Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 22
PSALM XXII.
The Title. TO the chief Muſician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Pſalm of David.] Though David wrote this Pſalm concerning himſelf, (as the whole frame of the Pſalm, compared with the Title, doth methinks evidently ſhew) yet doubtleſſe his chief aim was thereby to repreſent the paſſion and reſurrection of Chriſt, and the propagation of his kingdome, of whom he both in his ſufferings and kingdome was a type. And hence it was, that foreſeeing by the ſpirit of prophecy what Chriſt ſhould ſuffer, ſome paſſages are inſerted according as they were literally to be accompliſhed in Chriſt, which can only figuratively be applyed to David; as that verſ. 16. concerning the piercing of his hands and feet; and that verſ. 18. concerning their parting his garments, and caſting lots upon his veſture: and of the laſt of theſe both Matthew and John have punctually noted, that when the ſouldiers did this to Chriſts garments, that was therein fulfilled which is here ſpoken by the prophet David, as we may ſee Matth. 27.35. and Joh. 19.24. And ſo likewiſe the Apoſtle Heb. 2.11, 12. cites the words of the 22 verſe of this Pſalm, as ſpoken by Chriſt, He is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren; in the midſt of the Church will I ſing praiſe unto thee. As for thoſe words in the Title of this Pſalm, which are in no Title of the foregoing Pſalms, upon Aijeleth Shahar, or, the hinde of the morning, (as it is render'd in the margin of our Bibles) either it was the name of ſome muſicall Inſtrument, wherewith this Pſalm was to be ſung; or rather theſe words were the firſt words of ſome ſong, to the Tune whereof it was to be ſung. Many Expoſitours, I know, hold that David tearms himſelf here the hinde of the morning, becauſe he was hunted up and down by Saul and other his enemies from one place to another, even as a hinde is uſually hunted by men, when ſhe comes forth in a morning from the place where ſhe had lodged all night: and others, that it is Chriſt that is meant thereby; (to ſhew that the Pſalm was written of him) and that he is called the hinde of the morning, either 1. becauſe as when a hinde comes forth in a moring to ſeek out for paſture, ſhe is uſually hunted and killed for dainty meat, ſo was Chriſt hunted and worried and killed by the Jews and Gentiles, thoſe dogs mentioned here verſ. 16. and that early in the morning Joh. 18.28. or in the firſt dawning of the day-light of the Goſpel, when he was ſeeking to doe the will of his Father, which was meat unto him, Joh. 4.34. and ſo became meat for us, though the Iews intended no ſuch thing, no more then the hounds do intend, when they hunt any beaſt, to provide meat for their maſters; or 2. becauſe he aroſe from the grave early in the morning, Ioh. 20.1, as a hinde that comes ruſhing forth chearfully from the place of her repoſe; and indeed Chriſt is in the Canticles often compared to a hinde, as chap. 2.9, 17. and again chap. 8.14. or 3. becauſe Chriſt is the true morning ſtar, ſee Numb. 24.17. and it is the morning ſtar that is here called the hinde of the morning, becauſe it comes forth with the firſt dawning of the day, leaping as it were over the mountains, as the hinde doth. But theſe things have more wit then ſolidity in them. It hath more probability, which ſome other Expoſitours ſay, that theſe words were to ſignifie that this Pſalm was appointed to be ſung in the morning, if not every morning.
