Psalms 37

Resp. The nature of love is in delighting in the object: Complacentia amantis in amato, Aquin. This is our loving God, our taking delight in him (Psalm 37:4): Delight yourself in the Lord: As a bride delights in her jewels. Grace changes a Christian's aims and delights.

When we have no bread to eat but the bread of carefulness (Ezekiel 19:8), when we have no waters to drink unless tears (Psalm 80:5): You give them tears to drink in great measure; can we now trust in God's providence, to make supply for us? A good Christian believes, that if God…

Paul was called a seditious man, the head of a faction (Acts 24:5). But at the Day of Judgment Christ will clear the saints' innocency; then he will bring forth their righteousness as the light (Psalm 37:6). As he will wipe off tears from their eyes, so dust from their name.

The Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces, and the rebuke of his people shall he take away: God will be the saints' compurgator. (Psalm 37:6) He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light. The night casts its dark mantle upon the most beautiful flowers, but the…

(8.) The borrower, who borrows money from others with an intention never to pay them again. (Psalm 37:21) The wicked borrows and pays not again. What is it but thievery to take money and goods from others, and not restore them again?

As no flattery can heal a bad conscience, so no slander can hurt a good. God will clear up the names of his people (Psalm 37:6). He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light.

6. If we would have the Word written effectual, let us labor not only to have the light of the Word in our heads, but the power of the Word in our hearts. Let us endeavor to have the Word copied out, and written a second time in our hearts (Psalm 37:31). The Law of God is in his…

Offenders must come to punishment. The sinners' death-day and doom's-day is coming (Psalm 37:13): "The Lord sees that his day is coming." While there is a hell the wicked shall be scourged enough; and while there is eternity, they shall lie there long enough; and God will abunda…

See now how God provides for her beforehand: he by his Providence sends the wise men from the East, and they bring costly gifts, gold, myrrh, and frankincense and present them to Christ; and now the Virgin had enough to defray her expenses to Egypt. God's children sometimes scar…

(3.) If there were no affliction, then many parts of Scripture could not be fulfilled. God has promised to help us bear affliction, and (Psalm 37:24, 39) how could we experience God's supporting us in trouble, if we did not sometimes meet with it? God has promised to give us joy…

For, why should any be dismayed with that estate, which Christ Jesus and his dearest servants have undergone for his example. Here some may ask, how this can stand with that saying of David; I have been young and am old: yet I never saw the righteous forsaken, nor his seed beggi…

And in this respect, well may the Apostle say here, It has a foundation; which the Holy Ghost in the Revelation says, to have 12 foundations. Secondly, the state of the Elect in heaven, is not only sure, but everlasting; that is, without end: Psalm 37:18. the Inheritance of holy…

The grace to be desired is a readiness in all estates of life to rest on God's providence, whatever fall out. Commit your way to the Lord, and trust in him, and he shall bring it to pass (Psalm 37:5). Commit or roll your works upon the Lord, and your thoughts shall be directed (…

Lastly, that we might ease our minds by pouring out our hearts before the Lord: for to this end has he made most sweet and comfortable promises. Proverbs 16:3. Psalms 37:5. Objection: What need men use prayer, considering God in his eternal counsel has certainly determined what…

He shall not only have the venison, but the blessing. 4. Blessed in his posterity, Psalm 37. 26. He is ever merciful and lends, his seed is blessed. He shall not only leave an estate behind, but a blessing behind to his children; and God will see that the Entail shall not be cut…

What a lovely companion he is during the continuance of it! It would do anyone's heart good to be with him at such a time (Psalm 37:30-31): 'The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of judgment; the law of his God is in his heart.' When the heart is up with…

Christ is held out in the Gospel as the City of Refuge, and the exercise of faith is to run from the hazard to Him, as a child that is chased by an unknown and uncouth body, flees to the mother's arms, or as the man-slayer fled from the Avenger of Blood to the City of Refuge; an…

Third, in urging this doctrine more hardly upon the people, to cause them not to rest on the letter of the law, but seek to the promised Messiah, in whom only was their righteousness — as young heirs and minors are kept under tutors while their minority expires. But, first, who…

Indeed, all things are yours (1 Corinthians 3:21). Not in possession, but in a choicer free-holding, in free heritage (Psalm 37:11). You have the broad rent, the fair income of all things.

4. It is most false that a man strict and upright in conversation can have a foul and polluted conscience, if you speak of true sincere strictness and uprightness of conversation, as the scripture speaks (Psalm 50:23). To him that orders his conversation aright, I will show the…

2. A constant adherence to our duty. Wait on the Lord, and keep his way (Psalm 37:34). Do not go one step out of God's way for all the good in the world.

Daniel says to Nebuchadnezzar, "O King, break off your sins with acts of charity" (Daniel 4:24), that is, whereas you have been given to cruelty, and oppression, cease to do so any more, and make some recompense by giving of alms. David says, it is the property of a wicked man,…

Verse 14. The dead shall not live, neither shall the dead arise, because you have visited and scattered them, and destroyed all their memory. The Prophet comes again to speak of the woeful end of the wicked, whose prosperous estate often disquiets and dismays us, as we may see i…

Now this sentence is the same which the Scripture so often and so diversely repeats, as, "They shall fall into the pit which they have dug": "In the nets which they have laid are their own feet taken" (Psalm 7:15). "Their sword which they have drawn shall pierce their own bowels…

To feed of ashes, signifies as much as to be replete with ashes: as, to feed upon wind (Hosea 12:1) signifies to be filled with wind; for the same may be said of the one, that is said of the other. As on the contrary, You shall feed the truth (Psalm 37:3) for you shall be satiat…

The Prophet therefore informs them, that however the profane nations flourished for a time, and seemed to be advanced above the clouds, yet their perdition was decreed as well as the salvation of Israel. In a word, he admonishes them not to judge of God's power by the estate of…

Both ought to be carefully observed; for, although praise is bestowed on Zacharias and Elisabeth for the purpose of showing us that the lamp, whose light went before the Son of God, was taken not from an obscure house, but from an illustrious sanctuary, yet their example exhibit…

So is it represented in the Text. And as an important Part of Religion, it is often exhorted to, and pressed, with great Earnestness; Psalm 37. 4. Delight thy self in the Lord, and he shall give thee the Desires of thine Heart.

