Take Up the Cross

For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
— James 3:2

That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.
— 1 Kings 2:4

And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.
— Matthew 27:12-14

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
— Isaiah 53:7

Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
— Hebrews 5:7

An Exposition of Psalm 39, by Samuel Eyles Pierce.

To the chief Musician, even to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred. My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue, LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee. Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it. Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah. Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.
— Psalm 39:1-12

PSALM THE THIRTY-NINTH.

Its title is, To the Chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.

One speaks on it thus. This psalm was composed by David, and appointed to be sung and played on instruments to Jeduthun, even to Jeduthun: i. e. To that excellent musician, who for the excellency of his skill, was the chief of his order, and father to those of his stock, which prophesied with a harp, to give thanks and praise to the Lord; as 1 Chron. xxv. ver. 3.

David divided the singers in the temple into several divisions, under Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun: he had six sons under him, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks, and praise the Lord, 1 Chron. xxv. ver. 3. The whole number of singers were two hundred fourscore and eight. This Psalm as thus directed, was to be sung to the praise of him that excelleth, or, to the victory and eternity of Israel. It concerns our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a psalm of David. It is a revelation of the antitypical David. The substance of it is as follows. We have here the subject of Christ’s sorrows recorded-The unexampled patience of our Lord set before us-His great circumspection and care when before his enemies-His prayer when in these most trying circumtances. The solemnity of his own mind is expressed-His request to Jehovah, with which this Psalm concludes.

V. 1. To the chief musician, to Jeduthun, a Psalm of David. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.

When our Lord was before the Jewish council, on the night before his crucifixion, what he was then and there exercised with, was beyond all which any beside himself could have borne with patience and perfect meekness. As in the everlasting transactions, all was set before him, which he was to pass through, so it was set forth in the book of Psalms, that he might in his incarnate state, take it in, and fully comprehend it in his human mind. It was therefore here recorded for his benefit, as also for the benefit of his church. That he night read and understand how he was to behave and act in the most trying cases he had to pass through in the days of his flesh. It being all in the mind of Christ, he here expresses himself accordingly. He said by way of soliloquy to his own soul, and purposed thus within himself: I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. As we read in the New Testament, how Christ was treated by the Jewish rulers on their trial of him, with the insults which he received from them, and the contempt cast on him, by those who were there and then present. We have the fulfilment of all this. When false witnesses came in against him, and the high priest rose up from his seat, and stood up in the public court, and asked our Lord this bold and impertinent question, Answerest thou nothing? What is it which these witness against thee? He held his peace. When he was charged with blasphemy, and condemned to die, as a blasphemer, he opened not his mouth in his own defence. When they spit in his face, when they blindfolded him, and buffeted him, and smote him with the palms of their hands, and despised him as Messiah, he spake not a single word. So that he exemplified in his carriage what is here spoken of him, and by him proposed.

V. 2. I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.

The inimitable patience of Christ, under sufferings, when before his enemies, and heard all they could possibly express of their utter hatred and contempt of him, is here most inimitably expressed. Himself by the prophet is here the speaker. It was not a season to speak for the Lord. It was now the work of the mediator to refrain from speaking. I was dumb with silence, may convey to our mind, how Christ himself was shocked in his holy mind, with their horrible blasphemies. He held his peace. He spake not to them of their horrible guilt now contracted. His bowels were troubled. His sorrows increased. Yet he was meekness and submission under all, in its uttermost perfection. I make no reflections on it, because my design is to shew, how Christ is set forth in the scripture before us.

V. 3. My heart was hot within me, while I was thus musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue.

All before the Christ of God, with every thing from every quarter, and with all contained in it, was so fully apprehended, and received into our Lord’s mind, that he experienced and was most sensibly affected with every indignity and contempt cast upon him. His heart was hot within him. He felt what none but himself could. It entered into his holy soul. He mused on his case. He went over it in his own mind. The fire burned. He felt in his outward sufferings, the curse and fire of divine wrath due to sin. It put him on prayer unto Him that was able to save him from death. He prays agreeable to the state of his mind to his frame to his feelings-to his present state and circumstances. It follows in the next verse.

