The Book of Psalms Paraphrased, Book 5 · Psalm 141
PSALM CXLI.
A Pſalm of David.
ARGUMENT.
If the Title had not told us that David was the Authour of this Pſalm, the matter of it would have led our minds to think of him, and of his many ſufferings; during the perſecution of Saul. Which he prays to God (as Theodoret obſerves upon the third and fourth Verſes) he may be able to bear ſo patiently; that it may not exaſperate his ſpirit to ſpeak irreverently of Saul; much leſs to doe him any miſchief: but leave it unto God, to take his enemies in the ſnare they had laid for him.
No body need wonder, that there are ſo many prayers found upon the ſame Subject; for that perſecution endured long, and they were made upon different occaſions, or to different purpoſes: and if they had been all to the ſame purpoſe, it would not have been ſtrange to him that conſiders the pious diſpoſition of David; who loved to ſpend his time in ſuch devout Meditations. And this ſeems to have been compoſed about the time of the offering of the evening Sacrifice, Ver. 2: when his afflictions alſo preſſed him ſorely, that they tempted him to ſpeak ſome thing, which was foreign (as Theodoret's phraſe is) unbecoming God's Anointed (Saul) and the profeſſion he made of duty to him.
1. LORD, I cry unto thee, make haſte unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.
1. THE danger wherein I am, O Lord, is exceeding great, (1 Sam. XXIII. 25. or XXIV. 1, 2.) which makes me double my cries, and beſeech Thee, the more importunately, ſpeedily to ſuccour me (when my diſtreſſes call for it) with ſeaſonable relief.
2. Let my prayer be ſet forth before thee as incenſe; and the lifting up of my hands, as the evening ſacrifice.
2. Though I am now in a Wilderneſs, and thereby diſabled from offering Thee any other Sacrifice but my Prayers; yet they ſhall be as acceptable to Thee, as if they were accompanied with the ſweeteſt Odours: and my fervent devotion in them, with intire dependance on Thee alone for help, be as prevalent; as if I could now preſent Thee, at the Tabernacle, with an evening Oblation.
3. Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth, keep the door of my lips.
3. And, in the firſt place, I humbly deſire Thee, O Lord, to lay ſuch reſtraints upon my tongue, and to enable me ſo vigilantly to obſerve all the motions of it; that none of the troubles I endure, though never ſo grievous, may make me burſt out into any intemperate ſpeeches: which may give a juſt offence unto them that perſecute me.
4. Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practiſe wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.
4. Yea, govern all the motions of my will ſo ſteadily, that I may not liſten to evil counſels, (1 Sam. XXIV. 4, 6, 7.) much leſs ingage with men, who have no regard to right and juſtice, in any evil practices: but alway refuſe to partake in their deſigns; though invited with the ſpecious promiſes of the greateſt felicity.
5. Let the righteous ſmite me, it ſhall be a kindneſs; and let him reprove me, it ſhall be an excellent oyl, which ſhall not break my head: for yet my prayer alſo ſhall be in their calamities.
5. I had rather much that a righteous man ſhould give me a ſevere rebuke, then be inticed by evil doers to accompany them in their ſins: For it will do me a real kindneſs, and be ſo far from giving me any vexation, that it will be as acceptable to me as the moſt excellent ointments are unto the head; and onelyonly make me continue my prayers with the greater earneſtneſs, that I may not run into thoſe miſchievous courſes, from which I am deterred by their pious reproofs and admonitions.
6. When their judges are overthrown in ſtony places, they ſhall hear my words, for they are ſweet.
6. The effect of which their greateſt Rulers have ſeen when, being left by their Maſter on the ſides of the Rock, (1 Sam. XXIV. 2, 3.) while he went into a hole of it to uncover his feet, they heard that I ſpake not a reviling word (much leſs did I ſtretch out my hand againſt him) but in the mildeſt, and moſt dutifull language addreſſed my ſelf unto him, 1 Sam. XXIV. 8, 9, &c.
7. Our bones are ſcattered at the graves mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.
7. And yet this gentleneſs hath been ſo far from mollifying their hearts; that they ſtill perſecute me, and the ſmall body of men that follow me: (1 Sam. XXVI. 2. XXVII. 1.) whom they have reduced to ſuch extremities, that like the earth, when it is ploughed up, we break in pieces; and are ready to diſperſe, and flee for our lives, with little hope of ſafety.
8. But mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my truſt, leave not my ſoul deſtitute.
8. But in this ſore diſtreſs, I fix my thoughts on Thee, O mighty Lord, the Governour of all things; in whom I repoſe an aſſured confidence, that Thou wilt not abandon me to the malice of thoſe, that ſeek to take away my life from me.
9. Keep me from the ſnare which they have laid for me, and the grins of the workers of iniquities.
9. Preſerve me, I beſeech Thee, from all the ſubtle plots, which they have laid to deſtroy me: and though they ſtick at nothing (though never ſo unjuſt) and have various arts to blind the world and hide their perfidious deſigns; ſuffer me not to be inſnared by them.
10. Let the wicked fall into their own nets: whilſt that I withall eſcape.
10. But let all the contrivances of ſuch wicked men prove pernicious to themſelves; and bring upon them the evils which they intended me: whilſt I, and they that are with me, by thy care of us, eſcape untouched by any of them.