Commentary on Psalms - Volume 3 - Bible Study Guides

Comm on Psalms (V3)John Calvinthat thou shouldest restore me, but the anointing by which thou hast made me a type of the onlyRedeemer will secure this blessing for me. We are thus taught, that the only way in which Godbecomes reconciled to us is through the mediation of Christ, whose presence scatters and dissipatesall the dark clouds of our sins.10. For better is one day in thy courts than a thousand elsewhere. Unlike the greater part ofmankind, who desire to live without knowing why, wishing simply that their life may be prolonged,David here testifies, not only that the end which he proposed to himself in living was to serve God,but that in addition to this, he set a higher value on one day which he could spend in the divineservice, than upon a long time passed among the men of the world, from whose society true religionis banished. It being lawful for none but the priests to enter into the inner and innermost courts ofthe temple, David expressly declares, that provided he were permitted to have a place at the porch,he would be contented with this humble station; for the Hebrew word , saph, signifies a door-post,or the threshold of a house. 470 The value which he set upon the sanctuary is presented in a verystriking light by the comparison, that he would prefer having a place at the very doors of the temple,to his having full possession of the tents of wickedness, the plain import of which is, that he wouldrather be cast into a common and unhonoured place, provided he were among the people of God,than exalted to the highest rank of honor among unbelievers. A rare example of godliness indeed!Many are to be found who desire to occupy a place in the Church, but such is the sway whichambition has over the minds of men, that very few are content to continue among the number ofthe common and undistinguished class. Almost all are carried away with the frantic desire of risingto distinction, and can never think of being at ease until they have attained to some station ofeminence.11. Jehovah God is our sun and shield. The idea conveyed by the comparison derived from thesun is, that as the sun by his light vivifies, nourishes, and rejoices the world, so the benigncountenance of God fills with joy the hearts of his people, or rather, that they neither live nor breatheexcept in so far as he shines upon them. By the term shield is meant, that our salvation, whichwould otherwise be perilled by countless dangers, is in perfect safety under his protection. Thefavor of God in communicating life to us would be far from adequate to the exigencies of ourcondition, unless at the same time, in the midst of so many dangers, he interposed his power as abuckler to defend us. The sentence immediately succeeding, he will give grace and glory, mightbe viewed as meaning, that those whom God has distinguished by his grace in this world, will atlength be crowned with everlasting glory in his heavenly kingdom. But this distinction betweengrace and glory being, I am afraid, too refined, it will be preferable to explain the sentence asimplying, that after God has once taken the faithful into his favor, he will advance them to highhonor, and never cease to enrich them with his blessings. 471 This interpretation is confirmed by thefollowing clause, He will withhold no good thing from those who walk uprightly, obviously teachingus, that God’s bounty can never be exhausted, but flows without intermission. We learn from thesewords, that whatever excellence may be in us proceeds solely from the grace of God. They contain,470 This explanation is adopted by Walford, who reads, “Jehovah giveth favor and honor.” “The common gloss on these words,”he observes, “is, that God first bestows grace on earth, and then glory in heaven. But this is an interpretation of the ear ratherthan of the understanding. The writer is evidently speaking of the present happy consequences of walking uprightly as heimmediately says. The judgment of Calvin agrees with this statement.”471 “It is generally agreed, that the subject of this psalm is the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity; in celebratingwhich, the Psalmist is carried by a prophetic impulse to foretell a much greater deliverance by the coming of Christ.” — Dimock.219