Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 6 · Book 3 · Commentary on psalm 6
PSAL. LXXVIII.
An exhortation both to learne and to preach the Law of God. 9 The story of Gods wrath against the incredulous and disobedient Israelites. 67 Ephraim being refused, God chose Iudah, Sion, and David.
An instructing Psalme of Asaph.
GIve eare my people to my law, incline your eare to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable, I will utter hid things, of antiquitie. Which we have heard, and have knowne them, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide from their sonnes, to the generation after, telling the praises of Iehovah: his power also and his marvell which hee hath done. How he stablished a testimony in Iakob, and put a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, to make them knowne to their sons.
That the generation after, sons that should be borne might know, might rise up and tell their sonnes. And they might put their constant hope in God, and not forget the acts of God, and might keepe his commandements. And not be as their fathers, a generation perverse and rebellious: a generation that prepared not aright their heart, and whose spirit was not faithfull, with God. The sonnes of Aephrajim armed shooting with bow, turned backe in the day of battell.
They kept not the covenant of God, and in his Law they refused to walke. And forgate his actions, and his marvellous workes which he had shewed them. Before their fathers, he had done a miracle in the land of Aegypt, the field of Tsoan. He cleft the sea and made them passe thorow, and made the waters to stand as an heape. And led them with a cloud by day, and all the night with a light of fire. He clave the Rocks in the wildernesse, and gave drinke as out of the great deepes. And brought forth streames out of the rock, & made waters descend like rivers.
And they added yet to sin against him, to provoke bitterly the most high in the dry desart. And tempted God in their hart, asking meat for their soule. And they spake, against God they said; Can God furnish a table in the wildernesse? Loe hee smote the Rocke, and waters gushed out, and streames over-flowed: can he also give bread; or can he prepare flesh for his people? Therefore Iehovah heard, and was exceeding angry, and fire was kindled against Iakob; and also anger came up against Israel. Because they beleeved not in God, and trusted not in his salvation. Though he had commanded the skies from above, and opened the doores of heavens.
And rained upon them Manna to eat, and the wheat of heavens hee gave to them. Man did eat the bread of the mighties, hee sent them meat to satietie. Hee made an East-wind to passe forth in the heavens, and brought on a South-wind by his strength. And rained flesh upon them as dust; and fethered fowle, as the sand of the seas. And made it fall in the midst of his campe, round about his dwelling places. And they did eat and were filled vehemently, and their desire he brought unto them. They were not estranged from their desire, their meat was yet in their mouth. When the anger of God came up against them, and slew of the fat of them, and smote downe the choise young men of Israel. For all this they sinned yet, and beleeved not for his marvellous workes. And hee consumed their daies in vanitie, and their yeares in hastie terrour. When he slew them, then they sought him, and returned, and sought God early. And remembred that God was their Rocke, and the most high God, their redeemer. But they flatteringly allured him with their mouth, and with their tongue they lyed to him. For their heart was not firmely prepared with him, neither were they faithfull in his covenant. And he being compassionate, mercifully covered iniquitie, and corrupted not, but multiplied to turne away his anger, and did not stirre up all his wrathfull heat.
For he remembred that they were flesh, a wind that goeth, and shall not returne. How oft did they bitterly provoke him in the wildernesse, grieve him in the desart! For they returned and tempted God, and limited the holy one of Israel. They remembred not his hand, nor the day in which hee had redeemed them from the distresser. When hee put his signes in Aegypt, and his wonders in the field of Tsoan. And turned their rivers into bloud, and their streames, that they could not drinke. He sent among them a mixed swarme which did eat them, and the frog which corrupted them. And he gave their fruit to the caterpiller, and their labour to the locust. Hee killed their vine with haile, and their wild fig-trees with the blasting hailestone. And he shut up their cattell to the haile, and their flocks of cattell to the lightnings. Hee sent among them the burning of his anger, exceeding wrath, and indignation, and distresse, by the sending of the messengers of evills. Hee weighed out a path to his anger, he withheld not their soule from death, and their wilde beast hee shut up to the pestilence. And smote all the first-borne in Aegypt, the beginning of strengths in the tents of Cham. And hee made his people passe forth as sheepe, and led them on as a flocke in the wildernesse. And led them in confident safety, and they dreaded not, and the sea covered their enemies. And he brought them to the border of his holinesse: this mountaine, which his right hand purchased. And he cast out the heathens from their faces, and made them fall in the line of possession, & made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents. And they tempted & bitterly provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies. But turned backe and unfaithfully transgressed like their fathers; they were turned like a warping bow. And provoked him to anger by their high places, and by their graven idols they stirred him to jealousie. God heard, & was exceeding wroth, & vehemently abhorred Israel. And hee forsooke the dwelling place of Shilo, the tent he had placed for a dwelling among earthly men. And gave his strength into captivity, & his beauteous glory into the hand of the distresser. And shut up his people to the sword, & was exceeding wroth with his inheritance. The fire did eat their choice yong men, & their virgins were not praised. Their Priests fell by the sword, and their widowes wept not. And the Lord awaked as one out of sleepe, as a mighty one shouting after wine. And smote his distressers behinde, he gave them eternal reproach.
