Works Volume 4, Book 2 · Psalm 65
The Sixty Fifth PSALM.
TO the chief Muſitian, A Pſalm and ſong of David.
Paraphrase. The ſixty fifth Pſalm is a thankful commemoration of Gods mercies and deliverances; probably of his reſtoring plenty, v. 9, 10, 11, 12. after the three years famine, 2 Sam. 21.1. compoſed by David to be ſung by the quire, and to that end committed to the Praefect of his Muſick.
1. ‖Praiſe becommeth thee.Praiſe waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion; and unto thee ſhall the vow be performed.
Paraphrase. 1. To thee, O Lord, our ſolemneſt praiſes are moſt due, and the richeſt of our vowed oblations, or free-will offerings.
2. O thou that heareſt prayer, unto thee ſhall all fleſh come.
Paraphrase. 2. Thy property it is, to give a favourable audience to all petitions that are duly and faithfully preſented unto thee by any obedient ſervant of thine. This thou haſt now moſt graciouſſy done to me, (ſee 2 Sam 21.1. where David enquired, and the Lord anſwered, &c.) And this is an encouragement, and obligation to all ſuch to make their conſtant addreſſes to thee, and to all others to haſten to qualifie themſelves for a capacity of that unvaluable priviledge, to betake themſelves to Gods ſervice, that ſo they may have this freedom and dignity of acceſs unto him.
3. Iniquities prevail againſt me; as for our tranſgreſſions, thou ſhalt purge them away.
Paraphrase. 3. Our ſins have juſtly deſerved thy diſpleaſure, and been of force to make a ſeparation between thee and us; but thou art gratiouſly pleaſed to afford us thy free pardon of them, to deal with us, and accept our prayers, as if we had not thus provoked thee.
4. Bleſſed is the man whom thou chooſeſt, and cauſeſt to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we ſhall be ſatisfied with the goodneſs of thy houſe, even of thy holy Temple.
Paraphrase. 4. This is a moſt bleſſed condition, to be in the number of thoſe to whom thou art pleaſed to afford that confidence of preſenting their prayers unto thee, and to permit them to come to that place where thou art gratiouſly pleaſed to exhibit thy preſence, and there to be partakers of all the joyes which are conſequent hereto, the offering up prayers, receiving moſt gratious anſwers from God, and returning him praiſes for them. This indeed is a bleſſed and heavenly portion, ſufficient to ſatisfie any man.
5. By †wonderful things.terrible things in righteouſneſs wilt thou anſwer us, O God of our ſalvation, who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and *or, of the ſea of them that are afar off.of them that are afar off upon the ſea.
Paraphrase. 5. And thus art thou pleaſed to deal with us, to afford us infinite mercy, marvellous exceeding great dignations, and thereby to demonſtrate thy ſelf to be our only Saviour and Redeemer; and not of us only, but of all the men of the world, of thoſe that inhabit the remoteſt Iſlands: there is none to be relyed on for any relief, but only thou.
6. Which by his ſtrength ſetteth faſt the mountains, being girded with power;
Paraphrase. 6. Thy ſtrength it is, O thou mighty God, by which only the ſtableſt and firmeſt parts of the world have their whole ſtability.
7. Which ſtilleſt the noiſe of the ſeas, the noiſe of their waves, and the tumult of the people.
Paraphrase. 7. 'Tis thou only that canſt reſtrain the roaring waves and ſurges of the ſea, from being very hurtful and miſchievous: and ſo in like manner a mad, tumultuous, and rebellious people none can reſtrain, or return to their obedience, but only thou. And thus thou haſt now been pleaſed to do.
8. They alſo that dwell in the uttermoſt parts of the earth are afraid of thy tokens▪ thou makeſt the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoyce.
Paraphrase. 8. The illuſtrious acts of thy providence are ſuch, in diſſipating the machinations of wicked men, and protecting, ſupporting, and delivering thoſe that adhere and keep cloſe to thee, that they extort dread, and joy, awe, and thankſgiving, acknowledgment of thy juſtice and mercy from all, even the moſt barbarous men in the world.
9. Thou viſiteſt the earth and ‖or, makeſt it thirſty.watereſt it; thou greatly inricheſt it †the river of God is.with the rivers of God, which is full of water: thou prepareſt them corn, *for ſo thou haſt founded it.when thou haſt ſo provided for it.
Paraphrase. 9. Thy gracious providence is diſcernible, as in the dearths and famines, ſo in reſtoring fruitfulneſs to the land; a work of Gods ſpecial care and favour, in opening the clouds of heaven, to water and refreſh and inrich the parched earth, and give it all that plenty, thoſe clouds being as it were Gods ſtore-houſe, and that very richly repleniſhed, and the earth ſo placed by Gods wiſdom in the creation, that they ſhould be ready to anſwer and ſatisfie all the wants thereof, whenſoever God ſhould ſee fit to diſtil and rain them down upon it.
