Works Volume 4, Book 5 · Psalm 109
The Hundred and Ninth PSALM.
TO the chief Muſician, a Pſalm of David.
Paraphrase. The hundred and ninth Pſalm, (compoſed on occaſion whether of Abſalom's rebellion, and aſſuming the government, as the Syriack takes it, or of David's flight from Saul, as Kimchi and Aben Ezra reſolve) is a direfull prediction of God's judgments that ſhould fall upon his enemies, whether Abſalom and his Counſellor Achitophel, or Saul and Doeg: and by Act. 1.20. where v. 8. of this Pſalm is ſaid to be fulfilled in Judas, it appears to have had a more eminent completion in thoſe that oppoſed and conſulted againſt, and crucified Chriſt, the Phariſees, and the Rulers of the Jews, who with Judas, that betrayed him into their hands, and was their counſellor and guide at the apprehenſion of him, Act. 1.16. met with ſad and direfull ends. It was compoſed by David, and committed to the Praefect of his Muſick.
1. Hold not thy peace, O God ‖or my praiſe foreignof my praiſe.
Paraphrase. 1. Thou, O God, art the onelyonly joy and comfort and refuge of my life, from thee all the good things flow that ever I received, to thee all the glory and praiſe is due: Be thou now pleaſed to interpoſe for my aid and relief.
2. For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceithfull are opened againſt me, they have ſpoken againſt me with a lying tongue.
Paraphrase. 2. For now I have ſpecial need of it, wicked men having moſt falſely and treacherouſly and cunningly infuſed into mens minds moſt ſlanderous reports of me.
3. They compaſſed me about alſo with words of hatred, and fought againſt me without a cauſe.
Paraphrase. 3. Their ſlanders and falſe ſuggeſtions have been their ſpecial peſtilent weapons againſt me; with them they have beſieged, as it were, and girt me cloſe, and then ſhot out theſe poiſonous darts againſt me, ſharpned the ſwords of their tongues, and with them moſt maliciouſly aſſaulted me.
4. For my love they are my adverſaries: but I give my ſelf to prayer.
5. And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my good will.
Paraphrase. 4, 5. I never did any act of hoſtility or unkindneſs to them, but contrariwiſe obliged them with all acts of love and greateſt charity; they had no other provocation but this from me; and for this they have moſt unhumanely returned all the effects of the bittereſt malice. Yet hath not this moved me to act any revenge; but on the contrary, I have heartily prayed to God *foreign for them, Syr. Deum pro ipſis co… precatus. Caſtel.for them, beſought his pardon, and the averting his judgments from them, and his grace for their timely reformation. And all this hath produced no other effect from them but their moſt malignant hatred, and miſchievous practices, in return to my greateſt charity.
6. Set thou a wicked man over him, and let ‖the adverſaryſatan ſtand at his right hand.
7. When he ſhall be judged, let him †or, good wicked.be condemned; and let his prayer become ſin.
8. Let his days be few, and let another take his office.
9. Let his children be fatherleſs, and his wife a widom.
10. Let his children be continually vagabonds and beg; let them ſeek their bread alſo out of their deſolate places.
Paraphrase. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. This will certainly bring down upon the chief actors, and all the partners in this wickedneſs (whether Achitophel and Abſalom and their followers, or Saul and Doeg, in the firſt literal ſenſe, or Judas and the Jewiſh Sanhedrim, and all that nation that oppoſed and crucified Chriſt, in the prophetick ſenſe) moſt unavoidable ſad executions, judgments, and vengeances, as on ſo many accurſed Malefactors, whoſe lives and eſtates being forfeited to the law, their widow'd wives and orphan children ſhall become vagabonds over the face of the earth, covetous and griping and beggerly for ever.
11. Let the *uſure… ſeiſe onextortioner catch all that he hath, and let the ſtranger ſpoil his labour.
12. Let there be none to extend mercy to him, neither let there be any to favour his fatherleſs children.
Paraphrase. 11, 12. And as they corrade and indeavour to get together the wealth of others, ſo ſhall others when they have any thing to be ſeis'd on, plunder and rifle and pillage them, rob them of all theſe gainings, and no man take any compaſſion on them or their poſterity in their ſufferings, be they never ſo cruel.
