Annotations on Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon, Annotations 2 · Psalm 16 – Psalm 21
PSAL. XVI.
THe whole Psalm (say some) is to be understood of Christ, as well as David, Vide Rivetum.as Act. 2. shews.
Vers. 2. My goodness extendeth not to thee.
3. But to the Saints that are in the earth; and to the excellent in whom is all In respect of his essential glory. Merita Christi habent in se gratiam invisceratam I…clytis. Arias Montanus. Magnificis in operibus bonis. Chald. Paraph. Magnificis. Junius.my delight.] It was from the Father that Christ was sent, and that his service was accepted, as Mediator, it may be opened by Heb. 10 5. God was not profited by all that he did.
The Excellent.] The word in the original signifies the magnificent ones, those which have magnificent spirits, and are exceeding glorious.
Vers. 4. Their drink offerings of bloud will I not offer.] The drink-offerings wereVide Gatakeri. Cinnum. l. 2. c. 10. Potabant enim gentes istae sanguinem sacrificiorum, saepè & humanum Grotius. Vide Rivetum & Junium in loc. an appendix to other Offerings. They signifie two things, 1. The pouring out of their souls in the service of God. 2. The satisfaction that they took therein. Paul alludes to this, Phil. 2. 17.
Some think he means the Gentiles which poured out bloud as a drink-offering.
Parisiensis de legibus gives three reasons why their drink-offerings were of bloud, Major Honor, Difficilior Servitus, Humilior Subjectio. Nothing so near to the soul as the bloud; Therefore it was a greater honour to the Devil, yea the bloud of their Sonnes and Daughters. God required but the bloud of beasts.
Vers. 5. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance.] Christ speaks this as Mediator, thou maintainest my lot. Some referre it to the words following, Christs inheritance in his people: Others to the words fore-going, God is my portion, both may be meant.
Vers. 6. The lines or cords are fallen unto me in pleasant places.] An allusion to the division of inheritances, which was by lines, Psal. 105. 11. & 78. 55. 2 Sam. 8. 2.
Vers. 7. My reins also instruct me in the night season.] My most inward thoughtsCor intelligit renes consulunt. chasten me for my daily sins. The reins are the inmost parts of a man, Psal. 26. 2. Psal. 139. 3. Psal. 51. 8.
Junius thus explains it, Spiritus ejus omni quietis tempore intimas meas voluntates, & studia dirigit, quorum sedem renibus Scriptura tribuit.
Vers. 8. I have set the Lord alwayes before me.] As a Judge and observer in point of reverence and dependance.
There are three things in that expression, 1. Dignitas objecti, the object he alwayes looked upon, God. 2. Firmitas fidei, Christ walkt by faith as well as we, though not faith in a Mediatour. 3. Temporis diuturnitas, lookt alwayes on him.
Because he is at my right hand.] Will stand by me as a second.
I shall not be moved.] Shall keep my standing in the way of grace.
Vers. 10. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy De his versibus 8, 9, 10, 11 Vide Jun. l. 1. Paral. 88. Act. 2. 25, 26, 27, 28. Net my body in the grave, nor my soul, in statu separato, from the body. Doway notes.one to see corruption.] Neither by way of putrefaction here, nor dissolution hereafter.
Now Calvin and Beza sometime corrupt this Text, alwayes pervert the sense, and most absurdiy oppose themselves against all ancient holy Fathers concerning the Article of Christs descending in soul into the part of hell called Limbus Patrum is largely noted, Gen. 37. Act. 2. & 1 Pet. 3. and Protestants here translate grave for hell. But of this place Rivet solidly disputes in his Comment, so doth Chamier, Junius, Ames upon Bellarmines 2d Controversie. Beza and Drusius upon the 2d ofSee Ainsw. Vide …mamae Antib. Bib. l. 3. the Acts.
