Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 6 · Book 1 · Commentary on psalm 17
PSAL. XVII.
David in confidence of his integrity, craveth defence of God against his enemies. 10 He sheweth their pride craft and eagernesse. 13 He prayeth to be delivered from them who have their portion in this life; but his hope is for the life to come.
A Prayer of David.
HEare thou Iehovah, justice; attend to my shrill crie: hearken to my prayer, without lips of deceit. From before thy face, let my judgement come forth; let thine eyes view righteousnesses. Thou hast proved my heart, hast visited by night; thou hast tried me, but hast not found: I have purposed, my mouth shall not transgresse. For the workes of men by the word of thy lips, I have observed the paths of the breaker thorow. Sustaine thou my steps in thy beaten paths, that my foot-steps be not removed. I call upon thee, for thou wilt answer me, O God: bow thine eare to me, heare my saying. Marvellously separate thy mercies, O Saviour of them that hope for safety; from them that raise up themselves with thy right hand. Keepe thou me as the blacke of the apple of the eye; in the shadow of thy wings hide thou me. From faces of the wicked that waste me, my enemies in soule, that inviron round against mee. With their fat they have closed up, with their mouth they speake in pride. In our steps now they compasse us; their eyes they set bending downe into the earth. His likenesse is as a renting Lion that is greedy to teare, and as a lurking Lion sitting in secret places. Rise up Iehovah, prevent thou his face, make him bow downe, deliver my soule from the wicked one with thy sword. From mortall men with thine hand, Iehovah, from mortall men of the transitory world, who have their part in this life, and their belly thou fillest with thine hid treasure; satisfied are the sons, and they lay up their overplus for their babes. I, in justice shall view thy face, shall be satisfied when I awake with thine image.
Annotations.
IVstice] that is, my justice, as the Greeke explaineth it, my just cause and complaint. The Chaldee saith, accept Lord my prayer in justice. shrill crie] or showting, that is, loud complaint: See Psalm. 5. 12. without lips] or, not with lips of deceit, that is, which prayer is unfained, not uttered with guile.
Vers. 2. come forth] or proceed, that is, let my judgement be clearly pronounced and executed. Therfore in Hos. 6. 5. he addeth the similitude of the light or Sunne. righteousnesses] or equities: this is all righteous causes and persons, or my most righteous cause.
Vers. 3. hast tried] or, examined me, to wit, as metall in the fire: So Psal. 66. 10. hast not found] or shalt not at all finde, to wit, any drosse, or deceit, or, as the Chaldee addeth, corruption. The Greeke translateth, iniquitie was not found in me. shall not transgresse] or, transgresseth not, that is, I purposed not to transgresse with my mouth, by murmuring against thy fiery triall of me; or, that which I purposed, my mouth transgresseth not, but my thoughts and words agree. The Chaldee thus, I have thought evill, it hath not passed my mouth.
Vers. 4. For the workes] or concerning the workes of men: Adam is here used for all earthly men. have observed] or taken heed of, to wit, lest they should hart me, or, that I should not walke in them, as the next verse sheweth: otherwise, sometime to observe waies, is to walke in them, Psalm. 18. 22. the breaker thorow] that is, the robber or theefe, as this word is expounded in Greeke, Mat. 21. 13. from Ier. 7. 11. one that breaketh bounds or limits, houses, hedges, lawes, &c. So Ezek. 18. 10.
Vers. 5. Sustaine] Hold up, or containe; this is spoken prayer wise to God, as the next verse manifesteth: The Greeke turneth it, Make perfect. It may also be read, Sustaining, or To sustaine; and so have reference to the former verse, I observed the robbers paths, not to walke in them, but to sustain (or sustaining, holding fast) my steps in thy paths. The Hebrew Tamoch may be Englished Sustaine thou; as Zachor is remember thou, Exod. 20. 8. Shamor, observe thou, Deut. 5. 12. Haloc, is Goe thou, 2 Sam. 24. 12. for which in 1 Chron. 21. 10. is written Lec, Goe thou. my steps] or, my steppings forward, my right-forth steps. So Psal. 37. 31. and 40. 3. beaten paths] or round paths; properly the word signifieth paths beaten with wagon wheeles; here used generally for strait, direct, and beaten waies. So Psal. 23. 3. and 65. 12. and 140. 6.
Vers. 7. marvellously separate] or make marvellous, that is, in wondrous and excellent sort shew mee thy mercies, which are common unto all, let them now peculiarly be bestowed on mee. See Psal. 4. 4. The Greeke saith, Make marvellous. When Christ commeth, hee will be made marvellous in them that beleeve, 2 Thess. 1. 10. hope for safety] or, trust, to wit, in thee, as the Greeke explaineth it, or in thy right hand, as is after expressed. God is Saviour of all men, specially of them that beleeve, 1 Tim. 4. 10. with thy right hand] this seemeth to have reference to the first, O Saviour (or thou which savest) with thy right hand; as Psal. 138. 7. and 60. 7. It may also be referred to the second, them that hope in thy right hand; or to the last, them that raise up themselves against thy right hand: And thus the Greeke turneth it. But the Chaldee otherwise, Avenge them on those which rise up against them, with thy right hand.
