Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 37
PSALM XXXVII.
The Title. A Pſalm of David.] And compoſed it was by him in his old age, as is clear verſ. 25. I have been young, and now am old. It is another Alphabeticall Pſalm, concerning which ſee Note Pſal. 25.1; only there are here two verſes allowed to a letter, unleſſe in four verſes, where there is but one verſe to a letter, as in the other before.
Verſ. 1. Fret not thy ſelf becauſe of evil doers, &c.] That is, as it is expreſſed verſ. 7. becauſe they proſper in their waies; vex not thy ſelf for this, either by murmuring againſt God, or grudging againſt them.
Verſ. 2. For they shall ſoon be cut down like the graſse, &c.] That is, God ſhall ſuddenly deſtroy them, as it were with one blow, as the graſſe is mown down with one ſtroke of the ſythe.
Verſ. 3. Truſt in the Lord, and doe good, &c.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, Be not drawn by the proſperity of wicked men to doe as they doe, but do you truſt in God, and doe that which is good in his ſight; ſo shalt thou dwell in the land, &c. that is, thou ſhalt long dwell quietly and ſafely in the land which God hath given thee, without danger of being cut off or caſt out. And this too was to the Iſraelites, inhabiting the land of Canaan, a pledge of life eternall.
Verſ. 4. Delight thy ſelf alſo in the Lord.] As if he had ſaid, Whilſt wicked men delight themſelves in their wicked waies, and outward proſperity, do thou delight thy ſelf in God, living by faith in him, as the fountain of all good. See the Note alſo Job 22.26.
Verſ. 5. Commit thy way unto the Lord.] That is, By faith and prayer caſt all thy affairs, and all the paſſages of thy life upon the Providence of God, reſigning all to his will, and waiting patiently for what he will doe.
Verſ. 6. And he shall bring forth thy righteouſneſſe as the light, and thy judgement as the noon-day.] That is, Though thy righteouſneſſe may be obſcured for a time, by the calumnies and falſe accuſations of wicked men, or by the heavy afflictions thou maiſt undergoe, wherein God may ſeem to deal with thee as if thou wert a wicked man; yet as certainly as the morning-light doth at laſt break forth, and diſpell the darkneſſe of the night, and ſo ſhines by degrees brighter and brighter unto the perfect day, ſo certainly ſhall the Lord cauſe thy righteouſneſſe manifeſtly to appear, either by diſcovering ſome way or other the falſneſſe of their ſlaunders, and convincing men inwardly of it; or by the rich bleſſings wherewith God ſhall lade thee, thereby teſtifying his love to thee, and the high eſteem that he hath of thee: ſo that hereby, and withall by his puniſhing the wicked that have flouriſhed for a time, thy righteouſneſſe ſhall appear as clearly as the morning-light, yea by degrees it ſhall become as manifeſt as the Sun at noon-day. And as confidently therefore maieſt thou expect that thus it ſhall be with thee, as men in the night do expect the breaking forth of the day; if not here, yet at leaſt in the life that is to come; for, then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the kingdome of their Father, Matth. 13.43. Your life is hid with Chriſt in God (ſaith the Apoſtle Col. 3.3, 4.) When Chriſt, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye alſo appear with him in glory. As for the word judgement, ſee the Note Job. 27.2.
Verſ. 7. Reſt in the Lord, &c.] Or, as it is Pſal. 4.4. Be ſtill, patiently and quietly waiting upon God.
Verſ. 8. Fret not thy ſelf in any wiſe to doe evil.] That is, In any wiſe be ſure that you fret not ſo, as thereby to be drawn to take thoſe courſes that the wicked take, hoping by that means to be in the ſame proſperous condition with them; or ſo as thereby to be overborn in your fretting to ſin againſt God, as by murmuring againſt his providence, or being any way injurious to them, &c.
Verſ. 9. Thoſe that wait upon the Lord, &c.] That is, that in their afflictions and troubles do depend upon God for help, they shall inherit the earth: for 1. the faithfull only are by right of adoption through Chriſt the lawfull heirs of all things; 2. they only enjoy what they have by reaſon of that right with true comfort and peace; 3. they are ſure in time to be provided for with whatſoever is good for them; and 4. though the wicked ſeek to deſtroy them from the face of the earth, yet they ſhall not be able to doe it: and that this laſt is chiefly intended, we may ſee by that which follows in the next verſe.
