Psalms 19 commentary

The heavens so declare the glory of God, and proclaim his wisdom, power, and goodness, that all ungodly men are left without excuse. They speak themselves to be works of God's hands; for they must have a Creator who is eternal, infinitely wise, powerful, and good. The counter-changing of day and night is a great proof of the power of God, and calls us to observe, that, as in the kingdom of nature, so in that of providence, he forms the light, and creates the darkness, Isa 45:7, and sets the one against the other. The sun in the firmament is an emblem of the Sun of righteousness, the Bridegroom of the church, and the Light of the world, diffusing Divine light and salvation by his gospel to the nations of the earth. He delights to bless his church, which he has espoused to himself; and his course will be unwearied as that of the sun, till the whole earth is filled with his light and salvation. Let us pray for the time when he shall enlighten, cheer, and make fruitful every nation on earth, with the blessed salvation. They have no speech or language, so some read it, and yet their voice is heard. All people may hear these preachers speak in their own tongue the wonderful works of God. Let us give God the glory of all the comfort and benefit we have by the lights of heaven, still looking above and beyond them to the Sun of righteousness.

The Holy Scripture is of much greater benefit to us than day or night, than the air we breathe, or the light of the sun. To recover man out of his fallen state, there is need of the word of God. The word translated “law,” may be rendered doctrine, and be understood as meaning all that teaches us true religion. The whole is perfect; its tendency is to convert or turn the soul from sin and the world, to God and holiness. It shows our sinfulness and misery in departing from God, and the necessity of our return to him. This testimony is sure, to be fully depended on: the ignorant and unlearned believing what God saith, become wise unto salvation. It is a sure direction in the way of duty. It is a sure fountain of living comforts, and a sure foundation of lasting hopes. The statues of the Lord are right, just as they should be; and, because they are right, they rejoice the heart. The commandments of the Lord are pure, holy, just, and good. By them we discover our need of a Saviour; and then learn how to adorn his gospel. They are the means which the Holy Spirit uses in enlightening the eyes; they bring us to a sight and sense of our sin and misery, and direct us in the way of duty. The fear of the Lord, that is, true religion and godliness, is clean, it will cleanse our way; and it endureth for ever. The ceremonial law is long since done away, but the law concerning the fear of God is ever the same. The judgments of the Lord, his precepts, are true; they are righteous, and they are so altogether; there is no unrighteousness in any of them. Gold is only for the body, and the concerns of time; but grace is for the soul, and the concerns of eternity. The word of God, received by faith, is more precious than gold; it is sweet to the soul, sweeter than honey. The pleasure of sense soon surfeit, yet never satisfy; but those of religion are substantial and satisfying; there is no danger of excess.

God's word warns the wicked not to go on in his wicked way, and warns the righteous not to turn from his good way. There is a reward, not only after keeping, but in keeping God's commandments. Religion makes our comforts sweet, and our crosses easy, life truly valuable, and death itself truly desirable. David not only desired to be pardoned and cleansed from the sins he had discovered and confessed, but from those he had forgotten or overlooked. All discoveries of sin made to us by the law, should drive us to the throne of grace, there to pray. His dependence was the same with that of every Christian who says, Surely in the Lord Jesus have I righteousness and strength. No prayer can be acceptable before God which is not offered in the strength of our Redeemer or Divine Kinsman, through Him who took our nature upon him, that he might redeem us unto God, and restore the long-lost inheritance. May our hearts be much affected with the excellence of the word of God; and much affected with the evil of sin, and the danger we are in of it, and the danger we are in by it.

PSALM 19

To the chief musician. A song of David.

David, with the view of encouraging the faithful to contemplate the glory of God, sets before them in the first place, a mirror of it in the fabric of the heavens, and in the exquisite order of their workmanship which we behold; and in the second place, he recalls our thoughts to the Law, in which God made himself more familiarly known to his chosen people. Taking occasion from this, he continues to discourse at considerable length on this peculiar gift of Heaven, commending and exalting the use of the law. Finally, he concludes the psalm with a prayer.

Psalm 19:1-6

1. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the expanse “L’entour du ciel et de l’air.” — Note, Fr. marg. “That is, the cope or vault of the heaven and of the air.” Bishop Mant reads also expanse, which he considers more correct than firmament. “The latter word,” says he, “is adopted from the Greek version; but the Hebrew word is derived from a verb, signifying to spread abroad, stretch forth, extend, expand. The proper rendering therefore is, ‘expanse,’ agreeably to other passages of Scripture which speak of the Creator as stretching out the heavens as a curtain, and spreading them out as a tent to dwell in.” (See Psalm 104:2; Isaiah 40:22.) “The expanse of heaven is a frequent phrase with Milton, as with other poets.” proclaims the works of his hands. 2. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night publishes knowledge. “Un jour desgorge propos a l’autre jour, et la nuict declare science a l’autre nuict.” — Fr. “One day uttereth speech to another day, and the night declares knowledge to another night. 3. There is no language and no speech [where] their voice is not heard. 4. Their writing has gone forth through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world: he hath set in them a tabernacle for the sun. 5. And he goeth forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber: he rejoiceth as a strong man to run his race. 6. His going forth is from the end of the heavens, and his circuit is to their utmost limits, and none is hidden from his heat.

1. The heavens declare the glory of God. Dr Geddes has remarked, in reference to this psalm, that “no poem ever contained a finer argument against Atheism, nor one better expressed.” I have already said, that this psalm consists of two parts, in the first of which David celebrates the glory of God as manifested in his works; and, in the other, exalts and magnifies the knowledge of God which shines forth more clearly in his word. He only makes mention of the heavens; but, under this part of creation, which is the noblest, and the excellency of which is more conspicuous, he doubtless includes by synecdoche the whole fabric of the world. There is certainly nothing so obscure or contemptible, even in the smallest corners of the earth, in which some marks of the power and wisdom of God may not be seen; but as a more distinct image of him is engraven on the heavens, David has particularly selected them for contemplation, that their splendor might lead us to contemplate all parts of the world. When a man, from beholding and contemplating the heavens, has been brought to acknowledge God, he will learn also to reflect upon and to admire his wisdom and power as displayed on the face of the earth, not only in general, but even in the minutest plants. In the first verse, the Psalmist repeats one thing twice, according to his usual manner. He introduces the heavens as witnesses and preachers of the glory of God, attributing to the dumb creature a quality which, strictly speaking, does not belong to it, in order the more severely to upbraid men for their ingratitude, if they should pass over so clear a testimony with unheeding ears. This manner of speaking more powerfully moves and affects us than if he had said, The heavens show or manifest the glory of God. It is indeed a great thing, that in the splendor of the heavens there is presented to our view a lively image of God; but, as the living voice has a greater effect in exciting our attention, or at least teaches us more surely and with greater profit than simple beholding, to which no oral instruction is added, we ought to mark the force of the figure which the Psalmist uses when he says, that the heavens by their preaching declare the glory of God.

The repetition which he makes in the second clause is merely an explanation of the first. David shows how it is that the heavens proclaim to us the glory of God, namely, by openly bearing testimony that they have not been put together by chance, but were wonderfully created by the supreme Architect. When we behold the heavens, we cannot but be elevated, by the contemplation of them, to Him who is their great Creator; and the beautiful arrangement and wonderful variety which distinguish the courses and station of the heavenly bodies, together with the beauty and splendor which are manifest in them, cannot but furnish us with an evident proof of his providence. Scripture, indeed, makes known to us the time and manner of the creation; but the heavens themselves, although God should say nothing on the subject, proclaim loudly and distinctly enough that they have been fashioned by his hands: and this of itself abundantly suffices to bear testimony to men of his glory. As soon as we acknowledge God to be the supreme Architect, who has erected the beauteous fabric of the universe, our minds must necessarily be ravished with wonder at his infinite goodness, wisdom, and power.

PSALM 19

Psa 19:1-14. After exhibiting the harmonious revelation of God's perfections made by His works and His word, the Psalmist prays for conformity to the Divine teaching.

1. the glory of God--is the sum of His perfections (Psa 24:7-10; Ro 1:20).

firmament--another word for "heavens" (Ge 1:8).

handywork--old English for "work of His hands."

2. uttereth--pours forth as a stream; a perpetual testimony.

3. Though there is no articulate speech or words, yet without these their voice is heard (compare Margin).

4. Their line--or, "instruction"--the influence exerted by their tacit display of God's perfections. Paul (Ro 10:18), quoting from the Septuagint, uses "sound," which gives the same sense.

5-6. The sun, as the most glorious heavenly body, is specially used to illustrate the sentiment; and his vigorous, cheerful, daily, and extensive course, and his reviving heat (including light), well display the wondrous wisdom of his Maker.

7-9. The law is described by six names, epithets, and effects. It is a rule, God's testimony for the truth, His special and general prescription of duty, fear (as its cause) and judicial decision. It is distinct and certain, reliable, right, pure, holy, and true. Hence it revives those depressed by doubts, makes wise the unskilled (2Ti 3:15), rejoices the lover of truth, strengthens the desponding (Psa 13:4; 34:6), provides permanent principles of conduct, and by God's grace brings a rich reward.

12-14. The clearer our view of the law, the more manifest are our sins. Still for its full effect we need divine grace to show us our faults, acquit us, restrain us from the practice, and free us from the power, of sin. Thus only can our conduct be blameless, and our words and thoughts acceptable to God.

The heavens declare the glory of God - Literally, The heavens number out the glory of the strong God. A first view of the starry heavens strikes every beholder with astonishment at the power by which they were made, and by which they are supported. To find out the wisdom and skill displayed in their contrivance requires a measure of science: but when the vast magnitude of the celestial bodies is considered, we feel increasing astonishment at these works of the strong God.

The firmament - The whole visible expanse; not only containing the celestial bodies above referred to, but also the atr, light, rains, dews, etc., etc. And when the composition of these principles is examined, and their great utility to the earth and its inhabitants properly understood, they afford matter of astonishment to the wisest mind, and of adoration and gratitude even to the most unfeeling heart.

Day unto day uttereth speech - Each day is represented as teaching another relative to some new excellence discovered in these manifold works of God. The nights also, by the same figure, are represented as giving information to each other of the increase of knowledge already gained. "The labors of these our instructers know no intermission; but they continue incessantly to lecture us in the science of Divine wisdom. There is one glory of the sun, which shines forth by day; and there are other glories of the moon and of the stars, which become visible by night. And because day and night interchangeably divide the world between them, they are therefore represented as transmitting, in succession, each to other, the task enjoined them, like the two parts of a choir, chanting forth alternately the praises ot God." - Bisbop Horne.

There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard - Leave out the expletives here, which pervert the sense; and what remains is a tolerable translation of the original: - אין אמר ואין דברים בלי נשמע קולם

Ein omer veein debarim, beli nishma kolam. "No speech, and no words; their voice without hearing." בכל הארץ יצא קום ובקצה תבל מליהם

Bechol haarets yatsa kavvam: Ubiktsey thebel milleyhem. "Into all the earth hath gone out their sound; and to the extremity of the habitable world, their eloquence."

The word קו kau, which we translate line, is rendered sonus, by the Vulgate, and φθαγγος, sound, by the Septuagint; and St. Paul, Rom 10:18, uses the same term. Perhaps the idea here is taken from a stretched cord, that emits a sound on being struck; and hence both ideas may be included in the same word; and קום kavvam may be either their line, or cord, or their sound. But I rather think that the Hebrew word originally meant sound or noise; for in Arabic the verb kavaha signifies he called out, cried, clamavit. The sense of the whole is this, as Bishop Horne has well expressed it: - "Although the heavens are thus appointed to teach, yet it is not by articulate sounds that they do it. They are not endowed, like man, with the faculty of speech; but they address themselves to the mind of the intelligent beholder in another way, and that, when understood, a no less forcible way, the way of picture or representation. The instruction which the heavens spread abroad is as universal as their substance, which extends itself in lines, or rays. By this means their words, or rather their significant actions or operations, מליהם, are everywhere present; and thereby they preach to all the nations the power and wisdom, the mercy and lovingkindness, of the Lord."

St. Paul applies this as a prophecy relative to the universal spread of the Gospel of Christ, Rom 10:18; for God designed that the light of the Gospel should be diffused wheresoever the light of the celestial luminaries shone; and be as useful and beneficent, in a moral point of view, as that is in a natural. All the inhabitants of the earth shall benefit by the Gospel of Christ, as they all benefit by the solar, lunar, and stellar light. And, indeed, all have thus benefited, even where the words are not yet come. "Jesus is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world." His light, and the voice of his Spirit, have already gone through the earth; and his words, and the words of his apostles, are by means of the Bible and missionaries going out to all the extremities of the habitable globe.

On these words I shall conclude with the translation of my old Psalter: - Rom 10:1 Hevens telles the joy of God; and the werkes of his handes schwis the firmament. Rom 10:2 Day til day riftes word; and nyght til nyght schewes conying. Rom 10:3 Na speches er, ne na wordes, of the qwilk the voyces of thaim be noght herd. Rom 10:4 In al the land yede the soune of tham; and in endes of the wereld thair wordes. Rom 10:5 In the Soun he sett his tabernacle; and he as a spouse comand forth of his chaumber: he joyed als geaunt at ryn the way. Rom 10:6 Fra heest heven the gangyng of hym: and his gayne rase til the heest of hym: nane es that hym may hyde fra his hete.

All the versions, except the Chaldee, render the last clause of the fourth verse thus: "In the sun he hath placed his tabernacle;" as the old Psalter likewise does. They supposed that if the Supreme Being had a local dwelling, this must be it; as it was to all human appearances the fittest place. But the Hebrew is, "Among them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun." He is the center of the universe; all the other heavenly bodies appear to serve him. He is like a general in his pavilion, surrounded by his troops, to whom he gives his orders, and by whom he is obeyed. So, the solar influence gives motion, activity, light, and heat to all the planets. To none of the other heavenly bodies does the psalmist assign a tabernacle, none is said to have a fixed dwelling, but the sun.

Which is as a bridegroom, etc. - This is a reference to the rising of the sun, as the following verse is to the setting. He makes his appearance above the horizon with splendor and majesty; every creature seems to rejoice at his approach; and during the whole of his course, through his whole circuit, his apparent revolution from east to west, and from one tropic to the same again, no part of the earth is deprived of its proper proportion of light and heat. The sun is compared to a bridegroom in his ornaments, because of the glory and splendour of his rays; and to a giant or strong man running a race, because of the power of his light and heat. The apparent motion of the sun, in his diurnal and annual progress, are here both referred to. Yet both of these have been demonstrated to be mere appearances. The sun's diurnal motion arises from the earth's rotation on its axis from west to east in twenty-three hours, fifty-six minutes, and four seconds, the mean or equal time which elapses between the two consecutive meridian-transits of the same fixed star. But on account of the sun's apparent ecliptic motion in the same direction, the earth must make about the three hundred and sixty-fifth part of a second revolution on its axis before any given point of the earth's surface can be again brought into the same direction with the sun as before: so that the length of a natural day is twenty-four hours at a mean rate. The apparent revolution of the sun through the twelve constellations of the zodiac in a sidereal year, is caused by the earth's making one complete revolution in its orbit in the same time. And as the earth's axis makes an angle with the axis of the ecliptic of about twenty-three degrees and twenty eight minutes, and always maintains its parallelism, i.e., is always directed to the same point of the starry firmament; from these circumstances are produced the regular change of the seasons, and continually differing lengths of the days and nights in all parts of the terraqueous globe, except at the poles and on the equator. When we say that the earth's axis is always directed to the same point of the heavens, we mean to be understood only in a general sense; for, owing to a very slow deviation of the terrestrial axis from its parallelism, named the precession of the equinoctial points, which becomes sensible in the lapse of some years, and which did not escape the observation of the ancient astronomers, who clearly perceived that it was occasioned by a slow revolution of the celestial poles around the poles of the ecliptic, the complete revolution of the earth in its orbit is longer than the natural year, or the earth's tropical revolution, by a little more than twenty minutes; so that in twenty-five thousand seven hundred and sixtythree entire terrestrial revolutions round the sun, the seasons will be renewed twenty-five thousand seven hundred and sixty-four times. And in half this period of twelve thousand eight hundred and eighty-two natural years, the points which are now the north and south poles of the heavens, around which the whole starry firmament appears to revolve, will describe circles about the then north and south poles of the heavens, the semi-diameters of which will be upwards of forty-seven degrees.

Coming out of his chamber - מחפתו mechuppatho, from under his veil. It was a sort of canopy erected on four poles, which four Jews held over the bridegroom's head.

The law of the Lord - And here are two books of Divine Revelation:

1. The visible Heavens, and the works of creation in general.

2. The Bible, or Divinely inspired writings contained in the Old and New Testaments.

These may all be called the Law of the Lord; תורה torah, from ירה yarah, to instruct, direct, put straight, guide. It is God's system of instruction, by which men are taught the knowledge of God and themselves, directed how to walk so as to please God, redeemed from crooked paths, and guided in the way everlasting. Some think that תורה torah means the preceptive part of Revelation. Some of the primitive fathers have mentioned three Laws given by God to man:

1. The law of nature, which teaches the knowledge of God, as to his eternal power and Deity, by the visible creation.

2. The law given to Moses and the prophets, which teaches more perfectly the knowledge of God, his nature, his will and our duty.

3. The law of grace given by Christ Jesus, which shows the doctrine of the atonement, of purification, and of the resurrection of the body.

The first is written in hieroglyphics in the heavens and the earth. The second was written on tables of stone, and in many rites and ceremonies. The third is to be written on the heart by the power of the Holy Ghost.

Is perfect - תמימה temimah, it is perfection, it is perfect in itself as a law, and requires perfection in the hearts and lives of men. This is Its character.

Converting the soul - Turning it back to God. Restoring it to right reason, or to a sound mind; teaching it its own interest in reference to both worlds. This is Its use.

The testimony of the Lord - עדות eduth, from עד ad, beyond, forward. The various types and appointments of the law, which refer to something beyond themselves, and point forward to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Some understand, the doctrinal parts of the law.

Is sure - נאמנה neemanah, are faithful; they point out the things beyond them fairly, truly, and fully, and make no vain or false report. They all bear testimony to the great atonement. This is Their character.

Making wise the simple - The simple is he who has but one end in view: who is concerned about his soul, and earnestly inquires, "What shall I do to be saved?" These testimonies point to the atonement, and thus the simple-hearted is made wise unto salvation. This is Their use.

The statutes of the Lord - פקודים pikkudim, from פקד pakad, he visited, cared, took notice of, appointed to a charge. The appointments, or charge delivered by God to man for his regard and observance.

Are right - ישרים yesharim, from ישר yashar, to make straight, smooth, right, upright, opposed to crookedness in mind or conduct; showing what the man should be, both within and without. This is Their character.

Rejoicing the heart - As they show a man what he is to observe and keep in charge, and how he is to please God, and the Divine help he is to receive from the visitations of God, they contribute greatly to the happiness of the upright - they rejoice the heart. This is Their use.

The commandment - מצוה mitsvah, from צוה tsavah, to command, give orders, ordain. What God has ordered man to do, or not to do. What he has commanded, and what he has prohibited.

Is pure - From ברה barah, to clear, cleanse, purify. All God's commandments lead to purity, enjoin purity, and point out that sacrificial offering by which cleansing and purification are acquired. This is Its character.

Enlightening the eyes - Showing men what they should do. and what they should avoid. It is by God's commandments that we see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the necessity of redemption, so that we may love the Lord with all our heart, and our neighbor as ourselves. For this is the end of the commandment, and thus to enlighten the eyes is Its use.

The fear of the Lord - יראה yirah, from ירא yara, to fear, to venerate; often put for the whole of Divine worship. The reverence we owe to the Supreme Being.

Is clean - טהורה tehorah, from טהר tahar, to be pure, clean; not differing much from ברה barah, (see above), to be clean and bright as the heavens; as purified Silver. Its object is to purge away all defilement, to make a spotless character.

Enduring for ever - עומדת לעד omedeth laad, standing up to Perpetuity. The fear that prevents us from offending God, that causes us to reverence him, and is the beginning as it is the safeguard of wisdom, must be carried all through life. No soul is safe for a moment without it. It prevents departure from God, and keeps that clean which God has purified. This is Its use.

The judgments of the Lord - משפטים mishpatim, from שפת shaphat, he judged, regulated, disposed, All God's regulations, all his decisions; what he has pronounced to be right and proper.

Are true - אמת emeth, truth, from אם am, to support, confirm, make stable, and certain. This is the character of God's judgments. They shall all stand. All dispensations in providence and grace confirm them; they are certain, and have a fixed character.

And righteous altogether - They are not only according to truth; but they are righteous, צדקו tsadeku, they give to all their due. They show what belongs to God, to man, and to ourselves. And hence the word altogether, יחדו yachdav, equally, is added; or truth and righteousness united.

More to be desired are they than gold - This is strictly true; but who believes it? By most men gold is preferred both to God and his judgments; and they will barter every heavenly portion for gold and silver!

Sweeter also than honey - To those whose mental taste is rectified, who have a spiritual discernment.

Honey-comb - Honey is sweet; but honey just out of the comb has a sweetness, richness and flavour, far beyond what it has after it becomes exposed to the air. Only those who have eaten of honey from the comb can feel the force of the psalmist's comparison: it is better than gold, yea, than fine gold in the greatest quantity; it is sweeter than honey, yea, than honey from the comb.

By them is thy servant warned - נזהר nizhar, from זהר zahar, to be clear, pellucid. By these laws, testimonies, etc., thy servant is fully instructed; he sees all clearly; and he discerns that in keeping of them there is great reward: every man is wise, holy, and happy, who observes them. All Christian experience confirms this truth. Reader, what says thine?

Who can understand his errors? - It is not possible, without much of the Divine light, to understand all our deviations from, not only the letter, but the spirituality, of the Divine law. Frequent self-examination, and walking in the light, are essentially necessary to the requisite degree of spiritual perfection.

Cleanse thou me from secret faults - From those which I have committed, and have forgotten; from those for which I have not repented; from those which have been committed in my heart, but have not been brought to act in my life; from those which I have committed without knowing that they were sins, sins of ignorance; and from those which I have committed in private, for which I should blush and be confounded were they to be made public.

From presumptuous sins - Sins committed not through frailty or surprise, but those which are the offspring of thought, purpose, and deliberation. Sins against judgment, light, and conscience. The words might be translated, Preserve thy servant also from the proud; from tyrannical governors, i.e., from evil spirits - Bishop Horsley. So most of the versions understand the place.

Let them not have dominion over me - Let me never be brought into a habit of sinning. He who sins presumptuously will soon be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Then shall I be upright - Let me be preserved from all the evil that the craft and malice of the devil or man work against me, then shall I continue to walk uprightly, and shall be innocent from the great transgression - from habitual sinning, from apostasy, from my easily-besetting sin. He who would be innocent from the great transgression, must take care that he indulge not himself in any. See Bishop Horne. Most men have committed some particular sin which they ought to deplore as long as they breathe, and on account of the enormity of which they should for ever be humbled.

Let the words of my mouth - He has prayed against practical sin, the sins of the body; now, against the sins of the mouth and of the heart. Let my mouth speak nothing but what is true, kind, and profitable; and my heart meditate nothing but what is holy, pure, and chaste.

Acceptable in thy sight - Like a sacrifice without spot or blemish, offered up with a perfect heart to God.

O Lord, my strength - צורי tsuri, "my fountain, my origin."

My redeemer - גאלי goali, my kinsman, he whose right it is to redeem the forfeited inheritance; for so was the word used under the old law. This prayer is properly concluded! he was weak, he felt the need of God's strength. He had sinned and lost all title to the heavenly inheritance, and therefore needed the interference of the Divine kinsman; of Him who, because the children were partakers of flesh and blood, also partook of the same. No prayer can be acceptable before God which is not offered up in his strength; through Him who took our nature upon him, that he might redeem us unto God, and restore the long-lost inheritance. Lord my helpar and my byer. - Old Psalter. He who is my only help, and he that bought me with his blood. This prayer is often, with great propriety, uttered by pious people when they enter a place of worship.

The heavens - They are as a legible book, wherein he that runs may read it. The glory - His eternal power and Godhead, his infinite wisdom and goodness. Firmament - Or, the expansion, all the vast space extended from the earth to the highest heavens, with all its goodly furniture.

Day - Every day and night repeats these demonstrations of God's glory. Uttereth - Or, poureth forth, constantly and abundantly, as a fountain doth water; So this Hebrew word signifies. Knowledge - Gives us a clear knowledge or discovery of God their author.

Heard - Or, understood; there are divers nations in the world, which have several languages, so that one cannot discourse with, or be understood by another, but the heavens are such an universal teacher, that they can speak to all people, and be clearly understood by all.

Line - Their lines, the singular number being put for the plural. And this expression is very proper, because the heavens do not teach men audibly, or by speaking to their ears, but visibly by propounding things to their eyes, which is done in lines or writings. Gone - Is spread abroad. Earth - So as to be seen and read, by all the inhabitants of the earth. Words - Their magnificent structure, their exquisite order, and most regular course, by which they declare their author, no less than men discover their minds by their words. Sun - Which being the most illustrious and useful of all the heavenly bodies, is here particularly mentioned.

Bridegroom - Gloriously adorned with light as with a beautiful garment, and smiling upon the world with a pleasant countenance. Chamber - In which he is poetically supposed to have rested all night, and thence to break forth as it were on a sudden. Strong man - Conscious and confident of his own strength.

The ends - His course is constant from east to west, and thence to the east again. So that there is no part of the earth which doth not one time or other feel the benefit of his light and heat.

The law - The doctrine delivered to his church, whether by Moses, or by other prophets. Having discoursed hitherto of the glory of God shining forth in, the visible heavens, he now proceeds to another demonstration of God's glory, which he compares with and prefers before the former. Perfect - Completely discovering both the nature and will of God, and the whole duty of man, what he is to believe and practice, and whatsoever is necessary to his present and eternal happiness. Whereas the creation, although it did declare so much of God, as left all men without excuse, yet did not fully manifest the will of God, nor bring men to eternal salvation. Converting - From sin to God, from whom all men are naturally revolted. Testimony - His law, so called because it is a witness between God and man, what God requires of man, and what upon the performance of that condition, he will do for man. Sure - Heb. faithful or true, which is most necessary in a witness: it will not mislead any man, but will infallibly bring him to happiness. Simple - Even persons of the lowest capacities.

Right - Both in themselves, and in their effect, as guiding men in the ready way to eternal happiness. Rejoicing - By the discoveries of God's love to sinful men, in offers and promises of mercy. Commandment - All his commands. Pure - Without the least mixture of error. The eyes - Of the mind, with a compleat manifestation of God's will and man's duty: both which, the works of nature, and all the writings of men discover but darkly and imperfectly.

The fear - The law and word of God, because it is both the object and the rule, and the cause of holy fear. Clean - Sincere, not adulterated with any mixture. Constant and unchangeable, the same for substance in all ages. Judgments - God's laws are frequently called his judgments, because they are the declarations of his righteous will, and as it were his judicial sentence by which he expects that men should govern themselves, and by which he will judge them at the last day.

Who - Thy law, O Lord, is holy and just and good. But I fall infinitely short of it. Cleanse - Both by justification, through the blood of thy son; and by sanctification thro' thy holy spirit. Though the first may seem to be principally intended, because he speaks of his past sins. Secret - From the guilt of such sins as were secret either, from others; such as none knows but God and my own conscience: or, from myself; such as I never observed, or did not discern the evil of. Pardon my unknown sins, of which I never repented particularly, as I should have done.

Presumptuous - From known and evident sins, such as are committed against knowledge, against the checks of conscience, and the motions of God's spirit. Dominion - If I be at any time tempted to such sins, Lord let them not prevail over me, and if I do fall into them, let me speedily rise again.

Let - Having prayed that God would keep him from sinful actions, he now prays that God would govern, and sanctify his words and thoughts: and this was necessary to preserve him from presumptuous sins, which have their first rise in the thoughts. Redeemer - This expression seems to be added emphatically, and with special respect to Christ, to whom alone this word Goel can properly belong.

1. THe heavens declare the glory of God : and the firmament sheweth his handy work .

These visible Heavens so vast and spacious, richly adorned with Stars, so various and admirable in their Course, or Station; so useful and powerful in their Influences.

Not properly, but Objectively, as the Earth and Trees and Stars are said to speak, Iob. 12. 8. and 38. 7. Isa. 55. 12. they demonstrate or make it evident and undeniable to all men, of Sence or Reason: They are as a most legible Book, wherein even he that runs may Read it.

(i. [illegible: 1+ letters].) His glorious being or Existence, his eternal Power and God-head, as it is particularly expressed, Rom. 1. 20. his infinite Wisdom and Goodness. All which are so visible in them, that it is Ridiculous to deny or doubt of them, as it is esteemed Ridiculous to think of far meaner works of Art, as an House or a Book, &c. That they were made without an Artist, or without an Hand.

Or, the Expansion, (i. [illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ ) All this vast space extended from the Earth to the highest Heavens, with all it's goodly Furniture, the same thing which he called Heavens.

The Excellency of the work discovers who was the Author of it, that it did not come by chance, nor spring of it self, but was made by the Lord God Almighty.

Marginal references: Gen. 1. 5.

2. Day unto day uttereth speech , and night unto night sheweth knowledge .

Or rather, after (as the Hebrew Lamed oft signifies, as Exod. 16. 1. and 29. 38. 2 Chron. 30. 21. Psal. 96. 2.) Day: For the day doth not utter this to the Day, but to us upon the Day. The Sence is, Either, 1. That orderly and constant, and useful Succession of Days and Nights one after another, declare this▪ But of the Course of the Sun, the effect whereof this Succession is, he speaks, v. 5. Or rather, 2. Every Day and Night renews or repeats these Documents and Demonstrations of God's Glory. He that neglects them one day, may learn them the next day.

