righteous sake God strikes them with terrours In Psal 53.5 in stead of this clause there are these words For God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee that is God hath destroyed the strong enemies that had beset thee and so hath delivered thee O thou righteous servant of God thou hast put them to shame because God hath despised them which is the same in effect with that we have here Vers 6. You have shamed the counsell of the poor because the Lord is his refuge Here David turns his speech to those wicked men he had spoken of The words may be taken as spoken ironically You have shamed the counsell of the poor c. as if he had said You thought to have made frustrate the hope of the poor but in your own terrours you feel what it is come to and thus he derides them for scorning and deriding the poor But rather David doth therein expresly charge them with shaming that is with endeavouring to shame the counsell of the poor either by opposing them in their hopes and endeavours or rather by deriding them for hoping in God when the Lord seemed not to regard them as if he had said You will not call upon the Lord your selves and you deride them that do it and this he chargeth upon them as that which would farther provoke the Lord to destroy them Vers 7. O that the salvation of Israel were come out of Sion c. This might be meant both first of a temporall deliverance as if he had said O that the Lord who dwelleth in Sion would deliver his Israel or that from heaven whereof the Tabernacle in Sion was a type he would save his people from the tyranny of Saul and all other their proud oppressours O that he would settle me in the kingdome that he hath promised me that I might then purge out this profanenesse out of the land and if we take it thus then the following words must be thus understood When the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people Iacob shall rejoyce and Israel shall be glad that is when the Lord shall thus free his people from the slavery under which they are now held then shall all true Israelites exceedingly rejoyce And if it be objected that this Psalm cannot be intended of the profanenesse of Sauls daies because of the mention that is here made of Sion the Ark not being in his daies removed thither to this it may be answered either that David might speak this by a propheticall spirit or that haply he composed this Psalm after the Ark was placed in Sion though he writes therein of former times And secondly it may he meant of the spirituall Redemption of his people Being grieved at the horrible impiety of the children of men O saith he that the salvation of Israel were come out of Sion that is O that God would send his Son our Redeemer to save man from the bondage of sin and death and those words out of Sion are added because thence the Messiah was to come Rom. 11.26 There shall come out of Sion the deliverer and shall turn away ungodlinesse from Iacob and thence also the Gospel was expected Esa 2.3 Out of Sion shall goe forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem and so then we must also understand the following words when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people c. to wit of Christs delivering his people from the bondage of sin and death the great joy of all true Israelites PSALM XV. Vers 1. LOrd who shall abide in thy Tabernacle who shall dwell in thy holy hill This Question David propounds to the Lord that the answer afterwards added might be received as a divine Oracle of unquestionable certainty Some understand it of the qualification of those that present themselves to serve God in the Tabernacle or Temple Lord who shall abide in thy Tabernacle c. as if he had said Many flock thither but who are they that have a just right to come or who are they that may expect to have this priviledge continued to them of resorting to thy house But more generally it is understood of the qualification of those that are true members of the Church here and shall live for ever in heaven hereafter Some conceive that it is the kingdome of heaven that is here called both Gods Tabernacle and holy hill and so make the summe of the whole Question to be this Who shall dwell with thee for ever in heaven But because the Tabernacle was more peculiarly a type of the Church militant and the Temple on the holy hill of Sion a type of the Church triumphant therefore more commonly Expositours understand this Question thus Who shall be acknowledged true members of thy Church on earth and who shall dwell for ever in thy Church triumphant in heaven Vers 3. Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour To wit by raising false reports or any other way of reproaching them or by hearkening to others or enduring them that doe it See the Note upon Exod. 2â— 1 Vers 5. He that putteth not out his money to usury c. See the Notes Exod. 22.25 and Deut. 23.19 and under this all other unjust waies of gain are comprehended He that doeth these things shall not be moved That is He shall never be cast out as an hypocrite he shall certainly continue a true member of the Church and shall for ever live in Gods kingdome of glory PSALM XVI The Title MIchtam of David The same Title is in the 56 and the four following Psalms and the same that is said before often of others is by many said of this as that it was the name of some Musicall Instrument Song or Tune Besides some make it a word compounded of mach which signifyeth poor or afflicted and tam which signifyeth simple or sincere and so they render the Title A Psalm of David that was afflicted and sincere But it is best render'd as in the margin of our Bibles A golden Psalm of David intimating that David made precious account of it that it was to him as a chain or jewell or crown of gold Vers 1. Preserve me O God for in thee do I put my trust Because some passages in this Psalm vers 8. and 10 are by the Apostles cited as spoken by Christ Act. 2.25.31 and 13.35 therefore some of our best Expositours do understand every clause of this Psalm as uttered by Christ and accordingly they say that in these words Preserve me O God Christ prayeth to his father that he might be sustained and preserved in the time of his agony and death that he might not sink under them but might at last triumph over all his enemies and sufferings But in regard there are some passages in the Psalm that cannot so conveniently or properly be applyed to Christ as that vers 4. that he should professe that he would not partake with Idolaters in their
confirm wherein he seems to have particular reference to his saving of Saul when he had him at an advantage and he restrained his captains from offering him any violence 1 Sam. chap. 24. and 26. Yea saith he I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy Vers 5. Let him tread down my life upon the earth and lay mine honour in the dust By this honour may be meant his soul as in Gen. 49.6 concerning which see the Note there which may be said to be laid in the dust when his life that proceeded from the union of his soul and body was taken away and he laid in the dust and so both clauses let him tread down my life upon the earth and lay mine honour in the dust may both intend the same thing or secondly by his honour may be meant that honourable condition whereto God had advanced him or which God had promised him to wit of being king over his people which might be said to be laid in the dust either by his death or by his being brought to a low and poor condition or thirdly by his honour may be meant that honourable fame and repute and credit wherein he had lived and which might remain of him after his death which in case of his guilt he desires might be laid in the dust to wit by the perishing of his memory or being buried under obloquy and reproach Vers 6. Lift up thy self because of the rage of mine enemies c. That is Because of their rage arise to my help and so it is the same in effect with the foregoing clause Arise O Lord in thine anger or Lift up thy self that is exalt and glorifie thy self as a conquerour by saving me from their rage As for the following clause and awake for me to the judgement that thou hast commanded there are two severall Expositions neither of them improbable which are given of it The first is that David doth therein desire the Lord to awake for him to settle him in the kingdome which he had promised him for because his office was therein to doe justice and judgement and to settle all things in the kingdome which had been out of frame under Sauls reign and because God had commanded Samuel for this purpose to anoint David and because God had decreed and said that David should be king and had at the same time pronounced this judgement against Saul that he had rejected him 1 Sam. 16.1 and what God hath decreed shall be in regard of its certainty is frequently in the Scriptures said to be commanded of God as Psal 33.9 He spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast and Psal 147.15 He sendeth forth his commandment upon the earth his word runneth very swiftly therefore doth he expresse this in these tearms awake for me to the judgement that thou hast commanded And then the second is which I best approve that David doth herein desire that God would raise up himself to punish his enemies and to deliver him that was injured and oppressed which he tearms the judgement which God had commanded either because God had commanded the sons of men thus to execute judgement and therefore he doubted not that God would himself doe what he had enjoyned others to doe or because it was that which he knew God had ordered and decreed Vers 7. So shall the congregation of the people compasse thee about c. Two things may also probably be intended herein The first is that if God would make good his promise and settle him in the throne so far as in him lay the people that were now grown to a kind of profane neglect of Gods worship under the government of Saul as appeared by the neglect of the Ark all the time of his reign should be brought to assemble themselves duly together to perform the duties of his worship and service and hereby he makes it manifest that he desired not the kingdome for his own interests but for the advancement of Gods glory And the second is that if God would appear in his defence against his enemies the experience of Gods justice and faithfulnesse herein would bring in the people by multitudes to compasse him about and it may be meant of the Israelites alone or of other nations joyntly with them to whom the fame of what God had done for David herein should come to wit to praise God to pray to God for judgement in the like case yea and in generall to worship God with fear and reverence for indeed the judgements of God manifested in the world do notably stir up devotion in men And to this purpose also is that which follows for their sakes therefore return thou on high that is exalt thy self and shew thy self gloriously in this cause of mine or rather ascend again into thy throne of judgement and judge the cause between me and mine enemies for in these words there seems to be an allusion to the thrones and seats of judgement amongst men which used to be on high above the people as we see in Solomons throne 1 Kings 10.19 or else to the height of the heaven of which it is said The Lords throne is in heaven Psal 11.4 and because whilst God had forborn punishing his persecutours it had been as if God had given over judging the world therefore he desires that God would return to his throne of judgement Vers 8. The Lord shall judge the people c. As if he should have said And therefore from the slanders of men I appeal to God and know that he will judge righteously whereupon he addes Iudge me O Lord according to my righteousnesse c. concerning which see the Note 2 Sam. 22.21 Vers 9. Oh let the wickednesse of the wicked come to an end c. As one that had been long under this affliction he desires the Lord that at last some way or other there might be an end put to the malicious practises of his enemies against him and others and so thereby that he would establish the just for saith he the righteous God tryeth the hearts and reins that is the Lord exactly knoweth the secretest thoughts and desires of mens hearts and consequently he knoweth the integrity of mine heart and that there never came any such thing into my thought as they lay to my charge Because in the entrails of a man the reins lye of all the rest the most retired and hidden therefore they are added to the heart Vers 11. God is angry with the wicked every day Hereby is meant not so much that there is no day wherein God doth not manifest his anger against some wicked men by pouring forth his wrath upon them as that he is every day angry with the wicked even when he forbears them whence it is that even then they are said to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 Vers 12. If he turn not he will whet his sword he hath bent his bow
either was in Idumea or bordered upon it See Ier. 49.7 Amos 1.11 12. Obad. 8.9 and that the place of his dwelling is thus expressed as a proof of his singular piety in that though he were not of the seed of Abraham but lived amongst those nations that were much degenerated from the piety of the holy Patriarchs yet he was a man of eminent holinesse and righteousnesse For the time when he lived that likewise is uncertain yet it is most likely that he lived in the daies of the Patriarks before Moses 1. because in his time it seems Religion was not wholly decayed amongst those Eastern nations nor was the true God only worshipped as yet amongst Abrahams posterity 2. because he lived after his afflictions were ended 140 years Chap. 42.16 and by that which is said of his first children it is evident that they were house keepers and therefore that he was of good years before he was afflicted whereas after the age of the Patriarks men seldome lived so long Psal 90.10 3. Because after the giving of the law it was not lawfull to sacrifice save in the place which God had chosen the tabernacle and temple whereas we see ver 5. that Iob sacrificed in the land of Uz. and 4 Because there is not the least mention in this book of any thing concerning the common-wealth of Israel or of any of the glorious works that God wrought for them in Egypt the wildernesse or the land of Canaan which we can hardly say of any book of Scripture besides because they were written after Moses However that in after times the story and name of Iob was famous amongst the Iews is evident Ezek 14.14 Though these three men Noah Daniel and Iob were in it they should deliver but their own souls And that man was perfect and upright c. to wit therefore perfect because upright or he was a man of a sincere heart and just conversation His eminent piety is here first related because this is one of those things which chiefly in this history is recommended to our observation that being a man of such rare piety he notwithstanding underwent such heavy afflictions Vers 3. His substance also was seven thousand sheep c. The great wealth of Iob is thus particularly expressed both because this added much to his commendation that he was not corrupted with his prosperity and wealth as most men are and likewise because his patience was herein the more to be admired that being spoyled of so great riches he bore it as quietly as if it had been a matter of nothing which he had lost So that this man was the greatest of all the men in the East that is in wealth honour credit and esteem yet the comparison must be understood with reference to others of the same quality and condition for that he should be a King as some conceive yea the greatest King in those parts of the world is altogether improbable and his own words of himself do plainly import the contrary Chap. 29.25 I chose out their way and sate chief and dwelt as a King in the army c. Vers 4. And his sons went and feasted in their houses every one his day c. That is his sons used ever and anon to feast one another each one in his day though not for seven daies together without intermission for it is said that each of them sent and invited their sisters to be with them And this is expressed 1 Because it was the occasion of that miserable end that befell his children ver 18 19. when being met together in their eldest brothers house according to their custome the house fell upon them 2. To shew how lovingly they agreed and lived together this being doubtlesse a great aggravation of his grief when tydings were brought him of their sudden death 3. To prove the singular piety of this man so sorely afterward afflicted by this particular of his sollicitous care for his children when they were feasting together Vers 5. And it was so when the daies of their feasting were gone about that Iob sent and sanctified them c. That is he sent and appointed them to sanctifie and prepare themselves for the sacrifices which the next morning he meant to offer up to God in their behalf and this they were to do partly by such outward rites of purifying as were used in those times partly by spirituall means as by holy meditations prayer mortification repentance c. For Iob said It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts That is it being so usuall with men in times of feasting to forget themselves and many severall waies to sin against God thus it may well be it hath been with my children perhaps by some more hainous sin they have provoked God to anger against them and that out of some secret prophanesse and contempt of God in their hearts which because it tends to the vilifâ—ing and dishonouring of God is indeed no better then a cursing of God in their hearts This I conceive is the meaning of those words as not judging it so probable either that Iob made a doubt whether his sons had in the least degree swerved from the rule of Gods law or that he suspected in them the horrid sin of direct blaspheming and cursing of God no not in their hearts Thus did Iob continually That is so often as his sons did thus feast one another each in his course which it seems they did frequently Vers 6. Now there was a day when the sons of God c. By the sons of God here are meant the holy Angels as again chap. 38.7 who are so called first because they do in a speciall manner bear in themselves the image of God to wit in their singular wisedome and knowledge their unspotted purity and holinesse their admirable power and might and in the majesty and glory of their spirituall essence 2. Because all these excellencies wherewith they are endued they have them from God the fountain from whence they flow in regard whereof when they stand before God they are as so many beams of his inaccessible light 3. Because they serve God as sons their father with all chearfulnesse and willingnesse and 4. Because as sons they are alwaies in Gods presence and see his face and of these it is said that on a certain day they came and presented themselves before the Lord Satan being also amongst them c. Which must not be literally understood as if God had certaine dayes wherein he called together the Angels to attend him for the holy Angels are continually in his presence Mat 18.10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that in heaven their Angels do alwaies behold the face of my Father Or as if any such speeches passed betwixt God and the Devil as here are recorded It is only a figurative expression of this truth that both the good and evil
tydings must needs presently fall upon him with their full weight Vers 16. While he was yet speaking there came also another The immediate report of these ill tydings one in the neck of another which is here noted as also again vers 17 and 18 was purposely no doubt effected by Satan that he might not have any breathing time any leasure to call to mind any thought that might support him or allay any whit the bitternesse of the former sorrow The fire of God is fallen from heaven c. That is a strange and extraordinary lightening from heaven hath consumed them And remarkable is the cunning of Satan who destroyed not these as he did the other by making use of wicked men but by fire from heaven that for his greater astonishment Iob might the more assuredly believe that not men only but even God himself did fight against him and so might not fly to God for comfort but rather in the vexation of his spirit might blaspheme God Vers 18. Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking c. This message was by the cunning of Satan reserved to the last place because the tydings of the losse of his goods would not have been so terrible had he known of his childrens death to whom he hoped to have left them and indeed when a man lies under a great affliction a lesse is not minded and 2. Because when he was already sorely distressed with the former sad tydings he would be the more unable to bear this dolefull message and the more likely to sink down under it and break forth into impatience and blasphemy against God Vers 19. There came a great wind from the wildernesse and smote the four corners of the house c. Either this must be meant of a whirlwind that did together strike the four corners of the house or else the wind from the wildernesse did with its violence shake the four corners of the house so that at length the house fell upon them Vers 20. Then Iob arose and rent his mantle c. That is having hitherto sat still and heard these sad tydings now he presently arose as one that yet sunk not under these afflictions and rent his mantle and shaved his head c. And this he did partly that he might moderately bewail these afflictions and specially the death of his children and partly thereby to testify his deep humiliation under the hand of God with repentance for all his sins to which some adde also that he did it out of detestation of those blasphemous temptations which Satan at this time did suggest to him As for these outward rites of rending their garments and shaving their heads which they used in those times and countries for the first see the note Gen. 37.29 and for the second the shaving of the head that this also was used in times of great affliction and sorrow of mind is evident in those places Isa 22.12 In that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping and to mourning and to baldnesse and Ier. 7.29 Cut off thine hair O Ierusalem and cast it away and take up a lamentation And then doubtlesse it was used to signify that their condition was such that they had good cause to lay by all ornaments whatsoever hair being given for comelinesse and ornament Vers 21. Naked came I out of my mothers womb and naked shall I return thither Some expositours conceive that the word thither in this clause is not used in reference to his mothers womb but in reference to the earth and that because when he spake these words by way of adoration he cast or bowed down his body to the earth as it is in the former verse Others conceive it is the earth which Iob here calls his mothers womb and that because the earth is the common mother of us all since out of it in Adam we were all taken Gen. 2.19 But last of all others and with better reason acknowledge that Iob means indeed his mothers womb in the first clause and then in the next clause adds that he shall naked return thither only in reference to a returning to an estate like that of his mothers womb to wit that as there he was shut up naked in the streights and darknesse of earth so David calls his mothers womb Psal 139.15 I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth waiting thence to be delivered in due time so he should be again shut up naked in the bowels of the earth the grave as seed sown in the ground waiting for a resurrection to a better life However the drift of these words was doubtlesse to shew that if God should strip him of all he enjoyed he should have no cause to complain both because he brought not these things into the world with him God had given them and might when he pleased take them away and because they were given as temporall blessings which he could not hope alwaies to enjoy but must part with them at the time of his death For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out 1 Tim. 6.7 Vers 21. Blessed be the name of the Lord. So far was Satan disappointed of his hopes that in stead of cursing God Iob blessed him both for suffering him to enjoy his good blessings so long and for his present afflictions wherein he knew the Lord might shew his goodnesse and mercy to him as well as in his former bounty and this doubtlesse did more deeply wound Satan then all Iobs afflictions had wounded him Vers 22. In all this Iob sinned not That is in all this that Iob spake and did there was not any thing that was materially sinfull No man can do any one act that is purely pure free from the least stain or tincture of sin Who can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean chap. 14.4 But there is a great deal of difference between a sinfull action and sin in an action Satan had said that Iob would curse God but when it came to proof there was no such thing he neither spake nor did any thing that was materially evil CHAP. II. Vers 1. AGain there was a day c. See chap. â— vers 6. How long it was after those former losses ere God gave Satan liberty to afflict him in his body we cannot say only it is probable that there was such a distance of time between these two afflictions as might serve for a full discovery of Iobs Spirit under the first Vers 2. From going to and fro in the earth See chap. 1. vers 7 Vers 3. Hast thou considered my servant Iob See chap. 1. vers 8. And still he holdeth fast his integrity This is added to imply that God is in a speciall manner glorified and Satan confounded by the Saints perseverance in piety in the time of affliction for hence the Lord is here set forth as it were triumphing in this
