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Psalm Eighty-five
Psalm 85
Chapter Contents
Prayers for the continuance of former mercies. (1-7)
Trust in God's goodness. (8-13)
Commentary on Psalm 85:1-7
(Read Psalm 85:1-7)
The sense of present afflictions should not do away the
remembrance of former mercies. The favour of God is the fountain of happiness
to nations
as well as to particular persons. When God forgives sin
he covers
it; and when he covers the sin of his people
he covers it all. See what the
pardon of sin is. In compassion to us
when Christ our Intercessor has stood
before thee
thou hast turned away thine anger. When we are reconciled to God
then
and not till then
we may expect the comfort of his being reconciled to
us. He shows mercy to those to whom he grants salvation; for salvation is of
mere mercy. The Lord's people may expect sharp and tedious afflictions when
they commit sin; but when they return to him with humble prayer
he will make
them again to rejoice in him.
Commentary on Psalm 85:8-13
(Read Psalm 85:8-13)
Sooner or later
God will speak peace to his people. If
he do not command outward peace
yet he will suggest inward peace; speaking to
their hearts by his Spirit. Peace is spoken only to those who turn from sin.
All sin is folly
especially backsliding; it is the greatest folly to return to
sin. Surely God's salvation is nigh
whatever our difficulties and distresses
are. Also
his honour is secured
that glory may dwell in our land. And the
truth of the promises is shown by the Divine mercy in sending the Redeemer. The
Divine justice is now satisfied by the great atonement. Christ
the way
truth
and life
sprang out of the earth when he took our nature upon him
and Divine
justice looked upon him well pleased and satisfied. For his sake all good
things
especially his Holy Spirit
are given to those who ask him. Through
Christ
the pardoned sinner becomes fruitful in good works
and by looking to
and trusting in the Saviour's righteousness
finds his feet set in the way of
his steps. Righteousness is a sure guide
both in meeting God
and in following
him
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Psalms》
Psalm 85
Verse 1
[1] LORD
thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast
brought back the captivity of Jacob.
Captivity — The captives.
Verse 4
[4] Turn us
O God of our salvation
and cause thine anger
toward us to cease.
Turn us — Restore us to our former tranquillity
and free us
from the troubles which we yet groan under.
Verse 6
[6] Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may
rejoice in thee?
Revive us — Give us a second reviving in
bringing home the rest of our brethren
and in restraining our enemies.
Verse 8
[8] I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will
speak peace unto his people
and to his saints: but let them not turn again to
folly.
Will hear — Diligently observe.
Will speak — What answer God will give to my
prayers.
Peace — He will give an answer of peace.
Saints — Not to all that are called God's people
but only to
those who are truly such.
Verse 9
[9] Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that
glory may dwell in our land.
His salvation — That compleat salvation for which
all the Israel of God wait; even the redemption by the Messiah; of which not
only Christian
but even Jewish writers understand this place; and to which the
following passages properly belong. And the psalmist might well say this
salvation was nigh
because the seventy weeks determined by Daniel were begun.
Glory — The glorious presence of God
and the God of glory
himself
even Christ
who is the brightness of his father's glory.
Verse 10
[10] Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and
peace have kissed each other.
Kissed — That great work of redemption by Christ
shall clearly
manifest God's mercy in redeeming his people Israel
and in the conversion of
the Gentiles; his truth in fulfilling that great promise of sending his son
his righteousness in punishing sin
on his son
and in conferring righteousness
upon guilty and lost creatures; and his peace or reconciliation to sinners
and
that peace of conscience which attends upon it.
Verse 11
[11] Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness
shall look down from heaven.
Truth — Truth among men.
Righteousness — And God's justice shall be
satisfied: he shall look down upon sinful men with a smiling countenance.
Verse 13
[13] Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in
the way of his steps.
Before him — As his harbinger. He shall fulfil
all righteousness
he shall satisfy the righteousness of God
and shall advance
righteousness and holiness among men.
Set us — Shall cause us to walk in those righteous ways wherein
he walketh.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Psalms》
Exposition
Explanatory Notes and
Quaint Sayings
Hints to the Village
Preacher
Other Works
TITLE. To the Chief
Musician
A Psalm for the sons of Korah. There is no need to repeat our
observations upon a title which is of so frequent occurrence; the reader is
referred to notes placed in the headings of preceding psalms. Yet it may not be
out of place to quote Ne 12:46. In the days of David and Asaph of old there
were chief of the singers
and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.
OBJECT
AND OCCASION. It is the prayer of a patriot for his afflicted country
in which
he pleads the Lord's former mercies
and by faith foresees brighter days. We
believe that David wrote it
but many question that assertion. Certain
interpreters appear to grudge the psalmist David the authorship of any of the
psalms
and refer the sacred songs by wholesale to the times of Hezekiah
Josiah
the Captivity
and the Maccabees. It is remarkable that
as a rule
the
more sceptical a writer is
the more resolute is he to have done with David;
while the purely evangelic annotators are for the most part content to leave
the royal poet in the chair of authorship. The charms of a new theory also
operate greatly upon writers who would have nothing at all to say if they did
not invent a novel hypothesis
and twist the language of the psalm in order to
justify it. The present psalm has of course been referred to the Captivity
the
critics could not resist the temptation to do that
though
for our part we see
no need to do so: it is true a captivity is mentioned in Ps 85:1
but that does
not necessitate the nation's having been carried away into exile
since Job's
captivity was turned
and yet he had never left his native land: moreover
the
text speaks of the captivity of Jacob as brought back
but had it
referred to the Babylonian emigration
it would have spoken of Judah; for Jacob
or Israel
as such
did not return. The first verse in speaking of "the
land" proves that the author was not an exile. Our own belief is that
David penned this national hymn when the land was oppressed by the Philistines
and in the spirit of prophecy he foretold the peaceful years of his own reign
and the repose of the rule of Solomon
the psalm having all along an inner
sense of which Jesus and his salvation are the key. The presence of Jesus the
Saviour reconciles earth and heaven
and secures to us the golden age
the
balmy days of universal peace.
DIVISION. In Ps 85:1-4
the poet sings of the Lord's former mercies and begs him to remember his
people; from Ps 85:5-7 he pleads the cause of afflicted Israel; and then
having listened to the sacred oracle in Ps 85:8
he publishes joyfully the
tidings of future good
Ps 85:9-13.
EXPOSITION
Verse
1. LORD
thou hast been favourable unto thy land. The self
existent
all sufficient JEHOVAH is addressed: by that name he revealed himself
to Moses when his people were in bondage
by that name he is here pleaded with.
It is wise to dwell upon that view of the divine character which arouses the
sweetest memories of his love. Sweeter still is that dear name of "Our
Father
"with which Christians have learned to commence their prayers. The
psalmist speaks of Canaan as the Lord's land
for he chose it for his people
conveyed it to them by covenant
conquered it by his power
and dwelt in it in
mercy; it was meet therefore that he should smile upon a land so peculiarly his
own. It is most wise to plead the Lord's union of interest with ourselves
to
lash our little boat as it were close to his great barque
and experience a
sacred community in the tossings of the storm. It is our land that is
devastated
but O Jehovah
it is also thy land. The psalmist dwells upon
the Lord's favour to the chosen land
which he had shewed in a thousand ways.
