2/11/24:
Psalm 17 Devotional.

Psalm 17: 1 Here he complaineth to God of the cruel pride and arrogance of Saul, and the rest of his enemies, who thus raged without any cause given on his part. 6 Therefore he desireth God to revenge his innocence and deliver him.

The prayer of David.

17:1 Hear the right, O Lord, consider my cry, hearken unto my prayer of unfeigned lips.

2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold equity.

3 Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me by night; thou hast tried me as with fire, and shalt find nothing evil; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

4 Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the violent.

5 Hold up my steps in thy paths, that my feet slip not.

6 I have called upon thee, surely thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear to me, and hear my speech.

7 Shew thy marvellous mercies, thou that art the Savior of them that trust in thee, from such as resist thy right hand.

8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

9 From the face of the wicked that oppress me, from mine enemies, which compass me round about for my soul.

10 They are inclosed in their own fat: they have spoken proudly with their mouth.

11 They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes to bring down to the ground;

12 Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.

13 Arise, O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked with thy sword:

14 From men by thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: their children are full, and leave the rest of their substance to their children.

15 But I will behold thy face in righteousness: and when I awake, I shall be satisfied with thine image.

Previously we looked at this Psalm according to its general and historical context. Even that David was chased and persecuted by wicked men, that he was clean from evil, that he trusted in God to deliver him, and called out to God in sincerity. We looked at the necessity of a holy sincerity in the Christian’s confession of faith and the surety of God’s judgment on the wicked. For oftentimes God is exceedingly liberal and indulgent towards those who oppose Him, even showering them with good things in this life. But upon evaluating their character, they are not thankful or humbled by them to turn from their iniquity, as it is written, “the goodness of God leadeth to repentance”, which is to say that repentance is the formal intent of them, to demonstrate the goodness of God, and the madness and folly of idolatry and atheism. Therefore we see wicked men enjoy bountiful gifts, but it is to the end that God may destroy them forever, for the material intent (which is the secret counsel of God) is to blind them by these lavish gifts that they might not seek God and so be suffocated by them and thereby perish. For God will not be mocked. Those who live in excess and luxury have had their fill of good, while the righteous languish in obscurity. Even as Christ says concerning the rich man and Lazarus. God will bring all things to a blessed end for those who love and wait on Him. This is a central point in many of the Psalms. But important also to note which is essential to the Christian’s sincere confession is verse 2 which states,
“Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold equity.” which we will explain in the absolute and theological rather than the historical and practical. David here exhibits sincerity calling upon God to judge Him righteously which thing the modern day Reformed church can never do, for calling Arminians believers, they must by necessity imagine to escape the judgment of God rather than set their hearts and the hearts of those they intend to justify before Him. For their reasoning is not, “God has spoken in his word to justify the non believing” but “God will not be so strict a judge” which doctrine is utterly contrary to the revealed word which states, “the LORD will not acquit” and “they worship the works of their own hands… Therefore forgive them not” and again, “they being ignorant of God’s righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted to the righteousness of God” even the righteousness that Luther discovered upon His conversion summarizing it in his works as “passive righteousness” rather than “active”. Therefore the Calvinist just like Cain, and our first parents after the fall, must be on the run from God ever seeking to hide from Him under the cover of their own works. But we beholding God’s face in the gospel submit to His righteousness by faith, and believing that He will justify us freely without works, call upon Him to judge us with equity. This the Arminians cannot do because then they must also admit they are condemned, being not perfect before God. This the Calvinists cannot do for the same reason. They believe in contradiction. Not the pure and perfect doctrine of the gospel. But we knowing God by the ministry of the Son, approach Him boldly and confidently call upon Him to plead our cause and save us from all our troubles.

