Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 1
PSALM I.
Verſ. 1. BLeſſed is the man that walketh not in the counſell of the ungodly, &c.] This book is often cited by Chriſt, and his Apoſtles, by the name of the Pſalms, Luk. 24.44. All things muſt be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moſes, and in the Prophets, and in the Pſalms; and the book of Pſalms, as Luk. 20.42. David himſelf ſaith in the book of Pſalms, The Lord ſaid to my Lord, &c. yea and in expreſſe tearms, as written by the inſpiration of the holy Ghoſt, as Matth. 22.43. How then doth David in ſpirit call him Lord? and Acts 1.16. The holy Ghoſt by the mouth of David ſpake before concerning Iudas, &c. Many Expoſitours hold that all the Pſalms were made by David; but I cannot ſee that they make good what they ſay: for though it is very probable, that the moſt of them were compoſed by him, and provided purpoſely to be ſung in the Tabernacle and the Temple, and that becauſe it is evident that ſome, even of thoſe Pſalms before which Davids name is not prefixed, were yet made by David, as we ſee in the ſecond Pſalm, which is expreſly ſaid to be Davids, Act. 4.25. and in the 105 Pſalm, of which it is ſaid, 1 Chron. 16.7. that David delivered it into the hand of Aſaph and his brethren, and yet neither of theſe have any title prefixed before them (and the like may be ſaid of others) and therefore I conceive it is that he tearms himſelf, the ſweet Pſalmiſt of Iſrael, 2 Sam. 23.1. and the Apoſtle Peter ſaith that he was a Prophet, Act. 2.30; yet I conceive it is unqueſtionable, that ſome of the Pſalms were compoſed by other holy men of God, that wrote alſo by the inſpiration of Gods ſpirit; firſt, becauſe the prefixing this title A Pſalm of David to ſome, implyes clearly that all are not his; ſecondly, becauſe the 90. Pſalm is in the title expreſly tearmed A Prayer of Moſes; thirdly, becauſe ſome of the Pſalms ſung in the Temple were made by Aſaph, as is plain 2 Chron. 29.30. Hezekiah the king and the Princes commanded the Levites to ſing praiſe unto the Lord with the words of David, and of Aſaph the Seer; and fourthly, becauſe it is manifeſt by that which we find in divers Pſalms, that ſome of them were made after the Jews were returned from the Babylonian captivity, as the 126, and the 137. yea ſome of them, as is very probable, in the dayes of the Maccabees, when Antiochus did ſo much miſchief to the Jews, as Pſal. 44. As for this firſt Pſalm, it ſeems purpoſely ſet in the firſt place, as a Preface to all the reſt, becauſe it commends unto men the diligent ſtudy of Gods word, and conſequently, amongſt the reſt, of this book of Pſalmes, and a holy life anſwerable thereunto. For the drift of it is, to ſhew the bliſſe of the godly and the unhappy condition of the wicked, and that chiefly, I conceive, to remove the ſcandall of the frequent afflictions of the godly, and the great proſperity of wicked men. The firſt words of the Pſalm are expreſſed in ſuch a manner, as if the Pſalmiſt had been ſeriouſly conſidering of the condition of Gods righteous ſervants, and did thereupon at laſt break forth into this Reſolution, Bleſſed is the man that walketh not in the counſell of the ungodly, &c. The ſumme whereof is this, that they are truly bleſſed and happy, not that ſeek after the riches and honours and pleaſures of the world, but that keep themſelves ſo, that they have not any commerce or communion in any thing with any of the wicked, that is, that withdraw themſelves from all ſociety with ſuch men, and partake not with them in their evil wayes. For to expreſſe this are theſe three ſeverall Phraſes uſed, that walketh not in the counſell of the ungodly, nor ſtandeth in the way of ſinners, nor ſitteth in the ſeat of the ſcornfull: wherein by theſe three tearms, the ungodly, ſinners and the ſcornfull, is not meant, that ſome are ungodly▪ ſome ſinners and ſome ſcornfull; but only thereby he ſeeks to expreſſe the whole impiety of wicked men; (and therefore afterward verſ. 4. they are all three comprehended under that one word ungodly; The ungodly are not ſo, &c.) and by not walking in the counſell, nor ſtanding in the way, nor ſitting in the ſeat of ſuch men, is meant, not having any fellowſhip with ſuch men in their evil courſes. Yet almoſt all Expoſitours obſerve a gradation in theſe words. For firſt, by not walking in the counſell of the ungodly, they ſay is meant, either not joyning with them in their wicked conſultations; or not taking or following their advice, according to that which is ſaid of Ahaziah 2 Chron. 