Exposition Upon Select Psalms, Biblical commentary · Psalm 39
THE ARGVMENT OF the XXXIX. Pſalme.
It is a Pſalme, calling the Prophete to remembrance of his adviſe, that hee had once taken before this time, concerning his owne governement. Out of the inſcription, it ſeemeth to bee Davids. And it appeareth out of the thr…ede of the text & purpoſe thereof, to bee written at that time when hee was caſt in extreame great ſtraites, by the conſpiracie of Abſchelom. The argument and ſumme of the Pſalme is this. David acknowledgeth firſt, that, hee wente a ſtray from his purpoſed ſilence and patience, and correcting himſelfe thereafter, he prayeth vntounto God. Firſt then in this Pſalme, there is a Narration vntounto the 8. verſe, then there is a prayer vntounto the ende of the Pſalme.
Pſalme. XXXIX.
1 A Pſalme of DAVID, committed to be ſong, to the Maiſter of Muſicke, of Ieduthun.
2 I had ſaide, I will take heede to my waies, leaſt I ſinne with my tongue, I will keepe a bridle in my mouth, ſo long as the wicked man ſhall be in my ſight.
3 I had bene dumme, ſpeaking nothing, yea, I had keeped ſilence from good, when my ſorrowe be-gouthe to waxe freſhe againe.
4 And my minde growing hoate within mee, the fyre burning vppe in my meditation, I ſpake with my tongue, ſaying.
5 Cauſe me, ô Iehova, to prooue in experience mine ende: for what is the meaſure of my dayes? I will aſſaie howe durable I am.
6 Beholde, thou haſte appoynted my daies as hand breadths, and my time is as nothing before thee: ſurelie all men is everie waie vanitie, although hee bee never ſo well eſtabliſhed. Selah.
7 Doubtleſſe man paſſeth away by a ſhaddow, ſurely in vaine they make a noiſe: ſome man gathereth together, but he knoweth not who ſhall receiue thoſe things.
I Had ſaid] Of the narration,Three parts of the narration. there are three partes: For firſt he ſetteth downe the adviſe that hee had taken to driue over his life in ſuffering, in the 2. verſe. Then he ſubjoyneth, that as hee had taken purpoſe, ſo hee begouth to liue at the beginning, in the 3. verſe. Thirdly hee addeth, that hee fell away from his begunne adviſe, from the latter part of the third verſe to the 8. Then to returne; Firſt de declareth,The firſt part. that he took purpoſe to driue over his life patiently. And in this meaning, he ſpeaketh firſt ingeneral. I will take heede to my waies] That is, to my whole life: Then in ſpeciall. Leaſt I ſin with my tongue] whereby he ſignifieth, hee wil take diligent heede, leaſt he go aſtray in tongue or ſpech; for in ruling of the tongue & ſpeach, a good part of our life is ſeene: Now to the end he may the better governe his tongue (he ſayth:) He will keep in his mouth a bridle] To witte, to brydle his tongue; the borrowed ſpeach beeing taken from vn-rulie Horſes. Then hee noteth the time of his ſilence, and dantoning of his tongue. So long (ſaieth hee) as the wicked man ſhall be in my ſight] That is, howe oft ſoever it ſhall pleaſe God to exerciſe me,The ſecōd part. Through wicked mens doing. I had bene dome, ſpeaking nothing] The ſecond part of the narration, wherby he openeth vp the begun execution by himſelfe of his counſell taken. I had bene dome] (ſayeth he) Then followeth the amplification, from the thing that is more: As if hee ſhould ſaye; yea, I remembred not ſo much indeed before them of mine honeſte and juſt defence, but I leftall, and I patiently ſuffered. Of this, ſee the example in DAVIDS hiſtorie of Simei. 2. Sa…. 1…. 5.He met DAVID ſlying from Abſchalom, and not only he invaded him by wordes, but by ſtones. But DAVID, with a wounderfull patience, ſuſteined the mans opprobrie & wronge. When my ſorrow] In the third roome,The third part. DAVID declareth and ſheweth, that he had gone aſtray from his purpoſe; And the ſumme of the going aſtraie, is ſet downe in the wordes that follow in the fourth verſe. I ſpak with my) That is, I murmured againſt God. Alſo the three cauſes of going aſtray go before. The firſt is in this place, as if he ſhould ſay, When there was none end of afflictiones, my ſorrowe as a wound waxed greene: The ſecond is in the beginning of the next verſe. My minde growing hoate within mee] The third is the ſeconde parte of the verſe following, as if he ſhould ſaye, With often meditation and thought, mine affection was kindled vppe, and was as it were, altogether ſo vehementlie in flamed. DAVID manyfeſteth this extreame greate perturbation of minde, When TZIBA approching, hee accuſed his maiſter MAPHIBOSHETH, as one aſpyring to the kingdome falſelie. 