Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 10
PSAL. X.
VErſ. 1. Why ſtandeſt then afar off, O Lord?] As if thou-hadſt forgotten what thou hadſt promiſed thy people in the former Pſalm; which the Greek and Latine Verſions make to be one and the ſame with this, as having no title, and tending almoſt to the ſame purpoſe: Hence the difference in Numbers, which holdeth almoſt to the end of the Pſalter, viz. to Pſal. 148.
Why hideſt thou thy ſelf in time of trouble?) So God ſeemeth to do, when he helpeth not preſently; neither doth any thing more trouble the Saints in affliction, than the want of Gods gracious preſence. This maketh them thus to expoſtulate and lament after the Lord; not quarrel as thoſe Hypocrites did, Iſa. 58.3. or revile, as Caligula did his Jupiter, taking up that Verſe in Homer, foreign, or with him (little better) in the holy Hiſtory, who ſaid, Behold this evil is of the Lord, and what ſhould I wait for the Lord any longer? 2 King. 6.33. The good Soul knows that God waiteth to be gracious; and as he ſeldom cometh at our time, ſo at his own (which is ever the beſt) time, he never faileth.
Verſ. 2.foreign Chryſoſt. The wicked in his pride doth perſecute, &c.] Heb. hotly purſueth, and that out of his pride, the true cauſe of Perſecution; whatever elſe is pretended. And this is fitly here alledged, and urged as an Argument to move God to make haſt. See Deut. 32.27. The Saints fare the better for the inſolencies and outrages of their enemies, whoſe ruine is thereby accelerated, and somewhat God will do the ſooner for his people, leſt the enemy exalt himſelf, Pſal. 140.8. and ſay, Our hand is high, the Lord hath not done this.
Let them be taken in the devie…s, &c.] As all Perſecutors are ſure to be. In which regard Tertullian well adviſeth Scapula, Si nobis non parcis, tibi parce; ſi non tibi, Carthagini. If thou wilt not ſpare us Chriſtians, yet ſpare thy ſelf; or if not thy ſelf, yet thy City Carthage, which elſe will ſmart and ſmoke for thy cruelty.
Verſ. 3. For the wicked boaſteth of his hearts deſire] Though the Soul of the wicked deſire evil, Prov. 21.10. yet he glorieth in it, as did that Thraſonical Lamech, Gen. 4. and that Pyrgopolynices Nebuchadnezzar, Iſa. 10.9, 10, 11, 12.See Pſal. 5 Phil. 3.19. This the juſt and jealous God cannot bear, as neither that which followeth.
He bleſſeth the Covetous] Ʋt ſapientem & providum, as a wiſe man and good Huſband. So they in Malachy, who ſaid, And now we count the proud happy, &c. Felix ſcelus virtus vocatur.
Whom the Lord abhorreth] ſmiting his hands with indignation at his diſhoneſt gain, Ezek. 22.13. like as Balac did at Balaam, Seneca…with whom he was deeply diſpleaſed, Numb. 24.10.
Verſ. 4. The wicked through the pride of his countendnce] That is, of his heart, appearing in his countenance; as a maſter-pock in his fore-head. For Pride buddeth, Ezek. 7.10. the pride of Iſrael teſtifieth to his face, Hoſ. 5.5. the thoughts are oft ſeen in the countenance; and the heart is printed upon the face, Iſa. 3.9. 'Tis a hard thing, ſaith one, to have a brazen face, and a broken heart.
Will not ſeek] He thinks it not neceſſary, or worth the while; and his practice is agreeable, that is, nought all over. Pride in the Soul is like a great ſwelling in the body, which (beſides that it is a dangerous Symptom) unfits it for any good ſervice; and is apt to putrifie and to break, and to run with loath ſome and ſoul matter: So doth Pride diſable the Soul from doing duty, and at laſt breaketh forth into odious deeds, abominable to God and men. It is obſerved, that the ground whereon the Peacock uſeth to ſit, is by that occaſion made exceeding barren: ſo where pride rooſteth and reigneth, no good groweth.
