. Augustine; and those who restore not
all
wash not their whole hands
they dip only the tips of their fingers.
Extortion
rapine
bribery
these are the sins of the hands (sins so proper to
the Jews
that they may well conceive as they do that the devil lies all night
on their hands
and that is it makes them so diligent in washing); but as for
us Christians
unless these vipers be shaken off our hands
though ye cover the
altar of the Lord with tears
with weeping
and with crying out
yet if you
continue in your pollutions
God regards not your offering any more
nor will
he receive it with good will at your hands. Mt 2:13. Isaac Bargrave's Sermon
before the House of Commons
1623.
Verse
6. I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine
altar
O Lord. If greatness might have privileged this person from
impurity
David was a king; if the grace of his soul might have freed
him from the soil of sin
he was "a man after God's own heart." But
let not great men put too much trust in their greatness; the longer the robe is
the more soil in contracts: great power may prove the mother of great
damnation. And as for purity
there is a generation that say there's no sin in
them
but they deceive themselves; there is no truth in them. Whatever Rome's rusiologyi
pretend for the power of nature
and of free will
we wretched sinners are
taught to conceive more truly of our own infirmity. Christ's own apostle
stout
Thomas
failed in the faith of his resurrection; Peter (whose chair is now the
pretended seat of infallibility) denied his Master; David
"a man after
God's own heart
"hath need of washing; and who can say
I am pure
in the sight of the Lord? Certainly
O Lord
no flesh is righteous in thy
sight. No; this is the best ground of Christian felicity
if with David we fall
to a sight of our own sins; if with the Publican we strike our own breasts
and
not with the Pharisee
cast our eye so much upon other men's faults. Why should
we
like tailors
measure all men but ourselves? as if the best of us had not
sin enough of his own to think on. See how David calls himself to account for
his own sins; "O Lord
I know mine iniquity
and my sin is ever before
me." Oh
the powerful effect of Christian devotion
when by the reflective
act of the understanding
science is turned into conscience
and our knowledge
is but the glass of our imperfection
the glass wherein the sight of our sins
sends us presently to God
as it did David here
who makes this account only
betwixt God and his own soul
"I
O Lord." First
he takes his
rise from humility and the sight of his own sins
and he soars up by the wings
of faith to the throne of God's mercy: "I
O Lord." He sees
with his own eyes
and not only with the church
or the priest's spectacles; he
is his own penitentiary and confessor; here's no intercession by saints
no
masses
merits
indulgences
trentals
dirges: all's done betwixt God and him: "I
O Lord." With the eye of humility he looks to himself and his
own misery; then with the eye of faith to God and his mercy
and from
both these results a third virtue of repentance in the act of
preparation
washing the soil of sin in the bath of sorrow: "I will
wash mine hands
"etc. Isaac Bargrave.
Verse
6. I will wash mine hands in purity. Referring in these
words
to the ordinary use of the sacrifices
he makes a distinction between
himself and those who professed to offer the same divine worship
and thrust
themselves forward in the services of the sanctuary
as if they alone had the
sole right to perform them. As David
therefore
and these hypocrites were one
in this respect
that they entered the sanctuary
and surrounded the sacred
altar together
he proceeds to show that he was a true worshipper
declaring
that he not only diligently attended to the external rites
but came to worship
God with unfeigned devotion. It is obvious that he alludes to the solemn rite
of washing which was practised under the law. He
accordingly
reproves the
gross superstition of hypocrites
who
in seeking only the purification of
water
neglected true purification; whereas it was God's design
in the
appointment of the outward sign
to put men in mind of their inward pollution
and thus to encourage them to repentance. The outward washing alone
instead of
profiting hypocrites
kept them at a greater distance from God. When the
psalmist
therefore
says
"I will wash my hands in innocence
"he
intimates that they only gather more pollution and filth by their washings. The
Hebrew word (Nwyqn) nikkayon
signifies the cleanness of anything
and
is figuratively used for innocence. We thus see
that as hypocrites
derive no moral purity whatever from their washings
David mocks at the labour
with which they vainly toil and torment themselves in such rites. John
Calvin.
Verse
6. "I will wash mine hands
"etc. David willing to
express his coming with a pure heart to pray to God
doth it by this similitude
of a priest: that as a priest washes his hands
and then offers
oblation
so had he constantly joined purity and devotion
together. Henry Hammond.
