Paraphrase Upon the Books of the Psalms, Book 1 · Psalm 19
The Nineteenth Psalm.
TO the ‖Prefect of his Musick.chief Musitian, a Psalm of David.
Paraphrase. The Nineteenth Psalm is chiefly spent in giving glory to God for all his works of power and excellence, especially in giving so admirable a rule of life to men, and affording mercy for all but presumptuous sins. It was composed by David, and committed to the Prefect of his Musick.
1. The Heavens declare the glory of God, and thea. firmament sheweth his handy-work.
The fabrick and motion and influences of the Heavens do demonstrate to any man, that considers them diligently, how great, and powerful, and wise, and gratious that God is, who formed them in this manner; and the firmness and closeness of all those vast orbs, which are of so fine and subtile a nature, and yet are compacted into a most perfect solidity, together with the aire, and the many meteors, thunder, lightning, &c. therein, are an evidence of his many glorious attributes who thus created them.
2. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
The vicissitude of dayes and nights caused by the constant certain motions of those heavenly bodies, do continually preach, and instruct men in the glories of the creator of heaven and earth.
3. b.‖They have not speech nor words, their voice is not heard.There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
They are not furnisht with language, or words, or an articulate intelligible voice, as we men are:
4. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath c he set a tabernacled. for the sun;
5. Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoyceth as a strong man to run a race.
6. His going forth is from the end of heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it; and there is noth…ng hid from the heat of it.
Yet have they wayes to expresse themselves, to make known to all the men in the world, Gentiles as well as Jews, the wonderfull power and goodness, and providence of God. In the midst of them, in an e…inent and principal place, is assigned a royall mansion for the sun, in which he moves constantly, and by his motion inlivens and rejoyceth all that see him. Wheresoever he comes, he hath the day-starre, and a streaming of light, going before him, as the torch-bearers before a bride-groom, when he comes out of his Bride-chamber; and in his circuit he visits all the corners of the earth, and drives on alacriously, like a mighty invincible champion in a perpetual course or race. He begins in one extreme point of the heavens, and marcheth on through every part, till he comes back to the very same point again, and so in some part of his course or other, takes in every climate of this lower world of ours: there is no corner, which doth not partake of the light and warmth he brings with him. (And in all this is there a farther mystical representation of the Gospel of Christ, that Sun of righteousnesse, with his Baptist before him, to light him into the world; whither when he is come, he sends out his Apostles to preach the Gospel to all the dark heathen corners over all the earth, and by so doing, diffuseth his light and warmth, the knowledge of his will, and strength, and grace (in some measure) to performe it, and withall pardon, and refreshment to all that doe not love darknesse more than light, and so wilfully refuse to be inlightned by him.)
7. The law of the Lord is|restoring, see note e. perfect, converting the soule: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the†or, seducible foreign simple.
And as Gods glories are visible in the creation, and wise and gracious disposal of the heavens, &c. so above all, in his giving us such a guide and director of life, as is the law, and revelation of his will unto us. A law made up of such excellent praecepts, that it most eminently conduceth to the satisfying and refreshing, the making all men happy, that obey it. It prescribes us an universal adherence and dependence on God; and so is proper to repair and refresh our hungry souls, which being fallen off from God by sin into a most dolefull state, have no other means of recovery or refection, but this manna from heaven, this spiritual food of ours. 2. It is constant, and in every part agreeable to it selfe, and consequently is a means to settle and establish, and confirme him that is most unsteady and seducible, and carried away with every deceit of sin.
8. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoycing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is|or, food. e.pure, inlightening the eyes.
As for the particular precepts and commandments thereof, they are made up of perfect justice and equity, so agreeable to our own reason, and the souls with which we are created, that the performance of them is matter of the greatest present delight and joy to a rational man. Gods commands are our spiritual food; and the obeying them is refection and nourishment to the soule, the original of all spiritual strength and vigor to it.
9. The fear of the Lord is clean, induring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are*truth foreign true, and righteous altogether.