Or, poureth forth, to wit, constantly and abundantly and forcibly, as a Fountain doth Waters, as this Hebrew Verb signifies.

Or the Word, or Discourse, To wit, Concerning God. It hath as it were a Tongue to speak the Praises of it's Maker; (i. e.) It gives men occasion to Magnifie and adore him.

(i. e.) Gives us a clear and certain Knowledge or Discovery of God their Authors.

3. There is no speech nor language, where their voyce is not heard .

Or, understood, as this Verb oft signifies, as Gen. 11▪ 7. and 42. 23. 2 Kings 18. 26. 1 Cor. 14▪ 2. for the hearing of it, would have been insignificant without the understanding of it, in which the force of the Argument lyes. The Sence is, there are divers Nations in the World, which have several Languages, so that one cannot Discourse with, or be understood by another. But the Heavens are such an universal and admirable Teacher, that they can speak to all People under them, and be clearly understood by all. No Nation, or People, saith that wise and learned Heathen, T[illegible: 1+ letters]lly, I[illegible: 1+ letters] so barbarous and sottish, as, when they look up to the Heavens, not to perceive that there is a God, or to imagine that those things are the Effect of blind Chance, which are made with such wonderful Art and Wisdom, that it requires extraordinary Art to understand their excellent Orders and Course? But this Verse is by divers Learned men otherwise Translated, not without an elegant Gradation, as some observe. They have no Speech nor Word, nor is any Voyce or sound heard, in or from them. Then follows the next Verse by way of Opposition, yet their line, &c. Or thus, They have no Speech, nor Words, (which is supposed to be here said by way of Prolepsis, to soften and explain his former Expressions of the Heavens, declaring and speaking) yet (or, but without them) their Voyce is heard or understood.

Marginal references: Or, without these their voice is heard,; Heb. without their voyce [illegible: 1+ letters]eard.

4. Their line is gone out through all the earth , and their words to the end of the world: in them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun .

Either, 1. their admirable structure made exactly, and as it were by line: see Io[illegible: 1+ letters]. 3[illegible: 1+ letters]. 5. Zech. 1. 16. Or, 2. T[illegible: 1+ letters]eir lines, the singular number being put for the plural, for the line answereth to the Words in the next Clause. And by line or lines he may understand their writing, as this very Word is taken, Isa. 28. 10. which is made up of several lines. And this Expression may seem to be very fit and Proper, because the Heavens do not teach men audibly, or by speaking to their Ears, but visibly by propounding things to their Eyes, which is done in lines or writings.

(i. e.) Is spread abroad or drawn sorth.

So as to be seen and Read, by all the Inhabitants of the Earth.

(i. e.) Their magnificent Structure, and their exquisite Order, and most regular Course, by which they declare their Author, no less than if they used many Words, or long Discourses to that purpose, or no less than men disover their Minds by their Words. See more concerning this Verse, upon Rom▪ 10. 18. where it is applied to the Preaching of the Gospel by the Apostles, in the several parts of the World.

Which is a moveable Habitation, and therefore fitly applied to the Sun, which is here described, to be in constant and perpetual Motion, v. 5, 6.

Which being the most Illustrious and useful of all the Heavenly Bodies, is here particularly mentioned.

Marginal references: Rom. 10. 18.; Or their ral[illegible: 1+ letters], Or, direction.

5. Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber , and rejoyceth as a strong man to run a race.

Gloriously adorned with Lights as with a beautiful Garment, and smiling upon the lower World with a pleasant Countenance.

In which he is Poetically supposed to have rested all Night, and thence to break forth as it were on a sudden, as both Sacred and profane Poets represent the Matter.

Who being Conscious and Confident of his own strength, and promising to himself Victory and the Glory which attends it, sets upon his work with great Pleasure.

Marginal references: Eccles. 1. 5.

6. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it : and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof .

His Course is constant from East to West, and thence to the East again.

There is no part of the Earth which doth not one time or other feel the Comfort and Benefit of it's Light and Heat.

7. The law of the LORD is perfect , converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure , making wise the simple .

(i. e.) The Doctrine delivered by God to his Church, whether by Moses or by other Prophets, and holy[illegible: 1+ letters]men of God after him: for the Title of Law is given not only to the Ten Commandements, or the moral Law, as it is, Rom. 2. 23, 25, 27, 31. but also to the whole Word of God, as Psal. 1. 2. and 119. 70, &c. Ier. 8. 8. Mal. 2. 6. to the Psalms, as Ioh. 10. 34. and 15. 25. Comp. with Psal. 82. 6. and 35. 19. and to the Writings of the Prophets, 1 Cor. 14. 21. Comp. with Isa. 28. 11. yea even to the Gospel it self, as Isa. 2. 3. and 42▪ 4. and 51. 4. 7. Rom. 3. 27. Gal. 2. 21. And in this general Sence it must be here understood, because the Effects here following▪ do not flow from one but from all the Parts of it, Precepts and Counsels, and Threatnings, and Promises, and God's gracious Covenant made with man therein revealed. Having discoursed hitherto of the Glory of God's shining forth in, and Demonstrated by the visible Heavens, and the Heavenly Bodies, he now proceeds to another Demonstration of God's Glory, which he Compares with and prefers before the former. Which he doth partly to prevent that Excessive admiration of the splendour and beauty of the Sun and Stars, by the Contemplation whereof the Hearkens were brought to adore them, an Error which the Israelites were not free from the Danger of, Deut. 4. 19. partly, to make the Israelites sensible of their singular Obligations to God, who besides that common Light and Influence of the Heavenly Bodies, had given them a peculiar and a more necessary and beneficial Light; and partly, to awaken and provoke the Gentiles (into whose hands these Psalms might come) to the study and love of God's Law, by representing those excellent Advantages, which they no less than the Iews might obtain by it.

Without fault or defect, fully and compleatly discovering both the Nature and Will of God, and the whole Duty and business of man, whom and how he is to Worship and Serve, what he is to believe and Practise, and whatsoever is necessary to his present and eternal Happiness. Wherein there seems to be a secret Reflection upon the former and natural discovery of God, by his works of Creation, as that which is defective and insufficient for the great and Glorious ends here following, which although it did declare so much of God's being and Nature, as left all men without excuse, Rom. 1. 20. yet did not fully nor clearly manifest the Mind and Will of God, nor direct and bring men to eternal Salvation.

To wit, from the Errors of Mind and Conversation, in which men without this Light do generally wander and Perish, unto God, from whom all men are naturally revo[illegible: 1+ letters]ted. Or, [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1+ letters]r [illegible: 1 word] ▪ as this Word is used, Ruth. 4. 15. [illegible: 1 word]. 2[illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1 word] 1. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. 16. Heb. restoring or bringing back the [illegible: 1 word], which was drooping and even going out of the Body, through grievous [illegible: 1 word] of the outward Man, and Terrors of the Mind and Con[illegible: 1+ letters]ience.

(i. e.) His law, so called because it is a Witness between God and Man▪ what God requires of Man, and what upon the performance of that Condition, he will do for Man.

Heb. faithful or true, which is most Excellent and Proper, and necessary in a Witness: It will not mis-lead or deceive any man, that trusteth to it or followeth it; But will certainly and infallibly bring him to Happiness.

Unto Salvation, as is expressed. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Which is the only true Wisdom.

This is added Either, 1. By way of Commendation or as a qualification of the Person whom God's word will make wise, he must be humble and foolish, and little in [illegible: 1+ letters]is own Eye[illegible: 1+ letters], and willing to be taught: See Mat. 11. 25. 1 Cor. 1. 2[illegible: 1+ letters], [illegible: 1 word]. For God resisteth the proud and scornful, and will not give this Wisdom to them; or rather, 2. By way of Contempt, which seems most agreeable both to the use of the Words, Prov. 1. 4. and 9. 6. and 14. 15. and 2[illegible: 1+ letters]. 3. and to the Scope of the place, which is to set forth the Excellency and E[illegible: 1+ letters]ficacy of God's Law in the general, without any Restriction to this or that sort of Men. So it may note the weak and foolish▪ even Persons of the lowest Capacities, and such are apt to mistake and are easily [illegible: 1+ letters]educed, as the Word implies. And yet these, if they will hearken to the Instructions of God's word, shall become Wise, when those who pro[illegible: 1+ letters]ss themselves Wise, shall by leaning to their own understanding, and despising or neglecting the Directions of God's word, become and prove themselves to be [illegible: 1+ letters]ools, Rom. 1. 22. But this is not spoken exclusively, as if no men of better Abilities were thus made Wise, but by way of Amplification, to shew the Usefulness of God's Word to men of all sorts and sizes.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word].; [illegible: 1 word] ▪ [illegible: 1+ letters]oring. [illegible: 1 word] ▪ 4▪ 15. [illegible: 1 word] ▪; Psal. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]9. 14[illegible: 1+ letters].

8. The statutes of the LORD are right rejoycing the heart : the commandement of the LORD is pure , enlightning the eyes .

Another word signifying the same thing with Law and Testimonies.

Both in themselves, as being free from Crookedness or Error, and in their Effect; as guiding and directing men in the right and ready way to eternal Happiness. Which also reflects upon that knowledge of Divine things, which men have by the light of Nature and works of God, or by the Doctrines of the Philosophers or others, that wanted or neglected the light of God's word, wherein there is a great deal of darkness and uncertainty, and Error and Danger.

Partly by that clear and certain knowledge of Divine things which it gives, for knowledge is pleasant to the Soul, Prov. 2. 10. and partly by the discoveries of God's Love and Grace to sinful men, in Offers and Promises of Mercy therein contained.

(i. e.) All his Commands.

Without the least mixture of Error, or injustice or Deceit: Which cannot be said of humane Laws.

To wit, of the Mind, with an evident and compleat manifestation of God's Will and Man's Duty: both which the works of Nature, and all the Writings of men discover but darkly and imperfectly.

Marginal references: Psal. 119. 140.

9. The fear of the LORD is clean , enduring for ever : the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether u.

By which he understands not the Grace of God's fear, as this Phrase is commonly taken; nor the whole Worship of God, as it is taken, Psal. 34. 9. 11. Mat. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. 9. but the Law and Word of God, which is the only thing that is h[illegible: 1+ letters]re commended, and which is meant by all the other parallel Titles of his Testimony, and Statutes, and Commandements, and Iudgments, and consequently by this of his [illegible: 1+ letters]ear, which is as it were hemmed in within them. And this may well be so called by an usual Metonymy, because it is both the Object and the Rule, and the Cause of this Grace of holy Fear; as God himself is called Fear for the like reason, Gen. 31. 53. and in the Hebrew, Psal. 76. 11.

(i. e.) Sincere, not adulterated with any mixture of Vanity, or Falshood, or Vice, not requiring no[illegible: 1+ letters] allowing any uncleanness or wickedness, as the Religion of the Gentiles did.

Constant and unchangeable, the same for Substance in all the Ages of the Church and the World. Which is most true, both of the moral Law, and of the Doctrine of God's Grace and Mercy to sinful and miserable man; which two are the Principal part[illegible: 1+ letters] of that Law, of which he here speaks, as is Evident from the whole Context. For as the difference between the Old and the New Testament, that lyes only in Circumstantial and Ceremonial, or Ritual things, which are not here intended; and that Alteration also was foretol[illegible: 1+ letters] in the Old Testament, and consequently, the accomplishment of it did not destroy, but confirm the certainty and constancy of God's word. This also is opposed to humane Laws, wherein there are, and ought to be manifold Changes, according to the difference of Times and People and Circumstances.

(i. e.) God's Laws frequently called his Iudgments▪ because they are the Declarations of his righteous Will and as it were his legal o[illegible: 1+ letters] judicial Sentence by which he expects that men should govern themselves, and by which he will judge them at the last day.

Marginal references: Heb. truste

10. More to [illegible: 1+ letters]e desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold : sweeter also than honey , and the honey comb .

Than Gold of the best quality, and in the greatest quantity.

Which was most sweet in those Eastern Countries.

Than that Honey which the Bees have ▪most diligently wrought in their Combs, and which freely flows from them; which is sweeter than the rest.

Marginal references: Psal. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]9. 12. 127 Prov. 8. 11. 19.; Psal. 119. 103.; Heb. [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] of [illegible: 1 word].

11. Moreover, by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward .

I thy servant, though a King and a Prophet, and of some Repute for Wisdom and Knowledge, yet I am daily taught by them. Or, [illegible: 1 word], as Dan. 12. 3. or clearly admonished, as this word signifies, [illegible: 1 word] 18. 20. 2 Kings 6. 10. Eccles. 4. 13. [illegible: 1 word]. 3. 17, &c. and 33. 3. 9. It is a faithful and excellent Monitor to shew me my Duty in all Conditions, and to preserve me from falling into sin and danger, and Mischief.

To those that make it their great Design, and care to conform their whole Lives to them. For he speaks not of a Legal and perfect keeping of them, which no man attaineth to in this Life, [illegible: 1 word]. 7. 20. G[illegible: 1+ letters]l. 3. 10, 11, 12. 1 Ioh. 1. 8. but of doing it in an Evangel[illegible: 1+ letters]al Sence, with the allowances which God through Christ makes for Humane infirmities.

In this Life, and especially in the next.

12. Who can understand his Errors ? cleanse thou me from secret faults .

This may be here added Either, 1. As a further Proof of the Excellency and necessity of God's Law, because mens Errors are so many and hard to be discovered and prevented, that they indispensably need such a Friend and Counsellor as the Law is to give them the true knowledge of themselves and of their sins. Or 2. As a just and sorrowful Censure of himself, upon the Consideration of the exact Purity of God's Law, and the Comparing of his Life with it. Thy Law, O Lord, is Holy and just and Good. But I am a poor sinful Wre[illegible: 1+ letters]ch falling infinitely short of it, and Condemned by it. Or 3. As a signification of the insufficiency of God's Law, strictly so called for the healing and saving of mens Souls, and of the necessity of further supplies of the Gospel, and grace of God; whereby the eyes of their Minds may be enlightned to see that light which shines in God's Law, and their Hearts may be renewed to yield universal Obedience to it, for which therefore he prays in the following words. And withal he implies, that he did not expect that reward which he last mentioned as a just Recompence to his Obedience, which he confesseth to need a Pardon more than to deserve a reward, but only as an effect of God's grace and goodness.

Either, 1. His sins of ignorance, of which this word is used, Levit. 4. 2▪ 22, 27. [illegible: 1 word]. 5. 6. Or rather, 2. His sins in general [illegible: 1+ letters] [illegible: 1+ letters]ich afterwards he divides into secret and presumptuous sins) Or all deviations from God's Law, which are thus called, 1 Sa[illegible: 1+ letters]. 26. 21. Psal. 119. 67, 118. Heb. 9. 7. Iam. 5. 20. The Sence is, I cannot comprehend the numbers or the several kinds, or all the Hainous Aggravations of my sins.

Both by justification or the Pardon of my sins, through the Blood of thy Son which is to be shed for me; and by Sanctification through thy holy Spirit, co-working in and with thy Word, to the further Renovation of my Heart and Life: For these are the two ways of c[illegible: 1+ letters]eansing Sinners, most frequently mentioned both in the Old and New Testament▪ Though the first may seem to be Principally[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ if not only, Intended, because he speaks of his past sins, which could be cleansed no other way but by Remission.

(i. e.) From the guilt of such sins as were secret Either, 1. From others; such as none knows [illegible: 1 word] God and my own Conscience: Or 2. From my self; such as I never observed▪ [illegible: 1+ letters]or did not discern the evil of. Pardon my unknown sins, of which I never repented particularly, as I should have done.

Marginal references: Psal. 40. 12.

13. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins , let them not have dominion over m[illegible: 1+ letters] : then shall I be upright , and I shall be innocent from the great transgression .

Or, restrain, or withdraw. Which word is emphatical, and signifies Mans natural and great proneness even to the worst of sins, and the necessity of God's grace, as a Bridle, to keep men from rushing upon them. Having begged Pardon for his former Errors, he now begs grace to keep him from Relapses for the time to come.

Or, restrain, or withdraw. Which word is emphatical, and signifies Mans natural and great proneness even to the worst of sins, and the necessity of God's grace, as a Bridle, to keep men from rushing upon them. Having begged Pardon for his former Errors, he now begs grace to keep him from Relapses for the time to come.

From known and evident sins, such as are committed against knowledge and Del[illegible: 1+ letters]eration, with design and resolution, and Eagerness▪ with resistance against the Cheeks of Conscience, and the Motions of Gods Spirit, and with Contempt both of God's commands and Judgments, and so with Pride and ins[illegible: 1+ letters]lency, which this word signifies. See Exod. 21. 14. And such a sin was that of David's in the Matter of uriah, to which he seems to have an Eye; and prayeth to be kept from such Miscarriages.

That will be an Evidence of my Sincerity, and I shall have this Comfort, that although I am not absolutely Perfect, but incompassed with many Infirmities, yet I am an upright Person and such as thou wilst accept.

Thou wilst hold me for Innocent. Or, I hall be cleansed, or kept pare, as this Word primarily signifies.

(i. e.) From the guilt of such Presumptuous sins, which are indeed very great Transgressions, and such, as if accompanied with Obstinacy and Impenitency, thou wilst not Pardon. But as for other sins of ignorance or infirmity, thou wilst graciously remit them for thy Covenants sake, made with me in and through thy Christ. Oth. From much Transgression, or from innumerable sins, which usually follow the Commission of one Presumptuous sin, as David found by his own sad Experience.

i If I be at any time tempted to any su[illegible: 1+ letters] sins, Lord let them not prevail over me, and if I do fall into them, let me speedily rise again, and not willingly give up my self to the Custo[illegible: 1+ letters]ary practice of them.

Marginal references: Psal. 119. 133. Rom. 6. 12. 14.; Or, much.

14. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight , O LORD my strength and my redeemer . &c.

Having prayed that God would keep him from sinful Actions, he now prays that God would govern, and sanctify his Words and Thoughts, wherein he had many ways offended, as he here implies, and oft in this Book confesseth and bewaileth. And this he the rather doth, because this Caution was very necessary to preserve him from Presumptuous sins, which have their first rise in the Thoughts, and thence proceed to Words and Expressions, before they break forth into Actions.

(i. e.) Be really good and Holy, and so wellpleasing to thee.

O thou who hast hitherto strengthened me both against my temporal and spiritual Enemies, and whose gracious and powerful Assistance, is absolutely necessary to keep me from my own corrupt Inclinations, and from all Temptations, to sinful Thoughts and Wor[illegible: 1+ letters]s, and Actions.

This Expression seems to be added emphatically, and with special respect to Christ, who was certainly much in David's Eyes, [illegible: 1+ letters]o whom alone this word Goel can here Properly belong, as may appear by my Notes, on Iob. 19. 25. to which I refer the Reader, and by whose Blood and Spirit alone, David could and did expect the Blessings and Graces, ▪for which he here prayeth.

Marginal references: Heb. my Rock.

Prayer to God, Whose Revelation of Himself Is Twofold

In the inscription of Ps 18 David is called עבד יהוה, and in Psa 19:1-14 he gives himself this name. In both Psalms, in the former at the beginning, in the latter at the close, he calls upon Jahve by the name צוּרי, my rock. These and other points of contact (Symbolae p. 49) have concurred to lead the collector to append Psa 19:1-14, which celebrates God’s revelation of Himself in nature and in the Law, to Ps 18, which celebrates God’s revelation of Himself in the history of David. The view, that in Psa 19:1-14 we have before us two torsi blown together from some quarter or other, is founded upon a defective insight into the relationship, which accords with a definite plan, of the two halves Psa 19:2, Psa 19:8, as Hitzig has recently shown in opposition to that view. The poet begins with the praise of the glory of God the Creator, and rises from this to the praise of the mercy of God the Lawgiver; and thus through the praise, springing from wondering and loving adoration, he clears the way to the prayer for justification and sanctification. This prayer grows out of the praise of the mercy of the God who has revealed Himself in His word, without coming back to the first part, Psa 19:2. For, as Lord Bacon says, the heavens indeed tell of the glory of God, but not of His will, according to which the poet prays to be pardoned and sanctified. Moreover, if we suppose the Psalm to be called forth by the aspect of the heavens by day, just as Psa 8:1-9 was by the aspect of the heavens by night, then the unity of this praise of the two revelations of God becomes still more clear. It is morning, and the psalmist rejoices on the one hand at the dawning light of day, and on the other he prepares himself for the days’ work lying before him, in the light of the Tôra. The second part, just like the first part, consists of fourteen lines, and each of them is naturally divided into a six and an eight line strophe. But in the second part, in the place of the short lines comes the caesural schema, which as it were bounds higher, draws deeper breaths and surges as the rise and fall of the waves, for the Tôra inspires the psalmist more than does the sun. And it is also a significant fact, that in the first part God is called אל according to his relationship of power to the world, and is only mentioned once; whereas in the second part, He is called by His covenant name יהוה, and mentioned seven times, and the last time by a threefold name, which brings the Psalm to a close with a full toned יהוה צורי וגאלי. What a depth of meaning there is in this distinction of the revelation of God, the Redeemer, from the revelation of God, the Creator!

The last strophe presents us with a sharply sketched soteriology in nuce. If we add Psa 32:1-11, then we have the whole of the way of salvation in almost Pauline clearness and definiteness. Paul, moreover, quotes both Psalms; they were surely his favourites.

Psa 19:1-3 (Hebrew_Bible_19:2-4) The heavens, i.e., the superterrestrial spheres, which, so far as human vision is concerned, are lost in infinite space, declare how glorious is God, and indeed אל, as the Almighty; and what His hands have made, i.e., what He has produced with a superior power to which everything is possible, the firmament, i.e., vault of heaven stretched out far and wide and as a transparency above the earth (Graeco-Veneta τάμα =ἔκταμα, from רקע, root רק, to stretch, τείνειν), distinctly expresses. The sky and firmament are not conceived of as conscious beings which the middle ages, in dependence upon Aristotle (vid., Maimonides, More Nebuchim ii. 5), believed could be proved fro this passage, cf. Neh 9:6; Job 38:7. Moreover, Scripture knows nothing of the “music of the spheres” of the Pythagoreans. What is meant is, as the old expositors correctly say, objectivum vocis non articulatae praeconium. The doxa, which God has conferred upon the creature as the reflection of His own, is reflected back from it, and given back to God as it were in acknowledgment of its origin. The idea of perpetuity, which lies even in the participle, is expanded in Psa 19:3. The words of this discourse of praise are carried forward in an uninterrupted line of transmission. הבּיע (fr. נבע, Arab. nb‛, root נב, to gush forth, nearly allied to which, however, is also the root בע, to spring up) points to the rich fulness with which, as from an inexhaustible spring, the testimony passes on from one day to the next. The parallel word חוּה is an unpictorial, but poetic, word that is more Aramaic than Hebrew (= הגּיד). אמשׁ also belongs to the more elevated style; the γνωστὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ deposited in the creature, although not reflected, is here called דּעת. The poet does not say that the tidings proclaimed by the day, if they gradually die away as the day declines, are taken up by the night, and the tidings of the night by the day; but (since the knowledge proclaimed by the day concerns the visible works of God by day, and that proclaimed by the night, His works by night), that each dawning day continues the speech of that which has declined, and each approaching night takes up the tale of that which has passed away (Psychol. S. 347, tr. p. 408). If Psa 19:4 were to be rendered “there is no speech and there are no words, their voice is inaudible,” i.e., they are silent, speechless witnesses, uttering no sound, but yet speaking aloud (Hengst.), only inwardly audible but yet intelligible everywhere (Then.): then, Psa 19:5 ought at least to begin with a Waw adversativum, and, moreover, the poet would then needlessly check his fervour, producing a tame thought and one that interrupts the flow of the hymn. To take Psa 19:4 as a circumstantial clause to Psa 19:5, and made to precede it, as Ewald does, “without loud speech...their sound has resounded through all the earth” (§341, d), is impossible, even apart from the fact of אמר not meaning “Loud speech” and קוּם hardly “their sound.” Psa 19:4 is in the form of an independent sentence, and there is nothing whatever in it to betray any designed subordination to Psa 19:5. But if it be made independent in the sense “there is no loud, no articulate speech, no audible voice, which proceeds from the heavens,” then Psa 19:5 would form an antithesis to it; and this, in like manner, there is nothing to indicate, and it would at least require that the verb יצא should be placed first. Luther’s rendering is better: There is no language nor speech, where their voice is not heard, i.e., as Calvin also renders it, the testimony of the heavens to God is understood by the peoples of every language and tongue. But this ought to be אין לשׁון or אין שׂפה ro אין  (Gen 11:1). Hofmann’s rendering is similar, but more untenable: “There is no speech and there are no words, that their cry is not heard, i.e., the language of the heavens goes forth side by side with all other languages; and men may discourse ever so, still the speech or sound of the heavens is heard therewith, it sounds above them all.” But the words are not בּלי נשׁמע (after the analogy of Gen 31:20), or rather בּלי ישּׁמע (as in Job 41:8; Hos 8:7). בּלי with the part. is a poetical expression for the Alpha privat. (2Sa 1:21), consequently כלי נשׁמע is “unheard” or “inaudible,” and the opposite of נשׁמע, audible, Jer 31:15. Thus, therefore, the only rendering that remains is that of the lxx., Vitringa, and Hitzig: There is no language and no words, whose voice is unheard, i.e., inaudible. Hupfeld’s assertion that this rendering destroys the parallelism is unfounded. The structure of the distich resembles Psa 139:4. The discourse of the heavens and the firmament, of the day (of the sky by day) and of the night (of the sky by night), is not a discourse uttered in a corner, it is a discourse in speech that is everywhere audible, and in words that are understood by all, a φανερόν, Rom 1:19.

Psa 19:4-6 (Hebrew_Bible_19:5-7) Since אמר and דברים are the speech and words of the heavens, which form the ruling principal notion, comprehending within itself both יום and לילה, the suffixes of קוּם and מלּיהם must unmistakeably refer to השׁמים in spite of its being necessary to assign another reference to קולם in Psa 19:4. Jer 31:39 shows how we are to understand קו in connection with יצא. The measuring line of the heavens is gone forth into all the earth, i.e., has taken entire possession of the earth. Psa 19:5 tells us what kind of measuring line is intended, viz., that of their heraldship: their words (from מלּה, which is more Aramaic than Hebrew, and consequently more poetic) reach to the end of the world, they fill it completely, from its extreme boundary inwards. Isaiah’s קו, Psa 28:1-9 :10, is inapplicable here, because it does not mean commandment, but rule, and is there used as a word of derision, rhyming with צו. The ὁ φθόγγος αὐτῶν of the lxx (ὁ ἦχος αὐτῶν Symm.) might more readily be justified, inasmuch as קו might mean a harpstring, as being a cord in tension, and then, like τόνος (cf. τοναία), a tone or sound (Gesenius in his Lex., and Ewald), if the reading קולם does not perhaps lie at the foundation of that rendering. But the usage of the language presents with signification of a measuring line for קו when used with יצא (Aq. κανών, cf. 2Co 10:13); and this gives a new thought, whereas in the other case we should merely have a repetition of what has been already expressed in Psa 19:4. Paul makes use of these first two lines of the strophe in order, with its very words, to testify to the spread of the apostolic message over the whole earth. Hence most of the older expositors have taken the first half of the Psalm to be an allegorical prediction, the heavens being a figure of the church and the sun a figure of the gospel. The apostle does not, however, make a formal citation in the passage referred to, he merely gives a New Testament application to Old Testament language, by taking the all-penetrating praeconium coelorum as figure of the all-penetrating praeconium evangelii; and he is fully justified in so doing by the parallel which the psalmist himself draws between the revelation of God in nature and in the written word.

The reference of בּהם to השׁמים is at once opposed by the tameness of the thought so obtained. The tent, viz., the retreat (אהל, according to its radical meaning a dwelling, from אהל, cogn. אול, to retire from the open country) of the sun is indeed in the sky, but it is more naturally at the spot where the sky and the קצה תבל meet. Accordingly בהם has the neuter signification “there” (cf. Isa 30:6); and there is so little ground for reading שׁם instead of שׂם, as Ewald does, that the poet on the contrary has written בהם and not שׁם, because he has just used שׂם (Hitzig). The name of the sun, which is always feminine in Arabic, is predominantly masculine in Hebrew and Aramaic (cf. on the other hand Gen 15:17, Nah 3:17, Isa 45:6, Mal 4:2); just as the Sabians and heathen Arabs had a sun-god (masc.). Accordingly in Psa 19:6 the sun is compared to a bridegroom, who comes forth in the morning out of his חפּה. Joe 2:16 shows that this word means a bride-chamber; properly (from חפף to cover) it means a canopy (Isa 4:5), whence in later Hebrew the bridal or portable canopy (Talmud. בּית גּננא), which is supported by four poles and borne by four boys, at the consecration of the bridal pair, and then also the marriage itself, is called chuppa. The morning light has in it a freshness and cheerfulness, as it were a renewed youth. Therefore the morning sun is compared to a bridegroom, the desire of whose heart is satisfied, who stands as it were at the beginning of a new life, and in whose youthful countenance the joy of the wedding-day still shines. And as at its rising it is like a bridegroom, so in its rapid course (Sir. 43:5) it is like a hero (vid., on Psa 18:34), inasmuch as it marches on its way ever anew, light-giving and triumphant, as often as it comes forth, with גּבוּרה (Jdg 5:31). From one end of heaven, the extreme east of the horizon, is its going forth, i.e., rising (cf. Hos 6:3; the opposite is מבוא going in = setting), and its circuit (תּקוּפה, from קוּף = נקף, Isa 29:1, to revolve) על־קצותם, to their (the heavens') end (= עד Deu 4:32), cf. 1 Esdr. 4:34: ταχὺς τῷ δρόμῳ ὁ ἥλιος, ὅτι στρέφεται ἐν τῷ κύκλῳ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ πάλιν ἀποτρέχει εἰς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ τόπον ἐν μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ. On this open way there is not נסתּר, anything hidden, i.e., anything that remains hidden, before its heat. חמּה is the enlightening and warming influence of the sun, which is also itself called חמּה in poetry.

