Day 131- Judges 15-16; Psalm 67

We learn from Judges 15, with God nothing is impossible,

"Samson, when he courted an alliance with the Philistines, did but seek an occasion against them, ch. 14:4 . Now here we have a further account of the occasions he took to weaken them, and to avenge, not his own, but Israel’s quarrels, upon them. Everything here is surprising; if any thing be thought incredible, because impossible, it must be remembered that with God nothing is impossible, and it was by the Spirit of the Lord coming upon him that he was both directed to and strengthened for those unusual ways of making war. I. From the perfidiousness of his wife and her father, he took occasion to burn their corn (v. 1-5). II. From the Philistines’ barbarous cruelty to his wife and her father, he took occasion to smite them with a great slaughter (v. 6-8). III. From the treachery of his countrymen, who delivered him bound to the Philistines, he took occasion to kill 1000 of them with the jaw-bone of an ass (v. 9-17). IV. From the distress he was then in for want of water, God took occasion to show him favour in a seasonable supply (v. 18-20)."

Henry introduces Judges 16,

"Samson’s name (we have observed before) signifies a little sun (solparvus); we have seen this sun rising very bright, and his morning ray strong and clear; and, nothing appearing to the contrary, we take it for granted that the middle of the day was proportionably illustrious, while he judged Israel twenty years; but the melancholy story of this chapter gives us such an account of his evening as did not commend his day. This little sun set under a cloud, and yet, just in the setting, darted forth one such strong and glorious beam as made him even then a type of Christ, conquering by death. Here is, I. Samson greatly endangered by his familiarity with one harlot, and hardly escaping (v. 1-3). II. Samson quite ruined by his familiarity with another harlot, Delilah. Observe, 1. How he was betrayed to her by his own lusts (v. 4). How he was betrayed by her to his sworn enemies, the Philistines, who, (1.) By her means got it out of him at last where his great strength lay (v. 5-17). (2.) Then robbed him of his strength, by taking from his head the crown of his separation (v. 18-20). (3.) Then seized him, blinded him, imprisoned him, abused him, and, at a solemn festival, made a show of him (v. 21-25). But, lastly, he avenged himself of them by pulling down the theatre upon their heads, and so dying with them (v. 26-31)."

On the Psalm, Henry explains,

"This psalm relates to the church and is calculated for the public. Here is, I. A prayer for the prosperity of the church of Israel (v. 1). II. A prayer for the conversion of the Gentiles and the bringing of them into the church (v. 2-5). III. A prospect of happy and glorious times when God shall do this (v. 6, v. 7). Thus was the psalmist carried out by the spirit of prophecy to foretel the glorious estate of the Christian church, in which Jews and Gentiles should unite in one flock, the beginning of which blessed work ought to be the matter of our joy and praise, and the completing of it of our prayer and hope, in singing this psalm.To the chief musician on Neginoth. A psalm or song."