Works Volume 4, Book · Psalm 35
The Thirty Fifth PSALM.
A Pſalm of David.
Paraphrase. The Thirty Fifth Pſalm is a complaint of Davids againſt his enemies, joyned with an appeal to God, and a prayer for his deliverance.
1. ‖Contend foreignPlead my cauſe, O Lord, with them that ſtrive with me: fight againſt them that fight againſt me.
Paraphrase. 1. Lord, in all the perſecutions and aſſaults that are made upon me, be thou pleaſed to take my part, to eſpouſe my cauſe, to contend and fight for me.
2. Take hold of ſhield and buckler, and ſtand up for mine help.
Paraphrase. 2. Let thy protection be my ſhield, and only defenſive weapons.
3. Draw out alſo the ſpear, and †a ſhort ſword to meet them.ſtop the way againſt them that perſecute me: ſay unto my ſoul, I am thy ſalvation.
Paraphrase. 3. Thy ſtrength and proſpering hand my offenſive, to meet, and diſcomfit my enemies: be thou graciouſly pleaſed to aſſure me of thy help and ſtrength, and then I ſhall not want deliverance.
4. *They ſhall bluſh and be aſhamed.Let them be confounded and put to ſhame, that ſeek after my ſoul: ‖they ſhall.let them be turned back, and brought to confuſion, that deviſe my hurt.
Paraphrase. 4. Thoſe that deſign my miſchief and my ruine, ſhall (I perſwade my ſelf) undoubtedly be diſappointed, and put to flight, and diſſipated.
5. †they ſhall. foreignLet them be as chaffe before the wind; and *the Angel ſhall.—let the Angel of the Lord chaſe them.
Paraphrase. 5. They ſhall be ſcattered as chaff or duſt in the winnowing of corn on an high and open place, where the wind comes freely: and if no viſible ſtrength of mine be able to do it, yet the Angels, the Miniſters of Gods vengeance, ſhall thus deal with them.
6. ‖their way ſhall be.— foreignLet their way be dark and ſlippery: and †the Angel ſhall.let the Angel of the Lord perſecute them.
Paraphrase. 6. Purſuing them to their greateſt miſchief, as thoſe that fly in the dark (and tumble into mire and pits,) in ſlippery places, and ſo frequently fall and wound themſelves in their flight.
7. For without cauſe have they hid for me *the pit of their ſnare.a net in a pit, which without cauſe they have digged for my ſoul.
Paraphrase. 7. For without any injury or provocation of mine, they have deſigned miſchief and treachery againſt my life.
8. ‖Deſtruction ſhall come— ſee note b.Let deſtruction come upon him at unawares, and †his— ſhall.let his net that he hath hid catch himſelf; into that very deſtruction *ſhall he—let him fall.
Paraphrase. 8. And accordingly when they little expect it, and by ways which they apprehend not, deſtruction ſhall ſeize upon them, and that by thoſe very means, by which they deſigned to bring it on other men.
9. And my ſoul ſhall be joyful in the Lord; it ſhall rejoyce in his ſalvation.
Paraphrase. 9. And this being a ſignal work of God's delivering me, when I am leaſt able to do it my ſelf, obligeth me to rejoyce, and give thanks to him.
10. All my bones ſhall ſay, Lord, who is like unto thee, which delivereſt the poor from him which is too ſtrong for him; yea, the poor and the needy from him that ſpoileth him.
Paraphrase. 10. And every member of my body ſhall joyn in the acknowledgment of the mercy, ſuch as could not have been from any other means, and ſuch as is moſt worthy of a juſt judge, and gracious father, and omnipotent God, reſcuing the weak and impotent from the power of the ſtrong, the oppreſſed and injured from the violent and oppreſſor.
11. Falſe witneſſes did riſe up; they ‖interrogated, or queſtioned me of, foreign See Joſ. 8.19. and Matth. 27.11.laid to my charge things that I knew not.
Paraphrase. 11. And ſuch indeed was my condition, being moſt falſly accuſed to Saul (1 Sam. 24.9.) of that of which I was moſt guiltleſs.
12. They rewarded me evil for good, to the †depriving▪ſpoiling of my ſoul.
Paraphrase. 12. Thoſe whom I had obliged, made me this very unkind return, deſiring to have me put to death.
13. But as for me, when they were ſick, my cloathing was ſackcloth: I humbled my ſoul with faſting, and my prayer returned into my own boſome.