Psa 19:7-9 (Hebrew_Bible_19:8-10) No sign is made use of to mark the transition from the one part to the other, but it is indicated by the introduction of the divine name יהוה instead of אל. The word of nature declares אל (God) to us, the word of Scripture יהוה (Jahve); the former God’s power and glory, the latter also His counsel and will. Now follow twelve encomiums of the Law, of which every two are related as antecedent and consequent, rising and falling according to the caesural schema, after the manner of waves. One can discern how now the heart of the poet begins to beat with redoubled joy as he comes to speak of God’s word, the revelation of His will. תּורה does not in itself mean the law, but a pointing out, instruction, doctrine or teaching, and more particularly such as is divine, and therefore positive; whence it is also used of prophecy, Isa 1:10; Isa 8:16, and prophetically of the New Testament gospel, Isa 2:3. But here no other divine revelation is meant than that given by the mediation of Moses, which is become the law, i.e., the rule of life (νόμος), of Israel; and this law, too, as a whole not merely as to its hortatory and disciplinary character, but also including the promises contained in it. The praises which the poet pronounces upon the Law, are accurate even from the standpoint of the New Testament. Even Paul says, Rom 7:12, Rom 7:14, “The Law is holy and spiritual, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.” The Law merits these praises in itself; and to him who is in a state of favour, it is indeed no longer a law bringing a curse with it, but a mirror of the God merciful in holiness, into which he can look without slavish fear, and is a rule for the direction of his free and willing obedience. And how totally different is the affection of the psalmists and prophets for the Law, - an affection based upon the essence and universal morality of the commandments, and upon a spiritual realisation of the letter, and the consolation of the promises, - from the pharisaical rabbinical service of the letter and the ceremonial in the period after the Exile!

The divine Law is called תּמימה, “perfect,” i.e., spotless and harmless, as being absolutely well-meaning, and altogether directed towards the well-being of man. And משׁיבת נפשׁ restoring, bringing back, i.e., imparting newness of life, quickening the soul (cf. Pil. שׁובב, Psa 23:3), to him, viz., who obeys the will of God graciously declared therein, and enters upon the divine way or rule of salvation. Then in the place of the word תורה we find עדוּת, - as the tables of the Ten Commandments (לחוּת העדוּת) are called, - from עוּד (העיד), which signifies not merely a corroborative, but also a warning and instructive testimony or attestation.  The testimony of Jahve is נאמנה, made firm, sure, faithful, i.e., raised above all doubt in its declarations, and verifying itself in its threatenings and promises; and hence מחכּימת פּתי, making wise simplicity, or the simple, lit., openness, the open (root פת to spread out, open, Indo-Germ. prat, πετ, pat, pad), i.e., easily led astray; to such an one it gives a solid basis and stability, σοφίζει αὐτὸν, 2Ti 3:15.  The Law divides into פּקּוּדים, precepts or declarations concerning man’s obligation; these are ישׁרים, straight or upright, as a norma normata, because they proceed from the upright, absolutely good will of God, and as a norma normans they lead along a straight way in the right track. They are therefore משׂמּחי לב, their educative guidance, taking one as it were by the hand, frees one from all tottering, satisfies a moral want, and preserves a joyous consciousness of being in the right way towards the right goal. מצות יהוה, Jahve’s statute (from צוּה statuere), is the tenour of His commandments. The statute is a lamp - it is said in Pro 6:23 -and the law a light. So here: it is בּרה, clear, like the light of the sun (Sol 6:10), and its light is imparted to other objects: מאירת עינים, enlightening the eyes, which refers not merely to the enlightening of the understanding, but of one’s whole condition; it makes the mind clear, and body as well as mind healthy and fresh, for the darkness of the eyes is sorrow, melancholy, and bewilderment. In this chain of names for the Law, יראת ה is not the fear of God as an act performed, but as a precept, it is what God’s revelation demands, effects, and maintains; so that it is the revealed way in which God is to be feared (Psa 34:12) - in short, it is the religion of Jahve (cf. Pro 15:33 with Deu 17:19). This is טהורה, clean, pure, as the word which is like to pure gold, by which it is taught, Psa 12:7, cf. Job 28:19; and therefore עמדת לעד, enduring for ever in opposition to all false forms of reverencing God, which carry their own condemnation in themselves. משׁפּטי ה are the jura of the Law as a corpus juris divini, everything that is right and constitutes right according to the decision of Jahve. These judgments are אמת, truth, which endures and verifies itself; because, in distinction from most others and those outside Israel, they have an unchangeable moral foundation: צדקוּ יחדּו, i.e., they are צדיקים, in accordance with right and appropriate (Deu 4:8), altogether, because no reproach of inappositeness and sanctioned injustice or wrong clings to them. The eternal will of God has attained a relatively perfect form and development in the Law of Jahve according to the standard set up as the law of the nation.

Psa 19:10-14 (Hebrew_Bible_19:10-14) With הנּחמדים (for which, preferring a simple Shebâ with the gutturals, Ben-Naphtali writes הנּחמּמדים) the poet sums up the characteristics enumerated; the article is summative, as in השּׁשּׁי at the close of the hexahemeron, Gen 1:31. פּז is the finest purified gold, cf. 1Ki 10:18 with 2Ch 9:17. נפת צוּפים “the discharge (from נפת = Arab. nft) of the honeycombs” is the virgin honey, i.e., the honey that flows of itself out of the cells. To be desired are the revealed words of God, to him who possesses them as an outward possession; and to him who has received them inwardly they are sweet. The poet, who is himself conscious of being a servant of God, and of striving to act as such, makes use of these words for the end for which they are revealed: he is נזהר, one who suffers himself to be enlightened, instructed, and warned by them. גּם belongs to נזהר (according to the usual arrangement of the words, e.g., Hos 6:11), just as in Psa 19:14 it belongs to חשׂך. He knows that בּשׁמרם (with a subjective suffix in an objective sense, cf. Pro 25:7, just as we may also say:) in their observance is, or is included, great reward. עקב is that which follows upon one’s heels (עקב), or comes immediately after anything, and is used here of the result of conduct. Thus, then, inasmuch as the Law is not only a copy of the divine will, but also a mirror of self-knowledge, in which a man may behold and come to know himself, he prays for forgiveness in respect of the many sins of infirmity, - though for the most part unperceived by him, - to which, even the pardoned one succumbs. שׁניאה (in the terminology of the Law, שׁננה, ἀγνόημα) comprehends the whole province of the peccatum involuntarium, both the peccatum ignoranitiae and the peccatum infirmitatis. The question delicta quis intelligit is equivalent to the negative clause: no one can discern his faults, on account of the heart of man being unfathomable and on account of the disguise, oftentimes so plausible, and the subtlety of sin. Hence, as an inference, follows the prayer: pronounce me free also מנּסתּרות, ab occultis (peccatis, which, however, cannot be supplied on grammatical grounds), equivalent to mee`alumiym (Psa 90:8), i.e., all those sins, which even he, who is most earnestly striving after sanctification, does not discern, although he may desire to know them, by reason of the ever limited nature of his knowledge both of himself and of sin.In the Arab proverb, “no sin which is persisted in is small, no sin great for which forgiveness is sought of God,” Arab. ṣgı̂rt, directly means a little and Arab. kbı̂rt, a great sin, vid., Allgem. Literar. Zeitschr. 1844, No. 46, p. 363. נקּה, δικαιοῦν, is a vox judicialis, to declare innocent, pronounce free from, to let go unpunished. The prayer for justification is followed in Psa 19:14 by the prayer for sanctification, and indeed for preservation against deliberate sins. From זוּד, זיד, to seethe, boil over, Hiph. to sin wilfully, deliberately, insolently, - opp. of sin arising from infirmity, Exo 21:14; Deu 18:22; Deu 17:12, - is formed זד an insolent sinner, one who does not sin בּשׁננה, but בּזדון (cf. 1Sa 17:28, where David’s brethren bring this reproach against him), or בּיר רמה, and the neuter collective זדים (cf. סטים, Psa 101:3; Hos 5:2) peccata proaeretica orcontra conscientiam, which cast one out of the state of grace or favour, Num 15:27-31. For if זדים had been intended of arrogant and insolent possessors of power (Ewald), the prayer would have taken some other form than that of “keeping back” (חשׂך as in 1Sa 25:39 in the mouth of David). זדים, presumptuous sins, when they are repeated, become dominant sins, which irresistibly enslave the man (משׁל with a non-personal subject, as in Isa 3:4, cf. Psa 103:19); hence the last member of the climax (which advances from the peccatum involuntarium to the proaereticum, and from this to the regnans): let them not have dominion over me (בי with Dechî in Baer; generally wrongly marked with Munach).

Then (אז), when Thou bestowest this twofold favour upon me, the favour of pardon and the grace of preservation, shall I be blameless (איתם 1 fut. Kal, instead of אתּם, with י as a characteristic of ē) and absolved (ונקּיתי not Piel, as in Psa 19:13, but Niph., to be made pure, absolved) from great transgression. פּשׁעThe Gaja with מפּשׁע is intended in this instance, where מפשׁע רב are to be read in close connection, to secure distinctness of pronunciation for the unaccented ע, as e.g., is also the case in Psa 78:13, ים בּקע (bāḳa‛jām). from פּשׁע(root פש), to spread out, go beyond the bounds, break through, trespass, is a collective name for deliberate and reigning, dominant sin, which breaks through man’s relation of favour with God, and consequently casts him out of favour, - in one word, for apostasy. Finally, the psalmist supplicates a gracious acceptance of his prayer, in which both mouth and heart accord, supported by the faithfulness, stable as the rock (צוּרי), and redeeming love (גּואלי redemptor, vindex, root גל, חל, to loose, redeem) of his God. היה לרצון is a standing expression of the sacrificial tôra, e.g., Lev 1:3. The לפניך, which, according to Exo 28:38, belongs to לרצון, stands in the second member in accordance with the “parallelism by postponement.” Prayer is a sacrifice offered by the inner man. The heart meditates and fashions it; and the mouth presents it, by uttering that which is put into the form of words.

God's Glory Seen in the Creation.

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork. 2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. 4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, 5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. 6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

From the things that are seen every day by all the world the psalmist, in these verses, leads us to the consideration of the invisible things of God, whose being appears incontestably evident and whose glory shines transcendently bright in the visible heavens, the structure and beauty of them, and the order and influence of the heavenly bodies. This instance of the divine power serves not only to show the folly of atheists, who see there is a heaven and yet say, "There is no God," who see the effect and yet say, "There is no cause," but to show the folly of idolaters also, and the vanity of their imagination, who, though the heavens declare the glory of God, yet gave that glory to the lights of heaven which those very lights directed them to give to God only, the Father of lights. Now observe here,

1. What that is which the creatures notify to us. They are in many ways useful and serviceable to us, but in nothing so much as in this, that they declare the glory of God, by showing his handy-works, v. 1. They plainly speak themselves to be God's handy-works; for they could not exist from eternity; all succession and motion must have had a beginning; they could not make themselves, that is a contradiction; they could not be produced by a casual hit of atoms, that is an absurdity, fit rather to be bantered than reasoned with: therefore they must have a Creator, who can be no other than an eternal mind, infinitely wise, powerful, and good. Thus it appears they are God's works, the works of his fingers (Ps. viii. 3), and therefore they declare his glory. From the excellency of the work we may easily infer the infinite perfection of its great author. From the brightness of the heavens we may collect that the Creator is light; their vastness of extent bespeaks his immensity, their height his transcendency and sovereignty, their influence upon this earth his dominion, and providence, and universal beneficence: and all declare his almighty power, by which they were at first made, and continue to this day according to the ordinances that were then settled.

II. What are some of those things which notify this? 1. The heavens and the firmament—the vast expanse of air and ether, and the spheres of the planets and fixed stars. Man has this advantage above the beasts, in the structure of his body, that whereas they are made to look downwards, as their spirits must go, he is made erect, to look upwards, because upwards his spirit must shortly go and his thoughts should now rise. 2. The constant and regular succession of day and night (v. 2): Day unto day, and night unto night, speak the glory of that God who first divided between the light and the darkness, and has, from the beginning to this day, preserved that established order without variation, according to God's covenant with Noah (Gen. viii. 22), that, while the earth remains, day and night shall not cease, to which covenant of providence the covenant of grace is compared for its stability, Jer. xxxiii. 20; xxxi. 35. The counterchanging of day and night, in so exact a method, is a great instance of the power of God, and calls us to observe that, as in the kingdom of nature, so in that of providence, he forms the light and creates the darkness (Isa. xlv. 7), and sets the one over-against the other. It is likewise an instance of his goodness to man; for he makes the out-goings of the morning and evening to rejoice, Ps. lxv. 8. He not only glorifies himself, but gratifies us, by this constant revolution; for as the light of the morning befriends the business of the day, so the shadows of the evening befriend the repose of the night; every day and every night speak the goodness of God, and, when they have finished their testimony, leave it to the next day, to the next night, to stay the same. 3. The light and influence of the sun do, in a special manner, declare the glory of God; for of all the heavenly bodies that is the most conspicuous in itself and most useful to this lower world, which would be all dungeon, and all desert, without it. It is not an improbable conjecture that David penned this psalm when he had the rising sun in view, and from the brightness of it took occasion to declare the glory of God. Concerning the sun observe here, (1.) The place appointed him. In the heavens God has set a tabernacle for the sun. The heavenly bodies are called hosts of heaven, and therefore are fitly said to dwell in tents, as soldiers in their encampments. The sun is said to have a tabernacle set him, no only because he is in continual motion and never has a fixed residence, but because the mansion he has will, at the end of time, be taken down like a tent, when the heavens shall be rolled together like a scroll and the sun shall be turned to darkness. (2.) The course assigned him. That glorious creature was not made to be idle, but his going forth (at least as it appears to our eye) is from one point of the heavens, and his circuit thence to the opposite point, and thence (to complete his diurnal revolution) to the same point again; and this with such steadiness and constancy that we can certainly foretel the hour and the minute at which the sun will rise at such a place, any day to come. (3.) The brightness wherein he appears. He is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, richly dressed and adorned, as fine as hands can make him, looking pleasantly himself and making all about him pleasant; for the friend of the bridegroom rejoices greatly to hear the bridegroom's voice, John iii. 29. (4.) The cheerfulness wherewith he makes this tour. Though it seems a vast round which he has to walk, and he has not a moment's rest, yet in obedience to the law of this creation, and for the service of man, he not only does it, but does it with a great deal of pleasure and rejoices as a strong man to run a race. With such satisfaction did Christ, the Sun of righteousness, finish the work that was given him to do. (5.) His universal influence on this earth: There is nothing hidden from the heart thereof, no, not metals in the bowels of the earth, which the sun has an influence upon.

III. To whom this declaration is made of the glory of God. It is made to all parts of the world (v. 3, 4): There is no speech nor language (no nation, for the nations were divided after their tongues, Gen. x. 31, 32) where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone through all the earth (the equinoctial line, suppose) and with it their words to the end of the world, proclaiming the eternal power of God of nature, v. 4. The apostle uses this as a reason why the Jews should not be angry with him and others for preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, because God had already made himself known to the Gentile world by the works of creation, and left not himself without witness among them (Rom. x. 18), so that they were without excuse if they were idolaters, Rom. i. 20, 21. And those were without blame, who, by preaching the gospel to them, endeavoured to turn them from their idolatry. If God used these means to prevent their apostasy, and they proved ineffectual, the apostles did well to use other means to recover them from it. They have no speech or language (so some read it) and yet their voice is heard. All people may hear these natural immortal preachers speak to them in their own tongue the wonderful works of God.

In singing these verses we must give God the glory of all the comfort and benefit we have by the lights of the heaven, still looking above and beyond them to the Sun of righteousness.

The Excellency of the Scriptures.

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. 12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. 13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord , my strength, and my redeemer.

God's glory, (that is, his goodness to man) appears much in the works of creation, but much more in and by divine revelation. The holy scripture, as it is a rule both of our duty to God and of our expectation from him, is of much greater use and benefit to us than day or night, than the air we breathe in, or the light of the sun. The discoveries made of God by his works might have served if man had retained his integrity; but, to recover him out of his fallen state, another course must be taken; that must be done by the word of God. And here,

1. The psalmist gives an account of the excellent properties and uses of the word of God, in six sentences (v. 7-9), in each of which the name Jehovah is repeated, and no vain repetition, for the law has its authority and all its excellency from the law-maker. Here are six several titles of the word of God, to take in the whole of divine revelation, precepts and promises, and especially the gospel. Here are several good properties of it, which proves its divine original, which recommend it to our affection, and which extol it above all other laws whatsoever. Here are several good effects of the law upon the minds of men, which show what it is designed for, what use we are to make of it, and how wonderful the efficacy of divine grace is, going along with it, and working by it. 1. The law of the Lord is perfect. It is perfectly free from all corruption, perfectly filled with all good, and perfectly fitted for the end for which it is designed; and it will make the man of God perfect, 2 Tim. iii. 17. Nothing is to be added to it nor taken from it. It is of use to convert the soul, to bring us back to ourselves, to our God, to our duty; for it shows us our sinfulness and misery in our departures from God and the indispensable necessity of our return to him. 2. The testimony of the Lord (which witnesses for him to us) is sure, incontestably and inviolably sure, what we may give credit to, may rely upon, and may be confident it will not deceive us. It is a sure discovery of the divine truth, a sure direction in the way of duty. It is a sure foundation of living comforts and a sure foundation of lasting hopes. It is of use to make us wise, wise to salvation, 2 Tim. iii. 15. It will give us an insight into things divine and a foresight of things to come. It will employ us in the best work and secure to us our true interests. It will make even the simple (poor contrivers as they may be for the present world) wise for their souls and eternity. Those that are humbly simple, sensible of their own folly and willing to be taught, shall be made wise by the word of God, Ps. xxv. 9. 3. The statutes of the Lord (enacted by his authority, and binding on all wherever they come) are right, exactly agreeing with the eternal rules and principles of good and evil, that is, with the right reason of man and the right counsels of God. All God's precepts, concerning all things, are right (Ps. cxix. 128), just as they should be; and they will set us to rights if we receive them and submit to them; and, because they are right, they rejoice the heart. The law, as we see it in the hands of Christ, gives cause for joy; and, when it is written in our hearts, it lays a foundation for everlasting joy, by restoring us to our right mind. 4. The commandment of the Lord is pure; it is clear, without darkness; it is clean, without dross and defilement. It is itself purified from all alloy, and is purifying to those that receive and embrace it. It is the ordinary means which the Spirit uses in enlightening the eyes; it brings us to a sight and sense of our sin and misery, and directs us in the way of duty. 5. The fear of the Lord (true religion and godliness prescribed in the word, reigning in the heart, and practised in the life) is clean, clean itself, and will make us clean (John xv. 3); it will cleanse our way, Ps. cxix. 9. And it endureth for ever; it is of perpetual obligation and can never be repealed. The ceremonial law is long since done away, but the law concerning the fear of God is ever the same. Time will not alter the nature of moral good and evil. 6. The judgments of the Lord (all his precepts, which are framed in infinite wisdom) are true; they are grounded upon the most sacred and unquestionable truths; they are righteous, all consonant to natural equity; and they are so altogether: there is no unrighteousness in any of them, but they are all of a piece.

II. He expresses the great value he had for the word of God, and the great advantage he had, and hoped to have, from it, v. 10, 11.

1. See how highly he prized the commandments of God. It is the character of all good people that they prefer their religion and the word of God, (1.) Far before all the wealth of the world. It is more desirable than gold, than fine gold, than much fine gold. Gold is of the earth, earthly; but grace is the image of the heavenly. Gold is only for the body and the concerns of time; but grace is for the soul and the concerns of eternity. (2.) Far before all pleasures and delights of sense. The word of God, received by faith, is sweet to the soul, sweeter than honey and the honey comb. The pleasures of sense are the delight of brutes, and therefore debase the great soul of man; the pleasures of religion are the delight of angels, and exalt the soul. The pleasures of sense are deceitful, will soon surfeit, and yet never satisfy; but those of religion are substantial and satisfying, and there is no danger of exceeding in them.

2. See what use he made of the precepts of God's word: By them is thy servant warned. The word of God is a word of warning to the children of men; it warns us of the duty we are to do, the dangers we are to avoid, and the deluge we are to prepare for, Ezek. iii. 17; xxxiii. 7. It warns the wicked not to go on in his wicked way, and warns the righteous not to turn from his good way. All that are indeed God's servants take this warning.

3. See what advantage he promised himself by his obedience to God's precepts: In keeping them there is great reward. Those who make conscience of their duty will not only be no losers by it, but unspeakable gainers. There is a reward, not only after keeping, but in keeping, God's commandments, a present great reward of obedience. Religion is health and honour; it is peace and pleasure; it will make our comforts sweet and our crosses easy, life truly valuable and death itself truly desirable.

III. He draws some good inferences from this pious meditation upon the excellency of the word of God. Such thoughts as these should excite in us devout affections, and they are to good purpose.

1. He takes occasion hence to make a penitent reflection upon his sins; for by the law is the knowledge of sin. "Is the commandment thus holy, just, and good? Then who can understand his errors? I cannot, whoever can." From the rectitude of the divine law he learns to call his sins his errors. If the commandment be true and righteous, every transgressions of the commandment is an error, as grounded upon a mistake; every wicked practice takes rise from some corrupt principle; it is a deviation from the rule we are to work by, the way we are to walk in. From the extent, the strictness, and spiritual nature, of the divine law he learns that his sins are so many that he cannot understand the number of them, and so exceedingly sinful that he cannot understand the heinousness and malignity of them. We are guilty of many sins which, through our carelessness and partiality to ourselves, we are not aware of; many we have been guilty of which we have forgotten; so that, when we have been ever so particular in the confession of sin, we must conclude with an et cetera—and such like; for God knows a great deal more evil of us than we do of ourselves. In many things we all offend, and who can tell how often he offends? It is well that we are under grace, and not under the law, else we were undone.

2. He takes occasion hence to pray against sin. All the discoveries of sin made to us by the law should drive us to the throne of grace, there to pray, as David does here, (1.) For mercy to pardon. Finding himself unable to specify all the particulars of his transgressions, he cries out, Lord, cleanse me from my secret faults; not secret to God, so none are, nor only such as were secret to the world, but such as were hidden from his own observation of himself. The best of men have reason to suspect themselves guilty of many secret faults, and to pray to God to cleanse them from that guilt and not to lay it to their charge; for even our sins of infirmity and inadvertency, and our secret sins, would be our ruin if God should deal with us according to the desert of them. Even secret faults are defiling, and render us unfit for communion with God; but, when they are pardoned, we are cleansed from them, 1 John i. 7. (2.) For grace to help in time of need. Having prayed that his sins of infirmity might be pardoned, he prays that presumptuous sins might be prevented, v. 13. All that truly repent of their sins, and have them pardoned, are in care not to relapse into sin, nor to return again to folly, as appears by their prayers, which concur with David's here, where observe, [1.] His petition: "Keep me from ever being guilty of a wilful presumptuous sin." We ought to pray that we may be kept from sins of infirmity, but especially from presumptuous sins, which most offend God and wound conscience, which wither our comforts and shock our hopes. "However, let none such have dominion over me, let me not be at the command of any such sin, nor be enslaved by it." [2.] His plea: "So shall I be upright; I shall appear upright; I shall preserve the evidence and comfort of my uprightness; and I shall be innocent from the great transgression;" so he calls a presumptuous sin, because no sacrifice was accepted for it, Num. xv. 28-30. Note, First, Presumptuous sins are very heinous and dangerous. Those that sin against the habitual convictions and actual admonitions of their consciences, in contempt and defiance of the law and its sanctions, that sin with a high hand, sin presumptuously, and it is a great transgression. Secondly, Even good men ought to be jealous of themselves, and afraid of sinning presumptuously, yea, though through the grace of God they have hitherto been kept from them. Let none be high-minded, but fear. Thirdly, Being so much exposed, we have great need to pray to God, when we are pushing forward towards a presumptuous sin, to keep us back from it, either by his providence preventing the temptation or by his grace giving us victory over it.

3. He takes occasion humbly to beg the divine acceptance of those his pious thoughts and affections, v. 14. Observe the connexion of this with what goes before. He prays to God to keep him from sin, and then begs he would accept his performances; for, if we favour our sins, we cannot expect God should favour us or our services, Ps. lxvi. 18. Observe, (1.) What his services were—the words of his mouth and the meditations of his heart, his holy affections offered up to God. The pious meditations of the heart must not be smothered, but expressed in the words of our mouth, for God's glory and the edification of others; and the words of our mouth in prayer and praise must not be formal, but arising from the meditation of the heart, Ps. xlv. 1. (2.) What was his care concerning these services—that they might be acceptable with God; for, if our services be not acceptable to God, what do they avail us? Gracious souls must have all they aim at if they be accepted of God, for that is their bliss. (3.) What encouragement he had to hope for this, because God was his strength and his redeemer. If we seek assistance from God as our strength in our religious duties, we may hope to find acceptance with God in the discharge of our duties; for by his strength we have power with him.

In singing this we should get our hearts much affected with the excellency of the word of God and delivered into it, we should be much affected with the evil of sin, the danger we are in of it and the danger we are in by it, and we should fetch in help from heaven against it.

PSAL. XIX.

To the master of the musicke, a Psalme of David.

THe heavens doe tell the glory of God, and the out-spred firmament sheweth the worke of his hands. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night manifesteth knowledge. There is no speech, and no words; not heard is their voice. Thorow all the earth gone out is their line, and to the utmost end of the world their speakings; he hath put a tent in them for the Sunne. And he is as a bridgeroome, going forth out of his privy chamber; joyeth as a mighty man to run a race. From the utmost end of the heavens is his egresse, and his compassing regresse is unto the utmost ends of them, and none is hid from his heat.

The law of Iehovah is perfect, returning the soule: the testimony of Iehovah is faithfull, making wise the simple. The precepts of Iehovah are right, giving joy to the heart: the commandement of Iehovah is pure, giving light to the eyes. The feare of Iehovah is cleane; standing to perpetuallaie; the judgements of Iehovah are truth, just they are together. To be desired more than gold, and than much fine gold, and sweeter than hony and liquor of the hony combes. Also thy servant is clearely admonished by them; in keeping of them there is much reward. Vn advised errours who doth understand? from secret faults cleanse thou me. Also from presumptuous sinnes withhold thou thy servant, let them not have dominion in me, then shall I be perfect and made cleane from much trespasse. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart before thee, be to favourable acceptation, Iehovah my Rocke and my Redeemer.