22.4, 5. that the houſe of Ahab were his counſellers, and that he walked alſo after their counſell; or not doing as they doe, according to that Job 21.16. the counſell of the wicked is far from me. Secondly, by not ſtanding in the way of ſinners is meant, not continuing in their evil practices, which is more then the other. And thirdly, by not ſitting in the ſeat of the ſcornfull is meant, not ſetting up a mans reſt ſecurely and preſumptuouſly in the ſociety and practiſes of thoſe that do ſcorn God and good men, and all wayes of goodneſſe, but eſpecially thoſe good men that ſhall undertake to reclaim them from their evil wayes. And thus there is herein an intimation given, by what degrees men become extremely wicked, and that the good man, though he may fall and ſin, yet he will not at leaſt run into theſe extremities.
Verſ. 2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord.] That is, in the word of God: for the Scripture in generall may be called the law of the Lord; ſo Chriſt ſpeaks of the Pſalmes, Joh. 10.34. Is it not written in your law, I ſaid ye are Gods? and indeed the drift of this Pſalm may ſeem to be more particularly to ſtir up men to the reading of the Pſalmes.
Verſ. 3. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, &c.] That is, by the ſeverall ſtreams of a river; for ſo husband men are wont ſometimes to cut out ſeverall channels for the water of rivers to run in, the better to water the ground where they have fruit-trees growing. And becauſe the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks here of a tree whoſe leaf shall not wither, it muſt be underſtood of ſuch trees as are green all the year long; ſuch as is the palme tree, according to that Pſal. 92.12. the righteous shall flourish like the palme-tree, and the olive tree, Pſal. 52.8. I am like a green olive tree in the houſe of God, and divers other trees beſides. Now whereas the Pſalmiſt ſaith here of the godly man, that he shall be like a tree▪ planted by the rivers of water, &c. the meaning is, that in generall he ſhall conſtantly continue in a flouriſhing and proſperous condition: and yet withall I conceive it is principally meant of the proſperity of ſuch a man in regard of his ſpirituall eſtate. For though the ſame phraſe of ſpeech is ſometimes uſed to ſet forth the glory of a mans outward condition, as we ſee Ezek. 31.3, &c. The Aſſyrian was a Cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, — the waters made him great, &c. yet here I ſay it ſeems principally meant of his ſpirituall bliſſe. He is compared firſt, to a tree planted, to imply that his goodneſſe is not by nature, but by grace. Secondly, to a tree planted by the rivers of water, with reſpect to his ingrafting into Chriſt, who is the fountain of the gardens, that is, his Churches, Cant. 4.16; to his regeneration, and the continuall ſupply of grace and comfort from the ſpirit of Chriſt, wherewith his ſoul is continually refreſhed and quickned; and likewiſe to his daily meditation on Gods word, (whereof he had ſpoken in the foregoing verſe) which is to him the means of his ſpirituall good. Thirdly, to a tree which bringeth forth his fruit in due ſeaſon, with reſpect to the holineſſe of his life, the fruits of Gods ſpirit, and that eſpecially manifeſted in the duties of his particular calling and condition: which is alſo ſaid to be in ſeaſon, either becauſe he layes hold upon every opportunity to doe good, or becauſe his works are ſuch as God requires, and not like the works of hypocrites, which are like untimely fruit, that never come to their full ripeneſſe. Fourthly, it is ſaid that his leaf shall not wither, with reference to his conſtant perſeverance in grace, and the unchangeable conſtancy of his happineſſe; that it is not like the flouriſhing of the wicked, which is only for a ſeaſon, but conſtant and permanent, even in the winter of adverſity, and after this life is continued to eternity. As for the laſt clauſe, And whatſoever he doth shall proſper, the meaning is, either that whatſoever he doth, to wit, by the aſſiſtance of Gods ſpirit, ſhall be accepted of God, and tend to his own ſalvation; or that all that he doth, and conſequently all that ſhall befall him, ſhall tend to his advantage, Rom. 8.28.
