more see good That is I shall certainly die nor shall ever live to enjoy good day more in this world for in the scripture phrase to see good is nothing else but to enjoy good Ier. 17.6 He shall be like the heath in the desert saith the Lord of him that trusteth in man and shall not see when good cometh And so also to see evil is to suffer evil Psal 90.15 Make us glad according to the daies wherein thou hast afflicted us and the years wherein we have seen evill and to see death is to die Psal 89.48 What man is he that liveth and shall not see death Vers 8. Thine eyes are upon me and I am not That is I shall be cut off or shall not be found amongst the living as Rahell weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children because they were not Ier. 31.15 and Gen. 42.13 The youngest is this day with our father and one is not As for the first words of this clause concerning Gods eyes being upon him there may be severall expositions given of them 1. That they are spoken to set forth the frailty of his life that if God should but cast his eyes upon him to cut him off he should soon be destroyed one glaunce of his eyes would do it 2. That they are spoken as a motive to perswade the Lord to shew him mercy speedily because else help would come too late if God should relent and turn his eyes in mercy upon him he should not be found amongst the living to whom mercy could be shewed and 3. That they are only spoken as that which went before to set forth his hopelesse condition how certain it was that the misery he lay in would at length yea and that ere long too make an end of him and therefore consequently that he had reason to desire that God would not prolong his misery but cut him off instantly for having in the former words said that the time was coming when those that saw him should see him no more he adds thine eyes are upon me and I am not that is yea if thou seekest for me amongst the living thou shalt not find me Iob herein speaking of God as is usuall after the manner of men And this I conceive to be the best exposition because it agrees best with the drift of Iobs speech and that which went before Vers 9. So he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more To wit to live in this world as formerly as Iob explains himself in the following verse He shall return no more to his house c. Iob therefore doth not in these words speak as one that knew not or believed not the resurrection of the dead at the last day but only shewed the impossibility of mans returning after he is once dead and laid in the grave to live again in this world amongst his friends and acquaintance as formerly Vers 10. Neither shall his place know him any more That is he shall no more come to enjoy the place of office or dignity which formerly he enjoyed or he shall be no more known in the place of his habitation amongst his family and friends as formerly as it is said of the flourishing flower of the field Psal 103.16 The wind passeth over it and it is gone and the place thereof shall know it no more that is it shall be no more seen in the place where it grew Vers 11. Therefore I will not refrain my mouth c. That is since my grief and miseries are so intolerably great and my condition in that regard desperate without hope of recovery I will never forbear to speak or restrain my self in speaking but will rather pour out my complaints freely in whatsoever my soul imbittered with grief shall suggest to me and so hereby will ease my mind overladen with anguish and sorrow whilst I may do it there being no hope of redresse or ease any other way for me Vers 12. Am I a sea or a whale that thou settest a watch over me That is am I such a monster of men that thou must deal with me as with no other man am I so proud and rebellious against thee or likely to break forth with such fury and unresistable rage upon men to hurt them as the sea doth sometimes and even to swallow them up as the whale swallows up a multitude of smaller fishes and overturns ships and gallies when they come in his way that thereupon as thou hast set barres and dores to shut up the swelling waves of the sea saying hitherto shalt thou come and no farther and here shall thy proud waves be stayed as thou dost by thy providence watch in a speciall manner over the whale the king over all the children of pride as he is called ch 41.34 and hast shut him up within the bounds of the great Ocean that so the lesser fish may the more safely live in other seas so thou settest a watch over me curbing and restraining me with these ulcers and many other miseries least otherwise I should break forth into rebellion against thee or to the destruction of those that live about me or is there such an overbearing might and strength in me as in the sea or the whale that nothing but the almighty power of God can withstand or restrain me that no lesse then these many grievous and mighty afflictions can keep me within compasse as if he should have said surely it is not so I have neither been so stubborn against God nor so harmefull to men that I should need to be so shackled nor am I so strong but that a smaller matter if there had been any such danger might have kept me in Vers 13. My couch shall ease my complaint That is my couch shall ease my pain and sorrows the cause of my complaint by yielding me some little refreshing rest and sleep and so consequently shall allay the bitternesse of my complaints too Vers 14. Then thou scarest me with dreams and terrifiest me through visions Dreams and visions may be meant both of one and the same thing or else we may thus distinguish them that whilst he slept he was scared with terrible and fearfull dreames and whilst he lay awake with ghastly sights and visions It is indeed most probable that Satan did both waies seek to disturb him that so he might the better drive him to despair and that this it is which Iob here complains of and bemoans and yet because Satan can do nothing but as he receives a Commission from God therefore Iob speaks thus to God Thou scarest me with dreames and terrifiest me through visions Vers 15. So that my soul chooseth strangling and death rather then my life That is hereupon it is that I had rather die if I might have my choice yea though it were by any kind of death rather then to live in this miserable condition wherein I now live for strangling he mentions in the first
