regard. Perhaps there never was a man whose cir- cumstances were more varied than his : and certainly there never was a man who committed to writing all the secret motions of his heart with more fidelity than he ; or that labom*ed more to improve them for the benefit of mankind.
This appears, as in many other psalms, so espe- cially in that before us ; as will be clearly seen, whilst we notice,
I. His acknowledgment of mercies conferred upon him —
To enter fully into this, we must refer to the occa- sion on which the psalm was penned. It was written, I apprehend, after his deliverance from Saul, when, from his being surrounded by Saul's army, he had conceived it impossible for him to escape. Indeed, his deliverance was truly " marvellous ;" and it was wrought by the special intervention of Almighty God, in answer to his prayer. At the very moment that his blood-thirsty persecutor had, to all appearance, effected his purpose, tidings came that the PhiHstines had invaded the land of Judah ; and Saul was com- pelled to return instantly from his pursuit of David, in order to repel the invaders ^ In reference to these circumstances, David first acknowledges the mercy in general terms: " Blessed be the Lord ; for he hath shewed his marvellous kindness in a strong city," that is, in " the strong holds" to which he had fled: and then he specifies more particularhj the relief he had found in answer to prayer, when his own mind was overwhelmed with desponding fears.
In the peaceful state of the Church at this day, we are not likely to be reduced to David's state for our religion's sake : and, therefore, as far as the literal sense of the psalm goes, it is not applicable to us. But, of deliverances equally " marvellous," we may speak. Let me then ask,
1. Whether you have not, at times, been ready to despond ?
a 1 Sam. xxiii. 27, 28.
r»4G.l THE GODLY ENCOURAGED TO TRUST IN GOD. iiI9
[We can know but little either of our guilt or corruption, if we have not "had the sentence of death in ourselves^," and felt that we had " no sufficiency in ourselves" to save our- selves'^. Have we never, then, under a sense of our extreme unworthiness and helplessness, been ready to doubt whether we could finally attain salvation, and " said, as it were, m our haste, I am cut oif from before thine eyes ? " Go back to some particular seasons, when your great adversary has prevailed against you, and seemed as if, like a roaring lion, he would utterly destroy you : has it not, at such seasons, been difficult to lay hold on the divine promises, and to flee for refuge to the hope set before you? ]
2. Whether God have not at such seasons inter- posed for you, in answer to your prayer ?
[There are few that have not had reason to " bless and adore their God, for shewing them his marvellous kindness in such seasons as these. The experience of the Prophet Jere- miah has been realized by God's people in every age: " Waters flowed over my head. Then I said, I am cut ofi". I called upon thy name, O Lord, out of the low dungeon. Thou hast heard my voice, and not hid thine ear at my breathing and my cry. Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee : thou saidst. Fear nof^." From you, then, the Psalmist's ac- knowledgment is due : and by you it should be made to the latest hour of your lives.]
Full of gratitude, he pours forth, II. His exhortations, founded on his own experience — He exhorts the saints,
I. To love God— [God is worthy to be loved for his own divine excellencies : but he should be loved also for the wisdom and equity of his dispensations. *' The faitliful he does and will preserve:" yes, both from men and devils will he preserve them : he will " hide them under the shadow of his wings," and " keep them