Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms

PSAL. LXX.

A Psalm of David] Made, likely, or rather made use of from Psal. 40.14, 15, &c. when Shaba the Son of Bichri was up in rebellion after Absolom's death, 2 Sam. 20.1, &c. See Psal. 69. title.

To bring to remembrance ] Worthy to be remembered, and followed as a pattern of prayer. Some make this Psalm an Appendix to the former, as Psal. 43. is to Psal. 42. Others make it a part of the next Psalm; which is therefore, say they, without a title.

Vers. 1. Make haste, O God, to deliver me ] As a Father • ans without legs when his child is hazarded.

Vers. 2. Let them be ashamed ] See Psal. 40.14. & 35.26, 27.

Vers. 3. Let them be turned back for a reward ] Vel ficit per insidias vel supplantationem, more Athletarum, a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Let them be supplanted defeated,

That say, Aha, aha ] Augustine rendereth it, Enge, Enge, that is, Well done; and giveth this Note upon it, Plus persequitur lingua adulator is quàm manus interfectoris; The tongue of a Flatterer may mischief a man more than the hand of a Murderer. The Apostle, Heb. 11.37. ranketh their tempting and flattering promises among their bloody deeds, their is sing tongues, with their terrifying jaws.

Vers. 4. Let all those that seek thee, &c. ] Piorum characteres, saith one, a godly, man caracterized, by his search after God, his joy in him, his love to him, his praises of him.

Let God be magnefied ] In illo quicquid ego: ill, non ego, saith Augustine.

Vers. 5. But I am poor and needy ] See Psal. 69.29. with the Note.

PSAL. LXXI.

VErs. 1. In thee; O Lord, do I put my trusts ] See Psal. 31.1. with the Note. It appeareth by verse. 9.18. that this Psalm was written by David in his old age, when Absalom, or Sheba was in rebellion against him, though haply for haste, and in that fright he could not superscribe it as he did the rest. The Greek title, viz. of David, A Psalm of the Sons of Jonadab, and of them that were first captived, hath no footing in the Original Hebrew.

Vers. 2. Deliver me in thy righteousness ] Let my deliverance be the fruit of thy promise, and of my prayer; and so it will be much the sweeter.

Vers. 3. Thou hast given Commandment] sc. To thine Angels, and all other thy Creatures. or, thou hast commanded, that is, thou hast promised.

Vers. 4. One of the hand of the unrighteous ] That seeketh by fraud to undermine me, and by force to overturn me.

And cruel man] Qui totus in fermento jacet; sour as leaven, sharp as vinegar.

Vers. 5. For thou art my hope ] Helpless I may seem, but hopeless I am not.

Vers. 6. H • thee have I been bolden us from the womb As in the Womb I lived upon thee, so from the womb. The same that breed thus, feedeth us, that matter that nourisheth the Child in the Womb, striking up into the breasts, and by a further concoction becoming white is mode milk for it.

Thou ar • 〈…〉 me out infamy to other bowels ] Else I had never been born alive. That a child is bound. 〈…〉 saith Galen, Sed quomoda fiat, admotoritar 〈…〉 calleth it, 〈◊〉 supra mirabilo • muja mirabila the greatest wonder in the World. Surely, if a Child were born but once in an hundred years space, we should all then to see so strange a work saith another.

Vers. 7. I am as a wonder 〈◊〉 ] Or, 〈◊〉 the great ones a Monster to the mighty, Quia credo 〈…〉 glosseth, because I believe what I yet see not, viz. that this storm shall blow over [and I he re ••• ed in my Throne.

Vers. 8. 〈…〉 .

Vers. 9. Cast me not off in the time of old age ] For now I have most need of thee. The white Rose is soonest cankered, so is the white Head soonest corrupted.

Satan maketh a prey of old Solomon, Asa, Lot, others; whom when young, he could never so deceive. The Heathens therefore well warn us to look well to our old age, as that which cometh not alone, but is infested with many diseases both of body and mind. This David knew, and therefore prayed, as here, Cast me not off in the time of old age, for sake me not when my strength faileth. He is a rare old man that can say with Caleb, Josh. 14.10, 11. Omnia fert at •• , animum quo{que}.

Vers. 10. For mine enemies. ] Who, rather than their lives, would bereave me of mine; these would double murder me, first by detraction, and then by deadly practice.

Vers. 11. God hath forsaken him ] For his late fin against Uriah; and as may appear by his present distress, his forlorn proscribed condition.

Vers. 12. O God, be not far from me ] The insolency of his enemies sets an edge upon his prayers; Oratio sine malis est avis sine alis. Our Savior in his Agony prayed the more earnestly, Luk. 22.44.

Vers. 13. Let them be confounded and consumed. ] Here he beginneth, Diris devovere, to devote his foes to destruction, who soon also found that these were not bruta fulmina, as the Popes Bulls are (wittily compared by one to a fools Dagger, rattling and snapping without an edge) but that there was an energy in them, though haply not felt for present: and that they had better have angered all the Witches in the Country than occasioned David thus to curse them in the Name of the Lord.

Vers. 14. But I will hope continually ] I will lengthen out mine hope, as a line drawn out. Tremellius renders it, I am in expectation still of completing thy praise, and will go on therein, viz. when thou shalt have completed my deliverance.

Vers. 15. My mouth shall show forth thy righteousness and thy salvation ] Lo here a sweet and comfortable conjunction of God's Righteousness, and our Salvation. See 2. Thess. 1.6, 7.

For I know not the numbers thereof ] Or, Though I know not, &c. by a modest correction, since they may be celebrated, but not enumerated.

So many, and ten thousand times more are God's loving kindnesses. The Psalmist elsewhere venteth himself by an Exclamation, Psal. 31.19. See the Note there.

Vers. 16. I will go in the strength of the Lord God ] Ingrediar in potentias Domini, I will do what I can, with God's help, in glorifying his Name, though I cannot do as I would, and as I ought: Narrabo res inenarrabilos and then entreat those that hear me to think higher things of God than I am able to utter.

Evan of thine only ] For that is enough, and more than I can well do; I will not once mention (as profane persons use to do) mine own Wisdom, valor, &c. alas, they are not worthy to be named in the same day with thine.

Vers. 17. O God, thou hast taught me ] Happy David in such a School-master. All the faithful are taught of God; outwardly by his Word and Works, inwardly by his Spirit; Et quando Christ •• ••• gister quam cite discitur quod decetur? Nescit tarda molimina Spiritus sancti gratia.

Vers. 18. N •• also what I am 〈◊〉 and rray-headed ] Now, that the Plumb-tree is full of blooms, the map of age is figured in my sore-head, the calendar of death appeareth in the furrows of my face: let me do nothing to spot my white head. Let me with the S • n give greatest glimpse at the going down, and with the Rose 〈…〉 , though I have lost my color, See verse. 9.

And thy power to everyone that is to come ] Mirus fervor David is in celebranda bonitate Dei, saith Vatablus here. David would propagate God's praise to all posterity.

Vers. 19. Thy righteousuess also, O God, is very bigh. ] Far above the reach of human reason; yet for the strengthening of my hope, I will look up after it, though mine eye should be tired in the way.

Vers. 20. Thou which bast shown me great and sore troubles ] Augustias magnas & malas, and hast thereby taught me, verse. 17, Quae nocent, docent.

Shall quicken me again ] And this is one singular height of thy righteousness, that thou carryest thy people thorough so many deaths; and causest them to ascend from the lowest ebb of affliction, to the highest pitch of comfort. Stoics ascribe such Occurrences to Fate, Epicures to Fortune, but David to God alone.

Vers. 21. Thou shalt increase my greatness ] Meam, id est Tuam, quam mihi dedisti, saith the Arabic gloss here; My greatness, that is, thy greatness which thou hast given me.

Vers. 22. I will also praise thee with the Psaltery ] In Organo natali, with an instrument made like a bottle.

O thou holy one of Israel ] Who sanctifiest thine throughout, and art to be sanctified of thine throughout all eternity, Isa. 5.16.

Vers. 23. And my soul which thou hast redeemed ] Heart and lips shall concur in this work. The voice which is made in the mouth, is nothing so sweet as that which cometh from the depth of the breast. The deeper and hollower the belly of the Lute, or Viol is, the pleasanter is the sound: the fleeter, the more grating and harsh in our ears.

Vers. 24. My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness ] Advisedly talk, and upon due deliberation. What a mad Edict was that of Henry the second of France, that men should not talk at all of Scripture-matters? And that of the Jesuits at Dola, forbidding any talk of God, either in good sort, or in bad?

PSAL. LXXII.

A Psalm for Solomon] Whom his Father David had crowned whilst yet alive; and now, at point of death, leaveth him this his last bequeath as a Basilicondoron, a direction in point of Government, and a prediction of a most flourishing reign thereupon; This last he so describeth, that by a spirit of Prophecy, attributing eternity thereunto, he riseth up from Solomon to Christ, of whom he was a type; like as also the Promise made to David concerning Solomon and Christ, was conceived in such terms by God himself, as if they had been almost one and the same person, 2 Sam. 7.13, 14. 1 Chron. 22.10.

Vers. 1. Give the King thy Judgments, O God ] i. e. Give me for that little time I have here to live, and reign, skill and will to do it aright, and as thy Law requireth.

And thy righteousness unto the Kings Son ] To Solomon, and his Successors; for David's great care was the welfare of God's people after his decease, for which end he both prayeth, and principleth his Son Solomon; and herein his great piety to the end appeareth. I could not but love the man (said Theodosius the Emperor concerning Ambrose ) who, as whiles he lived, he heartily wished that the contentions that were in the Church might be quenched, though it were with his blood; so when he died, he was more solicitous of the Churches welfare than of his own.

Vers. 2. He shall judge thy people with righteousness ] sc. If thou please to remember thy promise to me, and to answer this my prayer of faith founded thereupon.

And thy poor ] Or, thine afflicted. The people (the poor afflicted especially) are the Lord's; and therefore not to be tyrannized over, and trampled on by their Governors.

Vers. 3. The mountain shall bring peace ] i. e. They shall not be so pestered and infested by Thieves and Robbers, who usually 〈◊〉 and hide themeselves in hills and hollow places.

By righteousness ]. By right administration of Justice, as it was here in King Alfred's days, who ordained that his 〈◊〉 should be divided into T •• s. or Tythings, every of which severally should give Bond for the good abearing of each other; and he who was of that 〈◊〉 behavior, that he could 〈◊〉 be admitted to these Tythings, was forth wich conveyed to the House of Correction. The ancientest of these men were called by a specialty the Tything men.

Vers. 4. He shall judge the 〈◊〉 of the people. ] Indeed all, indifferently, without respect of persons; but a poor man's Tale shall be heard and his Cause judged, as well as a rich man's. Under Christ's Government it shall be so howsoever; I know thy poverty, but thou art rich, saith he. Rev. 3.9. Amongst men both in sures of Love, and of Law, Money maketh Mistery Not so here.

And shall break in pieces the oppressor ] The Sycey •• nt, saith the Creek; the Slanderer, saith the Latin; the Devil, say some. Over these He shall, turn the wheel.

Vers. 5. They shall fear this ] Who hast blessed them with so good a King; such as maketh it his main care to set up God, where-ever he hath to do.

As long as the Sun and Moon 〈…〉 ] The Lacedonians publicly professed, Quoad sol codem it itenire maebit, quo 〈◊〉 meet, 〈…〉 sociat cum Xerxe 〈◊〉 , whiles the Sun shall hold on his course, we will never make a League with Xerxes.

Vers. 6. He shall come down like rain upon the 〈◊〉 grass ] That is, he shall be very dear to us, and much delighted in. See Job 29.23. with the Note.

As showers that water the earth ] This is chiefly fulfilled in Christ, who by raining down righteousness, maketh his Church to grow and flourish.

Vers. 7. In his days shall the righteous flourish ] As watered Gardens, Jar. 31.12. or as the Willows by the water courses. Isa. 44.4. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

And abundance of peace ] The work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness, and affurance forever, Isa. 32.17. Christ's subjects have peace, 〈◊〉 Isa. 25.3 a multiplied peace, a multiplied pardon, Isa. 55.7. where sin aboundeth, grace superaboundeth; neither can they commit more than God will remit unto them.

Vers. 8. He shall have dominion also from Sea to Sea ] Solomon shall from the Mediterranean in the West, to the Persian Sea or Indian Ocean in the East.

And from the river unto the ends of the earth ] i.e. From Euphrates, and the Northern Countries, to Egypt, and the utmost pares of all Africa. This was a Type of Christ's universal dominion throughout the whole World, Zech. 9.9. Psal. 110.1.

Vers. 9. They that dwell in the Wildereness ] Wild, Barbarous, rude people; such as were the ancient Britain's our Progenitours, till Christ the Sun of righteousness shone upon them till they were brought to the obedience of faith: Tun • enim sensin • evannit ferit as, indias ezulavit immanit as, corruit crudelites, &c. for then it was otherwise.

And his enemies shad lick the dust ] A Ceremony much in use among the Easterlings, Prostrani adorant hi • rationem • saith Herodotus of the Persians; they worship their betters, by falling to the ground before them: and how Tridetes King of Parthians worshipped Nero. is to be read in Die Cassius. Christ's foes shall all be made his footstool.

Vers. 10. The Kings of Tarshish, and of the Isles ] i.e. All the Kings of the earth, which being encompassed with the Ocean, is therefore by the old Geographers called, a great Island. Jude's, though part of the Con • i ••• at, is called, an Isle, Isa. 20.6. because separated from other Countries: with whom God would have his people to have as little to do as might be that they might not be corrupted with foreign fashion. This was a 〈…〉 in Solomon See 1 King. 4.21. 24 & chap. 10.25. perfectly it is, and shall be in Christ; De 〈…〉 of the Christ a certain saith Kimchi; all the Kingdom of the earth shall one day but his Kingdoms: he shall be the 〈…〉 and be alone.

Ver. 11. 〈◊〉 King 〈…〉

Vers. 12. For 〈…〉 If the people complained of ] See on verse. 9. If the people complained of Solomon 〈…〉 , and 〈…〉 yoke 〈◊〉 as by thy Father, it was but of a sinful 〈…〉 , saith 〈…〉 people 〈◊〉 know when they are well, but quarrelling at, and complaining of the present Government; you even 〈◊〉 Christ's 〈◊〉 yoke, and light burden, as if importable.

Vers. 13. He shall spare the poor an 〈◊〉 ] Hereby David showeth his Son and all his Successors, Qua •• debent 〈…〉 , what manner of man a King ought to be. Regiment without Righteousness turneth into tyranny: it is but Robbery with authority. O. Scipio Nastra, for his good Government was ••• med Optimus by the Senate, and had an house gived him at the P •• lick charge; in 〈◊〉 saira, that the poor might repair to him.

Vers. 14. He shall redeem their soul from decent and violence ] Those two noted Engines of all mischief to the poor, viz. privy deceit (Ufury, the Septuagint and Vulgar render it) and open violence, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 fraud and force, craft and cruelty.

And precious shall their blood be in his sight ] He shall be very tender of their lives, that they be not causelessly cast away; either in times of Peace or War. Precious also in the sight of the Lord Christ, is the death of his 〈◊〉 , his Martyrs, Psal. 116 15.