And he refused the tent of Ioseph, & chose not the tribe of Aephrajim. But he chose the tribe of Iudah, the mount Sion which he loved. And builded his sanctuary like high places, like the earth which hee founded for ever. And he chose David his servant, and tooke him from the folds of sheepe. From after the ewes with young brought he him, to feed Iakob his people, and Israel his possession. And he fed them according to the perfection of his heart, and by the discretions of his hands led he them.
Annotations.
MY Law] or doctrine, for of it the Law hath the name in Hebrew; see Psal. 19. 8. Christ speaketh in this Psalme to his people, as the next verse sheweth. So Isa. …1. 4.
Vers. 2. in a parable] that is, in (or with) parables, as the holy Ghost expoundeth it, Mat. 13. 34, 35. All these things spake Jesus to the multitude in parables, &c. that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables &c. Here the narration and applying of ancient histories are called Parables, because all these things came unto our fathers as types, and were written to admonish us, 1 Cor. 10. 11. What a Parable meaneth, see Psal. 49. 5. will utter] or well out, as from a spring or fountaine. hid things] so the holy Ghost expoundeth it in Greeke, Mat. 13. 35. the Hebrew word signifying sharpe or obscure speeches, or riddles: see Psal. 49. 5. of antiquitie] understand, which are of antiquitie, that is, ancient things since the foundation of the world, Mat. 13. 35.
Vers. 5. stablished] or reared up. testimonie] or witnesse, meaning the Covenant: see Psalm. 19. 8. in Iakob] among the Israelites, the children of Iakob. to their sonnes] all their posteritie, as Deut. 4. 9. teach them thy sons, and thy sons sons. So Deut. 6. 6, 7, 21.
Vers. 8. perverse] or froward, stubborne. So Israel is noted to be, Exod. 32. 9. Deut. 31. 27.
Vers. 9. Aephraim] The ten tribes of Israel, of which Ephraim was chiefe, though they were valiant warriours, yet for their sinnes fell before their enemies, 1 King. 17. Hos. 10. 11, 14. Some understand it of that slaughter of Ephraims sonnes mentioned, 1 Chron. 7. 21, 22, 23. which was while their father lived in Aegypt.
Vers. 10. refused to walke] as 2 King. 17. 14, 15. they would not obey, but hardned their neckes, &c. and refused his statutes and his covenant, which he made with their fathers &c.
Vers. 12. a miracle] that is, miracles, marvels, as in vers. 2. parable is for parables. of Tsoan] or of Tanis, as the Greeke and Chaldee calleth it. It was a chiefe citie in Aegypt, and the Kings Court or palace, and a place of great antiquitie, Isa. 30. 3, 4. Num. 13. 23. And the field of Tsoan, is the countrie or territories of that citie, as the field of Edom, Gen. 32. 3. the field of Moab, Gen. 36. 35. Num. 21. 20. So after, vers. 43.
Vers. 13. cl…t the sea] the red sea, where the Israelites were baptised, Exod. 14. 1 Cor. 10. 2.
Vers. 14. a cloud] to shadow them from the Sunne; and to guide them in their journeyes: a figure of Gods protection over his Church, and guidance of the same, Exod. 13. 21. and 40. 38. Num. 9. 17,—22. Nehem. 9. 19. Isa 4. 5.
Vers. 15. the Rockes] once at Horeb, Exod. 17. 6. and againe at Cadesh, Num. 20. 1. 11. The Rocke was spiritually Christ, 1 Cor. 10. 4. great deep's] that is, the great deepe, as the Greeke turneth it: the phrase is taken from Gen. 7. 11. though here deepes is put for deepe, for the more vehemencie, or, for every of the great deepes. Or we may turne it, as in deepes very much, to wit, drinke.
