Works Volume 4, Book · Psalm 32
The Thirty Second PSALM.
A Pſalm of David, Maſchil.
Paraphrase. The Thirty Second Pſalm is principally ſpent in declaration of the nature of true bleſſedneſs, conſiſting in Gods pardon, and juſtification, and was ſet to the tune known by the Title of Maſchil.
1. Bleſſed is he whoſe tranſgreſſion is forgiven, whoſe ſin is covered.
Paraphrase. 1. All the felicity that can be attained to in this life, or in another, depends wholly not on the merit of any mans performances, but only in Gods free and favourable acceptance, his gracious pardon to our many frailties, and fouler ſins, (purchaſed for us by the merit of the ſufferings of the Meſſias, given to the World in Gods free promiſe to Adam, immediately after his fall.)
2. Bleſſed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whom there is no guile.
Paraphrase. 2. Happy therefore, O thrice happy is he, who is thus accepted by God; whoſe ſtate is ſuch, as that God approveth him (in Chriſt;) who though he have ſinned, yet upon his ſincerity of humiliation, confeſſing▪ and forſaking all known ſin, and his impartial obedience to the whole will of God, (the condition without which Gods reconciliation cannot be regain'd) is by God received again into favour and juſtified. See Rom. 4.7, 8.
3. When I kept ſilence, my bones waxed old, through my roaring all the day long.
Paraphrase. 3. Time was, when my condition was very ſad and miſerable; whilſt with horror reflecting on the foul ſins whereof I had been guilty, but not addreſſing my ſelf, as I ought to have done, to thee in confeſſion and contrition, and begging of thy gracious pardon, the weight of the ſorrow conſumed me, my grief was violent and continual.
4. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me, and my moiſture is turned into the drought of Summer. Selah.
Paraphrase. 4. Thy wrath and diſpleaſure, under which I lay, was a moſt unſupportable weight and preſſure; the burthen of it conſumed and wearied me out, ſcorcht and dryed me up, like the earth when 'tis parcht by the ſcorching heat of the Sun about the Summer Solſtice.
5. I acknowledged my ſin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid: I ſaid, I will confeſs ‖againſt me my — foreignmy tranſgreſſions unto the Lord, and thou †or, tookeſt away. foreignforgaveſt the iniquity of my ſin. Selah.
Paraphrase. 5. But at length, when I better bethought my ſelf, I repaired to, and caſt my ſelf down before God, in true ſorrow and humiliation, confeſſing and bewailing my foul tranſgreſſions, laid all open and bare before him, without any diſguiſe, concealment, or extenuation: inſtead of excuſing, I aggravated my ſin againſt my ſelf: And then immediately upon the ſincerity of my confeſſion (and forſaking) I obtained free and full pardon from God.
6. For this ſhall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayeſt be found; *but as for the inundation of great waters.ſurely in the flouds of great waters they ſhall not come nigh unto him.
Paraphrase. 6. All this being duely conſidered, 1. how bleſſed a thing it is to have God reconciled unto us. 2. what a ſad weight, to lye under the guilt of ſin unpardoned, 3. how ready God is to be reconciled upon our confeſſing and forſaking, is abundantly ſufficient to ſtir up every man, that hath but any the leaſt care of piety, or his own good, to make all poſſible ſpeed to return to God, and implore his favour, leſt by delay ſuch pretious opportunities be loſt; For as for wicked ungodly men, their prayers ſhall never be heeded by God.
7. Thou art my hiding place; thou ſhalt preſerve me from trouble; thou ſhalt compaſs me about with ſongs of deliverance. Selah.
Paraphrase. 7. In the liſt of the former ſort I hope to be found, and ſo to have thee my refuge, to which I may humbly, but cheerfully reſort for relief; and approving my ſelf to thee, reſt ſecurely confident, that thou wilt continue to preſerve me, and again, as heretofore, bleſs me with victory, and gratulatory Songs at my return.
8. I will inſtruct thee, and teach thee in the way which thou ſhalt go: I will ‖counſel thee; mine eye upon thee, or, mine eye ſhall be upon thee.guide thee with mine eye.
