severe wrath against his enemies yet to his people he should be the authour of all perfect happinesse PSALM III. The Title A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom It is not improbable that this Psalm was composed by David in the very time of his withdrawing himself from the rage of Absalom if we consider first that the time was long secondly how carefull David was to redeem all times of any freedome for any spirituall services and thirdly that he was thereto inabled by the speciall inspiration of Gods spirit Yet the words may well bear it that it was composed afterward to expresse how he was affected in that time of his distresse thereby to sound forth the praises of God Vers 1. Lord how are they encreased that trouble me c. It is said 2 Sam. 15.12 that this conspiracy was strong for the people encreased continually with Absalom and chap. 17.24 that Absalom passed over Iordan he and all the men of Israel with him which was according to Hushai's counsell vers 11. I counsell that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee from Dan even to Beersheba as the sand that is by the sea for multitude And hence it is that David here complaining to God upon whom he casts his grief and care mentions this three severall times that his enemies were so many expressing himself by way of admiration to shew how strange it was that so many should so suddenly without any cause fall off from him whom God had anointed to be their king to set up an ambitious youngster as his son Absalom was to reign over them Vers 2. Many there be which say of my soul c. That is of me See the Note Gen. 27.4 There is no help for him in God that is no hope or possibility of help And thus they animated one another against him and did thereby exceedingly wound his soul either first out of an Atheisticall contempt of God boasting that now they had such a strong party that God should not be able to help him and indeed we see with what confidence Ahithophel spake 2 Sam. 17.2 I will come upon him while he is weary c. and all the people that are with him shall flee and I will smite the king only or secondly because they judged thus from that sore calamity that God had brought upon him in the insurrection of his own son against him or thirdly because they judged that God had forsaken him for his sin in the matter of Uriah which probably might be the reason that moved Ahithophel though so great a Politician to joyn with Absalom for so we see Shimei concluded 2 Sam. 16.8 Selah Divers opinions Expositours have concerning the meaning of this word which is three severall times inserted in this and often in other Psalms but very little clear evidence of reason there is in any thing they alledge as the ground of their opinions That which hath most shew of likelyhood is either first that it is set as a musicall pause to shew that in that place the singers were for some time to make a stop in their singing which may seem the more probable because we find this word no where in Scripture but in this book of the Psalms and in the song of Habakkuk and in both alwaies at the end of a verse unlesse it be in these few places to wit Psal 55.19 and 57.3 and Habak 3.3 9. or secondly that it was a Note to mind the singers that in that place they were to lift up their voices which is grounded upon this that the word seems to be derived from an Hebrew word that signifieth to elevate or lift up These two I say are the most probable opinions Only withall we must know that the end of either of these was to signifie the observablenesse of the foregoing passage as here how considerable this sad condition of David was that his enemies should say there was no help for him in God They that hold it was a musicall pause say it was to give a hint that men should seriously ponder of that which was then said and they that hold it was for the lifting up of the voice or as some think to shew that the foregoing passage was to be sung twice do likewise conceive that hereby was signified how admirable and observable that was for all that heard it Vers 3. But thou O Lord art a shield for me my glory and the lifter up of my head He tearms God his glory first because God had given him and he knew would still give him cause of glorying in his favour and help secondly because he had honoured him and so would still by giving him victory over his enemies and this he opposeth to the shame that lay now upon him when he was glad to fly for the saving of his life and thirdly because it was the Lord that had advanced him to that glorious condition of being king over his people and therefore he doubted not but that he would maintain and protect him therein And then again he tearms him the lifter up of his head first because God did comfort and support his dejected spirit and keep him from sinking under his afflictions secondly because through Gods grace to him he was inabled to bear up his head with confidence and comfort according to that Luk. 21.28 And when these things begin to come to passe then look up and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh thirdly because God had often and he knew still would deliver him out of troubles and raise him from any dishonour and reproach that should be cast upon him as it is said that the king of Babylon did lift up the head of Jehoiachin when he freed him out of prison 2 King 25.27 and fourthly because he had exalted him to be king and therein he doubted not but he would continue him according to that Psal 110.7 He shall drink of the brook in the way therefore shall he lift up the head Vers 4. I cryed unto the Lord with my voice c. Why was it not enough to say I cryed unto the Lord but that these words must be added with my voice I answer first because he would covertly imply that in stead of spending his breath as in their afflictions many do in vain and uselesse complaints and murmurings against God he rather chose to call upon God for help secondly because he would hereby oppose the lifting up of his voice in prayer to their clamours and insultations as if he had said Their outcryes shall not put me to silence whilst they lifted up their voice in such outcryes against me God hath forsaken him there is no help for him in God this stopped not my mouth but I cryed to the Lord with my voice and thirdly to shew that by reason of the strength of his affections he not only prayed within himself but also out of the fervency of his spirit poured forth his desires in vocall
of any meat concerning which notice was given them that it had been offered to idols to wit because all the creatures being the Lords they were to use them to his glory and therefore might not eat them to the scandall of their brethren or because the whole world being the Lords they need not fear they should not have to eat seeing out of his rich store he was able to provide otherwise for them But if any man say unto you This is offered in sacrifice unto idols eat not for his sake that shewed it and for conscience sake The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Vers 2. For he hath founded it upon the seas and established it upon the flouds That is say some Expositours by the seas and by the flouds as we use to say in that sense that London stands upon the river of Thames But rather it is said that God hath founded it upon the seas c. because whereas the naturall place of the earth is to be under the waters God hath ordered it so that it is above the seas and above the flouds so that in outward appearance it seems as it were to stand upon the waters and hereby it was made fit for the habitation of his creatures See the Note Gen. 1.9 Vers 3. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place As if he should have said Though all the inhabitants of the world be the Lords yet to dwell in Gods holy hill as members of his Church his peculiar people that 's a priviledge which few to speak of do enjoy yea even amongst those that are his people in outward profession But for the more clear understanding of these words see the Notes Psal 2.6 and 15.1 Vers 4. He that hath clean hands c. That is He whose works are blamelesse and a pure heart that is a heart purified by faith from all sinfull pollutions all erroneous opinions and carnall affections he that is carefull to approve his heart unto God as well as to avoid sin outwardly As for the following clause who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity that is diversly expounded Some understand it of the man that hath not worshipped idols which are often tearmed vanities in the Scripture see the Note 1 Kings 16.13 Others of him that doth not give his mind to vain and foolish sinfull practises or that doth not heed or trust in the vain and foolish designs of the world nor the allurements of Satans temptations see the Notes Job 31.5 and Psal 4.2 But there are two Expositions which most follow The one is that by lifting up his soul unto vanity is meant vain and false swearing for because they that swear do engage their souls thereby and as it were offer them up as a pledge unto God 2 Cor. 1.23 I call God saith the Apostle as a record upon my soul therefore the man that swears vainly and falsly may be said to lift up his soul unto vanity and so they make this to be much the same with that which follows nor sworn deceitfully The other is that by the man who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity is meant the man that doth not set his heart upon vanity because men are wont with much eagernesse to look and gape after those things which they earnestly desire Psal 123.1 2 therefore by a borrowed speech they that earnestly look after and greedily desire the vain things of this world riches and honours and pleasures or that prosecute eagerly any vain or sinfull desire they are said to lift up their souls unto vanity The same expression is used in the Hebrew much to the same purpose Deuter. 24.15 and Jer. 22.27 Vers 5. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord c. That is He and he alone shall receive the blessing which the Lord hath promised his people to wit all blessings temporall spirituall and eternall for thus are all these comprehended under this word the blessing 1 Pet. 3.9 knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing though indeed both here and there the blessing of eternall life may be principally intended concerning which Christ shall say Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you c. Matth. 25.34 And so in the following clause and righteousnesse from the God of his salvation it is this blessing promised that is there tearmed righteousnesse to wit either because it shall be the reward of their righteousnesse or because God out of his righteousnesse or faithfulnesse will bestow it upon them in both which regards the glory of heaven is accordingly called a crown of righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4.8 See the Note Psal 5.8 Some I know understand this of the righteousnesse of God in Christ but in regard he speaks of rewarding the righteous the first Exposition must needs be intended Vers 6. This is the generation of them that seek him c. By a generation of men in the Scripture is usually meant some sort or kind of men as Matth. 12.39 An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign and Luk. 16.8 The men of this world are in their generation wiser then the children of light and so it is taken here This is the generation of them that seek him that is These that I have before described are that sort or kind of men that do truly seek God and are the true people of God Yet withall I doubt not but that the title of the generation of them that seek him is here limited to these purposely to shew how vainly those Israelites boasted of being the seed and generation of Abraham and the peculiar people of God who in the mean time lived not as became Gods people and that though they went up amongst others to worship God in his holy place for this is spoken in reference to that before vers 3. who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord c. yet they did not indeed seek God and therefore in the second clause by turning his speech to God for so some read it as it is in the margin of our Bibles that seek thy face O God of Iacob he doth as it were call God to witnesse that it was so and so doth withall covertly imply that however men might esteem them Gods people yet before Gods tribunal it would not be so But if we read it as it is in our Text the meaning is this that seek thy face O Iacob that is seek to joyn themselves to the true Church and people of God according to that of the prophet Isa 44.5 One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the name of Iacob c. Vers 7. Lift up your heads O ye gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors and the king of glory shall come in In these words first David expresseth his earnest desire that the Temple might be built and the Ark settled therein and
