his servant; they concur not with him, neither per modum principii, for he
alone is the cause; nor per modum auxilii, for he without them can bless
his all: their malicious renitency of spirit, or attempt against God's
blessing of his people, is too impotent to frustrate God's intention and
pleasure. An effectual impediment must not only have contrariety in it, but
superiority: a drop of water cannot put out the fire, for though it hath a
contrary nature, yet it hath not greater power. Now the malice and
contrivances of evil men are too short and weak for the divine intention of
blessing, which is accompanied with an almighty arm. Evil men are but men,
and God is a God; and being but men, they can do no more than men. The Lord
will clear it to all the world, that he rules the earth, and that "his
counsel shall stand;" and where he blesseth, that man shall be blessed; and
whom he curseth, that man shall be cursed; that the creatures can do neither
good not evil; that his people are the generation of his care and love,
though living in the midst of deadly enemies.
Condensed from Obadiah Sedgwick.
Verse 5. "In the presence of mine enemies:" they seeing and envying and
fretting at it, but not being able to hinder it.
Matthew Poole.
Verse 5. "Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over." In
the East the people frequently anoint their visitors with some very fragrant
perfume; and give them a cup or glass of some choice wine, which they are
careful to fill till it runs over. The first was designed to show their
love and respect; the latter to imply that while they remained there, they
should have an abundance of everything. To something of this kind the
psalmist probably alludes in this passage.
Samuel Burder.
Verse 5. "Thou anointest my head with oil." Anointing the head with
oil is a great refreshment. There are three qualities of oil— lævor,
nitor, odor, a smoothness to the touch, brightness to the sight, fragrancy
to the smell, and so, gratifying the senses, it must needs cause delight to
those anointed with it. To this Solomon alludes when persuading to a
cheerful life, he saith, "Let thy head lack no ointment." How fully doth
this represent the Spirit's unction which alone rejoices and exhilarates the
soul! It is called the "oil of gladness," and the "joy of the Holy Ghost."
Nathanael Hardy.
Verse 5. "Thou anointest my head with oil." It is an act of great
respect to pour perfumed oil on the head of a distinguished guest; the woman
in the gospel thus manifested her respect for the Saviour by pouring
"precious ointment" on his head. An English lady went on board an Arabian
ship which touched at Trincomalee, for the purpose of seeing the equipment
of the vessel, and to make some little purchases. After she had been seated
some time in the cabin, an Arabian female came and poured perfumed oil on
her head.
Joseph Roberts.
Verse 5. "Thou anointest my head with oil." In the East no
entertainment could be without this, and it served, as elsewhere a bath
does, for (bodily) refreshment. Here, however, it is naturally to be
understood of the spiritual oil of gladness.
T. C. Barth.
Verse 5. "Thou anointest my head with oil." Thou hast not confined thy
bounty merely to the necessaries of life, but thou hast supplied me also
with its luxuries.
In "A plain Explanation of Difficult Passages in the Psalms," 1831.
Verse 5. "Thou anointest my head with oil." The unguents of Egypt may
preserve our bodies from corruption, ensuring them a long duration in the
dreary shades of the sepulchre, but, O Lord, the precious perfumed oil of
thy grace which thou dost mysteriously pour upon our souls, purifies them,
adorns them, strengthens them, sows in them the germs of immortality, and
thus it not only secures them from a transitory corruption, but uplifts them
from this house of bondage into eternal blessedness in thy bosom.
Jean Baptiste Massillon, 1663-1742.
Verse 5. "My cup runneth over." He had not only a fulness of
abundance, but of redundance. Those that have this happiness must carry
their cup upright, and see that it overflows into their poor brethren's
emptier vessels.
John Trapp.
Verse 5. "My cup runneth over." Wherefore doth the Lord make you cup
run over, but that other men's lips might taste the liquor? The showers
that fall upon the highest mountains, should glide into the lowest valleys.
"Give, and it shall be given you," is a maxim little believed. Luke 6:38.
William Secker.
Verse 5. "My cup runneth over." Or as it is in the Vulgate: And my
inebriating chalice, how excellent it is! With this cup were the martyrs
inebriated, when, going forth to their passion, they recognised not those
that belonged to them; not their weeping wife, not their children, not their
relations; while they gave thanks and said, "I will take the cup of
salvation!"
Augustine.
Verse 6. "I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." A wicked
man, it may be, will turn into God's house, and say a prayer, etc., but the
prophet would (and so all godly men must) dwell there for ever; his soul
lieth always at the throne of grace, begging for grace. A wicked man
prayeth as the cock croweth; the cock crows and ceaseth, and crows again,
and ceaseth again, and thinks not of crowing till he crows again: so a
wicked man prays and ceaseth, prays and ceaseth again; his mind is never
busied to think whether his prayers speed or no; he thinks it is good
religion for him to pray, and therefore he takes for granted that his
prayers speed, though in very deed God never hears his prayers, nor no more
respects them than he respects the lowing of oxen, or the grunting of hogs.