Vers. 15. And he shall live ] The King shall, according to the poor man's prayer when relieved, or the poor shall, and the King shall give him gold brought from Sheon, or 〈◊〉 the happy. Whereupon

Prayer shall be 〈◊〉 &c. ] By the poor for him, or though 〈◊〉 applying it to Christ) and for the increase of his Kingdom, and for his coming.

Vers. 16. There shall be an handful of Corn, • amp;c. ] 〈◊〉 The batr •• mountain shall yield Corn abundantly, and also by handfuls: as 〈◊〉 in those seven years of plenty, Gen. 41.47.

The fruit thereof shall 〈◊〉 ] The Corn shall 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 , like the Trees in Lebanon, shaken by the Wind.

And they of the city shall flourish ] Men also increase and multiply. Jerem. 31.27. to a very great number, as piles of Grass Christ's subjects shall.

Vers. 17. 〈…〉 forever ] i. e. His Kingdom, for it shall not be nomen inane. Other Kingdoms have their times, and their turns, their rise, and their ruins; not so Christ's, and this is great comfort.

His name shall be continued ] Fil •••• nomini 〈◊〉 it shall be begotten as one Generation is begotten of another. Heb. His name shall be childed; that is, so continued as Families are continued; there shall be a constant succession of Christ's Name to the end of the World there will still be Christians who are his Children. Heb. 2.13, 14. The old Hebrews tell us, that J • nn • n (the Hebrew word • ere used) is one of Christ's Names:

And men shall be blessed in him ] Or, they shall bless themselves in him, viz. in Solomon, but especially in Christ of whom Solomon was but a shadow.

All Nations shall call him blessed ] If all Generations shall call the Mother of Christ blessed, Luke 3.48. how much were Christ himself:

Vers. 18. Blessed be the Lord God ] 〈…〉 , these are the words of the Psalmist say the Rabines, blessing God, who had given Le •• gneph church, strength to him fainting to finish the Second Book of the Psalms as he had done the Firsst or rather praising God for all the 〈…〉 the Lord Christ.

Vers. 19. And blessed 〈…〉 ; so unsatisfiable, and unweareable are the 〈…〉 a Christ, And 〈◊〉 God expecteth that 〈…〉 by all his, at all 〈…〉

Vers. 20. The Prayer 〈…〉

PSAL. LXXIII.

A Psalm of Asaph] Who was not only an excellent Musician, but a Prophet also, an Orator, and a Poet; not unlike (for his style) to Horace, or Persius, This, and the ten next Psalms, that bear this name in the front, consist of complaints for most part, and sad matters.

Vers. 1. Truly God is good to Israel ] Or, Yet God is, &c. Thus the Psalmist beginneth abruptly after a sore Conflict; throwing off the Devil, and his fiery Darts, where-with his heart for a while had been wounded. It is best to break off temptations of corrupt and carnal reasonings, and to silence doubts and disputes, lest we be foiled. He shoots (saith Greenham ) with Satan in his own bow, who thinks by disputing and reasoning to put him off.

To such as are of a clean heart ] Such as are Israelites indeed, and not Hypocrites and dissemblers. For as for such as turn a side unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity (as malefactors are led forth to execution) but Peace shall be upon Israel, Psal. 125.5. upon the Israel of God, Gal. 6.16.

Vers. 2. But as for me my feet were almost gone ] i. e. I was well-night brought to believe, that there was no divine providence: as the Athenians did, when their good General Nicias was worsted and slain in Sicily; as Pompey did, when having the better cause, he was overcome by Caesar; as Brutus did (that last of the Romans as he was called for his courage) when beaten out of the field by Anthony, he cried out 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Now I see that virtue is nothing, but all things are moderated by Fortun, whom he charged his children therefore to worship, as a goddess of greatest power.

My steps had well • nigh slipped ] Quasi nihil effusi, sunt gressus mei, that is, as Kimchi interpreteth it, Status meus crat tantillus quasi nullus esset pre figendo peds locus, I had scarce any fastening for my feet, my heels were gone almost. What wonder then that Heathens have been stounded and staggered?

Saith Ovid. And to the fame purpose another Poet.

Vers. 3. For I was envious at the foolish ] Heb. At the Bragadochies, the vain-glorious, the mad-boasters; I aemulated, and stomached their prosperity, compared with mine own far-worse condition. Godly men though cured of their spiritual frenzy, yet play oft many mad tricks; one while fretting at the prosperity of their adversaries, and another while murmuring at their own afflictions, or plotting courses how to conform themselves to the World, &c.

When I saw the prosperity of the Wicked ] This hath ever been a pearl in the eyes, not of the Heathens only, but of better meu. See Jer. 12.1, 2, Habbak. 1.3. Psal. 37. &c. Yet Seneca writeth a treatise of it, and showeth the reasons, if at least he believed himself therein. Erasmus passeth this censure of him; Read him as a Pagan, and he writeth Christian-like,; read him as 2 Christian, and he writeth Pagan-like.

Vers. 4. For there are no bands in their death ] Or, No knots and knorles; they die without long sickness, or much pain, or trouble of mind. If a man die • ike a Lamb, and pass out of the World like a bird in a shel, he is certainly saved, think some. The wicked are here said to die quietly, as if there were no loosening of the band that is betwixt soul and body. Julian the Apostate died with these words in his mouth; Vitam reposcents natura tanquam debitor bonae fidei redditurum exulto, that is, I owe a death to Nature, and now that she calleth for it, as a faithful debtor, I gladly pay it. The Princes of the Sogdians, when they were drawn forth to death by Alexander the great, carmen more latumtium etcinerut, tripu • is{que} gaudium animi ostentare caperunt, They sang and danced to the place of execution.

But their strength is firm ] They are lively and lusty, they are pingues & praevalidi, fat and fair-liking, fat is their fortitude, so some render it; Others, strong is their porch or Palace.

Vers. 5. They are not in trouble as other men ] But live in a serene clime, under a perpetual calm; as he did of whom it is storied, that he never had any cross, but at last was nailed to a cross, Polycrates I mean, King of Egypt. Marull •• telleth us, that Ambrose coming once to a great man's house, who boasted that he had never suffered any adversity, he hasted away thence, and said he did so, we una cum • omine perpetuis prosperitatibus uso periret, lest he should perish with the man, that bad been so extraordinarily prosperous. And no sooner was he and his company departed, but the earth opened and swallowed up that man's house, with all that were in it.

Vers. 6. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain ] The pride of their hearts breaketh forth in their costly habits, whiles they are torquati, & auro ac gemmis amicti, setting up their plumes as Peacocks, which have their names in Hebrew from the joy they take in their fair feathers; so do these glory in their pride, and are puffed up with a foolish persuasion of their own prudence. Uermis divitiarum est superbia. Charge the rich that they be not high-minded, 1 Tim. 6.17. He is a great rich man, saith Austin, and greater than his riches, who doth not therefore think himself great, because he is rich. Magna cognatio, saith Another, Ut rei sic nominis, divitiis & vitiis, He is a rare rich man that is not the worse for his wealth. The Palm-tree, they say, will not grow in a fat ground, but salt and ashes must, in that case, be cast at the root, to qualify the strength of the soil: So grace will not grow in a fat heart, without the salt of mortification, and ashes of humiliation. Their heart is fat as grease, but I delight in thy law.

Violence covereth them as a garment ] Violence, or wrong-dealing is the perpetual companion of pride, and covereth them a • a garment, finely fitted to their bodies, as was the Harlots habit, Prov. 7.10. Ibn-Ezra rendereth it, obruit eos, overwhelmeth them; that is, domineereth over them. Some Rabbin's render it, Nates eorum violentia tegit.

Vers. 7. Their eyes stand out with fatness ] The Chaldee hath it, The similitude of their face is changed through fatness. See Job 15.27. The Greek, For the wealth which they have, their eyes are lifted up. The Latin, Their iniquity proceedeth as it were from fatness.

They have more than heart could wish ] Heb. They pass the thoughts of the heart; Which the Greek rendereth, No man can think how wicked they are; those stall-fed Sodomites for instance. So Ibn-Ezra, Transgressiones perpetrant quas cogitare nefas est, they are more wicked than can be imagined; Others they covet beyond measure, and are insatiable, thinking to inclose the whole World in their net, as Timothy the Athenian did Cities and Towns in his toils. Our translation is not to be disliked; neither yet are all to be accounted wicked, that have more than heart could wish. Bonus Deus Constantinum magnum tantis torrenis implevit muneribus, quanta opt are nullus anderet. saith Augustine.

Vers. 8. They are corrupt and speak wickedly ] Their pride before taxed, verse. 6. buddeth, and budgeth, Ezek. 7.10. like a foul swelling in the body, it breaketh out into sores of all sorts, odious words and deeds, abominable to God and man. Diff • uunt & loquuntur in malitia rapinam, They melt and are spilled in sensual delights and dissolute practices. Or, they let loose themselves, and keep not within compass. Or, they fly-blow and make to stink the good names of others, sc. while they speak evil of them, and reproach them. Tabifici sunt, so Tremellius rendereth it.

They speak loftily] De celsuudine, from aloft; tapides loquuntur, they threaten thunder bolts, throw daggers, fastuosa voice omnes territant.

Vers. 9. They set their mouth against the Heavens ] They howl upward, as Wolves; bark at the Moon, as dogs piss against the Sun, belch out blasphemies against God, as did Pharaoh, Sennacherib, Nebuchadnezzar, Dionysius the tyrant, Antiochus, Antichrist, Rev. 13.6. (Pope Julius the third for instance, who would have his pork-meat (forbidden him by his Physicians) at despi •• di Dio ) The great Turk at the •• ge of Sc • dra, and again at the Rhodes; besides Hack •• in Queen Elizabeth's time, and the Ranters in ours.

And their tongue walketh thorough the earth ] Snapping at everyone they meet, like a mad dog; and not sparing to speak, or rather to spew out whatsoever lieth uppermost. Thou shalt not walk up and down as a slanderer, or Pedler with his pack, which he openeth eftsoons, and disperseth his wares, Levite. 19.16. That's a true saying of Seneca, Ut quis{que} est dissolutissimae vitae, ita est sollutissimae lingua. As any one is more dissolute in his life, so he is more heedless of his speeches.

Vers. 10. Therefore his people return hither ] i.e. Some good men are as wise (or rather as foolish) as I have been, to mis-censure on this manner, and to repent me of my repentance, or to say, as verse. 11.

How doth God know, &c? because Waters of a full cup are wrung out unto them ] That is, because the wicked drink wine in bowls, their servants wringing the rich ripe grapes thereinto, as Gen. 40.11. Or, because God sendeth them, (his people) perpetual and extreme afflictions, which is meant, say some, by drinking off a cup, and squeezing all the liquor into it. Others read it, Full Waters are wrung out to them, that is, say they, these their thoughts and speeches savouring of infidelity, shall cost them abundance of tears; as Peters fall did him.

Vers. 11. And they say, how doth God know? ] Even the godly through infirmity, are drawn sometimes to doubt of God's providence and government, because of the inequality of events in human affairs. It had like to have cost the Psalmist here a fall, and made him almost cast of all care off Religion. Basil also was in some doubt of the divine providence; under the heat of the Arian persecution. For hath the Lord utterly forsaken his Churches, saith he? is it now the last hour? In the next age Salvian (for the satisfaction of some good people) was forced to write eight books, De gubernatione Dei, & de justa praesenti{que} ejus Judicio, of God's governing the World, and the righteousness of his proceedings. Upon a like occasion Austin wrote those twenty two most excellent and elaborate books, De civitate Dei.

Vers. 12. Behold those are the ungodly ] q.d. If God do take knowledge of things here below, and ordereth all events, how it is that the ungodly prosper, whilst better men suffer?

Who prosper in the World ] An ill character, everything considered. See Psal. 17.14. with the Note. Behold these are the ungodly, the fortunate men of the World, so some render it. He that liveth in the height of the Worlds blandishments, is not far from destruction. Periculosa est sum bona corporis valetudo, saith Hippocrates. The height of health is nearest to sickness and death.

They increase in riches ] They wallow in wealth; God pouring honey into their hives; but for a vengeance.

Vers. 13. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain ] For all is to little purpose, if the cards play on this fashion, if the good must be thus extremely under, and the bad a top of the wheel. Surely I have troubled myself to no purpose or profit; If it be so, why am I thus? as she said. I read of a profane soldier, who at the siege of a Town, passing a place of danger, was heard swearing, and when one that stood by warned him, saying, Fellow-soldier, do not swear, the bullets fly, he answered, They that swear come off as well as those that pray; But soon after this, a shot hit him, and down he fell. It is not safe for Saints to symbolize with sinners in such desperate speeches; lest the Lord hear it and be displeased.

Vers. 14. For all the day long have I been plagued ] God's best beloved are most afflicted, neither have any out of hell ever suffered more than the heirs of heaven. See my treatise called God's love-tokens.

And chastened every morning ] Singulis matutinis, I am no sooner awake than some new misery seizeth me, quasi egisset excubias, as if it had laid wait for me.

Vers. 15. If I say I will speak thus ] If I should give way to such a wicked thought, &c. Here the Spirit beginneth to get the upper hand, to gain the wind and the hill of the flesh. The Spirit would always get the better of the flesh, were it upon equal terms. But when the Flesh shall get the hill, as it were of temptation, and shall have wind to drive the smoke upon the face and eyes of the Combatant, that is, to blind him, upon such a disadvantage he may seem to be overcome.

Behold I shall offend against the generation, &c. ] As if they were no children, because so sharply chastened; whereas the Saints are unto God as the apple of his eye, that little man in the eye, as the word signifieth. The eye is a tender part; yet when dim and dusky we apply sharp powders, or waters to it, to eat out the web, pearl or blindness, and yet love it never the less. No more doth God his Children, though he apply corrosives or causticks to their flesh, if need require.

Vers. 16. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me ] Heb. It was labor in mine eyes, labor in vain, I could do no good on it, sed labyrinthis & Maeandris inextricabilibus implicabar, I did but tread a Maze, for God's Judgments are unsearchable, and his ways (of providence) are past finding out; they are far above the reach of human reason.

Vers. 17. Untill I went into the Sanctuary of God ] And there consulted with the Scriptures, heard the lectures of the law, prayed, went thorough all the exercises of God's School.

Then understood I their end ] To be such as God pronounceth of them in the Scriptures, and as the effect and common experience sometimes declareth. For some wicked God punisheth here, lest his providence, but not all, lest his patience and promise of Judgment should be called into question, saith Austin.

Vers. 18. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places ] Where they can have no more certainty than if they went upon the smoothest Ice, or walked upon a mine of gun-powder. The Turks seeing so few of their Visiers to die in their beds, have taken up this proverb, He that is even in the greatest office, is but a statue of glass.

Thou castedst them down into destruction ] Improbos ex magna prosperitate tanquam ex Tarpeia rupe in barathrum perditionis praecipitasti. Haman for instance.

Vers. 19. How are they brought into desolation, &c? ] Such as the Psalmist expresseth by an exclamation, caused by an admiration at God's dreadful Judgments which his faith beheld as present and unavoidable, and such as astonied the beholders. See it in the literal and mystical Babylon, Jer. 51.37, 41. Rev. 18.10, 17.

