But though the remembrance of the foiTner sweetness of God's presence did somewhat stay him, yet his grief would not so be stilled, and therefore it gathers upon him again. One gi'ief called upon another, ver. 7, as one deep wave follows another, without intermission, until his soul was almost overwhelmed under these waters ; yet he recovers himself a little with looking up to God, who he expected would with speed and authority send forth his lovingkindness, with command to raise him up and comfort him, and give him matter of ' songs in the night,' ver. 8. For all this, his unruly grief mil not be calmed, but renews assaults upon the return of the reproach of his enemies. Their words were as swords, ver. 10, unto him, and his heart being made very tender and sensible of grief, these sharp words enter too deep ; and thereupon he hath recom'se to his former remedy, as being the most tried, to chide his soul, and charge it to trust in God.
Chapter I. — General Observations upon tlie Text.
Obs. 1. Hence in general we may observe that grief gathered to a head will not be quieted at the first. We see here passions intermingled with comforts, and comforts with passions ; and what bustlmg there is before David can get the victory over his own heart. You have some short- sph-ited Christians that, if they be not comforted at the fii'st, they think all labour with their hearts is in vain, and thereupon give way to their gi'ief. But we see in David, as distemper ariseth upon distemper, so he gives check upon check and charge upon charge to his soul, until at length he brought it to a quiet temper. In physic, if one purge will not carry away the vicious humour, then we add a second ; if that will not do it, we take a thu-d. So should we deal with our souls. Perhaps one check, one charge will not do it, then fall upon the soul again ; send it to God again, and never give over until our souls be possessed of our souls again.
Again, in general observe in David's spirit that a gracious and living said is most sensible of the want of spiritual means.
Heason. The reason is because spiritual life hath answerable taste, and hunger and thirst after spiritual helps.
We see in nature that those things press hardest upon it that touch upon the necessities of natm-e, rather than* those that touch upon delights ; for these further onlj'^ our comfortable being, but necessities uphold our being itself, acrius urgent qua; necessitatis sunt, quam qua; spectant ad voluptatem. We see how famine wrought upon the patriarchs to go into Eg^^^t : where we may see what to judge of those who wiUingly excommunicate them- selves from the assemblies of God's people, where the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are present, where the prayers of holy men meet together in one, and, as it were, bind God, and pull down God's blessing. No private devotion hath that report of acceptance from heaven.
132 THE soul's conflict.
Obs. 3. A tliird general point is, that a godly soul, by reason of the life of grace, knows when it is well with it and when it is ill, when it is a good day with it and when a bad. When God shines in the use of means, then the soul is, as it were, in heaven ; when God withdraws himself, then it is in darkness for a time. Where there is but only a principle of nature, without sanctifying grace, there men go plodding on and keep their rounds, and are at the end, where they were at the beginning ; not troubled with changes, because there is nothing within to be troubled; and, therefore, dead means, quick means, or no means, aU is one with them, an argument of a dead soul. And so we come particularly and directly to the words, * Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul ? and ivhy art thou disquieted within me ? ' &c.
The words imply, 1, David's state wherein he was ; and 2, express his carriage in that state.
His estate was such that in regard of outward condition, he was in variety of troubles ; and that in regard of inward disposition of spirit, he was first cast doivn, and then disquieted.
Now for his carnage of himself in this condition, and disposition, he dealeth roundly with himself. David reasoneth the case with David, and first checketh himself for being too much cast down, and then for being too much disquieted.
And then layeth a charge upon himself to trust in God ; wherein we have the duty he chargeth upon himself, which is to trust in God, and the grounds of the duty :
First, from confidence of better times to come, which would yield him matter oi praising God.
And then by a representation of God unto him, as a saving God in all troubles, nay, as salvation itself, an open glorious Saviour in the view of all. The salvation of my countenance. And all this enforced from David's interest in God, He is my God.
Obs. 1. Whence observe first, from the state he was now in, that since guilt and corruption hath been derived by the fall, into the nature of man, it hath been subjected to misery and sorrow, and that in all conditions, from the king that sitteth on the throne to him that grindeth on the mill. None ever have* been so good or so great, as could raise themselves so high as to be above the reach of troubles.