The
psalmist, having in the two foregoing psalms celebrated the wisdom, power,
and goodness of God, in his dealings with his church in particular, here
observes some of the instances of his providential care of the children of
men in general, especially in their distresses; for he is not only King of
saints, but King of nations, not only the God of Israel, but the God of the
whole earth, and a common Father to all mankind. Though this may especially
refer to Israelites in their personal capacity, yet there were those who
pertained not to the commonwealth of Israel and yet were worshippers of the
true God; and even those who worshipped images had some knowledge of a
supreme "Numen," to whom, when they were in earnest, they looked
above all their false gods. And of these, when they prayed in their
distresses, God took a particular care, I. The psalmist specifies some of
the most common calamities of human life, and shows how God succours those
that labour under them, in answer to their prayers. I. Banishment and
dispersion, ver. 2-9. 2. Captivity and imprisonment, ver. 10-16. 3. Sickness
and distemper of body, ver. 17-22. 4. Danger and distress at sea, ver.
23-32. These are put for all similar perils, in which those that cry unto
God have ever found him a very present help. II. He specifies the varieties
and vicissitudes of events concerning nations and families, in all which
God's hand is to be eyed by his own people, with joyful acknowledgments of
his goodness, ver. 33-43. When we are in any of these or the like distresses
it will be comfortable to sing this psalm, with application; but, if we be
not, others are, and have been, of whose deliverances it becomes us to give
God the glory, for we are members one of another.
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Exhortation
to Celebrate God's Praises.
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1 O give thanks unto the LORD,
for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. 2
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he
hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; 3 And gathered them
out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from
the south. 4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way;
they found no city to dwell in. 5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul
fainted in them. 6 Then they cried unto the LORD
in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their
distresses. 7 And he led them forth by the right way, that they
might go to a city of habitation. 8 Oh that men would
praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the
children of men! 9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and
filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
Here is, I. A general call to all to give thanks to God, v. 1. Let
all that sing this psalm, or pray over it, set themselves herein to give
thanks to the Lord; and those that have not any special matter for
praise may furnish themselves with matter enough from God's universal
goodness. In the fountain he is good; in the streams his mercy
endures for ever and never fails.
II. A particular demand hereof from the redeemed of the Lord, which
may well be applied spiritually to those that have an interest in the great
Redeemer and are saved by him from sin and hell. They have, of all people,
most reason to say that God is good, and his mercy everlasting; these are
the children of God that were scattered abroad, whom Christ died to gather
together in one, out of all lands, John xi. 52; Matt. xxiv. 31. But it
seems here to be meant of a temporal deliverance, wrought for them when in
their distress they cried unto the Lord, v. 6. Is any
afflicted? Let him pray. Does any pray? God will certainly hear and
help. When troubles become extreme that is man's time to cry; those who but
whispered prayer before then cry aloud, and then it is God's time to
succour. In the mount he will be seen. 1. They were in an enemy's country,
but God wrought out their rescue: He redeemed them from the hand of the
enemy (v. 2), not by might or power, it may be (Zech. iv.
6), nor by price or reward (Isa. xlv. 13), but by the Spirit of
God working on the spirits of men. 2. They were dispersed as out-casts,
but God gathered them out of all the countries whither they were scattered
in the cloudy and dark day, that they might again be incorporated, v.
3. See Deut. xxx. 4; Ezek. xxxiv. 12. God knows those that are his, and
where to find them. 3. They were bewildered, had no road to travel in, no
dwelling place to rest in, v. 4. When they were redeemed out
of the hand of the enemy, and gathered out of the lands, they were in
danger of perishing in their return home through the dry and barren deserts.
