Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 6 · Book 1 · Commentary on psalm 7
PSAL. VII.
David prayeth against the malice of his enemies, professing his innocencie. 11 By faith he seeth his defence, and the destruction of his enemies.
Shigajon of David, which he sang to Iehovah, upon the words of Cush, sonne of Iemini.
IEhovah my God, in thee I hope for safety: save thou me from all that persecute me, and deliver thou me. Lest he teare in peeces my soule like a Lion; breaking, while there is none delivering. Iehovah my God, if I have done this, if there be injurious evill in my hands: If I have rewarded evill to him that had peace with me: (yea, I have released my distresser without cause:) Let the enemie pursue my soule and take it, and tread downe my life on the earth, and my glory let him make it dwell in the dust Selah.
Rise up Iehovah in thy anger, be thou lifted up, for the rages of my distressers, and wake thou up unto me, the judgement thou hast commanded. And the congregation of peoples shall compasse thee about, and for it returne thou to the high place. Iehovah will judge the peoples: judge thou mee Iehovah according to my justice, and according to my perfection in me. Oh let the malice of the wicked be at an end, and stablish thou the just: for thou triest the hearts and reines, just God. My shield is in God, the Saviour of the upright in heart. God is a just Iudge, and God angerly threatneth every day. If he turne not, he will whet his sword: he hath bent his bow and made it ready. And for him he hath made ready the instruments of death: his arrowes he worketh for the hot persecutors. Lo he shall be in trauell of painfull iniquitie; for hee hath conceived molestation, and shall bring forth a lie. He hath digged a pit and delved it, and is fallen into the corrupting ditch hee wrought. His molestation shall returne upon his head, and upon his crowne shall his violent wrong descend. I will confesse Iehovah according to his justice, and will sing Psalme to the name of Iehovah most High.
Annotations.
SHigajon] An artificiall song of David, or Davids delight. The word properly signifieth Aberration, or Ignoration; & is here, and in Heb. 3. 1. onelyonly used in the title of songs, which seeme to be made of sundry variable and wandring verses, which being composed by art, cause the more delight. The Hebrew word (Shagah) whereof this is derived, is used for delight, or wandring in pleasure, Prov. 5. 19, 20. According to which we may name this song, Davids delight, or solace. Or in the other signification, Davids errour; as setting forth the sum of his cares, which made him almost to goe astray. The Chaldee expoundeth it, Davids interpretation of the Law. upon the words] or concerning the words, or matters, affaires. Word, is both in Hebrew and Greeke often used for a thing or matter, Exod. 18. 16. Deut. 17. 1. 1 King. 14. 13. Luk. 1. 65. Of Cush] This may be meant of K. Saul him-selfe, who was of Kish, and of Iemini, 1 Sam. 9. 1. called closely Cush, that is, an Aethiopian, or Blackmoore, for his blacke and ill conditions, his heart not being changed, as the Blackmoore changeth not his skin, Ier. 13. 22. Or else it might be one of Sauls retinue; whose name indeed was Cush, but we find no mention of him elsewhere. The Chaldee saith plainly thus, upon the destruction of Saul the sonne of Kish, which was of the tribe of Benjamin.
Vers. 3. Lion] called here in Hebrew, Arjch, that is, a renter or Tearer; and elsewhere, L…by, that is, hearty and couragious, Psal. 57. 5. and Kephir, that is, lurking, or couchant, Ps. 91. 13. the reason of these names is shewed, Ps. 17. 12. The renting Lion (Arjeh) as greedy to teare; and the lurking Lion (Kephir,) as biding in covert places. Other names are also given to this kind, as Shachal, of ramping, or fierce nature, Ps. 91. 13. and Lajish, of subduing his prey, Pro. 30. 30. my soule] that is, mee, or my life. breaking] this may be referred to the Lion, breaking asunder, or renting his prey: the word also is used for breaking of yokes of affliction, that is, saving, rescuing, redeeming, or delivering; as, Psal. 136. 24. Lam. 5. 8. The Greeke so turneth it here, there being none redeeming nor saving. Thus the deniall none set after in the Hebrew, serveth for both words; (as after in Psal. 9. 19.) And it is the propriety of this tongue sometime to want, sometime to abound with words; as in 1 King. 10. 21. there be two denials, when in 2 Chron. 9. 20. there is but one, in the same narration.
Vers. 4. done this] which Cush accuseth me of He speaketh of some common slander. injurious evill in my hands] or, in my palmes, that is, bad, dishonest dealings in secret: the palme or hollow of the hand, being a place where filthinesse may be hidden: the hand also is put for the actions. So Io…. 3. 8. Psal. 109. 27. and 78. 42.
Vers. 5. that had peace with mee] my friend and confederate. Such treachery David much blameth in his foes, that in time of peace made war, Psa. 41. 10. and 55. 13. 15. 21. yea I] Hebr. and I; which may be resolved; yea, or when I released my distresser: which may have reference to his sparing of Saul, & delivering him from death, 1 Sam. 24. 6, 7, 8. 11, 12. and 26. 9, 10, 11, &c. without cause] or without effect, and fruit in vaine.
