Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 6 · Book 1 · Commentary on psalm 12 – Commentary on psalm 13
PSAL. XII.
David destitute of humane comfort, craveth helpe of God. 4 He comforteth himselfe with Gods judgements on the wicked, and confidence in Gods tried promises.
To the Master of the Musicke upon the eight, a Psalme of David.
SAve O Iehovah, for the gracious Saint is ended, for the faithful are diminished from the sons of Adam. They speake false vanitie, each man with his next friend, with lip of flatteries; with a heart and a heart they speake. Iehovah cut off all lips of flatteries, the tongue that speaketh great things.
Which have said, with our tongue we will prevaile, our lips are with us, who is Lord over us? For the wasteful spoile of the poore afflicted, for the groning of the needie ones: now will I rise up, saith Iehovah; I will set in salvation, he shall have breathing. The sayings of Iehovah are pure sayings: as silver tried in a subliming furnace of earth, fined seven times. Thou Iehovah wilt keepe them, wilt preserve him from this generation for ever. The wicked walke on every side, when vilenesse is exalted of the sonnes of Adam.
Annotations.
Vers. 1. upon the eight] which the Chaldee expoundeth, upon the eight stringed harpe: See Psal. 6. 1.
SAve] or helpe. This word is largely used, for all manner saving, helping, delivering, preserving, &c. as to helpe or defend from injurie, Exod. 2. 17. 2 King. 6. 26, 27. to deliver from all adversities, Psal. 34. 7. as from sicknesse, Mat. 9. 21. Mark. 6. 56. from drowning, Mat. 8. 25. from shipwracke, Act. 27. 31. from hands of enemies, Psal. 18. 4. Iude 5. from sinne, Mat. 1. 21. from death, Mat. 27. 40. from wrath, Rom. 5. 9. and infinite the like. And is not onelyonly a helping in trouble, but a riddance out of it, as one Evangelist saith, Let us see if Elias will come and save him, Mat. 27. 49. another saith, if Elias will come and take him downe, Mark. 15. 36. the faithfull are diminished] or faiths, fidelities are ceased. The originall word is used both for true and faithfull persons, 2 Sam. 20. 19. and for truths or fidelities, Esay 26. 2. The Greeke translateth, the truths.
Vers. 3. false vanity] or vaine falshood; in Greeke, vaine things. This word (shav) noteth vanity both of words and deeds, Exod. 20. 7. Ier. 2. 30. and often that which is also false, Exo. 23. 1. as that which Moses in Exod. 20. 16. calleth witnesse of falshood, (Sheker,) relating it he calleth false vanity, (Shav) Deut. 5. 20. with his next friend] or his neighbour, his friend with whom he is associate. Sometime this word is used for a speciall friend, 2 Sam. 13. 3. Psal. 35. 14. Prov. 17. 17. but often generally for a neighbour, or next, as the new Testament translateth it in Greeke, Mat. 19. 19. from Levit. 19. 18. And who is our neighbour, our Lord teacheth us, Luke 10. 29,—36. with lip of flatteries] that is, smooth deceitfull speeches, as the Greeke translateth, deceitfull lips, a lip being sometime put for a speech or language, Gen. 11. 1. Of such deceivers, that had taught their tongues to speake lies, Ieremy also complaineth, Chap. 9. vers. 4, 5. a heart and a heart] that is, a double heart, and deceitfull. So stone and stone, Ephah and Ephah, Deut. 23. 13. 14. meaning double and deceitfull weights and measures. The men of Zabulun are commended for that they were not thus of a heart and a heart, 1 Chron. 12. 33. The Greeke translateth, with a heart and a heart he speaketh evill things.
Vers. 5. our lips are with us] or, are ours, that is, we have skill, power, and liberty to speake; who shall controll us?
Vers. 6. I will rise up] the Chaldee addeth, will rise up to judgement. set in salvation] that is, deliver out of all misery, and safely settle in health and prosperous estate. he shall have breathing] or, he (meaning God) will give breathing, or respiration to him, that is, to every poore man, (as after in vers. 8.) or, hee will breath out, that is, speake plainly to him. The Greeke, changing the person, translateth parrhesiásomai, that is, I will speake plainly with him. So it noteth the bold assured comfort which God by promise giveth to the afflicted, whose faithfull word is therefore commended in the verse following. This word sometime is used for plaine and confident breathing out, or uttering of the truth, Habak. 2. 3. Prov. 12. 17. Or we may understand it of the wicked, thus, I will set in salvation him whom he puffeth at, that is, whom the wicked boldly defieth, (as this word was used before, Psal. 10. 5.) or, whom he hath ins…ared. The Chaldee expoundeth it, I will appoint salvation for my people, but against the wicked I will testifie evill.