10. Thou ‖moiſtneſt the ridges thereof, thou depreſſeſt her furrows, with ſhowers thou diſſolveſt it, thou bleſſeſt that which ſprings out of it.watereſt the ridges thereof abundantly, thou ſettleſt the furrows thereof, thou makeſt it ſoft with ſhowers, thou bleſſeſt the ſpringing thereof.
Paraphrase. 10. And indeed by the ſeaſonable diſpenſing of this it is, that the ground is prepared to ſend forth increaſe, when the corn is ſowed in it; and by the ſame again, whereby it proſpers and thrives after it is come up.
11. Thou crouneſt the year with thy goodneſs, and thy paths drop fatneſs.
Paraphrase. 11. Thy bounty it is, by which all the fruits of the ſeaſons of the year are afforded us ſo plenteouſly: The clouds, from the rain whereof all this plenty proceeds, are by thy ſpecial direction and providence appointed ſo to do.
12. They drop on the paſtures of the wilderneſs and the little hills ‖ſhall gird themſelves with gladneſs.rejoyce on every ſide.
Paraphrase. 12. They diſtill and fall on the dry and deſert places; and by that ſupply, the leſſer hills, which are at the foot of the greater, become extremely fruitful.
13. The paſtures are clothed with flocks, the valleys alſo are covered over with corn: they ſhout for joy, they all ſing.
Paraphrase. 13. And ſo all fertility, both of the flocks and grain, comes down as a gift of thine a bountiful largeſs from thy treaſury, for which thou art for ever to be magnified.
Annotations on Pſal. LXV.
foreignV. 1. Waiteth] From foreign ſiluit, is foreign ſilence, which being applied to man toward God, generally ſignifies a quiet relyance and dependance on him. And thus the Interlinear rendreth here, tibi ſilentium laus, ſilence to thee is praiſe; and the Chaldee accords, foreign &c. Before thee praiſe is reputed as ſilence: It would rather be, ſilence as praiſe. And that thus it ſhould ſignifie here, the context enclines, being a ſolemn acknowledgment of his readineſs to relieve all that come to, and wait, and depend on him. And if that be it, then the only queſtion is, whether being joyn'd to foreign praiſe, it be to be rendred without, or with a copulative. There is no copulative in the Hebrew, and therefore literally it will thus be rendred, foreign Silence to thee (i. e. A quiet waiting or depending on thee) is praiſe. But it is ſo ordinary in the Pſalms to omit, and yet underſtand, the copulative and, that there will be no reaſon to doubt but that ſo it may be here alſo, To thee ſilence and praiſe, O God—i. e. To thee belongeth, or is due each of theſe. But the Jewiſh Arab renders it, praiſe becometh thee, O God; and Abu Walid, To thee is praiſe befitting, becomming, due, convenient for thee, referring foreign to the theme foreign to be like, or agreeable: and in this rendring all the antients (ſave only the Chaldee) agree, foreign, lay the LXXII. praiſe becometh thee; foreign it is decent for thee, the Syriack, agrees to thee, the Arabick; and ſo the reſt.
foreignV. 5. Terrible things] foreign from foreign timuit, reveritus eſt, ſignifies ſometimes terrible, ſometimes wonderful things, any thing that exceeds either in greatneſs or quality. In the latter we have it, Deut. 10.21. ſpeaking of God, he is thy praiſe, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee theſe great and terrible things; foreign, i. e. foreign ſtrong things, ſaith the Targum, great, exceeding, wonderful things, and thoſe acts of mercy, and not of juſtice or puniſhment; and ſo here it appears to ſignifie, being joyned with foreign anſwering us,foreign or granting us, in anſwer to our prayers, (ſo foreign ſignifies to anſwer a requeſt, to hear a prayer) and with foreign in righteouſneſs, foreignwhich frequently imports mercy. The LXXII. accordingly read it foreign, wonderful.
foreignV. 5. See] foreign the ſea is frequently ſet to denote the Iſlands that are incompaſt with the ſea on every ſide, and being here oppoſed to foreign the ends, or extreme parts of the earth, i. e. the continent, it is ſet to ſignifie all the fartheſt diſtant angles or Iſlands of the world, and ſo is joyned with foreign,foreign thoſe that are far removed, and ſo will beſt be rendred to the letter, the ſea of them that are fartheſt off, and explained by the Chaldee, who read foreign and of the Iſlands of the ſea, foreign which are remote from the continent. The Syriack render the ſenſe moſt fully, foreign the remote nations.