clause to signifie that he would preferre any violent bitter shamefull death before life and the second clause death rather then my life which is in the originall death rather then my bones discovers the ground of his choice to wit the miserable condition wherein he lived being become a very Anatomy nothing but skin and bones or having a body that was consumed and rotted even to the very bones which made him choose any death rather then such a life and indeed considering that Satan desired at first that God would touch his flesh and his bones we need not doubt but he had gone as deep as his Commission would permit him Vers 16. I would not live alway To wit in this world and in this sad and miserable condition wherein I now live my sorrows make me loath life so that if I might live alwaies and never die I should rather choose to die then to live under such a burden of affliction as now I endure Let me alone for my daies are vanity That is do not support and continue me in this misery but let me alone that I may die for my daies are no better then vanity and why should I desire to live in such a vain condition or else withdraw thine hand and do not afflict me so grievously for there will be no need of it my daies are very vanity so that a smaller thing then what I suffer would soon make an end of me Vers 17. What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him c. This is not meant of the great blessings which God hath poured forth upon men concerning which the like expressions are used in other places as Psal 8.45 c. and Psal 144.3 to wit that such a base wretch as man is was not worthy of so much honour as God had done him and did him daily in making such precious account of him in causing all the creatures even the Angels themselves to be serviceable to him yea in keeping such a watchfull eye of providence over him to support and protect him and to supply him with all things requisite for him day after day But first it may be meant of the great honour and riches whereto God doth many times advance men and had advancad Iob in particular reflecting upon his former greatnesse for he was the greatest man in the East and considering how extremely miserable he was now become he breaks forth into this expostulation what is man that thou shouldest magnifie him c. Why should the Lord doe so much to magnifie and set up a man that may be so suddenly cast down again It is as if a man should lay out much to trim and adorn a house that may be cast down with every puffe of wind or 2. Rather it is meant of his afflictions and his continuall overpressing evils to wit that it was too great a magnifying of so base and despicable a worm as man is that the great God of heaven and earth should so sollicitously contend with him as a Prince should too much honour a poor servant that should bend all his might to contend with him and to prevail over him watching daily to take some advantage against him and making it his great study and businesse to crush and ruine him So that as David spake to Saul 1 Sam. 24.14 After whom is the King of Israel come out after whom dost thou pursue After a dead dog after a flea so doth Iob here speak to God What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him as if he should have said it is strange to me that thou shouldest vouchsafe so farre to honour such a base vild wretch as man is as to contend with him that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him that is that thou shouldest mind or regard him that thou shouldest so sollicitously intend him either to crush him as if there were any danger in him or to humble him and to doe him good by the evils thou layest upon him that thou shouldest visit him every morning and try him every moment that is that thou shouldest so continually day after day yea every moment of the day and so diligently as those that rise early in the morning to dispatch their businesse they desire earnestly to be done observe and mark his waies and follow him with thy chastisements and tryalls The whole drift of this speech is to shew that poor base man was not worthy of so much honour that the great God of heaven and earth should so farre buisy himself about such a wretch to contend with him and to shew forth his power against him Vers 19. How long wilt thou not depart from me c. That is how long will it be ere thou wilt give over afflicting me and let me be at ease though it be but for a moment till I swallow down my spittle that is for a little while even but whilst I take my breath which is the very expression Iob useth afterward chap. 9.18 He will not suffer me to take my breath Vers 20. I have sinned what shall I doe unto thee O thou preserver of men As if he had said It is true indeed that I have sinned though I cannot yield what my friends would charge upon me that I have been secretly a wicked and vild hypocrite and so have drawn these extraordinary calamities upon my self yet that I have many waies sinned and provoked thee by my sins to displeasure I freely acknowledge there is no need that thou shouldest hold me still upon the wrack to draw this from me I freely confesse it and what shall I doe unto thee O thou preserver of men that is teach me O Lord what I shall doe or rather I know not what to doe I cannot make that undone which is done I can no way justifie or excuse my sins before thee who art the searcher of the heart and reins I can by no means make thee amends for that I have done or satisfie thy justice all I can doe is thus to confesse and acknowledge my fault and seeing therefore thou art the gracious preserver of men seeing thou dost of thy great goodnesse nourish cherish defend and sustain men and takest it as one of thy glorious titles that thou art the Saviour and preserver of men why dost thou destroy me whilst thou preservest others and dealest not with me according to thy wonted grace and goodnesse to other men Why hast thou set me as a mark against thee c. That is seeing I confesse my sins and humble my self before thee why dost thou still follow me with so many miseries and afflictions as if thou hadst culled me out from others as a mark against whom thou didst mean to empty thy quiver and as it were to make it thy sport to make me miserable so that I am a burden to my self that is I am not able to endure my self my very life and being is a burden to me Parallel hereto is that complaint of the Church Lam.