Paraphrase. 8. Let me therefore inſtruct thee, thou proud obdurate ſinne…, teach thee a more regular courſe, than that which thou art in: I will for once take upon me the ſeverer office of a tutor or guide (ſo Pſal. 3….11.) and this ſhall be the ſum of my admonition;
9. Be ye not as the horſe or as the mule, †or, in not underſtanding.which have no underſtanding; whoſe mouth *ſhall be, or is held with bit and bridle; yet they come not to thee.muſt be held in with bit and bridle, leſt they come neer unto thee.
Paraphrase. 9. That at length timely you begin to relent, ſhew your ſelves docile and tractable, to follow his guidance obediently, and not to imitate the unmanaged horſe and mule▪ that notwithſtanding bit and bridle, all means of reducing or ſubduing them, will not be drawn that way that the owner directs; and ſuch are ye, if when ye are out of the way, departed from God by your ſins, ye refuſe to obey thoſe divine methods of his, which he uſeth to reduce you. Thoſe that are tractable he will draw and bring home to him; but as for the obſtinate and imperſwaſible, their condition is very ſad.
10. Many ſorrows ſhall be to the wicked; but he that truſteth in the Lord, mercy ſhall compaſs him about.
Paraphrase. 10. But if ye be thus obſtinate, ye ſhall dearly rue it Wicked men ſhall gain little by their courſe; many an heavy ſtroke is their portion (as it is of the undocile mule, v. 9.) but the obedient and docible, that relyes and waits on God, and in humility and confidence adheres to him, and obſerves his directions, all the felicities of all ſorts are his inheritance.
11. Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce, ye righteous; and ſhout for joy all ye that are upright in heart.
Paraphrase. 11. This therefore, to conclude, is abundant matter of joy, and delight, and exultation, to all ſincere faithful, and obedient ſervants of his (though of horror to all others.) Which was the thing undertaken to be proved at the beginning, v. 1. and being ſo fully deduced, may now conclude, as it began the Pſalm.
Annotations on Pſal. XXXII.
foreignTit. Maſchil] From foreign to underſtand, is foreign a wiſe, prudent, intelligent perſon. It is here, and twelve times more, uſed as the title of a Pſalm, to denote the ſort of melody, the tune to which it was ſet, (ſo ſaith Kimchi on Pſal. 3.) known among the Hebrews by that name, from ſome famous ſong firſt ſet to that tune; either from the wiſdom contained in it, as when it is ſtyled Maſchil of Heman and Ethan, Pſalm 88, and 89. (thoſe being two eminent wiſe men, 1 King. 4.31.) or elſe, as beginning with that word. The Chaldee render it foreign a good underſtanding, the LXXII. foreign, of knowledge, or underſtanding. More literally it ſignifies the concrete, the wiſe or intelligent; but being added to foreign to or of David, it undoubtedly ſignifies a Pſalm of his, ſet to that tune, and nothing elſe; and ſo in all the other Pſalms, where it is prefixt in the title. See note on Pſalm 88. b.
foreignV. 1. In whoſe ſpirit] Where the Hebrew hath foreign in his ſpirit, (which the Syriack, Latine and Aethiopick follow, ſome reading, in his ſpirit, ſome, in his heart, which is all one) the LXXII. as now we have their Tranſlation, have foreign, in their mouth, and ſo the Arabick alſo. This, 'tis poſſible, from the double notion of foreign;foreign either for the ſpirit and ſoul, or elſe for the breath, which is the inſtrument of ſpeech. But 'tis more probable that ſome ſcribe may have thus miſtaken, by reaſon of the affinity of the words, and ſet foreign for foreign, mouth for ſpirit. S. Hierome in Ep. ad Suniam & Fretill. affirms the LXXII. to have read foreign, and that foreign was inſerted from Symmachus.