God's past doings are prophetic of what he will do; hence the encouraging
argument—"Thou hast been favourable unto thy land
"therefore deal
graciously with it again. Many a time had foes been baffled
pestilence stayed
famine averted
and deliverance vouchsafed
because of the Lord's favour; that
same favourable regard is therefore again invoked. With an immutable God this
is powerful reasoning; it is because he changes not that we are not consumed
and know we never shall be if he has once been favourable to us. From this
example of prayer let us learn how to order our cause before God. It is clear
that Israel was not in exile
or the prayer before us would not have referred
to the land but to the nation. Thou hast brought back the captivity of
Jacob. When down trodden and oppressed through their sins
the Ever merciful
One had looked upon them
changed their sad condition
chased away the
invaders
and given to his people rest: this he had done not once
nor twice
but
times without number. Many a time have we also been brought into soul captivity
by our backslidings
but we have not been left therein; the God who brought
Jacob back from Padanaram to his father's house
has restored us to the
enjoyment of holy fellowship;—will he not do the like again? Let us appeal to
him with Jacob like wrestlings
beseeching him to be favourable
or sovereignly
gracious to us notwithstanding all our provocations of his love. Let declining
churches remember their former history
and with holy confidence plead with the
Lord to turn their captivity yet again.
Verse
2. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people. Often and
often had he done this
pausing to pardon even when his sword was bared to
punish. Who is a pardoning God like thee
O Jehovah? Who is so slow to anger
so ready for forgive? Every believer in Jesus enjoys the blessing of pardoned
sin
and he should regard this priceless boon as the pledge of all other
needful mercies. He should plead it with God—"Lord
hast thou pardoned me
and wilt thou let me perish for lack of grace
or fall into mine enemies' hands
for want of help. Thou wilt not thus leave thy work unfinished." Thou hast
covered all their sin. All of it
every spot
and wrinkle
the veil of love has
covered all. Sin has been divinely put out of sight. Hiding it beneath the
propitiatory
covering it with the sea of the atonement
blotting it out
making it to cease to be
the Lord has put it so completely away that even his
omniscient eye sees it no more. What a miracle is this! To cover up the sun
would be easy work compared with the covering up of sin. Not without a covering
atonement is sin removed
but by means of the great sacrifice of our Lord
Jesus
it is most effectually put away by one act
for ever. What a covering
does his blood afford!
Verse
3. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath. Having removed the
sin
the anger is removed also. How often did the longsuffering of God take
away from Israel the punishments which had been justly laid upon them! How
often also has the Lord's chastising hand been removed from us when our
waywardness called for heavier strokes! Thou hast turned thyself from the
fierceness of thine anger. Even when judgments had been most severe
the Lord
had in mercy stayed his hand. In mid volley he had restrained his thunder. When
ready to destroy
he had averted his face from his purpose of judgment and
allowed mercy to interpose. The book of Judges is full of illustrations of
this
and the psalmist does well to quote them while he interceded. Is not our
experience equally studded with instances in which judgment has been stayed and
tenderness has ruled? What a difference between the fierce anger which is
feared and deprecated here
and the speaking of peace which is foretold in
verse 8. There are many changes in Christian experience
and therefore we must
not despair when we are undergoing the drearier portion of the spiritual life
for soon
very soon
it may be transformed into gladness.
"The
Lord can clear the darkest skies
Can give us day for night.
Make drops of sacred sorrow rise
To rivers of delight."
Verse
4. Turn us
O God of our salvation. This was the main
business. Could the erring tribes be rendered penitent all would be well. It is
not that God needs turning from his anger so much as that we need turning from
our sin; here is the hinge of the whole matter. Our trials frequently arise out
of our sins
they will not go till the sins go. We need to be turned from our
sins
but only God can turn us: God the Saviour must put his hand to the work:
it is indeed a main part of our salvation. Conversion is the dawn of salvation.
To turn a heart to God is as difficult as to make the world revolve upon its
axis. Yet when a man learns to pray for conversion there is hope for him
he
who turns to prayer is beginning to turn from sin. It is a very blessed sight
to see a whole people turn unto their God; may the Lord so send forth his
converting grace on our land that we may live to see the people flocking to the
loving worship of God as the doves to their cotes. And cause thine anger toward
us to cease. Make an end of it. Let it no longer burn. When sinners cease to
rebel
the Lord ceases to be angry with them; when they return to him he
returns to them; yea
he is first in the reconciliation
and turns them when
otherwise they would never turn of themselves. May all those who are now
enduring the hidings of Jehovah's face seek with deep earnestness to be turned
anew unto the Lord
for so shall all their despondencies come to an end. Thus
the sweet singer asks for his nation priceless blessings
and quotes the best
of arguments. Because the God of Israel has been so rich in favour in bygone
years
therefore he is entreated to reform and restore his backsliding nation.
Verse
5. Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? See how the psalmist
makes bold to plead. We are in time as yet and not in eternity
and does not
time come to an end
and therefore thy wrath! Wilt thou be angry always as if
it were eternity? Is there no boundary to thine indignation? Will thy wrath
never have done? And if for ever angry
yet wilt thou be angry with us
thy
favoured people
the seed of Abraham
thy friend? That our enemies should be
always wroth is natural
but wilt thou
our God
be always incensed
against us? Every word is an argument. Men is distress never waste words. Wilt
thou draw out thine anger to all generations? Shall sons suffer for their
father's faults
and punishment become an entailed inheritance? O merciful God
hast thou a mind to spin out thine anger
and make it as long as the ages?
Cease thou
as thou hast ceased aforetime
and let grace reign as it has done
in days of yore. When we are under spiritual desertion we may beg in the like
manner that the days of tribulation may be shortened
lest our spirit should
utterly fail beneath the trial.
Verse
6. Wilt thou not revive us again? Hope here grows almost
confident. She feels sure that the Lord will return in all his power to save.
We are dead or dying
faint and feeble
God alone can revive us
he has in
other times refreshed his people
he is still the same
he will repeat his
love. Will he not? Why should he not? We appeal to him—Wilt thou not? That thy
people may rejoice in thee. Thou lovest to see thy children happy with that
best of happiness which centres in thyself
therefore revive us
for revival
will bring us the utmost joy. The words before us teach us that gratitude has
an eye to the giver
even beyond the gift—thy people may rejoice in thee.
Those who were revived would rejoice not only in the new life but in the Lord
who was the author of it. Joy in the Lord is the ripest fruit of grace
all
revivals and renewals lead up to it. By our possession of it we may estimate
our spiritual condition
it is a sure gauge of inward prosperity. A genuine revival
without joy in the Lord is as impossible as spring without flowers
or daydawn
without light. If
either in our own souls or in the hearts of others
we see
declension
it becomes us to be much in the use of this prayer
and if on the
other hand we are enjoying visitations of the Spirit and bedewings of grace
let us abound in holy joy and make it our constant delight to joy in God.