therefore in a poeticall manner he speaks to the gates of the Temple calling them everlasting doors because the Ark that had been often removed from one place to another was now in the Temple to continue for ever according to that Psal 132.14 This is my rest for ever c. see also the Note 1 Kings 9.3 And by speaking to the gates to lift up themselves either first he may mean the building of them up Lift up your heads O ye gates that is Be ye built up that the Lord of glory in his Ark may enter into you or secondly the lifting up of the upper posts of the gates as if he had said Raise up and enlarge yourselves and become greater then you are because the great King of Glory is to enter in by you alluding to the custome of opening the gates of a house or city to the widest when some great Prince is to come in or thirdly the lifting up of their heads in a way of glorying and rejoycing as if he had said Triumph and rejoyce O ye gates thereby the better to set forth the solemnity and joy of the Arks removall into the Temple But secondly Doubtlesse under this type 1. he speaks to the Church the true spirituall Temple desiring that this Temple may be built up and that at her doors which are called everlasting because the Church shall continue for ever the Lord Christ the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2.8 may be entertained with joy as their Lord and King and so he may enter and rule as king amongst them 2. to Christians the particular members of the Church or to all men in generall who being converted become the true Temples of the ever-living God 1 Cor. 3.16 at the doors of whose hearts called everlasting doors because they shall live for ever he knocks to have entrance Rev. 3.20 exhorting them to lift up their heads that is to raise up their hearts from all earthly things and to prepare them by faith that God in Christ the Lord of glory and by whose merits all his members are glorified may enter in and dwell and rule in their hearts by faith 3. as some conceive to Princes and Magistrates exhorting them to let in the Lord Christ and the Gospel and kingdome of Christ into their kingdomes and common-wealths expressing this in these tearms Lift up your heads O ye gates c. either as alluding to the custome of Magistrates sitting in the gates in those times when they judged the people or because of the great power that such men usually have either to let in or to keep out the profession of the Christian religion amongst the people and 4. to the gates of Gods holy Temple in heaven calling upon them with all joy to entertain the Lord Christ when he should after the accomplishment of the work of mans Redemption triumphantly ascend into heaven and so in these words Lift up your heads O ye gates c. there may be an allusion to those triumphall Arches which used to be set up for the entertainment of great Conquerours Vers 8. Who is this king of glory c. These words must be taken as a question propounded by David either in his own name as if he should have said But who now is this king of glory that I speak of that so he might take occasion to extoll this king of glory and shew what reason there was why they should gladly receive him or in the name of some other that might move this question as if he should have said But now if any one shall demand of me Who is this king of glory I answer the Lord strong and mighty c. I know many Expositours take them to be the supposed reply of those that were spoken to in that foregoing figurative expression Lift up your heads O ye gates c. and accordingly they conceive that this reply is made either by way of scorning and despising Christ as if they should have said What is this your glorious king that we should submit to him or else by way of desiring to be informed and satisfied concerning Christ yea they that understand the former verse of Christs ascension into heaven take these words as the reply of the Angels admiring that one clothed with a humane body should ascend above the heavens and enter in as the Lord of that Jerusalem But that which is first said of this seems most probable And however that which is answered The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battel plainly imports that it was he who being of infinite power was able to destroy those that would not submit to him and to protect his people against all their enemies both temporall and spirituall and to make them victorious over them all and it may have speciall reference to Christs conquest over Hell and death when after his Resurrection he ascended triumphantly into heaven Vers 10. The Lord of hosts c. See the Note Gen. 2.1 PSALM XXV Vers 1. UNto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul That is In thee only do I trust and hope and my hearts desire for help and comfort is only towards thee and with much eagernesse doth expect good from thee In the Hebrew this Psalm is so composed that we have all the letters of the Hebrew Alphabet one after another in the first letter of every verse except only in two or three verses and that as we may probably conceive that being a Psalm of singular excellency and speciall use it might by this help be the better remembred The like elegancy there is in the 34 37 111 112 119 and 145 Psalms Vers 2. I trust in thee let me not be ashamed To wit as they use to be that when they have hoped for any thing with great confidence and have boasted of their hope yet at last have been disappointed Vers 3. Yea let none that wait on thee be ashamed c. To wit neither by their own disappointments nor mine For this last some adde because if he should fail of his hopes he knew this would be a great discouragement to others that waited to see what the issue of Gods dealings with him would be Let them be ashamed which transgresse without cause that is that causlesly afflict and trouble me and oppose me in the businesse of the kingdome promised me see the Note Psal 7.3 Yet some conceive that by them which transgresse without cause is meant those that out of distrust do causlesly fall away from God and others understand it of all wicked men whatsoever all sin against God being in true judgement altogether unreasonable and causlesse But the first Exposition is the best Vers 4. Shew me thy waies O Lord c. That is the waies wherein thou hast appointed thy people to walk Or Shew me thy waies that is the waies thou usest to take with thy children as namely how gracious thou art unto them though thou dost usually afflict them how faithfull in
doe for he knoweth vain men that is he knoweth that poor frail man cannot in the least withstand his will he may doe what he will with him and 4. It may imply the reason why there is no excepting against the wisedome of Gods proceedings even when he doth cut off and destroy namely because he knoweth vain men that is he knoweth exactly all that is amisse in man though poor simple man cannot comprehend the waies and wisedome of God yet God knows the vanity of man the pronenesse of his nature to sin and even when there is nothing to be discerned that is not right in the outward conversation yet he knoweth the vanity that is in their hearts so that men may wonder at the afflictions of those that yet are most justly afflicted because they know not that evil in them which God knows by them And this I the rather think is principally intended because hereto agree the following words he seeth wickednesse also will he not then consider it as if he should have said since God seeth all the evil that is done by the children of men shall we or can we think that God will passe it by as if it were nothing and not lay it to heart to punish men for it Noe surely Vers 12. For vain man would be wise though man be born like a wild asses colt Some conceive that man is here said to be born like a wild asses colt because indeed when they first come into the world there seems to be no more knowledge and understanding in an infant newly born then in a wild asses colt newly foaled But I rather think that this phrase relates to that bruitishnesse which is in all men naturally as they are born into the world since the fall of our first parents to wit that they are no more able to comprehend the things and waies of God then a wild asses colt is able to comprehend matters of reason So that these words are I conceive added as in a way of derision vain man would be wise c. that is foolish man hath a high opinion of his own wisedome and will many times pretend to so much wisedome and understanding as to be able to judge of Gods waies and to expostulate with God concerning his works whereas naturally poor wretch man is as bruitish as unteachable and untractable for the understanding of the things of God as a wild asses colt is This is I take it the clear meaning of the words yet some would have the meaning to be this that vain man would be wise that is he would be made wise to wit by Gods chastisements though naturally he be as bruitish as unteachable untractable in regard of such knowledge as the most stupid and untamed creature that is Vers 13. If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands towards him That is if thou wilt with all sincerity of heart pray to the Lord for pardon and grace for the stretching forth of the hands to heaven is the gesture of those that pray as we see in Solomon 1 Kings 8.22 whereby is signified 1. The lifting up of the heart to God 2. Their earnest desire and assured hope of receiving from God what they beg of him 3. A holy striving with God or an earnest intention of spirit as it were to take hold of God and 4. Their yielding up themselves to God as ready to doe whatever he will have them Vers 14. If iniquity be in thine hand c. That is if there be any sinfull practise thou hast been inured to or if there be any thing unjustly gotten in thy possession put it farre away that is abandon it utterly And let not wickednesse dwell in thy tabernacle that is neither walk thy self in any way of wickednesse nor suffer those of thy family to doe that which is evil in Gods sight though wickednesse may get into thy house yet when thou knowest it let it not stay there Vers 15. For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot Iob had said chap. 10.15 If I be righteous yet will I not lift up my head in reference to this Zophar tells him here that if he would with a prepared heart repent and turn to the Lord he might then lift up his head Then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot that is then mayest thou walk chearfully and comfortably and hold up thy face before God or man as any occasion is offered without fear and without shame Because when men have their faces spotted with dirt they are ashamed to shew their faces whereas if those spots be washed away then they go abroad again without blushing or fear therefore when a man can appear before God or man with a countenance not cast down either through the guilt of any foul spot of sin that lies upon him or the shame of any reproach or dishonour that lies upon him or of any punishment wherewith God hath testified against him he may be then said to lift up his face without spot Yea thou shalt be stedfast and shalt not fear The first clause thou shalt be stedfast may be meant 1. Of the stedfastnesse of his outward condition to wit that being upon his true repentance received into Gods favour he should be established in a sure and stedfast prosperous condition whereas when hypocrites are in a prosperous estate ther 's no certainty of their continuance therein they stand in a slippery place being ever in danger of a dismall change and fall his prosperity should be stedfast and permanent free from all danger of the return of any such calamities as now he had suffered and 2. Of the stedfastnesse of his mind to wit that he should have a setled and composed mind through the assurance of Gods favour and so free from all distraction of fear and then thou shalt be stedfast is explained by the following words and shalt not fear Because men in fear are alwaies full of many roving distracted thoughts sometimes suggesting this or that evil which they fear will come upon them and sometimes contriving diversely what course they should take to help themselves hence they say is this expression thou shalt be stedfast and shalt not fear I know there are some that include in this promise likewise that spirituall stedfastnesse whereby he should be preserved from relapsing into sin But I cannot see that this is so clear in the words Vers 16. Because thou shalt forget thy misery and remember it as waters that passe away That is thou shalt quite forget all thy former misery or at least thou shalt scarcely or very little remember it for three things the expression here used may imply 1. That he should so long be freed from those calamities that had afflicted him that he should in a manner forget that ever he had been so afflicted 2. That he should be so perfectly delivered from those manifold miseries and calamities that he now lay under that there should not
