Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 6 · Book 1 · Commentary on psalm 37
PSAL. XXXVII.
David perswadeth to patience and confidence in God, by the different estate of the godly and wicked.
1 A Psalme of David.
FRet not thy selfe for the evill doers; envie not for them that doe injurious evill. 2 For they shall soone be cut downe as grasse, and shall fade as the greennesse of the budding herb.
3 Trust thou in Iehovah, and doe good; dwell in the land, and feed on faith. 4 And delight thy selfe in Iehovah, and he will give thee the petitions of thy heart.
5 Turne confidently thy way upon Iehovah, and trust upon him, and he will doe. 6. And will bring forth thy justice as the light, and thy judgment as the noone brightnesse.
7. Be silent for Iehovah, and wait still patiently for him; fret not thy selfe for him that prospereth in his way, for the man that effecteth dovices.
8. Surcease from anger and leave off wrath, fret not thy selfe also to doe evill. 9. For evill doers shall be cut downe, and they that earnestly wait on Iehovah, they shall inherit the land.
10. And yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: and thou shalt consider his place and he shall not be. 11. And the meeke shall inherit the land, and shall delight themselves in the multitude of peace.
12. The wicked deviseth against the just, and gnasheth his teeth against him. 13. The Lord laugheth at him, for he seeth that his day doth come.
14. The wicked have drawne the sword, and bent their bow, to fell downe the poore afflicted and needy one, to slay them that be right of way. 15. Their sword shall enter into their owne heart, and their bowes shall be broken.
16. Better is the little of a just man, than the plenteous mammon of many wicked men. 17. For the armes of wicked men shall be broken; but Iehovah upholdeth the just.
18. Iehovah knoweth the dayes of perfect men, and their inheritance shall be for ever. 19. They shall not be abashed in time of evill and in the dayes of famine they shall have enough.
20. But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of Iehovah, as the precious fat of rammes; they are consumed, with the smoke they are consumed.
21. The wicked boroweth and repayeth not, and the just sheweth grace and giveth. 22. For his blessed ones shall inherit the land, and his accursed ones shall be cut off.
23. By Iehovah the steps of the man are established, and his way hee delighteth. 24. When he shall fall he shall not be cast off, for Iehovah upholdeth his hand.
25. I have beene young, also I am waxed old, and I have not seene the just man for saken; and his seed seeking bread. 26. All the day he sheweth grace and lendeth, and his seed are in the blessing.
27. Eschew▪ evill and doe good, and dwell for ever. 28. For Iehovah loveth iudgement, and will not forsake his gracious Saints▪ they are kept for ever, and the seed of the wicked is cut off.
29. Iust men shall inherit the land, and shall dwell thereon to perpetuall aye.
30. The mouth of the just will utter wisdome, and his tongue speake judgement. 31. The Law of his God is in his heart, it shall not stagger in his steps.
32. The wicked spieth for the just, and seeketh to worke his death. 33. Iehovah will not leave him in his hand, nor condemne him for wicked when he is judged.
34. Wait thou earnestly for Iehovah, and keepe his way, and he will exalt thee for to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
35. I have seene the wicked daunting terrible, and spreading himselfe bare, as a green selfe-growing lawrell. 36. And he passed away, and loe he was not, and I sought him and he was not found.
37. Observe the perfect man▪ and see the righteous, for the after end of the man shall be peace. 38 And trespassers shall be destroyed together, the after end of the wicked shall be cut off.
39. And the salvation of just men is of Iehovah, their strength in time of distresse. 40 And Iehovah will helpe them, and deliver them: hee will deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they hope for safetie in him.
Annotations.
THis is the third Psalme penned Alphabetwise; there being two verses allowed to every letter, except foure, in verse 7. 20. 29. 34. See Psal. 25. 1.
Vers. 1. Fret] or, Inslame not, burne not thy selfe with anger or griefe. So after, verse 7. and 8. Pro. 24. 19. evill doers] to be like unto them, as the Chaldee addeth; which accordeth with verse 8. envie not] or, have not envious zeale or emulation. This word is generall for all hot and fervent zeale, whether good or evill; emulation, jealousie, envie, and the like, Psal. 106. 16. and 69. 10.