They are utterly consumed with terrors ] Heb. They are ended, they are consumed with troublesome frights; especially when from their death-beds they behold that three-fold terrible spectacle, Death, Judgment, Hell, and all to be passed thorough by their poor souls.

Vers. 20. As a dream when one awaketh ] Such is the wicked man's pomp and bravery; now what are dreams but pleasant follies and delusions, the empty bubbles of the mind, Children and tales of fancy, idle and fruitless notions, mere bawbles? See Isa. 29.7, 8. The Fisher-man in Theocritus dreamt that he was some demy-god; but when he awaked, all his golden hopes vanished. The Chaldee explaineth it, As the dream of a drunken man; who sleeping on the steep of a rock may think himself a King; and starting for joy may soon break his neck at the bottom.

So, O Lord, when thou awakest thou shalt despise their image ] That is, that whereof they dreamt, and whereon they do still doat; viz. their worldly pomp and pride, which is nothing else but magnum nihil, a glorious fancy, a non-entity. Some read it thus, When thou shalt raise up (the dead) thou shalt despise their image, that is, their souls; they shall rise to everlasting shame and contempt, Dan. 12.2.

Vers. 21. Thus my heart was grieved ] Heb. Leavened and soured, sc. with the greatness of godly sorrow, & quasi aceto acri perfundebatur, it was steeped as it were in Vinegar. So Peter wept bitterly; waters of Marah flowed from his eyes.

And I was pricked in my reins ] Pricked at heart, as those, Act. 2. put to as much pain as those that have the stone in the kidneys, exceedingly grieved for my mis-construing and mis-censuring of God's ways and people.

Vers. 22. So foolish was I and ignorant ] By this be-fooling and be-beasting himself, he retracteth and bewaileth his former fluctuation and folly, verse. 2, 3. This is the proper fruit of his godly sorrow, verse 21.

I was as a beast before thee ] Heb. Behemoth, as a great beast, or as many beasts in one. Thus he aggravateth, and layeth load upon his sin, and so must we.

Vers. 23. Nevertheless, I am continually with thee ] Or, yet I was always with thee, sc. when at worst. Infirmities discard us not. The Marriage knot is not dissolved by every falling out; not the League betwixt Princes broken by the wrongs done by Pirates.

Thou hast holden me by my right hand ] That I should not utterly fall from thee: there was still a supporting grace.

Vers. 24. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel] We had his repentance, verse. 21, 22. his faith, 23. and here; we have 〈◊〉 hope of safety here, and salvation hereafter.

And afterwards receive me ] As thou didst holy Enoch.

Vers. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee ] I would I were in heaven with thee, so Ibn-Ezra rendereth it; and to the same sense Beza paraphraseth, Apage terra, quod utinam Deus in calo jam & tecum essem: quid enim est in terra quod me vel tantillum vetineat?

Vers. 26. My flesh faileth, and my heart faileth ] Some think that the Psalmist, through egression of affection unto God, having spent and exhaled his spirits, fell into a swoon; out of which he recovered again by the joy of the Lord, which was his strength, even the rock of his heart. The Greek saith, The God of my heart.

Vers. 27. For loe, they that are far from thee shall perish ] How can they do otherwise, when as Salvation is far from them? Psal. 119.155. And upon this ground it is, that I do so earnestly desire to be with thee; since

Thou hast destroyed (or shut up from punishment ) all them that go a whoring from thee ] Having their hearts full of Harlotry, as appeareth by their courting the Creature.

Vers. 28. But it is good for me to draw nigh to God ] To hang ever upon thee (in this general defection of others) by the faith of the Gospel, Heb. 7.19. by putting my trust in thee, that I may declare all thy works, and relate my experiments; A circle is the perfectest figure, because it beginneth and endeth; the last point meeteth in the first from whence it came. We shall never come to perfection or satisfaction, till we draw nigh to God, till God make the circle meet, &c.

PSAL. LXXIV.

A Psalm of Asaph ] Concerning the Babylonish Captivity, saith Kimchi; which either was here fore-told by David's Asaph, or bewailed by another of that name, who lived at that very time, when the Jews groaned under those grievous calamities.

Vers. 1. O God, why hast thou cast us off forever? ] The greatness of their grief, and diuturnity of their misery draw from them such expressions of discontent, as if they were doubtful of an utter dereliction.

Why doth thine anger (or thy nose ) smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? ] Anger is a fire, and in men or other Creatures enraged, a smoke formeth to go out of their Nostrils. Xenoph • n saith of the • he •• ns, when they are angry, they breath fire. This then is spoken of God, after the manner of men.

Vers. 2. Remember thy Congregation which thou hast purchased ] His complaints end not in murmuring and grunting against God, but in humble Petitions so intermingled with sighs and groans, as that his speech is not so plain and perfect as at other times. Th •• which he mainly 〈◊〉 i • the 〈◊〉 , that 〈◊〉 of heavenly Honey, as one calleth it.

The rod of thine inheritance ] Inheritances were 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 out by Rods and 〈…〉

〈…〉 Metaphor from combatants, Qui 〈◊〉 pedes & pass •• , ut violenti •• in host • m invehantur. Some have reward 〈…〉 thereby the Temple, that place 〈…〉 , Ezek. 43.

〈…〉 whither he 〈◊〉 for safety.

Vers. 4. 〈…〉 are so called by a word 〈…〉

They set up their 〈◊〉 for signs ] They set them up upon the very Temple (as if they had conquered God himself) those their Trophies and Monuments of victory. Some refer us for the sense of these Words to Ezek. 21.2 • others render them thus, They have 〈◊〉 in their, 〈◊〉 (or 〈…〉 the sacred) signs, and to have pointed there holy places. Besides, what Antioch •• did (concerning which see the Books of Maccab •• s, and 〈◊〉 ) in after times, the Arms of Rome were set upon the Temple, and a Sw ••• 〈◊〉 ••• ven over the gate: this was the abomination of desolation fore-told by our Savior, Mat. • 4▪ 15.

Vers. 5. Aman was 〈◊〉 according it, &c. ] i. e. Time was when the Workmen got them a name, by cutting down and fitting the Timber, for this building the Temple, renowned throughout the whole World for costly and choice materials, for curious and exact Workmanship, for Spiritual employment, and for mystical signification; never was there the like edifice.

Vers. 6. But now they break down the carved work 〈◊〉 ] The Chaldeans did with Military violence, and afterwards the Romans under Titus, who could not preserve it from the Soldiers fury, though he desired so to have done, as 〈◊〉 Historians have told us. Now, if the enemies rage were so great (as is here described) against the outward marks of Religion, how much more should our zeal kindle against the most costly or curious Monuments of Idolatry and Superstition? Zizka the valiant B • he • ine overthrew three children Monasteries with their Mawmets, and among the rest the famous Monastery called the Kings Court, a mile from Prague, in the walls whereof the whole Bible was most exquisitely written in Letters of gold.

Vers. 7. They have cast fire into thy Sanctuary ] Heb. They have sent thy Sanctuary into the fire. So the French Papists, under the conduct of the Guises, dealt by the public Meeting-houses of the Protestants there, and particularly, by that Church at • ions, which was called 〈◊〉 . Hoc apud Ethnic •• 〈…〉 horrendum, The Heathens observed of such as destroyed Temples, that they commonly came to some fearful end, by Thunder-bolts, or otherwise.

Vers. 8. Let us destroy them together ] Them, that is, the Saints; let us prey upon them as Hawkes do upon Doves; or them, that is the Temples and Schools; these the Devil ever sought to destroy, as contary to his Kingdom; and so 〈…〉 still by the Turks and Papists, and other Heretics.

They have burnt up all the Synagogues ] The • e were a kind of Chapels of ease to the Temple at Jerusalem, and in these the people met frequently, on the Sabbath especially, for holy Exercises, as we do in our Churches. The good Centurion built one of these, Luke 7.5. See Jam. 2.2.

Vers. 9. We see not our signs ] Those testimonies of God's special 〈…〉 the public Ordinances, together with the legal Ceremonies, which was then Christ in Figures, q. d. 〈…〉 .

There is 〈…〉 any Prophet, &c. ] Hence some conclude, that this Psalm was written about the end of the Babylonish Captivity, when there was Cha ••••• th 〈◊〉 , 〈…〉 up of Prophecy, as 〈…〉 so that they had Prophets 〈…〉

〈…〉

Vers. 11. Why withdrawest thou thy hand? ] Some by hand understand the left hand, and so both hands are withdrawn, yea held behind (retrovertis) after the manner of those that have little to do, and less to care for.

Out of thy bosom ] Another posture to the same purpose, Prov. 19.24. & 26.15.

Vers. 12. For God is my King of old ] He is the same, yesterday, to •• y, and forever. I doubt not therefore but he will see to the safety of his loyal subjects.

Working salvation in the midst of the earth ] i.e. Openly, and to the view of all. Jerusalem is in the midst of Judea, and Judea is in the midst of the earth; the very center and navel of the habitable world, say the Fathers; it joineth those of the East to the West by the Midland-sea, and those of the North to the South by the same Sea, running out as far as the lake of Maeotis, very far North, and by the red Sea descending very low into the South. This Country therefore God seemeth purposely to have espied out, as himself speaketh, that therehence he might send abroad salvation into all parts. And hereabout, some gather from Joel 3.2. Christ will sit to judge the world, at the last day, Psal. 50.1, 2.

Vers. 13. Thou didst divide the Sea, &c. ] Thou in this and the following verses is emphatical and exclusive, q. d. Thou, and none but Thou.

Thou brakest the heads of the Dragons ] Or, Crocodiles, So he calleth Pharaohs chieftains who were Satan's swordmen, and with him had their heads broke at the red Sea.

Vers. 14. Thou brakest the heads of Leviathan] i.e. Of Pharaoh himself. See Isa. 27.1. & Ezek. 29.3. Egypt is situate between two seas; and a great part of it overflowed by the River Nile. Pharaoh therefore is fitly compared to the Master-fish, and his Captains to Crocodiles.

And gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness ] i. e. To the birds and wild-beasts, who fed upon the dead carcasses of the Egyptians cast upon the shore; the Israelites having first taken the spoil of them, whereby they were provided of many necessaries for their voyage toward Canaan.

Vers. 15. Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood ] i. e. Fontium & torrentium scatebras & latebras, thou didst set the rock abroach once and again, Exod. 17.6. Numb. 20.11. rescissis ipsius naturae legibus.

Thou driedst up mighty rivers ] Jordan (wherein some say met two great Rivers, Jor and Dan ) whereunto the Chaldee here addeth Arnon and Jabbok, whereof see Numb. 21.14. Deut. 2.37.

Vers. 16. The day is thine, the night also is thine ] He had argued with God, and strengthened his own faith from God's extraordinary works; and now he doth the like from his ordinary works in nature, with the alternal course thereof, wherein appeareth a kind of image of the seasonable driving away of calamities, and turning all things into a desired state, Psal. 30.5. Lam. 3.23.

Thou hast prepared the light and the Sun ] i. e. That first light scattered abroad the heavens, but afterwards gathered into the Sun, as into a vessel. By light some understand here the Moon, that other great luminary; it being the manner of the Hebrews, nomen generis restringere ad speciens deteriorem.

Vers. 17. Thou hast set all the borders of the earth ] Securing it from the overflowings of the Sea, and appointing to the several Nations the bounds of their habitations.

Thou hast made summer and winter ] Plasmasti ea. Now thou that hast done all this and more for mankind in general, wilt thou be wanting to thy Church?

Vers. 18. Remember this ] Forgetfulness befalleth not the Lord; nevertheless he giveth us leave to be his Remembrancers, and not to keep silence when he is concerned. Isa. 62.6.

That the enemy ] See verse. 10.

And that the foolish people have blasphemed thy Name ] This irketh the Saints worse than their own particular sufferings. The Egyptians, out of their respect to their Mercurius Trismegistus, would not rashly pronounce his name; no more would the Grecians their god Jupiter, no not when they sware by him. Should not we be much more tender and respective of the holy and reverend name of our God, taking it ill when by any it is blasphemed?

Vers. 19. O deliver not the soul of thy Turtle-dove ] Turturilla tua, that groaneth unto thee, being not more innocent chaste, mild, simple and sociable, than weak, shiftless, and unable to defend herself from those beasts of prey. Optatus, observeth, that no fowl is more preyed upon by Hauks, Kites, &c. than the Dove; yet are there still more Doves than Hauks or Kites for all that; So the Church increaseth, notwithstanding all persecutions.

Unto the multitude ] Or, To the beast, the wild-company. The same word is put here also immediately for the Congregation or lively flock of Christ.

Vers. 20. Have respect unto the Covenant ] This the Church knew to be her best plea; and therefore she so plieth it.

For the dark places of the earth are full of cruelty ] That is, saith Basil, those places where men are in the darkness or ignorance, not knowing God, are full of ambition and tyranny. Others make this the sense. We can hide ourselves nowhere, but the Persecutors ferret us out.

Vers. 21. O let not the Oppressed, &c. ] Contusas non revertatur confusas, let him not take the repulse, be disappointed of his expected help from Heaven.

Vers. 22. Plead thine own cause ] For if we miscarry, Thou art sure to suffer among the proud Chaldees, as an impotent God.

Remember how the foolish man, &c. ] See verse. 18.

Vers. 23. The tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth daily ] Heb. Ascendeth, viz. up to Heaven, as Jon. 1.2. there is not hoe with them. Mundi laetitia est impunita nequitia. If the Lord take them not a link lower, as we say, they will grow intolerably insolent.

PSAL. LXXV

TO the chief Musician Al-taschith ] That is, Destroy not; The Chaldee paraphraseth, In the time when David said, Destroy not the people. The Psalm seemeth to have been made either by Asaph in David's name, or by David himself (and by him committed to Asaph ) at such time as the difference depending betwixt him and Ishosheth, many were slain on both sides: This drew from David an Al-taschith, not long before he was anointed King over all Israel, 2 Sam. 5.1, &c.

Vers. 1. Unto thee O God, do we give thanks ] Heb. We celebrate thee, O God, we celebrate thee; viz. both for mercies and crosses sanctified; for these also are to be reckoned upon the score of God's favors.

For that thy Name is near ] Nomen, id est numen, Thy Name, that is, thyself are near, ad liberandum invocantem, as Ibn-Ezra expoundeth it, to deliver those that call upon thee.

Vers. 2. When I shall receive the Congregation ] i. e. The government of all the twelve Tribes, as I believe I shall do shortly, according to God's promise to me by Samuel.

I will judge uprightly ] That a man is in truth, that he is his own particular place and station; that he is really, that he is relatively.

Vers. 3. The earth, and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved ] Both Church and Common-wealth here are utterly out of order; I shall endeavor mine utmost to set all to rights, and so to preserve the World from ruin, which subsisteth by and for the sake of God's Israel. Abs{que} stationibus non staret mundus.

I bear up the pillars of it ] Semen sanctum statumen terrae, Isa. 6.13. The holy seed upholdeth the State. David did (as Lucan saith of Cato ) toti genitum se credere mundo. Jesus Christ much more; he is the true Atlas, upholding all things by the word of his power, Heb. 1.3.

Vers. 4. I said unto the fools, deal not foolishly ] Boast not yourselves so proudly and petulantly, but submit to God's decree, and my government; how much more to Christ's?

Lift not up the horn ] Metaphor a à tauris cornupetis.

