The Book of Psalms Paraphrased, Book 5 · Psalm 120 – Psalm 121
PSALM CXX.
A Song of degrees.
ARGUMENT.
There can no certain account be given, why this and XIV. other Pſalms, which follow, are called Songs of degrees, or aſcents. Their conjecture ſeems to me moſt probable, who think this Title denotes, either the elevation of the voice in the ſinging theſe Songs; or the excellence of the compoſure, or of the Muſick to which they were ſet; or the high eſteem they had of them upon ſome account or other: particularly becauſe they were ſo fit for their uſe (though moſt of them compoſed in former times) at and after their return from the Captivity of Babylon. Then, ſome think, this Title was given to them; becauſe they ſung them, as they went up to their own Country again.
But this preſent Pſalm ſeems to have been made by David, when the calumnies of Doeg, and others forced him to flee his Country; and to go as far as the Kedarens or Arabians (Ver. 6.) whoſe company was very irkſome to him. We do not reade indeed in his Hiſtory, that he was there: but we may well think he ſought for ſafety, in more places then are particularly mentioned; and might as well be there, as among the Moabites, and in the wilderneſs of Paran, (1 Sam. XXV. 1.) which was not far from them. As for Meſech, I take that to ſignifie not a place, but the length of time, which he ſtaid there, before he durſt ſtir from thence; or, which he was forced to ſpend in exile: as all the ancient Interpreters, except one, underſtand it. See Bochart in his Phaleg. L. III. Cap. 12.
1. IN my diſtreſs I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.
1. I Have had frequent experience of the goodneſs of the Lord; who, when I have earneſtly implored his help in my ſtraits and difficulties, hath conſtantly relieved me.
2. Deliver my ſoul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitfull tongue.
2. May it pleaſe Thee, O Lord, ſtill to continue thy mercy toward me: and now that men ſtrike at my life, by calumnies, and cunningly deviſed lies, (1 Sam. XXII. 9. XXIV. 9.) to preſerve me from the danger, into which they have thrown me.
3. What ſhall be given unto thee? or what ſhall be done unto thee, thou falſe tongue?
3. O thou falſe accuſer! what doſt Thou hope to get by theſe ſpecious tales which thou haſt forged? what will They add to that heap of wealth, which thou treaſureſt up? (LII. Pſal. 7.)
4. Sharp arrows of the almighty, with coals of juniper.
4. They ſhall be ſo far from turning to thy advantage, that they ſhall prove thy undoing: for the mighty Lord (whom none can reſiſt) ſhall take a ſharp and a ſwift vengeance on thee; which ſhall never ceaſe, till it hath utterly conſumed thee.
5. Wo is me that I ſojourn in Meſech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar.
5. For it is but fit thou ſhouldſt ſmart for the miſchief thou haſt done; under which I groan moſt ſadly: not onelyonly in a tedious baniſhment from my own Country; but in that I am forced to ſeek for ſhelter, among the barbarous Arabs.
6. My ſoul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace.
6. Where my mind cannot but perpetually reflect upon the implacable ſpirit of my enemies: whoſe bitter hatred will not ſuffer them, to come to any terms of agreement.
7. I am for peace: but when I ſpeak, they are for war.
7. As I never gave them the leaſt offence; ſo there is nothing that I more vehemently deſire, then peace and reconciliation: but when I make a motion for it, they are the more exaſperated; and, as if I diſtruſted my cauſe, or craftily ſought advantage by a treaty, betake themſelves more fiercely and reſolutely to their arms.
PSALM CXXI.
A Song of degrees.
ARGUMENT.
If David was the Authour of this Pſalm (and to whom can we with ſo much likelihood aſcribe it?) it is an expreſſion of the high truſt and confidence, which he repoſed in God; when he was in great ſtraits, and ſaw no hope of humane help: being either inviron'd by Saul's Forces, or purſued by his Son Abſalom. It is hard to ſay, to which it belongs; but if by hills, in the firſt Verſe, we underſtand Sion, and Moriah, where David's Palace and the Ark of God were placed; then it muſt be referred to the latter: for Sion was not theirs, during Saul's perſecution.
There are thoſe indeed, who, following Kimchi, take the firſt Verſe to be a military form of ſpeech; and ſuppoſe David to have looked round about him, as a Captain in danger doth; to ſee if he could ſpie any aſſiſtance coming to him, down the neighbouring hills wherewith he was encompaſſed. But the other ſenſe ſeems to me more ſimple; which therefore I have followed: though, if we ſhould adhere to that conjecture, ſtill it will beſt agree to the diſtreſs into which Abſalom had reduced him. For then he might well look to ſee if any of his Subjects, continuing their fidelity to him, would appear to defend him. Why called A Song of degrees, ſee, CXX.
1. I Will lift up mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help.
1. THough I am driven, not onelyonly from my own Palace, but from God's Dwelling place, (2 Sam. XV. 14, 25.) yet my eyes ſhall be ever directed thitherward: from whence I expect a powerfull aid againſt thoſe numerous enemies that are combined to deſtroy me.
2. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
2. I have no dependance on any other help, but wait for deliverance wholly from the preſence of the Lord: to whom all Creatures are ſubject, and who hath Angels at his command, to ſend to the ſuccour of his ſervants; for he made the heaven, as well as the earth.
3. He will not ſuffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not ſlumber.
3. And me thinks I hear his Miniſters calling to me out of his holy place, and ſaying; Fear not; ſince Thou haſt placed thy confidence in the Lord alone, He will not let thee be ſubverted: thou haſt a ſtronger guard, then the moſt valiant Army would be to thee; for they may be tired and fall aſleep, but He that hath thee in his cuſtody will exerciſe a moſt unwearied care over thee.
4. Behold, he that keepeth Iſrael, ſhall neither ſlumber nor ſleep.
4. Be confident of it; He that is the protectour of all good men, will never in the leaſt neglect thee; much leſs abandon the care of thee: but, by a moſt watchfull providence, keep thee in ſafety.
5. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy ſhade upon thy right hand.
5. The omnipotent Lord of the world is thy Guardian: the very ſame Lord that covered your Forefathers with a glorious cloud (XIII. Exod. 21.) is always preſent with thee; to defend and aſſiſt thee, againſt all the enemies that aſſault thee.
6. The ſun ſhall not ſmite thee by day; nor the moon by night.
6. Be not troubled that thou art forced to take up thy quarters in the open field: for the Sun ſhall doe thee no hurt, by its vehement heat in the day; nor the Moon by its cold and moiſture in the night, (2 Sam. XVII. 1, 6, 22.)
7. The LORD ſhall preſerve thee from all evil: he ſhall preſerve thy ſoul.
7. The Lord ſhall preſerve thee from all manner of harm: He will preſerve thy life; and not ſuffer thee to fall into the hands of thoſe, that contrive to take it away, (2 Sam. XVII. 1, 2, 14.)
8. The LORD ſhall preſerve thy going out, and thy coming in, from this time forth and even for evermore.
8. The Lord ſhall ſecure thee, whitherſoever thou marcheſt; and proſper thee all along, in all thy undertakings, either abroad or within doors: not onelyonly now; but in all future times, to the end of thy days.