The dread of offending God keeps the man from all impure mixtures, suffers not any worldly or carnal aime to have admission with him; and this, and nothing but this, will hold out in time of temptation, and consequently yeeld him a reward from God in another world. As for the things wherein our obedience is expected by God, they are in themselves most just and equitable, fittest to be done by us, (if they were not commanded, nor should ever be rewarded in us) and so are acknowledged by all wise men, and cannot choose but be discerned by us to be so, if we seriously weigh them and practice them.
10. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than muchf. fine gold; sweeter also then honey and the|dropping of the combes foreign honey-combe.
And indeed when we come to make that triall of them, to know their true value by practice and experiences (and not to judge them by those appearances and colours that the world hath of them, and such as consider them at a distance, and so think them rugged and melancholie) we shall finde them much more priseable than the greatest wealth in the world, (all that amasst together cannot yeeld us any true contentment or satisfaction) much more delicious and pleasurable than the richest and choisest sensualities that are most eagerly pursued, and gustfully injoyed by us.
11. Moreover by them†doth thy servant shine. is thy servantg. warned, and in keeping of them there is great reward.
All the splendor and greatnesse, and flourishing condition that I injoy at this time, or ever expect in this or in another world, I hold only by this tenure, as long as I keep my selfe close to the commands of God. For t…us hath God pleased in his infinite goodnesse to deale with us; he gives us most excellent precepts, commanding us to doe those things which are of all others most agreeable to our natures, and so most valuable and pleasurable to us, v 10. and then upon our obedience to this most gracious yoke, heaps all the richest rewards upon us, Godlinesse having, besides its own sweetnesse, the promises of this life, and of that which is to come.
12. Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
But, alas, how imperfect hath my obedience been? How many times have I transgrest these holy commands of thine? Many, many times; which I am not now able to enumerate; many, which I did not observe at the time, sins of ignorance and fra…lty no man is able to number, and particularly to confesse to thee: O be thou pleased to seal to my soule thy free pardon and forgivenesse for all these.
13. Keep back thy servant also fromh. presumptuous sins, let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
As for any known deliberate sins, which have not that alleviation of ignorance or weaknesse, but are committed against expresse knowledge of my duty, after mature consideration of it, Lord, be thou pleased to arme me by thy speciall assistance of grace, that I never fall into any one such commis ion. Let not any temptation thus get power over my will, when my conscience tells me I ought not to yeeld, whatsoever the profit or pleasure be, that thus comes in competition with known duty. If it doe, then am I a servant and slave of sin, and so no longer the servant of God. But if by the power of thy grace thou shalt uphold me from falling into any such presumptuous sins, then shall I not faile to be acquitted by thee; and being free from all ha…nous guilts, I shall, through thy mercy, promised in thy covenant of grace, be sure to be absolved, and justified from all the other innumerable frailties, v. 12. that I have been guilty of.
14. i.*The words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart shall be accepted in thy sight, or an acceptable sacrifice—Let the words of my mouth and meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord my strength and my Redeemer.
And then all my prayers and praises, being thus poured out of a pure, sincere heart, and so likewise all the performances and designes of my life, shall be as a sacrifice well-pleasing and acceptable to thee, whose grace it is by which I have been preserved, and whose abundant mercy by which I have been rescued from all evill.
Annotations on Psalm XIX.
