PSALMS, XVI. 235
neighbour's reputation, v. 3. He does no evil at all to his neighbour, willingly or designedly, nothing to of- fend or griee his spirit, nothing to prejudice the health or ease of his body, nothing to injure liini in his estate or secular interests, in his family or relations; but walks by that golden rule of equity, To do as he would be done by. He is especially careful not to injure his neighbour in his good name, though many, who would not otherwise wrong their neighbours, make nothing of that; if any man, in this matter, bridles not his tongue, his religion is vain. He knows the worth of a good name, and therefore he backbites not, defames no man, speaks evil of no man, makes not others' faults the subject of his com- mon talk, much less of his sport and ridicule, nor speaks of them with pleasure, nor at all but for edification; he makes the best of every body, and the worst of nobody. He does not take up a re- proach, he neither raises it, nor receives it; he gives no credit nor oountenance to a calumny, but frowns upon a backbiting tongue, and so silences it, Prov. XXV., 23. If an ill-natured character of his neighbour be given him, or an ill-natured story be told him, he; will disprove it, if he can; if not, it shall die with him, and go no further. His charity will cover a multitude of sins.
4. He is one that values men by their virtue and piety, and not by the figure they make in the world, V. 5. (1.) He thinks the better of no man's wick- edness, for his pomp and grandeur; In his eyes, a vile fierson is contemned. vV^icked people are vile people, worthless and good for nothing; so the word signifies. As dross, as chaff, and as salt that has lost its savour, they are ile in their choices, (Jer. ii. 13.) in their practices, Isa. xxxii. 6. For this, wise and good men contemn them, not denying them civil honour and respect as men, as men in authority and power perhaps, (1 Pet. ii. 17. Rom. xiii. 7.) but, in their judgment of them, agreeing with the word of God. They are so far from en- vying them, that they pity them, despising their gains, (Isa. xxxiii. 15.) as turning to no account; their dainties, (cxli. 4.) their pleasures, (Heb. xi. 24, 25.) as sapless and insipid. They despise their society; (cxix. cxv. 2 Kings iii. 14.) they despise their taunts and threats, and are not moved by them, nor disturbed at them; they despise the fee- ble efforts of their impotent malice, (ii. 1, 4.) and will shortly triumph in their fall, Iii. 6, 7. God de- spises them, and they are of his mind. (2.) He thinks the worse of no man's piety, for his poverty and meanness, but he knows them that fear the Lord. He reckons that serious piety, wherever it is found, puts an honour upon a man, and makes his face to shine, more than wealth, or wit, or a great name among men, does, or can. He honours such, he esteems them very highly in love, desires their friendship and conversation, and an interest in their prayers, is glad of an opportunity to show them respect, or do them a good office, pleads their cause, and speaks of them with veneration, rejoices when they prosper, grieves when they are removed, and their memory, when they are gone, is precious with him. By this, we may judge of ourselves in some measure, What rules do we go by in judging of others.
5. He is one that always prefers a good con- science before any secular interest or advantage whatsoever; for if he has promised,- upon oath, to do any thing, though afterward it appear much to his damage and prejudice in his worldly estate, yet he adheres to it, and changes not, v. 4. See how weak-sighted and short-sighted even wise and good men may be; they may swear to their own hurt, which they were not aware of when they took the oath: but see how strong the obligation of an oath is, that a man must rather suffer loss to himself and his family, than wrong his neighbour by breaking his oath. An oath is a sacred thing, which we must not think to play fast and loose with.
6. He is one that will not increase his estate by any unjust practices, v. 5. (1.) Not by extortion; He putteth not out his money to usury, that he may live at ease upon the labours of others, while he is in a capacity for improving it by his own industry. Not that it is any breach of the law of justice oi charity, for the lender to share in the profit which the borrower makes of his money, any more than for the owner of the land tc demand rent from the occupant, money being, by art and labour, as im- provable as land. But a citizen of Zion will freely lend to the poor, according to his ability, and not be rigorous and severe in recovering his right from those that are reduced by Providence. (2. ) Not by bribery; He will not take a reward against the innocent; if he be any way employed in the admi- nistration of public justice, he will not, for any gain, or hope of it, to himself, do any thing to the preju- dice of a righteous cause.
III. The psalm concludes with a ratification of this character of the citizen of Zion; He is like Zion-hill itself, which cannot be moved, but abides for ever, cxxv. 1. Every true living member of the church, like the church itself, is built upon a Rock, which the gates of hell cannot prevail against. He that doeth these things, shall never be irioved; shall not be moved for ever, so the word is. The grace of God shall always be sufficient for him, to preserve him safe and blameless to the heavenly kingdom; temptations shall not overcome him, trou- bles shall not overwhelm him, nothing shall rob him of his present peace, or his future bliss. In singing this psalm, we must teach and admon- ish ourselves, and one another, to answer the cha- racters here given of the citizen of Zion, that we may never be moved from God's tabernacle on earth, and may arrive, at last, at that holy hill, where we shall be for ever out of the reach of temp- tation and danger.
PSALM XVI.
This psalm has something of David in it, but much more of Christ. It begins with such expressions of devotion as may be applied to Christ; but concludes with such confidence of a resurrection, (and so timely a one as to prevent corruption,) as must be applied to Christ, to him only, and cannot be understood of David, as both St. Peter and St. Paul have observed, Jlcls ii. 24. — xiii. 36. For David died, and was buried, and saw corrup- tion. I. David speaks of himself as a member of Christ, and so he speaks the language of all good Christians, professing his confidence m God; (v. 1.) his consent to him; (v. 2.) his affection to the people of God; (v. 3.) his adherence to the true worship of God; (v. 4.) and his entire complacency and satisfaction in God, and the interest he had in him, v. 5. .7. II. He speaks of him- self as a type of Christ, and so he speaks the language of Christ himself, to whom all the rest of the psalm is expressly, and at large, applied, Jlcts ii. 25, &c. David speaks concerning him, (not concerning himself,) I fore- saw the Lord always before my face, ^-c. And this he spake, being a prophet, v. 30, 31. He spake, 1. Of the special presence of God with the Redeemer, in his ser- vices and sufferings, v. 8. 2. Of the prospect which the Redeemer had of his own resurrection, and the glorv that should follow, which carried him cheerfully through his undertaking, v. 9. .11.
Michtam of David.
1. PRESERVE me, O God for in thee I do I put my trust. 2. O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord : my goodness extendelh not to thee; 3. But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. 4. Their sorrows shall be mul-
