Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 31
PSAL. XXXI.
A Pſalm of David] made, ſay Vatablus and others, at that time when Saul purſued David in the Wilderneſſe of Maon, 1 Sam. 23.24. But by many circumſtances and paſſages of this Pſalm it appeareth more probable, that it was, as the former, compoſed when Abſolom was up, 2 Sam. 15.10. &c. See verſ. 11, 12, 22. of this Pſalm, with 2 Sam. 17.24, 27. & 19.33. Joſeph. Autiq. lib. 7. cap 9.
Verſ. 1. In thee O Lord do I put my truſt] Hic Pſalmus varia mixtus & magna affectnum viciſſitudine inſignis eſt, This Pſalm is ſtrangely mixt and made up of many and diverſe paſſions and petitions; according to the change of times and eſtate. In the time of affliction he prayeth, in the time of conſolation he praiſeth the Lord, Ercleſ. 7.15. In theſe three firſt verſes is little ſaid, but what had been before ſaid; and is already opened.
Let mee never be aſhamed] i.e. Repulſed, worſted, defeated.
In thy Righteouſneſſe] And not according to mine own Righteouſneſſe, ſaith Kimchi, or according to thy faithfullneſſe.
Verſ. 2. … ] This repetition of his petition is no vain babbling, as Mat. 6.9. but an effect and an evidence of greateſt earneſtneffe, as Mat. …6.44.
For an houſe of defence] Where the enemy can as little hurt mee, as when I was in the Hold, 1 Sam. 22.4.
Verſ. 3. For thou art my Rock and my fortreſſe] Such places David had been forced to fly to; but ſtil he truſted in God.
Lead mee and guide mee] Duc me, & deduc me. A Metaphor from Captaines and Generalls, who lead on their armies with greateſt art and induſtry.Vatab.
Verſ. 4. Pull mee out of the net] That noted net, as the Hebrew hath it; Nam Z… denet at rem notam omnibus, ſaith Kimchi. David was not caught in it; but the enemies preſumed he would be; ſo ſelling the hide before the beaſt was taken; as did likewife the proud Spaniards. when coming againſt England in eighty eight, they triumphed before the victory, and ſang.
Tu qua Romanas ſueviſti temnere leges,
Hispano diſces ſubdere collajugo.
But bleſſed be God, the net brake, and wee eſcaped, Pſal. 124.7.
For thou art my ſtrength] As a tree is ſtrongeſt at the root, and a branch or bough next the trunck or ſtock; and the further it groweth out from thence, the ſmaller and weaker it groweth too: So the nearer the Creature is to God, the ſtronger; and on the contrary.
Verſ. 5. Into thine hand I commit my spirit] So did our Saviour, ſo did St. Stephen, and diverſe of the dying Martyrs with theſe very words, moſt apt and appoſite ſurely for ſuch a purpoſe. But what a wretch was that Huber… who dyed with theſe words in his mouth, I yeeld my goods to the King, my body to the grave, and my ſoul to the Devill.
Thou haſt redeemed] And ſo haſt beſt right unto mee.
O Lord God of truth] I know whom I have truſted.
Verſ. 6. I have hated them that regard lying vanities] i.e. Idols, or ought elſe beſides the living God, who giveth us all things richly to injoy, 1 Tim. 6.17. See Jon. 2.8. with the Note. Vanitates vanitatis, Vatablus rendreth it, and telleth us, that ſome underſtand it of Aſtrology. R. David doth ſo in this Note of his upon the Text, Aſtrologos & in cantatores in fuga mea non conſului, ſed in Domino & prophetis ejus confiſus ſum; I have not conſulted Aſtrologers and Soothſayers in my trouble; but have truſted to the Lord and his Prophets.
Verſ. 7. I will be glad and rejoyce] In the midſt of trouble faith will find matter of joy; as extracting abundance of comfort in moſt deſperate diſtreſſes from the precious promiſes, and former experiences.
Thou haſt known my ſoul in adverſity] God knows our ſouls beſt, Pſal. 1.6. and wee know him beſt, in adverſity. Iſa. 63.16. the Church thought ſhe ſhould know him, in the midſt of all his auſterities.
Verſ. 8. Thou haſt not ſhut mee up, &c.] i.e. Not given mee into their power. See Pſal. 27.12.
Thou haſt ſet my feet in a large room] So that I can freely and fearleſly go in and out. See Pſal. 25.15.
