Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 6 · Book 2 · Commentary on psalm 10
PSAL. LI.
David prayeth for remission of sinnes, whereof hee maketh a deepe confession. 8 He prayeth for sanctification. 18 God delighteth not in sacrifice, but in a broken spirit. 20 A prayer for the Church.
To the master of the musicke, a Psalme of David. When Nathan the Prophet came unto him after he had gone in unto Bathsheba.
BE gracious to me, O God, according to thy kinde merciemercy, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies wipe away my trespasses. Much wash me from my iniquitie, and clense me from my sinne.
For I know my trespasses, and my sinne is before mee continually. Against thee, against thee onelyonly have I sinned, and have done that which is evill in thine eyes, that thou maiest be just when thou speakest, maiest be pure when thou judgest. Loe in iniquity was I painfully brought forth, and in sinne my mother conceived me. Loe the truth thou delightest in the inward parts, and in the secret thou hast made me know wisdome. Thou wilt purge me from sinne with Hyssop, and I shall be cleane, wilt wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. Thou wilt make me to heare joy and gladnesse, the bones that thou hast crushed, shall be gladsome. Hide thy face from my sinnes, and wipe away all my iniquities. A clean heart create thou to me, O God, & a firme spirit renew thou within me. Cast me not from thy face, and take not from me thy spirit of holinesse. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and firmly sustain me with a free spirit. I wil teach trespassers thy wayes, and sinners shall convert unto thee. Deliver me from blouds, O God, the God of my salvation, my tongue shall shout thy justice. Lord thou shalt open my lips, and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
For thou delightest not sacrifice, else would I give it; burnt offering thou wilt not contentedly accept. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a heart broken and contrite, O God, thou wilt not despise. Doe well in thy good pleasure unto Sion, build thou the wals of Ierusalem. Then shalt thou delightfully accept the sacrifices of justice, the burnt offering and the whole oblation: then shall they offer up bullocks upon thine Altar.
Annotations.
HE had gone in] to wit, into the chamber, as Iudg. 15. 1. that is, had lien with, as the phrase importeth, Gen. 6. 4. and is expressed, 2 Sam. 11. 4. Bathsheba] the daughter of Eliam, 2 Sam. 11. 3. called also Bathshua daughter of Ammiel, 1 Chron. 3. 5. She was wife to Captaine Urijah the Hittite, and whiles her husband was at the leager of Rabbah, David lay with her; and she being with child, he first sought to cover his fault by sending for Vrijah home, that he might be esteemed the father; which not succeeding, he sent him backe with privie letters to Ioab the Generall for to procure his death. Which being done, David married his wife Bathshebah, so thinking to cloake his sinne. But God was displeased, and sent Nathan to reprove David; whereupon he repented and made this Psalme, for an example unto, and comfort of sinners. See the historie at large, 2 Sam. 11. and 12.
Vers. 4. much wash mee] or, multiply wash mee, that is, thorowly wash me, againe and againe. He applieth the washings used in the Law, (Lev. 11. 25. 32. Exod. 19. 10. Num. 19. 19.) to the spirituall washing from sinne in the bloud of Christ, Rev. 7. 14. 1 Ioh. 1. 7. So after in verse 9. and Ier. 4. 14. The Hebrew Hereb (or Harbeh) multiply, is used for much, as 2 King. 10. 18. where it is opposed to little. And that which in one place is written harboh, multiply: in another is la-rob, and rabbah, much, as 1 King. 10. 10. with 2 Chron. 9. 9. 2 Sam. 8. 8. with 1 Chron. 18. 8.
Vers. 5. I know] or acknowledge. So Isa. 59. 12. Ier. 3. 13.