Vers. 5. Lift not up your horn on high ] Against the High God; so Tremellius rendereth it.

Speak not with a stiff neck ] Some render it with an old neck, let old things pass, and now speak with a new and humble throat. Hard words and stout speeches uttered from a mind vehemently moved out of its plate (as the word here used, importeth) shall be one day dearly answered for, Jud. 15.

Vers. 6. For Promotion cometh neither from the East ] Dignitatis nullum est •• porium. Ambitionists use to look this way and that way how to advance themselves, but all in vain. Hispanic Monarchia Cathalica debetur divinitus, sod in Utopia, saith One,

Nor from the South] Where the warm sunshine is.

Vers. 7. But God is the Judge ] He sitteth at the stern, and ordereth all human affairs, according to the good pleasure of his will.

He putteth down one, and setteth up another ] As we seen in Saul, and David, in the four great Monarchies, in Bajaz • t and Tamerlan; besides many others. Virtue exalteth the meanest, when villainy tumbleth down the mightiest. Agathocles the son of a Potter became King of Sicily. Valentinian the son of a Rope-maker became Emperor of Rome. Justinus was first a Swineheard, then an heardsman, then a Carpenter, a soldier, and after all, an Emperor. If Alexander, to show his greatness, advanced Abdilominus from a poor Gardener, to be King in Sidon, What cannot the Lord do? Tamerlan having overcome Bajazet, asked him whether ever he had given God thanks for making him so great an Emperor? who confessed ingenuously he never thought of it; To whom Tamerian replied, that it was no wonder so ungrateful a man should be made a spectacle of misery. For you, said he, being blind of one eye, and I lame of a leg, was there any worth in us, why God should set us over two great Empires of Turks and Tartars, to command many more worthy than ourselves?

Vers. 8. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup ] A cup of affliction, whereof all must drink more or less. The Chaldee calleth it a cup of curse; Affliction is in itself a fruit of sin, and a piece of the curse.

And the wine is red ] And so more powerful, and piercing. That is an affliction, and grievous, that God maketh to be so.

It is full of mixture ] i. e. Ready prepared, as Prov. 9.2. Rev. 14.10. or mingled with spices to make the wine more hot and inebriating.

And he poureth out of the same ] The Saints sip of the top only, they drink illud solum quod est suavius & limpidus, the sweeter and clearer part of God's cup. Excellently Mr. Bradford Martyr, in a certain letter of his, Drink, saith he, of God's cup willingly, and at the first when it is fullest, peradventure if we linger, we drink at length of the dregs with the wicked, if at the beginning we drink not with God's Children.

But the dregs thereof ] The full vials of divine vengeance.

All the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drink them ] They shall drink them every drop, yea though it be eternity to the bottom. This shall be worse to them than was that ladle-full of scalding lead poured down the throat of a dr • nken man, by the command of a Turkish Bashaw.

Vers. 9. But I will declare forever ] viz. God's great goodness in mine advancement to the Kingdom, and the rest of those wonderful works, verse. 1.

I will sing praises, &c. ] This thankful man was worth his weight in the gold of Ophir.

Vers. 10. All the horns of the Wicked also will I cut off ] By promising the due administration of vindictive and remunerative Justice, he seeks to insinuate into the people's affections, who, after Ishbosheths death, came in to make him King.

But the horns of the Righteous shall be exalted ] Dignity shall wait upon desert, which shall cause it again to be waited upon by respect. Thus it should be in the Courts of all Princes. In Cyrus his Court, though a man should seek or chu • e blindfold, he could not miss of a good man, saith Xenophon.

PSAL. LXXVI.

A Psalm or song of Asaph] Or, for Asaph; Either made prophetically by Asaph himself; or by some other Psalmist who committed it to Asaphs successors, to be plaid and sung. The Hebrews say it is made de bello Gogi; of the war with Gog and Magog, that is, the Eastern and Western Antichrist • The Greeks • ay 〈…〉 Of 〈◊〉 and his • ost and 〈◊〉 the ma • er or the Psalm is such as very well agreeth with that overthrow. Con • er Psal. 46. •• 48.

Vers. 1. In Judah is God known ] Nobili • est, saith 〈…〉 est, saith another Interpreter, i. e. Better known he is now than eve • , not by his Word only which is preached in Judah, but by his wondrous works; this especially of destroying the Assyrians at Lachish, in the Tribe of Judah.

His name is great in Israel] Greater now than ever: God having made himself a glorious names, Isa. 63.14. Egypt rang of this • la • ghter of the Assyrians as Herodotus testifieth; so did all other Countries, doubtless.

Vers. 2. In Satem also is his Tabernacle ] i. e. In Jerusalem, which was first called Salem, Gen. 14.18. Heb. 7.2. Secondly, Jebus, 1 Chron. 11.4. Josh. 15.8. & 18.28. Thirdly, Jerusalem, Josh. 15.63. & 2 Sam. 5.6. not quasi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Solomon's Temple (as Hegefippus would have it, and hence likely came the aspiration Jerusalem ) but from that famous Jehovah, Jireh, Gen. 22.14. with 2. which Jir • h being added to Salem maketh it Jerusalem, the vision of peace. Here God was pleased to pitch his Tabernacle, moveable, and mean, in respect of God's greatness, 1 King. 8.27.

And his dwelling-place in Zion ] Which therefore he will save and see to, as every man doth to the place of his habitation.

Vers. 3. There brake • e the arrows of the bow ] There? Where? Surely in Zion, in the holy Assemblies where the Saints were praying, there the Arrow, Shield, Spear, &c. were broken. This made the Queen Mother of Scotland say, that she more feared the prayers of John Knox, than an Army of thirty thousand fighting Soldiers. The King of Sweden, as soon as he set foot in Germany fell down to Prayer, and what great things did he in a little time? Now for the fruit of Prayer cried those great Gallants at Edge-hill fight, and did great exploits. The word he •• rendered Arrows signifieth fiery Darts, see Eph. 6.16. a burning coal, Job 5.7. a light bolt, Psal. 78.48. the Plague, or Carbuncle, Deut. 32.24. • abak. 3.5. Strabo saith, that Ori • es, Gy •• eters, and Ethiopians shot fiery Arrows: so might the Assyrians. Confer Psal. 120.4.

The shield, and the sword, and the battle ] Both the Men, and the Munition. This Herodotus had heard of, but mil-relateth the History, lib. 2.

Vers. 4. Thou art more glorious and excellent ] Or, more bright and magnificent. Glorious God was before, but now more glorious by this late deliverance; illuminating his people with his marvelous light.

Than the mountains of prey ] Those vast Hosts of Assyrians lying now upon the Mountains round about Jerusalem, and plundering the Country at their pleasure. Thou Lord art far more illustrious and admirable than all those Grassatores popul • , ac reges qua 〈◊〉 elati, those mountains of Lions and Leopards, Cant. 4.8. the Kingdoms of this World, enemies to the Church.

Vers. 5. The stout-hearted are spoiled ] Heb. have yielded themselves up for a prey: those that escaped the stroke of the Angel, fled as fast as they could for their lives, leaving all behind them. The Rabbin's expound it, they are spoiled of their understanding, infatuated.

They have slept their sleep ] Their long Iron-sleep (as the Poets call it) of Death. The destroying Angel hath laid them fast enough, and safe enough.

And 〈◊〉 of the men of might ] Viri divili • rum, the vulgar rendereth it, Men of riches, such as are all 〈◊〉 , but men of might is better: these men of their hands could not find their hands, when God's Angel took them to do.

Vers. 6. At thy rebuke, O God &c. ] i. e. with thy mighty word of command, and without anymore ado, God can nod men to destruction, Psal. 80.16. blow them into Hel▪ Job 4.9. rebuke them to death, as here: do it with as much ease as he that swimeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim, Isa. 25.11.

The Chai •• and the Horse ] The Chieftains of the Army.

Vers. 7. 〈…〉 ] Herodotus saith, that 〈…〉 was written, 〈…〉 .

〈…〉 is God's Wrath revealed plainly and plentifully, Rom. 1.28. and 〈◊〉 he oft appeareth for his people, and out of an engine.

The earth feared ] All was 〈◊〉 , as 〈◊〉 Thunder 〈◊〉 .

Vers. 9. When God 〈…〉 ] Being stirred up as it were, by the prayers of his people, as verse. 2, 3.

To save all the 〈◊〉 of the earth ] Who cease not to seek the Lord, to 〈◊〉 righteousness and judgment, Zeph. 2.3.

Vers. 10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise the • ] As when 〈…〉 army was destroyeth the Istraelites sang praise yea the Aegy • ians built Altars as Isa. 19. God by his wisdom ordereth, and draweth the blind and brute motions of the worst Creatures unto his own honor; as the Hi • ts-man doth the rage of the Dog to his pleasure; or the Mariner the blowing of the Wind to his voyage; or the 〈◊〉 , the heat of the fire to his Work; or the Physician, the blood-thirstiness of the Leech to a Cure, saith a Reverend man.

The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain ] Heb. Shalt thou gird; that is, curb and keep within compass. The Greek hath it, It shall keep holy day to thee; that is, cease from working, or acting outwardly, how restless • o • ver it be within.

Vers. 11. Vow and pay to the Lord ] A plain precept; and yet Bellarmine saith, 〈…〉 est praeceptum. As for vowing to Saints, he granteth, that when the Scriptures were written, the Church had no such custom. Saint-worship then is but new worship.

Let all that he round about him ] All the neighbouring Nations and so they did, after Ashurs overthrow, 2 Chron. 32.21, 23.

To him that ought to be feared ] Heb. To fear, that is, to God the proper object of fear, called therefore Fear, by an appellative property.

Vers. 12. He shall cut off the spirit of Princes ] Vind ••• iabit, he shall slip them off as one would do a bunch of Grapes, or a Flower between ones fingers: easily, suddenly, as he dealt by 〈◊〉 Princes.

He is terrible to Kings ] Enemies to his Church, as most Kings are.

PSAL. LXXVII.

A Psalm of Asaph ] Or, for Asaph, David's melancholy Psalm some call it, made by him when he was in grievous affliction and desertion. Out of which he seeketh to wind by earnest Prayer, by deep Meditation upon God's former favors, and unchangeable nature; and lastly, by calling to mind God's wondrous works of old, both in proving, and in preferving his Church and chosen.

Vers. 1. I cried unto God with my voice, &c. ] I prayed instantly and constantly, and sped accordingly. No faithful prayer is ineffectual.

Vers. 2. In the day of my trouble ] The time of affliction is the time of supplication, Psal. 50.15.

My fore 〈◊〉 in the night ] Heb. My hand was poured out; that is, stretched out in prayer; or wet with continual weeping. Non fuit remiss, nec 〈◊〉 in lectum.

And ceased not ] Or, was not tired; in allusion, belike to Moses his hands held up against A •• leck; though

My soul refused to be comforted ] I prayed on, though I had little heart to do it, (as Daniel afterwards did the Kings work, though he were sick) or though with much infirmity, whilst I rather wrangled with God, by cavilling objections, than wrast • ed with him, as I ought to have done, by important prayer.

Vers. 3. I remembered God, and 〈…〉 troubled ] 〈…〉 ; for God seemed to be angry, and to cast out my prayers; this made me mourn, and little less than 〈◊〉 .

My 〈…〉 ] With sense of Sin, and seat of Wrath. This was a very grievous and dangerous temptation, such as we must pray not to be •• d into, or at least 〈◊〉 to be left under, 〈…〉 .

Vers. 4. 〈…〉 .

That I cannot speak ] Cura l •• es loguuntur, ing • ntes stupent.

Vers. 5. I have considered the days of old ] What thou diddest for Adam, Abraham, Israel, in Egypt, &c. all which was written purposely, that we through patience, and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope. See Deut. 32.7.

Vers. 6. I call to remembrance my Song in the night ] i. e. My former feelings and experiments, being glad in this scarcity of comfort, to live upon the old store, as Bees do in winter.

I commune with mine own heart ] Psal. 4.4. see there.

And my spirit made diligent search ] For the cause, and cure of my present distempers.

Vers. 7. Will the Lord cast off forever? ] No, not at all, though the extremity and length of the Psalmists grief put him upon these sad Interrogatories, with some diffidence, touching the Nature, and Promise of God.

Will he be favorable no more? ] So the Devil, and carnal reason would have persuaded him; and did haply for a time. But this very questioning the matter showeth, he yet lay languishing at Hopes Hospital, waiting for comfort. The Soul may successively doubt, and yet believe.

Vers. 8. Is his mercy clean gone for over? ] They that go down into the pit (of Despair) cannot hope for God's truth, Isa. 38.18. but so doth not any Saint in his deepest desertions.

Doth his promise fail for evermore? ] Hath he retracted his Promises, recalled his Oracles confirmed with Oath, Seal? No, he will not suffer his faithfulness to fail, nor alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth, Psal. 89.33.

Vers. 9. Hath God forgotten to be gracious? ] So it seemeth sometimes to those that are long afflicted, and short-spirited; But what saith the Prophet? Can a Woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the Son of her womb? yea they may forget (they may prove unnatural, and grow out of kind, as Medea, and those Suevian women, who threw their young Children at the Romans (under the conduct of Drusus, Son in Law to Augustus ) instead of Darts) yet God will not forget his people, Isa. 49.15. Indeed he can as soon forget himself, and change his nature.

Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? ] These things the Psalmist speaketh not as utterly despairing, but as one courageously wrestling against an old Manslayer, and a misgiving heart of his own. Homines vero securi, & voluptatibus ebrii, nihil horum intelligent. This is little understood by profane Sensualists, who therefore reap no great benefit by the reading of these Psalms.

Vers. 10. And I said, this is my infirmity ] My frailty, and folly. Here he begins to recollect, and recall himself, as every good soul will, after its extravagancies and out-bursts. Vatablus rendereth it, Mors mea est, This is my death; Beza, Caedeo mea haec, This is my Deaths-wound, sc. whereof I should surely die, were it not for the change of God's hand upon me.

But I will remember, &c. ] This is supplied out of the following verse. Some make no such supply, but render the text thus, The right hand of the most High can change these things. Others, This is the change of the right hand of the most High, and is therefore to be taken patiently; Shall we receive good at God's hands, and not evil, Job 2.10? I am not utterly deserted, but only the case is a little altered, the right hand of the most High alternated.

Vers. 11. I will remember the works, &c. ] Remember, and, commemorate, as the Hebrew (by a double reading) importeth.

I will remember thy Wonders ] God is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working, Isa. 28. ult. and as we behold the Sun in the waters, so God in his works, Saculum speculum, the World is a glass or theater, but especially the Church, wherein God setteth forth his wonders to the view of all.

Vers. 12. I will mediate also of all thy works, and • alk, &c. ] See the Note on Psal. 45. • .

Vers. 13. Thy way O God is in the Sanctuary ] There it is only that I can get satisfaction about, thy proceedings, Psal. 73.17. There I am •• ught, that thou 〈…〉 and holy in all thy works, 〈…〉 this text, Thy way O God is 〈…〉 q. d. Thy way is in Heaven, far above man's reach.

Who is so great a God us our God? ] And therefore no wonder his ways are so incomprehensible.

Vers. 14 Thou art the God that doest wonders ] In the daily defense and government of thy Church. Thou art the great Thaumaturgus, or wonder-worker.

