Works Volume 4, Book · Psalm 17
The Seventeeth PSALM.
A Prayer of David.
Paraphrase. The Seventeenth Pſalm is an earneſt requeſt by David commenced to God, for deliverance from all his oppreſſors and perſecuters.
1. Hear ‖or, O God of righteouſneſs, or righteous God.the right, O God, attend unto my cry; give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.
Paraphrase. 1. Thou, O God, art a moſt righteous Lord, the refuge and defence of all innocent perſons: be thou pleaſed to attend to, and grant my humble requeſt, to receive with favour the affectionate prayers that I now addreſs unto thee.
2. Let my ſentence come forth from thy preſence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.
Paraphrase. 2. By thee I deſire my cauſe may be heard and ſentenced, and that according to the juſtice of it, thou wilt undertake the patronage thereof, to plead for me, or to judge on my ſide, and to protect me againſt mine adverſaries.
3. Thou haſt proved mine heart, thou haſt viſited me in the night, thou haſt tried me and *haſt not found; have thought, and my mouth hath not tranſgreſt.ſhalt find nothing: I am purpoſed that my mouth ſhall not tranſgreſs.
Paraphrase. 3. For thou, Lord, knoweſt the ſincerity of my heart, thou art the ſearcher of the ſecreteſt thoughts and depths of the moſt deceitful breſts; and accordingly thou haſt examined me to the utmoſt. In the night, when the darkneſs hath concealed me from the eyes of men, (and ſo taken off thoſe diſguiſes, which men put on their deeds of the day, their more publick actions) and at once offered me all the temptations and occaſions of doing, or at leaſt thinking ill, which perfect ſecrecy can ſuggeſt, thou haſt ſtill been preſent to my greateſt privacies, to diſcover, if there were any cloſe evil, any unſincerity in my heart. Again, thou ha…t tried me with afflictions, as the Metalliſts try their Gold, (and many that appear very pious men in times of proſperity, in time of perſecution fall away, are found to be mere droſs, when they are caſt into the fire, put to this ſharper trial.) And in both theſe ways of probation, I hope, I have approved my ſelf to thee, that my tongue and my heart have gone the ſame way, and ſo that there is no deceit or unſincerity in me.
4. Concerning the works of men, by the words of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the †or, violent.deſtroyer.
Paraphrase. 4. As for the practices of the world, thy commandments have kept me from any communion with them: when opportunity offered me temptations, when I might have had ſecurity from the eyes of men, (when Saul fell too into my hands, that I had nothing to reſtrain me from uſing violence to him, but only thy command to the contrary, in making him King, and when I was perſwaded and incited to it, 1 Sam. 26.8.) yet in pure obedience to thee, I have carefully kept my ſelf from this, or any other diſloyal or unlawful practice.
5. ‖By holding up my goings in thy paths, my feet have not tript, or ſhaken.Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footſteps ſlip not.
Paraphrase. 5. Thou, by thy ſpecial grace, joyned with thy directions what was my duty to do, haſt upheld me in thoſe ways which are acceptable in thy ſight; and by the ſtrength of this mercy, and theſe aids of thine, I have been conſtantly ſupported, and kept ſteddy from ſtumbling or falling.
6. I have called upon thee, *becauſe thou haſt heard me.for thou wilt hear me, O God; incline thine ear unto me, and hear my ſpeech.
Paraphrase. 6. And as oft as I have made my humble addreſſes to thee, thou haſt not failed to grant them. This gives me full confidence now to come unto thee for thy ſupport and relief. O merciful God, be thou pleaſed to continue thy wonted dignations to me.
7. †Magnifie thy mercies. foreignShew thy marvailous loving kindneſs, O thou that ſaveſt by thy right hand them which put their truſt in thee, from thoſe that riſe up againſt them.
