Psalms 32–34

Psalm xxxii. But in the midst of all the exercises of heart which belong to a renewed soul in the midst of its difficulties here below, there is one point which is the centre of all, a need to which an answer is craved alike by the heart and conscience — its relationship to God when it thinks of its sin before Him. It has need of confidence for trials, of deliverance and help. It is cheered by promises, and bowed in heart and will as to the ways of God. But it needs reconciliation with Himself above all, the unclouded light of His countenance: as regards its own state forgiveness, and the absence of guilt The entire removal of all guilt before God, and Eis complete forgiveness, is beautifully connected here with purifying the heart and inner man. the taking oul guile, and this in the confession of actual sins. But it begins, as it must, with God,andfinds its satisfaction in Eis thoughts towards it And this is right. Thus only can the heart be really purified, and sin have its true character, and God His right place, without which nothing is right. Vet it is the conscious state of its forgiveness which lirst affects the soul, after conviction and distress For sin has been wrought and the soul brought to confession. “Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven.” He has sinned against God, transgressed. It is all perfectly forgiven. But it was sin before God and evil — a thing itself hateful in God’s sight, and now in the soul’s. It is expiated, covered; propitiation has been made. The present state is then put absolutely : — Jehovah imputed no iniquity to it: and now the whole heart is open before God. There is no guile in it. Why should there be when all is open with God, all cleared, and sin gone out of His sight? And oh! what a blessing it is to have the perfed light of God on an unsullied soul, not an innocent one That is a far less thing, and. indeed, the inshining of perfect light would be inapplicable then; but with a knowledge of g i and evil, and knowing what lighl is (in contrasl with darkness.) and to have it shining upon one as white as snow, is infinitely 1i1cs.mi1. I do not deny that it is more personal relationship here, into which also I will enter; bul For the Christian this is implied m Forgiveness, and covering, and non-imputation of sin. As yet, of course, it is by faith, but not the less true for that. The ways of God in bringing the soul to it, and His ways after it, are also gone into in the psalm: no rest to the proud will which would not confess! (how gracious to pursue the soul thus!) — the most intimate guidance for the soul reconciled in communion, care in the midst of trial.

The psalm, then, is the expression of conscious 1 ilessedness in the sense of being forgiven. And how sweet it is to be in the sunshine of God’s favour in the sense that His love has been active towards us! The undeservedness of the favour, though it is not the brightest joy, gives great deepness to it, because it is God Himself who forgives; for so it must be in forgiveness when the soul is restored to Him. Then there is the consciousness of the sin being out of God’s sight. This is a very great blessing indeed, and the consciousness of it most sweet, the thought that not one sin appears in the sight of God. But there is the special sense, not that there was no sin, but that God imputes none, that He has a determined fixed judgment — He does not impute it. The sin is not denied; that would be guile. In this part the feelings are not so much engaged, but there is the judicial certainty of non-imputation necessary for truth in the inward parts. This connects itself with confession. But it is not only uprightness in word and confession, but in spirit. There was truth in the inward parts. No desire in the soul to hide, to conceal from itself the evil, it presents itself before forgiveness, before non-imputation: that is its connexion with sili. mpt hiding it. Tic sees the sin truly, but sees, and because lie sees, it is not imputed. But the phrase is absolute and general — “to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity.” It is an absolute condition of the individual; it is not his iniquity or particular fault forgiven, though, doubtless, that is so too, but absolute non-imputation of any. The man exists before God as having ao sin. according to the judgment of God. Then my heart is open and free before God. 1 have the consciousness of this, and look up to God as having no sin. with the consciousness that He sees none. Hence there is no cloud, nothing to hide. This is not so. however, when confession is not made. Absolute non-imputation — that is God’s actual judgment of me and manner of looking at me. No sin is there; none between me and Him. But, in arriving at the consciousness of this Missed truth, there has been confession. Till then, the pressure of God’s hand was upon the soul. to force it to come to this. How gracious this is, God’s watching over a soul, and a soul going* wrong. too! to bring it to Himself. But he was brought by grace to this point — acknowledging sin to God, no excuse, giving it its true character, real spiritual uprightness, however humbling it may be. This was morally important, but is not all. “I will confess my transgressions” — the acts are brought up in memory. He resolved to take this course, and all

was right. “Jehovah forgave the iniquity.” 1 John i. opens this out Christianly. There, also, we cannot

