Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 6 · Book 5 · Commentary on psalm 6 – Commentary on psalm 8
PSAL. CXII.
The praises of the godly man, who hath the promises of this life, and of that which is to come. His prosperity shall be an eye-sore to the wicked.
Halelu-jah.
1 OBlessed is the man that feareth Iehovah; that delighteth greatly in his commandements.
2 His seed shall be mighty in the earth: the generation of the righteous shall be blessed.
3 Wealthy store and riches shall bee in his house: and his justice standeth to perpetuall aye.
4 VntoUnto the righteous light ariseth in darknesse: gracious, and pittifull, and just.
5 A good man doth graciously and lendeth: he will moderate his words in judgment.
6 Surely hee shall not be moved for ever: the just man shall be to everlasting momorie.
7 He will not feare for evill heare-say: his heart is fixed, trusting in Iehovah.
8 His heart is stablished, he will not feare; untill he see, upon his distresses.
9 He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poore; his justice standeth to perpetuall aye: his horne shall be exalted with honour.
10 The wicked shall see, and be angry; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.
Annotations.
HAlelu-jah] or, Praise ye the LORD. This Psalme setteth out the praises of the godly man; and is composed after the order of the Hebrew Alphabet, even as the former 111. Psalme, with which in many things it is to be compared.
Vers. 2. his seed] his children, as Psal. 21. 11. Levit. 21. 17. So the Chaldee saith, his sonnes shall be mighty in the Law. the generation] their progenie, as Deut. 29. 22. Iob 42. 16. or, the nation, (the multitude) of righteous men: see Psal. 12. 8. and 14. 5.
Vers. 3. Wealth] or store of riches, sufficiency of wealth gathered with labour and industry: the Hebrew Hon signifieth also sufficiency, Prov. 30. 15. standeth] that is, continueth, abideth, as Psal. 111. 3. where the very same is spoken of God. So after, vers. 9.
Vers. 4. light ariseth] or springeth up, properly as the Sunne riseth, Mal. 4. 2. Light signifieth comfort, peace, joy, &c. as darknesse, affliction, Iob 30. 26. Esth. 8. 16. Psal. 107. 10. Lam. 3. 2. And so in Religion, Act. 26. 18, 23. Rom. 2. 19. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Compare this sentence with Esa. 58. 10. Exod. 10. 23. and the contrary, Iob 38. 15. gracious] this may be understood of God, thus; from him that is gracious, &c. as Psal. 111. 4. or of the godly man, that he is gracious, &c. as the next verse sheweth: or, of the light, that it is gracious, &c. meaning it of God, who is our light, as Psal. 27. 1.
Vers. 5. will moderate] or measure out, or carry and dispense them, as the Greeke explaineth it, by the similitude of a steward. his words] or, affaires, matters. en-judgement] or, with discretion▪ as is fit and right, Psal. 25. 9. Ezek. 34. 16.
Vers. 6. Surely] or For▪ compare Psal. 15. 5.
Vers. 7. heare-say] or hearing, that is, tidings, fame, rumour or report, which he heareth, as the word signifieth, Rom. 10. 16, 17. So that which one Evangelist calleth akoé, hearing, Mark. 1. 28. another calleth echos, sound or ecchoe, Luke 4. 37. both meaning fame or rumour. See the contrary to this in the wicked, Ier. 49. 23. fixed] or firmely prepared, not to be moved with ill tidings.
Vers. 8. he see] to wit, Gods worke, or reward; see Psal. 54. 9. The Chaldee otherwise, thus, till hee see redemption in distresse.
Vers. 9. scatt…red] to wit, his riches (as the Chaldee explaineth it) that is, given and lent it freely, without looking for any thing thereof, as Luke. 6. 35. though thereby he is more increased, Prov. 11. 24. See 2 Cor. 9. 9. justice] this generally is all righteousnesse, sometime almes; see Psal. 24. 5. his horne] that is, power and glory: so the Chaldee saith, his strength: see Ps. 75. 5. 11. and 92. 11. and 89. 18, 25. 1 Sam. 2. 1.
Vers. 10. the desire] that is, the thing that hee desireth shall not be granted him. Compare Prov. 10. 24, 28. and 13. 12.
PSAL. CXIII.
An exhortation to praise God for his excellency, 6 for his mercy.
Halelu-jah.