13. Let ‖his end be to deſtruction, and in the next generation…his poſterity be cut off, and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.
14. Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembred with the Lord, and let not the ſin of his mother be blotted out.
15. Let them be before the Lord continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.
Paraphrase. 13, 14, 15. As for the principal inſtruments in theſe wicked rebellions and treaſons (againſt David and the ſon of David) they ſhall certainly come to untimely deaths (ſo did Achitophel, 2 Sam. 17.23. and Abſalom, c. 18.14. and Saul, 1 Sam. 31.5. and Doeg, Pſal. 52.5. and ſo Judas, Matth. 27.) and their poſterity ſhall not laſt beyond the next age. They ſhall be curſed by God, and all the puniſhments due to their fathers ſins ſhall be ſo viſited on this their wicked progeny, that they ſhall ſoon come to utter eradication and extirpation.
16. Becauſe that he remembred not to ſhew mercy, but perſecuted the poor and needy man, ‖and broken in heart to ſlay him foreignthat he might even ſlay the broken in heart.
Paraphrase. 16. And this a moſt juſt reward for their uncharitable and cruel dealing with him, whoſe diſtreſſes might juſtly have extorted their greateſt kindneſs and aſſiſtance, but found nothing but bloody purſuits from them. (This ſeems eſpecially to refer to David at Nob, and Ahimelech and the prieſts ſlain by Doeg.)
17. As he loved curſing, ſo let it come unto him: as he delighted not in bleſſing, ſo let it be far from him.
18. As he clothed himſelf with curſing, like as with his garment, ſo let it come into his bowels like water, and like oile into his bones.
19. Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him, and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually.
Paraphrase. 17, 18, 19. 'Tis to be expected from the all-juſt retributions of heaven, that as they were willing to mete to others it ſhould be meted back to them. They were for nothing but miſchief and cruelty, and they are to expect no leaſt mixture of compaſſion or mercy: They delighted in ſlandering and curſing, wiſhing and ſpeaking ill of them that leaſt deſerved it; and the bitter water that cauſeth the curſe, Numb. 5.21. that maketh the thigh to rot and the belly to ſwell, ſhall enter, as water is wont into one that is overwhelmed with it, into his ſtomach, belly, bowels, and make them, as the bitter water did, to ſwell and burſt (ſo it happened literally to Judas, Act. 1.28. and probably to Achitophel, ſee note on Matt. 27. a. and in effect to the others alſo, in their untimely exciſion.) And as oile, which is more piercing than water, penetrates the very fleſh, veins, nerves and bones; ſo ſhall this the moſt inward parts of them, ſeiſe upon their very ſpirits and ſouls, (ſo it did remarkably on thoſe two, Achitophel and Judas, and the ſame every ſuch wicked man is to expect) and never be gotten out again, but within afflict, and without incompaſs them, and cleave to them for ever.
20. †This is, or ſhall be foreignLet this be the reward of mine adverſaries from the Lord, and of them that ſpeak evil againſt my ſoul.
Paraphrase. 20. Thus will God certainly puniſh them that either ſo rebelliouſly or ſo bloodily and cruelly ſet themſelves againſt me (and ſo thoſe hereafter that oppoſe and crucifie the Meſſias.)
21. But doe thou for me, O God the Lord, for thy names ſake: becauſe thy mercy is good, deliver thou me.
Paraphrase. 21. As for me, I have no other ſolicitude than to repoſe my ſelf in God's hands: he is a God of moſt abundant goodneſs and mercy, and his honour is ingaged in vindicating my cauſe, in maintaining me, whom he hath ſet on the throne, againſt all oppoſers. He is alſo an omnipotent Lord, whoſe power can ſoon overrule and calme all theſe tempeſts. To him therefore I humbly addreſs my ſelf for his ſeaſonable interpoſition and relief, referring the way and means to his all-wiſe diſpoſal.
22. For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
23. I *walk or go, foreignam gone like the ſhadow, ‖about its declining foreignwhen it declineth; I am toſſed up and down as the locuſt.
