beast both of man and beast 9 Who sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee O Egypt upon Pharaoh and upon all his servants 10 * Numb 21. 24 25 26 34 35. Who smote great nations and slew mighty kings 11 Sihon king of the Amorite and Og king of Bashan and * Josh. 12. 7. all the kingdoms of Canaan 12 * Josh. 12. 7. Psal. 78. 55. And gave their land for an heritage an heritage unto Israel his people 13 Thy * Psal. 102. 12. name O LORD endureth for ever and thy memorial O LORD †Heb. to generation and generation throughout all generations o These wonderful works of thine shall never be forgotten The land which thou gavest us v. 12. and which we yet enjoy is an everlasting monument of thy power and goodness and an obligation and encouragement to trust in thee in all our present or future difficulties 14 For the LORD will judge his people p Will in due time plead the cause of his people or give judgment for them as this phrase is used Deut. 32. 36. Ier. 5. 28 22. 16. and he will repent himself concerning his servants q He will recal that severe sentence which for their sins he had passed upon them and be reconciled to them 15 * Psal. 115. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. The idols of the heathen are silver and gold r Of this and the following verses see the Notes on Psal. 115. 4 5 c. the work of mens hands 16 They have mouths but they speak not eyes have they but they see not 17 They have ears but they hear not neither is there any breath in their mouths 18 They that make them †Heb. let them be So Gr. are like unto them so is every one that trusteth in them 19 Bless the LORD O house of Israel bless the LORD O house of Aaron 20 Bless the LORD O house of Levi ye that fear the LORD bless the LORD 21 Blessed be the LORD out of Zion s By the assemblies of his people in Zion or Ierusalem which dwelleth at Jerusalem t This clause may be added either to distinguish the true God from the gods which were worshipped in other places and countries or as a reason why they should bless God because he had blessed and honoured that place with his gracious and glorious presence Praise ye the LORD PSAL. CXXXVI The matter of this Psalm is the same with the former onely it is a little more fitted to the use and service of the Temple by the continued repetition of that solemn clause for thy mercy endures for ever which was much used by the sacred Singers See 2 Chron. 7. 3. 20. 21. 1 O * Psal. 106. 1. 107. 1. 118. 1. Give thanks unto the LORD for he is good * 1 Chr. 16. 41. for his mercy endureth for ever 2 O give thanks unto * Deut. 10. 17. the God of gods a Who is infinitely superiour to all that are called gods whether Angels or Princes or Idols for his mercy endureth for ever 3 O give thanks unto the Lord of lords for his mercy endureth for ever 4 To him who alone b He and none else Or he without the help of any other person or thing whereas no other being can do any thing alone or without his help doth great wonders for his mercy endureth for ever 5 * Gen. 1. 1. To him that by wisdom c To wit by eminent and admirable wisdom far exceeding the capacity of all humane or Angelical creatures made the heavens for his mercy endureth for ever 6 * Gen. 1. 9. Jeâ—… 10. 12. To him that stretched out the earth above the waters d Of which see on Gen. 1. 9. Psal. 24. 2. for his mercy endureth for ever 7 * Gen. 1. 14. To him that made great lights for his mercy endureth for ever 8 The sun †Heb. for the â—…lings by day to rule by day e Of which phrase and the like in the next verse see my Notes on Gen. 1. 16. for his mercy endureth for ever 9 The moon and stars to rule by night for his mercy endureth for ever 10 * Exod. 12. 2. To him that smote Egypt in their first-born for his mercy endureth for ever 11 * Exod. 12. 51. 13. 17. And brought out Israel from among them for his mercy endureth for ever 12 * Exod. 6. 6. With a strong hand and with a stretched out arm for his mercy endureth for ever 13 * Exod. 14. 21 22. Psal. 74. 13. 78. 13 To him which divided the Red sea into parts for his mercy endureth for ever 14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it f To wit without fear or danger by comparing this with the next verse for his mercy endureth for ever 15 * Exod. 14. 28. But †Heb. shaked off overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea for his mercy endureth for ever 16 * Exod. 15. 22. To him which led his people through the wilderness g Through that vast howling wilderness where there was neither way nor provision through which none but the Almighty God could have safely conducted them for his mercy endureth for ever 17 * Psal. 135. 10 11. To him which smote great kings for his mercy endureth for ever 18 * Deut. 29. 7. Ps. 135. 10 11. And slew mighty kings for his mercy endureth for ever 19 * Num. 21. 23. Sihon king of the Amorite for his mercy endureth for ever 20 * Num. 21. 33. And Og the king of Bashan for his mercy endureth for ever 21 * Josh. 12. 17. And gave their land for an heritage for his mercy endureth for ever 22 Even an heritage unto Israel his servant h He speaks of all that people as of one man because they were united together in one body in the worship of one and the same God Thus God calleth them all his first-born Exod. 4. 22. for his mercy endureth for ever 23 Who remembred us in our low estate for his mercy endureth for ever 24 And hath redeemed us from our enemies for his mercy endureth for ever 25 * Psal. 104. 27. 147. 9. Who giveth food to all flesh i Either to all mankind or to all living creatures For which God deserves great praises which the Psalmist by his example teacheth us to render to God for them because those who are most concerned either cannot or do not perform this duty for his mercy endureth for ever 26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven for his mercy endureth for ever PSAL. CXXXVII The Penman of this Psalm is uncertain the occasion of it was unquestionably the consideration of the Babylonish Captivity and it seems to have been composed either during the time of that Captivity or presently after
frequently abused and polluted and wasted and now at last utterly demolished It is not strange that such considerations as these did fill the Psalmists mind with amusement and sad and perplexing thoughts Nor doth the Psalmist accuse or upbraid God herewith but onely useth it as an argument to move God to repair and restore their decayed state that they might live to praise and serve and glorify him and not be such useless and insignificant Creatures as now they were in this forlorn estate of things and as they should be if they should go into the place and state of the dead before the restitution of their broken State and Kingdom 48 * Psal. 49. 9. What man is he that liveth and shall not see death o All men at their best estate are mortal and miserable Kings and People must unavoidably die by the condition of their natures and therefore Lord do not increase our affliction which of it self is more than enough neither proceed in these violent courses upon us who without such severity must perish of and from our selves shall he deliver his soul from the hand of †Heb. 〈◊〉 the grave Selah 49 Lord where are thy former loving kindnesses which thou * 2 Sam. 7. 15. Isal. 55. 3. swarest unto David in thy truth p Hast thou forgotten or repented of all that mercy and kindness which thou hast promised and sworn and sometimes performed unto David and his Family and Kingdom 50 Remember Lord the reproach of thy servants how I q i. e. We thy servants as he now said our King and his people of whom he speaks as of one person as is very usual in holy Scripture Or the Psalmist sheweth how particularly and passionately he resented those reproaches which were cast upon their King and Kingdom as if they were cast upon himself * Numb 11. 12. do bear in my bosom r This phrase may denote either first the multitude of these reproaches things being said to be given or recieved into a mans bosom which are given or received in great plenty as Isa. 65. 6. Luke 6. 38. Or secondly their grievousness that they pierced him to the very heart which is sometimes called the bosom as Eccl. 7. 9. the reproach of all the mighty people s Of the great Potentates and Princes of the World who now reproached the House of David with their vain and confident boasting of the everlastingness of their Kingdom which was now in a desperate and lost condition Or all the reproaches of many people 51 Wherewith thine enemies have reproached O LORD wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed t Or of thy Messiah By whom he seems to understand either first the Kings of Iudah the singular number being put for the plural and by their footsteps may be meant either their ways or actions and the sad consequences thereof or the traces or memorials of their antient splendor and dominion wherewith they now upbraid them Or rather secondly the Messiah most properly and eminently so called of whom not onely many Christians but the Chaldee Paraphrast and the Hebrew Doctors understand this place And this suits very well both with the singular number here used which points at one particular and eminent person anointed by God to be the King of his People and with the matter and occasion of this Psalm For it was universally believed by the Jews that the Messiah should come of the Seed of David and that by him the antient glory and power of Davids House should be revived and vastly increased And this coming of the Messiah the Jews did continually expect for a long time together before he did come and supported themselves therewith under all their Calamities All which being well known to many of the Heathens they reproached the Jews with the vanity of this belief and expectation And by the footsteps of the Messiah he may understand his coming as by the feet or footsteps of Ministers Isa. 52. 7. their coming and bringing the Gospel with them is understood 52 Blessed be the LORD u Let thine Enemies reproach thee and thy promises concerning the sending of the Messiah and the deliverance of thy people by his hand I do and will heartily bless and praise thee for them and encourage my self with them not doubting but thou wilt consider and take away all our reproaches and in thine own due time which is the best send him who is the consolation and expectation of Israel and the desire of all Nations for evermore Amen and Amen PSAL. XC ‖ Or a Prayer 〈◊〉 â—… Psalm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Prayer of Moses the man of God a Who considering that terrible but righteous sentence of God concerning the cutting off all that sinful Generation in the Wilderness of which see Numb 14. takes that occasion to publish these Meditations concerning mans mortality and misery in this life which might be useful both to that and to all succeeding Generations 1 LORD thou hast been our dwelling-place †〈…〉 in all generations b Although we and our Fathers for some Generations have had no certain and fixed Habitation but have been strangers in a land that was not ours and afflicted for four hundred years according to thy Prediction Gen. 15. 13. and although we now are and have been for some time and still are like to continue in a vast howling Wilderness having no Houses but dwelling in Tents and wandring from place to place we know not whither yet thou O Lord hast fully supplyed this want and hast been in stead of and better than a dwelling place to us by thy watchful and gracious Providence over us in all places and exigences And this is a very proper Preface to this Psalm to intimate that all the following miseries were not to be imputed to God but unto themselves who by their own sins had brought these mischiefs upon themselves 2 Before the mountains c Which he mentions as the most fixed and stable part of the Earth were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world d i. e. From Eternity which is frequently described in this manner as Prov. 8. 25 26. Ioh. 17. 24. Eph. 1. 4. because there was nothing before the Creation of the World but Eternity And thus the words here following do explain it And this Eternity of God is here mentioned partly that men by the contemplation thereof might be wrought to a deeper sence of their own frailty and nothingness which is the foundation of humility and of all true piety and to a greater reverence and admiration of the Divine Majesty and partly for the comfort of Gods people who notwithstanding all their present miseries have a sure and everlasting refuge and portion even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God e Or thou art the strong God Thou hadst thy power and all thy perfections not by degrees as
