Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 6 · Book 5 · Commentary on psalm 32 – Commentary on psalm 33
PSAL. CXLI.
David prayeth that his suit may be acceptable, his conscience sincere, and his life safe from snares.
A Psalme of David.
IEhovah, I call upon thee, make haste unto me, give eare to my voice when I call unto thee. Let my prayer be firmely directed as incense before thee; the lifting up of my hands as the evening oblation. Set thou, Iehovah, a watch before my mouth, keepe the doore of my lips. Incline not my heart to an evill thing; to pretend pretences in wickednesse, with men that worke painfull iniquity: and let me not eat their dainties. Let the just man smite mee, it shall be a kindnesse, and let him reprove mee; the headoile, let it not breake mine head; for yet my prayer also shall be in their evils. Their Iudges are throwne down by the Rock sides; and they shall heare my sayings, for they are pleasant. As when one cutteth and cleaveth on the earth, our bones are scattered at the mouth of hell. But mine eyes are unto thee, Iehovih Lord; in thee I hope for safetie: powre not out my soule. Keepe mee from hands of the snare, which they have laid for me, and the grinnes of them that worke painfull iniquity. Let the wicked fall into his net, whiles I together passe over.
Annotations.
BE firmely directed] or prepared; and so acceptable. as incense] or perfume, which was a confection of sweet spices, made after the art of the Apothecary, pure and holy, and was by the Priests burned upon the golden altar, every morning before the Lord, Exod. 30. 34, 35, 36. 7. 8. a figure of the praiers of the Saints, acceptable to God, through Christs mediation, as this place sheweth, compared with Rev. 8. 3. my hands] or palmes, lifted up in praier: see Psal. 63. 5. evening oblation] the Manchah properly was the meatoffering, (which was fine flower mingled with oile) offered together with the Lambe every evening, before the Lord continually, as Exod. 29. 39, 40, 41, 42. Num. 28. 2, 3,—8. Here it is taken for the whole oblation, at the time of the offering whereof the godly used to pray, Exod. 9. 5. Dan. 9. 21. it was at the ninth houre of the day, (about three of the clocke in the afternoone) called the houre of praier, Acts 3. 1.
Vers. 3. a watch] or, a ward, custody, to keep me from speaking amisse. keepe] observe thou: or, an observation, before the doore. the doore] or gate of my lips, by which my words passe out as at a doore: so the doores of the wombe, Iob 3. 10. The originall dal, is contracted for deleth, a doore: though this be rare: yet the Hebrew text sometime doth the like, as Chaji, 2 Sam. 23. 20. for Chajil, 1 Chron. 11. 22.
Vers. 4. Incline not] to wit, by Satan, or mine owne corruption: for God properly tempteth no man to evill, but the devill, and mans owne concupiscence, Iam. 1. 13, 14. 1 Cor. 7. 5. and by Satan, God moveth mens minds, as appeareth, 1 Chro. 21. 1. with 2 Sam. 24. 1. So Matt. 6. 13. evill thing] or word: see Psal. 7. 1. to pretend pretences] or, excuses; thus the Greeke turneth it: the Hebrew also signifieth occasions pretended, as Deut. 22. 14, 17. Or we may reade it, to practise practises in wickednesse. with men that worke] or, with men workers, that is, such as stoutly, boldly, and manfully worke iniquity. their dainties] the Chaldee expoundeth it, of their songs at bankers.