Paraphrase. 22, 23. And of this his mercy I am very confident, being a moſt ſeaſonable object of it at this time, brought to great want, to a ſorrowfull deplorable condition, every day growing lower and lower, like the ſhadow about ſun-ſet; driven from my home, and by the ſame danger that drove me thence, removed from place to place, like the ſilly impotent locuſts, that are carried without any aim, deſign or conduct, whitherſoever the tempeſt drives them.
24. My knees are weak through faſting, and my fleſh †is emaciated fromfaileth of fatneſs.
25. I am become alſo a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they ſhaked their heads.
Paraphrase. 24, 25. We are now quite wearied out, ready to faint and fail, and accordingly are lookt on by our enemies with ſcorn and deriſion, making no queſtion, but we ſhall ſoon fall into their hands, to be deſtroyed and devoured by them.
26. Help me, O Lord my God; O ſave me according to thy mercy:
27. That they may know that *this foreignit is thy hand, and that thou Lord haſt done it.
Paraphrase. 26, 27. To thee therefore, O God of all power, which haſt obliged and inſured thy particular mercy to me. I humbly addreſs my ſelf: be thou pleaſed ſeaſonably to relieve and reſcue me, that it may be viſible to all, that this ſo opportune interpoſition of thine hath wrought the deliverance for us.
28. ‖They will curſe foreignLet them curſe, but bleſs thou: †they have riſen up foreignwhen they ariſe, *and ſhall be put to ſhame foreignlet them be aſhamed, but let thy ſervant rejoyce.
Paraphrase. 28. Though they rail and defame and riſe up againſt me, yet I ſhall be ſecure of thy benediction; and this ſhall be ſure to give me the victory, when they are put to flight and diſſipated.
29. Let my adverſaries be cloathed with ſhame, and let them cover themſelves with their own confuſion as with a mantle.
Paraphrase. 29. And this ſhall certainly be their portion, and conſequently nothing but ſhame and confuſion of face for all their malicious ſucceſsleſs enterpriſes.
30. I will greatly praiſe the Lord with my mouth, yea I will praiſe him among the multitude.
31. For he ſhall ſtand at the right hand of the poor, to ſave him from them that ‖oppoſe, purſuecondemn his ſoul.
Paraphrase. 30, 31. Of this I am ſo confident, that I have nothing to doe but to provide for my thankſgiving: and this will I perform in the moſt ſolemn and publick manner, and proclaim his abundant conſtant mercies to me, in taking my part moſt ſignally when I am at the loweſt, eſpouſing my cauſe, reſcuing me from all the aſſaults of thoſe that reſolved and verily hoped to take away my life. And in the ſame manner will he certainly deal for all thoſe, who in their greateſt diſtreſſes ſhall faithfully adhere to him, and repoſe their full confidence in him.
Annotations on Pſal. CIX.
foreignV. 1. O God of my praiſe] That foreign my praiſe, is to be joyned with foreign God, is agreed on both by the Chaldee and Syriack. The onelyonly queſtion is, whether it be to be joyned by appoſition, and rendred, O God my praiſe; or as a genitive caſe, following another ſubſtantive, O God of my praiſe. Of either of theſe the word is equally capable, and the ſenſe is either way the ſame, being but a compellation of God, as of him whom he is bound continually to praiſe and magnifie, for eſpouſing his cauſe and defending him. The LXXII. have joyned it to the verb, and ſo reade, foreign, and the Latin, Deus, laudem meam ne tacueris— But again thoſe words are capable of a double ſenſe; for, my praiſe may either be God's praiſing of David, or it may be David's praiſing of God. In the firſt ſenſe 'twill be, O God, be not thou ſilent of my praiſe; whilſt others reproach me, v. 2. be thou my advocate, plead my cauſe, proclaim and juſtifie my innocence. In the latter 'tis, be not ſilent to my praiſing of thee, or ſilence not, refuſe not, neglect not my praiſing of thee; and the Aethiopick have put prayer for praiſing, and then 'tis evidently, be not ſilent to, but anſwer my prayer. But the former is the moſt probable way of rendring, putting it by it ſelf, hold not thy peace, in the notion wherein God's holding his peace, keeping