Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 34
PSAL. XXXIV.
VErſ. 1. A Pſalm of David] An Alphabeticall Pſalm, which David (newly delivered from the Philiſtines,Semper in Eceleſia his Pſalmus piis ſuit commendatiſſimus. Moller. who had taken him priſoner, and preſented him to their King as a ſpeciall prize) compoſed with ſingular art; as fit to be committed to memory by all godly people, who may here meet with many excellent leſſons, and cordiall comforts.
When he changed his behaviour] Heb. guſt um, hoc eſt geſtum. This he did (being put to his ſhifts) but not without ſin,Lib. 3. Od. 11. for he was ſplendide mendax (as Horace ſaith of Hypermueſtra) at the beſt; neither can this diſſimulation or officious lye of his be excuſed; as ſome have by diſtinctions indeavoured it, but in vain.
Before Abimelech] Or, Achiſh, King of Gath, 1 Sam. 21. for he was binomini…, ſaith Aben-Ezra; or elſe Abimelech, that is, Father-King was his title of honour. As Auguſtus would be ſtiled Pater Patria, the Father of his Country. R. Solomon ſaith that Abimelech was a common name to all the Philiſtin-Kings, as Pharaoh to the Egyptian.
Who caſt him one] For a mad man, 1 Sam. 21.15. wherein there was a ſweet providence of God, who can order our diſorders to his own glory, and our good; like as an Artificer with a crooked tool can make ſtraight work; or as an Apothecary of a poyſonfull Viper can make a wholeſome triacle.
And he departed] Into ſome parts of Judea, where he might repent of his ſin firſt (as Peter did when got into a corner) and then compile this Pſalm of thankſgiving to God, who had ſo graciouſly delivered him out of that hard and hazardous condition, not only above, but againſt his deſert.
Verſ. 1. I will bleſſe the Lord at all times] As not ſatisfied with any thing I can do herein, at any time. The Saints have large hearts; and could bet eem the Lord a great deal more ſervice than they are able to perform. A certain Martyr ſaid at the ſtake, I am ſory that I am going to a place, where I ſhall be ever receiving wages, and do no more work.
His praiſe ſhall continually be in my mouth] For this remarkable mercy eſpecially, which I will ſtill be telling of, and ſpeaking good of Gods name to as many as I can poſſibly extend unto. This thankfull man was worth his weight in the gold of Ophir.
Verſ. 2. My ſoul ſhall make her boaſt in the Lord] This holy gloriation is a Chriſtians duty not to be neglected. The Church in the Canticles is much in it; and ſo is St. Paul. It ſheweth an heart full of joyes unſpeakable, and full of glory, 1 Pet. 1. 8. And beſides, God is thereby greatly glorified, Jer. 9.23, 24.
The humble ſhall hear thereof, and be glad] Not for my ſake only, but their own; as conceiving good hope of like deliverance. But then they muſt be as I am, not only humbled, but humble; low, but lowly.
Verſ. 3. O magnify the Lord with mee] As not ſufficient to do ſo great a work himſelf, he calleth in the help of others. We read of a Monſter rather than a man, who lying on his death bed, not only himſelf ſwore as faſt and as furiouſly as hee could, but deſperately deſired the ſtanders by to help him with oaths,Boltons, Aſſize-ſerm. and to ſwear for him. I knew the man, ſaith mine Author. And ſhould not wee much more call upon others to joyn their forces with ours in magnifying the Lord? Birds, when they come to a full heap of corn, will chirp and call in for their fellows. Charity is no churl; goodneſſe is diffuſive.
And let us exalt his name together] And ſo begin Heaven afore-hand. Aben-Ezra gloſſeth thus, Quaſi diceret, Nos omnes ſimul ad laudandum Deum ſumus imbecilles, we are all too weak for this work, though we ſhould all do our utmoſt at it.
Verſ. 4. I ſought the Lord] Even when I was in the enemies hands, and playing my pranks as a mad man amongſt them; I prayed ſecretly and inwardly, I ſent up ſome ejaculations (as Nehem. 2.4.) and was heard, though unworthy.
And delivered mee out of all my fears] Which were not a few, 1 Sam. 21.13. beſides his inward terrours upon his unwarrantable practices, to ſave his life. Senſe fights ſore againſt faith, when it is upon its own dunghill (in a ſenſible danger I mean) to the great diſturbance of the conſcience afterwards. George Marſh (afterwards a Martyr in Queen Maryes dayes.) being examined before the Earl of Derby, kept himſelf cloſe in the Sacrament of the Altar, as they called it. But afterward, thus he writeth to a friend; I departed much more troubled in my ſpirit than before; becauſe I had not with more boldneſſe confeſſed Chriſt, but in ſuch ſort as mine adverſaries thereby thought they ſhould prevail againſt mee; whereat I was much grieved; for hitherto I went about as much as in mee lay, to rid my ſelf out of their hands, if by any means without open denying of Chriſt and his word, that could be done, &c. Thus He; but no reſt he had in his mind,Act. & Mon… fol. 1419. till hee had better declared himſelf, though to the loſſe of his life. A man had better offend all the World, than his own conſcience. David, not without much ado, recovered his peace, for which he here heartily bleſſeth God.
