Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 44
PSAL. XLIV.
MAſchil] i.e. Making wiſe, or giving inſtruction; for which purpoſe this Pſalm was compoſed by David (as it is moſt probable) or ſome other excellent Prophet, for the uſe of the Church, which is hares crucis, the heir of the Croſſe, as Luther ſpeaketh; and is here inſtructed how to carry her ſelf under it, and to get benefit by it.
Verſ. 1. We have heard with our ears] i.e. We have both heard and heeded it, with utmoſt attention and affection. It is not a Pleonaſmus; but an Emphaſis that is here uſed.
Our Fathers have told us] According to that they were commanded, Deut. 6. and elſewhere, to whet good things upon their young Children, and to propagate the memory of Gods noble acts to all poſterity, Exod. 12.26. & 13.14. Joſh. 4.6,In Ioe. 7. See Pſal. 78.4, 6. Hear this ſaith Baſil, and bluſh yee Fathers, that neglect to teach your Children. They made their mouths as it were Books, wherein the noble acts of the Lord might be read to his praiſe, and to the drawing of their Childrens hearts unto him.
What work thou didſt] All which they faithfully related, and carefully recorded for the uſe of after-ages, Pſal. 102.18. This ſhall bee written for the generation to come; and the people that ſhall be created, ſhall praiſe the Lord.
Verſ. 2. How thou didſt drive out the Heathen] i.e. The Canaanites. Theſe, God the great Proprietary of all ſupplanted, after that they had for a long time grown there as trees, and abounded with all kind of ſenſual delights till they had filled the Land from one end to the other with their uncleanneſſe, Ezra 9.11.
How thou didſt afflict (or break in peeces) the people and caſt them out] Or, cauſe them (the Iſraelites) to ſpread and propagate. (So Mollerus readeth it) as the Vine ſendeth out her branches.
Verſ. 3. For they got not the Land in poſſeſſion by their own ſword, &c.] Men are apt to arrogate to themſelves, and ſay as Luther hath it,Herod. lib. Hoc ego feci. Seſoſtris King of Egypt, when he had conquered any Country, was wont to ſet up pillars, and thereupon to engrave theſe words, This Land I got in poſſeſſion by mine own power. He was afterwards ſlain by his own ſervants.
But thy right hand] Quiaper eam praelia & opera facta ſunt, faith Kimchi. God is the great Doer in all atchievements.
And the light of thy countenance] i. e. Illuſtris praeſentia tua qua praeiviſti & praeluxiſtie…s, thy gracious preſence and conduct.Junius.
Becauſe thou hadſt a favour unto them] Free grace was the fundamentall cauſe of all their felicity. God loved them becauſe he loved them, Deut. 7.7. He choſe them of his love, and then loved them for his choice.
Verſ. 4. Thou art my King O God] Heb. Thou art be my King. Cr. Thou art the ſame my King. i.e. the ſame that thou waſt to thoſe of old; Oh ſee to thy ſubjects, as ever thou haſt done.
Command deliverances for Jacob] A Mandamus from thee will do it; He ſpake the word, and it was done. Some read it, command deliverances O Jacob, that is, O God of Jacob, as Pſal. 24.6.
Verſ. 5. Through thee will we puſh down our enemies] Cor…-p temus, a metaphor from horned creatures, as Deut. 33.17. This we ſhall ſoon do, if thou do but only give the word of command; for together with they word goeth forth a power.
Through thy name] Tuo nomine & numine, auſpicio & ductu.
Verſ. 6. For I will not truſt in my bow] To truſt in men or means, is the ready rode to utter ruine. Idas one of the Argonautes is brought in by the Poet, bragging that he truſted not in the gods, but in his own arm, and armes.
foreign
foreign
What need we to fear the Turks (ſaid Sigiſmund the young King of Hungary in his pride and jollity) who need not at all to fear the falling of the heavens,Turk. hiſt. 10 which if they ſhould fall, yet were we able with our ſpears and halberds to hold them up for falling upon us? He, ſhortly after this, received a notable overthrow. Carnall confidence endeth in confuſion.
Verſ. 7. But thou haſt ſaved us] Thou haſt wrought and fought for us againſt thoſe that ſought to deſtroy us. Thou haſt, and therefore thou wilt, for thou art the ſame my King, verſ. 4.
