Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 6 · Book 2 · Commentary on psalm 3
PSAL. XLIV.
The Church in memory of former favours when they inherited the Land, 10 complaineth of her present evils, being subject to persecutors. 18 Professing her integritie in greatest afflictions, 24 she fervently prayeth for succour.
To the Master of the Musicke, to the sonnes of Korach, an instructing Psalme.
O God, with our eares we have heard, our fathers have told to us the work thou wroughtest in their dayes, in dayes of ol…. Thou with thy hand didst dispossesse the heathens, and didst plant them: thou didst evill to the peoples, and didst propagate them. For, not by their owne sword inherited they the land, and their arme saved them not; but thy right hand, and thy arme, and the light of thy face, because thou didst favour them. Thou art he my King, O God; command the salvations of Iakob. In thee we shall push with the horne our distressers, in thy name we shall tread downe them that rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, and my sword shall not save me. For thou hast saved us from our distressers, and our haters thou didst make ashamed. In God we praised all the day, and thy name for ever we will confesse Selah.
But now thou thrustest away, and makest us ashamed, and goest not forth with our armies. Thou makest us turne backward from the distresser, and they that hate us doe spoile for themselves. Thou givest us as sheepe for meat, and fannest us in the nations. Thou sellest thy people for no wealth, and increasest not by the prises of them. Thou exposest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scoffe and a scorne to them that be round about us. Thou puttest us for a parable among the heathens, a nodding of the head among the nations. All the day my ignominie is before me, and the abashing of my face covereth me. For the voice of the reproacher and taunter, for the face of the enemie and selfe avenger.
All this is come on us, and we have not forgotten thee, not dealt falsly against thy covenant. Our heart hath not turned backward, nor our stepping swarved from thy path. Though thou hast crushed us in the place of Dragons, and hast covered over us with the shadow of death. If we have forgotten the name of our God, and spred out our hands to a strange god. Shall not God search out this? for he knoweth the hid things of the heart. But for thee wee are killed all the day, are counted as sheepe of slaughter.
Stitre up, why sleepest thou, Lord? awake, thrust not away forever. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, forgettest thou our affliction and our oppression? For our soule is bowed downe to the dust, our belly cleaveth unto the earth. Rise up, for an helpfulnesse to us, and redeeme us for thy mercy sake.
Annotations.
DIspossesse] or disinherit the nations, meaning the Canaanites as the Chaldee explaneth it, Thou by thy strong hand didst cast out the peoples of Canaan, and plantedst the house of Israel. See examples hereof in the Amorites, Numb. 21. 32. and the other Kings of Canaan, Ios. 12. seven nations greater and mightier than Israel, Deut. 7. 1. plantedst them] to wit, our fathers, the Israelites, as Exod. 15. 17. a figure taken from the planting of vines, whereof see Psal. 80. 9, &c. the peoples] that dwelt before in Canaan. So Psal. 106. 34. didst propagate] or send forth, make spread, as the vine sendeth out or dispreadeth the branches, Psal. 80. 12. Ezek. 17. 6.
Vers. 4. light of thy face] thy favourable countenance in Christ: See the note on Psal. 4. 7. and 89. 16.
Vers. 5. thou art he] that is, Thou art the same my King, (as the Greeke expresseth it:) this noteth Gods unchangeablenesse. See Psal. 102. 28. command] procure by thy commandement. See Psal. 42. 9. salvations of Iakob] that is, the full salvation (the absolute deliverance) of thy weake people the posterity of Iakob. See Psal. 14. 7.
Vers. 6. push with the horne] a speech taken from Moses, Deut. 33. 17. and meaneth a vanquishing or subduing, 1 King. 22. 11. Dan. 84. tread downe] or tread under foot, which signifieth both a subduing or destroying, 2 Chron. 22. 7. and a contempt or setting them at nought, Prov. 17. 7. and so the Greeke here translateth it, we shall set at nought. So after in Psal. 60. 14. and 108. 14.
Vers. 9. In God, we praised] to wit, his actions, salvations &c. See a like phrase in Psalm. 56. 5. 11. and Psal. 71. 6. Or understand, we praised our selves, that is, gloried, triumphed. And thus the Greeke, In God we shall be praised; the Chaldee saith, In the word of our God.
Vers. 12. sheepe for meat] or, of meat, that is, to be eaten. So after, vers. 23. sheepe of slaughter, that is, to be slaine. fannest] or dispersest, strowest abroad, as the fan that winnoweth, Ier. 4. 11. and 51. 2. So after in Psal. 106. 27.
Vers. 13. for no wealth] that is, for a vile price, without gaine. God is said to sell his people, when he delivereth them into their enemies hands, as out of his owne possession. So Deut. 32. 30. Likewise in Esay 52. 3. the Lord saith, yee have beene sold for nought, and yee shall be redeemed without money. increasest not] or gainest not by the prices of them; takest no other people in their stead: or increasest, that is, hightenest not their price.
Vers. 15. a parable] a by-word, or proverbe. This is often used for grave, wise, and princely sentences; as Psalm. 49. 5. here in the ill part for a by-word, reproach and fable: so Psal. 69. 12. Iob 17. 6. And thus is fulfilled that which was threatned, Deut. 28. 37. 1 King. 9. 7. Jer. 24. 9. nodding of the head] that is, a mockage, Psal. 22. 8. 9.
Vers. 17. taunter] or blasphemer, Num. 15. 30.
Vers. 20. of Dragons] or, of whale fishes. For the Hebrew word is common both for land and water-dragons or whales. So Psal. 148. 7. And hereby is meant the place of desolation and affliction, as the Greeke here translateth it: See Mal. 1. 3. Isa. 34. 13. Ier. 9. 11. and 10. 22. Iob 30. 29. with the shade] or, in the shade: see Psalm. 23. 4.
Vers. 2…. spred out our hands] or our palmes, that is, have prayed unto: for in prayer they spred out the palmes of their hands, as to receive a blessing from God, 1 King. 8. 22. Exod 9. 29. Psal. 143. 6. So the Chaldee explaineth it, spred out our hands in prayer, to the idols of other peoples.
Vers. 23. But for thee] or, For, for thy sake, that is, so farre we be from following strange gods, as that for thy sake we are killed daily. And this also is a comfort in affliction. See Rom. 8. 36.
Vers. 24. Stirre up] to wit, thy selfe. These things are spoken of God after the manner of men, for properly, he that keepeth Israel, slumbreth not, nor sleepeth, Psal. 121. 4.
Vers. 26. to the dust] this noteth a base and abject state, Psal. 113. 7. like this is the soule cleaving to the dust, Psal. 119. 25. and putting the mouth in the dust, Lam. 3. 29.
Vers. 27. an helpfulnesse] that is, a full helpe. The Hebrew hath a letter more than ordinary, to increase the signification. So Psal. 63. 8. and 94. 17. See the notes on Psal. 3. 3.