Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/4_000_t.lzh/4_092.TXT

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ditate on, and consider of, the shortness of our days;
that they are but as a shadow, and there is no abiding;
and the vanity and sinfulness of them, that so we may
not desire to live here always; and the troubles and
sorrows of them, which may serve to wean us from
the world, and to observe how unprofitably we have
spent them; which may put us upon redeeming time,
and also to take notice of the goodness of God, that
has followed us all our days, which may lead us to re-
pentance, and engage us in the fear of God: that we
may apply our hearts unto wisdom; to consider our
latter end, and what will become of us hereafter; which
is a branch of wisdom so to do; to seek the way of
salvation by Christ; to seek to Christ, the wisdom of
God, for it; to fear the Lord, which is the beginning
of wisdom; and to walk circumspectly, not as fools,
but as wise; to all which an application of the heart is
necessary; for wisdom is to be sought for heartily,
and with the whole heart: and to this divine teachings
are requisite, as well as to number our days; for unless
a man is taught of God, and by his Spirit convinced of
sin, righteousness, and judgment, he will never be
concerned, in good earnest, about a future state; nor
inquire the way of salvation, nor heartily apply to
Christ for it: he may number Iris days, and consider
the shortness of them, and apply his heart to folly, and
not wisdom; see Isa. xxii. 21.
Vet. 13. Return, 0 Lord, &c.] Either from the
fierceness of thine anger, according to Aben Ezra and
Jarchi; of which complaint is made, vet. 7, 9. or unto
us, from whom he had departed; for though God is
everywhere, as to his being and immensity, yet, as to
his gracious presence, he is not; and where that is, he
sometimes withdraws it; and when he visits again
with it, be may be said to return; and when he re-
turns, he visits with it, and which is here prayed for;
and designs a manifestation of himself, of his love and
grace, and particularly his pardoning mercy; see Psal.
lxxx. 14. and lxxxv. 2, 3. how long? this is a short
abrupt way of speaking, in which something is under-
stood, which the affection of the speaker would not
admit him to deliver; and may be supplied, either
thus, how long wilt thou be angry ? God is sometimes
angry with his people, which, when they are sensible
of, gives them a pain and uneasiness they are not able
to bear; and though it endures but for a moment, yet
they think it a long time; see Psal. xxx. 5. and-lxxxv.
& Arama interprets it, "how long ere the time of
"the Messiah shall come ?. or how long wilt thou hide
thyself.s when he does this, they are troubled; and
though it is but for a small moment he forsakes them,
yet they count it long, and as if it was for ever; see
Psal. xiii. 1. and lxxxix. 46. or how long wilt thou afflict
us ? as the Targum; afflictions come from the Lord,
and sometimes continue long; at least they are thought
so by the afflicted, who are ready to fear God has for-
.gotten them and their afflictions, Psal. xliv. 23, 24. or
how long wilt thou defer help ? the Lord helps, and that
right early, at the most seasonable time, and when dif-
ficulties ,are the greatest; but it sometimes seems long
first; see Psal. vi. 3, 4. and let it repent thee concerning
thy Servants; men are all so, of right, by creation, and
through the benefits of Providence; and many, in fact,
being made willing servants by the grace of God; and
this carries in it an argument for the petition: repent-
ance does not properly belong to God; it is denied of
him, Numb. xxiii. 19. 1 Sam. xv. 29. yet it is some-
times ascribed to him, both with respect to the good
he has done, or promised, and with respect to the evil
he has brought on men, or threatened to bring; see
Gen. vi. 6. 1 Sam. xv. 11. Jet. xviii. 8, 10. and in the
latter sense it is to be understood here; and intends
not any change of mind or will in God, which cannot
be; but a change of his dispensations, with respect to
desertion, affliction, and the like; which the Targum
expresses thus, "and turn from the evil thou hast said
"thou wilt do to thy servants:" if this respects the
Israelites in the wilderness, and their exclusion from
Canaan, God never repented of what he threatened;
he swore they should not enter it, and they did not,
only their children, excepting two persons: some ren-
der the words, comfort thy servantsf; with thy pre-
sence, the discoveries of thy love, especially pardoning
grace, and by removing afflictions, or supporting
under them.
Ver. 14. 0 satisfy us early with thy mercy, &c.] Or
grace {g}; the means of grace, the God of all grace, and
communion with him, Christ and his grace; things
without which, souls hungry and thirsty, in a spiritual
sense, cannot be satisfied; these will satisfy them, and
nothing else; namely, the discoveries of the love of
God, his pardoning grace and mercy, Christ and his
righteousness, and the fulness of grace in him; see
Psal. Ixiii. 3, 4, & and ciii. 2, 3, 4, 5. this grace and
mercy they desire to be satisfied and filled with be-
times, early, seasonably, as soon as could be, or it was
fitting it should: it may be rendered in the morning {h},
which some understand literally of the beginning of
the day, and so lay a foundation for joy the whole day
following: some interpret it of the morning of the re-
surrection; with which compare Psal. xlix. 14. and
xvii. 1.5. others of the day of redemption and salvation,
as Kimchi and Jarchi: it may well enough be applied
to the morning of the Gospel dispensation; and Christ
himself, who is the mercy promised unto the fathers,
may be meant; whose coming was prepared as the
morning; and satisfied such as were hungry and thirsty,
weary and faint, with looking for it, Hos. vi. 3. Jet.
xxxi. 14. The Targum is," satisfy us with thy good.
"ness in the world, which is like to the morning ;"
and Arama interprets it of the time of the resurrection
of the dead. that we may rejoice and be glad all our
days; the love, grace, and mercy of God, his presence,
and communion with him, the coming of Christ, and
the blessings of grace by him, lay a solid foundation
for lasting joy in the Lord's people, who have reason
always to rejoice in him; and their joy is such that no
man can take from them, Phil. iv. 4. John xvi. 22.
Ver. 15. Make us glad according to the days wherein
thou hast afflicted us, &c.] The days of affliction are
times of sorrow; and days of prosperity make glad and
joyful; and the psalmist here seems to desire an equal


{f} \^Mxnh\^ consolare, Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus.
{g} \^Kdox\^ gratia tua, Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis.
{h} \^rqbb\^ matutino Montanus, Cocceius; so Ainsworth.