Annotations. DOe tell] to wit, unto men, and so give occasion unto them to tell; as the Chaldee translateth, They that looke upon the heavens doe tell, &c. the glory] that is, the glorious worke; so in Ex. 16. 7. Num. 14. 21, 22. Ioh. 11. 40. the out-spred firmament] the whole cope of heaven with the aire, as the Chaldee saith, they that behold the aire: which though it be soft and liquid, and spred over the earth, yet is it fast and firme, and therefore called of us according to the common Greeke version, a firmament, the holy Ghost expresseth it by another terme, Mid-heaven, Rev. 8. 13. and 14. 6. and 19. 17. This out-spred firmament, or expansion, God made a mids the waters for a separation, and named it Heavens, Gen. 1. 7, 8. which of David is said to be stretched out [illegible: 1 word] a curtaine or tent, Psal. 104. 2. and elsewhere is said to be firme, as molten glasse, Iob 37. 18. So under this name Firmament, be comprised the orbs of the heavens, and the aire, and the whole spacious roomth above the earth. Vers. 3. Day unto day] one day unto and after another: so unto is used for after, in Exod. 16. 1. and 19. 1. Vttereth] or welleth [illegible: 1 word], as a fountaine, continually and plenteously. manifesteth] or sheweth lively. Vers. 4. not heard is their voyce] that is, whose voyce is not heard or understood: meaning that they are no mute or obscure speeches, whereby the heavens preach to the world, but manifest to all, as the next verse sheweth, and Paul plainely confirmeth, Rom. 1. 19, 20. and the Greeke version here leadeth us so to understand this sentence, together with the Apostles allegation, Rom. 10. 19. and the like Hebraismes are usuall, as Iob 3. 3. Let the day perish, I was borne in it, that is, wherein I was borne: and hearing is often put for understanding, Gen. 11. 7. 2. Kings 18. 26. 1 Corin. 14. 2. Compare also herewith that Hebrew phrase in [illegible: 1 letter]er. 38. 5. Or we may read it thus: There is no speech nor words: not he[illegible: 2 letters]d is their voyce: that is, the heavens make [illegible: 1 letter]o speech, or Sermon; [illegible: 1 letter]or utter any rea[illegible: 1 letter]able words, no nor any voyce (or s[illegible: 1 span]d) [illegible: 1 span]of theirs is heard: but their line is gone forth, &c. Or, (taking words for peoples that speake them,) there is [illegible: 1 word] speech no[illegible: 1 letter] words, where the voyce of the heavens is not he[illegible: 1 span]d. V. 5. their line] or, their [illegible: 1 word], their delineation: wch is a meane to teach the rude and simple; as Esa. 28. 10. or by line is meane a building, frame or edifice, which is made by line and rule, Zach. 1. 16. Iob 38. 5. The Greeke translateth it, their sound; which word the Apostle also useth, Rom. 10. 18. where he speaketh of the preaching of the Gospell, by which the Church is taught and edified. their speakings] or, their words: but this is used sometime generally for signification any manner of way: as Prov. 6. 13. he speaketh (that is, signifieth) with his feet. And taking him before to have shewed how the heavens have no speeches, words nor voyce; this here may be meant of their significations, by the wonderfull frame, course, order, &c. that all men may see in them. he hath put a tent] God hath put (or set) in the heavens a tabernacle, that is, a flitting habitation: for that the sunne neuer stayeth in one place. The Sunne is in Hebrew called Shemesh, that is, a minister or servant; which very name should have kept the nations from worshipping and serving it, which God hath distributed to all people under the whole heaven; as Deut. 4. 19. Vers. 6. as a bridegroome] the Chaldee addeth, in the morning as a bridegroome. The Sun when he riseth is gloriously adorned with beautifull rayes, and seemeth most cheerefull; which two things are set forth by similitude of a bridegroom, Esa. 61. 10: & 62. 5. to run a race] a long way, journy, or, course. The swift course of the Sun is joyfully performed, as when a Champion runneth for a game. Vers. 8. Th[illegible: 1 span]] or Doctrin[illegible: 1 span] ▪ an orderly manner of instruction, an institution or disposition, called in Hebrew Torah, which implieth both doctrine, and an orderly disposition of the same; therefore, where one Prophet relating Davids words, saith, the law of man, 2 Sam. 7. 19. another saith, the orderly estate (or course) of man, 1 Chron. 17. 17. The holy Ghost in Greeke calleth it Nomos, a Law, Heb. 8. 10. from Ier. 31. 33. This name is most commonly ascribed to the precepts given by Moses at Mount Sinai; Deut. 33. 4. Mal. 4. 4. Ioh. 1. 17. and 7. 19. it is also largely used for all his writings. For the history of Genesis is called Law, Gal. 4. 21. from Gen. 16. And though somtime the Law be distinguished from the Psalmes and Prophets, Luke 16. 16. and 24. 44. yet the other Prophets bookes are called Law, 1 Cor. 14. 21. from Esai. 28. 11. the Psalmes are also thus named, Ioh. 10. 24. and 15. 25. from Psal. 8[illegible: 1 letter]. 6. and 35. 19. Yea one Psalme is called a Law, Psal. 78. 1. and the many branches of Moses doctrine; as the Law of the sinoffering, &c. Lev. 6. 25. and generally it is used for any doctrine; as, the Law of workes, the Law of faith, &c. Rom. 3. 27. is perfect] or, is a perfect Law. The word before is againe understood here and in the speeches following: as sometime it is fully expressed, Psal. 12. 7. returning the soule] or, restoring the life. To returne the soule, is sometime to deliver it from evils, Ps. 35. 17. Iob 33. 30. sometime to refresh it as with food that keepeth in life, Lam. 1. 11. 19. to refresh it with rest, com[illegible: 1 span]t, and the like, R[illegible: 1 letter]th 4. 15. Psal. 23. 3. Prov. 25. 13. All which may be found in the law of God. the testimony] God called the two tables of his law, the Testimonie, Exod. 25. 16. 21. and 31. 18. and the Ark wherin they were kept, had therupon the like name, Num. 17. 4. Exod. 25. 22. and so the tabernacle wherein the Arke was, Exod. 38. 21. Rev. 15. 5. Gods Law hath this title because of the testification, contestation, and earnest charge wch he and his Prophets gave concerning it, as Ps. 81. 9. 2 Kin. 17. 15. Neh. 9. 29, 30. Deut. 31. 28. and 32. 4. and as a record it testifieth what is Gods will and covenant, Ioh. 5. 39. And as the Law, so the Gospell (yea Christ himselfe) is called a testimony, 1 Cor. 2. 1. 2 Thes. 1. 10. 1 Tim. 2. 6. faithfull] or, a faithfull testimony: this word meaneth also, sure, certaine, firme and constant; as faithfull plagues, Deut. 28. 59. are sure and durable: a faithfull house, 2 Sam. 7. 16. is setled, firm & stable, &c. Gods word hath like commendations, Ps. 93. 5. and 111. 7. the simple] or silly. The originall pethi, meaneth one that is easily perswaded or intised, credulous and light of beleefe, according to the proverbe, Pethi, The simple beleeveth every thing, Prov. 14. 15. Consequently it is used for Unskilfull, and applied sometime to evill foolish persons, Prov. 9. 6. and 22. 3. sometime to the good and simple; as Psal. 116. 6. The Greeke often translateth it, a babe, and so Christ calleth such, Mat. 11. 25. This verse and the two next following, which treat of Gods law, are in Hebrew written every of them with ten words, according to the number of the ten commandements, which are called ten words, Exod. 34. 28. Vers. 9. The Precepts] or, Commissions, Changes. This word is by David onely applied to Gods commandements, called of him Pikkudim; of Pukad to [illegible: 1 word]; as if we should say Visitatians, or precepts, the transgressions whereof God hath threatned to visit or punish; as Exod. 20. 5. and 32. 34. Or of hiphkid, to commend or commit unto ones charge and custodie▪ because these are committed unto men, carefully to be observed; as it is written, Thou hast commanded thy precepts to bee kept [illegible: 1 word] mently, Ps. 119. 4. the commandement] that is, the commandements: one put for all; as judgement, 2. King. 25. 6. for judgements, Ier. 52. 9. and many the like. Vers. 10. The feare] or reverence, that is, the religion and worship prescribed of God; as in Matth. 15. 9. that is called Worship, which in Isa. 29. 13. is named Feare; and this is said to bee cleane from all filthinesse, because hee requireth to be worshipped in spirit and truth; and with pure hands, Ioh. 4. 24. 1 Tim. 2. 8. Or, as God himselfe is called Feare, Psal. 76. 12. so his law may also here be called Peare, for that it was given with fearefull majestie, and worketh in men the feare and reverence of God, Exod. 20. 18, 19, 20. Deut. 5. 24,—29. standing] or abiding, continuing firme, yet and perpetually. judgements] Such lawes as were annexed to the ten commandements, for punishing the offendors, have this title prefixed; as Exod. 21. 1. These are the iudgements which thou shalt set before them, &c. And as decrees or statutes are often put for the ordinances of Gods worship; (as is noted on Psal. 2. 7.) in stead whereof David here seemeth to use the former word feare; so judgements are lawes and rites for humane duties. These two Moses often joyneth together, saying; Hearken O Israel to the statutes and to the judgements, &c. Deut. 4. 1. 5. 8. 14. 45▪ and 5. 1. 31. and 6. 1. 20. and 7. 11. and 8. 11, &c. just together] that is, all of them together, and each of them apart, is just, or justified. Vers. 11. fine gold] or solid gold, called Paz, which hath the name of strength, fastnesse, or solidity: such gold was rare and precious, Isa. 13. 12. Lam. 4. 2. The Arabians now call gold Phes. It was very fine: therefore when one Prophet calleth it gold. Muphaz, 2 Kin. 10. 18. another calleth it tahor, that is, fine or cleane gold, 2 Chron. 9. 17. liquour of the honey combes] or, liquid honey of the comb[illegible: 1 letter]. Each of these words is used by Solomon for the dropting honey combe▪ Prov. 5. 3. and 16. 24. and both are joyned for more vehemencie. Vers. 12. clearely admonished] The word signifieth illustrating, making bright or shining, Dan. 12. 3. and so by warning. or. information to make the soule cleare and circumstect. Exod. 18. 20. 2 King: 6. 10. Eccles. 4. 13. Ezek. 3. 17. 18, 19, 20. much reward] or much end, that is, great profit or reward, as the Greeke translate that. The Chaldee applieth this peculiarly to David, saying, and because be kept them, he was made the Prince of Israel. The Hebrew Ghnekeb, signifying the heela or seetsole, is used figuratively for the end of a thing, (as the head, for the beginning, Psal. 119. 160.) and so for the sa[illegible: 1 letter]cisse, event and recampence that followeth thereupon. As another word, acharith, which signifieth end, is used also for reward, Prove. 23. 18. and 1▪ Pet. 1. 9. Vers. 23. Vnadvised errors] or, Ignorant saults, Vnwitting. and inconsiderate finnes. The law for which is given, Lev. 4. 2. &c. who dotn understand] or, who candiscerne? meaning, no man can. So Psal. 7. 7. 5. I spake not. for, I could not speake. See the Annorations there. cleanse thou me] or, make me innocent, free, guiltlesse, empty. The word is also used for exempting, or absolving, free from punishment due to sinne, Exod. 20. 6. and 34. 7. Vers. 15. be to favour able acceptation] that is, be acceptable or well pleasing; or, as before, they shall be acceptable. For the Hebrew will beare either interpretation. Therefore also in the Greeke, these two phrases are used as one, He shall be, Marke 10. 44. and Let him be, Mat. 20. 27. Of the word at, ceptation, see the note on Psal. 5. 13. my redeemer] or deliverer; the Hebrew Goel is interpreted in the Greek by both these, Rō. 11. 26. frō Isa. 59. 20. Act. 7. 35. The word is of large use, for redeeming of things sold or mortgaged, Lev. 25. but applied to redemption or deliverance from danger, Psal. 69. 19 from violence, Psal. 72. 14. from corruption, Psal. 103. 4. from the enemies hand, Psal. 106. 10. from death, Hos. 13. 14. and from all evill, Gen. 48. 16. And in speciall, one that challengeth or redeemeth any person, or thing that was before alienated, and restoreth it to the first estate, by right of kinred, is called by this name, 1 Kings 16. 11. Ruth 39. 12, 13. and 4. 1. 3. &c. Therefore is this title given to God and Christ, who is our redeemer, and allied unto us, as concerning the flesh, Isa. 43. 14. and 44. 6. and 47 4. 1 Thess. 1. 10. Heb. 2. 14, 15.

PSAL. XIX.

THe Heavens declare the glory of God] The World, ſaith Clemens Alexandrinus, is Dei Scriptura, the firſt Bible that God made for the inſtitution of man. The Heavens (here inſtanced as a chief part of that Mundi totius machina) are compared to a Scroul that is written, Rev. 6.14. As in a Horn-book, which little ones carry, there be Letters in a paper within, which appear through the ſame; ſo under the blew ſaphire of the Firmament, is ſpread a ſheet of royal Paper written all over with the Wiſdom and Power of God. This Book was imprinted (ſaith one) at the New Jeruſalem, by the Finger of Jehovah, and is not to be ſold, but to beſeen, at the ſign of Glory, of every one that lifts up his eyes to Heaven; where he may plainly perceive, Deum eſſe mentem, Architectricem, intelligentem, ſapientem, potentem, &c. This leſſon is fairly lined out unto us in the brows of the Firmament, which therefore we are bidden to behold and diſcern; ſith therein God hath made himſelf viſible, yea legible, even his eternal Power and God-head; ſo that men are left without excuſe, Rom. 1.20. But becauſe this Book of Nature (with its three great Leaves, Heaven, Earth, and Sea) though never ſo diligently read over, cannot bring a man to the ſaving knowledge of God in Chriſt, nor make him perfect, throughly furniſhed unto all good works; behold another and better Book, even that of the Holy Scriptures, ſet forth, verſ. 7, 8. &c. of this Pſalm, that like as where the Philoſopher endeth, the Phyſician beginneth, ſo where Nature faileth us, Scripture may inform and comfort us. In this excellent Pſalm then we have the ſum of all true Divinity, ſaith Reverend Beza, the end whereof is to give us that knowledge of God, and of his holy Worſhip, whereby we may be made partakers of eternal life. Here then in the ſix firſt Verſes the Prophet ſheweth, that God manifeſteth his glory to Mankind by his Works; and firſt by the Work of Creation, verſ. 1. Next, of Government, verſ. 2, 3, &c. and that, 1. In the revolution of the ſtarry Sky, which revolution, firſt cauſeth a perpetual viciſſitude of Days, and Nights, and ſo declareth the glory of God. 2. It beſpeaketh all people at once as a Catholique Preacher of Gods glory, verſ. 4, 5. Secondly, In the conſtant courſe of the Sun (that common Servant as his Name importeth) verſ. 4. who with his motion, verſ. 5. enlightneth all things with his Light,Foord. and pierceth all things with his Heat, verſ. 6. Thus the Heavens declare the glory of God; that is, they yeeld matter and occaſion of glorifying, him according to that Pſal. 145.10. All thy Works praiſe thee, O Lord, but thy Saints bleſs thee. Some Philoſophers, and with them ſome Rabbins, have deemed,Maimonides or rather doted, that the Heaven was a living Creature, and did actually praiſe and ſerve God. But this conceit is exploded by the wiſer ſort; and that Axiom maintained, Formica coelos dignitate ſuperat, a Piſmire (becauſe a living Creature) is more excellent than the whole viſible Heavens. As for the Saints and Servants of God, it is truly affirmed by Divines, that there is not ſo much of the glory of God in all his Works of Creation, and Providence, as in one gracious action that they perform.

And the Firmament ſheweth his handy-work] The Expanſe or out-ſpread Firmament. It is taken both for the Air, Gen. 1.6. and for the Sky, Gen. 1.14. the whole Cope of Heaven, which ſheweth, Quàm eleganter & ad amuſſim operetur Deus manibus ſuis.; Vatablus, how neatly and exactly God worketh with his hands, which are attributed to him for our weakneſs ſake.

Verſ. 2. Day unto day uttereth ſpeech] Some read it, one day ſucceeding another uttereth (or Welleth out, Sicur fons ſcaturiens. R. Menahem. as a Fountain, continually, and plentifully) ſpeech, yet without ſound; by a dumb kind of eloquence, eructant; by a continual revolution and ſucceſs of days men are inſtructed concerning the Power and Providence of God, as alſo concerning his truth and faithfulneſs; for if God hath hitherto kept promiſe with Nights and Days, that one ſhall ſucceed the other; will he not much more keep promiſe with his people? Jer. 33.20, 25.

And Night unto Night ſheweth knowledge] Days and Nights by their perpetual courſe and order, Dei potentiam & ſapientiam concelebrant; there being no leſs neceſſity of the Night in its kind, than of the Day. The knowledge it ſheweth us, is, that man in himſelf is weak, and cannot long hold out hard labour; that he is permitted to ſleep a while, and take his reſt; that he muſt abridge himſelf of ſome part of his reſt to commune with his own heart on his bed, and be ſtill; that if hee beſtir not himſelf, and do up his work quickly, the Night of Death cometh, when no man can work, &c.

Verſ. 3. There is no ſpeech, nor language, where their voyce] And yet few hear theſe Catholique Preachers, theſe Regii Profeſſores, theſe real Poſtilles of the Divinity, as one ſtileth them, who do preach to all people at once, Non ſolum diſerte ſed & exertè, at ſurdis plerum que fabulam, they are by the moſt as little reſpected as is the Cuckoe in June.

Verſ. 4. Their line is gone out through all the earth] Or, their rule, or direction, or delineation, or Scripture (confer Iſa. 28.13.) Quòd in coelis tanquam in volumine omnibus conſpicuo deſcript a ſit Dei gloria, becauſe that in the Heavens, as in an open Book, [non-Latin text not transcribed] is written down the glory of the Creator. The like is done alſo in other leſs conſiderable Creatures: every of which do after a ſort write as well as ſpeak, and have a Pen as well as a Tongue. The Chaldee word for a Mint ſignifieth alſo a Book of Hiſtories, becauſe in that one Herb large ſtories of Gods Wiſdom, Might, and Love are deſcribed unto us. The ſame word alſo that ſignifieth an ear of Corn, ſignifieth a word, becauſe every Field of Corn is a Book of Gods praiſe, every Land a Leaf, [non-Latin text not transcribed] every Sheaf a Verſe, every Ear a word, every Corn of Wheat a Letter, to expreſs the glory of God by. Praeſentem narrat quaelibet herba Deum. Antony the Eremite being asked by a certain Philoſopher, how he could contemplate high things, having no help of Books? anſwered, That the whole World was to him inſtead of a well-furniſhed Library, this he had ready by him at all times and in all places,Aug. de doct, Chriſt. l. 1. Niceph. l: 8: c: 40: In vita Bern. and in this he could read when he pleaſed the great things of God. Bernard alſo ſaith, that the time was when he had no other Maſters niſi quercus & fagos, but the Oaks and Beech-trees.

In them hath he ſet a Tabernacle for the Sun] That Prince of Planets, but ſervant to the Saints of the moſt High, as his name importeth; ſo ſweet a Creature he is, that Eudoxus the Philoſopher profeſſed, that he would be content to be burnt up by the heat of it, ſo he might be admitted to come ſo near it as to learn the nature of it. A Tabernacle, or ſlitting-tent it is here ſaid to have in the Heavens: becauſe it never ſtayeth in one place, but courſeth about with incredible ſwiftneſs.

Verſ. 5. Which is as a Bridegroom coming out of his Chamber] ſc. after long expectation, with a great deal of pomp and gayety; ſuch is the Sun-riſing, when hee firſt ſhe weth himſelf above our Horizon. Kimchi addeth, that as the Bridegroom when he is abroad haſteneth home to his Bride, ſo doth the Sun to his deſcent, anhe'at ad occaſum, Eccleſ. 1.5.

And rejoyceth as a ſtrong man (or Champion) to run a race] readily running, and effectually affecting all things with his heat. The Perſian Angari or Poſts, the Oſtrich, the wild Aſſe, the Buſtard, the Dromedary,De aſcenſmentis in Deum, grad. 7 the Eagle is nothing ſo ſwift as the Sun. Bellarmine ſaith, that he runneth in the eighth part of an hour ſeven thouſand miles. This dumb Creature gives check to our dulneſs; as Balaams Aſſe alſo did to that Prophets madneſs.

Verſ. 6. H[illegible: 2 letters] going forth is from the end of the heaven] i. e. from the Eaſt unto the Weſt, in which courſe notwithſtanding, while he compaſſeth the circle of Heaven and Earth, he viſiteth the South and the North, and is unweariable.

And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof] i.e. from the benefit of the Suns heat, who is ut cor incorpore, as the heart in the body, ſaith Aben-Ezra: all things feel the quickning heat of the Sun; not only the roots of Trees, Plants, &c. but Metals, and Minerals in the bowels of the earth.

Verſ. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect] Or, Doctrin: the whole Word of God, commonly diſtinguiſhed into Law and Goſpel, is perfect immaculate, ſincere, entire, compleat. It Tully durſt ſay, that the Law of the twelve Tables in Rome did exceed all the Libraries of Philoſophers, both in weight of authority, and fruit-fulneſs of matter, how much rather is this true of Gods Law, ſaith a Learned Writer? Nothing may be added to it without marring of it, Prov. 30.6. Note this againſt Jewiſh, Popiſh, and Turkiſh Traditions, and additions; as alſo againſt Antiſcripturiſts, and Anabaptiſts, who at firſt rejected all Books but the Bible; and after that grew ſo wiſe as to be religious enough without that alſo. And laſt of all, they came to blaſpheme that bleſſed Book, as a dead Letter, and a beggerly Element, &c. when as the Apoſtle telleth us, that all Scripture is pure, precious, and profitable for Doctrin, for reproof, &c. that the Man of God may be perfect, &c. 2 Tim. 3.16, 17. Here in this, and the two following Verſes, it is eaſie to obſerve; [illegible: 1 letter]. That every of them are in the Hebrew written with ten words. 2. That here is a Six-fold commendation of Gods holy Word. 1. By the ſeveral names thereunto given, Law, Teſtimony, Statutes, &c. 2. By the Nature, perfect, ſure, right &c. 3. By the effects, converting the ſoul, making wiſe the ſimple, &c.

Converting the Soul] This no Doctrin beſides can do. Plato went thrice to Sicily to convert Dionyſius the Tyrant, but could not. Ambroſe ſaith well of Polemo, Integra eſt Doctrina, ac proinde animo[illegible: 1 letter] redintegrat. Jun. De Elia & jejunio cap. 12 who of a Drunkard, by hearing Xenocrates, became a Philoſopher, Si reſipuit à vino, fuit ſemper tamen temulentus ſacrilegio, if he gave over his Drunkenneſs, yet he continued ſtill drunk with ſuperſtition. Seneca the Philoſopher wrote a Book (now loſt) againſt ſuperſtitions, but yet lived and died in them; Colebat quod reprehendebat, agebat quod arguebat, quod culpabat adorabat, ſaith Auſtin of him, he exerciſed what he condemned, and would not leave what he did ſo utterly diſlike. But the Word works a tranſmentation, an entire change of the mind, and manners, a new Creation, 2 Cor. 5.17.

The testimony of the Lord is ſure] Theſe words are faithful and true, Rev. 22.6. they are all in righteouſneſs, neither is there in them any thing perverſe or froward, Prov. 8.8. Teſtimonies they are called, 1. Becauſe they teſtifie (as a Record) to all Ages what the will of the Lord is, Joh. 5.39. 2. They were given with great conteſtation, and preſſing of all men to keep them. 3. They will be a witneſs againſt all ſuch as do not. The Goſpel alſo is called a Teſtimony, 1 Cor. 2.1. 2 Theſ. 1.10. Iſa. 18.20.

Making wiſe the ſimple] That is, the humble, teachable, and ſuch as are not puffed up with a conceit of their own wiſdom, 1 Cor. 7.18. the very entrance into Gods word giveth light, it giveth underſtanding to the ſimple, or to the perſwadable, Pſal. 119.130. It is reaſonable milk, 1 Pet. 2.2.

Verſ. 8. The ſtatutes of the Lord are right] As being the iſſue of the moſt righteous will of God. Of humane lawes Demoſthenes ſaith, that they are [non-Latin text not transcribed], the invention of the Gods. Much better may wee ſay the like of this law here commended: Right it is, becauſe it teacheth men the right way to life, non flexuoſum quale docet care & cautio humana; Right alſo, becauſe it ſpeaketh right to every mans caſe and condition; de quolibet in re ſua, affording a ſalve for every ſore, a medicine for every malady; ſo that it may better bee called than was that famous library at Alexandria, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Phyſick for the ſoul, food and Phyſick both, and of the beſt ſort, the beſt of the beſt.

Rejoycing the heart] This is the proper work of the Goſpel; the ſweet promiſes whereof hid in the heart, and there mingled with faith, make it to over-abound exceedingly with joy, and to conceive ſtrong conſolation; the Martyrs of all ages ges for inſtance. And although it bee the Doctrine of the Croſſe, yet Le[illegible: 1 letter]ythos babet in malis, it hath cordialls of comfort, ſuch as the World can neither give, nor take away: the Goſpel is a precious book; every leaf drops myrrhe a[illegible: 2 letters] mercy. We ſhould therefore prize it much more than Caeſar did his Commentaries; Major fuit cura Caeſari libellorum quam purpurae; for ſwimming through the waters to eſcape his enemies, hee carried his books in his hand above the waters, but loſt his robe. Now what were his books to Gods?

The Commandement of the Lord is pure] And ſo differeth from humane lawes, which eſtabliſheth wickedneſſe ſometimes; as thoſe of Lycurgus did ſome kind of theft, adultery, &c. Humane Doctrines alſo are mixt with many errours. Irenaus juſtly taxeth Plato for this that hee did lacte gypſum miſcere, mingle lime with milk, ſtain the pure ſtream of divine truth with fabulous narrations and fopperies. But every word of God is pure, Pſalm 12.7. & 18.32. See the Notes.

Inlightening the eyes] Giving both light and ſight, Act. 26.18. the ſaving knowledge of God and his will, of our ſelves, and of our duties; and bringing us out of darkneſſe into his marvellous light, 1 Pet. 2.9. When Chriſt came preaching, the people which ſate in darkneſſe ſaw a great light, Mat. 4.16. And wee have a more ſure light of prophecie, whereunto wee muſt take heed as unto a light that ſhineth in a dark place, 2 Pet. 1.19. Whileſt the Moon looketh directly upon the Sun, ſhe is bright and beautifull; but if ſhee once turn aſide, and be left to her ſelf, ſhe loſeth all Her glory, and enjoyeth but only a ſhaddow of light, which is her own: So whilſt men with humility and teachableneſſe turn their faces toward Chriſt revealed in the Goſpel, and thoſe ſtars in his right hand, the faithfull Miniſters, to receive illumination and inſtruction; God doth graciouſly vouchſafe unto them the glorious light of ſaving knowledge. But when they turn their backs upon him and his Oracles, and will needs walk by the light of their own tinder-boxes, kindling a fire, and compaſſing themſelves with ſparks, Iſa. 50.11. they are ſure to be bewildred, and to lye down in ſorrow.

Verſ. 9. The fear of the Lord is clean] That is. The Doctrine which teacheth the true fear of God, is ſuch as cleanſeth the conſcience, ferreteth out corruption, ſanctifieth the whole man, Joh. 17.17. & 15.3. Act. 20.32. & 26.18.

Enduring for evor] For ever, O Lord thy word is eſtabliſht in Heaven, Pſal. 119.89. Heaven and Earth ſhall paſs, but not one jot or tittle of the law; not one hair of that ſacred head ſhall fall to the ground, Mat. 5.18. ſhould all the powers on earth make warre againſt the very paper of the Scriptures, they cannot poſſibly deſtroy it. What God hath written, hee hath written, and it ſhall ſtand inviolable to the Worlds end. Antiochus Epiphanes, Diocleſian, and other Tyrants have attempted to burn up all Bibles: but could never effect it. Other lawes, and Religions are antiquated and altered, as all Hiſtories teſtifie; not ſo this.

The Judgements of the Lord are true] Heb. Truth, as comming from a God of Truth, and without iniquity, juſt, and righteous is hee, Deut. 32.4. All his ſayings are faithfull, and therefore worthy of all acceptation. 1 Tim. 1.15. The Eternity of Iſrael cannot lye, 1 Sam. 15.29. Hee will not ſuffer his faithfullneſſe to fail, nor alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth, Pſal. 89.33. [non-Latin text not transcribed] ſaith Plato; Truth is laſting, and [non-Latin text not transcribed], Truth is ſweet, ſaid Mercuries Prieſts when they are their figs. Divine Truths ſhould bee ſo to us, in a ſpeciall manner. And as Cyprian, in any great doubt or difficultie would call to Paulus Concordienſis (who was his notary) for Tertullians works ſaying, Da Magiſtrum, Reach hither my Maſter; ſo ſhould wee call for the Bible, and there-hence fetch ſatisfaction, and ſettlement, as holding it infallible.

And righteous altogether] Not one of them to be found fault with; but all of them every way compleat and abſolute. Juſtificata ſunt ſimul, ſo ſome render it, they are altogether juſtified. What an high eſteem the Jews at this day have of the Law, hath been elſewhere noted; whilſt they carry it uſually about their Synagogues at the end of their ſervice in proceſſion, with many ornaments of Crowns and Scepters; the Children kiſſing it, as it paſſeth by them.Spec. Euro[illegible: 1 letter] To their Diſciples they preſcribe, not to write any letter of the law without a coppy, no line of it without a rule, no parchment but made of the skin of a clean beaſt, no word muſt be written in a different colour. No man might carry it behind him,Schicard de[illegible: 1 letter] re Reg. H[illegible: 1 letter] but lay it next to his heart in his travell; nor read it, but in a clean place; nor ſell it, though the coppy were moth-eaten, and himſelf half famiſhed. The laſt day of the feaſt of Tabernacles they call Shimchah Torah, the rejoycing at the Law. They have choſen alſo then, two, that are called ſponſi legis; one of which is to read the end of it called Chathan Torah, the Bridegroom of the Law ended; the other Chathan Bereſhith, Leo Moden of Jew. rit[illegible: 1 letter] 153. becauſe hee preſently beginneth it again; theſe are to expreſſe joy.

Verſ. 10. More to bee deſired are they than gold] Old people are all for profit, young for pleaſure; here's gold for the one, yea the fineſt gold (gold of Fes) in great quantity; here's hony for the other, yea live-hony dropping from the comb,Acaeto melle[illegible: 1 letter] Plin. l. 11. c. [illegible: 1 letter] liquor of the hony-comb. As Manna had all ſorts of ſweet taſtes in it; ſo hath the word, to thoſe that have ſpirituall ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern good and evill. Great is the ſweetneſſe of humane learning to thoſe that have got a taſte of it, as it was to Pythagoras and Plato, who travelled farre for it; to Julian the Apoſtate, who preferred the ſtudy of it, before all paſtimes whatſoever; to M. Aurelius the Emperour, who ſaid hee would not leave the knowledge hee might learn in one hour, for all the gold that hee poſſeſſed; to Alphonſus King of Arragon, who preferred his skill in the Mathematicks, before the Empire of Germany when it was offered unto him; he profeſſed, that hee had rather loſe his Jewels than his books; and all his Kingdomes rather than that little learning hee had attained unto. How then ſhould we prize divine learning, which is infinitely more precious, profitable, and pleaſant? David had much of it, and yet hee cryes to God ever and anon, Teach mee thy ſtatutes. Moſes was but newly come down from the Mount, and hee preſently prayes as one inſatiate, Lord ſhew mee thy glory. The Angels themſelves know not ſo much of the myſtery of Chriſt, but they would fain know more, 1 Pet. 1.12. Epheſ. 3.10. &c.

