Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 16
PSAL. XVI.
MIchtam of David] i.e. Davids precious Jewel, or Pſalm of Gold, propter mirificans ejus excellentiam, better worth than its weight in gold,Inſignis O… Davidis Tren foreign prae corona a… ſtimatur hic Pſalmus. R. Solomon both for the matter thereof, and the meeter. Aureum flumen orationis, ſaid Cicero concerning Ariſtotles Politicks; there is in that Book a golden flood of diſcourſe; and Liber iſte aur… contra non carus, ſaid Another, concerning the Lives of the Philoſophers written by Disgenes Laertius; No gold is comparable to that gallant piece. How much more may the ſame be ſaid of this notable Pſalm? as that which, beſide many other remarkable matters, lively ſetteth forth the myſterie of Chriſt his paſſion and reſurrection, with the fruit of both; this hee doth more like an Evangeliſt than a Prophet, and may therefore be called (as likewiſe Iſaiah is) the Evangelical Prophet. And whereas ſaith learned Beza, hee calleth the Meſsiah Chaſid, verſ. 10. (that is, as I interpret it, that Man, upon whom the Father hath moſt plentifully powred out all his grace and bounty, which alſo we all draw from him alone by faith) David ſeemeth in this one word to have ſummed up the whole Doctrin of the Goſpell.
Verſ. 1. Preſerve mee O God] Keep mee ſafe unto the Kingdome both temporall and eternall, which thou haſt promiſed mee; and now that I am flying to the Philiſtines for ſhelter, 1 Sam. 27.1. (for that is held to be the time when he compoſed this golden Pſalm) guard mee, guide mee, keep mee by thy power through faith unto ſalvation. This prayer of his, David was well aſſured ſhould be granted, and therefore hee giveth thanks, Verſ. 7.
For in thee do I put my truſt] This was a moſt powerfull plea, for to truſt God is the higheſt honour wee can do him, it is to ſet the Crown upon his head, See Judge 9.15. And if ſuch ſhall be forſaken, God will be a great loſer in his glory, whereof hee is very tender.
Verſ. 2. O my ſoul thou haſt ſaid unto the Lord] Or I have ſaid unto the Lord; and ſo I had rather read it, with Hierome and the Septuagint; becauſe the letter Jod may be wanting in Amarti. See the like Job 42.2. Ezek, 16.59. David was here extra ſe abreptus, carried beyond himſelf, and ſo might eaſily ſpeak ſhort, and ſay, Amart, for Amarti; like as Moſes in a paſſion ſaid to God, At for Att…, Num. 11.15. as not able to ſpeak out. Am…r Dei eft ecſtaticus, &c.
Thou art my Lord] Heb. Thou my Lord, ſo the next words, My good not unto the… all conciſe and abrupt, out of deepeſt affection; broken language from a broken ſpirit, ſpending and exhaling it ſelf into Gods bleſſed boſome.
My goodneſſe extendeth not to thee] But if it did, I could with all my heart beteem it thee; even the very beſt of my beſt: but what can I give thee ſave only foreign, ſith all is thine own? I Chrow, 29, 14.16. Pſal. 24.1. thou needeſt no ſacrifices Pſal. 50.8. neither art thou delighted therein. Pſal. 51.18. Iſa. 1.11. All that thou requireſt is mercy, H…ſ. 6.6. Mis. 6.8. Mat. 12.7. Therefore I will ſeek out thoſe thy Receivers, the Saints that are in the earth, &c. See the Note on Job 35.6, 7, 8.
Verſ. 3. Best to the Saints] The family of faith were, by a ſpeciality, the object of Davids bounty. Socrates ſeeing a certain man giving alms to all hee met, were they good or bad, ſaid, male pere as qui ex Gratiis cum ſint Virgines, facias ſcorta. David, the better to perſwade with God to preſerve him ſafe to the Kingdome, promiſeth two things; firſt, that he will cheriſh and countenance the godly party; ſecondly, that he will caſhier and caſt out all kind of Idolatry, and maintain to his utmoſt the ſincere ſervice of God. verſ. 4.
And to the excellent] Or, Noble, glorious, wonderfull, magnificent. The Saints are Princes in all lands, Pſal. 45.16. of an excellent Spirit, Prov. 17.27. More excellent than their Neighbours, dwell they whereſoever, Prov. 12.26. They are ſtiled the glory, Iſa. 4.5. a Crown of glory, Iſa. 62.3. a royall Diadem ibid. a Kingdome of Prieſts, Exod. 19.6. higher than the Kings of the earth, Pſal. 89.27. greater than the four famous Monarchies, Dan. 7.18. worthies of whom the World is not worthy, Heb. 11.38. fitter to be ſet as ſtars in Heaven. And ſurely as ſtars though ſeen ſometimes in a puddle, or ſtinking ditch, though they reflect there, yet have they their ſituation in Heaven. So the Saints, though here in a low condition, yet are they fixed in the Region of happineſſe.