Vers. 6. my life] in Hebrew, lives; so usually called for the many faculties and operations that are in life; the many yeares, degrees, estates thereof. The Apostles in Greeke retaine the singular number life, Act. 2. 28. from Psal. 16. 11. 1 Pet. 3. 10. from Psal. 34. 13. my glory] or honour; meaning either his honourable estate, renowne, and posteritie, as Hos 9. 11. Iob 19. 9. or his soule, as Gen. 49. 6. in the dust] that is, in base estate and ignominie, as Ps. 113. 7. Iob 16. 5. or, the dust of death, the grave, as Psal. 22. 16. Isa. 26. 19.
Vers. 7. in the rages] or, because of the outrages, surpassing indignations, so called of the passing out of the heat and choler. wake up] or, raise up, to wit, thy selfe, and come unto me; for judgement thou hast commanded or appointed. It may also be read, raise up to me the judgement which thou hast commanded: so the Chaldee paraphrase here supplieth the word which, saying; Hasten unto me, (or for me) the judgement which thou hast commanded: the Hebrew it selfe somtime doth the like; as 1 Kin. 9. 8. this house is high, 2 Chr. 7. 21. this house which is high.
Vers. 8. for it] for the same congregations sake, wch commeth about thee expecting judgement. to the high place, or to the heigth, that is, the throne of Iudgement, for throns were set high, 1 Kin. 10. 19. This word heighth is also used for heaven, Psal. 93. 4. and there Gods throne is, Ps. 11. 4. The Chaldee saith, returne to the house of thy divine habitation (or Maiestie.)
Vers. 9. Iehovah] The Chaldee translateth it, The word of the Lord shall judge, &c. judge] two words are here used in Hebrew for judging, 1 Dan, & 2 Shaphat; the first is more speciall to give doom or sentence in controversies: the latter more generall, for judging or doing right in all causes. The Apostles expresse these two by one Greeke word krino, judge, as Heb. 10. 30. from Deut. 32. 36. & Rom. 3. 4. from Psal. 51. 6. my justice] the justice and equitie of my cause, in respect of my persecutors. So Psal. 18. 21,—25. Elsewhere he appealeth to Gods justice, Psal. 35. 24. my perfection] or integritie, the simplicitie of my wayes, and simplicitie of my heart. See Psal. 26. 1. in me] or unto me, to wit, reward thou, as the Chaldee explaineth it.
Vers. 10. for thou triest] or, he trieth. God who is possessor of the reines, Psal. 139. 13. doth also trie them as metall in the fire. The heart may signifie the cogitations, and the reines the affections. So Ps. 26. 2. Ier. 11. 20. and. 20. 12. Rev. 2. 23.
Vers. 12. angerly threatneth] or detesteth, disdaineth in wrath, namely the wicked, and menaceth their destruction. So the Chaldee paraphraseth, he is mightily angry against the wicked every day.
Vers. 13. If he] that is, If the wicked turne not, as the Chaldee explaineth it, If he turne not unto his feare. The Greeke translateth, if ye turne not.
Vers. 14. he worketh for the hot persecutors] or polisheth, to wit, to shoot at them that fervently persecute, namely the iust, as the Chaldee addeth. The Hebrew dalak, which signifieth burning, Ezek. 24. 10. is applied to hot persecution: see Psal. 10. 2. Gen. 31. 35. Lam. 4. 19.
Vers. 15. he shall be in travell] or, continually travelleth, that is, taketh great paines to accomplish iniquity, as a woman with childe to be delivered. molestation] or moyle, miserie. The Hebrew ghnamal signifieth toilsome labour and molestation, both wch a man endureth himselfe, Psa. 25. 18. and 73. 5. and which he causeth another to endure, Psal. 94. 20. and 55. 11. And thus it is here meant, as the 17 verse sheweth. bring forth a lie] or falshood, meaning either calumnie and slander of others, (which in verse 17 seemeth to be called violent wrong;) or a deceit of himselfe, frustrating his owne expectation. This similitude of the conception, travell, and birth of sin, is memorable, mentioned also in Iob 15. 35. Isa. 59. 4. Iam. 1. 15. much like another similie of ploughing, sowing, and reaping iniquitie, Iob 4. 8.
Vers. 16. is fallen] to wit, unto his owne perdition, as Prov. 26. 27. Eccles. 10. 8. or, to lurke there for the perdition of others: See Psal. 10. 10. the corrupting ditch he wrought] or, pit of corruption which he made. The originall Shachath signifieth corruption, Psal. 16. 10. and is applied to any pit or ditch where one perisheth and corrupteth, Psal. 57. 7. and 94. 13. and sometime the word pit is plainly added, as in Psal. 55. 24. the pit of corruption.
Vers. 17. his crowne] the scalp, or heads top: meaning also abundantly, and apparantly in the view of all. See Esth. 9. 25. Violent wrong] The word Chamas signifieth injurie done by force and rapine, violation of right and justice.
Vers. 18. sing Psalme to] or praise with Psalme, and this importeth a song artificiall and skilfully composed. See Psal. 3. 1.