The Book of Psalms Paraphrased, Book 4 · Psalm 94
PSALM XCIV.
ARGUMENT.
This Pſalm alſo wants an inſcription in the Hebrew, to tell us who was the Authour of it: but the later Greeks intitle David to it; and call it A Pſalm of his for the fourth day of the week: which they had (as I ſhewed in the Argument of the foregoing Pſalm) from the Hebrew Tradition in the Talmud: And he hath little acquaintance with the Hiſtory of David, who doth not ſee that here is an exact deſcription of the Court of Saul, who abuſed their Authority to all manner of oppreſſion and violence (eſpecially againſt David) without any fear of God, or thought that He would call them to any account for it; as he complains in ſeveral other Pſalms; particularly LVII. LVIII. LIX.
But it might as well be penned by any other holy man, who lived in times of general corruption; when (as Theodoret expreſſes it) their Kings, and their Princes (i. e. Judges) loved not to be tied to the Law; but pronounced unjuſt ſentences, and committed murthers; ſelling the bloud of innocents for bribes: of whom the Prophet Iſaiah ſadly complains, Ver. 21. of the firſt Chapter; where Ver. 10. he calls them Rulers of Sodom. Certain it is, the Pſalmiſt, whoſoever he was, deſires he may ſee juſtice done upon ſuch Atheiſtical Oppreſſours; and deſires good men not to be diſcouraged under their tyranny: but patiently expect an happy iſſue, of all the vexation which they gave them.
1. O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth: O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, ſhew thy ſelf.
1. O Eternal Lord, the Sovereign of the world, in whoſe power it is to puniſh the higheſt offendors; and to whom alone it belongs, to take revenge on thoſe who oppreſs thy people, when they ſhould protect them: make thy juſtice conſpicuous in a ſevere vengeance upon them.
2. Lift up thy ſelf, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud.
2. Call them to an account, O Thou righteous Judge of the whole earth: And, by making them ſuffer according to the wrong they have done, let thoſe proud men, who have acted as if they thought none could controle them, know they have a Superiour.
3. LORD, how long ſhall the wicked, how long ſhall the wicked triumph?
3. We can ſcarce behold theſe wicked men without indignation: it tempts us to impatience, O Lord, to ſee how they proſper and triumph in their injurious proceedings;
4. How long ſhall they utter and ſpeak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boaſt themſelves.
4. And to hear their inſolent, and provoking language; for they care not what they ſay; but as they intolerably abuſe us, ſo they audaciouſly blaſpheme Thee: the whole company of them, priding themſelves in the miſchief they doe; and ſcornfully deriding thoſe, that tell them thy judgments will overtake them.
5. They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage.
5. They have cruſhed thy people ſo, that they dare ſcarce complain of their tyranny: which cruelly afflicts thoſe who are dear unto Thee, with all manner of rapines and extortions.
6. They ſlay the widow and the ſtranger, and murther the fatherleſs.
6. They have no compaſſion upon the widow or the ſtranger; but the rather ſpoil them, nay condemn them to die upon falſe accuſations (that they may poſſeſs themſelves of their eſtates) becauſe they have no Patron to defend them: and in the ſame manner they murther, for it is no better, the poor fatherleſs children; whom they ought to protect from violence.
7. Yet they ſay, The LORD ſhall not ſee: neither ſhall the God of Jacob regard it.
7. And to harden themſelves in their wickedneſs, they ſay; what do you tell us of the Lord? He knows not, or minds not, what we doe here: though there are ſuch evident demonſtrations of the Divine providence over Jacob, and his poſterity; yet, for all that, they fancy He doth not regard, nor will call them to any account for their doings.
8. Ʋnderſtand, ye brutiſh among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wiſe?
8. What ſtupid wretches are theſe? who think themſelves the wiſeſt, but are in truth the moſt brutiſh of all mankind: whom I would adviſe, if they have not perfectly loſt their reaſon, to conſider this, (and ſure they are not ſuch fools, but they may ſoon underſtand it)
9. He that planted the ear, ſhall he not hear? He that formed the eye, ſhall he not ſee?
9. Shall not He hear your blaſphemies, who gave you the faculty of hearing? and ſhall not He ſee all you doe, who gave you the power of ſeeing? Is it poſſible He ſhould give to others, what he wants Himſelf?