Paraphrase. 13. When any evil befel them, I mourned and faſted, and prayed earneſtly for them. And it ſeems all was caſt away, fruſtrate, and loſt on them; my greateſt charity abated not their malice, my faſtings and devotions had no effect on them (ſee Jer. 55.11.) returned empty of the deſerved ſucceſs, as a gift ſent to an uncivil perſon, who inſtead of grateful acceptance, return it back unto the donour. Theſe are the only returns I receive from them. But my charity ſhall not loſe its reward; God will abundantly recompenſe it to me.
14. I *walked asbehaved my ſelf as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as ‖or, a mourning mother.one that mourneth for his mother.
Paraphrase. 14. In all their ſufferings I was affected with the ſame tenderneſs of compaſſion, as toward a friend, or brother, or child, or parent, (the relations of the deareſt affections.)
15. But in mine adverſity they rejoyced, and gathered themſelves together: yea, the very abjects gathered themſelves together againſt me, and †I knew not.I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceaſed not.
Paraphrase. 15. But when any misfortune befell me, they triumphed and ſcoffed; and ſo in like manner other vile and wicked men, never provoked by me in the leaſt degree, at all their meetings reviled me, and railed at me continually, without any the leaſt cauſe for what they. ….
16. With *delators, that ſcoffe, and deride for a cake.hypocritical mockers in feaſts, they gnaſhed upon me with their teeth.
Paraphrase. 16. OnelyOnly, as buſſones and flatterers make it their buſineſs to pleaſe thoſe that give them bread, by bringing them falſe tales of other men, jeering and ſcoffing at them, without conſidering how blameleſs and guiltleſs they are whom they deride; ſo have they dealt with me, moſt cauſeleſsly, yet moſt contumeliouſly, inveighing againſt me.
17. Lord, how long wilt thou look on? reſcue my ſoul from their deſtruction, my ‖onelyonly one▪ ſee Pſal. 22.20.darling from the Lions.
Paraphrase. 17. Lord, be thou pleaſed at length to interpoſe thy hand, to conſider my deſolate low eſtate, and the cruelty of mine enemies; and relieve me in it, or deliver me out of it.
18. I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praiſe thee among much people.
Paraphrase. 18. And I ſhall be eternally obliged to bleſs and magnifie thy mercies in the ſolemn aſſembly.
19. Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoyce over me; neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cauſe.
Paraphrase. 19. O let not mine unjuſt cauſeleſs enemies have matter of rejoycing and ſcoffing at me; as they will, if thou leaveſt me in my diſtreſs.
20. For they ſpeak not peace, but they deviſe deceitful matters againſt them that are quiet in the land.
Paraphrase. 2…. For inſtead of kindneſs and friendly uſage, which is due from them, they deſign nothing but fraud and treachery againſt me, who heartily deſire to live moſt peaceably and quietly under Sauls Government.
21. Yea they opened their mouth wide againſt me, and ſaid, Aha, Aha, our eye hath ſeen it.
Paraphrase. 21. And not only ſo, but they have openly railed upon me, as one that ſeeks his life, and pretend to ſpeak from their own fight, and certain knowledge, when they deliver that which is moſt far from truth.
22. ‖Thou haſt ſeen. foreignThis thou haſt ſeen (O Lord) keep not ſilence; O Lord, be not far from me.
Paraphrase. 22. 'Tis certain they have ſeen no ſuch thing, as they falſely pretend. On the contrary, thou, O God, who ſeeſt all things, ſeeſt and knoweſt my innocency, and the integrity of my heart: Be thou pleaſed to teſtifie for me, by delivering me from the evil which they deſigned againſt me.
23. Stir up thy ſelf, and awake to my judgment; even unto my cauſe, my God and my Lord.
24. Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteouſneſs; and let them not rejoyce over me.
Paraphrase. 23, 24. O thou that art my gracious God and powerful Lord, be thou pleaſed at length to take part, to defend and to vindicate my innocence, to teſtifie thy approbation of my doings, and ſeaſonably to interpoſe thy hand for the relieving me, and diſappointing my enemies.
25. Let them not †in their hearts applaud themſelves, or ſay well to their ſouls:ſay in their hearts, Ah, ſo would we have it: let them not ſay, We have ſwallowed him up.
Paraphrase. 25. Preſerve me out of their hands, leſt they applaud themſelves in their actions, their moſt wicked and bloody enterpriſes, if they prove ſucceſsful to them.