They wandered in the wilderness, where there was no trodden path, no
company, but a solitary way, no lodging, no conveniences, no
accommodations, no inhabited city where they might have quarters or
refreshment. But God led them forth by the right way (v. 7),
directed them to an inn, nay, directed them to a home, that they might go
to a city of habitation, which was inhabited, nay which them themselves
should inhabit. This may refer to poor travellers in general, those
particularly whose way lay through the wilds of Arabia, where we may suppose
they were often at a loss; and yet many in that distress were wonderfully
relieved, so that few perished. Note, We ought to take notice of the good
hand of God's providence over us in our journeys, going out and coming in,
directing us in our way, and providing for us places both to bait in and
rest in. Or (as some think) it has an eye to the wanderings of the children
of Israel in the wilderness for forty years; it is said (Deut. xxxii. 10), God
led them about, and yet here he led them by the right way. God's
way, though to us it seems about, will appear at last to have been the right
way. It is applicable to our condition in this world; we are here as in a
wilderness, have here no continuing city, but dwell in tents as
strangers and pilgrims. But we are under the guidance of his wise and good
providence, and, if we commit ourselves to it, we shall be led in the
right way to the city that has foundations. 4. They were ready to perish
for hunger (v. 5): Their soul even fainted in them. They were
spent with the fatigues of their journey and ready to drop down for want of
refreshment. Those that have constant plenty, and are every day fed to the
full, know not what a miserable case it is to be hungry and thirsty,
and to have no supply. This was sometimes the case of Israel in the
wilderness, and perhaps of other poor travellers; but God's providence finds
out ways to satisfy the longing soul and fill the hungry soul with
goodness, v. 9. Israel's wants were seasonably supplied, and many
have been wonderfully relieved when they were ready to perish. The same God
that has led us has fed us all our life long unto this day, has fed us with
food convenient, has provided food for the soul, and filled the hungry
soul with goodness. Those that hunger and thirst after righteousness,
after God, the living God, and communion with him, shall be abundantly replenished
with the goodness of his house, both in grace and glory. Now for all
this those who receive mercy are called upon to return thanks (v. 8):
Oh that men (it is meant especially of those men whom God has
graciously relieved) would praise the Lord for his goodness to them
in particular, and for his wonderful works to others of the
children of men! Note, (1.) God's works of mercy are wonderful works,
works of wonderful power considering the weakness, and of wonderful grace
considering the unworthiness, of those he shows mercy to. (2.) It is
expected of those who receive mercy from God that they return praise to him.
(3.) We must acknowledge God's goodness to the children of men as well as to
the children of God, to others as well as to ourselves.
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The
Divine Goodness towards Prisoners.
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10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow
of death, being bound in affliction and iron; 11 Because
they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the
most High: 12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labour;
they fell down, and there was none to help. 13 Then they
cried unto the LORD
in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their
bands in sunder. 15 Oh that men would praise the LORD
for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children
of men! 16 For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the
bars of iron in sunder.
We are to take notice of the goodness of God towards prisoners and captives.
Observe, 1. A description of this affliction. Prisoners are said to sit
in darkness (v. 10), in dark dungeons, close prisons, which
intimates that they are desolate and disconsolate; they sit in the shadow
of death, which intimates not only great distress and trouble, but great
danger. Prisoners are many times appointed to die; they sit despairing to
get out, but resolving to make the best of it. They are bound in
affliction, and many times in iron, as Joseph. Thus sore a
calamity is imprisonment, which should make us prize liberty, and be
thankful for it. 2. The cause of this affliction, v. 11. It is because
they rebelled against the words of God. Wilful sin is rebellion against
the words of God; it is a contradiction to his truths and a violation of his
laws. They contemned the counsel of the Most High, and thought they
neither needed it nor could be the better for it; and those that will not be
counselled cannot be helped. Those that despise prophesying, that regard not
the admonitions of their own consciences nor the just reproofs of their
friends, contemn the counsel of the Most High, and for this they are bound
in affliction, both to punish them for and to reclaim them from their
rebellions. 3. The design of this affliction, and that is to bring down
their heart (v. 12), to humble them for sin, to make them low in
their own eyes, to cast down every high, proud, aspiring thought. Afflicting
providences must be improved as humbling providences; and we not only lose
the benefit of them, but thwart God's designs and walk contrary to him in
them if our hearts be unhumbled and unbroken, as high and hard as ever under
them. Is the estate brought down with labour, the honour sunk? Have those
that exalted themselves fallen down, and is there none to help them? Let
this bring down the spirit to confess sin, to accept the punishment of it,
and humbly to sue for mercy and grace. 4. The duty of this afflicted state,
and that is to pray (v. 13): Then they cried unto the Lord in
their trouble, though before perhaps they had neglected him. Prisoners
have time to pray, who, when they were at liberty, could not find time; they
see they have need of God's help, though formerly they thought they could do
well enough without him. Sense will make men cry when they are in trouble,
but grace will direct them to cry unto the Lord, from whom the affliction
comes and who alone can remove it. 5. Their deliverance out of the
affliction: They cried unto the Lord, and he saved them, v.
