Self-Interpreting Bible

[1]David's confidence in prayer: [7]he prayeth for remission of sins, [16]and for help in affliction.

2. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.

3. Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.

5. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

6. Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.

7. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.

10. All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

12. What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.

14. The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

15. Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.

17. The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.

19. Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.

20. O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.

To thee I lift my soul: O LORD, I trust in thee: My God, let me not be asham'd, nor foes triumph o'er me. Let none that wait on thee be put to shame at all; But those that without cause transgress, let shame upon them fall. Show me thy ways, O LORD; thy paths, O teach thou me: And do thou lead me in thy truth, therein my teacher be: For thou art God that dost to me salvation send, And I upon thee all the day expecting do attend. Thy tender mercies, LORD, I pray thee to remember, And loving-kindnesses; for they have been of old for ever. My sins and faults of youth do thou, O LORD, forget: After thy mercy think on me, and for thy goodness great. GOD good and upright is: the way he'll sinners show. The meek in judgment he will guide, and make his path to know. The whole paths of the LORD are truth and mercy sure, To those that do his cov'nant keep, and testimonies pure. Now, for thine own name's sake, O LORD, I thee entreat To pardon mine iniquity; for it is very great. What man is he that fears the LORD, and doth him serve? Him shall he teach the way that he shall choose, and still observe. His soul shall dwell at ease; and his posterity Shall flourish still, and of the earth inheritors shall be. With those that fear him is the secret of the LORD; The knowledge of his covenant he will to them afford. Mine eyes upon the LORD continually are set; For he it is that shall bring forth my feet out of the net. Turn unto me thy face, and to me mercy show; Because that I am desolate, and am brought very low. My heart's griefs are increased: me from distress relieve. See mine affliction and my pain, and all my sins forgive. Consider thou my foes, because they many are; And it a cruel hatred is which they against me bear. O do thou keep my soul, do thou deliver me: And let me never be ashamed, because I trust in thee. Let uprightness and truth keep me, who thee attend. Redemption, Lord, to Israel from all his troubles send.

Probably this psalm was penned for use of the Hebrews, when David brought up the ark of God to Jerusalem, or when Solomon brought it into the temple, 2 Sam. 6, 1 Kings 8, in order to raise their hearts above their external ceremonies, to a reception of, and walking in Christ, who was thereby prefigured. Observe, (1.) Christ's kingdom of nature, comprehending the whole world and all the inhabitants thereof, ver. 1-2. (2.) His kingdom of grace in the nature of it; the gracious character of its subjects; and their charter to their everlasting happiness above, ver. 3-6. (3.) Under the figure of a call to admit the ark, we have a solemn summons, issued forth by God, for the heavens to receive Jesus, our glorious and almighty King, into their blissful abodes in his ascension; and for us to receive him into our hearts and societies below, ver. 7-10.

While I sing, let me be affected with the double claim the Redeemer hath on me - as his creature, and as his ransomed one. Let me try whether I possess the distinguishing characters of a real saint; and whether I have received an abundance of the gift of righteousness, and of blessedness from the God of my salvation. Let me charge, let me rouse up all my inward powers, to receive Jesus Christ the Lord, as made of God unto me, wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.

To thee I lift my soul, O LORD: my God, I trust in thee: Let me not be ashamed; let not my foes triumph o'er me. Yea, let thou none ashamed be that do on thee attend: Ashamed let them be, O Lord, who without cause offend. Thy ways, LORD, show; teach me thy paths: lead me in truth, teach me: For of my safety thou art God; all day I wait on thee. Thy mercies, that most tender are, do thou, O LORD, remember, And loving-kindnesses; for they have been of old for ever. Let not the errors of my youth, nor sins, remembered be: In mercy, for thy goodness' sake, O LORD, remember me. The LORD is good and gracious, he upright is also: He therefore sinners will instruct in ways that they should go. The meek and lowly he will guide in judgment just alway: To meek and poor afflicted ones he'll clearly teach his way. The whole paths of the LORD our God are truth and mercy sure, To such as keep his covenant, and testimonies pure. Now, for thine own name's sake, O LORD, I humbly thee entreat To pardon mine iniquity; for it is very great. What man fears GOD? him shall he teach the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease; his seed the earth, as heirs, shall use. The secret of the LORD is with such as do fear his name; And he his holy covenant will manifest to them. Towards the LORD my waiting eyes continually are set; For he it is that shall bring forth my feet out of the net. O turn thee unto me, O God, have mercy me upon; Because I solitary am, and in affliction. Enlarged the griefs are of mine heart; me from distress relieve. See mine affliction and my pain, and all my sins forgive. Consider thou mine enemies, because they many are; And it a cruel hatred is which they against me bear. O do thou keep my soul; O God, do thou deliver me: Let me not be ashamed; for I do put my trust in thee. O let integrity and truth keep me, who thee attend. Redemption, Lord, to Israel from all his troubles send.

In singing this psalm, let me observe, (1.) What serious work prayer is; what lifting up of soul, what directing of eyes to God, and fixing them on him, must be in it! ver. 1-15. (2.) What mercies ought to be prayed for Pardon of sin, ver. 6, 7-18; direction in duty, ver. 4-5; familiar intimacy with God, ver. 10; deliverance from trouble, ver. 17-18; preservation from adversaries, ver. 20-21; and, in fine, safety and deliverance to the church, ver. 22. (3.)What pleas are proper to be used in prayer; as, the trust we have reposed in God, ver. 2-3, 5-21; our own divinely affected sincerity in the Lord's way, ver. 21; our distress, and the malice of our enemies, ver. 2, 16-19; but chiefly, the mercy that is in God, and the glory which redounds to his name from his bestowing of new-covenant favours, ver. 6-11. (4.) Strong encouragements to prayer - taken from the perfections of God's nature; from his promises of instruction and direction; from the fulness and grace of his covenant; and from his delight in allowing men familiar intimacy and fellowship with himself, ver. 8-14.

Let these things, my soul, be the object of thy strictest care and attention, in all thy addresses to God.