Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 51
PSALM LI.
The Title. A Pſalm of David &c.] See the Note upon the Title of the 6. Pſalm: when Nathan the prophet came unto him; one prophet to another, as when a phyſician is ſick, and not able to preſcribe phyſick for himſelf, other phyſicians come to viſit him: after he had gone in to Bathsheba; which was well-nigh a year, if not more, after his ſin was committed with her; ſee the Note 2 Sam. 12.1. So that this is thus expreſſed, 1. to aggravate his wickedneſſe, in continuing impenitent ſo long after he had fallen into ſuch groſſe ſins; 2. to magnify the Lords mercy, in ſeeking to recover him out of his ſin, that was ſo regardleſſe of the Lord and his own ſoul; and 3. that hereby he might publickly acknowledge his ſin to all the Church of God, that had been ſcandalized thereby.
Verſ. 1. According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my tranſgreſsions.] To wit, out of thy debt-book. And obſervable it is, 1. that it was not the putting by or removall of thoſe grievous calamities, which Nathan had threatned ſhould come upon him, 2 Sam. 12.10, 11, 12, that he ſo earneſtly beggs of God; but the pardon of his ſins: and 2. that he pleads the multitude of Gods tender mercies in reference to the multitude and the greatneſſe of his ſins, in regard whereof he could only comfort himſelf in the ſuperabundance of Gods grace. But why is David ſo earneſt herein, ſince Nathan had already aſſured him, that God had pardoned him, 2 Sam. 12.13.? I anſwer, 1. becauſe even where ſin is pardoned, yet repentance is a duty on our part required; and 2. becauſe it was neceſſary for the farther ſtrengthening and the comforting of his grieved ſoul.
Verſ. 2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity &c.] That is, from the guilt of mine iniquity. For ſtill he begges here, I conceive, for pardon, and not for purging and ſanctifying grace, as ſome would have it. And by that expreſſion, wash me throughly, (wherein doubtleſſe he alludes to the ceremoniall waſhings enjoyned by the law) he again implyes how exceeding filthy he judged his ſins, and how dangerouſly he was defiled thereby.
Verſ. 3. For I acknowledge my tranſgreſsions, and my ſin is ever before me.] That is, it comes upon every occaſion into my thoughts, to the continuall wounding of my ſoul: ſee the Note Pſal. 50.21. Now this David alledgeth as a motive to move God to pardon him, and that upon two grounds: 1. becauſe God had promiſed to pardon thoſe that did thus acknowledge and confeſſe their ſins with truly broken and grieved hearts; and ſeeing therefore he openly regiſtred his ſin, to be read by all men, in this Pſalm he deſires that God would blot it out of his book: and 2. becauſe this diſcovered that he did now heartily begge pardon of God, in that it proceeded from a ſoul continually afflicted and terrified with the remembrance of his ſins, and all the aggravating circumſtances thereof.
Verſ. 4. Againſt thee, thee only, have I ſinned, and done this evil in thy ſight, &c.] Theſe laſt words in thy ſight are added, either 1. to imply that God judged it evil, according to that uſuall phraſe in the Scripture, of doing that which was evil in the ſight of the Lord: or 2. to intimate, that it was a wickedneſſe very diſpleaſing to God, there being in the phraſe uſed an alluſion to men, that are wont to diſcover their diſpleaſure in their countenances when they are angry; which agreeth well with that which is ſaid of this very ſin of Davids with the wife of Urijah, 2 Sam. 11.27. the thing which David had done diſpleaſed the Lord: or rather 3. hereby to aggravate his wickedneſſe, that he had not feared to doe that in the ſight of the Lord, which he was very carefull to hide from the eye of man. The greateſt difficulty in theſe words is, why David ſhould ſay, that he had ſinned only againſt God, ſeeing the wrong that he had done to many by his ſins was ſo notorious, as to Bathſheba, and Urijah, and thoſe that were ſlain with him, and to all that he had drawn in to be inſtrumentall to him in his ſins, and that thereby took occaſion to blaſpheme, yea to the whole kingdome, who were by theſe foul ſins expoſed to Gods wrath, and actually indeed involved in the miſeries of a civill war, when Abſalom and Sheba rebelled againſt him. Now though to this ſome anſwer, that Davids meaning was, that God was the only Judge that could puniſh him for the evil he had done, and that becauſe kings have no other tribunal above them, by which they can be tryed and condemned; ſo that though when ſubjects ſin, they may be ſaid to ſin againſt God and the king, yet when kings ſin, it may be ſaid of them in regard of their ſubjection to puniſhment, that they only ſin againſt God: and others, that his meaning was, that God only knew the evil he had done; and ſo they would make this expreſſion, Againſt thee, thee only, have I ſinned, parallel with that Matth. 