Divine Conduct: The Mystery of Providence
The greatness of God is a glorious and unsearchable mystery. The Lord most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth (Psalm 47:2). The condescension of the most high God to men is also a profound mystery. Though the Lord be high, yet he has respect to the lowly (Psalm 138:6). But when both these meet together (as they do in this scripture), they make up a matchless mystery. Here we find the most high God performing all things for a poor distressed creature.
It is the great support and solace of the saints in all the distresses that befall them here, that there is a wise Spirit sitting in all the wheels of motion and governing the most irregular creatures and their most pernicious designs to blessed and happy issues. And indeed it were not worth while to live in a world devoid of God and providence.
How deeply we are concerned in this matter will appear by that great instance which this Psalm presents us with.
It was composed (as the title notes) by David in prayer, when he hid himself from Saul in the cave; and is inscribed with a double title, Altaschith Michtam of David. Altaschith refers to the scope, and Michtam to the dignity of the subject matter.
The former signifies "destroy not" or "let there be no slaughter," and may either refer to Saul, concerning whom he gave charge to his servants not to destroy him; or rather it has reference to God, to whom in this great crisis he poured out his soul in this heartfelt ejaculation, "Altaschith, destroy not."
The latter title, Michtam, signifies a golden ornament, and so is suited to the choice and excellent matter of the Psalm, which much more deserves such a title than Pythagoras's golden verses did.
Three things are remarkable in the former part of the Psalm: (1) his extreme danger, (2) his earnest address to God in that extremity, and (3) the arguments he pleads with God in that address.
His extreme danger is expressed both in the title and body of the Psalm. The title tells us this Psalm was composed by him when he hid himself from Saul in the cave. This cave was in the wilderness of Engedi among the broken rocks where the wild goats inhabited — an obscure and desolate hole; yet even there the envy of Saul pursued him (1 Samuel 24:1-2). And now he that had been so long hunted as a partridge upon the mountains seems to be enclosed in the net; for the place was surrounded by his enemies, and having in this place no outlet another way, and Saul himself entering into the mouth of this cave — in the sides and creeks of which he and his men lay hidden and saw him — judge to how great an extremity and to what a desperate state things were now brought. Well might he say, as it is in verse 4, "My soul is among lions, and I lie even among them that are set on fire." What hope now remained? What but immediate destruction could be expected?
Yet this frightened him not out of his faith and duty, but between the jaws of death he prays and earnestly addresses himself to God for mercy: "Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful unto me" (verse 1). This excellent Psalm was composed by him when there was enough to discompose the best man in the world. The repetition notes both the extremity of the danger and the fervency of the suppliant. Mercy, mercy! Nothing but mercy, and that exerting itself in an extraordinary way, can now save him from ruin.
The arguments he pleads for obtaining mercy in this distress are very considerable.
(1.) He pleads his reliance upon God as an argument to move mercy. "Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful unto me, for my soul trusts in you; yes, in the shadow of your wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast" (verse 1). This trust and dependance on God, though it is not argumentative in respect of the dignity of the act, yet it is so in respect both of the nature of the object — a compassionate God who will not expose any that take shelter under his wings — and in respect of the promise whereby protection is assured to them that fly to him for sanctuary (Isaiah 26:3): "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." Thus he encourages himself from the consideration of that God to whom he betakes himself.
(2.) He pleads former experiences of God's help in past distresses as an argument encouraging hope under the present strait (verse 2): "I will cry unto God most high, unto God that performs all things for me."
In which words I shall consider two things:
1. The duty resolved upon. 2. The encouragement to that resolution.
The duty resolved upon: "I will cry unto God." Crying unto God is an expression that does not only denote prayer, but intense and fervent prayer. To cry is to pray in a holy passion; and such are usually effective prayers (Psalm 18:6 and Hebrews 5:7).
The encouragements to this resolution are twofold.
1. Objective, taken from the sovereignty of God. And 2. Subjective, taken from the experience he had of his providence.
The sovereignty of God: "I will cry unto God most high." Upon this he acts his faith in extremity of danger. Saul is high, but God is the most high; and without his permission, he is assured Saul cannot touch him. He had none to help; and if he had, he knew God must first help the helpers or they cannot help him. He had no means of defense or escape before him, but the Most High is not limited by means. This is a singular support to faith (Psalm 59:9).
The experience of his providence hitherto: "unto God that performs all things for me."
