Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 22
PSAL. XXII.
UPon Ajeleth Shahar] Or, The morning-Hart or ſtag; ſuch an one as the huntſman ſevereth out in the morning from the reſt, to hunt for that day. It ſheweth, ſaith One, Davids and Chriſts early and unceſſant perſecution and hunting (by thoſe doggs, verſ. 16.) till they came to their Kingdomes. David had his ſhare of ſharp afflictions, doubtleſſe, when hee penned this Pſalm; witneſſe that graphicall deſcription of his greateſt grief in all parts and powers of body and ſoul, Verſ. 14, 15, 16; &c. But his mind and thoughts were by Gods holy Spirit carried out to Chriſts moſt dolorous and inexpreſſible ſufferings; to the which all his were but as flea-bitings, as the ſlivers or chips of Chriſts Croſſe; and this was no ſmall mitigation of his miſery. When the Jews offered our Saviour gall and vinegar, hee taſted it, but would not drink. Thereſt hee left for his people, and they muſt pledge him, filling up that which is behind of his ſufferings, Col. 1.24. though for a different end, as for exerciſe, example, triall, witneſſe of truth, &c.
Verſ. 1. My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken mee?] David had prayed, Oh for ſake mee not utterly, Pſal. 119.8. In part and for a time hee knew God might forſake him, to his thinking at leaſt. But what ſaith Auſtin? Non deſerit Deus etiamſi deſerere videatur; non deſerit etiamſi deſerat; God forſaketh not his, though hee leem ſometimes to do ſo; hee leaveth them ſometimes, but forſaketh them never: as in an eclipſe, the earth wanteth the light of the Sun, but not the influence thereof. David could at the ſame time call God, his God thrice over, which are words of faith, and do plainly evince that this deſertion under which hee groaned, was neither abſolute nor reall, but only that hee was in a great diſtreſſe and perplexity;Plat. in Phaed ſo that hee did beleeve, and yet not beleeve (Plato though a Heathen could ſay that a man may do ſo.) See the like, Pſal. 31.22. Jon. 2.4. See the Note there. Our Saviour in his deepeſt diſtreſſe on the Croſſe, when coping and conflicting with the wrath of his heavenly Father, who (beſide the wrath of men, and rage of Devills in that three houres darkneſſe eſpecially) fought againſt him with his own bare hand, hee ſuffered more than can bee imagined, took up this patheticall exclamation, and as ſome think, repeated this whole Pſalm. Then it was that hee felt in ſoul and body the horrour of Gods diſpleaſure againſt ſin, for which he had undertaken. Then it was that the Deity (though never ſeparated from his Humanity, no not in death when ſoul and body were ſundred for a ſeaſon) did foreign (as a Father ſpeaketh) ſuſpend for time the influence of its power, and lye hid as it were, neque vires ſuas exſerebat, not putting forth its force, as formerly. Hilary hath a good Note upon this part of Chriſts paſſion; Habes conquerentem relictum ſe eſſe, &c. Here thou haſt him complaining as forſaken of God; this ſheweth him to have been a man; but withall thou haſt him promiſing paradiſe to the penitent theef; this ſpeaketh him God.
Why art thou ſo farre from, &c.] I roar and am not relieved, as to eaſe; God will have his people feel what an evill and bitter thing ſin is, Jer. 2.19. and therefore he holdeth them eftſoones long upon the rack. Chriſt alſo, under the deep ſenſe of our ſins, for which hee ſuffered, offered up prayers, with ſtrong crying and tears to him that was able to ſave him from death, Heb. 5.7.
Verſ. 2. O my God, I cry in the day time, &c.] This was a ſore temptation, that his heartieſt prayers were not heard. This might have made him jealous of God; to have had hard conceits of him, and heavy conceits of himſelf. But ſaith hee in the following verſes, Thou art holy, and thy Name is to bee ſanctified, though I bee not gratified. And moreover, Others have called upon thee and have been heard, verſ. 4, 5. though I now for mine unworthineſſe am denyed. For I am a worm, and no man, Verſ. 6. Thus it puts him not off that hee is not heard, as others; but humbles him. It drives him not, (as is uſuall with carnall people in like caſe) to ſhifting courſes, as a dogg that hath loſt his Maſter will follow after any one for relief. A Chriſtian never prevaileth ſo little by his prayers, but that hee will take heart of grace, to come again to God. Silence, or ſad anſwers, do not utterly diſhearten him. Hee ceaſeth not wreſtling till hee hath wreſted the bleſſing out of Gods hand with Jacob; and gotten matter of praiſe for his prayers granted, as David here doth, ere he had done the Pſalm, verſ. 24, 25.
