The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 200 – Section 201
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DAvid being now delivered from all his enemies on every ſide both within and without his Kingdom, and calling to mind Gods wonderful mercies to him, he in a grateful remembrance of them compoſed a Triumphant Song or Pſalm of Thankſgiving that God might have the glory of all that he had done for him. This Song is the ſame for ſubſtance with the 18th Pſalm, only there are ſome clauſes here that are expreſt there in other words, and in ſome places a clauſe is now and then added in one of them which is not in the other. So that poſſibly this Pſalm was penned by him many years before when he was delivered from his mighty potent enemy Saul, and is here with ſome little alteration repeated again. In this Song, firſt he declares his firm confidence in God, and that he might ſhew what an alſufficient defence he eſteemed the Lord to be unto him, he uſeth variety of expreſſions to ſet it forth, as not being able by one or two to expreſs it. He calls the Lord his rock, his fortreſs, his deliverer, his ſhield, the horn (a)Horn ſignifies power and glory. Chriſt is call'd the horn of ſalvation, Luk. 1.69.of his ſalvation (by whoſe aſſiſtance he had been enabled both to defend himſelf, and puſh down his enemies) his tower, his refuge, and his ſaviour, whence he infers that he will ſtill truſt in him, and call upon him who was worthy to be praiſed. Secondly, he ſets forth the woful ſtraits and dangers he had been in; his enemies came upon him like violent floods of water, and like waves rouling one upon the neck of another, (threatning preſent death to him) he acknowledges their roaring rage made him afraid, but that fear drave him to God. He ſays that death-threatning ſorrows and dangers ſo encompaſſed him, that there ſeemed no more likelihood for him to eſcape than there is of a ſick man that hath the pangs of death upon him; he intimates that Saul and his other enemies had ſo ſubtilly contriv'd his death and laid their ſnares ſo cunningly for him that all means of eſcaping ſeem'd to be prevented. In theſe my great diſtreſſes (ſays he) I cry'd unto the Lord, and he heard me (and appear'd for me) out of his Temple *Heaven is call'd the Temple of God, 1ſt, as being the place of his special preſence. 2. In regard of the the exceeding glory of Heaven, which to ſhadow forth, the Temple was built ſo exceeding glorious. 3. In regard of the tranſient holineſs of heaven.; that is out of Heaven, and from thence manifeſted his power for my deliverance. Then the earth ſhook and trembled, and the foundations of heaven mov'd and ſhook becauſe he was wroth; that is, the Lord in his hot diſpleaſure fought againſt my enemies, and poured forth his vengeance upon them. This vengeance he ſets forth under the ſimilitude of a prodigious ſtorm or tempeſt, when the earth quakes, and the air is covered with thick, black and dark miſts, and when the Heavens ſend forth wind, rain, thunder and lightning (b)David here in ſublime expreſſions ſets forth not what hiſtorically happened, but an a Poetical manner Gods mighty aſſiſtance and concurrence with him in his victories over his enemies.; by all which he intimates that the wrath of the Lord was evidently ſeen and manifeſted in the deſtruction of his enemies, as if he had ſent ſuch an horribla ſtorm and tempeſt upon them, and ſo viſibly deſtroyed them. The foundations of the heavens ſhook and were moved. In the 18 Pſalm v. 7. he ſays the foundations of the hills moved, that is, the hills were ſhaken from their very foundations or bottoms. Theſe hills are here call'd the foundations of heaven (a)Job 26.11. calls that the pillars of Heaven., becauſe the tops of high mountains ſeem to touch the clouds, and the heavens ſeem to lean upon them. There went up a ſmoke out of his noſtrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured, coals were kindled by it, that is, he gave forth ſuch teſtimonies of his anger and indignation againſt mine enemies, ſo vehement was his wrath that even ſmoke ſeem'd (to ſpeak after the manner of men) to come out of his noſtrils, and ſo hot a fire out of his mouth that even coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens alſo and came down and darkneſs was under his feet; that is, the lower part of the heavens was ſo affected as if God to manifeſt