While preparing this Sabbath's sermon on Psalm 119.49-56 today, I came across this nugget from Calvin which got me thinking...
"Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage"
This was yet another great temptation to David as well as the other, that it so fell out as that he was once driven out of the country of Judea and was far from the temple of God, and dwelt among the Pagans and Infidels. Now he saith, that nottwithstanding all this, that he was not estranged from God, nor yet from the knowledge of salvation: but contrariwise, that he was the rather stirred up to sing praises unto God, and those Psalms which God did put in his mouth, yea even such as were taken out of the law. For we have to note, that David made not the Psalms, as a new doctrine nor yet as a doctrine separate from the doctrine of the law: but drew them from it as out of a Fountain.
Of course one of the basic things we learn in interpreting the Bible as covenant theologians is the organic unfolding of revelation. However, the way Calvin expressed this really struck me. As precious, and rich as the psalms are in communion with God, grace, etc. and if they are derived from what was already in the law, how marvellous is the law indeed! "Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law" (Psalm 119.18). Indeed!
"Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage"
This was yet another great temptation to David as well as the other, that it so fell out as that he was once driven out of the country of Judea and was far from the temple of God, and dwelt among the Pagans and Infidels. Now he saith, that nottwithstanding all this, that he was not estranged from God, nor yet from the knowledge of salvation: but contrariwise, that he was the rather stirred up to sing praises unto God, and those Psalms which God did put in his mouth, yea even such as were taken out of the law. For we have to note, that David made not the Psalms, as a new doctrine nor yet as a doctrine separate from the doctrine of the law: but drew them from it as out of a Fountain.
Of course one of the basic things we learn in interpreting the Bible as covenant theologians is the organic unfolding of revelation. However, the way Calvin expressed this really struck me. As precious, and rich as the psalms are in communion with God, grace, etc. and if they are derived from what was already in the law, how marvellous is the law indeed! "Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law" (Psalm 119.18). Indeed!
Rev. King.