18.15. If thy brother shall treſpaſſe againſt thee, &c. that is, by a private offence, which thou only knoweſt: Yet I conceive the true anſwer is this; that theſe words, Againſt thee, thee only, have I ſinned, and done this evil in thy ſight, are to be taken as ſpoken not ſimply, but comparatively; as if he had ſaid, Though I have many waies ſinned againſt men, yet the wrong I have done to man is nothing in compariſon of the wrong and diſhonour and contempt I have done unto thee, O Lord; and ſo conſequently my grief for the injury I have done to men, is nothing in compariſon of the anguiſh I find in my ſoul for the offence I have committed againſt thy Majeſty, and for deſpiſing thine eye that was upon me. And indeed by the like phraſe the captivity of the Jews in Babylon is called an evil, an only evil, Ezek. 7.5. that is, the greateſt evil that ever befell that nation. And this agrees fully with that acknowledgement David made of his ſinne, when Nathan charged him with it, I have ſinned, ſaith he, againſt the Lord. Neither could any thing be ſpoken, if we thus underſtand the words, that could tend more clearly to the aggravating of his ſinnes, and the diſcovery of the danger of his condition, and conſequently to make way to pardon, then this doth, to wit, that he had ſinned againſt the great God of heaven and earth, that had done ſo great things for him: becauſe this is indeed the greateſt aggravation of all ſinne whatſoever, that it is an offence againſt God; and becauſe from hence he could not but inferre, that however his ſinnes might be hidden from men, yet they could not be hidden from God; though man had no power to puniſh him, yet that could not free him from Gods judgements; though men ſhould excuſe or extenuate his ſinnes, yea though all the world ſhould acquit and abſolve him, yet enough it would be for ever to wound his ſoul, that his own conſcience told him he had ſinned againſt God.
That thou mighteſt be juſtifyed when thou ſpeakeſt, and be clear when thou judgeſt.] 1. Some referre this to the firſt words of the Pſalm, verſ. 1, 2. Have mercy upon me, O God, &c. that thou mighteſt be juſtifyed when thou ſpeakeſt, &c. that is, that it may be clearly ſeen, that thou art faithfull and juſt in making good thy promiſes, (which may be referred either to the generall promiſes made in the Word concerning Gods pardoning penitent ſinners, as that Deuter. 30.1, 2, &c. or to that particular promiſe God had made to David, of a perpetuall kingdome, that ſhould be ſettled on his ſeed) and be clear when thou judgeſt, that is, that men may not ſay when thou correcteſt thy ſervants, that thou doſt not ſtand to thy promiſes. Again, 2. ſome referre theſe words to the clauſe immediately going before, Againſt thee, thee only, have I ſinned, &c. that thou mighteſt be juſtifyed when thou ſpeakeſt, and clear when thou judgeſt: for the clearing whereof they ſay, that this particle (that) that thou mighteſt be justifyed, &c. doth not imply that this was the end of Davids ſinning, but that this was a ſupernaturall event that followed thereupon; David doth not ſay, that he ſinned purpoſely that God might be juſtifyed, but that this event did through the all-ruling providence of God follow upon his ſinning againſt God, that God was juſtifyed in what he had ſpoken, and cleared when he judged. And if it be queſtioned, wherein God was juſtifyed and cleared by occaſion of Davids ſinne: to this they anſwer 1. that Gods faithfulneſſe was hereby ſingularly approved, in that notwithſtanding David had provoked the Lord to diſpleaſure, by committing ſuch groſſe ſinnes, yet God continued faithfull in making