Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 7
PSALM VII.
The Title. SHiggaion of David, &c.] There are divers conjectures in Expoſitours, but they are mere conjectures, concerning this word Shiggaion: as that it was the name of ſome Muſicall Inſtrument, to which this Pſalm was to be ſung; or the name of ſome kind of Verſe wherein it was compoſed; or of ſome tune, or ſome known ſong, to the tune whereof it was to be ſung. That which ſeems moſt probably ſaid is, that Shiggaion is derived of an Hebrew word that ſignifyeth to erre, and ſo may be tranſlated an aberration, or, a ſong of wandring: to wit, either becauſe it was ſung in parts, or by ſeverall voices, ſome ſinging one clauſe, and then others another; or becauſe upon the Inſtrument whereon they played when this Pſalm was ſung, they ran with their fingers from one ſtring to another; or becauſe it was made of ſundry variable or wandring verſes; or becauſe therein are expreſſed thoſe cares of David, which made him in danger to erre or goe aſtray. Yea becauſe the Hebrew word Prov. 5.19. doth ſignifie to be delighted or to wander in love, therefore ſome tranſlate Shiggaion of David, Davids variable or delightfull ſong, or the ſolace of David. As for the following words, which he ſang unto the Lord concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite, it is moſt probable that this Cuſh was ſome great Courtier of Saul, and of his tribe and family, who had accuſed David to Saul, upon occaſion whereof David compoſed this Pſalm. I know that the moſt Expoſitours hold, that it is Shimei or Saul himſelf that is here called Cush, by interpretation the Ethiopian or blackmore; and that, ſay they, to note his black, malicious and helliſh diſpoſition, or that there was no more hope of changing his nature and qualities, then of waſhing a blackmore white. But beſides that the reaſons alledged for giving either of them this name Cush, have no great ſolidity in them, and that there could be no cauſe at all why he might not have expreſſed them by name, in the Pſalm David ſeems plainly to ſpeak of ſome ſlander that endangered his life, which could not be meant of Saul, nor of the revilings of Shimei.
Verſ. 2. Leſt he tear my ſoul like a lion, &c.] In the foregoing verſe he had ſaid, Save me from all them that perſecute me; this therefore which he adds here in the ſingular number, Leſt he tear my ſoul like a lion, muſt either be underſtood indefinitely of every one of thoſe that did perſecute him, Leſt he tear my ſoul, &c. that is, leſt he that perſecutes me do tear me in pieces, or deſtroy my life (for ſoul is often taken for the perſon or the life of a man, ſee the Notes Pſal. 3.2. and 1 Sam. 25.29.) or elſe of Saul in particular his great enemy, whom others ſerved in their perſecuting of David. And by comparing him to a lion, he implyes his power and cruelty, thereby the rather to move God to deliver him: and if this were done after Saul had made ſuch a ſlaughter of the Prieſts 2 Sam. 22.18. David had the juſter ground to compare him to a lion tearing his prey.
Verſ. 3. If I have done this, &c.] That is, this which Cuſh hath laid to my charge, and which is thereupon commonly ſpread abroad concerning me, to wit, that he adds in the following verſe, that when things were all at peace in the kingdome, and that Saul had given his daughter in marriage to David, and preferred him as his favourite in all things, then David ſought to take away Sauls life, that he might ſtep into the throne; If, ſaith he, I have rewarded evil to him that was at peace with me, that is, to Saul; which the following clauſe doth alſo confirm, wherein he ſeems to have particular reference to his ſaving of Saul, when he had him at an advantage, and he reſtrained his captains from offering him any violence, 1 Sam. chap. 24. and 26. Yea, ſaith he, I have delivered him that without cauſe is mine enemy.
Verſ. 5. Let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the duſt.] By this honour may be meant his ſoul, as in Gen. 49.6. (concerning which ſee the Note there) which may be ſaid to be laid in the duſt, when his life, that proceeded from the union of his ſoul and body, was taken away, and he laid in the duſt; and ſo both clauſes, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the duſt, may both intend the ſame thing: or, ſecondly, by his honour may be meant that honourable condition whereto God had advanced him, or which God had promiſed him, to wit, of being king over his people; which might be ſaid to be laid in the duſt, either by his death, or by his being brought to a low and poor condition: or, thirdly, by his honour may be meant that honourable fame and repute and credit wherein he had lived, and which might remain of him after his death; which in caſe of his guilt he deſires might be laid in the duſt, to wit, by the periſhing of his memory, or being buried under obloquy and reproach.
Verſ. 6. Lift up thy ſelf becauſe of the rage of mine enemies, &c.] That is, Becauſe of their rage ariſe to my help; and ſo it is the ſame in effect with the foregoing clauſe, Ariſe, O Lord, in thine anger: or, Lift up thy ſelf, that is, exalt and glorifie thy ſelf as a conquerour, by ſaving me from their rage. As for the following clauſe, and awake for me to the judgement that thou hast commanded, there are two ſeverall Expoſitions, neither of them improbable, which are given of it. The firſt is, that David doth therein deſire the Lord to awake for him; to ſettle him in the kingdome which he had promiſed him: for becauſe his office was therein to doe juſtice and judgement, and to ſettle all things in the kingdome, which had been out of frame under Sauls reign, and becauſe God had commanded Samuel for this purpoſe to anoint David, and becauſe God had decreed and ſaid that David ſhould be king, and had at the ſame time pronounced this judgement againſt Saul, that he had rejected him, 1 Sam. 16.1. and what God hath decreed ſhall be, in regard of its certainty, is frequently in the Scriptures ſaid to be commanded of God, as Pſal. 33.9. He ſpake and it was done, he commanded and it ſtood faſt, and Pſal. 147.15. He ſendeth forth his commandment upon the earth, his word runneth very ſwiftly; therefore doth he expreſſe this in theſe tearms, awake for me to the judgement that thou haſt commanded. And then the ſecond is, which I beſt approve, that David doth herein deſire that God would raiſe up himſelf to puniſh his enemies, and to deliver him that was injured and oppreſſed: which he tearms the judgement which God had commanded, either becauſe God had commanded the ſons of men thus to execute judgement, and therefore he doubted not that God would himſelf doe what he had enjoyned others to doe; or becauſe it was that which he knew God had ordered and decreed.
