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Matthew Henry’s Commentary – Daniel X

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Matthew Henry
Commentary on the Whole Bible (1712)




D A N I E L.

CHAP. X.



     

This chapter and the two next (which conclude this book) make up one

entire vision and prophecy, which was communicated to Daniel for the

use of the church, not by signs and figures, as before

(ch. vii. and viii.),

but by express words; and this was about two years after the vision in

the foregoing chapter. Daniel prayed daily, but had a vision only now

and then. In this chapter we have some things introductory to the

prophecy, in the eleventh chapter the particular predictions, and

ch. xii.

the conclusion of it. This chapter shows us,

I. Daniel’s solemn fasting and humiliation, before he had this vision,

ver. 1-3.

II. A glorious appearance of the Son of God to him, and the deep

impression it made upon him,

ver. 4-9.

III. The encouragement that was given him to expect such a discovery of

future events as should be satisfactory and useful both to others and

to himself, and that he should be enabled both to understand the

meaning of this discovery, though difficult, and to bear up under the

lustre of it, though dazzling and dreadful,

ver. 10-21.











Vision near the River Hiddekel. B. C. 534.

     

1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was

revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the

thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he

understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.

  2 In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.

  3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my

mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks

were fulfilled.

  4 And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I

was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel;

  5 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain

man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of

Uphaz:

  6 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the

appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his

arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice

of his words like the voice of a multitude.

  7 And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with

me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so

that they fled to hide themselves.

  8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and

there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in

me into corruption, and I retained no strength.

  9 Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the

voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my

face toward the ground.

     

This vision is dated in the third year of Cyrus, that is, of his

reign after the conquest of Babylon, his third year since Daniel became

acquainted with him and a subject to him. Here is,

     

I. A general idea of this prophecy

(v. 1):

The thing was true; every word of God is so; it was true that

Daniel had such a vision, and that such and such things were said. This

he solemnly attests upon the word of a prophet. Et hoc paratus est

verificare–He was prepared to verify it; and, if it was a word

spoken from heaven, no doubt it is stedfast and may be depended

upon. But the time appointed was long, as long as to the end of

the reign of Antiochus, which was 300 years, a long time indeed when it

is looked upon as to come. Nay, and because it is usual with the

prophets to glance at things spiritual and eternal, there is that in

this prophecy which looks in type as far forward as to the end of the

world and the resurrection of the dead; and then he might well say,

The time appointed was long. It was, however, made as plain to

him as if it had been a history rather than a prophecy; he

understood the thing; so distinctly was it delivered to him, and

received by him, that he could say he had understanding of the

vision. It did not so much operate upon his fancy as upon his

understanding.

     

II. An account of Daniel’s mortification of himself before he had this

vision, not in expectation of it, nor, when he prayed that solemn

prayer

ch. ix.,

does it appear that he had any expectation of the vision in answer to

it, but purely from a principle of devotion and pious sympathy with the

afflicted people of God. He was mourning full three weeks

(v. 2),

for his own sins and the sins of his people, and their sorrows. Some

think that the particular occasion of his mourning was slothfulness and

indifference of many of the Jews, who, though they had liberty to

return to their own land, continued still in the land of their

captivity, not knowing how to value the privileges offered them; and

perhaps it troubled him the more because those that did so justified

themselves by the example of Daniel, though they had not that reason to

stay behind which he had. Others think that it was because he heard of

the obstruction given to the building of the temple by the enemies of

the Jews, who hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their

purpose

(Ezra iv. 4, 5),

all the days of Cyrus, and gained their point from his son

Cambyses, or Artaxerxes, who governed while Cyrus was absent in the

Scythian war. Note, Good men cannot but mourn to see how slowly the

work of God goes on in the world and what opposition it meets with, how

weak its friends are and how active its enemies. During the days of

Daniel’s mourning he ate no pleasant bread; he could not live

without meat, but he ate little, and very sparingly, and mortified

himself in the quality as well as the quantity of what he ate, which

may truly be reckoned fasting, and a token of humiliation and sorrow.

