CONTENTS
Here is another of those blessed portions of the divine word, in which the Prophet speaketh much of Christ. The whole Psalm is a continued petition, in which Jehovah is appealed to for compassion.
A Psalm of David to bring to remembrance.
In the very opening of this Psalm, I beg the Reader's particular regard to the title of it, and that with an eye to Christ. A Psalm to bring to remembrance. What is worthy to be so done, but what concerns the Lord Jesus? Is not the Holy Ghost said by Christ himself to be his remembrancer? John 14:26. And is not this act of bringing to remembrance among the sweetest and most blessed offices of the Holy Ghost? If we therefore look to the Holy Ghost as the Author and Giver of his own scripture, and this Psalm among the rest; and if we can clearly trace Christ as set forth in this Psalm; do we not then enter into a full apprehension of the gracious purpose for which it was written, and for what special design the object of it is intended, in bringing to the remembrance of the church all things which refer to the person and work of the Lord Jesus, as well as all things whatsoever Jesus himself hath said unto us? I do not presume to decide upon this point; but I venture to throw out the views I have of it in this light. And if I do not greatly err, I humbly conceive we shall find, as we prosecute the perusal of this Psalm, much indeed to bring to remembrance concerning the Lord Christ, if the Holy Ghost graciously condescends here, as in numberless other instances, to be the kind remembrancer in our hearts of what is here recorded in relation to him. If we consider the prophet describing in this first verse the Lord Christ, we may behold him as our Surety, bearing our sins, and carrying our sorrows; and as such the apostle represents him in the days of his flesh, offering up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears. Hebrews 5:7. Reader! we shall be so far from lessening the interest we have in what is here said, in our cries and groans under the conscious sin of our nature from thus looking unto Jesus, that, under God's grace, it will call forth a more awakened concern at every petition, when we behold what sin hath done in calling forth the agonies of the Son of God. And a conscious interest in him, and union with him as our Surety, will give energy to all our prayers upon this and every other occasion. And how truly interesting is it to behold Christ with an eye of faith thus praying; and to hear him with the ear of faith thus pleading; when enduring that curse which the law denounced against the sinner, and thus redeeming us from the curse by becoming both sin and a curse for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Galatians 3:13; 2 Corinthians 5:21.