Paraphrase. 7. And 'tis not my innocence I depend on, (for though in this matter of my dealings with them that are mine enemies, I can clear my ſelf, yet my many other ſins make me uncapable of uſing any ſuch plea; but 'tis thy mercy and pardon to ſinners that I confide in, and thy mere pity and compaſſion to thoſe that want thy relief. Be thou pleaſed then to exerciſe theſe thy mercies toward me, in that high and wonderful degree, that thou art wont to do to thoſe that place their full affiance in thee. Thou, Lord, art the deliverer of all ſuch, thy title it is to be ſo, and thy cuſtomary goodneſs, ſolemnly and conſtantly to interpoſe thy power for ſuch, againſt the malice and machinations of all their adverſaries: vouchſafe the ſame wonted mercy of thine to me at this time.
8. Keep me as ‖the black of the apple of the eye. foreignthe apple of the eye, hide me under the ſhadow of thy wings;
Paraphrase. 8. Let thy watchful and tender providence ſenſe and ſecure me from all dangers, after the ſame manner as nature hath provided eye-brows, and lids, and five tunicles, for guards to fenſe and preſerve the black (that moſt tender part) in ‖the orbicular apple, which is in the midſt of the eye. Chald.the middle of the eye, that wherein the viſive faculty is placed (and beſt repreſents the ſeat of Majeſty, or regal power, which hath the overſight and government of the whole body;) or as any bird preſerves her young ones from the vulture by covering them under her wings.
9. From the wicked that †ſpoil foreignoppreſs me, *my enemies encompaſs againſt me with the ſoul. foreignfrom my deadly enemies who compaſs me about.
Paraphrase. 9. And that eſpecially at this preſent time, that I am ſo diſtreſt and ſtraitned by enemies, that vehemently hate me, and ſurround me with all eagerneſs, to get me into their power.
10. ‖With fat have they ſhut…up their mouths, they ſpeakThey are incloſed in their own fat; with their mouth they ſpeak proudly.
Paraphrase. 10. Their greatneſs and proſperity makes them inſolent, and accordingly they threaten high, reſolve, and breath nothing but deſtruction againſt me.
11. They have now compaſſed us in our ſteps; they have ſet their eyes*to caſt me down to the ground. bowing down to the earth.
Paraphrase. 11. And having now brought me to ſome ſtreights, they are abſolutely reſolved to ſubdue and deſtroy me utterly.
12. †His likeneſs is as of a Lion, he deſires to ravine, and as of a young Lion lying in his den.Like as a Lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young Lion lurking in ſecret places.
Paraphrase. 12. Juſt as an hungry ravening Lion, when he comes in view of his prey, or as a young Lion not yet got out of the den, when any innocent ſheep, or other beaſt of the field comes within reach of him.
13. Ariſe, O Lord, ‖prevent him.diſappoint him, caſt him down; deliver my ſoul from the wicked, †or, by the ſword.which is thy ſword.
Paraphrase. 13. And unleſs thou, O Lord, ſhalt be pleaſed to interpoſe to ſtop them in their courſe, to bring them down, to appear as a champion with a ſword in thy hand thus timely to deliver me, I ſhall certainly be deſtroyed and devoured by them. Be thou therefore pleaſed, I beſeech thee, thus to do, haſten to my defenſe, and reſcue me from theſe wicked men; Theſe men, I ſay, the rich and great men of the world, who have all their good things allowed them by thee in this life▪ and ſo here have all riches and plenty, and having a numerous poſterity, have wealth alſo ſufficient not only to enjoy themſelves, but alſo to leave abundantly to their children (as having no care of charity or mercy to others, on which to exhauſt any thing.)
14. From *the men by thy hand O Lord, from the men—men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, ‖and from thy treaſure, or with thy good things, thou filleſt their belly; they have plenty of children, and leave the remainder of their riches to their little ones.and whoſe belly thou filleſt with thy hid treaſure: they are full of children, and leave the reſt of their ſubſtance to their babes.
15. †I will through righteouſneſs behold thy face: I ſhall be filled at the awaking of thy glory.As for me, I will behold thy face in righteouſneſs; I ſhall be ſatisfied, when I awake with thy likeneſs.