He did not eat the pleasant bread he used to eat, but that which was

course and unpalatable, which he would not be tempted to eat any more

of than was just necessary to support nature. As ornaments, so

delicacies, are very disagreeable to a day of humiliation. Daniel

ate no flesh, drank no wine, nor anointed himself, for those three

week’s time,

v. 3.

Though he was now a very old man, and might plead that the decay of his

nature required what was nourishing, though he was a very great man,

and might plead that, being used to dainty meats, he could not do

without them, it would prejudice his health if he were, yet, when it

was both to testify and to assist his devotion, he could thus deny

himself; let this be noted to the shame of many young people in the

common ranks of life who cannot persuade themselves thus to deny

themselves.

     

III. A description of that glorious person whom Daniel saw in vision,

which, it is generally agreed, could be no other that Christ himself,

the eternal Word. He was by the side of the river Hiddekel

(v. 4),

probably walking there, not for diversion, but devotion and

contemplation, as Isaac walked in the field, to meditate; and, being a

person of distinction, he had his servants attending him at some

distance. There he looked up, and saw one man Christ

Jesus. It must be he, for he appears in the same resemblance

wherein he appeared to St. John in the isle of Patmos,

Rev. i. 13-15.

His dress was priestly, for he is the high priest of our profession,

clothed in linen, as the high priest himself was on the day of

atonement, that great day; his loins were girded (in St. John’s

vision his paps were girded) with a golden girdle of the

finest gold, that of Uphaz, for every thing about Christ is the best in

its kind. The girding of the loins denotes his ready and

diligent application to his work, as his Father’s servant, in the

business of our redemption. His shape was amiable, his body like the

beryl, a precious stone of a sky-colour. His countenance was awful,

and enough to strike a terror on the beholders, for his face was as

the appearance of lightning, which dazzles the eyes, both brightens

and threatens. His eyes were bright and sparkling, as lamps

of fire. His arms and feet shone like polished brass,
v. 6.

His voice was loud, and strong, and very piercing, like the

voice of a multitude. The vox Deivoice of God can

overpower the vox populivoice of the people. Thus

glorious did Christ appear, and it should engage us,

1. To think highly and honourably of him. Now consider how great

this man is, and in all things let him have the pre-eminence.

2. To admire his condescension for us and our salvation. Over all this

splendour he drew a veil when he took upon him the form of a servant,

and emptied himself.

     

IV. The wonderful influence that this appearance had upon Daniel and

his attendants, and the terror that it struck upon him and them.

     

1. His attendants saw not the vision; it was not fit that they

should be honoured with the sight of it. There is a divine revelation

vouchsafed to all, from converse with which none are excluded who do

not exclude themselves; but such a vision must be peculiar to Daniel,

who was a favourite. Paul’s companions were aware of the light,

but saw no man,
Acts ix. 7; xxii. 9.

Note, It is the honour of those who are beloved of God that, what is

hidden from others, is known to them. Christ manifests himself to

them, but not to the world,
John xiv. 22.

But, though they saw not the vision, they were seized with an

unaccountable trembling; either from the voice they heard, or from some

strange concussion or vibration of the air they felt, so it was that a

great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide

themselves, probably among the willows that grew by the river’s

side. Note, Many have a spirit of bondage to fear who never

receive a spirit of adoption, to whom Christ has been, and will

be, never otherwise than a terror. Now the fright that Daniel’s

attendants were in is a confirmation of the truth of the vision; it

could not be Daniel’s fancy, or the product of a heated imagination of

his own, or it had a real, powerful, and strange effect upon those

about him.

     

2. He himself saw it, and saw it alone, but he was not able to bear the

sight of it. It not only dazzled his eyes, but overwhelmed his spirit,

so that there remained no strength in him,
v. 8.

