My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire
burned: then spake I with my tongue (Ps. 39:3).
He now illustrates the greatness of his grief by the
introduction of a simile, telling us that his sorrow, being internally
suppressed, became so much the more inflamed, until the ardent passion of his
soul continued to increase in strength. From this we may learn the very
profitable lesson, that the more strenuously any one sets himself to obey God, and
employs all his endeavors to attain the exercise of patience, the more
vigorously is he assailed by temptation: for Satan, whilst he is not so
troublesome to the indifferent and careless, and seldom looks near them,
displays all his forces in hostile array against that individual. If,
therefore, at any time we feel ardent emotions struggling and raising a
commotion in our breasts, we should call to remembrance this conflict of David,
that our courage may not fail us, or at least that our infirmity may not drive
us headlong to despair.
Whenever, therefore, the flesh shall put forth its efforts,
and shall kindle up a fire in our hearts, let us know that we are exercised
with the same kind of temptation which occasioned so much pain and trouble to
David. In the end of the verse he acknowledges that the severity of the
affliction with which he was visited had at length overcome him, and that he
allowed foolish and unadvised words to pass from his lips. In his own person he
sets before us a mirror of human infirmity, that, being warned by the danger to
which we are exposed, we may learn betimes to seek protection under the shadow
of God’s wings. When he says that he spake with his tongue, it is not a
superfluous mode of expression, but a true and fuller confession of his sin, in
that he had not only given way to sinful murmuring, but had even uttered loud
complaints. (Commentaries)
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