Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 6 · Book 3 · Commentary on psalm 8
PSAL. LXXX.
The Psalmist complaineth of the miseries of the Church. 9 Gods former favours are turned into judgements. 15 He prayeth for deliverance.
To the master of the musicke on Shoshannim, Eduth, a Psalme of Asaph.
O Thou that fe…dest Israel, give eare; thou that leadest Ioseph as a flocke, thou that sittest on the Cherubims, shine bright. Before Ephraim, and Benjamin, and Manasseh, stirre up thy strength, and come for salvation to us. O God, returne us, and cause thy face to shine, and wee shall be saved.
Iehovah God of hosts, how long wilt thou smoake against the prayer of thy people? Thou makest them eat the bread of teares, and makest them drinke of teares a great measure. Thou puttest us a strife to our neighbours, and our enemies mocke among themselves. O God of hosts returne us, and cause thy face to shine, and wee shall be saved.
Thou removedst a Vine out of Egypt, thou drovest out the heathens and plantedst it. Thou preparedst the way before it, and rootedst in the roots of it, and it filled the land. The mountaines were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughes of it were like the Cedars of God. It sent out the branches thereof unto the Sea, and the sucking sprigs thereof unto the river. Why hast thou burst downe the hedges of it, so that all which passe by the way have plucked it? The boare out of the wood hath rooted it up, and the store of beasts of the field have fed it up. O God of hosts returne, O now; behold from heavens and see, and visit this Vine. And the stocke which thy right hand planted, and the sonne whom thou madest strong for thy selfe. It is burned with fire, it is cut downe; at the rebuke of thy face they perish. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the sonne of Adam, whom thou madest strong for thy selfe. And we will not goe backe from thee; quicken thou us, and we will call on thy Name.
Iehovah God of hosts returne us; cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.
Annotations.
SHoshannim] that is, six-stringed instruments, or Lilies: see Psal. 45. 1. Eduth] that is, a Testimonie, or Ornament. An excellent testimoniall of the faith of Gods people in afflictions. The Chaldee applieth it to them that sate in the Synedrion, that studied in the testimonie of the Law. See also Psal. 60. 1.
Vers. 2. feedest Israel] O God, Pastor of the Israelites. See Psal. 23. 1. Ioseph] the posteritie of Ioseph, and with them the other tribes. Ioseph is named as principall, the first birth-right being taken from Reuben, and given to him, 1 Chr…. 5. 1, 2. So Psal. 77. 16, 21. on the Cherubims] which were upon the Arke of the Covenant, in the Sanctuary from whence God gave Oracles to his people, when they sought unto him, Exod. 25. 22. Num. 7. 89. 1 Sam. 4. 4. 2 Sam. 6. 2. 2 Kin. 19. 15. Of these Cherubs, see the Note on Psalm. 18. 11. shine bright] that is, shew thy glorie, and thr favour to us, as Psal. 50. 2. and Iob 10. 3. where shining is favour. This is taken from Deut. 33. 2. So after in Psal. 94. 1.
Vers. 3. Ephraim, Berjamin, and Manasseh] that is, the tribes, or posteritie of these three Patriarchs, which were all joyned together in one quarter, on the West side of Gods Tabernacle; and when it removed, they went next after it, Num. 2. 17. 18, 20, 22. and 10. 21. 22, 23. 24. After the captivitie of Babylon also, the remnants of these tribes dwelled in Ierusalem, for which they were thanked by the people, 1 Chron 9. 3. Nehem. 11. 2. a salvation] or full salvation and deliverance. By adding a letter, the signification is increased, as in Psal. 3. 3.
Vers. 4. returne us] or restore us, to wit, from sorrow to joy, from captivitie to libertie, &c. Psalm. 126. 1. and 23. 3. So the Chaldce saith, returne us from our captivity. face to shine] or, to be light, that is, chearefull, comfortable. See Psal. 4. 7. and 31. 17 and 67. 2. Dan. 9. 17. and we shall] or, that we may be saved: as Psal. 43. 4. so vers. 8. and 20.
Vers. 5. smake] be very angry against the prayer, that is, not heare, but shut it out, as Habak. 1. 2. Lam. 3. 8. So the Chaldee expoundeth it wilt thou not receive the prayer. See smoake for anger, Psal. 74. 1.