He said, as Moses himself, I exceedingly fear and quake. His

spirits were all so employed, either in an intense speculation of the

glory of this vision or in the fortifying of his heart against the

terror of it, that his body was left in a manner lifeless and

spiritless. He had no vigour in him, and was but one remove from a dead

carcase; he looked as pale as death, his colour was gone, his

comeliness in him was turned into corruption, and he

retained no strength. Note, the greatest and best of men cannot

bear the immediate discoveries of the divine glory; no man can see it

and live; it is next to death to see a glimpse of it, as Daniel here;

but glorified saints see Christ as he is and can bear the sight. But,

though Daniel was thus dispirited with the vision of Christ, yet he

heard the voice of his words and knew what he said. Note, We

must take heed lest our reverence of God’s glory, by which we should be

awakened to hear his voice both in his word and in his providence,

should degenerate into such a dread of him as will disable or indispose

us to hear it. It should seem that when the vision of Christ terrified

Daniel the voice of his words soon pacified and composed him, silenced

his fear, and laid him to sleep in a holy security and serenity of

mind: When I heard the voice of his words I fell into a slumber,

a sweet slumber, on my face, and my face towards the

ground. When he saw the vision he threw himself prostrate, into a

posture of the most humble adoration, and dropped asleep, not as

careless of what he heard and saw, but charmed with it. Note, How

dreadful soever Christ may appear to those who are under convictions of

sin, and in terror by reason of it, there is enough in his word to

quiet their spirits and make them easy, if they will but attend to it

and apply it.













Daniel Alarmed and Comforted. B. C. 534.

     

10 And, behold, a hand touched me, which set me upon my knees

and upon the palms of my hands.

  11 And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved,

understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright:

for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word

unto me, I stood trembling.

  12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first

day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten

thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for

thy words.

  13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and

twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to

help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

  14 Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy

people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many

days.

  15 And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face

toward the ground, and I became dumb.

  16 And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men

touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto

him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are

turned upon me, and I have retained no strength.

  17 For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my

lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in

me, neither is there breath left in me.

  18 Then there came again and touched me one like the

appearance of a man, and he strengthened me,

  19 And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto

thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me,

I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast

strengthened me.

  20 Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and

now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I

am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.

  21 But I will show thee that which is noted in the scripture of

truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things,

but Michael your prince.

     

Much ado here is to bring Daniel to be able to bear what Christ has to

say to him. Still we have him in a fright, hardly and very slowly

recovering himself; but he is still answered and supported with

good words and comfortable words. Let us see how Daniel

is by degrees brought to himself, and gather up the several passages

that are to the same purport.

     

I. Daniel is in a great consternation and finds it very difficult to

get clear of it. The hand that touched him set him at first

upon his knees and the palms of his hands,
v. 10.

Note, Strength and comfort commonly come by degrees to those that have

been long cast down and disquieted; they are first helped up a little,

and then more. After two days he will revive us, and then

the third day he will raise us up. And we must not despise

the day of small things, but be thankful for the beginnings of

mercy. Afterwards he is helped up, but he stands trembling

(v. 11),

for fear lest he fall again. Note, Before God gives strength and

power unto his people he makes them sensible of their own weakness.

I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble,
Hab. iii. 16.

But when, afterwards, Daniel recovered so much strength in his limbs

that he could stand steadily, yet he tells us

(v. 15)

that he set his face towards the ground and became dumb; he was

as a man astonished, who knew not what to say, struck dumb with

admiration and fear, and was loth to enter into discourse with one so

far above him; he kept silence, yea, even from

good, till he had recollected himself a little. Well, at length he

recovered, not only the use of his feet, but the use of his tongue;

and, when he opened his mouth

(v. 16),

that which he had to say was to excuse his having been so long silent,

for really he durst not speak, he could not speak: “O my lord

(so, in great humility, this prophet calls the angel, though the

angels, in great humility, called themselves fellow-servants to the

prophets,
Rev. xxii. 9),

by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me; they break in up

on me with violence; the sense of my sinful sorrowful state turns

upon me when I see thy purity and brightness.” Note, Man, who has

lost his integrity, has reason to blush, and be ashamed of himself,

when he sees or considers the glory of the blessed angels that keep

their integrity. “My sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained

no strength to resist them or bear up a head against them.” And

again

(v. 17),

like one half dead with the fright, he complains, “As for me,

straightway there remained no strength in me to receive these

displays of the divine glory and these discoveries of the divine will;

