The Book of Psalms Paraphrased, Book 3 · Psalm 86 – Psalm 87
PSALM LXXXVI.
A Prayer of David.
ARGUMENT.
The Title ſatisfies us that David was the Authour of this Pſalm; which the Collectour of this third Book, found, I ſuppoſe, after the other two were made up and publiſhed; and ſo placed it here, among thoſe which belong to the ſame ſubject. For though it was compoſed by David, when he was ſo perſecuted, either by Saul or Abſalom, that he was ſtript of all he had, and left in a moſt forlorn condition (Ver. 1.) yet Theodoret thinks it was made with a proſpect of the attempt, which the Aſſyrians made upon Jeruſalem; and the hope which Hezekiah then placed in God, for deliverance. Which Notion, it is likely he had from the Jews; who ſay that this Prayer was made uſe of by Hezekiah, in the time of that ſore diſtreſs: for the firſt words of this Pſalm, are the ſame with his in 2 King. XIX. 16. and the eighth and ninth Verſes may very fitly be accommodated to that Hiſtory (as I have there obſerved) but the reſt a great deal better to David.
1. BOW down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.
1. THere cannot be a fitter object of thy Mercy, O Lord, then thy poor Supplicant, who beſeeches Thee graciouſly to condeſcend to his requeſt: for elſe he is utterly undone, being quite deſtitute of all humane help.
2. Preſerve my ſoul, for I am holy: O thou my God, ſave thy ſervant, that truſteth in thee.
2. And yet my life is in imminent danger, unleſs Thou doſt preſerve it; as many reaſons make me hope Thou wilt: for, as Thou the righteous Judge haſt been long my benefactour, and I am perfectly innocent of that my enemies charge me withal; ſo I my ſelf have been a reliever of others in their need; and beſides, am a faithfull ſervant of thine, who depends intirely upon Thee, and hath no confidence in any thing, but onelyonly thy Almighty Goodneſs.
3. Be mercifull unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.
3. Whoſe mercifull help I have alſo implored with moſt importunate and inceſſant prayers; which is another reaſon of my hope, that Thou wilt take compaſſion upon me, O Lord:
4. Rejoice the ſoul of thy ſervant: for unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my ſoul.
4. And turn the preſent ſorrow of thy ſervant into joy and gladneſs: For I have placed my hope intirely in Thee, O Lord; and expect nothing but from Thee alone.
5. For thou Lord art good, and ready to forgive: and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
5. Who art no leſs bountifull (which is another exceeding great encouragement to me) then I am indigent; ready alſo to pardon thoſe that have offended Thee: yea to ſhew abundant kindneſs to every one of them, in their greateſt diſtreſs; when with unfeigned devotion they call upon Thee.
6. Give ear, O LORD unto my prayer: and attend to the voice of my ſupplications.
6. As I now do, O Lord; moſt humbly beſeeching Thee with repeated intreaties, to give a favourable anſwer to theſe prayers and ſupplications; whereby I deprecate thy diſpleaſure, and ſue unto Thee for favour.
7. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt anſwer me.
7. Which I beſeech Thee let me the rather obtain, becauſe my diſtreſs is ſo great and ſo urgent; that thy power will now be the more magnified in delivering me: as heretofore Thou haſt been wont to doe, upon ſuch earneſt petitions, as theſe are unto Thee.
8. Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O LORD, neither are there any works like unto thy works.
8. For nothing is too hard for Thee; nor art Thou unwilling to doe more kindneſſes for us, becauſe Thou haſt done ſo many already: But, as appears by thy unparallel'd works, doſt incomparably excell (whatſoever ſtrangers think, 2 King. XVIII. 15.) all thoſe that are worſhipped in the world as gods; who are not able ſo much as to help, and preſerve themſelves.
9. All nations whom thou haſt made, ſhall come and worſhip before thee, O LORD: and ſhall glorifie thy name.
9. Which ſhall move all our neighbouring Nations (2 Chron. XXXII. 23.) as all the reſt ſhall do in the days of that Great King which we expect, XV. Rom. 9.) to acknowledge Thee, O Lord, to be their Creatour; and with humble veneration to ſubmit themſelves unto Thee, and to honour Thee with their higheſt praiſes.
10. For thou art great, and doeſt wondrous things: thou art God alone.
10. For they ſhall clearly ſee, by the magnificence of thy marvellous works, that Thou art infinitely ſuperiour, to all thoſe Powers whom they adore: And that, in truth, there is no God, but Thou thy ſelf alone.
11. Teach me thy way, O LORD, I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
11. Which I ſo firmly believe, that I deſire nothing more, then to be perfectly inſtructed in all thy will; which I will ſincerely obſerve: knit my heart, O Lord, in ſuch pious affections to Thee, that it may never in the leaſt diſſent from Thee; nor be diſturbed with any vain cares, but intirely bent to ſtudy this alone, what is pleaſing unto Thee.
12. I will praiſe thee, O LORD my God, with all my heart: and I will glorifie thy name for evermore.
12. Whom I am bound to praiſe, both as the fupreme Lord of all, and as my moſt bountifull Benefactour, with all the powers of my Soul: and accordingly, I do now moſt thankfully acknowledge Thee; and will never ceaſe to honour Thee, and to doe Thee ſervice, as long as I have any Being.
