Psalm 116:8-9 For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.… I. THE BLESSING CONFERRED. Why was the psalmist so transported with joy, on being delivered from death? As if a mariner were to give thanks that he is not arrived in port; a traveller that he has not reached the end of his tedious journey; a banished man that he is not restored to his country; or a man groaning under a heavy burden that he is not relieved from it. Let us not hastily blame this emotion of the psalmist. For although death, through God's favour, be a benefit to pious and holy persons; yet in itself, abstracted from those considerations, it is fearful and terrible. It is the sentence of our condemnation; the punishment of our rebellion; the bitter fruit of our corruption. But the text suggests to us, on this subject, two particular reflections. 1. David was not a mere private person; for he held two very important public stations. He was a king, and a prophet. As a king, his life was highly important to the state; as a prophet, it was a singular utility to the Church of God. And in each of these distinguished relations David was an extraordinary personage. He was a signally brave, wise and pious king, and he was a prophet of unequalled vigour and comprehension of mind. David, therefore, might wish for life, and be thankful on his deliverance from death, not only for his own sake, or chiefly, but for that of his people; for the good of his subjects, and the service of God's Church, to which he was so useful and necessary. 2. There are actually occasions on which even good persons may fear death, and feel a most lively joy in being delivered from it. And those are when their sickness and sufferings are the immediate effect of their sins. For although their peace may be made with God, by the blood of the everlasting covenant, yet God may send upon them very sharp corrections, when they have offended Him by criminal acts and provocations. And they may wish and pray not to die in this state; death, presenting itself in such junctures, being more than commonly formidable. II. THE GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGMENT (ver. 9). When we read in Scripture of "walking before the Lord," we often find other expressions joined with this, such as prove that it means piety in general, the whole duty of a religious and godly person. One of the Grecian sages having said, "All things are full of God, and He seeth all our actions," another great man judged this maxim to be so beautiful and important that he pronounced it to comprehend the whole philosophy of virtue." And with great reason: for, in truth, the conviction and feeling of having God over present with us is the grand security of all good morals. The promise and vow, therefore, of David in the text is — a pure and holy life: "I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living." (S. Partridge, M.A.) Parallel Verses KJV: For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.WEB: For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. |
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