Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 6 · Book 5 · Commentary on psalm 31
PSAL. CXL.
David prayeth for deliverance from the wicked. 9. He prayeth against them. 13 He comforteth him-selfe by confidence in God.
To the Master of the Musicke, a Psalme of David.
RElease mee, O Iehovah, from the evill man; from the man of violent wrongs preserve thou mee. Which thinke evill things in heart; every day they gather warres. They sharpen their tongue like a serpent; the hot poison of the Aspe is under their lips Selah.
Keepe me, O Iehovah, from the hands of the wicked; from the man of violent wrongs preserve thou me, which thinke to thrust away my feet. The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spred a net by the paths side, they have set grinnes for me Selah.
I said to Iehovah, Thou art my God; heare, O Iehovah, the voice of my supplications for grace. Iehovih Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of armes. Grant not, O Iehovah, the desires of the wicked; further not his crafty device, lest they exalt themselves Selah.
The head of those that compasse mee about, the molestation of their lips shall cover them. They shall bring upon them coales; he shall fell them into the fire, into deepe pits, that they rise not up. An ill tongued man shall not be est ablished in the earth; a man of violent wrong, evill shall hunt him to a sudden overthrow. I know that Iehovah will doe the judgement of the poore afflicted; the doome of the needie. Surely the just shall confesse to thy Name, the righteous shall sit before thy face.
Annotations.
THey gather warres] or are gathered to warres, getting themselves and other together. The active is often used passively, Psal. 32. 9. and 109. 13.
Vers. 4. of the Aspe] or Viper; Greeke, of Asps: so Rom. 3. 13. Compare Psal. 58. 5.
Vers. 5. to thrust away my feet] or, to overthrow my footsteps.
Vers. 6. by the paths side] or, fast by my path; Heb. at the hand of the path. Compare Psal. 142. 4. Ier. 18. 22. Prov. 29. 5.
Vers. 8. Iehovih] or God: see Psal. 68. 21. of armes] or of armour, that is, of battell, (as the Greeke translateth it) when men harnesse themselves. This is that helmet, salvation, Eph. 6. 17.
Vers. 9. further not] or, bring not to passe. lest they] or, they will exalt themselves, that is, be proud or lofty. Compare Deut. 32. 27.
Vers. 10. the head] that is, As for the head (the chiefe) of those, &c. An head sometime signifieth a company of chiefe men, 1 Chron. 4. 42. though here perhaps some one man is meant, as the Chaldee nameth Achitophel. It is also used for a band of men, as Iob 1. 17. Sometime the Hebrew word signifieth gall, as Psal. 69. 22. Which sense also is not amisse here. shall cover] or prayer-wise, let it cover them, and him (as Psal. 2. 3.) that is, every of them.
Vers. 11. They shall bring] or make move (as Psal. 55. 4.) upon themselves; or coales shall be moved (that is, throwne) upon them. The Hebrew hath a double reading, yeelding both these senses; their judgements to be from God, but procured by themselves. he] that is, God shall fell them, or indefinitely, they shall be felled, or cast. deepe pits] or sudden sorrowes; the Greeke saith calamities; the Chaldee, the fire of Gehenna.
Vers. 12. An ill-tongued man] Heb. a man of tongue, that is, a pratler or evill speaker, that hath tongue at will to use and abuse at his lust, and to smite therewith, as Ier. 18. 18. So a man of lips, Iob 11. 2. is one talkative: a man of words, Exo. 4. 10. is one eloquent: a man of arme, Iob 22. 8. is one mighty; and sundry the like. to a sudden overthrow] or, his utter ruine and miserie. Hebrew, to (or with) thrustings downe. The Chaldee paraphraseth, The Angell of death shall hunt him, and thrust him downe into hell.
Vers. 14. sit before thy face] or dwell with thy face, that is, in thy presence: see Psal. 16. 11. and 61. 8.