Vers. 17. to provoke bitterly] by rebellion, exasperating and causing wrath and bitternesse, as both the Hebrew and Greeke words signifie, Psal. 5. 11. Hebr. 3. 16.
Vers. 18. for their soule] that is, their lust, their appetite: See Psal. 27. 12.
Vers. 20. bread] that is generally, food, Psalm. 136. 25. and in speciall flesh, as after is explained, and the Hebrew lechem sometime signifieth, Eev. 3. 11. Numb. 28. 2. Of this their lufting, see Num. 11. 4, &c. can he prepare] The word can is againe to be repeated from the former sentence. See also the note on Psal. 77. 5.
Vers. 21. ascended] that is, burned: for fire mounteth upward: so vers. 31.
Vers. 24. Manna] or as in Hebrew, Man, a small round thing like Coriander seed, coloured like Bdelium, (that is, like wax, & clear, but white,) hard, to be ground in milles, or pounded; of it cakes were made, whose taste was like the best fresh oile, and like wafers made with honey. When the dew fell on the host by night, the Manna fell with it; when the dew was ascended, the Manna appeared like the hoare frost on the earth; then the people gathered it, for when the heat of the Sun came, it was melted. It was a meat which they knew not, nor their fathers: when they saw it, they said, It is Manna (that is, a ready meat, or What is this?) for they wist not what it was: and Moses said, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat, Numb. 11. 7, 8, 9. Exod. 16. 14, 15. 31. Deut. 8. 3. Of this they had to eat forty yeeres in the wildernesse, till they came into Canaan, Exod. 16. 35. Ios. 5. 12: It was a figure of Christ, and his spirituall graces, Joh. 6. 31, 32, 33. Revel. 2. 17.
Vers. 25. man did eat] or Every one did eat. bread of the Mighties] that is, of the Angels, (as the Chaldee and Greeke explaineth it,) which are mightie in strength, Psal. 103. 20. and Manna is called their bread, either because by their ministery God sent it, or because it came from heaven, the habitation of Angels, as the Chaldee paraphraseth; or because it was excellent, so as the Angels (if they needed any food) might eat it. So the tongue of Angels, 1 Cor. 13. 1. is the most sweet and excellent tongue: Or by mighties, we may understand the mightie heavens. meat] The Hebrew tsedah properly signifieth venison, that is, meat caught with hunting; but generally is used for all food. So Psal. 132. 15. to satietie] or enough: for every man had an Omer full (that is, the tenth part of an Ephah or Bushell) of Manna for a day, Exod. 16. 16, 36. and of flesh they had store, till it came out at their nosthrills, and was loath some unto them, Numb. 11. 19, 20.
Vers. 26. brought on] led or drove forward; as Numb. 11. 31. Then there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought quailes from the sea &c.
Vers. 27. flesh as dust] that is, quailes in great abundance; so that he that gathered least, gathered ten Homers full, (that is, an hundred Ephahs or Bishels:) for one Homer contained ten Ephahs, Numb. 11. 32. Ezek. 45. 11.
Vers. 28. made it fall] the flesh, the quailes; being fat and heavie fowle, and by the moist south-east wind made more heavie, fell upon the campe a daies journey on each side, round about the host, and they were about two cubits above the earth, Numb. 11. 31. his campe] the Lords, because he dwelt among them, Num. 5. 3. called elsewhere the hosts of the Lord, Exod. 12. 41. or his, that is, Israels: so vers. 63, 64.
Vers. 30. They were not estranged] that is, (as the Greeke explaineth it) they were not deprived, their desired meat was not taken away from them; as it is written, the flesh was yet betweene their teeth, it was not yet cut off: (that is, taken from them, as Ioel 1. 5.) and the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, Numb. 11. 33. Or it may be understood of their affections and lust not yet changed.
Vers. 31. ascended] that is, burned, as vers. 21. This is meant of the plague wherewith God smote the people, Numb. 11. 33, 34. fat] that is, the chiefe and strongest, as Iudg. 3. 29. So weake, poore, or base men, are called leane or thin, Psal. 41. 2. Fat, (or fatnesses,) is here figuratively put for fat persons. See the notes on Psal. 36. 12. and 106. 15. choise young men] young men are called chosen, because they are selected for warres, and other serviceable affaires, when ancient men are let rest, Numb. 1. 3. and 8. 24, 25, 26. Exod. 24. 5.