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
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
Gentiles it is only meant of heaven that incorruptible and undefiled inheritance 1 Pet. 1.4 unlesse we also include that God will provide a place of habitation for his Church even here in this world As for the following words the excellency of Iacob whom he loved we must know 1. that by Iacob may be meant either the Patriarch Jacob himself and the drift of the words is then to shew that the excellency that God did at first confer upon Jacob in the covenant that God made with him was from him derived to the whole Israel of God or else the seed of Jacob see the Note Psal 24.6 2ly that it is either the land of Canaan which is here called the excellency of Iacob and that not so much because it was a land flowing with milk and honey as because of Jerusalem and the Sanctuary therein in which God was present amongst them in his word and worship for this is often tearmed the excellency of the Israelites as Ezek. 24.21 Behold I will profane my Sanctuary the excellency of your strength and the desire of your eyes c. Amos 6.8 I abhor the excellency of Iacob and hate his palaces see also chap. 8.7 and Nahum 2.2 or else the glorious condition that is prepared for Gods people in heaven or more generally all those glorious things which were promised to the Israel of God as that they should be Gods peculiar people and that to them appertained the kingdome and priesthood and Temple with all the glorious priviledges of the Church And 3. that those last words whom he loved are purposely added to shew that it was of Gods free grace and love that there were such excellent things designed for Jacob according to that Rom. 9.13 Iacob have I loved but Esau have I hated Vers 5. God is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a trumpet Some conceive that this is spoken in reference to that ancient manner of calling the people together in the time of the law by the sound of trumpets at which times it might be said that God was gone up with a shout c. because thereby they were stirred up to honour God and there God was present and entertained as it were amongst his people with joyfull acclamations as their Lord and King But I rather take it to be meant as is before noted vers 1. of the removall of the Ark for which also see the Note Numb 10.35 and under that type of the Ascension of Christ by his own power into heaven For having spoken in the foregoing verse of the inheritance of the Saints in heaven He shall chuse our inheritance for us he takes occasion from thence to speak of Christs ascending thither in triumph as a conquerour having vanquished Satan sin and death and sent forth his servants to subdue the nations by the word of his Gospel Yea and this of his being gone up with a shout and with the sound of a trumpet some understand of the solemn attendance and joy of the angels when he ascended into heaven and that the rather because it is said 1 Thess 4.16 that the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God and Act. 1.11 it was said to them that were eye-witnesses of Christs ascension This same Iesus which was taken up from you into heaven shall so come in in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven Vers 7. For God is the kin of all the earth c See the Note vers 2. Sing ye praises with understanding that is understanding and attending what ye sing which indeed they only doe that are spiritually enlightened with the saving knowledge of God and of Christ Yet some understand it of singing skilfully and therefore render it as it is in the margin sing ye praises every one that hath understanding However observable it is that these words sing praises are five severall times repeated in this and the foregoing verse to signify how vehemently desirous he was that this should be done and that men should doe it with all possible fervency and that too constantly and without ceasing Vers 8. God reigneth over the heathen c. To wit as having all nations under his power see the Note also vers 2. God sitteth upon the throne of his holinesse that is his holy throne which may be the Ark or mercy-seat that covered it according to that Psal 99.1 The Lord reigneth let the people tremble he sitteth between the cherubims or else heaven which Christ calleth Gods throne Matth. 5.34 and where he sitteth at the right hand of God having all power given him both in heaven and in earth Vers 9. The princes of the people are gathered together even the people of the God of Abraham c. Some understand this of the heads of the Tribes and the Nobles of the people assembling together when the ark was to be remooved by David or Solomon see 2 Sam. 6.1.1 Kings 8.1 But doubtlesse as the Psalm was intended as a prediction of Christs ascention these words must be understood of the coming in of many Princes of the Gentiles upon the preaching of the Gospel to joyn themselves to the Church of the Jewes accounting it their greatest honour not that they were princes but that they were of the number of Gods people as indeed all that became Christians were thereby incorporated into the Church of the Jewes as the Apostle speaks Ephe. 3.6 who are rather here called the people of the God of Abraham because that very name Abraham signifieth the father of many nations see the Notes Gen. 17.4 5. and to him that promise was made In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Gen. 22.18 Only we must withall note that the words in the Hebrew may be translated as they are in the margin of our Bibles The voluntary of the people are gathered unto the people of the God of Abraham and so they must be understood of the voluntary coming in of the Gentiles to joyn themselves to the Church of the Jewes according to that Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power As for the following clause for the shields of the earth belong unto God c. Some take it thus that all the Princes of the earth are under the disposing power of God and so no wonder though even their hearts are swayed by him to submit to Christs scepter whereby he is greatly exalted for say they princes and magistrates are called the shields of the earth because they are for the defence and protection of the people as we see Hos 4.18 her rulers with shame do love Give ye which is in the originall her shields with shame do love Give ye But others take it thus for the shields of the earth belong unto God that is by Gods providence the inhabitants of the earth are many waies defended as by so many shields
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