Verse
7. Shew us thy mercy
O LORD. Reveal it to our poor half
blinded eyes. We cannot see it or believe it by reason of our long woes
but
thou canst make it plain to us. Others have beheld it
Lord shew it to us. We
have seen thine anger
Lord let us see thy mercy. Thy prophets have told us of
it
but O Lord
do thou thyself display it in this our hour of need. And grant
us thy salvation. This includes deliverance from the sin as well as the
chastisement
it reaches from the depth of their misery to the height of divine
love. God's salvation is perfect in kind
comprehensive in extent
and eminent
in degree; grant us this
O Lord
and we have all. Having offered earnest
intercession for the afflicted but penitent nation
the sacred poet in the true
spirit of faith awaits a response from the sacred oracle. He pauses in joyful
confidence
and then in ecstatic triumph he give utterance to his hopes in the
richest form of song.
Verse
8. I will hear what God the LORD will speak. When we believe
that God hears us
it is but natural that we should be eager to hear him. Only
from him can come the word which can speak peace to troubled spirits; the
voices of men are feeble in such a case
a plaister far too narrow for the
sore; but God's voice is power
he speaks and it is done
and hence when we
hear him our distress is ended. Happy is the suppliant who has grace to lie
patiently at the Lord's door
and wait until his love shall act according to
its old wont and chase all sorrow far away. For he will speak peace unto his
people
and to his saints. Even though for a while his voice is stern with
merited rebuke
he will not always chide
the Great Father will reassume his
natural tone of gentleness and pity. The speaking of peace is the peculiar
prerogative of the Lord Jehovah
and deep
lasting
ay
eternal
is the peace
he thus creates. Yet not to all does the divine word bring peace
but only to
his own people
whom he means to make saints
and those whom he has already
made so. But let them not turn again to folly. For if they do so
his rod will
fall upon them again
and their peace will be invaded. Those who would enjoy
communion with God must be jealous of themselves
and avoid all that would
grieve the Holy Spirit; not only the grosser sins
but even the follies of life
must be guarded against by those who are favoured with the delights of
conscious fellowship. We serve a jealous God
and must needs therefore be
incessantly vigilant against evil. Backsliders should study this verse with the
utmost care
it will console them and yet warn them
draw the back to their
allegiance
and at the same time inspire them with a wholesome fear of going
further astray. To turn again to folly is worse than being foolish for once; it
argues wilfulness and obstinacy
and it involves the soul in sevenfold sin.
There is no fool like the man who will be a fool cost him what it may.
Verse
9. Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him. Faith
knows that a saving God is always near at hand
but only (for such is
the true rendering) to those who fear the Lord
and worship him with holy awe.
In the gospel dispensation this truth is conspicuously illustrated. If to
seeking sinners salvation is nigh
it is assuredly very nigh to those who have
once enjoyed it
and have lost its present enjoyment by their folly; they have
but to turn unto the Lord and they shall enjoy it again. We have not to go
about by a long round of personal mortifications or spiritual preparations
we
may come to the Lord
through Jesus Christ
just as we did at the first
and he
will again receive us into his loving embrace. Whether it be a nation under
adversity
or a single individual under chastisement
the sweet truth before us
is rich with encouragement to repentance
and renewed holiness. That glory may
dwell in our land. The object of the return of grace will be a permanent
establishment of a better state of things
so that gloriously devout worship
shall be rendered to God continuously
and a glorious measure of prosperity
shall be enjoyed in consequence. Israel was glorious whenever she was
faithful—her dishonour always followed her disloyalty; believers also live
glorious lives when they walk obediently
and they only lose the true glory of
their religion when they fall from their steadfastness. In these two verses we
have
beneath the veil of the letter
an intimation of the coming of THE WORD
OF GOD to the nations in times of deep apostacy and trouble
when faithful
hearts would be looking and longing for the promise which had so long tarried.
By his coming salvation is brought near
and glory
even the glory of the
presence of the Lord
tabernacles among men. Of this the succeeding verses
speak without obscurity.
Verse
10. Mercy and truth are met together. In answer to prayer
the
exulting psalmist sees the attributes of God confederating to bless the once
afflicted nation. Mercy comes hand in hand with Truth to fulfil the faithful
promise of their gracious God; the people recognise at once the grace and the
veracity of Jehovah
he is to them neither a tyrant nor a deceiver.
Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. The Lord whose just severity
inflicted the smart
now in pity sends peace to bind up the wound. The people
being now made willing to forsake their sins
and to follow after
righteousness
find peace granted to them at once. "The war drum throbbed
no longer
and the battle flags were furled; " for idolatry was forsaken
and Jehovah was adored. This appears to be the immediate and primary meaning of
these verses; but the inner sense is Christ Jesus
the reconciling Word. In
him
the attributes of God unite in glad unanimity in the salvation of guilty
men
they meet and embrace in such a manner as else were inconceivable either
to our just fears or to our enlightened hopes. God is as true as if he had
fulfilled every letter of his threatenings
as righteous as if he had never
spoken peace to a sinner's conscience; his love in undiminished splendour
shines forth
but no other of his ever blessed characteristics is eclipsed
thereby. It is the custom of modern thinkers(?) to make sport of this
representation of the result of our Lord's substitutionary atonement; but had
they ever been themselves made to feel the weight of sin upon a spiritually
awakened conscience
they would cease from their vain ridicule. Their doctrine
of atonement has well been described by Dr. Duncan as the admission "that
the Lord Jesus Christ did something or other
which somehow or other
was in
some way or other connected with man's salvation." This is their
substitute for substitution. Our facts are infinitely superior to their dreams
and yet they sneer. It is but natural that natural men should do so. We cannot
expect animals to set much store by the discoveries of science
neither can we
hope to see unspiritual men rightly estimate the solution of spiritual
problems—they are far above and out of their sight. Meanwhile it remains for
those who rejoice in the great reconciliation to continue both to wonder and
adore.
Verse
11. Truth shall spring out of the earth. Promises which lie
unfulfilled
like buried seeds
shall spring up and yield harvests of joy; and
men renewed by grace shall learn to be true to one another and their God
and
abhor the falsehood which they loved before. And righteousness shall look down
from heaven
as if it threw up the windows and leaned out to gaze upon a
penitent people
whom it could not have looked upon before without an
indignation which would have been fatal to them. This is a delicious scene.
Earth yielding flowers of truth
and heaven shining with stars of holiness; the
spheres echoing to each other
or being mirrors of each other's beauties.
"Earth carpeted with truth and canopied with righteousness
"shall be
a nether heaven. When God looks down in grace
man sends his heart upward in
obedience. The person of our adorable Lord Jesus Christ explains this verse
most sweetly. In Him truth is found in our humanity
and his deity brings
divine righteousness among us. His Spirit's work even now creates a hallowed
harmony between his church below
and the sovereign righteousness above; and in
the latter day
earth shall be universally adorned with every precious virtue
and heaven shall hold intimate intercourse with it. There is a world of meaning
in these verses
only needing meditation to draw it out. Reader
"the well
is deep
"but if thou hast the Spirit
it cannot be said
that "thou
hast nothing to draw with."
