A Brief Explication of the First Fifty Psalms, Psalm 35
PSAL. XXXV.
This Psalme is a representation of Christs hottest contest with his adversaries, wherein they are about to doe their worst against him, and his Kingdome; and he denounceth the hottest wrath of God against them, for their everlasting overthrow, set forth under the shadow of Davids contest with his irreconcileable enemies. Wherin he prayeth God to arise for him, ver. 1, 2, 3. and take order with his despiteful enemies, ver. 4, 5, 6▪ 7, 8. which as it may comfort the supplicant, so shall it serve also for Gods glory, ver. 9, 10. A maine reason of which petition, is the unjust and ingrate dealing of his enemies with him, ver. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Whereupon he reneweth his petition the second time, ver. 17, 18, 19. Pressing his former reason from the enemies unjust and insolent disposition, ver. 20, 21. and then reneweth his petition the third time for himself against his enemies, ver. 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. and for all the favorers of his cause, ver. 27, 28.
Ver. 1. PLead my cause (O LORD) with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
2. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help.
3. Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me; say unto my soule, I am thy salvation.
FRom his petition for himself; Learn, 1. Such as take part with God against his enemies, the Lord wil take part with them against their enemies: If any plead against the Believer by verbal calumnies, and slanders, the Lord wil be their party. If any wil oppose the godly with violence, the Lord wil oppose them: For this prayer of one of the godly, is as good as a promise to all, Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. 2. There is defence abundance to be found in God, against whatsoever the enemie can do; a shield and buckler in Gods hand, when he pleaseth to stand up and help. 3. The Lord can terrifie the enemy, so that he dare not assault the man whom God pleaseth to defend, and hold him off with long weapons, giving the enemie some other thing to do, then pursue his people: Hee can draw out the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute the godly. 4. He can quiet the hearts of his own in the midst of persecution, and make them fearlesse, in perswading them of their salvation, everlasting at least; and this may fully satisfie, if the Lord say unto their soul, I am thy salvation.
Verse 4 Let them be confounded and put to shame, that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion, that devise my hurt.
5. Let them be as chaffe before the wind: and let the Angel of the Lord chase them.
6▪ Let their way be dark and slippery, and let the Angel of the Lord persecute them.
7. For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares, and let his net which he hath hid, …atch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
From his petition against his enemies; Learn, 1. Shameful disappointment shal they find at length who intend to destroy the godly; Let them be confounded and put to shame, that se…ke after my soul. 2. Though the enemies of Christ and the godly, advance in the prosecution of their hurtful devises, yet shal they be forced to retire with shame. They shal be turned back and brought to confusion, who devise their hurt. 3. As the enemy hath pursued, so shal Gods wrath pursue him, and chase him, and drive him to perdition: They shall be as the chaffe before the wind. 4. Albeit there were no earthly man to pursue Christs enemies, yet avenging angels, or evil spirits shal be let forth upon them and their families, to trouble them: Let the Angel of the Lord chase them. 5. The Lord shal put them to such straits, as they shal not know what hand to turn to, what way to take, and in the way which they take, they shal fal: Let their way be dark and slippery. 6. When they are fallen in a mischief, the hand of the Lord shal be stretched out against them stil; Let the Angel of the Lord pursue them. 7. Though the godly by behaving themselves innocently, cannot eschew the persecution of the wicked; yet innoc…nt behaviour is a great ease to the conscience of the godly, a matter of encouragement to them in their addresses to God, and a great aggredging of the ditty of the enemy, as here twice he saith, Without cause they hid their net. 8. Though the enemies of the godly do plot secret devices against them, yet not so secret, but God can give warning of it, and make it an errand for the godly, to pray to him, to disappoint the plot, as is here imported; They have hid for me their net in a pit. 9. The wicked know not how to be sure of their prey, when they hunt for the life of the godly. They prepare the net, and set it; they hide it, and they hide it in a pit. 10. When the enemies of Gods people do least expect harm, then shal a mischief surprize them; Destruction shall come upon them unawares. 11. The very course which the enemy taketh against Gods Church and people, shal be the nearest course to destroy themselves: Let his net that he hath hid, catch himself: Into that very destruction let him fall.
Ver. 9. And my soul shal be joyful in the Lord; it shal rejoyce in his salvation.