2. Samuel. 16. 1. Marke, of all theſe thinges, Firſt, DAVID tooke purpoſe to bee patiente, and hee begouth to put in practiſe his purpoſed adviſe, but hee wente backe from execution. It proceedeth of the grace, that wee take purpoſe to doe the thinge that is good: It commeth from the grace of GOD, that wee beginne to follow out, the good thinge that wee hauehave decreed: But ſcarſe hauehave wee begunne, but if wee be left of GOD (ſuch is the weakneſſe of our nature) we preſentlie fall awaie. Where fore wee hauehave neede of the continuall grace of GOD all our lifelong and in all the actiones of our life, otherwiſe, it is not poſſible that wee can perſever to the ende. Secondlie, that is to bee marked, that DAVID entred not in raſhlie into thie this way of ſilence and patience, but he did this adviſedly, that is, having firſt taken counſel there anent. Who ſoever therefore will patiently driue over this life, and liue wel every way, he ought to obliſh himſelfe as it were to doe this thing, by a ſure determination of his mind, and haueing had deliberation thereof before. For this thing ſerveth eſpecially againſt thoſe ſuddaine motions of the minde: For you may ſee, many caried violently hither and thither in an inſtant with their owne affectiones. The cauſe is, that they never yet decreed with themſelues, to driue over their life patiently: From whence it came to paſſe, that if they bee mooved, yea, with the leaſt trifling thing, preſently their tongue is lowſed to reproches, and their hande is enarmed to commit ſum haynous wicked fact. Men commonlie thinke that it is not the parte of a couragious mind, to ſuffer wrong, neither yet thinke they, that they are men of Spirite, vnleſſe they be tranſformed into beaſts. Surely I judge, that none of thoſe men were ſtronger in Spirit then DAVID, or greater in heart, which notwithſtanding decreed with his owne mind to ſuffer all kinde of injuries. This is the verie beaſtlie fearcenes of our country men, & not any courage of mind. Thirdly, it is to be obſerved, that DAVIDs affection at laſt boyled-vp, and that he himſelfe ſpake at length: For ſuch is the force of our affectiones, that violently they draw the regenerate hither and thither. Of which it is that you yet perceiue, ſome remanēts of ſinne ſtill to remaine in every one of the beſt men: and that this perfect regeneration of the Papiſtes, is but a dreame. Surely I beleeue, that theſe men never yet ſufficiētly went down into themſelues, and hauehave never ſeen that vyle corruption, that lyeth far ben in the heart. I know (ſayeth the Apoſtle) being now regenerate, that in me, …. 7. 18.that is in my fleſh, no good dwelleth He indeed felt that bitterneſſe of ſin cleauing faſt to the ribbes, and that law, which he calleth, The law of the members, rebelling againſt the law of the Spirite: which indeed thoſe men hauehave never yet felte nor would not feele. Fourthly, it is to bee noted, that DAVID gaue not place incontinēt vntounto his affection: for you ſee here that he burſted foorth into theſe voyces, by certaine degrees. For afflictions cō ming vppon vsus dailie, firſt of all, ſorrow like a wounde waxeth greene, then the hart groweth hoate: thirdly, the fyre kindleth vp, and then indeede the tongue is lowſed. Learne therefore, that the affectiones of the renewed man burſt not foorth, without ſome wraſtling, whereby indeed the regenerat man differeth from the vnrenewed, which eaſilie, yea with any light motion, is brought on to commit any thing, and from hence proceedeth alſo another difference betuixt the renewed man, & the vnregenerate. The regenerate man indeede ſuffereth greatly, & for a long time, wronges and afflictiones: IOB took in patience the los of his goods, he ſuffereth alſo patiently, the tinſell of his children, but when it came to boyles in his owne bodie, hee ſuffered not thoſe with ſo patient a mind. Notwithſtanding, that mans wounderfull patience, is recommended to the whole poſteritie, But he which is not renewed, ſuffereth nothing with a willing minde, if he be not able to revenge wronges when hee woulde, notwithſtāding he reteineth with in himſelfe an intention of vengeance. Fiftly, it is to be marked, DAVID kindled vp firſt, then he ſpake:Iame. 3. …. Iames in his Epiſtle, He calleth the tongue a fyre: alſo the ſame chap. 3. 