good his promiſes to him, both thoſe generall promiſes of being mercifull to him in his juſtification and ſalvation, and that more ſpeciall promiſe of giving him a ſeed, that ſhould have an eternall kingdome ſettled upon him, which was made good to him, yea and that too by Bathſheba, with whom he had ſinned: or, 2. that Gods juſtice and faithfulneſſe was hereby manifeſtly ſet forth, in that though God failed not to make good his promiſes to him, yet withall he did alſo make good the evil he had threatned againſt him by the prophet Nathan, and was moſt juſt in bringing that evil upon him. So that whereas when David fell ſo foulely, with whom God had made a covenant, that of his ſeed he would raiſe a Saviour to his Church, ſome might be ready to cavill, that now there was no likelyhood, that from a man thus fallen from the ſtate of holineſſe a ſeed ſhould be raiſed, by whom Gods elect ſhould be ſaved, and thus ſome blame might be charged upon God, for ſuffering one whom he had ſo highly honoured, thus to fall; David here on the contrary profeſſeth, that his ſinne was ſo farre from being any juſt ground of the leaſt aſperſion that could be caſt upon God, that rather by his ſin the juſtice and faithfulneſſe of God was the more clearly diſcovered. And that thus theſe words muſt be underſtood, they labour farther to prove, by Pauls alledging this Text Rom. 3.4. to prove that God was ſo farre from being any way liable to be charged with failing in his promiſes made to the Jews, when he ſuffered the greateſt part of them through their unbelief to fall ſhort of the grace that had been promiſed them, that on the contrary his faithfulneſſe was render'd the more conſpicuous thereby; in that though the Jews had broken covenant with God, yet God was faithfull in making good his promiſes to them, in that remnant which he reſerved to himſelf, who did by faith embrace the grace that was tender'd them in Chriſt. For hereby it appeared that God was ſo true and faithfull, that the wickedneſſe of men could not make void his faithfulneſſe; and on the other ſide, that man was ſo falſe, that no faithfulneſſe in Gods dealings with him could keep him faithfull to God. What (ſaith the Apoſtle) if ſome did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid; yea let God be true, but every man a liar: as it is written, That thou mightest be juſtifyed in thy ſayings, and mighteſt overcome when thou art judged. Where we muſt note, that though the laſt clauſe is render'd otherwiſe then it is here in the Pſalm, becauſe the Apoſtle cites it as it is in the Septuagint, and mighteſt overcome when thou art judged, yet the ſenſe is the ſame: for the meaning is, that if any men ſhould fooliſhly charge God about this ſin of David, God would be cleared, and they would be condemned, and ſo God would have the better of them. But 3. others (which I like the beſt, becauſe it is not ſo intricate an expoſition as the former is) refer this laſt clauſe, that thou mighteſt be justified, to the words in the foregoing verſe, I acknowledge my tranſgreſsion, &c. that thou mighteſt be juſtified when thou ſpeakeſt, and be clear when thou judgeſt: as if he had ſaid, I confeſſe the evil I have done, not ſo much for mine own ſake, as for thy glory, that thou mighteſt be justifyed when thou ſpeakest, that is, in all which thou ſpakeſt by Nathan, when he reproved me, and denounced the ſore afflictions which ſhould come upon me, and be clear when thou judgeſt, that is, when thou doſt bring the judgements upon me which thou haſt threatned.
Verſ. 5. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in ſin did my mother conceive me.] That is, I was born guilty of Adams ſin, which I committed in his loins, yea in my very conception in my mothers womb I was all-over tainted and defiled with originall ſin. Now this he mentioneth for his farther humiliation before God; as if he had ſaid, I have not only ſinned in this matter of the wife of Urijah, but I am indeed of a curſed ſinfull nature, and ſo have been prone to ſin all my daies: no ſooner was that ſubſtance whereof I was made warmed in my mothers womb, but I was overſpread with ſinne, and ſo I was born into the world with a very ſpring and fountain of all ſinne within me; and this is that which abaſeth me moſt of all.
