Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 52 – Psalm 53
PSAL. LII.
A Pſalm of David] Of the ſame time and argument, likely with Pſal. 58. Maſchil] Or, to teach, that the end of the Wicked is evill; Redarguit pravos mores, ſaith the Syriack.
When Doeg the Edomite] When Abiathar eſcaping the ſlaughter-ſlave, the bloodhound (as Edomite may ſignifie) came and told David what was befaln the Prieſts, and their City. This was no ſmall affliction to David; the rather becauſe by telling the Prieſt a lye, himſelf had occaſioned that Maſſacre. Hereupon for the comfort of himſelf and other good people who were ſtartled at this ſad accident, and might be deterred thereby from ſuccouring David, he penned this Pſalm.
When Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, &c.] Doeg is a fit name for a courtier; for it ſignifieth a ſolicitous or buſy-headed fellow, a catch-poll, a progging-companion, an informer, one that liſteneth after rumours, and carrieth tales to curry favour. An Edomite he was by Nation; but a Proſelyte in pretence at leaſt, and one that was at that time detained before the Lord, either by vertue of ſome vow, or becauſe it was the Sabbath-day, and he would not travel on it, or to perform ſome other religious ſervice, 1 Sam. 21.7. this diſſembled ſanctity was double iniquity; and he became a type of Judas, as ſome make him.
He came and told Saul] Like a Paraſite and a pick-thank, as he was; when as he ſhould rather have told Ahimelech, that David was out of Sauls favour, and ſought for to the ſlaughter, as Kimchi here noteth on verſ. 3. but he concealed that, that he might accuſe Ahimelech, and ſo ſlew three at once (ſaith another Rabbine) viz. himſelf, Saul and Ahimeleck, calumniatorem, calumniatum & calumniam audientem.
And ſaid, David is come to the houſe of Ahimeleck] Few words, but full of poyſon;Verba Doegi erant pauci, ſed multum nocua. Kimchi. Midraſh Tillin. leviter volant non leviser vulnerant. See the ſtory more at large, 1 Sam. 22 9. &c. The Rabbines ſay (from Levit. 14. where the ſame word is uſed of the Leprous houſe, that is here, verſ. 5. of Doegs doom) that he was for this fact ſmitten with leproſy; and afterwards ſent to Hell, which they gather from Pſal. 120.4.
Verſ. 1. Why boaſteſt thou thy ſelf in miſchief, thou mighty man] Or, Thou Giart; for ſo he ſeemed to himſelf when he had ſlain tot inermes nec repugnantes, ſo many naked men, not making any reſiſtance, though they were the Prieſts of Jehovah; and afterward had ſmitten the innocent inhabitants of the City of Nob, together with the women, the infants and the Cattel; like another Ajax flagellifer or Hercules furens, and now vaunted himſelf in that miſchievous proweſſe.
Egregiam vero…undem, &c.
The Hebrew word for boaſting here, ſignifieth alſo madneſs, when it is taken in the worſe ſence, as Jer. 46.9. See Prov. 2.14. and to boaſt of his hearts deſire is the note of an Atheiſt, Pſal. 10.3.
The goodneſs of God endureth continually] Maugre thy ſpitefulneſs,R. Solomon. Kabuenaki. Midraſh Tillin. God is good to Iſrael, to the pure in heart, and will be ſo. The Rabbins make this the ſenſe, If Ahimeleth had not releeved me, God would have ſtirred up ſome other to have done it. Some others underſtand it thus, The goodneſs of God towards thee a wicked wretch endureth all the day. This ſhould lead thee to repentance. But thou after the hardneſs, &c. Rom. 2.4.
Verſ. 2. Thy tongue deviſeth miſchiefes] i.e.Cogitat, id eſt eructat. venteth the miſchievous devices of thy minde, being an inter preter and an inſtrument fit for ſuch a purpoſe. Such another Doeg was Nicholas saunders, Prieſt, the Fire-brand of Earl Deſw…ds Rebellion in Ireland, Anno 1580. a reſtleſs and wretched man, whoſe foul mouth was at length ſtopped with famine, that had been ever open to ſtir up rebellions againſt the State; that had uttered ſo many Blaſphemies againſt God, and his holy Truth, and invented ſo many loud and lewdlyes againſt men.
