Psalm 119:162

Verse 162. — I rejoice at thy u-ord, as one thatjindcth great spoil.

In the text, —

1. An assertion, or declaration, of his delight in the word; “I rejoice at thy word.”

1. An illustration of it by a similitude, taken from those who have gotten some notable prey and booty; “as one that findeth great spoil.”

First, The similitude is very expressive, taken from the joj- which a conqueror in battle doth find in the spoil of his defeated enemies. The same similitude is used Isa. ix. 3, “They joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.” He speaketh there of the highest joy. In a time of peace, joy of the harvest is the greatest joy; in a time of war, -victory obtained after a hazardous fight, and rich spoil and booty gotten. To heighten that joy, several circumstances concur: —

1. Deliverance after a dotrbtful conflict. No man goeth to war but carrieth his life in his hands, and the event is very uncertain. Now, when it is unexpectedly determined on our side, there is great rejoicing.

2. The joy of victory, especially to be victorious in a battle.

3. There is booty and spoil, whereby men are enriched; aiKl so profit as well as pleasure.

4. The joy of honour and triumph over fallen enemies.

5. Peace and ease from toil. All these make the joy of victorious men in a battle to be a great joy.

Secondly, It was a fit similitude for David to use, who was a great warrior; and so a man not unacquainted with the joy of victory. A gracious heart spiritualizeth eveiy occasion that falleth out in ordinary calHngs: here is great joy; but this is nothing to the knowledge of God”s will.

Thirdly, Every Christian is a warrior against Satan, the world, and the flesh: so it is a fit similitude for them. Victory over sin and Satan is above all the conquests in the world. This is a part of the good news the word bringeth to us (Col. ii. 14, 15; John xvi. 33).

Now, observe: in the foi-mer verse, David had expressed his reverence to the word; now, his delight.

First, Our trembling at the word doth not hinder our delight in it; none more cheery than the aweful soul: “Walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost” (Acts ix. 31); and, “Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments” (Psalm exii. I). Those who are most observant of God’s will, and careful to follow it, have the greatest contentment in their souls.

Secondly, Joy should be mingled with reverence, lest it degenerate into slavery and a scrupulous fear.

DocTRiKE. — That God”s people do greatly rejoice in his word.

1st, It is not an ordinary delight which is here set forth, but such as is high and intense; such joy as the richest and most gainful victory can raise in any worldly man. It is incredible, and cannot be expressed, how much joy and comfort the woi-d of God yieldeth to good men; therefore so many similitudes used: “As much as in all riches” (Psalm cxix. 14); “Sweeter than honey” (verse 103); “I love thy commandments above

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gold; yea, above fine gold“” (verse 127); a joy greater than the joy of worldly men.

2ndly, It is not a light flash, or a fantastical impression; but a solid consolation, such as is affliction-proof and death-proof, when the strength of this joy Cometh to be tried and assaulted by deep afflictions. Therefore the heirs of promise are said to have strong consolation (Heb. vi. 18). So verse 50 of this psalm, “This is my comfort in my affliction; for thy word hath quickened me.”

3rdly, This joy, which is the mark of a sound believer, is delighting to know, believe, and obey God’s word; for it is in the way of his testimonies (Psalm cxix. 14). It is in his commandments they delight greatly. Study and contemplation breedeth a pleasure, but nothing like practice. The pleasures and delights of the mind do certainly exceed those of the body; for the more noble the faculty is, the more capable of delight. A man in study hath a truer pleasure than the greatest epicure in the most exquisite enjoyments of sense. Now, moral delights exceed those which are the mere result of contemplation, as they give us a more intimate feeling of the worth of things. Again, those delights which are supernatural, and come from the Spirit, as the pleasures of faith and obedience do exceed those of the natural mind as much as those do bodily pleasures; as being exercised about nobler objects, which are the sense of the favour of God, and reconciliation with him, and the hopes of eternal life; and as coming from a higher cause, the Spirit of God. Therefore, upon the whole, there is no true delight and contentment but that which proceedeth from a careful performance of God’s commands; strictly abstaining from what may displease him, and cheerfully practising all that he requireth of us. Truly the present gratefulness of such an employment, and the succeeding comforts of such practices, are a continual feast; all other pleasures to this, are nothing worth. The obedience of faith, to a believer, is more than any worldly advantage. It is a sweet thing to be exercised in the word of God, in reading and hearing it with serious meditation; but much more to be brought under the power and practice of it.

