of God, which is the ever-flowing and the over-flowing fountain of joy? And
when would any man wish for this enjoyment of the fulness of joy in the very
fountain of joy rather than presently, constantly, and incessantly? Now all
these desirables are encircled within the compass of the first remarkable,
to make up the consummation of true felicity. "In thy presence is fulness
of joy." — The Consummation of Felicity," by Edward Willan , 1654.
Verse 11. The human nature of Christ in heaven hath a double capacity of
glory, happiness and delight; one on that mere fellowship and communion with
his Father and the other persons, through his personal union with the
Godhead. Which joy of his in this fellowship, Christ himself speaks of as
to be enjoyed by him: "In thy presence is fulness of joy, and at thy right
hand are pleasures for evermore." And this is a constant and settled
fulness of pleasure, such as admits not any addition or diminution, but is
always one and the same, and absolute and entire in itself; and of itself
alone sufficient for the Son of God, and heir of all things to live upon,
though he should have had no other comings in of joy and delight from any
creature. And this is his natural inheritance.— Thomas Goodwin.
Verse 11. "In thy presence is FULNESS of joy." In heaven they are
free from want; they can want nothing there is unless it be want itself.
They may find the want of evil, but never feel the evil of want. Evil is
but the want of good, and the want of evil is but the absence of want. God
is good, and no want of good can be in God. What want then can be endured
in the presence of God, where no evil is, but all good that the fulness of
joy may be enjoyed? Here some men eat their meat without any hunger, whilst
others hunger without any meat to eat, and some men drink extremely without
any thirst, whilst others thirst extremely without any drink. But in the
glorious presence of God, not any one can be pampered with too much, nor any
one be pined with too little. They that gather much of the heavenly manna,
"have nothing over;" and "they that gather little have no lack." They that
are once possessed of that presence of God, are so possessed with it that
they can never feel the misery of thirst or hunger.— Edward Willan.
Verse 11. "Fulness." Every soul shall there enjoy an infinite
happiness, because it shall enjoy an infinite goodness. And it shall be for
ever enjoyed, without disliking of it, or losing of it, or lacking any of
it. Every soul shall enjoy as much good in that presence, by the presence
of that good, as it shall be able to receive, or to desire to receive. As
much as shall make it fully happy. Every one shall be filled so
proportionably full; and every desire in any soul shall be filled so
perfectly in that presence of glory, with the glory of that presence, that
no one shall ever wish for any more, or ever be weary of that it has, or be
willing to change it for any other.— Edward Willan.
Verse 11. "Fulness of joy." When a man comes to the sea, he doth not
complain that he wants his cistern of water: though thou didst suck comfort
from thy relations; yet when thou comest to the ocean, and art with Christ,
thou shalt never complain that thou hast left thy cistern behind. There
will be nothing to breed sorrow in heaven; there shall be joy, and nothing
but joy: heaven is set out by that phrase, "Enter thou into the joy of thy
Lord." Here joy enters into us, there we enter into joy; the joys we have
here are from heaven; the joys that we shall have with Christ are without
measure and without mixture. "In thy presence is fulness of joy." — Thomas Watson.
Verse 11. "In thy presence is fulness of joy." In this life our joy is
mixed with sorrow like a prick under the rose. Jacob had joy when his sons
returned home from Egypt with the sacks full of corn, but much sorrow when
he perceived the silver in the sack's mouth. David had much joy in bringing
up the ark of God, but at the same time great sorrow for the breach made
upon Uzza. This is the Lord's great wisdom to temper and moderate our joy.
As men of a weak constitution must have their wine qualified with water for
fear of distemper, so must we in this life (such is our weakness), have our
joy mixed with sorrow, lest we turn giddy and insolent. Here our joy is
mixed with fear (Psalm 2), "Rejoice with trembling;" the women departed from
the sepulchre of our Lord "with fear and great joy." Matthew 28:8. In our
regenerate estate, though we have joy from Christ that is "formed in us,"
yet the impression of the terrors of God before the time of our new birth
remains in us; as in a commotion of the sea by a great tempest after a
stormy wind hath ceased, yet the impression of the storm remains and makes
an agitation. The tender mother recovering her young child from danger of a
fall hath joy from the recovery; but with much fear with the impression of
the danger; so after we are recovered here from our dangerous falls by the
rich and tender mercies of our God, sometime prevening us, sometime
restoring us; though we rejoice in his mercy, and in our own recovery out of
the snares of Satan, yet in the midst of our joy the remembrance of former
guiltiness and danger do humble our hearts with much sorrow, and some
trepidation of heart. As our joy here is mixed with fears, so with sorrow
also. Sound believers do look up to Christ crucified, and do rejoice in his
incomparable love, that such a person should have died such a death for such
as were enemies to God by sinful inclinations and wicked works; they look
down also upon their own sins that have wounded and crucified the Lord of
glory, and this breaketh the heart, as a widow should mourn, who by her
froward and lewd behaviour hath burst the heart of a kind and loving
husband.
The sound believers look to their small beginnings of grace, and they
rejoice in the work of God's hands; but when they compare it with that
original and primitive righteousness, they mourn bitterly, as the elders of
Israel did at the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 3:12; "They who had seen
the first house wept." But in heaven our joy will be full, without mixture
of sorrow (John 16:20); "Your sorrow," saith our Lord, "shall be turned into
joy." Then will there be no sorrow for a present trouble, nor present fear
of future troubles. Then their eye will deeply affect their heart; the
sight and knowledge of God the supreme and infinite good will ravish, and
take up all their heart with joy and delight. Peter in the Mount (Matthew
17), was so affected with that glorious sight, that he forgot both the
delights and troubles that were below; "It is good to be here," said he.