these judgements which God hath laid upon thee dost thou still maintain thy self to be sincere and upright Being brought so low at the very point of death wilt thou still deny thy hypocrisie Take heed by acknowledging thy hypocrisie blesse God give glory to God and so die or curse God and die that is thou hadst as good discover by a desperate blasphemy at last what thou hast formerly been that so dying it may be seen that God hath dealt justly with thee in all that he hath laid upon thee But because in the third verse this phrase of retaining his integrity is used concerning Iob in a way of commendation the more ordinary exposition of these words I take to be the best which is this Dost thou still retain thine integrity That is after all these calamities and vain patience dost thou yet retain thy integrity alas what doth it profit you to what end do you still hope in God and pray to him and blesse him He still as a persecuting enemy pours out his wrath more and more upon you rather therefore curse God and die where by cursing God is meant as before chap. 1.11 whatever might tend to Gods reproach and this his wife like an infernall fury adviseth him to either as intimating that he had as good die cursing of God as blessing him since thereby he should at least satisfie his grieved and afflicted spirit or else as prescribing this as a means to put an end to all his insufferable miseries to wit by provoking God with his blasphemy to kill him outright Vers 10. But he said unto her Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh As if he should have said Thou dost not now wife speak like thy self this had not wont to be thy language even those women that are most silly and foolish most profane and irreligious most desperately violent in their passions could not speak more Atheistically and wickedly then thou hast now spoken more indeed like those idolatrous women that use to revile their sencelesse Gods then like a woman who had been instructed in the knowledge of the true ever living God and one that had hitherto carried her self as one that feared him Shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil These words imply many reasons why it is fit that men should patiently endure those many afflictions that sometimes fall upon them 1. Because it is not fit that wretched man should bind God to his will and prescribe him what he should do to wit that he should still lade him with his blessings and never intermix any sorrows with them 2. Because the many blessings which he hath bestowed upon us far surpassing the evils he inflicts may well bind us by way of thankfulnesse to be content that he should exercise his dominion over us and afflict us when he seeth cause without any murmuring against him 3. Because the good he doth for us proves him a loving father and therefore should assure us that even in the evil he inflicts he seeks our advantage The cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it saith Christ Iohn 18.11 and so Heb. 12.9 We have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the father of spirits and live In all this did not Iob sin with his lips That is not so much as with speaking a hasty and impatient word which was indeed a high degree of patience Iames 3.2 If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole body See the note chap. 1.22 Vers 11. Now when Iobs three friends heard c. That is his three speciall choice and most intimate friends to wit Eliphaz who is called the Temanite either because he was of the stock of Teman the son of Eliphaz the son of Esau Gen. 36.11 or else because he was of the land of Teman mentioned Ier. 49.7 and Bildad who is called the Shuhite perhaps because he was of the stock of Shuah the son of Abraham by Keturah Gen. 25.2 perhaps of some country or city so called and Zophar the Naamathite so called also for some such like reason it may be from the city Naamah Iosh 15.41 As for Elihu of whom mention is made chap. 32.2 he came not it seems with these his three friends but standing by as perhaps many others did and hearing their conference he brake out also and spake his mind It is said by some that these men were Kings but no such thing do we find in the Scripture Men they were doubtlesse of eminent learning and piety as by their discourse with Iob doth every where appear yea such to whom the Lord used to appear in dreams and visions Now a thing was secretly brought to me saith Eliphaz chap. 4.12 13. and mine ear received a little thereof in thoughts from the visions of the night as likewise men of great years and experience whence is that of Elihu concerning these men chap. 32.6 7. I am young and ye are very old I said Daies should speak and multitude of years should teach wisdome and Iobs faithfull friends doubtlesse they were and in their love to him came now to visit him and spake all they said to him out of a sincere desire of his good though they erred fouly in judging of his cause All which made the harsh censures which afterward they passed upon him the more bitter and grievous to be born For they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him to wit because it is a kind of ease to an afflicted man to see that others pity him and compassionate his case neither can words of comfort be acceptable unlesse they come from those of whom he is perswaded that they have a fellow-feeling of his sorrows Vers 12. And sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven It seems there were two severall waies of sprinkling dust sometimes they did barely sprinkle it upon their heads concerning which see the Notes Iosh 7.6 but sometimes again they took the dust and threw it up into the air so letting it fall back upon their heads for so we read also of the Iews that were enraged at Pauls preaching Acts 22.23 They cryed out and casting off their cloths threw dust into the aire and this circumstance of their throwing the dust toward heaven might signifie either that it was a day of grievous darknesse and affliction that was come upon them yea a day of dismall confusion wherein things were turned upside down and earth and aire as it were mingled together or else that the spectacle they beheld was such that they might well wish the heavens were overclouded with darknesse that they might not behold it Vers 13. So they sat down with him upon the ground seven daies and seven nights That is say some Expositours many daies and many nights
Leviathan Vers 9. Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark c. The stars are a great ornament to the heaven like so many spangles or Oes of gold set in the Canopy of heaven they are also a great delight and comfort in the night and of speciall use for the direction of sea-men and others To expresse therefore what cause he had to be troubled that ever he was conceived Iob here wisheth the night of his conception might not have a star shining in it that it might have no mixture of lightâ— no not in the twilight of the evening nor in the dawning of the morning called here in the Hebrew the eye-lids of the morning because the beams of the Sun the eye of the world do then first discover themselves but desireth that rather it might be a perpetuall night then that any mixture of light by the approach of the morning should any whit abate the terrour of its darknesse Let it look for light but have none which expression is used as an aggravation of the nights darknesse that there should be a long expectation of light and then at last their expectation should be frustrate Vers 10. Because it shut not up the dores of my mothers womb nor hid sorrow from mine eyes To wit either that I might not have been conceived or at least that I had not been born and so might never have seen those sorrows that now I have lived to see for here Iob begins to render the reason why he had cursed both the day of his birth and the night of his conception and therefore this may be referred to both Vers 12. Why did the knees prevent me c. That is why did the midwife so carefully prevent my falling upon the earth by receiving me so charily into her lap that I might be afterward washed and swadled and nursed up why did she not rather suffer me to fall from the womb to the earth where I might have lyen and perished presently and it may well be which some think that in these expressions Iob alludes to that execrable custome used in those times by unnaturall parents who were wont to cast out their children assoon as they were born and there to leave them upon the cold earth naked and helplesse whereto the holy Ghost also seems to have respect in that remarkable place Ezek. 16 3 4 5. Thy father was an Amorite and thy mother an Hittite and as for thy nativity in the day thou wast born thy navell was not cut neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee thou wast not salted at all nor swadled at all none eye pitied thee to do any of these unto thee to have compassion upon thee but thou wast cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy person in the day that thou wast born Vers 13. For now should I have lyen still and been quiet c. It is evident that Iob speaks here only of the rest of the body in the grave and the freedome which death brings from all worldly troubles and sorrows whatsoever for he speaks of the rest which befalls all men after death the bad as well as the good the wicked oppressours as well as the poor that are oppressed by them as is evident vers 17. c. There the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary be at rest But since Iob knew well enough doubtlesse and did certainly believe that when the bodies of men are laid in the graue yet their souls then passe to greater pains and miseries unlesse they be of Gods elect to whom through Christs merits an entrance is given to heaven and everlasting glory why doth Iob here make no mention of this but only speak of the rest of mens carcases in the grave as if he believed not the immortality of the soul nor put any difference betwixt the wicked and the righteous after death surely because 1. He had a kind of secret assurance concerning the blisse of his soul after death and so made no mention of that and 2. Because through the vehement perturbations of his mind at present and the violence of his passions by reason of the extremity of his sufferings he only now minded as it were and thought upon the happinesse of those that were at quiet in their graves and the thought of a second life and the resurrection of mens bodies to shame or glory they lye for the present as forgotten buried under the rubbish of his confused passions as Moses when he saw the people of God like to be cut off by the revenging hand of Gods justice did in a manner forget what he knew well enough the immutability of Gods decree and was only carried with the vehemency of his affections to the people of God and his earnest desire of Gods glory when he wished Exod 32.32 that he would forgive the people their sin or else blot him out of the book of life Vers 14. With Kings and counsellours of the earth which build desolate places for themselves That is had I died immediately either in the womb or so soon as ever I was born besides that I should have escaped all the miseries I have now suffered in the grave I should have been not one jot in a worse condition then the greatest Kings and Nobles are when they come to die for all the great pomp and pleasure they have lived in before and the great pomp of their sepulchers when they are dead for by Kings and counsellers which built desolate places for themselves are meant here the most glorious the mightiest Princes of the world that by reason of their great power and riches sought to perpetuate the memory of their name by building desolate places that is either 1. by erecting huge and stately tombes and monuments as memorialls of their buriall in those places such as were the Egyptians Pyramids c. which are called desolate places not only because the dead bodies buried there are left as it were forsaken of all friends in a desolate condition but also because such monuments were built usually not in towns and cities but abroad in the fields in solitary and unfrequented places whence is that of the prophet Ezek. 26.20 where foreshewing the destruction of Tyre he speaks as in the name of the Lord thus When I shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit with the people of old time and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth in places desolate of old c. or 2. by rebuilding what their ancestours durst not attempt great houses or cities formerly ruined that had been a long time wast places as the Prophet calls them Isa 58.12 whereof there had been nothing but the foundations left for many generations or rather 3. by building in places formerly desolate wherein haply one would wonder how such buildings could be raised either great cities or stately houses for themselves to dwell in and that of such a huge
of my cause yet more exactly Vers 30. Is there iniquity in my tongue cannot my tast discern perverse things That is do I or have I spoken that which is unjust am I not able to judge what is true and what is false what is just and what is unjust or observing what I shall farther now say you shall find that I will not utter any thing false or unjust and that I am able to judge of things and that I have not spoken a misse in defending my innocency as you think I have done CHAP. VII Vers 1. IS there not an appointed time to man upon earth c. Some read the first clause of this verse Is there not a warfare to man upon earth and accordingly conceive that mans life is by Iob here compared to a warfare both because as souldiers are continually exposed to variety of dangers and all kind of hard labour and sorrows hunger and thirst and heat and cold and watching and wearisome travels c. So is man in this life subject to all kind of miseries and likewise as souldiers are hired but for a time and then receive their pay and at length are discharged so is it with men there is a time to wit the hour of death when they are discharged from all the miseries of this life But the best translation I conceive is that in our Text Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth for that best agreeth with the second clause are not his daies also like the daies of an hireling However the meaning of the words is evident for Iob here returns as he had desired his friends they might do vers 29. of the former chapter to a review of his estate and undertakes to make it manifest to them that it was not such an heinous offence as they would make it that he had wished for death and desired that God would cut him off considering the grievous misery that he endured to which end in the first place he here wisheth them to consider that there is an appointed time for man upon earth and that his daies also are like the daies of an hireling that is as the hired servant is hired but for a certain time and so though he endures much hard labour during the time of his service yet that time being run out then there is an end and he takes his rest so is it with man God hath allotted him a set time for his daies upon earth which are indeed few and full of labour and sorrow like the daies of an hireling but then death brings rest so from thence afterwards concluding that it was no more strange that he should desire death especially if the unusuall miseries that he underwent were all weighed then that an hireling should desire an end of his hard service c. Vers 2. As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow That is the night and indeed as in all places the rest and cool of the night is most welcome to the weary labourer so especially in those hot countries where they must needs by day be scorched with the scalding heat of the Sun Vers 3. So am I made to possesse moneths of vanity c. That is in such a sad and wearisome condition panting and longing after some ease and rest do I spend my daies only it is worse with me then it is with the servant and hireling for he when he hath wrought all day receives his wages at night and then can lie down quietly and take his rest but I am in misery whole moneths together and when the night comes that is as laborious and troublesome to me as the day is and that is all the wages and the reward I have for the misery I undergoe and therefore well may I desire the shadow of death as the labouring servant doth the shadow of the night as knowing in this life rest I shall find none By moneths of vanity are meant moneths of restlesse misery wherein he enjoyed no comfort nothing of the good and rest he expected but mere vanity and vexation of spirit and when he saith he was made to possesse these moneths of vanity his meaning is that these sad times and sore afflictions were certainly and unavoidably imposed upon him by the hand of God and lay upon him continually without intermission in which regard he had cause enough to desire he might die and be rid of these miseries Vers 5. My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust c. This he mentioned to shew the strangenesse of his misery and so why he thought the time of his life so tedious and irksome to wit that his flesh was clothed that is covered all over from head to foot as with a garment with worms and clods of dust where by worms are meant either lice or very worms which do sometimes breed in the corruption that distils out of sores and ulcers when they are not constantly washed and kept clean and by clods of dust are meant either the very clods of dust which whilst he lay tumbling on the ground did cleave to his ulcerous body or rather the very dry scabs of his sores which were like clods of dust or the scurf wherewith when he had clawed his scabs his flesh was overspread and that his skin was broken to wit chapped with extreme drynesse or broken with ulcers and so with the filth and corrupt matter that issued thence very loathsome Vers 6. My daies are swifter then a weavers shuttle and are spent without hope That is my life is suddenly spent in a manner and gone without hope of recovery And this Iob adds to prevent an objection which his friends had indeed harped upon chap. 5.18 c. to wit that if he would repent and turn to God as he ought to doe God would put an end to all his miseries and prolong his daies No saith he there is no hope of that I may plainly see that my end is at hand and why should I then wish for any thing but the hastening of my death to put an end to my miseries Vers 7. O remember that my life is wind Iob having as he thought cleared it sufficiently that a man in misery might as well long for death and desire it as the hireling may desire the night for rest c. especially being in such a condition as he was without hope of seeing any other end of his misery but only death he turns here his speech to God and desires him to remember that his life was but a blast of wind that is suddenly gone without hope of recovery as the Psalmist also expresseth it Psal 78.39 he remembred that they were but flesh a wind that passeth away and cometh not again intending thereby that his desire was that since he was in such a hopelesse condition the Lord would therefore not let his hand be so heavy upon him but suddenly cut him off and so put a period to his sorrows Mine eye shall no
a hand of God herein it is by the decree and appointment and providence of God that the one attempts to deceive and that the other is deceived by him At this and such like truths naturally men are ready to startle questioning how it can stand with the justice and holinesse of God that he should have any hand in the ordering of such things as this and yet we see the Scripture doth often expressely affirm it as Ezek. 14.9 If the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing I the Lord have deceived that prophet and 2 Thess 2.11 God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie To prevent therefore mens cavilling at such truths as this this clause is here prefixed again with him is strength and wisedome intimating that even these things could not be done without the concurrence of Gods almighty and all-ruling power and that all that he doth he doth with great wisedome though we cannot comprehend how it should be Vers 17. He leadeth counsellers away spoyled and maketh the judges fools The meaning of these words is plainly this that God many times makes fools of the wisest of men such as are counsellers and judges who are usually esteemed the great Oracles of wisedome in the severall places and times wherein they live according to that prayer of David when he heard that Ahithophel that great Politician sided with his son Absalom 2 Sam. 15.31 O Lord I pray thee turn the counsell of Ahithophel into foolishnesse to wit either by a reall depriving them of their wisedome and understanding and in that sense some Expositours conceive that they are here said to be spoyled that is stripped of those abilities of mind which formerly they had or else by infatuating them so that they speak and doe those things which one would think none but fools or mad men should speak or doe or else by crossing them so in all their subtile plots and devices that all their wisedome prooves no better then folly indeed thus some understand the word spoyled in the first clause namely that he causeth counsellers notwithstanding their great wisedome to be carried into captivity spoyled and stripped of all their riches and dignity and power whence it is that the vanquishing and captivity of Egypt is expressed thus Esa 19.11 13. Surely the Princes of Zoan are fools the counsell of the wise counsellers of Pharaoh is become bruitish However because God is manifested by his vanquishing and ruining the great Politicians of the world especially when they proudly opposed him and his kingdome it may well be said that he leads them away spoyled as Princes are wont to doe those they have vanquished in a way of tryumph Vers 18. He loseth the bond of kings and girdeth their loins with a girdle Three severall wayes this may be understood to wit 1. That when kings are in bonds the Lord many times freeth them from their captivity and bondage as he did Manasseh 2 Chron. 33.13 and restores them to the Regall dignity again for the girdle about the loines is sometimes mentioned in the Scripture as an ornament of princes and therefore in allusion thereto it is said of Christ Isa 11.5 Righteousnesse shall be the girdle of his loins and faithfulnesse the girdle of his reins See Ier. 13.1 c. or 2. That he many times degradeth kings and deposeth them from the Regall state for by the bond of kings may be meant the Regall or military Belt wherewith they are girded and so the loosing thereof may well signifie their being deprived of their Sovereignty and that they are brought to the mean condition of other ordinary men he girdeth their loins with a girdle or 3. which I like the best that he often sets subjects free from the bondage of kings for by the bond of kings may be meant that authority and power whereby the people are held as bond-slaves in subjection to them and then bringeth those kings to be themselves in a very low and mean yea a servile and captivated condition for because in the Eastern countries where they wore long garments in all preparations for travell or labour they used to gird themselves therefore girding with a girdle is often mentioned in the Scripture as the posture and habit of servants according to that of the Lord to his servant Luke 17.8 Make ready wherewith I may sup and gird thy self and serve me and so also Luk. 12.37 Vers 20. He remooveth away the speech of the trusty By the trusty understand men of sure credit men of such sufficiency and faithfulnesse for instruction or advice that princes and others may safely rest and rely upon them men actually trusted or worthy to be trusted with publick affairs and it is said that God remooveth away the speech of such trusty men either when he takes away such men and perhaps sends in their room either flatterers or fools according to that Isa 3.1 2 3. For behold the Lord the Lord of hosts doth take away from Ierusalem and from Iudah The judge and the prophet and the prudent and the ancient c. or else when such as were trusty before become weak or faithlesse and so are unable to instruct or advise or else teach falsehoods or give ill counsell or when he causeth men not to give any credit to their advice which he often doth in a way of punishment for the sins of a people Vers 21. He poureth contempt upon Princes and weakneth the strength of the mighty To wit either by depriving them of their strength or by crossing them so in all their enterprises that they are as men that have no power to effect any thing they go about This last clause is in the Originall and looseth the girdle of the strong for because girding causeth strength and men are the more steady and nimble when their armour or garments are girt close about them especially in those countries where they wore long garments hence this phrase of loosening the girdle of the strong is used for making the strong weak or opposing them so that they are not able to doe what they endeavour but are as men that are clogged and hampered with their long loose garments Vers 22. He discovereth deep things out of darknesse and bringeth out to light the shadow of death Some referre this to Gods revealing to his prophets the interpretation of dreams and visions and discovering things that should long after come to passe others to his bringing to light the most hidden things which seemed to be buried in perpetuall darknesse such as are the secret plots and conspiracies of enemies which may also be called the shadow of death because the dangers thereof are terrible and horrible as death yea some referre it to Gods rending asunder the earth with earth-quakes whereby those inward depths of the earth are discovered which otherwise would never have been seen But doubtlesse the meaning of the words is generall to wit that there is nothing so
