Westminster Annotations, Psalms · Psalm 35 – Psalm 36
PSAL. XXXV.
Vers. 1. PLead my cause] Psal. 43. 1. and 119. 154. Lam. 3. 58. He desireth God to undertake his cause, against them that did persecute him, and to plead it with the sword, as 1 Sam 25. 38, 39.
V. 2. Take hold of shield] Albeit God can with his breath destroy all our enemies, yet the holy Ghost attributeth unto him these outward weapons, to assure us of his present power.
V. 3. say unto my soul] Assure me that thou wilt deliver me out of these troubles.
V. 4. Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul] Psal. 40. 15. and 70. 3.
that seek after my soul] Let them that seek my life misse their mark, and so be ashamed.
V. 5. Let them be as chaff before the winde] Job 21. 18. Psal. 1. 4. Isai. 29. 5. Hos. 13. 3. Smite them with the spirit of gi…dinesse, that their enterprises may be foolish, and they receive just reward.
V. 6. dark and slipperie] Heb. darknesse and slipperinesses: that is, very slipperie.
V. 7. without cause] Shewing, that we may not call God to be a revenger, but onelyonly for his glory, and when our cause is just, psal. 7. 4. and 96. 4.
their net] A metaphor from fowlers and hunters; who use nets and pits to get the prey, psal. 9. 15.
V. 8. at unawares] Heb. which he knoweth not of] When he promiseth to himself peace, 1 Thess. 5. 3.
into that very destruction let him fall] Which he prepared against the children of God, and me in particular. It is likely this he was Saul.
V. 10. All my bones shall say] He attributeth his deliverance onelyonly to God, praising him therefore both in soul and body.
V. 11. False witnesses] Heb. witnesses of wrong.
False witnesses did rise up] They did bear false witnesse against me, and sought to entrap me with questions, and that in things concerning my life, 1 King. 21. 13. Matth. 26. 59.
they laid to my cha…ge] Heb. they asked me.
V. 12. spoiling] Heb. depriving.
V. 13. humbled] Or, afflicted.
my prayer returned in mine own bosome] I prayed heartily for them: and though they got no good by it, yet I did, Matth. 10. 13. Luke 10. 6.
V. 14. behaved my self] Heb. walked.
as though he had been my friend or brother] Heb. as a friend, as a brother to me.
V. 15. But in mine adversity they rejoyced] When they saw me ready to slip, and as one that halted for infirmity, psal. 38. 16.
adversitie] Heb. hal…ing.
they did tear me, and ceased not] With their railing words, psal. 57. 4. and 120. 3, 4.
V. 16. hypocriticall] Or, profane.
in feasts] The word signifieth, a cake; meaning, That the proud courtiers, at their dainty feasts, scoffed and railed at him, and conspired his death.
gnashed upon me with their teeth] Psal. 37. 12.
V. 17. how long wilt thou look on] Hab. 1. 13.
my darling] Heb. my onelyonly one, psal. 22. 20.
V. 18. I will give thee thanks in the great congregation] Psal. 40. 9, 10. and 111. 1. and 22. 25.
much] Heb. strong.
V. 19. wrongfully] Heb. falsly.
neither let them wink with the eye] In token of contempt and mocking, Prov. 6. 13. and 10. 10.
V. 20. deceitfull matters] Heb. words of deceits: that is, most deceitfull.
V. 21. opened their mouth] Job 16. 10. Isai. 57. 4.
Aha, aha, &c.] Psal. 40. 15. and 70. 3.
our eye hath seen it] They rejoyced as though they had their desire in Davids destruction, psal. 54. 7. and 59. 10.
V. 22. keep not silence] Sit not still, but prepare thy self to right me.
V. 23. awake to my judgement] As if Gods con…ivence had given this liberty to his foes to wrong him.
V. 24. according to thy righteousnesse] It belongs to Gods justice to give to the oppressours affliction and torment, and to the oppressed, aid and relief, 2 Thess. 1. 6.