ſilence, is oppoſed to his interpoſing for the aid and defenſe of any. So Pſal. 28.1. in the very ſame words foreign be not ſilent from me (leſt if thou be, foreignI become like them that go down into the pit) i. e. interpoſe thine aid and ſtrength for me. So Pſal. 35.22. foreign be not ſilent, remove not thy ſelf from me, O God: and Pſal. 50.3. The Lord ſhall come, foreign and ſhall not be ſilent: and 83.1. in three phraſes all to the ſame importance, foreign Let not stillneſs or ſilence be to thee, foreign be not ſilent, foreign and do not thou be quiet. And ſo here, O God my glory, foreign ſay the Chaldee; or foreign ſay the Syriack, O God of my glory, my ſinging, my rejoycing, to the very ſame ſenſe: Thou who art the onelyonly authour of all the good or joyfull news that I ever receive, of all the mercies, in whom I glory, rejoyce and take comfort, to whom all my praiſes are due, do thou interpoſe for my reſcue and relief. The Jewiſh Arab reads, Withhold not, or refrein not from my oppreſſor; Refrein not to oppoſe thy ſelf againſt him that oppreſſeth and injureth me.
V. 6. Set thou a wicked man over him] The Latin tranſlator of the Syriack ſuggeſts here another rendring, Praecipe adverſus eos iniquo, give the wicked man charge againſt them;foreign and ſo the foreign would well enough bear, againſt, as well as over him. But the notion of foreign in Hiphil will not accord,foreign being in the Scripture uſed onelyonly in theſe two notions, either of diſpoſing unto as a truſt, or ſetting over as a praefect: and accordingly the Chaldee reade foreign, ſet over him, and the LXXII. foreign, conſtitute over him a wicked man; and ſo the Syriack foreign will as readily bear, ſet a wicked man over him. The onelyonly difficulty will be, what 'tis to ſet the wicked over him: and that will beſt be fetcht from the forementioned notion of foreign, explicated by the context: That ſignifies to ſet over as a Praefect, and the context determins that Praefect to be a Judge, being the deſcription of a Judicature, in which the perſon here ſpoken of is to be condemned and cut off. And that will ſure be done, if a wicked man be ſet on the tribunal, before which he is accuſed and arraigned. In accordance with this follows, foreign and let the adverſary or foreign, he that maintains the accuſation againſt him, foreign the accuſer, ſay the LXXII. ſtand at his right hand, according to the Jewiſh manner in judicature, where the accuſer, he that managed the plea, was ſet at the right hand of the accuſed. And then it follows, foreign, when he ſhall come to receive his ſentence, foreign let him go out wicked;foreign foreign, ſay the LXXII. (and ſo the Chaldee and Syriack alſo) let him go out condemned, in the notion of going out as that is oppoſed to ſtanding in judgment, Pſal. 1. and of wicked, as that is oppoſed to juſt in foro (juſtified or acquitted) for ſo that muſt ſignify condemned. Now it may next be demanded who this perſon is that is thus to be arraigned and condemned. And the ſtory and firſt literal ſenſe referring it to Achitophel or to Doeg principally, and in an inferiour degree to all others, the parties whether in Saul's oppreſſion, or in Abſolom's rebellion, and the prophetick ſenſe to Judas principally, and together with him to the Jews the crucifiers; 'tis yet manifeſt that none of theſe were arraigned before any humane tribunal. The reſolution therefore muſt be, that the ſtyle is here poetick as well as prophetical, and ſignifies their ruine as certain, and as formidable, as the arraignment, condemnation and execution of a malefactor upon earth. The tribunal alſo before which they are ſentenced, being firſt that of their own conſcience, remarkable both in Achitophel and Judas, which died the ſame death (probably that of ſuffocation of melancholy, ſee note on Matth. 27. a.) inflicted on them by their own accuſing conſcience; and ſecondly, that of God's juſt judicature, before which they are ſure to be caſt, and go out condemned. And from thence it was, that theſe ſignal judgments fell both upon Saul and Doeg, and on Abſolom and his followers, in the ſtory, and on the bloudy crucifiers in the New Teſtament.
