now Lord what wait I for my hope is in thee As if he should have said Seeing the life of man is so transitory and seeing all things whatsoever about which men busie and trouble themselves are but mere vanity I will no longer disquiet my self either about mine own miseries or the prosperous condition of others but place all my hope O Lord in thee let others if they will set their hearts upon these earthly vanities I have a better hope which will secure me against death and against all changes of this world for my hope Lord is in thee Vers 8. Deliver me from all my transgressions That is Pardon my sins for which indeed I am chiefly grieved and free me from those afflictions which my sins have brought upon me Vers 9. I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it This may be meant of all his afflictions in generall or particularly of his silence when wicked men did reproach him of which he had spoken in the foregoing verse and it may be inserted here as an argument to move God to withdraw his hand or not to expose him still to their derision and scorn Vers 11. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth which is easily and soon crushed to dust see the Note Job 4.19 Yet some understand this as if it were expressed thus thou like a moth makest his beauty to consume away that is though thou dost not in a way of manifest vengeance bring some open judgements upon man to destroy him yet by a secret curse thou causest his health and strength and so also his beauty and comelinesse to consume and wast away and indeed thus the secret judgements of God upon men are usually expressed as Isa 51.8 the moth shall eat them up like a garment and the worm shall eat them like wool and Hos 5.12 Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth and to the house of Iudah as rottennesse However the meaning of the words is doubtlesse this that when God undertakes to punish man for sin whether it be in a way of fatherly severity or as a judge powring out the fiercenesse of his wrath upon wicked men for their iniquity that is according to what they have deserved he soon consumes their beauty and glory For the word rebukes see the Note Psal 6.1 Vers 12. Hear my prayer O Lord c. for I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner as all my fathers were See the Note 1 Chron. 29.15 This phrase I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner is all one as if he had said Either I am a stranger before thee thou knowest I am a stranger here or I live by faith with thee I set thee before mine eyes and my heart is continually set upon thee even whilst I am absent from thee and live as a stranger here in this world or I am a stranger here in thy land and am wholly herein at thy disposing And this is added here as an argument to move God to hear and help him partly because the condition of strangers was to be pittied in regard they are subject to so many labours and troubles and dangers and partly because esteeming himself a stranger in the world that was but a while to live there he did not set his affections upon things below but did long and seek after that heavenly country whether he was travelling As for that last clause as all my fathers were the drift of it is to desire that as God had taken pity of them and helped them because they were strangers so he would likewise deal with him Vers 13. O spare me that I may recover strength before I goe hence and be no more That is I have but a little while to live here and therefore let me have a little breathing time some small recovery of strength that I may have a little ease and refreshing before I die see the Notes Job 14.6 or either ease me or I am a dead man I cannot continue long in this misery and therefore withdraw thine hand a little before I be irrecoverably gone see the Notes Job 7.8 9. For indeed this seems to be spoken with some heat of passion Yet some conceive that David doth hereby desire some mitigation at least of his misery that he might by faith be strengthened in spirit and being freed from his terrours he might depart in peace and finish his course with joy PSALM XL. Vers 1. I Waited patiently for the Lord and he enclined unto me and heard my crie Those words in this Psalm vers 6 7 8. sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire c. are clearly alledged by the Apostle as the words of Christ Heb. 10.5 6 7. Yet because in other places of the Psalm it is as clear that David speaks of himself most probable it is that he doth so throughout the Psalm only in some places he speaks what properly belonged only to Christ as being a type of Christ and as concerning the flesh the father of Christ see also the Note Psal 16.1 As for these first words David doth therein from his former experience encourage himself to present to God those following requests vers 11 c. I waited patiently for the Lord and he enclined unto me that is he bowed himself to me or he bowed his ear to me as in Psal 17.6 and 31.2 for he seems to represent God as hearkning from on high to hear one crying out of a deep pit as he speaks of himself in the next verse or he enclined in his will to hear me They that understand the whole Psalm of Christ hold that this is spoken of Christs waiting upon God in the time of his agony and passion and of Gods hearing his cries as when he prayed in his agony Father if thou be willing remove this cup from me c. and there appeared an angel unto him from heaven strengthening him Luk. 22.42 43 and so likewise at other times in his passion Heb. 5.7 when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared Vers 2. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit and out of the miry clay c. That is out of terrible and desperate dangers from which there seemed to be no hope that I should ever have been freed For to expresse this he compares himself to one that was taken out of an horrible pit that is a deep pit which by reason of its danger and darknesse and the lamentable noises therein must needs strike those that are there with terrour and horrour or as it is in the Hebrew a pit of noise so called because of waters that falling into it with great violence make a roaring dreadfull noise or because of the struglings and outcries they make that are in it or because when any thing is
excellencies of Christ set forth to them 1. That they may thereby better their knowledge of him whom indeed we can never know enough Eph. 3.19 and may be delighted to heare his praises as indeed men love to heare others talke of those they greatly affect and be stirred up the more to love him and the more industriously to seek after him 2. That those that doe set forth his excellencies to them may thereby find their own affection the more inflamed towards him and 3. That others also hearing his praises might be wonne to love him and to seek by faith to be united to him And besides this makes way to raise up our attentions the more heedfully to observe that glorious description that is immediately given us of Christ Vers 10. My beloved is white and ruddy c. Thus the Spouse sets forth the beauty of her beloved as one of a sanguine complexion covertly thereby to condemne her former folly in disregarding such a one as he was and withall to quicken her own affection towards him and to represent him as one that deserved to be beloved of all And indeed it is the office of the Church thus evidently to set forth Jesus Christ crucified before the eyes of men by the preaching of the Gospel Gal. 3.1 Expositors doe severall wayes apply this as 1. that Christ was white in regard of his Godhead as being the brightnesse of his fathers glory Heb. 1.3 and therefore when at his transfiguration the glory of his deity did shine forth thorough the veile of his body it is said Matth. 17.2 that his raiment was white as the light and ruddy in regard of his humanity being made of the same substance with Adam who had his name from the red earth from whence he was taken Gen. 2.7 and therefore is called the second Adam 1 Cor. 15.45 2ly that white might denote his innocency holinesse and spotlesse purity and red the imputation of the bloody scarlet sinnes of men unto him 2 Cor. 5.21 or the merit of his death and bloody passion whence he is described Revel 19.13 as cloathed with a vesture dipped in blood And indeed the mixture of this white and red was admirable in that great mystery of his passion when he that had not the least staine of sin in him had sin notwithstanding in a way of justice charged upon him and was numbred with the transgressors Isa 53.12 And 3. that white might betoken his mercy and grace to penitent sinners as likewise his victory triumph and joy Revel 19.8 14. and red his justice in executing vengeance upon his enemies Isa 63.1 2 3. But I think that the drift of the words is only in generall to shew that the excellencies that are in Christ and the great things that he hath done and suffered for his Church doe make him most beautifull and lovely in the eyes of his people And to the same purpose is the following clause where it is said that he is the chiefest or as it is in the margin of our Bibles A Standard-bearer among ten thousands because usually the tallest stoutest and goodliest men are chosen to be Standard-bearers for hereby is signified that Christ doth transcendently excell in the lovelinesse of his glorious excellencies all the children of men see the Notes Chap. 3.2 Psal 45.2 Yet some adde also that he is called a Standard-bearer with respect to his leading his people in their way and Christians marching and fighting under his Colours for which he is also called the Ensigne of his Church Isa 11.10 Vers 11. His head is as the most fine gold Some conceive that this is spoken with reference to the golden Crowne which Solomon wore on his head of which mention was made before Chap. 3.11 But because of these words as the most fine gold I rather think the Spouse intends hereby to signifie that his head was exceeding goodly to behold or that there was a kind of splendor of beauty and majesty in it or it may be that his intellectuals were exceeding precious and excellent And so mystically this may signifie 1. The transcendent excellency of his Godhead according to that 1 Cor. 11.3 The head of Christ is God Or rather 2. The surpassing excellency and glory of his government and kingdome above all other kingdomes whatsoever because spiritual heavenly and eternall see Joh. 18.36 Dan. 7.14 as likewise the al-sufficiency that was in him for the exercise of this his Regal power as that in him were hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge and that he was still ready to powre forth the riches of his goodnesse and mercy for the enriching and adorning of his people His locks are bushy or curled and black as a Raven To wit