Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 49
PSALM XLIX.
Verſ. 1. HEar this, all ye people, &c.] The ſcope of this Pſalm being to ſhew, that neither wicked men had any cauſe to glory in their proſperity, nor the righteous to be dejected with their adverſity, becauſe it concerned all men to know this, that they might not ſtumble at this ſeeming ſtrange diſpenſation of Gods Providence, as all naturally are prone to doe, therefore he calls upon all to hear; and urgeth diligent attendance, that they ſhould hear and give ear, to imply the excellency of what is here taught, and mens backwardneſſe to learn it. Yea and there may be a prediction covertly hinted, that this Pſalm ſhould be preſerved for the uſe of Gods people of all nations.
Verſ. 3. My mouth shall ſpeak of wiſedome, &c.] This he adds to ſtir up attention; the rather calling thoſe things he meant to deliver wiſedome and underſtanding, either to aſſure them, that however ſome things he ſhould ſpeak of might ſeem common and triviall, as that which he delivers here concerning the neceſſity of every mans dying, &c. yet in truth it was a great point of wiſedome ſeriouſly to lay theſe things to heart; or elſe by way of oppoſing the judgement of worldly men, who count it the only wiſedome to gather riches by any means whatſoever, whereas indeed (as here is ſhewed) true wiſedome teacheth to ſlight and vilify theſe tranſitory things: and the meditation of my heart shall be of underſtanding; that is, I will utter nothing raſhly, but what after ſerious meditation I ſhall find very uſefull to make men truly wiſe and underſtanding.
Verſ. 4. I will encline mine eare to a parable; &c.] What is meant by a parable, ſee in the Note Numb. 23.7. And by ſaying I will encline mine eare to a parable, he implyes two things: 1. that he would deliver nothing but what God by his ſpirit did reveal to him, & ſo nothing but what was weighty and right; for he would hearken to the ſpirit inſtructing him, before he would undertake to inſtruct others; according to that Iſa. 50.4. The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to ſpeak a word in ſeaſon to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine eare to hear as the learned: and 2. that he would himſelf hearken to thoſe inſtructions which he gave to others in this Pſalm; for in this expreſſion I will incline mine eare, he ſeems to allude to muſicians, that are wont to bow their eares to their Inſtruments, to mark whether they be exactly tuned or no. I will open my dark ſaying upon the harp; meaning in this Pſalm, which he intended ſhould be ſung with a harp. And here he calls that which he had to deliver a dark ſaying, not becauſe of the obſcurity of the expreſſions, wherein he meant to deliver it, as is evident by that expreſſion he uſeth, I will open my dark ſaying; but to imply, that the things he meant to ſpeak of were deep and profound myſteries, and ſuch as to naturall men would be dark riddles: ſuch as is that which followes in the next verſe, that a good man hath no cauſe to be afraid in the day of diſtreſſe and trouble &c. So that the drift of the whole verſe is, to ſhew how deep and weighty the things were, of which he intended to ſpeak.
Verſ. 5. Wherefore should I fear in the dayes of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compaſſe me about?] This is that parable and dark ſaying which in the foregoing verſe he promiſed to entreat of in this Pſalm: and becauſe he had ſaid, that he would encline his own eare to hear what he delivered for the inſtruction of others, he propounds that which he meant to deliver in his own perſon, though he intended it ſhould be received as a common truth, which might likewiſe be applyed to any other of Gods faithfull ſervants; wherefore should I fear in the dayes of evil &c.? 1. By fearing here may be meant a mans being terrified at the apprehenſion of any approaching evil, or a mans being diſmayed or diſcouraged at any thing that ſeems ſtrange or unreaſonable to him, according to that verſ. 16. Be not thou afraid when one is made rich &c. 2. By the daies of evil may be meant, either the daies of any affliction or diſtreſſe or perſecution, or the time of old age or death, or, as ſome would have it, the day of judgement. 