V. 4. Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am, or, what time I have here.

Which is most correspondent with our Lord’s case at this time. As man, we read, and Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man, Luke ii. ver. 52. Surely his hunan understanding was capable of being opened during the whole term of his abode in our world. Under this view, he might very properly pray to know when his end would be-What, and how much longer his continuance would be in our world. He might well request to know the nothingness of his human nature, abstracted from its being united to the person of the only begotten Son of God. More especially so, as all his sufferings and sorrows were, and could only be felt and endured in that nature. A true apprehension of which would lead him to trust in Jehovah the Father, to grant him an happy and complete issue ont of the same. He, as God-man mediator, as the sin-bearer, and as the suffering saviour of his church and people, might well put up this petition, Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am, or, what time I have here. Christ was in the likeness of sinful flesh. As the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same. He was to be on earth for a certain space, which when it was up, it is positively said, his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, John xiii. ver. 1.

V. 5. Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best, or settled estate, is altogether vanity. Selah.

Our Lord had the experience of growing from childhood to youth, from thence to manhood. He was in the very prime of life when he entered on his public ministry. He died, as seems most probable, when he was 34. One extends it to 37. This was but an handbreadth of time. His age, compared with Jehovah’s existence and eternity, was even as nothing before the incomprehensible I am. He knew every man, and every thing in man; and man in his first and best estate. He knew man in his settled state, to be altogether vanity. To this he subjoins the word Selah, as it deserves to be remarked. Man’s body was made out of dust. It was composed of the four elements; earth, air, fire, and water. The mind of every man, having lost God’s image which was stamped on it by creation, through the fall, is altogether vanity.. Let this be attentively considered. None ever had so clear, nor such an apprehensive and comprehensive view of this, as Messiah; so that I think these passages applied unto him, give us very exalted views of him, as he viewed man in Paradise in his primitive creation glory, and man out of Paradise in his fallen state, to be but vanity. The former arising from his mutability, the latter as the effect of it, he speaks out fully on the subject, saying, Verily every man at his best estate is altogether vanity. Selah. Our Lord pursues this subject:

V. 6. Surely every man walketh in a vain image, or show. That is, he liveth an imaginary life. Surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

Man by the fall is become vain and empty. He is destitute of all good in himself; he hath inherent in him, a disposition to all evil. He leads at all times but an ideal and imaginary life. His plans, designs, ends, and aims, are liable to be entirely overthrown. If he could have all he wishes for, it goes no further than the gratification of himself. Selflove is every man’s sin: it is the whole of it. A religious man may be as fully swallowed up in it as a sensualist. Men, all in our world, in every age, place, and case, be they poor or rich, are disquieted in vain. Life is but a vapour, which appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. Some particularly grasp after riches: They have, and heap them up: They conceive there is an intrinsic good contained in them. This is all mistake. No; there is not. They are uncertain. The possessors have no great enjoyment of them; they are uncertain who will possess them. The rich man heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them; which, if rightly considered, is a sore evil. Then there is nothing out of Christ but imagination, shadow, and a vain show. It is in him alone there are durable riches-an allsufficiency of good. He alone can give us to inherit substance.

V.7. And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.

These words are a question proposed prayer-wise. The Mediator did not wait on Jehovah for deliverance from his sorrows and enemies before the appointed time. He knew the shortness of his continuation in his suffering state. knew he should get to the end of it, and all would be well. He does not here pray for a speedy issue out of it; but he expresses here, Jehovah was his hope. He was waiting on him: He was expressing his views, frame, sorrows, and case: He was proceeding on in his suffering course. knew Jehovah would bear up his humanity, and give him all the strength necessary. He therefore expresses himself thus: And now, Lord, what wait Ifor? This is the question. To which himself replies, My hope is in thee. Thou art my hope; I hope alone in thee. Which, as an expression of confidence in the Lord, draws out the mind of the glorious and divine Mediator, to proceed in his prayer.

V. 8. Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.

He was now the subject charged with all the transgressions of his people. He became responsible for them in the everlasting covenant, by his suretyship engagements with the divine Father. He was now suffering for them. What he now endured from the hands of sinful men, was the very fruit of this. He calls these transgressions his, he having engaged with the creditor to give full satisfaction to law and justice, and answer all its demands, by suffering the whole contained in the curse due to the uttermost demerit contained in each and every one of them. He could not, he did not expect deliverance from them, until, by bearing them in his own body on the tree, and by putting them away by the sacrifice of himself, he should have completed his work, that the Father would shine on him, and give him thereby full evidence of it. This is the deliverance he here prays for. To which he adds, Make me not the reproach of the foolish. He was the reproach of the foolish in his sufferings. Sinners, base men, yea, men viler than the earth, who were fit for no place but hell, reproached him. It was in the will and counsel of God it should be so. Our Lord therefore prays here, as expressing how grievous it was to his holy mind, to be thus treated. Not to be absolutely delivered from it, but if possible there might be some mitigation of it.