V. 25. Ah] Heb. Ah, ah, our soul.
Ah, so we would have it] We have our desire, he is destroyed.
We have swallowed him up] As a wilde beast devours his prey: we have altogether swallowed him.
V. 26. Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together] Psal. 40. 15.
brought to confusion together] That is, at once, were they never so many or mighty.
let them be clothed with shame] Covered all over with it, so that nothing may appear at any time but their shame, psal. 109. 29. and 132. 18. Job 8. 22.
V. 27. Let them sh…ut for joy] Give them cause to rejoyce for my deliverance.
my righteous cause] Heb. my righteousnesse] That at least favour my right, if they be not able to help me.
which hath pleasure in the prosperitie of his servant] Of me: and will delight in their prosperitie, if they serve him faithfully.
PSAL. XXXVI.
Title. the servant of the Lord] In governing the kingdom under God, and according to his will, psal. 18. tit.
Vers. 1. THe transgression of the wicked saith] Or, transgression saith to the wicked. When I see his wicked life, I cannot but think he is an atheist, psal. 14. 1. Tit. 1. 16. The word, saying, intends certainty; for it is spoken oft of Gods oracles.
within my heart] Heb. in the midst of my heart. Meaning, that he certainly knew it, and was much affected with it.
no fear of God before his eyes] Rom. 3. 18.
V. 2. For he flattereth himself] Or, Yet he flattereth himself. Or, For it flattereth him in.
he flattereth himself in his own eyes] But he himself knoweth that he doth but dissemble with God, as flatterers do with men, and soothes up himself therein, Heb. 3. 13.
untill his iniquitie be found to be hatefull] Heb. to finde his iniquitie to hate.
V. 3. he hath left off to be wise] Ceasing from good, he thinks of nothing but doing evil.
to be wise, and to do good] Or, to be wise to do good, Jer. 4. 22.
V. 4. He deviseth mischief] By describing at large the nature of wicked men, he admonisheth the godly to beware of those vices.
mischief] Or, vanitie.
upon his bed] He employs his time of rest and freedom from businesse, to devise wicked acts to execute next day.
bed] Mic. 2. 1, 2.
he abhorreth not evil] Omits no evil, but embraceth all occasions of sinning.
not good] Or, very evil, 1 Sam. 2. 24. Prov. 24. 23.
V. 5. Thy merciemercy, O Lord, is in the heavens] Psal. 57. 10. and 108. 4. Though wickednesse seemeth to overflow all the world, yet by the depth of thy heavenly providence, thou governest all things mercifully and justly.
V. 6. Thy righteousnesse is like the great mountains] For eminency and stablenesse.
the great mountains] Heb. the mountains of God, Job 1. 16.
thy judgements are a great deep] No man knows the reason of them, and the wicked sink irrecoverably in them, Rom. 11. 33.
thou preservest man and beast] Gen. 8. 1.
V. 7. excellent] Heb. precious.
under the shadow of thy wings] Flee to thee for succour, as chickens under the hens wings in danger, psal. 17. 8.
V. 8. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house] OnelyOnly Gods children have enough of all things, both concerning this life, and the life to come, psal. 17. 15. 1 Tim. 4. 8. Phil. 11, 12, 18.
abundantly satisfied] Heb. watered.
satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house] Psal. 65. 4.
of the river of thy pleasures] Prepared for thy family.
V. 10. continue] Heb. draw out at length.
unto them that know thee] He sheweth who are Gods children; to wit, they that know him, and lead their lives uprightly.
V. 11. Let not the foot of pride come against me] Let not the proud advance himself against me, neither the power of the wicked drive me away.
V. 12. There are the workers of iniquitie fallen] Wicked men have fallen while they sought to destroy good men, and so, I hope, shall these.
There are the workers of iniquitie fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise] Or, There have the workers of iniquitie fallen: they have been cast down, and have not been able to rise.