Verse
6. In innocency. The very akmt and crown of all our
preparation
the purest water we can wash in
is innocency; and innocency
is a virtue of the heart as well as of the hand. "Cleanse your hands
ye
sinners; and purify your hearts
ye double minded." Jas 4:8. I could wish
our washing might be like Cyprian's baptising
ad tincturam
even till
we were dyed in repentance and the blood of Christ. Let the quantity of thy
sins be the measure of thy repentance. First offer thine innocency
then
thy sacrifice. It is not enough that you come this day by order
you must come
with innocency. God requires the duty of the second table
as well as of
the first; he abhors the outward act of piety where he finds no conscience and
practice of innocency. Isaac Bargrave.
Verse
6. (first clause). One morning
as Gotthold was pouring water
into a basin
he recollected the words of Scripture: I will wash my hands in
innocency
a text which shows how diligently the royal prophet had
endeavoured to lead a blameless life
and walk habitually in the fear of God.
Upon this he mused
and said
Henceforth
my God
every time I pour out water
to wash with
I will call to mind that it is my duty to cleanse my hands from
wicked actions
my mouth from wicked words
and my heart from wicked lusts and
desires
that so I may be enabled to lift holy hands unto thee
and with
unspotted lips and heart worship thee
to the best of my ability. What will it
profit me to strive after outward purity
if my heart is filthy and abominable
in thy sight? Can the food nourish me which I have earned with polluted hands
or seized with violence and injustice
or eaten with insensibility and
ingratitude? Ah! no
my God; far from me be food like this. My first care shall
be to maintain a blameless walk; my next
when I have thoughtlessly defiled
myself
to cleanse and wash away the stain
and remove mine iniquity from thine
eyes. "Purge me
O my God
and I shall be clean: wash me
and I shall
be whiter than snow." Ps 51:7. Christian Scriver (1629-1693)
in "Gotthold's Emblems."
Verse
6. I will compass thine altar
O Lord. On the next day after
this feast (the Feast of Tabernacles)
the people compassed the altar seven
times
with palm boughs in their hands
in the remembrance of the overthrow of
Jericho...Not only the boughs
but the days of this whole Feast of Tabernacles
were termed Hosannoth
from the usual acclamation of the people whilst
they carried the boughs up and down. Thomas Godwyn
B.D. (1587-1643)
in
"Moses and Aaron."
Verse
6. By the phrase compassing the altar
either he alludes to
some Levitical custom of going about the altar
as the priests did in the
oblation of their sacrifices; and the people
especially those of them who were
more devout and zealous
who possibly moved from place to place
but still
within their own court
that they might discern what was done on the several
sides of the altar
and so be more affected with it; or rather he implies that
he would offer many sacrifices together
which would employ the priests round
about the altar. Matthew Poole.
Verse
8. Lord
I have loved the habitation of thy house
etc.
"I have in my congregation
"said a venerable minister of the gospel
"a worthy
aged woman
who has for many years been so deaf as not to
distinguish the loudest sound
and yet she is always one of the first in the
meeting. On asking the reason of her constant attendance (as it was impossible
for her to hear my voice)
she answered
`Though I cannot hear you
I come to
God's house because I love it
and would be found in his ways; and he gives me
many a sweet thought upon the text when it is pointed out to me: another reason
is
because there I am in the best company
in the more immediate presence of
God
and among his saints
the honourable of the earth. I am not satisfied with
serving God in private; it is my duty and privilege to honour him regularly in
public.'" What a reproof this is to those who have their hearing
and yet
always come to a place of worship late
or not at all! K. Arvine.
Verse
9. Gather not my soul with sinners. Now is the time that
people should be in care and concern
that their souls be not gathered with
sinners in the other world. In discoursing from this doctrine we shall—1.
Consider some things implied in it. 2. Show who are the sinners
that we are to
have a horror of our souls being gathered with in the other world. 3. What it
is for one's soul to be gathered with sinners in the other world. 4. Consider
this care and concern
or show what is implied in this earnest request
"Gather not my soul with sinners" 5. Give the reasons why we should
be in such care and concern. 6. Make application. Death is the gathering time
which the psalmist has in view in the text. Ye have a time here that ye call
the gathering time
about the term when the servants are going away
wherein ye
gather your strayed sheep
that every one may get their own again. Death is
God's gathering time wherein he gets the souls belonging to him
and the devil
those belonging to him. They did go long together
but then they are parted
and the saints are taken home to the congregation of saints
and sinners to the
congregation of sinners. And it concerns us to say
"Gather not my soul
with sinners." Whoever be our people here
God's people or the devil's
death will gather our souls to them. It is a horrible thing to be gathered with
sinners in the other world. To think of our souls being gathered with them
there
may make the hair of one's head stand up. Many now like no gathering
like the gathering with sinners; it is the very delight of their hearts
it
makes a brave jovial life in their eyes. And it is a pain to them to be
gathered with saints
to be detained before the Lord on a Sabbath day. But to
be gathered with them in the other world
is a horror to all sorts. 1. The
saints have a horror of it
as in the text. To think to be staked down in their
company in the other world would be a hell of itself to the godly. David never
had such a horror of the society of the diseased
the persecuted
etc.