Verse
12. Yea
the LORD shall give that which is good. Being himself
pure goodness
he will readily return from his wrath
and deal out good things
to his repenting people. Our evil brings evil upon us
but when we are brought
back to follow that which is good
the Lord abundantly enriches us with good
things. Material good will always be bestowed where it can be enjoyed in
consistency with spiritual good. And our land shall yield her increase. The
curse of barrenness will fly with the curse of sin. When the people yielded
what was due to God
the soil would recompense their husbandry. See at this day
what sin has done for Palestine
making her gardens a wilderness; her wastes
are the scars of her iniquities: nothing but repentance and divine forgiveness
will reclaim her desolations. The whole world also shall be bright with the
same blessing in the days yet to come
—
"Freed
from the curse
the grateful garden gives
Its fruit in goodly revenue. Nor frost
Nor blight
nor mildew fall
nor cankerworm
Nor caterpillar
mar one ripening hope.
The clouds drop fatness. The very elements
Are subject to the prayerful will of those
Whose pleasure is in unison with God's."
Verse
13. Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way
of his steps. God's march of right will leave a track wherein his people
will joyfully follow. He who smote in justice will also bless in justice
and
in both will make his righteousness manifest
so as to affect the hearts and
lives of all his people. Such are the blessings of our Lord's first advent
and
such shall be yet more conspicuously the result of his second coming. Even so
come Lord Jesus.
EXPLANATORY
NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS
Whole
Psalm. This beautiful psalm
like some others
has come down to us
without name or date; the production of some unknown poetic genius
touched
purified
and exalted by the fire of celestial inspiration; a precious relic of
that golden age
when the Hebrew music was instinct with a spirit such as never
breathed on Greece or Rome. It is interesting to reflect on the anonymous
origin of some of the psalms; to remember how largely the church of God is
indebted to some nameless worthies who wrote for us hymns and spiritual songs
full of richer strains than were ever poured forth by the most illustrious of
pagan name. These holy men are passed away
they have left no record of their
history; but they have bequeathed legacies of rich
varied
and inspired
sentiments
which will render the church debtors to them to the end of time. John
Stoughton. 1852.
Whole
Psalm. This Psalm may be thus divided: Ps 85:1-3
express the thanks of
the people for their return from captivity; Ps 85:4-6
their prayer for their
own reformation; in Ps 85:7
they pray for the coming of Messiah;
Ps 85:8 contains the words of the High priest
with God's
Gracious answer; which answer is followed by the grateful acclamation of
the people
to the end of the Psalm. To prepare for this interpretation
let us observe
how very strangely the words are expressed at present—I will
hear what God the Lord will say: FOR he shall speak peace unto his people.
But surely
God could not be consulted
because it was unnecessary; nor
could the High priest possibly say
that he would ask of God
because he
knew what God would answer; especially
as we have now a question to God
proposed
and yet no answer from God given at all. Under these
difficulties we are happily relieved; since it appears
on satisfactory
authorities
that
instead of the particle rendered for
the word here
originally signified in or by me
which slight variation removes
the obscurity
and restores that very light which has long been wanted. The people
having prayed for the speedy arrival of their great salvation; the High
priest says
(as it should be here expressed)
I will hear what the
Almighty sayeth.—Jehovah
BY ME sayeth
PEACE unto his people
even unto his
saints: but let them not turn again to folly. Whereupon
as the Jews
understood peace to comprehend every blessing
and of course their
greatest blessing
they at once acknowledged the certainty of this
salvation
the glory of their land—they proclaim it as nigh at
hand—and then
in rapture truly prophetical
they see this glory as actually
arrived
as already dwelling in Judea—they behold God in fulfilling most
strictly what he had promised most graciously—they see therefore the mercy
of God
and the truth of God met together—they see that scheme
perfected
in which the righteousness (i.e. the justice) of God
harmonizes with the peace (i.e. the happiness) of man; so that
righteousness and peace salute each other with the tenderest affection.
In short
they see TRUTH flourishing out of the earth; i.e. they see him
who is the way
the truth
and the life
born here on earth;
and they even see the righteousness
or justice of God
looking down
from heaven
as being well pleased. Ps 85:12 is at present translated so
unhappily
that it is quite despoiled of all its genuine glory. For
could the
prophet
after all the rapturous things said before
coldly say here
that God would
give what was good and that Judea should have a plentiful
harvest? No: consistency and good sense forbid it; and truth confirms their
protest against it. The words here express the reasons of all the preceding
energies
and properly signify—Yea
Jehovah granteth THE BLESSING; and
our land granteth HER OFFSPRING. And what can be the blessing—what
amidst these sublime images
can be Judea's offspring—but HE
and HE
only
who was the blessing of all lands in general
and the glory of
Judea in particular? And what says the verse following? Righteousness
goeth before HIM—certainly
not before the fruit of the earth—but
certainly before that illustrious person
even the MESSIAH. Righteousness
goeth before HIM
and directeth his goings in the way. As to the word
rendered the blessing
and applied to the redemption; the same word is
so used by Jeremiah
thus: Behold
the days come
that I will perform that
good thing (the blessing) which I have promised... at that time will I cause to
grow up unto David the Branch of righteousness (Jer 33:14-15). And as to
the Messiah being here described
partly as springing up from the earth; so
says Isaiah: "In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and
glorious; and the fruits of the earth shall be excellent and
comely." But this evangelical prophet
in another place
has the very same
complication of images with that found in the psalm before us. For Isaiah also
has the heavens
with their righteousness; and the earth
with its salvation: "Drop down
ye heavens from above
and
let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open
and let them
bring forth salvation." But
"let them bring forth"—who
or what can be here meant by them
but the heavens and the earth?
It is heaven and earth which are here represented as bringing forth
and
introducing the Saviour of the world. For what else can be here meant as brought
forth by them? What
but HE alone; who
deriving his divine
nature from heaven
and his human from the earth was (what no other
being ever was) both GOD and MAN. Benjamin Kennicott.
Verse
1. Thy land. The land of Jehovah the poet calls it
in order
to point out the close relation of God to it
and to the people thereof
and so
confirm the favour of God towards it. For this land God has chosen as
the dwelling place of his people
true religion
and his own presence; this
also in his own time He himself had trodden in the person of his Son
and in it
He first gathered and founded his Church. Venema.
Verse
1. The captivity of Jacob. All true believers are the sons of
Jacob
and the seed of Abraham; as well as the believing Gentiles
who are the
sons of Jacob according to the Spirit
as the believing Jews the sons of Jacob
according to the flesh; and the Church of these true Jacobins and Israelites is
the land of the Lord
and the captivity here mentioned is bondage under
sin. In this captivity Satan is the gaoler
the flesh is our prison
ungodly
lusts are the manacles
a bad conscience the tormentor
all of them against us;
only Christ is Emmanuel
God with us; he turneth away the captivity of
Jacob in forgiving all his offences
and in covering all his sins. Abraham
Wright.
Verse
2. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity. nvs tsn
nasatha avon
Thou hast borne
or carried away
the iniquity. An allusion to the
ceremony of the scapegoat. Adam Clarke.
Verse
2. Thou hast covered all their sin. When God is said to
cover sin
he does so
not as one would cover a sore with a plaster
thereby merely hiding it only; but he covers it with a plaster that effectually
cures and removes it altogether. Bellarmine.
Verse
2. Selah. Rabbi Kimchi regards it as a sign to elevate the
voice. The authors of the Septuagint translation appear to have regarded it as
a musical or rythmical note. Herder regarded it as indicating a change of note;
Mathewson as a musical note
equivalent
perhaps
to the word repeat.