6. Apoſtle calleth it a fyre inflamed of Hell. Beholde in this place that hel which is no other thing then the fyre of malice, burning vp in the hearte as it were, and blowen vp and fed by Sathan. Se therefore, vnleſſe there be firſt a flamme in the hart, ther is no flamme in the tongue: That thing which defyleth the man (ſayeth the Lord) commeth out from within the man: Then as oft as thou heareſt thoſe blaſphemies, reproches, and rotten filthie ſpeaches, impute not thoſe ſo much to the wickedneſſe of the tongue, as to the vncleaneſſe of the heart: For of the abundance of the hart, the mouth ſpeaketh] We deteſt the mens tongues, but if wee were able once to ſee thoſe fowle and filthie hearts of men, which God alone beholdeth, howe greatly I praye you, would we altogether abhorre them? For there is nothing more deteſtable to the godlie man, then is the ſoule and hearte of a man, not regenerate by the holie Spirite: Hitherto hath bene declared, the firſt parte of the Pſalme, Cauſe me, ô Iehova to prooue in] He maketh mention of the prayer which he vſed in the falling backe. whereof againe there are two parts: Firſte, hee earneſtly craveth death: then he deſireth a deliverance from ſinne,two parts of the petition. and from the puniſhment of ſinne. To the ende this doctrine may be the eaſier; theſe two thinges are to be diſtinguiſhed in the firſt petition: Firſt, the petition it ſelfe, in the firſte part of the fift verſe:The firſt part. The ſecond, the reaſon of the petition in the nexte parte of the ſame verſe. The third is, an amplification, in the laſte parte of the ſame verſe, and in the beginning of the next verſe: The fourth is an… certaine acclamation, in the ſeconde parte of the ſixt verſe, & the whole 7. verſe through out. Nowe as concerning the petition. Cauſe me to proove in experience (ſayeth he) mine ende:] He might hauehave comprehended this in one word; make me to die, but he vſed a circumlocution, becauſe of his paſſionat affection, to ſhew the loathſomnes he had of life; as if he ſhould ſaye: I hauehave long ſinſine ſought the end of life, make me to feele it in experience at laſt: Then the reaſon is adjoyned, from the ſhortnes of this life. What is the meaſure of my dayes (ſayeth he?] As if he ſhould ſay, it is nothing. Then cōtinuing in the purpoſe, and willing as it were to define more exactlie the time of his life: Firſt, he maketh a preface, that he wil diligentlie endevour, that he may ſee and know how durable he is: There after hee preſcribeth the time of his life, then clearelie hee ſheweth, as it were to God the author thereof, the meaſure of his life. Behold (ſaith he) thou haſte appoynted my daies as handebreadths] that is, no longer then is the meaſure of an hand-breadth. Then he proceedeth, in the extenuating of his daies. My time (ſayeth he) is nothing before thee] This much cōcerning the enlarging of the Argument. Laſt followeth, the publiſhing of a graue & weightie ſentence or acclamation. Surly al men (ſaith he) is everie way vanitie, although he bee never ſo well eſtabliſhed] That is, firme and fixed in this life: like as DAVID appeared to be in a noble & puſſant kingdome, the enemies vppon all ſides, being overcome, when this conſpiracie aroſe: Now hee repeateth this parte of the acclamation: For in the ſame meaning he ſayth: Doubtleſſe man paſſeth away by a ſhaddow] That is, by a certaine vaniſhing faſhion,1. Cor. … 31. as PAVLL ſpeaketh, by a faſhion or figure, by which wordes it ſignifyeth: not anie ſubſtantiall thinge, but a certaine vaniſhing faſhiō of a thing. The ſame is the judgmēt of the Prophet, of every wicked mā,Pſal. 7…. 