thou hast wrought in us Bring down our enemies till they submit every one and humbly bring pieces of silver untill Princes come out of Egypt and strangers stretch forth their hands and become Homagers to thee our God O how glorious will be thy praise how excellent thy Name Ver. 32 when all the Kingdoms of the earth with one heart and one voyce shall sing praises to thee Thou ridest upon the Heavens which were of old Thou speakest from thence in Thunder and sendest out a mighty voyce therefore will we ascribe strength unto our God which is the God of Israel O God Thou art wonderful and terrible out of thy holy place when thou communicatest thy presence to thy servants Thou art the God of Israel that gives strength and power unto thy people Blessed therefore be our God Amen PSAL. LXIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IN this Psalm David shews to what extream straits he was brought by malicious enemies and yet he is but the Type for the bitter passion of our Saviour are by these not obscurely set out to us The parts are 1. Davids prayer and the Reasons he useth for help from ver 1. to 23. 2. An imprecation against his enemies from ver 23. to 31. 3. His profession of thanks from ver 30. to the end 1. The first part His prayer and the occasion and reason He petitions Save me O God ver 1. and then adjoyns his Reasons which are many 1. The present condition in which he was in expressed by divers Metaphors comparing his enemies to waters 1 His present danger deep waters deep mire great floods 1. Ver. 1 Save me for the waters are come in unto my soul 2. I sink in the deep mire where there is no standing 3. I am come into the deep waters where the floods overflow me no more hope for me to escape without thy help than for a man of life who is compassed with the waves of the Sea Yea and that which adds to my grief I call to thee and thou seemest not to hear 1. I am weary of my crying 2. My throat is dry 3. My eyes fail while I wait upon my God nothing is wanting on my part and yet I have no answer and yet I will wait still for thou art my God 2. 2 From his enemies Farther yet when I consider my enemies I have reason to cry Save me for they are malicious 2. Many 3. Mighty 4. Injurious 1. Malicious They hate me without a cause 2. Many They are more than the hairs of my head 3. Mighty and injurious They that would destroy me being my enemies wrongfully are mighty Then â—restored that I took not away 3. 3 From his innocence From his innocence touching which he appeals to God O God Thou knowest how guilty I am of that which they impute to me for foolishness viz. I am not guilty and yet my faults are not hid from thee Before thee I confess that I am a sinner but not guilty of any folly done to them for that which they call folly viz. thy Service is my greatest wisdom 4. 4 From the hurt may come by it Lest if he suffer thus and be not saved others then by it will be discouraged fall away and judge it a vain thing to depend and rely upon thee and therefore he prayes Let not them who wait upon thee O Lord God of Hosts be ashamed for my cause let not them who seek thee be confounded through me O God of Israel 5. 5 That he suffers for Gods sake And the fifth Reason he gives which may be most perswasive that God hear and save viz. that what we suffer is not for his own but for Gods sake Because for thy sake have I suffered reproach shame hath covered my face for this I am become a stranger to my Brethren An 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Alien to my mothers children And upon this cause he stayes usque ver 13. and shews how he was affected toward God that he might make it appear For it was for that for this cause it was he suffered 2. And then how for it they were affected to him 1. 1 His zeal He was zealous for his God The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up and for this he suffered The reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen on me 2. 2 A penitent He was religious a Penitent fasted usque ad castigationem animae I wept and chastned my soul with fasting but when I did this that also was turned to my reproof 3. He humbled himself even to wear Sackloth I made Sackloth my garment but he could not so please neither I became a Proverb to them to them of all sorts 1. To the high and such as were in Authority Those that sit in the Gate speak against me 2. To the low common and ordinary people And I was the song of the Drunkards 2. This I suffer for thy sake and therefore he now renews again his Petition He renews his Petition and enforceth it near upon the same Arguments and first he prayes earnestly hoping that he hath chosen for this a fit season But as for me my prayer is unto thee in an acceptable time 1. Hear me ver 13. Deliver me let me not sink let me be delivered ver 14. Let not the water-flood overflow me neither let the deep swallow me c. And again Hear me O Lord turn unto me Hide not thy face from thy servant Hear me speedily Draw nigh to my soul and redeem it Deliver me 2. Thus earnest he was in his prayer and his Arguments to perswade Audience are 1. Gods goodness mercy truth In the multitude of thy mercy hear me in the truth of thy salvation Hear me O Lord for thy loving-kindness is good Turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies 2. I am in very great troubles and dangers In the mire and like to sink in deep waters that overflow and are ready to swallow me in a pit whose mouth is ready to shut upon me I am in trouble therefore hear me speedily and deliver me 3. I am thy servant 't is for my service to thee I suffer therefore hide not thy face c. 4. Do it do it because of my enemies as if he had said Though I be not worthy for whom thou shouldst do this yet mine enemies are such that they deserve no favour they deserve not that I be left in their hands 1. They are scorners and that thou knowest Thou hast known my reproach my shame and my dishonour my Adversaries are all before thee in thy sight they do it 2. And this their base usage toucheth me near and puts me into an agony Reproach hath broken my heart I am full of heaviness 3. My friends stand afar off flie and forsake me And I looked for some to take pity but there was none and for comforters but I found none 4. Lastly they
They shall not stand in judgment though some refer this clause to this life When he is judg'd by men causa cadet he shall be condemn'd 2. Exclusion from the company of the just Sinners shall not stand in the Congregation of the righteous 3. Ver. 6 The cause of both In the close he shews the cause why the godly is happy the wicked unhappy 1. Because the way of the righteous is known to God approved by him and defended 2. But the way studies plots counsels of the wicked shall perish The Prayer out of the first Psalm O Almighty and most merciful God who hast taught us by thy holy Word that the only way to obtain felicity Ver. 1 is to avoid evil and to do good never suffer me to walk in the counsels of the ungodly nor to stand in the way of sinners nor to acquiesce and sit down and rest in the Chair of the Deriders of Religion and Piety Ver. 2 But so renew and quicken all the faculties of my soul by the gracious assistance of thy Spirit that my delight may be to walk in the paths of thy Commandments and the meditations of my heart day and night taken up with the study of thy sacred Word and Will By nature I am a wild Trée Ver. 3 barren of good fruit be pleased then to transplant me and ingraff me into the true Olive root me in true faith sustain me in charity let those heavenly dews of grace and Rivers of waters which flow from thy Sanctuary moysten and comfort my dry soul so I may bud and knit and fructifi◠and in a fit season bring forth such fruits as may chear thee my God and be beneficial to man then I may expect happy successes and prosperity upon the work of my hande O Lord thou knowest my frailties no Trée more subject to the violence of tempests than I am to the fury and rage of enemies who if they may have their will will not leave one leaf upon me they will deprive me of my juice and devest me of my greenness O let not then the scorching heat of any temptation wither nor the storm of a winter persecution beat off a leaf of grace with which thou hast beautified my soul but in the midst of this fiery trial let me still flourish and in the coldest blast let me retain my life and fresh vigour that howsoever I séem to men to be in an unhappy condition yet I may have the testimony of thy Spirit within that thou who disposest all things to the best for those who love thée wilt make me prosper Prosper me therefore in my wayes prosper me in my actions prosper me in my afflictions prosper me in life prosper me in my death whatsoever I do let it prosper Should I sell my self to work wickedness consent to ungodly counsels or settle upon the lees of sin and sit down in the Chair of the scornful I can expect no such success from thy hand Ver. 4 thy mouth hath said it As for the ungodly it shall not be so with them though they may séem to men to be well rooted and excéedingly to flourish yet their prosperity is but for a moment their happiness light and vain Carried they are with every violent wind of lewd affections and empty Doctrines Ver. 5. 6. and therefore they shall be as the Chaffe which the wind drives from the face of the earth their way shall perish they shall never be able to stand in judgment But thou O Lord art a sure protection for thy people Grant therefore O Lord Ver. 6 that when I shall appear before thy Iudgment seat I may be able to stand with boldness in thy presence and let thy mercy absolve me from my sins for the merits of my Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Amen PSAL. II. The prime Subject of this Psalm is Christ the Type David THE persons we are chiefly to reflect on are three which make three parts of the Psalm The Enemies of Christ Christ the Lord. The Princes and Judges of the earth 1. The enemies to Christ are great men who are described here The first part The enemies of Christ described partly from their wickedness and partly from their weakness First Their wickedness is apparent 1. They furiously rage 2. They tumultuously assemble 3. They set themselves stand up 1 By their wickedness and take counsel against the Lord and against his Anointed 4. They encourage themselves in mischief saying Come and let us cast away their cords from us Ver. 1 All which is sharpned by the interrogative Why Secondly Their weakness 2 Their weakness for their plots vain in that they shall never be able to bring their plots and conspiracies against Christ and his Kingdom to pass for 1. What they imagine is but a vain thing Ver. 1 2. He that sits in Heaven shall laugh and have them in derision Ver. 4 3. He shall speak unto them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure Ver. 5 4. For maugre all their plots Ver. 6 God hath set up his King upon his holy hill of Zion 2. At ver 6. begins the exaltation of Christ to his Kingdom The second part Christ by God exalted to be King which is the second part of the Psalm in which the Prophet by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brings in God the Father speaking and the Son answering First The words of the Father are Vnxi te in Regem I have set my King Ver. 6 where we have the inauguration of Christ or his calling to the Crown 1 His inauguration Secondly The answer of the Son I will preach the Law which sets forth his willing obedience to publish and proclaim the Laws of the Kingdom Ver. 7 of which the chief is Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee 2 His willing obedience Thirdly The reply of the Father 3 His reward containing the reward that Christ was to have upon the publication of the Gospel which was Ver. 8 1. An addition to his Empire by the conversion and access of the Gentiles 1 The amplification of his Kingdom Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost ends of the Earth for thy possession Ver. 9 2. And the confusion of his Enemies Thou shalt break them 2 The confusion of his enemies who would not have thee reign that did rage and stand up against thee with a Rod of iron and break them in pieces as a potters vessel 3. In the third part the Prophet descends to his Exhortation and Admonition The third part The Prophet exhorts and that very aptly for is Christ a King is he a King anointed by God is he a great King a powerful King so great that the Nations are his Subjects Ver. 10 so powerful that he will break and batter to pieces his Enemies Besides Kings 1. to is he the only begotten
Lord. Vers. 7 The administration of his Kingdom is 1. Eternal The Lord shall endure for ever Vers. 8 2. His Office to be Judge He hath prepared his Throne for judgement 3. He is an universal Judge He shall judge the whole world 4. He is a just Judge He shall judge in righteousness Which begets a confidence in his people he shall minister judgement to the people in uprightness 5. He is a merciful Judge to his people Vers. 9 For the Lord will be a refuge for the oppressed a refuge in time of trouble 5. The effect or consequent upon this his execution of justice which is the confidence thence arising in the hearts of his people which are here describ'd by their knowledge of God 2. Seeking him Vers. 10 They that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee 2. An Exhortation to others to praise God 2 He exhorts others to praise God Sing praises to the Lord that dwells in Zion that is in the midst of his people and Church to defend them Declare among the people his doings The second part Of which he assigns the reason that he is a just God and will require their blood at the hands of those that oppressed and slew them Vers. 11 An inquisition for blood he will make And when he makes inquisition for blood For his justice he remembreth them the innocent unjustly oppressed and slain Vers. 12 and forgets not the cry of the humble The cry of their blood shall be heard 3. A Petition for himself that God would shew him mercy 3 He Petitions for favour and look upon his affliction Have mercy upon me O Lord The third part consider the trouble of them that hate me thou that lifts me up from the gates that is the power of death Vers. 13 As if he had said Do by me now as thou hast done heretofore And the Reason or Argument by which he perswades God to hear him and shew mercy is drawn from the final cause Vers. 14 he looks not so much upon himself as Gods honour it is That he may have just cause to praise God which he vows That I may shew thy praise 2. All thy praise 3. In thy Church in the gates of the daughter of Zion 4. That I may do it with joyful lips 5. Which I will do I will rejoice in thy salvation 4. And then as if he were shewing forth this praise in the Congregation The fourth part he sings forth his Song of Triumph his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over his enemies in Metaphors And performs in a Song of Triumph 1. The heathen are sunk down into the pit that they made 2. In the net which they hid is their own foot taken 3. This is the Lords doing Vers. 15 Therefore though wicked men did doubt before of his providence and justice yet Vers. 16 now the Lord is known by the judgement he executes For 4. The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands Higgaion Selah Which is a thing exceedingly to be meditated on and not forgotten 5. The wicked shall be turn'd to hell and all the people that forget God Vers. 17 their breath is in their nostrils and dye they must which is some comfort to those they oppress and if they repent not Vers. 18 suffer eternal punishment 2. But the chief comfort is The fifth part is A Petition and proceeds from Gods justice and his goodness toward the innocent unjustly oppressed For the needy shall not alway be forgotten the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever Their hope shall not be frustrate Vers 19 5. The Conclusion is Petitory Arise