Vers. 6. bread of teares] bread steept in teares, as the Chaldee saith, or teares in stead of bread, as Psal. 42. 4. meaning great afflictions, agreat measure] The Hebrew Shalish is the name of a measure, so called of three, as containing a third part of the greatest measure, foure times as big as the usuall cup to drinke in.
Vers. 7. a strise] contention, or contradiction, that our neighbours contend and speake against us, or strive who shall vanquish and possesse us. among themselves] for their pleasure; or, mocke at them, (as Psal. 2. 4.) that is, at thy people, as vers 6. that is, at us, as the Greeke translateh it. This may be the meaning, though us went before; for the Hebrew sometime changeth person, though it meane the same; as Deut. 5. 10. that love me, and keepe his (that is, my) commandements. See also Psal. 59. 10. and 65. 7. and 115. 9.
Vers. 8. and we shall] or, that we may be saved. This verse is the same with the fourth, save that there was onelyonly God; here is added, God of hosts; and in vers. 20, (where it is the third time repeated,) is added, Iehovah, God of hosts; thus increasing saith and earnestnesse in their prayers.
Vers. 9. removedst a Ui…] that is, a Church, the Common-wealth of Israel; as it is written, the Vine-yard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Iudah are his pleasant plant, Isa. 5. 7. Ier. 2. 21. So the Chaldee paraphraseth, the house of Israel, which is likened to to a Vine. And removing or translating, is the word so often used in Num. 33. where all the journies of Israel are rehearsed. the heathens] the seven Nations of Canaan. See Psal. 78. 55.
Vers. 10. preparedst] or madest ready: so this word is translated in Greeke, Mat. 3. 3. from Isa. 40. 3. and Mat. 11. 10. from Mal. 3. 1. where the word way is expressed; and here also the Greeke saith, thou madest way; properly it signifieth to take away all impediments, that the plaine way may appeare. The Chaldee explaineth it, thou removedst the Canaanites from before it. rootedst in] that is, madest to take deepe root.
Vers. 11. Cedars of God] that is, the great and goodly Cedars, as Psal. 36. 7. or, Cedars planted of God, as Psal. 104. 16. These the Chaldee expoundeth to be Teachers (of the Law) likened to strong Cedars.
Vers. 12. the river] Euphrates: see the notes on Psal. 72. 8.
Vers. 13. the hedges] the fences; whereupon the spoile of it followeth, as Isa. 5. 5. So after, Psal. 89. 41, 42.
Vers. 14. boare] beastly tyrants, like swine; as the Assyrians, Babylonians, &c. which wasted the land of Canaan, 2 King. 17. 6. and 25. 1, 2, &c. store of beasts] as Psal. 50. 11. So the law threatned, I will send wilde beasts upon you, which shall spoile you, &c. Levit. 26. 22. But here beasts are wicked people.
Vers. 16. the stocke] or vine-yard; the base or place which beareth up the vine-branches. and the sonne] or branch: understand againe, visit him, or looke upon him. By the sonne may be meant Christ, as the Chaldee Paraphrast plainly saith, the King Messias, (called in verse 18. the sonne of man, and so here also in the Greeke version:) who is the true Uine, his Father the husbandman, his disciples the branches, Ioh. 15. 1, 5. who taketh part with the afflictions of his people, was himselfe called out of Egypt, Mat. 2. 15. and when his servants are vexed, it is done unto him, Act. 9. 4. Otherwise by the sonne may be understood a young Vine, or branch, as elsewhere boughes are called daughters, Gen. 49. 22. And so by the sonne be meant Israel, as Exod. 4. 22. the Lords plant, Isa. 5. 7.
Vers. 18. man of thy right hand] whom thou lovest, honourest, and powerfully helpest. So Iakob called the sonne whom he loved, Benjamin, that is, the Sonne of the right hand, Gen. 35. 18. Hereby also is meant Christ, called the sonne of Gods love, Colos. 1. 13. and the Church his body, translated into his Kingdome. The Chaldee expoundeth it, the man to whom thou hast sworne by thy right hand.