Verſ. 4. The ungodly are not ſo; but are like the chaffe, which the wind driveth away.] He compares them not to a tree in a barren ſoil, as by way of oppoſition to that which is before ſaid of the godly, one would have expected; but the more emphatically to ſet forth the wretchedneſſe of their condition, he compares them to chaff &c. concerning which ſee the Note, Job 21.18.
Verſ. 5. Therefore the ungodly shall not ſtand in the judgement, &c.] That is, Becauſe they are ſo unlike the righteous, or becauſe they are like the chaff, therefore they ſhall not be able to look God in the face, as being confounded in themſelves through the guilt of their own conſciences; or, they ſhall not be able to juſtify themſelves, but ſhall be ſoon caſt and condemned; or, they ſhall not be able to endure the wrath of the Almighty, but ſhall ſink under it, and ſhall be caſt out of his preſence, namely in the judgement ▪ that is, at the day of the laſt judgement. For that all this may be comprehended under theſe words, shall not ſtand in the judgement, is evident by other places where the ſame expreſſion is uſed: as Pſal. 5.5. The foolish shall not ſtand in thy ſight; and Luk. 21.36. pray alwayes, that ye maybe counted worthy to eſcape all theſe things that shall come to paſſe, and to ſtand before the ſon of man; and Rom. 14.4. who art thou that judgeſt another mans ſervant? to his own master he ſtandeth or falleth; and Rev. 6.17. where we read that at the day of judgement the wicked ſhall ſay, The great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to ſtand? I know the words here may alſo be underſtood of the times when God judgeth the wicked here in this life, to wit, that when God begins to call wicked men to an account here, they are not able to ſtand before him: but doubtleſſe it is at leaſt principally meant of the laſt judgement, which is therefore called here by way of emphaſis the judgement; as appears more clearly in the following clauſe, the ungodly shall not ſtand in judgement, nor ſinners in the congregation of the righteous: for the meaning of this is, that at the day of judgement God ſhall ſeparate the goats from the ſheep; the wicked from the righteous; and To when the righteous ſhall be owned by Chriſt, and taken into glory, (though they be ſcattered here, they ſhall be gathered into one congregation hereafter) the wicked ſhall not be ſuffered to be amongſt them, but ſhall hear that fearfull ſentence, Depart from me, ye curſed, &c. Matth. 25.32, &c.
Verſ. 6. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, &c.] That is, He approves, takes ſpeciall notice of, and delights in their wayes, and conſequently he takes care of them, to direct, bleſſe and proſper them. For that all theſe the Scripture doth uſually comprehend under this tearm of knowing, is evident in many places: as in Job 9.21. I would not know mine own ſoul, (concerning which ſee the Note there;) and ſo alſo Pſal. 31.7. thou hast known my ſoul in adverſity, that is, thou haſt been tender and watchfull over me; and Amos 3.2. you only have I known of all the families of the earth: and on the other ſide by not knowing is meant, not approving nor regarding, &c. as Pſal. 101.4. I will not know a wicked perſon; and Matth. 7.23. then will I profeſſe unto them, I never knew you. So that the meaning of theſe words, the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, is, that the Lord knowing the wayes of the righteous to be according to his will, doth accordingly approve of their wayes and courſes, and doth direct and bleſſe and proſper their wayes, even till he hath brought them to heaven; whence it is that the way of the righteous is called the way everlaſting, Pſal. 139.24: and then on the contrary he adds, but the way of the ungodly shall perish, that is, The Lord approves not the wayes they take; and therefore all their practiſes and endeavours ſhall periſh and come to nothing, yea they and their wayes ſhall periſh together.