6. 2. Psal. 51. 4. sin against God 10 And it came to pass as she spake to Joseph day by day that he hearkned not unto her to lie by her or to be with her i He avoided her company and familiar conversation as evil in it self the present circumstances considered and as an occasion of further evil See Prov. 1. 15. and 5. 8. 1 Cor. 15. 33. 1 Thess. 5. 22. 1 Tim. 5. 14. 11 And it came to pass about this time k Or Vpon a certain day which she thought convenient for the reason following that Joseph went into the house to do his business l That which belonged to his charge to cast up his accounts as the Chaldee renders it which requiring privacy gave her this opportunity and there was none of the men of the house there within * To wit in that part of the house where Ioseph was 12 And she caught him by his garment saying Lie with me and he left his garment in her hand m Which he would not strive to get from her partly for reverence to his mistress partly in detestation of her wickedness whereby even his garment might seem to be infected and partly to put himself and her out of the danger of further temptation and fled and got him out 13 And it came to pass when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and was fled forth 14 That she called unto the men of her house n To such as were in other parts of the house whom she called in as witnesses for her husbands satisfaction and spake unto them saying see he o i. e. My Husband whom she would not name as it were out of disdain and high displeasure for being the occasion of this horrid affront Thus the pronouns he and they are oft used by way of contempt as Luk. 14. 24. and 19. 27. Iohn 7. 11. and 8. 10. hath brought in an Hebrew p So she calls him to render him hateful and contemptible to the Egyptians unto us to mock q To abuse me or to vitiate and defile me For that word is oft used in an obscene sense us r She insinuates that this was not onely an indignity to her but an injury to all the Family which therefore they were obliged to revenge he came in unto me to lie with me and I cryed with a * Heb. great loud voice 15 And it came to pass when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cryed that he left his garment with me and fled and got him out 16 And she laid up his garment by her untill her Lord came home 17 And she spake unto him according to these words saying The Hebrew servant which thou hast brought unto us s So she makes her husband accessory to the crime that she might provoke him to the sharper revenge came in unto me to mock me 18 And it came to pass as I lift up my voice and cryed that he left his garment with me and fled out t An improbable story and an evidence that the violence was on her side otherwise if he had attempted violence upon her person he would not have forborn violence to the recovery of his garment which he very well knew might he made a pretence against him 19 And it came to pass when his master heard the words of his wife which she spake unto him saying After this manner did thy servant to me that his wrath was kindled 20 And Josephs master took him and put him into the prison u Quest. Why did he not kill him the crime being capital and he having so undoubted a power in his hand to do it Answ. 1. It is probable he was a little moderated by Iosephs Apology which doubtless he made for himself though it be not here recorded 2. This is to be ascribed to the good Providence of God which restrains the waves of the Sea and the passions of men and sets them their bounds which they shall not pass which watched over Ioseph in a peculiar manner a place where the Kings prisoners x Traitours or great offenders against the King whose Prison doubtless was none of the easiest and therefore it is called a Dungeon Gen. 40. 15. and 41. 14. and he indured great hardship in it See Psal. 105. 18. were bound and he was there in the prison 21 But the LORD was with Joseph and †Heb. extended kindness uâ—…to him shewed him mercy and * Exod. 3. 21. and 11. 3. and 12. 36. Psal. 106. 46. Prov. 16. 7. Dan. 1. 9. gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison y The Gaoler who under Potiphar was the Keeper of that particular prison 22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Josephs hand all the prisoners that were in the prison and whatsoever they did there he was the doer of it z They did nothing but by Iosephs command or permission 23 The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand because the LORD was with him and that which he did the LORD made it to prosper CHAP. XL. 1 AND it came to pass after these things that the Butler of the King of Egypt and his Baker had offended their Lord the King of Egypt 2 And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his Officers against the chief of the Butlers and against the chief of the Bakers 3 And he put them in ward in the house of the Captain of the guard a To wit Potiphar Gen. 37. 36. who being informed by his underkeeper of Iosephs great care and faithfulness began to have a better opinion of him though for his own quiet and his Wives reputation he left him still in the prison into the prison where Joseph was bound b Was a Prisoner as that word is used Isa 22. 3. For Ioseph being now made Governour of the Prisoners was doubtless freed from his bonds Or had been bound and that with Irons in a cruel manner Psal. 105. 18. 4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them and he served them and they continued a season c Heb. Days i. e. either many days or a year as that word sometimes signifies See Gen. 24. 55. in ward 5 And they dreamed a dream both of them each man his dream in one night each man according to the interpretation of his dream d i. e. Not a vain and idle dream but one that had in it a signification of future things and needed interpretation and the several dreams were proper and agreeable to the several events which befell them and to the several interpretations which Ioseph put upon them the dream and interpretation did fitly answer one to the other the Butler and the Baker of the King of Egypt which were bound in the prison 6 And Joseph came in unto them in the morning and looked upon them and
it appears that Sacrifices were accompanied with Solemn Prayers I forced my self therefore and offered a burnt-offering y I did it against my own mind and inclination My Conscience told me I should forbear it and punctually obey God's Command delivered to me by Samuel but my necessity urged me to make haste 13 And Samuel said to Saul Thou hast done foolishly z In that very thing wherein thou thinkest thou hast done wisely and politickly in disobeying my express Command upon a pretended necessity or reason of State thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God a Not onely upon common grounds as thou art his Creature and one of his People but in a special manner who hath conferred peculiar Favours and Honours upon thee which is an aggravation of thy sin which he commanded thee for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever b Que. How could this be true when the Kingdom was promised to Iudah Gen. 49. 10. and consequently must necessarily be taken away from Saul and from his Tribe Ans. First The Phrase for ever in Scripture use oft-times signifies onely a long time as Gen. 43. 9. Exod. 21. 6. 1 Sam. 28. 2. So this had been abundantly verified if the Kingdom had been enjoyed by Saul and by his Son and by his Son's Son after whom the Kingdom might have come to Iudah Secondly Though the Kingdom had been promised to Saul and to his Posterity for ever in a larger sence yet that was upon condition of his Obedience And therefore God might well promise the Kingdom to Iudah because at that time and before he foresaw that Saul would by his disobedience forfeit that promise and that he would take the forfeiture and transfer the Kingdom to Iudah 14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue * Psal. 89. 20. â—…ct 13. 22. the LORD hath sought c i. e. Hath found or discovered as men do by seeking An Anthropopathy him a man after his own heart d i. e. Such a man as I desire one who will fulfil all the desires of my heart and not oppose them as thou dost and the LORD hath commanded e i. e. Hath appointed or decreed as the word command is sometimes used for it was not yet actually done him to be captain over his people because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee f Quest. First What was Saul's sin Ans. Either First That Saul Invaded the Priests Office and Offered the Sacrifice himself which is not probable both because he had Priests with him and among others an eminent one Ahiah chap. 14. 3. and therefore had no occasion nor pretence for that presumption Or rather Secondly That Saul did not wait the full time for Samuel's coming for that is the thing which God commanded chap. 10. 8. and the breach of this command is the onely thing for which Saul makes an Apology v. 11 12. Quest. Secondly Why did God so severely punish Saul for so small an offence and that occasioned by great necessity and done with an honest intention Ans. First Men are very incompetent Iudges of Gods Judgments because they see but very little either of the Majesty of the offended God or of the hainous nature and aggravations of the Offence For instance men see nothing but Saul's outward act which seems small but God saw with how wicked a mind and heart he did this with what Rebellion against the Light of his own Conscience as his own words imply with what gross infidelity and distrust of Gods Providence with what contempt of Gods Authority and Justice and many other wicked principles and motions of his heart unknown to men Besides God clearly saw all that wickedness that yet lay hid in his heart and foresaw all his other Crimes and therefore had far more grounds for his Sentence against him than we can imagine Secondly God doth sometimes punish small sins severely and that for divers weighty reasons as that all men may see what the least sin deserves and how much they owe to Gods free and rich Mercy for passing by their great Offences and what need they have not to indulge themselves in any small sin as men are very prone to do upon vain presumptions of Gods Mercy whereby they are easily and commonly drawn on to hainous Crimes and for many other reasons so that some such instances of Gods severity are necessary Discipline and Caution to all mankind in the present and future Ages and therefore there is far more of mercy and kindness in such actions than of rigour and harshness since this is but particular to one Person and the other is an universal good Thirdly It must be remembred that the Kingdom of Saul and of Israel was now in its Infancy and that this was the first command which he received from God And it hath been ever held a piece of Wisdom in all Law-givers severely to punish the first Violations of their Laws to secure their Honour and Obedience and to affright and caution Offenders for the future And accordingly God dealt with Cain the first Murderer with Israel for their first Idolatty with the Calf with the first miscarriage of the Priests Levit. 10. 1. with the first profaner of the Sabbath Numb 15. 32. with the first gross Hypocrites in the Christian Church Act. 5. 5 10. And therefore it is neither strange nor unjust if he deal with Saul after the same manner and upon the same grounds Fourthly Though God threaten Saul with the loss of his Kingdom for this sin yet it is not improbable that there was a tacit condition implied as is usual in such cases as Ionah 3. 4. to wit if he did not heartily repent of this and of all his sins for the full and final and peremptory Sentence of Saul's rejection is plainly ascribed to another cause chap. 15. 11 23 26 28 29. and till that second Offence neither the Spirit of the Lord departed from him nor was David anointed in his stead chap. 16. 13 14. 15 And Samuel arose and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin g Whither Saul also followed him as appears from the next Verse either because it was better fortified than Gilgal or because he expected a greater increase of his Army there it being in his own Tribe and nearer the heart of his Kingdom or because he hoped for Samuel's Assistance there And Saul numbred the people that were ‡ Heb. found present with him * Chap. 14. 2. about six hundred men 16 And Saul and Jonathan his son and the people that were present with them abode in Gibeah of Benjamin but the Philistines encamped in Michmash 17 And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies h That they might March several ways and so waste several parts of the Countrey one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah i A
am wholly thy Creature and Workmanship made by thee and for thee yet thou dost destroy me s Or swallow me up to wit without cause or any eminent provocation of mine as if thou didst delight in doing and undoing in making and then destroying thy Creatures which doth not become thy Wisdom or Goodness 9. Remember I beseech thee that * Gen. 2â—… 3. 19. thou hast ‖ Or 〈◊〉 made me as the clay t i. e. Of the Clay the Note of similitude here expressing the truth of things as it doth Iohn 1. 14. and elsewhere as hath been before observed Or as a Potter maketh a Vessel of the Clay and so this may note both the frailty of man's Nature which of it self decaies and perisheth and doth not need such violent shocks and storms to overthrow it and the Excellency of the Divine Artifice commended from the meanness of the Materials out of which it was made which is an Argument why God should not destroy it and wilt thou bring me into dust again u Wiltst thou now causleslâ—… and violently destroy thy own Work But the words are and may be read without an Interrogation And thou wilt bring me into duâ—…l again out of which I was made I must die by the course of Nature and by the sentence of thy Law and therefore whilest I do live give me some ease and comfort 10. * Ps. 139. 14. 15 16. Hast thou not poured me out as milk and crudled me like cheese x Thus he modestly and accurately describes God's admirable Work in making Man out of a small and liquid and as it were Milky substance by degrees congealed and condensed into that exquisite Frame of Man's Body 11. Thou hast clothed me y i. e. Covered my inward and more noble parts which as Philosophers and Physicians observe are first formed So he proceeds in describing Man's Formation gradually with skin and flesh and hast †Heb. 〈◊〉 fenced me with bones and sinews z Which are the stay and strength of the Body and some of them as the Skull and Ribs enclose and defend its vital and most noble parts 12. Thou hast granted me life a Thou didst not onely give me a curious Body but also a living and a reasonable Soul Thou didst at first give me life and then maintain it in me both when I was in the Womb which is a marvellous Work of God and afterward when I was unable to do any thing to preserve my own life and favour b Or benignity or borâ—…ty or mercy or kindness which is here as ost elsewhere put for its fruits or effects Thou didst not give a meer Life but many other Favours necessary or convenient or belonging to it such as Nourishment by the Breast Education Knowledge and Instruction c. and thy visitation c i. e. The Care of thy Providence watching over me for my good and visiting me in mercy as God's visiting is understood Exod. 4. 31. Luke 1. 