13. For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou haſt delivered my ſoul from the loweſt hell.
13. For the benefits Thou haſt beſtowed on me, are as ineſtimable, as they are innumerable: I owe my very life to Thee, which hath been often ſnatched out of the extreameſt dangers; wherein I had inevitably periſhed, if Thou hadſt not mercifully delivered me, 1 Sam. XXIII, &c.
14. O God, the proud are riſen againſt me, and the aſſemblies of violent men have ſought after my ſoul: and have not ſet thee before them.
14. Behold, O God, a new opportunity to glorifie that mercy; for proud and ambitious men, (2 Sam. XV. 1, 2, &c.) have made an inſurrection againſt me, and raiſed a moſt formidable Army (2 Sam. XV. 12, 13.) to take away that life, which Thou haſt ſo miraculouſly preſerved: having no regard to thy Providence; nor refuſing any means, whereby they may ſatisfie their unjuſt deſires.
15. But thou, O LORD, art a God full of compaſſion, and gracious: long-ſuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
15. All our comfort is, that Thou, not they, doſt govern the world: who art no leſs compaſſionate, then Thou art powerfull; readily forgiving offences, or bearing long before Thou puniſheſt Them; chuſing rather to heap thy benefits upon us, and never failing to perform thy faithfull promiſes.
16. O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me, give thy ſtrength unto thy ſervant, and ſave the ſon of thine handmaid.
16. In confidence of which I humbly beſeech thy favour, and gracious pardon, though I have highly offended Thee: Aſſiſt thy poor ſervant, by thy irreſiſtible power, againſt thoſe mighty forces, which are ready to aſſault me: O deliver me, who am here humbled in the loweſt manner before Thee; looking upon my ſelf as more abſolutely thine, then any ſlave that is born in our houſe, can be ours.
17. Shew me a token for good, that they which hate me may ſee it, and be aſhamed: becauſe thou, LORD, haſt holpen me, and comforted me.
17. Vouchſafe me now in this great diſtreſs, ſuch manifeſt tokens of thy favour towards me, that I may not onelyonly be delivered; but all may take notice of it: And good men thereby be encouraged to hope in Thee; but they that hate me, be utterly confounded; to ſee him whom they intended to deſtroy, not onelyonly preſerved but, bleſſed with comforts proportionable to the ſorrow he hath indured.
PSALM LXXXVII.
A Pſalm or Song, for the Sons of Korah.
ARGUMENT.
It is as uncertain when this Pſalm-Song (ſee LXVII.) was compoſed, as which of the Sons of Korah was the Authour of it. But it is manifeſt enough, that it was written in commendation of Jeruſalem, ſituate in the holy Mountains; of Sion (where David built his Palace, and afterward ſettled the Ark) and of Moriah, where Solomon built the Temple. There are thoſe that think it was compoſed upon the Anniverſary of the Birth, or Coronation of ſome great Prince; ſuch as Hezekiah: in whoſe days this City was made more famous; by the glorious deliverance which God gave it, from the power of the King of Aſſyria's Army. But this is a mere conjecture; and I ſhall follow the vulgar opinion: according to which, the beginning of this Pſalm muſt be lookt upon, as very abrupt; but expreſſes the greater rapture of joyfull admiration, wherein the Pſalmiſt was.
1. HIS foundations is in the holy mountains.
1. GReat is the ſtrength and beauty of this place! which is founded by God in the high Mountains; which He hath peculiarly choſen for the ſeat of his Kingdom, and of his Prieſthood.
2. The LORD loveth the gates of Sion, more then all the dwellings of Jacob.
2. Though the Lord loves all the habitations of his people; yet none are ſo dear unto Him, as thoſe within the Gates of Jeruſalem: A principal part of which is Sion.
3. Glorious things are ſpoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.
3. There is no City in the world, of which ſuch glorious things are foretold, or of which any thing can now be ſaid, comparable to what we can truly boaſt of thee; that art the City, which God Himſelf hath ſeparated for his own habitation.
4. I will make mention of Rahab, and Babylon, to them that know me; behold, Philiſtia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia: this man was born there.
4. I do not deny the due praiſes which belong to other places and Countries; but rather am wont to make honourable mention, among my acquaintance and familiars, of Egypt and of Babylon; and of thoſe who are nearer to us, the Philiſtines, Tyrians, and Arabians: bidding them obſerve, that ſuch a notable perſon was born among them:
5. And of Sion it ſhall be ſaid, This and that man was born in her: and the Higheſt himſelf ſhall eſtabliſh her.
5. But what is this to Sion? of whom it ſhall be ſaid in future times, that (not ſuch a ſingle perſon, but) this and that man; a great many Worthies, and far more eminent, both in Learning and in Arms, but eſpecially in Piety, were born in her: for ſhe hath no meaner inſtructour than the moſt high; who ſhall ſettle her in a flouriſhing eſtate, by educating and forming her inhabitants, to the moſt excellent qualities.
6. The LORD ſhall count when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah.
6. So that when He himſelf, whoſe eyes nothing can eſcape, ſhall look over the regiſter of thoſe Nations, and count the famous men they have produced; He ſhall find onelyonly ſome one great man, and he comparatively of no great value, was born among them:
7. As well the ſingers as the players on inſtruments ſhall be there: all my ſprings are in thee.
7. But in thee, O City of God, He ſhall find multitudes of excellent perſons, all eminent in their kind, even among thoſe of lower rank, as well as in the higher: And there ſhall be a conſtant ſucceſſion of ſuch; as there is of water from a ſpring.