is the light of that Sun, even of Jesus Christ, who himself revealed the
word of God: see the very next words, "The law of the Lord is perfect," etc.— Jonathan Edwards, 1703-1758.
Verse 5. "Which is as a bridegroom," etc. The sun is described like a
bridegroom coming out of his chamber, dressed and prepared, and as a giant
rejoicing to run his race; but though the sun be thus prepared, and dressed,
and ready, yet if the Lord send a writ and a prohibition to the sun to keep
within his chamber, he cannot come forth, his journey is stopped. Thus also
he stops man in his nearest preparation for any action. If the Lord will
work, who shall let it? Isaiah 43:13. That is, there is no power in heaven
or earth which can hinder him. But if the Lord will let, who shall work?
Neither sun, nor stars, nor men, nor devils, can work, if he forbids them.
The point is full of comfort.— Joseph Caryl.
Verse 5. "Which is as a bridegroom," etc. The Sun of Righteousness
appeared in three signs especially; Leo, Virgo, Libra. 1. In Leo,
roaring as a lion, in the law; so that the people could not endure his
voice. 2. In Virgo, born of a pure virgin in the gospel. 3. In
Libra, weighing our works in his balance at the day of judgment. Or as
Bernard distinguisheth his threefold coming aptly— venit ad homines,
venit in homines, venit contra homines: in the time past he came unto
men as upon this day (The Nineteenth Psalm is one "appointed to be read" on
Christmas Day ); in the time present, he comes by his spirit into men
every day; in the time future, he shall come against men at the last day.
The coming here mentioned is his coming in the flesh—for so the fathers
usually gloss the text—he came forth of the virgin's womb, "as a
bridegroom out of his chamber." As a bridegroom, for the King of heaven
at this holy time made a great wedding for his Son. Matthew 22:1. Christ
is the bridegroom, man's nature the bride, the conjunction and blessed
union of both in one person is his marriage. The best way to reconcile two
disagreeing families is to make some marriage between them: even so, the
Word became flesh, and dwelt among us in the world that he might hereby make
our peace, reconciling God to man and man to God. By this happy match the
Son of God is become the Son of Man, even flesh of our flesh, and bone of
our bones; and the sons of men are made the sons of God, "of his flesh and
of his bones," as Paul saith, Ephesians 5:30. So that now the church being
Christ's own spouse, saith, "I am my Beloved's, and my Beloved is mine."
Canticles 6:3. My sin is his sin, and his righteousness is my
righteousness. He who knew no sin, for my sake was made sin; and I,
contrariwise, having no good thing, am made the righteousness of God in him:
I which am brown by persecution, and black by nature (Canticles 1:5), so
foul as the sow that walloweth in the mire, through his favour am comely,
without spot or wrinkle, so white as the snow, like a lily among thorns,
even the fairest among women. Canticles 2:2. This happy marriage is not
a mar age, but it make's a merry age, being "the consolation of Israel,"
and comfort of Jerusalem's heart. Indeed, Christ our husband doth absent
himself from us in his body for a time; but when he did ascend into heaven
he took with him our pawn, namely his flesh; and he gave us his pawn,
namely, his Spirit, assuring us that we shall one day, when the world is
ended, enter with him into the wedding chamber, and there feast with him,
and enjoy his blessed company for evermore.— John Boys.