13. He brought them out of darkness into light, welcome light, and
then doubly sweet and pleasant, brought them out of the shadow of death
to the comforts of life, and their liberty was to them life from the dead, v.
14. Were they fettered? He broke their bands asunder. Were they
imprisoned in strong castles? He broke the gates of brass and the bars
of iron wherewith those gates were made fast; he did not put back, but cut
in sunder. Note, When God will work deliverance the greatest
difficulties that lie in the way shall be made nothing of. Gates of brass
and bars of iron, as they cannot keep him out from him people (he was with
Joseph in the prison), so they cannot keep them in when the time, the
set-time, for their enlargement, comes. 6. The return that is required from
those whose bands God has loosed (v. 15): Let them praise the Lord
for his goodness, and take occasion from their own experience of it, and
share in it, to bless him for that goodness which the earth is full of, the
world and those that dwell therein.
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The
Divine Goodness towards the Afflicted.
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17 Fools because of their transgression, and
because of their iniquities, are afflicted. 18 Their soul
abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of
death. 19 Then they cry unto the LORD
in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.
20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their
destructions. 21 Oh that men would praise the LORD
for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children
of men! 22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of
thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
Bodily sickness is another of the calamities of this life which gives us an
opportunity of experiencing the goodness of God in recovering us, and of
that the psalmist speaks in these verses, where we may observe,
I. That we, by our sins, bring sickness upon ourselves and then it is our
duty to pray, v. 17-19. 1. It is the sin of the soul that is the
cause of sickness; we bring it upon ourselves both meritoriously and
efficiently: Fools, because of their transgression, are thus afflicted;
they are thus corrected for the sins they have committed and thus cured of
their evil inclinations to sin. If we knew no sin, we should know no
sickness; but the transgression of our life, and the iniquity of our heart,
make it necessary. Sinners are fools; they wrong themselves, and all against
their own interest, not only their spiritual, but their secular interest.
They prejudice their bodily health by intemperance and endanger their lives
by indulging their appetites. This their way is their folly, and they need
the rod of correction to drive out the foolishness that is bound up in their
hearts. 2. The weakness of the body is the effect of sickness, v. 18.
When people are sick their soul abhors all manner of meat; they not
only have no desire to eat nor power to digest it, but they nauseate it, and
their stomach is turned against it. And here they may read their sin in
their punishment: those that doted most on the meat that perishes, when they
come to be sick are sick of it, and the dainties they loved are loathed;
what they took too much of now they can take nothing of, which commonly
follows upon the overcharging of the heart with surfeiting and drunkenness.
And when the appetite is gone the life is as good as gone: They draw near
unto the gates of death; they are, in their own apprehension and in the
apprehension of all about them, at the brink of the grave, as ready to be
turned to destruction. 3. Then is a proper time for prayer: Then they cry
unto the Lord, v. 19. Is any sick? Let him pray; let him be
prayed for. Prayer is a salve for every sore.
II. That it is by the power and mercy of God that we are recovered from
sickness, and then it is our duty to be thankful. Compare with this Job
xxxiii. 18, 28. 1. When those that are sick call upon God he returns them an
answer of peace. They cry unto him and he saves them out of their
distresses (v. 19); he removes their griefs and prevents their
fears. (1.) He does it easily: He sent his word and healed them, v.
20. This may be applied to the miraculous cures which Christ wrought when he
was upon earth, by a word's speaking; he said, Be clean, Be whole,
and the work was done. It may also be applied to the spiritual cures which
the Spirit of grace works in regeneration; he sends his word, and heals
souls, convinces, converts, sanctifies them, and all by the word. In the
common instances of recovery from sickness God in his providence does but
speak, and it is done. (2.) He does it effectually: He delivereth them
out of their destructions, that they shall neither be destroyed nor
distressed with the fear of being so. Nothing is too hard for that God to do
who kills and makes alive again, brings down to the grave and raises up, who
turneth man almost to destruction, and yet saith, Return.