Vers. 11. Thou will shew me the path of life.] Christ speaks this of himself, his glory; For he spake before of his own Resurrection. Rivet saith, It is to be understood of experimental knowledge, when the thing it self is given and possessed.
In thy presence is fulnesse of joy, at thy right hand there are pleasures for ever more.]Ut piensm illam …aetitiam exprimat Propheta, u…itur plurali numero lae…i…iarum, ut una si… instar omnium, & in se comprehendat, veram omnem laetandi materiam, omne laetitiarum genus, & earum copiofissimam abundant…am. Rivet. in loc. Pleasure is the sweetness of joy, the joyes that the Saints have there, shall be sweet and refreshing.
PSAL. XVII.
Verse 3. I Am purposed.] That is, I have designed so, Psal. 37. 12.Hinc ostendo cl…mas…e me quoniam exaudisti me. Aug. de Civit. Dei. lib. 11. cap. 14.
Vers. 6. I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God.] I do call upon thee, because thou hearest me, O strong God. So Junius.
Vers. 8. Keep me as the apple of the eye.] David to express the special care thatId est, Studiosussimè, ut homo solet pupillam oculi sui. Sic Deut. 32. 10. Junius. God hath over his sons, saith thus, thou hast a special care over me, thou guardest me many wayes, as the apple of the eye is guarded with five tunicles.
Vers. 10. They are inclosed in their own fat.] That is, They are very fat, Et desideriis suis omnibus circumfluunt, Jun.
Vers. 11. They have now compassed us in our steps] And elswhere, They mark my i. Observant me & meos. Junius. Declinando & speculando aucupum instar laqueos nobis ponunt. Vide Psal. 10. 10. Hulsius in notis.steps. It is an allusion to hunters, who go poring upon the ground to prick the Hare, or to finde the print of the Hares claw, when the Hounds are at a losse, and can make nothing of it by the sent.
Vers. 14. From men which are thy hand] Wicked men are so called, because of their violence, so the scourge of God.
Men of the world] Meer worldly men, whose spirits, desires, hopes, ends are worldly. See next words.
Which have their portion in this life,] Two things make a thing ones portion,The Saints may have a great part in this life, but it is not their portion. 1. That which he chooseth. 2. That wherein he receives satisfaction, hoc est, Nihil cum altera vita commune habent. Jun.
Whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure] It is hid to them who it is that fillethi. Optimis rebu metonymia. Jun. their bellies, viz. God; They know him not, neither do they acknowledge his gifts.
Vers. 15. I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness] The perfectionOut of the sleep of death, death is a sleep. isa. 26. 19. i. Resurgam è mortuis Junius. Cum tenebrae mortalitatis transierint mane a stabo & contemplabor. Aug. Videbo te perfectissimè ficuti es, & similis ero tibi quum pa…efactus fuerit Christus glorioso adventu suo. Jun. of the Image of God wrought in the Saints after this life. Mollerus seems to approve of this. The Spirit of God useth but this and two other words, for the Image of God in us. This word is used for a corporeal similitude, Exod. 20. 4. 2. Intellectual, Numb. 20. 8. so here, God shall then gloriously manifest himself to his people.
With thy likenesse] It may be referred to awake with, or in thy Image, having thy glory imprinted upon me, 1 Cor. 15. 49. or it may be referred to satisfie, I shall be perfectly like thee, both of them may be taken in, as 1 John 3. 2.
PSAL. XVIII.
THe servant of the Lord] So in the Title of the 36th Psalm, so called, 1. ForThe hand of Saul, the palm or flat of the hand, Heb. The fist of Saul. his eminent holinesse, a man after Gods own heart.
2. Because of his publick imployment, fought the Lords battels, had thirty deliverances, and eight from Saul, his special enemy.
Vers. 2. The Lord is my rock, and my fortresse, and my deliverer, my God, and my strength in whom I will trust, my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high Tower.] q. d. There is an allsufficiency in God on which I will relie.