Verſ. 9. Have mercy upon mee O Lord] Antiquum obtine, Do now Lord, as thou hitherto haſt done.
For I am in trouble] Overwhelmed with the terrours of death, and ready to ſink, animus mihi pendet, I know not what to do.
Mine eye is conſumed with grief] Computruit facies men, mine eye (…itor oculi, vet facies) is gnawn away, or worm-eaten.
Yea my ſoul, and my belly] Belly may be taken for the whole body, which was pined away and infeebled with penſiveneſſe. Votablus by ſoul underſtandeth the naturall appetite after meat, and by …, the diſge…tion, both which ….
Verſ. 10. For my life is ſpa… with …, &c.] Which … of life, and ſoon ſnappeth it in ſunder, 2 Cor. 7.10. See Prov. …7.22. & …5, with the Notes.
My ſtrength faileth] So that I ſtumble and ſtagger, …
Becauſe of mine iniquity] Or, My miſery; for … and the Scripture often confoundeth the names of the cauſe and of the effects.
And my bones are conſumed] Heb. Moth-eaten.
Verſ. 11. I was a repreach among all mine enemies] Such as Shi…ti, who now inſulted luſtily; Leoni mortuo velmus inſultat.
But eſpecially among my mighbours] My near-allies and friends, ſuch as Abſolem and Abitophel; theſe moſt vexed mee.
Ask a fear to mine acquaintance] It is no new thing that thoſe which ſhould moſt love men, do ſometimes, either for fear or flattery of others, make leaſt account of them.
They that ſee mee without (or, in the ſtreets) fled from mee] To ſ…ift for themſelves; fith to own mee whom they could not help, was bootleſſe, and beſides perilous.
Verſ. 12. I am forgotten, as a dead man out of mind] How ſoon dead men are forgotten, even by thoſe that promiſe to remember them longeſt of all; experience teacheth; truſt not to proteſtations of beſt friends in that caſe.
I am like a broken Veſſel] Of which there is no further uſe, or eſteem.
Verſ. 13. For I have heard the ſlander of many] Or, as Calvin, Mollerus, and others render it, Magnorum, of the great ones, ſuch as take counſel (ſo it followeth here) which the Vulgar ſeldome do; and their tongues oft are no ſlander, as we ſay.
Fear was on every ſide] Mager miſſabib, Paſhurs new name and doom, Jer. 20.3, 4. But good Davids condition at this time; without were fightings, within were feares.
While they took counſel together againſt mee] See 2 Sam. 16.20. where we have an expoſition of this verſe.
Verſ. 14. But I truſted in thee, O Lord] In this diſtreſſe I acted my faith upon thy power and promiſes; this was right, and that which God aimed at; for we can no way more honour him. Hence it is that he is very jealous of our truſt; neither can he endure that any Idoll of jealouſie ſhould be ſet up in our hearts.
I ſaid, thou art my God] In neareſt relation, and deareſt affection, whatever befalleth mee.
Verſ. 15. My times are in thy hand] Both the time of my abode on earth, and all thoſe various occurrences of that time; all is predetermined by Thee; particularly how long I ſhall ſuffer, and when I ſhall be delivered. See 1 Chron. 29.30. Joh. 7.30.
Deliver mee from the hand of mine enemies] Oh command deliverances for mee; for thou canſt caſily do it. And here obſerve how David riſeth in his requeſts; He laid the Covenant for a foundation, and then he well knew he might be bold to ask any thing.
Verſ. 16. Make thy face to ſhine, &c.] Which by reaſon of the clouds of affliction cluſtering about mee, I cannot for preſent perceive. See the Notes on Pſal. 4.6. & 30.7.
Save mee. &c.] i.e. Deliver mee out of theſe dangers.
Verſ. 17. Let mee not bee aſhamed] i.e. Diſappointed of my hopes.
Let the Wicked bee aſhamed] For they call not upon God, but ſhame thoſe that do, Pſa. 14.4.6.
Let them bee ſilent in the grave] Let their big-ſpoken mouthes be ſtopped, with a ſpade full of mould.
Verſ. 18. Let the lying lips bee put to ſilence] Heb. The lips of alye, … artifices, as Jer. ….3, 5. Among the Persians it was foreign, held abaſe ſhame to tell a lye. Oh that it were ſo among Chriſtians! when ſhall that golden age return,Herod, in Clio Xenoph. Cyrop. Strab. lib. 15. that the argument may again proceed, Sacerdote…s;…, … fullet; Chriſtianus eſt, non mentietur, Hee is a Miniſter, hee will not deceive; Hee is a Chriſtian, therefore he will not lye?