foreignV. 7. His prayer become ſin] The meaning of this phraſe may moſt probably be taken from the cuſtom of the Jews, who at their death did out of courſe make this prayer, foreign let my death be an expiation for all my offences. This was likewiſe ſaid by thoſe that fell not by the hand of juſtice, but died natural deaths. Now he that dies in the midſt of an ill attempt, and much more he that makes away himſelf, as Judas in a fit of ſuffocation probably did, by throwing himſelf down a precipice, his death will be ſo far from an expiation, that it will be ſin, and a great accumulation of the other crimes. And this is an expreſſion of a moſt ſad deplorable condition, when (as it is Prov. 1.28. then ſhall they call upon me, but I will not anſwer) their prayers for averting their judgment ſhall be of no more force than their ſins would be. The Jewiſh Arab hath here a ſenſe ſtrangely different from others, And let his prayer for him be deſtruction to him; underſtanding it of the prayer of the oppreſſed, which he putteth up to God for good to his oppreſſor, but God turneth it for deſtruction to him.
foreignV. 8. Days be few] foreign few, or ſhort, or little, doth here ſignifie the cutting him off before the natural period of his life comes. To this all the following words to the end of v. 10. belong. For when he is thus cut off, his office is void, and ſo ready for another; his children have loſt their father, and his wife an husband, v. 9. and his eſtate being forfeited to the Law as well as his life, his children and poſterity are ejected out of their inheritance, and ſo muſt provide for themſelves, either by wandering and begging from place to place (this is meant by foreign by moving let them move, foreigni. e. be in perpetual motion; foreign, ſay the LXXII. let them be ſhaken, toſt, and removed from place to place) or by ſeeking out ſome unhabited place where they may reſt and plant. The former of theſe is here expreſt by foreign let them ask or beg. foreignAnd perhaps the latter may be the meaning of foreign let them ſeek (i. e. get their ſubſiſtence, maintenance) out of places which being deſolate, in no other owners hands, are alone fit to entertain and receive them. But the Chaldee interprets it of their own dwellings, foreign when their deſolation is come. The LXXII. reade foreign, let them be caſt out of their ruinous dwellings, and ſeem to have read not foreign let them ſeek, foreignbut foreign let them be caſt out, from foreign which ſignifies to eject. And ſo 'tis very applicable to the Jews, whoſe Temple, and Jeruſalem was demoliſhed, and they driven out from the very ruines, not permitted to rebuild or inhabit there. But the common Hebrew reading is to be preferred, being witneſt to by the Chaldee, foreign and ſhall ſeek; and very agreeable to the context alſo, which ſpeaks of their unſettled motions from place to place, their begging and not knowing where to dwell. For by this alſo is very lively deſcribed the condition of the Jewiſh poſterity, ever ſince their anceſtors fell under that ſignal vengeance for the crucifying of Chriſt. Firſt, their deſolations and vaſtations in their own Countrey; and being ejected thence, Secondly, their continual wandrings from place to place, ſcattered over the face of the earth; and Thirdly, their remarkable covetouſneſs, keeping them always poor and beggerly, be they never ſo rich, and continually labouring and moiling for gain, as the pooreſt are wont to doe; and this is continually the conſtant courſe attending this people, whereſoever they are ſcattered. The Jewiſh Arab reads, Make few his days, and turn over of his age to another. Abu Walid alſo renders the foreign his office, ſtrangely, his treaſure, or wealth. Kimchi interprets it that which is under his command, as his wealth, Wife, &c.