God is not in all his thoughts] God is neither in his head, as here, nor in his heart, Pſal. 14.1. nor in his words, Pſal. 12.4. nor in his ways, Tit. 1.16. he is wholly without God in the world, Epheſ. 2. he ſtudies Atheiſm, and all his thoughts are, There is no God (ſo this Text may be read) he would fain ſo perſwade himſelf.
Verſ. 5. His ways are always grievous] As he Pleaſeth not God, ſo he is contrary and vexatious to men, Via ejus ſemper terrent, ſo Aben-Ezra. The Pſalmiſt here noteth him, for ſuch an one as the Cyclops are ſet forth to have been by the Poets.
Thy Judgements are far above out of his ſight] He looketh not ſo high, but reckoneth that quae ſupra nos nihil ad nos. If he read them at any time, he regardeth them as little as he doth the ſtory of forein Wars, wherein he is not concerned.
As for all his enemies, he puffeth at them] He holdeth himſelf man good enough to make his party good with them, and that he can overthrow them all with a puffe. He defieth them, and domintereth over them,foreign Chryſoſt. as the Greek renders it.
Verſ. 6. He hath ſaid in his heart, I ſhall not be moved] So ſaid a better man once, Pſal. 30.6. but he was quickly confuted. If a beleever conclude by the force of his faith, that he ſhall never be moved from that good eſtate in which Chriſt hath ſet him, this is the triumph of truſt, and not the vain vaunt of preſumption.
For I ſhall never be in adverſity] The Chaldee hath it, Quoniam non ſum in malo; and underſtandeth it of the evil of ſin, as Exod. 32.22. and then the ſenſe is, becauſe the wicked man ſuffereth not the puniſhment of ſin, therefore he conceiteth that he is innocent, and without ſin. See Hoſ. 12.8. with the Note.
Verſ. 7. His mouth is full of curſing and deceit] Such curſing men are curſed men; and for ſuch ſlippery and deceitful perſons, the Lord is the avenger of all ſuch; 1 Theſſ. 4.8.
Ʋnder his tongue is miſchief] that is, in his heart, which is by Nature placed beneath the Tongue, making its uſe of it, for much miſchief, Matth. 12.34. Jam. 3.8. The word Toch here rendred fraud, ſignifieth properly the middle of any thing, Quoniam fraus in modio cordis eſt, ſaith R. David, becauſe fraud is in the middle of the heart, and there-hence ſent into the mouth.
Verſ. 8. He ſitteth in the lurking-places, &c.] A deſcription of an High-way-robber, ſaith Diodate, under which name are meant all violent and fraudulent men, and their actions.
Verſ. 9. He lieth in wait ſecretly as a Lion in his den] See Job 38.40. with the Note.
When hee draweth him into his Net] that is, into his bonds, debts, morgages, ſaith Chryſoſtome. When a poor man is once gotten into theſe Nets, wicked Oppreſſors do not only rob but raviſh them; coyning their mony upon poor mens skins, and wringing the ſponges of poor people into their own purſes. David compareth them to Canibals, Sir Richard Berkley his Sum. Bon. 1…3Pſal. 14.4. to greedy Lions here; another ſaith they are like the fiſh Polypus that lying in wait for other fiſhes upon the Rock, aſſimulateth to the Rock and taketh them in his Net, which hee hath naturally behind his head, and can, ſpread at his pleaſure, before they find themſelves in danger.
Verſ. 10. He croucheth (or cruſheth) and humbleth himſelf] Lyon-like, Job. 38. 40.Scipſum aegrum, & attritum fingit R. David. He can few the Foxes skin to the Lions hide for a need, and to compaſs his deſign. As proud as he is yet in ſubtlety he can abaſe himſelf; and with glavering ſpeeches, and fawning behaviour, indirectly indeavor the overthrow of the innocent and diſtreſſed. To which purpoſe he can put himſelf to pain, feign himſelf ſick, and in a dying condition (as thoſe do that ſtand for the Popedome) counterfeit and pretend humility, but all is Hypocriſie.