Verſ. 6. Behold, thou deſireſt truth in the inward parts, &c.] Though ſome limit the truth here mentioned to the ſincerity of a poor penitent in laying open his ſin before God, and ſo hold that David, by affirming here that God loved inward ſincerity in the confeſſion of ſin, did covertly imply, that he had with a true and ſincere heart confeſſed his ſin before God, and therefore hoped that God would pardon him: yet I rather underſtand thereby all uprightneſſe of heart in generall; thou deſireſt truth in the inward parts; as if he had ſaid, Thou that art a God of truth, deſireſt integrity and ſincerity in the heart, not only an outward conformity to thy will, but alſo that the inward man be free from all deceit and falſhood: and that the aim of David in mentioning this was, thereby to intimate either his hope, that therefore God would not caſt him off in diſpleaſure, becauſe however he had ſinned greatly, yet he truſted he might ſafely ſay, that his heart notwithſtanding was ſincere towards God; or elſe rather, how odious his impurity muſt needs make him in the ſight of God, to wit, both that naturall ſinfulneſſe and impurity, wherein he had in the foregoing verſe acknowledged himſelf to have been conceived and born, and alſo that falſeneſſe and deceitfulneſſe of his heart, which was diſcovered in his late ſins, eſpecially in that he had uſed ſuch a deal of fraud and guile in ſeeking to hide them. As for the next clauſe, and in the hidden parts thou shalt make me to know wiſedome, almoſt all Expoſitours read it, and in the hidden part thou hadſt made me to know wiſedome; and accordingly they hold, that as in the foregoing clauſe David aggravated his ſins from the conſideration of that purity and ſincerity which God deſired and loved in his children, compared with his own ſinfulneſſe and falſneſſe of heart, ſo here he aggravates his ſin from the conſideration of that meaſure of ſaving knowledge and grace, which God had wrought in him before he fell into thoſe groſſe ſins: in the hidden part, that is, inwardly in my heart, which the Apoſtle calls the hidden man of the heart, 1 Pet. 3.4. thou hadſt made me to know wiſedome, that is, thou hadſt not only taught me to ſee and underſtand the true way of ſalvation, but alſo with my heart and affections to approve and like of it, to know it feelingly, experimentally and effectually; and this it is that makes my ſins out of meaſure ſinfull, that after thou hadſt ſo ſavingly enlightened me, I ſhould yet fall ſo foulely. But now if we read it, according to our tranſlation, and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wiſedome, then it is clear that herein he declares his hope, that God would yet be mercifull to him, in furniſhing his heart with all neceſſary knowledge.
Verſ. 7. Purge me with hyſſop, and I shall be clean, &c.] In theſe words David alludes clearly to the legall rites of cleanſing thoſe that were legally unclean by leproſy or otherwiſe, by the ſprinkling of the bloud of their ſacrifices and the water of expiation upon them with a ſprinkle of hyſſop: and ſo likewiſe to other legall ſprinklings; for which ſee Heb. 9.13, 19. compared with Lev. 14.4, 5, &c. Numb. 19.6. and Exod. 24.8. with the Notes on theſe places. So that his deſire is, that the Lord would doe that for him, which was ſignified by thoſe legall ſprinklings with hyſſop, (and without which thoſe outward ſprinklings were indeed nothing worth) namely, that God would, by applying the bloud of Chriſt to him, throughly cleanſe his leprous ſoul, and make him pure and acceptable in his ſight. And ſo likewiſe in the next clauſe he alludes to the legall waſhings, wash me, and I shall be whiter then ſnow.
Verſ. 8. Make me to hear joy and gladneſſe &c.] That is, By the immediate voice of thy ſpirit, aſſuring my heart that thou haſt pardoned my ſins, and likewiſe in the miniſtery of thy word particularly, by cauſing me with joy to imbrace thy promiſes of pardon, and to apply them to mine own ſoul. To which ſome adde alſo, that he deſired hereby, that Nathan, or ſome other prophet, might be ſent to him with thoſe joyfull tidings, that God had pardoned his ſins: & therefore, they ſay, it may well be, that Nathan did not return that anſwer, The Lord hath put away thy ſin, thou shalt not die, ſo ſoon as David upon Nathans reproof had acknowledged his ſin; (though they be all related together 2 Sam. 12.13, as elſewhere things done at ſeverall times are joyned together in the ſcriptures recording of them) but that after David had ſome time mourned for his ſins, Nathan came again with that joyfull meſſage. But of this there is no certainty at all.
Verſ. 9. Hide thy face from my ſins.] As if he had ſaid, Seeing my ſin is ever before me, as he had ſaid before verſ. 3. let it not be before thee, but do thou hide thy face, not from me, but from my ſins.
