A PARAPHRASE AND ANNOTATIONS Upon the BOOKS of the PSALMS.   

A PARAPHRASE AND ANNOTATIONS Upon the BOOKS of the PSALMS, Briefly explaining the Difficulties thereof, By H. Hammond D. D.  
 
LONDON, Printed by R. Norton, for Richard Davis Book-seller in Oxford, Anno Dom. MDCLIX.   

A PREFACE.  
Concerning the Duty, practise, and constant Usage of Psalmody in the Church. The Benefits thereof. The design of this work. The Literal and Prophetical senses. The helps toward the Indagation of each. The Interpreters, especially the Greek. The Spirit and Affections of Psalmodists.  
1. THe Duty and Benefits of Psalmody, and the many excellencies of these Divine inspired Books, cannot fitly be set out by any lower hand than that which first wrote them.  
2. For the former of these, we are sufficiently provided from this treasury, Psal. xxxiii. 1. praise( this of Psalmody v. 2.) is comely for the upright; Psal. xcii. 1, 2, 3. It is a good thing to give thanks, to sing praises, to show forth thy loving kindness and thy faithfulness, upon the Psaltery— with a solemn sound; cxxxv. 3. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praises to his name, for it is pleasant; Lxxxi. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Sing aloud, Take a Psalm, Blow up the trumpet: For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob. This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of egypt; and very frequently elsewhere. And the sum of the testimonies is, that as it is the principal thing we know of the joys of heaven, that we shall most ardently love and praise God there, and devoutly contend with the holy Angels, his supreme Ministers, in founding forth the adorable excellencies of our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier; so we are obliged by our holy calling and our own many great 
{untranscribed Hebrew}. Chrys. Tom. 1. p. 610. 2. {untranscribed Hebrew}. Ib. l. 32, 34. {untranscribed Hebrew}. Ib. p. 611. 15. 1.  interests, to take some antepast of those celestial joys in this lower kingdom of Heaven, and to spend no unconsiderable part of our present lives in this most blessed and holy employment, wherein also those Angels which shall then be our Praecentors are here pleased to follow, and attend our motions, and invisibly to 
{untranscribed Hebrew}, Chrysost. see Note a. on Psal. cxxxviii. {untranscribed Hebrew}. Basil. Tom. 1. p. 127. A.  assist in those quires where they can find meet company, the hearts, 
Psal. xxvi. 6. {untranscribed Hebrew}. Chrys. Tom. 1. p. 611. 28.  pure and 
Psal. cxxxviii. 1.  whole hearts, 
Eph. v. 18, 19  the spirits and inflamed affections, and 
{untranscribed Hebrew}. Chrys. Tom. 1. p. 610. 30. {untranscribed Hebrew}. Athanas. ad Marcellin. 10. 1. p. 961. B.  voices of Psalmodists.  
3. As for the latter, it is no otherwise to be fetched from hence than as the Light commends Beauty to every Eye, and as the Matter itself speaketh; this Type of Christ, the Psalmist, having transcribed this part of his Character, that he hath not thought fit to testify of himself, any otherwise than the works which he did bare witness of him. For this therefore we must appeal to foreign testimonies, and therein not so much to the diffused panegyrics which have been largely bestowed on this holy Book by many of the 
see Basil. to. 1. p. 125. 126, 127. and Athanas. Ep. ad Marcellin. throughout.  ancient Fathers of the Church, as to the Offices of all Churches, Jewish( nay mahometan) as well as Christian, and the more private practices of Holy men in all Ages.  
4. For the practise of the Jewish Church, we have 1 Chron. xv. 16. where the Levites are appointed to be singers with instruments of music, Psalteries and Harps and Cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy; and to record, and to thank and to praise the Lord God of Israel, ch. xvi. 4. And being thus prepared for the office, David delivered this Psalm to thank the Lord, into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, v. 7. Give thanks unto the Lord— in the words of Psal. cv. 1. And this not only upon an extraordinary occasion, to solemnize the carrying up of the Ark, but to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and also every evening, ch. xxiii. 30. {untranscribed Hebrew}, &c. and to, or at every offering up( so the Lxxii rightly render it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, at all that is offered) of burnt-sacrifices to the Lord in the Sabbaths, in the new-moons and on the feast dayes, v. 31. And thereto the recital of their practise accords Ecclus. L. 15, 16, 18. He poured out the sweet-smelling savour— Then shouted the sons of Aaron, and sounded the silver trumpets, and made a great noise to be heard for a remembrance. The singers also sang praises with their voices, with great variety of sounds was there made sweet melody. So again 2 Chron. v. 12. the Levites arrayed in white linen, having Cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the East end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests, sounding with trumpets. And as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lift up their voice with the trumpets and Cymbals and instruments of music, saying, For he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever, in the words of this Psalmist so often repeated; then( in token of God's acceptation and approbation) the house was filled with a cloud, v. 13. the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God, v. 14.  
5. This old copy of the Jews is at once transcribed, and confirmed, and recommended to all the world, by the signal practise of Christ himself in his great Reformation.  
6. Beside his many incidental reflections on this Book of Psalms, to prove his doctrine, and give account of himself; Luk. xx. 42. and xxiv. 44. Mat. xvi. 27. xxi. 16. xxv. 41. and xxvi. 23. Joh. x. 34. xv. 25. and xvii. 12. two signal instances are recorded for us: the one at the institution of the Eucharist, Mat. xxvi. 30. {untranscribed Hebrew}, they sung a Psalm( closed the whole action with a hymn) and so went out.  
7. That this their singing was the recitation of the Paschal hymn, or great Hallelujah, Ps. cxiv. and the four subsequent, is not expressed by the Evangelist, yet is much more probable than the contrary opinion of those that conceive it was a new hymn of Christ's effusion, possibly the same which is recorded Joh. xvii. wherein it cannot be believed that the Disciples had their parts, as the word {untranscribed Hebrew} must conclude they had in the singing this hymn or hymns. 'tis evident our Saviour choose to retain much more of the Jewish customs than that of the Paschal Psalm amounts to.  
8. The other instance was that upon the across( being now at the pouring out of his Peace-offering) Mat. xxvii. 46. About the ninth hour( the hour of Prayer) {untranscribed Hebrew}, he( lift up his voice, like a Levites trumpet) resounded with a loud voice, Eli, Eli, Lamma Sabachthani, the express words( in the Syriack reading) of the beginning of the xxii. Psal. How much more of that or of the ensuing Psalms he recited, the text advertiseth us no farther, than that he concluded with the words of the xxxi. v. 5. So S. Luke tells us, Ch. xxiii. 46. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice,( which belongs to the former passage) he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said this, he gave up the Ghost.  
9. Here we see our Blessed Saviour, that had not the spirit by measure, that spake as never man spake, choose yet to conclude his life, to entertain himself in his greatest Agony, and at last to breath out his soul in this Psalmist's form of words rather than in his own. No tongue of men or Angels can invent a greater {untranscribed Hebrew}, to set out the honour of any writing, or give us more reason to lay up in our minds the words of the Martyr 
Bib. Patr. Graec. Tom. 11. p. 357. B.  hippolytus, that in the dayes of Antichrist, {untranscribed Hebrew}, liturgy shall be extinguished, Psalmody shall cease, reading of the Scriptures shall not be heard. In which three as the public service of God was by the 
Scripturae leguntur, Psalmi canuntur, Adlocutiones proferuntur, Petitiones delegantur. Tertul. de An. c. ix. {untranscribed Hebrew}— Theodoret. in 1 Cor. xiv. {untranscribed Hebrew}. Nic. Cabasila {untranscribed Hebrew}. in Bibl. Gr. Patr. Tom. 11. p. 201.  ancients thought to consist; so the destroying of all and each of them must needs be a branch, if not the whole body of antichristianism, a direct contradiction to 
Lu. xi. 2. Mat. xxvi. 30. Luke iv. 17.  Christ, who, by his own prescription, or practise of each of these, impressed a sacred character on each.  
10. The use which the Apostles of Christ are recorded to have made of this Book bears proportion with these precedents.  
11. In S. Peters speech about Judas and his successor, the directions are taken from hence Act. i. 16, 20. In his first Sermon to his countrymen, his proofs are from hence, Act. 11.25, 31, 34. So again ch. iv. 11. And upon the delivery of him and John out of the Rulers hands, the whole company celebrate the news of it, ch. iv. 24. first in the words of Ps. cxlvi. 6. then of Ps. ii. 1, 2. so S. Paul in his Preaching Act. xiii. 22, 33, 35. in his Writings, Rom. iii. 4, 10. &c.— viii. 36. x. 18. xi. 9. xv. 3, 9, 11. and oft elsewhere: and so in his Sufferings also, Act. xvi. 25. At midnight( one of the solemn hours of prayer and Psalmody in the ancient Church) Paul and Silas {untranscribed Hebrew}, in their office of prayer used an hymn or Psalm( one or more) also, and recited so loud that the prisoners heard; and this again signally accepted and rewarded by God with the earth-quake, and opening of the doors, and losing of their bands, v. 26.  
12. The use of these in the public Assemblies, as early as the Apostles times, is intimated 1 Cor. xiv. 26. but distinctly set down 1 Cor. ii. 4. under the style of prophesying, every man praying or prophesying( according to the importance of that phrase 1 Chron. xxv. Heman and Jeduthun should prophecy with harps, with psalteries and with cymbals, v. 1. and the sons of Asaph prophesied according to the order of the King, v. 2. and the sons of Jeduthun prophesied with the harp, to give thanks and praise the Lord, v. 3.) and in them, as in praying, all joined, the whole assembly, in heart and voice, had all their common interest, women as well as men, every woman that prayeth or prophesyeth, v. 5. though in other parts of the office they were not allowed to speak, c. xiv. 34. yet let us exalt his name together, Psal. xxxiv. 3. young men and maidens, Psal. cxLviii. 12. and so still {untranscribed Hebrew}, saith 
l. 1. Ep. 90. p. 29. A.  Isidore Pelusiote, the Apostles of Christ wisely permitted that women should sing Psalms in the Churches( and he there mentions it as a most severe punishment to be inflicted on them for their misdemeanours, {untranscribed Hebrew}, to be interdicted singing in the Church, with which he joins {untranscribed Hebrew}, the turning them out of the city.)  
13. Then for the more private use of them; S. Paul's prescriptions are authentic testimony: Eph. v. 18, 19. where in opposition to the heathen Orgia, of Bacchus's Enthusiasts, he directs to speaking to themselves in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in their hearts unto God; and Col. iii. 16. teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto the Lord. And so S. James also, ch. v. 13. Is any merry? let him sing Psalms.  
14. How this exercise was frequented in all after-Ages in the Church, and made up a very great part of the Christians devotions, both in the public assembly and more privately in the Family, and yet in the greater retirement, in the Closet and the waking Bed, we need not seek in the histories of the Ascetae and Recluse,( many of which spent their whole time in this employment, reciting the whole Psalter daily, others weekly, none past an hour of Prayer without a considerable portion of it.) The Fathers of the Church assure us, that for those that lived 
{untranscribed Hebrew} Basil. t. 1. p. 126. B.  in seculo, Psalmody was the constant attendant sometimes of their 
{untranscribed Hebrew}. Chrys. t. 1. p. 610. l. 36.  Meals, generally of their Business, in the shop and in the field, that they learnt the whole book by heart, 
Chrys. Tom. 1. p. 854. 11. See Ib. p. 1054. 16.  {untranscribed Hebrew}, and through their whole age continued singing, or saying Psalms; that whereas 
{untranscribed Hebrew}. Ib. p. 610. 15.  the custom of the world had taught all to deceive the wearisomeness or length of business by any kind of singing, {untranscribed Hebrew}, God had provided them Psalms for their pleasure and profit together, that 
{untranscribed Hebrew}. Basil. tom. 1. p. 126. B.  whilst they did in appearance but sing, they should really be instructed, and improved in their souls.  
15. The consideration of these things, but especially of the common interest of all sorts and states, Ages and Sexes, in this one great 
{untranscribed Hebrew}. Basil. t. 1. 125. B. C.  treasury and magazine, deposited with the Church for the enriching and securing of Souls, together with one sadder reflection, which I had rather the Reader should be  told from 
{untranscribed Hebrew}. Tom. 1. p. 854. 13. and {untranscribed Hebrew}. Ib. 20.  S. Chrysostome than from me, have oft suggested, and at length persuaded me 
{untranscribed Hebrew}. Athanas. ad marcel. to. 1. p. 960. A.  to make this attempt, to cast in my mite into this Treasury, my Symbolum toward so charitable a work, as is the endeavour that every man may be in some measure able to say with 
1 Cor. xiv. 15.  S. Paul, {untranscribed Hebrew}, I will sing, or recite a Psalm, with the spirit, I will do it with the understanding also.  
16. In order to which what is here attempted to be performed, together with the uses which every pious Christian may think fit to make of it, I am in this place to advertise the Reader.  
15. For the first, The main, if not onely, scope of the Paraphrase and Annotations hath been to extricate and clear the literal importance of each Psalm, whether that were more general, wherein all men indifferently were concerned, or more part cular; and that again either such as concerned the Psalmist onely in relation to some matter of fact in the story of those times, or such as had a farther and more divine aspect on Christ, the messiah of the world, who without question is oft predicted in this Book of Psalms, and either by Christ himself, or by his inspired Apostles, acknowledged and attested to have been signally meant, and so to have given the world the most eminent completion of those predictions.  
18. Now because the expounding of Prophecies is no easy task, and especially of those poetic and prophetic writings which have had one immediate sense, and completion in some other, and because there is but one infallible clue to this labyrinth, the applications of such places made by divine writers in the New Testament; I have therefore made use of that as oft as it was to be met with, and then advanced with confidence beyond what the letter, in its first or immediate sense, suggested: But for all other passages, which by some kind of accommodation, or Anagogy, or Figure, or moral or spiritual sense, were capable of being thus applied either to Christ or his Church, I have not frequently chosen to be thus adventurous, both because I knew this was for the most part the product of fancy, wherein all men are willing to reserve their liberty, and neither needed to be directed, nor liked to be anticipated; and because I was unwilling to affix any sense to Scripture, which I had not some degree of assurance that the Holy Ghost in the inspired Writer had respect unto, who though he may have designed whatever the words are capable of, and so may have intended more senses than one, yet cannot be proved to have done whatsoever he might have done. And therefore though I blame not the enlargements of their spirits, who extend themselves to Allegorical and Tropological descants, so they be founded in the Literal sense first secured; yet this latter was it which I had in my aim: and I both found and foresaw a competent weight and number of difficulties in that, which as I was intent, by Gods help to overcome; so I was not willing to weaken, by diverting any part of my forces to what was more easy, but less necessary; considering especially that this Book of Psalms brought home thus plainly( and without any descant) to every mans understanding, would be able to yield him an entire Body of necessary Theology, in directions of life, fundamentals of Faith, and incentives and helps of Devotion, and copious and various matter of divine Meditation, which are sufficient to recommend it to the Readers most diligent revolving, to which then those Anagogies are likely to be consequent of their own accord, as the result of a more passionate delight hovering over the more solid intellectual joy of conversing with God, and enriching his own soul.  
19. For the fetching out of this primary or literal sense, oft veiled in poetic colours, sometimes more intricated whether by Ellipses, or Trajections, but most frequently made doubtful by the variety of notions of which the same Hebrew words are capable, my first resort hath been to the ancient learned literal Interpreters in many Languages, as they are lately published, with most advantage, by the great diligence and unwearied industry of my very worthy and learned friend Dr. Walton.  
20. of these I must aclowledge the most advantageous directions to have been afforded me by the Chaldee, Greek, and Syriack; for as to the latin, arabic, and Aethiopick, they do so closely follow, and in a manner render the Greek, that the chief use of them hath been, to secure us of the ancient reading of the Greek, which being sometimes corrupted in the Autograph, is to be recovered by help of these Transcripts.  
21. Of these three, the Chaldee, which is not so literal as the others pretend to be, but owns the liberty of a Paraphrast, is yet as commodious as any to direct to the literal sense, the very design of a Paraphrast being truly this, to render that fully in more words which an equal number could not sufficiently express. Yet hath not this made so full a provision for us, but that all other aids have sometimes been little enough to steer us through the difficulty.  
22. For the Greek, whether it be truly what the title assumes, the translation of the Lxxii. i. e. those so many Jews in Ptolemaeus Philadelphus his time, who were sent him by the High Priest competently instructed to perform that work, I shall not take upon me to determine. For as I am no way convinced with the arguments of those who affirm that those Lxxii. translated no more than the Law of Moses, as that strictly signifies but the Pentateuch( when yet the title is enlarged( in Christs style John xii. 34.& xv. 25. and S. Pauls Rom. iii. 19.) to this Book of Psalms peculiarly, and to the Prophets also 1 Cor. xiv. 21. and when the ancientest Fathers of the Church, Justin Martyr in his Dialogue with Trypho the Jew, 
l. iii. c. 25.  Irenaeus, 
storm. l. 1.  Clemens Alexandrinus, and so forward till S. jerome, all uniformly produced their testimonies out of the Prophets and Psalms as well as out of the Pentateuch, upon the authority of these Lxxii. Jews which had thus rendered them) or that what they translated, was by the burning of Ptolemies Library, in Julius Cesar's time, irrecoverably lost( when certainly many copies of it had been transcribed before that time, which met not with that conflagration:) so neither am I obliged by the relation of the Cells, and other circumstances( which Justin was  told in egypt, over and above what we find in Aristeas or Josephus) to conclude their interpretation a work of Gods peculiar conduct, and so to ascribe, as some great Lights of the Church have done, their variations from the Hebrew to the same Spirit by which the Originals were first indicted.  
23. I shall only remember on this occasion, what is observed by Jesus the son of mirach, in his Prologue to Ecclesiasticus; where taking notice of the interpretation not only of the Law, but of the Prophets and other Books also, and in the next words setting down the time of his coming into egypt, in the eight and thirtieth year under King evergetes, the immediate successor of Ptolemaeus Philadelphus,( and so may probably be understood to speak of the Lxxii. not long after the compiling their interpretation) he tells us withall that there was great difference betwixt the Original and the Translation. And allowing it to have place in this of the Psalms, as well as other books,( though I think as little in this as in most other) 'tis yet certain, that great use is to be made of it toward the present design of interpreting the Original. And in gratitude for the many benefits thus received( but especially because this Translation was the means of conveying the word of God unto the heathen, was in many Synagogues used by the Jews in and before Christ's time, as 
Apol. 11. and in Paren.  Justine,& 
Apol. c. xviii.  Tertullian& the 
see Gemara Hierosol. tr. Sota c. 7.  Jews themselves assure us, was constantly cited and resorted to by Philo Judaeus in his writings, and frequently honoured by the writers of the New Testament, who retain their rendrings, even where they differ from the Hebrew, and lastly, hath retained that honour in the whole ancient Church, which universally used and followed this translation which we now have, and that without any question but the Lxxii. were the Authors of it) I have payed them a more peculiar respect and consideration, very often examined their rendrings more nicely, and proposed either my own or others opinions concerning the causes or grounds of their Variations: which I aclowledge to be more than was necessary to the work in hand, yet deemed it a {untranscribed Hebrew} by which the learned Reader would be gratified, and the more unlearned not considerably disturbed in his pursuit.  
24. As for the Syriack, that also hath been often conducible to my undertaking, as departing frequently from the Lxxii. where there was reason for so doing, and more simply rendering the Original than the Chaldee, as a Paraphrast, pretended to do.  
25. Besides these, I have had the directions sometimes of the Jewish Scholiasts, especially Aben Ezra and Kimchi, and sometimes of the Jewish Arab Interpreter, and of Abu Walid and R. Tanchum; which three I wholly owe to the favour of my most learned friend Mr. Pocock, who hath those Manuscript rarities peculiar to his Library, and hath been forward to communicate them, and, which is more, his own great judgement in several difficulties, when I stood in need thereof. And by these and other helps which were more accessible, I at length attained to that measure of understanding of this very obscure divine poem, which is here communicated to the Reader by three steps or degrees; first, by some light change of the Translation; secondly, by larger Paraphrase; and thirdly to those, that have the curiosity to desire the reasons of these, by way of Annotations.  
26. And if what is here communicated prove in any proportion successful toward the designed end, the giving the Reader the plain understanding of this Book, it will then leave behind it a manifold obligation to make use of it to his own greatest advantage, not onely by 
{untranscribed Hebrew}. Athanas. T. 1. p. 971. A. {untranscribed Hebrew}. Ibid. p. 962. A. {untranscribed Hebrew}. Ibid. B.  gathering out of the whole, as from a Panacea, those peculiar medicaments which may fit him in whatsoever occasions; but by allotting himself every day of his life a dimensum of heavenly meditation and devotion, conversing with God in those 
{untranscribed Hebrew}. Athanas. Ibid. B. c.  very words( they need not be refined, or put into Rhythme, to fit them for his turn; the ancients contented themselves with the plain Prose, and found it fittest for use) with which for this common end, the use and benefit of mankind, he so long since inspired the Psalmist.  
27. Till by some better guidance men have acquired some competent understanding of the book, this Paraphrase may possibly be useful in their retirements to be red verse by verse, together with the Psalm; as Interlinears have been provided for novices in all languages: But when the Psalm is understood, and the recesses competently opened, then this designed help will but encumber the instructed Christian, and so is in duty to be laid aside, and changed for the endeavour of drawing to himself the most proper juice out of every line, and then enlarging his thoughts, and inflaming his zeal on each occasion that the periods of the Psalm shall severally suggest, and the good Spirit of God excite in him, whether in relation to himself or others.  
28. To which purpose it is much to be wished, that they that allot any constant part of their time to private Psalmody, and to that end have, as the ancients prescribed and practised, gotten the Psaltery perfectly by heart( quilibet vinitor— every tradesman at his manual work having by this means the whole time of his labour a vacancy for his Devotion) would be careful not onely to keep their hearts in strict attendance on their tongues, 
see Saint jerome ad Marcellam Ep. xviii.& ad Latam Ep. iv. vii.  that it may not degenerate into lip-labour, but also to give them a much greater scope of enlargement, to improve these impresses, to beat out this gold into plate and wire by Reflections, Applications, Soliloquies, and so to fasten these on the mind with references to the texts which suggested them, that they may be so many topics and helps of Memory, to bring back the same with all the advantages that united Devotions shall beget in them, when they recite the same in the public Offices of the Church.  
29. I have heard of some pious men, which have constantly completed the whole work of their private prayers by enlarging their meditations on the several petitions of the Lords Prayer; the profit whereof is probably much greater than of the same, or greater, space laid out by others in the multiplied recitation of the same divine Prayer. And proportionably, the reciting a few Psalms daily with these interpunctions of mental Devotion, suggested and animated and maintained by the native life and vigour which is in the Psalms, may deserve much to be preferred before the daily recitation of the whole Psalter, whereof the devotions of some Asceticks is said to have consisted. The danger being very obvious, and easily foreseen, that what is beaten out into immoderate length, will lose of the massiness; and nothing more fit to be averted in religious Offices, than their degenerating into heartless disspirited recitations.  
30. That our Devotions, unto which the Psalter is set to minister, may not be such, we are 1. to take care that our 
{untranscribed Hebrew}. Athanas. ad Marcellin. T. 1. p. 964. c.  lives bear some conformity with these patterns; and 2. very solicitously to attend and provide, that the Psalmist's effusions have the Psalmist's spirit and affection to accompany them, that we borrow his hand& breath, as well as his instrument and ditties. The ancient Fathers of the Church are very pressing on this Subject. form thy spirit by the affection of the Psalm, 
in Psal. xxx. Conc. 3. Tuum spiritum affectu Psalmi forma: si affectus sit amoris, ama-  saith S. Augustine. If it be the affection of Love, enkindle that within thy breast( that thou mayest not speak against thy sense and knowledge and conscience, when thou sayest, I will love thee, O Lord my strength.) If it be an affection of fear, impress that on thy soul,( and be not thyself an insensible anvil to such stroke of divine poesy which thou chantest out to others, O consider this ye that forget God, lest he pluck you away, and there be none to deliver you.) If it be an affection of desire which the Psalmist in an holy transportation expresseth, let the same breath in thee, accounting, as S. Chrysostome minds thee on Psal. xLii, that when thou recitest those words, Like as the hart desireth the water-brooks, so longeth my soul after thee, O God, thou hast 
{untranscribed Hebrew}— to. 1. p. 615. 11. {untranscribed Hebrew}. Ib. l. 8. {untranscribed Hebrew}, &c. Ibid. l. 13.  sealed a covenant, betrothed and engaged thy soul to God, and must never have a coldness or indifferency to him hereafter. If it be the affection of gratitude, let thy soul be lifted up in praises, come with affections this way inflamed, sensible of the weight of mercies of all kinds, spiritual and temporal, with all the inhansements that the seasonable application thereof to the extremities of thy wants can add to thy preservations, and pardons, and joys: or else the reciting the Hallelujahs will be a most ridiculous piece of pageantry. And so likewise for the petitory part of the Psalms, let us be always in a posture ready for them, with our spirits minutely prepared to dart them up to heaven. And 
Aug. Ib.  whatever the affection be, Cor faciat quod verba significant, Let the heart do what the words signify. 
Col. x. c. x. et xi. Ad fruendum hoc thesauro necesse est eodem spiritu Psalmos dicere quo fuerunt compositi—  Cassian hath said over the same thing more largely and earnestly, That we enjoy this treasure, it is necessary that we say the Psalms with the same spirit with which they were composed, and accommodate them unto ourselves in the same manner as if every one of us had composed them, or as if the Psalmist had directed them purposely for our uses; not satisfying ourselves that they had their whole completion in or by the Prophet, but discerning every of us our own parts still to be performed and acted over in the Psalmists words, by exciting in ourselves the same affections which we discern to have been in David or in others at that time, loving when he loves, fearing when he fears, hoping when he hopes, praising God when he praises, weeping for our own or others sins when he weeps, begging what we want with the like spirit wherein his petitions are framed, loving our enemies when he shows love to his, praying for ours when he prays for his, having zeal for the glory of God when the Psalmist professes it, humbling ourselves when he is humbled, lifting up our spirit to heaven when he lifts up his, giving thanks for Gods mercies when he doth, delighting and rejoicing in the beauty of the messiah, and of the Church his Spouse, when he is delighted and rejoiceth; when he relates the wonderful works of God in the creation of the world, bringing his people out of egypt &c. admiring and glorifying God as he stands amazed and glorifies him; and when he mentions the punishments inflicted on rebellious sinners, and rewards and favours bestowed on the obedient, we likewise are to tremble when he trembles, and exult when he exults, and walk in the court of heaven, the sanctuary, as he walks, and wish to dwell in it as he wishes: Finally, where he as a master teacheth, exhorts, reprehends, and directs the just man, each of us must suppose him speaking to him, and answer him in such due manner as the instruction of such a Master exacts. And that we may in some measure perform this vital substantial part of our task, Let us, saith he, at the beginning of the Psalm, beg of God that light and affection and gust and savour, with which David was affencted when he made it, and that with the affection and desire of obtaining what he felt.  
31. And if it be here objected, First, that there be many things in these Psalms which are not agreeable to every mans condition, and so cannot at all times be attended with the spirit of the reciter, as the Eucharistical Psalms are not proper for him that is in distress, &c. Secondly, that there are many which have no propriety to the spirit of any Christian, as those which are spent in calling down vengeance on Gods and the Psalmists enemies, Let them be confounded and put to shane that seek after my soul, Psal. xxxv. 4. Let them be as chaff before the wind, and let the Angel of the Lord chase them, v. 5. Let destruction come upon them at unawares— v. 8. and especially Psal. cix. almost throughout: the answer will not be difficult. To the first, 1. that the very objection is a grant that the Psalms contain devotions proper to the most distant conditions of all men, and then that which is no way agreeable to my present circumstances, being yet most agreeable and accommodate to several other men, this is but a summons to my charity to swell above its own banks, and diffuse itself to the refreshing and supplying of others wants: and so this is not any defect, but an advantage in the Psalms, which will never be complained of by those which begin their forms as our Saviour directed, addressing them to the common Father and Redeemer of all men, and desire not to enclose benedictions, but take all others into a principal part of their care, and so can pray most zealously for any thing that any other Christian stands in need of. And yet 2. it will be hard to mention any thing which was ever fit for the Psalmist to say, which will not have some propriety to 
{untranscribed Hebrew}. Athanas. ad Marcellin. T. 1. p. 966. B. {untranscribed Hebrew}— Ib. p. 567. A.  every of us, in whatsoever condition. 'tis certain( as to the particular instance) that he that is in the greatest distress, hath yet various matter for, and obligations to thanksgivings, when his very distress, which seems to set him at the greatest distance from it, is the most peculiar engagement to it. Gods taking all away, bringing to the boiles and dunghill from the ease and splendour of the palace, is Job's summons to blessing the name of the Lord, as well as the memory of his greatest donatives: and the Psalmist oft assures us of the goodness and most valuable benefits of afflictions, and consequently teaches us the duty of blessing and magnifying our benefactor for the mercy of those wholesome, be they never so bitter, ingredients. And the same will be found appliable to all other affections of the Psalmist, which will seldom miss to meet seasonable matter to work on in any mans breast, which wants not devotion to discern and bring it home to him.  
32. To the second Objection I shall not need accommodate any other answer, than the Reader will find already given in the Margin and Paraphrase and Annotation on Psal. xxxv. 4. and other the like, that the Hebrew is as capable of the Future as the Imperative mood and sense, and so the translation in all reason to be changed, {untranscribed Hebrew}— not, let them be confounded and put to shane, but, they shall blushy and be ashamed, they shall be turned back, {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall be as chaff before the wind, and the Angel of the Lord shall chase them, Their way {untranscribed Hebrew} shall be dark and slippery, and the Angel of the Lord shall persecute them, Destruction shall come upon him unawares, and his net that he hath hide shall catch himself, into that very destruction shall he fall. That David, who was a Prophet inspired by God with knowledge of future events, should thus rather predict and denounce Gods just judgments on obstinate sinners, and that out of designs purely charitative, by denouncing to work repentance, that repentance might frustrate and cancel the denunciation, is much more reasonable for us to resolve, than that in the spirit( when possibly without the power) of Elias he should so frequently call for thunder from heaven either upon his own or Gods enemies. And in many places, particularly that of Ps. cix. 'tis reasonable to resolve, that it is Christ himself that speaketh in the Prophet, as being the person there principally concerned, and the completion most signal in many circumstances there mentioned, the succession especially of mathias in his Apostolical and Episcopal office. And then there remains no more question or difficulty, how these and the like passages are to be accommodated to the Christians affection and spirit, than how the plain denunciations of the Gospel are to be entertained by it, Except ye repent ye shall perish: Indignation and anger and wrath upon every soul that doth ill: Our God is a consuming fire: There remains no more sacrifice for sin, but a fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation, which shall consume the adversary: and many the like, which are to be admitted into the very bowels of the soul, there to perform their work of Melting Contrition, Mortification and Reformation, to bruise the soul and dissolve it, and purge all the dross out of it, and so refine and prepare it for the uses of Holiness. 'tis ordinarily said, that the Jews were a typical people, the whole divine economy toward them is doctrinal and instructive to us, not immediately or literally, but by way of Anagogy; the severity required of them toward the Canaanites, is to be transcribed by us no other way than by our displeasure and revenges on our lusts and sins, the greatest enemies either of God or us. And thus our zeal and indignation may be seasonably laid out, yea and our Anathemas( if we still continue them in that form) our solemn delivering them up to God's displeasure, judgement and executions, without pleading their cause, or soliciting any reprieve for them.  
33. If again it be objected, That many affections of the Psalmist are much more divinely elevated than 'tis imaginable our dull earthy hearts should keep place with them, That the Beatitudes belong to those which are much higher advanced than we are, That the professions of love are exuberant, and but reproaches of our lukewarmeness, not patterns of forms for it: I answer, That 'tis most true that these divine flames are much above the common pitch, and were not meant so to our use, as to flatter us that we are, or may lawfully assume to be such as David was, or as he by these portraitures desired we should be. Yet are there other proper advantages to be made of these. They that recite the Beatitudes, are to do it with the sincerity of honest hearts, aspiring to that pitch, and begging God's grace and assistance to advance them to some measure of all those practices to which those Beatitudes are pronounced: they that take into their mouths David's forms of professions of love, or faith, or zeal, or resolute adherence and obedience to God, are thereby to reproach and excite their own defects, to humble themselves before God, that they cannot pronounce them so vigorously as they ought, and to pray for that growth and spiritual proficiency, that at their next approaches to that part of the office they may perform it with more savour, and profess with more truth what the Psalmist calls us and teaches us to profess.  
34. Lastly, for the sweetness of Gods Law, which is so oft proclaimed in these Books, the graciousness of Gods precepts, not onely of the promises annexed to them by way of future reward, but the resultance of present joy and gratefulness and agreeablenesse, which discovers itself in every part of our obedience to Gods yoke, more to be prized than gold, yea than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb, and such as when it is tried to the uttermost, the servant of the Lord not only willingly supports, but unfeignedly loves it; If we are not cordially able to join with the Psalmist in these and the like expressions, then, as we need not be  told 'tis for want of the like temper and frame of mind which he had, so we must hereby be directed, first to cure our appetites, and then to taste and see, as the Psalmist advices, solemnly to make our trials, to gain this part of Christian experience, which is not to be had but in a constant serious practise of all God's ways; and then we shall not fail to see and discern how gracious the Lord is, and that there is not any such probable way to the blessedness even of this life, as that of adhering and keeping fast to his precepts and directions, in opposition, and defiance, and abhorrence to all the false wisdom and promises of the World.  
35. I shall not now farther enlarge this {untranscribed Hebrew}, by enquiring, as I had thought, into the Measures and music of this Divine Poesy. Of which as it is not easy to make any exact discoveries; so some imperfect observations, which are the utmost I can aspire to, will not be sufficient to excuse the confidence of entering on a disquisition which no others have adventured to trace before me, nor found themselves invited to it, either by the Helps which remain in this kind, or the Profit that probably were to be reaped by it. The onely advice, with which I shall conclude, is, That in general we remember, that the whole Book is originally metrical, and so designed to consort and united affections, and therefore ought to be distinguished, and have its use separate from other Scriptures which are red in our presence, and accordingly we sit and harken to them, and endeavour to remember them, and apply them to the increase of our spiritual knowledge; whereas this, as all the Hymns of the Church, belongs to the whole assembly of both sexes, not as to Auditors, but to Actors: and therefore in this part of the public Service, whether saying or singing of Psalms, every person of the Congregation is to preserve his interest, with his voice and heart joining in all, or at least by maintaining his right to all by interposing in every other verse, by way of Response and alternation. Which that it was the Primitive custom, if we wanted other evidences, the Epistle of 
Lib. x. Ep. 97.  Plinie to Trajane would competently assure us, where he tells him of the custom of the Christians in their coetus, Carmen Christo, tanquam Deo, dicere secum invicem, to say one with another by turns a verse, i. e. a Psalm or hymn, to Christ, as unto God. Which custom( together with the reverend posture of standing assigned to this office of Psalmody, and the Doxology at the end of every Psalm, to testify what Pliny discovered, that we say our Psalms to Christ as to God) upon what deliberations or designs it hath been endeavoured to be laid aside, and the Psalms, whilst they are but in Prose, barely red in the common mode of other Scriptures, and the people denied their parts in them( save when they are sung in very ill Metre) I list not to conjecture; but shall hope, when we have attained any part of the Psalmists affections, to fit us for the office, it will be thought as fit for our Lips and Hearts, as for our ears, to turn Psalmodists.  
H. Hammond.   

Errata.  
page. 13. col. 2. l. 6. red {untranscribed Hebrew}  
p 20 col. 2 l 4 for צ r. נ  
p 28 col. 1 l 9 red {untranscribed Hebrew}  
p 35 marg. l 12 add† line 14 deal†  
p 60 col. 1 l 31. for {untranscribed Hebrew} red {untranscribed Hebrew}  
p 61 col. 1 l penult. r {untranscribed Hebrew} p 63 marg. l 13 for ד red ד col. 1 l 10 after the add {untranscribed Hebrew}  
p 66 col. 1 line 9 for {untranscribed Hebrew} red {untranscribed Hebrew}  
p 67 col. 2 line 14 red in one word {untranscribed Hebrew} line 16 for ו red ו  
p 69 mar. l 6 r {untranscribed Hebrew} p 71 outer marg. l 10 for ב red נ  
p 80 col. 2 line 1 for {untranscribed Hebrew} red {untranscribed Hebrew}  
p 83 note 1 line 3 for {untranscribed Hebrew} red {untranscribed Hebrew}  
p 89 col. 2 l 3 for {untranscribed Hebrew} red {untranscribed Hebrew}  
p 92 col. 1 l penult. for {untranscribed Hebrew} red {untranscribed Hebrew}  
p 103 col. 2 l 41 for {untranscribed Hebrew} red {untranscribed Hebrew}  
p 108 col. 1 l 35 red {untranscribed Hebrew},  
p 112 col. 1 l 38 for {untranscribed Hebrew} r {untranscribed Hebrew} for {untranscribed Hebrew} r {untranscribed Hebrew}  
p 131 col. 1 l 31 for ר red ק p 152 col. 1 l 39 r {untranscribed Hebrew}  
p 158 col. 1 l 25 for {untranscribed Hebrew} red {untranscribed Hebrew}  
p 392 col. 2 l 17 red {untranscribed Hebrew}  
p 400 col. 1 marg. l 3 r {untranscribed Hebrew}  
p 465 col. 2 l 13 r {untranscribed Hebrew}  
p 483 outer marg. l 1 red {untranscribed Hebrew}  
p 498 col. 1 l 28 for he red heer  
p 508 col. 1 l 14 for {untranscribed Hebrew} red {untranscribed Hebrew}  
p 541 col. 2 l 48 for disguising red disagreeing  
p 548 col. 2 l 42 deal to line 43 for the red to  
p 579 marg. l 8 r add upon p 581 col. 1 l 19 r {untranscribed Hebrew}  
p 584 col. 1 l 24 red {untranscribed Hebrew}  
p 617 col. 1 line 43 red {untranscribed Hebrew}  
p 708 inner margin l 2 red {untranscribed Hebrew}   

THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 
a   
BOOK of Psalms] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} which in Piel signifies to praise, or celebrate, 
a {untranscribed Hebrew}  or depraedicate, doth import no more, than hymns or lauds, accordingly the singing them is Mat. xxvi. 30. expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew}, having sung an hymn. But being, as they generally were, set to be sung to Musical instruments( see Psal. CL.) i. e. sung and played together, which is the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}( {untranscribed Hebrew}, saith Hesychius, and {untranscribed Hebrew} a psaltery, was, we know, a Musical instrument, and {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} are in the ancient Glossaries rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} gently to touch, and move, as the Musician touches the Lute or Harp) therefore the Lxxii have not unfitly rendered it {untranscribed Hebrew}, and thence the latin and we Psalmi, Psalms, and the Syriack, {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to modulate either with voice or instrument, to sing or play;; and this title is made use of by S. Luke in the New Testament Luke 20.42. {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Book of Psalms. The Lxxii now red not the word {untranscribed Hebrew} book, but either simply {untranscribed Hebrew} Psalms, or {untranscribed Hebrew} psaltery( which yet properly signifies the instrument to which the Psalms were sung, sometimes called {untranscribed Hebrew} from whence the latin nablium, sometimes {untranscribed Hebrew} a decachord or instrument of ten strings) but the Syriack as well as the Hebrew retaining that title, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and {untranscribed Hebrew} book of Psalms, and S. Luke citing it in that style, there is little reason to doubt, but this was the ancient Greek inscription of it. But this without question prefixed here by 
Esdra, quantum creditur, Psalmos post captivitatem in unum librum colligente &c. Hilar. prologue. in Psal. p. 333.  Esdras, or whosoever else it was, that made this Collection of divine hymns. For it is sure that all these Psalms are not the fruit or product of one inspired brain. David indeed was the composer of many, if not most of them, who is therefore called the sweet Psalmist of Israel {untranscribed Hebrew} sweet in Psalms, or the composer of such sweet melodies, by whom the Spirit of the Lord spake, and his word was in his tongue. 11 Sam. xxiii. 1, 2. that man very highly valued, and advanced by God, a King, and the source of the Jewish monarchy, as it was to spring from the tribe of Judah, and withall a Prophet by God inspired( and accordingly as these Psalms contain many signal predictions of the messiah, who was to spring from Davids loins, and so of Gods dealings under the Gospel both with his faithful servants, and obstinate enemies, so in the Syriack inscription of them, to the Hebrew title, the book of Psalms, is added {untranscribed Hebrew} of David the King and Prophet.) Unto other his titles, 
De Civ. Dei l. 17. c. 14.  S. Austin from the authority of 11 Sam. xxiii. 2. adds, vir in Canticis eruditus, qui harmoniam Musicam non vulgari voluptate said fidei voluntate dilexerat, that he was eminently skilled in canticles as one that loved musical harmony with the will of faith( thereby to glorify his Creator and Redeemer) and not from any sensual pleasure, such as men vulgarly take in music. So 
ad Paulin.  S. jerome also, David Simonides noster, Pindarus,& Alcaeus, Flaccus quoque, Catullus,& Serenus, Christum lyra personat,& decachordo Psalterio ab inferis suscitat resurgentem. Simonides, Pindar, and Alcaeus among the Greeks, and Horace, and Catullus, and Serenus among the latins, were famous for their Odes or poetic songs, but David to us supplies abundantly the place of all them, sounds Christ upon the harp, and with the ten stringed psaltery raiseth or celebrates his rising from Hades. But the most illustrious title of this Psalmist is, that he was the Father of that line from whence our Saviour Christ sprung, and so was fitted above any other, by being the first King of that line, to be, in a signal manner, a type of him. But beside David, some other there were, who composed some of these Psalms; of Moses there can be no question, the title as well as matter of the ninetieth Psalm assuring us it was written by him. For Asaph also there is some probability, when of Hezekiah we red, that he commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the Lord with the words of David, and of Asaph the Seer, 2 Chron. 29.30. where Asaph is set down to be, as a Prophet, so a Psalmist also, and joined with David as such; and agreeably the fiftieth Psalm inscribed {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to Asaph, is by the Chaldee affirmed to be {untranscribed Hebrew} by the hand of Asaph, and so some others also. And although {untranscribed Hebrew} being a note of the dative case, may possibly signify no more than that the Psalm was committed to him, as to a singer, or player on instruments, as Psalms are frequently inscribed {untranscribed Hebrew} to the perfect of his music, and then the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} may also refer to that, according to that of 1 Chron. xvi. 7. where David delivered the cv Psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren,( and so 'tis evident the thirty ninth Psalm which is expressed to be Davids, is yet inscribed {untranscribed Hebrew} to Jeduthun, who as well as Asaph is called the Kings Seer 11 Chron. XXXV. 15.) yet when 'tis remembered, that this is the form of inscribing Davids Psalms, {untranscribed Hebrew}( {untranscribed Hebrew} being there taken for of, not to) and that of the several Psalms, cv. xcvi.cvi. which are in part recited, 1 Chron. xvi. 8. &c. 23. &c. 34.35, 36, 37. and said to have been delivered into the hand of Asaph, not one of them is now inscribed {untranscribed Hebrew}, it still remains probable from the force of 11 Chron. xxix. 30. that {untranscribed Hebrew} denotes Asaph the Composer or Author of those Psalms. As for the others, which are found name in the titles of the Psalms, the sons of Coreh, Eman, Ethan, Jeduthun, it cannot be concluded, that those Psalms were composed by them, it being more probable, that they were to be sung by them, as of the sons of Coreh seems clear, or that it is upon some other account, that their names are there mentioned, of which something shall be said, when we come to those Psalms. Of some other Psalms there is little doubt, but they were composed long after David, some in time of the captivity( particularly Psal. cxxxvii. which mentions their sitting by the waters of Babylon) and some at, and after their return,( to which purpose the Syriack understands all the Psalms {untranscribed Hebrew} of degrees, i. e. of ascending from Babylon) the authors of which being not specified, there is no ground for any conjecture in that matter.  
Of other mens various opinions concerning the Authors of the Psalms, the reader may resort to Sixtus Senensis on the one side, who from the authority of Athanasius and Cyprian &c. ascribes but seventy three to David, those which have his name in their Title, and the rest to Moses, Solomon, Asaph, Ethan, Eman, Jeduthun, and three sons of Coreh; and to Jacobus peers, who from Origen, Ambrose, Augustine, hilary, Cassiodore, makes David the sole author of them all. Of which also see Ludovicus Vives on S. Augustine de Civit. Dei l. XVII. c. 14. Between these two extremes, the middle opinion seems to me most probable, upon the grounds which are here premised, and upon several prejudices, which lye against each extreme, which I shall not here enlarge to insert; but onely add, that if there were any( as 
De Civ. Dei l. xvii. c. 14.  S. Augustine saith there were) which would allow David to be the Author of none of those Psalms, which were inscribed ipsi David in the dative case, they of all others were most worthy refuting, there being no other form of mentioning David in any of the Psalms, but that of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which is by the latin indifferently rendered, sometimes Psalmus David, sometimes ipsi David, who yet sure, if we will believe our Saviour Luk. xx. 42. was the Author of some of them.  
Of this {untranscribed Hebrew} book of Psalms, there is, among some of the Hebrews, a division into five parts, every of which is called {untranscribed Hebrew} also, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the second book, beginning at Psal. XLII. {untranscribed Hebrew}: the third book, beginning at Psal. LXXIII. {untranscribed Hebrew}: the fourth book beginning at Psal. XC. {untranscribed Hebrew} the fifth book beginning at Psal. CVII. And every of these five solemnly concluding with some special form of praising God, Amen and Amen, the three former, Amen Hallelu-jah, the fourth, every thing that hath breath Hallelu-jah, praise the Lord, the last. How ancient this division is appears no otherwise, than that it is observed in the Syriack translation, {untranscribed Hebrew} the second book follows, and so in the rest, but neither in the Chaldee nor LXXII. And the New-Testament, which useth those other forms of citation, the book of Psalms, Luk. XX. 42. Act. 1.10. the Psalms Luk. XXIV. 44. taking notice also of the more minute division into several Psalms, the second Psalm, Act. XIII. 33. and another Psalm v. 35. doth not aclowledge this partition. Of which also it is S. Hilaries affirmation, that it was received but of some of the Jewish writers. Aliqui Hebraeorum eos in quinque libros divisos volunt esse, some of the Hebrews will have them divided into five Books, Others, it seems, not so dividing them. Of these Books, see note on Ps. XL. 6.  
In that lesser division( introduced, faith 
Prolong. in Psal. p. 334.  Hilary, by the LXXII. and owned by S. Luke in the New-Testament) into the first, second, and other Psalms, some variety also there is, the ninth and tenth Psalms, which are several in the Hebrew, and Chaldee, and Syriack, being united and conjoined, in the translation, at least the copies which we now have of the LXXII. and so in the latin and arabic and Aethiopick, which follow the LCXXII. And so from that tenth Psalm forward, the numbers differ, the eleventh in the Hebrew being but the tenth in the Greek, &c. and so in the rest to Psal. CLVII. which being by the Lxxii divided into two, their cxLvi. and cxLvii.( the latter of which begins at v. 12. Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem, and is 
Nihil horum in authenticis Lxxii. translatorum libris ita editum reperitur Hil. Pro●. in Psal. p. 332.  now in our copies inscribed, as some others, {untranscribed Hebrew}, Haggaee's and Zacharie's hallelujah) by this means the number of CL. is completed by the Lxxii and those that follow them; as also by the Syriack, who though they join not the tenth to the ninth Psalm, yet unite CXIV. and CXV. and so would come short of the number also, if they did not, with the Lxxii. divide the cxLvii. After the number of CL. thus made up, some Greek copies have xii more, but the Syriack sets this mark upon them, there are some who have added xii. others, {untranscribed Hebrew} we want them not; yet sets down the first of them, as being inscribed to David, and written as in his person, {untranscribed Hebrew}, when he entred the lists with goliath: But this is acknowledged by the Greek inscription( {untranscribed Hebrew}) to be without the number, not at all taken notice of by the latin;( probably the addition of some Greek) and so comes not into our present consideration.  
Other divisions there are of the Psalms, as into penitential, and Eucharistical, but all will not be comprised under this, or the like divisions. The Syriack take notice, in their Postscript to the Psalms, as of the number of the CL. Psalms, and five books, so of the fifteen Psalms of Degrees, and sixty Lauds. Of which somewhat will be said in their proper places.  

THE FIRST PSALM.  
The subject of this first Psalm of the first partition, is the distant fate of pious and godless men, both in this, and the next life.  
1. BLessed is the man that 
hath not walked {untranscribed Hebrew}  walketh not in the 
a.  counsel of the ungodly, nor 
stood {untranscribed Hebrew}  standeth in the way of sinners, nor 
sat {untranscribed Hebrew}  sitteth in 
b.  the 
or assembly  seat of the scornful.  
He that aspireth to any degree of felicity either in this life, or in another, must most circumspectly guard himself( and by constant fervent prayer implore Gods aids) that he be not gained by any example, or invitation of the wicked men of the world, to join with them in any forbidden enterprise; Or if he have been thus ensnared, and seduced into the beginning of any such course, then his second care must be, that he abide not one minute in that state of Rebellion, and danger,( wherein the longer he continues, the more he grieves, and repels the holy Spirit of God, and makes his return the more difficult,) but by true contrition, and confession, and vowed amendment, make his speedy return unto God, and sue out his timely pardon. Or if he have omitted this duty also, and continued some time in this unhappy course, yet at least let him beware that he advance not to so high a degree of impiety, as either to despise the terrors of the Lord, and the chastisements, which he sends to awake, and amend men, or the Rebukes and Censures of superiors, or the fraternal admonitions of equals, especially, that he speak not peace to his own soul, presume not of any mercy from God, whilst he continues in this state, or of more efficacious grace from him, to fetch him out of it; Above all, that he do not associate himself with those, which do profestly all these; For all and every of them are so many ways of Atheistical mocking of God, and contempt of all goodness, and the highest degrees of provocation, which must expect their doom from God, forsaking and obduration here, and eternal irremediable torments hereafter.( thus much for the negative.)  
2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  
And not only so, but then also( positively) he must apply himself to a most serious study and consideration of the whole law of God, and every single precept thereof, and that in order to a sincere uniform impartial obedience to it, nay, he must advance to a delight in it, discerning a most solid pleasure, and satisfaction in the practise of all holy duties( of piety, and charity and sobriety) and an emptiness and loathsomeness( at least comparatively with those) in all the false joys, that wicked men are so transported with, and upon these accounts,( both that he may exactly know his duty, in every part of it, and have this pleasurable taste of it) he must both study, and practise it continually, make these two the great designs of his whole life.  
3. And he shall be like a three planted by the 
c.  
divisions  rivers of water, that 
yieldeth {untranscribed Hebrew}  bringeth forth his fruit in his season, his leaf also shall not 
d.  
fall  whither, and whatsoever he 
bringeth forth  doth, shall prosper.  
He that doth thus, shall flourish in the Church of God, after the manner that a three flourisheth, that hath the advantage of water brought near it in trenches, to refresh it in time of drought; For thus shall the spirit of God, promised to all such, assist and enable him to bring forth abundant fruit, and accordingly being thus enabled by this divine strength, he will, upon all opportunities, multiply acts of all divine virtues. And even for outward things, which are not of the essence of true felicity( for such only are exercises of virtue, our prescribed way to a durable felicity) but yet are, here in this world, advantageous accessions and accomplishments thereof, bearing the same proportion to the other, that leaves do to fruit( as leaves accompany, and adorn, and cover the fruits, and withall defend them from heat and could, and help to the ripening of them, so these outward accessions are many ways useful to the exercises of virtues) These also shall in an eminent manner be preserved to the pious man( godliness hath the promise of this life, 1 Tim. iv. 8.) he shall have them richly to enjoy, 1 Tim. vi. 17. i. e. first they shall yield him a plentiful contentment and satisfaction, 1 Tim. vi. 6. and secondly, he shall never fail to have such a portion of them secured to him, as is perfectly fittest for his turn; And in a word, all his productions of all sorts, his thoughts, his resolutions, his actions, as well as his external accessions, proportionable to the buds, and blossoms, and fruit, and not only leaves of the most flourishing three, all wherein he is concerned, shall by Gods special blessing providence, continually watching over him, be exceedingly successful to him.  
4. The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.  
As for the wicked, they must expect a far distant fate, who being compared to the Godly, are so far from being like a well rooted and flourishing three, that as husks, and straw, and chaff, the most refuse adherents unto fruit, they are unsettled and obnoxious to every blast, of in themselves very empty and unprofitable, and accordingly shall be dealt with by God; When a day of winnowing comes( such are all Gods seasons of judgement, Mat. iii. 12.) then shall the separation be made, and their condition be very unlike one to the other; The solid fruit we know, abides, but the chaff, and husks, and dust is carried away with the wind, Psal. lxxxiii. 13. Job xxi. 18. Isa xli. 16. And that is not all, for then, as to combustible matter( good for little else) the fire attends that winnowing, and burns up all the trash, Isa. v. 44. Psal. lxxxiii. 14. devours and consumes it utterly( which the Greek, and arabic, and Aethiopick, and vulgar latin express by adding[ from the face of the earth.] And so it is with the wicked, when Gods judgements come, they violently seize on them, helpless and comfortless, and hurry them hence into a place of endless misery, where the worm never dies, and the fire is not quenched.  
5. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement, nor sinners in the 
f.  congregation of the righteous.  
When therefore that final doom comes, which shall repeal all the unequal judgements of this life, and repair them abundantly, who have here suffered causelessly, when all both good and evil shall appear before that dreadful tribunal, to receive the rewards of all their doings, these unhappy miscreants shall not be able to abide the trial, shall have nothing to plead for themselves, their conscience shall accuse, and( as being self-condemned) drag them with shane and horror to the place of their execution; or if they shall pretend to make any plea, they shall certainly miscarry, and be cast. The judgements of God, as of him that sees the most secret recesses of the very heart, bringing with him also an assembly of myriad of holy Angels and glorified Saints, who are able to testify and convince any gainsayer, are managed with that severity of uprightness, that there is no hope of escaping that vengeance which is justly due to them for their impious course. They must have false and partial Judges, from whom to expect absolution or favour, but this being a most pure and just tribunal, they are sure to meet with neither, or they shall have a far distant fate from that which belongs to the righteous.  
6. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous; but the way of the ungodly shall perish.  
For the Lord sees and beholds with mercy, and, according to the gracious tenor of the evangelical covenant, approves, and finally rewards all the good purposes and performances of the godly, his humble, obedient, penitent, faithful servants, but for others, such as go on impenitently and unreformed, on whom all his wise, and compassionate, and powerful methods have yet wrought no change, they shall all be severely adjudged by him. The course of sin wherein now they go on presumptuously and obstinately, doth at the present most directly tend, and shall at the last most certainly bring them to eternal irremediable destruction. And all his long-suffering and abundant mercy shall not then stand them in any stead, to put off, or abate their torments.  

Annotations on Psal. I.  
V. 1. counsel] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} consuluit, advising, or asking counsel, vulgarly signifies the result of the consultation, the way, whether good or bad, which is taken up on that deliberation, and agreeably the Syriack renders it here {untranscribed Hebrew} the way, the arabic, the Sentence, or resolution, or determination, consequent to the consultation. In this notion we find it Psal. xiv. 6. the counsel of the poor, i. e. the way, and course( viz. of piety) which he adheres to; and Psal. cvi. 13. Gods counsel is to be interpnted by[ his works] preceding in that verse, viz. that which he purposed to do for them( as Psal. cvii. 11. it must receive its signification from the context, which mentions not works, but words there, and so notes the precepts or commands of God) and accordingly this same word is once rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} work, Job xxi. 16. and once {untranscribed Hebrew} way, or course of life, which any man takes to, good or bad, Psal. lxxxi. 12. And so it must needs signify here, that[ {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  walking] may agree with it, which noteth the following or going on in any course, that others have traced before us.  
V. 1. Seat] Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  sedit, literally denotes sitting, and so must be rendered, 1 King. x. 5. and 2 Chron. ix. 4. the sitting of his servants, and Psal. cxxxix. 2. my down-sitting, and so Lam. iii. 63. where yet the Greek have {untranscribed Hebrew} seat, or chair, or place of sitting, as here, and in most other places. And if that be the acception of the word here, then it notes the quiet repose, and security, and presumption of the sinner, without any regrets or disturbances in his course, or yet further, as a chair is a seat of dignity in a School, or Synagogue, or Sanhedrim, a teaching or instructing of others in the course, as a Doctor or Professor of impiety. Beside this, it signifies also an assembly or consessus, so called, because many meeting together in consultation, the posture of sitting is there generally used, as most commodious. So Psa. cvii. 32. we fitly render it, the assembly of the Elders. And thus the interlinear here read in consessu, in the assembly, and the Chaldee Paraphrase {untranscribed Hebrew} in the society or congregation( for so that Noun signifies among them, and is by 
See Schindler Pentagl. p. 1205. c. {untranscribed Hebrew}  some Learned men thought to signify in that one place, where it is used in the Bible, Psal. lv. 9. {untranscribed Hebrew} ventus congregationis, a whirlwind, or associated wind) and then it must note associating with this sort of Athiestical scoffers, and so the arabic evidently understood it, rendering it( without any mention of chair or seat) and hath not sate with the scorners. These two senses of the word having so reasonable pretensions to it, I have therefore retained both of them in the Paraphrase, thereby to secure the Reader of the full importance of it.  
V. 3. Rivers] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} divisit, literally signifies divisions, and may refer to the customs of conveying water to orchards or gardens. A mention of it we have in Deut. XI. 10. where of the land of egypt, 'tis said, thou wateredst it with thy foot as a garden of herbs: where the vulgar reads, by way of Paraphrase, in hortorum morem, aquae ducuntur irriguae, after the manner of Gardens( the Syriack adds, which want watering) the waters are led or brought to water it, or literally, by thy foot, i. e. by digging( the work of the foot) thou broughtest water in trenches for the watering of it. For thus in egypt, where they wanted rain, they did to all quarters distribute the overflowings of Nilus, by cutting of trenches or ditches, called commata, and diacopi( saith 
Miscel. l. 1. c. x.  Hieron. Magius) i. e. cuts or divisions here. To this custom and use of the word {untranscribed Hebrew} we have a reference Prov. xxi. 1. The Kings heart is in the hands of the Lord, we read as the rivers of waters, the interlinear hath pelagi, the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} retained( giving us farther to observe, that the Greek and latin {untranscribed Hebrew} and Pelagus used for the Sea, hath this origination) the LXXII have {untranscribed Hebrew} streams, but the vulgar literally divisions, divisions of waters, i. e. as the waters that the Gardiners bring by cuts either from springs or rivers to their gardens, are by them led at pleasure, backward or forward, this way or that way, diverted, or stopped, or applied in a greater or less plenty to this or that three, as they direct it, so is the heart of the King in Gods disposal, and accordingly it follows, he turneth it whither he will. And this acceptation of the word is most commodious for this place also, speaking of a fruit three that flourisheth exceedingly, for such are said to be planted in a watered garden, Isa. lviii. 11. and so are fat, as there it is said, likely to become very fruitful by that means. And to that incline the LXXII reading {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the arabic, and Aethiopick, and vulgar latin, all to the same sense, decursus, the passages, or runnings along of the waters.  
V. 3. whither] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} aruit, growing dry or withering, may literally thus be rendered; But almost all the ancient Interpreters and Paraphrasts render it by the notion of falling, the Targum( and so the Syriack) {untranscribed Hebrew} shall not fall, and so Isa. i. 30. xxxiv. 4. xl. 7. and the interlinear, non decidet, the vulgar, non defluunt, the LXXII {untranscribed Hebrew}, all so concordant in the same sense of falling, that learned men think they either red or had an eye to {untranscribed Hebrew} cecidit. But the decision is more clear from the vulgar metonymy, of the cause or antecedent, being set to note the effect or consequent also, for by this figure the falling of leaves being naturally consequent to the withering or flagging of them, the verb {untranscribed Hebrew} that signifies withering, may fitly signify that, and be used for falling also, and so most probably here, where {untranscribed Hebrew} shall not whither, is set metaphorically to signify the continuance of all outward accomplishments to the pious man; their neither losing their sap and verdure, nor yet falling from him; the former notes his contentment, while he enjoys them, the latter Gods defence to secure him in the quiet enjoyment of them; as when the meek have the promise to possess the earth, and they that honour their parents to have long life in a Canaan; which though it must always be understood cum mixturâ crucis, especially now under the Gospel( or else there could be no place left for martyrdom, or for the exercising the most eminent of Christs precepts, yet in general speaking, the promise doth most fitly belong to, and is frequently repeated for the encouragement of all godly men: That they shall have an antepast of the goodness of God, a comfortable enjoyment( which consists more in a competency, than in the greatest load) of the good things of this life, whilst on the ungodly he reins snares, fire, and brimstone, a sad portion for them to drink, or enjoy here, though there were never an arrear behind of eternal hell.  
V. 3. Doth] Of the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  fecit, it may deserve to be noted, that as it belongs to several things, so particularly it is applied to trees, producing or bringing forth fruit, Isa. v. 4. I looked that it should bring forth, {untranscribed Hebrew} grapes, {untranscribed Hebrew} and it brought forth wild grapes. So Isa. xxxvii. 31. {untranscribed Hebrew} and it shall bear fruit upward. And so very often elsewhere: And accordingly in the New Testament, the phrase is most frequent, {untranscribed Hebrew} to make, or do, i. e. to bear, or bring forth fruit, Mat. iii. 8.& 10. So that still the similitude is maintained in these last words of the verse, like a three planted by the divisions of waters, yielding fruit in his season, not so much as his leaf withering, and whatsoever he bringeth forth, bud, blossom, or fruit, it shall prosper.  
V. 5. Congregation] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} convocavit, signifies an assembly, there is no question. All the difficulty is, who the just are here, of whom this assembly consists, whether they that are mentioned v. 6. under the same title, the godly, that shall be rewarded in that judgement, or the {untranscribed Hebrew} Heb. xii. 23. the just made perfect, i. e. that have already received their crown, those Saints, of whom the Apostle pronounceth, that they shall judge the world, 1 Cor. vi. 2. taking in also the Angels, those holy myriad, judas 15. with whom God is there said to come to execute judgement upon all. To the latter of these we are inclined by the Septuagint, who render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so the vulgar latin, in concilio, in the council of the just, for then, as Mat. v. we have mention of two judicatures, one by {untranscribed Hebrew} the judgement, the other by {untranscribed Hebrew} the Sanhedrim or council( the great standing judicature at Jerusalem) so we have here {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} judgement and council, most probably in the same sense, and so the word {untranscribed Hebrew} once more rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} council, Numb. xvi. 2. and frequently {untranscribed Hebrew} assembly, doth certainly signify that judicature among the Jews; and so the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} here used, was before taken for a consessus( as was said v. 1. note a) and the Syriack and arabic, and Aethiopick, all agree to it, the first rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew} assembly, the two other council. And then this is the clear meaning of it, that that last doom( or {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  day, as the Chaldee here render judgement; from whence we have {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  day, in the New Testament signifying judgement) is transacted by a Court of eminently just persons, God the just and righteous Judge, ii Tim. iv. 8. assisted with a council of Saints and holy Angels, all of them just and crowned as such: And therefore there is no appearing for wicked men before that tribunal, they shall certainly be condemned by them. But the parallel betwixt fruit and chaff may not improbably incline to the former sense, that the ungodly shall not be able to abide the winnowing of the divine judgement( the wind of Gods vengeance v. 4.) nor consequently remain in the company of the righteous, who in stead of receiving damage by the fury of the wind, are only purged and fixed by it.    

The Second psalm.  
THe second of this first partition is a most divine mixture of history, and prophesy, certainly composed by David, and referring visibly to his person, and both typically and prophetically to Christ, and so understood expressly by the writers of the New Testament. The first immediate occasion and matter of it, seems to be the instating, and settling of David peaceably and triumphantly in his kingdom, both of Judah, ii Sam. ii. 4. and after some short opposition, of Israel also, c. v. 4. and soon after that, his taking of Zion from the Jebusites, c. v. 7. and possessing and enlarging it, v. 9.( and bringing the Ark to it, c. vi.) after which Hiram King of Tyre presents him, c. v. 11. and Toi King of Hamath sends his ambassador to salute him, and bless him c. viii. 10. Mean while other heathen Princes assault him, the philistines, c. v. 17, 22. c. viii. 1. and so likewise the Moabites, c. viii. 2. the King of Zobah, v. 3. the Syrians of Damascus, v. 5. the Ammonites, and Amalekites, v. 12. and so again, c. x. All which were wonderfully subdued by David, and the several victories recorded in those Chapters. But beside this first immediate, there is a second more remote, but withall as literal( by the confession of the Jews themselves) and more eminent matter of it, A prophetic representation of the messiah, vlz, of Christs inauguration to his regal, and sacerdotal offices, assaulted indeed, and violently opposed, and even crucified by the Jewish, and roman Magistrates, Act. iv 25. but then victoriously raised from death by the power of his Father, Act. xiii. 33. and so exalted to his great offices, Heb. 1.5. and v. 5. and Rev. 11.27. and xix. 15. in the successful exercises whereof all our salvation consists.  
1. Why do the 
Nations {untranscribed Hebrew},  heathen 
a.  
Conspire assemble, tumultuate,  rage, and the people imagine a vain thing.  
It is to little purpose that the philistines, and so many other neighbouring heathen nations round about, and unquiet spirits at home, raise war against David, now seated in his throne by God; All their designs, and enterprises against him are blasted by the Almighty, and prove successeless, and ruinous to them. And so in like manner, all the opposition that Satan, and his instruments, Jews and Romans, Act. iv. 25. make against Christ, the son of David, anointed by his Father to a spiritual kingdom, a Melchizedekian, Royal Priesthood, shall never prevail to hinder that great purpose of God, of bringing by this means all penitent believers to salvation.  
2. The Kings of the earth 
b.  
rise up  set themselves, and the rulers 
c.  
assemble  take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,  
The Princes and Governours of the Nations round about Judea, the Kings of the philistines, and Moabites, and Damascenes, and many more rose up against David, the Syrians joined with Hadadezer King of Zobah. 2 Sam. viii. 5. and in so doing opposed the Lords anointed, one set up and supported by God in a special manner, and so in effect rebelled against God himself. In like manner did Herod, and Pilate, and the Jewish Sanhedrim make a solemn opposition, and conspiracy against the messiah, Gods holy child Jesus, by him anointed Act. iv 27. and therein were fighters against God, Act. v. 39.  
3. Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their 
d.  
or yokes  cords from us.  
Both of these alike resolving that they would not by any means be subject, the philistines &c. to David, the Jews &c. to Christ, and the divine laws and rites of Religion, by which either of their kingdoms were to be governed.  
4. He that 
dwelleth {untranscribed Hebrew}  sitteth in the heavens shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision.  
But God that ruleth all things, and is much more powerful than they, will defeat all their enterprises, and magnify his divine providence, as in the securing of David, and giving him victories over them all, so in erecting and enlarging of Christs kingdom, and making the utmost of the malice of men and devils, as means of consecrating him to that office of royal Priesthood, to which God had designed him.  
5. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and 
disturb, affright {untranscribed Hebrew}  vex them in his sore displeasure.  
All their enterprises, against this Government of Gods erecting, shall not attain any part of their desire, but only provoke God to great severities and terrible vengeances against them, remarkable slaughters in Davids time, upon his enemies, and under Christ's kingdom( the state of Christianity) upon the Jews and Romans.  
6. Yet have I 
or anointed {untranscribed Hebrew}  set my King upon my holy hill of Sion.  
Meanwhile 'tis an eminent act of Gods power and mercy to David, that soon after his anointing in Hebron 2 Sam. v. 3. he overcame the Idolatrous Jebusites, v. 6. and took the strong hold of Zion, and made it the seat of his kingdom, and placed the Ark of the Covenant there, and thereupon called it the Mountain of the Lord, the hill of holiness, and there settled the kingdom, long since fore promised by Jacob to the Tribe of Judah, but never fixed in that Tribe till now. And the like( but exceedingly more eminent) act of power and mercy it was in him, to seat Christ in his spiritual throne, in the hearts of all saithful Christians, possessed before his coming by heathen sins, and trusting to false Idol Gods, parallel to the lame and the blind, 2 Sam. v. 16.( i. e. not improbably the Jebusites images, Teraphims, or the like, which could neither go nor see, and yet were confided in by them, that they would defend their city.)  
7. I will 
promulgate, or tell of a decree, or Covenant,  declare the 
e.  decree, The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my 
f.  son, this day have I 
f.  begotten thee.  
Now was that Covenant solemnly sealed, and ratified to David, which he is therefore to publish unto all, so as it shall be in force against all persons that shall transgress it, that at this time God hath taken the kingdom from the house of Saul( Ishbosheth being now slain 2 Sam. iv. 6.) and settled it upon David, who was anointed over Israel also, 2 Sam. v. 3. given him the Rule over his own people, set him up, as his own son, an image of his supremacy, having at length delivered him from the power of all his enemies, an● set him victoriously on his throne in Sion, which is a kind of birth-day to him, the day of his inauguration, the birth-day of his power, though not his person, of his kingdom, though not of the King, and this much more considerable than the other. And in the parallel, the Evangelical Covenant is now sealed to Christ, and in him to all faithful Christians, a Covenant to be published to all the world, and the foundation of it laid in the death or rather the resurrection of Christ, the eternal son of God, who h●ving taken our mortal flesh, and therein offered up a full sacrifice, and satisfaction for the sins of the world, the third day after, was brought forth( as by a new birth) out of the womb of the grave,( See Act. xiii 33.) now never to die again, and thereby hath ascertained unto us,( as many as spiritually partake of these, that die unto sin, and live again to righteousness,) a blessed immortal life.  
8. ask of me, and I shall give thee the 
nations  heathen for thine inheritance, and the 
g.  
ends or borders of the land.  outmost parts of the earth for thy possession.  
To this is consequent, as a free, and special mercy of Gods, the enlarging of this his kingdom, not only to the inhabitants of Judea, but to many other heathen nations, the philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Idumeans, and Syrians &c. who were all subdued by David, through the power of God, 2 Sam. v. and viii. and x. and subjected to him. And so upon the Resurrection and Ascension of christ, by the wonderful blessing of God upon the preaching of the Apostles, not only the Jews( many thousands of them Rev. vii.) but the heathens over all the world, were brought in, to the faith of Christ.  
9. Thou shalt 
h.  
or rule, or feed  break them with a rod of iron, thou shalt dash them in pieces like a Potters vessel.  
All these neighbouring enemies that ris● up against him, shall he subdue, and slay great multitudes of them: And so shall Christ deal with his enemies, Jews and Heathens, subdue some, and destroy the impregnable, and obdurate.  
10. 
i.  
And now beware, or take care to understand  Be wise now therefore, O ye Kings, be 
i.  
And now beware, or take care to understand  instructed ye Judges of the Earth.  
This therefore may be fit matter of admonition to all neighbour Princes, as they tender their own welfare, that they endeavour to profit by others sufferings, 
reformed  and not fall foolishly into the same danger; that timely they make their peace, and enter into league with David, and undertake the service of the true God, which he professes. And in like manner when Christ is raised from the dead by his divine power, and so instated in his office of royal Priesthood, it will nearly concern all those, that have hitherto stood out against him, the Governors and people of Judea, and all others over all the world, that have lived in opposition to God, to repent, and reform at the preaching of the Apostles.  
11. Serve the Lord with 
k.  fear, and rejoice with trembling.  
Set yourselves diligently and solicitously to the service and obedience of God, the God of David, and be extremely careful, that y● displease him not; And especially, when the faith of Christ comes to be preached, and those doctrines of purity, and charity &c. which he brought into the world, men must be careful to submit themselves to it, and obey it most circumspectly, and then they will find all matter of joy and pleasure, and even of exultancy in so doing, Christs yoke is not only an easy, but withall a most gracious yoke, the most happy way to a cheerful, joyous course of living here, and reigning eternally, therefore the serving him most diligently, and rejoicing in that service, are very reconcilable, cannot one be separated from the other.  
12. 
l.  kiss the son lest he be angry and ye 
m.  perish from the way, when his wrath is 
suddenly kindled, {untranscribed Hebrew} See Psalm lxxxi. 14.  kindled, but a little; Blessed are all they that 
n.  
fly, or betake themselves to  put their trust in him.  
In respect of David the anointed King, and so son of God( v. 7.) It is the necessary course for all the neighbouring Princes, to do, as Hiram King of Tyre, and Toi King of Hameth have done, the former sending him sumptuous presents by his ambassadors, 2 Sam. v. 11. the latter sending his own son Joram to salute him, and treat of entering a league and confederation with him, c. viii. 10. If they neglect their opportunity, and either associate with his enemies, or stand by unconcerned, they will suddenly provoke him, and pay dearly for it, be sadly destroyed. Whosoever shall by any opposition or neglect offend him, will experimentally find what a care God Almighty hath of him, and how severely he will deal with all those, that being thus admonished, do not speedily make applications and addresses to him. And so will it as nearly concern all the Jewish, and heathen people, to whom Christ is revealed, to adore, and address to him( as unto the eternal God, coequal with his Father, who alone can protect those, that apply themselves to him) to lay down all their instruments of hostility( their former sins) and diligently endeavour to pacify him, and to that end sincerely enter into a confederation, and covenant with him, If they shall stand out, and not aclowledge his divine power, now he is risen from the dead, but continue to provoke him still, they will certainly have their portion with his enemies, be destroyed with the Jews, or after the like manner, that the Jews were, when the Romans came in, and wrought a horrid desolation among them, and only the believing Christian Jews, by obeying Christs directions, were delivered out of it.  

Annotations on Psal. II.  
V. 1. Rage] The notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the Syriack and Chaldee is to convene or assemble to counsel, so Dan. vi. 7. the Presidents and Princes {untranscribed Hebrew} we red consulted, consilium inierunt, saith the vulgar latin, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Greek, and so the arabic also, and Syriack, they decreed, all agreeing that it signifies there an assembling and agreeing together in Counsel, and so the context there enforces, the design of it being the making a Decree the result of a Consultation. And thus it will best belong to the Prophetical sense, and refer distinctly to the assembling of the Sanhedrim of the Jews, and Pilate, to the condemning and crucifying of Christ. The word also belongs to any assembling together, such as to the house of God, Psal. LV. 14. we walked unto the house of God {untranscribed Hebrew} in company, the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} in concord, and so the Syriack in concord; the Aethiopick, and arabic, with one or the same heart, but especially to a tumultuous assembly, and therefore the interlinear so renders it even in that place of Daniel, tumultuariè convenerunt, as here tumultuatae sunt, and Psal. LV. 14. cum strepitu, with a noise, and the Targum to the same purpose there {untranscribed Hebrew} cum festinantiâ. Yet more particularly it belongs to such a tumultuous convening, as is in war, a going up to assault an enemy. So Jos. vii. 3. of making the people go up against Ai to destroy it, the Targum reads {untranscribed Hebrew} ne cogas omnem populum, make not all the people go up to that service, where the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, led not up, as a Commander his Souldiers, unless perhaps it should rather be {untranscribed Hebrew}, force them not to go up. Once more the word is used Psal. LXIV. 2. hid me {untranscribed Hebrew} from the gathering together of the wicked, {untranscribed Hebrew}, say the LXXII. a seditious uproar of the people. The military notion of it is that which more fitly pertains to David, in respect of the warlike assaults of the philistines, and especially of the conjunction of several of them, the Syrians of Damascus with the King of Zobah 2 Sam. viii. 5. But the loser notion of it, for a conspiration and complotting of wicked men is most agreeable to the mystical and prophetical notion, that which is fulfilled in the Jews and Romans conjunction against Christ, those being the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  nations( so the word literally must be rendered, see note on Mat. xxiv. 2.& xxviii. b.) and in the same sense {untranscribed Hebrew} populi, in the later part of this verse( as nations and people are all one) which conspired to put him to death.  
V. 2. Set themselves] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  indeed signifies to stand, but in the conjugation hithpael, which here is used, it signifies to make himself to stand, and that is certainly to rise up. Thus the Targum understood it, which render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, from {untranscribed Hebrew} which certainly signifies to rise up, and so the Septuaagints {untranscribed Hebrew} and the vulgars astiterunt, which our old Translation imitates, reading [ stand up] so the Syriack surrexerunt, arose, and the arabic insurrexerunt, made an insurrection, do all accord in the rendering of it, and so it refers most fitly in the Historical sense to the warlike assaults of the philistines &c. ordinarily expressed in the Sacred style, by rising up against; and so, in the Prophetical also, to the rebellions of the enemies of Christ, insurrections against his spiritual kingdom.  
V. 2. Take counsel] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in Kal signifies sundavit, posuit, disposuit, to found, to set, to dispose; and then in Niphal the passive, wherein here it is used, it regularly signifies poni or disponi, and sometimes( when the context requires) to be founded or created. Here it seems to be taken in the first and simplest sense, and being joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} simul, it is no more then to be met or assembled together. Thus it is twice interpnted by the Lxxii, {untranscribed Hebrew} they assembled here, and {untranscribed Hebrew} Psal. xxxi. 13. and as it there notes an hostile assembling to take away his life, so it is here also: Accordingly a Jewish-Arabick translation, in the possession of learned M. Pocock, renders it, All of them assembled themselves in companies, confirming it from {untranscribed Hebrew} Psa. xxxi. 13. and my soul enter not, {untranscribed Hebrew} into their assembly, Gen. xlix. 6. And so it evidently imports in the first and historical sense, their assaulting and invading David with their heathen armies, but in the prophetical, their assembling in the Sanhedrim to put Christ to death. This the Targum designed in rendering it, {untranscribed Hebrew} which the vulgar translates exactly, convenerunt in unum, they met together, or joined; either as Souldiers do in an army, or as Senators in a council: in the former way against David, in the latter against Christ.  
V. 3. Cords] The {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  ordinarily rendered cords, doth in all reason add somewhat to the bands, in the beginning of the verse; and then it is probable that the LXXII are in the right, which here, as Job xxxix. 10. have rendered it {untranscribed Hebrew} yoke. Thus the Syriack and arabic, and Aethiopick, and vulgar, all agree, reading it {untranscribed Hebrew} jugum eorum, their yoke, and thus the sense is perspicuous. Bands are useful to tie on yokes, and accordingly we find in the Septuagint {untranscribed Hebrew}, Isa. v. 18. the band of a yoke of an heifer, that which ties it fast upon the neck that it cannot be cast off, till first the band be broken. Thus therefore it here lies, first breaking the bands, and then casting away the {untranscribed Hebrew} yoke. And this is most agreeable to the Context, which treats of renouncing subjection, which is in all idioms vulgarly expressed by a yoke bound on the neck of any; whereas the bands and cords are more agreeable to a state of captivity and imprisonment, which is not appliable to this place: for the philistines, &c. were not prisoners to David, when they were supposed thus to speak, but such as feared the rising power of David, that they should be made subjects of his Kingdom, or rather that disclaimed that yoke of God, refused obedience to those Commandments, by which that holy people was governed, would not endure the Jewish Laws, which as the {untranscribed Hebrew} bands or thongs bound this yoke upon their necks. Accordingly the fore-mentioned Jewish arabic translation thus renders the place, Let us break( or cut) off from us the bands of these two( the Lord and his anointed) and cast their reins from us, i. e.( saith he) their injunctions and prohibitions. And proportionable to these were the Jews and Heathens in the prophetic sense, which would not endure Christs {untranscribed Hebrew}, the yoke of purity and sincere obedience ( no slavish bands or chains, but) an easy, nay, gracious yoke, which alone he now imposed on them, but would not be endured by those hypocrites. As for the origination of the word from {untranscribed Hebrew} in Piel, complicavit, constrinxit, it very fitly belongs to such a yoke, as Oxen or labouring cattle are used to: it is made by wreathing and complicating, and it constrains and binds together those cattle that are thus yoked. Another interpretation this third verse is capable of, so as to appertain to David, and to be his speech, and not the saying of the Heathen, to this sense; Though these nations consult and plot against us to keep us under, and scorn, and rage at our late good successses, yet now we will utterly break their yoke in pieces, take the {untranscribed Hebrew} ii Sam. viii. 1. the bridle or government of the Metropolis( for which we have in the parallel place 1 Chron. xviii. 1. Gath and her daughters) out of the hands of the philistines, and subdue them. But the former is the more received sense, and therefore I have adhered to it in the Paraphrase.  
V. 7. Decree] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} insculpsit, scripsit, decrevit, statuit, mandavit, signifying proportionably many things, a writing, and so particularly a pact or covenant, subscribed by the parties hands, a decree, a precept, a rite, &c. the LXXII here render it {untranscribed Hebrew} an order, an agreement, a precept, or ordinance, or decree; and so most of the ancient Interpreters accord, the Targum {untranscribed Hebrew} Gods oath, or decree, or statute, or his pact, and covenant. All these notions are of affinity, and may here most fitly be put together. In the historical sense, it was first a decree in heaven immutable; then a pact or covenant with David and his seed, Psal. lxxxix 3. I have made a covenant with my chosen; that confirmed by oath, in the same verse, I have sworn unto David my servant, and I have sworn by my holiness that I will( thus support, and) not fail David, but settle the kingdom on him, and his posterity, till Shiloh or the messiah come; and withall a command of obedience promulgate to his Subjects, and of making peace with him, to those that were round about him, ver. 12. In the mystical sense it principally denotes the covenant made with and in Christ: which Covenant also was under Gods oath, an immutable decree, the oath which he swore to Abraham, Luk. 1.73. and a Law also, 1. in respect of Christ, requiring somewhat of him, he was to suffer, and so to enter into his glory, to be made perfect, or consecrated to his royal Priesthood by sufferings; and 2. in respect of us, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the law of faith, exacting from us an uniform obedience to him in the exercise of all his offices: and accordingly saith Clemens Stro. 2. p. 168. l. 12. {untranscribed Hebrew}, S. Peter in his preaching styled our Lord Christ the law and word of God; the Law as well as the Word of God; one that revealed Gods whole Evangelicall will unto us, as {untranscribed Hebrew}, a Law-giver, as there it follows, and came not to destroy, but {untranscribed Hebrew} to fill up and complete the several Laws, which had formerly been given to the world. Here only it may be observed, that the adjunct {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here joined with it {untranscribed Hebrew} seems to be mistaken by Interpreters: the LXXII seem to have red it {untranscribed Hebrew} God or Lord, and so render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Ordinance of the Lord, and so the Targum {untranscribed Hebrew} of the Lord, and so the arabic and Aethiopick; the vulgar, Praeceptum ejus, the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} my decree, i. e. the Lords, v. 4. the precept of the Lord: But if it were thus in the Hebrew, the {untranscribed Hebrew} must have been put after {untranscribed Hebrew}, whereas here it is before it. Others seem to take {untranscribed Hebrew} for a particle equivalent with {untranscribed Hebrew} so the interlinear, ipsum Decretum: but it is more reasonable to take it as vulgarly it is, for a preposition signifying de, and then it will be best rendered, I will tell of a decree or covenant.  

{untranscribed Hebrew}  V. 7. son] That David, as a King exalted by Gods peculiar command, should be styled Gods son, or that the time of his inauguration or instating in that power, taking possession of his throne, and subduing his enemies on every side, should be expressed by the day of Gods begetting, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  hath nothing strange in it: It is affirmed in the name of God, Psal. lxxxix. 26. He shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father, and v. 27. Also I will make him my first-born higher then the Kings of the earth; where each King of the earth is looked on as a son of God, but he, as being higher then they, his first-born. We know an adopted son is styled a son, and Salathiel, Mat. i. 12. is said to be begotten by Jechoniah, because he succeeded him in the kingdom, though he were not indeed his son. And so may David be Gods son, being immediately exalted by him, and indeed all other Kings, who are said to reign by him. And that the time of his Coronation should be looked on as his birth-day, and accordingly kept festival, as the birth-day was, that is familiar in all Countreys. The feast of commemorating the building of Rome, we know, was called Palilia, and this title was by decree given to the day of Caius the Emperour his advancement to the Empire. 
Sueton. in Calig. c. 16  Decretum ut dies quo cepisset imperium Palilia vocaretur, 'twas decreed that the day on which he began his Reign should be so called, and accordingly celebrated. And the Emperour generally had two natales, or birth-dayes kept, Natalis Imperatoris, and Imperii, the birth-day of the Emperour, and of the Empire: the first to commemorate his coming into the world, the second his advancement to the Imperial dignity. So Spartianus in Adriano tells us of the Natalis adoptionis, the day of his adoption( i. e. his civil birth) on V. Ides of August, and then Natalem Imperii, the birth-day of his Empire on the III. And Tacitus of Vespasian, Hist. l. ii. Primus Principatus dies in posterum celebratus, the first day of his Empire was celebrated afterwards. But then in the mystical sense some difficulty there is, what Sonship or begetting of Christ is here meant. The Schoolmen, from some of the Ancients, understand it of the eternal generation of the Son of God, and interpret the [ hodiè to day] of an hodiè aeternitatis a day of eternity. But the Apostle S. Paul, Act. xiii. 33. applies it distinctly to his resurrection. He hath raised up Jesus again, as it is also written in the second Psalm, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee; and so Heb. v. 5. it is brought as an evidence of Christs being consecrated by his Father to his Melchizedekian High-Priesthood, which we know was at his Resurrection: Christ glorified not himself to be made an high-Priest, but he that said unto him, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee, who in the dayes of his flesh v. 7. being made perfect became the author of eternal salvation,— called of God an high-Priest, v. 9, 10. So Heb. 1.5. where this Text is again recited, the Context refers it to the exaltation of him in his human nature, when having purged our sins, he sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, being made so much better than the Angels, v. 3.4. And to this belongs that of S. Hierom ad Paulin. David, Simonides noster, Pindarus,& Alcaeus, Christum lyrâ personat,& decachordo Psalterio ab inferis suscitat resurgentem: David our divine Poet sounds out Christ upon his Harp, and with his Psaltery of ten strings awakes him rising from the dead. Only it must be remembered, that as it was an act of his divine power, by which he was raised, and so his resurrection was an evidence demonstrative that he was the promised messiah, of whom the learned Jews themselves resolved, that he was to be the son of God, and that in an eminent manner( so the High-Priest, Mat. xxvi. 63. Tell us whether thou art the Christ the son of God, and Joh. i. 20. Rabbi, thou art the son of God, the King of Israel) so this begetting him from the grave to a life immortal, did comprehend and presuppose the truth of that other fundamental article of our Creed, that he was that eternal word or son of God, which thus rose. Thus the Apostle sets it, Rom. i. 4. speaking of Jesus Christ our Lord, made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and adding, that he was declared to be the son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holinesse, by the resurrection from the dead. Now that this his resurrection, and exaltation consequent to it, is here sitly expressed by Gods begetting him, will easily be believed upon these two accounts: 1. That in respect of his human nature it was a second( as that from the mothers womb a first) entrance on human life, the grave was but a second womb, from which now he came forth; and it is not unusual to call the resurrection of one of us {untranscribed Hebrew} a new or second birth: 2. that Princes or Rulers are in Scripture style called Gods, and children or sons of God, I said you are Gods, and you are all children of the most high; and then instating Christ in his Regal office is the begetting him, and so the saying, Thou art my son, i. e. by saying, constituting him so, the second sort of Natalis or birth-day, the birth-day of his kingdom, yea and Melchizedekian Priesthood too( to that the Apostle applies it, Heb. v. 4.5.) for to both these he was solemnly installed at his Resurrection. The Chaldee of all the Interpreters seem alone not to have understood this mystery, who render it, Thou art beloved by me as a son by a Father, thou art pure to me, as if this day I had created thee.  
V. 8. Utmost parts] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} finitus, terminatus, consumptus est, signifies the utmost skirts, the extreme parts of that which is spoken of, there can be no question. All that is here to be noted, is, the dubious notation of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  earth, that is joined with it. For if that be interpnted of the Universe or whole world, then there can here be no place for the historical sense, respecting David, for it is certain he was never constituted by God the Universal Monarch of the whole world. Yet on the other side, if it be not taken in this latitude, it will fall short of describing Christs kingdom, which was to be propagated, and set up in all nations, those that were most remote from Judea. For the reconciling of which difficulty, it appears necessary to assign to {untranscribed Hebrew} land or earth, here, the double notion of which the word is capable. Sometimes it signifies that land of Judea peculiarly( see note on Matth. xxiv 6.) and then the bounds or extreme parts of that land] are the Nations that border on it, or are near situate about it, the philistines, Moabites, Idumeans, Syrians, &c. for all these were literally conquered and subjected by David. So Psal. Lxxii. speaking of Solomon, the Kings( i. e. King Davids) son v. 1. and of the extent of his kingdom, it is said v. 8. that he shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth: which though the Lxxii. render {untranscribed Hebrew} the world, yet certainly belongs not to all the world, in the larger acception, but in this narrower, common both to {untranscribed Hebrew} earth, and {untranscribed Hebrew} world,( see note on Mat. xxiv. 8.) the bounds of the Jewish kingdom, and so is well paraphrased by the Chaldee, from one corner of the great sea to another corner of it, from Euphrates to the ends or bounds of the land. And so Psalm Lxi. 2. when David saith, from the ends of the earth I will cry unto thee, 'tis sure from beyond Jordan( and not in any remote corner of the world) whither he was then fled for fear of Absalom, 2 Sam. xvii. 22. where though the Hebrew word for [ ends] be not the same that here, yet it is exactly equivalent to it {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  finis, or extremum, and rendered by Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} from the extreme parts of the land, in the same style as here it is. But then if we look forward to the mystical Prophetical signification, we must be forced to forsake this restrained sense, and take it in the full latitude, so as to note all the remotest nations of the world, as well as those that border on Judea, for to all them was this spiritual kingdom of Christ extended. And it is well becoming the wisdom of the prophetic pen-man, and the comprehensive richness of the sacred style, to comprise both these in the same phrase, as it is thus diversly interpretable.  
V. 9. break] The Septuagint and( except the Chaldee Paraphrase) all the ancient interpreters red not here [ break] but rule or feed, {untranscribed Hebrew} pasces or reges eos. By this 'tis evident, that they red the Hebrew with other points, than we now do; {untranscribed Hebrew} shall feed them, from {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  pavit, and not, as now the Hebrew copies have it, {untranscribed Hebrew} shall break them, from {untranscribed Hebrew} fregit. And S. John reteins the Septuagints reading, and so gives it authority Rev. 11.27. What is the full importance of that phrase, to feed with a sceptre or rod of iron, is at large explained on that Chap. note o. and in the Addit. Annot. viz. to exercise Regal, rather than Pastoral power, to bring them to contrition, if it may be, if not, to destroy them utterly.  
V. 10. Be wise] The full importance of the two verbs in this tenth verse will be thus best understood. The former of them from {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  intellexit, prudenter se gessit, doth in Hiphil, in which here it is, literally note the causing prudence or understanding to any; where any other is mentioned, it is the teaching that other, but here, where there is no such mention, it must be reciprocal upon themselves, and be thus literally rendered, cause yourselves to understand, and( that being to be done by study in matters of speculation, by caution in matters of prudence or practise) study, or take care to understand, endeavour to benefit by others sufferings, or the dangers you see before you, if you do not take heed or beware. And thus it fitly belongs to the Princes in Davids time, who by the unseasonable and costly opposition of so many against Davids kingdom, might now in all reason be advised to beware of the like attempts: and much more when Christ is risen from the dead, ought all others( who observe the practices of the Jews in crucifying him, and the fearful judgements that attended them) to beware by their example, lest by holding still out against the faith, they bring on themselves the like destruction. As for the second verb {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  erudivit, castigavit, correxit, 'tis here in Niphal, literally erudimini, castigamini, corrigimini, be ye instructed, chastised, corrected; and this being understood of a real, not only verbal passion, and applied to correction of manners, and not external bodily discipline, it is fully rendered by [ be ye reformed.] Thus Lev. xxvi. 23. And if by these things( the judgments foregoing) {untranscribed Hebrew} we render it, ye will not be reformed, where the LXXII. retain {untranscribed Hebrew} as here, a word by which reformation is fitly expressed( 1 Tim. 1.20.) the samaritan, not hear me, or, not obey me; And the latter part of the verse [ but will walk contrary to me] assures us of the sense, that being not chastened there, signifies the real passive, their being not wrought on by chastenings, not taken off from their hostilities to God, not reformed, not amended by them. And as thus 'tis appliable to the heathen borderers of Judea in Davids time, who were now admonished to forsake their hostile ways, and to convert to God, and make leagues of peace with David, so signally exalted by God; so doth it most expressly denote the Apostles preaching repentance after the resurrection of Christ, and that in a passive form, as here, {untranscribed Hebrew} Act. 11. v. 40. Be ye saved or delivered, where by that conversion, repentance, or reformation is distinctly meant. See note on Luke xiii. 6.  
V. 11. With fear] The onely difficulty in this eleventh verse arises from the trajection or {untranscribed Hebrew} here observable( which yet in Scripture, especially in the poetical parts of it, is not extraordinary) the separating of these two phrases[ with fear] and [ with trembling] one joined with serving, the other with rejoicing in God, and the latter conjunction not very commodious, joy and terror or trembling being not ordinarily found together. This difficulty is not removed by the descant of some, which alluding here to Musical Instruments, Lutes or Harps &c. observe that the music arises from the tremulous motion of the strings; for besides many other failings in the parallel, the trembling here is annexed to the rejoicing, and not set as the cause, from whence it proceeds, and in the {untranscribed Hebrew}, our trembling is neither the cause, nor the concomitant of our rejoicing. The Chaldee therefore reads it {untranscribed Hebrew} and pray; the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} apprehended, lay hold on him,( either of which is much more reconcilable with the trembling, than rejoicing is) Abu walid Ebn Jannahi, the Hebrew Grammarian, known among them by the title of the second Grammarian,( a Manuscript in the possession of learned Mr. Pococke) saith, that the word {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies indifferently any commotion whether through joy or grief, and makes use of this place for the proof of his observation, as if it should be rendered [ be moved with trembling] and so the Jewish arabic translation renders it,[ and fear him with trembling] and confirms his version by comparing the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} with the arabic {untranscribed Hebrew} tarb, i. e. commotion( by which also Abu Walid renders it) which they use in case of fear, as well as rejoicing, and so he would have the word rendered Hos. x. 5. The Priests thereof {untranscribed Hebrew} shall be grieved &c. and so R. Tanchum also on that place. If this may have place, then indeed the difficulty is quiter removed, for then the verse will run thus, Serve the Lord with fear, and fear him with trembling: But because this notion of the word {untranscribed Hebrew} is not sufficiently proved from this one place( of which the question is) and that of Hosea, where all the ancient interpreters render it rejoicing, and wherein if it should signify grief, yet that is no evidence, that it signifies fear here; it will therefore be more reasonable to adhere to the usual notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for rejoicing, and a little to alter the order of the construction and connect in sense( though they be separated in words) these two phrases, with fear, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and, with trembling, and so in like manner the two verbs, serve and rejoice. Examples of this are frequent in this book. See Psalm LXXIX. 2. where as the dead bodies of thy servants, and the flesh of thy saints, are but an {untranscribed Hebrew}, one thing expressed in two phrases, so the fouls of the heaven, and beasts of the earth, being divided in the words, must yet be connected in the sense, thus, they have given the dead bodies and flesh of thy servants and Saints to be meat to the souls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth. So again in that Psalm ver. 4. and very frequently elsewhere, which the attentive reader will observe. Now for fear and trembling, the conjunction of them and the like words is frequent in the new Testament, thereby to note a compound of humility, and diligence, and solicitude, and caution, and fear of displeasing, and that as the most proper qualifications of our obedience either to God or man. Thus, Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, Phil. ii. 12. Servants obey your Masters with fear and trembling, Eph. vi. 5. So of the Corinthians obedience to Paul 2 Cor. vii. 14. Titus tells that Apostle v. 15. how with fear and trembling they received him( S. Pauls messenger to them) So S. Chrysostome Serm. 31. de Natal. saith of the Angels, that they assist our services {untranscribed Hebrew} with fear and trembling, and that the Seraphim {untranscribed Hebrew} cry with fear, Holy, holy, holy.— And so Heb. xii. 28. Let us serve God {untranscribed Hebrew} with reverence and godly fear, and that a fear of displeasing and incurring great hazard thereby, For our God is a consuming fire. See note on Phil. 11. c. This then is in all reason the first account that is to be given of these words, that the fear and trembling are here to be joined in sense, and all carefulness, and unwillingness to displease( the best qualification of obedience) resolved to be the importance of them. And then in like manner the[ Serve the Lord, and rejoice in him] will be an {untranscribed Hebrew}( in which figure the holy Scripture abounds) and be in sense best rendered, serve him cheerfully or joyfully, and that very reconcilable with the other phrase; our diligence& fear of displeasing will be very happily joined with our serving him cheerfully, there being nothing more pleasant than to serve him diligently, whom we truly reverence, and are most unwilling to displease, and no possibility of being pleased with our own service, if it be not performed with all zeal and diligence. Thus have some understood Heb. xii. 28. {untranscribed Hebrew}, to serve God well pleasedly or joyfully with reverence and godly fear: in which sense it would be an exact parallel with this verse, would but the {untranscribed Hebrew} bear the passive signification, for then the {untranscribed Hebrew} would be all one with our serving and rejoicing, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}.  or our joyful serving, as the reverence and godly fear with fear and trembling. But I suppose {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  there must be taken in the active sense, {untranscribed Hebrew}, saith S. Basil, So as is well pleasing to Christ, and so is not applicable to this place.  
V. 12. kiss the son] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  kiss the son doth evidently belong in the first sense to the neighbouring Kings, sending presents and messages of peace to David, in token of reverence and high respect unto him,( in like manner as some of them did, Hiram of Tyre, and Toi of Hamath) kissing the hand or feet, being a token of that, as also of subjection and obedience, osculum homagii, a kiss of homage, so Samuel kissed Saul, 1 Sam. x. i. when he anointed him King; and that is the reason of the phrase Gen. XLI. 40. according to thy mouth or word {untranscribed Hebrew} all my people shall kiss, {untranscribed Hebrew} shall obey, say the Lxxii.( and so the arabic and the vulgar) {untranscribed Hebrew}, receive law or judgement, saith the Syriack. And so as literally it appertains to Christ, the son of David, here praedicted, and typified by him, and that in a higher sense, than that of which David was capable. For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to kiss is used also for adoration, so 1 King. xix. 18. we find together the bowing of the knee to Baal, and the mouths kissing him; And so it fitly belongs to the messiah, in respect of his divine nature, to which that is truly due, which was Idolatrously paid to Baal. The Chaldee here red {untranscribed Hebrew} receive instruction, and the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, apprehended discipline, and the vulgar latin and the Aethiopick follow them, and the arabic with a little change, adhere to discipline, and none of the ancient Interpreters, but the Syriack, keep to the Hebrew, Kiss the son. This hath made learned men resolve that they red the Hebrew otherwise than now we have it, for {untranscribed Hebrew} kiss, {untranscribed Hebrew} apprehended, by the changing ש into ש and ק into צ; and that having done so, they took {untranscribed Hebrew}( the Chaldee and Syriack for son) for {untranscribed Hebrew} purity or pure doctrine. But this, I confess, seems not to me so probable, viz. that they should thus mis-read the one, and misrender the other( especially when the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} is elsewhere so evidently and confestly used for son, Ezr. v. 1. and again v. 2. and Prov. xxxi. 2. and {untranscribed Hebrew} purity is somewhat remote from {untranscribed Hebrew} discipline) when a far more obvious reason may be rendered of it, viz. that they did not so much render, as paraphrase the Hebrew, and so set[ receiving instruction or discipline] as that comprehends both Obedience and Faith,( the first of the neighbouring Princes to David, and both of all sincere Christians to Christ) as the most intelligible way of circumlocution to interpret kissing the son.  
V. 12. Perish from the way] The phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} may here deserve to be considered. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  The affinity with {untranscribed Hebrew} the way of the wicked shall perish, Psal. 1.6. may suggest this figurative but literal rendering of it, Ye shall perish the way, i. e. your way shall perish, all you have shall be utterly destroyed. Such a kind of construction we have Isa. 1.30. Ye shall be as an oak {untranscribed Hebrew} falling the leaf, i. e. whose leaf falleth. The Chaldee exactly follow the Hebrew, and red {untranscribed Hebrew} which the latin renders, & amittatis viam, and ye lose the way; so {untranscribed Hebrew} is primarily used of losing any thing, and so saith Castellio,& perdatis res vestras, and ye lose all you have. And thus, being spoken of enemies assaulting David, the phrase may be used, for being routed, dissipated, scattered, which is the destruction, and bringing to nought of an Army; as Act. v. 36. {untranscribed Hebrew}, being dissolved and brought to nothing are put together,& v. 37, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Generals being destroyed, and his Army being scattered. But the Syriack interpose the preposition {untranscribed Hebrew} from, and so red it, as we do, perish from the way, herein according with the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} be destroyed from or out of the way, or as {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies tolli, being taken out of the way i. e. perishing; and sure 'tis nothing extraordinary for the preposition, in Hebrew poesy, to be understood, when 'tis omitted, and therefore this our vulgar rendering may be adhered to, and preferred before the former, though the sense be the same in all the ways of rendering. Of this phrase Abu Walid in his Dictionary, and R. Tanchum on Josh. 1. take up an interpretation, different from others, by rendering {untranscribed Hebrew}( in the notion of the Chaldee verb {untranscribed Hebrew} calcavit) calcatio, conculcatio, treading on, or treading under feet, to this sense, lest you perish by treading on, or being troaden under his feet. The {untranscribed Hebrew} that follows, is by the Lxxii. rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, quickly, suddenly, and so is used in other places, particularly Psal. Lxxxi. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  14. I should {untranscribed Hebrew} soon have destroyed their enemies.—  
V. 12. Put their trust] {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} literally signifies betaking, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  applying ones self to any, as to a refuge, or place of strength and safety, seeking protection from any, and accordingly trusting, confiding, or hoping in any. The former doth here most fitly agree to the Historical sense, as it respects David, the son which is to be kissed, in the beginning of the verse; for that is it to which the neighbouring Princes are advised, viz. to apply themselves to him by presents, to desire protection from him, and enter league with him. And so also it belongs commodiously to Christ, to whom they must betake themselves as to a refuge, when the desolation breaks in upon the Jews: The Christians that do so, are the only persons that escape, by flying out of Jerusalem to the Mountains, as Christ forewarned them; And so in the sacking, and taking of Heathen Rome, by Alaricus and his Gothish army, they only escaped, which fled to the Basilicae, i. e. to Christ, that was worshipped there. Yet may it in this mystical sense be taken in the greatest latitude, Christ being the only fit and proper object of our trust and hope, though David was not. One thing more deserves here to be taken notice of, the style, or manner of expression, If his wrath be kindled {untranscribed Hebrew} suddenly, Blessed are all they, i. e. in prophetic dialect, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  ye shall certainly be destroyed. So Rev. xiv. 13. Blessed are the dead— for they rest from their labours—] is but a way to express the dismal judgments, that were then falling upon the earth, as it follows v. 14. 15. So Mat. xxiii. 39. Ye shall not see me henceforth till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, i. e. till I come in a direful manner, to take vengeance of you. And many other passages of prophetic Scripture there are in the like or the same dialect.    

The Third psalm.  
A 
a.  Psalm of David 
in his flying from the face of Absalom. {untranscribed Hebrew}  when he fled from Absalom his son.  
This third Psalm was composed by David in remembrance of that sad time wherein his own son, having by subtlety withdrawn the hearts of Israel from him, ii Sam. xv. 6. and broken out into open rebellion, v. 12. he was fain to fly from jerusalem, v. 14. toward the wilderness, v. 23. and went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet weeping, and his head covered( a sign of mourning) and barefoot, v. 30. then probably pouring out his soul to God in such a manner of sadness, and yet trust and dependence on him, as was afterwards metrically deciphered in this psalm, and appointed to be sung solemnly, to perpetuate the memory of this his forlorn condition, not to set out his wars or victories( as 
{untranscribed Hebrew}. Chrys. Tom. 1. p. 522.5.10. a infest, or distress me, {untranscribed Hebrew}  other Kings are wont to have their triumphs described, and songs of victory composed) but his fears and flight only. And this is also in some degree typical of our Saviours sadness and agony, and prayer in the garden, Joh. xviii. 1. which is all one with Gethsemane, Mat. xxvi. 36. Mar. xiv. 32. and that on Mount Olivet, Luk. xxii. 39, 41. the very same mount, to which David went up, when he poured out the substance of this prayer.  
1. Lord, how are they increased that a trouble me? many are they that rise up against me.  
O Lord that hast placed me quietly in the throne, and subdued all my foreign assailants, Psal. ii. 8. now my perfidious Son hath stolen away the peoples hearts from me, and being up in arms, ii Sam. xv. his forces daily increase, and grow very numerous.  
2. Many there be that say of my soul, There is no help for him in God, 
b.  Selah.  
His numbers are so great, and mine so small, that they that behold my condition give me for lost, thinking that God himself either is not able, or willing to restore me to my Kingdom again.  
3. But thou O Lord art a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.  
But thou art an Omnipotent God,& hast engaged thyself for my support, abundantly able to guard me from all dangers, to rescue and exalt me in this my seeming forlorn condition, and to restore me in thy good time to my throne again: and this thou hast by thy promise assured me that thou wilt do. In thee therefore is my trust, and my cheerful, steady, unshaken confidence.  
4. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill.  
Whensoever I have yet been in any distress, my addresses have been constant unto the Lord, and my prayers fervently sent up to him. And out of heaven, in an eminent manner, hath he relieved me, interposing his gracious hand, and peculiar presence, such as is mystically exhibited in the Ark, which is placed in Zion, Gods mount, so called, or his holy place, Psal. 2.6.  
5. I laid me down, and slept, I awaked, for the Lord sustained me. 
Whether I sleep or slumber, or awake, the Lord sustaineth me in all these, saith the Jewish-Arabick Translator.   
Whether I slept or waked, I had no reason to doubt or fear, for his sacred aid and protection was ever over me, effectual to my safety.( Of a mystical sense here applied to Christs resurrection, See August. de Civitate Dei, lib. xvii. cap. 18.)  
6. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have 
laid siege, incampt, {untranscribed Hebrew}  set themselves against me round about.  
The many experiments of this Heavenly guard are ground of all courage and assurance to me, that how great soever the number already is, or ever shall advance to, how industrious and diligent soever they are in their pursuits, how close soever they may besiege and encompass me, thou wilt yet secure and deliver me out of their hands.  
7. Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God, for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the 
c.  
cheek.  cheek-bone, thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.  
O let thy power interpose and cheek and overrule their power, let thy fatherly mercy and fidelity, so often experimented by me, in the persecutions of Saul, and assaults of the philistines, &c. work this farther deliverance for me: For thus thou hast hitherto dealt with all my assailants, thou hast returned them with loss and shane, their strongest forces, and keenest designs have been constantly discomfited by thee.  
8. 
From the Lord is salvation, {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} from the face of the Lord, Chald.  Salvation belongeth unto the Lord, thy blessing is upon thy people.  
All deliverance proceeds and cometh out from thee O Lord; thou art the author of every good thing to those that cleave fast to thee in faithful persevering obedience and dependence on thee.  

Annotations on Psal. III.  

a. Tit.  A Psalm] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here used of this and many other Psalms, cometh from {untranscribed Hebrew} that signifieth cutting off, and metaphorically singing, either with the voice, or instruments, or both. Psalmi dicuntur qui cantantur ad Psalterium quo usus David, i. Chro. xv. saith S. Augustine: 
Tom. viii. p. 21.  By this name are called those that are sung to the Psaltery, which David used, i. Chr. xv. Of the rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew} psalm, and its difference from {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} hymns and songs, see Annotat. on Eph. v. 3. But it seems not here to be taken in any narrow strict notion, but to be a word of a very comprehensive latitude, neither appropriated to any part of composition or species of music. For indeed {untranscribed Hebrew} in Syriack and arabic is generally used for music( and so also for feasting and dancing at which music was used) and the {untranscribed Hebrew} minstrels, Mat. ix. 23. are by the Syriack styled {untranscribed Hebrew} and so {untranscribed Hebrew} is a musical instrument, and all the sorts of them,( and not only the Psaltery) which are carefully reckoned up, Dan. iii. 5. are there contained under that style, {untranscribed Hebrew} instruments of music. And so the Talmudists, though they distinguish exactly betwixt instrumental and vocal music, yet make {untranscribed Hebrew} the generical name to both of them, {untranscribed Hebrew} vocal or oral music, and {untranscribed Hebrew} instrumental music. Proportionably the arabic and Syriack inscribe all the psalms through the Book by this style. And the Chaldee render it by {untranscribed Hebrew} a general comprehensive word, used for singing, lauding, praising, without any relation to either the composition or music. Now in this Book of psalms there is this variety: sometimes {untranscribed Hebrew} is used alone, as here, and in many other places; sometimes {untranscribed Hebrew} song or canticle is added to it, as Psal. xxx. i. and in seven others; sometimes it hath {untranscribed Hebrew} song going before it, as Ps. xlviii. 1. and in four more. And of these several complications S. Hilary in his Prologue on the Psalms hath thus expressed his sense, 
p. 33●●  Psalmus est cum cessant voice pulsus tantum organi.— 1. A Psalm is, when the voice ceasing, the sound only of the Instrument is heard. 2. A Canticle is, when the choir of Singers using their liberty, and not observing the Instrument, sing with loud voices. 3. A Canticle of Psalm, when the Instrument going before, the voice of the choir follows to the same tune. And 4. A Psalm of Canticle, when the choir of voices going foremost, the Instruments follow and observe them. And answerable to these four kindes of music, are, saith he, the Titles of the psalms. And this interpretation is mentioned by S. 
Tom. viii. Col. 693. D  Augustine on Psal. lxvii. with an[ acutioribus& ociosioribus relinquimus, We leave it to those that are more acute and have more leisure, and 
Col. 694  nescio utrum posset ista differentia demonstrari, I know not whether this difference can be demonstrated] It is therefore more probable, that as {untranscribed Hebrew} was resolved to be taken in the wider and more comprehensive sense, so may {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  also; and without this niceness of critical or curious observation, all these four words and phrases, psalm, and Canticle, psalm of Canticle, and Canticle of psalm, be used promiscuously for the very same thing, according to the account frequent with Kimchi, that the same thing is expressed in two words, by the figure( very ordinary in Hebrew idiom) called {untranscribed Hebrew}. Accordingly the Chaldee sometimes read it {untranscribed Hebrew} Psal. xlviii. 1. a Song and Praise, and {untranscribed Hebrew} Psal. lxxvii. 1. a Praise and Song, i. e. a psalm of benediction and praise to God; and so the LXXII also, sometimes {untranscribed Hebrew} a Song of Ps●lme, sometimes {untranscribed Hebrew} a psalm of song, and sometimes {untranscribed Hebrew} a Songs psalm: All sure to signify the same thing. And this as it is the easiest, so all things considered, seems the most probable account of this matter. To this is added {untranscribed Hebrew} with ל the sign of the dative case, and that accordingly rendered by the LXXII {untranscribed Hebrew} to David, and understood by some in S. Augustine de Civ. l. xvii. c. xiv. as a note that it was made by some other, and presented to him. But this is well refuted by that Father from Psal. cx. 1. where the Title is as here, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and yet the psalm is by Christ himself affirmed to be Davids psalm or prophesy, Mat. xxii. 43. The truth is, the phrase in the Dative Case is well capable of another sense, viz. that it was inspired to David. But there is no need of that expedient neither, it being very ordinary in Hebrew to use the Dative for the Genitive case, and so of the ancient Interpreters the Syriack and arabic understood it, and probably the latin also, rendering it Psalmus David, a psalm not to, but of David.  
V. 2. Selah] Concerning the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the variety is so great among the Learned, that it may well be left uncertain what is to be resolved of it. The Radix {untranscribed Hebrew} and which is all one {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies stravit, conculcavit; and from thence {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  regularly comes to denote a way or path, and is mostly rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, a way, a turning, a path, sometimes {untranscribed Hebrew}, an ascent, ii Chron. ix. 11. From hence Conradus Kircherus hath not improbably rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}( which we retain in the same sound and letters Selah untranslated) stratam; adding that it is set by Poets, ut pes in ea eat& progrediatur longiùs, that the foot in the metre and music may proceed farther, and so the modulation of the song be completed, which without it would be somewhat abrupt and imperfect. This I suppose also the meaning of those that resolve it merely subservient to the music or melody, and to have no influence on the sense, but to remain, as to that, perfectly unsignificant. From hence therefore it is consequent, that in Translations where the metre and music is lost, this expletive, which only refers to those, should be omitted also, and not inserted in the rendering; which accordingly we see observed by most of the ancient Interpreters. In this first place where it is used, all but the LXXII omit it, and they render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, which, say Phavorinus and Suidas, is no more but {untranscribed Hebrew} a note of some change in the song, not the beginning of some other tune or music, as some mistake them, for when it concludes a psalm( as it doth this) and when it is so oft repeated( as it is thrice in this short psalm, being yet not once mentioned in many other the longest) there is no place for this, but either some division, a little to lengthen out the tune, agreeable to Kirchers opinion of it, or an elevation of the voice( according to the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} ascent) as it is commonly understood from {untranscribed Hebrew} in the notion of exaltavit. For {untranscribed Hebrew} regularly signifies no more then a musical note, and every such note we know is in propriety of speech {untranscribed Hebrew} a change of the modulation, as Wised. xix. 18. it is said {untranscribed Hebrew}, in a Psaltery the notes of the music or tune change the name, i. e. they vary every foot, and every such variation hath a several name, hypate, and neat, &c. And this was all, I conceive, that either the LXXII meant by {untranscribed Hebrew}, or those Glossaries in their Periphrasis of it: The other ancient Interpreters either, as I said, omit it wholly( as the vulgar( with the arabic) and from thence our old Edition of the psalms, understanding it aright to be no more then a note of the music, and therefore never taking any the least notice of it in their versions) or else render it by another expletive, as the Chaldee by {untranscribed Hebrew} for ever, and so sometimes the Syriack, which is another evidence that it is a word without any signification, save onely to fill up the metre or music. In one place Psal. ix. 27. it hath {untranscribed Hebrew} prefixed( at the end of a period) higaion Selah, which the LXXII render {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} the just shall rejoice for ever; What the full importance of it is, will be soon discerned by remembering that {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} and the like, from {untranscribed Hebrew} meditatus est, mussitavit, garrivit, signifies not only meditation( from whence the interlinear hath meditatio Selah) but also a song or melody, either a mournful one, an Elegy( for such were sung) Ezech. ii. 10. rendered by the vulgar carmen, from the LXXII {untranscribed Hebrew}, by the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} sorrow or sadness, or else a joyful one, Psal. xcii. 3. where the Lxxii red it {untranscribed Hebrew} song, the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} loud noise, from {untranscribed Hebrew} vociferatus est, and so 'tis rendered by the LXXII Psa. v. 1. {untranscribed Hebrew} cry. And so that also being joined with Selah, denotes no more but the loudness of the voice or music, which was required to the chanting of that note. For though the Chaldee thought fit to descant in their Paraphrase, and allow it this intimation, that the judgements of God so remarkable on the wicked, were to be looked on, and acknowledged by all good men, with great thankfulness and admiration, both of his power and providence; Yet the Vulgar, and Syriack, and arabic wholly omit it, and the Septuagints {untranscribed Hebrew} being all one with {untranscribed Hebrew} cry or loud voice, belongs onely to the Note in the Song, and the loudness of it.  
V. 7. Cheek-bone] {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here( as ordinarily in arabic) signifies simply maxilla the cheek( the Verb in arabic denotes checking, blaming, rebuking, Lahah allaho, God hath put him to shane, and Lahi lalo confusion be to him) and then striking of that is an expression of the greatest reproach: So i. King. xxii. 24. when Zedekiah smote Micaiah on the cheek, saying,( by way of scorn) Which way went the spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee? So Job xvi. 10. They have gaped on me with their mouth( i. e. made mows at me by way of derision) they have smitten me on the cheek reproachfully. And Lam. iii. 30. He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him, he is filled with reproach. And so Mat. v. as an expression of that patience of contumelies that Christ now requireth of us, Whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And so it is here but a proverbial phrase to signify putting to flight, for that is the most shameful and reproachful to an army, to assault and not prevail, to be put to flight and discomfited. The Septuagint here read {untranscribed Hebrew}, and from thence the Vulgar have adversantes mihi sine causâ, thou hast smitten all that are my adversaries without a cause, and 'tis generally conceived, that either they mistook the Hebrew word, took {untranscribed Hebrew} for an abbreviature of {untranscribed Hebrew} in vain, or else that their copies are corrupted, {untranscribed Hebrew} for {untranscribed Hebrew} i. e. maxillas, saith Schindler and others after him. But first the abbreviature or apocope hath no example. 2. There is no such word as {untranscribed Hebrew} indeed there is, both in Hesychius and Phavorinus {untranscribed Hebrew} it signifies cheeks, ●ut that a word seldom to be ●et with in authors, never in all the Books of Scripture, the Septuagint generally using {untranscribed Hebrew} for it. 3. It is certain the Vulgar latin read {untranscribed Hebrew} not {untranscribed Hebrew} or else could have had no tentation to render it sine causâ; And so did the arabic and Aethiopick too, which render it( both of them) in vain, though the Chaldee and Syriack following the Hebrew render it cheeks. On these considerations It may seem more reasonable to pay the LXXII and those other translations that due respect, as to think that they did not really misreade or mistake the Hebrew, but rather( as it is ordinary with all Interpreters) endeavoured to express the meaning of the proverbial phrase by more intelligible circumlocution, and this all but the latin( which it seems did here follow, but did not well understand the Septuagint) have done happily enough. For what is {untranscribed Hebrew} or which is all one, adversari or inimicari frustra? Why, literally to oppose or set upon in vain, i. e. uneffectually, to gain nothing by all their opposition, i. e. to be constantly repel'd and put to flight, turned back with shane in all their hostile Enterprises: And that is all that can be pretended to be meant by the phrase in the Original [ thou hast smitten all mine enemies on the cheek] thou hast put them to shane or to flight reproachfully. And the same is the importance of the latter part of the verse, thou hast broken their teeth, the weapons by which Lions tear their prey, Psal. lviii. 6. and the breaking of which in that place is explained ver. 7. by their falling away like waters that run continually; In their keenest and most terrible onsets they are dissipated and put to flight; and that both the Hebrew and Greek denotes also, {untranscribed Hebrew} breaking them into shivers or smallest pieces, which applied to an army is the utter discomfiting of them.    

The Fourth psalm.  
TO the 
a.  
Master of the stringed Instruments.  Chief Musician on Neginoth, a psalm of David.  
The fourth Psalm was composed by David, possiby on the same occasion( or a like) as the third, and by him commended to the Pracentor or master of his music, to be sung to the stringed Instruments, the Psaltery and Harp, &c.  
1. 
b.  Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness, thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress, have mercy upon me and hear my prayer.  
O merciful God, the only author of all that is any way good in me, and the continual defender and supporter of my innocence, against all that have risen up against me, I beseech thee at this time to lend a favourable ear unto my Petitions: Thou hast constantly given me relief in all my straits, extricated me out of all my difficulties, be thou pleased now to make good thy wonted mercies toward me, and grant me deliverance at this time also.  
2. O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my n glory into shane? how long will ye love vanity, 
c.  and seek after leasing?  
O you that calumniate me and my government, and by defamations endeavour to stir up the people against me( so did Absalom ii Sam. xv. 3.) will ye never give over so great a wickedness? will ye still go on in lying and false speaking?  
3. But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is 
d.  godly for himself, the Lord will hear when I call unto him.  
3. This you are to know, that God hath separated me of his great mercy, and set me upon the throne to be his Vicegerent upon earth, and consequently to be employed in his special services, and by so doing hath engaged himself to preserve me in it Psa. 89.21. which is my ground of most confident assurance that he will harken to my prayers, and deliver me out of your hands.  
4. 
e.  
Be angry.  Stand in awe and sin not, commune with your own heart upon your bed, and 
f.  be still.  
If you are displeased at my being King, ye are now to remember that being set on the throne by God, this displeasure of yours cannot be separated from rebellion against God himself; Let this be matter of serious sad examination, and discussion of conscience to you, and so work compunction in you, persuade you to quit your hostile designs, and yield subjection where it is due.  
5. Offer the 
g.  Sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.  
And then upon your change you may most seasonably render solemn thanks to God for your time of repentance and escape out of so desperate an enterprise, bless and praise him, and adhere to him constantly for the future.  
6. There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord 
h.  lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.  
Some are apt to be discouraged and despair in this distress, the appearance of the enemy is so formidable, and our preparations for resistance so small; But I have a sure fortress that cannot fail, the favour of God espousing my cause, and supporting me, and this is all that remains for us to take care of, by continual ardent prayer to invoke his help, and cheerfully to depend on it.  
7. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.  
This security of thy favour alone, is matter of greater exultation to me, then to worldlings is, or can be the most plentiful harvest, wherein yet they are wont to rejoice so profusely( and on confidence thereof to be so secure for the time to come, Luk. xii. 19.) that the greatest joy is proverbially styled, the joy in harvest.  
8. I will 
together, also {untranscribed Hebrew}  both lay me down in peace, and sleep, for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety.  
I therefore as well as they will have my rejoicing also, as they in confidence of their full barns, so I in my reliance on the sole providence of Heaven; In which confidence I can sleep securely, repose myself in him, to whom alone all my safety is due, and whose only guard is, without all solicitude or preparations of mine, abundantly sufficient for me.  

