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A53721:933

A practical exposition on the 130th Psalm

A practical exposition on the 130th Psalm wherein the nature of the forgiveness of sin is declared, the truth and reality of it asserted, and the case of a soul distressed with the guilt of sin and relieved by a discovery of forgiveness with God is at large discoursed / by John Owen.

John Owen 1616–1683London: printed by Robert White for Nathaniel Ponder, 1669

[6], 410 [i.e. 408] p. · 166k words · Wing O794 · ESTC R26853

Title page: Internet Archive scan of the Early English Books microfilm (opens the Internet Archive in a new tab)

AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM CXXX. › General Scope of the whole Psalm. › Verses 5, 6: Verse 5, 6.

Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.

[ Earlier:930–945 of 1,036

:930p. 369–370

This is the duty that in the first place is recommended unto the soul, who is persuaded that there is forgiveness with God, but sees not its own interest therein. Wait on, or for the Lord. ⟨p. 370⟩And it hath two properties when it is performed in a due manner; namely, patience and perseverance. By the one men are kept to the length of Gods time; by the other they are preserved in a due length of their own duty.

This is the duty that in the first place is recommended unto the soul, who is perswaded that there is forgiveness with God, but sees not its own interest therein. Wait on, or for the Lord. ⟨p. 370⟩And it hath two properties when it is performed in a due manner; namely, patience and perseverance. By the one men are kept to the length of Gods time; by the other they are preserved in a due length of their own duty.

:931p. 370

And this is that which was laid down in the first Proposition drawn from the words; namely, that continuance in watching, until God appears unto the soul is necessary, as that without which we cannot attain what we look after, and prevailing, as that wherein we shall never fail.

:932p. 370

God is not to be limited, nor his times prescribed unto him. We know our way, and the end of our Journey; but our stations of especial rest, we must wait for at his mouth, as the people did in the wilderness. When David comes to deal with God in his great distress, he says unto him, O Lord, thou art my God, my times are in thine hand, Psal. 31. 14, 15. His times of trouble, and of peace, of darkness and of light, he acknowledged to be in the hand, and at the disposal of God; so that it was his duty to wait his time and season for his share and portion in them.

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Position

Cited: :933
On this page: :930–945
Section: :882–1002
Whole work: 1,036 passages

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John Owen, A practical exposition on the 130th Psalm (London, 1669), verses 5, 6, pp. 370–371. EEBO-TCP A53721.

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The book

Title as printed: A practical exposition on the 130th Psalm wherein the nature of the forgiveness of sin is declared, the truth and reality of it asserted, and the case of a soul distressed with the guilt of sin and relieved by a discovery of forgiveness with God is at large discoursed / by John Owen.
Author: John Owen 1616–1683
Place: London
Printer: Robert White
Bookseller: Nathaniel Ponder
Year: 1669
Size: [6], 410 [i.e. 408] p.
Words: 165,835
Catalogue: Wing O794 · ESTC R26853
Text: EEBO-TCP A53721

Passages: 1,036
Sections: 48

The author

John Owen 1616–1683

PuritansEngland

Congregationalist theologian; Dean of Christ Church and Vice-Chancellor of Oxford.

Transcription key

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:933p. 370–371

During this state the soul meets with many Oppositions, difficulties and perplexities, especially if its darkness be of long continuance, as with some it abides many years, with some all the days of their lives. Their hope being hereby deferred, makes their hearts sick, and their spirit oftentimes to faint; and this fainting is a defect in waiting, for want of perseverance and continuance which frustrates the End of it. So David, Psal. 27. 13. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord. Had I not received supportment by faith, I had fainted. And wherein doth that consist? what was the fainting which he had been overtaken withal without the supportment mentioned? it was a relinquishment of waiting on God, as he manifests by the Exhortation which he gives to himself and others, v. 14. Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart; wait I say on the Lord. Wait with courage and resolution that thou faint not. And the Apostle puts the blessed Event of Faith and Obedience upon the avoidance of this evil, Gal. 6. 9. We shall reap if we faint not. Hence we have both encouragements given against it, and promises ⟨p. 371⟩that in the way of God we shall not be overtaken with it. Consider the Lord Christ, saith the Apostle, the Captain of your salvation, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds, Heb. 12. 3. Nothing else can cause you to come short of the mark aimed at. And they, saith the Prophet, who wait on the Lord, that is in the use of the means by him appointed, shall not faint, Isa. 40. 11.

