Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 62
PSALM LXII.
Verſ. 1. TRuly my ſoul waiteth upon God.] David breaks forth into theſe words abruptly, as one that had been long ſtrugling with a temptation▪ ſometimes inclining one way, ſometimes another; but yet at laſt having gotten the day, concludes with confidence, Truly my ſoul waiteth upon God: as if he had ſaid, Let Satan or mine own corrupt heart ſuggeſt what they will to the contrary, though the Lord may ſeem to have forſaken me, in that he ſuffers mine enemies continually to moleſt me, yet truly my ſoul waiteth upon God.
Verſ. 2. I shall not be greatly moved.] According to that of the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 4.8, 9. we are perplexed, but not in deſpair; perſecuted, but not forſaken; cast down, but not deſtroyed: ſee 1 Cor. 10.13. See the Notes alſo Pſal. 13.4, and 16.8, and 21.7. and 37.24.
Verſ. 3. How long will ye imagine miſchief againſt a man? &c.] That is, againſt me? why do ſo many of you conſpire miſchief againſt one poor man? ye shall be ſlain all of you; as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence, that is, ye cannot ſtand long, ere long ye will fall both ſuddenly and violently; any ſmall thing ſhall make you fall headlong, yea your own envy and wickedneſſe ſhall ruine you, as a bowing wall and a tottering fence will fall even with its own weight. A wall when it cracks and bulks out may ſeem twice as broad as it was, and therefore to ſtand very firm; but yet it is certainly near to ruine; and ſo David ſaith it would be with his enemies: though they were ſwoln with pride, and might look and talk bigly, yet ere long they would certainly fall, and be utterly ruined in an inſtant. We have an expreſſion much like this Iſa. 30.13. wherefore this iniquity shall be to you, as a breach ready to fall, ſwelling out in a high wall, whoſe breaking cometh ſuddenly at an inſtant.
Verſ. 4. They only conſult to caſt him down from his excellency, &c.) That is, the man mentioned in the foregoing verſe, whom they ſought to caſt down from the regall dignity whereto God had anointed him: they delight in lies, that is, in ſlanders and falſe flatteries; or rather in thoſe evil practices, which will deceive thoſe that rely thereon. See the Note Pſal. 4.2.
Verſ. 7. In God is my ſalvation and my glory.] See the Note Pſal. 3.3.
Verſ. 8. Truſt in him at all times, &c.] See the Note Pſal. 34.1. Ye people pour out your heart before him. See the Notes 1 Sam. 1.15. and Pſal. 42.4.
Verſ. 9. Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie, &c.] To wit, becauſe they are poor, weak creatures, able of themſelves to doe neither good nor evil; and withall they are unſtable and inconſtant, and oftentimes deceitfull and perfidious: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether (or, alike) lighter then vanity; that is, if men do well weigh things in the judgement of right reaſon, and do make juſt tryall of them, they will find that all men are alike mere vanity, or that if all mankind together be put in one ſcale, and vanity in the other, vanity will overweigh them. Now the drift of inſerting theſe words here is to confirm his foregoing advice, that men ſhould truſt in God, by ſhewing the vanity of truſting on men. Yet ſome think the aim of this clauſe is to ſhew, that men may ſafely truſt in God, becauſe men are ſuch poor vain creatures, no way worthy their admiration or fear.
Verſ. 10. Truſt not in oppreſsion, and become not vain in robbery, &c.] That is, Truſt not in the wealth that is gotten by oppreſſion and robbery, nor in thoſe ſinfull practiſes, or in any ſuch like; think not by any ſuch evil courſes to accompliſh your deſires. And he calls this becoming vain in robbery, becauſe men do vainly deceive themſelves, when they truſt in ſuch things; to which purpoſe the like expreſſion is uſed Jer. 23.16. Hearken not unto the words of the prophets, that propheſie unto you; they make you vain: yea and it may imply alſo, that it argued lightneſſe and vanity in them to be ſo ready to catch at theſe things for their ſafety and defence; and that it would make them be vile and fooliſh in the eyes of others. If riches increaſe, to wit, though it be in a lawfull way, ſet not your heart upon them; that is, do not truſt in them, nor dote on them, ſo as to be proud of them, and anxiouſly ſollicitous to preſerve or encreaſe them.
Verſ. 11. God hath ſpoken once; twice have I heard this, &c.] That is, oftentimes; ſo that there is no queſtion to be made of it. See the Note Job 33.14.
Verſ. 12. Alſo unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy, &c.] The ſweet content he took in thinking on Gods mercy makes David turn his ſpeech to God, Alſo unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy; ſo that thy ſervants may with confidence reſt upon thee: for thou rendreſt to every man according to his work; and therefore the righteous may in this regard alſo truſt in God, as aſſuring themſelves that God will protect and bleſſe them, and puniſh their wicked enemies.