Verſ. 3. But thou art holy] And therefore to bee ſanctified in righteouſneſſe, Iſa. 5.16. whatever betide mee or my prayers. I alſo will truſt and try thee to the uttermoſt, for thou waiteſt to bee gracious; and being a God of Judgement thou beſt underſtandeſt when and how to diſpenſe and deal forth thy favours to thy ſuppliants, Iſa. 30.18. And if I ask good things of thee and miſſe, it is becauſe I ask amiſſe, Jam. 4.3. If I bee ſtraitned, it is not in thee, but in mine own bowels. They that have Conduit-water come into their houſes, if no water come, they conclude not the ſpring to bee dry, but the pipes to bee ſtopped or broken. If prayer ſpeed not, wee muſt bee ſure the fault is not in God, but in our ſelves; were we but ripe for mercy, hee is ready to extend it to us, and even waits for the purpoſe.
O thou that inhabiteſt the praiſes of Iſrael] i.e. The Sanctuary where thou art continually praiſed by thine Iſrael, who have the happineſſe to receive thine anſwer to their ſutes, though I cannot. Some render it, O ſancte, ſempiterne, & laudatiſsime.
Verſ. 4. Our Fathers truſted in thee] They truſted, and truſted, and truſted, they lengthened out their truſt. The Hebrew word for Hope or Truſt ſignifieth alſo a line; becauſe thereby the heart is ſtretcht out as a line to the thing hoped for; and hee that beleeveth, maketh not haſte.
And thou didſt deliver them] Never could any inſtance bee given to the contrary. Let the ſucceſſe of our forefathers confidence, and hope unfailable, flowing from faith unfeigned, confirm our fiduciall dependance upon Goſpel-promiſes.
Verſ. 5. They cryed unto thee] Having firſt truſted; It is the prayer of faith that does the deed.
And were not confounded] Deo confiſi, nunquam confuſi.
Verſ. 6. But I am a worm, and no man] David (ſaith a learned man) in the Arabick tongue ſignifieth a worm; to which hee may here ſeem to allude. I am a worm ſaith Hee, I am duſt and aſhes ſaith Abraham, leſs than the leſt of thy loving kindneſſes, ſaith Jacob. Nos autem quid ſumus? ſaith Moſes. Thus the Saints expreſſe themſelves in a low language, as ſo many broken men. Contrarily the wicked ſpeak big words, bubbles of words, as Peter hath it; ampullantur, as Pharaoh, who ſaid, Who is the Lord? Nebuchadnezzar, Who is that God that can deliver you? Dan. 3. who is Lord over us? &c. Pſal. 12. Our Lord Chriſt, of whom the greateſt part of this Pſalm muſt bee underſtood, emptied and humbled himſelf to the utmoſt, Phil. 2.7, 8. that wee might bee exalted; this San of Righteouſneſs went ten degrees back. in the Diall of his Father, that hee might come unto us with health in his wings, &c.
A Reproach of men] Rejectamentum hominis, & nullificamen populi, as Tertullian phraſeth it. So was Chriſt, Iſa. 53. ſo were his Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 4.13. wee are made the ſweepings of the World, the off-ſcourings of all things, the very dung-cart into which every man caſteth his filth to bee carried thorough the dung-port. Why then ſhould we think much to be ſlighted?
Verſ. 7. All they that ſee mee laugh mee▪ to ſcorn] Contemptus populi ludibriis & opprebriis declaratur, Luk. 22.63. The Apoſtle ſpeaketh of cruel mockings, Heb. 11.36. The Phariſees who were covetous derided him, Luk. 16.14. and ſet his people on the ſtage as it were, for mocking-ſtocks, Heb. 10.23. Now, poſt Carthaginem vinci neminem puduit, ſaith the Hiſtorian. If Chriſt, David, and other precious men were ſo diſgraced and abuſed by the World; what matter is it for us?