Verſ. 8. In God we boaſt all the day long] The Spaniards are ſaid to be great boaſters in the very loweſt ebbe of fortune. A godly man may be, and muſt be ſo by an holy gloriation; he muſt make his boaſts of ſuch a King immortal, inviſible, &c. The three Children did ſo: Our God can deliver us, &c.
And praiſe thy Name] Thou alone ſhalt have the praiſe of all our proſperity.
Verſ. 9. But thou hast caſt off, and put us to ſhame] Here's a ſudden change, and a ſad complaint, but handſomly brought in, the better to inſinuate, the ſooner to prevail for redreſs. Only this, it ſhould have been remembred that the Lords hand was not ſhortned — but their iniquities bad ſeparated between them and their God, Iſa. 59.1,Niceph. l. 11. c. 40. 2. That noble General Trajan told Valens the Arrian Emperour, that by warring againſt God, hee had abandoned the Victory, and ſent it to the enemies.
Verſ. 10. Thou makeſt us to turn back from the enemy] By expectorating our faith and courage, and leaving us to a fearful faint-heartedneſs, that flieth at the found of a ſhaken leaf. God ſtrengtheneth or weakneth the arm of either Army, Ezek. 30.24.
Verſ. 11. Thou haſt given us like ſheep appointed for meat] Aliqui occiſi, diſperſialii, & veunndati gratis, Aben-Ezra.Some of us are ſlain, others ſcattered here and there, and ſold for nought.
And haſt ſcattered us, &c.] O the many miſeries of ſuch a baniſhment! The Poet thus expreſſeth it.
Eſt miſerum, patria amiſſa laribuſ que vagare:
Mendica & timida voce rogare cibos.
Cumnatiſ que errare ſuis, & conjuge mocſta,
Et cum matre pia, cum que parente ſene.Tyrteus.
Verſ. 12. Thou ſelleſt thy people for nonght] Thirty for a penny the Jones were ſold by the Romans, ſaith Joſephus, at the laſt devaſtation.
And doſt not increaſe thy wealth by their price] Thou takeſt thy firſt Chapman (as the Pope gave England, in Hen. 8. his time, Primo occupaturo, to him that could firſt ſeize it) and haſt not made thy beſt of them; but given them away, for whom thou waſt wont to give great Nations, Iſa. 43.3. All the comfort in this caſe was, that yet they were dear to God as his Sons, though ſold for ſlaves to the eneſnies, as may be ſeen Iſa. 50 1. & 52.3.
Verſ. 13. Thou makeſt us a reproach to our neighbours] This to a generous ſpirit is very grievous. The Cappadocians were noted for a ſervile people; and Tiberius ſaid of his Romans, Ammian. 1.2.that they were homines ad ſervitutem parati. The Jews at this day hear ill among all Nations, for a naſty and ſordid people. O Marcomanni, O Quadi, O Sarmats, tandem alios vobis deteriores inveni, ſaid that Emperour, O Marcomans, O Quades, O Sarmatians, I have at length found a more odious and contemptible people than you are any; meaning the Jews, with whoſe ſtench he was much annoyed.
Verſ. 14. Thou makeſt us a by-word among the Heathen] Who uſe to ſay, As baſe as a Jew, as wretched as an Iſraelite, &c. The Turks at this day ſay, Judaeus ſim ſi fallam, If I be not as good as my word, count me a very Jew. We uſe to ſay, As bard-hearted as a Jew. Thus is fulfilled that which was threatned, Deut. 28, 37. 1 King. 9.7. Jer. 24 9.
Verſ. 15. My confuſion is continually before me] Heb. All the day long, or every day; ſo as that there is neither hope of better, nor place of worſe.
Verſ. 16. For the voyce of him that reproacheth and blaſphemeth] Reproacheth Religion, blaſphemeth God and his people, as if hee cared not what became of them; and his diſpenſation ſeemeth to ſay as much: this reflecteth upon the Saints, and maketh them cry out —
— Pudet hac opprobria nobis,
Et dici potuiſſe, & non potuiſſe refelli.
