Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Psalms
Book: Psalms
Chapter: 27
Overview:
The psalmist's
Faith.
(1-6) His desire toward
God, and
expectation from him.
(7-14)
1-6 The
Lord, who is the believer's
Light, is the strength of
his
Life; not only
By whom, but in whom he lives and moves. In
God let us strengthen ourselves. The gracious presence of
God,
his power, his promise, his readiness to hear
Prayer, the
Witness of his
Spirit in the hearts of his people; these are the
secret of his
Tabernacle, and in these the saints find cause for
that holy security and peace of mind in which they
Dwell at
ease. The psalmist prays for constant
Communion with
God in holy
ordinances. All
God's children desire to
Dwell in their
Father's
House. Not to sojourn there as a wayfaring
Man, to tarry but for
a night; or to
Dwell there for a time only, as the servant that
abides not in the
House for ever; but to
Dwell there all the
days of their
Life, as children with a
Father. Do we
Hope that
the praising of
God will be the blessedness of our eternity?
Surely then we ought to make it the business of our time. This
he had at
Heart more than any thing. Whatever the
Christian is
as to this
Life, he considers the favour and service of
God as
the one thing needful. This he desires, prays for and seeks
after, and in it he rejoices.
7-14 Wherever the believer is, he can find a way to the
Throne
of
Grace By Prayer.
God calls us
By his
Spirit,
By his
Word,
By
his
Worship, and
By special providences, merciful and
afflicting. When we are foolishly making
Court to lying
vanities,
God is, in
Love to us,
Calling us to seek our own
mercies in him. The
Call is general, "Seek ye my
Face;" but we
must apply it to ourselves, "I will seek it." The
Word does us
No good, when we do not ourselves accept the exhortation: a
gracious
Heart readily answers to the
Call of a gracious
God,
being made willing in the
Day of his power. The psalmist
requests the favour of the
Lord; the continuance of his presence
with him; the benefit of Divine guidance, and the benefit of
Divine protection.
God's time to help those that trust in him,
is, when all other helpers fail. He is a surer and better Friend
than earthly parents are, or can be. What was the belief which
supported the psalmist? That he should see the
Goodness of the
Lord. There is nothing like the believing
Hope of eternal
Life,
the foresights of that
Glory, and foretastes of those pleasures,
to keep us from fainting under all calamities. In the mean time
he should be strengthened to
Bear up under his burdens. Let us
look unto the suffering
Saviour, and pray in
Faith, not to be
delivered into the hands of our enemies. Let us encourage each
other to wait
On the
Lord, with patient expectation, and fervent
Prayer.