foreignV. 8. Outgoings] From foreign prodiit, proceſſit, is foreign egreſſio, and is ordinarily applyed to the Sun, and then beſt rendred riſing. So Pſal. 19.6. foreign his going forth, i. e. his riſing is from the end of the heavens, i. e. extreme part of the horiſon. So Pſal. 75.6. For promotion cometh neither foreign from the going out (i. e. from the riſing of the ſun, the Eaſt) nor foreign from the evening, or ſun-ſet, or weſt. In proportion with which place (where foreign out-going, and foreign evening, or ſun-ſet, or weſt, are ſet oppoſite) it will be moſt fit to interpret the phraſe here, that the out-going of the morning ſhall be literally the riſing of the ſun, or morning ſtar, the forerunner of the ſun, and by metonymy, the Eaſt, or one extreme part of the world, and again that uſed for the men that inhabit it; and the evening, on the other ſide, not the outgoing of the evening, or riſing of the moon or ſtars, but literally the place of the ſuns ſetting, the weſt, and ſo the inhabitants of that other extreme part. And ſo both together be equivalent with [thoſe that dwel in the uttermoſt parts of the earth] in the beginning of the verſe
V. 9. Viſiteſt] That foreign ſignifies viſiting, foreignin the notion either of mercy or puniſhing, and here belongs to the former in mercy, there is no queſtion. The difficulty is in the following word foreign, which from foreign diſcurrit cum fremitu, running about with a noiſe, as an hungry or thirſty Lion, may ſignify to make thirſty. This word foreign the Arabs uſe frequently of parcht or dry ground, which opens the mouth as it were, to beg for ſhours. Thus a dry ground is called foreign Pſal. 143.6. a thirſty land. And thus the longing ſoul, (in the word here uſed) foreign, is joyned with the hungry ſoul, and by that conjunction ſeems to ſignify the thirſty ſoul, Pſal. 107.9. The Chaldee there renders it foreign empty. And thus is foreign uſed for appetite or deſire, Gen. 3.16 and Gen. 4.7. and ſo the verb is frequently uſed by the Rabbines. And then as Aben Ezra and Kimchi prefer this notion, ſo the rendring, they think, will moſt probably be, foreign Thou haſt viſited in mercy, i. e. bleſſed the earth, or land, foreign after thou haſt made it dry, or thirſty, foreign thou haſt or doſt enrich it greatly; i. e. Thou, the ſame God, which haſt puniſhed and made thirſty, doſt again return in mercy, and enrich it alſo, reſtoreſt plenty to it. Thus it was in the ſtory after the three years famine. 1 Sam. 21.1. and is moſt probably the meaning of this paſſage; as all that follows of the plenty. But others interpret it in the notion of watering: foreign ſaith the Jewiſh Arab, thou haſt watered; and to that Abu Walid inclines, and ſo the Chaldee, and Syriack, and LXXII. whoſe authority may prevail for that.
V. 9. When] The only difficulty of this v. 9. will be removed by rendring foreign for, or quandoquidem; foreignfor thus it lyes: Thou with thy divine bleſſing and providence foreign viſiteſt, foreigni. e. takeſt care for the earth foreign, all that is here below, particularly the field that bears fruits or corn, foreign and watereſt it (from foreign,foreign in Piel foreign rigavit) foreign thou inricheſt it exceedingly. foreignThen follows foreign—the river of God is full of water, i. e. the clouds, which God hath prepared to be receptacles of waters, from thence, when he pleaſeth, to pour down upon the earth; they are always kept full for any uſes. And hereby thou prepareſt their corn, by the former and the latter rain thou makeſt fruitful ſeaſons, foreign for ſo thou haſt founded it, foreigni. e. the earth; i. e. God hath ſo placed the earth in the midſt of waters, waters in the bowels of it, and waters in the clouds hanging over it (the keys whereof are peculiarly kept in his hand, ſay the Jews, as the keys of life and reſurrection, ſee note on Act. 14.a.) that as he can, if he pleaſe overthrow and deſtroy it preſently, as in the deluge he did, for the ſins of the old world (ſee 2 Pet. 3.5.) ſo, if our provocations do not withhold his hand, he will repleniſh, and inrich it conſtantly by theſe means. To tis ſenſe the antient Interpreters agree: the LXXII. read foreign, for ſo is the preparation, the earth was after this manner prepared; and the Syriack, foreign when thou foundeſt or eſtabliſhedſt it; and the Chaldee, foreign ſeeing thou haſt ſo founded it.