O Lord. Against the enemies of the Church 1. Let not man prevail over thy people 2. Let the heathen be judg'd in thy sight Vers. 20 3. Put them in fear O Lord now they fear nothing That they may fear being in their height and prosperity they are insolent and proud manifest thy divine presence to their terrour For then 4. And know themselves to be but men They will know themselves to be but men infirm and mortal creatures and not insult over thy people and glory upon their own strength and prosperity The Prayer and Hymn out of the ninth Psalm for the Church in affliction persecuted and oppressed by enemies I Will praise thee Vers. 1 O Lord with my whole heart and I will make known to others as much as in me lies those wonderful works which thou hast done for thy people in all ages Vers. 2 I will not be glad and rejoice so much in the vain and empty things of this life as in thée the giver of them and for that I will sing praise to thy name O thou most high higher than all things in this world and far beyond all praise that I can give For thou Vers. 7 Lord who art from all eternity and shall continue the same for ever Vers. 8 hast prepared thy seat to judge the world on which being ascended thou wilt judge the world in righteousness rewarding every man according to his deserts repaying good things to those who know thy name and séek thée but heavy judgements to those who dishonour thée and oppress thy people Have mercy upon me Vers. 13 O Lord consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me Vers. 4 O thou that sittest in the Throne and judgest right maintain my right and my cause Vers. 16 and lift me up from the power of death Make thy self known by executing judgement for me Vers. 3 O let my enemies be turn'd back and perish at thy presence Vers. 18 Forget not the cry of the needy and let not the expectation of the poor perish for ever Vers. 12 Make inquisition for that innocent blood of thy servants which they have poured out like water that cannot be gathered up again and forget not the voice of Abels blood that yet from the earth cryes unto thée O God we have heard with our ears and our Fathers have declared unto us the noble works that thou didst in their dayes and in the old time before them Vers. 5 how thou hast destroy'd the wicked and rebuked the heathen and put out their name for ever and ever Vers. 9 Arise therefore O Lord be a refuge to the oppressed Vers. 19 a refuge in this needful time of trouble let not man prevail and let thy enemies be judged in thy sight Put them in fear O Lord that they may know themselves that they are not God but weak infirm and mortal men Now they are proud of their victories and puff'd up with their successes O break the hardness of their heart with some calamities and fearful disasters that being brought to consider their own frail condition and intolerable insolence they may cease to pride it against thée and thy Church O thou enemy Vers. 6 thou breathest nothing but
this way Ver. 7 and despoil me of this my innocence that it must be more than an 〈…〉 that must preserve me Ver. 8 Shew therefore thy marvellous loving kindness 〈…〉 that savest by thy right hand those that trust in thee Let me be aâ— dear unto thâ—e and as safely kept as the apple of the eye protect and hide me under the shadow of thy wings with thy merciful care and tenderness more than the kind Hen doth her little Chickens from the coldest showres or the scorching Sun or the gréedy Hawk or Vulture For behold O Lord our enemies breathing nothing but fury and death Ver. 9 compass me and thy poor Church about on every side they have shut up their bowels of compassion towards us they waste and oppress us Ver. 10 they are fatned with wealth power success and prosperity and being swell'â— with their victories over us their mouth speaketh high and proud things It satisfieth not that they have outed us and despoiled us of all our goods oven yet when they have driven us almost to hide our selves in secret places they watch our steps Ver. 11 and compass us about with their nets and snares to catch and destroy us On this only they fasten their eyes and bend their thoughts and counsels Ver. 12 that they lay us flat upon the Earth and bring our honour to the dust No Lyon is more gréedy of his prey nor young Lyon that lurks in secret places dent to raven than they are to take tear and devour us But thou O Lord hast séemed overlong to sléep Ver. 13 the impunity of our enemies hath béen overlong deferr'd Arise now therefore O Lord and shew thy power and come amongst us Disappoint them and cast them down and deliver our souls from the ungodly who is thy Sword and the Rod of thy wrath with which thou dost punish thy disobedient and rebellious children Deliver us O Lord from the men of thy hand Ver. 14 from the men whom thy hand hath armed against us who yet now fight against thée save us from the men of this world who expect no other life nor reward nor are like to receive none for they shall receive their portion in this world in this short life and though their mind is unsatiable yet their bellies are fill'd their belly is their God and their belly thou fill'st with thy hid and choicest pleasures they flow and abound in wealth and delights they have enough and to spare a multitude of children to whom they leave their superfluities and ill-gotten goods And in this they place their greatest happiness But Vers. 15 O Lord let me never receive from thée these outward things as my sole and utmost reward rather let my lot be to suffer with thy people here in this life that I may be happy with them in the life to come With the hope of this reward I will sustain my self in the midst of my pressures I will not forgo my innocence as they must their riches but I hope to behold thy face in my righteousness with all the defects thereof pardoned and covered with the long white Robe of thy Son Being fully perswaded that I here who want and hunger neither could be satisfied with these vain and perishing goos if I did abound in them when I shall awake out of my bed of dust and be renew'd after thy likeness I shall be satisfied with thy glory joy immortality which thou hast prepared for all those who wait for the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ Amen PSAL. XVIII Is Davids 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Song of Triumph after his Conquest of all his enemies 2 Sam. 22. IN which He expresseth what God is to him he first expresses what God is to his servants to him especially My Rock my Fortress my Deliverer c. 2. The first part The effect it wrought upon him 1. Love I will love the Lord. Vers. 2 The effect it wrought in him 2. Confidence In him will I trust 3. Invocation I will call on the Lord. The fruit of which was his safety So shall I be saved from my enemies 2. Vers. 1 Next he makes a long Narrative 1. Of the dangers in which he was Vers. 2 2. Of his Escape 1. Vers. 3 The second part His danger was great Sorrows of death floods of ungodly men sorrows of hell snares of death these compassed him made him afraid prevented him came upon him at unawares The danger he was in vers 4 5. 2. Vers. 4 5. He shews how he behav'd himself in these dangers and from whom he sought for help Very great He flies to God He betook him to God In my distress I call'd upon the Lord and cryed unto my God 3. He shews the goodness of God to him and his readiness to help him He heard me out of his Holy Temple Vers. 6 and my cry came before him c. 4. Vers. 6 The cause of his escape was the immediate hand of God who made use of his Power to deliver him Gods goodness for his escape From Vers 7. The manner to Vers 16. Vers 16 17 18. and testified his presence in a strong way by Concussion of the earth Thunders winds tempests darkness thick clouds hail-stones coals of fire lightnings strange inundations 5. He reckons up his deliverance with the manner and the causes 1. He took he drew me and when the danger was greatest for it was out of many waters from my strong enemy from them that hated me were too mighty for me that sought at unawares to surprise me 2. He did it in a strange way For he sent from above He brought me into a large place 3. But then he was my stay And the causes that moved him to it were 1. His own good-will Because he delighted in me 2. Vers. 20 My innocence Which he declares from vers 20. to vers 25. 6. Which extends to all good men And then ab hypothesi from his own particular case he takes occasion to discourse in Thesi that this is not true only in Davids person but shall be verified of all that are Innocent as he was Which he proves from the nature and usual manner of Gods proceeding with good and bad men from vers 27. With the merciful thou wilt shew thy self merciful and with an upright man thou wilt shew thy self upright With the pure thou wilt shew thy self pure and with the froward thou wilt shew thy self froward For thou wilt save the afflicted people and bring down the high looks of the proud c. The third part Davids Victory amplified Now follows Davids glorious victory 2. The consequent upon it from vers 28. to 46. 1. His victory he expresses and amplifies many wayes 1. From the opposition that he conquer'd Nor troops Vers. 29 nor walls hinder'd Vers. 30 31. 2. From Gods singular protection He was his Buckler His Rock Vers. 32 33. 3. From the Armour the nimbleness the military
to make intercession for Kings and all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty Hear the prayers of thy Church which we send up unto thée for our King now in the day of his trouble Ver. 2 let the power of that God who defended Jacob from the fury of his brother Esau protect him and set him on high in a safe place Send him help from thy Sanctuary thy Throne in Heaven strengthen and support him by those prayers that are offered out of Zion for him Remember O Lord those fervent supplications and intercessions that are daily offered at thy Throne of grace in his behalf and accept the vowes and sighs and groans sent up unto thée by thy afflicted people for his restitution Grant unto him according to his own hearts desire and fulfil and give good success to all his counsel and whatsoever he for the advance of thy glory piety justice and the good of his people shall request that be pleased to hear and deny him not the request of his lips Our enemies put their trust in their Arms and Ammunition and suppose that their strength of Horse and arm of flesh shall hold them up and kéep them safe in that power which they have got by violence blood perjury and hypocrisie But we will remember the Name of the Lord our God being assured that a Horse is but a vain thing to save a man neither shall he deliver any man by his great strength it is not these humane helps we put our trust in but in thy Name alone Truly when thou shalt perform this for us as we trust thou wilt then will we rejoyce in thy salvation and in the Name of our God will we set up our Trophies of victory O let his enemies be brought down Ver. 8 and fall flat before him and let all those who with a sincere heart séek to advance his cause and right thy Church and thy sincere worship Ver. 6 rise and stand upright Make it known That the Lord will save his Anointed that he hath heard him and the prayers that have béen offered for him from his holy heaven and that he hath restored him by the saving strength of his right hand Save Lord save the King the Church and thy People Let the King of Heaven thy Christ our Iesus whom thou hast exalted to be Lord and King hear us when we call Amen PSAL. XXI The Peoples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Carmen Triumphale THIS Psalm is the Peoples Thanksgiving after the Victory In the former Psalm they pray'd for David when he went out to War in this they praise God for the Conquest God gave him over his enemies and the singular mercies God bestowed on him Three parts there are of it 1. A general Proposition in ver 1. 2. A Narration which is twofold from ver 1. to 4. 1. An enumeration of the particular blessings bestowed on David from ver 1. to 6. 2. An account how God would deal with his enemies from ver 6. to 13. 3. A Vow or Acclamation ver 14. The Sum of the Psalm is contained in the first verse The King shall joy The first part the King shall be exceeding glad Ver. 1 Joy then is the affection that King and People were transported with for all that follows shew but the rise and causes of it The joy of the King in Gods salvation 1. The rise or object of it The strength of God the salvation of God 1. His strength by which he did subdue his enemies contemn dangers 2. His salvation by which he escaped dangers fell not in battle 2. The second part Then they make a large Narration of the goodness of God to Davids person in particular of which the severals are these following 1. God granted to the King what he ask'd with his heart and mouth Gods goodness to David Thou hast given his hearts desire and hast not witholden the requests of his lips 2. He granted unto him more than he asked was more ready to give Ver. 2 than David to pray Thou preventedst him with the blessings of goodness Ver. 3 3. He chose him to be King Thou hast set a Crown of pure gold upon his head in which God prevented him chosen him when he thought not of it 4. When he went to War He asked his life Ver. 4 and thou gavest him even length of dayes for ever and ever which is most true in Christ who was the Son of David in him his life and Kingdom is immortal 5. A great accession of Glory Honour Majesty he was no poor obscure King now as at first nor contemptible in the eyes of the people Ver. 5 but greater than Saul or any King of Israel that followed of which yet he was not to boast not in his power not in his riches wisdom but in Gods goodness His glory is great but in thy salvation Honour and Majesty hast thou laid upon him All which are sum'd up under the word Blessing in the next verse Ver. 6 For thou hast made him most blessed for ever And added this to the blessing that thou hast given him a heart to rejoyce in it Thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance 6. The continuance of these blessings which is another favour Ver. 7 with the cause of it Davids confidence in God The cause his trust in God For the King trusteth in the Lord and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved 2. Hitherto is the first part of the Narrative that concerned Davids person in particular now follows the effects of Gods goodness to him ab extra and the whole Kingdom in the overthrow of his enemies The overthrow of his enemies by God and necessary it was to add this since no Kingdom though abounding with good Laws Wealth Subjects prudently governed can be happy except it be defended and safe from enemies abroad Now here their ruine and destruction is described and the cause 1. God by Davids hand would do it Thine hand the Sword of God and Gideon 2. He would certainly do it Ver. 8 for he should find them out wherever they were Thy hand shall find out all thy enemies and thy right hand shall find out all that hate thee 3. Ver. 9 This was easie to do as easie as for fire to consume the stubble Thou shalt make them as a fiery Oven in the time of thy wrath the Lord shall swallow them c. 4. Ver. 10 This destruction should be universal it should reach to them and their posterity Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the Earth and their seed from among the children of men 5. Ver. 12 Their judgment fearful and unavoidable God would set them up as a Mark to shoot at that should turn their back and yet they should not so escape because when they fled God would overtake them with a bended Bow and shoot his Arrows upon them
