Psalms 9:20

To be but men— Fenwick renders this verse:

Let them a guide and teacher have, O Lord! Their helpless state make thou the nations know: alluding to the future conversion of the Gentiles.

REFLECTIONS.—1st, David begins this Psalms 1. With praise and joy. His whole heart was engaged; if not in perfection, yet in sincerity, to shew forth God's marvellous works; and all of them, so far as his memory could reach; especially the many and signal assistances which the Most High had given him against his numerous foes. Note; (1.) In all our success, let God have the praise. (2.) While prosperity makes us thankful, our chief joy must still be in the God of our mercies. (3.) Since God has ever proved himself the Most High, no danger should distress, no enemies dismay us.

2. He ascribes the power to God. It was not his own arm, but the presence and power of the Lord which turned back with confusion his foes, and smote them to the ground. Thus the presence of Jesus, John 18:6 confounded the band who approached to seize him; and when he shall sit on the throne of judgment, before his presence the ungodly must fall and perish for ever.

3. God's righteousness was herein manifested. A righteous cause God then owned and vindicated; and on this throne of judgment still he sits, to rescue those who are oppressed with wrong. And here, under every unjust sentence of man, we may still appeal; and though now suffering innocence may find no advocate, and unbelief would suggest that the Lord has forsaken the earth, the day is at hand when every wrong shall be righted, and God appear just in his judgments. What a comfort to the sufferers in the cause of God and truth?
4. The triumphs of God over his enemies are recorded; over Goliath and the Philistines, whose ravages were stopped, their army routed, and their cities destroyed: and over his spiritual foes, Thou hast rebuked the heathen, by that Gospel which confounded the idolatry of the heathen; thou hast destroyed the wicked, the persecuting powers of pagan Rome; and, as what is purposed in the divine will may be regarded as already completed, the enemy, antichrist, and all his adherents, shall perish together; their ruin shall be complete and final, and their name be blotted out from under heaven.

5. He takes comfort from the views of the enduring kingdom and righteous government of God. When all his foes are fallen, the Lord shall endure for ever; he hath prepared his throne for judgment, the great white throne, on which he is ready to appear, and pronounce the eternal state of angels and men. He shall judge the world in righteousness, for all judgment is committed unto him. The Lord will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble, and many are the troubles of the righteous; within, from affliction and temptation; and without, from the ceaseless enmity of the world which lieth in wickedness. But, blessed be God, we have a refuge to fly to in the arms of Jesus, who is now our present help in every time of trouble; and, though he may for a time permit our enemy to oppress us, soon will he appear as our eternal refuge, to lodge us there where the wicked must cease from troubling. And they that know thy name, are acquainted experimentally with the gracious promises made in the word of truth by Jesus Christ, will put their trust in thee; though long or severely exercised with trials and troubles, will patiently wait to see the salvation of God; and such will never be disappointed of their hope, for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. Happy, therefore, is the man who putteth his trust in thee.

2nd, David proceeds,
1. To engage others with him in the delightful work of praise. Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion, the place where the symbols of his constant presence rested: declare among the people his doings, his displays of grace, power, and love towards his church. When he maketh inquisition for blood, the blood of saints, spilt by the ungodly, and all the evils inflicted on them, he remembereth them; either his saints, who, notwithstanding all their sufferings, are not forgotten by him, nor a drop of their blood unnoticed: or the wicked; he remembereth their deeds, and will recompense them as they deserve. He forgetteth not the cry of the humble, who, under the chastising rod, bow down, and, renouncing every hope in themselves, look up to him; though he seem not sometimes to hear their cry, they are not forgotten of him, he will avenge them speedily. Having thus encouraged others to praise and trust him, David,

2. Offers his prayer for the continuance of the mercies that he had experienced. His troubles were many; sometimes he seemed brought to the very gates of death, while his enemies pursued him with implacable hatred. And thus sorely beset is sometimes the faithful soul. But he cries with David, have mercy upon me, and then experiences God's supporting hand; thou that liftest me up from the gates of death, hast done so from spiritual, and wilt from temporal and eternal death. And this is gloriously applicable to the great Redeemer, for whom God opened the gates of the grave, and lifted him triumphant from the bed of death, as he will also do for every faithful believer in the great resurrection-day.