Thou hast declared thy strength among the people's ] As among the Egyptians, Canaanites, Phil • stines &c. Vere 〈◊〉 est Deus Chistianorum, said one Calocerius, an Heathen.

Vers. 15. Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people ] viz. Out of the bondage of Egypt, that memorable mercy; but nothing to that of ours and theirs from sins thralldom.

The sons of Jacob, and Joseph] Joseph is instanced, quia nobilis inter fratres, vel in malis quae pendit, vel in bon • quae rependit, as Austin hath it.

Vers. 16. The waters saw thee, O God — they were afraid ] This is check to such as will not see to fear so mighty a God. Lord, saith the Prophet, when thy hand is lifted up they will not see; but they shall • see and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea the fire of thine enemies shall devour them, Isa. 26.11.

Vers. 17. The clouds poured out water, the skies, &c. ] Calvin taketh this to be a description of that hideous tempest, Exod. 9. the seventh Plague of Egypt. But others with more probability hold, that the Prophet here hath respect to that very time mentioned in the former verse, when the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians out of the fiery and cloudy pillar, and so troubled and turmoiled them with stormy tempests, that their Charret wheels fell off, and themselves sank as lead in the mighty waters, Exod. 14.24, 25. & 15.10. Of these terrible tempests mention is made also by Justin.

Vers. 18. The voice of thy thunder was in the Heaven ] Heb. In the Sphere or round-orb of the air. Of the thunder in the air, see Job 37.2-5. Psal. 29. This made the Egyptians say, Let us fly, for God fighteth for Israel against us.

The lightnings lightened the World ] Such flakes of fire there were with flashes of lightening, as darkened the Sun, and made the whole Heavens seem to be on a light fire.

Vers. 19. Thy way is in the Sea, &c. ] A way of thine own miraculous making. God usually goeth a way by himself.

And thy footsteps are not known ] Not so much as is the way of an Eagle in the air, the way of a Serpent upon a rock, or the way of a ship in the midst of the Sea, Prov. 30.19. Let God alone with his own work, commit we ourselves to him in well-doing, and it shall go well with us, no question of it. Pii viam desperatae salutis, impi • foveam insperatae mortis intrant.

Vers. 20. Thou leddest thy people like a flock ] And so he still leadeth his Church with much love and care, by good Magistrates and Ministers, who are as his under-shepherds.

PSAL. LXXVIII.

MAschil of Asaph ] Ode didascalica Asaphi. The six first verses are procemial, wooing attention from the dignity, difficulty, antiquity, certainty, &c. of the matter in this Psalm discoursed on, containing an abstract of the whole Pentateuch, and acquainting us with the ancient way of preaching, which was an historical narration of the miraculous mercies that God had from time to time conferred upon his people, their hateful abuse of his benefits, and their punishments thereupon. This is to be seen in sundry Psalms, in St. Stephens Sermon, Act 7. and St. Paul's, Act. 13. & est sane valde venerandum ist • d sancta antiquitatis 〈◊〉 ; This is a very venerable momment of holy antiquity, and teacheth us the right use of history, quae dicta est 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 saith Plato.

Vers. 1. Give ear O my people to my Law ] i. e. To my Doctin, which hath its name in Hebrew from darting it into the soul; and these are the Psalmists words in God's name, calling for utmost attention.

Incline your ears, &c. ] Lay them close to my lips, that no parcel of this sacred language fall to the ground by your default, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , A • rizate, auribus h •• rite, Receive it into your ears; yea, draw up the ears of your mind to the ears of your bodies, that one sound may pierce both, Act. 2.14. Isa. 55.3. Hear and give ear, be not proud, for the Lord hath spoken it, Jer. 13.15.

Vers. 2. I will open my mouth in a parable ] I will speak freely and plainly ( I will open my mouth, Mat. 5.2. Act. 10.34.) and yet acutely and accurately, See Psal. 49.4. with the Note.

I will utter dark sayings of old ] Heb. I will well-out (as from a spring or fountain) dark or sharp sayings, transacted and recorded of old, but of good use forever. Difficulty doth not discourage, but rather whet on heroic spirits to a more diligent inquiry. Ibn-Ezra noteth here, that verse 9. The children of Ephraim, &c. is a parable, and verse 25. Man did eat Angels food, is a riddle, or dark saying.

Vers. 3. Which we have heard and known ] Hearing and seeing are the two learned senses, whereby knowledge, yea life, entereth into the soul, Prov. 2.2, 10. Isa. 55.3.

And our Fathers have told us ] Have delivered down to us from hand to hand, whetting upon us the written word, Deut. 6.7. and adding thereunto, for explication, many other things fit to be known.

Vers. 4. We will not hide them from their children ] The manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal, 1 Cor. 12.7. neither is any one born, (much less born again) for himself; but must be as useful as may be in his Generation,

The praises of the Lord ] The praise-worthy acts of God for his people, and against their enemies; for these two are not sundered, Phil. 1.28.

Vers. 5. For he established a testimony in Jacob, &c.] Lest any should attribute too much to ancient traditions, and to show that Antiquity must have no more authority than what it can maintain; the Psalmist here (as afterwards the Prophet Isaiah ) calleth them, to the Law, and to the Testimonies; for if any speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them, Isa. 8.26.

Vers. 6. Who shall arise and declare them ] i. e. Succeed their Parents both in their place and office of teaching their posterity; not suffering the truth which is after godliness, ( Tit. 1.1.) to fall and fall in the streets, Isa. 59.14, 15. or if it do, raising it up again, and restoring it to their utmost.

Vers. 7. That they might set their hope in God ] Summa legis divinae & scopus, this is a brief of the Bible, viz. to believe in God and obey his law; both which men shall the better do, if they forget not his works.

Vers. 8. And might not be as their Fathers ] Fathers are not always to be followed, Ezek. 20.18, 19. He zealously affected his Fathers, but not well, who said, I will follow them sicut bos armentum, e • iamsi • uant, though I fall with them.

A stubborn and rebellious Generation ] Aver satrix & irritatrix.

A Generation that set not, &c. ] Double-minded men, unstable in all their ways, Jam. 1.8. having religionem ephemeram, as Beza said of Balduin, that Ecebolius the second.

And whose spirit was not steadfast with God ] As was that Martyrs who said, Though you may pluck the heart out of my body, yet you shall never pluck the truth out of my heart. The Heavens shall sooner fall, said Another, than I will forsake the Truth I have once received.

Vers. 9. The children of Ephraim being armed, &c. ] This the Rabbin's interpret of eight thousand Ephraimites, who would needs break prison, as it were, out of Egypt (before the time that God had set for their deliverance thence) and seize upon Palestine the promised Land; but with evil success; for they were slain by the men of Gath, to the great grief of their Father Ephraim, 1 Chron. 7.21, 22, 23. and to the increase of their servitude in Egypt, Exod. 1. This is historia Caballica. See R. Solomon on those words, Exod. 15.14. the people shall hear and be afraid; sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestine, who remembering what a slaughter they once made of these Ephraimites, shall fear the just revenge of that cruelty. Others interpret this text by Judge. 1.29. and some by 2 King. 17. with Hos. 10.6, 7, 8, &c. but this to me seemeth likeliest. These are ancient things, and of such the Psalmist promiseth to treat, verse. 2, 3.

Being armed and carrying bows ] Trusting to their own strength, and warlike preparations; and choosing rather to be counted temerarious than timorous.

Turned back in the day of battle ] Carnal confidence seldom comes home, otherwise than weeping.

Vers. 10. They kept not the Covenant, &c. ] And so betrayed themselves into the hands of divine justice, they were worthily worsted. See 2 Chron. 15.2.

And refused walk in the law ] They were set upon it, and would not be ruled by their Father Ephraim, or any other that counseled them to the contrary; and haply said the like to them that Archidamus did to his over-daring son, Aut viribus add, aut animis adime, Either add to thy forces, or abate of thy courage.

Vers. 11. And forgot his works and his wonders ] Forgetfulness is a grave; & ingrato quicquid donatur, deperditur, all is lost that is conferred on an ungrateful person.

Vers. 12. Marvelous things did he, &c. ] Whereof they were eye-witnesses, and therefore could not plead ignorance, or excuse. The Hebrew hath it, a marvel, or a miracle, collective.

In the field of Zoan] Corruptly called afterward Tan and Tanis; a populous and principal City of Egypt even in Isaiah's time, chap. 19. one hundred and eighty furlongs from Memphis, saith Josephus; there Moses wrought his miracles.

Vers. 13. He divided the Sea ] Making it fordable for them, and fixing those fluid waters, like stone walls on each hand of them, whiles they passed thorough with ease and safety. Every main affliction is our Red-sea; which while it threats to swallow, preserveth us.

Vers. 14. In the daytime also he led them with a cloud ] This cloud not only conducted them, but also compassed them in on every side, both to keep them from the parching heat of the Sun, and to save them from the sight and violence of their enemies, Exod. 13.21. A figure of God's guidance of his Church, and protection over the same, Isa. 4.5. Neh. 9.9.

Vers. 15. He clave the rocks ] And set them abroach, both that in Rephidim, Exod. 17. and the other in Cadesh, Num. 20. Moses Nehamides, on Exod. 17. saith, that the old Jew-doctors held that the Rock of Rephidim not only yielded waters like a river all those forty years wherein they were in the wilderness, but followed them also there whithersoever they went. This agreeth well with that of the Apostle St. Paul. 1 Cor. 10.4. who sweetly allegorizeth this history.

As out of the great deeps ] i. e. In great abundance. Rocks sooner yield fire than water; but what cannot God do?

Vers. 16. He brought streams also out of the Rock ] Idem enuntiat per Epexege • i, ad miraculi magnitudinem ostendendam. The same again, to set forth the greatness of the miracle. This was a standing miracle, as was also the pillar of cloud, the pillar of fire, and the Manna.

Vers. 17. And they sinned yet more against him ] The better he was to them, the worse were they toward him; as if God had hired them to be wicked; and this was ordinary with them, and is still amongst us. Oh the divine patience!

By provoking the most High in the wilderness ] In terra arida ubi Deo indies indigebant, ibi peccabant, saith Ibn-Ezra here. This was another aggravation of their sin.

Vers. 18. And they tempted God in their hearts ] In their hearts first, but afterwards also with their lips. The Psalmist here striketh at the root of their wickedness.

By asking meat for their lust ] Not for their necessity (that had been more excusable, Prov. 6.30.) but to satisfy their inordinate appetite, to gratify their licorice palate.

Vers. 19. Yea they spake against God ] Their villanous and foul thoughts blistered and brake out at their lips.

Can God furnish a table? ] This was a blasphemous question. God can do more than he will; but whatsoever he will do, that shall be done, and nothing can hinder it. Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make • i • e clean, said he in the Gospel. And this was better than that of the other, who said, If thou canst do anything, help us, Mar. 9.

Vers. 20. Behold he smote the Rock, &c. ] And so shown his power; we cannot deny it; but now for his will.

Can he give bread also, &c.? ] They should have said, will he serve our lusts? but that they were ashamed to say.

Can he provide flesh for his people? ] i. e. Dainty and delicate flesh, such as is that of Quails, meat for a King; for they carried their cattle out of Egypt with them; and so they could not be without ordinary flesh, too good for such unthankful miscreants.

Vers. 21. Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth ] Efferbuit, excanduit. Anger is a kind of fire, a boiling of the blood about the heart, thorough desire of revenge. But fury is not in me, saith God, Isa. 27.4. If anger be ascribed unto him, as here, it is an expression fitted to our apprehension, because he doeth that which angry men use to do, viz. chide, and smite for sin; but all in a way of justice, and without the least perturbation.

So a fire was kindled ] It began to smoke and burn.

And anger also came up ] Ascended, i. e. Flamed, for anger beginneth at the heart, and then cometh up into the brain, face, nostrils.

Vers. 22. Because they believed not in God ] As faith is a radical and complexive grace, so is unbelief a radical sin, a teeming vice, Heb. 3.12. a well-spring of wickedness; Many sins are bound up in it, as Cicero saith of Parricide.

And trusted not in his salvation ] i. e. In his saving promises.

Vers. 23. Though he had commanded the clouds ] Though he had served them as never Prince was served in his greatest state, yet all served not turn.

And opened the doors of heaven ] Rupturas nubium raining down upon them plenty of Manna; so that it was not hunger, but humor that set them a lusting.

Vers. 24. And had rained down Manna upon them ] Manna signifieth, what's this? whereunto in the Allegory answereth, This is my body. Or, according to others, it signifieth a prepared portion, prepared by God, so that they might presently eat of it, though they might grind, or pun, or bake, or boil it also, they might do anything with it, as they might with meal; whence it is here called the corn of heaven, that is, a seed which was unto them instead of corn.

Vers. 25. Man did eat Angels food ] Heb. the bread of the mighty. (Angels are called mighties, Isa. 10.34. Rev. 18.21.) such delicate bread as might beseem Angels to eat, if they did eat any at all; such as the Poets fain to be their Nectar, and Ambrosia. Or, the bread of the mighty, sc. that mightily strengthened them.

He sent them meat to the full ] Heb. Meat taken in hunting; so called, because dainty as venison, or, quia semper ambulabant, & in via quasi eam venabantur, sc. Josh. 1.11.

Vers. 26. He caused an East-wind to blow ] Pergere, to go, to pass away, and to give place to the South-wind.

And by his power, he brought in the South-wind ] That it might bring in the Quails. Now Pliny writeth, that Quails, though they love to fly with the wind because of their heavy bodies and small strength, yet not with the Southwind, because it is moist and so more heavy than the North wind, which therefore they rather delight in. And if this be true, here's another miracle, faith an Expositor, that these Quails were brought in by that wind, which when it bloweth, they commonly rest and hide themselves.

Vers. 27. He rained flesh also upon them as dust ] Dapibus illos compluit. This he had done once afore for them. See Exod. 16. with Numb. 11. their unbelief therefore and impatiency this second time was the more heinous.

Vers. 28. And he let it fall in the midst of their camp ] A days journey on each side, and about two cubits above the earth, Num. 11.31. in such abundance, that Moses could not believe it were possible to be done, though all the fish in the Sea should be gathered together, and turned into flesh. • ib.

Vers. 29. So they did eat and were filled ] But better they had fasted. Many eat that on earth, which they must d •• gest in hell; these here were murthering 〈◊〉 .

He gave them their own desire ] They were heard, ad voluntatem, non ad utilitatem. Deus saepe dat ira •• quod negat propitius. God's gifts to a graceless man are giftless gifts; and he had better a great deal be without them.

Vers. 30. They were not estranged from their lust ] Satiated they were, but not satisfied. It is as easy to quench the fire of Aetna, as the thoughts set on fire by lust.

Vers. 31. The wrath of God came upon them ] Heb. Ascended, as a flame, which the bigger it groweth, the higher it getteth.

And slew the fattest of them ] Those that had glutted and stuffed themselves like a wool-pack, being nitida & been curata cute pingues, fat and fair-liking.

And smote down the chosen men of Israel] Or, The young men, who by a hasty Testament bequeathed that new name Kibroth hattaanah, that is, the graves of lust, to the place they lay buried in.

Vers. 32. For all this they sinned still ] They utterly lost the fruit of their calamities; which godly men hold a very great loss.

And believed not ] Neither mercies nor crosses duly affected them.

