Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 139 – Psalm 140
PSAL. CXXXIX.
A Pſalm of David] There is not in all the five books of Pſalms, ſo notable a one as this (ſaith Aben-Ezra concerning the wayes of God, and the workings of conſcience. It was penned, ſaith the Syriack Interpreter, upon occaſion of Shime… 's railing upon him for a bloody man, and a Belialiſt, 2 Sam. 16. Here therefore hee purgeth himſelf by an appeal to God; and delivereth up his falſe-accuſers to Gods juſt judgement, verſ. 19.
Verſ. 1 O Lord thou hast ſearched mee and known mee] Even mine heart and reins (Jer. 17.10.) haſt thou ſearched as with lights, (Zeph. 1.12.) by an exact ſcrutiny, by a ſoul-ſearching inquiſition; whereby thou art come to know mee thorough and thorough: Not only Mee naturall, as verſ. 15, 16. but alſo Mee civil and morall, as verſe 2.3, &c. neither ſtayeth thy knowledge in the porch or lobbies (my words and wayes) but paſſeth into the preſence, yea privy-Chamber: for
Verſ. 2 Thou knoweſt my down-ſitting, and mine up-riſing] All my poſtures, geſtures, practices, ſive ſedeam, ſive ſ…rgam, whether I ſit, ſtand, walk, lye; thou ſearcheſt and knoweſt all. Some ſearch, but know not; thou doſt both: thine eyes behold, thine eye-lidstry the Children of men, Pſal. 11.4. See the Note there.
Thou underſtandeſt my thought] Heb. My familiar thoughts, ſuch as I am delighted in, voluntatem meam, ſome render it, my will; others, propinquitatem meam, my nearneſs; and that afar off, even from Heaven, being intimo meo mihi intimior, not ſo far from mee as the bark is from the tree, the skin from the fleſh, or the fleſh from the bones.
A far off] Eminus, à longe pranoviſti, …tequam movea…ur, ſaith Chriſoſtom; thou knoweſt my thoughts before I have conceived them; my thoughts in Paſſe, from all eternity: ſo great is thy ſagacity and perſpicacity. As a man that knoweth what roots hee hath in his Garden, though there bee not a flower appearing, yet hee can ſay, when the Spring comes, this and this will come up: ſo here; God knows our whole frame, our Principles, &c.
Verſ. 3 Thou compaſſeſt my path] Or, Thou wi…ſt; if there bee any chaff or traſh, thou wilt make it flye; thou art at both ends of all my works, and enterprizes, both by day and by night, Per… & per…. Neither art thou only at my fingers ends, but at my tongues end too.
Verſ. 4 For there is not a word in my tongue] Though not yet uttered, or but whiſpered only.
Thou knoweſt it altogether] Every tittle of it; thou underſtandeſt the language of mens hearts.
Verſ. 5 Thou haſt beſet … behind and … ] As a beaſt that is purſued, as an enemy that is begirt and invironed. And leſt I ſhould think by ſome means to make eſcape, (as David did from Saul and his Hoſt, by a providence, 1 Sam. 23.27. as Hannibal did from the Romanes by a ſtratagem.)
Thou … ] A…by an … ſo that I am thy priſoner, and cannot ſtir a foot from thee.
Verſ. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderfull for mee] I can hardly conceive of this thine omniſcience, and omnipreſence, but am ready to meaſure thee by my ſelf, and according to mine own module. And indeed, for a creature to beleeve the infinite Attributes of God, hee is never able to do it thoroughly, without ſupernaturall grace.
I… i… high, I cannot attain unto it] Sith it far exceedeth the reach of reaſon, and is much above my capacity and underſtanding. I ſtand at gaze, and am agaſt, and that is the neareſt that I a poor finite fooliſh creature can come to ſo infinite a wiſdome. It was therefore a good ſpeech of them who being asked what God was? anſwered, Si ſcirem, Deus eſſem, If I knew that, I ſhould be a God.
Verſ. 7 Whither ſhall I go from thy Spirit? Here he argueth Gods omniſcience from his omnipreſence; and this the Heathens alſo had heard of, as appeareth by their Jovis omnia plena; and —quaſcu… que acceſſeris oras. Sub Jove ſemp… eris, &c.
