Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 101
PSALM CI.
Verſ 1. I Will ſing of mercy and judgement, &c.] Two ſeverall waies this promiſe of David is expounded by Interpreters, and both ſeem very probable: to wit, 1. that David doth here promiſe to praiſe God for his goodneſſe and mercy to his penitent ſervants, and for his judgements executed upon the obſtinate and rebellious; or more particularly for the judgement which God had executed upon Saul, (for ſome conceive that this Pſalm was compoſed when Saul was newly cut off by the Philiſtines) or which he knew God would execute upon him, and the mercy which he had ſhewn to himſelf, in preſerving him from the rage of Saul, and haply for opening ſuch a fair way for the ſettling of him in the throne of Iſrael; or at leaſt the mercy which he knew God would ſhew him, in bringing him to the kingdome long ſince promiſed him: and then the following clauſe is clear; unto thee, O Lord, will I ſing, that is, I will ſpeak of theſe things to thy praiſe and glory: Or 2. that David doth here undertake, that he would in this Pſalm, as it were by way of a vow to God, and a ſolemn proteſtation before all the Church, declare with what clemency and juſtice he meant to govern the kingdome, when he ſhould be ſettled in the throne; how gentle and good every way he would be to the good, and how zealous to puniſh the wicked. And if we take it thus, which ſeems moſt agreeable to the ſequele of the Pſalm, then the meaning of the following clauſe ſeems to be this; unto thee, O Lord, will I ſing, that is, I will in my ſong thus engage my ſelf, out of a deſire thereby to glorify thee, by whom only I was appointed to ſo great honour, and by whoſe grace only I hope to be enabled thus to govern the kingdome.
Verſ. 2. I will behave my ſelf wiſely in a perfect way, &c.] To wit, by avoiding what ever is evil with all poſſible circumſpection. And indeed this is expreſly affirmed of David in his private life, 1 Sam. 18.14. And David behaved himſelf wiſely in all his waies.
O when wilt thou come unto me?] To wit, to aſſiſt me with thy grace herein; or rather, to ſettle me in the kingdome promiſed me, that I may then make good what I now promiſe. As for the following clauſe, I will walk within mine houſe with a perfect heart, that which is intended thereby ſeems to be this, that he would walk holily and righteouſly, not in publick only, but even within his own walls, his court or his private houſe, ſo that even thoſe of his own family ſhould not be able to lay any evil to his charge; yea and that he would be watchfull to keep his own houſhold too from every ſcandalous way.
Verſ. 3. I will ſet no wicked thing before mine eyes.] That is, ſay ſome, I will not make any evil courſe of other men a pattern for me to follow. But rather I take it thus, I will ſet no wicked thing before mine eyes, to wit, neither by deſire, nor purpoſe, no, nor by ſuffering it, ſo near as I can, to come into my thoughts.
Verſ. 4. A froward heart shall depart from me, &c.] The meaning of this may be, that he would not allow in himſelf that perverſe, rebellious ſpirit, whereto naturally he was enclined; or elſe, that he would not converſe with thoſe that were of a froward ſpirit; which indeed agrees beſt with the following clauſe (according to our tranſlation) I will not know a wicked perſon, that is, I will not own any ſuch, nor ſhew them the leaſt reſpect or favour.
Verſ. 5. Whoſo privily ſlandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off, &c.] To wit, by caſting them out of his houſe, or out of his court, yea and in ſome caſes by putting them to death, according as was by Gods law appointed, Deut. 19.16, 21. And though David ſpeaks here only of ſome particular vices, which he would not endure in thoſe that were about him; (and he inſtanceth in thoſe that are moſt pernicious in ſuch perſons as are about kings) yet under theſe all other wicked men are comprehended.
Verſ. 6. Mine eyes shall be upon the faithfull of the land, that they may dwell with me, &c.] That is, ſay ſome Expoſitours, I will be watchfull over ſuch for their defence, that they may dwell ſafely with me in my kingdome. But rather the meaning of theſe words is, that he would be very circumſpect not to take any, but ſuch as were known faithfull men, to be his familiar friends, his counſellors, officers of ſtate, or houſhold-ſervants: not reſting merely in the choice of theſe upon the report of others, but diligently obſerving himſelf who were ſuch; and then taking them, of what parentage and condition ſoever they were, to be imployed by him, both in his publick and domeſtick affairs. For hereto agrees the following clauſe, he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall ſerve me.
Verſ. 7. He that worketh deceit, shall not dwell within my houſe, &c.] That is, Though ſuch may get into my court or private family, yet being diſcovered they ſhall not ſtay there.
Verſ. 8. I will early deſtroy all the wicked of the land, &c.] To wit, all ſuch malefactours as commit wickedneſſe worthy of death; I will not only baniſh ſuch out of my court, but will utterly deſtroy them: that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord; that is, from the Church of God; or, if we underſtand it of Jeruſalem, then doubtleſſe the drift of theſe words is to imply, that his chief end in reſolving to cut them off was, that ſuch vile wretches might not pollute Gods dwelling-place, when all Iſrael was to reſort thither from all places of the land, and ſo bring a reproach upon the Name of God, his truth and people. And indeed ſome think that expreſſion, I will early deſtroy all the wicked of the land, is uſed in alluſion to the cuſtome of womens ſweeping their houſes every morning, or to that of magiſtrates ſitting in the judgement-ſeat betimes in the morning, of which ſome underſtand that place Jer. 21.12. O houſe of David, ſaith the Lord, execute judgement in the morning, &c.