Martin Luther,
First of all it behooveth that we speak of the argument of this Epistle: that is to say, what matter St. Paul here chiefly treateth of. The argument therefore is this. St. Paul goeth about to establish the doctrine of faith, grace, forgiveness of sins, or Christian righteousness, to the end that we may have a perfect knowledge and difference between Christian righteousness and all other kinds of righteousness. For there be divers sorts of righteousness. There is a political or civil righteousness, which emperors, princes of the world, philosophers and lawyers deal withal. There is also a ceremonial righteousness, which the traditions of men do teach. This righteousness parents and schoolmasters may teach without danger, because they do not attribute unto it any power to satisfy for sin, to placate God, or to deserve grace: but they teach such ceremonies as are only necessary for the correction of manners, and certain observations concerning this life.  Besides these, there is another righteousness called the righteousness of the law, or of the Ten Commandments, which Moses teaches. This do we also teach after the doctrine of faith. There is yet another righteousness which is above all these: to wit, the righteousness of faith, or Christian righteousness, the which we must diligently discern from the other afore-rehearsed: for they are quite contrary to this righteousness, both because they flow out of the laws of emperors, the traditions of the Pope, and the commandments of God, and also because they consist in our works, and may be wrought of us either by our pure natural strength (as the sophisters term it) or else by the gift of God. For these kinds of righteousness are also of the gift of God, like as other good things are which we do enjoy. But this most excellent righteousness, of faith I mean (which God through Christ, without works, imputeth unto us), is neither political nor ceremonial, nor the righteousness of God’s law, nor consisteth in our works, but is clean contrary: that is to say, a mere passive righteousness, as the other above are active. For in this we work nothing, we render nothing unto God, but only we receive and suffer another to work in us, that is to say, God. Therefore it seemeth good unto me to call this righteousness of faith or Christian righteousness, the passive righteousness.  This is a righteousness hidden in a mystery, which the world doth not know, yea, Christians themselves do not thoroughly understand it, and can hardly take hold of it in their temptations. Therefore it must be diligently taught and continually practiced. And whoso doth not understand or apprehend this righteousness in afflictions and terrors of conscience, must needs be overthrown. For there is no comfort of conscience so firm and so sure, as this passive righteousness is…. St. Paul therefore in this Epistle goeth about diligently to instruct us, to comfort us, to hold us in the perfect knowledge of this most Christian and excellent righteousness. For if the article of justification be once lost, then is all true Christian doctrine lost. And as many as are in the world that hold not this doctrine, are either Jews, Turks, Papists or heretics. For between the righteousness of the law and the righteousness of Christ, or between active and passive righteousness, there is no mean. He then that strayeth from this Christian righteousness, must need fall into the active righteousness; that is to say, when he hath lost Christ, he must fall into the confidence of his own works. 

Lesson 6. The duty of parents to supply their children with doctrine which by the operation of the Spirit enflames the heart, and naturally produces lively action.

Would parents but begin betimes, and labour to affect the hearts of their children with the great matters of everlasting life, and to acquaint them with the substance of the doctrine of Christ…

1. The beginning of Christian education is in the home.
[1] Those of maturity in age believe the gospel according to reason.
[2] Those who are young of age respect the authority of their parents.
[3] Those in the church respect the authority of the preacher.
[4] The authority of God alone must be respected in conversion.
[5] Parents may be the means of their children’s conversion by education and exhortation.

2. Discipline in religious education is a labor.
[1] It is commanded by God.
An individual duty or covenantal?
Heb. 4:11, 11:7-12 + Gen. 18:19
[2] It is rewarded by God.
i. Promise of everlasting life. Duty to God.
ii. Promise of the same to our children.
Acts 2:39, 16:31

3. The memory is most affected by the heart.
[1] There is material enough to affect the minds and hearts of youth in the world.
[2] A moderate dose of affectation is not in itself sinful.
[3] The inordinate love of the world is sinful.
i. When it is in excess. Ex.
ii. When it conflicts with duty. Ex.
iii. When it contradicts the word. Ex.

4. Our chief goal is to acquaint our children with the matters of religion.
[1] We are created by God to glorify and enjoy Him. Man’s chief end.
Apply.
[2] The word of God is the only rule to direct us how to glorify and enjoy God.
Apply.
[3] The scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of man.
Apply.

Conclusion.

YouTube Audio: https://youtu.be/fPafIGB6DoE