V. 4. My moiſture] The laſt part of this, v. 4. is ſo rendred by the LXXII. and Latine, &c. as hath no affinity with the Hebrew, as now we have it, and as it is underſtood by the Chaldee. The Hebrew hath foreign. The chief difficulty is in foreign. Yet that is well cleared by the Chaldee, rendring it foreign my freſhneſs, or moiſture; and ſo foreign is beſt rendred from foreign or foreign a dugge, or breſt, (the foreign, ſaith Abu-Walid, being pleo…aſtical) and that from an old word foreign to moiſten (in which ſenſe the Arabs foreign) So Num. 11.8. foreign, the freſhneſs, or juice, or fatneſs or moiſture of oyle. This, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, was converted (from foreign to turne) into the droughts (from foreign exaruit) of ſummer. foreignSo foreign ſignifies from foreign taedet, moleſtum eſt, becauſe of the weariſomeneſs of ſummers heat. But the LXXII. ſeem to have miſread at leaſt three of theſe words. For foreign is turned, they read foreign, I was turned, as if it had been foreign in the firſt perſon. For foreign my moiſture, or freſhneſs, they read, foreign, into miſery, (in which ſenſe alſo the Jewiſh-Arab takes it) as if it were foreign in anguſtiam (foreign grief, or calamity, from foreign proſcidit, vaſtavit.) For foreign into droughts, they read foreign, in being fixt or ſtrucken into, from that old notion of foreign, in which foreign a ſword comes from it, the inſtrument of tranſfixion; from whence this other notion ſeems to have been derived, becauſe when an arrow or the like is entred into the fleſh, it cauſeth a burning in it. Laſtly, for foreign ſummer, they read foreign, a prick or thorn, from the ſame theme. And by thus varying the ſenſe in every word, they have yet given us but another expreſſion of the ſame matter, fit enough for a paraphraſe of the Pſalmiſts great ſorrow for ſin, thus; I was turned into great miſery, when the thorn entred into me, i. e. to ſignifie the ſharp ſenſe of his tranſgreſſion. The Syriack paraphraſe it in a plainer manner, grief turned in my breſt to the killing of me; and the Arabick, thou haſt reflected on me cares or troubles warring in my heart. But the Jewiſh-Arab followeth another conſtruction; day and night thy plague is heavy upon me, foreign turneth, or is turned upon me, foreign to the grieving me, or, and grieveth me, foreign as the heats, or hot winds of ſummer.
V. 6. foreignIn a time when thou mayeſt be found] In this v. 6. the weight ſeems to be laid on foreign a time of finding, a time when God will hear and grant their prayers: and that ſuggeſts another rendring of the latter part of the verſe, than the antient Interpreters have taken notice of, thus;foreign foreign but as for the inundation of many or great waters (hereby ſignifying the wicked man, that like a torrent breaks over the banks, tranſgreſſes the Laws, and ſweepes and carries all before him) foreign they will not come nigh, foreignor at all approach unto him, i. e. to God; they run on obſtinate in their courſe, they care not, nor ever look after God. Thus the oppoſition ſeems to exact: and the change of the perſon from thee to him is no objection againſt it, being frequent in other places of this poetick writing. On this it regularly follows, thou art my hiding place, I deſire to be in the number of the humbly pious, that make a ſeaſonable and ſucceſsful addreſs to thee, and ſo to have my part in thy protection, &c. And then for all other, the obſtinate, &c. I will inſtruct them, v. 8.
foreignV. 7. Preſerve me] The LXXII. their reading here is very far from the Hebrew. For foreign thou ſhalt keep, from foreign, they ſeem to have read foreign thou haſt beſieged, from foreign, and ſo render it, foreign, beſieging me. For foreign acclamations, foreignor ſongs, from foreign to ſing for joy, they render foreign, my rejoycing, as if it were foreign my exultation. Then foreign the infinitive, foreignin the notion of the gerund in di, they read as in the Imperative, foreign, deliver me. Laſtly,foreign foreign thou ſhalt incompaſs me, they render foreign, from them that incompaſs me, as if it were foreign. Thus alſo the Latine, à tribulatione quae circundedit me, exaltatio mea, erue me à circundantibus me, from the tribulation which incompaſt me, my exaltation, deliver me from them that incompaſs me. And ſo the Arabick and Aethiopick. But the Syriack are neareſt the Hebrew, foreign, &c. preſerve, or free me, and imbrace, or incompaſs me with glory and deliverance; and the Chaldee exactly according to the Original, thou ſhalt preſerve me from tribulation, with ſongs of redemption ſhalt thou incompaſs me, i. e. with foreign, or gratulatory ſongs for victory, ſuch as the joyful matrons meeting him at his return from conqueſt, incompaſſing him, or caſting themſelves into a ring, chanted out unto him, 1 Sam. 18.6. one ſide anſwering the other.
foreignV. 8. Guide thee] From foreign conſuluit, is foreign here, I will counſel thee, i. e. direct, inſtruct, or guide thee, meaning the proud and haughty ſinner, v. 6. expreſt by the irregular overflowings of many waters, I will teach thee in what channel thou ſhalt paſs, and ſo guide thy courſe. To which is added foreign mine eye upon thee, foreignby way of explication of the former, I will counſel or guide thee, ſo as the eye of the rider doth the horſe, of the Tutor the Scholar, but eſpecially the guide of an unknown way, who is inſtead of eyes, Num. 10.31. The Chaldee read, I will counſel thee, and ſet my eye upon thee for good: but the LXXII. foreign, I will confirm, or ſtrongly ſet my eye upon thee, moſt probably reading it foreign from foreign to be firm or ſtrong.
