Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 6 · Book 1 · Commentary on psalm 14
PSAL. XIV.
David discribeth the corruption of all naturall men; 4 and convinceth them by the light of their consciences. 6 He sheweth their enmitie against Gods people, who wish for, and glory in his salvation.
To the Master of the Musicke, a Psalme of David.
THe foole saith in his heart, there is no God: they have corrupted, they have made abominable their practise; there is none that doth good. Iehovah from the heavens looked downe upon the sonnes of Adam, to see if there were any that understandeth, any that seeketh God. All is departed, together they are become unprofitable: there is none that doth good, none, not one. Doe they not know, all that worke painful iniquity, that eat my people as they eat bread; they call not on Iehovah. There dread they a dread, because God is in the just generation.
The counsell of the poore afflicted yee would make abashed, because Iehovah is his hope. Who will give out of Sion the salvation of Israel? when Iehovah returneth the captivitie of his people, …akob shall be glad, Israel shall rejoyce.
Annotations.
THe foole] Nabal (which hath the signification of jading, dying, or falling away, as doth a leafe or flower, Isa. 40. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 24.) is a title given to the foolish man, as having lost the juice and sap of wisdome, reason, honestie, godlinesse; being fallen from grace, ungratefull, and without the life of God; as a dead carkasse, (which of this word is called Neba…ah, Levit. 11. 40.) and therefore ignoble, and of vile esteeme; opposed to the noble man, Isa. 32. 5. The Apostle in Greeke turneth it imprudent or without understanding, Rom. 10. …9. from Deut. 32. 21. saith in his heart] that is, mindeth, and perswadeth himselfe in secret. So Psalm. 10. 4. and 53. 2. no God] the Chaldee expoundeth it, no power (or dominion) of God in the earth. they have corrupted] marred, to wit, themselves; therefore the Greeke saith, they are corrupted; the Chaldee saith, corrupted their workes. This word is used for corruption both of religion and manners, by idola…ry and other vices, Exod. 32. 7. Deut. 31. 29. Gen. 6. 12. And that which he spake before as of one man, he now applieth to all mankinde. made abominable] or made l…athsome, to wit, their action or themselves; as the Greeke faith, they are abominable, or become loathsome. So in 1 King. 21. 26. The Chaldee interpreteth, they abhorre good. practise] meaning their evill actions: therefore in Psal. 53. 2. it is gnavel, evill; which here is gnal…lah, action.
Vers. 3. All is] or the all, that is, the whole universall multitude is departed; all in generall, and every one in particular, as is expressed, Psalm. 53. 4. become unprofitable] or fit for no use; so the Apostle expresseth it in Greeke: the word here used, being rare, and taken from Iob 15. 16. and betokeneth a thing loathsome, stinking, and so unfit for use.
Vers. 4. Doe they not know?] meaning, doubtlesse they know, and cannot plead ignorance. A question hath often the force of an earnest asseveration. eat my people] that is, the poore, as is added for explanation in Exod. 22. 25. for Gods people commonly are the poorer sort, Iam. 2. 5, 6. Luke 6. 20. and such are eaten or devoured of the wicked, Psal. 79. 7. who eat their flesh, and flay off their skin, and chop them in peeces as flesh for the cauldron, Mic. 3. 3. as they eat bread] the word as seemeth here to be understood; or without it, we may reade, they eat bread, that is, are secure, and without remorse, doe give themselves to eating and drinking. So eating of bread is used for banquetting, Exod. 18. 12.
Vers. 5. There dread they a dread] that is, they are sore adread, or feare a great feare, as Luke 2. 9. So, hath sinned a sinne, Lam. 1. 8. that is, hath grievously sinned. And by there, hee meaneth the suddennesse of it, as also in Psal. 36. 13. or, there, that is, in their heart and conscience. The Greeke translateth, they dreaded with feare, where no feare was: the Chaldee, they feared with a false feare, with which it was not meet to feare. because God is] this may be taken as a cause of their foresaid feare, as Saul was afraid of David, 1 Sam. 18. 14, 15. or it is an opposition to their dread, but God is in the just generation, and therefore they dread not, but are defended from the siege of their enemies, as Psal. 53. 6. The Chaldee saith, because the word of the Lord is in the generation of the just.
Vers. 6. yee would make abashed] that is, ye reproach it, and would confound, frustrate, and bring it to nothing. So abashing and shame is often used for frustration of ones purpose and hope, Psal. 6. 11. because Iehovah] or, but Iehovah is his shelter and hope, therefore he shall not be abashed, Psal. 25. 3. Contrariwise, the wicked shall be abashed, because God refuseth them, Psal. 53. 6.
Vers. 7. Who will give] or, O that some would give! it is a forme of wishing often used in the Scripture, as Ps. 55. 7. Deut. 5. 29. Iob 6. 8. out of Sion] this is meant of Christ the salvation of God to Israel, who was expected out of Sion; as it is written, the Redeemer shall come out of Sion, and shall turne away impieties from Iakob, Rom. 11. 26. returneth the captivitie] that is, bringeth againe those that were led captives: according to the promise, Deut. 30. 3. and this was performed by Christ, Luke 4. 18. Eph. 4. 8. Captivity, or Leading away, is here used for the people led away; as another word of like signification is so used, Ezek. 11. 24, 25. So Psal. 126. Iakob, Israel] that is, Gods people, the posteritie of Iakob, who also was called Israel. (So Aaron is put for his posterity, the Aaronites, 1 Chron. 12. 27. and 27. 17. and David, for his children, 1 Chron. 4. 31.) Iakob is a name that noteth infirmitie; for he strove for the first birth-right, but obtained it not, when hee tooke his brother by the heele in the wombe; and thereupon was called Iakob, Gen. 25. 22, 26. But Israel is a name of power and principalitie; for after he had wrastled with the Angell, behaved him-selfe princely, wept, prayed, and prevailed, his name was changed from Iakob to Israel, as a Prince or prevailer with God, Gen. 32. 24, 26, 28. Hos. 12. 3, 4. Therefore is the name Israel given to all Gods people, even the Gentiles also that have Iakobs faith, Gal. 6. 16. as long before Iether, who was by nature an Ismaelite, 1 Chron. 7. 17. was for his faith and religion called an Israelite, 2 Sam. 17. 25. It may also bee observed, how in this word ISRAEL are contained the first letters of the names of Abraham and Sarah his wife, of Isaak and Rebekah his wife, of Iakob and of both his wives, Leah and Rachel: all which persons (except Rachel,) were also buried together in one cave, Gen. 49. 29, 31.