A logicall analysis of twentie select Psalmes, performed by W. Temple

PSALM. 51.

1 TO the Master of the Quier, a Psalme of Dauid:

2 When the Prophet Nathan had been with him, af∣ter his entrance into Bathshebah.

3 Haue mercie vpon me, O God, according to thy louing kindnes: according to the greatnes of thy compassions, blot out mine iniquities.

4 Wash me throughly from mine iniquitie, and clense me from my sinne.

5 For I acknowledge mine iniquities: and my sinne is alway before me.

6 Against thee, against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight: that thou maist be knowne to be iust in thy speaking, and pure when thou iudgest.

7 Behold, I was formed in iniquitie: and in sinne hath my mother conceiued me.

8 Behold, thou louest truth in the inward affections: and thou hast taught me wisedome in the secret of mine heart.

9 Purge me with hyssope and I shall be cleane: wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

10 Make me to heare ioy and gladnes: that the bones, which thou hast broken, may reioyce.

11 Hide thy face frō my sins, & rase out all mine iniquities.

12 Create in me a cleane heart, O God: and renew a con∣stant spirit within me.

13 Cast me not away from thy face: and take not thine holy spirit from me:

14 Restore vnto me the ioy of thy saluation: and support me with thy free spirit.

15 I will teach thy waies vnto the wicked, that sinners may be conuerted vnto thee.

16 Deliuer me from blood O God, the God of my saluation: and my tongue shall sing ioyfully thy righteousnes.

17 Thou shalt open my lips O Lord: and my mouth shall shew foorth thy praise.

18 For thou delightest not in sacrifice: otherwise would I giue it: thou delightest not in burnt offring.

19 The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit: a contrite and broken heart, O God, thou despisest not.

20 Be fauourable vnto Sion according to thy good will: build the walles of Ierusalem.

21 Then shalt thou take pleasure in the sacrifices of righte∣ousnes, the burnt offring and oblation: then shall they offer calues vpon thine altar.

ANALYS. PSALM. 51.

The inscription of this Psalme doth particularlie aduer∣tise vs,

• 1. Of the author thereof, namely, Dauid: and of the per∣son, vnto whose charge it was committed to order the singing of the same, vers. 1.
• 2. Of the
  • ...time when the said Psalme was indited.
  • ...occasion whereupon the said Psalme was indited.

The time of inditing the said Psalme, was shortly after the Lord had addressed the Prophet Nathan vnto Dauid, to reprooue and conuince him of his adultery with Bathshe∣bah, and of his murther in the person of Vriah.

The occasion of inditing it, was the reproofe and conuic∣tion performed by the said Prophet. For Dauid being drawne thereby to a serious consideration of the sayd sinnes: to the end he might leaue to the Church of God a testimony of his repentance, and a direction both to Prince and subiect how to demeane themselues in the case of any their transgressions against the Lord: thought meete to indite and divulge this most worthie Psalme.

Now in the said Psalme the Prophet Dauid tendereth vnto the Lord his humble sute:

• 1. For himselfe. From the beginning of the 3. verse to the end of the 19.
• 2. For the Church and common-wealth of Israel, verse 20.21.

The sute he ma∣keth for him∣selfe, is partly

• 1. For pardon of his sins, vers. 3.4.9.11.16.
• 2. For restitution to his former estate
  • Of inward grace and sanctification, v. 12.
  • Of outward fauors & prerogatiues, v. 13.14

These seuerall sutes he maketh for himselfe, he tendreth first singly, and soliciteth each of them in a peculiar sort:

then hee propoundeth them ioyntly, and pleadeth in common for the grant of them all, vers. 15.16.17.18.19.

The request he maketh for pardon of his sinnes, is expressed in these different formes of speech:

• 1. Be mercifull vnto me in blotting out mine iniquities, as it were out of the booke of debt and account, where∣in thou hast recorded them, vers. 3.
• 2. Wash and clense me from my sin, vers. 4. to note that sinne is meerly pollution and filthines.
• 3. Purge me from my sinne with hyssope, vers. 9. that is, by the blood of the Messias: the sprinkling wher∣of vpon vs for the purgation of our sinnes, was represented by the ceremonial sprinkling of hys∣sope.
• 4. Hide thy face from my sinne, vers. 11.
• 5. Deliuer mee from blood, vers. 16. that is, from the guilt of my bloodie sinnes, and from the particu∣lar punishment due vnto them.

Howsoeuer it hath pleased the Prophet to deliuer his sute for the remission of his iniquities, in this varietie of phrase: we must know that he doth in each of them comprehend this sense:

• Be mercifull vnto me for the pardon of my sinnes, vers. 3.4.9.11.16.