over him and vex him with scornfull and reproachfull speeches but rather that they should pity him and comfort him and take warning thereby to look to themselves that the same judgements were not inflicted upon them too and 3. That he first yields in these words that it was true indeed that God had dealt with him just as they had said God used to deal with wicked men and therefore whereas Bildad had talked so much of the nets and snares wherein wicked men were taken he useth here the same expression know now that God hath overthrown me and hath compassed me with his net and then afterwards prove that yet notwithstanding it did not follow thence that he was a wicked man Vers 7. Behold I cry out of wrong but I am not heard c. The originall word here translated wrong may also be translated violence and then the meaning may be only this that he cryed out of the violence of Gods proceedings against him in that the miseries he had brought upon him were so exceeding great but reading it as it is in our Bibles Behold I cry out of wrong but I am not heard c. then the meaning must be that he cryed out of the injuries that were done him by men the robbers that had spoyled him of his estate or his friends that insulted over him and devided him in his misery and vexed him and reproached him as he had before complained Some Expositours I know understand it that he had complained bitterly of wrong done him by the Lord in that the miseries he had laid upon him were no way proportionable to any offence he had committed against God making this the height of his misery that though he cryed out of these things yet neither God nor man regarded his cry nor afforded him the least comfort or help And all they say for Iob herein is that in this his corruptions did too farre prevail over him as over the best they will sometimes doe in the hour of temptation But methinks it is too harsh to charge this upon Iob thus to understand his words neither is there any just reason that can be given why it may not be understood only of the wrong that had been done him by men Vers 8. He hath fenced up my way that I cannot passe c. That is he hath brought me into inextricable miseries out of which ther 's no hope nor possibility to escape and to the same purpose is the following clause and he hath set darknesse in my paths that is I cannot see which way to turn my self to wit either because he was so amazed with his sorrows and terrours or because his troubles were so desperate The like expressions Iob had used before chap. 3.23 of which see the Note there Vers 9. He hath stript me of my glory and taken the crown from my head By his glory and his crown some understand his children according to that Hos 9.11 their glory shall flee away as a bird from the birth and from the womb and from the conception and that Prov. 17.6 childrens children are the crown of old men Some his wealth and great estate according to that Gen. 31.1 where Iacobs riches are called his glory of which see the Note there and that Prov. 14.24 the crown of the wise is their riches some the dignity and authority which formerly he had in the place where he lived as having born some place of magistracy amongst them whence it is that he saith afterward chap. 29.7 c. when I went out to the gate through the city when I prepared my seat in the street the young men saw me and hid themselves c. some the good report and esteem he had before amongst all that knew him whereof he was now stript as being despised and in great disgrace every one accounting him a wicked man and an hypocrite But I conceive the words must be understood generally to wit that God had bereaved him of all that had formerly been an honour and an ornament to him Vers 10. He hath destroyed me on every side c. That is every way and in every thing and therefore he addes and I am gone that is I am in a manner a dead man ther 's no hope of me for so we find the same phrase used Psal 39.13 O spare me that I may recover strength before I goe hence and be no more yea because of the following clause and mine hope hath he removed like a tree it may seem that in these words he hath destroyed me on every side he alludes to those that when they intend to grub up a tree by the roots do dig up the ground and hew it round about on every side and so thereupon inferres that there was no more hope of his recovery here in this world then there was of a tree digged up by the roots Vers 11. And he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies That is He doth not correct me as a father but deales with me as if he looked upon me as an enemy And this is one thing for which Elihu condemnes Iob chap. 33.8 10. I have heard the voice of thy words saying he counteth me for his enemy Yet the words do not impart that God concluded that Iob was his enemy but that he proceeded against him as if he had taken him for an enemy Vers 12. His troups come together c. Having in the foregoing verse said that God counted him as an enemy here he proceeds accordingly in the same metaphoricall expression and shews how God did as it were lay siege against him His troups come together which is meant not only of the Chaldeans and others that had robbed him of his estate but generally of those armies of Afflictions that did together break in upon him and raise up their way against me to wit as pioners are wont to make waies even and large and passable for armies that are to march that way or as souldiers are wont to cast up trenches and to raise up batteries and galleries that they may get in to a city which they have besieged and encamp against me round about that is they block me up from all possibility of escape and hope of relief for all these figurative expressions are to set forth how very many how violent and of how long continuance his afflictions were encamping about him as souldiers in a siege Vers 13. He hath put my brethren far from me c. Even this may be added also with respect to the formes metaphor as if he should have said My brethren friends and others that should have been as auxiliary forces to have aided me in my streights God hath also quite taken off from helping me they come not near me or their hearts are alienated from me Vers 15. They that dwell in my house and my maids count me for a stranger If amongst those of his house he comprehended those also whom by way of hospitality
know there is a judgement Now Zophar being exceedingly netled with these words breaks out presently as in relation thereto Therefore doe my thoughts cause me to answer and for this I make hast as if he should have said Whereas you think to stop our mouths by threatning us with the judgements of God so farre am I from being terrified herewith that this above all forceth me to speak so that now I am not able to hold my peace any longer And three reasons may be conceived why Zophar should upon those words above others be so much stirred in his spirit that he could no longer forbear 1. Because he might judge this most insufferable that he that lay under such judgements of God himself should yet be so confident that he was in the right as to threaten them with the judgements of God for speaking against him perceiving how he wrongfully applyed the judgements of God it was time to make him sâ— his errour herein 2. Because he might apprehend that he had now a notable advantage to convince him from his own words since if wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword as Iob said what cause had he to be afraid of this sword of divine vengeance that had in so much fury and wrath uttered so many bitter speeches against God and so scornfully despised the admonition of his friends and 3. Because he might be eager to put him in mind that if there were judgement and a sword of divine vengeance for wicked men he might thence know what himself was whom this sword of God had already so sorely wounded However observable is the expression which Zophar here useth My thoughts cause me to answer for hereby he would seem to imply that though he should speak zealously yet he should not speak rashly because he had seriously be thought himself of what he meant to say Vers 3. I have heard the check of my reproach c. That is the checks and taunts wherewith to my reproach thou hast upbraided me and scorned the truth of God which hath been spoken to thee for though some Expositours referre this particularly to that sharp expression of Iob chap. 19.23 why do ye persecute me as God and are not satisfied with my flesh as if he should have said What Do you charge me with persecuting you with eating up your flesh Are you not ashamed to cast such base reproaches upon us And others to that before mentioned vers 29. where he had threatned them with the sword of divine vengeance yet I should rather understand it generally either of Iobs stiffenesse in maintaining still the truth of his cause and the innocency of his person which Zophar esteemed a reproach to them or of all those tart passages in Iobs speeches wherewith Zophar apprehended himself to be reproached he still applying that to himself which Iob had spoken in common to them all As for the following clause and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer by the spirit of his understanding may be meant either the spirit of God enlightening his mind and causing him to understand or his soul by which he was inabled to understand or the force and strength of his understanding or the highest and chiefest and most refined part of the understanding that which is most free from the dregs of passion But however doubtlesse the drift of Zophar in this expression was either to imply that he meant to answer Iob with reason and understanding and not in passion and anger as Iob had still replyed upon them or else rather to shew that the reason why he could not forbear speaking any longer was because he did clearly understand that it was the truth which they maintained against Iob and was able by evident reason to convince him of his folly in reproaching his friends as he had done for that which they had spoken and of the wickednesse which they had charged him with Vers 4. Knowest thou not this of old since man was placed upon earth c. As if he should have said I appeal to thine own conscience caâ—st thou be ignorant of that which the experience of all ages hath approved to be true ever since God first made man and placed him upon the earth to wit as it follows in the next verse that the tryumphing of the wicked is short and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment And well it may be that when Zophar spake this he had in his thoughts how God punished Cain the son of Adam and Ham and his cursed posterity immediately after the flood Vers 6. Thaugh his excellency mount up to the heavens and his head reach unto the clouds That is though he overtop all men in riches honours authority and high esteem and be gotten up to the highest pitch of outward prosperity and glory insomuch that hereupon he exalts himself in his pride as a little God upon earth and think his condition as unchangeable as the heavens we have the like expression Matth. 11.23 And thou Capernaum which art exalted unto heaven shall be brought down to hell Vers 7. Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung c. This expression of Zophars may imply three things to wit 1. That God should slay him and so he should become a loath some stinking carcase his body being turned wholly to rottennesse and putrifaction 2. That when God began to execute his judgements upon him he should become loathsome base and abominable unto all men so that none should vouchsafe to save him but he should be cast out with the detestation and abhorring of all and 3. That he should perish utterly both he and his according to that which is said of Ieroboam 1 Kings 14.10 I will take away the remnant of the house of Ieroboam as a man taketh away dung till it be all gone concerning which see the Note there And likely enough it is too that Zophar might herein allude to the dunghill whereon Iob now sat chap. 2.8 and to the complaint he had made in the foregoing chapter that God had stripped him of his glory and taken away the crown from his head and that all his nearest friends c. despised him and stood aloof from him and so intimated to him that it was not strange at all that it was thus since it was the usuall portion of the wicked man thus to perish as his own dung that is mans dung the most loathsome of all dung And to the same purpose is the following clause they which have seen him shall say where is he for this implyes 1. That he should be utterly cut off and not be seen any more and 2. That they that had seen him with admiration in his height of prosperity should wonder to see afterward how on a sudden he was quite perished and gone not so much as any memoriall being left of him and should speak of him in a way of scorn and contempt Vers 8. He shall fly away as a