Verſ. 17. All this is come upon us, yet] This they alledge, viz. their conſtancy, as an argument of their ſincerity, and a motive to pitty; apply this with Hierom, to Chriſtians, and then it is the voyce of Martyrs.
Neither have we dealt falſly in thy Covenant] i.e. We have not relinquiſhed the true Religion, or revolted to dumb Idols: but held us cloſe to they ſincere ſervice. And therefore if that Heathen Emperour going againſt his enemy could ſay, Non ſic Deos coluimus ut ille nos vinceres, We have not ſo ſerved the gods that they ſhould ſerve us no better, than to ſuffer us to be worſted;Autoni. Philoſoph. How much more may Gods faithful Servants be confident of his help, and ſay, All people will walk every one in the name of his god; and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever? Mic. 4.5.
Verſ. 18. Our heart is not turned back] Metaphora à ſtudie, ſaith Vatablus, As thoſe that run a race ſtand not at a ſtay, much leſs turn back again; ſo neither have we either ſtopped or ſtepped backward, but advanced ſtill toward the mark, having Nondum metam (We have not yet attained) for our Motto, as Saint Paul had;Phil. 1.28. 1 Pet. 3.6. Phil. 3.12. being in nothing terrified by our adverſaries, nor afraid with any amazement.
Neither have our ſteps declined] We have watched over every particular action; Gods people are beſt when at worſt.
Verſ. 19. Though thou haſt ſore broken us in the place of Dragons] i.e.Gr foreign In Deſarts haunted by Dragons. (See Iſa. 34.13. & 35.7.) Whereinto we are driven in baniſhment, and there haſt cruſhed us, and covered us with the ſhadow of death, i.e. deadly calamity.
Verſ. 20. If we have for got ten the name of our God] i.e. forgone our Religion, as Renegadoes, denying the Lord that bought us. In the time of the Maccabees, many revolted to Paganiſm; Daemas forſaking Paul, became an Idolatrous Prieſt at Theſſalonica, ſaith Dorotheus; Julian turned Pagan; Damaſcen Mahometan, as ſome write; Harding an obſtinate Papiſt. In the Palatinate, when, not forty years ſince, taken by the Spaniard, ſcarce one man in twenty ſtood out, but fell to Popery, as faſt as leaves fall in Autumn.
Or ſtretched out our bands to a ſtrange God] This, Ignatius, Laurentius, and thouſands of thoſe Primitive Chriſtians would dye, rather than be drawn to do. So the three Children, the ſeven Brethren, &c. Origen, for yeelding a little, was excommunicated.
Verſ. 21. Shall not God ſearch this out?] What pretences or excuſes ſoever bee uſed for the colouring, and covering of the ſame.
For he knoweth, &c.] See Mat. 10.26. with the Note.
Verſ. 22. Yea for thy ſake are we ki…ed, &c. q. d. Thou knoweſt that for thy ſake,Potes videre hominem morte affici quare mortificetur neſcis. Aug. Act. & Mon. 8…(and not for vain glory, or out of pertinacy, &c.) we are killed. Tis the cauſe, and not the puniſhment, that maketh the Martyr. Some ſuffer as Malefactors rather.
We are counted as ſheep for the ſlaughter] As thoſe Chriſtians in Calabria, Anno 1560. thruſt up in one houſe together, as in a Sheep-fold, and butchered ſeverally. See Rom. 8.36. beſides thoſe many, whoſe names being written in red Letters of bloud in the Churches Calender, are written in golden Letters in Chriſts Regiſter in the book of life, as Prudentius hath it.
Verſ. 23. Awake, why ſleepeſt thou?] Conſidering all the premiſes, ſtir up thy ſelf, and come and ſave us; careſt thou not that we periſh?
Verſ. 24. Wherefore hideſt thou thy face?] God ſometimes concealeth his love, as Joſeph did, out of increaſement of love: he retireth, but faith fetcheth him out, as the Woman of Canaan did, Mark 7.24, 25.
Verſ. 25. For our ſoul, &c.] Soul and Belly (or body) both are oppreſſed, and lye ſuppliant at Gods feet; reſolved there to live and dye together.
Verſ. 26. Ariſe for our help] Heb. A help for us, a ſufficient help, proportionable to our neceſſities. The Hebrew bath a letter more than ordinary.