Commentary on Psalms - Volume 3 - Bible Study Guides

Comm on Psalms (V3)John Calvin32. The afflicted have seen it. He here shows that the blessed effects of his deliverance willextend to others as well as to himself, a point which he frequently insists on in the Psalms, as wehave seen in Psalm 22:23, 26, and in many other places. And his object in doing this is, partly tocommend the goodness and grace of God to true believers, and partly that by this as an argumenthe may prevail with God to succor him. Besides, he does not mean that God’s people would rejoiceat this spectacle merely on the ground of brotherly friendship, but because, in the deliverance ofone man, a pledge would be given to others, affording them also assurance of salvation. For thisvery reason he terms them the afflicted. Whoever seek God, (says he,) although they may besubjected to afflictions, will nevertheless take courage from my example. The first and the secondclauses of the verse must be read together; for a connected sense would not be preserved were wenot to understand the meaning to be this, That the example of David would afford a ground ofrejoicing to all the faithful servants of God when they should seek a remedy for their afflictions.He very properly conjoins the desire of seeking God with affliction; for all men do not so profitunder the chastening hand of God as to seek salvation from him in the exercise of a sincere andardent faith. In the concluding part of this verse there is a change of person: And your heart shalllive. But this apostrophe is so far from rendering the sense obscure, that, on the contrary, it expressesit the more forcibly, as if a thing present were described. In addressing those who were so muchunder the pressure of affliction as to be laid prostrate like dead men, he exhibits to their view a kindof image of the resurrection; as if he had said, O ye who are dead! unto you new vigor shall berestored. It is not meant that faith perishes in the children of God, and remains entirely dead untilit is quickened into life again by the example of the deliverance of others; but that the light whichwas quenched is rekindled, and thus, so to speak, recovers life anew. The Psalmist immediatelyafter (verse 33) describes the means by which this will be brought about in the children of God,which is, that believing the deliverance of David to be a common token or pledge of the grace ofGod presented before them, they will confidently come to the conclusion, that God regards theneedy, and does not despise the prisoners. We thus see that he considers what was done to one man,as a clear indication on the part of God that he will be ready to succor all who are in adversity. 99Psalm 69:34-3634. Let the heavens and the earth praise him; the seas, and whatever creepeth in them. 35. ForGod will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah; and they shall dwell there, and possess itby inheritance. 36. And the seed of his servants shall inherit it; and they who love his name shalldwell in it.34. Let the heavens and the earth praise him. From this we may conclude with the greatercertainty, that, as I have touched upon above, David in the whole of this psalm spake in the nameof the whole Church; for he now transfers to the Church what he had spoken in particular concerninghimself. In calling upon the elements, which are destitute of thought or understanding, to praiseGod, he speaks hyperbolically, and by this manner of expression, he would teach us that we are99 “Tous ceux qui seront oppressez a tort.” — Fr. “All who shall be wrongfully oppressed.”47