Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 39
PSALM XXXIX.
The Title. TO the chief Muſician, even to Ieduthun.] The meaning is, that this Pſalm was delivered to Jeduthun, one of the three chief Muſicians, 1 Chro. 25.1. or rather to his ſons, and thoſe other Levites that were of their ſeverall Quires.
Verſ. 1. I ſaid, I will take heed to my wayes, &c.] The ſumme of what David ſaith here in the beginning of this Pſalm is this, that being in great diſtreſſe (whether it were by reaſon of ſickneſſe, or of the conſpiracy of his ſon Abſalom againſt him, or any other particular, we cannot ſay) he determined to look narrowly to himſelf, that he did not offend with his tongue; and yet notwithſtanding at laſt brake forth and ſpake unadviſedly with his lips. I ſaid, I will take heed to my wayes, that I ſin not with my tongue; that is, I reſolved to watch ſo ſtrictly over all my wayes, to keep my ſelf blameleſſe therein, that I might not ſo much as ſin in my ſpeech, to wit, either by way of muttering againſt God, or returning evil for evil to mine enemies, or by uttering any word that was not ſeemly for me. I will keep my mouth with a bridle; that is, I will reſtrain my ſelf from ſpeaking, as men keep beaſts in from biting with a muzzle or bridle, to wit, by a firm reſolution to keep ſilence however I was provoked, by a diligent watching over my ſelf that I might no… on a ſudden forget my ſelf, and by uſing all holy means to perform this which I had undertaken; as by obſerving my paſſions, and by a ſpeedy ſuppreſſing any diſcontented motions and ſwellings that might ariſe in my heart. For we muſt not think that David intended to give way to all kind of diſtempers in his heart, and reſolved only not to diſcover them in his ſpeech: but his meaning was, even by bridling his paſſions to keep his tongue in order; or at leaſt, if his heart ſhould boil through diſcontent, yet even then to bridle his tongue, if it were poſſible. As for that laſt clauſe, while the wicked is before me, I know ſome reſtrain it to wicked mens being preſent with him, to wit, that he would not ſpeak a word whilſt they were in his company, though they ſhould never ſo much provoke him; and that leſt they ſhould take occaſion to rejoyce or inſult over him, to reproach him, or blaſpheme Gods name. But I rather underſtand it thus, that he would be ſilent whilſt he ſaw the wicked flouriſhing in great proſperity, or ſo long as God ſhould be pleaſed to exerciſe him by the ſlaunders, revilings and perſecution of ſuch wicked men. However doubtleſſe this he premiſeth, either thereby to diſcover how exceeding great his ſorrow was, in that being thus beforehand reſolved, yet he could not at laſt contain himſelf; or by way of ſeeking mercy at Gods hands, in regard his full purpoſe was to have bridled his tongue from all evil whatſoever, though he could not doe it.
Verſ. 2. I was dumb with ſilence, &c.] That is, for a while I did what I reſolved; I was ſo long wholly ſilent, that I ſeemed in a manner to be dumb, and not able to ſpeak. I held my peace, even from good; that is, I forbare to ſpeak what I might well and lawfully enough have ſpoken, as from alledging any thing that I might have ſaid in mine own defence, from making my complaint to God, and deſiring juſtice at his hands, and ſuch like; to wit, leſt by degrees I ſhould have been brought to utter any thing that was evil, and whilſt I intended only to ſpeak that which was good, ſome unſeemly word might ſuddenly ſlip from me; or leſt mine enemies ſhould miſconſtrue any thing I ſpake: and my ſorrow was ſtirred; as if he ſhould have ſaid, At laſt my grief for wha… I ſuffered began to work within me, or rather was encreaſed, to wit, by the addition of new miſeries, or new provocations from mine enemies, or by ſuppreſſing it in ſilence, the hearts of men being apt to ſwell the more, and to be the more bitterly pained, when ſorrow hath not a vent. I know theſe two laſt clauſes are otherwiſe underſtood by ſome Expoſitours, to wit, that he held his peace even from ſpeaking any thing that was good, and that for this he was afterwards grieved; or, that he was wholly ſilent, and his ſorrow was ſtirred, that is, though his ſorrow was ſtirred: but the firſt expoſition is the beſt.