Verſ. 7. So shall the congregation of the people compaſſe thee about, &c.] Two things may alſo probably be intended herein. The firſt is, that if God would make good his promiſe, and ſettle him in the throne, ſo far as in him lay, the people that were now grown to a kind of profane neglect of Gods worſhip under the government of Saul, as appeared by the neglect of the Ark all the time of his reign, ſhould be brought to aſſemble themſelves duly together, to perform the duties of his worſhip and ſervice: and hereby he makes it manifeſt, that he deſired not the kingdome for his own intereſts, but for the advancement of Gods glory. And the ſecond is, that if God would appear in his defence againſt his enemies, the experience of Gods juſtice and faithfulneſſe herein would bring in the people by multitudes to compaſſe him about, (and it may be meant of the Iſraelites alone, or of other nations joyntly with them, to whom the fame of what God had done for David herein ſhould come) to wit, to praiſe God, to pray to God for judgement in the like caſe, yea and in generall to worſhip God with fear and reverence: for indeed the judgements of God manifeſted in the world do notably ſtir up devotion in men. And to this purpoſe alſo is that which follows, for their ſakes therefore return thou on high, that is, exalt thy ſelf, and ſhew thy ſelf gloriouſly in this cauſe of mine; or rather, aſcend again into thy throne of judgement, and judge the cauſe between me and mine enemies: for in theſe words there ſeems to be an alluſion to the thrones and ſeats of judgement amongſt men, which uſed to be on high above the people, as we ſee in Solomons throne, 1 Kings 10.19. or elſe to the height of the heaven, of which it is ſaid, The Lords throne is in heaven, Pſal. 11.4, and becauſe whilſt God had forborn puniſhing his perſecutours, it had been as if God had given over judging the world, therefore he deſires that God would return to his throne of judgement.
Verſ. 8. The Lord shall judge the people, &c.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, And therefore from the ſlanders of men I appeal to God, and know that he will judge righteouſly: whereupon he addes, Iudge me, O Lord, according to my righteouſneſse, &c. concerning which ſee the Note, 2 Sam. 22.21.
Verſ. 9. Oh, let the wickedneſse of the wicked come to an end, &c.] As one that had been long under this affliction, he deſires the Lord that at laſt, ſome way or other, there might be an end put to the malicious practiſes of his enemies againſt him and others, and ſo thereby that he would eſtabliſh the juſt: for (ſaith he) the righteous God tryeth the hearts and reins; that is, the Lord exactly knoweth the ſecreteſt thoughts and deſires of mens hearts, and conſequently he knoweth the integrity of mine heart, and that there never came any ſuch thing into my thought, as they lay to my charge. Becauſe in the entrails of a man the reins lye of all the reſt the moſt retired and hidden, therefore they are added to the heart.
Verſ. 11. God is angry with the wicked every day.] Hereby is meant, not ſo much that there is no day wherein God doth not manifeſt his anger againſt ſome wicked men, by pouring forth his wrath upon them; as that he is every day angry with the wicked, even when he forbears them; whence it is that even then they are ſaid to treaſure up wrath againſt the day of wrath, Rom. 2.5.
Verſ. 12. If he turn not, he will whet his ſword; he hath bent his bow, &c.] That is, If the wicked man repents not, and gives not over his perſecuting the righteous, God will whet his ſword, &c. and by whetting his ſword, and having his bow bent, and his arrows prepared in a readineſſe, called the instruments of death verſ. 13. he implyeth how ſore and ſudden Gods judgements upon him ſhould be; he was ready to ſhoot, and the wounds given by his ſword ſhould be deep and deadly: he ordaineth his arrows againſt the perſecutours; he makes and intends them, and decrees them purpoſely to be ſhot againſt the perſecutours. And this, being prophetically ſpoken, ſome ſay was accompliſhed when Saul was ſore wounded by the Philiſtine archers, and afterwards thruſt himſelf through with his own ſword, 1 Sam. 31.3, 4.
Verſ. 14. Behold, he travelleth with iniquity, &c.] That is, He ſtrives to effect his wicked and miſchievous purpoſes againſt the righteous, being even pained as a woman in travell to accompliſh his intentions, but all in vain. See the Note Job 15.35.
Verſ. 16. His miſchief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.] Theſe expreſſions, His miſchief shall return and shall come down, ſeem to imply, that what miſchief the wicked ſeek to doe to the righteous, God takes it as intended againſt himſelf, according to that Zach. 2.8. He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye; and accordingly that it is of God that their miſchief, like ſo many arrows ſhot againſt heaven, is turned back upon their own heads: as it was with Saul, who having often plotted how to bring David to fall by the hands of the Philiſtines, was at laſt himſelf overcome by them, by means whereof he ſlew himſelf, and they finding his body, cut off his head, and carried it up and down their country in a way of triumph.