Verſ. 1. My God, my God, why hast thou forſaken me? &c.] In the Hebrew this is, Eli, Eli, Lamah hazabthani; but our Saviour uſing theſe words, expreſſed them in the Vulgar Syriack, Matth. 27.46. Eli, Eli, Lamaſabachthani. This interrogation may be the ſame in effect, as if he had deſired that God would not forſake him; as we may ſee is noted concerning a like expreſſion, Exod. 32.11. Yet withall I conceive it implyes a profeſſion and complaint of his extreme ſufferings. For though the perſon of the Son of God was never ſeparated from his humanity, neither did God the Father ceaſe to love Chriſt, or wholly withdraw his help from him; (for even upon the Croſſe God was in Chriſt reconciling the world unto himſelf, 2 Cor. 5.19. Behold my ſervant whom I uphold, &c. ſaith the Father of Chriſt, Iſa. 42.1. Ye shall leave me alone; and yet I am not alone, becauſe the Father is with me, ſaith Chriſt to his diſciples Ioh. 16.32.) yet becauſe 1. Chriſt was to bear the wrath and curſe of God due to his people for their ſins, and 2. hereupon God did not only withdraw from him all manifeſtation of his love and favour, but alſo made an impreſſion of wrath upon his ſpirit, in regard of our ſins imputed to him, and 3. the Godhead did ſo far for a time ſuſpend its influence, as to ſuffer him to be ſurprized with the fear of death, and to endure incomprehenſible anguiſh and horrour of ſpirit becauſe of the wrath of the Almighty; therefore did Chriſt apprehend himſelf for the time as forſaken of God, and brake out into this bitter complaint, yet without ſin, becauſe he underwent this only in our ſtead, that he might ſave us, and did ſtill in the midſt of this agony cleave faſt unto God, as thoſe words, My God, my God, &c. do clearly imply.
Verſ. 2. I cry in the day time, but thou heareſt not; and in the night ſeaſon, and am not ſilent.] That is, as ſome expound it, without ceaſing, never holding my peace. But the meaning of that laſt clauſe, and am not ſilent, is rather this; that for all his crying to God in the night, yet he found no eaſe nor comfort, and conſequently there was no end of his groanings and complaints. Some think alſo, that the mention that is here made of crying day and night is with reference to Chriſts praying by night in the garden, and by day on the Croſſe: whereas doubtleſſe the meaning is only, that he cryed unto God inceſſantly, both by day and by night. Nor muſt this be reſtrained to verbal and vocal praying, but muſt alſo comprehend the inward deſires and groanings of his ſoul and ſpirit. Nor doth this complaint of Gods not hearing the Lord Chriſt contradict what Chriſt himſelf ſaid, Ioh. 11.42. I knew that thou heareſt me alwaies. For there were two ſorts of deſires and cryes in Chriſt: the one of his deliberate and abſolute will, which were alwaies conſonant with the will of God; and theſe God alwaies heard; whence it is ſaid, Heb. 5.7. that when he had offered up prayers and ſupplications with ſtrong crying and tears, unto him that was able to ſave him from death, he was heard in that he feared, and verſ. 24 of this Pſalm, when he cryed unto him, he heard: but then the other were the deſires of nature in him, the cryes, as I may ſay, of his ſenſitive will, as that he might not taſt of the cup of death, which it is no wonder though his Father heard not, ſince himſelf never gave any full conſent thereto.
Verſ. 3. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabiteſt the praiſes of Iſrael.] That is, Thou art pure, and ſo infinitely gracious, juſt and faithfull, never failing to doe good, and to make good thy promiſes, O thou that conſtantly and without any intermiſſion doſt dwell and rule as a king amongſt thy people Iſrael, giving them thereby continuall cauſe to praiſe thy name. And this may be here added, either as a farther aggravation of his miſery, that his prayers ſhould be diſregarded by a God ſo holy, that doth ſo conſtantly give his people cauſe to magnifie his name; or elſe rather by way of checking himſelf for complaining, and to imply, that if God heard not, it was his fault, not Gods, and that he might encourage himſelf to wait upon God in hope of a gracious anſwer, who was ſo holy, and that did ſo conſtantly fill the mouths of his people with his praiſes. For indeed God is here ſaid to inhabit the praiſes of Iſrael, either 1. becauſe the Sanctuary, the place of Gods ſpeciall preſence, was the chief praiſe and glory of Iſrael, or rather the place where the Iſraelites did meet together to praiſe God; our holy and our beautifull houſe, where our fathers praiſed thee, is burnt up with fire, ſaith the Church of the Temple, Eſa. 64.11: or 2. becauſe the Lord dwelt amongſt a people that were conſtantly imployed in this work of praiſing his name, by reaſon that he gave them dayly occaſion ſo to doe, as is more fully ſet forth in the two following verſes: or 3. becauſe God was continually in the mouths of his people, when they were imployed in advancing his praiſe.