Annotations on Psal. IV.  
Chief Musician] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies to urge or press to the performing any work or task, 
Tit.  and properly belongs to the {untranscribed Hebrew} the overseer and follower of workmen of any kind. So ii Chron. ii. 2. where Solomons workmen are numbered, there are also MMM {untranscribed Hebrew} which the Lxxii there rightly render {untranscribed Hebrew}, prefects over them, and v. 18. {untranscribed Hebrew} taskmasters, and c. xxxiv. 12. {untranscribed Hebrew} overseeers,( though v. 13. and Ezr. iii. 8, 9. the Copies have {untranscribed Hebrew} over the workmen only) and where the same thing is set down again, i. Kin. v. 16. they are called {untranscribed Hebrew}, and in the Lxxii {untranscribed Hebrew}, set over his works. The word is used more particularly of Musicians. To this purpose see i. Chro. xv. 21. where after the appointing of Singers with instruments, &c. v. 16.19, 20. Mattathiah, &c. are appointed {untranscribed Hebrew}, we render it, to excel, but in the margin, to oversee, i. e. to take care of, and order the music( as Neh. 12.42. Jezrahiah is the Overseer {untranscribed Hebrew} of the singers.) And from hence is the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, to the Master, or Ruler, or Praefect. Of whom, or over what he was praefected, is here also expressed {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  over the musical Instruments. Thus {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies, and thus we have {untranscribed Hebrew} Psa. lxvii. 25. the minstrels or players on Instruments differenced from the Singers foregoing. And then the whole phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} put together, here signifies perspicuously [ To the Praefect of the musical Instruments] such there were, more then one, among Davids Officers, that waited on the Ark, i. Chron. xv. 21. And to one of these this Psalm was committed by David, to be sung and played to in divine service. The same we find again, Hab. iii. 19. {untranscribed Hebrew} To the Praefect or Master of my stringed Instruments. From this sense of this word {untranscribed Hebrew} ursit, coegit, institit, there is a secondary use of it for finire to end, and from thence we have {untranscribed Hebrew} Psal. ciii. 9. rightly rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} unto the end, and again, vincere and triumphare to overcome and triumph. And from those two notions the LXXII have taken their rise of rendering it here, {untranscribed Hebrew} to the end, and {untranscribed Hebrew} to overcome in the Conclusion of Habakkuk( in like manner as Aquila hath {untranscribed Hebrew} here) and i. Chron. xv. 21. {untranscribed Hebrew} to prevail, but have lost the sense in all these places, and only hit it ii Chro. ii. 2. and 18. and xxxiv. 12. where, as hath been said, they render it {untranscribed Hebrew} overseers or prefects, set over the workmen, and {untranscribed Hebrew} taskmasters, and {untranscribed Hebrew} overseers.  
V. 1. Hear me] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is certainly the Imperative, and so is used Psal. xxvii. 7, and therefore must be rendered[ hear, or answer me] and thus the Chaldee understood it, and paraphrase it, In time of my prayer, {untranscribed Hebrew} receive from me, by which also they render {untranscribed Hebrew} hear or harken, in the later end of the verse. But the Lxxii. and from thence the other ancient Interpreters, seem to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} in the Preter tense, and so render {untranscribed Hebrew} he hath heard me, and accordingly the Greek Fathers, S. Chrysostome especially, have observed Gods speed in hearing the prayers of pious men, even before they have made an end of them, {untranscribed Hebrew}, for it is not, saith he, When, or After I had prayed he heard me, but {untranscribed Hebrew}, when I prayed in the present, he hath heard me already in the time past, {untranscribed Hebrew}, whilst thou speakest or sayest, I will say, Behold here am I, as he cites it from Isai. Lviii. 9. concluding that it is not our multitude of words that is wont to persuade with God, {untranscribed Hebrew}, but a pure soul, and the showing forth of good works. A Doctrine of most comfortable truth, but not founded in the Hebrew reading here.  
V. 2. My glory] the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} how long my glory into ignominy] is elliptical, but easily supplied, and made intelligible, thus, How long will you reproach my glory, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  by [ glory] meaning his regal power and majesty which God had bestowed on him. This the Lxxii. render somewhat otherwise, {untranscribed Hebrew} How long are ye heavy hearted, why do ye love vanity? By this phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} possibly explicating( as in a periphrasis) the great hardness of heart in Absalom and the like, who would defame so worthy a person, as David, approved and anointed by God, and would not be overcome or melted with his goodness; or perhaps reading the Hebrew somewhat otherwise that now we do, {untranscribed Hebrew} to which their rendering will be literal, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and the variation not very great, reading {untranscribed Hebrew} in two words and converting כ into ב; which way soever it is, 'tis evident the vulgar latin follow them usque quà graves cord ut quid— and the arabic and Aethiopick to the same purpose.  
V. 3. Godly] The acception of {untranscribed Hebrew} in this, and some other places, deserves here to be observed. It signifies ordinarily a pious, or charitable, and beneficent person. But when it is spoken of Man, referring to God, it notes one that hath received favour or mercy from him, and is all one with {untranscribed Hebrew}, one that hath found favour with God. 
See Schindl. pentagl. p. 618. C.  So Psal. xvi. 10. Thou shalt not suffer {untranscribed Hebrew} him, that is so favoured by thee, to see corruption. So Ps. xxx. 4. Sing unto the Lord {untranscribed Hebrew} ye that have felt his mercy and bounty. And so here David, seeing fit, in his plea against his enemies, who blasted him as a man of blood, and a guilty person, to insist on God selection, and advancement of him to the kingdom,( noted by {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  hath separated to a function, the Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew}, in the same sense, as {untranscribed Hebrew} in the New Test. denotes setting apart to the Apostolical function Act. xiii. 2.) and so referring to these words of Gods testimony, 1 Sam. xiii. 14. The Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and hath commanded him to be Captain over his people, he chooses to use that more modest form of {untranscribed Hebrew} an Eleemosynary, or beadsman, that God hath advanced and chosen to this great dignity. This is in a like style set down Psalm Lxxviii. 70. He choose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfold, From following the ewes great with young he took him, that he might feed Jacob his people, &c. and Psalm LXXXIX. 20. I have found David my servant, with my holy oil have I anointed him. Of this see more Psal. Lxxxvi. note a.  
V. 4. Stand in awe] What {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies here might be somewhat uncertain, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  had not the Apostle Eph. iv. given us the meaning of it, {untranscribed Hebrew} denoting commotion either of the body or mind, doth in the latter acception import two things especially, fear and anger, those two principal commotions of the mind. In that of anger we have it, Gen. XLV. 24. where we render it falling out or quarreling, and 11 Kin. xix. 27, 28. in both which we render it rage. So Prov. xxix. 9. And so Gen. xLi. 10. the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}( affirmed of Pharaoh, viz. that) he was wrath, is by the Chaldee rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}. And this is much the more frequent acception of it in the Old Testament. And thus the Septuagint understood it here( and with them the vulgar latin, Syriack, arabic, and Aethiopick) rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew}, and from thence in the same words the Apostle makes use of the place Eph. iv. 26. {untranscribed Hebrew}, Be angry and sin not, i. e. when ye are angry take care that ye do not sin, which that it is no allowance of {untranscribed Hebrew} anger there, but only a supposing it present, and a forewarning of the dangerous effects of it, See note on Eph. iv. 9. and that is more evident by comparing it with this Text, where their displeasure against Gods Anointed, David, the first rise of their Rebellion, was certainly a great sin in them.  
V. 4. Be still] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} siluit, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  conquievit, cessavit, signifies in relation to actions as well as words, and so denotes a cessation from what they were before doing, which to those that were before about any ill, is repentance, to those which were up in arms, submission, or quiet subjection. And thus 'tis rendered here by the Septuagint {untranscribed Hebrew},( and to that the vulgar agree) compunction or contrition, as that is taken for amendment, the effect of godly sorrow, and so the arabic more explicitly, Let it repent you, and the Chaldee, that paraphrases that part of the verse at large [ Say your prayer with your mouth, and your petition with your heart, and pray upon your bed, and remember the day of death] instead of {untranscribed Hebrew} reads {untranscribed Hebrew} subdue, quiet, tame your desires or concucupiscences, and then connects with that the substance of all the following verse thus, Subdue your concucupiscences, and then it shall be reputed to you for a sacrifice of righteousness— Agreeably whereto 
Tom. 1. p. 532. l. 30.  S. Chrysostome, {untranscribed Hebrew}, Offer righteousness, this is the greatest gift, this the acceptable sacrifice to God, not to slay sheep— but to do what is just; Wheresoever thou art, thou mayest offer this, thyself being the Priest, the altar, the knise, and the sacrifice.  
V. 5. Sacrifices of righteousness] {untranscribed Hebrew} sacrifices of righteousness here do most probably signify the peace offering, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  or oblation of thanksgiving for deliverance. We have the phrase again Psal. Li. 19. where it is contradistinguisht to {untranscribed Hebrew} the holocaust. And there is reason for this appellation, because the sin was first to be atoned by the sin-offering, and thereby the person restored to some state of righteousness, ere he attempted the other. And withall, it was lawful for a gentle worshipper, a proselyte of the gates to present a sin-offering, but the peace-offering, {untranscribed Hebrew} the sacrifice of praise, none but the {untranscribed Hebrew} proselyte of righteousness might be allowed to bring. And so it is fitly recommended here, as a consequent of reformation.  
V. 6. Lift up] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} lift up, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is here rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} by the Septuagint, and so by the latin, signatum est, referring to a banner, or standard, or ensign, in Greek {untranscribed Hebrew}, in Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} which is wont to be exalted or lifted up, from {untranscribed Hebrew} evexit, exaltavit. Indeed {untranscribed Hebrew} the word here used is not so usual in the Hebrew tongue: but instead of it {untranscribed Hebrew} with {untranscribed Hebrew} and א, and so the Chaldee here hath it; And therefore the Lxxii. had some ground for their change, and no doubt meant to signify by it, the great security which is enjoyed by Gods favour( meant by the light i. e. cheerfulness, pleasantness o● his countenance towards us, as they that favour others, look pleasantly on them) viz. the same that from an ensign or banner, the strongest military preparations, and thus it lies very consonant to what went before. Davids visible strength, and military preparations were so small, comparatively with those of his enemies, that they that look't on, were ready to despair of victory. But as Elisha in the mount to his unbelieving intimidated servant, shewed him a vision of horses and chariots round about them, and so more on their, than on the enemies side, so David here to those fearful objectors opposes the favour of God, as a banner or ensign, that hath a whole army belonging to it, i. e. all security attending it.    

The Fifth psalm.  
TO the 
Praefect for successive voices.  chief musician upon 
a.  Nehiloth, A Psalm of David.  
This Fifth Psalm was indicted by David on consideration of his many enemies, especially his undermining son Absalom, who by flattering the people, and slandering him, sought to get the Crown from him. And by him it was committed to the Master of his music to be sung by the whole choir in parts, one voice following another.  
1. Give ear to my words, O Lord, 
understand my sighing, or cry.  consider my 
b.  meditation.  
O merciful Lord, vouchsafe to harken to my prayer, to weigh the groanings of my soul, and relieve my wants.  
2. harken to the voice of my 
Supplication {untranscribed Hebrew} Heb. {untranscribed Hebrew} Chald. {untranscribed Hebrew}. LXXII. Orationis. Lat.  cry, my King and my God, for unto thee will I pray.  
Thou art my King to defend, my God to vindicate the power, which thou hast communicated to me. To thee therefore it belongs to grant my requests, and all that remains for me, is to address them constantly and importunately to thee.  
3. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord, in the morning will I 
dispose or prepare, wait or stand ready for, or before thee, {untranscribed Hebrew} Heb. {untranscribed Hebrew} Chal. {untranscribed Hebrew}. Lxxii. astabo tibi Lat.  direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.  
The first fruits and prime care of the day shall be to address and present my heart, and prayer before thee with my eyes fixed on heaven, after the mode of an earnest petitioner, that waits, and never means to move, till his requests are granted. And thou O Lord answerably wilt be pleased, I doubt not to make the same speed to receive that address of mine, to harken to, and grant my prayer.  
4. For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness, neither shall 
the wicked sojourned.  evil 
c.  dwell with thee.  
Of this I have full confidence, when I consider how impossible 'tis for thee to savour rebellion or any sort of wickedness, such as mine enemies now practise against me,( 
{untranscribed Hebrew}. Chr. Tom. 1. p. 542. l. 11.  that is the part of false and Idol Gods, i. e. of Devils) or to abet, or indeed endure, or not oppose them that design so great a wickedness. A stranger if he undertake not some degree of proselytisme, if he renounce not his Idolatry, is not permitted to abide, or sojourned, or even to be a slave among thy people. How much less then shall any wicked man be endured in thy presence?  
5. The 
the mad, or proud {untranscribed Hebrew}  foolish shall not stand 
before thy eyes {untranscribed Hebrew}  in thy sight, thou hatest all workers of iniquity.  
The mad folly and presumption of these vainglorious vaunters of their own worth and excellencies, thou dost abhor even to behold, art so far from allowing or favouring the boasts, or enterprises of such, that thou dost hate them perfectly, and so dost thou all others( whatsoever their language is) whose actions of uniform obedience do not approve them to thee.  
6. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing, the Lord shall abhor the 
man of bloods and deceit {untranscribed Hebrew}  bloody and deceitful man.  
Thy justice and patronage of the innocent, engage thee to destroy the false and treacherous, which under fair pretences maketh the soulest evils; He whose double property it is to be made up of 
{untranscribed Hebrew}. Pythag.  mercy and fidelity, utterly detests that falseness and treachery, which is designed to the oppressing and shedding the blood of the guiltless.  
7. But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy, in thy fear will I worship 
in the Palace of thy holiness {untranscribed Hebrew}  toward thy holy Temple.  
This therefore must engage me by way of just return to thy free and undeserved mercies, and the great and continual succession of them, in all my times of need, to make my frequent visits to that place where thou art pleased to prasentiate thyself, I mean the Tabernacle with the ark of the testimony in it. And therein as in the Court and Palace of thy Sacred Majesty, to prostrate my soul before thee with all possible humility, care and reverence.  
8. led me O Lord in thy righteousness because of my enemies, make thy 
d.  way straight before my face.  
And it shall be a special part of my request unto thee, O Lord, that by the conduct of thy grace I may be directed and assisted in keeping strictly close to all thy commands; that those that hate me most, and observe me most diligently, on purpose to get some advantage against me, may find nothing to quarrel or accuse in me. To which end, Lord, do thou give me a clear sight of my duty, and incline my heart to walk exactly, and so acceptably before thee.  
9. For there is no 
truth, rectitude {untranscribed Hebrew} Heb. {untranscribed Hebrew} lxxii. veritas vulg. lat.  faithfulness in their mouth, their inward part is very wickedness, their throat is an open sepulchre, they 
ly  flatter with their tongue.  
This I am most nearly concerned in, having so malicious treacherous eyes upon me, enemies that will not spare to forge falsities against me, that in their hearts meditate nothing but mischief, and when they open their mouths, 'tis as when a grave is digged or a pit laid open, or as when 
{untranscribed Hebrew} as scheol, Chald. Paraph.  the state of the dead is said to gape, only to swallow up and devour the most innocent, their tongues when they are softest, and most flattering, are full of all kind of deceit.  
10. 
Hold them guilty {untranscribed Hebrew} condemn, Chaldee,& sir. judge them, lxxii. vulg. Arab. Aeth.  Destroy thou them, O God, let them fall by their own counsels, cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against thee.  
This I am confident, thou wilt not suffer to go unpunished, even in this life; Their own malicious projects shall betray and ruin themselves, instead of prospering against me, the more their designs of mischief are, the more multiplied are their rebellions against God, and thereby will he be certainly provoked to eject and eradicate them.  
11. But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice, let them ever shout for joy 
and thou shalt protect, overshadow, or dwell among them {untranscribed Hebrew} Heb. {untranscribed Hebrew} overshadow Chald. {untranscribed Hebrew} dwell LXXII. habitabis Lat. and so sir. Arab. Aeth.  because thou desendest them, let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.  
On the other side, all such as rely on God, that do their duty with faithfulness, and resort to his safeguard for their protection, shall never want cause of joy and exultation, his providence shall signally watch over them, and his presence secure them; And as love is a delightful affection, and never suffers them, that are possessed with it, to be sad, in the presence, and mutual Returns of the beloved, so in a most eminent manner, the lovers of God, whose hearts are fixed on him, and their greatest pleasures placed in enjoying the constant pledges of his love, shall never want matter of the most exuberant joy; so good a God will never fail to give them whatsoever they desire.  

crown him {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} coronavit, {untranscribed Hebrew} Chald. from {untranscribed Hebrew} corona {untranscribed Hebrew} Lxxii. and so Lat. Arab Aeth.  12. For thou Lord wilt bless the righteous, with favour wilt thou† compass him as with a shield.  
For thy promises, O God, have obliged thee to prosper the righteous, to reward, and crown his fidelity to thee with thy special kindness toward him, and then how can he want any other shield or protection, that hath the guard of thy favour, under which to secure himself?  

Annotations on Psal. V.  
Tit. Nehiloth] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} being an {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  but this one time found in the whole Bible, we can but divine at the signification of it, having no certain guide to rely on for it. Lexicographers say 'tis an eminent Musical Instrument, and the word being of affinity both with {untranscribed Hebrew} a torrent, or running river and with {untranscribed Hebrew} a bee, it is by some deemed to have the name from the one or other, as imitating the murmurs of either of them: Some have derived it from {untranscribed Hebrew} perforavit, and then it must signify a hollow wind-instrument, Thus indeed {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies a pipe, or flute, or timbrel, and the verb {untranscribed Hebrew} to play on a pipe &c. but {untranscribed Hebrew} is no where used in this sense. The regular way of deriving it and that which is allowed by Lexicographers, is from {untranscribed Hebrew} haeres fuit, haereditate aut successione accepit, and is oft rendered by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, dividing or distributing into parts, but most frequently {untranscribed Hebrew}, succeeding to by inheritance. And in this notion it may possibly signify a song or hymn divided to be sung in parts, as in Quires it is ordinary, one sort of voices succeeding where the other ends, and so dividing it betwixt them, taking it up one from the other, the Tenor from the treble and the like. That in this notion the Lxxii. understood it, is probable by their rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew} for the inheritor, i. e. for that kind of music that inherits, or takes up successively, one part of the choir from the other, and so the latin, and arabic, and Aethiopick, all which must be conceived to have rendered the phrase intelligibly, and yet 'twill be hard to assign any other sense of their rendering, [ pro eâ quae haereditatem consequitur, and de haereditate] save this. And then the Chaldee's {untranscribed Hebrew} to be sung on, or by the Quires, agrees very well with it also, one part of the choir singing one verse, the other another, and so succeeding and taking up one from the other, and dividing it betwixt them, which is the obvious notation of {untranscribed Hebrew}. And so this notion seems to agree to the sense of all the ancient Translators. But 'tis yet most probable, which Kimchi hath resolved on Psal. iii. that Nechiloth was the name of a tune; and then 'tis as probable, that this tune took its name from Heritage, or somewhat of that kind, in the song that was first set to that tune, and so all the ancient rendrings will be salved by that means.  
V. 1. Meditation] {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} gemuit, sonuit, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  regularly signifies sighing or cry, not a loud sonorous voice, but such as complaints are made in; so Isa. xxxviii. 14. {untranscribed Hebrew} I mourned, the Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew} I sighed, as a dove, and so the Lxxii. here render it {untranscribed Hebrew} cry, and so the latin and Aethiopick, and arabic; And though it signify also Metaphorically the speech not of the mouth, but of the heart,( {untranscribed Hebrew}, saith 
Tom. 1. p. 541. l. 17.  Chrysostome, not the lifting up of the voice, but the disposition of the mind, as when God said to Moses, Why criest thou unto me? when he said nothing) and so is most frequently rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} to meditate; yet when it is so rendered, it is oft in the sense of speaking, as Psal. xxxv. 28. {untranscribed Hebrew}, my tongue shall meditate, we rightly render it, speak of righteousness, and so Psal. xxxvii. 30. the mouth of the righteous {untranscribed Hebrew} shall meditate, certainly that is, shall speak wisdom. So Psal. Lxxi. 24. Prov. viii. 7. Isa. xxxviii. 14. lix. 3.13. and elsewhere 'tis {untranscribed Hebrew} to speak, Psal. cxv. 7. and even {untranscribed Hebrew} to cry or roar as a lion doth, Isa. xxxi. 4. and elsewhere {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} song or melody, both of them sounds uttered and not kept in the mind. And to this agrees the Chaldee also, rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew} either in the notion of desire, or of fremitus of making a noise, both which {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies in the Chaldee.  
V. 4. Dwell {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} peregrinatus est, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is best rendered sojourned, or make a short abode. From hence is {untranscribed Hebrew}& {untranscribed Hebrew} a guest, or stranger which the Greek have transformed into {untranscribed Hebrew}& {untranscribed Hebrew}, and it belongs to a Proselyte, one of any Heathen nation, that lived among the Jews. Of these some renounced Idolatry, and undertook the seven precepts of the sons of Adam and Noah, and these were {untranscribed Hebrew} strangers, or proselytes of the gate, and such might live amongst them, others undertook their whole law and were Proselytes of righteousness. And to these Rules of not admitting any strangers, but on one of these conditions, the Psalmist seems here to refer. The wicked man {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is all one in effect with an Heathen Idolater; and therefore as such an one must not dwell, or sojourned among the Jews,( the Captive Slave, if after a years abode he renounce not his Idolatry, was to be slain,) so {untranscribed Hebrew} the wicked man shall not sojourned with thee, shall be so far from being favoured by thee, that he shall not be allowed the least abode in thy presence.  
V. 5. Thy way The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} must literally be rendered [ thy way before thy face] yet the Lxxii. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  have {untranscribed Hebrew} my way before thy face, and thence some learned men are persuaded that they red otherwise than we do {untranscribed Hebrew} But 'tis more reasonable to believe that they did thus( by way of periphrasis, not literal rendering) endeavour to express the meaning of it, it being the prime aim of that prayer which petitions Gods clear revelation of his will, or making his way strait before us, that we might thereby be directed& assisted to walk exactly, and so approve our ways to God. This latter indeed comprehending the former, Gods directing and assisting, presupposing his illuminating grace, the revelation of his will: and therefore it is duly here used by the Lxxii. the more fully to express it, and the end of it. And herein the arabic and Aethiopick and vulgar latin, as they are wont, follow the Septuagint, and therefore our Paraphrase hath taken notice of both. In the former part of this verse the Chaldee seems to have much mistaken, reading {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  my enemies( which comes from {untranscribed Hebrew} observavit, because enemies are spies and observe critically what they may find fault with) in a very distant sense, {untranscribed Hebrew} my praise, as if it came from {untranscribed Hebrew} and denoted a canticle or hymn of praise, but herein as the context doth resist, so doth not any one of the ancient versions favour them.    

The Sixth Psalm.  
TO the 
perfect of the stringed instruments See Psalm iv. 1.  chief musician on Neginoth 
on the eighth.  upon Shemineth, A Psalm of David.  
The sixth Psalm was penned by David on some occasion of special humiliation, for the 
to supplicate for his sin, Arab. {untranscribed Hebrew}  confession of his sins, and averting Gods wrath: This he directed. the Master of his music to be sung 
{untranscribed Hebrew} Chald.  upon the Harp of eight strings( such as is mentioned 1 Chron. xv. 21.) and fitted it for it.  
1. O Lord rebuk me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.  
O God of mercy which art slow to wrath, and long-suffering to sinners, and delightest far more in their reformation than their misery, I beseech thee not to deal with me, as most justly thou mightest, in wrath and fury, but in mercy to withdraw thy heavy hand of punishment, which I have so justly provoked, and now lye under.  
2. Have mercy upon me O Lord, for I am weak, O Lord heal me for 
a.  my bones are 
set a trembling {untranscribed Hebrew} or troubled, so the sir. {untranscribed Hebrew}, Lxxii. and so Lat. Aeth.  vexed.  
O Lord I have by my soul sins wounded my soul, brought it down into a most languishing terrible condition, provoked thee to withdraw thy grace, and give me up to the effects of thy displeasure, This is a sad disease, and of the worst condition, even of the soul, wherewith thou art pleased also that my body, or outward condition should bear consent. And in all this 'tis I that have thus diseased myself, disturbed and miserable wasted the health of my soul, which consists in an exact conformity of my desires and actions to thy will. And now there is no remedy left but one, that of thy pardon and gracious forgiveness, pouring thy wine and oil and healing balsam into my gaping wounds, and this most seasonable mercy I beseech thee to bestow upon me.  
3. My soul is also sore vexed, but thou O Lord, how long?  
The disquiet and torment hereof doth pierce my soul, there are the sharpest arrows of thy displeasure fixed, and afflict me exceedingly, Lord that it might be at length thy season to assuage thy wrath, to speak peace to me, to afford me some 
{untranscribed Hebrew} Chald. how long wilt thou defer to give me some refreshing?  refreshing which I cannot hope from any other hand.  
4. Return O Lord, deliver my soul, O save me for thy mercies sake. 
confess or praise thee {untranscribed Hebrew}   
Lord be thou pacified and reconciled to me, and by that means rescue me out of this sad condition, wherein I am involved, under the weight of my sin and thy displeasure. And though there be in me no means to propitiate, but only to avert and provoke thee, yet let thine own mercy, and free bounty of grace have the glory of it; Reflect on that, and from thence work this deliverance for me.  
5. For in death there is no remembrance of thee, in the grave who will‖ give thee thanks?  
For shouldst thou now proceed to take away my life, as it were a most direful condition for me to die before I have propitiated thee, so I may well demand, what increase of glory or honour will it bring unto thee? will it not be infinitely more glorious for thee to spare me, till by true contrition I may regain thy favour; and then I may live to praise, and magnify thy mercy, and thy grace, thy mercy in pardoning so great a sinner, and then confess thee by vital actions of all holy obedience for the future and so demonstrate the power of thy grace, which hath wrought this change in me; Neither of which will be done by destroying me, but only thy just judgments manifested in thy vengeance on sinners.  
6. I am weary with my groaning. All the night make I my bed to swim, I water my couch with my tears.  
The sadness of my present condition under the weight of thy displeasure, and the grievous effects thereof, is such, as extorts those groans from me, which( instead of easing) do only increase my torment. The night which is the appointed season of rest, is to me the time of greatest disquiet, my agonies extort whole rivers of tears from me, and the consideration of my horrible sins, the causes of them, gives me not one minute of intermission.  
7. Mine eye is 
fretted, moth-eaten {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} corrosus est à tineâ.  consumed because of 
indignation. {untranscribed Hebrew} Heb. {untranscribed Hebrew} Chal. of which see note on Psal. iv. d. {untranscribed Hebrew} anger, Lxxii. and so sir. Lat. Arab. Aeth.  grief, it waxeth old because of all mine 
distressers oppressers {untranscribed Hebrew}  enemies.  
The tears which the thought of thy continual displeasure and punishments incessantly draws from me, have corroded, and even exhausted the animal spirits, that maintain my sight, make mine eyes very dim, above what is proportionable to my age, and still there remains a succession of new sorrows, to mind me of my successive sins; one enemy after another still riseth up against me.  
8. Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity, for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.  
Whilst I thus bemoan myself before so gracious a God, I cannot but with confidence look up, and expect his speedy return unto my prayers, and consequently assure myself, that all the designs of my rebellious enemies shall be utterly frustrated by him.  
9. The Lord hath heard the voice of my supplication, the Lord 
hath received, so all the ancient Translations render the future {untranscribed Hebrew}  will receive my prayer.  
He that hath promised not to despise a broken heart, to comfort the mourner, he whose title it is to be the hearer of prayers, the vindicator of the innocent, will certainly make good these promises to me at this time, in pardoning my sins, and averting these punishments from me.  
10 
All my enemies shull be put to shane,& terrified greatly, ( See v. 2.) they shall be turned back and put to shane—  Let b all mine enemies be ashamed, and 
All my enemies shull be put to shane,& terrified greatly, ( See v. 2.) they shall be turned back and put to shane—  sore vexed, let them return and be ashamed suddenly.  
And therefore I am most confident that all my opposers shall be discomfited, and sent back successless in their present design, and how confident soever now they appear, they shall very suddenly be routed and put to confusion and utterly disappointed in their enterprise.  

Annotations on Psalm VI.  
V. 2. My bones] The chief difficulty in this verse will be removed by considering the meaning of {untranscribed Hebrew} which we render my bones, 
{untranscribed Hebrew} & so indeed it often signifies from {untranscribed Hebrew} robustus or fortis fuit, but not only so, but in a greater latitude, the members of the body, and then the body itself, nay the substance or being, and not only the body, as Job 11.5. {untranscribed Hebrew} his bone or body is by the Chaldee rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} himself, in opposition to his goods and family, which had been touched sharply, ch. 1. And so among the rabbins {untranscribed Hebrew} is oft used for ipsimet, themselves( see Note on Rom. vi. a.) It being an ordinary figure among the Hebrews, to express a thing by the names of the parts of it. Thus Psal. xxxv. 10. All my bones shall say, Lord who is like unto thee, where certainly the bones which say, and praise God, are to signify the Psalmist himself his tongue, and heart, and every part of him. And so here being in conjunction with [ I am weak] and my soul is sore vexed v. 3. it is but a Poetical expression, my bones, i. e. every part of my body. Now the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which we render vexed, from {untranscribed Hebrew} in Niphal, signifies any sudden commotion, or disturbance, or trembling, and so being joined with weak {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  languishing from {untranscribed Hebrew} to be sick or faint( and so weak in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} in the New Testament, See Note on Rom. viii. m. and Gal. iv. a.) it must signify a sore affliction, perhaps literally a disease, a terrible shaking fit, as of a paralytic, and this being founded in, and so including also his sin, the malady of the soul, which is likewise called {untranscribed Hebrew} weakness( see 1 Cor. viii. note 6.) the whole verse is the doleful description of him that hath committed any wasting sin, and being cast down under Gods punishments for it, is passionately suing out Gods pardon, the only means possible to recover or heal him again.  
V. 10. Let all my enemies] All the ancient Interpreters understand this last verse of the discomfiture and confusion of Davids enemies: 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  {untranscribed Hebrew} saith the Chaldee they shall be confounded] both in the beginning and end of the verse; and the Syriack instead of the latter hath {untranscribed Hebrew} perish]& the LXXII. their[ {untranscribed Hebrew} let them be made ashamed] is to the same purpose: and whereas some Copies have for {untranscribed Hebrew}, which might incline to the rendering it of their conversion, or repentance( whereto the latin convertantur may seem to sound) yet Asulanus's Impression and others have {untranscribed Hebrew} let them be repulsed, and others more largely {untranscribed Hebrew}, let them be turned backward, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and so the arabic reads it, which must needs belong to their flight. That they put it in that mood of wishing, is ordinary with them, when yet the Hebrew is in the Indicative future sense, {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall be put to shane, and so forward. And this surely best connects with the former verse, The Lord hath heard; the Lord will receive my prayer; and then as an effect of that, All mine enemies shall be confounded, &c.    

The Seventh Psalm.  

A Psalm or Song.  
a.  SHiggaion of David which he sang unto the Lord concerning the words of 
b.  Cush the Benjamite.  
The Seventh is styled by a peculiar title, not elsewhere used in this Book, which yet signifies no more than a Song or Psalm of David, a pleasant delightful ditty, being indeed a cheerful commemoration of Gods continued kindness to, and care of him, and a magnifying his name for it, together with a confident affirmation or prediction, that his enemies shall but bring ruin on themselves, by designing to mischief him: and this he sang unto the Lord on occasion of some malicious words, delivered by some servant of Saul, stirring him up against David 1 Sam. xxvi. 19.( The Chaldee Paraphrast misunderstands it as an interpretation of his song made on the death of Saul, to vindicate his no ill meaning in it. v. 3.)  
1. O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust, save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me.  
Thy many continued deliverances and wonderful protections, which assure me of thy special kindness toward me, make me to come to thee with assiance and confidence, and to appeal only to thy peculiar favour, and thy almighty power, so frequently interested for me, and upon this account to importune and depend on thee for my present rescue from all my persecutors and opposers.  
2. Lest he tear my soul like a Lion, renting it in pieces, while there is none to deliver me.  
Shouldst thou withdraw thy aid one hour, I were utterly destitute; and then as the Lion in the wilderness prevails over the beast he next meets, seizes on him for his prey, kills and devours him infallibly, there being none in that place to rescue him out of his paws, the same fate must I expect from Saul my ragefull implacable enemy.  
3. O Lord my God, if I have done this, if there be iniquity in my hand,  
I am accused to Saul as one that seeks his ruin, 1 Sam. xxiv 9. repro●●hed by Nabal that I have revolted from him. 1 Sam. xxv. 10. and that shows me that by many I am looked on as an injurious person. But O Lord, thou knowest my integrity, that I am in no wise guilty of these things, I have not done the least in●ury to h●m; I may justly repeat what I said to him, 1 Sam. xxvi. 18. What have I done, or what evil is in my hand?  
4. If I have 
c.  rewarded evil to him 
that did it to me, or have despoiled—  that was al peace with me: yea, I have delivered him that without cause is me enemy.  
I have never provoked him by beginning to do him injury, nor when I have been very ill ●●●d, returned any evil to the injurious: he is my enemy without any the least cause or provocation of mine; and being so, I yet never acted any revenge upon him, but on the contrary in a signal manner spa●ed him twice, when he fell into my hands, 1 Sam. xxiv. 4.7. and c. xxvi. ●. 3. If th●s be not in both parts exactly true,  
5. Let the enemy persecute my soul and take it, yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and 
cause my honour to dwell {untranscribed Hebrew}  lay mine honour in the dust.  
I shall be content to undergo any punishment, even that he that now pursues me so maliciously, obtain his desire upon me, overtake, and use me in the most reproachful manner, and pou● out my heart blood upon the earth.  
6. Arise O Lord in thine anger, list up thyself 
in, or over, See Note c.  because of the rage of my enemies, and 
raise up for me the judgement {untranscribed Hebrew} the Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} speed or hasten for me.  awake for me to the judgement that thou hast commanded.  
But thou knowest my guiltlesnesse O Lord, To thee therefore I appeal for my relief: be thou graciously pleased to vindicare my cause, to express thy just displeasure against my malicious adversaries and calumniators, and speedily exercise the same justice, in taking my part against those that injure me, which thou severely commandest the Judges on the earth to dispense to the oppressed.  
7. So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about, 
for that {untranscribed Hebrew}  for their sakes therefore return thou on high.  
This shall be a means to make all men admire thy works, to address and repair and flock unto thee, aclowledge thee in thy attributes, and enter into and undertake thy service; and let this be thy motive at this time to show forth thy power and majesty, to e●e●ute justice for me and to that end to ascend 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thy tribunal, where thou sittest to oversee, and to judge the actions of men.  

{untranscribed Hebrew} the house of thy Majesty. Chald.  8. The Lord shall judge the people: Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine innocency that is in me.  
Thou art the righteous Judge of all, do thou maintain the justice of my cause, and vindicate my perfect innocence in this matter.  
9. 
Wickedness shall now consume or destroy the wicked,& thou shalt establish  O Let the wickedness of the wicked 
d.  come to an end, but establish the just, for the righteous Lord trieth the heart and reins.  
God will now soon bring to nought the malicious designments of wicked men, their sins will suddenly provoke and call down his judgments on them. In like manner he will show forth his justice in upholding and supporting the innocent, such as he sees upon trial to be sincerely such: for as all righteousness belongs to him, the doing of all eminently righteous things, bringing his fierce judgments on the obdurate, and upholding and vindicating all patient persevering righteous persons, when they are causelessly accused or persecuted; so 'tis his property also to discern the secretest thoughts and inclinations, and accordingly to pass the most unerring judgments upon both sorts of them.  
10. 
my shield is on {untranscribed Hebrew}  My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.  
To thee it peculiarly belongs to deliver and vindicate those whom thou discernest to be sincere or inwardly upright, and accordingly my trust is sixth wholly on thee, and my resort is only unto thee, beseeching thee to show forth thy power and fidelity for the preserving and securing me.  
11. God 
is a righteous judge, so {untranscribed Hebrew} is rendered by all the ancient interpreters.  judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.  
God is a most righteous Judge, 'tis impossible he should favour the practices of unjust men by whom his purity is continually affronted and provoked, 
See not● c.  though through his long suffering, designed for their reduction, he do for a while spare, and not presently consume them.  
12. If he turn not, he will whet his sword, he hath bent his bow and made it ready.  
Till the wicked return and repent, God seldom ceaseth to warn, and threaten, to prepare and sharpen( as it were) his sword for slaughter, to bend his bow, and make ready the arrow upon the string, showing him from time to time, what severity he is to expect, if he do not at length reform, and that tis merely the compassion of this lover of souls to his creature, that he thus gives him time and warnings, and adds terrors also, if by any means he may be brought home timely to repentance.( Another sense of this verse see in note c. at the end.)  
13. He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death, he 
will make or hath made {untranscribed Hebrew}  ordaineth his 
e.  arrows 
or pursuing, or burning arrows.  against the persecutors.  
On his farther continuance in this wicked course, God still continues his decree to bring final vengeance on him, in case he will not amend by all these warnings; and yet is he a while longer pleased to spare, if yet he may gain and reduce them.  
14. Behold he travaileth with iniquity, he hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.  
And if still all Gods longanimity& mercy prove successeless, if it be perverted only into a means of encouraging him in mischievous, ungodly, treacherous designs, attempts and actions,  
15. He hath made a pit and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.  
The infallible consequent is, that the mischief and ruin which he designs to others, shall not seize on them, but on himself, and bring perpetual destruction upon him.  
16. His mischief shall return on his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down on his own pate.  
All his attempts against other men, his oppressions and violences shall, when he least looks for it, like an arrow shot up against heaven, come down most sadly and piercingly upon his own head: this is all the fruit he is likely to reap of his mischievous machinations.  
17. I will 
confess {untranscribed Hebrew}  praise the Lord according to his righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high.  
This is a signàl illustrious demonstration both of the omnipotence and just judgments of God( mixed also with exceeding patience and longanimity toward sinners) and challenges from every pious heart a grateful acknowledgement, all lauds and praises most justly due to his supreme Majesty.  

Annotations on Psalm VII.  
Tit. Shiggaion] Whence the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  comes, or what literally it imports, will hardly be defined. The use of it here, and Hab. iii. 1.( the only places where 'tis red in Scripture) giving us no farther light, than that in all likelihood it signifies a song or Canticle. Here 'tis rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} a Psalm by the LXXII; there {untranscribed Hebrew} an ode or song; and so the vulgar latin here, Psalmus David. And that so( most probably) it signifies, we may conclude from the consequent {untranscribed Hebrew} which he sang, the verb in the Hebrew, from whence is the ordinary noun {untranscribed Hebrew} a song or Canticle. And so the Chaldee Paraphrase {untranscribed Hebrew} The Interpretation of the Ode which he sang, adding by way of explication {untranscribed Hebrew} when he spake a song— But the origination of the word doth not readily give it this sense; for the radix {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew} both in Hebrew and Chaldee, signifies ignoravit or erravit; and from thence in the place of Habakuk, Aquila and Symmachus render it {untranscribed Hebrew} ignorances, and Theodotion {untranscribed Hebrew} voluntary sins; and the vulgar latin have forsaken the LXXII. and render it ignorantiis ignorances; and the Chaldee making a long Paraphrase of it, brings it about to that sense of {untranscribed Hebrew} error or ignorance. Onely the arabic reteins Song or Canticle, and the Syriack leaves out all mention of it both here and there. The Hebrews conjecture is not improbable, that this word was the beginning of an old Hebrew Song, to the tune of which this was to be sung, and so was entitled by it. But because there is no such word in use among the Hebrews for any thing else but a song, and because from thence regularly comes the plural {untranscribed Hebrew} in Habakuk, 'tis most probable that as {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies delectatur, is pleased or delighted( Thus Prov. v. 19. {untranscribed Hebrew} we render, be ravished, the vulgar, delectare be thou delighted, and the Syriack, be thou fed; and so Prov. XX. 1. {untranscribed Hebrew} qui delectatur, whosoever is delighted, saith the vulgar, useth it luxuriously or voluptuously, saith the Syriack) so from thence {untranscribed Hebrew} may be an old word for a song, in respect of the delight and pleasure of the music of it. And thus Abu Walid understands it here, from the notion of delight, or rejoicing.  
Tit. Cush] What is meant by Cush the Benjamite, is made matter of question: many, from S. jerome, applying it to Saul a Benjamite, and( as some add) the son of Kish, and the words delivered by him, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  i. Sam. xxii. 8.( but there is great difference between {untranscribed Hebrew} Chush and {untranscribed Hebrew} Kish, and yet more between the son of Kish,& Chush himself;) and others to Chushi the Arc●●te( but his name is written with ח and so very distant, and was Davids friend, not enemy;) others to Shimei a Benjamite, that is known to have cursed David, ii Sam. xvi.( but that was in the business of Absalom, and the time of his rebellion, to which this Psalm hath no propriety, but to the matter of Saul.) But that which is most probable is this, that Cush was some servant of Saul, which had raised some malicious slander on David, as if he sought to take away the Kings life; and either his name Cush, or else so styled here from the name of the nation, Aethiopia, ordinarily styled {untranscribed Hebrew} because the Aethiopians being servants of all nations, the word {untranscribed Hebrew} Aethiopia taken for one of that country, as Canaan for a Canaanite, might proverbially be taken for a servant. Thus Amos ix. 7. where the Hebrew reads, Are ye not to me as the sons of {untranscribed Hebrew} Aethiopians? the context inclines to interpret it, servants; for to that sense it follows, Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of egypt, redeemed them thence, and so bought them to be my servants? Now that the servants of Saul are fitly called Benjamites, may appear both by Sauls being so, and their retaining to him, and by the express words i. Sam. xxii. 7. Then Saul said to his servants, hear now ye Benjamites— That some one or more of Sauls servants, to incense their Master, should calumniate David, is easily believed: And to this David refers i. Sam. xxvi. 19. in his words to Saul, If they be the children of men that have stirred thee up against me, cursed be they before the Lord— And some eminent passage to this purpose no doubt there was, though it be not set down in Scripture.  
V. 4. Rewarded] This verse, by the ambiguousness of some words in it, is variously interpretable. The most literal, which I suppose is the safest rendering of it, will thus be collected. First the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which we render return, signifies not only to recompense, but simply to do either good or evil to any: and accordingly it is oft rendered by the Septuagint in the good sense, {untranscribed Hebrew}, to do, not only to repay good; Sometimes 'tis simply {untranscribed Hebrew} to work, {untranscribed Hebrew} to attempt, {untranscribed Hebrew} to do; And whether it be of good or evil, the context must direct and restrain it. So likewise {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which we render [ was at peace] besides that vulgar signification for peace, which generally belongs to the Noun, signifies very frequently to give, and to retribute, and is then rendered in the good sense, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and {untranscribed Hebrew}, to give, and recompense, very oft; and in the ill sense {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew}, to punish and repay, and the like; and sometimes simply to do, to perform, and is then {untranscribed Hebrew}, to fulfil, to perform, to do. This is observed by the great Grammarian Abu Walid, out of several examples, that both {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} have a double signification, of doing a thing first, as also by way of retribution or return, whether in good or evil; and accordingly he gives a twofold sense of these words,[ If I have returned like to him that did evil to me first] and[ if I have done evil to him that was at peace with me.] Thus then the sense of the former part of the verse ariseth {untranscribed Hebrew} If I have done evil to him that did it to me, or, If I have repaid, or returned to him that did or returned me evil, i. e. If, when to my good, or at least blameless, innocent behaviour, Saul repaid nothing but evil, I have upon that provocation done or repaid injury to him. This is thus far plain, whether either or both the words be taken simply for doing, or respectively for returning, repaying of evil; for 'tis certain, when evil is returned to good, this is called repaying of evil, as much as when it is returned to evil. And thus the LXXII. understood and render it, {untranscribed Hebrew} If I have repaid evil to them that have repaid evil to me; and so the vulgar, and the Aethiopick, Si reddidi retribuentibus mihi mala, If I have returned evil to them that retributed evil to me; both of them to the sense of repaying in each place; whereas the Syriack hath it, If I have repaid evil to him that did evil to me, and so the arabic, If I have retributed to them that have done me evil. With this coheres( and is not with any reason to be disjoined) the later part of the verse, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and have, or, and if I have— {untranscribed Hebrew} here is an ambiguous word, oft signifying, and rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, to take out, or led out, or snatch out, and so to deliver; but it primarily signifies detrahere, spoliare, adimere, exuere, to take off, to despoil, and so from thence is the noun {untranscribed Hebrew} a garment, which is wont to be put off or changed:( The Jewish Arab. expresseth it by {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} which signifies two contraries, to put on, and to take off, or away) In this sense the Syriack expressly use it, Act. xix. 37. where {untranscribed Hebrew} Church-robbers are rendered by this word {untranscribed Hebrew} that robbed or spoiled the Temple, and Col. ii. 8. nequis {untranscribed Hebrew} Let no man despoil you, ( In this notion the Septuagint render it Job xxxvi. 15. {untranscribed Hebrew} to oppress; and thus the Chaldee understand it here, {untranscribed Hebrew}( from {untranscribed Hebrew} pressit, afflixit) and if I have afflicted them; and so the Syriack also, if I have oppressed:) and thus the sense is perspicuous and current, without any disturbance or confusion, If I have returned evil to them that dealt ill with me, or if I haue despoiled him that without cause was my enemy, Then— And in this peculiar notion of despoiling an enemy, in which it is most frequent, it seems to have some reference to Davids dealing with Saul. In the cave he took not from him his garment, but the skirt onely; and that onely as a testimony of a greater kindness, the sparing his life. In the camp finding him asleep, he only took away his spear, and that upon the same ground; and having evidenced his integrity, returned it carefully again. The LXXII. have much changed this last part of the verse, rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew}, Let me fall away from my enemies empty( and from thence the vulgar and arabic and Aethiopick have their rendrings:) and unless they thought the true sense of the words sufficiently expressed in the former part of the verse, and thereupon took liberty to give a various descant upon the latter,( as the LXXII are oft observable to do) I profess not to give an account of it. Other considerable variations they have in this Psalm: v. 6. for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the rages or burnings, from {untranscribed Hebrew} in Hithpael irâ exarsit,( and so rendered by the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} though applied to God, and not to the enemies) the LXXII. red {untranscribed Hebrew} in the ends or bounds,( taking it for {untranscribed Hebrew} which signifies thus, from {untranscribed Hebrew} transiit) the extreme parts or borders, which being taken by an enemy, give him a great advantage over the inhabitants; as Ehuds taking the fords of Jordan toward Moab, Jud. iii. 28.( {untranscribed Hebrew} fords from the same radix) was the sure means of subduing Moab, and destroying all the inhabitants at that time. Where yet one thing may be observed, and learnt from them, that {untranscribed Hebrew} being in the beginning of the verse used for in, may most probably signify so here also, and be rendered in, or over; and so the Chaldee reads over my oppressors, and the Syriack, and arabic, over the necks of my oppressors; and perhaps the LXXII. were willing to express this by {untranscribed Hebrew}, lift up thyself in or over their bounds or borders, as a phrase to express his subduing of them; choosing purposely not to repeat the word anger or fury, because that had been sufficiently expressed in the former part, as far as referred to God, to whom the Chaldee apply it also in the latter place, and the other ancient Translators do not at all mention it. So v. 9. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  instead of {untranscribed Hebrew} the righteous Lord, they red {untranscribed Hebrew} God, and keep the other word divided to begin the next verse, {untranscribed Hebrew}, righteous is my help from God— So v. 11. where the Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and God is angry every day, the LXXII. red {untranscribed Hebrew} it seems in the original notion for fortis, strong( and so doth the Chaldee also {untranscribed Hebrew} in fortitudine;) but not only so, but then again red it {untranscribed Hebrew} nor, and then make up this large paraphrase, instead of [ God is angry] {untranscribed Hebrew}, and he is strong and patient, and doth not bring forth or let loose anger every day; which the arabic follow exactly, the Syriack as far as the {untranscribed Hebrew} nor, is not angry every day, and the vulgar to the same sense, nunquid irascitur? is he angry every day? And considering the context, and the entire design of this and the following verses, this may well pass for a perspicuous paraphrase of it, and not any contradiction to the rational, though it agree not to the literal notion of it. So verse 12. {untranscribed Hebrew} if he turn not, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  they red in the second person plural by way of paraphrase, {untranscribed Hebrew}, if ye turn not; and so the latin and arabic and Aethiopick. In this place Aben-Ezra's gloss may deserve to be remembered, who applies {untranscribed Hebrew} if he return not to God, referring to {untranscribed Hebrew} v. 7. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  return thou on high; that as that belonged to Gods ascending the throne of judgement, standing up to exert his vindicative justice, so his not returning here, should signify his {untranscribed Hebrew}, his not appearing in this manner in vengeance.  
V. 9. Come to an end] How {untranscribed Hebrew} is to be rendered both for the notion and sense, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  will deserve to be considered. The word {untranscribed Hebrew} complevit, sinivit, used sometimes for good, sometimes for ill, must here be in the latter sense, and then must be rendered either filled up simply, or else destroyed or consumed. In the former sense the LXXII. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, let it be accomplished or silled up, and so the Syriack and Aethiopick; but the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew}, from {untranscribed Hebrew} agreeing in signification with {untranscribed Hebrew} destruxit, let it be destroyed; and so the latin, consumetur, shall be consumed: and both these may well have place, being one consequent to the other; when iniquity is filled up, when tis come to the full measure, attained its end, saith the arabic, then Gods judgments come, it shall be destroyed. But the Interlinear have another understanding of it, Consumet malum impios, Evil shall consume the wicked; and in concent therewith, Abu Walid observes the verb {untranscribed Hebrew} to be used transitively sometimes, and instanceth in this place, giving it the notion of excidere, and consumere, as well as perficere. And this rendering may deserve to be preferred before either of the former. Now for the tense it is certainly in the future, and not in the Imperative mood; yet those two are so promiscuously taken the one for the other, that the Interpreters for the most part render it in the Imperative, let it be— The thing from thence observable is, that in Sacred style, especially in the prophetic Dialect, the use of the Imperative mood must not be always thought to denote a wish, or, when it is of ill, to be a curse, but only a prediction. And this may be of use frequently in Interpreting this Book of Psalms, wherein those many passages which in sound pass for wishes of ill, or curses, are but predictions of the ills that shall befall wicked men. To {untranscribed Hebrew} is here annexed the particle {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  now, either as an expletive, or to denote the approach of the destruction spoken of.  
V. 13. Arrows against the persecutors] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} signifying two things, to persecute, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and to be set on fire,( see note on Ps. x. a) the LXXII. renders {untranscribed Hebrew} here by {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin by ardentibus, and so the Syriack( and the rest) seems to take it, {untranscribed Hebrew}; I suppose it should be, {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} ferbuit, ebullivit. But the Chaldee restrain it to the other notion, of persecuting, by the addition of {untranscribed Hebrew} the righteous, he will make his arrows against the persecutors of the righteous. And this may probably enough be resolved on as the sense of the place. And yet the words are capable of a yet farther rendering, thus; {untranscribed Hebrew} Sagittas suas fecit in ardentes, or in persequentes, he hath made his arrows for burning or persecuting ones, as that signifies, he hath made his arrows burning or pursuing arrows. Thus the preposition ל 
ל  may either be a pleonasme, as it is not unusual; or rather may serve to help the construction of the verb, with a double accusative, as it doth Exod. xxvii. 3. {untranscribed Hebrew} All the vessels thereof thou shalt make brass. So Abu Walid thinks, and renders it, he maketh his arrows bright; the Jewish-Arabick translator, swiftly pursuing, persecuting arrows. And thus burning arrows, as burning darts, may well signify sharp, and terrille arrows, which yet being but made or ordained, or( in the present) in fieri, in making, or ordaining, and not yet shot or sent out of the bow, as terrible as they are, they still denote Gods sparing a little longer, meanwhile preparing for it, and giving fair treatable warnings, of what will come at last, if they reform not.    

The Eighth psalm.  
TO the chief musician upon 
a.  Gittith, A Psalm of David.  
The Eighth Psalm was composed by David for the magnifying of Gods wonderful goodness, as more general in the fabric of the world, and his dignations to mankind, in making him Lord of that great work of his, so more particular to himself, in using him as his instrument, to discomfit goliath of Gath, the proud boasting giant, the Champion of the philistines; and in the Prophetical mystical sense, his more admirable mercy to men, in exalting our human nature above all the creatures in the world; which was eminently completed in our Saviours assumption of our flesh, and ascending to, and reigning in heaven in it. This Psalm he committed to the perfect of his music to be sung or played.  
1. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth? who hast set thy glory above the heavens.  
O thou Lord, Creator and sole governor of heaven and earth, which hast pleased to be known to us men in a peculiar relation of care and special kindness, to 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  instruct, and reveal the knowledge of thy will to us, How art thou to be admired, and praised, and magnified by men and Angels, 
Our master or teacher, say the Chaldee.  and by all both in heaven and earth? whose superlative greatness and supereminent Majesty is infinitely exalted above all the most glorious creatures. This is most true of thee in thy divine invisible nature, true also in thy strange vouchsafements to me at this time; but above all is most admirable matter of observation and acknowledgement to us vile sinners, if considered in the great mystery of our redemption, the descension first, and then exaltation of our Saviour( to which this Psalm is distinctly applied, Mat. xxi. 16. 1 Cor. xv. 27. and Heb. ii. 6, 7, 8.)  
2. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength, because of thine enemies, that thou mightst still the enemy and the avenger.  
It is thy blessed and gracious will to give strength to me, a child, as it were, to subdue this proud giant, and in him to discomfit the host of the philistines. As in the economy of the world, thou wert pleased to choose us men, which are poor mean impotent creatures, to be principal instruments of thy service and glory, to aclowledge thy power, and magnify thee in all thy glorious attributes; and to that end to sand thine eternal Son out of thine own bosom, to reduce us, when we were fallen, and call us to this dignity of thy servants; which mercy thou hast not vouchsafed to those which are much higher than we, the Angels, those glorious creatures, who when by pride they fell, were never restored by thee. And in like manner among us men, thou art pleased to make choice of the meanest and lowest, the most humble-spirited persons, and oft-times very children in age, to sing H●sannahs to the son of David,( See Mat. xxi. 16. and note d.) to aclowledge and promulgate thy majesty and might; when the great, and wise, being oft also the proudest men of the world( such were the Jewish rulers and Pharisees in Christs time) are not thus chosen, or honoured by thee. And this hast thou done on most wise and glorious designs, that they whose pride makes them resist and despise thee, and thy precepts, may be thus visibly punished, finding themselves despised, and rejected by thee: and above all, the Devil, that proud and rebellious enemy of God and goodness, is by this means subdued, and brought down; first cast out of a great part of his kingdom in mens hearts,( none but the proud obdurate sinner being left to him) and at last utterly confounded and destroyed. 1 Cor. xv. 27.  
3. 
b.  When I consider the heavens the work of thy singers, the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained;  
When I look up and behold those glorious creatures, the Heavens, and the innumerable hosts of Angels, which behold thy face, and attend thee there, the first fruits of thy creation, and in the outworks, the visible parts of those heavens, observe those radiant beauties, the Sun, Moon, and Stars, all much more excellent creatures than are any here below, set each of them in their sphere by thine eternal decree, on purpose to wait on, and minister to us;  
4. What is 
miserable or mortal man, {untranscribed Hebrew}  man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of 
Adam, or earthly man, {untranscribed Hebrew}  man, that thou visitest him?  
It is in my thoughts a miracle of superabundant mercy to poor miserable mankind, that was at first formed out of the vilest materials, the dust of the earth, and is still of a very frail, infirm, mortal condition, that thou shouldst thus vouchsafe to advance, and dignify, and take care of it, above thy whole creation. And for me particularly at this time, a youth of a mean parentage, and the most despicable of all my brethren, 'tis admirable thou shouldst enable me to do so great a service for thy people. But above all, this is eminently appliable to Christ, that mean despicable son of man, scorned, and scourged, and crucified, yet not forsaken by God, or left in the grave, but exalted by a glorious resurrection.( Heb. ii. 6.9.)  
5. For thou hast made him 
or a little while: See Annot. on Heb. 4. c.  a little lower than the Angels, and crwoned him with glory and honour.  
Thou hast at first created man in a lower condition, than that of the Angels; yet hast abundantly recompensed that lowliness of his present state: whilst he lives here, those glorious spirits minister to him, and at length he is assumed to participation of their glory. Nay, our human nature, by being assumed by Christ, is thereby extolled above all Angels. And for me at this time, thou hast advanced me to the employment of an Angel, by thy chastising, and subduing this vaunting champion by my hands. And in the diviner sense, Christ the son of God, being for a while humbled to our flesh, and for the space of three and thirty years submitted to a lower condition than that of Angels, is yet by this diminution exalted, by suffering in our flesh on earth, advanced to the greatest dignities in heaven, made supreme ruler and Judge of men and Angels.( Heb. ii. 7.)  
6. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:  
7. All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field:  
8. The fouls of the air and fish of the sea, and 
The Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} Leviathan that passeth  whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.  
This vile clod of earth, man, thou didst at first invest with a sovereign power over all inferior, sublunary creatures, Gen. 1.26.28. all beasts, and souls, and fishes, and plants, to be commanded, and enjoyed by him. And in the like manner thou hast given me power over the chief of these, over the Lion and the Bear. i. Sam. xvii. 36. and over this gyantly Philistim. And, in the mystery, thou hast given to Christ, a man on earth, a power over all these inferior creatures, for them all to be absolutely subject to all his commands, to still the sea, remove mountains, &c. and so likewise the victory over all his enemies, over men, and devils, and over death itself; and in thy time this victory shall be so completed, that there shall be nothing left of opposition to his kingdom, and absolute sovereignty, which shall not be wholly subdued unto him. See Heb. ii. 8. and i. Cor. xv. 27.  
9. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth?  
O thou omnipotent Lord, and our most gracious Master, how glorious is thy Majesty in all that thou hast and shalt do among us? The whole world shall never cease to glorify thee for these things.  

Annotations on Psal. VIII.  
Tit. Gittith.] The Titles of the Psalms are known to have great difficulty in them, and accordingly the explications must be very uncertain. Many of them refer to the names of instruments, and divers of those may well be unknown to us. Besides, the names and titles of such kind of composures, as they are very various in all languages, so are they inexplicable to all those that are not acquainted familiarly with the Poetry and music of each Nation. The several sorts of matter give several names to Poesyes; as panegyric, Elegy, hymn, and Anthem, &c. The particular matters do so in like manner; as on Cush the Benjamite, or when he fled from Absalom &c. So again the occasions or seasons for which they were provided to be sung.  
Next, the measure of the verse is considerable, from whence it is an Ode, an Epode, &c. So the mood, either doric, or Ionick, &c. among the grecians; a Pavin, or Almain &c. among us: So the key, a song in Gammut, in D Sol Re, and the like: And lastly the tune, of which there be innumerable names taken from the first known Ditty, that was set to each. This shows us in general how difficult, or rather impossible it must be, for those that are not acquainted with the Hebrew Poetry or music( of which we have now small remainders) to pass any certain judgement on those things which wholly depend on this. Accordingly so it is in the particular now before us, what is the meaning of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, and in some other places: The Chaldee on one side, and the LXXII. and those that follow them on the other side, have pitched on very distant rendrings of it. The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies a wine press, and from thence the LXXII. and latin and Aethiopick have their version, {untranscribed Hebrew} pro torcularibus, for the winepresses; as if this Psalm of thanksgiving were appointed to be used peculiarly in the vintage, as a time wherein Gods mercy to man in the fruits of the earth were to be acknowledged, and from thence, by way of ascent of the soul, his other sublimer mercies, which with the eye of faith and prophesy David saw afar off, under the times of the Gospel. But the same {untranscribed Hebrew} Gath is also the name of a City of the philistines, and {untranscribed Hebrew} Gittite, a man of that City, and from thence the Chaldee deduceth the word, and renders it {untranscribed Hebrew}. This is ordinarily rendered cithara quam attulit de Gath, a Musical instrument which he brought from Gath. But of any such we find no mention elsewhere in Scripture, nor the least ground of suspicion among their writings, that Gittith should be the name of an Instrument. Kimchi, that recites the names of them, hath another notion of this. It will therefore be the more pardonable boldness to propose a slight conjecture on this paraphrase of the Chaldee; viz. that the word {untranscribed Hebrew} may have been by the Transcriber lightly varied from {untranscribed Hebrew} a strong man, or giant. Thus we have in the Targum ii Sam. xxi. 20. {untranscribed Hebrew} a giant of Gath. And then why should not the whole Paraphrase of the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} be rendered, the giant( i. e. goliath) which was of Gath, or from Gath? However thus much we have gained from their Paraphrase, that {untranscribed Hebrew} may signify that or him, {untranscribed Hebrew} that was from Gath; and then sure we way thus safely interpret {untranscribed Hebrew}, viz. that this Psalm was made on goliath the Philistim of Gath, or goliath the Gittite, ii Sam. xxi. 19. and i. Chron. xx. 5. set here without name, only he that was from Gath]( though composed some time after Davids encounter with him, and victory over him) that mighty giant that proudly and scornfully defied all the host of Israel. And to this the Psalm at least in some part seems to belong, being a meditation of Gods power and wisdom, in subduing the proud by weak despised instruments, children and sucklings, as it were; and this enlarged, and farther considered and observed both in Gods dealing toward mankind in general, and toward particular men, toward young David at this time, and toward Christ in his state of exinanition. Against this conjecture twill be obvious to object, 1. that two other Psalms, Lxxxi. and Lxxxiv. are also entitled {untranscribed Hebrew} upon Gittith, and yet are not either of them appliable to this matter of goliath the Gittite; and 2. that there also the Chaldee Paraphrase is the same; and 3. that as there we red {untranscribed Hebrew} cithara, so 'tis ordinarily resolved by Lexicographers, that Gittith was a Musical instrument, and that so called from {untranscribed Hebrew} a winepress, because it was used to be played on in the time of vintage, which was a festival time. To all this I have but one thing to say, viz. that the learned Hebrews, that set down the music of the ancients, do not set down Gittith for an instrument, but much otherwise. Witness Kimchi, before name, on the third Psalm; where having once for all, set down the instruments of the Jewish music, that were used in the house of the sanctuary, Cymbals, Cornets, Trumpets &c. he adds, that these Musical instruments were divided into melodies, which were known among them, i. e. there were several tunes well known among the Jews, that were skilful in that art,( to which they played on these instruments) and Gittith was one of them. Here now is evidently a great difference betwixt these instruments themselves, and the several melodies or tunes that they played upon them; and Gittith is with him expressly the name of a tune, and not, as was supposed from the Chaldee, an instrument brought from Gath. Now of tunes it is well enough known, that they take their names from the songs which were first composed to that tune, sometimes from the matter of the song, and sometimes also from the first words, or else from some principal words in it. And if so, then why may not this eighth Psalm be the first which was made to this tune; and from the matter of it be here inscribed {untranscribed Hebrew} upon the Gittite, or Philistime of Gath; and then all other Psalms, afterward set to that tune, called after the name of the first, and so the Lxxxi. and Lxxxiv. be inscribed {untranscribed Hebrew} to signify them to be set to the same tune with this, which was made on goliath the Gittite? If there be small probability in this, it remains that we return to that which was first said, that the difficulties of this kind are inexplicable. And this may stop, though not satisfy, our curiosities.  
V. 3. When I consider] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in this place is by the Chaldee rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} because or for, and by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, because, and so in the rest of the ancient Interpreters, this being the most frequent use of it. Yet 'tis certain the Hebrew particle hath sour significations; and in one of them denotes a condition( and is best rendered If) and also time, and is fully rendered, when. So Gen. iv. 12. {untranscribed Hebrew} the Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} if, or, when thou tillest the ground; and so ii Sam. vii. i. It came to pass {untranscribed Hebrew} when the King sat in his house, for which i. Chron. xvii. 1. they red {untranscribed Hebrew}, and we render, as, i. e. when he sate. And thus the context inclines it here, When I consider— What is man— i. e. I have then by that consideration all reason to cry out by way of admiration, What is man— And thus the Jewish arabic translation renders it, When I see the heavens &c. I say, What is man—    

The Ninth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician upon 
or the death of the Champion  
a.  Muth-Labben, A Psalm of David.  
The ninth Psalm is a solemn thanksgiving for Gods deliverances, and by the title may be thought to reflect on the death of goliath of Gath, the great Champion of the philistines, vanquished and killed by David; but the Psalm made some space afterwards, when the ark was placed in Sion, and the philistines were utterly destroyed, v. 6. and yet in some other time of distress, v. 13. and of absence from Sion, v. 14. and committed to the perfect of his music.  
1. I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth all thy marvellous works.  
O Lord of all power and mercy, which art pleased to interpose thy omnipotence for me, and thereby to enable thy feeble servant to pass through many great difficulties, I do with all the devotion of my soul aclowledge and proclaim this, and all other thy great mercies.  
2. I will be glad and 
exult, leap for joy {untranscribed Hebrew} Lxxii. exultabo. Lat. sir. Arab. Aeth.  rejoice in thee; I will sing praises to thy name, O thou most Highest.  
This is matter of infinite joy, and transporting delight unto me, without the least reflection on myself,( who am mere nothing) to magnify thy sublime and most powerful Majesty, and attribute all my successses unto thee.  
3. When mine enemies are turned back, they shall 
b.  
be galled, or lame  fall and perish 
from thy face, or sight {untranscribed Hebrew}  at thy presence.  
By thee are our enemies put to flight and flying they meet with gall-traps in their way, and so are lame, overtaken, and killed in the pursuit.( This befell the philistines on the discomfiture of their proud Champion. 1 Sam. xvii. 51, 52.) And to thee only is it to be ascribed; 'tis thy Majesty that hath done the whole work entirely for us: thou foughtest against them, and thereby they were thus worsted, put to flight, and destroyed.  
4. For thou hast 
pleaded {untranscribed Hebrew} See note on Psalm cxxxii. 2.  maintained my right and my cause; thou sattest in the throne judging right.  
When in the duel between that Champion and me, and so in many other battels with my enemies, the cause was committed to thy sacred judgement, thou we●t pleased to take my part, to defend me, and to judge on my side, and with perfect justice to pled, and decide the controversy betwixt us, and give the victory to thy servant.  
5. Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.  
By the death of the 
{untranscribed Hebrew} the wicked goliath; Chald.  impious prosane goliath the philistines Champion, thou hast put their whole host to slight, and made this victory a foundation of utter extirpation to that nation of the 
{untranscribed Hebrew} the peoples of the philistines, Chald.  philistines.  
6. O thou enemy, 
c.  destructions are 
consummate to the end, or for ever.  come to a perpetual end, and thou hast 
extirpated {untranscribed Hebrew}  destroyed cities, the memorial is perished with them.  
They are now finally destroyed, their cities razed to the ground, and( unless it be in the stories of their ruin) no remainders of them discernible: and all this must be attributed to thee, O Lord.  
7. 
d.  
And the Lord shall endure for ever, he shall fit, he hath—  But the Lord shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgement.  
A signal evidence of thy power and immutability, of thy sitting in heaven as on a throne, or tribunal of judicature.  
8. And he shall judge the world in righteousness; he shall minister judgement to the people in uprightness.  
From whence thou shalt from time to time dispense and administer, and dispose of all things here below, with all exact justice and uprightness.  
9. The Lord also will be a sure refuge for the oppressed, a refuge 
for seasons, or, opportunities, in distress. {untranscribed Hebrew}, Lxxii. in opportunitatibus, in tribulatione, Lat.  in times of trouble.  
And this as to the punishing of the proud obdurate oppressor, so to the seasonable support of all that are not able to relieve themselves; when their tribulations, and so their exigences, are greatest, then have they in thee a sure sanctuary, to which they may opportunely resort, and be confident to receive relief from thee.  
10. And they that know thy name, will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.  
And accordingly all that know any thing of religion, that have either learn from others, or experimented in themselves these thy faithful all-righteous dispensations, in the economy of the world, those glories of thine, resulting from the conjuncture of all thy attributes, of power, and justice, and wisdom, and mercy, &c. will thereby be firmly grounded in their trusts and reliances on thee,( without applying themselves to any of the sinful aids and policies of the world for succour) laying this up for an anchor of hope, that God never forsook or failed any pious man in his distress, that by prayer and faith made his humble and constant applications to him.  
11. Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Sion; declare among the people his doings.  
Let us therefore all join in magnifying the power and mercy of God, and to that end assemble to the sanctuary, where he is pleased to presentiate himself, giving all men knowledge of the 
his mi●●cles. Arab.  wonderful acts he hath wrought for us.  
12. When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembreth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the 
afflicted, {untranscribed Hebrew}  humble.  
The blood of humble, pious, helpless men, that is  shed by oppressors, hath a cry that goes up to heaven, Gen. iv. 19. and is most precious with God: he will never suffer it to go unpunished, but will act severe revenges for it; pursue and find out the guilty persons, and poure his plagues upon them.  
13. Have mercy upon me, O Lord: consider my 
affliction, or, oppression from my enemies {untranscribed Hebrew}  trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death.  
On these grounds I continue to make my addresses to thee, O Lord, beseeching thee to behold in mercy the low and afflicted condition of thy servant at this time; and as thou are wont to interpose thy seasonable reliefs, when there is most need of them, to raise those that are brought lowest, so to reveal thyself to me opportunely at this present.  
14. That I may show forth all thy praise in the gates of 
e.  the daughter of Sion: I will rejoice in thy salvation.  
That so I may have continual matter of thanksgiving to pay thee, when I enter into the assembly, in the midst of the inhabitants of Sion, and triumphantly rejoice, and bless thee for thy deliverance afforded me.  
15. The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made; in the net which they bid is their own foot taken.  
The evil machinations of Godless men bring nothing but certain ruin on them: the mischief that they design to others, falls constantly on themselves.  
16. The Lord is known by the judgement which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. 
See note on Ps. iii. 6.  Higgaion, Selah.  
And this is a notorious act of Gods righteous judgement on them, that their acts and attempts of hurting others are all converted to their own ruin.  
17. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.  
And in sum, that all that forsake and despise God, and refuse to enter into 
{untranscribed Hebrew} the fear or worship of God, Chald.  his service, or having entred apostatise from him, shall, whole nations together, be utterly and finally destroyed.  
18. For the needy shall not alway be forgotten; the expectation of the 
oppress {untranscribed Hebrew}  poor shall not perish for ever.  
For though God for a while permit his meek and obedient servants to be oppressed, and triumphed over, and in the eye of the world to be forgotten, forsaken, and perish; yet if they constantly adhere to him, and contentedly wait his leisure, without flying for relief to any unlawful means, 'tis certain he will at last return to them, and rescue them out of the oppressors hands.  
19. Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail; let the heathen be judged in thy sight.  
On these grounds, O Lord, I have now all confidence to fly, and pray to thee, that thou wilt not permit 
{untranscribed Hebrew} the son of wickedman Chaldee.  wicked men any longer to prosper and be victorious, but that thou wilt interpose thine own just hand of vengeance,  
20. 
or, set them a razor.  Put them in 
f.  fear, O Lord, that the Nations may know themselves to be but men.  
To chastise them sharply and subdue them; that by this means they and all other presumptuous sinners may be humbled, and instructed, brought to a sight of themselves, and a fear of thee, and thy judgments.  

Annotations on Psalm IX.  
Tit. Muth-Labben] The title of this Psalm( as of the former) hath been matter of much question and uncertainty, in both parts of it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and {untranscribed Hebrew} For the former, many of the learned Hebrews incline to red it, as one word, {untranscribed Hebrew}. So Abu Walid, who saith that, perhaps, from that notion of the word, wherein it signifies occultari, it might be a certain way, or kind of still, hidden, or low music or Melody. And so the Jewish arabic Translator interprets it, an hidden low slender tune. To this the LXXII agree, who rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew}, appear to have red it {untranscribed Hebrew} in one word, and either {untranscribed Hebrew} before it, or else supplying the want of that preposition by {untranscribed Hebrew}. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Then for Labben, the Jewish-Arabick translator would have it to be from Ben, the name of one of the prefects of music, mentioned 1 Chron. xv. 18. as if the Psalm were for Ben, or those belonging to Ben, to sing. And thus, it seems, Kimchi's father took it. To this interpretation that place in the Chronicles seems somewhat favourable, where, as v. 18. of those of the second degree are reckoned Zachariah, Ben, Jaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maasiah, &c. so ver. 20. eight of the same persons are repeated again( which number must reasonably be supposed to contain all the rest) as singers to sound with Psalteryes on Alamoth, where the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} is retained by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, and most probably signifies the name of a tune known by that title: and so indeed 
on Ps. 3.  Kimchi among the known tunes of the Hebrews names Alamoth for one. And so this is no improbable account of this title. Yet in a matter where there is not ground for any more then conjecture, it may not be amiss to set down some other descants. First then, it will be found no news, for the ancient interpreters to put into one, those words which were, and ought certainly to be divided in the Hebrew. An example we have in this very particular, Psal. xlviii. he shall be our guide {untranscribed Hebrew} unto death. The Chaldee render, as if it were one word, {untranscribed Hebrew} youth, in the daies of our youth: where yet the Masorites red in two words {untranscribed Hebrew} till death; and so there the LXXII. render it in sense, though not in words, {untranscribed Hebrew} for ever,( for by that they might more probably express {untranscribed Hebrew} till death, than be thought to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} secula, as some learned men conjecture.) And thus Kimchi reports of his father, that in his opinion Almuth were two words, yet to be red as one. And if they were two,[ {untranscribed Hebrew} upon the death] then all the difficulty will be, what is meant by {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Labben. That some of the Hebrews will have red by way of Anagramme backward {untranscribed Hebrew} as if it were on the death of Nabal: but that sure is but fancy, though I see it taken up by a very learned man. The LXXII. render it {untranscribed Hebrew} of the son, simply: And some account may be given of that, not from those that will understand it of the death of Christ, the Son by way of eminence, but in a far different sense, so as to understand it of one whose father was not known; in which notion the latin conceiving {untranscribed Hebrew} 1 Sam. xvii. 4. to be literally[ a man, or one of the sons] have rendered it vir spurius, a bastard. And though the LXXII there red in a distant style {untranscribed Hebrew}, a mighty or strong man, a giant; yet I suppose this is but consequent to the same notion. For it is by the Hebrews observed from Gen. vi. 2. and 4. that the giants, i. e. great or mighty men, were begotten by those unlawful conjunctions or promiscuous use of women, and so generally lived without observation of any laws of chastity, or marriage,( which is the meaning of corruption and violence v. 11.) and so might well be thought to be meant by that phrase [ men of the sons] as that signifies a spurious offspring, whose father is not known( as generally 'tis observable of any giant in Scripture, that he hath no other extraction taken notice of, but either that he is a son, or of the sons of the giant, 1 Chron. xx. 4. and 6. or a brother of such a man, as of goliath v, 5.) somewhat like this we find ii Sam. xxi. 16. where Ishbibenob is said to be of the sons of the giant, and in the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} of the sons of the strong man, without naming any father. And it is not improbable that the name itself Ishbibenob, was a light variation from that phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} a man of the sons, as a known title for a giant. And if this be appliable to {untranscribed Hebrew} Labben here, then it may signify the giant of Gath, goliath and give ground of conjecture either that this Psalm was composed( though long after) in remembrance of, or reflection on goliath) his death, as the Chaldee v. 5.( and Kimchi, who is not of this mind for Labben, doth yet aclowledge the matter of the Psalm to agree to goliath) or else was set to the tune of one that had been composed on that subject, for so Kimchi, as was said, among their known tunes, names Alamoth for one, which sure refers to this place. Besides this, one farther interpretation there is, of which the word may be deemed capable, and that concurring to the same ●nd, to determine goliath the person here referred to. For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in Hebrew and Chaldee signifies inter or in medio, between, or in the middle, and may fitly denote a Champion, or Combatant, that stands forth, and is in the middle, to challenge the enemy. So 1 Sam. xvii. 4. when goliath comes out to challenge the Israelitish host, it is, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  vir intermedius saith the interlinear, a man, or one in the midst came out from the camp of the philistines; and the Chaldee in like manner {untranscribed Hebrew} a strong man, or giant, or champion from among them. And many like passages there are in Authors, of combatants standing forth betwixt the camps: So he whom Manlius Torquatus killed in livy l. vii. This 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Homer expresses in like style, by {untranscribed Hebrew} in the midst, {untranscribed Hebrew}. i. e. saith Eustathius p. 291. l. 23. {untranscribed Hebrew}, betwixt the two armies, which, saith he, after Homers time, {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew}, they express by one word, which signifies between the armies, and is saith he, 
Ibid. p. 296. l. 20.  afterward more fully described by {untranscribed Hebrew}, there was a little plain or field about them. Agreeable to which is our style of duellers, challenging to the field. And in reference to this it may possibly be, that goliath should be here noted by {untranscribed Hebrew}, or simply {untranscribed Hebrew} the man between, i. e. the Champion. And then {untranscribed Hebrew} the death of this( here called Labben) will be no more than the plainer words express 1 Sam. xvii. 51. {untranscribed Hebrew} that their strong man or champion was slain or dead: which the Lxxii render {untranscribed Hebrew}, their mighty man( as v. 4. they rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} the man between) and the Syriack, and arabic, their giant. Of him then this title may be understood; and the Psalm either have been composed for some anniversary commemoration of his death, or else set to the tune of some that was thus composed. But this is but conjecture in a matter of great uncertainty.  
V. 3. Shall fall] The notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here is military, being spoken of enemies in war, and it refers to those that either faint in a march, or are wounded in a battle, or especially that in flight meet with galltraps in their way, and so are galled and lame, rendered unable to go forward, and so sall, and become liable to all the ill chances of pursuits, and, as here, are overtaken, and perish in the sall. And thus 'tis by the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} being lightly varied from this) impingent, stumble or light on any galltrap, or other sort of scandal. But the LXXII. both here and in most other places render it {untranscribed Hebrew} being weak, and so the latin infirmabuntur, and the arabic and Aethiopick all to the same sense; meaning no other then this of being galled, and so made unfit for progress: See Psal. xxvii. 2. {untranscribed Hebrew}, they were weak, or wounded, or galled in their march, and then they fell, as a consequent of it. And thus must it be rendered here, not falling, but being galled and lame, precedent to falling. And so in S. Paul Rom. xiv. 21. {untranscribed Hebrew}, offended and made weak, are in the same sense for him that is galled and discouraged, or hindered in his Christian course. See note on 1 Cor. viii. b.  
V. 6. Destructions] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  vaslatus est, hath many nouns derived from it: {untranscribed Hebrew} desolation, destruction, and also a fight, or war; {untranscribed Hebrew} a sword; and {untranscribed Hebrew} a soldier. And accordingly the LXXII. render {untranscribed Hebrew} here {untranscribed Hebrew} swords, and so the Syriack, and latin; the arabic red it weapons, and the Chaldee paraphrase it by armies and castles. But the ordinary rendering is to be preferred( though the other need not be despised) and so the sense will be, that the philistines destructions are completed to the uttermost;( as {untranscribed Hebrew} to the end, by which the LXXII. render {untranscribed Hebrew} here, is duly translated 1 Thess. ii. 16.) and then that which follows, and thou hast destroyed cities,] must not be applied to the enemy, in the beginning of the verse, but to the God of Israel, who destroyed them. And thus the Jewish-Arabick translator applies it. The enemies country desolation hath fully seized on, made a full end of it; The people of their cities thou hast cut off, till, or so that their memory is utterly perished.  
In the end of the verse where the Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  with them, the LXXII. it seems red {untranscribed Hebrew} a noise or tumult, and so render it {untranscribed Hebrew} with a sound; and so the latin and arabic and Aethiopick after them: But the Chaldee have {untranscribed Hebrew} from them; and the Syriack leave it out as redundant, being contained in {untranscribed Hebrew} their memorial, precedent.  
V. 7. But the Lord] The rendering of this verse is best learnt from the Chaldee, who make three parts of it. 1. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  i. e. literally, And the Lord for ever, they render, The word of the Lord for ever, by way of Ellipsis, to be supplied by addition of some verb, is, or abideth for ever. 2. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  he shall sit, which they paraphrase, his habitation in the highest heavens. 3. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} — he hath prepared his throne, or tribunal for justice. The two former of these the Lxxii confounded, and put into one, and so the Syriack and latin, and arabic, and Aethiopick after them: but the more distinct reading, which the Chaldee follows, is most literal and full, and with reason to be preferred.  
V. 14. Daughter of Sion] The word daughter, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  applied to a city or nation, signifies the people or inhabitants of it, the city being as it were the parent from whence they spring; and accordingly the Chaldee here expresses it by {untranscribed Hebrew} the assembly of Sion, from {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} congregavit.  
V. 20. In fear] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here is by the LXXII. rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} a Law-giver; and so the Syriack and vulgar and Aethiopick follow them, and the arabic with a little change, a doctor or teacher of the Law, probably referring to {untranscribed Hebrew} a doctor or teacher, coming regularly from {untranscribed Hebrew} docuit. The Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew} fear, as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} timuit. And so between these, the generality of interpreters is divided. If the former be accepted, the sense will well bear it, thus; Set them a teacher, an instructor, that, as it follows, they may know themselves to be but men, learn humility and piety by this means, and Gods judgements or punishments may be this teacher: as 1 Tim. 1 20. delivering to Satan to be buffeted, and afflicted by him, is {untranscribed Hebrew}, that they may be taught not to blaspheme. If it be the second, then 'tis; Put them in fear— i. e. bring them to the acknowledgement and fear of thee, and that by thy punishments also. But 'tis sure the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} according to its punctation here signifies a Razor; so Jud. xiii. 5. {untranscribed Hebrew} and a razor, {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Chaldee, shall not come upon his head, and 1 Sam. i. 11. in like manner. Now this in the prophetic style is frequently used for the execution of Gods vengeance: See Is. vii. 20. The Lord shall shave with a razor that is hired, even the King of Assyria, and Ezek. v. 1. take thee a barbers razor, thereby to signify Gods judgments upon Jerusalem. And this, and nothing but this, is the importance of the word, thus pointed; and then it will fitly be rendered, in prophetic dialect, set them, or thou wilt set them a razor, bring some sharp punishment upon them, that so they may know themselves to be but men.    

The Tenth psalm.  
THe tenth is a Psalm of Davids, joined by the LXXII. to Psalm ix. but in the Hebrew divided from it: and it is a complaint made to God of the riotous oppressions of wicked men, and an humble reliance on him for his repressing them.  
1. Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?  
O thou all-seeing Lord, thou art sometimes pleased to withdraw thyself a while from the aid of suppliants, and in times of the greatest streights( which are the fittest 
{untranscribed Hebrew}, Lxxii. See Psal. ix. 9.  opportunities) to suspend thy interpositions, and permit oppressors to prosper, and we silly creatures are often posed thereby, discern not the causes which move thy wisdom to it.  
2. 
or, In the pride of the wicked the poor is set on fire.  The wicked in his pride doth 
a.  persecute the poor: Let them be taken in the devices which they have imagined.  
That wicked men should make use of their worldly power to injure and bear down those that are not able to resist, is nothing strange, their pride incites them to it: But it is thy property to resist the proud, and defend the needy, and to bring ruin on godless men, by the same means by which they designed it to others. Be thou now pleased thus to reveal thyself.  
3. For the wicked boasteth of his hearts desire, 
and the covetous blasphemes and provoketh God.  and 
b.  blesseth the covetous, whom God abhorreth.  
For 'tis to the great dishonour of thy name, that the wicked is thus permitted to prosper in his designs: he boasteth and placeth a pride in it, that without any check he can do what he please. And so the covetous designer, that for the enriching himself oppresses and injures others, either persuades himself that God sees not at all, or that he meddles not with the government of the world, or else makes God an accessary, and favourable to it; every of which is indeed an horrible blasphemy, and must needs provoke him exceedingly.  
4. 
The wicked in the haughtiness of his look.  The wicked through the pride of his countenance 
saith, God will not require or consider or search out all his devices, or will not seek; all his thoughts are, there is no God.  will not 
c.  seek after God; God is not in all his thoughts.  
For thus the impious Atheistical worldling resolves within himself, that all his designs are so subtly and closely managed, so politicly laid, and secretly wrought, that no God in heaven shall ever be able to discover them, much less to frustrate or punish them.  
5. 
His ways shall travail, or bring forth at every season.  His ways are always 
d.  grievous: thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies he puffeth at them.  
He pursues his own wicked courses very constantly and industriously: As for Gods laws, or the judgments due from him to sinners, he never considers or lays them to heart: and so being confident of his own wit and strength, and setting all his thoughts on the mischieving his opposers, and never dreaming of any check from any, he despiseth, and contemns them all.  
6. He hath said in his heart, 
I shall not be moved for ever& ever( that not on mischief, or) from doing mischief.  I shall not be moved; 
e.  for I shall never be in adversity.  
And resolves in his own thoughts that he will never give over his oppressive and wicked ways, upon any apprehension or fear, whether of God or man.  
7. His mouth is full of 
f.  cursing and deceit and frauds, under his tongue is mischief and 
iniquity, or, falseness.  
g.  vanity.  
On this account he makes no scruple to take and break oaths, to imprecate all curses on himself, for the confirming of that which is most false; and so he may cheat and injure others, cares not what maledictions he calls down upon himself; and thus is he always employed. His tongue serves him for no other use, but to oppress and defraud others.  
8. 
h.  He sitteth in the lurking places of the 
or, fields.  villages; in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes 
insidiously watch.  are 
i.  privily set against the poor.  
And all advantages he makes use of to catch and kill; he is always upon some secret design of rapine and blood; and innocent poor men that never provoked him, or were his enemies, are the special persons at whom his treachery is directed.  
9. He lieth in wait 
in a close or secret place, {untranscribed Hebrew}  secretly, as a Lion in his den; he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor 
by drawing {untranscribed Hebrew}  when he draweth him into his net. 
and teareth him in pieces.  
k.   
For these he lies in Ambush, as a Lion in expectation of his prey, on purpose to tear& devour them; lays his toils to ensnare them, with all the subtlety imaginable; draws them into his power; and then useth the utmost 
{untranscribed Hebrew} Lxxii. rapit Lat. Arab.  violence upon them, rents them and preys on them.  
10. He coucheth 
he humbleth himself and falleth, that he may prevail over the poor.  and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.  
And as a Lion is then most couchant, when his aims are most bloody, and designs that infidious posture to that very end; so doth he put on the guise of the greatest meekness and humility, on purpose, that, as a Lion again, he may make use of it to the greatest advantage of seizing on his prey( oppressing any that are weaker than he) whensoever it comes within reach of him.  
11. He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten; he hideth his face, he will not see it.  
All this while he persuades himself that God takes no notice of these oppressions of his, is confident never to be called to any account for them.  
12. Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up thy hand, forget not the 
the afflicted {untranscribed Hebrew}  humble.  
But thou O Lord of all power& justice, and withall of grace and mercy to them that wait on thee, be pleased at length to stretch forth thy hand of defence and relief to all that are thus oppressed and injured.  
13. Wherefore doth the wicked 
provoke, See v. 3. note b.  contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.  
This thy longanimity in forbearing of wicked men and permitting them to prosper, makes them blaspheme thee, as one that either doth not see, or will never punish their violences. v. 3.  
14. Thou hast seen it, for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requited it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee, thou art the helper of the fatherless.  
But they will one day find themselves in a sad error, and discern to their cost, that God hath seen all the oppressions of their lives, and will repay indignation and anger and wrath upon every Soul that hath gone on in this enormous Atheistical course; and on the other side take a special care of all helpless men, that rely and trust on him, and commit themselves by patience and piety to his custody.  
15. Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man; 
l.  
thou shalt seek his wickedness, not find it.  seek out his wickedness, till thou find none.  
For thou, Lord, wilt show forth thy vengeance, and bring to nothing the oppressors power: visit him and his deeds, till they be utterly destroyed.  
16. The Lord is King for ever and ever; the 
m.  heathen are perished out of his land.  
Thus will God vindicate himself to have the governing of the world in his hands: and though wicked men and oppressers prosper for a time, and this tempt men to some doubts, and Atheistical disputes; yet the conclusion will clear the doubt( and confirm all, that consider it, in the adoration of Gods power and justice) viz. the utter extirpation of wicked men out of Canaan, the emblem of heaven.  
17. Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble, thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear.  
Thou hast, O Lord, by promise obliged thyself never to reject any humble suppliant that wants, and waits for thy help: the ardency of humble addresses to thee is thine own gift; and then thou canst never reject or despise those requests, which are thus, by thine own spirit and appointment, directed and brought to thee.  
18. To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more 
tyramnize {untranscribed Hebrew}  oppress.  
And this gives security and confidence to the most helpless and desolate, that thou wilt in thy good time interpose thy aids and thy vengeance, to relieve the oppressed, when he is duly qualified for that mercy, and to subdue and confounded the Atheistical tyrannizing oppressors, and show them how small reason they had, to rejoice and boast of Gods not seeing or considering their actions.  

Annotations on Psalm X.  
V. 2. Persecute] {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies two things( as was said note on Psal. vii. e.) to persecute, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and to be set on fire: and though we render it in the former sense, and so apply it to {untranscribed Hebrew} the wicked, in the active sense [ the wicked persecutes the poor] yet the ancient interpreters generally render it in the passive, and apply it to {untranscribed Hebrew} the poor, that in the pride of the wicked he is set on fire, i. e. brought into great tribulation; {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Lxxii. in the sense that S. Peter uses {untranscribed Hebrew} 1 Pet. iv. 12. for a great persecution and affliction, that fell on godly men. And thus the sense will very well bear it in this place, and the matter be little varied, which way soever the rendering be; it being all one, whether the wicked in his pride persecute the poor, or the poor be persecuted, and afflicted, and oppressed in, or through the pride of the wicked. The Chaldee exactly follows the Hebrew, and is as ambiguous as that, but is translated in the passive sense.  
V. 3. Blesseth] Some incertainty there is in rendering this latter part of the third verse. The Lxxii. besides that they take {untranscribed Hebrew} the wicked from the beginning of the next verse, and join it with this[ {untranscribed Hebrew}, the wicked hath provoked the Lord] they also render {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  passively, {untranscribed Hebrew} is blessed, and {untranscribed Hebrew}, the injurious; and so the Syriack and latin. But the Chaldee varies from them, and keeps nearer the Hebrew. The chief difficulty is in the rendering of {untranscribed Hebrew}; which though in Kal it signifies to bless, yet in Piel, as here 'tis used, it is observed sometimes to signify in a contrary sense, to curse, or blaspheme. So evidently Job 1.5. peradventure they have sinned {untranscribed Hebrew} and cursed God in their heart; the Targum red {untranscribed Hebrew} and provoked God: so again v. 11. and c. 11.5. and 9. curse God and die: so 1 King. xxi. 10. of Naboth, {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast blasphemed, or cursed God, {untranscribed Hebrew} saith the Targum, blasphemed before God: and so again v. 13. And thus the arabic word to bless, as Mr. Pocock cites it out of Nehayah, signifies also to reproach or rail at; and many other words of contrary significations are noted by him, Not. miscell. ch. 2. And so most reasonably it must signify here; and then the meaning will be clear {untranscribed Hebrew} in the nominative case, as in the beginning of the verse {untranscribed Hebrew} had been, and no ellipsis to be supplied, save only of the copulative[ and]( which is much more frequent and easy than what is necessary to the common way of interpreting it) thus, {untranscribed Hebrew} and the covetous( or in the Lxxii. their rendering, {untranscribed Hebrew} the injurious, or oppressor) blasphemes {untranscribed Hebrew} and provoketh the Lord.  
V. 4. Seek] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here signifies is matter of some question. The Syriack renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to search or examine; the latin renders it perpendere, to perpend or weigh, the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} which signifies to require( and thus it is used in the notion of avenging or punishing, Gen. ix. 5. and here v. 13.) the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so the latin to seek, the arabic to search. It signifies also to interrogate, in order to learning, so to ask, as when we consult, or take any thing into serious care or consideration; and then if the {untranscribed Hebrew} be applied to the wicked( as generally the translators apply it) the rendering must be, the wicked in the haughtiness of his looks will not consult, or search after, or consider God. And then the chief difficulty will be in the latter part of the verse, {untranscribed Hebrew} i. e. literally, No God all his thoughts: which being elliptical, must be supplied either by addition of [ is in] God is not in all his thoughts; so the Syriack understands it, {untranscribed Hebrew} no God in all his thoughts, and to the same purpose the LXXII. and latin, and arabic, {untranscribed Hebrew}, God is not before him: or else by the addition of[ sees or knows] God sees not all his thoughts or devices,( And thus the Chaldee expounds it, but yet with a farther addition( necessary to connect it to the former words) {untranscribed Hebrew} and will say in his heart, all my devices are not manifest before the Lord:) or yet more promptly, and with less change, There is no God, are all his thoughts; so the Jewish arabic seems willing to supply it, rendering it, In all his thoughts he saith there is no God; and this is agreeable to Kimchi and others. In this variety of conjectures, how the ellipsis may be best supplied, it may not be amiss to propose another rendering of the whole verse, by addition but of one word in the beginning, viz. [ saith]( than which no word almost is more frequently understood) thus, The wicked in the elation of his countenance( as that is an indication of his heart, and therefore the Chaldee reads reads {untranscribed Hebrew} in the pride of his spirit) saith, {untranscribed Hebrew} God shall in no wise( so the double negative {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies) require( in the notion of punishing) or( in the other vulgar notion) consider all his devices. Thus the words flow very naturally, and the ellipsis is much more intelligible, and easily supplied, than any other way: and to this sense the context inclines; Thy judgments are far out of his sight, v. 5. and he hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten, he hideth his face, he will never see it, v. 11. and this the interpretation of his blaspheming God, foregoing v. 3.  
V. 5. Grievous] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is here by the Chaldee rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} are prospered, as if it were from {untranscribed Hebrew} to be strong, or prosper; by the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew} are polluted, or profaned, as from {untranscribed Hebrew} to violate or pollute, or profane, and so the sense will well enough bear; His ways are always polluted, or defiled, as the Atheists always must be, who considers not, nor dreads Gods judgments. But the radix {untranscribed Hebrew}, from whence it regularly comes, signifies properly to be tormented, after the manner especially of women in labour, and accordingly 'tis frequently used for bringing forth: so Isa. Liv. 1. {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} are words of the same importance, as travailing and bearing; so Jer. iv. 31. {untranscribed Hebrew}, as of one that travaileth; so Psal. xxix. 9. the voice of the Lord, or thunder {untranscribed Hebrew}, makes to bring forth( speaking of the hinds, which are said to bring forth with difficulty, and to do it with more ease, when being frighted with thunder, their wombs open;) and so very frequently in other places, where the LXXII. render it {untranscribed Hebrew} to be in travail. And thus it seems to learned men to signify in this place. See Schindler pentaglott. p. 539. D. who renders it parient, enixè urgebunt vias suas, they shall painfully, industriously urge, or press their own ways( so we had {untranscribed Hebrew}, travailing with iniquity Psal. vii. 14.) or rather in the singular of the person, his ways shall travail or bring forth at every season;[ his ways] in opposition to[ Gods ways or judgements] following, which are said to be far above, not considered by him. In this verse the punctation may possibly lye thus, Thy judgements are far above; over against, or before him( {untranscribed Hebrew}) are all his enemies,( his eyes and thoughts pursue them only) he puffeth( breatheth out threatenings and reproaches) at them. This way the Hebrew suffixes do more clearly answer one the other.  
V. 6. For I shall never] The particle {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which] doth also sometimes signify quod, in the notion of quia, because; and so our ordinary rendering supposes here, and takes {untranscribed Hebrew} evil, not for sin, but punishment; and then {untranscribed Hebrew} is not amiss translated[ for not in evil, i. e. for I shall not be in evil, or adversity.] But all the ancient interpreters understand both {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} otherwise. The Chaldee join it with the former part of the verse, thus, I shall never be moved {untranscribed Hebrew} from doing evil. The LXXII. and latin and arabic all seem to design the same sense, {untranscribed Hebrew}, I shall not be shaken or moved— without evil; and the Syriack by way of Paraphrase, {untranscribed Hebrew} he meditates mischief. All which inclines us to understand {untranscribed Hebrew} in the notion of ut, that, in which 'tis frequently used, Gen. xi. 7. {untranscribed Hebrew}( as here) ut non, that they hear not, and in many other places: and then the meaning will be perspicuous, he saith in his heart, I shall or will by no means be moved for ever and ever, that not( i. e. so as not to be) in mischief, or so as not to be doing some ill,( as {untranscribed Hebrew} Exod. xxxii. 22. signifies being set on wickedness, the same that {untranscribed Hebrew} 1 Joh. v. 19.) which there the Chaldee have fully paraphrased, I shall never be removed from doing ill, and the LXXII. more briefly, and imperfectly,[ without ill] which yet is equivalent to [ that not with ill] and so to be interpnted, which the Syriack meant to express more fully,[ they imagine evil] meditate evil, i. e. evil, and nothing else, have no kind of check in so doing.  
V. 7. Cursing] The verb {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies to swear, 
{untranscribed Hebrew} ( and sometimes to forswear) but so to swear, as was usual among the Jews, with imprecation joined with it,( as when Matth. xxvi. 74. 'tis said of Peter that he cursed and swore, i. e. swore with an imprecation) praying for evil against themselves in case they swore false. And in this sense the noun is here taken, for that oath with imprecation; and being rendered [ cursing] it is not malediction, or execration of others, but of himself, in case he performed not his oath: and {untranscribed Hebrew} deceit joined with it( which the Lxxii. render {untranscribed Hebrew} bitterness, as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew} which signifies that, and the rather because {untranscribed Hebrew} following was sufficient to express deceit) denotes the perjury, and so really imprecating all curses on themselves, which in order to gaining to themselves, and oppressing of others, they are without any regret frequently guilty of.  
V. 7. Vanity] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies not only sorrow, and hard travail, or labour, from whence the LXXII. render it {untranscribed Hebrew} here, but also violence, rapine, injury, iniquity, Job xi. 14. Prov. xxx. 20. and Psal. v. 5. and so 'tis to be rendered in this place, and the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew} to be understood in that notion, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  wherein {untranscribed Hebrew} wicked doth come from it, meaning primarily him that doth {untranscribed Hebrew} infer, injures, oppresses any other. See Mat. v. 39. Note g.  
V. 8. Villages] {untranscribed Hebrew} a court, open without walls, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies also a village, as that differs from a walled town, and city, and so also any place, without dwelling or building in it, a field &c. and in arabic green grass; and so Ps. CIII. 15. the life of a man is {untranscribed Hebrew} as the herb or grass. And this is more proper for the turn in this place, speaking of ambushes, or laying of wait, for which the villages( in our ordinary use of the word for little towns) are not so commodious as the green grass, wherein one may lye and be hide, or the fields, which are far from any houses. The LXXII. red here {untranscribed Hebrew}, with the rich, reading( as 'tis most probable) {untranscribed Hebrew}, with the change of two letters צ. ח. into others of a near sound with them, ש. ע.  
V. 8. Privily set] {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies to hid, or lay up in secret; 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  but withal to watch, or insidiously to lay wait. So Prov. I. 11. {untranscribed Hebrew} we render it, let us lay wait for blood. So Psal. Lvi. 7. {untranscribed Hebrew} we render, they hid themselves, but the sense directs to this end of hiding, to lay wait. And so here undoubtedly it signifies, as both the antecedents and consequents demonstrate. The Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so the latin and Syriack, noting the intentness of his looking, or watching, as for a spoil or prey; the arabic, shall look upon, or observe; and so belong to the same sense, which the Chaldee more fully express by {untranscribed Hebrew} insidiabitur, lye in ambush, or secretly observe.  
V. 10. He croucheth] This passage may a while deserve to be examined, as it lies in the ancient interpreters. And 1. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is from {untranscribed Hebrew} comminuit, contrivit: the Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} conteret, and the interlinear atteret; but both seem to use it in the reciprocal sense. But tis possible it should be rendered transitively, and he teareth him in pieces, and so connect, and be joined with the end of the former verse, as the expression of Lion-like cunning, and cruelty there described, thus, [ he catcheth the poor by drawing him into his net, and rents him into the smallest pieces.] Thus the Lxxii. seem to have understood it, rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew}, he shall humble( as from {untranscribed Hebrew} humiliavit) him, i. e. the poor, and joining it with {untranscribed Hebrew}, in his net, in the former verse; and the Syriack leave it out, as being before sufficiently expressed by catching him in his net: whereas they that with the Chaldee set it at the beginning of this tenth verse, do 1. omit the copulative ו unrendred, or turn it into a jod; 2. understand it in the neutral sense, he croucheth, as from {untranscribed Hebrew}, which indeed may be so taken, but is not received by the Chaldee, or Interlinear,( the chief fautors of that interpretation) both which take it in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} conterit; 3. are fain to insert a ו copulative before the next word, and render {untranscribed Hebrew} and humbled himself.] All which are removed, and the matter laid clear and current in this uniting, and rendering of it, [ he doth catch the poor by drawing him into his net, and teareth him in pieces.] And then the tenth verse will be perspicuous also, {untranscribed Hebrew} he shall stoop,( so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} curvatus est, most properly signifies,) {untranscribed Hebrew} and fall: thus the Lxxii. render it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, he shall stoop and fall; and the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} be humbled, and fall; and the latin, inclinabit se& cadet, he shall bend himself and fall; and so the arabic and Aethiopick; and so the similitude with the Lion inclines it, who lies down, is couchant, or, as in the Apologue in Horace, Ep. l. 1. 1. feins himself sick, — Vulpes aegroto cauta Leoni Respondit— tua me vestigia terrent, Omnia te advorsum spectantia, nulla retrorsum. by that means to secure himself of his prey, or to fit him to seize on it. So saith the Jewish arabic translator: This is a description of the fashion of a Lion; for when he means to leap, he first coucheth, that he may gather himself together, then he rouseth himself, and puts out his strength, till he tear his prey: therefore when he speaketh thee fair, beware of him, for this is but his deceit. Then follows {untranscribed Hebrew} to prevail, or, that he may prevail over the poor. The LXXII. render it {untranscribed Hebrew} in his prevailing over the poor, and so the latin and arabic and Aethiopick; and so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  may signify to be strong, and that comparatively, stronger than another; so Gen. xxvi. 16. {untranscribed Hebrew} thou art stronger than I: the Chaldee expound it by {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} which signifies to overcome, to prevail over another. And thus is {untranscribed Hebrew} generally expounded by the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew}, and {untranscribed Hebrew}, and {untranscribed Hebrew}, all words of prevailing and overcoming. And then the preposition ב seems best to be rendered by pro, or propter, or ad( so tis acknowledged to signify, and {untranscribed Hebrew} in the LXXII. is frequently taken for {untranscribed Hebrew}) as the end for which he coucheth and falls: that as the couchant Lion lies still, and then rouseth himself, when his prey comes into his reach, and so seizes upon it; so he, by the like art of humility and secrecy, may break forth upon the poor man, and devour him. The Syriack here have a way by themselves; after [ he shall be humbled and fall] wherein they follow the LXXII. they red instead of {untranscribed Hebrew} diseases, and sorrows are in his bones; questionless respecting that of the Lion, expressed by the Apologue in Horace, in feigning himself sick, that he may by that means obtain his prey. And so this serves to confirm this interpretation, which yet without that help is coherent, and facile in every part; whereas our ordinary rendering joineth the singular {untranscribed Hebrew} fall, with the plural {untranscribed Hebrew} poor; and though the margin reads {untranscribed Hebrew} in two words, and the interlinear render it congregatio attritorum, the army, or congregation of afflicted ones; yet neither any of the ancient interpreters aclowledge that reading, nor can there be place for it here, this word {untranscribed Hebrew} being used twice more in this Psalm( though no where else) to signify the poor, v. 8. and 14. It is more reasonably suggested in favour of that interpretation, that it is an elegance both in Hebrew and arabic, to use the verb singular with the nominative plural, especially when the verb is placed first, as here it is; and therefore I aclowledge that to be no objection against the ordinary rendering in case the former of the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew},& {untranscribed Hebrew} be of no force; Of which, as of a conjecture only, the Reader may pass his judgement; And if he shall prefer the ordinary rendering, then the main difficulty will be in the phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} And 1. the ו 
ו  will not be barely either conversivum, or copulative, but as Aben-Ezra oft conpares it to the arabic ף denoting the consequence of one thing to another, so as to imply [ that] or [ until] and so 'twill be rendered, he humbleth himself and the poor fall, or that, or until the poor fall— Then for {untranscribed Hebrew} that may be rendered assaults: So Abu-Walid saith it is here a noun signifying contention, or assault, and applies this notion to it in other places of Scripture, and in the Mishnaioth, and so doth Kimchi in his Radices; and in his commentary on this psalm he puts both together, strength and contention, rendering it, {untranscribed Hebrew} by the strength of his contention and warlike assaults. But then thus also it will be as well appliable to the other interpretation, which understood {untranscribed Hebrew} of the assailant, he falleth with his fierce assaults {untranscribed Hebrew}( understanding the preposition ב) on the poor; and in this sense Abu-Walid compares {untranscribed Hebrew} with the arabic {untranscribed Hebrew} to fall, and to fall on, in sense of assault.  
V. 15. Seek till thou find none] To be sought and not be found] signifies proverbially that which is lost or destroyed utterly. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  So Psal. xxxvii. 36. I sought him but he could not be found] is but another phrase to signify what went before [ he passed away, and lo he was not] So Job xx. 8. he shall flee away as a dream, and shall not be found] all one with, He shall perish for ever, they shall say, where is he? v. 7. So Ezek. xxvii. 21. though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again. So Rev. xvi. 20. the mountains were not found, i. e. they were destroyed. So Ch. xviii. 21. Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. So Psal. Lxix. 20. I looked for comforters but I found none] to express a heavy, disconsolate condition. So Jer. i. 20. the sins of Judah shall be sought for, and shall not be found] is a prophetical expression to note the taking away of sin, viz. by pardon and remission, which is the blotting them out, for so it follows, for I will pardon them, &c. And here it is taken in the same manner, not for the pardoning, but destroying, and so best connects with breaking the arm of the wicked( destroying him and his oppressions together) precedent, and the heathens perishing out of the land, v. 16. The Chaldee more fully express it, Let their impiety be sought for, and not found; and so the LXXII. and the latin, and the arabic, his sin shall be sought, and he shall not be found because of it. Other like phrases there are, As Psal. xxviii. 5. thou shalt destroy, or pull them down, and not build them up. They shall fall and not be able to stand; Shall lie down, and not rise, and the like.  
V. 16. Heathens] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  nations or heathen] signifies in this place, is manifest by the former verses, especially the fifteenth immediately foregoing, where the subject of the discourse is the wicked and evil man; who as there they are to be broken, and sought and not found, so here of the {untranscribed Hebrew} 'tis said, that they shall perish. 'tis therefore to be resolved, that the nations or heathen are here, as in many other places of the Psalmist, the wicked men among the Jews, and not only the Idolatrous Gentiles so called. So Psal. Lix. 5. Awake to visit the nations, or heathen, i. e. the wicked transgressors, in the end of the verse, those of the Jewish nation sent by Saul to slay David. So v. 8. thou shalt have all the heathen in derision, speaking of the same men. That the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew}, parallel to this, signifies not the gentle nations onely, but sometimes, when the context enforceth, peculiarly the Jews, see Annot. on mat. xxiv. e. and proportionably {untranscribed Hebrew}, an heathen] is used for a desperate obstinate sinner, mat. xviii. 17.    

The Eleventh Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, A Psalm of David.  
The Eleventh Psalm is a declaration of Davids full confidence in God, in despite of all discouragements, and was by him composed, and committed to the prafect of his choir.  
1. In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye then to my soul, flee as a bide to 
a.  
the  your mountain.  
My full trust and confidence is in God, not in any strength or preparations of my own: and therefore their advice is very unreasonable, that as in a state of destitution and despair, counsel me to retire to some remote place of solitude, for fear of mine enemies forces; as when fearful birds fly to the tops of mountains, out of the fowlers reach.  
2. For lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready the arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.  
They are daily discouraging me, with the approach, and preparations of mine enemies, and the closeness, and unavoidableness of their designs against me.  
3. 
For the strong holds will be demolished.  If the 
b.  foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?  
Assuring me that within a while all my preparations and forces will be routed, and then 'tis not my righteousness will give me any support or security.  
4. The Lord is in his holy Temple, the Lords throne is in Heaven; his eyes behold, his eye-lids try the Children of men.  
But my full reliance and confidence in God, arms me against all these temptations to fear and despair Let the strength, and preparations of my enemies be what they will, and my condition as low and destitute, in the eye of man, as is possible; yet I am sure God sits in Heaven, as in a sanctuary, and on a throne: so that I have my double appeal, and resort, to his mercy and his justice; the former to secure the righteous, the latter to subdue and destroy the wicked oppressor: and from these two I have grounds of assured confidence, that that all-seeing Majesty, that knoweth and judgeth the actions of men, will not fail to judge on my side, to secure me, and destroy my proudest adversaries.  
5. The Lord trieth the righteous; 
or, and the wicked, and he that loveth violence hateth his own soul.  but the wicked and him that loveth violence 
c.  his soul hateth.  
For as it is most infallibly certain, that God doth overlook and sentence all and every action of all sorts of men, both good and bad, and approves, and justifies, and acquits, and withall maintains the cause, undertakes the patronage of the sincerely upright person, and though he permit him to be under some temptations, and seeming destitutions for a while, yet finally delivers him, and vindicates his integrity, and suffers not any thing which is truly ill to befall him, but converts all into good to him; so on the other side, he abhors violence and injustice, and permits not that finally to prosper, save to the destruction and endless mischief of the Authors of it.  
6. Upon the wicked he shall rain Snares, 
d.  fire, and brimstone, and 
a tempestuous wind shall be {untranscribed Hebrew}  an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their Cup.  
Be their forces and preparations never so strong, God can and will defeat them all: when man cannot entrap them, or overcome them by his policy, God will do it for him, bring them into some trap or other, that shall keep them fast enough from enjoying their projected prey, from hurting the righteous; and this oft so unexpectedly and so strangely, as that it shall be acknowledged the immediate work of God, as much, as if it came down in a shower of rain, visibly from Heaven. And so when men cannot by their own strength resist them, God will destroy them by his interposition, and and that so observable to pious considering spectators, that it shall be attributed to him as immediately and signally, as was the destruction of sodom by fire and brimstone, or of the Egyptians by means of the strong east-wind, Exod. XIV. 21. which drowned them c. XV. 10. and secured the Israelites. Thus shall God finally deal with the wicked oppressors, though he bear patiently with them for a while.  
7. For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.  
For as God is most just and upright in himself, and perfectly abhors all the injustices and oppressions of wicked men; so doth he think himself obliged to favour and protect innocence, wheresoever it is, and accordingly considers and regards, and with his own eye of special watchful providence defends, and secures all those that walk uprightly.  

Annotations on Psalm XI.  
V. 1. Your mountain] where the Hebrew now reads {untranscribed Hebrew} to your mountain a Sparrow, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  all the ancient interpreters uniformly red, to the mountain as a Sparrow: {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so the rest, and so the sense exacts, and so it is possible the reading anciently was, without the {untranscribed Hebrew} to the mountain as a Sparrow, as Psal. cii. 7. we have {untranscribed Hebrew} as a Sparrow upon the house top. However, if it be, fly Sparrow to your mountain, the sense will be the same, as a Sparrow to the mountains( your] being redundant in sense) so the Jewish-Arab, to some of the mountains.  
V. 3. If the foundations] It is not certain, what {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies here. The word is once more found Isa. xix. 10. where we red purposes, and in the margin, foundations, and by some learned men 'tis rendered nets, by others, more agreeably to the context, dams or pool-heads. The Radix {untranscribed Hebrew} posuit, denotes promiscuously to make or prepare, or raise, whether a damme, a work, a fortress, and rampart of any kind, or a family, or an army, &c. From the first of these( wherein tis used Isa. xxvi. 1. God saith {untranscribed Hebrew} he will found or cast up Salvation for walls and bulwarks) the noun may here signify a refuge or place of strength, such as were ordinarily built on hills, which were mentioned v. 1. from the second is Seths name, Gen. iv. because, saith Eve, God {untranscribed Hebrew} hath prepared me another seed for Abel; hath given me, saith the Chaldee; {untranscribed Hebrew}, raised up, say the Lxxii. In the third sense tis used Psal. iii. 6. for laying siege, encamping, raising an army, {untranscribed Hebrew} assembling, saith the Chaldee, in a military manner: so Isa. xxii. 7. {untranscribed Hebrew} shall set themselves in array. And it is most probable that here in a discourse of enemies and hostility, it should be used either in that first or in this third sense, either for fortresses or strong holds, ot else for other forces and preparations military. It is thought also capable of another notion, for laws, the foundations of Government, and the defences or bulwarks of every mans right, which, by another word {untranscribed Hebrew}, are so styled, Psal. Lxxxii. 5. speaking of Judicature perverted, All the foundations of the earth are out of course. But the context here speaking of David and his enemies, and using another word, doth not so well allow of this. To that of sortresses the story agrees not, for David had none such. To the latter of forces or preparations military the Lxxii.( and the other interpreters following them) best agree, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they have destroyed what thou hast prepared; and the Syriack yet more fully {untranscribed Hebrew} what thou hast prepared, they have dissipated. The latin not so fully, yet to the same sense, quae perfecisti destruxerunt, they have destroyed what thou hast done, i. e.( the preter for the future) they will soon scatter and dissipate all thy preparations; and when they have done so, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  what hath the righteous done? i. e. what can or will he do? His righteousness will stand him in little stead. And thus it is fitly a part of the speech of the distrustful friends of David, that discouraged him, and bid him fly to the hills, places of strength or safety, v. 1.( and it may be farther observed, that in Scripture style we frequently red of the foundations of the mountains, or hills, Deut. xxxii. 22. Psal. xviii. 7.) and so still insist here, telling him that the enemy will destroy all his forces, and then a righteous man or cause, without any other defence, will soon be taken, and ruined. And therefore this is most probably the meaning of it.  
V. 5. Soul hateth] The different significations of the particle ו 
ו  have made this verse capable of several interpretations. For if as a Copulative it be rendered [ And] then the first part of the verse runs thus, The Lord trieth the righteous, {untranscribed Hebrew} and the wicked, i. e. examines the actions and thoughts of both: and this seems most probable, as best connecting with v. 4. his eyelids try the children of men, i. e. all men in the latitude, righteous and wicked, good and bad. And then, as a consequent of that, it fitly follows, And he that loveth violence hateth his own soul, i. e. doth instead of oppressing others, mischief himself; he is sure to have the worst of it; when God comes to examine it, his unjust dealing will be the greatest cruelty to his own soul: and for this the ו before {untranscribed Hebrew} he that loveth violence] may be indifferently rendered, [ and] or [ but] but most fitly [ and.] This sense the Lxxii. have embraced {untranscribed Hebrew}, but he that loveth iniquity hateth his own soul; and from them the latin, qui autem diligit iniquitatem, odit animam suam; and so the arabic and Aethiopick: and there is only this prejudice against it, that {untranscribed Hebrew} is in the seminine, and so more fitly agrees with {untranscribed Hebrew} his soul in the nominative case. On the other side then, if ו in the first place signify [ but] then it will disjoin {untranscribed Hebrew} the wicked, from the former part of the verse, and make it begin the latter part; and then our ordinary rendering of it, which is favoured by the Chaldee, will be most commodious, so as to make an opposition betwixt the fate of the righteous on one side, and the wicked and violent on the other; that God trieth the one, and then trying must signify either permitting to be tempted and afflicted for a while, or else( as {untranscribed Hebrew} to try sometimes signifies) approving the former, and abhorreth and detesteth, and so will severely punish the latter. And the only exception against this understanding of it is, that {untranscribed Hebrew} trieth, is in the 4th. verse used in another sense, for a judicial Examination of mens actions, such as is common to the sons of men indefinitely, i. e. to all sorts of them, good and bad, and not peculiar to the righteous; as in the notion either of tempting for a while, or of approving, it must be. In this uncertainty I thought it best, that the Paraphrase should not be confined to one, but enlarged so as to take in both of them.  
V. 6. Fire, brimstone] This verse is best divided, by making the pause after {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  snares, thus, Upon the wicked he shall rainsnares; putting all that follows[ fire and brimstone, and wind of tempests or tempestuous winds] into one also, of all which together it is affirmed, that they are the portion of his Cup. And thus the Lxxii. red it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so the Syriack and latin; and thus there is no ellipsis to be supplied, but only of the verb, are, or, shall be, thus, Fire and brimstone and a tempestuous wind shall be the portion of their Cup: which last phrase[ portion of Cup] is proverbial in Scripture. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Gods gifts and dispensations, good and bad, are ordinarily expressed by a Cup poured out, and given men to drink; thus 'tis very frequently in Scripture. And even the Heathen had the same expression of their Gods; {untranscribed Hebrew}— in Homer, there be two Cups of the Gods, one of good things, another of bad. And then {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  portion from {untranscribed Hebrew} numeravit, to tell out, signifies either a payment, or that which is destined to any, as his {untranscribed Hebrew} or portion, in a division.    

The Twelfth psalm.  
TO the chief musician upon 
the Eight, see Psal. 6.  Sheminith, a Psalm of David.  
The twelfth Psalm is spent in meditation of the malice and wickedness of men, and the relief which is to be expected from none but God. It was composed by David, and committed to the Master of his music to be sung, or played on the harp of eight strings.  
1. Help Lord, for the Godly man ceaseth; for 
or, fidelities {untranscribed Hebrew} Lxxii. and so sir. Lat. Arab. Aethiop.  the faithful fail from among the children of men.  
It is a sad sight or meditation, to consider how wicked the world grows, very few pious men to be met with any where; so few that one may rely on, or trust, that I have reason to complain, that even truth or fidelity itself is departed out of this earth of ours. And this may well drive one to his one sure hold, the help and assistance of God; on which alone I rely, and in that I rest, and beseech him in his good time to afford it me.  
2. They speak vanity 
one with another {untranscribed Hebrew}  every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and 
with a heart, and a heart, {untranscribed Hebrew}  with a double heart do they speak.  
Among men there is nothing but falseness and dissimulation; fair words perhaps, but no reality in them.  
3. The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things.  
But God shall destroy these false deceitful persons, and all such Atheistical designers, which if they can by any policy attain their ends, never apprehended or fear any revenge from God, and make no scruple to profess so;  
4. Who have said, with our tongues will we prevail; our lips are 
with us, {untranscribed Hebrew}  our own, who is Lord over us?  
Saying, our tongues shall gain us whatsoever we want, supply all other defects of right, &c. who can hinder us from making our utmost advantage of these, to acquire whatsoever we can by the use of them? why should we stand so strictly to consider, whether what we say be true or no? So we may advantage ourselves by it, to whom should we be accountable for that?  
5. For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise 
will the Lord say, {untranscribed Hebrew}  saith the Lord; I will set him in safety 
a.  
he will speak freely to him, or puff at him, or it shall speak out to him.  from him that puffeth at him.  
To such Atheistical oppressors and despisers as these God will at length show forth his power, and just vengeance: the prayers and sighs of the injured, and the loud cry of his proud vaunting oppressors impieties, will excite and raise up the Lord of hosts, to the rescue of the one, and infliction of vengeance on the other. Those that cry to him, and rely on him, he will certainly hear and relieve effectually; or he that scorns his all-seeing eye and just providence, shall be scorned and rebuked by him.  
6. The words of the Lord are pure words, as sylver tried in 
a crusible, or fining pot {untranscribed Hebrew}  a furnace of earth, purified seven times.  
This God hath promised, and then there can be no doubt of his fidelity in performing it. The silver that is most perfectly refined, is not freer from dross, than his words from all mixture of deceit. He cannot lye, nor will he ever fail those that rely and trust on him.  
7. Thou shalt 
b.  keep them, O Lord, thou shalt 
preserve him.  preserve 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  them from this generation for ever.  
He will undoubtedly perform his promise, keep his word inviolable, and so, I am confident, support and defend every godly person from this sort of wicked Atheists, how often, or how confidently soever they shall rise up against him.  
8. The wicked walk on every side, when the 
c.  vilest 
of the sons of men.  men are exalted.  
And it shall be matter of observation, and withal of astonishment to wicked men, to be witnesses of this act of Gods justice; to see those whom they most extremely vilified, to be now exalted by him, and made evidences and instances of his Governing the world, and taking special care of those that depend on him, how vile and abject soever they are in the eyes of men.  