60. although he appear to be never ſo well eſtabliſhed, The ſame alſo is the Apoſtles judgement, concerning this whole preſente whorlde. The faſhion of this worlde (ſayeth hee) goeth away. 1. Cor. … 31.And this much indeede hath bene ſpoken of both the partes of the acclamation. Surely in vayne they make a noyſe] He ſheweth the ſelfe ſame vanity to be of mens careful indevours, which is of the men themſelues: as if hee ſhould ſaye: They labour, runne & ſweat in vaine, which thing he himſelfe had before founde in experience, who after he had purchaſed with ſo great travell, the kingdome, and ſo great riches, he ſaw Abſchalom his ſonne to rage, and he beleeveth that Mephiboſheth would interpriſe ſome thing againſt the kingdome, and therefore hee was vncertain, whether he ſhould hauehave his ſon to be his ſucceſſor, or any other whoſoever. Mark firſt: DAVID, his tongue being now lowſed, he inveighed not preſently againſt Abſchalom, nor againſt Mephiboſheth, nor againſt any man whoſoever: But turning vntounto God, he murmureth againſt him. For we are al of that diſpoſition, and that is the nature of our affectiones, that aſſoone as they are lowſed, then they begin firſt to be caried head long againſt God: which thing, theſe Tragedies, written by the Gentiles, ſufficiently declare, where yee perceiue ſo many blaſphemies of miſerable men; ſo many paſſionat out cryings & exclamations, not ſo much againſt man as thoſe gods, whom they fayned to themſelues. There ſurely it is a certaine vive repreſentation of the corrupt nature of all men; in the meane time, they ſuffer all ſortes of extreamities: For wee all by nature, impute the afflictions which befall vsus, & our miſeries to God, & not to our ſelues, or to our ſinnes. Notwithſtanding, this murmuring of DAVID, neither that impatience of IOB, is altogether deſperate, ſuch as vſeth to be of profane men, and whom God leaveth altogether by his Spirite. Marke next, The argument of the petition, from the ſhortnes of the life, he gathereth that we muſt die. It is profitable indeede, continually to thinke of the ſhortneſſe of this life, and not to harden our heart againſte afflictiones, whereby we are exerciſed in this life, according to the will of God. So IACOB complayneth before PHARAOH, through the ſenſe of the nuſerie of this life,Gen. 47▪ 9. That his daies were ſhort and evill: But we muſt not alway gather of this, that wee muſt die, neither yet through impatience, is death to bee thirſted after: which thing DAVID did at ſome times, through the weaknes of the fleſh. But PAVLE ſheweth a far diverſe vſe of oppreſſion. Affliction bringeth not out impatience, Rom. 5. 4. ….but patience, patience experience, experience hope. Thou ſeeſt therefore, that impatience & deſperation follow not vppon the the ſenſe of afflictiones, but patience and hope. Of the which againe, you gather, after what maner the corrupt nature of man, abuſeth good arguments, for evill concluſiones & petitiones. Alſo, there is ſome meaſure of impatience here: to wit, the holy Spirit of God drawing back the mā again For ſurely, even a very Cato being ſet in that eſtate which DAVID then was in, had gone further on, & not onelyonly would hee hauehave earneſtlie deſired death at Gods hand, but he himſelfe had put hand in himſelfe: yet God leaveth not his own altogether. Thirdlie note, that the corrupt nature of man, abuſeth the beſt ſentences what ſoever, ſuch as is this, That al men is everie way vanitie] For we cannot ſufficiently weigh our own mind, how vaine we are by nature, whereof we hauehave an example, yea, in Dauid a renewed man; We abuſe this ſentence to a verie bad concluſion, to impatience, to deſperatiō, & to murmuring againſt God. The ſame David, or who ſoever he was that writ the 73. Pſalme gathereth a farr better concluſion of ſuch a like ſentence, of the vanitie of vngodly men:Pſal. …2. … This to wit, I ſhal be alway with thee (ſayeth hee) Fourthly, Dauid being afflicted, hee feeleth in experience his owne vanitie and miſerie, according to his owne miſerie and confeſſion: As if hee ſhoulde againe, hee meaſureth the common miſerie of men. Of which thinge learne, what is the vſe of afflictiones, from afflictions proceedeth not onlye the knowledge of our owne ſelues, but commonlie of the miſerie of all men, which is ſo neceſſarie alwaye, that without it, there is no feeling of deliverance and happineſſe. For except miſerie be knowen, there is no deſire of happines and felicitie: And if there ſhall be no deſire at any time, in the life of this deliverance, ſurelie no deliverance ſhall ever bee. For the gate is not opened, but to thoſe that knocke, neither yet is anie thing given, but to thoſe that ſeeke. …his eſtate of men is moſt dangerous who are continually dronken, with the proſperous ſucceſſe of all things, neither yet hauehave they experience at any time, of thoſe imperfectiones, and miſeries, which follow our nature.
