THE SURE TRIAL· OF UPRIGHTNESs~· p sA r. XVIIl. 2j. j wds alfo upright hefore him : and have kept my felf /rO!!t mine Iniquity. TH E Titl.e of .this Pfalm declares the Occafion of it: .Dav.•"d JPake unto the Lord the Words of this Song, in the Day that the Lord deli7Jered him from tbe hand of all his Enemies, and from tbe hand of Saul. 'Tis a clear Evidence of his Heavenly Mind, that after his Victories and Triumphs, when Ius Throne was efiablifl1'd in Peace, he recounts the fignal Acts of Divine Providence with holy Extafies of Praife and Thankfulnefs, illld leaves :in ever: lafiing Memorial of God's excellent Goodnefs to him. ,Carnal P~rfons in Extremities, may be ardent in Rcqudl:s for Deliverance, but when t1s obram d, ·they retam bur a ~~~~ !}B:~:raan~J ~;f~0:~dp!e:~~~~~J:e~~ 6o~J;~i~~~yo~c~fi~Jsc~~~rtu~~~at~~~le%sr~ getfulnefs of their Benefactor. Self-love kindles defires for what we want, the Love of God infpires a holy Heat in Praifes for what we enjoy. In the Pfalm, the infpir'd Compofer d1fplays the Divine PerfectionS in lof'ry Figures of Speech, fuitable ro Sacred Poefy, and in a relative endearing Way as mariifefl:ed in his Prefervarion. He attributes fuch Titles to God, as arc fignificant of the Benefits he received : Sometimes God difcovers the crafty and cruel Defigns that are form' d again(\ ~;~e~~~h1~'f ~~~~i%~,~~~~s, '\:~~'a:.~~ 1!~,~s ~~~~c:'1.;~c{-i~~:.~. ~~;~~ifril~ 1~f,c?:c~~ft:~~ Here rhc Pfalmifi, with exuberant Affections, rilultipli~s the Divi ne Titles, lhe Lord is my lf.ock, and my Fortrefs , and my Deliverer; my Shield, and my high Tower, anti my Refuge , and my Salv:ttion : A Rock is a Natural, a Tower an Artificial Defence ; both are lllcd to exprefs the fafe Protection he found iu God. He then fees forth .rbc Exr.remity · ofllis Danger, to add a Lufi.re to the Name of his Prefervcr: 1be Wa7Jes of Death tompaffed me; the Floods of ungodly M~n made me afraid: His ruin was imminent, and fccm'd r.o be inevitable : But in that Dtflrefs, his fervent Pray~r, his crying to God pierc'd the Heavens, God beard his Voice out of his 1emple, and fpeed•ly in the be(\ Seafon came for hi s deliverance. E-Ie was [een upon the Wings of the Wind; he rode upon ti Cherub, (thole fwifter Spirits) anrf did fly. He defcribes the Terrors of his Coming again(\ his Encm1es : The Lord thundred from the Heavens; he fent down his Arrows, lind .fcattered them : his Lightnil>g ·difcomfited them, The Acts of Jufiice rcvcrfi, have the Enfign of ~e;h~ ~},:!~~~/ ~~~e~;,w~~n~r~i~~\f.Wef[;;:a~~:~~ !~dr~:~;" ~:sJ~~ !,r~f,c;1~~ Mover, and the Power of God as the foie Worker Of it. He deli7Jered me, becaufe h~ deltgbted in me. Hts free and compaffionatc Love was primarily .attivc, and drew forth his Power in its moO: nob.le Excrcife for the Salvation of Da~id. Such an ingenu'?u~ and grateful Scnfc the Pfalm1fi had of the Divi,ne Mercy : Th1s gave the fwecrefi reh01 of bts Deliverance ; this was hts true Triumph afrer the final Conqucfl: of hi's Enemtes. Indeed his Enemies were unjufl: and crue.J, and God vindicated the Juflice of his Caufe :~;:~:r~"~h:o";,;, ~)~~~":;J,"o)e~,it);~S:~a~:rfe ~~;;~~~~~;; ,::.cor~~sd:~,:.::r.:'8;;f:,'/:r{ . of
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