affrighted me nor flattery won upon me to turn to the right hand or unto the lest But I have put my trust in thee thy loving kindness hath been before my eyes and I have been pleased in the way of Truth Be merciful therefore to me Ver. 1 O Lord that I may go on as I have begun and suffer not my féet to slip in this way nor to fall out of the way By the way side there be too too many tempters and temptations the most are destitute of thy fear having one thing in their heart another upon their tongue in whose hands is mischief and their right hand is full of bribes But thou knowest O Lord That I have not sate in counsel with these vain persons neither will I go in and converse with these dissemblers for I have hated with a perfect hatred the Congregation the Assembly the Society of these Malignants and with my whole heart have detested their Covenants and Engagements I have not I will not sit with these wicked and evil doers lest I should be infected by them or countenance and confirm them in mischief and draw on others by my example They Lord have demolished and polluted thy dwelling place but I love the habitation of thy house by their irreverence in that place they dishonour thée but I will come and fall low before thy Foot-stool well knowing that there thine honour dwelleth And when thou shalt again open those doors unto me if I contracted any soil I will wash it off with a flood of tears and being an innocent among thy innocent people and about thy Altar I will adore and with the Quire of those that sing to thy Name I will praise and exalt thy Mercy and Majesty There will I publish with Thanksgiving and tell abroad all thy wondrous works There with Hymns and Psalms composed to that end I will declare to all men that are there present how wonderfully and mercifully thou hast wrought for me and for thy people in delivering us from the hands of our blood-thirsty enemies Since then O Lord I have alwayes detested and declined the counsels and confederacies of evil-doers since I have béen ever studious of Religion and loved the communion of Saints Take not away my soul with sinners and involve not my life in that perdition which here and hereafter is due to these men of blood and oppressors of the innocent As for me I have walked innocently wronging none nor desirous to wrong any though I have séen the wicked prosper in their wickedness and some have judged them happy men yet I am not moved with their multitudes success or example I will yet walk in my integrity therefore good God destroy me not with these evil doers be merciful unto me and redéem my soul from the evils with which I am encompassed and from those evils that hang over their heads My foot hath hitherto béen kept right by thy grace and mercy therefore when thou shalt bring me back again to thy Temple I will not be unthankful but I will sing praises to thy Name in and with the great Congregation Amen PSAL. XXVII To comfort one in Danger and Adversity against Despair THERE be four general parts of it David shews 1. How free he is in danger from fear and the causes ver 1 2 3. 2. He expresses his love to Gods House and Religion ver 4 5 6. 3. He prayes ver 7 c. 4. He exhorts to depend on God ver 14. Possible it is that some Man Friend or Foe might ask David The first part David fears not because God is with him what heart he had in his miseries and persecutions all the time of Saul To whom David might return this Answer That he was never disheartned he never did despair and the Reason was because God was his Light to guide him his Rock to save him his Strength to sustain and uphold him The Lord is my Light and my Salvation of whom then should I fear Ver. 1 The Lord is the Strength of my life of whom then should I be afraid Of which he had experience And this he amplifies in the next two verses first by experience he had already found this true When the wicked Ver. 2 even mine enemies came upon me to eat up my flesh they stumbled and fell secondly he puts a case Say that an Host of men should encamp against me my heart shall not fear Ver. 3 though War should rise against me in this will I be confident The Arguments of his confidence were Gods goodness ver 1. And was therefore confident and his own experience ver 2. to which he adds three more in the 5 10 13 verses 1. That God would hide him in his Tabernacle ver 5. Ver. 5 2. That when his father and mother forsook him God took him up ver 10. 3. That he should see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living ver 13. He expresseth his great love and desire to the Tabernacle and House of God The second part His love to Gods house One thing I have desired this one before all other things and he was constant in it That emphatically I will seek after that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the dayes of my life and that for three ends Ver. 4 1. To behold the beauty of the Lord to taste how good and gracious the Lord is 2. To enquire in his Temple there to search the mind of God 3. To offer in his Tabernacle sacrifices of joy Ver. 6 and to sing praises to the Lord. And this was another Argument of his security For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion in the secret of his Tabernacle shall he hide me he shall set me upon a Rock and now shall mine head be lifted up above all my enemies round about me In the last part he falls to prayer The third part 1. He prayes For Audience and an Answer Hear O Lord when I cry with my voyee have mercy upon me Ver. 7 and answer me 2. 1 The ground of his prayer obedience The ground of his prayer his obedience to Gods Command Thou hast said seek ye my face Thy face Lord will I seek 3. Ver. 8 The matter of his prayer in general Hide not thy face from me put not thy servant away in anger Ver. 9 in which he hath good hope to speed even upon former experience 2 The matter of his prayer in general that God desert him not Thou hast been my help be not now worse to me than thou hast been therefore leave me not now nor forsake me O God of my salvation when father and mother forsake me then the Lord will take me up 4. Ver. 10 The matter of his prayer in particular Teach me thy way O Lord and lead me in a plain path In particular to he taught a way to escape his enemies i. e. Teach me
full of Power and Majesty powerful for the conversion of many people and so full of Majesty that all the Potentates and wife men of the World fall low and worship thée make it of that strength that they be never able to resist it and of that efficacy that hey be willing to yield to it As for those tall and proud Cedars which obstinately and maliciously refuse to give thée the Honour due to thy Name break them in pieces and let them féel thy hand But for those who are moved by this thy voyce divide unto them the flames of thy spiritual fire that may illuminate and melt and purisse their blind hard and polluted cold hearts distribute and divide unto them the gifts of thy Spirit subdue their vices by thy Grace Let them méet in thy Temple and alwayes praise thée in the beauty of holiness Bless them with peace of conscience while they are in this vally of tears and trouble and receive them at last to an eternal peace in the life to come Amen PSAL. XXX The occasion of this Psalm was some grievous sickness or danger from which David was delivered TWO parts there are of it 1. The Rendition of praise and thanks ver 1 2 3. 2. An Exhortation to others to do it by his example and Gods dealing with him from ver 4. to the last He beings with his profession of praise The first part He praiseth God I will extoll thee O Lord and adds the causes 1. Ver. 1 For thou hast lifted me up as a man out of a dark deep pit 2. And adds the causes Thou hast not made my Foes to rejoyce over me but turned their mirth to sadness 3. Thou hast healed me in body and mind 4. Brought my soul from the Grave c. Lent me life when I was dying Of all which effects he conceals not the means by which he procured them O Lord my God I cryed unto thee Ver. 2 and thou didst all I have mentioned for me 2. The second part And exhorts the Church to praise him After he had given Thanks he speaks to the whole Church and exhorts by his example to acknowledge and celebrate the goodness of God in defending and delivering those which are his Sing unto the Lord O ye his Saints and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness Ver. 4 And to perswade them he gives the instance in himself in which he declares Lest they have experience of Gods anger as he had That God was justly angry with him but soon appeased 1. Angry he was but his anger endureth but for a moment but life and continuance of life is from his favour There may be heaviness for a night but joy cometh in the morning 2. And justly angry he was for my sin my carnal security In prosperity I was and in my prosperity I said I shall never be moved Lord by thy favour thou hast made my Mountain to stand strong 3. And the effect of his anger was my Trouble Thou didst turn away thy face and I was troubled This is the example he sets the Saints that they be not secure when the World goes well with them lest they have experience of Gods anger as he had Next he shewes how he behaved himself to avert Gods wrath How he averted Gods anger which also he proposeth as a pattern for them to follow in the like cause 1. Viz. By prayer He betook himself to prayer 2. And sets down the Form he used 1. He that is ill calls for the Physitian so did I this was the fruit of my chastisement I cryed to thee O Lord and unto the Lord I made my supplication 2. The Form he used And the Form I used was this thus pathetically I pleaded with God 1. What profit is there in my blood when I go down to the pit 2. Shall the dust praise thee shall it declare thy Truth Can a dead man praise thee or canst thou make good thy promises to the dead 3. To which I added Hear O Lord and have mercy upon me O Lord be thou my Helper 3. And then shewes the effect of his prayer that it was turned And the consequent of it was he was relieved Thou hast turned my mourning into dancing Thou hast put off my sack-cloth and girded me with gladness 4. This God did for me and he did it for this end That my glory may sing praise to thee and not be silent O Lord my God I will give thanks to thee for ever Now O ye Saints ye see my case For which he gives thanks you see what course I took you see the effect and the end why God was so good to me it was That I should praise him and therefore I propose my example to you to imitate Betake you to God in your necessities and having obtained deliverance by your prayers remember to sing praises to God The Prayer collected out of the thirtieth Psalm INTO thy hands O Lord I commend my body my soul my thoughts my affections my goods whatsoever is mine I dedicate to thée beséeching thée to dwell with me for then no uncleanspirits shall have power over me nor heinous transgressions shall pollute and profane what thou hast bestowed upon me sanctiffe to my use and to thy honour all thy Creatures Thou Lord hast béen a bountiful God unto me and bestowed upon me many blessings which thou hast denied to many of thy better servants but I have béen an ungrateful wretch and in my prosperity forgot thée my God I forgot mine own condition and was so secure of thy favour that I began to be proud and puff'd up upon the conceit of mine own wisdom and strength Ver. 6 I said in my prosperity I shall never be moved I thought thou hadst made my hill so strong that I could not be shaken or overthrown by the force or practise of any enemy But now this sottish pride and presumption is shaked off from me experience I have that it is thy favour and goodness alone that must kéep me safe for thou didst only hide thy face from me and I was troubled Troubled in my body troubled in my house troubled in my estate I saw my self frustrate in my expectation Great trouble Lord is now upon me and thy wrathful displeasure doth now for my security and pride go over me But now O Lord take away thy hand from me for I am even consumed by thy heavy hand What profit is there in my blood when I go down to the pit How shall my life be beneficial to thy honour or to men if being taken away by an untimely death I be laid up in the Grave and my body rot in the Earth Shall the dust praise thee or shall it declare thy Truth Shall a dead man resolved into ashes sing praises to thy honour among men or make boast of thy faithfulness in performing what thou hast promised 'T is for thine honour then to
rent me and ceased not with hypocritical mockers in feasts they gnashed upon me with their teeth 5. And then prayes again to be delivered from them And a Conspiracy in all to vers 20 21. Then he returns to his Prayer again and expostulates his cause with God wondering that he should be so patient Lord how long wilt thou look on resoue my soul from their destruction and my Darling from the lions And to move God the sooner to do it he repeats his former reason vers 9. engaging himself to be thankful Vowing thanks I will give thee thanks in the great Congregation I will praise thee among much people And yet so he gives not over He continues his prayer but continues his suit even unto the end of the Psalm sometimes praying sometimes imprecating 1. He deprecates Let not them which are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me 1 Deprecating neither let them in scorn wink with their eyes at me without a cause And that God be the readier to hear him and stay this their joy and triumph he subnects this reason For they speak not peace but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land Again they are impudent lying people Yea they opened their mouth wide against me and said Aha aha our eye hath seen it This is a Truth this not hid from thee This thou hast seen and from them to thee I turn my eyes 2 And praying God to protect him and thus make again my prayer 1. Keep not still silence Neglect not alwayes my cause or grant them impunity 2. Stir up thy self and awake to my judgement even unto my cause my God and my Lord defend me and punish their impudence 3. Judge me according to thy righteousness which suffers not the just to be oppressed alway 4. Let them not rejoice over me And in me over the Truth and a just cause 5. Let them not say in their hearts So would we have it let them not say We have swallowed him up 6. But rather let that befall them which I have before pray'd for Let them be ashamed 3 And bring them to shame and brought to confusion that rejoice at my hurt let them be cloathed with shame and dishonour that magnifie themselves against me The conclusion is drawn from the consequent of Davids prayer The third part He moves the Church to give thanks if heard then he and the whole Church all good men would rejoice with him 1. To them he first turns his speech Let them shout for joy that favour my righteous dealing yea let them say continually The Lord be magnified which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant 2. Which he would be ready to do Then he professeth for his own particular as he had done before vers 9 10. 