8 But nowe, ô Lord, what waite I for? mine hope is in thee.
9 Deliver mee from all my back-ſlyding, laye mee not out for a reproch to the fooliſh.
10 I am dumme, I open not my mouth becauſe thou haſt done it.
11 Remooue thy plague from me, I faile at the ſtroke of thine hand.
12 If thou with rebukes for iniquitie wouldeſt chaſtiſe any man, thou wouldeſt diſſolue the thing that is to bee deſired in him, as a moth, ſurely all men is vanitie. Selah.
13 Heare my prayer, O Iehova, & my cry, turne thine eare vntounto my teares, play not the part of a deafe man: becauſe I am a ſtranger before thee, a ſoiourner as all mine aunceſters.
14 Ceaſe off from mee, that I may referſh my ſelfe, when I goe not, as yet awaie, ſo that I be preſent no more.
BVt now] The ſeconde part of the Pſalme, in which he draweth courage to himſelfe, and correcteth that wandring a ſtraye, which was in himſelf ſome time before, as if he ſhould ſaye. Hither to I hauehave hauehave ſpoken theſe things of my going aſtray. But now ô Lord, what waite … for? that is, what is mine hope? Then he anſwereth himſelfe: Mine hope is in thee] Having layde downe his hope, hee conceiveth new prayers farre diverſe from thoſe, which he made mention of that, he vſed before. He is very zealous in prayers, for he repeateth one thing thriſe. Now ther ar three arguments of the petition, thriſe repeated over: Then is ſubjoyned the concluſion.The argumentes of the petitiō. He craveth firſt in theſe words. Deliver me from all my defectiones, laye mee not out for a reproch to the fooliſh] That is, to thoſe that abuſe reaſon to fooliſhnes and infamie; which thing al men do: while they be called back by the holie Spirite of God. I waxe dumme] The argumente of the firſte petition, from his owne repentance ſay; I acknowledge that thou art the righteous author of this my chaſtiſement, and I quiet my ſelfe in thy judgementes. Remooue thy plague from mee] Hee repeareth this petition,The repetition & expo…ng of the petitiō eſpeciallie the latter parte thereof. For that reproche whereof hee ſpake, hee interpreteth and calleth it a plague. At the ſtroke] The other argument of the repeated petion, from his own wickednes. If thou with rebukes] The amplifying of the argumente, from the common eſtate of all men, of whom, none hauehave that ſtrength, whereby hee is able to beare oute, if hee compare himſelfe, with the weightineſſe of Gods judgemente: But contrariwiſe, hee is extreame weake. Nowe concerning this argumente, looke manie thinges, in the booke of IOB. For iniquitie wouldeſt chaſtiſe] That is, if thou wouldeſt chaſtice anie man according to his deſerving, thou wouldeſt diſſolue him into Aſhes, as a moth, which is deſtroyed with the touching onelyonly. Then conſiddering this common eſtate and weakeneſſe of men, whereby they are not able indeed to ſuffer ſo much as the leaſt of Gods judgements, he cryeth out as before, in the ſixt verſe, Surely all men is vanitie] Here my prayer] Thirdly, he rehearſeth the ſame petition, with a greate vehemencie of minde, And firſt he recommendeth vntounto God, the prayers themſelues: Then the crying out in powring out of the prayers. Thirdly, the teares cō joyned with the crying: For ſuch circumſtances are not adjoyned vntounto praiers in vaine, as crying & teares. Yea, they are cared for by God, who putteth vp into his bottle, every teare of his own, & hes them all in his regiſter as it were, as DAVID ſpeaketh in another place. Becauſe I am a ſtranger] The thirde reaſon of the petition repeated in the third place, frō the ſhortneſſe of this life: as if he ſhould ſaye: Becauſe I am not able to continue long in this preſent life, & be a ſtranger from the Lord; ſuch is the common eſtate of all mortall men, therefore there is an occaſion offered vntounto thee, to excuſe thy mercy towarde me, a miſerable Pilgrime. So doe the faithfull ſpeake in other places. Ceaſe off from me] This is the concluſion, as if he ſhould ſaye: Therefore leaue off from afflicting mee longer and more grieuouſlie, that I may refreſhe my ſelfe before I die, not being to returne againe vntounto this life. So doth IOB diſpute, 10. 