the rain should come to be bottled up in the clouds when and where in what measure and how long it should be afterwards poured down upon the earth and so likewise concerning the lightning and the thunder and all other things whatever Vers 27. Then did he see it c. That is then did he exactly know and understand that unsearchable wisedome of his whereby the world hath been ever since governed and declare it that is if we referre it to the creation of the world then did he in part discover this his wisedome by the admirable works which he made and the order which he appointed to them or if we referre it to his eternall decree then did he determine how it should by his works be declared to men and angels and if we read this clause as it is in the margin of our Bibles and did number it the meaning is that he did particularly order and manifested it severally in every thing that he made he prepared it yea and searched it out that is he decreed all things thereby and established them in a most excellent manner as when things are done upon the most exact search and enquiry I know some Expositours understand these two verses as they do all that went before concerning that knowledge of God and of the way of salvation which is the true wisedome of man and so give this as the meaning of the words that this wisedome was from the beginning known of God and ordered by him to be the wisedome of man and accordingly was by him discovered to man partly by his works and partly by his word which otherwise they could never have known But the first Exposition is by far the best Vers 28. And unto man he said Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisedome c. As if he should have said And thus hath God reserved to himself the wisedome of his governing the world as a secret which man can never attain and the wisedome which he hath appointed him to seek after is to learn to fear him and to keep his Commandements And with this Iob concludes his discourse concerning the unsearchable wisedome of God partly thereby to condemn the rash censures of his friends and partly to shew that he had thus alwaies endeavoured to be wise though they judged otherwise of him and neither had nor would hereafter search into Gods secrets CHAP. XXIX Vers 1. MOreover Iob continued his parable See the Note chap. 27.1 Vers 2. Oh that I were as in moneths past as in the daies when God preserved me To wit from those miseries which are since come upon me And this Job might adde not so much by way of desiring the recovery of his former prosperity as to imply that he was not ashamed of his former prosperity as if he had not behaved himself therein as became a man that feared God but could wish with all his heart that it were now with him in every regard as it was then thereby condemning his friends for passing such uncharitable censures upon him as if by his secret wickednesse in the daies of his prosperity he had provoked God to bring those miseries upon him which of late he had endured But if we take the words so that therein he did indeed wish that he were in the same prosperous condition wherein he had been formerly this he might lawfully desire so it were with submission to Gods will and without any murmuring against that which God had laid upon him and withall his drift in mentioning this might chiefly be to imply how unwarrantably they judged of him by his outward condition since they might as well conclude that he was a righteous man and beloved of God because of his former prosperity as that he was a wicked man and hated of God because of his present afflictions as likewise to intimate that in this regard his present miseries were the greater because he had formerly lived in such a prosperous condition Vers 3. When his candle shined upon mine head c. That is upon me according to that Prov. 30.6 Blessings are upon the head of the just that is upon the just Yet in this phrase there may be also an allusion to the lifting up or setting up of torches or candles on high because thereby they give the better light to men However by the time when the candle of God shined upon his head is meant the time when the Lord favoured him and prospered him apparently and when he did by his providence and the counsell of his spirit guide and direct him in all his waies And to the same purpose is the following clause when by his light I walked through darknesse for thereby is meant either that God prospered him when times of great distresse lay upon others or that through Gods favour he lived free from affliction in this world the vale of tears and land of darknesse and sorrow or that God directed him in the most intricate difficulties that ever he met with See the Notes 2 Sam. 22.29 and Esth 8.16 Vers 4. As I was in the daies of my youth when the secret of God was upon my Tabernacle That is when that speciall and singular love which God did bear me was plainly manifested by the great blessings he daily afforded to me and mine Or when God by his secret providence did protect and by the secret counsell of his spirit did direct both me and my family For all these may be tearmed the secret of God as likewise Psal 25.14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and in other places Vers 6. When I washed my steps with butter c. That is when I enjoyed the choicest of Gods blessings in greatest abundance We have the like expressions Gen. 49.11 and Deut. 33.24 concerning which see the Notes there Yet the last clause and the rock poured me out rivers of oyl may imply not only abundance of oyl as where streams of water come gushing forth out of rocks but also that the barrenest places yielded him plenty for which see the Note Deut. 32.13 Vers 7. When I went out to the gate through the city when I prepared my seat in the street As by the gate is meant the place of judicature see the Note Gen. 22.17 whether Job used to goe in great state and honourably attended so also by the street is meant any place of publick concourse where when the people met together about publick affairs Job as being a chief magistrate had a seat prepared for him against he came thither Vers 8. The aged arose and stood up That is as I passed by or when I came in place where they were the aged arising stood up or rising from their seats they continued standing whilst I was present Vers 9. The Princes refrained talking c. That is they were silent presently when I came in presence or they still gave way to me to speak and would not speak themselves when I was by
But in the last clause and to enquire in his Temple it is the Tabernacle which he intends by the Temple of which see the Note 1 Sam. 1.9 Vers 5. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion in the secret of his Tabernacle c. That is God will be graciously present with me to shroud me and protect me from mine enemies even as a shepheard should shelter his sheep in a tent or tabernacle from the heat of the Sun or as if a king should undertake to protect one in his pavilion whence none dare venture to take him or as men use to hide some precious thing in some secret place of their dwelling or as when men are hid in Gods Tabernacle or Temple whether they used to fly for shelter to the horns of the altar yea as if a man were hid in the most holy place whether none might enter but only the High priest once a year which is therefore called Gods secret place Ezek. 7.22 they shall pollute my secret place for the robbers shall enter into it and defile it To all these there may be an allusion yet because of the dependance of this upon that said in the foregoing verse concerning his longing after Gods Tabernacle many think the last is rather intended and so conceive the drift of the words to be this that seeing he so earnestly desired to be present with God God would be alwaies present with him to defend him Vers 6. And now also shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about c. That is I shall be out of the reach of mine enemies it shall not be in their power to hurt me it is the same with that in the foregoing verse he shall set me up upon a rock See farther also in the Note Psal 3.3 Therefore will I offer in his Tabernacle sacrifices of joy that is sacrifices of praise which were offered with great joy with sounding of trumpets Numb 10.10 and other musicall instruments 1 Chron. 16.41 42. And thus we see he trusted to come to Gods Tabernacle and that he meant to expresse his joy in a holy manner and not in that profane jollity wherewith carnall men are wont to triumph Vers 8. When thou saidest Seek ye my face my heart said unto thee Thy face Lord will I seek As if he had said Against all temptations concerning mine own unworthinesse the weaknesse of my faith and the delay of help I oppose this that thou hast commanded us to seek thy face which imports thy readinesse to help and gives me encouragement to seek and pray unto thee For this phrase of seeking Gods face see the Note 1 Chron. 16.11 Vers 10. When my father and my mother forsake me then the Lord will take me up That Davids father and mother did never forsake him is evident 1 Sam. 22.1 The meaning therefore is that though those on whom he might most justly rely even his father and mother should forsake him yet he knew God would never forsake him Vers 11. Teach me thy way O Lord c. See the Notes Psal 25.4 and 5.8 Vers 12. For false witnesses are risen up against me and such as breath out cruelty That is such as in all their talk discover the bloudy intentions they have against me yet this phrase of breathing out cruelty may have reference to that vehement blowing and breathing which may be observed in men when they are furiously enraged Vers 13. I had fainted unlesse I had believed to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living That is to enjoy the good things that God hath promised me here in this world see the Notes Job 7.7 and 28.13 For though heaven may be tearmed in a speciall manner the land of the living the grave is the land of the dead the earth the land of the dying and heaven is only properly the land of the living and though as many learned men hold the land of Canaan which was a type of heaven is sometimes peculiarly called the land of the living as in Ezek. 26.20 I shall set glory in the land of the living yet usually in the Scriptures by the land of the living is meant this present world as Esa 38.11 I said I shall not see the Lord even the Lord in the land of the living I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world and so also Esa 53.8 Psal 52.5 and in many other places Vers 14. Wait on the Lord c. David as being conscious to himself of his own weaknesse and expecting farther tryalls speaks this to himself yet it may be also taken as spoken to others out of a desire that others by his example would learn to wait upon God PSALM XXVIII Vers 1. UNto thee will I cry O Lord my rock c. See the Note Deut. 32.4 be not silent to me that is refuse not to answer my prayer or forbear not to help me see the Note Exod. 14.14 lest if thou be silent to me I become like them that goe down into the pit that is the grave as if he should have said for if thou help not there is none else that can doe it I am utterly undone so great is my danger that without help from heaven I am but a dead man even as one that is ready to be carried to the grave Yet some conceive that in this phrase he alludes rather to those that going down or falling casually into some deep pit from whence they cannot get out again must needs there perish if there be no bodie to hear their crie and to help them up Vers 2. I lift up my hands toward thy holy Oracle That is toward heaven of which the Oracle was a type see the Note 2 Sam. 22.7 or towards the most holy place where the Ark was the sign of Gods presence See the Note 1 Kings 8.30 Vers 3. Draw me not away with the wicked c. See the Note Psal 26.9 The phrase that is here used seems covertly to imply that when wicked men are cut off there is a hand of justice dragging them as it were away as malefactours to their deserved punishment and withall that when such men die they are violently and forcibly haled away their affections being wholly fixt upon the world and worldly things Vers 4. Give them according to their deeds c. The great question concerning this and such like places is how it could stand with Davids piety thus to pray that Gods wrath might be poured forth upon his enemies it being the expresse precept of Christ Matth. 5.9 Love your enemies blesse them that curse you But to this it may be answered 1. that David did not desire this out of a private thirst after revenge but merely out of a zeal for Gods glory and the good of his people as having after long experience found that they were implacable enemies of all godlinesse and were become by degrees intolerably insolent and
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
