things which were long hid from the wise and prudent, but are now revealed unto babes. If there were wonders in the law, much more in the gospel, where Christ is all in all, whose name is Wonderful. Well may we, who are so nearly interested, desire to behold these wondrous things, when the angels themselves reach to look into them, 1 Pet. i. 12.
2. Those that would see the wondrous things of God's law and gospel, must beg of him to open their eyes, and to give them an understanding. We are by nature blind to the things of God, till his grace cause the scales to fall from our eyes; and even those in whose hearts God has said, Let there be light, have yet need to be further enlightened, and must still pray to God to open their eyes yet more and more, that they who at first saw men as trees walking, may come to see all things clearly: and the more God opens our eyes, the more wonders we see in the word of God which we saw not before.
19. I am a stranger in the earth; hide not thy commandments from me.
Here we have,
1. The acknowledgment which David makes of his own condition; I am a stranger in the earth. We all are so, and all good people confess themselves to be so; for heaven is their home, and the world is but their inn, the land of their pilgrimage. David was a man that knew as much of the world, and was as well known in it, as most men. God built him a house, established his throne; strangers submitted to him, and people that he had not known served him; he had a name like the names of the great men, and yet he calls himself a stranger. We are all strangers on earth, and must so account ourselves.
2. The request he makes to God thereupon; Hide not thy commandments from me; he means more; "Lord, show thy commandments to me; let me never know the want of the word of God, but, as long as I live, give me to be growing in my acquaintance with it. I am a stranger, and therefore stand in need of a guide, a guard, a companion, a comforter; let me have thy commandments always in view, for they will be all this to me, all that a poor stranger can desire. I am a stranger here, and must be gone shortly; by thy commandments let me be prepared for my removal hence."
20. My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.
David had prayed that God would open his eyes, (v. 18.) and open the law; (v. 19.) now here he pleads the earnestness of his desire for knowledge and grace, for it is the fervent prayer that avails much.
1. His desire was importunate; My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thy judgments; or, as some read it, "It is taken up, and wholly employed, in longing for thy judgments; the whole stream of its desires runs in this channel. I shall think myself quite broken and undone, if I want the word of God, the direction, converse, and comfort, of it."
2. It was constant; at all times; it was not now and then, in a good humour, that he was so fond of the word of God; but it is the habitual temper of every sanctified soul to hunger after the word of God, as its necessary food, which there is no living without.
21. Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.
Here is, 1. The wretched character of wicked people. The temper of their minds is bad; they are proud, they magnify themselves above others; and yet that is not all; they magnify themselves against God, and set up their wills in competition with, and opposition to, the will of God, as if their hearts, and tongues, and all, were their own. There is something of pride at the bottom of every wilful sin, and the tenor of their laws is no better; They do err from thy commandments, as Israel, that did always err in their hearts; they err in judgment, and embrace principles contrary to thy commandments, and then no wonder that they err in practice, and wilfully turn aside out of the good way. This is the effect of their pride; for they say, What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? As Pharaoh, Who is the Lord?
2. The wretched case of such. They are certainly cursed, for God resists the proud; and they that throw off the commands of the law lay themselves under its curse; (Gal. iii. 10.) and he that now beholds them afar off, will shortly say to them, Go, ye cursed. The proud sinners bless themselves, God curses them; and though the most direful effects of this curse are reserved for the other world, yet they are often severely rebuked in this world: Providence crosses them, vexes them, and, wherein they dealt proudly, God shows himself above them: and these rebukes are earnests of worse. David took notice of the rebukes proud men were under, and it made him cleave the more closely to the word of God, and pray the more earnestly that he might not err from God's commandments. Thus saints get good by God's judgments on sinners.
22. Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.
Here, 1. David prays against the reproach and contempt of men; that they might be removed, or, as the word is, rolled, from off him. This intimates that they lay upon him, and that neither his greatness nor his goodness could secure him from being libelled and lampooned: some despised him, and endeavoured to make him mean, others reproached him, and endeavoured to make him odious. It has often been the lot of those that do well, to be ill-spoken of. It intimates that they lay heavy upon him. Hard and foul words do not indeed break bones, and yet they are very grievous to a tender and ingenuous spirit; therefore David prays, "Lord, remove them from me, that I may not be thereby either driven from my duty, or discouraged in it." God has all men's hearts and tongues in his hand, and can silence lying lips, and raise up a good name that is trodden in the dust; to him we may appeal as the Assertor of right and Avenger of wrong, and may depend on his promise, that he will clear up our righteousness as the light, xxxvii. 6. Reproach and contempt may humble us and do us good, and then it shall be removed.
2. He pleads his constant adherence to the word and way of God; For I have kept thy testimonies. He not only pleads his innocency, that he was unjustly censured, but, (1.) That he was jeered for well-doing; he was despised and abused for his strictness and zeal in religion: so that it was for God's name's sake that he suffered reproach, and therefore he could with the more assurance beg of God to appear for him. The reproach of God's people, if it be not removed now, will be turned into the greater honour shortly. (2.) That he was not jeered out of well-doing; "Lord, remove it from me, for I have kept thy testimonies notwithstanding." If in a day of trial we still retain our integrity, we may be sure it will end well.
23. Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.
See here, 1. How David was abused even by great men, who should have known better his cha