Verſ. 11. Moreover by them is thy ſervant warned] Clearly admoniſhed, or fourbiſhed and brightned, Dan. 12.3. made circumſpect. Gods Teſtimonies were Davids counſellors, Pſal. 119.24. better than ever was Polybius to Scipio, Agrippa to Auguſtus, Seneca to Nero, Anaxagoras to Themiſtocles, Plato to Dio, Alexander to Ariſtotle, or Nigidius to Cicero; Princes of old, had their [non-Latin text not transcribed] Monitores, Remembrancers. David deſired no better than Gods ſtatutes for his learned counſell, and by them hee reſolved to be ruled; for ſo it followeth,

And in keeping of them] Zenophon writeth that in Lycurgus his lawes this was much to be admired, that whereas all men commended them, yet no other City beſides that of Sparta, would ever obſerve them. Men do rather praiſe right things than practiſe them; as it was ſaid of Demoſthenes. But David was of another ſtrain; hee, after a large encomium of Gods Commandements, is ſet upon the keeping of them; and the rather, becauſe

In keeping of them there is great reward] Not only for keeping, but in keeping of them. As every Flower hath its ſweet ſmell; ſo every good action hath its ſweet reflection upon the ſoul: and as Cardan ſaith, that every precious Stone hath ſome egregious vertue; ſo here, Righteouſneſs is its own reward, though few men think ſo, and act accordingly: Haud facilè invenies multis è millibus unum, Virtutem pretium qui putet eſſe ſui.

Howbeit, the chief reward is not till the laſt caſt, till we come to Heaven.Gnekeb[illegible: 1 letter] [illegible: 1 word] [non-Latin text not transcribed] apu[illegible: 1 letter] Graeco[illegible: 1 letter]. The word here rendred reward, ſignifieth the heel, and by a Metaphor, the end of a work, and the reward of it, which is not till the end. Sicut opus non eſt uſ que ad mertem perfectum, ſic nec merces, ſaith R. David here; As the work is not done till death; ſo neither is full wages till then to be had.

Verſ. 12. Who can underſtand his errour?] This David ſpeaketh doubtleſs out of a deep ſenſe of his own imperfections, and defects in what the Law (ſo much by him commended) requireth; and to prevent miſtakes, leſt any man hearing him ſpeak of great reward, ſhould think that Heaven may be merited, and Salvation attained by a mans own righteouſneſs. No ſuch matter, beleeve it, ſaith holy David, I have neither done the Law, nor deſerved the reward, but do fly to God by prayer; and three things I have to beg of him; Firſt, that he would graciouſly pardon my ſecret ſins and errours, unknown to my ſelf, or at leaſt to others. Secondly, That he would keep me from proud and preſumtuous ſins, verſ. 13. Thirdly, That he would bridle my tongue and minde from ſpeaking, or but thinking ought that may be offenſive to his Majeſty, verſ. 14. For the Firſt of theſe,Jun. Humanum eſt errare & ignorare errorem ſuum; It is incident to every man to erre, and then to be ignorant of his errours. Certain it is, that our lives are fuller of ſins, than the Firmament is of Stars, or the Furnace of ſparks. And if the beſt mans faults were written in his fore-head, it would make him pull his hat over his eyes, as the Proverb hath it. David here ſeeth ſuch volumes of corruptions in his heart, and ſo many foul Errataes in his life, that he cannot but cry out, Who can underſtand, &c. O cleanſe, &c. The moſt perfect Saints are the moſt ſenſible of their imperfections; as the more delicate the Senſes are, the more ſharply are they affected with what offends them, Rom. 7.14. 1 Cor. 15.9, 10. Alas for us! (ſaith one good man) Ipſa lachrymae ſunt lachrymabiles; we had need to weep over our tears, ſigh over our ſobs, mourn over our griefs, &c. Look how when we have ſwept a room never ſo clean (ſaith Spinaeus) if the Sun do but come into it at the windows,De inſtit, Chriſtian. we ſoon eſpy abundance of filthy motes, mingled with the beams thereof: ſo is it with our hearts, when once illightned. What a blinde buzzard then was he that ſaid, Non habeo Domine quod mihi ignoſcas, Lord, I have nothing for thee to pardon? And no wiſer was Bellarmine that great Scholar, but ill read in his own heart, if that be true that is reported of him, viz. that when the Prieſt came to abſolve him, he could not remember any particular ſin to confeſs, till he went back in his thoughts as far as his youth. Of Philip the Third King of Spain, Val. Max. Chriſt. 263. it is ſaid, that he lived ſo ſtrictly, that he never committed any groſs Crime, or wilful wickedneſs; yet coming to dye, he cried out, O that I had never reigned! O that I had lived a private life in the Wilderneſs, that I might not have now to anſwer for not doing the good, or hindering the evil that I might have done in my government!

Cleanſe thou me from ſecret faults] Secret from my ſelf, many of them (ſins of ignorance and of inadvertency) ſecret from the world, more of them, heart ſins, but not ſecret from the Lord, Pſal. 90.8. Heb. 4.13. Theſe are of daily and hourly incurſion, involuntary and unavoydable infirmities, yet are they ſins properly ſo called; and we muſt be cleanſed from them by the Merit and Spirit of Chriſt: they muſt be repented of in general at leaſt; and then there is a pardon of courſe for them, and they do not uſually diſtract and plunge the Conſcience.

Verſ. 13. Keep back thy ſervant alſo from preſumptuous ſins] Heb. With-draw, inhibit, for we are naturally prone to the worſt of ſins, even the beſt of us, and to lye buried with the World in a bog of wickedneſs, adding rebellion to ſin, and doing wickedly with both hands earneſtly, unleſs God reign us in, and reſtrain us from ſuch enormities.Midraſh Tillin. in Pſal. 191. Pray we therefore as here, Etiam â ſuperbiis contine ſervum tuum. Davids Murthering Ʋriah was a ſin of this ſort. The Rabbins here obſerve how the Propher riſeth in his requeſt, firſt for pardon of leſſer ſins, and then for power againſt greater; like as a Begger, ſay they, firſt craves a little water, and then a Morſel of bread. We ſhould do ſo.

Let them not have dominion over me] Sin will rebel, but it muſt not reign in our mortal bodies, it muſt not play Rex, and bear ſway in the ſoul. Pray hard againſt that in chief, Ne iniquit as victrix dominetur, that our luſts be not our Lords, that vice vanquiſh us not.

Then ſhall I be upright] Then, when I have gotten both pardoning and prevailing-grace, to bee cleanſed from infirmities, and kept from preſumptions and arrogancies, which cum temerario auſu & faſtu fiunt contumaciter, I ſhall bee upright in Gods account, and entire in his obedience.

And I ſhall bee innocent from the great tranſgreſſion] That ſin unto death, 1 John 5. 16. that wickedneſſe with a witneſſe, for which there remaineth no more ſacrifice, Heb. 10.26. and unto which a way is paved by ſins of preſumption with an high hand committed againſt knowledge and conſcience.

Verſ. 14. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations, &c.] Sint ad beneplacitum verba, &c. Let both my words and thoughts, as well as my life and actions, bee to favourable acceptation; let them be ſuch as may ſuit with thy law and will.Midraſh [illegible: 1 word] lin.

O Lord my ſtrength] Heb. My Rock. In Mare, velin Marah, velin hoc mundo ſay the Rabbines; In the Sea of ſorrow, and all along the Wilderneſſe of this World.

And my Redeemer] Or, My near-kinſman, who is Jeſus Chriſt, in whom we may look for all good from God, by vertue of the Covenant. This David well underſtood, and therefore hee layeth all the weight on this, O Lord my ſtrength and my Redeemer.

"The heavens declare the glory of God." The book of nature has three leaves, heaven, earth, and sea, of which heaven is the first and the most glorious, and by its aid we are able to see the beauties of the other two. Any book without its first page would be sadly imperfect, and especially the great Natural Bible, since its first pages, the sun, moon, and stars, supply light to the rest of the volume, and are thus the keys, without which the writing which follows would be dark and undiscerned. Man walking erect was evidently made to scan the skies, and he who begins to read creation by studying the stars begins the book at the right place.

The heavens are plural for their variety, comprising the watery heavens with their clouds of countless forms, the aerial heavens with their calms and tempests, the solar heavens with all the glories of the day, and the starry heavens with all the marvels of the night; what the Heaven of heavens must be hath not entered into the heart of man, but there in chief all things are telling the glory of God. Any part of creation has more instruction in it than human mind will ever exhaust, but the celestial realm is peculiarly rich in spiritual lore. The heavens declare, or are declaring, for the continuance of their testimony is intended by the participles employed; every moment God's existence, power, wisdom and goodness, are being sounded abroad by the heavenly heralds which shine upon us from above. He who would guess at divine sublimity should gaze upward into the starry vault; he who would imagine infinity must peer into the boundless expanse; he who desires to see divine wisdom should consider the balancing of the orbs; he who would know divine fidelity must mark the regularity of the planetary motions; and he who would attain some conceptions of divine power, greatness, and majesty, must estimate the forces of attraction, the magnitude of the fixed stars, and the brightness of the whole celestial train. It is not merely glory that the heavens declare, but the "glory of God," for they deliver to us such unanswerable arguments for a conscious, intelligent, planning, controlling, and presiding Creator, that no unpredjudiced person can remain unconvinced by them. The testimony given by the heavens is no mere hint, but a plain, unmistakable declaration; and it is a declaration of the most constant and abiding kind. Yet for all this, to what avail is the loudest declaration to a deaf man, or the clearest showing to one spiritually blind? God the Holy Ghost must illuminate us, or all the suns in the milky way never will. "The firmament sheweth his handy-work;" not handy in the vulgar use of that term, but hand-work. The expanse is full of the works of the Lord's skilful, creating hands; hands being attributed to the great creating Spirit to set forth his care and workmanlike action, and to meet the poor comprehension of mortals. It is humbling to find that even when the most devout and elevated minds are desirous to express their loftiest thoughts of God, they must use words and metaphors drawn from the earth. We are children, and must each confess, "I think as a child, I speak as a child." In the expanse above us God flies, as it were, his starry flag to show that the King is at home, and hangs out his escutcheon that atheists may see how he despises their denunciations of him. He who looks up to the firmament and then writes himself down an atheist, brands himself at the same moment as an idiot or a liar. Strange is it that some who love God are yet afraid to study the God-declaring book of nature; the mock-spirituality of some believers, who are too heavenly to consider the heavens, has given colour to the vaunts of infidels that nature contradicts revelation. The wisest of men are those who with pious eagerness trace the goings forth of Jehovah as well in creation as in grace; only the foolish have any fears lest the honest study of the one should injure our faith in the other. Dr. M'Cosh has well said, "We have often mourned over the attempts made to set the works of God against the Word of God, and thereby excite, propagate, and perpetuate jealousies fitted to separate parties that ought to live in closest union. In particular, we have always regretted that endeavours should have been made to depreciate nature with a view of exalting revelation; it has always appeared to us to be nothing else than the degrading of one part of God's work in the hope thereby of exalting and recommending another. Let not science and religion be reckoned as opposing citadels, frowning defiance upon each other, and their troops brandishing their armour in hostile attitude. They have too many common foes, if they would but think of it, in ignorance and prejudice, in passion and vice, under all their forms, to admit of their lawfully wasting their strength in a useless warfare with each other. Science has a foundation, and so has religion; let them unite their foundations, and the basis will be broader, and they will be two compartments of one great fabric reared to the glory of God. Let one be the outer and the other the inner court. In the one, let all look, and admire and adore; and in the other, let those who have faith kneel, and pray, and praise. Let the one be the sanctuary where human learning may present its richest incense as an offering to God, and the other the holiest of all, separated from it by a veil now rent in twain, and in which, on a blood-sprinkled mercy-seat, we pour out the love of a reconciled heart, and hear the oracles of the living God."

"Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge." As if one day took up the story where the other left it, and each night passed over the wondrous tale to the next. The original has in it the thought of pouring out or welling over, with speech; as though days and nights were but as a fountain flowing evermore with Jehovah's praise. Oh to drink often at the celestial well, and learn to utter the glory of God! The witnesses above cannot be slain or silenced; from their elevated seats they constantly preach the knowledge of God, unawed and unbiased by the judgment of men. Even the changes of alternating night and day are mutely eloquent, and light and shade equally reveal the Invisible One; let the vicissitudes of our circumstances do the same, and while we bless the God of our days of joy, let us also extol him who giveth "songs in the night."

The lesson of day and night is one which it were well if all men learned. It should be among our day-thoughts and night-thoughts, to remember the flight of time, the changeful character of earthly things, the brevity both of joy and sorrow, the preciousness of life, our utter powerlessness to recall the hours once flown, and the irresistible approach of eternity. Day bids us labour, night reminds us to prepare for our last hime; day bids us work for God,and night invites us to rest in him; day bids us look for endless day, and night warns us to escape from everlasting night.

"There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard." Every man may hear the voices of the stars. Many are the languages of terrestrials, to celestials there is but one, and that one may be understood by every willing mind. The lowest heathen are without excuse, if they do not discover the invisible things of God in the works which he has made. Sun, moon, and stars are God's traveling preachers; they are apostles upon their journey confirming those who regard the Lord, and judges on circuit condemning those who worship idols.

The margin gives us another rendering, which is more literal, and involves less repetition; "no speech, no words, their voice is not heard;" that is to say, their teaching is not addressed to the ear, and is not uttered in articulate sounds; it is pictorial, and directed to the eye and heart; it touches not the sense by which faith comes, for faith cometh by hearing. Jesus Christ is called the Word, for he is a far more distinct display of Godhead than all the heavens can afford; they are, after all, but dumb instructors; neither star nor sun can arrive at a word, but Jesus is the express image of Jehovah's person, and his name is the Word of God.

"Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world." Although the heavenly bodies move in solemn silence, yet in reason's ear they utter precious teachings. They give forth no literal words, but yet their instruction is clear enough to be so described. Horne says that the phrase employed indicates a language of signs, and thus we are told that the heavens speak by their significant actions and operations. Nature's words are like those of the deaf and dumb, but grace tells us plainly of the Father. By their line is probably meant the measure of their domain which, together with their testimony, has gone out to the utmost end of the habitable earth. No man living beneath the copes of heaven dwells beyond the bounds of the diocese of God's Court- preachers; it is easy to escape from the light of ministers, who are as stars in the right hand of the Son of Man; but even then men, with a conscience yet unseared, will find a Nathan to accuse them, a Jonah to warn them, and an Elijah to threaten them in the silent stars of night. To gracious souls the voices of the heavens are more influential far, they feel the sweet influences of the Pleiades, and are drawn towards their Father God by the bright bands of Orion. "In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun." In the heavens the sun encamps, and marches like a mighty monarch on his glorious way. He has no fixed abode, but as a traveler pitches and removes his tent, a tent which will soon be taken down and rolled together as a scroll. As the royal pavilion stood in the centre of the host, so the sun in his place appears like a king in the midst of attendant stars.

"Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber." A bridegroom comes forth sumptuously apparelled, his face beaming with a joy which he imparts to all around; such, but with a mighty emphasis, is the rising Sun. "And rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race." As a champion girt for running cheerfully addresses himself to the race, so does the sun speed onward with matchless regularity and unwearying swiftness in his appointed orbit. It is but mere play to him; there are no signs of effort, flagging, or exhaustion. No other creature yields such joy to the earth as her bridegroom the sun; and none, whether they be horse or eagle, can for an instant compare in swiftness with that heavenly champion. But all his glory is but the glory of God; even the sun shines in light borrowed from the Great Father of Lights.

"Thou sun, of this great world both eye and soul,

Acknowledge Him thy greater; sound his praise

Both when thou climb'st, and when high noon hast gained,

And when thou fall'st."

"His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it." He bears his light to the boundaries of the solar heavens, traversing the zodiac with steady motion, denying his light to none who dwell within his range. "And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof." Above, beneath, around, the heat of the sun exercises an influence. The bowels of the earth are stored with the ancient produce of the solar rays, and even yet earth's inmost caverns feel their power. Where light is shut out, yet heat and other more subtle influences find their way.

There is no doubt a parallel intended to be drawn between the heaven of grace and the heaven of nature. God's way of grace is sublime and broad, and full of his glory; in all its displays it is to be admired and studied with diligence; both its lights and its shades are instructive; it has been proclaimed, in a measure, to every people, and in due time shall be yet more completely published to the ends of the earth. Jesus, like a sun, dwells in the midst of revelation, tabernacling among men in all his brightness; rejoicing, as the Bridegroom of his church, to reveal himself to men; and, like a champion, to win unto himself renown. He makes a circuit of mercy, blessing the remotest corners of the earth; and there are no seeking souls, however degraded and depraved, who shall be denied the comfortable warmth and benediction of his love —even death shall feel the power of his presence, and resign the bodies of the saints, and this fallen earth shall be restored to its pristine glory.

In the three following verses (7, 8, 9) we have a brief but instructive hexapla containing six descriptive titles of the word, six characteristic qualities mentioned and six divine effects declared. Names, nature, and effect are well set forth.

"The law of the Lord is perfect;" by which he means not merely the law of Moses but the doctrine of God, the whole run and rule of sacred Writ. The doctrine revealed by God he declares to be perfect, and yet David had but a very small part of the Scriptures, and if a fragment, and that the darkest and most historical portion, be perfect, what must the entire volume be? How more than perfect is the book which contains the clearest possible display of divine love, and gives us an open vision of redeeming grace. The gospel is a complete scheme or law of gracious salvation, presenting to the needy sinner everything that his terrible necessities can possibly demand. There are no redundancies and no omissions in the Word of God, and in the plan of grace; why then do men try to paint this lily and gild this refined gold? The gospel is perfect in all its parts, and perfect as a whole: it is a crime to add to it, treason to alter it, and felony to take from it. "Converting the soul." Making the man to be returned or restored to the place from which sin had cast him. The practical effect of the Word of God is to turn the man to himself, to his God, and to holiness; and the turn or conversion is not outward alone, "the soul" is moved and renewed. The great means of the conversion of sinners is the Word of God, and the more closely we keep to it in our ministry the more likely we are to be successful. It is God's Word rather than man's comment on God's Word which is made mighty with souls. When the law drives and the gospel draws, the action is different but the end is one, for by God's Spirit the soul is made to yield, and cries, "Turn me, and I shall be turned." Try men's depraved nature with philosophy and reasoning, and it laughs your efforts to scorn, but the Word of God soon works a transformation. "The testimony of the Lord is sure." God bears his testimony against sin, and on behalf of righteousness; he testifies of our fall and of our restoration; this testimony is plain, decided, and infallible, and is to be accepted as sure. God's witness in his Word is so sure that we may draw solid comfort from it both for time and eternity, and so sure that no attacks made upon it however fierce or subtle can ever weaken its force. What a blessing that in a world of uncertainties we have something sure to rest upon! We hasten from the quicksands of human speculations to the terra firma of Divine Revelation. "Making wise the simple." Humble, candid, teachable minds receive the word, and are made wise unto salvation. Things hidden from the wise and prudent are revealed unto babes. The persuadable grow wise, but the cavillers continue fools. As a law or plan the Word of God converts, and then as a testimony it instructs; it is not enough for us to be converts, we must continue to be disciples; and if we have felt the power of truth, we must go on to prove its certainty by experience. The perfection of the gospel converts, but its sureness edifies; if we would be edified it becomes us not to stagger at the promise through unbelief, for a doubted gospel cannot make us wise, but truth of which we are assured will be our establishment.

"The statutes of the Lord are right." His precepts and decrees are founded in righteousness, and are such as are right or fitted to the right reason of man. As a physician gives the right medicine, and a counsellor the right advice, so does the Book of God. "Rejoicing the heart." Mark the progress; he who was converted was next made wise and is now made happy; that truth which makes the heart right then gives joy to the right heart. Free-grace brings heart-joy. Earthborn mirth dwells on the lip, and flushes the bodily powers; but heavenly delights satisfy the inner nature, and fill the mental faculties to the brim. There is no cordial of comfort like that which is poured from the bottle of Scripture.

"Retire and read thy Bible to be gay." "The commandment of the Lord is pure." No mixture of error defiles it, no stain of sin pollutes it; it is the unadulterated milk, the undiluted wine. "Enlightening the eyes," purging away by its own purity the earthly grossness which mars the intellectual discernment: whether the eye be dim with sorrow or with sin, the Scripture is a skilful occulist, and makes the eye clear and bright. Look at the sun and it puts out your eyes, look at the more than sunlight of Revelation and it enlightens them; the purity of snow causes snow-blindness to the Alpine traveller, but the purity of God's truth has the contrary effect, and cures the natural blindness of the soul. It is well again to observe the gradation; the convert becomes a disciple and next a rejoicing soul, he now obtains a discerning eye and as a spiritual man discerneth all things, though he himself is discerned of no man.

"The fear of the Lord is clean." The doctrine of truth is here described by its spiritual effect, viz., inward piety, or the fear of the Lord; this is clean in itself, and cleanses out the love of sin, sanctifying the heart in which it reigns. Mr. Godly-fear is never satisfied till every street, lane, and alley, yea, and every house and every corner of the town of Mansoul is clean rid of the Diablolonians who lurk therein. "Enduring for ever." Filth brings decay, but cleanness is the great foe of corruption. The grace of God in the heart being a pure principle, is also an abiding and incorruptible principle, which may be crushed for a time, but cannot be utterly destroyed. Both in the Word and in the heart, when the Lord writes, he says with Pilate, "What I have written, I have written;" he will make no erasures himself, much less suffer others to do so. The revealed will of God is never changed; even Jesus came not to destroy but to fulfil, and even the ceremonial law was only changed as to its shadow, the substance intended by it is eternal. When the governments of nations are shaken with revolution, and ancient constitutions are being repealed, it is comforting to know that the throne of God is unshaken, and his law unaltered. "The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether;" —jointly and severally the words of the Lord are true; that which is good in detail is excellent in the mass; no exception may be taken to a single clause separately, or to the book as a whole. God's judgments, all of them together, or each of them apart, are manifestly just, and need no laborious excuses to justify them. The judicial decisions of Jehovah, as revealed in the law, or illustrated in the history of his providence, are truth itself, and commend themselves to every truthful mind; not only is their power invincible, but their justice is unimpeachable.

"More to be desired are they than fine gold, yea, than much fine gold." Bible truth is enriching to the soul in the highest degree; the metaphor is one which gathers force as it is brought out; —gold —fine gold —much fine gold; it is good, better, best, and therefore it is not only to be desired with a miser's avidity, but with more than that. As spiritual treasure is more noble than mere material wealth, so should it be desired and sought after with greater eagerness. Men speak of solid gold, but what is so solid as solid truth? For love of gold pleasure is forsworn, ease renounced, and life endangered; shall we not be ready to do as much for love of truth? "Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb." Trapp says, "Old people are all for profit, the young for pleasure; here's gold for the one, yea, the finest gold in great quantity; here's honey for the other, yea, live honey dropping from the comb." The pleasures arising from a right understanding of the divine testimonies are of the most delightful order; earthly enjoyments are utterly contemptible, if compared with them. The sweetest joys, yea, the sweetest of the sweetest falls to his portion who has God's truth to be his heritage.

"Moreover by them is thy servant warned." We are warned by the Word both of our duty, our danger, and our remedy. On the sea of life there would be many more wrecks, if it were not for the divine storm-signals, which give to the watchful a timely warning. The Bible should be our Mentor, our Monitor, our Memento Mori, our Remembrancer, and the Keeper of our Conscience. Alas, that so few men will take the warning so graciously given; none but servants of God will do so, for they alone regard their Master's will. Servants of God not only find his service delightful in itself, but they receive good recompense; "In keeping of them there is great reward." There is a wage, and a great one; though we earn no wages of debt, we win great wages of grace. Saints may be losers for a time, but they shall be glorious gainers in the long run, and even now a quiet conscience is in itself no slender reward for obedience. He who wears the herb called heart's-ease in his bosom is truly blessed. However, the main reward is yet to come, and the word here used hints as much, for it signifies the heel, as if the reward would come to us at the end of life when the work was done; —not while the labour was in hand, but when it was gone and we could see the heel of it. Oh the glory yet to be revealed! It is enough to make a man faint for joy at the prospect of it. Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Then shall we know the value of the Scriptures when we swim in that sea of unutterable delight to which their streams will bear us, if we commit ourselves to them.

"Who can understand his errors?" A question which is its own answer. It rather requires a note of exclamation than of interrogation. By the law is the knowledge of sin, and in the presence of divine truth, the psalmist marvels at the number and heinousness of his sins. He best knows himself who best knows the Word, but even such an one will be in a maze of wonder as to what he does not know, rather than on the mount of congratulation as to what he does know. We have heard of a comedy of errors, but to a good man this is more like a tragedy. Many books have a few lines of errata at the end, but our errata might well be as large as the volume if we could but have sense enough to see them. Augustine wrote in his older days a series of Retractations; ours might make a library if we had enough grace to be convinced of our mistakes and to confess them. "Cleanse thou me from secret faults." Thou canst mark in me faults entirely hidden from myself. It were hopeless to expect to see all my spots; therefore, O Lord, wash away in the atoning blood even those sins which my conscience has been unable to detect. Secret sins, like private conspirators, must be hunted out, or they may do deadly mischief; it is well to be much in prayer concerning them. In the Lateran Council of the Church of Rome, a decree was passed that every true believer must confess his sins, all of them, once a year to the priest, and they affixed to it this declaration, that there is no hope of pardon but in complying with that decree. What can equal the absurdity of such a decree as that? Do they suppose that they can tell their sins as easily as they can count their fingers? Why, if we could receive pardon for all our sins by telling every sin we have committed in one hour, there is not one of us who would be able to enter heaven, since, besides the sins that are known to us and that we may be able to confess, there are a vast mass of sins, which are as truly sins as those which we lament, but which are secret, and come not beneath our eye. If we had eyes like those of God, we should think very differently of ourselves. The transgressions which we see and confess are but like the farmer's small samples which he brings to market, when he has left his granary full at home. We have but a very few sins which we can observe and detect, compared with those which are hidden from ourselves and unseen by our fellow-creatures.

"Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me." This earnest and humble prayer teaches us that saints may fall into the worst of sins unless restrained by grace, and that therefore they must watch and pray lest they enter into temptation. There is a natural proneness to sin in the best of men, and they must be held back as a horse is held back by the bit or they will run into it. Presumptuous sins are peculiarly dangerous. All sins are great sins, but yet some sins are greater than others. Every sin has in it the very venom of rebellion, and is full of the essential marrow of traitorous rejection of God; but there be some sins which have in them a greater development of the essential mischief of rebellion, and which wear upon their faces more of the brazen pride which defies the Most High. It is wrong to suppose that because all sins will condemn us, that therefore one sin is not greater than another. The fact is, that while all transgression is a greatly grievous and sinful thing, yet there are some transgressions which have a deeper shade of blackness, and a more double scarlet-dyed hue of criminality than others. The presumptuous sins of our text are the chief and worst of all sins; they rank head and foremost in the list of iniquities. It is remarkable that though an atonement was provided under the Jewish law for every kind of sin, there was this one exception: "But the soul that sinneth presumptuously shall have no atonement; it shall be cut off from the midst of the people." And now under the Christian dispensation, although in the sacrifice of our blessed Lord there is a great and precious atonement for presumptuous sins, whereby sinners who have erred in this manner are made clean, yet without doubt, presumptuous sinners, dying without pardon, must expect to receive a double portion of the wrath of God, and a more terrible portion of eternal punishment in the pit that is digged for the wicked. For this reason is David so anxious that he may never come under the reigning power of these giant evils. "Then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression." He shudders at the thought of the unpardonable sin. Secret sin is a stepping-stone to presumptuous sin, and that is the vestibule of "the sin which is unto death." He who is not wilful in his sin, will be in a fair way to be innocent so far as poor sinful man can be; but he who tempts the devil to tempt him is in a path which will lead him from bad to worse, and from the worse to the worst.

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer." A sweet prayer, and so spiritual that it is almost as commonly used in Christian worship as the apostolic benediction. Words of the mouth are mockery if the heart does not meditate; the shell is nothing without the kernel; but both together are useless unless accepted; and even if accepted by man, it is all vanity if not acceptable in the sight of God. We must in prayer view Jehovah as our strength enabling, and our Redeemer saving, or we shall not pray aright, and it is well to feel our personal interest so as to use the word my, or our prayers will be hindered. Our near Kinsman's name, our Goel or Redeemer, makes a blessed ending to the Psalm; it began with the heavens, but it ends with him whose glory fills heaven and earth. Blessed Kinsman, give us now to meditate acceptably upon thy most sweet love and tenderness.