V. 1. Firmament] Of the word foreign foreignwhich is by the LXXII. rendred foreign firmament, that it is deduced from foreign, which the Syriac Lu. vi. 38. set for foreign to presse very close, and is used in that sense, Ezek. vi. 11. and xxv. 6. and there by us rendred to stamp, i. e. to strike and presse together, and that so as plates of gold &c. are, by beating and pressing, expanded to a great breadth, and that in this respect it is by an antient Greek Interpreter (mentioned by*in Psal. cxxxvi. S. Chrysostome) rendered foreign, which in‖Meteor. l. iv. c. 9. Aristotle signifies foreign a firme durable compression, and that this is the ground of the LXXII. there rendring it foreign firmament, and others expansum, see the most learned Nicholas Fuller Miscel. l. 1. c. 6. Now as under this title the heaven is conteined, Gen. 1. as appears undeniable by the Sun and Moones being created in it, v. 14. so 'tis as certain, that the aire is signified by it also, by the use that is assigned it, to divide the waters from the waters, i. e. the Sea here below from the rain that is in the Clouds. Accordingly, as Josephus, in his description of the creation, Antiq. l. 1. c. 2. saith of heaven, foreign, that God made it to have raine in it, to benefit the earth by the dew thereof; so Sibylla speaking of the aire, saith that God mixed vapors, and rainy or dewy, i. e. watery clouds with it, foreign. Thus when the raine fell that drowned the earth, Gen. vii. the windows of heaven are said to be opened, v. 11. and therefore it is so frequently called rain from heaven, according to that of Plinie, Nat. Hist. l. xxxi. Scandunt aquae in sublime, & coelum quoque sibi vendicant, The waters climbe on high, and challenge the heaven also for their seat; and again, Quid esse mirabilius potest aquis in coelo stantibus? What can be more wonderfull than waters standing in heaven? And thus in Scripture-style foreign, the heavens, contein all those superior orbes together with the regions of the aire. So saith the Author of the Questions and Answers under Justins name:foreign. foreign, the Scripture calls heavens either those that are so indeed, the first heaven and the firmament, or the regions of the aire (see note on Eph. vi. a.) even the lowest of those where the birds fly, which accordingly are called the foules of heaven. And so all this is fitly comprised under the word foreign; but here (where the heavens are named before) the aery regions peculiarly; the Hebrews having no other word for the aire, but either this, or foreign heavens, (which also is generally derived from foreign and foreign, because waters are there.] The word which now adaies they use for the aire foreign, being clearly taken from the Greek; when yet it cannot be questioned, but the sacred writers had some word by which they called it, viz. this of foreign, which accordingly the Chaldee here render foreign aire.
V. 3. There is no speech] The understanding of this verse seems to depend on the notion of foreign.foreign That commonly signifies not, and is perfectly all one with foreign, only with the addition of foreign. Now both of these being oft used for all sort of exclusive particles, without, besides, unless, hence it is that the learned Grotius renders it in this place fine, without, i. e. without the voice or words, precedent. If this liberty may be taken, I may then propose another notion of foreign lightly deduced from these. For of foreign the lexicographers tell us, that in Arabick it signifies sed, but. And the Arabick being but a dialect of the Hebrew, we may thence conclude, that thus it antiently signified among the Hebrews: and if that may be admitted, then the whole verse will be thus clearly rendred, foreign non sermo, not speech, i. e. they (the heavens and firmament) have no speech, foreign nor words, foreign but, or notwithstanding, foreign their voice is, or, hath been heard; i. e. either, as foreign foreignvoice frequently signifies thunder, their thunder is heard, or else more generally, they have wayes to proclaim, or make known the attributes of God, though they are not able to speak. Besides this way of interpreting the verse, by this notion of foreign for [but] or [yet] or [notwithstanding] another offers it self, by rendring it non, not, as it, without question, and most vulgarly, signifies. Thus, they have neither speech, nor words, their voice foreign is not, or hath not been heard; yet foreign their line we render it, is gone out into all the earth, foreign their words to the end of the world. Which if it be accepted, we must then suppose a difference to be made by the Psalmist betwixt foreign and foreign and foreign which the Heavens are said to want, and foreign and foreign which they are said to have. The three former are such as belong to men peculiarly, rendred by the Lxxii. foreign and foreign and foreign, talk, and words, and voices: and though the last be ordinarily used for thunder, yet taking it, by analogy with the other two, for an humane voice, it may truly be said, that the heavens have none of these. But two other things there are, which are fully equivalent, if not superior, to these, and those do eminently belong to them. What foreign here signifies, is a matter of some doubt. It ordinarily denotes a line, such as being joyned with a plumbet, marks