Verſ. 6. But I am a worm, and no man, &c.] That is, I am ſcorned and deſpiſed, and by every baſe wretch trampled under foot, without any reſpect or pity, and ſo am eſteemed and uſed more like a worm then a man. This was verified in Chriſt, when they preferred Barabbas a robber and a murtherer before Chriſt; in regard whereof he became not only lower then the Angels, Heb. 2.7. but alſo lower then man. And this alſo may be alledged, as tending to his encouragement, as well as the ſetting forth of his low condition, implying, that ſurely that God, who was ſo compaſſionate to all that are in miſery, would pity him that was in ſuch extremity of miſery. See the Note Job 25.6.
Verſ. 7. All they that ſee me laugh me to ſcorn, &c.] Beſides that theſe words all that ſee me do ſet forth how generally he was derided, they do alſo covertly ſtrike at the inhumanity of his enemies, that were ſo far from condoling him, when they ſaw his miſery, that on the contrary they did then inſult over him, and laugh him to ſcorn; whereas men are wont to compaſſionate the worſt of malefactours, when they ſee them ſuffer: they shoot out the lip, that is, they make mouths at me, they shake the head, to wit, by way of deriſion; ſee Matth. 27.39. ſee alſo the Note Iob 16.4.
Verſ. 8. He truſted in the Lord that he would deliver him; let him deliver him, ſeeing he delighted in him.] Neither did Davids nor Chriſts enemies intend by theſe taunting words, that God was not able to deliver him, but that God would not doe it; and that hereby his hypocriſie and folly would be diſcovered in his former boaſting of his peculiar intereſt and confidence in God.
Verſ. 9. Thou didſt make me hope when I was upon my mothers breasts.] The meaning of theſe words may be only this, that from his childhood he had hoped in God: ſee the Note upon a like expreſſion Job 31.18. Or if they be limited ſtrictly to the time when he firſt hung upon his mothers breaſts, it muſt be taken as a figurative expreſſion of the common dependance of all the creatures upon God, which may be tearmed a hoping in God, as all creatures are ſaid to wait upon God, Pſal. 145.15. and the young ravens to cry to God, Pſal. 147.9. Or elſe the drift thereof may be to imply, that Gods providence over him in his tender infancy was ſuch, as might have made him even then to hope in God had he been then capable of it; or at leaſt that by that which was then done for him he might be taught in after-times to hope in God. And it may well be, that underſtanding theſe words as ſpoken by Chriſt, they might have ſpeciall reference to his deliverance in his infancy from Herod.
Verſ. 10. I was caſt upon thee from the womb.] To wit, becauſe all that can be done for a poor infant would avail nothing, if God did not by his ſpeciall Providence preſerve it and provide for it.
Verſ. 11. Be not far from me, for trouble is near, &c.] He pleads the nearneſſe of his trouble, becauſe in ſuch extremities God is wont to come in to the help of his ſervants. And underſtanding this of Chriſt, it may be meant either of the nearneſſe of his trouble when he was to be delivered up to his enemies, of which he ſpake Matth. 26.45, behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of ſinners; or rather of the near approach of his death, becauſe indeed it is evidently his Paſſion on the Croſſe that is deſcribed throughout the Pſalm, as we may ſee verſ. 1.7, 8, 16, 17, 18.
Verſ. 12. Strong bulls of Bashan have beſet me round.] Becauſe in Baſhan there were very rich and fat paſtures, and ſo the breed of cattel there was fat and bigge, and their bulls in particular ſtrong and furious; yea perhaps the inhabitants of that countrey were many of them men of a gigantine ſtature, as appears by Og king of Baſhan, Deut. 3.11. therefore he tearms his mighty and furious enemies bulls of Bashan. It may be meant both of Sauls courtiers, and of the chief prieſts and Scribes that crucified Chriſt.