In whom is all my delight] Heb. Cheptſibam; So the Church is called Gods Cheptſibah, Iſa. 62.5. Next to communion with God, the communion of Saints is moſt delectable. It is the very being bound up in the bundle of life, which was the bleſſing of Abigail upon David. Ipſe aſpectus viri boni delectat, ſaith Senecae, the very ſight of a good man (morally good) delighteth; what then of a Saint, Ezra. 10.3? This the Heathen Perſecutors knew, and therefore baniſhed and confined the Chriſtians to Iſles and Mines, where they could not one come at another, as Cyprian obſerveth.
Verſ. 4. Their ſorrows ſhall be multiplied] Many ſorrows ſhall be to thoſe wicked Idolaters,Vide Plutarch: foreign. Pſal. 32.10. ſome, of their own Creating by their ſuperſtitions and will-worſhips; others, from a jealous and juſt God; others, from the Devill who acteth and agitateth them, beateth and whippeth them (as at this day he doth the poor Indians, who worſhip Devills in moſt terrible figure; beleeving that they are permitted of God to puniſh or ſpare them at their pleaſure;) And ſome they ſhall beſure of from mee, whenever I come to the Kingdome. Some, after the Chaldee, read it, their Idols are multiplied. The old Heathens had thirty thouſand in Heſiods dayes; In China there are ſaid to be at this day no fewer than an hundred thouſand Idols, which they uſe to whip if they come not at a call to help them; Before a ſick man they put the Devills picture, that hee may learn to know him in another World,It is ſtoried of one King of England that he beſtowed as much upon a Croſſe as the revenues of his Kingdome came to in a year. and take him for his friend.
That haſten after another God] Or, that endow another God. Superſtition is not only painfull, but chargeable. Idolaters laviſh out of the bag, and ſpare for no coſt; witneſſe the Papiſts vowed preſents and memories as they call them hanged up in honour of their he-Saints, and ſhe-Saints, the Lady of Loretto eſpecially. But it was the Serpents grammar that firſt taught men to decline God in the plurall number, Eritis ſicut Dii, as Damianus obſerveth from Gen. 3.5. and hence that innumerable rabble. The Jeſuites boaſt of their Ignatii Apotheoſis; and Cardinall Bembus is not aſhamed to ſay of his St. Francis, quod in deorum numerum ab Eccleſia Romana ſit relatus. Hiſt. Venet,Is not this abominable Idolatry? 1 Pet. 4.3.
Their drink offerings of blood] Many Heathens ſacrifiſed to their Idols (that is, to Devils) with mans blood,Euſeb. de praep. Evangil. againſt all laws of humanity and piety. Thus they ſacrifiſed to Bell…na the Siſter of Mars; as alſo with blood let out of their own armes. The Prieſts of Baal (who perhaps was Mars) cut and launced themſelves; 1 King. 18. So do the Mahometan Prieſts at this day; as the Papiſts whip themſelves, &c. the old Idolaters offered their Children in ſacrifice to Moloch, or Saturn. David abhorreth the thought of ſuch inhumanities, Ne que deos illegitimos, nec illegiti… colans, ſaith he, I'le have no ſuch doings.
Nor take up their names into my lips] But ſpit them out of my mouth with utmoſt deteſtation,… ad … according to the law, Exod. 23.13. It repented Auſtin that ever hee had uſed the word Fortune, that Heathen. Goddeſſe. And Ab ſit ut de ore Chriſtian… ſonet Jupiter omnipatens, &c. ſaith Hier…me, Let no Chriſtian mouth ſay, Jupiter omnipotent, or ſwear Mehercule, Mecaſter. The Primitive Chriſtians would not call their dayes of the week, dies Martis, Mercurii, &c. as Triſmegiſt had named them; but the firſt, ſecond, third, &c, day of the week. All occaſions or ſemblances of Idolatry ſhould be ſhunned; it is not ſafe being at Satans Meſſe, though our ſpoon bee never ſo long, ſaith One. See Hof. 3.16, 17. Zach. 13.2. Deut. 12.2.
Verſ. 5. The Lord is the Portion of mine inheritance] Therefore I have neither need nor mind to run a madding after dumb Idols▪ for hee is Good originall, univerſall, all-ſufficient and ſatisfactory, proportionable, and fitting to my ſoul, ſo that having Him, I am abundantly provided for.
