Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Psalms
Book: Psalms
Chapter: 69
Overview:
David complains of great distress.
(1-12) And begs for
succour.
(13-21) He declares the
Judgments of God.
(22-29) He
concludes with joy and praise.
(30-36)
1-12 We should frequently consider the person of the Sufferer
here spoken of, and ask why, as
Well as what he suffered, that,
meditating thereon, we may be more humbled for
Sin, and more
convinced of our danger,
So that we may feel more gratitude and
Love, constraining us to live to His
Glory who died for our
Salvation. Hence we learn, when in affliction, to commit the
keeping of our souls to
God, that we may not be soured with
discontent, or sink into despair.
David was hated wrongfully,
but the words far more fully apply to
Christ. In a world where
unrighteousness reigns
So much, we must not wonder if we meet
with those that are our enemies wrongfully. Let us take care
that we never do wrong; then if we receive wrong, we may the
better
Bear it.
By the satisfaction
Christ made to
God for our
Sin By his
Blood, he restored that which he took not away, he
paid our
Debt, suffered for our offences. Even when we can plead
Not guilty, as to men's unjust accusations, yet before
God we
must acknowledge ourselves to deserve all that is brought upon
us. All our sins take rise from our foolishness. They are all
done in
God's sight.
David complains of the unkindness of
friends and relations. This was fulfilled in
Christ, whose
brethren did not believe
On him, and who was forsaken
By his
disciples.
Christ made satisfaction for us, not only
By putting
off the honours due to
God, but
By submitting to the greatest
dishonours that could be done to any
Man. We need not be
discouraged if our zeal for the truths, precepts, and
Worship of
God, should provoke some, and cause others to mock our godly
sorrow and deadness to the world.
13-21 Whatever
Deep waters of affliction or
Temptation we sink
into, whatever floods of trouble or ungodly men seem ready to
overwhelm us, let us persevere in
Prayer to our
Lord to save us.
The tokens of
God's favour to us are enough to keep our spirits
from sinking in the deepest outward troubles. If we think
Well
of
God, and continue to do
So under the greatest hardships, we
need not fear but he will do
Well for us. And if at any time we
are called
On to suffer reproach and shame, for
Christ's sake,
this may be our comfort, that he knows it. It bears hard
On one
that knows the worth of a good name, to be oppressed with a bad
one; but when we consider what a favour it is to be accounted
worthy to suffer shame for the name of
Jesus, we shall see that
there is
No reason why it should be
Heart-breaking to us. The
sufferings of
Christ were here particularly foretold, which
proves the
Scripture to be the
Word of God; and how exactly
these predictions were fulfilled in
Jesus Christ, which proves
him to be the true
Messiah. The
Vinegar and the
Gall given to
him, were a faint emblem of that
Bitter Cup which he drank up,
that we might
Drink the
Cup of
Salvation. We cannot expect too
little from men, miserable comforters are they all; nor can we
expect too much from the
God of all comfort and consolation.
22-29 These are prophecies of the
Destruction of
Christ's
persecutors. Verses 22,23, are applied to the
Judgments of God
upon the unbelieving Jews, in Ro 11:9,10. When the supports of
Life and delights of sense, through the corruption of our
nature, are made the
Food and
Fuel of
Sin, then our table is a
Snare. Their
Sin was, that they would not see, but shut their
eyes against the
Light, loving
Darkness rather; their
Punishment
was, that they should not see, but should be given up to their
own hearts' lusts which hardened them. Those who reject
God's
great
Salvation proffered to them, may justly fear that his
indignation will be poured out upon them. If men will
Sin, the
Lord will reckon for it. But those that have multiplied to
Sin,
may yet find
Mercy, through the
Righteousness of the
Mediator.
God shuts not out any from that
Righteousness; the
Gospel
excludes none who do not,
By unbelief, shut themselves out. But
those who are proud and self-willed,
So that they will not come
in to
God's
Righteousness, shall have their doom accordingly;
they themselves decide it. Let those not expect any benefit
thereby, who are not glad to be beholden to it. It is better to
be
Poor and sorrowful, with the blessing of the
Lord, than rich
and jovial, and under his
Curse. This may be applied to
Christ.
He was, when
On Earth, a
Man of sorrows that had not where to
lay his head; but
God exalted him. Let us
Call upon the
Lord,
and though
Poor and sorrowful, guilty and defiled, his
Salvation
will set us up
On high.
30-36 The psalmist concludes the psalm with holy joy and
praise, which he began with complaints of his grief. It is a
great comfort to us, that humble and thankful praises are more
pleasing to
God than the most costly, pompous sacrifices. The
humble shall look to him, and be glad; those that seek him
through
Christ shall live and be comforted.
God will do great
things for the
Gospel Church, in which let all who wish
Well to
it rejoice. A seed shall serve him
On Earth, and his servants
shall inherit his heavenly kingdom. Those that
Love his name
shall
Dwell before him for ever. He that spared not his own Son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also
freely give us all things? Arise, thou great Restorer of the
ancient places to
Dwell in, and turn away ungodliness from thy
people.