Verſ. 10. Create in me a clean heart, O God, &c.] As with reſpect to what he had ſaid before concerning the corruption of his nature, verſ. 5. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, &c, and as apprehending himſelf deprived in a manner of that holy diſpoſition and power of godlineſſe, which God had formerly wrought in him, as before he begged for pardon, ſo here for the ſanctification of Gods ſpirit. And becauſe for the work of regeneration there is no diſpoſition of nature that tends thereto, nothing in nature out of which the ſpirit can produce ſuch an effect, therefore he tearms it a creating of a clean heart in him. And renew a right ſpirit within me; that is, a diſpoſition and inclination of nature, not crooked and perverſe, as all mens are naturally, but juſt and right, according to the ſtreight rule of Gods law, and which might carry him on, to doe that only which was right in Gods ſight. As for the word renew, though it may have reference to that uprightneſſe wherein man was at firſt created; yet I rather conceive it hath reference to his former piety, which he now found greatly decayed in him, wherewith he deſires to be eſtabliſhed again: and therefore ſome render it, a conſtant ſpirit.
Verſ. 11. Caſt me not away from thy preſence, &c.] That is, Caſt me not out of thy favour: yea and conſequently it may well be, which ſome hold, that this alſo implyes a deſire that he might not be deprived of the evidences of his favour formerly enjoyed; to wit, 1. that he might not be caſt out from the preſence of God in his ſanctuary, as Cain was, for ſhedding blood, ſee the Note Gen. 4.16; and 2. that he might not be caſt off from ſerving God in the regall office, as Saul had been: and take not thy holy ſpirit from me; whereby he means both thoſe ſanctifying and ſaving graces, wherewith God by his ſpirit had endued him; (which are indeed often greatly impaired by the ſins of the faithfull, and of themſelves are in danger to be utterly loſt, though through Gods mercy, which David here begges, they are continued in them) and likewiſe thoſe gifts of Gods ſpirit, wherewith God had furniſhed him for his regall office.
Verſ. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy ſalvation, &c.] That is, of thy ſaving my ſoul eternally in heaven, and of thy providence over me for my preſervation here from temporall dangers: and uphold me with thy free ſpirit; that is, keep up my heart in the aſſurance of thy love, the hope of life eternall, and a firm reſolution of yielding thee ſincere obedience in all things; and that by thy free ſpirit, that is, by that free diſpoſition of ſpirit which thou art wont to work in thy children, or (which is much to the ſame purpoſe) by that ſpirit of thine, whereby thou art wont to work in thy children a true freedome from the bondage of ſin, according to that of the Apoſtle 2 Cor. 3.17. where the ſpirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, a readineſſe of mind, freely and chearfully and ſincerely, without any by-reſpects, in all things to obey thy laws, and a holy magnanimity, boldly and freely to profeſſe themſelves thy children, Rom. 8.15.
Verſ. 13. Then will I teach tranſgreſsours thy waies.] That is, By mine example I will cauſe them to ſee how infinitely mercifull thou art to poor penitent ſinners, and withall how in all things thou requireſt them to carry themſelves if they deſire thy favour. And to this ſome adde alſo his declaring how ſeverely God often afflicts his own children, when they ſinne againſt him. But however Davids main drift in theſe words was to imply, that he would endeavour that as his ſin had been an occaſion of much hurt to others, ſo his repentance ſhould likewiſe be improved for the good of others.
Verſ. 14. Deliver me from bloud-guiltineſſe, &c.] Some underſtand this thus; that David deſired here that God would pardon thoſe ſins whereby he had deſerved that God ſhould cut him off, and have his bloud for the bloud he had ſhed; or for which he had threatned that the ſword ſhould never depart from his houſe. But according to our tranſlation, it is clearly meant of that guilt he had drawn upon himſelf by ſhedding the bloud of Urijah and others: the pardon whereof David here again deſires, becauſe men that lye in their ſins are not fit to praiſe God, which in the next clauſe he was to promiſe to God. And my tongue shall ſing aloud of thy righteouſneſſe; that is, thy faithfulneſſe in performing thy promiſes, (which may be alſo particularly referred to that promiſe made by Nathan 2 Sam. 12.13.) or that righteouſneſſe whereby thou doſt juſtify ſinners: ſee the Notes Pſal. 5.8, and 22.31.
Verſ. 15. O Lord, open thou my lips, &c.] Herein he deſires of God, 1. that by Gods mercy to him he might have occaſion to ſhew forth his praiſe; ſee the Note Pſal. 40.3: 2ly, that he would free him from the guilt of his ſins, which otherwiſe might well ſtop his mouth, and muſt needs make him unfit for this ſervice; ſee Pſal. 50.16: and 3ly, that God would give him a will and deſire to praiſe him, a prepared heart and quickned affections, and all other abilities requiſite for this ſervice.