out any thing in architecture, shews and directs what to do, how to square the timber, &c. as well as words could do. From hence also foreign in Abenezra is found to signifie book-learning, as when children learn one line after another. And thus it may here be understood, that the heavens direct men to the knowledge of God as evidently, as a line directs the workman in architecture: or again, that the heavens are as it were the book (to that they are compared Rev. vi. 14.) wherein God may be read by all the world; and so the lines of that book or volume are the indications of a deity, that may there be read. But beside this, the word is in Arabick found to signifie vociferation or crying aloud, (see Mr. Pocock Miscel. c. 4. p. 48.) and to this the Lxxii. refer, reading it foreign a loud voice, which is more then foreign voice, by which they render foreign in the former verse, and generally in other places: which is an evident proof, that the Lxxii. did not here for foreign read foreign, as it is ordinarily imagined, for then in all reason they must have rendred it foreign voices, as in the verse immediately precedent they had done. As for Capellus's conjecture, that they deduced foreign from foreign, which in Chaldee and Syriack signifies to declare, and indeed is so used here v. 2. foreign sheweth knowledge, there is no need of that; only it may make it more probable, that this sense of declaring, or shewing, belong'd originally to this word, by the near affinity of this other word, that signifies the same. Mean while it is certain, that the Apostle citing this place, reads it, as the Lxxii. did, foreign, their shril or loud voice: which notion of the word foreign may therefore deservehere to be preferr'd before that other of line, which belongs to it in other places, and is without any metaphore very really competible to the heavens, as they comprehend the aerial regions, in reference to the loud sounds of thunders, that oft come from thence, and declare the power of God. Then for foreign,foreign which is also attributed to the heavens, that comes from foreign in Piel to say, or speak, but this, frequently, not by words, but by any other significative expressions. So Prov. vi. 13. he winketh with his eyes; he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers: the Hebrew hath foreign (such language as it seems the feet have) which the Lxxii. render foreign he signifies. The same word signifies in Chaldee clamorem, a cry or loud voice, and so agrees also with the second notion of foreign for a loud voice. And then we have the full and clear meaning of the place; that though the heavens and firmament have neither speech, nor words, nor voice properly so called, yet they have other wayes of declaring and making known the attributes of God, whereby they speak much louder than any speaker or teacher on earth can do. This is literally true, in respect of that loud noise and roaring of the thunder; but much more so, in respect of the wonderful order, light, influences, &c. of those heavenly bodies, which so signally set out the power and wisdome of the Creator of them. This being clearly the importance of the place, the only remaining difficulty is, how that which is thus spoken of the heavens, and the loud voice and noise of them, is applicable to the Apostles purpose, to which it is cited Rom. x. 18. which is evidently to faith in Christ, v. 9. it being not obvious to discern, how the thunder, and other such language of the heavens, do reveal, or declare and preach that. To this the answers may be, 1. That as the faith of Christ is considered more generally, for the acknowledgement of the one true God of Heaven and earth, in opposition to the gentile idolatry, or moreover of the gratious goodness of God to men, (which we know was most illustriously revealed and sealed to us in Christ, and so the belief of that is in effect the believing on Christ;) so this place of this Psalm directly belongs to it, and accordingly such arguments as these are frequently used by the Apostles of Christ, to induce that faith. So Acts xiv. 16, 17. God in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own wayes; nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from Heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness: where it seems the rain and fruitful seasons were lookt on by the Apostle, as testimonies and proofs not only of the deity, but also of the truth of that whole doctrine, which now the Apostle was about to reveal to them, and so no improper means of inducing this faith of Christ. And so Rom. 1.20. the foreign, Gods works or doings in the world, are lookt on, as competent means to convince men of the divine essence, and attributes, and to render all idol-worshippers unexcusable. And it is not altogether improbable, that the same Apostle, which had oft used this argument to inforce belief, might, in that tenth to the Romans, in passing, touch on it, speaking v. 12. of the no difference betwixt Jew and Gentile, both of them having assurance, that if they sincerely serve and worship the true God, now revealed in and by Christ, they shall be saved; and all the question being how they shall now thus call on him without belief, believe without a preacher— the answer is given in the words of those places of Scripture, which