starved to death for want of food Vers 14. His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle c. That is say some Expositours out of his body his bodily strength whereon he trusted shall be utterly destroyed Or every thing wherein he placed any confidence shall be utterly rooted out of his dwelling place namely his riches children c. and it shall bring him to the king of terrours that is this rooting his confidence out of his tabernacle or his broken confidence the despair he shall fall into upon the rooting out of his confidence shall bring him to the chiefest and greatest of all terrours or to death which is indeed to a naturall man the most terrible of all terribles as a heathen could say and so consequently also to the devil who in regard of the terrours wherewith he at last affrights those wicked men whom at first by his flattering temptations he drew into sin and in regard of those eternall torments wherewith he shall torment them may well be called the king of terrours Vers 15. It shall dwell in his tabernacle because it is none of his c. That is the king of terrours mentioned in the foregoing words Or rather destruction misery and want whereof he had spoken before vers 12. shall dwell in his tabernacle As in reference thereto he had said before vers 13. It shall devour the strength of his skin so in reference thereto again he saith here It shall dwell in his tabernacle because it is none of his that is Destruction shall take possession of his dwelling place because he got it by unjust means and so indeed in right it is none of his As for the following clause brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation the meaning of it is either 1. That God should utterly burn up his dwelling place to wit either with storms of thunder and lightning from heaven which is of a sulphureous nature as by the savour thereof may be sometimes discerned or with very showers of fire and brimstone or 2. That God should make the place of his habitation barren and desolate salt and brimstone being usually esteemed signes and causes of barrennesse in a land according to that Deut. 29.23 The whole land thereof is brimstone and salt and burning that it is not sown nor beareth nor any grasse groweth therein this may seem the more probable because of the word scattered which is here used brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation or 3. That God should destroy him and his with some strange and horrible judgement as once he did Sodome and Gomorrha for thus as in allusion to that the Scripture is wont to expresse unusuall and stupendious judgements as Psal 11.6 upon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and a horrible tempest and so again Ezek. 38.22 and that Bildad did allude to that destruction of Sodome and Gomorrha we may the rather think because Iob and these his friends dwelt not farre from those parts and lived not long after the time when those cities were destroyed so that the memory of that judgement must needs be fresh amongst them And yet withall it is likely that he did covertly also put Iob in mind how his cattel and servants were consumed with fire from heaven chap. 1.16 Vers 16. His roots shall be dryed up beneath and above shall his branch be cut off This may be inferred as an effect of that which he had said before brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation to wit if that be understood of the barrennesse of the land wherein he dwelt But I conceive the plain meaning of these words to be this that he shall utterly be destroyed root and branch he and all that belongs to him according to that Mal. 4.1 All that doe wickedly shall be stubble the day comes that shall burn them up saith the Lord of hosts it shall leave them neither root nor branch for the wicked man is here compared to a blasted tree as before chap. 15.30 of which see the Note there Vers 18. He shall be driven from light into darknesse c. Herein may be comprehended that by the miseries that God shall bring upon him he shall be violently turned out of a prosperous condition into an estate of dismall and dolefull distresse and dishonour and sorrow but yet doubtlesse the chief thing intended herein is that he should be at last also driven from the light of this world into the land of darknesse the grave yea into that utter darknesse of hell for therefore to explain these words is that following clause added of being chased out of the world Vers 19. He shall neither have son nor nephew c. That is he shall leave no posterity behind him neither son nor sons son wherein he plainly strikes at Iob that had lost all his children Vers 20. They that come after him shall he astonied at his day as they that went before were affrighted At his day that is the day of his destruction that observable day when God shall at length render to the wicked man according to his works according to that Psal 137.7 Remember O Lord the children of Edom in the day of Ierusalem and Psal 37.13 The Lord shall laugh at him for he seeth that his day is coming The meaning therefore of these words is that the judgement of God upon the wicked man shall be so grievous and fearfull and thereupon so notorious that it should be famous in succeeding times and the very report of it should astonish those that live then though they never saw it even as it did affright those that went before or that lived with him who were eye-witnesses of the vengeance that was inflicted on him Vers 21. Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked and this is the place of him that knoweth not God That is of every ungodly man concerning which see the Note 1 Sam. 2.12 It is as if he had said Certainly as sure as God is just this is and this will be at last the portion of all wicked men and hypocrites that do not truly fear God to this their stately dwellings shall at last be brought and to this all their great wealth and pomp shall come and therefore do not deceive thy self Iob by thy present condition it is evident what thou hast been and if thou wilt not hearken to thy friends to repent and turn unto the Lord thus as all other wicked men doe thou must expect to end thy daies CHAP. XIX Vers 2. HOw long will ye vex my soul and break me in pieces with words Because Bildad began his Reply with that disdainfull expostulation How long will it be ere you make an end of words chap. 18.2 Iob addressing himself here to answer him begins after the same manner and retorts the expostulation upon him and his other two friends Nay saith he How long will ye vex my soul and break me in pieces with words therein giving them to
at the latter day upon the earth Some of our best Expositours as Calvin Mercer and others understand this merely of Gods delivering Iob out of that sad and forlorn condition wherein he now lay to wit that he knew that however he was little better at present then as a man that is dead and buried yet he had a Redeemer that should rescue him at length out of this condition even the ever-living God who is the first and the last Esa 48.12 and therefore shall be after all men are vanished and gone and shall shew forth his power in the quickening and reviving of poor men dust and ashes even when they are fallen into the lowest and most desperate estate and condition And indeed it cannot be denied 1. That God is many times called our Redeemer in the Scripture as Esa 63.16 Thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer 2. That an estate of extreme misery and affliction is often expressed in the Scripture by that of death men in such a condition are often spoken of as dead men yea as men that are buried and turned into dust and that to imply that such a condition is to men as bitter as death that it bereaves them of all the comforts of this life and is past all hope of recovery I was saith the Apostle 2. Cor. 11.23 in deaths oft And so Psal 88.4 5. I am counted with them that goe down into the pit free among the dead and Psal 22.15 Thou hast brought me saith David into the dust of death and 3. That the deliverance of such men out of such an extreme low and forlorn condition is often tearmed a quickning and a reviving and a raising of them up from the dead as Psal 71.20 Thou which hast shewed me great and sore troubles shalt quicken me again and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth and Isa 26.19 speaking of the bringing home of the Iews out of Babylon Thy dead men saith the Prophet shall live together with my dead body shall they arise awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust See also Psal 85.6 and Hos 6.2 But yet 1. Because Iob had hitherto disclaimed all hope of being delivered out of that forlorn condition wherein he lay and of being restored to any estate of prosperity and happinesse again though his friends had often assured him that if he would repent it would be so affirming that his hope was gone and that he was in a worse condition then a tree that is cut down of which there is hope that it may sprout again See chap. 16.22 and 17.1 11 13 c. and therefore it is no way probable that he should be now on a sudden raised to such a height of hope concerning Gods raising him to such a prosperous condition contrary to all his former discourses and 2. Because there are some passages in the following verses which cannot well be understood of a resurrection of his outward estate as that it is spoken of as a strange thing that he should see his Redeemer with the same eyes that he had then and some other of the like nature therefore I say if we joyntly consider of that which is said here with that which follows in the two next verses I cannot see how it can be otherwise understood then of Christ the promised Redeemer who indeed is most properly tearmed our Goel as it is in the originall our Redeemer it is the same word that is used Levit. 25.25 for the next kinsman that was to redeem the estate of his decayed brother of which see the Note there and that because he taking our nature upon him became as it were our near kinsman our brother Heb. 2.11 flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone So that I conceive the drift of Iob in these words was by this profession of his faith to prove that notwithstanding his sufferings and miseries were so grievous as he had now acknowledged yet he was farre from being a wicked man and an hypocrite as they had charged him to be I know saith he that my Redeemer liveth that is I that am so severely condemned by you and am now in such a miserable condition even I do certainly believe that there is a Redeemer to come that he is my Redeemer for there is much emphasis in that word my and that he lives as being the ever-living God the first and the last yea the fountain of life to all that shall believe in him and so shall one day redeem my person from destruction and maintain my cause against all those false aspersions you now cast upon me And then for the last clause and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth either it is meant of the second coming of Christ to judgement to wit that he should then appear upon earth and that as a conquerour trampling upon the grave as a conquer'd enemy and raising all flesh by his almighty command out of the dust yea and as a judge appearing in his glory to passe sentence upon all both quick and dead or else which some rather think and it seems very probable it is meant of his first coming as the following words in the next verses are meant of his second coming to wit that in the latter daies that is in the daies of the New Testament this his Redeemer should be made man and in mans nature should live and dwell upon the earth and being there slain should rise again and stand again upon the earth tryumphantly and so should as the Redeemer of his people vanquish death and accomplish the work of mans redemption And indeed that the daies of the Gospel from the time of Christs incarnation to the end of the world are frequently called in the Scripture the latter daies or the last daies cannot be questioned see Isa 2.2 Hos 3.5 1 Tim. 4.1 2 Tim. 3.1 of which two reasons are usually given to wit 1. Because all was then accomplished which had been prophesied concerning the work of mans Redemption that was the perfection of all times or as the Apostle calls it Gal. 4.4 the fulnesse of time and 2. Because the whole time of the worlds continuance being divided into three great Periods the 1. From the creation to the Law the 2. From the Law to Christs Incarnation the 3. From that to the day of Iudgement this which contains all the daies of the Gospel is the last of the three But however very observable it is which some Expositours have noted to wit that Iob was so strengthened and cheared up with the consideration of this which here he saith concerning the hope he had in his Redeemer and concerning the resurrection of his body and the blisse he should then enjoy that after this we meet not with any word he spake arguing any such fainting and impatience of spirit as many which before this came from him Vers 26. And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my
know their tokens that is do ye not understand that their present prosperity riches and honours are sure tokens that there is wrath that abides them hereafter But I prefer the former Exposition Vers 30. That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction c. This is that which Iob saith they might learn of them that goe by the way to wit that wicked men are many times not punished but even when judgements fall upon others they escape as being reserved to the day of destruction that shall yet at last come upon them Vers 31. Who shall declare his way to his face and who shall repay him what he hath done Some Expositours understand these words as spoken of God Who shall declare the way of God to his face c. Because concerning that which was said in the foregoing verse that the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction c. some might argue in their minds why this should be so as judging it a strange thing in the way of Gods proceedings that God should so long spare wicked men and let them flourish and prosper when he meant to destroy them at last and why he should not rather cut them off immediately without any such delaies therefore by way of preventing these secret cavils that might arise in mens minds these words are added who shall declare his way to his face that is when God deals thus with wicked men forbearing them for a while who shall challenge God for this and boldly argue the matter with him demanding a reason of him why he doth so who shall repay him what he hath done that is who shall retort that upon God which he hath done or who shall reply upon him for this where is the man that dares be so bold as to doe this And thus they would make these words to be parallel with those other passages chap. 9.12 Behold he taketh away who can hinder him who shall say to him what doest thou and chap. 23.13 But he is in one mind and who can turn him what his soul desireth even that he doth and vers 22 of this chapter Shall any teach God knowledge seeing he judgeth those that are high Thus I say some understand these words of God But questionlesse they are rather spoken of the wicked man who shall declare his way to his face As if he should have said So farre a while doth the wicked man seem to be from bearing the just reward of his wickednesse that no man dares declare his way to his face that is no man dares to his face tell him of his faults or no man dares shew him whether his wicked courses will at length bring him and much lesse dares any man appear as a witnesse to accuse him or as a judge to condemn him and so to repay him what he hath done that is punish him for his wickednesse Vers 32. Yet shall he be brought to the grave and remain in the tomb I find the opinion of Expositours very different concerning the dependance of these words upon that which went before They that take these words to be a part of those injurious thoughts which Iob tells his friends they harboured in their hearts concerning him as is noted before vers 29. understand them as inferred upon the foregoing verse thus Though no man dares meddle with him yet God shall bring down his pride by his judgements and so shall lay him in the grave and then they say these words and remain in the tomb are added to imply that then he is quite cut off from ever returning to that pomp plenty wherein he had formerly lived in the world But now they that take these words to be spoken by Job as in his own person understand them otherwise even as a farther declaration of the wicked mans prosperous condition to wit that though he exalts himself so in his pride that no man dares tell him of any thing he doth amisse or though he be above the reach of man to controll or punish him as was said in the foregoing verse yet doth not God take him in hand but he shall be brought to the grave that is dying not a violent but a naturall death he shall be carried to his grave with great magnificence pomp and state and so shall have an honourable and solemn buriall and shall remain in the tomb to wit free from all fear of any the miseries which here in this world others undergoe This last clause and shall remain in the tomb is translated by some according to the strict letter of the originall Hebrew which is put into the margin of our Bibles and shall watch in the heap And if we should so read it we must know that this expression might be used in reference either to the dead bodies of great men which being set upright in vaults and being so embalmed and spiced that they were kept from putrifaction as it was the custome in those times seemed as it were to be living men and looked as if they stood to keep continuall watch in that place or else to those statues and Representations of the dead which were placed upon their tombs or set up in presses near to their tombs as we see the use is also in our times which being as farre as art could reach made to the life had also the appearance of watchmen that were set to watch in those heaps Vers 33. The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him c. They that take these words still to be a part of the injurious thoughts of Iobs friends against him do accordingly understand them thus That the wrath of God should lye so heavy upon him that death should be most welcome to him or that he should then be glad to lye in a slimy pit to wit the grave that was formerly scarce content with a princely palace and the reason why he expresseth the grave by these words the clods of the valley is because their burying-places in those times were usually in the lowest dales and valleys But I rather conceive that these words are still a continuation of Jobs reply to the injurious thoughts of his friends and then this phrase the clods of the valley are sweet to him do only imply either his continuance for ever there for it is an argument that we take much sweet delight and content in a place when we stay long in it or else that there he sleeps quietly and sweetly as it were free from all cares and feares and from all danger of worldly troubles and sorrows And as for the following words and every man shall draw after him as there are innumerable before him they are added to imply that his death cannot be reckoned as an effect of Gods wrath upon him since herein he goes the way of all flesh all men living the righteous as well as the wicked either have gone or shall goe this way And this expression And every man shall draw after him
or woods which so soon as the fruits are fully ripe and gathered and the keeper gone are quickly broken down and burnt up by the poor or fall down of themselves and if it be meant of those that keep cattel their booths or tents seldome stand so long because they so often remove to seek for fresh pasture Vers 19. The rich man shall lye down but he shall not be gathered c. That is He shall die as others but he shall not be buried as others at least not with the solemnity of friends attending him to his grave For that by being gathered is meant buried we may see in many other places as where it is said of Aaron Numb 20.26 he shall be gathered and shall die there and of Josiah 2 Kings 22.20 I will gather thee unto thy fathers and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave and of the Jews Jer. 8.2 they shall not be gathered neither buried they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth And hereto agrees also the following clause he openeth his eyes and he is not for though because this is mentioned after his death and buriall therefore some Expositours understand it of the wicked mans soul after it is parted from his body to wit that he then sees with the eyes of his mind that he is cut off from the land of the living yet I think we may better take it as a farther amplification of that which was said already in the foregoing clause he openeth his eyes and he is not that is whilst he is looking about him and beholding with much joy the riches he hath stored up for many years in an instant he is gone or thus He openeth his eyes lying on his death-bed looking about for help ease or comfort but in stead thereof he perceives himself a dead man ready to be taken from all his comforts or thus Being yet in his former condition in the twinckling of an eye he is taken away Vers 20. Terrours take hold on him as waters c. That is when God brings his judgements upon him and especially when he sees death approaching the terrours of an evil conscience yea many and manifold affrightments besides shall suddenly unexpectedly and unresistably surprise and overwhelm him as when an unexpected floud of waters breaks forth upon men and overwhelms them We have had formerly expressions much like to this concerning which see the Notes chap. 18.11 and 20.25 and 22.11 And doubtlesse of this affrighting evil must the following clause be understood a tempest stealeth him away in the night that is the wrath of God or some grievous judgement from God comes upon him with unresistable violence when he least thinks of it as it were in the night and carrieth him away to wit out of the world or out of that pompous condition wherein he lived Vers 21. The East wind carrieth him away c. This is also meant as the foregoing clause of the wrath or Judgements of God which are compared to the East wind because that wind in those Eastern countries used to be most violent and is therefore called the wind of the Lord Hos 13.15 Vers 22. For God shall cast upon him and not spare he would fain flee out of his hand That is God in this tempest of his wrath shall showre down Judgements upon him as thick as hail-stones without shewing him any more pity then he hath formerly shewn to others so that though he would fain flee from his vengeance yet he shall not be able Vers 23. Men shall clap their hands at him and shall hisse him out of his place To wit by way of wonder derision and scorn but especially by way of rejoycing that the world is rid of such an oppressing miscreant and that the just judgements of God are at last executed upon him for in these regards men are said to hisse and clap their hands in other places of Scripture as Lam. 2.15 All that passe by clap their hands at thee they hisse and wagge their head at the daughter of Ierusalem saying Is this the city that men call the perfection of beauty c. and so also Ezek. 25.6 and 1 Kings 9.8 CHAP. XXVIII Vers 1. SVrely there is a vein for the silver and a place for the gold where they fine it To wit which men by the naturall wisedome which God hath given them do search and find out for their use though they lye deep in the earth many times under hills and mountains and being so far out of sight and so hard to be discerned where they are one would wonder how they should be discovered The greatest difficulty is to know what it is that Job aims at in those words of his set down in this chapter and what dependance they have with that which went before Some conceive that Jobs drift here is to shew that though worldly men do gather all variety of earthly treasures yet the godly have a treasure above all these which is true wisedome consisting in the knowledge and fear of God vers 28. Others hold that Job labours to make out this that if God disposeth of all things with great wisedome and there is nothing done to any of the creatures without just reason much lesse can we think that God would punish man causelesly Others again say that having set down in the foregoing chapter the miserable end of those foolish men that sought by wickednesse to make themselves great here now he shews the reason why such men did not seek after true wisedome to wit because they knew not where it was to be had namely with God and so set their hearts merely upon earthly things But that which I find both most commonly and most probably held by Expositours concerning the scope of this chapter and the connection thereof with that which went before is this that having in the foregoing chapter yielded that God doth often bring ruine upon wicked men here in this world in the conclusion in this chapter now he undertakes to shew that yet notwithstanding the wisedome of God in many other strange dispensations of his Providence is altogether unsearchable as namely when he doth sometimes on the other side prosper the wicked and afflict the righteous thereby to prove that his friends were altogether vain as he had said chap. 27.12 in judging so peremptorily that he was wicked because of his afflictions as if there could not be in these proceedings of God with him a secret depth of wisedome which they were not able to dive into Only for the farther illustration of the unsearchablenesse of Gods wisedome first he shews here in the beginning of the chapter what deep secrets of Nature man by his wisedome hath searched out instancing in the finding out the melting and fining the severall minerals that lye deep and hidden in the bowels of the earth and then afterwards adds vers 12. that though the most hidden secrets of nature are thus found out by the wisedome of
compassion but that all was in vain Vers 21. Thou art become cruell to me That is whereas thou wert wont to deal graciously and bountifully with me now contrary to thine own disposition and thy former dealings with me thou seemest more then severe even cruell in that which thou doest unto me Job therefore doth not here charge God with cruelty but only affirms that his dealing with him carried the resemblance of cruelty in it to wit in that he laid his hand so exceedingly heavy upon him and took no pity of him when he saw him in such a sad condition nor regarded his submission and crying to him for mercy And indeed the Lord himself useth the same expression speaking of the severity he had used in the punishment of his own people Jer. 30.14 I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy with the chastisement of a cruell one for the multitude of thine iniquity Vers 22. Thou liftest me up to the wind thou causest me to ride upon it and dissolvest my substance Three severall waies these words may be understood to wit first that God had lifted him up to a great height of prosperity that afterwards his fall might be the greater even to the dissolving of his substance that is to his utter ruine and so he may allude to the lifting up of any thing on high as it were to the clouds that so falling from thence it might be dashed in pieces or to the winds carrying up of the clouds on high which then fall down in showres of rain and so come to nothing secondly that he was in the judgement of reason as it were absolutely lost and gone Thou liftest me up to the wind c. that is Thou dost suddenly and speedily snatch me away as with a whirlwind from amongst men and thou dissolvest my substance that is thou causest me to melt and wast away to nothing or thirdly that he sets forth in the first words the miserable restlesnesse of his condition to wit that he was so continually disquieted and distracted through pain and grief both in body and mind that he could be still in no place nor could ever find any rest in himself but was like a feather or stubble that is caught up by the wind then driven and whirled about sometimes one way and sometimes another insomuch that at last hereby his substance was dissolved that is his flesh was quite spent and wasted yea there was no soundnesse or solidity left either in body or mind and indeed some read the last clause as it is in the margin of our Bibles and dissolvest my wisedome and then the meaning must needs be that he was as a man that is moped void of understanding not knowing what course to take or which way to turn himself Vers 23. For I know that thou wilt bring me to death c. Some conceive that Jobs drift in these words is to intimate that since he must needs die ere long therefore in the mean time he desired that God would let him be at ease as we see the same alledged chap. 7.16 concerning which see the Notes there But I rather conceive that these words are added only to set forth that he looked upon himself as a dead man one of whose recovery there was no hope Vers 24. Howbeit he will not stretch forth his hand to the grave though they cry in his destruction Two Expositions are given of these words which are both very probable though they be indeed contrary one to the other in regard ones hand may be said to be stretched forth to another either for good or evil The one is this Howbeit he will not stretch forth his hand to the grave that is God will not save men from the grave when the time comes that he intends to bring them thither or when he hath brought them to the grave though they cry in his destruction that is though there be never such mourning and lamentation for their death or for their being in danger of dying or though they that are dying do never so piteously bewail their misery and do never so vehemently call upon God when he destroyes them as if he had said As I know I shall die so I know that being dead there is no hope of being raised from the grave thither all must come and there they must all lye till the generall resurrection The other Exposition is this Though they that is though men in that miserable condition that I am in cry in his destruction that is complain bitterly and cry out earnestly for ease and help when God is destroying them and thinks fit to make an end of them yet this is that which comforts me that howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave that is God will not afflict them any longer when they are in the grave And so I know it will be with me though now I cry out because of my misery whilst he is destroying me yet this comfort I have that my miseries will end with my life when I am laid in my grave whether I am hasting apace there he will no longer stretch forth his hand against me there we shall all be at rest And this Exposition I take to be most agreeable to the Context in this place Vers 25. Did not I weep for him that was in trouble c. This might be added to imply both that he could apprehend no reason why God had so sorely afflicted him and likewise that he could see no ground for that counsell his friends had given him to wit that he should addresse himself to doe that which was good in Gods sight and then God would again be favourable to him since this he had alwaies formerly done and yet these sad calamities had befallen him But that which I conceive Job meant chiefly to imply is that in regard he had been so compassionate to others it was the stranger to him that he in his miseries should neither find man nor God ready to pity him according to that former complaint vers 20. I cry unto thee and thou dost not hear me yet that so it was with him he shews in the following verse when I looked for good namely because I had been so ready to pity others then evil came unto me and when I waited for light there came darknesse Vers 27. My bowels boyled and rested not c. His meaning is that his inward parts were incessantly troubled within him partly with the burning heat of his disease and partly with the grief and vexation of his mind Some hold that Job proceeds here still to expresse how he was distressed for the distresse of others to wit that his bowels yearned over them that were in misery by means whereof he was continually afflicted for some or other But the first Exposition is most generally approved and indeed it best agrees with the following clause the dayes of affliction prevented me that is they came unexpectedly upon