3. By the iniquity of his heels is meant, either the iniquity of his own waies and works, the ſinfull courſes wherein he had walked, (and ſome limit it alſo, to thoſe unjuſt waies whereby he had ſupplanted others, and cauſed them to fall, according to that Joh. 13.18. He that eateth bread with me hath lift up his heel againſt me,) and conſequently the puniſhments which his evil deeds would bring upon him; or elſe the iniquity of his adverſaries, in perſecuting and purſuing him cloſe at his heels, or in laying ſnares to intangle him. Now accordingly may theſe words be ſeverall waies expounded; Wherefore should I fear in the daies of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compaſſe me about? that is, Wherefore ſhould I doe any thing to make my ſelf rich and great in the world, or to help my ſelf in any ſtreights I fall into, which ſhould afterwards overwhelm me with fear in the daies of Gods wrath, when the puniſhment of the evil I have done ſhall encompaſſe and inſnare me, or purſue and overtake me? or 2. Wherefore ſhould I ſuffer my heart to ſink with fear in the daies of any diſtreſſe that befalls me, or when ſickneſſe and death ſhall ſurprize me, whch I may well look upon as the fruits of mine own iniquities? as if he ſhould have ſaid, There is no cauſe why I ſhould fear in ſuch times of calamity and diſtreſſe, yea though they were mine own iniquities that brought me to be inſnared and compaſſed herewith. And the reaſon of this is given afterwards verſ. 15. to wit, becauſe he was aſſured of Gods love to him, and that God would in due time deliver him from all his troubles, yea even from the power of death it ſelf, which wicked ungodly men could not expect; But God, ſaith he, will redeem my ſoul from the power of the grave; for he shall receive me Or 3. thus, (which I like the beſt) wherefore should I fear in the daies of evil, &c? that is, when wickedneſſe reigns, and ungodly men rage, ſeeking to inſnare me, and purſue me at the heels, when I am preſſed or compaſſed about with afflictions and calamities, publick or private, there is no cauſe why I ſhould be dejected with fear; and that becauſe (as is expreſſed in the following part of the Pſalm) whilſt mine enemies truſt in outward periſhing things, I truſt in the Lord, who though he may ſuffer wicked men to perſecute his righteous ſervants for a time, and that perhaps by way of correcting them for their iniquities, yet in due time he will not fail to deliver them, and to break the pride of their great enemies. This I conceive is the beſt expoſition of the words: only I may adde, that ſome conceive it is death which he tearms here the iniquity of his heels, and that becauſe to Chriſt and his members death is indeed no more, but the bruiſing of their heel, Gen. 3.15. 1 Cor. 15.55, 57.
Verſ. 6. They that truſt in their wealth, and boaſt, &c.] This is added as a reaſon of that which was implyed in the foregoing verſe, why the children of God ſhould not doe any thing to enrich themſelves, that ſhould afterwards expoſe them to the fears which uſually follow a guilty conſcience in the daies of evil; or why they ought not to be diſmayed and troubled at the proſperity of wicked men, or to be afraid in the daies of adverſity, when ungodly great men do perſecute and oppreſſe them; namely, becauſe riches are ſuch vain things, and ſo unable to help thoſe that have them in greateſt abundance in the daies of evil. They that truſt in their wealth, to wit, as thinking themſelves ſufficiently defended thereby, and ſo ſecurely deſpiſing the judgements of God, and undertaking in a manner whatever they pleaſe in the confidence of their great wealth; and ſo they that boaſt themſelves in the multitude of their riches, that is, that are puft up with their great eſtates, as if they had gotten all by their own policies and labour, &c. and ſo live in all pomp, pride and exceſſe, deſpiſing and wronging others; alas, they truſt and glory in a vain ſhadow, that can doe them no good in an evil day, and they that fear their greatneſſe are indeed afraid of a ſhadow, as is expreſſed in the following verſes.
Verſ. 7. None of them can by any means redeem his brother, &c.] To wit, from dying, as is expreſſed verſ. 9; or from the power of death, when he is dead, by procuring that he may be reſtored to life again. And if a man cannot doe this for his brother, much leſſe can he doe it for himſelf.
Verſ. 8. (For the redemption of their ſoul is precious, and it ceaſeth for ever.] That is, Their ſoul is ſo precious, that nothing can be given of ſufficient value for the ranſome of it, and therefore there can never be any way found to redeem it.