Annotations on Psal. XII.  
V. 5. Puffeth] Of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  it is questioned, whether it be the right reading, or no; for all the ancient interpreters red it in the first person: {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Lxxii. fiducialiter agam saith the latin, and I will testify saith the Chaldee, and {untranscribed Hebrew} I will work salvation openly say the Syriack. And so all these suppose it to be {untranscribed Hebrew}( not {untranscribed Hebrew}) I will— as in the antecedents, the Lord saith, {untranscribed Hebrew} I will rise, and {untranscribed Hebrew} I will set; whereas our English translation, that red and render it in the third person, do 1. suppose a very unusual ellipsis, to be supplied with no less than three words [ from him that] and 2. apply the following[ {untranscribed Hebrew} him] in the singular to [ the poor and needy] both which are in the plural[ {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew}] and so cannot accord with it. If we shall take it in the first person, then for the nature of the word, it is acknowledged that {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies two things: 1. flavit, sufflavit, to blow, and puff, and so to scorn or despise; and 2. by a metaphor, to speak boldly, freely, confidently,( as sometimes also 'tis simply to speak.) This latter notion some of the ancient interpreters follow: {untranscribed Hebrew}, say the Lxxii. and siducialiter again in eo, the latin, I will speak or deal boldly with him; and the Chaldee with some change, I will testify evil against the wicked: the Syriack( as was said) and arabic express it by addition only of [ palam openly] to the precedent phrase [ I will work salvation openly.] In either of these rendrings the sense will not be amiss; either I will speak freely to him( i. e. to the unjust Atheistical oppressor, mentioned in the former part of the Psalm) or, I will puff at him. If the former should be it, then speaking freely to him, must signify rebuking of him, and that as an act of Gods vindicative justice, which he now promises to execute upon the oppressor, when at the same time he will redeem the oppressed: If the latter, then puffing at him is contemning or scorning his proud language foregoing. And with either of these accord the consequents, The words of the Lord are pure words— i. e. his promises of deliverance to the poor, by rebuking, or contemning the oppressor, are very faithful, such as he will undoubtedly perform. Thus much on supposition, that the word were {untranscribed Hebrew} in the first person. But if we leave this conjecture, and retain {untranscribed Hebrew} in the third person, and render it, he shall rebuk him, or in the first notion, he shall puff at him( as 'twas Psal. x. 5.) i. e. scorn, or contemn him, then still this will return to the same, if it be so understood as to belong to God; and so it may, if it be in construction connected with {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Lord will say] thus, The Lord will say, I will arise, and set them in safety; he will puff at him, contemn, and scorn, or rebuk him. But it may also be in the third person, and yet not be referred to the Lord, but perhaps to the immediate antecedent {untranscribed Hebrew} salvation or deliverance, thus {untranscribed Hebrew} I will set him in safety, or give, or work Salvation, {untranscribed Hebrew} It shall speak, or speak aloud to him( so as Hab. ii. 3. {untranscribed Hebrew} it shall speak at the end) i. e. shall give him the effect, and show him the accomplishment of my promise. This perhaps the ancient interpreters saw,( but only thought it more perspicuous and intelligible, to render it not literally in the third, but by way of Paraphrase, in the first person) especially the Syriack, whose rendering [ I will work Salvation openly] comes perfectly home to it. And to this fitly connects v. 6. The words of the Lord, &c.  
V. 7. Shalt keep them] 'tis not ordinarily observed to what the ם in {untranscribed Hebrew} refers. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  That 'tis a connotation of the whether persons, or things in the plural, that God will keep, there is no doubt; And 'tis ordinarily applied to the persons. The Chaldee renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} the just; the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew} us, and so the latin, and arabic, and Aethiopick; the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} them, and so our English, them, both there, and in the next words, where yet it is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thou shalt keep him, in the singular. But that which removes all difficulty, is to understand the [ them] of the words of the Lord, in the precedent verse, so as {untranscribed Hebrew} to keep, is to observe and perform, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  whether statutes, or promises, as ordinarily 'tis used. And then the [ him] following, will certainly be the godly, or just man, to whom those words or promises are made. And this may be resolved on to be the meaning of the verse, Thou O Lord; shalt keep, or perform those words, thou shalt preserve the just man from— The Jewish arabic translator takes a great liberty here, rendering {untranscribed Hebrew} in the latter place, as in the first person plural, and thus expresses the whole verse; O Lord, as thou hast promised to keep them, so keep us from a generation that is thus conditioned.  
V. 8. Vilest men] The meaning of this last parcel of the Psalm is very obscure. The LXXII. render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, according to thy height thou hast highly or greatly regarded the sons of men; and from thence the latin verbatim, save that they have turned {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast regarded, into multiplicasti thou hast multiplied. Of this rendering of the LXXII. I suppose this account may be given; 1. that the transcribers mistake {untranscribed Hebrew} for {untranscribed Hebrew}, and that we are to red it {untranscribed Hebrew}, according to the height or degree, wherewith thou hast taken care for the sons of men, or according to the height of the care which thou hast taken— 2. that the LXXII. for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  red {untranscribed Hebrew} with the change of ר for ז and י for ו This word we find Psal. xxx. 1. where we rightly render it [ thou hast lifted up] but the LXXII. have {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast taken up, or taken care of, in the sense of {untranscribed Hebrew} to take special care of. And then their meaning is plain, [ according to the height wherewith thou hast taken care of the sons of men.] But then still this is nothing to the reading {untranscribed Hebrew}, which now we have. In the next place then, the Chaldee paraphrase renders it, as a blood-sucker which sucks the blood of the sons of men, for {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  reading {untranscribed Hebrew} as a worm, from a third notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for vermibus scatet, and understanding by {untranscribed Hebrew} either the vilest parts of the body, to which those blood-suckers are fastened, to suck out the corruptest blood,( as the Syriack renders it obscaenities) or possibly taking the word in that notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}, wherein it signifies absorbere, deglutire, as here Abu-Walid and others interpret it for devouring of men. Passing by all these, as remote from the meaning of the place, the plain sense of it will be best gathered, by observing the importance of {untranscribed Hebrew} vilitates, literally, basenesses; but that to be explained by the adjunct, sons of men, so as to signify the vilest persons; probably not those which are really such, but in the esteem, and repute of men; {untranscribed Hebrew} 1 Cor. vi. 4. those that are despised and made nothing of among them. Such was David, to whom particularly R. Salomo applies it, who was exalted from a very low and mean condition. And then, whether we red {untranscribed Hebrew} secundum, or juxta exaltationem, or with a light change {untranscribed Hebrew} in exaltando, the sense will be clear, The wicked walk about, or on every side( as those that would view a thing thoroughly do use to do, go round about, to view it in every appearance of it) at the exalting of the vilest of the sons of men, i. e. when those that are most vilified by them, are by God exalted, and set above them. Thus some Greek Copies render it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, when the mean or vile of the sons of men are exalted. So that now the onely question is, what is meant by the wicked walking round about: 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and that, I suppose, will best be answered, that by this expression is set out their seeing evidently,& being witnesses of it, and observing withall, and wondering, and perhaps grieving at it, as that which they did not fear, or look for, and now that they see it, find themselves pitifully defeated; and thus it best agrees with the context, Thou shalt keep, O Lord, &c. from this generation for ever, v. 7. i. e. thou shalt preserve these good men that are thus despised, from their proudest enemies, that thus vilify them; and then follows, The wicked walk on every side— they see and observe and wonder at it, but cannot help it. But if indeed {untranscribed Hebrew} should signify those that are really base and vile, then the meaning must be, when vile and base persons are exalted, then wicked and injurious men bear all the sway, swarm every where. And this also hath some affinity with the former part of the Psalm v. 1, 2, 3. but doth not so properly connect with the immediate antecedents.    

The Thirteenth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician a Psalm of David.  
The thirteenth is a complaint, and prayer in time of great distress, and withall a confident cheerful appeal to, and reliance on Gods mercy, compiled by David, and committed to the Praefect of his music.  
1. How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord, for ever? how long wilt thou hid thy face from me?  
Blessed Lord, thou art pleased to withdraw the wonted declarations of thy favour and loving kindness from me, to exercise me for some space, to defer the gracious acceptance of, and answer to my prayers: I cannot but think it very long that thou art thus pleased to withhold the 
{untranscribed Hebrew} splendour, Chald.  blessing beams of thy countenance from me.  
2. How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?  
I am in continual thoughts of sadness, by black melancholic reflections on my present destitutions; not knowing what to do, which way to turn, whilst I discern thy wonted faoours withdrawn from me, and a sad effect thereof, the prevailing of mine and thine enemies against me. O Lord, be thou pleased in thy goodness to set a speedy period to this.  
3. Consider and hear me, O Lord my God; 
a.  lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep 
death, or, to, or, in death, {untranscribed Hebrew}  the sleep of death;  
Thou, Lord, art my only preserver and deliverer, my sole almighty refuge, to whom I may successfully resort: be thou at length pleased to restore thy favourable countenance, to hear and answer my prayers, to grant me some refreshing and reviving in this black state of sadness, which will without thy support soon bring me to my last; Lord, let me not for ever ly under it.  
4. Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him, and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.  
If thou continue thus to withhold the merciful revelation of thyself, this will be matter of triumph to them that oppose me, and so thy Ordinance in me. If they continue thus prosperous, and I thus improsperous, they will think themselves conquerors over that cause which thou dost own, and so that either thou art not able, or willing to support thy servants: And this will be matter of great rejoicing and boasting to them, if thou please not to check it speedily.  
5. But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.  
This I know thou wilt do, and am assuredly confident, that as I have constantly relied on thee for aid, so I shall have the pleasure and comfort of being timely delivered by thee.  
6. I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath 
b.  
rendered good, or, dealt well.  dealt bountifully with me.  
I have had so frequent and constant experiences of his goodness and mercy toward me, that I cannot doubt of the continuance of them; and therefore I have nothing to do, but thus to comfort and stay myself in him, and praising him for what I have already received, place my cheerful affiance in him for the future.  

Annotations on Psalm XIII.  
V. 3. Lighten mine eyes] what is the meaning of this phrase, {untranscribed Hebrew} lighten mine eyes] may perhaps be best judged by Jonathans speech i. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Sam. xiv. 27. who being very hungry, and ready to faint, dipped his rod in an honey-comb, and eat of it, and the text saith, his eyes were enlightened, i. e. he was refreshed by it. Dimness of sight is a frequent effect of long fasting, and then eating is the proper means of repairing that decay; and so this effect is by metonymy set to signify that refection, which causeth this. See, saith Jonathan v. 29. how mine eyes {untranscribed Hebrew} have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey, i. e. how I have received refreshment by eating this. There indeed the Lxxii. render {untranscribed Hebrew} mine eyes have seen, either reading {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to see, or more probably, thus to express the meaning more perspicuously; for his eyes seeing] was an evidence of their being enlightened, and his being thus refreshed from his hunger: and so before v. 27. {untranscribed Hebrew}, say they, his eyes received sight, or saw clearly. This was literally applicable to David when he came to Nob, 1 Sam. 1. for then being threatened by Saul, and advised by Jonathan to fly, he was so distressed by hunger, that he was fain to eat the showbread. And so again in the time of Absaloms rebellion, David and his forces were hungry, and weary, and thirsty in the wilderness. 2 Sam. xvii. 29. had not Shobi, and Machir, and Barzillai refreshed, and so enlightened their eyes. v. xxvii. 28. But it may also by an easy Metaphor be applied to the political state. When in any time of affliction, expressed frequently by darkness, and gloominess, the person is relieved or refreshed, his eyes are said to be enlightened, in proportion to that refreshment, that hungry fainting persons receive by meat. So Ezra ix. 8. the restitution after captivity, giving them a little reviving in their bondage, is styled Gods lightning their eyes. And so it is in this place, in the midst of that sadness that now lay on David, parallel to a fainting fit of hunger in the body, or to captivity in a state, which if it were not speedily relieved, would end in death quickly: See more of this Psalm xix. note e.  
V. 6. Dealt bountifully] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies to retribute, whether good or ill, or simply to do either; and which it is, the context must direct. Here all interpreters agree of the good sense. The Chaldee add {untranscribed Hebrew} good; the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin bona tribuit, given me good things, and so the arabic and Aethiopick; the Syriack, {untranscribed Hebrew} hath delivered me, and so we find it Psal. cxvi. 7. and cxix. 17. and in many other places, and 'tis indifferently used either with {untranscribed Hebrew} on, or ל to, after it; and so 'tis best rendered here, hath dealt well with me.    

The fourteenth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, a Psalm of David.  
The fourteenth Psal. is a sad reflection on the wickedness and universal defection of his subjects, the men of Israel, in the conspiracy and rebellion of Absalom, 1 Sam. xv. looking only to God for deliverance from them. It was indicted by David, and committed to the perfect of his choir.  
1. The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doth good.  
This wicked nation is now made up of such, as have cast off all fear, and care, and even acknowledgement of God: whatsoever they do with their mouths,( which perhaps are not let loose to that boldness) their actions, as far as they are interpreters of their thoughts, evidence an Atheistical principle of belief within them, that 
{untranscribed Hebrew} God hath not the power of the earth Chal.  God hath not the governing and judging of the doings of men; for such are their dealings, so false, so detestable, and so universally such, that a man cannot judge more favourably of them, than that they never expect to be accountable to God for what they do.  
2. The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand and seek after God.  
Should God from his throne of Majesty and tribunal of just judgement survey, and examine all the inhabitants of the whole nation, making inquisition for those that consider and make conscience of duty, and endeavour to approve themselves to his pure eyes;  
3. They are all 
a.  
grown so●●e,  gone aside, they are altogether become 
putrid,  filthy; there is none that doth good, no, not one.  
He would find a most lamentable appearance, an universal detestable decay of all justice, all duty, both toward God and man, base rotten conversation, and no considerable degree of piety, or humanity, or any thing that is good in any.( This as it was observably true of Israel, that people of God, so eminently owned and favoured by him in Davids time, and in their behaviour toward him: so had it a farther 
{untranscribed Hebrew} The Psalm was by the spirit of prophesy delivered by David. Chald.  prophetic truth in it, in respect of the Universality of them at the time of Christs appearing in the world, and in their actions toward him, and his Apostles after him, to the Jews of which age St. Paul applies it, Rom. iii. 10.)  
4. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, 
they have not called {untranscribed Hebrew}  and call not upon the Lord?  
'tis strange the conspirators should thus go on in their Atheistical folly, and never be wrought on by all the evidences of Gods power and justice among them, 
{untranscribed Hebrew} Lxxii.  never brought to any degree of sense or remorse, but still go on in their presumptuous( and withal assiduous, constant) course of injustice and cruelty. And the effect is yet more sad; others that see them go on thus, follow them into their impieties, do not adhere( as they ought) to God, depend on his support, but join and comply with the conspirators.  
5. There 
they feared a fear, but  were they in great 
b.  fear, for God is in the generation of the righteous.  
When they appeared powerful, and threatened all that would not go along with them, the men of Israel were universally terrified, and joined themselves to the rebel forces; but this most causelessly and impiously, never considering, that God is more to be feared than man, and that he will never fail those that stick fast and constant to him.  
6. You have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the Lord is his refuge.  
But alas, they laughed at those that made conscience of their duty, thought it a ridiculous thing for any to consult, whether it were lawful or no, when there was so much visible danger in it; to adventure on hazards, and expect security from heaven, was a reproachful thing; their worldly wisdom was their only counsellor, and that advised them to join with those, whose strength was most visible: And that made the defection so general.  
7. 
Who shall give from Sion the salvation of Israel. {untranscribed Hebrew}  O that the salvation of Israel were come out of Sion. When the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.  
O how happy a thing were it, that God, whose ark( the place of his special residence and exhibition of himself) is in mount Sion, would return us to a peaceable state of attending his service there, that he would bring all back to Jerusalem, that have been driven from thence by occasion of this rebellion of Absalom. When that desired work shall be completed, it will be matter of universal joy to all the tribes both of Israel and Judah. See 2 Sam. xix.  

Annotations on Psalm XIV.  
V. 3. Gone aside] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is not vulgarly understood. That {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies recessit, declinavit, there is no doubt; And this is commonly applied to a way or path, declining from the right way, or going in a wrong. But that seems not to be the notion of it here, but another, taken from wine, when it grows dead, or sour; thus Hos. iv. 18. {untranscribed Hebrew} their drink is gone aside, or grown sour; and accordingly wine that is thus dead, is in Greek called {untranscribed Hebrew}, wine that is gone out of itself, and by Cicero, vinum fugiens, wine that is fled. And that this is the notion that belongs to this place may be judged by that which next follows; {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to be rotten, or putrefied, and that properly belongs to flesh, which is corrupted and stinks, and so the proportion is well kept between drink and meat, the one growing dead or sour, as the other putrefies and stinks, and then is good for nothing, but is thrown away: in which respect the LXXII. have fitly interpnted the latter by {untranscribed Hebrew}, are become unprofitable, or nothing worth. In this notion it is fitly applied to any kind of defection or apostasy from any piece of known duty, as here of allegiance to their Prince set over them by God.  
V. 5. In great fear] That fear is oft taken for the object of fear, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  dangers or threats is an ordinary observation. {untranscribed Hebrew}, fear, i. e. danger, threatened by the tyrant, in Alex. Aphrodis: So when Menander saith of a fair-tongued woman, that she is {untranscribed Hebrew}, an exceeding fear, i. e. danger. Of this see Annot. on Luk. 1.9. This is most visible 1 Pet. iii. 14. {untranscribed Hebrew}, fear not their fear, i. e. whatsoever evil persecuting enemies can threaten to bring upon you. And this seems to give us the best understanding of this phrase, {untranscribed Hebrew} there they feared a fear, i. e. they apprehended some danger, and by that were hurried into this defection from their lawful sovereign in the former part of the Psalm. The Psalm seems to have been indicted upon the defection of Israel from David to Absalom: It was begun by the young mans depraving his Fathers government, and flattering the people with an expectation of great reformations from him; but when by these insinuations he had gained the hearts of a great part of the people, and was now proclaimed King in Hebron, then many others, for fear of this his growing power, came in, and joined with him: and that was the cause of the universality of the defection of the tribes of Israel; they that were not corrupted by his flattery, were yet by fear brought over to him, and where ever he moved, all were so far wrought on by this fear, and debauched from their duty, that in fine the story taketh not notice of any that made opposition against, or refused to join with him. And so this shows us the fitness of the connection of this passage with the former verses. David complains of Israel, that they were universally guilty of this defection, v. 3. none adhered to that duty of allegiance that they ought, those that were in the conspiracy devoured and destroyed every day the subjects of David, whom he calls his people, v. 4. and by this means carried all before them: The reason was, they feared a fear, or a danger, fear possessed them, and inclined them to a general compliance with Absaloms party: and so that is the most probable perspicuous meaning of the place. Now as this Psalm, besides the literal Historical, had also a Mystical, Prophetical sense, and as such, is signally referred to by the Apostle, Rom. iii. as a testimony( Prophetical) of the universality of the defection of the Jews from God in that age; so most evidently it was: The Scribes and Pharisees conspired against him, and by fear gained the people to the like compliance; they that did believe, durst not profess it, for fear of them; his friends kept their kindness to him secret, but the persecutors did oppose him openly, and so the voices of the people were brought to join with the Rulers, to require him to be crucified. In the Apostles times it was thus also: The fear of the persecution from the Jews kept many from receiving the faith of Christ, many that had received it, from assembling with them; Heb. x. 25, 26, 38. and generally this was the ground of the gnostic heresy, or rather apostasy; the fear of persecutions; and so in the Revelation c. xxi. 8. the fearful gnostics and unbelieving Jews are joined, as in the sin of denying the faith, so in the punishment of it. And so this is the account that is visible to be given of those testimonies Rom. iii. 10. some taken from this Psalm, and the rest which follow v. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. out of several other parcels of the Psalms: All which( from that place of the Apostle, in all probability) some Christian transcribers of the copies of the LXXII. have here put together; over and above what is to be found either in the Hebrew, Chaldee, or Syriack; for that the Translators before Christs time should here interpose those additions, it is not imaginable. In this verse also the LXXII. have made an addition to these words [ there they feared a fear] annexing, {untranscribed Hebrew}, where there was no fear, or danger; and it is uncertain, whether the Transcribers transferred it by memory from Psal. Liii. 6. where the same phrase is, with that addition, {untranscribed Hebrew} no fear was] or whether the LXXII.( after their Paraphrastical manner, frequently observable in them) added these words, either the more to express the nature of the fear, viz. that it was a mere worldly, and so causeless fear, or else to fit the words to connect with what follows, {untranscribed Hebrew}, because, or, for God is in the generation of the righteous, thus; The generality of the people was moved with fear to join with Absalom; but this a panic, causeless fear: if they had called on God, v. 4. and adhered and relied on him, they had not needed to fear any evil; for God is present among such, to protect them, and to convert all their temporary sufferings to their advantages. But this sense is as fully contained in the Hebrew words without this addition, if only the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that follows be rendered not [ for] but [ but] which is not an usual signification of it; Gen. LXV. 8. it was not you that sent me hither, {untranscribed Hebrew} but God,& if it be so rendered here, the sense will be perspicuous: There they feared a fear, the generality of them fell off; but God is in the generation of the righteous; by the help of God I have been sustained, though the generality of my subjects, through flattering insinuations first, and then through fear, was fallen off from me. Here only it is to be remembered, that the generality( though set in very comprehensive phrases, All gone out of the way, none that doth good, no not one) is not so to be interpnted, as to belong to all, and every Jew at that t●me; for it is certain some, though very few in comparison, adhered to David, 2 Sam. xv. 17, 18. and went out to fight with Absalom, 2 Sam. xviii. 1. And so in the prophetic sense, as it belonged to the times of Christ and his Apostles; when though 'tis said they were all gone out of the way— Rom. iii. yet, as elsewhere appears, a remnant there was, which still adhered to God, believed in Christ, and remained steadfast in his doctrine: see Rev. vii. 4. But these phrases must be interpnted so, as general expressions are wont to signify, i. e. so as to admit of some exceptions, or else be applied only to the men of Israel, who universally went after Absalom, 2 Sam. xviii. 6. whilst Davids forces were raised only of his own servants, men of Judah, and the Cherethites, Pelethites, Gittites which came after him from Gath 2 Sam. xv. 18. and flying from Jerusalem he was relieved by the Ammonites &c. c. xvii. 27. and Ittai the Gittite, of Gath a city of the philistines, subdued by him, was one of his three chief commanders, c. xviii. 2. And so this perspicuously applies the whole Psalm to this particular matter of Absaloms rebellion.    

The Fifteenth Psalm.  
A psalm of David.  
The fifteenth Psalm is a description of a pious man, such as shall be admitted into Gods presence, to serve him here in the place assigned for his worship, and to be rewarded with heaven hereafter; and seems to have been composed by David in reflection on the time of his restitution, or coming back to the Ark, and the Tabernacle, from which he had been driven for some space, as at other times, so on occasion of Absaloms rebellion. See 2 Sam. xv. 27.  
1. Lord, who shall abide in thy Tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?  
Let me take boldness to interrogate and demand of the Lord of heaven and earth, what kind of person it is, that may have assurance and confidence of his favour, so as to be accepted in the number of those that perform his solemn worship here, and rewarded with eternal bliss in heaven hereafter. And the answer will, I suppose, certainly be this,  
2. He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth from his heart:  
He, and none but he, that is just and blameless in all his actions, that lives and goes on in a course of righteousness, steady and constant, neither offending against the rules of justice, nor mercy, but on all occasions and opportunities that offer themselves, abounding in the exercises of both, and withall hath care that his tongue should not offend in delivering any thing, which he is not sincerely persuaded to have perfect truth in it.  
3. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doth evi●l to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour:  
He that makes strict conscience of detracting or calumniating, of doing any kind of wrong, that carefully abstains from speaking or acting any reproachful word or dead against any.  
4. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned, but he honoureth them that fear the Lord: he that sweareth 
a.  to his own hurt, and changeth no●:  
He that endeavours to defame and discountenance all sorts of wickedness, that instead of complying with the disallowable practices of the world, represents them in their own ugly colours, and deterres all men from imitating such examples; and on the other side, desires to bring virtue, and piety, and conscience of all kind of duty, into a creditable esteem and reputation, and pays an hearty honour and respect, and gives all manner of encouragements to every good and godly man, and attracts all to the imitating such, and that he may do so, demonstrates by his own actions, how dear a price he sets upon it; and consequently, if by any promissory oath he have bound himself to the performance of any thing, that comes to cost him never so dear( proves unexpectedly most mischievous, or dangerous to his estate, or even his life itself,) he doth yet most strictly oblige himself to the discharge of it, knowing there is no ill so great, as that by which his soul is wounded, as it is sure to be most dangerously by any breach of oath.  
5. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doth these things shall never fall.  
He that hath not admitted any covetous desires into his breast, that will not for the enriching himself lessen any other mans possessions; as doth the Usurer, and taker of bribes in judicature, the one grinding the face of the poor borrower, the other selling the right, the estate, perhaps the life of an helpless, but innocent person: but on the contrary, lends freely to him that wants that charity, and so is as helpful to him as he may,( free loans being oft the most advantageous charities, assisting mens wants, and obliging their diligence, that they may be able to repay) and to him that is unjustly assaulted or impleaded, gives all timely succour that justice can afford, which justice in that case is an eminent charity also. These few things though they be not an enumeration of all the duties of a man, are yet so comprehensive and significative, contain so many branches, especially of our duty to our neighbour, and that uniformly performed, is so sure a sign of faith, and love, and fear of God, and all other duties of piety, that I may conclude this mans title very good both to the privileges and dignity of Gods servants here, and to the eternal reward of such hereafter.  

Annotations on Psal. XV.  
V. 4. To his own hurt] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  doth certainly signify to do hurt, from {untranscribed Hebrew} which in Kal signifies to be evil, but in Hiphil, to do evil. To whom this evil is done, is thought fit to be expressed by the Chaldee, he swears, saith the Targum, {untranscribed Hebrew} to the afflicting or hurting himself. But the LXXII. instead of {untranscribed Hebrew} to hurt, seem to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} to his fellow, for they render it {untranscribed Hebrew} to his neighbour; and so the Syriack and latin and arabic and Aethiopick: which yet, supposing the oath to be a promissory oath, made to some other,( as the context inclines it, the whole Psalm from v. 3. referring to works of justice toward other men,) is no considerable change of the sense: for if he do not {untranscribed Hebrew}( as it follows) cassate his oath made to his neighbour,( the word which contains all other men( see Psal. xii. 2.) to whom we have any relation, Superiors as well as equals) then is he this just man that is here spoken of. Only the Hebrew reading sets off his justice with some advantage, by mentioning the greatest temptation to breach of oaths and promises to others, viz. when the performance brings mischief on ourselves; for then is the trial of the mans virtue, and not when either he designs to gain, or not to lose any thing by it. The particular occasion of Davids specifying in this, may, I suppose, deserve here to be considered. The Psalm was most probably penned after the quieting the rebellion of Absalom, in relation to his return to the ark and Tabernacle, from which he had been for some time separated. Now in that rebellion he had taken notice of the fear of worldly sufferings, that had engaged many in that Apostasy,( see Psal. xiv. 5. note b:) and in reference to them, that for fear of men made no conscience of their allegiance to David, their lawful, but persecuted sovereign, he thus most fitly specifies and sets it down, as a principal part of the character of a truly pious man, that whatsoever his sufferings by that means are likely to be, he makes conscience of performing all oaths that ly upon him, and so in the first place that of allegiance to his Sovereign,( which that subjects took in those dayes, appears by Solomons words Eccles. viii. 2. Keep the Kings commandment, in regard of the oath of God) as that which is most strictly incumbent on him, how dear soever it be likely to cost him. Aben Ezra and Jarchi have another gloss, that {untranscribed Hebrew} here signifies to afflict the soul,( which the LXXII. render {untranscribed Hebrew}, to hurt the soul, to use it ill) as that belongs to some vow of self-denial, or poenance Num. xxx. 13. But this is not so probable in this place, the antecedents and consequents belonging to acts of justice and charity to other men.    

The Sixteenth psalm.  

Davids Jewel, o● Sculpture.  
a.  MIchtam of David.  
The sixteenth is a special, precious, memorable Psalm, of Davids composure, full of confidence in God( through Christ, whose resurrection is therein prophetically represented,) and of resolved adherence to him, and humble dependence on him.  
1. Preserve me, O God, for in thee do I put my trust.  
O most powerful and most gracious God, I am by thy wise providence permitted to fall into a great distress, from whence I am no way able to rescue or relieve myself: in thee is my full affiance; to thee I resort, for the seasonable interposition of thine hand to my preservation and deliverance.  
2. 
or, I have said  
b.  O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, thou art my Lord; 
c.  my goodness extendeth not to thee.  
When I consider thy dealings toward me, I have nothing to do, but to admire thy grace and free undeserved mercy in them; which as I cannot merit, so I aclowledge I have nothing to retribute to them, but that which is thine already, all that I have coming first from thee.  
3. 
To the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, all my delight is in them.  
d.  But to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.  
All that I can do to express mine infinite obligations to thee, is to devolve that love and gratitude, due to thee, to all thy pious servants upon the earth, to value them, and esteem of them, above all the greatest men in the world, upon that one account of being beloved, and prized, and set apart by thee. And this I hearty do, and proclaim to such, that all my joy and delight is in them.  
4. 
Let their Idols be multiplied; let them hasten after another, or endow, or present another.  Their 
e.  sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another God; their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their name into my lips.  
If others fall off from the true God, and betake themselves to the worship of Idols, the false heathen Gods of the Syrians, Moabites, &c. round about them; yet will not I by any means be brought to partake in their unhuman detestable sacrifices, of the blood not of beasts, but men, nor ever swear by any of their false Gods, nor pay any respect unto them.  
5. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my 
f.  cup: thou 
holdest, see note f.  maintainest my lot.  
The true and only God of Heaven and earth is he whom I worship; his service is professed, and, by his own direction, set up in that kingdom which is fallen to me, as my portion, whilst other princes of the world live in ignorance of him, and follow their detestable Idol-worships. 'tis he that hath honoured and blessed me exceedingly, giving me a kingdom, and such a kingdom: from his special providence alone it is that I enjoy all that I now enjoy.  
6. 
The portions.  The 
g.  lines are fallen to me in pleasant places, yea, I have a goodly heritage.  
I have all joy and pleasure in that condition wherein thou hast placed me here,( though it be mixed sometimes with afflictions and pressures:) the greatest Prince in the world, which rules over Heathens, and knows not the true God, is not fit to compare with me.  
7. I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my 
h.  reins also 
chastise  instruct me in the night season.  
And for the afflictions that God is pleased to permit to fall upon me, and the many sad thoughts, in reflection thereon, which possess and exercise me whole nights together, I have all reason to bless and glorify his name for them, to think it all joy( Jam. i. 2. 1 Pet. iv. 13, 16.) that I am thus exercised; these being the most regular and effectual means to instruct and admonish me, and cure the follies and faults that I have been guilty of.  
8. I have set God always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be 
cast down {untranscribed Hebrew}  moved.  
And when the sadness or sharpness of my pressures seem most to threaten my fall, even utter destitution and destruction, I have yet my reserve and refuge, which will secure me from all such black despairing thoughts. The remembering of God, who is always present with me, ready to support me under afflictions, and in his time to deliver me out of them, is to me an anchor of the firmest hope, that I shall never be finally forsaken by him, cast down by the enemy, or devested of that dignity to which my God hath advanced me.  
9. Therefore my heart is glad, and my 
i.  glory rejoiceth; my flesh also shall rest in hope.  
This is full matter of joy to my heart, and of boasting to my tongue, and of all kind of assurance to every part of me.  
10. For thou wilt not leave my soul in 
k.  hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption.  
For thy promises to me are firm, and oblige thee not to forsake me so, as that I shall be either killed by Saul, or oppressed finally by him or any other. Thou hast designed me to be King, and therein favoured me exceedingly,( see note on Psal. iv. d.) and all the malice of men, though they bring me never so low, shall not finally prevail against me.( And this having a first literal, but lower completion in Davids person, was more fully and ultimately to be fulfilled in the son of David, the eternal Word of God, the messiah of the world, who in the dayes of his flesh, though he were crucified by the Jews, should yet by the power of his eternal Godhead be raised again from the dead, and that within the compass of three dayes, before his body should naturally tend to corruption. See Act. ii. 20. and xiii. 35.)  
11. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.  
Thou shalt protect me, and keep me alive from the malicious designs and machinations of mine enemies, and refresh, and comfort me abundantly with thy favour and love, and special care of me, and by continuing me in that throne, whereto thou hast advanced me, give me continual matter of rejoicing.( And this was most eminently completed also in Christ, when by the power of his father he was more then preserved from death, rescued from it, when he was under it, raised from death to life, and exalted in great triumph to his everlasting kingdom in heaven; and so applied, Acts ii. 28.)  

Annotations on Psalm XVI.  
Tit. Michtam] From {untranscribed Hebrew} signare, notare, insculpere, to seal, to note, or engrave, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  any precious thing; either such, as for securing of it is sealed up, as a {untranscribed Hebrew}, or for preserving it from forgetfulness, is engraven in marble, &c. Hence it is, that the Targum renders it here {untranscribed Hebrew} a right Sculpture,( {untranscribed Hebrew} from the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew} to engrave) and the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, an inscription on a Pillar; not reading it {untranscribed Hebrew} as some conjecture, from {untranscribed Hebrew} scripsit, to writ, but {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} insculpsit, to engrave, to denote it a Psalm fit to be engraven for everlasting memory {untranscribed Hebrew}, on an eminent Pillar, saith Apollinarius, to be written in golden letters( as {untranscribed Hebrew} also signifies the finest gold, Psalm XLV. 9.) and preserved in our hearts for ever. And this especially, as containing a signal prophesy of the resurrection of Christ, recited from hence, Acts ii. 25, 26, 27.( three verses cited from this Psalm v. 8, 9, 10.) and again Acts xiii. 35. As when Job delivers that notable speech, applied by the ancients generally to the resurrection( though, as this here, capable of a first interpretation, which was to be verified in his own person, in raising him from his present calamitous estate,) I know that my redeemer liveth, and that I shall stand in the latter day upon the earth;— he introduceth it in this form, Oh that they were pr nted in a Book, that they were graved with an iron pen and led,( i. e. the Sculpture filled up with led, that the letters might continue the longer legible) in the rock( or flint, or hard ston, marble, or other the most durable matter) for ever; which is just the {untranscribed Hebrew}, the inscribing on a Pillar here, in order to the preservation, and special observation of such speeches, which had their farther completion to be expected in Christ, over and above what belonged to them in relation to the present condition of the speakers.  
V. 2. O my soul] Where the Hebrew copies red {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thou hast said, in the feminine, and the Chaldee paraphrase {untranscribed Hebrew}, thou, my soul, hast said, 'tis evident the Lxxii. and Syriack, and latin, and arabic, and Aethiopick, red {untranscribed Hebrew} in the first person, I have said, for so they render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, Dixi Domino, I have said unto the Lord.  
V. 2. My goodness] There is difficulty in this phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} The literal rendering is, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  My goodness in no wise to, or, with thee, which the Lxxii.( and so the latin, arabic, and Aethiopick) render paraphrastically, {untranscribed Hebrew}, thou hast no need of my good things. But the Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} my goodness is not given but from thee; and the Syriack more simply, my good is from thee. In which readings either the negative particle seems to be omitted( for so the Syriack reads it {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. and my good from— without any) or else to be doubled( for so 'tis in the Chaldee,) and that is all one as if it were omitted, the two negatives or [ non nisi] being all one with the bare affirmative. In this variety, the safest way of reconciling the interpretations is, to suppose them on all sides to be rather paraphrastical explications, than literal rendrings. The Lxxii. by reading, thou hast no need of my good things, whether my good works, or my liberalities, thought to express the sense of [ my goodnesses not to, or, with thee,] i. e. tend not to thy avail or advantage, are not prized by thee; and the Chaldee and Syriack, by another phrase, seem to have meant the same thing, My good is all from thee, I am so far from meriting any thing of thee by any good works of mine, that indeed those good works are not mine, but thine only, as flowing, and being given to me by thee. And both these together seem to make up the full sense; my goodness, or( as {untranscribed Hebrew} and the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew} critically signifies) my liberality is so far from meriting from thee, or being any considerable return unto thee, that it is thy right, and so a mere mercy received from thee.  
V. 3. But to the Saints] The difficulties of this third verse may best be removed, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  by observing the dependence of {untranscribed Hebrew} to the Saints, on what preceded v. 2. That began with {untranscribed Hebrew} I said, or, thou( my soul) hast said unto the Lord, with which fairly connects {untranscribed Hebrew} to the Saints; i. e. I said, or( again) my soul thou hast said to the Saints. What saints he speaks of, he specifies in the next words, {untranscribed Hebrew} who they, i. e.( by an hebraism) they who are on the earth. Then regularly follows in construction, {untranscribed Hebrew} and to the exc●llent, Gods chosen people, dignified and advanced by him. To the Saints— and to these I said, {untranscribed Hebrew} all my delight is in them. To the first part of this interpretation the Lxxii. accord, {untranscribed Hebrew}, to the Saints that are in the earth; only they add {untranscribed Hebrew} instead of {untranscribed Hebrew}( which they saw to be a pleonasme, and unsignificant,) and thereby more distinctly connect it to the foregoing words, thus, I said unto the Lord, my goodness, &c. To the Saints on his earth, or, to his Saints on the earth, &c. One speech apportioned to the Lord, that of an humble reflection on himself, another to the Saints of the Lord, savouring of charity and kindness to them. But for the latter part of the verse, the Lxxii. seem to have red it otherwise; not {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and to the excellent, but {untranscribed Hebrew} in Hiphil, he magnified( as the word is used Isa. xLii. 21.) for so they red {untranscribed Hebrew},( applying it to God) he hath magnified all his pleasures( as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew} his, not, my pleasures) in them. But the Chaldee and the Syriack agree to the vulgar reading throughout, and so the sense and context require. The Jewish arabic translator would have the words of these two verses thus distinguished; I said to the Lord, thou art my Lord; not unto you, or from you, said I to the Saints, &c. i. e. my good is not from you, but from the Lord.  
V. 4. Sorrows] In what notion {untranscribed Hebrew} is to be taken, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is uncertain among the ancient interpreters. From the two notions of {untranscribed Hebrew}, one for doluit, to grieve, the other for elaboravit, to labour, or form, or make any thing, there are two significations of the Noun: the first for sorrow or pain, and in that sense the Lxxii. here take it, rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew}, their weaknesses, and the latin, infirmitates( in the notion of weakness for sickness or pain) and so the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew}( and to the same sense the arabic) their pains. The second for an Idol, or image, so Hos. viii. 4. their silver and gold they have made {untranscribed Hebrew} images; the Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew} the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} idols. So 2 Sam. v. 21. and Mich. i. 7. And thus the Chaldee understand it here, and render it {untranscribed Hebrew} their idols. And this is most agreeable to what follows, {untranscribed Hebrew}, either let them hasten a contrary way, or after another,( i. e. another God, for which the Lxxii. have {untranscribed Hebrew}, either reading {untranscribed Hebrew} afterward, for {untranscribed Hebrew} another, or else meaning by {untranscribed Hebrew}, hastening after these following, or worshipping of Idols) which sure refers to their idol-worship, or in another notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} in Kal to endow, or sand gifts, or presents( see Kimchi in Radic.) for so to endow another] is, in the prophetic style, to mary the daughter of a strange God, Mal. ii. 11. and by that means to be brought to their Idol sacrifices, Num. XXV. 2. And to give gifts to another] is in like manner to present the false Gods, as Ezech. xvi. 18. thou tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them,( the idols, v. 17.) thou hast set mine oil and incense before them, my meat also, &c. and so to this fitly connects, their drink-offerings will I not offer; and so doth also the not taking their names into his lips, viz. as that literally signifies, the avoiding the names of false Deities, and substituting, as the Jews did, words of detestation in stead of them; or else not swearing by them, as {untranscribed Hebrew} to take the name signifies to swear by it, in the third Commandment, Exod. XX. 7. and Deut. v. 20. and so Psal. XXIV. 4. {untranscribed Hebrew} to take his soul, is to swear by his soul, and Psal. L. 16. and takest my covenant into thy mouth, the Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew} and swearest by my name, and remembrest my covenant. But Abu Walid prefers the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for hastening, and so doth Kimchi also in his Comment on this place, though in his roots he reject it.  
V. 5. Cup] the frequent and proverbial use of the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  cup, or pot, among the Hebrews, may here deserve to be taken notice of. It signifies by metaphor any thing that befalls any man, good, or bad. So Mat. xx. 22. Can ye drink the Cup that I shall drink of, i. e. endure the afflicted condition that expects me? and so c. xxvi. 39. let this cup pass from me, i. e. the sorrow that was then approaching. For as those that are of the same family, or at the same table, drink of the same Cup, the wine in the pot, or cup is distributed among them, and every one hath his part, or portion of it, one the top, another the middle, another the bottom of it; and if there be any bitter mixture in the cup,( as in the myrrhate wine) then he that drinks the bottom, is said to suck out the dregs of that cup:] so in the distributions and dispensations of Gods providence, every man hath his portion, either sweet or bitter, and this, from this analogy, is called the portion of his cup, that part, which in the distribution comes to him; {untranscribed Hebrew} saith Apollinarius, the lot, or part, or portion of his cup. So Psal. xi. 6. See note d. And thus it is most fitly joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} portion of mine inheritance or division, 
{untranscribed Hebrew} ( from {untranscribed Hebrew} divisit) i. e. of any possession or land, divided among many, distributed in like manner, as the cup among the guests, every one his portion. And thus doth David( raised by God to be the King of the Jews, that people to whom God had in a special manner revealed himself,& by whom he was worshipped) very fitly say, that God in opposition to the many false heathen Gods, was the portion of his division, worshipped by that people over whom he was King. As for {untranscribed Hebrew}] that follows in the end of the verse, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  it is best rendered, thou holdest my lot,] meaning thereby thou givest me mine inheritance, the portion of worldly wealth and greatness, that I have, comes all from thee. For the old way of sortition was by staves, or rods, as appears by the choice of the tribe of Levi to the service of the altar, Numb. xvii. 2. Take of every one of them a rod, &c. and writ his name upon the rod, and Aarons name upon the rod of Levi, v. 3. and the mans rod whom I shall choose, shall blossom, v. 5. and Aarons rod blossoming, Levi was chosen. And by this means 'tis said, that the land of Canaan was divided, Josh. xviii. The several shares or portions, and also the names of the several tribes being written on staves or rods, Eleazar the priest having put on the Urim and Thummim, took up in one hand a rod of shares, in the other a rod of tribes, and thereby assigned to all their portions. So that for God to hold in his hand the lot, is, in reference to that custom, to give, or assign a portion to him whose lot it is. See Schindlers Pentagl. p. 342. B. And to this critically agrees the word {untranscribed Hebrew} here, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to hold, or take into the hand. And by this of sortition by rods I suppose may be explained that of Psal. cxxv. 3. the rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous,( the word {untranscribed Hebrew} here) i. e. the wicked shall not continue to prosper in this world; that portion which is promised and assigned good men, felicity in this world,( though with a mixture of persecutions, yet godliness hath the promise of this life,) shall not be lasting or durable to the wicked, lest the righteous be thereby tempted to do as they do, to put their hand unto wickedness, as there it follows.  
V. 6. Lines] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to bind, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a cord. With cords they used to measure their grounds in surveighs, Amos vii. 17. thy land shall be divided {untranscribed Hebrew} by cord, and Zach. ii. 5. in his hand was {untranscribed Hebrew} a cord of measure, or measuring cord; so 2 Sam. viii. 2. And from hence, by metonymy, it comes frequently to signify any space or portion of land, that belongs to any. So Deut. iii. 4. {untranscribed Hebrew} the LXXII. render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, All the territories of Argob; the Syriack red, all the tract; the Vulgar, all the region; the Chaldee, all the places of the Province of Argob. So Zeph. ii. 6. Woe to those that inhabit {untranscribed Hebrew} the LXXII. render it {untranscribed Hebrew}; the Vulgar, funiculus maris, the cord of the Sea; but the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} the shore of the Sea, and so the arabic; but the Syriack, the Maritime tract, or region by the Sea side, i. e. palestine. This therefore is the fittest rendering of the word, not literally, lines, but in the figurative sense, portions: and so the Targum reads it, {untranscribed Hebrew} lots or portions; and so we red it Jos. xvii. 14. {untranscribed Hebrew} not, one line, but, one portion, as that is all one with one lot, foregoing; and so v. 5. {untranscribed Hebrew} ten portions.  
V. 7. Reins] This verse hath some obscurity in it, which perhaps may be best removed by considering the importance of {untranscribed Hebrew} my reins instruct me. From {untranscribed Hebrew} in the notion of hoping, expecting, desiring, comes the noun {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  reins or kidneys, as the seats of desire. These by metonymy signify not only desires, but the secret or inward thoughts: as Psal. vii. 10. when God is said to try the hearts and reins, i. e. al the desires and thoughts of the heart of any; so Jer. xii. 2. thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins, i. e. frequently spoken of, but seldom considered, or thought of by them. And in this sense, I suppose, it is to be taken here, for thoughts of the heart. Then for {untranscribed Hebrew} it signifies to chasten, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to punish, to rebuk: so 1 King. xii. 14. my father {untranscribed Hebrew} chastened you with rods, but I {untranscribed Hebrew} will chasten you with scorpions: so Psal. vi. 1. neither {untranscribed Hebrew} Chasten me in thy displeasure: so Deut. xxii. 18. the Elders of the city shall take him, {untranscribed Hebrew} and shall chastise him. And thus, I conceive, it is to be taken here, not for instructing simply, but for chastisement which is designed for instruction. The Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew} which the latin renders, castigant me, but 'tis hard to guess, how that word should so signify, unless from the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}, to deal with as with a child, to led gently: but the Syriack red {untranscribed Hebrew}( which makes it reasonable to conjecture the Chaldee reading to be mistaken {untranscribed Hebrew} for {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to chasten) my reins chasten'd me; and so the LXXII. have {untranscribed Hebrew}, chastened me, the latin corripuerunt rebuked, the arabic, commonuerunt me, and Apollinarius paraphrases it by {untranscribed Hebrew}, I was tamed, which is relative to chastizment. And then the meaning will be, my thoughts punish me, I have many afflicting thoughts in the night season, when I consider, and reflect upon my present state of distress, the difficulties that encompass me. For it is certain this Psalm was made by him in a time of distress, and that makes him begin with calling on God for preservation: and though the following verses are spent on another subject, yet what now succeeds v. 8, 9, 10. is all to this matter; his confidence that he shall not be left in {untranscribed Hebrew}, which we render hell, being an evidence, that he considers himself, as in that melancholy state at the present. So Job xix. 27. where he refers to his present calamitous condition, his expression is {untranscribed Hebrew} my reins within my bosom fainted, or are consumed. And then we may probably resolve, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  what sort of counsel it was, that, in the beginning of the verse, he saith God had given him, and for which he praises or blesses him, even such as best agrees with chastising, such as he gives those children which he loves best, and for which our Saviour and his Apostles command us to rejoice, and bless and glorify God, and of which David himself acknowledgeth, that it gave him understanding( which is the meaning of counseling here, and accordingly the LXXII. render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, making him wise or intelligent;) and that is affliction: not that the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies punishing, or indeed any thing but counseling; but because affliction sent from God is expressly a doctrine, or lesson, or counsel, or admonition to them that are thus afflicted, and a means very proper to bring them to the most wise and sober thought, that in time of prosperity have forgotten themselves, and so wanted such kind of counsel.  
V. 9. Glory] Where the Hebrew reads {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  my glory, and the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} my honour,( and the Syriack in the same word {untranscribed Hebrew} the LXXII. renders {untranscribed Hebrew} my tongue, and so the latin, and arabic, and Aethiopick; and so Apollinarius, {untranscribed Hebrew}, my tongue rejoiced. This some learned men attribute to their reading {untranscribed Hebrew} my tongue, instead of {untranscribed Hebrew} my glory, words which have little affinity one with another in the letters of them. 'tis more reasonable to resolve, that David in a poetic writing should use the word {untranscribed Hebrew} glory, by metonymy, for those parts whereby God is glorified or praised; i. e. either the soul, or especially the tongue. So Psal. xxxvi. 12. that my glory may sing praise to thee, the LXXII. there render literally {untranscribed Hebrew} my glory; but sure it signifies either the soul, or tongue. So Psal. Lvii. 8. Awake {untranscribed Hebrew} the LXXII. render literally {untranscribed Hebrew} my glory; but in all reason, that signifies my tongue, so as to connect with singing, precedent, and the Harp and Psaltery, following. So Psal. cviii. 1. I will give praise even with my glory, i. e. my tongue: and so, I suppose. Psal. cxLix. 5. Let the pious or holy ones rejoice {untranscribed Hebrew} say the LXXII. in glory, i. e. in or with the tongue, that so it may connect with what follows, Let them rejoice in their beds, Let the praises of God be in their mouths. And thus no doubt it signifies here; and the precedent mention of the heart] restreins it in this place to the tongue. And this being discerned by the LXXII. it was no fault in them to render it( according to the sense not letter) {untranscribed Hebrew} my tongue.  
V. 10. Hell] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies the condition or state of the dead, there is no question, and so {untranscribed Hebrew} in, or rather to that state: and in that sense the leaving his soul in it, or to it, is applied by the Apostle S. Peter Act. ii. 27. to the abiding of Christ in the state of separation of his soul from his body, from whence he arose or returned the third day, and so was not left in it, or to it. And in this sense both S. Peter there v. 29. and S. Paul c. xiii. 36. duly resolve, that this verse, of not being left in scheol, and not seeing corruption, was not appliable to David, for that he was dead and butted, and his Sepulchre remained with them till that day, c. ii. 29. and again, he fell on sleep, and lay with his fathers, and saw corruption. This then being supposed, in respect of the grand and principally designed sense( the prophetical mystical, completed onely in Christ, and not in David) there may yet be a first, but less eminent sense, wherein it was also true of David, that his soul should not be left in scheol, nor this holy one of Gods( so David is oft called) see {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  corruption, viz. so as {untranscribed Hebrew} sometimes signifies extreme distress, here in this life: so Psal. cxvi. 3. {untranscribed Hebrew}, the distresses of scheol] signifies exceeding great distresses, interpnted by what follows, I shall find trouble and heaviness: and so as( in like manner) {untranscribed Hebrew}, which we render corruption, from the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew}, doth sometimes signify no more than great weakness, Dan. x. 8.( where 'tis opposed to vigour, and expounded by having no strength;) sometimes a pit, as that differs from death, Ezek. xix. 4. where the Lion taken in their pit; {untranscribed Hebrew}( where the LXXII. render {untranscribed Hebrew}, in their corruption,) was carried into egypt, taken, but not killed; and so Prov. xxviii. 5. Jer. xv. 3. And then the meaning is, that he shall be certainly delivered by God from all those distresses. Or again, as {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies death, or final destruction, or deprivation of that state wherein any one is; as when of Capernaum 'tis said, thou shalt be brought down to {untranscribed Hebrew},( the Greek for {untranscribed Hebrew}) which we render hell, Mat. xi. 23. the meaning is, that it shall be destroyed from being a city; and in proportion with that, to be left {untranscribed Hebrew} in or to scheol, and to see corruption( in the sense that the word is used Psalm cvii. 20. when 'tis said of God, that he saved the Israelites {untranscribed Hebrew}, out of their corruptions or destructions) will signify to be killed by his enemies, &c. to be turned out of that kingdom, which God had designed him. This Saul earnestly endeavoured, but prevailed not: the same did Absalom afterwards: But Gods promise to David, that he would bring him to the throne, and set of his seed on the throne after him, was certainly to be fulfilled, and in strength of that, he thus resolved, that his soul should not be left in this distress, to be swallowed up by it, or left ל to it, to be thus destroyed: neither of which import either his not coming to the grave, not dying at all, for, as S. Paul saith of David, after he had served the counsel of God in his generation, he fell asleep, and was laid with his fathers; nor that he should rise from the dead again, without rotting in the grave, for there he did thus continue saith the same Apostle, and saw corruption, and his sepulchre is with us to this day, saith S. Peter Act. ii. 29. And so this more eminent completion of the words, respecting resurrection from the dead, is reserved onely for Christ, who lay not in the grave so long, as that by the course of nature his body should putrifie, which it would have done, if it had continued in the state of death above three dayes, according to that which Lazarus's sister saith of him, by this time he stinketh, {untranscribed Hebrew} {untranscribed Hebrew}, for he hath been dead four dayes. To the same purpose the last verse of the Psal. is applied by S. Peter, Acts ii. 28. and so, though it have one literal sense belonging to David( so as the way of life] may denote means used by God for his preservation, and Gods presence or countenance] his favour and providence, and his right hand] the regal power conferred on him, and secured to him by God;) yet it must be resolved to have another, more principal, ultimate, and withal more literal sense also, respecting the raising of Christ to life, ascension to Heaven, the place of Gods peculiar presence and vision, and the setting him at Gods right hand, in equality of power and glory with him, and that simply to endure for ever; which cannot, but in a limited sense, be affirmed of David. These three verses being so expressly applied by the Apostle to this prophetic sense, there can be no doubt of it: But the former part of the Psalm, no way appearing to be throughout interpretable of Christ, yet fitly belonging to David, it was necessary thus to assign a first literal sense to the whole Psalm, wherein it might connect and accord every part with other, and not so to sever the three last verses from the rest, as that those should belong to Christ only, and not to David, whereas the former part( at least some branches of it) belong to David only, and not to Christ.    

The Seventeenth Psalm.  
A Prayer of David.  
The Seventeenth Psalm is an earnest request by David commenced to God, for deliverance from all his oppressors and persecutors.  
1. Hear 
or, O God of righteousness, or, righteous God.  the 
a.  right, O God, attend unto my cry; give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.  
Thou, O God, art a most righteous Lord, the refuge and defence of all innocent persons: be thou pleased to attend to, and grant my humble request, to receive with favour the affectionate prayers that I now address unto thee.  
2. Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.  
By thee I desire my cause may be heard and sentenced, and that according to the justice of it, thou wilt undertake the patronage thereof, to pled for me, or to judge on my side, and so to protect me against mine adversaries.  
3. Thou hast proved mine heart, thou hast visited me in the night, 
b.  thou hast tried me and 
hast not found; I have thought, and my mouth hath not transgressed.  shalt find nothing: I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.  
For thou, Lord, knowest the sincerity of my heart, thou art the searcher of the secretest thoughts and depths of the most deceitful breasts; and accordingly thou hast examined me to the utmost. In the night, when the darkness hath concealed me from the eyes of men,( and so taken off those disguises, which men put on their deeds of the day, their more public actions) and at once offered me all the temptations and occasions of doing, or at least thinking ill, which perfect secrecy can suggest, thou hast still been present to my greatest privacies, to discover, if there were any close evil, any unsincerity in my heart. Again, thou hast tried me with afflictions, as the Metallists try their Gold,( and many that appear very pious men in times of prosperity, in time of persecution fall away, are found to be more dross, when they are cast into the fire, put to this sharper trial.) And in both these ways of probation, I hope, I have approved myself to thee, that my tongue and my heart have gone the same way, and so that there is no deceit or unsincerity in me.  
4. Concerning the works of men, by the words of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of 
c.  the 
or, violent.  destroyer.  
As for the practices of the world, thy commandments have kept me from any communion with them: when opportunity offered me temptations, when I might have had security from the eyes of men,( when Saul fell too into my hands, that I had nothing to restrain me from using violence to him, but only thy command to the contrary, in making him King, and when I was persuaded and incited to it, 1 Sam. xxvi. 8.) yet in pure obedience to thee, I have carefully kept myself from this, or any other disloyal or unlawful practise.  
5. 
d.  
By holding up my goings in thy paths, my feet have not tripped or shaken.  Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.  
Thou, by thy special grace, joined with thy directions what was my duty to do, hast upheld me in those ways which are acceptable in thy sight; and by the strength of this mercy, and these aids of thine, I have been constantly supported, and kept steady from stumbling or falling.  
6. I have called upon thee, 
because thou hast heard me.  for 
e.  thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.  
And as oft as I have made my humble addresses to thee, thou hast not failed to grant them. This gives me full confidence now to come unto thee for thy support and relief. O merciful God, be thou pleased to continue thy wonted dignations to me.  
7. 
magnify thy mercies {untranscribed Hebrew}  show thy marvelous loving kindness, O thou that savest 
f.  by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee, from those that rise up against them.  
And 'tis not my innocence I depend on,( for though in this matter of my dealings with them that are mine enemies, I can clear myself, yet my many other sins make men ncapable of using any such plea;) but 'tis thy mercy and pardon to sinners that I confided in, and thy more pity and compassion to those that want thy relief. Be thou pleased then to exercise these thy mercies toward me, in that high and wonderful degree, that thou art wont to do to those that place their full affiance in thee. Thou, Lord, art the deliverer of all such, thy title it is to be so, and thy customary goodness, solemnly and constantly to interpose thy power for such, against the malice and machinations of all their adversaries: vouchsafe the same wonted mercy of thine to me at this time.  
8. Keep me as 
the black of the apple of the eye, {untranscribed Hebrew}  the apple of the eye, hid me under the shadow of thy wings;  
Let thy watchful and tender providence sense and secure me from all dangers, after the same manner as nature hath provided eye-brows, and lids, and five tunicles, for guards to sense and preserve the black( that most tender part) in 
the orbicular apple, which is in the midst of the eye. Chald.  the middle of the eye, that wherein the visive faculty is placed( and best represents the seat of Majesty, or regal power, which hath the oversight and government of the whole body;) or as any bide preserves her young ones from the vulture by covering them under her wings.  
9. From the wicked that 
spoil {untranscribed Hebrew}  oppress me, 
my enemies encompass against me with the soul. {untranscribed Hebrew}  from my 
g.  deadly enemies who compass me about.  
And that especially at this present time, that I am so distressed and straitned by enemies, that vehemently hate me, and surround me with all eagerness, to get me into their power.  
10. 
With fat have they shut up their mouths, they speak  
h.  They are enclosed in their own fat; with their mouth they speak proudly.  
Their greatness and prosperity makes them insolent, and accordingly they threaten high, resolve, and breath nothing but destruction against me.  
11. They have now compassed us in our steps; they have set their eyes 
to cast me down to the ground.  
i.  bowing down to the earth.  
And having now brought me to some streights, they are absolutely resolved to subdue and destroy me utterly.  
12. 
k.  
His likeness is as of a Lion, he desires to ravine, and as of a young Lion lying in his den.  Like as a Lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young Lion lurking in secret places.  
Just as an hungry ravening Lion, when he comes in view of his prey, or as a young Lion not yet got out of the den, when any innocent sheep, or other beast of the field comes within reach of him.  
13. Arise, O Lord, 
prevent him.  
l.  disappoint him, cast him down; deliver my soul from the wicked, 
or by the sword.  which is 
m.  thy sword.  
14. From 
the men by thy land O Lord, from the men—  men which are thy 
n.  hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, 
and from thy treasure, or with thy good things, thou fillest their belly; they have plenty of children, and leave the remainder of their riches to their little ones.  and whose belly thou fillest with thy hide treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.  
And unless thou, O Lord, shalt be pleased to interpose to stop them in their course, to bring them down, to appear as a champion with a sword in thy hand thus timely to deliver me, I shall certainly be destroyed and devoured by them. Be thou therefore pleased, I beseech thee, thus to do, hasten to my defence, and rescue me from these wicked men; These men, I say, the rich and great men of the world, who have all their good things allowed them by thee in this life, and so here have all riches and plenty, and having a numerous posterity, have wealth also sufficient not only to enjoy themselves, but also to leave abundantly to their children( as having no care of charity or mercy to others, on which to exhaust any thing.)  
15. 
I will through righteousness behold thy face: I shall be filled at the awaking of thy glory.  As for me, I will behold thy face in 
o.  righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake with thy likeness.  
Meanwhile I will adhere to thee, and constantly perform my duty, and thus wait, till thou shalt be pleased graciously to reveal thyself unto me; not doubting, but thou wilt, in thy good time, stir up thy power for my rescue: and then I shall be abundantly provided for, I shall want nothing.  

Annotations on Psalm XVII.  
V. 1. Right, O God,] It is not agreed among the ancient Interpreters, to what the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  righteousness belongs and connects. The latin reads, justitiam, righteousness,( and so the arabic) and that connects it with [ hear,] hear the justice, or righteousness, or right; and so Apollinarius, {untranscribed Hebrew}, hear my just cause. But the Chaldee hath {untranscribed Hebrew} in righteousness, and then it coheres with [ hear] again, hear in justice, or righteousness, O Lord. But the LXXII. join it with [ Lord,] {untranscribed Hebrew}, O Lord of my righteousness, as in the beginning of the fourth Psalm; where though it be {untranscribed Hebrew} my righteousness, not {untranscribed Hebrew} righteousness, yet these may be all one; and so the LXXII. might think fit to render it more explicitly( not reading otherwise than we have it, but) thus expressing their understanding of it, whereas the Syriack more exactly( joining it, as they do, with Lord) red {untranscribed Hebrew} O holy Lord; as Lord of righteousness, is righteous Lord, and righteousness in God is all one with holinesse. And this seems to be the fittest rendering of it, according to the sense, O righteous Lord, or more literally( but to the same purpose) {untranscribed Hebrew} O Lord of righteousness. The Jewish-Arabick translator reads, O Lord of justice or equity.  
V. 3. Thou hast tried me] Some difficulties there are in this v. 3. First, what is meant by trying. But that is soon resolved; viz. that {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies exploring, such especially as is of metals by fire, Psal. Lxvi. 10. and of men by temptations or afflictions, Isai. xLviii. 10. and accordingly the LXXII. here render it, {untranscribed Hebrew} hast cast into the fire, in the same notion in which we have {untranscribed Hebrew} 1 Pet. iv. 12. for tribulation or affliction, and that as a special season to try the sincerity of those, who have in times of prosperity made greatest professions of piety, but oft fail, when they meet with pressures in his service. This trial as of Gold in the Fire, is here thought fit to be added to that former of visiting him in the night, when the eyes of men being shut out, his thoughts and actions were most free, and undisguised, and such as come from the very heart; which cannot so surely be said of his day-actions, which are oft awed by the eyes of men. And God by examining him by these two ways, visiting his night-thoughts, and trying him by afflictions, must needs know, if there be any insincerity in him. The next difficulty is, what is the full importance of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thou shalt not find:] and that may be discerned by remembering what was noted Psal. x. note l. {untranscribed Hebrew} to be sought and not found, proverbially, for that which was not at all, but was lost or destroyed utterly. In proportion with which, for God to try, and not find, is a phrase to signify sincerity and uprightness, without any such mixture, as is wont to be discovered by trying( i. e. melting any metal) without any dross, i. e. hypocrisy, in him. This the LXXII. have expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew}, iniquity hath not been found in me: and to the same sense the Syriack, and arabic, and latin, not much mistaking the sense, for {untranscribed Hebrew} iniquity is that dross which is wont to be discovered by tentation, but yet probably reading the verse otherwise than now the punctation will permit, and 1. taking the verb {untranscribed Hebrew} cogitavi from the latter part of the verse, and reading it with other points {untranscribed Hebrew} my thought( which is oft used in the ill sense, and so sometimes rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} iniquity, Lev. xix. 29.) and 2. removing the other words {untranscribed Hebrew} my mouth shall not transgress, with which the verse concludes, to the beginning of the following verse, {untranscribed Hebrew}, that my mouth may not speak the works of men. But the reading which we retain is surely the true, and is so acknowledged by the Chaldee Paraphrase, which explaining {untranscribed Hebrew} thou shalt not find corruption, renders {untranscribed Hebrew} I thought, my mouth shall not transgress] {untranscribed Hebrew} I have thought ill, my mouth hath not transgressed. This therefore being resolved to be the reading, the last difficulty is, what will be the meaning of the Hebrew phrase. And 1. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  for the word {untranscribed Hebrew}, though it be oft taken in an ill sense, and so understood here by the Chaldee, yet tis sometimes in a good sense, as Prov. ii. 11.( where {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from that verb is by us duly rendered discretion, by the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew} good counsel, and so by the Syriack, a good mind, and by the arabic, firm counsel;) and sometimes indifferently neither good nor bad, and so in that place 'tis rendered by the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} thought simply. And thus I conceive it signifies here: for if it were evil( as the Chaldee supposes) that he thought, how could he be acquitted by Gods proving of his heart, where that evil thought would have been found, and have accused him rather? The more certain meaning then of the words will be this, I have thought, and my mouth shall not transgress it, i. e. my mouth and thoughts shall, or( as the future is oft taken for the past, oft for the present) do go, or have gone together. The deceitful man, or the hypocrite thinks one thing, and speaks another; but the sincere and upright( such as David here avows himself to be, and appeals to Gods strictest scrutiny to judge if he be not) hath his tongue and heart going still together, and not one outgoing( so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies praeteriit, transiit) the other. This sense is acknowledged by the learned Sebastianus Castellio, who renders this latter part of the verse, non deprehendes me aliud in pectore, aliud in ore habere, thou shalt not find me to have one thing in my breast, another in my mouth. And so this is the full meaning of that which is by the Psalmist, after his manner, more concisely expressed.  
V. 4. The destroyer] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to break, or break through, is the noun {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a thief or violent person, and so here it may signify all the violent wicked practices of the world. The Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} the strong man, or violent person, probably to denote the sword-man, such as Abishai, that exhorted David to kill Saul 1 Sam. xxvi. 8. But the LXXII. as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew} rapture, render it {untranscribed Hebrew} rough, {untranscribed Hebrew}, I have taken heed of( so I suppose {untranscribed Hebrew} is there to be rendered) the rough, or harsh ways; not in the sense wherein the latin seems to have understood them, custodivi vias duras, I have kept the hard ways, but as {untranscribed Hebrew} is to take heed of, and so to avoid, to which the Syriack agrees, thou, say they, hast kept me from the evil ways.  
V. 5. Hold up my goings] The chief doubt in this verse is how {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  shall be rendered. That it is the infinitive mood from {untranscribed Hebrew} fulcivit, to support, or establish, or hold up, there is no doubt. But this infinitive is elsewhere frequently taken in the sense of the imperative: and so here the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} sustain, or confirm thou; and so the LXXII. and the latin {untranscribed Hebrew}, perfice, Perfect my goings. The Syriack red {untranscribed Hebrew} And thou hast established— but the arabic, that my rising( or going) might be strengthened in thy paths. Which reading of theirs seems to be founded in the infinitive sense; which is often thus expressed by [ ut, that.] And indeed this of the infinitive, as it is the most simplo, so it seems to be most agreeaable to the context, and connects best with the former verse. For there he had set down his steadinesse, in not being drawn by any temptation to the ways of the violent: together with the means by which he continued so steady, the power of Gods law, called there the words of Gods lips, and his adhering constantly to it, the conscientious observing of all his commandments. And to that same sense this verse will be best expounded in the infinitive, thus; By confirming( i. e. by Gods confirming) my steps or goings in thy paths,( so {untranscribed Hebrew} in the infinitive signifies in the notion of a latin gerund) {untranscribed Hebrew} my feet( so {untranscribed Hebrew} in the plural signifies) have not been moved: And so there is no ellipsis in them, the sense perfectly current, and exactly agreeable to the former verse; Gods paths here being all one with the words of his lips there,( the ways that God commanded him to walk in) and his not being moved, all one with his not being wrought on by temptations, to go on with the violent in his ways. And thus the interlinear understands it; sustentando gressus meos in orbitis tuis, non nutarunt pedes mei, by holding up my goings in thy paths, my feet have not gone aside, or tripped.  
V. 6. Thou wilt hear me] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is indeed in the future here, and so is the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} by which they render it literally, thou shalt receive. But 'tis very ordinary with both Hebrew and Chaldee, to use the futures in the praeter tense; and so the LXXII. here render it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, thou hast heard, and so the Syriack and latin and Apollinarius, {untranscribed Hebrew}, thou hast heard my voice. And so tis most probably to be understood as a second argument to in force his petition to God for his defence and deliverance, in the following verses. The first argument had been taken from the sincerity of his own heart, and uprightness of his actions, the qualification to make him capable of Gods defence,& this v. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. And now this second is from Gods former mercies, which are generally pledges of future: Deus donando debet, saith Cyprian, God by every donation of mercy makes himself debtor of more to him that worthily receives them: and so the words will be best red to this sense, I have called upon thee, {untranscribed Hebrew} because thou hast heard me.  
V. 7. By thy right hand] The only doubt in this v. 7. is of the rendering the last word {untranscribed Hebrew}. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  The LXXII. rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew} [ thy right hand] do join it with {untranscribed Hebrew} resist,] and then the construction lies thus; Thou that savest those that trust in thee from them that oppose thy right hand, meaning the counsel and purpose of God,( called Gods hand Act. iv. 28.) to make David King. And thus the latin understand it, resistentibus dexterae tuae, those that resist thy right hand; and the Syriack, those that rise up {untranscribed Hebrew} against thy right hand. But the Chaldee put in {untranscribed Hebrew} against them after {untranscribed Hebrew} those that rise up, and so leave {untranscribed Hebrew} to signify [ by thy right hand;] which then must join with {untranscribed Hebrew} Saviour, thus, Thou that deliverest by thy right hand them that trust in thee, from those that rise up against them. And so Apollinarius, {untranscribed Hebrew}, By thy strength( that is the meaning of his right hand) delivering all those that trust on thee. And this is retained by our English, and is the most probable reading.  
V. 9. Deadly enemies] The notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  may here deserve to be considered, {untranscribed Hebrew} as it signifies soul and life, so oft it denotes the passions of the sensitive soul, and is rendered rightly will or desire: so Psal. xxvii. 12. {untranscribed Hebrew}( the same that here) signifies into the will or desire of the enemy; and so Psal. xLi. 2. deliver him not {untranscribed Hebrew} into the will of his enemies. And then being here in the same form, and joined with enemies, {untranscribed Hebrew} enemies with the soul, it most probably will be taken in the same sense, vehement, or passionate, earnest enemies, or that with all their desire and intention {untranscribed Hebrew} encompass or surround, or make a ring {untranscribed Hebrew} against me. And thus the Chaldee understand it, and paraphrase it by {untranscribed Hebrew} with the desire of their souls.  
V. 10. enclosed] The difficulties of this verse will be removed, if we join {untranscribed Hebrew} their mouth, to the precedent, not the subsequent words, thus; {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  with fat have they shut up their mouth:] a Poetical or Proverbial speech for haughtiness or pride, caused by wealth or great prosperity. That is frequently expressed by fat; Jeshurun waxed fat, i. e. rich and prosperous: Their eyes swell or stick out with fat, Psal. Lxxiii. 7. to signify their abundance, as it there follows, they have more than their heart could wish. And then {untranscribed Hebrew}, saith Aristotle, rich men are very arrogant despisers of others; and so it follows here, {untranscribed Hebrew} they speak proudly or fastuously. Thus the Chaldee appear to have understood the verse, who paraphrase it thus, {untranscribed Hebrew} Their wealth is multiplied, {untranscribed Hebrew} with their fat they have covered their mouth; exactly answerable to the Hebrew( though the latin render it otherwise, adipe suo operti sunt, ore suo loquuntur magnifica.) and then {untranscribed Hebrew} they have spoken great or magnific, i. e. proud things. And the Syriack came near it, so as to join {untranscribed Hebrew} mouth] with {untranscribed Hebrew} shut,] rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew} shut their mouth which speaketh boasting, but quiter leaving out the fat in the beginning of the verse. The LXXII. indeed divide it otherwise, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they have shut up their fat; rightly rendering {untranscribed Hebrew}( which in the active must be so rendered, have shut up, not with the Chaldee in the passive:) but then joining with it( not {untranscribed Hebrew} their mouth, but) {untranscribed Hebrew} their fat, they have rendered it unintelligibly, they have shut up their fat;( 'tis hard to guess what they should mean by those words) and so have the latin that follow them, adipem suum concluserunt. The arabic hath rendered it with more sense, their fat is grown thick, or hard: but {untranscribed Hebrew} in the active is not favourable to that. The literal rendering is most intelligible, they have shut up or stuffed their mouth with fat; Ore obesitate farcto superbè loquuntur, saith Sebastianus Castellio, having stuffed their mouth with fat, they speak proudly. And to this rendering I adhere, as being the most simplo, and least forced.  
V. 11. Bow down] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here signifies will be easily resolved, by observing the use of {untranscribed Hebrew} for inclining or bending, or casting down; and so being here joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} to the earth, it literally imports casting down upon the earth: not applying it to their eyes precedent,( as the LXXII.( with the latin) seem to do, and from them Apollinarius, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they bowed down and fastened their eyes upon the ground;) but to him whom they besieged, in the former part of the verse, i. e. the Psalmist, who makes this complaint: they now {untranscribed Hebrew} have encompassed me {untranscribed Hebrew} in our steps, laid wait for him as he went, and at last enclosed or encompassed him; and having done so, set their eyes( a phrase for steadfast resolving, or enterprising any thing) {untranscribed Hebrew} to cast down to the earth. So the Syriack understood it, they set their eyes {untranscribed Hebrew} that they might lay me along on the earth,( and so indeed {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies to extend or lay along:) and so the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} ad diffundendum( not as 'tis rendered, ut se diffundant,) to poure out upon the earth: and the arabic to the same sense, they fixed their eyes, that they might beat, or strike me upon the earth; and then this is a ready intelligible meaning of the words.  
V. 12. Like as a Lion] Where the Hebrew reads {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  his likeness, from {untranscribed Hebrew} was like, the LXXII. seem to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} a verb, and from another notion of the word {untranscribed Hebrew} in Piel, for cogitavit, intentus fuit, thinking intently on any thing; and accordingly they render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, they thought intently on me,( and the word is oft used for imagining mischief, 2 Sam. xxi. 5. that devised against us that we should be destroyed, and Jud. xx. 5. thought to have slain me:) and the arabic sounds this way, They met me as a Lion— But the Chaldee and Syriack render it in the notion of likeness, and so it must be understood. And then the most literal rendering will be, {untranscribed Hebrew} his likeness as of a Lion. And then it follows, {untranscribed Hebrew} he desires to tear or ravine. The Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew} ready for prey, as when he is hungry, he is supposed to be. And then the rest of the verse follows readily, and as of a young Lion {untranscribed Hebrew} dwelling or abiding in his den;] which though it go not out, seizeth on all that comes thither: and so his enemies design and threaten to seize on him, now they have gotten him, as they think, in their power.  
V. 13. Disappoint] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to anticipate and prevent, is here duly rendered by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} get before them, and is here adapted to the Lion making after his prey, v. xii. and under that resemblance, to Davids enemies, which are now ready to seize upon him v. xi. if God do not interpose his power, get before them, and, as it follows, {untranscribed Hebrew} trip up their heels,( so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies, from {untranscribed Hebrew} curvare, to bow down, and in Hiphil prosternere {untranscribed Hebrew}, to make bow down, i. e. to throw down,) and so keep them from seizing on him.  
V. 13. Sword] 'tis matter of some doubt, to what the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thy Sword, here belongs. It may possibly by way of apposition connect with {untranscribed Hebrew} from the wicked, and then our English renders it according to sense, from the wicked, which is thy sword. But none of the ancient interpreters understood it thus. The Chaldee have thus paraphrased it; Deliver me from the wicked, {untranscribed Hebrew} which ought to be slain by thy sword: the Syriack, {untranscribed Hebrew}, from the wicked, and the sword( meaning the sword of the wicked:) the Lxxii. reading {untranscribed Hebrew}, and from them the latin, frameam tuam thy sword, are not intelligible. The arabic having rendered it [ et à gladio tuo] with the insertion of the Copulative [ et,] add by way of explication, nempe ab inimicis tuis, to wit from thine enemies, thus rendering the beginning of the next verse. And the Aethiopick differs from all; Deliver my soul from the lance;( for {untranscribed Hebrew} from the wicked, reading perhaps {untranscribed Hebrew} which in arabic signifies a dart or lance) thy sword be upon the enemies of thy hand( joining with it, as the arabic did, the beginning of the next verse.) In this variety there may be place of conjecture: and then it will not be improbable, that {untranscribed Hebrew} thy sword, should here be considered as the instrument of his deliverance, and so joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} deliver and, thus, by thy sword deliver or rescue me from the wicked. This p●rfectly agrees to the context, where the ene●ie as a hungry Lion is ready ●o seize on David, as his prey, i● some valiant champion with his sword in his hand do not arise, and outrun, and trip up his heels, and so rescue him out of his hands. And for this David hath none to rely on, but God, and therefore to him he cries, that he will thus speedily interpose, and deliver him.  
V. 14. Thy hand] By the importance of {untranscribed Hebrew}( see note m.) in the former verse, 'twill not be difficult to resolve of the meaning of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here. There, that being joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} deliver me] was to be rendered gladio tuo, with thy sword; and in the same manner will this here, deliver me by thy hand: just as v. 7. God is called {untranscribed Hebrew} a Saviour, or he that delivereth and saveth by his right hand. And this perhaps to be connected with {untranscribed Hebrew} with the sword, by the figure {untranscribed Hebrew}, whereby two things are put severally to signify but one, sword and hand, to signify a drawn sword, which is fit for such a present rescue as David now stands in need of. There {untranscribed Hebrew} from the wicked, here {untranscribed Hebrew} from the men in the next words, specifying what men he means, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the men of the age, i. e. worldly men; and those described largely and poetically( in the ensuing words to the end of the verse) to be such as have all things to their will, are very plentiful and prosperous, they and their posterity. In their description, 1. occurs their having their portion {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in vitis: this the Chaldee renders in life eternal, but the Lxxii.( and so the Syriack and arabic and latin) {untranscribed Hebrew} in their life, i. e. in this life of theirs; and so 'tis certain the plural {untranscribed Hebrew}( there being no singular) signifies life simply. 2. Follows {untranscribed Hebrew}— and thou shalt fill their belly with thy good things, so in sense it may be rendered, or from thy hidden things, i. e. thy treasury; for from {untranscribed Hebrew} to lay up or keep, is the noun {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  1. any thing that is thus laid up or kept, 2. a treasury wherein 'tis laid up. In the latter sense it must be rendered from thy treasury; in the former, with thy good things, i. e. with all the wealth of this world, that God bestows on any. As when we are bid not to lay up our treasures upon earth, Mat. vi. the meaning is clear, not to lay up our goods there,( of which the several sorts are there pointed at, by the moths corrupting, and the rust, and the thieves breaking and stealing;) but by works of mercy to lay up our goods in Heaven, bestowing them on God, and the poor for Gods sake. And these in the parable of the rich man in the Gospel are thus styled, {untranscribed Hebrew}, his portion of good things which he received in this life; and proportionably here is their having their portion in this life, and their being filled with good things or treasure. So the Chaldee render it, {untranscribed Hebrew} with thy hiding of good, or hidden good; the Syriack and arabic, with thy treasures: but the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, more literally; and so the latin, absconditis tuis, with thy hidden things: but none have thought fit to put both hidden and treasures, either of them signifying the other, and both of them those things that in the world are accounted good, and so are laid up and kept by the men of the world. 3. 'tis added, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  they have plenty of children, so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies to abound with any thing: not as the Chaldee and Syriack and arabic are rendered, their children are filled; but as in the Hebrew, so in the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} they abound in children, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they are filled with children,( saturati sunt filiis, saith the latin) which it seems was anciently miswritten {untranscribed Hebrew} swines-flesh, and so followed by the arabic translation, and by the Roman Psalter, and so found in Arnobius and others of the ancients from that mistake of the amanuensis. What follows of their leaving the residue or remainder( so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies) of their substance to their babes; is but a farther expression of their abundance; having such plenty for themselves, that they have much to spare, which yet they dispense not in any part to those that want, but reserve it all for their posterity: and so this is another part of the character of the worldly great and rich man; Lazarus at his door, might not have so much as the crumbs that fall from this rich mans table.  
V. 15. Righteousness] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  seems best to be rendered here, by or through righteousness, per justitiam saith Castellio, as by the condition, on which he may expect the return of Gods mercy here, or the eternal vision of him hereafter; which, saith the Apostle, no man shall attain to without peace and holiness, parts of this justice or righteousness. As for {untranscribed Hebrew} in the end of the verse, it is diversely rendered by the ancient interpreters. For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the Syriack seems to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} and so red {untranscribed Hebrew} thy saith: but the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so the latin and arabic, thy glory, and the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} the glory of thy countenance. But the difficulty is, to what {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in evigilando, at the awaking] shall belong. The Chaldee apply it to David; when I shall awake, I shall be satisfied with the glory of thy countenance, and so it hath truth, in respect of the resurrection of the just, and that not unfitly opposed to the abundance of the worldly men v. 14. in this life. But all the other interpreters agree in applying it to {untranscribed Hebrew} thy glory: {untranscribed Hebrew}, at the appearing of thy glory, say the Lxxii. cum apparuerit gloria tua, the latin;( and so the arabic and Aethiopick,) when thy fidelity shall awake, saith the Syriack. And so most probably it is to be understood; by [ Gods glory awaking] signifying his glorious& powerful interposition to his present rescue from his enemies hands, and not defering to relieve and avenge him till the resurrection. And thus the learned Castellio took it; tum satiandus, cum tua experrecta fuerit imago, I shall be satisfied when thy likeness shall be awaked.    

The eighteen psalm.  
TO the chief musician, a Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who spake unto the Lord the words of this song, in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul; and he said,  
The eighteen Psalm was indicted by David in commemoration of the many victories, and now quiet settlement in the kingdom of Israel and Judah, which God had bestowed on him by his powerful interpositions for him, in subduing the philistines, Syrians, Moabites, and Ammonites, that rose up against him, in quieting the rebellion of Absalom,( soon after which it is recorded, 2 Sam. xxii.) but especially in rescuing him out of the malicious bloody hands of King Saul. This he composed, and committed to the perfect of his music, to be sung on 
for all the days wherein God had delivered him— Chald. Paraphr.  solemn dayes, for the commemorating of these deliverances and victories. And these were the words of it.  
1. I will love thee, O Lord my strength.  
O blessed Lord, I aclowledge thee to be the sole author of all my deliverances and victories; and so by all obligations imaginable I stand engaged, most passionately to love, and bless, and magnify thee, to pay all the affections of my whole soul, a due tribute to thee: and this I do, and am firmly resolved to do all my dayes.  
2. The Lord is my 
refuge.  
a.  rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, 
my rock {untranscribed Hebrew}  my strength, in whom I will trust, my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.  
To thee I have in all my distresses made my resort, as to a place of perfect strength, to a mighty champion to rescue me, and thou hast never failed to answer me in these addresses. O my God, thou hast been a place of strength and security unto me, and on that account I have always had confidence, and cheerful expectations of deliverance, whatsoever my dangers have been; thou hast been my sure safeguard, so that I have needed no other shield, my mighty deliverer( see note on Luk. 1. n.) and my most impregnable fort or castle.  
3. I will 
praise and call upon the Lord, so—  call upon the Lord, 
b.  which is worthy to be praised, so shall I be saved from my enemies.  
If I am distressed, or assaulted by my adversaries, I have then my sure sanctuary to resort unto. To him I come with acknowledgements of his abundant mercies formerly received from him, the essays of his power and readiness to relieve me, and withall the pawns and pledges of them for the future; and to my songs of praise, I add my humblest requests and supplications for deliverance: and doing thus, I never fall of my returns from God, never miss the deliverance that I stand in need of.  
4. The 
cords.  
c.  sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.  
5. The 
cords.  sorrows of hell compassed me about, the snares of death prevented me.  
When whole armies of blood-thirsty enemies closed me on every side, ready as a torrent to overwhelm me, and were very terrible in that appearance, when their designs were even come to their desired issue, and there was no visible way of my escape or preservation;  
6. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even unto his ears.  
In these streights immediately I made my address to God, and most passionately poured out my requests before him: and he from Heaven, that place of his peculiar residence,( and therefore the sanctuary whence all rescues come, as the place to which all petitions are brought,) afforded me a speedy audience, considered, and immediately granted my desires.  
7. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wrath.  
8. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured, coals were kindled by it.  
9. He bowed the Heavens also and 
d.  came down; and darkness was under his feet.  
10. And he road upon a Cherub and did fly; yea, he did fly upon the wings of the 
See Psal. civ. note c.  wind.  
11. He made darkness his secret place: his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.  
12. At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds past, hail-stones and coals of fire.  
13. The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the highest gave his voice, hail-stones and coals of fire.  
14. Yea, he sent out his arrows and scattered them, and he 
e.  shot out lightnings and discomfited them.  
15. Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered; at thy rebuk, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.  
And then speedily he expressed his great displeasure and wrath against my adversaries: a most dreadful thing, the wrath of an All-powerful God, able to set all the world on trembling, and not so only, but even to set it on fire and consume it,( see Exod. xx. 18. and Heb. xii. 29.) Then might you discern him interposing his hand for the discomfiting my enemies, as signally as if he had descended in a black thick cloud with a mighty wind, and appearance of Angels in shining garments,( as we red of his exhibiting himself Num. ix. 15. Mat. ix. 7. Heb. xii. 18.) with tempestuous showers of hail and fire,( such as Jos. x. 11. Exod. xix. 23.) with thunders and lightning; all these on purpose( as with arrows and fiery darts) to annoy and pursue them: and finally, with the same notoriety of his presence, as when the waters of the sea were driven back by a strong east wind, and the deep turned into dry ground, Exod. xiv. 21, 22. to give the Israelites a safe passage out of their thraldom, and to drown the Egyptians.  
16. He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.  
And thus did he, as by a party sent on purpose from Heaven, deliver and rescue me from 
{untranscribed Hebrew} from many people, Chald.  the multitude of my adversaries.  
17. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me, for they were too strong for me.  
And this at a time when they wanted neither power nor will to destroy me, being much superior to me in strength, had not he thus seasonably come to my rescue.  
18. They prevented me in the day of my calamity; but the Lord was my stay.  
When my distress was greatest,( see note on Psalm xvii. k.) and all human aids were obstructed by them, then God, by his own special providence and interposition sustained and supported me.  
19. He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.  
He freed me from all my streights, restored me to a prosperous condition: and this upon no other account, but only of his kindness and mercy to me.  
20. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the 
f.  cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.  
Thus hath God vindicated my uprightness, and given me at last those returns which were answerable to the justice of my cause:  
21. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.  
As seeing that indeed I have not knowingly transgressed any command of his,( save only in the matter of Uriah, for which he repented, and obtained pardon from God, 1 King. xv. 5.)  
22. For all his judgements were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.  
But have observed his statutes diligently, never refusing to be ruled by any of them:  
23. I was also upright before him, and kept myself from 
g.  mine iniquity.  
And by so doing preserved my innocence, and guarded me from commission of any sin.( This still, according to Scripture style, to be understood with exception of the matter of Uriah.)  
24. Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.  
And accordingly hath God, out of his abundant mercy to me, accepted and rewarded my uprightness, and given testimony to the sincerity thereof.  
25. With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt show thyself upright;  
26. With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt show thyself froward.  
For God is a most just impartial rewarder, sees the heart, and accordingly recompenses. To a merciful pious man he makes returns of mercy and pity; to the upright he will administer justice, vindicate his cause from the oppressor and injurious. He that keeps himself pure from sin, with him God will deal most 
{untranscribed Hebrew} pure, signifies also just and faithful.  faithfully; perform his promise to him exactly; never leave any degree of goodness in him unrewarded. And on the other side the rule holds as true, that those that deal frowardly and stubbornly with God, shall be sure to be opposed and punished by him.( See note on Mat. ix. k.)  
27. For thou wilt save the afflicted people, and wilt bring down high looks.  
For it is Gods constant method, to relieve the oppressed, and destroy( in his due time) the oppressor, be he never so confident.  
28. For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.  
And on this ground I have built my confidence, that how hopeless soever my present condition can at any time be, the powerful Lord of Heaven, and my gracious God, will rescue me out of it.  
29. For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God 
h.  have I 
or, taken a fort.  leaped over a wall.  
By him I have been enabled to subdue and bring down the strongest forces.  
30. 
Gods way {untranscribed Hebrew}  As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all that trust in him.  
He is most just and faithful, his promises without all deceit or possibility of failing: he will certainly protect all those that rely and depend on him.  
31. For who is God, save the Lord? or who is a rock, save our God?  
This cannot be said of any other. The deities of the heathens are not able to yield them any defence, nor any, but the one God whom we adore.  
32. It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my 
i.  way perfect.  
From him I have received all my strength, to him I aclowledge it wholly due, that I have been preserved in safety.  
33. 
He fitteth, makes even—  He 
k.  maketh my feet like hinds feet, and setteth me up upon my 
l.  high places.  
When I was pursued by Saul, he enabled me by swif●ness of flight to escape to the wilderness and mountains, and so to secure myself.  
34. He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is 
m.  broken by my arm.  
At other times he gave me strength for battle, and enabled me to obtain most wonderful victories,( by mine own hand on goliath, on all other my enemies by my armies.)  
35. Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation, and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy 
care, or discipline.  
n.  gentleness 
or hast thou multiplied to me.  hath made me great.  
Constantly he hath protected me from all evil, in time of distress supported me, and at last, by his continued multiplied acts of providence, raised me to the greatest height.  
36. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.  
I am now by his mercy brought to a condition of safety, no enemies to distress or straighten me, no dangers to apprehended:  
37. I have pursued my enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.  
38. I have wounded them that they were not able to rise; they are fallen under my feet.  
Having put all my enemies to flight, pursued my victory, and finally subdued, and destroyed them,  
39. For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.  
And all by that strength with which thou hast furnished me: my victories are all thy gifts of mercy.  
40. Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.  
Tis thou that hast by thy wise and powerful providence subjected them to me.( see Jos. x. 24.)  
41. They cried, but there was none to save; even unto the Lord, but he answered them not.  
When thou wert thus their enemy, there was none to yield them any relief; the aid from heaven failed them, and no other would stand them in any stead.  
42. Then did I beat them as small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.  
Being thus assisted by thee, I put to flight and destroyed all their forces.  
43. Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people, and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.  
And now I am landed in a calm harbour, after all the storms that encompassed me, not onely mine own kingdom being quieted, but the neighbouring heathens, philistines, Moabites &c. added to my dominions,  
44. As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers 
o.  shall 
or, ly, or yield feigned obedience to me.  submit themselves unto me.  
Some of them overcome& subdued by me, others through their dread of my power paying a feigned obedience to me;  
45. The strangers shall 
languish, or, consume {untranscribed Hebrew}  fade away, and 
move fearfully out of their holes, or fenced places.  be 
p.  afraid out of their close places.  
And these living in a languishing condition of fear and dread, keeping close, not daring to appear abroad, for the terror that thy signal presence with me hath brought upon them.  
46. The Lord liveth, and blessed be my rock: and let the God o● my salvation be exalted.  
Blessed and exalted be the name of the living Lord, which hath given me strength, and rescued me from all my distresses.  
47. It is God that avengeth me, and 
destroyeth, or breaketh to pieces, {untranscribed Hebrew} See 2 Chr. xxii. 10.  subdueth the people under me.  
All this work of execution on mine enemies, and of subduing them under me, is to be attributed to him only.  
48. He delivereth me from mine enemies, yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.  
To him therefore I desire to aclowledge both my rescue, and my victory over all the forces that have been raised against me.  
49. Therefore will I give thanks unto thee( O Lord) among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.  
And for this will I laud and magnify his holy name among all the people of the world. And this shall be the sum of my lauds.  
50. Great deliverance giveth he to his King, and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed 
q.  for evermore.  
O thou which hast wrought these wonderful deliverances for him whom thou hast set up on the throne, which hast exalted me to this dignity, and since encompassed me with thy signal favour and mercy, and wilt perpetuate the same to all my posterity, that shall succeed me in the regal power,( if they continue to adhere faithfully to thee) and wilt at length show forth thy power and mercy, in a most illustrious manner in the messiah, the son of David, whose kingdom shall never have end; To thee be all honour and glory and praise to all eternity.  

Annotations on Psalm XVIII.  
V. 1. Rock] Though {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  primarily signify a rock, and so is used, and rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} rock in most places; yet by Synecdoche it sometimes signifies a tower or fort, 2 King. xiv 7. because such are commonly, for security, built on rocks or hills; and by metaphor also any refuge, to which any whether man or beast is wont to resort, because( as Psal. civ. 18. is affirmed) to rocks and hills they are wont to fly from approaching dangers. Thus Psalm xlii. 10. {untranscribed Hebrew} my rock] is by the Chaldee rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} my hope, by the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew} my helper. So when Isa. xxxi. 1. Israel is reproved for going down to egypt for help, as to a refuge, it is said v. 9. {untranscribed Hebrew}: we render, his rock, or strong hold; it must be his refuge( or those to whom he went down for help) shall pass away for fear. This therefore is the fittest rendering of the word in this place; the primitive notion of rock being after expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew} which signifies that exactly, and the Synecdochical notion for a fort or tower, in the very next word {untranscribed Hebrew} my tower, or fortress: and to that the Chaldee agree who render it {untranscribed Hebrew} my fortitude, or strong hold for resort; the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew} my firmament, and so the latin( as Psal. xxx. 3. {untranscribed Hebrew} strength.) Apollinar●us hath {untranscribed Hebrew} to the same sense, the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} my confidence, or my hope. All which are meant to signify the Metaphoricall, and not original notion of it.  
V. 3. Worthy to be praised] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  literally signifies laudatum, praised, and so it is rendered both by the Interlinear, and Castellio; but the meaning of it will be best resolved on by the ancient Interpreters, that have not followed the phrase so literally. {untranscribed Hebrew}, say the LXXII. praising I will call upon the Lord; not reading {untranscribed Hebrew}( as some suppose,) but thus choosing to express the sense: and so the latin, laudans invocabo; the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} in a song or hymn I poure out prayers; Apollinarius, {untranscribed Hebrew} praising thee with prayers, or joining my praises and requests, my doxologies and litanies together. But the arabic more expressly, I will praise the Lord and call upon him: and R. Tanchum, I will call upon him, and seek him with celebration and praise. And this, without question, is the meaning of the poetic phrase, I will call on him being praised, i. e. I will first praise, then call upon him; praise him for his past mercies, and then petition for fresh: the uniting of these two being the condition, on which they may hope for deliverance from God. A like phrase we have in latin, laudatum dimisit, he dismissed him being praised; i. e. first praised him, then sent him away; and many the like.  
V. 5. Sorrows] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies two things, a cord, and a pang of a womans travail; and which it signifies, must be resolved still by the context. 1. Here, where 'tis joined with encompassing, it is most fitly to be understood in the former sense, because ropes or cords are proper for that turn, as for holding and keeping in, when they are enclosed. And thus I conceive it most proper to be rendered in the next verse, where it is joined with snares, to which cords very well agree( see Psalm CXL. 5. The proud laid a snare for me, and cords) but pangs of travail do not. The Chaldee indeed paraphrase it in that other sense of pangs, d stress hath compassed me as a woman in travail, which hath not strength to bring forth, and is in danger to die; and the LXXII. red {untranscribed Hebrew} the pangs of death: But it is usual for them thus to do, when the same Hebrew signifies two Greek words, to take one of them for the other; and accordingly 'tis from them taken by S. Luke Acts ii. 24. where yet the mention of losing] and being holden] must needs restrain it to the other sense of cords and not pangs,( see Annot. c. on A●t. ii.) And thus the Interlinear reads funes here, and the learned Castellio, Lora, Cords. And in the next verse the Chaldee reads the same word by {untranscribed Hebrew} a troupe, or an army; which may well be the meaning of the figurative expression; for a company( which we call a band) of souldiers, much more an army, encompass and gird in, as cords do: and the Syriack there expressly {untranscribed Hebrew} the cords of scheol besieged me, and so the margin of our English; and therefore in all reason it must be so also in this verse.  
V. 9. Come down] This whole passage of 9. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  verses from v. 7. to 15. is but a Poetical description of Gods executing vengeance on Davids enemies. And as in the New Testament, Christs vengeance on his crucifiers( the Jews,) is frequently called the coming of Christ, and sometimes coming in clouds,( see Mat. xxiv. note b. and 2 Thess. ii. note b. and 2 Pet. i. e.) and as Psal. xcvi. 13. Gods judgments are expressed by, he cometh, he cometh, and Psal. xcvii. 5. by the presence of the Lord, and many the like: so here we have the representation of a glorious and terrible coming of God, bowing the heavens, and coming, enclosed with a dark cloud, v. 11. as being invisible; riding on a cherub, or Angel, v. 10.( all Gods appearances being by Angels,) and this in a tempestuous manner, hail, thunder, and lightning, v. 12, 13, 14. and {untranscribed Hebrew}( thrice repeated) coals of fire, thereby representing the boult, or thunder-shaft, which is with great fitness thus expressed poetically, as the lightning by brightness, the congealed moisture of the cloud by hail( which in those countries accompanied thunder, as rain does with us, Exod. ix. 23.) so that missile shot out of the cloud with so much terror both of noise and splendour, what is it but the earthy sulphureous part, made up of the same ingredients as a fiery cinder among us, and all this to denote the terribleness of it; and lastly, after the manner of his destroying of the egyptians, by drying up the channels of the Sea, that deep whereon the earth is oft said to be founded, and so engaging them in it, and then bringing the waters upon them, to the overwhelming them all: and all this but preparatory to Davids deliverance, which follows v. 17.  
V. 14. shot out] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies to multiply, and to shoot or dart. In the latter sense 'tis Gen. xLix. 23. the archers grieved him, {untranscribed Hebrew} and shot at him. And thus by the comparison here made between arrows and lightning, we may conclude it to signify. Yet the ancient Interpreters generally render it in the former notion. The Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} and many lightnings, the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew} and he multiplied lightnings, and so the Syriack and Vulgar latin, and arabic, and Aethiopick from them; and so also the Interlinear, multiplicavit, and Castellio, crebris fulgoribus, with frequent lightnings: and onely our English seems to have pitched on the right rendering it, cast forth, in the old, and shot forth, in the new translation.  
V. 20. Cleanness] What is here me●nt by the cleannesse of Davids hands, to which he here pretends, may to some seem difficult, especially when so many other expressions are added to it; keeping Gods ways indefinitely, not wickedly departing from him, v. 21. having all Gods judgments before him, and not putting away his statutes, v. 22. being upright before him, and keeping himself from his iniquity, v. 23. and again, righteousness and cleannesse of hands in his eye-sight, v. 24. when yet if we consider the series of the history, this Psalm 2 Sam. xxii. was indicted after the commission of those great sins, of Adultery with Uriahs wife, making him drunk, contriving his death, and these lived in a long space, at least a twelve month, before Nathan came to him from God, and brought him to repentance; which as it was a conjunction of many known deliberate wilful sins, and a long course and stay in them, so no doubt it could not be reconcilable with Gods favour, whilst unrepented of, nor consequently with that uprightness in Gods sight, which here is spoken of. With that indeed many sins of weakness or sudden surreption, for which his heart presently smites him,( such as that of numbering the people) might be compatible, as being but the spots of sons, such as God is favourably pleased to pardon in his sons, and sincere servants; but for these wasting wilful sins, which have none of that excuse of weakness at the time of Commission, nor that instant smiting of the heart, humiliation and confession, and change, and sacrifice, to alloy the poison of them, but accumulation of more, one on the back of the other, and a long continuance in them, these are not of that sort; they exclude from the favour of God, as long as they remain unreformed. For the answering of this therefore, it must be remembered, 1. that Repentance, when sincere, restores to the favour of God: and David was now in that state, at, and long before the time of inditing that Psalm, supposing it to be composed by him after the quieting of Absaloms rebellion, as the series of the story sets it, 2 Sam. xxii. and then be his sins as read as scarlet, God hath made them as white as snow, Gods pardon and acceptance sets him right again; and that may be his ground of confidence, in thus mentioning the cleannesse of his hands, viz. such as now was restored to him by repentance. 2. As general affirmations have frequently some one or perhaps more exceptions, which yet comparatively, and in balance with the contrary, are not considered; so his profession of Universal uprightness here, is to be interpnted with this exception of that matter of Uriah, according to that style of Scripture, which saith of him, that he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the dayes of his life, save onely in the matter of Uriah the Hittite; which though it were very foul, yet was not fit to prejudice the universal uprightness of all the rest of his life, and so is not name here in the Psalm, but must, as an implicit exception, be, from that passage in the Kings, fetched, to give the true importance of these phrases, which in sound pretend to Universal uprightness and sincerity, but must be taken with this allowance, except, or save only in that one matter.  
V. 23. Iniquity] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from mine iniquity] which the LXXII. and latin and arabic and Aethiopick follow, the Chaldee seems to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} from iniquities, in the plural, for so they red {untranscribed Hebrew} from debts or faults, and so the Syriack also. But the Vulgar reading need not be partend with, being in sense the same, I kept myself from mine iniquity, i. e. from my falling into any such.  
V. 29. Leaped] In this 29. v. where the Hebrew red {untranscribed Hebrew} I will run through a troop, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the Chaldee have {untranscribed Hebrew} I will multiply armies, but the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, I shall be delivered from temptation; both no doubt by way of Paraphrase, not literal rendering. In the end of the verse, the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to look, signifies both a wall, from whence to look, and observe the approach of enemies, and also a watch-tower or fort, from the same ground. Thus wall among us, being lightly deduced from vallum, signifies also a fort, Colwal, the fort on the hill; because generally when walls are thus built in war, there are some such forts erected on them. To this is joined {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to leap or leap over. If we take {untranscribed Hebrew} in the notion of a wall, then 'tis rightly rendered, I will leap over a wall: but if in the notion of a fort, then 'tis to seize on it with force and suddenness, as if one leaped into it, and so will be best rendered to take ti. Thus the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} I will subdue fortified towers.  
V. 32. Perfect] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies entire or absolute, complete or perfect, there is no question. Being applied to a way, 'tis generally thought to signify uprightness of manners. But the context here will not permit it to be taken in that sense, being joined with strength for the battle. As then sin is the blemish of manners, and the grace to eschew that, is fitly yet figuratively said to make the manners perfect, or {untranscribed Hebrew} immaculate( as the Lxxii. and latin and Syriack here red;) so Gods power and providence, that delivers from dangers, which are as contrary to the health and safety of the body, as sins are to the safety and health of the mind, may as fitly be said to make the way perfect, or entire, i. e. safe; and to that the context confines it in this place.  
V. 33. Maketh my feet] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here from {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies [ he makes my feet alike,] neither of them shorter then his fellow,( that which the Greeks express by {untranscribed Hebrew},) from whence proceed fleetness or nimbleness, which therefore the Hebrews signify by this phrase; as on the contrary a lame man is by them styled {untranscribed Hebrew} one whose legs or feet are not equal, and correspondent one to the other. And this the Lxxii. seem to have considered, when they render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, he that made my feet whole, and complete as they should be,( see note on 2 Cor. xiii. c.) just in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} forementioned, as that is {untranscribed Hebrew}, one whose feet are whole and entire, in opposition to any kind of lameness. The latin also, that red perfecit pedes meos, hath perfected my feet, and other interpreters that follow the Lxxii. must be understood in this notion. And the Chaldee having retained the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} have added agile, or nimble, to it, by way of paraphrase, {untranscribed Hebrew} which I suppose is most fully rendered, by evening or fitting my feet he makes them nimble, or he fits my feet, nimble as an hinds feet; and not as the latin renders it, qui ponit pedes meos agiles, which puts or sets my feet nimble: for though it be true, that {untranscribed Hebrew} in Piel is by the Chaldee used for set, yet in this place, where the Hebrew use that word, and the Chaldee take it from them, it is not probable they should use it in a sense wherein the Hebrew did not use it. But however that be with the Chaldee, the Hebrew is sure thus to be rendered, and so is by the interlinear, adaequans, making even.  
V. 33. High places] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  high places] signifies here, may perhaps be questioned. The word signifies any high places, and so is oft taken for altars erected there, which from thence are {untranscribed Hebrew} in the Greek. Besides, it may be thought to signify the Royal throne, to which David was now exalted, and so constituted by God. But the swiftness of the Hind, that is here joined with it, doth rather confine it to the most vulgar acception, for the tops of hills, whither both men, and beasts, and birds are wont to fly, for the avoiding any imminent danger; and to such David was forced to fly from Saul, and by that means was then preserved.  
V. 34. Broken] from {untranscribed Hebrew} contritus est, to be broken in pieces, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, is broken. For it the Lxxii.( and from them the latin and Aethiopick) seem to have red, {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast given; for according to that, they render it, {untranscribed Hebrew}— thou hast set or made my arms a brazen bow; and the Chaldee to the same sense, thou hast strengthened my arms as a steel bow, and so the Syriack and arabic: unless we may rather resolve, that reading as we now do, they thought thus to paraphrase, rather than literally to render the place; and then it will be very proper thus to express the great military strength that God had bestowed on David.  
V. 35. Gentleness] From {untranscribed Hebrew} afflixit, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  humiliavit, depressit, afflicting, humbling, depressing, comes the noun {untranscribed Hebrew} which properly notes affliction, humiliation, poverty; and thus most of the ancient interpreters render it here. The Chaldee indeed render it {untranscribed Hebrew} by thy word, from another notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} frequent with the Chaldee, for speaking. But the Syriack red {untranscribed Hebrew}( from {untranscribed Hebrew} erudivit, and castigavit) thy teaching or thy correction; and the Lxxii. rendering {untranscribed Hebrew} which is joined with it, two ways, 1. {untranscribed Hebrew} hath rectified me, and 2. {untranscribed Hebrew} shall teach me,( in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}, from whence their teachers or masters were called rabbins) they have to each of those verbs prefixed {untranscribed Hebrew} discipline, by that rendering {untranscribed Hebrew}, and probably noting affliction or chastisement by it. And thus it is appliable to David, who was afflicted, and chastised, and oppressed, and kept down for a while; but this in the way to his exaltation, in that notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for increase or making great, in which the Chaldee interpret it {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast increased me. But there is another notion of the noun {untranscribed Hebrew} for care, but lightly varied from discipline( by which the Lxxii. and Syriack render it,) and so R. Tanchum here, thy care, or thy providence: so {untranscribed Hebrew} in arabic signifies, and so Abu Walid understands it, and Kimchi in radic. The Jewish-Arab reads thy answering me, from {untranscribed Hebrew} respondit. As for the {untranscribed Hebrew} hast made me great] R. Tanchum renders it, thou hast multiplied unto me, rendering {untranscribed Hebrew} in the accusative case, thy care thou hast multiplied unto me: and that may be pitched on as the clearest rendering.  
V. 44. Submit] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in Piel, as here it lies, signifies to ly, or speak falsely, there is no question. And so the Chaldee render it, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. they shall lye in my presence; the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} they lied unto me; and so the latin, and Aethiopick, and arabic. Only the Syriack with some difference, {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall submit themselves to me: but this I suppose not meant by them in opposition to the former sense, but in this subordination to it; they shall feign themselves to have been obedient to me, shall fear me when they see my power, and themselves unable to resist it, and thereupon flatter, and pretend they have never opposed me. And that is the full meaning of the place, which sets out Davids power so great, that all that were near to see it, dissembled their hostility, made fair with him, which is in effect a subjecting themselves to him, as long as this his power continued; a forced, and so hypocritical subjection, from awe to his greatness, not from love or unfeigned obedience to him. So Abu Walid, who puts among the notions of {untranscribed Hebrew} that of submitting ones self, and for that instances in this place, derives it( as the other of being lean) from the first of lying and denying, viz. submitting feignedly, for want of strength to resist. And to that well accords the conjugation Hithpael 2 Sam. xxii. 45. and Abu Walid thinks {untranscribed Hebrew} which occurs in the same sense, Deut. xxxiii. 29. ought to be reckoned as of that conjugation, the ת being recompensed by Dagesh in כ: And though here it be in the plain form of Piel, yet the Psalm being but one here, and 2 Sam. xxii. the same must be resolved of both places.  
V. 45. Afraid] In this place the Hebrew Copies of the Psalms differ from the reading ii. Sam. xxii. 46. One lesser variation there was in v. 44.( See note o.) and in this next verse, a second; whether made by David himself, or by Esdras that collected them into a volume, or by any Scribe that wrote it out, must be uncertain; as also which is the Original reading, that in ii. Sam. or this here. There it is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} ligavit, and claudicavit: and so 'tis rendered, by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, they shall stumble, there, and {untranscribed Hebrew} here, they were lame; by the latin, contrahentur, they shall be contracted, there, and claudicaverunt here, they were lame, as if it were from {untranscribed Hebrew} claudicavit in both places. Here 'tis by transposition of a letter {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} commotus est, trepidavit, being moved, or trembling. In this sense the Chaldee seems to have red it, and render it here {untranscribed Hebrew} and shall go or remove, and there {untranscribed Hebrew} shall be moved; both evidently from {untranscribed Hebrew} was moved. In this variety what shall be resolved, might be uncertain, were it not for one direction, which we have from Mich. vii. 17. There we red {untranscribed Hebrew} shall move, which the Chaldee render by the same word, whereby they render this, ii. Sam. xxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} shall be moved. Now as there and here, the adjunct is the same, {untranscribed Hebrew} from their holes or close or fenced places( from {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  occlusit to shut up) rendered here by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} paths, but there more properly {untranscribed Hebrew} claustrum, close place; so in all reason the sense must be the same. There in Michah, 'tis spoken of worms or creeping things, which move out of their holes, and are afraid, i. e. move in great fear, when they come out of their holes( and so {untranscribed Hebrew}, the word used here, oft signifies in arabic to go out, as Psa. xix. 4. Mat. ii. 6.) and so here being spoken of the Heathen people, which stood in such awe of Dav●d, the conqueror, it signifies, that for fear they ran as into holes and Caverns, whether castles, or other places of security, and now they moved out of them, as worms out of their holes, extremely fearful,( before he assaults, when they do but hear of him, v. 44.) to fall into the hands of this powerful Prince. And this trembling motion of theirs is expressed most fitly by {untranscribed Hebrew}, that signifies both to be moved, and to tremble; or( more fully) to move fearfully, or solicitously; and is well enough expressed also by {untranscribed Hebrew} going lame, which is used ii. Sam. xxii. and rendered to that sense by the Lxxii. and Syriack, and latin, and arabic, and Aethiopick, in this place, and moreover in the arabic dialect hath the notion of fearful, as in Alkamus the great arabic Lexicon appears. And so the ancient Jews, as they doubt which to prefer, {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew} so they resolve one to be the same with the other, only by transposition of letters; and accordingly the Hebrew arabic glossary renders {untranscribed Hebrew} by {untranscribed Hebrew} to fear. And so this may remove that difficulty.  
V. 50. For evermore] That this last passage of the Psalm, which is Prophetical, and extended beyond the person of David, to his seed for evermore, is to be applied to the messiah, may be confirmed from several passages of the Chaldee Paraphrase on this Psalm, especially on v. 29. and 32. On the 29. v. they have these words; Because thou shalt enlighten the lamp of Israel, which is put out in the Captivity, for thou art the author of the light of Israel: The Lord my God shall led me out of darkness into light, shall make me see the consolation of the age which shall come to the just. And on v. 32. Because for the miracle and redemption which thou shalt show {untranscribed Hebrew} to thy Christ, and to the relics of the people which shal remain; all the people, nations and languages shall give praises to thee, &c. And v. 49. thou shalt rescue me from Gog— by whom the Jews are wont to describe Antichrist.    

The Nineteenth Psalm.  
TO the 
perfect of his music.  chief musician, a Psalm of David.  
The Nineteenth Psalm is chiefly spent in giving glory to God for all his works of power and excellence, especially in giving so admirable a rule of life to men, and affording mercy for all but presumptuous sins. It was composed by David, and committed to the perfect of his music.  
1. The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the 
a.  firmament sheweth his handiwork.  
The fabric and motion and influences of the Heavens do demonstrate to any man, that considers them diligently, how great, and powerful, and wise, and gracious that God is, who formed them in this manner; and the firmness and closeness of all those vast orbs, which are of so fine and subtle a nature, and yet are compacted into a most perfect solidity, together with the air, and the many meteors, thunder, lightning, &c. therein, are an evidence of his many glorious attributes who thus created them.  
2. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.  
The vicissitude of dayes and nights caused by the constant certain motions of those heavenly bodies, do continually preach, and instruct men in the glories of the creator of heaven and earth.  
3. 
b.  
They have not speech nor words, their voice is not heard.  There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.  
They are not furnished with language, or words, or an articulate intelligible voice, as we men are:  
4. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath c he set a tabernacle 
d.  for the sun;  
5. Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.  
6. His going forth is from the end of heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it; and there is nothing hide from the heat of it.  
Yet have they ways to express themselves, to make known to all the men in the world, Gentiles as well as Jews, the wonderful power and goodness, and providence of God. In the midst of them, in an e●inent and principal place, is assigned a royal mansion for the sun, in which he moves constantly, and by his motion inlivens and rejoiceth all that see him. Wheresoever he comes, he hath the day-star, and a streaming of light, going before him, as the torch-bearers before a bride-groom, when he comes out of his Bride-chamber; and in his circuit he visits all the corners of the earth, and drives on alacriously, like a mighty invincible champion in a perpetual course or race. He begins in one extreme point of the heavens, and marcheth on through every part, till he comes back to the very same point again, and so in some part of his course or other, takes in every climate of this lower world of ours: there is no corner, which doth not partake of the light and warmth he brings with him.( And in all this is there a farther mystical representation of the Gospel of Christ, that Sun of righteousness, with his Baptist before him, to light him into the world; whither when he is come, he sends out his Apostles to preach the Gospel to all the dark heathen corners over all the earth, and by so doing, diffuseth his light and warmth, the knowledge of his will, and strength, and grace( in some measure) to perform it, and withall pardon, and refreshment to all that do not love darkness more than light, and so wilfully refuse to be enlightened by him.)  
7. The law of the Lord is 
restoring, see note e.  perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the 
or, seducible {untranscribed Hebrew}  simplo.  
And as Gods glories are visible in the creation, and wise and gracious disposal of the heavens, &c. so above all, in his giving us such a guide and director of life, as is the law, and revelation of his will unto us. A law made up of such excellent precepts, that it most eminently conduceth to the satisfying and refreshing, the making all men happy, that obey it. It prescribes us an universal adherence and dependence on God; and so is proper to repair and refresh our hungry souls, which being fallen off from God by sin into a most doleful state, have no other means of recovery or refection, but this manna from heaven, this spiritual food of ours. 2. It is constant, and in every part agreeable to itself, and consequently is a means to settle and establish, and confirm him that is most unsteady and seducible, and carried away with every deceit of sin.  
8. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is 
or, food.  
e.  pure, enlightening the eyes.  
As for the particular precepts and commandments thereof, they are made up of perfect justice and equity, so agreeable to our own reason, and the souls with which we are created, that the performance of them is matter of the greatest present delight and joy to a rational man. Gods commands are our spiritual food; and the obeying them is refection and nourishment to the soul, the original of all spiritual strength and vigour to it.  
9. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are 
truth {untranscribed Hebrew}  true, and righteous altogether.  
The dread of offending God keeps the man from all impure mixtures, suffers not any worldly or carnal aim to have admission with him; and this, and nothing but this, will hold out in time of temptation, and consequently yield him a reward from God in another world. As for the things wherein our obedience is expected by God, they are in themselves most just and equitable, fittest to be done by us,( if they were not commanded, nor should ever be rewarded in us) and so are acknowledged by all wise men, and cannot choose but be discerned by us to be so, if we seriously weigh them and practise them.  
10. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much 
f.  fine gold; sweeter also then honey and the 
dropping of the combs {untranscribed Hebrew}  honeycomb.  
And indeed when we come to make that trial of them, to know their true value by practise and experiences( and not to judge them by those appearances and colours that the world hath of them, and such as consider them at a distance, and so think them rugged and melancholy) we shall find them much more priseable than the greatest wealth in the world,( all that amasst together cannot yield us any true contentment or satisfaction) much more delicious and pleasurable than the richest and choicest sensualities that are most eagerly pursued, and gustfully enjoyed by us.  
11. Moreover by them 
doth thy servant shine.  is thy servant 
g.  warned, and in keeping of them there is great reward.  
All the splendour and greatness, and flourishing condition that I enjoy at this time, or ever expect in this or in another world, I hold only by this tenor, as long as I keep myself close to the commands of God. For t●us hath God pleased in his infinite goodness to deal with us; he gives us most excellent precepts, commanding us to do those things which are of all others most agreeable to our natures, and so most valuable and pleasurable to us, v 10. and then upon our obedience to this most gracious yoke, heaps all the richest rewards upon us, godliness having, besides its own sweetness, the promises of this life, and of that which is to come.  
12. Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.  
But, alas, how imperfect hath my obedience been? How many times have I transgressed these holy commands of thine? Many, many times; which I am not now able to enumerate; many, which I did not observe at the time, sins of ignorance and fra●lty no man is able to number, and particularly to confess to thee: O be thou pleased to seal to my soul thy free pardon and forgiveness for all these.  
13. Keep back thy servant also from 
h.  presumptuous sins, let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.  
As for any known deliberate sins, which have not that alleviation of ignorance or weakness, but are committed against express knowledge of my duty, after mature consideration of it, Lord, be thou pleased to arm me by thy special assistance of grace, that I never fall into any one such commis ion. Let not any temptation thus get power over my will, when my conscience tells me I ought not to yield, whatsoever the profit or pleasure be, that thus comes in competition with known duty. If it do, then am I a servant and slave of sin, and so no longer the servant of God. But if by the power of thy grace thou shalt uphold me from falling into any such presumptuous sins, then shall I not fail to be acquitted by thee; and being free from all ha●nous guilts, I shall, through thy mercy, promised in thy covenant of grace, be sure to be absolved, and justified from all the other innumerable frailties, v. 12. that I have been guilty of.  
14. 
i.  
The words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart shall be accepted in thy sight, or an acceptable sacrifice—  Let the words of my mouth and meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord my strength and my Redeemer.  
And then all my prayers and praises, being thus poured out of a pure, sincere heart, and so likewise all the performances and designs of my life, shall be as a sacrifice well-pleasing and acceptable to thee, whose grace it is by which I have been preserved, and whose abundant mercy by which I have been rescued from all evil.  