And of my cup] A phraſe taken from thoſe ſhares that every one had aſſigned unto him at feaſts, Gen. 43.34. 1 Sam. 1.4. & 9.23. q. d. Thou art my meat and my drink Lord, and I am very well content with my condition, bee it better or worſe. That which gives quiet in any portion, is firſt, The favour and preſence of God; ſecondly, that tis from the hand of a Father; thirdly, that it comes to us in the covenant of grace; fourthly, that tis the purchaſe of Chriſts blood; fifthly, that tis an anſwer of prayers; and a bleſſing from above on honeſt indeavours.
Thou maintaineſt my lot] Upholdeſt mee in a good condition, who ſhould otherwiſe ſoon loſe and forgoe it, were it in mine own keeping. And here the Pſalmiſt uſeth four ſeverall words, all to the ſame ſenſe, ad corroborandum ſaith R. David.
Verſ. 6. The lines are fallen] In alluſion to thoſe lines wherewith they meaſured Land, when they parted it. See Deut. 32.9. Pſal. 105.11. & 78.55. Act. 26.18. Epeſ 1.11. David, having God for his portion, could ſay with Jacob, I have all things, Gen. 33.11. Paul alſo ſaith the ſame, Phil. 4.18. and further, telleth us, that having nothing, he ſet poſſeſſed all things; for why he had got the divine art of contentation, verſ. 12. and ſo could bee either on the top of Jacobs Ladder, or at the bottome; hee could ſing either Placentia or Lachrymae, abound, or be abaſed, &c.Bern. Sine Deo omnis copia eſt egoſtas.
In pleaſant places] From the delectable Orchard of the Leonine Priſon, Quis in Deo … po…tio mea, … quaſi in loco … maeno. R. David.ſaid that Italian Martyr, dating his Letter. Tua praeſentia, Domine, Laurentio ipſam craticulam dulcem fecit, ſaid that Ancient; Thy preſence, Lord, made Laurence his gridiron pleaſant to him.
Yea, I have a goodly heritage] I have as much (in content at leaſt) as hee who hath moſt. The Bee is as well pleaſed with feeding on the dew, or ſucking from a flower, as Behemoth that grazeth on the Mountaines. The Lark when aloſt, ſeeth further with a little eye, than the Oxe, on the ground with a greater.
Atque ſuum tirilitirilitiritirlire cantat.
Verſ. 7. I will bleſſe the Lord who hath given mee counſel] David frequently conſulted with God by Abiathar the Prieſt; whom God, by a ſweet providence, ſent unto him with an Ephod for a comfort in his baniſhment, 1 Sam. 22.20. Saul had ſlain thoſe that ware the Ephod, therefore God anſwered him not neither by dreams, nor by Vrim, nor by Prophets, 1 Sam. 28.6. as hee did his Servant David; who therefore bleſſeth him, when the other runneth from him to the Witch for counſel, and from her to the ſwords point.
My reines alſo inſtruct mee] God hath not only illuminated mee, whereby I ſhall bee the better able to endure a great fight of affliction, Heb. 10.32. but hee hath alſo ſanctified mee, and honoured mee with holy inſpirations, and feeling of the Spirit of Adoption, whereby mine internall thoughts and ſecret motions do dictate and ſuggeſt unto mee what I ought to do and undertake. Methinks I hear a ſweet ſtill voice within mee, ſaying, This is the way, walk in it; and this in the night-ſeaſon, when I am rapt in reſt and ſilence; or, night after night, the Spirit is a continuall ſpring of counſel and comfort within mee, prompting mee to make God my portion, and to chuſe this good part that ſhall never be taken away from mee.
In the night-ſeaſons] When commonly we are prone to evill (Nox & Amor, &c. Ovid.Illa pudore vacat, &c.) and which is the wicked mans fitteſt opportunity, Job 24.13, 15, 16. &c. It muſt not content us that God by his word hath given us counſel, but wee muſt labour to be inwardly taught of God. A man may read the figure upon the Diall, but hee cannot tell how the day goes, unleſſe the Sun ſhine upon the Diall; Wee may read the Bible over, and hear it opened and applied, but can learn nothing till the Spirit ſhine into our hearts, 2 Cor. 4. and ſo our reines inſtruct us, &c.
Verſ. 8. I have ſet the Lord alwaies before mee] Heb. I have equally ſet, or propoſed.Ex Syro Serm. The Apoſtle tranſlateth it, I foreſee the Lord alwaies before my face, Act. 2.25. I ſet the eye of my faith full upon him, and ſuffer it not to take to other things; I look him in the face, ocul…irretorto, as the Eagle looketh upon the Sun; and oculo adamantino, with an eye of Adamant, which turns only to one point: ſo here, I have equally ſet the Lord before mee, without irregular affections and paſſions. And this was one of thoſe leſſons that his reines had taught him, that the holy Spirit had dictated unto him.