nation or we his people for thus they speak of themselves as one body with their forefathers to shew that the wonders wrought for their forefathers were a just ground of encouragement for them We have the like expressions Psal 81.5 and Hos 12.4 Vers 7. He ruleth by his power for ever c. As if he had said And therefore what he hath done for his people in former times he can doe still his eyes behold the nations to wit to observe their waies to rule and overrule them as he pleaseth let not the rebellious exalt themselves to wit because this omnipotent all-seeing God can easily destroy them Vers 10. Thou hast tryed us as silver is tryed That is with very sore and many afflictions as silver is tryed in a hot fire and many times see Psal 12.6 and the Note upon Job 23.10 yet not to destroy us but to purge away our corruptions and therefore when God tryeth his people with lighter afflictions he saith on the contrary Isa 48.10 Behold I have refined thee but not with silver or as silver Vers 11. Thou broughtest us into the net c. That is into bondage or into great streights and dangers on every side thou laidest affliction upon our loins that is by sore afflictions thou hast bereaved us of all strength and made us exceeding weak and feeble or thou hast suffered men to bind us in chains or thou hast layd very heavy burdens of affliction upon us or thou hast caused men to use us like pack-horses beating us and laying intolerable burdens upon us Vers 12. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads c. That is we lying upon the ground as those do that are wounded in battel our enemies ride over our heads or they ride us like beasts because they that ride upon beasts are lifted up above their heads or do as it were fit or lean over their heads However the meaning is only this that their basest enemies having brought them into subjection did insult over them and abuse them with all possible cruelty scorn and contempt And indeed we have the like expression Isa 51.23 But I will put it that is the cup of trembling into the hand of them that afflict thee which have said to thy soul Bow down that we may go over and thou hast laid thy body as the ground and as the street to them that went over Vers 15. I will offer unto thee burnt-sacrifices of fatlings with the incense of rams That is with the smoke arising either from the whole burnt-offerings of rams or from the fat of rams which in peace-offerings was only burnt upon the altar for this it is that is here called incense to shew that how unsavory soever it might be in it self yet through Christ of whom all these sacrifices were types it was a sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour unto God Yet some understand this of incense that was burnt with their sacrifices Vers 17. I cryed unto him with my mouth c. Some conceive that these words with my mouth are added to shew the certainty of this truth that God is most ready to hear the prayers of those that call upon him as if a husbandman should say to prove that God is most ready to blesse the work of his hands that is industrious in his calling With these hands of mine did I till this ground and sow it and thus and thus God was pleased to blesse my labours But for this see the Note Psal 3.4 And he was extolled with my tongue to wit by my returning him praise when he had granted my requests or by my praying for God is greatly exalted by his servants flying to him in all their necessities as their only hope and refuge Vers 18. If I regard iniquity in mine heart the Lord will not hear me That is If I have any evil intention in that which I beg of God according to that Jam. 4.3 Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amisse that ye may consume it upon your lusts or if I wittingly allow my self in or give my self over to any sin whatsoever praying but the whilst through inward self-flattery delighting in any sin and purposing to nuzzle my self therein yea though it should be only some inward lust of my heart God would not regard my prayers This I conceive is the drift of these words yet it may well be also that the Psalmist intended hereby to justify himself against the slanders of his enemies Vers 20. Blessed be God which hath not turned away my prayer nor his mercy from me So that though he did not regard iniquity in his heart as is said before ver 18. yet he ascribes it wholly to the mercy of God that his prayers were not rejected PSALM LXVII The Title TO the chief Musician on Neginoth See the Note on the Title of the 4. Psalm Vers 1. God be mercifull unto us and blesse us and cause his face to shine upon us There seems to be a clear allusion in these words to that form of prayer used by the Priests in blessing the people Numb 6.25 26. for which see the Notes there as also Psal 31.16 But yet what is here desired the following verse doth more fully shew Vers 2. That thy way may be known upon earth thy saving health among all nations As if they had said We do not desire merely that it may be well with us but that thy way that is thy dealings with thy people which are all mercy and truth Psal 25.10 see the Note there may be known upon earth that is to all the inhabitants of the earth and thy saving health among all nations that is and that the way which thou hast ordained for the saving of thy people may be known amongst all nations Because the sad calamities which the Church did often lye under were as a stumbling-block to other nations through their misunderstanding Gods intentions therein and kept them off from joyning themselves to the Church therefore the people of God do here desire that God by the discovery of his favour to his people would let all the world see his way to his people c. to wit how dearly he loves them how tenderly carefull he is over them to provide for them to protect and deliver them and to order all things for their salvation and not for their destruction that so this might bring in the heathen nations to joyn themselves to the Church of God So that by the way of God here is meant 1. generally all the waies of his speciall goodnesse and mercy to his people and 2. more particularly and especially that way of his saving health as it is expressed in the second clause that is that way which God hath ordained for the eternall salvation of his people through Christ whence it is that Christ is called the way Joh. 14.6 and Gods salvation Luk. 2.30 as also the doctrine of the Gospel is called the way of the Lord Act. 18.25 26.
all power and majesty the Lord thy Benjamin the son at thy right hand as was said of Christ vers 1. shall strike through kings c or 2. as spoken to Christ concerning God the Father O Christ the Lord thy father shall stand by thee at thy right hand to aid thee and to destroy all thine enemies for thee or 3. as spoken to the people of God concerning Christ as if he had said Be not dismayed O ye servants of Christ for as the Lord your Saviour sits at the right hand of his Father in glory and majesty so he will also be at your right hand to assist and prosper you and to execute judgement on all your enemies Vers 6. He shall judge among the heathen c. That is He shall rule as king amongst the heathen or rather he shall punish and destroy his enemies of all nations not the Jews only but the Gentiles also which is clear by the following words he shall fill the places with dead bodies that is with dead bodies lying unburied which also may imply the multitude of the slain in that they that were left alive should not be able to bury their dead he shall wound the heads over many countries that is he shall destroy the mightiest of princes that oppose him Vers 7. He shall drink of the brook in the way c. Some conceive that hereby the havock that Christ should make amongst his enemies is farther set forth for they make the meaning of the words to be this that Christ should make such a slaughter amongst them that as a conquerour he might drink the bloud of his enemies which should run down as a brook or stream according to that expression Numb 23.24 Behold the people shall rise up as a great lion and lift up himself as a young lion he shall not lye down untill he eat of the prey and drink the bloud of the slain and hereby they say is signifyed Christs satiating refreshing and delighting himself in the destruction of his enemies But there are two other expositions that are far more probable and indeed of these it is hard to say which is the best The first is that hereby the Psalmist sets forth the alacrity heat and fervency of Christ in pursuing his enemies He shall drink of the brook in the way therefore shall he lift up the head that is being in the pursuit of his enemies he shall no where stay to rest and refresh himself but quenching his thirst a little out of any brook that he meets with in the way he shall presently lift up his head again and shall again follow his enemies close at the heels And this exposition some learned Expositours do the rather approve because by the coherence of these words with the two foregoing verses it may seem that the Psalmist doth still prosecute his prophesies concerning the victories of Christ But then the second is that these words are meant the first branch of his humiliation or passion and the second of his resurrection and exaltation For by those words He shall drink of the brook in the way they say is meant either 1. the poor and mean condition wherein Christ lived as a pilgrim and stranger here in this world like that of those that have no other drink but the water that runs in brooks and rivers to quench their thirst wherein they say also that David whilst he lived obscurely in desolate places for fear of Saul was a type of Christ and then by the lifting up of his head must be meant the glory whereto afterwards Christ was exalted or 2. the death and passion of Christ As waters in the Scripture do usually signify afflictions and sorrows see the Notes 2 Sam. 22.5 and Psal 42.7 so drinking of these waters may signify either that a man is drowned and overwhelmed in these floods of afflictions because when a man is drowned the water will run into his bowels as we may see in that Psal 69.1 2. Save me O God for the waters are come in unto my soul c. for which see the Notes there or else a voluntary submission to the afflictions which a man undergoes according to that of our Saviour Joh. 18.11 the cup which my father giveth me shall I not drink it But now as drinking of a cup may signify the undergoing of a certain portion of afflictions and miseries so on the other side drinking of the brook may signify an undergoing of the highest degrees of all miseries and sorrows because a brook of waters may signify a confluence of all kind of miseries So that when it is said here of Christ He shall drink of the brook in the way the meaning is that all the miseries due to men for sin should as a torrent come pouring in upon him Having spoken so much in the foregoing verses concerning the victories of Christ under those metaphoricall expressions of striking through kings of filling the places with dead bodies c. lest we should hence think that his kingdome should be an outward worldly kingdome the Psalmist doth therefore adde this concerning his suffering and so entring into glory He shall drink of the brook in the way that is as he passeth through this world or whilst he is in the way of accomplishing the will of God for the salvation of men passing through this vail of tears he shall drink of the troubled brook of many bitter sufferings he shall undergoe all the wrath that was due to man for sin therefore shall he lift up the head that is he shall rise victoriously out of the grave he shall triumphantly ascend up into heaven and shall there sit down at the right hand of his Father See also the Note for this phrase of lifting up the head Psal 3.3 PSALM CXI Vers 1. PRaise ye the Lord c. See the Note Psal 25.1 This is the first of the Alphabeticall Psalms wherein we have all the Hebrew letters perfectly according to their order without omission of any and they are in the beginning of every clause of the Psalm the first eight verses being divided into two clauses and the two last into three And just so it is again in the following Psalm Vers 2. The works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein As if he had said Though profane ungodly men discern not the transcendent excellency that is in Gods works and that because they regard them not and therefore search not into them yet they that take delight in searching into them they discover and in a good measure understand the exquisite excellency that is therein Vers 3. His work is honourable and glorious c. Some understand this peculiarly of the glorious work of Gods delivering the Israelites out of Egypt because they conceive the Psalmist speaks of this in the following verses But I rather take it as spoken generally that whatever God doeth is full of majesty and glory And which the Psalmist