Annotations on Psalm XIX.  
V. 1. Firmament] Of the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which is by the LXXII. rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} firmament, that it is deduced from {untranscribed Hebrew}, which the Syriac Lu. vi. 38. set for {untranscribed Hebrew} to press very close, and is used in that sense, Ezek. vi. 11. and xxv. 6. and there by us rendered to stamp, i. e. to strike and press together, and that so as plates of gold &c. are, by beating and pressing, expanded to a great breadth, and that in this respect it is by an ancient Greek Interpreter( mentioned by 
in Psal. cxxxvi.  S. Chrysostome) rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, which in 
Meteor. l. iv. c. 9.  Aristotle signifies {untranscribed Hebrew} a firm durable compression, and that this is the ground of the LXXII. there rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew} firmament, and others expansum, see the most learned Nicholas Fuller Miscel. l. 1. c. 6. Now as under this title the heaven is contained, Gen. 1. as appears undeniable by the Sun and moons being created in it, v. 14. so 'tis as certain, that the air is signified by it also, by the use that is assigned it, to divide the waters from the waters, i. e. the Sea here below from the rain that is in the Clouds. Accordingly, as Josephus, in his description of the creation, Antiq. l. 1. c. 2. saith of heaven, {untranscribed Hebrew}, that God made it to have rain in it, to benefit the earth by the due thereof; so Sibylla speaking of the air, saith that God mixed vapours, and rainy or dewy, i. e. watery clouds with it, {untranscribed Hebrew}. Thus when the rain fell that drowned the earth, Gen. vii. the windows of heaven are said to be opened, v. 11. and therefore it is so frequently called rain from heaven, according to that of Plinie, not. Hist. l. xxxi. Scandunt aquae in sublime,& coelum quoque sibi vendicant, The waters climb on high, and challenge the heaven also for their seat; and again, Quid esse mirabilius potest aquis in coelo stantibus? What can be more wonderful than waters standing in heaven? And thus in Scripture-style {untranscribed Hebrew}, the heavens, contain all those superior orbs together with the regions of the air. So saith the Author of the Questions and Answers under Justins name: 
{untranscribed Hebrew}.  {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Scripture calls heavens either those that are so indeed, the first heaven and the firmament, or the regions of the air( see note on Eph. vi. a.) even the lowest of those where the birds fly, which accordingly are called the fowls of heaven. And so all this is fitly comprised under the word {untranscribed Hebrew}; but here( where the heavens are name before) the airy regions peculiarly; the Hebrews having no other word for the air, but either this, or {untranscribed Hebrew} heavens,( which also is generally derived from {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew}, because waters are there.] The word which now adays they use for the air {untranscribed Hebrew}, being clearly taken from the Greek; when yet it cannot be questioned, but the sacred writers had some word by which they called it, viz. this of {untranscribed Hebrew}, which accordingly the Chaldee here render {untranscribed Hebrew} air.  
V. 3. There is no speech] The understanding of this verse seems to depend on the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  That commonly signifies not, and is perfectly all one with {untranscribed Hebrew}, only with the addition of {untranscribed Hebrew}. Now both of these being oft used for all sort of exclusive particles, without, besides, unless, hence it is that the learned Grotius renders it in this place fine, without, i. e. without the voice or words, precedent. If this liberty may be taken, I may then propose another notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} lightly deduced from these. For of {untranscribed Hebrew} the lexicographers tell us, that in arabic it signifies said, but. And the arabic being but a dialect of the Hebrew, we may thence conclude, that thus it anciently signified among the Hebrews: and if that may be admitted, then the whole verse will be thus clearly rendered, {untranscribed Hebrew} non sermo, not speech, i. e. they( the heavens and firmament) have no speech, {untranscribed Hebrew} nor words, {untranscribed Hebrew} but, or notwithstanding, {untranscribed Hebrew} their voice is, or, hath been heard; i. e. either, as {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  voice frequently signifies thunder, their thunder is heard, or else more generally, they have ways to proclaim, or make known the attributes of God, though they are not able to speak. Besides this way of interpreting the verse, by this notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for [ but] or [ yet] or [ notwithstanding] another offers itself, by rendering it non, not, as it, without question, and most vulgarly, signifies. Thus, they have neither speech, nor words, their voice {untranscribed Hebrew} is not, or hath not been heard; yet {untranscribed Hebrew} their line we render it, is gone out into all the earth, {untranscribed Hebrew} their words to the end of the world. Which if it be accepted, we must then suppose a difference to be made by the Psalmist betwixt {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} which the Heavens are said to want, and {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} which they are said to have. The three former are such as belong to men peculiarly, rendered by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew}, talk, and words, and voices: and though the last be ordinarily used for thunder, yet taking it, by analogy with the other two, for an human voice, it may truly be said, that the heavens have none of these. But two other things there are, which are fully equivalent, if not superior, to these, and those do eminently belong to them. What {untranscribed Hebrew} here signifies, is a matter of some doubt. It ordinarily denotes a line, such as being joined with a plumbet, marks out any thing in architecture, shows and directs what to do, how to square the timber, &c. as well as words could do. From hence also {untranscribed Hebrew} in Abenezra is found to signify book-learning, as when children learn one line after another. And thus it may here be understood, that the heavens direct men to the knowledge of God as evidently, as a line directs the workman in architecture: or again, that the heavens are as it were the book( to that they are compared Rev. vi. 14.) wherein God may be red by all the world; and so the lines of that book or volume are the indications of a deity, that may there be red. But beside this, the word is in arabic found to signify vociferation or crying aloud,( see Mr. Pocock Miscel. c. 4. p. 48.) and to this the Lxxii. refer, reading it {untranscribed Hebrew} a loud voice, which is more then {untranscribed Hebrew} voice, by which they render {untranscribed Hebrew} in the former verse, and generally in other places: which is an evident proof, that the Lxxii. did not here for {untranscribed Hebrew} red {untranscribed Hebrew}, as it is ordinarily imagined, for then in all reason they must have rendered it {untranscribed Hebrew} voices, as in the verse immediately precedent they had done. As for Capellus's conjecture, that they deduced {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew}, which in Chaldee and Syriack signifies to declare, and indeed is so used here v. 2. {untranscribed Hebrew} sheweth knowledge, there is no need of that; only it may make it more probable, that this sense of declaring, or showing, belonged originally to this word, by the near affinity of this other word, that signifies the same. Mean while it is certain, that the Apostle citing this place, reads it, as the Lxxii. did, {untranscribed Hebrew}, their shrill or loud voice: which notion of the word {untranscribed Hebrew} may therefore deservehere to be preferred before that other of line, which belongs to it in other places, and is without any metaphor very really compatible to the heavens, as they comprehend the aerial regions, in reference to the loud sounds of thunders, that oft come from thence, and declare the power of God. Then for {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which is also attributed to the heavens, that comes from {untranscribed Hebrew} in Piel to say, or speak, but this, frequently, not by words, but by any other significative expressions. So Prov. vi. 13. he winketh with his eyes; he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers: the Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew}( such language as it seems the feet have) which the Lxxii. render {untranscribed Hebrew} he signifies. The same word signifies in Chaldee clamorem, a cry or loud voice, and so agrees also with the second notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for a loud voice. And then we have the full and clear meaning of the place; that though the heavens and firmament have neither speech, nor words, nor voice properly so called, yet they have other ways of declaring and making known the attributes of God, whereby they speak much louder than any speaker or teacher on earth can do. This is literally true, in respect of that loud noise and roaring of the thunder; but much more so, in respect of the wonderful order, light, influences, &c. of those heavenly bodies, which so signally set out the power and wisdom of the Creator of them. This being clearly the importance of the place, the only remaining difficulty is, how that which is thus spoken of the heavens, and the loud voice and noise of them, is applicable to the Apostles purpose, to which it is cited Rom. x. 18. which is evidently to faith in Christ, v. 9. it being not obvious to discern, how the thunder, and other such language of the heavens, do reveal, or declare and preach that. To this the answers may be, 1. That as the faith of Christ is considered more generally, for the acknowledgement of the one true God of Heaven and earth, in opposition to the gentle idolatry, or moreover of the gracious goodness of God to men,( which we know was most illustriously revealed and sealed to us in Christ, and so the belief of that is in effect the believing on Christ;) so this place of this Psalm directly belongs to it, and accordingly such arguments as these are frequently used by the Apostles of Christ, to induce that faith. So Acts xiv. 16, 17. God in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways; nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from Heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness: where it seems the rain and fruitful seasons were looked on by the Apostle, as testimonies and proofs not only of the deity, but also of the truth of that whole doctrine, which now the Apostle was about to reveal to them, and so no improper means of inducing this faith of Christ. And so Rom. 1.20. the {untranscribed Hebrew}, Gods works or doings in the world, are looked on, as competent means to convince men of the divine essence, and attributes, and to render all idol-worshippers unexcusable. And it is not altogether improbable, that the same Apostle, which had oft used this argument to enforce belief, might, in that tenth to the Romans, in passing, touch on it, speaking v. 12. of the no difference betwixt Jew and gentle, both of them having assurance, that if they sincerely serve and worship the true God, now revealed in and by Christ, they shall be saved; and all the question being how they shall now thus call on him without belief, believe without a preacher— the answer is given in the words of those places of Scripture, which testify this knowledge or belief to have been abundantly preached or revealed to them. And then why may not this be one inferior testimony of this kind, to prove that all sort of men, Jews and Heathens, have heard, i. e. had a competent measure of this knowledge of Gods great goodness toward men revealed to them, that the Psalmist speaking of the glory of God, those glorious attributes of power, mercy, and wisdom, which are to be adored in him, and expressing poetically how the heavens declare, or set it forth, hath these words, their loud sound is gone out into all the world, and their words, or significative expressions, into the ends of the world, meaning thereby this knowledge of God, and his glories which his works of creation preach aloud to all the men in the world? This, I say, is a possible, and no very improbable meaning of the Apostle in his citation of these words. But then secondly, as the faith of Christ signifies more strictly the whole Christian saith at large, as it was now promulgated by the Apostles, and as that was founded in the preaching, miracles, death, and resurrection of Christ, and as it was opposed to the Jewish Mosaical economy, of which this was to be the reformation; so those words, being spoken literally of the heavens, are yet in a more sublime manner of allusion and accommodation appliable to the Gospel preached, as to all the world, so peculiarly to the Jews: that as the heavens &c. preached a deity, proclaimed the power and goodness of God toward men, and so their loud sound went out over all the world; so, in a much more eminent manner of completion, was this farther accomplished in the Apostles of Christ, who had a very loud and audible voice, and that, according to Christs appointment, was now gone out into all the world, and heard by all the nations thereof, the Jews as well as Gentiles, and indeed the Jews first, who therefore have no cause of objection against the proceeding now taken, in departing from them, and going to the Gentiles. And this indeed seems to be the best solution of the difficulty, as the words in the Apostle are an answer to the Jews objection, How shall they believe without a preacher, viz. when the Apostles forsake and give over preaching to them. And it is no news that such accommodations, and fuller completions of passages in the old Testament as these, should thus be made use of by the Apostles, the like being frequent among the Evangelists, and some of them expressly styled {untranscribed Hebrew} fulfillings of prophecies, when yet the passages themselves, thus made use of, had a first and literal truth in some matter of fact far distant from thence; as when to Christs return out of egypt is accommodated that of Hoseah concerning the children of Israel, Out of egypt have I called my son, Mat. 11.15.( see note on Mat. 11. k.) Of the application of this whole passage to Christ, see more Note c. and d.  
V. 4. He set] The Hebrew reading is here most perspicuous, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to the sun he hath set a Tabernacle there; and so the Chaldee agrees, to the sun he hath set a Tabernacle of brightness, or bright Tabernacle there. And the Translation which the 
{untranscribed Hebrew} 40. p. 428. B.  Author of the Questions and Answers under Justins name mentions, under the name of {untranscribed Hebrew} the literal translation out of the Hebrew tongue into the Syriack, varies but little, {untranscribed Hebrew}, in them he set the Tabernacle of the Sun. But the Syriack, which we now have, and which seems not herein to be the literal rendering of the Hebrew, but of the LXXII( and so also the latin, and arabic, and Aethiopick,) give it another sense, as if God were said to set his own Tabernacle in or on the Sun, in the Heavens: In sole posuit, in the Sun he hath set his Tabernacle, saith the latin, and arabic, and Aethiopick, {untranscribed Hebrew} Upon the Sun he fixed his Tabernacle in them, saith the Syriack: and all these, as rendering the Greek, {untranscribed Hebrew}, which literally sounds thus; and from thence the LXXII. are supposed by many to have red the Hebrew otherwise than now we have it. But this I suppose a groundless resolution, and shall rather propose to consideration, whether their Greek version itself, being only understood according to the idiom of the Hellenists, be not exactly accordant to our Hebrew. For 1. {untranscribed Hebrew} in their dialect, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is perfectly all one with {untranscribed Hebrew} to the Sun in the dative case, as {untranscribed Hebrew} to believe in God] is no more than {untranscribed Hebrew} God] in the dative, and many the like; and 2. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}.  {untranscribed Hebrew} is as frequently used for [ there,] and then the LXXII. shall clearly thus be rendered, To the Sun he hath set a Tabernacle there, i. e. in them, or in the heavens; and that is all that the Hebrew as we now have it, affords. Now for the use of the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Tabernacle, that Author of the Questions and Answers under Justin Martyrs name, interprets it to the sense of those words of the Psalmist in another place, Psalm civ. 2. {untranscribed Hebrew}, he extendeth or spreadeth out the heavens like a skin, {untranscribed Hebrew}, for the extension of skins makes a Tabernacle. But if the whole place have a farther completion in Christ,( see notes b. and d.) then will here be an intimation of it also; Christs incarnation Joh. 1. being thus expressed by that Evangelist, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the word was made flesh, and he pitched his Tabernacle or Tent among us.  
V. 4. For the Sun] What is here said of the Sun, Justin Martyr in his Dialogue with Tryphon affirms to be {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
p. 295. B.  a Scripture spoken of Christ. Thus we know the title of Sun of righteousness, in the prophesy of Malac. ii. 2. is mystically understood to denote Christ, who is that true light, which coming into the world lighteneth every man. And so that of the Bridegroom, to which the Sun is here resembled, is a signal title of Christ, in respect of his Spouse the Church: and so also that of the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  or strong, whether giant, or Champion, eminently denoting Christ, among whose titles is that of {untranscribed Hebrew} mighty God, Isa. ix. 6. and accordingly saith 
Ibid. A.  Justine, it is by the heathen Poets transformed into that fable of Hercules, {untranscribed Hebrew} a strong man, and one that went over the whole earth, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and that he was the Son of Jupiter, born of Alcmena, who died and returned to heaven again. Now of these two similitudes here used, the former, that of a Bridegroom coming out of his chamber, will not be perfectly understood, but by referring to the customs among the Jews: among whom the Bridegroom was wont to go with his Bride into a place of secrecy, called {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as here his chuppa, or bride-chamber, there to talk with her more familiarly; and this as a ceremony of confirmation to the wedlock. Whilst he was there, no person came in, but his friends and attendants waited for him at the door, with torches or lamps in their hands: and when he came out, he was received with great joy and acclamation by all that were there. To this custom many places of the Gospels refer, especially that of Joh. iii.( see Annot. c. on that chapter) and generally Christ is the person meant by that bridegroom. Now as those bridegrooms were solemnly brought out from under the chuppah by their {untranscribed Hebrew}, lamp-bearers or torch-bearers;( see Mat. xxv. 1.) so when the Sun after some space of darkness comes to us, as out of his chuppah, or place whither he hath retired, not to be seen( in the morning, at the rising of the Sun, saith the Chaldee) the morning star, called Phosphorus, light-bearer, is just that {untranscribed Hebrew} that comes before him. And thus in the mystical sense, when after a long night of captivity,( a cessation of all sorts of Prophecies and Revelations of God to the Jews, whether by Urim and thummim, or by voice from heaven) at last this sun of righteousness was ready to come forth, then in zachary, and his son John the Baptist( of whom it is peculiarly said, he was a burning and a shining lamp,) this light from heaven, that of prophesy, began to show itself as the Phosphorus or Daduchus, the light-bearer or torch-bearer, to bring out this bridegroom into the world, who, when he was come, should imitate the Sun in his course, enlighten and warm all the parts of the habitable world, before he set again. This, we know, Christ did, by sending out his rays( by those his Apostles are to be signified) into all the world; which makes it still the more reasonable to interpret the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  their loud voice, of the Apostles of Christ, and not only of the indications of the Deity in the creature.  
V. 8. Pure] From {untranscribed Hebrew} the verb, to make pure, is {untranscribed Hebrew} pure, and of that {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here is thought to be the feminine, and so to signify pure; so the Chaldee rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew} pure, and the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew}, as purity and clarity, are all one. But it is not so regular, that {untranscribed Hebrew} should be the feminine of {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew}, but rather {untranscribed Hebrew}, and then it may not be amiss to remember a notion of the verb {untranscribed Hebrew} to take food, and from thence the noun {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} esca, cibus, meat or food. So Lam. iv. 10. {untranscribed Hebrew} for food in the plural, the Chaldee renders {untranscribed Hebrew}, the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew}, for food: so Psal. Lxviii. 22. they gave me gull {untranscribed Hebrew} for food; so 2 Sam. xiii. 5, 7, 10. And to this sense the context seems here to incline it; First, by rejoicing the heart, precedent, which being the effect attributed to wine, 'tis agreeable that this second part of the verse should belong to meat, and the effects thereof: and so secondly it follows, it enlightens the eyes. That that is an effect of taking food peculiarly, hath been noted at large Psal. xiii. note a, from that passage of Jonathan, when the tasting a little honey was the enlightening his eyes; and so the phrase is used to express any refection of mind or body. And so it will be most agreeable here, the law of God, and obedience thereto, being the most proper aliment to the soul,( as it is said to be Christs meat to do the will of him that sent him,) and the effect thereof all manner of refreshment to the spirit; when on the other side, sin puts men into a sad, weak, famishing condition, such as the prodigal in the Gospel is described in. To this sense of {untranscribed Hebrew} for food the reader will be more inclined 1. by the context, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  v. 7. where the law of the Lord is said {untranscribed Hebrew} to make my soul or life return, which is the ordinary expression of foods refreshing us, when we faint with hunger. So Psal. xxiii. 3. {untranscribed Hebrew} he restores my soul, a consequent of the green pasture, and still waters, v. 2. he refresheth me. so 1 Sam. xxx. 12. {untranscribed Hebrew} and his spirit returned to him, as an effect of eating and drinking, after fasting three dayes. so Lam. i. 16. the comforter {untranscribed Hebrew} restoring or bringing back the soul, i. e. he that should refresh me. And then this restoring of the soul, and being food to it, are in effect all one. This food being as that of Paradise, without the curse annexed to it, afforded us by God without our labour, the fruit both of the three of knowledge, and of life. 2. By the nature of the word {untranscribed Hebrew}, which in the notion of food is deduced from both the roots, {untranscribed Hebrew}& {untranscribed Hebrew}, in the former as a dimensum, or portion of meat, in the latter, as 'tis purged and dressed, before 'tis fit for use.  
V. 10. Fine gold] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies, will be uncertain. The Chaldee renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} obryzum fine gold, or gold of Ophir: so S. jerome conceives obryzum to signify, Ophirinum, that which comes from Ophir, which yields the finest gold. But the LXXII. render it {untranscribed Hebrew} precious ston, and Psal. cxix. 127. {untranscribed Hebrew} topaz, which is a precious ston. And this latter is very agreeable to the word, and is but a light variation of it in other languages, if we may believe Hesychius. For so he speaking of the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew}, which is but this {untranscribed Hebrew} with the Greek termination, {untranscribed Hebrew}, Paz is also called Topaz, and is a precious ston. Mean-while it is also clear, that it is used for fine gold also, of which the Crown is made, Psal. xxi. 3. and of which are vessels, Job xxviii. 17. and so it may be here also.  
V. 11. Warned] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here used hath three significations: First, to shine, and is rendered, {untranscribed Hebrew} to shine forth, Dan. xii. 3. Secondly, by a metaphor to admonish and warn, and then is rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, Ezec. xxxiii. 3. to signify, {untranscribed Hebrew}, Ezech. xxxiii. 9. to declare before hand; and Thirdly, to flourish, in the Chaldee Paraphrase Hos. xiv. 6. and Psal. xc. 6. From the second of these, most of the ancient Interpreters render it here: the Chaldee, thy servant was circumspectly in them; the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} keeps them, and so oft elsewhere; and from them the Syriack, latin, arabic, and Aethiopick. But the context seems rather to determine it to the first, or( which is all one) to the third sense, the glorious and flourishing condition that is to be attained to either in this, or in another world, by this means of careful obedience unto Gods commands, and by no other; for to this it follows, that in keeping of them there is great reward.  
V. 13. Presumptuous] From {untranscribed Hebrew} ebullivit, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  intumuit, to boil, to swell, is {untranscribed Hebrew} proud or insolent, one that on set purpose, deliberately commits any ill, and also the action that is so committed. This the Lxxii. render {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin, ab alienis, from strangers, or strange sins, or other mens sins; most probably misreading the word {untranscribed Hebrew}, and taking {untranscribed Hebrew} from strangers, for it.  
V. 14. Let the words] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the future is literally to be rendered, shall be, and so the Lxxii. and latin red it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, et erunt; and the words shall be {untranscribed Hebrew}, ut complaceant, such as shall be acceptable before God, or in his sight, or, more expressly, an acceptable sacrifice. So 'tis used Exod. xxviii. 38. Lev. xxii. 20, 21. Isa. Lvi. 7. Jer. vi. 20. in all the places where it occurs. And to this sense the context confines it, speaking of that abstinence from all wilful known presumptuous sins, which is required of all men to make their prayers, or any other their best performances or sacrifices, acceptable before God; according to that of the Apostle, exhorting to lift up clean or holy hands, 1 Tim. ii. 8. and the Prophet Isa. i. 16. Wash ye, make ye clean: till then surely God heareth not sinners— John ix. 31.    

The Twentieth Psalm.  
TO the 
perfect of his music.  chief musician, a Psalm of David.  
The Twentieth Psal. is a form of Prayer to be used by the congregation for their Prince, in all times of danger, that God will protect and assist him. It was indicted by David himself, and committed to the perfect of his music, to be used as occasion requited.  
1. The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble, the name of the God of Jacob 
Secure thee, or, set thee up on high, {untranscribed Hebrew}  defend thee;  
Whensoever any distress or danger befalls the King, we beseech the Lord of heaven to interpose his hand for him, to harken to all his petitions, and perform them graciously, and by his own almighty power to preserve him safe, as in an impregnable tower or fortress.  
2. sand 
thy help {untranscribed Hebrew}  thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion;  
Whatsoever aid or assistance he shall at any time want, that holy Majesty that exhibits himself in the ark of the tabernacle, which is now placed in Sion, and hath promised to grant those prayers which are duly addressed to him there, be graciously pleased from his heavenly throne to sand it down to him;  
3. Remember all thy offerings, and 
or burn to ashes thy  
a.  accept thy burnt sacrifice. Selah.  
Receive and answer all the requests that he hath at any time made to God, accept and reward all his oblations of piety, as signally, as when by fire sent from heaven to consume a sacrifice, he evidenceth his acceptation of it.  
4. Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.  
Whatsoever he doth now want and wish for, whatsoever design he hath in his heart to accomplish, the Lord of Heaven by his power and wisdom graciously dispose, and perform it for him.  

b.  5. We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God will we set up our banners. The Lord fulfil all thy petitions.  
It is thy strength and guidance and prospering hand, thou Lord of hosts, on which only we depend for success and victory: to thee therefore alone will we give the praise of it, when either we go out to battle, or return with conquest; it shall be only in confidence of thy aid, and with acknowledgement of thy mercy. And therefore now that our King goes out to battle, we have nothing to do, but to invoke thy assistance, that thou wilt be present with him in all his wants, prosper him whatsoever he undertakes.  
6. Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven, with the saving strength of his right hand.  
And of this are we confident, that he which hath advanced him to be King over his own people, will interpose his hand for his rescue and deliverance, the God of heaven is of abundant strength to secure him, whatsoever the distress be; and he will certainly do it, as illustriously, as if by his own right hand from heaven, his holy seat of mansion, he should reach out deliverance to him.  
7. Some 
recount their chariots, and some their horses, but we will recount—  
c.  trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.  
Let others talk of their military preparations, that they have so many chariots and horses, are so strongly provided for the approach of their enemies, and therein place their confidence; that is not our method, but only to make claim of Gods protection, that through him we go out to battle, and on him depend for the victory, and on no strength or preparations of our own.  
8. They are brought down and fallen, but we are risen and stand upright.  
And as they that thus go out, talking of their own strength, are sure to miscarry by that confidence, so shall not we fail of victory, through this far surer dependence, the strength of our God of Heaven.  
9. 
Lord save the King. He will hear us in the day of our calling.  Save, Lord, 
d.  let the King hear us when we call.  
O Lord of Heaven, preserve and deliver the King out of all his streights, and let all the congregation resound Amen, confidently beseech God to grant this their devout petition, which they believe to be most acceptable to him, their duty to offer, and such as he will not fail to grant to their importunate and fervent prayers.  

Annotations on Psalm XX.  
V. 3. Accept] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies pinguis fuit, was fat, or, was made fat, and so 'tis rendered here by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} let thy holocaust be made fat, i. e.( as fat and good sacrifices are wont to be) accepted: so the latin, pingue fiat. But the word hath yet a farther notion: for {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies ashes, Lev. i. 16. Jer. xxxi. 40. and from thence the verb {untranscribed Hebrew} incineravit to turn to ashes; which for God to do to a sacrifice,( to sand fire from heaven, and burn it to ashes, 1 Kings xviii. 38.) is a sure token of his accepting the sacrifice, and him that offers it, as there he did Elijah: and accordingly in arabic {untranscribed Hebrew} hath the notion of receiving or accepting, as is to be seen in Alkamus. And thus, I suppose, it is taken in this place; the Lord consume to ashes thy burnt offerings in token of accepting them. Thus {untranscribed Hebrew} remembering] in the beginning of the verse, being, as here, applied to sacrifices, is taken in a peculiar notion, so as to include acceptance.  
V. 5. Set up our banners] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is questionless from {untranscribed Hebrew} to lift up a banner,( so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies) and this as a token of military courage, going out alacriously to battle. Thus the Chaldee renders it, we will display our banners; but the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, we shall be magnified, and so the latin, Syriack, arabic, and Aethiopick. This is generally thought to proceed from their mis-reading the word, inverting or transposing the letters, and reading {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} magnus fuit, was great. But it may also well be, that they thus thought fit to paraphrase the word in the true reading; for so displaying or setting up of banners is a mode of triumph and military magnificence, and so seems to be used here.  
V. 7. Trust] It is not certain what the verb is, that is to be supplied in the former part of this v. 7. That there is an ellipsis is manifest, yet none of the ancient interpreters have supplied it, but red just as the Hebrew doth, some in chariots, and some in horses, but we— Our English, as being directed by the sense, putteth in [ trust,] some trust in chariots— But the surest way will be to let the beginning of the verse depend on that verb which follows in the end of it, for so certainly it lies: some do recount, or make mention of their preparations for the war, their chariots or horses, how strong or well provided they are in these; but we will recount the name of the Lord, as depending only on his blessing, or prospering hand. And if the preposition[ ב 
ב  in] seem to resist this, the account is obvious, that the same is also prefixed before {untranscribed Hebrew} name, and indeed seems to be superfluous( as oft it is) in both places; and then being left out in the rendering the latter part of the verse, we will remember the name— there is little reason it should be conceived to have any weight in the former part of it,( but either be rendered in all the three places, or equally be omitted in all the three.) And then the sense will be clear; some make mention of their chariots, and some of their horses; but we will make mention of the name of the Lord our God: or, some recount their chariots— but we will recount the name of the Lord our God, and thus the Jewish arabic translator interprets it. For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  we will recount, or remember, the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, we will be magnified, or we will triumph, the same word that they had used v. 6. instead of lifting up banners; which makes it the more probable, that in both places they choose to paraphrase, rather than render the Hebrew, and did not mis-read the Hebrew, as there it is thought, but here it is not pretended. The latin use the like liberty, and from {untranscribed Hebrew}( another reading of the Lxxii.) red invocabimus, we will call upon the name of the Lord. But the Syriack, Aethiopick, and arabic follow the Lxxii. in their former reading.  
V. 9. Save Lord] The rendering of this last verse is very uncertain among interpreters. The Chaldee, free from all ambiguity, render it, Lord, save us, O strong King, receive our prayer: and so the Syriack, The Lord shall save us and our King shall hear us: but both these add the Pronoun {untranscribed Hebrew} us, above what we red in the Hebrew. The Lxxii. on the other side render, {untranscribed Hebrew}, O Lord, save the King, and hear us— and the latin, arabic, and Aethiopick follow these, and so Apollinarius,  
{untranscribed Hebrew}— O eternal God, save the King, and hear when— Here the Lxxii. adhere exactly to the Hebrew in the first part, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  {untranscribed Hebrew} Lord save the King; but in the second render it, as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew} in the second person, which they render {untranscribed Hebrew} hear us; whereas the Hebrew reads {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the third person, let him hear us. This Joseph Scaliger will have understood of King David himself, by way of {untranscribed Hebrew}, taking it for granted, that as the people prayed to God for the King in the five first verses of the Psalm, so the King answers them v. 6, 7, 8. and then that the people again in the beginning of the last verse wish, or pray, that the King may answer them as he had done in those three verses, i. e. that he might be victorious, and so be able to answer them in that Eucharistical manner. But there is neither need nor ground for this fancy. For 1. the whole Psalm is equally sung by the people, some part of it by way of prayer for the King particularly, the rest for themselves going out to battle with him, and so imbarkt in one common concernment. And 2. if the former part be a prayer to God for the King,( as the whole precedent Psalm will enforce, especially v. 1. The Lord hear thee—) then certainly the latter part must also concern God, as the hearer of prayers,( his known peculiar style;) and setting it, as the Hebrew doth, in the third person, 'tis most formally a prayer to God, and as much so, as if it were in the second, as v. 1. The Lord hear thee, in the third person, is certainly a prayer to God to hear. And for the transition from the second to the third person, 'tis very ordinary in Hebrew; and the account of it may here be very reasonable, that having prayed solemnly for David, Lord, save the King,( which sure our Liturgy hath from hence) the whole congregation joins in the {untranscribed Hebrew}, of confidence, that their prayer shall be heard, as in an Amen,( of which that is the full importance) the Lord shall hear us when we call upon him. And so this seems to be the undoubted meaning and rendering of the verse; a prayer for the King in both parts, in the one by name, in the other comprehensively. And that makes it more probable, that the Lxxii. should by way of explication put both in the second person,( as fittest for the petitionary address) than that they mis-read the Hebrew, the sense of which they retained so perfectly. From this form of acclamation to, and prayer for the King, and the like, Psalm cxviii. 25. is the Hosannah taken, Mat. xxi. 9. being but a corruption of the Hebrew, {untranscribed Hebrew}, Save] heer, or {untranscribed Hebrew} save now, or, save I pray] in that other Psalm. See note a. on Mat. xxi.    

The Twenty First Psalm.  
TO the 
perfect of his music.  chief musician, a Psalm of David.  
The Twenty first Psalm was indicted by David himself, and committed to the perfect of his music, to be sung by the choir, in the assembly of the people, as a form of thanksgiving to God, upon occasion of any victory over his and Gods enemies.  
1. The King shall joy in thy strength, O Lord; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice?  
O blessed Lord, thou hast graciously interposed thy hand of power for our sovereign thine anointed, thou hast delivered him out of all his dangers; in this thy gracious and seasonable exhibition of thyself, he hath all cause to rejoice and triumph exceedingly.( This hath a more eminent completion in the Resurrection of the 
{untranscribed Hebrew} the King messiah Chald.  messiah.)  
2. Thou hast given him his hearts desire, and hast not withholden 
a.  the 
powring out, or per●aps espousal—  request of his lips. Selah.  
Thou hast given him a most liberal return to all the most earnest requests, that with tongue or heart he hath addressed to thee.  
3. For thou 
hast met him  
b.  preventest him with the blessings of goodness, thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head.  
Thou hast bestowed on him, of thine own free bounty, all sorts of the most valuable mercies, thy special favour, and all the effects thereof: and as thou didst first advance him to the regal throne, so hast thou now most eminently secured him in it, and made his crown more illustrious, his glory more conspicuous then ever.  
4. He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him; even length of dayes for ever and ever.  
He besought thy defence, that thou wouldest preserve his life, and not suffer his enemies to prevail against it; and thou hast heard him abundantly, granted him a very long, and peaceable, and prosperous reign, and by thy faithful promise secured the Crown to his posterity, to the time of the coming of the Messiah, who must be born of his seed, and when he comes, be installed in a glorious kingdom, that never shall have an end.  
5. His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him.  
Thou hast, by interposition of thy hand for his deliverance, brought great glory and dignity to him, made all men see, how he is valued by thee, and thereby exalted him to the greatest honour and majesty of any man in the world.  
6. For thou hast 
set him blessings {untranscribed Hebrew}  made him most blessed for ever; thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.  
Thou hast blessed him in such a degree, that, as it was promised Abraham Gen. 12.2. thou shalt be a blessing, so it is now performed to this son of Abraham, they that will bless any, shall use this form for time to come, Let him be blessed by God as David was; thy special favour and kindness toward him hath been matter of most triumphant joy, and exultation to him.  
7. For the King trusteth in the Lord, and through the mercy of the most high he shall not be moved.  
And as he hath always reposed his trust and affiance in God, so hath he never miscarried in his undertakings; Gods most powerful hand hath been most seasonably and mercifully reached out to him, and secured him in all his dangers.  
8. Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies; thy right hand shall find those that hate thee;  
9. Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in time of thine anger: the Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.  
Those that oppose or set themselves against God, shall be sure to be brought down, and discomfited by him. They that hate God shall meet with effects of his hatred. Gods displeasure is very heavy, and flaming, and insupportable, and the effects of it no less than a most formidable and utter destruction.  
10. Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men.  
And this ruin that falls on them shall proceed to their posterity, even to the utter eradication of their families.  
11. For they 
bent or spread.  
c.  intended evil against thee; they imagined a mischievous device 
they prevailed not {untranscribed Hebrew}  which they were not able to perform.  
And this is a just vengeance on them, for the evil designs which they had against him whom God had set in the throne: The malignity of their purpose is thus punished, though they were not able to bring it to effect, God thus blasting and frustrating them.  
12. Therefore shalt thou 
set them a shoulder, or make them as one shoulder, on thy strings shalt thou prepare against—  
d.  make them turn their back, when thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them.  
In reward to their evil intentions God shall set them in a battalio before him, and then assault them most hostilely, and with the weapons of his sharp displeasure most sadly infest and destroy them.  
13. Be thou exalted, O Lord, in thine own strength; so will we sing and praise thy power.  
And this his vengeance on his enemies, as it is an exalting of his almighty power in the sight of all men, so is it that for which we, that receive the advantage by it, are eternally obliged to rejoice, and bless and magnify his holy name.  

Annotations on Psalm XXI.  
V. 2. Request] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies to espouse, Deut. xxi. 7. he that {untranscribed Hebrew} hath espoused a woman; so Exod. xxii. 15. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a virgin espoused, and Deut. xxii. 23. {untranscribed Hebrew}. And so the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} in the same sense. And if from that root came the noun {untranscribed Hebrew} here with ש, it would elegantly be rendered the espousal of his lips, i. e. his most important considerable desire, which he had set his heart upon, and so often begged of God. What that was, appears v. 3. setting the crown upon his head, settling him peaceably in the throne. Thus Cant. iii. 11. Solomons day of Coronation is called poetically the day of his espousals, and the day of the gladness of his heart, i. e. the day that he desired so earnestly, set his heart on, and was so glad when it came. But if the roots be distinguished by the position of the point over ש, then as the word {untranscribed Hebrew}, is not else-where to be met with in Scripture; so there may be place for conjecture, that {untranscribed Hebrew} had originally the same sense, that now {untranscribed Hebrew} in Chaldee and Syriack hath for effudit, pouring out. For the Lexicographers( that render it elocutio and expositio, and yet produce no other place but this, wherein they pretend it to do so) are well reconcilable with this, and so are most of the ancient Interpreters, though they have rendered it variously; the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew} the will, or as other copies {untranscribed Hebrew} the prayer of his lips, that which the lips poure out in prayer; and the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} the interpretation or exposition of the lips, agreeable to the arabic notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}( from {untranscribed Hebrew}) for indicium. But the Syriack have {untranscribed Hebrew} the preparation of his lips, that which he hath first prepared in the heart by meditation, and then poured out at the lips.  
V. 2. Preventest] From {untranscribed Hebrew} the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in Piel hath several significations; ordinarily to prevent or anticipate, but withall to meet. Deut. xxiii. 4. {untranscribed Hebrew} we render, they met you not with bread and water; and so the Chaldee renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} occurrerunt me, and the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew}: so Nehem. xiii. 2. they met not— so Isa. xxi. 14. we red they prevented not; it should be, they met not with bread him that fled: In all which the LXXII. red {untranscribed Hebrew} to meet. So Mich. vi. 6. wherewithal {untranscribed Hebrew} shall I meet the Lord? and again {untranscribed Hebrew} shall I meet him with burnt-offerings? we red, come before; which if it be in the notion of preventing, certainly belongs not to that place. And thus it most probably signifies here, thou shalt meet him with benediction of good, as when Melchizedeck met Abraham, and brought forth bread and wine, and blessed him: So Gods coming out to meet us with blessings is a very proper expression of his bounty in obliging and loving us first; as Job xLi. 2. who {untranscribed Hebrew} hath begun any kindness to me, obliged me first, and I will repay him? The rendering of Castellio is here most perspicuous, and fully expressive of the sense, eum egregiis affecisti beneficiis, thou hast bestowed most eminent favours on him.  
V. 11. Intended] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} from whence is {untranscribed Hebrew} here, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies two things; 1. to incline or decline, and 2. to stretch out, extend, distend. But how in either of these notions it shall be joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} here, it will not be easy to judge. The LXXII. render it in the former notion, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they bowed down evil things on thee; and the latin, declinaverunt in te mala; and the Syriack seems to accord, rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew} and the arabic, they bowed down. If this be the notion of the word, then it will best be rendered, they wrested, or perverted evil things against thee,( as Exod. xxiii. 2. {untranscribed Hebrew} to decline, and {untranscribed Hebrew} to pervert, is used, and again v. 6. {untranscribed Hebrew} thou shalt not pervert) i. e. by perverting or distorting thy words, framed accusations, calumnies( which are styled {untranscribed Hebrew} evil or wicked words or things Matth. v. ii.) against thee. In the second notion it is ordinarily applied to lines& curtains; and then to spread evil against any, may be a phrase taken from the spreading of nets,( as Ps. CXL. 5. they spread a net with cords) for the ensnaring of any. But the Chaldee, which render it by {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} which signifies first to beate out and compress, and thence to machinate, contrive, or forge in the brain( in which sense it best agrees with imagining, that follows) make it probable to be taken from the Metallists, who beat out, and so extend or distend their metals, and so frame them into any fashion: from whence, by an easy metaphor, it may be drawn to that of designing, or forging any evil against another.  
V. 11. Make them turn their backs] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies a shoulder or shoulder-blade, there is no question, Scapula, that part of the body which from the neck reacheth on both sides, before, and behind, to the arm. But what the meaning is here of the Poetical phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} thou shalt set them a shoulder, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is not so easy to resolve. The Chaldee reads it, Thou hast set them to thy people {untranscribed Hebrew} one shoulder. The sense of it seems to be best fetched from that which follows, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to thy strings, from {untranscribed Hebrew} nervus, a bow-string, Psal. xi. 2. The LXXII. seem not to have understood it, rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew} in thy remainders, as if it were from {untranscribed Hebrew} reliquus fuit. But sure it signifies the strings of a bow, as the instrument of shooting or wounding: and then whether we join that to the precedent words, Thou shalt set them a shoulder for thy bow-strings,] or to the subsequent words, Thou shalt set them a shoulder, with thy bow-strings thou shalt prepare against the face of them,] the latter part must have some influence on the former; and then either way, the setting them a shoulder] will be either the setting them in array, drawing them up in a full and fair battalio, that so his arrows may freely play upon them, which in the end of the verse are said to be prepared against the face of them; or, to the same sense, thou shalt make them as one neck( so the Jewish Arab. renders it) for slaughter. Somewhat parallel to this we have Hos. vi. 9. where it is said of the Priests {untranscribed Hebrew} they killed shoulderw-ise, or by the shoulder. The Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew} one shoulder, in the same words, as here they use to expound {untranscribed Hebrew} shoulder: which shows it to be a proverbial form, to signify sure, and uniform slaughter. This the learned Castellio saw, and paraphrastically, but very significantly, expressed; Nam tu eis pro scopo collocatis, rectâ in eos tuis nervis collineabis, For thou shalt set them as thy butt or mark, and with thine arrows aim strait at them. And this sure is the perspicuous meaning of this dark place. For the soldier in procinctu, both in the ancient and modern wars, was, and is wont to oppose onely the shoulder to the enemy, that being the most commodious posture both for defence and offence. Thus the Phalanx was drawn up; thus our stand of pikes are accustomend to charge; thus the Archers draw the bows, the musketeers give fire; so the swordmen receive the enemy, covering the left shoulder with the buckler, and they that use no buckler, yet stand upon a guard of like nature, and hold it for a rule, never to leave open the whole body to the opposite. All which gives the account clearly, why the phrase of setting them a shoulder] is here used, because that was the military posture. Abu Walid interprets it, thou shalt set them as one side, or on one side, viz. to deal with them all alike, comparing the use of it here with that in Hoseah c. vi. 9. 〈…〉    

The Twenty Second psalm.  
TO the 
Praefect of his music.  chief musician 
a.  upon 
the Hind of the Morning.  Aiieleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.  
The Twenty Second Psalm was composed by David, on occasion of his own flying from his persecutors, and the calamities that befell him at that time, and belongs mystically to the crucifixion of Christ, and was therein most literally fulfilled in several passages, see Matth. xxvii. 35.43. and was by Christ recited upon the cross, either all, or at least some part of it, Matth. xxvii. 46. The Psalm thus composed by David, was committed to the Praefect of his music.  
1. My God 
b.  my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 
Far from my help are the words—  why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?  
O my God, O my God, I am forsaken by thee, mine enemies prevail against me, and all my loudest and most importunate cries to thee for help, bring me no relief: How long wilt thou thus leave me to this state of destitution? I beseech thee at length to look upon me( This was farther completed in Christ upon the cross, when his divine nature suspended the exercise of his omnipotence so far, as to deliver up his body to that reproachful death, and real separation from his soul; Mat. xxvii. 46.)  
2. O my God, I cry in the day time, 
and ך  but thou hearest not, and in the night season, and 
I have no rest.  am not 
c.  silent.  
O my God, I call and cry unto thee continually, day and night, and thou givest me no redress, nor least cessation to my afflictions.  
3. But thou 
perseverest holy, the praises.  art holy, 
d  O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.  
Yet am I not discouraged by this; I am sure that thou continuest faithful and true, such as canst not forget thy promises; thou art he that hast, and wilt continue to do all wonderful things for thy people: and even when for a time thou permittest them to be oppressed by their enemies, thou art still most worthy to be magnified and praised by them.  
4. Our fathers trusted in thee; they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.  
We thy people have had long experience of thy mercy and fidelity: our fathers before us in all their distresses have placed their full affiance in thee, for rescue and deliverance, and never failed to receive it from thee.  
5. They cried unto thee, and were delivered; they trusted in thee, and were not 
put to shane. {untranscribed Hebrew}  confounded.  
Upon their humble and constant, and importunate addresses to thee, they continually obtained deliverance from thee, and never were discomfited, or put to shane, in their trusting or relying on thee.  
6. But I am 
e.  a worm, and no man, a reproach of men, and despised of the people.  
7. All they that see me laugh me to scorn; they 
put  shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,  
8. He 
f.  trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing 
g.  he delighted in him.  
Mean while I am an abject, weak, contemptible person, reviled and set at nought by the vulgar and base sort. All that behold my present low condition, think that I am utterly forsaken, and so mock me, and scoff at me, for trusting in God, or relying on any aid of his, or taking any comfort or ground of hope from my being in his favour.( That these three verses have a largest and most literal completion in Christ in his crucifixion, see note e.)  
9. But thou art he that took me out of the womb; thou didst make me hope 
upon the breasts of my mother, {untranscribed Hebrew}  when I was upon my mothers breasts.  
10. I was cast upon thee from the womb; thou art my God from my mothers belly.  
But all this doth not discourage me. I know thy protection hath hitherto supported me in my greatest distresses and weaknesses. Thou broughtest me out of the womb of my Mother; which, duly considered, was a greater deliverance than that I now want from thee; and from that time didst sustain and uphold me, when I was not able to do the least for myself. When I came forth into the world, I had no inheritance, but thy special providence and preservation, which if it had been but one minute suspended, or withdrawn from me, I had been immediately lost: but this thou hast from my first conception thus long continued to me, and thereby testified to me convincingly, that as I have none to depend on but thee, so I may on thee confidently repose my trust.  
11. Be not far from me, for 
distress {untranscribed Hebrew}  trouble is near, for there is none to help.  
Now therefore, in the approach of the greatest straits, and the most absolute destitution of all human aids, be thou seasonably pleased to interpose thy assistance, and not to forsake me utterly.  
12. Many 
bullocks {untranscribed Hebrew}  bulls have compassed me; 
bulls  
h.  strong bulls of Basan have beset me round.  
My enemies are very strong and puissant, and have besieged me very close, brought me to great straites.  
13. They gaped upon me with their mouth, as a ravening and a roaring lion.  
And now are they ready to devour me: and therefore as a Lion, when he is near his prey, makes a terrible roaring, by that means to astonish the poor creature, and make it fall down, through the fright, before him; so do they now rave, and vaunt, and threaten excessively.  
14. I am poured out like water, and all my bones 
are partend, or, have separated themselves.  are out of 
i.  joint; my heart is like wax, it is melted in the midst of my bowels.  
My outward estate cannot better be resembled, than by a consumptive body, brought extreme low, daily pining and falling away very fast, the bones starting one from the other( see v. 17.) and the very heart and most vital parts quiter dissolved,  
15. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws, and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.  
The radical moisture so dried up, that there is no more left, than in a brick or tile that comes scorched from the kiln, the tongue dry, and not able to speak, and the whole body ready to drop into the grave.  
16. For dogs have compassed me, the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they 
k.  pierced my hands and my feet.  
For my enemies come about me as fiercely as so many dogs, to rend and tear me; a multitude of malicious people, like a ravenous Lion, have now got me into their power, beset me, and enclosed me, on design to wound and destroy me.( This was most eminently fulfilled in Christ at his crucifixion, that being a real piercing of his hands and feet, and that caused by the importunate clamours of the Jewish sanhedrim and people; and a more literal accomplishment of the words, than belonged to David.)  
17. I may tell all my bones, they look and stare upon me.  
My civil state, I say, is as low as their state of body, who have no flesh left on it, whose bones consequently are so wide and distant one from another, that they may be numbered( as Christs were to be, on another occasion, by being naked and distended on the across) and are thereupon looked on as a prodigy, and scofft at by all beholders( as Christ also was upon the across, mat. xxvii. 39.)  
18. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.  
They look on me as their prey, and all that I have as their lawful spoil or pillage, to be divided as by lot, and distributed among them.( This also was more literally fulfilled in Christ, John xix. 23.24. when the souldiers having divided his upper garments into four parts, finding his inner garment to be without seam, would not tear it, but rather cast lots who should have it.)  
19. But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, hast thee to help me.  
But be thou, O Lord, who art my only aid, in a special manner present, and with speed assistant to me.  
20. Deliver my soul from the sword, my 
desolate, or only one, {untranscribed Hebrew} see note on Ps. 25. c.  darling from the power of the dog.  
Rescue me now, I beseech thee, that am lest destitute, and helpless, from the power and malice of these bloody men.( Or, as applied to Christ, thou shalt deliver me out of the grave, and not permit the very jaws or power of death, though it seize on me, to detain me under its dominion.)  
21. Save me from the Lions mouth; for thou 
k.  hast heard me from the horns of the Unicorn.  
And as formerly thou hast answered my prayers, and preserved me from the strongest enemies, when they most insolently exalted themselves against me; so be thou now pleased to deliver me from those violent men who now are ready to devour me.( And thus was it fulfilled to Christ in his resurrection.)  
22. I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.  
And this shall give me continual matter of rejoicing, and proclaiming thy wonderful goodness toward me, and of making the most public mentions of these thy unspeakable mercies, and ascribing the glory to thee,( this also was fulfilled in Christ, in the Apostles preaching his resurrection in all their assemblies, and magnifying God for it: See Acts ii. 47.) after this manner:  
23. Ye that fear the Lord, praise him, all ye the seed of Jacob glorify him, and fear him all ye the seed of Israel.  
O bless and praise the name of our gracious Lord, all ye that profess to be his servants, all ye whom he hath thus taken to himself to be his peculiar people, and shewed such marvellous works of mercy among you; let this be a perpetual obligation to you to magnify him, and perform all faithful obedience to him for ever.( Of this, as it respects Christ, see St. Peters Sermon Acts iii. 26.)  
24. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the 
m.  
request  affliction of the afflicted, neither hath he hide his face from him, but when he cried unto him, he heard.  
Because he is faithful, and constantly ready to hear and answer the petitions of them that are brought to the lowest condition, and instantly answers them with timely relief, and never finally casts out, or rejects their supplications.( How this was fulfilled in Christ, see Heb. v. 7.)  
25. My praise shall be 
from thee {untranscribed Hebrew}  of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.  
From these gracious revelations of thyself unto me, shall I fetch abundant matter of praise and thanksgiving, when I come to thy holy assembly; and there will I constantly offer those sacrifices, which I now devote and consecrate unto thee, that all thy faithful servants may join with me in this duty.( This had its completion in Christ, in respect of the commemorative Eucharistical oblations, offered up daily in the Church, in remembrance of Christs death and resurrection.)  
26. The meek shall eat and be satisfied; they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.  
As remembering what certain returns thou makest to the prayers of the distressed, supplyest all their wants, givest them matter of thanksgiving, whosoever make their addresses to thee, and comfortest and revivest them with durable refreshments, when their condition is most disconsolate and destitute.( This is also fulfilled in the Evangelizing and comforting of the poor humble Christian, and in the Eucharistical spiritual food, and the vital effects thereof, of which Sacramentally and by faith they are made partakers.)  
27. All the ends of the world shall remember, and turn unto the Lord; and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.  
These miracles of thy mercy shall be recounted through all the world, and bring in many spiritual subjects to thy kingdom, to serve and adore thee.( This also was most eminently completed in the effects of the resurrection of Christ, that mighty work of Gods power, and mercy, and fidelity, when the Apostles preaching of it to all the world, brought in such multitudes of proselytes to Christ.)  
28. For the kingdom is the Lords, and he is the go●rnor among the nations.  
Acknowledging that as the managery and sole government of all the nations of the world doth certainly belong to thee, so all subjection and faithful uniform obedience is most due unto thee.( This also was an effect of the promulgation of the resurrection of Christ.)  
29. All they that be be fat on earth shall eat and worship, all they that go down into the dust shall bow before him, and 
n.  none can keep alive his own soul.  
30. A seed shall serve him, it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.  
31. They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, 
o.  that he hath done this.  
And all this for the confirmation of all sorts of men in Gods service: 1. of those that enjoy prosperity in this world, as knowing that they have received it from God: 2. of those that dy, and live not themselves to see thy wonderful work, yet shall their posterity behold and adore thee for it; or, all mortal men shall confess that all life, and preservation, and deliverance is from God, and so they and their posterity shall betake themselves to thy service.( How this is fulfilled in Christ, see note n.) And so all successions of men shall declare to their followers, those that are not yet born to those that shall come after them, how richly God hath performed all his promised mercies, and how seasonably and miraculously, at this time of greatest need, he hath granted me his protection and deliverance.  

Annotations on Psalm XXII.  
Tit. Aijeleth] For the meaning of the title of this Psalm, {untranscribed Hebrew} the LXXII. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  may first be considered, which render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin pro susceptione matutina, for the morning help. This is by the Learned Grotius thought to proceed from their reading the Hebrew otherwise than now we have it; not {untranscribed Hebrew} but {untranscribed Hebrew} which v. 20. is by them rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} help. But that is a very remote conjecture, the words having no affinity in sound or writing. It is more probable, that from {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} robur, strength, which is made use of for the aid and relief of others( as in that v. 20. {untranscribed Hebrew} thou art my strength, hasten unto my help) they deduced the word {untranscribed Hebrew}, and took it in the notion of relief, and so render it, {untranscribed Hebrew} help. Upon this conceited notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} it is that Psal. cvii. 17. where the Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  fools, they transforming {untranscribed Hebrew} fool into {untranscribed Hebrew} robur, do consequently render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, he helped them, the latin suscepit, and the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} helped, or strengthened: and then joining {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  of the morning, with it, as denoting the hast or earlinesse of the help, they render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, for morning, or speedy, or early help. From this notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for strength, the Chaldee also paraphrase it, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. for a strong or powerful oblation, perpetual for the morning; perhaps from {untranscribed Hebrew} a ram( such as were usually offered in sacrifice) pitching on the notion of oblation. But the notion which the ancient fathers, and from thence the interlinear, and most modern translations have pitched on, is that of {untranscribed Hebrew} an hind: so Prov. v. 19. in the form wherein here 'tis {untranscribed Hebrew} an hind, and so frequently {untranscribed Hebrew} an hart, or stag, Psal. xLii. 2. Gen. xLix. 21. Psal. xviii. 34. Cant. ii. 7. And this beast being generally taken notice of for swiftness of foot,( as in that Psal. xviii. 34. thou hast made my feet like hinds feet, in respect of his flight to some place of safety, in the following words, {untranscribed Hebrew} swift as the hind saith the Chaldee) it is therefore here set to denote David in time of his flight from his persecutors; and the rather, because {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies also a Prince, Ezek. xxxi. 11. {untranscribed Hebrew} the Prince of the Nations, nabuchadnezzar, and Ezek. xv. 15. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  say the Lxxii. the Princes of Moab: and so 2 King. xxiv. 15. we render the mighty of the land, the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} the Princes, and so Isa. Lxi. 3. And thus the title belonging primarily to David in time of his persecution, it very fitly also belongs to Christ at his crucifixion, he being that Hart, and that Prince, which was then pursued to death, and slaughtered by the Jews; and the Psalm following in many passages more literally belonging to Christ than to David himself, in the first completion.  
V. 2. My God] In this verse the LXXII. their rendering is observable. First, for the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  My God my God, they red {untranscribed Hebrew}, God my God, look on me; and so the latin: the arabic and Aethiopick add [ my] in the first place, My God, my God, look upon me; the Jewish arabic, my strong God, my potent God. Here 'tis evident, as oft in other places, that they gave a double signification of the latter {untranscribed Hebrew}; first as reading it {untranscribed Hebrew} my God, and then again {untranscribed Hebrew} to me, which they choose to paraphrase by {untranscribed Hebrew} look, or give heed to me. But our Saviours reciting these words upon the cross, is an evidence, that this was not the Hebrew reading, but only the descant of the LXXII. Then in the end of the verse, for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  my roarings, from {untranscribed Hebrew} rugivit, they red {untranscribed Hebrew} my errors, my incogitances,( as from {untranscribed Hebrew} ignoravit, peccavit) {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin delictorum meorum, of my faults; and so the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} of my follies, and the arabic in like manner. And this is a mistake also. But then thirdly, where the Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which taking {untranscribed Hebrew} adverbially( as oft it is) is literally rendered thus, the words of my roaring are far from my help, i. e. from helping me; the LXXII. have followed this construction, {untranscribed Hebrew}— the words— are far from my deliverance, or, from delivering me; and so the latin,( and Aethiopick) longè à salute mea verba— the words are far from my salvation. And to this the Chaldee agrees, {untranscribed Hebrew} far from my redemption are the words of my cry: and so the learned Schindler renders them, as an instance of the adverbial use of {untranscribed Hebrew}, procul à salute meâ verba rugitus mei, the words of my roaring are far from my help; and Seb. Castellio to the same purpose, only continuing the interrogation from the beginning of the verse, cur à meis verbis querulis remota salus est? why is deliverance removed from my complaining words? And thus in all reason are they to be rendered, to denote the ineffectualnesse of his complaints, or how little help they brought him. The other rendering puts in [ ו and] where the Hebrew hath it not, and joins together {untranscribed Hebrew} deliverance, and {untranscribed Hebrew} words, which cannot well join in sense; whereas this is most simplo, only understanding the verb [ are] which is seldom expressed in these writers. Only one thing may deserve to be added from the Jewish-Arabick, who as he concurs in this latter part of the verse, [ my words, and my groaning far from my help,] so he puts the whole verse in form of deprecation, not of complaint, expressing the interrogation, why, as usually he doth, by the negative, Forsake me not, so as that my words and my groaning be far from my help:] and that sure is the adequate importance of them.  
V. 2. Silent] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies rest or quiet; either of the tongue only, and then 'tis silence, or of the whole body. And so here it is most probable to be taken, to answer the former part of the verse: There 'twas, I cry in the day time, {untranscribed Hebrew} and thou hearest not; and here, and in the night,( repeating {untranscribed Hebrew} I cry) {untranscribed Hebrew} and not, i. e. there is not any quiet to me, i. e. no answer to those prayers of mine which were addressed for quiet or deliverance from my persecutors: and therefore the Syriack, by way of Paraphrase, render it, thou attendest not to me, and so the arabic also. As for the LXXII. their rendering {untranscribed Hebrew}, which the latin follows, & non ad insipientiam mihi, and not for folly to me, it will be hard either to give any intelligible account of the meaning of it, or of {untranscribed Hebrew} being rendered by it; unless as Exodus xv. 16. {untranscribed Hebrew} still as a ston] signifies senselesseness, so here {untranscribed Hebrew} were thought to signify senselessnesse, and accordingly, without care of the sense, thus rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} by them.  
V. 4. O thou that inhabitest] {untranscribed Hebrew} to inhabit, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies also to remain, or persevere: so Psal. cii. 13. thou, O Lord, {untranscribed Hebrew} shalt remain, or continue for ever. And in this sense it will be best taken here, {untranscribed Hebrew} but thou remainest, or perseverest holy,( the derelictions in the former verses do not tempt him to doubt of it) {untranscribed Hebrew} the praise of Israel; 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  or, O thou, the praises, or which art the praises of Israel, i. e. the object of all their praises; or yet more simply,( without the least ellipsis to be supplied) But thou remainest holy, the praises of Israel. The LXXII. retain the construction in the latter part, reading {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so the latin, Laus Israel, the praise of Israel, and the arabic, the glory of Israel,( as in Simeons song Luk. ii. 32. Christ is said to be the glory of thy people Israel, in whom they should rejoice or glory:) only in the former part they have somewhat varied, {untranscribed Hebrew}, But thou dwellest in thy holy place; which yet rightly considered, is but a Paraphrase of the sense in which we render it; for Gods dwelling in heaven] is but a phrase to express his faithfulness and mindefulness of his promise, his not being changed, and that is it which is meant by his persevering holy. The Chaldee have a little farther receded, but thou art holy who establishest the world for the praises of Israel] with reference, perhaps, to the fancy of the Jews, that the world was created for their sakes and their laws; this Paraphrase of theirs being not free from sundry of their dreams. Yet may these words bear no ill sense, and Gods making and establishing the world for the praises or glory of Israel] signify his great care, and kindness, and consequently fidelity in performing all his promises to his people. The Syriack differ from all the former, making the whole verse but a compellation of God, in these titles, Thou, O holy, and who sittest in Israel thy glory.  
V. 6. A worm] These three verses, though they have a first sense historically verified in David, at the time of his flying from his enemies, yet are they, in a much higher, and also more literal sense, fulfilled in Christ upon the cross. And 1. the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  worm, is thought to have a special energy in it, to denote that kind of worm, which is begotten of a grain of coccus, or coccinele, a read berry, that yields the scarlet juice, with which they dy cloth of that colour, and which is full of those read worms. So Isa. i. 18. though your sins be as scarlet, the Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew} as a worm, viz. this scarlet-worme. So Lam. iv. 5. they that are brought up on {untranscribed Hebrew}, we rightly render it scarlet. And if it be twice dipped with it, then 'tis a darker and richer colour, Num. iv. 8. and is rendered purple by the Chaldee. And thus is it a sit title for Christ upon the cross: a worm, in that he is despised, and trodden on, and oppressed by the Jews; and more peculiarly this scarlet worm, which being prest, yields this rich juice,( viz. his blood) of which this royal scarlet or purple garment is made, wherein we may appear before God. In token of which he was arrayed in a scarlet rob, Mat. xxvii. 28. at this time peculiarly of his crucifixion. In the next place, when he is here styled the reproach of men, and despised of the people, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew}, to scorn or set at nought, and so by the LXXII. rightly rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, one set at nought by the people, this is but parallel to that other repetition, signally pointing at his crucifixion, Isa. Liii. 3. he is despised and rejected of men— and farther paralleled in the story, when they rejected him, and choose barrabas, Matth. xxvii. 21. when they mocked him, v. 29. spit on him, v. 30. and mocked him again, v. 31. Then for the rest of the words, All they that see laugh me to scorn— they are exactly fulfilled Mat. xxvii. 39. they that passed by, reviled him, wagging their heads, and saying— he trusted in God, let him deliver him now if he will have him, v. 43. As for the phrase {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  it may best be rendered, they put out the lip, from {untranscribed Hebrew} emisit, dimisit, laxavit, noting that way of mocking, by the distortion of the mouth or lip; and so it agrees with laughing to scorn] precedent, and shaking the head] subsequent: so the Syriack renders it, they moved their lips; the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} they cut with the lip, as a paraphrase to express reproaching or abusing; but the LXXII. only {untranscribed Hebrew},( and so the latin, arabic, and Aethiopick) they spake with their lips, as from the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for opening, which applied to the lips, denoteth speaking with them.  
V. 8. Trusted] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} volvit, devolvit, roll or devolve, is used for committing, entrusting any thing to another, casting ones self on God, which is the phrase used Psal. LV. 22. cast thy burden upon the Lord. So Psal. xxxvii. 5. {untranscribed Hebrew} roll thy ways upon the Lord, i. e. commit them to him, cast them on him; farther expressed by the next words, trust also in him— The LXXII. have rendered it according to sense {untranscribed Hebrew}, He hath hoped, and so the latin, and is fully rendered, Matth. xxvii. 43. {untranscribed Hebrew} he hath confided; so also the Syriack here, and the arabic by two words, he hath believed and confided. {untranscribed Hebrew} is the imperative mood, and so may fitly be rendered, trust in God,( as a form of reproach:) so 'tis rendered Psal. xxxvii. 5. But it may possibly be the praeter tense in Kal also, as a contraction of {untranscribed Hebrew}, as that may, by analogy with some other words, be used for {untranscribed Hebrew}.  
V. 8. Delighted] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  volvit, willed, is frequently used for complacuit, delectatus est, being delighted or pleased with, when it hath the preposition ב following it. And accordingly so the LXXII. their[ {untranscribed Hebrew} will in] must be rendered taking pleasure in; and so must the phrase be rendered Mat. xxvii. 43. {untranscribed Hebrew}, not, if he will have him, but, if he love him( so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies also) if he delight, or have pleasure in him. And thus it peculiarly belongs to Christ, of whom 'tis testified by God at his baptism, Matth. iii. 17. This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.  
V. 12. Strong bulls] The notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here must be resolved by the context. The word {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies strong, and is sometimes applied to God, Psal. cxxxii. 2; sometimes to Angels Psal. Lxxviii. 25. {untranscribed Hebrew} the bread of the strong, we duly render Angels food, from the LXXII. who red {untranscribed Hebrew}, sometimes to men, Isa. x. 13; sometimes to horses, Jer. viii. 16. and xLvii. 3; and sometimes to bulls, when in conjunction with bullocks, Isa. xxxiv. 7. Psal. Lxviii. 30. and here in this place, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  bullocks immediately foregoing. So Psal. L. 13. speaking of sacrifice, the flesh of the {untranscribed Hebrew} must be the flesh of bulls or oxen. To this it is not amiss to add, that Jer. xLvi. 15. the LXXII. for {untranscribed Hebrew} red {untranscribed Hebrew}. The words indeed relate to the egyptians, whose God Apis was, and as a God, may be so called from {untranscribed Hebrew}, which oft signifies God, the ב, as it is ordinary in several languages, being changed into π, and the ד into ς, as in {untranscribed Hebrew} martyr, {untranscribed Hebrew} cellar, and many others, those letters are permutabiles. But that God of the egyptians was originally an ox, or bull; and then why may it not be thus lightly changed from Abir, a bull? And then as {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies a bull also( and in Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} from whence the Greek and latin {untranscribed Hebrew} and taurus) why may not that praefixt to {untranscribed Hebrew} make {untranscribed Hebrew}, and that be lightly changed into Serapis, the other title of the egyptians God, which also is no more originally but a bull, or ox? But this by the way. This therefore being clear, the rendering of {untranscribed Hebrew} must be simply bulls, and with {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  joined with it, bulls of Bashan; which being a rich and fruitful place, and the cattle thereof great, and strong and fat, as the inhabitants giants, Deut. iii. 13. and formidable, Num. xxi. 34. they are here fitly set( Poetically) to express potent enemies, and proud insulters; as the Kine of Bashan, Amos iv. 1. are imperious women. This the LXXII. renders {untranscribed Hebrew}, fat bulls, without mention of Bashan; either as reading for it {untranscribed Hebrew}, which signifies fat, or rather thus paraphrastically expressing Bashan, the cattle whereof were fat above any others.  
V. 14. Out of joint] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies dividing, parting, dissolving, dispersing, and in Hithpael reciprocally dispersing or parting themselves, so as one leaves or goes from the other. So Job iv. 11. the Lions whelps {untranscribed Hebrew}, we render, are scattered abroad, LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew}, have left one another, in the notion of dispersing. And so all the ancients render it here: the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} were dispersed; the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so the Syriack, and latin, and Aethiopick, were dispersed; the arabic, dissolved: and this not to denote dislocation of bones, but their parting one from another, as in a consumption of the whole body, which is here described in this, and the rest of the verse; which is the thing which is here represented, and by it the lowness of his present condition, or outward estate.  
V. 15. Pierced] The double reading of the Hebrew here is commonly taken notice of, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  they pierced, and {untranscribed Hebrew} as a Lion; and the Chaldee hath put them both together, {untranscribed Hebrew} biting me as a Lion. But 'tis evident, the LXXII. red it in the former notion only, and so render it {untranscribed Hebrew} they pierced my hands and my feet; and so the latin, Syriack, arabic, and Aethiopick. Of these readings the enquiry must be, 1. what force they have in the first intention of the words, as they concern David; and 2. what is to be said of them in reference to the prophetic sense, completed in Christ. For the former, if we stand to the present Hebrew-reading, {untranscribed Hebrew} as a Lion, the sense will run thus, the assembly of the wicked hath enclosed me as a Lion, both my hands and my feet, i. e. I am brought into a condition perfectly helpless, as when a Lion hath one in his power, and is about to seize on him; neither my hands nor my feet can stand me in any stead, the former to resist, or the second to fly: where {untranscribed Hebrew} to enclose] is of the same importance with {untranscribed Hebrew}, so oft used in Scripture, for such an enclosure, as puts one into the power of another. But if the other reading, {untranscribed Hebrew} they pierced, be admitted, the same total impotence is still discernible. To be bound hand and foot] is the proverbial style of Scripture, for one that is delivered up to utter ruin; but to be nailed, or pierced, or fastened hand and foot, is a much higher expression of the same thing, both in respect of the certainty, and sharpness of the ruin. 'tis easier to untie a knot, then loosen what is nailed, and 'tis more painful to be pierced, then only restrained from liberty. And so in either of the readings the sense holds fitly to Davids person, as being in a sore distress, and sad condition. Next then, to consider the place in relation to Christ, prophetically described upon his cross; many conjectures of learned men are obvious on this place, but none more worthy to be harkened to, than our two learned countrymen, both exquisitely skilled in the Oriental languages, Mr. Nic. Fuller, and Mr. Ed. Pocock. From the 
Miscel. l. 3. c. 12.  Collections of the former we learn, that both from the little Masoreth, and from Rabbi Jacob son of Haym, and from his own ocular experience of many copies, 
in defence. Hebr. Lect. advers. Lindan.  Joan. Isaac Levita hath demonstrated {untranscribed Hebrew} they pierced] to be the reading in the text or chetib, and the other {untranscribed Hebrew} as a Lion, only in the margin, or cheer. And this farther manifested by the rendering of Aquila, one very favourable to the Jewish interest, who rendered it as a verb, not as a substantive, and so only according to the textual, not the marginal reading. From the 
Not. Miscel. c. 4.  latter we have a more particular, literal, minute account of the word itself: {untranscribed Hebrew}, they pierced, either from {untranscribed Hebrew}, or from {untranscribed Hebrew}, as that is found in the arabic( and so probably in Hebrew anciently) to be all one with {untranscribed Hebrew} sodere, to dig, or pierce, and from whence is Alcaur, the digging of the earth, and Cawar, hastâ confodere, to run through with a spear. Or if it be red, as in their margin, {untranscribed Hebrew}, then also is his conjecture very ingenious, that it be taken for the participle present in Kal in the plural number, from {untranscribed Hebrew}, and from thence {untranscribed Hebrew}, of which he brings many examples. To this he addeth also, that the Chaldees paraphrastical rendering( which from the likeness of the word {untranscribed Hebrew}, as a Lion, took occasion thus to express the notion of the participle, and therein the manner of their savage usage) was the original of that double reading of the Hebrew; and indeed not an effect, but the cause of it. As for those who suspect our reading as a falsification of the Christians, besides many other evidences of conviction, he there gives us the testimony of David Kimchi; who taking notice of the Christians reading in this place, different from the Jews, doth not accuse them of any fraud, as elsewhere he doth Psal. cx. and probably would have done, if he had not known that they had herein followed the most emendate copies.  
V. 21. Hast heard me] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to speak, or answer, or harken to another, is the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, thou hast heard, or answered me. This verb the LXXII. red, as if it were a noun from the other notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} afflixit, and so red {untranscribed Hebrew} my affliction or humiliation,( and from them the Syriack and latin &c.) as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew} my affliction.  
V. 24. Affliction] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from the precedent {untranscribed Hebrew} may signify affliction, or low estate: but all the ancient interpreters render it in the notion of prayer, and the like; the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} the prayer, the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew} prayer, the latin deprecationem, and so the arabic, and the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} the cry; and so the not despising or abhorring or casting out] will best agree with it, and the subsequents also, when I cried unto him he heard: And so the word will well enough bear, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to speak, as that is here applied to {untranscribed Hebrew} the poor, of whom the wise man saith, the poor man speaketh supplications.  
V. 29. Keep alive] Where the Hebrew reads {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and he hath not quickened his soul, the LXXII.( and Syriack, latin, arabic, Aethiopick) render, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and my soul lives to him, for {untranscribed Hebrew} his soul, reading {untranscribed Hebrew} my soul, for {untranscribed Hebrew} not, {untranscribed Hebrew} to him; and then joining the masculine {untranscribed Hebrew} to the feminine {untranscribed Hebrew}. But the Chaldee rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew} and the soul of the wicked he shall not enliven] do evidence our vulgar reading of the Hebrew to be that which they then used, and so the LXXII. to have mis-read it. The literal meaning of it is somewhat difficult. Castellio's conjecture is not unfit to be taken notice of, who joins it with that which follows, thus; and he that hath not quickened his soul, i. e. who is dead, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  his seed shall serve him, Eorum progenies, quorum vita non perdurat, eum colent, the progeny of them whose life continues not, shall serve or worship. And thus may the ellipsis be well enough supplied, and with as little violence as any other way. Yet because both {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} are in the singular, not plural number,( and {untranscribed Hebrew} seed, without any affix of any number, must agree with those) it will be more reasonable to change his plural, eorum, and quorum, into ejus, and cujus, and then retaining that his way of interpretation, the rendering will be literally this; and for him who doth not enliven his soul, i. e. who dies, his seed or posterity shall serve him, i. e. God. This may have a commodious meaning, in respect of David himself, that when he is dead, and so can praise God no longer himself for these his mercies, yet his posterity shall praise God for them, and by that engagement be moved to undertake, and adhere to his service. But in respect of Christ, the completion is more signal; that though he dy, yet he should have a numerous posterity, and those begotten, as it were, by his blood-shedding: as Isa. Liii. 10. when he hath made his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, and this seed of his shall serve him, viz. the multitude of Christians that adore the crucified Saviour; of whom it very agreeably follows, that they shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation, being the men that make up the {untranscribed Hebrew} the future age,( as Christianity is called) of which Christ is styled {untranscribed Hebrew} the father, in the LXXII. their rendering of Isa. ix. 6. If this be not the meaning of the place, then taking the words by themselves, {untranscribed Hebrew} and enlivens not his own soul,] must probably be thus supplied, as our English hath it, and none can keep( or more literally to {untranscribed Hebrew} hath kept alive) his own soul: i. e. in relation to David, 'tis God that hath delivered and preserved him, and none else could have done it, being destitute of all worldly aids; and the same by way of pious aphorism, is appliable to all others, all deliverance from the least to the greatest streight or danger, is totally to be imputed to God. But most eminently and signally to Christ, who being dead in the flesh, was quickened by the spirit; being put to that shameful death of Crucifixion in his human nature, was raised again by the power of his divine nature; and in that was founded the propagation of the Christian Religion, as the interpretation of that which follows, His seed shall serve him, and be numbered {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  or accounted to God for a generation.  
V. 31. That he hath done this] Where the Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that, or, because he hath done it, the Chaldee renders paraphrastically, and in sense, {untranscribed Hebrew} the miracles which he hath wrought. The LXXII. applying it to the people that should be born, reads, {untranscribed Hebrew}, which the Lord hath made,( and so the latin and Aethiopick, and the Syriack also, save that they red it in the future.) That which is most exact, and according to the letter, will be to render {untranscribed Hebrew} because he hath wrought it, by it meaning the righteousness precedent: so Castellio renders it, ut exponant quâ sit usus justitiâ, that they may show what righteousness he hath wrought; by righteousness meaning either fidelity, and performance of promise, or more fitly, in the sacred notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , benignity or beneficence.    

The Twenty Third Psalm.  
A Psalm of David.  
The twenty third Psalm was composed by David, and is a most passionate expression of Gods abundant care and providence toward all those that faithfully depend on him:( And hath its most eminent completion in Christ, the great shepherd and Bishop of our souls, of whom that this Psalm is a prophesy, see Maximus {untranscribed Hebrew}. l. 3. c. β. and l. 2. 55. &c.)  
1. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  
The Lord my God is to me( and all that diligently wait on him) as a Pastor is to his flock of sheep, 
{untranscribed Hebrew} the Lord hath fed his people in the wilderness, Chald.  though it be in a wilderness; he is able to provide for me, I shall not be lest destitute.  
2. He maketh me to ly down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters.  
He provideth abundantly both for my food and refreshment.  
3. He 
or refresheth, see note on Ps. xix. c.  restoreth my soul; he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his names sake.  
He revives and refreshes and comforts me by his spirit, affords me a full and plenteous bait, and thereby enables me for the hardship of a journey;( as he did Ellas 1 King. 19.8.) and then leads me forth in the even paths of pious duties, gently and carefully, as I am able to go; by this means directing me to that true felicity even of this life, the exercising myself, and guiding my steps by his excellent laws, and rules of living: and this out of his free mercy to me, the greatest and most valuable that any mortal is capable of.  
4. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me: thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  
And though this course should engage me in the greatest distresses, the lowest depression of sadness, the most palpable darkness of despair, yet am I cheerfully resolved not to be discouraged therewith, or to apprehended 'twill make me miserable, being confident of the continuance of this special guard about me, and that, as a shepherd still, thou wilt keep me from straying from thee, and protect me from all dangers.  
5. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup 
a.  runneth over.  
Nay more, thou givest me that treatment of the most indulgent possessor 2 Sam. 12.3. that admitted his beloved lamb unto his table, to eat of his bread, and drink of his cup with him; thou omittest no expression of respect and tender love to me. By this means thou providest all plenty for me, maugre the malice of my enemies, who grieve to see the riches of thy bounty to me, and care over me. Thou entertainest me with wine and oil in the most festival manner, affordest me, not only in a sufficient, but in a most plentiful degree, all things that are for the advantage, as well as support, both of my body and soul.  
6. Surely, 
benignity {untranscribed Hebrew}  goodness and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life; and I 
or shall  will 
b.  dwell in the house of the Lord 
for length of dayes. {untranscribed Hebrew}  for ever.  
And I cannot doubt but this bounty and superabundant mercy of thine shall continue to me all my dayes; and, for my return to thee, I shall most diligently frequent the public assembly of thy saints and servants, wheresoever the ark is placed, and there bless and praise thy name, and address my prayers to thee, as long as I live.( And this is a farther addition to the felicities of my life, that thou wilt afford me this honourable and glorious way of inhabiting in thy sanctuary, and most amicably conversing with thee.) Or to crown all this, thou shalt enfold me at last in that best of sheep-coats; that place of equal purity and safety, where no unclean or ravenous beast can come; there shall I rest, and there abide for ever.  

Annotations on Psalm XXIII.  
V. 5. Runneth over] The Lxxii. for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  exuberant, red {untranscribed Hebrew} inebriating: but this is their ordinary use of the word {untranscribed Hebrew}, for drinking liberally, not being intoxicated or drunk. The word {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies moist, watered, and( watering being a means of making ground fertile) plentiful, exuberant, and so is fitly applied to the festival cup here. But to this the Lxxii, add {untranscribed Hebrew}; the latin, quam praeclarus est? how excellent is it? This they do, by taking the beginning of the next verse, and adding it to the end of this, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , which they therefore render, how good? But that belongs to the consequent words, and so is rendered by the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} but goodness or benignity, and so the Syriack and the arabic; who yet finding {untranscribed Hebrew} in the version of the Lxxii. render that there, inebriating as pure wine, accounting that the meaning of {untranscribed Hebrew} best, the wine which hath no dash of water being such. In this place the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} thy cup, and from them the arabic and Aethiopick; but the Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  my cup, and so the Chaldee and Syriack and latin; and S. jerome in his Epistle to Sunia and Fretella saith, that in the edition of the Lxxii. it was my cup, and that thy cup was an error of the Scribes.  
V. 6. Dwell] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which the interlinear regularly renders, I shall return, from {untranscribed Hebrew} which is commonly taken in that sense, is by all the ancient Interpreters rendered I shall dwell, {untranscribed Hebrew} in the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} in the LXXII. and so in the rest, from a second notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} to inhabit, in which we have it Jer. xLii. 10. {untranscribed Hebrew}. We render it, if ye shall still abide, and the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} if by dwelling ye shall dwell, and so the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew}, if ye shall surely abide, and the arabic, if ye shall remain firm, and the latin, si quiescentes permanseritis, if ye shall abide quiet, and so the Syriack also. Thus 2 Sam. xix. 32. {untranscribed Hebrew} in his abiding, the Chaldee again {untranscribed Hebrew} in his dwelling at Mahanaim. And that thus it was taken here, is much more probable from their general consent, than that they red( as some imagine) {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} and not {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew}, it being ordinary for words of so near alliance, as are {untranscribed Hebrew} to dwell, and {untranscribed Hebrew} to return( and I may add {untranscribed Hebrew} to rest) to change significations, the one with the other, and so to signify the same thing; especially when 'tis remembered, that he that is returned to a place, is supposed to abide for some time, and so to inhabit there.    

The Twenty Fourth Psalm.  
A Psalm of David.  
The Twenty fourth Psalm, composed by David on occasion of bringing the ark into Sion, is a declaration of Gods dominion over this world, his providential presence in every part of it, but his special presence in the place assigned for his worship, the ark of the Covenant; which is therefore joyfully to be received into Sion, and entertained by all Israel, being moreover a signal emblem of Christs ascension into heaven.  
1. The earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein.  
2. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.  
This whole lower or be of ours( and not only the heaven, where he is said to dwell) is the Lords, by all right of creation, and providence, and preservation; and so are all the sorts of creatures, and every particular, with which he hath replenished it; the Universe, and all the inhabitants thereof, produced at first, continued since, and every minute preserved by him: for were it not so, this globe whereon we dwell would suddenly be overwhelmed and covered with waters. For thus the order of nature would direct; and thus we find in the beginning of the creation, that next under the air were the waters, encompassing the whole surface of the earth, Gen. 1.7. till God reformed this course, made such cavities in the earth, as should receive the water into them, and such banks, as should bound and keep it in, and such a law, as should bridle this vast Ocean, that it should not break forth, Gen. 1.9. and so now by his providence the water is beneath the earth, and yet the earth stands firm on that fluid body, as upon the most solid foundation: which is a mighty work of wise disposal and contrivance, for the preservation of mankind; and though once, for the sins of the old world, these waters were appointed to break out, and so overwhelmed the whole earth, yet God hath firmly promised that they shall never do so again.  
3. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? and who shall stand in his holy place?  
But though all the whole Universe be his, and he effectually present in every the smallest corner thereof, yet in a more peculiar manner will he exhibit himself in Mount Sion, at the placing the ark of the Covenant in, it( that image of heaven itself, the special place of his residence) built on purpose for the adoring and worshipping, and performing service to him. And( as to heaven, so) to this, every one promiscuously is not meet to be admitted, nor can expect to partake of his blessing auspicious presence there;  
4. He that hath clean hands and a pure heart, who hath not 
taken his life to a falsity.  lift up his 
a.  soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.  
But only such as keep close to the commands of God, that preserve their minds, as well as their bodies, their inward thoughts and consents, as well as their external actions, from all forbidden unlawful objects; that never make use of perjurious deceitful means for the enriching themselves, or depriving others, but serve and worship God uprightly.  
5. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and 
b.  
or, mercy  righteousness from the God of his salvation.  
●uch, and none but such, shall be accepted, and ●ewarded by God, at their approach to his Sanctuary, when they pray unto him, and when they most want and depend upon his mercy. Though God( in Christ) be a Saviour to all sincere worshippers, and servants of his, none, 'tis sure, but such, shall have part in this salvation.  
6. This is the generation of them that seek him, 
of Jacob, or, the sons of Jacob that seek thy face.  that seek thy face, 
c.  O Jacob. Selah.  
These indeed are the men that may properly be said to pray to, and worship God; these are the true Israelites, that are meet to appear before the God of Israel, whose peculiar presence is exhibited in the ark of his Covenant, or that associate themselves and join with thee, O Jacob, in the worship of the one true God.  
7. 
d.  Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in.  
For the admission of this ark of the Lord to a place where it may long continue, the gates of the Fort of Sion are now to be set wide open, those strong invincible gates, as for the cheerful hospitable reception and entertainment of that great King, whose Palace it is.  
8. Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.  
And if any ask, what King this is; the answer is ready, That powerful omnipotent Lord, that hath wrought all Davids victories for him.  
9. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, even lift them up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in.  
10. Who is 
this the King {untranscribed Hebrew}  the King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.  
And let this be a solemnity to all Israel, as for the most glorious and welcome news, the placing the ark of Gods Covenant in the royal city, and so securing to us the presence of God himself, the God of all victory in war, to whom we may daily assemble and make our addresses, with confidence to be accepted and heard, and so be for ever happy, and joyful in his presence.( This primarily belonging to the bringing the ark into Sion, doth also literally belong to the ascension of Christ our Saviour into the highest heavens: and so the ancient Fathers frequently apply it.)  

Annotations on Psalm XXIV.  
V. 4. Lift up his soul] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to take, to lift up,( which is used in very many senses, according to the matter to which it belongs) doth sometimes signify to swear by, there is no question. Thus 'tis in the third Commandment, and generally, when it is the taking Gods name: for Gods name being God himself, the taking of that is the swearing by God; see note on Psal. xvi. c. And though applied to {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the soul, it frequently in the Psalmist signifies somewhat else, lifting it up in devotion, as it were a sacrifice to God; yet the consequents here belonging evidently to perjury, and among the forms of swearing, that by the soul or life being one,( {untranscribed Hebrew} Am. vi. 8. God hath sworn by his life or soul) therefore it is here most probable to be taken in that sense, especially having {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in vain] joined with it: which again makes it more parallel to that in the third Commandment, where by {untranscribed Hebrew}( saith our Saviour Mat. v.) perjury is denoted. The onely remaining difficulty is, how the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is to be rendered, my soul, or his own soul. The points direct to render it, my soul; and so the Interlinear reads animam meam, my soul, or life, as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew}, making God the speaker of this verse, and then it is, Gods life, or soul. But the text writing ו not י, and the context according with it, the punctation must in reason give place; and accordingly all the ancient interpreters appear to have red it {untranscribed Hebrew} his soul, by that meaning his own soul, or the soul of the swearer. And thus it may probably be. And yet it is as probable also, that the Lord being formerly more than once mentioned in this Psalm, the[ {untranscribed Hebrew} his soul, or life] may be the life of God, by whom oaths are wont to be conceived, and are then an acknowledgement of Gods vindicative power, which if it be invoked {untranscribed Hebrew} to a vain, i. e. a false thing, is a huge degree of profaneness; and so may here fitly be set to signify those, that are not meet to be admitted into Gods holy place, where he is to be honoured and worshipped.  
V. 5. righteousness] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  righteousness is oft taken for mercy, is frequently observed,( see note on Mat. 1. g. and Mat. vi. a.) and so 'tis most probably to be taken here, being explicative of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  blessing] going before, as {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew}( the two words for blessing) benefaction and benediction, are frequently used for works of mercy: and thus the LXXII. red it here, {untranscribed Hebrew},( and the latin, arabic, and Aethiopick in like manner) mercy from God his Saviour.  
V. 6. O Jacob] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Jacob is set to signify here, is uncertain. The LXXII. leaving out the affix of the former word {untranscribed Hebrew} thy face, and reading it onely {untranscribed Hebrew} the face,] for {untranscribed Hebrew} Jacob] red {untranscribed Hebrew} of the God of Jacob; and so the latin, and arabic, and Aethiopick: but the Syriack, thy face, O God of Jacob, as our english doth, making an unusual Ellipsis, which they supply with [ O God of.] But it may be more probable, that Jacob is here set( as oft it is) for the children or posterity of Jacob; as Israel the other name of Jacob, is, we know, very frequently used for the men or children of Israel, the Israelites: so the Jewish Arab here, of the family or posterity of Jacob: and then two rendrings the words will be capable of. For Jacob, i. e. the children of Jacob, will be a fit appellation for those that are diligent seekers of God, truly pious men, and so may be joined with them by apposition, or as the substantive, to which that participle is to be annexed in construction, though it be placed before it: so the Jewish Arab, which seek the light of thy countenance, of the family, &c. And to this the Chaldee may seem to have looked, who, without any paraphrase, to illustrate it, or supply any Ellipsis, set it just as the Hebrew do; onely in stead of [ thy face] they red {untranscribed Hebrew} the sight of his face. To this sense the learned Castellio reads it, thus expressly; Jacobaeorum qui sunt ejus praesentiae cupidi, the Jacobaeans or Israelites which are desirous of his presence, which love, and earnestly desire and frequent the assemblies where God hath promised to exhibit himself to those that worthily approach him. But there is also a second possible& not improbable rendering, to be fetched from the importance of the phrase [ seeking the face, 
{untranscribed Hebrew} ] which is no more than joining themselves to another. So Prov. vii. 15. Therefore came I out to meet thee diligently, to seek thy face, &c. 'tis the speech of the whore to the lover, and signifies no more then to get into his society, to join herself to him. Now the sons of Jacob being the only people that had the knowledge of God, and that were owned by him, and that should have liberty to enter into the Temple, the holy hill, the representation of heaven, and this privilege being communicable to Proselytes, that should come, and seek, and join themselves to them, and the Prophets oft foretelling, that thus the Nations should flow in to them,( which was most eminently fulfilled in the Gentiles receiving the faith, and so becoming the spiritual seed of Abraham, and Jacob, the true Israelites;) therefore this may very fitly be the rendering of the words, [ that seek thy face, O Jacob,] that come in, and are proselytes to Israel, join themselves to them, in the worship and lauding of God, and undertaking of his obedience: the seeking of Jacobs face, in this sense, being all one with being proselytes to their Jewish Religion, as the {untranscribed Hebrew} coming to God, Heb. xi. 6.( the periphrasis of a proselyte to Christ) is all one with {untranscribed Hebrew} seeking him diligently, in the latter part of that verse. This interpretation will be yet more commodious, if we suppose( see note d.) this Psalm sung by way of antiphona, one chorus answering tother. For then they to whom the answer is given, may fitly be meant by the other, in that phrase [ thy face, O Jacob;] as those that represented the whole people, and praised God in their name.  
V. 7. Lift up your heads] Where the Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew} lift up O gates your heads, the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, which may be construed, Ye Princes lift up your gates: so the latin render it, attollite portas principes vestras, and so the arabic and Aethiopick, and so Apollinarius, {untranscribed Hebrew}, Ye Rulers lift up your gates. But that rendering can have no accord with the Hebrew, which joins the affix {untranscribed Hebrew} yours to {untranscribed Hebrew} heads, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  not with {untranscribed Hebrew} gates. Tis therefore more probable, that the LXXII. set {untranscribed Hebrew}, your Princes, to render {untranscribed Hebrew} your heads, so inverting the Syntaxis, your heads, or Princes lift up the gates, for, ye gates lift up your heads. But this is a misrendring of theirs, and the Chaldee and Syriack red, ye gates lift up your heads: what that is, may next be considered. The gates are specified by the Chaldee to be {untranscribed Hebrew} the gates of the house of the Sanctuary, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  i. e. of Sion, whither the ark was to enter, and to be placed there. The ark, we know, is called {untranscribed Hebrew} the glory, 1 Sam. iv. 22. The glory is departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken. And God having promised to be present there, he is, as in other, so peculiarly in that respect, here called {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the King of glory, and he to come in, when the ark enters. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Now there be some hanging gates, the letting down of which is the shutting of them, and the lifting them up the opening of them. Such are those which we call Portcullis, of use for fortified places, such as Sion was, the strong hold of Sion, 2 Sam. v. 7. and so the gates of Sion lifting up their heads, is their being opened, for the ark to come into it. And this, we know, was done with solemnity, 2 Sam. vi. 12. with gladness, saith the text: and this Psalm was either made for that solemnity, or else for the commemorating of it. That these gates in the next words are called {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  eternal gates, the reason may be taken from the durableness of the matter whereof they were made, as strong holds have iron-gates, or the like. In this place it is not amiss to add of this Psalm, that being designed for so solemn an occasion, as that of the bringing the ark into Sion, or the commemorating thereof, it was probably sung by way of Antiphona, or response, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  or alternation. Thus it seems to be practised at the Encaenia, or dedication of the wall, Nehem. xii. the solemnity whereof was performed by drawing up the whole train of Attendants into two companies, or Processions. Then saith Nehemiah v. 31. I appointed {untranscribed Hebrew} two great companies, or chori {untranscribed Hebrew} and processions, saith the interlinear; we render it, from the vulgar, laudantium, of them that gave thanks; whereof one went on the right hand, and v. 38. the other company of them that gave thanks, went over against them: So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of the Lord, v. 40. This same usage, on solemn occasions, to divide into two chores,( though without respect to alternations) appeareth also more anciently,( before this of bringing the ark to Sion) from the performances on Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, Deut. xxvii. 12. where the quires were after this manner divided: Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin, to bless the people on the one; and Reuben, Gad, Dan, Asher, Zabulon, and Napthali, on the other, to curse; six on one side, and six on tother. And being thus found so long before and so long after this time, 'tis the less to be doubted, but it was practised now, at the bringing of the ark to Sion. To which purpose 'tis farther to be observed from Psal. Lxviii.( written for the removal of the ark, and beginning with the solemn form, Let God arise, &c. prescribed in the law for that occasion, Num. x. 36.) that the manner of this Procession is thus described, v. 24. They see thy goings, O God, the goings of my God and King in the Sanctuary. The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; amongst them were the Damsels playing upon the timbrels. One {untranscribed Hebrew} company, or chorus of vocal music went before the ark, the other of Instrumental of all kinds followed it. Whereon it follows, Bless ye the Lord in the congregations( in the plural, these two companies.) And then it cannot be improbable that, as Neh. xii. 40. [ So stood the two companies in the house of the Lord,] so here, at the entry of the ark into Sion, these two chori should be drawn up at the gates on each side of it; and so stand, and the first be supposed to begin with the three first verses of this Psalm, The earth is the Lords, &c. Who shall ascend, &c. to which the other answered in the three following, He that hath clean hands, &c. Then the first resuming their turn, in the seventh verse, Lift up your heads, &c. the other answered in part of the eighth, Who is the King of glory? then the former answering, The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle; The other resumes again, Lift up your heads, &c. And then the first asking the question, Who is, &c. the second concludes, The Lord of hosts, he is the King of Glory.    

The Twenty Fifth Psalm.  
A 
To, or, For David. {untranscribed Hebrew}  Psalm of David.  
The twenty fifth Psalm, composed by David in some time of distress, is a divine mixture of prayer for pardon of sin, and deliverance from evil, and also of meditation of Gods gracious dealings with his servants.  
1. Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.  
O Lord, I have none but thee to whom to address my prayers in times of distress; to thee therefore I come with the tribute of an humble heart, the offering of a devout soul: be thou pleased to accept it from me.  
2. O my God, I trust in thee, let me not be ashamed; let not mine enemies triumph over me.  
In thee; O my gracious God, do I repose all my confidence; O let me not be left destitute or forsaken by thee; let not my adversaries have occasion to rejoice and deride me, as one that have been disappointed, or frustrated in my dependences on thee.  
3. Yea let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed that 
deal perfidiously in vain.  transgress 
a.  without cause.  
Yea let all those that rely and depend on thee, be constantly owned by thee: let not any man that hath reposed his whole trust in thee, find himself disappointed: Let that be the fate of treacherous perfidious persons, those that rely on their own ungodly policies, let them miscarry and be disappointed of their hopes, and so appear ridiculous among men.( The only way that may most probably work reformation in them, Psal. Lxxxiii. 16.)  
4. show me thy ways, O Lord, teach me thy paths.  
O Lord, be thou pleased by thy special grace to direct me in the performance of all that may be acceptable in thy sight.  
5. led me in thy truth, and teach me; for thou art the God of my salvation: on thee do I wait all the day.  
Preserve me from all straying and wandring out of the right way. On thee I depend for this, and every minute look up to thee, for the directions and support of thy good spirit.  
6. Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy loving kindness; for they have been ever of old.  
Lord, thou hast always abounded to thy servants in compassion and bounty, relieved the distressed, and plentifully supplied all wants to those that have addressed their prayers to thee. Be thou pleased at this time thus in mercy to deal with me.  
7. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: According to thy mercy remember me, for thy goodness sake, O Lord.  
Lord, the sins of my younger daies are many, the breaches innumerable, wherewith I have ignorantly or foolishly, for want of knowledge or consideration, offended against thee: Lay them not I beseech thee, to my charge; but of thine own free mercy and compassion to a wretched sinner, be thou pleased to be reconciled to me, O Lord.  
8. Good and upright is the Lord; therefore will he teach sinners in the way.  
It is an act of the great purity and justice and rectitude of God, to direct and assist toward the ways of virtue, all those that are by error and weakness fallen away and departed from it, and timely to reduce them to good life.  
9. The meek will he guide in judgement, and the meek will he teach his way.  
Those that are truly humbled before him for their sins and failings, and devoutly address to him for pardon and grace, he will never fail to allow them his assistance and direction in the ways of virtue.  
10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as 
observe, take care of; see note on Psalm cxix. 2.  keep his Covenant and his testimonies.  
God will never fail either in mercy or fidelity any man, that walks diligently and industriously in obedience to him. The pardon and the grace that he hath promised to such, the pardon of all their frailties, and the donation of sufficient strength to support their weakness, shall never fail to be performed to them that remain thus faithful to him.  
11. For thy names sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great.  
I have many ways greatly sinned against thee, and have no ground of hope for mercy, but only from thy free abundant pardon, which, I know, exceedeth my sins, and for which I am the more abundantly qualified, by how much my state is more sadly miserable, without the interposition of this mercy. On that only account therefore of thy free pardon to the greatest, so they be truly penitent sinners, I beseech thee to be reconciled unto me, who unfeignedly repent and return to thee.  
12. What man is he that seareth the Lord? Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.  
Where the fear of God is planted truly in the heart, there God will not fail of his directions and illuminations, but will certainly afford him knowledge what will be acceptable in his fight.  
13. His soul shall 
abide in good, {untranscribed Hebrew}  dwell at ease, and his seed shall inherit the earth.  
And beside this, all the comforts of this life are his portion here, and his posterity have a greater assurance of prosperity entailed on them, than any other.  
14. 
The Counsel and Covenant of the Lord to them that fear him, is to make known or reveal to them.  The 
b.  secret of the Lord is among them that fear him, and he will show them his Covenant.  
It is part of the gracious decree and Covenant of God, strike in Christ with all those that truly fear and serve him, and endeavour sincerely to do what he commands, never to conceal from them the knowledge of his will so far as their practise is concerned in it.  
15. Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.  
What ever my favourits are, I shall not fail to wait and attend on thee confidently, assuring myself that thou in thy good time wilt deliver me out of them.  
16. turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me, for I am 
c.  desolate and afflicted.  
And now that I am in such a condition, I have no other motive to invite thy mercy, but my showing thee that I have need of it. All human aids failing me, 'tis now thy season to interpose for me.  
17. The 
pressures {untranscribed Hebrew}  Troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.  
My anxieties and destitutions daily increase: O be thou pleased to deliver me out of them.  
18. Look upon mine affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins.  
My sins, I know, they are, that have brought these punishments on me: be thou of thine own goodness pleased to pardon the one, and remove the other.  
19. Consider my enemies, for they are many; and they hate me with 
unjust {untranscribed Hebrew}  cruel hatred.  
My adversaries daily increase, and their hatred to me is perfectly causeless, let their power and my innocence move thee at length to chastise the one, and vindicate the other.  
20. O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in thee.  
Preserve and deliver me out of their hands: my confidence is wholly in thee, O let me not be disappointed in that hope.  
21. 
or perfectness and uprightness shall preserve—  Let 
d.  integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait on thee.  
Let my innocence be supported and defended by thee, for I have none else to depend upon. Or, thy mercy and thy fidelity shall secure me, as one that have no other hold, and therefore wholly depend and rely on thee, that as thou hast promised thou wilt perform for me.  
22. Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.  
And in thy good time deliver all those that rely on thee, from all the difficulties that encumber them.  

Annotations on Psalm XXV.  
V. 3. Without a cause] {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies any falseness, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  perfidiousness, violation of oath or league; and not simply any kind of transgression, but those of lying, or falseness. The onely difficulty is, what is meant by {untranscribed Hebrew}, that is joined with it, an adverb from {untranscribed Hebrew} inanis or vacuus, vain, empty, or voided. It is by the LXXII. rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, by the latin supervacuè, in vain, or to no purpose; and it ordinarily belongs to those that do any thing, and receive no reward or advantage by it. So Gen. xxxi. 42. Surely thou hadst sent me away {untranscribed Hebrew}, we render it empty, the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew}, that is, without any reward for all my labour. So Exod. xxiii. 15. thou shalt not appear before me( i. e. before God) {untranscribed Hebrew} empty, without some present to offer him. So 1 Sam. v. 3. if ye sand the Ark, sand it not empty, i. e. without some presents to accompany it. And thus it seems to signify here, being applied to the false persidious persons, that had violated their faith to David. Those, if they were frustrated in their mischievous designs, if they prospered not, should be perfidious without any reward, and so be put to shane, rendered ridiculous thereby, as those that are disappointed of their expectations: and so that is the meaning of the phrase.  
V. 14. The secret] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the secret, is by the Lxxii. rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, by the latin firmamentum, the firmament or foundation, by the arabic the strength; all either reading {untranscribed Hebrew} a foundation, or else supposing {untranscribed Hebrew}, which is a primitive, to be derived from {untranscribed Hebrew} fundavit. But the Chaldee reads it in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} the secret; which signifying a thought also, or counsel, or consultation, the Syriack red it to no ill sense, The thought of the Lord is of them that fear him, as thought signifies care, or consultation, and solicitude for or about any thing, and so the thought of God, his careful providing all that is wanting for them. In the notion of a counsel or consultation we have it, Gen. xLix. 6. My soul come not {untranscribed Hebrew} into their secret, i. e. into the consultations of those brethren in iniquity. And either this notion, or that for a secret, may most fitly be retaind in this place. If it be the secret, then 'twill be answerable to the showing or revealing, that follows in the end of the verse, {untranscribed Hebrew}, which is thus literally to be rendered; and his Covenant( is) to declare( viz. his secrets) to them. So the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, and his Covenant of declaring, or, to declare to them; and the latin, & testamentum ejus ut manifesteturiis, and his Testament or Covenant is, that it, i. e. the secret preceding, be revealed to them, i. e. it is part of Gods Covenant with his faithful, to reveal his will to them, and not to keep it secret, so that they may know it, and practise it, which without knowing they cannot do. See Deut. xxx. 11. And to this sense the Aethiopick paraphrase it his law shall teach them. And this is no incommodious sense of these words. But then considering that this of the Psalms is a Poetical writing, in which trajections are not unusual or strange, it may, I suppose, yet be more probable, that there should be place here for such an easy trajection, as we observed Psal. ii. 11. and so the whole verse lye in construction thus {untranscribed Hebrew} 'tis the counsel( or secret) of the Lord, and his Covenant to them that fear him, {untranscribed Hebrew} ad notificandum iis, to declare to them, or reveal, or let them know, i. e. to reveal his will unto them, viz. that part of his will, which is so oft mentioned in this Psalm, v. 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12. and that which alone is useful for us to know, his will, or Commandments, wherein we are to walk, if ever we hope to be accepted by him. And this I suppose to be the fullest and clearest rendering of these words, which must be acknowledged to have some obscurity in them.  
V. 16. Desolate] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  unus one,] oft used for unigenitus, an onely son, doth also signify a solitary and desolate person; so Psal. Lxviii. 6. God setteth {untranscribed Hebrew} the solitary in families, i. e. gives them children that had none. So Psal. xxii. 20. deliver my soul from the sword, {untranscribed Hebrew} my onely one, i. e. my soul, which is now lest destitute, from the power of the dog. And so here, as must be concluded from {untranscribed Hebrew} and afflicted] which is added to it. Yet have the Lxxii. rendered it in the other signification, {untranscribed Hebrew}, only-begotten; and so the arabic, onely son: But the latin more to the letter, unicus& pauper sum ego, I am alone and poor.  
V. 21. Integrity] For {untranscribed Hebrew} integrity and uprightness, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the abstract and singular, the Lxxii. red in the concrete and the plural, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the innocent and right: and then {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to keep or preserve, is by them rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} stuck or adhered to me, as if it were from {untranscribed Hebrew} colligavit, to be bound up in league with any. But the Chaldee render it clearly, Perfectness and uprightness shall preserve me. And thus also 'tis capable of two sences; one in relation to himself, the other to God. If it refer to David himself, then {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  will best be rendered simplicity, that ingredient in Jacobs character, as that is somewhat inferior to goodness, which v. 8. is joined with uprightness, and both spoken of God, besides whom none is good in that sense, as Christ saith. But it may not unfitly refer to God, and then it will signify perfectness in the highest degree: and as that denotes the greatest goodness and mercy, as when Christ saith, be you perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect, Mat. v. 48. 'tis Luk. vi. 36. be ye merciful, as your heavenly Father is merciful; and then as Psal. xxiii. 6. we have, Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life, referring questionless to Gods goodness, &c. so here it may well be, Perfectness and uprightness, i. e. Gods perfectness and uprightness, his mercy in promising, his fidelity in performing, shall preserve me.    

The Twenty Sixth Psalm.  
A Psalm of David.  
The Twenty sixth Psalm was composed by David, as an appeal to God to vindicate his integrity, and deliver him from his enemies.  
1. 
pled for, or defend me. {untranscribed Hebrew}  Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in mine integrity: 
and in the Lord I have trusted, I will not be shaken.  I have trusted also in the Lord, therefore I shall 
a.  not slide.  
To thee, O Lord, I appeal for patronage and relief; and to qualify myself for so great a dignity, am able only to say this for myself, 1. that I have not injured them that invade me, nor by any other wilful prevarication from my duty forfeited thy protection; 2. that I have constantly and immutably reposed my full trust and dependence on thee my onely helper.  
2. Examine me, O Lord, and prove me: 
b.  try my reins and my heart.  
For these two I humbly offer myself to thy divine most exact inspection, and examination, even of my most inward thoughts; and if thou seest good, to thy casting me even into the furnace of affliction, for the approving my sincerity herein.  
3. For thy loving-kindness is before mine eyes, and I have walked in thy truth.  
What ever thy trials are, this thou wilt certainly find, that I have never failed to meditate on, delight in, and repose all my trust in thy mercies, and that I have sincerely performed obedience to all thy commandments.  
4. I have not sat with 
false {untranscribed Hebrew}  vain persons, neither 
gone in( see note d.) with flagitious men.  will I go in with 
c.  dissemblers.  
My conversation hath not been tainted with the evil examples of the world; I have not been guilty either of falseness or treachery or any manner of base unworthy dealing.  
5. I have hated the congregation of evil doers, and 
have not sat; set note d.  will not sit with the wicked.  
On the contrary, I have detested and abhorred all assemblies of those that design such things, and constantly eschewed entering into any of their consultations.  
6. I 
have washed  
d.  will wash mine hands in innocency; 
and compassed.  so will I compass thine altar, O Lord.  
I have endeavoured daily so to preserve my thoughts and actions from all impurity, that I might be duly qualified to offer my oblations to thee, with confidence to be accepted of thee:  
7. That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.  
To proclaim to all men, in the solemnest manner, thy abundant rich mercies to those that keep close to thee.  
8. Lord, I have loved the 
e.  habitation of thy house, and the place 
of the tabernacle of thy glory.  where thine honour dwelleth.  
O what a pleasure hath it always been to me to come, and offer up my prayers before the Ark, the place where thou art graciously pleased to presentiate and exhibit thyself?  
9. 
Unite not {untranscribed Hebrew}  Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:  
This I hope may be ground of assurance to me, that thou writ not deal with me as with wicked and bloody men, that thou wilt not permit me to fall under their fate, to 
{untranscribed Hebrew} Lxxii.  perish as they do;  
10. In whose hand is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.  
Who design, and consult, and contrive nothing but injustice, and spare no liberalities that may be useful toward that end.  
11. But as for me, 
I have walked, so the Syriack and Lxxii. and Lat. see note d.  I will walk in mine integrity. Redeem me, and be merciful unto me.  
Out of such mens power and malice be thou pleased to rescue me, who have never yet forfeited mine integrity.  
12. My foot standeth 
f.  
or in the plain or court.  in an even place; in the congregation will I bless the Lord.  
I am constant and steady in my adherence and reliance on thee: thou, I know wilt support me, and I will make my most solemn acknowledgements of it to thee. Or, And now what have I to do, but to offer sacrifice to thee, and bless and praise thee for ever in the public assembly?  

Annotations on Psalm XXVI.  
V. 1. Slide] The only difficulty in this verse is, in what sense {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is to be taken. The verb {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies to trip, to totter, to be shaken, or moved, to be ready to fall, inconstant, or not able to stand. And it may be applied either to the subject matter of his hope, that he shall not be cast down by his enemies, forsaken by God,( and that look't on as a reward of his hope;) and so our English understands it, and accordingly infers it with the illative, therefore: Or else it may be applied to the hope itself, or David hoping; and then it signifies the constancy of his unshaken hope; that however God deal with David, he will immutably trust in him. And thus I suppose it is to be understood here, if the words be simply red, as they are in the original, thus, Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in mine integrity, {untranscribed Hebrew} and in the Lord I have trusted, {untranscribed Hebrew} I will not be shaken. Where in his appeal to God he proposeth two things to his trial( examine me— v. 2.) 1. whether he have not continued upright before him; 2. whether he have not, and do not still constantly continue to adhere and depend on him for his protection: which being the two things to qualify a man for God: audience and acceptance,( sincerity of obedience to, and of trust in God) he may now cheerfully appeal to him, and adventure himself to his divine examination. And thus all the ancient Interpreters seem to have understood it, none of them interposing the [ therefore,] or varying from the simplo reading, as our English doth; but, on the contrary, the arabic interpreting {untranscribed Hebrew} by fearing,( which is the shaking of his hope) I have trusted in the Lord, and will not fear,] have confined it to this sense; and so the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, and trusting in the Lord I will not be shaken, or as other copies red, {untranscribed Hebrew} grow weak: the latin in like manner,( and the Aethiopick) & in Domino sperans non infirmabor, and hoping in the Lord I will not be weakened, i. e. I do hope, and will continue firm in so doing. To this the learned Castellio hath expressed his sense, Patrocinare, Jehova, qui me innocenter gero, immotam in Jehova fiduciam habens, O Lord take my part, who behave myself innocently, having an unmoved trust in the Lord. And considering that it is here his request to God to take his part, that which follows in the rest of the period, must in reason be the recital of the qualifications necessary required to the hearing of this prayer, rather than the inferring or concluding that God will take his part, i. e. that his prayer shall be heard. And this also appears by v. 3. where, having offered himself to Gods examination, v. 2. for the truth of what he had here pretended, he specifies expressly or instances in these two things;( only by way of {untranscribed Hebrew}, frequent in sacred style, the latter is mentioned first) For thy loving kindness is before mine eyes,( there is his unmoved hope) and I have walked in thy truth,( there is his integrity.)  
V. 2. Try] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies originally so to try, as the metallist doth his gold, by dissolving and melting it. So Psal. Lxvi. 10. thou hast tried me as silver is tried; where the Targum {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast melted us as the goldsmith melts his silver. So Isa. xLvii. 10. {untranscribed Hebrew} I have melted thee— I have tried thee in the crucible of affliction. And thus the LXXII. renders it here, {untranscribed Hebrew} set on fire; the latin, Ure, burn; and the arabic, make to burn. And thus it specially belongs to afflictions, by which, as by fire, such trials are made.  
V. 4. Dissemblers] From {untranscribed Hebrew} hiding himself, is {untranscribed Hebrew} here, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which therefore literally signifies those that hid themselves; which because all wicked men desire to do, their actions averting and hating the light, therefore the Lxxii. here render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin iniqua gerentes, wicked doers, the arabic, breakers of the law: and so in sense it is to be rendered, but literally the secret dealers; the greatest wickednesses being those that are most secretly contrived: and accordingly the Chaldee so paraphraseth it, they that hid themselves that they may do ill.  
V. 6. I will wash] That the future tense in Hebrew is frequently taken in the preter tense, is known to all. Here the context requires it to be so, both in v. 5. and 6. being all but an explication, or recital at large of what had been said v. 1. viz. that he had walked in integrity. And therefore as it is v. 3. I have walked in thy truth, and v. 4. I have not sat, and v. 5. I have hated; so in all reason must the futures be rendered in the latter part of those verses, 4. and 5. I have not, 
{untranscribed Hebrew} ( not I will not) go, and sit. And then by consequence so it must be in this v. 6. I have( not, will, for the future) washed my hands in innocency, and so compassed— Now for the phrase, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  washing hands in innocency, the Lxxii. render it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, i. e. literally, among the guiltless; and so the latin render it, inter innocents, among the innocent. But this sure signifies no more than the ordinary reading of the Hebrew imports, to wash the hands in token of innocence. This we know was common among the Jews( from Deut. xxi. 6.) in any solemn business of protesting innocency, to wash the hands, as a token of it; and so Pilate did Matth. xxvii. But it particularly belonged as a ceremony preparative to praying; for unless we come pure to that work, there is no hope to be heard. If I incline to wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear, saith David: and, surely the Lord heareth not sinners, saith the man in the Gospel that was born blind: and Isa. 1. when you make long prayers, I will not hear, your hands are full of blood; wash you, make you clean: 'twas therefore a common usage among all the Jews, always to wash before prayers. So saith Aristeas in his History of the Lxxii. 
p. 890. D.  {untranscribed Hebrew}, It is the custom for all the Jews to wash their hands, as oft as they pray to God: whence the Apostle takes that phrase of lifting up holy hands, 1 Tim. ii. 8.( see note b. on that chapter) So in the Yad Tephillah c. 4.§. 2. The hands are to be washed before prayers. To this belongs the rule of the Jews, that every one should wash, as soon as he rises in the morning, thereby to prepare himself for the reading of the Shemaah, and praying; not accounting him {untranscribed Hebrew} pure or clean, before he hath washed his hands in water: and this in imitation of the Priests ministering in the Sanctuary, who were not to perform any sacred office till they had poured water out of the Laver,( that was set in the Temple to that purpose,) and washed their hands in it. In place of which offices of the Priest, is, say they, the reading of the Shemaah in the morning, and at other times, which belongs to all, and must be prepared for by washing. See Mr. Pococks Miscell. c. 9. 
p. 388.  This then being premised, the only difficulty remaining is, what is meant by encompassing the Altar; 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  this referring, no doubt, to the Priests officiating or sacrificing, at which time he was wont to go about the Altar,( as it here follows in the next verse) publishing and telling of all his wondrous works,( in order to which going about the Altar was adapted) praising of God, or praying to him. In reference to this custom of the Priests going about the Altar, it is, that the Lxxii. Psal. xxvii. 6. have these words, {untranscribed Hebrew}, I compassed and sacrificed in his Tabernacle a sacrifice of shouting; and the arabic reads {untranscribed Hebrew} to walk about, to perambulate, rendered by the latin lustravi, so compassing, as in a lustration. The truth is, the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in that place signifies round about me, and so is most rightly rendered by the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew}( they seem rather to have red it {untranscribed Hebrew}) I compassed: Yet is that mis-rendering of theirs founded in this custom of the Priests going round the Altar, in time of his oblation: And then it being this custom of the Priests washing before his officiating, from whence came the custom of the peoples washing before prayers, the whole verse must thus be understood with reference to the Priests practise, who first washed his hands, and then offered sacrifice, and in offering encompassed the Altar. In proportion whereto David willing to express his coming with a pure heart to pray to God, doth it by this similitude of a Priest, that as a Priest washes his hands, and then offers oblation, so had he constantly joined purity and devotion together; which still belong to the two things mentioned v. 1. and again v. 3. as the qualifications to fit him for Gods patronage. The washing hands in innocency being perfectly all one with walking innocently v. 1. walking in thy truth v. 3. as his compassing Gods Altar, i. e. offering up his prayers in a pious hope and reliance on God, is equivalent with trusting in him v. 1. and having Gods loving-kindness before his eyes, v. 3. And so still the decorum is observed throughout the Psalm, and concludes it again, But as for me, I will walk innocently, v. 11.( there is the former) My foot standeth in an even place, v. 12. and so steady, firm, to signify the stability of his hope,( there is the latter.)  
V. 8. Habitation] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  habitation, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to dwell, is here by the Lxxii. rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} comeliness, misreading it, as some think, {untranscribed Hebrew}, by inverting the letters. In another place they render it {untranscribed Hebrew} a cloud, Zach. ii. 13. as if it had been {untranscribed Hebrew} that so signifies. But 2 Sam. ii. 29. they render it {untranscribed Hebrew} eye, as if it were from {untranscribed Hebrew} oculus. And so probably they took it here, the eye signifying also the aspect, wherein consists the {untranscribed Hebrew} or comeliness of any living thing. The Syriack here render {untranscribed Hebrew} ministry; but the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} habitation. The only question can be, whether by habitation of thy house] be meant Davids inhabiting Gods house, as Psal. xxvii. 4. One thing have I desired, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord; or Gods inhabiting it himself. And the latter seems most agreeable, so as the the habitation of thy house, be the house which thou inhabitest, or {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  by apposition, thy habitation-house, as we use in English a mansion-house, i. e. a place for daily habitation, such as the Temple or Tabernacle was to God, having promised to be continually present there. Answerable to which is the latter phrase in the verse, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  {untranscribed Hebrew} the place of the Tabernacle of thy glory; so 'tis literally to be rendered( {untranscribed Hebrew} Tabernacle, from {untranscribed Hebrew} habitavit) and so the Chaldee reads, and so the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, the place of the Tabernacle of thy glory, by glory, as formerly, meaning the Ark which was placed in the Tabernacle.  
V. 12. In an even place] From {untranscribed Hebrew} rectus, aequus, planus fuit, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is {untranscribed Hebrew} planicies, a plain or valley. So Deut. iii. all the cities {untranscribed Hebrew} of the plain, and the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew}. And then 'tis not improbable, the word may here be used for the area, or atrium, the court where the Altar stood, and so bear some analogy with the mention of the Altar v. 6. the habitation of thy house, &c. v. 8. and with the congregation where God is praised, in the end of this verse.    

The Twenty Seventh Psalm.  
A Psalm of David.  
The Twenty Seventh Psalm was composed by David in time of his distress; wherein placing all his trust and confidence in God, he especially expresseth his desire of returning to the participation of Gods public service.  
1. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?  
Whatsoever my distresses are, I have a God of might, who will deliver me out of this dark and forlorn condition, will preserve me safe from all the malice of my enemies. It were then great folly in me, to betray any the least fear, or apprehension of the dangers that encompass me.  
2. When the wicked, even mine enemies, and my foes 
came near upon me, {untranscribed Hebrew}  came upon me to eat up my flesh, they 
a.  
or, shall stumble and fall.  stumbled and fell.  
When ungodly men make their approaches against me, very bloodily resolved to devour and destroy me utterly, then will God certainly interpose his hand, to discomfit and disappoint my sorest enemies, and rescue me out of their hands: for thus he hitherto hath done in my greatest dangers.  
3. 
If an host encamp, {untranscribed Hebrew}—  Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: 
If war rise— {untranscribed Hebrew}—  though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.  
Whatsoever the danger be, whether by close siege, or by pitched battle, yet have I still my reliance firm, in confidence of Gods assistance and relief, and that will keep all fear from me.  
4. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that I will seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life, to behold the 
sweetness {untranscribed Hebrew} so the Chald. and sir. but the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Lat. voluptatem, pleasantness.  beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his Temple.  
There is but one thing that I am much solicitous for, or importunate in my prayers, viz.( not that I be settled in my regal throne, which he 
The Lxxii. in the title of the Psalm add {untranscribed Hebrew}, before he was anointed.  seems not yet to be, but) that I may have that benefit of peace to partake of Gods public service in the assembly, and never to be taken off from it, to enjoy that sweetness and transcendent pleasure and delight of conversing daily and frequently with God, and receiving counsel and directions from him in all my doubts. The being but for a time deprived of this felicity is indeed matter of some sadness to me, from which I daily pray to be released. But besides this, I have nothing else to complain of in my present distresses.  
5. For in the time of trouble he shall hid me in his pavilion; in the secret of his Tabernacle shall he hid me, he shall set me up upon a rock.  
Were I but returned to the Sanctuary, I should look upon it, and make use of it as of a refuge of perfect safety, to which in any difficulty I might confidently resort, and be secured by God, as in a tower or fortress.  
6. And now shall my head be listed up above mine enemies 
see Psal. xxvi. note d.  round about me: therefore will I offer in his Tabernacle sacrifices 
b.  of 
jubilation  joy; I will sing, yea I will sing praises unto the Lord.  
And as now it is, though I am at present withheld from that felicity, yet have I confidence that my prayers shal be heard, that I shall be delivered from mine enemies power, and exalted above them all, and afforded all matter of joy and Sacrifices, when I do come to Sion, and abundant thanksgivings unto God.  
7. Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice; have mercy also upon me, and answer me.  
And therefore with this confidence I now offer up my prayers to thee, O Lord, for mercy and compassion, and gracious returns to all my wants.  
8. 
To thee said my heart, seek ye my face: Thy—  When thou saidst, Seek ye my face, 
c.  my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.  
Whatsoever supply I lack, my heart directs me whither to apply myself, by resounding in my ears those gracious words of thine[ seek ye my face,] calling all, that want any thing, to ask it of thee. To thee therefore I make my address with thine own words of invitation in my mouth,[ Thy face, O Lord, will I seek] making all my application to thee, and to none other.  
9. hid not thy face 
from me {untranscribed Hebrew}  far from me, put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.  
Lord, vouchsafe me thy wonted presence and favourable aspect, withdraw all expressions of thy displeasure. Thy former continued reliefs have engaged me to hope for deliverance from none but thee: O do not thou leave me, for then I shall be utterly destitute.  
10. 
for my— {untranscribed Hebrew}  When my father and my mother forsake me, 
and the— ו  then the Lord will take me up.  
It is one of thy wonderful works of mercy, to provide for those whose parents have exposed and left them helpless,( the young Ravens, Psalm cxlvii. 9.) And the like I trust thou wilt do for me, though all human aids should utterly fail me.  
11. Teach me thy way, O Lord, and led me in a plain way, because of mine enemies.  
Lord, do thou instruct and direct me what course I shall take, that mine enemies may have no advantage against me, but that I may escape safe out of their hands.  
12. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies; for false witnesses are risen up against me, and 
d.  such as breath out 
injury, rapine.  cruelty.  
Permit me not to fall into their power; for as they have begun with slander and calumny, so will they end, if thou do not divert or withhold them, in injustice and rapine.  
13. 
e.  
Unless I had believed—  I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  
Had I not had a full confidence that I should by Gods great mercy be supported in my distress, and restored to those enjoyments of rest and peace, which God had faithfully promised me.( Here the Psalmist abruptly but elegantly breaks off the speech.)  
14. 
Expect {untranscribed Hebrew}  wait on the Lord; be of good courage, 
f.  and he shall strengthen thy heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.  
O my soul, do thou patiently expect Gods leisure; be not discouraged with thy present evils, but arm thyself with constancy and fortitude, and never doubt of Gods seasonable reliefs.  

Annotations on Psalm XXVII.  
V. 2. Stumbled] Though {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and {untranscribed Hebrew} be in the Praeter tense, yet 'tis usual in prophetic writings, that these should be taken in the future tense, when the context inclines that way. And so here it doth, being a profession of his confidence in God, that he will deliver him out of his present distresses; as both the antecedents v. 1. and consequents v. 3. make evident. And accordingly it is most probable that here thus it should be, v. 2. and so the Jewish Arab reads, they shall stumble, and fall; and so the learned Castellio renders it, si invadant— offensuri sunt atque casuri, If they invade me, they shall stumble and fall. Though it be also possible, that it may reflect upon his past experiences of Gods mercies, as pledges of his future, and then it may retain the preter tense. And therefore I deemed it safest to take that in also in the Paraphrase.  
V. 6. Joy] {untranscribed Hebrew} sacrifices of jubilation, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  are those of the solemn feasts, attended not onely with the harmony and music of the Levites, but the Hosannahs and acclamations of the people. Hence Jeremy compares the military clamours of the victorious Chaldeans in the Temple, to those that were formerly made there in the day of a solemn feast, Lam. ii. 7. They have made a noise in the house of the Lord, as in a day of a solemn feast. And this is that {untranscribed Hebrew} or joyful sound, which they that hear, are by David pronounced blessed, Psal. Lxxxix. 15. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound.  
V. 8. My heart] For the meaning of this v. 8. little help will be had from the ancient interpreters. The Syriack leave out a part of it unrendred, and have only thus much, My heart saith unto thee, and my face shall seek thy countenance. The Lxxii.( and after them the latin, arabic, and Aethiopick,) instead of Seek ye my face,] red, I have sought thy face;] {untranscribed Hebrew}, My heart said to thee, I have sought thy face; thy face, Lord, will I seek: and other copies with some change, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. My heart hath said to thee, I will seek the Lord; my face hath sought thee, thy face, Lord, will I seek. But the Chaldee keeps close to the Hebrew, only for [ seek ye] reads in the singular seek thou. The full meaning of it will easily be gathered, by reflecting on Gods mercy and kindness unto men, ready to defend them, if they will but call to him for his help. This is contained in this supposed speech or command of Gods,[ {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  seek ye my face,] thereby inviting all to address their prayers to him. This gracious speech of Gods, David here meditates upon, and on it founds his confidence, and in his addresses to heaven first minds God of this his command, or invitation, or encouragement to all, to seek to him,( that is the meaning of [ My soul said to thee, seek ye my face] laying a foundation of claim in Gods own words;) and then he makes use of this privilege immediately, answers the invitation in the very words wherein 'twas made, [ Thy face, Lord, will I seek.] This Castellio hath paraphrastically expressed, sic animo cogito, velle te tuum quaeri conspectum; tuum conspectum, Jova, quaero. I thus think in my mind, that thou wouldest have thy face sought: Thy face, Lord, I seek. The Jewish-Arab hath here another construction, making {untranscribed Hebrew} my face, to govern, and not be governed by the verb, thus; My heart said of thee, O my face, seek him( because saith he, the other members are at the command of the heart, to do what that bids) therefore will I seek the light of thy countenance, O Lord.  
V. 12. Such as breath cruelty] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  breathers or speakers of injury or rapine,( {untranscribed Hebrew} signifying injury or rapine, and {untranscribed Hebrew} to breath or speak) the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} iniquity hath lied to, or against itself, and the latin and Aethiopick( and in effect the arabic) follow them. How they came thus to vary from the original, is not easy to resolve: what is most probable may be briefly noted. near unto {untranscribed Hebrew} to breath or speak is {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} laqueus( from whence is the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew}) a snare. One of these the Lxxii. may have mistaken for the other. So the learned 
Pentagl. p. 1426. c.  Schindler supposeth them to have done, Isa. xLii. 22. {untranscribed Hebrew} which he renders, all the young men have been puffed at,( {untranscribed Hebrew} in the infinitive to be rendered in the preter tense.) To this the Chaldee paraphrase seems to accord, {untranscribed Hebrew} were covered with shane or confusion: but the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, a snare in their recesses: where as they render {untranscribed Hebrew}, from {untranscribed Hebrew} a secret chamber, frequently rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, so they took {untranscribed Hebrew} as from {untranscribed Hebrew} and accordingly rendered it {untranscribed Hebrew} the snare. And herein the sense favours them there, and our translation hath followed them. And if as there, so here, they deduced {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} a snare, then taking {untranscribed Hebrew} for iniquity in the nominative case, they might thus( by periphrasis) express its being ensnared, by its lying against itself.  
V. 13. I had fainted] In the Hebrew there is an aposiopesis, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}.  a figure of elegance, purposely breaking off in the midst of the speech; yet so as every man can foresee what kind of conclusion should follow, if he did not purposely divert to the contrary. As Neptune in Virgil, Hos ego— the beginning of a threat, but then artificially breaking off into an exhortation to prevent it,— said motos praestat componere fluctus, but 'tis your best way to quiet the waves: so here, {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  except, or unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living— The LXXII. render it {untranscribed Hebrew} I believe to see( and so the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} I believed that I should see, and so the latin &c.) not at all rendering {untranscribed Hebrew} unless, nor taking notice of the figure, or manner of speech, the abrupt breaking off in the midst. But the Chaldee reads just as the Hebrew doth, and thinks not fit to supply what is wanting, but leaves it in suspense. And so sure that is the fullest way of rendering it, that so the figure may be discernible; which consisting wholly in the breaking off, or concealing somewhat, is lost, if the sense be made perfect by addition of any other words. The only difficulty is, what is here meant by {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the land of lives, or of the living. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  And the answer will be brief, that though the phrase may very fitly denote( where the context requires it) the future age, whether as that denotes the age of the messiah, or the life eternal after the end of this; and though there is no cause of doubt, but that David believed both these; yet it being the matter of the whole Psalm to express his confidence, that God would not now leave him in his present distress, but deliver him out of his enemies hands, and return him home in safety and peace; in all reason that is to be deemed the meaning of it here also, as the land of the living oft signifies a prosperous life in this world, but this not excluding, but including also his hopes of the other, which much added to his support also.  
V. 14. Shall strengthen] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is literally to be rendered, he shall strengthen, and may so be applied to God by way of promise, that he shall strengthen his heart that waits on him. But yet it is also to be remembered, that the Hebrews do oft use to confounded conjugations, and use the active in the third person, to denote the passive in some other person: Thou fool, this night shall they take thy soul from thee, i. e. thy soul shall be taken away: So 2 Sam. xxiv. 1. And he moved David, i. e. David was moved( see examples in note on Luk. xvi. b.) and then so it may well be here, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart, i. e.( to continue the construction with the antecedents and consequents) let thy heart be strengthened,( all the imperative) wait on, or expect the Lord. And thus all the ancient Interpreters render it: {untranscribed Hebrew} strengthen thy heart, say the Chaldee; {untranscribed Hebrew}, let your heart be strengthened, say the LXXII. and so the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} and latin, & confortetur, and the arabic so also( only reading it, my heart, instead of your, reading the whole verse accordingly, I hope—) So Psal. xxxi. 24. and thus in both places the Jewish-Arabick Translator renders it.    