According to Luther and others
it means silence. Gesenius explains it
to mean
"Let the instruments play and the singers stop." Wocher
regards it as equivalent to sursum corda—up
my soul! Sommer
after
examining all the seventy four passages in which the word occurs
recognises in
every case "an actual appeal or summons to Jehovah." They are calls
for aid and prayers to be heard
expressed either with entire directness
or if
not in the imperative
"Hear
Jehovah!" or Awake
Jehovah! and the
like
still earnest addresses to God that he would remember and hear
&c.
The word itself he regards as indicating a blast of the trumpets by the
priests. Selah
itself
he thinks an abridged expression
used for Higgaion
Selah—Higgaion indicating the sound of the stringed instruments and Selah a
vigorous blast of trumpets. From the "Bibliotheca Sacra
"quoted
by Plumer.
Verse
3. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath. Or gathered it;
sin occasions wrath
and the people of God are as deserving of it as others;
but the Lord has gathered it up
and poured it forth upon his Son
and their
Surety; hence nothing of this kind shall ever fall upon them
either here or
hereafter; and it is taken away from them
so as to have no sense
apprehension
or conscience of it
which before the law had wrought in them
when pardon is applied unto them
which is what is here meant. John Gill.
Verse
3. Thou hast turned thyself. Here are six hasts
drawing in the next turn
Ps 85:4. God hath
and therefore God will is a
strong medium of hope
if not a demonstration of Scripture logic. See 2Co 1:10.
John Trapp.
Verse
4. Cause thine anger toward us to cease. The phrase
break
thine indignation towards us
(that is
wherewith thou art angry with us
in order that it may cease of itself
)comprehends the abolition of the signs
and the effects of anger. The word drk
for this is the root to be taken
properly denotes a breaking by means of notches and gaps
as when the edge of anything is broken by many notches and gaps
and it
is made utterly worn and useless. Indignation
so long as it is vigorous
and spreads its effects
has an edge
which smites and pierces; but it
is considered blunt and broken
when it ceases to exert itself
and produces
evils no longer
this they affirm of the anger of God. Venema.
Verse
6. Wilt thou not revive us again? The Hebrew is
Wilt thou
not return and revive us? We translate the verb return by the adverb
again: Wilt thou not revive us again? Thou hast given us many revives:
when we were as dead men
and like carcases rotting in the grave
thou
didst revive us
wilt thou not revive us once more
and act over those
powerfully merciful works and strong salvations once more
or again? Joseph
Caryl.
Verse
6. That thy people may rejoice in thee. Bernard in his 15th
Sermon on Canticles says Jesus is honey in the mouth
melody in the ear
joy in
the heart. Is any among us sad? Let Jesus enter the heart
and thence spring to
the countenance
and behold
before the rising brightness of his name
every
cloud is scattered
serenity returns. Origen in his 10th Hom on Genesis
has
the remark
Abraham rejoiced not in present things
neither in the riches of
the words
nor deeds of time. But do you wish to hear
whence he drew his joy?
Listen to the Lord speaking to the Jews
Joh 8:56: Your father
Abraham
rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it
and was glad: hope heaped up his
joys. Le Blanc.
Verse
6. That thy people may rejoice in thee. When God changeth the
cheer of his people
their joy should not be in the gift
but in the Giver. David
Dickson.
Verse
6. It is the most natural thing
the most delightful thing
for the
people of God to rejoice in God. God is the fountain of joy
and whom should he
fill with it but his people? And whom should his people breathe it into again
but him? This posture God delights to have them in; this posture they delight
to be in; but this cannot be in that estate of death and captivity wherein God
for a long season shutteth them up. "The living
the living shall praise
thee
"but alas
the dead cannot. John Pennington
1656.
Verse
6. Truly sin kills. Men are dead in trespasses and sins
dead in
law
dead in their affections
dead in a loss of comfortable communion with
God. Probably the greatest practical heresy of each age is a low idea of our
undone condition under the guilt and dominion of sin. While this prevails we
shall be slow to cry for reviving or quickening. What sinners and
churches need is quickening by the Holy Ghost. William S. Plumer.
Verses
6-7. Wilt thou not revive us
by the first and spiritual resurrection
and so thy people
quickened from a life of sin to a life of grace
will
rejoice in thee
not in themselves
presuming nothing on their own power. And
in order that these things may be fulfilled in us
Shew us
O Lord
thy
mercy
that is
Christ
through whom thou hast pitied the human race
shew
him to us after this exile that we may see him face to face. Richardus
Hampolus.
Verse
7. Thy mercy. It is not merely of the Lord's mercies that we
are not consumed
but all is mercy
from first to last
—mercy that met us by
the way
—mercy that looked upon us in our misery
—mercy that washed us from our
sins in his own blood
—mercy that covered our nakedness and clad us in his own
robe of righteousness
—mercy that led and guided us by the way
—and mercy that
will never leave nor forsake us till mercy has wrought its perfect work in the
eternal salvation of our souls through Jesus Christ. Barton Bouchier.
Verse
8. I will hear
etc. The true attitude for a sinner to take
in the presence of divine revelation
is that of a listener. To enter
the place of a doer before you have occupied that of a listener
is to reverse God's order
and throw everything into confusion. Adam tried this
plan
and found it a failure. He tried "works." He "sewed fig
leaves together
"but it was no use. He could not even satisfy his own
conscience
or remove his guilty fear. He had to listen to the voice of God—to
hearken to divine revelation. "Things New and Old." 1859.
Verse
8. I will hear
etc. The eye as a mere organ of sense must
give place to the ear. Therefore it is wittily observed
that our Saviour
commanding the abscession of the offending hand
foot
and eye
(Mr 9:43-47)
yet
never spake of the ear. If thy hand
thy foot
or thine eye
cause thee to
offend
deprive thyself of them; but part not with thine ear
for that is an
organ to derive unto thy soul's salvation. As Christ says there
a man may
enter into heaven
lamed in his feet
as Mephibosheth
blind in his sight
as
Barzillai
maimed in his hand
as the dry handed man in the gospel; but if
there be not an ear to hear of the way
there will be no foot to enter into
heaven. If God be not first in the ear
he is neither sanctifiedly in the
mouth
nor comfortably in the heart. The Jews had eyes to see Christ's
miracles
but because they had no ears to hear his wisdom
therefore they had
no feet to enter into his kingdom. The way into the house is by the door
not
by the window: the eye is but the window of the heart
the ear is the door. Now
Christ stands knocking at the door
not at the window. Re 3:20. And he will not
come in at the window
but at the door. "He that entereth in by the door
is the shepherd of the sheep." Joh 10:2. He comes now in by his oracles
now by his miracles. "To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his
voice
"Joh 10:3. The way to open and let him in is by the door; to hear
his voice. There was a man in the gospel blind and deaf; blind eyes is ill; but
deaf ears
worse. It is bad to have the eyes seeled (Seel
to close up:
a term in falconry)
but worse to have the ears sealed up. Open your ears
therefore to this heavenly voice. Bernard hath this description of a good ear:
Which willingly hears what is taught
wisely understands what it heareth
and
obediently practises what it understandeth. O give me such an ear
and I will
hang on it jewels of gold
ornaments of praise. Thomas Adams.