Verſ. 10. For he ſeeth that wiſe men die, likewiſe the fool and the brutish perſon perish, &c.] Some by wiſe men here underſtand thoſe that have ſo much underſtanding, as to make uſe of their wealth; and by the fool and the brutish perſon, ſuch as defraud themſelves of the comfort they might take in their riches, and only hord up wealth that they may leave it to others: others underſtand by wiſe men, thoſe that are ſpiritually wiſe and godly; and by the fool and the brutish man, ſuch as are carnall wicked men; and thence they conceive are thoſe different expreſſions, that the wiſe are ſaid to die, but the fool and the brutiſh perſon to perish. But I underſtand the words rather in the moſt generall ſenſe, and conceive that the drift of them is to ſhew, that death is the end of all men whatſoever; and that when that hour comes, they muſt all part with the wealth of this world, and leave it to others. And yet ſome underſtand that laſt clauſe, and leave their wealth to others, of leaving it to ſtrangers, and not to their own poſterity or family; according to that which is ſaid elſewhere, Eccleſ. 6.1, 2. Luke 12.19. and Pſal. 39.7.
Verſ. 11. Their inward thought is, that their houſes shall continue for ever, &c.] That is, They verily think within themſelves, that they ſhall dwell in their houſes for ever; or that their poſterity ſhall continue for ever, ſee the Note Exod. 1.21. or that the houſes they build ſhall remain for ever, which the following words and their dwelling places to all generations make the more probable. All theſe waies the words may be underſtood: and accordingly the drift and ſcope thereof may be, either 1. that theſe mighty men do carry themſelves ſo, as if they thought they ſhould live for ever, yea though by daily experience they ſee the contrary; (for this aggravation of their brutiſhneſſe is implyed by ſubjoyning this upon that which went before verſ. 10.) or 2. that at leaſt they expect, that their memory ſhall in their poſterity and in their ſtately dwellings and great revenues be continued for ever, and therefore they ſet their hearts upon theſe outward things: in ſtead of ſeeking to aſſure themſelves that their names are written in heaven, they are only ſollicitous to make their names famous upon earth; and therefore they call their lands after their own names, to wit, to perpetuate the memory of their names; as Alexandria was called of Alexander, and Caeſarea of Caeſar, &c.
Verſ. 12. Nevertheleſſe, man being in honour abideth not, &c.] That is, The man that is in honourable condition, but is brutiſh & wicked, and underſtandeth not, as is expreſſed afterwards verſ. 20, continueth not in his honourable eſtate; if God doth not whilſt he lives ſtrip him of his worldly dignities, yet at leaſt death will ſurely pull him down: he is like the beaſts that perish; that is, in regard of the preſent life, which ſuch men only mind, dying he paſſeth away as the brute beaſts do; and then they are forgotten, as the beaſt is when it dies, and there is no more reckoning made of them then of beaſts, that dying of themſelves are left in the field as carrion to rot and putrify. The firſt clauſe, man being in honour abideth not, was commonly by the ancients underſtood of the ſudden fall of our firſt parents from that eſtate of honour wherein God at firſt created them. But the whole context ſhews that this cannot be here intended: the moſt that can be ſaid herein is, that there may be a ſecret alluſion to Adams fall, to wit, that as he continued not in his glorious condition, ſo neither do theſe wicked men abide long in their pomp and outward proſperity.
Verſ. 13. This their way is their folly, &c.] That is, This their conſtant practiſe, to wit, in purſuing worldly riches and greatneſſe, and ſeeking to perpetuate the memory of their names by their ſtately dwellings, &c. (for this refers to that he had ſaid before verſ. 11.) is no better then meer folly, or diſcovers their folly, however they account it a high point of wiſdome: Or it may be referred to that which was ſaid in the foregoing verſe; This their way, that is, this which is the iſſue and event of their way, to wit, that they abide not in honour, but periſh as the beaſt doth, is their folly, that is, manifeſts their folly. Yet their poſterity approve their ſayings: that is, though they by experience ſee the vanity and folly of theſe waies of their fathers, who after all their dreams of living here for ever, and of the perpetuity of their names, die as others, and are buried in oblivion; yet they approve of their counſell and commands, whereby they adviſed them to mind theſe things chiefly (theſe are the ſayings of their fathers which ſome conceive are here meant): or, they approve of their ſayings, that is, in that they think and ſpeak and doe the ſame things, treading exactly in the ſteps of their fathers. For even the deeds of their fathers do proclaim what their judgements are, and therefore even with reſpect thereto it may be ſaid, that their children do approve their ſayings.