Paraphrase. 15. Meanwhile I will adhere to thee, and conſtantly perform my duty, and thus waite, till thou ſhalt be pleaſed gratiouſly to reveale thy ſelf unto me; not doubting, but thou wilt, in thy good time, ſtir up thy power for my reſcue: and then I ſhall be abundantly provided for, I ſhall want nothing.
Annotations on Pſal. XVII.
foreignV. 1. Right, O God,] It is not agreed among the antient Interpreters, to what the word foreign righteouſneſs belongs and connects. The Latine reads, juſtitiam, righteouſneſs, (and ſo the Arabick) and that connects it with [hear,] Hear the Juſtice, or righteouſneſs, or right; and ſo Apollinarius, foreign, hear my juſt cauſe. But the Chaldee hath foreign in righteouſneſs, and then it coheres with [hear] again, Hear in juſtice, or righteouſneſs, O Lord. But the LXXII. joyn it with [Lord] foreign, O Lord of my righteouſneſs, as in the beginning of the fourth Pſalm; where though it be foreign my righteouſneſs, not foreign righteouſneſs, yet theſe may be all one; and ſo the LXXII. might think fit to render it more explicitely (not reading otherwiſe than we have it, but) thus expreſſing their underſtanding of it, whereas the Syriack more exactly (joyning it, as they do, with Lord) read foreign O holy Lord; as Lord of righteouſneſs, is righteous Lord, and righteouſneſs in God is all one with holineſs. And this ſeems to be the fitteſt rendring of it, according to the ſenſe, O righteous Lord, or more literally (but to the ſame purpoſe) foreign O Lord of righteouſneſs. The Jewiſh-Arabick tranſlator reads, O Lord of Juſtice or equity.
V. 3. Thou haſt tried me] Some difficulties there are in this v. 3. Firſt, what is meant by trying. But that is ſoon reſolved;foreign viz. that foreign ſignifies exploring, ſuch eſpecially as is of metalls by fire, Pſal. 66.10. and of men by temptations, or afflictions, Iſai. 48.10. and accordingly the LXXII. here render it, foreign, haſt caſt into the fire, in the ſame notion in which we have foreign, 1 Pet. 4.12. for tribulation or affliction, and that as a ſpecial ſeaſon to try the ſincerity of thoſe, who have in times of proſperity made greateſt profeſſions of piety, but oft fail, when they meet with preſſures in his ſervice. This tryall as of Gold in the Fire, is here thought fit to be added to that former of viſiting him in the night, when the eyes of men being ſhut out, his thoughts and actions were moſt free, and undiſguiſed, and ſuch as come from the very heart; which cannot ſo ſurely be ſaid of his day-actions, which are oft awed by the eyes of men. And God by examining him by theſe two wayes, viſiting his night-thoughts, and trying him by afflictions, muſt needs know if there be any inſincerity in him. The next difficulty is, what is the full importance of foreign thou ſhalt not find: foreign] and that may be diſcerned by remembring what was noted Pſal. 10. note l. foreign to be ſought and not found, proverbially, for that which was not at all, but was loſt or deſtroyed utterly. In proportion with which, for God to try, and not find, is a phraſe to ſignifie ſincerity and uprightneſs, without any ſuch mixture, as is wont to be diſcovered by trying (i. e. melting any metall) without any droſs, i. e. hypocriſie, in him. This the LXXII. have expreſt by foreign, iniquity hath not been found in me: and to the ſame ſence the Syriack, and Arabick, and Latine, not much miſtaking the ſenſe, for foreign, iniquity, is that droſs which is wont to be diſcovered by tentation, but yet probably reading the verſe otherwiſe than now the punctation will permit, and 1. taking the verb foreign cogitavi, from the latter part of the verſe, and reading it with other points foreign my thought (which is oft uſed in the ill ſenſe, and ſo ſometimes rendred foreign, iniquity, Lev. 19.29.) and 2. removing the other words foreign my mouth ſhall not tranſgreſs, with which the verſe concludes, to the beginning of the following verſe, foreign, that my mouth may not ſpeak the works of men. But the reading which we retein is ſurely the true, and is ſo acknowledged by the Chaldee Paraphraſe, which explaining foreign by foreign thou ſhalt not find corruption, renders foreign I thought, my mouth ſhall not tranſgreſs] foreign I have thought ill, my mouth hath not tranſgreſt. This therefore being reſolved to be the reading, the laſt difficulty is, what will be the meaning