Psalm 119:25

Verse 25. —” Mij soul cleaveth ii/i/o tlic ibist quicken thou nw nccartting to thy word.

The man of God in this Psalm had spoken before of the common and universal benefits uf the word, as it agreeth to all times and conditions of believers; for it belongeth to all, in what state soever they are, to look upon it is a direction in the way to get true happiness, and to stir up suitable aHections in their hearts. Now he showcth what use the word hath in each special condition, especially in the time of great aHlictions. David did often change states, but his aH’cction to the word never chaiiLreth.

Here is (1.) a representation of David’s case. (2.) His supplication or petition thereupon. Wherein (1.) the request itself. (2.) The argument to enforce it.

1. The representation of David’s case, “My soul cleaveth unto the dust.” The speech is metaphorical, expressing the depth of his misery, or the greatness of his sorrow and humiliation. (1.) The depth of his misery, w ith alhision to the case of a man overcome in battle, or mortally wounded, and tumbling in the dlist, or to a man dead and laid in the earth, as, “Thou hast brought me into the dust of death” (Psalm xx. ‘)). Sure we are, the cxi)ression importeth the extren)ity of distress and danger, either as a man dead, or near death. (2.) The greatness of his sorrow and humiliation, and so the allusion is taken from a man prostrate and grovelling on the ground, which was their postine of humbling themselves before the Lord, or when any great calamity befell them, .losepli. lib. If) cap. 7. As when Herod Agrippa died, they put on sackcloth, and lay upon the earth weeping. The same allusion is: “Our s«jul is bowed down to the dust, our belly cleaveth unto the earth” (Psalm liv. 2o). Suitably to w liich allusion, the Scptuagint render it iKokLH^n Tiji ictii;in »; >^’i’li; lib, “to the palcinent.’”

And we read in Theodoret, that Thcoilosius the Emperor when reproved by .lmbrose for the slaughter at Thessalonica, he lay upon the ground, and huml)lv begged pardon, using these words, ^■Idhtcsit /Ktrh/trn/n uiiiinatufti. The meaning is then, that in his dejected condition he wouUl lie prostrate at CJod’s feet as a poor supplicant, and die there. Tlu? point is, — I)(»( THINK. — That (Jod’s children may hale such great atilictions brought upon them, that their souls may even cleave to the ilust.

These alllietions may respect their inward or outward condition. 1. Their inward contlilion; and so through grief and terrors of conscience they are re»d to drop into the grave. That trouble of mind is a usual exercise of God’s people, see Ileman’s complaint, Psalm lxxxliii.

from verse 3 to the end of verse 7. “My soul is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. I am counted with them that go down into the pit. I am as a man that hath no strength, free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more, and they are cut off from thy hand. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deep. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.” It was in soul, and it was in his soul by reason of the wrath of God, and that in such a degree of vehemency, that in his own judgment, and the judgment of others, he could not expect to be long a man of this world, little diflering from the dead, yea the damned. So David: “I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice, and he gave ear unto me. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; my sore ran in the night and ceased not; my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled. I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah. Thou boldest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak: I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient time, &.c.”’ (Psalm, lxxvii. 1, &c.). By the sense of God’s wrath he was even wounded to death; and the sore running upon him would admit of no plaster. Yea the remembrance of God was a trouble to him: “I remembered God, and was troubled.” What a heavy word was that! Soul-troubles are the most pressing troubles; a child of God is as a lost man in such a condition.

2. In respect of the heavy weight of outward pressures. Thus David fasted, and lay all night upon the earth in his child’s sickness: “David therefore besought God for the child: and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him to raise him up from the earth; but he would not: neither did he eat bread with them” (2 Sam. xii. 16, 17). And when he was driven from his palace by Absolom, and was in danger of his life every moment (which some interpreters think to be the case intended in the text) when he went up the Mount of Olives bare foot, going and weeping: “And David went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet, and wept as he went vip, and had his head covered; and he went barefoot, and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up weeping as they went” ( 2 Sam. XV. 30).

Now the reasons of this are these: — “1. To correct them for past sins. This was the cause of David’s trouble, and this puts a sting into all miseries. God’s children smart under their sins here in this world, as well as others:” Behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner’’ (Prov. xi. 31). Recompensed in the earth, that is, punished for his sins. Comj:«ire with it, 1 Peter iv. 18: “And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” God punisheth here, that he may spare for ever. He giveth some remembrance of the evil, and corrects his people, not to complete their justification, or to make more satisfaction for God’s justice, than Christ hath made; yet to promote their sanctification, that is, to make sin bitter to them, and to vindicate the glory of God, that he is not partial. For these reasons they are even brought to the dust by their own folly.

