Spurgeon PS135
EXPOSITION.
What a change is here! Lo, the rain is over and gone, and the time of the singing of birds is come. The mercy-seat has so refreshed the poor weeper, that he clears his throat for a song. If we have mourned with him, let us now dance with him. David’s heart was more often out of tune than his harp. He begins many of his Psalms sighing, and ends them singing; and others he begins in joy and ends in sorrow; “so that one would think,” says Peter Moulin, “that those Psalms had been composed by two men of a contrary humour.” It is worthy to be observed that the joy is all the greater because of the previous sorrow, as calm is all the more delightful in recollection of the preceding tempest.
“Sorrows remembered sweeten present joy.”
Here is his avowal of his confidence: “_But I have trusted in thy mercy_.” For many a year it had been his wont to make the Lord his castle and tower of defence, and he smiles from behind the same bulwark still. He is sure of his faith, and his faith makes him sure; had he doubted the reality of his trust in God, he would have blocked up one of the windows through which the sun of heaven delights to shine. Faith is now in exercise, and consequently is readily discovered; there is never a doubt in our heart about the existence of faith while it is in action; when the hare or partridge is quiet we see it not, but let the same be in motion and we soon perceive it. All the powers of his enemies had not driven the Psalmist from his stronghold. As the shipwrecked mariner clings to the mast, so did David cling to his faith; he neither could nor would give up his confidence in the Lord his God. O that we may profit by his example, and hold by our faith as by our very life!
Now hearken to the music which faith makes in the soul. The bells of the mind are all ringing, “_My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation_.” There is joy and feasting within doors, for a glorious guest has come, and the fatted calf is killed. Sweet is the music which sounds from the strings of the heart. But this is not all; _the voice_ joins itself in the blessed work, and the tongue keeps tune with the soul, while the writer declares, “_I will sing unto the Lord_.” “I will praise thee every day. Now thine anger’s turned away; Comfortable thoughts arise From the bleeding sacrifice.’ The Psalm closes with a sentence which is a refutation of
the charge of forgetfulness which David had uttered in the first verse, “_He hath dealt bountifully with me_.” So shall it be with us if we wait awhile. The complaint which in our haste we utter shall be joyfully retracted, and we shall witness that the Lord hath dealt bountifully with us.
EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS.
Verse 5.–“_I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation_.” Faith rejoiceth in tribulations, and triumpheth before the victory. The patient is glad when he feels his physic to work, though it make him sick for the time, because he hopes it will procure health. We rejoice in afflictions, not that they are joyous for the present, but because they shall work for our good. As faith rejoiceth, so it triumpheth in assurance of good success; for it seeth not according to outward appearance, but when all means fail, it keepeth God in sight, and beholdeth him present for our succour.–^John Ball.
Verse 5.–“_I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation_.” Though passion possess our bodies, let “patience possess our souls.” The law of our profession binds us to a warfare; _patiendo vincimus_, our troubles shall end, our victory is eternal. Here David’s triumph (#Ps 18:38-40|), “I have wounded them, that they were not able to rise; they are fallen under my feet. Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. Thou hast also given me the neck of mine enemies,” etc. They have wounds for their wounds; and the treaders down of the poor are trodden down by the poor. The Lord will subdue those to us that would have subdued us to themselves; and though for a short time they rode over our heads, yet now at last we shall everlastingly tread upon their necks. Lo, then, the reward of humble patience and confident hope. _Speramus et superamus_. #De 32:31|. “Our God is not as their God, even our enemies being judges.” #Ps 20:7|. “Some put their trust in chariots, and some in horses.” But no chariot hath strength to oppose, nor horse swiftness to escape, when God pursues. Verse #8|. “They are brought down and fallen; we are risen and stand upright.” Their trust hath deceived them; down they fall, and never to rise. Our God hath helped us; we are risen, not for a breathing space, but to stand upright for ever.–^Thomas Adams.
Verse 5.–None live so easily, so pleasantly, as those that live by faith.–^Matthew Henry.
Verse 5.–Wherefore I say again, “Live by faith; ” again I say, always live by it, rejoice through faith in the Lord. I dare boldly say it is thy fault and neglect of its exercise if thou suffer either thy own melancholy humour or Satan to interrupt thy mirth and spiritual alacrity, and to detain thee in dumps and pensiveness at any time. What if thou beest of a sad constitution? of a dark completion? Is not faith able to rectify nature? Is it not stronger than any hellebore? Doth not an experienced divine and physician worthily prefer one dram of it before all the drugs in the apothecary’s shop for this effect? Hath it not sovereign virtue in it, to excerebrate all cares, expectorate all fears and griefs, evacuate the mind of all ill thoughts and passions, to exhilarate the whole man? But what good doth it to any to have a cordial by him if he use it not? To wear a sword, soldier-like, by his side, and not to draw it forth in an assault? When a dump overtakes thee, if thou wouldst say to thy soul in a word or two, “Soul, why art thou disquieted? know and consider in whom thou believest,” would it not presently return to its rest again? Would not the Master rebuke the winds and storms, and calm thy troubled mind presently? Hath not every man something or other he useth to put away dumps, to drive away the evil spirit, as David with his harp? Some with merry company, some with a cup of sack, most with a pipe of tobacco, without which they cannot ride or go. If they miss it a day together they are troubled with rheums, dulness of spirits. They that live in fens and ill airs dare not stir out without a morning draught of some strong liquor. Poor, silly, smoky helps, in comparison with the least taste (but for dishonouring faith I would say whiff) or draught of faith.–^Samuel Ward, 1577-1653.
