Commentary on Psalms - Volume 3 - Bible Study Guides

Comm on Psalms (V3)John Calvinhad now brought him back into the right way, would continue henceforth to guide him, until atlength he received him into His glorious presence in heaven. We know that it is David’s usual way,when he gives thanks to God, to look forward with confidence to the future. Accordingly, afterhaving acknowledged his own infirmities, he celebrated the grace of God, the aid and comfort ofwhich he had experienced; and now he cherishes the hope that the Divine assistance will continuehereafter to be extended to him. Guidance by counsel is put first. Although the foolish andinconsiderate are sometimes very successful in their affairs, (for God remedies our faults and errors,and turns to a prosperous and happy issue things which we had entered upon amiss;) yet the wayin which God ordinarily and more abundantly blesses his own people is by giving them wisdom:and we should ask him especially to govern us by the Spirit of counsel and of judgment. Whoeverdares, in a spirit of confident reliance on his own wisdom, to engage in any undertaking, willinevitably be involved in confusion and shame for his presumption, since he arrogates to himselfwhat is peculiar to God alone. If David needed to have God for his guide, how much more needhave we of being under the Divine guidance? To counsel there is added glory, which, I think, oughtnot to be limited to eternal life, as some are inclined to do. It comprehends the whole course of ourhappiness from the commencement, which is seen here upon earth, even to the consummationwhich we expect to realize in heaven. David then assures himself of eternal glory, through the freeand unmerited favor of God, and yet he does not exclude the blessings which God bestows uponhis people here below, with the view of affording them, even in this life, some foretaste of thatfelicity.Psalm 73:25-2825. Who is there to me in heaven? 206 And I have desired none other with thee 207 upon theearth. 26. My flesh and my heart have failed: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portionfor ever. 27. For, lo: they who depart from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all those who goa whoring from thee. 208 28. As for me, it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trustin the Lord Jehovah, that I may recount all thy works. 20925. Whom have I in heaven but thee? The Psalmist shows more distinctly how much he hadprofited in the sanctuary of God; for being satisfied with him alone, he rejects every other object,except God, which presented itself to him. The form of expression which he employs, when hejoins together an interrogation and an affirmation, is quite common in the Hebrew tongue, althoughharsh in other languages. As to the meaning, there is no ambiguity. David declares that he desiresnothing, either in heaven or in earth, except God alone, and that without God, all other objects206 Calvin here gives the literal rendering of the original Hebrew. The question appears elliptical; and accordingly, in the Frenchversion he has introduced the supplement, “si non toy?” “but thee?” — “Who is there to me in heaven but thee?”207 “C’est, outre toy.” — Fr. marg. “That is, beyond or besides thee.”208 “Ascavoir, en te delaissant.” — Fr. marg. “Namely, in forsaking thee.”209The Septuagint here adds, ἐυ ταῖς πύλαις της θυγατρὸς Σιών; “in the gates of the daughter of Zion.” The Vulgate, Arabic,and Æthiopic versions have the same addition. This seems to make a better conclusion; but these words are not in our presentcopies of the Hebrew Bible, nor are they supported by any of the MSS. yet collated.92