Notes on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 140
The cxl. PSALM.
David in way of prayer makes his complaint against his wicked and violent persecutours Saul and Doeg, and the rest of their considerates, that by a saynt combination, plot and labour to take away both his life and good name, by all under-hand contri…an…s that may be. Therefore he applies himself to God that hath preserved him from open, now to protect him from secret violence, and bring the evil they intend to him upon themselves, yea, remarkable judgements upon such imp…nit…nts. And promiseth himself and all others that suffers in a good cause with a good conscience as he doth, happy deliverance, and their enemies confusion.
Psalm cxl. To the chief musitian, A Psalm of David.To him that is the first and principall of all the Quire, do I David, that made this Psalm, recommend it for the care and ordering of it to be sung.
1DEve… me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve … from the violent man.1 O Lord, that knowest the wrong I sustain by being thus unjustly persecuted of Saul and his complices, that most wickedly and unmercifully prosecute me to the death, that never wronged him nor them in all my life, do thou that art a righteous Judge of oppressours, and a gracious God to right the oppressed, undertake my cause and me, to vindicate the one and protect the other, from the bloudy intentions of my causeless cruell enemy and enemies.
2Which imagine mischiefs in their heart: continually are they gathered together for war.2 Whose hearts are full of cursed contrivances how to mischief and undo me, and to take away both my good name and life, labouring to increase their party, and stirre up others against me dayly by false suggestions plotting all manner of wayes and means by joynt advice, and endeavour to wage war upon me that would fain be at peace.
3They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: adders poison is under their lips. Selah.3 They labour to wound mine innocency as deep as they can possibly, by lying and slanderous reports of me, and vermin-like spit their venom at me behind my back, by prejudicing the people against me with their false calumnies, which they have ready at hand to poyson all ears that will give them the hearing; It is their continuall practise.
4,4Keep me▪ O Lord, from the hands of the wicked, preserve me from the violent man, who have purposed to overthrow my goings. 5 The good Lord watch for me to save me, as they do against me to undo me, and keep me from their destructive malice and power that have put in practise every way in the world to compass my ruin;5The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords, they have spread a net by the way side: they have set grins for me. Sela…. with extream and unappeasable violence doth Saul seek my life, and to that end hath laid snares to catch and intrap me, that I should not escape him, as yet I bless thee I have done, and pray still I may do by thy powerfull preservation and deliverance of me from him, and those proud presumptuous wretches his Partizans that disdain the purpose, though of God himself as touching me to be King over them, and therefore try all conclusions, and use their utmost endeavours to disappoint it by subtill stratagems and wicked devices, laying as it were traps and toils, nets and grins, all manner of engins to catch me that craft can device, the way they think I take, as if I were some wild beast, or monster among men, of a perillous nature, and dangerous consequence, not fit to live; They are restless to ruin me.
6 In this my hazardous condition when I was thus way-laid on all hands,6I said … Lord, thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord. I repaired to God as alwayes I do, to extricate me out of it, by faithfull prayer, pleading my propriety in him and his grace, which of grace he had vouchsafed me, minded him of it, and prayed him for it, to lend me an hearing ear in my very great need, for deliverance and preservation.
7 Saying,7O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation; thou hast covered my head in the day of battell. O gracious God, the onelyonly Lord Almighty, the sole power I trust in and depend upon for safety, I have found thee a deliverer and preserver in former dangers, when my life hath laien at stake, and been in hazard by open violence in the day of battell against the enemie, as now it doth by secret machinations of inveterate deadly foes, no less endangering it.
8Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked, further not his wicked devi…e, least they exalt themselves. Selah.8 And as I pray for my self by virtue of mine interest, and near relation to thee, so give me leave to pray against my wicked enemies, that are also thine, that what they desire to bring to pass against me, may not take effect, blast thou their wicked designs, which I am sure can take no place if thou doest not more or less allow them, which I pray thee do not, but the contrarie, least they vain-gloriously magnifie their cause, and disparage mine, and being fleshed with success, blasphemously set light by thee, as well as me, compared with themselves, which else they will be sure to do.
9As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.9 As for the chief hunts-men, the principal ringleaders, and occasioners of this my trouble and persecution, Saul and Doeg, that set the multitude on work to betray and entrap me every where where I come, whom they have deceived and misled by their false reports; let that they intend to bring upon me, even destruction, fall heavily and unavoidably upon them, that they may by no means escape it, but in thy justice, be themselves taken in the net they laid for others.
10Let bu…ning coals …all upon them, let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.10 Let such impenitent reprobate minded men come to an exemplarie end by some severe and formidable judgement, as did Sodom and Gomorrah, consume them utterly by thy vengeance and fiery indignation, yea, by sudden and fearfull destruction, as thou didst Korah and Dathan, remove them once for all from off the face of the earth, where they do so much mischief in opposing thee and the coming of thy Kingdom, that they may rest in perpetuall darkness of death, which onelyonly can stitle them and hold their hands, and whence they shall never more return to do as they have done, being thereby everlastingly disposed of.
11 Lord,11Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent ma… to overthrow him▪ let not any man (much less mine enemies) by lying and slandering and such wicked unworthy wayes prosper in his designs, against the plain and sincere hearted, least it incourage other earth-worms that know not God, nor care not for heaven, to take the like courses, when they see them thereby brought to ruin, and the wicked contrivers succesfull and fortunate against them. No, I am confident and dare pronounce it in the name of the Lord, that the wicked purposes and contrivances of the ungodly bloud-thirsty man, be he higher or lower, wherewith he hunts others to the death if he could catch them, shall follow him at heeles, and drive him into such a trap and snare at last, that he shall never escape, even utter destruction.
12 And on the other hand I dare promise as much for God on the behalf of them,12I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor. that for his sake are unjustly wronged and persecuted, be they never so poor, and their oppressours never so potent, God will patronize both them and their cause against the wrong-doers, stand to them, and appear for them to do them right, and justifie their innocence, of this I am confident, for his truth is ingaged for it, and his glory is concerned in it, I doubt not to find it so in mine own particular, though it fare ill with me now.
13Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name, the upright shall dwell in thy presence.13 Sure enough the time will come that they that with a good and honest heart mannage a righteous cause, though they may and must be content to suffer for a time, as long and as much as pleaseth God, yet they shall see a happy end of their sufferings, and the miserable catastrophe of their oppressours to their exceeding great cause of joy in, and thankfulness to God, that by his grace and power hath brought it so about beyond expectation or probability: They that are upright and so hold out under affliction, keeping a good conscience toward God and man, patiently waiting and enduring, shall happily survive their afflictions and afflictours here, so that God shall lead them through, and land them safe on the other side, (as I doubt not he will do me) where the residue of their dayes they shall propitiously enjoy the Lord for their God, or if they miscarry in them (as so he may permit) yet shall they not miscarry by them, but shall be happier in heaven, whither they shall translate them, than earth could have made them, in a full fruition of him there in that glorified estate, whither no sorrow shall follow them.