as of
sinners. He is content to be gathered with saints of whatever condition; but
"Lord
"say he
"Gather not my soul with sinners." 2. The
wicked themselves have a horror of it. Nu 23:10. "Let me die the death of
the righteous
"said the wicked Balaam
"and let my last end be like
his." Though they would be content to live with them
or be with them in
life
their consciences bear witness that they have a horror of being with them
in death. They would live with sinners
but they would die with saints. A poor
unreasonable
self condemning thought. Thomas Boston.
Verse
9. Gather not my soul with sinners. Bind me not up in the
same bundle with them
like the tares for the fire. Mt 13:30. The contrast to
this is seen in the following Ps 27:10
"When my father and my mother
forsake me
then the Lord will take me up; " literally
will gather me
to his fold. Christopher Wordsworth.
Verse
9. Gather not my soul with sinners. The Lord hath a harvest
and a gleaning time also
set for cutting down and binding together
in the
fellowship of judgments
God's enemies
who have followed the same course of
sinning: for here we are given to understand that God will "gather
their souls
"and so will let none escape. David Dickson.
Verse
9. Gather not my soul with sinners. After all
it may be
objected that this concern seems to be common with saints and sinners. Even a
wicked Balaam said
"Let me die the death of the righteous
and let my
last end be like his." Nu 23:10. Take a few differences between them
in this matter. 1. It is separation from Christ that makes the saints to have a
horror at being gathered with sinners hereafter. Separation from Christ is the
main ground of the believer's horror: but if other things were to be right with
the sinner in the other world
he would be easy under separation from Christ.
2. The believer has a horror at being gathered with sinners on account of their
filthiness; but the thing that makes the sinner concerned is the prospect of
punishment. No doubt
a principle of self preservation must make punishment
frightful to all; but abstracted from that
the saints have a concern not to be
gathered with sinners in the other world
upon account of their unholiness and
filthiness. "He who is filthy
let him be filthy still
"is enough to
make a saint abhor the lot of sinners in the life to come. 3. The concern of
the saints has a mighty influence upon them
to make them study holiness here;
but sinners live unholy for all their concern. "And every man that hath
this hope in him purifieth himself
even as he is pure." 1Jo 3:3. What
hope? The hope of seeing Christ as he is
and of being perfectly like him
of being
separated from sinners. 4. Lastly
the concern of the saints is such
that they
do with purpose of heart come out from among sinners more and more in this
world; but sinners are not concerned to be separated from sinners here. Balaam
wished to die the death of the righteous; but he had no concern to live the
life of the righteous
and to be separated from sinners here. James Scot
1773.
Verses
9-12. David prays that God would not "gather his soul with
sinners
whose right hand is full of bribes; "such as
for advantage
would be bribed to sin
to which wicked gang he opposeth himself
Ps 26:11; "But
as for me
I will walk in mine integrity; "where he tells us what kept
him from being corrupted and enticed
as they were; from God—it was his integrity.
A soul walking in its integrity will take bribes neither from men
nor sin
itself: and therefore he saith Ps 26:12
"His foot stood in an even place;
"or
as some read it
"My foot standeth in righteousness." William
Gurnall.
Verse
10. Their right hand is full of bribes. If the great men in
Turkey should use their religion of Mahomet to sell
as our patrons commonly
sell benefices here (the office of preaching
the office of salvation)
it
should be taken as an intolerable thing; the Turk would not suffer it in his
commonwealth. Patrons be charged to see the office done
and not to seek a
lucre and a gain by their patronage. There was a patron in England that had a
benefice fallen into his hand
and a good brother of mine came unto him
and
brought him up thirty apples in a dish
and gave them to his man to carry them
to his master. It is like he gave one to his man for his labour
to make up the
gain
and so there was thirty-one. This man cometh to his master
and presented
him with the dish of apples
saying
"Sir
such a man hath sent you a dish
of fruit
and desireth you to be good unto him for such a benefice."
