Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 3
PSAL. III.
A Pſalm of David] Tremellius addeth, Quem cecinit, which he ſang when hee fled, &c. As Birds in the Spring, tune moſt ſweetly, when it rains moſt ſadly. This was better yet, than that black Sanctis (as they call it) ſung by our Henry 2. in like caſe, and for like cauſe. For when, as ſome few hours before he dyed, he ſaw a Liſt of their names who conſpired with the King of France, D…n. Hiſt. 112and Earl Richard, (his Son and Succeſſor) againſt him, and found therein his Son John (whom he had made Earl of Cornwell, Dorſet, Summerſet, Nottingham, Darby, and Lancaſter, &c.) to be the firſt: he fell into a grievous paſſion, both curſing his Sons, and the day wherein himſelf was born; and in that diſtemperature departed the world, which ſo often himſelf had diſtempered.
When he fled from] Heb. from the face of Abſolom, which he had too much admired,Midraſh Tillin. and was now afraid of. Then when he went up Mount Olivet weeping, 2 Sam. 15.30. made he this Pſalm ſay the Rabbins. So in the Sack of Ziglag, he comforted himſelf in the Lord his God, 1 Sam. 30.6. A Chriſtian is never without his Cordial.
Abſalom his Son] his Darling, his Tidling, his one Eye. Such another good Son was Barabbas, whcih ſignifies His Fathers Son, his white Boy, as we ſay, like as Abſalom ſignifieth his Fathers peace, but it proved otherwiſe: as it likewiſe befell Eve, when ſhe called her firſt-born Cain, and thought ſhe had got a great boon from the Lord. But Fallitur augurie ſpes bona ſaepe ſuò.
David was diſappointed: for Abſalom proved like the Sea Pacifick, or calm,Heyl Geog ſo it is called; but Captain Drake found it rough and troubleous above meaſure. Abſalom would have done by David, if he could have come at him,Turk Hiſt as afterwards Amidas did with his Father Muleaſſes King of Tunes in Africk, whom he firſt dethroned, and afterwards put out his eyes. In Abſalom was nothing good but his name; that may have a good name, the nature whereof is ſo ill, that it is not to be named: like as Levit. 20.17. abominable. Inceſt between Brother and Siſter is called Ch…ſed, or Kindneſs, per Antiphraſin.
Verſ. 1. Lord, how are they increaſed that trouble me?] He worthily wondreth at ſo ſudden a change:
Omnia ſunt hominum tenui pendentia filo:
Et ſubito caſu, quaevaluere, ruunt.
David was deſerted by all almoſt, and had now as many enemies as till now he had ſubjects, excepting a few that ſtuck to him. Our Hen. 6. who had been the moſt Potent Monarch for Dominions that ever England had, was, when depoſed, not the maſter of a Mole-hil: and ſerved to ſhew that mortality was but the ſtage of mutability.
Many are they that riſe up againſt me] Many, and many; by the Figure Anaphora: here is alſo in the Original an foreign in the words, Tſarai in the former clauſe, and Gnalai in the latter: not unlike that doleful ditty of the Church, Lam. 5.16. Oi na lanu, chei chattanu, Wo to us that we have ſinned: which is ſo elegant in the Original, that Mr. Will. Whately of Banbury (who uſed to bee very plain in his preaching,Mr. Leig Saints encou. Ep. dedic. and not to name a Greek, Latine, or Hebrew word) quoted it once in the Hebrew, as an Hearer of his relateth.
Verſ. 2. Many there be which ſay of my ſoul] Theſe ſcoffs and ſarcaſmes Leniter volant, non leniter violant. David felt them as a murthering weapon in his bones. Pſal. De patient. cap. 15.42.3.10. and oft complaineth of them to God, Qui ſatis idoneus eſt patientiae ſequeſter, as Tertullian phraſeth it, who will ſee that his Saints ſhall loſe nothing by their patience.
There is no help for him in God] Salvation it ſelf cannot ſave him: he is at that paſs, that there is neither hope of better for him, nor place of worſe: there is no help, health, or deliverance for him at all. The Hebrew hath a letter more than ordinary, to increaſe the ſignification. R. David rendreth it, Nullum auxilium, nullum auxilium, there is no help, there is no help for him: and interpreteth it, neither in this world, nor in the world to come. Thus haply his enemies argued from his ſin in the matter of Ʋriab; concluding that God would not look at him therefore. But for that matter, he had ſoundly repented, and made his peace, 2 Sam. Ex tradit. Hebraeor.12.13. & Pſal. 51.1, 2. though this preſent conſ piracy, and the trouble thereupon (which laſted ſix Months, ſaith Hierom) was a part of the temporal puniſhment of that ſcandalous ſin, 2 Sam. 12.10. But that it lay not upon his Conſcience, it appeareth, in that on his Death-bed he regrateth it not, as he did his not puniſhing of Joab and Shimei; concerning whom he therefore leaveth his charge with his Son Salomon, 1 King. 2.5, 8.
