The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 1 — Section 108

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers.1-15.-The saint's appeal from the wrongs of earth to the Righteous One on the throne. The title of our homily on this psalm is in some respects similar to that on the seventh psalm, '!'here, however, the psalm is an appeal to the great Vindicator of one unjustly accused; here, it is the appeal of one beset with persecutors to the great Judge of all. Whenever or by whomsoever the words of this psalm were penned, it may not be easy to say. '!'he probability is that it is one of David's. 1 1f so, there is an abundance of incident in the record of his career by which it may be illustrated and explained. And, indeed, the surest (perhaps the only) way of inter- preting such psalms as this is to read them by the light of the Books of Samuel. Anyway, however, it is an infinite mercy that we have preserved to us, not only psalms to be enjoyed at all times (such as the twenty-third and the forty-sixth), but others adapted for special times. For very often the saints of God have been so impeached, slandered, worried, beset, and persecuted, that the words of this psalm have exactly fitted their case. And in all such instances, the people of God may find sweet repose iu reading the words before us; showing us, as they do, (1) that however greatly we may be wronged on earth, there is a Righteous One to whom we may make our final appeal ; (2) that be who sitteth on the throne is not only just, but is also One of" marvellous loving-kindness;" (3) that therefore we ma.y pour out our heart before him, and tell him our case-the whole of it, exactly as it is; so that, though we are by no means obliged to adopt as our own every word in psalms like this, yet we may learn from them to present our case before God as minutely and ea;actly as the psalmists did theirs,-a.s varied as are the cases, so varied may be the words. I. HERE 18 A REMARKADLE OASE LAID DEFORE Gon. There a.re in it six features. 1. The writer is snrely and grievously persecuted. (Vers. 9-12.) It ha.s been well said, "Where would David's psalms have been, if he had not been persecuted?"• 'l'he experiences through which he passed may be studied in the records to which we havo referred above. In fact, one of our most skilled expositors said to the writer that Lis own study of the Books of Samuel had thrown floods of light on the Psalms, bad cleared up many phrases that before were unintelligible, and had shown the reason of many others that seemed unjustifiable. And since David was withal the poet of the sanctuary, he could and did put these hard experiences of his life in such words as should be helpful to the troubled and ill-treated saint in all future time. (For the exact signifi- cance of detailed expressions, see the Exposition. 3) Let believers follow David here, aud whatever their cares and worries may be, let them tell them out, ono by one, to their God, who will nevor misunderstn.nd them, and, even if somo expressions of !'motion are unwise and faulty, will cover the faults with the mantle of bis forgiving love, and fulfil the desires according to his own perfect wisdom. Oh, the infinitB relief of having a Friend to whom we may safely tell every thing I 2. David is c011scio11s of his own integrity. (Vere. 1-4.) This is by no means to be understood as a piece o[ self- righteousness (see Ps. cxliii. 2). It is quite consistent with the deepest humiliation before e. holy and heart-searching God, that an upright mau should a.vow his innocenco or the guilt that false accusers may charge upon him. In fact, we ought, whilo penitent beforo our God for innumerable heart-sins, to be able to look our fellow-men in tho face with the dignity of conscious honesty e.nd purity. 3. David knows there is a 1 The.notes on Pss. xvi. and xvi i. in 'The Cambridge Dible' (1891) should not be over- looked. • See Mr. Fausset's 'Horm Psalmicm,' 2nd edit., pp. 18, 25 (Nisbet); nnu 'Tho Life of David as reflected in his PHRlms,' by Dr. Maclaren (Ma.cniven and Wallace). • Aleo severe.I illustrative remarks in Spurgeon's 'Treasury,' in loo. 110 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [rs, XVII, 1-15,