The Twenty Eighth psalm.  
A Psalm of David.  
The Twenty Eighth Psalm was composed by David in time of his distress, and is a fiducial prayer for deliverance.  
1. Unto thee will I cry, O Lord, my rock: be not 
or, deaf {untranscribed Hebrew}  silent to me; 
a.  lest 
thou be silent, and I be likened.  if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.  
O Lord, I have no strength or power to defend myself, but that which wholly descends from thee. To thee therefore I make my humble and most importunate address: be thou pleased to hear and answer it graciously; lest, whilst I call to thee, and am neglected by thee, my enemies begin to insult, and account of me, as of a destitute lost person.  
2. Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy 
b.  oracle.  
Lord, answer my petitions, which ardently and solemnly I address unto thee, and so, as thou hast promised graciously to answer them.  
3. 
Se●se not on me.  
c. . Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity; which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.  
And let not me be handled in that manner, as wicked unjust oppressors, and treacherous designers are wont to be handled, perishing in their injurious attempts.  
4. Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours; give them after the work of their hands, render to them their 
rendering.  
d.  desert.  
5. Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.  
For them, it is most just that they should be dealt with as they have dealt, that the same measure that they have meted to others should be meted to them again. That as they have not headed God, and his actions, and works of providence, but lived in opposition to all his precepts; so he, instead of prospering them as they expect, should remarkably blast all their attempts, and at length utterly destroy them( see note on Psal. x.l.)( But thus sure thou wilt not deal with me, who have kept close to thee in all my undertakings, have dealt uprightly with all, and attempted nothing but what I have thy warrant for.)  
6. Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.  
On which grounds I come confidently to thee with my request, and am so assured of thy hearing and answering it graciously, that I have nothing to do, but to aclowledge and magnify thy mercies, as if they were already poured down upon me, saying,  
7. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth, and 
e.  with my song will I praise him.  
The Lord of heaven is my only fortification and defence. I placed my full trust in him, and never made applications to any other aids, that human wisdom might suggest, and I am assured I shall reap the fruit thereof, assistance and deliverance in due season; and therefore I am transported with joy, and cannot choose but triumph, and exult, and make and sing hymns for the acknowledging of his mercy.  
8. The Lord is their strength, and he is the 
fortress. of deliveraces.  
f.  saving strength of his anointed.  
Those that adhere to God shall certainly be protected by him: he will never fail to come seasonably to the rescue of him, whom he hath by his own appointment advanced to the kingdom.  
9. Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.  
O be thou now pleased to stretch forth thy hand, to rescue thy faithful servants whom thou hast chosen for thyself, to be owned by thee in a peculiar manner: be thou their pastor to take care of them, as of thy flock, and for ever to support them, and raise them up, when they are fallen.  

Annotations on Psalm XXVIII.  
V. 1. Lest if thou] The Hebrew idiom is here observable. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  The words are literally thus, {untranscribed Hebrew} Lest thou be silent, or, hold thy peace from me,( from {untranscribed Hebrew} siluit) {untranscribed Hebrew}( from {untranscribed Hebrew} to speak by parable.) Yet here the adverb {untranscribed Hebrew} hath no influence on that which immediately follows, for thus the sense bears not, [ be not silent, lest thou be silent;] but on that only which is farther off [ lest I be likened—] that in the midst being only taken in, in passage to the latter, and is best rendered in sense, lest thou being silent, or lest whilst thou art silent, I be likened.( This idiom frequently occurs in the sacred writings, and will be useful to be remembered from hence.) The Lxxii. render it literally, as it lies in the Hebrew, {untranscribed Hebrew} {untranscribed Hebrew}, lest thou be silent to me, and I be likened; and so the latin and Syriack also, and so it must be rendered; the other by[ if, or, whilst] being the paraphrase, and not the version, and so used only by the Chaldee, which professeth paraphrasing.  
V. 2. Oracle] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to speak is {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  used for the place wherein the ark was, the holy of holies in the Temple, and so proportionably in the Tabernacle, before the Temple was built: so styled not only from the Decalogue, or ten {untranscribed Hebrew} words, which were put into the ark; but specially because from the midst of the Cherubim, God was wont to give answer to the Priest, when he enquired of ought, and so to speak there. From this use of it 'tis ordinarily styled the oracle, 1 Kin. vi. 5. 16, 19, 20, 22, 30. and viii. 6, 8. in all which the LXXII. retain the Hebrew word, and render it {untranscribed Hebrew}: and so 2 Chron. iii. 15. and iv. 20. and v. 6, 8. onely here they render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, not as the latin takes it in the notion of Templum, but as {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  may best be rendered the Tabernacle,( of the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} see note on Act. xix. e.) or Sanctuary, a part of that, as in the Christian Church {untranscribed Hebrew} is but a part of the {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew},( by which words {untranscribed Hebrew} the whole Church or Temple is signified) and that part particularly, {untranscribed Hebrew}, in which the table of the holy mysteries is set, called also the {untranscribed Hebrew} or altarplace, as we learn from the Scholiast of Nazianzen {untranscribed Hebrew}. This therefore is the meaning of {untranscribed Hebrew} thy holy Oracle, in this place,( so Symmachus and Aquila red it, {untranscribed Hebrew} oracle) the Tabernacle, or Sanctuary wherein the ark was placed, toward which they used to pray, and expect Gods answers from thence, viz. the granting of their prayers: as when in matters of doubt they sought to the oracle for the resolution of it, the Priest solemnly gave them responses from thence, called also {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  oracles, answerable to the origination of {untranscribed Hebrew} here, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to speak,( see note on Rom. iii. 1.)  
V. 3. Draw] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} that signifies both to draw and apprehended, will be best rendered here, seize not on me, as he that seizeth on any to carry or drag him to execution. The Syriack reads {untranscribed Hebrew} Number me not with the wicked, seeming to transfer the phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Psal. xxvi. 9. hither, for so that is to be rendered, number not my soul with sinners. In like manner the LXXII. which there red {untranscribed Hebrew}, destroy me not together with— do here, after they have literally rendered the Hebrew by {untranscribed Hebrew}, draw not together, add, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and destroy not together; hereby evidencing, 1. that the phrase here, and [ number not] Psal. xxvi. are all one; and 2. that the meaning and full importance of both is, destroy me not with the wicked, or in such manner as the wicked are destroyed.  
V. 4. Desert] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to retribute, or render, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here must most probably be rendered, their retribution, or rendering, i. e. according as they have rendered to others. In v. 3. 'tis said, they speak peace to their neighbour, but imagine mischief, i. e. design the hurt of them that are their neighbours, and deserve no ill of them, and to whom they profess great kindness. This therefore is their {untranscribed Hebrew} their rendering, as much unkindness and rudeness as can be, and that as little expected from them. And then for God to render them their rendering,( which the LXXII. exactly translate {untranscribed Hebrew}, render to them their retribution, and so the Chaldee and latin) is to deal the like measure to them, to bring mischiefs on them unexpectedly; and this, as the clear explication of what is in the beginning of the verse, give them according to their deeds— And thus it belongs to Davids argument to God in the whole Psalm, that he should not be used as wicked men are used, that as he hath dealt unkindly, or treacherously with none, so he should not be forsaken by God, when he stands in most need of the completion of his promise to him.  
V. 7. With my song] In this place the Hebrew being very perspicuous, and voided of ambiguity, the LXXII.( and from them the Syriack, latin, arabic, and Aethiopick) have very far departed from it. The account of it is very hard to be given, unless we suppose them to have red the words otherwise placed, than now they are. We now red {untranscribed Hebrew} and my heart exults, and in my song I will praise him: but the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew}, and my flesh hath reflourished, and from my will I will confess unto him. Here the onely way of according this vast difference seems most probably this; to suppose {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} transposed, {untranscribed Hebrew} set fore-most, and lightly changed into {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and my flesh, which being joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} was merry,( and being applied to plants, flourished, or looked green, and so metaphorically applied to a body, when it returns to verdure again) ariseth that part of their rendering, {untranscribed Hebrew}, my flesh reflourished. And then {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the heart being not unfitly taken for the will, the other two words {untranscribed Hebrew} with my heart will I praise him, will be naturally enough rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, from my will I will confess to him; {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in Hiphil, which we render praise, ordinarily signifying to confess, and that oft taken in the notion of praising.  
V. 8. Saving strength] From {untranscribed Hebrew} was strong, and {untranscribed Hebrew} strength, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a strong place, or fortification. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  So Jud. vi. 26. build an altar in the top of this( rock, we red but in the margin) strong place. So Dan. xi. 7. and shall enter {untranscribed Hebrew} into the fortress or strong hold; and so it signifies here, and with {untranscribed Hebrew} salvations added to it, must be rendered, the fortress or strong hold of deliverances—    

The Twenty Ninth psalm.  
A Psalm of David.  
The Twenty ninth Psalm seems to have been composed by David after his subduing the Kings and heathen people, 2 Sam. viii. the philistines, Moabites, Syrians, &c. whom he therefore inviteth to the service of God, and thus bespeaketh them:  
1. Give unto the Lord, 
a.  ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and 
power or empire: see note on Ps. xcvi. b.  strength.  
2. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in 
or, his holy majesty.  the 
b.  beauty of holiness.  
O ye Governors of the heathen people, which have now experimented the power of God in subduing you, there is nothing so reasonable to be done by you, as to come in, and make your oblations and homage to his sanctuary, and aclowledge his supreme power and dominion over you; to magnify him in all his glorious attributes, and adore him in that sacred Majesty, wherein he hath revealed himself to the world, but especially to the Jews his peculiar people.  
3. 
c.  The voice of the Lord is upon the waters, the God of glory thundereth, the Lord is upon 
or, great {untranscribed Hebrew}  many waters.  
Gods thunder in the clouds is most terrible over all the people in the world, when it breaks out of them, it is an emblem of his majestic presence, and almighty power, by which he can subdue, when he pleaseth, the most puissant or populous nations on the earth.  
4. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.  
If he sand out these weapons of his, there is no possible resisting; they bring with them an aweful reverence to all creatures.  
5. The voice of the Lord breaketh the Cedars: yea, the Lord breaketh the Cedars of Lebanon.  
This same thunder rents the stoutest and tallest Cedars in pieces, even those of Libanus, that is famous for them,( an essay, and evidence to all, that at his pleasure the most powerful Princes are subdued; as was lately exemplified in the Syrians, which are near to Lebanon, and were destroyed by David, twenty two thousand of them, that came out to succour the King of Zobah against David, 2 Sam. viii. 5. and became servants to David. v. 6.)  
6. He maketh them also to skip like a calf, 
d.  Lebanon and 
d.  Syrion like a young Unicorn.  
Both these Syrians that border upon Lebanon, and all the other heathen nations near Mount Hermon, the Amorites, &c. are vanquished and put to slight, when he once appears to take the part of his anointed.  
7. The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire.  
His presence and interposition of his power, signified by this terrible majestic meteore, tears the air, and casts out many darts, or flashes of lightning with it, at once a formidable sound and flames of fire, and withall a succession of those flames: such is the dreadful power, and presence of God against his enemies.  
8. The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness; the Lord shaketh the wilderness of 
e.  Kadesh.  
And the same omnipotence of his hath engaged itself for his servant David against the Moabites and Idumaeans, and utterly subdued and subjected them to him;  
9. The voice of the Lord 
f.  maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forest: and in his Temple doth every one speak of his glory.  
Puts them into that terrible fright, into which the thunder puts the hinds, when it makes them calve; drives them out of their holds, as the same thunder frights the beasts of the forest out of their thickets. This therefore is to admonish all the whole world, every man living, to aclowledge his power and glorious Majesty, and come in and worship him, in these or the like words:  
10. The Lord sitteth upon the 
g.  flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever.  
The Lord judgeth and ruleth in the clouds, and so he shall continue to do for ever, and subject the proudest nations to his kingdom.  
11. The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.  
And for those that he hath chosen and taken to himself, and that live constant and faithful in his service, he will protect, and strengthen them, and bestow upon them all the prosperity and felicity in the world, subjecting all their enemies, and restoring them to a durable, lasting peace.  

Annotations on Psalm XXIX.  
V. 1. Ye mighty] From {untranscribed Hebrew} fortitude is {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} powerful, strong, of which see note on Psal. xxii. a. And though that word come to signify many other things, yet in the plural {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is sure the compellation of Princes, under the phrase of[ son of the potent or strong.] Thus is Nebuchadonozor called {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the Prince of the Nations, or the strong among the Nations, Ezek. xxxi. 11. Thus {untranscribed Hebrew} the Princes, we render, the mighty men of Moab, Exod. xv. 15. and those particularly, in the number of those to whom David is supposed to speak in this Psalm, after his subduing them, 2 Sam. viii. so again 2 Kin. xxiv. 15. {untranscribed Hebrew} the mighty of the land. The Chaldee paraphraseth this by {untranscribed Hebrew} the assembly of Angels, sons of God, taking {untranscribed Hebrew} for Angels. The Syriack red {untranscribed Hebrew}, which is rendered filios arietum, young rams, in that notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for a ram; though as {untranscribed Hebrew} in Hebrew, so in Chaldee and Syriack and arabic, {untranscribed Hebrew} is the male of any sort. The LXXII. at least these copies which we have of their translation, do( as it is not unusual in other places) render the words twice; first in the vocative case, by way of compellation, {untranscribed Hebrew} sons of God, and then in the accusative, {untranscribed Hebrew} young rams, as doubtful which was to have place, and therefore setting down both of them: and in this the latin and arabic and Aethiopick follow them. But the plain simplo rendering it by[ ye mighty, or, ye Princes] is most to be allowed of; and to those this Psalm is an invitation, that they will, being subdued by Gods power, come in to the acknowledgement and worship of him.  
V. 2. Beauty of holinesse] Where the Hebrew reads {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the glory or beauty of holiness, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to honour or beautify, the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} in his holy court, as if it were from {untranscribed Hebrew} penetrale, thalamus, area, a closet, a marriage-chamber, a court; and so the latin and Syriack follow them, and the arabic, in his holy habitation: but the Chaldee have {untranscribed Hebrew} in the splendour, or beauty of holiness, or in the holy beauty or majesty( as v. 4. the Lxxii. render the same word {untranscribed Hebrew} majesty;) meaning thereby either the ark, which the Priests and Levites with their Urim and Thummim carried, and where God was gloriously present, as in the place of his worship,( see Ps. CX. note a.) or else the sacred majesty of God himself, sacrâ praeditum majestate Jovam, saith Castellio, Jehova endued with a sacred majesty, the God of heaven and earth, so glorious in all his attributes, that all, even heathen men, ought to give all glory and honour to him. This glory he here calls {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the honour of his name, by which his attributes are to be understood, his power and dominion over all, &c. which for these heathen princes to aclowledge, is in effect to become his proselytes, and servants.  
V. 3. The voice of the Lord] That {untranscribed Hebrew} voice in scripture-style frequently signifies thunder, there is no question; and then there will be small cause of doubt, but that {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the voice of the Lord here signifieth the same, when in the next words it follows, the God of glory thundereth. For this Psalm being plainly an acknowledgement of Gods majestic presence, and his thunders being in those dayes, 1. the instruments signally to attest that,( as to Joshua in the first conquest of Canaan, to Samuel against the philistines, 1 Sam. xii. 15. and to David also against the same enemies, which therefore is called Gods rebuking the heathen) and 2. the ordinary means of conveying Gods oracles to them, which therefore were styled {untranscribed Hebrew} the daughter of thunder, and 3. the ceremony of Gods giving the law from Sina●; it was very fit in this Psalm to make a peculiar elegy of this majestic meteor, which is done throughout the Psalm. By analogy herewith, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the waters upon which this voice is said to be, and the many waters from which, in the next words, he is said to thunder, or to be upon them when he thunders, and the water-floods, upon which he is said to sit, v. 10. are still those waters( Gen. 1.) above the firmament, the clouds; agreeably to Psal. xviii. 11. He maketh darkness his secret place, with dark waters and thick clouds to cover him: At the brightness that was before him the clouds passed,( these watery clouds) hailstones and coals of fire( the thunder shafts:) The Lord also thundered, &c. And these opinions and doctrines of the Jews might move the heathens, to think that they did adorare nubes,& coeli numen, adore the clouds, and that Deity of heaven, which is thus described in their Prophets to sit and dwell there.  
V. 6. Lebanon] Two things are here to be observed of Lebanon. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  First, that it was a very high mountain, and seems thence to have taken the name from {untranscribed Hebrew} white, in respect of the snow( mentioned on Lebanon Jer. xviii. 14.) that is always, even in the summer, white on the top of it. Thus saith Saint jerome on Jerem. L. iv. Nix de Libani summitatibus deficere non potest, nec ullo, ut omnis liquescat, solis ardore superatur: Snow cannot sail on the tops of Lebanon, nor is it by any heat of the sun overcome that it should melt. The Chaldee Paraphrase Cant. iv. 11. useth the word {untranscribed Hebrew} Olbanem in the same notion, from {untranscribed Hebrew} Olben, which is the Syriack formation of {untranscribed Hebrew} white. And with this the name of the Alpes, those very high hills, seems to have affinity. Album, saith Festus, quod nos dicimus, à Graeco, quod est {untranscribed Hebrew}, est appellatum, Sabini tamen Alpum dixerant; unde credi potest nomen Alpium à candore nivium vocitatum. The word Album, white, is from Alphon a Greek word, which the Sabines called Alpum; whence the name of the Alpes may be believed to come, so called from the whiteness of the snow. And so the Etymologicum; {untranscribed Hebrew}, from the multitude of the white snow the name of the Alpes is taken. Thus in Crete the tops of Mount Ida, a very high mountain, are called {untranscribed Hebrew} white, on the same account, saith Theophrastus de hist. Plant. l. iv. c. 1. {untranscribed Hebrew}, on the top of them there never wants snow. The second thing to be noted of this high hill is, the situation of it, that it is in Syria: {untranscribed Hebrew}, saith Stephanus, Libanus is a mountain of Syria. So Strabo l. xvi. 
p. 519.  There are, saith he, two mountains that enclose Coelo-Syria, Libanus and Antilibanus; Damascus is in Libanus, Zidon in Antilibanus. By both these put together we may conclude, what is poetically here meant by the mention of Libanus, viz. the Kings or chief cities of Syria, first slaughtered in great multitudes, and then subdued by David, 2 Sam. viii. 6. With this is joined Syrion v. 6. another high mountain, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  known also both by the name of Hermon, and Shenir, Deut. iii. 9.( which Hermon the Sidonians call Syrion, and the Ammonites call it Shenir.) So Cant. iv. 8. from the top of Shenir and Hermon. From Shenir it is that the Syriack here call it Sinir: of this S. jerome de Loc. Hebr. tells us also, as of Lebanon, that it was so high a mountain, that snow was to be found on it in the summer; and therefore the Chaldee, Deut. iii. 9. call it {untranscribed Hebrew}, the mount of snow, and so also Cant. iv. 8. but here {untranscribed Hebrew} the mountain producing fruit, in respect of the great sertility of the valleys, which was caused by the snow-water that came down from it. The snow of this mountain, saith S. jerome, de loc. Heb. was carried to Tyre, and sold there for the cooling of their wines, and was much desired for the deliciousness thereof; and in that respect possibly may by the Lxxii. be here rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} the beloved( and thence by the latin, and arabic, and Aethiopick;) or rather because {untranscribed Hebrew} might by them be deduced from {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} in the notion of looking earnestly upon, as on ones most beloved, from whence {untranscribed Hebrew} Jeschiron or Jeschuron( the title of Israel) being by some 
Schindl. Pentagl. p. 1832. A.  learned men deduced, and convertible into {untranscribed Hebrew}, by transposition of וfrom the middle to the beginning of the word, is by the LXXII. rendered( as Syrion here) {untranscribed Hebrew} the beloved, Isa. xLiv. 2. and Deut. xxxii. 15. This mountain was near unto Libanus, Pameadi imminens, saith 
De loc. Hebr.  S. jerome, hanging over the City Pameas( or Paneas, called {untranscribed Hebrew} by Ptolemee) and placed at the root of Libanus. And that gives an account of the conjunction of it here with Lebanon, and being all one with Hermon and Sion, by all which 'tis called by the several nations bordering on it, the Amorites, &c. and having on the top of it, saith S. jerome, 
De loc. Hebr. p. 414. c.  Templum ensign quod ab Ethnicis cultui habetur, a famous Temple used for their worship by the heathens, it is here poetically set to denote the heathen nations lying next that mountain on the east of the holy land, 
Ibid. ( Hermon mons Amorrhaeorum, saith S. jerome) &c. As for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  he made them leap, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to leap or dance( agreeable to Psal. cxiv. 4. the mountains {untranscribed Hebrew} skipped like Rams, &c.) the Lxxii. that render it Psal. cxiv. {untranscribed Hebrew} leaped, do yet here render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, shall beat to powder, reading it, saith the Learned Schindler, 
Pentagl. p. 1768. 1.  {untranscribed Hebrew}, from {untranscribed Hebrew} used in that sense; he should have said from {untranscribed Hebrew}( which is a little more remote, כ for ק as well as ד for ר) for that is it which he renders contudit, contrivit, beating to powder, from Job XL. But to me it seems more probable, that they should use this word rather to paraphrase, than to translate the Hebrew; meaning thereby to signify the putting those nations to flight, dissipating and subduing, and so beating them small, as when an army is routed, it is beaten to pieces.  
V. 8. Kadesh] The wilderness of Kadesh was a vast desert in Arabia, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in part whereof the Israelites wandered so many years, that part wherein is the city of Kadesh. Of that City it appears by Numb. xx. 16. that it is situate in the utmost of the borders of the Edomites.( The wilderness of Zin in which that is, v. 1. and c. xxvii. 14. is this wilderness of Kadesh, Numb. xxxiii. 36. Zin which is Kadesh) It borders also upon the Moabites; and accordingly Jud. xi. from Kadesh the Israelites are said to have sent( as to the Edomites v. 17. so) to the King of Moab, in the end of the verse, for his consent to pass through their land; and neither of them consenting, they went along through the wilderness( this wilderness of Kadesh, or Zin, called also here by the Chaldee, Recham) and compassed the land of Edom, and of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, the border of Moab, v. 18. This wilderness therefore of Kadesh is here very fit to signify poetically the Kings or people both of the Edomites and Moabites, both which were terribly shaken, i. e. subdued by him, 2 Sam. viii. Moab he smote— casting them down to the ground, and so the Moabites became Davids servants, v. 2. and he put garrisons throughout all Edom, and all they of Edom became Davids servants, ver. 14.  
V. 9. To calve] As {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , from {untranscribed Hebrew} to be moved or shaken with griefs or fear, signifies the subduing and subjecting the Moabites, v. 8. so from that there is another Synecdochical signification of the word, for pangs of travail or bringing forth; and so in Hiphil {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies to force, or make bring forth: and in this notion the Chaldee understands {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, applied to the Hinds, that the voice of the Lord, i. e. the thunder, makes them bring forth their young ones. For thus it is observed of that beast, that through the hardness of the womb they bring forth with much difficulty; but that the noise of thunder affrighting them, the womb opens, and they bring forth presently. This seems to be the meaning of the Lxxii. also, that render it {untranscribed Hebrew} preparing the hinds, viz. to bring forth. This is here set poetically to express the great consternation that the Moabites and Edomites( intimated in the former verse) were in.  
V. 10. The flood] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , from {untranscribed Hebrew} to whither, signifies a flood of waters or d luge that lays all wast, is certain. Such was that in Noahs time, vulgarly, and by way of eminence thus styled, {untranscribed Hebrew} the deluge: and of that the Chaldee understands this place, God say they, {untranscribed Hebrew} in the generation of the deluge sat in judgement, and the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, God shall make the deluge to be inhabited, or make the world habitable after it: {untranscribed Hebrew} called back the deluge, saith the Syriack; restrained it, saith the arabic( rendering {untranscribed Hebrew} sits, in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} habitavit.) And thus it may properly be understood here,( the only place where the word is used, save in the story of Noah) as reflecting on the great judgements of God on the old heathen sinful world, which he still continues( although not in the same way of execution) upon the heathen princes, Davids and his enemies. But it is also possible, that as [ waters] and many waters] signify no more then the clouds,( see note c.) so here the flood, which is still but a multitude of waters, may be taken for those waters above the firmament, the clouds or watery meteors, which when they were let loose upon the old world, the windows of heaven were said to be opened. But these withall very fit, poetically to signify the armies of Davids and Gods enemies, which also, if not repressed, lay wast as a flood, and come in like a deluge. So a flood of mighty waters signifies, Isa. xxviii. 2. and the enemies coming in like a flood, Isa. Lix. 29. See Jer. xLvi. 7, 8. and XLvii. 2. Dan. ix. 26. and xi. 22. Am. ix. 5. Nah. 1.8. And in the like, though not the same style, David speaks of his enemies Psal. Lxix. 2. and Psal. cxxiv. 4. And then Gods sitting on them, will be his judging and executing punishments upon them, i. e. these heathen people here formerly mentioned.    

The Thirtieth Psalm.  

A Psalm of David, a dedicatory song for an house, or his house.  A Psalm and song at the 
a.  dedication of the house of David.  
The Thirtieth Psalm was composed by David to accompany the festival at the dedication of his house,( the building whereof is mentioned 2 Sam. v. 11. soon after the end of his war with Sauls house, and his being anointed King over Israel) and is the commemoration of his own great troubles and dangers, and Gods rich mercy in delivering him out of them.  
1. I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast 
drawn me up( out of the pit, v. 3.) {untranscribed Hebrew}  lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.  
I will magnify thy mercy, O Lord, who hast restored me peaceably to the throne, out of a very low and and well-nigh lost condition. When I was made like water spilled upon the earth, and not only so, but as such water again sunk into the pit, v. 3. thou wert then pleased, as it were, to let down the pitcher into that pit, and from those many waters, that there are lost, to recover and gather up one who could not deserve to be esteemed as a drop of the bucket, and so to lift me, and to draw me out of that pit, to enable me to overcome all difficulties, and not suffer mine enemies to prevail against me, who would have triumphed abundantly, if thou hadst not rescued and delivered me out of their hands.  
2. O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.  
When I was in distress, I addressed my prayers to thee, and thou gavest me release.  
3. O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave; thou hast kept me alive, 
from among the descenders into, or from going down. {untranscribed Hebrew}  that I should not go down to the pit.  
It was thy continued aid and protection that still supported me, without which I had certainly been destroyed.  
4. Sing unto the Lord, O ye Saints of his, and give thanks for the remembrance of his holiness.  
O let this be matter of rejoicing and blessing God to all pious men; let it excite all such to aclowledge and commemorate his fidelity and mercy to all that wait on him.  
5. For his anger endureth but a 
b.  moment, in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.  
When he chastiseth his servants for their sins, this endureth but for a small time, but the effects of his fav ur 
{untranscribed Hebrew} life eternal, Chald.  never have any end; he exerciseth them with sadness and light affliction for som● small space, but then presently follow solid and durable joys.  
6. And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.  
7. Lord, by thy favour thou hast 
established strength upon my hill.  made 
c.  my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hid thy face, and I was troubled.  
When Saul was dead, and I was crwoned both over Judah and Israel, in Hebron, and the ark, the pledge of Gods presence and powerful assistance, placed and settled in the hill of Sion, I deemed my quiet and prosperity so complete, that I needed not to fear removing out of it. Gods special favour to me had exalted me to the throne, and, as I thought, now secured me in it: But he was pleased for some time to withhold my rest. For as after my first crowning I was seven years together exercised by enemies of the house of Saul, 2 Sam. v. 5. so after this second, other troubles assaulted me; thereby to instruct me, by what tenor it was that I held my security, merely by his continued favour and mercy toward me.  
8. I cried to thee, O Lord, and unto the Lord I made supplication.  
9. What profit is there in my blood when I go down into the pit? shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?  
In this estate I made my moan to God, and besought him, that he would not give me up to the malice of mine enemies, to be destroyed and slaughtered by them, but magnify in me at once his mercy and his fidelity; the one in preserving my life, and restoring me to peace, the other in performing those promises, which would seem to have been frustrated by my death.  
10. 
d.  Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me: Lord, be thou mine helper.  
And to that end, that he would now seasonably interpose his hand for my assistance.  
11. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into 
e.  dancing; thou hast 
opened.  put off my sack-cloth, and girded me with gladness:  
And at length my prayer hath been heard, and all my sorrow and affliction exchanged for joy, and a most prosperous condition and establishment in the kingdom, 2 Sam. v. 12. which is now the more glorious by comparison with my former sadness.  
12. To the end that 
glory see note on Ps. xvi. 1.  my 
f.  glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to thee for ever.  
And this obligeth me for ever with soul and tongue to give glory to God, and never to think I have done enough in praising and magnifying his mercy. This therefore shall be my continual practise, O thou powerful God, and to me a most gracious Father.  

Annotations on Psalm XXX.  
Tit. Dedication] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is generally used in the Titles of Psalms, to denote the Author to be David, and so here may best be joined in construction, a Psalm of David. Then {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  being joined, and made one word by Maccaph, will be a dedicatory song. All the difficulty is concerning {untranscribed Hebrew} the house. For from {untranscribed Hebrew} to initiate, to instruct, and, by a metaphor, to dedicate a house, is {untranscribed Hebrew} the initiation, dedication, either the consecration of an holy house, or Temple, or the dedication, i. e. initiation, or entering on a common house new buil●, when the owner comes first to dwell in it: For this was wont to be observed and celebrated, as a day of solemnity and festivity; so we see( Deut. xx. 5.) care taken for him that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it, that he shall be permitted to return from the battle, as he that hath betrothed a wife, and not taken her, or planted a vineyard, and not eaten of the fruit of it, custom among the Jews having made every one of these a solemn time of rejoicing. When a man first eats in a new house, say the Jews, he makes a feast and rejoiceth himself. And thus, I suppose, it was with David. When he was quietly seated in the kingdom of Israel, as well as Judah, and after his taking of Sion, and dwelling in the fort, and calling it the City of David, and building round about from milo and inward, 2 Sam. v. 9. at length we red that Hiram King of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and Carpenters and Masons, and they built David an house, v. 11. And this being finished, this Psalm may reasonably be thought to have been fitted by him for a festivity, at the {untranscribed Hebrew}( as the Lxxii. render it) the dedication of his house. Thus the succeeding Church of the Jews have made use of this thirtieth Psalm, at the first enjoyment of the fruits of the earth, according to that festival manner prescribed Deut. xxvi. 10. Maimonides tells us, this Psalm was repeated by the Levites, in the Court of the Sanctuary, over those that brought their baskets on their shoulders. And the {untranscribed Hebrew} or dedication of an house was of the same kind, in a solemn and religious manner of entering on the possession of it. And 'tis not impossible that such dayes might be kept yearly, as the Natales of men and of cities were; and then here will be place for the conjecture of those, which apply this Dedicatory Psalm to Davids victorious return from the danger of Absaloms rebellion. To this the matter of the Psalm fitly agrees, see v. 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11. And the building of a royal Palace having been the effect of his establishment in his kingdom, 2 Sam. v. 'tis not unlikely the festival remembrance of it should be in a special manner observed, after such an interruption as this rebellion gave it. The Chaldee indeed red {untranscribed Hebrew} the house of the Sanctuary, and to that the Emphasis in the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} the house, inclines, as if David had built some such house as he designed, 2 Sam. vii. 2. But we know he was not permitted by God to do it, v. 5. but the dignity was reserved for Solomon v. 13. Then indeed at the building of the Temple there was a feast, and song of dedication. Nay, four such we find mentioned among the Jews: the first at the building it by Solomon, in Autumn, 1 King. viii. 63. the second in the spring, at the re-edifying it by Zorobabel, Ezra vi. 16. the third of the Altar, when Judas Maccabaeus repaired it, after Antiochus's profanation, in the winter, joh. x. 2. and the fourth at Herods building the second Temple. But this of Davids here cannot be thought( by way of prophesy) to respect that, unless, as Kimchi fancies, taking order for the future building of the Temple 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. and giving a model of it to Solomon, he gave him also this Psalm for the dedicating it, together with the silver and gold and brass, and other materials for that sacred work. This conjecture of his was not unfit here to be mentioned. But the Psalm more probably belongs to his own house, which he built new at his being peaceably settled in the kingdom of Israel, as well as Judah, and, as 'tis probable, celebrated with an Anniversary ever after.  
V. 5. Moment] From {untranscribed Hebrew} subito motus est, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a moment: but the LXXII. red it {untranscribed Hebrew} anger, either because that is a sudden commotion of the soul, or else taking it for {untranscribed Hebrew} anger;( so the Syriack reads {untranscribed Hebrew} in his anger, in the latter part of the verse) meaning, I suppose, the effects of his anger, chiding, increpation,( as the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} is rendered) or other such punishments: for otherwise that there should be {untranscribed Hebrew}, anger in his anger, would have no great sense in it; and yet thus hath the latin rendered it, ira in indignatione ejus.  
V. 7. My mountain] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  ( from {untranscribed Hebrew} mountain) is literally strength in or on my mountain, referring possibly to Sion the hill of David, since the time of the Arks being placed there. For thus is {untranscribed Hebrew} in both the notions, both for praise and strength, applied to the Schechinah, or presence of God in the ark or Temple; Psal. xcvi. 6. strength and beauty are in his Sanctuary, and Psal. cxxxii. 8. the ark of thy strength. And then the setting or establishing strength on that mountain, may be the placing of the ark there. But the Lxxii. for mountain red {untranscribed Hebrew}, beauty or comeliness: either reading {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} which signifies that, or else from the affinity of these words both in sound and signification( {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} mountain and glory) they thought fit to take in the sense of the one, the more fully to paraphrase the other. And thus if applied only to Davids person, the sense will bear, being in the Hebrew figurative, {untranscribed Hebrew} Thou hast set or established strength on my mountain; but in the Lxxii. more clear, {untranscribed Hebrew}( it should be, I suppose, {untranscribed Hebrew}) {untranscribed Hebrew}, thou hast afforded strength to my beauty, made my splendour( or prosperous state v. 7.) firm and durable: which may probably enough be the entire meaning of the phrase, without referring to the ark; yet was it not amiss to mention the other in the Paraphrase, as the means of his conceived safety.  
V. 10. Hear] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  hear thou, the LXXII. red {untranscribed Hebrew} hath heard, and so for {untranscribed Hebrew} be thou, {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast been; and so convert the petition of David, into a report of Gods having granted it, which is the subject of the next verse.  
V. 11. Dancing] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to bore, is {untranscribed Hebrew} a pipe, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  or hollow musical instrument, ordinarily used in singing or dancing, and from thence {untranscribed Hebrew} here for dancing. So the Chaldee renders it, {untranscribed Hebrew} into dancing, and so the Interlinear: and though the copy of the Lxxii. anciently, as well as now, red it {untranscribed Hebrew}, into joy, and so is followed by the latin, Syriack, and arabic; yet the conjecture of our learned countryman Mr. Nic. Fuller is very probable, 
l. iii. c. ix.  that their original reading was {untranscribed Hebrew} to dancing, not {untranscribed Hebrew} to gladness, the Hebrew word thus exacting, and the conjunction with {untranscribed Hebrew} wailing and lamentation not unfitly agreeing thereto, for to that is opposed, and properly succeedeth dancing, see Mat. xi. 17. To this is here added {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , literally, thou hast opened my sackcloth. For in time of mourning the manner was to gird it on, so 2 Sam. iii. 3. Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, Joel i. 13. Gird yourselves and lament— and so Isa. xxxii. 11. gird upon your loins. Instead of that melancholy cincture, gladness here becomes a cincture, as if sorrow, like a conquered enemy, were to be carried in triumph, adding to the glory of the victory, and taken in as an ingredient in our joy.  
V. 12. My glory] What is here meant by {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  glory, is somewhat uncertain. The Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew} the honourable of the earth, that they may praise thee; the Syriack red it, as after the verb of the first person, {untranscribed Hebrew}, I will sing to thee glory; but the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, that my glory may sing,( and so the latin, arabic, and Aethiopick) in the notion of glory, for the tongue or heart of man, praising God, as elsewhere, and here the context directs to interpret it.    

The Thirty First Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, a Psalm of David.  
The Thirty first Psalm is an excellent mixture of prayer and praises, and constant affiance in God: it was composed by David, and committed to the perfect of his music.  
1. In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust, let me never be ashamed; deliver me in thy righteousness.  
O blessed Lord, I place my whole affiance and confidence in thee; do not thou forsake and disappoint me, but make good thy promised mercies and deliverances unto me.  
2. Bow down thine ear to me, deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.  
Receive my prayer, and hasten to my relief: be thou to me as a fortress, and place of refuge, whereto I may confidently resort, and find safety.  
3. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy names sake 
or, thou shalt led me {untranscribed Hebrew}  led me, and guide me.  
And such indeed have I constantly experimented thee to be, whensoever I have made my applications to thee, thou hast succoured and secured me; and so, I do not doubt, thou wilt still continue to do, and( though I have no title of claim thereto, but onely thy free mercy and most gracious promise) direct and conduct me in all my ways.  
4. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me, for thou art my strength.  
Rescue me, I pray thee, out of the mischief that is treacherously prepared and designed against me, for thou art my onely helper.  
5. Into thy hand I 
commit, deposit, give in pledge. {untranscribed Hebrew}  commend my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.  
To thee I offer up my very soul, that part which alone is worth thy having; to thee I give it in pledge, as to one, that having already wrought so many deliverances for me, hast obliged me to be wholly thine, and withall engaged thyself by those pawns of thy goodness, to do the like again in all my necessities.  
6. 
a.  I have hated them that regard 
or, vanities to no purpose.  
a.  lying vanities, but I trust in the Lord.  
I detest all the gentle practices, of consulting auguries and divinations, which, alas, never stand them in any stead, deceive and frustrate their confidences: All my addresses shall be made to thee, O Lord, and in thee will I repose all my confidence.  
7. I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;  
All my delight and joy shalbe in recounting thy continual goodness toward me, how thou hast had regard to my necessities, and owned me, and relieved me in my lowest condition,  
8. And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.  
And not delivered me up into the power and malice of my adversaries, but as yet preserved me in a state of liberty.  
9. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; my eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.  
Yet are not my troubles at an end, O Lord; I have long waited for rest, but have not yet attained to it. This is very grievous unto me, painful to my soul, my sensitive faculty, and to my bowels, the seat of those affections, and of most accurate sense: O be thou graciously pleased to look upon me.  
10. For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine 
b.  iniquity, and my bones are consumed.  
For the continual distresses and troubles wherewith I have been exercised have even exhausted me; thy punishments for my sins have brought me very low: I am ready to sink and fail under them.  
11. I was a reproach among all my enemies, 
and very much {untranscribed Hebrew}  but especially among my neighbours; and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.  
My enemies scoff at me; and so also do my friends in a great degree, seeing me, after all my confidence, to continue thus helpless. This makes them from whom I have most reason to expect relief, to be afraid to afford me any; and so I am avoided, and left destitute by all men.  
12. I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind, I am like a broken vessel.  
I am no more considered or cared for by them, than as a man dead and butted, and forgotten by his associates. I am looked on, as one irrecoverably lost; and am therein resembled to a potters vessel, which if broken, cannot be made whole again, Jer. 18.11. and so as that refuse potsherd, cast out as good for nothing.  
13. For I have heard the slander of many; 
c.  
fear on  fear was on every side, while they 
assembled {untranscribed Hebrew} see note on Ps. 2. c.  took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.  
Many, and those no mean ones, I have heard reproaching and taunting me, calling me fugitive, a lost and undone person; hereby indeed expressing their wishes, and enterprizes, being all risen up in arms against me, and jointly resolving to destroy me utterly.  
14. But I trusted in thee, O Lord; I said, thou art my God.  
Mean while I reposed my trust in thee, O Lord, encouraging myself with the meditation of thy mercy and render care, which would certainly secure me.  
15. My 
d.  times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from them that persecute me.  
As for the fittest season of affording me deliverance, it must in all reason be referred to thy choice, O Lord, when thou seest it most opportune; be thou pleased to do it for me.  
16. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies sake.  
Restore thy favourable aspect unto me: deliver me of thy great kindness and mercy to me.  
17. Let me not be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon thee: 
or, the wicked shall be ashamed {untranscribed Hebrew}  let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be 
e.  
or, cut off  silent in the grave.  
Lord, I have addressed my prayers to thee, relied and depended on thee, thine honour is concerned and engaged in my preservation: should I be disappointed in my confidence, it would redound to thy reproach. It is the wicked mans portion to expect and miss deliverance, and so to perish with shane and ignominy.  
18. 
or, the lying lips shall— {untranscribed Hebrew}  Let the lying lips be put to silence, which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.  
Thus is it ordinary for the slanderer to be disappointed in his designs, and brought to shane, and so for all others that scoff and deride the faithful servants of God, and that with the greatest pride and contumely.  
19. O how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, which thou hast wrought for them which trust in thee, before the sons of men!  
But as for those that serve thee faithfully, and repose their whole trust in thee, and so use no other artifices to advantage themselves, but those which are perfectly allowable in thy sight, there is abundant mercy laid up for them with God, his works of deliverance and exaltation are constantly shewed forth to them, in a visible and eminent manner.  
20. Thou shalt hid them 
with the covering of thy countenance.  in the 
f.  secret of thy presence from the pride of man; thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.  
Thy favour and providence over them, represented by the Cherubims wings in the ark, is their sure refuge and guard, and defence, whatsoever contentious proud men can design, or threaten against them.  
21. Blessed be the Lord, for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.  
And thus hath God( his name be ever praised for it) given me evidence of his wonderful mercies, securing me, as in a fortified city, from all the attempts of mine enemies.  
22. For I said 
g.  in my 
flight, or, fear.  hast, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications, when I cried unto thee.  
I was once in a great sadness of heart, at the time of my flight from Saul, and did verily think I should have been destroyed; and yet even then, upon the addressing my prayers to thee, thou immediately deliveredst me out of that danger.  
23. O love the Lord all ye his Saints; for the Lord 
h.  preserveth the faithful, and 
he that doth glorious, or high, or excellent things, rewardeth plenteously.  plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.  
Here is abundant cause for all pious men hearty to love God, and admire his goodness and admirable excellencies, by considering his constant deliverances afforded to all those that cleave fast to him; and not only deliverances, but victories, all or more than they stand in need of.  
24. Be of good courage, and 
let your heart be strengthened. Psal. xxvii. 14.  he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.  
And therefore let all that repose their trust in God cheerfully proceed, and firmly and constantly adhere unto him, and never be tempted with any difficulties to fall off or forsake him.  

Annotations on Psalm XXXI.  
V. 6. I have hated] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  I have hated,( which the Chaldee retain in like manner in the first person,) the LXXII. render {untranscribed Hebrew}, thou hast hated,( and so the latin, Syriack, &c.) misreading, it seems, {untranscribed Hebrew} in the second person. But {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , that follows in the verse, seems to be by them most significantly rendered, {untranscribed Hebrew} in vain, adverbially, so as to affect {untranscribed Hebrew} those that observe] precedent, and not to join with {untranscribed Hebrew} vanities; for if they be such, the addition of lying] will add little to them. The sense lies thus, that heathen men, when any danger or difficulty approacheth them, are solemnly wont to apply themselves to auguries and divinations, and so to false Gods, to receive advice and directions from them: but doing so, and observing their responses most superstitiously, they yet gain nothing at all by it; their applications and addresses are in vain, return them no manner of profit. And these David detests, and keeps close to God, hopes for no aid but from him. And thus the latin and arabic understand it also, though the Chaldee red paraphrastically [ works like to vanity and a lie,] and the Syriack, [ vain worships.]  
V. 10. Iniquity] From {untranscribed Hebrew} the verb, is the noun {untranscribed Hebrew} sin, iniquity; and so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  because of my iniquity. But this the LXXII. red {untranscribed Hebrew} in poverty,( and from thence the Syriack and latin, &c.) as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew} in poverty or affliction. The word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as it signifies sin, so it signifies also the punishment of sin, Isa. Liii. 6. 11; and so here it seems to signify, so as to connect with grief, and sighing precedent, and to denote those miseries which his sins had brought upon him. The learned Castellio renders it, in hoc supplicio, in this punishment: and that consideration perhaps, joined with the affinity of the word {untranscribed Hebrew}, might move the LXXII. &c. to render it poverty, for that, as it is evil, is a punishment of sin.  
V. 13. Fear was on every side] {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies to dwell, inhabit, and with the preposition ם from, to fear, 1 Sam. xviii. 14. Job xLi. 17. Psal. xxxiii. 8. Hence {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here signifying fear, is by the Lxxii. rendered in that other sense of inhabiting,( and so Psal. xxxiv. 4. for {untranscribed Hebrew} my fears] some copies of the Lxxii. have {untranscribed Hebrew} my habitations, but others red {untranscribed Hebrew},& the latin and arabic tribulationibus,) and as if it were connected with {untranscribed Hebrew} many] foregoing,( which it cannot do) {untranscribed Hebrew}, of many that dwell on every side; whereas the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  belonging to {untranscribed Hebrew} going before, the reproach of many or of great ones,] {untranscribed Hebrew} fear must be joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} following, fear on every side, both governed of {untranscribed Hebrew} I have heard, in the beginning of the verse. For it must here be remembered, what Jeremy saith to Pashur, Jer. xx. 3. the Lord, saith he, hath not called thee Pashur, but {untranscribed Hebrew} we render it there as a proper name, Magor-Missabib, but in the margin, fear round abou●, or on every side; and the interpretation of the phrase is added, v. 4. For thus saith the Lord, I will make thee a terror to thyself and to all thy friends, &c. even a destruction and deportation, in the end of that verse. This then was a proverbial phrase, frequently used, and fit for a prophetic and poetic writing, to signify utter ruin and destruction; and being here used by enemies against David, as a taunt, it signifies their threatening him utter destruction. I heard, saith he, {untranscribed Hebrew} the reproach of many, or of great ones: and then 'tis not strange he should specify and set down the very form of their reproach, Fear round about, i. e. an abject, lost, ruined fellow, as elsewhere he mentions, their crying Ah, Ah, &c. And so this is the most perfect rendering of the place. For as to this notion of reproach, for which this is proverbially used, it is yet more evident from Jer. xx. 10. I heard the defaming of many, Fear on every side; just as here, I heard the slander of many, Fear on every side: and as here it follows, they devised to take away my life; so there, to the like purpose, All my familiars waited for my halting, saying, he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him. Meanwhile fear] here must be taken, as oft it is in Scripture, for the matter and cause of fear, danger. So Isa. Lxvi. 4. {untranscribed Hebrew} and their fears will I bring upon them, i. e. those things which they feared: and so Psal. xxxiv. 4. where 'tis rendered tribulations.  
V. 15. Times] From {untranscribed Hebrew} opportunè fecit, or locutus est, doing or speaking opportunely, is {untranscribed Hebrew} a season or opportune time; and so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies here, the fit seasons of Gods relieving him. The Chaldee reads it {untranscribed Hebrew} the times of my redemption. For this the Copies of the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin from thence sorts meae my lots; and so Apollinarius, {untranscribed Hebrew} my lots, and the arabic and Aethiopick, my inheritance. But the Syriack red {untranscribed Hebrew} times; and so the old Roman Psaltery, tempora mea, my times: which makes it very probable, that the purer reading of the Lxxii, was {untranscribed Hebrew}, my seasons, but that by the Scribes anciently disguised into {untranscribed Hebrew}, my lots.  
V. 17. Silent] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew}, which signifies both to be silent and to be cut off, is here by the addition of {untranscribed Hebrew} in the grave, confined to the latter sense, cut off, destroyed. The Chaldee have been willing to take in both significations, Let them be put to silence, and descend into the grave; the Lxxii. no more than {untranscribed Hebrew}, Let them be brought down—  
V. 20. Secret of thy presence] That Gods face or presence, promiscuously expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew} his faces, is frequently attributed to the Sanctuary, the peculiar place of his gracious residence, appears by the phrases of seeking his face there, and coming before his face, and many the like indications. Now this presence of his being said to be hide under the wings of the Cherubims, the phrase here {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the covering of thy countenance, or presence, is evidently designed to signify this blessing presence and favour of Gods, exhibited in the Sanctuary: as more manifestly appears by the ensuing mention of {untranscribed Hebrew} pavilion, or Tabernacle, the place of Gods inhabiting, or residence. And this very fitly expresseth a place or guard of perfect security; Gods gracious presence, or interposition, being most eminently such.  
V. 22. My hast] {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies to make hast, so as they that fly; 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thus Exod. xii. 11. they were to eat the Passeover in hast: and accordingly to fly through fear, 2 King. vii. 11. where the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} to be sore afraid, as Psal. ciii. 8. 'tis rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} to be afraid, and Psal. xLviii. 5. {untranscribed Hebrew} they were set a shaking: and so also to be in an amazement, as fearful men are under a terror. In this last sense the LXXII. render it here {untranscribed Hebrew} astonishment or ecstasy, the latin, excessus mentis, excess of mind, and so the arabic and Aethiopick: but the Syriack reads {untranscribed Hebrew} in my swiftness, and the Chaldee more fully {untranscribed Hebrew} when I sought to fly. And this is most probably the meaning of it, {untranscribed Hebrew} in the time of Davids flight, that his greatest danger, and exigence( and so again Psal. cxvi. 11. {untranscribed Hebrew} in my flying, the Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} when I fled) or in his great fear, such as he was in, when he fled from Saul.  
V. 23. Preserveth] Where the Hebrew reads {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  preserveth the faithful, the Copies which now we have of the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} requireth truth: but 'tis probable the right reading was {untranscribed Hebrew}: and then {untranscribed Hebrew} to require] being used by them for Gods avenging, or taking the part of innocent persons against those that injure them, they might well set that as the paraphrase for {untranscribed Hebrew}, Gods preserving his faithful servants, and evidencing this by avenging them on their enemies. But in the latter part of the verse the difficulty is greater, arising from the ambiguity of the word {untranscribed Hebrew} for {untranscribed Hebrew} signifying elatus est, eminuit, that is taken sometimes in a bad sense, for pride and arrogancy, Psal. x. 2. sometimes in a good sense, for splendour, magnificence, strength, excellence. In this latter sense 'tis used of God, Psal. Lxviii. 35. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  his height or excellence, and strength are in the clouds. And in this notion of the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  he that doth high things, or excellent things, is a fit title for God, and so in construction with {untranscribed Hebrew}, and shall abundantly reward,] the rendering is very prompt and perspicuous, the Lord preserveth the faithful, and he that doth excellent things abundantly rewards them; so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} ( from {untranscribed Hebrew} abundavit, superfuit, reliquum fuit) is best rendered full measure, and running over, what they want, and more, shall God give them.    

The Thirty Second Psalm.  
A Psalm of David, 
a.  Maschil.  
The thirty second Psalm is principally spent in declaration of the nature of true blessedness, consisting in Gods pardon, and justification, and was set to the tune known by the title of Maschil.  
1. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  
All the felicity that can be attained to in this life, or in another, depends wholly not on the merit of any mans performances, but only in Gods free and favourable acceptance, his gracious pardon to our many frailties, and fouler sins,( purchased for us by the merit of the sufferings of the messiah, given to the world in Gods free promise to Adam, immediately after his fall.)  
2. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and 
b.  in whose spirit there is no guile.  
Happy therefore, O thrice happy is he, who is thus accepted by God; whose state is such, as that God approveth him( in Christ;) who though he have sinned, yet upon his sincerity of humiliation, confessing, and forsaking all known sin, and his impartial obedience to the whole will of God,( the condition without which Gods reconciliation cannot be regained) is by God received again into favour and justified. See Rom. iv. 7.8.  
3. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old, through my roaring all the day long;  
Time was, when my condition was very sad and miserable; whilst with horror reflecting on the soul sins whereof I had been guilty, but not addressing myself, as I ought to have done, to thee in confession and contrition, and begging of thy gracious pardon, the weight of the sorrow consumed me, my grief was violent and continual.  
4. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me, and 
c.  my moisture is turned into the drought of Summer. Selah.  
Thy wrath and displeasure, under which I lay, was a most unsupportable weight and pressure; the burden of it consumed and wearied me out, scorched and dried me up, like the earth when 'tis parched by the scorching heat of the sun about the summer solstice.  
5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hide: I said, I will confess 
against me my— {untranscribed Hebrew}  my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou 
or, tockest away {untranscribed Hebrew}  forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.  
But at length, when I better bethought myself, I repaired to, and cast myself down before God, in true sorrow and humiliation, confessing and bewailing my soul transgressions, laid all open and bare before him, without any disguise, concealment, or extenuation: instead of excusing, I aggravated my sin against myself: And then immediately upon the sincerity of my confession( and forsaking) I obtained free and full pardon from God.  
6. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in 
d.  a time when thou mayest be found; 
but as f●r the inu●d●tion of grea● waters.  surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.  
All this being duly considered, 1. how blessed a thing it is to have God reconciled unto us, 2. what a sad weight, to lie under the guilt of sin unpardoned, 3. how ready God is to be reconciled upon our confessing and forsaking, is abundantly sufficient to stir up every man, that hath but any the least care of piety, or his own good, to make all possible speed to return to God, and implore his favour, lest by delay such precious opportunities be lost; For as for wicked ungodly men, their prayers shall never be headed by God.  
7. Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt 
e.  preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.  
In the list of the former sort I hope to be found, and so to have thee my refuge, to which I may humbly, but cheerfully resort for relief; and approving myself to thee, rest securely confident, that thou wilt continue to preserve me, and again, as heretofore, bless me with victory, and gratulatory songs at my return.  
8. I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I 
f.  will 
counsel thee; mine eye upon thee, or, mine eye shall be upon thee.  guide thee with mine eye.  
Let me therefore instruct thee, thou proud obdurate sinner, teach thee a more regular course, than that which thou art in: I will for once take upon me the severer office of a tutor or guide( so Psal 34.11.) and this shall be the sum of my admonition;  
9. Be ye not as the horse or as the mule, 
or, in not understanding.  which have no understanding; whose mouth 
shall be, or, is held with bit and bridles yet they come not to thee.  must be held in with bit and bridle, 
g.  lest they come near unto thee.  
That at length timely you begin to relent, show yourselves docile and tractable, to follow his guidance obediently, and not to imitate the unmanaged horse and mule, that notwithstanding bit and bridle, all means of reducing or subduing them, will not be drawn that way that the owner directs; and such are ye, if when ye are out of the way, departed from God by your sins, ye refuse to obey those divine methods of his, which he useth to reduce you. Those that are tractable he will draw and bring home to him; but as for the obstinate and imperswasible, their condition is very sad.  
10. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.  
But if ye be thus obstinate, ye shall dearly rue it. Wicked men shall gain little by their course; many an heavy stroke is their portion( as it is of the undocile mule v. 9.) but the obedient and docible, that relies and waits on God, and in humility and confidence adheres to him, and observes his directions, all the felicities of all sorts are his inheritance.  
11. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, ye righteous; and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart.  
This therefore, to conclude, is abundant matter of joy, and delight, and exultation, to all sincere, faithful, and obedient servants of his( though of horror to all others.) Which was the thing undertaken to be proved at the beginning v. 1. and being so fully deduced, may now conclude, as it began the Psalm.  

Annotations on Psalm XXXII.  
Tit. Maschil] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to understand, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a wise, prudent, intelligent person. It is here, and twelve times more, used as the title of a Psalm, to denote the sort of melody, the tune to which it was set,( so saith Kimchi on Psal. iii.) known among the Hebrews by that name, from some famous song first set to that tune; either from the wisdom contained in it, as when it is styled Maschil of Heman and Ethan, Psalm Lxxxviii. and Lxxxix.( those being two eminent wise men, 1 Kin. iv. 31.) or else, as beginning with that word. The Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew} a good understanding, the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew}, of knowledge, or understanding. More literally it signifies the concrete, the wise or intelligent; but being added to {untranscribed Hebrew} to or of David, it undoubtedly signifies a Psalm of his, set to that tune, and nothing else; and so in all the other Psalms, where it is prefixed in the title. See note on Psalm Lxxxviii. b.  
V. 1. In whose spirit] Where the Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in his spirit,( which the Syriack, latin and Aethiopick follow, some reading, in his spirit, some, in his heart, which is all one) the Lxxii. as now we have their translation, have {untranscribed Hebrew}, in their mouth, and so the arabic also. This 'tis possible, from the double notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} ; either for the spirit and soul, or else for the breath, which is the instrument of speech. But 'tis more probable that some scribe may have thus mistaken, by reason of the affinity of the words, and set {untranscribed Hebrew} for {untranscribed Hebrew}, mouth for spirit. S. jerome in Ep. ad Suniam& Fretill. affirms the LXXII. to have red {untranscribed Hebrew}, and that {untranscribed Hebrew} was inserted from Symmachus.  
V. 4. My moisture] The last part of this v. 4. is so rendered by the LXXII. and latin &c. as hath no affinity with the Hebrew, as now we have it, and as it is understood by the Chaldee. The Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew}. The chief difficulty is in {untranscribed Hebrew}. Yet that is well cleared by the Chaldee, rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew} my freshness or moisture; and so {untranscribed Hebrew} is best rendered from {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew} a dug or breast,( the ל, saith Abu-Walid, being pleonastical) and that from an old word {untranscribed Hebrew} to moisten( in which sense the Arabs use {untranscribed Hebrew}) So Num. xi. 8. {untranscribed Hebrew} the freshness, or juice, or fatness, or moisture of oil. This, saith the Psalmist, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  was converted( from {untranscribed Hebrew} to turn) into the droughts( from {untranscribed Hebrew} exaruit) of summer. So {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies from {untranscribed Hebrew} taedet, molestum est, because of the wearisomeness of summers heat. But the Lxxii. seem to have misread at least three of these words. For {untranscribed Hebrew} is turned, they red {untranscribed Hebrew}, I was turned, as if it had been {untranscribed Hebrew} in the first person. For {untranscribed Hebrew} my moisture or freshness, they red, {untranscribed Hebrew}, into misery,( in which sense also the Jewish-Arab takes it) as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew} in angustiam( {untranscribed Hebrew} grief or calamity, from {untranscribed Hebrew} proscidit, vastavit.) For {untranscribed Hebrew} into droughts, they red {untranscribed Hebrew}, in being fixed or strucken into, from that old notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} in which {untranscribed Hebrew} a sword comes from it, the instrument of transfixion; from whence this other notion seems to have been derived, because when an arrow or the like is entred into the flesh, it causeth a burning in it. Lastly, for {untranscribed Hebrew} summer, they red {untranscribed Hebrew} a prick or thorn, from the same theme. And by thus varying the sense in every word, they have yet given us but another expression of the same matter, fit enough for a paraphrase of the Psalmists great sorrow for sin, thus; I was turned into great misery, when the thorn entred into me, i. e. to signify the sharp sense of his transgression. The Syriack paraphrase it in a plainer manner, grief turned in my breast to the killing of me; and the arabic, thou hast reflected on me cares or troubles warring in my heart. But the Jewish-Arab followeth another construction; day and night thy plague is heavy upon me, {untranscribed Hebrew} turneth, or is turned upon me, {untranscribed Hebrew} to the grieving me, or, and grieveth me, {untranscribed Hebrew} as the heats or hot winds of summer.  
V. 6. In a time when thou mayest be found] In this v. 6. the weight seems to be laid on {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a time of finding, a time when God will hear and grant their prayers: and that suggests another rendering of the latter part of the verse, than the ancient Interpreters have taken notice of, thus; 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  {untranscribed Hebrew} but as for the inundation of many or great waters( hereby signifying the wicked man, that like a torrent breaks over the banks, transgresses the laws, and sweeps and carries all before him) {untranscribed Hebrew} they will not come nigh, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  or at all approach unto him, i. e. to God; they run on obstinate in their course, they care not, nor ever look after God. Thus the opposition seems to exact: and the change of the person from thee to him is no objection against it, being frequent in other places of this poetic writing. On this it regularly follows, thou art my hiding place, I desire to be in the number of the humbly pious, that make a seasonable and successful address to thee, and so to have my part in thy protection, &c. And then for all other, the obstinate, &c. I will instruct them, v. 8.  
V. 7. Preserve me] The Lxxii. their reading here is very far from the Hebrew. For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thou shalt keep, from {untranscribed Hebrew}, they seem to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast besieged, from {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so render it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, besieging me. For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  acclamations or songs, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to sing for joy, they render {untranscribed Hebrew}, my rejoicing, as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew} my exultation. Then {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the infinitive in the notion of the gerund in di, they red as in the Imperative, {untranscribed Hebrew}, deliver me. Lastly, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thou shalt harass me, they render {untranscribed Hebrew}, from them that harass me, as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew}. Thus also the latin, à tribulatione quae circundedit me, exaltatio mea, erue me à circundantibus me, from the tribulation which encompassed me, my exaltation, deliver me from them that harass me. And so the arabic and Aethiopick. But the Syriack are nearest the Hebrew, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. preserve or free me, and embrace or harass me with glory and deliverance; and the Chaldee exactly according to the Original, thou shalt preserve me from tribulation, with songs of redemption shalt thou harass me, i. e. with {untranscribed Hebrew} or gratulatory songs for victory, such as the joyful matrons meeting him at his return from conquest, encompassing him, or casting themselves into a ring, chanted out unto him, 1 Sam. xviii. 6. one side answering the other.  
V. 8. Guide thee] From {untranscribed Hebrew} consuluit, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, I will counsel thee, i. e. direct, instruct, or guide thee, meaning the proud and haughty sinner, v. 6. expressed by the irregular overflowings of many waters, I will teach thee in what channel thou shalt pass, and so guide thy course. To which is added {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  mine eye upon thee, by way of explication of the former, I will counsel or guide thee, so as the eye of the rider doth the horse, of the Tutor the Scholar, but especially the guide of an unknown way, who is instead of eyes, Num. x. 31. The Chaldee red, I will counsel thee, and set my eye upon thee for good: but the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew} I will confirm, or strongly set my eye upon thee, most probably reading it {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to be firm or strong.  
V. 9. Lest they come near unto thee] The difficulty of this v. 9. will, I conceive, be best explicated by observing the phrase {untranscribed Hebrew}: 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which is literally [ not to understand,] being in the infinitive mood; but may best be rendered in the notion of a gerund, thus, Be not like the horse and mule, in not understanding, i. e. which understand not; their [ not understanding] being the thing, wherein the parallel betwixt such beasts, and obstinate men, expressed by inundation of many waters, v. 6. consists. This being observed, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the end of the verse, being another infinitive mood, must in reason agree with that, and in like manner be rendered, in not coming near,( so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies, accessit, appropinquavit) or they come not near, {untranscribed Hebrew} to thee: and then that which is between, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  {untranscribed Hebrew} with bit or bridle his jaw or mouth to be held, or must be held( as ל with an infinitive mood oft signifies, Hos. ix. 13. Ephraim {untranscribed Hebrew} literally, ad educendum to bring forth, but in sense as we render it, shall bring forth,) must be understood, not as the means to keep the beast from coming to or nigh, but as the means designed to make the beast come to, but, when used to an obstinate, unnurtured, unruly beast, uneffectual to that end. For it must be observed what is the use of the bit and bridle, when applied to an horse, &c. viz. to direct and guide which way the rider or leader will have him go. So Isa. xxx. 28. the bridle in their jaws causing them to err, is a bridle to led them into a wrong path; as here to led them into a right way, v. 8. so Isa. xxxvii. 29. a bridle in thy lips to turn thee back, &c. And so Jam. iii. 3. the bit in the horses mouth is to turn about their whole body. But then a sturdy, untamed, stiff-necked or head-strong horse, will not be thus turned, or led, or persuaded to do what you would have him; but like the undisciplinable torrent, the fury of the great waters, v. 6. that would not come nigh him, so these here, they will not come near to the owner or master. And so this is the meaning of the whole verse: some unmanaged horses and mules there are, which will not be taught or instructed, will not go or follow the way that you would teach or led them,( and so this connects with v. 8. which had tendered them instruction and teaching in the way that they should go, and guiding—) are so far from being guided with the Masters eye, v. 8. that his bit and bridle together, the most forcible means that are ordinarily used, for subduing or reducing them, will not work upon them, when they are a turning away and going from thee, are not sufficient to compel them to come to thee: But saith the Psalmist, be not ye like to such stiff-neckt cattle. Our English, that renders, lest they come near unto thee] supposeth, without reason, that the use of the bridle is to keep the horse and mule from doing violence to thee, as if they were Bears and Tigers, and the like ravenous beasts. The true use is quiter contrary, to make them come to thee, or go, or turn, the way that thou wouldst have them; and their not doing so( meant by {untranscribed Hebrew} not come near thee) is the effect of their obstinacy and want of managery, and that is it wherein we are here forbidden to be like them. Thus I suppose the Chaldees {untranscribed Hebrew} is to be rendered; not, ne accedant, but, non accedent, they will not come to thee. So the Syriack expressly, Be not like the horse and mule which are not wise,( or docile) which they tame with a bridle from their youth, and they come not to him. And the Lxxii. to the same effect, {untranscribed Hebrew}, bind their jaws with bit and bridle which come not near to thee; and so the latin, and Aethiopick. But the arabic more loosely, by way of paraphrase, Be not like horse and mule, which have not understanding, and are not drawn with the bridles that are in their mouths; so do thou repress the jaws of those that come not to thee.    

The Thirty Third Psalm.  
THe thirty third Psalm is an acknowledgement of the great power and wisdom and goodness of God, in his works of creation and providence, wherein all are obliged to sing praises to his name, and faithfully to serve and depend on him.  
1. rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; for praise is 
or, desirable, {untranscribed Hebrew}  comely for the upright.  
O bless and magnify the name of God, all ye that apply yourselves to a careful performance of all offices of justice and goodness, and herein delight and please yourselves. 'tis the employment of the blessed Saints in heaven, to be continually singing praises to God; and there can be none other more proper for saints on earth, who have innumerable obligations to it, and from whom it is most graciously accepted by God, and to whom it is also matter of the greatest present delight, to be busied in recounting Gods glories, and abundant mercies to them.  
2. Praise the Lord with harp, sing unto him with the 
Psaltery of ten strings.  Psaltery, and an 
a.  instrument of ten strings.  
To this purpose those musical instruments that are in use among men in festivities, the Harp and Viol, &c. will be most fitly used in the singing of Psalms and hymns unto God.  
3. Sing unto the Lord a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.  
And the choicest and rarest ditties, and the best composed music, and the most excellent melodious voices, are all to be called in, to perform this great duty of thanksgiving unto God.  
4. For the word of the Lord is right, and all his works are done in truth.  
For all that God saith or doth is excellently good; his commands are of those things which are infinitely best for us, his promises abundantly gracious, and certain to be performed, and his very threats and prohibitions acts of special mercy, to keep us from those things which are most pernicious to us. As for all his works of providence, they are most just and merciful.  
5. He loveth righteousness and judgement: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.  
mercifulness and justice are of all things in the world most approved and valued by him, and are by him exemplified to us, in all the daily acts of his providence among us.  
6. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.  
The whole body of the heavens and all that is in them, the Sun, Moon, and all the planets and lesser stars, were created by his bare speaking the word, commanding that they should have a being. Which as it is a most illustrious evidence of his absolute omnipotence, so is it of his great goodness also to us, for whose benefit they were all created.  
7. He gathereth the waters of the Sea together, 
b.  as an heap; 
he layeth them up in the store-houses of the deeps.  he layeth up the deep in store-houses.  
So in like manner did he sever the waters, which covered the face of the earth, and confined them to hollow places; where though they swell much higher then the shore, yet they do not overrun it, but are gathered into a round gibbous form, and so remain constant within their channel. And in those vast cavities of an unfathomable depth he hath laid up the whole Ocean, as safe, and as far from hurting, or drowning, or overrunning the earth, as corn laid up in a granary, as money in a treasury, is safe from running out of it.( A joint evidence again of his infinite power and goodness.)  
8. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.  
As therefore he is thus able to set bounds to that vast element, so can he and doth he to the most enormous power of men; which may therefore be a just cause of awe and dread to all the men in the world.  
9. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.  
For as a bare word of his immediately created all the world: so is every command of his now most certainly obeied: as he pleaseth to dispose, so shall it infallibly be.  
10. The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought; he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. 
c.   
Whatsoever godless men( see note on Psal. 10. m.) design, or propose to themselves, contrary to his will, he blasts and frustrates it, dissipates all their contrivances, be they never so prudently managed by whole multitudes and assemblies of them.  
11. The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.  
Onely that which he hath decreed and purposed, shall immutably come to pass.  
12. Blessed is the man whose God is the Lord, and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.  
O then thrice happy is that nation and people, which have betaken themselves to the sincere service of so great, and powerful, and gracious a God, and whom he hath in so special a sor● made choice of, to be peculiarly his, among them to reveal himself in so eminent a manner.  
13. The Lord looketh from heaven, he beholdeth all the sons of men:  
14. From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.  
All the men that are in the earth, the inhabitants of the whole world, are within the compass of his most particular providence: though he reside in heaven, in a peculiar manner; yet from thence he exactly surveighs and beholds all and every their actions, and even most secret thoughts.  
15. He fashioneth their hearts 
together, or, one& one.  
d.  alike; he considereth all their thoughts.  
As he is severally and equally the creator of them all, and former of their souls, as well as bodies, so he is certainly able to discern particularly all the operations of their very hearts; and is no idle spectator, but weigheth and judgeth all, and accordingly rewards every man.  
16. There is no King saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.  
'tis not the multitude or strength of an army, that hath power to secure any Potentate; not the valour or pvissance of the most giantly person, to preserve himself.  
17. An horse is a† vain thing for safety, 
ly {untranscribed Hebrew}  neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.  
An horse is the most valiant and docile beast, and generally the most used in military affairs, in respect both of his courage, and swiftness, vigour, and activity: yet he that depends thereon for his safety, or good success in a battle, oft finds him a very deceitful false aid, is pitifully disappointed by him.  
18. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;  
The only security is to be sought from the favour and protection of God; and the way to qualify ourselves for that is, by conjoining our uniform sincere obedience to him, and our unshaken constant reliance on his mercy.  
19. To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.  
To such as are thus qualified, his protection will not fail, whatsoever the danger be, how great soever the seeming destitution.  
20. Our soul 
〈◇〉  waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield.  
The Lord is our only aid and protector; to him therefore is all the desire of our souls.  
21. For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.  
And whatsoever befalls us, we shall most cheerfully( and not only patiently) support it, as having full assurance, and confidence in him, that he will either rescue us out of it, or else convert it to our greatest advantage.  
22. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.  
O Lord, our full trust is in thee; let thy mercy come down upon us, we beseech thee.  

Annotations on Psalm XXXIII.  
V. 2. Instrument of ten strings] From {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  aruit, emarcuit, to be shriveld or withered, is {untranscribed Hebrew} a lethern bottle, or vessel to put wine in, 1 Sam. 1.24. and from the likeness, a musical instrument, called nablium in latin, 

De Arte Am. l. iii.  Disce etiam duplici genialia nablia palmâ  
Vertere, conveniunt dulcibus illa modis.  in Ovid. Answerable to it is the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew}( and so 'tis here rendered by the Lxxii.) of which Grammarians tell us, that it is an instrument more sweet and pleasant than a harp; like it in form, but differing from it. Accordingly we render it sometimes a Psaltery, as here, and Psal. cxLiv. 9. sometimes a Viol, Isa. xiv. 11. As for {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which is added to it, and signifies decachord or instrument of ten strings, it is not set( as here, and Psal. cxLiv. 11. it is in our English) for a third sort of Instrument, but in apposition with {untranscribed Hebrew}, a Psaltery or Viol of ten strings. And so all the ancient Interpreters uniformly render it: the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, on a decachord Psaltery; the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} on a nablium of ten strings; who yet Psal. xcii. 4. where {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} are disjoined, {untranscribed Hebrew} upon the decachord, and upon the Psaltery] render it, upon the harp of ten strings, and upon the nablium,] signifying that of ten strings to belong to both harp and Psaltery, cithara and nablium, which yet( as was said) differ one from the other.  
V. 7. As an heap] From {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} to be moved, to fly, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  an heap, and {untranscribed Hebrew} a bladder, or skin, or bottle. In this place all the ancient interpreters seem to have red the latter of these {untranscribed Hebrew}, as a bottle; signifying the waters of the Sea to be so kept within the banks, as water is which is put into a bottle. And so in like manner it is rendered, Psal. Lxxviii. 13. where yet it belongs to another matter, the receding of the read sea to the Israelites, and not the framing of the Ocean in the creation. But the modern copies of the Hebrew have in both places {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which is best rendered, as an heap. Thus the word is used Exod. xv. 8. the floods stood up {untranscribed Hebrew} as an heap: where the Targum red {untranscribed Hebrew} as a wall; the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} as a wall; and so the Samaritan; the arabic, as mountains: but the Syriack, as in bottles( so as here,) but certainly amiss, as will appear from the passage of story( both there and Psal. Lxxviii. referred to) Exod. xiv. 22. where 'tis said, that the waters were a wall unto them. In this variety, the context here will be fittest to determine, and that may be thought in one respect to incline it in this one place to the former sense, in which the ancient interpreters red it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, as a bottle. For the matter in hand is the miraculous congregating of the waters in the creation, that is set down Gen. 1.9. God said, let the waters under the heaven be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear, and v. 10. the gathering together of the waters called he Seas. Here the one place for the waters, or the one place whereto they are confined, may be fitly compared to a vessel, or bottle, which keeps them from running over, and so severs them from dry land. And this also agrees with what here follows, he layeth them up in the deep, as in store-houses: for thus the words are to be rendered, {untranscribed Hebrew} giving, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  or he gives, or puts them, {untranscribed Hebrew} in the treasures of the deeps; so the Chaldee verbatim reads it, he puts them, i. e. the waters, in the store-houses of the deeps: and so the sense exacts, the deep or abyss( the great cavities which God created) being the place wherein the water of the Sea is put, and laid up, as in a repositorie store-house, or treasury, where it is kept safe from hurting any thing. Accordingly Seb. Castellio renders it, undis in cellas conditis, the waters being laid up in cellars or repositories. The Lxxii. indeed red {untranscribed Hebrew} the deeps in treasures; and so the Syriack and arabic; but the former, that of the Chaldee, is as literal, and that which the sense exacteth, for 'tis the waters that are laid up in the deeps, and not the deeps themselves. And so still to this consideration very fitly accords the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for bottle, or other such vessel, that gathers and holds water; and not the other of {untranscribed Hebrew} for an heap, which in Exodus it certainly signifies. But beside this act of Gods mercy in restraining the Ocean, and so keeping it as a bottle doth, there is another act of Gods providence very remarkable in the creation of the Ocean, viz. that it is demonstrably of a gibbous, circular form, and stands above the shore, which yet confines it. And this instance of providence is most perspicuously adumbrated by this scheme of an heap, viz. that it riseth into a cumulus: and to that most properly belongs the gathering here mentioned, for that any collection naturally makes an heap. And therefore it seems best not to solicit the ordinary reading, but to take it in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} an heap, which most certainly belongs to it in those other places, Exod. xv. 8. and Psal. Lxxviii. 13.  
V. 10.] In the end of this v. 10. the Lxxii. over and above what we find in the Hebrew, add {untranscribed Hebrew}, and frustrates the counsels of Princes; and so from them the latin, arabic, and Aethiopick. But the Chaldee and Syriack have it not, but agree with our Hebrew copies, and give us reason to resolve that those Greek translators took the liberty of Paraphrase, and kept not themselves to the strict bounds of literal interpreters.  
V. 15. Alike] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  simul, the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, the latin sigillatim severally; they are therefore thought to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} unicum, separatum, and that taken adverbially. But 'tis more likely that they took {untranscribed Hebrew} in that sense, from the verb that signifies to make one, and so may in the adverb fitly signify, one by one; and that is all that is meant by {untranscribed Hebrew}, or severally.    

The Thirty Fourth Psalm.  
A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech, who 
dismissed him, {untranscribed Hebrew} see note on Ps. lvi. 2.  driven him away, and he departed.  
The Thirty Fourth Psalm was composed by David in remembrance of the time when, in his flight from Saul, he was brought to Achish King of the philistines,( called here after their style Abimelech, i. e. my Father the King;) at which time being by them descried to be David, so famed for his victories over them, 1 Sam. xxi. 11. he thought fit to personate a mad-man, v. 13. and thereupon was dismissed by Achish v. 15. and escaped to the Cave of Adullam c. xxii. 1.  
1. I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.  
2. My soul shall 
bless itself, {untranscribed Hebrew}  make her boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.  
I will never cease lauding and magnifying the name of God. I will rejoice, and esteem myself most happy that I have such a Protector to betake myself to in all my distresses, and proclaim this to all plous men that depend on his aid, that they may rejoice and give thanks with me, saying,  
3. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.  
O let us all thus join hearts and voices to praise and bless his holy name.  
4. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me out of all my fears.  
When I was in my greatest danger, discerned by the servants of Achish, and brought in to him, as his most powerful enemy now fallen into his hands, I addressed my prayers to God; and he came in to my relief, inclined the King to sand me out of his house, and check his servants for bringing me in to him; and by that means I escaped my great danger.  
5. 
a.  They looked unto him, and were lightened; and their faces were not ashamed.  
This dealing of God with David shall be matter of great reviving to all that are at any time in distress; who shall from hence take courage and confidence, and what ever their condition be, apply themselves to God, and not fear being disappointed by him. For thus shall they encourage one another by Davids example;  
6. 
This {untranscribed Hebrew}  The poor man cried; and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.  
lo there was a man in a state of extreme distress, and he betook himself immediately to God in prayer; and his prayer was answered with speedy deliverance out of all his streights.  
7. The Angel of the Lord incampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.  
And thus shall it be with all truly pious men, such as obediently serve, and wait on God; they have the promise of his protection, and, as the instruments thereof, of whole hosts of Angels to harass them, and secure them from all approach of dangers.  
8. O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in him.  
Let any man make the experiment, keep close to God in obedience and reliance on him, and he shall soon discern, that he is a most gracious master, and that there is no such assured tenor in, or title to all the felicity in the world, as this, of constant faithful dependence and affiance in him.  
9. O fear the Lord, all ye his Saints; for there is no want to them that fear him.  
There is no more prudential politic course for any pious man, no greater security from all worldly streights and wants, than to adhere to him, who is the unexhausted spring of all plenty; never taking in any unlawful prohibited aids, but preserving an uniform obedience to him.  
10. The 
b.  young lions do lack and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.  
Such as use themselves to rapine and injustice, by that means to secure themselves of wealth, have oft that curse of God attending and blasting them, and their posterity in this world, that from great wealth they come to great want, and utter destitution: and indeed their very rapacity and covetousness, and perpetual insatiate desires of gaining, keep them still beggarly, and miserable, in the midst of their greatest plenty, their abundance yields no kind of satisfaction to them. On the other side, the pious man, that keeps him close to God, depends on, and implores his blessing on his honest endeavours, and never admits of any unlawful means, either for the getting or preserving of wealth, he shall never want that which is best for him in this world, and shall have a reserve of all wealth truly satisfactory, all manner of felicity hereafter.  
11. Come, ye children, harken to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.  
Tis therefore very well worth the consideration of every one that desires to be advised of his own welfare, what rich rewards the pious obedient servant of God is secured of even in this life.  
12. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth 
dayes to see good, {untranscribed Hebrew}  many dayes that he may see good?  
If a man would project for the enjoying a long life in this world, and the greatest tranquillity and prosperity and contentation in it,  
13. Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.  
There is not a more probable hopeful way for the attaining it, then to begin with his tongue, and restrain that from all contumelious, injurious, and deceitful speaking; which though it be ordinarily designed to the advantage of him that useth it, yet most frequently brings mischievous effects, the greatest real disadvantages:  
14. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and ensue it.  
And then to cleanse his actions from all known sin,( which, if continued in, must needs be the forfeiting of Gods protection, and bring his blasts and curses upon him) and so regularly proceed to superstruct all works of piety to God, and justice and charity to men: particularly, to live peaceably with all men, to be as industrious in that pursuit, as the most malicious person is in pursuing his designs of revenge, and withall to be a peace-maker among others.  
15. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.  
And then, besides the natural tendency of this method to a quiet, and so a prosperous and long life,( which on the contrary is frequently shortened, but constantly disturbed and made miserable, by contentions and unpeaceablenesse) there is an assurance of Gods protection and preservation; which duly waits over all obedient, faithful servants of his, to bless and prosper all they undertake, and to grant whatsoever they request of him, either in kind, or in equivalence, what they choose to desire for themselves, or what he chooses( as seeing best) for them.  
16. The 
c.  face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.  
( Whereas, on the other side, Gods displeasure and punishments pursue ungodly men, to the utter eradication of them and their posterity.)  
17. 
They cry.  The 
d.  righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.  
Whensoever they implore Gods aid, he is ready to answer their request, and sand them seasonable deliverance.  
18. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.  
All humble-minded men, sincerely changed from all their former sins, have assurance of Gods special favour to them, and of the effects thereof, his merciful deliverances whensoever they stand in need of them.  
19. Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivereth them out of them all.  
Though pious and good men fall into many afflictions, Gods providence, for their exercise and other wise ends, so disposing, or permitting it; yet he in his chosen season rescueth them out of all.  
20. He keepeth all his bones; not one of them is broken.  
The providence of God pertaineth to every the least part of the body of every servant of his, and evidenceth itself in a signal preservation of such from all dangers.( This had a more eminent and literal completion in our blessed Saviour, whose legs were not broken, when they were of both the thieves that were crucified with him, Joh. xix. 36.)  
21. 
e.  evil shall slay the wicked, and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.  
On the other side, the( perhaps fewer) afflictions that befall wicked men, shall be the utter destroying of them: and generally the aphorism will be found to hold, That they that design mischief to good men, shall be remarkably punished in this world.  
22. The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants; and 
all they— shall not— {untranscribed Hebrew}  none of them that trust in him 
f.  shall be desolate.  
Whilst the obedient servants of God, that rely and depend on him, have assurance of being delivered, and never forsaken by him.  

Annotations on Psalm XXXIV.  
V. 5. They looked] the LXXII. render the verse in the Imperative, which the Hebrew, as now we have it, doth not bear. This makes some think that they red otherwise than now we do, not {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  they looked, but {untranscribed Hebrew} look, or come, or address; and so render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin accedite, come ye; and then {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  being taken, as it may, in the imperative, and so rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, be ye enlightened, the change will be easy from {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  their faces, to {untranscribed Hebrew}, your faces. But it is more likely, that the LXXII. choose to render the sense, not the words, and so put it into the Imperative mood, thereby most perspicuously to express it,( and herein the Syriack, as well as the latin and arabic and Aethiopick, follow them:) to which they might be inclined, by seeing that there was no antecedent immediately foregoing, to which the relative [ they] should be thought to refer. Only the Chaldee adheres literally to the Hebrew, and will both of them be best interpnted by referring to the humble v. 2. and by making David himself to be the [ him] to whom the humble looking, and seeing how God had dealt with him, were enlightened, revived, and encouraged by that means; and so to them also may be fitly applied the sixth verse, as the speech of these humble, The poor man cried, i. e. David in his distress, and the Lord heard him, &c.  
V. 10. young Lions] Where the Hebrew reads {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  young lions,( and so the Chaldee from them {untranscribed Hebrew} sons of lions) the Lxxii. render {untranscribed Hebrew} the rich; and herein the latin and Syriack and arabic and Aethiopick follow them: not that they can be thought to have red the original any otherwise than now we do, but after their wont rendering the sense, rather than words; and so as in prophetic writings, Ezek. xxxviii. 13. {untranscribed Hebrew} his young lions] is by the Chaldee paraphrased {untranscribed Hebrew} his Kings, so here cruel and rapacious men being compared to lions, they have chosen for [ lions whelps] to set rich men] viz. such, whose wealth is gathered by the rapine of their parents.  
V. 16. The face] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  faces here signifies, will be best learnt from Maimonides, More Nevoch. par. 1. c. 37. It is used, saith he, for anger and indignation: to which purpose he cites 1 Sam. 1.18. where, saith he, the phrases {untranscribed Hebrew} her faces were no more to her, signifies, her anger continued to her no longer:( and to this sense the arabic renders it, her countenance was no more changed for the exprobration of her rival] expressing it to be the passion of jealousy, and that is anger, which is there spoken of.) So Lam. iv. 16. we red, the anger( it is {untranscribed Hebrew} faces) of the Lord hath divided them. So Lev. xx. 5. I will set my face, i. e. my anger against that man— and so frequently elsewhere: and so, saith he, it is in this verse. Accordingly the Chaldee red, but the countenance of the Lord is angry, against them: and so the consequents enforce, to cut off— Upon the same grounds it is that {untranscribed Hebrew}, and {untranscribed Hebrew}, parts of the face, signify anger, because passion immediately discovers itself there. So Dan. iii. 18. the form of Nebuchadnezzars visage was changed; and Gen. ii. 5. Cain was very wrath, and his countenance fell.  
V. 17. The righteous cry] The placing of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  they cried, in the beginning of this v. 17. may be worthy to be taken notice of. That it belongs to righteous or pious men there can be no doubt; and accordingly all the Interpreters thus supply it; {untranscribed Hebrew}, the righteous cried, say the Lxxii. and so all the rest. But how it comes to be so, when the verse immediately precedent belongs to them that do evil, is the only matter of difficulty. And the answer is obvious; that the sixteenth verse is to be red as in a parenthesis, and the word righteous( v. 15. who are there said to cry) will be the immediate antecedent, to which [ they cried] must necessary refer. And therefore it will be best so to include v. 16. and in token thereof, to affix the most literal rendering to {untranscribed Hebrew} They cried, and not, The righteous cried.  
V. 21. evil shall slay] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  shall slay, which we red from the Hebrew, the Lxxii. seem to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} occision, for so they render it in conjunction with {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  {untranscribed Hebrew}, the death of sinners is evil. But the Syriack adhere to our vulgar reading, {untranscribed Hebrew} evil shall slay the wicked, by {untranscribed Hebrew} understanding the same that {untranscribed Hebrew} v. 19. had signified, i. e. afflictions, or evil of punishment: which being applied to the righteous, though in the plural, prove not ruinous or hurtful to him, the Lord delivers him out of them; whereas here evil in the singular slays the wicked; to signify the difference of Gods economy toward righteous and wicked men. The former is permitted to fall into many pressures; the latter is not so frequently exercised with them: yet the many that befall the one, do him no hurt, but work good for him; whereas the sure that befall the wicked, perhaps the {untranscribed Hebrew}, one singular affliction of his life, is the utter ruin of him.  
V. 22. Shall be desolate] {untranscribed Hebrew} to be laid wast or desolate] signifies also to be guilty, or culpable: accordingly {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  shall not be desolate, which the Chaldee ( with the Syriack) renders {untranscribed Hebrew} shall not be condemned, is by the Lxxii. rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, by the latin, non delinquent, shall not offend; but this certainly after that part of the Hellenists dialect, wherein sin signifies sometimes the punishment of sin, and accounting guilty is condemning to vengeance.    

The Thirty Fifth psalm.  
A Psalm of David.  
The thirty fifth Psalm is a complaint of Davids against his enemies, joined with an appeal to God, and a prayer for his deliverance.  
1. 
Contend {untranscribed Hebrew}  pled my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.  
Lord, in all the persecutions and assaults that are made upon me, be thou pleased to take my part, to espouse my cause, to contend and fight for me.  
2. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.  
Let thy protection be my shield and onely defensive weapons;  
3. Draw out also the spear, 
a.  and 
a short sword to meet them.  stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.  
Thy strength and prospering hand my offensive, to meet, and discomfit my enemies: be thou graciously pleased to assure me of thy help and strength, and then I shall not want deliverance.  
4. 
They shall blushy and be ashamed.  Let 
b.  them be confounded and put to shane, that seek after my soul: 
they shall  let them be turned back, and brought to confusion, that device my hurt.  
Those that design my mischief and my ruin, shall( I persuade myself) undoubtedly be disappointed, and put to flight, and dissipated.  
5. 
they shall {untranscribed Hebrew}  Let them be as chaff before the wind; and 
the Angel shall—  let the Angel of the Lord chase them.  
They shall be scattered as chaff or dust in the winnowing of corn on an high and open place, where the wind comes freely: and if no visible strength of mine be able to do it, yet the Angels, the ministers of Gods vengeance, shall thus deal with them;  
6. 
their way shall be— {untranscribed Hebrew}  Let their way be dark and slippery: and 
the angel— shall.  let the Angel of the Lord persecute them.  
Pursuing them to their greatest mischief, as those that fly in the dark( and tumble into mire and pits,) in slippery places, and so frequently fall and wound themselves in their flight.  
7. For without cause have they hide for me 
the pit of their snare.  a 
c.  net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.  
For without any injury or provocation of mine, they have designed mischief and treachery against my life.  
8. 
Destruction shall come— see note b.  Let destruction come upon him at unawares, and 
his— shall  let his net that he hath hide catch himself; into that very destruction 
shall be—  let him fall.  
And accordingly when they little expect it, and by ways which they apprehended not, destruction shall seize upon them, and that by those very means, by which they designed to bring it on other men.  
9. And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in his salvation.  
And this being a signal work of Gods delivering me, when I am least able to do it myself, obligeth me to rejoice, and give thanks to him.  
10. All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him which is too strong for him; yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him.  
And every member of my body shall join in the acknowledgement of the mercy, such as could not have been from any other means, and such as is most worthy of a just judge, and gracious father, and omnipotent God, rescuing the weak and impotent from the power of the strong, the oppressed and injured from the violent and oppressor.  
11. False witnesses did rise up; they 
interrogated, or questioned me of, {untranscribed Hebrew} see Jos. 8.19. and Matth. 27.11.  laid to my charge things that I knew not.  
And such indeed was my condition, being most falsely accused to Saul( 1 Sam. xxiv. 9.) of that of which I was most guiltless.  
12. They rewarded me evil for good, to d the 
depriving.  spoiling of my soul.  
Those whom I had obliged, made me this very unkind return, desiring to have me put to death.  
13. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned into my own bosom.  
When any evil befell them, I mourned, and fasted, and prayed earnestly for them. And it seems all was cast away, frustrate, and lost on them: my greatest charity abated not their malice, my fastings and devotions had no effect on them( see Jer. 55.11.) returned empty of the deserved success, as a gift sent to an uncivil person, who instead of grateful acceptance, return it back unto the donor. These are the only returns I receive from them. But my charity shall not lose its reward; God will abundantly recompense it to me.  
14. 
e.  I 
walked as  behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as 
or a mourning mother.  one that mourneth for his mother.  
In all their sufferings I was affencted with the same tenderness of compassion, as toward a friend, or brother, or child, or parent,( the relations of the dearest affections.)  
15. But in 
f.  mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the very 
g.  abjects gathered themselves together against me, and 
I knew not.  I knew it not; they did tear me and ceased not.  
But when any misfortune befell me, they triumphed and scoffed; and so in like manner other vile and wicked men, never provoked by me in the least degree, at all their meetings reviled me, and railed at me continually, without any the least cause for what they said.  
16. With 
delators that scoff and deride for a cake.  hypocritical mockers in 
h.  feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.  
Onely, as buffones and flatterers make it their business to please those that give them bread, by bringing them false tales of other men, jeering and scoffing at them, without considering how blameless and guiltless they are whom they deride; so have they dealt with me, most causelessly, yet most contumeliously, inveighing against me.  
17. Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destruction, my 
onely on● see Psal. xxii. 20.  darling from the Lions.  
Lord, be thou pleased at length to interpose thy hand, to consider my desolate low estate, and the cruelty of mine enemies; and relieve me in it, or deliver me out of it.  
18. I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.  
And I shall be eternally obliged to bless and magnify thy mercies in the solemn assembly.  
19. Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.  
O let not mine unjust causeless enemies have matter of rejoicing and scoffing at me; as they will, if thou leavest me in my distress.  
20. For 
i.  they speak not peace, but they device deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.  
For instead of kindness and friendly usage, which is due from them, they design nothing but fraud and treachery against me, who hearty desire to live most peaceably and quietly under Sauls Government.  
21. Yea they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, Aha, our eye hath seen it.  
And not onely so, but they have openly railed upon me, as one that seek his life, and pretend to speak from their own sight, and certain knowledge, when they deliver that which is most far from truth.  
22. 
Thou hast seen, {untranscribed Hebrew}  This thou hast seen( O Lord) keep not silence; O Lord, be not far from me.  
Tis certain they have seen no such thing, as they falsely pretend. On the contrary, thou, O God, who seest all things, seest and knowest my innocency, and the integrity of my heart: Be thou pleased to testify for me, by delivering me from the evil which they designed against me.  
23. Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgement; even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.  
24. Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.  
O thou that art my gracious God and powerful Lord, be thou pleased at length to take part, to defend and to vindicate my innocence, to testify thy approbation of my doings, and seasonably to interpose thy hand for the relieving me, and disappointing my enemies.  
25. Let them not 
in their hearts applaud themselves, or say well to their souls.  say in their hearts Ah, 
k.  so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.  
Preserve me out of their hands, lest they applaud themselves in their actions, their most wicked and bloody enterprises, if they prove successful to them.  
26. Let 
they shall.  them be ashamed and brought to confusion together, that rejoice at my hurt: 
they shall.  let them be clothed with shane and dishonour, that magnify themselves against me.  
And thus I am confident thou wilt in thy due season disappoint, and discomfit those that are most maliciously bent against me, and most proudly triumph over me at this time.  
27. 
they shall.  Let them shout for joy and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: Yea, 
they shall.  let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.  
And by so doing thou shalt give matter of joy and gladness to all that wish me well, cause them to bless and magnify thy goodness, and fidelity of thy promises, when they see me signally favoured by thee, of whose sincerity and uprightness they have such assurance.  
28. My tongue shall speak of thy righteousness, and of thy praise all the day long.  
As for me, I shall by this thy mercy be obliged to promulgate and proclaim thy fidelity, and the care thou hast of those that adhere to thee, and for this to laud and bless thy name continually.  

Annotations on Psalm XXXV.  
V. 3. Stop] It is uncertain what {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here signifies. The Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew} shut] in the Imperative mood, and the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} shut up. But if this be the right rendering, and it be applied to that which went before,[ draw forth, i. e. unshea●h,( so the Chaldee red) the lance or spear,] it must then be the direct contrary, viz. shut it up again: and to apply it to any thing else,( as our English applies it to the way, and so supposes an ellipsis, and then supplies it thus, [ stop the way] &c.) the context gives us no reason. The Syriack reading( for the lance) the sword, render, unshea●h, and make it shine;] and that agrees well to it when it is drawn, but hath no affinity to the notion of the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} occlusit, coercuit. The arabic therefore reads, repel them, as from the notion of coercere, to repress or repel. But then they take no notice of {untranscribed Hebrew} in occursum, which follows,( and will not be reconciled with this rendering) but without it red {untranscribed Hebrew} repel them that persecute me. In this uncertainty the learned 
Pentagl. p. 1197. c.  Schindlers observation deserves to be headed, that the accent Tiphcha joyrs {untranscribed Hebrew} with {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  lance] precedent, in the construction, and then being a substantive it must be taken for a sort of weapons; and so it appears to signify a sort of sword called from hence {untranscribed Hebrew}, and ordinarily spoken of by Herodotus and other Historians among the Persians: of which saith Hesychius, {untranscribed Hebrew}, 'tis a little axe with one edge; and Suidas, {untranscribed Hebrew} an axe, used, saith he, without s. in Xenophon joining {untranscribed Hebrew}, a Persian bow and quiver and sagari, {untranscribed Hebrew}, such as the Amazons have, adding, that it signifies an instrument to open a vein, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and {untranscribed Hebrew}, hand-weapons. To these acceptions of the word Hesychius and Phavorinus add, {untranscribed Hebrew} a plough, that part which cuts the earth, and is like to the Persian acinaces, or short swords, scimitars. And so this is by much the most probable meaning of the word, and rendering of the place; draw forth the lance and short sword, {untranscribed Hebrew} in occursum, ●o meet my persecutors. To this agrees Kimchi, both in his Comment, and in his dictionary, making it a sort of weapon; and so Abu-Walid before him.  
V. 4. Let them] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , from {untranscribed Hebrew} erubuit, is in the future t●ns●, there can be no doubt: and then the most regular rendering will be not, let them, but, they shall blushy; and so in the rest that follow, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  they shall be put to shane, from {untranscribed Hebrew} pudore affecit. And so the whole ●salm, instead of so many forms of execration, or imprecation against enemies, shall be really no more than so many testimonies of his assured confidence, that God, that hath made him such sure promises, will make them good to him, in his preservation, and that disappointment and discomfiture of his enemies. And according to this measure, all the other Psalms which seem to be filled with curses against his and Gods enemies, ought to be understood, and accordingly are explicated in the Paraphrase.  
V. 7. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Net in a pit] {untranscribed Hebrew} is literally, the pit of their snare, {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} inclinavit, signifying a pit very frequently, though the Lxxii. here render it {untranscribed Hebrew} corruption, as Psal. xvi. 10. they do( as from {untranscribed Hebrew} corruptus fuit,) and {untranscribed Hebrew} being the known word for a net, or snare, or toil, to catch beasts or birds, or fish in; and not improbably from it the latin rete. This the Lxxii. here render {untranscribed Hebrew} a gin or snare; and so the Syriack and latin and arabic. And then the whole phrase denotes the manner of toils among the Jews; digging a hole, and slight covering it over, and hiding it, and setting a snare in it, that they that( not seing) prest the clod, and fell therein, might be caught, and held from getting out again. To this also belongs {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , that follows, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to dig: which the Chaldee therefore renders Paraphrastically {untranscribed Hebrew} they ensnared, or laid wait for; but the Lxxii. from another notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} exprobravit, render it {untranscribed Hebrew} reproached; and so the latin and arabic from them.  
V. 12. Spoiling] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  orbitas, deprivation, most frequently applied to loss of children, and so here rendered by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, childlesness, being applied, as here it is, to the soul, signifies the loss or deprivation of life; the soul being then deprived, when it is by death separated from the body, the only companion which it hath. And accordingly, as the Chaldee renders it more literally, they seek to deprive my soul, so the Syriack expresseth the sense more paraphrastically, they destroyed my soul from among men; and so the arabic, they destroyed my soul, i. e. endeavoured to do so. But the latin from the Lxxii. red, sterilitatem, barrenness; and the Aethiopick, they deprive my soul of the births thereof.  
V. 14. Behaved myself] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to walk, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is {untranscribed Hebrew} here in Hithpael, I have walked, or made myself to walk, the mourner discovering his passion as by his dress, so by his gate: Thus Ahab walked softly, and Isaiah expresseth mourning by bowing down the head like a bulrush. This the Lxxii. according to their wont render {untranscribed Hebrew}, I pleased. So Gen. v. 22, 24. and vi. 9. and xvii. 1. and xxiv. 40. and xLviii. 15. Psal. xxvi. 3. and cxv. 9. they render the same word: and from them the Apostle Heb. xi. 5. But here the context confining the discourse to mourning, wearing sackcloth, and fasting, going before v. 13. and bowing down, and mourning, following after, it is in reason to be taken in that sense:( and so 'tis expressly used Psal. xxxviii. 6. I walked mourning, and so Eccles. xii. 5. the mourners are said to go about the streets) I walked {untranscribed Hebrew} as if( it were) a friend or brother of mine( that had fallen into some mischief.) But then in that which follows, {untranscribed Hebrew} I bowed down as a mourner bewailing his mother, or, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as the Jewish Arab, joining {untranscribed Hebrew} to {untranscribed Hebrew}, as a mourning mother, expressing, saith he, his sorrow by the sorrow of a mother for her child,( which indeed is the fittest instance of a passionate sorrow) the Lxxii. have omitted the word mother, and render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, as one mourning and sore lamenting, so was I humbled or bowing down: and thus the Syriack and arabic and latin follow them. But the Chaldee red the mother with the Hebrew, as a mourner that mourneth for his mother.  
V. 15. In mine adversity] From {untranscribed Hebrew} latus, a side, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  inclinatio ad latus, going down on one side, being lame, falling, calamity, adversity; and so {untranscribed Hebrew} will best be rendered, at my fall,( see Psal. xxxviii. 17.) the Chaldee red, in my tribulation, the Syriack, in my suffering, but the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} against me.  
V. 15. Abjects] From {untranscribed Hebrew} percussit, is {untranscribed Hebrew} any base or vile or wicked person. So the Chaldee here renders {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  by {untranscribed Hebrew} wicked men; and so the arabic, in the sense that Deut. xxv. 2. of a wicked man 'tis said, if he be {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  filius percussionis, a son of beating, i. e. worthy to be scourged, a vile person. ●he Lxxii. here render it {untranscribed Hebrew}( as if it were from {untranscribed Hebrew} flagella) scourges, i. e. men fit to be scourged; and so the latin, flagella, I suppose in this figurative use of the word. In the end of the verse {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  they tare, or used me reproachfully,( Abu Walid conjectureth it to signify speaking lies, or false things) and ceased not] is by the Lxxii. rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, they were divided,( the passive for the Active) {untranscribed Hebrew}, and had no compunction; for which the arabic, they repented not. All the difficulty is, to what belongs {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and I knew not, in the midst. And the resolution will be most reasonable, that we learn the meaning of it from v. 11. where the same phrase is used for those accusations, whereof he was no way conscious. Thus {untranscribed Hebrew} fitly signifies to know] having oft the notion of being conscious of. So 1 King. ii. 44. Thou knowest all the evil, {untranscribed Hebrew} which thy heart knows, i. e. is conscious of. And so here, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, laid reproachful things to my charge, tare my good name and ceased not, used me most contumeliously, and did so continually; and all this was without any cause or provocation on my part, I knew not, I was not conscious, or guilty of any thing; just as v. 2. without cause they hide their pit, without cause they digged for my soul.  
V. 16. In feasts] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to bake, comes {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a cake, 1 King. xvii. 12. and so here it may signify a cake, or any kind of meat, as that which Parasites and trencher-friends, buffones and scoffers desire to gain, by scoffing at others, and making mirth: a meals-meat is their best reward. This verse the LXXII. seem to have rendered onely Paraphrastically; for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  with the hypocrites of mockings, or hypocritical mockers( or jesters) for a cake, reading, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they tempted me, they jeered or laughed at me; and so the latin, arabic, and Aethiopick: but the Chaldee, nearer the original, with words of flatteries jeering and deriding; where the words of flattery seem to be set to interpret {untranscribed Hebrew}. For those that flatter, according to the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} table-friends or Parasites, do it on purpose to gain some such reward; and nothing more common with such kind of flatterers, than by deriding and scoffing of others to entertain them who give them their meat: and therefore as {untranscribed Hebrew}, a word of the same origination, signifies both a cake and a jeer; so those that gibe for a cake may here be thought sit proverbially to express those that scoff, and jeer, and reproach causlessely, in the former verse, and accordingly they are here styled {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the very word from which our English knave seems to be deduced. It signifies simulatores, men that act parts, and personate, and particularly delators, whisperers, backbiters; and with {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  subsannationum( from {untranscribed Hebrew} irrisit) added to it, it signifies that sort of delators, that do it by way of jeer or derision. As for the preposition {untranscribed Hebrew}, which begins the verse, it is best rendered cum with, as that signifies like them, or after the manner of them; Impurorum helluonum ritu, saith Castellio, after the manner of such. Another possible notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} the learned Mr. Pocock hath suggested to me from the arabic use of the word for perverse, or crooked; as if it were mockers of perverseness, i. e. perverse mockers.  
V. 20. Speak peace] In this verse the Lxxii. have much departed from the Hebrew, as now we have it. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  For {untranscribed Hebrew} they speak not peace, they red, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they speak indeed peaceable words to me, evidently reading {untranscribed Hebrew} to me, for {untranscribed Hebrew} not;] which both the Chaldee and Syriack retain, though the latin and arabic, following the Lxxii. leave it out. Then for {untranscribed Hebrew} and against the quiet of the land, from {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  quievit, which the Chaldee accordingly renders, against the righteous of the earth being quiet in the age, they red {untranscribed Hebrew} in anger; not misreading it {untranscribed Hebrew} anger, as some think, but taking {untranscribed Hebrew} in that notion of anger, or commotion, as sometimes it is acknowledged to signify. The latin follow them herein, but then add terrae, of the earth; which makes it probable, that so the Lxxii. also red, {untranscribed Hebrew}, but that Scribes deceived by the affinity of {untranscribed Hebrew}( the last syllable of {untranscribed Hebrew}) to {untranscribed Hebrew}, chanced to omit it: however the arabic and Aethiopick herein follow them, though the latin do not.  
V. 25. So would we have it] the phrase of saying to their souls {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , as a token of joy or satisfaction, is very ordinary. The Lxxii. have literally rendered it by saying to their soul, {untranscribed Hebrew}, well, well; the Chaldee paraphrastically, our soul is glad; the Syriack, our soul is at rest( agreeable to that of {untranscribed Hebrew}, soul take thy rest, Luke xii. 19.) The clear meaning of it is, their applauding themselves in their doings, and the prosperousnesse thereof, rejoicing and triumphing therein.    

The Thirty Sixth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord.  
The thirty sixth Psalm was composed by David in reflection on himself, and his own sincerity and dependence on God, in the time of his distress,( when Saul persecuted him, saith the Syriack and the arabic;) and it was committed by him to the Praefect of his music.  
1. The transgression of the wicked saith within 
a.  my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.  
The actions of wicked men are such, so absolutely contrary to Gods laws, and threats, and promises, to all that we know of God, that a man that considers them, cannot choose but resolve, that either they do not believe at all that there is a God, or that they do not really and in earnest fear or care for him.  
2. For he 
hath smoothed it to him in his own eyes, when his iniquity is ready to be found out, and hated.  
b.  flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his abominable sin be found out.  
For committing these sins that God sees, and hates, and abhors, and is even ready to punish, they think they can put so fair a gloss upon them, that God shall not find any fault with them. They pretend, forsooth, that they have done nothing amiss, varnishing over the fouler parts of them with some specious colour of pious intentions, &c. And so impudent they are, that they dare do this, flatter God, and pretend to religion, even then when their sin is ready to be found out, and punished by him.  
3. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to 
understand that be may do good. {untranscribed Hebrew}  be wise, and to do good.  
All their speeches are designed to mischief, and cheat others, and advance and benefit themselves; and for justice or charity, they give over all care or study of them, being so far from the practise of them, that they do not so much as desire to understand what belongs to them.  
4. He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.  
They plot, and study, and meditate ways of wronging others: there is nothing so ill, that they will not adventure on, if it be for their turn: they overcome those aversions, that even corrupt nature hath, to some greater more enormous sins; it will go down with them, if it seem contributive to their interests.  
5. Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens, and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.  
But from all their machinations I have my sure and safe resort to thy goodness and thy fidelity, O Lord; each of which are infinite, and unmeasurable, and shall never fail them that are qualified to receive benefit from them.  
6. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains, thy judgements are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast.  
What thou hast once promised, shall most certainly be performmed; thy faithfulness is unmovable. What thou pleasest to have done, shall certainly come to pass, though by means unfathomable, and unsearchable, such as no man can give account of. Thy over-ruling and wisely-disposing providence it is, by which all creatures have their being and preservation.  
7. How excellent is thy loving kindness, O God? Therefore the children of men 
under the shadow of thy wings shall have confide●ce. {untranscribed Hebrew}  put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.  
Thy mercy and favour, O Lord, is of all things in the world most highly valuable: and therefore for them that have their hold in it, that have not forfeited their tenor in thy favour, and fatherly providence, they may be most confident, that no evil shall befall them.  
8. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.  
All the good things of this life shall be in the greatest abundance of satisfaction reached out unto them; their life shall be filled with pleasures, continually flowing in to them, in all their performances. 'tis out of an unexhausted magazine, that they are provided for; out of a most fluent stream of divine plenty, that they are filled.  
9. For with thee is the fountain of life; and in thy light shall we see light.  
God is an ever-flowing spring and vein of all felicity, of this and another life: All the good that any man enjoys, or aspires to, comes only from his free favour and mercy.  
10. O continue thy loving kindness unto them that know thee, and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.  
The continuance of those comprehends all manner of bliss. O blessed Lord, do not withdraw them from thy servants; make good those exceeding rich promises, which thou hast confirmed to all those that sincerely adhere to thee, and depart not from thee.  
11. Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me.  
O let not the violence of proud and wicked men be able to do me any hurt.  
12. There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down and shall not be able to rise.  
And in this I am confident thou wilt hear my prayer; and so I rely on thee for the performance as cheerfully, as if they were already subdued, and brought so low, that they should never recover, or make any more assaults upon me.  

Annotations on Psalm XXXVI.  
V. 1. My heart] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  my heart, the Syriack reads {untranscribed Hebrew} his heart, The wicked man thinks leek ness in his heart; and the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, within himself, as reading {untranscribed Hebrew} his heart. But the Chaldee accords with our reading of the Hebrew, in the middle {untranscribed Hebrew} of my heart; and so we have all reason to continue it. And the meaning of it, though somewhat Poetically expressed, will not be obscure. For wickedness, by a prosopopoeia, is made to speak and declare what are the thoughts of that man wherein it is, viz. that he hath no fear of God before his eyes( i. e. I suppose in Hebrew style, before Gods eyes; as to fear before him, to do evil in his eyes, and many the like phrases are obvious.) This, saith the Psalmist, it declares in the inner part of my heart; not to my ears, but to my understanding: it saith it in my heart, i. e. gives me reason so to resolve and conclude it.  
V. 2. He flattereth] The construction of this v. 2. which is somewhat perplexed, may best be cleared by observing the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which we render, flattereth, in the beginning. {untranscribed Hebrew} as it signifies to divide into equal parts, so also it signifies laevigare, to smooth( and so in speech to flatter;) and so in Hiphil it is here taken, and being applied to sin, whether {untranscribed Hebrew} in the former verse, or {untranscribed Hebrew} in this verse, it signifies to put a soft, and smooth, and fair guise on it, as if there were nothing course or rough, nothing amiss in it. Next then, it must be considered to whom {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to him, refers; which by reason of the double antecedent, the wicked, ●nd God, may seem uncertain, but is by our English referred to the wicked himself. But the design of the verse being to prove, that the wicked hath no fear of God before his eyes, and that, as was said, before Gods eyes, it will be most reasonable to interpret {untranscribed Hebrew} of God, he hath smoothed his sin to him, i. e. to God, made it appear very fair and smooth; but this not really, but {untranscribed Hebrew} in his own eyes, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to his own thinking. And thus certainly the Lxxii. understood it, who render it paraphrastically {untranscribed Hebrew}, he ha h deal deceitfully before him, i. e. God, hath endeavoured to cheat God, and give him a very fair gloss, and smooth appearance of his sin. And then follows {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  when his sin is ready to be found out, to be hated; so ל signifies, see Ios. ii. 5. {untranscribed Hebrew} when the gate was ready to be shut: the Syriack renders it most fully, when the time was come that the gate is shut in the evening; and the arabic, when the gate was to be shut, for it follows, they went out. This is a most perspicuous rendering of those words. The LXXII. have followed the letter very close, {untranscribed Hebrew}, literally rendering the two infinitives by infinitives, but omitting onely the preposition ל in both places, and supplying it by the article {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so leaving it free to be rendered as ל imports, when his sin is ready to be found out, meaning still when God is ready to punish, i. e. to find out, and hate their iniquity.    

The Thirty Seventh Psalm.  
A Psalm of David.  
The thirty seventh Psalm, composed by David, is an exhortation to contentment, and cheerful submission to all Gods dispensations; especially his eminent work of providence, in permitting wicked men to prosper for a while; with addition of reasons to enforce that exhortation, the consideration especially of the far happier condition of godly men.  
1. 
Be not emulous. See noted.  Fret not thyself because of evil doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.  
There is very little reason that any man should envy the prosperous condition of wicked men in this world, or be excited or tempted thereby to 
to be like them or, join with them. Chald.  take the same course.  
2. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and whither as the green herb.  
For their prosperity is not likely to be durable: though they flourish for a while, yet is this no more than the verdure of the g●asse or herb of the field, which presently fades away, and then it is cut down, and carried thence.  
3. Trust in the Lord, and do good; 
dwell is the land, and keep, or feed in or by faith, or continually.  so shalt thou 
a.  dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.  
Thy much more prudent and thriving course is, to adhere and cleave fast to God, to place thy full trust in him, and go on cheerfully in doing all the good thou art capable of; and so to continue and increase, to dwell, and seed and live in faith, to order all thy actions by the rule of Gods will and commands, as long as thy abode is on this earth.  
4. Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart.  
Let all thy designs, thy pleasures thy satisfactions be placed in God; let it be thy greatest joy to do what is most acceptable to him: and then never doubt but he will bestow on thee that which is absolutely best for thee; and even whilst he withholds from thee what thou most wishest, give thee that which thou shalt find to be much more for thy turn, and so more eminently the object of thy universal desires, those of craving that which is most for thy advantage.  
5 
Devoke thy way on the Lord, and hope 〈◇〉 him.  
b.  Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass.  
Whatever thou wantest or desirest, leave it to God; make all thy applic●tions to him, and depend on him, that he will either give thee in kind what thou desirest, or by aequivalence somewhat that is better for thee.  
6. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement as the noon-day.  
And what slanders or calumnies soever others shall lay upon thee, God will in his time, by his own ways, vindicate thine integrity.  
7. 
Be silent to—  
c.  Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: 
envy n●t, be not a m●lous.  
d.  fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.  
Never think fit to repined, or complain, or murmur at Gods economy, to object, if it be but in thy heart, against the prosperity of wicked men, and the strange successefulnesse of their ungodly designs; much less be instigated by these considerations to imitate them: have patience a while, and thou shalt see much of Gods wisdom, and justice, and even of mercy in this dispensation of his;  
8. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; 
envy not so as to do evil also.  fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.  
Such as may reasonably supersede all thy displeasure and dislikes, and secure thee from so envying their lot, as to think fit to imitate them.  
9. For evil doers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, these shall inherit the earth.  
For the general common end of wicked doers is untimely excision, signal punishment even in this life,( and that certainly attended with the miseries of another life:) whereas the lot of pious men, that adhere and keep f●st to God, is generally length of dayes, and prosperity in this world,( and if that fail, an abundant compensation of bliss in another world.)  
10. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.  
Those that now prosper most, and are looked on at favoured by providence above others, shall after a small space, be as remarkable for Gods judgements and vengeance, even eradication of them and their posterities.  
11. But the meeck shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.  
When the patient waiters on God, that will not enterprise any unlawful course, to deliver themselves from any pressure, by some good motion of the divine providence, are returned to the most prosperous condition, to abundance of all felicity in this life.  
12. The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.  
atheistical wicked men are bitterly displeased at the righteous, and lay designs of treachery and mischief against such.  
13. The Lord shall laugh at him; for he seeth that his day is coming.  
But God dissipates their projects, frustrates and disappoints them, by bringing his vengeance upon them.  
14. The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.  
15. Their sword shall turn into their heart, and their bows shall be broken.  
When ungodly men have made all their cruelest preparations, for the oppressing all that are weaker, or more conscientious then themselves, and think they have great advantages on their side, by reason of their strength, and policy, and forwardness to adventure on any thing, be it never so unlawful, especially when 'tis ●gainst those that want strength, make not use of secular wisdom, and abhor the admitting of any unlawful means for the preserving of themselves, it is very observable, how, against all human likelihood, God converts their projects into their own ruin, and secures good men from the evils that were designed against them.  
16. A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.  
And therefore as there is an emptiness, and want of satisfaction in all wealth that is ill gotten; so there is also such a curse and blast attending it, that the meanest pittance well acquired is ●uch to be preferred, in these( as in many other) respects, before all the possessions of all the wicked men in the world.  
17. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the Lord upholdeth the righteous.  
For as God is in justice engaged to subdue the power, and blast the prosperity of wicked men; so hath he, by his gracious promise, obliged himself to support the pious man; and either to deliver him out of his pressures, or to uphold him under them.  
18. The Lord knoweth the dayes of the upright; and their inheritance shall be for ever.  
The actions of good men are seen, and laid up, and will not fail of being rewarded by God, not only with the comforts of this life continued to them and theirs, but especially with the greatest and most valuable rewards, a never failing possession in heaven secured to them.  
19. They shall not be ashamed in the evil times; and in the dayes of famine they shall be satisfied.  
In times of adversity, persecution and distress, they shall be richly provided for; and even when others want, they shall have a competency as long as they rely on God, he will not fail them, nor destitute them.  
20. But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall 
shall consume as the precious part of rams, they shall consume into smoke.  be 
e.  as the fat of lambs: they shall consume, into smoke shall they consume away.  
But refractory men, opposers of the ways of God, shall be used as Gods sacrifices, slain in the midst of their prosperity, burnt to ashes, and consumed into smoke; they shall finally and utterly be destroyed.  
21. The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.  
There is great difference in the actions of pious and wicked men, and such as, one would think, should much tend to the enriching the wicked, and impoverishing the pious. The former parts with nothing, neither gives, nor lends, but on the contrary borrows as much as he can, and never thinks of repaying: but the latter is so far from such injustice, that he abounds in all works of charity and mercy, and never expects the least return for it. Or the wicked is generally in a broken, indigent, necessitous condition, is forced to borrow, and is not able to repay, and so incurs the miseries of a wretched debtor, Mat. 18.34. but the righteous is so far from this estate, that he is able to lend and give to others.  
22. For 
the blessed.  such as 
f.  be blessed of him shall inherit the earth: and 
the cursed.  they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.  
And the reason is clear: God hath the disposing and distributing of the things of this world; and he hath promised his blessing to the pious and just and charitable, and denounced curses to the unjust, impious, and withall penutious, and gripping worldling: accordingly so it is, he prospereth the former, and gives them and their posterities a peaceable and plentiful being here; and blasteth and nurseth, and rooteth out the other.  
23. The steps of a 
man {untranscribed Hebrew}  good man are ordered by the Lord; and he 
shall accept {untranscribed Hebrew}  delighteth in his way.  
As long as mens actions are conformable to the will of God, and the directions which he gives for the guiding of them,( as the actions of the just and charitable are) in an high degree, so long are they most acceptable, and well-pleasing to him, and so sure to be accepted by him.  
24. Though he fall, he shall not be 
cast away, or, dashed to pieces.  utterly 
g.  cast down; for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.  
They that are careful of these practices, when afflictions befall, shall not be ruined by them: for God, by his secret ways of providence, shall support them under, or deliver them out of them.  
25. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the 
h.  righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.  
From the beginning of my life to this day making diligent observation in this matter, I am now able truly to pronounce, that I never could see or hear of any example of a just, and pious, and virtuous man, that was eminently charitable and mercifull-minded, that ever brought himself or his posterity to want by that means.  
26. He is 
all the day, or every day, {untranscribed Hebrew}  ever merciful and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.  
Though he be continually pouring out of his store, in works of mercy, giving and lending freely to those that want, which a man would think sufficient to wast and ruin his worldly plenty, and impoverish him, or at least his posterity; yet he that observes shall find it much otherwise, that the posterity of such scatterers generally thrive much the better for it.  
27. Depart from evil, and do good, and dwell for evermore.  
And therefore the most prudent thriving course imaginable is this; strictly to abstain from all known sin, and to be carefully exercised in all good works, especially those of mercy; and then thou hast the promise of a long and prosperous life here, and of heaven and immortal glory hereafter.  
28. For the Lord loveth judgement, and forsaketh not his 
merciful ones, {untranscribed Hebrew}  Saints: they are preserved 
i.  for ever; but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.  
For the lives of just men are acceptable to God, and to merciful charitable men peculiarly the promise is made, that God will show them mercy, and deal with them as they have dealt with others, relieve and support them in their distress, and signally prosper them and their posterity; and yet farther reserve a rich reward for them in another world: whilst his judgments remarkably seize on the posterity of wicked men, especially of the unjust and covetous oppressor.  
29. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.  
Accordingly you shall observe, that just, pious, and mercifull-minded men, have their peculiar portion of a long and prosperous life in this world, they, and their posterity, if they walk in their steps.  
30. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgement.  
31. The law of his God is in his heart: none of his steps shall slide.  
All such mens thoughts and discourses are busied on the true saving( not worldly, carnal or diabolical) wisdom, on the practise of virtue, and the sincere obedience to all Gods commands. And this God is sure to reward with his assistance and support, and accordingly preserve them from all evil.  
32. The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.  
33. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.  
'tis to be expected indeed, that wicked men should use all arts, and attempts of treachery, to oppress, and even to undo, and kill the pious and meek, charitable person, who is most weakly furnished with worldly aids to repel or secure himself from their malice: But then God will interpose for his relief, and avert their designed violence from him.  
34. Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.  
Keep close to God, and in obedience to all his laws, and in so doing rely and depend with confidence on him, and prepare thyself contentedly to bear whatsoever he shall sand; and doubt not but, in his due time, he will bring thee to a prosperous condition, even in this world( unless in his secret wisdom he see it better for thee to expect thy full reward in another world, and that is infinitely more desirable to thee:) and thou shalt live to see his punishments poured out upon the ungodly.  
35. I have seen the wicked 
terrible.  
k.  in great power, and spreading himself like a 
green three sprung up in the place, or a flourishing native.  green bay-tree.  
It is matter of very vulgar observation, that wicked men are very great and formidable for a while, flourish and prosper exceedingly, and have moreover all seeming advantages to aeternize this prosperity to them and their posterity, and are not discerned to have any thing come cross, to hinder their thriving in the world:  
36. 
And  Yet 
l.  he passed away, and lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.  
And yet of a sudden, in a trice, they are destroyed, and no remainder of them is to be found; their very memory is utterly gone.  
37. 
m.  mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the 
last part.  end of that man is peace.  
This you may generally observe, that sincere and just( especially if they be also charitable, merciful) men do( what ever pressures they meet with for a time) at length recover a peaceable and prosperous condition to them and their posterity.  
38. But the transgressors shall be destroyed 
at once.  
n.  together; and the 
last part.  end of the wicked shall be cut off.  
But wicked men, on the contrary, come to utter ruin and destruction: and though it be long deferred sometimes, yet it comes with a vengeance at last, to the cradicating them and their posterities.  
39. For the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord; he is their strength in the time of trouble.  
And the account is clear; God by his providence delivers the righteous and merciful men, defends and supports them in all their distresses.  
40. And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them; he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.  
And a sure tenor they have in his mercy for assistance and preservation from all the machinations of wicked men, as being in the number of those that rely and depend on God, according to his own promise; and so may from his fidelity expect and challenge deliverance.  