18. My tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long The Prayer collected out of the thirty fifth Psalm O Lord thou séest with how many enemies I am beset and how maliciously they are bent against me they set their snares and hide their nets as in a déep pit that I may unawares fall into the mischief that they imagined And that their injustice and ingratitude may the sooner move thée to have pity on me Behold they have suborn'd against me false witnesses who laid to my charge things of which I was no way conscious When they were afflicted I humbled my soul with fasting when they were in trouble I poured out my prayer for them I behaved my self as though they had been my friend or my brother I went heavily as one that mourneth for his mother But they have rewarded me evil for good to the great discomfort of my soul Their words are not the words of peace but they devise deceitful matters against those that are quiet in the Land Even they who had nothing but swéet words of peace in their mouths took their opportunity to open their mouths wide against me to insult and boast Ah ah we have now seen what we desired with our eyes Thus have they rejoiced in my adversity and gather'd themselves together for my ruine yea the very abjects gathered themselves together who did dayly tear my good name and never gave over In their feasts I was their mirth and the drunkards and scurrilous persons made their Songs of me Yea so much they were enraged against me that for very anger and indignation they gnashed on me with their teeth being ready and very desirous to devour me Lord how long wilt thou look upon this how long wilt thou leave me in the hands of these ungrateful and cruel men Vp Lord rescue my soul at last from destructions and my darling from these lions O thou the Lord of the whole world although thou hitherto seemest not to see what I have unworthtly suffered yet I know thou hast seen it because thou seest all things Keep not then still silence in my cause but thou who hast been alwayes present with me and shewed me thy favour withdraw not now thy help and be not farre from me Thou who to my prevalent enemies hast seemed to sleep now rouse up thy self awake and shew that my judgement and cause is dear unto thee O Lord my God to whom I have alwayes committed my self and on whom I do wholly depend Plead thou my cause O Lord with them that strive with me Do me justice according to thy righteousness and suffer not mine enemies to have their desire and to rejoice over me Never let them say in their hearts 'T is well So would we have it neither let them have occasion to boast We have swallowed him up Wrongfully they pursue me without a cause they hate me let them not then exsult at my ruine nor in scorn wink at me with their envious and bloody eyes That this happen not fight thou against them that fight against me lay hold on the shield and buckler and stand up for my help Draw out also the spear and stop the way against them that persecute me and assure my soul that thou wilt be my salvation Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt And as the lightest chaff is blown hither and thither by the wind so let them the Angel of the Lord scattering them be carried up and down by the passions and impulses of their own lusts and knowing not what counsels to follow be driven headlong from one evil to another till they come into such dark and slippery ways that they know not what to refuse and what to choose and so at last be taken and fall by the darkness and lubricity of their own counsels and imaginations In which let destruction come upon them unawares and let the net that they hid privily catch themselves into that very destruction let them fall Let them be ashamed and brought to
and sustained with my meat this man or this beast rather hath lift up his heel against me and kick't at me And I among others oppressed with these evils do here prostrate my soul before thée O Lord be merciful unto me raise me up from this calamitous condition and make me know by this expression of thy mercy that thou favourest me and wilt never suffer mine enemies to triumph over me By this I shall know That thou wilt uphold thy servants in their integrity and wilt set them in thy presence and before thy face forever Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting Amen Amen Here ends the first Book of the Psalms as the Jewes divide them and so also Junius and Tremellius Moller and Bellarmine PSAL. XLII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 DAVID whether by Saul or Absolon Arg. forced from the Assembly of Gods people complains and as men overwhelmed with troubles are also oppressed with grief so is he and as they surprized with passion abruptly express their thoughts so doth he for sometimes he expostulates sometimes he complains sometimes he corrects and checks himself for his weakness and passion one while he opens his doubts and diffidence and presently again sets forth his affiance and confidence in his God It will not then be more easie to set this Psalm in order than the speeches of a passionate man yet I shall endeavour it by reducing the whole to these four heads 1. The zeal of David to serve God in Gods house ver 1 2 4 6. 2. His complaints and expressions of grief for his absence for his affliction and his enemies insultation upon that ground ver 3 4 7 10. 3. His expostulation with his soul for his dissidence ver 5 6. And again with God for his desertion ver 9. 4. His faith and confidence in Gods promises ver 5 8 11. More particularly Davids zeal to Gods House and Worship 1. He begins with an expression of his grief for his ejection from the Assembly and then sets forth his zeal and desire he had to be present with Gods people by an elegant similitude of a chased Ver. 1 and hunted and thirsty Stag As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God my soul is athirst for God for the living God When shall I come and appear before the presence of God ver 1 2. 2. His sorrow and the causes Then he shewes what case he was in in the mean time in a very heavy condition 1. Ver. 3 My tears have been my meat day and night ver 3. 2. 1 The insultation of enemies And the cause was not only his absence but this bitter Sarcasm of his enemies namely while they insult and continually say in scorn unto me Where is now thy God Ver. 4 where is thy Protector where he in whom thou trustest 3. 2 His banishment from Gods presence Now that which added to his grief was that which gave occasion to this Sarcasm his Banishment from Gods Sanctuary and consequently as they thought from his favour and presence This overwhelmed his soul with sorrow this caused a flood of tears 1. 3 The remembrance of his former happiness When I remember these things my absence their insultation I poure oâ—t my heart by my self Effundo undaque impellitur uno Tear follows upon tear complaint and that from the heart upon complaint 2. And good Reason when I lay together my former happiness with my present condition for the comparison aggravates my misery Thus it was with me but now it is not so I had gone with the multitude I went with them to the House of God with the voyce of joy and praise with a multitude that kept Holy-day ver 4. I had gone now I cannot I must not go 2. At which being somewhat dejected Hitherto he hath expressed his zeal his sorrow his complaints with the causes of them these put his soul into a sad condition to which by an Apostrophe Ver. 5 turning his speech he thus expostulates 1. He blames himself for it Blaming himself for his weakness and diffidence Why art thou so vexed O my soul why art thou cast down and why art thou so disquieted within me 2. Hnd revives by faith Then presently fortifies himself in Gods promises assuring himself of the performance Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance In all which is lively described unto us the combate and tentation that a good man undergoes in a spiritual desertion who finds a great difficulty to struggle at the same time with despair and hope who yet at last conquers through faith and kisses the promises 3. His conflict renews But as yet Davids combate is not over for he renews his complaint Lucta recursat trahitur ad novas pugnas Ver. 6 he exclaims again and ingenuously confesseth how he is affected O my God my soul is cast down within me of which he assigns two causes The causes 1. That though he was ready to serve and remember his God yet that he was forced to do it in an improper place at Jordan at Hermon 't was his grief that there and not at Zion he must remember it Therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan and of the Hermonites from the Hill Mizar 2. Then the greatness and continual succession of his troubles Deep calls upon deep Ver. 7 calamity calls upon calamity and one temptation treads upon the heels of another so that I have just cause to think All thy waves and billows all kind of afflictions are gone over me 4. His Faith in it And yet he despairs not he casts not away his hope and confidence for all that but again closeth with his God and encourageth himself in his mercy Yet I know the Lord will command his loving-kindness in the day-time Ver. 8 A day of deliverance there will be when there shall be a Mandat from his mercy for my good and therefore even now in the night-season even in this night of trouble 1. His song shall be with me 2. And my prayer unto the God of my life Upon which he takes heart 5. Upon which he grows more bold couragious confident and fuller of life and spirit and again expostulates not now with his soul as before but with his God I will say unto God my Rock Ver. 9 1. Why hast thou forgotten me for so much my carnal part presents to me 2. Why go I thus mourning because of the oppression of the enemy 3. Why am I thus wounded with grief For as with a Sword in my bones mine enemies reproach me while they say daily unto me Where is thy God Ver. 10 No Sword cuts so deep as this taunt Omnes dolores leves preterquam tum carendum quod erat 6. But in the close after all his complaints and expostulations And quiets his soul he quiets
uphold our cause Judge us O Lord in thy strength Thou which art terrible to the oppressor and a refuge to those who are injuriously oppressed Vers. 1 arise in thy just judgement and punish the wicked and deliver the innocent Reward evil to those our enemies that observe our wayes and lay wait for our soul Cut them off Lord and destroy them according to the Truth of thy promises made to thy people Deliver us O Lord out of all our troubles and let our eyes see that severe revenge which thou wilt take upon our and thy enemies So will we offer unto thée the Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving fréely and chéerfully in the midst of the Congregation for this is good before thy Saints It is a pleasant thing to them to hear and sée that thou art a faithful merciful and just God true in thy promises just in thy judgements and merciful in the Delivery of thy people from the hand of the violent and bloody man O my God I will sing of thy Name and Power for ever PSAL. LV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 WHETHER David composed this Psalm upon the hard usage of Saul or the rebellion of his son Absolon is uncertain sure it is he was in some great distress and upon it he makes his address to his God There are in genetal four parts of this Psalm 1. He prayes to God to hear his prayer vers 1 2. 2. He complains of his trouble from vers 3. to 8. 3. He prayes against his enemies and shews the causes from vers 8. to 15. 4. He takes heart upon assurance of Gods help and his enemies overthrow from vers 15. to the end 1. He first beggs audience 1. Give ear hide not thy self attend hear me The first part He prayes for audience of his complaint The second part 2. My prayer supplication that I mourn complain make a noise Affected he was with the sense of that he pray'd for and therefore earnest he was in it 2. This in General but next in particular he mentions the causes of his complaint and earnestness to God that he might be heaâ—d The causes of it two both in regard of his enemies 2. And the condition that he now was in 1. The danger he was in was very great Vers. 3 escape he could not without Gods help for his enemies prosecuted him very sore 1 The malice of his enemies 1. They slander'd and calumniated him and threatned him Because of the voice c. 2. They vexed pressed upon him and oppressed him Because of the oppression of the wicked 3. They plotting his ruine devol'd and cast iniquity upon him Charg'd him home 4. They were implacable angry and hated him In wrath they hate me 2. Then for his own person he was in a sad heavy doleful condition 2 His sad condition 1. My heart is sore pained within me His grief was inward 2. The terrors of death are fallen upon me Vers. 4 He saw nothing but death before him 3. Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me Which are the outward effects of fear 4. And an horrible dread within hath overwhelmed me Amazement follow'd his fear And he illustrates this his condition by the counsel he took with his own heart His result upon it to fly upon the deliberation the result was that he would speedily fly away fly into the Wilderness as if he might be safer among bruit beasts than such men 1. And I said That was his result upon the debate with himself 2. O that I had the wings of a Dove It is a fearful creature of a swift wing in fear he was and he would fly as fast as far as the Dove from the Eagle 3. As far even to some remote land where I should have rest from these wicked men 4. And by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he amplifies and explains himself again 1. That he would fly far away even to some desolate place out of their reach Lo then would I wander far off and remain in the Wilderness 2. That he would do it with speed I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest Such turbulent and impetuous creatures his enemies were that threw down all before them as a wind storm tempest 3. The third part His Imprecation To his Prayer he adds an Imprecation 1. Destroy them O Lord. Destroy them in their own counsels 2. Or else Divide their tongue Let them not agree in their counsels Vers. 9 Of this he gives the reasons in the following words The reason viz. that they were a sort of violent contentious ungodly troublesome crafty and fraudulent people 1. Violent they were and litigious I have seen violence and strife in the City 2. Ungodly and workers of iniquity they were and uncessant in it Day and night they go about the walls thereof mischief and sorrow are in the midst of it 3. Crafty and fraudulent also Deceit and guile depart not from their streets It was then a City a Corporation a Society of evil doers And of this he produceth an instance His instance a friend that became his enemy which whether it were some bosome friend of David that stole out of the City of Keilah and betray'd his counsels to Saul or else Achitophel that being formerly his great Favourite and Counsellour fell to Absolon it is uncertain whoever it was such a treacherous person there was and of him he complains and well he might for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This treachery he exaggerates most eloquently by an Incrementum Which he Aggravates by circumstances and Apostrophe drawing his aggravation from the Laws of friendship which he had broke Had it been an enemy he could have borne it but that it was a friend was intolerable and also unexcusable Thus the Climax stands 1. For it was not my enemy that reproached me Then I could have borne it 2. Neither was it he that hated me that did magnifie himself that is arise and insult against me Then I would have hid my self from him Never admitted him to my bosome 3. But mark this Emphatical Adversative for now he turns his speeth to the Man 1. It was Thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou precipuè per aliis None but Thou 2. A man according to my own rank mine equal My guide or counsellour my acquaintance or own familiar friend 3. We took sweet counsel together One to whom I communicated my secrets 4. And walked in the house of God in company Professors we were of the same Religion Now all these Circumstances much aggravate and heighten the treachery that thou my equal my director my familiar friend one whom I made the Master of all my secrets one who was a great Professor of the same Religion with me Upon which he redoubles his Imprecation on the Faction that thou shouldst betray me even breaks my heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judas betrayest Thou Being thus much wrong'd and moved
