man. But I cannot worthily and fully set forth the gracious meaning and force of this word; for this "meditating" consists first in an intent observing of the words of the law, and then in a comparing of the different Scriptures; which is a certain delightful hunting, nay, rather a playing with stags in a forest, where the Lord furnishes us with the stags, and opens to us their secret coverts. And from this kind of employment, there comes forth at length a man well instructed in the law of the Lord to speak unto the people.—Martin Luther. Verse 2.—“ In his law doth he meditate day and night." The godly man will read the Word by day, that men, seeing his good works, may glorify his Father who is in heaven; he will do it in the night, that he may not be seen of men : by day, to show that he is not one of those who dread the light; by night, to show that he is one who can shine in the shade: by day, for that is the time for working-work whilst it is day; by night, lest his Master should come as a thief, and find him idle.-Sir Richard Baker. Verse 2.-I have no rest, but in a nook, with the book.-Thomas à Kempis, 1380-1471. Verse 2.-" Meditate." Meditation doth discriminate and characterise a man ; by this he may take a measure of his heart, whether it be good or bad; let me allude to that; "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he." Prov. xxiii. 7. As the meditation is, such is the man. Meditation is the touchstone of a Christian; it shows what metal he is made of. It is a spiritual index; the index shows what is in the book, so meditation shows what is in the heart.-Thomas Watson's Saints' Spiritual Delight. Meditation chews the cud, and gets the sweetness and nutritive virtue of the Word into the heart and life: this is the way the godly bring forth much fruit. Bartholomew Ashwood's Heavenly Trade, 1688. The naturalists observe that to uphold and accommodate bodily life, there are divers sorts of faculties communicated, and these among the rest: 1. An attractive faculty, to assume and draw in the food; 2. A retentive faculty, to retain it when taken in; 3. An assimilating faculty, to concoct the nourishment; 4. An augmenting faculty, for drawing to perfection. Meditation is all these. It helps judgment, wisdom, and faith to ponder, discern, and credit the things which reading and hearing supply and furnish. It assists the memory to lock up the jewels of divine truth in her sure treasury. It has a digesting power, and turns special truth into spiritual nourishment; and lastly, it helps the renewed heart to grow upward and increase its power to know the things which are freely given to us of God.— Condensed from Nathaniel Ranew, 1670. Verse 3.-" A tree."-There is one tree, only to be found in the valley of the Jordan, but too beautiful to be entirely passed over; the oleander, with its bright blossoms and dark green leaves, giving the aspect of a rich garden to any spot where it grows. It is rarely if ever alluded to in the Scriptures. But it may be the tree planted by the streams of water which bringeth forth his fruit in due season, and "whose leaf shall not wither."-A. P. Stanley, D.D., in "Sinai and Palestine." Verse 3.-" A tree planted by the rivers of water."-This is an allusion to the Eastern method of cultivation, by which rivulets of water are made to flow between the rows of trees, and thus, by artificial means, the trees receive a constant supply of moisture. Verse 3. His fruit in his season."-In such a case expectation is never disappointed. Fruit is expected, fruit is borne, and it comes also in the time in which it should come. A godly education, under the influences of the divine Spirit, which can never be withheld where they are earnestly sought, is sure to produce the fruits of righteousness; and he who reads, prays, and meditates, will ever see the work which God has given him to do; the power by which he is to perform it; and the times, places, and opportunities for doing those things by which God can obtain most glory, his own soul most good, and his neighbour most edification.-Adam Clarke. Verse 3.- In his season. 