Verſ. 10. Thou shalt diligently conſider his place, and it shall not be.] To wit, becauſe he ſhall be grubbed up by the roots. See the Note Job 20.9.
Verſ. 11. But the meek shall inherit the earth, &c.] See the former Note verſ. 9. and who are meant by the meek Pſal. 22.26: and shall delight themſelves in the abundance of peace; that is, in their great plenty of all good things, or rather in the inward tranquillity of mind which they ſhall enjoy, that peace of God which paſseth all underſtanding, Phil. 4.7. whilſt the wicked are diſquieted with continuall troubles.
Verſ. 12. The wicked plotteth againſt the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.] To wit, out of malice and envy. See the Note Pſal. 35.16.
Verſ. 13. The Lord shall laugh at him, &c.] See the Note Pſal. 2.4: for he ſeeth that his day is coming, that is, the day appointed by the Lord for the puniſhment of the wicked. So that by his day may be meant either the day of the Lord, as the day of vengeance is called, Joel 2.1. or the wicked mans day, as Job 18.20. (of which ſee the Note there) as the time when the woman with child comes to be in pain is called her hour, Joh. 16.21. yea it may refer to that day, when that mentioned in the two following verſes ſhall come to paſſe.
Verſ. 15. Their ſword shall enter into their own heart, &c.] where the wound muſt needs be mortall. The meaning is, that their miſchievous attempts againſt the righteous ſhall prove their own ruine. And their bowes shall be broken, that is, their plots and practiſes ſhall be fruſtrate. See the Note 1 Sam. 2.4.
Verſ. 16. A little that a righteous man hath, is better then the riches of many wicked.] To wit, 1. Becauſe the wicked do often enrich themſelves by unjuſt means, and ſo have much vexation and trouble with them, and likewiſe thereby do treaſure up wrath againſt the day of wrath; whereas the righteous with a little well gotten have much peace of conſcience, with hope of heaven hereafter. 2. Becauſe the righteous uſe theirs well, and are the better for them; whereas the wicked abuſe theirs many wayes, and are in many reſpects the worſe for them. 3. Becauſe the righteous enjoy what they have from hand to mouth, as the gifts of God, and the pledges of his fatherly love and care over them, and ſo it is to them as manna from heaven, and hereby they enjoy much ſweet comfort, and are fully ſatisfied with what they have; whereas the wicked have none of this joy nor ſatisfaction by their wealth. 4. Becauſe God by his bleſſing doth uſually make that the righteous enjoy to be more effectuall for their good, then is the abundance of the wicked; a little courſe fare makes them more healthfull and ſtrong then the wicked are with all their plenty. And 5. becauſe the wicked enjoyeth not his wealth long, as the righteous man doth; and this indeed agrees beſt with the following words.
Verſ. 17. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, &c.] That is, the power of their great wealth; ſee alſo the Note Pſal. 10.15: but the Lord upholdeth the righteous; that is, he will maintain and ſupport them, though they be in never ſo weak a condition.
Verſ. 18. The Lord knoweth the daies of the upright, &c.] That is, he takes care of them at all times, and doth daily ſupply their neceſſities; ſee the Note Pſal. 1.6: or, he knoweth their condition at all times, and accordingly provides for them; he knows their wants and dangers, and how and when to help them: or, as he knoweth and hath appointed the time how long they ſhall live, ſo accordingly he provides for them; neither can any power of the enemy cut ſhort their daies: and their inheritance shall be for ever; that is, the eſtate they have ſhall be continued to them, and ſhall be tranſmitted to their poſterity for many generations; yea and beſides this (ſome alſo adde) after all they ſhall have in heaven an eternall inheritance.
Verſ. 19. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, &c.] This may be meant of any time of publick calamity; or particularly of that evil time mentioned in the following clauſe, to wit, the time of famine, and in the daies of famine they shall be ſatisfied; that is, God will provide for them, making them well content with their portion, though it be but little, whilſt the wicked in abundance have never enough. But all theſe temporall promiſes muſt be underſtood with exception of the Croſſe.