the place of thy service where I may publickly acknowledge thee to be all these O happy men that may dwell in thy house for there as a good Master of the Family thou dispensest to them the bread of eternal life Thou suppliest unto them matter of praise and they again are as ready to praise thee in which constists the chief pleasure and selicity of man So often as they meet there they will invocate thy name offer thanksgiving confess their sins and give glory to God vow they will to propagate thy Truth and in reverence and fear do all acts of piety and devotion These are happiest but those are also happy that have a destre and a liberty to ascend thither O Lord increase in us these destres and give us again this freedom our strength is in thee and our hearts are in thy wayes and though we must pass through the Valley of tears yet we desire to ascend to that place which thou Lord hast appointed to thy self for an habitation In the strength of the Lord God we will procéed till we appear before God in Zion and find that Majesty and mercy which we so earnestly long for and séek For whatsoever happiness we are capable of in this life we know it is to be obtained in the pious Assemblies of thy Saints O Lord God of hosts hear my prayer give ear O God of Jacob. Thou who art our Shield and Protector behold me with a serene countenance and when I shall lift up my eyes unto thee O turn thy face toward thy Anointed and for his sake look upon me and thy people with mercy and bring us back again to thy house Grant that the love of thy house may be to us that which thou desirest that we may think the time of one day spent in it better than thousands in doing our own pleasure yea and that it is better to be the meanest servant a door-kéeper in the house of God than to dwell with honour in the Tents and Palaces of ungodly men The pleasures and delights which we may hope for in those Tents are nothing to the contents we may enjoy in thy house for there we shall enjoy thée who art our Sun our Shield the Father of all good gifts and wilt deny no good thing to those who sincerely serve thée O Lord be unto me a Shield and a Sun A Sun to illuminate us A Shield to protect us Dispell our darkness comfort and warm our hearts with thy light increase us with thy swéetest influence and defend us by thy power Give us grace and adopt us for thy Sons and at last bestow upon us eternal glory Thou hast promised to deny no good thing to those who walk before thée in simplicity and integrity Inable us then O God to walk in thy wayes with a pure and an honest heart For then we may be comforted with this hope and assurance that we shall be blessed and that we shall come at last to those eternal Mansions in heaven by the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. PSAL. LXXXV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 MYstically this whole Psalm is a Prophesie concerning the redemption of Mankind from the Tyranny of sin and Satan by the coming of Christ prefigured by the deliverance of the Jewes either from Egypt or rather from Babylon after which they fell again into grievous troubles under Antiochus Three parts of the Psalm 1. An Acknowledgment of Gods formet mercies ver 1 2 3. 2. A Petition upon that ground that he would still do the like 4 5 6 7. 3. A profession of obedience and an advice to continue in it ver 8. that men may be partakers of the promises both spiritual 9 10 11. and temporal ver 12. which shall be performed to those who keep in the wayes of God ver 13. 1. In the three first verses A Commemoration of Gods mercies the Prophet makes a Commemoration of Gods mercies to his people of which the Fountain is his good will and favour Lord Thou bast been favourable of which the effects were temporal and spiritual The first part 1. Temporal Thou hast been favourable to thy Land Ver. 1 Thou hast turned away or brought back the captivity of Jacob 1 Temporal freed them from the Babylonian yoke 2. Spiritual which consisted in two things Ver. 2 1. Justification Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people 2 Spiritual and covered all their sins Ver. 3 2. Reconciliation Thou hast taken away all thy wrath and hast turned thy self from the fierconess of thy anger 2. And now upon the experience of these former mercies The second part Upon this favour he prayes the Prophet commends a new Petition the sum whereof is briefly this Thou hast been favourable to us before and therefore we hope that thou wilt be so now this is the consequent of the former antecedent and upon it in confidence he prayes Turn us then O God our Saviour c. to the 8th verse Ver. 4 in which Petition is said over again That God would assure those mercies what was acknowledged before in the Commemoration of the benefits 1. Thou hast turned away the captivity Restore us then turn us then or return to us O God our Saviour 2. Thou hast been reconciled be again reconciled to us Thou hast taken away all thy wrath c. ver 3. Ver. 5 Now cause thine anger towards us to cease Wilt thou be displeased at us for ever Wilt thou draw out thine anger to all Generations This is contrary to thy nature who art slow to anger 3. Thou hast brought us back and so revived our hearts ver 1. And wilt thou not revive us again by delivering us from our present calamities and this death that thy people may rejoyce in thee 4. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people c. ver 2. Shew us then thy mercy O Lord and grant us thy salvation Save us in mercy first from sins the cause of our sufferings and then from the punishment our present miseries 3. And that the Church might prevail in her Petition she now promiseth obedience and to wait upon God I will hear what the Lord God will speak The third part As if she had said For which he waits why do I expostulate thus with my God why do I thus complain I will attend to his Word and hear what he will say for he is a trusty Counsellor in all our afflictions Ver. 8 and this it is that he will say I wound and I make whole I kill and I give life Being assured that God will turn all to the best 1. For he will speak peace unto his people and to his Saints Though he begins to his people in the cup of his Cross yet he keeps the best wine till the last and turns his Cross into a Crown if they hear what he saith he will speak peace to them And speak peace to his people 2. If they
good-will to man and what he will have done by all his loving Subjects which is that they be a Holy people 2. 2 And holy as are his Subjects also For Holiness becomes thy House for ever The Temple the Priests the people must be a Holy Nation for ever correspondent to the Holiness of his Law and Testimonies Be ye Holy for I am Holy Holiness becomes thy House O Lord for ever The Prayer collected out of the ninty third Psalm O Omnipotent Lord which framedst the whole world by thy power and orderest all things by thy wisdom and yet in mercy hast made choice of some only to be a peculiar people to thy self Vers. 3 thou seest how this thy little flock is opposed afflicted oppressed by the pride and malice of bloody men Our enemies O Lord are mighty and insult over us they roare as the Sea they lift up their voice they seek to dash us in pieces with their insolent waves of anger and hatred as an inundation of waters and a tempestuous Sea they encompass us and seek to swallow us quick Let it be thy pleasure Vers. 4 O Lord to deliver us from these waves we believe that thou O Lord art mightier than the noyse of many waters yea than the mighty waves of the Sea stir up then thy strength and come amongst us Cast them then down in thy power still the waves of this troublesome Sea with thy word break in pieces the heads of Leviathan in these waters that we may have just cause to glorifie thy name Other Lords now raign over us Vers. 1 but thou art our King shew thy self then thou that sitt'st between the Cherubims appear as thou art clothed with Majesty Vers. 2 fortified with power and strength girded with thy sword upon thy thigh revenge thine own cause upon thy enemies and defend thy little flock Thou art from everlasting Vers. 1 thou art the sole Monarch of the World thou reignest thy Throne is established of old let not man then have the upper hand lest he grow too proud Shew that thou hast so established the World and thy Church in the World that it shall never be moved In thee Vers. 5 all the promises made unto us are yea and Amen thy Testimonies are very sure and the decrées of thy Kingdom immutable They require of us Faith Obedience and Holiness Oh thou who art our King and our God give us Faith to relie on thy promises Obedience to submit to thy Laws and a study of Holiness constantly and ever to perform such holy services and duties that thou requirest and becomes thy house and those that dwell in it Make our bodies Temples of the Holy Ghost that the Holy Ghost may take delight to dwell in this Temple for ever Amen PSAL. CXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IN this Psalm our Prophet prayes complains inveighs against wicked men Oppressors of the innocent reproves their Atheism and informs them of Gods Omniscience Comforts the godly and encourages the just to put their trust in God assuring them that God will reward the wicked and defend the righteous In this Psalm then The parts are 1. A Petition for vengeance upon the wicked vers 1 2. 2. A pitiful complaint with the causes of it which were two 1. The delay of Gods judgements on them vers 3 4. 2. Their insolence oppression of the poor blasphemy against God to 7. 3. A sharp reprehension of their blasphemy and Atheism and the refutation of it from vers 8. to 12. 4. A consolation to all good men that God will reward the wicked and defend the righteous from vers 12. to the end Which is confirmed 1. From Gods faithfulness who hath promised and will perform it vers 14. 2. From Davids own experience from vers 16. to 20. 3. From Gods hatred of injustice tyranny oppression vers 20 21. 1. Which will cause him to be a Rock and defence to his people vers 22. 2. A severe Revenger to the Oppressors vers 23. 1. He begins with a Petition The first part He petitions for vengeance on the wicked that God would take vengeance of the Oppressors of his people which that he might the easier perswade he makes choice of an Attribute and to shew the ardour of his prayer ingeminates it which is peculiar to God for mihi vindicta ego retribuam O Lord God Vers. 1 to whom vengeance belongs to whom vengeance belongs As if he had said Thou art the most powerful Lord a God of power and justice and hast vengeance into thy own hand Therefore now 1. Shew thy self appear shine forth evidently and apparently shew thy justice vers 1. 2. Lift up thy self thou Judge of the earth Do thy Office of Judicature Vers. 2 ascend thy Throne and Tribunal as Judges use to do when they give judgement 3. Render a reward to the proud For the proud humble not themselves to thee they repent not pronounce therefore the sentence of condemnation against them 2. And now the Prophet begins to Complain The second part He complains that it is delayed by which that by the delay of Gods vengeance wicked men were hardned in their impiety and gloryed in their villany 1. How long how long This thy forbearance seems tedious to us especially since the wicked grow worse and worse by it and insult over us the more 2. For they triumph of their strength they glory in their prosperity Vers. 3 and in their wickedness The wicked are encouraged in mischief 3. They utter and speak hard things boldly rashly Vers. 4 proudly they threaten ruine to thy Church they breath nothing but blood and eversion of Kingdoms and Cities freely and without fear they talk of nothing else but what they have done and what they will do 4. They are workers of iniquity and they boast themselves 'T is not sufficient for them to do ill but they boast of it Of their strength they boast of their power they boast of their success they boast as if nothing were able to withstand their counsel their sword their wisdom Especially to insult over and oppress the Church and poor Now to what end do they make use of all these for of that I must complain also the consequence is lamentable the event sad the effects are lamentable for in their fury and injustice 1. Vers. 5 They break in pieces thy people O Lord. The people elect seperate dedicated to thee 2. They afflict thine heritage The people that thou hast chosen for thy possession 3. Vers. 6 They slay the widow destitute of the comfort of an Husband 2. And the stranger a man far from his Friends and Countrey 3. And murder the fatherless all which thou hast taken into thy protection and commanded that they be not wrong'd Exod. 22. Deut. 24. Yet such is their fury that they spare not Sex nor age nor any condition of men Nay And to blaspheme God himself it were yet tolerable if their rage
God in promising and a faithful God in performing thy Holy Covenant that thou hast remembred thy Mercy and Truth toward the house of Israel This is a mercy beyond all mercies and in mercy good Lord continue this mercy unto us Never remove our Candlestick or remove the light of thy Gospel from us And though at this time it be eclipsed and that very justly for our unthankfulness in the use of this light for our undervaluing of it and not rejoicing in it yet we beséech thée upon our contrition and amendment of our lives let it repent thee of the evil that thou hast brought upon thy people and all mists of error and heresie all darkness of prophaneness being dispell'd shew forth the bright beams of thy countenance unto those thousands of Israel who seek and sigh after thy Truth with an honest heart Descend Vers. 9 O Lord descend and with righteousness judge the cause of thy poor afflicted oppressed people in equity raise their grieved souls Let thy Truth flourish the Gospel have a free passage amongst us and bring to a spéedy confusion all that are enemies to thy peace through Iesus Christ our Lord. PSAL. XCIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE Subject matter of this Psalm is the self-same with the former for it sets forth the Glory of Christs Kingdom the Majesty Power and Justice of the King and exhorts all by the example of his former servants to exalt call on him and praise him Two parts of this Psalm 1. A Description of Christs Kingdom 1. From the Majesty and Terrour of it against his enemies ver 1 2 3. 2. From the Equity of it in execution of judgment and justice ver 4. 3. From the King 's Patience and Clemency in giving Audience to his servants 6 7 8. 2. A Demand of praise and honour of all that acknowledge him for their King Psal 93. begun at the third verse repeated at the fifth and continued in the last This is the third time he begins his Hymus with this solemn Acclamation The first part Christ is King The Lord reigneth Jehovah is King And then as is usual in Musick Rests and pauseth as it seems to me after as if he had recovered breath Ver. 1 he sings with full voyce 1. The Terrour Power Glory and Majesty of it He bids the defiance to his enemies and comforts his people 1. He bids a defiance as it were to all his enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 irascantur commoveantur fremant populi let the people be angry fret and be unquiet as Psal 2.1 Let the earth that is the Tyrants of the earth be movd at it yet let them know that all their endeavours are but vain For 1. God is present with his Church For 1. He sits between the Cherubims the Cherubims were over the Ark by which was signified the presence of God with his people and they covered the Propiatory and Ark with their wings The sense then is God is alwayes present with his people to them and therefore no fear though the earth be moved Ver. 2 2. The Lord is great in Zion of great power and high above all people 2 He is potent and higher than all people in Majesty Power Wisdom no fear then for this also though the earth be moved 3. His Name is great and terrible Great Ver. 3 and therefore terrible to his enemies for it is holy and therefore venerable In a word 3 His Name great and terrible holy his Regal Majesty and Regal Sanctity is such that he is a most potent and a most just King and therefore no fear yet though the earth be moved rather let them give the praise and honour due unto his Name 2. Our Prophet describes the Kingdom of Christ 4 He is a just King from the justice and equity which is administred in it and thereby moves his not to fear though the earth be moved Ver. 4 1. The Kings strength Hoz heb strength honour dignity authority holiness c. loveth judgment judgeth righteously out of the love he bears to justice not constrained by fear passion or necessity 2. And this he shews by the following Apostrophe in which he thus speaks to the King 1. Thou dost establish equity Confirm and establish just and equal Laws 2. Thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob In thy Kingdom thou executest these Laws also justly by punishing sin and rewarding good works of which there be examples in both Testaments for though for a time he suffered the godly to be afflicted and the ungodly to be exalted yet he at last frees his servants and crowns their patience but he falls in fury on the wicked and damns them he punisheth sometimes in this life alwayes in the life to come Upon which the Prophet collects That God is to be adoted to which he earnestly exhorts Exalt ye the Lord our God and worship at his Foot-stool for he is holy For this he exhorts us 1. Exalt ye by praising his Majesty with the heart Ver. 5 and magnifying him with your voyce 1 To â—â—alt him 2. 