78. though elsewhere it is an Act of Punishment hath preserved my spirit d i. e. My Soul or Life which is liable to manifold Casualties and Dangers if God did not watch over us and guard us every day and moment Thou hast hitherto done great things for me given me Life and the Blessings of Life and daily Preservations and Deliverances And wiltst thou now undo all that thou hast done And shall I who have been such an eminent Monument of thy Mercy now be made a Spectacle of thy Vengeance and that without cause 13. And these things hast thou hid in thine heart e This place may be understood either 1. of Iob's present Afflictions So the sense is this Yet in the midst of all those Manifestations of thy Grace and kindness to me thou didst retain a secret purpose of changing thy course and carriage towards me and of bringing these dreadful Calamities upon me Or rather 2. of his former Mercies these things to wit last mentioned thou hast hid them in thy heart i. e. thou dost exactly remember them as this phrase is used Psalm 119. 11. Luke 2. 51. So the Argument is this Let the remembrance of thy former great Favours vouchsased to me move thee to give me further Blessings and a speedy Deliverance For this is usual both with God and Men to choose aâ—…d delight to do more good to those to whom they have done much good already which is the ground of that known passage Mat. 13. 12. To him that hath shall be given I know that this is * 〈◊〉 59. 〈◊〉 with thee f i. e. In thy mind and heart thou hast not forgot it So the same thing is here repeated in other words 14. If I sin g If I commit the least sin as who is there that liveth and sinneth not then thou markest me h Thou doest not wink at or pass by my sins as thou usually doest other mens but doest severely and diligently observe them all that thou mayest punish them Compare Chap. 14. 16. 31. 4. and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity i I perceive thou art resolved to punish me with rigour and that thou wiltst not pardon and pity and help me Words of great impatience and distrust 15. If I be wicked k i. e. An ungodly Hypocrite as my Friends esteem me wo unto me l Then I am truly and extremely and must be eternally miserable and if I be righteous m i. e. An upright and good man So whether good or bad all comes to one I have no relief yet will I not lift up my head n Or yet caâ—… I not c. The Future Tense being used potentially Yet I have no comfort nor confidence or hopes of any good Lifting up â—…he head or face is oft mentioned as a sign of comfort and confidence as Psalm 3. 3. Luke 21. 28. As on the contrary Grief and Shame are described by its dejection or casting down I am full of †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confusion o Or 〈◊〉 from my Friends and from others Chap. 30. 1 c. and from God too who â—…asts me off and makes me contemptible I have abundance of shame in the disappointment of all my hopes and the continuance and aggravation of my misery notwithstanding all my prayers to God to remove or mitigate it And I am confounded within my self not knowing what to say or do Let my extremity move thee to pity and help me therefore see thou mine affliction 16. For it encreaseth thou * 〈◊〉 3â—… 13. 〈◊〉 huntest me as a fierce lion p Which hunteth after his prey with great eagerness and when he overtakes it falls upon it with great fury and again thou shewest thy self marvellous upon me q Heb. And thou returnest and shewest thy self marvellous upon or in or against me The â—…ion tears its prey speedily and so ends its torments but
This may be understood either 1. By way of opposition The Waters go or flow out of the Sea and return thither again Eccles. 1. 7. and a Lake or River sometimes decayeth and drieth up but afterwards is recruited and replenished But man lieth c. as it follows Or 2. By way of resemblance As Waters i. e. some portion of Waters fail from the â—…a being either exhaled or drawn up by the Sun or received and sunk into the dry and thirsty Earth or overflowing its Banks and as the Flood or a River or a Pond for the word signifies any considerable confluence of Waters in a great drought decayeth and is dried up in both which cases the self same Waters never return to their former places So it is with man Or thus as when the Waters fail from the Sea i. e. when the Sea forsakes the place into which it used to flow the River which was fed by it Eccles. 1. 7. decayeth and drieth up without all hopes of Recovery So man when once the Fountain of his radical moisture is dried up dies and never revives again 12. So man lieth down c To wit in his Bed the Grave or to sleep the sleep of Death as this Phrase is used Gen. 46. 30. Deut. 31. 16. 2 Sam. 7. 12. 1 Kin. 1. 21. and riseth not d To wit to this Life For he speaks not here of the Life to come nor of the Resurrection of the Body after death by the divine Power of his belief whereof he giveth sufficient evidences in divers places till the Heavens be no more e i. e. Either 1. Never because the Heavens though they shall be changed in their Qualities yet shall never cease to be as to the Substance of them And therefore everlasting and unchangeable things are expressed by the duration of the Heavens of which see Psal. 72. 5 7 17. 89. 30 36 37. Mat. 5. 18. 24. 35. Or 2. not until the time of the general Resurrection and the restitution of things when these visible Heavens shall pass away and be no more at least in the same form and manner as now they are of which see Psal. 102. 26. Luk. 21. 33. 2 Pet. 3. 7 10. Rev. 21. 1. they shall not awake nor be raised out of their Sleep 13. O that thou wouldest hide me in †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Grave f Either 1. In some dark Vault under ground such as good men hide themselves in in times of Persecution Heb. 11. 38. Lord hide me in some hiding place from thy Wrath and all the intolerable effects of it which are upon me for I cannot be hid from thee but by thee Or 2. In the Grave properly so called Though I know Life once lost is irrecoverable yet I heartily desire Death rather than to continue in these Torments And if the next words and wish seem to suppose the continuance of his Life that is not strange For he speaks like one almost distracted with his miseries sometimes wishing one thing sometimes another and the quite contrary as such persons use to do And these Wishes may be understood disjunctively I wish either that I were dead or that God would give me Life free from these torments Or the place may be understood thus I could wish if it were possible that I might lie in the Grave for a time till these storms be blown over and then be restored to a comfortable Life that thou wouldst keep me secret g In some secret and safe place under the shadow of thy Wings and favour that I may have some support and comfort from thee until thy Wrath be past h Whilst I am oppressed with such grievous and various Calamities which he calls Gods Wrath because they were or seemed to be the effects of his Wrath. that thou wouldst appoint me a set time i To wit to my sufferings as thou hast done to my Life v. 5. and remember me k i. e. Wherein thou wiltst remember me to wit in mercy oâ—… so as to deliver me For it is well known that God is frequently said to forget those whom he suffers to continue in misery and to remember those whom he delivers out of it 14. If a man die shall he live again l i. e. He shall not namely in this World as was said before The affirmative question is equivalent to an absolute denial as Gen. 18. 17. Psal. 56. 7. Ier. 5. 9. and every where all the days of †Heb. my warfare my appointed time will I wait till my change come m Seeing Death puts an end to all mens hopes of any comfortable being here because man once dead never returns to Life I will therefore wait on God and hope for his favour whilest I live and it is possible to enjoy it and will continue waiting from time to time until my change come i. e. either 1. Death the great and last change which is expressed by the Root of this word Iob 10. 17. Or 2. The change of my condition for the better which you upon your Terms encourage me to expect and which I yet trust in God I shall enjoy for this word properly signifies Vicissitudes or Changes in ones condition and this seems to suit best with the following verse And this Change or a comfortable Life here Iob so heartily wisheth not only from that love of Life and Comfort which is naturally implanted in all men good and bad and is not forbidden by God which also was stronger in those Old Testament Saints when the discoveries of Gods Grace to sinners and of eternal Life were much darker than now they are but also because this would be an effectual vindication of his own Integrity and Good-name and of the honour of Religion both which did suffer some Eclipse from Iob's extream Calamities as is evident from the discourses of his Friends 15. Thou shalt * Chap. 40. 3. call and I will answer thee n I trust there is a time coming when thou wiltst grant me the mercy which now thou deniest me to wit a favourable hearing when thou wiltst call to me to speak for my self and I shall answer thee which I know will be to thy Satisfaction and my Comfort Compare this with Chap. 13. 22. where the same words are used in this same Sense Or thou shalt call me out of the Grave of my Calamities and I shall answer thee and say Here I am raised out of the Pit in which I was buried by thy powerful and gracious Command thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands o i. e. To me who am thy Workmanship in divers respects from whom thou now seemest to have an aversion and abhorrency but I doubt not thou wiltst have a desire i. e. shew thy Affection or Good-will to me or a desire to look upon me and to deliver me Nor is it strange that Iob who lately was upon the brink of despair
being an infinite independent and self-sufficient being he is far exalted above all thy good or evil and thy righteousness may profit the son of man 9. By reason of the multitude m Or greatness This Verse is supposed to contain an argument to prove what he said v. 8. that one Mans wickedness may hurt another But he rather seems to begin a new matter and having answered one of Job's Objections to proceed to another which may be either 1. that which Job had oft complained of that he cried to God and God did not hear his cry which Elihu answers by a Parallel case of men crying out for oppression whom yet God doth not hear nor help and that for just reasons which he leaves to Job to apply to himself Or 2. that which Job had alledged Chap. 24. 12. and which might seem to reflect upon God's Providence This therefore Elihu repeats in this Verse and answereth in the following of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry n Not onely to murmur and complain but to cry out by reason of sore oppression and to cry to the Oppressours or others for pity and help they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty o Because their Oppressours are too strong for them 10. But none p Few or none for few are oft can 〈◊〉 and accounted as none both in Scripture and other Authors of the great numbers of Oppressed Persons saith q To wit seriously or sincerely and it may be not so much as in word and profession where is God r They howl and cry out of men and to men but they seek not after God they do not acknowledge him in all their ways they praise him not for that ease and liberty and estate and other mercies which God gave them and by this unthankfulness they forfeit their mercies and therefore if God suffer Oppressoars to take them away they have no cause to complain of God but only of themselves they will not vouchsafe to pray to God seriously and fervently either to continue or to restore their lost mercies and therefore if God do not hear nor regard their brutish cries arising only from a natural sense of their misery it is not strange nor unjust my Maker s Who alone made me and whose power and providence preserveth me every day and who only can protect and deliver me All which were Obligations upon them to praise God and pray to him and depend upon him and aggravations of their gross neglect of God Heb. my Makers in the Plural number Which being used not only here but also Ecclis 12. 1. Isa. 54. 5. and that without any necessity when it might aswell have been put in the singular number yea though Elohim be Plural at it is Gen. 1. 1. plainly implies a Plâ—…rality of Persons in the Divine Essence of which see on Gen. 1. 26. who giveth * Pâ—…l 42. 8. songs t i. e. Matter of Songs great occasion to rejoyce and praise God in the night u Either I metaphorically taken i. e. in the night of affliction imply ing that they want not cause to bless God even in their afflictions Or rather 2. properly as this word is always used in Job one place excepted which is doubtful to wit Chap. 36. 20. which he may mention rather than the day either because oppressed Persons who in the day time are cruelly used by their Oppressours are permitted to rest in the night or because the hand and mercy of God is more manifest in the preservation and rest and sleep of the night than in the Blessings of the day which are procured by Mans industry or because the day is the time of Action the Night of contemplation when we do and ought to remember God's Mercies with thanksgiving compare Psal. 42. 8. 119. 62. 11. Who teacheth us more then the beasts x This is mentioned as a further aggravation of Mens neglect of God in their misery God hath given to men those gifts which he hath denied to Beasts Reason and Religion Wisdom to know God and themselves and their Obligations to God and their dependance upon him And therefore it ill becometh them to lye like Brute-creatures roaring and crying out in their miseries without taking any notice of God in way of Prayer or Praise and if they do so it is no wonder if God takes no notice of them of the earth and maketh us wiser then the fowls of heaven 12. There y Or Then as this Particle is used Psal. 14. 5. Eccles. 3. 17. Zeph. 1. 