PRaise ye servants of Iehovah: praise ye the name of Iehovah. Blessed be the name of Iehovah, from this time, and for ever. From the rising of the Sunne, unto the going in of the same: praised be the name of Iehovah. Iehovah is high, above all nations. his glory is above the heavens. Who is like Iehovah our God, that lifteth himselfe high, to sit? That debaseth himselfe low to see, in the heavens, and in the earth. Hee raiseth the poore from the dust: he lifteth up the needy from the dung. To set him with bounteous Princes, with the bounteous Princes of his people. Hee maketh the barren of house to dwell, a joyfull mother of children; Halelu-jah.
Annotations.
FRom this time] or, from now, henceforth. So Psa. 115. 18. and 121. 8. and 131. 3.
Vers. 3. rising] that is, the east part of the world; as Psal. 103. 12. going in] or going downe, that is, the west, where the Sunne is said to goe in, as when it riseth, to come out, Gen. 19. 28. meaning by east and west, all the world over: so Mal. 1. 11.
Vers. 5. lifteth high to sit] or, to dwell, that is, (as the Greeke explaineth it) dwelleth on high: and so after, seeth the things below.
Vers. 7. from the dust] that is, from base estate, as 1 King. 16. 2. So after, from dung, as Lam. 4. 5. This speech is taken from 1. Sam …
Vers. 9. the barren of house] that is, the woman which never had children; as on the contrary, fruit full women are said to build their husbands houses, Ruth 4. 11. so house is used for children or …, Psal. 115. 10. 12. Exod. 1. 21. See also Psal. 68 7. The Scriptures apply this to the Church of the Gentiles; as, Rejoyce O barren that diddest not beare, &c. Esa. 54. 1. Gal. 4. 26, 27.
PSAL. CXIV.
The deliverance of Israel out of Egypt affected the dumbe creatures: all the earth are thereupon exhorted to feare God.
WHen Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Iakob from the people of a barbarous speech; Iudah was for his sanctuary, Israel his dominions. The sea saw, and fled: the Iarden turned about backward. The Mountains leaped like Rams: the hills like younglings of the flocke. What alied thee, O sea, that thou fleddest; O Iarden, that thou turnedst about backward? O mountaines, that ye leaped like Rams: ye hils, like younglings of the flocke?
At the presence of the Lord tremble thou earth; at the presence of the God of Iakob. That turneth the rocke to a lake of waters, the flint to a fountaine of waters.
Annotations.
BArbarous speech] or, speaking barbarously, of a strange, rude, uncouth language. This word is here onelyonly used, and meaneth all speech that was not understood of Gods people; which hee that speakath, is called of the Apostle, a Barbarian, that is, a stranger, 1 Cor. 14. 11. even as here also the Chaldee turneth it. Spiritually it meaneth such as speake against the faith, the language of Canaan, Isa. 19. 18.
Vers. 2. Iudah] that is, the congregation of that tribe, which was most principall, Num. …. 3. and 7. 12. and 10. 14. was] or became; and it is of the feminine gender, to signifie the Congregation, usually named a daughter, as Ps. 9. 15. his sanctuary] sanctity, or sanctification, which God had sanctified to dwell among them, Levit. 19. 2. and 20. 7, 26. and 26. 11, 12. 2 Cor. 6. 16. The Chaldee explaineth it thus, The Church of the house of Iudah was united to his holinesse, Israel to his dominions. dominions] or dominations (seigniories) ruling over the tribes by his lawes and spirit.
Vers. 3. The sea] the red sea, thorow which Israel passed, Exod. 14. 21. Psal. 77. 17. and 78. 13. and 66. 6. and 136. 13. the Iarden] the great river in the land of Canaan, Ios. 3. Psal. 66. 6.
Vers. 4. The mountaines] Sinai, Horeb, and other hills in the wildernesse quaked, Exod. 19. 18. Hab. 3. 6, 10. Psal. 68. 9. So leaping is used also in Psal. 29. 6. The Chaldee paraphraseth, When hee gave his law to his people, the mountaines leaped, &c. younglings] Hebr. sonnes; meaning Lambs: so vers. 6.
Vers. 5. What ailed thee] or, what was to thee?
Vers. 7. At the presence] or, At the face, or Before the Lord. For these phrases are used indifferently; as milliphnei, at the presence, 1 Chron. 16. 33. is liphnei, before, Psal. 96. 13. So Milliphnei, before, or from the face, 1 Chro. 19. 18. for which in 2 Sam. 10. 18. is Miphnei, before. tromble thou] with paine as a woman in travell; see Psal. 29. 8. It is an answer to the former question, and therefore may also be turned, the earth trembled, (as the like is observed in Psal. 22. 9.) and so the Greeke here translateth, the earth was shaken.
Vers. 8. the flint] that is, hard flinty rocke, as is explained, Deut. 8. 15. Compare Isa. 41. 18.