2 To adore before his footstool And worship at his footstool not his footstool as some read it that have a months mind to have Images worshipped In which expression David had an eye to the Ark of the Covenant for so I find it called 1 Chron. 28.2 Lam. 2.1 Toward which the Jews were bound to bow And his intention is that all our approaches and applications to the Lord our God be with the greatest reverence and submission of mind and body that may be All is too little 3. 3 For he or it is Holy For he is Holy or it is holy for the skilful in the Hebrew confess it may be read in either gender Holy the Jews call'd whatsoever was eminent excellent perfect chast entire sincere God then is holy because he is so in himself and his house his Priests his Day c. The Ark his footstool is Holy in relation to him when then we approach to him or any place where he ordinarily shews his presence Holy and Reverent actions and gestures are required of us Take heed to thy feet Prophane not what is holy 3. 5 He is a kind King Hears and grants petitions As is evident The third way by which the Prophet sets out the excellency of Christs Kingdom and the Clemency and Mercifulness of our King is in that he is ready to hear Petitioners and receive Petitions and of an inclinable nature to grant them also for which he brings examples of three illustrious men all eminent in their generations Moses a Prince Aaron a Priest and Samuel a Judge in Israel who all fell down and worshipp'd at his footstool call'd upon and were heard in their intercessions 1. Vers. 6 Moses and Aaron among his Priests The Hebrew word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Moses Aaron alwayes signifies not a Priest but a Prince and
And to this day in the Turkish Empire they are used as Spunges suffer'd to gather riches as the Spunge sucks in water for no other end but to be squeezed 7. 8 No pity shew'd to his children But the Prophet again returns to his Children and layes yet other curses upon them 1. Let there be none to extend mercy unto him neither let there be any to favour his fatherless Children To beg to want is a misery but there is some comfort in it when the Beggar meets with some one that will pity and relieve him This our Prophet votes against Let there be none to pity him and his and probatum est upon Judas for he found no pity from the High Priests What is that to us say they look thou to it And the posterity of those Murders did have do find as little for who pities a Jew 2. Men because they must dye themselves desire they do to be immortal if possible 9 His posterity quickly cut off in their issue they would have their houses to continue for ever That such a happiness befall not these Reprobates David prayes Let his posterity be cut off and in the Generation following let their name be blotted out He would have a quick dispatch of them 'T is acutely observed by Bellarmine That Judas in the place he was in his Bishops had no seed for Matthias that came into his place derived not his Office from him And for the Jewes though a posterity of them yet remain after the flesh yet in the very next Generation their Ecclesiastical and Civil Policy was at an end and since their dispersion they sit without King without Priest without Sacrifice without Altar without Ephod without Teraphim as it was foretold by Hosee 3. Yet farther the Prophet continues his Imprecation against the posterity of these Reprobates 10 The sin of the father revenged on the child Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembred before the Lord and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out This Imprecation answers Gods threat in the Commandment I will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the Jewes have found this curse to come upon them to the uttermost they devoted themselves and their posterity Let his blood be upon us and our children And 't is known to the whole World that it hath taken its effect to the full The guilt of his blood is yet upon them the iniquity of their fathers is remembred and the sin of their mother the Synagogue is not yet done away 4. And he repeats again what he mentioned of the iniquity of their fathers and the indelible Character of the Synagogues sin for this verse is but the expolition of the former 1. Let them be before the Lord continually As if he had said Let the memory of their father and mothers sin live for ever never let God cast it behind his back 2. That he may cut off the memory of them from the Earth Never let there be any memory of them except it be in contempt which that ungrateful Nation hath found true And so the Prophet having ended his Execrations acquaints us with the causes of this bitterness 2. And then prayes that they pierce far and work effectually upon them The causes of these Imprecations The causes he assigns are these 1. The first was their want of pity toward men in distresse Hard-hearted men they were without any bowels of compassion 1 Their want of compassion By the Prophet Jeremy this is complained on Lam. 1.12 Have ye no regard all ye that pass by Never was there sorrow like my sorrow and yet nor Judas Ver. 16 nor the Jewes considered it 'T is but just then That they find judgment without mercy that would shew no mercy Jam. 2 Let his memory be cut off c. Because he remembred not to shew mercy 2. So far from that That he persecuted the poor and needy man 2 They persecuted the afflicted i.e. Christ who was that he might even slay the broken in heart which is the second cause the inhumanity and cruelty of Judas and the Jewes against Christ who is here call'd 1. Poor because when he was rich yet for our sakes became poor 1 Poor that we through his poverty might be rich 2 Cor. 9. 2. The needy man For the Foxes have Holes 2 Needy and he Birds of the Aire Nests but the Son of man hath not whereon to lay his head Luk. 9.58 3. The broken in heart For he was in an agony and his soul was troubled 3 Broken in heart and besieged with sorrowes when he sweat drops of blood when he cryed My God my God but not with Compunction or Contrition for any fault he had committed but out of the sense of pain and anxiety and sollicitude which he bore in his heart continually for the salvation of Mankind In this verse then there is noted the extream cruelty and inhumanity of the Jewes for they that persecute a man for his life have some reasons that move them unto it Either they are incens'd to do it by anger for some injury receiv'd or mov'd by hope of gain by spoiling some rich man or else through envy that grudgeth at anothers felicity But Christ was humble and low in heart a poor man that never did any man wrong He contemn'd the World was needy and had not what should provoke the eye of any covetous wretch Lastly he was broken in heart and wept for other mens sins not in so happy a condition that any man should envy him It then aggravates their sin that they should persecute him and because they did it they are justly accursed 3. And yet there is a third cause behind He loved cursing 3 He loved cursing and then 't is but reason that he have what he loved he delighted not in blessing why then should any man delight to bless him As he loved cursing so let it come unto him as he delighted not in blessing so let it be far from him No man can love a curse or hate a blessing if it be proposed to the will under the form of cursing and blessing But a man is then said to love a curse and hate a blessing when he is the cause by his own choice of a wicked course that he be cursed and not blessed This Judas and the Jewes did Judas by loving money more than his Master love a curse he forsook Christ and would not be blessed The Jewes refused him and would have his blood upon them as they loved then so let them have as they delighted not in blessing so let it be far from them Neque enim lex justior ulla est c. Yea Let this then sit close to him and let this curse as our Prophet adds farther come with effect upon them sit as close to him as the garment about him let it be converted into his very substance
Thy hands have made me and fashioned me I am thy workmanship Ver. 1 Thy Power thy Wisdom which are as it were Gods two hands made me when I was not made me a living soul and fashioned all my joynts bones ligatures sinewes tendons muscles c. in my mothers womb 2. Therefore give me understanding He means not the intellectual faculty for that every man hath but an understanding heart a divine light that my mind may perfectly know learn approve love thy Will 3. Give me understanding that I may learn thy Commandments learn the sense and love the meaning and practice what he learned 2. His next Argument to perswade God to this is Because others better for it the benefit that thereby would redound to others that he ordering his life according to that understanding that God should give him others would thereby be edified and better'd in their lives by his example for there is such a communion and fellowship betwixt the members of Christs Body that they mourn and rejoyce together the grace given to one is a joy to the rest They that fear thee will be glad when they see me Ver. 2 because I have hoped in thy Word 3. His third Argument is his ingenous confession Because his own fault if deserted that he himself was in the fault and not God if he were at any time deserted and destitute of this divine light 1. I know O Lord that thy judgments are right Ver. 3 if at any time I be void of grace 2. And that thou in faithfulness in thy justice hast afflicted me because I have so deserved and therefore I complain not of thy justice but flie to thy mercy and say 2. And this is his second Petition Let I pray thee Ver. 4 thy merciful kindness be for my comfort according to thy Word 2 He prayes for mercy to comfort him Upon Gods promise He had had experiment of Gods justice and equity in afflicting him for not keeping his Law and therefore to comfort him he begs mercy being destitute of grace he broke the Law this disheartned him but if again God would bestow him so much grace that he might keep it this would comfort him which that God might be moved more readily to bestow he puts him in mind of his promise let it be according to thy Word 2. And for this mercy he was so earnest and fervent that he prayes for it again Ver. 5 Let thy tender mercies come unto me But if we mark it in this verse he seeks for another kind of mercy than he sought before then he sought for mercy to comfort him in his troubles now he seeks for mercy to live and sin no more 1. Let thy tender mercies come to me that I may live To live the life of grace that I may live the life of grace which is the ready way to the life of glory Matth. 19.17 2. For thy Law is my delight To live according to thy Will is that I delight in 3. A third Petition he puts up not against but for his enemies 3 He prayes for his enemies for shame is often the Corrector of sin he that is ashamed of what he hath done will not do it again and therefore he prayes in this Form 1. Let the proud be ashamed adding a Reason Ver. 6 that shewes their malice 2. For they have dealt perversly with me without cause no cause at all I gave them but they have dealt perversly wittingly and willingly not by chance nor out of ignorance nor upon inanimadvertence but on full purpose of heart they have wrong'd me and sought to withdraw me from the right way 3. But I will meditate in thy precepts I will be constant in thy Truth still and persevere in my integrity Ver. 7 4. 4 And that he may find comfort from the godly A fourth Petition he yet offers that however he found trouble and discomfort from the wicked yet he might comfort from the godly Let such as fear thee turn unto me and those that have known thy Testimonies Gods Church is a Communion of Saints and to them God hath so distributed his graces that one stands in need of another where one doubts anothers light may resolve him one grieves another may comfort him one tempted another may uphold or restore him Ver. 8 This company then David would have joyned to him and he to them for these ends 5. 5 He prayes for grace and sincerity Lastly he petitions for that which he had often sought grace and sincerity that he may nor in this nor another life be ashamed to appear before his God Let my heart be sound in thy statutes that I be not shamed Hypocrisie and rottenness of heart will be the mother of shame Sincerity and uprightness will make a man bold before God and man The righteous is as bold as a Lyon This Section is a continued prayer and therefore there needs no other 11. CAPH IN this Section The Contents David first laments being grieved with some inward anguish Secondly Complains to God of his enemies Thirdly Expresses his hope and constancy Fourthly And prayes to God for comfort and grace 1. David complains of his heavy case David being in distress and deferr'd of help was sore dejected and cast down his soul fainted his eyes failed and his body pined withered and shrunk away ver 1 2 3. He begins in sad words 1. 1 Within My soul fainteth for thy salvation As the body wanting natural helps to refresh it Ver. 1 becomes faint so doth the soul destitute of heavenly comfort languish This was Davids case 2. Yet he despairs not Yet he despairs not Yet I hope in thy Word The delaying of thy salvation makes me faint but the assured hope I have in thy Word and Promise keeps my heart alive and strengthneth me and comforts me 3. Ver. 2 My eyes fail for thy Word 1. My eyes especially those of my mind are still looking up to Heaven for help and they are ready to fail because the help comes not as the eyes do that long looks after any thing 2. Saying When wilt thou comfort me how long Lord how long dost thou delay me when will the comfort come God delayes the prayers of his servants and his promises that they should be the fitter to receive 4. Ver. 3 I am become like a bottle in the smoke That is dried up extenuated and worn away to nothing shrunk into wrinkles being destitute of the comforts of thy Spirit 5. Yet do I not forget thy statutes I mortifie my flesh still and therefore being obedient 2 From without by enemies I have reason to expect comfort and ease from thee 2. Ver. 4 This distress he found within but he had vexation also from without bitter enemies And thinks the time long till God take revenge on them of which he complains asking first 1. How long he should suffer under them How many