Verſ. 16. For thou deſireſt not ſacrifice, &c.] See the Note Pſal. 40.6.
Verſ. 17. The ſacrifices of God are a broken ſpirit.] That is, This is the ſacrifice which is all in all with God, in ſtead of all, better and more pleaſing to God then all other ſacrifices. And this is here inſerted, becauſe David is here ſpeaking of the ſacrifice of praiſe, which a penitent ſinner promiſeth to God upon pardon of ſinne obtained; whoſe praiſe is therefore the more acceptable to God, becauſe it proceeds from a heart that hath been ſo broken.
Verſ. 18. Doe good in thy good pleaſure unto Sion, &c.] That is, Of thine own free grace and good will, and according as thou ſhalt be pleaſed and ſhalt ſee fit, doe good to thy Church and people (for by Sion here is meant the whole people of God, that met together to worſhip God in Sion; and figuratively alſo the whole Church of Chriſt, ſee the Note Pſal. 2.6.) build thou the walls of Ieruſalem; that is, maintain, defend and ſtrengthen thy Church, and that city in particular which is the chief glory of the kingdome. Becauſe 1. David by his ſin had already done much hurt among the people, (for many of them had been ſlain by the ſword together with Urijah; many had been ſcandalized, the faithfull grieved, and the profeſſion of godlineſſe ſtained;) 2. he knew that God might haply (as he often did) puniſh the whole land for the ſins of their king; yea and 3. being anointed king, that he might be a type of Chriſt, the Head of the Church, and he out of whoſe loyns the Meſſiah was to come, by his ſins he had done as much as in him lay to ruine the whole kingdome of Chriſt: therefore he praies here for Sions welfare, as well as for the pardon of his own ſins, Doe good in thy good pleaſure unto Sion: and as if by his ſins he had made a breach in Jeruſalems walls, he deſires God to repair the hurt that he had done, and make up the breach, build thou the walls of Ieruſalem. When David ſucceeded Saul, he found the kingdome in a very bad caſe: Now fearing leſt upon his grievous ſins God ſhould break forth in diſpleaſure againſt him, as he had done againſt Saul, and ſhould by letting looſe ſome enemy upon them, or by any other judgement, interrupt the peace and proſperity of the people, and ſo the perfecting of Jeruſalems building ſhould be hindered, (the main part whereof, which was the building of the Temple, was not yet begun,) the reformation intended and begun ſhould be fruſtrated, and the ſettling and ordering of the way of Gods worſhip ſhould fall to the ground, and God ſhould as it were retract what he had ſo graciouſly ſpoken concerning Sion, Pſal. 132.14, &c. the Lord hath choſen Zion, he hath deſired it for his habitation. This is my reſt for ever, here will I dwell, for I have deſired it: I will abundantly bleſſe her proviſion, I will ſatisfy her poor with bread; I will alſo cloath her prieſts with ſalvation, and her Saints shall shout aloud for joy, &c. I ſay, out of the fear of theſe evils, he cloſeth this Pſalm with this prayer for the welfare of Jeruſalem.
Verſ. 19. Then shalt thou be pleaſed with the ſacrifices of righteouſneſse, &c.] See the Notes Deut. 33.19, and Pſal. 5.4. with burnt-offering and whole burnt-offering; ſome of which were of birds and beaſts that were all burnt upon the altar, and ſome were things without life, ſuch as flowre, oyl, &c. and were ſometimes wholly burnt, as in every meat-offering for the prieſt, Levit. 6.23. However, that which David ſaith here is this, Then shalt thou be pleaſed, &c. that is, When the Temple is built in Jeruſalem, the place which thou haſt choſen; or rather, when thou art reconciled unto me, and ſo thereupon, when thou ſhalt alſo be favourable unto thy people, then ſhalt thou graciouſly accept, not only of the ſacrifices which I ſhall offer for my ſelf, which whilſt I ſhould lye under the guilt of the ſins I have committed, I know thou wouldeſt never regard, but alſo of the peoples ſacrifices, which with much forwardneſſe and chearfulneſſe they ſhall then bring to thine altar; Then, ſaith he, shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.