Works Volume 4, Book 2 · Psalm 60 – Psalm 61
The Sixtieth PSALM.
TO the chief Muſitian upon ‖the Hexachord of the Oracle, or Teſtimony.Shuſhan-Eduth, Michtham of David, to teach, when he ſtrove with †Syria of the riversAram Naharaim, and with *Sobah in Syria.Aram Zobah, when Joab returned and ſmote ‖Edom.of Edom in the vally of ſalt twelve thouſand.
Paraphrase. The ſixtieth Pſalm was compoſed on occaſion, and for the commemorating of Davids victories in Meſopotamia, (that part of Syria which is incompaſt with Tigris and Euphrates) and particularly in Sobah, a Kingdom of Syria, 2 Sam. 8.3, 5. as alſo in Idumaea, where (after his return from ſmiting the Syrians, 1 Chron. 18.5, 6, 7.) Abiſhai ſlew eighteen thouſand in the valley of ſalt, 1 Chr. 18.12. and upon their rebelling again, Joab came upon them and flew twelve thouſand more in the ſame place, and put gariſons in Edom, throughout all Edom, and ſubdued the generality of the Idumaeans, 1 Chron. 18.13. This Pſalm therefore from the matter of it, the recounting of ſuch victories, is ſtyled (as others formerly) his jewel, and was committed to the Praefect of his Muſick, to be ſet to the inſtrument of ſix ſtrings, that waited on the Ark of the Teſtimony, or was uſed in Euchariſtical commemorations.
1. O God, thou haſt caſt us off, thou haſt ſcattered us, thou haſt alſo been diſpleaſed: ‖thou ſhalt turn, or haſt turned foreignO turn thy ſelf to us again.
Paraphrase. 1. O gratious Lord, though for ſome time thou haſt, not favoured or proſpered our attempts, but in thy diſpleaſure puniſhed us with defeats and diſcomfitures; yet now thou haſt been pleaſed to return to thy wonted mercy, and proſper us exceedingly.
2. Thou haſt made the earth to tremble, thou haſt broken it: heal the breaches thereof, for it ſhaketh.
Paraphrase. 2. We have for a while been under thy diſpleaſure, and felt a kind of earthquake, wherein is firſt a trembling commotion, then a fiſſure or opening of the earth. And ſo have we been terribly ſhaken and wounded, agitated and broken aſunder; but now thou art gratiouſly pleaſed to repair our breaches, to heal us, and reſtore us to a proſperous ſtate again.
3. Thou haſt ſhewed thy people hard things, thou haſt made us to drink the wine of aſtoniſhment.
Paraphrase. 3. Thou haſt for a while exerciſed us with afflictions, ſhewed us a diſpiriting doleful proſpect, given us a myrrhate draught, ſuch as did caſt us into great ſadneſs.
4. Thou haſt given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be †lifted updiſplai'd becauſe of thy truth. Selah.
Paraphrase. 4. But now thou haſt given us a triumphal one, and abundantly made good thy promiſed mercy, and ſo thy truth and fidelity to us, in raiſing up and inabling our forces to atchieve this ſignal victory.
5. That thy beloved may be delivered, ſave with thy right hand, and hear me.
Paraphrase. 5. Thou haſt ſhewed forth thy favour to thy ſervant David, (whoſe name ſignifies beloved) reſcued him from his enemies hands; and the ſame mercy thou wilt gratiouſly continue to me.
6. God hath ſpoken in his holineſs, I will rejoyce, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.
7. Gilead is mine, and Manaſſeh is mine; Ephraim alſo is the ſtrength of my head, Judah is my Law-giver.
Paraphrase. 6, 7. God hath made me a ſure promiſe, which is now moſt fully performed, and ſo is matter of all triumph, rejoycing, and thankſgiving to me. I am not only fully and quietly poſſeſt of all the Kingdom, both of Iſrael and Judah, and now delivered from the aſſaults which were made againſt me by my malicious neighbours, ſee Pſal. 108.7, &c.
