The conquests of grace have ever disturbed the earth, and those who have preached all the words of this life are represented as having turned the world upside down, and as the troublers of Israel; while the gospel in its power has caused those who were servants to sin to lay down the arms of their rebellion, and God has set up a kingdom in their hearts which shall never be destroyed, and made them kings and priests unto God. But the prophet, no doubt, in this chapter, may allude to the state of the Jewish church, before and in her captivity, this I apprehend is the primary sense of the chapter. He laments the fewness of those who were valiant for the truth. Then represents the sins of the great, and of those in office, both in church and state. The decay of true godliness was his grief, accompanied with many heart-breaking sights of the treachery of those who were in a profession, with the weakness of the children of God themselves; _The best of them is a briar_, _the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge_. Trust ye not, therefore, in a friend; put no confidence in a guide! _Keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom_—that is, even from the saints themselves, knowing the best of men are but men at the best: and well may one of our own Poets exclaim— _Lean not to earth_, _’twill pierce thee to the heart_: _A broken reed at best_, _but oft a spear_! _On its sharp point peace bleeds and hope expires_! The prophet’s mind is turned to the true centre of solid joy and peace, amidst all the trials he experienced—_therefore will I look to the Lord_; _I will wait for the God of my salvation_, with this sweet confidence, my God will hear me. My enemies then need not rejoice; for as I have God in covenant to be my God—and of this I am confident, from his word, and by the many tokens of his love; therefore though I fall into trouble, and remain in the darkness of my captivity a long time, yet I am fully assured I shall be delivered in God’s time and way; and till that period arrives, the Lord Jesus will be my light, my love, my portion, and my joy. Persuaded of this, I will bear in his strength, the fatherly indignation of the Lord, manifested in his providences, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, appear for my help, and as my glorious deliverer, in bringing me forth to the enjoyment of his favour, and to sweet peace, through the imputed righteousness of the dear Redeemer, which I shall behold as my own, and which will cause me to adore his righteous proceedings with me; and when I am humbled and delivered, then she that is mine enemy will see it, and shame shall cover her that said, Where is the Lord thy God? She shall see it in this and a coming world. _Rejoice not_, therefore, _O mine enemy_; _when I fall_, _I shall arise_; _when I sit in darkness_, _the Lord shall be a light unto me_.