Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 40
PSAL. XL.
Verſ. 1. I waited patiently for the Lord] Heb. In waiting I waited; Diutiſſimè quidem, ſed optimo ſucceſſu; Eſt ſenſus ejuſdem cum duobus prioribu… Kabuenat.I prayed and waited, I waited and prayed again; perſevering in prayer, and begging audience, as Pſal. 39.12, with which Baſil maketh this Pſalm to cohere, and well he may, for it ſeemeth to be of the ſame time and argument with the two former. R. Obadiah ſaith, that David compoſed this Pſalm after that he was recovered of his Leproſie, Pſal. 38.7.
And he inclined unto me] i.e. he began at length to ſhew favour; for he waiteth to be gracious, and well knoweth that deſideria dilatione creſcant, & cito data vileſcant: nothing is loſt, by holding his people long in requeſt.
Verſ. 2. He brought me up alſo out of an horrible pit] è puteo ſonitus, ut Iſa. 17.12… out of a noyſe-full pit, where there is a continual hurry by the great fall of waters into it; He meaneth, out of dreadful dangers, out of a deſperate diſeaſe, ſaith R. Obadiah; who alſo by rock here underſtandeth perfect health, Sanitatem in corpore, ſanctitatem in corde.
Out of the miry clay] E luto, Luto, ſaith Kimchi, for here are two words uſed, of one and the ſame ſenſe; to ſhew, that as a bemired beaſt he was in a periſhing condition, till God puld him out, and ſet him on firm ground.
And eſtabliſhed my goings] That I might not relapſe into the ſame, or fall into another malady or miſchief.
Verſ. 3. And he hath put a new ſong in my mouth] i. e. new matter, which I ſhall ſoon contrive into a new ſong, by the help of his holy Spirit: for I cannot breath out a deſire after him, except he firſt imbreath me therewith, and ſo put a new ſong in my mouth.
Even praiſe unto our God] i.e. Unto Chriſt, ſaith Junius, to whom, and of whom the Church ſingeth, ſaith he, in the following verſes.
Many ſhall ſee it, and fear, and truſt in the Lord] Their eye ſhall affect their heart, both with fear of, and faith in the Lord, that bringeth greateſt things to paſs, and is fearful in praiſes, doing wonders, Exod. 15.
Verſ. 4. Bleſſed is that man, &c.] See Pſal. 2.12.
And reſpecteth not the proud.] Who are ſet in oppoſition to Beleevers, as they are alſo, Hab. 2.4. Self juſtitiaries eſpecially, and Merit-mongers: faith is an humbling grace.
Nor ſuch as turn aſide to lies] As do Hereticks and Idolaters. Theſe, the true beleever, out of the greatneſs of his ſpirit, ſlighteth, how great ſoever they be: Animo magno nihil magnum.
Verſ. 5. Many O Lord my God are thy Works which thou haſt done] Many and great and all for them that truſt in thee: Who therefore muſt needs be bleſſed, as verſ. 4.
And thy thoughts which are to us-ward] Thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give us an expected end, Jer. 29.11.
They cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee] No, nor yet out of order; and yet we muſt be reckoning and relating them as we are able, to God, and men, by ſpeaking good of his name; and at this David was old excellent, as we ſay.
If I would declare and speak of them] By whole-ſale we muſt do it, though wee cannot ſo well by retale; particulars alſo muſt bee inſtanced, as Moſes doth to Jethro, Exod. 22. and for that end Catalogues muſt bee kept; See one Judg. 10.11.12.