Whole Psalm. The magnificent scenery to which the poem alludes is derived entirely from a contemplation of nature, in a state of pastoral seclusion; and a contemplation indulged in, at noontide or in the morning, when the sun was travelling over the horizon, and eclipsing all the other heavenly bodies by his glory. On which account it forms a perfect contrast with the eighth Psalm, evidently composed in the evening, and should be read in connection with it, as it was probably written nearly at the same time; and as both are songs of praise derived from natural phenomena, and therefore peculiarly appropriate to rural or pastoral life. —John Mason Good. Whole Psalm. The world resembleth a divinity-school, saith Plutarch, and Christ, as the Scripture telleth, is our doctor, instructing us by his works, and by his words. For as Aristotle had two sorts of writings, one called exoterical, for his common auditors, another acromatical, for his private scholars and familiar acquaintance: so God hath two sorts of books, as David intimates in this Psalm; namely, the book of his creatures, as a common-place book for all men in the world: "The heavens declare the glory of God," verses 1-6; the book of his Scriptures as a statute-book for his domestic auditory, the church: "The law of the Lord is an undefiled law," verses 7, 8. The great book of the creatures in folio, may be termed aptly the shepherd's kalendar, and the ploughman's alphabet, in which even the most ignorant may run (as the prophet speaks) and read. It is a letter patent, or open epistle for all, as David, in our text, Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words unto the ends of the world; there is neither speech nor language but have heard of their preaching. For albeit, heaven, and the sun in heaven, and the light in the sun are mute, yet their voices are well understood, catechising plainly the first elements of religion, as, namely, that there is a God, and that this God is but one God, and that this one God excelleth all other things infinitely both in might and majesty. Universus mundus (as one pithily) nihil aliud est quam Deus explicatus: the whole world is nothing else but God expressed. So St. Paul, Romans 1:20: God's invisible things, as his eternal power and Godhead, "are clearly seen" by the creation of the world, "being understood by the things that are made." The heavens declare this, and the firmament showeth this, and the day telleth this, and the night certifieth this, the sound of the thunder proclaimeth, as it were, this in all lands, and the words of the whistling wind unto the ends of the world. More principally the sun, which as a bridegroom cometh out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a giant to run his course. The body thereof (as mathematicians have confidently delivered) is one hundred and sixty-six times bigger than the whole earth, and yet it is every day carried by the finger of God so great a journey, so long a course, that if it were to be taken on the land, it should run every several hour of the day two hundred and twenty-five German miles. It is true that God is incapable to sense, yet he makes himself, as it were, visible in his works; as the divine poet (Du Bartas) sweetly: —

"Therein our fingers feel, our nostrils smell,

Our palates taste his virtues that excel,

He shows him to our eyes, talks to our ears,

In the ordered motions of the spangled spheres."

So "the heavens declare," that is, they make men declare the glory of God, by their admirable structure, motions, and influence. Now the preaching of the heavens is wonderful in three respects. 1. As preaching all the night and all the day without intermission: verse 2. One day telleth another, and one night certifieth another. 2. As preaching in every kind of language: verse 3. There is neither speech, nor language, but their voices are heard among them. 3. As preaching in every part of the world, and in every parish of every part, and in every place of every parish: verse 4, Their sound is gone into all lands, and their words unto the ends of the world. They be diligent pastors, as preaching at all times; and learned pastors, as preaching in all tongues; and catholic pastors, as preaching in all towns. Let us not then in this University (where the voices of so many great doctors are heard), be like to truants in other schools, who gaze so much upon the babies, (the pictures or illustrations of a book), and gilded cover, and painted margent of their book, that they neglect the text and lesson itself. This is God's primer, as it were, for all sorts of people; but he hath another book proper only for his domestic auditory the church: "He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation, neither have the heathen knowledge of his laws." Psalm 147:19, 20. Heathen men read in his primer, but Christian men are well acquainted with his Bible. The primer is a good book, but it is imperfect; for after a man hath learned it he must learn more; but "the law of the Lord," that is, the body of the Holy Scriptures, is a most absolute canon of all doctrines appertaining either to faith or good manners; it is a perfect law, converting the soul, giving wisdom to the simple, sure, pure, righteous, and rejoicing the heart," etc. —John Boys. Whole Psalm. Saint Chrysostom conjectures that the main intention of the greatest part of this Psalm consists in the discovery of divine providence, which manifests itself in the motions and courses of the heavenly bodies, concerning which the psalmist speaketh much, from verse 1 to verse 7. Saint Austin upon the place, is of a quite different opinion, who conjectures that Christ is the whole subject of this Psalm; whose person is compared to the sun for excellency and beauty, and the course of whose doctrine was dispersed round about the world by his apostles to which Saint Paul alludes (Romans 10:18); "Have they not heard? Yes, verily, their sound went into all the earth," etc., and the efficacy of whose gospel is like the heat of the sun, which pierceth into the very heart of the earth, so that into the secrets of the soul. I confess this allegorical exposition is not altogether impertinent, neither is that literal exposition of Saint Chrysostom to be blamed, for it hath its weight. But to omit all variety of conjecture, this Psalm contains in it:

1. A double kind of the knowledge of God, of which one is by the book of the creature; and this divines call a natural knowledge: there is not any one creature but it is a leaf written all over with the description of God; his eternal power and Godhead may be understood by the things that are seen, saith the apostle. Romans 1:20. And, as every creature, so especially "the heavens" do lead us to the knowledge of a God; so verse 1 of this Psalm: "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handywork;" they are the theatres, as it were, of his wisdom, and power, and glory. Another is by the book of Scripture; and this knowledge is far more distinct and explicit: with the other even the heathen do grope after a deity, but with this Christians do behold God, as it were, with open face. The characters here are now fresh, spiritual, complete, and lively. The word of God is the singular means to know God aright. Look, as the light which comes from the sun, so that word of God, which is light, is the clearest way to know God who is light itself. Hence it is that the psalmist stands much upon this from verse 7 to verse 12, where he sets open the word in its several encomiums and operations; namely, in its perfection, its certainties, and firmness; its righteousness, and purity, and truth; and then in its efficacy —that it is a converting word, an enlightening word, an instructing word, a rejoicing word, a desirable word, a warning word, and a rewarding word.

2. A singular and experimental knowledge of himself. —So it seemeth, that that word which David did so much commend, he did commend it from an experimental efficacy; he had found it to be a righteous, and holy, and pure, and discovering word, laying open, not only visible and gross transgressions, but also, like the light of the sun, those otherwise unobserved and secret atoms of senses flying within the house; I mean in the secret chambers of the soul. —Obadiah Sedgwick, 1660,

"The heavens declare the glory of God," etc. —The eminent saints of ancient times were watchful observers of the objects and operations of nature. In every event they saw the agency of God; and, therefore, they took delight in its examination. For they could not but receive pleasure from witnessing the manifestations of his wisdom and beneficence, whom they adored and loved. They had not learned, as we have in modern times, to interpose unbending laws between the Creator and his works; and then, by giving inherent power to these laws, virtually to remove God away from his creation into an ethereal extramundane sphere of repose and happiness. I do not say that this is the universal feeling of the present day. But it prevails extensively in the church, and still more in the world. The ablest philosophers of modern times do, indeed, maintain that a natural law is nothing more than the uniform mode in which God acts; and that, after all, it is not the efficiency of the law, but God's own energy, that keeps all nature in motion; that he operates immediately and directly, not remotely and indirectly, in bringing about every event, and that every natural change is as really the work of God as if the eye of sense could see his hand turning round the wheels of nature. But, although the ablest philosophy of modern times has reached this conclusion, the great mass of the community, and even of Christians, are still groping in the darkness of that mechanical system which ascribes the operation of this natural world to nature's laws instead of nature's God. By a sort of figure, indeed, it is proper, as the advocates of this system admit, to speak of God as the author of its natural events, because he originally ordained the laws of nature. But they have no idea that he exerts any direct and immediate agency in bringing them about; and, therefore, when they look upon these events they feel no impression of the presence and active agency of Jehovah.

But how different, as already remarked, were the feeling of ancient saints. The psalmist could not look up to heaven without exclaiming, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard." When he cast his eyes abroad upon the earth, his full heart cried out, "O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches." In his eye everything was full of God. It was God who "sent springs into the valleys, which run among the hills." When the thunder-storm passed before him, it was "God's voice in the heavens, and his lightnings that lighted the world." When he heard the bellowings, and saw the smoke of the volcano, it was "God who looketh on the earth, and it trembleth; he toucheth the hills, and they smoke." —Edward Hitchcock, D.D., LL.D., 1867.

"The heavens declare," etc. Man has been endued by his Creator with mental powers capable of cultivation. He has employed them in the study of the wonderful works of God which the universe displays. His own habitation has provided a base which has served him to measure the heavens. He compares his own stature with the magnitude of the earth on which he dwells; the earth, with the system in which it is placed; the extent of the system, with the distance of the nearest fixed stars; and that distance again serves as a unit of measurement for other distances which observation points out. Still no approach is made to any limit. How extended these wonderful works of the Almighty may be no man can presume to say. The sphere of creation appears to extend around us indefinitely on all sides; "to have its centre everywhere, its circumference nowhere." These are considerations which from their extent almost bewilder our minds. But how should they raise our ideas toward their great Creator, when we consider that all these were created from nothing, by a word, by a mere volition of the Deity. "Let them be," said God, and they were. "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth." "For he spake, and it was done. He commanded, and it stood fast." Psalm 33:6, 9. What must be that power, which so formed worlds on worlds; worlds in comparison of which this earth which we inhabit sinks into utter nothingness! Surely when we thus lift up our thoughts to the heavens, the moon and the stars which he hath ordained, we must feel, if we can ever feel, how stupendous and incomprehensible is that Being who formed them all; that "the heavens" do indeed "declare the glory of God;" and the firmament sheweth his handywork." —Temple Chevallier, in "The Hulsean Lectures for 1827."

I have often been charmed and awed at the sight of the nocturnal heavens, even before I knew how to consider them in their proper circumstances of majesty and beauty. Something like magic has struck my mind, on transient and unthinking survey of the aethreal vault, tinged throughout with the purest azure, and decorated with innumerable starry lamps. I have felt, I know not what, powerful and aggrandising impulse, which seemed to snatch me from the low entanglements of vanity, and prompted an ardent sigh for sublimer objects. Methought I heard, even from the silent spheres, a commanding call to spurn the abject earth, and pant after unseen delights. Henceforth I hope to imbibe more copiously this moral emanation of the skies, when, in some such manner as the preceeding, they are rationally seen, and the sight is duly improved. The stars, I trust, will teach as well as shine, and help to dispel both nature's gloom and my intellectual darkness. To some people they discharge no better a service than that of holding a flambeau to their feet, and softening the horrors of their night. To me and my friends may they act as ministers of a superior order, as counsellors of wisdom, and guides to happiness! Nor will they fail to execute this nobler office, if they gently light our way into the knowledge of their adored Maker —if they point out with their silver rays our path to his beatific presence. —James Hervey, A.M., 1713-1758.

Should a man live underground, and there converse with the works of art and mechanism, and should afterwards be brought up into the open day, and see the several glories of the heaven and earth, he would immediately pronounce them the work of such a Being as we define God to be. —Aristotle.

When we behold "the heavens," when we contemplate the celestial bodies, can we fail of conviction? Must we not acknowledge that there is a Divinity, a perfect Being, a ruling intelligence, which governs; a God who is everywhere and directs all by his power? Anybody who doubts this may as well deny there is a sun that lights us. Time destroys all false opinions, but it confirms those which are formed by nature. For this reason, with us as well as with other nations, the worship of the gods, and the holy exercises of religion, increase in purity and extent every day. —Cicero.

"The heavens declare the glory of God," etc. They discover his wisdom, his power, his goodness; and so there is not any one creature, though never so little, but we are to admire the Creator in it. As a chamber hung round about with looking-glasses represents the face upon every turn, thus all the world doth the mercy and the bounty of God; though that be visible, yet it discovers an invisible God and his invisible properties. —Anthony Burgess, 1656.

None of the elect are in that respect so unwise as to refuse to hear and consider the works and words of God as not appertaining unto him. God forbid. No man in the world doth with more fervency consider the works of God, none more readily lift up their ears to hear God speak than even they who have the inward revelation of the Holy Spirit. —Wolfgang Musculus.

During the French revolution Jean Bon St. Andrè, the Vendean revolutionist, said to a peasant, "I will have all your steeples pulled down, that you may no longer have any object by which you may be reminded of your old superstitions." "But," replied the peasant, "you cannot help leaving us the stars." —John Bate's "Cyclopaedia of Moral and Religious Truths," 1865.

"The heavens declare the glory of God" —

How beautiful this dome of sky,

And the vast hills in fluctuation fixed

At thy command, how awful! Shall the soul,

Human and rational, report of Thee

Even less than these? Be mute who will, who can,

Yet I will praise thee with impassioned voice.

My lips, that may forget thee in the crowd,

Cannot forget thee here, where thou hast built

For thine own glory, in the wilderness! William Wordsworth, 1770-1850.

"The firmament sheweth his handiwork" —

The glitt'ring stars

By the deep ear of meditation heard,

Still in their midnight watches sing of him.

He nods a calm. The tempest blows his wrath:

The thunder is his voice; and the red flash

His speedy sword of justice. At his touch

The mountains flame. He shakes the solid earth,

And rocks the nations. Nor in these alone —

In ev'ry common instance God is seen. James Thompson.

These are thy glorious works, Parent of good,

Almighty! Thine this universe frame,

Thus wondrous fair; Thyself how wondrous then!

Unspeakable, who sitt'st above these heavens

To us invisible, or dimly seen

In these thy lowest works; yet these declare

Thy goodness beyond thought, and power divine. John Milton.

In order more fully to illustrate the expressive richness of the Hebrew, I would direct the attention of my reader to the beautiful phraseology of the XIX. Psalm. The literal reading of the first and second verses may be thus given: —

"The heavens are telling the glory of God,

The firmament displaying the work of his hands;

Day unto day welleth forth speech,

Night unto night breatheth out knowledge."

Thus the four distinct terms in the original are preserved in the translation; and the overflowing fulness with which day unto day pours forth divine instruction, and the gentle whisperings of the silent night, are contrasted as in the Hebrew. —Henry Craik, 1860.

In order more fully to illustrate the expressive richness of the Hebrew, I would direct the attention of my reader to the beautiful phraseology of the XIX. Psalm. The literal reading of the first and second verses may be thus given: —

"The heavens are telling the glory of God,

The firmament displaying the work of his hands;

Day unto day welleth forth speech,

Night unto night breatheth out knowledge."

Thus the four distinct terms in the original are preserved in the translation; and the overflowing fulness with which day unto day pours forth divine instruction, and the gentle whisperings of the silent night, are contrasted as in the Hebrew. —Henry Craik, 1860.

Though all preachers on earth should grow silent, and every human mouth cease from publishing the glory of God, the heavens above will never cease to declare and proclaim his majesty and glory. They are for ever preaching; for, like an unbroken chain, their message is delivered from day to day and from night to night. At the silence of one herald another takes up his speech. One day, like the other, discloses the same spectacles of his glory, and one night, like the other, the same wonders of his majesty. Though nature be hushed and quiet when the sun in his glory has reached the zenith on the azure sky —though the world keep her silent festival, when the stars shine brightest at night —yet, says the psalmist, they speak; ay, holy silence itself is a speech, provided there be the ear to hear it. —Augustus T. Tholuck.

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handiwork." If the heavens declare the glory of God, we should observe what that glory is which they declare. The heavens preach to us every day. . . . "Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world." Sun, moon, and stars are preachers; they are universal, they are natural apostles. The world is their charge; "their words," saith the Psalm, "go to the end of the world." We may have good doctrine from them, especially this doctrine in the text, of the wisdom and power of God. And it is very observable that the apostle alludes to this text in the Psalm for a proof of gospel preaching to the whole world. Romans 10:18. The gospel, like the sun, casts his beams over, and sheds his light into all the world. David in the Psalm saith, "Their line is gone out," etc. By which word he shows that the heavens, being so curious a fabric, made, as it were, by a line and level, do clearly, though silently, preach the skill and perfection of God. Or, that we may read divine truths in them as a line formed by a pen into words and sentences (the original signifies both a measuring line and a written line), letters and words in writing being nothing but lines drawn into several forms or figures. But the Septuagint, whose translation the apostle citeth, for Kavam, their line, read Kolam, their sound; either misreading the word or studiously mollifying the sense into a nearer compliance with the latter clause of the verse, "And their words to the end of the world." —Joseph Caryl.

Like as the sun with his light beneficially comforteth all the world, so Christ, the Son of God, reacheth his benefits unto all men, so that they will receive them thankfully, and not refuse them disobediently. —Robert Cawdray.

"Day unto day," etc. But what is the meaning of the next word —One day telleth another, and one night certifieth another? Literally, dies diem dicit, is nothing else but dies diem docet. One day telleth another, is one day teacheth another. The day past is instructed by the day present: every new day doth afford new doctrine. The day is a most apt time to learn by reading and conference; the night a most fit time for invention and meditation. Now that which thou canst not understand this day thou mayest haply learn the next, and that which is not found out in one night may be gotten in another. Mystically (saith Hierem), Christ is this "day," who saith of himself, "I am the light of the world," and his twelve apostles are the twelve hours of the day; for Christ's Spirit revealed by the mouths of his apostles the mysteries of our salvation, in other ages not so fully known unto the sons of men. One day telleth another, that is, the spiritual utter this unto the spiritual; and one night certifieth another, that is, Judas insinuates as much unto the Jews in the night of ignorance, saying, "Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he, lay hold on him." Matthew 26:28. Or, the Old Testament only shadowing Christ is the night, and the New Testament plainly showing Christ is the day. —John Boys.

"Day unto day," or day after day; the vicissitude or continual succession of day and night speaketh much divine knowledge. The assiduity and constancy without any intermission by the heavens preaching is hereby expressed. —John Richardson.

"Uttereth," poureth forth abundantly; "sheweth" demonstrates clearly and effectively, without ambiguity. Job 36:2. Many in the full light of gospel day, hear not that speech, who yet in the night of affliction and trouble, or in the conviction of their natural darkness, have that knowledge communicated to them which enables them to realise the joy that cometh in the morning. —W. Wilson.

"Sheweth knowledge." We may illustrate the differing measures in which natural objects convey knowledge to men of differing mental and spiritual capacity by the story of our great English artist. He is said to have been engaged upon one of his immortal works, and a lady of rank looking on remarked, "But Mr. Turner, I do not see in nature all that you describe there." "Ah, Madam," answered the painter, "do you not wish you could?" —C. H. S.

"There is no speech," etc. The sunset was one of the most glorious I ever beheld, and the whole earth seemed so still that the voice of neither God nor man was heard. There was not a ripple upon the waters, not the leaf of a tree, nor even of a blade of grass moving, and the rocks upon the opposite shore reflected the sun's "after-glow," and were again themselves reflected from or in the river during the brief twilight, in a way I do not remember ever to have beheld before. No! I will not say the voice of God was not heard; it spoke in the very stillness as loud as in roaring thunder, in the placid scene as in rocks and cliffs impassable, and louder still in the heavens and in the firmament, and in the magnificent prospect around me. His wondrous works declared him to be near, and I felt as if the very ground upon which I was treading was holy. —John Gadsby.

"Their line is gone out," etc. "Their sound went," etc. Romans 10:18. The relations which the gospel of Christ Jesus hath to the Psalms of David I find to be more than to all the Bible besides, that seldom anything is written in the New Testament, but we are sent to fetch our proofs from these. The margin here sends me to the Psalm, and the Psalm sends me back to this again; showing that they both speak one thing. How comes it then that it is not one, for "line" and "sound" are not one thing? Is there not some mistake here? Answer —To fetch a proof from a place is one thing, an allusion is another. Sometimes the evangelists are enforced to bring their proofs for what they write out of the Old Testament, else we should never believe them, and then they must be very sure of the terms, when they say, "This was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken," etc. But the apostle was not now upon that account; only showing to the Romans the marvellous spreading of the gospel, alluding to this passage of David discoursing of "the heavens," to which the prophet compared the publication of the word; the sun and moon and stars not only shining through, but round all the earth. The same subject Paul was now upon, and for his purpose makes use of a term fitter to express the preaching of the gospel, by the word "sound," than that other word expressing the limitations of the law, by the word "line:" both of these agreeing that there is no fitter comparison to be fetched from anything in nature than from "the heavens," their motions, revolutions, influences upon sublunary bodies; also in their eclipses, when one text seems to darken another, as if it were put out altogether by crossing and opposing, which is but seemingly so to the ignorant, they agree sweetly enough in themselves; no bridegroom can agree better with his bride, nor rejoice more to run his course. So they both conclude in this, that the sun never saw that nation yet where the word of truth, in one degree or other (all the world, you must think, cannot be right under the meridian) hath not shined. —William Streat, in "The Dividing of the Hoof," 1654.

Verse 4 "Unto the end of the world." Venantius Fortunatus eleven hundred years ago witnesses to the peregrinations of Paul the apostle.

He passed the ocean's curled wave,

As far as islands harbours have;

As far as Brittain yields a bay,

Or Iceland's frozen shore a stay. John Cragge, 1557.

"Their line is gone out through all the earth," etc. The molten sea did stand upon twelve oxen, that is, as Paul doth interpret it, upon twelve apostles (1 Corinthians 9:10); which in that they looked four ways, east, west, north, and south, they did teach all nations. And in that they looked three and three together, they did represent the blessed Trinity. Not only teaching all nations, but also in that sea of water, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Wherefore, though the two kine which carried the ark wherein were the tables of the law, went straight and kept one path, turning neither to the right hand nor to the left; yet these twelve oxen which carried the molten sea, signifying the doctrine of the gospel, went not straight, neither kept one path, but turned into the way of the Gentiles; yea, they looked all manner of ways, east, west, north, and south. And these two kine stood still and lowed no more when they came to the field of Joshua, dwelling in Bethshemesh, that is, the house of the sun. To note, that all the kine, and calves, and sacrifices, and ceremonies of the old law were to cease and stand still when they came to Jesus, who is the true Joshua, dwelling in heaven, which is the true Bethshemesh. But these twelve oxen were so far from leaving off, either to go, or to low, when they came to Christ, that even then they went much faster and lowed much louder; so that now "their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words to the end of the world;" and "in them hath God set" Bethshemesh, that is, a house or "tabernacle for the sun." Therefore, as the material sun, through the twelve signs of the Zodiac, goeth forth from the uttermost parts of the heaven, and runneth about to the end of it again: in like sort, the spiritual Sun of Righteousness, by the twelve apostles, as by twelve signs, hath been borne round about the world, that he might be not only "the glory of his people Israel," but also "a light to lighten the Gentiles;" and that all, "all the ends of the earth might see the salvation of our God." —Thomas Playfere.

It appears to me very likely that the Holy Ghost in these expressions which he most immediately uses about the rising of the sun, has an eye to the rising of the Sun of Righteousness from the grave, and that the expressions that the Holy Ghost here uses are conformed to such a view. The times of the Old Testament are times of night in comparison of the gospel day, and are so represented in Scripture, and therefore the approach of the day of the New Testament dispensation in the birth of Christ, is called the day-spring from on high visiting the earth (Luke 1:78), "Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us;" and the commencing of the gospel dispensation as it was introduced by Christ, is called the Sun of Righteousness rising. Malachi 4:2. But this gospel dispensation commences with the resurrection of Christ. Therein the Sun of Righteousness rises from under the earth, as the sun appears to do in the morning, and comes forth as a bridegroom. He rose as the joyful, glorious bridegroom of his church; for Christ, especially as risen again, is the proper bridegroom, or husband, of his church, as the apostle teaches (Romans 7:4), "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." He that was covered with contempt, and overwhelmed in a deluge of sorrow, has purchased and won his spouse, for he loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might present it to himself; now he comes forth as a bridegroom to bring home his purchased spouse to him in spiritual marriage, as he soon after did in the conversion of such multitudes, making his people willing in the day of his power, and hath also done many times since, and will do in a yet more glorious degree. And as the sun when it rises comes forth like a bridegroom gloriously adorned, so Christ in his resurrection entered on his state of glory. After his state of sufferings, he rose to shine forth in ineffable glory as the King of heaven and earth, that he might be a glorious bridegroom, in whom his church might be unspeakably happy. Here the psalmist says that God has placed a tabernacle for the sun in the heavens: so God the Father had prepared an abode in heaven for Jesus Christ; he had set a throne for him there, to which he ascended after he rose. The sun after it is risen ascends up to the midst of heaven, and then at that end of its race descends again to the earth; so Christ when he rose from the grave ascended up to the height of heaven, and far above all heavens, but at the end of the gospel day will descend again to the earth. It is here said that the risen sun "rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race." So Christ, when he rose, rose as a man of war, as the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle; he rose to conquer his enemies, and to show forth his glorious power in subduing all things to himself, during that race which he had to run, which is from his resurrection to the end of the world, when he will return to the earth again. . . . That the Holy Ghost here has a mystical meaning, and has respect to the light of the Sun of Righteousness, and not merely the light of the natural sun, is confirmed by the verses that follow, in which the psalmist himself seems to apply them to the word of God, which is the light of that Sun, even of Jesus Christ, who himself revealed the word of God: see the very next words, "The law of the Lord is perfect," etc. —Jonathan Edwards, 1703-1758.

"Which is as a bridegroom," etc. The sun is described like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, dressed and prepared, and as a giant rejoicing to run his race; but though the sun be thus prepared, and dressed, and ready, yet if the Lord send a writ and a prohibition to the sun to keep within his chamber, he cannot come forth, his journey is stopped. Thus also he stops man in his nearest preparation for any action. If the Lord will work, who shall let it? Isaiah 43:13. That is, there is no power in heaven or earth which can hinder him. But if the Lord will let, who shall work? Neither sun, nor stars, nor men, nor devils, can work, if he forbids them. The point is full of comfort. —Joseph Caryl.

"Which is as a bridegroom," etc. The Sun of Righteousness appeared in three signs especially; Leo, Virgo, Libra. 1. In Leo, roaring as a lion, in the law; so that the people could not endure his voice. 2. In Virgo, born of a pure virgin in the gospel. 3. In Libra, weighing our works in his balance at the day of judgment. Or as Bernard distinguisheth his threefold coming aptly —venit ad homines, venit in homines, venit contra homines: in the time past he came unto men as upon this day (The Nineteenth Psalm is one "appointed to be read" on Christmas Day); in the time present, he comes by his spirit into men every day; in the time future, he shall come against men at the last day. The coming here mentioned is his coming in the flesh —for so the fathers usually gloss the text —he came forth of the virgin's womb, "as a bridegroom out of his chamber." As a bridegroom, for the King of heaven at this holy time made a great wedding for his Son. Matthew 22:1. Christ is the bridegroom, man's nature the bride, the conjunction and blessed union of both in one person is his marriage. The best way to reconcile two disagreeing families is to make some marriage between them: even so, the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us in the world that he might hereby make our peace, reconciling God to man and man to God. By this happy match the Son of God is become the Son of Man, even flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bones; and the sons of men are made the sons of God, "of his flesh and of his bones," as Paul saith, Ephesians 5:30. So that now the church being Christ's own spouse, saith, "I am my Beloved's, and my Beloved is mine." Canticles 6:3. My sin is his sin, and his righteousness is my righteousness. He who knew no sin, for my sake was made sin; and I, contrariwise, having no good thing, am made the righteousness of God in him: I which am brown by persecution, and black by nature (Canticles 1:5), so foul as the sow that walloweth in the mire, through his favour am comely, without spot or wrinkle, so white as the snow, like a lily among thorns, even the fairest among women. Canticles 2:2. This happy marriage is not a mar age, but it make's a merry age, being "the consolation of Israel," and comfort of Jerusalem's heart. Indeed, Christ our husband doth absent himself from us in his body for a time; but when he did ascend into heaven he took with him our pawn, namely his flesh; and he gave us his pawn, namely, his Spirit, assuring us that we shall one day, when the world is ended, enter with him into the wedding chamber, and there feast with him, and enjoy his blessed company for evermore. —John Boys.

"There is nothing hid from the heat thereof." This is literally the case. The earth receives its heat from the sun, and by conduction, a part of it enters the crust of our globe. By convection, another portion is carried to the atmosphere, which it warms. Another portion is radiated into space, according to laws yet imperfectly understood, but which are evidently connected with the colour, chemical composition, and mechanical structure of parts of the earth's surface. At the same time the ordinary state of the air, consisting of gases and vapour, modifies the heat-rays and prevents scorching. Thus, the solar heat is equalised by the air. Nothing on earth or in air is hid from the heat of the sun. . . . Even the colour of some bodies is changed by heat. . . Heat also is in bodies in a state which is not sensible, and is therefore called latent heat, or heat of fluidity, because it is regarded as the cause of fluidity in ponderable substances. It can fuse every substance it does not decompose below the melting point, as in the case of wood. Every gas may be regarded as consisting of heat, and some basis of ponderable matter, whose cohesion it overcomes, imparting a tendency to great expansion, when no external obstacle prevents, and this expansive tendency is their elasticity or tension. Certain gases have been liquified under great pressure, and extreme cold. Heat, also, at certain temperatures, causes the elasticity of vapours to overcome the atmospheric pressure which can no longer restrain them. An example of this is the boiling point of water; and, indeed, in every case the true instance is the boiling point. Philosophers are agreed that the affinity of heat for any ponderable substance is superior to all other forces acting upon it. No ponderable matters can combine without disengagement of heat. . . . And the same occurs from every mechanical pressure and condensation of a body. In all these cases, and many more, there are like evidences of the presence and influence of heat; but the facts now advanced are sufficient to show us the force of the expression, that in terrestrial things nothing is hid from, or can by any possibility escape the agency of heat. —Edwin Sidney, A.M., in "Conversations on the Bible and Science," 1866.