21. &c. and as a humble ſuppliant is turned to God. When I goe not away] Theſe words declare the ſhortneſſe of this preſent life, as if he ſhould ſay, ſo long as the ſhorte light continueth, or, ſo long as I enjoy this ſhorte light. And this is the ſelfe-ſame argument in effect with that, which was in the ende of the verſe preceding. Out of thoſe things which we hauehave ſpoken, marke firſt in DAVID a certain memorable change and prayers, greatly diſagreeing among themſelues. Before indeed he had prayed with a troubled minde, but nowe hee prayeth with a more quiet and ſetled hart. For ſometimes the fleſhe hath more the rule in the prayers of the faithful, then the Spirit oft-times. And ſome times again, the rule of the Spirit, is more then of the fleſh. Thou haſt alſo in this change, an inſtruction of the finall victory of the holy Spirite. For although in this preſent life, the victorie appeareth to be oft vpō the fleſhes ſide; nevertheles by that ſame thinge, that after the motiō of the fleſh, the holy Spirit raiſeth vp in vsus that operation, which ſuppeth vp, as it were the motion of the Spirite; we are put in minde that once the victorie, ſhal be perfect and full vponupon the Spirites ſides. More over conſidder, how diverſe▪ yea, how contrary to the ſelfe, the effect of afflictions is in DAVID. For ſeeing before, when affliction draue him forward to mourning, now the feeling of the ſame, provoketh him to the acknowledging of ſin, and to the deprecation of the puniſhment therof. For what is all our nature, if at anie time wee be oppreſſed with adverſitie, then wee are wearied of this preſent life, and wee crie for death. But wee are admoniſhed rather, to ſeeke the forgiuenes of ſinnes, and reconciliation with GOD, through Ieſus Chriſt, then death, ſeeing that indeede the affliction is not to bee ended with death; but it ſhal be encreaſed manie waies, if through Ieſus Chriſt there bee not reconciliation. Finally obſerue, how diverſelie hee doth conclude from the ſame argument, taken from the ſhortneſſe of this life. For before, becauſe the life is ſhorte, hee earneſtlie ſought for death. Now, becauſe the life is ſhort, he prayeth that the plague may bee remooved. He vſeth the argument of the Spirite aright, which the fleſh abuſeth; and he draweth out holy petitiones and concluſiones out of the ſame principles, out of the which, the fleſh draweth out venime. The regenerate men foeleth in thēſelues this contrarie maner of reaſoning & concluding out of the ſame principles. Yea, and they are happie in that reſpect, that thereafter they hauehave concluded out of good principles, evill thinges; out of the ſame againe they hauehave gathered good things, the Spirit, to witte, overcomming the fleſh: when the vngodly and vnrenewed, continuallie, if at any time it happen them to ſee good grounds, draw out of them falſe and vngodly concluſions: For it is ſaide, That the vngodlie knowing God, notwithſtanding they glorified him not as GOD, but they became vaine in their thoughts. Rom. 1. 21To GOD, in Chriſt Ieſus be all glorie, Amen.