Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 6 · Book 1 · Commentary on psalm 34
PSAL. XXXIV.
David praiseth God for his deliverance, and exhorteth others thereto by his experience. 9 They are blessed that trust in God. 12 Hee exhorteth to the feare of God. 16 The priviledges of the righteous, and miseries of the wicked.
1. A Psalme of David, when he had changed his behaviour before Abimelech, and he had driven him away, and he was gone.
2. I Will blesse Iehovah in all time, continually his praise shall be in my mouth.
3. In Iehovah my soule shall glory, the meeke shall heare and shall rejoyce.
4. Magnifie ye Iehovah with me, and let us extoll his name together.
5. I sought Iehovah, and he answered me, and rid me free from all my feares.
6. They looked to him and flowed, and their faces be not ashamed.
7. This poore afflicted man called, and Iehovah heard, and saved him out of all his distresses.
8. The Angell of Iehovah pitcheth a campe about them that feare him, and releaseth them.
9. Taste ye and see, that Iehovah is good: O blessed is the man that hopeth for safety in him.
10. Feare Iehovah ye his Saints, for there is no want to them that feare him.
11. The Lions are impoverished and an hungred, but they that seeke Iehovah shall not want any good.
12. Come sonnes, hearken to me, I will learne you the feare of Iehovah.
13. Who is the man that willeth life, that loveth dayes to see good?
14. Keepe thy tongue from evill, and thy lips from speaking guile.
15. Eschew evill, and doe good; seeke peace and pursue it.
16. The eyes of Iehovah are unto the just, and his eares unto their outcrie.
17. The face of Iehovah is against them that do evill, to cut off their memoriall from the earth.
18. They cried, and Iehovah heard, and rid them free out of all their distresses.
19. Iehovah is neere to the broken of heart, and the contrite of spirit hee will save.
20. Many are the evils of the just, and out of them all Iehovah will rid him free.
21. He keepeth all his bones, one of them is not broken.
22. Evill shall slay the wicked, and they that hate the just shall be condemned as guiltie.
23. Iehovah redeemeth the soule of his servants, and they shall not be condemned as guiltie, all that hope for safetie in him.
Annotations.
HIs behaviour] or his sense, reason, properly the taste, as in verse 9. Iob 6. 6. and often other-where, which is used both for ones inward sense or reason, and outward gesture and demeanour, (as the Greeke here translateth it, face,) because by it a man is discerned and judged to be wise or foolish, as meats are discerned by the taste. David when he was afraid of the King of Gath, changed his behaviour before them, and sained himselfe mad in their hands, & scrabbled on the doores of the gate, and let his spittle fall downe upon his beard, 1 Sam. 21. 12, 13. Abimelech] whose proper name was Achish King of Gath, a citie of the Philistims, 1 Sam. 21. 10. and as every King of Egypt was called Pharaoh, Gen. 41. 1. Exod. 5. 1. 1 King. 11. 18. so every King of the Philistims was called Abimelech, that is, Father King, Gen. 20. 2. and 26. 1. had driven] or expelled. For Achish said to his servants which had taken and brought David to him, Loe ye see the man is beside himselfe, wherefore have ye brought him to me? have I need of mad men? &c. So David departed thence, 1 Sam. 21. 14, 15. and 22. 1. VponUpon that he made this Psalme.
Vers. … …] or, in every seaso…. See Psal. … T… … is also composed according to the order … the Hebr e… Alphabet, as it observed on Psal. 25. 1.
Vers. 3 shall glgrie] or joyfully boast. For so the Apostie expoundeth this word, which properly signifieth to praise ones selfe, 1 Cor. 1. 31. from Ier. 9. 23, 24. So in Psal. 52. 3. and 97. 7. and 105. 3. and 106. 5.
Vers. 4. Magnifie] or, Make gr…at, to wit, by praising. So Deut. … 3. Give ye greatnesse unto our God.