Vers. 33. Therefore their days did he consume in vanity ] So that they never saw the promised land, for the which they came out of Egypt; but their carcasses fell in the wilderness. Who knoweth, saith a Reverend man, whether God purpose not to wear out this present Generation that hath been defiled with the superstition of the land, that we may not see the good that he will bring upon this Church?

And their years in trouble ] Or, in terror, for they were in continual fear of God's wrath, of their enemies round about; of wild beasts, fiery Serpents, &c.

Vers. 34. When he slew them, then they sought him ] Fictis scilicet, quibusdam & fucatis pollicitationibus, with a few dissembled devotions. So many now, when deadly sick, will be wondrous good. Nuper me amici eujusdem languor admonuit, optimos esse nos dum infirmi sumus. As Iron is very soft and malleable whiles in the fire, but soon after returneth to its former hardness; so many, whilst afflicted seem very well affected, but afterwards soon show what they are. William R • fus in a fit of sickness at Gloucester vowed upon his recovery to see all vacancies in the Church furnished; which he did, but with so great adoo, as shown that having escaped the danger, he would willingly have deceived the Saint, saith the Chronicler. In the sweating-sickness here in England, so long as the ferventness of the Plague lasted, there was crying, Peccavi, peccavi, the Ministers were sought for in every corner; You must come to my Lord, you must come to my Lady, &c. but this lasted with many little longer than the disease; so deceitful is man's heart, and desperately wicked. Most men are nailed to the earth (saith One well) as Sisera was by Ja • l; and will not so much as lift up their eyes to Heaven, unless it be as Hogs do, who go nodling down; and rooting in the earth all their life, and never look upward, till being ready to be killed, they are laid flat upon their back and forced; so these, till wrestling with the pangs of death, they are fastened to their sick beds, &c.

And they returned ] but they gave but the half-turn; they turned not even unto God with all their heart, as Joel 2.12.

And inquired early after God ] Heb. Manicabant sive aurorizabant Deum, aurora velut anticipata; they were up and at it by peep of day.

Vers. 35. And they remembered ] Misery is the best art of memory. But this remembrance of God was but as letters written in the sand, or as a picture drawn on the Ice, that long continueth not; 'twas but a flash, and while they were in a good mood; 'twas but as Nebuchadnezzar's dream, which he had soon forgotten. They remembered God, lingua non cord, with the tongue, but not with the heart. as Ibn-Ezra here glosseth. They gave God a mess of fair words, calling him Rock, Redeemer, &c. but he is not to be so courted and complemented, Goats may be fed with leaves, but God is not mocked.

Vers. 36. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth ] They looked pitifully, as the Fox caught in a gin doth, but it is only to get out; they spake God fair, as the Devil in the Gospel did our Savior, but it was only to be rid of him. They worshiped him, as the Indians do the Devil, that he may do them no hurt. The Latin word Colo, to worship, is by some derived of the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to flatter, and the English word flatter, from the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to worship. Sure it is that many men's devotion is mere dissimulation.

And they lied unto him ] sc. Whiles they called him Rock Redeemer, and all was but from the teeth outward; which how much God abhorreth as a ludibrious devotion, see Jer. 3.4, 5. And here is said to be the middle of the Psalter; for hither to the Hebrews reckon one thousand two hundred sixty and three verses; and as many they note to be yet left in the Second part.

Vers. 37. For their heart was not right with him ] It was still the old heart, without any sincere change; and that can never hold out the hardship of Holiness, but will deviate and falsify: The Rack may make it roar, the Rod flutter, but all is in Hypocrisy. An Hypocrite would cozen God of Heaven if he could tell how.

Neither were they steadfast, ] See verse. 8.

Vers. 38. But he being full of compassion ] Not standing upon terms, not taking advantages; a sin-pardoning God, whose Mercy rejoiceth against (or glorieth over) Judgment, Jam. 2.13. it is of his mercy that we are not consumed, Lam. 3.22. if he should deal with us in strict justice, Et delicta nostra ad calculos vocare, there were no abiding by it, Psal. 130. & 143.

Yea many a time turned he his anger away ] With patience and pity, he overcame their provocations, although they tempted him ten times, that is very often, Numb. 14.20.

And did not stir up all his wrath ] Heb. he multiplied to turn away his wrath, Strenue curavit ut cohiberet iram suam, he let fall some drops of his wrath, but would not shed the whole shower of it.

Vers. 39. For he remembered that they were but flesh ] i. e. Frail and feeble, full of sin and misery. (See Gen. 6.3.) altogether unable to grapple with God's wrath.

A wind that passeth away, &c. ] Et in suis reciprocationibus evanescens. For Winds neither return thither whence they blow, nor yet pass from one coast to another, but are wasted in the middle of the World, by the force of the Sun, and by their own motion, as Aristotle concludeth in his Discourse concerning Meteors. Now, what is man (saith Nazianzen ) but soul and soil, breath and body; a puff of Wind the one, a pile of Dust the other, no solidity in either?

Vers. 40. How oft did they provoke him in the Wilderness? ] Ten times at least in the first two years, Num. 14. & 19. What then in all the rest? Quis fando possit enacrare tot rebelliones. From the very day they came out of Egypt, they were always contending against the Lord, as Moses telleth them, when he was taking his leave of them, Deut. 31.

And grieve him in the Desert ] Where they were at his mercy, and at his immediate finding.

Vers. 41. Yea they turned back and tempted God ] They did it afresh, and after some resolutions and short-winded wishes of doing better.

And limited the holy one ] Designarunt, they prescribed to him, and set him his bounds which he must not pass; as Popilius the Roman Ambassador drew a Circle round about King Antiochus, and bade him give answer ere he stirred out of it, for he would be put off no longer. Now God is limited, when as either his power is questioned, as verse. 20. or his will circumscribed, as if he were bound to serve men's lusts, or means appointed him whereby he must work, and not otherwise.

Vers. 42. They remembered not his hand ] Forgetfulness is the root of rebellion and of all vice, as the Genevists well note here. Eaten bread is soon forgotten, Nihil citius senescit quam gratia.

Nor the day when he delivered them ] viz. From Pharaoh, but so soon as they had sucked the Honey, they despised the flower.

Vers. 43. How he had wrought his signs in Egypt ] That Stage of Wonders. See verse. 12.

In the field of Zoan ] A great City in Egypt; whereof read Es. 19.11.13. & 30.4. Ezek. 30.14. Josephus Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 9. See verse. 12.

Vers. 44. And had turned their rivers into blood, &c. ] Seven of those Ten Plagues of Egypt are here instanced, to aggravate the forgetness and perfidy of the Israelites. Good-turns aggravate unkindnesses, and out offenses are increased by our obligations.

And their floods that they could not drink ] Us{que} adeo ut aqua potabiles totam, alioqui stagnantem Aegyptum, deficerent. The Rabbin's say (but who told them, I know not) that out of the same vessel an Egyptian drank blood, and an Israelite water.

Vers. 45. He sent divers sorts of Flies amongst them ] Miscellam muscarum venenatarum, venomous Flies, and flying Serpents, whose poison and sting did even corrupt the Land, Exod. 8.24. The Greek rendereth it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Dog-fly.

Vers. 46. He gave also their increase unto the Caterpillar ] Together with the Grasshopper, Exod. 9. God's great army, Joel 2.

And their labor ] i. e. The fruits of the earth, which they had labored for; they lost both their Husbandry, and their Harvest.

Vers. 47. He destroyed their Vines with hail ] Heb. He killed, Quia plànta habes animam vegetativam, ut Job 14.8. saith Kimchi.

And their Sycamore trees with frost ] Or, with great hailstones mingled with fire, running along and catching, Exod. 9.24. Confer Rev. 16.21.

Vers. 48. He gave up their Cattle also to the Hail ] Moses saith men also, who were brained and burned by it.

Vers. 49. By sending evil Angels amongst them ] i. e. Some messengers of his wrath and displeasure, whether good or evil Angels it skills not.

Vers. 50. He made a way to his anger ] Heb. He weighed a path, recompensing their unjust stifness with his just Judgments, and proceeding in his anger from lighter plagues to that heaviest of all the rest, the slaying of all the flower of Egypt in one night, verse. 51.

Vers. 51. And smote all the first-born in Egypt] Certo pest is genere perniciocissimo & acutissimo. The Rabbins say, that in each house was a dead corps, viz. the Chief • ain of the Family, whether there were a first-born in it or not, Exod. 12.30.

In the Tabernacle of Ham] Who was the Father of Mizraim, the founder of the Egyptians, Gen. 10. who vainly boasted that they were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as ancient as their Land. Herodotus the Author of that Story, tells us also of a certain great Town in Egypt called Chemmim, from Cham likely.

Vers. 52. But made his own people to go forth like sheep ] i. e. Tuto & lente, softly and safely, as Gen. 33.13. tending them with all tenderness, and providing for their necessities.

Vers. 53. And he led them on safety, so that they seared not ] Or, if they did, it was without cause; Cur enim metuat hominem homo in sinu Dei positus.

Vers. 54. And he brought them to the border of his Sanctuary ] i. e. Of Judea, which Country he had consecrated to himself for the place and chief seat of religion: whence it is called, the holy Land. It had been a loathsome Land, Ezra 9.11. filled with filthiness from corner to corner, but now otherwise. How it was afterwards again polluted, see Isa. 1.21, 22, 23.

Even to this mountain ] Moriah, whereon stood the Temple: or, to this mountainous Country of Judea.

Which his right hand, &c. ] See Psal. 44.3.

Vers. 55. He cast out the Heathen also before them ] i. e. In their sight, and for their sake.

He divided them an inheritance by line ] Not a material Line, but Mathematical, saith an interpreter; whereby we may perceive that the way of making Maps was anciently in use among the Hebrews.

And made the Tribes of Israel, &c. ] Notwithstanding all their former provocations. See that none render evil for evil to any man, but ever follow (by God's example) that which is good, both amongst yourselves, and toward all men, 1 Thes. 5.15.

Vers. 56. Yet they tempted and provoked, &c. ] Neither God's Judgments on their enemies, nor his Mercies to themselves, could keep them within the bounds of obedience; but in a Land of uprightness they would deal unjustly, and not behold the Majesty of the Lord, Isa. 26.10.

Vers. 57. But turned back, &c. ] They had a kind of willingness and velleity, a kind of wambling, as one speaketh, but it boiled not up to the full height of resolution for God.

They were turned aside like a deceitful bow ] Non semper feriet quodc •• {que} minabitur arcus, but a deceitful bow, that turneth back into belly, as we say, will be sure to deceive the Archer, though he level his eye and his arrow never so directly to the Mark, and think with himself to hit it. Lo, such a false rotten bow is man's deceitful heart; and hence the arrows of his purposes and promises vanish oft in the air as smoke.

Vers. 58. For they provoked him to auger with their high places ] After the manner of the Heathens; yet with a good intention as they called it; because God is to be everywhere worshiped. But this was against an express law, Deut. 14. Exod. 20.

Vers. 59. When God heard this ] Sin crieth aloud in God's ears, though it be never so closely and cunningly carried.

And greatly abhorred Israel] As appeareth all along the book of Judges, whereof this verse is a summary.

Vers. 60. So that he forsook the Tabernacle of Shiloh] Whither it had been brought from Gilgal, and where it had rested a long while, but was forsaken of God when once idolized, 1 Sam. 4.

The Tent which he placed amongst men ] Which was a very great condescension, Isa. 66.1. Confer Joh. 1.14. Pro. 8.31.

Vers. 61. And delivered his strength — his glory, &c. ] i. e. His Ark which is elsewhere called the strength of God, 1 Chron. 16.11. 2 Chron. 6.41. and the glory of God, Psal. 26.8. & 63.3. because out of it he was wont to declare his power and glory, and to make himself visible after a sort.

Vers. 62. He gave his people also unto the sword ] sc. Of the Philistines, who slew thirty thousand of them in one battle, 1 Sam. 4. they lost him and themselves too; the Ark having been a far better defense to them than the Palladium to the Trojans.

Vers. 63. The fire consumed ] The fire of warlike force, which quickly licketh up all, and layeth waste.

And their Maidens were not given in marriage ] Heb. Praised, as they wont to be at their weddings with nuptial songs, and Epithalamia's, which the Hebrews call Hillulim, and the bride-chamber, Beth-halulah, the house of praise.

Vers. 64. Their Priests fell by the sword ] Hophni and Phineas did, 1 Sam. 4.11. both in one day, as had been foretold, 1 Sam. 2.34.

And their Widows made no lamentation ] As being themselves either killed with grief, as Phineas his wife, or carried captive. Here were ingentia, beneficiae, flagitia, supplicia.

Vers. 65. The Lord awaked, as one out of sleep ] Humanitus dictum; the Philistines haply had such bald conceits of him, that either he slept; or if awake, that he was overcome with wine.

Vers. 66. And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts ] viz. With emrods, 1 Sam. 5.6, 9, 12. infami podicis ignominia affecit illos, he punished them, as we do puny-boys on their posteriours.

Vers. 67. Moreover he refused, &c. ] He would dwell no longer at Shiloh, which was in the Tribe of Ephraim.

Vers. 68. But chose the Tribe of Judah] He chose it for his love, and then loved it for his choice. The word Tribe we borrow from the Romans, who at first divided the multitudes into three parts, called thereof Tribes. The Hebrew name signifieth a rod or scepter, and fitly agreeth to Judah.

Vers. 69. Like high palaces ] Not places, as some books absurdly have it. Like the earth, There shall be a Church to the Worlds end.

Vers. 70. He chose David also ] God chooseth not as man doth, 1 Cor. 1.26. yet Alexander the great advanced Abdolominus a poor Gardener to be King in Sidon.

And took him from the sheep-folds ] The art of feeding cattle, and the art of ruling men are sisters, saith Basel.

Vers. 71. From following the •• es ] So Saul from seeking Asses, Agathocles from making pots, Valentinian 〈◊〉 , &c. Pla • illa called upon her husband Theodosius the Emperor, to remember from what mean estate God had called him to the highest honors, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

Vers. 72. So he fed them, &c. ] See verse. 70. He was not malus vir bonus pr •• ceps (as is said of our Richard the third) but every way accomplished, and active for the good of his subjects.

PSAL. LXXIX.

A Psalm ] Of like subject, with Psalm 74. bewailing the same calamity of the Jews, whether under Nebuchadnezzar or Antiochus is uncertain; but foreseen by Asaph, or described by some other Prophet, and committed to some of Asaphs successors to be sung. Cantant justi etiam in adversis; as birds in the Spring tune most sweetly, when it raineth most sadly.

Vers. 1. O God the Heathen ] Ex abrupto ord • tur; q. d. canst thou endure it? Is it not high time for thee to set in? Lo they have filled the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel, Isa. 8.8. that is, O thou who art God with us, who givest with the Father, who prayest with the suitor, and who in all our afflictions art afflicted.

The holy Temple have they defiled ] Spoliando, funestando, & omnia profana impia{que} munera obeundo, See Psal. 74.7.

They have laid Jerusalem on heaps ] In rudera, into an Orchard-keepers cottage, saith the Vulgar. An elegant Hypotyposis.

Vers. 2. The dead bodies of thy Servants ] Either they denied them the honor of burial (which is reckoned among the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the dues of the dead) or else they mangled their dead bodies, and exercised their rage upon them, as the Papists did upon Hus, and Zwingli, and many of the English Martyrs. A barbarous practice, as Pausan • as judged it in Herodot. Call • ope.