his power had come down into it, and (if we may deſcribe him according to our weak apprehenſions) under his feet in the lower region of the air, there were dark miſts and clouds. He rode upon a cherub and did fly, yea he did fly upon the wings of the wind *See Pſal. 18.10.; that is, he uſed the miniſtry of his holy Angels, and by them he raiſed violent and ſtrong winds. He made darkneſs pavillions round about him, dark waters and thick clouds of the skies; that is, as men are wont by Tents and Pavillions to ſhelter themſelves, and to hide themſelves from the view of others, ſo did the Lord caſt darkneſs and thick clouds about the place of his appearance. Through the brightneſs before him were coals of fire kindled; that is, the Lord ſent out his flaſhes of lightning, with the flames whereof much combuſtible matter was kindled. The Lord thundered from heaven, and the moſt high uttered his voice, he ſent out his arrows and ſcattered them; that is, his thunderbolts out of the clouds, as arrows from his bow. He ſent out his lightning and diſcomfited them. The channels of the Sea appeared, the foundations of the world were diſcovered; at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blaſt of the breath of his noſtrils; that is, by this raging tempeſt the waters and waves were raiſed up ſo high that the very channels and bottom of the Sea was diſcovered and laid bare. By theſe Hyperbolical expreſſions he ſignifies and ſets forth the fierce anger of God againſt his enemies; then he comes to ſet forth the wonderfulneſs of his deliverance, being like a man ready to be drowned, and periſh in deep waters, had not God as it were with his arm ſtretched out from heaven pull'd him out of them: God delivered me (ſays he) from many enemies, yea, from my ſtrong enemies, (ſuch as Goliath, Doeg, Saul, and Achitophel) who would have been too ſtrong for me, if he had not of his great mercy helped me. In the day of calamity and diſtreſs they thought (by their ſubtilty) to prevent me from ſaving my ſelf, and to ſurprize me before I was aware, ſo that I ſhould not eſcape, (ſo Achitophel contrived) but the Lord was my ſtay, and upon him I did relye and truſt. The Lord alſo freed me from the great ſtraits I was in, and ſet me at liberty, and that not for any merit in me, but of his own free grace and mercy, and that he might graciouſly reward me according to my innocency and integrity; ſo that I may with great thankfulneſs ſay, The Lord hath rewarded me according to my righteouſneſs †He doth not here ſpeak of his righteouſneſs in reference to God, for in this ſenſe he prayeth, Pſal. 143.2. Enter not into judgment with thy ſervant, but of his righteouſneſs as to his enemies. though the obedience of Gods ſervants is a due debt which they owe to God, and it is God that enables them to do what they do, yet God of his free grace rewards them for their works when they are performed with ſincerity, though they be far ſhort of what they ſhould be; the Lord rewards men according to their works, that is, acding to the nature and quality of their works, though not for any merit in their works. If their works be good they ſhall have a good reward, if their works be evil, their reward will be accordingly., according to the cleanneſs of my hands hath he recompenſed me; that is, according to the righteouſneſs of my cauſe, and the innocence of my intentions and actions, as to my enemies, I being clear of thoſe faults and crimes they ſlanderouſly charged me with I have kept the ways of the Lord; that is, I have deſired to walk in his precepts, and the ways by him preſcribed; and though I have had many ſlips and failings yet I have not wickedly and preſumptuouſly reſolved to go on in them, and ſo to make a deſperate defection from God. For all his judgments and ſtatutes were before me; that is, I have ſet the whole Law of God before me as the rule of my life and actions, and do endeavour to obſerve them one as well as another. And though I have had many failings, yet what I have done in Gods ſervice hath not been in hypocriſie or diſſimulation. I was upright before him and kept my ſelf from mine iniquity; I reſtrained my ſelf from that ſin *Cavi ne ſcelus admitterem, quod antea admiſſiſſē., unto which I was otherwiſe by nature prone to fall into. Therefore the Lord hath recompenſed me according to my righteouſneſs, according to my innocency which he ſaw in me.