Verſ. 13. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.] See the Note Iob 16.10. As it is ſpoken in reference to Chriſt, it is meant of the Iews, when with ſuch fury they preſſed his death, and roared out to have him crucified; even as a lion that roareth, either out of hunger when he ſeeketh his prey, or out of fierceneſſe and fury when he hath gotten his prey, according to that Amos 3.4. will a lion roar in the forreſt, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing? Yet withall Satans violent aſſaulting of Chriſt at his death muſt be included too, of which our Saviour ſpake before-hand, Ioh. 14.30. the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me; and with reference whereto it is ſaid at his firſt temptation Luk. 4.13. that the devill departed from him for a ſeaſon.
Verſ. 14. I am poured out like water, &c.] That is, My life is in a manner gone, paſt hope of recovery, and ſo I am, as it is ſaid in the ſame or a like caſe 2 Sam. 14.14. like water ſpilt upon the ground, which cannot be gathered up again: or rather thus, My ſpirits and ſtrength do waſt and flow away, even as water that runs out of a leaking veſſel; ſee the Note Gen. 49.3. and all my bones are out of joynt, that is, By reaſon of my ſufferings, both inward and outward, my limbs have loſt their ſtrength and power to move themſelves, no otherwiſe then as if my bones were all out of joynt: yea in Chriſt this was literally accompliſhed, by the ſtretching and racking of his limbs upon the Croſſe. My heart is like wax, it is melted, &c. that is, by reaſon of the fire of Gods diſpleaſure, (as indeed Chriſt, for the ſins that were imputed to him, did bear the fiery indignation of the almighty) my heart through faintneſſe and fear doth as it were melt within me: ſee Ioſh. 7.5.
Verſ. 15. My ſtrength is dryed up like a potsheard, &c.] That is, By my ſufferings outwardly, and in particular through the loſſe of ſo much bloud that hath been ſhed, and through that grief and fear that lay upon my ſpirit, my radicall moiſture, the ſpring of life and ſtrength, is ſo dryed up, that I am more like a dry pot-ſheard then a living man: and indeed Solomon ſaith Prov. 17.22. that a broken ſpirit dryeth the bones. And hereto agreeth that which follows, and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws: for though this phraſe doth ſometimes imply forced ſilence or inability to ſpeak, (ſee the Note upon Iob 19.28.) and therefore ſome would have it referred to Chriſts ſilence when he was arraigned and falſly accuſed, of which the prophet ſpeaking ſaith Eſa. 53.7. that he opened not his mouth; yet ſometimes alſo it implyeth extremity of thirſt, as Lam. 4.4. the tongue of the ſucking child cleaveth to his mouth for thirſt, and the context makes it evident that it muſt be ſo taken here; and ſo it referres to Chriſts thirſting when he hung upon the Croſſe, Iohn 19.28. And thou haſt brought me (for it was not done without the providence of God) into the duſt of death; that is, I am even ready to drop into the grave.
Verſ. 16. For dogs have compaſſed me, the aſſembly of the wicked have incloſed me, &c.] That is, a company of baſe, wicked, malicious wretches have, like a pack of hounds, beſet me, and with all poſſible rage ſet upon me. For though ſome would have it, that the raſcall crue of Davids and Chriſts enemies are here called dogs, to wit, the ſouldiers and others, as the rich and mighty ones were before tearmed bulls; yet I rather think it is meant of all his enemies in generall. For I am ſure thoſe words, the aſſembly of wicked men, ſeem clearly to have reference to that which is ſaid ſo often, that the chief prieſts and the Scribes and the elders of the people aſſembled themſelves together; as we may ſee Matth. …6.3. and 27.1. and in many other places. As for the following clauſe, they pierced my hands and my feet, it is one of thoſe paſſages which can hardly be underſtood of David. But though it was literally accompliſhed only in the nailing of Chriſts hands and feet to the Croſſe, for which ſee Luk. 24.40. and Ioh. 20.25. yet figuratively David might ſpeak this of himſelf, meaning thereby, that his enemies had ſo bound him up, as it were, as a man that is fetter'd hand and foot, that he could neither move his hands to defend himſelf, nor his feet to flee away from them.