26. Let *they ſhall.them be aſhamed and brought to confuſion together, that rejoyce at my hurt: †they ſhall.let them be cloathed with ſhame and diſhonour, that magnifie themſelves againſt me.
Paraphrase. 26. And thus I am confident thou wilt in thy due ſeaſon diſappoint, and diſcomfit thoſe that are moſt malitiouſly bent againſt me, and moſt proudly triumph over me at this time.
27. †they ſhall.Let them ſhout for joy and be glad, that favour my righteous cauſe: Yea, *they ſhalllet them ſay continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleaſure in the proſperity of his ſervant.
Paraphrase. 27. And by ſo doing thou ſhalt give matter of joy and gladneſs to all that wiſh me well, cauſe them to bleſs and magnifie thy goodneſs, and fidelity of thy promiſes, when they ſee me ſignally favoured by thee, of whoſe ſincerity and uprightneſs they have ſuch aſſurance.
28. My tongue ſhall ſpeak of thy righteouſneſs, and of thy praiſe all the day long.
Paraphrase. 28. As for me, I ſhall by this thy mercy be obliged to promulgate and proclaim thy fidelity, and the care thou haſt of thoſe that adhere to thee, and for this to laud and bleſs thy name continually.
Annotations on Pſalm XXXV.
foreignV. 3. Stop] It is uncertain what foreign here ſignifies. The Chaldee reads foreign ſhut] in the Imperative mood, and the LXXII. foreign, ſhut up. But if this be the right rendring, and it be applyed to that which went before, [draw forth, i. e. unſheath, (ſo the Chaldee read) the lance or ſpear,] it muſt then be the direct contrary, viz. ſhut it up again: and to apply it to any thing elſe, (as our Engliſh applies it to the way, and ſo ſuppoſes an ellipſis, and then ſupplies it thus, [ſtop the way] &c.) the context gives us no reaſon. The Syriack reading (for the lance) the ſword, render, unſheath, and make it ſhine;] and that agrees well to it when it is drawn, but hath no affinity to the notion of the Hebrew foreign occluſit, coercuit. The Arabick therefore reads, repel them, as from the notion of coercere, to repreſs, or repel. But then they take no notice of foreign in occurſum, which follows, (and will not be reconciled with this rendring) but without it read foreign repel them that perſecute me. In this uncertainty the learned ‖Pentagl. p. 1197. c.Schindlers obſervation deſerves to be heeded, that the accent Tiphcha joyns foreign with foreign lance] praecedent,foreign in the conſtruction, and then being a ſubſtantive it muſt be taken for a ſort of weapons; and ſo it appears to ſignifie a ſort of ſword called from hence foreign, and ordinarily ſpoken of by Herodotus and other Hiſtorians among the Perſians: of which ſaith Heſychius, foreign, 'tis a little axe with one edge; and Suidas, foreign, an axe, uſed, ſaith he, without s. in Xenophon joyning foreign, a Perſian bow and quiver and ſagari, foreign, ſuch as the Amazons have, adding, that it ſignifies an inſtrument to open a vein, foreign, and foreign, hand-weapons. To theſe acceptions of the word Heſychius and Phavorinus add, foreign, a plough, that part which cuts the earth, and is like to the Perſian acinaces, or ſhort ſwords, ſcimitars. And ſo this is by much the moſt probable meaning of the word, and rendring of the place; draw forth the lance and ſhort ſword, foreign in occurſum, to meet my perſecuters. To this agrees Kimchi, both in his Comment, and in his Dictionary, making it a ſort of weapon; and ſo Abu Walid before him.
foreignV. 4. Let them] That foreign, from foreign erubuit, is in the future tenſe, there can be no doubt: and then the moſt regular rendring will be not, let them, but, they ſhall bluſh; and ſo in the reſt that follow, foreign they ſhall be put to ſhame, from foreign pudore affecit. foreignAnd ſo the whole Pſalm, inſtead of ſo many forms of execration, or imprecation againſt enemies, ſhall be really no more than ſo many teſtimonies of his aſſured confidence, that God, that hath made him ſuch ſure promiſes, will make them good to him, in his preſervation, and that diſappointment and diſcomfiture of his enemies. And according to this meaſure, all the other Pſalms which ſeem to be filled with curſes againſt his and Gods enemies, ought to be underſtood, and accordingly are explicated in the Paraphraſe.
