Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 120
PSAL. CXX.
A Song of degrees] A moſt excellent Song. Tremellius rendreth it; and ſo indeed this and the fourteen following are, both for the matter, and for the form or manner of expreſſion which is wondrous ſhort and ſweet, as the very Epigrammes of the Holy Ghoſt himſelf, wherein each verſe may well ſtand for an oracle. And in this ſenſe, Adam Hammahalah, or a man of degrees is put for an eminent or excellent man, 1 Chron. 17.17. Others underſtand it otherwiſe; wherein they have good leave to abound in their own ſenſe; ſith ſine pericul… hic erratur, an errour here is not dangerous.
Verſ. 1 In my diſtreſſe I cryed unto the Lord] Oration … eſt, ut avis ſi… alis, Diſtreſs addeth wings to our devotions. Our Saviour being in an agony prayed more earneſtly Luk. 22.44. So do all his members, and eſpecially when they ly… under the laſh of a lying tongue, as here verſ. 2. Being defamed wee pray, ſaith Paul, 1. Cor; 4.15.
And … ] The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much, Jam. 5.16. Z…ch. 13.9. Hee that prayeth ardently, ſpeedeth aſſuredly, Pſal 91.15. and the unmiſcarrying return of prayer ſhould bee carefully obſerved, and thankfully improved, Pſal. 66. ult.
Verſ. 2. Deliver my ſoul, O Lord, from lying lips] This was Davids diſtreſſe, and it lay heavy upon his ſpirit; ſo it did upon Jobs and Jeremies, chap. 20.10. the ſcourge of tongues hee felt as ſharp as Scorpions. Of the miſchief of an evil tongue, See James 3. & Pſal. 52. & Pſal. 12.3. with the Notes.
Verſ. 3 What ſhall hee given unto thee, &c] That is (as Auſtin ſenſeth it) w…at remedy is there for thee? q. d. None at all. Contra ſycophantarum morfum non eſt remedium, ſaith Seneca. But others better, what gain getteſt thou? what profit makeſt thou of thy lying and ſlandering? Hurt thou mayeſt another, but not help thy ſelf. Thou art not like the Maid whom Avic… ſpeaketh of, who feeding her ſelf with poyſon, was her ſelf healthy, yet infected others with her venomous breath: But rather like the traitour of whom Auguſtus ſaid, I like the treaſon, but hate the traitour. The ſlander is oft applauded, when the ſlanderer is abhorred.
Or what ſhall bee done unto thee?] Heb. Added; Nihil prater plagas duriſſ… a…, as verſ. 4.
Thou falſe tongue] This he ſeemeth to ſay to D…g, who is here called a falſe fellow, and a Lyar, though he ſpake but the truth againſt the Lord Prieſts, becauſe not for any love to the Truth, nor for reſpect to Juſtice, nor for the bettering either of Saul, or the Prieſts, but only to prejudice theſe, and to incenſe the other.
Verſ. 4 Sharp Arrows of the mighty] Arrows ſharp, and ſhot with a force. A falſe tongue is likened to a ſharp razour, Pſal. 52.4. to a ſharp ſword, Pſal. 57.5. to ſharp arrows, Prov. 25.18. here it hath ſharp for ſharp; as God loveth to retaliate; and he is the Giant, or mighty one here, that ſhooteth theſe ſharpeſt ſha…ts, that inflicteth moſt exquiſite puniſhments on ſuch; as once on Dives, whoſe tongue ſmoaked for it, Quia lingua plus peccaverat, as ſaith a Father, becauſe hee had ſo offended with his tongue.
With coals of Juniper] Which being a …at kind of wood of gummy or ſalty matter,Flamma redardeſcit quae modo nulla …it. Theophraſt. Plin. maketh a very ſcorching fire, and quick coals, ſuch as laſt long (ſome ſay a month and more) and ſmell ſweet; loc upon theſe coals will God broyl lying lips, and a deceitful tongue, pleaſing himſelf and others in that execution.
Verſ. 5. Wo is …e that I ſojourn in Meſech] that is, in Muſcovi… ſay ſome, in Hetruria ſay others, in Cappadocia rather, Mag…gs Country, Ezek 38. any where out of the boſome of the true Church, or (as ſome ſenſe it) in the Church, but among Iſraelites worſe than any Iſraelites o… Pagans.
That dwell in the … of K…dar] With C…darens or Sa…ac…, as they were afterwards called. Among theſe, David was in danger, Ne cum lupi… …, tande… & ipſe …. Guilt, or grief, a good man is ſure to get by being in bad company, which maketh him cry, O that I had the wings of a Dove, &c. or if that Oh will not ſet him at liberty, then he taketh up this, Wa… is me, to expreſs his miſery. Pi… v…re eſt …, & ſi dici …, vitiis alienis tribulari, … ſaith Auſtin, It is hard and happy not to comply with ill company.
Verſ. 6. My ſoul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace] With Saul, that implacable tyrant, and with other …. The very ſociety of ſuch (oe they … to a good ſoul; … Toads and other … it to a Saint to … Death-bed, and … the wicked, for thou …
Verſ. 7 I am for … But it is not peace, but pa…y, that many men mind, …
But when I ſpeak, they are for Warre] They cry the alarm, being … like they live in the fire of contention, Scorpion-like, that are always putting forth the ſting. Their ſpirits lye like that haven, Act. 27.12. … South-weſt and North-weſt, two oppoſite points: neither will they be otherwiſe, but the more they are ſought to, the worſe they are. This is the guiſe of graceleſs perſons.