and therefore did make conscience of it, and it had been a great fault for
them to have failed in it; then by consequence it followeth of necessity,
that whensoever any of our brethren or sisters in Christ shall desire this
duty at our hands, we must be careful to perform it; and it were a fault not
to be excused in us, both against God and them, to fail in it. Therefore we
must not think that when godly men and women at their parting or otherwise,
desire our prayers, and say, "I pray you pray for me," or, "remember me in
your prayers," that these are words of course (though I do not deny, but
that many do so use them, and so doing they take the name of God in vain);
but we should be persuaded, that out of the abundance of their feeling of
their own wants they speak unto us, and so be willing by our prayers to help
to supply them. And especially we should do it when they shall make known
their estate unto us, as here David did to the people, giving them to
understand that he should or might be in great danger of his enemies, and so
it was "a time of trouble" unto him, as he called it. . . . Most of all,
this duty of prayer ought to be carefully performed when we have promised it
unto any upon such notice of their estate. For as all promises ought to be
kept, yea, though it be to our own hindrance, so those most of all that so
nearly concern them. And as if when any should desire us to speak to some
great man for them, and we promise to do it, and they trust to it, hoping
that we will be as good as our words; it were a great deceit in us to fail
them, and so to frustrate their expectation; so when any have desired us to
speak to God for them, and upon our promise they would comfort themselves
over it, if we should by negligence deceive them, it were a great fault in
us, and that which the Lord would require at our hands, though they should
never know of it. Therefore, as we ought daily to pray one for another
unasked, as our Saviour Christ hath taught us, "O our Father which art in
heaven," etc., so more especially and by name should we do it for them that
have desired it of us. And so parents especially should not forget their
children in their prayers, which daily ask their blessing, and hope to be
blessed of God by their prayers. Secondarily, if we should neglect to pray
for them that have desired it at our hands, how could we have any hope that
others whom we have desired to pray for us should perform that duty unto us?
Nay, might not we justly fear that they would altogether neglect it, seeing
we do neglect them? and should it not be just with God so to punish us?
according to the saying of our Saviour Christ, "With what measure ye mete,
it shall be measured to you again." Matthew 7:2. And I remember that this
was the saying of a reverend father in the church, who is now fallen asleep
in the Lord, when any desired him to pray for them (as many did, and more
than any that I have known), he would say unto them, "I pray you, pray for
me, and pray that I may remember you, and then I hope I shall not forget
you." Therefore if we would have others pray for us, let us pray for them.— Nicholas Bownd.
Verses 1, 5. In the first verse the psalmist says, "The Lord hear thee
in the day if trouble;" and in the fifth he says, "The Lord perform all
thy petitions." Does he in both these cases refer to one and the same
time? The prayers mentioned in the first verse are offered in "the day of
trouble," in the days of his flesh; are the petitions to which he refers in
the fourth verse also offered in the days of his flesh? Many think not.
Before our blessed Saviour departed out of this world, he prayed to the
Father for those whom he had given him, that he would keep them from the
evil of the world, that they might be one, even as he was one with the
Father. He prayed too for his murderers. After his ascension into heaven,
he sat down at the right hand of the Father, where he "maketh intercession
for us." "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ,
the righteous." It is to this, as many think, that the prophet refers when
he says, "The Lord perform all thy petitions;" to the intercession which
he is continually making for us.— F. H. Dunwell.
Verse 2. "Send thee help from the sanctuary." Here we see the nature
of true faith, that it causeth us to see help in heaven, and so to pray
for it when there is none to be seen in the earth. And this is the
difference between faith and unbelief; that the very unbelievers can by
reason conceive of help, so long as they have any means to help them; but if
they fail they can see none at all; so they are like unto those that are
purblind, who can see nothing but near at hand. But faith seeth afar off,
even into heaven, so that it is "the evidence of things that are not seen;"
for it looketh unto the power of God, who hath all means in his hand, or can
work without them, who made all of nothing, and "calleth the things that be
not, as though they were." So that as the holy martyr Stephen, when his
enemies were ready to burst for anger, and gnash at him with their teeth,
looked steadfastly into heaven, and saw Christ standing at the right hand of
God ready to defend him; so faith in the promises of the word doth see help
in heaven ready for us, when there are no means in earth,— Nicholas Bownd.
Verse 2. "Send thee help from the sanctuary." Why "from the
sanctuary," but because the Lord presented himself there as upon the
mercy-seat! The sanctuary was in Zion, the mercy-seat was in the sanctuary,
the Lord was in the mercy-seat; he would have himself set forth as residing
there. Herein they pray, and pray in faith, for help and strength.— David Clarkson.
Verse 2. "Strengthen theee out of Zion." That is, out of the
assemblies of the saints, where they are praying hard for thy welfare.— John Trapp.
Verse 3. "Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice."
"All thy offerings;" the humiliation that brought him from heaven to
earth; the patient tabernacling in the womb of the holy Virgin; the poor
nativity; the hard manger; ox and ass for courtiers; the weary flight into
Egypt; the poor cottage at Nazareth; the doing all good, and bearing all
evil; the miracles, the sermons, the teachings; the being called a man
gluttonous and a wine-bibber, the friend of publicans and sinners; the
attribution of his wondrous deeds to Beelzebub. "And accept thy burnt
sacrifice." As every part of the victim was consumed in a burnt sacrifice,
so what limb, what sense of our dear Lord did not agonise in his passion?