He now by an elegant Apoſtrophe turns his ſpeech to God, extolling his goodneſs and mercy towards the godly, and his equal and juſt dealing with the wicked. With the merciful thou wilt ſhew thy ſelf merciful, with the upright thou wilt ſhew thy ſelf to act uprightly, with the pure thou wilt ſhew thy ſelf to act purely and holily, but with the froward and perverſe thou wilt ſhew thy ſelf wayward (†)V. 27. Perverſe ages, i. e. retribues illi ſecundum perverſitatem ejus.and unpleaſing, inflicting ſharp judgments upon them. As they walk contrary to thee, ſo thou wilt walk contrary to them, croſſing them in all that they go about, according to Levit. 26.27, 28. The afflicted people thou wilt ſave and preſerve, but as for the haughty thy eyes are upon them to bring them down. He now comes to ſhew how the Lord was his lamp that enlightened his darkneſs; that is, that ſhined upon him, and comforted him in the darkneſs of his afflictions, and directed him what courſe to take. He declares alſo that it was the Lord that enabled him to run thorough the thickeſt troops of his enemies, and by his aſſiſtance he had ſcal'd their walls, and taken their Cities. And from his own experience he infers that the Lord is perfect in all his ways, not failing in any of his promiſes, and that his word is tried, and hath been prov'd to be true by unqueſtionable proof and experience. That he is a buckler and ſhield to defend all that truſt in him. Then in a way of thankful admiration he crys out, Who is a God ſave the Lord? And who is a rock ſave our God? As for me I do declare that I have had all my ſtre…gth and power from him. He hath made my way perfect or plain, removing impediments, and proſpering my attempts and undertakings, ſo that I have not failed to perfect what I went about. He makes my feet like hinds feet, that is, ſwift to eſcape danger, and to ſtand ſafe upon my high places, as hinds ſpeedily run up to the top of inacceſſible rocks and there are ſafe. He teacheth my hands to war, he hath given me skill in military affairs, and to skill he hath given me ſtrength of body fit for war, ſo that I am able not only to draw a ſtrong and ſtiff bow of ſteel, but if I pleaſe I can break it in pieces. Yet I aſcribe nothing to my ſelf, for thou O Lord haſt given me the ſhield of thy ſalvation, that is thou haſt been as a ſhield to me to defend me againſt mine enemies; and thy gentleneſs (a)V. 36. Et ex exauditione tua magnum reddebas me. Heb. per reſpondere tuum. Piſc.hath made me great; that is, by thy right hand thou haſt upholden and ſtrengthened me in the day of battel, and by thy hearing of my prayers thou haſt made me great and victorious. Thou haſt enlarged my ſteps under me, or widened my paſſage, given me room to walk ſteadily and ſafely in, ſo that I was proſperous and ſucceſsful in my marches, ſo that I have purſued mine enemies and deſtroyed them, and they are fallen under my feet. Thou haſt girded me with ſtrength in battel, thoſe that roſe up againſt me thou haſt ſubdued under me. Thou haſt given me the necks of mine enemies, and I have prevailed againſt them; when they were in extremity they looked for help from man but there was none to ſave them, and then they cried unto God but he did not anſwer them. Thus being helpleſs I have beaten them to pieces as the ſmall duſt of the earth, and ſtamped them as the mire of the ſtreets, and diſperſed them as men ſpread dung on the ground. By which Hyperbolical expreſſions he intimates that he had not only ſubdued his enemies, but in a diſgraceful manner trodden and trampled upon them. Then he acknowledges how God had delivered him from the ſtrivings of the people, viz. in the inſurrections of Abſalom and Sheba, and had brought many Nations of the Heathen to be in ſubjection to him, and to acknowledg him for their Lord and head. Strangers *This is true both of David and of Chriſt, (of whom David was a type) viz. in reſpect of the converſion of the Gentiles who were aliens and ſtrangers from the Commonwealth of Iſrael.(ſays he) will now ſubmit themſelves unto me, and neighbouring Nations will become Tributary to me; as ſoon as they hear of my coming againſt them they will yield unto me. Thus the glory and ſtrength of the Heathens ſhall by little and little fade and decay, and though they be in places of ſtrength, yet even in thoſe cloſe places (their fortified Cities and Towers) they ſhall be no leſs afraid then if they were only in ſome poor unwalled villages.
