The Book of Psalms Paraphrased, Book 3 · Psalm 73
PSALM LXXIII.
ARGUMENT.
Here begins a new Collection of XVII. Pſalms, moſt of them very diſconſolate and full of ſad Complaints, which make up the Third Book of this Volume, as the Hebrews divide it. They were moſt of them compoſed by Aſaph (and but one of them by David) though who he was, is not reſolved by Interpreters: who ſuſpect indeed there might be another Authour of ſome of theſe Pſalms; but have no other Aſaph to name, but Aſaph the Singer, who was famous in the days of David, 1 Chron. VI. 39. XVI. 5. 2 Chr. V. 12. And accordingly Apollinarius thus deſcants upon the Title, The Divine invention of David failing in the compoſing of Songs, Aſaph aroſe and by the Divine Spirit reſounded this Hymn. But it ſeems to me that there is another perſon of this name mentioned in the holy Books (who may be more probably intituled to this Work) called Aſaph the Seer (ſee Pſal. L.) who lived in the days of Hezekiah, 2 Chron. XXIX. 30. and whoſe Son, I ſuppoſe, was then Recorder, 2 King. XVIII. 37. XXXVI. Iſa. 3. Some of them indeed (as I ſhall take notice in due place) may be thought rather to belong to another Aſaph in after times: but for the preſent Pſalm (and moſt of the reſt) I can find no perſon ſo likely to whom it may be intituled, as him now named: who compoſed it, I conceive, either when he ſaw the miſerable havock which Strangers made among them in the days of Ahaz, 2 Chron. XXVIII. 17, 18, 19. XXIX. 8, 9. or when Senacherib invaded them, notwithſtanding the reformation which Hezekiah had made: or, which is moſt probable, upon the occaſion that David wrote the XXXVII. Pſalm, to comfort himſelf and good men, when they ſaw the lewder ſort among them thrive and proſper; and the pious ſometimes ſorely afflicted: quite contrary to the Sanctions of their Law, which promiſed all good things to thoſe that obſerved it; and threatned the evil to thoſe that broke it. This extreamly afflicted his Spirit, and ſtaggered his Faith, till he conſidered the matter more deeply; and then he broke out into this Meditation, ſaying,
1. TRƲLY God is good to Iſrael, even to ſuch as are of a clean heart.
1. I Will never hereafter, whatſoever Confuſions I behold, queſtion the juſtice of God's Providence; but conſtantly affirm that He is not merely Juſt, but very Good; yea hath a moſt ſingular love to his faithfull people; who notwithſtanding the evils they indure, will never conſent to do any evil.
2. But as for me, my feet were almoſt gone: my ſteps had well-nigh ſlipt.
2. Time was indeed, when I, even I, who have had ſuch long experience of his care over me, began to doubt and ſtagger in my Faith: nay, was in danger to tumble headlong into unbelief.
3. For I was envious at the fooliſh, when I ſaw the proſperity of the wicked.
3. The reaſon was, that having a juſt indignation againſt the folly, or rather madneſs of wicked men, it firſt vext me to ſee them, notwithſtanding their ill deſervings, in a very flouriſhing condition; and then tempted me to think it very hard that ſober men ſhould not equal, if not exceed them, in ſuch happineſs: eſpecially when I ſaw no likelihood that it would end, but that they continue in their proſperity.
4. For there are no bands in their death: but their ſtrength is firm.
4. For as they carry on all their deſigns ſmoothly and meet with no rub in their way, nor are in any danger (ſo great is their power) to be bound over by humane juſtice to anſwer for their crimes, how many ſoever they commit: ſo they are not afflicted with ſore diſeaſes by the hand of God, nor brought to their graves with pains and torment; but after a long life, in firm and vigorous health, depart eaſily out of the world.
5. They are not in trouble as other men: neither are they plagued like other men.
5. Their life is nothing ſo laborious and toilſome as that of many honeſt, but poor and wretched men: and they eſcape untouch'd, or are little hurt, by ſuch calamities as are common to all mankind.