testifie this knowledge or belief to have been abundantly preached or revealed to them. And then why may not this be one inferiour testimony of this kinde, to prove that all sort of men, Jews and Heathens, have heard, i. e. had a competent measure of this knowledge of Gods great goodnesse toward men revealed to them, that the Psalmist speaking of the glory of God, those glorious attributes of power, mercy, and wisdome, which are to be adored in him, and expressing poetically how the heavens declare, or set it forth, hath these words, their loud sound is gone out into all the world, and their words, or significative expressions, into the ends of the world, meaning thereby this knowledge of God, and his glories which his works of creation preach aloud to all the men in the world? This, I say, is a possible, and no very improbable meaning of the Apostle in his citation of these words. But then secondly, as the faith of Christ signifies more strictly the whole Christian saith at large, as it was now promulgated by the Apostles, and as that was founded in the preaching, miracles, death, and resurrection of Christ, and as it was opposed to the Jewish Mosaical oeconomy, of which this was to be the reformation; so those words, being spoken literally of the heavens, are yet in a more sublime manner of allusion and accommodation applyable to the Gospel preached, as to all the world, so peculiarly to the Jews: that as the heavens &c. preached a deity, proclaimed the power and goodnesse of God toward men, and so their loud sound went out over all the world; so, in a much more eminent manner of completion, was this farther accomplisht in the Apostles of Christ, who had a very loud and audible voice, and that, according to Christs appointment, was now gone out into all the world, and heard by all the nations thereof, the Jews as well as Gentiles, and indeed the Jews first, who therefore have no cause of objection against the proceeding now taken, in departing from them, and going to the Gentiles. And this indeed seems to be the best solution of the difficulty, as the words in the Apostle are an answer to the Jews objection, How shall they believe without a preacher, viz. when the Apostles forsake and give over preaching to them. And it is no news that such accommodations, and fuller completions of passages in the old Testament as these, should thus be made use of by the Apostles, the like being frequent among the Evangelists, and some of them expressly styled foreign fulfillings of prophecies, when yet the passages themselves, thus made use of, had a first and literal truth in some matter of fact farr distant from thence; as when to Christs returne out of Aegypt is accommodated that of Hoseah concerning the children of Israel, Out of Aegypt have I called my son, Mat. 11.15. (see note on Mat. 11. k.) Of the application of this whole passage to Christ, see more Note c. and d.
V. 4. He sett] The Hebrew reading is here most perspicuous, foreign foreignto the sun he hath set a Tabernacle there; and so the Chaldee agrees, to the sun he hath set a Tabernacle of brightnesse, or bright Tabernacle there. And the Translation which the*foreign 40. p. 428. B. Author of the Questions and Answers under Justins name mentions, under the name of foreign the literal translation out of the Hebrew tongue into the Syriack, varies but little, foreign, in them he set the Tabernacle of the Sun. But the Syriack, which we now have, and which seems not herein to be the literal rendring of the Hebrew, but of the LXXII (and so also the Latine, and Arabick, and Aethiopick,) give it another sense, as if God were said to set his own Tabernacle in or on the Sun, in the Heavens: In sole posuit, in the Sun he hath set his Tabernacle, saith the Latine, and Arabick, and Aethiopick, foreign Upon the Sun he fixt his Tabernacle in them, saith the Syriack: and all these, as rendring the Greek, foreign, which literally sounds thus; and from thence the LXXII. are supposed by many to have read the Hebrew otherwise than now we have it. But this I suppose a groundlesse resolution, and shall rather propose to consideration, whether their Greek version it selfe, being only understood according to the idiome of the Hellenists, be not exactly accordant to our Hebrew. For 1. foreign in their dialect, foreignis perfectly all one with foreign to the Sun in the dative case, as foreign to believe in God] is no more than foreign God] in the dative, and many the like; and 2.foreign. foreign is as frequently used for [there,] and then the LXXII. shall clearly thus be rendred, To the Sun he hath set a Tabernacle there, i. e. in them, or in the heavens; and that is all that the Hebrew as we now have it, affords. Now for the use of the word foreign foreignTabernacle, that Author of the Questions and Answers under Justin Martyrs name, interprets it to the sense of those words of the Psalmist in another place, Psalm civ. 2. foreign, he extendeth or spreadeth out the heavens like a skin, foreign, for the extension of skins makes a Tabernacle. But if the whole place have a farther completion in Christ, (see notes b. and d.) then will here be an intimation of it also; Christs incarnation Joh. 1. being thus exprest by that Evangelist, foreign, the word was made flesh, and he pitcht his Tabernacle or Tent among us.