They ſhoot out the lip, they ſhake the head] God is ſenſible of any the leaſt affront or offence done to his people, bee it but in an unſeemly geſture, as Labans lowrings, (See Matth. 27.39.) and ſets them upon record againſt the day of account.
Verſ. 8. Hee truſted on the Lord that hee would deliver him] Is this a prophecie of of our Saviours ſufferings, or an Hiſtory rather? See Matth. 27.43. with the Note.
Seeing hee delighted in him] A moſt virulent Irony, whereby they ſought to cajole him of his confidence, and ſo to drive him into utter deſperation and deſtruction.
Verſ. 9. But thou art hee that took mee out of the womb] When, but for thine almighty midwifery, I might have been ſtrangled; or, as an untimely birth, never ſeen the Sun. It is no leſſe than a miracle that the child is kept alive in the womb, and periſheth not in the midſt of thoſe excrements, and that in comming forth, it dyeth not, &c. The very opening and ſhutting again of the body when the child is to be born, is a thing ſo incomprehenſible, that ſome Naturaliſts acknowledge the immediate hand and power of God in it. But becauſe it is a common mercy, little notice is taken, or uſe made of it.
Thou didſt make mee hope] Or, keptſt mee in ſafety; for puerilit as eſt periculorum pelagus, a thouſand deaths and dangers little ones are ſubject to; but God preſerveth, and provideth; & haec non ſunt per accidens, ſaith Kimchi, theſe things are not by chance, but by divine providence.
Verſ. 10. I was caſt upon thee from the womb] Id eſt, a Patre & Matre mea, ſaith Kimchi, by my Father and my Mother, whom thou Lord feddeſt, and filledſt her breaſts,Veluti expoſititius tibi fui a Matrice. Vat. that ſhe might ſuckle mee. Did men but ſeriouſly conſider what kept and fed them in the womb, and at the breaſts, when neither they could ſhift for themſelves, nor their Parents do much for them, they would conclude hee would much more now by their holy prayers, honeſt endeavors, &c.
Thou art my God from my Mothers belly] This is a privilege proper to Children born within the Covenant, and they may claim it; they have God for their God from their nativity; and they may lay their reckoning ſo in all their addreſſes unto God.
Verſ. 11. Bee not farre from mee, for trouble is near] And ſo it is high time for thee to put forth an helping hand. Homimbus profanis mirabilis videtur hac ratio, to profane perſons, this ſeemeeh to bee a ſtrange reaſon, ſaith an Interpreter; but it is a very good one, as this Prophet knew, who therefore makes it his plea.
For there is none to help] Set in therefore, O Lord, and help, at a dead lift, poor mee, who am forſaken of all other hopes.
Verſ. 12. Many Bulls have compaſſed mee] Young Bulls, which noteth their luſtineſs and courage; Tauri bene ſaginati & petulci.
Strong Bulls of Baſhan] A farre Country beyond Jordan; famous for fat and fierce cattel. Hereby are meant Princes and Potentates, perſecutors of Chriſt and his people, againſt whom they run and ruſh with utmoſt might and malice, but not alwaies with deſired ſucceſſe. Of the wild Bull it is ſaid, that of all things hee cannot abide any red colour. Therefore the hunter for the nonce ſtanding before a tree, puts on a red garment; whom when the Bull ſeeth, he runneth hard at him, as hard as hee can drive; but the hunter ſlipping aſide, the Bulls hornes ſtick faſt in the tree; as when David ſlipped aſide, Sauls ſpear ſtuck faſt in the wall. In like manner ſaith a Divine, Chriſt ſtanding before the tree of his Croſſe, put on a red garment dipt and died in his own blood, as one that cometh with red garments from B…zra, Iſa. 63.1. Therefore the Devill and his agents, like wild Bulls of Baſhan ran at him: But hee ſaving himſelf, their hornes ſtick faſt in the Croſſe; as Abrahams Ram by his hornes ſtuck faſt in the briars.