as the feathers of a Raven which are also smooth and shining and therefore the more beautifull And this is added because black haire hath been ever esteemed most beautifull in men whence was that of the Poet Spectandus nigris oculis nigroque capillo Now mystically I conceive these words doe import as the exceeding spirituall beauty so also the invincible fortitude and strength of Christ black and curled locks being signes of a hot and strong constitution Some by his locks doe understand the innumerable company of Angels that attend upon Christ and others the Saints and servants of Christ especially as gathered into Congregations which are an ornament to Christ and others againe his hidden and unsearchable counsels and his secret profound judgements which are so intricate that they cannot be fully known and so black and formidable that they may well strike men with astonishment and this last seemes the most probable Vers 12. His eyes are as the eyes of doves c. Thus Christ had before set forth the beauty of his Spouses eyes Chap. 1.15 4.1 for which see the Notes there and here now the Spouse useth the same expression concerning Christs only it is with an addition that his eyes were as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters that is doves that have their abiding place where they have plenty of pure and cleare water to wash themselves and their eyes in as indeed cleare running water hath been alwayes esteemed good to refresh and cleare the eyes Now though this may be not unfitly applyed to the Ministers of Christ in regard of their purity and sincerity see the Note Chap. 1.4 and their being so continually conversant in the Scriptures and as some think to the most pure and spotlesse wisdome and prudence of Christ as man yet I rather think they are meant either of the carefull and affectionate respect that he hath alwayes to his Church and so as the Church was before said to have doves eyes because of her faith and loyalty to Christ so the same is here said of Christ because of his faithfullnesse to her or else of the beauty of his divine wisdome and providence according to that Habak 1.13 Thou art of purer eyes then to behold
some others had their days lengthened out to a far longer period therefore I see no reason why we should not understand this Title as the words do plainly hold forth to wit that this Psalm is a prayer composed by Moses that man of God Yea and very probable I judge it to be which many say that it was composed by Moses for the use comfort of the Israelites after God had pronounced that sentence against them that they should all die in the wilderness that were twenty years old upward when they came out of Egypt save only Joshua and Caleb Numb 14.29 and when according to that sentence he found the people for many years together mouldering away in regard whereof he might well bewail as here he doth the mortality of man and pray to God as it is vers 15. Make us glad according to the daies wherein thou hast afflicted us and the years wherein we have seen evil Vers 1. Lord thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations As if he had said Though as strangers we travell from one place to another and have yet no settled dwelling-place yet to our fathers in this very condition thou hast been in all generations a dwelling-place a house of refuge yea so thou hast hitherto been to us thou hast alwaies provided for them and us a place of shelter where we might repose our selves and be provided for thou hast been as a little Sanctuary to us Ezek. 11.16 and therefore be so still Vers 2. From everlasting to everlasting thou art God This is here inserted either 1. to shew that it was no wonder that God should be a refuge to them in all generations as he said vers 1. seeing he was God from all eternity before ever the world was or 2. because the consideration of Gods eternity doth make us the more sensible of mans frail and transitory condition of which he intended now to treat or 3. because the eternity of God doth imply that all things had their being from God and both have been alwaies and are still governed by God so that he is the supreme cause of all the changes that are in the creatures himself in the mean season being subject to no change as all things here below are and therefore to whom should men flee for help but to God Vers 3. Thou turnest man to destruction c. That is to death which is the dissolution of soul and body or to the grave see the Notes Job 26.6 and 28.22 It is as if he had said Whilst thou continuest eternally the same thou dost suddenly bring man back to the earth from whence he was taken according to that sentence which thou didst passe against all mankind in Adam Gen. 3.19 dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return And to the same purpose is that which follows and sayest Return ye children of men that is By a word of thy mouth when thou pleasest thou callest men back to wit their bodies to the earth and their spirits to God that gave them Eccles 12.7 and to whom therefore should we seek for preservation but to thee I know many do otherwise understand this last clause to wit that having turned men to the very brink of the grave God often calls them back as it were to continue longer in the world But the first exposition is doubtlesse the best Vers 4. For a thousand years c. As if he should have said I may well say that man is suddenly turned to destruction for suppose a man should live a thousand years which yet no man ever did see Gen. 5.27 alas a thousand years in thy sight that is before thee or in comparison of thine eternity or with thee as Saint Peter alledgeth it 2 Pet. 3.8 are but as yesterday when it is past which then is nothing and besides man judgeth better of the shortnesse of time when it is past then when it is passing and as a watch in the night that is the space of three hours for by that Matth. 