David Dickson was
a Presbyterian minister who was born in 1585 in Glasgow, Scotland. He was an only child, and one asked of the Lord by religious parents
who had been childless for many years. Mr Dickson was first a pastor at Irvine in Ayrshire, where under his ministry “multitudes were convinced
and converted” despite the fierce persecution under Prelacy. A very close
and familiar friend of James Durham, one result of their friendship was the
excellent “Sum of Saving Knowledge” which is usually bound with the Westminster Confession and the Catechisms. In the 1640’s he became a minister
in Glasgow and professor of theology; in 1649 he moved to Edinburgh to be minister and professor at the college there until his death in
1662.
PSALM
I.
This
Psalm teacheth, that no ungodly man is blessed, but the godly man only, v. 1,
2. Which is proved by three reasons: The first, because God blesseth the godly
even in this life with grace to bring forth good works profitable to
themselves and others, in every state of life, v. 3; but all that the wicked
do for making themselves happy, shall be blasted, and found to be mere vanity,
v. 4. Another reason is, because after this life the wicked shall be secluded
from the presence of God and society of the godly, at the day of judgment, v.
5. The third reason, confirming both the former, is, because God approveth the
way of the godly, and will make the end of the way of the ungodly destruction,
v. 6.
1.
Blessed is
the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the
way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2.
But his delight is in the law of
the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
From
the pronouncing of the godly man to be the blessed man, and not the ungodly,
learn, 1. Though sin and misery abound among men, yet blessedness may be
attained; for God here pronounceth some to be blessed. 2. In relation to the
seeking of blessedness, all men, within and without the visible church, are
divided into godly men, that seek to be blessed in God's way; and ungodly men,
who seek blessedness, but not in God's way; for so are they here all ranked.
3. To determine the question, who is the blessed man, is competent to God
only, in whose hand alone it is to make a man blessed; for here he taketh it
upon him, to pronounce the godly man to be the blessed man. 4. The
ungodly think themselves very wise in following the counsel of their own
heart, and of others like themselves, that they may be blessed; but this is
not the way of the blessed man, he walketh not in the counsel of the
ungodly. 5. The ungodly obstinately continue in the course of sinning, but
the blessed man, if he be overtaken in a sin, doth not defend his sin, nor
persist in it: he standeth not in the way of sinners. 6. The ungodly
may come to that height at length, as to mock godliness, as mere folly, and to
scorn admonitions and reproofs: but the blessed man never hardeneth his heart
so, as to mock piety in others, or instruction offered to himself, he
sitteth not in the seat of the scornful. 7. The blessed man maketh the
word of God in holy Scripture, to be his counsellor concerning the remedy of
sin and misery, and to be the rule to walk by, till his blessedness be
perfected; for the Scripture to him, for the obedience of faith, is a law, and
that fenced with supreme authority: it is the law of the Lord. 8. In
that measure that a man is godly and blessed, he maketh the word of God,
through the Messiah, Christ, the way of growing in communion with God through
him, the matter of his chief delight, and contentment; his delight is in
the law of the Lord. 9. In that measure that a man delighteth in the law
of the Lord, he verseth himself therein upon all occasions; in his law doth
he meditate day and night.
3.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth
forth his fruit in his season: his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever
he doeth shall prosper.
4.
The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind
driveth away.
This
is the first reason proving the godly man to be the only blessed man, and not
the ungodly: hence learn, 1. In that measure a man studieth holy communion
with God, by delighting and meditating in his word, he shall be fixed and
furnished with the influence of Grace from Christ, for the entertaining of
spiritual life in him; he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of
water. 2. The man that maketh the word of God his delight, shall be made
fruitful in every good work, as opportunity is offered to him; he shall be
like the tree that bringeth forth his fruit in his season. 3. This man
shall be enabled to bear out a holy profession of his faith in, and obedience
to God, in adversity, as well as in prosperity: his leaf also shall not
wither. 4. Whatsoever duty or service to God this man goeth about, shall
not want the assistance of God, nor success, nor acceptance at his hands; whatsoever
he doeth shall prosper. 5. The ungodly man, whatsoever he may seem to be
before the world, yet he is destitute of all spiritual life, and alien from
the fellowship of God's grace, unfit for every good work, ready when tempted
hard, to quit his counterfeit profession of religion, and is cursed in all
that he doth; for what the blessed godly man is here said to be, the wicked is
the contrary; the ungodly are not so. 6. Whatsoever appearance of
godliness, or temporal prosperity, or hope of happiness the ungodly man
seemeth to have, it shall be found but counterfeit, and shall stand him in no
stead in his greatest need: the ungodly are like the chaff which the wind
bloweth away.
5.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the
congregation of the righteous.
The
second reason, proving the godly man to be the blessed man, and not the
ungodly, is a consequence of the first: whence learn, 1. Not only shall all
that the ungodly man soweth to his fleshly felicity, prove chaff; but also for
his pains he shall answer to God in the day of judgment, and there be
condemned; for it is said, therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the
judgment. 2. Howsoever the godly cannot enjoy one another's fellowship in
this life, for many reasons; yet at last they shall meet in a general assembly
of all saints, in the full fellowship of God; for there is a day of judgment
to be, wherein they shall stand, and not be cast or condemned, but shall be
fully absolved, and remain in the standing congregation of the righteous.
3. Albeit now the ungodly and godly do live together, mixed in one kingdom,
city, incorporation, visible church, family, and bed possibly, yet there shall
be a perfect separation at last, of the one from the other; for sinners or
(servants of sin) shall not stand in the congregation of the righteous.
6.
For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly
shall perish.
The
third reason confirmeth the former two: Whence learn, 1. Albeit there be no
man that liveth and sinneth not, yet the godly man, being justified by faith,
and careful to bring forth the fruits of faith, is not a sinner in God's
esteem; for he is here called righteous. 2. However there be many
imperfections and failings of the godly man's actions, yet the course he
keepeth, and way which he endeavoureth to walk in, is holy and acceptable to
God; for the Lord knoweth or approveth the way of the righteous. 3.
Let the men of this world please themselves, and applaud one another in their
godless carriage; yet the end of their course shall be everlasting
destruction; for the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Reference
A
COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS, by David Dickson. Published by The
Banner of Truth Trust, 1985. pp 1-4.