In this one verse David hath nine several expressions, to shew God to be the full object of his faith in the times of all his distresses; As 1. He is Jehovah. 2. He is my Rock. 3. My Fortresse. 4. My Deliverer. 5. My God. 6. My Strength. 7. My Buckler. 8. The Horn of my Salvation. 9. My high Tower.
Vers. 4. The flouds of ungodly men made me afraid] It is frequent in Scripture toHeb. Of Belial. compare Nations and people to waters, especially in the Revelation, when violent to flouds.
Vers. 20. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousnesse.]
Object. Psal. 143. 2.
Answ. There is a two-fold Righteousnesse, One of the Cause, Another of the Person; His Cause was good, there was no such thing as they laid to his charge, But in thy sight, no flesh living shall be justified, in respect of the righteousnesse of the person.
Vers. 21. I have not wickedly departed from my God] Though I have and do sinNon unum aliquem lapsum significat. Some sinne which he more specially was in love with, which he was most easily drawn into, and whereby he had been most ensnared. every day, yet is not a departure from God.
Vers. 23. I was also upright before him, and I kept my self from mine iniquity] Some conceive this sin was lying. David often dissembled, therefore he prayeth Psal. 119. Take from me the way of lying: Others think it was uncleannesse, therefore he saith in the same Psalm, Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity.
Vers. 25, 26. With the mercifull thou wilt shew thy self mercifull, with an upright In the three former words, the same word is used both of God and man, but here two divers words. The word that concerns man is used once more, Job 9. 20. Rectè exponit Kimchi juxta perversitatem e us ei retribues. Similis loquendi modus est, Levit. 26. 24. Ostendit Propheta Dei consuetudinem, quòd unicuique reddat secundum opera sua, & sicut cum benignis benignè agere selet, sic qu…que efficiat, ut impiis & perversis infoeliciter & perverse omnia cedant, idem Hebraismus occurrit, 2 Sam. 22. 27. Hu sius.man thou wilt shew thy self upright.
With the pure thou wilt show thy self pure, and with the froward thou wilt shew thy self froward.]
The meaning is no more in general, but Gods judgement shall agree with their manners. God will carry himself otherwise to the wicked than the godly. God reckons up three kinds of good men, Mercifull, Upright and Pure; Froward, Crooked or Perverse is opposed to all three, 2 Sam. 22. 27. The same matter is handled, but the letters transposed, to note some singular thing in this, how the Lord changeth himself to the subtil and crafty deceivers, and takes them in their own craft.
Vers. 32. It is God that girdeth me with strength] That is, Raiseth up a strong resolutioni. Fortem me reddit. Metaphora vel à baltheo, vel ab ipsis renibus sumpta, in quibus Scriptura quandoque vigorem ac robur collocat. Fesselii Advers. Sac. l. 5. c. 9. in me.
Vers. 33. He maketh my feet like *Proverbii forma dicitur de velocissimis: Quod sumptum ab ejus animantis pernicitate quae tanta est, ut AEgyptii sacerdotes in hieroglyphicis non aliter velocitatem significaverint, quàm per cervum currentem, velociores foeminae, cum pondere nullo supervacuo graventur. Drus. Prov. Class. 2. l. 5.Hindes feet, and setteth me upon my high places] 2 Sam. 22. 24. Hab, 3. 19.
PSAL. XIX.
Verse 1. THe Heavens declare the glory of God] That is, Offer unto us fit occasion ofLumen naturae. Quod sint hominibus veluti praecones quidam sapientiae Dei. Rivet. glorifying God when we see their excellency and order.
Vers. 2. Day unto day uttereth speech] That is, The providences and turnings ofEructar sermonem, i. Indefinenter profundit, ut fons perennis aquas profundit largiter; Metaphora. Junius. Vide Jun. lib. 2. Paral. 16. Rom. 10, 18, 19, 20, 21. Isa. 65. 1, 2. Deut. 32. 21. every day declare the glory of God, and shew his handy work.