of the Hebrew phraſe. And 1. for the word foreign,foreign though it be oft taken in an ill ſenſe, and ſo underſtood here by the Chaldee, yet 'tis ſometimes in a good ſenſe, as Prov. 2.11. (where foreign from that verbe is by us duly rendred diſcretion, by the LXXII.foreign foreign, good counſel, and ſo by the Syriack, a good mind, and by the Arabick, firm counſel;) and ſometimes indifferently neither good nor bad, and ſo in that place 'tis rendred by the Chaldee foreign thought ſimply. And thus I conceive it ſignifies here: for if it were evil (as the Chaldee ſuppoſes) that he thought, how could he be acquitted by Gods proving of his heart, where that evil thought would have been found, and have accuſed him rather? The more certain meaning then of the words will be this, I have thought, and my mouth ſhall not tranſgreſs it, i. e. my mouth and thoughts ſhall, or (as the future is oft taken for the paſt, oft for the preſent) do go, or have gone together. The deceitful man, or the hypocrite thinks one thing, and ſpeaks another; but the ſincere and upright (ſuch as David here avowes himſelf to be, and appeals to Gods ſtricteſt ſcrutiny to judge if he be not) hath his tongue and heart going ſtill together,foreign and not one outgoing (ſo foreign ſignifies pr…teriit, tranſiit) the other. This ſenſe is acknowledged by the learned Sebaſtianus Caſtellio, who renders this latter part of the verſe, non deprehendes me aliud in pectore, aliud in ore habere, thou ſhalt not find me to have one thing in my breaſt, another in my mouth. And ſo this is the full meaning of that which is by the Pſalmiſt, after his manner, more conciſely expreſt.
foreignV. 4. The deſtroyer] From foreign to break, or break through, is the noun foreign a thief or violent perſon, and ſo here it may ſignifie all the violent wicked practices of the world. The Chaldee read foreign the ſtrong man, or violent perſon, probably to denote the ſword-man, ſuch as Abiſhai, that exhorted David to kill Saul, 1 Sam. 26.8. But the LXXII. as if it were foreign rupture, render it foreign, rough, foreign, I have taken heed of (ſo I ſuppoſe foreign, is there to be rendred) the rough, or harſh wayes; not in the ſenſe wherein the Latine ſeems to have underſtood them, cuſtodivi vias duras, I have kept the hard wayes, but as foreign is to take heed of, and ſo to avoid, to which the Syriack agrees, thou, ſay they, haſt kept me from the evil wayes.
V. 5. Hold up my goings] the chief doubt in this verſe is▪ how foreign ſhall be rendred. That it is the infinitive mood from foreign fulcivit, foreignto ſupport, or eſtabliſh, or hold up, there is no doubt. But this infinitive is elſewhere frequently taken in the ſenſe of the imperative: and ſo here the Chaldee foreign ſuſtein, or confirm thou; and ſo the LXXII. and the Latine foreign, perfice, Perfect my goings. The Syriack read foreign And thou haſt eſtabliſhed—but the Arabick, that my riſing (or going) might be ſtrengthened in thy paths. Which reading of theirs ſeems to be founded in the infinitive ſenſe, which is often thus expreſt by [ut, that▪ ] And indeed this of the infinitive, as it is the moſt ſimple, ſo it ſeems to be moſt agreeable to the context, and connects beſt with the former verſe. For there he had ſet down his ſteadineſs, in not being drawn by any temptation to the wayes of the violent: together with the means by which he continued ſo ſteady, the power of Gods law, called there the words of Gods lips, and his adhering conſtantly to it, the conſcientious obſerving of all his commandments. And to that ſame ſenſe this verſe will be beſt expounded in the infinitive, thus; By confirming (i. e. by Gods confirming) my ſteps or goings in thy paths, (ſo foreign in the infinitive ſignifies in the notion of a Latine gerund) foreign my feet (ſo foreign in the plural ſignifies) have not been moved: And ſo there is no ellipſis in them, the ſenſe perfectly current, and exactly agreeable to the former verſe; Gods paths here being all one with the words of his lips there, (the ways that God commanded him to walk in) and his not being moved, all one with his not being wrought on by temptations, to go on with the violent in his wayes. And thus the interlinear underſtands it; ſuſtentando greſſus meos in orbitis tuis, non nutarunt pedes mei, by holding vp my goings in thy paths, my feet have not gone aſide, or tript.