V. 10. Watereſt] In this v. 10. is ſet down the way by which the rain enricheth the Earth, that is prepared for corn, and makes it fruitful. Firſt, after ploughing it comes down and moiſtens the earth, waters the ridges, or ground caſt up; ſo foreign ſignifies,foreign foreign from foreign to be watered or moiſtned and foreign from foreign ▪ Of this ſaith Abu Walid, that in Arabick with th it ſignifies a cleft, and with t, that which the plough cleaves in the earth, a furrow. But R. Tanchum ſaith that with th it is indeed a cleft, by reaſon of ſomething wanting to fill the place, but with t, it ſignifies the lines or ridges of earth betwixt two furrows. And whereas the Arabick Lexicographers (by name Al Kamus) render it a furrow, he ſaith it may be ſo called from the efficient cauſe of it, becauſe the making the furrows and turning the earth out of them, occaſioneth the raiſing of the other. The interlinear renders it lira, the Lexicographers porca, the upper and drier ground betwixt the drains or furrows. And this, as it is laid dry, and ſo fitted for the receiving, and giving root to the corn, ſo it wants the benefit of ſhowres from heaven to refreſh it, and ſo God beſtows them upon it. Then follows foreign.foreign That the Jewiſh Arab renders, the rain deſcends on the furrows of it. Abu Walid thinks that foreign hath here the ſignification of abounding, encreaſe, flouriſhing; the Arabick nazeta, which anſwers it in the ſenſe of deſcending, ſignifying that. Then for foreign he thinks it all one with foreign precedent,foreign and ſo to ſignifie, as he conceived of that, a furrow; but ſtill this in R. Tanchums notion of that, the mould which, by making the furrow, is caſt up, which therefore Caſtellio reads glebas the clods, of which it is here ſaid, that God depreſſeth them, ſo foreign literally ſignifies, makeſt them to deſcend, the earth that is caſt up in ridges ſinks down and fills up the vacuities, and ſo is in a fitter poſture for the growing of the corn, and is done by God, as here follows, foreign by the ſhours of rain coming down,foreign and ſoftening and waſhing it down. And therefore 'tis added foreign thou diſſolveſt it (from foreign to be melted or diſſolved: foreign) All this for the preparing the ſoil to the due receiving, and ſending forth the corn: and then when it is above ground,foreign 'tis called foreign germen, that which is ſprouted out from the earth; and then comes the latter rain, and makes that grow very proſperouſly: and that is the meaning of the laſt part of the verſe,foreign foreign thou bleſſeſt that which ſprouts out.
V. 11. foreignPaths] The clouds are here ſtyled foreign thy paths (from foreign round, circular, ſmooth, becauſe paths are made by cart-wheels turning round upon them) as the places whereon God is Poetically deſcribed to walk, or to be carried as in a Chariot, Pſal. 18.9, to, 11. For to theſe it is that the dropping of fatneſs on the earth peculiarly belongs. The antient Interpreters, all but the Chaldee, render this by way of paraphraſe, foreign, ſay the LXXII. thy fields ſhall be filled with fatneſs, (by the bounty of the clouds upon them;) and the Latine and Arabick and Aethiopick follow them: but the Syriack, foreign and thy calves or young cattel ſhall be filled with graſs, (as an effect of the bounty of the clouds.)
V. 12. foreignRejoyce] The phraſe here applied to the hills, of foreign they ſhall gird themſelves (from foreign cinxit) with gladneſs, is to be judged of by Pſal. 30.2. where 'tis uſed and applied to men. It there ſignifies being clothed with a feſtival garment, (the girdle being that which binds the garment on us, and the girdle or garment of gladneſs, the feſtival garment) and is figuratively uſed to denote Gods bleſſings abundantly beſtowed upon him. And ſo here, by the like figure, the hills being girded with gladneſs, denotes being plentifully inricht by God, or made very fruitful; ſo as v. 13. their ſhouting for joy and ſinging imports. The LXXII. therefore render it very literally, and very fitly, foreign, the hills ſhall be girt about with exultation; and the reſt of the antients accord.
V. 13. Paſtures] The Hebrew foreign, foreignwhich ſignifies a paſture, Iſai. 30.23. ſignifies alſo a ram, Iſai. 16.1. And ſo the LXXII. here render it foreign, rams, and ſo the Chaldee alſo. But the elegancy is beſt preſerved by the former notion. The flocks of ſheep being fitly ſtiled the clothing of the paſture, which they keep warm, and much inrich by being folded on it. And with that ſo interpreted the analogy holds in that which follows, the valleys or ploughed lands are covered with corn, as the fields with ſheep.