Verſ. 13. They gaped upon mee with their mouths] As if they would have ſwallowed mee up at a bit, like ſo many Lycanthropi, or ſavage Canniballs.
As a ravening and a roaring Lyon] Rapiens & rugiens Le…, licet non ſit mos Boum rapere; Bulls do not uſe to raven though they roar;Kimchi. but the malignities of all fierce and fell Creatures are to bee found in cruell perſecutors. Would any man take the Churches picture, ſaith Luther? then let him paint a ſilly poor Maid ſitting in a Wood or Wilderneſſe, compaſſed about with hungry Lions, Wolves, Bulls,Loc. cum de Perſec. Boares and Beares, and with all manner of cruell and hurtfull beaſts, and in the midſt of a great many furious men, or rather Monſters, aſſaulting her every moment and minute; for this is her condition in the World.
Verſ. 14. I am powred out like water] i.e. I am almoſt paſt all recovery, as water ſpilt upon the ground.
And all my bones are out of joynt] Or, diſparted, as on a rack, or by a ſtrappado. Who hath not heard how Lithgow the Scot was uſed at Maligo in Spain, Lithg. tra….by the bloody Inquiſitours? (after that hee had paſſed thorough the greateſt part of the known World, and travelled thorough Forreſts, Wilderneſſes and Deſerts where hee met with theeves and murderers, Lions, Bulls, Bears, and Tigers, and eſcaped them) how they ſtarved him, wounded him, diſ-joynted him, in ten houres ſpace laid ſeventy ſeverall torments upon him, though they had nothing againſt him, but ſuſpition of Religion. And yet after this, God wonderfully delivered him; ſo that hee was brought on this bed wounded and broken to King James, whoſe letters of recommendation hee had for his ſafe travell through the World, and to whom hee made this relation to the face of Gundamour the Spaniſh Ambaſſadour. This was much, but yet little or nothing to Chriſts ſufferings, whence that paſſage in the Greek Letany, foreign, &c. By thine unknown ſufferings, good Lord deliverus.
My heart is like wax, &c.] Fear and faintneſſe cauſeth an extreme ſweat (ſuch as was that of our Saviour in his agony, Luk. 22.44.) it diſableth alſo the Members from acting their parts, and ſofteneth the heart, Job 23.16.
Verſ. 15. My ſtrength is dried up like a potſheard] My ſpirits are utterly ſpent,Viror met…. Humidum radicale membra in … conglutinans. Abon-Ezra▪ my naturall moiſture quite waſted and dryed up; ſo that I am even like a skin-bottle in the …, &c. For my ſtrength, ſome read my palar.
And my Tongue eleaveth to my jaws] That which …eedeth and facilitateth the motion of the tongue in ſpeech is exhauſted. Conſider here the greatneſſe of the divine diſpleaſure poured upon Chriſt our ſuerty: Words are too weak to utter it.
And thom haft brought mee into the duſt of death] Here is the utmoſt of our Saviours humiliation. Whilſt alive hee was a worm and no man; but now hee is lower; for a living dog is better than a dead Lion, ſaith Solomon. O humble Saviour, whither wilt thou deſcend? Oh that the ſame mind might bee in us, that was in Chriſt Jeſus, &c.
Verſ. 16. For dogs have compaſſed mee] That is, men of mean rank (oppoſed to Bulls and Lions, i. e. great ones and interpreted in the next words, the aſſemblie of the wicked, the rude rabble, and of rancorous diſpoſition, Job 30.1. Prov. 26.11. Mat. 7.6. Phil. 3.2. Pſal. 59.7.15. Anno Dom. 1556. at Weſſenſten in Germany, a Jew for theft was in this cruel manner to bee executed: Hee was hanged by the feet with his head downward,Melch. Ad. in vit. Jac. And. betwixt two doggs, which conſtantly ſnatcht, and bit at him.