V. 6. foreignThou wilt hear me] foreign is indeed in the future here, and ſo is the Chaldee foreign by which they render it literally, thou ſhalt receive. But 'tis very ordinary with both Hebrew and Chaldee, to uſe the futures in the praeter tenſe; and ſo the LXXII. here render it, foreign, thou haſt heard, and ſo the Syriack and Latine, and Apollinarius, foreign, thou haſt heard my voice. And ſo 'tis moſt probably to be underſtood as a ſecond argument to inforce his petition to God for his defence and deliverance, in the following verſes. The firſt argument had been taken from the ſincerity of his own heart, and uprightneſs of his actions, the qualification to make him capable of Gods defence, and this v. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. And now this ſecond is from Gods former mercies, which are generally pledges of future: Deus donando debet, ſaith Cyprian, God by every donation of mercy makes himſelf debter of more to him that worthily receives them: and ſo the words will be beſt read to this ſenſe, I have called upon thee foreign becauſe thou haſt heard me.
V. 7. By thy right hand] The only doubt in this v. 7. is of the rendering the laſt word foreign. foreignThe LXXII. rendring it foreign, [thy right hand] do joyn it with foreign, reſiſt,] and then the conſtruction lies thus; Thou that ſaveſt thoſe that truſt in thee from them that oppoſe thy right hand, meaning the counſel and purpoſe of God, (called Gods hand, Act. 4.28.) to make David King. And thus the Latine underſtand it, reſiſtentibus dexterae tuae, thoſe that reſiſt thy right hand; and the Syriack, thoſe that riſe up foreign againſt thy right hand. But the Chaldee put in foreign againſt them after foreign thoſe that riſe up, and ſo leave foreign to ſignifie [by thy right hand;] which then muſt joyn with foreign Saviour, thus, Thou that delivereſt by thy right hand them that truſt in thee, from thoſe that riſe up againſt them. And ſo Apollinarius, foreign. By thy ſtrength (that is the meaning of his right hand) delivering all thoſe that truſt on thee. And this is retained by our Engliſh, and is the moſt probable reading.
V. 9. foreignDeadly enemies] The notion of foreign may here deſerve to be conſidered, foreign as it ſignifies ſoul and life, ſo oft it denotes the paſſions of the ſenſitive ſoul, and is rendred rightly will or deſire: ſo Pſal. 27.12. foreign (the ſame that here) ſignifies into the will or deſire of the enemy; and ſo Pſal. 41.2. deliver him not foreign into the will of his enemies. And then being here in the ſame form, and joyned with enemies, foreign enemies with the ſoul, it moſt probably will be taken in the ſame ſenſe, vehement, or paſſionate, earneſt enemies, or that with all their deſire and intention foreign encompaſs or ſurround, or make a ring foreign againſt me. And thus the Chaldee underſtand it, and paraphraſe it by foreign with the deſire of their ſouls.