2. When those that have been sick are restored they must return to God an
answer of praise (v. 21, 22): Let all men praise the Lord for his
goodness, and let those, particularly, to whom God has thus granted a
new life, spend it in his service; let them sacrifice with thanksgiving,
not only bring a thank-offering to the altar, but a thankful heart to God.
Thanksgivings are the best thank-offerings, and shall please the Lord better
than an ox or bullock. And let them declare his works with rejoicing,
to his honour and for the encouragement of others. The living, the
living, they shall praise him.
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The
Divine Goodness to Mariners.
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23 They that go down to the sea in ships,
that do business in great waters; 24 These see the works of the
LORD,
and his wonders in the deep. 25 For he commandeth, and raiseth
the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. 26 They
mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is
melted because of trouble. 27 They reel to and fro, and stagger
like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end. 28 Then they cry
unto the LORD
in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their
desired haven. 31 Oh that men would praise the LORD
for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children
of men! 32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the
people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
The psalmist here calls upon those to give glory to God who are delivered
from dangers at sea. Though the Israelites dealt not much in merchandise,
yet their neighbours the Tyrians and Zidonians did, and for them perhaps
this part of the psalm was especially calculated.
I. Much of the power of God appears at all times in the sea, v. 23,
24. It appears to those that go down to the sea in ships, as
mariners, merchants, fishermen, or passengers, that do business in great
waters. And surely none will expose themselves there but those that have
business (among all Solomon's pleasant things we do not read of any
pleasure-boat he had), but those that go on business, lawful business, may,
in faith, put themselves under the divine protection. These see the works
of the Lord, and his wonders, which are the more surprising, because
most are born and bred upon land, and what passes at sea is new to them. The
deep itself is a wonder, its vastness, its saltness, its ebbing and flowing.
The great variety of living creatures in the sea is wonderful. Let those
that go to sea be led, by all the wonders they observe there, to consider
and adore the infinite perfections of that God whose the sea is, for he made
it and manages it.
II. It especially appears in storms at sea, which are much more terrible
than at land. Observe here, 1. How dangerous and dreadful a tempest at sea
is. Then wonders begin to appear in the deep, when God commands
and raises the strong wind, which fulfils his word, Ps.
cxlviii. 8. He raises the winds, as a prince by his commission raises
forces. Satan pretends to be the prince of the power of the air; but
he is a pretender; the powers of the air are at God's command, not at his.
When the wind becomes stormy it lifts up the waves of the sea, v.
25. Then the ships are kicked like tennis-balls on the tops of the waves;
they seem to mount up to the heavens, and then they couch again, as
if they would go down to the depths, v. 26. A stranger, who
had never seen it, would not think it possible for a ship to live at sea, as
it will in a storm, and ride it out, but would expect that the next wave
would bury it and it would never come up again; and yet God, who taught man
discretion to make ships that should so strangely keep above water, does by
his special providence preserve them, that they answer the end to
admiration. When the ships are thus tossed the soul of the seaman melts
because of trouble; and, when the storm is very high, even those that
are used to the sea can neither shake off nor dissemble their fears, but they
reel to and fro, and tossing makes them giddy, and they stagger
and are sick, it may be, like a drunken man; the whole ship's crew
are in confusion and quite at their wits' end (v. 27),
not knowing what to do more for their preservation; all their wisdom is
swallowed up, and they are ready to give up themselves for gone, Jonah i. 5,
&c. 2. How seasonable it is at such a time to pray. Those that go to sea
must expect such perils as are here described, and the best preparation they
can make for them is to make sure a liberty of access to God by prayer, for then
they will cry unto the Lord, v. 28. We have a saying,
"Let those that would learn to pray go to sea;" I say, Let those
that will go to sea learn to pray, and accustom themselves to pray, that
they may come with the more boldness to the throne of grace when they are in
trouble. Even heathen mariners, in a storm, cried every man to his god;
but those that have the Lord for their God have a present and powerful help
in that and every other time of need, so that when they are at their wits'
end they are not at their faith's end. 3. How wonderfully God sometimes
appears for those that are in distress at sea, in answer to their prayers: He
brings them out of the danger; and, (1.) The sea is still: He makes
the storm a calm, v. 29. The winds fall, and only by their soft
and gentle murmurs serve to lull the waves asleep again, so that the surface
of the sea becomes smooth and smiling. By this Christ proved himself to be
more than a man that even the winds and the seas obeyed him. (2.) The
seamen are made easy: They are glad because they are quiet, quiet
from the noise, quiet from the fear of evil. Quietness after a storm is a
very desirable thing, and sensibly pleasant. (3.) The voyage becomes
prosperous and successful: So he brings them to their desired haven, v.