nay, there is no breath left in me.” Such a deliquium did

he suffer that he could not draw one breath after another, but panted

and languished, and was in a manner breathless. See how well it is for

us that the treasure of divine revelation is put into earthen

vessels, that God speaks to us by men like ourselves and not

by angels. Whatever we may wish, in a peevish dislike of the method God

takes in dealing with us, it is certain that if we were tried we should

all be of Israel’s mind at Mt. Sinai, when they said to Moses, Speak

thou to us, and we will hear, but let not God speak to us lest we

die,
Exod. xx. 19.

If Daniel could not bear it, how could we? Now this he insists upon as

an excuse for his irreverent silence, which otherwise would have been

blame-worthy: How can the servant of this my lord talk with this my

lord?
v. 17.

Note, Whenever we enter into communion with God it becomes us to have a

due sense of the vast distance and disproportion that there are between

us and the holy angels, and of the infinite distance, and no proportion

at all, between us and the holy God, and to acknowledge that we cannot

order our speech by reason of darkness. How shall we that are

dust and ashes speak to the Lord of glory?

     

II. The blessed angel that was employed by Christ to converse with him

gave him all the encouragement and comfort that could be. It should

seem, it was not he whose glory he saw in vision

(v. 5, 6)

that here touched him, and talked with him; that was

Christ, but this seems to have been the angel Gabriel, whom Christ had

once before ordered to instruct Daniel,

ch. viii. 16.

That glorious appearance (as that of the God of glory to

Abraham,

Acts vii. 2)

was to give authority and to gain attention to what the angel should

say. Christ himself comforted John when he in a like case fell at

his feet as dead

(Rev. i. 17);

but here he did it by the angel, whom Daniel saw in a glory much

inferior to that of the vision in the verses before; for he was like

the similitude of the sons of men

(v. 16),

one like the appearance of a man,
v. 18.

When he only appeared, as he had done before

(ch. ix. 21),

we do not find that Daniel was put into any disorder by it, as he was

by this vision; and therefore he is here employed a third time with

Daniel.

     

1. He lent him his hand to help him, touched him, and set him upon

his hands and knees

(v. 10),

else he would still have lain grovelling, touched his lips

(v. 16),

else he would have been still dumb; again he touched him

(v. 18),

and put strength into him, else he would still have been staggering and

trembling. Note, The hand of God’s power going along with the word of

his grace is alone effectual to redress all our grievances, and to

rectify whatever is amiss in us. One touch from heaven brings us to our

knees, sets us on our feet, opens our lips, and strengthens us; for it

is God that works on us, and works in us, both to will and to do

that which is good.

     

2. He assured him of the great favour that God had for him: Thou art

a man greatly beloved

(v. 11);

and again

(v. 19),

O man greatly beloved! Note, Nothing is more likely, nothing

more effectual, to revive the drooping spirits of the saints than to be

assured of God’s love to them. Those are greatly beloved indeed whom

God loves; and it is comfort enough to know it.

     

3. He silenced his fears, and encouraged his hopes, with good words and

comfortable words. He said unto him, Fear not, Daniel

(v. 12);

and again

(v. 19),

O man greatly beloved! fear not; peace be unto thee; be strong, yea,

be strong. Never did any tender mother quiet her child, when any

thing had grieved or frightened it, with more compassion and affection

than the angel here quieted Daniel. Those that are beloved of God have

no reason to be afraid of any evil; peace is to them; God himself

speaks peace to them; and they ought, upon the warrant of that, to

speak peace to themselves; and that peace, that joy of the Lord,

will be their strength. Will God plead against us with his

great power? will he take advantage against us of our being

overcome by his terror? No, but he will put strength into us,
Job xxiii. 6.