V. 10. Incloſed] The difficulties of this verſe will be removed, if we joyne foreign their mouth, to the pr…cedent, not the ſubſequent words, thus; foreign with fat have they ſhut up their mouth: foreign] a Poetical or Proverbial ſpeech for haughtineſs or pride, cauſed by wealth or great proſperity. That is frequently expreſt by fat; Jeſhurun waxed fat, i. e. rich and proſperous: Their eyes ſwell or ſtick out with fat, Pſal. 73.7. to ſignifie their abundance, as it there follows, they have more than their heart could wiſh. And then foreign, ſaith Ariſtotle, rich men are very arrogant deſpiſers of others; and ſo it follows here, foreign they ſpeak proudly, or faſtuouſly. Thus the Chaldee appear to have underſtood the verſe, who paraphraſe it thus, foreign Their wealth is multiplied, foreign with their fat they have covered their mouth; exactly anſwerable to the Hebrew (though the Latine render it otherwiſe, adipe ſuo operti ſunt, ore ſuo loquuntur magnifica.) and then foreign they have ſpoken great or magnifick, i. e. proud things. And the Syriack came near it, ſo as to joyn foreign mouth] with foreign ſhut,] rendring it foreign ſhut their mouth which ſpeaketh boaſting, but quite leaving out the fat in the beginning of the verſe. The LXXII. indeed divide it otherwiſe, foreign, they have ſhut up their fat; rightly rendring foreign (which in the active muſt be ſo rendred, have ſhut up, not with the Chaldee in the paſſive:) but then joyning with it (not foreign their mouth, but) foreign their fat, they have rendred it unintelligibly, they have ſhut up their fat; ('tis hard to gueſs what they ſhould mean by thoſe words) and ſo have the Latine that follow them, adipem ſuum concluſerunt. The Arabick hath rendered it with more ſenſe, their fat is grown thick, or hard: but foreign in the active is not favourable to that. The literal rendring is moſt intelligible, they have ſhut up or ſtuft their mouth with fat; Ore obeſitate farcto ſuperbè loquuntur, ſaith Sebaſtianus Caſtellio, having ſtuft their mouth with fat, they ſpeak proudly. And to this rendring I adhere, as being the moſt ſimple, and leaſt forced.
foreignV. 11. Bow▪ down] What foreign here ſignifies will be eaſily reſolved, by obſerving the uſe of foreign for inclining, or bending, or caſting down; and ſo being here joyned with foreign to the earth, it literally imports caſting down upon the earth: not applying it to their eyes praecedent, (as the LXXII. (with the Latine) ſeem to do, and from them Apollinarius, foreign, they bowed down and faſtened their eyes upon the ground;) but to him whom they beſieged, in the former part of the verſe, i. e. the Pſalmiſt, who makes this complaint: they now foreign have incompaſt me foreign in our ſteps, laid wait for him as he went, and at laſt incloſed, or incompaſt him; and having done ſo, ſet their eyes (a phraſe for ſtedfaſt reſolving, or enterprizing any thing) foreign to caſt down to the earth. So the Syriack underſtood it, they ſet their eyes foreign that they might lay me along on the earth, (and ſo indeed foreign ſignifies to extend, or lay along:) and ſo the Chaldee foreign ad diffundendum (not as 'tis rendred, ut ſe diffundant,) to poure out upon the earth: and the Arabick to the ſame ſenſe, they fixt their eyes, that they might beat, or ſtrike me upon the earth; and then this is a ready intelligible meaning of the words.
foreignV. 12. Like as a Lion] Where the Hebrew reads foreign his likeneſs, from foreign was like, the LXXII. ſeem to have read foreign a verbe, and from another notion of the word foreign in Piel, for cogitavit, intentus fuit, thinking intently on any thing; and accordingly they render it foreign, they thought intently on me, (and the word is oft uſed for imagining miſchief, 2 Sam. 21.5. that deviſed againſt us that we ſhould be deſtroyed, and Jud. 20.5. thought to have ſlain me:) And the Arabick ſounds this way, They met me as a Lion—But the Chaldee and Syriack render it in the notion of likeneſs, and ſo it muſt be underſtood. And then the moſt literal rendring will be, foreign his likeneſs as of a Lion. And then it follows, foreign he deſires to tear or ravin. The LXXII. render it foreign, ready for prey, as when he is hungry, he is ſuppoſed to be. And then the reſt of the verſe follows readily, and as of a young Lion foreign dwelling, or abiding in his den;] which though it go not out, ſeizeth on all that comes thither: and ſo his enemies deſign and threaten to ſeize on him, now they have gotten him as they think, in their power.