V. 11. foreignCatch] The Hebrew here reads foreign from foreign which in Piel ſignifies concuſſit, exegit, and applied here to the grating creditor and uſurer toward the debtors goods, is beſt rendred to exact, or ſeiſe on; ſo the Chaldee, foreign ſhall levy, exact, take away, gather, as the publican doth the taxes, or as the foreign Luk. 12.58. doth foreign exact, Luk. 3.13. and 19.23. or as the foreign tormentor, Matth. 18.34. (directly anſwerable to the Chaldee foreign exactor) to whom the debtor there being delivered, is racked to the utmoſt, till he pay the laſt farthing. The LXXII. here reade foreign, the Latin, ſcrutetur, let him ſearch; either paraphraſtically to expreſs it, for ſo he that ſeiſes on anothers goods, ſearches, and takes all that he can find; or elſe becauſe of the affinity of foreign exact with foreign enquire or ſearch. The Interlinear, that reads illaqueet, let him inſnare or catch, ſeems to have lookt on foreign to inſnare, in which ſenſe the Chaldee took it Pſ. 38.13. rendring foreign by foreign and they made ſnares. foreignAnd thus the Jewiſh Arab, Let the enemy inſnare all his wealth, as a creditor or uſurer, (Abu Walid, let the creditor conſume or deſtroy all his wealth) let ſtrangers ſpoil or make prey of his gain. And ſo 'tis ordinary for words of that affinity to have the ſame ſignification. To the ſenſe of levying, or ſeiſing on, the latter part of this verſe agrees well, foreign let the ſtrangers ſpoil, foreignſnatch away, pray upon his labours (from foreign to ſnatch or prey upon) the ſtranger being no other than foreign the aſur… in the beginning of the verſe, who being none of his family, to whom by inheritance his goods may come, is fitly called a ſtranger, eſpecially when no Jew being permitted to lend on uſury to a Jew, the uſurer that lent a Jew muſt needs be a ſtranger, i. e. no Jew.
foreignV. 13. Poſterity] foreign is here beſt rendred, his end, or noviſſimum, as the Interlinear hath it▪ the laſt of him. So the Chaldee reade foreign his end, and the Syriack, being the ſame with the Hebrew, put only in the plural, foreign is rendred, finis eorum, their end. So the learned Caſte…io… exi… eorum, their end.—The LXXII. reade foreign … his children, from another ſuppoſed notion of foreign for children, becauſe they come af…er a man. But the context inclines to the former notion, the next words affirming that foreign in another, foreigni. e. in the next generation, in the age of th…ſe that live af…r him (the LXXII. again reads foreign … generation, … from foreign one, not foreign another) his name ſhall be blotted out, i. e. all thoſe that bear his name, his children: and ſo the verſe comprehends his own and his childrens deſtruction, which is much more reaſonable than his childrens deſtruction, and his childrens blotting out, which is no more than the former.
foreignV. 23. Toſſed up and down like the L…uſts] From foreign to move to and fro, to drive or agitate, is foreign here I am toſt or driven; foreign ſaith the Chaldee, I am carried, removed; the Syriack foreign I am ſhaken, or driven, or caſt out, in accordance with the LXXII. who reade foreign, I am ſhaken out. The full notion of it here will be gueſt by the adjoyning reſemblance foreign as the Locuſt. foreignThat creature hath its name from foreign multiplying, becauſe they fly in great multitudes (ſee Jud. 6.5. Pſal. 105.34. Prov. 30.27.) and being weak and feeble creatures, they are driven by the wind, whole ſholes of them together. So Exod. 10.15. the Eaſt wind brought the army of Locuſts into Aegypt, and ſo v. 19. a mighty ſtrong Weſt wind took away the Locuſts, and caſt them into the Rod ſea. And to this the ſimilitude here ſeems to refer. David was in his flight from Abſalom, he and all that were with him; and this flight from this rebellion is poetically deſcribed by being driven as the Locuſts are driven by the wind or tempeſt. Another poſſible way there is of underſtanding the reſemblance. The Locuſt is but a large ſort of Graſhopper, which hath no ſet abiding place or neſt, but leaps to and fro, roves about the field: ſo we have the running to and fro of Locuſts, Iſa. 33.4. And this uncertain unſettled condition of thoſe creatures may be proper alſo to expreſs David's condition in his flight, when he had not where to lay his head, but wandred from place to place uncertainly. But the former, that is founded in the bands of Locuſts, is fitter to expreſs David and the company with him▪ his weak fugitive army (the LXXII. reads foreign in the plural, and the Hebrew word in the ſingular may import a plurality of them) than that which is founded in the manner of the ſingle Locuſt, or Graſhopper; and ſo that of being toſſed to and fro by a tempeſt, is the moſt probable importance of the verb foreign.