speak for themselves yea perhaps sometimes when they contended with him too malapertly answering again which is a sin in servants Tit. 2.9 Now this was in Job the clearer proof both of his innocency and gentlenesse if to his servants much more to others because in those times their servants were usually perpetuall bond-slaves and both they and all that they had were so their masters that they might doe what they pleased to them even to the taking away of their lives and there was no calling them to an account for it Vers 14. What then shall I doe when God riseth up c. As if he should have said God is no respecter of persons he is farre more above me then I could be above my meanest servant and more power he hath over me to crush me then I could have over them to oppresse and crush them now therefore though man should never question me for this yet when God riseth up to wit to call me to an account and to punish me for dealing so harshly with my servant when he visiteth me namely at the time when he brings any great calamity upon me at the hour of death or at the day of judgement what then shall I doe that is how should I carry my self towards God I should not dare to look him in the face I should be afraid to appear in his presence at least I should not know what to answer him not being able any way to excuse myself nor knowing why God should hear me when I have formerly refused to hear my servants See Ephes 6.9 and Col. 4.1 Vers 15. Did not he that made me in the womb make him and did not one fashion us in the womb Here he affirms first that his servant was Gods creature as well as he the same God made them both secondly that his servant was a man a reasonable creature as well as he they were both of the same nature and he was therefore a mortall creature no lesse then his servant and thirdly that he and his servant were made after the same manner and fashioned in the same mold and so were descended of the same stock Which two last some conceive are more fully expressed if we read the last clause as it is in the margin of our Bibles and did he not fashion us in one womb But however the drift of the words is to imply that there was no cause therefore why he should tyrannize over his servant or that if he should so doe he that made them both would plead the cause of his servant Vers 16. If I have withheld the poor from their desire c. To wit by detaining their pledge or any thing else unjustly from them or by refusing to grant them any thing they desired of me or which I knew they desired though out of modesty they did not ask it As for that which is added in the next clause concerning the failing of the widows eyes who indeed are apt to marre their eyes with weeping see the Note chap. 11.20 Vers 17. Or have eaten my morsell alone and the fatherlesse hath not eaten thereof That is If I have not imparted of my provision for the feeding of the fatherlesse Yet some adde also that by this expression of not eating his morsell alone he meant to imply that even of that which was daintyest that which was provided for his own eating as any occasion was the fatherlesse had a share Vers 18. For from my youth he was brought up with me as with a father c. This clause some understand of fatherlesse boyes and then accordingly the following clause they understand of the fatherlesse of the other sex and I have guided her from my mothers womb But because there is mention made in the foregoing verses of his respect to poor widows and they are frequently joyned with the fatherlesse therefore the last clause and I have guided her c. most Expositours understand of the widow and so the meaning of this passage is that from his youth yea from his very childhood he used to be charitably affected to the fatherlesse and widows his naturall inclination which he had from his mothers womb seemed to carry him that way Indeed Solomon tells us that much of a mans naturall disposition to good or evil will often be discovered even in his childhood Prov. 20.11 Even a child is known by his doings c. and therefore Jobs intent in these words might be to imply that even in his tender years he used to pity the fatherlesse and widows and was still ready to carry them home to his fathers house and many waies to be helpfull to them Vers 20. If his loyns have not blessed me c. That is the loyns of the poor naked man whom he had clothed And the loyns of such a man may be said to blesse him that covered them with raiment either first because they being refreshed hereby do move such a poor wretch to blesse him that shewed him such mercy as it is expressed Deut. 24.13 or secondly because such a poor man will blesse him that clothed him with all his might and strength or thirdly because such an act of charity doth move God to blesse him that did it And so the phrase is much like that Gen. 4.10 where the bloud of Abel is said to cry for vengeance Vers 21. If I have lift up my hand against the fatherlesse c. Some understand this of the lifting up the hand by way of suffrage in giving his vote against the fatherlesse and others of lifting up the hand by way of giving a sign to any at his command to fall upon them But I rather take this to be the plain meaning of the words If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherlesse that is If I have threatned injured or oppressed the fatherlesse or any other poor helplesse creature when I saw my help in the gate that is when I saw well enough that the magistrates would either for favour or fear take my part and save me harmlesse Vers 22. Then let mine arme fall from my shoulder-blade and mine arme be broken from the bone That is Let some horrible judgement fall upon me worse then all I have yet suffered let me rot in pieces or be torn in pieces or let the arme that hath been so lifted up against the poor rot off from my body or let it wither or be disjoynted and become uselesse That he wisheth to himself is much like that which befell Jeroboam 1 Kings 13.4 Vers 25. If I rejoyced because my wealth was great because mine hand had gotten much To wit as ascribing all I had to mine own wit and industry For men to rejoyce with thankfulnesse when the Lord blesseth them with a great estate is doubtlesse praise-worthy Deut. 12.7 Ye shall rejoyce in all that you put your hand unto ye and your households wherein the Lord your God hath blessed you But that which Job here protests
pressed Job with this greatnesse of God and the basenesse of man in comparison of God to this I answer that they alledged this to inferre from thence that therefore Job was certainly a wicked man God being so infinitely wise and just would not else have punished him so severely but now Elihu alledgeth it upon a better ground only to convince him of his fault in murmuring against God and pleading so peremptorily with him as he had done Vers 13. Why dost thou strive against him for he giveth not an account of any of his matters That is He is not to be called to give a reason of what he doth his will is a law most righteous and it is reason sufficient that it is his pleasure it should be so And thus he covertly reproves Job for complaining so often that God had not made known to him why he used him so hardly as chap. 10.2 I will say unto God Do not condemn me shew me wherefore thou contendest with me and in many other places Vers 14. For God speaketh once yea twice yet man perceiveth it not As if he had said For the truth is that God doth sufficiently make known to men sometimes by one means sometimes by another why he punisheth them and what it is he would have them doe though men through the ignorance or pride or security of their hearts perceive it not It cannot therefore be said that God forewarns them not God speaketh once yea twice that is again and again by severall waies and means We have the same phrase Psal 62.11 God hath spoken once twice have I heard this that power belongeth unto God Vers 15. In a dream in a vision of the night c. This is mentioned as one of the waies whereby God warns men of their sins either before or when he afflicts them Indeed in those daies of Iob before God had given men his written word such divine revelations were the chief way whereby he made known his will unto men and besides it is probable that Elihu hath respect herein to that which Iob had said chap. 7.14 thou scarest me with dreams and terrifiest me with visions Vers 16. Then he openeth the ears of men c. That is Then he revealeth his will to men by shewing them their sins and what he would have them doe and causeth them to attend to what is discovered to them as coming from God As for the following clause and sealeth their instruction I conceive the meaning of it to be plainly this that he causeth that instruction which he affords them in such dreams and visions to be surely imprinted upon their minds Yet I know many Expositours do otherwise understand it as first that when God hath thus declared to them his will and warned them of their sins by dreams and visions then he sealeth those instructions by following corrections that is he confirms and makes good what he had so spoken he makes them see the certain truth of that which he had so revealed to them or secondly that he drives home the instruction given them by assuring them in the same divine revelations as certainly as if he gave it them under his hand and seal that if they will not receive instruction judgement shall follow Vers 17. That he may withdraw man from his purpose and hide pride from man That is that he may take man off from those sinfull courses upon which he was fully bent and cure him of his pride to wit that pride which is the root of all evil that makes men exalt themselves to the contempt of God as if they might doe what they pleased themselves For then may pride be said to be hid from man when he ceaseth to be proud there is no more pride to be found in him but he is humbled being as one that is ashamed and confounded in himself and blusheth even to hold up his face before God Vers 18. He keepeth back his soul from the pit and his life from perishing by the sword That is And thus by bringing him to repentance he saves him from that temporall and eternall destruction which otherwise would have fallen upon him for by the pit may be meant both the grave and Hell and by the sword the sword of Gods vengeance both here and hereafter Vers 19. He is chastned also with pain upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong pain This is mentioned as another way whereby God speaks to man as he had said before vers 14. to wit by the rod of correction when God strikes a man with some sore sicknesse so that the multitude of his bones that is every bone in his body as many as they are is tortured with pain And this Elihu the rather mentions because this was Jobs case who had often complained that his very bones were pierced with pain as we may see chap. 30.17 and in many other places Vers 20. So that his life abhorreth bread c. That is his soul as it is expressed in the next clause and his soul dainty meat and the soul we know is usually put for the whole man and so the meaning is only this that the poor sick man abhorres all meat even the daintiest that can be brought him Vers 22. His soul draweth near unto the grave and his life to the destroyers Some by the destroyers understand those paroxysms and pangs that seise upon men when they are dying and are usually counted the forerunners of death others the angels whom God many times imployes in cutting off men by deadly plagues as in that pestilence wherewith so many were so suddenly destroyed in Davids time 2 Sam. 24.16 others the worms or whatever else there is in the grave that consumes the dead bodies that are laid there and others again conceive it is meant of the devils who are wont to drag the souls of wicked men to hell when they die and to torment them there But I conceive it is best to comprehend therein all that in death tends to the destroying of men Vers 23. If there be a messenger with him an interpreter one of a thousand c. Some understand this of an angel sent from heaven to this sick man and indeed in those times God did usually make known his mind to men by his holy angels to wit that if of those thousands of angels that attend upon God there be any one sent to him as a messenger and interpreter of Gods will to shew unto man his uprightnesse then he will be gracious unto him c. But it is farre better understood of a prophet or man of God sent unto him from God an interpreter that is one whose office and work it is to declare the will of God to men and that is then accordingly to make known to the sick man the purpose of God in laying that affliction upon him one of a thousand that is one that will skilfully and faithfully deal with him and amongst a thousand
such a one is hardly to be found to shew unto man his uprightnesse that is to shew to the poor sick man how he must come to be presented righteous and upright in the sight of God to wit that he must acknowledge his sins lay hold upon the promises of mercy made unto him in Christ and so repent and turn unto the Lord. I know there are some that do otherwise expound the last clause namely thus to shew unto man his righteousnesse that is to clear it to the sick man that God hath dealt justly and equally with him But our Translation will hardly bear that Exposition Vers 24. Then he is gracious unto him and saith Deliver him from going down into the pit I have found a ransome This some understand of the messenger the interpreter mentioned in the foregoing verse to wit that he is gracious to the sick man and saith namely in his prayer to God for him Deliver him from going into the pit I have found a ransome For though the last words can hardly be applyable to man yet the meaning they say is only this that the man of God alledgeth that knowing by the revelation of Gods spirit that there is a ransome in the bloud of the promised Mediatour for poor sinners he knew also that God would be pleased to accept of this ransome in the behalf of this penitent sick man But I conceive it is farre better understood of God to wit that he is gracious to this sick man when his messenger hath brought him to repent and believe in Christ and that thereupon he saith Deliver him from going down into the pit the meaning whereof may be either first that God determines that he shall be delivered from the grave whereinto he was dropping and withall from the pit of eternall destruction or secondly that he gives charge to the angel sent to him that he should deliver him from his dangerous sicknesse or thirdly that he enjoynes the man of God to deliver him that is to assure him that he shall be delivered both from his present sicknesse and from hell hereafter and that because God hath found out a ransome for him which can be meant of no other but the bloud of Christ Vers 25. His flesh shall be fresher then a childs c. To wit By reason of the cure of his sicknesse and the reviving of his spirit by his assurance of Gods love to him in Christ Vers 26. He shall pray unto God c. Whether this be meant of the sick mans praying before or after his recovery which is questionable though the last be more probable it is mentioned doubtlesse as a comfortable effect of the sick mans reconciliation with God to wit that then he can go with confidence to the throne of Gods grace which before he could not and that then God shall be favourable unto him in hearing his prayers which before he regarded not And to the same purpose is the following clause and he shall see his face with joy that is he shall with boldnesse and comfort look God in the face who before was a terrour to him though some I know understand it otherwise to wit that God shall look chearfully and favourably upon him And then the last words alledge again the cause of this comfortable change for he will render unto man his righteousnesse that is the righteousnesse which he had lost by sin shall be restored in Christ or rather God shall deal with him according to that present righteousnesse of his when upon his faith and repentance he is reconciled unto God Vers 27. He looketh upon men c. That is God looketh upon men as desiring longing and waiting for mens repentance and salvation and if any say I have sinned c. and it profited me not that is all the good I got by it was that I provoked God to lay his hand in great displeasure upon me then as it follows vers 28. he will deliver his soul from going into the pit and his life shall see the light the meaning whereof is principally that God will deliver such a man from the grave that he may again live comfortably here in this world though it may be also extended to the deliverance of his soul out of hell and bringing him to the light of Gods glory in heaven But now if we read these verses as they are in the margin of our Bibles He shall look upon men and say I have sinned c. He hath delivere my soul from the pit c. then they contain the sick mans confession of Gods dealing with him to wit that being recovered he looks upon others with pity and out of a desire of their conversion should acknowledge how he had sinned and did thereby bring Gods hand upon him and how upon his repentance God shewed him mercy again Vers 29. Lo all these things worketh God oftentimes with man c. That is all these means doth he use many times bringing man to the grave and then raising him up again and all this he doth to save him from death temporall and eternall as it follows in the next verse To bring back his soul from the pit c. Vers 31. If thou hast any thing to say answer me c. Having in the foregoing verse desired liberty that he might yet farther speak his mind to Job he interposeth this that notwithstanding if Job had any thing to answer to what he had said he was very willing he should so doe Speak saith he for I desire to justifie thee that is I had rather thou shouldest be justified then condemned if thou art able to clear thy self CHAP. XXXIV Vers 1. FVrthermore Elihu answered That is when he perceived that Job made no reply for it may well be that he began now to be convinced he proceeded to answer what Iob had formerly spoken Vers 2. Hear my words O ye wise men c. Hereby Elihu sought to imply first that what he had to say the wisest of them might with profit hear and secondly that he would not be his own judge but was willing to appeal to the standers by at least to those that were wise amongst them concerning the truth of that which he should say Vers 3. For the ear tryeth words c. As if he had said For that which Iob formerly said is true that the ear tryeth words as the mouth tasteth meat see the Note chap. 12.11 Vers 4. Let us chuse to us judgement c. That is Let us not judge rashly but let us state the question rightly and then argue the cause not with angry language nor by alledging any thing wherein our consciences may tell us we do misinterpret Iobs words or merely cavill with him or build upon uncertain conjectures but by clear and certain truths and so let us chuse and upon good deliberation resolve upon that which is just and equall Let us know among our selves what is good namely whether Iob or I be
of our deliverances to thee without the least self-respect and 2ly with as much affection as possibly I can not praising thee with my lips when my heart is far from thee I will shew forth all thy marvellous works But how could he doe this the wonderfull works of God being infinite in number I answer Either this must be restrained to the miraculous deliverances which God had wrought for him and his people or the meaning must be that he would speak of the severall sorts of his marvellous works or else he shews hereby not what he should be able to doe but what he did desire and would endeavour to doe Vers 2. I will be glad and rejoyce in thee c. To wit as acknowledging thee the only authour of all my joy I will sing praise to thy name O thou most high that is who dost every way transcendently excell those that are highest and greatest here in this world And this title David gives God in this place because in his marvellous works for him and his people he had shown himself such Vers 5. Thou hast rebuked the heathen c. See the Note upon Psal 6.1 This implyes that his enemies were many as it were from severall nations combined together against him thou hast put out their name for ever and ever to wit either by destroying them utterly that so they may be no more named amongst the living and by degrees their very memory perish together with them or by bringing them to such a reproachfull ruine that they lose thereby all that glory and renown they had formerly gotten Vers 6. O thou enemy destructions are come to a perpetuall end c. If we read this as it is in the margin of our Bibles The destructions of the enemy are come to a perpetuall end and their cities hast thou destroyed c. the meaning seems then to be clearly this O Lord thou hast put an end to the destructions which the enemy began to make amongst thy people and thou hast destroyed their cities whereas they thought to have destroyed ours But reading it as it is in our Bibles it may be understood either to be spoken ironically O thou enemy destructions are come to a perpetuall end and thou hast destroyed cities c. as if he had said O thou enemy thou hast fâ—nished the ruine thou didst intend to bring upon us by destroying our cities to which then that must be opposed which follows in the next verse But the Lord shall endure for ever c. Or else it must be understood as spoken by way of insultation over the proud enemy as it he had said Whereas thou O proud enemy didst resolve never to give over destroying till thou hadst brought all to ruine destructions thou seest are come to a perpetuall end thou shalt no more for ever destroy as thou beganst to doe thou hast indeed destroyed cities c. but vers 8. the Lord shall endure for ever he hath prepared his throne for judgement that is it belongs to him to judge the world as a righteous judge and though therefore he doth it not at all times he will certainly doe it Vers 9. The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed That is Such they shall esteem him and such he will be unto them Vers 10. Thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee That is those that endeavour to approve themselves to thee that they may enjoy thy favour or those that by faith do pray unto thee and indeed this last is chiefly here meant Vers 11. Declare among the people his doings That is Not only amongst the Israelites but also amongst the nations far and near Vers 12. When he maketh inquisition for bloud he remembreth them c. That is the people mentioned in the foregoing verse or the humble mentioned in the following clause he forgetteth not the cry of the humble And this phrase when he maketh inquisition for bloud implyeth first that though shedders of bloud may escape for a time yet they shall sooner or later be called to an account secondly that no excuses or pretences shall clear or secure those that are indeed guilty of bloud and thirdly that God makes precious account of the bloud of those of whom the world makes no reckoning at all Vers 13. Consider my trouble O thou that liftest me up from the gates of death That is say some Expositours from the counsels and plots of mine enemies making the ground of this expression to be the custome of all nations in making the gates of their cities the place where they sat in counsell concerning the affairs of the Common-wealth See the Note Gen. 22.17 But rather I conceive that by being lifted up from the gates of death is meant his being delivered from desperate dangers wherein he seemed to be nigh unto death from the jaws of death from the mouth and brink of the grave which indeed those words thou that liftest me up seem much to favour See the Note Job 38.17 Yet by the gates of death may be meant the power and dominion of death which agreeth with that expression of the Apostles of deaths reigning Rom. 5.14 Vers 14. That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Sion c. That is in the solemn assemblies of the inhabitants of Sion for they used to be in the gates of Jerusalem And why the inhabitants are called the daughter of Sion see in the Note upon 2 Kings 19.21 and the elegancy is observable of opposing here the gates of Sion to the gates of death mentioned in the foregoing verse God lifted up David from the gates of death that he might praise him in the gates of Sion Vers 16. The Lord is known by the judgement which he executeth c. This may be meant generally of all the judgements which God executeth on wicked men because they do all shew forth the power and holinesse and justice of God but rather here that judgement seems to be particularly intended which is expressed in the following words the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands because nothing doth more notably discover the wisedome power justice and providence of God then when he causeth wicked men to be entangled by their own cursed practises In the close of this verse these words Higgaion Selah are added Concerning Selah see the Note Psal 3.2 As for that word Higgaion it signifyeth meditation and therefore it may seem added to imply that the foregoing clause was worthy mens most serious thoughts yet some take it to be some tearm of musick Vers 17. The wicked shall be turned into hell c. By hell in the Scripture is sometimes meant the grave as Psal 16.10 Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell but if nothing else were intended here there were nothing then threatned to these wicked wretches but what is common to the godly together with them It must therefore be understood here I