6. Therefore pride compaſſeth them about as a chain: violence covereth them as a garment.
6. Which makes them ſo unſufferably proud, and vainly conceited of themſelves, that they not onelyonly tyrannize over their neighbours; but openly boaſt of the power they have to do them miſchief: and glory in all the violence and cruelty, whereby they maintain and increaſe their pompous greatneſs.
7. Their eyes ſtand out with fatneſs: they have more then heart could wiſh.
7. In which they pamper themſelves to ſuch an exceſs, that in their very countenance they expreſs the haughty ſwelling of their minds and hearts: which are ſtrangely puffed up, by their being raiſed (not onelyonly beyond the expectation of all other men; but) far above all that they themſelves at firſt imagined or could deſign.
8. They are corrupt and ſpeak wickedly concerning oppreſſion: they ſpeak loftily.
8. They mock at all thoſe who ſcrupulouſly tie themſelves to the Rules of Juſtice, or tell them of the danger they run by their violation: for they threaten to undo all thoſe that oppoſe them; and publickly declare in the height of their arrogance, that they will not be bound by any Laws.
9. They ſet their mouth againſt the heavens; and their tongue walketh through the earth.
9. No, not thoſe of God himſelf, who (with all the inviſible Powers of which men talk) they ſay is but a Name; which they do not dread: and therefore no wonder, if ſuch blaſphemers of His Majeſty ſpare neither high nor low, but let their tongues looſe, to abuſe and calumniate whomſoever they pleaſe upon earth.
10. Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
10. And yet, as bad as they are, there is none of them but hath his followers and admirers; whom he firſt invites and then retains, like beaſts, by filling their bellies: which abundantly contents them, though others be ſqueezed and oppreſſed, to give them this poor ſatisfaction.
11. And they ſay, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the moſt High?
11. Nay, they drink in their opinions, and join with them in their impiety, ſaying, How can God know what we do here? or if He do, why ſhould we think that He, who is ſo high, troubles Himſelf about our affairs?
12. Behold, theſe are the ungodly, who proſper in the world, they increaſe in riches.
12. For behold, there are none that contemn Him more then theſe men; and yet He is ſo far from inflicting any puniſhment on them, that none enjoy ſuch a continued courſe of proſperity as they; whoſe wealth and power increaſes every day.
13. Verily I have cleanſed my heart in vain, and waſhed my hands in innocency.
13. And verily, if theſe men diſcourſe aright, I have taken a great deal of pains to little purpoſe; while I have ſtudiouſly endeavoured to keep my heart pure from ſo much as ill deſigns, as well as to refrain the doing of any evil actions; from the charge of which I can ſafely purge my ſelf.
14. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chaſtened every morning.
14. And yet I am plagued perpetually by the reſtleſs malice of theſe wicked doers; which as conſtantly as the Sun riſes falls on me, a deal ſooner then on other men.
15. If I ſay, I will ſpeak thus: behold, I ſhould offend againſt the generation of thy children.
15. But, whatſoever confuſed and fooliſh thoughts came on a ſudden into my mind, I concluded upon more mature deliberation, that if I ſaid as theſe men do, I ſhould baſely betray the cauſe of all them, who are truly dear unto Thee.
16. When I thought to know this, it was too painfull for me.
16. And therefore reſolved with my ſelf, before I pronounced my ſentence, to ſtudy this point more ſeriouſly; which at firſt ſight appeared ſo hard, that it grievouſly perplexed me.
17. Ʋntill I went into the ſanctuary of God; then underſtood I their end.
17. And retiring my ſelf into the holy places to conſult with Thee, and with thoſe to whom Thou communicateſt thy Secrets, I was preſently ſenſible how ſhort their felicity is; unto which death having put an utter end, it is followed with a diſmal after-reckoning in another world.
18. Surely thou didſt ſet them in ſlippery places: thou caſtedſt them down into deſtruction.
18. And next I conſidered, that all of them do not ſtand ſo firm as they imagin, but merely flatter themſelves with vain hopes of continuing in their ſtation to the end of their days: for being raiſed to the higheſt preferments, they find them to be very ſlippery places; from whence, to the amazement of themſelves and of all ſpectatours, they come tumbling down into a moſt horrible ruin.