Empedocles could ſay, that God is a circle, whoſe center is every where, whoſe circumference is no where. They could tell us that God is the ſoul of the World: and that as the ſoul is tota in toto, & tota in qualibet parte, ſo is hee that his eye is in every corner, &c. to which purpoſe they ſo pourtraied their goddeſs Minerva, that which way ſoever one caſt his eye, ſhee alwayes beheld him. But theſe divine notions they might have by tradition from the Patriarches: and whether they beleeved themſelves in theſe and the like, ſayings, is much to bee doubted.
Or whither ſhall I flee from thy preſence?] Surely no whither: they that attempt it, do but as the fiſh which ſwimmeth to the length of the line, with an hook in the mouth.
Verſ. 8 If I aſcend up into Heaven thou art there] That's thy proper place; and there Aristotle in his book of the World ad Alexand… affirmeth that God is only, eſſentialit…r & act…. This was to proclaim himſelf an arrant Atheiſt: for God filleth all places, and is comprehended of no place, being totally preſent, whereſoever preſent; for wee muſt not conceive that God is commenſurable by the place, as if hee were partly here, and partly elſewhere; but every where, all-preſent.
Verſ. 9 If I take the wings of the morning] The morning light is diffuſed in an inſtant all the whole w…lkin over. If I could flye never ſo ſwiftly from one end of the Heaven to the other, ſaith David, I ſhould bee never the near. This is a poeticall expreſſion.
And dwell in the uttermoſt parts of the Sea] Or of the Weſt, whither the Sun ſetting is ſaid to haſten, and hide himſelf. The Syriack and Arabick have it, If I take the wings of the Eagle and dwell, &c. And of the Eagle they write, that when ſhee would change her feathers, ſhee falleth down into the Sea.
Verſ. 10 Even there ſhall thy hand lead mee] i. e. Thy Power and Providence ſhall diſpoſe of mee, I ſhall flee but from thy hand, to thy hand as guilty Jonas did.
Verſ. 11 The darkneſſe ſhall cover mee] The Hebrew phraſe is taken from Beaſts that lye a ſquat, ſaith D…odat. Nocte latent mende, ſed non Deum. The guilty conſcience ſharketh up and down for comfort, but getteth none.
Verſ. 12 Yea the darkneſs bideth not] Heb. Darkeneth not from thee, becauſe thine eyes are fiery, Rev. 1.14. ſuch as need no outward light: they are more light and radiant than the Sun in his ſtrength.
The darkneſs and the light &c.] Deo obſcura clarent, muta reſpondent, ſilenti… confitetur, ſaith an Ancient: Night will convert it ſelf into noon before God: and ſilence prove a ſpeaking evidence.
Verſ. 13 For thou haſt poſſeſſed my reins] The ſeat of mine affections Thoughts kindle affections, and theſe cauſe thoughts to boil; they are cauſes one of another, and both well known to God. For who poſſeſſeth lands or houſes, but hee knoweth the right title and rooms thereof, ſaith an Expoſitour?T. W.
Thou haſt covered mee in my Mothers womb] But not from thine all peircing eyes, though in ſo dark a place, and wrapt up in ſec…d…es.
Verſ. 14 I will praiſe thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully, made] … operibus t…s, ſaith Montan…s; neither can I wonder enough at thy workmanſhip. The greateſt miracle in the World is man; in whoſe very body (how much more in his ſoul?) are miracles enow (betwixt head and feet) to fill a volume. Auſtin complaineth that men much wonder at high mountains of the earth, huge waves of the Sea, deep falls of rivers, the vaſtneſs of the Ocean, the motions of the ſtars, & relinquunt ſeipſos nec mirantur, but wonder not at all at their wonderfull ſelves.Fernel. de ab…. rerum cau…. Galen, a prophane Phyſician, writing of the excellent parts of mans body, and comming to ſpeak of the double motion of the lungs could not chuſe but ſing an hymn to that God, whoſoever hee were, that was author of ſo excellent and admirable a peece of work.