V. 4. For the Sun] What is here said of the Sun, Justin Martyr in his Dialogue with Tryphon affirms to be foreign,p. 295. B. a Scripture spoken of Christ. Thus we know the title of Sun of righteousness, in the Prophecy of Malac. ii. 2. is mystically understood to denote Christ, who is that true light, which coming into the world lighteneth every man. And so that of the Bridegroom, to which the Sun is here resembled, is a signal title of Christ, in respect of his Spouse the Church: and so also that of the foreign foreignor strong, whether gyant, or Champion, eminently denoting Christ, among whose titles is that of foreign mighty God, Isa. ix. 6. and accordingly saith*Ibid. A. Justine, it is by the heathen Poets transformed into that fable of Hercules, foreign a strong man, and one that went over the whole earth, foreign, and that he was the Son of Jupiter, born of Alcmena, who died and returned to heaven again. Now of these two similitudes here used, the former, that of a Bridegroom coming out of his chamber, will not be perfectly understood, but by referring to the customes among the Jews: among whom the Bridegroom was wont to goe with his Bride into a place of secrecy, called foreign,foreign as here his chuppa, or bride-chamber, there to talke with her more familiarly; and this as a ceremony of confirmation to the wedlock. Whilst he was there, no person came in, but his friends and attendants waited for him at the dore, with torches or lamps in their hands: and when he came out, he was received with great joy and acclamation by all that were there. To this custome many places of the Gospels refer, especially that of Joh. iii. (see Annot. c. on that chapter) and generally Christ is the person meant by that bridegroom. Now as those bridegrooms were solemnly brought out from under the chuppah by their foreign, lamp-bearers or torch-bearers; (see Mat. xxv. 1.) so when the Sun after some space of darknesse comes to us, as out of his chuppah, or place whither he hath retired, not to be seen (in the morning, at the rising of the Sun, saith the Chaldee) the morning starre, called Phosphorus, light-bearer, is just that foreign that comes before him. And thus in the mystical sense, when after a long night of captivity, (a cessation of all sorts of Prophecies and Revelations of God to the Jews, whether by Urim and thummim, or by voice from heaven) at last this sun of righteousnesse was ready to come forth, then in Zacharie, and his son John the Baptist (of whom it is peculiarly said, he was a burning and a shining lamp,) this light from heaven, that of Prophecy, began to shew it selfe as the Phosphorus or Daduchus, the light-bearer or torch-bearer, to bring out this bridegroom into the world, who, when he was come, should imitate the Sun in his course, inlighten and warme all the parts of the habitable world, before he set again. This, we know, Christ did, by sending out his raies (by those his Apostles are to be signified) into all the world; which makes it still the more reasonable to interpret the foreign foreigntheir loud voice, of the Apostles of Christ, and not only of the indications of the Deity in the creature.
V. 8. Pure] From foreign the verb, to make pure, is foreign pure, and of that foreign foreignhere is thought to be the feminine, and so to signifie pure; so the Chaldee rendring it foreign pure, and the LXXII. foreign, as purity and clarity, are all one. But it is not so regular, that foreign should be the feminine of foreign or foreign, but rather foreign, and then it may not be amisse to remember a notion of the verbe foreign to take food, and from thence the noune foreign and foreign esca, cibus, meat or food. So Lam. iv. 10. foreign for food in the plural, the Chaldee renders foreign, the LXXII. foreign, for food: so Psal. Lxviii. 22. they gave me gall foreign for food; so 2 Sam. xiii. 5, 7, 10. And to this sense the context seems here to incline it; First, by rejoycing the heart, precedent, which being the effect attributed to wine, 'tis agreeable that this second part of the verse should belong to meat, and the effects thereof: and so secondly it follows, it enlightens the eyes. That that is an effect of taking food peculiarly, hath been noted at large Psal. xiii. note a, from that passage of Jonathan, when the tasting a little honey was the inlightning his eyes; and so the phrase is used to expresse any refection of minde or body. And so it will be most agreeable here, the law of God, and obedience thereto, being the most proper aliment to the soule, (as it is said to be Christs meat to doe the will of him that sent him,) and the effect thereof all manner of refreshment to the spirit; when on the other side, sin puts men into a sad, weak, famishing condition, such as the prodigal in the Gospel is described in. To this sense of foreign for food the reader will be more inclined 1. by the context,foreign v. 7. where the law of the Lord is said foreign to make my soule or life returne, which is the ordinary expression of foods refreshing us, when we faint with hunger. So Psal. xxiii. 3. foreign he restores my soule, a consequent of the green pasture, and still waters, v. 2. he refresheth me. so 1 Sam. xxx. 12. foreign and his spirit returned to him, as an effect of eating and drinking, after fasting three dayes. so Lam. i. 16. the comforter foreign restoring or bringing back the soule, i. e. he that should refresh me. And then this restoring of the soule, and being food to it, are in effect all one. This food being as that of Paradise, without the curse annext to it, afforded us by God without our labour, the fruit both of the tree of knowledge, and of life. 2. By the nature of the word foreign, which in the notion of food is deduced from both the roots, foreign & foreign, in the former as a dimensum, or portion of meat, in the latter, as 'tis purged and drest, before 'tis fit for use.