Vers. 6. They looked] to wit, the meeke, mentioned before, vers. 3. or generally, they that looke and flow unto him. flowed] ran as a river; the like similitude is, Isa. 2. 2. and 60. 5. Ier. 31. 12. and 51. 44. be not ashamed] or, shall not be ashamed; which word in the originall signifieth digging; as Psal. 35. 7. applied to shame, which causeth men to seeke to hide themselves, as is lively described, Rev. 6. 15, 16.
Vers. 8. The Angel] that is, the Angels; for hee speaketh of an host: And often in the Hebrew, one is put for a muititude; as the inhabitant, for, the inhabitants, 2 Sam. 5. 6. with 1 Chron. 11. 4. So, frog for …, Psal. 78. 45. tree for troes, quaile for quailes, Psal. 105. 33. 40. See the note on Psal. 8. 9. pitcheth a campe] a similitude taken from warres; as Psal. 27. 3. So Iakob, when the Angels of God met him, said, This is Gods campe (or host) Gen. 32. 1, 2. Likewise about Elishah, the mountaine was full of horses and chariots of fire, 2 Kings 6. 17. See also Psal. 91. 11, 12.
Vers. 9. Taste and see] that is, make triall and you shall find that God is good, sweet and delectable; and you will the more desire him. Thus the Apostle applieth these words, saying; as new borne babes desire yee the sincere milke of the word, that yee may grow thereby, if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is good, 1 Pet. 2. 2, 3. … in him] The Chaldee expoundeth it, in his word.
Vers. 10. Feare Iehovah] under this word Feare, is comprehended Gods whole worship, as is shewed on Psal. 19. 10. and the walking in his wayes, as it is expounded in 2 Chr. 6. 31. compared with 1 King. 8. 40. and Psal. 128. 1.
Vers. 11. Lions] Lurking lions (whereof see Psal. 7. 3.) which are lusty, strong toothed, fierce, roaring, ravenous, as appeareth by Psal. 58. 7. and 104. 21. Mic. 5. 8. Ezek. 19. 3. 5, 6. 7. Iob …9. 1, 2. And hereby may be meant the rich and mighty of the world, whom God often bringeth to miserie; and so the Greeke for Lions, putteth here the rich. Tyrants and strong men are sometime called Lions, Ier. 2. 15. 1. Chr. 11. 22. Nahum 2. 13. See Luke 1. 53. are impoverished] or suffer penurie. See Iob 4. 10, 11. Prov. 10. 3. that seeke Iehovah] Chaldee, that seeke the doctrine of the Lord.
Vers. 13. that willeth] that is, faine would have and delighteth. dayes to see good] that is, to enjoy good many dayes; which the Apostle (following the Seventie) expresseth thus, to see good daies, 1 Pet. 3. 10. that is, dayes of prosperitie, pleasure, comfort.
Vers. 14. Keepe thy tongue] to wit, by restraining and making it cease from evill, as the Apostle teacheth, 1 Pet. 3. 10.
Vers. 16. their outcrie:] or, their deprecation, their prayer for need, as the Greeke (which the Apostle followeth) expresseth it.
Vers. 17. The face] that is, open anger, Lev. 17. 10. So the Chaldee expoundeth it, The face of the Lord is angry against evill doers: See Psalm. 21. 10.
Vers. 18. They cried] that is, as the Greeke faith, The just cried: and the Chaldee, the just prayed.
Vers. 19. the broken of heart] them that have their hearts broken and their spirits contrite (or humble) for their sinnes. See the like speeches, Psal. 51. 19. and 147. 3. Isa. 57. 15. and 61. 1. Ier. 23. 9. Luke 4. 18.
Vers. 20. the evils] that is, griefes and afflictions; as Deut. 31. 17. Psal. 27. 5. and 88. 4. Mat. 6. 34. the word also may import sinnes and vices, as Psal. 28. 3. and 94. 23. So after in verse 22.
Vers. 22. slay the wicked] or, doe him die, kill him; because he shall not be delivered there-from, as the just man is, vers. 20. The Greeke and Chaldee expound it, The death of sinners (of the wicked) is evill. condemned as guilty] and consequently perish. See Psal. 5. 11.
Vers. 23. all that hope] that is, any one of them. So all is used for any, Psal. 147. 20.