Becauſe h…e is at my right hand] To help mee that I fall not, ſaith R. David, or as a thing that I cannot but remember, as being of continuall uſe to mee. It is as neceſſary to remember God, as to draw breath, ſaith Chryſoſtome.
I ſhall not be moved] i.e. not greatly moved, as Pſal. 62.2. though Satan ſtand at the right hand of a godly man, to reſiſt and annoy him, Zech. 3.1. yet ſo long as God is at his right hand to aſſiſt and comfort him, and hee at Gods right hand, Pſal. 45.9. (which is a place of honour and ſafety) hee cannot bee moved. The gates of Hell ſhall never prevail; Chriſt, our Sampſon, hath flung them off their hinges.
Verſ. 9. Therefore my heart is glad, &c.] That is, I am all over in very good plight, as well as heart can wiſh, or need require; I do over-abound exceedingly with joy; God forgive mee mine unthankfullneſſe and unworthineſſe of ſo great glory, (as that Martyr ſaid) In all the dayes of my life I was never ſo merry, as now I am in this dark dungeon, &c. Wicked men rejoyce in appearance, and not in heart,Mr. Philpot. 2 Cor. 5.12. their joy is but skin-deep, their mirth frothy and flaſhy, ſuch as wetteth the mouth, but warmeth not the heart. But David is totus totus, quantus quantus exultabundus, his heart, glory, fleſh, (anſwerable, as ſome think to that of the Apoſtle, 1 Theſ. 5.23. Spirit, Soul, and Body) were all over-joyed.
My fleſh alſo ſhall reſt (or confidently dwell) in hope] Namely in this World, as in a wayfaring lodging;Diod. then, in the grave as a place of ſafeguard and repoſe; and at laſt, in heaven, as in its true and eternall manſion.
Verſ. 10. For thou wilt not leave my ſoul in Hell] that is, my body in the grave, (—animam que ſepulchro condimus—) or in the State of the dead, Gen. 37.35. That Soul is ſometimes put for a carcaſs or dead corps, Virg. de Polydori funere. Aeneid. 3.See Job 14.22. Lev. 19.28. & 21. 1.11. Num. 5.2. & 6.6. & 19.13. which place is expounded, Ezek, 44.25. David can confidently write upon his grave Reſurgam, I ſhall riſe againſt. This, many Heathens had no hope of 1 Theſ. 4.13.
Cum ſemel occider is,
Non Torquate, tuum genus, aut facundia, non te
Reſtituet pietas, &c.Horat. lib. 4. od. 7.
Yet ſome Heathens beleeved both the immortality of the ſoul, and therefore durſt dye (—animaque capaces Mortis—) and the Reſurrection of the body, as did Zoroaſtes, Theopompus, Plato; and as do the Turks at this day.
Neither wilt thou ſuffer thine holy One, &c.] that is, the Meſſiah, that is to come out of my loines, and who ſaith to mee and all his Members (2s Iſa. 26.19.) in effect, Thy dead men ſhall live, together with my dead body ſhall they ariſe, awake and ſing ye that dwell in the duſt, &c. See the Note on the Title Michtam. The former part of this verſe ſeems to be ſpoken of David, the latter of Chriſt; like as Job. 35.15. the former part is of God, the latter of Job. See the Margin. Chriſts reſurrection is a cauſe, pledge and ſuerty of the Saints reſurrection to glory; for joy whereof Davids heart leapt within him. Chriſts body, though laid in the corrupting-pit, could not ſee, that is, feel corruption. It was therefore a pious errour in thoſe good women who brought their ſweet odours to embalm his dead body, Luke 24.1.
Verſ. 11. Thou wilt ſhew mee the path of life] This being applied to Chriſt, ſeemeth to ſhew that as man hee did not yet fully underſtand that inexplicable glory wherewith the Father would glorifie him after death with himſelf, Job. 17.5. Sure it is, that David did not, nor can any man living, 1 Cor. 2.9.Contra A… ron, ab … foreign … ſit illaetab unda; vel foreign & (ut vule Pl… quòd flua… ctuoſis und… here is as much ſaid, as can be ſaid (but words are too weak to utter it:) For quality, there is in Heaven joy, and pleaſures. For quantity, a fulneſſe, a torrent, whereat they drink without let or loathing. For conſtancy, it is at Gods right hand, who is ſtronger than all, neither can any take us out of his hand; it is a conſtant happineſs without intermiſſion. And for perpetuity, it is for evermore. Heavens joyes are without meaſure, mixture, or end.