And the Scripture is as plain as it is possible it should be, that none are true Saints, but those whose true Character it is, that they are of a Disposition to pity and relieve their Fellow-creatures, that are poor, indigent and afflicted. Psalm 37. 21. 'The Righteous shows Mer…

A Treatise of Delighting in God: From (Psalm 37:4) Delight yourself also in the Lord, and he shall give you the desires of your heart. In Two Parts.

But when a man is once in Christ, then all Providences are sanctified and sweet, Tit. 1:15 Vnto the pure, all things are pure. A little that a righteous man has, is better than the treasures of many wicked, Psalm 37:16 Now Christ becomes an head of Influence, as well as of Domin…

Never did any man lose at last by his fidelity. The written Word tells us, that the best expedient to inward peace and tranquillity of mind under puzzling and distracting troubles, is to commit our selves and our case to the Lord; so you read, Psalm 37. 5, 6, 7. and Proverbs 16:…

You have not wanted hitherto the necessaries of life, and are commanded, having food and rayment (though none of the finest) to be therewith content. A little that a righteous man has, is better than the riches of many wicked, Psalm 37:16 better in the Acquisition, sweeter in th…

And therefore, says the wise man (Proverbs 16:8), Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues without right. And the Psalmist (Psalm 37:16), A little that a righteous man has, is better than the riches of many wicked. Fourthly, robbery and deceit provokes God to c…

There is a secret blessing that attends this hidden treasure, which gives content with want or abundance, and if God sees good he will increase the store. However, a saint's modicum or little, amounts to more than wicked men's multum or large revenues, as the word of truth testi…

They that feared the Lord spoke often one to another. A gracious person has not only religion in his heart, but in his tongue (Psalm 37:30). The law of God is in his heart, and his tongue talks of judgment: he drops holy words as pearls.

He who had no bowels to an innocent Christ, his bowels gushed out. If it be good to draw near to God, it must needs be evil to draw back from him (Psalm 37:27): You have destroyed all them that go a whoring from you. 3. It exhorts us all to draw near to God.

By the wicked world's being drowned, the wicked, the enemies of God's people, were dispossessed of the earth, and the whole earth given to Noah and his family to possess in quiet: as God made room for the Israelites in Canaan, by casting out their enemies from before them. And G…

Sometimes it may be advisable to get some one else to say that for us, which is to be said, rather than say it ourselves. However, we have a righteous God, to whom (if we do in a meek silence suffer ourselves to be run down unjustly) we may commit our cause, and having his promi…

All this avails me nothing, (though it was a banquet of wine with the King and Queen) as long as Mordecai is unhanged. It is spoken of as the happiness of the meek, that they delight themselves in the abundance of peace (Psalm 37:11). Others may delight themselves in the abundan…

If we be nicknamed, and slandered, and have all manner of evil said against us falsely, our rule is, not to be disturbed at it, nor to render railing for railing (1 Peter 3:9), but though we may, as we have opportunity, with meekness deny the charge, as Hannah did when Eli overh…

The wrath of God is revealed from heaven in the word of God (Romans 1:18), that we might be awed by faith, more than in present providences, which would be an awe to sense. But there is a day coming, a dreadful day, when our God shall come, and shall no longer keep silence (Psal…

In you O Lord do I hope, you will hear, O Lord my God; What need David hear, God will hear: the less we hear in this case, the more will God hear, Job 5:21 You shall be hid from the scourge of the tongue: Now there is a twofold hiding from the scourge of the tongue, either by de…

There is a glorious reward for the people of God, the respect unto which is a great encouragement to Godsservants, to go on in a way of suffering and hardship for him. It was this that helped David in the midst of his sore temptation, that did arise from his affliction in the wa…

Loquere, ut videam, said one; Speak, that I may see what you are. Look what is in the heart that is vented by the Tongue: where the treasures of Grace are in the Heart, words ministring Grace will be in the Lips, Psalm 37:30. The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his ton…

My God, let my Soul prosper, and then a small portion of these things shall afford me more comfort than ever I had in their greatest abundance. A little that a righteous man has, is better than the riches of many wicked, Psalm 37:16. THE POEM.

What egregious fools then are disobedient children: they regard neither God, their parents, nor themselves, but deprive themselves of their eternal happiness, hinder their welfare, and shorten their days. Fitly hereupon I may apply to undutiful children these words of the Psalmi…

This life, as the other, is in the heart, and from there diffuses to the whole man; he loves righteousness, and receives the truth (as the Apostle speaks) in the love of it. A natural man may do many things that for their shell and outside are righteous: but he lives not to righ…

And so generally from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, (as our Saviour teaches.) That which the heart is full of, runs over by the tongue, if the heart be full of God, the tongue will delight to speak of him; much of heavenly things within will sweetly breathe forth…

No more, but when you are either to do or suffer anything, when you are about any purpose or business, go tell God of it, acquaint him with it; indeed, burden him with it, and you have done for matter of caring: no more care but quiet sweet diligence in your duty and dependence…