foreignV. 7. Net in a pit] foreign is literally, the pit of their ſnare, foreign from foreign inclinavit, ſignifying a pit very frequently, though the LXXII. here render it foreign, corruption, as Pſal. 16.10. they do (as from foreign corruptus fuit;) and foreign being the known word for a net, or ſnare, or toyle, to catch beaſts or birds, or fiſh in; and not improbably from it the Latine rete. This the LXXII. here render foreign, a ginn, or ſnare; and ſo the Syriack and Latine and Arabick. And then the whole phraſe denotes the manner of toyles among the Jews; digging a hole, and ſlight covering it over, and hiding it, and ſetting a ſnare in it, that they that (not ſeeing) preſt the clod, and fell therein, might be caught, and held from getting out again. To this alſo belongs foreign,foreign that follows, from foreign to dig: which the Chaldee therefore renders Paraphraſtically foreign they inſnared, or laid wait for; but the LXXII. from another notion of foreign exprobravit, render it foreign, reproacht; and ſo the Latine and Arabick from them.
V. 12. Spoiling] The word foreign orbitas, foreigndeprivation, moſt frequently applied to loſs of children, and ſo here rendred by the LXXII. foreign, childleſsneſs, being applied, as here it is, to the ſoul, ſignifies the loſs or deprivation of life; the ſoul being then deprived, when it is by death ſeparated from the body, the only companion which it hath. And accordingly, as the Chaldee renders it more literally, they ſeek to deprive my ſoul, ſo the Syriack expreſſeth the ſenſe more paraphraſtically, they deſtroyed my ſoul from among men; and ſo the Arabick, they deſtroyed my ſoul, i. e. indeavoured to do ſo. But the Latine from the LXXII. read, ſterilitatem, barrenneſs; and the Aethiopick, they deprive my ſoul of the births thereof.
V. 14. Behaved my ſelf] From foreign to walk, is, foreignforeign here in Hithpael, I have walked, or made my ſelf to walk, the mourner diſcovering his paſſion as by his dreſs, ſo by his gate: Thus Ahab walked ſofuly, and Iſaiah expreſſeth mourning by bowing down the head like a bulruſh. This the LXXII. according to their wont render foreign, I pleaſed. So Gen. v. 22, 24. and 6 9. and 17.1. and 24.40. and 48.15. Pſal. 26.3. and 115.9. they render the ſame word: and from them the Apoſtle, Heb. 11.5. But here the context confining the diſcourſe to mourning, wearing ſackcloth, and faſting, going before, v. 13. and bowing down, and mourning, following after, it is in reaſon to be taken in that ſenſe: (and ſo 'tis expreſly uſed, Pſal. 38.6. I walked mourning, and ſo Eccleſ. 12.5. the mourners are ſaid to go about the ſtreets) I walked foreign as if (it were) a friend or brother of mine (that had fallen into ſome miſchief.) But then in that which follows,foreign foreign I bowed down as a mourner bewailing his mother, or as the Jewiſh Arab, joyning foreign to foreign, as a mourning mother, expreſſing, ſaith he, his ſorrow by the ſorrow of a mother for her child, (which indeed is the fitteſt inſtance of a paſſionate ſorrow) the LXXII. have omitted the word mother, and render it foreign, as one mourning, and ſore lamenting, ſo was I humbled or bowing down: And thus the Syriack and Arabick and Latine follow them. But the Chaldee read the mother with the Hebrew, as a mourner that mourneth for his mother.
V. 15. In mine adverſity] From foreign latus, foreigna ſide, is foreign inclinatio ad latus, going down on one ſide, being lame, falling, calamity, adverſity; and ſo foreign will beſt be rendered, at my fall, (ſee Pſal. 38.17.) the Chaldee read, in my tribulation, the Syriack, in my ſuffering, but the LXXII. foreign, againſt me.