8. Moab is my waſhpot, over Edom will I *caſtcaſt out my ſhooe: ‖ſhoot thou over Philiſtia.Philiſtia triumph thou becauſe of me.
Paraphrase. 8. But even they that thus aſſaulted me, are themſelves brought into ſubjection to me, ſubdued and perfectly brought under me, by name the Moabites, the Idumaeans, and the Philiſtines.
9. Who will bring me into the ſtrong City? who will lead me into Edom?
10. Wilt not thou, O God, which ‖hadſthaſt caſt us off? and †or, wilt not thou, O God, go out—thou, O God, which didſt not go out with our armies?
Paraphrase. 9, 10. But this by no ſtrength of my own, by no kind of humane aids, (the unſufficiency of thoſe was well ſeen when thou in thy diſpleaſure lefteſt us to our ſelves;) but only by thy all-powerful conduct, who wert formerly diſpleaſed, but now art gratiouſly returned to us, and by thy proſpering hand and influence wilt work the greateſt victories for us that we can want, or expect from thee.
11. Give us help from *diſtreſs foreigntrouble, for vain is the help of man.
Paraphrase. 11. To thee therefore alone is our reſort and addreſs, whether for relief in the greateſt diſtreſs, or for ſtrength and victory over our enemies; all other aſſiſtances, beſide that of heaven, being perfectly unſufficient and vain, and abſolutely ſuperfluous and needleſs, if the Lord of hoſts engage in our behalf.
12. Through God we ſhall do valiantly: for he it is that ſhall tread down our enemies.
Paraphrase. 12. If he interpoſe his power for us, there is no enemy ſhall be able to ſtand before us: It is he, and not any puiſſance of ours, that hath and ſhall work all our victories for us.
Annotations on Pſalm LX.
foreignTit. Shuſhan-Eduth] That foreign, from foreign ſix, ſignifies hexachordum, an inſtrument of ſix ſtrimgs, ſee Pſal. 45. a. It ſignifies alſo a flower, whether roſe or lilie. But here in the title of this Pſalm (as alſo Pſalm 80.) in all probability 'tis uſed in the ſame ſenſe in the ſingular, as foreign was in the title of Pſal 45. and to that foreign inclines it, the Pſalm being committed to the Praefect of the Muſick, with directions to ſet it to that inſtrument.foreign As for foreign that follows, from foreign teſtatus eſt, it may ſignifie the Oracle, or the Ark of the Teſtimony, as oft it doth, and ſo the Hexachord of the Oracle may probably be reſolved to be an inſtrument that ſolemnly waited on that. Or elſe, taking it in the primary ſenſe for teſtifications, or commemorations, i. e. ſolemn thanksgivings for mercies received from God, which were wont to be performed with Muſick, the foreign hexachord of the teſtimonies] may fitly be ſet to ſignifie ſuch a Muſical inſtrument, uſed in thanksgivings. Add to this, that foreign or foreign in Syriack, ſignifies a feaſt, that particularly of the Paſſeover; and if that may here be of any intimation, (and be not only a corruption brought in by latter times from the Hebrew foreign, as ſome queſtion not very probably) 'twill be no more than the feſtival Hexachord, or inſtrument ſolemnly uſed at feaſts.
