Psalms 143

A man can want music or flowers, but not food. A soul deeply in love with God, looks upon himself as undone without him (Psalm 143:7): "Do not hide your face from me, lest I be like them that go down into the pit." He says as Job, Chapter 30:28, "I went mourning without the sun."

He puts as it were a blank paper into God's hands, and bids him write what he will — he will subscribe to it. 4. Beg grace and strength of God to do his will (Psalm 143:10): Teach me to do your will: as if David had said, Lord, I need not be taught to do my own will, I can do th…

If he justifies any person, the Law shall justify him; he will not pervert the Law nor wrest judgment; and if the Law justifies it shall find the person perfect, free from any guilt, perfectly righteous, fully conformable to it in all things. But when God comes to judge men, he…

We must therefore pray unto God daily, that he would guide us by his good spirit: for, by reason of the corruption of our nature, and the deceitfulness of sin, we shall utterly fail, unless Gods spirit govern us, both in the thoughts of our hearts, in the words of our mouths, an…

Where he signifies thus much in effect, that he could begin good things, but not perfect them, and go through-stitch, as we say. When the godly do good works, as hear, speak God's word, pray, praise God, etc. they perform things acceptable to God: but in these actions they find…

Lord, you have heard the desire of the poor. Psalm 143:6. My soul desires after you, as the thirsty land.

The beams of the sun descending, heat not before they come to the earth, or some solid body where they may reflect, and then by that means the earth and air adjoining is made hot: even so the Lord sends down to us his blessed word, even as beams and the goodly sunshine, and ther…

Well then, let us as parched ground, wait for the droppings of God's clouds: in this time of drought, when you go abroad into the fields, you shall see the grass burnt, and turned into stubble, and the earth gaping for a refreshing, and with a silent eloquence begging for the in…

So also (Romans 8:26) the Spirit makes request with groans so great, that they cannot be uttered, as they are felt. David, Psalm 143:6, says, that he desires after the Lord, as the thirsty land. Now we know that the ground parched with heat, opens itself in rifts and crevices, a…

When the godly do good works, as hear, speak God's word, pray, praise God, &c. they perform things acceptable to God: but in these actions, they find matter of mourning; namely, the imperfection of the work. Therefore, David prays (Psalms 143:2), Enter not into judgment with you…

The beams of the sun descending, heat not before they come to the earth, or some solid body where they may reflect; and then by that means the earth and air adjoining is made very hot: even so the Lord sends down to us his blessed Word, even as beams and the goodly sunshine, and…

Psalms 73:25: "Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides you." The Psalmist earnestly pursued after God — his soul thirsted after him, he stretched forth his hands to him, etc. (Psalms 143:6). And therefore it is in Scripture the peculiar…

Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the heavens, so (Psalm 25:1). To you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul, and (Psalm 86:4) Rejoice the soul of your servant, for to you do I lift up my soul, so (Psalm 143:8) cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift…

Moreover the whole church, which indeed is holy, prays that her sins may be forgiven her, and it believes the forgiveness of sins. And in Psalm 143 David prays: O Lord enter not into judgment with your servant, for in your sight shall none that lives be justified. And in Psalm 1…

It is called by Paul, the itching of the ear, and it is incident to them that follow their own lusts. The remedy of this sin, is to learn the first lesson that is to be learned of them that are to be good scholars in the school of Christ: and that is to feel our poverty, and in…

And it is laid down in the end of verse 16: No flesh shall be justified by the works of the law. And this ground is taken, as I suppose, from Psalm 143:2. It may be alleged, that David says thus, No flesh shall be justified in your sight, and that the other words, [by the works…

In these words, Paul sets down three things. The first, is the office of the spirit, which is, first of all, to regenerate and renew all the powers of the soul; and secondly, to guide and conduct them that are regenerate (Psalm 143:10). In this guidance or conduction, there are…

Let us know then that the goodness of God is here offered and set before us, to the end we might satisfy ourselves to the full therewith. For we ought (as David says) to be as the parched ground, gaping for thirst (Psalm 143:6), and to aspire to these waters of the savior. Now t…

Now since no man is so cautious in speech, or maintains such a wise restraint upon himself, as never to allow some idle words to escape him, there remains for all of us absolute despair, if the Lord should treat us with rigor. But as the confident hope of our salvation rests on…

Section 4. Men may be subdued by the power of the law and compelled to a strict course of duty, and advantaged by a sedate natural constitution, desire of applause, self-righteousness, or superstition may make a great appearance of holiness — but if the principle of what they do…

Besides secondly, it could not absolutely preserve men in its own observation; for it required that obedience which never any sinner did or could in all things perform; as the Scriptures of the Old Testament abundantly manifest. For they tell us, there is no man that sins not (1…

2. They may be read as they here stand, "cause me to hear it"; and thus Christ desires, he may be the object spoken to, as by the former reading he is to be the subject spoken of. So this same phrase is rendered (Psalm 143), "cause me to hear your loving kindness." And this tran…

But especially God speaks with his Word by his Spirit, when he sends his Spirit for conversion, and to effect a saving change: thus God speaks when he calls blind sinners out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9), quickens dead sinners, putting into them a new princ…

This is the language of the Scripture: there is a way whereby sinners may be saved, a way that God has found out and appointed. Now it being the law wherein sinners are concerned, the rule of all things between God and them should seem to be by what they can do or suffer with re…

The weaker the body grows, the stronger the disease grows. Oh therefore pray for quickening grace (Psalm 143:11). Beg fresh gales of the Spirit to blow upon you.