They peirced my hands and my feet] fc. When they nailed Chriſt to the Croſſe, Mat. 27.35. Joh. 20.25. Where let mee ſimilate, ſaith a learned man, the Oratours gradation, Facinus vincire civens Romanum, &c. It was much for the Son of God to bee bound, more to bee beaten, moſt of all to bee ſlain; Quid dicam in crucem tolli? but what ſhall I ſay to this, that hee was crucified? that was the moſt vile and ignominious of all puniſhments; it was alſo a cruel and curſed kind of death: which yet hee refuſed not; and here wee have a clear teſtimony for his Croſs, which the Devill would fain wring from us by his agents, the Jews, with their Keri and Chetib. See Galatin. lib. 8. cap. 17. & lib. 1. c. 8. & Mercer. in Job 7.20.
Verſ. 17. I may tell all my bones] Now eſpecially, when ſtretcht out upon the Croſſe, Quando pendens extentus erat in lign…, ſaith Auſtin. Derident maciem meam, ſaith Kimchi.
They look and ſtare upon mee] Aſpiciunt, id eſt, despiciunt, ut Cant. 1.6. ſaith Kimchi, they feed their eyes and paſſions with my miſery, as Luk. 23.35. This foreign is the Devils diſeaſe, and declareth a deviliſh diſpoſition, ſc. for a man to make himſelf merry in other mens miſerie.
Verſ. 18. They part my garments among them, and caſt lots] A very clear Teſtimony to us that our crucified God (as they ſcornfully term him) was the true Meſſiah, ſo long ſince fore-prophecied of, and accordingly accompliſhed, Luk. 23.34. Joh. 20.24. Such Texts as this wee ſhould make much of, as the beſt and iureſt evidences of our Chriſtian faith, 2 Pet. 1.19.
Verſ. 19. But bee net thou farre from mee, O Lord] Here hee reſumeth and reinforceth his former prayer, after a moſt patheticall deſcription of his ſo dolefull condition. Faith wadeth out of trouble (as the Moon doth out of a cloud) by hearty and affectionate prayer.
O my ſtrength] God is ſo to a Beleever; then eſpecially when hee feeleth himſelf weak as water.
Hafte thee to help mee] Who am now in an…igent, and am therefore bold, without limitation, to requeſt thee to haſte away to me.
Verſ. 20. Deliver my ſoul from the ſword] i. e. From deſperate and deadly danger, from the wicked which is thy ſword, Pſa. 17.13.
My darling from the power of the dog] Heb. Mine only one from the hand, &c. as Gen. 9.5. Sic eſt anima in corpore, ut in domo l…ea, nec habet ſ…cium, ſaith R. David here. The ſoul is alone in its cottage of clay, and hath no companion. That was a mad fellow who gave out that hee had two ſoules, one for God, and another for whomſoever would have it; If the dog, that is the Devill (as ſome interpret this Text) lay hands on this darling, it will bee found to bee all that a man hath, his alonely-ſoul, the loſſe whereof our Saviour ſheweth to bee both incomparable and irreparable, Mat. 16.26.
Verſ. 21. Save mee from the Lions mouth] 2 Tim. 4.17. David was oft ſnatcht out of deaths mouth, and ſo was Chriſt; for although hee had his life taken away upon the Croſs, yet was it (as Calvin here well obſerveth) more miraculouſly, and by greater power reſtored after death, than if hee had been delivered from the Croſs; and it is a greater miracle to raiſe the dead, than to heal the moſt dangerouſly ſick, and to ſtay the life when it is departing.
For thou haſt heard me from the Horns of the Ʋnicorns] See Heb. 5.7. It is ordinary with David to call his enemies, by the names of the fierceſt Creatures. This here mentioned, whether the Ʋnicorn, or Rhinoceros, or ſome other wild Beaſt (See Job 39.9, &c.) Cornua habet fortiera aliorum cornibus, Aſperrimath feram appella Plinius.ſaith Aben-Ezra: Et audivi qued de…ic…t ſeipſum ab alto monte ſuper cornie ejus, irrupto illo permanente.
Verſ. 22. I will declare thy Name, &c.] Here beginneth the ſecond part of this Pſalm, which is gratulatory, and declaratory of the fruit of Chriſts Paſſion and Reſurrection, who is not here aſhamed to call us Brethren; but doth communicate the Kingdom to us as coheirs with himſelf.
In the middeſt of the Congregation, &c.] viz. That I may not ſing alone, but in conſort with others, and be their praecentor.
