Christ's resurrection and glory.
Ps. xvi. 8 — 11. I have set the Lord always before me : because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth : my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou toilt not leave my soul in hell; neither loilt thou sufl'er thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt sheio me the path of life : in thy presence is fulness of joy ,- at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
IF the people of God had hope only in this life, they would be in a most pitiable condition ; because
514.1 Christ's resurrection and glory. 79
they are debarred by conscience from the pleasures of sm^ and are exposed to a multitude of trials on account of their religion. But their views of immor- tality bear them up, so that the sufferings of this present time appear to them insignificant, and un- worthy of any serious concern. The Psalmist penned this psalm under some deep affliction ; which, how- ever, lost all its force as soon as ever he directed his views to the eternal world.
But the words before us can scarcely be applied at all to David in his own person : they are spoken by him rather in the person of Christ, whom he typi- cally represented ; and to whom, in the New Testa- ment, they are expressly, repeatedly, and exclusively applied. In this view they are a most remarkable prophecy relating to Christ ; and they declare,
I. His support in life —
In an assurance of his Father's continual aid, he was unmoved by any difficulties —
[Various were the trials which Jesus was called to endure ; but in all he preserved a perfect equanimity. When his suf- ferings were fast approaching, he spake of them without any emotions of fear^: when dissuaded from exposing himself to them, he was indignant at the proposal: when warned of Herod's murderous intentions, he poured contempt on his feeble, unavaihng efforts'^: when standing before Pilate's tri- bunal, he witnessed a good confession ^ ; and, alike unmoved by hopes or fears, informed his judge, that the authority exer- cised by him was both given, and limited, by a superior power ^. He saw God as ever present to succour and support him ; and was well assured, that as nothing could be done but according to Ins determinate counsel, so his aid should be all-sufficient for him ^. Hence in the whole of his deportment he maintained an invincible firmness, a dignified composure. At all times he acted on the principles described by the Prophet Isaiah, and fulfilled in the utmost extent his prophecy concerning him p.]
Nor need the weakest of his members fear, if they look for support from the same quarter —
[Many of God's people have experienced the very same support as was enjoyed by Christ. David's friends endeavoured
a Matt. XX. 18, 19. '^ Matt. xvi. 22, 23. <^ Luke xiii. 31—33. ^ John xviii. 37. 1 Tim. vi. 13. ^ John xix. 11.
<"Ps. Ixxxix. 21. Isai. xlii. 1. s Isai. 1. 7 — 9.