10. He that chaſtiſeth the heathen, ſhall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, ſhall not he know?
10. He that taught all Nations his will, ſhall not He correct them when they tranſgreſs it? To what purpoſe did he make man to know the difference between good and evil, but that he ſhould obſerve it; and expect, if he did not, to ſuffer for it?
11. The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.
11. Let them deviſe what ways they pleaſe, and flatter themſelves with hopes to eſcape his vengeance: the Lord knows them all; and will make them ſee one day, that all ſuch counſels and contrivances are but mere folly and vanity.
12. Bleſſed is the man whom thou chaſteneſt, O LORD, and teacheſt him out of thy law:
12. And far better had it been for them to have been puniſhed ſooner: For not he that proſpers in his wickedneſs is happy, but he whom Thou chaſteneſt, O Lord, when he doth amiſs; and thereby teacheſt to ſtudy and obey thy Law with greater care and diligence.
13. That thou mayeſt give him reſt from the days of adverſity, untill the pit be digged for the wicked.
13. Which will quiet his mind under all his troubles, and at laſt procure the removal of them: when abſolute deſtruction and ruin, mean time, is preparing for the ungodly.
14. For the LORD will not caſt off his people, neither will he forſake his inheritance.
14. For the Lord will never abandon the care of his people; nor leave thoſe whom He owns for his peculiar poſſeſſion, to be utterly undone by the oppreſſions, which for a time they may endure.
15. But judgment ſhall return unto righteouſneſs: and all the upright in heart ſhall follow it.
15. But how much ſoever his judgments may ſeem to depart from the rules of righteouſneſs, while the wicked flouriſh and the godly are afflicted; they ſhall at laſt return to ſuch a perfect conformity with them: that all honeſt hearted men ſhall be incouraged thereby ſtill to follow the Lord; and by no means to depart from their integrity, though all things look as if they were unequally carried.
16. Who will riſe up for me againſt the evil doers? or who will ſtand up for me againſt the workers of iniquity?
16. Let them learn by my example not to deſpond; for who is it but He alone, from whom I have expected, and ſtill do expect to receive protection and help againſt theſe malicious men? who make no conſcience of what they doe, and deſign my utter ruin.
17. Ʋnleſs the LORD had been my help, my ſoul had almoſt dwelt in ſilence.
17. Whoſe power alſo is ſo great, that if the Lord had not ſeaſonably interpoſed for my aſſiſtance and deliverance, I had not now been praying to Him; but laid in a ſilent grave.
18. When I ſaid, My foot ſlippeth: thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.
18. This was my conſtant ſupport, if at any time my heart even failed me, and I was ready to conclude, I cannot ſubſiſt any longer; then thy mercy, O Lord, ſent me relief, and preſerved me from the danger, wherein I was afraid I ſhould have unavoidably periſhed.
19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my ſoul.
19. I have had innumerable perplexed thoughts, and anxious cares, which have extreamly diſquieted me: But as ſoon as ever I reflected on thy goodneſs, juſtice and truth, they all vaniſhed; and I felt ſuch conſolation from thence, as revived my dejected ſoul:
20. Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowſhip with thee: which frameth miſchief by a law?
20. And made me ſay, I will never imagin it poſſible, that Thou ſhouldeſt favour the tyrannical proceedings of theſe unrighteous Judges: who not onelyonly oppreſs thy people, but doe it in a form of juſtice; and under the colour and pretext of law, make them miſerable.
21. They gather themſelves together againſt the ſoul of the righteous: and condemn the innocent bloud.
21. They aſſemble themſelves together, and in full council combine to deſtroy the righteous: upon whom they paſs a ſolemn ſentence, though he be perfectly guiltleſs, to loſe his life.
22. But the LORD is my defence: and my God is the rock of my refuge.
22. But this doth not diſcourage me (whoſe caſe this is;) let them decree what they pleaſe, and be too hard for all laws: the Lord, who hates unrighteouſneſs, will be my defence; He, who hath been long very gracious to me, I am confident will ſecure me from their violence.
23. And he ſhall bring upon them their own iniquity, and ſhall cut them off in their own wickedneſs: yea, the LORD our God ſhall cut them off.
23. And more then that, retort it upon themſelves; for the miſchief they intended againſt me, ſhall fall upon their own head: He ſhall cut them off in their own wicked contrivances; though it be not in our power, yet the Lord our God, who hath undertaken the patronage of thoſe that confide in Him, ſhall cut them off.