Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Psalms
Book: Psalms
Chapter: 13
Overview:
The psalmist complains that
God had long withdrawn. He
earnestly prays for comfort. He assures himself of an answer of
peace.
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God sometimes hides his
Face, and leaves his own children in
the dark concerning their interest in him: and this they lay to
Heart more than any outward trouble whatever. But anxious cares
are heavy burdens with which believers often load themselves
more than they need. The
Bread of sorrows is sometimes the
Saint's daily
Bread; our Master himself was a
Man of sorrows. It
is a common
Temptation, when trouble lasts long, to think that
it will last always. Those who have long been without joy, begin
to be without
Hope. We should never allow ourselves to make any
complaints but what drive us to our knees. Nothing is more
killing to a soul than the want of
God's favour; nothing more
reviving than the return of it. The sudden, delightful changes
in the
Book of
Psalms, are often very remarkable. We pass from
depth of despondency to the height of religious confidence and
joy. It is thus, ver. 5. All is gloomy dejection in ver. 4; but
here the mind of the despondent
Worshipper rises above all its
distressing fears, and throws itself, without reserve,
On the
Mercy and care of its Divine
Redeemer. See the power of
Faith,
and how good it is to draw near to
God. If we bring our cares
and griefs to the
Throne of
Grace, and leave them there, we may
go away like
Hannah, and our countenances will be
No more sad,
1Sa 1:18.
God's
Mercy is the support of the psalmist's
Faith.
Finding I have that to trust to, I am comforted, though I have
No merit of my own. His
Faith in
God's
Mercy filled his
Heart
with joy in his
Salvation; for joy and peace come
By believing.
He has dealt bountifully with me.
By Faith he was as confident
of
Salvation, as if it had been completed already. In this way
believers pour out their prayers, renouncing all hopes but in
the
Mercy of
God through the
Saviour's
Blood: and sometimes
suddenly, at others gradually, they will find their burdens
removed, and their comforts restored; they then allow that their
fears and complaints were unnecessary, and acknowledge that the
Lord hath dealt bountifully with them.