Verſ. 5. They looked unto him, and were lightened] They, that is, my ſervants and fellow-ſouldiers who accompanied mee firſt to Nob, 1 Sam. 21.2, 4. Mat. 12.3, 4. and afterwards to Gath (as it is probable) theſe being in the ſame danger, looked likewiſe unto God by faith, hope, and prayer; and were lightened; that is, comforted, cheared, directed, yea delivered together with David. Or, They flowed together, viz. to God, as Rivers roll to the Sea, or malefactors run to the ſanctuary, Iſa. 2.2, & 60.5.
And their faces were not aſhamed] i.e. They were not repulſed, diſappointed, made to hide their heads, as Rev. 6.15, 16.
Verſ. 6. This peer man cried] Meaning himſelf, to whom it ſeemeth he pointed the finger, or laid his hand on his heart, when he ſaid, This poor man, Hic vilis, et evium Paſtor, ſaith Theoderèt, this mean Shepherd not long ſince; but rather, This miſerable ſinner, who whilome raſhly ran ſuch an hazard, and ſo unworthily deported himſelf in the preſence of King Achiſh; this poor Soul, I ſay, cried, but ſilently and ſecretly, as Moſes did at the red Sea, as Nehemiah did in the preſence of the King of Perſia.
And the Lord] Who might better be called the poor mans King, than was James 4. King of Scotland.
Heard him, and delivered him out of all his troubles] And the like he will do for all that in like caſe, being poor in ſpirit, make their humble addreſſes unto him. It is good to communicate unto others our experiences. See the like done, Pſal. 116.6. Rom. 8.2. 1 Tim. 1.15.
Verſ. 7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about, &c.] Not one Guardian-Angel only (as ſome have hence conceited) nor Michael the Arch-Angel only, that Angel of the Covenant, Jeſus Chriſt, as Auguſtine expoundeth this Text, but an Hoſt of created Angels, thoſe miniſtring Spirits, ſent forth to miniſter for them who ſhall be heirs of Salvation, Heb. 1.14. For although Chriſt the Captain of our Salvation needeth not their help, for the ſafe-guard of his people; yet for our comfort he maketh uſe of the holy Angels, who meet us ſtill, as they did Jacob at Mahanaim (where they made a lane for him, as the Guard doth for their Prince, as the word importeth) Gen. 32.1. they miniſter many bleſſings to us, though inviſibly; ſtand at our right hands, Luke 1.11. as ready to releeve us, as the Devils are to miſchief us,Sicut hoſtes ſunt in circuitu, Kimchi. Zech. 3.1. yea they pitch Camp round about us, as here (Oh the dignity and ſafety of a Saint in this reſpect!) fight in battel-array againſt our enemies, Dan. 10.20. (the Heathens ſpeak much of their Caſtor and Pollux fighting for them; and H…ſiod telleth of thirty thouſand demy-gods that were foreign Keepers of Mankind) and convey them at death, as they did Lazarus, through the enemies Country, the air, into Abrahams boſome, Luke 16.
Verſ. 8. O taſte and ſee, &c.] Viz. with the mouth of your minde, and with the eyes of your faith perceive, and experiment the goodneſs of God in chuſing, and uſing ſuch Inſtruments as the Angels, and otherwiſe, in the manifold expreſſions of his love to us; wherein if we take not comfort, the fault is meerly in our ſelves; we being like him who hath pleaſant and nouriſhing meat, but will not make uſe of it. The Saints taſte how good the Lord is, and thence long after him. Optima demonſtratio eſt à ſenſibus; as he that feels Fire hot, or as he that taſteth Hony ſweet, yee need not uſe arguments to perſwade him to beleeve it: So here, let a man but once taſte that the Lord is good, and he will thenceforth, as a new born Babe, deſire the ſincere Milk of the Word, 1 Pet. 2.2, 3. neither will he take any more content in the Worlds taſtleſs fooleries, than in the white of an Egge, or a dry chip.D. 4. dom. Guſtato ſpiritu deſipit omnis caro, ſaith Gerſon, All fleſh is ſavourleſs to him that hath taſted of the Spirit. Paul, after his Rapture, looked with ſcorn and pity on all the Worlds glittering Poverty. His mouth doth not water after homely proviſions, who hath lately taſted of delicate ſuſtenance. O let us get Spiritual ſenſes, habitually bitually exerciſed to diſcern good and evil, Heb. 5. ult. It is the Spirit that quickneth, the fleſh profiteth nothing, ſaith our Saviour to the Jews, q.d. yee accept not my words, becauſe yee have not the Spirit, yee have but fleſh, that is, a common knowledge, no ſound taſte; and therefore it is that my words reliſh not with you.
