Annotations on Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon, Annotations 2 · Psalm 101
PSAL. CI.
THe tenour of this Psalm sheweth, that David coming to his Kingdom, 1. Reformeth his Person.
2. His Court and Family.
3. His Countrey.
In this Psalm David bindeth himself to be thankfull unto God for his advancement to the Kingdom of Israel. He bindes himself to a thankfull acknowledgement of Gods goodnesse, and praising God for this benefit in the first verse.
2. Rightly to behave himself in the rest of the Psalm.
Vers. 1. I will sing of mercy and judgement, unto thee, O Lord, will I sing.]Cantare clementiam & judicium, tantundem valet ac testari solenni verborum nuncupatione, se forè …ustum & aequum Regem. Quum dicit, tibi I…h…v… Psallam Dei beneficio se agnosci… ad tam prae…larum & honorifioum m…nus esse destinatum quia superbae temeritaris fuisset ultro se ingerere. Calvinus. Sing and play on the Instrument, for so the second word signifies, which is translated sing.
The matter of this Song is Mercy and Judgement, the end of it, To thee, O Lord, that is, to thy praise and honour, to shew my gratitude to thee. Mercy is kindenesse or beneficence, doing good out of favour, bestowing benefits of all sorts; This is one part of Davids Song, the great benefits which the Lord had vouchsafed. These he resolveth gladly to set forth and inlarge in his Song. Judgement here signifieth the righteous execution of punishment upon his enemies which hated him, and sought to hinder him of the Kingdom, which God had promised unto him.
The second part of the Psalm, shews another way of declaring his thankfulnesse, viz. by behaving himself virtuously in the Kingdom, by a faithfull discharge of his duty, both in respect of his personal walking for his own particular conversation, vers. 2, 3. and in his government both of his Family and Court, vers 4, 5, 6, 7. and also of his whole Kingdom, vers. 8.
Vers. 2. I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way] That is, Would use prudenceSo David is said to do, 1 Sam. 18. 14. and discretion in considering his actions seriously, and applying his minde with all diligence to know what is fit to be done, and to do it accordingly in the due time and order.
In a perfect way] Order all and each of his actions obediently, and according to the rule of Gods Law.
O, when wilt thou come unto me] It may be interpreted three wayes of Gods comingVide Calvinum. Est hoc votum David… de ratione regnandi, quam sibi in animo proposuerat longè optimum, & cujus modum pauci implent reges, etam qui plus Deo debent quam David, id est, Christiani. Grotius. to him, in fulfilling his promise, and making him King, If he made this Psalm before he was setled in his Kingdom, or of Gods coming to him by gracious help in his Kingdom, or of Gods coming to him by death, the second interpretation seems the best.
Ainsworth expounds it, When wilt thou come] viz. To assist me in the performance hereof: Or, When thou shalt come.] viz. To call me to an account of my life.
I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.] Not only when I am abroad, that is, in all his private carriage at home within his private wals.
Medium domus sua palatio & publicis aedibus opponit: ac si diceret intra privates parietes. Calvinus.
A perfect heart.] A will resolved in all things to please God. To walk with a perfect heart, is constantly to look to his heart, that it may be, and he may shew it to be perfect.
Vers. 3. I will set no wicked thing before mine eres.] To set a thing before ones eyes, is to consider of it, how he may do it, an evil thing, or thing of Belial, isThat is, Mischievous wicked word or thing. See Psa. 41. 9. any manner of wicked deed. The word Belial signifies without yoke or profit, and is a name and title of the Devil himself, 2 Cor. 6. 15. Evil things are fitly so called, because the Devil brought sinne into the world, and he still moveth men to sinne.
I hate the work of them that turn aside, it shall not cleave to me.] q. d. If my heartHe would not set himself wittingly and willingly to practise sin. Adversum ab omni scelere se fore pronunciat. Calvinus. rise not against such sins, if I should not dislike and hate them, …ome blot would cleave to me, but not now.
Such as turned away from the worship of the true God, and from his Laws and Statutes.
Vers. 4. A froward heart shall depart from me.] I will not converse with them familiarly.
I will not know a wicked person.] That is, love, favour, approve, countenance them, Psal. 1. 6.
Vers. 5. Who so privily slandereth his Neighbour, him will I cut off.] He wouldH…e… with tongue] That traduceth, or (as the Hebrew phrase is) betongueth. Hereupon a man of tongue is for a pra…er or calumnia…, Psal. 140. 12. A…nsw. suffer no backbiter, nor endure to come near them, or have them about him, nor let them passe away unchastened that were proud.
Vers. 6. Mine eyes shall be upon the faithfull of the Land, that they may dwell with Hoc notatu dignum est, quia licet optimus si… Princeps, nisi tamen respondeant ministri, ejus innocentia vix ad subditos perveniet. Calvin….me.] That is, he will diligently and carefully enquire after such, that he might pick even the choicest of them for his service.
He saith not another mans eyes, but mine eyes, he would not put all the trust upon others, he would himself make what proof and triall he could.
Vers. 8. I will early destroy all the wicked of the Land.] Constantly, diligently,Hoc ideò dictum, quia manè judicia exercebantur, ut diximus ad Job 38. 13. Grotius. seasonably and speedily. See Psal. 73. 14.
That I may cut off all wicked doers from the City of the Lord.] Severely punish with death, if the nature of their faults require it.
The City of the Lord.] The whole Land, Jerusalem especially.