Which ſpeek grievous things] Heb. An … thing; dara, & …, durable and long laſting … ſuch as ſtick, and leaves ſcar, though the wound bee …. Such mouthes ſhall one day … for it, Jude. 15.
Proudly and contemptuouſly] Heb. In pride and contempt. It is Pride that ca…eth contempt of others. …
Verſ. 19. Oh how great is thy goodneſſe] The Prophet venteth himſelf by way of exclamation, as finding it unſpeakable; fitter to be beleeved, than poſſible to be diſcourſed; words are too weak to utter it. What ſhall we ſay to theſe things? quoth that great Apoſtle, Rom. 8.31.
Which thon haſt laid up] Heb. Hidden. Beſides that good which God worketh openly for his before the ſons of men, a great part of his wonderfull kindneſſe is hidden from the world, and in part alſo from themſelves, both in reſpect of the fountain, 1 Joh. 3.1, 2. Col. 3.3. the fullneſſe, 1 Cor. 2.9. and the inward ſealing up thereunto, 1 Cor. 2.11, 12. Rev. 2.17. Prov. 14.10.
For them that fear thee — that truſt in thee] For faith muſt be actuated; and when we have ſuch a precious promiſe as this, we muſt ſuck and be ſatisfied, Iſa. 66.11. put on to get the goodneſſe of God to work, which is done by beleeving. Catch hold, as David did, 1 Chron. 17.23, 24, 25, 26. and make the utmoſt of Gods loving kindneſſe laid up in a promiſe; preſs it, and oppreſſe it, till the goodneſſe be expreſſed out of theſe breaſts of conſolation.
Verſ. 20. Thou ſhalt hide them in the ſecret of thy preſence] In the golden cabinet of thy gracious providence, where they ſhall bee as ſafe as if they were in Heaven.
Thou ſhalt keep them ſecretly in a Pavilion] A kind of ſpeech taken from Princes retiring-roomes, and withdrawing-chambers, which are ſacred places.Diodat…
From the ſtrife of tongues] From the Calumnies and contumelies of graceleſs tongue-ſmiters. The Arabick rendreth it, from the inſurrection of Tongues. Sedition is firſt in the tongue and then in the hand; an unruly tongue ſetteth on fire, Jam. 3. But the Saints have a promiſe, that as no Weapon formed againſt them ſhall proſper; ſo every tongue that riſeth againſt them in judgement ſhall be condemned, Iſa. 54.17.
Verſ. 21. Bleſſed be the Lord] This ſhould always be in a Chriſtians mouth, as Deo gratias was in Auſtines. He can never want matter, and ſhould therefore ever finde an heart.
For he bath ſhewed me his marvellous kindneſs] Mirificavit bonitatem ſuam, hath been farre better to me than my hopes.
In a ſtrong City] In Mahanaim, 2 Sam. 17.27. where it is likely he made this, and ſome other Pſalms.
Verſ. 22. For I ſaid in my haſte, I am cut off, &c.] A frightful and ſinful ſaying doubtleſs, full of diffidence and deſpair. (See the like, Pſal. 116.11. Job 9.16. Judg. 13.22. Pſal. 77.3. Joh. 2.4.) Thus he ſpake when he tremblingly fled, and was poſting away.
Nevertheleſs thou heardeſt the voyce of my ſupplication] A pitiful poor one though it were, and full of infirmity. God conſidereth whereof we are made; he taketh not advantages againſt his ſuppliants; it would be wide with them if he ſhould.
Verſ. 23. O love the Lord] Let not your haſty diſcontent beget in you hard thoughts of God, or heavie thoughts againſt your ſelves, as it hath done in me; but love him, truſt him, and he will do you right.
And plentifully rewardeth] Heb. repaieth abundantly, or with ſurpluſſage, in ſeipſo vel in ſemine ſuo. It may be rendred, Upon the remainder, and underſtood of the proud mans poſterity, wherein God will be ſure to bemeet with him.
Verſ. 24. Be of good courage, &c.] Bear up, be ſtout, and ſtedfaſt in the faith under trials. See Pſal. 27.14. with the Note. Thus good courage cometh not but from the true love of God. Verſ. 23.