And that my ſoul knoweth right well] That is, ſo well, as to draw hearty praiſes from mee to my Maker. But for any exact inſight, hear Salomon; As thou knoweſt not what is the way of the ſpirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even ſo thou knoweſt not the works of God, who maketh all, Eccleſ. 11.5. Some read the words thus, Thy works are wonderfull, and ſo is my ſoul which knoweth right well. q. d. my rationall and intelligent ſoul is an admirable peece indeed. Nothing in the World, ſaith one, is ſo well worthy to bee wondred at as man, nothing in man, as his ſoul.
Verſ. 15 My ſubſtance was not hid from mee] Oſſati… mea, id eſt oſſium … tuum compages, …embles miſ…hief of ignor.the ſtructure of my bones and joynts. But was not hee a wiſe man (and yet wiſe enough otherwiſe) who being asked upon his death-bed what his ſoul was? ſeriouſly anſwered; that hee knew not well; but hee thought it was a great bone in the middle of his body?
Was not hid from thee] For thou haſt both the names and number of every part, to a nerve or an artery; Aquinas ſaith, that at the Reſurrection, the bodies of the Saints ſhall bee ſo clear and tranſparent, that all the veins, humours, nerves, and bowels ſhall bee ſeen, as in a glaſs. Tis ſure, that they are ſo to God, when firſt formed in the womb.
When I was made in ſecret] That is, in the womb of my Mother. As curious workmen, …de Lactant. … Dei opificio …alen. de uſu …rt. Cic. 2. de …t. dear.when they have ſome choice peece in hand, they perfect it in private; and then bring it forth to light, for men to gaze at: ſo here.
And curiouſly wrought] Variegatus, & quaſi acu pictus, Embroidered and wrought as with the needle; whence man is called a Microcoſm, or little World. Bodine obſerveth, that there are three regions within mans body (beſides all that is ſeen without) anſwerable to thoſe three regions of the World Elementary, Etherial, and Celeſtial. His entrails and whatſoever is under his heart reſemble the Elementary region, wherin only there is Generation and Corruption; …. N…. …The heart and vitals that are divided from thoſe entrails by the Diaphragma, reſemble the Ethereall Region: as the brain doth the heavenly, which conſiſteth of intelligible creatures.
In the loweſt parts of the earth] That is, in my Mothers womb, as before. See Ep…eſ. 4.9. The Syriack interpreteth it (but not ſo well) when I ſhall dye, and be buried, and my bones turned to aſhes, yet thou ſhalt know them.
Verſ. 16 Thine eyes did ſee my ſubſtance] Galmi; eſt ſemen coagulatum ante formationem membrorum, ſaith Kimchi; when I was but an Embryo, or hardly ſo much. Diſponit Deus membra culicis, & pulicis, ſaith Austin how much more of man? The word ſignifieth my wound-up or unwrought-up maſs.
And in thy book all my members are written] A metaphor from curious workmen, that do all by the book, or by a modell ſet before them, that nothing may bee deficient, or done amiſs. Had God left out an eye in his common-place book, ſaith One, thou hadſt wanted it.
Which in Continuance] In proceſs of time, and by degrees.
When as yet there was none of them] But all was a rude lump. This is a great ſecret of nature, and to bee modeſtly ſpoken of.
How precious alſo are thy thoughts unto mee] i. e. The thoughts of thy wiſdome, power, and goodneſs, clearly ſhining in theſe wondrous works of thine: it does my heart good to think and ſpeak of them.
How great is the ſumm of them] viz. Of my works, and of thy thoughts thereon. I cannot count them, much leſs comprehend them. To blame are ſuch as trouble not their heads at all about theſe matters. Surely when the Lord made … head with ſo many cloſures and coverings to his brain, the ſeat of underſtanding, hee intended it for ſome precious treaſure. Many locks and keys argue the price of the Jewell they are to keep; and many papers wrapping a token within them, the uſe of that token.
Verſ. 18 If I ſhould count them, &c.] q. d. They are: infinite and innumerable. Archimedes that great Mathematician bragged, that hee could number all the ſands in the habitable and inhabitable World, but no man ever beleeved him. See 1 Sam. 13.5. 2. Sam. 17.11. Pſal. 78.27.