He now concludes his Song, praiſing God for all the benefits before recited: The Lord liveth and bleſſed be my Rock, and exalted be the God who is the rock of my Salvation. It is God who avengeth me and bringeth down the people under me, and who bringeth me forth and delivereth me out of the hands of mine enemies, notwithſtanding all their power and policies. Thou haſt lifted me up on high over thoſe that roſe up againſt me: Thou haſt delivered me from the violent man, viz. from Saul my moſt violent and deadly enemy. Therefore I will give thanks unto the Lord among the heathen: that is, I will labour to ſpread the knowledg of thee, and ſo to exalt thy praiſe among the Heathen Nations †See Apoſtol. Hiſt. on Rom. 15.9. This David ſpeaks by a spirit of Propheſie, having reſpect to the calling of the Gentiles., whom thou haſt brought into ſubjection to me. God is the Tower of Salvation for his King, that is, he is as a Tower in which he is ſafe, and ſheweth mercy unto his anointed, unto David and to his ſeed for evermore; that is, God will manifeſt his favour to him to his poſterity after him, and principally to Chriſt (who was to be of his ſeed according to the fleſh, Rom. 1.3. and to all the faithful members of Chriſt who are alſo by faith his ſeed. See Iſa. 53.10. and Heb. 2.13.
2 Sam. Ch. 22. whole Chapter.
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DAvid now towards his latter end apprehending his death approaching, in imitation of Jacob and Moſes leaves behind him a kind of Teſtamentary Propheſie that his Kingdom and Throne ſhould be eſtabliſhed for ever, namely in the perſon of the Meſſias, (who was to come of him according to Gods Covenant, 2 Sam. 7.16.) and he Propheſies of the righteouſneſs, glory and proſperity of that Kingdom; and theſe were the laſt words he wrote by the inſpiration of the Holy Ghoſt for the uſe of the Church. In the Preface to this Propheſie, he firſt ſets down his own Titles, ſaying, I am the Son of Jeſſe by birth, yet by the grace and favour of God exalted to be King of Iſrael, and who have been enabled by the Spirit of God to compoſe many Divine Hymns and Pſalms for the benefit of the Church (and thereupon have been call'd the ſweet Pſalmiſt of Iſrael) I David do now declare that the Spirit of the Lord did formerly ſpeak by me, and his word was in my tongue when I uttered thoſe Divine compoſures. And the ſame God of Iſrael (who is the Rock of Iſrael) hath now ſpoken to me, and I am to declare that there ſhall be a ruler over men; a righteous perſon that ſhall rule them in the fear of God (a)Theſe words are unſtood by learned men as a promiſe of the Meſſiah, Quid dominabitur in timore Domini cum spiritu timoris Domini unctus ſit, & quid ſubditos ſuos ita ſpiritu ſuo gubernavit, ut ex vero Dei timore ſanctitati vitae ſtudeant. Oſiand.. And he ſhall reign proſperouſly, and ſtill increaſe in glory; his glory ſhall be like the morning light that ſhines more and more unto perfect day, and ſhall daily increaſe like the graſs that hath ſeaſonably the moiſtning rain, and warming Sun to make it ſprout up and grow. And though my houſe be not ſo with God as it ſhould be, but I and mine have been guilty of many great ſins and tranſgreſſions, yet God hath made with me an everlaſting Covenant, viz. that my Kingdom and Throne ſhall be eſtabliſhed for ever in the perſon of the Meſſiah who ſhall come out of my loyns, [Ch. 7.16.] and this Covenant is well ordered in all things (for the glory of God and Salvation of man) and ſure to be performed. And this promiſe of God that the Meſſiah ſhould ſpring from my loyns, and come into the world to ſave ſinners, is that on which my hope of Salvation is firmly grounded, and this thing I wiſh and deſire above all things, though God do not make the glory of my Temporal Kingdom to grow and increaſe. But as for thoſe ſons of Belial, thoſe prophane graceleſs and ſtubborn wretches who will not ſubmit to the Kingdom of the Meſſiah, they ſhall be all of them as thorns plucked up and caſt away, becauſe they are ſo intractable that they cannot be taken with hands, but the man that ſhall go about to touch them had need have his hands armed with ſome iron glove or gantlet, and to have a ſtaff in his hands like the ſtaff of a Spear wherewith to thruſt them into the oven. And theſe intractable thorns ſhall be burnt and conſumed in the ſame place where they grew. Whereby (as ſome think) he Propheſied of the deſtruction of the obſtinate Jews who were by the Romans deſtroyed in the ſame place or City where they lived and by wicked hands had crucified the Lord of life.
2 Sam. Ch. 23. from v. 1. to 8.