Vers. 33. hastie terrour] or, a sudden plague; as was threatned, Levit. 26. 16.
Vers. 36. flatteringly allured] or deceived, that is, went about to deceive, by perswading flattering words.
Vers. 37. firmely prepared] aright setled ready and stable, as is the heart of the godly, Psal. 112. 7 and 57. 8.
Vers. 38. mercifully covered] made expiation, and forgave: So Psal. 65. 4. and 79. 9. corrupted] that is, destroyed utterly: so Deut. 4. 31. multiplied to turne] that is, much and often turned away his anger.
Vers. 39. flesh] that is, weake, and corrupt. See Psal. 56. 5. a wind] mans life is a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and afterward vanisheth away, I am. 4. 14.
Vers. 40. How oft] ten times (as the Lord said, Numb. 14. 22.) this people tempted him, and obeyed not his voice. 1. At the red sea, for feare of the Aegyptians, Exod. 14. 11, 12. 2. At Marah, where they wanted drinke, Exod. 15. 23, 24. 3. In the wildernesse of Sin, where they wanted meat, Exod. 16. 2. 4. In keeping Manna till the morrow, which God had forbidden, Exod. 16. 20. 5. In going out for Manna on the Sabbath day, Exod. 16. 27, 28. 6. At Rephidim, murmuring for lack of water, Exod. 17. 1, 2, 3. 7. At Horeb, where they make the golden calfe, Exod. 32. 8. In Taberah, murmuring for tediousnesse of their way, Numb. 11. 1. 9. At Kibroth hattaavah, where they lusted for flesh, Numb. 11. 4. 10. In Paran, where they refuse the land of Canaan, being discouraged by their spies, Num. 14. 1, 2, &c. And after this they sinned seven times; as 1. In pressing to goe fight, when God forbade them, Num. 14. 44, 45. 2. In the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, Numb. 16. 1, &c. 3. In the murmuring for the death of Korah and his company, Numb. 16. 41, &c. 4. At Meribah, murmuring for lack of water, Numb. 20. 2, 3, &c. 5. For griefe of their way, murmuring and loathing Manna, Numb. 21. 4, 5, &c. 6. At Shittim, committing whoredome with the daughters of Moab; 7. And in the same place, coupling themselves to Baal-peor, and eating the sacrifices of the dead, Numb. 25. 1, 2, 3, &c.
Vers. 41. returned and tempted] that is, efisoones, againe and againe tempted; contrary to the law, Deut. 6. 16. limited] prescribed limits, bounds, or markes; as before, vers. 20.
Vers. 44. to bloud] The first of the ten plagues, wherewith God smote the Aegyptians, which had drowned his children in their rivers, Exod. 7. 19. 20, 21. and 1. 22. whereto agreeth the third viall of wrath powred out on Antichrists kingdom, spiritually called Aegypt, Rev. 16. 4. 6. and 11. 8.
Vers. 45. a mixed swarme] a mixture, sundry sorts of flyes, vermine, or hurtfull beasts: by the Greeke they were flyes; by the Chaldee, mixtures of wilde beasts. It was the fourth plague of Aegypt: See Exod. 8. 24. the frog] that is, frogs, (as afterward caterpillar, locust, for locusts, &c.) The second plague of Aegypt, Exod. 8. 6. figures of uncleane spirits, which gather the Kings of the world to the battell of the great day of God, Rev. 16. 13, 14. corrupted] that is, marred and destroyed.
Vers. 46. their fruit] all that growes out of the earth. caterpillar] a worme that consumeth and spoileth grasse & fruits, Ioel 1. 4. Locust] or grashopper, (which have their name of their multitude, for they flie many together, Prov. 30. 27. Nahum. 3. 15. Iudg. 6. 5.) Locusts in those countries flie in the aire multitudes together; and whersoever they fall, they devoure every greene thing. This was the eighth plague of Egypt, wherby all herbs and fruits were consumed, Exod. 10. 14, 15. Figures of Antichrists ministers, Rev. 9. 3, 4, &c.
Vers. 47. blasting hailestone] a word no where found but in this place. The seventh plague of Aegypt was grievous haile mixed with fire, that killed men, beasts, herbs and trees, Exod. 9. 24, 25. So in Revel. 16. 21. baile of talent weight falleth on blasphemers.