14 In that time or condition they cry but none giveth answer because of the pride of evil men z Either 1. of the Oppressours So this is the reason not of the last Clause why none answereth but of the former why they cry the latter Clause being therefore shut up within a Parenthesis and the words thus are to be transposed as some place them There they cry because of the pride of evil men but none giveth answer The reason whereof followeth in the next Verse Or rather 2. of the oppressed Persons And so there is no need of any Parenthesis or transposition And so these words contain one reason of the words immediately foregoing which is most natural and easie and usual to wit why none giveth answer i. e. why God doth not answer nor regard their cries because of their Pride c. because they are both evil wicked and impenitent and proud unhumbled for those sins for which God brought these miseries upon them and unsubdued to the Obedience of God 13. * 〈◊〉 27. 9. 〈◊〉 1. 28. 〈◊〉 29. 〈◊〉 1. 13. 〈◊〉 11. 11. Surely God will not hear vanity a Either 1. vain and light Persons that have no true Wisdom or solid Piety in them but are wholly addicted to vain and worldly things rejoycing immoderately when they have them and crying out for want of them as here they do Or 2. vain cries which proceed not from Faith or Piety but only from self-love and a natural sense of their misery which is common to them with brute-beasts The abstract is here put for the concrete as wickedness is oft put for wicked men and pride for proud Persons and the like neither will the Almighty b Though God be able to help them as this title of God implies and though he be the Judge of the World as the former Name of God signifies to whom therefore it belongs to right the Oppressed against the Oppressour yet in this case he justly reâ—…useth to help them regard it 14. Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him c Or thou canst not see him the future Tense of the Indicative Mood being oft put potenâ—…lly i. e. Thou canst not have thy desire in appearing and pleading thy cause before him So this is a new matter and Elihu answers another Objection of Iobs of which see Chap. 23. 8 9. and
or Error and in their Effect as guiding and directing men in the right and ready way to eternal Happiness Which also reflects upon that knowledge of Divine things which men have by the light of Nature and works of God or by the Doctrines of the Philosophers or others that wanted or neglected the light of God's word wherein there is a great deal of darkness and uncertainty and Error and Danger rejoycing the heart m Partly by that clear and certain knowledge of Divine things which it gives for knowledge is pleasant to the Soul Prov. 2. 10. and partly by the discoveries of God's Love and Grace to sinful men in Offers and Promises of Mercy therein contained the commandement of the LORD n i. e. All his Commands is * Psal. 119. 140. pure o Without the least mixture of Error or injustice or Deceit Which cannot be said of humane Laws enlightning the eyes p To wit of the Mind with an evident and compleat manifestation of God's Will and Man's Duty both which the works of Nature and all the Writings of men discover but darkly and imperfectly 9. The fear of the LORD q By which he understands not the Grace of God's fear as this Phrase is commonly taken nor the whole Worship of God as it is taken Psal. 34. 9. 11. Mat. 1â—… 9. but the Law and Word of God which is the only thing that is hâ—…re commended and which is meant by all the other parallel Titles of his Testimony and Statutes and Commandements and Iudgments and consequently by this of his â—…ear which is as it were hemmed in within them And this may well be so called by an usual Metonymy because it is both the Object and the Rule and the Cause of this Grace of holy Fear as God himself is called Fear for the like reason Gen. 31. 53. and in the Hebrew Psal. 76. 11. is clean r i. e. Sincere not adulterated with any mixture of Vanity or Falshood or Vice not requiring noâ—… allowing any uncleanness or wickedness as the Religion of the Gentiles did enduring for ever s Constant and unchangeable the same for Substance in all the Ages of the Church and the World Which is most true both of the moral Law and of the Doctrine of God's Grace and Mercy to sinful and miserable man which two are the Principal partâ—… of that Law of which he here speaks as is Evident from the whole Context For as the difference between the Old and the New Testament that lyes only in Circumstantial and Ceremonial or Ritual things which are not here intended and that Alteration also was foretolâ—… in the Old Testament and consequently the accomplishment of it did not destroy but confirm the certainty and constancy of God's word This also is opposed to humane Laws wherein there are and ought to be manifold Changes according to the difference of Times and People and Circumstances the judgments of the LORD t i. e. God's Laws frequently called his Iudgments because they are the Declarations of his righteous Will and as it were his legal oâ—… judicial Sentence by which he expects that men should govern themselves and by which he will judge them at the last day are †Heb. truste true and righteous altogether u. 10. More to â—…e desired are they than gold * Psal. 1â—…9 12. 127 Prov. 8. 11. 19. yea than much fine gold x Than Gold of the best quality and in the greatest quantity * Psal. 119. 103. sweeter also than honey y Which was most sweet in those Eastern Countries and †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 the honey comb z Than that Honey which the Bees have most diligently wrought in their Combs and which freely flows from them which is sweeter than the rest 11. Moreover by them is thy servant a I thy servant though a King and a Prophet and of some Repute for Wisdom and Knowledge yet I am daily taught by them Or 〈◊〉 as Dan. 12. 3. or clearly admonished as this word signifies 〈◊〉 18. 20. 2 Kings 6. 10. Eccles. 4. 13. 〈◊〉 3. 17 c. and 33. 3. 9. It is a faithful and excellent Monitor to shew me my Duty in all Conditions and to preserve me from falling into sin and danger and Mischief warned and in keeping of them b To those that make it their great Design and care to conform their whole Lives to them For he speaks not of a Legal and perfect keeping of them which no man attaineth to in this Life 〈◊〉 7. 20. Gâ—…l 3. 10 11 12. 1 Ioh. 1. 8. but of doing it in an Evangelâ—…al Sence with the allowances which God through Christ makes for Humane infirmities there is great reward c In this Life and especially in the next 12. * Psal. 40. 12. Who can understand d This may be here added Either 1. As a further Proof of the Excellency and necessity of God's Law because mens Errors are so many and hard to be discovered and prevented that they indispensably need such a Friend and Counsellor as the Law is to give them the true knowledge of themselves and of their sins Or 2. As a just and sorrowful Censure of himself upon the Consideration of the exact Purity of God's Law and the Comparing of his Life with it Thy Law O Lord is Holy and just and Good But I am a poor sinful Wreâ—…ch falling infinitely short of it and Condemned by it Or 3. As a signification of the insufficiency of God's Law strictly so called for the healing and saving of mens Souls and of the necessity of further supplies of the Gospel and grace of God whereby the eyes of their Minds may be enlightned to see that light which shines in God's Law and their Hearts may be renewed to yield universal Obedience to it for which therefore he prays in the following words And withal he implies that he did not expect that reward which he last mentioned as a just Recompence to his Obedience which he confesseth to need a Pardon more than to deserve a reward but only as an effect of God's grace and goodness his Errors e Either 1. His sins of ignorance of which this word is used Levit. 4. 2 22 27. 〈◊〉 5. 6. Or rather 2. His sins in general â—…â—…ich afterwards he divides into secret and presumptuous sins Or all deviations from God's Law which are thus called 1 Saâ—… 26. 21. Psal. 119. 67 118. Heb. 9. 7. Iam. 5. 20. The Sence is I cannot comprehend the numbers or the several kinds or all the Hainous Aggravations of my sins cleanse thou me f Both by justification or the Pardon of my sins through the Blood of thy Son which is to be shed for me and by Sanctification through thy holy Spirit co-working in and with thy Word to the further Renovation of my Heart and Life For these are the two ways of câ—…eansing Sinners
Deut. 24. 15. 2. O my God I * Psal. 22. 5. 31. 1. 34. 8. Psal. 28. 7. Rom. 10. 11. trust in thee let me not be ashamed b i. e. Disappointed of my Hope which will be reproachful to me not without Reflection upon thee of whose Power and Faithfulness I have made my boast let not mine enemies triumph over me 3. Yea let none that wait on thee be ashamed c With me and for me For if I be frustrated all that trust in thee will be discouraged and upbraided with my Example let them be ashamed d Blast their wicked Designs and Hopes which transgress e Or Prevaricate or deal Persidiously with me violating their Faith given to me * Psal. 119. 78. without a cause f Without any Provocation of mine or without any sufficient Reason 4. * Psal. 5. 8. 27. 11. 86. 11. 119. 27. 143. 8. 10. Shew me thy ways g i. e. The way of thy Precepts what I ought to do in my Circumstances and Difficulties by what Methods I may obtain thy Favour and Help Whatsoever thou dost with me as to other things grant me this Favour teach me my Duty and cause me to keep close to it notwithstanding all Temptations to the contrary O LORD teach me thy paths 5. * Psal. 26. 3. Lead me in thy truth h i. e. In the true and right way prescribed in thy Word which is oft called Truth as Psal. 119. 30. Ioh. 8. 45 46. and 16. 13. c. Or by or because of thy Truth i. e. Because thou art Faithful do thou lead or guide me as thou hast promised to do and teach me for thou art the God of my salvation i i. e. Who hast saved me formerly and hast engaged to save me and from whom alone I expect Salvation on thee do I wait all the day 6. Remember O LORD * Psal. 103. 17 106. 1. 107. 1. Jer. 33. 11. †Heb. thy bowels thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses k O consider thy own merciful Nature and thy former manifold Favours vouchsafed to me and to other miserable Sinners and do like thy self for they have been ever of old l Thou hast been gracious to such as I am from the beginning of the World to this day and to me in particular from my very Infancy as he oft acknowledgeth in this Book yea from all Eternity thou hast had a good Will to me and therefore do not now desist and desert me 7. Remember not m So as to lay them to my Charge * Job 20. 11. the sins of my youth n The sins committed in my young and tender years Eccles. 11. 9 10. which God frequently punisheth in riper Age Iob. 13 26. Ier. 3. 25 and therefore he now prays that God would not deal so with him nor my transgressions o Nor any of my succeeding or other sins which either have been Acted by me or may be imputed to me according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness sake p Being a sinner I have nothing to plead for my self but thy free Mercy and Goodness which I now implore O LORD 8. Good q i. e. Bountiful and gracious to sinners ready to good and delighting in it and upright r Or Right i. e. Holy and True sincere in making Promises and in all his Declarations and Offers of Mercy to sinners and faithful in fulfilling them is the LORD therefore will he teach sinners in the way s Being such an one he will not be wanting to such poor sinners as I am but will guide them by his Word and Spirit and gracious Providence into the way of Life and Peace By sinners he doth not understand all that are so not such â—…s are obstinate and Proud and scornful whom God hath declared that he will not teach nor direct but will leave them to the Errors and Lusts of their own Hearts and will blind and harden them to their Ruine as is often expressed in Scripture but only such as being truly sensible of their sins do humbly and earnestly seek God for his Grace and Mercy or such as are Meek as the next Verse explains it for these he will not fail to assist and Relieve 9. The meek t i. e. The humble and lowly such as meekly submit themselves to Gods hand and word and are willing and desirous to be directed and governed by him will he †Heb. 〈◊〉 to go guide in judgment u i. e In the Paths of judgment or in the right way wherein they should walk as the next Clause explains this or by the Rule of his word which is oft called his Iudgment or Iudgments Or with Iudgment i. e. With a wise and provident Care and a due regard to all their Circumstances See Ier. 10. 24. 1 Cor. 10. 13. and the meek will he teach his way x Either Gods way which God prescribes Or his own way in which he ought to walk 10. All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth y All the dealings of God with them yea even those that are afflictive and grievous to the flesh are done in kindness and faithfulness to them as being very necessary for them and tending to their great advantage unto such as keep his covenant z i. e The Laws or Conditions required of them by his Covenant Or as it followes his Testimonies i. e. His Precepts which are the Testimonies or Witnesses of God's Will and of mans Duty and his testimonies 11. For thy names sake a i. e. For the Honour of thy Goodness and Truth which is concerned herein O LORD pardon mine iniquity for it is great b And therefore none but such a God can pardon it and nothing but thy own Name can move thee to do it and the pardoning of it will well become so great and good a God and will tend much to the Illustration of thy Glory as the greatness and desperateness of the Disease advanceth the Honour and Praise of the Physician Or this may be urged not as an Argument to move God but as the Reason that moved him to pray so earnestly and that for God's Names sake Or though as this Particle is oft rendred as Exod. 34. 9. Psal. 41. 4. and elsewhere it be great Possibly he speaks of his sin against uriah and Bathsheba Or for or though it be much or manifold For the Hebrew word signifies both great and much 12. What man is he c i. e. Whosoever he be whether Iew or Gentile whether more innocent or a greater Sinner which is my Case that feareth the LORD him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose d i. e. Which God appointeth or approveth Or which he i. e. such Person should chuse for the future Tense is oft put Potentially and so as