Verſ. 23. Yee that fear the Lord praiſe him] viz. For your redemption by Chriſts Death and Reſurrection. Neither are any fit for ſuch a purpoſe but ſuch as fear the Lord. Excellent words become not a fools mouth, ſaith Solomon: Chriſt would not ſuffer the Devil to confeſs him. To be praiſed by a praiſeleſs perſon, is no praiſe, ſaith Seneca.
All yee the ſeed of Jacob] i. e. Illi qui diligunt eum.
All yee the ſeed of Iſrael] Qui timent, ſed adhuc non diligunt, ſaith R. David: but I like not his diſtinction; for none do truly fear God, but thoſe that love him, Hoſ. 3.5.
Verſ. 24. For he hath not deſpiſed nor abhorred the affliction] Vel responſionem, id eſt orationem qua eſt reſponſio linguae, Prov. 16.1.R. David. With men a poor mans tale cannot be heard; and the anſwer given to ſuch cuts off half the Petition, as the Eccho doth the voyce; but here it is otherwiſe. I know thy poverty, ſaith Chriſt to one of the Seven Churches: but (that is nothing) thou art rich. God thinks not the worſe of his Suppliants for their meaneneſs, but the better rather.
Verſ. 25. My praiſe ſhall be of thee in the great Congregation] where it may bee moſt publick and exemplary. They that neglect publick ſervice for private, do but read their own Inditement, pray their own puniſhment.
I will pay my vows, &c.] My Peace-offerings vowed in my diſtreſs; theſe are heavily payed by moſt people, according to that Italian Proverb, The danger once eſcaped, the Saint is defrauded. See Davids care, Pſal. 116. and elſewhere.
Verſ. 26. The m…k ſhall eat and be ſatisfied] They ſhall be well filled at my Peace-offering Feaſt, ſaith David; at my holy Supper, ſaith Chriſt: and in meſhall have the full fruition of all good things; as at a feaſt of fat things full of Marrow, of Wines refined on the lees, Iſa. 25. Nec copiam hujus ſaeculi concupiſcent nec timebunt inopiam, ſaith Auſtin: here they ſhall neither covet the wealth of this World, nor fear the want of it.
They ſhall praiſe the Lord] viz. At the Euchariſt, and after.
Your heart ſhall live for ever] Apoſtrophe ad manſuetos Emphatica. You meck of the earth, and ſeekers of the Lord, who have eaten of Chriſts fleſh that was given for the life of the World, Joh. 6.51. Your heart ſhall live for ever: And if ſo, then in death it ſelf. As Aristotle giveth the reaſon of the Swans ſinging a little before his death, becauſe generous bloud goeth then to the heart, making it cheerful, and that thence cometh the melody.
Verſ. 27. All the ends of the World ſhall remember] Shall turn ſhort again upon themſelves, as thoſe Solomon prayed for, 1 King. 8.47. and the Prodigal, Luke 15.17.
And turn to the Lord] From their dead Idols, as 1 Theſſ. 1.9.
And all the Kindreds of the Nations, &c.] Chriſt, when he is lifted up, ſhall draw all men to him, Joh. 11. the heavenly Eagles from all parts ſhall fly to this dead, but all-quickning carcaſs, and ſhall feed thereupon.
Verſ. 28. For the Kingdom is the Lords] The Spiritual Kingdom over the Church, and the univerſal Kingdom over all the World belongeth unto Chriſt,Diod. the eternal God.
Verſ. 29. All they that be fat upon earth] i. e. Rich and proſperous, wealthy and well-liking, theſe ſhall feed on Chriſt, and be furthered thereby in his ſervice; ſo ſhall alſo the poorer ſort called here,
They that go down to the duſt, and that cannot keep alive, &c.] That is, that are low kept, and half dead, through hunger and miſery.
Verſ. 30. A Seed ſhall ſerve him] And be ſaved by him, a remnant reſerved for royal uſe, a choſen generation, Rom. 9.20. Iſa. 53.10.
Verſ. 31. Declare his righteouſneſs] i.e. his Mercy and Goodneſs, they ſhall propagate his praiſe to all poſterity.
That he hath done] Or performed, viz. the Salvation promiſed by Chriſt.