Bay we have DO sin. and we confess our sins. The connexion of the absence of all sin on the conscience and no guile in the heart, because it is entirely open through conscious non-imputation, is very instructive. It can be in no other way, only man is brought to it in truth by confession, and to confession through confidence. Thus only is the heart opened to God through grace, thus only is truth in the inward parts, though forced to the humiliation as regards our will, by forgiveness being known by promise. “There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mightest be feared.”

This revelation of God awakens the thought and feeling of all the upright and gracious minded to look to God in the time when He reveals Himself as the forgiving God, when He can be found. So for Christ Himself in Isaiah xlix.; it was the accepted time. When He had been perfect, when perfectly proved before God, then He was heard, for He had been made sin; and the apostle cites it thus, “Now is the accepted time, to-day is the day of salvation.” The revelation of forgiveness and the joy of such relationship with God awakens the desire after and delight in such a God in gracious souls, and they seek unto Him. Supposing they have not the sense of sin at the moment, they know they are sinners, and God is so revealed, has a character which is their delight, and their soid links itself with Him. They seek to Him, not simply for forgiveness. It is in their character of graciousness they are spoken of here, but it is such a God — a God of this character, and these ways — which draws their heart; and note, God so acting, so revealed, makes the time the finding time. This connection of the graciousness of the heart with the graciousness of God, and the power of attraction it lias, is very beautiful, and it is very deep in the gracious mind. There must be the sense of need, of dependence, and in us of the need of grace as such in the whole character of our relationship with God. But it. is withal a deep realization in proportion in godliness, when the conscience is not bad, of the perfeel and divine grace, the loveliness, yet the

sovereign goodness of God’s ways in this. Happy in goodness, we feel that this grace suits us and suits (rod; it draws us, as godly, to God. Hence we are there sheltered, come what will. If we think of the remnant, the principle will be plain. Israel, the lews, have been deeply guilty in everyway. God holds out, as in this psalm, and everywhere in Moses and the prophets, forgiveness. This is felt; God is so revealed; the godly remnant are touched by this: sins, no doubt, are confessed, but the heart of the godly draws to God. When the flood of judgments break in, they are preserved. In every case, the soul thus acquainted with goodness can count upon God. God Himself, thus known, is its hiding place. In the end songs of deliverance will be its portion.

Bui then promises come. We have to go through a wilderness in which there is no way; and in the midsl of snares and dangers of false ways’, God guides and teaches. The eye of God rests on us and guides us. it is not a way marked out and left; it is God Himself who watches over and guides us in a way that suits Him, and is the fruit of His wisdom, a divine way for us. God Himself it is that is brought

before as here: God’s goodness, God’s leading, God interested in us to forgive when aeeded, to lead with the undistracted eye of love. But then it supposes that the heart pays attention to the eye of God. It is attention to Him, and the following it with understanding that is the way; and thus the soul is inwardly taught in what is agreeable to Him, and is formed after Him in knowledge. This the New Testament largely unfolds. (Phil. i. 9 — 11; Col. i. 9, 10; iii. 10; Eph. iv. 24.) Even Moses says, “If I have found grace in thy sight, teach me thy way, that I may know thee and find grace in thy sight.” It is the spiritual learning of God’s way through His guidance, and communion with Him founded on His favour. Hence they are warned not to be like an unintelligent beast, who must be outwardly held. God can guide us thus, does graciously sometimes by His providence: but there is no spiritual understanding, no moral assimilation to His nature, and growth of the delight of our new nature in Him; no increased capacity, by this means, for knowing God. The result is declared in the judicial ways of God in the last two verses: only that we have to remark, that it is in Jehovah Himself that the soul has to rejoice, not in the consequences, though they that trust in Him be compassed about with mercy. He Himself known by forgiveness, known by ever accessible kindness and goodness, as a hiding place for the soul, as one that guided wTith His own care, with His eye, was the one to whom the soul thus taught was taught to rejoice. So Paul — “Rejoice in the Lord alway, and again I say rejoice.” We joy in God through our Lord Jesus, by whom we have received the reconciliation. He fills the soul, and He is above all.