V. 13. foreignDiſappoint] foreign from foreign to anticipate and prevent, is▪ here duly rendred by the LXXII. foreign, get before them, and is here adapted to the Lion making after his prey, v. 12. and under that reſemblance, to Davids enemies, which are now ready to ſeize upon him, v. 11. if God do not interpoſe his power, get before them, and, as it follows, foreign, trip up their heels, foreign(ſo foreign ſignifies, from foreign curvare, to bow down, and in Hiphil proſternere foreign, to make bown down, i. e. to throw down,) and ſo keep them from ſeizing on him.
V. 13. Sword] 'Tis matter of ſome doubt, foreignto what the word foreign thy Sword, here belongs. It may poſſibly by way of appoſition connect with foreign from the wicked, and then our Engliſh renders it according to ſenſe, from the wicked, which is thy ſword. But none of the antient interpreters underſtood it thus. The Chaldee have thus paraphraſed it; Deliver me from the wicked, foreign which ought to be ſlain by thy ſword: the Syriack, foreign; from the wicked, and the ſword (meaning the ſword of the wicked:) the LXXII. reading foreign, and from them the Latine, frameam tuam, thy ſword, are not intelligible. The Arabick having rendred it [& à gladio tuo] with the inſertion of the Copulative [et,] add by way of explication, nempe ab inimicis tuis, to wit, from thine enemies, thus rendring the beginning of the next verſe. And the Aethiopick differs from all; Deliver my ſoul from the Lance; (for foreign from the wicked, reading perhaps foreign which in Arabick ſignifies a dart or lance) thy ſword be upon the enemies of thy hand (joyning with it, as the Arabick did, the beginning of the next verſe.) In this variety there may be place of conjecture: and then it will not be improbable, that foreign thy ſword, ſhould here be conſidered as the inſtrument of his deliverance, and ſo joyned with foreign deliver me, thus, by thy ſword deliver or reſcue me from the wicked. This perfectly agrees to the context, where the enemy, as a hungry Lion, is ready to ſeize on David, as his prey, if ſome valiant champion with his ſword in his hand do not ariſe, and out-run, and trip up his heels, and ſo reſcue him out of his hands. And for this David hath none to rely on, but God, and therefore to him he cries, that he will thus ſpeedily interpoſe, and deliver him.
V. 14. Thy hand] By the importance of foreign (ſee note m.) in the former verſe, 'twill not be difficult to reſolve of the meaning of foreign here.foreign There, that being joyned with foreign deliver me] was to be rendred gladio tuo, with thy ſword; and in the ſame manner will this here, deliver me by thy hand: juſt as v. 7. God is called foreign a Saviour, or he that delivereth and ſaveth by his right hand. And this perhaps to be connected with foreign with the ſword, by the figure foreign, whereby two things are put ſeverally to ſignifie but one, ſword and hand, to ſignifie a drawn ſword, which is fit for ſuch a preſent reſcue as David now ſtands in need of. There foreign from the wicked, here foreign from the men in the next words, ſpecifying what men he means,foreign foreign the men of the age, i. e. worldly men; and thoſe deſcribed largely and poetically (in the inſuing words to the end of the verſe) to be ſuch as have all things to their will, are very plentiful and proſperous, they and their poſterity. In their deſcription, 1. occurs their having their portion foreign in vitis: foreignthis the Chaldee renders in life eternal, but the LXXII. (and ſo the Syriack and Arabick and Latine) foreign, i. e. in this life of theirs; and ſo 'tis certain the plural foreign (there being no ſingular) ſignifies life ſimply. 