Verſ. 20. But the wicked shall perish, &c.] To wit, in the daies of famine, of which mention was made in the foregoing verſe; or, whilſt the righteous are ſaved, they ſhall periſh even in their plenty: and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs, to wit, when it is burnt upon the altar, or, when it melts away before the fire; and ſo thereby may be alſo covertly implyed, that the wicked in their greateſt proſperity are but as beaſts fatted for the ſlaughter: into ſmoke shall they conſume away; that is, they ſhall periſh ſuddenly and utterly, not the leaſt memoriall of them being left behind them.
Verſ. 21. The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again, &c.] To wit, becauſe the curſe of God following him, though he tryes by all waies, right or wrong, to enrich himſelf, yet he falls into poverty. But now ſome underſtand it of his neglecting to pay his debts out of baſe covetouſneſſe, which ſuffers him not to part with what he hath, though thereby he defraud others; or of his not being able to pay them, by reaſon of the exceſſive rate whereat he lives; and ſo they conceive that this is added to ſhew, that the wicked know not how to make a good uſe of their eſtates, thereby to make good what he had ſaid before verſ. 16. A little that the righteous man hath is better then the riches of many wicked. But the firſt expoſition is the beſt; and accordingly we muſt underſtand the following clauſe, but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth, to wit, that God bleſſeth him ſo, that he hath both for himſelf and for others too.
Verſ. 23. The ſteps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, &c.] This alſo ſome underſtand of the Lords guiding him by his ſpirit, to doe that which is good and right in his eyes: and the next clauſe, and he delighteth in his way, they underſtand thus, that it is a delight to the righteous man to walk in Gods waies. But ſurely David ſpeaks ſtill of the outward proſperity of the righteous, to wit, that God by his providence guides them in all their affairs ſo, that they may find good ſucceſſe, and proſper therein: and the next words are added, to ſhew the cauſe hereof, namely, that God is pleaſed with their waies, as finding them carefull to approve themſelves to him in all things, and therefore he proſpers them: and indeed ſome underſtand that laſt clauſe thus, and he delighteth in his way, that is, God delights to ſee him thrive and proſper in all his waies.
Verſ. 24. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly caſt down, &c.] Some alſo underſtand this of the righteous mans falling into ſin, to wit, that his falls ſhall not be deadly, he ſhall repent and riſe again. But rather it is meant of his falling into outward calamities, to wit, that though he falls into any affliction, yet firſt God doth ſo mitigate his affliction, that it ſhall not ſo utterly overwhelm him, but that he ſhall be able to bear it: and ſecondly, he ſhall not periſh thereby; the Lord ſhall raiſe him up, and recover him again, by ſtepping in ſeaſonably to his help; for, ſaith he, the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.
Verſ. 25. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not ſeen the righteous forſaken, nor his ſeed begging bread.] This is not meant of any ſeeking relief in want; (for ſo David himſelf deſired bread of Ahimelech, 1 Sam. 21.3. and he and his ſouldiers deſired ſome ſupply of victuals from Nabal, chap. 25.8.) but of living in a continuall way of begging from door to door; which is denounced as a curſe againſt the wicked, Pſal. 109.10. Let his children be continuall vagabonds, and begge. Nor doth it hence follow, that neither the righteous man, nor his ſeed, are ever brought to this ſad degree of miſery; but only that it doth ſo rarely happen, that David in all his time had never ſeen it.
Verſ. 26. He is ever mercifull, and lendeth, &c.] See the Note above verſ. 21: and his ſeed shall be bleſſed; that is, ſay ſome Expoſitours, men ſhall praiſe them, and pray for them: but rather the meaning is, that notwithſtanding the good mans bounty, he ſhall leave his ſeed a good eſtate, or at leaſt that God ſhall bleſſe them, not only with ſpirituall, but alſo with temporall bleſſings.
Verſ. 27. Depart from evil, and doe good, &c.] See the Note above verſ. 3. and Pſal. 34.14. and dwell for evermore: ſee the Notes verſ. 3, 9, and 18.
Verſ. 28. For the Lord loveth judgement, &c.] That is, to execute judgement; or rather, the juſtice of men in their dealings.
Verſ. 29. The righteous shall inherit the land, &c.] See the former Notes, as before verſ. 27.