14.25 And in the fourth watch of the night Iesus went unto them it appears that of old they divided the night consisting of twelve hours into four watches which seem to be intended by those four distinct tearms Mark 13.35 at even or at midnight or at cock-crowing or in the morning And it may be also that he the rather mentioneth a watch in the night either because time seems to slip fastest away when men lye slumbering scarce knowing whether they be asleep or awake or else because he would also thereby covertly give a hint how full of darknesse the life of man is by reason of his ignorance and manifold miseries However that which Moses intends here is the same that David saith Psal 39.15 mine age is as nothing before thee For so Peter alledgeth this to prove that Gods staying long before he came to judgement was no delay with God seeing a day and a thousand years were all one with God 2 Pet. 3.8 But beloved be not ignorant of this one thing that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day Vers 5. Thou carriest them away as with a floud c. That is so that there is no memoriall left of them no more then there is of a floud which overfloweth all for a time but suddenly glideth away it is quite gone or they are suddenly swept away by a violent death see the Note Job 22.16 besides that every mans life doth soon passe away as is expressed in the foregoing verses men are oft cut off by sudden casualties and judgements they are as a sleep to wit that suddenly passeth away or as a sleep that is as a dream when one sleepeth see the Notes Job 20.8 and Psal 73.20 As for the following clause In the morning that is in their flourishing age their childhood or youth they are like grasse which groweth up if we read it as it is in the margin of our Bibles they are like grasse which is changed it may be understood of that change that is in grasse when being sprouted out of the earth it becomes more and more fresh and flourishing and shooteth up with a flour and then it intendeth the same with that translation which is in our Bibles to wit that men in the morning of their years do usually flourish like grasse that hath not yet felt the heat of the sun But commonly they that thus translate the words do understand it of the change that is wrought in grasse when it withereth in the morning they are like grasse which is changed that is they are like grasse which though it be fresh in the morning yet presently by the heat of the sun it begins to flag to change and wither Vers 7. For we are consumed by thine anger c. Divers things might by the Psalmist be intended in these words as 1. that it was Gods just anger against the sin of Adam and
Eve that did first bring us to be subject to death 2. that it was the same anger of God against the sins of men that caused him so exceedingly to shorten mens daies in comparison of what they were before the floud and 3. that this was likewise the cause why the Israelites were daily consumed in the wildernesse see the Note Psal 78.33 and that they must needs perish when poor creatures so frail by nature had also the wrath of God lying so heavy upon them And the same is also repeated again in the next clause and by thy wrath are we troubled Yet some would have this understood of their being troubled with being continually in fear of death or of the minds terrours through the fear of eternall torments after death Vers 8. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee c. That is Thou dost not only know all our transgressions but thou dost also take notice of them to punish us for them For thence is this phrase of Gods setting their iniquities before him to wit as men set up marks to shoot at or as men are carefull to set those things which they would not fail to remember where they may be sure to have them alwaies in their eye or rather as judges are wont to set offenders before them and to cause their offences to be openly laid forth and declared before they pronounce sentence against them Our secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance that is those sins which we hide from others or which we our selves are ignorant of are clearly discovered before thy lightsome countenance where the hidden things of darknesse are as visible as those things that are done in the sight of the Sun And indeed this when God begins to punish men for these sins they are wont to see and acknowledge though they would not before Vers 9. For all our daies are passed away in thy wrath c. That is Thy wrath lyeth heavy upon us all our life long we spend our years as a tale that is told that is they passe away in an instant even as when a man speaks his words continue no longer then they are speaking but as fast as they are uttered they passe away with a breath and vanish into the air and can by no means be recalled again yea as when men tell some foolish tale which is not worth the remembring