Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 86
PSALM LXXXVI.
Verſ. 1. HEar me, for I am poor and needy.] See the Note Pſal. 40.17.
Verſ. 2. Preſerve my ſoul, for I am holy.] That is, Thou haſt ſanctified me in ſome meaſure by thy ſpirit, I have conſecrated my ſelf wholly to thy ſervice, and do endeavour to walk in all holineſſe before thee: neither am I therefore ſuch a one as mine enemies would make me to be, nor have I by any injury done to them deſerved to be uſed by them as I am.
Verſ. 9. All nations whom thou haſt made shall come and worſhip before thee, &c.] This may be meant, either of the forced acknowledgement of the greatneſſe of the God of Iſrael, whereto all nations ſhould be brought by obſerving his mighty works; or rather of the converſion of the Gentiles: and it may well be that David might hence encourage himſelf, that if God would ſhew mercy to them, much more to him, who was one of his own peculiar people. As for that clauſe, which thou haſt made, either it is added the more fully to expreſſe that all nations, none excepted, ſhould come and worſhip before him, there being no nation under heaven that received not their being from God; or elſe rather to imply a reaſon, why it might well be thought that God would in time to come call in all nations to fear and praiſe him, namely, becauſe they were the work of Gods hands as well as the Jews, and therefore it was fit that they alſo ſhould know and worſhip their Creatour.
Verſ. 11. Teach me thy way, O Lord, &c.] See the Note Pſal. 25.4: unite my heart to fear thy name; that is, unite my heart to thee, cauſe me in ſincere and fervent love to cleave unto thee, make me with a full reſolution to ſet my heart to fear and ſerve thee only, that my heart may not be drawn away to doe any thing but what is according to thy will; or, which is indeed all one in effect, Cauſe my heart to be united within it ſelf, that it may not be divided and diſtracted with divers corrupt affections, that I may not be carried this way and that, as double-minded men are wont to be, that ſo I may fear & ſerve thee with my whole heart; and that becauſe ſuch only as are thus affected thou art wont to help.
Verſ. 13. Thou haſt delivered my ſoul from the loweſt hell.] or, the loweſt grave. That is, from the moſt deſperate dangers of death, wherein my condition ſeemed as hopeleſſe, as is the condition of one that is buried deep under ground; or, By pardoning my ſins, thou haſt delivered me from that deſperation I lay under, the terrours of Satan, & the tortures of an evil conſcience, yea even from the very pit of hell. And indeed becauſe the remembrance of his ſins might well bring theſe terrours upon David when he was in ſuch dangers, it is moſt probable that this was chiefly intended in that which he ſaith of his ſouls deliverance from the loweſt hell.
Verſ. 16. Give thy ſtrength unto thy ſervant, &c.] That is, By thy ſtrength do thou help and ſupport me, both that I may prevail over my ſtrong adverſaries, & that I may not ſink under the terrours that lye upon my ſpirit: and ſave the ſon of thine handmaid; that is, me, who have been even from my mothers womb thy houſhold ſervant, as being born in thy family, of thy ſervant, born of faithfull parents, and ſo by birth-priviledge under the Covenant, and conſequently under thy care and tuition.
Verſ. 17. Shew me a token for good.] That is, By ſome notable and wonderfull ſign wrought for my preſervation and deliverance, make it evident both to my ſelf and others that thou art tenderly carefull of my good and welfare, however for the preſent thou art pleaſed to hide thy ſelf from me.