Verſ. 30. The mouth of the righteous ſpeaketh wiſedome, and his tongue talketh of judgment.] Some conceive that this is added, as one great means whereby the righteous man comes to be firmly ſettled in the land, to wit, that his ſpeech is ſo wiſe and juſt, that the wicked cannot get any advantage againſt him; or to ſhew why God preſerveth and bleſſeth ſuch, to wit, becauſe ſuch men are ſo exactly carefull to approve themſelves to God, that they will not ſo much as ſpeak any thing, but what is wiſe and juſt and right. But I rather conceive that the drift of adding theſe words is, to ſhew what manner of man the righteous man is, of whom ſo much hath been here ſpoken; and withall haply to ſet forth how ſuch a one will behave himſelf, when the wicked flouriſh, and the righteous are oppreſſed. And though ſome reſtrain theſe words, The mouth of the righteous ſpeaketh wiſedome, and his tongue talketh of judgement, to the righteous mans inſtructing and exhorting others, to wit, that he doth not only give and lend to thoſe that are in want, but alſo will ſeek their ſpirituall good, by teaching them true wiſedome and piety, what is juſt and right to be done, and ſtirring them up thereto, by ſpeaking to them of the juſt laws and righteous judgements of God: yet I rather underſtand it more generally, that his words are ſtill full of wiſedome and piety, and that he ſtill ſpeaks that which is juſt and right; if the wicked proſper, he will not deny Gods providence, nor ſpeak any thing but honourably of Gods juſtice; and ſo in all other things his ſpeech alwayes ſavours of uprightneſſe, and is profitable to others.
Verſ. 31. The law of his God is in his heart, &c.] That is, not only in his tongue, but alſo in his heart; to wit, becauſe he underſtands it, he loves it, he remembers and minds it upon all occaſions, and hath fully reſolved to obey it, the holy Spirit of God having written the Law in his heart, and having ſtirred up in his heart affections, motions and deſires fully agreeable thereto; ſee the Note Deut. 6.6: none of his ſteps shall ſlide; that is, he ſhall conſtantly perſevere in Gods waies, not turning aſide becauſe of the proſperity of wicked men, or for any threatnings or allurements from them; and ſo then withall he ſhall not fall from his proſperous condition, nor ſhall the wicked get any advantage againſt him.
Verſ. 32. The wicked watcheth the righteous, and ſeeketh to ſlay him.] This is the rather here ſubjoyned, becauſe that good which is ſaid of the righteous in the two foregoing verſes is the main cauſe of the wicked mans rage againſt him; and therefore he watcheth him, to wit, that he may get ſomething againſt him for which to condemn him: ſee the Note Pſal. 10.8, &c.
Verſ. 33. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, &c.] That is, Though the Lord may deferre his help, till the wicked have ſurprized the righteous, yet then he will deliver him, he will not leave him in his power; nor condemn him when he is judged, that is, nor ſuffer him to be condemned when he is called before them to be judged: to wit, unleſſe God ſees it may be more for his glory, and his ſervants good, to let him ſuffer. Yea ſome underſtand this laſt clauſe thus, that God will not condemn the righteous man, though the wicked man do paſſe ſentence upon him; intimating that God would make his innocency to appear whilſt he doth ſuffer, and withall would acquit him, and puniſh his enemies at the laſt day.
Verſ. 34. He shall exalt thee to inherit the land, &c.] That is, He ſhall raiſe thee out of thy troubles that thou mayeſt ſtill inherit the land; of which ſee the former Note, as before verſ. 27: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt ſee it; that is, thy ſelf being ſecure and free from danger, thou ſhalt ſee the wicked to thy comfort deſtroyed: ſee the Note Job 22.19.
Verſ. 35. I have ſeen the wicked in great power, and ſpreading himſelf like a green bay tree.] Or, a green tree that groweth in his own ſoil, which commonly thrives and flouriſheth better, then thoſe that are tranſplanted into another ſoil.
Verſ. 36. Yet he paſſed away, &c.] That is, he was gone, as it were in an inſtant; and lo he was not, &c. See before verſ. 10.
Verſ. 37. For the end of that man is peace.] That is, quiet and proſperous: ſee the Note Job 22.21.
Verſ. 38. But the tranſgreſſours shall be deſtroyed together, &c.] See the Note Pſal. 35.26. the end of the wicked shall be cut off; that is, their hope, the end which they expected, ſhall not be; or rather this will be the end of the wicked, they ſhall be cut off.