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A prayer of David's to God for help on this ground — that there was little or no religion, or honesty left among men; and that therefore he had no reason to trust them, or to expect a blessing on such instruments.

I. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TWO CHARACTERS — GODLY AND FAITHFUL, "Godly" imports a benign, gentle, and good-natured man, but this has such a relation to religion, and is such a disposition to it, that among the Jews the word was in common use extended to a man that was exact to all the duties of religion, and strict in the performance of them. A godly man is not one that places his religion in many assumed practices, that do not tend to make him better. Nor he that understands his religion well Nor he that is very regular in all outward rules and matters of form. The truly godly man has an inward sense of a supreme power that is over him, and endeavours to resemble this being, and to govern all his actions in conformity to the will and laws of God. He believes that God, by His providence, watches over all things, and consequently resigns himself up to His will, and submits to everything that conies to him from that hand. A godly man is a faithful man. He that has a true sense of religion knows that God is true, and so he always speaks the truth. He is severe in matters of truth. He is raised to such a pitch of candour and sincerity that every man who has any concerns with him will soon see what he is to trust to, or to depend upon. A faithful man is he that hates both lies and liars. He is true in his actions as well as in his words.

II. DAVID'S COMPLAINT. "The godly ceased." On what grounds did he make this complaint?

III. THE DANGEROUS AND DESPERATE STATE OF A NATION, IN WHICH GODLY AND FAITHFUL MEN DO FAIL. Dangerous by reason of the natural effects that follow, and by reason of the judgments of God.

IV. THE ONLY REMEDY FOR ALL THIS. Which is an earnest prayer to God for help.

(Gilbert Burnet, D. D.)

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KJV: {To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David.} Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

WEB: Help, Yahweh; for the godly man ceases. For the faithful fail from among the children of men.