He knows your Spirit would fail before him, and the soul which he has made (Isaiah 57:16). David told him as much, in the like condition (Psalm 143:7-8). Hear me speedily, O Lord, for my spirit fails; hide not your face from me, lest I be like those that go down into the pit; q.…

If God first, before we stir and bow our souls, as ethical, moral, knowing, and considering causes, must move, stir and determine our souls to good, then are all influences of grace above our reach absolutely, and then farewell free-will; there is no necessity of the one connexi…

1. The confirming and upholding influence, the supernatural manutenentia, upholding of the Spirit: You will hold me fast by my right hand. 2. There is the guiding (John 16:13) and leading of the Spirit (Psalm 143:10; Psalm 73:14): You shall guide me by your counsel. So every ele…

It's true, there is much of renewed self (as 1 Corinthians 15:9, 10, Galatians 2:20, Romans 7:17, 22, 1 Corinthians 9:20, 21) in spiritual actings, and this heightens the excellency of the actions: corrupt self renders the act of praying and preaching wider and bigger, but not b…

And again, the application to us is merely grace, when so many thousands perish in their sins; therefore we are to beg, to sue out this grace, that we may have the benefit of Christ's death. God does it, that in begging we may acknowledge our own misery, and how unable we are to…

So Christ stands upon his will in his law. If you have taken God for your God, and Jesus Christ for your King, then say, with David, (Psalm 143:10) Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. It is a universal maxim, His servants you are, whom you do obey.

2. We beg skill to do it. (Psalm 143:10) Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. We beg that God would teach us, and lead us forth in the obedience of his will.

Therefore his mercy and goodness must always be proclaimed by us, and so we must hope for reward from him: since if he should look upon us and the dignity of our works, it is certain that we cannot stand long before him. Therefore David in Psalm 143 prays the Lord not to enter i…

Implying that prayer is but the vent and expression of what we have deliberated and meditated upon. So David finds his desires more earnest after grace, the more he mused and meditated (Psalm 143:5-6): I remember the days of old, I meditate on all your works, I muse on the works…

O! when a man is brought off from this spiritual idolatry of making his bosom to be his oracle, and his own heart to be his counselor; when he does in the poverty of his spirit humbly and entirely cast himself upon the help of God, and acknowledge him in all his ways, then he sh…

1. Get it. Pray for it, liveliness in obedience does depend upon God's blessing; unless he put life and keep life in our souls, all comes to nothing. Come to God upon the account of his glory, Psalm 143:11. Quicken me O Lord for your name's sake, for your righteousness's sake br…

I remembered your Judgments of old, and have comforted myself. So elsewhere, this was his practice, (Psalm 77:5) I considered the days of old, the years of ancient times: again in verses 11 and 12, I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember your works of old:…

What comfort had David in his kingdom, and all the glories of it, when God was withdrawn from him? See how he cries out (Psalm 143:7): "Hear me speedily, O Lord, my spirit fails." It embitters every other affliction; adversity itself is an evil which innocent nature does not eas…

Some creatures cannot live but in the sun; a Christian is even dead in the nest, unless he may have the sunlight of God's countenance. Psalm 143:7: Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those that go down into the pit. Nothing but the breast will quiet the child; it is only…

I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to babes. A father will teach his children; the child goes to his father, Father, teach me my lesson; so David goes to God (Psalm 143:10), teach m…

The Covenant of Works is made with all mankind. (6.) No people under the Law can be justified and saved thereby, nor have their sins pardoned (Romans 3:9-11, 19-20; Romans 4:1-4; Romans 9; Romans 10; Psalm 130:3; Psalm 143:2; Galatians 3:1-3, 10-13). But in this Covenant, Abraha…

(2.) Fainting at the greatness of the affliction (Isaiah 20:3; John 14:1), from where comes withering of heart (Psalm 102:4; Psalm 27:13). (3.) An overwhelmed and unbelieving swooning heart (Psalm 61:2; Psalm 142:3; Psalm 143:3-4). (4.) Deadness in going about the service of God…

And if so, all in Christ may say, we have no sin, contrary to Scripture (James 3:2; 1 Kings 8:46; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Proverbs 20:9; James 2:10). Indeed though he that is guilty in one offends in all, yet in the sight of God, all flesh shall be justified, this way (Psalm 143:2).…

If no man can stand a trial before God upon his own obedience, so as to be justified before him, because of his own personal Iniquities; and if our only plea in that case be the righteousness of God, the righteousness of God only and not our own, then is there no personal inhere…

For, (1.) This would be of no advantage unto us. For we cannot be justified before God by an imperfect righteousness, as is evident in the prayer of the Psalmist, Psalm 143:2. Enter not into judgment with your servant, for in your sight no man living, (no Servant of yours who ha…

And so it may be observed that all things concerning justification are proposed in the scripture under a juridical Scheme, or Forensick Tryal and sentence. As (1) A judgment is supposed in it, concerning which, the Psalmist prays that it may not proceed on the terms of the law,…

Psalm 130:3, 4, 5. Psalm 143:2. All other works and duties of obedience do accompany faith in the continuation of our justified estate, as necessary effects and fruits of it, but not as causes, means, or conditions whereon that effect is suspended.

But that God should enter into judgment with us, and justify us with respect unto what he judgs on, or our personal righteousness, the Psalmist does not believe, Psalm 130:2, 3. Psalm 143:2. nor did the Publican, Luke 18. 6.

But there is forgiveness with you, that you may be feared." And makes that deprecation in Psalm 143:2: "Enter not into judgment with your servant; for in your sight shall no man living be justified." And though they can plead their interest in his favor, from the evidence of the…

2. Honor. David the King professes himself one of Gods Pensioners, Psalms 143:12. I am thy servant. Saint Paul, when he would blaze his Coat of Arms, and set forth his best Heraldry, he does not call himself Paul, an Hebrew of the Hebrews, or Paul of the Tribe of Benjamin, but P…