but will justifie him and Vindicate his innocency and deliver him For such Negatives do oft imply the contrary Affirmatives as God's not holding a man Guiltless commonly implies that he will severely punish him when he is judged 34. Wait on the LORD u Seeking and trusting to him and to him onely for Help and Deliverance and keep his * Psal. 119. 27. 32 33. 35. way x Continue in the Practise of thy Duty or in those ways which God hath prescribed to thee in his Word and do not use indirect and irregular means to deliver thy self and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land * Psal. 91. 8. when the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it y Thou shalt not onely escape the Destruction which they Design for thee but shalt Live to see their Ruin 35. * Job â—… 3. I have seen the wicked in great power z Or Formidable Not onely himself out of Danger as it seemed but terrible to others and spreading himself a And therefore firmly and deeply Rooted like a ‖ Or a green Tree that groweth in his owâ—… 〈◊〉 green bay-tree b Which is continually Green and flourishing yea even in the Winter season Or like a Green Tree in its own Native soil where Trees flourish much better than when they are Transplanted into another soil 36. Yet he passed away c He was gone in an instant like a Tree blasted and blown down or cut off and Rooted out and carried away in a Moment and lo he was not yea I sought him but he could not be found d There was no Monument nor Remainder of him left 37. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace e Though he may meet with Troubles in his way yet all shall end well with him he shall be happy at last 38. But the transgressours shall be destroyed together f Or alike one as well as another all without any Exception or Respect of Persons the end of the wicked shall be cut off g i. e. He shall be cut off at last or in the End His Prosperity shall end in Destruction Or the Posterity as this Word signifies Psol 109. 13. Ier. 31. 17. Ezek. 23. 25. Dan. 11. 4. of the wicked c. 39. But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD h And therefore it shall certainly come to them he is their strength in the time of trouble 40. And the LORD shall help them and deliver them he shall deliver them from the wicked and save them because they trust in him PSAL. XXXVIII The ARGUMENT This is reckoned one of David's penitential Psalms It was Composed upon occasion of some sore Disease or grievous Calamity which he rightly judged to be inflicted upon him for his sins A Psalm of David to bring * Psal. 70. Tit. to remembrance a Either 1. To God that by this humble and mournful Prayer he might prevail with God to remember and Pity him for now he seemed quite to have forgotten him Or 2. To himself that by reviewing this Psalm afterwards he might call to Mind his former Danger and Misery and God's wonderful mercy in delivering him from them which we are very apt to forget And that others also might remember and consider what God had done to him first in Chastening and then in restoring him and might make use of his Example for their benefit 1. O LORD rebuke me not in thy wrath neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure b I Confess I both deserve Chastisement and need it and therefore I desire not that thou wouldest remove it but onely moderate it See the same Expression Psal. 6. 1 2. For * Job 6. 4 thine arrows c i. e. Thy Judgments inflicted upon my outward and inward Man oft Compared to Arrows as Deut. 32. 23. Psal. 7. 13. and 45 5. and 91. 5. stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore d Or comes down upon me as when a strong man lifts up his hand and Weapon that it may fall down with greater Violence and make the deeper Wound 3. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger * Psal. 6. 2. neither is there any †Heb. Peace Or Health rest in my bones e My disease or grief hath seized upon all the parts of my Body my very Bones not excepted so that my Bed can give me no rest because of my sin f Which hath provoked thee to deal thus severely with me 4. For mine iniquities g Or the Punishment of mine iniquities as this Word is frequently used Which best agrees both with the foregoing and following Verses and with the Metaphor here used which in other places of Scripture is generally applyed to Afflictions and not to â—…ins * Ezra 9 6. are gone over my head h Like deep Waters wherewith I am overwhelmed and almost drowned Psal. 42. 7. and 69. 2. and 124. 4 5. as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me 5. My wounds stink and are corrupt i The Bruises and Sores caused by my Disease are not onely painful but loathsome to my self and to others because of my foolishness k i. e. Sin which really is and is commonly called folly as Psal. 69. 5. Prov. 13. 16. and 14. 17. and 15. 2 c. 6. I am †Heb Cryed troubled l Heb. Distorted or Depressed Or as it is expressed by anoother Word signifying the same thing bowed down to wit in my Body as diseased Persons commonly are and withal dejected in my Mind I am bowed down greatly I go ‖ Or in black Mal. 3. 14. mourning m Heb. In black the sign of Mourning which may here signifie the thing as signs oft do When for my ease I rise out of my Bed and walk or rather Creep about in my Chamber I do it with a sad Heart and dejected Countenance Or if he did walk further his Disease had some Intervals and Mitigations Or going may be here meant of his Languishing or going towards the Grave as this same Word is used Gen. 15. 2. Comp. with 25. 32. Ios. 23. 14. all the day long 7. For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease n Or with filthiness Or with scorching Heat The Disease might be some burning Feaver being also Malignant or Pestilential either burning inwardly or breaking forth outwardly in Carbuncles or Boyls It is true this and the other Expressions may be taken Figuratively of some grievous Calamity But we should not forsake the proper and the literal Sence of the Words without necessity which seems not to be in this place and there is no soundness in my flesh 8. I am feeble and sore broken I have roared o Like a Bear or a Lyon through extreme Pain and Misery by reason of the disquietness of my heart
and Imperfections and Miscarriages because he is merciful and gracious a Or Benignity or Readiness to do good Thou art no less willing than able to defend and preserve all that put their Trust in thee PSAL. LXIII A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah a Where he hid himself from Saul 1 Sam. 22. 5. and 23. 14 15. and 26. 1 2. 1 O God thou art my God b In Covenant with me early c Heb in the Morning Which implies the doing it with greatest Diligence and Speed taking the first and the best time for it as Iob 8. 5. Psal. 78. 34. Prov. 1. 28. will I seek thee * Psal. 42. 2. 143. 6. my soul thirsteth for thee d i. e. For the Presence and Enjoyment of thee in thiâ—…e House and Ordinances as the next Verse declareth it my flesh longeth e Or languisheth or Pineth away The desire of my Soul after thee is so Vehement and insariable that my very Body feels the Effects of it as it commonly doth of all great Passions for thee in a dry and †Heb. weary thirsty land †Heb. without Water where no water is f So called Either 1. Metaphorically In a Land where I want the refreshing Waters of the Sanctuary Or 2. Properly I thirst not so much for Water which yet I greatly want as for thee 2 To see g i. e. To enjoy as seeing is oft taken thy power and thy glory h Either 1. The Ark which is called God's Strength and Glory 1 Sam. 4. 21. 1 Chron. 16. 11. Psal. 78. 61. Or rather 2. The powerful and glorious Effects and Evidences of thy gracious Presence there so as I have seen thee i Whereof I have formerly had great and Comfortable Experience which makes me more sensible of my present loss and more Thirsty after those enjoyments in the sanctuary 3 Because k This is the Reason of the foregoing thirst after God â—… i. e. The Discoveries and Influences of thy Grace and Favour which thou usually impartest to thy People in the Sanctuary thy loving kindness l Is more durable and Comfortable and Satisfactory than the present Life with all imaginable Advantages belonging to it is better than life m Both for my former Tasts and Experiences of this Truth and for the assurance of my Restitution to the same blessed Enjoyments my lips shall praise thee n. 4 Thus o i. e. So as I have done and now do Or upon that occasion when I shall be restored Or for this Reason being so sensible of the sweetness of thy Favour Or certainly For this Particle is sometimes used as a note of Asseveration as it is Psal. 127. 2. Isa. 16. 6. will I bless thee while I live I will lift up my hands p Towards thee in Heaven in Prayers and Praises in thy name q According to thy Command Or with Confidence in thy Name 5 * Psal. 103. 5. My soul shall be satisfied r When thou shalt fulfil my earnest Desire of enjoying thee in the Sanctuary though now in my exile I Groan and Pine away for want of that Mercy as with †Heb. Fatnesses marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips 6 When * Psal. 42. 8. 119. 55. I remember thee s In the mean time whilst I cannot enjoy thee I will Quiet and Comfort my self with the Thoughts and Remembrance of thy Kindness to me upon my bed t Heb. Upon my Beds implying that he was frequently forced to change his Bed and Lodging being driven from place to place and meditate on thee in the night-watches u In the several seasons of the Night which was divided into three or four Watches of which see Exod. 14. 24. Iudg. 7. 19. Mark 13. 35. When others sleep securely my sleep is interrupted by my Perplexity and Grief for my absence from thy House and when I awake my Thoughts are fixed upon thee c. 7 Because thou hast been my help therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce x I will rest securely and joyfully in thy Protection 8 My soul followeth hard after thee y i. e. Pursueth thee Eagerly and Diligently and Resolvedly and as it were step by step when thou seemest to run away from me Which is the Emphasis of this Hebrew word My Soul and Spirit cleaveth to thee as this Verb signifies Gen. 2. 24. 〈◊〉 1â—… 11. when my Body is absent from thy Sanctuary thy right hand upholdeth me z I do not lose my â—…abour in following hard after thee for though I am not yet restored to the Enjoyment of thy Presence in thy House yet I have present supports from thee whereby my Spirit is kept from sainting under my mâ—…nifold Pressures and is enabled with Faith and Patience to wait upon thee till thou seest fit to deliver me 9. But those that seek my soul to destroy it a i. e. To take away my Life shall go into the lower parts of the earth b Either 1. Into Hell Or rather 2. Into their Grave as this Phrase is used Ezâ—…k 31. 14. 18. But how is this true when they are supposed to be devoured by Foxes v. 10. Ans. This may be understood Either 1. Of divers Persons Some of their slain might be Buried and others lye unburied Or 2. Of the same Persons they did go into the Earth but not immediately but were first devoured of Foxes and the remainders of them were Buried as is frequently done in such Cases Or this Phrase may note not so much the Place as the State of the Dead this being universally said of those that dye whether they are buried or unburied that they return to the Earth or Dust Iob 1. 21. Eccles. 12. 7. 10. †Heb. they shall make him run out like water by the Hands of the Sword They shall fall by the sword c i. e. Dye in Battel as David foretold 1 Sam 26. 10. and as was Accomplished in Saul and his followers who were David's greatest Enemies 1 Sam. 31. they shall be a portion for foxes d Their Carkasses shall be unburiedupon the Earth and thereb become a prey to Wild and Ravenous Creatures and eâ—…pecially to Foxes which were in those Parts in great abundance and which did and do seed not onely upon Fruits Cant. 2. 15. but also upon Flesh as Experience sheweth Besides some very Learned men think that the Word rendred Foxes is more general and Comprehends besides Foxes another sort of Creatures like unto them called 〈◊〉 which were very numerous in this Country Of which see on Iudg. 15. 4. 11. But the king e I who am already anointed King and who shall be actually King when these mine Enemies are fallen by the Sword He speaks of himself in the third Person either out of Modesty or out
