Psalm 42:4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God… I. THE HAPPINESS OF DAVID'S FORMER CONDITION. 1. The store of company and society which he had with him. Good company is a very blessed and comfortable accommodation in sundry respects. (1) An exercise of men's faculties and the powers and abilities of the mind. (2) A fence against danger and a preservative from sadness and various temptations (Ecclesiastes 4:10; Proverbs 11:14). (3) An opportunity of doing more good. 2. The place of his resort — the house of God. (1) David's practice. He went himself. He tool( others along with him. Where others went before him, he followed them, and went with the multitude; where others stayed behind, he drew them on and carried the multitude along with him; and so he did two duties at once, which are both of them observable of ourselves. (2) His privilege. He speaks of it as a mercy which then he enjoyed, but now was deprived of; and so would hereby signify unto us what a great mercy this indeed is. (3) The nature and equality of their employment when there. (1) The proper work of such assemblies — holy and spiritual performances. (2) We are taught also from hence how to employ ourselves when we come to these assemblies; namely, in such duties and performances as are proper and agreeable hereunto.As David went to the house of God in regard of the place, so he was employed in icy and praise in regard of the performances: so should we be likewise; we should not come hither to sleep, to gaze, to talk, to disturb both ourselves and others; but we should come as applying ourselves to the work and business of the time and place, with the voice of joy and praise; as the multitude of those that keep holy-day, as it is here expressed. II. THE IMPRESSION WHICH THE RECALLING HEREOF HAD UPON HIM. His grief was increased. There are none who more bewail the want of the ordinances and means of salvation than those who have formerly enjoyed them, and have been made partakers of them. 1. Because these know what they are. That which makes men to be indifferent in their desires to these matters is because they know not. the sweetness which is in them; but now those who have formerly enjoyed them are made sensible in this particular. 2. Their desire is inured and habituated to them; use it is a second nature: now they are accustomed to such holy employments, and therefore they cannot tell how to be without them; it is grievous to them. 3. Satan, and sometimes other enemies, they do also take occasion from hence to enlarge and increase their grief to them, as here in the text, "Where is now thy God?" (Thomas Horton, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday. |
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