Verſ. 17. I may tell all my bones, &c.] To wit, by reaſon of his leanneſſe, cauſed by the grief of his heart and grievous ſufferings, which had brought him to be nothing but skin and bones; or (as it is ſpoken in reference to Chriſt) by reaſon of the extreme ſtretching of his body on the Croſſe; eſpecially conſidering that before by their cruell ſcourging of him they had made ſuch gaſhes in his skin and fleſh: they look and ſtare upon me, to wit, as delighting to behold me in ſo much miſery, Luk. 23.35. which agreeth with that triumphing of Davids enemies, Pſal. 35.21, Aha, aha, our eye hath ſeen it.
Verſ. 18. They part my garments among them, &c.] This was alſo literally accompliſhed in Chriſt, when the ſouldiers divided his garments amongſt them, and as by way of ſport caſt lots upon his veſture: ſee the Note before upon the Title of this Pſalm. Yet David might alſo figuratively thus complain of his enemies, in regard that when he was forced to flee from the Court, they ſeized upon all that was his, (not ſparing his wife) every one catching at what they could get, even literally perhaps his very garments.
Verſ. 19. But be not thou far from me, O Lord, &c.] That is, Though others ſtand aloof, and there be none to help; yet do not thou ſtand afar off. How Chriſt was heard herein, ſee the Note verſ. 2.
Verſ. 20. Deliver my ſoul from the ſword, &c.] That is, me or my life from death; ſee Job 5.15. my darling from the power of the dog; that is, from wicked men, called before dogs, ſee the Note verſ. 16. Some conceive, that this is meant of the devil; and others, that it is expreſſed in the ſingular number, becauſe his enemies were ſo united together as one man: but I rather think that dog is put for dogs. However, it is doubtleſſe his ſoul or life, which he prayes may be delivered from the power of the dog: which he tearms his darling, becauſe the ſoul is the moſt precious part of man; or becauſe naturally every man makes ſuch precious account of his life; or his only one, as it is in the Originall, becauſe it was left deſolate, as he had ſaid before verſ. 11. there is none to help.
Verſ. 21. Save me from the lions mouth, &c.] See the Note before verſ. 13. For thou hast heard me from the horns of the Vnicorns; that is, thou haſt upon my prayers delivered me, when I was in the midſt of many cruell enemies, or from the power of thoſe enemies.
Verſ. 22. I will declare thy name unto my brethren, &c.] That is, I will ſhew forth thy praiſe amongſt them: and as it is meant of Chriſt, it was accompliſhed, partly when he appeared to his diſciples after his reſurrection for fourty daies together, informing them in the great things that God had done, and ſpeaking of the things pertaining to the kingdome of God, Act. 1.3. (for theſe he tearmed his brethren, Act. 20.17. Goe unto my brethren, and ſay unto them, I aſcend unto my father and your father, &c.) and partly in that by their doctrine the knowledge of theſe things is ſpread abroad throughout the world; for all believers are the brethren of Chriſt, as is noted Heb. 2.11, 12, and that becauſe by Chriſt they receive the adoption of ſons, who is therefore called the firſt-born amongſt many brethren, Rom. 8.29.
Verſ. 24. For he hath not deſpiſed nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither hath he hid his face from him, &c.] Gods regarding of him is here oppoſed to the contempt of the world, of which he had ſaid before verſ. 6. that he was a reproach of men, and deſpiſed of the people, abhorred as a worm, and no man; and concerning which the prophet Eſay ſpeaks Iſa. 53.3. we hid as it were our faces from him. As for the laſt clauſe, but when he cryed unto him, he heard, ſee the Note before verſ. 2.