2. To humble them, and bring them low in the midst of their great enjoyments, therefore he casts them down even to the dust; because we cannot keep our hearts low, therefore God maketh our condition low. This

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was Paul’s case: “And our hope of you is steadfast, knowintr that as ye are partukers of th<; .suH’eriiigs, so shall ye be also of the consolation: for we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble, whidi caine to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: but we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead” (2 Cor. i. 7, 9). That is, not build too securely on their own sufficiencies.

3. To try their graces, which are never tried to the life, till we be near the point of death. The sincerity of our estate, and the strength of faith, is not discovered upon the throne so much as in the dust, if we can depend upon God in the hardest condition.

4. To awaken the spirit of prayer: “Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord” (Psalm cxxx. 1). Affiiction puts an edge upon our desires. They that are Hut and careless at other times, are oflenest then with God.

5. To show the more of his glory, and the riches of his goodness in their recovery: “Thou which hast showed nie great and sore troubles, shalt (piicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth: thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side”’ (Psalm lxxi. 20, 21). By the greater humiliation, God prepareth us for the greater blessings. As there are multitudes of troubles to humble and try the saints; so his mercies do not come alone, but with great plenty.

Use I. — Let us bless God that we are not i)ut to such great trials. How gentle is our exercise compared with David’s case! We are weak, and God will not overburden us. There is a great deal of the wisdom and love of God seen in the measure of the cross, and in the nature and kind of it. We have no cause to say our belly cleaveth to the dust, or that we are pressed above measiwe. God giveth us only a gentle remembrance; if brought upon our knees, we are not brought upon our faces.

Use IL — If this should be our case, do not count it strange. It is a usual exercise of God’s people; let us therefore not be otfended, but approve God’s holy and wise disj)eiisation. If there be great troubles, there have been great sins, or there will be great comforts, or for the present there are great graces. As such a dis])ensation is a correction, there is reason to approve it. If you be laid in the dust, have not you laid CJud’s honour in the dust, and trampled his laws under foot? As it is a trial, you have caue to api)r()ve it: for it is but meet that when (iod hath planted grace in the heart, he should prove the strength of it. Therefore if you be kept BO long in your heavy condition that you seem dead; yet if you have faith to keep you alive, and ])atience be exercised, it is for your ijreater good: “And not only so, but we ghiry in tribulation also, knowing that tribulation workcth patience” (Rom. v. 3). And so affliction is an exercise for your benefit and spiritual iui|)rovement. The husbandman when he tearetli and rcndelh the ground up with the j)lougli, it is to ju.ike it more fruitful; th(; longi-r the metal is in the tire, the more jiure it cometh forth; nay, Bometimrs you have your outward comforts «ilh advantage after troubles: “yVnd the Lord turned the captivity of Job wIhmi he prayed for his frielids: also tli<- Lord gave Job twice as nnich as he had before: and the Lord blessed the latter <’ii<l of Jib mon; than his beginning” (Job. xlii. 10, 12. Oh! when we arc lilted to enjoy comforts, we shall have them plenl enough.

Doctrine II. — That in such great and heavy troubles we should deal with God for help.