V. 9. Leſt they come neer unto thee] The difficulty of this, v. 9. will, I conceive, be beſt explicated by obſerving the phraſe foreign:foreign which is literally [not to underſtand,] being in the infinitive mood; but may beſt be rendered in the notion of a gerund, thus, Be not like the horſe and mule, in not underſtanding, i. e. which underſtand not; their [not underſtanding] being the thing, wherein the parallel betwixt ſuch beaſts, and obſtinate men, expreſt by inundation of many waters, v. 6. conſiſts. This being obſerved, foreign in the end of the verſe,foreign being another infinitive mood, muſt in reaſon agree with that, and in like manner be rendered, in not coming neer, (ſo foreign ſignifies, acceſſit, appropinquavit) or they come not neer, foreign to thee: and then that which is between, foreign with bit or bridle his jaw or mouth to be held, foreignor muſt be held (as foreign with an infinitive mood oft ſignifies, Hoſ. 9.13. Ephraim foreign literally, ad educendum, to bring forth, but in ſenſe as we render it, ſhall bring forth,) muſt be underſtood, not as the means to keep the beaſt from coming to or nigh, but as the means deſigned to make the beaſt come to, but when uſed to an obſtinate, unnurtured, unruly beaſt, uneffectual to that end. For it muſt be obſerved what is the uſe of the bit and bridle, when applyed to an horſe, &c. viz. to direct and guide which way the rider or leader will have him go. So Iſa. 30.28. the bridle in their jaws cauſing them to erre, is a bridle to lead them into a wrong path; as here to lead them into a right way, v. 8. ſo Iſa. 37.29. a bridle in thy lips to turn thee back, &c. And ſo Jam. 3.3. the bit in the horſes mouth is to turn about their whole body. But then a ſturdy, untamed, ſtiff-necked, or headſtrong horſe, will not be thus turned, or lead, or perſwaded to do what you would have him; but like the undiſciplinable torrent, the fury of the great waters, v. 6. that would not come nigh him, ſo theſe here, they will not come neer to the owner or maſter. And ſo this is the meaning of the whole verſe: ſome unmanaged horſes and mules there are, which will not be taught or inſtructed, will not go or follow the way that you would teach or lead them, (and ſo this connects with v. 8. which hath tendered them inſtruction and teaching in the way that they ſhould go, and guiding—) are ſo far from being guided with the Maſters eye, v. 8. that his bit and bridle together, the moſt forcible means that are ordinarily uſed, for ſubduing or reducing them, will not work upon them, when they are a turning away and going from thee, are not ſufficient to compel them to come to thee: But ſaith the Pſalmiſt, be not ye like to ſuch ſtiff-neckt cattel. Our Engliſh, that renders, leſt they come neer unto thee] ſuppoſeth, without reaſon, that the uſe of the bridle is to keep the horſe and mule from doing violence to thee, as if they were Bears and Tigers, and the like ravenous beaſts. The true uſe is quite contrary, to make them come to thee, or go, or turn, the way that thou wouldſt have them; and their not doing ſo (meant by foreign not come neer thee) is the effect of their obſtinacy and want of managery, and that is it wherein we are here forbidden to be like them. Thus I ſuppoſe the Chaldees foreign is to be rendred; not, ne accedant, but, non accedent, they will not come to thee. So the Syriack expreſly, Be not like the horſe and mule which are not wiſe, (or docile) which they tame with a bridle from their youth, and they come not to him. And the LXXII. to the ſame effect, foreign, bind their jaws with bit and bridle which come not neer to thee; and ſo the Latine, and Aethiopick. But the Arabick more looſely, by way of paraphraſe, Be not like horſe and mule, which have not underſtanding, and are not drawn with the bridles that are in their mouths; ſo do thou repreſs the jaws of thoſe that come not to thee.