Vers. 6. Against thee] or, VntoUnto thee onelyonly. This is either because he concealed his sinne from men, but could not from God, 2 Sam. 12. 12. or, that onelyonly God could remit the punishment of his sin, Isa. 43. 25. So Psal. 41. 5. I have sinned] and so am deprived of the glory of God, as Rom. 3. 23. that which is evill, &c.] which displeaseth thee. This hath reference to 2 Sam. 11. 9. and 11. 27. that thou maiest be just] that is, thou hast suffered me to fall into sinne, that thou maiest be just, (or justified,) in whatsoever thou hast spoken for the salvation of thy servant, or punishment of my sinne, 2 Sam. 12. 10. For the injustice of man, commendeth the justice of God, Rom. 3. 4, 5. or it may have reference to the former words, I know (and acknowledge) my sinne, that thou maist be just. when thou speakest] or in thy speaking, that is, in thy words, as Rom. 3. 4. so after, in thy judging. maist be pure] or cleare, sincere, unreproveable, and consequently maist win the victorin in judgement: whereupon the Apostle (according to the Greeke version) saith, maist overcome, Rom. 3. 4. The Hebrew Zacah also in the Syriak tongue is used for overcomming.
Vers. 7. in iniquitie] the perversenesse or vitiosity of nature, commonly called originall, & by the Apostle, inhabiting sinne, Rom. 7. 17. whereby all men are carnall, sold under sinne, Ioh. 3. 6. Rom. 7. 14. The Chaldee calleth it, the sinne of evill concupiscence. This David maketh the fountaine of all his actuall sinnes. painfully brought forth] borne with sorrow. The Hebrew signifieth, the painfull travell of child-birth, Isa. 26. 17, 18. and 51. 2. Psal. 29. 9. conceived] or was warme in heat, as Gen. 30. 38. 39, 41.
Vers. 8. the inward parts] or the covered parts, the heart roots where wisdome is seated of God, Iob 38. 36. named in Hebrew of covering, plaistering, or pargetting. the secret] or, the closed place; which being referred to the person, meaneth the heart, which God reneweth, Ezek. 36. 26. and wherein he writeth his lawes, Heb. 8. 10. And thus the Chaldee expoundeth it, the close place of the heart, which the Apostle calleth the hid man of the heart, 1 Pet. 3. 4. or, if it be referred to the thing, it meaneth the secrets of wisedome; Iob 11. 6. the wisedome of God in a mysterie, the hid wisdome manifested by the Gospell, 1 Cor. 2. 7. And thus the Greeke applieth it, saying, the unmanifest and hid things of wisdome thou hast manifested to me. hast made] or wilt make me know; thus he riseth by faith out of his sin, being taught wisdome of God.
Vers. 9. Thou wilt purge me from sinne] or prayer-wise, Purge thou me from sinne, or, make me sinlesse, expiate or purifie my sinne. Prayers are often made in this manner, as with assurance that they shall be performed. See the note on Psal. 17. 8. Eizop] or hyssop, of the Hebrew Ezob, and Greek hyssopos, an herbe or tree growing out of the wall, 1 King 4. 33. appointed in the law for to sprinkle and cleanse with, Exod. 12. 22. Num. 19. 6. 18. Lev. 14. 4. 6. 49. Heb. 9. 19. and the sprinkling with it, was the last part of the purification of the uncleane, here used to signifie the ful cleansing from sinne by the bloud of Christ, Heb. 9. 13, 14. whether it were that herb which we now call eizop, or no, is uncertaine. The Childee paraphraseth, Thou wilt sprinkle me like a Priest, which sprinkleth the uncleane with the purifying waters, with hyssop, with the asbes of a heifer, and I shall be cleane. wash me] another legall rite for purifying the uncleane, Lev. 14. 8. and 15. 5. 8. 13. 22. figuring our sanctification, Heb. 10. 22. Tit. 3. 5. Isa. 4. 4.
Vers. 10. to heare joy] the joyfull tidings of the forgivenesse of my sins. bones that thou hast crushed] or brayed: nothing hereby the greatnesse of his griefe and affliction, Iob 2. 2. 5. and 30. 17. and 33. 19. 21. Psal. 38. 4.
Vers. 11. Hide thy face] that is, regard not my finhes to visit them on me. See the contrary, Psal. 90. 5. and 109. 14, 15. Ier. 16. 17.
Vers. 12. firme spirit] a spirit ready prepared, stedfast and certaine. The like is applied to the heart, Psal. 11 2. 7. and 57. 8.
Vers. 13. from thy face] or from thy presence: This was an effect of Gods utmost anger against sinners, 2 Kings 24. 20. Ier. 7. 15. and 52. 3. Gen. 4. 16. thy spirit of holinesse] thy holy Ghost: which the Chaldee expoundeth, thy holy spirit of Prophesie.