Verſ. 3. My heart was hot within me, &c.] To wit, his eager deſire to ſpeak being as a fire ſhut up within him; or rather becauſe his paſſions grew hot within him, and ſet him as it were on fire, his grief for the miſery he endured, or his indignation againſt his enemies; whereby he became impatient, and unable to bear the miſeries and wrongs he ſuffered, perhaps particularly that he ſhould hear his enemies reproach him to his face, and yet muſt keep ſilence: while I was muſing, that is, whilſt I ſat plodding on my miſeries, or thinking of many things in ſilence, but not ſpeaking; or whilſt I was muſing whether I ſhould ſpeak, or ſtill hold my peace; the fire burned, to wit, more and more, inſomuch that not my heart only, but my whole body, ſeemed to be on a light flame. Thus I conceive the firſt part of this verſe muſt be underſtood. Yet ſome do underſtand it of a holy zeal in him, which would not ſuffer him any longer to forbear ſpeaking of good things. As for the laſt clauſe, then ſpake I with my tongue, the meaning of it doubtleſſe is, that at laſt, not able any longer to contain himſelf, he brake forth into words of impatience and muttering againſt God: and many conceive that the words of impatience that he uttered are thoſe that are added in the next verſe. Yet ſome Expoſitours would have the meaning of it to be only this, that when he might not eaſe his mind to men, he turned his ſpeech at laſt to God, according to that which follows in the fourth verſe.
Verſ. 4. Lord, make me to know mine end, and the meaſure of my daies, what it is▪ that I may know how frail I am.] Or, what time I have here. Many learned Expoſitours take theſe to be thoſe words of impatience, of which he ſaid in the former verſe, then ſpake I with my tongue: only ſome conceive, that David therein deſired that God would preſently put an end to his life, Lord, make me to know mine end, &c. as if he ſhould have ſaid, How long ſhall I be in this miſery? ſince I am not like to ſee an end of my miſeries, till I ſee an end of my daies, haſten therefore mine end, make me experimentally to know and ſee the full period of this tranſitory life of mine: and then others hold that he doth only herein expoſtulate with God concerning his laying ſo great afflictions upon him, notwithſtanding the tranſitorineſſe of his life, Lord, make me to know mine end, and the meaſure of my daies, what it is, &c. as if he ſhould have ſaid, Since, Lord, thou art pleaſed to handle me ſo ſeverely, let me, I beſeech thee, know how long the time is, that thou haſt appointed me to live; that ſo I may ſee whether in likelyhood it may afford me a ſufficient recompence for the miſeries I now ſuffer: if thou haſt appointed to lengthen out my daies for many ages to come, then indeed the hope of better daies hereafter might allay my grief; but if there be no ſuch thing to be expected (as indeed there is not) muſt it not needs ſeem hard to me, that having ſo little a while to live, my life ſhould be thus imbittered with ſorrows? Neither yet muſt we think that David did ſeriouſly hereby deſire to know the juſt hour of his death, but only in the heat of his ſpirit, by intimating his aſſurance of the brevity of his life, to ſhew what juſt cauſe he had to be impatient, that he ſhould be ſo continually in ſo ſad a condition. But I rather, with others, take theſe words to be added by way of correcting that heat and impatience of ſpirit, and perhaps that murmuring whereinto with his tongue he had broken forth; Lord, make me to know mine end, &c. that is, cauſe me ſeriouſly to believe, and often to remember and lay to heart (which few do) the frailty and tranſitorineſſe of mans life, that ſo I may the more patiently endure my troubles, as knowing that I cannot long live to endure them, and that I may provide for mine end, and prepare my ſelf againſt my change comes. Yea it may alſo imply an approbation of Gods dealing with him; as if he had ſaid, Thou doeſt well, Lord, by theſe afflictions thus to take me off from the vanity of my former waies, and to make me ſee how frail a creature I am; and therefore I willingly ſubmit to thy hand, Lord, make me to know mine end, &c.
Verſ. 5. Behold, thou haſt made my daies as a hand-breadth, &c.] According to the divers expoſitions of the former verſe, this alſo may be underſtood divers waies: to wit, either as ſpoken in a way of impatience; or as by way of correcting his impatience; ſee the former Note: and mine age is as nothing before thee; that is, the time of my life is as nothing in reſpect of thee, who art eternall, before whom a thouſand years are but as one day, 2 Pet. 3.8. verily every man at his beſt ſtate, that is, in greateſt ſtrength, and in his moſt flouriſhing condition, is altogether vanity; ſee the Notes Job 7.16.