foreignTit. Return'd] It is evident in the ſtory 2 Sam. 8. and 1 Chron. 17. that Davids victory over the Idumaeans was diverſe from that over the Syrians. The Syrians came to help Hadadezer marching towards Meſopotamia, far from the borders of Edom and Arabia. And after this victory over the Syrians, 1 Chron. 18.5, 6. David ▪ returns to Jeruſalem, v. 7. And then 'tis added v. 12. Moreover Abiſhai ſlew in the valley of ſalt eighteen thouſand of the Edomites. Theſe things therefore muſt be thus divided in the title of this Pſalm, and the victory over the Idumaeans lookt on as diſtinct from that over the Syrians, and foreign rendred literally, and Joab returned, not when — But then whereas in that place of the ſtory 1 Chron. 18.12. 'tis ſaid that Abſhai ſlew in that valley of ſalt eighteen thouſand Edomites, and here that Joab ſmote Edom in the ſame valley twelve thouſand, and 2 Sam. 8.13. that David gat him a name when he returned from ſmiting the Syrians in the valley of ſalt being eighteen thouſand men, (all which may be thought to ſet down the ſame paſſage, but yet differ in ſeveral circumſtances one from the other) this foreign, or difficulty may be beſt ſalved, by interpreting theſe three places of three ſeveral paſſages in the ſtory. For firſt the words 2 Sam. 8.13. may thus be underſtood; David when he returned from ſmiting the Syrians, gat him a name, i. e. by ſmiting encreaſed his glory, in the valley of ſalt eighteen thouſand men: which reading hath this to aſſiſt it, that there is a dictinctive accent in foreign ſeparating that of his ſmiting the Syrians, from the other paſſage of the eighteen thouſand in the valley of ſalt. And indeed that the whole verſe belongs not to the Syrians, but principally to the Idumaeans, appears by the next verſe, And he put garriſons in Edom, &c. which muſt be founded in a victory over the Idumaeans (and not only of the Syrians) foregoing. Some would have foreign Syria to be there a miſtake for foreign Edom; and accordingly the LXXII. read foreign, Idumaea. But there is no need of that conjecture. The words duly rendred and pointed are, And David gat him a name, when he returned from ſmiting of the Syrians in the valley of ſalt, eighteen thouſand men, i. e. (as the Latine ſupply the Ellipſis, caeſis decem & octo millibus) killing eighteen thouſand men. This being premiſed of 2 Sam. 8. the place in the Chronicles agrees with it exactly, viz. that Abiſhai, Davids general, ſlew in the valley of ſalt eighteen thouſand men. And then this in the title of the Pſalm being ſtill ſo different, not Abiſhai, but Joab, and not eighteen, but twelve thouſand men, there is no reconciling them, but by diſtinguiſhing the times, viz. that Abiſhai killed at firſt eighteen thouſand, and afterward they rebelling, Joab came upon them, and ſlew twelve thouſand, which being the Edumaeans laſt defeat, is here mentioned in this Pſalm moſt particularly. And thus Jarchi and R. Obadiah reconcile the difficulty.
V. 4. Truth] For foreign, foreignwhich the Chaldee paraphraſes by foreign the truth of Abraham, the LXXII. read foreign, a bow, reading, it ſeems, foreign a bow: And then to fit the verſe for that ſenſe, they render foreign (which from foreign, ſignifies the lifting up or diſplaying the foreign inſigne precedent) by foreign, to fly from, in a ſenſe wherein that word is not found; and yet in all this the Latine and Syriack, &c. and ſome latter learned Interpreters have choſen to follow them, as if foreign were the truer reading. The word foreign doth here ſurely relate to foreign of the preceding verſe, to which foreign hath ſo near a literal affinity, as in like manner foreign anſwers to foreign, and foreign alludes to foreign: the poeſie conſiſting in ſuch analogies and alluſions, as every where is obſervable, and particularly in the next verſe, where foreign thy beloved] ſecretly alludes to Davids name, from foreign dilectus.