Verse 6 (last clause). "There is nothing hid from the heat," nothing from the light of Christ. It is not solely on the mountain top that he shines, as in the day before he was fully risen, when his rays, although unseen by the rest of the world, formed a glory round the heads of his prophets, who saw him while to the chief part of mankind he was still lying below the horizon. Now, however, that he is risen, he pours his light through the valley, as well as over the mountain; nor is there any one, at least in these countries, who does not catch some gleams of that light, except those who burrow and hide themselves in the dark caverns of sin. But it is not light alone that Christ sheds from his heavenly tabernacle. As nothing is hid from his light, neither is anything hid from his heat. He not only enlightens the understanding, so that it shall see and know the truth; he also softens and melts, and warms the heart, so that it shall love the truth, and calls forth fruit from it, and ripens the fruit he has called forth; and that too on the lowliest plant which creeps along the ground, as well as the loftiest tree. . . .

Though while he was on earth, he had fullest power of bestowing every earthly gift, yet, in order that he should be able to bestow heavenly gifts with the same all-healing power, it was necessary that he should go up into heaven. When he had done so, when he had ascended into his tabernacle in the heavens, then, he promises his disciples, he would send down the Holy Spirit of God, who should bring them heavenly gifts, yea, who should enter into their hearts, and make them bring forth all the fruits of the Spirit in abundance; should make them abound in love, in peace, in longsuffering, in gentleness, in goodness, in faith, in meekness, in temperance. These are the bright heavenly rays, which, as it were, make up the pure light of Christ; and from this heat nothing is hid. Even the hardest heart may be melted by it; even the foulest may be purified. —Julias Charles Hare, M.A., 1841.

"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." To man fallen, the law only convinceth of sin, and bindeth over to death, it is nothing but a killing letter; but the gospel, accompanied by the power of the Spirit, bringeth life. Again, it is said, "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;" therefore it seems the law may also be a word of salvation to the creature. I answer; by the law there, is not meant only that part of the word which we call the covenant of works, but there it is put for the whole word, for the whole doctrine of the covenant of life and salvation; as Psalm 1:2: "His delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." And if you take it in that stricter sense, then it converteth the soul but by accident, as it is joined with the gospel, which is the misery of life and righteousness, but in itself it is the law of sin and death. Look, as a thing taken simply, would be poison and deadly in itself, yet mixed with other wholesome medicines, it is of great use, is an excellent physical ingredient; so the law is of great use as joined with the gospel, to awaken and startle the sinner, to show him his duty, to convince him of sin and judgment; but it is the gospel properly that pulls in the heart. —Thomas Manton.

The law, or doctrine, an orderly manner of instruction, an institution or disposition, called in Hebrew torah, which implies both doctrine and an orderly disposition of the same. Therefore where one prophet, relating David's words, saith the law of man (2 Samuel 7:19), another saith, the orderly estate, or course of man. 1 Corinthians 17:17. The Holy Ghost, in Greek, calls it Nomos, a law (Hebrews 8:10), from Jeremiah 31:33. This name is most commonly ascribed to the precepts given by Moses at Mount Sinai (Deuteronomy 32:4; Malachi 4:4; John 1:17, and 7:19); it is also largely used for all his writings. For the history of Genesis is called law (Galatians 4:21), from Genesis 16. And though sometimes the law be distinguished from the Psalms and Prophets (Luke 16:16, and 24:24), yet the other prophets' books are called law (1 Corinthians 14:21), from Isaiah 28:11; the Psalms are also thus named (John 10:24 and 15:25), from Psalm 82:6 and 35:19. Yea, one Psalm is called a law (Psalm 78:1); and the many branches of Moses' doctrine as the law of the sin-offering, etc. Leviticus 6:25. And generally it is used for any doctrine, as the law of works, the law of faith, etc. Romans 3:27. —Henry Ainsworth.

"Converting the soul." This version conveys a sense good and true in itself, but is not in accordance with the design of the psalmist, which is, to express the divine law on the feelings and affections of good men. The Hebrew terms properly mean, "bringing back the spirit," when it is depressed by adversity, by refreshing and consoling it; like food, it restores the faint, and communicates vigour to the disconsolate." —William Walford, 1837.

"Converting the soul." The heart of man is the most free and hard of anything to work upon, and to make an impression and stamp upon this hard heart, this heart that is so stony, adamantine, "harder than the nether millstones," as the Scripture teacheth. To compel this free-will, this Domina sui actus, the queen in the soul, the empress, it cannot be without a divine power, without a hand that is omnipotent; but the ministers do this by the Word —they mollify, and wound, and break this heart, they incline, and bow, and draw this free-will whither the spirit listeth. And Clemens Alexandrinus is not afraid to say, that if the fables of Orpheus and Amphion were true —that they drew birds, beasts, and stones, with their ravishing melody —yet the harmony of the Word is greater, which translates men from Hellicon to Zion, which softens the hard heart of man obdurate against the truth, that "raises up children to Abraham of stones," that is (as he interprets), of unbelievers, which he calls stocks and stones, that put their trust in stones and stocks; which metamorphoses men that are beastlike, wild birds for their lightness and vanity, serpents for their craft and subtlety, lions for their wrath and cruelty, swine for voluptuousness and luxury, etc.; and charms them so that of wild beasts they become tame men; that makes living stones (as he did others) come of their own accord to the building of the walls of Jerusalem (as he of Thebes), to the building of a living temple to the everlasting God. This must needs be a truly persuasive charm, as he speaks. —John Stoughton's "Choice Sermons," 1640.

"Making wise the simple." The apostle Paul, in Ephesians 1:8, expresseth conversion, and the whole work inherently wrought in us, by the making of a man wise. It is usual in the Scriptures, and you may ofttimes meet with it; "converting the soul," "making wise the simple." The beginning of conversion, and so all along, the increase of all grace to the end, is expressed by wisdom entering into a man's heart, "If wisdom enter into thy heart," and so goes on to do more and more; not unto thy head only —a man may have all that, and be a fool in the end, but when it entereth into the heart, and draws all the affections after it, and along with it, "when knowledge is pleasant to thy soul," then a man is converted; when God breaks open a man's heart, and makes wisdom fall in, enter in, and make a man wise. —Thomas Goodwin.

This verse, and the two next following, which treat of God's law, are in Hebrew, written each of them with ten words, according to the number of the ten commandments, which are called the ten words. Exodus 34:28. —Henry Ainsworth.

"The testimony of the Lord is sure, enlightening the eyes," revealing the object, ennobling the organ. —Richard Stock.

Verse 7-11. All of us are by nature the children of wrath; our souls are like the porches of Bethesda (John 5), in which are lodged a great many "sick folk, blind, halt, withered;" and the Scriptures are like the pool of Bethesda, into which whoever entereth, after God's Holy Spirit hath a little stirred the water, is "made whole of whatsoever disease he hath." He that hath anger's frenzy, being as furious as a lion, by stepping into this pool shall in good time become as gentle as a lamb; he that hath the blindness of intemperance, by washing in this pool shall easily see his folly; he that hath envy's rust, avarice's leprosy, luxury's palsy, shall have means and medicines here for the curing of his maladies. The word of God is like the drug catholicon, that is instead of all purges; and like the herb panaces, that is good for all diseases. Is any man heavy? the statutes of the Lord rejoice the heart: is any man in want? the judgments of the Lord are more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold, and by keeping of them there is great reward: is any man ignorant? the testimonies of the Lord give wisdom to the simple, that is, to little ones, both in standing and understanding. In standing, as unto little Daniel, little John the evangelist, little Timothy: to little ones in understanding; for the great philosophers who were the wizards of the world, because they were not acquainted with God's law became fools while they professed themselves wise. Romans 1:22. But our prophet saith, "I have more understanding than all my teachers, because thy testimonies are my meditation," and my study. Psalm 119:99. To conclude, whatsoever we are by corruption of nature, God's law converteth us, and maketh us to speak with new tongues, and to sing new songs unto the Lord, and to become new men and new creatures in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17. —J. Boys.

"The testimony of the Lord is sure, enlightening the eyes," revealing the object, ennobling the organ. —Richard Stock.

Verse 7-11. All of us are by nature the children of wrath; our souls are like the porches of Bethesda (John 5), in which are lodged a great many "sick folk, blind, halt, withered;" and the Scriptures are like the pool of Bethesda, into which whoever entereth, after God's Holy Spirit hath a little stirred the water, is "made whole of whatsoever disease he hath." He that hath anger's frenzy, being as furious as a lion, by stepping into this pool shall in good time become as gentle as a lamb; he that hath the blindness of intemperance, by washing in this pool shall easily see his folly; he that hath envy's rust, avarice's leprosy, luxury's palsy, shall have means and medicines here for the curing of his maladies. The word of God is like the drug catholicon, that is instead of all purges; and like the herb panaces, that is good for all diseases. Is any man heavy? the statutes of the Lord rejoice the heart: is any man in want? the judgments of the Lord are more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold, and by keeping of them there is great reward: is any man ignorant? the testimonies of the Lord give wisdom to the simple, that is, to little ones, both in standing and understanding. In standing, as unto little Daniel, little John the evangelist, little Timothy: to little ones in understanding; for the great philosophers who were the wizards of the world, because they were not acquainted with God's law became fools while they professed themselves wise. Romans 1:22. But our prophet saith, "I have more understanding than all my teachers, because thy testimonies are my meditation," and my study. Psalm 119:99. To conclude, whatsoever we are by corruption of nature, God's law converteth us, and maketh us to speak with new tongues, and to sing new songs unto the Lord, and to become new men and new creatures in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17. —J. Boys.

"The statutes." Many divines and critics, and Castalio in particular, have endeavoured to attach a distinct shade of meaning to the words, law, testimony, the statutes, commandments, fear, judgments, occurring in this context. (Heb.), the law, has been considered to denote the perceptive part of revelation. (Heb.), the testimony, has been restricted to the doctrinal part. (Heb.), the statutes, has been regarded as relating to such things as have been given in charge. (Heb.), the commandment, has been taken to express the general body of the divine law and doctrine. (Heb.), religious fear. (Heb.), the judgments, the civil statutes of the Mosaic law, more particularly the penal sanctions. —John Morison.

"The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart." How odious is the profaneness of those Christians who neglect the Holy Scriptures, and give themselves to reading other books! How many precious hours do many spend, and that not only on work days, but holy days, in foolish romances, fabulous histories, lascivious poems! And why this, but that they may be cheered and delighted, when as full joy is only to be had in these holy books. Alas! the joy you find in those writings is perhaps pernicious, such as tickleth your lust, and promoteth contemplative wickedness. At the best it is but vain, such as only pleaseth the fancy and affecteth the wit; whereas those holy writings (to use David's expression), are "right, rejoicing the heart." Again, are there not many who more set by Plutarch's morals, Seneca's epistles, and such like books, than they do by the Holy Scriptures? It is true, beloved, there are excellent truths in those moral writings of the heathen, but yet they are far short of these sacred books. Those may comfort against outward trouble, but not against inward fears; they may rejoice the mind, but cannot quiet the conscience; they may kindle some flashy sparkles of joy, but they cannot warm the soul with a lasting fire of solid consolations. And truly, brethren, if ever God give you a spiritual ear to judge of things aright, you will then acknowledge there are no bells like to those of Aaron's, no harp like to that of David's, no trumpet like to that of Isaiah's, no pipes like to those of the apostle's; and, you will confess with Petrus Damianus, that those writings of heathen orators, philosophers, poets, which formerly were so pleasing, are now dull and harsh in comparison of the comfort of the Scriptures. —Nathanael Hardy, D.D., 1618-1670.

"Sweeter than honey and the honeycomb." Love the word written. Psalm 119:97. "Oh, how love I thy law!" "Lord," said Augustine, "let the holy Scriptures be my chaste delight." Chrysostom compares the Scripture to a garden, every truth is a fragrant flower, which we should wear, not on our bosom, but in our heart. David counted the word "sweeter than honey and the honeycomb." There is that in Scripture which may breed delight. It shows us the way to riches: Deuteronomy 28:5, Proverbs 3:10; to long life: Psalm 34:12; to a kingdom: Hebrews 12:28. Well, then, may we count those the sweetest hours which are spent in reading the holy Scriptures; well may we say with the prophet (Jeremiah 15:16), "Thy words were found and I did eat them; and they were the joy and rejoicing of my heart." —Thomas Watson.

"Sweeter than honey and the honeycomb." There is no difference made amongst us between the delicacy of honey in the comb and that which is separated from it. From the information of Dr. Halle, concerning the diet of the Moors of Barbary, we learn that they esteem honey a very wholesome breakfast, "and the most delicious that which is in the comb with the young bees in it, before they come out of their cases, whilst they still look milk-white." (Miscellanea Curiosa vol. iii. p. 382.) The distinction made by the psalmist is then perfectly just and conformable to custom and practice, at least of more modern, and probably, equally so of ancient times. —Samuel Burder, A.M., in "Oriental Customs," 1812.

"Moreover by them is thy servant warned." A certain Jew had formed a design to poison Luther, but was disappointed by a faithful friend, who sent Luther a portrait of the man, with a warning against him. By this, Luther knew the murderer and escaped his hands. Thus the word of God, O Christian, shows thee the face of those lusts which Satan employs to destroy thy comforts and poison thy soul. —G. S. Bowes, B.A., in "Illustrative Gatherings for Preachers and Teachers."

"In keeping of them there is great reward." This "keeping of them" implies great carefulness to know, to remember, and to observe; and the "reward" (literally "the end"), i.e., the recompense, is far beyond anticipation. —W. Wilson.

"In keeping of them there is great reward." Not only for keeping, but in keeping of them, there is great reward. The joy, the rest, the refreshing, the comforts, the contents, the smiles, the incomes that saints now enjoy, in the ways of God, are so precious and glorious in their eyes, that they would not exchange them for ten thousand worlds. Oh! if the vails, (Gratuities, presents), be thus sweet and glorious before pay-day comes, what will be that glory that Christ will crown his saints with for cleaving to his service in the face of all difficulties, when he shall say to his Father, "Lo, here am I, and the children which thou hast given me." Isaiah 8:18. If there be so much to be had in the wilderness, what then shall be had in paradise! —Thomas Brooks.

"In keeping of them there is great reward." Not only for keeping but in keeping of them. As every flower hath its sweet smell, so every good action hath its sweet reflection upon the soul: and as Cardan saith, that every precious stone hath some egregious virtue; so here, righteousness is its own reward, though few men think so, and act accordingly. Howbeit, the chief reward is not till the last cast, till we come home to heaven. The word here rendered "reward," signifieth the heel, and by a metaphor, the end of a work, and the reward of it, which is not till the end. —John Trapp.

"Reward." Though we should not serve God for a reward, yet we shall have a reward for our service. The time is coming when ungodliness shall be as much prosecuted by justice, as in times past godliness had been persecuted by injustice. Though our reward be not for our good works, yet we shall have our good works rewarded, and have a good reward for our works. Though the best of men (they being at the best but unprofitable servants) deserve nothing at the hands of God, yet they may deserve much at the hands of men; and if they have not the recompense they deserve, yet it is a kind of recompense to have deserved. As he said, and nobly, "I had rather it should be said, Why doth not Cato's image stand here? than it should be said, Why doth it stand here?" —Ralph Venning. 1620-1673.

"Who can understand his errors?" After this survey of the works and word of God, he comes at last to peruse the third book, his conscience; a book which though wicked men may keep shut up, and naturally do not love to look into it, yet will one day be laid open before the great tribunal in the view of the whole world, to the justifying of God when he judges, and to impenitent sinners' eternal confusion. And what finds he here? A foul, blurred copy that he is puzzled how to read; "who," says he, "can understand his errors?" Those notions which God had with his own hand imprinted upon conscience in legible characters, are partly defaced and slurred with scribble, and interlinings of "secret faults;" partly obliterated and quite razed out with capital crimes, "presumptuous sins." And yet this manuscript cannot be so abused, but it will still give in evidence for God; there being no argument in the world that can with more force extort an acknowledgment of God from any man's conscience than the conviction of guilt itself labours under. For the sinner cannot but know he has transgressed a law, and he finds within him, if he is not past all sense, such apprehensions that though at present he "walk in the ways of his heart and in the sight of his eyes" (as the wise man ironically advises the young man to do, Ecclesiastes 11:9), yet he knows (as the same wise man there from his own experience tells him) that "for all these things God will bring him into judgment." The conscience being thus convicted of sin, where there is any sense of true piety the soul will, with David, here address itself to God for pardon, that it may be "cleansed from secret faults;" and for grace, that by its restraints, and preventions, and assistances, it may be "kept back from presumptuous sins," and if unhappily engaged, that it may be freed at least from the "dominion" of them —"Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me," etc. —Adam Littleton.

The prophet saith, "Who can understand his own faults?" No man can, but God can; therefore reason after this manner, as Saint Bernard saith: I know and am known; I know but in part, but God knows me and knows me wholly; but what I know I know but in part. So the apostle reasons; "I know nothing of myself, yet am I not hereby justified."

Admit that thou keepest thyself so free, and renewest thy repentance so daily that thou knowest nothing by thyself, yet mark what the apostle adds further; "Notwithstanding, I do not judge myself; I am not hereby justified, but he that judges me is the Lord." This is the condition of all men; he that is infinite knows them; therefore they should not dare to judge themselves, but with the prophet David, in Psalm 19, entreat the Lord that he would cleanse them from their secret sins. —Richard Stock.

"Who can understand his own errors?" None can to the depth and bottom. In this question there are two considerables: 1. A concession; 2. A confession. He makes a grant that our life is full of errors; and the Scriptures say the same, while they affirm that "All we like sheep have gone astray" (Isaiah 53:6); "I have gone astray like a lost sheep" Psalm 119:176; that the "house of Israel" hath "lost sheep," Matthew 10:6. I need not reckon up the particulars, as the errors of our senses, understandings, consciences, judgments, wills, affections, desires, actions, and occurrences. The whole man in nature is like a tree nipped at root, which brings forth worm-eaten fruits. The whole man in life is like an instrument out of tune, which jars at every stroke. If we cannot understand them, certainly they are very many. —Robert Abbot, 1646.

"Who can understand his errors?" If a man repent not until he have made confession of all his sins in the ear of his ghostly father, if a man cannot have absolution of his sins until his sins be told by tale and number in the priest's ear; in that, as David saith, none can understand, much less, then, utter all his sins: Delicta quis intelligat? "Who can understand his sins?" In that David of himself complaineth elsewhere how that his "sins are overflowed his head, and as a heavy burden do depress him" (Psalm 38:4); alas! shall not a man by this doctrine be utterly driven from repentance? Though they have gone about something to make plasters for their sores, of confession or attrition to assuage their pain, bidding a man to hope well of his contrition, though it be not so full as required, and of his confession, though he have not numbered all his sins, if so be that he do so much as in him lieth: dearly beloved, in that there is none but that herein he is guilty (for who doth as much as he may?) trow ye that this plaster is not like salt for sore eyes? Yes, undoubtedly, when they have done all they can for the appeasing of consciences in these points, this is the sum, that we yet should hope well, but yet so hope that we must stand in a mammering (Hesitating) and doubting whether our sins be forgiven. For to believe remissionem peccatorum, that is to be certain of "forgiveness of sins," as our creed teacheth us, they count it a presumption. Oh, abomination! and that not only herein, but in all their pennace as they paint it. —John Bradford (Martyr), 1510-1555.

"Who can understand his errors?" By "errors" he means his unwitting and inconsiderate mistakes. There are sins, some of which are committed when the sun shines —i.e., with light and knowledge; and then, as it is with colours when the sun shines, you may see them; so these, a man can see, and know, and confess them particularly to be transgressions. There are other sins which are committed either in the times of ignorance, or else (if there be knowledge), yet with unobservance. Either of these may be so heaped up in the particular number of them, that as a man did when he did commit them, take no notice of them; so now, after the commission, if he should take the brightest candle to search all the records of his soul, yet many of them would escape his notice. And, indeed, this is a great part of our misery, that we cannot understand all our debts. We can easily see too many, yet many more lie, as it were, dead and out of sight. To sin is one great misery, and then to forget our sins is a misery too. If in repentance we could set the battle in array, point to every individual sin in the true and particular times of acting and re-acting, oh, how would our hearts be more broken with shame and sorrow, and how would we adore the richness of the treasure of mercy which must have a multitude in it to pardon the multitude of our infinite errors and sins. But this is the comfort; though we cannot understand every particular sin, or time of sinning, yet if we be not idle to search and cast over the books, and if we be heartily grieved for these sins which we have found out, and can by true repentance turn from them unto God, and by faith unto the blood of Jesus Christ, I say that God, who knows our sins better than we can know them, and who understands the true intentions and dispositions of the heart —that if it did see the unknown sins it would be answerably carried against them —he will for his own mercy sake forgive them, and he, too, will not remember them. Nevertheless, though David saith, "Who can understand his errors?" as the prophet Jeremiah spake also, "The heart of man is desperately wicked, who can know it?" yet must we bestir ourselves at heaven to get more and more heavenly light, to find out more and more of our sinnings. So the Lord can search the heart; and, though we shall never be able to find out all our sins which we have committed, yet it is proper and beneficial for us to find out yet more sins than yet we do know. And you shall find these in your own experience; that as soon as ever grace entered your hearts, you saw sin in another way than you ever saw it before; yea, and the more grace hath traversed and increased in the soul, the more full discoveries hath it made of sins. It hath shown new sins as it were; new sins, not for their being, not as if they were not in the heart and life before, but for their evidence and our apprehension. We do now see such wages and such inclinations to be sinful which we did not think to be so before. As physic brings those humours which had their residence before now more to the sense of the patient, or as the sun makes open the motes of dust which were in the room before, so doth the light of the word discover more corruption. —Obadiah Sedgwick.

"Who can understand his errors?" Who can tell how oft he offendeth? No man. The hairs of a man's head may be told, the stars appear in multitudes, yet some have undertaken to reckon them; but no arithmetic can number our sins. Before we can recount a thousand we shall commit ten thousand more; and so rather multiply by addition than divide by subtraction; there is no possibility of numeration. Like Hydra's head, while we are cutting off twenty by repentance, we find a hundred more grown up. It is just, then, that infinite sorrows shall follow infinite sins. —Thomas Adams.

"Cleanse thou me from secret faults." It is the desire of a holy person to be cleansed, not only from public, but also from private and secret sins. Romans 7:24. "O wretched man (saith Paul), who shall deliver me?" Why, O blessed apostle! what is it that holds thee? What is it that molests thee? Thy life, thou sayest, was unblamable before thy conversion, and since thy conversion. Philippians 3. Thou hast exercised thyself to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men. Acts 24:16. And yet thou criest out, "O wretched man," and yet thou complainest, "Who shall deliver me?" Verily, brethren, it was not sin abroad, but at home: it was not sin without, but at this time sin within; it was not Paul's sinning with man, but Paul's sinning within Paul: oh! that "law of his members warring (secretly within him) against the law of his mind;" this, this made that holy man so to cry out, so to complain. As Rebekah was weary of her life, not as we read for any foreign disquietments, but because of domestic troubles: "The daughters of Heth" within the house made her "weary of her life;" so the private and secret birth of corruption within Paul — the workings of that —that was the cause of his trouble, that was the ground of his exclamation and desires, "Who shall deliver me?" I remember that the same Paul adviseth the Ephesians as "to put off the former conversation" so "to put on the renewed spirit of the mind" (Ephesians 4:22, 23); intimating that there are sins lurking within as well as sins walking without; and that true Christians must not only sweep the door, but wash the chamber; my meaning is, not only come off from the sins which lie open in the conversation, but also labour to be cleansed from sin and sinning which remain secret and hidden in the spirit and inward disposition. —Obadiah Sedgwick.

"Cleanse thou me from secret faults." Learn to see thy spots. Many have unknown sins, as a man may have a mole on his back and himself never know it. Lord, cleanse me from my secret faults. But have we not spots whereof we are not ignorant? In diseases sometimes nature is strong enough to put forth spots, and there she cries to us by these outward declarations that we are sick. Sometimes she cannot do it but by the force of cordials. Sometimes conscience of herself shows us our sins; sometimes she cannot but by medicines, arguments that convince us out of the holy word. Some can see, and will not, as Balaam; some would see, and cannot, as the eunuch; some neither will nor can, as Pharaoh; some both can and will, as David. . . . We have many spots which God does not hear from us, because we see them not in ourselves. Who will acknowledge that error, whereof he does not know himself guilty? The sight of sins is a great happiness, for it causeth an ingenuous confession. —Thomas Adams.

"Cleanse thou me from secret faults." The law of the Lord is so holy that forgiveness must be prayed for, even for hidden sins. (Note —This was a principal text of the Reformers against the auricular confession of the Roman Catholics.) —T. C. Barth's "Bible Manual." 1865.

"Secret faults." Sins may be termed "secret" either, 1. When they are coloured and disguised —though they do fly abroad, yet not under that name, but apparelled with some semblance of virtues. Cyprian complains of such tricks in his second epistle, which is to Donatus. 2. When they are kept off from the stage of the world; they are like fire in the chimney; though you do not see it, yet it burns. So many a person, like those in Ezekiel, "commit abominations in secret" —that is, so as the public eye is not upon them. He is sinful, and acts it with the greatest vileness; all the difference betwixt another sinner and him is this —that he is, and the other saith he is, a sinner. Just as 'twixt a book shut and a book opened; that which is shut hath the same lines and words, but the other being opened every man may see and read them. 3. When they are kept, not only from the public eye, but from any mortal eye; that is, the carnal eye of him who commits the sins sees them not; he doth, indeed, see them with the eye of conscience, but not with the eye of natural sense. Even those persons with whom he doth have converse, and who highly commend the frame of his ways, cannot yet see the secret discoursings and actings of sin in his mind and heart. For, brethren, all the actings of sin are not without, they are not visible; but there are some, yes, the most dangerous actings within the soul, where corruption lies as a fountain and root. The heart of man is a scheme of wickedness; nay, a man saith that in his heart which he dares not speak with his tongue, and his thought will do that which his hands dare not to execute. Well, then, sin may be called "secret" when it is sin, and acted as sin, even there, where none but God and conscience can see. Methinks sin is like a candle in a lantern, where the shining is first within and then bursting out at the windows; or like evils and ulcerous humours, which are scabs and scurvy stuff, first within the skin, and afterwards they break out to the view on the outside. So it is with sin; it is a malignant humour and a fretting leprosy, diffusing itself into several secret acts and workings within the mind, and then it breaks abroad and dares adventure the practice of itself to the eye of the world; and be it that it may never see the light, that it may be like a child born and buried in the womb, yet as that child is a man, a true man there closeted in that hidden frame of nature, so sin is truly sin, though it never gets out beyond the womb which did conceive and enliven it. —Obadiah Sedgwick.

"Secret faults." "Secret sins" are more dangerous to the person in some respects than open sins. For a man doth, by his art of sinning, deprive himself of the help of his sinfulness. Like him who will carry his wound covered, or who bleeds inwardly, help comes not in because the danger is not descried or known. If a man's sin breaks out there is a minister at hand, a friend near, and others to reprove, to warn, to direct; but when he is the artificer of his lusts, he bars himself of all public remedy, and takes great order and care to damn his soul, by covering his "secret sins" with some plausible varnish which may beget a good opinion in others of his ways. A man does by his secrecy give the reins unto corruption: the mind is fed all the day long either with sinful contemplations or projectings, so that the very strength of the soul is wasted and corrupted. Nay, secret actings do but heat and inflame natural corruption. As in shouldering in a crowd, when one hath got out of the door, two or three are ready to fall out after; so when a man hath given his heart leave to act a secret sin, this begets a present, and quick, and strong flame in corruption to repeat and multiply and throng out the acts. Sinful acts are not only fruits of sin, but helps and strengths, all sinning being more sinful by more sinning, not only in the effects but in the cause: the spring and cause of sin will grow mad and insolent hereby, and more corrupt; this being a truth, that if the heart gives way for one sin, it will be ready for the next; if it will yield to bring forth once at the devil's pleasure, it will bring forth twice by its own motion. A man by "secret sins" doth but polish and square the hypocrisy of his heart: he doth strive to be an exact hypocrite; and the more cunning he is in the palliating of his sinnings, the more perfect he is in his hypocrisy. —Obadiah Sedgwick.

"Secret faults." Beware of committing acts which it will be necessary to conceal. There is a singular poem by Hood, called "The Dream of Eugene Aram" —a most remarkable piece it is indeed, illustrating the point on which we are now dwelling. Aram had murdered a man, and cast his body into the river —"a sluggish water, black as ink, the depth was so extreme." The next morning he visited the scene of his guilt —

"And sought the black accursed pool,

With a wild misgiving eye;

And he saw the dead in the river bed,

For the faithless stream was dry."

Next he covered the corpse with heaps of leaves, but a mighty wind swept through the wood and left the secret bare before the sun —

"Then down I cast me on my face,

And first began to weep,

For I knew my secret then was one

That earth refused to keep:

On land or sea though it should be

Ten thousand fathoms deep."

In plaintive notes he prophesies his own discovery. He buried his victim in a cave, and trod him down with stones, but when years had run their weary round, the foul deed was discovered and the murderer put to death.

Guilt is a "grim chamberlain," even when his fingers are not bloody red. Secret sins bring fevered eyes and sleepless nights, until men burn out their consciences, and become in very deed ripe for the pit. Hypocrisy is a hard game to play at, for it is one deceiver against many observers; and for certain it is a miserable trade, which will earn at last, as its certain climax, a tremendous bankruptcy. Ah! ye who have sinned without discovery, "Be sure your sin will find you out;" and bethink you, it may find you out ere long. Sin, like murder, will come out; men will even tell tales about themselves in their dreams. God has made men to be so wretched in their consciences that they have been obliged to stand forth and confess the truth. Secret sinner! if thou wantest the foretaste of damnation upon earth, continue in thy secret sins; for no man is more miserable than he who sinneth secretly, and yet trieth to preserve a character. Yon stag, followed by the hungry hounds, with open mouths, is far more happy than the man who is pursued by his sins. Yon bird, taken in the fowler's net, and labouring to escape, is far more happy than he who hath weaved around himself a web of deception, and labours to escape from it, day by day making the toils more thick and the web more strong. Oh the misery of secret sins! One may well pray, "Cleanse thou me from secret faults." —Spurgeon's Sermons (No. 116), on "Secret Sins."