Selah] i.e.Plane, Tremel. Omnino, pe…itus, revra, Polan. foreign In truth, or Amen, ſaith Aben-Ezra. The Hebrews at this day accordingly adde to the end of their Prayers and Epitaphs, Amen, Selah, twice or thrice repeated. The Greek maketh it only a Muſical Notion.
Verſ. 3. But thou O Lord art a Shield for me] And ſuch a Shield as will never fail me: Prodente clypeo vulneratus ſum, I am betrayed by my Shield, ſaid Braſidus the Lacedaemonian, Plutarch.when he was wounded through it. David had a better Shield than ſo: better then that of Ajax, in Homer, which was foreign; better than that of Demoſthenes, whereupon was written, Quod felix fauſtum que ſit ; better than that of Sceva at the ſiege of Dyrrachium, wherewith he ſo long reſiſted Pompeys Army,Lucan. that he had two hundred and twenty Darts ſticking in it. — Denſam que tulit in pectore ſy…vam. God was to David a Shield round about him, as the Hebrew here hath it: and not a Shield only, but a Sun too, as Pſal. 84.11. Hence it followeth,
My Glory] Or, my Victory, Quia victor ſemper babet gloriam, faith Aben-Ezra here, becauſe a Conquerour is never without glory: ſuch as was Caeſar with his Veni, vidi, vici; and Cimon the Athenian, who twice in one day triumphed over the Perſian Navie; and Hunniades, who fought five times in one day with the Turks, and five times foyled them, and put them to flight. Whereupon he was entertained,… Hiſt. 69. and welcomed home with moſt glorious acclamations of the people, ſome calling him the Father, ſome the Defender of his Country: the Souldiers their invincible General, the Captives their Deliverer, the Women their Protector, the Young-men and Children their moſt loving Father, &c.
And the lifter up of my head] Giving me matter of mirth; and making me who was very ſad, and thrown down with grief, joyful and cheerful. See Gen. 40.13, 20. Luk. 21.28. Jer. 52.31. Pſal. 110.7.
Verſ. 4. I cried unto the Lord with my voyce] I prayed aloud, and luſtily; I rouſed up my ſelf, and wraſtled with God; and this was the ground of his courage, and confidence. So Eſter, when ſhe had faſted and prayed, put her life in her hands, and was fearleſs. So Chriſt, when being in an Agony, hee had prayed more earneſtly, went and met his enemies in the face; though before his Soul was heavie to the death, and he began to be out of the world, as the word ſignifieth,foreign Matth. 26.37.
And he heard me out of his holy hill] i. e. è ſuo ſacrario & caeleſti & terreſtri, Jun.out of his heavenly and earthly Sanctuary. Zion ſignifieth a Sure-hold, a goodly Proſpect; for that, from the top of that Hil a man might have ſeen all the Country over. And it was a type of Heaven, whence God ſeeth all, and heareth his. Lucian the Atheiſt feigneth, or fancieth, that there are certain chinks in Heaven, through which Jupiter at certain times only heareth his Suters: which times they who take not, pray to no purpoſe.
Verſ. 5.1 I laid me down and ſlept] My faith was above my fear: I knew whom I had truſted. No marvel I ſlept ſo ſoundly, ſeeing Antipater was by, and watched,Plutarch. ſaid Philip of Macedon. We may better ſay ſo of Antipater our gracious Father. O the ſafety of Saint! He ever goes guarded with the peace of God within him, and the power of God without him, Phil. 4.7. 1 Pet. 1.5. and hence his Spiritual ſecurity. David will never break his ſleep for any danger, or doubt of ſucceſs. Peter was found faſt aſleep the night before he ſhould have been executed, Acts 12.6. So was our Proto-Martyr in Queen Maries days, Mr. Rogers; in ſo much as that, ſcarce with much ſhogging, could he be awaked, when he was called for to be burned. Some few years ſince, Mr. White of Dorcheſter, being a Member of the Aſſembly of Divines at Weſtminſter, was appointed Miniſter of Lambeth; but for the preſent could get no convenient houſe to dwell in, but one that was poſſeſſed by the Devil. This he took; and not long after, his Maid ſitting up late,Mirrour for Saints, by Mr. Clark, 460. the Devil appeared to her: whereupon in a great fright ſhe ran up to tell her Maſter; he bad her get to bed, ſaying, ſhe was well ſerved for ſitting up ſo late. Preſently after the Devil appeared to Mr. White himſelf, ſtanding at his beds feet. To whom Maſter White ſaid, If thou haſt nothing elſe to do thou maiſt ſtand there ſtill, and I will betake my ſelf to my reſt: And accordingly compoſing himſelf to ſleep, the Devil vaniſhed.
I awaked] A Proverbial ſpeech, as Mar. 4.27.Turk. Hiſt. 218. Tamerlan could not ſleep at all through care (though he indeavoured it) the night before the mortal battel between him and Bajazet.
For the Lord ſuſtained me] Heb. Will ſuſtaine me. He hath done it, and I doubt not, but he will do it again: Experience breedeth confidence. He hath, he will, is an ordinary Scripture medium.