30. Thus he carries his people safely through all the storms and tempests
that they meet with in their voyage heaven-ward, and lands them, at length,
in the desired harbour. 4. How justly it is expected that all those who have
had a safe passage over the sea, and especially who have been delivered from
remarkable perils at sea, should acknowledge it with thankfulness, to the
glory of God. Let them do it privately in their closets and families. Let
them praise the Lord for his goodness to themselves and others, v.
31. Let them do it publicly (v. 32), in the congregation of the
people and in the assembly of the elders; there let them erect the
memorials of their deliverance, to the honour of God, and for the
encouragement of others to trust him.
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Wonders of Divine Providence.
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33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and
the watersprings into dry ground; 34 A fruitful land into
barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. 35 He
turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into
watersprings. 36 And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that
they may prepare a city for habitation; 37 And sow the fields,
and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase. 38 He
blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not
their cattle to decrease. 39 Again, they are minished and
brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. 40 He
poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness,
where there is no way. 41 Yet setteth he the poor on high
from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock. 42
The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop
her mouth. 43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things,
even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.
The psalmist, having given God the glory of the providential reliefs granted
to persons in distress, here gives him the glory of the revolutions of
providence, and the surprising changes it sometimes makes in the affairs of
the children of men.
I. He gives some instances of these revolutions.
1. Fruitful countries are made barren and barren countries are made
fruitful. Much of the comfort of this life depends upon the soil in which
our lot is cast. Now, (1.) The sin of man has often marred the fruitfulness
of the soil and made it unserviceable, v. 33, 34. Land watered with rivers
is sometimes turned into a wilderness, and that which had been full
of water-springs now has not so much as water-streams; it is turned into
dry and sandy ground, that has not consistency and moisture
enough to produce any thing valuable. Many a fruitful land is turned
into saltness, not so much from natural causes as from the just judgment of
God, who thus punished the wickedness of those that dwell therein; as
the vale of Sodom became a salt sea. Note, If the land be bad, it is because
the inhabitants are so. Justly is the ground made unfruitful to those that
bring not forth fruit unto God, but serve Baal with their corn and wine.
(2.) The goodness of God has often mended the barrenness of the soil, and
turned a wilderness, a land o drought, into water-springs, v.
35. The land of Canaan, which was once the glory of all lands for
fruitfulness, is said to be, at this day, a fruitless, useless, worthless
spot of ground, as was foretold, Deut. xxix. 23. This land of ours, which
formerly was much of it an uncultivated desert, is now full of all good
things, and more abundant honour is given to that part which
lacked. Let the plantations in America, and the colonies settled there,
compared with the desolations of many countries in Asia and Europe, that
formerly were famous, expound this.
2. Necessitous families are raised and enriched, while prosperous families
are impoverished and go to decay. If we look broad in the world, (1.) We see
many greatly increasing whose beginning was small, and whose ancestors were
mean and made no figure, v. 36-38. Those that were hungry are
made to dwell in fruitful lands; there they take root, and gain a
settlement, and prepare a city for habitation for themselves and
theirs after them. Providence puts good land under their hands, and they
build upon it. Cities took rise from rising families. But as lands, will not
serve for men without lodgings, and therefore they must prepare a city of
habitation, so lodgings, though ever so convenient, will not serve
without lands, and therefore they must sow the fields, and plant
vineyards (v. 37), for the king himself is served of the field.
And yet the fields, though favoured with water-springs, will not yield
fruits of increase, unless they be sown, nor will vineyards be had,
unless they be planted; man's industry must attend God's blessing, and then
God's blessing will crown man's industry. The fruitfulness of the soil
should engage, for it does encourage, diligence; and, ordinarily, the
hand of the diligent, by the blessing of God, makes rich, v.