So he did into Daniel here, when, by reason of the lustre of the

vision, no strength of his own remained in him; and he

acknowledges it

(v. 19):

When he had spoken to me I was strengthened. Note, God by his

word puts life, and strength, and spirit into his people; for if he

says, Be strong, power goes along with the word. And, now that

Daniel has experienced the efficacy of God’s strengthening word and

grace, he is ready for any thing: “Now, Let my lord speak, and I

can hear it, I can bear it, and am ready to do according to it, for

thou hast strengthened me.” Note, To those that (like Daniel here)

have no might God increases strength,
Isa. xl. 29.

And we cannot keep up our communion with God but by strength derived

from him; but, when he is pleased to put strength into us, we must make

a good use of it, and say, Speak, Lord, for thy servant hears.

Let God enable us to comply with his will, and them, whatever it is, we

will stand complete in it. Da quod jubes, et jube quod vis–Give

what thou commandest, and then command what thou wilt.

     

4. He assured him that his fastings and prayers had come up for a

memorial before God, as the angel told Cornelius

(Acts x. 4):

Fear not, Daniel,
v. 12.

It is natural to fallen man to be afraid of an extraordinary messenger

from heaven, as dreading to hear evil tidings thence; but Daniel need

not fear, for he has by his three weeks’ humiliation and supplication

sent extraordinary messengers to heaven, which he may expect to

return with an olive-branch of peace: “From the first day that thou

didst set thy heart to understand the word of God, which is to be

the rule of thy prayers, and to chasten thyself before thy God,

that thou mightest put an edge upon thy prayers, thy words were

heard,” as, before, at the beginning of thy supplication,
ch. ix. 23.

Note, As the entrance of God’s word is enlightening to the

upright, so the entrance of their prayers is pleasing to God,

Ps. cxix. 130.

From the first day that we begin to look towards God in a way of duty

he is ready to meet us in a way of mercy. Thus ready is God to hear

prayer. I said, I will confess, and thou forgavest.

     

5. He informed him that he was sent to him on purpose to bring him a

prediction of the future state of the church, as a token of God’s

accepting his prayers for the church: “Knowest thou wherefore I come

unto thee? If thou knewest on what errand I come, thou wouldst not

be put into such a consternation by it.” Note, If we rightly understood

the meaning of God’s dealings with us, and the methods of his

providence and grace concerning us, we should be better reconciled to

them. “I have come for thy words

(v. 12),

to bring thee a gracious answer to thy prayers.” Thus, when God’s

praying people call to him, he says, Here I am

(Isa. lviii. 9);

what would you have with me? See the power of prayer, what

glorious things it has, in its time, fetched from heaven, what strange

discoveries! On what errand did this angel come to Daniel? He tells him

(v. 14):

I have come to make thee understand what shall befal thy people in

the latter days. Daniel was a curious inquisitive man, that had all

his days been searching into secret things, and it would be a great

gratification to him to be let into the knowledge of things to come.

Daniel had always been concerned for the church; its interests lay much

upon his heart, and it would be a particular satisfaction to him to

know what its state should be, and he would know the better what to

pray for as long as he lived. He was now lamenting the difficulties

which his people met with in the present day; but, that he might not be

offended in those, the angel must tell him what greater difficulties

are yet before them; and, if they be wearied now that they only

run with the footmen, how will they contend with horses? Note,

It would abate our resentment of present troubles to consider that we

know not but much greater are before us, which we are concerned to

provide for. Daniel must be made to know what shall befal his people

in the latter days of the church, after the cessation of

prophecy, and when the time drew nigh for the Messiah to appear, for

yet the vision is for many days; the principal things that this

vision was intended to give the church the foresight of would come to

pass in the days of Antiochus, nearly 300 years after this. Now that

which the angel is entrusted to communicate to Daniel, and which Daniel

is encouraged to expect from him, is not any curious speculations,

moral prognostications, nor rational prospects of his own, though he is

an angel, but what he has received from the Lord. It was the

revelation of Jesus Christ that the angel gave to St. John to be

delivered to the churches,
Rev. i. 1.