Like a ſharp razor, working deceitfully] That inſtead of ſhaving the hair, launcheth the fleſh; or miſſing the beard, cutteth the throat,Exſcindit carnem cum crinibus. R. Solom. Conſutro aberrans jugulum petit: whence Dionyſius the Tyrant would not truſt any Barber (no not his own Daughters) to ſhave him: but ſinged off his own hair with hot coals. The ſlanderers Tongue, as ſharp as a razor, or as the quills of a Porcupine, flaſheth, and gaſheth the good names of others, and that many ways, viz. both by denying, diſguiſing, leſlening, concealing, miſconſtruing things of good report; and alſo by forging, increaſing, aggravating, or uncharitable ſpreading things of evil report: not for any love to the truth, nor for reſpect to juſtice, nor yet for the bettering of the Hearer, or the Delinquent; but only to prejudice the one, and to incenſe the other. This was Doegs ſin, and denominateth him a Lyer, verſ. 3. though hee had ſpake but the truth.
Verſ. 3. Thou loveſt evil more than good] Indeed evil only, and not at all good, whatever thou pretendeſt. Thy heart is naught, and thence it is that thy tongue is ſo miſchievons; as ſtinking breath cometh from corrupt inwards.
And lying, rather than to ſpeak righteouſneſs] For thou haſt cunningly inſinuated, for thine own baſe ends, and againſt thine own Conſcience, that thoſe innocent and faithful Prieſts were of the combination; and ſo haſt built thy ſelf upon their ruines, thou falſe Sycophant, artifex doti. Selah.
Verſ. 4. Thou loveſt all devouring words] Verba devoratoria, the Greek hath it, foreign, that devoure and ſwallow up, ſo as the Sea doth things caſt into it. So elſewhere, their throat is an open ſepulchre, which devoureth all bodies but rendreth none without a Miracle. Some render it, Verba voraginis, the words of a Whirlpool, which firſt turns men round, and then lucks them in. Others, Verba abſorptionis, in reference to that uſe of the tongue, which is to ſup up diſh-meats; Sic lingua attrahit homines it… ut abſorbeautur, ſaith Vatablus. The vulgar hath it, Verba precipitationis, words that hurl one down headlong, Ex edites adium vel rupium, as Hilary hath it, from the top of houſes, or high rocks.
O thou deceitful tongue] Becauſe although it were for moſt part truth that hee ſpake, yet he did it maliciouſly, and by diſhmulation paſled over that which might have made for Ahimelech, viz. that he releeved David in the ſimplicity of his heart, as thinking him to be high in the Kings favour, and employed by him. Egeſippus ſaith of Pilate, that he was Vir neguam, & parvi faciens mendacium, a naughty man and one that made no bones of a Lye; ſuch another was Doeg.D excid. Jeruſ 1.2. c. 5.
Verſ. 5. God ſhall likewiſe deſtroy thee] Here are quot verba tot tonitr…a, ſo many words, ſo many thunderclaps.Judicium ipſum lethale deſcribitur. As thou haſt deſtroyed the Lords Prieſts, and then whole City, razing and haraſing it: ſo God will demonith and deſtroy thee utterly, as an houſe pulled down to the ground, ſo that one ſtone is not left upon another, Lev. 14.45. So ſhall God pull down Doeg from that high preferment, which he by Sycophancy hath got at Court.
He ſhall take thee away] As a coal of fire is taken with the Tongs, Pſa. 30.4.Exurette. Vatah. that it do no further miſchief: ſome render it, He ſhall burn thee; R. Gaon, He ſhall …rifie thee.
And pluck thee out of thy dwelling place] Or, ſhall ſweep thee out of thy tabernacle; R. Gaon interpreteth it, Both hamidraſh, the Lords Tabernacle, whereinto a Doeg may ſet his foot as farre as a David, but God will pluck him thence.
And root thee out of the land of the living] Everret & evertet ie cum tota familia, He ſhall utterly ruinate thee and thine, leaving thee neither root nor branch, chick nor childe.
Selah] i.e. Veritas eſt, ſaith Aben-Ezra; It is even ſo: think not that theſe things are ſpoken only in terrorem, for a Scarebug, for they ſhall all be ſurely fulfilled upon thee.
Verſ. 6. The righteous alſo ſhall ſee and fear] With a reverential fear, from which ſhall ſpring ſincere ſervice, Aliorum perditio tua ſit cautio; let other mens perdition be our caution; let us waſh our feet in the blood of the wicked. There is an elegancy in the original that cannot be engliſhed
And ſhall laugh at him] With an holy laughter: not that of irriſion, but of exultation in God, for his righteous executions.
Verſ. 7. Lo, this is the man] Or rather, now the Monſter to be pointed at; once ſo mighty, now ſo miſerable; O quantum haec Niobe, &c. what a ſtrange change is here; &c? As the true Iſraelite is pointed out with a Behold for imitation, Job. 1.47. ſo is this counterfeit Iſraelite for deteſtation.
