Commentary on Psalms - Volume 3 - Bible Study Guides

Comm on Psalms (V3)John Calvinmazes, which, in the end, will invariably land them in an abyss from which they will be unable toextricate themselves. To incline our hearts to exercise this modesty, David magnificently extolsthe works of God, calling them wondrous things, although to the blind, and those who have no tastefor them, they are destitute of attraction. In the meantime, we ought carefully to attend to this truth,That the glory of Godhead belongs exclusively to the one true God; for in no other being is itpossible to find the wisdom, or the power, or the righteousness, or any of the numerous marks ofdivinity which shine forth in his wonderful works. Whence it follows, that the Papists are chargeablewith rendering, as much as in them lies, his title to true Godhead nugatory, when despoiling himof his attributes they leave him almost nothing but the bare name.11. Show me thy ways, O Jehovah! David now rises higher, praying that he may be governedby the spirit of sound understanding, in order to his living a holy life, and that he may be strengthenedin his endeavors thereto by the spirit of fortitude. He tacitly contrasts the ways of God with all thecounsels which he could derive from carnal reason. In submitting himself to God, and in imploringHim to be his guide, he confesses that the only possible way by which we can be enabled to live aholy and an upright life is, when God goes before us, while we follow after him; and, accordingly,that those who deviate, let it be never so little, from the law through a proud conceit of their ownwisdom, wander from the right path. This he more fully confirms, by adding immediately after, Iwill walk in thy truth. He pronounces all to be guilty of vanity and lying who observe not this ruleof truth. Farther, his prayer to be taught in the ways of the Lord does not imply that he had beenpreviously altogether ignorant of divine truth; but well aware of the much darkness — of the manyclouds of ignorance in which he was still enveloped, he aspires after greater improvement. Let italso be observed, that he is not to be understood as speaking only of external teaching: but havingthe law among his hands, he prays for the inward light of the Holy Spirit, that he may not labor inthe unprofitable task of learning only the letter; according as he prays in another place,“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law,” (Psalm 119:18.)If a prophet so distinguished, and so richly endued with the graces of the Holy Spirit, makessuch a frank and cordial confession of his own ignorance, how great our folly if we feel not ourown deficiency, and are not stirred up to greater diligence in self-improvement from the knowledgeof our slender attainments! And, assuredly, the more progress a man has made in the knowledgeof the true religion, the more sensible will he be that he is far from the mark. Secondly, it is necessaryto add, that reading or hearing is not enough, unless God impart to us inward light by his Spirit.In addition to this, the Psalmist desires that his heart may be framed for yielding obedience toGod, and that it may be firmly established therein; for as our understanding has need of light, sohas our will of uprightness. The original words which I have translated, unite my heart, are translatedby some, rejoice my heart, as if the verb were from the root, , chadah, to rejoice; 486 but it rathercomes from , yachad, to unite — a sense which is very suitable to the passage before us. 487 Thisword contains a tacit contrast, which has not been sufficiently attended to, between the unwaveringpurpose with which the heart of man cleaves to God when it is under the guidance of the HolySpirit, and the disquietude with which it is distracted and tossed so long as it fluctuates amidst its486 “This verse has been considered, with great probability, as a prediction of the calling of the Gentiles under the messiah.See Romans 15:9.” — Warner.487 The reading of the LXX. is, “Let my heart rejoice,” with which the Syriac agrees; and this sense is adopted by severalcritics, as Muis, Dr Durell, and others.233