When I awake, I am ſtill with thee] Still taken up with ſome holy contemplation of thy works, and wiſdome. Theſe thoughts I fall aſleep with, and theſe I awake with. As I take up my fire ore night, ſo I finde it in the morning.
Verſ. 19 Surely thou wilt ſlay the wicked] Thoſe that traduce and ſlander mee for an Hypocrite and a Belialiſt. Some render it, O that thou wouldeſt ſlay them! in as much as they hate mee for my zeal, and forwardneſs to turn the wheel of Juſtice over them, and to give them their due and condign puniſhment; for, for mine own part, I cannot abide them, but bid them Avaunt, with
Depart from mee, yee bloody men] Yee that dare to deſtroy ſo goodly a peece of Gods handy work as man is above deſcribed to bee. See Gen. 9.6. Or yee that ſeek to double undo mee; firſt by detraction and then by deadly practice. See Ezek. 22.9. In thee are men that carry tales to ſhed blood.
Verſ. 20 For they ſpeak againſt thee wickedly] Inaſmuch as they ſpeak againſt mee; Tua cauſa erit mea ca…ſa, ſaid Charles the fifth Emperour to Jutius Pflugi…, who complained hee had been wronged by the Duke of Saxo…y; ſo ſaith God to every David. This Luther knew and therefore wrot thus to Melancthon, Cauſa ut ſit magna, magnus eſt actor, & auctor ejus; neque enim noſtra eſt. The cauſe is Chriſts; and hee will ſee to it and us. Moſes told the people that their murmurings were not againſt him, but againſt the Lord, Exod. 16.8. As unskilfull hunters, ſhooting at wild beaſts, kill a man ſometimes, ſo whilſt men ſhoot at Chriſtians, they hit Chriſt.
And thine enemies take thy name in vain] Whilſt they would deſpoil thee o… thine omnipreſence; omnipotence, &c. caſting thee into a diſhonourable mould as it were, and having baſe and bald conceits and ſpeeches of thee and thine. Kimchi interpreteth it of Hereticks, thoſe falſe friends, but true enemies to God; of whom they make great boaſts, as did the Gnoſticks, Manichees, Novatians, and alate the Swenkfeldians (who ſtiled themſelves the Confeſſours of the Glory of Chriſt) and many of our modern Sectaries.
Verſ. 21 Do not I hate them, O Lord] And therefore hate them becauſe they hate thee? This the Hebrews underſtand of Hereticks and Apoſtates. See a like zeal in that Angel of Epheſus, Rev. 2.2.
And am not I grieved] Or, irked, made ready to vomit at (as at ſome loathſome ſpectacle) fretted, vext.
Verſ. 22 I hate them with a perfect batred] That is, unfeignedly, and with a round heart (ſaith one) for this only cauſe, that they are workers of iniquity. It was ſaid of Antony, hee hated a Tyrant, not Tyranny, and of Craeſſus hee hated a covetous man, not covetouſneſs. It may as truly bee ſaid of an Hypocrite, Hee hates ſinners, not ſins; theſe hee nouriſheth, thoſe hee cenſureth. David was none ſuch; and yet, as ſomething miſtruſting his own heart, hee thinks good to adde,
Verſ. 23 Search mee O God, and know my heart] Look into every corner and cranny, and ſee whether it bee not ſo as I ſay, viz. that I hate wicked men meerly for their wickedneſs: and for no ſelf-reſpect have I thus caſt down the gauntlet of defiance unto them, and bidden them battel. Wee ſhould not reſt (ſaith a Reverend man) in our hearts voice, nor accept its deceitfull applauſe. But as once Joſhuah ſeeing the Angel examined him. Art thou … out ſide, or on the adverſaries? ſo ſhould wee deal in this caſe; yea, beg of God to do it for us, and do it thoroughly, as here: this is a ſure ſign of …, void of all ….