Bleſſed is the man, &c.] See Pſal. 2.12. with the Notes.
Verſ. 9.foreign quaſi foreign O fear the Lord yee his Saints] Yee that having taſted of Gods ſweetneſs, are ſeparated from the World, with its luſts, and can live with a little; Fear the Lord, and then you ſhall not need to fear want of any thing; for he is Allſufficient to thoſe who are altogether his, and with-draw not from him by miſtruſt, or miſdoing.
For there is no want to them that fear him] Habent omnia, qui habent habentem omnia. David, when captive among the Philiſtines, wanted not. Paul had nothing, and yet poſſeſſed all things. Contrarily, the wicked, in the fulneſs of his ſufficiency is in ſtraights, Job 20, 22.
Verſ. 10. The young Lions do lack and ſuffer hunger] And yet they will have it, if it be to be had. H &c eſt ſceleratorum imago, ſaith Beza. Lion-like wicked oppreſſors, rich Cormorants (as the Septuagint render it) who live on the ſpoil of poor people, and are never ſatisfied, do yet periſh with famine (as Eliphaz ſaith of the old Lion, Job 4.11.) and come oſt to great poverty; ſo that they pine away,Donec miſ… tabeſeant. Beza. and miſerably periſh.
But they that ſeek the Lord] That, content with his bleſſing alone, ſeek not their nouriſhment any other way but from his hand, and will rather lye in the duſt, than riſe by evil Principles; theſe have an autarkie, a ſelf-ſufficiency, ſuch as godlineſs is never without, 1 Tim. 6.6. Some Rabbins ſay,Aben-Ezra Loc. that the ſervants of Achiſh had almoſt famiſhed David (under pretence haply of reducing him to his right mind) but God ſuſtained him by Miracle, as he did Elias, 1 King. 17.
Shall not want any good thing] Want they may, this or that, which they may think would be good for them: but God knoweth it to be otherwiſe; or elſe they ſhould be ſure of it. Of good nothing followeth of it ſelf but good, but if by accident any evil followeth, yet it is turned into good to ſuch as ſeek the Lord in ſincerity.
Verſ. 11. Come yee children, hearken unto me] Yee that are little, and low in your own eyes, as ſeeing your want of holy Learning.
I will teach you the fear of the Lord] That beſt Trade, whereby you ſhall be ſure to be kept from want; for by humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life, Prov. 22.4. He then who ſhall teach this fear ſhould be honoured, and reſpected as a Father. The Jews at this day account a mans Maſter, or Tutor worthy of more reſpect than his Father: for he hath given him only his being,Leo Modena… the other his wel-being.
Verſ. 12. What man is he that deſireth life] This is Davids Doctrin; and to draw company about him, he proclaimeth and promiſeth that which he well knew every man coveteth, happy life, many days, and a comfortable enjoyment of all. Now, who is it that would have theſe, ſaith he? Auſtine bringeth in all ſorts, ſaying, Ego & ego, I would, and I would. But as all men deſire health, but few take a right courſe to get it, and keep it; ſo all would be happy, but few hearken to this wholſome counſel, for the compaſſing of true happineſs.
Verſ. 13. Keep thy tongue from evil, &c.] This is an hard ſaying, think the moſt; who will therefore rather venture it than yeeld to be ſo tied up. The Tongue is an unruly member, and can hardly be hampered. But who would not temper his tongue, and bind it to the good abearance, for true bleſſedneſs? Who would not rather bite it off, and ſpit it out (as that ancient Martyr did his, into the face of the Tyrant, who ſolicited him to deny Chriſt) than miſs of Heaven? Ficinus after his Tracts De ſanitate tuenda, of keeping good health; and another, of recovering health; and a third, of prolonging life; becauſe all will not do, wiſely addeth a fourth; Of laying hold on eternal life; which cannot be done, but by mortifying this earthly member, a looſe and lewd tongue. For by thy words thou ſhalt be juſtified, and by thy words thou ſhalt be condemned, ſaith the Judge himſelf, Mat. 12.37. Compare Gen. 49.21. with Deut. 33.23. and it will appear that good words ingratiate with God and Men.
Verſ. 14. Depart from evil, and do good] For negative goodneſs helpeth not. A man muſt ſo abſtain from evil, as that he do good, or he doth nothing. It is ſaid of Ithacius, that the hatred of the Priſcillian Hereſie was the beſt that could bee ſaid of him; this was but a ſlender commendation.