That the poor may fall by his ſtrong ones] whether teeth or pawes, per impia decreta, ſaith R. Obadiah, by his wicked decrees, by the hands of his Privado's, deſperate Aſſaſſinates, ſaith another Expoſitor.
Verſ. 11. Hee hath ſaid in his heart God hath forgotten] that is, he knoweth it not, regardeth it not. To learn is nothing elſe but to remember, ſaid Socrates; and what a man hath utterly forgotten, it is all one, as if he had never known it, 2 Pet. 1.9. hee hath forgotten that hee was purged from his old ſins, that is, hee was never purged. See verſ. 4.
Verſ. 12. Ariſe O Lord, ſurge, age, ſumme Pater, ſaid Mantuan to the Pope, ſtirring him up againſt the Turks; may wee better ſay to the Almighty God, againſt his peoples enemies. O God lift up thine hand] lift it up on high, that it may fall down the more heavily. In the firſt verſe of this Pſalm, the Prophet complained that God ſtood a farre off, and hid himſelf in time of trouble. Here hee is intreated to ariſe, to come neer, to put forth his hand for his peoples help, &c.
Verſ. 13. Wherefore doth the Wicked contemn God? q.d. It is time for thee, Lord, to ariſe and beſtir thy ſelf; for otherwiſe what will become of thy great name? The Saints cannot endure that God ſhould be ſlighted.
Hee hath ſaid in his heart] Verſ. 3.4. This ſticks in Davids ſtomack, and draws this prayer from him, who was now bleſſedly blown up with an holy zeal for God; as was alſo good Zuinglius, when hee ſaid, In aliis manſuetus ero, in Blaſphemiis in Chriſtum, non ita. In other matters I can be mild and patient, but not ſo in caſe of Blaſphemy againſt Chriſt.
Verſ. 14. Thou hast ſeen it] For thou art All-eye, whatever the wicked conceiteth to the contrary, making thee a God of clouts, as they ſay, or an Heathen-Idoll, which is nothing in the World.
To requite it with thine hand] reponendo in manu tua, by taking it in thy hand (ſo ſome render it) ſc. ut propius intnearis, certius conſideres, dijudices & vindices, Aben-Ezra-Relinquit in te …onus ſaum. R. Solomon.that thou mayeſt take a more neer and narrow view of it, and duely puniſh it.
The poor committeth himſelf unto thee] Heb. leaveth, relinquit ſcipſum, & currit ad te, he relinquiſheth himſelf, and runneth unto thee. Now whoſoever committeth himſelf, and his affaires to God, ſhall bee ſure to find him a faithfull Depoſitarie.
Thou art the helper of the father leſſe] The Worlds Refuge, as the Grand Signiour is called; The poor mans King, as James 5. of. Scotland. In God the Fatherleſs findeth mercy, Hoſ. 14.3. And theſe Arguments David uſeth in his prayer, not to move God to hear and help, but to work upon his own heart thereby, and to perſwade himſelf to more Faith, Love, Obedience, Humility, Thankfullneſs, whereby wee are the better fitted for mercy. When a man in a Ship plucks a Rock, it ſeemeth as if he pluckt the Rock nearer the ſhip, when as indeed the ſhip is pluck'd nearer the Rock. So is it in this caſe; wee ſeem to perſwade God by our Arguments, when as indeed the change is not wrought in him, but only in our ſelves; our Arguments are curarum noſtrarum levamenta, & fiducia impetrandi augmenta, the cure of our cares, and props to our faith of obtaining.
Verſ. 15. Break thou the arme of the Wicked] that arm that hath been lifted up againſt the godly, ſee Pſal. 3.8. & 58.7.