I ‘sal m xxxiii. I have only a few principles to note in speaking- of this psalm. All the psalms to the end of xxxix. nnfold the moral state of the Jewish remnant in the last days. I say the moral state, more than their condition under oppression, and the thought of forgiveness gives in general a brighter tiut to the colouring of them, though the sense of their condition is found also, as elsewhere. Psalm xxxiii. follows on the last verse of xxxii., and the thought of forgiveness having put a new song’ in his mouth, he can look out with clearer confidence on the principles on which men should act, looking to the word and works of God. The earth is viewed as under God’s eye and direction — TJis government as applied to it. This, fully displayed at the end, has its application to the lower part of a Christian’s life, too. (Compare Psalm xxxiv. 12 — 1G; 1 Peter iii. 10.) We get some general principles. “The works of the Lord are done in truth.’’ I may perfectly reckon on His acting on the known principles of His holy will. Hence His word, which is essentially right, can judge me now. This is always an important principle. The Lord, though not visibly and publicly, does govern all things. Hence I can act on His word, and be sure of the consequences. I may, no doubt, suffer for Christ — that is a still better blessing; but the result of acting on God’s word will be blessing. From the Gth verse, the power of the word is shown in creation. The earth should fear Him, for he spake, and it was done;” again, He subverts the counsels of men. Eis stand fast. Another principle then comes in, the blessing of being the chosen people of God, His inheritance This is Israel: still faith has to walk in the strength of it now. “Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved.” We are not God’s inheritance, but heirs of God; but the greater elevation of the position does not destroy, though it may give a deeper application to, the principle. We have to walk through the world as the elect of God; and this is a most blessed position. It is according to the foreknowledge of God the Father; but we walk in the consciousness of being the elect of God. He orders and fashions all hearts. What a thing to say, if I have to say to men! And He makes all things work together for good for me. Thus, while all human strength is nought, I can wait on the Lord with sure confidence. His eye, too, is never withdrawn from me. (Compare Job xxxvi. 7.)

But, Psalm xxxiv. goes further. It takes up the case of sorrow and trial in the most beautiful way. Jehovah himself, as ever, is the blessed burden of the psalm. In the first four verses, it is the spirit of Christ in an especial way which speaks, but as for the heart of every one so tried, and belongs to every one who has this faith, that every one may have it. The point of the psalm is, “at all times.” It is easy to praise the Lord when He makes all flow softly for us. Yet the Lord is not as much praised really for what He is. In the midst of trouble the soul is seen humble and subdued in spirit. He has sought the Lord, and he found Him a ready friend. This made the Lord intimate and precious to him. The saint’s heart was tried, exercised; difficulty and wrong pressed upon it, and his will did not rise up in pride and anger, but he lays his matter with confidence on the kindness of the Lord, and lie interests Himself in him. It is not high and sovereign providence making- things flow for outward Messing — no doubt, we should be thankful for this — but the gracious interest of the Lord in his tried heart. This is much nearer, the interest greater, the link more sweet and stronger. It was not pride of will in trial or in success, but an oppressed and humble heart finding the Lord’s ear and heart open to it. .Thus consoled himself, he could console others with the comfort wherewith he himself was comforted of God. He was delivered from all his fears. Oh, how often this happens, even as to the removing not unreasonably expected evil entirely. This knowledge of the Lord leads to the exercise of love in encouraging others, while the heart experiences it, and is tilled with it. It is applied to the remnant by the Spirit in verse 5. They recall the case of Christ, in verse 6. In verse 7, we have it as a general truth; in 8 — 10 his own blessed experience enables him who has trusted the Lord, to assure others of the certainty of finding this help.

