"And with him is plenteous redemption:" i'^V, "with him," as before, speaking unto God, verse 4, ^'pV, "with thee there is;" the meaning of which expression hath been opened at large. " Redemp- YOL. VL 41
612 AN EXPOSITION uroN PS ALII cxxx. [Ver.7,8,
tion:" nna^ from nns^ "to redeem;" the same with li^"]?>, Xurpusis, d':roXuTp'jjcig, " redemption." This word is often used for a proper redemption, sncli as is made by the intervention of a price, and not a mere assertion unto liberty by power, which is sometimes also called redemption. Thus it is said of the money that the fir.st-bora of the children of Israel, which Avere above the number of the Levites, were redeemed with, that Moses took Qi''isn^ the "redemp- tion;" that is, the redemption-money, the price of their redemption, Numb. iii. 49, Ps. xlix. 8. The redemption of men's souls is pre- cious; it cost a great price. The redemption, then, that is with God relates unto a price. Goodness or mercy, with respect unto a price, becomes redemption; that is, actively the cause or means of it. What that price is, see Matt. xx. 28; 1 Pet. i. 18.
"Plenteous redemption:" ^?']l', " Multa, copiosa," — much, abun- dant, plenteous. It is used both for quantity and quality : much in quantity, or plenteous, abundant; and in quality, — that is, precious, excellent. And it is applied in a good and bad sense. So it is said of our sins, Ezi'a. ix. 6, " Our sins," ^^"J, " are increased" or " multi- plied," or are " great ;" many in number, and heinous in their nature or quality. And in the other sense it is applied unto the mercy of God, whereby they are removed; it is great or plenteous, it is excel- lent or precious.
Verse 8. " And he," — that is, the Lord Jehovah, he with whom is plenteous redemption, — n"na^ ^ " shsdl redeem," or make them par- takers of that redemption that is with him. " He shall redeem Israel," — that is, those who hope and trust in him.
"From all his iniquities:" 1^0^^^^?: ^^P, " His iniquities;" that is, of the elect of Israel, and every individual amongst them. But the word signifies trouble as well as sin, especially that trouble or punish- ment that is for sin. So Cain expresseth himself upon the denun- ciation of his sentence: ^5it;'|0 ''Jij; bsii^ " My sin,"— that is, the pun- ishment thou hast denounced against my sin, — " is too great or heavy for me to bear," Gen. iv. 1 3. There is a near affinity between sin and trouble: " Noxam poena sequitur;" — "Punishment is insepar- able from iniquity." )ii|, then, the word here used, signifies either sin with reference unto trouble due to it, or trouble with respect unto sin, whence it proceeds; and both may here be well intended: " God shall redeem Israel from all his sins, and troubles that have ensued thereon." And this is the signification of the words; which, indeed, are plain and obvious.
And these words close ujd the psalm. He who began with depth.s, — his own depths of sin and trouble, — out of which and about which he cried out unto God, is so encouraged by that prospect of grace and forgiveness with God, which by faith he had obtained, as to
Ver.7,8.] EXPOSITION OF VERSES 7 AND 8. 643
preach unto others, and to support them in expectation of dehver- auce from all their sin and trouble also.
And such, for the most part, are all the exercises and trials of the children of God. Their entrance may be a storm, but their close is a calm; their beginning is oftentimes trouble, but their latter end is peace, — peace to themselves, and advantage to the church of God: for men in all ages coming out of great trials of their own have been the most instrumental for the good of others, for God doth not greatly exercise any of his but with some especial end for his own glory.
Secondly, The sense and intendment of the psalmist in these words is to be considered; and that resolves itself into three general parts: —
1. An exhortation or admonition: " Israel, hope in the Loed,'' or "expect Jehovah."
2. A ground of encouragement unto the performance of the duty exhorted unto : " Because with the Lord there is much, plenteous, abundant, precious redemption."
3. A gracious promise of a blessed issue, which shall be given unto the performance of this duty : " He shall redeem Israel from all his sins, and out of all his troubles."
1. In the exhortation there occur, —
(1.) The persons exho7-ted, — that is, Israel: not Israel according to the flesh, for " they are not all Israel which are of Israel," Rom. ix. 6; but it is the Israel mentioned, Ps. Ixxiii. 1, the whole Israel of God, to whom he is good, " such as are of a clean heart," — that is, all those who are interested in the covenant, and do inherit the promise of their forefather who was first called by that name, all believers. And the psalmist treats them all in general in this matter, —
[1.] Because there is none of them but have their trials and en- tanglements about sin, more or less. As there is " none that livetli and sinneth not," so there is none that sinneth and is not entangled and troubled. Perhaps, then, they are not all of them in the same condition with him, in the depths that he was i^lunged into. Yet more or less, all and every one of them is so far concerned in sin as to need his direction. All the saints of God either have been, or are, or may be, in these depths. It is a good saying of Austin on this place, " Valde sunt in profundo qui non clamant de profundo;" — " None so in the deep as they who do not cry and call out of the deep." They are in a deep of security who ai'e never sensible of a deep of sin.