Vers. 8. the blacke] that is, the sight in the middest of the eye, wherein appeareth the resemblance of a little man; and thereupon seemeth to be called in Hebrew, Ishon, of Ish, which is a man. And as that part is blackish; so this word is also used for other blacke things, as the blacknesse of the night, Prov. 7. 9. and blacknesse of darknesse, Prov. 20. 20. of the apple] so we call that which the Hebrew here calleth bath; and in Zach. 2. 8. babath, that is, the little image appearing in the eye, as before is noted. The word bath also signifieth a daughter, whereto the Greeke coree doth agree. By this is meant the tender care of God for his people: and David here useth both words for more vehemencie; whereas else-where one of them only is used, Isho…, the black, in Deut. 32. 10. Prov. 7. 2. babath and bath, the apple, in Zach. 2. 8. Lam. 2. 18. hide thou me] Heb. thou shalt hide, or, keepe me secret. It is the property of the Hebrew tongue, often to set downe a prayer in this forme, especially in the end of a sentence, as noting some assurance to have the request fulfilled. So in Psal. 54. 3. and 59. 2. and 64. 2. Iob 6. 23. and 21. 3. and 40. 5. See also the note on Psal. 10. 17.
Vers. 9. from faces] or because of the wicked. See Psal. 3. 1. enemies in soule] or, for the soule; meaning deadly enemies, that seeke the soule or life. See Psal. 35 4. The Chaldee expoundeth it, in the will (or desire) of their soule.
Vers. 10. They have closed up] to wit, their face or body; (much like that speech in Iob 15. 27. hee hath covered his face with his fatnesse,) or their fat they close up, meaning that they pamper and harden themselves. in pride] that is, proudly or haughtily.
Vers. 11. In our steps] or in our going, that is, wheresoever we goe, they trace our footing, they composse me and us: the Hebrew hath both these readings, meaning David, with his company. they set] to wit, upon us. bending downe] to wit, themselves, that they be not espied: as Psal. 10. 10. or to bend downe, to wit, us, to overshrow us, or to set downe their nets and snares.
Vers. 12. His likenesse] that is, the likenesse (or …iew) of every one of them; or he may meane some one principall, as Saul.
Vers. 13. prevent his face] that is, first come to helpe me, and suddenly and unlookt for come upon him, and disappoint him. with thy sword] that is, thy judgement and vengeance, for all means of destruction are the Lords sword, Isa. 66. 16. and 27. 1. Ier. 47. 6. Zeph. 2. 12. The Chaldee expoundeth it, the wicked which deserveth to be killed with thy sword; or understand, which wicked man is thy sword, as Asshur is called the rod of his wrath, Esay 10. 5. and so in the verse following, from mortall men, which are thy hand; or with thy hand, that is, thy judgement or plagne, for so Gods hand often signifieth, Exod. 7. 4. Act. 13. 11.
Vers. 14. of the transitory world] that is, worldlings, as they of the citie are citizens, Psalm. 72. 16. The word Cheled is used also for the short time of mans age and durance, Psal. 39. 6. and 89. 48. Here and in Psal. 49. 2. it is the world, named of the transitorinesse, for the fashion of this world passeth away, 1 Cor. 7. 31. in this life] according to Abrahams speech, Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things, Luke 16. 25. Of the wickeds prosperitie here, see Iob 21. 78. &c. the sonnes] to wit, of those worldlings, meaning that both they and their children have their fill. Or, satisfied are they with sonnes, as in Iob 21. 11. they send forth their children like a flocke. their overplus,] the residue of their store, or their excellencie. For this word Iether is used sometime for overplus in quantity, Exod. 23. 11. 1 King. 11. 41. sometime it noteth also the excellencie or dignitie, Gen. 49. 3.
Vers. 15. in justice] meaning in the justice (or righteousnesse) which is of God by faith in Christ, as Phil. 3. 9. View thy face] that is, enjoy thy comfortable favour, as Psal. 4. 7. and 16. 11. or shall see and know thee plainly and perfectly, as 1 Cor. 13. 12. 2 Cor. 3. 18. 1 Ioh. 3. 2. when I awake] to wit, out of the dust of the earth, from the sleepe of death; as Esay 26. 19. with thy image] to wit, I shall be satisfied with it; so meaning by image, Gods glorie, or, with thy image; that is, having it upon me: for, as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we beare the image of the heavenly, 1 Cor. 15. 49. Compare herewith Psal. 73. 20. The Hebrew Doctors expound this in justice, to be meant of the garden of Eden (the heavenly Paradise,) called justice, and that in the world to come, which is after the raising of the dead to life: it is in the light stored up, called the Image; and this is that (in Psal. 17.) I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thine Image, saith R. Menachem on Deut. 4. But the same Rabbine on Levit. 10. giveth a better exposition of this word justice, saying, For there is no comming before the most high and blessed King, without the Shecinah, (that is, the divine Majestie of God in Christ,) to signifie which thing (it is said) I in justice shall view thy face.