That made not God his ſtrength] But carried the matter as if hee had been ſome petty-god within himſelf.
But truſted in the abundance, &c.] Never true to thoſe that truſted them.
And ſtrengthened himſelf in his wickedneſs] Heb. In his woful evil, in his putting many poor Creatures to their Wo is me.
Verſ. 8. But I am like a green Olive-tree, &c.] Thus, when Doeg blaſted David, David bleſſeth himſelf. Let him flouriſh in the Court, I ſhall much more in the Houſe of God. My name ſhall be precious among the Saints, when he ſtinketh above ground; hee ſhall wither, when I ſhall bee freſh, flouriſhing, and fruitfull.
I truſt in the mercy of God] Not in riches, as Doeg: and this faith is the root of my fruitfulneſs, cheerfulneſs, &c. Gul. Pariſienſis reporteth of true Chryſtal, that by touching only it reviveth the decayed vertue of other precious ſtones: ſure it is, that faith reviveth the vertue of other precious graces.
Verſ. 9. I will praiſe thee for ever, becauſe thou haſt done it] Haſt delivered mee from Doeg, and others, Quod non perierim centies. Or, thou haſt done execution upon Doeg: i.e. Thou wilt undoubtedly do it.
And I will wait on thy name] i. e. Depend upon thy Promiſes and Providence.
PSAL. LIII.
MAſchil, a Pſalm of David] Purpoſely ſet down here the ſecond time, (ſee Pſal. 14.) to inſtruct what every man is by nature, and that hee who is ſcholar to his own carnal reaſon, is ſure to have a fool to his maſter. The Heathens are very obſtinate in propugning mans nature, witneſs Cicero, and both the Senecaes, ſaying, that if men would but follow the bent of their own natures, they could not do amiſs. And we have much ado to perſwade people that their Natures are ſo foul, their ways ſo wicked, &c. twice therefore is this Pſalm recorded, that all may be convinced, that there is no ſafety in ſuch a condition, nothing better than to haſten out of it.
Verſ. 1, 2. The Fool, &c.] See the Notes on Pſal. 14.1, 2.
Verſ. 3. Every one of them is gone back] Diogenes in a great aſſembly going backward of purpoſe, and ſeeing every one laughing him to ſcorn, asked them aloud, if they were not aſhamed ſo to do? ſith he went backward but once, they did ſo all the days of their life.
Verſ. 4. Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge?] Etiam ſcient in fine, & dolebunt, ſaith one, Know they ſhall to their ſorrow in the end, that they have eaten that on earth which they muſt diſgeſt in hel.
Verſ. 5. There were they in great fear] Heb. They feared a fear. God they feared not, of men they were greatly feared, and yet here they feared a fear where no fear was, viz. without themſelves; only facti ſunt à corde ſuo fugitivi, they feared and fled before their own conſciences, their own trembling heart, Deut. 28.65. the ſound of fear that is in their ears, Job 15.21. the ſound of a leaf chaſeth them, Levit. 26.36. they flee when none purſueth, Prov. 28.1. Naturaliſts tell us of a certain little bird, quae fertur metu ne in ipſam coelum ruat, imponere ſibi ſemper dormienti alterum pedem, which for fear leſt the Skie ſhould fall on her head, ſleepeth ſtill with one foot laid upon her head. The Gaules that dwelt neer the Adriatick Sea, being asked by Alexander the Great, what they moſt feared? anſwered, ne ſupra ſe coelum corruat, leſt the Skie ſhould fall upon them. Galen writeth of a certain Melancholick fellow, who hearing that Atlas ſupported Heaven with his ſhoulders, was therefore ſore afraid leſt he ſhould faint under the burthen; and therefore carried his arm before him to ſave his head. Heraclides out of Anacreon telleth of one Artemon a timorous man, who kept home as much as might be, having ever a couple of ſervants to hold a brazen buckler over his head, leſt any thing ſhould fall upon him from above. And if he were at any time neceſſitated to go abroad, he was carried in a horſe-litter that touched the ground almoſt;Piut. in Pericl… and was thereupon called Periphoretus.
For thou haſt ſcattered the bones] i. e. The ſtrength, the ſtrong troops ſaith the Chaldee; they want decent burial, as Jer. 22. ſaith the Syriack.
Thou haſt put them to ſhame] viz. The poor afflicted, Pſal. 14.5. becauſe
God hath deſpiſed them] i. e. Subjected them to the contempt of the wicked.
Verſ. 6. O that the ſalvation] Heb. Salvations; Indicat plenam ſatutem, ſaith Kimchi.