How much more will all worldly troubles and delights be forgot at that
soul-satisfying sight in heaven, which is as far above that of Peter in the
Mount, as the third heaven is above that Mount, and as the uncreated is
above the created glory!— William Colvill's "Refreshing Streams," 1655.
Verse 11. "In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there
are pleasures for evermore." Mark, for quality, there are pleasures; for
quantity, fulness; for dignity, at God's right hand; for eternity, for
evermore. And millions of years multiplied by millions, make not up one
minute to this eternity of joy that the saints shall have in heaven. In
heaven there shall be no sin to take away your joy, nor no devil to take
away your joy; nor no man to take away your joy. "Your joy no man taketh
from you." John 16:22. The joy of the saints in heaven is never ebbing,
but always flowing to all contentment. The joys of heaven never fade, never
wither, never die, nor never are lessened nor interrupted. The joy of the
saints in heaven is a constant joy, an everlasting joy, in the root and in
the cause, and in the matter of it and in the objects of it. "Their joy
lasts for ever whose objects remain for ever."— Thomas Brooks.
Verse 11. "Pleasures for evermore." The soul that is once landed at
the heavenly shore is past all storms. The glorified soul shall be for ever
bathing itself in the rivers of pleasure. This is that which makes heaven
to be heaven, "We shall be ever with the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 4:17.
Austin saith, "Lord, I am content to suffer any pains and torments in this
world, if I might see thy face one day; but alas! were it only a day, then
to be ejected heaven, it would rather be an aggravation of misery;" but this
word, "ever with the Lord," is very accumulative, and makes up the garland
of glory: a state of eternity is a state of security.— Thomas Watson.
Verse 11. This then may serve for a ground of comfort to every soul
distressed with the tedious bitterness of this life; for short sorrow here,
we shall have eternal joy; for a little hunger, an eternal banquet; for
light sickness and affliction, everlasting health and salvation; for a
little imprisonment, endless liberty; for disgrace, glory. Instead of the
wicked who oppress and afflict them, they shall have the angels and saints
to comfort and solace them, instead of Satan to torment and tempt them, they
shall have Jesus to ravish and affect them. Joseph's prison shall be turned
into a palace; Daniel's lions' den into the presence of the Lion of the
Tribe of Judah; the three children's hot fiery furnace, into the new
Jerusalem of pure gold; David's Gath, into the tabernacle of the living God.— John Cragge's "Cabinet of Spiritual Jewels," 1657.
Verse 11. This heavenly feast will not have an end, as Ahasuerus's feast
had, though it lasted many days; but "At thy right hand are pleasures for
evermore." — William Colvill.
HINTS TO THE VILLAGE PREACHER
Michtam of David. Under the title of "The Golden Psalm," Mr. Canon
Dale has published a small volume, which is valuable as a series of good
simple discourses, but ought hardly to have been styled "an exposition." We
have thought it right to give the headings of the chapters into which his
volume is divided, for there is much showiness, and may be some solidity in
the suggestions.
Verse 1. The seeking of the gold. The believer conscious of danger, trusting in God only for deliverance.
Verses 2, 3. The possessing of the gol.d The believer looking for justification to the righteousness of God alone, while maintaining personal holiness by companionship with the saints.
Verses 4, 5. The testing of the gold. The believer finding his present portion, and expecting his eternal inheritance in the Lord.
Verse 6. The prizing or valuing of the gold. The believer congratulating himself on the pleasantness of his dwelling and the goodness of his heritage.
Verses 7, 8. The occupying of the gold. The believer seeking instruction from the counsels of the Lord by night, and realising his promise by day.
Verses 9, 10. The summing or reckoning of the gold. The believer rejoicing and praising God for the promise of a rest in hope and resurrection into glory.
Verse 11. The perfecting of the gold. The believer realising at God's right hand the fulness of joy and the pleasures for evermore.
Upon this suggestive Psalm we offer the following few hints out of
many—
Verse 1. The prayer and the plea. The preserver and the truster. The
dangers of the saints and the place of their confidence.
Verse 2. "Thou art my Lord." The soul's appropriation, allegiance,
assurance, and avowal.
Verses 2, 3. The influence and sphere of goodness. No profit to God, or
departed saints or sinners, but to living men. Need of promptness, etc.
Verse 2, 3. Evidences of true faith.
I. Allegiance to divine authority.
II. Rejection of self-righteousness.
III. Doing good to the saints.
IV. Appreciation of saintly excellence.
V. Delight in their society.
Verse 3. Excellent of the earth. May be translated noble, wonderful,
magnificent. They are so in their new birth, nature, clothing, attendance,
heritage, etc., etc.
Verse 3. "In whom is all my delight." Why Christians should be objects
of our delight. Why we do not delight in them more. Why they do not
delight in us. How to make our fellowship more delightful.
Verse 3. Collection sermon for poor believers.
I. Saints.
II. Saints on the earth.
III. These are excellent.
IV. We must delight in them.
V. We must extend our goodness to them.
— Matthew Henry.
Verse 4. Sorrows of idolatry illustrated in heathens and ourselves.
Verse 4 ( Second clause ). The duty of complete separation from sinners
in life and lip.
Verse 5. Future inheritance and present cup found in God. (See
exposition.)
Verse 6.
I. "Pleasant places." Bethlehem, Calvary, Olivet, Tabor,