Proceed we now to the second part of this psalm, which contains the deportment of a sin-perplexed soul, when by faith it hath discovered where its rest doth lie, and from whom its relief is to be expected; even from the forgiveness which is with God, whereof we have spoken.
There are two things in general, as was before mentioned, that the soul in that condition applies itself unto; whereof the first respects itself, and the other the whole Israel of God.
That which respects itself is the description of that frame of heart and spirit that he was brought into upon faith’s discovery of forgiveness in God, with the duties that he applied himself unto, the grounds of it, and the manner of its performance, verses 5, 6 —
“I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.”
Herein, I say, he describes both his frame of spirit and the duty he applied himself to, both as to matter and manner.
I shall, as in the method hitherto observed, first consider the reading of the words, then their sense and importance, with the suitableness of the things mentioned in them to the condition of the soul under consideration; all which yield us a foundation of the observations that are to be drawn from them.
1. The words rendered strictly, or word for word, lie thus —
“I have earnestly expected Jehovah; my soul hath expected, and in his word have I tarried,” or waited. “My soul to the Lord more than” (or before) “the watchmen in the morning; the watchmen in the morning,” or “unto the morning.”
“I have waited” or “expected:” קִוִּיתִי from קָוָה, “to expect,” “to hope,” “to wait.” “Verbum hoc est, magno animi desiderio in aliquem intentum esse, et respicere ad eum, ex eo pendere;” — “The word denotes to be intent on any one with great desire; to behold or regard him, and to depend upon him;” and it also expresseth the earnest inclination and intension of the will and mind.
Paul seems to have expressed this word to the full, Rom. viii. 19, by ἀποκαραδοκία, — an intent or earnest expectation, expressing itself by putting forth the head, and looking round about with earnestness and diligence. And this is also signified expressly by this word, Ps. lxix. 21, וַאֲקַוֶּה לָנוּד; — “And I looked for some to take pity.” “Huc illuc anxiè circumspexi, siquis forte me commiseraturus esset;” — “I looked round about, this way and that way, diligently and solicitously, to see if any would pity me or lament with me.”
Thus, “I have wilted,” is as much as, “I have diligently, with intension of soul, mind, will, and affections, looked unto God, in earnest expectation of that from him that I stand in need of, and which must come forth from the forgiveness that is with him.”
2. “I have,” saith he, “waited for, or expected Jehovah.” He uses the same name of God in his expectation that he first fixed on in his application to him.
And it is not this or that means, not this or that assistance, but it is Jehovah himself that he expects and waits for. It is Jehovah himself that must satisfy the soul, — his favour and loving-kindness, and what flows from them; if he come not himself, if he give not himself, nothing else will relieve.
3. “My soul doth wait,” or expect; — “It is no outward duty that I am at, no lip-labour, no bodily work, no formal, cold, careless performance of a duty. No; ‘my soul doth wait.’ It is soul-work, heart-work I am at. I wait, I wait with my whole soul.”
4. “In His words do I hope,” or “Wait.” There is not any thing of difficulty in these words. The word used, הוֹחָלְתִּי, is from יָחַל, “sunt qui, quod affine sit verbo ‘חָלַל,’ velint anxietatem et nisum includere, ut significet anxiè, seu enixè expectare, sustinere, et sperare;” — It signifies to hope, expect, endure, and sustain with care, solicitousness, and endeavours. Hence the LXX. have rendered the word by ὑπέμεινεν, and the Vulgar Latin “sustinui;” — “I have sustained and waited with patience.”
And this on the word; or, be sustained his soul with the word of promise that it should not utterly faint, seeing he had made a discovery of grace and forgiveness, though yet at a great distance; he had a sight of land, though he was yet in a storm at sea; and therefore encourageth himself, or his soul, that it doth not despond.
But yet all this that we have spoken reaches not the intenseness of the soul of the psalmist, in this his expectation of Jehovah. The earnest engagement of his soul in this duty riseth up above what he can express. Therefore he proceeds, verse 6: “My soul,” saith he, “for the Lord” (that is, expects him, looks for him, waits for him, waits for his coming to me in love and with forgiveness), “more than the watchers for the morning, the watchers for the morning.”
These latter words are variously rendered, and variously expounded. The LXX. and Vulgar Latin render them, “From the morning watch until night;” others, “From those that keep the morning watch, unto those that keep the evening watch;” “More than the watchers in the morning, more than the watchers in the morning.”