Annotations on Psalm XXXVII.  
V. 3. Dwell] The latter part of this v. 3. is variously interpnted. And first for {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  all the ancients agree to render it in the Imperative, inhabit the land, or dwell in it. And then all the difficulty is, whether this imperative have not the sense of a future,( as oft it hath.) If so, then our English hath rightly rendered it, so shalt thou dwell; and so the Lxxii. which render this imperatively, {untranscribed Hebrew}, inhabit the land, render the next word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and seed, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and thou shalt be fed. And thus it will bear a probable sense; Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, i. e. by way of promise, thou shalt dwell in the land, and be fed, i. e. provided for, {untranscribed Hebrew} ( adverbially) constantly, continually: as v. 27. do good, and dwell for evermore. But I suppose, the imperative sense may also very fitly be retained, and the force of it be discerned, either first, by taking it by itself,( as if the precept were therein terminated, viz. in their dwelling in the earth) in respect of those many commands, given to the Jews, of not going down into egypt, of not mixing, or conversing with any heathen; by force whereof this of dwelling in the land must be looked on as a strict duty: or Secondly, by joining it with( and making it preparative to) the latter; which that it may be perspicuous, we must next examine the meaning of {untranscribed Hebrew}. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  And here for {untranscribed Hebrew} feed, the Syriack rendering {untranscribed Hebrew}, and seek, seems to have red, with the change of a letter, ב for ר, {untranscribed Hebrew} seek; and then the sense is obvious, Seek truth. Nay {untranscribed Hebrew} in Kal frequently signifies to love, to be a friend, see Psal. xiii. 20. and xxviii. 7. and xxix. 3. judge. xiv. 20. and then 'tis, love, or be a friend or companion of truth. But all the other Interpreters adhere to our Hebrew reading, and the notion of feeding: the Lxxii. latin, and arabic, agree in {untranscribed Hebrew}, thou shalt be fed; and the Chaldee, that renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} and be strong in the faith, did most probably mean by that paraphrase to express it, food being the means of strength. Then for {untranscribed Hebrew}. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  The noun signifies either faith, or fidelity, or certitude and constancy. The Lxxii. it seems take it to signify riches, as being the things that worldly men most trust in; and so they render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, with the wealth thereof, as taking ה for an affix or pronoun, and {untranscribed Hebrew} as all one with {untranscribed Hebrew} mammon, riches. And thus also the latin, and arabic red from them. But there is no ground for this rendering. The only probable account is, that, if {untranscribed Hebrew} be taken for feeding, and {untranscribed Hebrew} not taken adverbially, then, as a noun, it here signify, as ordinarily it doth, faith, so as to accord with trust in the beginning of the verse: and then understanding( as 'tis frequent) the preposition ב, the plain rendering is, {untranscribed Hebrew} and feed in faith; so as Hab. 11.4. the just shall live {untranscribed Hebrew} in his faith. To live in, or by his faith, is to spend his life, and order his actions according to the rule of faith, the will and pleasure of God; which is the norma or square of a just mans life and actions. And thus to feed, and live, is all one: and so to feed in, or by his faith, to keep faithfully to the commands and will of God, as sheep, that keep in the fold, as the shepherd would have them. And then here is another probable sense of these two last branches put together: Dwell in the land, and feed in faith, i. e. all the time that thou livest on the earth, dwell and feed in faith, continue in faith, and affiance, and adherence to God, fall not off from him into any evil course, whatever the temptations may be. Another not improbable way of interpreting the place may possibly be fetched from the use of {untranscribed Hebrew} among the Arabs, for observing, or keeping a command, or covenant, &c. as also to observe what will come of a thing: and then {untranscribed Hebrew} will be, keep truth, or faith, adhere constantly to it; or again, observe what will come of it, what will be the end of it.  
V. 5. Commit] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} volvit, is literally, roll; see note on Psal. xxii. f. And so here it clearly signifies, Roll thy way on God, divolve all thy concernments on him. But the ancient Interpreters generally render it, as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to reveal: so the Chaldee, Manifest thy way to the Lord; the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, reveal; and so the latin and arabic; yea, and the Jewish arabic translator, Discover to him thy occasions, or matters, or needs, but gives no account of his thus rendering of {untranscribed Hebrew}. But the Syriack red {untranscribed Hebrew} direct thy way before the Lord.  
V. 7. Rest] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies to be silent, and our English dumb seems to be deduced from thence; and the silence in this place appears to be that, which is contrary to murmuring or complaining. The Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, from {untranscribed Hebrew} siluit, quievit, tranquillus fuit; the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, be subject, by way of paraphrase, the absolute subjecting and submitting ourselves to Gods will, being the full importance of this silence. As for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that follows, from {untranscribed Hebrew} in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} expectavit,( and accordingly the Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew} expect) the Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, deprecate, as from {untranscribed Hebrew}, which thus signifies; and because the praying to God is not only reconcilable with patient expecting, but withall is the ground thereof,( we have no reason to expect any relief, which we do not pray for from God) therefore, I suppose, the Lxxii. moved also with the affinity of the words, {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew}, choose to explicate it by this paraphrase: and the Syriack do more than imitate them; rendering {untranscribed Hebrew} be silent, by {untranscribed Hebrew} seek or ask from] as well as the other by [ pray,] ask of the Lord, and pray before him.  
V. 7. Fret] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} or the quadriliteral {untranscribed Hebrew} to envy, to contend, to emulate, to strive to be like or equal to, will here be best rendered, emulate, or envy not, so as to be incited to do what the wicked do, by seeing how well they prosper. Thus the Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, envy or emulate not; so the Syriack, latin, arabic, and Aethiopick. The Chaldee also to the same sense, {untranscribed Hebrew} provoke not, instigate not thy self at the wicked, who succeeds in his way, the man that executes or performs the counsel of the wicked. And that this of envying or emulating so, as to be stirred up( by way of emulation) to do the like, is here meant, appears farther by v. 8. where the same word is used again with this addition, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to do evil also: {untranscribed Hebrew}, say the Lxxii. so as to commit wickedness; and the Chaldee, be not incited or instigated that thou do evil; and the Syriack, emulate him not to commit iniquity; and the arabic most expressly by way of Paraphrase, imitate not the evil man. And thus it was before v. 1.  
V. 20. Fat] From {untranscribed Hebrew} pretiosum, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, as the precious, i. e. the fat, {untranscribed Hebrew} of rams, or lambs; the fat being most precious, and most useful in the sacrifices, and that which is burnt, and, as here it follows {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is consumed in, or into smoke. Thus 'tis ordinary in Scripture to resemble wicked men, both in themselves, and in their punishments, to sacrifices or holocausts, utterly burnt or destroyed before the Lord. The sacrifice is first fatted, and then slaughtered and killed before the Lord: and so are wicked men permitted to prosper in this world, and grow rich, and proud, and then they are cut off, and destroyed utterly and eternally. The Chaldee, that render it here, the glory of the rams, add by way of paraphrase, which are first fatted, and then their throats are cut; adding, so shall the wicked fail, and be consumed in the smoke of hell. And the Syriack in like manner, not by literal rendering, but by way of Paraphrase, The enemies of the Lord being fatted, are consumed, and go away like smoke. The Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, as soon as they are glorified and exalted;] taking {untranscribed Hebrew} in the notion of being honoured, and for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  of rams, reading {untranscribed Hebrew}, as from {untranscribed Hebrew} exaltatus fuit, and ב servile. And thus also the Paraphrase is good; as soon as they are honoured and exalted, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they fail or consume as smoke: and so the arabic, when they are glorious and lifted up, they utterly fail, as smoke when it consumes. Other interpretations are given by the Hebrews. Abu Walid and Aben Ezra mention the grass of the pastures, or wood[ or bushes] of the fields, which being burnt are turned into smoke. The Jewish Arab reads, like the heavy[ clouds] of the meadows( as {untranscribed Hebrew} is by Abu Walid and R. Tanchum interpnted, thick, heavy, involved clouds, Zach. xiv. 6.) which seeming to lie heavy over the earth, suddenly turn into smoke, and vanish. This seems to have pleased R. Sol. Jarchi.  
V. 22. Blessed] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the blessed of him, is by the Lxxii. rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} in the active, they that bless him, according to the liberty that they frequently take of paraphrasing( instead of literal rendering) and taking in words of affinity, in order to that. And thus the sense well bears; Gods blessings generally belonging to those that are liberal, and such being said to bless God, because their liberality is an act of acknowledgement or thanksgiving, and what they do to his poor servants, he accounts as done to himself. But the Chaldee and Syriack red it in the passive, the blessed of God, or those that are blessed of him.  
V. 24. Cast down] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is variously interpnted. The Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, which the latin rightly renders, non collidetur, he shall not be dashed to pieces, as many things are by falling: but the arabic, he shall not be troubled, as if they red it {untranscribed Hebrew}, or {untranscribed Hebrew}, which thus signifies: but the Syriack more singly, he is not hurt; the Chaldee by way of Paraphrase, if he fall into infirmity, he shall not dy. The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies in Niphal either simply to be thrown, or else to be cast away, as when Jon. i. 5. the wears in the ship are cast into the Sea, or Jonas himself v. 12. and 15. and so it may signify here, viz. so to fall, as to be cast away, or lost by the fall; but more probably,( and with more propriety to the mention of falling) to be thrown( as that notes a real passive, together with the effect thereof, thrown) to the ground, so as to be dashed in pieces by the fall: and to that the Lxxii. incline.  
V. 25. Righteous] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  righteous, frequently in sacred style signifies a charitable or merciful man, hath oft been observed,( see note on Mat. i. 9.) And that here it must be taken in that sense, appears by the context v. 21. the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth, and v. 26. He is ever merciful and lendeth— and then there, as here, after all his profusion, his seed is blessed. But this must be taken with one caution, that this of alms-giving is but a part of the righteousness here meant, not the whole of it; the word, as it oft signifies the almes-giver, so oft signifying other parts of our duty to God, and man, and ourselves, and all of them comprehended under it. And so the full importance of it here must be, he that to the other parts of a pious and good life, is observed to mustard-seed( see v. 27.) a special degree of mercifulness and communicativeness to them that want, though of all other virtues that be most probable to diminish the possessions, yet it is the Psalmists observation, that he never saw any man impoverished by the most liberal practise of it, but, on the contrary, that his seed is blessed, his posterity is the more prosperous and flourishing by it.  
V. 28. For ever] In this place there is a concurrence of two things, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which cast some suspicion on the Hebrew text, which now we have, as if it were some way altered from what the original copies red. For 1. this being an alphabetical Psalm, as it is acknowledged, it is yet manifest, that the letter ע is omitted: 2. the LXXII. in this place put in two words, which are not found in our Hebrew; some copies red them {untranscribed Hebrew}, the blameless shall be avenged, and so the arabic, others, {untranscribed Hebrew}, but the wicked shall be persecuted, and so the latin, injusti punientur, the unjust shall be punished. And then 'tis the conjecture of some, that {untranscribed Hebrew} being the Hebrew word for unjust, began that verse, and then there is the ע that was wanting. But then 1. it is certain, that neither the Chaldee nor Syriack aclowledge any such insertion, but follow our Hebrew herein exactly: 2. that far less change will afford us the ע which we want, to complete the alphabetical order of the verses; viz. by reading {untranscribed Hebrew} for ever are they kept, without the preposition ל,( which elsewhere is omitted) and then beginning the division with that ע, which is in {untranscribed Hebrew}. And this is the most probable account to be given of this difficulty.  
V. 35. Great power] From {untranscribed Hebrew} timuit, is the noun {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  formidable, terrible: The Interpreters generally render it by way of Paraphrase; the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} strong, powerful; the Syriack, boasting; the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew}, exalted above measure, and so the latin and arabic. But in that which follows, they use greater liberty. The Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew} sp●eading himself as an indigena flourishing: for so {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} effudit, signifies in Hithpael, to dilate and spread itself; {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} ortus fuit, is indigena, born or sprung up in that place where he continues, and is here generally thought to be limited by the adjunct {untranscribed Hebrew} flourishing, to the notation of a three, {untranscribed Hebrew} a three sprung up in the place, saith the Chaldee, any green root, or flourishing plant, saith Abu Walid, and the Jewish Arab, that springs in a moist fruitful place. And this, I suppose, because trees &c. that grow where they first sprung up, without removing to any other place, do thrive and prosper fastest. And accordingly {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to be green, signifies it well provided with leaves, and so with verdure. And that perhaps is the reason, why some late Interpreters have rendered it a bay three, because that, with some others, is all the year long green. But the truth is, after all this, the rendering it a three, hath no certain foundation. {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies a freeborn person, or citizen, as that is opposed to a stranger Lev. xxiii. 42. every {untranscribed Hebrew} in Israel, i. e. Israelite born, {untranscribed Hebrew} saith the Chaldee, Indigena in Israel. So Lev. xxiv. 16. {untranscribed Hebrew} as well the stranger as he that is born in the land: &c. xix. 34. {untranscribed Hebrew} the stranger shall be as one born among you; {untranscribed Hebrew}, a native say the Lxxii. and the word is never pretended to be used in Scripture, elsewhere, for any but a man, a native Israelite. That it should signify a three here, Interpreters have been induced to resolve, from the Epithet {untranscribed Hebrew} adjoined to it. But sure that is of no force, being elsewhere applied to nabuchadnezzar the King, Dan. iv. 4. I nabuchadnezzar was at rest in my house, {untranscribed Hebrew} and flourishing in my palace. As for {untranscribed Hebrew} spreading, which is also appliable to a three, neither is that of any force, in the Targums iudgement, which renders it by no more then {untranscribed Hebrew} strong. As for {untranscribed Hebrew}( following in the next verse) that is rather a prejudice to the notion of a three, for a three doth not use to pass by. And indeed, when the most flourishing three dyes, it yet remains in the earth, and cannot be said to pass away, &c. until it be cut down, and carried away root and all. And in brief, they that resolve {untranscribed Hebrew} here to be a three, pretend not to know or determine what three it is. It may therefore be competently probable, that it signifies here, as in all other places, a native Israelite: for such had many advantages, above a stranger, to secure his own being, and that of his posterity. For his estate could never be sold outright; and as long as he had any brother or kin alive, he could never be without hope of issue, his next of kin was to mary his wife, and raise up seed to him that died without any. Whereas the stranger on the other side had no such privilege, but was subject to usury, and all exactions. In these respects it is very reasonable thus to interpret David here, that being to express the sudden and miraculous decay of an ungodly person, that was most unlikely for such a fate, he should instance in a native Israelite, which was provided for, and secured by such privileges, and moreover was 1. {untranscribed Hebrew} spreading, had many children, and branches of kindred, a numerous family, or, as the Targum renders it, {untranscribed Hebrew} strong, and so vital; 2. {untranscribed Hebrew} very fresh and flourishing; and notwithstanding all these advantages of stability, past by as a shadow, and left no memorial, or footstep behind him of his being. For all this the LXXII. hath {untranscribed Hebrew}, exalted as the Cedars of Libanus; and so the latin, arabic, and Aethiopick. This 
Schindl. Pentagl. p. 503. D.  learned men suppose to be by their reading {untranscribed Hebrew} cedar, for {untranscribed Hebrew} indigena, and 
see Gr●tius.  {untranscribed Hebrew} Lebanon, for {untranscribed Hebrew} green. But I rather believe, that according to their wont, they choose thus to paraphrase the darker expression; and the rather, because of this affinity of the words, which is frequently observed to have had force with them. And so the Syriack, that follows not them, doth yet use this other paraphrase, extol themselves as the trees of the wood; without question reading as we now red, but taking this liberty of expressing the sense by other not very distant words.  
V. 36. Passed] The Lxxii. here red in the first person, I passed by, where the Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  he passed by: and the Syriack, as well as latin and arabic, follow the Lxxii. But the Chaldee adhere to the Hebrew, {untranscribed Hebrew} and he passed or failed from the age or world,( according to the usual notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} in arabic,) and lo he was not—  
V. 37. Mark] This v. 37. is somewhat ambiguous in the Original, and so is very distantly rendered by the ancient Interpreters, from that which our English and late Interpreters give it. By the Chaldee, Keep integrity, and respect uprightness or straightness, for the end of a man is peace. Where 'tis evident that {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which are, as we render them, concretes, the perfect man and the upright, are by them rendered in the abstracts, {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} integrity and uprightness. And so the Lxxii.( and Aethiopick) {untranscribed Hebrew}, innocence and rectitude; and the Syriack, perfection, or integrity, and rectitude; the latin, simplicity and equity; the arabic, mansuetude and rectitude. And so in like manner for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  observe and see, they red keep and see to; {untranscribed Hebrew} in the Chaldee, keep and respect; {untranscribed Hebrew}, in the LXXII. custodi& vide, in the latin, &c. and the Hebrew words indifferently bear these. Again, for {untranscribed Hebrew} the last part of or to that man is peace, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which the Chaldee also retain, the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, there is a remnant to the peaceable man; and so the latin and the Aethiopick: but the Syriack, with some change, there is a good end to men of peace; and the arabic, there shall be an end to the peaceable. Here 'tis also clear, that the Lxxii. from {untranscribed Hebrew} after, take {untranscribed Hebrew} for a remainder; and so again v. 38. and so Psal. cix. 13. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  they render {untranscribed Hebrew} his children: and then {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  will well bear, the man of peace. And so still there is nothing strange in that rendering; though that which our English hath given be most literal, and regular to the Hebrew, and the context, the whole Psalm being made up of observations of this kind, how in the end, wicked men come to ruin, and good men to prosperity.  
V. 38. Together] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to unite, and {untranscribed Hebrew} one, is {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  sometimes rendered together, sometimes, at once; and that when applied to destruction, &c. denotes utter destruction; because he that is destroyed at once, is so destroyed, as that there is nothing behind, nothing wanting, to final and total destruction. The Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, at once Thus Psal. xix. 9. when Gods judgements are said to be righteous, {untranscribed Hebrew}( {untranscribed Hebrew}, at once, say the Lxxii.) the meaning is, they are so righteous, as nothing can be added thereto.    

The Thirty Eighth Psalm.  
A Psalm of David 
a.  to bring to remembrance.  
The thirty eighth is a mournful complaint of Davids, reciting his present miseries, and calling to God to remember, and pity, and relieve him.  
1. O Lord, rebuk me not in thy wrath, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.  
O God of all justice, and yet of all mercy too, let not thy punishments, though most justly deserved by my sins, break out in extremity against me.  
2. For thine arrows 
b.  
are entred deep in me, and thy hand is come down upon me.  stick fast in me: and thy hand presseth me sore.  
They are already very sharp and heavy upon me.  
3. There is no soundness in my flesh, because of thine anger: neither is there any rest in my bones, because of my sin.  
My sins have most sadly provoked thy wrath, and the effects of that are very sensible: mine estate is become like to those that are under some sore malady, that hath seized on every part of their bodies, and allows them no intermission of pains and misery, no rest or cessation of their anguish;  
4. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head; as an heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.  
Or to those that are plunged deep over head and ears in water, overwhelmed, and ready to be drowned by it; or to those that, under some insupportable weight or burden, are prest to the ground: the number and weight of my sins is so great, and from thence my punishments so many, and so heavy, that I am oppressed and overcharged by them.  
5. My 
c.  
bruises.  wounds stink, and are corrupt, because of my foolishness.  
Or again, to one that hath received many sore blows and bruises; which as they are very painful at present, so if they be not well looked to, and the congealed blood carefully drawn out, they will soon putrifie and grow noisome. And mine own absurd and soul follies have brought all this upon me.  
6. I 
d.  am 
incur●ate  troubled, I am bowed down 
to extremity.  greatly: I go mourning all the day long.  
Like to one that with some chronicall disease is extremely decayed, and bent down toward the earth, and so is forced to go continually in that sad mournful posture, that is wont to be used in time of lamentations.  
7. For my 
c.  
flanks.  loins are filled with a 
inflammation.  loathsome disease; and there is no soundness in my flesh.  
Like to one that is full of boils and swellings in several parts of his body, and so is very sorely and painfully diseased.  
8. I am feeble, and 
brought low, or worn away. {untranscribed Hebrew}  sore broken: I have roared for the 
gre●●i●●, {untranscribed Hebrew} Lxxii.  very disquietness of my heart.  
Lastly, like to one that with long and terrible pains, through grieving, and sighing, and roaring for them, is brought into a very weak and low estate, a consumption of the whole body. And all this have my own sins, most absurdly committed, and most bestially continued in for a great space, most justly brought upon me.  
9. Lord, all my desire is before thee, and my groaning is not hide from thee.  
O blessed Lord, thou seest my wants, and the continual misery that I am in.  
10. My heart 
turns round. {untranscribed Hebrew}  panteth, my strength faileth me: 
and the light of mine eyes they also are not with me. {untranscribed Hebrew}  as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.  
I am as one in an amazement or giddiness, ready to sink or tumble, his eyes dim, so that he cannot make use of them any more than if he had none.  
11. My lovers and my friends stand 
on the other side of my bruise.  aloof 
f.  from my sore, and my kinsmen stand afar off.  
And in all my distress I was so far from receiving any relief or comfort from man, that they which were nearest knit to me by the ties of nature and friendship, were some of them afraid of owning me, others never considered me.  
12. They also that seek after my life 
use violence against.  lay 
g.  snares for me; and they that seek my hurt, speak 
evil.  
h.  mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.  
As for mine enemies that projected to take away my life, at least to do me some great hurt, their actions, their words, their thoughts were continually intent on some kind of violence, mischief, or deceit, or other.  
13. But I as a deaf man heard not, and I was as a dumb man that opened not his mouth.  
14. Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.  
And all this I bare with patience; I took no notice of their behaviour toward me, never rebuked the one, nor the other, for what they did or said unto me.  
15. For in thee, O Lord, do I hope; thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.  
My full trust and dependence is on thee, O Lord, and my assured confidence, that thou wilt in thy good time interpose thy hand and deliver me.  
16. For I said, 
lest peradventure they rejoice. {untranscribed Hebrew}  hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth they magnify themselves against me.  
To thee therefore I make my petition, that thou wilt not leave me to mine enemies will, to rejoice and triumph over me, as they are very forward to do, and to make their boasts what victories they have obtained over me, if at any time any the least evil befalls me.  
17. For I am ready to 
fall: see Ps. xxxv. note f.  halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.  
And now indeed this is my condition; for I am in continual danger, and expectation of ruin, if thou be not pleased to support me.  
18. For I will declare mine iniquity: I will 
i.  be 
afraid of-  sorry for my sin.  
And I must aclowledge and confess, that they are my many grievous transgressions, which have brought this anxiety upon me, given me reason continually to fear, left by them I have forfeited thy protection; and then there is nothing but ruin to be expected.  
19. But mine enemies 
live and are— {untranscribed Hebrew}  are lively, and they are strong; and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.  
And to this my fear agrees the prosperity of my unjust and causeless enemies, who live and increase in strength, their forces are daily multiplied: And this may well mind me of the increase of my sins, to which this is imputable, for otherwise I am sure I have not provoked them by any injury done to them; only my sins against thee have thus strengthened them.  
20. They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries, because I follow the thing that good is.  
To them I have done nothing but good, and yet they persecute me, and make these unkind returns for all my kindness; having no other matter of quarrel to me, but my doing that which is just and good, and never wronging them, how much soever I am wronged by them.  
21. Forsake me not, O Lord: O my God, be not far from me.  
O God of power, do not thou leave me to their malice; O Father of mercy, and that to me thy sinful servant, let not my sins remove thee from me.  
22. Make hast to help me, O Lord my salvation.  
O thou, whose title it is to save and deliver those that are in the greatest danger, and even on sinners to have mercy, and rescue them from the due reward of their sins, and hast to me made most gracious promises of his kind, I beseech thee no longer to defer, but in my greatest extremity relieve me opportunely and speedily.  

Annotations on Psalm XXXVIII.  
Tit. To bring to remembrance] It is uncertain what {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the title of this Psalm, signifies. Some of the Hebrews apply it to their music, but give no clear account of their reasons, or meaning herein. That which seems most probable, is, that, as the meat-offering Levit. ii. 2.9.16. is called {untranscribed Hebrew} a memorial, an offering of sweet savour to God, and elsewhere {untranscribed Hebrew} for a memorial, Lev. xxiv. 7. or rather, as Gods remembering any man is his relieving and helping him; so a prayer to God in time of distress, may fitly be styled {untranscribed Hebrew}, to cause remembrance. Thus this Psalmist elsewhere prays, Lord, remember David and all his troubles, Psal. cxxxii. 1. and, remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies, Psal. xxv. 6. Remember thy congregation, Psal. Lxxiv. 2. and many the like. And accordingly this Psalm, and the seventieth, which have this title, are most earnest prayers for relief. There, Make hast, O God, to deliver me, make hast to help me, O Lord, &c. and here, O Lord, rebuk me not, &c. in the beginning, and forsake me not, O Lord, O my God, be not far from me; make hast to help me, O Lord my salvation, in the end. What the distress was, that caused so passionate a prayer for relief, will be hard to define particularly. The outside of the words and expressions signifies a sharp and noisome disease. And 'tis not improbable that David should have his part in that kind of affliction, who had so large a portion of other sorts; or that, since his persecutions have furnished the Church with so many excellent pieces of devotion, his bodily afflictions should proportionably do so to: especially, since we see King Hezekiah, both in his sickness and his recovery, making attempts of this kind. But 'tis also possible, that Davids other distresses, of which we have more certain evidence in his story, his persecutions under Saul, and from his own son Absalom, might by a Psalmist, in poetic style, be thus resembled, and compared with the sorest and most noisome diseases. And therefore I deemed it more safe to set the paraphrase, with this latitude of signification, applying the words to his streights in general, store of which it is certain he had; rather then to confine them to noisome diseases, which we red not that he was visited with at any time.  
V. 2. Stick] From {untranscribed Hebrew} descendit, are two words in this v. 2. distinguishable by the nouns to which they are applied. The former {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  applied to arrows, signifies going down, i. e. entering deep into the flesh. The LXXII. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, the latin and Syriack and arabic, infixae sunt mihi, are fastened in me; which is but a natural consequent of entering deep, and so is set to paraphrase it. The latter {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  applied to hand, signifies to come down, or descend, with some weight to fall upon him. This the Chaldee render {untranscribed Hebrew} remained, and the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} and did rest, as if they red it from {untranscribed Hebrew} to rest. But the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, confirmasti, saith the latin, thou hast confirmed thy hand upon me, i. e. let it fall hard upon me: the arabic rightly express their meaning, thy hand is become hard upon me; and so this is a good paraphrastical explication of it.  
V. 5. Wounds] From {untranscribed Hebrew} convenit, sociatus est, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a bruise from any blow, because the blood or matur associates and gathers together in that place: it signifies also a boil or apostume. Here 'tis in the former sense, as caused by a blow or stroke,( and figuratively signifies any effect of Gods wrath or displeasure;) and it is said to putrifie, and to stink, for so the blood and humors thus congregated, and standing still, do putrifie immediately, and will be noisome, if they be not drawn out. The Lxxii. therefore fitly render it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, vibices, such as come from blows;( but the Syriack, {untranscribed Hebrew} boiles, in the other notion of it) and so I suppose the Chaldee also, {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} puduit, pudefecit, because such bruised parts look black and blew, and are matter of shane( from whence the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew} to give blows under the eye, is frequently used for putting to shane;) and accordingly the Chaldee would more fitly be rendered vibices, than cicatrices, scars, as the Translation of the Targum and the vulgar latin have it.  
V. 6. Troubled] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} incurvatus est, is regularly to be rendered, I am incurvate: so the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew}, from {untranscribed Hebrew} incurvatus est, signifies. The Lxxii. paraphrase it by {untranscribed Hebrew}, I was afflicted; the Syriack, {untranscribed Hebrew} I was in commotion, I was afraid. But the literal must be retained, to connect it with {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  I was depressed, or bowed down, that follows; which the Lxxii. rightly renders {untranscribed Hebrew}, I was crooked, or bent down. As for the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  usque valde, exceeding much, or to extremity, the Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, until the end: so the latin, usque in finem; and so the arabic, for ever, in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for eternity. But in v. 8. where the phrase is used again, they render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin nimis, in the notion of that word for very much.  
V. 7. Loins] The notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  for the flank is known in Scripture, Lev. iii. 4. the kidneys and the fat which is upon them, which is over, or by {untranscribed Hebrew} the flanks: so Job xv. 27. fat on his {untranscribed Hebrew} flank. And so here it must be taken for that sinewy part of the body, next under the loins, the groin &c. wherein boils and plague-sores frequently rise. Some copies of the Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, and those the latin follow, and red lumbi, loins: but Suidas tells us, what parts of the body {untranscribed Hebrew}( or, in Hippocrates's dialect, {untranscribed Hebrew}) are; {untranscribed Hebrew}, saith he, the kidneys are situate in them. Athenaeus l. ix. out of Simaristus {untranscribed Hebrew}. l. iii. tells, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the word signifies fleshy( in opposition to bony) parts over against the loins; and out of Clearchus {untranscribed Hebrew} l. ii. that they are {untranscribed Hebrew}, musculous parts on each side, adding that some call them {untranscribed Hebrew}. This I see some learned men will have changed into {untranscribed Hebrew}, the wombs of the reins, because as was said, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the kidneys are placed in them. But I conceive that is not the importance of {untranscribed Hebrew} in composition, especially at the end of a word: certainly {untranscribed Hebrew} Exod. xvi. 13. Numb. xi. 31. Psal. civ. 40. Wisd. xvi. 2. and xix. 12. is not the womb of the quails, but a great sort of quails, the mother quail, as {untranscribed Hebrew} is the great, and so the mother City: and in this sense sure the {untranscribed Hebrew} cannot be called the {untranscribed Hebrew}, the great or the mother-kidneys. I shall therefore adhere to the vulgar reading, that they are in Clearchus called {untranscribed Hebrew} the great, or the mother nerves: for such indeed are the flanks, grissly, or nervous parts, beyond all others in the body; and that makes them very sensible when any inflammation or swelling is in them. Other copies of the Lxxii. have instead of {untranscribed Hebrew} my soul, and the arabic follows them. But the former is surely the truer reading. Then for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  wherewith he saith his flank is filled, that from {untranscribed Hebrew} vilipendit, is ordinarily rendered in the notion of soul or vile: the latin renders it illusionibus, and the arabic and Aethiopick to the same sense, with reproaches, from the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew}, which the roman edition of the Lxxii. have. But it must be remembered, that {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies also to roast or burn, &c. and so the noun by analogy may signify inflammation,( such we know all those boiles and sores are) and the Chaldee here renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} burning, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to inflame or burn, and from thence is both {untranscribed Hebrew} a fever, or burning disease, and {untranscribed Hebrew} a carbuncle, which as it signifies a gem, so a coal of fire, and a burning boil, or swelling also. And whereas those editions of the Lxxii. which red {untranscribed Hebrew}( not {untranscribed Hebrew}) red( not {untranscribed Hebrew}, but) {untranscribed Hebrew}, that must needs be a corruption, very probably for {untranscribed Hebrew} inflammations; and then there will be a perfect agreement betwixt the Hebrew and Chaldee and Lxxii. and the rendering be clear, my flanks are filled with inflammations, by those signifying boiles, swellings, carbuncles in those nervous parts, very painful and sensible by that means.  
V. 11. Sore] From {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to touch, or to wound, or to come near, is {untranscribed Hebrew} here, my wound, or stroke, or bruise, the evils that have befallen me. The Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew} my wound or contusion, the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} my grief; but the Lxxii. as reading it {untranscribed Hebrew} the verb, and in the notion of approaching, render it {untranscribed Hebrew} they came near, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they came near me and stood over against me: and by this they have fully, though paraphrastically, expressed the sense of it; as Luk. x. 31, 32. {untranscribed Hebrew} passing by over against him that was wounded, signifies, not taking any care of him.  
V. 12. Snares] {untranscribed Hebrew} is certainly from {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and that in Piel signifies collisit, concussit, prostravit, to destroy, saith Abu Walid, to lay grins or snares, saith the Jewish arabic translator, any injurious, or violent usage, toward any; so Psal. cix. ii. {untranscribed Hebrew} let the usurer catch, or take by violence all that he hath. The Chaldee there render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, from {untranscribed Hebrew}, which with them is to levy, take, or exact: and accordingly the Lxxii. here render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, used violence; and the latin, vim faciebant; the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} bound me, laid hold on me; and the arabic, oppressed me. Only the Chaldee that there rendered it rightly, yet here reading it, as from {untranscribed Hebrew} to lay snares, render it {untranscribed Hebrew} laid snares; as on the other side the Lxxii. which duly interpret it here, yet in that of Psal. cix. 11. red {untranscribed Hebrew} search; either taking it for {untranscribed Hebrew}, that so signifies, or respecting the notion wherein the Arabs use {untranscribed Hebrew}, for discovering, or searching out, as it is in Kamus the great arabic dictionary.  
V. 12. Mischievous] From {untranscribed Hebrew} fuit comes the noun {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  for an evil event, calamity, mischief: so Psal. xci. 3. the pestilence {untranscribed Hebrew} of hurts, we rightly render the noisome or noxious pestilence. So Mic. vii. 3. {untranscribed Hebrew} the mischief of his soul; and so most probably Prov. x. 3. God will overthrow {untranscribed Hebrew} the mischief of the wicked; and Prov. xvii. 4. applied, as here, to the tongue, {untranscribed Hebrew} we rightly render it a naughty tongue. Now because falseness, and deceit, and lying, is generally the means by which the tongue is enabled to hurt, therefore the Chaldee here render it, {untranscribed Hebrew} a lie; and so the Syriack also, and the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} vanity, by which they frequently signify falsehood also. But the more general notion of it for any kind of evil or mischief, seems most proper for it in this place, that of deceits following in this verse.  
V. 18. Be sorry] {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies indeed sorrow, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  but that for the future, and that is all one with fear or solicitude; so Jer. xvii. 8. shall not be careful in the time of dearth; Jer. xLii. 16. speaking of the sword {untranscribed Hebrew} ye feared; Jer. xLix. 23. on the sea {untranscribed Hebrew} we render sorrow, it is, fear or solicitude, to express the faintheartedness precedent: so 1 Sam. ix. 5. {untranscribed Hebrew}, and take thought, i. e. be afraid for us. And so here {untranscribed Hebrew} I will be afraid of my sin, solicitous concerning it, lest it bring mischief upon me, as it justly may.    

The Thirty Ninth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician even to Jeduthun, a Psalm of David.  
The Thirty ninth Psalm, composed on the same occasion as the 37th. and 73d. viz. on the scandal David took at the prosperity of wicked men, whilst he was himself in misery, hath also a mixture of contemplation of the vanity of all worldly things, as a motive to repress all impatience in whatsoever adversity. It was composed by David, and committed to Jeduthun a skilful musician, 1 Chron. xvi. 41, 42. and the perfect of his music.  
1. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.  
I have steadfastly resolved to keep a very strict guard over myself; especially over my tongue, that part of me which meets with most frequent provocations at this time, when mine adversaries, ungodly and wicked men, are so successful and prosperous in their wickedness, that I have need of all care and resolution to keep me from breaking out into some intemperate passionate speeches, as oft as I see or consider them.  
2. I was dumb with silence, I held my peace even from good, and my sorrow was 
troubled {untranscribed Hebrew}  stirred.  
My purpose therefore was, in the presence of these, or when my thoughts or other discourse were on them, to keep perfect silence; neither to use words to vindicate mine own innocence, nor to blame or reprove mine adversaries. But whilst I thus restrained my tongue, I could not repress my sorrow; that was rather increased by this method.  
3. While I was musing, the fire burned; then spake I with my tongue.  
And being so, it grew by degrees to such an heat and flamme, that it required some vent toward heaven: though I restrained my tongue from all anger and imp●tience toward men, yet there was no reason I should repress it from making my mone to God. To him therefore in all humility I thus address myself.  
4. Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my dayes, what it is; that I may know 
what a frail, or clasing man I am. {untranscribed Hebrew}  how frail I am.  
Lord, If it be thy sacred will that I should be cut off by mine enemies, that I should not long live to discharge that office to which thou hast called me; if my sins, which justly might provoke thee to this, have called forth this decree against me, as one unfit to be farther employed, or honoured, or owned by thee; then be thou pleased some way to reveal this part of thy will unto me, that I may know what to expect, and accordingly which way to turn and prepare myself.  
5. Behold, thou hast made my dayes as 
a.  an hand-breadth, and 
b.  mine age is nothing before thee; verily every man 
standing or living, {untranscribed Hebrew}  at his best estate is 
all {untranscribed Hebrew}  altogether vanity.  
I know right well that my life is very short, a mere nothing being compared with thine eternity: and this is common to me with all other men; for there is not a man living in the world, who is not as frail and mortal, and almost as short-lived, as any the meanest creature: man is the compendium of this lower world, and so there is no degree of frailty, and brittleness, and fadingness in any creature, which is not to be found in man also.  
6. 
only in an image man walketh, {untranscribed Hebrew} see note on Ps. 73.1.  Surely every man walketh in a vain show, 
yet {untranscribed Hebrew}  surely they are disquieted in vain: he 
c.  heapeth up 
and knoweth not who shall carry them in.  riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.  
Our life is but a picture, or image, shadow, or dream of life, it vanisheth in a trice; and when we are gone, we have no power of what we leave behind us: all the fruits, riches, honours, or whatsoever else is most desirable on earth, must suddenly he partend with, and we know not who shall possess them after us( and so this is an evidence of the perfect vanity of them all, a proof that they are not worth the least value, if we have them, or the least pains to acquire them;) and yet we silly and vain creatures cark, and labour, and turmoil to get together these transitory frail nothings, as if they would continue to us to all eternity, and had some solid durable enjoyment and satisfaction in them.  
7. And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.  
There is nothing therefore upon the earth, even a kingdom, that is worth the patience of expecting, or the solicitude of averting the dangers of losing it. One thing onely there is in the world, fit to be matter of a sober mans ambition or hope; the favour of God, and the glorifying him in that condition, whatsoever it is, that he in mercy shall choose for us.  
8. Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.  
For these therefore I make my humblest requests to thee, that thou wilt pardon my many horrible breaches of thy law, and free me from those punishments which are due to me for them: and not suffer wicked men, that are my deadly enemies, to prosper, lest they at once triumph over me and piety, and reproach the relying and depending on thee, as the greatest folly: for this will turn to the dishonour of thee and thy service.  
9. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, because thou didst it.  
What is befallen me, I am far from repining or murmuring at: It comes, I know, from thee, whose disposals are most wise: and be it never so sharp, I am sure I have well deserved it.  
10. Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand.  
Yet if it may be thy will, set now a period to my calamities, lest I be utterly destroyed by them.  
11. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his 
precious things.  beauty to consume away 
d.  like a moth: 
every man is only vanity.  surely every man is vanity. Selah.  
If thou be displeased, as our sins very oft provoke thee, the very withdrawing thy favour doth insensibly blast and consume all our wealth, and greatness, health, and beauty, and whatsoever is most precious to us. So sure and visible is it, that we men and all we have are mere nothing.  
12. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry: hold not thy peace at my tears; for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.  
Be pleased therefore, O Lord, to harken to my sad and mournful request, which I now poure out before thee; that seeing my time, and all mens, is so short and tran●itory in this world,( this being so contrary to a place of rest or stability)  
13. 
Let 〈◇〉 alone. {untranscribed Hebrew} See Job 7.19.  O spare me a little, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.  
Thou wilt give me a little space of relaxation, that I may serve and glorify thee here on earth, before I dy.  

Annotations on Psalm XXXIX.  
V. 5. Hand-breadth] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies palmas, and being here applied to dayes of mans life, certainly denotes the shortness thereof, as it were commensurate to the breadth of the palm or hand. The copies of the LXXII. which now we have, red variously; some {untranscribed Hebrew}, followed by several of the ancients, others {untranscribed Hebrew}, without sense. But methinks there should be no doubt, but the Original rendering was {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew}, either of which differs very little( even but by one letter) from {untranscribed Hebrew}, which the ancients most commonly retain, and is also exactly answerable to the Hebrew. For {untranscribed Hebrew}, saith Hesychius, those two words are Synonymas, {untranscribed Hebrew}, called also {untranscribed Hebrew}. And accordingly Symmachus renders {untranscribed Hebrew} as hand-breadths. The other interpreters render it paraphrastically, the arabic, short, the Chaldee, light, the Syriack, with a measure, the latin, mensurabiles; both these as from the Greek, taking {untranscribed Hebrew} for mensurabiles.  
V. 5. Mine age] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies time, age, particularly this age of ours, which here we live; which belonging to the body, the Chaldee by way of paraphrase render it {untranscribed Hebrew} body, both here and in Job, and the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} substance, the Syriack life, the arabic consistence.  
V. 6. Heapeth up] The difference of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and {untranscribed Hebrew} must here be taken notice of. The former here appears to contain all the toil of the harvest, in reaping, binding, cocking, all congestion and heaping things together, bringing them from the several places where they grow, into a cumulus: the Chaldee renders it by {untranscribed Hebrew} to congregate. The latter notes the stowing, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  or housing; laying it up, removing or carrying it out of the field, where 'tis heaped or cocked up, ready for carriage. For so {untranscribed Hebrew} is sometimes to lay up, sometimes to take away. And accordingly {untranscribed Hebrew} the feast of Ingathering, is the feast of Tabernacles, after this last part of harvest was fully ended. This then is the description of the vanity of our human estate, that when a man hath run through all the labours of acquisition, and hath nothing visible to interpose betwixt him and his enjoyments, yet even then, he is uncertain, not only whether himself shall possess it at last, but whether his heir shall do it; nay, he knows not whether his enemy may not; he cannot tell who shall gather them into the barn, or enjoy them when they are there.  
V. 11. Moth] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as a moth, the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} as a spider, paraphrastically expressing the same thing; viz. consumption of that which is most precious; the moth so consuming the garment, and the spider his own vital faculties, when out of his own bowels he spins his web. The Chaldee reads it, like a moth broken asunder. But the phrase is in reason to be applied to the moths consuming other things, not being himself consumed, Hos. v. 12. I will be to Ephraim {untranscribed Hebrew} as a moth, i. e. I will consume them; Isa. L. 9. the moth shall eat them as a garment. The Syriack paraphrase it another way, thou hast made their desires fly away as chaff, by desires] rendering {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which signifies any thing desirable, from {untranscribed Hebrew} desideravit; and so may here be taken for beauty, for health, for strength, for any thing that is most desirable. In the end of the verse, where in the Hebrew we red {untranscribed Hebrew} onely vanity is every man, the Lxxii. from v. 6. red {untranscribed Hebrew} is troubled in vain; which shows that they used this larger liberty, and kept not themselves to strict literal version. The Chaldee reads, is nothing, the Syriack, as a vapour, by way of paraphrase also; and so we know S. James, c. iv. 14. resolves our life to be a vapour. The Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} notes such a vapour as comes out of the mouth in speaking.    

The Fortieth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, A Psalm of David.  
The fortieth Psalm is an acknowledgement of Gods mercies to David, and of his obligations to God; and contains a prophetic mention of the mutual contract betwixt God the Father and Christ the Son. It was composed by David, and committed to the perfect of his music.  
1. I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.  
In the greatest of my troubles, I reposed my full trust and confidence on the Lord; I waited his good time, and continued my constant prayers unto him, and in due season he heard and granted my request.  
2. He brought me also out of 
a sounding pit.  an 
a.  horrible pit, out of the miry day, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.  
And though I were very deeply immersed in calamities, and so as my condition was well nigh desperate; yet he rescued me out of all, and set me in a condition of safety and stability.  
3. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.  
Thus hath he given me abundant matter of praise and thanksgiving unto his blessed name, who hath thus magnified his mercy to me. And this dealing of his with me may well 'allure all men to the consideration of it, and thereby to the performing of all faithful obedience, and placing their full trust and adherence on him.  
4. Blessed is the man that 
b.  maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.  
There being no such happy man as he that relies not on any wit or aid or strength of man, but reposeth his full trust in God, and on that security, never applies himself to the practices of atheistical, insolent, deceitful men, in hope to gain any thing by such arts as these.  
5. 
Many things hast thou done, O Lord my God: thy wonders and thy thought ●●ward us I am not able to set in order before thee.  Many, O Lord my God, are the wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to usward; 
c.  they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.  
O thou God of power, and fatherly goodness toward me, thou hast abounded to me in thy rich mercies: thy works, and thy counsels of grace to us are wonderful, and inexpressible: I would fain make some acknowledgement thereof to thee; but they surpass my arithmetic to recite; much more to make a just valuation of them.  
6. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not 
delight in {untranscribed Hebrew}  desire; 
d.  mine ear hast thou opened: Burnt-offering and sacrifice thou hast not required.  
Above all is that admirable work of thy mercy in giving the messiah. Instead of the legal sacrifices of all sorts, which were but shadows of this great evangelical mercy, thou hast decreed that thine eternal son shall assume our human nature, and therein abundantly fulfil all that which the sacrifices and oblations did faintly prefigure, and thereby take away sin, which the legal observances were not able to do.  
7. Then said I, Lo, I come: 
e.  in the 
folding of the bill, or roll of writing.  volume of the Book it is written of me:  
8. 
To do, or that I should do thy will, O my God, I have delighted therein. {untranscribed Hebrew} &c  I delight to do thy will, O my God; yea thy law is 
in the midst of my bowels, {untranscribed Hebrew} see Psal. xxii. 14.  within my heart.  
At this coming of the messiah therefore, the ordinances of Mosaical sacrifices shall be abolished; and the eternal son of God shall agree and contract with his Father, to perform that perfect obedience to his laws, and to offer up himself such a divine and spotless sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, as shall most effectually tend to the working an expiation for sin, and bringing men to the performance of holy sincere obedience to God,( thus visibly exemplified to them by Christ,) and consequently to salvation. And upon this intuition, he shall most gladly, and with all delight and joy, set about the whole will and counsel of God, and go through the office assigned him very cheerfully and hearty.( Another sense of the words as understood of David himself, see in note d.)  
9. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo I have not 
confined, {untranscribed Hebrew}  refrained my lips, O Lord, thou knowest.  
I will proclaim this, and all other thy works of evangelical infinite mercy before all that aclowledge and profess thy service: my tongue shall never be confined, or silent in this matter, any more than, as thou knowest, hitherto it hath been.  
10. I have not hide thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy righteousness and thy truth from the great congregation.  
This goodness of thine, this performance of all thy rich promises, this work of redemption and spiritual deliverance, is too great to be meditated on in silence: 'tis fit to be proclaimed aloud, to be promulgated to all men in the world.  
11. 
confine, {untranscribed Hebrew}  Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Lord: let thy loving-kindness and thy truth continually preserve me.  
Be thou therefore pleased not to be confined or restrained in thy bowels toward me at this time, but show forth thy compassions to me: Thou art good and gracious, and faithfully performest all that thou ever promisest: O let thy promised mercy be continually made good to me, for my deliverance from all dangers.  
12. For innumerable evils have compassed me about; mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, 
and I could not see {untranscribed Hebrew}  that I am not able to look up: they are more than the hairs of my head; therefore my heart faileth me.  
And this most seasonably at this time, now that I am surrounded with so many dangers, now that the punishments which my sins have most justly deserved, my multiplied crying innumerable sins, have so violently seized upon me, cast me into a black and comfortless condition.  
13. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me: O God, make hast to help me.  
O blessed Lord, let it be thy good pleasure to afford me speedy deliverance out of it.  
14. 
or, They shall.  Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shane that wish me evil.  
Let not them prosper and succeed in their attempts, that design to take away my life, or do me any other mischief; but do thou please to discomfit and disappoint them all: And this I am confident thou wilt do.  
15. 
or, They shall.  Let them be desolate 
f.  for a reward of their 
turpitude.  shane, that say unto me, Aha, Aha.  
And reward their abominable actions with confusion and desolation, that triumph over me in my distress, and scoff at my placing my affiance and trust in God.  
16. Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: 
and say always, Let the Lord magnify them that love thy salvation. {untranscribed Hebrew}  Let such as love thy salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified.  
By this means shall all pious men, that place their trust in thee, and depend onely on thy aids and rescue, be encouraged for ever in their hopes and adherence on thee, and praise and magnify thy mercies, and applaud thee for them.  
17. But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me. Thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.  
How low soever my condition is, my comfort is, that God hath a fatherly care of me. On thee, O Lord, is all my trust, whether for deliverance or relief: O defer not the interposition of thy hand, but hasten speedily to my succour.  

Annotations on Psalm XL.  
V. 2. Horrible pit] From {untranscribed Hebrew} personuit, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, a noise or loud sounding, and being applied to a pit, is a resounding pit, or a pit of sounding; it signifies the depth and watryness of it, from the conjunction of which proceeds a profound noise, or sound, when a ston, or any such thing is thrown into it. Thus the Chaldee understand it, rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew}, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to make a tumultuous noise. The LXXII. red {untranscribed Hebrew} misery, and so the latin miseriae, the Syriack, {untranscribed Hebrew} sadness, the arabic, perdition; either by way of Paraphrase, to signify the miserable sad estate of him that is engulfed in such a pit, or else referring to another notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}, for a vast or desolate place, ruin or perdition. But the notion of the word is best fetched from Isa. xvii. 12. where we have the {untranscribed Hebrew} noise of the people, {untranscribed Hebrew} like the noise of many waters, {untranscribed Hebrew} so shall they make a noise; {untranscribed Hebrew} saith the Chaldee, they shall sound tumultuously.  
V. 4. Maketh] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  posuit, set, or put, the LXXII. red {untranscribed Hebrew} name, and so render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, whose hope is the name of the Lord; and so the latin, Syriack, arabic, and Aethiopick: and the sense is not at all wronged by it. Onely the Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew} which hath put. In the end of the verse, where the Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew} those that decline to a ly, 
{untranscribed Hebrew} ( for which the Chaldee hath those that speak lies) from {untranscribed Hebrew} to go out of the way, the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} and lying madnesses, as if it were from {untranscribed Hebrew}, used among the Chaldees for being mad. The latin follow the Lxxii. insanias falsas; but the Syriack agree with the Chaldee, lying speech, and the arabic, lying fables.  
V. 5. Cannot be reckoned up] For the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which is best rendered, I cannot set in order, i. e. recount, dispose or enumerate before thee, the Lxxii. red, by way of paraphrase, {untranscribed Hebrew}, there is none that shall be likened to thee; perhaps from another notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} to compare or assimilate. So Psal. Lxxxix. 7. Who in heaven {untranscribed Hebrew} shall be compared, or likened to the Lord? But the clear rendering of them, and of the whole verse, lies thus; {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Thou hast done great or many things, O Lord my God, {untranscribed Hebrew} thy wonders and thy thoughts to us-ward I cannot recount before thee: {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. I will declare, or, If, or, when I would declare and speak of them, {untranscribed Hebrew} they are too strong, or, according to the ordinary notion of the word in arabic, too great, or many above numbering, or to be numbered. The Lxxii. express it rightly, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they are multiplied above number.  
V. 6. Mine ear] {untranscribed Hebrew} is literally to be rendered[ thou hast bored or opened my ear] so the Chaldee and Syriack understand it. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Boring the ears, we know, was a ceremony used to a slave, that would not have his liberty, but loved his Master, and would not go out free, Deut. xv. 17. Exod. xxi. 6. and the ceremony significative; for boring of the ear signified opening it, and the opening the ear is a sign of hearkening, as that is in order to, and all one with obedience, The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies also to cut; and 'tis possible it may so signify here, the circunctsing of the ear, a phrase frequent in Scripture, to denote ready and willing obedience. For this the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, thou hast prepared me a body; either from this of circunctsing the ear, which denotes the fitting and preparing the whole body, or perhaps from a second notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} to prepare meat, to provide a feast, 2 King. vi. 23. he prepared {untranscribed Hebrew} great provision {untranscribed Hebrew} for them. But this account will not serve for {untranscribed Hebrew} body, which they red instead of ears: herein it is hard to define with any certainty. Only it is not improbable, that this reading of the modern copies of the LXXII. was not the original reading, but instead of {untranscribed Hebrew} body, {untranscribed Hebrew} ears. The ancient Scholiasts aclowledge this reading; and the latin which generally follows the LXXII. in their variations from the Hebrew, doth here red, aures autem perfecisti mihi, thou hast perfected ears for me: by which they must be thought literally to have rendered the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew}, in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for perficio. And that thus it was red in S. Jeroms time, may be concluded from his Epistle ad Suniam et Fretellam, who had objected to him the most minute differences between the latin and the Lxxii. but take no notice of any difference in this. The same reading Eusebius Caesariensis follows, and so interprets it, thou hast perfected to me ears, and obedience to thy words. See Caten. Gr. Pat. in Psal. à Dan. Barbaro, Venet. 1569. p. 463. and the Expos. Graec. Patr. in Psalm. set out by Balthasar Corderius, Tom. 1. Ed. Antwerp. p. 735.& 749. {untranscribed Hebrew}. Ears hast thou prepared me, thou hast required of me obedience only, for ears signify obedience. And then it is most likely, that the Apostle Heb. x. 5. reading {untranscribed Hebrew}, but a body thou hast prepared me, by that means to fit it more perfectly to the incarnation of Christ, the copiers of the Lxxii. here thought fit to accord it to the apostolic style, and so put {untranscribed Hebrew} instead of {untranscribed Hebrew}. If then it be demanded, how it comes to pass, that the Apostle reads it with that variation, both from the Hebrew and the Lxxii. also; the answer is obvious, that the Apostle attended more to the sense, than to the words, and citing it from the Lxxii, changed it into those words which more fully and perspicuously expressed the mystery of Christs incarnation. This the Hebrew somewhat obscurely expressed, by my ear hast thou bored, or opened, thereby noting his taking on him the form of a servant, such as had their ears bored or opened; which implies his incarnation, and withall adds to it the principal end of it, to obey and do the will of him who sent him. This was yet more obscure in the reading of the Lxxii.( that which I suppose to be theirs, for the reasons forementioned) thou hast prepared or made me ears:] where yet ears being parts of a body, the making him them, is still the making him a body, and that in order to his hearing and observing his Fathers will exactly. But the Apostles reading, though it be far distant from the letter of the Hebrew, and in part from the Lxxii.( as I suppose it to have been originally) yet is the most perspicuous interpretation of the 
{untranscribed Hebrew}. Expos: Graec. Patr. a Balthas. Corder. ed. p. 749.  meaning of it; Christs body comprehending the ears, and that assumed on purpose to perform in it the utmost degree of obedience to the will of God, to be obedient even to death, and thereby to be as the Priest, so the Sacrifice also, that of which all the sacrifices and burnt-offerings under the law were but types and shadows, and at the presence of which they were to cease, as we know they did, and as is expressed here in the following words, Burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not required: Then said I, lo I come— That this whole passage is an eminent prophesy of Christ, appears by the Apostle Heb. x. 5. who makes Christ, not David, to be the speaker here; wherefore when he, i. e. Christ, cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice— which makes it less necessary for us in this place to seek for any first sense, wherein David might be interpnted to speak this of himself; but rather to account of it, as the great signal wonder of mercy, done by God to men, which, in the recounting of Gods wonderful works and thoughts to us-ward, v. 5. he seasonably brings in by the spirit of prophesy, viz. the birth of the messiah, and the sacrifice of himself, wherein so many, even innumerable, and unexpressible mercies were comprised, and folded up. If it may be thus understood, as an instance brought in by David( prophetically) of Gods wonderful mercies, then will these three verses be no more but a description of Christs coming into the world; after which David again proceeds to the recounting of Gods mercies more generally, ver. 9. But because there is no assurance of this, and the Apostles words Heb. x. 5. may refer only to the higher and prophetic completion of the words, and yet not prejudice a first immediate sense of them, as belonging to David, it is not amiss therefore here( though not in the paraphrase) to annex that, viz. that God prefers obedience, noted, as was said, by opening the ear, before the richest oblations and holocausts; and that therefore David designs that, as his way of rendering his humblest thanks for Gods mercies, by performing faithful obedience to his commands. This is the literal meaning of [ Sacrifices and burnt-offerings thou wouldest not desire, mine ears hast thou opened;] the latter, that of ready willing obedience, thou hast much preferred before the former. And again to the same purpose, Burnt-offerings and sacrifice thou hast not required: Then said I, lo, I come to do thy will, O my God, i. e. They are not sacrifices, in their greatest multitude, that God requires and expects of Kings, or such as David, as their returns for the greatest mercies; but a ready and cheerful obedience to his commands, such a discharge of the regal office, as may tend most to the honour and glory of God, such as was prescribed Deut. xvii. 16. &c. where the duties of a King are set down, and in the close of them this, of his writing him a copy of the law in a book, and reading therein all the dayes of his life, v. 18.19. In reference to which, as it may truly be said, In the volume of the book it is written of me,( of David, as of all other Kings, in this place of Deuteronomy;) so may that be fitly interpnted that follows, O my God, I have delighted therein, made thy service, the study and practise thereof, the great employment and pleasure of my life: yea thy law is in the midst of my bowels; which was much more then the command of having it written in a book; I am perfect in the knowledge, and continually exercised in the practise and performance of thy commandments.  
V. 7. In the Volume] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to roll or fold, comes {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which Symmachus literally renders {untranscribed Hebrew} folding, and Theophylact on Heb. x. 7. {untranscribed Hebrew} a roll. The Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, which must be understood in that sense, denoting the round form that a writing is in, when it is folded up( as in Architecture some round parts are called {untranscribed Hebrew} in the Lxxii.) and so saith Suidas, {untranscribed Hebrew} {untranscribed Hebrew}, the word being applied to a book or writing,( as here) which some call the folding. As for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a book, that signifies any writing among the Jews, whole custom it was to writ in a long roll,( see note on Luk. iv. a.) and that folded up to preserve it: and so here {untranscribed Hebrew} is no more than a folded paper or parchment of writing, a roll. Now as by this phrase any kind of writing is signified, and so, as it belongs to Davids person, it may fitly refer to the book of the Law, wherein the duty of Kings was set down, Deut. xvii: So it must be remembered, that in such rolls were contained their contracts, as among us in indentures; and so here the roll of the book( as it belongs to Christ) is no more but a bill or roll of contract betwixt God the Father and him, wherein is supposed to be written the agreement preparatory to that great work of Christs incarnation, wherein he undertaking perfectly to fulfil the will of God, to perform all active, and also passive obedience, even to death, had the promise from God, that he should become the author of eternal salvation to all those that obey him.  
V. 15. For a reward] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  for a reward, the LXXII. seem to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} at the heel, and so render it {untranscribed Hebrew} presently. As for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  it signifies their turpitude, or filthy actions, and so their shane in that sense, as it is taken for any shameful thing; for that is it which is to be rewarded with desolation.    

The Forty First Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, A Psalm of David.  
The Forty first Psalm sets forth the present reward of mercifull-minded men in this life, and from thence ascendeth to the assured mercies of God to his faithful servants that stand in need of them. It was composed by David, and committed to the Praefect of his music.  
1. Blessed is he that considereth the 
sick, {untranscribed Hebrew}  poor: the Lord will deliver him in the time of trouble.  
The blessings of God shall not fail to be poured out on the mercifull-minded man, who is careful to consider and succour those that are in sickness, or any kind of misery: God shall be sure to succour him, when afflictions come upon him.  
2. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he shall be blessed upon the earth; and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.  
Whatsoever his diseases or dangers are, God will interpose for his relief, and if he see it best for him, signally secure his life, and restore him to a prosperous flourishing condition in this world; and what ever the malice of his enemies be, deliver him out of their hands.  
3. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt 
turn, {untranscribed Hebrew}  make all his bed in his sickness.  
When he falls into sickness or distress,( for from those the pious man is not secured in this life) the God of might and mercy will be his upholder; he will smooth and soften all that befalls him, and make it cheerfully supportable.  
4. I said, Lord, be merciful unto me: heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.  
Upon this account I have all confidence to address my prayers to God in time of my distress: This duty of mercifulness being one that as he prescribes, so he eminently exemplifies to us by his own practise,( Luk. vi. 36.) To him therefore I make my address, for mercy of the highest and most valuable sort; his balsam to my wounded soul, his free pardon for my sins, which have justly deserved all the calamities that can fall upon me.  
5. Mine enemies speak evil of me; When shall he dy, and his name perish?  
My enemies are very malicious against me, very industriously diligent to seek my ruin.  
6. And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it.  
When they are in my presence, they speak flatteringly and deceitfully: meanwhile they plot and project mischief against me, and discourse it abroad, where ever they have opportunity.  
7. All that hate me, whisper together against me; against me do they device my hurt.  
All mine enemies conspire together secretly, and join their mischievous endeavours, to do me what hurt they can.  
8. 
A word of Belial, or, A wicked word cleaveth to him.  An 
a.  evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him; and now that he lieth, he shall rise up no more.  
They are confident their calumnies shall mischief me, and that I shall never recover or deliver myself out of this pertinacious ruin, which now they have by their slanders contrived against me.  
9. Yea 
the man of my peace.  mine own familiar friend in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lift up his heel against me.  
And in this not onely my known professed enemies have joined against me; but one particularly that professed the greatest kindness to me, a servant in whom I reposed trust, and that lived by my service,( Achitophel probably, one of Davids counsellors, 2 Sam. 16.23.) hath most insidiously and perfidiously set himself against me.( And herein was David a type of Christ, betrayed by his own disciple, that was in a special manner entrusted by him, Joh. xiii. 18.)  
10. But thou, O Lord, be merciful unto me; and raise me up, that I may requited them.  
But do thou, O Lord, preserve me from their mischievous purposes: restore me to my throne in safety, and I shall chastise this their wickedness.  
11. By this I know thou favourest me, because my enemy doth not triumph over me.  
As yet my adversaries have not been able to prevail against me, as fain they would; and thereby I discern thy watchful providence over me, which alone hath disappointed them.  
12. And as for me thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.  
Thou hast undertaken the patronage of my cause, and not suffered me to perish in mine innocence, but rescued me out of their hands, and reserved me for thy service:  
13. 
b.  Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.  
And for this and all other his mercies, his glorious majesty be now and ever magnified by me, and all the congregation of those that profess his service.  
The end of the first Book.   

Annotations on Psalm XLI.  
V. 8. An evil disease] What is here meant by {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is matter of some difficulty. The ancient Interpreters generally render it a perverse, or mischievous, or wicked word; the Chaldee, a perverse word; the Syriack, a word of iniquity; the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}; the latin, iniquum verbum, a wicked word; the arabic, words contrary to the law. And so in all probability it is set to signify a great slander, or calumny; that as men of Belial] are slanderous persons, so the speech of Belial] shall signify a slanderous speech. And this is said to cleave to him on whom it is fastened; it being the nature of calumnies, when strongly affixed on any, to cleave fast, and leave some evil mark behind them: Calumniare fortiter, aliquid haerebit. 'tis true indeed, {untranscribed Hebrew} doth sometimes signify a plague or pestilence: but there is no cause of rendering it so here. The consequents of [ now that he lieth he shall rise up no more,] are but a proverbial phrase among the Hebrews, applicable to any sort of ruin, as well as that which comes by disease: the Calumniator may destroy and ruin, as well as the pestilence; and from him was Davids danger most frequently, and not from a pestilential disease.  
V. 13. Blessed] This form of benediction here, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and the like, at the end of every book of the Psalms, is by the Jews said to be affixed by the Compiler of the Book, who having finished it, praises God. So saith Aben-Ezra, on Psal. Lxxxix. 52. and gives for instance the perpetual custom of their writers, of closing with some comprecation. That which will make this more to be headed is, that all the several books end in this manner,( see note on Title of Psalms.) Nor will it be more strange to say, that Ezra, or whosoever composed the books of Psalms in this form& division, added their conclusions to them, then 'tis to say, that the end of the last chapter of Deuteronomy was affixed to the Pentateuch by the Sanhedrim, or the fourteenth verse of the one and twentieth of S. John, by the Church of Ephesus,( see note c. on that Chapter.) 'tis sure that the Psalter was anciently received in this division. Jerome in his Epistle to Marcella, recounting the Hagiographa, says, Primus liber incipit à Job, Secundus à Davide, quem quinque incisionibus,& uno Psalmorum volumine comprehendunt; The first begins from Job, the second from David, which they comprise in five divisions, as one volume of Psalms. So 
de pond:& mens.  Epiphanius; {untranscribed Hebrew}. The Hebrews divided the Psalter into five Books, so that it is another Pentateuch. And then they that thus distributed it, may reasonably be thought to have afforded every book those solemnities of conclusive benedictions, which we find they have, and which are so perfectly agreeable to the subjects of each book, lauding, and praising God.    

THE SECOND BOOK OF PSALMS.  

PSALM XLII.  
TO the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Corah.  
The Forty second is the first of the second Book of Psalms, in the Hebrew partition of them,( which second Book reaches to the end of Psalm Lxxii. and contains one and thirty Psalms.) It was composed in time of his distress, in his flight from Absalom, and is chiefly spent in bemoning his detention from Sion, the place of Gods solemn worship; and was set by him to the tune known by the name of Maschil,( see note on Psalm xxxii. a.) and committed to the Prafect of his music, to be sung by the posterity of Coreh, the sons of Heman, 1 Chron. xxv. 4. styled Heman the singer, 1 Chron vi. 33. who came from Elkanah, Assir, Abiasaph, v. 36.37. three of the posterity of Coreh. Exo. vi. 24. and 1 Chron. vi. 22.31. and were not slain Num. xxvi. 11.  
1. As the 
bind brayeth.  hart 
a.  panteth after the water-brooks, so 
brayeth.  panteth my soul after thee, O God.  
No dear, when he is in the greatest inward inflammation, expresseth more ardent desire and thirst of water, than my heart is at this time affencted with toward God and his public service.  
2. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?  
I am in a most impatient thirst, much afflicted to be kept so long from that place, where God is pleased to exhibit himself to those that come to worship him.  
3. My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?  
It is very great cause of continual sorrow unto me, to hear men reproach me for my trust in God, thinking that I am wholly forsaken by him.  
4. 
I remembered these things, and poured out my soul upon me: for I had gone into the covering, or had gone with the multitude, I had put them forward.  When I 
b.  remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, 
a festival multitude, or multitude going indevotion.  with a multitude that kept holiday.  
This puts me into a great excess of sorrow and impatience, when reflecting on what I have formerly enjoyed, I remember how I was wont to go in the society of many pious men, to the place of Gods worship, in a most cheerful, devour, alacrious manner; but now am, as in a wilderness, wholly deprived of these most divine, pleasant, and valuable opportunities.  
5. Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him, for the help of 
or my, see note. f.  his countenance.  
But let me not be dejected, or disturbed even with this, though as sad a reflection as is possible, viz. to be deprived of these blessed advantages of solemn converse with God: A full reliance, and resignation to the divine will, is a medicine for this also: and I do not yet despair, but I shall find some way of escape, for which to pay my acknowledgements. The time will come, when God shall afford me occasion to praise him( see ver. 8.) for this deliverance also, and for the supports which his favour hath yielded me in the midst of all this sadness.  
6. O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, 
c.  and 
Hermanim, fro● the little hill.  of the Hermonites, from the hill Missar.  
Mean-while in this great dejection of my spirit, flying from one place to another, from one side of Jordan, and the country adjoining, passing over that River, and then still flying on the other side of it, from Hermon to Tabor, I have nothing to support myself, but meditation on that God which I have hitherto served, and never been destituted by him.  
7. 
d.  Deep calleth unto deep 
by the voice.  at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows 
against me have passed by, or over.  are gone over me.  
And by the same God, by the same most gracious providence, I have now been supported also. For though I have for a while been under thy displeasure, thy punishments lying heavy upon me, and by them my enemies encouraged to design me all mischief,( who seeing the effects of thy displeasure on me, are soon excited to add more weight to my pressures) and though by the conjunction of these I have been ready to he overwhelmed: yet at length all is past over without doing me any hurt.  
8. 
In the d●y commanded the Lord his benignity, and in the night was his song with me, my prayer.  Yet 
e.  the Lord will command his loving kindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.  
And the account of it is clear. His gracious providence hath surrounded me day and night, my whole time hath been divided between receiving, and acknowledging, and again praying for mercies from him, as from one that delighted in doing me good.  
9. I will say unto God, My rock, why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning, because of the oppression of the enemy?  
Thus therefore have I constantly addressed myself to him in this mournful ditty, saying, O thou which art the only aid and support of my life, the only sure fortress wherein I can repose any trust, how am I despised and rejected by thee? what a black gloomy condition am I now in? mine enemies being permitted by thee to oppress me sorely.  
10. As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me, while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?  
Shimei hath reviled me bitterly 1 Sam. 16.7, 8. I am pierced hereby,& wounded to the very heart, like one that hath received a killing wound, or stroke in his body. And in this greatest exigence, this lowest depression, that either the scorn or malice of mine enemies can bring upon me, concluding by my pressures, that God hath utterly forsaken me,  
11. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of 
f.  my countenance, and my God.  
My soul shall still make a comfortable reflection in its constant recourse to God: in this my saddest condition, I have always had some hope and comfort left to support me, and keep me from being utterly cast down, or disturbed immoderately. And upon the strength thereof, I shall for ever encourage myself, to rely and cast myself entirely on him: not despairing but that he will one day return in mercy to me, deliver me out of all my distresses, and show forth his favour and loving kindness to me.  

Annotations on Psalm XLII.  
V. 1. Panteth] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies to cry, and is applied to Beasts, especially to dear, when they impatiently desire the water. This they are said to do, when they have eaten some vipers, which medicinally they are said to seek and eat, and then are inflamed thereby, and vehemently desire water to cool them. This they do again when they are ●u●●ed hard that they may cool, and relieve themselves from the doggs that way. But the more prompt and ready interpretation is, that feeding in a dry and parched wilderness, they want, and oft-times can find no water, and then go about and make a mournful noise for it. And thus is it most fitly applied to David, when in his flight from Absalom he was thus in the wilderness, destitute of the spiritual advantages of joining with the people of God in his service. The word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  must be here taken in the feminine gender, as appears by {untranscribed Hebrew} following; and accordingly the LXXII. red {untranscribed Hebrew} in the feminine.  
V. 4. Remember] The first words of this v. 4. are by the LXXII. literally rendered from the Hebrew. That reads {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  where the future( as oft elsewhere,) being used for the praeter tense, the rendering must be, I remembered these, and poured out my soul on myself, i. e. gave myself up into the power of my passion, let loose the reins to my grief; the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  soul being used for the sensitive part of the man, and so for grief and passionate sorrow. And thus the Lxxii. render it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, I remembered these things, and poured out my soul upon me. But in the remainder of the verse there is some difference: {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the future for praeter again, they render, {untranscribed Hebrew} I will pass; whereas setting down the cause of his sorrow, and the object of his remembrance, it is most reasonable to render it in the time past, for, or because I had past. Then for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , they red {untranscribed Hebrew}, in the place of the wonderful tabernacle; in all probability reading {untranscribed Hebrew}( which is a future verb, from {untranscribed Hebrew}) as if it were from {untranscribed Hebrew} magnificus, grandis, magnificent, great, excellent, and so wonderful. But of these words in the Hebrew if we take a closer inspection, we shall find them capable of a double rendering; and it will be very uncertain which shall be preferred. For the verb {untranscribed Hebrew} from whence {untranscribed Hebrew} comes, hath a double notion; it signifies most frequently covering, but sometimes mixing or confounding. In the former notion, it will signify the covering in the tabernacle, called( from this theme) {untranscribed Hebrew} the covering 2 Kin. xvi. 18. and so the Chaldee here have rendered it {untranscribed Hebrew},( and the Jewish Arab Interpreter {untranscribed Hebrew} to the same sense) umbraculum the covering, meaning no doubt the tabernacle; and so the Syriack, {untranscribed Hebrew}( from {untranscribed Hebrew} to cover) in thy covering: and then this is fully expressed by the LXXII. their reading, {untranscribed Hebrew}, in the place of the tabernacle; and their meaning is plain, I will pass, for I had past, into the tabernacle, I went with them to the house of God. But Abu Walid, mentioning the opinion of some who would here understand it in the notion of covering, rejects that, and prefers the other, of a company or multitude, or number of men: and the interpretation of the clause in his way is, When I passed in a company, or multitude, whom I set, or put forward to the house of God, i. e. whom I followed, or, driven, as it were, before me. For this he will have to be the signification of {untranscribed Hebrew} to put or set forward, and cause to move or go, as a nurse doth her child,( so the word is used in the Misnah) putting it forward to go. And so R. Tanchum renders the word, I caused them to go. The Jewish Arab Interpreter, in a note, saith, it implies such a putting forward or egging, as the Arabians use in their journeyings, especially by night: So, saith he, our fathers used to incite and put men forward, saying, Arise, let us go up to Zion to the Lord our God. But this word {untranscribed Hebrew} may likewise be compared with the arabic {untranscribed Hebrew}, and then it will signify, to go hastily, and to throng. And to this agrees {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the end of the verse, which literally signifies the feasting multitude: the Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. the tumult or noise of the people which come to celebrate the feasts at Jerusalem; but the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, the noise of the feasters, from that notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew} to tumultuate or make a noise, which refers to the noise and stir at going up to the feast from all parts of Judea. The Jewish Arab interpreter renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} the multitude of such as went in devotion[ to the Temple.] And so Abu Walid explains it of such as came to the house of God, taking {untranscribed Hebrew} in the notion wherein the Arabs usually take {untranscribed Hebrew}, to go in devotion, or visit some place accounted sacred. This notes the joy in undertaking the journey to Gods service, and not the festivity itself, when they were come up. Their very going up was a kind o● procession, much more then their feasts themselves; in opposition to which the celebration of Idolatrous feasts is by the Jews called {untranscribed Hebrew} a sadness: though the heathen Tacitus make the contrary observation,( as every one thinks fit to commend his own rites, and defame others) Romani laetos ●estosque ritus habent, Judaei tristes sordid●sque The Romans have joyful and festival rites, the Jews sad and sordid.  
V. 6. Hermonites] The land of Jordan is that which lies and is enriched by that river, whose head is at the foot of Lebanon. Of Hermon, a high hill on the other side of Jordan on the east, and known by four names, see note on Psal. xxix. d. From this {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Hermonim here hath its name, and signifies the region betwixt Hermon and Tabor, and the inhabitants thereof: which being on a little rising, it may here be fitly expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew} from the hill of lit●leness, or the little hill, but Solomon Jarchi and Aben Ezra render Hermonim as the common name of several hills, as the Alpes in Italy, the mountains of Ararat in Asia, the mountains of the Moon in afric. And then Missar may likewise be the name of an hill, possibly that which bordered upon Soar. Gen. xix. 30. and then Missar and Hermon will be the guesses of Davids march, the length of the whole country beyond Jordan, which he traversed in his flight from Absalom, 2 Sam. xvii. 22.  
V. 7. Deep] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is an abyss, or deep pit, a place of much waters; sometimes the whole globe of earth and sea, Gen. 1.2. sometimes the whole body of waters here below, Gen. vii. 11. Prov. viii. 24; and frequently the bo●tome of the sea, styled {untranscribed Hebrew} the Abyss, Luk. viii. 31. Here it signifies literally a multitude of waters, either all breaking out of the earth, called the fountains of the great deep Gen. vii. 11.( see the Targum on Eccl. i. 7.) or else some pouring down out of the clouds( see note on Psal. xxix. 3.) some rising out of the earth: so saith the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the superior abyss calls unto the inferior abyss. Instead of calling some render meets; so Symmachus, {untranscribed Hebrew}, one deep met another: and that notion the Jewish Arab interpreter embraces, {untranscribed Hebrew} deep meeting deep. And this no doubt may go for a significant paraphrase of it, and hath foundation in the affinity betwixt {untranscribed Hebrew} to meet, and {untranscribed Hebrew} to call. But the literal notation of {untranscribed Hebrew} is certainly that of calling; and that is retained by the Chaldee, and Syriack, and the Lxxii. and the rest of the ancient interpreters: and the expression is poetical, their meeting together is, as it were, calling to, and answering one the other. And thus, we know, it was in the deluge( to which this probably refers) Gen. vii. 11. the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows or floodgates of heaven were opened. This their breaking out at the same time from both places, from above and from below, seems to be the fullest meaning of the abyss calling to, and answering one the other. And that which is supposed to begin, and so to call the other, is the Superior, that from the clouds( so saith the Chaldee:) and this calling is by means of the water-spouts, so the clouds are poetically styled {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thy( i. e. Gods) spouts( {untranscribed Hebrew} a pipe or spout, from whence is Assinarus the name of a river in Thucydides l. vii. descending from a steep place in a deep channel) The Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} thy cataracts, pouring down of waters from a much higher place to a low, from the top of an hill or house; that as, when it reins apace, that which falls on the top of the house, being conveyed thence by spouts,( domatum fistulas, S. Jerome calls them) comes pouring down upon the ground, and makes a great noise in falling,( so Kimchi explains it, as the water from the house top flows down by the pipe, and causeth a great sound by its descent) and much increases the flood of water that was below: so God pouring out rain from the clouds, as by those spouts from the top of the house, first makes a great noise, then much increases the water which was formerly below, and makes the springs and brooks to rise, as it were in answer to this voice of the clouds, which by this means call upon them, and rouse them up. This makes it necessary to render {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  by the voice of the water-spouts, as the instrument by which the superior abyss calls to the inferior; as one calls, or signifies his pleasure, or summons another by a pipe. 'tis true, the fountains in the earth, the meatus by which the waters pass into the sea, are by the Targum Eccl. i. 7. styled {untranscribed Hebrew} the water-pipes of the abyss; and that may seem to determine the phrase here to these inferior waters. But 'tis as sure, that any other course of waters may be so called also; and so this opening of the windows of heaven, the cataracts from the clouds, that superior abyss, as here the Chaldee understands it. And this is a most poetical expression of miseries flowing in one upon another, some from God, and some from men; Gods punishments for sin inviting as it were, and calling out the infernal spirits, and the malice of men here below, which seeing God displeased, and so being permitted by him to be executioners of his wrath, break out violently upon him. And the same is farther expressed by the two words in the remainder of the verse. All {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thy collisions or fractures] from {untranscribed Hebrew} to break, i. e. all the effects of thy displeasure, which come like waves of the sea, raising themselves, and then breaking and pouring out upon me. This the Lxxii. red, {untranscribed Hebrew} not in the notion of that word, which the vulgar understand it in, when they render it excelsa tua, thy high things; but as that word oft signifies wavering, and being driven uncertainly( see note on Luk. xii. a) and those we know are compared to the waves of the sea, driven by the winds and tost, Jam. i. 6. The Syriack render it {untranscribed Hebrew} thy tempests, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to break; and so also the arabic, thy tempests. The other word {untranscribed Hebrew} is best rendered by billows, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to roll or tumble together in an heap, as the sea doth its billows: and so the Lxxii. express the meaning by {untranscribed Hebrew}, which signify these. To this the {untranscribed Hebrew} following will be most fitly annexed, All thy collisions and rollings on me. And then {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  will stand by itself, and be best rendered passed by, or over, without doing me any harm at all. So Psal. xLviii. 4. The Kings of the earth were assembled, they passed by together, without any hostile attempt; as farther appears there, v. 5. they were troubled and hasted away. And thus the word {untranscribed Hebrew} is most frequently rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, passing over, or by. And then the following verse, In the day commanded the Lord his benignity] connects very perfectly with it, as the account, why the collisions and rollings on him, the sea foaming and making a noise, did yet pass over, and not drown or hurt him, viz. because God day and night continually protected him.  
V. 8. ●he Lord] For the understanding of this v. 8. and connecting it with the antecedents and consequents, the frequent observation of the future tense being used for the praeter, will be most useful, and indeed perfectly necessary. For the former verse being in the first part of it a sad description of his miserable estate, and the effects of Gods displeasure toward him, and the latter part of it( as hath been shewed) a thankful acknowledgement of his deliverance from all the mischievous effects of it; this v. 8. will be a fuller declaration of this mercy of God, to whom only the deliverance was due, In the day commanded the Lord— Not, The Lord will command his loving kindness— but more fitly and literally, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  {untranscribed Hebrew} In the day time commanded the Lord his loving kindness, i. e. God was thus pleased to deal with me, all the day long to sand out( so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies to dispense, to confer) benefits and mercies on me, and in the night his song was with me; every day I received, and every night I made acknowledgement of his mercies to me: and my prayer to the God of my life, i. e. I still looked upon God as one that savoured me, and constantly preserved me, and poured his benefits upon me, and so prayed to him with all joy and cheerfulness and alacrity, and as it follows v. 9. I will say unto God, My rock, why hast thou forgotten me? And this seems to be the clearest meaning of this place; though the learned Castellio, having rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} obruunt overwhelm, v. 7. hath accordingly affixed another interpretation to these verses, solebat Jova &c. Nunc mihi— God was wont to confer his benefits in the day time, &c.— Now I must thus make my complaint unto my God.  
V. 11. My countenance] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here my countenance, may possibly have this difference from {untranscribed Hebrew} his countenance, v. 6.( which the Chaldee there renders the redemption {untranscribed Hebrew} which is from before him) that David first mentions the salvations of Gods countenance, i. e. his saving power and providence, and then closeth the Psalm by applying it to himself, and acknowledging the particular mercy of his deliverance. Yet considering that all the ancients versions, the Chaldee only excepted, seem to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} my countenance( {untranscribed Hebrew}, faciei mei, my face) in both places, and that these words are the burden as of this, so of the following Psalm, and that as the sense is the same in other words, so in all likelihood the two Psalms did correspond in this; therefore 'tis not improbable, that the old reading was here in both places {untranscribed Hebrew}, my countenance, as it is in both places of the following Psalm.    

The Forty Third Psalm.  
THe Forty third Psalm is exactly of the same mournful subject, and probably on the same occasion, with the former, but perhaps lightly varied from thence on some other occasion, such as the Babylonish captivity,( as the mention of the ungodly nation inclines it v. 1.) and adjoined to Psalm 42. because of its affinity to it. 'tis a complaint of ill usage from enemies, yet endeth with full reliance on God, and place of hope from thence, as the former did.  
1. Judge me, O God, and pled my cause against the ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and 
unmerciful {untranscribed Hebrew}  unjust man.  
O God, what ever our sins against thee have been, we have certainly not injured these which are maliciously bent against us. Be thou pleased therefore to vindicate our innocency in this, to clear us from the calumnies of these, and to rescue us out of their treacheries, and bloody designs.  
2. For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?  
To thee alone can we appeal, who art our onely defender: O be thou pleased to restore us to thy favour; not to forsake us utterly, not to leave us to that sad disconsolate condition, to which the oppressions of our mortal enemies have brought us.  
3. O sand out thy light and thy truth: let them led me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.  
O let thy mercy show forth itself, and thy fidelity in performing thy promise to us: let these be our guide and safeguard in our way, as thy pillar of cloud and fire to the Israelites, in their passage from egypt to Canaan; and at length restore us successfully to that rest and peace, that we may securely resort to thy public service, in the place which thou hast appointed for it, where the ark is.  
4. Then shall I go unto the altar of God 
the gladness of my joy, or, of my youth, or, who makes my sorrow joy.  my 
a.  exceeding joy: yea upon the 
b.  harp will I praise thee, O God my God.  
And that will be an happy time indeed, to go in the society of the saints to offer sacrifice to God; that God that revives out of the greatest sadness, is the only author of all the felicity of my life: when that time comes, we shall be most happy, and celebrate thy mercies and goodness to us in the most solemn manner of exultation, and never give over acknowledging thy goodness and fatherly bounty toward us.  
5. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.  
Meanwhile there is a competent stay to our drooping souls, an argument that we should not be too much dejected or disturbed, that we have still place of hope and trust in God, that we shall yet live to receive deliverance from him, and enjoy happy opportunities of acknowledging his mercies in the public assembly, who is, even now that he thus permits us to be distressed, the only comfort and support of our lives, and our merciful loving father, even now that we are under his sharpest chastisement.  

Annotations on Psalm XLIII.  
V. 4. Exceeding joy] The chief difficulty of this Psalm is, how the {untranscribed Hebrew} is to be rendered. As for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that in Hebrew denotes commotion, and generally any kind of commotion,( as Abu Walid tells us, see note on Psal. ii. k.) whether of joy or sorrow. It is certain it most frequently signifies exultation and joy: and so it must be thought to do as oft as it is joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} rejoicing, by any conjunctive particle, as Psal. XLV. 15. with gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought; and so 'tis there rendered by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}; who yet in this place have rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} much otherwise, {untranscribed Hebrew}, God that makes merry my youth: and therein the Syriack, latin, arabic, and Aethiopick follow them, and only the Chaldee otherwise, {untranscribed Hebrew} from whom is the joy of my exultation. Of this rendering of the Lxxii. the account is ordinary, that they took {untranscribed Hebrew} in a notion wherein tis used in arabic, for age or generation. So in their rendering of Psal. Lxxix. 13. we will show forth thy praise from generation to generation, {untranscribed Hebrew}. So Gen. iii. 9. Noah was upright in his {untranscribed Hebrew} generation. So Psalm cxii. 2. {untranscribed Hebrew} the generation of the just shall be blessed. And Mat. 1. These are {untranscribed Hebrew} the generations. And then tis conceived that in this notion of generation, as that signifies the whole age and course of a mans life, the Lxxii. taking the word, thought fit to render it {untranscribed Hebrew} my youth, viz. the former part of my age. But the word {untranscribed Hebrew} in arabic signifies also a fat well-grown youth; and the arabic being but a dialect of the Hebrew, and the word {untranscribed Hebrew} evidently thus signifying in the arabic, 'tis most probable that thus it did signify originally in the Hebrew, and the Lxxii. their thus understanding it, and rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew} youth, is a fair evidence for it. And if indeed it thus did signify in the Hebrew, then there is all reason to understand it so here, and to render it {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the joy of my youth, i. e. of my whole course of life, from my youth till now, and to make that the title of God, that he hath always been such to David, i. e. the only author of joy and rejoicing( {untranscribed Hebrew}) that ever David had. And thus the rendering is more literal, than either to red it, the God of my joy and gladness( for there is neither any reason to make the former word to be in the genitive case, nor is there any ו conjunction between them, and the Chaldee, that alone differs from the Lxxii. yet red it in this other form, from whom is the joy of—) or God, my exceeding joy. If this notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} be not accepted, it may then be, as our English margin hath it, God the gladness of my joy, i. e. he that is the great author of all the joy I have. But if it may here be taken in the notion of the other contrary passion, or commotion, that of sorrow, then {untranscribed Hebrew} will be he that maketh glad my sorrow, or turneth my commotions into joy.  
V. 4. The harps] Of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  it may here be observed, that being among the grecians used in sadness only,( and so defined by Hesychius, {untranscribed Hebrew}, a musical instrument, a mournful harp, and from thence {untranscribed Hebrew}, to mourn and wail, and {untranscribed Hebrew}, wailing and mournful) 'tis yet among the Hebrews generally a cheerful, joyful music, so Gen. xxxi. 17. and 2. Chron. x. 28. Job xxi. 12. and xxx. 13. and frequently in these Psalms, see Psal. xxxiii. 2. Lxxi. 22. Lxxxi. 3. xcii. 4. cxxxvii. 2. cxLix. 3. Is. v. 12. xxiv. 8. Ezek. xxvi. 13. and 1 Mac. iii. 5.    

The Forty Fourth psalm.  
TO the chief musician for the sons of Corah, Maschil.  
The forty fourth Psalm is a description of the several conditions and states of the Jewish Church, and therein a commemoration of Gods former mercies, as a ground of confidence in, and prayer to him, for deliverance out of present dangers; and was composed in some time of general oppression by foreign enemies, v. 11.12. and committed to the perfect of the music, to be sung by the posterity of Corah( see Psal. xlii. 1.) to the tune called Maschil( see note on Psal. xxxii. a.)  
1. We have heard with our ears, O Lord, our fathers have  told us, what work thou didst in their dayes, in the times of old.  
Thy doings in former ages, O Lord, are famously spoken of, and delivered down to us from father to son.  
2. How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, 
a.  and 
sand  cast them out.  
How thou by thy power didst eject the Canaanites, &c. and in their stead didst place thine own people of Israel, having first brought them out of Egypt, rescued them from the hands of those heathen tyrants, smiting with ten several plagues the Egyptians that kept them in bondage.  
3. For they got not their land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them, but thy right hand and thine arm, and the b light of thy 
presence  countenance; because thou hadst a favour unto them.  
A special work of thine this: for 'twas not any prowess of arms, or opposition of greater strength, that got the children of Israel the victories which they obtained over these nations, or possessed them of their land, but the signal interposition of thy power, shining and showing forth itself visibly in that whole action; an effect and a testimony of thy special favour to them, which thus performed what thou hadst promised, of giving them this fruitful land to be enjoyed by them.  
4. Thou art my King, O God; command 
the salvations of Jacob, {untranscribed Hebrew}  deliverance for Jacob.  
Thou therefore that hast thus magnified thy power and mercy, in delivering this people of thine, art in all reason to be adored by us, as our God, and supreme conductor, to whom alone I am to make my address at this time for the deliverances which thou hast promised to give, and hast constantly afforded to thy people.  
5. Through thee will we 
gore {untranscribed Hebrew}  push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.  
From thee must all our victories come, thou must furnish us with our offensive arms: such thou hast given to the beasts of the field, horns to the bull, &c. And thy presence and conduct must supply to us our natural want of these. And if thou be thus present with us, we shall certainly be as successful, as the most mighty of those creatures over the weakest assailant. As they first gore and wound them with their 
So {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies  horns, and then trample them under their feet; so shall we deal with our stoutest enemies.  
6. For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.  
As for artillery and provisions of war, we use them, without any trust or reliance on them, either to secure ourselves, or hurt others.  
7. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shane that hated us.  
'tis thy strength onely, and mercy to us, that hath wrought all our good successses, delivered us, and discomfited our enemies; and accordingly in that alone all our confidence is reposed.  
8. 
we have praised God.  In God 
c.  we boast all the day long, and 
will c●●fess.  praise thy name for ever. Selah.  
All our victories have been hitherto due to thee; from thee we have received them, and to thee we have given all the praise of them: and consequently for the future, we have none else to rely on, none to aclowledge for our defender and reliever, but thee.  
9. But thou hast cast us off, and put us to shane, and goest not forth with our armies.  
But, alas, our sins have provoked, and removed thee from us; thou hast suffered us to be worsted by our enemies, and hast not of late shown forth thy majesty for our aid and succour.  
10. Thou makest us to turn back from our enemies, and they which hate us spoil for themselves.  
Thou sufferest us to be put to flight and chased by our enemies, and consequently to be despoiled and pillaged by them.  
11. Thou hast given us like sheep 
for ●cting {untranscribed Hebrew}  appointed for meat, and hast scattered us among the heathen.  
Thou hast permitted many of us to be slaughtered like sheep( see v. 22.) such as are killed by the butcher, not the priest; for the shambles, to be freely used as men please, not for the altar, to which those that are set apart cannot be rudely handled without violation of religion. And as sheep again being worried by the Wolf, are driven from the flock and scattered upon the mountains; so are our armies destroyed and routed.  
12. Thou sellest thy people 
for 〈◇〉( or, without any) possession, and d●●● 〈◇〉 gain by—  for 
d.  nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.  
We are, alas, cast away by God, as the worst kind of slaves, which are not thought worthy to have any price demanded for them by their masters; sadly handled, without the comfort of bringing in any honour to God by our calamities. Thy Church among us is defaced, and no other people taken in, instead of us, by whom thy name may be glorified.  
13. Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derison to them that are round about us.  
14. Thou makest us a by-word among the heathen, a shaking of the hand among the people.  
Hereby we are rendered ridiculous, scoffed and mocked at by those that are near us, and by our enemies made a proverb of reproach, to signify and express the most abject despicable men in the world.  
15. My confusion is continually before me, and the shane of my face hath covered me,  
This is matter of so great shane to me, that I dare not show my face: I cover it, like mourners, under a veil, desirous to hid my shane( Mic. 3.7.) but, alas, this covering will very ill conceal that, which indeed it doth betray, as being on purpose designed to hid it.  
16. For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth, by reason of the enemy and avenger.  
Betwixt their scorns and contumelies on the one side, and their designs of mischieving and destroying me on the other, I know not how to behave, which way to turn myself.  
17. All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.  
Yet doth not all this discourage us, or tempt us to fall off to any other religion, from that which we hitherto have professed, to forget our duty to God, or to fall from that fidelity of obedience which we have vowed to him.  
18. Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way;  
We will still abide constant in our loyalty, whatever our portion be in this world.  
19. Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.  
Yea, though thou deal never so sharply with us, beat our armies to dust, and disperse us into the most desolate condition of horror and darkness, the very next degree to death itself.  
20. If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange God,  
21. Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.  
For the sincerity of this constant resolution, we appeal to no other judge, but to the great searcher of hearts: From him we know we cannot be concealed, if either we slacken the diligence of our service to him, or fall off to any degree of Apostasy.  
22. Yea for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep to the slaughter.  
And of this our very sufferings are our witnesses: the malice and cruelty of our enemies, which is so great and bloody, as to slaughter us daily, having no other ground of provocation from us, but our adhering constantly to thy service.  
23. Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? Arise, cast us not off for ever.  
24. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?  
Lord, be thou graciously pleased at length to consider our distresses, to interpose thy hand for our rescue, and no longer to forsake us in our extremities, and leave us without thy aid and succour,( see note a.) to be thus sorely afflicted and oppressed by our enemies.  
25. For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly cleaveth unto the earth.  
For we are now brought to the lowest and saddest state of depression.  
26. Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies sake.  
Now therefore be thou pleased to undertake our rescue, thereby in a fittest season to show forth thy pitty to us; which we have no ground of soliciting, but what we fetch from thine own goodness, so frequently experimented by us.  

Annotations on Psalm XLIV.  
V. 2. Cast them out] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} from whence {untranscribed Hebrew} comes doth generally signify misit and emisit, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  sending, and sending out, or setting free and at liberty, which we call manumission, and in that notion the word is elsewhere used: and though by the Lxxii. in this place, and one more Ex. xii. 33. it be rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} to cast out, in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}, which is of such affinity to it, that, as Abu Walid observes, Jer. xxxviii. 6. and 11. they are used promiscuously for the same; yet in many hundred places, they render it elsewhere by {untranscribed Hebrew} to sand, as in some hundreds more by {untranscribed Hebrew} to sand out; by which also Aquila renders it here. And to this the Syriack accords, whether we red with the ordinary Copies( for then the rendering is not literal, but by way of paraphrase) thou hast afflicted the kingdoms {untranscribed Hebrew} and hast established them, or, which is much more probable, and the change very easy, but of a point, {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to sand, and thou didst sand them out. And to this agrees the form of Gods mandate for the bringing out of the Israelites, Exod. v. 1. {untranscribed Hebrew} thus saith the Lord, let go, or sand out, or manumit my people, &c. and therefore in all reason this is to be resolved the meaning of it in this place. And in that one other place where the Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, it evidently signifies( as by our English 'tis rendered) sending out, Ex. xii. 33. The egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might sand them out of the land in hast. The undoubtedness of this interpretation will be assented to, if the latter part of the verse be compared with the former. In the former 'tis expressly said, {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast cast out the nations, {untranscribed Hebrew} and hast planted them; sure not the same whom he had cast out, but, as the Chaldee paraphrases,( the people of Canaan in the former, and) {untranscribed Hebrew} the house of Israel in the latter: and then by proportion, in the second part, as {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast a●flicted the nations] belongs to the egyptians; so must {untranscribed Hebrew} and thou hast sent them out] belong to the Israelites: and if the {untranscribed Hebrew} by thy hand] in the beginning of the verse, be( as reasonably it may) applied to all that follows in the verse, then 'tis literally, thou hast manumitted them, i. e. set at liberty the Israelites. And so that is the full meaning of it.  
V. 3. Light of thy countenance] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the light of thy faces, seems here to be set to signify the majestatick presence of God, his visible presiding in their militia; for so the matter spoken of exacts, and the mention precedent of thy right hand, and thine arm. And accordingly the Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, the light of the splendour of thy glory, by Gods glory ordinarily signifying the special presence of God( his Schechinah mentioned by them v. 10.) however evidenced or testified; and that is frequently the interpretation of {untranscribed Hebrew} faces, even when it is rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} by the Lxxii. so Gen. iii. 8. the faces, i. e. presence of the Lord, as we render it; so Gen. iv. 16. Cain went out from the faces, we duly red, from the presence of the Lord; and often elsewhere. And so here v. 24. the hiding his faces, is by the Chaldee rendered, the taking away {untranscribed Hebrew} the Schechinah or majestatick presence of his glory. And so that will be the best rendering here, the light of thy presence,( as God, we know, testified his presence to the Israelites by a light shining cloud going before them, and conducting them) and not the light of thy countenance, as that is all one with his favour; the mention of that following in the next words, as the original, and reason of this his shining presence, and not as the thing itself.  
V. 8. Boast] {untranscribed Hebrew} in Piel signifying to praise or celebrate, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is regularly to be rendered here [ We have praised.] And the preposition ב prefixed to {untranscribed Hebrew} makes no difference, being many times a pleonasine; and then {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , the future from {untranscribed Hebrew}, will be best rendered in the future, we will confess thy name for ever, by the former signifying what is past, as the pledge and pawn of his future mercies, whereon he is resolved to depend for the future. And thus in both parts the Syriack renders it, we have praised, and, we will confess.  
V. 12. Nought] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies wealth, or any kind of valuable possession, and so fitly follows {untranscribed Hebrew} i. e. literally [ and hast not multiplied] but it must best be rendered [ and hast not gained] or made advantage, or increase, as men are wont to do by the sale of those things that are any way valuable. The roman copies of the Lxxii. red( as 'tis evident S. Augustine did) {untranscribed Hebrew}, and there was no multitude in their jubilations, and Asulanus's copy reads yet worse, {untranscribed Hebrew}. But it is apparent, both by the latin, which reads in commutationibus, and so by the Syriack also, that the true reading was {untranscribed Hebrew}, according to their use of {untranscribed Hebrew} for a price. The plain meaning is, that as things that are useless and burdensome, are not sold for any valuable price, but allowed to be taken away by any that will have them; so are they dealt with by God at this time, not regarded by him, and so permitted to be conquered, and carried away captive by every one that will assault them. The arabic here hath, contrary to use, rendered it with some difference from the Lxxii. thou hast diminished the multitude of their numbers; seeming thereby to refer to the first captivity in egypt, where servitude increased their numbers, they multiplied in children, as their task-masters increased their tale of brick: But here their captivity is not thus recompensed, but the contrary is the effect of it.    

The Forty Fifth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician upon 
a.  
the sixe-stringed instruments.  Shoshannim, for the sons of Coreh, Maschil, a song of 
the beloved maids, {untranscribed Hebrew}  loves.  
The Forty fifth Psalm is thought to be an Epithalamium, or marriage-song, upon the nuptials of Solomon and the King of Aegypts daughter, 1 King. iii. 1.( but is withall mystically, and in a most eminent manner, applicable to 
See the Chaldee v. 2. {untranscribed Hebrew} O King messiah— The spirit of prophecy in thy lips— So also Kimchi, and Aben-Ezra, and Sol. Jarchi understand the whole Psalm of the messiah.  Christ) composed in the persons of her bride-maids, and committed to the Praefect of the music, to be sung by the posterity of Coreh, to the tune known by the name of Maschil.  
1. My heart 
b.  
hath prepared.  is inditing a good matter; 
my composures I will recite, or deliver, or speak unto the—  I speak of the things which I have made touching the King: My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.  
I have meditated and composed a festival nuptial hymn, brought it ready prepared, as an oblation Eucharistical, and I will now recite it to the King,( as he is a type of the great God and King of heaven, the King by whom Kings Reign, the messiah, who shall espouse a church of believers here on earth;) my tongue being alacriously and cheerfully bent speedily to deliver it.  
2. Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips; 
seeing that, or because {untranscribed Hebrew}.  therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.  
O how gloriously beautiful is this bridegroom above all the men in the world? what gracious and lovely and excellent speech comes from him? God having accomplished and adorned and blessed him in a most illustrious degree and manner.( And in the Mystical sense, The messiah is infinitely beyond all the men in the world; a divine person, speaking as never man spake, all the fullness of the Godhead dwelling bodily in him.)  
3. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh; O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.  
Thou art a mighty Prince; it becometh thee to appear in a glorious and majestic manner, as it doth any man of valour to be gird with a belt and sword.( In the mystical sense, O thou mighty God and Prince of Peace, be thou pleased to set up thy spiritual kingdom in our hearts, by the power of thy grace to rule and reign in them.)  
4. 
c.  
Presper thou in thy majesty, ride for the word or cause or business of-  And in thy majesty ride prosperously, because of truth and meekness and righteousness: and 
he shall teach thee terrible things with or by thy right hand.  thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.  
And mayst thou long and prosperously enjoy this thy dignity, reign successfully to the maintaining of all divine virtues; such are, beyond others, faith, and humility, and all manner of justice and charity. And making such use of thy power, no doubt God will establish thee in it, and give thee all manner of strange successses, and make thee formidable to all about thee.( In the mystical sense, God grant him all good success in his regal office, in subjecting all mens hearts unto his spiritual regiment. And as his instalment shall not be by riding on the regal mule, or being mounted on a proud and sprightful horse, or in any other guise of secular pomp, but in a much more excellent and divine equipage, all kind of the most eminent virtues drawing in his triumphal chariot, and carrying him aloft to victory: so may the mighty God of heaven prosper him in those great affairs on which he is employed; 1. of bringing all men to the faith; 2. of subduing all the prides of the hautiest heathen obdurate hearts, and making them meek, and gentle, and lowly, humble toward God and man; 3. of planting all degrees of justice and charity among Christians. In the discharge and execution of this great office of spiritual sovereignty, God shall be with him, enabling him to do miracles, to cast out the heathen false Gods, or devills, out of their temples, out of mens hearts, and out of the bodies of those that are possessed with them, and so to bring down all other religions wheresoever Christianity enters.)  
5. 
d. . Thine arrows are sharp 
( the people shal fall under thee) in the heart—  in the heart of the Kings enemies, whereby the people fall under thee.  
Thy power shall be sufficient to bring down thy greatest enemies, and many shall feel the effects of it, being conquered by thee.( In the mystery, the grace of Christ shall come with great efficacy to the converting of Idolatrous heathens, and shall be mightily successful in bringing the gentle world to subjection to his kingdom.)  
6. 
c.  Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.  
The kingdom of the messiah is never to have an end: the laws by which 'tis administered are admirably good and just, most agreeable to the dictates of true reason, and the nature of man, not seduced or corrupted with passion. And herein is Solomon a type of him: the kingdom of Juda●, now settled on him, shall endure till the time of the Messiahs coming, and entering on his immutable kingdom. And they are divine laws, of Gods own prescribing, by which he shall administer his government.  
7. Thou lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness; therefore God thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.  
He hath earnestly espoused the cause of all goodness and justice, hath wrought by his precepts and promises and grace effectually, to bring the practise of all virtue into the world, and beareth a perfect hatred against 'vice, and by strict prohibitions, and threats of eternal hell, and by suffering himself upon the cross for our sins( an example of Gods great wrath against sin, choosing rather to punish it on his own son, than to suffer it to go unpunished) hath laboured to cast that out of mens hearts: And therefore God the Father hath advanced and dignified him above all Angels and men,( see note on Matth. xxvi c. and Act. x. 10.) exalted him to his own right hand, there to reign for ever, and to dispense his graces abundantly and freely into all mens hearts. Herein also was Solomon a type of the messiah, whose choice of wisdom, rather then of all secular wealth, was highly rewarded by God, beyond all other men.  
8. 
myrrh alces and Cassi● are all thy garments, from—  All thy garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and Cassia, out of the Ivory palaces, 
wherein thou takest delight.  where by 
f.  they have made thee glad.  
This Bridegrooms garments are very richly perfumed, the odour of them comes out from the magnificent rooms wherein he takes pleasure, and so commonly resides in them.( And so the mystical Bridegroom Christ, his graces sand forth a most fragrant perfume, most grateful and pleasant to all to whom they come.)  
9. Kings daughters were 
in thy train or magnificence.  among 
g.  thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the Queen in gold of Ophir.  
He is very magnificently attended; many royal beauties are in his train; and his Bride the Queen is placed at his right hand in the most glorious nuptial array.( Proportionably the faith of the messiah shall be received by many persons of great rank in the world, and the Church his spouse shall be advanced by him to a most flourishing condition.)  
10. harken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear: forget also thine own people, and thy fathers house.  
It will now be happy for the Bride, if she will consider the true dignity she is advanced to, and the advantages she may reap by it; if she will utterly forsake the idolatries wherein she hath been brought up in egypt,( as the new married spouse entering into a new family must relinquish all her old relations, and not preserve so much as her former name) and give up her faith and obedience uniformly to the law of the true God, which here is worshipped.( And so in the mystical sense, the Jews being assumed, after their many adulteries and divorces, unto that better wedlock, celebrated in the Gospel, must think themselves obliged to forget their old relations, all the rites of their law, nay, the distinctive marks of their extraction from the loins of Abraham, circumcision, &c. and so recommend themselves to their Lord and Bridegroom. And so generally they that will come to be members of the Christian Church, must forsake all their old wicked courses, and perform all diligent, faithful, cheerful obedience to the commands of Christ; or else they will be little the better for being Christians.)  
11. So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty; for he is thy Lord God, and worship thou him.  
So shall she become truly amiable to her husband, Solomon the King, the type of the messiah, that eternal son of God, who when he comes into the world, shall be the very God of heaven in our human nature, and is therefore( he and none but he) to be adored by all men in the world, and so shall be acknowledged and worshipped by the Christian Church( see Justin Martyr Dial. cum Tryph. p. 287. B.)  
12. And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall entreat thy favour.  
The Tyrians shall bring him presents( see 1 King. v.) and so the greatest and most potent of his neighbours shall court him, and be ambitious of his friendship.( And so shall the heathen people come in to the faith of Christ, and in process of time the Emperors and greatest Princes.)  
13. The Kings daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is 
h.  of 
eyes of gold.  wrought gold.  
The spouse being of a regal extraction, is a very accomplished person, both in respect of inward virtues and outward splendour and magnificence.( And such shall be the Christian Church, gathered first and made up of the pious faithful remnant of the Jews.)  
14. She shall be brought unto the King in 
embroidered raiment.  raiment of needle-work: The virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee.  
She shall be conducted to the Bridegroom in a very sumptuous and glorious guise, and attended with her Bride-maids after the nuptial manner.( And this signifies the Churches glory; inward, from the graces of God, humility, charity, &c. with which it is content, without any others; and yet hath also the accession of outward, from the good providence of God waiting over it, and advancing it to a very flourishing condition. Nor shall this Elder sister, the daughter of Sion, the Jewish believers, come single to these nuptials: But the gentle Churches, as virgins to accompany the Spouse, shall likewise come in to the faith, be presented to him a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but holy, and without blemish. Eph. 5.27.)  
15. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought, and shall enter into the Kings palace.  
And this shall be a very joyful and festival meeting.( And so shall the reception of the Christian faith in the heathen world, their entering into the 
{untranscribed Hebrew} Lxxii.  Church, the palace, and house of God, and their giving themselves faederally to the obedience of Christ; there being no state of life in this world so blessed, and matter of so much inward real satisfaction and joy, as the life of a sincerely humble and charitable Christian.)  
16. Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make Princes in all the 
or land {untranscribed Hebrew}  earth.  
As she parts with royal parents in egypt, so now she shall be a mother of royal children; her posterity shall succeed in the kingdom of Judah.( And so in the antitype, Abraham by being disowned from being the father of the Jewish Synagogue,( circumcision the seal of that covenant being destroyed) shall not lose, but gain a better title to that name, enjoying the completion of that prophesy, which spake him the father of many nations, and shall then be the Patriarch of the whole world of faithful persons; and the Jewish Synagogue, honoured before with the dignity of having a believing and righteous father, shall now be more highly honoured, in having a multitude of faithful and pious children, by Christ begotten, and by her brought forth unto God. And so likewise in respect to the Gentiles, instead of Idolatrous ancestors, there shall be a succession of 
just men shall be thy children, Chal.  pious Christians, which shall become governors of the Church( so the first converts were made Bishops over all the world.)  
17. I will make thy name to be remembered throughout all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.  
This nuptial song shall perpetuate thy memory, and bring thee continual praise and honour among all posterities. And so shall the Church of Christ be for ever illustrious and visible upon the earth; and this very Psalm be looked on by Christians, as the description of these blessed spiritual espousals betwixt Christ and his Church.  

Annotations on Psalm XLV.  
Tit. Shoshannim] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} Six, in all probability signify instruments of six strings. The Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew} the assessors of the Sanhedrim, as if it were from {untranscribed Hebrew}, a title of the doctors of the Jews. The Lxxii. render {untranscribed Hebrew}, and seem to refer to the custom of alternate singing( of which we have spoken on Psal. xxiv. a) one verse by one, another by the other part of the choir; which alternation as it is not unfitly expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew}, so it might by them be thought to be noted by this word, deduced by them, as also by the Chaldee, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to change or vary. Of the sons of Coreh see Psal. xLii. 1. of Mas hil see Psal. xxxii. note a. As for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the feminine plural from {untranscribed Hebrew} beloved, it must signify the female or virgin friends, they that had the same respect to the Bride, as the friends of the bridegroom had to him, John iii. 29.( see note b. on that chapped.) These are the attendants of the solemnity, and their chief business is to increase and engage the love of the Bride to her husband: And in their persons this Psalm is indicted, as if it were spoken by them, and so is called {untranscribed Hebrew} a canticle of these beloved, or friends of the Bride, the Bride-maids; the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, for the beloved, and so the latin, as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew} not {untranscribed Hebrew}.  
V. 1. Inditing] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , used only in this one place in Scripture, signifies ebullivit praefervore, to boil or seeth out through excess of heat, is agreed by all: The Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, the latin eructavit, the style ordinarily used of a spring or fountain; and so the Jewish Arab Interpreter renders it by {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} which belongs to the springing forth of water, originally, but is applied to any new invention, or good thing, produced by the mind. So Abu Walid also would have it rendered, that so first his heart sent forth, and then his tongue uttered what that produced or dictated. He observes also the affinity of {untranscribed Hebrew} with the arabic {untranscribed Hebrew}, wherein the radicals are the same, only transposed, which signifies to swell forth or distil, as water out of an hill or rock. And indeed {untranscribed Hebrew} in arabic, without transposition, signifies motion or commotion; and so Kimchi renders the Hebrew word. And thus the word is deemed applicable to speech, which is thus sent out from the heart at the mouth, and is produced by the heat or motion of thoughts or meditation; my heart was hot within me, and the fire kindled, and at last I spake with my tongue. But it is not improbable, that the metaphor should here be taken from boiling over the fire in a pot or pan, which is the way of dressing or preparing of meat. So the word signifies, and is by the Chaldee rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} ferbuit, calefactus est: and from that notion of it we have {untranscribed Hebrew}, a frying-pan, Lev. vii. 9. that wherein the mincha or meat-offering was dressed with oil, v. 10. And to this it very well agrees, that a sacred hymn prepared by a Prophet, first composed by the spirit in his heart, then readily brought forth by his tongue,( which in that respect being here compared to the pen of a ready writer, agreeth also with another notion both of {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} for making hast) should be here expressed by a peace-offering, or sacrifice of thanksgiving, dressed with oil over the fire, whether fried or boiled,( the ebulliency denoted in {untranscribed Hebrew} being equal in both of them) and then by the sacrificer presented to God, Lev. ii. 8. as this here is to the King in the next words. so that not questioning the original notion of the word for ebullivit, we may yet best express the metaphor here by preparing, which is a general word, common to the dressing of meat or offering, and to the composing of any hymn, which is the spiritual oblation, and is here part of the nuptial festival, composed for the celebrating of it. As for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  by the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew}, verbum bonum in the vulgar, the good word, or speech, or matter, it will by analogy signify a festival hymn, as {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies laetus, as well as bonus, and {untranscribed Hebrew} a good day, is a festival day, a day of rejoicing, and the feast being a marriage feast {untranscribed Hebrew} a good or festival hymn will be distinctly an Epithalamium. And then that which followeth {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , will be best literally rendered, my composures will I deliver, or recite to the King,( so the Chaldee exactly in the same form, reading onely {untranscribed Hebrew} for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which is the same, any kind of works, or composures.)  
V. 4. And in thy Majesty] The fourth verse is literally to be rendered, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and prosper with thy honour or majesty, i. e. we wish it long continuance, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  ride upon the horses of the kingdom; 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  saith the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , for or upon the word, or business of truth— so the phrase signifies, {untranscribed Hebrew} being usually taken for matter, as well as words; and so the Chaldee here, {untranscribed Hebrew} for the business: the word signifies a cause depending in debate, a contention, and then more generally negotium, tractatus; and accordingly so must {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  be here understood. Then follows {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and he, that is, saith the Chaldee, God shall teach thee terrible things with, or by thy right hand. Against this rendering there is but one objection, viz. that {untranscribed Hebrew} is in the feminine gender, and so cannot so well be spoken of God. Why then may it not belong to the immediate praecedents, whether {untranscribed Hebrew} righteousness, or {untranscribed Hebrew} meekness, or {untranscribed Hebrew} truth, that all or any of those, i. e. God by them, shall teach him terrible things by his right hand; or, as the feminine is oft taken neutrally, his riding or engaging for the cause of these shall bring Gods blessing upon him, and so cause him, or teach him to do these terrible things with his right hand? The Lxxii. indeed red {untranscribed Hebrew}. But the Chaldee suggests a more probable rendering.  
V. 5. Thine arrows] The fifth verse may most conveniently be red with a parenthesis; Thy arrows are sharp( then as an effect of that, [ the people shall fall under thee] for that is an evidence of the sharpness of arrows, when men are thereby wounded and killed) {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in or upon or against the heart of the enemy of the King; those being the mark against which his shafts are directed, and the sharpness of them experimented upon them. This our last English designed in transposing the words, first, thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the Kings enemies] and then [ whereby the people fall under thee.] This the Jewish Arab agrees to, and for taking away the harshness of the parenthesis, transposeth the words in like manner, thus; And thine arrows being sharp fall into the heart of the Kings enemies, and the nations fall under thee. So the Chaldee, having rendered the former part of the verse, [ Thy arrows are brought out to slay armies, the people shall fall under thee] They then add {untranscribed Hebrew} and the sons of thy bow, i. e. the arrows in the beginning of the verse, shall be sent against the heart of the Kings enemies. Yet are these words capable of a rendering, without either transposing, or parenthesis, thus; Thine arrows are sharp, people shall fall under thee, in the midst of the Kings enemies, i. e. being reached by thine arrows in the midst of thine enemies armies. Thus {untranscribed Hebrew} heart, is elsewhere used for the midst of a thing; as Deut. iv. 11. {untranscribed Hebrew} the heart, i. e. the midst of heaven, and Exod. xv. 8. {untranscribed Hebrew} in the heart, i. e. midst of the sea, so the heart of the earth, for the midst of it. And in the arabic, {untranscribed Hebrew}] which signifies the same with the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}] is the proper style for middle or main body of an army.  
V. 6. Thy throne] The difficulty here is, to whom this verse and the following are literally and primarily appliable. And the doubt ariseth from the style, which is here enhanced from the King, to God. 'tis true indeed, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which is here used, is sometimes applied to others besides God: 1. to the Gods of the Gentiles, who are so called Isa. xxxv. 18. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the Gods of the nations: 2. to Angels, Psal. Lxxxvi. 8. who is like to thee {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  among the Gods? the Chaldee reads, among the high {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew} Angels, transformed by them: 3. to divine and excellent men, Prophets, and Judges, or Princes, &c. So Exod. xxii. 28. Thou shalt not vilify {untranscribed Hebrew} the Gods] is explained by what follows, nor curse the ruler of thy people; and Exod. xxi. 6. his master shall bring him {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to the Gods; we duly render it, to the Judges; and Exod. iv. 16. thou( Moses) shalt be to Aaron {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  for a God, {untranscribed Hebrew} for a Prince, saith the Chaldee. And accordingly 'twere not strange for {untranscribed Hebrew} to be applied to King Sololomon here. But the Apostle to the Hebrews c. 1. 7. affirming expressly, that these words are spoken to Christ the Son of God; and the Targum interpreting the King v. 2.( and so the whole Psalm) of the messiah, and so Kimchi, Aben Ezra, and Jarchi also; It is not reasonable or safe to apply them to any other but him; and so to take {untranscribed Hebrew} in the principal signification, wherein it is most frequently used for the one God of heaven and earth, and of him to understand these two verses, as also v. 11. allowing to Solomon only an imperfect, limited, partial sense of them, as he was a type of this messiah. Which may well be reconcilable with the understanding the rest of this Psalm literally of Solomon, and only mystically of Christ; it being not unfrequent with Prophets of the old Testament, speaking of some other matter mystically referring to Christ, but immediately to somewhat of present concernment, to be carried by the divine spirit, whereby they were acted, to speak immediately of Christ. Of this see Justin Martyr in his Dialogue with Tryphon the Jew, p. 287. where he concludes from this testimony, {untranscribed Hebrew}, that he was to be worshipped, being God and Christ, v. 11. As also S. Augustine de Civ. Dei. l. xvii. c. xvi.  
V. 8. Made thee glad] The former part of v. 8. being red, as it lies in the Hebrew, myrrh and aloes and Cassia all thy clothes, i. e. they are so perfumed with these odours, as if they were nothing else; that which follows will be clear also, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from the palaces of tooth, thereby, saith the Chaldee, meaning the Elephants tooth brought from armoniac,( it may more probably be said from Africa) with which it seems their choice rooms were beautified( of this Solomons throne is said to be made, 1 King. x. 18. and so Ahab made an Ivory house, 1 King. xxii. 39.) from which as the bridegroom passeth, or from whence, as he abideth therein, his garments yield this high perfume over all the adjoining rooms. As for that which is added in the close, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , with which they have delighted thee] it must be understood according to the vulgar hebraism, oft taken notice of( see Luk. xvi. note b.) they have delighted thee, i. e. thou art delighted or pleased with them.  
V. 9. Thy honourable] From {untranscribed Hebrew} pretiousus, honorabilis fuit, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  honour, glory, splendour; and so here in the plural, {untranscribed Hebrew} in or among thy splendours, thy honours, thy ornaments, i. e. thy magnificent train. The Lxxii. renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} in thy honour, to this sense clearly.  
V. 13. Of wrought gold] Of the difference between {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here and {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the next verse, this onely need be observed: that the former signifies ocellare, to work a garment full of eyes, which eyes being here of gold, are probably such as are with us called oes, as being of the form of an eye; the latter is to paint with a needle, i. e. to work upon cloth &c. divers colours and figures, to imbroider with several coloured silks, thereby imitating the various plumes of birds, from whence those artificers are called plumarij.( See the learned Nic. Fuller Miscell. l. 1. c. 20.)    

The Forty Sixth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician for the sons of Corah, a song upon 
a.  Alamoth.  
The forty sixth Psalm is a profession of all trust and confidence in God, and seems to have been written in the time of that tranquillity which is mentioned 2 Sam. 8.15. 1 Chron. 18.14. And was committed to the Praefect of the music, to be sung by the posterity of Corah, to the tune known by the title of Alamoth.  
1. God is our refuge and strength, a very 
ready {untranscribed Hebrew}  present help in trouble.  
All our hope and trust is in God, from whom all our aid and auxiliaries must be expected, and fetched down by our daily and constant prayers; wherein if we continue faithful and diligent, he will never fail to answer, and be found by us, being always ready at hand, in time of distress, to succour those that thus seek him.  
2. Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the 
heart {untranscribed Hebrew}  midst of the sea:  
This gives us courage in all that can befall us, be our state never so much worse than already 'tis; in time of the most formidable concussion of our armies,( proportionable to the terriblest earthquake) in time of the most visible unavoidable danger,( such as it would be, if the ground we stand on were removed from its stable foundation, and cast into the midst of the sea, and then ready to sink the next minute, and to be ingulphed in that abyss.)  
3. Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.  
When our enemies both threaten, and act most proudly and arrogantly, and accordingly are ready to strike a terror into the valiantest heart among us;  
4. 
The streams of the river, or, The river by his streams. {untranscribed Hebrew}  There is a river, the stream whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the Tabernacles of the most high.  
Yet shall the people of God enjoy tranquillity and delight in him, fetch continual matter of pleasure and refreshment from him: the contemptible trenches of the brook Geon, which water Jerusalem( the waters of Siloah that go softly, Is 8.6.) shall not envy the proudest swelling streams, as having the supreme creator and governor of the world in a peculiar manner resident among them.  
5. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved: God shall help her, 
at the appearing of the morning.  and 
b.  that right early.  
This special favourable providential presence of God is a ground of the greatest security: when ever calamity or danger approaches, he comes instantly and seasonably to their relief, as to the Israelites he did Exod. 14.23.  
6. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.  
When the philistines and other heathen nations about us began to threaten, and prepare war against us, God interposed his hand, declared his good pleasure and favour toward us( as discernibly as if it had been by voice from heaven, or by a thunderbolt shot out from the clouds;) and presently they were all discomfited, and dispersed,( as when a flash of lightning or thunderbolt melts or dissolves any thing.)  
7. The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our 
fortress, or, high place {untranscribed Hebrew}  refuge. Selah.  
Thus is Gods presence among us our security, he being the Lord to whom all armies are subject, the strong tower or fortress, to whom we may safely retire in whatsoever difficulty or danger.  
8. Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth.  
'tis worthy of consideration to all, what remarkable judgments God hath shown upon the heathen nations about us, that have set themselves hostilely against us, what strange destructions and desolations he hath wrought among them.  
9. He maketh warres to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the 
c.  
shields.  chariot in the fire.  
'tis he that loveth charity and peace among men, and therefore discomfiteth those that are hostilely disposed, and 'tis not all their military provisions will secure them: when he pleaseth to interpose himself, he presently brings all to nought, as if a consuming fire were come amongst them.  
10. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.  
This therefore may teach the wicked and heathen people, what is most prudent for them, even to give over their hostilities, to lay down their arms taken up against the people of God. For 'tis certain, they shall not finally prosper; God will subdue all their prowess, and magnify himself upon them, and demonstrate that there is nothing gained by resisting of him:  
11. The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our 
high place, or fortress.  refuge. Selah.  
Nor consequently by opposing of those with whom God is present, to support and relieve them in all their dangers.  