V. 15. Abjects] From foreign percuſsit, is foreign any baſe or vile, or wicked perſon. So the Chaldee here renders foreign by foreign wicked men;foreign and ſo the Arabick, in the ſenſe that Deut. 25.2. of a wicked man 'tis ſaid, if he be foreign filius percuſsionis, foreigna ſon of beating, i. e. worthy to be ſcourged, a vile perſon. The LXXII. here render it foreign, (as if it were from foreign flagella) ſcourges, i. e. men fit to be ſcourged; and ſo the Latine, flagella, I ſuppoſe in this figurative uſe of the word. In the end of the verſe foreign they tare, or uſed me reproachfully, foreign(Abu Walid conjectureth it to ſignifie ſpeaking lies, or falſe things) and ceaſed no… ] is by the LXXII. rendered foreign, they were divided, (the paſſive for the Active) foreign, and had no compunction; for which the Arabick, they repented not. All the difficulty is, to what belongs foreign and I knew not, foreignin the midſt. And the reſolution will be moſt reaſonable, that we learn the meaning of it from v. 11. where the ſame phraſe is uſed for thoſe accuſations, whereof he was no way conſcious. Thus foreign fitly ſignifies to know] having oft the notion of being conſcious of. So 1 King. 2.44. Thou knoweſt all the evill, foreign which thy heart knows, i. e. is conſcious of. And ſo here, the abjects gathered themſelves together againſt me, laid reproachful things to my charge, tare my good name and ceaſed not, uſed me moſt contumeliouſly, and did ſo continually; and all this was without any cauſe or provocation on my part, I knew not, I was not conſcious, or guilty of any thing; juſt as v. 2. without cauſe they hid their pit, without cauſe they digged for my ſoul.
foreignV. 16. In feaſts] From foreign to bake, comes foreign a cake, 1 King. 17.12. and ſo here it may ſignifie a cake, or any kind of meat, as that which Paraſites and trencher-friends, buffones and ſcoffers deſire to gain, by ſcoffing at others, and making mirth: a meals-meat is their beſt reward. This verſe the LXXII. ſeem to have rendered onelyonly Paraphraſtically;foreign for foreign with the hypocrites of mockings, or hypocritical mockers (or jeſters) for a cake, reading, foreign, they tempted me, they jeered or laugh… at me; and ſo the Latine, Arabick, and Aethiopick: but the Chaldee, neerer the original, with words of flatteries jeering and deriding; where the words of flattery ſeem to be ſet to interpret foreign. For thoſe that flatter, according to the notion of foreign, …able-friends, or Paraſites, do it on purpoſe to gain ſome ſuch reward; and nothing more common with ſuch kind of flatterers, than by deriding and ſcoffing of others to intertain them who give them their meat: and therefore as foreign, a word of the ſame origination, ſignifies both a cake and a jeer; ſo thoſe that gibe for a cake may here be thought fit proverbially to expreſs thoſe that ſcoffe, and jeer, and reproach cauſleſsly, in the former verſe, and accordingly they are here ſtyled foreign the very word from which our Engliſh knave ſeems to be deduced.foreign It ſignifies ſimulatores, men that act parts, and perſonate, and particularly delators, whiſperers, backbiters;foreign and with foreign ſubſannationum (from foreign irriſit) added to it, it ſignifies that ſort of delators, that do it by way of jeer or deriſion. As for the prepoſition foreign, which begins the verſe, it is beſt rendred cum, with, as that ſignifies like them, or after the manner of them; Impurorum helluonum ritu, ſaith Caſtellio, after the manner of ſuch. Another poſſible notion of foreign the learned Mr. Pocock hath ſuggeſted to me from the Arabick uſe of the word for perverſe, or crooked; as if it were mockers of perverſneſs, i. e. perverſe mockers.
V. 20. Speak peace] In this verſe the LXXII. have much departed from the Hebrew, as now we have it. For foreign they ſpeak not peace, foreignthey read, foreign, they ſpeak indeed peaceable words to me, evidently reading foreign to me, for foreign not;] which both the Chaldee and Syriack retein, though the Latine and Arabick, following the LXXII. leave it out. Then for foreign and againſt the quiet of the land, from foreign,foreign quievit, which the Chaldee accordingly renders, againſt the righteous of the earth being quiet in the age, they read foreign ▪ in anger; not imſreading it foreign anger, as ſome think, but taking foreign in that notion of anger, or commotion, as ſometimes it is acknowledged to ſignifie. The Latine follow them herein, but then add terrae, of the earth; which makes it probable, that ſo the LXXII. alſo read, foreign, but that Scribes deceived by the affinity of foreign (the laſt ſyllable of foreign) to foreign, chanced to omit it: however the Arabick and Aethiopick herein follow them, though the Latine do not.
V. 25. foreignSo would we have it] the phraſe of ſaying to their ſouls foreign, as a token of joy or ſatisfaction, is very ordinary. The LXXII. have literally rendered it by ſaying to their ſoul, foreign, well, well; the Chaldee paraphraſtically, our ſoul is glad; the Syriack, our ſoul is at reſt (agreeable to that of foreign, ſoul take thy reſt, Luk. 12.19.) The cleer meaning of it is, their applauding themſelves in their doings, and the proſperouſneſs thereof, rejoycing and triumphing therein.