Verse
8. I will hear
etc. My text carries in it a poetical
allusion to the consulting of the cloud of glory
which was between the
cherubims
and to the receiving answer from it
upon all critical occasions.
David turned his thoughts from all the other views he might have
to this
I
will hear what God the Lord will speak and that so he might depend wholly
on the assurances that he should receive of God's favour
upon the repentance
and prayers of the people; and in consideration of God's covenant with them
he
knew the answer would be peace; which being the form of salutation in
those ages
among friends
imported as entire reconciliation. So that by speaking
peace is to be understood as assurance of God's love and favour to his
people
and to his saints: that is
to the people that was sanctified
and dedicated to the service of God by so many federal rites. Gilbert
Burnet
1643-1714/5.
Verse
8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak. Carnal men speak
peace to themselves on account of some supposed goodness in themselves. And
unsound professors steal peace from God's promises
such as Isa 55:7 Ho 14:4.
But an upright heart will not be satisfied without hearing God speak peace to
his heart by his Spirit. And for this he will pray
and wait
and hearken
and
when God speaks peace
there comes such sweetness with it
and such discovery
of his love
as lays a powerful influence on the soul not to turn again to
folly. This peace is an humbling
melting peace
which brings humiliation to
the soul as well as joy; but this never happens when men speak peace to themselves.
John Berridge
1716-1793.
Verse
8. I will hear what God the LORD will speak
etc. His prayer
being finished
and he having spoke
he now stands and listens
as you used to
do when you expect an echo
what echo he should have
what answer would be returned
from heaven
whether his prayer had already come: I will hear what the Lord
will speak; or
as some read it
I will hear what the Lord doth speak:
for sometimes there is a present echo
a speedy answer returned to a man's
heart
even ere the prayer is half finished. He will speak peace. When
the child of God wants peace
he can have no peace till God speaks it... Let
God's people be in never so great distress
yet it is an easy thing for God to
give peace to them. Mark the expression here used: it is but speaking
peace
that is
it is as easy for him to give peace as it is for you to speak a
word; it is no more to him. Then our comfort is
that as he only must do it
so
he easily can do it
even with a word. Thomas Goodwin.
Verse
8. He will speak peace unto his people
and to his saints
etc. The voice of the Lord is comfortable
and his words are sweet to those
that fear him. It is a plain sign that all is not well with us
when the voice
of God doth cast us into fear
when we are afraid to hear the word preached
when just reproofs of our sins are unwelcome to us
and anger us
and make us
think the less of our minister that chideth and threateneth us. A good life and
a well governed conversation doth not fear the voice of God; the word of God is
the light which God hath set up in his church
to guide her feet in the ways of
peace. They that do evil hate the light
and will not come near it
lest their
works should be reproved; the children of the light resort to it
and call upon
God: "Search my veins and my heart
and see if there be any way of
wickedness in me." Edward Marbury.
Verse
8. To his people and to his saints. He will give prosperity
to the people in general; and to his saints—his followers
in
particular. Adam Clarke.
Verse
8. To his saints. It is remarkable that we have the suffrage
of a celebrated Jewish writer
Kimchi
to understand the word rendered saints
in this place
of the godly among the Gentiles
as distinguished from the
Lord's people
the Jews. John Fry.
Verse
8. He will speak peace unto his people
and to his saints: but
let them not return again to folly. This imports that if his saints turn
again to folly
which by woeful experience we find too frequently done
God
may change his voice
and turn his peace
formerly spoken
into a
warlike defiance to their conscience. Thomas Fuller.
Verse
8. But let them not turn again to folly. If God did not in
the end speak peace
they would indeed return to folly. For his end of speaking
peace is
that they might not return to folly: Ps 125:3
"The rod of the
wicked shall not always be upon the righteous
lest they put forth their hand
to iniquity; "therefore
at the last verse
"peace shall be upon
Israel." As it is a rule in physic still to maintain nature
and therefore
when that shall be in hazard to be destroyed
they leave giving purging physic
and give cordials; so doth God with his people: though with purging physic he
often brings their spirits very weak and low
yet he will uphold and maintain
their spirits
so as they shall not fail and be extinguished
but then he will
give cordials to raise them up again. Thomas Goodwin.
Verse
8. It is hard to know
in spiritual exercises
whether is be more
difficult to attain some good frame
or to keep and maintain it when it is
attained; whether more seriousness is required for making peace with God
or
for keeping of it when made; whether more diligence should be in preparing for
a communion
or more watchfulness after it: sure both are required; and it was
our blessed Lord's word
Mt 26:41
after the first celebration of his supper
"Watch and pray
that ye enter not into temptation." Here that saying
holds eminently: "Non minor est virtus
quam quaerere
parta
tueri:" no less virtue and valour is requisite to maintain
than to
make a purchase or conquest. In the words there are
1.
A great mercy promised from the Lord to his people
viz.
He will speak
peace to them.
2.
A special caveat and advertisement given them
pointing at their hazard: But
let them not turn again to folly: that is
let not his people and saints to
whom he hath spoken peace
return to sin; let them beware of bourding
(Bourding—jesting)
and dallying with God's mercy
and of turning his grace
into wantonness
of cooling in their affections to him
of slipping back to
their old way
and of embracing their old lovers and idols: for that is folly
even in folio
to speak so. James Durham
in "The Unsearchable Riches
of Christ."
Verse
9. That glory may dwell in our land. What land the true
church of Christ
the saints and they that fear God
do dwell in; there doth glory
dwell: there God
there Christ by his Spirit bringing righteousness and
salvation to such a society
is glorious; and for his presence the people are
glorious; and the land glorious above all other lands whatsoever. David
Dickson.
Verse
10. Mercy and truth; righteousness and peace. Note
four
virtues stand out prominently in the incarnation; namely
mercy
truth
righteousness and peace
or love producing peace. These were like four steps of
the throne of Christ
or four princes standing near and accompanying Him.
1.
On the right hand
is mercy presenting the olive.
2.
On the left
truth holding the white lily.
3.
Before Him walks justice bearing the balance.
4.
Peace follows Him
having a cornucopiae full of flowers
and scattering
the flowers around. Le Blanc.
Verse
10. Mercy and truth; righteousness and peace. These four
divine attributes parted at the fall of Adam
and met again at the birth of
Christ. Mercy was ever inclined to save man
and Peace could not be his
enemy; but Truth extracted the performance of God's threat
—"The soul that
sinneth
it shall die; "and Righteousness could not but give to every one
his due
Jehovah must be true in all his ways
and righteous in all his works.
Now there is no religion on earth
except the Christian
which can satisfy the
demands of all these claimants
and restore an union between them; which can
show how God's word can be true
and his work just
and the sinner
notwithstanding
find mercy
and obtain peace. George Horne.
Verse
10. This is a remarkable text
and much has been said on it; but
there is a beauty in it which
I think
has not been noticed. Mercy and peace
are on one side; truth and righteousness on the other. Truth
requires righteousness; mercy calls for peace. They meet together
on the way; one going to make inquisition for sin
the other to plead for
reconciliation. Having met
their differences on certain considerations
not
here particularly mentioned
are adjusted; and their mutual claims blended
together in one common interest; on which peace and righteousness
immediately embrace. Thus
righteousness is given to truth
and peace
is given to mercy. Now
where did these meet? In Christ Jesus. When
were they reconciled? When he poured out his life on Calvary. Adam Clarke.