Verſ. 6. I will not be afraid of ten thouſands of people. &c.] Quomodo timeret hominem homo in ſinn Dei poſit us? ſaith an Ancient. See here in David the triumph of truſt in God. David looketh not downward on the ruſhing and roaring ſtreams of troubles that ran ſo ſwiftly under him, for that would have made him giddy;Glori…tio fidei eleganuffima. Jun. but ſtedfaſtly faſtneth on the power and promiſe of God All-ſufficient, and is confident. This, the world wondreth at; but little do they know the force of faith, nor the privie armour of proof that the Saints have about their hearts. Achilles was ſaid to be ſafe, becauſe Stygearmat us: A Chriſtian is Deo armatus, and therefore hee walketh about the world as a Conquerour.
Verſ. 7. Ariſe, O Lord, &c.] If the Lord do but ariſe only, his enemies ſhall be ſcattered; thoſe alſo that hate him ſhall flee before him, Pſal. 68.1. And God will ariſe and harneſs, when his people put his promiſes in ſute by their faithful prayers. This Moſes knew, and therefore appointed the Prieſts, whenſoever the Ark removed, to ſay, Riſe up Lord. &c. Numb. 10.35. Commanders muſt pray before they lead on their forces to battel, as did Hunniades, and that late brave King of Sweden, more addicted to pray than to fight; according to that,
Vincere quiſquis aves hostilem exercitum, agè antè
Invictum, vincas per tua vota, D…uns.
Save me, O my God] David had many good old Souldiers about him,2 Sam. 15.18 Lucan. as the Cherethites, Pelethites, Gittites, and others that would ſtick to him — Animaſ que eapaces mortis, mighty men of War, and chafed in their mindes, as a Bear robbed of her Whelps in the field; himſelf alſo was a man of Warre from his youth, 2 Sam. 17.8. and not uſed to be worſted; yet he flies to God for deliverance, and pleads the Covenant (Save me, O my God) which is that Alviarium Divini mellis, the Beehive of heavenly honey. So Pſal. 119.94. I am thine, ſave me.
For thou haſt ſmitten all mine enemies on the cheek-bone] Thou haſt given them a box on the ear,Camb. Elizab. 494. as Queen Elizabeth once did the Earl of Eſſex, turning his back upon her uncivilly, upon ſome diſcontent: Or, as ſome great man doth a mean fellow, with whom he ſcorns to fight. Thou haſt ſent them away with ſmart and ſhame enough. Job 16.10. Thou haſt ſo handled them that now they may go ſeek their teeth in their throats, as the Proverb is. Gods hand is a mighty hand, ſaith Peter, 1 Epiſt. 5.6. it is a fearful thing to fall into it, ſaith Paul Heb. 10.31. For who knoweth the power of his wrath, ſaith Moſes, Pſal. 90.11? His enemies are ſure to ſpeed worſe than did Dares in Virgil, whom when he had been well beaten by old Entellus, Ving. Aeneid. l. 5.his fellows led away
Jactantem que …tro que caput, craſſum que cruorem
Ore rejectantem, miſtoſ que inſangume dentes.
Verſ. 8. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord] Here is much in few. Fulgentius ſaith, that the moſt golden ſentence is ever meaſured by brevity, and ſuavity. Brevis & ſuavis, plane que aurea eſt haec ſententia. Salvation in the full extent of it (and it is very comprehenſive) is of the Lord. It properly denoteth the privative part of mans happineſs, freedom from evils and enemies of all ſorts. But it importeth the poſitive part alſo, fruition of all good: and all is from the Lord, he alone is the chief efficient and Author of all,Act. 4 in Ve…. the true Soſpitator, the foreign which ſaith Tully, is a word ſo emphatical, that other Tongues can hardly finde another word fit to expreſs it. See the Note on Jon. 2.9.
Thy bleſſing is upon thy people. Selah] Or (prayer-wiſe) Let thy bleſſing be upon thy people: Etiam qui imprudenter ad Abſalomum deſciverat, Jun.even upon thoſe alſo who have fooliſhly taken part with Abſalom againſt me (thus David prays for his Rebels, as Chriſt and Stephen afterwards did for their Perſecutors and Murtherers) but eſpecially upon thoſe that do yet adhere unto me, and are ſhortly to fight for me. David knew that victory is of the Lord, and muſt be got by prayer. For it Queen Elizabeth could ſay, Cui adhaereo praeeſt, He whoſe part I take ſhall get the better, how much more may the Lord of Hoſts ſay ſo? This, the people alſo knew and therefore perſwaded David not to venture his perſon amongſt them in the Field, but to ſtay at home and pray for them, 2 Sam. 18.3. It is better, ſay they, that thou ſuccour us out of the City: thence ſhalt thou help us, or cauſe us to be helped; that is, thy prayers ſhall prevail with God for our aſſiſtance, as the Rabbins ſenſe that text.
Solah] or, ſo be it, Hoc ratum, firmumq, eſto. See verſ. 2.