Let vs now see how hee pleadeth with the Lord for the graunt of this pardon. To perswade the Lord hereto, he vseth sundrie arguments. The first whereof is this:

Arg. 1

• Thou art O Lord of a nature gratious, and abounding in compassion, vers. 3. in the middest.
• Therefore accordingly thereto be mercifull vnto me for the pardon of my sinnes, vers. 3. in the beginning and end.

Hauing remembred vnto the Lord the exceeding goodnes and gratiousnesse of his nature, with request that the Lord would answerably thereto proceede with him: now least some exception might be taken against him for im∣penitencie and disacknowledgement of his offence: the

Prophet doth acquaint the Lord how hee demeaneth himselfe in this behalfe: namely, that he doth with griefe of heart humbly confesse and acknowledge his iniqui∣ties. Which confession he maketh as hauing a speciall eye and regard to the Lords promise of mercie in the case of our returne vnto him by vnfained confession and humili∣ation. Out of this argument hee pleadeth thus with the Lord for remission of his sinnes:

Arg. 2.

• Who with a sensible feeling and griefe for his sinnes doth humbly confesse and acknowledge them: vn∣to him (O Lord) it may please thee to be mercifull in the pardon of his sins. This is the Lords pro∣mise in effect.
• But I with a sensible feeling and griefe for my sins, do humbly confesse and acknowledge them, vers. 5.6.
• Therefore it may please thee to be mercifull vnto me in the pardon of them, vers. 3.4.

The Assumption is by the Prophet amplified diuersly:

• 1. By noting the end of this his confession: which is, that it may thereby appeare how iustly the Lord hath pro∣ceeded with Dauid, both in reproouing him for his sinne by the Prophet Nathan, and in punishing him by the death of his child, vers. 6. in the later part: where it is said: That thou maist be knowne to be iust in thy speaking, that is, in thy reproofe of me made by Nathan: and pure when thou iudgest: that is, found vpright in thy proceeding with me, when thou did∣dest punish me in the person of my childe.
• 2. By setting downe the very roote and spring of the sinnes confessed by him: namely, the originall corruption of his nature: whereof he confesseth himselfe guiltie, euen then when he was formed and cherished in the wombe of his mother, vers. 7.
• 3. By declaring the forme and manner of committing the sinnes confessed: which was wittingly and with know∣ledge, vers. 8. Where the Prophet to aggrauate his sinne, acknowledgeth,

• ...
  • ...That the Lord not onely requireth at his hands an vpright cariage of life, as things which he loueth and delighteth in (which is expressed by saying, that the Lord loueth truth in the inward af∣fections, that is, hee loueth and requireth the integritie of the heart, and a cariage answerable thereto.)
  • But had also acquainted him with the knowledge of that which he loueth and requireth. For the wise∣dome which the Lord taught him in the secret of his heart, was the knowledge hereof: namely, that the Lord required at his hands a forbearance of all sinfull actions, and particularly of mur∣der and adulterie: as also a performance of such holie duties as are commaunded in the lawe. Now the Prophets confession of his knowledge in this behalfe, doth necessarilie implie a like confession of committing wit∣tingly and wilfully the sinnes, for the pardon whereof he is an humble suter.

Dauid hauing added to the acknowledgement of his sinnes in generall, a partticular confession of the ende, for which he acknowledgeth them: of the roote and fountaine, from whence they issued: of the forme and manner also of committing them: doth further in all humblenes in∣force his sute for the remission of the same, thus:

Arg. 3.

• If by thy remitting of my sinnes I shall subsist before thee in a condition and estate of righteousnesse: I pray thee let me finde fauour at thy hands for the remission of them.
• But by thy remitting of my sinnes I shall subsist be∣fore thee in a condition and estate of righteousnes, vers. 9. Where in saying, that being purged and washed from his sinne, he shall be cleane and whi∣ter than snow: he noteth the estate and condi∣tion that succeedeth and followeth the re∣moue and pardon of our vnrighteousnes. And

• ... this estate in the account of the Lord, who vn∣to the true beleeuer imputeth no sin, but hol∣deth him for righteous in Christ, is an estate of righteousnes.
• Therefore I pray thee (O Lord) let me finde fauour at thy hands for the remission of them, vers. 3.4.9.