Annotations on Psalm XLVI.  
Tit. Alamoth] This Alamoth we find mentioned 1 Chron. xv. 20. where in bringing up the ark from Obed-Edom, the singers Heman, Asaph and Ethan, i. e. these sons of Corah here mentioned, were appointed to sound with Cymbals of brass, and Zechariah &c. with Psalteries on Alamoth, and Mattathias &c. with harps on the Sheminith, or the eighth to excel, or oversee( see note on Psal. iv. a.) what it is, Chimchi informs us upon Psal. iii. the name of a tune, or melody, or musical key, to which this Psalm was set, and to be sung by the sons of Corah. And considering that Psal. ix. entitled {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , it is not improbable that this should refer to that, and being set to the same key or tune, be said to be a song {untranscribed Hebrew} upon this tune, so called, and vulgarly then known by that title. The Lxxii. referring to the notion of the theme {untranscribed Hebrew} occultavit, render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, for the hidden; and the latin, pro arcanis: and the rest of the ancient Interpreters take the same course; the Chaldee referring it to Coreh, and those that were hidden, i. e. swallowed up, by the earth with him, whilst these sons of Coreh escaped; as if the mention of the sons of Coreh in the title, by whom this song was to be sung, referred the whole Psalm to that story. Accordingly verse 2. when the Hebrew reads, Though the earth be removed, they paraphrase it [ When our Fathers were changed from the earth.]  
V. 5. Right early] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is referred to, and how 'tis to be rendered, is not agreed on by interpreters. 'tis ordinarily joined in construction with {untranscribed Hebrew}, and is then to be rendered with it, in, or at the mornings appearing. And this will certainly be the sense of it, if we compare it with other places, where the same phrase is used; as Ex. xiv. 27. the sea returned to his strength, {untranscribed Hebrew} at the appearing of the morning, we render, when the morning appeared, the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} toward day. So Jud. xix. 26. we red in the dawning of the day, the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, early in the morning. Thus also {untranscribed Hebrew} Gen. xxiv. 63. at the appearing of the evening, or at eventide, and Deut. xxiii. 12. When evening cometh on, or looketh toward. And being here spoken of Gods aids afforded to his people, it may either allude to that deliverance, Exod. xiv. 27. where at the appearing of the morning the sea returned for the drowning of the egyptians; or else be a proverbial speech, for an opportune and seasonable deliverance, because that then afforded to the Israelites was such, as [ in the mount it shall be seen] is proverbially used in this sense. Aben Ezra seems to like the rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew} every day, i. e. as oft as the morn appears; and so the Jewish Arab interpreter, according to the return or course of the day daily. But the Syriack, according to the notion of it in those other places, Exod. xiv. &c. express it clearly to be {untranscribed Hebrew} in the time or season of the morning; and so the Chaldee, by their paraphrase, [ the Lord will aid her with the justice of Abraham who prayed {untranscribed Hebrew} in the morning season] appear to have understood it; and so Kimchi, at the approach of the morning of deliverance, after the night of affliction. Which well accordeth with the style of S. Paul Rom. xiii. 12. {untranscribed Hebrew}, the night is gone over or past, and the day approacheth, meaning the night of persecution, and the day of relief or rescue, {untranscribed Hebrew} their deliverance, v. 11. The copies of the Lxxii. vary in this place; some red {untranscribed Hebrew}, which the latin seem to have red, and render, mane diluculo, in the morning at the dawning of light, and perhaps our English from thence have their [ right early,] but the roman, {untranscribed Hebrew} with his countenance. But indeed neither of these seem to be their original reading, but a third composed between both these {untranscribed Hebrew}, by his countenance in the morning, as rendering {untranscribed Hebrew} by {untranscribed Hebrew}, and {untranscribed Hebrew} adverbially, in the morning; by this means probably applying it to God, that he would help her by his countenance, or by looking upon her: but that would better answer {untranscribed Hebrew} then {untranscribed Hebrew}, which here we have, and therefore the rendering will still be most proper [ at the mornings appearing, or] when the morning appeareth.  
V. 9. Chariot] From {untranscribed Hebrew} is {untranscribed Hebrew} round or circular; and from thence {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a wheel, and by Synecdoche a Chariot, Num. vii. and Gen. xLvi. But it signifies also a shield or buckler, as being round also; and so 'tis rendered by the Chaldee here, {untranscribed Hebrew} round shields, and by the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew} shields. And so it is most probable, being joined here with bow and spear, weapons of war, the military Chariots, which alone can be thought to be respected here, being constantly expressed by another word, {untranscribed Hebrew}, not {untranscribed Hebrew}.    

The Forty Seventh Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, A Psalm for the sons of Coreh.  
The forty seventh is a summons and invitation to all to bless and aclowledge God in his power and mercy, expressed remarkably to the Jews in subduing the heathen nations about them, but mystically to the Christian Church, in bringing the Potentates of the world to be members of it. It was committed to the Prafect of the music, to be sung by the posterity of Coreh, and probably to be sung at the solemn feasts when the whole nation of the Jews assembled to the house of God at Jerusalem.  
1. O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of trumpet.  
Let all the servants of God praise and magnify him, recount his acts of power and mercy afforded to us, solemnize the victories which he hath wrought for us with triumphs and ovations and jubilees.  
2. For the Lord most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.  
For the God of Israel is the only powerful God, most formidable to all his, and his Churches enemies, the only Ruler of all the world.  
3. 
a.  He 
or hath subdued.  shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet.  
It hath been his immediate and peculiar work, to subject the Canaanites and the rest of the seven nations, and give us possession of their lands, and to suppress the philistines and the other adjoining nations also.  
4. He 
or hath chosen—  shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.  
It hath been his free act of mercy, grace and goodness, to seek out and spy Ezek. 20.6. for us of the seed of Jacob so rich a portion, and withall to afford us the benefit of his sanctuary, that excellence of our strength, Ezek. 24.21. and herein to advance us above all other people of the world, out of his mere love and favour to us.  
5. God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.  
He hath a peculiar presence in that place where his people assemble to his service. And so the serving him there is another matter of triumphant joy to the pious man; the shout and the trumpet call men together thither, and so attend that, as they do the triumphs of a conqueror.  
6. Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises to our King, sing praises.  
Let us therefore all join in the continual magnifying of him, as of our God, which hath chosen us to himself, and as of our King that hath most prosperously fought all our battels for us, and now in peace expects our offerings of peace, to be honoured and praised by us.  
7. For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises 
b.  with understanding.  
He is the supreme governor of all the world, and is therefore duly to be acknowledged and glorified by all.  
8. God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.  
He hath signally subdued the Idolatrous heathen nations, subjected them to the throne of David, and among his own people the Jews he exhibits himself in a divine and powerful manner in the Sanctuary, the place of our assembling, and his constant residence.( In the mystical sense, He will subject the heathen world to the faith of Christ, and exercise a spiritual dominion in their hearts.)  
9. The Princes of the c people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth 
are the Lords.  belong unto God; he is greatly exalted.  
And thither do the rulers of the tribes, and all the people of Israel assemble at the appointed times of his service, the solemn feasts, so many times a year: and though at such times the country be left naked, and in a manner desolate, no company remaining at their houses to guard them from the violence of the neighbouring nations; yet hath God undertaken to protect them from all invasion, having promised that none should desire their land, when they went up to the place that he should choose, Exod. 34.24. And this he hath signally made good, working in the hearts of all the adjacent heathen a great dread and awe of us.( In the mystical sense is further contained a prediction, that the Jews that stood out against Christ should at length come in, many of them, and receive the faith, some before the destruction by Titus, others in Adrians time, at which time the whole nation became Christian( see note on Revel. ii. f.) and not only they; but the heathen nations also, who should universally come in to Christ, become Christian) And this both in the first literal, and sublimer mystical sense, is to be looked on as a signal act of Gods power and providence, and so to be acknowledged by all.  

Annotations on Psalm XLVII.  
V. 3. He shall subdue] 'tis so frequent for the future to be used in the preter tense, and the matter doth so signally direct it to do so here v. 4. and 5. that it is strange any interpreters should retain the future sense in their rendering. The place belongs evidently to Gods giving the land of Canaan to the Israelites, and that sure was past at the writing of the Psalm; and accordingly the Lxxii. render it in both verses, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  {untranscribed Hebrew} he hath subdued v. 3. and {untranscribed Hebrew} he hath chosen v. 4. There is nothing then of farther difficulty to be here explicated, unless it be, that {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  excellence, magnificence, pride, from {untranscribed Hebrew} being high or excellent, doth here denote that excellent portion, that fat and fruitful land, which God had chosen for the Israelites to possess, they and their posterity; but especially the place of Gods public worship among them, which is styled the excellence of their strength, that which secured to them all their victories over their enemies, and the desire of their eyes, Ezek. 24.21. a privilege which of all others ought to be most precious, and desirable to them.  
V. 7. With understanding] 'tis ordinarily resolved that {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here signifies with understanding: {untranscribed Hebrew} with a good understanding, saith the Chaldee; {untranscribed Hebrew}, intelligently, say the Lxxii. and sapienter, wisely, the latin. But the word being a noun, is not elsewhere to be found adverbially, and is therefore by the interlinear rendered intelligens. But neither will that without much straining be fitted to accord with {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  sing ye, in the plural. It is not therefore improbable, that {untranscribed Hebrew} being so oft used in the titles of the Psalms, for the name of a tune or key in music( See note on Psal. xxxii. a) should here also be taken in that sense, being joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} sing praises to God in that tune or key, which was then well known by that title. But this being only a conjecture, 'tis sufficient here to have thus mentioned it, and no more.  
V. 9. People] This last verse is thought capable of some variety of rendering, first in respect of the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the people. This the Lxxii. appear to have red with Chirec {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so have rendered it {untranscribed Hebrew}, with: and the latin follows them, cum Deo Abraham, with the God of Abraham. But passing by this, and taking {untranscribed Hebrew} for a noun, 'tis yet not improbable, that it should be red in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}, as in the Dative case, thus, the Princes of the people {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  were aggregated or joined {untranscribed Hebrew} to the people of the God of Abraham, populo, saith the Interlinear, i. e. to the Jews. And then still the Lxxii. their rendering will be as to the sense expressive enough, {untranscribed Hebrew}, The Princes of the people have been joined with the God of Abraham: for that is in sense exactly the same with joining with the Jews, who worshipped that God; as it was all one to be a proselyte to God, and a proselyte to the Jews, and as i● is all one to associate and join with Christ, and with Christians. Lastly, it may be red {untranscribed Hebrew}, as in the nominative, or perhaps the genitive case, and joined by opposition either to the Princes or the people foregoing, as in our English, The Princes of the people, even the people— And so the Chaldee render it, The Princes of the people are assembled {untranscribed Hebrew} the people that are faithful to the God of Abraham; and thus 'twill note the whole nation of the Jews, as many as continue constant to that obedience, and that worship which God hath by law established among them. And thus will the words fitly and literally be understood, in reference to the universal assembling of all the nation of the Jews at the feasts at Jerusalem, Princes and people together, the whole people of Israel, or children of Abraham: and to that will belong what follows, concerning the shields of the earth, or land, howsoever we understand them. The words seem capable of a double interpretation. If {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the shields of the earth] be taken literally, for the instruments of protection and preservation, then {untranscribed Hebrew} to the Lord] will signify, that all such means of safe-guard, wherein the whole land can be concerned, are in Gods power, and at his command or disposing, so that he can surely give what he hath promised, the most perfect defence and safety to them that in obedience to him resort to Jerusalem to worship, and leave no number of men at home to defend their country from invasions. But both the Jewish-Arab interpreter, and Abu-Walid, by {untranscribed Hebrew} the shields of the earth, will have here meant {untranscribed Hebrew} the noblest of men, and chief of them. And so also Aben Ezra, and Kimchi; and so the word is used, Hos. iv. 18. {untranscribed Hebrew} her shields: {untranscribed Hebrew} her great men, say the Chaldee; and we rightly render it, her Rulers. And so here, though the Chaldee render it literally {untranscribed Hebrew} shields, yet the Syriack hath {untranscribed Hebrew} which their latin doth not rightly render territoria, the territories of the earth: it signifies the dominions or powers( {untranscribed Hebrew} power or principality, from {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew} to hold, to possess) and so the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, the mighty of the land are God's; not as the latin, dii forts terrae, the strong Gods of the Land( sure it should be Dei, answerable to {untranscribed Hebrew}, and {untranscribed Hebrew}) but the mighty of the land are God's, in the sense as Rev. xi. 15. we red, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the kingdoms of the world became our Lords, i. e. were converted to Christ( see note on Rev. xi. f.) And then, as there it follows, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and he, i. e. God or Christ, shall reign for ever and ever; so here {untranscribed Hebrew} he, i. e. God, is highly exalted: not {untranscribed Hebrew} in the plural, as the Lxxii. and latin, and others from thence; but as the Chaldee and Syriack, in the singular, God is exalted, as ver. 8. God reigneth over the heathen, and ver. 7. God is the King of all the earth; God being then said to be exalted and to reign, when men come in to aclowledge and obey him. And this will be most fully understood in the prophetical meaning of the words, as they had a larger completion under Christ, at the conversion of the Jews and Gentiles also, for that is the assembling both of, and to the people of the God of Abraham, that Father of the faithful, whose mystical or spiritual Children are styled the people of God, by way of eminence, and the conversion of heathens or incredulous Jews into such, is the reigning of God or Christ among them.    

The Forty Eighth Psalm.  
A Song and Psalm for the sons of Corah.  
The forty eighth Psalm is a Hymn in honour of Jerusalem, as particularly chosen for the place of Gods worship, and so defended by his more immediate care from all hostilities of invading enemies; a cheerful form of singing lauds to God, particularly for that mercy of permitting men to meet in his solemn service,( and so in the mystical sense, an acknowledgement of his glorious mercies afforded to the Church of Christians under the Gospel) the greatest dignation in the world. It seems to have been composed after some signal defeat of an invading army, v. 4. and was appointed to be sung by the posterity of Corah, in the 
{untranscribed Hebrew}, Lxxii.  monday service.  
1. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.  
The God of Israel is a God of all power and Majesty, and so hath illustriously shewed himself to that people which he hath chosen to himself; and therefore ought in all reason to be solemnly adored and magnified by all the inhabitants of this land, by bringing up their offerings to Jerusalem, that place where he hath ordained to be worshipped.  
2. 
a.  beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Sion, 
on the north side {untranscribed Hebrew}  on the sides of the North, the city of the great King.  
The hill of Sion, where the ark is now placed, and the service of God is performed, is in itself a most pleasant delightful place; the situation very advantageous for beauty, the most delectable of any in the whole land. It is on the north side of Jerusalem, and so fenceth it from the most boisterous winds; and God the King of all the earth in a most signal manner inhabits and presentiates himself there.( And so in the mystical sense, the being a member of the Church of Christ is in many regards a delightful state, much more prizable by any rational considering man, than all the pleasures and advantages of sin; 'tis a guard from the fiercest temptations, and hath the blessing and gracious presence of God always adjoined to it)  
3. God is known in her palaces for a refuge.  
Here in this sort of Sion, this high and fair building, is the solemn residence of the ark of the Covenant, and so of God himself, who is to be worshipped and consulted there, and from thence gives relief to all that address themselves to him there.  
4. For lo the Kings were assembled, they passed by together.  
Of this we have had a late eminent experience. For when the Kings of the heathens round about us confederated, and joined both their counsels and forces against the people of God, in fine they departed without any attempt.( see note on Psal. 42. e.)  
5. They saw it, and so they marveled: they were troubled, and 
affrighted {untranscribed Hebrew}  hasted away.  
They soon discerned Gods taking our parts, were astonished at it, and in great perturbation and disorder fled away, seeing the 
Chald.  wonders and signs that were wrought by God for us, and against them.  
6. Fear took hold upon them 
there was pain {untranscribed Hebrew}  there and pain, as of a woman in travail.  
The terrors that vehemently and suddenly surprised them, cannot better be expressed, than by the pangs and throws of a woman bringing forth.  
7. Thou breakest the ships of 
b.  Tarshish with an East wind.  
Thus when thou pleasest, thou disappointest the Tyrian merchants, when they come home with their lading of gold and silver, and other metals, as rich as the most prosperous voyage can make them; a wind of thy sending shatters their fleet, and casts them away, and their wealth with them.  
8. As we have heard, so we have seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah.  
And so in all other things God doth magnify his power and mercy to his people: the promises which he hath made to Abraham are fulfilled on us, and so will certainly be performed to all that follow and adhere to the saith of Abraham, to the Jewish first, and( on their defection) to the Christian Church, to the end of the world.  
9. We 
c.  have 
awaited  thought of thy loving kindness, O God, in the midst of the Temple.  
To thee, whensoever we have wanted any thing, hath been our constant resort and address; we have diligently made our prayers to thee in thy appointed place of hearing requests, and then quietly attending thy time, with full confidence of a seasonable audience from thee, we have never been disappointed.  
10. According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: 
or righteousness consecrateth thee.  Thy right hand is full of 
d.  righteousness.  
Thy name is spoken of over all the world, and wherever the mention of it is come, men admire and celebrate thy glorious works of mercy to thy people. Innumerable are the acts of goodness which have been wrought by thy right hand, through the special interposition of thy power for us thy unworthy servants, and thereby art thou set out most holy and most renowned in the eyes of all men, thy justice and thy mercy being for ever discernible in the exercise of thy power.  
11. Let Mount Sion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.  
Let Jerusalem the Metropolis, and all the lesser cities of Judah, and the people therein, join all in a festival celebration of thy great and wondrous works of deliverance, and all sorts of blessings which God hath afforded them.  
12. Walk about Sion, and go round about her; tell the towers thereof.  
There is nothing so deserving our solemnest meditations as this goodness of God unto his people, exhibited in his Sanctuary, in answer to their prayers. A man may very comfortably and profitably spend all his time in contemplation of it, walking about the city, and seeing whether God have not exactly guarded it, not any one tower of it demolished; but especially considering this his Sanctuary on the hill of Sion, surveighing the very external fabric, numbering the towers of it as emblems, but very imperfect ones, of the lustre and magnificence of that God that inhabits there, and from thence signally answers the prayers of his people.  
13. mark ye well her bulwarks, 
e.  
divide, sever, distribute.  consider her palaces, that ye may 
number them {untranscribed Hebrew}  tell it to the generations following.  
Spend your time in a diligent consideration of the fortifications and stately lofty buildings thereof, survey them severally; that ye may be able perfectly to decipher them to posterity: and by that imperfect measure, think what a powerful and admirable Deity it is that inhabits there, and what a glorious Church he will provide himself in the dayes of the messiah, of which this is but a dark, feeble adumbration.  
14. For this God is our God for ever and ever; he shall be our guide 
f.  unto death.  
Let us therefore all praise and magnify this glorious God of Israel, and adhere constantly to him, in despite of whatsoever temptations to withdraw us from him, and be guided and ruled by him to the end of our lives.  

Annotations on Psalm XLVIII.  
V. 2. beautiful for situation] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  fair in situation( in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for a climb, or province, or tract of ground) the roman Lxxii. reads {untranscribed Hebrew}, some other ancient Copies {untranscribed Hebrew}, for so Apollinaris hath it; and( as the latin of that) S. Augustine and S. Ambrose red dilatans dilating. This latter may not improbably have respect to a notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}, usual in the Misneh for the boughs or top branches of a three; which some of the Jews also would have take place here, as comparing Sion to a beautiful well-spreading three. But the vulgar hath fundatur: which though it imperfectly expresseth {untranscribed Hebrew}. yet it seems rather to respect that then {untranscribed Hebrew}, and gives us reason to red it otherwise than the ordinary copies now will have it, neither {untranscribed Hebrew} with the roman, nor {untranscribed Hebrew} with 
Concord. T. 11. p. 285.  Kircher, but {untranscribed Hebrew}, an adjective neuter, agreeing with[ {untranscribed Hebrew}, the hill of Sion] for which again the ordinary copies red corruptly {untranscribed Hebrew} the hills. That these two errors of the Scribe are thus to be amended, appears by the latin, Fundatur— mons Sion, the mount Sion is founded, rooting and founding being so near in sense, that there can be no doubt, but they thus rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}. And of this rendering the account also may most probably be fetched from the forementioned notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}, for boughs: for though the boughs be contrary to the root, and so {untranscribed Hebrew} to {untranscribed Hebrew}, yet the well settling of the roots being the cause of the flourishing of the boughs, the one may pass for a periphrasis of the other. But the other notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}, for a climb, or tract of ground, may well be accepted; and then {untranscribed Hebrew} will be no more then among us Bellositum, faire in situation. And to this also the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew} may well accord, the situation being not unfitly expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew} root, and the {untranscribed Hebrew} being a denotation of the beauty. But of this the latin fundatur] is not expressive. Here follows in our reading of the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, imitated also by the latin exultatione. But here also tis not improbable the Copies of the Lxxii. are corrupt, being so easily changed from {untranscribed Hebrew}, or {untranscribed Hebrew}, a rejoicing, or a kind of rejoicing of the whole earth, as the Syriack, as well as the Chaldee, literally render. And that being admitted, the Lxxii. which are now remote enough, will be exactly answerable to the Hebrew, {untranscribed Hebrew}, The hill of Sion is well rooted, or well seated, the perfection of beauty, Psal. L. 2. Lam. ii. 15.( built very advantageously in respect of Situation) the joy of the whole land; so again jerusalem is styled Lam. ii. 15. the sides( literally according to the original {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} ) of the North, i. e. on the north side of Jerusalem—  
V. 7. Tarsis] Of Tarsis, what place it is, 
{untranscribed Hebrew} Phalag. l. iii. c. vi. and Canaan l. 1. c. xxxiv.  and how variously interpnted by the ancients, is set down at large by the learned Bochart, whose opinion of it he hath solemnly confirmed; viz. that it belonged to Spain near to Gadir or Gades( now softened into Cades) and was the same that Authors call Tartessis or Tartessus, a most opulent place( by the Poets therefore turned into the Elysian fields) and by Geographers called Hercules pillars, beyond which was no passing. That in this place were {untranscribed Hebrew} {untranscribed Hebrew}, mines of Gold and Silver, see Stephanus Byzant. {untranscribed Hebrew}. in the word {untranscribed Hebrew}, a city of Tartessia, saith he, i. e. Tarshis, who adds tin also in the word {untranscribed Hebrew}· and Strabo both brass and iron, of which sorts, as also of silver, 
Geogr. l. iii.  {untranscribed Hebrew}, saith he, there is neither so much, nor so good as yet discovered to be in any part of the earth. Hence was it that the Phoenicians, i. e. the old inhabitants of Canaan, ejected by Josuah, and retired up to the sea side, to Tyre and Sidon, and setting up for navigation and merchandise, made their very successful voyages thither, {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
Bib. l. v.  saith Diodorus Siculus out of Posidonius, buying silver at the very cheap rate of other mean commodities which they carried with them. The one known place in Aristotle, 
Basil. Ed. p. 553. e.  {untranscribed Hebrew}. will make all farther testimonies unnecessary: {untranscribed Hebrew}, They say the first Phoenicians( which he carefully by the word [ first] distinguishes from those which in the following words he styles {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Phoenicians that inhabit Gadir or Gades, i. e. Cades, for this was after these first Phoenicians made these successful voyages) sailed to Tartessus, and brought back their ships fraught with so much silver, which they bought for oil, and other such mean lading, that they could neither carry nor would receive any more, but were forced at their departure to make all their utensils of silver, and even their very anchors. This which hath been said, as it gives a clear account of that character of Tarshis given Ezech. xxvii. 12. Tarshish was thy merchant( with whom thou i. e. Tyre or Phoenice tradedst) by reason of the multitude of all kind of riches, with silver, iron, tin and led they traded in thy fairs; so it renders us the reason of this phrase here, the ships of Tarshis, viz. those that the Phoenicians or Tyrians, the next borderers on Israel, used in fetching in all their wealth from those remote parts, and therefore were excellently well built by those great navigators( {untranscribed Hebrew}, in Homer. Odys. xv. {untranscribed Hebrew}— saith 
{untranscribed Hebrew}. p. 117.  Dionysius, the Phoenicians famous for shipping, who first exercised that trade of navigation, and so of merchandise by sea. {untranscribed Hebrew}. 
Ibid. ) These ships of theirs, the onely tools and instruments of their wealthy trading, God, when he pleases, splits upon a rock, tosseth and breaks to pieces by a contemptible despicable means, by a wind, which no man knows whence, or on what errand it comes, which there is no preventing, or appeasing, or flying from, but comes of a sudden, and shatters the ships, doth great execution among them: {untranscribed Hebrew} saith the Lxxii. a violent blast, such, it seems, the East wind was wont to be in those parts; 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  so we have Exod. xiv. 21. a strong East wind, such as made the sea go back, and turned the channel into dry land, as there it follows. And Job xxvii. 21. with the tempests and storm hurling him out of his place, is joined, the East wind carrieth him away, and he departeth. So jer. xviii. 17. I will scatter them as with an East wind, to note a most violent scattering; as Isa. xxvii. 8. the day of the East wind is a terrible day, and Hab. 1.9. they shall come all for violence, they shall sup up as the East wind. All evident testimonies, that the Lxxii. their paraphrase was very reasonable, whilst for {untranscribed Hebrew} the East wind, they red, a violent blast, the means by which God thus disappoints the greedy Phoenician merchants.  
V. 9. Have thought] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} belong all to the same signification, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  of quiet, rest, silence, patient expecting, thinking, considering, and must be determined to any of these senses by the context. And here that of expecting or patient waiting with affiance in him, and without all distrust or repining at his delays, seems to be most proper for it. For coming to the Sanctuary to pray for mercy, 'tis most agreeable to say, we wait for it there, as in the place where he hath promised to afford it, in return to prayers. The Syriack renders it, we hoped; the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, we expected. What follows in their ordinary copies, {untranscribed Hebrew} in the midst of the people, and so is followed by the arabic and Aethiopick, is doubtless an error of the Scribe, for {untranscribed Hebrew} Sanctuary; and so appears by the latin and Syriack, who both seem to follow the LXXII. and yet render it Temple.  
V. 10. Righteousness] The acception of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  righteousness for charity and mercy and loving kindness, is so ordinary, that it needs only to be mentioned here, for the clearing the sense of this verse( which then flows currently) {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  righteousness fills thy right hand, or consecrates thee, for so filling the hand constantly signifies in the Hebrew idiom( from that ceremony in the Law at the consecration of a Priest to fill his hands with parts of the sacrifices) and is oft rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, to consecrate, Exod. xxix. 9. and 35. and elsewhere.  
V. 13. Consider] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies to exalt, but in the Chaldee notion of it, to divide or distinguish; and so the Lxxii. here render it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, distribute, separate each from other, which in things that cohaere is necessary to be done, or else it will be impossible to number them exactly.  
V. 14. Unto death] There is little reason to doubt, but the right reading here is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  till death. Yet 'tis probable the Chaldee, who render it, {untranscribed Hebrew} in the dayes of our childhood, did red it in one word {untranscribed Hebrew} which signifies childhood. But the dividing it into two words, which is exactly rendered, to, or till death, is acknowledged by Kimchi among the Jews, and followed by S. Jerome, and best accords with the antecedent, he is our God for ever: and 'tis possible, the Chaldee being not a version but a paraphrase, might from the affinity of these two, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and {untranscribed Hebrew}, make choice of this expression, not as a literal rendering of the word, but as that which competently secured the sense, [ from our youth] signifying[ from the beginning to the end of our life;] and so likewise, that the LXXII. who red {untranscribed Hebrew}, did not red either {untranscribed Hebrew} secula, as 'tis conceived, or {untranscribed Hebrew}, in the feminine, to that sense, but indeed rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} till death] by that other phrase[ {untranscribed Hebrew} for ages, or for ever the end of our life being the conclusion of our {untranscribed Hebrew}, our age, or our ever. Yet after all this, the Jewish Arab Interpreter doth profestly take it for one word, deriving it from {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew}, and renders the phrase, he shall reduce or restore us to the state {untranscribed Hebrew} of childhood or youth, i. e. return us to the condition from whence we are fallen. But the whole Psalm being an {untranscribed Hebrew}, or song of triumph, and having nothing of sadness in it, cannot so fitly end with such hopes of restitution only. The confidence of persevering in their present state of joy, and so of Gods guidance {untranscribed Hebrew} till death, is more agreeable to it. The Syriacks reading is more plausible, he shall led us, {untranscribed Hebrew} above from death.    

The Forty Ninth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, a Psalm for the sons of Coreh.  
The forty ninth Psalm is a consolation against the terrors of death, in time of old age or sickness, and withall a meditation of the transitoriness of all worldly greatness and prosperities here, which are so sure to fade suddenly. It was committed to the perfect of the music to be sung by the posterity of Coreh.  
1. Hear this all ye people; give ear all ye inhabitants of the world,  
2. Both 
a.  low and high, rich and poor together.  
The matter of this ensuing Psalm is very fit meditation for all sorts of people in the world, Jews and Gentiles, of the meaner and poorer, and of the nobler and wealthier rank;  
3. My mouth shall speak 
wisd●●e {untranscribed Hebrew}  of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart 
understanding {untranscribed Hebrew}  shall be of understanding.  
Being that which I have learnt from God, and consequently is not of certain truth only, but most valuable and profitable to be considered by all, much more for our turns, than any secular wisdom of the subtlest worldling: This therefore shall be the subject of my compositions at this time.  
4. I will incline mine ear to a parable; I will open my 
b.  dark saying upon the harp.  
And I will perform it carefully, weigh it as exactly as I can, do as musicans do, when they tune their instruments, lay their ear close to them, that, if there be any harshness or unevenness in the sound, they may discern it; so will I carefully observe my present composure, being on a matter well worth every mans heeding, and therefore I will set it to the harp, by that means to sweeten and instil it into all minds. And this is the sum of it, by way of answer to this question.  
5. Wherefore should I fear in the dayes of evil, when 
c.  the 
evil.  iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?  
When dayes of sadness, and the discomforts of old age approach, and make their close siege about men, and death itself is just ready to seize upon and devour them, can this be any real matter of terror to a truly pious man, that hath placed all his trust and confidence in God? Undoubtedly it cannot. Or wherefore should I subject myself to those terrors which are apt to haunt men at such times?  
6. 
Confide●● men boast themselves in their wealth, call the—  They that 
d.  trust in wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches,  
7. 
One shall not by any means redeem, ma● shall not give his ransom to God.  None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him;  
8.( For the redemption of the soul 
shall be precious, and shall cease—  is precious, and it ceaseth for ever)  
9. 
He shall yet live.  That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.  
'tis ordinary for the bold temerarious confident men of the world to place their full trust in wealth, and never fear any thing else, if they have but abundance of that. But 'tis not in their power to rescue either any other, or themselves from death. This sentence which sin brought into the world, will certainly pass on the richest and proudest and stoutest of them; none can ever buy his own, or any other mans immunity or liberty from this, so as to be quit from ever dying: That indeed of immortal duration, being a gem of too great a price for all the wealth in the world to purchase: there is but one way of coming to it, and that is by death and resurrection, and that also is the work of the messiah, who by dying once, offering one single sacrifice for him, never to be repeated, Heb. ix. 25, 26. and x. 13. shall overcome death, work an eternal redemption, Heb. ix. 11. and then sit down at the right hand of God, Heb. x. 12. and there live and reign for ever. This he shall do in the fullness of time, in the end of the age, then coming in the flesh to achieve this victory, and more fully in the end of the world, when he shall call all that are dead out of their graves to judgement, on which shall follow an everlasting life.  
10. For he 
shall see the wise dy, together shall the fool and brute perish.  seeth that 
e.  wise men dy, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to 
or strangers.  others.  
Mean-while the most pious virtuous men must expect to die, their piety, the one true wisdom, will not rescue them from that which Christ himself Gods eternal wisdom shall once taste. As for wicked men, whose irrational folly hath equalled them to brute beasts, 'tis certain the same fate expects them: their souls being so little removed above that of a beast, 'tis less wonder that they should die as a beast doth; and though they may be thought by themselves or others to have provided against this danger, to have fenced and secured themselves, yet shall they come together, and after the same manner to the grave, and so be fain to take leave of those possessions which they have acquired with so much industry. And then no man knows into whose hands their wealth shall fall, whether strangers, or perhaps enemies, shall live to enjoy the fruits of all their labours.  
11. 
Among them their houses shall be for ever, their Tabernacles from age to age: they have imposed their names on their lands.  Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations: they call their lands after their own names.  
Whosoever they are, the possession being now settled in them, shall never revert to the former owners: these new comers shall establish themselves in their room, and so impose their names upon their dwellings; the very memory of the former inhabitants being soon lost.  
12. 
And ●  Nevertheless man 
abides not in honour.  being in honour 
f.  abideth not, but is like the beasts that perish.  
And so the conclusion is most certain, and general reaching to all; How flourishing soever their condition is at the present, there is no possibility of continuance here: be the man never so great, he comes to a speedy end, as the beasts of the field do, is perfectly like them in his death, and not so long lived as many of them: our space of abode here is not so long as to be fitly compared to so much as a nights lodging in an inn, no consistence of steady rest is to be had for the least space. And the tenor which is posterity hath, is of the same nature, very short and uncertain also; nay, oft times the greatest honours and wealth, unjustly gotten by the parent, descend not to any one of his posterity( as the beasts when they die leave nothing behind them to their young ones, but the wide world to feed in) but fall into other hands immediately, for which he never designed to gather them.  
13. This their way is 
g.  
or folly to them; yet their followers are pleased with them.  their folly; yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.  
They flatter themselves, that they shall perpetuate the wealth and greatness which they have gathered; but are very wide of their expectations, find themselves foully deceived and frustrated. And yet they that succeed them in their estates go after them in the same tract, imitate that folly which was so fatal to them, and think themselves happy that they shall enjoy the fruits of it.  
14. Like sheep they are 
put into Hades.  laid in the 
h.  grave: death shall 
conduct them.  feed on them, and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning, and their 
form shall do so, when Hades shall fail to be an habitation to it.  beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.  
But then death comes upon them all, and defeats all their expectations. As sheep, or other such creatures, they die, remove from all their splendid possessions to those dark invisible plains, where they continue as a flock in a pasture, till that great morning of the resurrection, when the righteous shall be assumed by God to assist in judicature, and so shall arise in their old shapes, when the earth shall give up her dead; and the grave, wherein their beauty, strength, and form decayed and was consumed, shall at length itself decay and lose its strength, death having lost its sting, and the grave its victory, and so being no longer the mansion for the bodies of just men.  
15. But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave; for he shall 
i.  receive me. Selah.  
And accordingly my comfort is that God will after my death one day restore me again to life, into his hands I commend my spirit, not doubting but he will hereafter receive me to glory. And so for all others that constantly adhere to, and wait on God, what ever terrors they meet with here, they have this full matter of confidence, that God hath particular care of them, and will either deliver them out of their dangers, or convert them to their greatest good, rewarding them abundantly in the resurrection.  
16. Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased.  
It is therefore most unreasonable to be troubled at, or to envy the increase of worldly riches, or honour, or any kind of greatness or prosperity to the worldly man.  
17. For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him.  
For death will soon overtake him, and then he cannot carry his wealth with him; his present glory and greatness shall not then yield him the least advantage.  
18. 
k.  
for in his life-time.  Though whilst he lived he blessed his soul; 
but the● shalt be praised for doing well unto thyself.  and men will praise thee when thou dost well to thyself.  
Indeed might his own word be taken, he were an happy man, for so he flattereth himself that he hath goods laid up for many years, and as long as this life lasts, he entertains no other thoughts. But when death comes, all these flattering fallacies vanish. 'tis not thine own mouth but anothers, whose commendation will be worth the having; and that will not be had, but for the real kindnesses and good turns thou dost unto thyself, in doing that which will prove thy durable good, and not in saying magnificent things of thy present state, applauding thy temporal felicities.  
19. He shall 
l.  go to the generation of his fathers: they shall never see light.  
The just shall be gathered to their fathers in peace, die indeed, as their fathers did before them; but the wicked shall be destroyed for ever, their death shall be their entrance into endless unexpressible darkness and misery, and to that they shall be for ever confined.  
20. Man that is in honour and understandeth not is like the beasts that perish.  
The conclusion then is, There is not a more brutish creature( more fit to be pitied than envied) than a worldly wicked man, advanced to greatness in this world, and pleasing himself in it: he doth not at all understand his own condition, he triumphs, and thinks himself very happy; and whilst he doth so, death unexpectedly seizes upon him, and confutes him, sweeps him away, helpless, and friendless, as a beast of the field, that just now took himself for one of the greatest men in th● world; just as they perish and leave all behind them, so doth he.( Only the wise and virtuous, the upright v. 10.14. have better hopes, and shall not fail of attaining them.)  

Annotations on Psalm XLIX.  
V. 2. Low and high] The difference between {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and {untranscribed Hebrew} may here briefly be noted. The former is taken for a great or eminent person, in any respect, of virtue, extraction, strength, &c. So 1 Sam. xxvi. 15. Art thou not {untranscribed Hebrew} a man? is expounded by what follows, and who is like thee in Israel? signifying there the military valour and reputation of Abner; and many the like. Whereas {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} earth, signifies an earthy, or frail, mortal, mean man. And so {untranscribed Hebrew} here, sons of this mean man,] are the lower and ordinary sort of men: {untranscribed Hebrew} sons of the earth, say the Lxxii. not that they red {untranscribed Hebrew} earth, for {untranscribed Hebrew}, but because they would in their reading allude to the original of the word, as oft they do. And then {untranscribed Hebrew} are the contrary to these, persons of the higher quality. The Chaldee express the former phrase by the sons of old Adam, the latter by the sons of Jacob; making this difference between the rest of mankind, and the people of Israel, and giving the latter the pre-eminence over all other; and so they make them comprehensive words, containing Gentiles and Jews, i. e. all the men in the world: and that very fitly, the Psalm following being the equal concernment of them both. But 'tis more likely, that the phrases denote only the several conditions of men, of the lower, and higher rank; for so the consequents interpret it, rich and poor; the former( according to the sacred style frequently observable) explicative of the latter of those, and the latter of the former by way of {untranscribed Hebrew}.  
V. 4. Dark saying] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a proverb or parable, is of great latitude: signifies primarily any similitude, by which another thing is expressed; thence a figurative speech, either by way of fiction and fable, such are riddles or significant apologues, as that of Jotham Jud. ix. 7. and many others in Scripture, both in the old and new Testament; or by way of application of some true example or similitude, as when the sluggard is bid go to the ant, the impenitent sinner to the swallow and crane, which return at their certain seasons, and so are fit to preach returning or repentance to sinners. And finally it belongs to all moral doctrine, either darkly, or only sententiously delivered, because the wise men of the world were wont to deliver that in short concise sentences, or {untranscribed Hebrew}, sometimes in schemes or figures, sometimes without,( as we see in Solomons {untranscribed Hebrew} Proverbs or Parables, many of them are plain moral sayings, {untranscribed Hebrew} without any figure, or darkness, or comparison( from whence yet they are called {untranscribed Hebrew}) in them, as The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom &c. and so 1 Sam. xxiv. 13. as saith the Proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked.) Of this sort is that which is here spoken of, a moral sentence, not much veiled with figures, nor so concise as ordinarily Proverbs are, but a larger declaration of this wise Ethical maxim, the vanity of all wicked mens prosperity: and this is by the Lxxii. rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, which signifies literally a comparison, but is more loosely taken for any moral sentence; as is also {untranscribed Hebrew}, which Hesychius fully defines {untranscribed Hebrew} a saying profitable for mens lives, and {untranscribed Hebrew}, exhortations, advices, admonitions, for the rectifying of manners and passions; so called indeed, as being {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew}, beside the ordinary road, in figures or artificial schemes, or poetical, and so not vulgar expressions,( many of which will be discovered here in this Psalm) but used more loosely also, and indifferently for those which have no figure in them. And of the same kind is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  my riddle, that here follows, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to speak acutely or darkly, used for a riddle in the story of Samson Jud. xvii. for questions of some difficulty, such as the Queen of Sheba asked Solomon, 1 King. x. 1. and accordingly 'tis here rendered by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} my Problem or difficult question: which yet is not only the asking of such a question,( which is here done v. 5.) but the answering of it also,( as 'tis there in the following words) and so the stating or resolving, or giving an account of any difficulty( as we know those of Aristotle and Aphrodisaeus were, and some of them moral, as well as natural;) and then it belongs very fitly to the matter in hand, the wise, moral {untranscribed Hebrew} here delivered, but somewhat obscurely in the rest of the Psalm.  
V. 5. Iniquity of my heels] What is meant by {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  evil of my heels, will be best judged by taking the words asunder. And first {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies evil both of fault, and punishment; frequently in the former, but sometimes in the latter also. So 1 Sam. xxviii. 10. when Saul swore to the witch, that no {untranscribed Hebrew}( that must be punishment) should happen to her for this. So Isa. Liii. 11. he shall bear {untranscribed Hebrew}, their iniquities we red, it must be the punishments of their iniquities; and so v. 6. The Lord hath laid on him {untranscribed Hebrew} not the iniquity, but, the punishment of us all: and so Psal. xxxi. 10. my grief and my sighing, and {untranscribed Hebrew} my( not iniquity, but) punishment, belong to the same matter, and interpret one the other. And thus most probably 'tis taken here. Then for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  my heels, 'twill best be understood in the notion which Aben Ezra and Jarchi have of it: {untranscribed Hebrew} my heels, saith Sol. Jarchi, {untranscribed Hebrew} my latter end, and so it frequently signifies in arabic; and then the evil of my heels, saith Aben Ezra, is {untranscribed Hebrew} the dayes of old age, called the evil dayes Eccl. xii. 1. and to this the Chaldee here may seem to refer, adding in their paraphrase {untranscribed Hebrew} in my end. And this evil of our heels is said to harass us, when old age and approach of death surround us on every side, and so is ready inevitably to seize upon us. This therefore is no obscure interpretation of the question-part of this problem, or parable, on the understanding of which all the subsequent part of the Psalm depends, Why should I fear in my decrepit age, in sickness, or in death? Is there any reason for a pious man to apprehended death with any disquiet, when it begins its close approaches, and is most unavoidably ready to seize on him?  
V. 6. Trust] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} confidit, signifies confident, secure men: such was he that said, he had goods laid up for many years, and thereupon gave himself up to enjoy the pleasures of this life, to eat, drink, and be merry. Of these saith the Psalmist here, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  they will glory, triumph, or applaud themselves {untranscribed Hebrew} over, or for, or in their wealth, {untranscribed Hebrew} and in the strength, or multitude of their riches. This is the most literal importance of the verse, making of itself a complete proposition, Confident men boast themselves in their wealth, &c. and then follows, with good connexion, {untranscribed Hebrew} a brother by redeeming shall not redeem, i. e. no man shall in any wise be able to redeem either another or himself, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. a man shall not give his ransom to God, i. e. no mere man shall ever be able to pay {untranscribed Hebrew} a price of equal value, to rescue one sinner from the power of death, to which he is sentenced. This the Lxxii. seem to have thus red, though now in the copies it is much deformed; 'tis now thus red, {untranscribed Hebrew}, or {untranscribed Hebrew}. But with a light change of the punctation, and of {untranscribed Hebrew} for {untranscribed Hebrew}, 'tis exactly consonant to the Hebrew, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. A brother shall in no wise redeem, a man shall not give &c. Then follows {untranscribed Hebrew} for the redemption of their soul or life shall be precious, i. e. of a great and high rate, {untranscribed Hebrew} and ceaseth for ever; shall be a high-prized redemption, which costs very dear, but then it is also a singular eternal redemption, that being once wrought, shall need never to be repeated again: whereon it follows, and he shall yet live for ever, so {untranscribed Hebrew} is literally to be rendered, and so the Chaldee paraphrases it {untranscribed Hebrew} and he shall yet live an eternal life, never dying any more, death having no more dominion or power over him. And thus it belongs expressly to Christ, of whom the Apostle resolves, for in that he died, he died unto sin, or to put away sin once, or but once, but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. And so certainly the next words {untranscribed Hebrew} he shall not see corruption] are peculiarly applied to Christ Psal. xvi. 10. and in that sense frequently appealed to by the Apostles Act. ii. 27, and 31. c. xiii. 35, and 37. to which purpose the words of Moses Hadarsan are very observable. This verse, saith he, is spoken {untranscribed Hebrew} of the King Messiah, {untranscribed Hebrew} who shall die to redeem the fathers, and after that shall live for ever, he shall not see corruption: which expressly interprets the whole passage to this matter. And the gloss of Siphra and Midras Tehillim is worth taking notice of: {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. A man shall not say, my father was righteous, by his merit I shall escape, or be delivered, Abraham delivered not his son Ishmael, and Jacob delivered not his brother Esau: he saith a brother shall not &c. to signify that no mere man shall redeem any.  
V. 10. Wise men] The difference in this place betwixt wise men, and foolish is to be taken from the general use of Scripture, where, according to sacred idiom, the nouns are used in a moral practic sense, for piety and impiety. And thus it is most agreeable to the aim of the Psalm designing to show the different future state of the good and bad: {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the wise may die as their redeemer did, who was wisdom itself, but then {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the fool or wicked man, he, {untranscribed Hebrew} and the brute, or brutish person, {untranscribed Hebrew} shall( more then die) even perish together, and then no longer possess or receive benefit from their wealth, in which they so much confided, but leave it {untranscribed Hebrew} to strangers; so the Lxxii. render it, {untranscribed Hebrew} to others, which are not of their family, and for whom they never desired to gather it. Of which strangers it follows v. 11. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  among them, i. e. among these strangers, that succeed to their possessions, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  their houses shall abide or continue for ever, never reverting to the kindred of the former possessor, {untranscribed Hebrew} their Tabernacles the places of their transitory abode shall abide from generation to generation: and then as the ancient possessors are irreversibly gone, so is their memory; the new possessors {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  call by their names over their land, i. e.( by an usual hypallage) impose their names on their lands, or call the lands after their names. And so this is a very literal and obvious sense of these words, which the ancient Interpreters have generally mistaken, reading their sepulchres for {untranscribed Hebrew}, either from the vicinity of {untranscribed Hebrew} a sepulchre to {untranscribed Hebrew} the middle or inner part, or because {untranscribed Hebrew} may signify the inner part, or closer recess of their large and nobler sepulchers, Davids being so large, as to receive the bodies of many of his successors,( Abrahams from the name Machpelah is supposed to have been double) and the Heroes being among the ancient heathens butted in adytis, in the recesses or vaults of the Temples, from whence consequently the Responses of Oracles were delivered.  
V. 12. Abideth not] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  shall not abide is visibly mistaken by the LXXII. for {untranscribed Hebrew} shall not understand, which they after found v. 20. and accordingly they render it here, as there, {untranscribed Hebrew} understood not: And herein the Syriack, and latin, and arabic follow them; but the Chaldee accord with our Hebrew, {untranscribed Hebrew} shall not lodge, or stay a night, for so the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew}( the root from which is {untranscribed Hebrew} house) signifies.  
V. 13. Their folly] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is literally folly to them, i. e. though this their way( the worldlings trust in his wealth,) seem to them a piece of special wisdom, yet in the event it proves otherwise, it becomes perfect folly to them( the LXXII. seem to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} scandal) when they come to discern their frustrations. And then it fitly follows, their successors, they that possess what they part with, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  are pleased at their mouth, i. e.( as {untranscribed Hebrew} is as an expletive Exod. xii. 14.) with them.  
V. 14. Grave] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is here taken for the state of the dead, there can be no doubt, the whole context enforcing it, which is of the perishing of men like sheep, v. 10, 12, 20. So that this phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} as sheep they are put into that state of the dead, is exactly parallel to [ they are compared to the beasts that perish] twice repeated in this Psalm: for as {untranscribed Hebrew} as sheep] is directly al one with their being compared to beasts] so {untranscribed Hebrew} being put in Scheol] is the paraphrase of perishing.] This then will be a key to the opening the next part of the expression, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  death shall deal with them as a shepherd with a flock of sheep, {untranscribed Hebrew}, death shall do with them as a pastor doth, say the Lxxii. The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is to give the sheep pasture, or look to them, when they are feeding, Gen. xxix. 7. water ye the sheep and go {untranscribed Hebrew} feed them, or led th●m to their pastures, for that purpose. So Gen. xxx. 32. {untranscribed Hebrew} I will return, I will feed, I will keep thy sheep: where {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  contains under it all the care and conduct, in order to their feeding, as {untranscribed Hebrew} the defending and seeing that they come to no harm. Now this feeding of sheep is very distant from feeding on them, as much as the Kings office of preserving his people, from the enemies invasive arms for the slaughtering them. The same word is frequently used for ruling, governing; and so tis generally, when tis applied to men, the ruler of whom is ordinarily styled {untranscribed Hebrew} pastor in all dialects. In this place the metaphor of sheep must needs rule the signification of it. As sheep are put into a pasture, there to continue together in a common place; so men are put into {untranscribed Hebrew}, the state of the dead, in the former words, and to that regularly follows, death {untranscribed Hebrew} is as the shepherd that conducts or leads them into this pasture( those Elysian fields.) An excellent piece of divine poesy, to signify how men like sheep, like beasts, go by flocks and herds out of this life; or more plainly, that men die as ordinarily, and regularly, as sheep are led to their pasture. Then for the next part of this verse, {untranscribed Hebrew} which the Lxxii. render not amiss, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the just shall have dominion of them in the morning, the full meaning of it will be, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that after this night of death shall follow a morning in the resurrection, in which the just shall judge the world, and so subjugate the wicked worldlings to all eternity. Then follows, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and their beauty, or form, or figure( so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies from {untranscribed Hebrew} eff●nxit, formavit, {untranscribed Hebrew} being a contraction of {untranscribed Hebrew}) which being an imperfect sense, must be supplied from that which went before, and their form, i. e. so likewise shall their form do; as the upright shall in the resurrection have dominion over the wicked, rise and reign joyfully, so likewise shall their form, or figure, referring to the restauration of their bodies, they shall rise again in their old shapes, {untranscribed Hebrew} to the failing of Hades from an habitation to it, i. e. where Hades shall fail to be an habitation to it, i. e. when the grave, or common repository of the dead, in which their beauty, form, and figure was consumed, shall itself decay and lose its strength, death having forfeited her sling, and the grave her victory, no longer to be a mansion to the bodies of the just. And this being here spoken in general of all just men, is by David particularly applied to himself v. 15. But God will deliver my soul from the power of the grave, &c. For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} ] the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} their help]( as from {untranscribed Hebrew} petra, a rock, and by metaphor, strength, refuge, and so help:) and the latin follows them: but the Syriack reads {untranscribed Hebrew} their form or image. And so this is the interpretation of this whole verse, the principal part of difficulty in this parable, or dark saying, for which this Psalm was designed.  
V. 15. Receive me] Gods receiving here is to be understood in the same sense as Enochs being received, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  or taken by God, Gen. v. 24. or as we find Psal. LXXIII. 34. thou shalt after receive me to glory. Thus Jonah iv. 3. he prays, take, I beseech thee, my life— And then it will signify Gods future receiving him to glory.  
V. 18. Though whilst he lived] The Hebrew of the 18. verse is thus literally and clearly rendered, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  for in his living, or life time, he blessed his soul; the impious worldling applauded much his own present state, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  but men shall praise thee, or, thou shalt be praised, {untranscribed Hebrew} if, or when thou dost well to thyself, i. e. for doing well to thyself, for doing that which may tend really and eternally to thy good, and not for saying well, for applauding thy present felicity.  
V. 19. Shall go] To go or to be gathered to the fathers, is a known expression of dying in peace, and the same is the importance of the phrase here {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  he shall go to the generation of his fathers; So the Chaldee red it, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. the memory of the just shall come, and be added to the generation of their fathers, but the wicked shall never see light.    

The Fiftieth Psalm.  
A Psalm 
for {untranscribed Hebrew}  of Asaph.  
The fiftieth Psalm is a solemn magnifying of Gods power and majesty, and a description of the calling of the Gentiles, and of the true Evangelical way of worshipping God. It was composed( 
but the Chaldee seems to make Asaph the composer of it, {untranscribed Hebrew} by the hand of Asaph.  probably by David) and appointed to be sung by Asaph, a Levite, appointed by David to attend the Ark, and to record, and to thank, and to praise the Lord God of Israel, 1 Chron. xvi. 5.  
1. The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and 
he will call {untranscribed Hebrew}  called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.  
The decree is gone out from the Omnipotent God of heaven, the supreme eternity, Lord and Judge over all the world, that he will assemble and convocate the whole nation of the Jews from Dan to Bersheba, from sea to sea, from East to West, to reduce and take them off from their hypocritical and abominable practices, and bring them to the due acknowledgement and pure worship of the true God, and the practise of all virtue.  
2. 
From Sion from the perfection— {untranscribed Hebrew}  Out of Sion the perfection of beauty God 
will shine {untranscribed Hebrew}  hath shined.  
To this end, as God hath fixed his tabernacle on Mount Sion, presentiated himself as illustriously there, as he did at the giving the law on Mount Sinai, so shall the Son of God, in the fullness of time, descend to this earth of ours; the true light, John 1.9 shall shine forth; the messiah shall be born of our flesh, of the seed of David, and( having preached repentance to the Jews, and being rejected by their Sanhedrim, and crucified by them) he shall rise from death, and ascend to his Father, and then sand his spirit on his Apostles, thereby commissionating them to reveal his Gospel to all the world, beginning from the place where God hath been pleased in a special manner to reside, this most beautiful mount of Sion: there he now presentiates himself, and from thence he shall then begin to shine forth, and enlighten the heathen world; the preaching of his Gospel to all the world shall commence and proceed from thence.  
3. Our God shall 
a.  come, and shall not 
be idle, delay.  keep 
b.  silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.  
What is thus decreed shall certainly come to pass in its appointed time, and be looked on as an extraordinary and signal work of Gods power, wherein much of his divine presence shall be discernible; and the immediate attendants of it shall be very dreadful and terrible, above that of the giving the law to the Jews from mount Sinai:  
4. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.  
And it shall begin with a summons as to a solemn assizes, for the examining the actions of men, good and bad, those that have resisted and despised the messiah, and th●se th●t have subjected themselves to him. All shall be judged by him; the former punished, and the latter rewarded. And 
{untranscribed Hebrew} he shall call the ●ngels, Chald.  Angels and men shall be summoned and called in, to be executioners of these his judgments.  
5. Gather my Saints together unto me, those that have made a Covenant with me 
for or concerning {untranscribed Hebrew}  by sacrifice.  
And the good Angels his ministers of preservation shall be appointed to take special care of all the pious believing Jews,( Mat. xxiv. 31. Rev. vii. 3.) who have sincerely given themselves up to his service, received the Christian faith, and in their baptism made vow of performing it faithfully, which adore, and 
{untranscribed Hebrew} &c. which give themselves to prayer, which is like sacrifice. Chald.  pray constantly to him; and not to suffer any harm to come nigh to these.  
6. And the heavens shall declare his righteousness; for God is Judge himself. Selah.  
And so accordingly shall 
{untranscribed Hebrew} Chald. the high Angels—  they do, rescuing all faithful believers out of the calamities that attend the crucifiers. A thing much to be taken notice of, as an act of most righteous judgement in God, and a testimony that all that should pass, should be from Gods particular disposing.( And to it was in the story before the fatal siege of jerusalem, all the Christians in obedience to Christs admonition, Mat. xxiv. 16. fled out of Judea, unto Pella; and so none of them were found in Jerusalem at the taking of it. See note on Mat. xxiv. g.)  
7. Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against thee; I am God, even thy God.  
Then shall he establish a new law with these his faithful servants the disciples of Christ, the members of the Christian Church, entering into a steadfast covenant of mercy with them, ratified and sealed in the death of his son.  
8. I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices, or thy burnt offerings, 
before 〈◇〉 continually {untranscribed Hebrew}  to have been continually before me.  
And abolish the old mosaical way of sacrifices, and holocausts of bullocks &c. constantly offered up unto God by the Jews,  
9. I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he-goats out of thy fold.  
And never any more put the worshipper to that chargeable gross sort of service( of burning of flesh upon Gods Altar, that the smoke might go up to heaven, and atone God for them, as was formerly required, whilst the Jewish Temple stood.)  
10. For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.  
11. I know all the fouls of the mountains; and the 
c.  wild beasts of the field are 
with me {untranscribed Hebrew}  mine.  
12. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee; for the world is mine, and the fullness thereof.  
13. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?  
For indeed this kind of service was never appointed by God, as that which he had any need of, or pleasure in it. If he had, he might have provided himself whole hecatombs, without putting the Israelites to the charge or trouble of it, having himself the plenary dominion of all the cattle on the earth, and fouls of the air, and the certain knowledge where every one of them resides; so that he could readily command any or all of them, whensoever he pleased. But it is infinitely below God to want or make use of any such sort of oblations: sure he feeds not on flesh and blood of cattle, as we men do. There were other designs of his appointing the Israelites to use these services; viz. to adumbrate the death of his own eternal Son, as the one true means of redemption and propitiation for sin, and the more spiritual sacrifice of prayer and thanksgiving, and alms to the poor members of Christ, which may receive real benefit by our charities, which cannot be imagined of God.  
14. Offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto th● most High.  
And such are the sacrifices which under the messiah are expected and required of us, 1. that of the Eucharist,( the blessing God for all his mercies, but especially the gift of his Son to die for us) and this brought to God with penitent, contrite, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}— Repress thy evil desire, and it shall be accounted before God as a sacrifice of confession. Chald.  mortified hearts, firm resolution of sincere new obedience, and constantly attended with an offertory, or liberal contribution, for the use of the poor, proportionable to the voluntary oblations among the Jews, and these really dedicated to God, and accepted by him, Phil. iv. 18. Heb. xiii. 16.2. That of prayer and humble address unto God in all time of our wants, to which there is assurance of a gracious return; and that must engage us to give the praise and glory of all to the messiah, in whose name our prayers are addressed to God.  
15. And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.  
That of prayer and humble address unto God in all time of our wants, to which there is assurance of a gracious return; and that must engage us to give the praise and glory of all to the messiah, in whose name our prayers are addressed to God.  
16. But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldst take my Covenant in thy mouth?  
17. Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee.  
But as for those that make no other use of these mercies of God, than to encourage themselves to go on in their courses of sin, which think to perform these sacrifices of prayer and praise, and yet still continue 
which repent not, and pray in prevarication. Chald.  in any wilful known 'vice unreformed, make their formal approaches unto God, but never heed his severe commands of reformation; these have no right to the mercies of this Evangelical Covenant, and do but deceive themselves, and abuse others, when they talk of it; and the more so, the more solemnly they pretend to piety, and talk of, and perhaps preach it to others.  
18. When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.  
Such are not only the thief and adulterer, those that are guilty of the gross acts of those sins, but such as any way partake with them in these.  
19. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.  
Such the evil speaker and liar.  
20. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother, thou slanderest thine own mothers son.  
The backbiter and slanderer.  
21. These things hast thou done, and 
or, I delai'd, or let thee alone. see note b.  I kept silence: thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself; but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.  
When men commit such sins as these, God doth not always inflict punishment on them immediately, but defers and gives them space to repent and amend, that they may thus prevent and escape his punishment. And some make so ill use of this indulgence and patience of his, which is 
{untranscribed Hebrew} I deferred or expected that thou mightest repent. Chald.  designed only to their repentance, as to interpret it an approbation of their course, and an encouragement to proceed securely in it. But those that thus deceive themselves, and abuse Gods mercies, shall most dearly pay for it: God shall bring his judgments upon them here, cut them off in their sins, and poure out 
{untranscribed Hebrew} I will ordain the judgement of hell in the world to come. Chald.  his indignation on them in another world.  
22. Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.  
This therefore is matter of sad admonition to every impenitent sinner, that goes on fearless in any course of evil, immediately to stop in his march, to return be times: lest if he defer, Gods judgments fall heavily upon him, seize him and carry him to that place of torment, for then there is no possible escaping.  
23. Whoso offereth praise, glorifieth me; and to him that 
disposeth his way {untranscribed Hebrew}  ordereth his conversation aright, will I show the salvation of God.  
Whereas on the other side, the Christian duties required, v. 14. Repentance, and charity, &c. and the orderly spending of these few dayes of our life in this world, are, beyond all the sacrifices of the Law, an eminent means of glorifying God, and providing for the present bliss, and eternal salvation of our souls.  

Annotations on Psalm L.  
V. 3. Shall come] The notion of Gods coming must here first be established, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as that on which the due interpretation of the whole Psalm depends. The coming of God ordinarily signifies in Scripture any judicial proceeding of his, Gods punishments and vengeance on his enemies( see Psal. xviii. note d.) But this Psalm seems peculiarly to look forward to the times of the messiah, and so to denote some coming of his. The Chaldee applies it to the {untranscribed Hebrew} the day of the great judgement. But this phrase, I suppose, may be taken in some latitude, in that Paraphrast, not to denote the last judgement( though thus 
De Civit. l. xx. c. xxiv.  S. Augustine will have this Psalm understood, de judicio Dei novissimo, of the last judgement of God) but as their Paraphrase on v. 2. seems to interpret it, some great destruction that was to be wrought in the {untranscribed Hebrew} beginning of the creation of the age; meaning, I suppose, by the age, the age of the messiah, which, as 'tis there said, was to come out of Sion, which is not applicable to any other age but that. Now there be three comings of Christ expressed in the Scripture. The first in humility, by his being born in our flesh; the last in glory, for the judging of the whole world in the day of the universal doom: And a middle coming, which was not to be corporal, but spiritual, a mighty work wrought in the world by the power of that spirit which raised Jesus from the dead, beginning in a terrible vengeance upon his crucifiers, the notable destruction of the Jewish Temple, and of Jerusalem, and so of the Mosaical worship, and the Judaical polity, and proceeding to the propagation of the Christian faith to all the world; wherein were many glorious acts of Gods power and mercy, and are all together oft styled in Scripture the coming of Shilo, of the desire of all nations, of the kingdom of God, of the son of man, of Christ,( see note on Mat. xvi. o. xxiv. b. Joh. xxi. b.) And this is it to which this Psalm most signally seems to belong,( as also Psal. xcvi. 10, 11, 12, 13.) and contains these several stages or branches of it: 1. the terrible manner of this his coming, v. 3. 2ly the formality of it, a judicature used in it, v. 4. 3ly the preservation and rescue of the believing Jews out of the common ruin, v. 5, 6. 4ly the rejection of legal worship, of sacrifices of beasts, v. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. 5ly the establishing of the Christian service, the spiritual oblation of prayer and thanksgiving, v. 14, 15. and lastly, the destruction of the impenitent Jews, which having received the Law of God, and entred into Covenant with him, would not yet be reformed by Christs preaching, v. 16. &c. to the end.  
V. 3. Silence] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  hath several significations. But that which is most agreeable to this place, is that of doing nothing, being idle, delaying, tarrying, as applied to the actions, not the speech only. So 2 Sam. xix. 10. {untranscribed Hebrew} is best rendered, Why do you defer or delay to bring back the King? {untranscribed Hebrew}, say the LXXII. Why are you silent? in that other notion applied to the tongue: but the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} is a word which belongs to the actions, as well as words; the learned Schindler there renders it, cessatis, cunctamini, defer or delay. The Syriack there renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew}, whence is {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the participle {untranscribed Hebrew} which hath that signification among others, of cessavit, moratus, tardatus fuit, and is by the latin translator rightly rendered haesitatis: and so the arabic appears there to understand it. And so the context enforces by another phrase, used there in the same matter, v. 11. and 12. Why, saith he, are ye {untranscribed Hebrew} last to bring back the King? i. e. very backward and dilatory. So the arabic expresses that also, Why do you defer or neglect? And so Psal. xxviii. 1. the sense carries it, {untranscribed Hebrew} do not defer or neglect to answer me; neglect me not, saith the arabic. And thus 'twill best be rendered here, Our God shall come and not delay: not neglect, saith the arabic, as in the place of Samuel. And the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. which though it may signify shall not keep silence, yet it is also not defer, or delay, and so is determined here by the remainder of their paraphrase {untranscribed Hebrew} to work vengeance for his people. So the Jewish Arab. {untranscribed Hebrew} and shall not withhold or refrain from it. And thus the phrase seems to be made use of, and interpnted by the Apostle, Heb. x. 37. {untranscribed Hebrew}, he will come, and not delay, or tarry, i. e. he will certainly come. Which I suppose to be the reason of the learned Castellio's rendering this place, veniet Deus noster sine dubio, Our God shall come without doubt; the coming and not delaying] being all one with his [ certain coming.] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} is again used v. 21. and rendered by the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} I stayed or expected, that thou mightest repent; which is a full proof of this notion of the word for delaying. Where the Jewish Arab reads, as here, I withheld from thee, adding, {untranscribed Hebrew} delaying.  
V. 11. Wild beasts] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  beast, the Lxxii. seem to red {untranscribed Hebrew} beauty, and render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin pulchritudo, the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} the cock of the wood( whose feet stand on the earth, and his head touches the heaven) of which Elias Levita in his Thisbi, p. 273. taking notice, adds {untranscribed Hebrew} this is a new thing, not without reason expressing his wonder at their rendering: but the Syriack is clear {untranscribed Hebrew} and the beast.    

The Fifty First Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the Prophet 
had come {untranscribed Hebrew}  came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.  
The fifty first Psalm was composed by David, after the commission of those many sins in the matter of Uriah, 2 Sam. xi. when by Nathan the Prophet his message to him from God, he was brought to a due humiliation for them, which he expressed in this penitential Psalm; and to make it the more public, to remove the scandal of so many notorious sins, he committed it to the perfect of his music to be solemnly sung.  
1. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy 
mercy, or benignity {untranscribed Hebrew}  loving kindness: according to the multitude of thy 
commiserations {untranscribed Hebrew}  tender mercies blot out my transgressions.  
O thou Father of all mercies and compassions, permit me, thy most unworthy servant, foully guilty of many horrid crimes, to make mine humblest approach to thee; and out of the riches of thy benignity, out of the abundance of thy melting compassions to those that are in the greatest distresses, be thou graciously pleased to look upon me, to be atoned and reconciled toward me.  
2. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.  
O let not any the least of these crimes, that I have been guilty of in this matter, be permitted to appear in thy sight, or rise up in judgement against me; but seal me thy perfect pardon for every one of them.  
3. For I aclowledge my transgressions, and my sin is 
continually {untranscribed Hebrew}  ever before me.  
For I do most willingly confess, that I have committed, in the compassing of one carnal pleasure, many horrid and odious sins. These are a perpetual terror to my conscience, an amazing prospect continually outfacing and tormenting me.  
4. 
To thee, to thee only.  Against thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight; that thou mightest be justified 
in thy doings.  when thou speakest, and 
overcome.  be 
a.  clear when thou 
conten●est.  judgest.  
And though the dignity and office wherein thou hast placed me over thy people, leave me not liable to any human process or judicature among men; yet am I most sadly culpable and liable to vengeance from thee the pure God of heaven, the transcendent Ruler over all the Kings of the earth. Thou mayest most justly proceed against me, as against the most criminous rebel, indite me, and arraign me of adultery, drunkenness, and murder also: and what ever suite thou wagest against me, thou art sure to cast me; whatsoever vengeance thou exactest to be inflicted on me, I must most deservedly and inevitably fall under it.  
5. Behold, I 
b.  was 
born.  shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.  
6. Behold, thou 
delightest in truth in the reins.  desirest 
c.  truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part thou 
or makest me {untranscribed Hebrew}  shalt make me to know wisdom.  
Lord, I am a most polluted creature: the corruption of my nature, the bare inclinations of my will to any unlawful object ought in any reason to be strictly watched, and industriously rejected by me, and thy grace continually solicited, to enable me to overcome them, and not in the least degree favoured, or indulged, or yielded to; when I so well know, that thou requirest purity of the heart and affections, and forbiddest the very first thoughts of any unlawful enjoyment, and beside this revelation of thy will, that I should thus keep myself pure, art pleased to grant me thy grace to make me inwardly sensible of this part of my duty: and this is a great enhancing of my sin, committed against all these obligations.  
7. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  
Lord, be thou pleased to absolve me, and solemnly to declare and seal to me thy reconciliation, after the same manner 
so the Chald.  as the priest is wont to do, when upon the unclean thing he sprinkles water mixed with the ashes of an heifer, and of cedar wood, and of hyssop, and of scarlet, Lev. xiv. 6, 7. Num. xix. 6. the solemn ceremony for the purification of sin, v. 9. and whereby the blood of the lamb of God, the death of the messiah, was praefigured: and then I shall again be restored to that blessed state, from which I have so sadly fallen by my outrageous miscarriages.  
8. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.  
I am in a most sad and wretched condition; thy just displeasure and wrath for my sins, as long as it continues over me, is the setting my soul upon the torture, my own conscience being the executioner under thee: O be thou pacified and reconciled toward me, and it shall be the joyfullest news that ever came to any poor tortured suppliants ears, when he is taken off from the rack, and all his bones set, and restored to ease again.  
9. hid thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.  
Lord, pardon my sins, and return to thy wonted favour toward me.  
10. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  
I have sadly fallen from my wonted purity and sincerity; Lord, by the good work of thy grace upon my heart, restore me to it again, and renew me inwardly and thoroughly, my very thoughts as well as my actions, that I never fall into the least beginning of any such pollution again.  
11. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.  
Lord, it is just with thee to reject me from all spiritual commerce and communication with thee, who have resisted thy spirit, and wasted my soul by so many wilful commissions against thee; just that thou shouldst withdraw thy grace, to which I have done such despite: O do not thou thus severely punish me, by withdrawing that which now more than ever I stand in need of.  
12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free spirit.  
Without thy help and aids I am utterly unable to get out of this broken condition; the free and voluntary assistances of thy spirit are so perfectly necessary to me, that I can never think a good thought, make the least attempt toward recovering the purity from whence I am fallen, without them: O be thou pleased to restore them to me, and thereby to support and establish me.  
13. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto thee.  
And this thy exceeding mercy to a sinner, so sadly lapsed, may be a means to bring wicked livers home to repentance, I shall be able to encourage them to return, by proclaiming mine own success, who have fallen as sadly as any of them can have done. And being thus encouraged by my example and experience, many, I doubt not, by the assistance of thy grace, shall be brought home to thy service, and the practise of the duties of new life.  
14. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.  
Oh, that sin of murder is an horrid and crying sin, of a black and deep dy; and though mine own hands have not been polluted with it, yet my conscience assures me the guilt of the murder of Uriah lies on me, who projected and contrived it by others: O thou blessed Lord, from whom all my deliverance must come, be thou pleased to deliver me from this one, as from those other soul Commissions, and it will be most joyful news to me, and with the greatest exultation of heart shall I proclaim thy abundant mercies to me.  
15. O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.  
This work of grace from thee shall set my lips wide open, in praising and magnifying thee.  
16. For thou desirest not sacrifice, 
that I should give {untranscribed Hebrew}  else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt-offerings.  
'tis not any the richest hecatomb or most chargeable oblation for my sin, that thou expectest or requirest of me. The truth is, my sins are of such a sort, as for which the Mosaical law allows no reconciliation, no sacrifice for such wilful sins, Heb. 10.26.  
17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O Lord, shalt thou not despise.  
'tis my sincere humiliation, confession, and renovation, which alone thou admittest, and even in this foulest condition, thou art mercifully pleased to have respect to them, and look on them, as the most acceptable oblation. And whensoever that is presented to thee from an honest heart, it is sure to find a welcome and hospitable reception.  
18. Do good in thy good pleasure to Sion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.  
O be thou thus merciful to me, and to all that love and fear thy name, and meet in the place by thee appointed for thy service: defend and succour all, and preserve them from falling into such wilful presumptuous sins.  
19. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thy altar.  
And then our sacrifices of all sorts, and all that is typified by these shadows, and what is much more valuable then any of these, Mar. 12.33. our prayers, and our praises, our solemnest acts of the most ardent love and devotion, and the diffusion of that in acts of charity and mercy to our brethren, shall upon the altars of our very hearts be presented to thee in an humble, but cheerful, confidence to be ac●epted by thee.  

Annotations on Psalm LI.  
V. 4. Clear] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is ordinarily rendered mundus fuit, clean, or clear, or pure; and so the Chaldee takes it here, and renders it by {untranscribed Hebrew}, from {untranscribed Hebrew} purgavit. But this, as the context evinces, must be understood in a forensick sense, as pure is all one with free from guilt; and so there is a second notion of the word for overcoming, meaning that sort of victory which belongs to him that carries the cause in judicature. Thus the Lxxii. render it here, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and overcome; and thus the Apostle takes it from them, Rom. iii. 4. and the Syriack there renders that of the Apostle by {untranscribed Hebrew} the same word which both the Hebrew and Syriack have here in this Psalm: which is a sure evidence, that the word here used doth certainly signify as the Lxxii. rendered it, and was no way mistaken by them; and that very reconcilable with the notion of mundus fuit, for he that doth {untranscribed Hebrew}, overcome in the fuite or contention,( so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies, to be a party in a suite) is fitly said to be cleared or quitted by the Law; and that is also the importance of {untranscribed Hebrew} justified in the forensick sense also, as that is opposed to cast or condemned. The only remaining difficulty is, to what part of the antecedent speech this is to be connected, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that thou mightest be justified— This, 
See Paul. Fagius in Exod. 22.  say the Jews, is not to be joined to the words immediately precedent in the former part of this verse; but either to the prayer, Have mercy upon me, v. 1. or, I aclowledge my transgressions— v. 3. putting the beginning of this verse, Against thee,— in a parenthesis. But the former of these hath little of probability in it; and the latter, which is more tolerable, may very reasonably be rejected also, the immediate antecedents being very fit to bear this consequence, and indeed much fitter than either of those which are more remote. For if in the beginning of the verse, the emphasis be laid, as the thrice repeating shows it ought, on the {untranscribed Hebrew} to thee, {untranscribed Hebrew} to thee only, and {untranscribed Hebrew} in thy sight, the importance of it will certainly be, what S. Ambrose and S. Chrysostome and others have observed, that David, being a King, was not liable to punishment from any but God: and though he had in this business highly offended against others, against Bathshebah, and especially against Uriah, whom he had caused to be made drunk, and afterwards slain, and in the next verse confesseth the guilt of his blood, and therefore must not be understood, saith Chrysostome, as if he said, {untranscribed Hebrew}, that he had not wronged Uriah; yet could not he be impleaded or judged by man for this, but only by God: {untranscribed Hebrew}, saith Chrysostome, 
Tom. 1. p. 709. l. 8.  Being a King I feared not him whom I wronged; he being my subject could not punish me: all my fear was for thee, lest thou shouldst call me to account. And then this most regularly introduceth this consequence,( for so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is not {untranscribed Hebrew}, but {untranscribed Hebrew} a note of consequence only) {untranscribed Hebrew} that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, or doings,( so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  ordinarily signifies a dead, and not only a word or saying) and overcome when thou contendest. Thus, if any other but God should implead, or judge, or punish me for this, I should have just reason to complain, God having placed me in a condition of judging and punishing others, without being myself subjected to any other human tribunal. But for all this I stand most justly chargeable, and punishable by God: To thee I have sinned, from thee I deserve, and may most reasonably expect punishment. In thy sight I have done this evil, i. e. so as to be most justly liable to thy vengeance; though {untranscribed Hebrew} I am thus liable to thee only, to none else but thee; {untranscribed Hebrew}, that( noting this to be the natural consequence) thou mightest be justified in thy doings, and overcome when thou contendest or impleadest me, i. e. whatsoever bill of indictment thou putrest in against me, though to charge upon me the highest rebellions against thee, and bring upon me the severest sentence of eternal rejection out of thy favour and presence, and infliction of the direfullest torments, thou art sure to overcome and cast me in the suite, I have nothing in the least to pretend, or pled against it. The only seeming objection to this rendering is fetched from {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which from {untranscribed Hebrew} judicavit is thought to signify, in thy judging. But there is another acknowledged notion of the word in Niphal, for litigare, contendere, causam agere, to contend, or pled, or go to law with another: and though in Kal it ordinarily signify to judge, yet 'tis evident the LXXII. and the Syriack took it here in the other sense; and so the former renders it {untranscribed Hebrew}, i. e. in pleading or contending( so the word {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies in the Hellenists dialect, see note on Rom. iii. b.) and not as the latin, more to the word than idiom, render it, cum judicaris; when thou art judged. And so the Syriack render it {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew}, which both in Hebrew and Syriack signifies to contend in judicature, to pled, and not only or so frequently to judge. And so the sense both here, and to the Romans best bears: here, for being justified in the forensick sense, as that is opposed to condemned, doth more properly belong to the litigants, or persons that contend in judgement, than to the judge, and so to be cleared also; but most necessary so it is in the reciting these words to the Romans, where he that is said to overcome, must necessary be one of the contendents, and not the Judge: And accordingly that which the text is there brought to prove is, Let God be true, and every man a liar: where God and man being supposed to have a controversy, in like manner as Mich. vi. 2. and so brought in as pleaders or contendents( and not as a judge and a delinquent) the verdict is given on Gods side,( Let God be true, which is a pronouncing that God is true, a clearing or justifying God) and against man, who is pronounced a liar, and so this text verified, God is justified and cleared, or overcomes in light, in the supposed matter of debate between them; {untranscribed Hebrew}, saith 
Tom. 1. p. 709. l. 22.  Chrysostome, the business being debated and brought before a judicature between God and me.  
V. 5. Shapen] For the understanding of this verse 3. things must be observed. 1. What is meant by the two verbs {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and {untranscribed Hebrew}. The former of them, from {untranscribed Hebrew}, and {untranscribed Hebrew} which signifies sorrow or labour, but especially that of the woman in travail, signifies the birth of a child; and so is rendered by the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} I was born,( and though the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} venture, may signify conception or carrying in the womb, and so may agree with the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin conceptus sum, I was conceived; yet it signifies bringing forth also.) So Isa. Liv. 1. {untranscribed Hebrew} travailing with child is but the explication of {untranscribed Hebrew} going before, bearing or bringing forth the child. So Jer. iv. 31. I heard the voice {untranscribed Hebrew} as of one that travaileth or bringeth forth; and frequently elsewhere. And so 'tis best here to be rendered, I was born, or brought forth. And the vulgar latin, that reads otherwise, hath made a gross tautology, Conceptus sum,& concepit me— I was conceived, and my mother conceived me; which even those ancients that follow them saw necessary to avoid. Then for the latter, it is from {untranscribed Hebrew} incaluit, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and is ordinarily taken for the act of conception( see Gen. xxx. 38, 39, 41.) and cannot reasonably be applied to that of cherishing in the womb after conception, as some would have it. And so that is the meaning of the verbs, I was born, or brought forth into the world, and not only so, but even conceived by my mother in iniquity, and in sin: and accordingly 
in Psal. cxix. Bas. ed: p. 522.  S. Hilary, that with the vulgar reads in the first place conceptus sum, I was conceived, reads in the latter, peperit me matter, my mother brought me forth: and so doth 
de Poen. l. 1. c. 11.  S. Ambrose also. Secondly then, for the conjunction of the verbs and nouns, or the notion of his being born and even conceived in sin, instead of setting down the surmises of some modern Interpreters, it will not be amiss to inquire, what the ancient Fathers of the Church have said. And herein we shall find, that they have with some, though but small, variety delivered themselves. For as most of them have looked on it as a Text whereby to confirm the catholic doctrine concerning Original sin, so one of them being prest with it by heretics for the maintenance of a foul error, hath been thought to interpret it otherwise. S. Paul the Apostle tells us of the heretics of the first times,( the abominable gnostics) that they interdicted marriages, 1 Tim. iv. 3. The same heresy, saith Irenaeus, l. 1. c. 30. was continued and propagated first by Saturninus and martion, then by the Encratitae or followers of Tatianus. Now for the confirming of this their interdict, they affirmed that none could be saved but unmarried or single men and women, saith Epiphanius; {untranscribed Hebrew}, saith Clemens, storm. l. iii. that generation was simply an accursed thing; {untranscribed Hebrew}, saith Irenaeus l. 1. 31. that marriage was pollution or corruption, and fornication: and they brought several places of Scripture to prove this,( most of them those very texts that are brought from the Old Testament to affirm the doctrine of our corruption of nature) and among them this of the Psalmist, In sin hath my mother conceived me. These their objections are touched on by 
Strem. l. iii. ed. Sylburg. p. 201.  Clemens Al●xandrinus, and the account he gives of them is by the learned Author of the Pelagian History, l. 11. par. 1. p. 160. interpnted as an evidence Clementem non satis intellexisse, that Clement did not sufficiently understand the doctrine of Original sin. For having applied the Psalmists words of matter mea, my mother, to Eve, the mother of all living,( a sense which Aben Ezra cites from some of the Jews {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. some say Eve is hereby understood, who did not bear till after she had sinned) he adds, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and if he were conceived in sin, yet he was not himself in sin, nor indeed was he himself sin. And somewhat less obscurely some few lines before,( on occasion of the words of Job, There is none pure from filthiness, though he be but one day old) he hath these words, {untranscribed Hebrew} 〈◇〉· Let them tell us where the new born child did fornicate, or how that which hath acted nothing is fallen under the curse of Adam. Instead of a larger examination of his words( which indeed have too much of obscurity in them, to be a testimony of much force to prejudice or establish a point of doctrine) this one consideration may, I suppose, suffice, that being not there engaged by his business in hand to give the full interpretation of that place, any farther than was useful to refute the objectors before him, the Pseudonymous gnostics and Encratites, it cannot be just any farther to extend his words, than the refuting of them makes it reasonable to extend them: viz. first, that by his mothers conceiving him in sin, he meant not his immediate mother, as if her conception were an act of sin in her,( which indeed had been for the Encratites turn, who detested generation as sinful, and so condemned marriage) but rather Eve, who had sinned before she conceived Cain, and so all mankind after her were conceived in sin. Secondly, that as by his {untranscribed Hebrew} conception and birth, his mother committed no sin in conceiving him, so neither the child itself being conceived committed any fault. Thirdly, that neither doth any child of Adam, by the bare pollution of birth, fall into that accursed state wherein the Encratites thought Adam to be involved, and all that were propagated from him by generation, and thereupon professed to detest generation and marriage. For this was one special part of the heresy of these Encratites, that Adam was certainly damned, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they resist Adams salvation, saith Irenaeus l. 1. c. 30. 31. and consequent to that, that his sin being imputed( as they had learnt from the orthodox) to all his posterity, the same damnation devolved upon all, and that all that were thus born, had not only some sinful corruption born with them, but were themselves {untranscribed Hebrew} in sin, i. e. either guilty of some actual sin, by being begotten( as his question {untranscribed Hebrew}; imports) or else were spread all over with nothing but sin,( in a sense somewhat proportionable to that of the Pharisees of him that was born blind, Joh. ix. 34. Thou wert altogether born in sins) and {untranscribed Hebrew} themselves sin in the abstract, and nothing but sin. Now none of these would that learned Father allow to be conclusible from these texts; but on the contrary he thinks it most ridiculous, that either the child should be said to sin, or that every child should be said to be thus wholly immersed in sin, as to be himself sin, and nothing else, when yet he hath committed no sin, or that the {untranscribed Hebrew} the curse of Adam( not in Origens sense, Contra cells. l. iv. where he saith {untranscribed Hebrew}, the curse of Adam is the common curse of all, but in the notion of the Encratites, as that was, in their opinion, certain damnation to Adam who committed it) should fall on all that ever were born from him. The falseness and ridiculousness of which, in all the parts, may well be granted, and yet the doctrine of Original sin, as it was believed by the ancients, remain true, and this text of this Psalm be one testimony of it, viz. that though Adam sinned, and thereby lost the image of God, in which he was created, deforming it into Satans image, whose temptations he harkened to; and though this he did, as a common Father,& representative of all mankind, and so in him all his posterity were concluded under the breach and penalty of the first Covenant, and all being begotten after the Image of lapsed Adam, were begotten in a corrupt, polluted sinful state, and had many sad effects of Adams fall connatural, and born with them; yet Christ was given for all, and by that gift, first Adam himself was redeemed from so much of the curse belonging to sin, as concerned his eternal state, and so also all others of his posterity, that did not by their own actual and habitual sins and impenitence( their redemption notwithstanding) bring down that curse upon them. That this doctrine of Original sin, as it was maintained against Pelagius, is very remote from the Doctrine of the Encratites, is most certain and visible, and cannot be doubted by any. The Encratites thought generation could not be without sin, that Adam was damned, and all were born heirs apparent to that curse, and so detested generation and marriage: but the doctrine of Original sin supposes marriage to be honourable, and that the conjugal bed may be kept pure and undefiled, and that neither is sin committed by the parents in begetting, nor by the child which is begotten; and though the child be born in sin, after the image of lapsed and sinful parents, yet allows a medicine as universal as the disease, and so acknowledges this corruption of our nature not only reconcilable with, but useful and contributive to our eternal good. And this Clemens in that place seems to aclowledge, and to make another part of his answer to those heretics: for having mentioned {untranscribed Hebrew}, the first incitations, which proceed from our natural corrupt state, and those as {untranscribed Hebrew} impieties, or aversions from God, {untranscribed Hebrew}, in respect of which we are ignorant of God,( which shows him to be no enemy to the doctrine of Original sin) he adds, {untranscribed Hebrew}, but if any man in this respect calls nativity ill, let him in that other respect aclowledge it good, because thereby we come to the knowledge of the truth. In which words he seems to refer to the following verse in this Psalm, Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom:] which, by the way, as it is an aggravation of every wilful actual sin committed by any child of Adam,( because though it be committed in compliance with natural corruption, yet 'tis in opposition to grace, and the both outward and inward directions of Gods Spirit, which were given to mortify our natural corruption, and to beget us to a new spiritual life;) so it is full matter of conviction to the Encratites, that generation and marriage is good, and not evil, because it brings forth children to the grace and mercies of Christ, to Baptism that federal rite of receiving every the tenderest Infant into the Covenant of grace, whereby the original slain or corruption shall be disabled from bringing any eternal misery upon them, that do not call it on themselves by those wilful acts of sin, that might have been resisted by them, if they had not been foully wanting to themselves. Which consideration being so much more proper to the point which Clemens had in hand,( the refuting of the Encratites) than the insisting on the doctrines, and aggravations of original corruption, we cannot reasonably wonder, that he should there confine his discourse to that which was only pertinent( and so he goes on to show grounds of mercy and pardon, from the very nature of our temptations, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the way to contend and overcome in our Christian agones, by S. Pauls {untranscribed Hebrew}, as he reads it, and {untranscribed Hebrew}, subduing, and bringing under the flesh, and not abstaining wholly, but {untranscribed Hebrew}, temperately using those things which we judge fit for us, and so attaining the incorruptible crown, {untranscribed Hebrew}, but so as not to be crwoned without fighting) and not enlarge to that which was more then granted by his adversaries, with whom he had then to do, even improved into dangerous heretical doctrine: for so Tatianus having learnt from Scripture, and the doctrine of the Church, and of his teacher 
{untranscribed Hebrew}— Dial. cum Tryph. p. 316. A.  Justin Martyr, that by Adams fall all mankind were engaged in sin and death, he thinking the act of generation was the committing the same fault that lay so heavy on Adam, and by not considering well the benefits of the Second Adam, prepared for all that were lost in the first Adam, fell into a dislike and detestation of marriage and propagation; which heretical improvement of the catholic doctrine Clemens refuting, had no occasion, at least necessity, to speak of the true doctrine which was more then granted by those heretics. This being the only testimony out of antiquity which is thought to be less favourable to the doctrine of Original sin in general, and particularly to the interpreting this text of the Psalmist to that sense, I have thus largely insisted on it. And for the farther clearing of it, shall adjoin the interpretation of S. Chrysostome, which seems to me to proceed in the same way as Clements did, but withall to give us a much more perspicuous understanding of the full design of it. Clemens interpnted the mothers conception to be understood of Eve; and so saith 
Tom. 1. p. 709. l. 42.  Chrysostome, In sin hath my mother— {untranscribed Hebrew}— From the beginning sin prevailed, for the transgressing of the commandment was before the conception of Eve; for it was after the sin, and ejection from paradise, that Adam knew his wife, and she conceived, and brought forth Cain. This therefore was the Psalmists meaning, {untranscribed Hebrew}, that sin prevailing over our first parents, wrought a way and path through mankind. Then, whereas Clemens endeavours to free the text from favouring the Encratites, by showing the good and benefits of propagation, out-weighing the evil that was inseparable from it, and by insisting, that as the child new born did not commit fornication, so he fell not under Adams curse; S. Chrysostome proceeds also on that matter, but much more perspicuously, and so, as is visibly most agreeable to the catholic Doctrine: {untranscribed Hebrew},( 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  {untranscribed Hebrew}, But by all this we learn that the act of sin is not natural( for if it were we should be free from punishment) but that nature inclines to falling, being disturbed by a tumult of passions: but yet resolution making use of industry overcomes. Adding, in reference particularly to the Encratites, {untranscribed Hebrew}, They are therefore foolishly mistaken, that suppose David to accuse marriage here, thus understanding those words, I was conceived in iniquities( as if his mother sinned, when she conceived him;) That is not his meaning, but he mentions the transgression of old committed by our first fathers, and saith of that, that it was the fountain of these streams. {untranscribed Hebrew}, for, saith he, if they had not sinned, they had not undergone the punishment of death, but not being mortal, had been above corruption, and then to incorruption apathy, absence of passions, had been concomitant; and apathy being admitted, sin had had no place. {untranscribed Hebrew}, But seeing they sinned, they were delivered to corruption; being become corruptible they begot children like themselves, and to such, desires and fears and pleasures were together consequent. Against these reason contends, and if it overcomes, is pronounced or proclaimed to be rewarded; but if it be overcome, it is a debtor of shane, is punished with reproach. Thus far this holy Father in that place, expressly giving us his own opinion( and, I suppose, sufficiently clearing Clements doctrine) in this matter: that though David impute not any of his foul, actual transgressions to nature, or the force of Original sin, because he had those other aids from God which might have resisted successfully, if he had not been wanting to himself; yet he here mentions Adams fall, as the fountain of all vicious corrupt streams, as that which shewed sin the way into the world, brought tumultuous passions( which he 
in Rom. vi. Hom. xi.  elsewhere calls {untranscribed Hebrew}, a large swarm of passions) together with mortality after it, and so an inclination and tendency in our nature to stumble and fall: which inclination, or {untranscribed Hebrew}, is all one with the {untranscribed Hebrew}, the first incitations from our nativity, in Clemens, which he mentions as impieties, and therefore sins; though, saith Chrysostome, {untranscribed Hebrew} reasoning, such discourse as a Christian is capable of, and {untranscribed Hebrew} resolution, with industry making use of the means that God hath given us( he adds elsewhere {untranscribed Hebrew} the spirit helping us Christians, 
in Rom. vi. Hom. xi.  and {untranscribed Hebrew}, baptism able to mortify) may not only oppose and encounter this swarm and rout of passions, but overcome them also. What the latin Fathers thought of this place is visible from 
Basil. ed. p. 522.  hilary, in his Enarration on Psal cxix. v. 175. Vivere se in hac vita non reputat, quip qui dixerit, Ecce in iniquitatibus conceptus sum— Scit se sub peccati origine& sub peccati lege natum esse; meditationem autem legis Dei ob id elegit ut vivat, He accounts not himself to live in this life, as having said, Behold I am conceived in sin— He knows he was born under the beginning of sin( i. e. Original sin, for he calls it elsewhere, 
Ibid. p. 50●.  as originem carnis the beginning of the flesh, so more expressly, originis vitium, the 'vice of his beginning, and peccata humanae naturae, the faults of his human nature) and under the law of sin; but he therefore chooseth to meditate in the law of God, that he may live. And to the same purpose† S. Ambrose, 
de Poenit, l. 1. c. 11.  Omnes homines sub peccato nascimur, quorum ipse ortus in vitio est, dicente david, Ecce in iniquitate— All men are born in sin; our very birth is in fault, as David saith, Behold, I was conceived in sin—. And many others concur to the same sense, in their Scholia on this Psalm. As for the doctrine itself of Original sin, as it is founded on many other places of Scripture, as well as on this, the concordant testimonies of the ancient Church are set down at large by the Author of the Pelagian Hist. l. 11. Par. 1. from Justine, Tatianus, Irenaeus, Origen, Macarius Hierosolymit. and Macarius Aegyptius, Athanasius, cyril of Jerusalem, Basil, gregory Nazianzen, Chrysostome, Leontius, Olympiodorus( of the Greek Church;) and from Tertullian, Cyprian, Arnobius, Reticius, Olympius, hilary, Ambrose, Optatus, Hilarius Diaconus, jerome( of the latin;) as well as from S. Augustine, and those that followed him. And 
adver. Haer. c. xxxiv.  Vincentius's words are remarkable, Quis ante prodigiosum discipulum ejus Caelestium reatu praevaricationis Adae omne genus humanum negavit astrictum? Before Caelestius, Pelagius's prodigious scholar, who ever denied that all mankind was bound by the guilt of A●ams sin? This I suppose sufficient to assure us of the sense of the Universal Christian Church in this Article. And what from this and the like places of the Old Testament the old Jews doctrine was, may be concluded from these words of S. Chrysostome, 
Tom. iii. p. 72. l. 8.  {untranscribed Hebrew}; The reason of S. Pauls phrase so oft repeated [ as by one] Rom. v. was, that when a Jew shall ask, how the world should be saved by the well-doing of one, the righteousness of Christ; thou mightest be able to say to him, How should the world be condemned by one Adams sinning? By which words of his it appears, that this doctrine of the whole worlds being under condemnation for the sin of Adam, was such, as he thought no Jew would doubt of; for else it could be no fit means to silence his objection against the redemption of the whole world by Christ. To this of the Jews belongs their ordinary style of {untranscribed Hebrew} the evil formation,( which the C●al●ee lightly vary into {untranscribed Hebrew} meaning our evil affections, or concupiscence) and {untranscribed Hebrew} the formation of sin, or proclivity to sin from their frame or fabric. So Eccl. x. 1. {untranscribed Hebrew} the flies of death are by the Chaldee rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} evil concupiscence, which abiding at the gates of the heart, brings the cause of death into the world: and Psal. ciii. 14. where we red {untranscribed Hebrew} our frame, the Chaldee have {untranscribed Hebrew} the evil concupiscence which impells us to sin. So Psal. cxix. 70. {untranscribed Hebrew} the figment of the heart. So say the rabbis, three men subdued {untranscribed Hebrew} their concupiscence; Joseph Gen. xxxix. Boaz Ruth iii. Phalati 1 Sam. xxv. 44. Where by the example of Joseph &c. it is evident, that the desire of carnal forbidden objects, such as another mans wife, is comprehended by them under this style of {untranscribed Hebrew} formation: And this from Gen. viii. 21. where of the {untranscribed Hebrew} imagination, or formation, or figment of the heart of man, it is said, that it is {untranscribed Hebrew} evil from the youth. So in the Midras Tehillem, on Psal. xxxiv. {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. Now the evil figment is born with a man, and goes about with him all his dayes, as 'tis said, the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth; and if it can find occasion to overthrow him, when he is twenty years old, or forty, or seventy, or eighty, it will do so. And this the 
Tract. Succa fol. 52. 1.  Talmudists, saith Buxtorfe, observe to be called by seven names in Scripture: 1 {untranscribed Hebrew} evil, 2. {untranscribed Hebrew} foreskin, 3. {untranscribed Hebrew} unclean, 4. {untranscribed Hebrew} the enemy or hater, 5. {untranscribed Hebrew} a stumbling-block, 6. {untranscribed Hebrew}, a ston, 7. {untranscribed Hebrew} the hidden thing. What they say of these is much of it indeed phansifull and Talmudical, and their writings are too full of such stuff to be here set down. See Buxtorf Lex. Rabbin. who farther refers the reader to Caphtor fol. 55. 1. Cad. hahkemach fol. 35. 2. Afcat Rochel fol. 12. 1. In the forecited place of Succa they add, that {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. in time to come God shall bring the evil figment, or evil concupiscence, and slay it before the just and unjust; and that as long as the just live, {untranscribed Hebrew} they fight with their concucupiscences, Berish. Rabba sect. 9. Elsewhere 'tis given for a rule, that this concupiscence is not {untranscribed Hebrew} in that( i. e. the future) world. See Basra fol. 58. 1. So the question being asked in Sanhedr. fol. 91. 2. from what time this evil figment obteins dominion on a man, whether from time of his birth, or of his formation in the womb; the answer is, {untranscribed Hebrew} from the time of his formation, &c. The like dispute is in Beresh. Rab. sect. 34. Elsewhere they say, that in the beginning 'tis like a thread of a spider, but in the end {untranscribed Hebrew} 'tis like a cart-rope; and again, that at first it is as a stranger, afterward as a guest, and at length {untranscribed Hebrew} a Master of an house. See More Neu. par. 3. c. 22. and Vaiikra Rabba Sect. 17. The beginning of {untranscribed Hebrew} is sweet, {untranscribed Hebrew} and the end bitter. So R. Solomon on Psal. Lxxviii. 39. for the wind that passeth away, and cometh not again, reads {untranscribed Hebrew} the evil figment hidden in the heart, which {untranscribed Hebrew} goes when a man dyes, and returns not again. And Midras Tehill. to avert the argument drawn from that text against the resurrection of the dead, says, {untranscribed Hebrew} the evil figment is meant in this place( not the soul) {untranscribed Hebrew} which goes with a man at the hour of death, {untranscribed Hebrew} and returns not with him at the hour of the resurrection of the dead. So when Ps. xvi. 3. there is mention of the saints that are in the earth, Midras Tehill. understands the words, as of those that lie butted there, adding, God calls not here the righteous {untranscribed Hebrew} Saints till they be butted in the earth; {untranscribed Hebrew} because the evil figment is in a man in this age; and( as it follows) God doth not fully confided in man, till he be dead. So Kimchi on Ps. ciii. 14. and Aben Ezra on this very verse of Psal. Li. where he resolves the Psalmists meaning to be, that in the hour of his nativity the evil figment was planted in his heart; and on ver. 10. that this evil concupiscence had drawn him to sin, and therefore he preys to God, that he would help him against the evil figment, that he might no more be misled by it, or admit sin. To conclude, the Talmud itself tract. Berach. hath a very sober and Orthodox account of this matter. And so this may suffice for the second thing, the notion of Davids being born and conceived in sin. Thirdly then, it may be demanded, how this mention of his conception and birth in sin comes in here? or how it is a fit ingredient in a penitential Psalm, the humbling himself for so many gross actual sins, as he stood guilty of at this time? And the reason of the doubt is, because the sin of our conception and birth, being no act of our own wills, and yet farther a spring of all our corrupt streams, a strong tendency to our actual sins, the mention of that might seem rather a means of extenuating, than aggravating our actual guilts. To this I answer, 1. that if Christ, the second Adam, had not repaired the errors of the first Adam, if original corruption had inevitably betrayed David to his adultery and murder, &c. if he had not had power to resist his corrupt inclinations, or repress them from breaking out, as they did, into those gross sins, there would then be reason in the objection. But the doctrine of Original sin supposes not any such inevitable necessity, but on the contrary acknowledges the gift of Christ to be an antidote fully proportioned to the poison of our nativity, and his grace a sufficient auxiliary to enable men not only to resist, but overcome temptations, and in some degree to mortify corruptions. The Philosopher was said to overrule his nativity and stars: and sure Davids divine philosophy had thus enabled him, if he had not sinned against grace and strength. And so to him that was thus enabled, the consideration of his natural corruption could be no competent matter of extenuation. The more turbulent his passions were, the stronger his inclinations to sin, the more he was obliged to devotion and watchfulness: the one, constantly and frequently to pray for grace, which he stood so much in need of; and the other, to employ his utmost industry, not to betray, but make the best use of those aids, to secure him from so visible and imminent a ruin. And to this sense some of the ancients understand the next verse, Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts, and( as the Lxxii. red) {untranscribed Hebrew}, thou hast manifested to me the secret and hidden things of thy wisdom; Though by nature I am corrupt and unclean, yet thou, by thy special grace, and revelation and communication of the secrets of thy wisdom, thy Christ unto me, hast elevated me above that low pitch of my natural corruption. And thus 'tis not extraordinary in Scripture for two things to be mentioned one after the other, when the latter only is principally intended, and to the purpose; and the former only as it is preparative and introductory to the latter. And if this be the meaning of the place, then the account is clear, that the former verse taken alone, as it cannot be an extenuation, so neither need it be looked on as an ingredient in the aggravation of Davids present actual guilts; but only as an introduction to the latter verse, Gods divine revelations to him, which were very proper to aggravate his sins, as being committed against special grace and illumination, and so neither of weakness nor ignorance. But then Secondly, though his natural inclination to sin were no ground for the aggravation of his actual sins, yet being not, as hath been shewed, useful for the extenuation of them, it may fitly come in to bear its part in a penitential Psalm, eo ipso as it is a sin, though but of our nature. For he that is truly sensible, and humbled for his grosser actual enormities, will, and ought to confess to God his lesser and inferior guilts, even his sins of ignorance and infirmity, and by no means to omit his natural corruptions, and all the branches thereof; First, the darkness of his understanding, Secondly, the unruliness of his affections, and Thirdly, the crookedness of his will, the bending down of that toward the carnal part, and great proneness to gratify it: Which last, as it differs very much from the complacency of the senses in their proper objects, or the inclinableness of the flesh to that which is prohibited, which were in our first parents in Paradise( the beauty and sweetness of the apple were then grateful to two of their senses, and fit to be desired by them) and therefore no sins; so is it a degree of aversion from God, and so contrary to that degree of love with all the heart, which is commanded us by the Law, and consequently an {untranscribed Hebrew} or breach of Gods Law, and a sin. And being so, and wi●hall so connatural to the will, since the fall, that it is not perfectly rooted out of us in this life, it may sure be very fit to be put into the Catalogue, and fill up the number, and increase the weight of those sins for which men are to humble themselves before God at all times, but especially upon conviction of any one or more gross actual sins. For then the more truly sensible we are, the more wounding will every the least obliquity, or but inclination of the will to evil, appear to us; the least weight adding to his pressure, that is so much overladen already. And so this is a second use of this reflection on his natural corrupt state, in the work of his repentance. But S. Chrysostome hath another notion of this passage, that it was used by David to introduce his prayer for that pardon which is promised sinners by Christ. For this he makes the meaning of the next verse, that God had revealed Christ unto him, enabled him to predict his birth, passion, resurrection, and ascension; and therefore as these were means of cure for the corruption of our nature, and of obtaining pardon for the infirmities thereof, so the Psalmist prays to God, who desireth and loveth truth, that knowing {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
Tom. l. p. 710. l. 18.  the weakness of our nature, he will communicate his {untranscribed Hebrew} medicines of pardon to them that beg them of him by prayer; and 
p. 711. l. 34.  again, that he that had been taught this mystery of our redemption before-hand by the holy Spirit, prayed that he might obtain his part in that grace which he praedicted to others, and therefore cried out v. 8. Thou shalt purge me with hyssop— And in this understanding of it, as a part of a plea for pardon in Christ, it will be perfectly fit also for a penitential Psalm,( though it tended not in the least to his humiliation) Deprecation of punishment being as proper a part of such an office, as aggravation of sin can be supposed to be. But the former seems to me the more probable design of the Psalmist in this passage, and that in either part is matter of aggravation of sin; and to that I have confined the Paraphrase, though the other being honoured with so great an Author, was not wholly to be forgotten or omitted.  
V. 6. Truth] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to cover is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  kidneys or reins, because they are covered over with fat. So once more 'tis used in Scripture, Job xxxviii. 36. where, as here, our English renders it inward parts, somewhat too generally. The Chaldee expressing it more particularly by {untranscribed Hebrew} in the reins, and these in the Scripture style being frequently taken for the seat of the affections, the purity whereof is most contrary to the natural corruption or inbred pollution, in the preceding verse. As for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  truth, that ordinarily signifies sincerity, uprightness and integri●y: and so truth in the reins is equivalent to an hearty sincere obedience, not only of the actions, but of the very thoughts and affections to God; and so, in things of this nature, wherein this Psalm is principally concerned, denotes the purity of the heart, the not admitting any unclean desire or thought, the very first degree of indulgence to any lust. And this God is said to will or desire, or delight in,( so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  volvit, frequently signifies) and so to command, and require of us. Then though {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  be in the future tense, yet in reason that is to be rendered in the past or the present, thou makest, or hast made me know wisdom secretly; by wisdom meaning the knowledge of his duty, and by making known, instructing in it, and by secretly, the inward work of Gods grace( added to the outward of his law) upon the heart, by which he 1. assureth him of this being his will, 2. incites him to the practise of it, and 3. instructs him in the advantages of this obedience, of this purity of the heart, rejecting the first motions of lust, the entertaining of which had brought this sad ruin on Davids soul, engaged him in so many sins.    

The Fifty Second Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and  told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech.  
The fifty second Psalm was composed by David on occasion of the wicked fact of Doeg, first in accusing, then in slaying Ahimelech the High Priest with all his family, destroying the whole city of the Priests, called Nob, for no other crime but for a respect and charity performed by Ahimelech to David( see 1 Sam. xxii.) It was set to the tune called Maschil, and committed to the Praefect of his music.  
1. Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the 
a.  goodness of God endureth continually.  
It is a strange matter of pleasure and joy and boasting to a person in power, to be able to mischief those that deserve it least: There is not any sort of pride more irrational, than that of a Doeg, to have killed those whom no body else would kill, 1 Sam. xxii. 17. This is most diametrally opposite to( that which alone is just matter of joy or boasting to any) being like unto God; for he is most eminently good and bountiful, and so continues even to those that provoke him and sin against him.  
2. Thy tongue deviseth mischief like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.  
That relation of his to Saul of Ahimelech's civility to me was most maliciously designed, and the effect of it as bloody, as if the tongue that spake it had been a razor sharpened on purpose to cut the throats of a multitude of most innocent persons.  
3. Thou lovest evil more than good, and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.  
Had it not been as easy for thee to have said somewhat that might have assuaged the Kings displeasure against his own son, and me his son in law? But some men are never pleased with those things which alone yield true and durable pleasure,( such are all acts of justice, and charity, and obliging those who deserve it,) but on the contrary are transported with any opportunity of calumniating or supplanting any, be they never so innocent.  
4. Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou 
b.  deceitful tongue.  
And such is Doeg: No such pleasure to him, as to be able by one speech, as by a poisonous vapour, to blast a whole multitude, and bring ruin to the whole family and city of the pious high Priest of God.  
5. God shall likewise destroy thee for ever; he shall take thee away, and 
or remove thee from the Tabernacle.  pluck thee out of 
c.  thy dwelling-place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.  
As thou hast dealt with the Priests of God, so shall God their just avenger deal with thee. Thou hast calunniated Ahimelech, then fetched him and his from their place of abode, then destroyed them from serving in the Tabernacle, swept away the Priests whole family,( none but Abiathar escaping thy bloody hands, and that much against thy will also) and let none of them return to their house; and not only so, but hast fallen upon the whole city of Nob, without any pretence of fault of theirs, and put them all to the sword. And God shall undoubtedly pled the cause of his innocent Priests, exclude thee from the privilege of serving God in the Tabernacle, of receiving benefit by the Priestly office, first excommunicate thee, then bring the same bloody desolation upon thee and all thy family and people, which thou hast executed upon those.  
6. The righteous also shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him.  
And all that truly fear God shall take notice of this, as a judgement most just, for what he hath now done to the Priests: and as they shall make use of it to impress a due reverence of God and all goodness on themselves and others, and a dread of offending; so shall they make him a name of reproach to all posterity,( by that also deterring all from the like practices) saying,  
7. lo this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.  
Behold the just vengeance of God upon a man that never thought of securing his greatness by Gods protections, never applied himself to duties of piety or justice, never imagined that they would be useful to his present security, to which only he had an eye, but resolved by wealth and by wicked enterprises to establish and perpetuate his greatness. And now God hath refuted all his vain and false hopes, and brought utter destruction upon him.  
8. But I am like a 
flourishing {untranscribed Hebrew}  green Olive-tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.  
Whereas I, to whom his mischief was originally designed, 1 Sam. xxii. 9. have been preserved from suffering any hurt by his malice: from that time to this I have prospered, and increased in strength, and have not fallen into Sauls hands, when he is cast out, v. 5. and shall, I doubt not, enjoy very happily the presence of my God in the Sanctuary( which prediction was eminently fulfilled when the ark was brought into the city of David the place of his abode.) My condition hath been like that of the Olive three, which is full of green leaves all the year long; and so have I continued in a flourishing state: whilst he is withered and cut down, and eradicated out of the land of the living, I am fast settled and flourish by the good providence of God over me; and so through the same mercy I trust I shall do to my lives end.  
9. I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it; and I will wait on thy name, for it is good before thy saints.  
This just vengeance of God I am obliged to remember and celebrate as long as I live, and what ever my distresses or dangers shall prove, repose my full trust and confidence in God, wait and depend on him for deliverance in his good time. And indeed thus to live by faith, and not by sense, to keep close to this one guard, and secure our tenor in Gods protections by never attempting or admitting ought which may betray and forfeit that hold, but for ever constantly to depend on God in his own way, is that which all pious men have experimented to be the wisest and safest course, and that which will stand in more stead, than all the power assisted also by all the wickedness of men.  

Annotations on Psalm LII.  
V. 1. Goodness] The first verse is very distantly rendered by the Lxxii. Inst●ad of {untranscribed Hebrew} O mighty man, the benignity of God, as the Chaldee rightly render it, they red, {untranscribed Hebrew}, mighty for wickedness; and the Syriack and latin &c. follow them in it. To this they seem to have been led by a second notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} ( quiter contrary to mercy by way of {untranscribed Hebrew}) for impiety, mercilesness, and also reproach, Lev. xx. 17. it is a wicked or abominable thing. By analogy with which, {untranscribed Hebrew} might be thought to signify that which is to the reproach of God, as indeed the killing of the Priests was, and so not amiss expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew}. But the ordinary acception of {untranscribed Hebrew} is very fit for this place, where the great mercy and benignity of God, and the continuation or constancy thereof in despite of our greatest provocations, Gods bounty even to enemies, is very fitly opposed to Doegs unprovoked cruelty and impiety.  
V. 4. deceitful tongue] The reading of the Lxxii. here {untranscribed Hebrew}, is resisted by the context; and 'tis not improbable to have been the error of some scribe, the change being so easy from {untranscribed Hebrew} in the vocative case, to which it may be fitly said in the first word, {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast loved— And thus surely the latin red it, who have lingua dolosa, in that case: but the Syriack took it in that other, and so red {untranscribed Hebrew} in conjunction with the antecedents, and deceitful tongues; and so the arabic and Aethiopick also.  
V. 5. Dwelling place] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is literally from the Tabernacle, not from thy dwelling place; and so the Lxxii. render it, {untranscribed Hebrew} from the Tabernacle:& though the latin& sir.& Arab. have added [ tuo thy] yet neither will the Hebrew bear, nor do the Chaldee acknowledge it, who red by way of paraphrase, he shall cause thee to depart {untranscribed Hebrew} from inhabiting in the place of the Schechina, or Taber●acle, the place of Gods presence. And thus Aben-Ezra expounds the Tabernacle of the place where the ark was. And then the removing from that( so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies from {untranscribed Hebrew} transtulit) will be best understood of the censure of Excommunication, which in the last and highest de●ree was Schammatha, delivering up the offender to the hand of heaven, to be cut off, himself and his posterity; according to that of the Jewish Doctors, who assign this difference between {untranscribed Hebrew} death, and {untranscribed Hebrew} excision, that he that is guilty of death, only himself suffers, not his seed, but excision reacheth both the sinner himself and his posterity, as here it doth.    

The Fifty Third Psalm.  
TO the chief musician upon 
a.  
the hollow instrument.  Mahalath, Maschil, A P●alm of David.  
The fifty third Psalm is very little varied from the xiv. fi●st compos●d by David on occasion of the general revolt in Absoloms rebellion, but now new set to the tune called Maschil,( which probably was the cause of the vari●tions) and accommodated to some other ●ccasion, perhaps the first captivity, mentioned v. 6. and committed to the P●aefect of his music, to be sung to a Flute, or some other such hollow instrument.  
1. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity; there is none that doth good.  
See Psal. xiv. 1.  
2. God looked down from Heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.  
See Psal. xiv. 2.  
3. Every one of them is gone back, they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doth good, no not one.  
See Psal. xiv. 3.  
4. Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.  
See Psal. xiv. 4.  
5. There were they in great fear where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of them that encamped against thee; thou hast put them to shane because God hath despised them.  
God struck them with a sudden consternation, for which there was no visible cause, and so they sled, and were killed in the flight; God being thus pleased signally to interpose his hand for the securing of David, and his disappointing and discomfiting his enemies.  
6. 
Who shall give from Sion the salvation of Israel?  O that the Salvation of Israel were come out of Sion! When God bringeth back the capt●vity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.  
See Psal. xiv. 7.  

Annotations on Psalm LIII.  
Tit. Mahalath] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies in the title of this and the Lxxxviii. Psalm must be uncertain, the word being not elsewhere found. 'tis most probably the name of an Instrument, on which the Psalm was to be sung; and it may fitly be deduced from {untranscribed Hebrew} perforavit, or incidit, either from the hollowness of the instrument, or farther from the holes cut in it, in which respect {untranscribed Hebrew} is ordinarily used for fistula or tibia, a pipe.    

The Fifty Fourth Psalm.  
TO the 
Praefect of his stringed instruments see note on Psal. iv, a,  chief musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hid himself with us?  
The fifty fourth Psalm was composed by David at a time of his great distress, and season●ble deliverance afforded him by God, when hiding himself in the wilderness of Ziph, 1 Sam. xxiii. 15. and of Maon, v. 24. the Ziphites made discov● y to Saul, v. 19. and he went with forces to seek him, v. 25. and compassed him round about, v. 26. but was diverted, and called home, and gave over the pursuit, by reason of the philistines invading his land, v. 27. It was set to the tune of Maschil, and committed to the Pa●fect of the stringed instruments.  
1. Save me, O God, by thy name, and 
vindicate {untranscribed Hebrew}  judge me by thy strength.  
2. Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.  
To thee, O Lord, I address myself in all humility, to thee is my onely resort; that at this time of distress thou wilt take the care and patronage of me, and by thy power and mercy deliver me out of it.  
3. For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.  
For now malicious men have conspired to bring mischief and ruin upon me, and by their discoveries excited those who are now hunting me for my life: they only consider how they may gratify the King, and gain his favour, and have no restraint of conscience or piety to repress them from proceeding to the utmost evil.  
4. Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is 
a.  with them that uphold my soul.  
But their malice shall not hurt me, as near a●d close as they are gotten about me: the Lord shall preserve me, and deliver me out of their hands,  
5. He shall reward evil unto mine 
treacherous observers, spies {untranscribed Hebrew}  enemies: cut them off in thy truth.  
And execute vengeance on these Ziphites that have thus been employed by Saul to observe and betray me, 1 Sam. 23.23. bringing them in his just judgement to utter destruction.  
6. I 
b.  will 
sacrifice to thee a voluntary oblation.  freely sacrifice unto thee; I will praise thy name, O Lord, for it is good.  
This obliges me to make my most solemn acknowledgements, to present, as my free will ●fferings, my lauds and praises, which are most due, and a most joyful employment to be paid to him that hath dealt so graciously with me;  
7. For he hath delivered me out of all trouble, and 
c.  mine eye 
beholded or looked on mine enemy.  hath seen his desire upon mine enemy.  
Having by a signal act of his special providence diverted and called back my enemies, given me a pleasurable sight of them in their retreat, and so set me safe from this so present a danger.  

Annotations on Psalm LIV.  
V. 4. With them that uphold] This phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the Lord among the susteiners] deserves here to be taken notice of, as a form not unusual among the Hebrews, yet signifying no more than that God is my upholder; and not he as one of many, but my only upholder. So Jud. xi. 35. when Jephtha tells his daughter, thou art among the troublers of me, or one of them that trouble me, the meaning is no more, than that she very much grieved and troubled him. So Isa. xLi. 4. when God saith of himself, I am with the last, the meaning is evident, I am the last simply, as before I am the first. So Hos. xi. 4. I was to them as they that take off the yoke, i. e. I eased them. So Psal. Lv. 18. there were many with me, i. e. God is with me, and that is as good as the greatest multitude. So Psal. Lxix. 26. they whom thou hast wounded, signifies no more than the singular number precedent, he whom thou hast smitten. This idiom we see continued in the New Testament, Joh. xi. 19. many of the Jews came {untranscribed Hebrew} to those about Martha and mary, i. e. as we render it, to Martha and mary. So in Greek style {untranscribed Hebrew} is no more than Plato; and {untranscribed Hebrew} to be of the rich, is no more than to be rich. All this is observed by the learned Seb. Castellio, and given as the account of his rendering the words, Dominus is est qui mihi vitam sustentat, The Lord is he that sustains my life: wherein also he agrees with the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Lord is the defender of my soul, and so the latin, susceptor ainae meae, and the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} the supporter of my soul or life; and so the arabic and Aethiopick.  
V. 6. Freely sacrifice] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is the known style for a free-will offering, the {untranscribed Hebrew} or voluntary oblation so much spoken of, and so, being here joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} I will sacrifice, it must questionless signify: and the preposition {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  may either be a pleonasm, I will offer a free-will offering, or be thus taken notice of in the rendering, I will sacrifice to thee by way of free-will oblation. And thus the Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew}, which their interpreter renders sacrificium sacrificabo, I will sacrifice a sacrifice. In the end of the verse {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  for it is good] is capable of a double rendering; either thy name is good, or it is good to praise thy name, see Ps. xcii. 1. and Ps. cxviii. 8, 9. But the Jewish Arab confines it to the former sense, paraphrasing it thus, I will praise thy name, and say, The Lord is good.  
V. 7. Mine eye] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} aspexit, will best be rendered beholded, or looked, and being joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} on mine enemy, signifies no more but beholded or looked upon mine enemy. This the Chaldee is willing to supply( as supposing an ellipsis in it) by addition of {untranscribed Hebrew} revenge, mine eye hath seen revenge upon mine enemy, and our English imitating them, reads, his desire. But the simplo reading is followed by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, my eye hath looked upon my enemies; and so the Syriack and latin &c. follow them: and that seems to be the best rendering of the place, for Davids enemies at this time were not destroyed, but only drawn back from pursuing him, by the coming of the news of the philistines being in the land. The more probable notation of the phrase is, that David was so nigh as to behold them marching away; which he might well do, having been encompassed with them so close, as the story of it expresses v. 26. and but on the other side of the hill Maon, from the top of which he might well behold them in their retreat: and being so near destruction by them; and yet so safe by this act of Gods providence, recalling them, he might well recount it as an eminent mercy, that his eye thus beholded his enemies, when he was delivered from their pursuit.    

The Fifty Fifth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David.  
The fifty fifth is a mournful Psalm of Davids, recounting his own distresses in the time of Absaloms rebellion, and the perfidiousness of those his own principal servants and counsellors,( such was Achitophel 2 Sam. xvi. 23.) which were the chief authors of it, yet confidently resorting to God for his aid, and cheerfully depending on it. He set it to the tune of Maschil, and committed it to the Praefect of his music, to be sung to the harp, &c.  
1. Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hid not thyself from my supplication.  
O thou which art my only refuge in all distresses, be thou now pleased to harken favourably to my requests.  
2. attend unto me, and hear me: I 
cry {untranscribed Hebrew}  mourn in my prayer, and make a noise.  
My condition makes me very 
{untranscribed Hebrew} I am unquiet and clamorous, Chald.  querulous and importunate: O be thou pleased to consider my distress:  
3. Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked; for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they 
set themselves against me {untranscribed Hebrew}  hate me.  
My son Absalom hath depraved my Government, and those that are associated with him have driven me from my throne: the one accuseth me as guilty of great misgovernments, the other pursue me with all the malice and rancour imaginable.  
4. My heart 
tremble●  is 
a.  sore pained within me; and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.  
And the danger is so great and pressing, that I may be allowed to tremble and quake at the appearance of it.  
5. Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.  
6. And I said, 
who will give me the wing as a dove? I will fly and dwell or rest.  O that I had wings like a dove, for then would 
b.  I flee away and be at rest.  
7. 
Lo I will  lo then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah.  
8. 
I will  I would hasten my escape from the 
stormy wind, or wind that is raised from the whirlwind.  windy storm and tempest.  
And accordingly I am now forced, as in a state of horror and confusion to forsake my place, to fly from Jerusalem with all possible speed, to escape out of his hands, and to this end to wander upon the mountains, to go whither I may, 2 Sam. xv. 20. to avoid this calamity, so suddenly raised by mine own rebellious son and subjects.  
9. 
Overwhelm 〈◇〉  Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues; for I have seen violence and strife in the city.  
Lord, be thou pleased to confounded and dissipate their 
so the Chald.  counsels( see 2 Sam. xv. 31.) by causing some disagreement and division among them; for all that they design and consult about is rebellion and rapine.  
10. Day and night 
c.  they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and 
injury {untranscribed Hebrew}  sorrow are in the midst of it.  
These two are the continual guard of their city, the arts to which they are content to owe their safety: And that which is within, and is to be preserved by these means, is itself of the same making, violation of my just rights established on me by God. All that they have to do is, to defend one wickedness and violence with the addition of many more.  
11. Wickedness is in the midst thereof; deceit and guile depart not from their streets.  
And so their whole conspiracy what is it but a continued complication and conjunction of all kind of iniquity and injustice?  
12. For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have born it: neither was it he that hated me, that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hide myself from him.  
One thing that extremely heightens my trouble, is, that the most pernicious counsel that hath been given in all this business was not the counsel of any known enemy, whom I might have foreseen, and prevented;  
13. But it was thou, 
one whom I esteemed as myself.  a man, mine 
d.  equal, my guide, and my acquaintance.  
14. We 
e.  
joined ourselves to the assembly.  took sweet counsel together, and walked to the house of God in company.  
But of 
see the Chald.  Achitophel, one whom I loved as my own soul or life, one whose advice I took above all other mens, 2 Sam. xvi. 23. one that I had a particular friendship with, and communicated my secrets to him, and above all, one whom I had reason to look on as a pious man, he was so ready always to accompany me to the service of God.  
15. 
Death shall deceive or forget them, they shall go—  Let death 
f.  seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings and among them.  
But God will not suffer this perfidiousness of his to go unpunished, he shall not live to perfect his design, a death as unnatural, unexpected, and remarkable as that which fell on Corah, Dathan and Abiram( th●se rebels against Moses and Aaron) shall certainly befall him: for it is a most horrible wickedness that he is guilty of.( This is also a visible prediction of what should befall Judas, who was parallel to Achitophel, both in sin and punishments, Act. 1.)  
16. As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me.  
17. Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice.  
But as for myself, I have nothing to do but to pray constantly and importunely to God, thrice a day solemnly to reinforce my impression on him; and no doubt he will be graciously pleased to deliver me out of this distress,( as formerly he hath done out of all others) and  
18. He 
will deliver {untranscribed Hebrew}  hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that 
is  was against me; for there 
are {untranscribed Hebrew}  were many with me.  
Restore me to peace and safety from the imminent danger of this rebellion, which be it never so strongly and invincibly contrived and managed against me, cannot outvie the strength of heaven, which is certainly on my side. God taking my part, as he doth, I can want no other supply of auxiliaries.  
19. God shall hear and afflict them, even he that abideth of old, Selah. 
they are not changed, and they  Because they have 
g.  no changes, therefore they fear not God.  
Without such aids, God will himself be sure to maintain my cause; he is eternal, omnipotent, and unchangeable, and shall therefore, according to his promise made to me, protect and secure me, and withall sharply punish these obstinate obdurate persons, which for fear of men were corrupted from their obedience by Absalom, and being now out in rebellion; and going on prosperously and undisturbedly in it, cannot by a far juster fear, the fear of God, be ●educed.  
20. He hath put forth his hand against such as be at peace with them, he hath broken his Covenant.  
They have broken all laws of fidelity and allegiance, being obliged by oaths, have had no regard thereto.  
21. 
They are divided, their mouth butter, their he● war—  The 
h.  words of his mouth were smother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.  
Their tongues and hearts were at a great distance; their smoothest and fairest and most flattering speeches, were but designed to conceal and disguise under them their bloody and rebellious contrivances, which under these pretences were most securely carried on, till at last it was seasonable for them to break out into open war.  
22. 
or cast thy affair● on the Lord, wh● gave thee.  Cast 
i.  thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall 
not suffer the righteous to be forever ●●ved.  never suffer the righteous to be moved.  
But let their practices and designs be what they will, I am resolved to make no other applications, but those in my prayers to God. All my wants and desires, I will make known to him( who is the Author of all good things, even of my very being itself) and in him repose my trust for the supplying of them. He will, I doubt not, come seasonably to my relief; and although he have now for a while permitted me to be driven from my place, he will in his good time return me to it, and not suffer this rebellion to prosper, or me his anointed vicegerent to be cast down for ever.  
23. But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out 
k.  half their dayes: but I will trust in thee.  
But on the contrary, God shall assuredly bring these down to an untimely ruin or excision. And the same is the portion which all other like them are to expect; Rebels and perjured and bloody men shall generally meet with disappointments in this life, gain little but the shortening of their ow● dayes, seldom live half so long as other men that are more dutiful and peaceably disposed. And in this contemplation of Gods just vengeance on them, and care and watchful providence over me, I cheerfully rest, wholly referring the event to him, and confidently assuring myself, that it will be such as I may comfortably depend on, and expect to find all joy in the i●sue of it.  