Verſ. 6. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew, &c.] This ſeems to imply 1. that man himſelf is but an empty repreſentation and appearance of a man, as when we ſee a man in a glaſſe or in a dream, a picture or ſhadow of a man, rather then a man indeed; and that becauſe he is continually in ſuch a frail and changeable condition: 2. (which differs not much from the former) that the life of man is but an imaginary life, an appearance of life rather then a life indeed; namely, becauſe it is ſo exceeding tranſitory, paſſing away in a moment, as a ſhadow, Job 14.2: and 3. that the happineſſe and the good things which he ſeems to enjoy, are but ſhadows of ſuch things, there being no reall good nor happineſſe in them; his hopes are but vain hopes, and his enjoyments are vain: in the continuall labours and reſtleſſe condition wherein he wearies himſelf (which is implyed in that word walketh) he wearieth himſelf for very vanity; as is more fully expreſſed in the following words, ſurely they are diſquieted in vain, &c. All which agrees with that of the Apoſtle 1 Cor. 7.31. the fashion of this world paſſeth away; and that which is ſaid of the proſperity of wicked men Pſal. 73.20. As a dream when one awaketh, ſo, O Lord, when thou awakeſt, thou shalt deſpiſe their image.
Verſ. 7. And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, Seeing the life of man is ſo tranſitory, and ſeeing all things whatſoever, about which men buſie and trouble themſelves, are but mere vanity, I will no longer diſquiet my ſelf, either about mine own miſeries, or the proſperous condition of others, but place all my hope, O Lord, in thee: let others, if they will, ſet their hearts upon theſe earthly vanities; I have a better hope, which will ſecure me againſt death, and againſt all changes of this world; for my hope, Lord, is in thee.
Verſ. 8. Deliver me from all my tranſgreſsions.] That is, Pardon my ſins, (for which indeed I am chiefly grieved) and free me from thoſe afflictions which my ſins have brought upon me.
Verſ. 9. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, becauſe thou didst it.] This may be meant of all his afflictions in generall, or particularly of his ſilence when wicked men did reproach him, of which he had ſpoken in the foregoing verſe: and it may be inſerted here as an argument to move God to withdraw his hand, or not to expoſe him ſtill to their deriſion and ſcorn.
Verſ. 11. When thou with rebukes doſt correct man for iniquity, thou makeſt his beauty to conſume away like a moth.] which is eaſily and ſoon cruſhed to duſt; ſee the Note Job 4.19. Yet ſome underſtand this as if it were expreſſed thus, thou like a moth makeſt his beauty to conſume away; that is, though thou doſt not in a way of manifeſt vengeance bring ſome open judgements upon man to deſtroy him, yet by a ſecret curſe thou cauſeſt his health and ſtrength, and ſo alſo his beauty and comelineſſe, to conſume and waſt away: and indeed thus the ſecret judgements of God upon men are uſually expreſſed, as Iſa. 51.8. the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool; and Hoſ. 5.12. Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the houſe of Iudah as rottenneſse. However, the meaning of the words is doubtleſſe this; that when God undertakes to puniſh man for ſin, whether it be in a way of fatherly ſeverity, or as a judge powring out the fierceneſſe of his wrath upon wicked men for their iniquity, that is, according to what they have deſerved, he ſoon conſumes their beauty and glory. For the word rebukes, ſee the Note Pſal. 6.1.
Verſ. 12. Hear my prayer, O Lord, &c. for I am a ſtranger with thee, and a ſojourner, as all my fathers were.] See the Note 1 Chron. 29.15. This phraſe, I am a ſtranger with thee, and a ſojourner, is all one as if he had ſaid, Either I am a ſtranger before thee, thou knoweſt I am a ſtranger here; or, I live by faith with thee, I ſet thee before mine eyes, and my heart is continually ſet upon thee, even whilſt I am abſent from thee, and live as a ſtranger here in this world; or, I am a ſtranger here in thy land, and am wholly herein at thy diſpoſing. And this is added here as an argument to move God to hear and help him; partly becauſe the condition of ſtrangers was to be pittied, in regard they are ſubject to ſo many labours and troubles and dangers; and partly becauſe eſteeming himſelf a ſtranger in the world, that was but a while to live there, he did not ſet his affections upon things below, but did long and ſeek after that heavenly country whether he was travelling. As for that laſt clauſe, as all my fathers were, the drift of it is to deſire, that as God had taken pity of them, and helped them, becauſe they were ſtrangers, ſo he would likewiſe deal with him.
Verſ. 13. O ſpare me, that I may recover ſtrength before I goe hence and be no more.] That is, I have but a little while to live here, and therefore let me have a little breathing time, ſome ſmall recovery of ſtrength, that I may have a little eaſe and refreſhing before I die; ſee the Notes Job 14.6: or, either eaſe me, or I am a dead man; I cannot continue long in this miſery, and therefore withdraw thine hand a little before I be irrecoverably gone; ſee the Notes Job 7.8, 9. For indeed this ſeems to be ſpoken with ſome heat of paſſion. Yet ſome conceive that David doth hereby deſire ſome mitigation at leaſt of his miſery, that he might by faith be ſtrengthened in ſpirit, and being freed from his terrours, he might depart in peace, and finiſh his courſe with joy.