Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 6 · Book 2 · Commentary on psalm 21
PSAL. LXII.
David professing his confidence in God, discourageth his enemies, 6 repeateth his assured confidence. Teacheth the people to trust in God, not in worldly things. 12 Power and merciemercy belong to God.
To the Master of the Musicke over Ieduthun, a Psalme of David.
YEt surely unto God my soule keepeth silence; from him is my salvation. Surely he is my rocke, and my salvation, mine high defence, I shall not be moved much. How long wil ye endevour mischiefe against a man? ye shall be killed all of you; ye shall be as a bowed wall, as a fence that is shooved at. Surely they consult to thrust him downe from his high dignity, they delight in a lye: with his mouth each of them blesseth, & with their inward part they curse Selah. Yet unto God, my soule keepe thou silence: for from him is my expectation. Surely he is my rocke and my salvation; mine high defence, I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, my safe hope, is in God. Trust ye in him in all time, O people; powre out your heart before him; God is a safe hope for us Selah. Surely the sons of base man are vanity, the sons of noble man are a lye; in balances to mount up, they together are lighter than vanitie. Trust not yee in oppression, and in robbery become not vaine: if powerfull wealth do increase, set not the heart theron. Once did God speak, twice heard I this same: that strength pertaineth to God. And to thee O Lord mercy, for thou wilt pay to man according to his worke.
Annotations.
OVer Ieduthun] …hat is, over Ieduthuns posteritie, who was a singer in Israel, 1 Chron. 25. 3. or, to Ieduthun: See also Psal. 39. 1.
Vers. 2. Yet surely] or Only. It is an earnest affirmation, against some contrary temptation or speech, and excludeth also other things. So vers. 3, 5, 6, 7, 10. keepeth silence] or is sile…, or still, that is, quiet, submisse, and (as the Greeke explaineth it) subject; the rebellious affections being tamed and subdued. See also Psal. 4. 5.
Vers. 3. moved much] or, moved with a great moving. Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast downe, but … perish not, as 2 Cor. 4. 9. for God giveth the issue with the temptation, 1 Cor. 10. 1▪3. The Chaldee expounds it, I shall not be moved in the day of great affliction.
Vers. 4. endevour mischiefe] this word is not found elsewhere in the Scripture. It denoteth both a purpose in minde, and a thrusting forward in act of any mischievous deed. against a man] in Chaldee, against a gracious man. So man here is used as in Jer. 5. 1. if yee can finde a man, that is, a just and godly man. yee shall be killed] or will yee be murdered? violently killed. Some Hebrew copies varying a point or vowell, give it an active signification, will ye murder? This the Greek followeth; but the former sense here fitteth best. a fense] wall, or mure, another word than the former. shooved at] or thrust, namely, for to fall, as is expressed, Psal. 118. 13. Hereby is meant a great and sudden ruine, as Isa. 30. 13. Ezek. 13. 13, 14.
Vers. 5. from his high dignity] or excellencie whereunto he was exalted of God. David speaketh this of himselfe, (therefore the Greeke hath, mine honour;) and blameth them here for opp…gning his dignity, as he did before in Psal. 4. 3. they d… light] or readily like of▪ and accept o… a deceivable, lie▪ each of them blesseth] Hebr. they blesse: but his mouth leadeth us to minde it of all in general, & every one in particular. Compare Psal. 5. 10. Blessing is used for faire words, and sometimes flattery, Rom. 16. 18.
Vers. 6. my expectation] that is, my salvation expected, and hoped for, as vers. 2.
Vers. 9. in all time] that is, alwaies: See Psal. 34▪ 2. powre out your heart] that is, the desires of your heart, your prayers with teares. A similitude taken from powring out of waters, as is expressed, Lam. 2. 19. powre out thy heart like water before the face of the Lord. This was practised in Israel when they drew water (from their heart) and powred it out (by their eyes) before the Lord, 1 Sam. 7. 6. A like phrase is of powring out the soule, Psal. 42. 5. 1 Sam. 1. 15. The Chaldee maketh this paraphrase, Cast downe before him the prides of your heart, & pray before him with all your heart, and say, God is our hope for ever.
Vers. 10. noble man] hereby is meant men of all degrees, high and low. See the notes on Ps. 49. 3. in ballances to mount up] or, to ascend: meaning that all men together, if they be put in one ballāce, and vanity in another, they will mount up, that is, be lighter than vanity it selfe. And the word hebel, vanity, here used, denoteth a vaine light thing, as the breath of ones mouth, or bubble on the water.
Vers. 11. in oppress…an] that is, in goods gotten by oppression, extortion, or fraudulent inj… this word importeth guilefull wrong, as the next, more open violent robberie. See also Isa. 30. 12. become not vaine] that is, foolish and vile in respect of others, and deceiving your selves. For to make vaine, is to deceive, Ier. 23. 16. and to wax vaine, is to be vile and come to nothing, Iob 27. 12. Ier. …. 5. Rom. 1. 21. This instruction which concerneth all men, David applieth to his souldiers, that they should not give themselves to the spoile. Compare Luke. 3. 14. powerfull wealth] riches; see Psal. 49. 7. set not the heart] that is, doe not affect it, or carefully regard it, but use this world as though you used it not, 1 Cor. 7. 31. So, to set the heart, is to regard or care for a thing, 1 Sam. 4. 20. and 9. 20. 2 Sam. 18. 3. Exod. 7. 23. Prov. 22. 17.
Vers. 12. Once] Hebrew One, meaning one time, as Exod. 30. 10. and as is expressed, Ios. 6. 3. So twise, or two times. Though it may also be interpreted one thing, two things, (as achath is one thing, Psal. 27. 4.) The Greeke here saith, Once spake God, these two things have I heard.
Vers. 13. to man] that is, to every one, as this phrase is opened, Matth. 16. 27. Rom. 2. 6. Rev. 22. 12. to his worke] whether it be good or evill. See the like in Prov. 24. 12. ler. 32. 19. Iob 34. 11. Ezek. 7. 27. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Ephes. 6. 8. Coloss. 3. 25. 1 …er. 1. 17.