up against us Men carnal corrupt men that look after nothing but to satisfie their own Ambition Lust Avarice Those arose seditiously tumultuously rebelliously of such the Proverb is true Home homini lupus 2. Which the Prophet verifies in the next verse expressing the danger that the Church was in from these men or Beasts rather by these two similitudes of Beasts of prey of waters 1. Ver. 3 Then they had swallowed us up quick that had been the consequent of their rising The danger the Church was in before delivered like Wolves and Bears they had rush'd upon us and devoured us as poor sheep eaten us even alive Though Bellarmine refers this Clause to waters also because Beasts tear before they devour and so eat not their prey alive But the Metaphor may be proper enough the other way for he shewes what they would do if they could and that in their fury they spare not a living soul By cruel enemies 2. The cause their wrath Which fury of theirs the Prophet conceals not but illustrates it by a Metaphor This they had done to us when their wrath was kindled against us Ver. 4 3. His other similitude is from waters Then the proud waters had gone over our soul And in the verse before Then the waters had overwhelmed us the stream had gone over our soul He compares the Enemies Army to a swelling Torrent that carries all before it 3. Ver. 6 Next acknowledgeth the deliverance and gives thanks to the Authour to be God alone He gives thanks for it Blessed be the Lord who hath not given us over as a prey into their teeth The deliverance was beyond expectation which he illustrates by another similitude of a Bird taken in but escaping out of a snare unexpectedly 1. Ver. 7 Our soul is escaped as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler taken to be killed 2. The snare is broken and we are delivered the Fowler is deceived of his prey 4. Ver. 8 He concludes the Psalm with a gratulatory Epiphonema 1. And relies on God Our help is in the Name of the Lord. The Church relies in all dangers upon God whether they be assaulted openly as by Bears and Wolves or secretly as the Fowler layes wait for the Bird yet her help is in Gods protection and tutelage 2. Who made Heaven and Earth i. e. The Creatour who hath all things in his hand and power and therefore is able to deliver us The Prayer EXcept thou Ver. 1 O Omnipotent and Merciful God shalt by thy power and favour assist and help us our enemies Swords drawn out against us must néeds dispatch and consume us for their wrath is so kindled against us that as Wolves and Bears devour the poor flock so have they rush'd into amongst us and desired to swallow us quick when they seditiously and rebelliously rose up against us yea the déep waters of the proud hath overwhelmed and gone over our soul Sought they have to swéep us away as a mighty Torreut and over-run us at once as an unexpected inundation doth the lower vallies And what they could not do by violence that they have attempted by close and secret practices for they have set snares for our souls as the crafty Fowler doth for the innocent Bird. O Lord avert thy anger from us and take not vengeance upon us according to our deserts be not wanting to thy own Ordinances to thy Name thy Truth which with us is like to suffer Bring to pass that we may at last say Blessed be the Lord who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth let their nets be broken Ver. 6 their plots vissolved weaken their strength and bring to naught their counsels and make a way for our souls to escape as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler from thée alone which hast made Heaven and Earth we look for help therefore we humbly beséech thée that for thy infinite goodness and mercy Ver. 8 thou wouldst be propitious to our prayers and deliver us from these fierce bloody and subtile enemies for the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSALM CXXV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IT is the purpose of the Prophet to comfort the Church of God 1. The Sume By an assurance of her perpetuity both from Gods presence and protection ver 1 2. 2. That though God suffer them to be chastised by the wicked yet he will not leave them under the rod ver 3. 3. He prayes for the good 4. Sets down the portion of the wicked ver 4 5. 1. The first part In the beginning of the Psalm the Prophet sets down a general promise of the perpetuity of the Church because of Gods continual presence with her Ver. 1 And shews to whom it belongs 1. They that trust in the Lord. That trust in him The Church shall continue not with a vain confidence and presumption but that rely upon him by faith not fained out of a pure heart and a good conscience and aftervent love 2. These shall be as mount Zion which cannot be moved secure and immovable as is Zion not only immovable because a mountain but because a holy mountain consecrated and dear to God 3. Which the Prophet farther explains and assigns a perpetual duration to it but abides for ever which is a comfort to the Church Because God protects it of which Zion was the Type No tempest no storm no persecution no enemy shall destroy it Of which the Prophet gives a reason in the next verse by a Similitude for Zion which was in Jerusalem hath the mountains round about it for a wall of defence 't is not easie for an enemy to approach Jerusalem nor to take It was a Virgin-City never taken but twice and then when God took away his protection from it and delivered it to the hand and will of the Babylonians and Romans Which protection he will never take from his Church and therefore the Church is unexpugnable 1. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem 2. So the Lord is round about his people A wall of fire round about Ver. 2 Zach. 2. 3. From henceforth even for ever They that trust in the Lord shall be alwayes safe and secure for though they be temporally afflicted yet all shall work for their good He may take from them their wealth health c. yet he gives something better patience comfort with hope of eternal glory 2. Which the Prophet confirms preventing an objection The second part What shall those that trust in the Lord be safe and secure How comes it to passe then that they are oppressed to which the Prophet by way of prevention answers The power of the wicked shal never destroy it He grants it may be so but the oppression is not to continue The power of the wicked shall be over the just for their probation for their trial and correction but it shall not rest upon them it
the Amoritish Kings and the thirty one Kings of Canaan He smote great Nations and slew mighty Kings as for example Ver. 10 Sihon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan Ver. 11 And gave away their land for an heritage Ver. 12 an heritage unto Israel his people All which is evident out of the books of Numb Deut. Joshua 5. The fifth part For this he extols God To the commemoration of the revenge that God took upon the enemies of his people and the benefits he bestowed on them he adds a conclusion formed into an Epiphonima in which he first extols Gods name and then shews his mercy to his people 1. Thy Name O Lord endures for ever i. e. for these thy wonderful works 2. And thy memorial throughout all generations Thy memory thy fame the remembrance of thy Acts shall flourish and remain to all posterity 2. And the reason is drawn from his mercy which excites us also to praise him 1. And shews his mercy to his people For the Lord will judge his people The world judgeth them forsaken but he is their keeper and defender and will judge their cause and at last take revenge on their persecutors and deliver them 2. And he will repent himself concerning his servants Though he punisheth his dearest children yet he will be at last entreated be propitious and kind and remove his heavy hand Psal 136.23 6. The sixth part 2. God above all gods The Prophet hath proved that God is absolutely great in himself which he proposed vers 5. And now he proves the second part of his proposition that our Lord is above all gods For being compared to the Idols of the Heathen he far exceeds them They were Divels not gods they the work of mens hands made of earthy materials they could not infuse life sense reason into their images as God did into his image man they nor saw nor heard nor moved For he shews their vanity divers ways And shews the vanity of Idols 1. From their matter wherof they were made The Idols of the beathen are silver and gold Ver. 15 2. From the efficient cause their makers men The work of mens bands 3. From their impotence from performing any act of life They have mouths but they speak not eyes they have but they see not They have ears but they hear not neither is there any breath in their mouths 4. From the sortishness and misery of those that worship them They that make them are like unto them Ver. 18 so is every one that trusteth in them The makers are blind mute deaf understand nothing at all who suppose that they can make gods And they that trust in them more sotrish that think a stone can help them 7. The seventh part In the last part he invites all the true worshippers of God to praise him because they are lively images of the living God they see they hear they speak they understand That therefore all praise God and therefore they praise that God from whom they the faculty of living hearing speaking seeing and understanding To this he invites 1. All Israel Bless the Lord O house of Israel 2. Ver. 19 Then the Priests Bless the Lord O house of Aaron 3. The Levites Bless the Lord O house of Levi. 4. Lastly of all the Laity Ye that fear the Lord bless the Lord. To which he adds his own vote concluding with this Epiphonima 1. Blessed be the Lord out of Zion where he shews his presence by the Ark. 2. Which dwelleth at Jerusalem who though he be every where by his Essence and presence yet peculiarly dwells in his Church by his inhabiting Spirit Let the Citizens of Zion and Jerusalem never cease to bless him The Hymn and Prayer collected from the One hundred and thirty fifth Psalm O Omnipotent God all we thy servants now gathered together in thy Spirit to blesse thy name and here met in the Courts of the house of our God to praise thee Ver. 1 do acknowledge that we have instnite reasons to pay this debt to thy divine Majesty For we know O Lord that thou art good good absolutely in thy self and gracious unto us and that all our goodnesse is as nothing in comparison of thee We know again that to sing praises unto thee is a pleasant thing and therefore our heart shall be glad when we send forth prayses unto thee with joyful lips Wee know also that thou art great and far above all Gods Thy benefits are innumerable not only which thou hast conferd upon thy chosen people thy Israel who is thy pecultar treasure but even which with a full hand thou hast poured forth upon all mankind For in heaven the earth the seas and in all deep places thou hast done whatsoever thou pleasedst Thou so orderest the clouds the vapours the lightning winds and rain that they may be obedient to thee and serviceable for the use and sustenance of man And when thou hast in thy power the hearts of all Kings and Princes thou so bendest them as may make most for the good and saidation of thy people upon them thou revengest their wrongs and deliverest in due time thy chosen people from their power and oppression Egypt the Amorites and Canaanites felt thy power whom thou smotest in thy anger plaguest and slew in thy wrath and gavest away their Land for an heritage even for an heritage to Israel thy people Thy Name O Lord endureth for ever Ver. 13 and thy memorial through all generations and therefore our hope which is grounded upon thy promises is thereby confirmed and increased that though thou art risen up in judgment against thy people yet at last it will repent thée concerning thy servants O merciful God arise we beséech thée and behold the miseries and calamities of thy poor servants and deal not with us according to the merit of our iniquities Pardon our offences and let it repent thée of the evil thou hast brought upon us We have liv'd unworthy of thy Name unworthy of our Vocation yet at last break the force of the Devil and his instruments and repress their pride and boldness that we be not compelled to fall down and worship the imaginations of their own brains which are little better than the Idols of the Heathens that nor saw nor spake nor heard nor understood Which mercy if thou will grant us then all that fear the Lord both Priest and people the whole house of Aaron of Levi and all Israel shall have just occasion to bless the Lord and say Blessed be the Lord out of Zion which dwelleth at Jerusalem Allelujah PSAL. CXXXVI THIS Psalm is of the same Argument that the former For in it all men are call'd upon to praise God for his greatness and goodness his providence and mercy in creating governing and ordering the world but especially his love shew'd to his people the Church All which works because they proceeded from his Mercy therefore
invaded the Kingdom But thou Lord art Omniscient and knowest all things thou art Omnipresent and at all my actions if therefore I be such a man execute justice upon me For 1. Surely thou wilt slay the wicked thou wilt execute vengeance upon them I dare not then be of their society Will not have to do with such men or embrace their friendship 2. Depart therefore from me ye bloody men Joab Doeg Shimei Saul avaunt 3. Besides I desire none of their company and acquaintance for they are not only enemies to me but thee also they speak not only ill of me but they blaspheme For they speak against thee wickedly and thy enemies take thy name in vain 4. And yet he deals more roundly with them that he was so far from shewing them any love and giving them the right-hand of fellowship that he hated them Which hatred arose from their hatred of God their impiety was the cause of it and to that he opposeth himself even with a perfect hatred 1. Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee Such he hates and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee The interrogatory makes it the more quick 2. And to himself he returns this answer Yea I hate them with a perfect hatred I count them my enemies I cannot then be the man they would make me so far I am from the imputed crimes that no man condemns them more than my self 4. The last part And sets himself before Gods Tribunal Lastly for his more full purgation and sets himself before Gods Tribunal It seems his conscience was very clear and his heart sincere that he durst abide that Trial. If I be such as they say I refuse no punishment but if otherwise shew some testimony of my innocency in this matter 1. Search me O God and know my heart What in the beginning of the Psalm he said God did now he intreats him to do and to do it with effect 2. Try me and know my thoughts examine my heart my wayes my thoughts my progess my actions 3. And see if there be any wicked way in me i.e. any malicious bloody presumptuous way Prayes for Gods direction 4. And lead me in the way everlasting This this was the end he proposed of his trial That if God saw any way of wickedness in him that might seduce him he would withdraw him from that way and lead him to think desire and do those things which would bring him to eternal life The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and thirty ninth Psalm SO great is thy knowledge Ver. 1 providence and perspicality O Almighty God Ver. 2 that nothing can be hid from thy eye Thou hast searched and known my actions my thoughts my motions and my intentious There is not a word in my tongue but thou know'st it altogether Whither then shall I go from thy Spirit Ver. 7 or whither shall I go from thy presence Could I ascend to Heaven Thou art there should I make my bed in Hell Thou art there also Nor East nor West nor Sea nor Land nor Night nor Day are able to conceal us from thée for thou knowest all and art present at all our secrets So awe us then O God nay over-awe us by the presence of thy eye that in fear and reverence we may walk before thée as wary to offend the eye of holiness and to provoke the ear of jealousie I never cast my eye seriously upon my self but I find matter of wonder and fear for I am fearfully and wonderfully made Thou wert present with those seminal vessels when I was framed in secret and fashioned in my mothers womb Thy work then was curious the formation strange the symmetry wonderful the harmony admirable the proportions sutable in thy Book were all my members written which in continuance were fashioned from an imperfect Embrio Thou brought'st me to the shape of a perfect child and gavest me life and being O how precious are all thy thoughts unto me O God how great is the sum of them If I should go about to count them they pass my capacity for they are more in number than the Sand and therefore so often as I take thy wayes and works into consideration I awake out of the lethargy of a secure and careless mind and am present with thée in my thoughts and meditations as desirous only to live to thée and to please thée alone Thy wisdom thy knowledge thy presence doth over-awe me in all my wayes for I am assured that thou looksst into the very secret recesses of the heart and that thou wilt slay the wicked and all them that speak against thee wickedly and who take thy Name in vain These thou countest for thy enemies and they never shall be estéemed for my friends Depart therefore from me you bloody men Thou Lord which knowest all things and searchest the secrets of all hearts art my witness That I hate them that hate thee and that I am grieved with those that rise up against thee yea I hate them with a perfect hatred because they are enemies to thée therefore I count them my enemies They lay to my charge many grievous crimes for I am a man of contentions they charge me as a pestilent Fellow a son of Belial a troubler of Israel But ' Lord Thou knowest my Innocency and integrity of my heart to thée there fore I appeal who art an infallible Witness and Iudge of my Conversation Search me then O my God and know my heart try me and examine my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way any action or progress of any wickedness in me And if as by the testimony of a good conscience I am firmly perswaded no such guilt can be found upon me leave we not then to perish with wicked men but lead me constantly in the way of Virtue and Religion in which without thy conduct I cannot walk lead me I say in that way by thy Word and Spirit which will bring me to everlasting life through the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSAL. CXL DAVID being persecuted by Saul Doeg and the men of Ziph prayes to God for his safety and defence from their evil tongues But the Fathers apply it more largely and make it a prayer of the Church in persecution against the Devil and wicked men which are his instruments to persecute Gods people The parts of the Psalm are 1. A Petition to be delivered from his enemies whom he describes from ver 1. to 6. 2. A Protestation of his confidence in God ver 6 7. 3. A prayer against them ver 8 9 10 11. 4. A manifestation of his hope that God will uphold him in a just Cause ver 12 13. 1. He first summarily proposeth his Petition 1. Deliver me O Lord from the evil man Doeg or the Devil The first part David prayes for deliverance from wicked men qui inimious home Mat. 13. 2. Preserve
with how many evils tentations and pressures thy poor children are beset by the malice of the Devil the pride and violence of men and the impetuous incursions of their own carnal hearts We therefore humbly beséech thée good Father Ver. 1 deliver us from the evil man that enemy of our happinesse Ver. 2 and preserve us from the plots and conspiracies of the violent man Which imagine mischief in their heart Ver. 3 and without intermission continually have and do yet gather themselves together to oppose and make war against us Flatterers dissemblers and detractors these are and as the Serpent by shooting out his tongue whets it that it may the farther pierce and hurt so their serpentine malice hath sharpned their tongues to speak most pernicious lies and falshoods to our ruine For with a sharp sting they have sent forth poyson Adders poyson out of their lips by which they might kill those that are true of heart Thou therefore O Lord who art a lover of truth and equity Ver. 4 and a hater of lies and injustice keep me Ver. 5 that I fall not into the hands of these wicked men preserve me from their fraud and violence Many are the snares the cords the nets the gins which these proud men have hid have spread have set for me Their purpose is to supplant or precipitate me in my way that either I may not walk in thy Commands or walk slowly or fall in them or turn back from them Be therefore O Lord my strength and my salvation and in that day when the assaults of tentation are most furious be my shield my umbrage and cover my head that I take no harm O Lord grant not the desires of the wicked further not his wicked devices let them not be masters of their own wishes lest they boast glory and blasphemously triumph that they have not conquered thy Church but thée also which art the Protector of it O Lord deal with them as they have dealt with us Let the mischief of their own lips fall upon the head of them let the hot burning coles of thy anger fall from heaven upon them let them be cast into a fiery furnace of troubles and into a deep pit of dangers that they never rise again to trouble thy Church Let not a man who hath a tongue prepared to detract and issue forth lies against his neighbour prosper or be established on the earth Let his own wickednesse hunt and pursue the violent man till it hath overthrown him Which if thou shalt do thou wilt shew thy self merciful as ever thou hast béen in maintaining the cause of the afflicted and the right of the poor for which the righteous shall give thanks to thy Name and with an upright heart shall dwell in thy presence in this life and hereafter appear before thée and enjoy the contemplation of thy face for ever and ever Amen PSAL. CXLI WHether this Psalm was composed by David in his flight from Saul or else when he was in the Court of Saul and by flatterers traduced unto him is not certain For that he desires his prayer might be set forth before God as incense and be accepted as the evening Sacrifice gives occasion to think he was in banishment for otherwise he might have been present at it But then again that he prayes against their detractions and flatterings may argue a present danger and that he was in the Court But be either true in it he prayes The Contents and Summe of the Psalm 1. For his prayer ver 1 2. 2. That God would so restrain his tongue and compose his mind that through anger or impatience he may not offend ver 3 4. 3. He prayes that if he must be reproved that his censure may proceed from just not from unjust men ver 5. whose judgment he declines ver 5 6. and will have no part or society with them 4. He shews the malice and hatred of the wicked to good men ver 6 7. 5. He puts his trust in God and prayes to be delivered from their snares ver 8 9 10. 1. The first part David prayes that God This Psalm consists for the main of petitions of which 1. The first is that his prayer may be accepted Lord I cry unto thee make haste unto me Ver. 1 give eare to my voice when I cry unto thee speedily now Would accept his prayer and hereafter hear my prayer which is fervent affectionate for it is a cry 2. Ver. 2 Let my prayer be set before thee at the incense which was offer'd with the sacrifice and the lifting up of my hands a gesture used in prayer 1 Tim. 2.8 as the evening sacrifice Exod. 30.7 8. Revel 5.8 The qualities of a good prayer are very well set out by that incense Prayer and the incense compared 1. The incense was made of four sweet Odours Exod. 30.34 which insinuate the four vertues requisite to sweeten our prayers Faith Assurance Charity Humility 2. This incense was offer'd in the inner part of the Temple Bellarmine where was the Tables of the Testimony and the golden Altar We are the Temples of the Holy Ghost the inner part is the soul in which is the Law of God written with his finger The Will is the golden Altar to wit a clean heart adorned with grace from such the incense of prayer must come 3. The High Priest only was to offer this incense The High Priest is Christ and by him as our Advocate we must have access to God and conclude all our prayers per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum 4. The incense was put on the fire morning and evening and thence arose a smoke which ascended upward directly This fire which sends the sweet smoke and perfume of our prayers directly upward is the fervour of our desire Moreover in the right ascension is to be noted the right intention and the careful attention in our prayers If made to be seen of men the incense is distorted by some temporal respect it ascends not right upwards If we wander in our devotions it is not directed as it ought and because it is hard to avoid this evagation in prayer David prayes Dirigatur oratio mea sicut incensum 5. To this may be added That the incense was offered morning and evening and so our prayers should be at least But why doth David pray That his prayer might be accepted rather as the evening Sacrifice and not as that of the morning Perhaps this might be because the evening Sacrifice might be more noble as a figure of Christs Sacrifice on the Cross which was to be at the evening 2. His second Petition is The second part His prayer for his tongue That God would restrain his tongue that he might know when to speak and when to be silent for he that offends not in his tongue is perfect James 3.2 There is a time to keep silence and a time to speak Eccles 3.7 He prayes therefore
took himself to prayer ver 1 2. 2. Then his consternation and anxiety of heart which arose from the malice and craft of his enemies and the defect of help from his friends ver 3 4. 2. His addresse to God and Petition ver 5 6 7. 1. The two first verses shew Davids intention in this Psalm viz. David in trouble flyes to prayer by Prayer in his trouble to make his Addresse to God 1. I cried unto the Lord with my voice with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication 2. I poured out my supplication before him and shewed him all my trouble The first part This is amplified 1. From the vehemence instance fervour I cryed I supplicated Ver. 1 I poured out I shewed 2. From the Object unto the Lord him and no other I invocated The conditions of his prayer I poured out before him Ver. 1 3. From the Instrument With my voice Which doth not exclude vocem cordis For no question he understood and attended what he said 4. From the humility in Prayer It was a supplication Ver. 2 I made my supplication 5. From his free and full expression fully and at large he opened his griefs and desires he left nothing behind unsaid that should be I poured out my complaint vented all from my heart as water poured out of a vessel Shew'd and declared my trouble 6. From his sincerity and confidence in God That he durst do this before him in his eye in his sight argues an honest heart The cause anxiety of minde That which caused him to do this was 1. The consternation and anxiety of mind in which he was This I did Ver. 3 when my spirit was overwhelmed within me When my breath was as it were gone and my life for ought I saw almost at an end and I in the confines of death There being then no sufficiency in me I betook my self unto thee who art All-sufficient 2. Then I addressed my self to thee For thou knewest my path my actions my intentions the secret of my wayes my path 2 The flie dealing of his enemies and that without any just cause I suffer these things being forced and hunted into this Cave 3. The craft and sly dealing of his enemies Especially Saul 2. In the way wherein I walked In my Vocation in that way wherein thou settest me 2. Have they privily laid a snare for me Saul gave him his caughter Mical to be a snare to him and a Dowry he must have of an hundred fore-skins of the Philistines that he might fall by their hands 4. Ver. 4 His destitution at this time of trouble all forsook him deserted him even his friends 3 The desertion of his friends 1. I looked on my right hand for the help of my friends and behold if any man would be an assistant to me and take my part stand by me as Souldiers in War to their Captain but there was no man that would know me they were as strange to me as if they had never seen me Not a man durst own me the miserable have few friends 2. Refuge failed me With Achish at Ziglag I have no place to flie for safety 3. No man cared for my soul regarded my life cared whither I perished or not 2. The second part He makes his address to God david being excluded of all humane help now makes his Address to God I cryed unto thee O Lord and said 1. Thou art my refuge my stay my hope my Tower of defence to flie to my Sanctuary 2. Thou art my portion my inheritance in the land of the living while I live in this world And upon it he sends up his prayer to God And prayes as before fortified from a double Argument 1. 1 Because depressed From the lamentable condition to which he was brought 2. From the fury malice and power of his enemies 1. His condition at this time was very pitiful Attend unto my cry for I am brought very low afflicted depressed have none to help me Ver. 6 2. 2 And that by too strong enemies The power and malice of his enemies was very great Deliver me from my persecutors for they are too strong for me He renews his prayer and presseth it from the final cause Bring my soul out of Prison But if saved upon which follow two effects 1. Ver. 7 The first in my self Gratitude That I may praise thy Name 1 He thankful 2. 2 Others would fall to him The second in others Assistance and incouragement to defend me and my Cause The righteous shall compass me about come and flow from all parts unto me 3. The Reason For thou shalt deal bountifully with me Bestow favours upon me after thou hast freed me from my former miseries which men seeing who are commonly the friends of prosperity will magnifie me and resort unto me The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and forty second Psalm WHEN O Omnipotent and Merciful God we are in this life besieged with continual dangers and impetuous enemies to whom should we flie Ver. 1 or to whom we should make our moan but to thee O Lord who art able and ready because thou art merciful to deliver us In my present distress therefore I file to thée and I cry unto thee with my voyce with my voyce unto thee O Lord I make my supplication I open at large and pour out before thée my just complaint Ver. 2 the sadness and anxiety of my soul to thée I shew my trouble who alone knowest the way to deliver thine in their extreamest afflictions My Spirit is overwhelmed within me when I behold the present state of things my life for ought I sée was in the confines of death Ver. 3 but how undeservedly Thou knowest to whom all my acts and secret'st path of my wayes is best known Even in the very way wherein thou settest me and in which I walked with an honest and an upright heart have they my enemies closely and privily laid a snare to take me And in the midst of these dangers and treacheries to the greater discomfort of my soul I found nor friend to help me Ver. 4 nor any Sanctuary to which I might retire I looked on my right hand to sée who would take my part and stand up for me and with me but behold there was no man that would own me or know me I became as a stranger to my brethren and as an alien to my own mothers sons I thought with my self to take Sanctuary but a place of refuge failed me not a man there was that cared or regarded what became of me or of my life In this distress and dereliction whither should I go to whom should I flie Ver. 5 from whom should I look for help but from thée O Lord Men will not but thou art ready men cannot or dare not but thou art able and ready prest to succour thy poor afflicted people To thee