A Man Known by His Delight
Sir Richard Baker. Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law does he meditate day and night. And he seems to frame his process in this manner: a man is known what he is by his delight; for such as a man's delight is, such a man himself is; and therefore a godly man delights not to Walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor to stand in the way of sinners, nor to sit in the chair of scorners, for these are all lawless delights — at least, delights of that law of which St. Paul saith, "I find another law in my members": they agree not with a godly man's nature, and though a delight there must be, there is not living without it; yet a godly man will rather want it than take it up in such commodities. The godly man begins to appear in his likeness; for this delighting in the law of God is so essential to godliness that it even constitutes a godly man and gives him his being. For what is godliness but the love of God? and what is love without delight? that we may see what a sovereign thing godliness is, which not only brings us delight when we come to blessedness, but brings us to blessedness by a way of delighting. For the Prophet requires not a godliness that bars us of delight; he requires only a godliness that rectifies our delight; for as the wrong placing our delight is the cause of all our miseries, so the right placing it is the cause of all our happiness; and what righter placing it than to place it in the right? and what is the right but only the law? But is there delight, then, in the law of God? Is it not a thing rather that will make us melancholy? and doth it not mortify in us the life of all joy? It mortifies indeed the life of carnal delights, but it quickens in us another delight, as much better than those as heaven is above the earth. For there is no true delight which delights not as much to be remembered as to be felt; which pleaseth not as well the memory as the sense; and takes not as much joy to think of it being done as when it was a-doing. For is it not a miserable delight when it may be threatened with this? You will one day remember this with pain. Is it not a doleful delight, when grief besets the borders of gladness — when sorrow follows it at the heels? Is it not a fearful delight when, like a magician's rod, it is instantly turned into a serpent? (Sir Richard Baker.) Parallel Verses KJV: But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. WEB: but his delight is in Yahweh's law. On his law he meditates day and night.