Vers. 4. Their line is gone out through all the world.] By which word he shews, that the heavens being so curious a fabrick, made (as it were) by line and level, do clearly, though silently preach the skill and perfection of God.
Vers. 5. Which is as a Bridegroom coming out of his Chamber] Because his beamsVide Junium. are prolifical.
Vers. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect] Having spoken in the beginning of theLumen gratiae. Psalm of the Heavens, and Sunne; now he treats of the word of God, which is as necessary as the Sunne. Satiùs est ut Sol non luceat quam ut non doceat Chrysostomus.
The whole word of God, all these titles here are used promiscuously for the word of God.
Vers. 9. The fear of the Lord is clean] That is, The Doctrine of the fear of God.
Vers. 10. Sweeter also than honey, and the honey-comb] He doth not mean the honey-comb barely, that is the vessel wherein the honey is kept, but the honey that flows or drops immediately, and naturally without any art, which is the purest honey.
Vers. 11. In keeping of them there is great reward.] And from keeping them,Recto fecisse …rces est. not only a reward after, or for the keeping of them, but the observing of Gods Commandments is a reward to it self.
Vers. 12. His errours.] Practical, not Doctrinal.
Cleanse thou me from secret faults.] Secret not only to other men, but himself, even such secret sins as grew from errours, of which he said, Who can understand his errours?
Vers. 13. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins.] Two things makeHold in by a powerfull and effica…ious restraint. a presumptuous sin:
1. When committed against knowledge.
2. When resolutely.
Some say this Psalm was penned after Davids great revolt from God, he intimates, that there is a great deal of pride and presumption in every such revolt from the Lord.
The great transgression.] That is, The unpardonable sin, it is above presumptuous sins.
Vers. 14. Let the words of my mouth.] The outward acts of prayer and praise.
And the meditations of my heart.] That is, Inward ejaculations.
PSAL. XX.
Verse 3. REmember all thy Offerings, and accept thy burnt Sacrifice.] Or turn thy burntThis hath respect to the Law, which appointed part of the oblation to be burnt on the Altar to God with Oyl and Incense, Levit. 2. 2. Hoc est, Te & preces tuas gratiosè accipiat. Allegorice ad sacrificiorum oblationem alluditur, quibus ignem de Coelo quandoque misit Deus & comburendo in Cinerem conver…it, eoque grata esse sibi declaravit. Glass. Rhet. S…c. Offering into ashes. It is translated, the Lord accept, because God had sometime witnessed his acceptance by sending down fire to burn the Sacrifice, Levit. 9. 12.
Vers. 4. Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfill all thy counsel,] That is, Fulfill not only thy desire and aim of thy prayer, but in that very way, by that very means, which thy judgement and counsel pitcht upon in thine own thoughts See Ainsw.
Vers. 9. Save Lord, let the King hear.] So Junius, and we. The LXX have it,Ainsworth saith, by the King is meant Christ. Sentiat Rex opem à precibus nostris. Grotius. Lord, save the King, and hear us in the day that we call upon thee.
PSAL. XXI.
Verse 3. FOr thou preventest him with the blessing of goodnesse. That is, When David neverMeliùs in Hebraeo: circumdedisti eum beneficiis bonitatis. Grotius. Vide illum in Psalm. 18. 6. asked such blessings at Gods hands, even then did the Lord bestow his liberal blessings upon him, as namely this, when David was following his Fathers sheep, and walking in his calling, thence the Lord took him to be King over Israel.
Vers. 6. Most blessed.] Blessings, Heb. not Benedictum, but Benedictiones. SeePones cum benedictiones. Arias Montanus. Certum est hac loquendi forma exprimi uberem bonorum copiam affluere Regi, utmeritò Divinae benevolentiae exemplar esse possit: vel etiam ut inter precandum vulgò futurum sit ejus nomen celebre ad exemplum. Calvin. Calvin, Full of blessings. A good Magistrate.