The flesh of thy Saints, &c. ] Of thy beneficiaries, whose souls are with thee in Heaven; these have not so much as a burying-place on earth, but lie like common carrion Morticina, like cattle that die of the murrain, and are most ignominiously dealt withal: And yet these are God's Saints, and in some sense, Martyrs.

Vers. 3. Their blood have they shed like water ] They made no more reckoning of it, than of ditch-water; and were ready to say as Hannibal did when he saw a ditch full of men's blood, O formosum spectacutum! O beautiful sight!

And there was none to bury them ] Either none to bury them at all; which the Jews accounted worse than death, Eccles. 6. and the Romans extreme cruelty: Or none to bury them, cum ritibus with the accustomed rites and ceremonies, as Jacob was buried, Gen. 50. but not Jeconiah, Jer. 22.18.

Vers. 4. We are become a reproach to our neighbors ] To the Edomites, Philistines, Syrians, Tyrians, &c. who do now compose comedies out of our tragedies.

A scorn and derision to them that are round about us] Quorum opprobriis, Iudibriis, & contumeliis sumus expositi. This was more grievous to them than stripes or wounds, saith Chrysostom; because these being infflicted upon the body, are divided after a sort betwixt soul and body; but scorns and reproaches do wound the sold only. Hebet quendam aculeum contumelia, they leave a sting behind them, as Cicero observeth.

Vers. 5. How long wilt thou be angry, &c? ] Or, How long? wilt thou be angry forever? The Psalmist knew that the enemies were but God's executioners; and that if he were but once pacified, they should soon be put out of office.

Shall thy jealousy ] viz. For our Idolatry, Exod. 20.

Vers. 6. Pour out thy wrath, &c. ] Even the full vials of it.

That have not known thee ] More than by the book of the Creatures, wherein there is indeed a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , something of God manifested, Rom. 1.19, 20. even his eternal power and God-head, rendering men without excuse, but nothing of his goodness and patience leading them to repentance, chap. 2.4.

That have not called upon thy Name ] A note of profaneness, Psal. 14.4.

Vers. 7. For they have devoured Jacob] As Wolves and other ravenous creatures do the simple sheep.

His dwelling-place ] Or, his cottage, his sheep-coat.

Vers. 8. O remember not against us former iniquities ] Or, The iniquities of them 〈◊〉 were before us, wherewith we also are justly chargeable; the sin of the golden calf, saith the Arabic here, an ounce whereof is in all our sufferings to this day, say the Jews. Alexander slew the Bran • hidae, and utterly destroyed their City, because their Fore-fathers had long before endeavored to betray Greece into the hands of Xerxes.

Speedily prevent us ] Lest they come too late; for we are at last gasp.

Vers. 9. Help us — for the glory of thy Name ] A speeding argument. God will do much for his own glory, his wife as it were.

Purge away our sins ] Which nothing can do, but tender mercy.

Vers. 10. Where is their God? ] See Psal. 42.3. So Turks at this day (when they have the better of Christians) cry, where is the Christians God? We are the right Musalmans, &c.

By the revenging of the blood of thy Servants, &c. ] For the which make thou inquisition, and do justice.

Vers. 11. Let the sighing of the prisoner, &c. ] It was lately in many places of this land a like difficult thing, to find a wicked man in the enemies prisons, or a godly man out of them. The sights of such were shril in God's ears.

Preserve thou those that are appointed to die ] Heb. The children of death, those that being destined to destruction seem to be as much in deaths power, as children are in their Parents. The Arabic rendereth it, Redime filios occisorum, Redeem the children of those who are slain, lest the name of their Parents be blotted out.

Vers. 12. Into their bosoms ] Full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, Luk. 6.38. See Isa. 65.6, 7. Jer. 32.18.

Wherewith they have reproached thee ] viz. In reproaching us, who do quarter arms, as it were, with thee.

Vers. 13. So we thy people — will give thee praise ] A service which the Saints know to be so acceptable to God, that they commonly promise it, and accordingly perform it, Hos. 14.2. engaging also their children, as here, to do the like.

PSAL. LXXX.

UPon Shosha • nim Eduth ] Which some render the lilies of the Testimony, and interpret of the Jewish polity or Common-wealth called by Josephus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is, a God-government. Kimchi saith that Shosha • nim Eduth is species • oni nobis hodi • ignota, a kind of musical strain not known to us nowadays.

Vers. 1. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel] Thou that feeedest thy people, watchest over them, defendest, redeemest, reducest them; Thou that handlest them, curest them, washest them, drivest them as they are able to go, carryest them in thy bosom, doest all the offices of a good Shepherd for them. In calling upon God, it is wisdom to make choice of fit appellations and attributes, such as may strengthen our faith, and increase our fervor.

Thou that leadest Joseph] Joseph is named quia nobilis inter fratres, saith Austin; the first-birth-right was taken from Reuben, and given to Joseph, 1 Chron. 5. hence he is put for the whole people.

Thou that dwellest between (or fittest upon ) the Cherubims ] Those winged creatures that covered the mercy-seat, the Ark, and the two Tables of the Law within it; And all, to set forth Christ covering the curses of the Law, and graciously dwelling with the sons of men, to the admiration of Angels.

Shine forth ] Shew thy power in saving thy people, and punishing their enemies. Shine as the Sun doth in his strength.

Vers. 2. Before Ephraim Benjamin and Manasseh] These three Tribes went next after the Ark, when it removed, Num 2. & 10.

Stir up thy strength ] Which seemeth at present to lie, dormant.

Vers. 3. Turn us again ] Turn again our captivity, or show thyself reconciled unto us in Christ, who is here called the face of God, as some conceive.

Vers. 4. O Lord God of Hosts ] Jehovah bellipotens Deus. God hath his upper and nether forces, as his horse and foot ready pressed, say the Rabbin's.

How long wilt thou be angry? ] Heb. Wilt thou smoke? As angry people seem to send out smoke at their nostrils.

Against the prayer of thy people ] This is a sore affliction to the Saints, that their prayers seem to be ineffectual.

Vers. 5. Thou feedest them with the bread of tears ] Panibus fletu intinct is. It is as ordinary with them to weep, as it is with men to eat and drink.

And givest them tears to drink in great measure ] Trientales they are Tricongii in a sense, to their sorrow. They are afflicted even to utmost satiety. See Psal. 42.3. Holy Bradford oft mused at his meat, having his hat over his eyes, from whence came commonly plenty of tears dropping on his trencher.

Vers. 6. Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbors ] We have as many enemies as neighbors, all striving to enslave us. We are crushed betwixt them as corn is betwixt millstones.

And our enemies laugh among themselves ] Make them merry in our misery, revel in our ruins.

Vers. 7. Turn us again O God of Hosts ] See verse. 3. and observe that there it was only; Turn us again, O God, here O God of Hosts, and verse 19. O Lord God of Hosts. As the bird by much waving gathereth wind under the wing, and mounteth higher; so doth faith in prayer, vires{que} acquirit eundo.

Vers. 8. Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt] The Church is oft set forth by this smilitude. The Rabbins say, that Solomon made a vine of gold in the Temple. Athenaeus telleth us, that the Kings of Persia sat under a golden vine having bunches of smaragds and other stately stones. All this was nothing to God's Vine that plant of renown, brought out of Egypt (where it got no good, Ezek. 20.8) and set in a better soil.

Vers. 9. Thou preparedst room for it ] Espying out a fit place to plant it in, Ezek. 20.6. and making clean work before it, as some render the words, by pulling up those bad and barren weeds the Canaanites, that might have hindered its growth.

And didst cause it to take deep root ] viz. by thy digging, dressing, watering and mounding it; as of all possessions, none requireth greater care than that of Vineyards saith Cato; and there is peculiar affection in men toward the Vine above all trees, as another observeth.

Vers. 10. The hills were covered, &c. ] The Israelites grew amain in wealth, Power and multitude of men; witness their huge armies, and valiant acts, though the Country was not above two hundred miles long, and fifty miles broad.

Vers. 11. She sent out her bough • unto the Sea ] The midland Sea.

And her branches unto the river ] Euphrates. This was first done in David's days.

Vers. 12. Why hast thou then broken down her hedges? ] i. e. Taken away thy mighty hand hitherto held over her. This befell not till they degenerated into a strange Vine, Jer. 2. and brought forth wild grapes. Isa. 5.

Vers. 13. The Boar out of the Wood ] All Swine (but wild ones especially) are vitibus inimici, saith Theodoret, destructions to Vines. And Melancthon thinks that therefore God forbad the Jews to eat Swines flesh Eo quod sues omnia sursum deorsum vertant vastent{que}, because they turn up all; rooting things up by the roots, as the word here signifieth. Austin understands it of Vespasian, others of Antiochus, or Antichrist.

And the wild beast ] The soldiers, 2 Chron. 25.18.

Vers. 14. Visit this Vine ] Some understand it of Christ's incarnation.

Vers. 15. And the Vineyard ] Vitiarium, surculum, plantulam.

Vers. 16. They perish ] Scilicet palmites, & propagines, verse 10, 11.

Vers. 17. The man of thy right hand ] i. e. Israel, or the Messiah.

Vers. 18. So will not we go back ] A promise of gratitude, which is usually annexed to prayers for deliverance.

Vers. 19. Turn us again ] See verse 7. Prayers are like arrows of deliverance, which would be multiplied and enlarged, 2 King. 13.17.

PSAL. LXXXI.

VPon Gittith ] An Instrument brought from Gath, or used by Obed-Edom the Gittite; or a Psalm to be sung at the vintages, i.e. at the Feast of Tabernacles. It containeth a solemn Thanksgiving (for which cause also that Feast was instituted) with so great joy, that Plutarch took occasion there-hence to write (but falsely) that the Jews did then keep a Feast, or Holy-day to Bacchus.

Vers. 1. Sing aloud unto God ] Be loud and large in his praises, set them forth cheerfully, and courageously. God loveth zeal in all his services.

Vers. 2. Bring hither the Timbrel ] These Instruments then used in God's Service (as a part of the Jewish pedagogy) were types of that Spiritual joy which we should express in holy duties, no less than if we heard the most exquisite Music. There should be continual Music (habitual joy) in the Temple of the Holy Ghost.

Vers. 3. Blow up the Trumpet in the new Moon ] And the like at other solemn Feasts, three whereof (all in the seventh Month to be kept) Beza thinketh to be here plainly and distinctly noted. These Feasts were a shadow of things to come, but the body is in Christ, Col. 2.16, 17.

Vers. 4. For this was a statute ] The keeping of it therefore is not arbitrary, but necessary: Aut faciendum aut patiendum.

And a Law ] Which was to be kept as the apple of the eye, Prov. 7.2.

Vers. 5. This he ordained in Joseph ] Put for all Israel, as Psal. 80.1. though the Chaldee understandeth it of Joseph in person, and the next words of his going through the Land of Egypt to gather Corn in the seven plentiful years, and that at his first coming into Egypt, he understood not their Language.

Where I heard a Language ] Idolatrous Language, say some, contrary to the Language of Canaan: this God knew not, that is, liked not; Or, rather a strange foreign Language, which is not small grievance, Jer. 5.15. Ezek. 2.6. 1 Corinth. 14.11. to those especially, who understand no otherwise than by blows, as Beasts do men.

Vers. 6. I removed his shoulder from the burden ] From the woeful slavery of Egyptian Tyrants and Task-masters.

His hands passed away from the pots ] Or, Baskets, wherein was carried earth for brick-clamping, and Pot-making, &c. whereunto they were so close tied that they might not stir a foot from their daily work, till God delivered them. Some say, that the Pyramids were built by them.

Vers. 7. Thou calledst in trouble ] Their trouble called, though themselves had been silent; I have seen, I have seen the afflictions of my people, &c. but they cried to the Lord at the red Sea, Exod. 14.10, 15. and were delivered.

I answered thee in the secret place of thunder ] i. e. In the Pillar of Cloud, that stood betwixt the two Armies, and thundered against the Egyptians, Exod. 14.24. Confer Lam. 3.44.

I proved thee at the waters of Meribah ] When thou hadst but newly foot out of snare; and yet there, and then thou shewedst thyself. O thine ungratefulness! &c. this hath been thy manner from thy youth.

Vers. 8. Hear O my people, &c. ] Notwithstanding thy many and mighty provocations at Meribah, and elsewhere, I made a covenant with thee at Mount Sinai, and gave thee right Judgments, and true Laws, good Statutes, and Commandments, Neh. 9.13.

Vers. 9. There shall no strange god ] This is the first and chief Commandment, wherein all the rest are contained, saith Luther.

Vers. 10. Open thy mouth wide, &c. ] If thou be straitened tis not in me, but in thine own bowels; he secretly taxeth them for their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in prayer, their faithlesness and faint-heartedness, whereby they do deny as it were their own prayers: Ask largely, and speed accordingly.

Vers. 11. But my people would not hearken ] Here beginneth the Second part of the Psalm which is objurgatory, and very suitable to the season of the year at that Feast, that if it were a fruitful year, the Israelites might see and acknowledge God's goodness therein; as if otherwise, they might accuse themselves, and not the Lord.

Israel would none ] Heb. acquiesced not in me, was not well affected to me, but had hearts full of harlotry.

Vers. 12. So I gave them up ] I left them as a ship without a rudder; as an horse without reigns to go whither they would, and do what they would. This is a fearful Judgment, Hos. 4.14. Rom. 1.28. 2 Thes. 2.11, 12.

And they walked in their own counsels ] To their own ruin, because they took counsel but not of God, and covered with a covering, but not of his Spirit, that they might add sin to sin, Isa. 30.1.

Vers. 13. O that my people had hearkened unto me ] A wish after the manner of men; to set forth God's great desire of our welfare, which he here uttereth as it were, with a sigh and a groan.

Vers. 14. I should soon have subdued ] I would have turned the scales, and made them as much over-weight to their enemies, as they were to them.

And turned my hand, &c. ] God, with a turn of his hand can overturn his enemies, and relieve his little ones, Zach. 13.7. If he but spread forth his hands as a swimmer spreadeth forth his hands to swim, he shall bring down the pride of oppressors together, Isa. 25.11.

Vers. 15. The haters of the Lord should have submitted ] Heb. Lyed, that is, yielded feigned obedience, as Psal. 18.44.

But their time should have endured forever ] i. e. Their strength, saith the Chaldee; their tranquility and prosperity, say others. Theodoret referreth it to the enemies thus, The time of their calamity shall endure forever, they shall be eternally miserable.

Vers. 16. With the finest of the wheat ] Heb. With the fat or marrow of wheat, with the choicest of picked nourishment.

And with honey, &c. ] Hyperbole incomparabilis felicitatis & faecunditatis. See Deut. 32.13. shadowing out the sweetness of the Word and Sacraments.

