Davids Harp Strung and Tuned, 4 [i.e. 5] (cont.) · Psalm 141
PSAL. CXLI.
WHether this Pſalm was compoſed by David in his flight from Saul, or elſe when he was in the Court of Saul, and by flatterers traduced unto him, is not certain. For that he deſires his prayer might be ſet forth before God as incenſe, and be accepted as the evening Sacrifice, gives occaſion to think he was in baniſhment, for otherwiſe he might have been preſent at it. But then again that he prayes againſt their detractions, and flatterings, may argue a preſent danger, and that he was in the Court. But be either true, in it he prayes.
The Contents and Summe of the Pſalm.
1. For his prayer, ver. 1, 2.
2. That God would ſo reſtrain his tongue, and compoſe his mind, that through anger or impatience he may not offend, ver. 3, 4.
3. He prayes, that if he muſt be reproved, that his cenſure may proceed from juſt, not from unjuſt men, ver. 5. whoſe judgment he declines, ver. 5, 6. and will have no part or ſociety with them.
4. He ſhews the malice and hatred of the wicked to good men, ver. 6, 7.
5. He puts his truſt in God, and prayes to be delivered from their ſnares, ver. 8, 9, 10.
1. The firſt part. David prayes that God.This Pſalm conſiſts for the main, of petitions; of which,
1. The firſt is, that his prayer may be accepted. Lord, I cry unto thee, make haſte unto me, Ver. 1 give eare to my voice when I cry unto thee; ſpeedily, now, Would accept his prayer.and hereafter hear my prayer, which is fervent, affectionate, for it is a cry.
2. Ver. 2 Let my prayer be ſet before thee at the incenſe, which was offer'd with the ſacrifice, and the lifting up of my hands, a geſture uſed in prayer, 1 Tim. 2.8. as the evening ſacrifice, Exod. 30.7, 8. Revel. 5.8. The qualities of a good prayer are very well ſet out by that incenſe.Prayer, and the incenſe, compared.
1. The incenſe was made of four ſweet Odours, Exod. 30.34. which inſinuate the four vertues requiſite to ſweeten our prayers, Faith, Aſſurance, Charity, Humility.
2. This incenſe was offer'd in the inner part of the Temple, Bellarmine.where was the Tables of the Teſtimony, and the golden Altar. We are the Temples of the Holy Ghoſt, the inner part is the ſoul in which is the Law of God written with his finger: The Will is the golden Altar, to wit, a clean heart adorned with grace; from ſuch the incenſe of prayer muſt come.
3. The High Prieſt only was to offer this incenſe: The High Prieſt is Chriſt, and by him, as our Advocate, we muſt have acceſs to God, and conclude all our prayers, per Jeſum Chriſtum Dominum noſtrum.
4. The incenſe was put on the fire morning and evening, and thence aroſe a ſmoke, which aſcended upward directly: This fire, which ſends the ſweet ſmoke and perfume of our prayers directly upward, is the fervour of our deſire: Moreover, in the right aſcenſion, is to be noted the right intention, and the careful attention in our prayers: If made to be ſeen of men, the incenſe is diſtorted by ſome temporal reſpect, it aſcends not right upwards: If we wander in our devotions, it is not directed as it ought; and becauſe it is hard to avoid this evagation in prayer, David prayes, Dirigatur oratio mea ſicut incenſum.
5. To this may be added, That the incenſe was offered morning and evening, and ſo our prayers ſhould be at leaſt.
But why doth David pray, That his prayer might be accepted rather as the evening Sacrifice, and not as that of the morning?
Perhaps this might be, becauſe the evening Sacrifice might be more noble, as a figure of Chriſts Sacrifice on the Croſs, which was to be at the evening.
2. His ſecond Petition is, The ſecond part. His prayer for his tongue.That God would reſtrain his tongue, that he might know when to ſpeak, and when to be ſilent; for he that offends not in his tongue, is perfect, James 3.2. There is a time to keep ſilence, and a time to ſpeak, Eccleſ. 3.7. He prayes therefore, Set a watch, O Lord, Ver. 3 before my mouth, and keep the door of my lips. The Vulgar read it, Pone oſtium circumſtantiae labiis meis. Circumſtances v…ry things much, and therefore men ought to deſire of God to know when, where, how to ſpeak, as well as what to ſpeak.