Verſ. 6. Sacrifice and offering thou didſt not deſire] Comparatively to the obedience of faith, 1 Sam. 15.22. without which when Hypocrites thought to bribe God by cold Ceremonies, they were rejected. Chriſt is the end of the Law to all that beleeve; that Lamb of God ſlain from the beginning of the world is the only Expiatory Sacrifice, and the foundation of that fore mentioned bleſſedneſs, ver. 4. Now ſince Chriſt ſuffered, the Levitical Sacrifices being aboliſhed, we have none to offer but ſuch as are gratulatory: to ſhew our thankfulneſs for ſuch a Redeemer, whoſe perfect obedience, with the fruit of it, is here, and in the following Verſes both deſcribed, and ſet forth for an abſolute pattern to us of performing our duty toward God, for this inexplicable mercy. Confer. Heb. 10.5, 6. &c. Here wee have in Chriſt for our inſtruction, and in David alſo (his Type) for our example; 1. A firm purpoſe of obedience, in a bored ear, and a yeelding heart. 2. A ready performance thereof, Lo I come. 3. A careful obſervance of the Word written. In the volume of thy Book it is written of me, verſ 7. 4.D. … An hearty delight in that obſervance, verſ. 8.5. A publick profeſſion and communication of Gods goodneſs to others, verſ. 9, 10. Now… we ſhould labour to expreſs Chriſt to the world, to walk as he walked, 1 Feb. 2.6. our lives ſhould be in ſome ſenſe parallel with his life, as the tranſcript with the original: He left us a Copy to write by, ſaith Saint Peter, 1 Epiſt. 2.21.
Mine ears haſt them opened] Heb. digged, bored; an hearing ea… haſt thou beſtowed upon me, which is a fingular favour; for life entreth by the ear, Iſa. 55.3. as did death at firſt, Gen. 3. O pray, that God would make the bore wide enough. that the inward ears being drawn up to the outward, one ſound may peirce both at once.
Verſ. 7. Then ſaid I, Lo I come] Chriſt became obedient even to the death, yea that of the Croſs, Phil. 2.8. Chriſts people alſo are a willing people, Pſal. 110.3. their obedience is prompt, and preſent, ready, and ſpeedy, without delays and conſults, Pſal. 119.60. without capitulation and ſecurity, Iſa. 56.6.
In the volume of thy book] In libre plicatili, in thy Law which was anciently, (and is till this day amongſt the Jews) written in Paper, or Parchment rolled up; becauſe it will laſt longer rolled than folded.
It is written of me] Of Chriſt, in many places: for He is both Author, Object, Matter, and Mark of both Teſtaments. Of David alſo, and all Gods people, doth the Law ſpeak with fruit and efficacy; and they do uſe to read their own names, written as it were in every precept, promiſe, threatning. Look how men read the Statute-book of the Land, as holding themſelves highly concerned therein; So here.
Verſ. 8. I delight to do thy will, O my God] To Chriſt it was his meat and drink, Fob. 4. he ſet his face to do it, and to ſuffer it, Luke 9.51, yea he was ſtraightned, pained till it was done, Luk, 12.50. And the ſame minde is alſo in the Saints that was in Chriſt Jeſus, Phil. 2.5. They delight in the Law of God after the inward man, Rom. 7.22, they prefer it before their neceſſary food, Job 23.12.
Tea thy Law is within my heart] Heb, In the midſt of my bowels; there is the counterpane, the duplicate of the Law written, yea printed, Jer. 31.33. 2 Cor. 3.3. Rip up my heart (ſaid Queen Mary) when I am dead, and there ſhall you finde Gallice, the loſs whereof (tis thought) killed her. Rip up the moſt mens hearts, and there you ſhall finde written, The god of this preſent world. But Gods Law is in good mens hearts, to live and to dye with it. O beata Apocalypſis (ſaid that Martyr, catching up the Revelation ca…t into the ſame fire with him to be burnt) O bleſſed Revelation, how happy ans I to be burned with thee in my hands!
Verſ. 9. I have preached righteouſneſs in the great congregation] David did this, but Chriſt much more by the everlaſting Goſpel, ſent the whole world throughout: great was the company of Preachers, and large was their commiſſion. See a draught of it, Acts 26.18.
I have declared thy faithfulneſs, and thy ſalvation] Righteouſneſs of Chriſt imputed, faithfulneſs of God in fulfilling his Promiſes, Salvation the end of faith, loving kindneſs and truth the ground of all the former, Gods loving kindneſs, or mercy moving him to promiſe, and his truth binding him to perform; theſe are thoſe Pearls that Chriſt by his Preachers caſteth before people, if they bee but as forward to take them, as he is to tender them: How beautiful ſhould the feet be of thoſe that bring ſuch glad tidings? and how heavie will the duſt of ſuch feet bee, ſhaken off againſt deſpiſers?