99 The Lord reckons the times which pass over us, and puts them to our account: let us, therefore, improve them, and, with the impotent persons at the pool of Bethesda, step in when the angel stirs the water. Now the church is afflicted, it is a season of prayer and learning; now the church is enlarged, it is a season of praise; I am now at a sermon, I will hear what God will say; now in the company of a learned and wise man, I will draw some knowledge and counsel from him; I am under a temptation, now is a fit time to lean on the name of the Lord; I am in a place of dignity and power, let me consider what it is that God requireth of me in such a time as this. And thus as the tree of life bringeth fruit every month, so a wise Christian, as a wise husbandman, hath his distinct employments for every month, bringing forth his fruit in his season.—John Spencer's Things New and Old, 1658. Verse 3.-" In his season. Oh, golden and admirable word! by which is asserted the liberty of Christian righteousness. The ungodly have their stated days, stated times, certain works, and certain places; to which they stick so closely, that if their neighbours were perishing with hunger, they could not be torn from them. But this blessed man, being free at all times, in all places, for every work, and to every person, will serve you whenever an opportunity is offered him; whatsoever comes into his hands to do, he does it. He is neither a Jew, nor a Gentile, nor a Greek, nor a barbarian, nor of any other particular person. He gives his fruit in his season, so often as either God or man requires his work. Therefore his fruits have no name, and his times have no name.-Martin Luther. Verse 3.-" His leaf also shall not wither." He describes the fruit before he does the leaf. The Holy Spirit himself always teaches every faithful preacher in the church to know that the kingdom of God does not stand in word but in power. 1 Cor. iv. 20. Again, "Jesus began both to do and to teach." Acts i. 1. And again, "Which was a prophet mighty in deed and word." Luke χχίν. 19. And thus, let him who professes the word of doctrine, first put forth the fruits of life, if he would not have his fruit to wither, for Christ cursed the fig tree which bore no fruit. And, as Gregory saith, that man whose life is despised is condemned by his doctrine, for he preaches to others, and is himself reprobated.-Martin Luther. The Lord's trees are all ever Verse 3.- "His leaf also shall not wither." greens. No winter's cold can destroy their verdure; and yet, unlike evergreens in our country, they are all fruit bearers.-C. H. S. Verse 3. And whatsoever he doeth, [or, maketh or taketh in hand] shall prosper." And with regard to this " prospering," take heed that thou understandest not a carnal prosperity. This prosperity is hidden prosperity, and lies entirely secret in spirit; and therefore if thou hast not this prosperity that is by faith, thou shouldst rather judge thy prosperity to be the greatest adversity. For as the devil bitterly hates this leaf and the word of God, so does he also those who teach and hear it, and he persecutes such, aided by all the powers of the world. Therefore thou hearest of a miracle the greatest of all miracles, when thou hearest that all things prosper which a blessed man doeth.— Martin Luther. Verse 3.-A critical journal has shown that instead of "Whatsoever it doeth shall prosper, ," the rendering might be, "Whatsoever it produceth shall come to maturity. This makes the figure entire, and is sanctioned by some MSS. and ancient versions. Verse 3 (last clause).-Outward prosperity, if it follow close walking with God, is very sweet; as the cipher, when it follows a figure, adds to the number, though it be nothing in itself.-John Trapp. Verse 4." Chaff." Here, by the way, we may let the wicked know they have a thanks to give they little think of; that they may thank the godly for all the good days they live upon the earth, seeing it is for their sakes and not for their own that they enjoy them. For as the chaff while it is united and keeps close to the wheat, enjoys some privileges for the wheat's sake, and is laid up carefully in the barn; but as soon as it is divided, and parted from the wheat, it is cast out and scattered by the wind; so the wicked, whilst the godly are in company and live amongst them, partake for their sake of some blessedness promised to the godly; but if the godly forsake them or be taken from them, then either a deluge of water comes suddenly upon them, as it did upon the old world when Noah left it; or a deluge of fire, as it did upon Sodom, when Lot left it, and went out of the city.—Sir Richard Baker. 66 Verse 4.-" Driveth away,' or tosseth away; the Chaldee translateth for "wind," "whirlwind."-Henry Ainsworth, 1639. This shows the vehement tempest of death, which sweeps away the soul of the ungodly. Verse 5.-" Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,” etc. And may not a reason also be conceived thus, why the ungodly can never come to be of the congregation of the righteous: the righteous go a way that God knows, and the wicked go a way that God destroys; and seeing that these ways can never meet, how should the men meet that go these ways? And to make sure work that they shall never meet indeed, the prophet expresseth the way of the righteous by the first link of the chain of God's goodness, which is his knowledge; but expresseth the way of the wicked by the last link of God's justice, which is his destroying; and though God's justice and his mercy do often meet, and are contiguous one to another, yet the first link of his mercy and the last link of his justice can never meet, for it never comes to destroying till God be heard to say Nescio vos, "I know you not, " and nescio vos in God, and God's knowledge, can certainly never possibly meet together.—Sir Richard Baker. Verse 5.-The Irish air will sooner brook a toad, or a snake, than heaven a sinner. John Trapp. Verse 6. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish." Behold how David here terrifies us away from all prosperous appearances, and commends to us various temptations and adversities. For this " way" of the righteous all men utterly reprobate; thinking also, that God knoweth nothing about any such way. But this is the wisdom of the cross. Therefore, it is God alone that knoweth the way of the righteous, so hidden is it to the righteous themselves. For his right hand leads them on in a wonderful manner, seeing that it is a way, not of sense, nor of reason, but of faith only; even of that faith that sees in darkness, and beholds things that are invisible.-Martin Luther. Verse 6.-"The righteous. They that endeavour righteous living in themselves and have Christ's righteousness imputed to them.-Thomas Wilcocks, 1586. HINTS TO THE VILLAGE PREACHER. Verse 1.-May furnish an excellent text upon Progress in Sin," or "The Purity of the Christian," or "The Blessedness of the Righteous." Upon the last subject speak of the believer as BLESSED-1. By God; 2. In Christ; 3. With all blessings; 4. In all circumstances; 5. Through time and eternity; 6. To the highest degree. Verse 1. Teaches a godly man to beware, (1) of the opinions, (2) of the practical life, and (3) of the company and association of sinful men. Show how meditation upon the Word will assist us in keeping aloof from these three evils. The insinuating and progressive nature of sin.-J. Morison. Verse 1, in connection with the whole Psalm. The wide difference between the righteous and the wicked. Verse 2.-THE WORD OF God. believer's acquaintance with it. we love. 1. The believer's delight in it. 2. The We long to be in the company of those "the law of the Lord." Verse 2.-I. What is meant by II. What there is in it for the believer to delight in. III. How he shows his delight, thinks of it, reads much, speaks of it, obeys it, does not delight in evil. Verse 2 (last clause).-The benefits, helps, and hindrances of meditation. Verse 3. The fruitful tree." I. Where it grows. II. How it came there. III. What it yields. IV. How to be like it. Verse 3.- Planted by the rivers of water." I. The origination of Christian life, "planted." II. The streams which support it. III. The fruit expected from it. Verse 3.-Influence of religion upon prosperity.-Blair. The nature, causes, signs, and results of true prosperity. "Fruit in his season," virtues to be exhibited at certain seasons-patience in affliction; gratitude in prosperity; zeal in opportunity, etc. "His leaf also shall not wither," the blessing of retaining an unwithered profession. Verses 3, 4.-See No. 280 of " Spurgeon's Sermons.". "The Chaff Driven Away." Sin puts a negative on every blessing. 1. Condemned at the judgment-bar. 2. Separated from the saints. Reasonableness of these penalties, "therefore," and the way to escape them. "The congregation of the righteous" viewed as the church of the first-born above. This may furnish a noble topic. Verse 6 (first sentence).-A sweet encouragement to the tried people of God. The knowledge here meant. 1. Its character. It is a knowledge of observation and approbation. 2. Its source. It is caused by omniscience and infinite love. 3. Its results.-Support, deliverance, acceptance, and glory at last. Verse 6 (last clause).