against his Enemies Or 2. the Angels yea God himself from Heaven who gave manifest testimony to the righteousness of the Messias declare his righteousness and all the people see his glory l Both Jews and Gentiles shall see and feel the glorious effects of his coming 7 * Exod. 20. â—… Lev. 26. 1. Deut. 5. 8. Confounded be m Let them be ashamed of their former folly herein and be thereby brought to detest and forsake them and those who will obstinately persist in their impiety and Idolatry let them be brought to confusion Or They shall be confounded for this may be a prediction and not an imprecation all they that serve graven images that boast themselves of idols * Heb. 1. 6. worship him all ye gods n All you whom the Gentiles have made the objects of their worship and who are capable of giving him worship which two qualifications agree principally if not solely to the Angels of God whom the Heathens manifestly worshipped in their Images as an inferiour sort of gods of whom therefore this Text is expounded Heb. 1. 6. 8 Zion o Thy people dwelling in Zion or Ierusalem and Iudah to whom Christ came and among whom the Gospel was first preached Or thy Church and People who both in the Prophetical writings are oft called Zion heard p The fame of thy judgments as the following words declare the ruine of Idolatry and the setting up the Kingdom of the Messias in the World and was glad and the daughters of Judah q Particular Churches or rather persons members of Zion rejoyced because of thy judgments r Not that they took pleasure in the ruine of others but because that made way for the advancement of Gods glory and Christs Kingdom in the World O LORD 9 For thou LORD art high above all the earth thou art exalted far above all gods s As thou always wert so in in truth so thou hast now proved and declared thy self to be such in the Eyes of the whole World by subduing them under thy feet 10 Ye that love the LORD t O all you who love and worship the true God and his anointed and rejoice in the establishment of his Kingdom * Psal. 34. 14. Amos 5. 15. Rom. 12. 9. hate evil u Shew your love to him by your abhorrency of all Idolatry which is sometimes called evil or sin by way of eminency and of all other wickedness he preserveth the souls of his saints he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked x And although you that love the Lord Christ and his Kingdom will meet with many troubles and persecutions yet be not discouraged for he will preserve you in troubles and in his time deliver you out of them all 11 * Psal. 112. 4. Light y i. e. Joy and felicity as this word is used Esth. 8. 16. Psal. 112. 4. and oft elsewhere is sown z Is prepared or laid up for them and shall in due time be reaped by them possibly in this life but undoubtedly in the next And therefore bear your afflictions for Christ with patience and chearfulness for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart 12 Rejoyce in the LORD ye righteous and give thanks ‖ Or to be â—…morial at the remembrance of his holiness a In consideration of his holy and righteous nature and government or of his faithfulness in making good that great promise of sending the Messias into the World for holiness is sometimes taken for faithfulness which is one part or branch of it PSAL. XCVIII A Psalm The matter and scope of this Psalm is the same with the former and is an evident prediction of the coming of the Messias and of the blessed effects thereof 1 O * 〈◊〉 33. 3. 〈◊〉 1. Sing unto the LORD a new song for he hath done marvellous things his right hand and his holy arm * 1 Sam. 25. 〈◊〉 Heb. hath gotten him the victory a God by his own onely power hath overcome all difficulties and Enemies and hath in spight of all set Christ upon his Throne and propagated his Kingdom in the World 2 * 〈◊〉 52. 10. The LORD hath made known his salvation b The redemption or salvation of the World by the Messias which was hitherto reserved as a secret among the Jews yea was not thoroughly known and believed by the most of the Jews themselves his righteousness c Either his faithfulness in accomplishing this great promise of sending the Messias or his goodness and mercy oft called by this Hebrew word or the righteousness of God or of Christ revealed in the Gospel hath he ‖ Or 〈◊〉 openly shewed in the sight of the heathen 3 He hath remembred his mercy and his truth c He hath now actually given that mercy which he had promised to the Israelites toward the house of Israel all the ends of the earth d All the Inhabitants of the Earth from one end to another have seen e i. e. Enjoyed it as this word is oft used as hath been proved again and again the salvation of our God 4 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD all the earth f Because you all do now partake of the same priviledges with the Jews join with them in worshipping and praising of God make a loud noise and rejoice and sing praise 5 Sing unto the LORD with the harp with the harp and the voice of a psalm g The worship of the New Testament is here described in phrases taken from the rites of the old as Psal. 92. 3. and oft elsewhere 6 With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD the king 7 Let the sea roar and the fulness thereof h All those Creatures wherewith it is replenished which by a poetical strain are invited to praise God See of this and the next Verses the notes on Psal. 96. 11 12 13. the world and they that dwell therein 8 Let the flouds clap their hands let the hills be joyful together 9 Before the LORD * 〈◊〉 96. 13. for he cometh to judge the earth with righteousness shall he judge the world and the people with equity PSAL. XCIX This Psalm is supposed to be Davids and the matter of it seems to suit to his time and the state of affairs which then was although as David was a type of Christ so this Psalm may look beyond David unto the Messias But it doth not speak so fully nor clearly of the Messias as the foregoing Psalms do 1 * 〈◊〉 93. 1. THE LORD reigneth let the people a To wit such as are Enemies to God and to his people tremble * 〈◊〉 80. 1. he sitteth between the cheruhims b Upon the Ark. See 1 Sam. 4. 4. He is present with his people to protect them and to punish their Enemies let the
both which cases it is a Metonymy of the Adjunct are like a shadow that declineth r Or that is extended or stretched out to its ulmost length as it is when the Sun is setting when it speedily and totally vanisheth And just so the hopes of our restitution which sometimes we have are quickly cut off and disappointed and I am * Isai. 40. 6. Jam. 1. 10. Psal. 109. 13. withered like grass 12 But * Lam. 5. 19. thou O LORD shalt endure for ever s But this is my comfort although we dye and our hopes vanish yet our God is everlasting and unchangeable and therefore invincible by all his and our enemies constant in his counsels and purposes of mercy to his Church stedfast and faithful in the performance of all his promises and therefore he both can and will deliver his people and * Psal. 135. â—…3 thy remembrance t Either 1. the fame and memory of thy wonderful works Or rather 2. thy name Iehovah mentioned in the former clause which is called by this very word Gods remembrance or memorial and that unto all generations Exod. 3. 15. Thus this clause exactly answers to the former and both of them describe the Eternity of Gods existence whereby the Psalmist relieves and supports himself under the consideration of his own and his peoples frailty and vanity unto all generations 13 Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion u Upon Ierusalem or thy Church and People for the time to favour her yea the set time x The end of those 70. Years which thou hast fixed of which see Ier. 25. 12. and 29. 10. Dan. 9. 2. is come 14 For thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof y Thy people value the dust and rubbish of the holy City more than all the Palaces of the Earth and passionately desire that it may be rebuilt 15 So the Heathen shall fear the name of the LORD and all the kings of the earth thy glory z Which was in some sort fulfilled when the rebuilding of the Temple and City of God was carried on and finished through so many and great difficulties and oppositions to the admiration envy and terrour of their Enemies as we read Nehem. 6. 16. Compare Psal. 126. 2. but much more truly and fully in building of the spiritual Ierusalem by Christ unto whom the Gentiles were gathered and the Princes of the World paid their acknowledgments 16 When the LORD shall build up Zion he shall appear in his glory a His glorious power and wisdom and goodness shall be manifested to all the World 17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute b i. e. Of his poor forsaken despised people in Babylon and not despise c i. e. Will accept and answer their prayer 18 This shall be written d This wonderful deliverance shall not be lost nor forgotten but carefully recorded by thy people for the generation to come e For the instruction and incouragement of all succeeding Generations The singular number put for the plural as is ordinary and * Psal. 22. 31. the people which shall be created f Which may be understood either 1. of the Jews which should be restored who were in a manner dead and buried in the grave and meer dry bones Isa. 26. 19. Ezek. 37. and therefore their restauration might well be called a Creation or as it is elsewhere a resurrection Or 2. of the Gentiles who should be converted whose conversion is frequently and might very justly be called a second Creation See 43. 1 7 15. and 65. 18. Eph. 2. 10 15. shall praise the LORD 19 For he hath looked down g To wit upon us not like an idle Spectator but with an eye of pity and relief as the next Verse declares from the height of his sanctuary h From his higher or upper Sanctuary to wit Heaven as the next Clause explains it which is called Gods high and holy place Isa. 57. 15. from Heaven did the LORD behold the earth 20 * Psal. 79. 11. To hear the groaning of the prisoner to loose †Heb. the children of death those that are appointed to death i To release his poor Captives out of Babylon and which is more from the Chains and Fetters of Sin and Satan and from eternal destruction 21 To declare the name of the LORD in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem k That they being delivered might publish and celebrate the name and praises of God in his Church 22 When the people are gathered together and the kingdoms to praise the LORD l When the Gentiles shall gather themselves to the Jews and join with them in the praise and worship of the true God and of the Messias This Verse seems to be added to intimate that although the Psalmist in this Psalm respects the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon yet he had a further design and a principal respect unto that greater and more general deliverance of his Church and People by the Messias 23 He m To wit God to whom he ascribes these Calamities v. 10. to whom therefore he addresseth himself for relief †Heb. afflicted weakned my strength in the way m Either 1. in the midst of our expectations Whilest we are expecting the accomplishment of thy promise either of bringing us out of Babylon or of sending the Messias we faint and one of us perish after another and our hope is like the giving up of the Ghost Or rather 2. in the midst of the course of our lives Which sence is confirmed 1. from the following Clause Which after the manner explains the former he shortned my days as also from the next Verse where he begs relief from God against this misery in these words take me not away in the midst of my days 2. From the use of this word way which is used for the course of a mans life Psal. 2. 12. and which comes to the same thing for the course of a journey as it is opposed to the end of the journey Gen. 24. 27. Exod. 23. 20. and elsewhere the life of man being oft compared to a journeying or travelling and death to his journeys end And the Psalmist here speaks as other sacred Writers do elsewhere and as all sorts of Writers frequently do of the whole Commonwealth as of one man and of its continuance as of the life of one man And so this seems to be the matter of his complaint and humble expostulation with God O Lord thou didst chuse us out of all the World to be thy peculiar people and didst plant us in Ganaan and cause a glorious Temple to be built to thy name to be the onely place of thy publick and solemn worship in the World and didst make great and glorious promises that thine eyes and heart should be upon it perpetually 1 Kings
adorneth thee as a Crown doth with loving kindness and tender mercies 5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things e Who satisfieth all thy just desires and necessities so that * 〈◊〉 â—…0 31. thy youth is renewed like the eagles f Either 1. As the Eagle reneweth her youth by casting all her old Feathers and getting new ones whereby it seems to grow young again But this being common to all Birds would not have been appropriated to the Eagle Or rather 2. Like the youth of an Eagle As the Eagle lives long in great strength and vigour so that the old age of an Eagle is used proverbially for a lively and vigorous old age So this is a promise of a long and comfortable life 6 The LORD * 〈◊〉 146. 7. executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed g Which being a singular perfection and that wherein most of the Princes of the World were and are defective is justly celebrated in God 7 He made known his ways h Either 1. his laws which are oft called Gods ways Or â—… the manner and methods of his dealings with men and especially with his people called in the next clause his acts his merciful and gracious nature and providence which is particularly called Gods way Exod. 33. 13. compared with v. 18 19. and with Exod. 34. 6 7. and which is here described in the following Verses unto Moses his acts i His marvellous and gracious works unto the children of Israel 8 * Exod. 34. 6 â—… The LORD is merciful and gracious slow to anger k Not speedily punishing sinners but patiently waiting for their repentance and †〈◊〉 14. 18. 〈◊〉 5 10. 〈◊〉 9. 17. 〈◊〉 â—…6 15. 〈◊〉 32. 18. 〈◊〉 great of 〈◊〉 plenteous in mercy 9 * 〈◊〉 57. 16. 〈◊〉 7. 18. He will not always chide l Or contend by his judgments with Sinners but is ready to be reconciled to them to wit upon their true repentance as is manifest from innumerable Texts and from the whole scope and design of Scripture neither will he keep his anger m Which word is understood here as also Levit. 19. 18. Ier. 3. 5. Nah. 1. 2. as is evident from the thing it self and from the former clause The Hebrew is a concise language and there are many such Ellipses in it as 2 Sam. 6. 6. compared with Exod. 9. 9. and 1 Chron. 18. 6. comp with 2 Sam. 8. 6. Psal. 3. 7. Eccles. 7. 15. for ever 10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins n He hath punished us less than our iniquities have deserved as was confessed Ezra 9. 