2. Follows foreign—and thou ſhalt fill their belly with thy good things, ſo in ſenſe it may be rendred, or from thy hidden things, i. e. thy treaſury, for from foreign to lay up or keep, foreignis the noun foreign 1. any thing that is thus laid up or kept, 2. a treaſury wherein 'tis laid up. In the latter ſenſe it muſt be rendred from thy treaſury; in the former, with thy good things, i. e. with all the wealth of this world, that God beſtows on any. As when we are bid not to lay up our treaſures upon earth, Mat. vi. the meaning is clear, not to lay up our goods there, (of which the ſeveral ſorts are there pointed at, by the moths corrupting, and the ruſt, and the thieves breaking and ſtealing;) but by works of mercy to lay up our goods in Heaven, beſtowing them on God, and the poor for Gods ſake. And theſe in the parable of the rich man in the Goſpel are thus ſtyled, foreign, his portion of good things which he received in this life; and proportionably here is their having their portion in this life, and their being filled with good things or treaſure. So the Chaldee render it, foreign with thy hiding of good or hidden good; the Syriack and Arabick, with thy treaſures: but the LXXII. foreign, more literally; and ſo the Latine, abſconditis tuis, with thy hidden things: but none have thought fit to put both hidden and treaſures, either of them ſignifying the other, and both of them thoſe things that in the world are accounted good, and ſo are laid up and kept by the men of the world. 3. 'Tis added,foreign foreign they have plenty of children, ſo foreign ſignifies to abound with any thing: not as the Chaldee, and Syriack and Arabick are rendred, their children are filled; but as in the Hebrew, ſo in the Chaldee, foreign they abound in children, foreign, they are filled with children, (ſaturati ſunt filiis, ſaith the Latine) which it ſeems was antiently miſwritten foreign, Swines-fleſh, and ſo followed by the Arabick Tranſlation, and by the Roman Pſalter, and ſo found in Arnobius and others of the antients from that miſtake of the amanuenſis. What follows of their leaving the reſidue or remainder (ſo foreign ſignifies) of their ſubſtance to their babes, is but a farther expreſſion of their abundance; having ſuch plenty for themſelves, that they have much to ſpare, which yet they diſpenſe not in any part to thoſe that want, but reſerve it all for their poſterity: and ſo this is another part of the character of the worldly great and rich man; Lazarus at his door, might not have ſo much as the crums that fall from this rich mans Table.
V. 15. foreignRighteouſneſs] foreign ſeems beſt to be rendred here, by or through righteouſneſs, per juſtitiam ſaith Caſtellio, as by the condition, on which he may expect the return of Gods mercy here, or the eternal viſion of him hereafter; which, ſaith the Apoſtle, no man ſhall attain to without peace and holineſs, parts of this juſtice or righteouſneſs. As for foreign in the end of the verſe, it is diverſly rendred by the antient interpreters.foreign For foreign the Syriack ſeems to have read foreign and ſo read foreign thy faith: but the LXXII. read foreign, and ſo the Latine and Arabick, thy glory; and the Chaldee foreign the glory of thy countenance. But the difficulty is, to what foreign in evigilando, foreignat the awaking] ſhall belong. The Chaldee apply it to David; when I ſhall awake, I ſhall be ſatisfied with the glory of thy countenance, and ſo it hath truth, in reſpect of the reſurrection of the juſt, and that not unfitly oppoſed to the abundance of the worldly men, v. 14. in this life. But all the other interpreters agree in applying it to foreign thy glory: foreign, at the appearing of thy glory, ſay the LXXII. cum apparuerit gloria tua, the Latine; (and ſo the Arabick and Aethiopick,) when thy fidelity ſhall awake, ſaith the Syriack. And ſo moſt probably it is to be underſtood; by [Gods glory awaking] ſignifying his glorious and powerful interpoſition to his preſent reſcue from his enemies hands, and not deferring to relieve and avenge him till the reſurrection. And thus the learned Caſtellio took it; tum ſatiandus, cum tua experrecta fuerit imago, I ſhall be ſatisfied when thy likeneſs ſhall be awaked.