Verse 6. "There is nothing hid from the heat thereof." This is
literally the case. The earth receives its heat from the sun, and by
conduction, a part of it enters the crust of our globe. By convection,
another portion is carried to the atmosphere, which it warms. Another
portion is radiated into space, according to laws yet imperfectly
understood, but which are evidently connected with the colour, chemical
composition, and mechanical structure of parts of the earth's surface. At
the same time the ordinary state of the air, consisting of gases and vapour,
modifies the heat-rays and prevents scorching. Thus, the solar heat is
equalised by the air. Nothing on earth or in air is hid from the heat of
the sun. . . . Even the colour of some bodies is changed by heat. . . Heat
also is in bodies in a state which is not sensible, and is therefore called
latent heat, or heat of fluidity, because it is regarded as the cause of
fluidity in ponderable substances. It can fuse every substance it does not
decompose below the melting point, as in the case of wood. Every gas may be
regarded as consisting of heat, and some basis of ponderable matter, whose
cohesion it overcomes, imparting a tendency to great expansion, when no
external obstacle prevents, and this expansive tendency is their elasticity
or tension. Certain gases have been liquified under great pressure, and
extreme cold. Heat, also, at certain temperatures, causes the elasticity of
vapours to overcome the atmospheric pressure which can no longer restrain
them. An example of this is the boiling point of water; and, indeed, in
every case the true instance is the boiling point. Philosophers are agreed
that the affinity of heat for any ponderable substance is superior to all
other forces acting upon it. No ponderable matters can combine without
disengagement of heat. . . . And the same occurs from every mechanical
pressure and condensation of a body. In all these cases, and many more,
there are like evidences of the presence and influence of heat; but the
facts now advanced are sufficient to show us the force of the expression,
that in terrestrial things nothing is hid from, or can by any possibility
escape the agency of heat.— Edwin Sidney, A.M., in "Conversations on the Bible and Science," 1866.
Verse 6 ( last clause ). "There is nothing hid from the heat," nothing
from the light of Christ. It is not solely on the mountain top that he
shines, as in the day before he was fully risen, when his rays, although
unseen by the rest of the world, formed a glory round the heads of his
prophets, who saw him while to the chief part of mankind he was still lying
below the horizon. Now, however, that he is risen, he pours his light
through the valley, as well as over the mountain; nor is there any one, at
least in these countries, who does not catch some gleams of that light,
except those who burrow and hide themselves in the dark caverns of sin. But
it is not light alone that Christ sheds from his heavenly tabernacle. As
nothing is hid from his light, neither is anything hid from his heat. He
not only enlightens the understanding, so that it shall see and know the
truth; he also softens and melts, and warms the heart, so that it shall love
the truth, and calls forth fruit from it, and ripens the fruit he has called
forth; and that too on the lowliest plant which creeps along the ground, as
well as the loftiest tree. . . .
Though while he was on earth, he had fullest power of bestowing every
earthly gift, yet, in order that he should be able to bestow heavenly gifts
with the same all-healing power, it was necessary that he should go up into
heaven. When he had done so, when he had ascended into his tabernacle in
the heavens, then, he promises his disciples, he would send down the Holy
Spirit of God, who should bring them heavenly gifts, yea, who should enter
into their hearts, and make them bring forth all the fruits of the Spirit in
abundance; should make them abound in love, in peace, in longsuffering, in
gentleness, in goodness, in faith, in meekness, in temperance. These are
the bright heavenly rays, which, as it were, make up the pure light of
Christ; and from this heat nothing is hid. Even the hardest heart may be
melted by it; even the foulest may be purified.— Julias Charles Hare, M.A., 1841.
Verse 7. "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." To man
fallen, the law only convinceth of sin, and bindeth over to death, it is
nothing but a killing letter; but the gospel, accompanied by the power of
the Spirit, bringeth life. Again, it is said, "The law of the Lord is
perfect, converting the soul;" therefore it seems the law may also be a
word of salvation to the creature. I answer; by the law there, is not meant
only that part of the word which we call the covenant of works, but there it
is put for the whole word, for the whole doctrine of the covenant of life
and salvation; as Psalm 1:2: "His delight is in the law of the Lord; and in
his law doth he meditate day and night." And if you take it in that
stricter sense, then it converteth the soul but by accident, as it is joined
with the gospel, which is the misery of life and righteousness, but in
itself it is the law of sin and death. Look, as a thing taken simply, would
be poison and deadly in itself, yet mixed with other wholesome medicines, it
is of great use, is an excellent physical ingredient; so the law is of great
use as joined with the gospel, to awaken and startle the sinner, to show him
his duty, to convince him of sin and judgment; but it is the gospel properly
that pulls in the heart.— Thomas Manton.
