enemy, who " wasted and destroyed it ;" and it would shortly be entirely rooted out, if God did not speedily interpose for its protection b. By " the man of God's right hand, and the Son of Man whom God had made strong for himself," I suppose the Psalmist intended to specify king Hezekiah, whom he entreated God to make his instrument for effecting the desired deli- verance : and in the latter verses of my text he pro- mises, in behalf of the nation at large, that the mercy shall not be lost upon them, but shall be requited by them in the way which God will approve, even by greater steadfastness in their future adherence to him, and a more entire obedience to his commands.
In this view, I conceive, the psalm may properly be applied either to the Church, or to any individual Believer in a season of deep distress : and " the Son of Man, whom Jehovah has made strong for himself," may be understood as designating the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the King of Israel, and whom in that capacity Hezekiah especially prefigured.
Let the afflicted Believer then see in this passage,
I. How to approach God in a season of trouble —
We are especially invited to " go to God in a time of trouble." But in what way shall we approach him ?
The Lord Jesus Christ is the appointed Head of God's Church and people —
[Even whilst he was yet on earth, " all power in heaven and on earth was given to him0 :" and, on his ascension to heaven, he was constituted " Head over all things to the Church d," and had all fulness committed to him e, " that he might fill all things f," and be the one source of light and life to the spiritual world, as the sun in the firmament is to this material globe on which we live. To this the Psalmist bears testimony, when he says, "Thou spakest in vision to thy Holy One, and saidst, / have laid help upon One that is mighty ; I have exalted one chosen out of the people. I have found David my servant : with my holy oil have I anointed him : with whom my hand shall be established : mine arm also shall strengthen him g." In this passage there is no doubt but that the Lord Jesus Christ is spoken of precisely in the view in
b ver. 8 — 16. c Matt, xxvii. 18. d Eph. i. 22.
e Col. i. 19. f Eph. iv. 10. s Ps. lxxxix. 19—21.