PSAL. LXXXII

VEers. 1. God standeth in the Congregation of the Mighty ] There God is present and president by a particular providence, as Lord Paramount, and chief Magistrate, higher than the highest, Eccles. 5.8. Job 31.14. Ephes. 6.9. The Etheopian Judges, they say, do ever leave the chief seat of Judicature empty for him; and Solomon, for like reason; calleth that seat The holy place, Eccles. 8.10. There Elohim (that is, the Judge and Avenger ) standeth, or setteth himself, to behold the actions and affections of Judges, and to pass a censure upon their sentences. Good therefore was the counsel of Jehoshaphat to his Judges when to ride circuit, 2 Chron. 19.6. Take heed what ye do, for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord who is with you in the Judgment. Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord your God be upon you; take heed and do it, &c. Judges should sit in as great (though not so slavish) a fear of offending, as Olanes in the history did upon the flayd skin of his Father Silannes nailed by Cambyses on the tribunal, or as a Russian Judge, that feareth the boiling caldron, or open battocking; or the Turkish Senate, when they think the great Turk to stand behind the Arras at the dangerous door.

He judgeth among the God's ] i. e. Among the Magistrates (as our Savior interpreteth it, Joh. 10.34, 35.) who are called gods. First, By analogy tanquam Deum imitantes, saith Theodoret, as resembling God by having the power of life and death. Secondly, By participation, tanquam lumina illuminata, saith Austin; as stars participate their light from the Sun; so do Rulers their authority from the supreme Majesty. Thirdly, By deputation from God, whose vicegerents they are, and to whom they must be accountable for their mal-administration.

Vers. 2. How long will ye judge unjustly? ] viz. Thorough a cyclopicall contempt of God's senerity.

Will ye represent and express God to the World as a corrupt, crooked, and unrighteous Judge?

And accept the persons of the wicked? ] Heb. Lift up their faces, and show them more favor than others that are much honester? Barrabbas oft is released, and Christ crucified; Alter habet aequum, sed alter habebit equum, said that partial Emperor. This man hath the right on his side, but the other shall carry the cause, for all that.

Vers. 3. Defend the poor and Fatherless ] These are God's clients, and this is God's counsel worthy to be written with letters of gold on the walls of all Judicatories, as having in it better direction for a Statesman than all Lipsim his Be-hive, or Machiavels Spider-wed. These two Latin verses are said to be written over the Judgment-seat in Xant.

Vers. 4. Rid them out of the hand of the wicked ] Heb. Of the turbulent, who make a do, as the Devil doth, and vex others.

Vers. 5. They know not, neither will they understand ] q. d. There's no good to be done upon these uncircumcised vice-gods, as they may in the worst sense be best styled; 'tis bootless to advise them to better, for they are set; they are as good every whit as ever they mean to be; and as for their duty, nec cogitant, nec curant, they neither know it, nor care to know it, but blunder on in the dark, and are led blindling by their base lusts, which so they may satisfy, they pass not what becomes of the weal public, but oppose with crest and breast whatsoever crosseth-their sinful designs. Hereby they cause mighty concussions, and draw down heavy judgments, Isa. 24.18, 19.

Vers. 6. I have said ye are God's ] As verse 1. but doubly so, if good too; if they excel both in virtue and power, as Aristotle joineth them; I have said, is vox potestatis constituentis, whence that of the Apostle, All power is of God, Rom. 13.2.

And all of you are children of the most High ] Invested (as Princes sons and heirs are oft) with part of my power, and entrusted with the administration of mine earthly Kingdom by the exercise of vindictive and remunerative Justice. The Chaldee paraphraseth, As the Angels of the High; and Kimchi, As the Stars, which have dominion over these inferior bodies, Confer Job 38.7.

Vers. 7. But ye shall die like men ] Yea, if wicked, like beasts; but only for their pillow and bolster. Super cubilia for san in honor mor • untur, quo a bestiis differunt, sed non in morte, saith Kimchi. God who had so highly advanced such, will lay them low enough; even in the slimy valley (if not in hell) where are many already like them, and more shall come after them, Job 21.31, 32. Our Henry the eight was told on his death-bed that he should go to the place of Princes; which was no great comfort, if the old Proverb be true, that Hell is paved with the Crowns of Princes, and helmets of soldiers. The Spanish Frier used to say, there were but few Princes in hell; for why? there were but few in all.

And fall like one of the Princes ] Of the Heathen Tyrants, which are oft slain by the People, as most of the Caesars before Constantine were. Ad generum Cereris, &c. Some of the Fathers, Arnobius, Chrysostom, Theodoret, &c. understand it of Beelzebub and his fellows, qui acerbissimis & exquisitissimis tormertis cruci • ntur, who are most tormented in hell, 2 Pet. 2. Potentes potentur torquebantur. Some read it, And ye, O Princes, shall fall as one, i. e. as others do. A necessary consideration for great ones, who are apt to dream of an immortality, or at least to drive off the thoughts of death.

Vers. 8. Arise O God, judge the earth ] Take the matter into thine own hand, for it is but time, all things here being so ill ordered by thy substitutes; nam alioqui prae judiciorum constupratione terra tota videtur collapsura, all will be naught else.

For thou shalt inherit all Nations ] Thou Lord Jesus shalt, Psal. 2.8. Heb. 1.2. Rev. 11.15. Come therefore, yea come quickly.

PSAL. LXXXIII.

VErs. 1. Keep not thou silence O God ] Ter idem dicit ad vehementiam, He saith the same thing thrice to show his earnestness. The Hebrew is, Be not silent to thee, that is, in thine own cause, as verse 5. The Septuagint and Vulgar have it, O God, who is like unto thee?

Vers. 2. For let thine enemies make a tumult ] Thine, because ours; for there is a league offensive, and defensive betwixt God and his people; the Church must therefore needs be invincible, because God is so.

Have left up the head ] Being insolent and confident, they bear their noses high in the air, uttering loud and lofty language; as did Rabshaketh, sent by Sonnacherib, 2 King. 18. to which times some refer this Psalm, as others to those of Jehoshaphat, 2 Chron. 20.

Vers. 3. They have taken crafty counsel, &c. ] They have negotiated this league with much subtlety and solicitation, conferunt & captant confilia, they are cruel-crafties. Malignaverunt consilium, saith the Vulgar.

And consulted against thy hidden ones ] Hidden under the hollow of thy hand, under the shadow of thy wing; and therefore safe from strife of tongues or force of hands, Psal. 27.5. & 31.21. Commodum instituto epithetum. The Greek rendereth it, Thy Saints, such as whose life is hid with Christ in God. Col. 3.3. 1 John 3.2. The same Hebrew word is used for the inward oracle of the Temple, Ezek. 7.22. a type of Heaven, the Saints Country.

Vers. 4. They have said come, &c. ] The wicked have their Come, Prov. 1.11. as well as the Saints, Isa. 2.3, 5. Zach. 8.21. but for a worse purpose.

Let us cut them off ] Them, by way of contempt, as not worth naming, they were so base. The Devil and his Imps would utterly root out the Church; but that cannot be, Jer. 31.36. Mat. 16.18.

That the name of Israel, &c.] But Israel hath still a name, when Moab, Ammon, Edom, &c. live but by fame only See Jer. 48.2.

Vers. 5. They have consulted together with one consent ] Heb. With one heart, concorditor, as if they had all but one heart. This was not unity but conspiracy; such as is that of Papists, Rev. 17.13, 14.

They are confederate against thee ] Heb. They have stricken a Covenant, viz. with oaths and solemn ceremonies, cutting the Sacrifice in twain, and passing between the parts thereof, as Jer. 34.18. — caesa jungebant faedera porca.

Vers. 6. The Tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites, &c. ] Exercitu ex variis gentibus couflato, at odds amongst themselves, and yet well agreed for a mischief to the Church, who might ever well say as the Hare in Martial.

As Dogs fighting and intertearing one another, can give over and join together to follow the harmless Hare that passeth by them; so here! If Manasseh be against Ephraim, and Ephraim against Manasseh, yet they will be both against Judah.

And the Hagarens ] Who came also of Hagar, as well as the Isamaelites; but were a distinct people, and would be called Saracens, from Sarah the freewoman: for honor sake, as if the Promises made to Abraham and Sarah had belonged to them. Ptolemy maketh mention of the Saracens, and placeth in Arabia the seat of the Hagarens; where there is also a City called Agra, of Hagar, likely. Ibn-Ezra saith they came of Agar, by another husband. The Chaldee calleth them Hungarians.

Vers. 7. Gebal and Ammon and Amalec] Sic enarrae & enumerat inimieos decem conglobatos. Answerable whereunto were the ten Kings of Christendom, who gave their power to the beast. Gebal might be the inhabitants of Gabel, a City of Phenicia saith Stephanus, or of Syria, saith Strabo, which Uolaterran saith was called Gibel, in his time, but anciently Biblus, See Josh. 13.5.

Vers. 8. Assur also is joined with them ] The Chaldee paraphraseth Sennacherib, also the King of Ashur, &c. So doth the Turk, with the Churches enemies; howbeit Italy is the mark he shooteth at; and the Protestants have the happiness (as also America ) to be further out of his way, and no part of his present aim, for the greatest part of them.

Vers. 9. Do unto them as unto the Medianites ] And how that was, see Judge. 7. & 8. & Judge. 4. Preces sunt bombar de & instrumenta bellica Christianorum, saith Luther.

Vers. 10. Who perished at Endor] A place in the Tribe of Manasseh near unto that ancient River, the River Kison, Judge. 17.1 Sam. 28.

They became as dung ] They lay unburied, rotted above ground, and were spread as compost upon soil.

Vers. 11. Make their Nobles like Oreb and like Zee • ] Oreb signifieth a Crow, Zeeb a Wolf, Zeboh a cut-throat, Zalmunna a forbidder of shadow, or quiet to his subjects; fit names for Tyrants, and persecutors of God's people.

Vers. 12. Let us take to ourselves the houses of God ] Covetous Impropriatours and Oppressors have learned this language. Possidebant Papistae, possident Rapistae, saith One wittily.

Vers. 13. O my God, make them like a wheel ] Heb. Like a rolling thing, such as is thistle-down, saith R. Solomon. Gr. like a top, Tor{que} illos in modum trochi, whirl them about as boys do their tops.

As the stubble ] As before he had brought examples, so here similitudes to show what he would have done to the enemy.

Vers. 14. As the fire burneth a wood ] Maxim quando à vento flabellatur, when blown up by a fierce wind, it soon turneth a wood into a waste.

And as the flame setteth the mountains on fire ] Those sulphury mountains, such as Aetna, Vesuvius, Peitramala, a mountain in the highest part of the Apennines, which perpetually burneth, say travellers.

Vers. 15. So persecute them with thy tempest ] Turbina cos, that they may stand or stay nowhere.

And make them afraid, &c. ] So fright them with thy heavy judgments, that all their wit and courage wherewith they should help themselves, may be expectorated.

Vers. 16. Fill their faces with shame ] By confounding their confidences, and blasting their designs. They promised themselves a triumph, but let them have the canvass.

That they may seek thy name O Lord ] Ut in viti cogantur quis sit tam potens Jehovah rogitare, that they may even in despite of their heads, be compelled to inquire after thee. It is storied of Sennacherib, that after the destruction of his huge army at Jerusalem, demanding of some about him what might be the reason that the unresistable God of Heaven so favored the Jewish Nation as he had found by sad experience? answer was given that Abraham from whom they defended, sacrificed unto him his only Son, which purchased this Protection to his posterity. If that will win him, saith He, I will spare him two of my sons, to procure him to be on my side; which Sharezer and Adrammelech his sons hearing of, prevented their own deaths by his.

Vers. 17. Let them be confounded, &c. ] This and the following verse, are an exposition of the former verse. The Rabbin's have a saying nulla est objectio in Lege, que non habet solutionem in latere. The Scripture is its own interpreter.

Vers. 18. That men may know that thou whose name alone is Jehovah] The Essentiator, Isa. 44.6. with Act. 17.25. Rev. 1.4.8. The Jews pronounce not this name at all, but use Adonai or Elohim for it. The first among the Christians that pronounced it was Petrus Galatinus, following the pronunciation of the Syriacks and Greeks. Genebrard will have it pronounced Jahue, and bitterly enveyeth against Beza, and others as profaners of God's name, who call God Jova, or Jehovah, vocabulo novo, saith he, barbaro, fictitio, irreligioso & Jovem Gentilium redolen • e. It is very likely that of this holy and reverend name of God, the Gentiles called their greatest God Jove and Jupiter, that is, Jah-pater. Pausanias also telleth us that the Poets thus sang unto him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . And Varro the learnedst of the Romans thought. Jove to be the God of the Jews. But he and all men should have known, as here, that Jehovah is God alone; and so have sought to the Jews (of whom alone was salvation, Joh. 4.22.) for better understanding in the things of God's Kingdom; acknowledging him to be the most High above all the earth, and contemning minutulos istos deos modo Jovem sibi propitium haberet, as another heathen said.

PSAL. LXXXIV.

A Psalm ] Of the same subject with the forth second, and made when David was banished either by Saul or Absalom; or else when busied abroad in his wars, 2 Sam. 8. and so, debarred from the use of God's public ordinances.

Vers. 1. How amiable are shy Tabernacles ] viz. For thy Words lake that is there preached, and thy worships there performed. The Protestants at Lions in France called their place for public meetings to serve God, Paradise, Chrysostom calleth it the place of Angels and Archangels, the Kingdom of God, yea Heaven itself. Another calleth it, The heavenly Exchange betwixt God and his people; they present dury, he confers mercy. Luther saith, he would not live in Paradise without the Ordinances; as with them he could frame to live in Hell itself: And a small village with a godly Pastor, and a good people in it, is an earthly Paradise, saith He. If that Italian Martyr could date his letter From the delectable Orchard of the Leonine prison, what may we think of the free use of the ordinances? what of Heaven? nam facile literatransfertur ad Spiritum.

Vers. 2. My soul longeth ] As she did, who said, Give me Children or else I die. His soul once longed for the waters of the well of Bethlehem, but not so earnestly as now to draw waters with joy out of those wells of salvation.

My heart and my flesh ] Ut sit sanctitus in cord, & sanitas in corpore. And for obtaining of this, whole David crieth aloud, as a child when hungry crieth every whit of him, hands, feet, face, all cry; and then the Mother flings by all, then she flies and out-runs herself: So here; The desires of the Righteous shall be satisfied, Prov. 10.24.

Vers. 3. Yea the sparrow ] Avis communissima, haunteth about houses, buildeth about windows, and there chirpeth.

And the Swallow a nest for herself, &c. ] She hath her name in Hebrew from her liberty to fly boldly, and to nestle in men's chimneyes, Prov. 26.2.

Even thine Altars ] Or, Oh thine Altars! (so some read it) by a passionate exclamation, importing strongest desires after them. The want of God's Ordinances should pinch us to the heart.

Vers. 4. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house ] viz. Those Meniall-servants of thine, the Priests and Levites, who have their lodgings near thee, and their employment about thee. This is still the happiness of God's Ministers, whose holy function and calling (both in the preparation to it, and execution of it) leadeth them to God, and holdeth them with him.

They will be still praising thee ] As having hearts full of Heaven, and consciences full of comfort. There cannot but be music in the Temple of the holy Ghost.

Vers. 5. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee ] i.e. Who is enabled by thee, both in body and mind, to come from the place of his abode to the solemn feasts.

In whose heart are the ways of them ] Here the old translation, In whose heart are thy ways, is far better. i.e. As he bringeth his body to the Ordinances, so he hath thy ways or laws engraven in his heart.

Vers. 6. Who passing thorough the valley of Baca] That is,