In the dust David calleth to God for quickening. The reasons of this, why in great troubles we should go to God for help, are, first, from the inconvenience of any other course. (1.) If the godly should smother their grief, and not go to God with it, their sorrow were able to choak them. It is no small ease that we have a God to go to, to whom we may freely open our minds. Prayer hath a pacative virtue; as, Hannah “prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore;” and mark the event, “the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad,” &c. (1 Sam. i. 18). An oven stopped up, is the hotter within; but vent and utterance giveth ease to the heart, if it be merely by way of complaint to a friend, without expectation of relief; much more to go to God, and lay open our case before him. (2.) To seek our comfort elsewhere from earthly things, it is a vain and evil course. 1st, It is vain; for God is the party with whom Ave have to do. In many troubles the creatures may be instruments of our wo; but the principal party is God. Strike in with him, and you stop the mischief at the head: “When a man’s ways please the Lord, he niaketh even his enemies to be at peace with him” (Prov. xvi. 7). In other troubles God hath a more immediate hand, as sicknesses and terrors of conscience; our business then lieth not with the creatures in sickness, not with physicians first, but with God. In troubles of spirit we are not to quench our thirst at the nearest ditch, but to run to the fountain of living water; not to take up with ordinary comforts, that is an attempt to break prison, and to get out of the troubles before God letteth us out. He is our party then, whoever be the instrument. 2ndly, It is evil that we refuse to come to God when he whippeth us into his presence, and beateth us to the throne of grace: “All this evil is come upon us, yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth“’ (Dan. ix. 13). ^^”hen men are ready to die, and will not so much as confer with the physician, they are either stupid or desperate. Afflictions summon us into his presence. God sendeth a tempest after us, as after Jonah. Now that trouble which chaseth us to God, is so far a sanctified trouble. Second, The hope of relief from God, who alone can and will help us: “He putteth his mouth in the dust: if so be there may be hope” (Lam. iii. 29). Now this hope is from God’s power and will. (I.) His power. God can quicken us when we are as good as dead, because he is the well-spring of life and comfort. Other things give us life, but only as water scaldeth when it is the instrument of heat; but God alone can help us. God is the great quickener: “That I might trust in him that raised the dead:” and, “I am the resurrection and the life.” (2.) His will. When we are humble and tractable in our afflictions. 1st, It is some hope if we have nothing to bring before God but our grief and misery; for he is pitiful. A beggar will uncover his sore to move your bowels; so many times all the reason that a poor, pitiful, afflicted person can bring for himself, is lamenting his case to God, how discouraged he is, and ajit to faint, as David represents his case: “My soul cleaveth to the dust;” and elsewhere: “But I am poor and sorrowful; let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high” (Psalm lxix. 29). Justice seeketh a fit object, but mercy a fit occasion. 2ndly, It is a greater ground of hope when we are humbled under God’s hand, and have a due sense of our condition, that is, are convinced of our emptiness, weakness, nothingness, or

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emptied of self-conceit and carnal confidence: “For the Lord shall judge this people, and rejjent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up or left’ (Deul. xxxii..’:6). God’s judginents are to break our carnal dependencies. 3rdly, Still the hope increaseth, when we acknowledge his juptice and wisdom in all our troubles: “If then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity” (Lev. xxvi. 41); kiss the rod wherewith they are corrected, be glad it is no worse, and see that all this conielh from a just and wise God. 4thly, There is further hope, when we can cast ourselves upon his faithfulness and omniputency, in the face of all discouragements. Christ’s (juestion to the man long possessed was: “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that hclieveth” (Mark ix. 2.3). God’s power is exercised, when glorified by faith and dependence. 5thly, When we submit to what may be most for his glory. Carnal prayers, tlunigh never so earnest, fail when we are too earnet upon our private end, and the means which we fancy: “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us; but unto thy name give glorv, for thy mercv and for thv truth’s sake” (Psalm cxv. 1).

Use — In deep calamities run to God, lay forth your case feelingly and with submission to the justice of his providence, trusting to his power, and submitting to his wisdom, without obtruding your model upon God, but leaving him to his own course; and this is the way to speed. Take heed, —

1. Of a stujjid carelessness under the rod; it is a time of seeking after God, a summons to the creature to come before him. Now if we think to sport away our trouble without looking after Gods comforts, it is a desperate security: “They have belied the Lord, and said. It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine” (Jer. V. 12).

2. Take heed of despondency. The throne of grace is set up on purpose for such a time: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Ileb. iv. 10). “Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me” (Psalm 1. 15). Open your case before the Lord.

3. Take heed of pitching too nuich upon outward things, either as to the time or way of deliverance. Lust is vehement; but the more you seek, the more comfortable will be the issue: “Do good in thy gooil pleasure unto Sion; build thou the walls of Jerusalem’ (Palm li. IH).

Secondly, We come now to David’s supplication or petition thereupon; where observe, —

1st, The recjuest itself, “Quicken thou me.”’

2ndly, The argument, “According to thy word.”

First, The retpiest itself, “(iuicken thou me;” which noteth either the renewing of comfort, or the actuation of graces, the restoring or putting life into his all’airs.