-His way of pleasure, of pride, of unbelief, of profanity, of persecution, of procrastinating, of self-deception, etc. all these shall come to an end. WORKS UPON THE FIRST PSALM. The Way to Blessedness: a Commentary on the First Psalm. By PHINEAS FLETCHER. 4to., London. 1632. A Discourse about the State of True Happiness, delivered in certain Sermons in Oxford, and at Paul's Cross. By ROBERT BOLTON. London. 1625. David's Blessed Man; or, a Short Exposition on the First Psalm, directing a Man to True Happiness. By SAMUEL SMITH, preacher of the Word at Prittlewell in Essex. 1635. [Reprinted in Nichol's Series of Commentaries.] Meditations and Disquisitions upon the First Psalm of David.—Blessed is the Man.-By Sir RICHARD BAKER, Knight. London. 1640. [The same volume contains Meditations upon "Seven Consolatorie Psalms of David," namely, 23, 27, 30, 84, 103, and 116.] The Christian on the Mount; or, a Treatise concerning Meditation; wherein the necessity, usefulness, and excellency of Meditation, are at large discussed. By THOMAS WATSON. 1660. PSALM II. 66 TITLE. We shall not greatly err in our summary of this sublime Psalm if we call it THE PSALM OF MESSIAH THE PRINCE; for it sets forth, as in a wondrous vision, the tumult of the people against the Lord's anointed, the determinate purpose of God to exalt his own Son, and the ultimate reign of that Son over all his enemies. Let us read it with the eye of faith, beholding, as in a glass, the final triumph of our Lord Jesus Christ over all his enemies. Lowth has the following remarks upon this Psalm : The establishment of David upon his throne, notwithstanding the opposition made to it by his enemies, is the subject of the Psalm. David sustains in it a twofold character, literal and allegorical. If we read over the Psalm, first with an eye to the literal David, the meaning is obvious, and put beyond all dispute by the sacred history. There is indeed an uncommon glow in the expression and sublimity in the figures, and the diction is now and then exaggerated, as it were on purpose to intimate, and lead us to the contemplation of higher and more important matters concealed within. In compliance with this admonition, if we take another survey of the Psalm as relative to the person and concerns of the spiritual David, a noble series of events immediately rises to view, and the meaning becomes more evident, as well as more exalted. The colouring which may perhaps seem too bold and glaring for the king of Israel, will no longer appear so when laid upon his great Antitype. After we have thus attentively considered the subjects apart, let us look at them together, and we shall behold the full beauty and majesty of this most charming poem. We shall perceive the two senses very distinct from each other, yet conspiring in perfect harmony, and bearing a wonderful resemblance in every feature and lineament, while the analogy between them is so exactly preserved, that either may pass for the original from whence the other was copied. New light is continually cast upon the phraseology, fresh weight and dignity are added to the sentiments, till, gradually ascending from things below to things above, from human affairs to those that are Divine, they bear the great important theme upwards with them, and at length place it in the height and brightness of heaven.' DIVISION.-This Psalm will be best understood if it be viewed as a four-fold picture. (In verses 1, 2, 3) the Nations are raging; (4 to 6) the Lord in heaven derides them; (7 to 9) the Son proclaims the decree; and (from 10 to end) advice is given to the kings to yield obedience to the Lord's anointed. This division is not only suggested by the sense, but is warranted by the poetic form of the Psalm, which naturally falls into four stanzas of three verses each. EXPOSITION. WHY do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? WHY 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. We have, in these first three verses, a description of the hatred of human nature against the Christ of God. No better comment is needed upon it than the apostolic song in Acts iv. 27, 28: "For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done." The Psalm begins abruptly with an angry interrogation; and well it may it is surely but little to be wondered at, that the sight of creatures in arms against their God should amaze the psalmist's mind. We see the heathen raging, roaring like the sea, tossed to and fro with restless waves, as the ocean in a storm; and then we mark the people |