So here

(v. 21):

I will show thee what is written in the scriptures of truth,

that is, what is fixed in the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of

God. The decree of God is a thing written, it is a

scripture which remains and cannot be altered. What I have

written I have written. As there are scriptures for the revealed

will of God, the letters-patent, which are published to the world, so

there are scriptures for the secret will of God, the close rolls, which

are sealed among his treasures, the book of his decrees. Both

are scriptures of truth; nothing shall be added to nor taken

from either of them. The secret things belong not to us, only

now and then some few paragraphs have been copied out from the book of

God’s counsels, and delivered to the prophets for the use of the

church, as here to Daniel; but they are the things revealed,

even the words of this law, which belong to us and to our

children; and we are concerned to study what is written in these

scriptures of truth, for they are things which belong to our

everlasting peace.

     

6. He gave him a general account of the adversaries of the church’s

cause, from whom it might be expected that troubles would arise, and of

its patrons, under whose protection it might be assured of safety and

victory at last.

(1.) The kings of the earth are and will be its adversaries; for

they set themselves against the Lord, and against his Anointed,

Ps. ii. 2.

The angel told Daniel that he was to have come to him with a gracious

answer to his prayers, but that the prince of the kingdom of Persia

withstood him one and twenty days, just the three weeks that Daniel

had been fasting and praying. Cambyses king of Persia had been very

busy to embarrass the affairs of the Jews, and to do them all the

mischief he could, and the angel had been all that time employed to

counter-work him; so that he had been constrained to defer his visit to

Daniel till now, for angels can be but in one place at a time. Or, as

Dr. Lightfoot says, This new king of Persia, by hindering the temple,

had hindered those good tidings which otherwise he should have brought

him. The kings and kingdoms of the world were indeed sometimes helpful

to the church, but more often they were injurious to it. “When I

have gone forth from the kings of Persia, when their monarchy is

brought down for their unkindness to the Jews, then the prince of

Grecia shall come,

v. 20.

The Grecian monarchy, though favourable to the Jews at first, as the

Persian was, will yet come to be vexatious to them. Such is the state

of the church-militant; when it has got clear of one enemy it has

another to encounter: and such a hydra’s head is that of the old

serpent; when one storm has blown over it is not long before

another rises.

(2.) The God of heaven is, and will be, its protector, and,

under him, the angels of heaven are its patrons and guardians.

[1.] Here is the angel Gabriel busy in the service of the church,

making his part good in defence of it twenty-one days, against the

prince of Persia, and remaining there with the kings of

Persia, as consul, or liege-ambassador, to take care of the affairs

of the Jews in that court, and to do them service,

v. 13.

And, though much was done against them by the kings of Persia (God

permitting it), it is probably that much more mischief would have been

done them, and they would have been quite ruined (witness Haman’s plot)

if God had not prevented it by the ministration of angels. Gabriel

resolves, when he has despatched this errand to Daniel, that he will

return to fight with the prince of Persia, will continue to

oppose him, and will at length humble and bring down that proud

monarchy

(v. 20),

though he knows that another as mischievous, even that of Grecia, will

rise instead of it.

[2.] Here is Michael our prince, the great protector of the church, and

the patron of its just but injured cause: The first of the chief

princes,
v. 13.

Some understand it of a created angel, but an archangel of the highest

order,

1 Thess. iv. 16; Jude 9.

Others think that Michael the archangel is no other than Christ

himself, the angel of the covenant, and the Lord of the angels,

he whom Daniel saw in vision,

v. 5.

He came to help me

(v. 13);

and there is none but he that holds with me in these things,
v. 21.

Christ is the church’s prince; angels are not,

Heb. ii. 5.

He presides in the affairs of the church and effectually provides for

its good. He is said to hold with the angels, for it is he that

makes them serviceable to the heirs of salvation; and, if he

were not on the church’s side, its case were bad. But, says David, and

so says the church, The Lord takes my part with those that help

me,
Ps. cxviii. 7.

The Lord is with those that uphold my soul,
Ps. liv. 4.


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