V. 10. Fine gold] What foreign foreignsignifies, will be uncertain. The Chaldee renders it foreign obryzum fine gold, or gold of Ophir: so S. Hierome conceives obryzum to signifie, Ophirinum, that which comes from Ophir, which yeelds the finest gold. But the LXXII. render it foreign pretious stone, and Psal. cxix. 127. foreign topaz, which is a pretious stone. And this latter is very agreeable to the word, and is but a light variation of it in other languages, if we may believe Hesychius. For so he speaking of the Greek foreign, which is but this foreign with the Greek termination, foreign, Paz is also called Topaz, and is a pretious stone. Mean-while it is also clear, that it is used for fine gold also, of which the Crown is made, Psal. xxi. 3. and of which are vessels, Job xxviii. 17. and so it may be here also.
V. 11. Warned] The word foreign foreignhere used hath three significations: First, to shine, and is rendred, foreign to shine forth, Dan. xii. 3. Secondly, by a metaphore to admonish and warne, and then is rendred foreign, Ezec. xxxiii. 3. to signifie, foreign, Ezech. xxxiii. 9. to declare before hand; and Thirdly, to flourish, in the Chaldee Paraphrase Hos. xiv. 6. and Psal. xc. 6. From the second of these, most of the Antient Interpreters render it here: the Chaldee, thy servant was circumspect in them; the Lxxii. foreign keeps them, and so oft elsewhere; and from them the Syriack, Latine, Arabick, and Aethiopick. But the context seems rather to determine it to the first, or (which is all one) to the third sense, the glorious and flourishing condition that is to be attained to either in this, or in another world, by this means of careful obedience unto Gods commands, and by no other; for to this it follows, that in keeping of them there is great reward.
V. 13. Presumptuous] From foreign ebullivit, foreignintumuit, to boil, to swell, is foreign proud or insolent, one that on set purpose, deliberately commits any ill, and also the action that is so committed. This the Lxxii. render foreign, and the Latine, ab alienis, from strangers, or strange sins, or other mens sins; most probably misreading the word foreign, and taking foreign from strangers, for it.
V. 14. Let the words] The Hebrew foreign foreignin the future is literally to be rendred, shall be, and so the Lxxii. and Latine read it, foreign, et erunt; and the words shall be foreign, ut complaceant, such as shall be acceptable before God, or in his sight, or, more expresly, an acceptable sacrifice. So 'tis used Exod. xxviii. 38. Lev. xxii. 20, 21. Isa. Lvi. 7. Jer. vi. 20. in all the places where it occurs. And to this sense the context confines it, speaking of that abstinence from all wilful known presumptuous sins, which is required of all men to make their prayers, or any other their best performances or sacrifices, acceptable before God; according to that of the Apostle, exhorting to lift up clean or holy hands, 1 Tim. ii. 8. and the Prophet Isa. i. 16. Wash ye, make ye clean: till then surely God heareth not sinners— John ix. 31.