(1.) The renewing of comfort; (piicken me, revive me, or restore life to me again; and this either by outward deliverance, so (piickening is ued: “Thou which hast showed me great and sore troul)les, shall quicki-n me again, and shall hriii;; me up again from the depths t)f the earth” (Psalm Ix.xi. 20); where deep trouble is compari’d to the grave, and deliverance a kind of resurrection or recovery froui the dead: or by (he letting in of inward comfort and spiritual ri;vi mg from the sense of God’s love:” Quicken

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US, and we will call upon thy name. Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts; cause thy face to shine, and we shall he saved” (Psalm lxxx. 18, 19). The shining of God’s face, or the sense of God’s love, is the reviving of afflicted spirits.

(2.) The actuation of grace; there may be life where there is no vigour. Now when we are stirred up to be lively in God’s service, we are said to be quickened, as in the 19th verse of the Psalm before quoted; and often it is thus used in this Psalra, as verse the 37th: “Quicken thou me in thy way.” The point is this: —

That God’s children need often go to God for quickening, because they often lie under deadness of heart; and therefore should desire God who is the fountain of grace, to emit and send forth his influence.

They need this quickening, (1.) By reason of their constant weakness. (2.) Their frequent indispositions and distempers of soul.

1st, Their constant weakness in this world.

1. By reason of their inclination to sin.

2. The imperfection of their motions towards that which is good.

(1.) By reason of their inclination to sin. Carnal concupiscence draweth us aside from God to sensual objects, James i. 14; a man is “drawn away of his own lust.” There is a strong bias of corruption drawing us from Christ to present things:” Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us’’ (Heb. xii. 1). There is a carnal aff’ection, or corrupt inclination, which carrieth us out inordinately to things lawful, or too often to things unlawful; this hangeth as a weight, retarding us in all our heavenly flights and motions. The love and care of the world, which is apt to press down the soul, and doth twine about us, and insinuate with us; the Apostle calleth it a law in his members (Rom. vii. 23); a warning to us, how, when the flesh draweth us off so strongly one way, to implore the divine grace to draw us more strongly to the other.

(2.) Because of the imperfection of their motions to that which is good, though there be a purpose, bent of heart, and inclination that way. Our gyves are still about us; we feel the old maim. Grace is like a spark in wet wood that needs continued blowing.

2ndly, Their frequent indispositions and distempers of soul. Sometimes they feel a loathness in their souls, and a shyness of God’s presence; their hearts hang off”; the spirit indeed is willing, but some fleshly thought or carnal excuse checketh the motion. It is God alone that can make the soul willing, he giveth both will and deed. God bendeth the unwilling will, as well as helpeth the fainting affections. Again, sometimes they find a great deadness, there is no vigour or liveliness in their affections, and they cannot follow after God with such zeal and earnestness: though there be not a formal deadness, such as usually is in the duties of hypocrites; yet there is not alwaj’s the same strength and agility of grace in the children of God; their souls do not so earnestly reach after Christ. Now what can help but divine quickening? therefore go to God for it. We should rouse and stir up ourselves. God giveth out influence according to his will or pleasure, but we must still stir up ourselves.

But to answer a case of conscience, “Whether we are to do duty in case of deadness and indisposition?” &c.

I. The influence of grace is not the warrant of duty, but the help; it is the efficient, assisting cause, not the ground or rule; we are to do all acts

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of obedience on the account of God’s command: “Simon answering, said unto him, Masti-r, we have toiled all the night and have taken nothing, nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net” (Luke v. 5). God is sovereign, and we are bound to obey whether disposed or indisposed. Should the husbandman never plough but when disposed to plough?

2. Our sinful indisposition cannot excuse us. In sins of commission our weakness to resist temptation is no excuse. So also m sins of omission, we cannot be allowed to say, ‘It was the Lord suffered me to sin.’ No more will this plea be allowed, ‘The Lord did not cjuicken me to duty.’ Grace is as necessary to prevent sin, as to perform duty. God’s suspension was no excuse to Hezekiah: “Ilowbeit, in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, w ho sent to him to intjuire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart” (2 Chron. xxxii. 31). This complaint of weakness hath an ill aspect; complaining without labouring, is rather a taxing of God. But, —

3. Natural men are bound to pray and perform duties, tHerefore renewed men. That natural men are bound, see Acts viii. 22: “Ile])ent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.” Again, “The Lord looked down from Heaven to see if there were any thai did understand and seek God” (Psalm xiv. 2). It is charged as a crime, that they did not, but much more the renewed; for to whom more is given, of them more is recjuired. It is another talent wherewith they arc entrusted. Grace is not only donuin, but talftitum: grace is not given as a piece of money to a child to play withal, but as we give money to factors to trade withal for us. Now a renewed man should do more, being capable of more.