Verſ. 25. My praiſe shall be of thee in the great Congregation, &c.] That is, Thou wilt give me occaſion to praiſe, or, I will praiſe thee in the ſolemn aſſemblies of thy people. Yet, as this is ſpoken in reference to Chriſt, by the great Congregation may be meant, the ſolemn aſſemblies that the Jews had on their three great feaſts; or particularly that aſſembly, where after his reſurrection Chriſt was ſeen of above five hundred brethren at once, 1 Cor 15.6; or rather, the great Church of the Gentiles, of whom it was promiſed, that they ſhould be as the ſtars in heaven for multitude, namely, that amongſt them Chriſt would by his ſervants preach the Goſpel of ſalvation, and thereby publiſh Gods praiſe. I will pay my vows before them that fear him; that is, the ſacrifices or the praiſes which I have vowed to give thee: and obſervable it is, that he doth not only promiſe this, but he doth it alſo with a kind of rejoycing, as being glad to think of his doing this which he doth promiſe.
Verſ. 26. The meek shall eat and be ſatisfied, &c.] By the meek here are meant thoſe poor mortified ſouls, that being preſſed in conſcience with the burthen of their ſins, and the apprehenſion of Gods indignation againſt them for their ſins, either feared or felt, are humbled thereby, and have their fierce nature tamed and ſubdued. Yea and becauſe a poor low and an afflicted condition doth often thus meeken the ſpirits of men, therefore ſome conceive that this is principally meant of ſuch, who being diſtreſſed and oppreſſed, and being deſtitute of all outward help, do therefore humbly ſeek to God for deliverance; and therefore on the other ſide he affirms the ſame afterwards verſ. 29. of thoſe that be …at upon the earth. However that which is ſaid of theſe, that they shall eat and be ſatisfied, is ſpoken with reference to thoſe ſacrifices and peace-offerings of praiſe, which David had tearmed vows in the foregoing verſe, it being the conſtant courſe of thoſe times to feaſt many, the poor eſpecially, with their peace-offerings; yet that which is ſaid, that eating they ſhould be ſatisfied, is not meant ſo much of ſatisfying their bodily hunger, as that their ſouls ſhould be ſatisfied, to wit, either with conſolation in thoſe ſpirituall benefits, which were ſignified by their ſacrifices, or by being raiſed up fully to truſt in God by experience of that readineſſe in God to help, which had cauſed David to pay thoſe his vows unto the Lord; as is more fully expreſſed in the following words· But now as this is ſpoken in relation to Chriſt, the meaning muſt be, that the meek ſhould be fed with the word of the Goſpel, or with Chriſt, the true nouriſhing food of our ſouls, both in the Word, and in the Sacrament of his body and bloud, and ſo ſhould be cheared and revived thereby, whereas before they were as dead men through the terrours of Gods wrath, &c. And accordingly we muſt alſo underſtand the two following clauſes, they shall praiſe the Lord that ſeek him, that is, they that ſeek to know God and to obtain his favour, ſhall praiſe him, ſee the Note 1 Chro. 16.11; your heart shall live for ever, that is your hearts ſhall be cheared and revived for ever, or your ſouls through faith in the redemption of Chriſt ſhall be comforted and live for ever.
Verſ. 27. All the ends of the world shall remember, and turn unto the Lord, &c.] This is meant of the converſion of the Gentiles upon the preaching of the Goſpel; and the word remember may comprehend theſe three particulars: 1. that hereupon they ſhould bethink themſelves of their ſins, and the curſe thereby due unto them; 2. that they ſhould be put in mind of the ſufferings and glory of Chriſt, his Reſurrection and Aſcenſion, &c. (and that partly by the preaching of the Goſpel, and partly by the Sacrament of his body and bloud, of which Chriſt ſaid, Luk. 22.19. Doe this in remembrance of me;) and 3. that they ſhould be often ſpeaking of and extolling the Grace of God in Chriſt, 1 Pet. 2.9. Yea ſome conceive alſo that this word remember is uſed in ſpeaking of the Gentiles converſion, becauſe thoſe nations had formerly the knowledge of the true God, and profeſſed the true religion, and ſhould be then turned again from their vanities to ſerve the living God, Act. 14.15.
Verſ. 28. For the kingdome is the Lords, and he is the governour among the nations.] That is, God in Chriſt is the king of the Church; and therefore being alſo by nature the ſupreme Lord over all, it is fit they ſhould ſerve him, or he will ſurely bring them to ſubmit to his ſceptre.