and which men forget as fast as it is told Vers 10. The daies of our years are threescore years ten c. See the Note upon the Title of this Psalm It is as if he had said If to lengthen out the time of our lives we reckon them by the daies we live which will soon indeed amount to many thousands alas all this will make but threescore and ten years that is the usuall time of mens lives now whereas before the floud we see the Patriarks lived many hundred years And if by reason of strength they be fourscore years yet is their strength labour and sorrow that is if some by reason of more then ordinary strength of their constitution do live to fourscore years yet notwithstanding this their strength or even when they are in their greatest strength their lives are usually full of toil and trouble and manifold miseries and sorrows for it is soon cut off and we flie away that is the strength of men is soon decayed and then we are gone in an instant Vers 11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger c. This may be understood as spoken either 1. by way of bewailing the sad discovery of Gods anger against the Israelites in the wildernesse as if he had said Who is able to conceive or expresse how heavy the wrath of God lyeth now upon us Or 2. by way of admiring the infinite and incomprehensible power of God manifested generally in the judgements wherewith he contends in his wrath against those that sin against him or rather the wonderfull power that is in the wrath of God to awaken and terrify the children of men Who knoweth the power of thine anger that is Who is able to expresse or think how terrible thy wrath is to such poor creatures as men are when once thou makest it manifest that thou art offended with them As long as thou hidest thy displeasure they are fearlesse and proudly exalt themselves against thee but when thou makest them see thou art angry with them then they tremble and their spirits fail them Or else 3. by way of exclaiming against the stupidity of men Who knoweth the power of thine anger as if he had said Alas How few are there that know or consider or seriously lay to heart the power of thine anger nothing will make men fear thy wrath but even when thy wrath is discovered against them yet they rush headlong upon the pikes of thy displeasure And accordingly we must also understand the following clause even according to thy fear so is thy wrath one of these two waies to wit either 1. that there is as much danger and terrour in Gods wrath as men can possibly fear or 2. that according as men fear God so they are sensible of his displeasure they that fear not God care not for any discoveries of his anger against them but they that fear God are tenderly fearfull of every token of his displeasure and very ready to humble themselves under his hand Vers 12. So teach us to number our daies c. See the Note Psal 39.4 Vers 13. Return O Lord how long c. This doubtlesse is spoken with respect to the wandring of the Israelites so many years in the wildernesse if not also to their long bondage in Egypt as appears by the following words and let it repent thee concerning thy servants see also vers 15. Vers 14. O satisfy us early with thy mercy c. That is By shewing us mercy speedily satisfy our souls with the assurance that thou hast pardoned our sins and dost love us and own us as thy people see the Note Deut. 33.23 Vers 16. Let thy work appear unto thy servants c. That is Make it appear by thy working for us that thou art pacifyed towards us or rather Let that which thou wilt doe for thy servants or which thou hast promised our forefathers that thou wilt doe for us appear and be made manifest before our eyes let us see it done And most probable it is that this is particularly meant of that great work which God had promised to doe for them to wit that he would give them the land of Canaan for a possession so that it is in effect as if he had said Let it appear that thou hast not brought us out of Egypt in vain perfect the work begun by bringing us into the promised land Yet by these words thy work may be meant any speciall work of mercy because that is Gods chief work yea his proper work in regard of his Church When the Lord hides himself from his people and
this verse must be again repeated here thus what hath the poor man that knoweth how to live amongst men more then the rich covetous churl that lives retired by himself and enjoyeth not the society of men as if he should have said Both do but live and both must die the one as well as the other Or rather thus what hath this poor man that by his industry and discreet carriage of himself amongst men gets a competent livelihood more then a poor simple man that hath not so good abilities to provide for himsel seeing even this man also doth some way get bread to eat and makes a shift to rub through and to live in the world and the other can do no more Vers 9. Better is the sight of the eyes then the wandring of the desire c. Divers of our best Expositors doe take this to be the covetous churles answer to that Question before propounded by Solomon What hath the wise more then the foole c. Yes saith the covetous man It is better for a man to have an estate in his possession in his eye see the Note Chap. 5.11 as the rich man alwayes hath then to be in continuall want of those necessaries which the body naturally calls for and so to be alwayes