Note here again, That the Metaphor is borrowed from the Watch and Gate of a City, which, if it be ſafely kept, neceſſary it is, that it have both a Watch and a Gate, that thoſe be ſuffered to go our, who ought, and thoſe be not ſuffered to go out, that ought not: The Gate will not ſuffice to do this without the Watch; for it will be alwayes ſhut, or alwayes open: And the Watch without the Gate ſhall not eaſily do it; both together will keep all in ſafety. and therefore David deſires both; a watch to his gate, his mouth, that might diligently obſerve what worde went out, and with his words, what thoughts of his heart, levt he be taken by them. Now this Watch-man is Prudence; and alſo a conſtant, ſtrong, and continual gate for his watch, that might be ſhut and opened at pleaſure, or as occaſion required; which gate, is Charity. Farther yet, this watch and gate may ſignifie the two faculties of the Soul, the Underſtanding and Will: The underſtanding to be as the warch, that a man may know when, and how, and what to ſpeak, and alſo to be ſilent: The Will the gate, that a man open, and be bold to ſpeak what he ought, and fear to ſpeak what he ought not.
3. His third Petition is for his heart, becauſe it is deceitful above all things, Ver. 4 and man is weak, and falls often; therefore he prayes for grace and aſſiſtance from God.3For his heart
1. Incline not my heart; that is, ſuffer not my heart to be inclined, bent, ſet to any evil thing; or as the Vulgar, In verba malitiae, to malicious wickedneſs.
2. Let it not come however to practice: Incline not my heart to practiſe wicked works, with men that work iniquity, being invited by their example, familiarity and cuſtom. The Vulgar reads it, Ad excuſandas excuſationes in peccatis, to excuſe, defend, or frame pretences to ſin.
3. And let me not eat of their dainties: Let me not partake with them in their Feaſts, their Doctrines, their feigned Sanctity, their Hypocriſie, or Power, Dignities, Riches, foreign. Vulgar, Non communicabo cum electis corum, with thoſe things which they make choice of, as they would of dainties.
4. The third part. He prayes that he may meet with a true friend to reprove him.His fourth Petition is, That if occaſion of Reproof, and brotherly Admonition be given, that he may meet with a true friend, that may reprehend him out of love, and in a charitable manner; not with flatterers, that may ſooth him up in his wicked way, and deceive him.
1. Let the Righteous ſmite me, ſmite with a Reproof, able to heal my ſin. Ver. 5
2. It ſhall be a kindneſs; I ſhall reckon it is an act of mercy and charity from him, I know he will not do it in the gall of bitterneſs, to diſgorge his ſpleen, or revenge an injury; but to ſave a ſoul: Neither will I verifie the Proverb, Obſequium amicos, veritas odium parit; for I will love him for it; It ſhall be a kindneſs to me: He verified it in Nathan.
3. And let him reprove me, it ſhall be an excellent oyle: An excellent oyle to heal my wounds of ſin; and the blow of Reproof he gave me, which ſhall not break my head, but being broken, cures it. Ver. 5
5. The Preface to the next Petition.His fifth Petition, is ſet down in the next verſe, to which he premits this Preface, Yet my prayer ſhall be in their calamities; and both the Petition and Preface to it are very difficult; it is diverſly read.
Vulgar, Quoniam adhuc & oratio mea in beneplacitis corum. And the ſenſe this, I am ſo far from communicating with them, that my prayer ſhall be to God, in beneplacitis corum; i. e. againſt thoſe vices and wickedneſſe in which they pleaſe themſelves.
And Moller to the ſame purpoſe reads it, Quia adhuc oratio mea contra malitiam corum.
Hierom. Pro malitiis eorum. Faelix. Inter mala corum. Pagnin. Ut eruat me à malis corum.
Muſculus. Nam adhuc oratio mea adverſum eorum mala dirigitur.
Junius. Quo amplius fecerit, eo amplius ratio mea erit in malis eorum: And he expounds his meaning thus, What evil ſoever they ſhall do me, it ſhall not imbitter my mind, but they ſhall rather cauſe me that I commend them to God by grateful prayers.