Vers. 7. The sayings] or, the words, promises. tried] examined, fined, as in fire. The like praise of Gods pure word is in Psalm. 18. 31. and 119. 140. Prov. 30. 5. a subliming furnace of earth] This furnace, called Ghnalil, a sublimatorie, of subliming or causing to ascend upward, is the best and choisest vessell for trying and subliming of metall, called therefore in Greeke Dokimion, a Triall. And the Apostle hath the like word for a Triall of faith, better than gold, 1 Pet. 1. 7. seven times] or seven fold, that is, many times, fully and sufficiently. Seven is a perfect number used for many, 1 Sam. 2. 5. Prov. 24. 16. and 26. 25.
Vers. 8. preserve him] that is, every one of them: so before in the end of the sixt verse, and often in the Scripture, like sudden change of number may be observed. It may also be read prayer-wise, keepe them, preserve him. The Greeke changeth person also, saying, wilt keepe us, and preserve us. from this generation] that is, from the men of this generation; as when Christ said, Whereto shall I liken this generation? Mat. 11. 16. he meant, Whereto shall I liken the men of this generation? Luke 7. 31. The like may be seene in Mat. 12. 42. compared with Luke 11. 31. The originall word Dor, that is, generation, race or age, hath the signification of durance, or durable dwelling and abiding, Psal. 84. 11. and so noteth the whole age or time that a man dureth in this world, Eccles. 1. 4. and so consequently for a multitude of men that live together in any age, as here, and Deut. 1. 35. and in many other places.
Vers. 9. vilenesse] or, vile luxuriousnesse, riotize. The word Zulluth here used, is derived from Zolel, that is, a rioter, glutton, or luxurious person, Deut. 21. 20. Prov. 23. 21. and consequently one vile, contemptible and nought worth, opposed unto the precious, Ier. 15. 19. And here vilenesse or riotize may either be meant of the vice it selfe, or of vicious doctrine, opposed to Gods precious word, before spoken of, vers. 7. or a vile and riotous person may so be called, for more vehemencie sake, as Pride for the proud man, Psalm. 36. 12. The Greeke translateth thus; according to thine highnesse, thou hast much increased (or made abundant) the sons of men. The Chaldee thus; the wicked walke round about, as an horsleech that sucketh the bloud of the sonnes of men.
PSAL. XIII.
David complaineth of delay in helpe; 4 prayeth for mercy, 6 and glorieth therein.
To the Master of the Musicke, a Psalme of David.
HOw long Iehovah wilt thou forget me for ever: how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shal I set counsels in my soule, sorrow in my heart by day: how long shall my enemie be exalted above me? Behold, answer thou me, Iehovah my God; lighten thou mine eyes, lest I sleepe the death. Lest my enemy say, I have prevailed against him; my distressers be glad when I am moved. But I, in thy mercy doe I trust, my heart shall be glad in thy salvation: I will sing to Iehovah, for he hath bounteously rewarded unto me.
Annotations.
HIde thy face] that is, withdraw thy favourable countenance and comfort; which the Chaldee expoundeth, the brightnesse of thy face. This is contrary to the lifting up of the light of Gods face, Psal. 4. 7. and importeth trouble and griefe, and is caused by sinne, and is the cause of many adversities and discomforts, Deut. 31. 17. 18. Isa. 59. 2. Ezek. 39. 23, 24, 29. therefore this Prophet doth often complaine hereof, and pray against i…, Psalm. 30. 8. and 104. 29. and 88. 15. and 69. 18. and 102. 3. and 143. 7. and 27. 9.
Vers. 3. set counsels] that is, consult and devise with my selfe how to escape. by day] that is, daily; in Greeke, day and night.
Vers. 4. lighten my eyes] that is, make them see cleare, and consequently, make me joyfull; for, the light of the eyes rejoyceth the heart, Prov. 15. 30. Or, keepe me alive: which sense the words following seeme to imply, and the like speeches in Prov. 29. 13. Eccles. 11. 7, 8. The eyes are said to be inlightened, when penurie, sorrow, sicknesse, or other affliction whereby they were dulled, is done away, and the senses by some meanes refreshed, 1 Sam. 14. 27. 29. Esr. 9. 8. also when ignorance is by Gods Word and Spirit done out of the minde, Psal 19. 9. Ephes. 1. 18. See also Psal. 38. 11. left I sleepe] or, that I sleepe not the death, meaning the sleepe of death, that is, lest I die. For death is often called sleepe in the Scripture, Psal. 76. 6. Iob 3. 13. and 14. 12. Act. 7. 60. and 13. …6. the sleepe of e…ernitie, Ier. 51. 39. The Chaldee paraphraseth thus, Enlighten mine eyes in thy Law, lest I sinne, and sleepe with them which are guiltie of death.
Vers. 6. But I,] or, And I, as for me. bounteously rewarded.] The originall word Gamal signifieth to give one thing for another; as prosperity, after one hath beene in adversitie, &c. And though it be sometime used for rewarding evill for good, Psal. 7. 5. or evill for evill, Psalm. 137. 8. yet from God to his people, it commonly signifieth a bountiful… rewarding of good things, in stead of evill, which we rather doe deserve. So Psal. 116. 7. and 119. 17. and 142. 8. and 103. 2. 10. The Greeke translateth dealt bounteously; the Chaldee, rewarded me good.