4. The outward act of a duty is commanded as well as the inward, thoufrh they come not up to the nature of a perfect duty, there is somewhat of the ordinance of Christ in them: “Take with you words, and turn unto the Lord: say linto him. Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will Wf render the calves of our lips” (Hos. xiv. 2). Though I caiuiot do all, I nmst do as much as I can.

5. We are to wait humbly in the use of means, for the power of his grace. When the door is shut, knocking is the only way to get it open. i will go and offer myself to (Jod,and see what he will do for me; which is God’s usual way, and to be used with the more caution and diligence, because God doth all: “Wherefore my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence; wr)ik out your own salvation with fear and trembling: for it is (iod which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Phil. ii. 12, 13). Seamen by tacking about get wind: so far as you use the means, you comply with fiod’s end. A sad threatening there is to those that neglect the use of means, that shut the door upon themselves, or if (!od withdraws, are willin’^’ he should keep away.

n. Acliiitr in spiritual duties, fits us for them: Itrr <id /lirfafi-m rst intra pirfdti’ni .- iprayiug fits for praying, meditating for meditating: frefpient tuniinu the key, maketh the lock go more easy, (iood dispositions make wav for good dispositions: “Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he s’hall strengthen thy heart” (Psalm xxvii. II. — Psalm xxxi. 2 I). Pluck up your spirits, strive to lake courage, and then (Jod will give you courage. To shake us out of laziness, God maketh the precept to go before the promise. God biddeth us pray, though prayer be his own gift. Act as you would expect.

7. There is a supply cometh in ere we are aware: “Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadab” (Cant. vi. 12.) in the very work. A strange difference of temper is to be observed in David before the Psalm be over: “Arise therefore, and be doing, and the Lord be with thie” (1 Chron. xxii. 16). God will not help that man that hath legs to go, and will not.

8. We are to rouse up ourselves: “And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee” (Psalm lxiv. 7). When we are willing to get the work over, and wrestle not for life and power in praying; we do not all we are able. The cock, by clapping the wings, addeth strength to the crowing. We should rouse up ourselves. We use not the bellows to a dead coal, &c.

Secondly, The next circumstance is the argument, “according to thy word;” what word doth David mean? Either the general promises in the books of Moses or Job; which intimate deliverance to the faithful observers of God’s law, or help to the miserable and distressed; or some particular promise given to him by Nathan, or others. Chrysostom saith, “Quicken me to live according to thy word: but it is not a word of command, but a word of promise.” Mark here, —

1. He doth not say. Secundum meritwn meum, but, secundum verhum tuum; the hope, or that help which we expect from God, is founded upon his word; there is our security, in his promises, not in our deservings: PromHtendo se fecit dehVtorem Se.

2. When there was so little Scripture written, yet David could find out a word for his support: Alas! in our troubles and afflictions, no promise occurreth to mind. As in outward things, many that have less, live better than those that have abundance; so here, now Scripture is so large, we are less diligent, and therefore, though we have so many promises, we are apt to faint, we have not a word to bear us up.

3. This word did not help him, till he had lain long under this heavy condition, that he seemed dead. Many, when they have a promise, think presently to enjoy the comfort of it. No, there is waiting and striving first necessary. We never relish the comfort of the promises, till the creatures have spent their allowance, and we have been exercised. God will keep his word, and yet we must expect to be tried.

4. In this his dead condition, faith in God’s word kept him alive. When we have least feeling, and there is nothing left us, the word will support us: “And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb; he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God” (Rom. iv. 19, 20).

5. One good way to get comfort, is to plead the promise to God in prayer, Chiroffraplia tua inj’ic’iehat i’lhi Doynine, show him his handwriting; God is tender of his word. These arguings in prayer, are not to work upon God, but oursehes.

Use. — Well then, let us thus deal with God, looking to him in the sense of our own weakness, praying often to God for quickening, as David doth in the text. God keepeth grace in his own hands, and dispenseth it at his pleasure, that he may often hear from us, and that we may renew our dependence upon him; it is pleasing to him when we desire him to renew

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his work, and bring forlli the actings of grace in their vigour and lustre. And let us acknowledge Divine grace, if there be strong actings of faith and love towards God. He is to be owned in his work.