Reasons: —

1. The godly find glad tidings in the word, suitable to their soul’s necessities, and therefore rejoice in it; for the object of delight is bonum conveniens et sufficiens. Here is enough to content them, and it is very- suitable. There is pardon of sins; and that is ground of joy: “Be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee’’ (Matt. ix. 2). There we hear of a Saviour:” This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’’ (1 Tim. i. 15). When the Gospel was preached at Samaria, “There was great joy in that city” (Acts viii. 8). Zaccheus received Christ joyfully; for he brought salvation to his house (Luke xix. 6). There is the true way of mortifying sin and sanctifying the heart: “The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the soul; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes” (Psalm xix. 8). There we are told of the joys of the world to come: “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Cor. ii. 9). We should exult for joy to hear of those things. Thus, you see, the word of God affbrdeth such comforts, such matter of rejoicing, as cannot be paralleled. A poor man, when he findelh a treasure, receivetb it with a joyful heart. Oh! what inestimable treasure do we find in the word of God! The way of eternal sahation is there made manifest.

2. The saints have felt benefit by it. They have been renewed and sanctified by it; therefore they prize it: “Of his own will begat he us, with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Wherefore, kc, be swift to hear’ (James i. IS, 19). There they have found powerful heavenly truths, by which their souls are made new: they have tasted God’s love in the doctrines and promises thereof, and against a taste there is no disputing (1 Peter ii. 2, 3). Experimented sweetness is beyond all arguments; they hale been revived and comforted by it in their troubles, as at the 93rd verse of this psalm more largely, “I will never forget thy precepts; for with them thou hast quickened mc.” God hath done their souls good by it. It is the charter of their hopes (verse 111). Whatever calamities they meet with in the world, there they see ground of peace and coniposedness in their soul.

3. They love God, and they hear more of him in the word than they caa elsewhere. The soul that loveth God, heareth and seeth his blessed name in every leaf. They find the effects of his goodness in creation, some fruits and pledges of his love in daily providence; but there they find his great,, eternal, and wonderful love in Christ; there they know God’s will, and it is their desire to be subject to it; and therefore value it, not only as the charter of their hopes, but as the rule of their duty.

Use I. — To condemn them, —

1st, That find no sweetness in the word of God. They do not mind the business of salvation; and then no wonder if they have a slight and mean esteem of the word.

Two reasons of this contempt: —

1. Their scope is not fixed. All means are regarded with respect to the end. Now, if they do not make the everlasting enjoyment of God their end, the Scriptures are of little use to them, a ti’ouble rather than a comfort, because they disturb them in pursuing their lusts; but a man that would enjoy God, get to his holy hill, is apprehensive of the benefit.

2. They are not affected with their wants, and therefore esteem not the word; for the great benefit of the word is to teach us a remedy for sin and niisei-y. Now, they that mind not the misery and danger in which they stand, go on carelessly and despise the word of God: “A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished” (Prov. xxii. 3). They little think of the evil which is near them, and so slight the counsel of God.

2ndly, Those that will not believe them that find sweetness in it, as if all were fantastical and imaginary. Are the wisest and most serious part of mankind deceived? And hath the carnal fool only, the wit to discern the mistake? Surely in all reason it should be otherwise. These tell us of those delights and transy)orts of soul in meditating on the promises, in purifying their hearts by the precepts; and, though a stranger intermeddleth not with their joys, yet surely these find thein. All that is spiritual and supernatural is suspected by those who are drowned in matters of sense. A voice from Heaven is thunder (John xii. 29); the motions of the Spirit, fumes of wine (Acts ii. 13); joy in the Holy Ghost, but a fancy, &c.

3rdly, Them that count it alphabetary knowledge, fit for beginners.

David was no novice; yet he rejoiced in the word as one that found groat spoil; the more conversant he was in these holy writings, the more he delighted in them. No; it is not only children’s meat; there is not only milk there, but strong meat also (Heb. v. 14). It is our rule to walk by, till our blessedness be perfected; the continual storehouse of our comforts (Rom. XV. 4). It is the continual means of growing into communion with God in Christ.

.Use II. — To exhort us to delight in the word of God. It is the work and mark of a blessed man: “But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Psalm i. 2). As far as the necessities of the present life will bear it, they are still getting more knowledge of true blessedness, and the way that leadeth to the enjoyment of it. This is their business and pleasing study. His work is to form his heart to a sincere, uniform, impartial obedience; and, as he doth increase in godliness by the help of the Mord, his soul is more satisfied; all the joys of the world, to this, are nothing to him. Are your hearts thus set to know the Lord and his revealed will, and the way of life?