Verse
10. Mercy and truth are met together.
1.
They meet together in God; for all the paths of the Lord are mercy
and truth
Ps 25:9; mercy in making
and truth in keeping his
promise to his people. Paul saith
Jesus Christ was a minister of the
circumcision to the truth of God
to confirm the promises made unto the
fathers
and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. Ro 15:8.
God promised his Son unto the Jews
and he gave him in the fulness of time to
be both a light to the Gentiles
and glory to his people Israel; herein shewing
his mercy more principally to the Gentiles
his truth unto the
Jews
and so his mercy and truth embraced each other so that he made both
people but one
to wit
one flock
in one sheepfold
under one shepherd. If we
take truth and righteousness for God's justice in punishing
mercy
and peace for his graciousness in pardoning; yet as they meet together in
all his ways unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. For as the
mercies of the wicked are full of cruelty
so the very judgments of God upon
his servants are full of mercy. In his wrath he remembers pity; punishing a
little
that he may pardon a great deal; destroying the flesh only to save the
spirit
1Co 5:5. Misericordiae est aliquando subtrahere misericordiam.
It was good for Joseph that he was a captive; good for Naaman that he was a
leper; good for Bartimaeus that he was blind
and for David that he was in
trouble. Bradford thanked God more of his prison
than of any parlour or
pleasure. All things are for the best unto the faithful
and so God's mercy
and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other
his mercy being just
and his justice being merciful; but God in giving his
only Son unto the world
more abundantly shewed his mercy and justice
kissing one another. His justice that every soul that sins should
die; but his mercy desires not the death of a sinner. Eze 33:11...
2.
Righteousness and peace meet together in man; so Augustine expounds it:
an unjust man is full of quarrels
like Ishmael
"every man's hand is
against him
and his hand against every man; "but he who is righteous
and
giveth every man his due
shall have peace
so much as is possible with all
men
especially with his own self and soul. Righteousness and peace are so
near
so dear
that thou canst not have the one without the other.
3.
Righteousness and peace meet in Christ
God's man; for by these two
some divines understand the Old Testament and the New. The Law doth exact justice
requiring of a malefactor "eye for eye
tooth for tooth
hand for hand
foot for foot; "but the Gospel is full of mercy and peace
saying unto the sinner
who truly repenteth him of his sins
and unfeignedly
believes the word of promise
"Son
be of good comfort
thy sins are
forgiven thee; ""Daughter be of good cheer
thy faith hath made thee
whole; ""Go thy way
they belief hath saved thee; ""Behold
thou art now made whole
sin no more." These two testaments meet together
in Christ
as in their proper centre
they kissed each other on this
(Christmas) day
because the gospel performed what the law promised. John
Boys.
Verse
10. When our Lord spake that parable of the prodigal son
and
represented the Father as seeing his child afar off in his misery
and how he
had compassion on him
and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him
one cannot
but feel what a touching and tender illustration he has given of this most
exquisite passage of his own word: Mercy and truth are met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Barton Bouchier.
Verses
10-11. Mercy and Peace if they had met
or Truth and Righteousness
either of the two
it had not been strange. But for these that seem to be in
opposition to do it
that makes this meeting marvellous in our eyes. Will you
stay a little and take a view of the parties? Four they are. These four
1.
Mercy
and
2.
Truth
3.
Righteousness
and
4.
Peace. Which quaternion at the first sight divides itself into two and two.
Mercy and Peace
they two pair well; they be collectanae
as Bernard
saith of them in one place
`bed fellows
'sleep together; collectanae
as in another place
`sucked one milk
one breast' both. And as these two
so
the other two; Truth and Righteousness seem to be of one complexion and
disposition
and commonly take part together. Of these Mercy seems to favour
us; and Peace no enemy to us or to any (seeing we must speak of them as of
persons); mild and gentle persons both. For Righteousness I know not well what
to say: gestat gladium
(bears the sword)
and I fear non frustra
(not in vain). Nor of Truth
who is vera and severa
`severe' too
otherwhile. These I doubt are not like affected. The reason of my doubt. One of
them
Righteousness
it is told here for great news
that she but "looked
down hitherwards from heaven." Before then she would not have done that. A
great sign it is of heart burning
when one will not do so much as look at
another—not endure his sight. We cannot promise ourselves much of her. No
nor
of Truth. One was so bold in a place to say
omnis homo mendax (Ro 3:4)
and feared no challenge for it. By that it seems all stands not well with her
neither. So then two for us
two against us. For their order. Mercy is first
and Peace last. With both ends we shall do well enough. God send us to do but
so with the midst! Yet this is not amiss that they which favour us less are in
the midst; hemmed in on both sides
closed about with those that wish us well;
and they between us and them. On the one side
Mercy before; on the other
Peace behind another; that in this double meeting Mercy sorts not herself
goes
not to Righteousness; nor Righteousness to her
but to Peace. A kind of cross
meeting
as it were
there is—the better hope of accord. Mercy and
Righteousness have no symbolizing quality at all
no hope of them; but Truth
with Mercy hath. There is truth as well in the promise of Mercy as in the
threat of justice. Lancelot Andrewes.
Verse
11. Truth shall spring. The literal sense is
that the
promises which for a long time are not fulfilled
and seem like seeds or roots
hidden and concealed under ground
when they shall be fulfilled
shall be
considered to spring up
to grow
etc. Lorinus.
Verse
11. Spring. The Metaphor is taken from flowers and trees. In
the Greek the expression is aneile
that is
has sprung like the
morning
for anatllw and anatolh are properly said of the rising of the sun and
moon. Le Blanc.
Verse
11. Shall look down. This looking down
pqsg rendered
generally parakuptw in the Greek
implies such a look as in 1Pe 1:12
angels
give into the things of salvation
and such a look as the disciples gave into
the sepulchre. It is really the Righteous One who is resting over them
in complacent love
not as in Ps 14:2 53:2
but fulfilling Ps 102:19-20. Andrew
A. Bonar.
Verse
12. It has sometimes been objected that the Christian doctrine of a
Millennium cannot be true
for the earth could not support the teeming millions
that would naturally be found upon it
if wars and vice should cease to waste
its population. But omitting other and pertinent answers that have been given
we find one here that covers the whole ground
the earth shall yield her
increase. Now and then the season is unusually propitious
and we have a
specimen of what God can do when he chooses. He can without any miracle make it
many times more fruitful than it has ever been. William S. Plumer.
Verse
13. Righteousness shall go before him
etc. The meaning of
this difficult verse may probably be as follows:—Righteousness shall go before
Him (Jehovah)
and shall make his footsteps a pathway for his servants to walk
in.—Ernest Hawkins.
