* Al taschith signifies, do not destroy, referring, 1 . Either to Saul, whom David kept his servants from destroying, though they would have had him to have cut him off. Or, 2. It may refer to David himself, destroy not (me), O God, Gerius on the place. Michtam signifies a golden ornament, or golden song, from Oni> which signifies choice gold, unto which this precious psalm may be compared.
f But when he saw the place where he was hiding himself surrounded with Saul's army, and that there seemed to be no way of escape, he now likewise flees to God for relief, which he had always done formerly in the like dangers. Muk on the ]>lace,
S4;-4 BIVIXE CONDUCT ; OB,
whereof he and his men lay hid, and saw him ; judge to how great s^ extremity, and to what a desperate state things were now brought ; well might he say, as it is verse 4. " My soul is among *' lions, and I lie even among them that are set on fire." What hope now remained? what but immediate destruction could be expected ?
2. Yet this frights him not out of his faith and duty, but betwixt the jaws of 'death he prays, and earnestly addresses himself to God for mercy, ver. 5. " Be merciful to me, O God ! be merciful to " me r This excellent psalm was composed by him when there was enough to discompose the best man in the world. The repetition notes bo*h the extremity of the danger, and the ardency of the supplicant. Mercy ! mercy ! nothing but mercy, and that ex- erting iiself in an extraordinary way, can now save him from ruin,
3. The arguments he pleads for obtaining mercy in this distress, are verv considerable,
(1.) He pleads his reliance upon God as an argument to move inercy. " Be mer-itul to me, O God ! be merciful unto me! for *' my soul trusteth in thee ; yea? in the shadow of thy wings will <' I make my refuge, until these sad calamities be overpast,'* ver. 1. This his trust and dependence on God, though it be not argu- mentative in res})ect of the dignity of the act ; yet it is so in re- spect both of the nature of the object, a compassionate God, who will not expose any that take sheltef under his wings ; and in re- spect of the promise, whereby protection is assured to them that fly to him for sanctuary ; Isa. xxvi. 3. " Thou wilt keep him in *' perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth *' in thee."" Thus he encourages himself from the consideration of •|that God to whom he betakes himself.
(2.) He pleads form.er experiences of his help in past distresses, as an argument encouraging hope under the present strait, ver. % *' I will cry unto God most high, unto God that perforraeth all f things for me."
In- which words I shall consider two things,
■ 1. The duty resolved upon.
2. The encouragement to that resolution.
1. The duty resolved upon ; / will cry unto God. Crying unto God, is an expression that doth not only denote prai/er, but intense giud fervent prayer.
To cry, is to pray in a holy passion ; and such are usually speed- ing prayers, Psal. xviii. 6. and Heb. v. 7.
2. The encouragements to this resolution, and these are two-
J. Objective, taken from the sovereignty of God.
THE MYSTERY OF TROVIDENCF. 345
2. Subjective, taken from the experience he had of his pro^ videncc.
1. The sovereignty of God, Izdll cry unto God most high. Upon this he acts his faith in extremity of danger. Saul is high, but God tlie Most High ; and, without his permission, he is assured Saul cannot touch him. He had none to help ; and if he had, he knew God must first help the helpers, or they cannot help him. He had no means of defence or escape before him, but the Most High is not limited by means. This is a singular prop to faith, Psal. lix. 9.
2. The experience of his ^ro<y^^7^cf hitherto: Unto God that per- formeih all things for me.
The word which we translate \perforraeiK\ comes from a root, that signifies both " to perfect ., and to desist or cease*/' For when a business is performed and perfected, the agent then ceases and desists from working : he puts to the last hand when he finishes the work. To such an happy issue the Lord hath brought all his doubtful and difficult matters before ; and this gives him encourage- ment, ths-t he will still be gracious, and perfect that which concerneth him now, as he speaks, Psal. cxxxviii. 8, Tlie Lord will perfect that ivhich concerneth me.
The Septuagint reads it by rov iuioyzmffoyra fn, who prqfiteth, or hcncfiteth me. And it is a certain truth, that all the results and issues of providence are profitable and beneficial to the saints. But the supplement, in our translation, well receives the importance of the place. Who performeth all things, and involves the most strict and proper notion o^ providence, which is nothing else but the performance of God's gracious purposes and promises to his people. And therefore, Vatabulus and Muis supply and fill up the room which the conciseness of the original leaves, with quce promisit, J will cry unto God most high, unto God that performeth the things which he hath promised. Payment is the performance of promises. Grace makes the promise, and providence the payment.
Piscator fills it with benignitatem et misericordiam suam, unto God that performeth his Mndness and mercij. But still it supposes the mercy performed, to be contained in the promise. Mercy is sweet in the promise, and much more so in \\\q providential performance of it to us.
Castalio's supplement comes nearer tooui*s, rerum mearum trans- actorem. I will cry unto God most high, unto God the ti-ansactor of my affairs.
But our English, making out the sense by an universal particle, is most fully agreeable to the scope of the text ; for it cannot bi^t
* 1133 PafccUi defecit^ d^siit, Paguin, BuxtorC
84«6 DIVINE CONDUCT ; OR,
be a great encouragement to his faith, that God had transatjted all things, or performed all things for him ; this provide?ice, that never failed him in any of the straits that ever he met with, (and his hfe ivas a hfe of many straits), he might well hope it would not now fail him, though this were an extraordinary and matchless one.
Bring we then our thoughts a little closer to this scripture, and it will give us a fair and lovely prospect oi providence.
In its, 1. Universal, 2. Effectual, 3. Beneficial, 4. Encouraging influences upon the affairs and concerns of the saints.
1. Tlie expression imports the universal interest and influence of providence in, and upon all the concerns and interests of the saints. It hath not only its hand in this or that, but in all that concerns them : it hath its eyes upon every thing that relates to them througliout their lives, from first to last ; not only great and more important, but the most minute and ordinary affairs of our lives are transacted and managed by it : it touches all things that touch us, whether more nearly or remotely.