The Petition, Ver. 6 if it be a Petition, is ſet down in ver. 6. But it is read ſo many wayes, He prayes againſt their. Magiſtrates.that I know not well what to ſay of it.
Muſculus reads it thus, Praecipites dentur velut de rupe judices corum: Audiſsent verba mea, ſi dulcia fuiſsent. And ſo 'tis a plain Petition. Let their Nobles, great men, Magiſtrates be caſt down head-long, and periſh, as Malefactors thrown off a Rock; for they would have heard my words and counſels I gave them, had they been pleaſing, flattering, ſmoothed them in their wayes, and ſweet to them; but becauſe they diſpleaſed, they would not hear; therefore let them periſh, as they deſerve.
Moller reads, Dejecti, or precipita ſunt ad manus pene. The Vulgar, 2Another ſenſe of this verſe.Abſorpti ſunt juncti pene judices corum, & audient ſermones meos, quia ſuaves ſunt. The Vulgar, Andient verba, quoniam potuerunt: But it is probable the Latine Tranſlator reads, foreign, for foreign.
Our Engliſh Verſion, When their Judges are overthrown in ſtony places, they ſhall hear my words for they are ſweet. All theſe Tranſlations will carry this ſenſe; i.e. When their Judges, that is, thoſe to whom the chief Judicature is committed, ſhall be caſt from their Seats, Authority, Dignity, and puniſh'd, and ſplit, and ſwallow'd up, as men are by the Sea, when the Ship is daſh'd againſt a Rock. They, ſaith Moller, that is, the people, who ſeduced by them, took part againſt David, being terrified by their puniſhment, ſhall hereafter hearken to my words; leave Saul and his party, and cleave to me in their hearts; for my words are ſweet: or, potuerunt, powerful, efficacious to convert their hearts, and pleaſant and delightful to the minds of them over whom they prevail.
Junius reads the verſe, 3And yet a third.At dimovent ſe per latera petrarum judi…s iſlorum, quamvis intelligant ſermones meos amoenos eſſe: And makes this ſenſe of it, Although that their own conſcience doth ſufficiently check theſe my perſecutors, and teach them the equity of my cauſe, yet they wait and beſet all the ſides of the Mountains, or Rocks, in which I am forced to pitch my Tents, that they may lie in Ambuſh for me; and that not only the Vulgar, the Ziphits, Mahanites, with others; but alſo the chiefeſt of Sauls Followers and Captains; yea, although they know that my words have been mild to them, Which the words following juſtifie.and I have not offended them in the leaſt matter.
And this ſenſe the verſe following will juſtifie: Our bones are ſcattered at the Graves mouth, as when one cuts and cleaves wood upon the earth: That is, Ver. 7 They beſet me and my company with ſuch violence, that we deſpair of life, and muſt lay our bones unburied in the Wilderneſs, to be ſcattered here and there, The laſt part.as Chips, except thou, O Lord, ſhalt ſuccour us, and ſend us preſent help; and therefore he goes on, and preſents, Ver. 8
6. A ſixth Petition, which hath two parts.6The laſt petition for his own ſafety.
1. But my eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord, in thee is my truſt.
2. Leave not my ſoul deſtitute.
1. For his own ſafety and deliverance: Leave not my ſoul deſtitute; ſuffer me not to fall into then hands, to the loſs of my life.
2. Which is grounded upon his hope and confidence in God: My eyes are unto thee, I depend on thee, I look for help from thee; O God, the Lord, in thee is my truſt. The other part of his Petition is,
3. Keep me from the ſnare which they have laid for me, Ver. 9 and the gins of the workers of iniquity: Keep me from their Frauds, Deceits, Ambuſhes, which as Fowlers and Hunters they ſet for me.
4. And laſtly, He imprecates confuſion to fall upon his enemies heads, and reiterates his Petition for his own ſafety.
1. Let the wicked fall into their own Nets: Neque. n. Ver. 10 lex juſtior ulla.And imprecates vengeance on the wicked.
2. But let me ever eſcape them, paſs by, or through them, unhurt.
A Prayer collected out of the One hundred and forty one Pſalm.