king of Bashan Deut. 3.11 therefore he tearms his mighty and furious enemies bulls of Bashan It may be meant both of Sauls courtiers and of the chief priests and Scribes that crucified Christ Vers 13. They gaped upon me with their mouths as a ravening and a roaring lion See the Note Iob 16.10 As it is spoken in reference to Christ it is meant of the Iews when with such fury they pressed his death and roared out to have him crucified even as a lion that roareth either out of hunger when he seeketh his prey or out of fiercenesse and fury when he hath gotten his prey according to that Amos 3.4 will a lion roar in the forrest when he hath no prey will a young lion cry out of his den if he have taken nothing Yet withall Satans violent assaulting of Christ at his death must be included too of which our Saviour spake before-hand Ioh. 14.30 the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me and with reference whereto it is said at his first temptation Luk. 4.13 that the devill departed from him for a season Vers 14. I am poured out like water c. That is My life is in a manner gone past hope of recovery and so I am as it is said in the same or a like case 2 Sam. 14.14 like water spilt upon the ground which cannot be gathered up again or rather thus My spirits and strength do wast and flow away even as water that runs out of a leaking vessel see the Note Gen. 49.3 and all my bones are out of joynt that is By reason of my sufferings both inward and outward my limbs have lost their strength and power to move themselves no otherwise then as if my bones were all out of joynt yea in Christ this was literally accomplished by the stretching and racking of his limbs upon the Crosse My heart is like wax it is melted c. that is by reason of the fire of Gods displeasure as indeed Christ for the sins that were imputed to him did bear the fiery indignation of the almighty my heart through faintnesse and fear doth as it were melt within me see Iosh 7.5 Vers 15. My strength is dryed up like a potsheard c. That is By my sufferings outwardly and in particular through the losse of so much bloud that hath been shed and through that grief and fear that lay upon my spirit my radicall moisture the spring of life and strength is so dryed up that I am more like a dry pot-sheard then a living man and indeed Solomon saith Prov. 17.22 that a broken spirit dryeth the bones And hereto agreeth that which follows and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws for though this phrase doth sometimes imply forced silence or inability to speak see the Note upon Iob 19.28 and therefore some would have it referred to Christs silence when he was arraigned and falsly accused of which the prophet speaking saith Esa 53.7 that he opened not his mouth yet sometimes also it implyeth extremity of thirst as Lam. 4.4 the tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to his mouth for thirst and the context makes it evident that it must be so taken here and so it referres to Christs thirsting when he hung upon the Crosse Iohn 19.28 And thou hast brought me for it was not done without the providence of God into the dust of death that is I am even ready to drop into the grave Vers 16. For dogs have compassed me the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me c. That is a company of base wicked malicious wretches have like a pack of hounds beset me and with all possible rage set upon me For though some would have it that the rascall crue of Davids and Christs enemies are here called dogs to wit the souldiers and others as the rich and mighty ones were before tearmed bulls yet I rather think it is meant of all his enemies in generall For I am sure those words the assembly of wicked men seem clearly to have reference to that which is said so often that the chief priests and the Scribes and the elders of the people assembled themselves together as we may see Matth. â—6 3 and 27.1 and in many other places As for the following clause they pierced my hands and my feet it is one of those passages which can hardly be understood of David But though it was literally accomplished only in the nailing of Christs hands and feet to the Crosse for which see Luk. 24.40 and Ioh. 20.25 yet figuratively David might speak this of himself meaning thereby that his enemies had so bound him up as it were as a man that is fetter'd hand and foot that he could neither move his hands to defend himself nor his feet to flee away from them Vers 17. I may tell all my bones c. To wit by reason of his leannesse caused by the grief of his heart and grievous sufferings which had brought him to be nothing but skin and bones or as it is spoken in reference to Christ by reason of the extreme stretching of his body on the Crosse especially considering that before by their cruell scourging of him they had made such gashes in his skin and flesh they look and stare upon me to wit as delighting to behold me in so much misery Luk. 23.35 which agreeth with that triumphing of Davids enemies Psal 35.21 Aha aha our eye hath seen it Vers 18. They part my garments among them c. This was also literally accomplished in Christ when the souldiers divided his garments amongst them and as by way of sport cast lots upon his vesture see the Note before upon the Title of this Psalm Yet David might also figuratively thus complain of his enemies in regard that when he was forced to flee from the Court they seized upon all that was his not sparing his wife every one catching at what they could get even literally perhaps his very garments Vers 19. But be not thou far from me O Lord c. That is Though others stand aloof and there be none to help yet do not thou stand afar off How Christ was heard herein see the Note vers 2. Vers 20. Deliver my soul from the sword c. That is me or my life from death see Job 5.15 my darling from the power of the dog that is from wicked men called before dogs see the Note vers 16. Some conceive that this is meant of the devil and others that it is expressed in the singular number because his enemies were so united together as one man but I rather think that dog is put for dogs However it is doubtlesse his soul or life which he prayes may be delivered from the power of the dog which he tearms his darling because the soul is the most precious part of man or because naturally every man makes such precious account of his life or his only one as it is in the Originall because it was left desolate as
occasion this Psalm was composed And the chief reason why they hold this is because that which is said vers 6 7. concerning his growing secure by reason of his settled prosperous condition and Gods hiding his face from him thereupon and the troubles he then fell into In my prosperity I said I shall never be moved c. doth better agree with that time when after some years spent in his exalted estate he fell into that sin with the wife of Uriah and so fell into great troubles especially by the rebellion of Absalom then with that time when he first built his cedar house 2 Sam. 5.11 for then say they he was but newly settled in the throne c. But because we find expresly that their new built houses they were wont to dedicate at their first coming to dwell in them see the Note Deut. 20.5 and Nehem. 12.27 and that 1. to blesse God for the finishing of them 2. thereby to testifie as it were that they acknowledged God to be the chief Lord of whom they hold their houses and that upon the condition of doing him homage by a holy conversation and making their houses as so many Sanctuaries for the worship of God all the time they dwelt therein and 3. to pray to God to blesse them therein but now of dedicating their houses anew when they had been polluted with any grosse sin we find not the least mention therefore I rather conceive it is meant of the dedication of his new-built palace 2 Sam. 5.11 for there it is said vers 12. that David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel and that he had exalted his kingdome c. because he had taken the strong fort of Zion and had vanquished his enemies round about all the tribes had submitted themselves to him and having built a fair palace he was quietly settled in his throne so that it is no wonder that he should then begin to be puffed up with some thoughts of carnall confidence and for those troubles which God hiding his face did thereupon befall him it might be some sicknesse he fell into whilst his house was building or that violent invasion of the Philistines which is related 2 Sam. 5.17 and so at the dedication of his house he blessed God for delivering him from this desperate danger Vers 1. I will extoll thee O Lord for thou hast lifted me up c. As if he had said Because thou hast lifted me up I also will endeavour to lift up or exalt thy name What he means by Gods lifting him up see in the Notes Psal 3.3 and 28.9 Vers 2. I cryed unto thee and thou hast healed me See the Note Psal 6.3 Vers 3. O Lord thou hast brought up my soul from the grave c. That is thou hast delivered me from the very jaws of death which may be meant of sicknesse or any other desperate dangers See the Note 2 Sam. 22.6 Vers 4 Sing unto the Lord O ye Saints of his c. That is ye that are sanctified of God and whom alone God acknowledgeth for his peculiar people and give thanks at the remembrance of his holinesse or to the memoriall of his holinesse that is when by his works such as this of his delivering me from this danger you are put in remembrance of his holinesse or that the memoriall of his holinesse may be for ever continued in his Church Yet some make this to be the meaning of this last clause give thanks at the remembrance of his holinesse that is at the remembrance of our most holy God or to the name of Jehovah which is the memoriall whereby he will be mentioned or remembred amongst his people as it was said to Moses Exod. 3.15 and likewise Hos 12.5 Yea and some by the memoriall of his holinesse understand the Tabernacle because therein the holinesse of God was shadowed forth into whose presence no unclean thing might enter Vers 5. For his anger endureth but a moment in his favour is life c. This some Expositours understand thus Gods anger lasts but a little while but it is of his favour that we live or of his favour he desires we should live and not perish for ever Others render the meaning of these words thus Gods fatherly anger with his children is but for a very little while he soon giveth them a tast of his favour again and this then is life to them that is this chears and revives their hearts again But because it seems clear that life is here opposed to a moment others do better I conceive give this sense of the words Gods anger with his continueth but a moment but his favour to his continueth all their life long yea and life eternall may be herein also comprehended in comparison whereof the longest afflictions are but momentary as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 4.17 our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory And indeed we may well think that David had respect to this that was so long in an afflicted condition and yet could judge it but a moment of anger Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning as if he had said As the darknesse of the night stayeth not long but in the morning it groweth light again so the afflictions and sorrows of Gods children continue not long but there soon comes a morning of joy again which is according to that of the prophet Isa 17.14 behold at evening tide trouble and before the morning he is not Vers 6. And in my prosperity I said I shall never be moved That is When I was prosperously settled in the kingdome I began to conclude within my self that now there was an end of all my troubles I should now live all my daies in a prosperous estate See the Note upon the Title of this Psalm Vers 7. Lord by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong c. That is say some Expositours Thou hast strengthened me so that my condition is as firm and unmoveable as a mountain or that I am as safe as if I were in some fort built upon a mountain and indeed they were wont to build their castles and forts upon hills and mountains not only because they were the more hardly to be assaulted but also because their standing so aloft added the more majesty and splendour to them But because kingdomes in regard of their eminency of power are usually tearmed mountains in the Scripture as Isa 2.2 the mountain of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills that is Christs kingdome shall be exalted above all kingdomes and Dan. 2.35 the stone that smote the image became a great mountain that is a great kingdome and so in other places therefore I rather conceive that by his mountain here David meant his kingdome Lord by thy favour thou hast made
of truth and meeknesse and righteousnesse some conceive that these are spoken of as the chariot whereon he should ride in triumph and become glorious and renowned in the world However I conceive they do clearly affirm that as by these Solomon should prosper in the exercise of his regall power and become a glorious King and not only by outward pomp much lesse by violence injustice and oppression as many other princes sought to doe according to that Prov. 20.28 Mercy truth preserve the King and 16.12 the throne is established by righteousnesse so also much more that Christ should prosper and prevail first by truth that is his faithfulnesse in making good his word to all that rely thereon and by the truth of the Gospel revealed wholly by him secondly by meeknesse causing him not to disregard the meanest and to spare pardon his bitterest enemies when they submit themselves to him see Za. 9.9 and thirdly by righteousnesse both in being exactly just to all in the administration of his regall power and also by bringing in that everlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9.24 whereby sinners are justifyed before God yea and by making his subjects also inherently righteous Yet some hold that truth and meeknesse and righteousnesse are here mentioned not as the means whereby he should prevail but as those things for the maintenance whereof his power should be imployed And thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things That is By thine own almighty power without any help from others thou shalt accomplish those things wherein thou shalt be terrible to thine enemies For this expression that his right hand should teach him terrible things seems only used to imply either that by his power he should be enabled to doe terrible things because teaching enables men to doe what they are taught or that by his almighty power he should experimentally see what great and terrible things should be done by him Vers 5. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the kings enemies c. That is in the heart of thine enemies O king which is added to intimate the reason of his prevailing namely because God had appointed him to be king over Sion Now by his arrows are meant both first the words of the Gospel and the preaching thereof which with great efficacy do pierce the hearts of men and it may well be which some adde that it is said in the heart of the kings enemies because the words of Christ when they enter the hearts of men are wont to stick and remain there whence also is the like expression concerning Christ Isa 49.2 in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me and made me a polished shaft c. and secondly the judgements wherewith he strikes his obstinate enemies And accordingly we must understand the following clause whereby the people fall under thee to wit either that by his judgements Christ should slay them or that by his Gospel they should either be brought to fall down and adore him and submit themselves to him being thenceforth dead unto sin and living unto righteousnesse or else should be wounded mortally for indeed to some they are the favour of life unto life and to others the savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 2.16 Vers 6. Thy throne O God is for ever and ever c. These words of the Psalmist in this and the following verse are alledged by the Apostle Heb. 1.8 9. to prove the Godhead of Christ And indeed though Princes are sometimes called Gods of which see the Note Exod. 22.28 yet because no mortall man is any where in the Scripture called God absolutely it must needs be that the Psalmist did intend this principally of Christ And the like may be gathered also from that which is said here concerning the eternity of his kingdome and the exact righteousnesse of his kingdome seeing Solomon sat not long on his throne and towards the later end of his reign swerved strangely from his former righteousnesse Yea because Solomons kingdome was so soon shatter'd in his son Rehoboam lest the faith of Gods righteous servants that had heard of the promise made to David concerning the perpetuity of his kingdome should be stagger'd hereby it is most probable that the Psalmist did here purposely seek to stablish their hearts by putting them upon the expectation of a king that was to come out of that stock but greater then he whose throne was to continue indeed for ever and ever Vers 7. Thou lovest righteousnesse and hatest wickednesse c. As Christ hath alwaies manifested this in the righteous exercise of his regall power so especially in his suffering the wickednesse of his people so much he hated it to be punished in his own body that so he might also satisfy Gods justice and present his people pure and spotlesse before him therefore that is to this end that thou mightest love righteousnesse and hate iniquity see the Note above vers 2. God thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladnesse above thy fellows Now for the understanding of this we must know that there may be herein an allusion either to the ointment wherewith Solomon was anointed on his wedding day above his fellows above his companions and Bride-men as being far more precious then theirs and which therefore may be called the oyl of gladnesse because it was used on a day of such gladnesse or else to the oyl wherewith he was anointed at his Coronation called the oyl of gladnesse because it made glad not Solomon only but the people also over whom he was to reign see 1 Kings 1.39 40 and wherewith it may be said that he was anointed above his fellows both because he was exalted thereby above all his brethren and because through the unction of Gods spirit which was signifyed thereby he excelled all the Princes of the earth in wisedome as is largely expressed 1 Kings 4.30 31. c. But however principally no doubt this is meant of Christ and his anointing with the Holy Ghost according to that Act. 10.38 God anointed Iesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power and that either with respect to his outward inauguration to his office at his Baptisme when the Holy Ghost came down upon him in the likenesse of 〈◊〉 dove Matth. 3.16 or to the superabundant powring forth of the gifts of the Holy Ghost upon his humane nature And then this is called the oyl of gladnesse because as in the sign oyl was accounted an emblem of gladness being much used in times of feasting and gladness Psal 23.5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies thou anointest my head with oyl my cup runneth over and not only good to make the face to shine but also to chear the heart Ps 104.15 whence it is that the oyl of joy is opposed to mourning Esa 61.3 so in the thing signified thereby the anointing of Christ with the Holy Ghost was in Christ the cause of all the blisse comfort
deliver a dark saying not because of the obscurity of the expressions wherein he meant to deliver it as is evident by that expression he useth I will open my dark saying but to imply that the things he meant to speak of were deep and profound mysteries and such as to naturall men would be dark riddles such as is that which followes in the next verse that a good man hath no cause to be afraid in the day of distresse and trouble c. So that the drift of the whole verse is to shew how deep and weighty the things were of which he intended to speak Vers 5. Wherefore should I fear in the dayes of evil when the iniquity of my heels shall compasse me about This is that parable and dark saying which in the foregoing verse he promised to entreat of in this Psalm and because he had said that he would encline his own eare to hear what he delivered for the instruction of others he propounds that which he meant to deliver in his own person though he intended it should be received as a common truth which might likewise be applyed to any other of Gods faithfull servants wherefore should I fear in the dayes of evil c. 1. By fearing here may be meant a mans being terrified at the apprehension of any approaching evil or a mans being dismayed or discouraged at any thing that seems strange or unreasonable to him according to that vers 16. Be not thou afraid when one is made rich c. 2. By the daies of evil may be meant either the daies of any affliction or distresse or persecution or the time of old age or death or as some would have it the day of judgement 3. By the iniquity of his heels is meant either the iniquity of his own waies and works the sinfull courses wherein he had walked and some limit it also to those unjust waies whereby he had supplanted others and caused them to fall according to that Joh. 13.18 He that eateth bread with me hath lift up his heel against me and consequently the punishments which his evil deeds would bring upon him or else the iniquity of his adversaries in persecuting and pursuing him close at his heels or in laying snares to intangle him Now accordingly may these words be severall waies expounded Wherefore should I fear in the daies of evil when the iniquity of my heels shall compasse me about that is Wherefore should I doe any thing to make my self rich and great in the world or to help my self in any streights I fall into which should afterwards overwhelm me with fear in the daies of Gods wrath when the punishment of the evil I have done shall encompasse and insnare me or pursue and overtake me or 2. Wherefore should I suffer my heart to sink with fear in the daies of any distresse that befalls me or when sicknesse and death shall surprize me whch I may well look upon as the fruits of mine own iniquities as if he should have said There is no cause why I should fear in such times of calamity and distresse yea though they were mine own iniquities that brought me to be insnared and compassed herewith And the reason of this is given afterwards vers 15. to wit because he was assured of Gods love to him and that God would in due time deliver him from all his troubles yea even from the power of death it self which wicked ungodly men could not expect But God saith he will redeem my soul from the power of the grave for he shall receive me Or 3. thus which I like the best wherefore should I fear in the daies of evil c that is when wickednesse reigns and ungodly men rage seeking to insnare me and pursue me at the heels when I am pressed or compassed about with afflictions and calamities publick or private there is no cause why I should be dejected with fear and that because as is expressed in the following part of the Psalm whilst mine enemies trust in outward perishing things I trust in the Lord who though he may suffer wicked men to persecute his righteous servants for a time and that perhaps by way of correcting them for their iniquities yet in due time he will not fail to deliver them and to break the pride of their great enemies This I conceive is the best exposition of the words only I may adde that some conceive it is death which he tearms here the iniquity of his heels and that because to Christ and his members death is indeed no more but the bruising of their heel Gen. 3.15 1 Cor. 15.55 57. Vers 6. They that trust in their wealth and boast c. This is added as a reason of that which was implyed in the foregoing verse why the children of God should not doe any thing to enrich themselves that should afterwards expose them to the fears which usually follow a guilty conscience in the daies of evil or why they ought not to be dismayed and troubled at the prosperity of wicked men or to be afraid in the daies of adversity when ungodly great men do persecute and oppresse them namely because riches are such vain things and so unable to help those that have them in greatest abundance in the daies of evil They that trust in their wealth to wit as thinking themselves sufficiently defended thereby and so securely despising the judgements of God and undertaking in a manner whatever they please in the confidence of their great wealth and so they that boast themselves in the multitude of their riches that is that are puft up with their great estates as if they had gotten all by their own policies and labour c. and so live in all pomp pride and excesse despising and wronging others alas they trust and glory in a vain shadow that can doe them no good in an evil day and they that fear their greatnesse are indeed afraid of a shadow as is expressed in the following verses Vers 7. None of them can by any means redeem his brother c. To wit from dying as is expressed vers 9 or from the power of death when he is dead by procuring that he may be restored to life again And if a man cannot doe this for his brother much lesse can he doe it for himself Vers 8. For the redemption of their soul is precious and it ceaseth for ever That is Their soul is so precious that nothing can be given of sufficient value for the ransome of it and therefore there can never be any way found to redeem it Vers 10. For he seeth that wise men die likewise the fool and the brutish person perish c. Some by wise men here understand those that have so much understanding as to make use of their wealth and by the fool and the brutish person such as defraud themselves of the comfort they might take in their riches and only hord up wealth that they may leave it to others others