for them that is even the Chaldeans Persians together with other nations amongst whom the Jews had lived as the most despised nation under heaven and who had wont to insult over them for their confidence in God and to flout at them and their religion Psal 137.3 Sing us say they one of the songs of Zion were by the wonder of our deliverance forced to acknowledge that our God had shewed great love to us in the great things he had done for us Vers 3. The Lord hath done great things for us c. As if the Jews should have said for in their name the Psalmist here speaks If you that are our enemies say so who speak it haply with repining spirits well may we say so with glad hearts for whom God hath done it Vers 4. Turn again our captivity O Lord c. That is Bring home the rest of our brethren that are still captives in Babylon as thou hast brought us home For we must know that though part of the Jews were returned when this Psalm was penned upon liberty granted them by the Proclamation of Cyrus as is noted before vers 1 yet the greatest number by far stayed still in Babylon according to that Isa 10.22 though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea yet a remnant of them shall return apprehending the tediousnesse of the journey how great the perils were they were like to meet with in their way homeward how impossible it seemed that they should recover their land again from which they had been carried away captives so many years ago and withall being grown some of them at least well enough contented with their present condition either for fear or sloth they preferred certain rest though under bondage that amongst idolaters before hope of liberty of recovering their ancient inheritance accompanied with so many dangers and troubles And therefore no wonder it is though that remnant of the Jews that were returned to their own countrey do still pray thus for their brethren that were behind Turn again our captivity O Lord c. Yea some conceive that in these words they do also pray that God would perfect the mercy of their deliverance out of Babylon to those that were returned by settling them quietly in their land freeing them from that mighty opposition they met with in their rebuilding of their city Temple by means of the envy malice of their neighbours round about them As for that clause as the streams in the South we must take notice first that by the South here is meant barren and dry desarts for because on the South of Canaan there lay great desarts dry and sandy yea the South parts of Canaan it self were dryer then other parts of the land were whence was that of Calebs daughter to her father Thou hast given me a South land give me also springs of water see the Note Josh 15.19 therefore by the South in the Scripture is usually meant the desart or wildernesse as in Psal 75.6 promotion cometh neither from the East nor from the West nor from the South which is in the Hebrew nor from the desart and 2. that in those dry desarts God did sometimes send mighty land-flouds either by sudden violent showers of rain or by the melting of the snow upon the mountains Accordingly therefore when the Church here prayes Turn again our captivity O Lord as the streams in the South either 1. they mean thereby that God would bring home their captivated brethren in great multitudes so that they might cover the waies as they went as those mighty streams in the South were wont to overflow cover the earth and that speedily suddenly too as those land-flouds used to come suddenly when there was a little before no appearance of water or 2. they would imply hereby that though it would be a work of great wonder like that of bringing streams of water into the dry desarts yet God was able to doe it or 3. they would hereby intimate how great a refreshing this would be to them that the turning again of their captivity would be as welcome a mercy to them as it would be to the traveller that is to goe through dry desarts to meet there with some sweet streams of water for the refreshing of himself Vers 5. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy That is as the poor husbandman that sows in tears either for the toil of his work or the unseasonablenesse of the weather or especially when in times of dearth scarcity he casts the corn that should nourish himself his family into the ground and that too but upon uncertain hopes as knowing that often when men carry out much they bring in little as is threatned Deut. 28.38 yet when a plentifull harvest comes he then reaps with joy haply hath the richer harvest when his seed-time was saddest according to that usuall proverb that corn sowen in a flood comes up like a wood so they that do what God requires in hope of a retribution from God according to his will revealed in his word though they may meet with much affliction sorrow therein yet shall doubtlesse at last reap what they expected with exceeding great joy yea their foregoing sorrow shall be in part a cause or occasion of their greater joy And with this generall sentence the Psalmist concludes this Psalm partly with respect to the experience which some of the Jews had already had of the truth hereof in their deliverance out of Babylon when they went into captivity in hope that God would make good what he had promised them by the prophet Jeremy that after a certain time he would bring them back again with joy into their own land their faith patience prayers was precious seed sown not without many tears because of their misery but when God brought them back with so much riches glory then they reaped with joy according to that Isa 51.11 the redeemed of the Lord shall return come with singing unto Zion everlasting joy shall be upon their head partly by way of encouragement for the time to come both to those that were behind in Babylon those likewise that were imployed in repairing Jerusalem c. but were many waies in a very sad condition by reason of the great opposition manifold discouragements they met with in that service even to put them in hope that after this sad seed-time they should have a joyfull harvest which is again repeated in the following verse Vers 6. He that goeth forth c. That is that goeth out of doors to sow his seed or that in the field goeth on still forward casting his seed into the ground weepeth bearing precious seed that is good choice corn that is fit for seed or corn when it is scarce dear so it grieveth him the more to part with it shall doubtlesse come again with rejoycing bringing his sheaves
his house But the former exposition is generally followed by Interpreters Vers 30. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life c. That is say some Expositours their righteousnesse will be a means of life to them see the Note chap. 3.18 But rather the meaning seems to be that the benefit which men may get by the example the counsell instruction of the righteous is no lesse then life yea life eternall that therefore there is little reason why such men should be despised as usually they are in the world Yea observable it is that this fruit of the righteous doth restore life to dead men which the tree of life in the garden of Eden could not doe Now in the following clause there is one speciall instance given of this fruit of the righteous and he that winneth souls it is in the Hebrew he that taketh souls that is that taketh them with the sweetnesse of his speech and so perswades them to embrace his saving doctrine or that is a means of saving souls is wise that is he approves himself to be a wise man both because there is much wisdome to be used in this work of winning souls and because this service above all God will be sure abundantly to reward Vers 31. Behold c. As if he should have said This which I tell you now may be observed to be true by daily experience or is a strange and wonderfull thing therefore very considerable the righteous shall be recompenced in the earth that is God will make them smart for their sins here in this world much more the wicked and the sinner that is much more therefore shall they receive the reward of their wickednesse either here in this world or however eternally hereafter Some of our best Expositours would have the Lords rewarding the righteousness of the righteous here in this world to be also at least included in the first clause but I see not how that can agree with the following clause much more the wicked the sinner The meaning of the words we have cleared by the Apostle 1 Pet. 4.16 17. where he alludes to this passage of Solomon CHAP. XII Vers 2. A Good man obtaineth favour of the Lord c. That is though he may be out of favour with the world yet God of his free grace whenever he seeks to him will shew himself favourable to him do him good but a man of wicked devices will he condemn and so also punish him to wit though he may flourish for a time may justify himself and may haply by his crafty hiding of his wickednesse deceive many and though however he shall be surely applauded by the men of the world Vers 3. A man shall not be established by wickednesse c. That is He shall not be established as long as he liveth in any way of wickednesse he shall not secure himself from danger by any wicked practises but on the contrary he shall be utterly rooted up which is implyed from the following clause but the root of the righteous shall not be moved that is though they may be shaken with many storms of afflictions yet they shall not be overturned by the roots or though they spread not upwards so loftily as the wicked do yet by their righteousnesse they shall be unmoveably established see the Note chap. 10.25 Vers 4. A vertuous woman is a crown to her husband c. That is she is an honour to him his chiefest choicest ornament and consequently the continuall rejoycing of his heart she is what woman was by creation appointed to be 1 Cor. 11.7 the glory of the man who is her head but she that maketh ashamed is as rottennesse in his bones that is she is a continuall heart-breaking grief and vexation to him which pierceth so deep that it wasteth his strength consumeth not his flesh only but his bones also And thus the wise that was made of a bone of the husband becomes an incurable disease to him even as rottennesse in his bones Vers 5. The thoughts of the righteous are right c. That is to doe that which is every way just and to give every man his right see the Note chap. 11.23 but the counsels of the wicked are deceit to wit how they may deceive men and that many times by cloaking their wickednesse under fair pretences and professions of honesty and good intentions Vers 6. The words of the wicked are to lye in wait for bloud c. They tend to the destroying of men both in soul body see the Note ch 1.11 19 as by consulting together how to effect it by bearing false witnesse against them by seeking to draw them into their snares by their flatteries c but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them that is those for whose lives the wicked lye in wait to wit by giving them warning of their danger by disswading the wicked from such bloudy practices by pleading their cause before the magistrate by stirring up others to appear in their defence many other waies Vers 7. The wicked are overthrown are not c. See the Note Psal 37.36 both they their families are overthrown which is implyed by the following clause but the house of the righteous shall stand that is not they only but their families also shall be established in an estate of happinesse Vers 8. A man shall be commended according to his wisdome c. That is as a man is more or lesse spiritually wise godly manifests it in word deed but he that is of a perverse heart manifests it in his speech behaviour therefore is indeed no better then a fool though otherwise never so carnally wise shall be despised The main drift of the Proverb may be to shew that though the counsels and enterprises of the godly-wise may be unsuccessefull for a time and seem to produce very sad effects yet at last they shall have their due praise and that though on the other side the wicked may be successefull and prosper for a while yet in the conclusion they shall be despised for their folly Vers 9. He that is despised c. That is He that having modest thoughts of himself aspireth not after things too high for him and so liveth in a plain way without any pomp or state being willing to live in some honest calling and if need be to work with his own hands and so is slighted and despised in the world hath a servant that is and yet as meanly as he lives he hath wherewith to maintain himself his family at least he is able to keep one servant for the easing of himself the furtherance of his businesse the advancement of his estate is better then he that honoureth himself and lacketh bread that is is in a better condition then he that boasts of his great parentage carrieth himself as some great man and yet even then perhaps