Seek out his wickedneſſe, that thou finde none] ad alios vel inficiendos, vel infeſtandos, Ezech. 23.48. Or, leave no ſin of his unpuniſhed. The Franciſcans, to prove that Francis the founder of their order was without ſin, fooliſhly alledge this Text, Queretur peccatum ill…us & non inven etur; wherein (according to the ſenſe of the Pſalmiſt) what do they elſe but wiſh that God would trace him quite thorow the courſe and trade of his iniquities, even to the uttermoſt end of them, and puniſh him accordingly; which is done, no doubt, long ſince.
Verſ. 16. The Lord is King for ever and ever] Therefore he will doubtleſſe do whatſoever hath been before deſired, and much more than wee can ask or think. Many Kings have been long-lived, as was Antaxerxes Mnemon, who reigned 62. years; Auguſtus Caeſar 56. Q Elizabeth 44, &c. but died at length, to the great grief of their ſubjects and ſervants, who are ready to with (as once the Romans did concerning Auguſtus) that eithet they had never been, or never dyed. But God is the King immortall, inviſible, &c.
The Heathen are periſhed out of his Land] the enemies, whether Jews or Gentiles are rid out of his Church; for that is Gods Land by a ſpecialty, his peculiar Portion.
Verſ. 17. Lord thou haſt heard the deſire of the humble] The whole life of a good Chriſtian is an holy deſire, ſaith Auſtin. And the deſires of the Righteous ſhall be ſatisfied, Prov. 10.24. becauſe they are framed by the Holy Spirit, according to the will of God, Rom. 8.27. and they have the mind of Chriſt, 1. Cor. 2.16. who knoweth the mind of the Spirit, Rom. 8.27. though their deſires be not uttered, v. 26.
Thou wilt prepare their heart] In removendis ab illo mundi negotiis, ſaith R. David, and by putting them into a praying frame, and ſo fitting them for mercy. Where God giveth a praying heart, 'tis ſure that hee will ſhew a pittying heart. If hee prepare the heart, hee will alſo bend his ear; like as when wee bid our Children ask us for this or that, wee mean to give it them; and as when wee open a purſe as wide as wee can pull it, 'tis a ſign wee intend to fill it top-full.
Thou wilt cauſe thine ear to hear] even whilſt they are preparing, and before they can ſpeak many times, Iſa. 65.24. or whileſt they are praying, as Dan. 9.20. Act. 4.31. or not long after; they ſhall be ſure to have out their prayers, either in mony, or in monies-worth, as they ſay.
Verſ. 18. To judge the fatherleſſe, &c.] the Vulgar hath it, to judge for the fatherleſs, and for the oppreſſed. It is one thing (ſaith Auſtin) to judge the fatherleſs, and another thing to judge for him; this later is, to paſs ſentence on his ſide; which God the righteous Judge will be ſure to do without writhing or warping; for hee hath all that is required of a Judge originally, and eminently, viz. Wiſdome, Juſtice, Courage, Conſtancy, and Power.
That the man of the earth may no more oppreſſe] or terrifie, daunt with terrour, as Phil. 1.28. See the Note there. Why ſhould one man be terrible to another, ſith wee are all mortales è terra, worms of the earth, clods of clay, and ſhall ſhortly return to the duſt whence wee were taken? unde ſuperbit homo? I even I am hee that comforteth you; who art thou that thou ſhouldeſt be afraid of a man that ſhall die, and of the Son of man that ſhall bee made as graſſe? And forgetteſt the Lord thy Maker—and haſt feared continually every day, becauſe of the fury of the Oppreſſor, as if hee were ready to deſtroy? and where is the fury of the Oppreſſor? Iſa. 51.12, 13. Some obſerve that the cloſe of this Pſalm is much like that of the former. How they have been taken (by the Greek Fathers eſpecially) for one entire Pſalm, See the Note on Verſ. 1.