10. All my bones shal say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
He brings a reason of his prayer from the comfort which hee should have, and the glory which God should have, by the means. Whence learn, 1. It is a good reason to strengthen our hope to be heard, when our comfort and Gods glory may both be promoted, by the granting of our desire, as here we find it. 2. The destruction of the enemies of the Church, is not a matter of rejoycing in mens destruction, but of rejoycing in the Lord, and in his wise manner of delivering of his people; My soule shal be joyful in the Lord, it shall rejoyce in his salvation. 3. In the estimation of the godly, the tongue is too little to magnifie the Lord for his mercies; for their desire is, that all the powers of the soul, and that all the parts of the body, even the bones, which are least sensible in their own kind, might praise him; All my bones shal say, &c. 4. The Lord hath waies wonderful, others and more then ever man conceived, wherby he can deliver his own in their lowest condition from their oppressors, when they are in the height of their power and pride, Lord, who is like unto thee? which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, &c. 5. Though before deliverance come, Faith hath cause to say all that sense can say of Gods praises, after deliverance is come; yet when sensible experience of a hoped delivery is come, there is a more hearty and a more chearful manner of expressing of the Lords praises, then can be before it come; as the promise of the Prophet, to say, so and so, as is in the Text, after the delivery is come, doth import. 6. It is a sort of (as it were) ingaging of God to deliver, when the heart of the Believer ingageth it self to glorifie God after the deliverie; for here the Prophet maketh use of this, promising praise towards this end.
Verse 11. False witnesses did rise up: they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
12 They rewarded me evil for good: to the spoiling of my soul.
13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackloth: I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned into mine owne bosome.
14. I behaved my self, as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.
15. But in mine adversity they rejoyced, and gathered themselves together; yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not.
16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts: they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
He amplifieth that reason of his petition, taken from his enemies carriage, by laying before God their falshood and ingratitude. Whence learne, 1. The godly are subject, not only to be backbitten, and traduced privily, and slandered more openly; but also to be charged unjustly before Judges, and pursued criminally for their life without a cause, and to have false witnesse led against them, that they may be condemned under colour of Law; this was found in effect by David, and Christ represented by him. False witnesses did rise up; They laid to my charge things that I knew not. 2. No bonds of nature or humanity will bind up the wicked from persecuting the godly, even to death, how wel soever the godly have deserved of them, They rewarded me evil for good, to the depriving me of my life. 3. True love is best known, as by rejoycing at anothers welfare, so by grieving for his grief; When they were sick, my cloathing was sackcloth. 4. Hearty prayer also for any man, is a token of unfeigned love to a man, specially when prayer and fasting are joyned together for them, I humbled my soul by fasting. 5. When the expressions of grief, by words or teares in prayer for any, waken up the affection yet more to pray ardently for them; It is yet a farther token of unfeigned love of them for whom we pray. My prayer (saith he) returned into my bosome; which is as much, as my expressions in prayer, in sighes, affectionate words and teares, affected my heart (Lament. 3.49.51.) with new motions of earnest dealing for them. 6. True Christians affection to their enemies, is able to affect the soul, as much to the seeking their welfare, and commiserating their miserie, as the natural affection of a natural man can affect him toward friends and kinsfolk, in nearest natural relations unto him; for David saith, I behaved my self as though he had been my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily as one that mourneth for his mother.
From the evil meeting which he received of his enemies, ver. 15, 16. Learn, 1. Many of those that pretend great friendship to the godly in time of prosperity, may not only turn their back upon them, in time of adversity, but also turn to be their open enemies, and rejoyce in their calamity; But in my adversity, saith he, they rejoyced. 2. The troubles of the godly do draw the wicked into a more neer union amongst themselves, as it were congratulating one another in their sinful courses, and strengthening one another; They gather themselves together. 3. Base rascals, who have nothing to commend them, save meerly their hatred of Gods, people, and of their piety, wil get respect amongst the enemies of Christ, and of his people, for that very reason, because they hate the godly, and wil be admitted in the fellowship of ringleading enemies; Yea the abjects gathered themselves together against me. 4. In the meeting of the wicked among themselves, Christ and his followers have their name torn and rent in pieces continually, with calumnies and slanders, which possibly come not to their ears half of them: They gathered together, and I knew it not: they did tear me in pieces, and ceased not. 5. Sad …aunts and scoffs of pretended holy men, jearing at true piety; is no smal part of the persecution of Christ, and of his followers; for here amongst the rest are hypocritical mockers. 6. When the wicked without fear do fil and stuffe their belly in their feasting in the time of the Churchs trouble: Their scoffs and their jests, yea and their bloody expressions of cruelty against the godly, are the most relishing sauce of their banquets: With hypocritical mockers in their feasts, they gnash upon me with their teeth.
Ver. 17. Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destruction, my darling from the Lions.