13. nor rewarded us according to our iniquities 11 For †〈◊〉 accordâ—… 〈◊〉 the height 〈◊〉 heaven as the Heaven is high above the earth so great o So much above their deserts and expectations and above the mercy which one man sheweth to another is his mercy towards them that fear him p Which clause he adds here as also v. 17 18. to prevent mens mistakes and abuses of Gods mercy and to dash the vain hopes of impenitent sinners in Gods mercy 12 As far as the east is from the west so far hath he removed our transgressions from us q The guilt of our sins from our persons and consciences The sence is He hath fully pardoned them so as never to remember them more as he promiseth Ier. 31. 34. Heb. 10. 17. 13 Like as a father pitieth his children so the LORD pitieth them that fear him 14 For he knoweth our frame r Either 1. the corruption of our natures which God is pleased sometimes to make an argument to pity and spare men as Gen. 8. 21. So the sence is He considereth that great and constant propension to evil which is naturally in all mankind and that therefore if he should deal severely with us he should immediately destroy us all So this clause contains one motive of Gods pity and the next another Or rather 2. the weakness and mortality of our natures and the frailty and misery of our condition as it seems to be explained in the following clause that we are but dust So the sence is He considereth that if he should let loose his hand upon us and pour forth all his wrath we should be suddenly and irrecoverably destroyed and therefore he spareth us * Psal. 78. 39. he remembreth that we are dust 15 As for man * Psal. 90. 5. his days are as grass * Job 14. 1 2. Jam. 1. 10 11. as a flower of the field s Which is more exposed to Winds and other violences than the Flowers of the Garden which are secured by the art and care of the Gardiner so he flourisheth 16 For * Isai. 40. 7. the wind passeth over it t A blasting or stormy wind bloweth upon it and †Heb. it is not it is gone and the * Job 7. 10. 20. 9. place thereof shall know it no more u There is no more any appearance nor remembrance of it in the place where it stood and flourished 17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting x But though we quickly decay and perish yet Gods mercy to us doth not die with us but as it was from Eternity exercised in gracious purposes so it will be continued unto eternity in that future and endless life upon them that fear him y See before on v. 11. and his righteousness z Either his faithfulness or that this branch may answer to the former his mercy or benignity this word being frequently used in both these sences as hath been proved before But it is here called righteousness to intimate that Gods kindness to the posterity of his people is not onely an act of his goodness but also a discharge of his obligation under which he put himself to them as elsewhere so Exod. 20. 6. to which this place seems to relate Hence it is called mercy to Abraham and truth to Iacob Mic. 7. 20. unto childrens children 18 * Deut. 7. 9. To such as keep his covenant a To them that perform the conditions of Gods Covenant that sincerely love and obey him Such restrictions are oft added as in the general to overthrow the presumptuous hopes of ungodly men so particularly to admonish the Israelites not to rest too much upon the priviledges of their Parents or the Covenant made with them nor to expect any benefit by it but upon condition of their continuance in Gods Covenant and to those that remember his commandments to do them b That have them much in their thoughts and practise them in the course of their lives 19 The LORD hath prepared c Or rather established Having celebrated Gods mercy to his people he now praiseth him for his excellent Majesty and universal Dominion his throne in the heavens d Which notes the eminency
Gods strength Psal. 63. 3. and 78. 61. and the ark of his strength Psal. 132. 8. seek his face e i. e. His gracious presence in his Sanctuary and the blessed fruits of it See on Psal. 27. 8. evermore 5 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done his wonders and the judgments of his mouth f Either 1. the laws delivered from his mouth Or rather 2. the Plagues or punishments as this same word is used here v. 7. and every where which he brought upon Egypt by his meer word or command as is oft noted in the History of them in Exodus 6 O ye seed of Abraham his servants ye children of Jacob g To whom he restrains the former more general expression because these were the onely branch of Abrahams Seed to whom the following Covenant and Blessings belong his †Heb. 〈◊〉 ones chosen 7 He is the LORD our God his judgments are in all the earth h Either 1. the fame of his judgments upon the Egyptians is spread over the face of the earth Or 2. God executes his Judgments upon all Nations and people Which may be here noted as a foil to magnifie God's Grace to them who were the Monuments of his mercy when all the World besides them fell under his just severity 8 He hath remembred i Practically so as to perform it as that word is frequently used in Scripture his covenant for ever the word k The word of promise or the Covenant as is explained both in the foregoing and following words And so the word is taken Iudg. 13. 12. Luke 1. 38. which he commanded l i. e. Established or ordained or appointed as this word is oft taken as Psal. 68. 28. 71. 3. 133. 3. Isai. 13. 3. 23 11. to a thousand generations m To all generations a certain number being put for an uncertain He seems to allude to that passage Exod. 20. 6. 9 Which covenant he made with Abraham * Gen. 17. 2. 22. 16 c. 26. 3. 28. 13. 35. 11. Luke 1. 73. Heb. 6. 17. and his oath n Wherewith he ratified the Covenant with Isaac Gen. 26. 3. unto Isaac 10 And confirmed the same unto Jacob for †Heb. a statute a law o Either that it might be as firm and irrevocable as a Law or that it might have the use and force of a Law towards God because God did hereby put himself under an obligation of making it good in regard of his own truth and righteousness and to Israel for an everlasting covenant 11 Saying * Gen. 13. 15. 15. 18. Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan †Heb. the cord the lot p The portion assigned to you by lot and the designation of Divine Providence See on Deut. 32. 9. Psal. 16. 6. of your inheritance 12 * Gen. 34. 30. Deut. 26. 5. When they were †Heb. men of number but a few men in number q Heb. Men of number i. e. few who could easily be numbred very few as the next words explain it yea very few and strangers in it 13 When they went from one nation to another r Both in Canaan where there were seven Nations Deut. 7. 1. and in Egypt c. from one kingdom to another people 14 He suffered no man to do them wrong yea he reproved s Both verbally and really by his judgments See Gen. 12. 17. and 20. 3. kings for their sakes 15 Saying Touch not t Hurt not as this word is used of these very persons Gen. 26. 11 29. and elsewhere mine anointed u My Prophets as the next words explain it to wit Abraham and Isaac and Iacob as is evident who are called Gods anointed because they were eminently blessed of God and consecrated to be his peculiar people and to be Kings and Priests in their Families and replenished with the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost in respect whereof many persons are said to be anointed in Scripture who never had any material Oyl applied to them as Psal. 45. 8. Isa. 61. 1. 2 Cor. 1. 21. And they are called Prophets because God did familiarly converse with them and revealed his mind and will to them and by them to others and because they were instructers or teachers of others in the true Religion See Gen. 18. 19. and 20. 7. and do my prophets no harm 16. Moreover †〈◊〉 41. 54. he called for x i. e. He effectually procured as this word is used 2 Kings 8. 1. Isai. 47. 1 5. 56. 7. Rom. 4. 17. a famine upon the land he brake the whole ‖ 〈◊〉 3. 1. staff of bread y i. e. Bread which is the staff or support of our animal Lives See Levit. 26. 26. Psal. 104. 15. Ezek. 4. 16. 17. * 〈◊〉 45. 5. 〈◊〉 â—…0 He sent z By the direction of his secret Providence a man before them †〈◊〉 37. 28. even Joseph who was sold for a servant 18. ‖ 〈◊〉 39. 20. Whose feet they hurt with fetters †〈◊〉 his soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iron he was laid in iron a Heb. his soul came into iron Which seems to be added emphatically to aggravate his imprisonment and to shew how grievous it was to his very soul which must needs sympathize with his body and moreover was greatly vexed to consider both the great injury which was done to him and yet the soul and publick scandal which lay upon him 19. Until the time b Till which time his eminent Prudence and Innocency and Piety gave him no relief that his word c Either 1. Iosephs word or his Prophecie concerning the chief Butler and Baker which is said to come when it was fulfilled as that word is used Iudg. 13. 12 17. Ezek. 24. 24. and elsewhere But the event confutes this for Ioseph was not delivered at that time but two years after it Gen. 41. 1. Or rather 2. the word of the Lord as it follows the Pronoun Relative being here put before the Substantive to which it belongs as it is also Exod. 2. 6. Iob 33. 20. Prov. 5. 22. 14. 13. He seems to speak of that word or revelation which came first to Pharaoh in a Dream Gen. 41. 1 2 c. and then to Ioseph concerning the interpretation of it v. 15 16. For the word of the Lord is said to come not only when it comes to pass but also and most commonly when it is first revealed as Ier. 7. 1. 11. 1. 18. 1. and God is said to come when he doth reveal it as Gen. 20. 3. 31. 24. came the word of the Lord tried him d Either 1. tried his sincerity and constancy But that was not done by Gods word but by his rod. Or rather 2. discovered him to wit unto Pharaoh and his Courtiers how innocent and holy and knowing
not readily grant it to those that greedily seek it and if any son of violence procure it he will make him pay very dearly for it and when the Saints suffer it for Gods sake as they frequently do it is a most acceptable Sacrifice to God and highly esteemed by him Thus the blood of Gods people is said to be precious in his sight Psal. 72. 14. And in the same sence the life of a man is said to be precious in his eyes who spareth and preserveth it as 1 Sam. 26. 21. 2 Kings 1. 13. Gods people are precious in his eyes both living and dying for whether they live they live unto the Lord or whether they die they die unto the Lord Rom. 14. 8. of his saints 16 O LORD truly I am thy servant b This is either 1. an argument used in prayer It becometh thee to protect and save thy own servants as every good master doth or rather 2. a thankful acknowledgment of his great obligations to God whereby he was in duty bound to be the Lords faithful and perpetual servant For this suits best with the context I am thy servant and * Psal. 86. 16. the son of thy handmaid c Either 1. the son of a mother who was devoted and did devote me to thy serviet Or 2. like one born in thy house of one of thy servants and so thine by a most strict and double obligation thou hast loosed my bonds d Thou hast rescued me from mine enemies whose captive and vassal I was and therefore hast a just right and title to me and to my service 17 I will offer to thee * Lev. â—… 12. the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call upon the Name of the LORD 18 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people e And as I said before so I now repeat my promise for the greater assurance and to lay the stricter obligation upon my self 19 In the courts of the LORD's house in the midst of thee O Jerusalem Praise ye the LORD PSAL. CXVII This Psalm contains a Prophecy of the Calling of the Gentiles as appears both from the matter of it and from Rom. 15. 11. where it is quoted to that purpose 1 O * Rom. 15. 11. Praise the LORD a Acknowledge the true God and serve him onely and cast away all your Idols all ye nations praise him all ye people 2 For his merciful kindness is great towards us b Either 1. towards us Jews to whom he hath given those peculiar priviledges which he hath denied to all other nations But this may seem an improper argument to move the Gentiles to praise God for his mercies to others from which they were excluded Or 2. towards all of us all the children of Abraham whether carnal or spiritual who were to be incorporated together and made one body and one sold by and under the Messias Iob. 10. 16. Eph. 2. 14. which mystery seems to be insinuated by this manner of expression and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever Praise ye the LORD PSAL. CXVIII This Psalm most probably was composed by David when the Civil Wars between the Houses of Saul and David were ended and David was newly setled in the Kingdom of all Israel and had newly brought up the Ark of God to his Royal City But though this was the occasion yet David or at least the Spirit of God which indired this Psalm had a further reach and higher design in it and especially in the latter part of it which was to carry the Readers thoughts beyond the Type to the Antitype the Messias and his Kingdom who was chiefly intended in it Which is apparent both from the testimonies produced of it to that purpose iâ—… the Neâ—…t Testament as Mat. 〈◊〉 9 42. Mark 12. 10 11. Acts 4. 11 c. and from the consent of the Hebrew Doctors both ancient and modern one evidence whereof is that in their prayers for their Messiah they use some part of this Psalm and from the matter it self as we shall see hereafter The form of this Psalm may seem to be dramatical and several parts of it are spoken in the name of several persons yet so that the distinction of the persons and their several passages is not expressed but lest to the observation of the intelligent and diligent Reader as it is in the Book of the Song of Solomon and in some part of Ecclesiastes and in many profane Writers David speaks in his own name from the beginning to v. 22. and from thence to v. 25. in the name of the people and thence to v. 28. in the name of the Priests and then concludes in his own name 1 O * 1 Chro. 16. 8. Psal. 106. 1. 107. 1. 136. 1. Give thanks a All sorts of persons which are particularly expressed in the three next verses as they are mentioned in like manner and order Psal. 115. 9 10 11. where see the Notes unto the LORD for he is good because his mercy endureth for ever 2 Let Israel b After the flesh all the Tribes and people of Israel except the Levites now say that his mercy endureth for ever 3 Let the house of Aaron c The Priests and Levites who were greatly discouraged and oppressed in Sauls time and shall receive great benefits by my government now say that his mercy endureth for ever 4 Let them now that fear the LORD d The Gentile-Proselytes whereof there were in Davids time and were likely to be greater numbers than formerly had been say that his mercy endureth for ever 5 I called upon the LORD †Heb. out of distress in distress the LORD answered me and * Psal. 18. 19. set me e Which Verb is tacitly included in the former and is easily understood out of Psal. 31. 9. where the full phrase is expressed and from the following word See the like examples in the Hebrew Text Gen. 12. 15. Psal. 22. 21 c. ‖ Or with enlargement in a large place 6 * Psal. 56. 4 11. Heb. 13. 6. The LORD is ‖ Heb. for me on my side I will not fear what can man f A frail and impotent creature in himself and much more when he is opposed to the Almighty God do unto me 7 * Psal. 54. 4. The LORD taketh my part with them that help me g He is one of the number of my helpers and enables them to defend me therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me 8 * Psal. 40. 4. 62. 8 9. Jer. 17. 5 7. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man h As mine adversaries do in their own numbers and in their great confederates 9 * Psal. 146. 2. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes i The neighbouring and