The sin through ignorance (Heb.) is the same that David prays against in Psalm 19:12, "Who can understand his errors (Heb.)? cleanse thou me from secret things!" These are not sins of omission, but acts committed by a person, when at the time, he did not suppose that what he did was sin. Although he did the thing deliberately, yet he did not perceive the sin of it. So deceitful is sin, we may be committing that abominable thing which casts angels into an immediate and an eternal hell, and yet at the moment be totally unaware! Want of knowledge of the truth, and too little tenderness of conscience hide it from us. Hardness of heart and a corrupt nature cause us to sin unperceived. But here again the form of the Son of Man appears! Jehovah, God of Israel, institutes sacrifice for sins of ignorance, and thereby discovers the same compassionate and considerate heart that appears in our High Priest, "who can have compassion on the ignorant!" Hebrews 5:2. Amidst the types of this tabernacle, we recognize the presence of Jesus —it is his voice that shakes the curtains, and speaks in the ear of Moses, "If a soul shall sin through ignorance!" The same yesterday, to-day, and for ever! —Andrew A. Bonar, in "Commentary on Leviticus," ch. iv. v. 2.

Verse 12 (last clause). This is a singular difference between pharisaical and real sanctity: that is curious to look abroad, but seeth nothing at home: so that Pharisee condemned the Publican, and saw nothing in himself worthy of blame; but this careful to look at home, and searcheth into the secret corners, the very spirit of the mind. So did good David when he prayed, "Cleanse thou me from secret faults." —Nathanael Hardy.

Our corruptions have made us such combustible matter, that there is scarce a dart thrown at us in vain: when Satan tempts us, it is but like the casting of fire into tinder, that presently catcheth: our hearts kindle upon the least spark that falls; as a vessel that is brimful of water, upon the least jog, runs over. Were we but true to ourselves, though the devil might knock by his temptations, yet he could never burst open the everlasting doors of our hearts by force or violence; but alas! we ourselves are not all of one heart and one mind: Satan hath got a strong party within us, that, as soon as he knocks, opens to him, and entertains him. And hence it is, that many times, small temptations and very petty occasions draw forth great corruptions: as a vessel, that is full of new liquor, upon the least vent given, works over into foam and froth; so truly, our hearts, almost upon every slight and trivial temptation, make that inbred corruption that lodgeth there, swell and boil, and run over into abundance of scum and filth in our lives and conversations. —Ezekiel Hopkins.

Sins are many times hid from the godly man's eye, though he commits them, because he is not diligent and accurate in making a search of himself, and in an impartial studying of his own ways. If any sin be hid, as Saul was behind the stuff, or as Rahab had hid the spies, unless a man be very careful to search, he shall think no sin is there where it is. Hence it is that the Scripture doth so often command that duty of searching and trying, of examining and communing with our hearts. Now what need were there of this duty, but that it is supposed many secret and subtle lusts lie lurking in our hearts, which we take no notice of? If then the godly would find out their hidden lusts, know the sins they not yet know, they must more impartially judge themselves; they must take time to survey and examine themselves; they must not in an overly and slight manner, but really and industriously look up and down as they would search for thieves; and they must again and again look into this dark corner, and that dark corner of their hearts, as the woman sought for the lost groat. This self-scrutiny, and self-judging, this winnowing and sifting of ourselves, is the only way to see what is chaff and what is wheat, what is mere refuse and what is enduring. —Anthony Burgess.

Sin is of a growing and advancing nature. From weakness to willfulness, from ignorance to presumption, is its ordinary course and progress. The cloud that Elijah's man saw, was at first no bigger than a hand's-breadth, and it threatened no such thing as a general tempest; but yet, at last, it overspread the face of the whole heavens; so truly, a sin that at first ariseth in the soul but as a small mist, and is scarcely discernable; yet, if it be not scattered by the breath of prayer, it will at length overspread the whole life, and become most tempestuous and raging. And therefore, David, as one experienced in the deceitfulness of sin, doth thus digest and methodise his prayer: first against secret and lesser sins; and then against the more gross and notorious; as knowing the one proceeds and issues from the other: Lord, cleanse me from my secret faults; and this will be a most effectual means to preserve and keep thy servant from presumptuous sins. —Ezekiel Hopkins.

Verse 12, 13. That there is a difference betwixt infirmities and presumptuous sins is not to be denied; it is expressly in the holy Scripture. Papists say that the man who doth a mortal sin is not in the state of grace; but for venials, a man may commit (in their divinity) who can tell how many of them, and yet be in Christ for all that! I hope there is no such meaning in any of our divines as to tie up men's consciences, to hang on such a distinction of sins; since it is beyond the wit of man to set down a distinct point between mortal and venial sins. Now when it is an impossible matter punctually to set down to the understanding of man which is, and which is not a venial sin, they must pardon me for giving the least way to such divinity as must needs leave the conscience of a man in a maze and labyrinth. I find that the nature of infirmities doth so depend upon circumstances, that that is an infirmity in one man which is a gross sin in another; and some men plead for themselves that the things they do are but infirmities. He that will sin, and when he hath done will say —not to comfort his soul against Satan, but —to flatter himself in his sin, that it is but an infirmity; for aught I know, he may go to hell for his infirmities. Besides, if that be good divinity, that a man who is in the state of grace may do infirmities, but not commit gross sins, then I would I could see a man that would undertake to find us out some rule out of the word, by which a sinner may find by his sin, when he is in Christ and when out of Christ; at what degree of sinning —where lies the mathematical point and stop —that a man may say, "Thus far may I go and yet be in grace; but if I step a step farther, then I am none of Christ's." We all know that sins have their latitude; and for a man to hang his conscience on such a distinction as hath no rule to define where the difference lies, is not safe divinity. The conscience on the rack will not be laid and said with forms and quiddities. The best and nearest way to quiet the heart of man is to say, that be the sin a sin of infirmity when we strive and strive but yield at last; or, of precipitancy, when we be taken in haste, as he was who said in his haste, "All men are liars;" or, a mere gross sin in the matter: ay, say it be a presumptuous sin, yet if we allow it not, it hinders not but we are in Christ, though we do with reluctancy act and commit it. And I say that we do resist it if we do not allow it. For let us not go about to deny that a godly man during his being a godly man may possibly commit gross and presumptuous sins; and for infirmities, if we allow them and like them that we know to be sins, then we do not resist them; and such a man who allows himself in one is guilty of all, and is none of Christ's as yet. Be the sin what it will, James makes no distinction; and, where the law distinguisheth not, we must not distinguish. I speak not of doing a sin, but allowing; for a man may do it, and yet allow it not; as in Paul (Romans 7:15, 16), "That which I would not, that I do;" and he that allows not sin doth resist it. Therefore, a man may resist it, hate it, and yet do it. All the difference that I know is this: 1. That a man may live after his conversion all his days, and yet never fall into a gross sin. By gross here I mean presumptuous sins also. So David saith not "cleanse," but "KEEP BACK thy servant from presumptuous sins." We may, then, be kept from them. I speak not that all are, but some be; and, therefore, in itself all might be. 2. For lesser sins, "secret faults," we cannot live without them —they are of daily and almost hourly incursion; but yet we must be cleansed from them, as David speaks. Daily get your pardon; there is a pardon, of course, for them; they do not usually distract and plague the conscience, but yet we must not see them and allow them; if we do our case is to be pitied, we are none of Christ's as yet. 3. Great staring sins a man cannot usually and commonly practise them, but he shall allow them. So Psalm 19:13, "Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me," implying that except we be kept back from them they will have dominion over us. It follows, "then shall I be upright;" so that the man in whom gross or presumptuous sins or sins have no dominion, he is an upright man. —Richard Capel.

The psalmist was sensible of sin's force and power; he was weary of sin's dominion; he cries unto God to deliver him from the reign of all the sins he knew; and those sins which were secret and concealed from his view, he begs that he might be convinced of them, and thoroughly cleansed from them. The Lord can turn the heart perfectly to hate the sin that was most of all beloved; and the strength of sin is gone when once 'tis hated; and as the hatred grows stronger and stronger, sin becomes weaker and weaker daily. —Nathaniel Vincent, 1695.

The psalmist was sensible of sin's force and power; he was weary of sin's dominion; he cries unto God to deliver him from the reign of all the sins he knew; and those sins which were secret and concealed from his view, he begs that he might be convinced of them, and thoroughly cleansed from them. The Lord can turn the heart perfectly to hate the sin that was most of all beloved; and the strength of sin is gone when once 'tis hated; and as the hatred grows stronger and stronger, sin becomes weaker and weaker daily. —Nathaniel Vincent, 1695.

"Keep back thy servant also from all presumptuous sins." He doth desire absolutely to be kept from "presumptuous sins;" but then, he adds by way of supposition and reserve, that if he could not by reason of his naughty heart be kept from them, yet that they might not have full power and dominion over him. —Thomas Manton.

Verse 13. "Keep back thy servant." It is an evil man's cross to be restrained, and a good man's joy to be kept back from sin. When sin puts forth itself, the evil man is putting forth his hand to the sin; but when sin puts forth itself, the good man is putting forth his hand to heaven; if he finds his heart yielding, out he cries, O keep back thy servant. An evil man is kept back from sin, as a friend from a friend, as a lover from his lover, with knit affections and projects of meeting; but a good man is kept back from sin, as a man from his deadly enemy, whose presence he hates, and with desires of his ruin and destruction. It is the good man's misery that he hath yet a heart to be more tamed and mastered; it is an evil man's vexation and discontent, that still, or at any time, he is held in by cord or bridle. And thus you see what David aims at in desiring to be kept back from presumptuous sins, namely, not a mere suspension, but a mortification, not a not acting only, but a subduing of the inclination; not for a time, but for ever. —Obadiah Sedgwick.

"Keep back thy servant," etc. Even all the people of God, were they not kept by God's grace and power, they would every moment be undone both in soul and body. It is not our grace, our prayer, our watchfulness keeps us, but it is in the power of God, his right arm, supports us; we may see David praying to God that he would "keep" him in both these respects from temporal dangers (Psalm 18:8, 9; "keep me",) etc.; where he doth not only pray to be kept, but he doth insinuate how carefully God keeps his people, and in what precious account their safety is, even as "the apple of the eye," and for spiritual preservation he often begs it. Though David be God's "servant" yet he will, like a wild horse, run violently, and that into "presumptuous sins," if God "keep" him not "back," yea, he prayeth that God would "keep" the particular parts of his body that they sin not: "keep the door of my lips" (Psalm 141:3); he entreateth God to "keep" his lips and to set a watch about his mouth, as if he were not able to set guard sure enough: thus much more are we to pray that God would "keep" our hearts, our minds, our wills, our affections, for they are more masterful. —Anthony Burgess.

"Keep back thy servant." God keeps back his servants from sin, 1. By preventing grace, which is, by infusing such a nature as is like a bias into a bowl, drawing it aside another way; 2. By assisting grace, which is a further strength superadded to that first-implanted nature of holiness; like a hand upon a child holding him in; 3. By quickening grace, which is, when God doth enliven our graces to manifest themselves in actual opposition; so that the soul shall not yield, but keep off from entertaining the sin; 4. By directing grace, which is, when God confers that effectual wisdom to the mind, tenderness to the conscience, watchfulness to the heart, that his servants become greatly solicitous of his honour, scrupulously jealous of their own strength, and justly regardful of the honour of their holy profession; 5. By doing grace, which is, when God effectually inclines the hearts of his servants to the places and ways of their refuge, safeties, and preservations from sin, by enlarging the spirit of supplication, and framing the heart to the reverent and affectionate use of his ordinances. —Condensed from Obadiah Sedgwick.

"Thy servant:" as if he had said, "O God, thou art my Lord, I have chosen thee, to whom I will give obedience; thou art he whom I will follow; I bestow all that I am on thee. Now a lord will help his servant against an enemy, who for the lord's service is the servant's enemy. O my Lord, help me! I am not able by my own strength to uphold myself, but thou art All-sufficiency" —"Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins." . . . . Beloved, it is a great thing to stand in near relations to God; and then it is a good thing to plead by them with God, forsomuch as nearer relations have strongest force with all. The servant can do more than a stranger, and the child than a servant, and the wife than a child. . . . There be many reasons against sinning . . . . Now this also may come in, namely, the specialty of our relation to God, that we are his children, and he is our Father; we are his servants, and he is our Lord: though the common obligations are many and sufficient, yet the special relations are also a further tie: the more near a person comes to God, the more careful he should be not to sin against God. —Obadiah Sedgwick.

"Presumptuous sins." The Rabbins distinguish all sins unto those committed (Heb.) ignorantly, and (Heb.) presumptuously. —Benjamin Kennicott, D.D., 1718-1783.

"Presumptuous sins." When sin grows up from act to delight, from delight to new acts, from repetition of sinful acts to vicious indulgence, to habit and custom and a second nature, so that anything that toucheth upon it is grievous, and strikes to the man's heart; when it is got into God's place, and requires to be loved with the whole strength, makes grace strike sail, and other vices do it homage, demands all his concerns to be sacrificed to it and to be served with his reputation, his fortunes, his parts, his body, and soul, to the irreparable loss of his time and eternity both —this is the height of its dominion —then sin becomes "exceedingly sinful," and must needs make strange and sad alterations in the state of saints themselves, and be great hindrances to them in their way to Heaven, having brought them so near to Hell. —Adam Littleton.

"Presumptuous sins." The distribution of sins into sins of ignorance, of infirmity, and of presumption, is very usual and very useful, and complete enough without the addition (which some make) of a fourth sort, to wit, sins of negligence or inadvertency, all such sins being easily reducible to some of the former three. The ground of the distinction is laid in the soul of man, where there are three distinct prime faculties, from which all our actions flow —the understanding, the will, and the sensual appetite or affections. . . . The enquiry must be, when a sin is done, where the fault lay most; and thence it must have the right denomination. 1. If the understanding be most in fault, not apprehending that good it should, or not aright, the sin so done, though possibly it may have in it somewhat both of infirmity and presumption withal, is yet properly a sin of ignorance. 2. If the main fault be in the affections, through some sudden passion or perturbation of mind, blinding, or corrupting, or but outrunning the judgment —as of fear, anger, desire, joy, or any of the rest —the sin thence arising, though perhaps joined with some ignorance or presumption withal, is yet properly a sin of infirmity. But if the understanding be completely informed with knowledge, and not much blinded or transported with the incursion of any sudden, or violence of any vehement perturbation, so as the greatest blame must remain upon the untowardness of the will, resolvedly bent upon the evil, the sin arising from such willfulness, though probably not free from all mixture of ignorance and infirmity withal, is yet properly a wilful presumption, such a presumptuous sin as we are now in treaty of. Rules are soonest learned and best remembered when illustrated with fit examples; and of such the rich storehouse of the Scripture affordeth us in each kind variety and choice enough, whence it shall suffice us to propose but one eminent of each sort. The men, all of them for their holiness, of singular and worthy renown: David, St. Peter, and St. Paul. The sins, all of them for their matter, of the greatest magnitude: murdering of the innocent, abnegation of Christ, persecution of the church: Paul's persecution a grievous sin, yet a sin of ignorance; Peter's denial a grievous sin, yet a sin of infirmity; David's murder, a far more grievous sin than either of both, because a sin of presumption. St. Paul, before his conversion, whilst he was Saul, persecuted and wasted the church of God to the utmost of his power, making havoc of the professors of Christ, entering into their very houses, and haling thence to prison, both men and women; and posting abroad with letters into remote quarters, to do all the mischief he could, everywhere with great fury, as if he had been mad, breathing out, wherever he came, nothing but threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. His affections were not set against them through any personal provocations, but merely out of zeal to the law; and surely his zeal had been good had it not been blind. Nor did his will run cross to his judgment, but was led by it, for he "verily thought in himself that he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus;" and verily his will had been good had it not been misled. But the error was in his understanding, his judgment being not yet actually convinced of the truth of the Christian religion. He was yet fully persuaded that Jesus was an impostor, and Christianity a pestilent sect, raised by Satan, to the disgrace and prejudice of Moses and the law. If these things had indeed been so, as he apprehended them, his affections and will, in seeking to root out such a sect, had been not only blameless but commendable. It was his erroneous judgment that poisoned all, and made that which otherwise had been zeal, to become persecution. But, however, the first discernable obliquity therein being in the understanding, that persecution of his was therefore a sin of ignorance, so called, and under that name condemned by himself. 1 Timothy 1:13. But such was not Peter's denial of his Master. He knew well enough who he was having conversed so long with him, and having, long before, so amply confessed him. And he knew also that he ought not, for anything in the world, to have denied him. That made him so confident before that he would not do it, because he was abundantly satisfied that he should not do it. Evident it is, then, that Peter wanted no knowledge, either of the Master's person, or of his own duty; and so no plea left him of ignorance, either facti or juris. Nor was the fault so much in his will as to make it a sin properly of presumption. For albeit de facto he did deny him when he was put to it, and that with fearful oaths and imprecations, yet was it not done with any prepensed apostacy, or out of design, yea, he came rather with a contrary resolution, and he still honoured his Master in his heart, even then when he denied him with his tongue; and as soon as ever the watchword was given him by the second cock, to prefer to his consideration what he had done, it grieved him sore that he had so done, and he wept bitterly for it. We find no circumstance, in the whole relation, that argueth any deep obstinacy in his will. But in his affections, then! Alas! there was the fail! A sudden qualm of fear surprising his soul when he saw his Master so despitefully used before his face (which made him apprehensive of what hard usage himself might fall under if he should there and then have owned him) took from him for that time the benefit and use of his reason, and so drew all his thoughts to this one point —how to decline the present danger — that he had never a thought at so much liberty as to consult his judgment, whether it were a sin or no. And this, proceeding from such a sudden distemper of passion, Peter's denial was a sin properly of infirmity. But David's sin, in contriving the death of Uriah, was of a yet higher pitch, and of a deeper dye than either of these. He was no such stranger in the law of God as not to know that the wilful murder of an innocent party, such as he also knew Uriah to be, was a most loud crying sin; and therefore nothing surer than that it was not merely a sin of ignorance. Neither yet was it a sin properly of infirmity, and so capable of that extenuating circumstance of being done in the heat of anger, as his uncleanness with Bathsheba was in the heat of lust, although that extenuation will not be allowed to pass there, unless in tanto only, and as it standeth in comparison with this fouler crime. But having time and leisure enough to bethink himself what he was about, he doth it in cool blood, and with much advised deliberation, plotting and contriving this way and that way to perfect his design. He was resolved, whatsoever should become of it, to have it done; in regard of which settled resolution of his will, this sin of David was therefore a high presumptuous sin. —Robert Sanderson (Bishop of Lincoln), 1587-1662-3.

"Presumptuous sins." David prays that God would keep him back from "presumptuous sins," from known and evident sins, such as proceed from the choice of the perverse will against the enlightened mind, which are committed with deliberation, with design, resolution, and eagerness, against the checks of conscience, and the motions of God's spirit: such sins are direct rebellion against God, a despising of his command, and they provoke his pure eyes. —Alexander Cruden.

"Then shall I be innocent from the great transgression." It is in the motions of a tempted soul to sin, as in the motions of a stone falling from the brow of a hill; it is easily stopped at first, but when once it is set a-going, who shall stay it? And therefore it is the greatest wisdom in the world to observe the first motions of the heart, to check and stop it there. —G. H. Salter.

"The great transgression." Watch very diligently against all sin; but above all, take special heed of those sins that come near to the sin against the Holy Ghost; and these are, hypocrisy, taking only the outward profession of religion, and so dissembling and mocking of God; sinning wilfully against conviction of conscience, and against great light and knowledge, sinning presumptuously, with a high hand. These sins, though none of them are the direct sin against the Holy Ghost, yet they will come very near to it: therefore take special heed of them, lest they, in time, should bring you to the committing of that unpardonable sin. —Robert Russel, 1705.

"Let them not have dominion over me." Any small sin may get the upper-hand of the sinner and bring him under in time, and after that is once habituated by long custom so as he cannot easily shake off the yoke, neither redeem himself from under the tyranny thereof. We see the experiment of it but too often, and too evidently in our common swearers and drunkards. Yet do such kind of sins, for the most part, grow on by little and little, steal into the throne insensibly, and do not exercise dominion over the enslaved soul till they have got strength by many and multiplied acts. But a presumptuous sin worketh a great alteration in the state of the soul at once, and by one single act advanceth marvelously, weakening the spirit, and giving a mighty advantage to the flesh, even to the hazard of a complete conquest. —Robert Sanderson.

To sin presumptuously is the highest step. So in David's account; for first he prays, "Lord, keep me from secret sins," which he maketh sins of ignorance, and then next he prays against "presumptuous sins," which, as the opposition shows, are sins against knowledge; for says he, "if they get dominion over me, I shall not be free from that great offence," that is, that unpardonable sin which shall never be forgiven: so as these are nearest it of any other, yet not so as that every one that falls into such a sin commits it, but he is nigh to it, at the next step to it. For to commit that sin, but two things are required —light in the mind, and malice in the heart; not malice alone, unless there be light, for then that apostle had sinned it, so as knowledge is the parent of it, it is "after receiving the knowledge of the truth." Hebrews 10:27, 28. —Thomas Goodwin.

Happy souls, who, under a sense of peace through the blood of Jesus, are daily praying to be kept by the grace of the Spirit. Such truly know themselves, see their danger of falling, will not, dare not palliate or lessen the odious nature, and hateful deformity of their sin. They will not give a softer name to sin than it deserves, lest they depreciate the infinite value of that precious blood which Jesus shed to atone its guilt. Far will they be from flattering themselves into a deceitful notion that they are perfect, and have no sin in them. The spirit of truth delivers them from such errors; he teacheth them as poor sinners to look to the Saviour, and to beseech him to "keep back" the headstrong passions, the unruly lusts and evil concupiscences which dwell in their sinful natures. Alas! the most exalted saint, the most established believer, if left to himself, how soon might the blackest crimes, the most "presumptuous sins," get the "dominion" over him! David had woful experience of this for a season. He prays from a heartfelt sense of past misery, and the dread of future danger, and he found the blessing of that covenant-promise: "Sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace." Romans 6:14. —William Mason, 1719-1791, in "A Spiritual Treasury for the Children of God."

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord," was David's prayer. David could not bear it, that a word, or a thought of his should miss acceptance with God. It did not satisfy him that his actions were well witnessed unto men on earth, unless his very thoughts were witnessed to by the Lord in heaven. —Joseph Caryl.

"Let the words of my mouth," etc. The best of men have their failing, and an honest Christian may be a weak one; but weak as he may be, the goodness and sincerity of his heart will entitle him to put the petition of this verse, which no hypocrite or cunning deceiver can ever make use of, —Thomas Sherlock (Bishop), 1676-1761.

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer." Fast and pray; Lord, I do fast, and I would pray; for to what end do I withhold sustenance from my body if it be not the more to cheer up my soul? my hungry, my thirsty soul? But the bread, the water of life, both which I find nowhere but in thy word, I partake not but by exercising my soul therein. This I begin to do, and fain would do it well, but in vain shall I attempt except thou do bless: bless me then, O Lord; bless either part of me, both are thine, and I would withhold neither part from thee. Not my body; I would set my tongue on work to speak of thee; not my soul, I would exercise my heart in thinking on thee; I would join them in devotion which thou hast joined in creation. Yea, Lord, as they have conspired to sin against thee, so do they nor consort to do their duty to thee; my tongue is ready, my heart is ready; I would think, I would speak; think upon thee, speak to thee. But, Lord, what are my words? what are my thoughts? Thou knowest the thoughts of men, that they are altogether vanity, and our words are but the blast of such thoughts; both are vile. It were well it were no more; both are wicked, my heart a corrupt fountain, and my tongue an unclean stream; and shall I bring such a sacrifice to God? The halt, the lame, the blind, though otherwise the beasts be clean, yet are they sacrifices abominable to God: how much more if we offer those beasts which are unclean? And yet, Lord, my sacrifice is no better, faltering words, wandering thoughts, are neither of them presentable to thee; how much less evil thoughts and idle words? Yet such are the best of mine. What remedy? If any, it is in thee, O Lord, that I must find it, and for it now do I seek unto thee. Thou only, O Lord, canst hallow my tongue, and hallow my heart that my tongue may speak, and my heart think that which may "be acceptable unto thee," yea, that which may be thy delight. Do not I lavish? Were it not enough that God should bear with, that he should not publish, the defects of my words, of my thoughts? May I presume that God shall accept of me? nay, delight in me? Forget I who the Lord is? Of what majesty? Of what felicity? Can it stand with his Majesty to vouchsafe acceptance? with his felicity to take content in the words of a worm? in the thoughts of a wretch? And, Lord, I am too proud that villify myself so little, and magnify thee no more. But see whither the desire of thy servant doth carry him; how, willing to please, I consider not how hard it is for dust and ashes to please God, to do that wherein God should take content. But Lord, here is my comfort that I may set God to give content unto God; God is mine, and I cannot want access unto God, if God may approach himself. Let me be weak, yet God is strong; O Lord, thou art "my strength." Let me be a slave to sin, God is a Saviour; O Lord, thou art my Saviour; thou hast redeemed me from all that woful state whereunto Adam cast me, yea, thou hast built me upon a rock, strong and sure, that the gates of hell might never prevail against me. These two things hast thou done for me, O Lord, and what may not he presume of for whom thou hast done these things! I fear not to come before thee. I presume my devotion shall content thee; be thine eyes never such all-seeing eyes, I will be bold to present my inward, my outward man before thee; be thy eyes never so holy eyes, I will not fly with Adam to hide my nakedness from thee, for I am able to keep my ground; seeing I am supported by my Lord, I doubt not but to prove a true Israelite, and to prevail with God. For all my woe, for all my sin, I will not shrink, nay, I will approach, approach to thee, for thou art "My Redeemer." The nearer I come to thee, the freer shall I be both from sin and woe. Oh, blessed state of man who is so weak, so strong; so wretched, and so happy; weak in himself, strong in God; most happy in God, though in himself a sinful wretch. And now, my soul, thou wouldst be devout; thou mayest be what thou wouldst: sacrifice to God thy words, sacrifice to God thy thoughts, make thyself a holocaust, doubt not but thou shalt be accepted, thou shalt content even the most glorious, the most holy eyes of God. Only presume not of thyself, presume on him; build thy words, build thy thoughts upon thy Rock, they shall not be shaken; free thy words, free thy thoughts (thoughts and words enthralled to sin), by thy Saviour, and thy sacrifice shall be accepted. So let me build on thee, so let me be enlarged by thee, in soul, in body, that "The words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer." —Arthur Lake (Bishop), in "Divine Meditations," 1629.

"Chalmers' Astronomical Discourses" will suggest to the preacher many ways of handling this theme. The power, wisdom, goodness, punctuality, faithfulness, greatness, and glory of God are very visible in the heavens.

Parallel between the heavens and the revelation of Scripture, dwelling upon Christ as the central Sun of Scripture.

"The heavens declare the glory of God." Work in which we may unite, the nobility, pleasure, usefulness, and duty of such service.

Voices of the day and of the night. Day and night thoughts.

The marginal reading, coupled with verse four, suggests the eloquence of an unobtrusive life —silent, yet heard.

In what sense God is revealed to all men.

Verses 4, 5, 6. The Sun of Righteousness.

I. His tabernacle.

II. His appearance as a Bridegroom.

III. His joy as a champion.

IV. His circuit and his influence.

"Rejoiceth as a strong man," etc. The joy of strength, the joy of holy labour, the joy of the anticipated reward.

The permeating power of the gospel.

Verse 7(first clause). Holy Scripture.

I. What it is —"law."

II. Whose it is —"of the Lord."

III. What is its character —"perfect."

IV. What its result —"converting the soul."

Verse 7 (second clause).

I. Scholars.

II. Class-book.

III. Teacher.

IV. Progress.

Verses 7, 8, 9. The Hexapla. See notes.

Verse 7 (last clause). The wisdom of a simple faith.

Verse 8 (first clause). The heart-cheering power of the Word.

I. Founded in its righteousness.

II. Real in its quality.

III. Constant in its operation.

Verse 8 (second clause). Golden ointment for the eyes.

The purity and permanence of true religion, and the truth and justice of the principles upon which it is founded.

Two arguments for loving God's statutes —Profit and Pleasure.

The inexpressible delights of meditation on Scripture.

Verse 11 (first clause). —

I. What? "Warned."

II. How? "By them."

III. Who? "Thy servant."

IV. When? "Is" —present.

Verse 11 (second clause). Evangelical rewards —"In," not for keeping.

See "Spurgeon's Sermons," No. 116. "Secret Sins."

The three grades of sin —secret, presumptuous, unpardonable.

The three grades of sin —secret, presumptuous, unpardonable.

See "Spurgeons Sermons," No. 135. "Presumptuous Sins."

Verse 13 (last clause). "The great transgression." What it is not, may be, involves, and suggests.

A prayer concerning our holy things.

All wish to please. Some please themselves. Some please men. Some seek to please God. Such was David.

I. The prayer shows his humility.

II. The prayer show his affection.

III. The prayer shows a consciousness of duty.

IV. The prayer shows a regard to self-interest. William Jay.

The harmony of heart and lips needful for acceptance.