Vers. 3. Dwell in the land] This may be taken either for a commandement, to dwell in the land of Canaan, which God had given them to possesse, Num. 33. 53. though troubles and wants should arise therein, as did the Patriarchs by faith, Gen. 37. 1. and 26. 3. 12. Heb. 11. 9. Or, for a promise, dwell, that is, thou shalt dwell, that is, abide long, as after in v. 27. So, see, for thou shalt see, Psal. 128. 5, 6. Seeke mee and live, Amos. 5. 4. that is, yee shall live▪ feed on faith;] to wit, which shall gr…w out of the land, Psal. 85. 12. that is, of the fruits which the land truly and faithfully bringeth forth. Or, as a promise, thou shalt feed on faith, that is, on the faithfull constant increase; and thus the Greeke explaineth it, thou shalt be fed with the riches therof, meaning, of the land. Or, feed on faith, that is, nourish thy selfe and live by it; for the just man liveth by his faith, Habak. 2. 4. and walketh by it, not by sight, 2 Cor. 5. 7. The Chaldee expoundeth it, Studie (or exercise thy selfe) in the faith. Or, feed in faith, that is, thou shalt be fed faithfully and assuredly. Contrary hereunto, is to feed on the wind, Hos. 12. 1. and on ashes, Isa. 44. 20.
Vers. 4. delight thy selfe] or, thou shalt delight, or solace thee: so vers. 11. and Iob 22. 26.
Vers. 5. Turne confidently] Commit of trust: in Hebrew, Roll; in Chaldee, Reveale before the Lord: see Psal. 22. 9. So Prov. 16. 3. Roll (or Commit) thy workes unto Iehovah. will doe] that which thou desirest; or will execute, to wit, thy judgement, as the next verse sheweth, and as elsewhere is expressed, Mic. 7. 9.
Vers. 6. as the light] to wit, of the morning, or sunne: (for so light sometime signifieth, Nehem. 8. 3. Iob 31. 26.) that is, clearely, manifestly. So Hos. 6. 5. Compare also Iob. 11. 17.
Vers. 7. be silent] or, bee still, stay and tarry silently. See Psal. 4. 5. The Greeke saith, be subject. wait still patiently] or, paine thy selfe, that is, set thy selfe with earnestnesse and patience to wait for.
Vers. 8. Surcease] or, Slake, Let goe. A word contrary to holding fast, applied here to the shaking or abating of anger; so Iudg. 8. 3. also to doe] or, which is but to doe; or, at least to doe evill.
Vers. 9. inherit] or possesse. So Isa. 57. 13. He that trusteth in me (saith the Lord) shall inherit the land, and possesse my holy mountaine.
Vers. 11. And the meeke] or But the meeke. From hence our Lord saith, Blessed are the meeke, for they shall inherit the land, Mat. 5. 5.
Vers. 13. his day] that is, his dismall day, the time appointed for his affliction and destruction, 1 Sam. 26. 10. Ezek. 21. 25. 29. So the Chaldee explaineth it, the day of his calamitie. Day is often used for the time of punishment; as, The posterity shall be astonied at his day, Iob 18. 20. Woe unto them, for their day is come, Ier. 50. 27. So, the day of Madian, Isa. 9. 4. the day of Iezreel, Hos. 1. 11. the day of Ierusalem, Psal. 137. 7.
Vers. 14. drawne] Hebrew, opened, or loosed, meaning out of the shead. A like phrase is, the emptying of the sword, Psal. 35. 3.
Vers. 16. the little of a just man] or, a little (a small portion) to the just. See Prov. 15. 16. and 16. 8. plenteous mammon] The Hebrew hamon signifieth multitude, plenty or store, of riches, or any other thing. Here the Greeke translateth it riches. From this Hebrew word, riches are called mammon▪ Luk. 16. 9. 11. 13. many wicked] or great (mighty) wicked.
Vers. 17. armes] that is, power, helpe, &c. See Psal. 10. 15.
Vers. 18. knoweth] that is; acknowledgeth and regardeth, as Psal. 1. 6. the dayes] that is, the …vents, good or evill, estates, calamities that at any time befall them, as vers. 13. Psal. 116. 2. and 119. 84. See also Psal. 31. 16. shall bee for ever] meaning, that they and their seed after them should inherit the land, as Exod. 32. 13. Ios. 14. 9. 1 Chron. 28. 8. Prov. 13. 22. Isa. 60. 21. and then come to their immortall inheritance, 1 Pet. 1. 4.