The experience of the Lord’s kindness is very precious. It is not only that one is assured of it for all trials, but Himself is known. He is blessed and praised. The heart dwells in Him, and finds its joy and rest in Him, and in the goodness of one who is alone, and none like Him in what lie is. The blessedi.i 38 is infinite and divine in its nature, as He who is the source of it, yet as intimate as what is in the heart can be — more intimate than any human being who is without us. We dwell in Him, and the Lord is our stay and the rest of our heart. There is nothinglike it. None can be so intimately near us as God: for He is in us. Yet what an intimacy it is!

But there is another principle brought out here — what the walk is in which this blessing’ is found (ver. 7 — 10). We have fearing the Lord, trusting the Lord, and seeking the Lord. Ver. 11 — 16 take up what the character of this fear of the Lord is, in a passage most of which is quoted by Peter only. The end of 16 is left out as inapplicable now, though the general fact of government for the Christian is not. It is important that we should remember this. Not only is it true that God is not mocked — that what a man sows he will reap — that God has goyernmentally attached certain consequences to certain conduct; but He also watches over and directly governs His children — may cause them to be sick, to die; may deliver them from it, on confession or intercession. “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, his ears open to their cry.” Not only that, but “nigh to them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Then there is a path marked out by God as the path of peace in a world like this; not simply in itself the path of spiritual power, but of quietness and peace in this world, going peaceably through it under God’s eye. And that is very precious for us. Grace is a means of doing it, as the heart is elsewhere than in idleness and passion. The feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. As far as in us lies, we live peaceably with all men. This is true even of unconverted men. Those who walk in this way, in general, see good days, because such is the conse-THE PSALMS. — rSALM XXXIV. 109

quence of the public government of God. It becomes the Christian so to do, but others may do it. This government of God is always true, as we see in Job; only the saint should understand it. But there is yet a word which remains. This government is not such now as that the righteous should not suffer (comp. 1 Pet. hi. 14 — 17), still more for the name of Christ. Hut Jehovah watches over him. Not a sparrow falls to the ground without our Father. It seems strange to us to hear, “Some of you shall they put to death; but there shall not a hair of your head perish.” But the government of God now is, not the public government applied to the suppression of all evil but to the case of the righteous under and through the power of evil. When Christ appears, there will be this suppression of evil. In general, they who live peaceably will live in peace; but in a world where Satan’s power is, the righteous will suffer — have many afflictions, but none without the watchful care of the Lord. And in some way deliverance will come. Who would have said that, in the seemingly unbridled rage of men, when all, Jew, priests, or Gentile, were united against Christ — when, to appearance, they had all their own way, this psalm should be literally fulfilled in Christ? Not a hair of our head but is counted. I doubt that this verse, l’ii, iii the psalm is exactly a prophecy. though literally accomplished in Christ. I should rather suppose that the passage in John’s Gospel referred to Exod. xii. 1G. But Christ is a perfect example in any case of the declaration made in the psalm, as a great general principle, if the passage be not cited. God’s care never fails, and is shown in the smallest circumstances, and in spite of all man’s thoughts, though God may allow many afflictions to come upon those that trust Him. These, too, will surely be a blessing. The soul, thus learning the Lord’s ways and trusting Him, can bless Him at all times. Christianity, indeed, can teach us deeper fruits of spiritual life in this respect. But it is precious to know the Lord as one that watches thus over us in love — a Father’s tender care, in which we can confide, and in which we can walk peaceably in this world, seeking the good of those around us.