19. How are they brought into deſolation, as in a moment! they are utterly conſumed with terrours.
19. Oh what an aſtoniſhing change is this! which is the more frightfull, when on a ſudden the Divine vengeance ſeiſes on them; and, when they leaſt expect it, an end is put to their greatneſs: nay, they are quite deſtroyed, in a moſt terrible manner, as if they had never been.
20. As a dream when one awaketh; ſo, O LORD, when thou awakeſt, thou ſhalt deſpiſe their image.
20. So that it is but a dream of happineſs wherein they live, and they pride themſelves in a mere imaginary glory; which not onelyonly vaniſhes away, when Thou, O Lord, doſt ariſe to judge them, but becomes as contemptible, in that very City where they appeared in all their pomp and ſplendour, as the fine things, which a man ſees in his ſleep, are when he awaketh.
21. Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.
21. And therefore when my ſpirit boiled with vexation, and grew ſour at the ſight of their proſperity; (Ver. 2, 3.) when I was ſo vehemently provoked to paſſionate complaints, feeling the ſharpeſt touches of grief and anger;
22. So fooliſh was I, and ignorant: I was as a beaſt before thee.
22. I now ingenuouſly acknowledg, it was for want of ſuch manly and religious thoughts as theſe; which ſhould have been in my mind, when I thought of thy Adminiſtrations, if I had not been dull and ſtupid; as void of ſenſe as the beaſts, which look onelyonly at things before their eyes, and have no regard to what is to come, or is not ſeen.
23. Nevertheleſs, I am continually with thee: thou haſt holden me by my right hand.
23. For if I had looked beyond my ſenſes, I might have ſeen that I am under the care of thy good Providence, and that Thou haſt been my guide and my ſupporter, even when I had theſe bruitiſh thoughts, and didſt not ſuffer theſe wicked men to deſtroy me.
24. Thou ſhalt guide me with thy counſel, and afterward receive me to glory.
24. And therefore I ought in all reaſon ſtill to conclude, That Thou wilt direct me to behave my ſelf ſo wiſely, that I ſhall never fall into their ſnares: but, after I have ſuffered a while, be preferred to thoſe dignities from whence they fall; and, which is more, be ſo graciouſly accepted by Thee, as to continue in them unto immortal glory.
25. Whom have I in heaven, but thee? and there is none upon earth, that I deſire beſides thee.
25. This I expect from thy Almighty Goodneſs, who art the ſoleſt object of my hope: For thou knoweſt there is none in Heaven, whom I depend upon for help and protection but Thee alone; none upon Earth whoſe favour I ſeek, but onelyonly thine, which ſhall perfectly content me.
26. My fleſh, and my heart faileth: but God is the ſtrength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
26. It is poſſible I may ſtill be preſſed with ſuch ſore afflictions, that not onelyonly my bodily ſtrength, but alſo my courage may begin again to fail me; but then I will recover my ſelf, and fortifie my Soul by flying unto Thee, O God, for ſafety: in whoſe love I will alway think my ſelf happy, and enjoy everlaſting ſatisfaction.
27. For lo, they that are far from thee, ſhall periſh: thou haſt deſtroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.
27. For there is nothing more certain or more remarkable then this; that they who, by forſaking Thee, have put themſelves far from under thy care, will never be able, by any other means, to ſave themſelves from periſhing: For Thou haſt already made ſuch men a terrible Example of thy diſpleaſure; and utterly deſtroyed thoſe, who, quitting thy ſervice, have devoted themſelves to the worſhip of other Gods, 2 Chron. XXVIII. 6, 18, 19. XXIX. 7, 8, 9.
28. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my truſt in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.
28. And therefore I will learn by their miſcarriages, that it is the beſt and ſafeſt courſe for me, to adhere to my good God; and to make my humble addreſſes to Him alone. I have done ſo hitherto, and no danger ſhall tempt me hereafter to quit this hold, and to confide in any thing, but onelyonly in the Sovereign of the World, who never fails thoſe that depend upon Him, and will, I hope, be ſo gracious unto me, that I ſhall have abundant cauſe to publiſh and proclaim to all others the Works of his Providence; in preſerving the Good, and in throwing the wicked down, at laſt, to the ground.