Vers. 20. the precious fat] that which is precious in the rammes, the best, and that was the fat, all which was the Lords, and might not therefore be eaten by any man, but was burned upon the altar, and so consumed away in smoke, Levit. 3. 15, 16, 17. So, the precious fruit of the earth, I am. 5. 7. The Hebrew Carim, elsewhere used for fields or pastures, Psal. 65. 14. is here fat pastured rammes or muttons: so Deut. 32. 14. Isa. 34. 6. Amos 6. 4. with the smoke] which vanisheth in the aire; therefore the Greeke saith, as the smoke: so Psal. 102. 4. The Chaldee paraphraseth, they shall be consumedin the smoke of Gehenna, (or of Hell.)
Vers. 21. repaieth not] shall not, or will not pay againe. It may intend both his inabilitie that hee cannot, and his unconscionablenesse that hee will not pay. Borrowing in the Law is noted for a curse; as lending, for a blessing, Deut. 28. 12. 44. for the borrower is servant to the lender, Prov. 22. 7. sheweth grace] or, doth graciously, that is, is liberall and bountifull. So the Apostle calleth liberality, grace, 1 Cor. 16. 3. 2 Cor. 8. 4. 19.
Vers. 22. his blessed ones] or …y that are blessed of him, that is, of God. The Chaldee addeth, they that are blessed by his Word: and after, they that are cursed by his oath.
Vers. 23. steps of the man] the gate, or wayes of such a man as is before shoken of; or as after followeth, whose way God delighteth; called here Geber, a valiant man. A like phrase is in Esa. 60. 12. the nations, that is, those nations, such as are there before mentioned. stablished] or firmely directed and perfected. The word noteth the ordering, perfecting and fast stablishing of any thing. and his way] or thus, to wit, whose way he delighteth (or affecteth.) So Gedeon & his house, Iudg. 8. 27. for, Gedeon, to wit, (or that is to say) his house.
Vers. 24. shall fall] to wit, into sinne, by occasion or infirmitie, Gal. 6. 1. or into affliction and trouble, Mic. 7. 9. Thus the Chalde… expoundeth it, if he fall into sicknesse, he shall not die. For, the just man falleth seven times, and riseth againe, Prov. 24. 16. upholdeth his hand] and consequently; raiseth him up. A like phrase is of strengthing the hand, Isa 8. 11. 1 Sam. 23. 16.
Vers. 26. his seed] that is, his children or posterity are in the blessing, or, are appointed to the blessing, as the heires thereof, Gen. 28. 4. 1 Pet. 3. 9. and have still abundance, though they give to others▪ For, the blessing of the Lord maketh rich, Prov. 10. 22. And, there is that scattereth, and is more increased, Prov. 11. 24.
Vers. 27. dwell for ever] that is, thou shalt dwell; as vers. 3. The like promise is in Ier. 7. 5▪—7.
V. 28. … cut off] a like judgmēt is in Iob 18. 19. He shall have neither son nor nephew among his people, nor any posteritie in his dwellings. See also Psal. 21. 11. and 109. 13. and the contrary, Psal. 102. 29.
Vers. 30. will meditate] usually meditateth, that is, resoundeth, uttereth, as Psal. 35. 28.
Vers. 31. in his heart] so God commanded, Deut. 6. 6. and there hath he promised to write his law, Hebr. 8. 10. See also Psal. 40. 9. Isa. 51. 7. it shall not stagger] understand, his foot shall not stagger, or, faulter, Iob 12. 5. Or, any one of his steps (or feet) shall not stagger or slide.
Vers. 33. condemne him for wicked] make (or pronounce) him wicked, that is, condemne him. Opposed to justifying: so Psal. 94. 21. Iob 9. 20.
Vers. 35. daunting terrible] sorely dismaying others with his terrour: in Greeke, lifted very high. See Psal. 10. 18. spreading bare] making bare, that is, thrusting forth and shewing himselfe. greene] that is, fresh and flourishing, as Dan. 4 1. It is not meant for colour onelyonly, but for juice and vigour. So Psal. 52. 10. selfe-growing lawrell] a tree that groweth in his naturall place, which commonly sprout and thrive better than such as are removed to another soile: therefore the Greeke explaineth it, as the Cedars of Lebanon.
Vers. 37. the after end] or, the last, or the posteritie. This word is sometimes used for the end, as Deut. 11. 12. and 32. 20. 29. Ier. 29. 11. sometime for posteritie of children left behinde, as Ps. 109. 13. Dan. 11. 4. And thus it may be understood here, specially in the verse following. The Greeke translateth, there is a remnant to the peaceable man.
Vers. 40. in him] Chaldee in his word.