Verse
13. Shall set us in the way of his steps. It is reported in
the Bohemian History
that St. Wenceslaus
their king
one winter night going
to his devotions
in a remote church
barefooted in the snow and sharpness of
unequal and pointed ice
his servant Podavivus
who waited upon his master's
piety
and endeavoured to imitate his affections
began to faint through the
violence of the snow and cold; till the king commanded him to follow him
and
set his feet in the same footsteps
which his feet should mark for him: the
servant did so
and either fancied a cure
or found one; for he followed his
prince
helped forward with shame and zeal to his imitation
and by the forming
footsteps for him in the snow. In the same manner does the blessed Jesus; for
since our way is troublesome
obscure
full of objections and danger
apt to be
mistaken
and to affright our industry
he commands us to mark his footsteps
to
tread where his feet have stood
and not only invite us forward by the argument
of his example
but he hath trodden down much of the difficulty
and made the
way easier and fit for our feet. For he knows our infirmities
and himself hath
felt their experience in all things but in the neighbourhoods of sin; and
therefore he hath proportioned a way and a path to our strength and capacities
and like Jacob
hath marched softly and in evenness with the children and the
cattle
to entertain us by the comforts of his company
and the influence of a
perpetual guide. Jeremy Taylor.
Verse
13. (last clause). The sinner who feels his need of salvation
is set—in the way of his steps; as Bartimaeus sat by the way side
begging
by which way Jesus walked; and when he came where he was
heard his
prayer
and restored him his sight. Adam Clarke.
HINTS TO THE
VILLAGE PREACHER
Verse
1. There is
1.
Captivity.
(a)
Of the people of God.
(b) Although they are the people of God.
(c) Because they are the people of God. You only have I known
etc.
2.
Restoration from Captivity: Thou hast brought back
etc.
(a)
The fact.
(b)
The Author: Thou: by thine own power; in thine own manner; at thine own
time.
3.
The cause of the Restoration; the favour of God: Thou hast been favourable.
(a)
On account of favour past: "Thou hast."
(b) On account of favour in reserve.
Verse
2.
1.
The subjects of forgiveness: Thy people.
(a)
By choice.
(b) By redemption.
(c) By effectual calling.
2.
The time of forgiveness: Thou hast forgiven
etc.
3.
The method of forgiveness.
(a)
Forgiven. Hebrew
borne
same word as in Le 16:22: "The goat shall bear
upon him all their iniquities."
(b)
Covered; as the mercy seat covered the law that had been broken. IV. The extent
of forgiveness: all their sin.
Verse
3.
1.
The language of penitence. It is implied here that the wrath was
(a)
Great:
(b)
Just thy wrath.
2.
The language of faith.
(a)
In the grace of pardon: Thou hast turned away wrath. We could not
by
anything we could do or suffer.
(b)
In the method of pardon: Turned away. Turned it from us to our Surety.
3.
The language of praise: Thou hast—thou hast.
Verse
4.
1.
In what salvation consists.
(a)
In the removal of God's enmity from us.
(b) In the removal of our enmity to him.
2.
By whom it is accomplished. By the God of salvation.
(a)
He causes his anger toward us to cease
and
(b) Our anger toward him.
3.
How is it obtained? By prayer: "Turn us
"etc.
Verse
6.
1.
Revivals imply decline.
(a)
That there is grace to be revived.
(b) That this grace has declined.
2.
Revivals are from God: Wilt not thou
etc.: they cannot be got up by
men.
3.
Revivals are frequently needed: Wilt not thou revive us again.
4.
Revivals are in answer to prayer: Wilt thou not
etc.
5.
Revivals are occasions for great joy.
(a)
To the saints.
(b) In God.
Verse
7.
1.
Salvation is God's work: Thy salvation.
(a)
The plan is his.
(b) The provision is his.
(c) The condition is his.
(d) The application is his.
(e) The consummation is his.
2.
Salvation is God's gift.
(a)
Of his mercy: Show us thy mercy.
(b) Of his grace: Grant us
etc.
3.
Salvation is God's answer to prayer.
(a)
It is the first object of prayer.
(b) It includes every other.
Verse
8.
1.
We should look for an answer to prayer. Having spoken to God
we should hear
what he has to say to us in reply.
(a)
In his word.
(b) In his providence.
(c) By his Spirit in our own souls.
2.
We should look for an answer of peace: He will speak peace.
3.
We should avoid whatever might deprive us of that peace: But let them not
turn
etc. G. R.
Verse
8. Thomas Goodwin has three sermons upon this verse
(First
clause)
entitled The Return of Prayers. (Second clause).—Tidings of
Peace. (Last clause)—The Folly of Relapsing after Peace spoken.
Verse
8. (last clause). They should not turn again to folly
1.
Because it will be a greater aggravation in sinning. It is made the aggravation
of Solomon's sin (1Ki 11:9)
that "God had appeared to him twice."
2.
The second reason is intimated in the word folly: as if the Lord should
have said
Set aside the unkindness and wrong you do to me
yet therein you
befool yourselves; you will have the worst of it. T. Goodwin.
Verse
10.
1.
The attributes displayed in man's salvation.
(a)
Mercy in the promise.
(b) Truth in its fulfilment.
(c) Righteousness in the manner of its fulfilment.
(d) Peace in its results.
2.
These attributes harmonized in man's salvation.
(a)
How? Met together—kissed each other.
(b)
Why? Each on its own account. All on each others' account.
(c)
Where? Met and kissed—(1.) In the covenant. (2.) At the incarnation. (3.) At
the cross. (4.) At the conversion of every sinner. (5.) At the completion of
the saints in heaven. G. R.
Verse
10. The Pulpit
vol. 28
1836
contains a sermon by R. W. Sibthorpe
in which the preacher
1.
Considers the harmony of the divine perfections in the redemption of a sinner.
2.
The wisdom of the divine dealings in the calling and guidance of the
believer; so that mercy
truth
etc.
each becomes in turn conspicuous in our experience.
3.
The completeness of the divine image in the sanctified soul
so that the
perfected saint abounds in mercy and truth
is filled with peace
and is
conformed to his righteous Lord.
Verse
12.
1.
All spiritual good is from God: The Lord will give
etc.
(a)
Is repentance a good thing? The Lord will give repentance.
(b) Is pardon? The Lord
etc.
(c) Is faith?
(d) Is justification?
(e) Is regeneration?
(f) Is growth in grace?
(g) Is preservation unto the end?
(h) Is eternal glory? The Lord will give
etc.
2.
All temporal good is from God. Our land
etc.
(a)
In a lawful manner our land.
(b)
In the use of appointed means: Shall yield her increase
etc.
(c)
In dependence upon the divine blessing. "Who giveth fruitful seasons
"etc. Spiritual good is not less given in the use of appointed means. G.
R.
Verse
12. The fertility of our spheres of labour the gift of God.
Verse
13.
1.
The righteousness by which we are justified long precedes our justification:
this righteousness is gone before
etc.
2.
Our justification by that righteousness precedes our sanctification.
3.
The righteousness of sanctification invariably follows that of justification. G.
R.
WORK UPON THE
EIGHTY-FIFTH PSALM
In
an old quarto volume of 788 pages
containing Expositions of several passages
of Scripture
is a short Exposition of this Psalm (pp. 452-64) entitled "A
Taste of the Breathings
Pantings
Waitings
and Hopes of Israel after the true
Saviour
and his effectual Redemption." There is no Author's name
but
some previous owner has written "John Pennington" on the title
page: date 1656.
── C.H. Spurgeon《The Treasury of David》