good or evil, between the mind of God, and my own or others inventions; that ſo I may be kept from thoſe miſtakes and errours in which many are involved, that I may truly judge what thy Law requires or permits, and what it forbids: Heb. the goodneſs of taſte, an experimental ſenſe and reliſh of divine things.. Compare Pſal, 24. 8, i A ſpiritual and as ene knowledge. And judg- men or tafte and knewleage may, by an uſeful Figure called Hen- diadis, be pur for judicious or ſolid or prattical knowledge, & I have believed thedivine authority of them,and the truth and certainty of choſe promiſes and threatnings which thou haſt annexed to them.
67 * Before I was aftlited 1 went aſtray /: but now's ,,_
have I keep m thy word. ; So E- . 1 As men generally do in their proſperity. See Dexr: 32. 15.
Pſ#b; 73+ 4s 5, 6, &Cc. Prov. ts 32. Jer. 22. 21. 68 Thou «rt good »», and doſt good »: teach me thy
ſtatutes 0.
» Gracious and bountiful in thy nature. = To all men, bothy good and bad, Met: 52 45. and in all things, yea even when thou afflicteſt. oe Which is the good that I detire above all things. f Hel
knewled So Gr.
E Py
69 The proud have + forged a lie p againſt me. but ſewed s
the difhonour which they bring to God, the ſcandal and miſchief |
L will keep thy precepts q with my whole Heart. #08 7s | 5C4 2 A
fl. CXIX. p A ſlander, charging me with hypocrifie towards God, and re-
bellion againſt my Prince. q My praGtice ſhall confute their .ca-
lumnies. : ; : 70 Their Heart is as fat as greaſe r; but T delight in
thy laws.
» The ſenſe is, either r- They are ſtupid and inſenſible and paſt feeling, not affeHed either with the terrours or comforts of Gods word. So the like phraſe is uſed 1a: 6: 10. compe with John 12. 40. or 2. they proſper exceedingly and are even glutred with the wealth and comforts of this life. s But I do not envy them their jollity, and I have as much delight in Gods Law, as they have in worldly things- ;
-1 {t js good t for me that I have been afflited,thar
T might learn thy ftatutes z. et Neceſſary and greatly beneficial. t He repeats what in effect he ſaid before, wv: 67. partly to intimate the certainty and Impor- tance of this truth, and partly becauſe it 1s a great Paradox to worldly men, who generally eſteem afflictions to be evil, yea the worſt of evils. 2 * The law of thy mouth zs better unto me «, than
thouſands of gold and ſilver. P.r9'r0. u Not only thy promiſes, but even thy precepts, which are ſo ov:8:11+ unpleaſantand hard to ungodly men, to me tiey are more defira- ble and more needful and profitable, becauſe they do not only give me abundant fatisfattion and comfort in rhis life, but alſo they con- duct me with faf-ty and delightunto that eternal and moſt bleſſed life, where gold and ſilver bear no price.
F O D. 73 * Thy hands have made me and faſhioned me : give me underſtanding that I may learn thy command-
ments Xx. ;
x T am thy Creature, and therefore obliged to ſerve and obey thee with all my might ; which that I may do arightT beg thy in- ftruQtion or aſſiſtance. Or, thou haſt made me once, make me a ſecond time, and renew thy decayed image in me, thar I may know and ſerve thee better, and that as I was made by thee, fo I may be guided by thy Grace to ſerve and gloritie my Creator.
74 * They that fear thee, will be glad y when they
ſee mez : becauſe I have hoped in thy word #s.
7 Partly for my ſake, of whoſe innocency and piety they are convinced, and therefore ſympathize with me : and partly for their own ſakes, both for the encouragement they have by my example to truſt in God, and for the manifold benetits, both ſpiritual and temporal, which they expe& from my government. z To wit, a- live and in ſafety, notwithſtanding all rhe force and malice of mine enemies, and advanced to the Kingdom. # In thy promiſe and have not been diſappointed of my hope, which isa great confirma- tion of their faith and hope in God, that they ſhall obtain all the good things which God hath promited them. |
75 I know b, O LORD, that thy judgments c are Fright, and zhat thou in faithfulneſs 4 haft afli&ed me,
b By the convictions of my own Conſcience, and by experience. e i. e. Thy corrections, as the next clauſe explains this. d In purſuance of thy promiles, and in order t» my good, that by my. afflictions thou mighteſt purge me from thoſe {ins which mighr pro- voke thy wrath againſt me, and prepare me for a better admini- ſtration, and more laſting and comfortable enjoyment ofmy king-
ob 10.
Ver: 79.
eb. 9 couſe
19-8.
om. 76 Let, Ipray thee, thy merciful kindneſs be + for my comfort, according to thy word e unto thy ſervant. e Yet in Judgement remember mercy, and give me that comfort and aſſiſtance in, and that deliverance out of my troubles, which thou haft promiſed me. : , 77 Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live f: for thy law is my delight g.
F That I may be preſerved from that violent and untimely death
Jeb. to yfor; we.
'expect thy protection, becauſe Iam thy faithful ſervant.
78 Let theproud be aſhamed,for they dealt perverſly with me þ without a cauſe ; but 1 will meditate in thy PreCCepts 7.
h Heb. they have preverted me, either by their Calumnies, where- by they have pur falſe and perverſe conſtruttions upon all my word and ations; or by endeavouring to overthrow and deſtory me,or fo turn me out of the wayof thy precepts. 7 All their wicked attempts againſt me ſhall never drive me from the ſtudy and love and: practice of thy precepts;
79 Let thoſe that fear thee,turn unto me &, and thoſe that have known ! thy teſtimonies.
& Either, 7. turn their eyes to me as a ſpeacle of Gods won- derful-mercy : Or rather;2; turn: their hearts and affeftions to mry which have been alienated from me, either by the artifices and calumnies of my adverſaries, - or by my fore and long diſtreſles, which made them prone to think that either I had deceived them with falſe pretences, -or that God for my ſins had utterly gen} me» Which doubtleſs was a very grievous burden to David, who had a'greater eſteem and affection for ſuch perſons, than for all o- ther men, and deſired above all things toſtand right in their opi- nions: {;: e Loved and practiſed them ; as words of knowledge are oft uſed.. |
80 Let my heart be + ſound »: in thy ſtatutes ; that I | be not aſhamed ».