Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Preface 2 – Biblical commentary 6
A PREFACE CONCERNING DAVID, his Life and Acts.
DAVID the sonne of Iesse, of the tribe of Iudah, of the linage of Abraham in the a1 Chron. 2. Matth. 1. 1. 17.fourteenth generation, was borne in Bethlehem (a towne in the tribe of Iudah, in the land of Canaan,) about 2917 yeares after the creation of the world, in the daies when Samuel the Prophet was Iudge of Israel. He was the b1 Chro. 2. 15.seventh and youngest of all Iesses sonnes, of least esteeme among them, and set to keepe his fathers c1 Sam. 16. 11.sheepe. In the three and twentieth yeere of his life, he was by Samuel the Prophet privately in Bethlehem anointed d1 Sam. 16. 13.King over Israel, in the midst of his brethren, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him from that day forward. He was eVers. 12.ruddy, of a beautifull countenance, and goodly to looke to; a fVers. 18.cunning player on the Harpe, a mightie valiant man of warre, and prudent in speech, and a comely person, and the Lord was with him: Who also gave him these testimonies and promises; gAct. 13. 22.I have found David, the sonne of Iesse, a man after mine owne heart, which shall fulfill … my will. hPsal. 89. 19.I have laid helpe on one that is mighty, I have exalted one chosen out of the people, with whom iVers. 21.my hand shall be established, mine arme also shall strengthen him; I will kVers. 23, &c.beat downe his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. In my name shall his horne be exalted; I will set his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers; I will make him my first-borne, higher than the Kings of the earth. My mercy will I keepe for him for ever, and my covenant shall stand fast with him; his seed will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the daies of heaven, &c.
After Davids anointing in Bethlehem, he went againe and fed his l1 Sam. 16. 19.fathers sheep: but the Spirit of God wrought mightily in him. He killed m1 Sam. 17.Goliath, the Philistian Giant, from whose face nVers. 24.all the men of Israel fled away for feare: David overcame him (in the name of the Lord of hosts) with a sling and with a stone. He was a cunning Musitian; and o1 Sam. 16. 23.playing on his Harpe with his hand, he refreshed King Saul, tho was vexed with an evill spirit from the Lord. He was imployed in warres against … Philistians: and p1 Sam. 18. 5.whither soever Saul sent him, he behaved himselfe wisely and …ospered, and was accepted in the eyes of all the people; so that the women of Israel …g of him, qVers. 7.Saul hath slaine his thousands, and David his ten thousands. But that …aise rVers. 8, 9.procured him envie from Saul ever after, and he sought to slay him: but sVers. 16.all Is…ael loved him. And though he after tooke to wife Michal, Sauls daughter; yet t1 Sam. 19. &c.Saul …ontinued his hatred against his sonne in law; and first secretly, then openly sought his …fe: so that David was faine to flee and hide himselfe in the land of Israel, and in …range countries, to the uPsal. 120. 1 Sam. 26. 19.great affliction of his soule.
When Saul was dead, and David x2 Sam. 5. 4.thirtie yeares of age, the men of Iudah y2 Sam. 2. 4.anointed him King the second time, in Hebron, over the house of Iudah. Ishbosheth, Sauls son, resisted him; but David waxed stronger and stronger. Then z1 Chron. 11. 1, 3.all Israel anointed him King over them, and he reigned in Ierusalem. So the time of all his reigne was a2 Sam. 5. 4, 5.forty yeares. In Hebron he reigned over Iudah seven yeeres and six months, and in Ierusalem he reigned 33. yeares over all Israel and Iudah. During which space, the Lord still exercised him with many b1 Chron. 14. & 18. & 19.wars abroad, and troubles at home; as by the defiling of his daughter c2 Sam. 13. &c.Thamar, the killing of his son Amnon, the treason and death of his son Absalon, the rebellion of Sheba, and other like sorrowes which God d2 Sam. 12. 10.for his sins chastised him with, so many and so great, that the e2 Sam. 22. 5, 6.pangs of death compassed him about, the flouds of Belial (the ungodly men) made him afraid, the cords of hell compassed him, the snares of death prevented him; his fPsal. 55. 4, 5.heart was sore pained within him, and the terrours of death fell upon him; fearfulnesse and trembling came upon him, and horrour overwhelmed him. His gPsal. 31. 11.life was spent with griefe, his yeares with sighing, his strength failed, and his bones were consumed.
But alwaies in his feares hPsal. 56. 3, 4.he trusted in God, and was not afraid what flesh could doe unto him; in his distresse i2 Sam. 22. 7.he called upon the Lord, and cried to his God, who heard his voice out of his Temple, and drew him out of kVers. 17, 18, &c.many waters, from his strong enemie, and from them that hated him, and brought him forth into a large place, and delivered him, because he delighted in him. Hee gave him the lVers. 36, &c.shield of his salvation, and girded him with strength to battell, and gave him the neckes of his enemies, that he destroyed those that hated him. Therefore he gave thanks unto the Lord mVers. 50.among the nations, and sang praises unto his name, nPsal. 57. 8.awaking up his glory, awaking up his Psaltery and Harpe, awaking himselfe early, to praise the Lord among the peoples, and to sing unto him among the nations: so he sang of his oPsal. 59. 16.power, he sang loud of his mercy in the morning, that God had beene his defence and refuge in the day of his distresse.
And hereof this booke of Psalmes (most whereof David made) is a glorious testimony; wherein by manifold Psalmes, and Hymnes, and spirituall Songs, he set forth the praises of God, his owne…aith in his Word, exercise and delight in his Law, with narrations of Gods former and present mercies, and prophesies of future graces to be fulfilled in Christ, whom he (being a Prophet) pAct. 2. 30.knew that hee should be the fruit of his loines concerning the flesh, and should sit upon his throne; whose incarnation, afflictions, death, resurrection, ascension, and eternall glorious kingdome and priesthood, he sang by the Spirit, with such heavenly melody, as may not only delight, but draw into admiration every understanding heart, and comfort the afflicted soule with such consolation as David himselfe was comforted of the Lord.
And these his Psalmes have ever since, by the Church of Israel, by qMa…. …1. 16. 42. Rom. 4. 6. & 11. 9.Christ and his Apostles, and by the Saints in all ages, been received and honoured as the oracles of God, cited for confirmation of true religion, & sung in the publike assemblies, as in Gods Tabernacle and Temple, where they sang praise unto the Lord, with the r2 Chron. 29. 30.words of David▪ and with the instrumēts which s2 Chron. 7. 6.he had made over their t2 Chron. 29. 25, 27, 28.burnt-offerings & sacrifices▪
Now because many things, both for phrase and matter, are difficult to such as ar… not acquainted with Davids language, I have (out of my slender store) annexed … few briefe notes, comparing the Scriptures, and conferring the best Expositors, espe… ally the ancient Greeke and Chaldee versions, whereby if any helpe of understand… may arise, the praise be to God, the comfort to his people.