To the Assumption there is yeelded this declaration:

• 1. From the efficient cause both of the pardon desired, and of the righteousnesse ensuing thereupon: which is the sprinkling of the blood of the Messias, figured by the ceremoniall sprinkling of hyssope, vers. 9. in the begin∣ning.
• 2. From a double comparison: for in the said 9. verse:
  • First, he compareth the righteousnes spoken of, to the puritie and beautie that followeth vpon purging and clensing. The comparison being in her parts laid foorth, is this:
    • ...As he that is purged and washed becom∣meth cleane and faire:
    • ...So I the Prophet being purged from my sin, shall become righteous.
  • Secondly, he compareth the said righteousnes to the whitenes of snow, vers. 9. in the end: where hee maketh the degree of perfection in the sayd righteousnesse to exceede the perfection of whitenes in snow. The comparison is this:
    • ...The perfection of whitenes in snow is in a very high degree:
    • ...But the perfection of the righteousnesse, which will befall vnto me vpon the re∣moue of my sinne from me, will be in an higher degree and measure.

The Prophet being exceedinglie afflicted aswell with griefe in that he had displeased the Lord, as with the considera∣tion of the iudgements denounced by Nathan against his sinnes: and being desirous to be relieued in this be∣halfe out of some special knowledge and assurance in his

heart, that the Lord is reconciled vnto him: doth by way of amplifying the sute for remission of his sins, accompa∣nie the same in the 10. verse with interposing this re∣quest:

• That the Lord would be pleased not onely to be reconciled vnto him, but assure him likewise hereof, vers. 10.

This motion for some assurance in his heart, that the Lord hath remitted his iniquities, is propounded and deliuered in these termes: Make me to heare ioy and gladnes. As by hearing, he meaneth such a knowledge as may assure him: so by ioy and gladnes, hee vnderstandeth the par∣don and reconcilement it selfe, whereof he is desirous to bee assured. This reconcilement he calleth by the name of ioy and gladnes, to note the comfortable effect, which it worketh in the heart of an humbled and penitent sin∣ner.

Now this motion for assurance in his heart of pardon and reconcilement on the Lords part, hee enlargeth and vr∣geth in the 10. verse by a consideration taken from this particular end thereof: namely,

• That as hee hath been deiected and broken both with griefe for his sinne, and with feare of the iudgements denounced against him:
• So he may vpon assurance in his heart of the Lords re∣concilement with him, take speciall ioy and comfort in his ancient loue and fauour towards him, vers. 10. Where the Prophet resembleth the breaking of his heart with griefe, to the breaking of his bones by any force and violence.

Hitherto from the beginning of the 3 verse to the end of the 11, the Prophet hath by sundrie reasons mediated with the Lord the pardon of his sinnes. Now followeth the humble motion he maketh for restitution vnto his for∣mer estate:

• 1. Of inward grace and sanctification.
• 2. Of outward fauours and prerogatiues.

For restitution vnto his former estate of sanctification, hee

deliuereth his motion vnder these termes:

• Create in me a cleane heart O God: and renew within me a constant spirit, vers. 12.

The thing requested in this motion, is a reuiuing of his for∣mer holy desire and care to serue the Lord euer after in obedience of hart & life. This reuiuing of the said desire and care he calleth the creating of a cleane heart in the first part of the verse: and the renewing of a constant spirit in the latter part thereof. Dauid had vpon his fall so little sense and feeling of the grace of sanctification, as that hee speakes as if he had vtterly lost it, and so stood in need of a new infusion and creation thereof: whereas it was not vtterly extinguished, but exceedingly impayred and de∣cayed onely: as may appeare in that by way of interpre∣tation he calleth it in the latter patt of the verse, a reno∣uation and raising thereof to the same degree wherein it was in former time.

This reuiuing of his former holie desire and care to serue the Lord, the Prophet describeth vnto vs:

• 1. By noting the principall efficient and author thereof: who is God.
• 2. By declaring the subiect, wherein it is: namely, the heart.
• 3. By implying the forme and manner of working it: which is, by a course of purging and clensing the heart.
• 4. By shewing, that he would haue this grace of renoua∣tion (which he calleth a constant spirit) permanent and firme, not subiect to alteration. So as here withall is implied the end of the said renouation: namely, That he may euer without defection honor God.

His petition to bee restored vnto his former estate of out∣ward fauours and prerogatiues, is conteined verse 13. and 14. in these words:

• Cast me not away from thy face: and take not thine holie spirit from me: but restore vnto me the ioy of thy sal∣uation, and support me with thy free spirit, vers. 13.14.

It seemes that in presenting of this motion, the Prophet had a reference to the Lords proceeding with Saul, whō he cast off, and from whom he retyred the graces of his spirit. And therefore by these words (thy face, thy holy spi∣rit, the ioy of thy saluation) I take to be meant the outward testimonies and prerogatiues of the Lords kinde and fauourable proceeding with Dauid, in which hee was wont to reioyce: namely,

• 1. The place of the Lords worship, whereto he resorted.
• 2. The continuance of the Scepter in his person and the line of his posteritie.
• 3. His abilitie to manage the duties of his calling in the said Scepter.
• 4. The loue and obedience of his subiects towards him.
• 5. Good successe in the courses held by him.
• 6. The Lords protection of him.