foreignV. 24. Faileth of fatneſs] From foreign to deny, to lye, there is alſo a metaphorical uſe of it for any kind of change or fruſtration or deſtitution. And being here applied to the fleſh, it ſignifies a change of that (foreign ſay the LXXII. was changed) attenuation, emaciation, decay from the ſtate that before he was in, or wherein healthy men are wont to be. I… is here … from …le or from fatneſs. foreignThe word foreign ſignifies both fat and oile, and the LXXII. render it in the ſecond notion foreign, changed for oile; either by the confuſed uſe of prepoſitions ordinarily obſerved among them, and then for oile may be inſtead of from o… or elſe for oil… i. e. for the loſs of oile, viz. that radical moiſture which reſembleth oile. The plaineſt rendring will be, my fleſh as emaciated from fatneſs, that which was before full and co…ment, is now fallen away, grown … a…o…ted. And this very conſonant to the beginning of the verſe, his …ne… being weak through faſting: the feeble knees being proverbially taken notice of in Scripture, as the parts which in any weakne… are moſt ſenſible of the weight that lies upon them, and in any great laſſitude or other infirmity are the firſt that are wont to fall.
V. 31. foreignThat condemn his ſoul] Some difficulty there is here whether foreign his ſoul, be to be joyned with …, and … rendred … or lif…, or elſe with foreign … our Engliſh … ▪ from th…ſe that condemn is ſoul. But this is … ſalved by leaving it indifferent in either, or both of them; it being certain, that he that delivers from the condemners of ſoul or life ▪ doth thereby deliver the ſoul or life, the deliverance being of neceſſity proportioned … the aſſult. The greater queſtion will be,foreign what is the adequate notion of foreign in this place. The word foreign is ordinarily uſed for judging or condemning; but it ſignifies alſo to implead, accuſe, or bring to judgment, to lay any crime to ones charge;foreign for thus foreign oft ſignifies a controverſie or queſtion, a crime or fault, as well as puniſhment or judgment, or ſentence in j…dicature. The Chaldee here expreſſes thy foreign from foreign, which is indifferent to theſe two, judging, and contending in judgment; from whence the Greek foreign ordinarily uſed among the Helleniſts for ſ…ng or … … ing, 1 Cor. ….1. (ſee note on Rom. 3.….) And to this notion of foreign in this place the ſenſe directs: For David ſpeaking of himſelf and thoſe that eſpouſed his cauſe▪ under the notion of the poor ▪ and conſequently of his adverſaries under the notion of foreign ▪ 'tis moſt agreeable that the word ſhould be here taken in that notion of oppoſing or …ſuing. Thus they are formerly expreſt v. 20. by foreign,foreign …y i. e. David's adverſaries, plaintiffs▪ occuſers (…o that word properly ſignifies, foreign an adverſary foreign i… judgment, i. e.foreign an accuſer) and by foreign thoſe that ſpeak evil againſt his ſoul. And this verſe is thus far parallel with that, in deſcribing the perſons, viz. thoſe that deſign and wage evil (for ſo ſpeaking is oft taken for doing) againſt his life; and then that exactly agrees with this notion of foreign oppoſers of his ſoul, thoſe that contend, fight againſt his ſoul. For though it was in war, and not in judicature, that they thus contended with him, yet one of theſe is poetically expreſt by the other, their hoſtile oppoſition by words which are only forenſick. Thus the Jewiſh Arab reads, and will help him from thoſe that implead him, or contend with him for his ſoul. And in this ſcheme this whole verſe runs. He ſhall ſtand at the right hand of the poor, i. e. to defend and plead for him: as the accu… ſer, ſtood at the right hand (ſee v. 6. note b.) ſo ſhall he ſtand as his advocate, to maintain him againſt his injurious charge, and that is to ſave him from thoſe that oppoſe or implead his ſ…l ▪ that aſſault him and call his life in queſtion. The LXXII▪ here moſt fir…tly expreſs the ſenſe by foreign from thoſe that purſue my ſoul.