O LORD, Ver. 1 being beſet with many ſorrows and dangers, I cry unto thée, make haſte to help me, O my God, and ſend me ſome ſpeedy deliverance, leſt if thou make as if thou heareſt not; I become like them that go down into the pit. Give eare therefore now unto my voice, when my ſoul being heavie unto the death, with fervor and affectionate ſighs I cry unto thée. O let my prayer which I preſent to thée on the Altar of a ſincere heart, by the interceſſion of Ieſus Chriſt my Lord, Ver. 2 he a ſwéet perfume in thy noſtrils, accepted and ſet before thée as was that Incenſe, which as offered unto thée upon the golden Altar by the High Prieſt in the Holy of Holieſts, and let this lifting up my hands be as grateful and pleaſing to thée, as was the evening ſacrifice.
And firſt of all, Ver. 3 O Lord, becauſe I am prone to offend in my tongue. I beſéech thée, ſet a watch before my mouth, that I may obſerve what words are fit to go forth, and what fit to be kept in, and keep the door of my lips, that it may not open or ſhut but by prudence and charity. Suffer me not to ſpeak, but what I ought, and as I ought, and when I ought, and where I ought. Let my words be ever gracious, Ver. 4 and ſeaſoned with ſalt. And becauſe the errors of the tongue procéeds from the vanity and corruption of the heart, ſuffer not my heart to be enclined to any malicious wickedneſſe; or if ſuch a conception be formed within, let it never come into act and practiſe. O let me never be ſo deſtitute of thy grace, to practiſe wicked works with men that work iniquity, and ſo far be ſeduced by their example, familiarity, and ſociety, as to eate of their dainties, and communicate with them in their hypocriſie, their fained ſanctity, their ſpecious doctrines, their ill acquired riches and power, or with them ſeek for excuſes to defend what to ſatisfie andpleaſe their own luſts they have gréedily made choice of.
If at any time being overcome by the weakneſſe and frailty of my fleſh, Ver. 5 I ſhall indulge overmuch to my deſires, and be overtaken in an offence, ſend ſome ſpiritual guide who may ſmite me friendly, and reſtore me in the ſpirit of méekneſſe. This I ſhall reckon as a mercy to my ſoul. Let ſuch a man reprove me and it ſhall be as an excellent oyl to cure my ulcerous ſoul. But never permit the ſmooth balm and oyly words of the wicked to fall on my head, nor their flatteries and ſothing applauſes ſo pleaſe my heart, that thereby I be cheriſhed, and nuzzled up in my groſſeſt ſins. For ſo far I am from ſéeking the favor of the wicked, that I ſhall alway pray againſt their malice and wickedneſſe.
At this time they ſet and beſiege the rocky hills, Ver. 6 and ſtoy the paſſages to take away my life. They hunt for my ſoul as a Partridge upon the mountains. O Lord, let their chief conductors and leaders be overthrown and daſhed to pieces, as a ſhip againſt the rocks. So ſhall it come to paſſe, that the people who have followed them in ſimplicity of heart, and whom theſe Princes have ſeduced, ſhall hereafter give better héed to my words which I ſounded in their eares of piety and iuſtice, and mine own innocence. For theſe were and are in themſelves able to work in them a penitent and obedient heart, and to the penitent and obedient they will be very …éet and delightful. Ver. 7 For, till this be effected, and their converſion wrought, I, and all my followers and adherents are in very great danger, that our lives ſhall be taken away in theſe mountanous places, and our dead bodies ly unburied in this wilderneſſe, and conſequently our bones ſcattered at the graves mouth, as when one cuts and cleaves wood upon the earth.
But O thou my Lord God, becauſe my eyes are alway intent on thée, and all my hope and truſt is placed in thée, Ver. 8 leave not my ſoul deſtitute, ſuffer me not to fall into their hands, who ſéek to take away my life. Ver. 9 Kéep me that I be not taken in their ſnares, which they have laid for me, and thoſe gins which theſe workers of iniquity have twiſted and cunningly diſpoſed for my ruine. But let the wicked fall into their nets, Ver. 10 and be taken in the crafty wilineſſe which they have imagined, but let me and the people which ſerve thée in ſincerity and truth, for ever eſcape them by the merits of Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. Amen.