William Fenner, B.D. (1600-1640), in "The Sacrifice of the Faithful."
Verse 6. "I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." This should
be at once the crown of all our hopes for the future, and the one great
lesson taught us by all the vicissitudes of life. The sorrows and the joys,
the journeying and the rest, the temporary repose and the frequent
struggles, all these should make us sure that there is an end which will
interpret them all, to which they all point, for which they all prepare. We
get the table in the wilderness here. It is as when the son of some great
king comes back from foreign soil to his father's dominions, and is welcomed
at every stage in his journey to the capital with pomp of festival and
messengers from the throne, until at last he enters his palace home, where
the travel-stained robe is laid aside, and he sits down with his father at
his table.
Alexander Maclaren, 1863.
Verse 6. Mark David's resolute persuasion, and consider how he came unto
it, namely, by experience of God's favour at sundry times, and after sundry
manners. For before he set down this resolution, he numbered up divers
benefits received of the Lord; that he fed him in green pastures, and led
him by the refreshing waters of God's word; that he restores him and leads
him in the paths of righteousness; that he strengthened him in great
dangers, even of death, and preserveth him; that in despite of his enemies,
he enricheth him with many benefits. By means of all the mercies of God
bestowed on him, he came to be persuaded of the continuance of the favour of
God towards him.
William Perkins.
HINTS TO THE VILLAGE PREACHER
Verse 1. Work out the similitude of a shepherd and his sheep. He rules,
guides, feeds, and protects them; and they follow, obey, love and trust him.
Examine as to whether we are sheep; show the lot of the goats who feed side
by side with the sheep.
Verse 1. ( second clause ). The man who is beyond the reach of want for
time and eternity.
Verse 2. ( first clause ). Believing rest.
I. Comes from God— "He maketh."
II. Is deep and profound— "lie down."
III. Has solid sustenance— "in green pastures."
IV. Is subject for constant praise.
Verse 2. The contemplative and the active element provided for.
Verse 2. The freshness and richness of Holy Scripture.
Verse 2. ( second clause ). Onward. The Leader, the way, the comforts of
the road, and the traveller in it.
Verse 3. Gracious restoration, holy guidance, and divine motives.
Verse 4. The soft silence of the Spirit's work.
Verse 4. God's presence the only sure support in death.
Verse 4. Life in death and light in darkness.
Verse 4. ( second clause ). The calm and quiet of the good man's end.
Verse 4. ( last clause ). The tokens of divine government—the
consolation of the obedient.
Verse 5. The warrior feasted, the priest anointed, the guest satisfied.
Verse 5. ( last clause ). The means and uses of the continual anointings
of the Holy Spirit.
Verse 5. Providential super-aboundings, and what is our duty concerning
them.
Verse 6. ( first clause ). The blessedness of content.
Verse 6. On the road and at home, or heavenly attendants and heavenly
mansions.
WORKS UPON THE TWENTY-THIRD PSALM
Certain Comfortable Expositions of the Constant Martyrs of Christ.
JOHN HOOPER, Bishop of Gloucester and Worcester, 1555, written in the time
of his Tribulation and Imprisonment, upon the Twenty-third, Sixty-second,
Seventy-third, and Seventy-seventh Psalm of the prophet David. {In Parker
Society's publications, and also in the "British Reformers" series of the
Religious Tract Society.}
The Chiefe Shepheard; or an Exposition upon ye Twenty-third Psalme . . .
. BY SAMUEL SMITH, Minister of ye Word of God, at Prittlewell, in Essex.
1625. 8vo.
Meditations and Disquisitions upon Seven Consolatorie Psalmes of
David. By Sir RICHARD BAKER. 1640. {see "WORKS," p. 10.}
The Shepherd of Israel; or, God's pastoral care over his people.
Delivered in divers Sermons on the whole Twenty-third Psalme. . . . By that
Reverend and Faithful Minister of the Gospel, Mr. OBADIAH SEDGWICK, B.D.
1658. 4to.
The Shepherd of Israel: a practical Exposition and Improvement of the
Twenty-third Psalm. By J. THORNTON. 1826. 12mo.
The Lord our Shepherd: an Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. By the
Rev, JOHN STEVENSON, perpetual Curate of Cury and Gunwalloe, Cornwall.
1845. 8vo.
The Good Shepherd and the Chosen Flock: shewing the progress of the
sheep of Christ through the wilderness of this world to the pastures of the
Heavenly Zion. An Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. By THOMAS DALE,
M.A., Canon Residentiary of St, Paul's, London. 1847. 12mo.
The Shepherd King; or Jesus seen in the Life of David. Designed for
the Young. By the Authoress of "The Folded Lamb." {Mrs. Rogers.} 1856.
12mo.
The Song of Christ's Flock in the Twenty-third Psalm. By JOHN
STOUGHTON. 1860. 12m0.