Vers. 48. he shut up] that is, gave: See Psal. 31. 6. so vers. 50. lightnings] or, the flying firecoles, thunderbolts: see this word, Psal. 76. 4. The Greeke here turneth it, fire.
Vers. 49. messengers] or Angels of evils, or as the Greeke saith, evill Angels: such indeed God useth to punish men by, Job 1. 12, 16, &c. The Chaldee also translateth, sent by the hand of them that doe evill. But hereby may be meant Moses and Aaron, whom the Lord sent to denounce these plagues before they came, & by their hand brought them on Egypt, Exod. 7. 1, 2, 19. and 8. 1, 2, 5, 16, 21. and 9. 14, 15, &c.
Vers. 50. He weighed] to wit, making his punishments proportionable to their sins and obstinacie: for as men increase sinne, so doth God judgement, Levit. 26. 21, 23, 24, 27, 28. Wilde beast] that is, beasts, which have their name of livelinesse (as is noted, Psal. 68. 11.) therefore some turne it here, life; but the Greeke plainly saith cattell. The fifth plague of Aegypt, was the pest or murraine of all beasts and cattell, Exod. 9. 3.
Vers. 51. the first-borne] the tenth and last plague was the death of all the firstlings of Aegypt, in the night that Israel kept the Passeover, and departed the land, Exod. 12. 27, 29, 30. The first-borne usually ministred to God: but God smote all such idolatrous ministers in Egypt, and upon their gods also he did execution, Numb. 33. 4. but, spared the first borne of Israel, by the bloud of the Lamb; and after chose the tribe of Levi to minister in their stead, Num. 3. 40, 41, 45. and 8. 16,—19. beginning of strengths] or chiefest of painfull mights: so the eldest childe is named, Gen. 49. 3. Deut. 21. 17. Therefore were they to be given to the Lord. tents of Cham] the dwellings of the Egyptians, which were the posteritie of Cham, the sonne of Noah, Gen. 10. 6. See the Note on Psalme 68. 32.
Vers. 52. his people passe forth] the Israelites tooke their journies from Rameses, Exod. 12. 37. See Psal. 77. 21.
Vers. 54. border of his holinesse] his holy border; meaning the land of Canaan, sanctified to be the possession of his people, and limited in all the borders of it, as Num. 34. 2, 3,—12. or, border of his Sanctuary. this mountaine] that is, mountainy countrey Canaan, called a land of mountaines and valleyes, Deut. 11. 11. So Exod. 15. 17. Or in speciall he may meane mount Sion: whereof after in verse 68.
Vers. 55. the Heathens] the seven mighty Nations of Canaan, where Ioshua and Israel killed one and thirtie kings, Deut. 7. 1. Iosh. 12. 7,—24. made them fall in the line] that is, made their countrey fall out by line and measure, to be the inheritance of Israel, Iosh. 15 and 16 and 17 chapters. tribes] the posteritie of the 12 sonnes of Israel, called tribes, after the Romane name, where at first the whole multitude was divided into three parts, called thereof tribes: but the Hebrew name signifieth Staves or roddes, as growing out of one stocke or tree, and these were twelve, Num. 13. 3, 5,—16.
Vers. 56. And they tempted] The Israelites notwithstanding all former mercies, tempted God and sinned in Canaan their possession, as is manifested in the booke of Iudges.
Vers. 57. like their fathers] whose carkasses fell in the wildernesse. For of six hundred thousand men that came out of Egypt, not any one came into Canaan, save Caleb and Ioshua, Exod. 38. 26. Num. 14. 29, 30. and 26. 64, 65. a warping bow] or, bow of deceit, that shooteth awry, and so deceiveth. So Hos. 7. 16.
Vers. 58. high places] Temples, Chapels, & consecrated places on mountaines, where the nations used to sacrifice, and Israel imitated them, Num. 33. 52. Deut. 12. 2. 1 Kings 11. 7. and 12. 31, 32. and 14. 23. to jealousie] to jealous anger, for which a man will not spare in the day of vengeance, nor can beare the sight of any ransome, Prov. 6. 34, 35. unto this, God is moved by idolatry, which is spirituall fornication, Exod. 20. 4, 5. Deut. 31. 16, 17. and 32. 21.
Vers. 59. abhorred] or refused, with loathsomnesse and contempt. So after, vers. 67.