understand by wise men those that are spiritually wise and godly and by the fool and the brutish man such as are carnall wicked men and thence they conceive are those different expressions that the wise are said to die but the fool and the brutish person to perish But I understand the words rather in the most generall sense and conceive that the drift of them is to shew that death is the end of all men whatsoever and that when that hour comes they must all part with the wealth of this world and leave it to others And yet some understand that last clause and leave their wealth to others of leaving it to strangers and not to their own posterity or family according to that which is said elsewhere Eccles 6.1 2. Luke 12.19 and Psal 39.7 Vers 11. Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever c. That is They verily think within themselves that they shall dwell in their houses for ever or that their posterity shall continue for ever see the Note Exod. 1.21 or that the houses they build shall remain for ever which the following words and their dwelling places to all generations make the more probable All these waies the words may be understood and accordingly the drift and scope thereof may be either 1. that these mighty men do carry themselves so as if they thought they should live for ever yea though by daily experience they see the contrary for this aggravation of their brutishnesse is implyed by subjoyning this upon that which went before vers 10. or 2. that at least they expect that their memory shall in their posterity and in their stately dwellings and great revenues be continued for ever and therefore they set their hearts upon these outward things in stead of seeking to assure themselves that their names are written in heaven they are only sollicitous to make their names famous upon earth and therefore they call their lands after their own names to wit to perpetuate the memory of their names as Alexandria was called of Alexander and Caesarea of Caesar c. Vers 12. Neverthelesse man being in honour abideth not c. That is The man that is in honourable condition but is brutish wicked and understandeth not as is expressed afterwards vers 20 continueth not in his honourable estate if God doth not whilst he lives strip him of his worldly dignities yet at least death will surely pull him down he is like the beasts that perish that is in regard of the present life which such men only mind dying he passeth away as the brute beasts do and then they are forgotten as the beast is when it dies and there is no more reckoning made of them then of beasts that dying of themselves are left in the field as carrion to rot and putrify The first clause man being in honour abideth not was commonly by the ancients understood of the sudden fall of our first parents from that estate of honour wherein God at first created them But the whole context shews that this cannot be here intended the most that can be said herein is that there may be a secret allusion to Adams fall to wit that as he continued not in his glorious condition so neither do these wicked men abide long in their pomp and outward prosperity Vers 13. This their way is their folly c. That is This their constant practise to wit in pursuing worldly riches and greatnesse and seeking to perpetuate the memory of their names by their stately dwellings c. for this refers to that he had said before vers 11. is no better then meer folly or discovers their folly however they account it a high point of wisdome Or it may be referred to that which was said in the foregoing verse This their way that is this which is the issue and event of their way to wit that they abide not in honour but perish as the beast doth is their folly that is manifests their folly Yet their posterity approve their sayings that is though they by experience see the vanity and folly of these waies of their fathers who after all their dreams of living here for ever and of the perpetuity of their names die as others and are buried in oblivion yet they approve of their counsell and commands whereby they advised them to mind these things chiefly these are the sayings of their fathers which some conceive are here meant or they approve of their sayings that is in that they think and speak and doe the same things treading exactly in the steps of their fathers For even the deeds of their fathers do proclaim what their judgements are and therefore even with respect thereto it may be said that their children do approve their sayings Vers 14. Like sheep they are laid in the grave death shall feed on them c. That is As the silly sheep are by flocks driven into a narrow pin-fold or into the shambles that they may be killed and eaten being no way able to make any resistance nor ever fearing any danger they are in so shall these great ones whom the whole world could hardly satisfy be brought thick and threefold in great numbers and lodged together in the narrow compasse of a grave under the power and tyranny of death where for all their former greatnesse and bravery they shall be made worms meat yea meat for the worm that never dies death both temporall and eternall shall feed on them and that for ever the wicked in hell being as the grasse is to the beast that still growing continueth still to be meat for it And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning that is though they die as well as others yet at the last day the day of the generall resurrection which is as it were the morning the dawning of that new day of eternall life which shall never have end when all that sleep in the dust Dan. 12.2 shall awake and rise and the darknesse of the ignorance afflâ—ctions of this life coming to an end the Saints shall behold Christ the sun of righteousnesse appearing in his glory face to face they shall have dominion over these great ones that had before in this life tyrannized over them to wit in and by Christ their head whose footstool they must be made according to that 1 Cor. 6.2 Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the world This I conceive is the meaning of this clause Yet some understand it otherwise and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning that is they shall soon get the better of them and be in a better condition then their great oppressors As for the last clause and their beauty or strength shall consume in the grave from their dwelling the meaning is that from their magnificent dwellings where they had lived in so great pomp and state they should be brought to the grave where their glory and strength together
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
when these their evil courses shall bring misery upon them I shall heartily pray for them Vers 6. When their judges are overthrown in stony places c. That is When their princes rulers that are now mounted up in high places shall be utterly destroyed as men thrown headlong down from the top of high craggy rocks or as men that stumble in stony places some think that this might be prophetically spoken with reference to the overthrow of Saul his army on the mountains of Gilboa they shall hear my words that is the common people warned by their example shall then hearken to me The meaning is that when they should see how God had avenged him upon his persecutours and how unexpectedly he was advanced to the kingdome they would then be brought to a right understanding of him and of his cause and so would hear his words to wit when he should declare the righteousnesse of his cause or when he counselled them to take heed hereafter of joyning with wicked men in any sinfull waies For they are sweet that is though now they cannot relish them nor endure them yet they are good and profitable and then with comfort to themselves they shall accept them as such Some I know understand these last words of the judges themselves to wit that when Gods judgements should seise upon them they should then hear his words that is they should then call to mind what he had spoken to them and should approve of it wishing they had not stopped their ears against it But the former exposition I judge the best Vers 7. Our bones are scattered at the graves mouth as when one cutteth or cleaveth wood c. .1 Some understand this clause thus that David his friends followers were dispersed scattered abroad thereby in manifest danger of death 2. Some take it as an hyperbolicall expression of the terrours that often seized upon them that in their fears their bones were sometimes shaken as if they would fall asunder 3. Some take it to be a figurative expression of the desperate danger they were in as if he should have said We are all as dead men as it were at deaths door we are sure to be hacked hewed in pieces and so to be scattered abroad upon the earth whereever they light upon us if the Lord do not the more miraculously preserve us such traitours as they account us to be are like to find no mercy from them either dead or living this is that which Saint Paul cals the having the sentence of death before-hand in themselves 2 Cor. 1.9.4 Again others take it as a poetical expression of the barbarous cruelty of their enemies to wit that they used him and his party with as much inhumanity as if men should cut a mans throat then tear him in pieces before they would bury him And 5. others understand this literally that Saul and his party did thus use Davids followers if any of them were but at any time surprized to wit that they chopped them in pieces so left them unburied yea some adde that they digged up their dead bodies and bones and so scattered them about the graves mouth which I see not indeed why we should judge incredible considering with what exceeding rage Saul and his favourers did a long time make war against David PSALM CXLII Vers 2. I Poured out my complaint before him See the Notes 1 Sam. 1.15 Psal 42.4 and 62.8 Vers 3. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me c. That is When I was so perplexed that I was ready to faint or that I was at my wits end not knowing which way to turn my self see the Note Psal 61.2 then thou knewest my path which may be understood three severall waies either 1. that God knew the dangers he was in did accordingly deliver him to wit out of the snares which his enemies had laid for him of which he speaks in the following words in the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me or 2. that in those his troubles God knew approved his innocency though that could not hinder his enemies from laying snares for him or 3. that God knew the way whereby he might should be delivered though he for his part knew no way how to avoid their rage that because what way soever he took they had privily laid a snare for him Vers 4. I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was no man that would know me Either the right hand is only mentioned because that is the place for men to stand in for the defence of one they desire to aid according to that Psal 16.8 because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved for which see the Note there or else under the right hand the left is also comprehended Vers 5. Thou art my refuge and my portion c. See the Note Psal 16.5 in the land of the living see the Note Psal 27.13 It is as if he had said that even in this life he hoped to find God mercifull to him Vers 6. Bring my soul out of prison c. That is Bring me out of this cave wherein I am now forced to hide my self or out of these streights I am in being beset on every side as if I were in a prison the righteous shall compasse me about for thou shalt deal bountifully with me that is upon Gods delivering me the righteous will flock about me either to gaze at me as by way of admiring at the great things that God had done for me or to congratulate my deliverance to rejoyce and to praise God with me and for me or to hear what God had done for me or lastly to set the crown of Israel upon my head PSALM CXLIII Vers 1. IN thy faithfulnesse answer me and in thy righteousnesse See the note Psal 5.8 This is the last of those that are usually called the seven penitentiall Psalms See the Note on the Title Psal 6. Vers 3. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul he hath smitten my life down to the ground c. That is he hath brought me to the very gates of death to the pits brink he hath brought me to so low a condition that I look upon my self no otherwise then as a dead man see the Note Psal 7.5 he hath made me to dwell in darknesse as those that have been long dead that is he hath brought me into as hopelesse and desperate a condition as are those that are in the darknesse of the grave yea as those that have been long since rotted in the grave and I am as much disregarded in a manner and forgotten as they are see the Notes also Psal 88.5 6. Yet some understand all this of lying hid in dark caves of the earth during the long time of his banishment Vers 4. Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me c. See the Notes Psal 61.2 and 142.3 my heart
is to shed their own bloud But for my part I do rather look upon this as a farther confirmation of that which is noted before upon those words vers 11. to wit that Solomon did there expresse the sollicitations of that kind of men in those tearms Come let us lay wait for bloud c. not because he would have us think that they were wont to use any such language but only to intimate that whatever they might pretend this they would in the conclusion draw them to Yet withall I see not but that Solomon might use this as an argument to keep young men from hearkning to such evil counsellors yea though it be supposed that they had in expresse tearms encouraged them to lye in wait for bloud seeing the drift of these words for their feet run to evil c. might be all one in effect as if he had said thus Mind not so much the great riches they promise you in these waies as the evil sin they tempt you to which is no lesse then shedding bloud Vers 17. Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird According to this Translation of ours there are only two literall expositions that can be given of this parabolicall expression The first is that it is to no purpose for a fowler to spread a net in the sight of any bird because if she espies the net she will not come near it but will presently betake her self to her wings according to that of the Poet Quaeque nimis patent retia vitat avis and for this very reason it may be probably thought that it is in the Hebrew in the eyes of every thing that hath a wing And if we so understand it that which Solomon might intend thereby may be 1. to imply the reason why those robbers of whom he had spoken do lurk in thickets lye in wait in secret places to wit because otherwise they should be frustrated of their hopes purposes as the unskilfull fowler is when his nets are seen 2. to shew how little assurance those men have that run these waies of those great spoils which they with so much confidence promise the young novices they would draw in to be partners with them as it was expressed before ver 13 that because as the bird seeing the net or snare that is laid for her doth usually flie away evade the danger so the innocent discovering by some means or other that there are such men lying in wait for them do often prevent the danger and escape out of their hands at least God who sees all things that are done upon earth may by his providence many waies preserve them from falling into their hands or 3. rather to intimate that seeing poor silly birds will thus eschew a danger when once they discern it much more should reasonable men carefully avoid the snare that is laid for their lives in the enticement of such wicked wretches when once it is discovered to them But then the second the most generally approved exposition that is given of these words is this that the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird because though they see the net yet poor silly creatures so greedy they are after the bait they will run into the net so are taken destroyed And then that which Solomon would imply hereby is that just so it is with wicked men that are tempted to these lewd courses though they may see the snares whereinto they are like to fall in the gallows gibbets that are set up in severall places for such varlets though they may plainly see the destruction which their desperate courses are like to bring upon them by the example of others that have run the same waies are daily cut off by the magistrate yet they will not take warning but rush headlong upon their own destruction and bring themselves at last to a shamefull death And so indeed this proverbiall expression seems to be explained in the following verse Vers 18. And they lay wait for their own bloud they lurk privily for their own lives To wit in that whilst they lye in wait for others through the just judgement of God they bring destruction hereby upon themselves many times a shamefull death here and without repentance eternall death alwaies hereafter Vers 19. So are the waies of every one that is greedy of gain c. As if he had said What hath been hitherto said of these robbers by way of particular instance may be in like manner said of all other covetous wretches that out of greedinesse after gain do by oppression or any other wicked waies impoverish and undoe men And accordingly we must understand the next words which taketh away the life of the owners thereof that is which greedinesse after gain causeth such men even to take away the lives of those that have the wealth they gape after in their possession or rather which gain gotten by such unjust and bloudy waies doth usually bring destruction upon those that do so unjustly possesse it and cut short their daies see 1 Tim. 6.9 Vers 20. Wisedome cryeth without c. By wisedome represented here to us under the person of some grave matron Lady or Princesse is meant the word of God or the doctrine of life revealed by God unto men or rather the Son of God the Lord Christ who is the coeternall personall wisedome of the Father in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome knowledge Col. 3.2 as is more fully expressed chap. 8.22 23 c. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old c. And in the Hebrew it is expressed in the plurall number wisedomes and that to imply either 1. that he is the most absolute the most excellent and sovereign wisedome the wisedome of wisedomes or 2. that he is the authour of all wisedome teaching men all that is necessary to make them wise to make them walk wisely even the manifold wisedome of God as the Apostle cals it Eph. 3.10 or 3. that he hath in all ages by many severall waies perswaded men to forsake their sinfull waies to turn unto God Now whereas it is said that this wisedome cryeth without she uttereth her voice in the streets c. the meaning is that whereas those seducers before mentioned do secretly closely seek to entice men to their sinfull waies the son of God doth on the other side openly in publick with all plainnesse earnestnesse call upon all men in all places that walk in such waies both the seducers the seduced to abandon their evil courses and to live holily and righteously shewing them that in the conclusion the following of this advice will be found to be the only true wisedome Vers 21. She crieth in the chief place of concourse in the openings of the gates c. See the Notes Gen. 22.17 Judg. 5.11 and Psal 9.14 Vers
in the Scripture and the idol-gods which the Israelites were forbidden to worship are called strange gods yet I rather think it is meant here of a whorish wife and that because that suits best with the words in the following verse which forsaketh the guide of her youth and forgetteth the covenant of her God such a one may best be called the strange woman because she is not the adulterers wife but another mans and therefore ought to be held as a stranger to any other which is also intended in the following clause even from the stranger which flattereth with her words Only we must know 1. that because the Hebrew word here translated the stranger doth as some conceive most properly signify an alien a woman of a forreign nation therefore some think that the common whore is so called because if any such were through abuse or toleration suffered amongst the Israelites contrary to that expresse law Deut. 23.17 they were looked upon as heathens excommunicate persons and others hold that the adulteresse is so called because she had alienated her self from God his people by her filthy conversation or because it was as unlawfull for a man to goe in to such a one as it was for the Israelites of old to marry with the daughters of Canaan 2. that though the adulteresse is wont to flatter her husband the better to hide her sin yet here Solomon speaks of the flatteries wherewith she enticeth other men to commit folly with her alledging this as the excellency of wisedome that it will preserve a man from the flatteries of such harlots Vers 17. Which forsaketh the guide of her youth c. Should we understand the foregoing verse of the unmarried whore then by the guide of her youth might be meant her father or any other guardian or governour under whom she had been brought up accordingly likewise the following clause and forgetteth the covenant of her God might be understood of the law of God or the covenant whereby all Gods people stand engaged to God not to commit any such abomination as whoredome is But doubtlesse Solomon speaks here of the adulteresse and accordingly by the guide of her youth is meant her husband to whom she was married in her youth as one she took to be her head and guide even as the same title is given to God in relation to his spouse the Church Jer. 3.4 Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me My father thou art the guide of my youth and it is of her breaking the marriage covenant whereof God is the authour witnesse that the following clause is meant and forgetteth the covenant of her God And this I conceive is here added to render such adulteresses the more abominable to shew how little cause there is why any man should be moved with such a womans flatteries that hath been already so perfidious not only to her husband to whom she was married in her youth when the love of women to their husbands useth to be most fervent from whom consequently she hath received many expressions of love and kindnesse but also to the Lord himself before whom she had solemnly promised to be faithfull to her husband Vers 18. For her house enclineth unto death c. Though it be most true that the whoredomes and adulteries of women do bring upon themselves without repentance certain destruction yet that this is not here as some would have it at least principally intended is evident because this is added to shew how great the benefit is that wisedome delivers men from the strange woman as was said before vers 16. For saith Solomon her house enclineth to death that is the very being with her in her house or the frequenting of her house is infectious and deadly and tends to the utter ruine of men both in regard of temporall and eternall death and her paths unto the dead that is the way that leads to her house or the wicked courses wherein she brings men to live that follow her and converse with her are the sure way to destruction The summe therefore of these words is this that adultery is the way to death not only eternall but temporall here in this world to wit both in regard that lust doth usually wast the vital powers and shortens mens lives sometimes they die of filthy diseases contracted by their uncleannesse and also in regard they are often cut off either by the rage of the jealous husband or by the sword of the magistrate or by some quarrels arising amongst those that are rivals in the love of these harlots or by some other way of divine wrath as usually by the Lords suffering them to fall into other sins that bring them to the gallows see Heb. 13.4 As for the phrases here used that her house enclineth unto death and her paths unto the dead they import as much as if it had been said either that her house is even bending and sinking ready to fall upon the heads of those that are there implying that both she and those that keep her company are continually in danger of utter ruine or else that her house is in the way that leads down-hill to death and eternall destruction or that the way to her house carries men down headlong to utter ruine Vers 19. None that goe unto her c. That is say some Expositours that lye with her according to that Isa 8.3 And I went unto the prophetesse and she conceived c. But I rather take it thus None that goe unto her that is that keep her company converse with her return again that is do ever get out of her power and leave this sin and turn to the Lord by unfeigned repentance no more then dead men of whom he had spoken in the foregoing verse do ever return from the grave or hell neither take they hold of the paths of life that is neither do they reform themselves or betake themselves to live a holy spirituall life that they may be saved though upon some sudden motions they may sometimes seem to catch at the paths of life yet they do not seriously constantly lay hold on them Indeed because it cannot truly be said that none that are insnared with harlots do ever repent turn to the Lord therefore I take it to be an hyperbolicall comparative expression none that goe unto her return again that is few or none of them none to speak of according to that Isa 64.7 there is none that calleth upon thy name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee that is none in a manner And upon this account because whoremongers adulterers do so seldome return to the Lord by repentance in allusion thereto the same is said concerning the idolatrous Israelites Hos 5.4 They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God for the spirit of whoredome is in the midst of them Vers 21. For the upright shall dwell in
usually turn to gall choler in the stomack so doth cause there exceeding bitter gripings pains so the flatteries of a strumpet do usually bring upon men many bitter deadly terrours miseries Vers 5. Her feet goe down to death c. That is thither she leads those that follow her see the Note chap. 2.18 her steps take hold on hell that is both she and her associates are at the very brink of hell Vers 6. Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life her waies are moveable thou canst not know them This is a very hard place But two expositions are most commonly followed For 1. some understand it of the young mans pondering the waies of the strange womans life conversation Lest saith he thou shouldest ponder the path of life that is lest thou shouldest mark her way of life which being discovered were indeed enough to make thee loath her her waies are moveable thou canst not know them that is her waies are so variable she will have so many severall devices to intangle thee will be so cunning to transform her self into all forms fashions that though thou shouldest observe her never so diligently and as it were weigh her actions the waies she takes in a balance it would be lost labour thou wilt never be able to find her out nor to evade all her snares but wilt be overthrown by her pestilent inchantments before thou canst discern her villanous designs courses But now because it is not render'd in our Bibles Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of her life but Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life we may see that our Translatours did rather understand it of the young mans pondering the way of life that is the way how he should preserve his life or the way of holinesse which is the true way of life and the way that leads unto life eternall Because the young man might think that though he kept company with the whorish woman yet he would take care to preserve his life by getting in time away from her or that yet he would in time repent and have a care of his soul to beat him off from thus flattering himself Solomon tels him here how impossible this was Lest saith he thou shouldest ponder the path of life that is Lest thou shouldest consider what course thou mightest take for the preservation of thy life or Lest thou shouldest bethink thy self of saving thy soul and of betaking thy self to the waies of holinesse her waies are moveable thou canst not know them that is her waies are so variable inconstant sometimes pretending one thing sometimes another that thou wilt never be able to know what thou maiest give credit to what not and consequently what course it were best for thee to take to escape the danger thou art in or her waies are so crafty crooked so many severall devices she will have to ensnare thee that thou wilt never be able to discover her devices therein that so thou shouldest bethink thy self of avoiding the danger of them but it will be with thee as with men that goe in by-paths full of windings turnings thou wilt be sure to loose thy self or her waies run headlong to hell thither they will carry thee without suffering thee to discern the danger thou art in or to bethink thy self of the waies of life This expression of the moveablenesse of the harlots waies may be used either with reference to the impossibility of throughly discerning those things that are in continuall motion so may imply that by reason of the harlots continuall various waies and devices she hath to delight and ensnare the young man that converseth with her though he now then may think of the evil of her waies and of betaking himself into the path of life yet she will soon cause such motions to vanish away neither will he be able seriously to ponder them in his mind or else by way of allusion to malefactours or foxes badgers that have usually many secret holes and hiding-places to shelter themselves in that they may not be taken thereby signifying the many wiles the harlot hath to keep her lovers from finding out her mischievous designs Vers 9. Lest thou give thine honour unto others c. That is Lest thou suffer others to rob thee of thy good name the credit good esteem which formerly thou didst enjoy And by others may be meant either simply harlots because usually one doth not satisfy the lustfull person or else together with them bawds parasites such other lewd companions with whom such unclean persons do usually converse I know that some Expositours do under this word honour comprehend the wealth wherewith God hath honoured a man the children he begets of the adulteresse as likewise the flower of a mans life his strength beauty all the honourable endowments both of his body mind yea some extend it also to that honour of a mans being created after Gods image But because these may be better comprised under the following clauses I rather take this to be meant of the shame dishonour which this sin brings upon men And thy years to the cruell that is lest thou suffer cruell harlots to wast shorten the years of thy life or lest thou spend the precious time of thy youth upon them which might be spent otherwaies to Gods glory thine own great advantage And indeed well may the harlot be called cruell because whereas the wife is carefull of her husbands estate health safety the harlot cares not how she wasts them yet afterwards when he is brougnt to poverty will never mind him nor pitty him besides that often such kind of women will not stick to poyson or make away their lovers that so some other may be entertained in their stead I know that by the cruell some understand the strange womans husband that in his jealousy will fall upon the adulterer with all possible fury not admitting of any excuse or satisfaction see chap. 6.34 35 others those that are the young mans rivals or else those bawds ruffians usurers that do cruelly wast his estate But the first exposition is clearly the best Vers 10. Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth thy labours be in the house of a stranger That is Lest thou dost wast thy substance upon whores bawds and such like vile persons upon the adulteresse her husband children servants upon usurers of whom thou must borrow money or such as must be bribed to conceal thy wickednesse And hereby Solomon doth covertly intimate what a folly it is for a man to squander away that which he hath gotten by wasting his strength in hard labour upon mere strangers so that neither his wife children kindred or friends shall be any way the better for it The first clause is in the Original Lest strangers be filled with thy strength that is with