Verſ. 29. All they that be fat upon the earth shall eat and worship; all they that goe down to the duſt shall bow before him, &c.] That is, Both rich and poor ſhall believe and ſerve the Lord Chriſt; ſee the former Note verſ. 26. For by thoſe that be fat upon the earth are meant the rich and the great men of the nations, ſee the Note Job 15.27. Though it be as hard a thing to winne theſe, as to make a camel goe through the eye of a needle; yet through the mighty efficacy of the Goſpel, even theſe ſhall be wonne, Pſal. 45.12. the rich among the people shall entreat thy favour. And by thoſe that go down to the duſt are meant the poorer and baſer ſort of people, to wit, ſuch as lye in the duſt, that live in a poor and low condition (the expreſſion uſed may have reference to the cuſtome of thoſe that, being in diſtreſſe, uſed in thoſe times to ſit or throw themſelves down upon the ground, to caſt duſt upon their heads, yea to rowl themſelves in the duſt; ſee the Note Job 16.15.) or ſuch poor lean ſtarved ſouls, as are in a manner half dead, even ready to drop into the grave: ſee the former Note verſ. 15. and that Job 30.19. I know ſome by thoſe that goe down into the duſt underſtand all mortall men, and thoſe that are actually dead; and ſo take the meaning to be, that even thoſe that are laid in their graves ſhall one day be raiſed up from thence, and ſhall then acknowledge and worſhip Chriſt. As for the laſt words, and none can keep alive his own ſoul, either they are added as a farther deſcription of the perſons mentioned in the foregoing clauſe, they that goe down to the duſt, namely, that they are ſuch as (poor ſouls!) are not able to ſuſtain themſelves, men in a manner dead without hope of recovery; or elſe as an intimation of the reaſon why they of whom he had ſpoken, ſhould eat and worſhip Chriſt; namely, becauſe none of them could nouriſh themſelves, or chear and revive themſelves, or ſave themſelves from wrath, and therefore they muſt be nouriſhed and revived and ſaved by faith in Chriſt, and ſo him thereupon they ſhall worſhip and adore.
Verſ. 30. A ſeed shall ſerve him, &c.] That is, ſay ſome Expoſitours, Chriſt ſhall have a ſeed that ſhall ſerve him, according to that Iſa. 53.10. when thou shalt make his ſoul an offering for ſin, he shall ſee his ſeed. But rather it is meant of the ſeed of thoſe mentioned in the foregoing verſe, that being converted to the true faith ſhould ſubmit to Chriſts ſceptre, to wit, that their ſeed ſhould alſo ſerve him: or elſe it muſt be underſtood in generall, that in all ages there ſhould be a ſeed that ſhould ſerve him. And though ſome would referre this to the Jews, that even of them there ſhould be a remnant, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks Rom. 11.5, that ſhould believe in Chriſt; yet I rather referre it to the ſeed of the Gentiles converted, of whom he had ſpoken in the foregoing verſes, or of all in generall: it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation; that is, they ſhall be reckoned and accounted a race or generation of Gods children, according to that Pſal. 73.15. If I ſay, I will ſpeak thus, behold, I should offend againſt the generation of thy children.
Verſ. 31. They shall come, and shall declare his righteouſneſſe unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.] This may be underſtood either of thoſe that were firſt converted, or of their ſeed mentioned in the foregoing verſe, to wit, that they ſhall ſucceſſively to their poſterity declare his righteouſneſſe; that is, the righteouſneſſe of God in Chriſt made ours by faith, yea that he of God is made unto us wiſedome and righteouſneſſe and ſanctification and redemption, 1 Cor. 1.30. even that he hath done this, that is, all things that belong to our ſalvation: or, the righteouſneſſe and faithfulneſſe of God in making good his promiſes, to wit, principally in the work of our Redemption by Chriſt, and ſo likewiſe in the conferring of any other bleſſing promiſed; and becauſe Davids deliverances were a notable proof of Gods faithfulneſſe herein, thereto thoſe laſt words may have reference, that he hath done this.