Vers. 14. the joy of thy salvation] the joy which proceedeth from thy salvation and deliverance of me from sinne. a free spirit] a voluntary, free willing spirit, or a princely ruling spirit, as the Greeke turneth it. See this word, Psal. 47. 10. by a free or princely spirit, he meaneth a spirit not in bondage to sinne, called elsewhere the spirit of adoption, Rom. 8. 15, 16. whereby a man is made willing to obey the Lord, as Exod. 35. 21.
Vers. 16. from blouds] that is, from the guilt of my murder in shedding the bloud of Vriah; as the Chaldee saith, from the judgement of murder; or, from my native corruption. See the note on Isal. 5. 7. shall shout] or shrill, sing joyfully and proclaime thy justice; such as Paul speaketh of, Phil. 3. 9.
Vers. 17. shalt open my lips] shalt give me occasion to speake freely and boldly: the Chaldee addeth, in thy law. This phrase is used Iob 11. 5. and 32. 20.
Vers. 18. else I would give it] or, for else I would give it: as the Greeke turneth it, if thou wouldest sacrifice, I had given it.
Vers. 19. The sacrifices of God] that is, which please God; or, as the Chaldee saith, holy to God. So, the workes of God, Ioh. 6. 28. heart broken] to wit, with sorrow for sinne. So Isa. 61. 1. Luke 4. 18. Compare with this, Rom. 12. 1. also Isa. 57. 15. and 66. 2.
Vers. 20. Doe well] or Doe good, deale bounteously: it comprehendeth all things needfull for profit or pleasure. unto Sion] the Church and place of publike worship. See Psal. 2. 6. walls of Ierusalem] or, of Ierushalaim, as the Hebrew writeth it in the duall forme, as it were the double Ierusalem, to wit, the higher and the lower: from which the Apostle gathereth an allegorie, Gal. 4. 25, 26. This citie was first called Salem, that is, Peace, where Melchisedek was King, Gen. 14. 18. Heb. 7. 2. It was named also Iebus, Iudg. 19. 10. of one Iebusi son of Canaan, Gen. 10. 16. and was possessed by his seed the Iebusites, who held therein the fort of Sion, till David wanne it from them, 1 Chron. 11. 4, 5, 7. Here also was the mount Morijah, whereon Solomon built the Temple, 2 Chron. 3. 1. where Abraham offered his sonne Isaak, Gen. 22. 2. And because there Gods providence was seene, he named the place Iehovah-jireh, Gen. 22. 14. which Iireh, put to the former name Salem, maketh it Ierusalem, where Peace is seene: and as the citie was inlarged by taking in mount Iireh or Morijah, so is the name: yet sometime (though very rare) it is called by the first name Salem; as Psal. 76. 3. This citie God chose to be the place of his publike worship, and there to dwell, 2 Chron. 7. 12. Psal. 132. 13, 14. and honourable things are spoken of this citie, Psal. 87. 3. and of the wals thereof, which in the Ierusalem from above are of Iasper stone, with 12 foundations, garnished with all manner precious stones, and having the names of the Lambes 12 Apostles, Rev. 21. 10. 14, 18, 19. &c. the wals are called Salvation, and the gates Praise, and they are ever in Gods sight, Isa. 60. 18. and 49. 16. For the building up of these doth David here pray.
Vers. 21. Then shalt thou accept] when the place is builded which thou hast chosen; for be for bade his people to offer in every place, Levit. 17. 5 8 9. Deut. 12. 11, 13. and promised to accept their sacrifices on his holy mountaine, Ezek. 20. 40. Therefore Israel was in great affliction and reproach, when the wals of Ierusalem were unbuilded, Neb. 1. 3. and the peoples negligence in building Gods house was sharply blamed, Hag. 1. 2, 4, 8, 9. and 2. 15. &c. of justice] that is, sacrifices offered in faith, and according to the will of God. See Psal. 4. 6. the whole oblation] the Calil: a kinde of oblation that was wholly and every whit given up in fire unto God: and differed from the Gnolah, or Burnt-offering, which was only of beasts or birds, Lev. 1. whereas the Calil was also of flower, called the Meat-offering, but burned all together, which the common Meat-offerings were not, Lev. 6. 20, 22, 23. It was also of beasts, 1 Sam. 7. 9.