"Tush
tush
"said he
"this is no apple matter
I will none of
his apples
I have as good as these (or any he hath) in mine own orchard."
The man came to the priest again
and told him what his master said.
"Then
"said the priest
"desire him yet to prove one of them
for my sake
he shall find them much better than they look for." He cut
one of them
and found ten pieces of gold in it. "Marry
"said he
"this is a good apple." The priest standing not far off
hearing what
the gentleman said
cried out and answered
"they are all one apples
I
warrant you
sir; they grew all on one tree
and have all one taste."
"Well
he is a good fellow
let him have it
"said the patron
etc.
Get you a graft of this same tree
and I warrant you it shall stand you in
better stead than all St. Paul's learning. Hugh Latimer.
Verse
10. Bribes. They that see furthest into the law
and most
clearly discern the cause of justice
if they suffer the dust of bribes to be
thrown into their sight
their eyes will water and twinkle
and fall at last to
blind connivance. It is a wretched thing when justice is made a hackney that
may be backed for money
and put on with golden spurs
even to the desired
journey's end of injury and iniquity. Far be from our souls this wickedness
that the ear which should be open to complaints should be stopped with the
earwax of partiality. Alas! poor truth
that she must now be put to charges of
a golden ear pick
or she cannot be heard! Thomas Adams.
Verse
10.
What
makes all doctrines plain and clear?
About two hundred pounds a year
And that which was proved true before
Proved false again? Two hundred more.
—Samuel Butler (1600-1680)
in Hudibras. Part 3. Canto 1.
Verses
12 (first clause). The upright man's foot
is said to stand
in an even place; he walks not haltingly and uncomely
as those who go in
unequal ways
which are hobbling
and up and down
or those whose feet and legs
are not even (as Solomon saith)
"The legs of the lame are not equal
"and so cannot stand in an even place
because one is long and the
other short; the sincere man's feet are even
and the legs of a length
as I may say; his care alike conscientious to the whole will of God. The
hypocrite
like the badger
hath one foot shorter than another; or
like a
foundered horse
he doth not stand
as we say
right of all four; one foot at
least you shall perceive he favours
loath to put it down. William Gurnall.
Verse
12. On an even place. As a man whose feet are firmly fixed
upon even ground is apprehensive of no fall
so the pious worshippers of
Jehovah feel no dread lest their adversaries should finally triumph over them. William
Walford.
HINTS TO THE
VILLAGE PREACHER
Verse
1.
1. Two
inseparable companions—faith and holiness.
2. The
blessedness of the man who possesses them. He needs not fear the judgment
nor the danger of the way.
3. The
only means of procuring them.
Verse
1. (last sentence). The upholding power of trust in God.
Verse
2. Divine examinations. Their variety
severity
searching
nature
accuracy
certainty: when to be desired
and when to be dreaded.
Verse
3. Delight for the eyes and safety for the feet; or the good man's
sweet contemplation and holy practice; or the heavenly compound of
godliness—motive
and motion
enjoying and acting
love and truth
free grace
and good works.
Verse
3. Thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes. It might be well
to follow David and to keep the lovingkindness of God before our eyes.
This should be done in four ways:—1. As a subject of contemplation.
2. As the source of encouragement.
3. As an incitement to praise.
4. As an example for imitation.
—William Jay.
Verse
4. Vain persons. Who they are. Why they are to be avoided.
What will become of them. Dissemblers. Describe this numerous family.
Show what their objects are. The mischief done to believers by their
craftiness. The need of shunning them
and their fearful end.
Verse
5. Bad company. Cases of its evil results
excuses for it
answered
warnings given
motives urged for relinquishing.
Verse
6. The necessity of personal holiness in order to acceptable
worship.
Verse
7. 1. The believer's calling—a publisher.
2.
The author selected
and the quality of his works. "Thy wondrous
works."
3.
The mode of advertising—"voice of thanksgiving"
"tell"
etc.
Verse
8. God's house. Why we love it. What we love in it. How we show our
love. How our love will be rewarded.
Verse
9. See "Spurgeon's Sermons
"No. 524. "The Saints'
Horror at the Sinners' Hell."
Verse
11. The best men needing redemption and mercy; or the outward walk
before men
and the secret walk with God.
Verse
12. Secure standing
honoured position
grateful praise.
Verse
12 (last clause). Congregational Psalmody
and our personal
share in it.
── C.H. Spurgeon《The Treasury of David》