speaking softly to his companions lest he should be over-heard by some body and so prevented in what he hath designed to doe In a word the meaning is that wicked men by their cunning plots and hypocrisy in the close carrying on their designes do work much villany Vers 31. The hoary head is a crown of glory if it be found in the way of righteousnesse To such a one the gray hairs wherewith his head is compassed round about is a glorious ornament even as a silver crown which God himself hath put upon his head to wit because such an one doth in a speciall manner bear in himself the image of God who is the Ancient of daies Dan. 7.9 as likewise because old men by long experience do often attain the greater wisdome and the very gray hairs of such men do render their countenance the more comely grave and do naturally procure the more authority and respect amongst men Vers 32. He that is flow to anger is better then the mighty c. That is he is a man of greater excellency and more to be commended for his strength and fortitude then he that is of mighty bodily strength to wit because the strength of the soul is better then bodily strength it enables men to bear reproaches and injuries which are of all burdens the heaviest hardest to be born to resist and overcome a mans own unruly passions and sinfull lusts together with those principalities powers Eph. 6.12 which of all enemies are most hardly resisted and subdued And by mens subduing these much benefit redounds to other whereas the mighty man cannot obtain victories nor subdue cities without much bloudshed and hurt to others And to the same purpose is the following clause and he that ruleth his spirit that is that overruleth his affections passions then he that taketh a city who may the while be a slave to his own lust But see the Note also chap. 14.29 CHAP. XVII Vers 1. BEtter is a dry morsell quietnesse therewith then a house full of sacrifices with strife We had a Proverb before much like this chap. 15.17 for which see the Note there But the meaning of this is briefly thus that the smallest coursest pittance with quiet is more comfortable safe and wholesome then a house full of good chear for that is meant by a house full of sacrifices see the Note chap. 7.14 with strife and contention Which may be said because at feasts wine good chear do usually cause many quarrels or else to imply that it is better to be in a low then in a high condition because these are usually exposed to more envy and hatred and strife then meaner men are Others also understand this Proverb of the happinesse of those that enjoy a little with quiet of conscience above those that have plenty with a conscience that continually chideth them for what they have gotten unjustly or for some other wickednesse Vers 2. A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame c. See the Notes chap. 10.5 and 14.35 and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren Thus it is usually in both particulars mentioned The first when a servant for his wisdome is advanced to some place of honour magistracy and so the foolish son having wasted his estate being become poor liveth under his command or else when the master of such a servant shall give him the rule over his whole family or shall make him at his death one of his Executors a guardian over his foolish son perhaps over all his children And so the second also either when such a servant growing rich and great buyes the estate of his masters prodigal child or rather when a master shall give one of his daughters in marriage to such a servant or shall adopt him for his son and thereupon shall at his death allot him a share in his inheritance But the drift of the Proverb is to shew that wisdome doth often prefer men above those that otherwise had it not been for their folly might have been their betters Vers 3. The fining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold but the Lord tryeth the hearts Either we must understand these words thus that as the fining pot and the furnace do try silver and gold so the Lord whose eyes are as a flame of fire Rev. 1.14 tryeth the hearts of men or thus whereas the gold-smith can by his art try of what goodnesse his silver gold are can purify them from the drosse that was in them none but the Lord only can try that is exactly know or purify and purge by affliction or otherwise the hearts of men See the Notes Psal 7.9 and 26.2 and 66.10 and Job 23.10 Vers 4. A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips c. That is to lies slanders flatteries or generally to all manner of evil speeches whatsoever and a liar giveth eare to a naughty tongue that is a mischievous tongue or a lying slanderous tongue The drift of this Proverb therefore may be to shew 1. that not only to speak evil but also willingly to hearken to evil speakers to be prone to believe lies is the property of a wicked man or 2. that wicked men are still ready to yield to the evil suggestions enticements commands of others or 3. that because men are delighted with such talk as is sutable to their disposition therefore liars and slanderers love to hear the lies and slanders of others and generally all wicked men delight to hear those that talk wickedly Vers 5. Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his maker That is he that derideth a man distressed with poverty or any other sad affliction It is a sin to deride any body but the poor man is mentioned because men do usually take most liberty to scoffe at such men and yet the deriding of them is worst because thereby men adde affliction to the afflicted But see the Note chap. 14.31 Vers 6. Childrens children are the crown of old men c. To wit because this makes known that they are very aged and because children are a glorious blessing of God and do render their parents to be the more reverenced respected and to be of the more authority amongst men and the glory of children are their fathers to wit whether living or dead for living with them their wisdome and authority do supply many defects in their children and whether living or dying they are an honour to them But now both these clauses must be understood both of parents children that are vertuous pious for otherwise they will both be but a crown of thorns to their nearest relations Vers 7. Excellent speech becometh not a fool c. Some by excellent speech understand copious fluency of speech which they say becometh not a fool because the more he speaks the more he will discover his folly Again others by excellent speech understand a
together with that the other may be also implyed Vers 29. The glory of young men is their strength and the beauty of old men is the gray head See the Note chap. 16.31 The drift of this Proverb is to shew that both young and old have their severall ornaments and so have need of one another and ought to respect one another Vers 30. The blewnesse of a wound cleanseth away evil so do stripes the inward parts of the belly Some take this to be spoken by way of similitude thus As by cutting and launcing the body which doth usually leave blew scars behind it as in letting bloud or making issues c. a great deal of corruption is usually let out of mens bodies and by that means they are cured of very dangerous diseases so sharp corrections which pierce as it were even to the very entrails do purge men from sin or so do stripes cleanse men even from their inward and secret sins But I see not but that both clauses may be understood of the benefit of correction The blewnesse of a wound cleanseth away evil sharp reproofs or corrections whether from God or man which are as blows that make men black and blew oâ— wounds that leave a blew scar behind them do make men abandon their evil waies And then the following clause so do stripes the inward parts of the belly is added to shew either that such sharp corrections do purge away even the secret evils of the mind which are as the inward parts of the belly as well as the wickednesse of the outward man or else that then corrections are in this way profitable to men when they affect men inwardly and wound their very hearts and souls with pain and sorrow wicked men will not be reformed but by exceeding sharp corrections CHAP. XXI Vers 1. THe kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water he turneth it whethersoever he will That is As husbandmen and others do carry the water of rivers by trenches water-courses and pipes into their grounds or elsewhere which way they please or rather As God by his Providence turneth the rivers sometimes one way and sometimes another and sometimes causeth them to turn backward a quite contrary way to that wherein they were before going as seemeth good in his own eyes so doth he also turn about the thoughts affections and desires even of kings themselves to will and nill what he will have them sometimes for the benefit sometimes to the hurt of their subjects and often contrary to what they had determined And this is noted as most remarkable in kings because by reason of their great power and pride they seem able to doe almost what they please and are usually so violent and head-strong in their resolutions that there is no diverting them from what they have purposed or said they will doe being herein indeed like the heady and violent streams of some great rivers that carry all before them with unresistable fury whereas yet notwithstanding they have not so much as their own wills at their own disposing but God over-rules them as he pleaseth Vers 2. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes c. See the Notes chap. 14.12 and 16.2 Vers 3. To doe justice and judgement c. To doe unto all men that which is every way equall and just and that not out of any carnall affections but out of true judgement and approbation of justice is more acceptable to the Lord then sacrifice that is then any of the services enjoyned by the ceremoniall law and consequently then any outward act of Gods worship enjoyned by the moral law such as prayer and hearing the word c. and that because God doth more delight in the solid and substantiall services enjoyned by the law then in those that are merely externall and ceremoniall and because he is better pleased with those duties that are profitable to men then with those that seem more immediately to have respect unto himself Vers 4. An high look and a proud heart and the plowing of the wicked is sin The difficulty of this Proverb lyes chiefly in the last clause Some of our best Expositours do literally understand by the plowing of the wicked their labouring in their particular callings which they say is sin in them because unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure Tit. 1.15 And thus they make the drift of this Proverb to be the setting forth of the misery of wicked men by shewing that in all things they doe they sin against God not only in those things which are simply evil in themselves such as are their proud thoughts and high looks their ambitious aspiring after things that are too high for them but also in all their naturall and civill actions which not being evil in themselves yet become sin to them and that because the men being evil nothing can be good that proceeds from them as a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit Matth 7.18 By the wickednesse the pride other filthy corruptions that are in their hearts all their actions must needs be defiled But then by the plowing of the wicked some do understand figuratively the plots and projects and busy endeavours of wicked men for which see the Note Job 4.8 that these are said to be sin because they are all for some sinfull practise or other yea for many and manifold sins and mischiefs and indeed it may be rather understood of the mischief they endeavour to doe because men in their pride care not what mischief they doe yea and this is elsewhere called plowing Psal 129.3 The plowers plowed upon my back they made long their furrows As for that translation of this clause which is set in the margin of our Bibles and the light of the wicked is sin if that be received then the meaning must be either 1. that wicked men are wont to glory in their sin so far are they from hiding and bewailing their sins that they exalt themselves therein as counting it their only splendour and glory or 2. that their wisdome and quick-sightednesse in all affairs wherein they are wont proudly to vaunt themselves tends to sin and carries them into many sinfull courses or 3. that their good works though they make a splendid shew before men are an abomination to the Lord or 4. that their endeavouring to exalt themselves and to be eminently conspicuous above others is sin or 5. that their great prosperity pomp and glory in the world wherein they much pride themselves is an occasion of much sin to them Vers 5. The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousnesse c. That is when a man doth wisely before-hand think and contrive how to manage his affairs if he do afterwards diligently prosecute what he hath contrived he must needs grow rich but of every one that is hasty only to want that is the thoughts of those that are hasty to
