Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 23
PSALM XXIII.
Verſ. 1. THe Lord is my shepheard, &c.] This is a Paſtorall Song; wherein David, that had been well acquainted with the imployment of a ſhepheard in his younger years, compares the tender care of God in Chriſt over him to the care of a ſhepheard over his own flock. And indeed men may well be compared to ſheep, in regard they are ſo prone to wander, and through ſillineſſe to run without fear into any danger, and altogether unable to help or defend themſelves, unleſſe God ſhould doe it for them: in the confidence whereof he adds thoſe words, I shall not want, that is, he will give what ſhall fully content me, neither will he withold any thing that he knows to be good, either for my body or ſoul.
Verſ. 2. He maketh me to lye down in green paſtures: he leadeth me beſide the ſtill waters.] Theſe words imply a plenteous ſupply of meat and drink, yea of all things neceſſary both for body and ſoul: for lying down in green paſtures doth not only imply reſt and refreſhing thereby, according to thoſe expreſſions Ezek. 34.15. I will feed my flock, and I will cauſe them to lye down, and Cant. 1.7. Tell me, O thou whom my ſoul loveth, where thou makeſt thy flocks to reſt at noon; but alſo plenty of feeding, wherewith when the ſheep have filled their bellies, they uſe to lye down; and this to Chriſts ſheep is principally the doctrine of life and ſalvation in the Goſpel. And in the ſecond clauſe, by ſtill waters are meant calm waters, perhaps thoſe in watering-troughs, or in gutters and furrows digged for the letting in of water to their grounds; at leaſt they are oppoſed to ſwift and violent ſtreams, which may be dangerous and harmfull to ſheep: wherein alſo is implyed that God provided not only for the thirſt of his body, but alſo for the refreſhing of his ſoul with his word and ſpirit, the waters of life. For though ſome think that he only intends the plenteouſneſſe of his paſture, by ſaying in the ſecond clauſe he leadeth me beſide the ſtill waters, to wit, becauſe watered grounds yield the beſt paſtures: yet becauſe in thoſe hote countries they uſed to water their ſheep, Gen. 30.38. I queſtion not but that in thoſe words he hath reference alſo to the ſhepheards providing for his ſheep therein; and that by leading him he alludes to the ſhepheards driving his ſheep ſoftly and gently, and would imply thereby the tender reſpect that the Lord had to his many infirmites.
Verſ. 3. He restoreth my ſoul, &c.] That is, He comforts and revives my fainting ſoul, ſee the Note Pſal. 19.7; or, he brings me back into the right way, and fetcheth me home to himſelf, when I have ſtrayed aſide: ſo that he alludes to the ſhepheards care, either in cheriſhing his ſheep when they are ſick or feeble or faint, or in fetching them in when they are gone aſtray: he leadeth me in the paths of righteouſneſse for his names ſake; that is, not for any righteouſneſſe of mine, or any thing elſe in me, but merely for the glory of his own name: ſee the Note 1 Sam. 12.22. And herein he alludes too to the ſhepheards care in leading his ſheep gently in fair and plain wayes, not through deep mire, brambles and briars, or over craggy, or any other wayes, that muſt needs be hard and troubleſome for them to goe in.
Verſ. 4. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, &c.] As if he had ſaid, through the deepeſt ſhadow of death, ſee the Note Job 3.5. I will fear no evil. His meaning is, that though he ſhould fall into the moſt deſperate and deadly dangers, as a ſheep that wandring falls into the paws of a lion, yet he would not caſt off his confidence in God. For he doth not intend by theſe words, that he ſhould be void of all fear; but that his faith in Gods providence ſhould overmaſter his fear. For thou art with me, to wit, as a ſhepheard that ſtands watching over his ſheep; thy rod and thy ſtaffe, they comfort me. Some diſtinguiſh here betwixt the rod, and the ſtaffe: by the ſtaffe they ſay is meant the ſhepheards hook; and by the rod a little wand, which they ſay ſhepheards alſo uſed, to beat in the ſheep when they went aſtray from the flock, to keep them up cloſe together, and to haſten them forward when they lagge behind: and ſome, that it is the ſhepheards hook that is here called both a rod and a ſtaffe. However doubtleſſe the meaning of theſe words is, that conſidering that God as a carefull ſhepheard did watch over him, he was thereby comforted in his greateſt perils; yet withall by his rod and ſtaffe may be meant, 1. his Providence in guiding and preſerving him, 2. his word and ſpirit directing him in all his waies, and his rod of correction, which may alſo properly enough be ſaid to comfort him, as being an evidence of Gods fatherly care over him.
Verſ. 5. Thou prepareſt a table before me in the preſence of mine enemies, &c.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, to their grief and vexation, they being no way able to hinder it, as it is expreſſed Pſal▪ 112.10. The wicked shall ſee it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away. Some think that this expreſſion is uſed alſo in alluſion to the cuſtome of Princes, that uſed to have thoſe they had taken captives ſtand by when they were feaſting, as by way of inſulting over them, as we ſee in Adonibezek and Samſon; but Davids meekneſſe and piety make it improbable that he ever uſed to doe this. As for thoſe words, Thou prepareſt a table before me, he alludes therein to the royall plenty he dayly enjoyed, comparing the liberall proviſion that God afforded him to a plenteous feaſt, for which great preparations are made beforehand, and which is ſpread on a table, and ſet out in the moſt curious manner: and to the ſame purpoſe is that which follows, thou anointeſt my head with oyl, my cup runneth over; for though ſome underſtand this anointing his head of his anointing to be king of Iſrael, yet it is far more probable, that this expreſſion is uſed in reference to the cuſtome of feaſting in thoſe times, when they uſed to welcome their gueſts with pouring forth ſweet precious oyles upon their heads; whence Amos ſpeaking of feaſting ſaith, Amos 6.6, that they did drink wine in bowls, and anoint themſelves with the chief ointments, and Chriſt ſaid to the Phariſee that had feaſted him, mine head with oyl thou didſt not anoint: and ſo likewiſe that, my cup runneth over, is in reference to the cuſtome at feaſts, of aſſigning to every gueſt his ſeverall portion, ſee the Note Pſal. 11.6. So that the ſumme of the words is an acknowledgement that God had afforded him plenty of all things, not only for neceſſity, but alſo for delight. Nor can it be denyed, but that it may be extended alſo to Gods feaſting his ſoul with thoſe ſpirituall dainties of the Word and Sacraments, and to Gods chearing of his ſoul with the comforts of his ſpirit, called the oyl of gladneſſe Pſal. 45.7.
Verſ. 6. Surely goodneſse and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life, &c.] By goodneſſe and mercy may be meant, not only the grace and favour of God, but alſo the effects thereof in a gracious ſupply of what was truly good for him; for of this he might be ſure that God would never fail him: and the expreſſion is very emphaticall when he ſaith, goodneſſe and mercy shall follow me; for it doth not only imply the continuance of Gods goodneſſe to him, but alſo Gods readineſſe to ſhew him favour: whilſt other men purſue and follow after happineſſe, happineſſe doth purſue and follow the ſervants of God; they do not with ſo much earneſtneſſe ſeek a bleſſing from God, as God ſeeks to bleſſe them. As for the following words, and I will dwell in the houſe of the Lord for ever; either it is a reſolution that he would to his lives end worſhip and praiſe him in his Sanctuary, implying that in this he rejoyced more, then in the abundance of earthly bleſſings that God had given him: or elſe it is a profeſſion of his aſſured hope, that he ſhould conſtantly abide in the Church here, and for ever in heaven.