life But by right here I conceive is not meant that which is delightfull desirable but that which is blamelesse just And though there be no evil way wherein wicked men are not wont upon some pretence or other to flatter themselves according to that chap. 12.15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes yet because there are some grosse waies of wickednesse which are so directly against the very light of nature that the worst of men cannot but judge them to be evil therefore I rather think that Solomons aim here is to shew that there are some waies which though they be contrary to the will of God therefore hatefull in his sight yet men are apt to think that they are just right and pleasing to God and that either because they have some appearance of goodnesse in them as it is in will-worships and insurrections against a lawfull magistrate abusing his power opposing the true religion many such like waies or because the gain pleasure they may find in those waies haply the great successe which God may give them therein doth many times bribe their judgements and makes them call evil good and darknesse light But the end thereof are the waies of death that is in the conclusion if they persevere therein to the end they will be found to be waies that do certainly bring men to eternall death and destruction And besides in that it is said that the end of this way which seemeth right to a man is not the way but the wayes of death this also may be hinted to us that one such evil way of errour and sin doth usually lead men into many more till at last it brings them to eternall destruction Vers 13. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heavinesse Because excessive laughter doth naturally cause pain in the body and maketh the heart to be afterwards the heavier therefore some Expositours conceive that Solomon doth in these words allude hereto But that which this Proverb seems to hold forth to us may be 1. that as in outward prosperity there is usualy somewhat of affliction that goeth along with it and accordingly with all naturall joyes there is still some mixture of sorrow even as there is still some leâ—s in the sweetest wines so likewise great prosperity is usually followed with some great affliction and so great joys do usually end in great sorrows 2. that when men do counterfeit mirth labour to drive sorrow from their hearts it will not be there will be still some secret gripings of grief even in their laughter at last their sorrow will return upon them again and so that mirth will end in heavinesse and 3. that it is thus especially with wicked men whose mirth is usually mingled with terrours and tortures of conscience and at last is followed with Gods wrath and vengeance and then their sorrow is pure sorrow without any allay of hope or comfort And the drift of noting all this here is to teach us rather to seek after those joyes that are solid and permanent and that will chear up the heart even in outward distresses Vers 14. The backslider in heart c. That is The man that turns away his heart from God his waies and groweth dayly worse and worse or rather The man that falls away from those waies of holinesse and righteousnesse wherein he walked for a time not slipping back only through infirmity in some particular actions but having his heart wholly estranged from God shall be filled with his own waies that is he that hath so soon his fill of goodnesse shall at last have his fill of wickednesse to wit in the punishments of it see the Note chap. 1.31 and a good man shall be satisfied from himself that is from his own comforts that he feels within himself or from his own works which God will abundantly reward especially in heaven where he shall be able to desire no more then he shall have Vers 15. The simple c. See the Note Chap. 1.4 believeth every word to wit every false report and flattery every fair plea of deceivers and so is easily deceived and drawn into evil but the prudent man looketh well to his going that is he will not take things upon trust and so will not be drawn to do any thing but what upon due consideration he finds he may lawfully safely doe see the Note above vers 8. It is indeed said 1 Cor. 13.7 that charity believeth all things but the meaning of that is only that charity teacheth men not to be causelesly suspicious but to interpret all things to the best unlesse there be apparent reason to the contrary and there is a great deal of difference betwixt this goodnesse of charity and the lightnesse of credulity Vers 16. A wise man feareth and departeth from evil c. That is when such a man seeth Gods judgments executed upon men or foreseeth any evil approaching whether it be by the warning that is before-hand given him or otherwise he will be afraid and so wisely decline the evil feared or rather he will be afraid of Gods displeasure and the punishment whereof he apprehends himself in danger so will forsake his sins as the cause of those evils but the fool rageth and is confident that is he rageth against those that reprove him and tell him of the evil that is coming upon him or like a mad man he breaks out into all manner of outrageous wickednesse furiously proceeds from sin to sin and so rusheth upoâ— the pikes of Gods displeasure being as the Apostle Jude speaks vers 13. as raging waves of the sea foaming out their own shame and yet is confident that all shall be well with him Vers 17. He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly c. That is he usually speaketh and doeth many absurd things many things that are hurtfull to himself and hereby he maketh himself a laughing-stock to men yea such a man for his folly is rather to be pitied then hated and a man of wicked devices is hated that is he that concealeth his anger carrying all fair outwardly but inwardly plotting revenge severall waies is usually hated as a mischievous person The still malicious man is far worse then the man that is hasty of spirit Vers 18. The simple inherit folly c. The grounds of this expression may be these 1. that the folly of simple wicked men is bred and born with them it descends to them as an inheritance by naturall generation from the loins of their parents 2. that it is proper and naturall to them in all things to behave themselves foolishly there is nothing so foolish ridiculous but they will embrace it nor so absurd and wicked but they will doe it though they pretend to seek after knowledge yet it will not be though they be ever learning yet they will never come to the knowledge
1. Vers 10. A divine sentence is in the lips of the King c. That is a sentence agreeable to the word of God or as true certain as if it came from God himself It is indeed in the Original Divination is in the lips of the King that is as it were divination as if he should have said There is in the lips of kings a sagacity like that of diviners or the sentence which they pronounce and the words which they speak are as sure and certain as those of diviners are usually pretended esteemed to be And indeed though in the Scripture by divination is usually meant that divination of south-saiers which is condemned as an abomination Deut. 18.10 yet sometimes the word is used in a good sense as in Isa 3.2 where that which we translate the prudent is in the Original the diviner and yet thereby is only meant men of such a piercing judgement and deep reach that they are able shrewdly to ghesse at the future events and consequences of things as if they had a spirit of divination see also Mich. 3.6 Now accordingly Expositours do understand this Proverb four severall waies as 1. that because kings and so all other supream magistrates are Gods vice-gerents their sentences are to be esteemed as the oracles of God or 2. that kings are usually endued by God in whose place they sit with such singular wisdome and sagacity that they are able to bolt out the truth of things difficult abstruse and so when they come to hear or decide controversies or to give judgement in doubtfull cases they are wont quickly to discover any evil that is or hath been practised by the parties contending or by their witnesses and so they seldome or never mistake in pronouncing judgement as it is in the last clause his mouth transgresseth not in judgement implying that therefore it is a weaknesse folly in men either to attempt to deceive the supreme magistrate or any way to carp at his decrees or 3. that thus it is with wise pious kings who only indeed deserve the name of kings see 2 Sam. 14.20 and 1 Kings 3.27 28 because they are conscientiously carefull to search out the truth to speak the truth making the word of God their rule in all things and are not wont to pronounce sentence at any time without mature deliberation grave advice begging direction from God and because God doth in a speciall manner assist and direct their minds and tongues in searching out the most secret wickednesses and in giving judgement therefore their sentence is usually divine just and their mouth doth seldome erre in judgement or 4. that thus it should be with kings that they should wisely consider of all things search into the most secret causes so that they may still speak that which is right and may not at any time erre in judgement And indeed these two last expositions are clearly the best because there are two other Proverbs that follow vers 12 13. that must necessarily be expounded after the same manner I know the words may be also capable of some other expositions as that kings will have their decrees stand be accounted just whatever they be or that Princes other great mens words are usually esteemed as oracles and all their decrees are counted just whereas with poor men it is no way so But the former expositions are clearly the best Vers 11. A just weight and balance are the Lords all the weights of the bag are his work That is they were devised by his speciall providence direction and are ordained appointed by him they have as it were his seal upon them so that none may use any other if they do they must give an account of it to God and he will punish them for it see the Note also chap. 11.1 Vers 12. It is an abomination to kings to commit wickednesse c. To wit either to commit it themselves or that others should commit it they abhorre it in themselves and dare not doe it neither will they endure it in others And the meaning is only that thus it should be with kings or that thus it is with good kings see the Note above vers 10. For the throne is established by righteousnesse that is by executing justice in punishing the wicked or more generally by a constant care to obey Gods laws whether in prince or people Vers 13. Righteous lips are the delight of kings As namely men that will not lye nor slander judges that will give righteous judgement and wise faithfull counsellors that will not dissemble nor flatter but will speak that which is just and true though it be by way of shewing them any evil they have done or any thing else that may be extremely harsh and distastfull to their corrupt nature But see also the foregoing Notes vers 10. and 12. Vers 14. The wrath of a king is as messengers of death c. That is It is as terrible as sure a forerunner and token of unavoidable death presently to be expected as if many messengers should be sent to a man which shews the thing is certain to give a man notice that he shall be put to death or as if many should be sent to him to take away his life against whom there can be no hope to defend himself And the reason of this is because kings have such absolute power many severall waies to cut off any man with whom they are offended Indeed if their servants do but see them angry with any man they will be ready of their own accord to make him away But a wise man will pacify it to wit by his prayers to God by the mediation of friends or by his own wise calm and gracious speeches I know it may also be meant of a wise mans stepping in to pacify the kings wrath on the behalf of others But however the main drift of this clause is to set forth the excellency of wisdome in that hereby men can pacify the wrath of kings which no gifts nor tender of service can doe because they have no need of those things Vers 15. In the light of the kings countenance is life c. That is his lightsome and chearfull countenance is as the light of the sun is a means of chearing and reviving the hearts of men yea though they were before as dead men by reason of some bitter affliction sorrow and his favour is as a cloud of the later rain that is a great refreshing that which usually brings men to a flourishing and prosperous condition The Proverb may also be understood more particularly to wit that when a man was in danger of death by reason of a kings anger if he be pleased to look chearfully again upon him that will again re-assure life to him his favour in pardoning him when it is at last procured will be as a cloud of the later rain for which see the
even as if they were asleep yea as if they were dead men it makes men carelesse and negligent in their affairs and senselesse of the misery they are like to bring upon themselves which yet will come upon them as the next clause sheweth and an idle soul shall suffer hunger Vers 16. He that keepeth the commandement keepeth his own soul c. That is He that sincerely desireth endeavoureth to keep Gods commandements doth thereby preserve himself from death temporall and eternall for that this is the meaning of these words appears by the opposite clause but he that despiseth his waies shall die that is that lives carelesly and walks at randome not minding what he doth or that taketh no care to order his life according to Gods commandements see the Note chap. 13.13 But this Proverb may be understood also of observing or despising the command of the civil Magistrate Vers 18. Chasten thy son while there is hope and let not thy soul spare for his crying Or as it is in the margin of our Bibles to his destruction or to cause him to die And the meaning may be either that the fathers sparing of his child would tend to his destruction and as we use to say bring him to the gallows or that a father should not forbear when his sons wickednesse so required to cause him to be put to death according to that law made for a rebellious son Deut 21.18 21. Vers 19. A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment for if thou deliver him c. To wit whether it be by appeasing his wrath or by freeing him from the danger whereinto by his passion he had brought himself thou must do it again and that because he will upon some other occasion be passionate again and so by his passion will bring himself again and again into danger Vers 20. Hear counsell and receive instruction c. That is the counsell and instruction that is here given in this Book or rather the counsell and instruction of God and all good men in generall that thou maiest be wise in thy later end that is that though thou hast spent the former part of thy time in vanity and wickednesse yet thou mayest be wise at last or that thou mayest be wise when thou comest to be old or when thou comest to die to wit that then it may appear that thou art wise that then thou mayest reap the fruit thereof for the meaning is not that we should not seek to be wise in our youth but therefore it is said that thou mayest be wise in thy later end because then wisdome stands men in most stead and all their felicity depends upon their being wise then Vers 21. There are many devices in mans heart neverthelesse the counsell of the Lord that shall stand Some by the counsell of the Lord here do understand the counsell that he gives unto men in his word and accordingly they understand this place thus that when men are in a demurre what to doe they have usually many devices in their heads never regarding the directions of Gods word whether or no that which they contrive be agreeable to what is there enjoyned but it is they only that follow the counsell of Gods word that shall prosper in what they undertake But I rather conceive that it is the eternall purpose and decree of God that is here called the counsell of the Lord so the meaning of the words seems to be this that men have usually many various devices in their thoughts for the effecting of what they desire which in the conclusion come to nothing but that Gods counsell is alwaies unchangeably the same and sure to be accomplished See the Notes chap. 16.1 9. Vers 22. The desire of a man is his kindnesse c. That is That which a man doth naturally desire or which he ought to desire is that he may be able to shew kindnesse to others that he may be open-handed and bountifull to those that stand in need of it and a poor man is better then a liar that is a poor man that hath not to give and yet haply desires to give if he had it is better see the Note 2 Cor. 12.8 then a rich man that pretends himself not able to give when he hath abundance or that promiseth to give doth not and that maketh a shew of kindnesse when there is no such thing in his heart and so is a liar or a poor man is better then a false-dealing rich man Thus I conceive this Proverb may be best understood Yet there are many other expositions given of it that are not altogether improbable as 1. that men are usually kind to others with an aim to procure from them the accomplishment of their desire in some greater matter and that a poor man that hath nothing to give is better then such an one that makes merchandise of his kindnesse or 2. that there is nothing makes a man more to be desired amongst men then his kindnesse c or 3. that it is usuall with men to pretend that their desire of riches is merely that they may be kind and bountifull to others but that a poor man who is contented with his mean estate is better then a rich man that falsly seeks to hide his covetousnesse under a pretence of intending to doe good unto others or 4. that men are ambitious to shew kindnesse and not to stand in need of the relief of others but that a poor man not ashamed of his poverty is better then one that will make a shew of giving though he be fitter to receive alms from others Vers 23. The fear of the Lord tendeth to life c. See the Notes chap. 10.27 and 14.27 and he that hath it shall abide satisfied to wit with abundance of all desireable blessings or with his interest in God and his assurance of Gods provident care over him he shall not be visited with evil that is with any thing that shall be truly hurtfull to him Vers 24. A slothfull man hideth his hand in his bosome c. To wit that in cold weather he may there keep it warm and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again to wit to feed himself which is an hyperbolicall expression shewing that hunger cannot prevail against such mens sloth and that they will not doe no not those things that are most easie and most necessary to be done see chap. 26.12 Vers 25. Smite a scorner and the simple will beware c. That is though it will doe no good to the scorner yet another man that errs out of weaknesse and ignorance will take warning by it and reprove one that hath understanding and he will understand knowledge that is he will understand his errour mend what is amisse there will be no need to smite him a gentle reproof will serve the turn Yet this last clause and he will understand knowledge may be referred to the simple
be rich see the Note chap. 20.21 or of those that rashly doe what ever comes into their minds without any counsell or deliberation about it must needs bring them to poverty Vers 6. The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro c. That is Treasures gotten by a lying tongue are a vain thing they no way do good either to them or theirs nor ever continue with them but are like dust or chaff or smoke that is scattered by the wind this way and that till it be brought to nothing see the Notes chap. 10.2 and 13.11 of them that seek death to wit both temporall and eternall Vers 7. The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them c. It is in the Hebrew shall saw them or dwell with them whereby is meant that their punishments should be both terrible and continuall terrible not only because of the severity of Gods judgements but also because terrours of conscience should as it were saw and tear and grate their spirits and continuall because though their wealth gotten by robbery continued not with them yet the guilt punishment of their sin should keep fast hold of them and abide with them because they refuse to doe judgement to wit in the seat of justice and if this be taken so then the robbery of the wicked in the foregoing clause is the oppression of unjust judges who are indeed the great robbers or because they will not doe that which is just and right they sin not therein through ignorance and infirmity but wittingly and willingly and being reproved they will not give it over Vers 8. The way of man is froward c. That is The way of man in his naturall estate being left unto himself is crooked sinfull see the Notes chap. 3.32 2 Sam. 22.27 and Job 5.13 and strange that is contrary to all right reason and no way agreeable to the word of God strange from what it was in the state of innocency or what it should be Or it may be said to be strange because in chusing such waies men chuse darknesse rather then light and death rather then life eternall Vers 9. It is better to dwell in a corner of the house-top c. That is It is better to sit moping all alone upon the top of an house see the Note Deut. 22.8 where a man must needs be exposed to all injuries of the weather heat and cold wind and rain thunder and lightening yea upon the battlements there or to be penned up in some narrow corner there so that he can no way stir to avoid the inconveniencies above-said then with a brawling woman in a wide house or as it is in the Hebrew a house of society that is in a fair goodly house and where there is a great deal of company to wit because though that be comfortable in it self yet it is to such a woman an occasion of the more brawling So that Solomons aim herein might be to shew that a brawling wife doth so overturn the end of marriage that whereas God said at first It is not good for man to be alone Gen. 2.18 yet indeed it is better for a man to live alone then to have such a wife Yea and some conceive that hereby also is implyed that though a man gets a wife that brings him a stately house and land for her portion or such an estate as that thereby he is enabled to live in a fair and spacious house yet he had better be without it if she proves a brawling and contentious woman Vers 10. The soul of the wicked desireth evil c. That is he sinneth not ignorantly and through infirmity but wittingly and advisedly all his delight desire is to doe evil Now if we thus understand this clause then the meaning of the next clause may be this his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes that is though his acquaintance and friends disswade him from his wicked courses he will not mind or regard them but will rather mischief them then be hindered by them But I rather conceive that the first clause is to be understood of the wicked mans desiring to doe mischief And so I take the drift of the whole Proverb to be this that the wicked man is out of envy or malice wholly and only bent to desire the hurt of men or to endeavour to doe mischief to men insomuch that he will not shew any mercy or kindnesse to his nearest friends and acquaintances when they stand in need of it or that he is so set upon mischief that he will not spare his nearest relations or that his neighbour though he carrieth himself never so kindly or friendly to him shall yet find no favour in his eyes Vers 11. When the scorner is punished the simple is made wise c. See the Note chap. 19.25 Vers 12. The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked c. This may be understood many severall waies As 1. that he considereth in what danger the wicked man is together with his family and posterity how he may reclaim them from their evil waies and then the next clause but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickednesse implyeth that all the endeavours of the righteous man to reclaim them doe no good and that therefore God at last doth utterly destroy them Or 2. that he marks and observes their horrible wickednesse and how many are corrupted thereby and so is carefull to keep himself from being defiled by them or having any communion with them but then the wicked that mind no such thing but run on desperately in their wicked waies God doth overthrow Or 3. that observing how exceedingly they prosper he considers why this should be and concluding that hereby God hardens them in their sins that they have their portion in this life and that surely God will destroy them c. this keeps him from being offended and the wicked indeed are at length destroyed according to his expectation Or 4. that he observes and seriously layes to heart the fearfull judgements that God at last brings upon the families of the wicked and thereby becomes very carefull to avoid their wicked waies and thus the judgements upon wicked men doe much good to the righteous whilest the wicked themselves reap no good by them and so are at last utterly destroyed Vers 14. A gift in secret pacifyeth anger c. That is say some it cools the zeal of a judge when he is severely bent to cut off an offender or generally it appeaseth the anger of those that were before highly offended and that because as gifts are very pleasing to men so they also testify the submission of the party that gives them and being closely given that takes away the shame of open receiving Some apply this also to alms given secretly so that a mans left hand knoweth not what his right hand doeth Matth. 6.3 that they tend to the appeasing of Gods