and more peculiarly the King of Zion and to their astonishment and joy observe and consider how much his magnificent state did excell that of Solomon which is much the same with that Zach. 9.9 Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Jerusalem behold thy King cometh unto thee 3. That by the crowne wherewith his mother crowned him is meant either those faithfull soules that by the preaching of the Gospel are wonne and converted to Christ or the glory and honour which the Church hath in all ages yielded to Christ by owning his soveraignty by placing all her hope of salvation in him and spreading abroad throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel the glory of his person and kingdome the great love he hath showne to his people and the great things he hath done for them Both which we may the rather pitch upon 1. Because the Scripture speakes of the Church the Congregation of the faithfull as the mother of Christ Revel 12 1-5 and in the Church by the word of faith Christ is conceived Gal. 4.19 My little children of whom I travel in birth againe untill Christ be formed in you and Christ himselfe did professe whilst he was upon earth that he esteemed and honoured them as his mother Matth. 12.50 2ly Because Christ is indeed by the faith of the Saints honoured in the world as the king of Israel Joh. 1.49 When Christ ruleth in his Church by the scepter of his word and people submit to his law and government they then set the Crowne upon his head and thence it is that Christ said of his Disciples Joh. 17.10 that he was glorified in them And 3ly Because the Scripture doth speake of the faithfull that are by the Church converted and wonne unto Christ as his glory and crowne as Isa 62.3 Thou shalt also be a crowne of glory in the hand of the Lord and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God And indeed if a people converted to Christ may be tearmed the Crowne of that Minister by whom they are converted as the Apostle calls the Philippians his joy and crowne Phil. 4.1 and a good wife may be tearmed a crowne to her husband Pro. 12.4 well may the faithfull who are the Spouse of Christ a chosen generation and a royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 be said to be the crowne wherewith his mother crowned him yea and the rather haply may Christ be said to be crowned by his mother the Church of the Jewes because his first converts were gathered there And 4. By the day of his espousals and the day of the gladnesse of his heart is meant the time when a people are by the Gospel wonne to the faith whence is that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 11.2 I have espoused you unto one husband that I may present you as a chast virgin to Christ for then doth the Lord begin to rejoyce in such a people even as a Bridegroome rejoyceth over the Bride Isa 62.5 Yea and some doe apply this particularly to the glory and dignity wherewith Christ was crowned after his resurrection Heb. 2.9 which might also be called the day of his espousals and of the gladnesse of his heart because he had then procured his Church to be presented to him as a glorious Spouse even as Eve after Adam awoke from sleep was presented unto him which was to the Lord a matter of great triumph and joy CHAP. IV. Vers 1. BEhold thou art faire my love behold thou art faire Here it is cleare that Christ the Bridegroome doth extoll the beauty of the Church his Spouse and that by way of a kind reply to that discovery she had made of her high esteeme of him if the later part of the foregoing Chapter be as it is by many understood of her We had the very same expression before Chap. 1.15 for which see the Note there yet some apply this particularly to the Church of the Jewes Thou hast doves eyes within thy locks Having extolled the Spouses beauty in generall he proceeds to set forth her beauty in many particulars the severall members of the Church or the manifold graces wherewith she is adorned And accordingly begins with her eyes the most eminent and beautifull part The first words Thou hast doves eyes were also opened before Chap. 1.15 But here they are repeated with an addition Thou hast doves eyes within thy locks haply in allusion to the custome of Brides having their haire hanging loose about them which made their eyes shine forth from between their locks with the more beauty and lovelinesse Now first because by these dove-like eyes I conceive the Churches Teachers are here principally meant though some understand thereby faith the first and chiefe of all Christian graces without which it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 and others adde Magistrates to Ministers to make up the Churches two eyes and 2. Because the locks seeme to be mentioned here as an ornament to the eyes therefore it seemes most probable that the drift of this expression Thou hast doves eyes within thy locks is to shew 1. that in the publick assemblies of Gods people the Teachers as the eyes and lights of the Church are most conspicuous and 2. that such full assemblies when they receive the word into believing hearts and thrive under their teaching are as the locks to the eyes a great ornament unto their Teachers Phil. 4.1 Thy haire is as a flock of goates that appeare from mount Gilead Or that eate of mount Gilead as it is in the margin that is that feed on mount Gilead a fruitful soile where the cattell that were bred were fat and faire The Spouses beauty is farther here set forth by shewing that her haire which indeed the Apostle tearms a womans glory 1 Cor. 11.14 was as great an ornament to her head as such a flock of goates were to mount Gilead in the eye of those that from a farre did look up and behold them grazing there and that because her haire was thick and long fine and soft and bright and curled and kept in neate and good order and therein like to a long flock of goodly goates going close together whose haire also especially when they were fat and in good liking used to be curled and long whence it was that they made coverings or curtaines for the Tabernacle of goates haire for which also see the Note 1 Sam. 19.13 In all which as likewise in the following similitudes it is very observable how Pastoral-like the expressions still are And hereby is meant spiritually either the Churches outward profession of religion which is indeed a great ornament to her or her good workes or more particularly the pure and holy thoughts and meditations in the minds and heads of the faithfull still ascending heaven-ward which though they be innumerably many yet by the watchfulnesse of the Saints are kept in good order as a flock of goates by the shepheard or rather the multitude of believers
I will recompence evil c. That is Do not so much as threaten it with thy lips or purpose it in thy heart to wit not only because it is not lawfull so much as to think evil but also because when men have once said they will doe a thing they are apt to think that then in point of honour or conscience they are bound to doe it but wait on the Lord and he shall save thee he doth not say and he shall revenge thee but and he shall save thee intimating that men should not desire God to take vengeance on their enemies but only that he would defend them from their enemies Men are apt to think that if they do not revenge injuries every one will trample over them and so they shall be utterly undone But the Holy Ghost here assures them that there shall be no anger herein because God shall preserve them And how much better is it that God should save them then that they by any wicked means should save themselves Vers 23. Divers weights are an abomination to the Lord c. See the Note above vers 10. and chap. 11.1 and 16.11 and Deut. 25.13 and a false balance is not good see the Notes chap. 17.26 and 18.5 Vers 24. Mans goings are of the Lord c. See the Notes chap. 16.1 9. Psal 37.23 how can a man then understand his own way that is since all our actions and the successe thereof depend wholly upon Gods providence therefore it is not possible that man should know his own way to wit what is most expedient to be done by him or what the event shall be of what he doeth Vers 25. It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy c. That is It is a sin that bringeth destruction upon men see the Note Deut. 7.16 As birds are destroyed by eating the meat which is laid for them within the snare fishes by swallowing the bait upon the hook so is it with such sacrilegious persons And by devouring that which is holy is meant not their eating of Gods holy sacrifices in those times in a heedlesse rash and profane manner without any devotion as some conceive but mens alienating to their own private ends any thing that was consecrated to holy uses or which they themselves had vowed to holy uses And if this last be included then are the following words added for the farther illustration thereof and after vows to make enquiry to wit whether he can doe what he hath vowed or no or whether he be so indispensably obliged by his vow that there is no way to be disengaged from it or if he do break his vow what satisfaction he may some other way make unto God And observable it is that even this enquiring about not fulfilling a vow because it manifests a desire men have to doe it is made a grievous sin yea though the vow be never broken Vers 26. A wise king scattereth the wicked c. That is when they are combined together in any way of wickednesse he disperseth them or he cuts them off from amongst the people see the Note above vers 8. even as the husbandman with his fan driveth away the chaff from the wheat for that he alludeth in these words to the husbandmans fanning or winnowing is the more probable because in the following clause and bringeth the wheel over them he seems also to allude to the cart-wheels wherewith in those times they were wont to beat out their corn whence is that Isa 28.27 28. The fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument neither is a cart-wheel turned about upon the cummin c. But yet this may be meant of some kind of engine called the wheel used for the torturing and executing of malefactors even as it is stil in many countries at this day Or there may be an allusion in the words to the chariot-wheels which they used in the wars wherewith they ran over the bodies of those that were beaten down before them Vers 27. The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord c. That is the soul of man because of the reason and understanding wherewith God hath endued it is as a bright shining lamp which God hath set up within man by the light whereof men see their waies and are enabled to order their waies as they ought to doe And some conceive too that Solomon doth the rather use this expression 1. because the soul is in the body of man as a candle in a lanthorn 2. because in regard of its remaining light even since the fall of man it is as a lamp shining in the dark night of corrupt nature 3. because the light of it is as easily by death extinguished as a candle is blown out And then by those following words searching all the inward parts of the belly is meant either particularly that reflect act of mens understanding which we call conscience whereby men do discern and judge of the most secret thoughts and affections and desires of their own hearts according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.11 What man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him and that especially when the soul is enlightened with grace and so doth thereby the better discover both his corruptions and graces and discern in what state he stands with God yea some understand it of mens discovering that which is in other mens hearts for which see the Note above vers 5. or rather more generally that by the light of reason men are able to search out those deep and hidden things that are as much hidden from the outward view of man as are the entrails in a mans body and that there is scarce any thing so secret either in nature or religion which men by their knowledge and wisdome will not discover And very probably we may think that this here is added with reference to the foregoing verse because it might be questioned how a king can scatter the wicked seeing wicked men are usually so cunning to hide their wickednesse Solomon answers here by a mans wisdome and understanding the secretest things may be discovered Vers 28. Mercy and truth preserve the king c. As if he should have said Kings endued with these graces need in a manner no other guard about them both because hereby they procure the favour of God and man towards them and likewise because they cut off the wicked that are perillous to them and to their thrones But see the Notes chap. 3.3 and 16.6 and Psal 61.67 As for the next clause and his throne is upholden by mercy that is added to shew either that however mercy and truth do both tend to a kings preservation yet mercy hath the chief stroke therein or else that as these graces are a great means of safety to a kings person so they are also a great support to his kingdome for though mercy be only here again expressed yet