Psalm 144:10 It is he that gives salvation to kings: who delivers David his servant from the hurtful sword. : — God in the government of the world exercises a peculiar and extraordinary providence over the persons and lives of princes. I. UPON WHAT ACCOUNT ANY ACT OF GOD'S PROVIDENCE MAY BE SAID TO BE PECULIAR AND EXTRAORDINARY. 1. When a thing falls out beside the common and usual operation of its proper cause. 2. When a thing falls out beside or contrary to the design of expert, politic, and shrewd persons, contriving or acting in it. 3. When a thing comes to pass visibly and apparently beyond the power of the cause immediately employed in it. II. HOW AND BY WHAT MEANS GOD DOES AFTER SUCH AN EXTRAORDINARY MANNER SAVE AND DELIVER PRINCES. 1. By endowing them with a more than ordinary sagacity and quickness of understanding above other men (1 Kings 4:29; Proverbs 20:8; Proverbs 25:5). 2. By giving them a singular courage and presence of mind in cases of difficulty and danger (1 Samuel 10:9; 1 Samuel 11:6). 3. By disposing of events and accidents in a strange concurrence for their advantage and preservation. 4. By wonderfully inclining the hearts and wills of men to a benign affection towards them (2 Samuel 19:14). 5. By rescuing them from unseen and unknown mischiefs prepared against them. 6. By imprinting a certain awe and dread of their persons and authority upon the minds of their subjects (Daniel 5:12). 7. By disposing their hearts to such virtuous and pious courses as He has promised a blessing to; and by restraining them from those ways to which He has denounced a curse. And this is the greatest deliverance of all; as having a prospect upon the felicity of both worlds, and laying a foundation for all other deliverances. III. THE REASONS WHY PROVIDENCE IS SO MUCH CONCERNED IN THE SALVATION AND DELIVERANCE OF KINGS. 1. They are the greatest instruments in the hand of Providence to support government and civil society in the world. 2. They have the most powerful influence upon the concerns of religion, and the preservation of the Church, of all other persons whatsoever. IV. SOME USEFUL DEDUCTIONS. 1. The duty and behaviour of princes towards God. It shows them from whom, in their distress, they are to expect, and to whom, in their glory, they are to ascribe, all their deliverances. 2. Does not God by such a protecting providence over kings point out to us the sacredness of their persons? and command a reverence where tie Himself thinks fit to place an honour? Does not every extraordinary deliverance of a prince carry this inscription upon it in the brightest characters, "Touch not Mine anointed"? (R. South, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword.WEB: You are he who gives salvation to kings, who rescues David, his servant, from the deadly sword. |
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