V. 6. foreignDivide Sechem] Of Sechem and the valley of Succoth, or booths, ſo called from Jacobs making booths and feeding his cattel there, ſee Gen. 33.17, 18. By theſe are meant Samaria; and Davids dividing or meting them out, is a phraſe to expreſs his dominion over them, it being part of the regal power to diſtribute his Province into cities and regions, and place Judges and Magiſtrates over them.foreign To theſe the addition of Gilead (which conteins the whole region of Baſhan, &c. on the other ſide of Jordan) and then the mention of Manaſſeh and Ephraim, are deſigned,foreign as by ſo many parts, to denote the Kingdom of Iſrael, or ten tribes; and their being his, and the ſtrength of his head, notes him to be the Lord over them, and to make uſe of their ſtrength in his wars, for the defending, or inlarging his dominions.foreign And then [Judah foreign is my law-giver] as it refers to Jacobs prophecy of the ſceptre and law-giver not departing from Judah, denoting that to be the royal tribe; ſo by it is ſignified the Kingdom of Judah, (under which Benjamin is comprehended) that David is poſſeſt of that alſo.foreign After which follows [Moab is my waſh pot,] the Moabites are ſubjected to me. The waſh-pot, we know, is a mean part of houſehold-ſtuff, for the uſe of the feet, (ſo the Syriack read foreign of my feet) the loweſt part of the body: and ſo is a fit title for the Moabites, 2 Sam. 8.2. where 'tis ſaid, he ſmote Moab, and meaſured them with a line, caſting them down to the ground; even with two lines meaſured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive: i. e. he divided them into three parts, two of which he deſtroyed, and the third he kept alive to be his ſubjects and trib…ta…ies, as there it follows; the Moabites became Davids ſervants, and brought him gifts. Then [Over Edom will I caſt my ſhoe] the LXXII. read foreign, extend my ſhoe, and ſo the Latine extendam, as when the Maſter …aches put his ſhoe to … meaneſt ſervant, to be untyed, and taken off by him; from whence the Syriack foreign I will looſe or unty: unleſs perhaps their truer reading were foreign ini…ciam, I will caſt… ▪ for ſo ſure the Hebrew foreign is to be rendred,foreign I will caſt my ſhoe, as that is an emblem of ſubjugating, or bringing down under the feet. So of the Edumaeans we find, 2 Sam. 8.14. He put gariſons in Edom, throughout all Edom put he garriſons, and all they of Edom became Davids ſervants. Abu Walid would have foreign here to ſignifie a fetter, I will caſt my fetter, or chain on him; and ſo Kimchi in his roots, though in his Comment here he interpret it in the notion of a ſhoe. Laſtly, foreign Over Philiſtia give a ſhout; for ſo from foreign to ſound a trumpet, or give a ſhout, foreignis foreign in Hithpael in the Imperative mood; and being in the faeminine gender muſt refer either to his ſoul, ſhout O my ſoul, or, as the Chaldee paraphraſe it, to the congregation of Iſrael, and ſo is but a form of foreign, or celebrating a victory, ſuch as he had over them 2 Sam. 8.1. for foreign,foreign is not to be rendred over me, but ſimply over, and ſo joyned with foreign over Philiſtia: ſo the Chaldee, foreign over the Philiſtims; and the LXXII. paraphraſe it to this ſenſe, foreign, the Philiſtims are ſubjected to me; the Syriack more literally, foreign Over Paleſtine will I ſhout. And ſo Pſal. 108.9. where the latter part of this Pſalm is again met with, 'tis foreign and foreign, I will ſhout over Philiſtia.
