Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 6 · Book 1 · Commentary on psalm 26
PSAL. XXVI.
David committeth the triall of himselfe unto God, in confidence of his integritie and good conversation. 9 He prayeth formercy, 11. and promiseth upright walking and thankefulnesse.
A Psalme of David.
IVdge me, Iehovah, for I walke in my perfection, and doe trust in Iehovah I shall not stagger. Prove me, Iehovah, and tempt mee: trie my reines and my heart. For thy merciemercy is before mine eyes, and I walk in thy truth. I doe not sit with mortall men of false vanity, and with the hidden I enter not. I hate the Church of evill doers, and with the wicked I sit not. I will wash my hands with cleannesse, and compasse thine altar, Iehovah. To cause to heare with voice of confession, and to tell all thy marvellous workes. Iehovah, I love the mansion of thy house, and the place of the habitation of thy glory. Gather not my soule with sinners, and my life with men of blouds. In whose hands is a mischievous purpose, & their right hand is full of bribes. And I doe walke in my perfection, redeeme thou me, and be gracious to me. My foot standeth in righteousnesse, in the Churches I will blesse Iehovah.
Annotations.
IN my perfection] or, integritie, simplicitie: and that is, when a man meaneth not, nor witteth of any evill, 2 Sam. 15. 11. Such a walker walketh confidently, and blessed shall be his children after him, Prov. 10. 9. and 20. 7. in Iehovah] Chaldee, in the word of the Lord.
Vers. 2. try my reines] examine as in the fire my inmost affections. Thus Iob also offered himselfe to triall, Iob. 31. 6.
Vers. 3. I walke] to wit, continually, (as the forme of this word importeth,) or converse. The Greeke saith, I have pleased: so to walke with God, is to please God, Heb. 11. 5.
Vers. 4. men of false vanitie] that is, vaine mortall men, or false persons, Iob 11. 11. So Ieremie saith, he sate not in the secret assemblie of mockers, Ier. 15. 17. the hidden] that is, hypocrites, dissemblers, secret evill doers: as the Chaldee saith, with them that hide themselves to doe evill. I enter not] or come not, that is, have no company, or conversation. So the word is also used, Ios 23. 7.
Vers. 5. church of evill doers] the malignant church; or congregation.
Vers. 6. my hands with cleannesse] or palms in innocency. He hath respect to the washing which God appointed for such as came to his altar, Exod. 40 32. Hereupon we are willed to lift up pure hands when we pray unto God, 1 Tim. 2. 8. See also Esai. 1. 15, 16.
Vers. 7. To cause to heare] that is, to sound forth, or proclaime so as may be heard. So Psal. 66. 8. and 106. 2. And in 1 Chron. 15. 16. David appointed Levites with instruments, to cause to heare, or to resound, lifting up the voice with joy.
Vers. 8. mansion] or habitation. This name is given to the tabernacle which Moses made, and God dwelt in, 1 Sā 2. 29. 32. & afterward to Solomons temple, 2 Chron. 36. 15. And heaven it selfe is also thus called, Deut. 26. 15. where there are many mansions, Ioh. 14. 2. of the habitation] or the habitacle, the tabernacle. The tent which Moses made, was thus called, Exod. 26. 1. 6. and Solomons house, 2 Chron. 29. 6. In Exod. 40. 34, 35. it is shewed, how Gods glory filled that tabernacle, when he first tooke possession of it; whereupon it is here called the habitacle of his glory (or honour:) and elsewhere, the habitacle of the Lord, Levit. 17. 4. and of his name, Psal. 74. 7.
Vers. 9 Gather not my soule] Gathering is used for taking away, as Ier. 16. 5. Esa. 4. 1. and so for death, Esa. 57. 1. 1 Sam. 15. 6. Ezek. 34. 29. and sometime is expressed, to whom they are gathered; as, to their fathers, to their people, to the grave, 2 King. 22. 20. Num. 20. 24. 26. and what is gathered, the soule, as here; or the ghost, the spirit, as Psal. 104. 29. So David here desireth that God would not take away his life among sinners, that is, with such as for their crimes deserve to die: as 1 King. 1. 21. Contrariwise, gathering is sometime used for gracious receiving or succouring, as Psal. 27. 10. men of blouds] bloud-guiltie persons. See Psal. 5. 7. The Chaldee expoundeth it, with men that shed innocent bloud.
Vers. 10. a mischievous purpose] craftily devised evill. The Chaldee translateth it, counsell of sinne; the Greeke, iniquities. See Psal. 10. 2. Sometime this word is generally used for any abominable evill, Levit. 18. 17. and 19. 29. and 20. 14. full of bribes] and consequently, of injustice; for bribes cause justice to be perverted, Deut. 16. 19. Contrariwise, Gods right hand is full of justice, Psal. 48. 11.
Vers. 12. in righteousnesse] or, in a right, even and plaine place, as the word signifieth, Deut. 3. 10. Ier. 21. 13. the Apostle expresseth the word by righteousnesse, Heb. 1. 8. from Ps. 45. 7. it is opposed to crookednesse, Esa. 40. 4. See also Ps. 27. 11. in the churches] or cōgregations, assemblies, church-meetings, called in Greeke ecclesiais; and so in the new testament, 1 Cor. 14. 34. So also Psal. 68. 27. The Chaldee translateth, the congregation of just men.