purpose to please and glorify me or didst dishonour me and pollute thy Sacrifices by thy wicked course of life I have not caused thee to serve with an offering nor wearied thee with incense p So the sence may be this I did not require these wearisome services of thee to wit upon these termes or to be offered in such a manner as God speaks Isa. 1. 11 12 13. But the words may very well be rendred Although I did not cause thee to serve with Offerings nor weary thee with Incense the particle Although being here understood as it is in many other places as hath been formerly noted And so this is an aggravation of their former sin of being weary of and negligent in his service although God had not laid such heavy burthens upon them nor required such hard services or costly offerings from them as might give them cause to be weary nor such as Idolaters did freely and greedily perform in the service of their Idols 24. Thou hast bought me no sweet cane q Or Calamus as this word is rendred Exod. 30. 23. which was used in the making of that precious Ointment Exod. 30. 34. and as a persume or for the Incense Exod. 30. 7. See Ier. 6. 20. The meaning of this clause seems to be this Thou hast been niggardly in my service when thou hast spared for no cost in the service of thine Idols as is elsewhere noted with Heb. made me drunk or abundantly moistned money neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices r Thou hast offered no more Sacrifices than were simply necessary thou hast not multiplied thy thank-offerings and free-will offerings though I have given thee sufficient occasion to do so but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins s Thou hast made me to bear the load and burden of thy sins which are very grievous and oppressive to me Amos 2. 13. and great exercises of my patience Yea thou hast made it necessary for me to take upon me the form of a Servant that I might bear and carry away thy sins This clause and that which follows are opposed to and aggravated by what he said ver 23. I did not make thee to serve or weary thee with offerings though that work was honourable and beneficial to thee as well as conducing to my service but thou hast made me to serve in the vilest manner with such things as are not onely offensive to me but also pernicious to thee thou hast * Mal. 2. 17. wearied me with thine iniquities 25. I even I t I whom thou hast thus despised and wearied and provoked to destroy thee am he that * Ezek. 36. 22 c. blotteth out u Out of my book in which they were all written and to be read unto thee and charged upon thee another day See Ier. 17. 1. Rev. 20. 12. Sins are oft compared to debts Mat. 6. 12 14 c. which are written in the creditors Book and crossed or blotted out when they are payd thy transgressions for mine own sake x Being moved thereunto not by thy merits but by my own meer goodness and free mercy and will not remember thy sins y So as to punish them and destroy thee for them as thou deservest 26. Put me in remembrance z I remember nothing by which thou hast deserved my favour and the pardon of thy sins if thou knowest any such thing bring it to my mind I allow thee free liberty to plead with me as it follows and if thou hast right on thy side I will justifie thee It is an ironical speech whereby he insulteth over those who were puffed up with an opinion of their own innocency and merit which was the case of many Iews as this and other Prophets have oft observed * Chap. 1. 18. let us plead together declare thou that thou mayst be justified 27. Thy first * Jud. 17. 10. 18. 19. father a Either 1. Adam from whom the guilt and filth of sin is propagated to thee Or rather 2. Abraham who might well be called the first Father of the Israelites because they all descended from him had all their right and title to Gods Ordinances and Promises and other special Priviledges from Gods Covenant made with Abraham and with his Seed and who is oft emphatically called their Father as Iosh. 24. 2. Isa. 51. 2. c. and the Iews gloried in and trusted to that relation which they had to Abraham as we read Mat. 3. 9. Ioh. 8. 33. and elsewhere And this agrees well with the foregoing context For having sufficiently intimated that they had no merits of their own he now addeth that even their Father Abraham to whose merits they trusted had no merits of his own nor any occasion of boasting for he also was a sinful man and hath left some instances of his failings Or the first Father may be put collectively for their Forefathers and so he tels them that as they were sinners so also were all their Progenitors yea even the best of them Abraham and David and others for whose sakes they expected to be pardoned and rewarded And this indeed is usual with God to upbraid the Israelites with the sins of their Fathers hath sinned and thy †Heb. interpreters teachers b Thy Priests and Prophets who were their Intercessours with God and who were generally presumed to be the holiest part of that people and therefore if these were transgressours the people had no reason to fancy themselves to be innocent have transgressed against me 28. Therefore I have profaned c As they have made themselves profane so I have dealt with them as such without any regard to the sacredness and dignity of their functions I have exposed them to contempt and destruction the ‖ Or holy princes princes of the sanctuary d The highest and best of your Priests whose persons were most sacred and therefore supposed by themselves and others to be furthest from danger and have given Iacob to the curse e To utter destruction to which persons or things accursed were devoted of which this Hebrew word is constantly used and Israel to reproaches f To be the Objects of their Enemies scorn and reproaches CHAP. XLIV 1. YEt now hear * Chap. 41. 8. 43. 1. Jer. 30. 10. 46. 27. O Iacob my servant and Israel whom I have chosen a Although I have Chastised thee for thy Sins and had just cause utterly to Destroy thee yet in judgment I will remember Mercy and will still own thee for my Servant and chosen People 2. Thus saith the LORD * Chap. 43. 7. that made thee and formed thee from the womb b From the time of thy Birth or coming out of the Womb. From that time that I first took thee to be my People I have been forming and fashioning thee by giving thee
in which God hath revealed them to thee by my Ministry lest thou shouldest say Behold I knâ—…w them a Either by thine own sagacity or by the help of thine Idols The sence is That it might appear that thou hadst the knowledge of these things onely from me who made known unto thee onely what and when I pleased 8. Yea thou heardest not yea thou knewest not b The same thing is repeated again and again because this was so illustrious a proof of the infinite power and providence of the God of Israel and so clear and full a discovery of the vanity of Idols yea from that time that thine ear was not opened c Heb. Yea from then of which phrase see the foregoing verse thine ear was not opened i. e. thou didst not hear to wit from me I did not reveal these things unto thee for so this Phrase of opening the ear is understood 1 Sam. 9. 15. 2 Sam. 7. 27. for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously d I knew all these cautions were necessary to cure thine infidelity and Apostacy and wast called e To wit justly and truly Or thou wast indeed such a person to be called put for to be as we have oft noted a transgressor from the womb 9. For my Names sake will I defer mine anger f And although thou dost justly deserve my hottest anger and most dreadful judgments which also if thou repentest not I will in due time inflict yet at present I will spare thee and deliver thee out of Captivity not for thy sake be it known to thee but meerly for my own sake and for the vindication of my name and glory as it follows ver 11. and for my praise g That I may be praised and magnified for my Power Faithfulness and Goodness and other perfections will I refrain h To wit mine anger which is easily understood out of the forgoing clause for thee that I cut thee not off 10. Behold I have refined thee i Or I will refine thee Although I will not cut thee off or utterly destroy thee as I now said yet I will put thee into the Furnace not to consume thee but to purifie thee from that dross which cleaveth to thee and needs such afflictions to purge it away but not ‖ Or for silâ—…er with silver k Or not among Silver Or not as Silver which is put into and kept in the Furnace so long till all the dross he purged away from it I will not deal so rigorously with thee for then I should wholly consume thee in judgment I will remember mercy I have chosen l Or I will chuse thee Or I will yet chuse thee as it is expressed Isa. 14. 1. Zech. 1. 17. Or I will chuse thee again as Zech. 2. 12. For it must be considered that God had in a manner rejected Israel when he sent them into Captivity and given her a bill of divorce as he saith Ier. 3. 8. see also Isa. 50. 1. and therefore it was necessary that God should chuse this people a second time that they might be betrothed to him again as is expressed and promised Hos. 2. 19 20. This seems to me the true sence although it may be thus understood I will chuse thee i. e. I will manifest by my carriage to thee that I have chosen thee Or that thou art my chosen People Things being oft said to be done when they are manifested as was observed on ver 7. thee in the furnace of affliction 11. For mine own sake even for my own sake will I do it m This great work of delivering my People out of Babylon for how should my Name n My Name is here fitly supplied both out of ver 9. where it is expressed and out of the following clause of this verse where he saith my glory which is equivalent to it The sence is if I should not spare and deliver my People my name would be sadly profaned and 〈◊〉 as if I were either impotent or implacable to them be polluted and I will not give my * Chap. 42. 8. glory unto another o I will not give any colour or occasion to Idolaters to ascribe the Divine Nature and Properties which are my peculiar unto Idols as they would do if I did not rescue my People out of their hands in spight of their Idols 12. Hearken unto me O Jacob and Israel my called p Who I have called out of the World to be my peculiar People to serve and glorify and enjoy me and therefore you of all others have least cause to forsake me or to follow after Idols I am he I am the * Chap. 41. 4. 44. 6. Revel 1. 17. and 22. 13. first I also am the last 13. Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth and ‖ Or the palm of my right hand hath spread out my right hand hath spanned q Or doth span i. e. mete out the Heavens with a span as the Phrase is Isa. 40. 12. Although that be expressed there in other Hebrew words Or hath spread them out with its palm or like a palm when the hand is stretched out the heavens when I call unto them they stand up together r Either they stood up and arose out of nothing when I commanded them to do 〈◊〉 Or they are still continually in readiness to execute my commands 14. All ye * Ye Jews to whom he addressed his speech ver 12. and continueth his speech ver 16. 17 c. assemble your selves and hear which among them hath declared these things †I challenge you all to answer what I have said before and am now a going to say again s Which of the Gods whom any of you have served or do still hanâ—…er after the LORD hath loved him t To wit Cyrus who might easily be understood out of the foregoing context in which he is frequently mentioned The pronoun is put for the noun as is usual both in Scripture and in other Authors Now God loved Cyrus not with a special and everlasting and complacential love for he was an Heathen and had some great Vices as well as Vertues but with that general love and kindness which God hath for all his Creatures as is observed Psal. 145. 9. and moreover with that particular kind of love which God hath for such men as excel others in any Vertues as Cyrus did in which sence Christ loved the young man Mark 10. 21. and with a love of good will and beneficence God had such a kindness for him as to make him a most glorious and victorious General and King and the great instrument for the deliverance of his own People which was a singular honour and advantage to him and might have been far greater and extended to the eternal Salvation of his soul if he had not wanted an heart to use the