These graces and fauours are the Lords face, the Lords spirit, the ioy of the Lords saluation: which the Prophet by de∣sert on his part, and by the rule of iustice on the Lords part, had forfeited and lost: howsoeuer in act and by the Lords most gratious sufferance, he enioyed them as yet. And therefore discerning in his heart of the forfeiture he had made in this behalfe, prayeth the Lord in the thir∣teenth verse: That neither himselfe may be remoued from them, nor they withdrawne from him: But that the Lord would be pleased (as he prayes, vers. 14.) to restore and con∣firme vnto him his former title and interest in them: and so by the power of his spirit support him in the comfortable and free enioyance of the said prerogatiues.

Hereby we plainly discerne what is the subiect of the Pro∣phets petition in this place: namely, That whereas in de∣sert on his part, and by the law of iustice on the part of the Lord, he had forfeited the said fauours and prero∣gatiues:

• The Lord notwithstanding would be pleased to reconfirme vnto him his former title and interest in them, and support him in the enioyance of the same, vers. 14.

This sute he handleth and amplifieth:

• 1. By an argument of Diuersitie, thus:
  • Remoue me not from the said fauours and preroga∣tiues, nor retire them from me, vers. 13.
  • But reconfirme vnto me my former interest in them, and support me in the enioyance of them, vers. 14.
• 2. By noting the efficient cause, whereby this reconfirma∣tion and support is to be performed: namely, the free, cheerefull, and comfortable spirit of the Lord: which doth infranchise vs into the state of the Lords children, and doth intertaine vs therein.

The Prophet hauing singly and in seuerall made tender vn∣to the Lord of his humble sute, first for pardon of his sin: and then, that he may be restored and reinuested into his former estate aswell of inward grace and sanctification, as of outward fauours and prerogatiues: he doth now ioyntly and in common plead for graunt of the whole sute he maketh for himselfe in this Psalme. His sute for himselfe considered ioyntly in all the parts thereof, is now this:

• That the Lord would be pleased to grant him both pardon of his sinne, and restitution also into his former estate aswell of inward grace as outward fauours, vers. 16.

This ioynt sute for these three particulars I take to be speci∣ally meant and deliuered in the 16. verse. For whereas he saith: Deliuer me O God from blood: his sute may well be interpreted to be this; That the Lord would not onely remit vnto him his sinne: but remit likewise this parti∣cular punishment due vnto his sinne: namely, the for∣feiture he hath made aswell of the measure he had of in∣ward grace, as of the outward prerogatiues aboue re∣membred.

To perswade the Lord to yeeld him contentment herein; the Prophet acquaints him with a double resolution hee hath in his heart, wherby to glorifie him. For vpon grant of this whole sute, he professeth:

• 1. That he will further the instruction and conuersion of others vnto the Lord, vers. 15.
• 2. That he will publish and magnifie the Lords fidelitie in keeping promise with his children, vers. 16.17.

The first duty which he professeth to performe for glorify∣ing the Lord, is concluded thus:

• If vpon obtaining mercie at thy hands for pardon of my sinne, and for restitution into my said former estate, I shall be drawne to glorifie thee by furthering the in∣struction and conuersion of others vnto thee: it may please thee (O Lord) to graunt vnto me the pardon and restitution desired by me.
• But vpon obtaining mercie at thy hands for pardon of my sinne, and for restitution into my said former e∣state, I shall and will glorifie thee by furthering the instruction and conuersion of others vnto thee, v. 15. Where the conuersion of others to the profession of the Lords name is set downe as an end: and the instruction of others as a special meane wher∣by to attaine vnto the said end.
• Therefore it may please thee (O Lord) to grant vnto me the pardon and restitution desired by me, vers. 16.

The second duty he professeth to performe, and by perfor∣mance whereof he would moue the Lord to a compassio∣nate regard of his sute, hath this conclusion:

• In case thou shew mercie vnto me for the pardon of my sinne, and for restitution into my said former estate: thou shalt thereby open my lips to publish and magni∣fie thy fidelitie in keeping promise with thy children. vers. 16. and 17.
• Wherefore (O Lord) it may please thee to shew mercie vnto me for the pardon of my sinne, and for restitution into my said former estate, vers. 16. in the begin.