The thorny crown on his head; the nails in his hands and feet; the
reproaches that filled his ears; the gloating multitude on whom his dying
gaze rested; the vinegar and the gall; the evil odours of the hill of death
and corruption. The ploughers ploughed upon his back, and made long
furrows; his most sacred face was smitten with the palm of the hand, his
head with the reed. What could have been done more for the vineyard than he
did not do in it? Isaiah 5:4. So, what more could have been borne by the
vine, that this dear Vine did not bear? "Remember" them now, O Father,
call to mind for us sinners, for us miserable sinners, and for our
salvation, "all" these "offerings;" "accept," instead of our eternal
punishment, who are guilty, his "burnt sacrifice," who did no sin, neither
was guile found in his mouth!— Dionysius, and Gerhohus (1093-1169), quoted by J. M. Neale.
Verse 3. "Accept:" Hebrew, "turn to ashes," by fire form heaven, in
token of his acceptance, as was usual.— Matthew Poole.
Verse 3. "That thy burnt offering may be fat." That is, abundant,
fruitful, and full. But here we must understand this burnt offering, as we
did the sacrifice, in a spiritual sense, as we have before observed. Thus
Christ offered up himself wholly upon the cross to be consumed by the fire
of love. And here, instead of "all thy sacrifice," it might be rendered
"the whole of thy sacrifice." Even as burnt sacrifice ( holocaustum )
signifies the whole of it being burnt with fire. By which groanings of the
Spirit, he shows and teaches the righteous, that they should pray and hope
that none of their sufferings shall be vain, but that all shall be
well-pleasing, remembered, and fully acceptable.— Martin Luther.
Verse 3. "Selah." * This word, in the judgment of the learned, is
sometime vox optantis, the voice of one that wisheth, equivalent to
amen; of vox admirantis, the voice of one admiring, showing some special
matter; or vox affirmantis, of one affirming, avouching what is said; or
vox meditantis, of one meditating, requiring consideration of what is
said. But withal, it is a rest in music. Jerome saith it is commutatio
metri, or vicissitudo canendi. — Edward Marbury.
* See pages 25, 29, 38. Psalm 3.
Verse 4. "Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy
counsel." Let us here call to mind the zealous and earnest desire of the
Redeemer to accomplish his work, "I have a baptism to be baptised with; and
how am I straitened till it be accomplished." Luke 12:50. "With desire I
have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer" (Luke 22:15);
that he might leave a memorial of his sufferings and death, for the
strengthening and refreshing of their souls. These earnest desires and
anticipations did the Father satisfy, as of one with whom he was well
pleased.— W. Wilson.
Verse 4. "Fulfil all thy counsel;" whatever was agreed upon in the
counsel and covenant of peace between him and his Father, relating to his
own glory, and the salvation of his people.— John Gill.
Verse 4. "Fulfil all thy counsel." Answer thee, ad cardinem
desiderii, as a father, Augustine, expresseth it; let it be unto thee even
as thou wilt. Sometimes God doth not only grant a man's prayer, but
fulfilleth his counsel; that is, in that very way, by that very means, which
his judgment pitched upon in his thoughts.— John Trapp.
Verse 5 ( first clause ). Whosoever do partake with Christ's subjects in
trouble, shall share with them also in the joy of their deliverance;
therefore it is said, "We will rejoice in thy salvation." — David Dickson.
Verse 5. "In the name of our God." As those cried out, Judges 7:20,
"The sword of the Lord and of Gideon;" and as we have it in Joshua 6:20,
"And the people shouted, and the walls of Jericho fell down;" and king
Abiah, crying out with his men in the same, killed five hundred thousand of
the children of Israel; and so now also, according to the military custom in
our day, the soldiers boast in the name and glory of their general, in order
to encourage themselves against their enemies. And it is just this custom
that the present verse is now teaching, only in a godly and religious
manner.— Martin Luther.
Verse 5. "In the name of our God we will set up our banners." The
banners formerly so much used were a part of military equipage, borne in
times of war to assemble, direct, distinguish, and encourage the troops.
They might possibly be used for other purposes also. Occasions of joy,
splendid processions, and especially a royal habitation, might severally be
distinguished in this way. The words of the psalmist may perhaps be wholly
figurative: but if they should be literally understood, the allusion of
erecting a banner in the name of the Lord, acknowledging his glory, and
imploring his favour, might be justified from an existing practice. Certain
it is that we find this custom prevalent on this very principle in other
places, into which it might originally have been introduced from Judea.
Thus Mr. Turner ( Embassy to Thibet , p. 31), says, "I was told that it was
a custom with the Soobah to ascend the hill every month, when he sets up a
white flag, and performs some religious ceremonies, to conciliate the favour
of a dewata, or invisible being, the genius of the place, who is said to
hover about the summit, dispensing at his will, good and evil to every thing
around him.— Samuel Burder's "Oriental Customs," 1812.
Verse 5. "In the name of our God we will set up our banners." In all
religious as well as warlike processions the people carry banners. Hence,
on the pinnacles of their sacred cars, on the domes or gateways of their
temples, and on the roof of a new house, may be seen the banner of the caste
of sect, floating in the air. Siva the Supreme, also, is described as
having a banner in the celestial world.— Joseph Robert's "Oriental Illustrations".
Verse 5. "In the name of our God we will set up our banners." 1. We
will wage war in his name, we will see that our cause be good, and make his
glory our end in every expedition; we will ask counsel at his mouth, and
take him along with us; we will follow his conduct, implore his aid, and
depend upon it, and refer the issue to him. David went against Goliath in
the name of the Lord of hosts. 1 Samuel 17:45. 2. We will celebrate our
victories in his name. When "we lift up our banners" in triumph, and set