V.9. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.

This is very expressive of the behaviour of our most adorable Lord, under all the contradiction of sinners against himself. The scripture is full proof, the man Christ Jesus had a full knowledge of all he was to suffer in our world for sin, and that from every quarter. This may shew us why Christ delighted in reading the scriptures, and meditating in them day and night. It was because they testified of him, and expressed what he was to be, to do, to suffer, that he might finish the work, and do the will of Him that sent him. Christ was dumb. He opened not his mouth. He put up with all sort and kind of insults. He opened not his mouth by way of self-defence. He knew he stood at his Father’s bar. He knew his Father’s hand was in all this. He knew he was now bearing the shame due to sin. I opened not my mouth, because thou didst it. This was our Lord’s reason why he thus exercised patience and submission to the utmost degree. Yet he prays Jehovah very importunately, as he afterwards did in the garden of Gethsemane, saying,

V. 10. Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand.

The stroke of Jehovah was on Christ. It is expressive of his vindictive wrath, which Christ was the object and subject of, as the Mediator of reconciliation. He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. In the margin it is, The stroke was upon him. Isai. liii. 8. Our Lord’s praying Jehovah to remove his stroke from him, is designed to point out to us the severity of it. He adds, I am consumed by the blow of thine hand. Which is a deep expression, and shews the agonies of our Lord’s mind, when under the imputation of sin, and the infliction of the curse, were most tremendously extreme. As the sufferings of our Lord extended throughout his whole frame, so he mentions the effects of the stroke of Jehovah upon him, and what he felt of it in his body as well as in his mind,

V. 11. When thou with rebukes doth correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.

Our Lord was the perfection of beauty in his manhood. Yet, when under suffering, his visage was marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men. Isa. lii. 14. He was under the rebukes of Jehovah. He was then as the Man in God, the Fellow of the Lord of hosts, corrected for iniquity. His beauty then consumed away like a moth. His crown of thorns disfigured his royal brow. On his eye-lids sat the shadow of death. His face was besmeared with blood and spittle. His whole body wounded, torn, and rent. was emptied of all, and it was for the salvation of his people. Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. that Christ was ever sick, or was the subject of disease. No; it was utterly impossible. His human nature being without all sin, therefore no disease could invade it. But he, taking the sins of his people to himself, and on himself, to cure all the maladies of our bodies and minds, by his most precious bloodshedding, was, as to the efficacy of it, taking our infirmities, and bearing our sickness. As he suffered in every part, member, and throughout the whole human frame, he experienced what it was for his beauty to consume away, gradually, like a moth. He could not therefore but pronounce of every man, of each individual of the human race, who are all under the sentence of death, that they are vanity. To which he fixes the word Selah, as was before done at the close of verse 5. There it was to fix the mind on this truth, Verily every man living is altogether vanity. Selah. Mark this well. Here it is when Christ says, Surely every man living is altogether vanity. Selah. So here is a double nota-bene to this awful and solemn verity.

V. 12. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.

This is a closing his prayer, expressing his great importunity with the Father to be heard and answered. The apostle informs us, our Lord, in the days of his flesh, offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears. Here is a proof of it. He urges the necessity of a speedy answer, in these words; for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner with thee, as all my fathers were. As in the 22nd Psalm, he encouraged himself and his faith by a review of what his predecessors had done, and the deliverance Jehovah had wrought for them, saying, Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. V. 4, 5. So here our Lord puts himself amongst his people, and speaks as one of them, I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. He urges this as an argument with Jehovah, to hear his prayer, and give ear to his cry. He wanted immediate help. He therefore adds,

V. 13.. O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.

Our Lord could not endure all sorts and kind of sorrows due to sin imputed, in one moment of time. He could not take into his mind every part of grief and torment which he was the subject of, but by a successive conception and apprehension of the same. In the garden he had some little lucid intermission, so as to go to his disciples, who were spectators of his dolours, and heard his requests to his divine Father; after which they returned upon him, so as to issue in his agony and bloody sweat. This I conceive will serve most clearly to open these words, O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more a sufferer; his sufferings all ending with his death. May the Lord the Spirit bless his testimony of Christ in this Psalm. Amen.

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