Verse 7. The law, or doctrine, an orderly manner of instruction, an
institution or disposition, called in Hebrew torah, which implies both
doctrine and an orderly disposition of the same. Therefore where one
prophet, relating David's words, saith the law of man (2 Samuel 7:19),
another saith, the orderly estate, or course of man. 1 Corinthians
17:17. The Holy Ghost, in Greek, calls it Nomos, a law (Hebrews 8:10),
from Jeremiah 31:33. This name is most commonly ascribed to the precepts
given by Moses at Mount Sinai (Deuteronomy 32:4; Malachi 4:4; John 1:17, and
7:19); it is also largely used for all his writings. For the history of
Genesis is called law (Galatians 4:21), from Genesis 16. And though
sometimes the law be distinguished from the Psalms and Prophets (Luke 16:16,
and 24:24), yet the other prophets' books are called law (1 Corinthians
14:21), from Isaiah 28:11; the Psalms are also thus named (John 10:24 and
15:25), from Psalm 82:6 and 35:19. Yea, one Psalm is called a law (Psalm
78:1); and the many branches of Moses' doctrine as the law of the
sin-offering, etc. Leviticus 6:25. And generally it is used for any
doctrine, as the law of works, the law of faith, etc. Romans 3:27.— Henry Ainsworth.
Verse 7. "Converting the soul." This version conveys a sense good and
true in itself, but is not in accordance with the design of the psalmist,
which is, to express the divine law on the feelings and affections of good
men. The Hebrew terms properly mean, "bringing back the spirit," when it is
depressed by adversity, by refreshing and consoling it; like food, it
restores the faint, and communicates vigour to the disconsolate."— William Walford, 1837.
Verse 7. "Converting the soul." The heart of man is the most free and
hard of anything to work upon, and to make an impression and stamp upon this
hard heart, this heart that is so stony, adamantine, "harder than the nether
millstones," as the Scripture teacheth. To compel this free-will, this
Domina sui actus, the queen in the soul, the empress, it cannot be without
a divine power, without a hand that is omnipotent; but the ministers do this
by the Word—they mollify, and wound, and break this heart, they incline,
and bow, and draw this free-will whither the spirit listeth. And Clemens
Alexandrinus is not afraid to say, that if the fables of Orpheus and Amphion
were true—that they drew birds, beasts, and stones, with their ravishing
melody—yet the harmony of the Word is greater, which translates men from
Hellicon to Zion, which softens the hard heart of man obdurate against the
truth, that "raises up children to Abraham of stones," that is (as he
interprets), of unbelievers, which he calls stocks and stones, that put
their trust in stones and stocks; which metamorphoses men that are
beastlike, wild birds for their lightness and vanity, serpents for their
craft and subtlety, lions for their wrath and cruelty, swine for
voluptuousness and luxury, etc.; and charms them so that of wild beasts they
become tame men; that makes living stones (as he did others) come of their
own accord to the building of the walls of Jerusalem (as he of Thebes), to
the building of a living temple to the everlasting God. This must needs be
a truly persuasive charm, as he speaks.— John Stoughton's "Choice Sermons," 1640.
Verse 7. "Making wise the simple." The apostle Paul, in Ephesians 1:8,
expresseth conversion, and the whole work inherently wrought in us, by the
making of a man wise. It is usual in the Scriptures, and you may ofttimes
meet with it; "converting the soul," "making wise the simple." The
beginning of conversion, and so all along, the increase of all grace to the
end, is expressed by wisdom entering into a man's heart, "If wisdom enter
into thy heart," and so goes on to do more and more; not unto thy head
only—a man may have all that, and be a fool in the end, but when it entereth
into the heart, and draws all the affections after it, and along with it,