38. He blesses them also, so that they are, in a little time, multiplied
greatly, and he diminishes not their cattle. As in the beginning,
so still it is, by the blessing of God, that the earth and all the creatures
increase and multiply (Gen. i. 22), and we depend upon God for the
increase of the cattle as well as for the increase of the ground. Cattle
would decrease many ways if God should permit it, and men would soon suffer
by it. (2.) We see many that have thus suddenly risen as suddenly sunk and
brought to nothing (v. 39): Again they are diminished and brought
low by adverse providences, and end their days as low as they began
them; or their families after them lose as fast as they got, and scatter
what they heaped together. Note, Worldly wealth is an uncertain thing, and
often those that are filled with it, ere they are aware, grow so secure and
sensual with it that, ere they are aware, they lose it again. Hence it is
called deceitful riches and the mammon of unrighteousness. God
has many ways of making men poor; he can do it by oppression, affliction,
and sorrow, as he tempted Job and brought him low.
3. Those that were high and great in the world are abased, and those that
were mean and despicable are advanced to honour, v. 40, 41. We have
seen, (1.) Princes dethroned and reduced to straits. He pours contempt
upon them, even among those that have idolized them. Those that exalt
themselves God will abase, and, in order thereunto, will infatuate: He makes
them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way. He baffles
those counsels by which they thought to support themselves, and their own
power and pomp, and drives them headlong, so that they know not what course
to steer, nor what measures to take. We met with this before, Job xii. 24,
25. (2.) Those of low degree advanced to the posts of honour (v. 41):
Yet setteth he the poor on high, raiseth from the dust to the throne
of glory, 1 Sam. ii. 8; Ps. cxiii. 7, 8. Those that were afflicted and
trampled on are not only delivered, but set on high out of the reach of
their troubles, above their enemies, and have dominion over those to whom
they had been in subjection. That which adds to their honour, and
strengthens them in their elevation, is the multitude of their children: He
maketh him families like a flock of sheep, so numerous, so useful, so
sociable with one another, and so meek and peaceable. He that sent them meat
sent them mouths. Happy is the man that has his quiver filled with
arrows, for he shall boldly speak with the enemy in the gate, Ps.
cxxvii. 5. God is to be acknowledged both in setting up families and in
building them up. Let not princes be envied, nor the poor despised, for God
has many ways of changing the condition of both.
II. He makes some improvement of these remarks; such surprising turns as
these are of use, 1. For the solacing of saints. They observe these
dispensations with pleasure (v. 42): The righteous shall see it
and rejoice in the glorifying of God's attributes and the manifesting of
his dominion over the children of men. It is a great comfort to a good man
to see how God manages the children of men, as the potter does the clay, so
as to serve his own purposes by them, to see despised virtue advanced and
impious pride brought low to the dust, to see it evinced beyond dispute that
verily there is a God that judges in the earth. 2. For the silencing
of sinners: All iniquity shall stop her mouth; it shall be a full
conviction of the folly of atheists, and of those that deny the divine
providence; and, forasmuch as practical atheism is at the bottom of all sin,
it shall in effect stop the mouth of all iniquity. When sinners see
how their punishment answers to their sin, and how justly God deals with
them in taking away from them those gifts of his which they had abused, they
shall not have one word to say for themselves; for God will be justified, he
will be clear. 3. For the satisfying of all concerning the divine goodness (v.
43): Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, these various
dispensations of divine providence, even they shall understand the
lovingkindness of the Lord. Here is, (1.) A desirable end proposed, and
that is, rightly to understand the loving kindness of the Lord. It is
of great use to us, in religion, to be fully assured of God's goodness, to
be experimentally acquainted and duly affected with it, that his lovingkindness
may be before our eyes, Ps. xxvi. 3. (2.) A proper means prescribed
for attaining this end, and that is a due observance of God's providence. We
must lay up these things, mind them, and keep them in mind, Luke ii. 19.
(3.) A commendation of the use of this means as an instance of true wisdom: Whoso
is wise, let him by this both prove his wisdom and improve it. A prudent
observance of the providences of God will contribute very much to the
accomplishing of a good Christian.
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