Vers. 5. smite] or beat me; the word properly signifieth beating with an hammer, Psal. 74. 6. Iudg. 5. 26. applied to sharperebukes. So Prov. 23. 35. Compare also Prov. 9. 8. and 25. 12. and 28. 23. Zach. 13. 6. it shall be a kindnesse] a mercy, or, with kindnesse, that is, let him smite mee kindly, and reprove me. the head-oile] that is, the chiefe or precious oile: (as head spices are chiefe and principall, Exod. 30. 23.) or oile of the head, which is to anoint the head with. Or, by head, understand the chiefest of his adversaries, as before, Ps. 140. 10. for this seemeth to be an opposition to the former thus, let the just smite mee, but let not the precious oile (or the oile of the head) of the wicked break mine head: and this the Greeke favoureth, saying, but let not the oile of the sinner supple mine head: by oile, meaning flattering words, as Psal. 55. 22. Otherwise we may referre it to the former just mans reproofe, it shall be a precious oile, let him not make it faile my head. The Chaldee otherwise expoundeth it, and let the Priest reprove me, anointing mee with the anointing oile of the Sanctuary: but let him not take the crowne of the kingdome from mine head. let it not breake my head] not distract or dazell my wits, not overcome me; the Hebrew word signifieth breaking and bringing to nought, Ps. 33. 10. and is applied to the breaking of the heart by discouragement, Num. 32. 7. and here to the breaking of the head, or bringing to nought of counsels, purposes, &c. by flattery. Or, if it be understood of the just, we may reade it, let him not make it faile mine head, that is, let the oile of his reproofe not be wanting upon mine head. in their evils] or, against their evils: which may be applied to the evil deeds of the wicked, or calamities of the just: and here understand, is or shall be in their evils: or, as the Chaldee explaineth it, is ordered against their evill.
Vers. 6. Their Iudges] the Princes of mine adversaries. are throwne downe] or, throw downe themselves, that is, secretly pursue and beset me in the rockes and mountaines whither I am forced to flee, 1 Sam. 24. 3. and 23. 26. The word may also beare their throwing down to destruction, as 1 Chro. 25. 12. by the rock sides] or, in rockie places; Hebr. in the hands of the rocke; as Psal. 140. 6. and they shall heare] or, though they have heard.
Vers. 7. cutteth and cleaveth] to wit, wood, or the ground with the plough. of hell] or, the grave. Compare Ezek. 37. 1, 11, 12. Iehovih] or God: see Psal. 68. 21. powre not out my soule] to wit, unto death, as Esa. 53. 12. that is, kill mee not: or, make not my soule bare, that is, leave it not destitute and helplesse.
Vers. 10. Let the wicked fall] or, They shall fall. into his net] that is, every of them into his owne not, or flue. together] namely, with their fall, or together with them that are with me: or, altogether (wholly) passe over, and escape: the Greeke saith, alone I am, untill I passe over. See this word, Psal. 33. 15.
PSAL. CXLII.
David sheweth that in his troubles, when his owne heart and all other helpe failed him, all his comfort was in faith and praier unto God.
An instructing Psalme of David: a praier when he was in the cave.
WIth my voice unto Iehovah did I cry, with my voice unto Iehovah did I supplicate for grace. I powred out before him my meditation, my distresse I did shew before him. When my spirit was overwhelmed within mee, then thou knewest my path: in the way that I walked they privily laid a snare for mee. I did looke on the right hand and see, & no man acknowledged me; refuge is perished from me, no man seeketh for my soule. I cried unto thee, Jehovah; I said, thou art my hope for safety, my portion in the land of the living. Attend unto my shouting, for I am brought very low; deliver mee from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I. Bring forth my soule out of the close prison, to confesse thy name; the just shall inviron me about, for thou wilt bounteously reward unto me.
Annotations.
IN the cave] fled thither from the persecution of Saul, 1 Sam. 24. 4, &c.
Vers. 4. was overwhelmed] or, swowned, fainted: see Psal. 77. 4. then thou] Hebr. and thou: so, And he saith, Mark. 14. 34. is expounded, Then he saith, Matth. 26. 38.
Vers. 5. I did looke] or, Looke thou, &c. continuing his complaint to God. But the Greeke turneth it, I considered: and the Hebrew Looke thou, or To looke, is often resolved by other definite persons: see the notes on Ps. 22. 9. and 49. 15. and 65. 11. & 77. 2. & 103. 20. and see] or, and behold, to wit, on the left hand. refuge] or flight. is perished frō me] that is, faileth me: I have no place to flie unto and escape. So Iob 11. 20. Amos 2. 14. seeketh] that is, careth for: so Prov. 29. 10. usually to seeke the soule, is in the ill part to destroy it: see Ps. 35. 4.
Vers. 7. brought low] or weakned: see Ps. 116. 6.
Vers. 8. the prison] the cave wherein I am shut up close. inviron] compasse, as Psal. 22. 13. or, expect, as Iob 36. 2. and so the Greeke translateth, the just shall wait for me, untill thou reward me. See Psa. 13. 6. The Chaldee saith, for my sake the just shall make thee a crowne of praise, because thou wilt render a good reward unto me.