wishing and craving this and that for the supply of his necessities And then they take the following words to be the censure which Solomon passeth concerning this answer This is also vanity and vexation of spirit that is to have riches only to look upon them and not to use them to wit because this yields the owner no profit neither can it settle or satisfie the desires of the soule but must needs be accompanied with great cares and disquiet of mind see the Note Chap. 2.11 But I rather conceive that this is likewise added to shew the folly of the covetous mans eager pursuit after earthly things Better is the sight of the eyes then the wandring of the desire or as it is in the Hebrew then the walking of the soule that is Better it is comfortably and contentedly to enjoy and make use of what a man hath in his possession then to be still desiring and seeking after more and more sometimes one thing and sometimes another which he hath not Since the poore man enjoyeth as much substantial benefit by his small portion of these outward things as the rich man doth by his abundance in that he hath food convenient and thereby lives and enjoyeth health and since the wisest can fetch no more reall good from their riches then fooles it is therefore doubtlesse farre more comfortable with contentation of mind to enjoy the estate a man hath then when a mans mind is still going out and wandring this way and that in the pursuit of that which he hath not when he is still longing and wishing and plotting for severall things which he hath not and still hopes to attaine which if he doe not attaine he is discontented and if he doe attaine them he is for all that unsatisfied and still desires more and more This is also vanity and vexation of spirit that is this neglecting to make use of what a man enjoyeth and to have his soule still wandring in the affecting and seeking after greater things is to no purpose in the world but doth rather encrease his labour and misery Vers 10. That which hath been is named already c. This is added to make good the foregoing censure namely to prove the vanity of the endlesse wandring of mens desires and endeavours after greater things then what at present God hath afforded them which is done by shewing that nothing that men can attaine in regard of these outward things can exempt or secure them from those manifold miseries whereto the humane nature is generally subject and that by the unresistable decree of God and likewise as many of our best Expositors conceive that every mans condition is pre-assigned him by the eternall decree of God and that therefore all sollicitousness about their future estate is needlesse and vaine That which hath been is named already that is Whatever the condition of any man hath been or is whether he be rich or poore honourable or base it is that which God hath purposed and decreed concerning him As that which belongs to his nature and being so that which concernes his outward estate even every thing that therein befalls him hath been determined by Gods immutable and unresistable counsell and therefore he cannot change his condition he cannot make himselfe rich when God hath determined he shall be poore he cannot adde the least to that which God hath determined shall be his portion so that it were farre better for every man contentedly to enjoy what God hath given him resting upon his providence who from eternity hath known him by name then anxiously and greedily to strive for that which if it be contrary to what God hath decreed he shall never attaine Or rather thus That which hath been is named already As if he should have said Whatever the man be that hath been or is whether he be wise or foolish rich and honourable or of a meane and low condition and however it hath been with him both in regard of the possession and making use of riches yet the name that God hath already given him even from his first creation Adam sheweth what he is a lump of clay made of the earth and therefore a poore fraile creature that must returne to the earth out of which he was taken and that from his birth to his death is subject to many and manifold miseries And it is known that it is man that is What ever he be in other respects it matters not much this to be sure is knowne by proofe and experience that what ever he is he is but a man a poor fraile mortall creature subject to variety of vanities as hath been shewed already every man may feele this in himselfe and observe it in others and though therefore in other respects there is a great deal of difference betwixt the rich and the poore the wise man that makes use of his wealth and the foole that pincheth himselfe in these things yet in this they are alike that they are but men poore weake perishing creatures that have their whole dependance upon God Let men advance themselves to never so high and great an estate yet as they were men before so they are men still their riches and honours cannot secure them from those evills and infirmities whereto the humane nature is subject such as sicknesse and griefe sinne and the wrath of God as the punishment of sinne from the earth they came and to the earth they must goe Neither may he contend with him that is mightier then he that is with God And the meaning is either 1. that it is not for man to murmure against God or to argue with and implead God for subjecting man to so much misery and