Vers. 60. the dwelling place] the tabernacle set in Shilo, 1 Sam. 1. 3. There God dwelt among men, Exod. 29. 44. 45, 46.
Vers. 61. his strength] the Arke of his covenant, (called the Arke of his strength, Psal. 132. 8.) this was captived by the Philistims, 1 Sam. 4. 11. The Chaldee translateth it, his Law. beauteous glory or fatrenesse, magnificence; meaning the Arke fore-mentioned, as Phineas wife said, the glory is departed from Israel, for the Arke of God is taken, 1 Sam. 4. 20, 22.
Vers. 62. shut up] that is, delivered his people to the sword of the Philistims, who killed thirty thousand Israelites, 1 Sam. 4. 10.
Vers. 63. The fire] that is, Gods wrath, by the sword of the Philistims, as verse 21. So in Ezek. 30. 8. a fire in Egypt, signifieth (as the Chaldee there expoundeth it) a people strong like fire. were not praised] by hymnes, and songs, as was the wont at their espousals and marriages; that is, they were not married.
Vers. 64. Their Priests] Hophni and Phineas, 1 Sam. 4. 11. The Hebrew is singularly, His Priests, and so before and after, his choise young men, &c. meaning Israels, who is spoken of, as of one man. But the Scripture useth these phrases indifferently; as, All Aedom was servants, 2 Sam. 8. 14. for which in 1 Chron. 18. 13. is written, All Aedom were servants. Of this name Priests, see Psal. 99. 6. wept not] that is, lamented not at their funerall; for Phineas wife her selfe died in travell, 1 Sam. 4. 19, 20.
Vers. 65. awaked] stirred up himselfe to punish the Philistims, where as before he seemed to sleepe, as Psal. 44: 24. after wine] or, by reason of wine, that is, when hee hath drunke wine, which cheareth and encourageth the heart; so did God behave him-selfe.
Vers. 66. behinde] that is, in the hinder secret parts; (as the Chaldee addeth, with emerods in their hinder parts:) for so God smote the Philistims with pilos or hemoroids for abusing his Arke, 1 Sam. 5. 1, 6. 9, 12. eternall reproach] by this punishment, and the monuments thereof; for the Philistims were forced to make similitudes of their hemoroids and secret parts, of gold, and send with the Arke home to Israel, as an oblation for their sinne, 1 Sam. 6. 4, 5, 11, 15, 17.
Vers. 67. herefused] or, abhorred, despised, as verse 59. the tent of Joseph] that is, the tribe of Ephraim the sonne of Ioseph, where the Tabernacle and Arke had remained many yeares in Shiloh: God returned not the Arke thither, but to Bethshemesh and Kirjathjearim, cities of Iudah, 1 Sam. 6. 12. and 7. 1, 2. Wherefore Shiloh is used after for an example of judgement, Ier. 7. 12, 14. and 26. 6, 9. Or this may be meant of the ten tribes of Israel, (of whom Ephraim of Ioseph was chiefe) which were cast off for idolatrie, and captived by the Assyrians, 2 Kings 17.
Vers. 69. builded his Sanctuary] the glorious temple by Solomon sonne of David, 1 King. 6. 1, 2, 3, &c. like high places] Kings palaces or towers. The Greeke and Chaldee turne it, Unicornes, whose hornes are high, Psal. 92. 11. For Ramim, high places, they read Remim, Unicornes.
Vers. 70. from the fold of sheepe] that is, from base estate. For David keeping his fathers sheepe, was by Samuel anointed King over Israel, 1 Sam. 16. 11. 13. 2 Sam. 7. 8. So Amos 7. 14, 15.
Vers. 71. to feed Iakob] so the Greeke well explaineth the Hebrew phrase, to feed in Iakob; where in is to be omitted in English, as the like phrase sheweth, 1 Sam. 16. 11. & 17. 34. & the Hebrew it selfe often omitteth it, as 2 Sam. 5. 2. and 7. 7. So here in the former verse, he chose in David, that is, he chose David. Kings are said to feed their people, because their office is like to the good shepherds, in guiding and governing. See Psal. 23. 1. And Pastors are Princes, Ier. 6. 3. and 12. 10.
Vers. 72. discretion of his hands] or Prudencies of his palmes, that is, with most prudent and discreet administration menaged he them; figuring Christ herein, who is called David, and the great and good Pastor of his flocke, Ezek. 34. 23. Ioh. 10. 11. Heb. 13. 20.