The word which we translate "performs" comes from a root that signifies both to perfect and to desist or cease. For when a business is performed and perfected, the agent then ceases and desists from working — he puts to the last hand when he finishes the work. To such a happy issue the Lord has brought all his doubtful and difficult matters before; and this gives him encouragement that he will still be gracious and perfect that which concerns him now, as he speaks in Psalm 138:8: "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me."
The Septuagint renders it by a phrase meaning "who profits or benefits me." And it is a certain truth that all the results and issues of providence are profitable and beneficial to the saints. But the supplement in our translation well receives the importance of the place: "who performs all things." And it involves the most strict and proper notion of providence, which is nothing else but the performance of God's gracious purposes and promises to his people. And therefore Vatablus and Muis supply and fill up what the conciseness of the original leaves, with "which he has promised" — "I will cry unto God most high, unto God that performs the things which he has promised." Payment is the performance of promises. Grace makes the promise, and providence the payment.
Piscator fills it with "his kindness and mercy" — unto God that performs his kindness and mercy. But still it supposes the mercy performed to be contained in the promise. Mercy is sweet in the promise, and much more so in the providential performance of it to us.
Castalio's supplement comes nearer to ours: "the transactor of my affairs" — "I will cry unto God most high, unto God the transactor of my affairs."
But our English, making out the sense by a universal particle, is most fully agreeable to the scope of the text. For it cannot but be a great encouragement to his faith that God had transacted all things — or performed all things — for him; this providence that never failed him in any of the straits that ever he met with (and his life was a life of many straits), he might well hope would not now fail him, though this were an extraordinary and matchless one.
Let us then bring our thoughts a little closer to this scripture, and it will give us a fair and lovely prospect of providence in its: 1. Universal, 2. Effectual, 3. Beneficial, and 4. Encouraging influence upon the affairs and concerns of the saints.
The expression imports the universal interest and influence of providence in and upon all the concerns and interests of the saints. It has not only its hand in this or that, but in all that concerns them. It has its eye upon everything that relates to them throughout their lives, from first to last. Not only great and more important, but the most minute and ordinary affairs of our lives are transacted and managed by it. It touches all things that touch us, whether more nearly or remotely.
It displays the efficacy of providential influences. Providence does not only undertake, but performs and perfects what concerns us. It goes through with its designs and accomplishes what it begins. No difficulty so clogs it, no cross accident falls in its way, but it carries its design through it. Its motions are irresistible and uncontrollable — he performs it for us.
And (which is sweet to consider) all its products and issues are exceedingly beneficial to the saints. It performs all things for them. It is true, we often prejudge its works and unjustly criticize its designs, and under many of our straits and troubles we say, "all these things are against us"; but indeed providence neither does nor can do anything that is really against the true interest and good of the saints. For what are the works of providence, but the execution of God's decree and the fulfilling of his word? And there can be no more in providence than is in them. Now there is nothing but good to the saints in God's purposes and promises; and therefore whatever providence does in their concerns, it must be (as the text speaks) the performance of all things for them.
And if so, how cheering, supporting, and encouraging must the consideration of these things be in a day of distress and trouble? What life and hope will it inspire in our hearts and prayers when great pressures lie upon us? It had such a cheering influence upon the Psalmist at this time, when the state of his affairs was to the eye of sense and reason forlorn and desperate — there was now but a hair's breadth (as we say) between him and ruin.
A potent, enraged, and implacable enemy had driven him into the hole of a rock and was come after him into that hole; yet now while his soul is among lions, while he lies in a cranny of the rock expecting every moment to be drawn out to death, the reflections he had upon the gracious performances of the Most High for him from the beginning to that moment support his soul and inspire hope and life into his prayers: "I will cry unto God most high, unto God that performs all things for me."
The substance of all this is found in this doctrinal conclusion.
Doctrine: It is the duty of the saints, especially in times of straits, to reflect upon the performances of providence for them in all the states and through all the stages of their lives.