During this state the soul meets with many Oppositions, difficulties and perplexities, especially if its darkness be of long continuance, as with some it abides many years, with some all the daies of their lives. Their hope being hereby deferred, makes their hearts sick, and their spirit oftentimes to faint; and this fainting is a defect in waiting, for want of perseverance and continuance which frustrates the End of it. So David, Psal. 27. 13. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord. Had I not received supportment by faith, I had fainted. And wherein doth that consist? what was the fainting which he had been overtaken withall without the supportment mentioned? it was a relinquishment of waiting on God, as he manifests by the Exhortation which he gives to himself and others, v. 14. Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart; wait I say on the Lord. Wait with courage and resolution that thou faint not. And the Apostle puts the blessed Event of Faith and Obedience upon the avoidance of this evil, Gal. 6. 9. We shall reap if we faint not. Hence we have both encouragements given against it, and promises ⟨p. 371⟩that in the way of God we shall not be overtaken with it. Consider the Lord Christ, saith the Apostle, the Captain of your salvation, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds, Heb. 12. 3. Nothing else can cause you to come short of the mark aimed at. And they, saith the Prophet, who wait on the Lord, that is in the use of the means by him appointed, shall not faint, Isa. 40. 11.

:938p. 372–373¶1

1. Encourage your souls unto waiting on God. Do new fears arise, do old disconsolations continue, say unto your souls, yet wait on God; why are you cast down O our souls, and why are you disquieted within us, hope in God; for we shall yet praise him, who is the health of our countenance, and our God, as the Psalmist doth in the like case, Psal. 43. 5. so he speaks elsewhere, wait on God; and be of good courage, shake of sloth, rouse up your selves from under despondencies, let not fears prevail. This is the only way for success, and it will assuredly be prevalent; Oppose this Resolution to every discouragement, and it will give new life to faith and hope; say, my flesh faileth, and my heart faileth, but God is the rock of my heart, and my portion for ever, as Psal. 73. 26. Though thy perplexed thoughts have even wearied and worn out the outward man, as in many they do, so that flesh faileth; and though thou hast no refreshing evidence from within, from thy self, or thy own Experience, so that thy heart faileth; yet resolve to look unto God; there is strength in him, and satisfaction in him, for the whole man; he is a Rock, and a portion; this will strengthen things which otherwise will be ready to dye. This will keep life in thy course, and stir thee up to plead it with God in an acceptable season when he will be found. Job carried up his condition unto a supposition that God might slay him; that is add one stroke, one rebuke unto another until he was consumed; and so take him out of the world in darkness and in sorrow. Yet he resolved to trust, to hope, to wait on him, as knowing that he should not utterly miscarry so doing; this frame the ⟨p. 373⟩Church expresseth so admirably that nothing can be added thereunto, Lament. 3. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. Thou hast removed my soul far off from peace, I forgot prosperity, and my hope is perished from the Lord; remembering mine Affliction and my misery; my Wormwood and my Gall; My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. This I recall to my mind therefore have I hope. It is of the Lords mercy that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every Morning, great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

1. Encourage your souls unto waiting on God. Do new fears arise, do old disconsolations continue, say unto your souls, yet wait on God; why are you cast down O our souls, and why are you disquieted within us, hope in God; for we shall yet praise him, who is the health of our countenance, and our God, as the Psalmist doth in the like case, Psal. 43. 5. so he speaks elsewhere, wait on God; and be of good courage, shake of sloth, rouse up your selves from under despondencies, let not fears prevail. This is the only way for success, and it will assuredly be prevalent; Oppose this Resolution to every discouragement, and it will give new life to faith and hope; say, my flesh faileth, and my heart faileth, but God is the rock of my heart, and my portion for ever, as Psal. 73. 26. Though thy perplexed thoughts have even wearied and worn out the outward man, as in many they do, so that flesh faileth; and though thou hast no refreshing evidence from within, from thy self, or thy own Experience, so that thy heart faileth; yet resolve to look unto God; there is strength in him, and satisfaction in him, for the whole man; he is a Rock, and a portion; this will strengthen things which otherwise will be ready to dye. This will keep life in thy course, and stir thee up to plead it with God in an acceptable season when he will be found. Job carryed up his condition unto a supposition that God might slay him; that is add one stroke, one rebuke unto another untill he was consumed; and so take him out of the world in darkness and in sorrow. Yet he resolved to trust, to hope, to wait on him, as knowing that he should not utterly miscarry so doing; this frame the ⟨p. 373⟩Church expresseth so admirably that nothing can be added thereunto, Lament. 3. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. Thou hast removed my soul far off from peace, I forgat prosperity, and my hope is perished from the Lord; remembring mine Affliction and my misery; my Wormwood and my Gall; My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. This I recall to my mind therefore have I hope. It is of the Lords mercy that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every Morning, great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.