Verse 6.–“_I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me_.” Faith keeps the soul from sinking under heavy trials, by bringing in former experiences of the power, mercy, and faithfulness of God to the afflicted souls. Hereby was the Psalmist supported in distress. Oh, saith faith, remember what God hath done both for thy outward and inward man: he hath not only delivered thy body when in trouble, but he hath done great things for thy soul; he hath brought thee out of a state of black nature, entered into a covenant relation with thee, made his goodness pass before thee; he hath helped thee to pray, and many times hath heard thy prayers and thy tears. Hath he not formerly brought thee out of the horrible pit, and out of the miry clay, and put a new song in thy mouth, and made thee to resolve never to give way to such unbelieving thoughts and fears again? and how unbecoming is it for thee now to sink in trouble?–^John Willison, 1680-1750.
Verse 6.–“_I will sing unto the Lord_.” Mr. John Philpot having lain for some time in the bishop of London’s coal-house, the bishop sent for him, and amongst other questions, asked him why they were so merry in prison? singing (as the prophet speaks) _Exultantes in rebus pessimis_, rejoicing in your naughtiness, whereas you should rather lament and be sorry. Mr. Philpot answered, “My Lord, the mirth which we make is but in singing certain Psalms, as we are commanded by Paul to rejoice in the Lord, singing together hymns and Psalms, for we are in a dark, comfortless place, and therefore, we thus solace ourselves. I trust, therefore, your lordship will not be angry, seeing the apostle saith, ‘if any be of an upright heart, let him sing Psalms;’ and we, to declare that we are of an upright mind to God, though we are in misery, yet refresh ourselves with such singing.” After some other discourse, saith he, “I was carried back to my lord’s coal-house, where I, with my six fellow prisoners, do rouze together in the straw, as cheerfully (I thank God) as others do in their beds of down.” And in a letter to a friend, he thus writes: “Commend me to Mr. Elsing and his wife, and thank them for providing me some ease in my prison; and tell them that though my lord’s coal-house be very black, yet it is more to be desired of the faithful than the Queen’s palace. The world wonders how we can be so merry under such extreme miseries; but our God is omnipotent, who turns misery into felicity. Believe me, there is no such joy in the world, as the people of God have under the cross of Christ: I speak by experience, and therefore believe me, and fear nothing that the world can do unto you, for when they imprison our bodies, they set our souls at liberty to converse with God; when they cast us down, they lift us up; when they kill us, then do they send us to everlasting life. What greater glory can there be than to be made conformable to our Head, Christ? And this is done by affliction. O good God, what am I, upon whom thou shouldst bestow so great a mercy? This is the day which the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. This is the way, though it be narrow, which is full of the peace of God, and leadeth to eternal bliss. Oh, how my heart leapeth for joy that I am so near the apprehension thereof! God forgive me my unthankfulness and unworthiness of so great glory. I have so much joy, that though I be in a place of darkness and mourning, yet I cannot lament; but both night and day am so full of joy, as I never was so merry before; the Lord’s name be praised for ever. Our enemies do fret, fume, and gnash their teeth at it. O pray instantly that this joy may never be taken from us; for it passeth all the delights in this world. This is the peace of God that passeth all understanding. This peace, the more his chosen be afflicted, the more they feel it, and therefore cannot faint neither for fire nor water.”–^Samuel Clarke’s “Mirrour,” 1671.
Verse 6.–“_I will sing unto the Lord_.” How far different is the end of this Psalm from the beginning!–^John Trapp.
Verse 6.–“_I will sing unto the Lord_,” etc. I never knew what it was for God to stand by me at all turns, and at every offer of Satan to afflict me, etc., as I have found him since I came in hither; for look how fears have presented themselves, so have supports and encouragements; yet, when I have started, even as it were at nothing else but my shadow, yet God, as being very tender of me, hath not suffered me to be molested, but would with one Scripture or another, strengthen me against all; insomuch that I have often said, _Were it lawful, I could pray for greater trouble, for the greater comfort’s sake_. #Ec 7:14; 2Co 1:5|.–^John Bunyan, 1628-1688.
HINTS TO PREACHERS.
Verse 5.–Experience and perseverance. “I have,” “my heart shall.”
Verse 6.–The bountiful giver and the hearty singer.
_The whole Psalm_ would make a good subject, showing the stages from mourning to rejoicing, dwelling especially upon the turning point, prayer. There are two verses for each, mourning, praying, rejoicing.–^A. G. Brown.