Verſ. 24 And ſee if there bee any wicked way in mee] Heb. Any way of pain, … of grief, or, of …; any courſe of ſin that is grievous to God or man. Quae ſpir… tuum ve…t, … Pſal. 7…. Abo… Ezra.A Saint alloweth not of any wickedneſs, walloweth not in it, maketh it not histrade▪ is not transformed into ſins image, his … but (as in right …ine or Honie) it is continually caſt out. The good heart admitteth not the … any ſin. Sin may cleave to it, as droſs to ſilver, but it entreth not into the frame and conſtitution, it is not weaved into the texture of a good mans heart: there is no ſuch way of wickedneſs to bee found in him, no ſuch evill heart of unbelief as to depart away from the living God, Heb. 3.12. There is no time wherein hee cannot ſay, as …. 1….…. Pray for us: for wee truſt wee have a good conſcience in all things, willing to pleaſe God.
And lead mee in the way everlaſting] Heb. In the way of eternity, or of antiquity, that good old way, Jer. 6.16. traced by Adam, Abraham, Moſes, &c. and that leadeth to Heaven. Rid my heart of thoſe remnants of Hypocriſie, and help mee, to perfect … in the fear of God, … Cor. 7.1.
PSAL. CXL.
VErſ. 1 Deliver mee, O Lord, from the evill man] Made of malice, in which is ſteeped the venom of all vices.
Preſerve mee from the violent man] Man of violences, who vulture-like, (Levit. 11.10.) liveth by rapine. Such were Saul and his Sycophants.
Verſ. 2 Which imagine miſchiefs in their heart] Where the Devil worketh night and day as a mintman; as a Smith in his forge; or an Artificer in his ſhop. A godly man is ſaid to have right thoughts, Prov. 12.5. and that his deſires are only good, chap. 11.23. An evill man is called a man of wicked devices, Prov. 12.2. & 14, 17. being ingenioſe nequam, wittily wicked, as it was once ſaid of C. Curio the Roman Lawyer.
They are gathered together for war] Heb. They gather wars, as Serpents gather poiſon to vomit out at others.Coaceruant praelia. q. d. ſunt tanquam tube belli.
Verſ. 3 They have ſharpened their tongues like a Serpent] Which by reaſon of his ſharp tongue, ſtriketh more deeply.
Adders poiſon] Venenum Payados. R. Solomon readeth Spiders poiſon; others, Aſpes, Vipers. Malice turneth men into Serpents, ſaith Chryſoſtom.
Verſ. 4 Keep mee] Who am thus ſought and ſet for; but thou canſt reſcue mee.
To over-throw my goings] Pracipitare, to hurl mee down head-long.
Verſ. 5 The proud have hid a ſnare, &c.] They are reſtleſs to ruine mee, adding all kind of craft to their cruelty.
Verſ. 6 I ſaid unto the Lord] Danger drove David home to God; as bug bears do little Children, to their Parents.
Verſ. 7 In the day of battel] Heb. Of armour; for battel David never had any with Saul, but declined it.
Verſ. 8 Grant not O Lord, &c.] For if they ſhould bee … competes, Maſters of their deſires, they would bee intolerably inſolent, ſo as to ſay, Our high hand, and not the Lord hath done all this, Deut. 32.27.
Verſ. 9 As for the head] The chieftain, the ring-leader, D…g or Saul himſelf. Or thus, Let miſchief cover the heads of my beſieger… Let it fall upon their pates, as Pſal. 7. Similitude eſt a ſacreficiis, … execrabantur.
Verſ. 10. Let burning coals fall upon them] Conflagrant …. Haec … v…ta quam vaticinia.
Verſ. 11 Let not an evil-ſpeaker] Heb. A man of tongue, whereof Peraldus reckoneth up four and twenty ſeverall …: A world of wickedneſs, St. James calleth it, chap. 3.
Evil ſhall … the … man] The Angel of death ſhall hunt him into Hell, ſaith the Chald…. Of the black-birds …, is made bird-lime to catch him. …. Mar…s was ſlain with the ſword hee made, when … was a Cutler. … … … pe…ire … eſt, was Juli…s M… Gods Judgements againſt ſinners are … thered from themſelves, as a foul … with an arrow feathered from her own body.
Verſ. 12 I know] For I have a promiſe for it, and that's infallible.
Verſ. 13 Shall … ] Hee ſhall have no other cauſe.
… When the … ſhall … Job 23.16.