Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 6 · Book 1 · Commentary on psalm 39
PSAL. XXXIX.
Davids care of his words: 5 his consideration of the brevitie and vanitie of life; 8 his hope in God, 10 patience and prayer in affliction. 12 He confesseth mans weaknesse, and in respect of his short pilgrimage desireth refreshing.
To the master of the musicke to Ieduthun; a Psalme of David.
I Said I will take heed to my waies from sinning with my tongue: I will keepe a bridle on my mouth, while the wicked is before me. I was dumbe with stilnesse, I was silent from good, and my paine was troubled. Mine heart was hot within mee, in my meditation the fire burned, I spake with my tongue. Iehovah, make mee to know mine end, and the measure of my daies what it is: let me know how soone ceasing I am. Loe, thou hast given my dayes of hand bredths, and my worldly time is as nothing before thee; surely all vanitie is every man, though setled Selah. Surely in an image walketh each man, surely in vanitie doe they make a stirre, hee heapeth up, and knoweth not who shall gather them. And now what expect I Lord? my hopefull expectation it is for thee. Deliver me from all my trespasses, put me not the reproach of the foole. I am dumbe, I will not open my mouth, because thou hast done it. Turne away thy plague from mee; by the striking of thine hand I am consumed. With reproofes for iniquitie thou chastisest a man, and makest that which is to be desired of his, to melt away as a moth: surely vanitie is every man Selah. Heare my prayer, Iehovah, and mine out-cry, give eare unto my teares; cease not as deafe, for a stranger I am with thee, a sojourner as all my fathers. Stay from me, and let me refresh my selfe before I goe, and I be not.
Annotations.
TO Ieduthun] or, for him: and it may be meant not onelyonly for his person, but for his posteritie, as Aaron is put for the Aaronites, 1 Chron. 12. 27. This Ieduthun and his sonnes were singers in Israel with the harpe: hee prophesied for the confessing and giving praise to Iehovah, 1 Chron. 25. 3. So Psal. 77. 1. The Chaldee addeth to the title thus: To praise for the keeping of the house of the Sanctuarie, by the mouth of Ieduthun.
Vers. 2. take heed] or, beware, observe. The like speech is used, 1 King. 2. 4. from sinning] that is, as the Greeke translateth, that I sin not, or misse not. If any man sinne not in word, he is a perfect man and able to bridle all the bodie, Iam. 3. 2. a bridle] or mousell: the Greeke turneth it a ward: by this the untamednesse of the tongue is noted, which must by force and watchfulnesse be restrained. See Iam. 3. 3,—8.
Vers. 3. with stilnesse] or, silentnesse, tamed subjection; as the word often signifieth, Psal. 4. 5. Wherefore the Greeke here turneth it, I was humbled. from good] in Greeke, from good things, which the Chaldee explaineth, the words of the Law. my paine was troubled] my sore was exulcerate, renewed (as the Greeke saith,) and increased.
Vers. 4. fire burned] with this speech of David we may compare that of Ieremie; And I said I will not mention him, nor speake any more in his name: but it was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and could no longer, Ier. 20. 9.
Vers. 5. how soone ceasing] how temporary, fraile, brittle and short-lived; as the Chaldee expoundeth it, when I shall cease out of the world; or, how defective I am: so the Greeke saith, what I lacke, to wit, of the end of my dayes; what is the terme and period of my life.
Vers. 6. of hand bredths] that is, thou hast exactly measured them out, and they are but short. A hand bredth is a short measure, the bredth of foure fingers. my worldly time] my life-time, my temporary age. The Greeke translateth it, my substance; the Chaldee, my bodie. The Hebrew Cheled, is the world; Psal. 17. 14. used here for mans life-time in this world. So Psal. 89. 48. Iob 11. 17. surely] or, but onelyonly. all vanitie] or, a meere vapour, all manner vanitie, and nothing else. Whatsoever vanitie is in the world, may all be seene in man. The Hebrew Hebel is a soone-vanishing vapour, as the breath of ones mouth. To this the Apostle hath reference, saying; What is your life? it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and afterward vanisheth away, Iam. 4. 14. every man] or, all mankinde, Hebr. all Adam. Adam called his second sonne Hebel, that is, vanitie, Gen. 4. 2. and here David saith, that all Adam (every man) is Hebel, vanitie. Solomon in Ecclesiastes declareth this at large. See also Psal. 62. 10. though setled] or standing, stedfast, and in good estate: in Greeke, living. The Chaldee saith, but all just ones live for ever.
Vers. 7. walketh in an image] or, in a shadow, that is, obscurely, changeth daily, leadeth an imaginary life, rather than a life it selfe, and so soone passeth hence; He fleeth as a shadow, and abideth not, Iob 14. 2. So Paul saith, the fashion (or hiew) of this world goeth away, 1 Cor. 7. 31. The Chaldee explaineth it otherwise, walketh in the image of the Lord. make a sturre] or a tumult, disquieting themselves and one another. he heapeth] that is, any one heapeth up, to wit, goods, and knowes not who shall enjoy them. See Eccles. 2. 18, 19.
Vers. 9. put me not] or, expose, make me not to be the reproach of the foole, of Nabal; whereof see Psal. 14. 1.
Vers. 10. I am dumbe] or tongue-tied. This is a profession of his patient sufferance of the things laid upon him by God. And so did David carry himselfe, 2 Sam. 16. 10. and Aaron, Levit. 10. 3.
Vers. 11. the striking] or buffeting: this noteth the greatnesse and oft reiteration of his trouble.
Vers. 12. melt] that is, consume away. as a moth] to wit, as a moth-worme consumeth, or perisheth, which is suddenly, as Iob 4. 19. they are destroyed before the moth. Or, as the moth consumeth garments, so thou with thy rebukes consumest them, as Hos. 5. 12. Iob 13. 28. Isa. 50. 9. and 51. 8. that which is to be desired of his] or his desirable; meaning his beautious grace, best strength, dignitie, and every whit of him, that is amiable, to be desired, or liked: which the Greeke expoundeth to be his soule; the Chaldee, his bodie.
Vers. 13. unto my teares] which cry unto God, (as bloud is said to cry, Gen. 4. 10.) or, which are joyned with earnest prayers, as Heb. 5. 7. a stranger with thee] This is taken from the Law, Levit. 25. 23. The land is mine, yee are but strangers and sojourners with me. The like acknowledgement is also in 1 Chron. 29. 15. Hence saith the Apostle, They confessed that they were strangers and pilgrimes on the earth, and, they that say such things, declare plainly that they seeke a country, to wit, an heavenly, Hebr. 11. 13, 14, 16.
Vers. 14. Stay] or Leave off, to wit, thine anger, or affliction: or, Looke away, shut the eye, as this word sometime signifieth, Isa. 6. 10. and let me refresh) or, that I may recover strength. This speech is taken from Iob 10. 20, 21. Igoe] to wit, unto death: See Gen. 15. 2. and 25. 32. and 5. 24.