Seek peace and purſue it] As Hunters do the prey. If it fly from thee, make after it; it will pay thee for thy pains. It is ſaid of Frederick the Third, Emperour, that by putting up many injuries, he reigned quietly fifty and three years, and five months. He had need be patient that would be at peace. Vt habeas quietum tempus, Val. Max. Chriſtian. 30 Auguſtin.perde aliquid, was a Proverb at Carthage; not unlike that of ours, Do any thing for a quiet life. Concedamus de jure ut careamus lite. And if, in this purſute of peace, thou meet with many rubs and remoraes, yet be not diſcouraged, conſidering what follows in the two next verſes.
Verſ. 15. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous] He ſeeth and weigheth the wrongs they ſuſtain for peace ſake, and they ſhall be no loſers thereby; provided that their purſute of peace proceed from the filiall fear of God, which David here profeſſeth to teach, Verſ. 11. Gods eyes are intent, his ears attent to theſe righteous ones. Palàm, clàm (as Aben-Ezra here) openly, ſecretly, he will right them and recompenſe them. Should not God ſee, as well as hear (ſaith another) his children ſhould want many things. Wee apprehend not all our own wants, and ſo cannot pray for relief of all. Hee (of his own accord without any monitor) is wont to aid us.
And his ears are open to their cry] Heb. Are to their cry. Or, (as St. Peter hath it) His ears are into their prayers; 1 Pet. 3…to ſhew, that though their prayers are ſo faint and feeble that they cannot enter into the ears of the Lord of Hoaſts, yet that he will bow down and incline his ears unto, nay into their prayers, their breathings, Lam. 3.56.
Verſ. 16. The face of the Lord is againſt them that do evill] Let not ſuch dream of a long and happy life, as Verſ. 12. This they are apt to do; but ſhall be carried from a fooles Paradiſe to a true priſon. For that people may not imagin God to be foreign, and ſo made up of mercy, as to forget his judgements, the Wicked are here affured, that the face of the Lord is againſt them, that he beholdeth them from Heaven with a terrible countenance, that he is grievouſly angry with them, and will ſurely and ſeverely puniſh them; and theirs after them.
To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth] And ſo to croſſe them in the thing that they moſt coveted, viz. to renown themſelves amongſt men. God writeth them in the earth (in oppoſition to thoſe, whoſe names are written in Heaven, Luk. 10.) becauſe they forſook the Lord the fountain of living waters, Jer. 17.13.
Verſ. 17. The Righteous cry, &c.] This is often inculcated for our better aſſurance; becauſe we are apt to doubt, if delayed. See verſ. 6.
Verſ. 18. The Lord is nigh unto them, &c.] More nigh than the bark is to the Tree, for he is with them, and in them continually; pouring the oyl of his grace into theſe broken veſſells, quorum corda pecc at a corum non amplius retinent, ſed, ut vas fractum, effundunt, faith Aben-Ezra here, whoſe hearts retain not their ſins any longer, but poure them out as water before the Lord.
And ſaveth ſuch as bee of a contrite spirit] Such as are ground to pouder, as it were, with ſenſe of ſin, and fear of wrath; yet not without good hope of mercy. Theſe God delivereth out of their dangers; and in fine bringeth them to eternall bleſſedneſſe.
Verſ. 19. Many are the troubles, &c.] Dei ſunt nuntii, theſe are Gods meſſengers, faith Kimchi; and they ſeldome come ſingle. See Jam. 1.2. with the Note. Sent they are alſo to the Wicked, Pſal. 32.10. but on another errand, and for another end. The Righteous per anguſt a ad auguſtum, per spinas ad roſas, per motum ad quietem, per procell as ad portum, per crucem ad coelum contendunt, through many tribulations they enter into Gods Kingdome. Not ſo the Wicked; their croſſes are but a typicall Hell.
But the Lord delivereth him out of them all] No Country hath more venemous Creatures, none more Antidotes than Egypt; ſo godlineſſe hath many troubles, and as many helps againſt trouble.
Verſ. 20. He keepeth all his bones] Which are very many. Perhaps (ſaith AbenEzra here) David had been ſcourged by the Philiſtines, but his bones were not broken; nor were our Saviours, Joh. 19.36.
Verſ. 21. Evill ſhall ſlay the Wicked] For lack of ſuch deliverance, as verſ. 19. malum jugulat au thorem mali. Their malice ſhall prove their miſchief. The Arabick hath it (but not right) mors impii peſſima. Aben-Ezra better ſenſeth it thus, One affliction killeth the Wicked; when out of many, God delivereth the Righteous.
Verſ. 22. The Lord redeemeth the ſoules of his ſervants] Though to themſelves and others they may ſeem helpleſſe and hopeleſſe, yet they ſhall not periſh in … fins, and for their ſins, as do the Wicked.