Verſ. 14. Like sheep they are laid in the grave, death shall feed on them &c.] That is, As the ſilly ſheep are by flocks driven into a narrow pin-fold or into the ſhambles, that they may be killed and eaten, being no way able to make any reſiſtance, nor ever fearing any danger they are in: ſo ſhall theſe great ones, whom the whole world could hardly ſatisfy, be brought thick and threefold in great numbers, and lodged together in the narrow compaſſe of a grave, under the power and tyranny of death; where, for all their former greatneſſe and bravery, they ſhall be made worms meat, yea meat for the worm that never dies; death both temporall and eternall shall feed on them, and that for ever, the wicked in hell being as the graſſe is to the beaſt, that ſtill growing continueth ſtill to be meat for it: And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; that is, though they die as well as others, yet at the laſt day, the day of the generall reſurrection, which is as it were the morning, the dawning of that new day of eternall life which ſhall never have end, when all that ſleep in the duſt Dan. 12.2. ſhall awake and riſe, and the darkneſſe of the ignorance affl…ctions of this life coming to an end, the Saints ſhall behold Chriſt the ſun of righteouſneſſe appearing in his glory face to face, they ſhall have dominion over theſe great ones, that had before in this life tyrannized over them, to wit, in and by Chriſt their head, whoſe footſtool they muſt be made, according to that 1 Cor. 6.2. Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the world? This I conceive is the meaning of this clauſe. Yet ſome underſtand it otherwiſe; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning, that is, they ſhall ſoon get the better of them, and be in a better condition then their great oppreſſors. As for the laſt clauſe, and their beauty (or ſtrength) shall conſume in the grave from their dwelling, the meaning is, that from their magnificent dwellings, where they had lived in ſo great pomp and ſtate, they ſhould be brought to the grave, where their glory and ſtrength together with themſelves ſhould rot and conſume away, their great wealth being no way ſufficient to ſecure them. Yet ſome would have it to be underſtood thus, that the glory they had gotten from their ſtately dwellings ſhould conſume away; or that whilſt they conſume in the grave, their very dwellings by degrees do loſe their names. But the firſt expoſition is the beſt.
Verſ. 15. But God will redeem my ſoul from the power of the grave, &c.] As if he had ſaid, Though riches cannot redeem the rich, yet God will redeem me from the power of death, and from the grave, ſee the Note Pſal. 16.10: for he shall receive me; that is, of his own free grace he will receive me to himſelf, my ſoul at my death, my body at the reſurrection. And thus David applyeth that to himſelf, which in the foregoing verſe he had affirmed of the righteous in generall, and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning.
Verſ. 16. Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, &c.] That is, Be not diſmayed nor overcome with fear, becauſe of the power which ſuch have to oppreſſe the righteous; or, Be not dejected nor diſcouraged, as fearing whether God doth not favour ſuch rather then thy ſelf, becauſe God proſpers them whilſt thou art afflicted.
Verſ. 17. For when he dyeth, he shall carry nothing away, &c.] And therefore 1. ſuch a one is no way to be envied, ſince his bliſſe and life do periſh together; and 2. there will be no longer any cauſe to fear them, becauſe they will not in another world have any power to hurt, as here they had.
Verſ. 18. Though whilſt he lived, he bleſſed his ſoul, &c.] To wit, in that 1. he applauded himſelf for his happineſſe in his wealth and outward greatneſſe, 2. he flattered himſelf with vain conceits of Gods ſavour, and that he ſhould ſtill continue in his proſperous eſtate, and gave himſelf all the content and delight he could in the enjoyment of his plenty: and men will praiſe thee, when thou doeſt well to thy ſelf; that is, though others alſo extoll thy bliſſe, and flattering thee do uphold thee in this folly, and confirm thee in theſe vain conceits, when thou makeſt much of and pampereſt thy ſelf. But now all this is ſuppoſed to be whiles he lived, implying, that when death came, that would ſoon confute all theſe vain conceits of the rich man, and that then his flatterers would praiſe him no longer.
Verſ. 19. He shall go to the generation of his fathers, &c.] That is, He ſhall be gathered to the grave and Hell, whether his wicked progenitours are gone before him: they shall never ſee light; that is, they ſhall never more ſee the light of the living here, nor ſhall ever ſee the joys and life eternall of the Saints in heaven, but ſhall remain for ever in outer darkneſſe.
Verſ. 20. Man that is in honour and underſtandeth not, is like the beaſts that perish.] To wit, both in life and death; ſee the Note above verſ. 12.