The Antecedent part of this reason, which containes a pro∣fession on the part of the Prophet, of setting forth the praise of the Lords fidelitie in keeping promise with his children, is handled and enlarged thus:

• ...I will, in case thou shew vnto me the mercie desired, offer vnto thee either sacrifice or praise.
• But I will not offer sacrifice vnto thee, vers. 18. in the middest. Where he saith: Otherise would I giue sa∣crifice vnto thee: that is, Forasmuch as thou de∣lightest not in sacrifice, but doest reiect it, I will offer no sacrifice vnto thee.
• Therefore will I offer praise vnto thee, vers. 16. and 17. In the 16. he affirmeth that his tongue shall sing the Lords righteousnes and fidelitie in keeping promise. In the 17. he professeth that he wil open his lips and set foorth the Lords praise in this be∣halfe.

The Assumption is cleered by this argument:

• Sacrifice is not pleasing vnto thee, vers. 18. in the be∣ginning and end.
• Therefore I will not offer it, vers. 18. in the middest.

To the Antecedent of this reason there is yeelded this eui∣dence:

• That which in thy seruice is pleasing vnto thee, is ac∣companied with an humble and contrite heart, ver. 19 Where this sentence is twice expressed: thereby to assure vs that a contrite heart is pleasing vnto the Lord. And whereas it is called, The sacrifices of God: it is to note the worthines thereof, and the excellent measure it hath of pleasing God.
• But sacrifice is not accompanied with an humble and contrite heart. This sentence is not here set down: but omitted as a sinne knowne and obserued as well out of the practise in those daies on the part of the prophane and hypocriticall Israelites, as out of the publike reproofe and reiection made by the Lord of the ordinarie sacrifices presented vnto him, as being odious in his sight.
• Therefore sacrifice is not pleasing vnto thee, ver. 18.

Hitherto from the beginning of vers. 3. to the end of the 19, the Prophet hath been an humble and affectionate peti∣tioner

for himselfe. Now he becomes an earnest suter vn∣to the Lord for the Church and common wealth of Is∣rael. The effect of his sute is this: that whereas the hei∣nousnes of his transgressions had iustly occasioned the Lord in iustice to withdraw his fauour from the people vnder Dauids gouernement:

• The Lord would be pleased, notwithstanding his sinnes, to aduance the publike good of the Church and common wealth of Israel, vers. 20. in the beginning and end.

Whether this publike good desired by the Prophet vnder these formes of speech (be fauourable vnto Sion: build the walles of Ierusalem) be the raysing vp and furnishing of a setled place for the Lords worship, or a gracious protec∣tion of the Church and common wealth, or a supplying of either of them with carefull officers, is not agreed vp∣on. It shalbe sufficient to know that the Prophet is in ge∣nerall a suter that the state of the Church and common wealth may prosper and flourish, through a supply made by the Lord of all needfull blessings. To induce the Lord hereto the Prophet alleageth two arguments:

The first is this:

• Thou art of a nature gratious, and abounding in mercie towards thy people, vers. 20. in the middest; and in these words: According to thy good will: that is, Forasmuch as thou art in nature most gratiouslie and fauourably disposed: therefore be gratious vnto Sion.
• Wherefore (O Lord) aduance the publike good of thy people both in the Church and common-wealth, v. 20. in the beginning and end. Where by Sion wee may vnderstand the Church, and by Ierusalem the Common-wealth.

The second argument, whereby to perswade the Lord in this behalfe, is drawne from the consideration of the ef∣fect, which will ensue vpon the Lords gracious procee∣ding with the Church and common wealth. And it is in∣deede a profession and vow on King Dauids part, to

take order that the people vnder his gouernement shall present vnto the Lord such worship and seruice, as shall be pleasing and acceptable in his sight. His mediation with the Lord by force of this argument is concluded thus:

• ...If vpon thy aduancing of the publike good of the Church and common-wealth, the honour and worship of thy name shall withall be promoted: then it may please thee (O Lord) to aduance the publike good of the Church and common-wealth.
• But vpon thy aduancing of the publike good of the Church and common-wealth, the honour and wor∣ship of thy name shall withall be promoted, vers. 21. Where the said honour and worship is called by the name of righteous sacrifices, burnt offrings, oblation, offring of calues. Now when this ho∣nour and worship is such as the Lord is pleased and delighted therewith: it is apparant that then the seruice and worship of his name is greatlie aduanced. So as, where the Prophet saith that the Lord shall then take pleasure in sacrifices, accom∣panied with the vprightnes and integritie of the heart: his purpose thereby is to notifie vnto vs, that then the Lords worship and seruice shall be much promoted.
• Therefore it may please thee (O Lord) to aduance the publike good of the Church & common wealth. v. 20.