comfort of it, and live up to it. He devotes himself to the honour of God, in the service of the saints.
Saints on earth we must be, or we shall never be saints in heaven. Those renewed by the grace of
God, and devoted to the glory of God, are saints on earth. The saints in the earth are excellent ones,
yet some of them so poor, that they needed to have David's goodness extended to them. David
declares his resolution to have no fellowship with the works of darkness; he repeats the solemn
choice he had made of God for his portion and happiness, takes to himself the comfort of the choice,
and gives God the glory of it. This is the language of a devout and pious soul. Most take the world
for their chief good, and place their happiness in the enjoyments of it; but how poor soever my
condition is in this world, let me have the love and favour of God, and be accepted of him; let me
have a title by promise to life and happiness in the future state; and I have enough. Heaven is an
inheritance; we must take that for our home, our rest, our everlasting good, and look upon this
world to be no more ours, than the country through which is our road to our Father's house. Those
that have God for their portion, have a goodly heritage. Return unto thy rest, O my soul, and look
no further. Gracious persons, though they still covet more of God, never covet more than God; but,
being satisfied of his loving-kindness, are abundantly satisfied with it: they envy not any their carnal
mirth and delights. But so ignorant and foolish are we, that if left to ourselves, we shall forsake our
own mercies for lying vanities. God having given David counsel by his word and Spirit, his own
thoughts taught him in the night season, and engaged him by faith to live to God. Verses #(8–11),
are quoted by St. Peter in his first sermon, after the pouring out of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost,
Ac 2:25–31; he declared that David in them speaks concerning Christ, and particularly of his
resurrection. And Christ being the Head of the body, the church, these verses may be applied to all
Christians, guided and animated by the Spirit of Christ; and we may hence learn, that it is our
wisdom and duty to set the Lord always before us. And if our eyes are ever toward God, our hearts
and tongues may ever rejoice in him. Death destroys the hope of man, but not the hope of a real
Christian. Christ's resurrection is an earnest of the believer's resurrection. In this world sorrow is
our lot, but in heaven there is joy, a fulness of joy; our pleasures here are for a moment, but those
at God's right hand are pleasures for evermore. Through this thy beloved Son, and our dear Saviour,
thou wilt show us, O Lord, the path of life; thou wilt justify our souls now, and raise our bodies by
thy power at the last day; when earthly sorrow shall end in heavenly joy, pain in everlasting
happiness.
Chapter 17
Chapter Outline
David's integrity. (1–7)
The character of his enemies. His hope of (8–15)
happiness.Verses 1–7