18 I wil give thee thanks in the great Congregation: I wil praise thee among much people.
19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoyce over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
20 For they speak not peace; but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
21. Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
He repeateth his petition for delivery from his enemies the second time, and presseth the same reason taken from the insolent and cruel disposition of the enemy. Whence learn, 1. The time of trouble and persecution of the godly may continue much longer then the goldly did expect, in which case as they must waite on patiently, till the Lord put to his hand to relieve his Church, and punish their enemies; so they may ease their heart, in laying their earnest longing to be delivered, before the Lord, and say, Lord, how long wilt thou look on? 2. As it is lawful to lament the Lords seeming long delay to help us, so we must not complain too soon; for before David uttereth this, how long, he is long in trouble, and in danger of his life, by unreasonable and beastly cruel men, and is altogether destitute of all means of relief, as his prayer testifieth; Rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the Lions. 3. The godly by faith in the deepest danger, may see their delivery in their sadest and darkest sorrow; yea may behold the light of consolation coming; in their banishment, may behold their liberty, and see their fellowship with the Saints; and in the midst of complaints, may promise to themselves reasons of praise, and the payment of their vows made to God, as here we see in the midst of this sad condition the Prophet saith, I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people. 4. It augmenteth the grief of the godly, to see the wicked take advantage of their trouble, and mockers of Religion to rejoyce over their sufferings in a good cause; and they may heartily deprecate this evil, that it may not at least, last long; Let not those that are my enemies rejoyce over me. 5. The less cause of provocation of our enemies be given to them by us, the greater is the hope of delivery, and the readier shall be our help from God, and the less cause shal be to the enemy to wink with the eye, as witty well pleased scoffers do, when they get their will; Neither let them wink with the eye, saith he, that hate me without a cause 6. Albeit godly mens quiet carriage in the land where they live, will not save them from the hostile speeches, and malicious plottings of their adversaries against them, yet shall their quiet behaviour speak to God for them; and against their enemies, and ma…e a speedy mischief come upon them from the Lord; for to this purpose he saith, They speak not peace, but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land. 7. The enemies of the Church are a base generation, taking pleasure and sport in the miseries of the godly, who do not injure them, yea are a vain and insolent generation, triumphing over the weakness of the innocent, when they are in low condition, and in the case of suffering, which common humanity, and ordinary generosity doth abhor, They opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
Ver. 22. This thou hast seen: (O LORD) keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.
23. Stir up thy self, and awake to my judgement, even unto my cause, my God, and my Lord.
24. Iudge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousnesse, and let them not rejoyce over me.
25. Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
26. Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together, that rejoyce at my hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour, that magnifie themselves against me.
He reneweth his petition for himself and against his enemies the third time. Whence learn, 1. Such as feed their eyes upon the miseries of others, and specially on the miseries of the godly, the Lord shall not wink at their wickedness, but make it appear, that he hath marked their cruelty, that he may punish it exemplarily; for after the enemies crying out, our eyes have seen, the Prophet addeth, This thou hast seen, O Lord, be not silent. 2. The hardest condition that can befall a believer, is a tolerable case and condition, if God draw neer to his soul: for all the remedy that David craveth, till the outgate come, is this, O Lord, be not far from me. 3. Though the Lord for a time suffer his own to lie under foot oppressed, yet for his justice sake, and for his covenants sake, he will justly determine the controversie, and clear his own servants, He will stir up himself to do judgement▪ & decide their cause. 4. In the decision of the controversie between the godly and their enemies, the cause of the godly shall get no wrong, but be declared to be righteous, and the enemies shall have no matter to rejoyce in. He shal judge the godly according to their righteousnes, and shal not suffer the wicked to rejoyce over them. 5. When the enemies of the Church have laid their last reckoning of the issue of their bloody course against the godly, they shall see the matter to go otherways then they would, or expected on both hands. They shall not have cause to say, So would we have it, or we have swallowed them up. They are too too precious a morsel for them to devour. 6. Shame and confusion, dishonour and disgrace on all hands shall be upon one, and upon all Christs enemies, who seek the detriment of his cause, and to have gain to themselves, by opposing of him, and his cause in his peoples hand; for this prayer against them shall still speak effectually, Let them he ashamed and brought to confusion together, and let them be clothed with shame and dishonour, &c.
Ver. 27. Let them shout for joy, and be glad that favour my righteous cause; yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servants.
28. And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousnesse, and of thy praise all the day long.
As David prayeth for himself, so he prayeth for all the favourers of his righteous cause, as the type of Christ, whose spirit spake by him, for the edification of the Church in all times coming. Whence learn, 1. It is one mark of godliness amongst many other, to befrind the cause of Christ, and to further it in the person of his Saints suffering for righteousness, with their best affection; for here they are described by being the favourers of their righteous cause. 2. In the persecution of the godly for the cause of Gods truth and true Religion, all the godly are concerned: and as they partake of the sufferings with others under Christ the head; so shall they partake of the joy of the victory, and outgate which shall be exceeding joyful at last; Let them shout for joy, and be glad (saith the type of Christ) that do favour my righteous cause. 3. The troubles of the godly are not so many, but room is left for sometimes prosperity, for God loveth the prosperity of his servants, to wit, as it may conduce to his purpose, and their good. 4. When any of the godly are delivered from their persecutors, all the rest of the godly are bound as they understand of it, to set forth the power of God, and his love and bounty manifested and forth coming to his people: Let them say, Let the Lord be magnified, who hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servants. 5. Whatsoever opposition the enemies of Christ, and of the godly shall make, Christ shall keep up the open profession of true Doctrine, which manifesteth the righteousness of God; leading men to eternal life, and bringing glory to God; for this is the undertaking of the type and of Christ represented by him, after the hottest contest between him and the wicked enemies. My tongue shall speak of thy righteousness, and of thy praise all the day long.