V. 9. Who will bring] This Pſalm is made up of two parts. The former part of it, for the three firſt verſes, is the recounting of their own weakneſs, when for their ſins they were by God left to themſelves. And the latter, in the five next verſes, is the commemorating of their great ſucceſſes and victories, by means of Gods favour and aids. And theſe two next verſes are, as it were, the recapitulating of both, and ſo contain their own abſolute impotence to go on to any farther victory, unleſs God, who once forſook, be now pleaſed in a ſpecial manner to aid them. And 'tis poetically contriv'd by way of queſtion, foreign who ſhall lead me—i. e.foreign it is not poſſible for me by my own ſtrength, or with any humane aids whatſoever, to enter any one place of ſtrength, (the Chaldee names Tyre) to conquer Id…a…, unleſs God interpoſe in my behalf, aſſiſt and proſper my attempts. It follows therefore, v. 10. foreign ſhalt not thou, foreignO Lord? (i. e. None can except thou doſt.) Thou foreign which haſt, or hadſt forſaken us: foreign, ſay the LXXII. qui rep…liſti no…, ſay the vulgar, thou which formerly hadſt caſt us off for ſome …me; not complaining that he now doth ſo (that is quite contrary to the drift of the whole Pſalm) but affirming and concluding from their improſperouſneſs, when formerly he did forſake, that none can now aid ſucceſsfully but he. And then concluding with confidence of his favour foreign and wilt thou not, foreign(i. e. certainly, O Lord, thou wilt) go out with our hoſts? foreign; and wilt thou not go forth? ſay the LXXII. And ſo this well accords with the contexture and deſign of the Pſalm, to magnifie Gods aids, and the conſequent thereof, all manner of good ſucceſs and proſperity.
The Sixty Firſt PSALM.
TO the chief Muſitian upon Neginoth, A Pſalm of David.
Paraphrase. The ſixty Firſt Pſalm is made up of. Thankſgiving and humble dependance on God for all his mercies. It was compoſed by David, and committed to the Prefect of his Muſick, to be ſung to the Harp or Pſaltery, or other ſuch ſtringed inſtrument, Pſal. 4.1.
1. Hear my cry, O God, attend unto my prayer.
Paraphrase. 1. O Gratious God, to thee is my only reſort in all my diſtreſſes; be thou pleaſed to receive and anſwer my prayers.
2. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
Paraphrase. 2. Though I am driven as far as from Abſalom I was fain to fly, 2 Sam. 17.22. to the utmoſt parts of the land beyond Jordan, v. 23. how great ſoever my trouble and ſtreights are, yet to thee have I a ſure retreat: when my condition is at the loweſt, thou haſt a fortreſs of impregnable ſafety to which thou wilt be ſure to conduct me.
3. For thou haſt been a ſhelter for me, and a ſtrong Tower from the enemy.
Paraphrase. 3. For thus have I alwayes experimented thy goodneſs to me; when men have aſſaulted, thou haſt reſcued and ſecured me.
4. I will abide in thy Tabernacle for ever; I will truſt in the covert of thy wings. Selah.
Paraphrase. 4. And that teacheth me the wiſdom of this reſolution, of keeping me conſtantly under this ſafeguard, and that I may do ſo, of continuing my daily dependance on thee, and addreſſes to thee, in that place where thou haſt promiſed to be alwayes preſent.
5. For thou, O God, haſt heard my vows; thou haſt given ‖or, an heritage to— foreignme the heritage of thoſe that fear thy name.
Paraphrase. 5. To this none had greater incouragement than I; my offerings have always been accepted, and my prayers heard by thee. This is the priviledge of all thy faithful ſervants, and this thou haſt been pleaſed to afford me.
6. Thou wilt ‖adde days to the days of the King.prolong the Kings life, and his years †generation and generation.as many generations.
Paraphrase. 6. Thou ſhalt bleſs me with a long and proſperous life, and therein make me a type of the *foreign &c. C…ld… Thou ſhalt add days to the days of the King Meſſias, his years ſhall be as the generation of this world and of the world to come.Meſſias, whoſe Kingdom, when it commences, ſhall have no end.
7. He ſhall abide before God for ever. O prepare mercy and truth which may preſerve him.
Paraphrase. 7. Thou ſhalt never caſt me from thy favour, as long as I continue my fidelity to thee: thy free, but promiſed mercy, will not fail to perpetuate my proſperity.
8. So will I ſing praiſe to thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.
Paraphrase. 8. And this ſhall oblige me to bleſs and magnifie thy gracious and glorious Majeſty as long as I live, to preſent my daily oblations to thee, and yield thee all the obedience of a thankful heart for ever.