cannot attain them or when a man hath gotten them they will vanish away in an instant as an eagle towards heaven that is as an eagle flyeth towards heaven or if these words also be meant of riches we must understand them thus that riches will be gone beyond all possibility of getting them or recovering them again The first clause is in the Hebrew Wilt thou cause thine eies to flee upon that which is not which expression seems to have reference to that which followeth concerning riches sleeing away as an eagle and so may imply that though in their desires men flie after riches with never so much eagernesse they will be too swift for them and how vain a thing it is for men to gape after riches even as if a man should with earnest desires look after some fowle which is upon the wing and in the twinckling of an eye is gotten out of his sight and therefore it is too that the eagle is mentioned because no fowle flyeth so high or so swift as an eagle Vers 6. Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye That is of an envious man according to that Matth. 20.15 Is thine eye evil because I am good or rather of a sordid covetous miser that doth envy thee and grudge thee every bit of meat that thou eatest for so on the contrary the liberall man was before said to have a good or a bountifull eye chap. 22.9 Vers 7. For as he thinketh in his heart so is he c. That is he is not to be esteemed according to what in his words and his outward deportment he would pretend himself to be to wit one that loves thee and to whom thou art truly welcome but according to what he thinketh in his heart as namely that he is a dissembling miserly churle that grudgeth at thy eating of that which he sets before thee as is expressed in the following clause Eat and drink saith he to thee but his heart is not with thee Vers 8. The morsell which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up c. Some understand this literally that by reason of some unwholsome meat which the envious man doth often set before his guests or by reason of his drawing them with a mischievous intention to overlade their stomacks with his meat or drink his guests should vomit up what they had eaten and so also should be disabled from speaking so wisely and acceptably to those that were present as otherwise they might have done which they think is intended in the next clause and lose thy sweet words But by the common consent of most Expositours the meaning is rather this The morsell which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up that is By some snare wherewith he will entrap thee or some mischief he will afterwards doe thee he will make thee pay dearly for what thou hast eaten or rather When thou shalt perceive either by some distastfull speeches given thee or by some other means that he grudged to see thee eat his meat thou shalt be so inwardly vexed and grieved that thy meat shall doe thee no good and in that regard it shall be all one to thee as if thou hadst vomited it up again or thou shalt even loath that very meat of his which thou hast eaten and repent that ever thou didst eat it and wish thou couldest vomit it up again And lose thy sweet words that is all the sweet glosing words wherewith he welcomed thee c. all the content thou didst take therein shall be then lost they shall doe thee no good but rather thou shalt be vexed exceedingly that thou wert so befooled by his dissembling language or thou shalt lose thy sweet words that is all the flattering language thou gavest him or all the courteous sweet complementall words thou spakest to him by way of praising his good chear or acknowledging his love and returning him many thanks for his kind entertainment or any good or pleasant discourse wherewith thou soughtest to delight him or his guests whilst thou wert at his table all which shall be as lost either because the covetous churle took no delight in them whilst he grudged at him for eating up his victuals or because the man that spake them when he comes to discover the sordid dissembling of his host that entertained him shall be fretted that ever he spake them and shall wish that he had never spoken them Vers 9. Speak not in the ears of a fool for he will despise the wisdome of thy words To wit out of ignorance or profanenesse see the Notes chap. 9.7 8. But yet this phrase of speaking in the ear may seem to imply that this is meant only of private admonition or reproof Vers 10. Remove not the old land-mark and enter not into the fields of the fatherlesse To wit neither by seizing upon their lands and estate unjustly nor by any encroachment through removing their land-marks nor by breaking violently into them any other way to doe them any damage Vers 11. For their redeemer is mighty c. See the Note Job 19.25 he shall plead their cause with thee see the Note chap. 22.23 Vers 13. Withhold not correction from the child c. That is neither omit it thy self nor restrain others from doing it to whom it belongs see the Notes also chap. 13.24 19.18 for if thou beat him with the rod he shall not die that is such moderate correction will not be his death to wit neither at the present for a rod will break no bones nor yet by degrees by grieving or weakening him and bringing him into a consumption or he shall not die that is this will preserve him both from being cut off by untimely death as cocker'd children for their wickednesse many times are and likewise from eternall death as is more fully expressed in the following verse Vers 14. Thou shalt beat him with the rod and shalt deliver his soul from hell This last clause may be taken not only as a promise but also as a precept Vers 15. My son if thine heart be wise my heart shall rejoyce even mine That is not only shall this yield joy to thine own heart but to mine also by whose instruction this hath been wrought and who for the love I bear thee cannot but rejoyce in thy good Vers 16. Yea my reins shall rejoyce c. That is All the inward parts of my body shall be affected with my joy when thy lips speak right things that is when thou becomest able thereby to instruct others or when thy speech is pious and every way right which is therefore particularly mentioned because this is the highest proof of true wisdome in the heart If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man Jam. 3.2 Vers 17. Let not thine heart envy sinners c. See the Notes Psal 37.1 3 but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long that is continually and constantly even then
that thou thy self hast cursed others That is reproached and spoken evil of others And therefore as thou wouldst have others to bear with thine infirmities so resolve thou to bear with the infirmities of others Vers 23. All this have I proved by wisdome c. Solomons drift in this and the following verse is from his own proof and experience first to assert the certainty of those precepts he had hitherto given for the remedying of those vanities as much as may be whereto men are subject here in this world and particularly of that which he had said concerning the singular protection which wisdom affords to men against their own corruptions the dangers ensuing thereupon and Secondly to set forth the difficulty of attaining this wisdom thereby to teach men not to be over ready to think upon some progresse they have made in their endeavours after wisdome and knowledge that they know as much as is to be known that because the more they know the more they will discover their want of knowledge and yet withall to content themselves with such a measure of knowledge as is attainable in this life and not to aspire after the knowledge of those things that are above their reach All this have I proved by wisdome that is by means of that wisdome which God was pleased in an extraordinary measure to confer upon me and wherein I laboured by all possible means dayly to grow and increase I did experimentally find the truth of all that which I have hitherto taught either concerning the vanity of all things here below or concerning the means prescribed whereby men may come to live with as much comfort and content as is attainable in the midst of so much vanity or particularly concerning the great advantage which true wisdom yields to men in this And yet withall he addes that after all his endeavours he came far short of that degree of wisdom which he sought to attain as is expressed in the following words I said I will be wise that is I fully determined with my self to use all means that I might atttain to perfection of wisdome and perswaded my self that by those endeavours of mine I should attain it but it was far from me that is I was still far from attaining that perfection of wisdome which I laboured for I found it still far above my reach and that because the more he searched into Gods works of creation and providence the more unsearchable depths he found therein the more knowledge he attained the clearer discovery he still made of his own wants herein and after the diligence he used in tracing all the severall wayes which men take for the attaining of true happinesse he found himself still far from attaining that wisdome thereby which he sought for Vers 24. That which is far off and exceeding deep who can find it out As if he had said As men cannot discern those things that are very far distant from them nor dive into those things that are exceeding deep so neither can they fully comprehend the works of God and the reason thereof and that because they are so exceeding mysterious and profound and so far beyond the reach of the eye of mans reason And therefore no marvel it is though wisdome be so hard to be attained Vers 25. I applyed mine heart to know c. In the Hebrew it is I and mine heart compassed to know and to search and to seek out wisdome But the meaning is this that though he found wisdome so hard to be attained yet this did not discourage him but rather made him more eager in the pursuite of it in so much that he did seriously and with all possible diligence turn himself every way and made curious search into every thing wherein any knowledge was to be gotten leaving no means unattempted whereby he might hope to attain the wisdome he sought for and the reason of things that is the nature and causes of things why things are thus and thus and why men did that which he observed they did that weighing diligently the true principles and causes of all things and comparing them with others he might be able to give a clear and distinct judgement concerning all things whatsoever and to know the wickednesse of folly even of foolishnesse and madnesse that is the exceeding wickednesse folly and madnesse that is in the wayes of ungodly men And observable it is that first he buckled himself to search out wisdome and then afterwards to discover the folly of wickednesse that so the first might be an Antidote against the second But see the Notes Chap. 1.13 17. Some conceive that Solomons drift in this verse is to shew that having found the reason of Gods works to be above his reach he addressed himself in the next place to observe the ordinary passages of mens lives But I rather conceive that Solomon intending in the following verses to set forth some other vanities observed by him besides those formerly mentioned in this book he premiseth by way of introduction thereunto that which he saith here concerning the diligent search that he had made after knowledge in the exact discovery both of good and evil Vers 26. And I find more bitter then death the woman whose heart is snares and nets c. That is the harlot or whorish woman whose heart is said to be snares and nets because her heart is continually intent upon the designe of intangling mens affections and is alwayes full of manifold cunning frauds and devices whereby to deceive insnare and destroy men and her hands as bands because by her wanton dalliances her cogging gifts and lascivious embraces she binds those to her whom she hath once insnared and holds them in bondage as her slaves triumphing and insulting over them at her pleasure Now this woman Solomon saith he had found more bitter then death because though she seemes in her words and outward carriage to be sweeter then honey and softer then oile yet indeed in regard of the miseries she brings upon men she is more bitter then death and it were better for a man to dye then to be intangled by her see the Notes Pro. 5.3 4. even in regard of the miseries she brings upon a man in this life the terrors of his conscience the ruining of his estate the scorn and reproach he endures the rotting and consuming of his body by noysome and filthy diseases he is in a worse condition then that of men that dye by an ordinary death But then besides whereas death doth only deprive men of this bodily and momentany life the harlot deprives men of life eternall and separates betwixt them and God whose favour is better then life Psal 63.3 Death in some wayes and cases may be an honour to men yea it may be so sanctified and sweetned as that it may be to men a most welcome and desirable mercy But a mans being overcome by a harlot can tend to nothing but misery shame and
well-growing of his seed and so likewise he shall loose his harvest and never reap his corne if upon every rising of a cloud in the sky he feares there will be rain so that man shall never doe good to the poor and so never obtain the reward which God hath promised to those that doe liberally sow this seed that is still out of covetousnesse or distrust pretending that it is not yet a fit season to give and suggesting to himselfe many needlesse feares of what may be hereafter thereby to justifie himselfe herein as that he may come to have many children that in old age or in long and tedious sicknesse or times of trouble he and his may want what they now give Wind and clouds are uncertain signes of what weather will be and may blow over and so are the feares of covetous men Vers 5. As thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit c. That is say some Expositors the way of the wind to wit whence it cometh and whether it goeth Joh. 3.8 when and from what point of the heavens it will blow and whether with a violent or a gentle gale Or rather the way how the soul doth at first enter into the body of every child in its first conception which indeed is the more probable because the next clause that is joyned with it doth clearly agree hereto nor how the bones doe grow in the womb of her that is with child that is how the body of a child is made and growes up in the womb of the mother for the bones are only mentioned figuratively in stead of the whole body because the figure and frame of the whole body is chiefely from them how all the severall kinds of substance in the body skin and flesh and sinewes and bones should be made of the same seed and how so many and so many several sorts of bones should be formed and hardened and knit together in the womb even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all that is thou knowest not what God will do in future times who as he is the maker of all things so accordingly he doth with all things whatsoever he pleaseth Some Expositors doe comprehend other incomprehensible things in that which is said here of the way of the Spirit as namely how the Spirit that is the soul doth fashion the several organs of the childs first conception according to that old saying that anima est sui domicilij architectrix how the child breathes and is not stifled in the mothers womb or how it lives if it breathes not and which way the soul goeth out of the body when a man dyeth But howsoever the meaning is cleare that if we know not these ordinary things that are dayly done amongst us much lesse can we know the future works of Gods providence so that as the husbandman must not forbeare sowing or reaping for fear of this or that because they know not how God may order the wind or the weather and how he may turn it to good so neither ought men to forbear or delay relieving the poor out of vain and idle pretences and feares because they know not what God may do to them or theirs or others in time to come Though men know not how their bounty should tend to their advantage yet God can bring it about many several wayes And againe because they know not how soone God may cut them off by death or strip them of their estates and therefore it is not good to put off their charity lest they should be surprized Vers 6. In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening withhold not thine hand c. Some conceive this to be an exhortation inferred from that which is said in the foregoing verse concerning the uncertainty of future events pressing men to an assiduous diligence in all things in general which in their several callings God requires at their hands And indeed all works of righteousnesse whereto men are bound by their general or particular calling are in the Scripture sometimes compared to seed sown as in Pro. 11.18 To him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward for which see the Note there so that if we thus understand the words here then by mens sowing their own seed is meant that they should intend their own calling without intermedling with other mens businesse But because Solomon hath been all this Chapter hitherto pressing men to be charitable to the poor comparing almes to the sowing of seed I conceive it to be unquestionable that these words likewise intend the same thing In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening withhold not thine hand that is Be alwayes doing good begin betimes and never give over be not weary of well-doing begin in the morning of thy youth and hold on to the evening of thine old age or as soone as thou beginnest to have an estate begin presently to give and so hold out unto thine end whilest the day of mans life continues there will be seasons for good works but when the night of death once comes there will be no more time of working then For thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that or whether they both shall be alike good that is As the husbandman knoweth not whether the seed he soweth in the morning or in the evening shall spring up best and yield the fairest crop so neither knowest thou which of thine almes shall be best bestowed whether of them will be most advantageous and welcome to the poore and received with most thankfulnesse nor whether of them will be most acceptable to God and procure from him the greatest reward nay thou knowest not but that both may in these respects be alike good for thee Vers 7. Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun That is It is a sweet and delightfull thing to live in this world and to enjoy the benefits and comforts of this life especially to live in the Sun-shine of prosperity see the Notes Chap. 7.11 Psal 49.19 Esth 8.16 There is herein a transition to a new direction or advice which he prosecutes in the remainder of this book Hitherto Solomon hath set forth the vanity of all things here in this world and withall hath given many excellent Directions to teach men how they may in a great measure remedy these vanities and live with as much comfort peace and tranquility of mind as here in this world men are capable of But now because men must dye and after this life is ended must passe into an eternall condition either of blisse or misery and so the happinesse of man after which he hath all this while made enquiry cannot be compleat and perfect unlesse he can assure to himselfe a share in the blisse of that eternall condition therefore in the next place he directs men how they may after a life spent contentedly and comfortably
here attain to this eternall blisse in the life that is to come which is indeed that happinesse that can only fully satisfie mens immortal souls and perfectly free them from the feare of death and all other miseries they are liable to that is by fearing God and keeping his commandments and to the end they may be very serious herein by thinking often of death and judgement This is that I say to which Solomon in the next place passeth And accordingly first to make way thereto in this verse he premiseth that it is indeed a very comfortable and delightful thing to enjoy the benefits of this present life especially when men have learnt to free themselves from the vanities here below according to the directions formerly given And then in the next he proceeds to shew that though life be thus sweet yet they must remember that this life will have an end and death and judgement will follow and that therefore they cannot be compleatly happy unlesse by the due consideration of this they provide to secure unto themselves that happinesse which is to follow after this life is ended Vers 8. But if a man live many yeares and rejoyce in them all c. As if he should have said Suppose this should be so which is indeed very unlikely yet let him remember the dayes of darkness that is of death and the grave for it is opposed to the light and the beholding of the Sun mentioned in the foregoing verse for they shall be many that is truly many indeed many more then the dayes of the man that liveth longest can be because in the grave the house of darknesse the dead must continue till the day of the generall resurrection and if men dye in their sinnes they must continue in outer darknesse unto all eternity All that cometh is vanity that is This sheweth that all men that come into the world and all that befalls men here in this world is no better then meer vanity because they must all passe away man must dye and no man knoweth how little a while his life and prosperity shall continue So that the drift of the whole verse is to shew that though men live never so long and in never so great prosperity yet it is meer folly over much to delight herein because these things will not last alwayes the dayes of darknesse will come and when they come then it will be seen how vaine and transitory this life and the pleasures thereof were yea if men would seriously think of those dayes comparing them with the short time of mans abode here they must needs yield that this life and the delights thereof are meer vanity and even as nothing Vers 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth c. Because young men are most apt only to mind the pleasures of this present life and to put off the thoughts of death unto old age therefore Solomon gives this warning particularly to them Some conceive that this is spoken by way of serious advice Rejoyce O young man c. As if he had said I would not restraine thee from the lawfull delights and comforts of thy youth Be joyfull and live chearfully so thou doest it with moderation and sobriety as still remembring thy latter end and the judgement that will follow But rather this is spoken ironically by way of scorne and derision as indeed many expressions of that kind we find elswhere in the Scripture as 1 Kings 18.27 22.15 Matth. 26.45 As if he had said Thou hast heard that the dayes of mans living here are nothing in comparison of the dayes of darknesse that will follow Now if thou wilt not be admonished hereby but hereupon resolvest that because thou must dye therefore thou wilt take thy fill of pleasure whilst thou livest Doe so take thy course live as young men use to doe in all jollity and pleasure and walk in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes that is Doe what ever thou hast a mind and desire to doe follow after every thing thou seest and is pleasing in thine eyes deny not thy selfe any thing which thine heart can desire or thine eyes look after see the Note Chap. 2.10 but know thou that is be thou unquestionably assured of this that for all these things that is for thy mis-spent youth and all those vaine and sinfull courses wherein now thou takest such content and delight God will bring thee into judgement that is Dye thou must thou knowest not how soon and after death God will bring thee whether thou wilt or no to stand before his tribunall at the last great day of judgement there to answer for all that thou hast done and to receive the just reward of all thine evill wayes and there will be no avoyding it Vers 10. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart c. Or as it is in the margin of our Bibles remove anger from thy heart and then the warning is that young men should beware of rash and unadvised anger because young men are naturally thorough heate of blood prone to be furious herein and violent upon revenge and especially of being enraged against those that reprove them and would take them off from their sinfull pleasures yea and under this all other sinfull passions and perturbations of mind may be comprehended But if we reade it as it is in our Translation Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart then the advice is that young men should avoyd all sinnes and sinfull pleasures which though they may be pleasing for a time yet they will stirre up Gods indignation against them and so will at last overwhelm their hearts with sorrow And put away evill from thy flesh that is abandon all fleshly lusts and pleasures let not the members of thy body be imployed as weapons of unrighteousnesse in the service of sin And so as in the former clause the inward distempers of the heart so here likewise the sinnes of the outward man are forbidden Or avoyd those sinfull pleasures which will at last wast thy strength and ruine thy body or bring the wrath of God upon thee For childhood and youth are vanity that is foolish violently carried after pleasures that end in destruction and subject to many corruptions and besides that age doth soone vanish and passe away CHAP. XII Vers 1. REmember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth c. Having in the latter end of the foregoing Chapter diswaded young men from youthful lusts here he exhorts them to a constant fixing of their minds upon God as a powerful means not onely to restrain them from evil but also to quicken them in the doing of that which God requires of them and the argument that he useth to presse them hereto is covertly couched in those words thy Creator for 1. Because God made us and we received our being from him and so are