O Lord them knoweſt] ſc. That I have herein done mine utmoſt, and with an upright heart.
Verſ. 10. I have not bid thy righteouſneſs within my heart] Or, if he did, as Pſal. 119.11. it was, that having wrought it firſt on his own affections, he might afterwards utter it a corde ad cor, from the heart to the heart, and ſo be able to ſave himſelf and theſe that heard him.
I have declared to faith … &c.] See verſ. 9.
Verſ. 11.Nune in luto adhuc baerens & cum reſiduo … precatur Deum. With hold not … thy tender mercies, &c.] Whereas, while the Samts are on earth there will be a perpetual interchange of comforts and croſſes; prayers muſt be joyned with praiſes, and care taken, that confirmed by former experiences, they … depend upon God.
Let thy loving kindneſs and thy …th contin…ally preſerve … … thoſe two Attributes of thine be mine Angel … at all times, See the Note on Pſal. 25.10.
Verſ. 12. For innumerable evils have compaſſed me] Heb. Have muſtered upon me. Many (or Millions) are the troubles of the righteous; none our of Hell over ſuffered more than they: an elegant exaggeration of their afflictions we have in this verſe, and ſuch as cannot well be underſtood by any, but thoſe that have been well beaten Porters to the Croſs of Chriſt.
Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me] i.e. The puniſhment of mine iniquities, Gen. 4.13. my ſin hath found me out. If this be taken of Chriſt, he is, Maximus patcatornus, the greateſt of ſinners by imputation, 2 Cor. 5.20. Iſa. 53. 6. for our ſins (which here he calleth his) he ſuffered; and here his bitter Agony in the Garden is Graphically deſcribed; neither is it abſurd to ſay, that as he bore our ſins in his own Body upon the Tree, he was firſt redeemed by himſelf, and afterwards we.
Therefore my heart faileth me] i.e. my wit, courage, counſel is waſted by earneſt thinking upon them. Scientia mea eis numerandis defica, as Kimchi gloſſeth,
Verſ. 13.foreign. Be pleaſed, O Lord, to deliver me] Do it of thy free grace, and meer mercy, of thy good will, and gracious liking (as the word ſignifieth) beſide the conſideration of my woful miſery laid forth, verſ. 12. as an object of thy mercy.
Verſ. 14. Let them be aſhamed and confounded together, &c.] Theſe and the like imprecations muſt be looked upon as Prophecies. Beſides, David looked upon them not as his enemies only, but Gods as well and ſuch alſo as were deſperate, and irrecoverable. So Paul prayed againſt the Copper-ſmith, the Church againſt Jutian, &c.
Let them be driven backward, &c.] A Chriſtian may without ſin be ſenſible of indignities; only it muſt bee the mourning of Doves, and not the roaring of Bears.
Verſ. 15. Let them be deſolate for a reward] a poor reward; but ſuch as ſin payeth to her ſervants; the wages of ſin is death. Sin payeth all her ſervants in black mony. See Pſal. 35.21. The ward here rendred reward, ſignifieth an heel. It is, as if the Prophet ſhould ſay, Let one deſolation tread upon the heels of another, …ill they be utterly undone.
Verſ. 16. Let all thoſe that ſeek thee rejoyce] viz. When they hear of my deliverance. The Saints have both their joyes and griefs in common with their fellow-members, as being in the body, Heb. 13.3. both in the body of Chriſt, and in the body of ſleth and frailty.
Verſ. 17. But I am poor and needy] A ſtark begger; neither will I hide from my Lord (as once Joſephs Brethren ſaid to him, when they came for com) mine extream indigency, my neceſſitous condition. I am one that gets my living by begging.
Yee the Lord thinketh upon met] Hee is the poor mans King, as hath been ſaid; and Chriſt is …, as Auguſtine hath it; that is he gives with the Father, and at ſame time prayes with the ſuter, who muſt therefore needs ſpeed.
Thou art my help and my deliverer, make no tarrying] Deliver mee ſpeedily, leſt I periſh utterly. God, ſaith One, is ſometimes troubled with too much help, but never with too little; we are ſometimes too ſoon, but he is never too late.