The Church in all the works of mercy, owns he and of God, Isaiah 26:12 Lord, you hast wrought all our works in (or for) us. And still it has been the pious, and constant practice of the saints in all generations, to preserve the memory of the more famous, and remarkable providences that have befallen them in their times, as a precious treasure. If you be a Christian indeed, I know you hast, if not in your book, yet certainly in your heart a great many precious favors upon record; the very remembrance and rehearsal of them is sweet: how much more sweet was the actual enjoyment? Baxter's saints Rest, p. 768. Thus Moses by divine direction wrote a memorial of that victory obtained over Amalek as the fruit and return of prayer, and built there an Altar with this Inscription Jehovah Nissi, The Lord my Banner, Exodus 17. 14, 15. Thus Mordecai and Hester took all care to perpetuate the memory of that signal deliverance from the plot of Haman, by ordaining the feast of Purim, as an Anniversary throughout every generation, every family, every Province, and every Ciy, that those days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed, Esther 9:28 For this end you find Psalms indited, to bring to remembrance, Psalm 70. the Title. Parents giving suitable names to their Children, that every time they looked upon them, they might refresh the memory of Gods mercies, 1 Samuel 1:20 The very places where eminent Providences have appeared, new named, upon no other design, but to perpetate the memorial of those sweet Providences which so refreshed them there: Thence Bethel took its name, Genesis 28:19 And that well of water where Hagar was seasonably refreshed by the Angel in her distress, Beer-la-hai-roi, the well of him that lives and looketh on me, Genesis 16:14 Yea, the saints have given, and God has assumed to himself new Titles upon this very score and account; Abraham's Jehovah jirch, and Gideon's Jehovah shallum were ascribed to him upon this reason. And sometimes you find the Lord stiles himself, The God that brought Abraham from Vr of the Chaldes: then the Lord Lord that brought them out of Egypt: then the Lord that gathered them out of the North Countrey: still minding them of the gracious providences which in all those places he had wrought for them.
Now there is a twofold reflection upon the providential works of God.
One entire and full, in the whole Complex and perfect frame thereof. This blessed sight is reserved for the perfect state. It is in that Mount of God, where we shall see both the Wilderness and Canaan: the glorious kingdom into which we are come, and the way through which we were led into it. There the saints shall have a ravishing view of that beautiful frame, and every part shall be distinctly discerned, as it had its particular use, and as it was connected with the other parts, and how effectually and orderly they all wrought to bring about that blessed design of their salvation, according to the promise, Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, &c. For it is certain, no Ship at Sea keeps more exactly by the Compass which directs its course, than Providence does by that Promise, which is its Cynosura and Pole-star.
The other partial and imperfect in the way to glory, where we only view it in its single acts, or at most, in some branches and more observable course of actions.
Betwixt these two is the same difference, as betwixt the sight of the dis-jointed wheels and scattered pins of a Watch, and the sight of the whole united in one frame, and working in one orderly motion: or, betwixt an ignorant Spectators viewing some more observable vessel or joint of a dissected body; and the accurate Anatomist's discerning the course of all the veins and arteries of the body, as he follows the several branches of them through the whole, and plainly sees the proper places, figure, and use of each, with their mutual respect to one another.
O how ravishing and delectable a sight is that! to behold at one view the whole design of Providence, and the proper place, and use of every single act, which we could not understand in this world: for what Christ said to Peter, John 13:7 is as applicable to some providences in which we are now concerned, as it was to that particular action; What I do you knowest not now, but hereafter you shalt know it. All the dark intricate puzling Providences at which we were sometimes so stumbled, and sometimes amazed, which we could neither reconcile with the promise, nor with each other; nay, which we so unjustly censured and bitterly bewailed, as if they had fallen out quite cross to our happiness: we shall than see to be unto us, as the difficult passage through the Wilderness was unto Israel, the right way to a City of habitation, Psalm 107:7
And yet though our present views and reflections upon Providence be so short and imperfect in comparison of that in Heaven, yet such as it is under all its present disadvantages, it has so much excellency and sweetness in it, that I may call it a little Heaven, or as Jacob called his Bethel, the Gate of Heaven. 'Tis certainly an high-way of walkking with God in this world, and as sweet communion may a soul enjoy with him in his Providences, as in any of his Ordinances. How often have the hearts of its observers been melted into tears of joy, at the beholding of its wise and unexpected productions! How often has it convinced them, upon a sober recollection of the events of their lives, that if the Lord had left them to their own counsels, they had as often been their own tormenters, if not executioners? Into what, and how many fatal mischiefs had they precipitated themselves, if Providence had been as short sighted as they? They have given it their hearty thanks, for considering their Interest more than their Importunity, and not suffering them to perish by their own desires.
The benefits of adverting the works of Providence, are manifold and unspeakable; as in its place we shall shew you. But not to entangle the thread of the discourse, I shall cast it into this method.
First, I shall prove, that the Concernments of the saints in this world, are certainly conducted by the wisdom and care of special Providence.
Secondly, I will shew you, in what particular concernments of theirs this providential care is evidently discovered.
Thirdly, That it is the duty of saints to advert, and heedfully observe these performances of Providence for them in all their Concernments.
Fourthly, In what manner this duty is to be performed by them.
Fifthly, What singular benefits result to them from such observations.
And then apply the whole in such Uses, as offer themselves from the Point.