Annotations on Psalm LV.  
V. 4. Sore pained] {untranscribed Hebrew} to grieve or be pained, is frequently by the Targum rendered trembling. And thus it must signify Psal. xcvi. 9. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the Targum {untranscribed Hebrew} contremiscite, we render it fear before him; 'twere better, tremble before him, for so it would better connect with the earth, which is there spoken to. So Psal. cxiv. 7. {untranscribed Hebrew}, we render it tremble thou earth— So 1 Chron. x. 3. speaking of the archers which pressed upon Saul, {untranscribed Hebrew} and he was greatly afraid. So the Chaldee red it, 1 Sam. 31.3. {untranscribed Hebrew} he feared: and so here, {untranscribed Hebrew} my heart trembleth within me; {untranscribed Hebrew} contremiscit, saith the Chaldee; and the Syriack more clearly {untranscribed Hebrew} trembling,( from {untranscribed Hebrew} to fear) fell upon me; and the arabic in like manner, my heart within me was afraid; and the Jewish Arab Interpreter, {untranscribed Hebrew} trembleth. And thus the learned Castellio, Cor meum in pectore trepidat, my heart in my breast trembleth: and so it best accords to {untranscribed Hebrew} the terrors of death( from {untranscribed Hebrew} terror) that follows in this verse, and the fearfulness, and trembling and horror in the next.  
V. 6. Flee away] The phrase {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which literally sounds I will fly and dwell, seems to be an {untranscribed Hebrew} two words to express one thing, viz. fly to a place of repose and safety: where that place was, could not be specified, for as he saith 2 Sam. xv. 20. I go whither I may, as if he had said, I know not whither; and v. 17. the King went forth and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was far off, as here v. 7. I will wander afar off. And indeed this is the sum of these three verses, 6, 7, 8. I said, {untranscribed Hebrew} who will give me the wings {untranscribed Hebrew} as a dove? i. e. I resolved to fly immediately. So 'tis affirmed in the History 2 Sam. xv. 14. And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee, for we shall not else escape from Absalom, make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly: which is but the plain prose of what is here put in the metrical style, as the description of his sudden and confused flight, he knew not whither; I will flee, and rest, I will wander afar, I will hasten my escape {untranscribed Hebrew} from the stormy wind, or wind which is raised, {untranscribed Hebrew} from the whirlwind( such as carried Elias to heaven 2 King. ii. 2.) Instead of {untranscribed Hebrew} I will hasten my escape {untranscribed Hebrew} from the wind that is raised, or stormy wind, the LXXII. red in somewhat a distant manner, {untranscribed Hebrew}, I expected him that would save me from pusillanimity; perhaps understanding {untranscribed Hebrew} wind in the notion of spirit, and then the concitation of that might pass for {untranscribed Hebrew} pusillanimity. The latin follow them, and red pusillanimitate spiritus; but the Syriack forsake them, and red {untranscribed Hebrew} a tempestuous wind, or a wind that is raised( so the {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} which the Chaldee useth in this place, is deduced from {untranscribed Hebrew} ascendit.) As for the former part, it cannot well be deemed a version of the words, but may possibly be a paraphrase; for so he that flies from an imminent danger, though( as David here) he knows not whether, doth expect some means of deliverance, for which he thus reserves himself by flight.  
V. 10. Go about] That which removes all difficulty in this verse is, the observing who they are that are here said to harass, or go about the city, viz. violence and strife, or rebellion, which are in the words immediately foregoing( v. 9.) said to be espied by him in the city. For these then to go abou● the city( {untranscribed Hebrew}) 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and that {untranscribed Hebrew} upon the walls of it, is to do as Souldiers that guard a city do, and signifies these to be their only means of preserving themselves; and then for {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} mischief and injury to be {untranscribed Hebrew} in the inmost part of that city, what is it, but to denote these vices to be the possessions that that other guard is set to defend? and so, in short, their securing one wickedness with another, is the clear meaning of this verse.  
V. 13. equal] From {untranscribed Hebrew} collatus, aestimatus est, is the phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  according to the esteeming of myself, or according to my proportion, i. e. one whom I esteemed in the same proportion and degree that I did myself. The Targum red {untranscribed Hebrew} who art like me, but the Lxxii. most exactly, {untranscribed Hebrew}, but thou a man whom I love and esteem as I do my own soul; for so that word {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies {untranscribed Hebrew} equal ●o my soul or life, as in Homer, {untranscribed Hebrew} equal to my head, i. e. my life; and so the word is used by Saint Paul Phil. ii. 20. see note on that place.  
V. 14. Took sweet counsel] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to be sweet, and the ordinary notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for secret, the phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  will literally be red, we made our secret sweet. And so it may be an elegance, to signify the pleasure of his friendship, or of communicating secrets to him. But the Jewish Arab renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} we cleaved, or joined ourselves to the company or assembly, interpreting {untranscribed Hebrew} to that sense of cleaving or joining to; Job xxi. 33. the clods of the valley shall cleave( not as we red, shall be sweet) unto him, to express the certainty of death( as v. 32. he shall be brought to the grave, and remain in the tombs) and not the pleasantness of it: and then taking {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to signify company, as Abu Walid also doth, and puts {untranscribed Hebrew} company or coetus assembly, for a different signification of it from secret. And so it certainly signifies a congregation, and is by the Lxxii. rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} assembly Jer. vi. 11. {untranscribed Hebrew}, we render it, the assembly of young men; and so Jer. xv. 17. the assembly of the mockers, where the LXXII. hath {untranscribed Hebrew}, the council, as that signifies the place where they meet to consult. And then the plain meaning of the phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  will be this, we joined ourselves together to the assembly; and that well agrees with what here follows, we walked to the house of God in company. The Lxxii. for {untranscribed Hebrew} seem to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} which we find 1 Sam. ix. 12. and which the Targum uses frequently for a feast; for as they here red {untranscribed Hebrew} meats, so the Syriack have {untranscribed Hebrew} the same word. And even thus the sense is but little varied; for eating or sweetening a sacrificial meal together, is no more then going together to the feasts, i. e. to the public assemblies at the festival times. In the end of the verse {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  may be rendered with a noise,] and so the Chaldee seems to have taken it, which reads {untranscribed Hebrew} with hast; and to that agree the Jewish Doctors, who tell us men are to go in hast and with speed to the Synagogue, but return thence very leisurely. But the word signifies also in company, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to assemble, and in Hiphil to consent, and so it best accords with {untranscribed Hebrew} together] in the former part of the verse, and accordingly is rendered by the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew} in consent, or one mind, and the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} in concord.  
V. 15. seize] From {untranscribed Hebrew} deceptus est, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here in the future of Hiphil, and being applied to {untranscribed Hebrew} death( Death shall deceive them) it may possibly signify, that they shall not live to do what they design, but death shall come and frustrate and evacuate all their contrivances, and so deceive and cheat them. And thus it were but a Poetical phrase to denote what David is said to have whether wished, or foretold against Achitophel, 2 Sam. xv. 31. O Lord, I pray thee turn the counsel of Achitophel into foolishness; for so to deceive him, is to turn his wise counsel into folly: and this God did by sending that horrid melancholy and anguish of conscience, which was the death of him. But the Jewish Arab suggests another sense of the phrase, rendering it, Let death forget them, viz. natural death, that so it may signify, let them not die a natural death, but, as he explains it, as Corah and his company did, and as it here follows, Let them go quick into Hades. And thus for death to deceive them] is to come to their end before they think, and by means which they can neither foresee nor prevent. And that will be the most probable meaning of the phrase.  
V. 19. No changes] The phrase here {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is thus literally rendered, to whom no changes to them, i. e.( according to the vulgar style among the Hebrews) they are not changed; {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  being no more than quibus, to whom, and to whom no changes, no more than they are in no wise changed: and so with this coheres what follows {untranscribed Hebrew}— and they fear not, or have not feared God.( In both parts visibly the character of those, whom in the beginning of the verse he saith God will afflict) either they are uninterrupted in their course, and so fear not; or they continue unchanged in their rebellion, and so fear not God: therefore God will certainly bring them down, and afflict them sore. The Chaldee here red it in the latter sense, {untranscribed Hebrew}— wicked men, which change not their very evil course, and fear not the sight of God, shall perish. The rendering of the LXXII. will bear either, {untranscribed Hebrew}, for there is no change to them( taking {untranscribed Hebrew} for no more than {untranscribed Hebrew}, a change simply:) but the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} are such al●erations as tend to corruption; So Job x. 17. where changes are joined with war, and both said to be against him; and so most probably it is here taken.  
V. 21. Words] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  divisit] signifies also to smooth, and from thence to flatter, see Psal. v. 9. Prov. ii. 16. Psal. xxxvi. 3. The Lxxii. here red it in the primitive notion, {untranscribed Hebrew} they were divided, and for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  butter( reading {untranscribed Hebrew} by anger, or perhaps in the plural {untranscribed Hebrew} to the same sense) they have {untranscribed Hebrew} from anger. To our vulgar reading of smother then butter] the Chaldee exactly accords, {untranscribed Hebrew}— softer than the fat of cheese are the words of his mouth, and his heart like weapons of war.( So they render {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  war, which the Lxxii. again from {untranscribed Hebrew} to draw near, render {untranscribed Hebrew}, his heart drew near, but therein( though the latin and arabic agree) the Syriack depart from them.) But the noun {untranscribed Hebrew} his mouth is in the singular, and {untranscribed Hebrew} in the plural, and there is no mention of words in the Hebrew, and {untranscribed Hebrew} is a noun, for the praefix {untranscribed Hebrew} requires another punctation. And to avoid all difficulties, the readiest expedient is, to receive the Lxxii. their rendering of {untranscribed Hebrew}, they were, or are divided, viz. the members of the wicked man there spoken of, they are at great distance one from the other; {untranscribed Hebrew} butter their mouth, or their mouth is butter, {untranscribed Hebrew} and war their heart, or their heart is war— And this seems to be the fairest rendering of it.  
V. 22. Thy burden] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} dedit, if it be a noun, literally signifies thy gift, by that meaning the thing which thou desirest to have given thee; and therefore the Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew} thy hope, or that which thou hopest to receive. The Lxxii. have {untranscribed Hebrew} thy solicitude, and the Apostle S. Peter follows their reading, 1 Pet. v. 5. and this very agreeably to the original. For the Hebrews generally render it by {untranscribed Hebrew} thy burden; and David Kimchi in his roots gives this account of it, that the Jewish Doctors learnt the exposition of this word from an Arabian, or, as other copies of Kimchi red, {untranscribed Hebrew} a Syrian merchant, who bidding his chapman weigh out his parcel, used this phrase, {untranscribed Hebrew} weigh out your burden, or lading. Here 'tis evident by the whether Syriack, or arabic use of it, that the Hebrew word anciently signified a burden, and not onely a gift: And then the burden here spoken of, that which was to be cast on God, being the burden of the mind only, that is most fitly rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} care or solicitude. But some of the Jews incline to take {untranscribed Hebrew} here for a verb; and then it must be {untranscribed Hebrew} cast or commit thyself, or thy affairs, {untranscribed Hebrew} upon the Lord, {untranscribed Hebrew} who ha h given to thee: and {untranscribed Hebrew} in the Jewish Arab Interpreter is capable of this sense, being the same with the Hebrew, onely {untranscribed Hebrew} changed into {untranscribed Hebrew}.  
V. 23. Half their dayes] In the Jewish account threescore years was the age of a man, and death at any time before that was looked upon as untimely, and deemed and styled {untranscribed Hebrew} excision, of which they made 36 degrees. So that not to live out half ones dayes( {untranscribed Hebrew}) 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is in their style to die before thirty years old.    

The Fifty Sixth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, upon 
the silent Dove afar off.  Jonath Elem Rechokim, Michtam of David when the philistines 
a.  
had him in their power.  took him in Gath.  
The fifty sixth Psalm was composed by David( as Psalm 34. was) at Adullam, or some place of his flights, in remembrance of his great deliverances out of the hands of Saul, and in reflection on the time when he was with the philistines, 1 Sam. xxi. in which he resembleth himself to a Dove a great way from home, sitting sadly and solitarily by itself. It is called his jewel( see note on Psal. xvi. a.) in respect of the memorableness of the escapes, which were the matter of it, and he committed it to the Praefect of his music, to be solemnly and publicly sung.  
1. Be merciful unto me, O God, for man 
gapes after me.  would 
b.  swallow me up, he fighting daily oppresseth me.  
Blessed Lord, my enemy Saul is very earnest and diligent to devour me, he is continually designing some mischief against me, O be thou graciously pleased to interpose thy hand of deliverance for me.  
2. 
my observers gape daily.  Mine enemies would daily swallow me up, for they be many that fight against me, O thou most high.  
I am watched on every side by a multitude of envivious persons, who fain would get me into their snares; but thou, O Lord, art able to disappoint them all.  
3. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.  
When any the greatest cause of fear approacherh me, I have my sure refuge on which I may repose myself, thy over-ruling providence, O Lord.  
4. 
In the Lord his word will I boast.  
c.  In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust, I will not fear what man can do unto me.  
Thou hast promised me thy constant aid; and the fidelity of that and all other thy promises is matter of glorying, and firm confidence to me, and I cannot be brought to apprehended any danger from the malice of men, be it never so great, as long as I have this so impregnable a bulwark to secure me.  
5. Every day they 
depra●●  
d.  wrest my words, all their thoughts are against me for evil.  
My enemies I know are very diligent and industrious, they do their utmost to deprave my words and actions, to put the most odious interpretations upon them; their plots and consultations are wholly spent to work me some mischief.  
6. They 
e.  gather themselves together, they hid themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.  
Very busy they are in meeting, and laying their heads together, they manage it with all secrecy, as so many treacherous spies, they have an evil eye upon every thing I do, and fain would find occasion to ensnare and ruin me.  
7. 
f.  
According to their iniquity abjection shall be to them, or they shall be cast away—  Shall they escape by their iniquity? In thine anger cast down the people, O God.  
Their whole confidence is in their falseness and wickedness, certainly thou wilt not permit such acts to prosper finally; Thy patience will at length be provoked, and then thou wilt suddenly subdue them, and destroy them.  
8. Thou tellest my wanderings, put my tears into thy bottle; are they not in thy book?  
I have been long banished from my home, wandring up and down in great distress, my condition hath been very sad and lamentable. And all this I am sure is particularly considered by thee, thou knowest the 
{untranscribed Hebrew} the dayes of my vagrancy Chald.  dayes of my exile, and vagrant condition, thou reckonest and layest up all the tears that drop from me, for thou hast a sure record, a book of remembrance for all that befalls me, and wilt, I doubt not, in thy good time, vindicate my cause, and deliver me.  
9. When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know, 
that {untranscribed Hebrew}  for God is for me.  
I need no other weapons to discomfit my enemies ●ut my prayers, for of this I have all assurance, that God doth espouse my cause, and in his good time upon my humble and constant addresses to him, he will certainly take my part, and come in seasonably to my rescue.  
10. 
In God ●is word will I glory, in the Lord his word will I glory. See note c.  In God will I praise his word, in the Lord will I praise his word.  
11. In God have I put my trust, I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.  
He is my God, and my Lord, a God of all mercy and goodness, and a Lord of all power and might. The former of th●se hath inclined him to espouse my cause, to make me most gracious promises of preservation and deliverance; and the latter secures me of his strength and fidelity, his ability and readiness to perform them. And this is matter of all joy and comfort to me in my distress; of confidence, that having relied on him, I shall not be forsaken by him, nor fall under the malice and power of any of mine enemies.  
12. Thy vows are upon me, O God, I will render praises unto thee.  
I am under the greatest obligation to return my thanksgiving to thee, and all the oblations of a grateful heart: In this I shall be careful not to fail, but sing praises to thee for ever, who art thus graciously pleased to own and vindicate thy unworthy servant.  
13. For thou hast delivered my soul from death, wilt not thou recover my feet from falling? that I may walk before God in the light of the living.  
Thy preservations I have signally experimented several times, when my very life hath eminently been in danger. And these pledges of thy mercy give me assurance, that thou wilt now rescue me from all my dangers, and give me space and opportunities to live and serve thee, and walk acceptably before thee.  

Annotations on Psalm LVI.  
Tit. Took him] {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies in a latitude not only to apprehended, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  or take or hold as a prisoner, but simply to have, to possess, to contain, to have in ones power. Accordingly, as it is here rendered by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} they had him in their power, so if we consider the story to which it refers, 1 Sam. xxi. we shall find no cause to look upon David as a prisoner at the time which is here spoken of. David indeed at Gath was afraid when they  told Achish, that this was the man of whom the triumphal songs were made, v. 11, 12. But it appears not, that that speech was by the speakers intended to his disadvantage, but only to represent him a considerable revolter or transfuga fled from Saul. And that nothing but kindness was finally meant him, may be gathered from v. 15. where Achish his words are, Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house? It seems he might have been thought fit for the Kings house and presence, had he not been taken for a mad man. Which is very far from a prison being designed him. And 'tis yet farther manifest 1 Sam. xxvii. 1. that David soon after this returned to this place to Achish King of Gath again; which is a sufficient argument, that he apprehended not any real danger, when he was there at the first. From all which 'tis consequent, that as the word {untranscribed Hebrew} must not be rendered in the notion of captivity, or imprisonment, so the deliverances here recounted by the Psalmist are not to be applied to his escape out of the hands of Achish, but belong to the many rescues by God afforded him from Sauls servants, and Court-Sycophants; and so though the title of the Psalm looks only on the Philistim in Gath, yet it takes in the passages following; as Psalm xxxiv, though by the inscription it appear to have been indited, when David changed his behaviour before Achish, takes in also the following story of his dismission( so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies, and is by the Lxxii. rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} dismissed him, by the Chaldee paraphrased, {untranscribed Hebrew} and he left him) and his departure, and the consequents thereof, being penned, as is most probable, at Adullam, or some other place of his after flight, while he was persecuted by, and fled before Saul.  
V. 1. Swallow] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to draw breath, is the metaphorical use of the word for gaping after, desiring earnestly, and so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is here used, for enemies that earnestly desire to get him into their hands. The anti●nt Interpreters generally render it, as if it were from {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew} conculcare, {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Chaldee, he hath trod me under foot, and so the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}. The same word is again repeated in the same sense v. 2. {untranscribed Hebrew} my observers( or those that watch as spies upon me) gape.  
V. 4. In God] That {untranscribed Hebrew} in Piel signifies to praise, there is no doubt; and if it do so here, it will be necessary to soften the phrase, which otherwise sounds somewhat rough, and instead of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which we render literally, In the Lord I will praise his word] to red, The Lord his word will I praise,] which is easily done, if only {untranscribed Hebrew}( as oft it is) be reckoned as a pleonasme. But the word signifies also to glory, or boast, as Psal. x. 3. the wicked {untranscribed Hebrew} boasts, the Targum reads, {untranscribed Hebrew} rejoiceth, or glories in his own hearts desire; and this notion seems better to belong to it here, where it is joined with putting trust in God, for so to glory and boast in God, is to profess dependence on him, and none else, and so the Syriack hath distinctly rendered it {untranscribed Hebrew}, in God will I glory. The Lxxii. seems to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} my words; for they render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, In the Lord I will praise my words, and so the latin, and arabic, and Aethiopick follow them, In Deo laudabo sermons meos, it will not be easy to divine with what sense. What is here said [ in God, and again in God] is with some change repeated v. 10. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in God and {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the Lord. Of these two words the rabbis observe, that {untranscribed Hebrew} God is {untranscribed Hebrew} the attribute of justice, but {untranscribed Hebrew} Lord, {untranscribed Hebrew} the attribute of compassion. And accordingly the Chaldee here reads, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. in the attribute of the justice of God I will praise, or rejoice in his word, {untranscribed Hebrew} in the attribute of his pitty &c. i. e. whether he punish, or he pities, I will praise him, or boast or glory in him.  
V. 5. Wrest] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifying first to grieve, or be in pain, is used by metonymy for any laborious framing, or forming any thing. Here being applied to anothers words, or speeches, it seems to note the depraving them, labouring, and using great art and diligence, to put them into such a form as may be most for the disadvantage of the speaker, turning and winding them to his hurt, putting some odious gloss upon them, and so according to sense, may most fitly be rendered depraving. This perhaps the Lxxii. meant when they rendered it {untranscribed Hebrew}, not as that signifies detesting, abhorring, but making them detestable, putting an odious, abhorred sense upon them. The Syriack here red {untranscribed Hebrew} they took counsel against me, reading {untranscribed Hebrew} by taking counsel, labouring and industriously contriving and consulting, {untranscribed Hebrew} my words, by [ me] and then supposing the preposition {untranscribed Hebrew} against, to be wanting, they thought fit to supply it, and thus to paraphrase this obscure phrase, and make it agree with that which follows, all their thoughts, or contrivances, are against me for evil.  
V. 6. Gather] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that signifies to dwell or to sojourned, signifies also( in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}) to assemble, to meet together, and so the Chaldee interpret it here, {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall assemble together; but the Lxxii. retaining the former notion, render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, they shall inhabit.  
V. 7. Escape] Of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  it is observed by Lexicographers, that as in Kal it signifies to escape or go out, so in Piel, it is used for casting out or throwing away, so saith Kimchi in his roots,( adding that the noun from thence signifies an abject vile person Jud. xii. 4, 5. and Isa. xLv. 20.) so Jon. ii. 10. where the Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew} the fish vomited out Jonah &c. the Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, where it evidently signifies to cast or vomit out; so Le●it. xviii. 25.& 28. the Chaldee useth it of the lands vomiting out its inhabitan●s, and so the rabbis use {untranscribed Hebrew} for ●omit. And then the place will be thus literally interpretable, {untranscribed Hebrew} for, or according to their iniquity, {untranscribed Hebrew} abjection, casting, or vomiting out shall be to them, i. e. they shall, as vile persons, be rejected and cast out by God. And thus the Chaldee appear to have understood it, who render it {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall be empty or vile; and to this best connects that which follows in the verse, In thine anger cast down the people.    

The Fifty Seventh Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, 
a.  Altaschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the Cave.  
The fifty seventh Psalm was composed by David, on occasion of what happened in Sauls pursuing him, 1 Sam. xxiv. when David finding Saul in the Cave, might have killed him if he would, but spared him, and thereby gave him assurance of his friendship( and not, as he had been calunniated, enmity) to him. It was set to the tune of a former Psalm, which began with the words, Destroy me not, and it is( as the former) styled his jewel( see note on Psal. xvi. a.) in respect of the greatness of the mercy recounted in it. It was committed to the perfect of his music.  
1. Be merciful unto me, O Lord, be merciful unto me, for my soul trusteth in thee: yea in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.  
To thee O Lord I make my most affectionate and humble address, relying on thee, reposing my whole trust in thee, neither seeking nor projecting any means of safety to myself, save that which consists in thine only aid and protection. Be thou mercifully pleased to afford me this at this time, and continue it, till this persecution be over.  
2. I will cry unto God most high, unto God that 
performeth for me {untranscribed Hebrew}  performeth all things for me.  
The Lord that hath espoused my cause, is a God of might. All that I ever received, hath been from him, my deliverances his immediate vouchsafements; to him therefore now do I with all cheerful confidence address my supplications.  
3. He shall sand from heaven and save me 
he hath put to shane.  from 
b.  the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall sand forth his mercy and his truth.  
When m●licious-minded men are most bitt●rly set against me, even to devour and destroy me utterly, God shall s●nd me relief from his throne, by some means which he shall think fittest to choose for me, by his 
so the Chald.  Angels, or by his gracious overruling providence, dis●ppointing those that had these bloody designs against me He hath bound himself by promise, and so both his mercy and fidelity are conc●rned in it, and he will make good both unto me.  
4. 
I ly, or, my soul, I ly among lions, the s●●s of men o● set on fire, their teeth.  
c.  My Soul is among Lions, and I lye even among them ●hat are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.  
My life is in the same dang●● as if I were encompassed with Lions; vi●ulent ●en, such as are continually in flaming and inciting ●aul to pu●sue and destroy me, never say any thing but with some bloody design of bringing mischief upon me.  
5. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens, let thy glory be above all the earth.  
Lord, he thou pleased to res●ue and out of thi d●nger, and so to magnify thy own glory over the pride and malice of the greatest men, by discomfiting and frustrating the designs of such.  
6. They have prepared a net for my steps, my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst of which they are fallen themselves. Selah.  
They have designed very treacherously against me, like fowlers th●t by digging holes, and laying 'gins or toils in them, ensnare the simplo unwary bide: and God hath disappointed them in all their designs, brought on them what they had projected against me.  
7. My heart is 
prepared {untranscribed Hebrew} see 2 Chr. 30.19. Ezr. 7.10. Ps. 10.17.  fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing, and give praise.  
This is enough to raise and enl●ven, and inspirit any mans heart, to praise and magnify the mercy of so signal a deliverance. And as there is nothing so fit, so nothing that I shall more readily perform.  
8. Awake up my glory, awake Psaltery and harp, 
I will awake the morning.  I myself will 
d.  awake early.  
My tongue( see Psal. xvi. note i.) shall begin the hy n, and the instruments of music shall follow in a cheerful and melodious note, they shall no longer lye idle, when such eminent mercies exact their acknowledgements, and my heart, whose tribute is most due, and every member of my body, faculty of my soul, and action of my life shall be most diligent in an ea●ly payment of it.  
9. I will praise thee, O God, among the people, I will sing unto thee among the nations.  
My acknowledgement shall no● e made to thee in private only, but in the midst of the congregation, with the greatest solemnity possible, calling all others to assist me in so weighty a work.  
10. For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto 
e.  the 
Sky.  clouds.  
For thou hast in a most eminent manner, made good thy great mercy most undeservedly and graciously promised to me, and thereby thy fidelity also.  
11. Be thou exalted, Lord, above the heavens, 
or thy glory is ‖ let thy glory be above all the earth.  
Lord, be thou pleased to rescue me out of this present danger, and so to magnify thy own glory over the pride and malice of the greatest men by disappointing and frustrating their designs against me( see v. 5.)  

Annotations on Psalm LVII.  
Tit. Altaschith] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} perdidit, is a form of deprecation[ destroy not.] It is four times used in the titles of the Psalms, in this, and the two next succeeding Lviii. and Lix. and Lxxv. This makes the Chaldees gloss improbable, viz. that it was composed at a time, when he said Destroy me not, for that will not fitly be applicable to any, much less to all of these. 'tis much more probable that as many other titles of the Psalms, so this was designed to denote the melody or tune to which it was set, the same that had formerly belonged to some Psalm or hymn, beginning with those words, {untranscribed Hebrew} destroy not.  
V. 3. The reproach] All the ancient Interpreters make {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a verb( and so sure it is of the preterperfect tense in Piel) and apply it to God, that he shall deliver David, having shamed or reproached his enemies. So the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} he hath reproached, the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} and he shamed or reproached. So before them the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Vulgar dedit in opprobrium, he gave to reproach, and accordingly the arabic and Aethiopick. And in all reason so we are to render it, rather then imagine the praefix {untranscribed Hebrew} to be wanting. But another rendering the words are also capable of, {untranscribed Hebrew} he that would swallow me up hath reproach't or railed against me.  
V. 4. My soul] The rendering of this fourth verse will depend upon the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  my soul. This, according to the most usual notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}, signifies no more then I myself, and then it may not improbably connect with {untranscribed Hebrew} in the first person my soul, i. e. I lye among Lions: If not so, yet retaining the literal rendering [ my soul] that may be taken in the vocative case, as part of a soliloquy, O my soul, I lye— In either of these rendrings the following words will flow readily, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the sons of men are set on fire, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. their teeth are spears—  
V. 8. Awake] {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} is most fitly to be taken in the transitive sense for exciting or stirring up, and so awakening. So 'tis generally taken, and then {untranscribed Hebrew} being a noun, that signifies the dawning first light of the morning, the phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  will be best rendered, I will awake the morning, a poetic strain, imitated by Ovid, and frequent among Poets, Non vigil ales ibi cristati cantibus oris Evoca● auroram, The cock by his crowing calls not up the morning there.  
V. 10. The clouds] From {untranscribed Hebrew} comminuit, is the noun {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the heaven, from the thinness of the substance thereof. And it seems to be taken not for the aerial part( which contains the Clouds) but the ethereal, which comprehends the Sun, Moon, and Stars. So Psal. Lxxxix. 37. where the Moon is called the faithful witness {untranscribed Hebrew} in heaven. So v. 6. Who in the heaven {untranscribed Hebrew} shall be compared unto the Lord? meaning the highest heavens, not the clouds. So Isa. xLv. 8. {untranscribed Hebrew} in the plural, Let the heavens distil righteousness, to signify not the clouds that distil the due( as the Chaldee there understands, and renders it, {untranscribed Hebrew} and the clouds) but God the Lord, that doth all these things v. 7. so Jer. Li. 9. is lifted up to {untranscribed Hebrew}, where the Chaldee renders {untranscribed Hebrew} the heavens of heavens, or highest heavens. I suppose there in the notion of the highest heavens, though that phrase do not always signify so( see note on Psal. cxLviii. 4.) And so in this place {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the former part of the verse regularly signifies the regions of the air, frequently called {untranscribed Hebrew} heavens; and then in all reason {untranscribed Hebrew} shall signify not the same again, but the ethereal regions, and so will best be rendered, Sky, the seat of the stars: the Chaldee retaineth the same word, only changed into the plural, {untranscribed Hebrew}, heavens, the Syriack al●o, departing from the Lxxii.( which red {untranscribed Hebrew} clouds) render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, to the heavens of heavens. The Jewish Arab renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} from a root differing from the Hebrew only by the change of {untranscribed Hebrew} into {untranscribed Hebrew}, which though not usually found applied to the heavens, yet may well signify the highest of them, properly signifying heights, as joined with the name of mountain, the heights or highest tops of the mountains, and that is the peculiar style for the ethereal bodies, {untranscribed Hebrew} heights, and {untranscribed Hebrew} the highest, which makes it reasonable for us to render it Sky, and not Clouds.    

The Fifty Eighth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, Altaschith, Michtam o● David.  
The fifty eighth Psalm is a contemplation of the injustice and incorrigible wickedness of men, especially of his enemies that exasperated Saul against him, together with Gods unex●ected speedy vengeance on them.' Tw●s set to the tune which began with the words, Destroy not,( s●e note on Psal. lvii. a.) and( as several others) styled Davids jewel, because of the signal acts of Gods just judgm●nt mentioned in it,( see note on Psal. xvi. a.) and was composed by David, and committed to the Praefect of his music.  
1. do ye indeed speak righteousness, O 
congregation {untranscribed Hebrew}  congregations? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?  
'tis lamentable to consider how little truth and justice is left in the world, even among those whose quality most exacts it from them.  
3. Yea in heart ye work wickedness, 
on the earth; Your hands, or, you with your hands frame violence.  you 
a.  weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.  
All their thoughts and designs are continually employed in mischief, all the business of their lives to fit it, and frame it, perfect and compass it to the best advantage.  
3. The wicked are estranged 
b.  from the womb; they go astray 
from the belly {untranscribed Hebrew}  as soon as they be born, speaking lies.  
'vice begins and takes possession of them very early, from their very birth, as it were; in their very first and tenderest childhood, they transgress the rules of justice, tell lies as soon as they are able to speak; the corruption of their nature soon shows itself in inclinations to ill, and they make not use of divine grace, or human discipline, to restrain it, bu● set out, and begin their age with sinning, and so proceed without reformation.  
4. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like 
c.  the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear,  
5. Which will not hea●ken to the voice of the 
d.  charmers, 
the wisard that useth incantations.  charming never so wisely.  
They are full of nothing but wickedness, therein to be resembled to serpents, the most poisonous noxiou● creatures: and one resemblance more they have to one famous sort of se●pents, those of whom the naturalists say, that being deaf of one ear by nature, they have a way of making themselves perfectly deaf, on purpose to preserve themselves from the force of the wisards charms, designed to lull them asleep and take them. And thus do these ●bstinate incorrigible men resolve never to admit or harken to any means, which may have force to persuade th●m to leave their wicked ways, are to all methods of working their reformation impregnable, and impersuasible.  
6. 
Thou wilt break {untranscribed Hebrew}  Break their 
e.  teeth, O God, in their mouth; break out the 
grinders {untranscribed Hebrew}  great teeth of the young Lions, O Lord.  
But God will disappoint their poisonous and mischievous designs; he will weaken and disable them, deprive them of the weapons, or opportunities of their malice; as snakes or serpents that have their teeth pulled out: and for the more violent open oppressors, that Lion-like invade the innocent, he will disarm them of those instruments whereby they rend and enjoy their prey; and though their ravenous wicked inclinations and appetites remain, yet shall God restrain them from breaking out, to the destroying of his servants.  
7. 
They shall melt as waters go from themselves; he shall direct his arrows ( see note on Ps. 64. a.) as if they were cut asunder.  Let them melt away as waters that 
f.  run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be cut in pieces.  
Their preparations and forces shall be routed, all their designs disappointed and frustrated, never attaining the end which their malice had projected to the hurt of others.  
8. As a 
g.  snail that melteth, 
he shall pass away as the decid●: u● fallen, or dead embry●n of a w●man, they shall not—  let every one of them pass away, like the untimely fruit of a woman, that they may not see the sun.  
As a snail melts, and exhausts, and utterly consumes itself, when it goes out of the shell, every motion tends to the dissolving and melting of it; or as an embryo in the womb, when the ligatures of life are dissolved, presently pines away, and comes to nought; so shall they and all their malicious designs be blasted and frustrated and destroyed, and never arrive or attain to their desired success.  
9. Before your 
h.  
●r thorns know the brier.  pots can feel the thorns, he shall 
hurry them away as it were alive, as it were in fury; or so shall rawness, so shall anguish knew them, or affright them.  take them away as with a whirlwind, both living and in his wrath.  
And the unexpected suddenness of this is oft very observable: You cannot imagine a cauldron, with a flamme of brambles or thorns under it, to be sooner heated, and that which is in it scalded by the fire, or a thorn and a brier entangled one in another, than this vexation, or destruction and discomfiture is wrought on wicked men: As a tempest, or whirlwind, or as a man in a rage hurries away any thing, so shall the wicked be hurried away, seized on, and carried alive, as it were, in a trice, before they can think of any means to prevent it.  
10. The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance; he shall 
i.  wash his footsteps in the blood of the wicked.  
All good men shall see, and observe this dealing of God with these, and bless his name for their own deliverance out of their hands, and receive benefit and confirmation by sight of this vengeance that falls on them.  
11. 
And {untranscribed Hebrew}  So that a man shall say, Verily there is 
fruit {untranscribed Hebrew}  a reward for the righteous; verily he is a God that judgeth the earth.  
And all that behold it shall be forced to aclowledge, that piety and virtue are matters of advantage and benefit in this world,( abstracted from all reward in another life;) disappointments, and sudden blasts, and destructions being the ordinary guerdon of impiety, and peace and prosperity of conscientious and pious dealing, of justice, and of charity. And this on both sides an infallible evidence of conviction, that this world is not governed by chance, but administered and managed by an almighty, alwise, and most just providence.  

Annotations on Psalm LVIII.  
V. 2. Weigh] All the ancient Interpreters consent to annex {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  on the earth] to the former part of the verse: {untranscribed Hebrew}, ye work wickedness on the earth, say the Lxxii. and so the Chaldee, and Syriack, &c. by that meaning all the space that they live upon the earth in this world. Then for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  your hands,] they generally render it so, as to go before, and govern the verb {untranscribed Hebrew}: so the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}; and the vulgar, injustitias manus vestrae concinnant, your hands wove, or frame wickedness; the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} your hands prepare evil; and the rest after the same manner,( only the Jewish Arab goes the other way, reading, In the regions you weigh the injustice of your hands.) And in case the verb( as it will bear) should be in the second person, there will yet be no reason to join {untranscribed Hebrew} to {untranscribed Hebrew} the iniquity of your hands: The more probable rendering will be by understanding the preposition {untranscribed Hebrew}( prefixed to {untranscribed Hebrew} heart in the former part of the verse, and so fit to be {untranscribed Hebrew} repeated here) in, or with the heart ye work wickedness on the earth, with your hands you frame or prepare violence. The word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies to weigh in a balance, and to frame any thing by rule and line: and in this latter sense the Chaldee understand it, rendering it by {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to prepare, or fit, or frame any thing; and herein the latin choose to follow them( rather than the Lxxii.) concinnant, they frame, which the Lxxii. more loosely and paraphrastically render, {untranscribed Hebrew} they complicate, as that signifies weaving, or texture, and so by a metaphor, framing also.  
3. From the womb] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from the womb, and from the belly, are not strictly to be taken for the hour or minute after birth, as if they did actually sin, or tell lies, as soon as ever they were born; but in that latitude that aversions( so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies) and straying and speaking lies are capable of, i. e. as soon as they are by age, and understanding, and use of their faculties qualified for sinning, which is not many moneths after their birth, they do actually fall into sin, and accordingly grow up with it, without reformation.  
V. 4. Deaf adder] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the deaf viper, or adder, is said to be so called, because( saith Schindler in the word {untranscribed Hebrew}) being deaf of one ear, he useth to stop the other with dust, or with his tail, to avoid the force of charms or incantations wherewith he is wont to be caught. Of this art of catching Dragons in India, Philostratus gives an account in the 
l. iii. c. 2. p. 113. A.  life of Apollonius; On the mountain, saith he, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they are wont to hunt the dragons; and there are three parts of the prise, when they are caught( {untranscribed Hebrew}, the eyes, 
p. 114. B.  the skin, and the teeth, but especially the first, the apple of their eyes being {untranscribed Hebrew} a ston bright as fire, 
Ib. A. 115. A.  {untranscribed Hebrew}, florid and sparkling out all manner of colours, and of secret and unspeakable efficacy, such as Gyges his ring is said to be. The hope of this gain stirs up the inhabitants to use all arts to circumvent and take them. And this is the Indian manner of it, 
p. 114. C.  {untranscribed Hebrew}— they take a scarlet coat embroidered with golden letters, and spread it before the serpents hole, and these golden letters have a fascinating power over him, and therewith his ●yess, though as hard as stones, are yet overcome and laid to sleep. And besides, {untranscribed Hebrew}, They have Charms of hidden wisdom( or sorcery) which they use to him, and thereby he is brought to put his neck out of the hole, and sleep upon the golden letters, and then the Indian taking that advantage cutteth off his head with an axe, and seizeth upon his prey, the stones which he finds in the head. Here is a signal testimony of the received custom of charming or enchanting of serpents, very agreeable to the expression of the Chaldee h●re, which stiles it the voice of enchanting words, which bind the Serpents, i. e. lay them fast asleep. For the avoiding of which danger, the deaf adder, so called, because he hears but of one ear, is supposed to stop his other ear, and so to secure himself. Whether there be exact truth in this, is not material to the Psalmists use of it, or to the explicating the meaning of this allusion, which as from a thing vulgarly believed, sets forth the matter in hand, the impersuasibleness of wicked men, who will not be wrought upon by any the wisest and divinest arts of persuasion, to forsake his course, or be won and gained and caught to virtue, but fortifies himself impregnable against all such artifices, that he can foresee likely to have efficacy upon him.  
V. 5. Charmers] {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to murmur or whisper, signifies those that use charms. As for the other part of the verse, it will best be understood by joining the last word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the wise, or wisard, by way of apposition to the charmers precedent; and then with that will connect {untranscribed Hebrew} that enchants enchantments, i. e. useth all the enchantments he is furnished with, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} ( from {untranscribed Hebrew} to associate) denoting a conjurer, or enchanter, that either brings many creatures into one place by his charms, or else stills them, that they shall not hurt, by that means. And then the phrase [ enchanting enchantments] is but ordinary Hebrew style, very frequent in all words where any {untranscribed Hebrew} aggravation is to be expressed.  
V. 6. Teeth] The mention of [ teeth] in this first place, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  with the relative [ their,] looks most probably on the adders or serpents immediately foregoing, whose poison and noxious power is in their teeth, and the way to disarm a snake is to deprive him of his teeth. This they that keep them tame usually do, by putting to them a piece of read cloth in which they love to fix their teeth, and so draw them out. And breaking them is equivalent to drawing them. This mention of teeth fairly introduces that which follows concerning the Lion, whose doing mischief with that part is more violent and formidable, and so signifies the open riotous invader, the violent and lawless person, as the serpents teeth the more secret undiscernible wounds of the whisperer, or backbiter, which yet are as dangerous and destructive as the former, by the smallest prick killing him on whom they fasten.  
V. 7. Run] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} ( from {untranscribed Hebrew} going or going away) will be here best joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} as waters, and rendered thus, They shall melt as waters depart or go {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from themselves( so the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall fall away from themselves) this being the nature of water, when it is not cooped up in some vessel, or enclosed within banks, to run about, to depart from its own spherical nature, and every part to leave the other( so the Jewish Arab reads, let them be dissolved as waters, that go their way) or when it is in a current, continually to flow, and not remain: and so the resemblance is most fit to describe the destruction which is here aboded to the wicked, by way of melting or falling asunder, which is nothing else but the departing of one part from the other, so as not to return again to their state. To this well accords the other part of this verse, He shall direct or sand out his arrows, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as if they were cut in sunder( from {untranscribed Hebrew} to cut in pieces:) i. e. when he prepares his arrows, sends out the instruments of his malice, they shall not come to their designed mark; but, as when arrows are cut in sunder, before they go out of the bow the pieces fly not out, but fall presently to the ground, so shall it be with his intended mischiefs, they shall be frustrated, disappointed utterly, unable to hurt any man. Abu Walid observes of the word {untranscribed Hebrew}, that it implies as much as if 'twere said, let them be cut in two like straws. And the Jewish Arab, though he interpret the former part by change of the person, [ when thou settest thine arrows to the string against them] yet in this part he agrees, [ so let them be cut off as an ear of corn.] The noun {untranscribed Hebrew} we have Deut. xxiii. 26. for stalks, or ears of corn; and if the verb may draw any signification from thence, then this will be the meaning, that their arrows, when shot, should fall asunder, like the ear from the straw, to which Job seems to refer ch. xLi. 27.29. He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood, Darts are counted as stubble, &c. In the beginning of the verse, for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  shall melt, from {untranscribed Hebrew} liquefacit, the Lxxii. reads {untranscribed Hebrew}, which is thought to signify being despised or contemned, and so to be the rendering of {untranscribed Hebrew} sprevit: but {untranscribed Hebrew} may rather be understood there for bringing to nothing, and so the vulgar latin understood the Lxxii. who red ad nihilum devenient, they shall come to nothing; and so it is a clear periphrasis of the melting which the Hebrew designed, and fitly agrees to the resemblance of water falling on a plain, where it runs abroad, and comes to nothing.  
V. 8. snail] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here signifies cannot be certainly defined, being but this once in the whole Bible. The Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew} as wax, and the Syriack and latin &c. follow them. And if it be thus rendered, then the verb {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which is joined to it, must be taken in the arabic notion of it( not unusual in the Bible) for perishing and being destroyed, or in the notion wherein 'tis used here v. 7. of waters which go from themselves, and is there a resemblance of melting. But the Chaldee may also deserve to be heard, who red {untranscribed Hebrew} as a reptile, or crawling &c. which interpreting the word of some creeping thing, which is an eminent example of melting, seems to apply it to a snail,( which notion Abu Walid prefers before any) when he goes out of his shell,( to which also the[ {untranscribed Hebrew} walking or going out] fitly agrees) which melts and leaves the marks thereof behind, wheresoever he goes, {untranscribed Hebrew} wets or moistens his way, saith the Chaldee, till at length by degrees he consumes and destroys himself. And with this agrees the latter part of the verse, that other resemblance of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the abortive, or as the word from {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies, the falling fruit of a woman, meaning the child in the womb, when by the dissolving of the ligatures, by which it is knit to the womb, and by which it receives all its nourishment, it falls down, and if it continue in the womb, from that time it presently melts and co●sumes away, as the snail did by going out of his shell. For this the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} the fire fell( and so the latin and Syriack, &c.) reading it seems {untranscribed Hebrew}, and applying it to the wax precedent: As on the other side, the Chaldee, looking forward to the conclusion of the verse, of not seeing the sun, for {untranscribed Hebrew} the woman, red {untranscribed Hebrew} the mole, and so join that with the abortive child, as an abortive and blind mole( so false conceptions, or lifeless embryons are wont to be called) which see not the sun. But the Hebrew will best be rendered so, as the snail and the child dead in the womb may be the two resemblances to express the blasting of the wicked mans designs; and then the not seeing the sun] be applied only to the wicked, not either to the snail, or that fruit in the womb( though in the latter of them it certainly holds also) that he shall not see the sun, i. e. shall not bring his designed or projected malice to light, shall be disappointed and blasted, and consumed, before he bring it forth.  
V. 9. pots] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies two things, a thorn, and a pot or vessel to be set over the fire. In the latter sense the Lxxii.( though they here, and Eccl. vii. 7. render it in the former {untranscribed Hebrew}, and Hos. ii. 6. {untranscribed Hebrew}) do oft take it and render it {untranscribed Hebrew} cauldron, 22. times, and {untranscribed Hebrew} brass-pot twice, and {untranscribed Hebrew}, which we render pot 2 Chron. iv. 11. and {untranscribed Hebrew} a pan, Exod. xxvii. 3. and xxxviii 3. and Jer. Lii. 18. and {untranscribed Hebrew} a cauldron, Jer. Lii. 19. And if we shall here take it in that sense, then for the pot to understand( so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies) or rather to feel the thorns, i. e. the fire that is made of thorns( a quick and scorching fire) will be no more then to be heated by a fire of thorns: That is very instantly done, the fire is instantly kindled into a great flamme, and so the Cauldrons that are over it are soon heated, and what is in them, scalded by it. This resemblance therefore is fitly set to express the swiftness of wicked mens destruction, and hath the same importance, that the Greek adage, {untranscribed Hebrew}, or the latin, citius quam asparagi coquuntur, sooner then asparagus is boiled.( which yet is so very little while a doing.) But the LXXII. as was said, render {untranscribed Hebrew} here in the other notion by {untranscribed Hebrew} thorns; and so it may also signify. For thorns and briars, {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew}, being both noxious shrubs, of the same kind, full of hooks and prickles, upon the first touch are united and clasped fast together, entangled in one another, and grow one upon the sudden, have an intimate acquaintance as it were( the importance of {untranscribed Hebrew}) upon the first meeting. And in this sense there is ground also for the Proverb, especially when there is speech of divers naughty persons( as here there is) agreeing one with the other in their irregular entangling figures, i. e. in the like mischievous dispositions. And to this purpose is that adage in Aristotle, Moral. l. vii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, One thief, and one wolf or rapacious person knoweth another. And then it will be thus rendered, Ere your thorns understand or know the brier, ere they are combined together, where they can grow acquainted( which they usually do at their very first encounter, and can hardly be got asunder again) {untranscribed Hebrew} so &c. These latter words( as the former, and in proportion with them) are also capable of a double interpretation. For if {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  be taken, as most frequently it is, for vivum living, then most probably {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  must be rendered in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} horruit, or horripilavit, horror or staring of the hair, caused by fright, or of {untranscribed Hebrew}( changing {untranscribed Hebrew} into {untranscribed Hebrew}) carrying away with a whirlwind or tempest; and then the latter part will be thus rendered, so shall he affright and perplex them, or so shall he hurry them away with a whirlwind, as it were alive( as when the earth swallowed up Coreh) and( again) as in anger or su●y. For when a man is in rage, then he hurries them away with whom he is thus displeased, and stays not first to kill, and then carry away, which requires time, but as it were alive hurries them tempestuously no man knows whither, by both these noting the swiftness and terrible●ess of it. And though God be not capable of such incitation, yet {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as if he were thus in a rage or incitation, he will thus hurry them away, as it were alive. And so this may be the meaning of the phrase, if only we suppose an ellipsis of {untranscribed Hebrew} in before {untranscribed Hebrew}, and red as it were in anger, or fury; but it is possible {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  may be substantively taken, and be of some affinity with {untranscribed Hebrew}, and then both these join together in the nominative case. To which purpose it may be considered that Levit. xiii. 16. in the examination of the leper, {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies raw flesh, and so our old translation here took it, rendering it a thing that is raw. And then rawness and anger( in that dialect, wherein we call a sore angry, which is painful or inflamed) will signify jointly that anguish which proceeds from an inflamed wound, and thus be rendered, so shall rawness, so shall anger, or inflammation( {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} inflammatus est) affright, or perplex them. Beside this, the arabic notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is considerable, for knowing or understanding; and then there will be a farther elegancy, in allusion to the knowing of the briars and thorns forementioned, and the rendering thus, Ere the thorns know the briars, so shall rawness, so shall inflammation or anguish know them. And if {untranscribed Hebrew} will bear this sense proposed, this will be a fair and ready meaning of the passage.  
V. 10. Wash his footsteps] {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies primarily( from {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  impulit) an hammer, then the soles of the feet by which the earth is trodden on, or beaten: so the LXXII.( though here they red {untranscribed Hebrew} hands) render it Psal. xvii. 5. {untranscribed Hebrew} my footsteps, where the Chaldee hath {untranscribed Hebrew} my feet. As for the phrase, washing their feet in the blood of the ungodly, it literally signifies the plentiful effusion of the blood of wicked men, which the godly live to see; but figuratively to refresh( as washing of feet was designed to weary travellers) to recreate, and withall to benefit and profit them( as bathing was a principal part of the ancient medicine;) and so, besides the thankful acknowledgement of Gods mercy to them, in thus destroying their enemies,( which is some refreshment to those that are under their persecution) they receive profitable document also, to cleave fast to God, and the practise of all virtue, which hath this assurance to be secured and remunerated in this life.    

The Fifty Ninth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David, when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.  
The fifty ninth Psalm was composed on a special occasion, set down 1 Sam. xix. 11. when, after Sauls casting his javelin at David, he fled to his own house, and Saul sent messengers to watch the house in the night, that they might slay him in the morning, but David being by Michals help let down by a window, escaped, v. 20. This Psalm, as the former, was called his jewel, and was set to the tune forementioned( Psal. lvii. a.) and committed to the Praefect of his music.  
1. Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me.  
2. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from the bloody man.  
O thou my most gracious God, mine only Protector and Defender, be thou pleased to interpose thine hand, to rescue me out of the power of my wicked and blood-thirsty enemies.  
3. For lo, they ly in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me, not for my transgression, not for my sin, O Lord.  
4. They run and prepare without my fault: awake to help me, and behold.  
Now is a season for this thy special interposition, for the aid and relief of thy all-seeing providence; for now Saul and his servants have designed my death: and though I never in the least provoked him, but, on the other side, have deserved very well of him, yet are they resolved to entrap and catch me, and then to take away my life.  
5. Thou therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all 
or nations. {untranscribed Hebrew}  the heathen, be not merciful to any wicked transgressor. Selah.  
Now therefore, O thou most powerful God, which canst with the least beck of thine discomfit the strongest forces, and hast promised to watch over thy faithful servants, be thou pleased to show forth thy just judgments among men, to vindicate the innocent, and to dissipate all obstinate wilful sinners( see v. 8. and Psal 10.16.) This thou wilt certainly do, who art the upright judge of all the world: and though thou wilt pardon, and accept upon their repentance and amendment, the lapses of thy servants; yet 'tis certain, that even in thy covenant of mercy there is no relief for the wilful and impenitent: And this abodes most sadly to Saul at this time.  
6. They return at evening; they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.  
As hungry dogges that come home at evening, and are very unquiet, and go about the walls of the city for C●rrion, dead carcases cast out thither, or any thing else that may satisfy their hunger; so do the servants of Saul pursue and seek after my life, with the greatest impatience and greediness that is possible.  
7. Behold, they 
a.  
speak with  belch out with their mouth, swords are in their lips; for, 
or who doth hear, or obey {untranscribed Hebrew}  Who, say they, doth hear?  
All their consu●tations and discourse is to contrive how they may take away my life; and herein they go on unanimously, no man among them makes conscience of duty,( as if there were never a God in heaven, to observe and punish such injustice and violence.)  
8. But thou, O Lord, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all 
or nations {untranscribed Hebrew}  the heathen in derision.  
But thou, O Lord, art a beholder of all their actions, as of all things else that are done in the world: whosoever hath any design contrary to thee,( see v. 5.) though thou permit him a while, yet in thy season thou shalt disappoint and punish him. This is the method of thy providence over all the people of the world; and thus shalt thou now do in this ease, disappoint and frustrate all them that watch to take away my life.  
9. 
b.  
His strength will I repose on thee, or, his strength will I ward or keep myself from, at thee,  Because of his strength will I wait upon thee; for God is my defence.  
The God of heaven is the only safeguard and security, the only means of protection I have, or can pretend to; therefore on him only will I depend for relief, or rescue from this danger.  
10. The God of 
or, his. see note b.  my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies.  
All the good that can ever befall me comes from the mere grace and mercy of God; on that therefore I wait with confidence, and implore with humility, that he will now timely afford it me, and disappo●nt and discomfit mine enemies.  
11. 
c.  Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by thy power, and bring them down, O Lord our shield.  
As for the manner of it, that must also be referred to the wisdom of thy choice, to do it in such a way as may have the deepest and most lasting impression on the beholders: and that it will not so probably do, if thou involve them in one speedy universal slaughter, which, though it may affect the beholders at the time, will be soon forgotten again; but by some more lingering way, scattering them first, and then rendering them the objects of contempt, calling them severally into a very low condition in their dispersions; for that will continue to mind men of this work of thy vengeance, to which all these evils are naturally consequent. And this is the method that thou wilt now use in discomfiting them, and defending me.  
12. 
The sin of their mouth is the word of their lips, and they shall be taken  For 
d.  the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, let them e●en be taken in their pride, and for 
perjury {untranscribed Hebrew}  cursing and lying which they speak.  
This have they justly brought upon themselves by their perjurious falseness and boldness, their maligning and threatening those which never deserved ill of them, and their continual going on, and obstinate impersuasiblenesse therein.  
13. Consume them in thy wrath, consume them that they may not be; 
and they shall k●●●, {untranscribed Hebrew}  and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob, unto the ends of the earth. Selah.  
And thus shall God certainly deal with them, sending punishment upon punishment till they be quiter destroyed; and this in so signal a manner, that all that beh●ld it shall discern Gods judgement in it, and his particular providence in the government of the world.  
14. And at evening 
they shall return, {untranscribed Hebrew}  l●t them return, and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.  
Under this judgement of Gods, they shall indeed be what their own voluntary sins had made them before, v. 6. the hunger of the dog shall be their plague, as the ravenousness hath before been their sin.  
15. Let them wander up and down for meat, 
if they be not satisfied and continue all night.  and 
e.  grudge if they be not satisfied.  
A beggarly and indigent, and so an unsatisfied and wearisome condition, shall be their lot, the greatest worldly plague that can fall on any, large appetites, and no possessions or acquests to satisfy them. 
They shall wander, {untranscribed Hebrew}   
16. But I will sing of thy power; yea I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.  
Mean while I am eternally obliged to proclaim thy power and might, and withall to make my solemnest acknowledgements of thy favour and goodness to me, and to make this the matter of my daily morning lauds, that in my greatest distress thou hast thus delivered and secured me.  
17. Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, 
God is my mercy, {untranscribed Hebrew}  and the God of my mercy.  
To thee therefore I thus come, with all the rejoicing of an humble heart, as to one that never fails to relieve, when I want relief, and so eminently to make good his promised bounty toward me.〈…〉  

Annotations on Psalm LIX.  
V. 7. Belch] From {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  scaturivit, is the same word used in a metaphorical sense, for pouring out words, as a spring doth water, and simply for speaking, as Psal. LXXVIII. 2. {untranscribed Hebrew} I will utter dark sayings, and Psal. xix. 3. night unto night {untranscribed Hebrew} shall utter a word, and Prov. i. 23. {untranscribed Hebrew} I will declare to you. And so in all reason here {untranscribed Hebrew} they speak with their mouths, and swords are in their lips, i. e. whensoever they speak or say any thing, 'tis some bloody matter or other: and accordingly as the Chaldee retain the Hebrew word, so the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin loquentur, they will speak; and the Syriack more expressly {untranscribed Hebrew} the word of their mouth a sword in their lips.  
V. 9. Because of his strength] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here signifies, is somewhat hard to determine. 'tis literally to be rendered his strength; yet all the ancient interpreters, as now we have them, render it, as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew} my strength; {untranscribed Hebrew} my strength, saith the Chaldee, and {untranscribed Hebrew}, my strength, the Lxxii. and the latin, fortitudinem meam. And so the context may be deemed to require, which joins it with {untranscribed Hebrew} to thee, as if it were thus to be rendered, my strength will I keep or repose with, or on thee,( taking {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} in the notion of reposuit, as it sometimes signifies) for God is my defence. This interpretation of the phrase is generally pitched on by the interpreters, save that the Syriack takes a greater liberty of paraphrase, and reads, {untranscribed Hebrew} O God, I will glorify thee,( upon the same account, I suppose, that Psal. viii. 2. for strength the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} praise) by that yet meaning to express the true power of the phrase; the reposing ones strength on God, being indeed the glorifying and blessing him for all the strength one hath. And should this be resolved on to be the sense, the words might yet remain unchanged, as our Hebrew now reads them, {untranscribed Hebrew} his, i. e. Gods strength; thereby meaning that strength which I have from God: in which respect Gods strength and mine are all one: what is mine, as of the receiver, is his, as the donor; and when it is given me, yet it is not so mine, as to cease to be his, but still remains much more properly his than mine, as being free to him to withdraw it when he will; his principally and originally, and in fullness, and mine only derivatively, imperfectly, and dependently from him; I am a tenant at will, to be put out of possession when he pleaseth. And for the seeming incongruity between [ his] and [ to thee] it is not new, but frequent in the Hebrew, which oft pass from one tense, and from one number, and from one person, to another. The very next words are an example of it, for after God, mentioned in the second person, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to thee, follows immediately in the third, for God is my defence. And indeed {untranscribed Hebrew} his strength agreeing so well with God, in the end of the verse, and the sense lying thus, God is my defence, therefore his strength will I repose on thee, i. e. on God, the appearance of incongruity will not be in {untranscribed Hebrew} his strength, but rather in {untranscribed Hebrew} to thee. But neither is that new or strange▪ the transition from one person to another being so very ordinary. In the next verses we have {untranscribed Hebrew} his mercy, with the points of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  my mercy, the cheer being for the one, and the chetib for the other. And accordingly, of the interpreters, some red the one, some the other, both certainly meaning the same thing; the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} the God of my grace or goodness or mercy, but the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, my God his mercy, and so the latin; but the Syriack in the middle between both, {untranscribed Hebrew} O Lord, thy grace— Thus much hath been said in compliance with the rendrings of the ancient interpreters, as we now red them. But there is another notion of the phrase, of which it is capable; as {untranscribed Hebrew} his strength] may be understood of the strength or forces of Saul sent against David to watch the house, in the title of the Psalm, and as {untranscribed Hebrew} may be rendered I will guard, or look to, or beware of, or keep myself from, so as to avoid the danger of this strength of his,& this {untranscribed Hebrew} at, or with, or by flying to thee, i. e. to God, as he is {untranscribed Hebrew} my, i. e. Davids refuge, in the end of the verse. And thus the words most probably signify, his strength I will ward, or avoid, or beware or take heed of at thee. And if the composure seem harsh or strange, it must be imputed to the poetry, which consists principally in affinity of words or sounds, and light variations, and correspondencies observed betwixt several parts of the composure. Saul sent, {untranscribed Hebrew} and they guarded( in the sense of besieging) the house, in the title of the Psalm, and {untranscribed Hebrew} I will ward( in the sense of taking heed of, or avoiding) his strength, in the end of this first part of this Psalm: And then in correspondence with it, is the conclusion of the latter part of the Psalm, very lightly varied, v. 17. Here the first part of the concluding verse runs {untranscribed Hebrew}, there 'tis {untranscribed Hebrew}. And the latter parts are of the same affinity also, {untranscribed Hebrew}, for God is my defence, the same in both; and only {untranscribed Hebrew} his mercy, changed into {untranscribed Hebrew} my mercy, as {untranscribed Hebrew} his strength, into {untranscribed Hebrew} my strength. Thus much being said for the confirming this interpretation, 'twill now be easy to comform the ancient interpretations to it, if only we shall suppose the true original copies of them to have been in the third, not first person, and to have been changed by scribes, on purpose to comform this ninth to the last verse. There indeed 'tis {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} my strength, and my mercy, as in the interpreters, so in the Hebrew itself: But here in the tenth verse, all copies of the Hebrew have {untranscribed Hebrew} his strength; therefore 'tis reasonable to resolve, that so it was when the interpreters rendered it, and according to that reading their interpretations( being probably by scribes corrupted) ought in reason to be restored, the Chaldee, not {untranscribed Hebrew} my, but {untranscribed Hebrew} his strength— and so the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}( not {untranscribed Hebrew} but) {untranscribed Hebrew}, his strength will I watch, or ward( the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}, and Greek {untranscribed Hebrew}, frequently signifies cavere sibi, so to observe, as to avoid and keep out of the danger) at, or with, or by betaking myself to thee. And so in the latin, and other translations, which are more reasonably to be accorded to the Hebrew, then the Hebrew to them.  
V. 11. Slay them not] In this place the ancients rendrings are very different. The Lxxii. apply the forgetting] to the enemies, slay them not, {untranscribed Hebrew} lest they forget; and so the latin and Syriack, ne quando obliviscantur, lest they forget. And so the Hebrew may bear; 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  {untranscribed Hebrew}] may be rendered, lest they forget my people, as well as, lest my people forget. The Lxxii. indeed now red, {untranscribed Hebrew}, lest they forget thy Law; and so the arabic follow them: but that is likely to be an error of some ancient scribe, for both the Syriack and latin, that are wont to follow the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} populi mei, my people. But the sense inclines the Hebrew the other way, {untranscribed Hebrew} lest my people {untranscribed Hebrew} forget: the Chaldee adds, in the former part, a word, which renders an account of the latter, slay them not suddenly lest my people forget it. One act of universal slaughter, suddenly at an end, is not apt to have such a durable impression on the beholders, as another more lingering punishment, under which men lye long, pine away and consume, as the scattering here following includes. And so this is to be resolved the due rendering of it.  
V. 12. For the sin of their mouth] The clearest rendering of this 12th. verse will be by acknowledging no ellipsis in it, thus, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the sin of their mouth, {untranscribed Hebrew} the word of their lips, or is the word of their lips, i. e.( according to Hebrew idiom) every word of their lips, is the sin of their mouth, so many words, so many sins;( and then follows regularly, {untranscribed Hebrew} and they shall be taken in their pride; this their punishment is the consequent of that their confident habitual going on in sin.) The Syriack have thus paraphrased it, {untranscribed Hebrew} the sin of their mouth, their lips have spoken, i. e. whatsoever their lips have spoken hath been sin; but the Lxxii. more literally, {untranscribed Hebrew} more probably it should be red, in the nominative case, {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so in the other interpreters which follow them; the Chaldee taking the greater liberty, usual to them, of paraphrasing, instead of rendering the words, {untranscribed Hebrew}, &c. because of the sin of their mouth, &c. which as a paraphrase may be born, but is neither the full, nor proper rendering of it.  
V. 15. Grudge] The verb {untranscribed Hebrew} is equivocal, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and signifies both pernoctare and querulari, to continue all night, and to growl or murmur: and in both these senses the allusion will here be proper to the returning in the evening, and making a noise like a dog, v. 14. But the construction lying thus[ they shall wander for meat {untranscribed Hebrew}, &c. if they be not satisfied, {untranscribed Hebrew} and they shall—] it will be most reasonable to render it in the notion of continuing all night, thus, they shall wander, &c. and continue all night; and so the Chaldee and Syriack by {untranscribed Hebrew}, from {untranscribed Hebrew} pernoctare, appear to have understood it, though the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} and shall murmur.    

The Sixtieth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician upon 
the Hexachord of the Oracle, or Testimony.  
a.  Shushan-Eduth, Michtham of David, to teach, when he striven with 
Syria of the rivers.  Aram Naharaim, and with 
Sobah in Syria.  Aram Zobah, when Joab 
b.  returned and smote 
Edom.  of Edom in the valley of salt twelve thousand.  
The sixtieth Psalm was composed on occasion, and for the commemorating of Davids victories in Mesopotamia,( that part of Syria which is inco●past with Tigris and Euphrates) and particularly in Sobah, a kingdom of Syria, 2 Sam. viii. 3.5. as also in Idumaea, where( after his return from smiting the Syrians, 1 Chron xviii. 5, 6, 7.) Abishai slay eighteen thousand in the valley of salt, 1 Chr. 18.12. and upon their rebelling again, Joab came upon them and slay twelve thousand n●●e in the same place, and put garrisons in Edom, throughout all Edom, and subdued the generality of the Idumaeans, 1 Chron. 18.13. This Psalm therefore from the matter of it, the recounting of such victories, is styled( as others formerly) his jewel, and was committed to the Praefect of his music, to be set to the instrument of six strings, that waited on the ark of the Testimony, or was used in eucharistical commemorations.  
1. O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast also been displeased: 
then shall turn, or hast turned {untranscribed Hebrew}  O turn thyself to us again.  
O gracious Lord, though for some time thou hast not favoured or prospered our attempts, but in thy displeasure punished us with defeats and discomfitures; yet now thou hast been pleased to return to thy wonted mercy, and prosper us exceedingly.  
2. Thou hast made the earth to tremble, thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof, for it shaketh.  
We have for a while been under thy displeasure, and felt a kind of earthquake, wherein is first a trembling commotion, th●n a fissure or opening of the earth. And so have we been terribly shaken and wounded, agitated and broken asunder; but now thou art graciously pleased to repair our breaches, to heal us, and restore us to a prosperous state again.  
3. Thou hast shewed thy people hard things, thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.  
Thou hast for a while exercised us with afflictions, shewed us a dispiriting doleful prospect, given us a myrrhate draugh●, such as did cast us into great sadness.  
4. Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be 
lifted up  displai'd because of thy 
c.  truth. Selah.  
But now thou hast given us a triumphal one, and abundantly made good thy promised mercy, and so thy truth and fidelity to us, in raising up and enabling our forces to achieve this signal victory.  
5. That thy beloved may be delivered, save with thy right hand, and hear me.  
Thou hast shewed forth thy favour to thy servant David( whose name signifies beloved) rescued him from his enemies hands; and the same mercy thou wilt graciously continue to me.  
6. God hath spoken in his holiness, I will rejoice, I will 
d.  divide Shechem, and meet out the valley of Succoth.  
God hath made me a sure promise, which is now most fully performed, and so is matter of all triumph, rejoicing, and thanksgiving to me. I am not only fully and quietly possessed of all the kingdom, both of Israel and Judah, and now delivered from the assaults which were made against me by my malicious neighbours, see Psal. 108.7, &c.  
7. Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of my head, Judah is my Law-giver.  
8. Moab is my washpot, over Edom will I 
cast  cast out my shoe: 
shoe thou over Philistia.  Philistia triumph thou because of me.  
But even they that thus assaulted me, are themselves brought into subjection to me, subdued and perfectly brought under me, by name the Moabites, the Idumaeans, and the Philistines.  
9. 
e.  Who will bring me into the strong City? who will led me into Edom?  
10. Wilt not thou, O God, which 
hadst  hast cast us off? and 
or, wilt not thou, O God, go out—  thou, O God, which didst not go out with our armies?  
But this by no strength of my own▪ by no kind of human aids( the ●nsuffi●iency of those was well seen when thou in thy displeasure lef●est us to ourselves▪) but only by thy all powerful conduct, who were formerly displeased, but now art graciously returned to us, and by thy prospering hand and influence wilt work the greatest victories for us that we can want, or expect from thee.  
11. Give us help from 
distress {untranscribed Hebrew}  trouble, for vain is the help of man.  
To thee therefore alone is our resort and address, whether for relief in the greatest distress, or for strength and victory over our enemies; all other assist●nces, beside that of heaven, being perfectly unsufficient and vain, and absolutely superfluous and needless, if the Lord of hosts engage in our behalf.  
12. Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.  
If he interpose his power for us, there is no enemy shall be able to stand before us: It is he, and not any pvissance of ours, that hath and shall work all our victories for us.  

Annotations on Psalm LX.  
Tit. Shushan-Eduth] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , from {untranscribed Hebrew} six, signifies hexachordum, an instrument of six strings, see Psal. XLV. a. It signifies also a flower, whether rose or lily. But here in the title of this Psalm( as also Psalm LXXX.) in all probability 'tis used in the same sense in the singular, as {untranscribed Hebrew} was in the title of Psal XLV. and to that {untranscribed Hebrew} inclines it, the Psalm being committed to the Praefect of the music, with directions to set it to that instrument. As for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that follows, from {untranscribed Hebrew} testatus est, it may signify the Oracle, or the ark of the Testimony, as oft it doth, and so the Hexachord of the Oracle may probably be resolved to be an instrument that solemnly waited on that. Or else, taking it in the primary sense for testifications, or commemorations, i. e. solemn thanksgivings for mercies received from God, which were wont to be performed with music, the {untranscribed Hebrew} hexachord of the testimonies] may fitly be set to signify such a Musical instrument, used in thanksgivings. add to this, that {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew} in Syriack, signifies a feast, that particularly of the Passeover; and if that may here be of any intimation,( and be not only a corruption brought in by later times from the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}, as some question not very probably) 'twill be no more than the festival Hexachord, or instrument solemnly used at feasts.  
Tit. Return'd] It is evident in the story 2 Sam. viii. and 1 Chron. xvii. that Davids victory over the Idumaeans was divers from that over the Syrians. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  The Syrians came to help Hadadezer marching towards Mesopotamia, far from the borders of Edom and Ara●ia. And after this victory over the Syrians, 1 Chron. xviii. 5, 6. David returns to Jerusalem, v. 7. And then 'tis added v. 12. Moreover Abishai slay in the valley of salt eighteen thousand of the Edomites. These things therefore must be thus divided in the title of this Psalm, and the victory over the Idumaeans looked on as distinct from that over the Syrians, and {untranscribed Hebrew} rendered literally, and Joab returned, not when— But then whereas in that place of the story 1 Chron. xviii. 12. 'tis said that Abishai slay in that valley of salt eighteen thousand Edomites, and here that Joab smote Edom in the same valley twelve thousand, and 2 Sam. viii. 13. that David got him a name when he returned from smiting the Syrians in the valley of salt being eighteen thousand men,( all which may be thought to set down the same passage, but yet differ in several circumstances one from the other) this {untranscribed Hebrew}, or difficulty may be best salved, by interpreting these three places of three several passages in the story. For first the words 2 Sam. viii. 13. may thus be understood; David when he returned from smiting the Syrians, got him a name, i. e. by smiting increased his glory, in the valley of salt eighteen thousand men: which reading hath this to assist it, that there is a distinctive accent in {untranscribed Hebrew} separating that of his smiting the Syrians, from the other passage of the eighteen thousand in the valley of salt. And indeed that the whole verse belongs not to the Syrians, but principally to the Idumaeans, appears by the next verse, And he put garrisons in Edom, &c. which must be founded in a victory over the Idumaeans( and not only of the Syrians) foregoing. Some would have {untranscribed Hebrew} Syria to be there a mistake for {untranscribed Hebrew} Edom; and accordingly the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, Idumaea. But there is no need of that conjecture. The words duly rendered and pointed are, And David got him a name, when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt, eighteen thousand men, i. e.( as the latin supply the Ellipsis, caesis decem& octo millibus) killing eighteen thousand men. This being premised of 2 Sam. viii. the place in the Chronicles agrees with it exactly, viz. that Abishai, Davids general, slay in the valley of salt eighteen thousand men. And then this in the title of the Psalm being still so different, not Abishai, but Joab, and not eighteen, but twelve thousand men, there is no reconciling them, but by distinguishing the times, viz. that Abishai killed at first eighteen thousand, and afterward they rebelling, Joab came upon them, and slay twelve thousand, which being the Edumaeans last defeat, is here mentioned in this Psalm most particularly. And thus Jarchi and R. Obadiah reconcile the difficulty.  
V. 4. Truth] For {untranscribed Hebrew}, which the Chaldee paraphrases by {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the truth of Abraham, the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} a bow, reading, it seems, {untranscribed Hebrew} a bow: And then to fit the verse for that sense, they render {untranscribed Hebrew}( which from {untranscribed Hebrew}, signifies the lifting up or displaying the {untranscribed Hebrew} ensign precedent) by {untranscribed Hebrew} to fly from, in a sense wherein that word is not found; and yet in all this the latin and Syriack &c. and some latter learned interpreters have chosen to follow them, as if {untranscribed Hebrew} were the truer reading. The word {untranscribed Hebrew} doth here surely relate to {untranscribed Hebrew} of the preceding verse, to which {untranscribed Hebrew} hath so near a literal affinity, as in like manner {untranscribed Hebrew} answers to {untranscribed Hebrew}, and {untranscribed Hebrew} alludes to {untranscribed Hebrew}: the poesy consisting in such analogies and allusions, as every where is observable, and particularly in the next verse, where {untranscribed Hebrew} thy beloved] secretly alludes to Davids name, from {untranscribed Hebrew} dilectus.  
V. 6. Divide Sechem] Of Sechem and the valley of Succoth, or booths, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  so called from Jacobs making booths and feeding his cattle there, see Gen. xxxiii. 17, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  18. By these are meant Samaria; and Davids dividing or meeting them out, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is a phrase to express his dominion over them, it being part of the regal power to distribute his Province into cities and regions, and place Judges and Magistrates over them. To these the addition of Gilead( which contains the whole region of Bashan &c. on the other side of Jordan) and then the mention of Manasseh and Ephraim, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  
{untranscribed Hebrew}  are designed, as by so many parts, to denote the kingdom of Israel, or the ten tribes; 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and their being his, and the strength of his head, notes him to be the Lord over them, and to make use of their strength in his wars, for the defending, or enlarging his dominions. And then [ Judah {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is my law-giver] as it refers to Jacobs prophesy of the sceptre and law-giver not departing from Judah, denoting that to be the royal tribe; so by it is signified the kingdom of Judah,( under which Benjamin is comprehended) that David is possessed of that also. After which follows [ Moab is my washpot,] 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the Moabites are subjected to me. The wash-pot, we know, is a mean part of household-stuffe, for the use of the feet( so the Syriack red {untranscribed Hebrew} of my feet) the lowest part of the body: and so is a fit title for the Moabites, 2 Sam. viii. 2. where 'tis said, he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive: i. e. he divided them into three parts, two of which he destroyed, and the third he kept alive to be his subjects and tributaries, as there it follows; the Moabites became Davids servants, and brought him gifts. Then [ Over Edom will I cast my shoe] the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} extend my show, and so the latin extendam, as when the Master reaches out his shoe to his meanest servant, to be untied and taken off by him; from whence the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} I will loose or untie: unless perhaps their truer reading were {untranscribed Hebrew} inijciam, I will cast; for so sure the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is to be rendered, I will cast my shoe, as that is an emblem of subjugating, or bringing down under the feet. So of the Edumaeans we find 2 Sam. viii. 14. He put garrisons in Edom, throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became Davids servants. Abu Walid would have {untranscribed Hebrew} here to signify a fetter, I will cast my fetter, or chain on him; and so Kimchi in his roots, though in his Comment here he interpret it in the notion of a shoe. Lastly, {untranscribed Hebrew} Over Philistia give a shout; for so from {untranscribed Hebrew} to sound a trumpet, or give a shout, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in Hithpael in the Imperative mood; and being in the feminine gender must refer either to his soul, shout O my soul, or, as the Chaldee paraphrase it, to the congregation of Israel, and so is but a form of {untranscribed Hebrew}, or celebrating a victory, such as he had over them 2 Sam. viii. 1. for {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is not to be rendered over me, but simply over, and so joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} over Philistia: so the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} over the philistines; and the Lxxii. paraphrase it to this sense, {untranscribed Hebrew} the philistines are subjected to me; the Syriack more literally, {untranscribed Hebrew} Over Palestine will I shout. And so Psal. Cviii. 9. where the latter part of this Psalm is again met with, 'tis {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} I will shout over Philistia.  
V. 9. Who will bring] This Psalm is made up of two parts. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  The former part of it, for the 3. first verses, is the recounting of their own weakness, when for their sins they were by God left to themselves. And the latter, in the five next verses, is the commemorating of their great successses and victories, by means of Gods favour and aids. And these two next verses are, as it were, the recapitulating of both, and so contain their own absolute impotence to go on to any farther victory, unless God, who once forsook, be now pleased in a special manner to aid them. And 'tis poetically contrived by way of question, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  who shall led me— i. e. it is not possible for me by my own strength, or with any human aids whatsoever, to enter any one place of strength,( the Chaldee names Tyre) to conquer Edumaea, unless God interpose in my behalf, assist and prosper my attempts. It follows therefore v. 10. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  shalt not thou, O Lord?( i. e. None can except thou dost.) Thou {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which hast, or hadst forsaken us: {untranscribed Hebrew}, say the Lxxii. qui repulisti nos, say the vulgar, thou which formerly hadst cast us off for some time; not complaining that he now doth so( that is quiter contrary to the drift of the whole Psalm) but affirming and concluding from their improsperousness, when formerly he did forsake, that none can now aid successfully but he. And then concluding with confidence of his favour {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and wilt thou not( i. e. certainly, O Lord, thou wilt) go out with our hosts? {untranscribed Hebrew}; and wilt thou not go forth? say the Lxxii. And so this well accords with the contexture and design of the Psalm, to magnify Gods aids, and the consequent thereof, all manner of good success and prosperity.    

The Sixty First Psalm.  
TO the chief musician upon Neginoth, A Psalm of David.  
The sixty first Psalm is made up of thanksgiving and humble dependence on God for all his mercies. It was composed by David, and committed to the perfect of his music, to be sung to the Harp or Psaltery, or other such stringed instrument, Psal. iv. 1.  
1. Hear my cry, O God, attend unto my prayer.  
O gracious God, to thee is my only resort in all my distresses; be thou pleased to receive and answer my prayers.  
2. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed, led me to the rock that is higher than I.  
Though I am driven as far as from Absalom I was fain to fly, 2 Sam. xvii. 22. to the utmost parts of the land beyond Jordan, v. 23. how great so ever my trouble and streights are, yet to thee have I a sure retreat: when my condition is at the lowest, thou hast a fortress of impregnable safety to which thou wilt be sure to conduct me.  
3. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.  
For thus have I always experimented thy goodness to me; when men have assaulted, thou hast rescued and secured me.  
4. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever; I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.  
And that teacheth me the wisdom of this resolution, of keeping me constantly under this safeguard, and that I may do so, of continuing my daily dependence on thee, and addresses to thee, in that place where thou hast promised to be always present.  
5. For thou, O God, hast heard my vows; thou hast given 
or, an heritage to— {untranscribed Hebrew}  me the heritage of those that fear thy name.  
To this none had greater encouragement than I; my offerings have always been accepted, and my prayers heard by thee. This is the privilege of all thy faithful servants, and this thou hast been pleased to afford me.  
6. Thou wilt 
add daies to the daies of the King  prolong the Kings life, and his years 
generation and generation.  as many generations.  
Thou shalt bless me with a long and a prosperous life, and therein make me a type of the 
{untranscribed Hebrew} &c. Chald. Thou shalt add dayes to the dayes of the King messiah, his years shall be as the generation of this world and of the world to come.  messiah, whose kingdom, when it commences, shall have no end.  
7. He shall abide before God for ever. O prepare mercy and truth which may preserve him.  
Thou shalt never cast me from thy favour, as long as I continue my fidelity to thee: thy free, but promised mercy, will not fail to perpetuate my prosperity.  
8. So will I sing praise to thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.  
And this shall oblige me to bless and magnify thy gracious and glorious Majesty as long as I live, to present my daily oblations to thee, and yield thee all the obedience of a thankful heart for ever.   

The Sixty Second Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, 
for {untranscribed Hebrew}  to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.  
The sixty second Psalm is an Eucharistical hymn composed by David, and committed to the Praefect of his music, to be sung and played to by instruments after the manner that Heman and Jeduthun were appointed to do, 1 Chron. xvi. 42.  
1. 
even to God is my soul silent {untranscribed Hebrew}  Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.  
All my defence and relief is from God alone; on him will I patiently and cheerfully attend for a supply to all my wants.  
2. 
even he {untranscribed Hebrew}  He is my rock and my salvation, he is my defence, I shall not be greatly moved.  
The strength which I have from him gives me security that I shall not be in any great measure depressed by my enemies.  
3. How long will 
a.  ye 
use violence, or raise tumults, or calumniate lie  imagine mischief against a man? 
will ye kill, or be murtherers all of you?  ye shall be slain all the sort of you, as a bowing wall, and as a tottering 
partition.  sense.  
How vain then are all the attempts of my slanderous violent rebellious subjects, which are always raising of stirs and tumults, as if all of them combined as one man to take away my life?  
4. They only consult to cast him down from his excellency; they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.  
All their contrivances and consultations are to pull me from the throne, to wrest the regal power out of my hand; and this traitorous design they gloss and varnish over with fair flattering language.  
5. My soul, 
be thou even silent to— {untranscribed Hebrew}  wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from him.  
But I will remit my whole cause to God, and attend how he shall please to dispose of me.  
6. 
even he {untranscribed Hebrew}  He only is my rock and my salvation, he is my defence, I shall not be moved.  
Being confident of a certain relief and support from him, which will not permit me to be cast down by these men.  
7. In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength and my refuge is from God.  
On him only I rely for deliverance, for exaltation, for aid to defend me, and for sanctuary when any distress surrounds me.  
8. Trust in him at all times, ye people, poure out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.  
And this will be matter of imitation to all that profess to be his servants, to repose all their trust in him, to 
{untranscribed Hebrew}— cast away before him all the elations of your hearts Chald.  empty themselves of all secular confidences, and apply themselves in prayer to him, devoutly to beg, and confidently to depend on his relief.  
9. Surely 
the sons of Adam {untranscribed Hebrew}  men of low degree are vanity, and 
the sons of mortal m●n {untranscribed Hebrew}  men of high degree are a lie; to be laid in the balance they are altogether lighter than vanity.  
For as for any human aid, 'tis absolutely vain, sure to fail those that rely on it. The strength of all the men in the world, if not backed and blessed by God, is worse and less than nothing, it standeth in no stead, and so disappoints those that depend on it; and that is worse than never to have expected good from it, the frustrated hope being an unhappier condition than that of perfect destitution.  
10. Trust not in oppression, 
and rapine, become not vain {untranscribed Hebrew}  become not vain in rob●ery; if riches increase, set not your hearts upon them.  
He that thinks to gain any advantage or support to himself by riches unlawfully gained, will be sure to be disappointed, to find his folly, when he e●pects the fruit of his contrivances. Riches are so far from being valuable when they are ill gotten, that even when they are innocently gained, they must not be relied on( for any other advantages than those which may be hoped for by our liberal dispensing of them.)  
11. God hath spoken once, twice have I heard this, that power belongeth unto God.  
'twas the first great maxim delivered by God in Mount Sinai, that he only is the great God and ruler of all; and nothing is more vulgarly acknowledged than this: and what can be more contrary to that, man the reposing f trust in any creature? for that is, by interpretation, the deifying it, the communicating to a vain helpless creature that incommunicable attribute of God.  
12. Also unto thee, O, Lord, belongeth mercy; for thou rendrest to every man according to his works.  
And because to found our trust, there is more wanting than bare power and ability to relieve( for that, without an assurance of his readiness to do what he is able, will not secure any) this also we are assured of by that other his great attribute, his infinite unexhausted mercy, which is a special property of our God, by which he hath assured us that he will graciously accept and reward, support and crown every sincere faithful servant of his, and never fail to relieve and defend those who do not first forsake and renounce him. See Rom. xi. 6.  

Annotations on Psalm LXII.  
V. 3. Imagine mischief] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is but this once used in the Scripture, and so will not easily be interpnted, but either by the notion which we find put upon it by the ancient Interpreters, or else by the arabic use of it. The Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to tumultuate. To this also the Syriack agrees, {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to stir up, instigate, incite, or provoke. The Lxxii. likewise red {untranscribed Hebrew}, which the latin well render irruitis rush in upon; and so all consent to render it, How long will ye raise tumults, use violence &c. The arabic word is by Golius rendered validè conculcavit, injustus fuit, violentum imperium exercuit, any kind of violence or injustice. Then for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  against a man, that sure is but a poetical expression for against me, i. e. David the speaker, against whom the neighbouring nations raised war, and his own subjects rebellions. Thus doth Christ oft speak of himself, under the title of the son of man, in the third person, and S. Paul 2 Cor. xii. 2. {untranscribed Hebrew}, I knew a man, i. e. undoubtedly himself. Then {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to kill, though by the Interlineary it be rendered interficiemini, in the passive Pual, yet it may more regularly be red, as in Piel actively, only changing the point,- for'. And for that we have sufficient ground, the Eastern Jews reading it with Pathach as in Piel. And then it will agree with the foregoing {untranscribed Hebrew} raising tumult or war against him, which sure was designed to that end of killing him; and to that best agrees the following resemblance, {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as a bending wall, for that is ready to fall upon and kill any that comes under it, but cannot so well be a resemblance of being killed: and so again {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a partition, or sept of wood, or ston, {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} driven out, or ready to fall, that may well be looked on as very dangerous to all that come near it, and therefore generally is avoided( men go far from the reach of it) and so is a fit resemblance to signify him that is ready to kill another. And thus the Chaldee understand it {untranscribed Hebrew} will ye become homicides? so the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin interficitis? will ye kill, or murder? and so the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} that ye may kill, as a bending wall— making that the designed end of their tumultuating. This whole passage is thus rendered by Abu Walid. First, {untranscribed Hebrew} he compares with the arabic {untranscribed Hebrew} with t, not with th, which signifies to multiply words, and so he would have it, according to the use of it in that tongue, to signify speaking much against, backbiting, diffaming, spreading evil reports of, lashing out with your tongues against, for hurt. And the meaning of the whole passage he gives, either according to the reading of Ben Naphtali taking {untranscribed Hebrew} actively, How long will ye prate or speak evil against men? ye would kill them, all of you, like a bending wall, or tottering fence, viz. inclining[ or bending, putting yourselves forward] with wrong and injustice toward them, and hard words, and false accusations, as a wall ready to fall, incline, to do hurt; or, according to Ben Asher, taking it passively, How long will ye speak evil of men, to do mischief?( be ye all of you slain, in a parenthesis, by way of imprecation) as a bending wall, and fence ready to fall, and do mischief. What he thus observes of {untranscribed Hebrew} with t, not th, may have place also with the word as we have it; for the roote with ח th also in arabic signifies mentiri, to lie, and confusion, injustice, violence, which as well agree to his sense, as that of the root with t.    

The Sixty Third Psalm.  
A Psalm of David when he was in the Wilderness of Judah.  
The sixty third Psalm was composed by David in a condition of great sadness, when not daring to adventure himself in Keilah, which he had rescued from the philistines, 1 Sam. xxiii. 5.12. he got into strong holds in the wilderness v. 14. viz. the wilderness( not of Idumaea, as the Lxxii. &c. red, but) of Judaea, 1 Sam. xxii. 5. in the foreste of Hareth.  
1. O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee. My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh 
a.  
fainteth, grows di●fighted, is in anguish.  longeth for thee, in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;  
O Gracious Father, I have no other sanctuary but thee; I will make all speed to implore thy mercy; my condition is most sad and deplored; the wide and squalid desert, in which now I am, is the liveliest emblem of it: O that thou wilt please to succour and relieve me.  
2. 
So as I have seen thee i● th● sanctuary, to see thy strength and glory.  To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the 
b.  sanctuary.  
To restore me to that dignity and comfort of serving thee in the Sanctuary, where the Cherubims spreading abroad their wings for a covering, are a signal emblem of thy presence.  
3. Because thy loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.  
That mercy of thine which gives a value to life itself, and without which that which is most precious and desirable is nothing worth. For this, I that have so often tasted, and so know the value of it, shall be for ever obliged to magnify thy blessed name.  
4. Thus will I bless thee while I live; I will lift up my hands in thy name.  
And this will I do constantly and continually to the end of my life, and in the experience of thy past mercies, make my humblest addresses to thee for all that I can want for the future.  
5. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.  
And thus, by thy great mercy, shall my life be divided betwixt imploring thy aids, and receiving abundant satisfaction to all my wants, and paying my chearfullest acknowledgements to so liberal a don●r.  
6. When I remember thee in my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.  
And for this, beside the offerings of the day, frequently repeated, the several divisions, or watches, or hours of the very night shall afford me fit seasons, when after a little repose and sleep, I frequently rouse myself, and divert to that more divine and cheerful employment, the meditation of thy manifold mercies toward me:  
7. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.  
And thus conclude, to my own unspeakable comfort, and thy honour, that that God which hath thus constantly relieved and supported me, will for ever continue his watchful providence over me, from which as I receive all security, so I am in all reason to return him continual praise.  
8. My soul 
hath a●haered, kept close {untranscribed Hebrew}  followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.  
As I have cordially adhered to my obedience, and faithful performance of all duty to thee, so hast thou with thine especial care and providence supported me in all my distresses.  
9. But those that seek my soul to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth.  
As for my enemies tha● pursue me with mortal hatred, and desire to take away my life, they themselves shall fall into the destruction they designed to me.  
10. They 
c.  shall 
poure them out.  fall by the sword; 
the foxes portion shall they be.  they shall be a portion for foxes.  
They pursue me to death, as hunters do their game, and they shall fall by the sword, and be devoured by those wild beasts that others hunt and pursue; or they shall be driven to desolate places, as the most noxious beasts, the foxes( and wolves) are, when they are hunted and pursued.  
11. But the King shall rejoice in God; every one that 
d.  sweareth by him, shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.  
Mean while I shall have all cause to bless and magnify the name of God, and not I only, but every truly pious man, who, as he swears by the name of God, so is most strictly careful to perform his oaths: whereas on the other side, all false perjurious men shall be destroyed.  

Annotations on Psalm LXIII.  
V. 1. Longeth] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is not elsewhere used in the Bible: 'tis here by the Chaldee paraphrastically rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} desireth, by the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} intuitus est, expectavit, expecteth. The Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew} quantum. The fullest rendering of it may be had from the arabic use of it, among whom, saith Golius, 'tis used not only for the dimness of the eyes,( which the arabic Grammarians especially interpret of one born blind) but also for faintness: so when Kamus explains it by changing of colour, mutabit colorem, and abiit, vel defecit intellectus, his understanding was gone, or failed; both which change of colour, and failing of understanding, are tokens of faintness, and being in ill condition for want of due nourishment. And so it will here most fitly be rendered( with analogy to the thirsting of the soul foregoing) my flesh fainteth, in a dry and thirsty land &c. But from that other signification of blindness or dimness, it may also here be taken according to that translatitions use mentioned by Alzamachshari, of being in a maze, erring, so as not to know whither to go, or what to do. The Jewish Arab here renders it {untranscribed Hebrew}, which agrees with {untranscribed Hebrew} in the notion of changing colour, growing wan, as also of great anguish, being sick at heart.  
V. 2. Sanctuary] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  holiness] is evidently used for the ark or Sanctuary 1 Ki. viii. 8. compared with 2 Chron. v. 9. And therefore the thing so vehemently here desired by David, is to see( and serve God) in the Sanctuary: And the same is the importance of seeing {untranscribed Hebrew} thy strength and glory, for so both those words are used for the ark, Psal. Lxxviii. 61. he delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemies hand.  
V. 10. Fall] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} fluxit, effusus est, signifies in Hiphil, they shall cause to be poured out, or shall poure out.) The word is ordinarily applied to water, 2 Sam. xiv. 14. Lam. iii. 49. But here, by the immediate mention of the sword, it is restrained to the effusion of blood, and being in the third person plural, in the active sense, it is after the Hebrew idiom, to be interpnted in the passive sense, they shall poure out by the hand of the sword,] i. e. they shall be poured out by the sword, the hand of the sword being no more than the edge of the sword. As for that which follows, {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  it may possibly be rendered the portion of foxes they shall be, i. e. they shall be that which so frequently befalls foxes, viz. hated and p●rsued, and destroyed; that which befalls that subtle and noxious creature, shall befall them, to perish by their wickedness; or they shall be in the same condition with them, driven forth into desolate places, such as foxes use to walk in: so Lam. v. 18. the mountain of Zion is laid desolate, the foxes walk on it; so Jarchi here interprets it; and so the phrase is used Mat. xxiv. 51. {untranscribed Hebrew}— he shall set him his portion with hypocrites, assign him the same condition that such have. But the portion of foxes] may more probably signify the prey of those wild creatures, there being a sort of larger foxes in those countreys, called usually Jackales, which feed on dead men, and will dig them out of their graves to eat them; and so to be left unburied, or butted at large in the field, will be to be made a portion for such beasts. The Syriack that reads {untranscribed Hebrew} meat to, or for the Foxes, understood it thus, and the Lxxii, and vulgar, {untranscribed Hebrew}, partes vulpium erunt, the foxes portions shall they be, i. e. cast out for these wild beasts to feed on. The Jewish Arab hath another understanding of these two verses; those that seek after my soul to destroy it shall go down into the lower parts of the earth, i. e. seek into holes and caves after my soul, descend in their search after it under the mountains of the earth, intending to draw it out to the edge of the sword, and make it a portion for foxes.  
V. 11. Sweareth] 'twas an ordinary token of respect to Kings, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  for their subjects in swearing to mention their names: so 1 Sam. 1.26. and xx. 3. and 2 Sam. xv. 21. and in several other places. And 'tis Solomon Jarchie's gloss, that this is meant here.    

The Sixty Fourth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, A Psalm of David.  
The Sixty fourth Psalm is a prayer for deliverance, with a just complaint of his enemies, and a prediction of Gods signal destructions upon them.  
1. Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer; preserve my life from fear of the enemy.  
Blessed Lord, let my humble supplication, I beseech thee, find audience with thee; deliver me from the dangers I am in through the malice of men.  
2. hid me from the secret counsel of the wicked, from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity.  
They are secretly contriving my ruin, and openly break out in tumults against me, in a most unjust and wicked manner: O be thou my refuge and sanctuary, to which I may with confidence resort for safety.  
3. Who whet their tongue like a sword, 
a.  and 
shoot their arrows.  bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words.  
4. That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, 
b.  and fear not.  
The first instruments of their malice are their slanders and calumnies, and those are prepared and sharpened, and shot, like poisoned darts or arrows against me; but being without all ground of truth, they are secretly and clancularly disseminated, falling upon me, when I least foresaw or expected them.  
5. They encourage themselves in an evil matter; they commune of laying snares privily: they say, who shall see them?  
And when they meet, they engage and fortify one another in their mischievous designs, consult how to contrive them so secretly, that they shall not possibly be foreseen, or escaped.  
6. They search out iniquity, they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thoughts of every one of them and the heart is deep.  
And indeed their industry is great; there is nothing that can contribute to their ends, but they find it out, through the depth of their malice and policy.  
7. But God shall shoot at them with an arrow, suddenly shall 
be their strokes {untranscribed Hebrew}  they he wounded.  
But in the midst of all this subtle contrivance, that no man can see, God shall discover, disappoint, and unexpectedly destroy them.  
8.† So they shall c make their own tongue to fall upon themselves; 
And their own tongue shall cause it to fall upon them, and all that look on—  all that see them shall flee away.  
Their tongues, by which they thought to hurt others, shall in the event bring mischief upon themselves. By the death of Saul and his sons, he shall strike the whole army with a sudden consternation; they shall fly, and then all that behold it shall forsake their dwellings and fly also.  
9. And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall 
understand {untranscribed Hebrew}  wisely consider of his doing.  
And dread the righteous judgments of God, acknowledging it to be his peculiar work of vengeance that befalls them.  
10. The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.  
And on the other side, all pious men shall have matter of rejoicing, and of affiance in God; and none that thus adhere to him shall be disappointed, or frustrated by him.  

Annotations on Psalm LXIV.  
V. 3. Bend] From {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to go, is the same word used for extending, sending out, directing, making to go; and so is applied sometimes to grapes or olives in a press, and then signifies to squeeze out the juice, by beating, or treading them, Isa. Lxiii. 2. {untranscribed Hebrew}, that treads or presses in the winepress, and in many other places; sometimes of corn in the floor, and then 'tis to thrash, Jer. Li. 33; sometimes to a way( whence the known {untranscribed Hebrew} a way) Psal. cvii. 7. {untranscribed Hebrew} and lead or directed them. But most especially 'tis used of a bow, or arrows: if of {untranscribed Hebrew} a bow, then 'tis to bend it; if of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  arrows, then 'tis not so properly to shoot, as to prepare or direct them. So Psal. Lviii. 7. {untranscribed Hebrew} he directeth, or prepareth his arrows; so here, {untranscribed Hebrew} they direct, or aim, or make ready their arrows, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a bitter word, i. e. a calumniating speech, to be sent, as it were a dart, or arrow, out of the mouth. Parallel to which is that of Jer. ix. 3. where being applied to the tongue, as to a bow, that shoots out lying words, as arrows, it must be rendered bend; but here applied to words, as arrows, direct, and not bend. To this accord Abu Walid, and R. Tanchum, who from the use of the word, render it, who set their arrows on the string, not shooting as yet, but setting them ready to shoot. And thus it best agrees with what follows v. 4. that they may shoot in secret, &c. The Lxxii. for {untranscribed Hebrew} arrows, red {untranscribed Hebrew}, as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew} a bow, and generally join it with {untranscribed Hebrew} bent,( and the Chaldee, according to the nature of a Paraphrast, join bending the bow, and anointing the arrows. But the Syriack herein follow them not, but red, they whet their tongue as a sword, and their speech as {untranscribed Hebrew} an arrow; for so sure {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies, where that which is proportionable to whetting the sword, is preparing or setting upon the string the arrows by way of preparation for shooting.  
V. 4. Fear not] It is not easy to resolve what is the importance of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and they shall not fear. For though the joining it with {untranscribed Hebrew} precedent, seems regular, they shall shoot, and not fear; yet the context seems not to agree to that. The design of the place is to express calumniators and whisperers, who shoot poisonous words, like darts, v. 3. and shoot them in secret, and suddenly, in the beginning of the verse: and to that best agrees the interpreting it of those that are thus secretly and suddenly shot at by them, that they do not fear. But then this agrees not with the Syntaxis, for those were in the former part of the verse mentioned in the singular number {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the perfect man, whereas {untranscribed Hebrew} is the plural. This makes it necessary to recurre either to the Hebrew practise, which often passes from one number to another, or else to their idiom, frequently taken notice of, of putting the third person active, to denote the passive, without consideration of the persons that are the agents; as when {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall receive you, imports no more than you shall be received. So here, suddenly do they shoot, and they fear not,] will signify, suddenly do they shoot, and no man fears, or as ו oft signifies, when, or while none fear. And if we consider the Genius of the ancient Poetry, consisting much in Paronomasia's and verbal allusions, which is here so visible betwixt {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} shooting and fearing, it will appear to be an elegance, and not any harsh expression. Thus the LXXII. render it in sense, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they shoot, and shall not be feared; and the Syriack not far distant, {untranscribed Hebrew} and they shall not be seen, i. e. shall come upon them unawares, when being not seen they are not feared or expected. To this rendering the learned Castellio adheres, reading, ut eos improviso figant nihil tale metuentes, that they may unexpectedly wound them not fearing any such thing; to that purpose, changing the singular {untranscribed Hebrew} precedent, into the plural, homines integros—  
V. 8. Make their own tongue to fall] From {untranscribed Hebrew} impegit, to stumble, is the word {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which being applied to the tongue, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and that their own tongue( as appears by {untranscribed Hebrew} themselves) may signify( in proportion with the stumbling of the feet) stammering, or sticking in speech: linguis haesitent, saith Castellio, stick or stammer with their tongues. The Syriack render it {untranscribed Hebrew} their tongues shall be weak, from {untranscribed Hebrew} decurtatus est, infirmatus est. This is ordinary for men that are in a sudden affrightment, upon any unexpected accident, and so here very appliable to Sauls army at their defeat. But in this rendering there is no account given of the suffix in {untranscribed Hebrew}, nor of {untranscribed Hebrew} that follows. The Jewish Arab therefore renders {untranscribed Hebrew} as in the nominative case,( which being joined with the verb plural must relate to more tongues, of more speakers) and reads thus, It is their own tongue that hath made them stumble. To which the Chaldee best accords, {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall make themselves stumble with their tongue; for that is all one with [ their tongue shall make them stumble.] But perhaps the rendering will yet be more literal, {untranscribed Hebrew} their tongue shall cause it to fall upon them, by it] meaning the mischief or punishment, which certainly is spoken of, and may best answer the suffix. 'tis also possible that it may be thus divided, {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall make him stumble or fall, i. e. {untranscribed Hebrew}, the strokes or wounds, immediately foregoing, v. 7. and then, {untranscribed Hebrew} their tongue is upon, or against themselves. In either rendering the sense is the same, that their tongues, by which they designed to hurt others, shall bring mischief upon themselves. The Lxxii. which red {untranscribed Hebrew}, their tongues have brought them to nought,] are punctual in observing the suffix, and red {untranscribed Hebrew} in the plural, their tongues, not tongue, to agree with the verb plural; but then they take no notice of the[ {untranscribed Hebrew} upon themselves.] This the latin express by [ contra eos,] but in their [ infirmatae sunt linguae eorum] observe not the suffix. To this is added {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to fly from, all that see them shall fly from them; and so 'tis expressed in the history 1 Sam. xxxi. 7. and 1 Chron. x. 7. And when the men of Israel &c. saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities and fled. The Syriack express it by {untranscribed Hebrew} and they shall fear( from {untranscribed Hebrew}) the Lxxii. by {untranscribed Hebrew} were troubled. To the same sense the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} motus est were moved, though the translator render it, movebunt capita sua, they shall shake their heads, an expr●ssion of dislike and aversion to them.    

The Sixty Fifth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, A Psalm and song of David.  
The sixty fifth Psalm is a thankful commemoration of Gods mercies and deliverances; probably of his restoring plenty v. 9, 10, 11, 12. after the three years famine, 2 Sam. 21.1. composed by David to be sung by the choir, and to that end committed to the Praefect of his music.  
1. 
Praise becometh thee.  Praise 
a.  waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion; and unto thee shall the vow be performed.  
To thee, O Lord, our solemnest praises are most due, and the richest of our vowed oblations, or free-will offerings.  
2. O Thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.  
Thy property it is, to give a favourable audience to all petitions that are duly and faithfully presented unto thee by any obedient servant of thine. This thou hast now most graciously done to me,( see 2 Sam. 21.1. where David inquired, and the Lord answered &c.) And this is an encouragement, and obligation to all such to make their constant addresses to thee, and to all others to hasten to qualify themselves for a capacity of that unvaluable privilege, to betake themselves to Gods service, that so they may have this freedom and dignity of access unto him.  
3. Iniquities prevail against me; as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.  
Our sins have justly deserved thy displeasure, and been of force to make a sepa●ation between thee and us; but thou art graciously pleased to afford us thy free pardon of them, to deal with us and accept our prayers, as if we had not thus provoked thee.  
4. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy Temple.  
This is a most blessed condition, to be in the number of those to whom thou art pleased to afford that confidence of presenting their prayers unto thee, and to permit them to come to that place where thou art graciously pleased to exhibit thy presence, and there to be partakers of all the joys which are consequent hereto, the offering up prayers, receiving most gracious answers from God, and returning him praises for them. This indeed is a blessed and heavenly portion, sufficient to satisfy any man.  
5. 
w●nderfull things.  By 
b.  terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation, who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and 
or, of the sea of them that are afar off.  of them that are afar off upon the 
c.  sea;  
And thus art thou pleased to deal with us, to afford us infinite mercy, marvellous exceeding great dignations, and thereby to demonstrate thyself to be our only saviour and redeemer; and not of us only but of all the men of the world, of those that inhabit the remotest Islands: there is none to be relied on for any relief, but only thou.  
6. Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains, being girded with power;  
Thy strength it is, O thou mighty God, by which only the stablest and firmest parts of the world have their whole stability;  
7. Which stillest the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.  
'tis thou only that canst restrain the roaring waves and surges of the sea, from being very hurtful and mischievous: and so in like manner a mad, tumultuous, and rebellious people none can restrain, or return to their obedience, but only thou. And thus thou hast now been pleased to do.  
8. They also that dwell in the uttermost parts of the earth are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest 
d.  the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.  
The illustrious acts of thy providence are such, in dissipating the machinations of wicked men, and protecting, supporting, and delivering those that adhere and keep close to thee, that they extort dread, and joy, awe, and thanksgiving, acknowledgement of thy justice and mercy from all, even the most barbarous men in the world.  
9. 
e.  Thou visitest the earth and 
or, makest it thirsty.  waterest it; thou greatly inrichest it 
the river of God it  with the rivers of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, 
for so thou hast founded it.  
f.  when thou hast so provided for it.  
Thy gracious providence is discernible, as in the dearths and famines, so in restoring fruitfulness to the land; a work of Gods special care and favour, in opening the clouds of heaven, to water and refresh and enrich the parched earth, and give it all that plenty, those clouds being as it were Gods store-house, and that very richly replenished, and the earth so placed by Gods wisdom in the creation, that they should be ready to answer and satisfy all the wants thereof, whensoever God should see fit to distil and rain them down upon it.  
10. 
g.  Thou 
moistnest the ridges thereof, thou depressest her furrows, with showers thou dissolvest it, thou blessest that which springs ●ut of it.  waterest the ridges thereof abundantly, thou settlest the furrows thereof, thou makest it soft with showers, thou blessest the springing thereof.  
And indeed by the seasonable dispensing of this it is, that the ground is prepared to sand forth increase, when the corn is sowed in it; and by the same again, whereby it prospers and thrives after it is come up.  
11. Thou crounest the year with thy goodness, and thy 
h.  paths drop fatness.  
Thy bounty it is, by which all the fruits of the seasons of the year are afforded us so plenteously: The clouds, from the rain whereof all this plenty proceeds, are by thy special direction and providence appointed so to do.  
12. They drop on the pastures of the wilderness and the little hills 
shall gird themselves with gladness.  
i.  rejoice on every side.  
They distil and fall on the dry and desert places; and by that supply, the lesser hills, which are at the foot of the greater, become extremely fruitful.  
13. The 
k.  pastures are clothed with flocks, the valleys also are covered over with corn: they shout for joy, they all sing.  
And so all fertility, both of the slocks and grain, comes down as a gift of thine, a bountiful largesse from thy treasury, for which thou art for ever to be magnified.  

Annotations on Psalm LXV.  
V. 1. Waiteth] From {untranscribed Hebrew} siluit, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  silence, which being applied to man toward God, generally signifies a quiet reliance and dependence on him. And thus the Interlinear rendereth here, tibi silentium laus, silence to thee is praise;& the Chaldee accords, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. Before thee praise is reputed as silence: It would rather be, silence as praise. And that thus it should signify here, the context inclines, being a solemn acknowledgement of his readiness to relieve all that come to, and wait, and depend on him. And if that be it, than the onely question is, whether being joined to {untranscribed Hebrew} praise, it be to be rendered without, or with a copulative. There is no copulative in the Hebrew, and therefore literally it will thus be rendered, {untranscribed Hebrew} Silence to thee( i. e. A quiet waiting or depending on thee) is praise. But it is so ordinary in the Psalms to omit, and yet understand, the copulative ו and, that there will be no reason to doubt but that so it may be here also, To thee silence and praise, O God— i. e. To thee belongeth, or is due each of these. But the Jewish Arab renders it, praise becometh thee, O God; and Abu Walid, To thee is praise besitting, becoming, due, convenient for thee, referring {untranscribed Hebrew} to the theme {untranscribed Hebrew} to be like, or agreeable: and in this rendering all the ancients( save only the Chaldee) agree, {untranscribed Hebrew} say the LXXII. praise becometh thee; {untranscribed Hebrew} it is decent for thee, the Syriack; agrees to thee, the arabic; and so the rest.  
V. 5. Terrible things] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} timuit, reveritus est, signifies sometimes terrible, sometimes wonderful things, any thing that exceeds either in greatness or quality. In the latter we have it Deut. x. 21. speaking of God, He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things; {untranscribed Hebrew} i. e. {untranscribed Hebrew} strong things, saith the Targum, great, exceeding, wonderful things, and those acts of mercy, and not of justice or punishment; and so here it appears to signify, being joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  answering us, or granting us, in answer to our prayers,( so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies to answer a request, to hear a prayer) and with {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in righteousness, which frequently imports mercy. The Lxxii. accordingly red it {untranscribed Hebrew} wonderful.  
V. 5. See] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the sea is frequently set to denote the Islands that are encompassed with the sea on every side, and being here opposed to {untranscribed Hebrew} the ends or extreme parts of the earth, i. e. the continent, it is set to signify all the farthest distant angles or Islands of the world, and so is joined with {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  those that are far removed, and so will best be rendered to the letter, the sea of them that are fa●thest off, and explained by the Chaldee, who red {untranscribed Hebrew} an● o● the Islands of the sea, {untranscribed Hebrew} which are remote from the continent. The Syriack render the sense most fully, {untranscribed Hebrew} the remote nations.  
V. 8. Outgoings] From {untranscribed Hebrew} prodiit, processit, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  egressio, and is ordinarily applied to the sun, and then best rendered rising. So Psal. xix. 6. {untranscribed Hebrew} his going forth, i. e. his rising, is from the end of the heavens, i. e. extreme part of the horizon. So Psal. Lxxv. 6. For promotion cometh neither {untranscribed Hebrew} from the going out( i. e. from the rising of the sun, the East) nor {untranscribed Hebrew} from the evening, or sun-set, or west. In proportion with which place( where {untranscribed Hebrew} out-going, and {untranscribed Hebrew} evening, or sun-set, or west, are set opposite) it will be most fit to interpret the phrase here, that the out-going of the morning shall be literally the rising of the sun, or morning star, the forerunner of the sun, and by metonymy, the East, or one extreme part of the world, and again that used for the men that inhabit it; and the evening, on the other side, not the out-going of the evening, or r●si●g of the moon or stars, but literally the place of the suns setting, the west, and so the inhabitants of that other extreme part. And so both together be equivalent with [ those that dwell in the utte●most parts of the earth,] in the beginning of the verse.  
V. 9. Visitest] That {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies visiting, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the notion either of mercy or punishing, and here belongs to the former in mercy, there is no question. The difficulty is in the following word {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which from {untranscribed Hebrew} discurrit cum fremitu, running about with a noise, as an hungry or thirsty Lion, may signify to make thirsty. This word {untranscribed Hebrew} the Arabs use frequently of parched or dry ground, which opens the mouth as it were, to beg for showers. Thus a dry ground is called {untranscribed Hebrew} Ps. cxLiii. 6. a thirsty land. And thus the longing soul,( in the word here used) {untranscribed Hebrew}, is joined with the hungry soul, and by that conjunction seems to signify the thirsty soul, Psal. cvii. 9. The Chaldee there renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} empty. And thus is {untranscribed Hebrew} used for appetite or desire, Gen. iii. 16. and Gen. iv. 7. and so the verb is frequently used by the rabbins. And then as Aben Ezra, and Kimchi prefer this notion, so the rendering, they think, will most probably be, {untranscribed Hebrew} Thou hast visited in mercy, i. e. blessed the earth, or land, {untranscribed Hebrew} after thou hast made it dry, or thirsty, {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast or dost enrich it greatly; i. e. Thou, the same God, which hast punished and made thirsty, dost again return in mercy, and enrich it also, restorest plenty to it. Thus it was in the story after the three years famine 1 Sam. xxi. 1. and is most probably the m●aning of this passage; as all that follows of the plenty. But others interpret it in the notion of watering: {untranscribed Hebrew}, saith the Jewish Arab, thou hast watered; and to that Abu Walid inclines, and so the Chaldee, and Syriack, and Lxxii. whose authority may prevail for that.  
V. 9. When] The only difficulty of this v. 9. will be removed by rendering {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  for, or quandoquidem; for thus it lies: Thou with thy divine blessing and providence {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  visitest, i. e. takest care for the earth {untranscribed Hebrew}, all that is here below, particularly the field that bears fruits or corn, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and waterest it( from {untranscribed Hebrew}, in Piel {untranscribed Hebrew} rigavit) {untranscribed Hebrew} thou inrichest it exceedingly. Then follows {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} — the river of God is full of water, i. e. the clouds, which God hath prepared to be receptacles of waters, from thence, when he pleaseth, to pour down upon the earth; they are always kept full for any uses. And hereby thou preparest their corn, by the former and the latter rain thou makest fruitful seasons, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  for so thou hast founded it, i. e. the earth; i. e. God hath so placed the earth in the midst of waters, waters in the bowels of it, and waters in the clouds hanging over it,( the keys whereof are peculiarly kept in his hand, say the Jews, as the keys of life and resurrection, see note on Act. xiv. a.) that as he can, if he please, overthrow and destroy it presently, as in the deluge he did, for the sins of the old world,( see 2 Pet. iii. 5.) so, if our provocations do not withhold his hand, he will replenish, and enrich it constantly by these means. To this sense the ancient Interpreters agree: the Lxxii. red, {untranscribed Hebrew} for so is the preparation, the earth was after this manner prepared; and the Syriack, {untranscribed Hebrew} when thou foundedst or establishedst it; and the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} seeing thou hast so founded it.  
V. 10. Waterest] In this v. 10. is set down the way by which the rain enricheth the earth, that is prepared for corn, and makes it fruitful. First, after ploughing it comes down and moistens the earth, waters the ridges, or ground cast up; so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies, {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to be watered or moistened and {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew}. Of this saith Abu Walid, that in arabic with th it signifies a cleft, and with t, that which the plough cleaves in the earth, a furrow. But R. Tanchum saith that with th it is indeed a cleft, by reason of something wanting to fill the place, but with t, it signifies the lines or ridges of earth betwixt two furrows. And whereas the arabic Lexicographers( by name Al Kamus) render it a furrow, he saith it may be so called from the efficient cause of it, because the making the furrows and turning the earth out of them, occasioneth the raising of the other. The interlinear renders it lira, the Lexicographers porca, the upper and drier ground betwixt the drains or furrows. And this, as it is laid dry, and so fitted for the receiving, and giving root to the corn, so it wants the benefit of showers from heaven to refresh it, and so God bestows them upon it. Then follows {untranscribed Hebrew}. That the Jewish Arab renders, the rain descends on the furrows of it. Abu Walid thinks that {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  hath here the signification of abounding, increase, flourishing; the arabic nazeta, which answers it in the sense of descending, signifying that. Then for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  he thinks it all one with {untranscribed Hebrew} precedent, and so to signify, as he conceived of that, a furrow; but still this in R. Tanchums notion of that, the mould which, by making the furrow, is cast up, which therefore Castellio reads glebas the clods, of which it is here said, that God depresseth them, so {untranscribed Hebrew} literally signifies, makest them to descend, the earth that is cast up in ridges sinks down and fills up the vacuities, and so is in a fitter posture for the growing of the corn, and is done by God, as here follows, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  by the showers of rain coming down,& softening and washing it down. And therefore 'tis added {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thou dissolvest it( from {untranscribed Hebrew} to be melted or dissolved.) All this for the preparing the soil to the due receiving, and sending forth the corn: and then when it is above ground, 'tis called {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  germen, that which is sprouted out from the earth; and then comes the latter rain, and makes that grow very prosperously: and that is the meaning of the last part of the verse, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thou blessest that which sprouts out.  
V. 11. Paths] The clouds are here styled {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thy paths( from {untranscribed Hebrew} round, circular, smooth, because paths are made by cart-wheels turning round upon them) as the places whereon God is Poetically described to walk, or to be carried as in a chariot, Psal. xviii. 9, 10, 11. For to these it is that the dropping of fatness on the earth peculiarly belongs. The ancient Interpreters, all but the Chaldee, render this by way of paraphrase, {untranscribed Hebrew}, say the Lxxii. thy fields shall be filled with fatness( by the bounty of the clouds upon them;) and the latin and arabic and Aethiopick follow them: but the Syriack, {untranscribed Hebrew}— and thy calves or young cattle shall be filled with grass( as an effect of the bounty of the clouds.)  
V. 12. rejoice] The phrase here applied to the hills, of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  they shall gird themselves( from {untranscribed Hebrew} cinxit) with gladness, is to be judged of by Psal. xxx. ii. where 'tis used and applied to men. It there signifies being clothed with a festival garment( the girdle being that which binds the garment on us, and the girdle or garment of gladness, the festival garment) and is figuratively used to denote Gods blessings abundantly bestowed upon him. And so here, by the like figure, the hills being girded with gladness, denotes being plentifully enriched by God, or made very fruitful; so as v. 13. their shouting for joy and singing imports. The Lxxii. therefore render it very literally, and very fitly, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the hills shall be gird about with exultation; and the rest of the ancients accord.  
V. 13. Pastures] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which signifies a pasture, Isa. xxx. 23. signifies also a ram, Isa. xvi. 1. And so the Lxxii. here render it {untranscribed Hebrew} rams, and so the Chaldee also. But the elegancy is best preserved by the former notion. The flocks of sheep being fitly styled the clothing of the pasture, which they keep warm, and much enrich by being folded on it. And with that so interpnted the analogy holds in that which follows, the valleys or ploughed lands are covered with corn, as the fields with sheep.    

The Sixty Sixth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, A Song or Psalm.  
The sixty sixth Psalm is made up wholly of acknowledgements of Gods mercies and deliverances, that of old from egypt v. 6. &c. as an image of some other remarkable one now received, at the writing of this Psalm.( By the 
{untranscribed Hebrew}.  Title given it in the Greek copies, it appears to have been used in the Greek Church on Easter day.)  
1. Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands.  
2. Sing forth the honour of his name, 
or, give him glory by his praise, or by praising him.  
a.  make his praise glorious.  
It is the obliged duty of all the men in the world to celebrate with all joy, and thanksgiving, and praise, the great and gracious God of heaven and earth;  
3. Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works? through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies 
feign obedience to thee: see note on Ps. xviii. ●.  submit themselves unto thee.  
To proclaim the wonderful and dreadful works of his vengeance on his enemies, by which even those which are most wicked are yet constrained to aclowledge, and hypocritically to subject themselves to him.  
4. All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee, they shall sing to thy name. Selah.  
5. Come and see the works of God, he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.  
Very ma●velous things hath he done towards us, the acts of his providence among men are very remarkable: O let us all adore and magnify his name for them.  
6. He turned the sea into dry land, they went through the flood on foot; there did we rejoice in him.  
When the children of Israel were, according to h s promise to the fathers, brought out of bondage in egypt, 'twas done in a miraculous manner; the sea on a sudden, at their approach, departing before them, and giving them a free passage through it, but returning with violence upon the egyptians, who pursued them, and were drowned with that which did them no hurt. And afterward when they were to enter into the promised land, by passing 
{untranscribed Hebrew} by the River Jordan Chald.  over Jordan, at the Priests entering on the brink of the river with the ark on their shoulders, the waters stood, and arose up on a heap, Jos. iii. 16. and by other the like restraints interposed by Gods special power, all the Israelites passed over on dry ground v. 17. And this certainly in both parts of it was matter of great joy to our ancestors, and just occasion of magnifying his power( and vengeance) and mercy to us.  
7. He ruleth by his 
b.  power 
over the world.  for ever, his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.  
And as over the egyptians and seven nations, so hath he absolute dominion over all other nations of the world: And that may be a good admonition to all obstinate impious oppressors, timely to return and repent, that they fall not irreversibly under his vengeance.  
8. O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard,  
9. Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to slip.  
'tis he that surrounds our lives in time of danger, and preserves them from all miscarriage, and accordingly is to be blessed and magnified by all that have received this mercy from him, to be preserved so long, when if he had not supported, they had each minute been cast down.  
10. For thou, O God, hast proved us; thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.  
He hath sometimes brought trouble and affliction upon us, upon the same designs that metallists are wont to throw gold or silver into the fire, to discern whether it be pure or no, and if it be not, to melt and separate all the dross and false metal from it. Thus he dealt with the Israelites of old in the iron furnace of egypt; and proportionably thus he hath now dealt with us: And this hath been his one gracious purpose in all his inflictions, to approve our sincerity of adherence to him, and to reform and purge out all that is vicious in us.  
11. Thou broughtst us into the net, thou laidst 
restraint {untranscribed Hebrew}  affliction upon our loins.  
One while he hath permitted us to be ensnared and subdued by our enemies, as in egypt our Fathers were.  
12. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads: we went through fire and through water, but thou broughtst us out into a 
watered— {untranscribed Hebrew}  wealthy place.  
Another while he hath permitted them to oppress and tyramnize over us: But then as after the example of those, he hath by his providence chosen to permit very sharp afflictions to befall us, so hath he graciously brought us through, and out of them again. As he brought our fathers to Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey, after the fire of the brick-kilns, and the water of the sea, and the floods of the River Jordan; so hath he oft delivered us out of the most pressing distresses, brought us out of drowning, to blessing waters, to a well-watered irrigated country, and returned us to all kind of prosperity.  
13. I will go into thy house with burnt-offerings; I will pay thee my vows.  
14. Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.  
When we were in any distress, we made our addresses to thee, besought thee to avert them, and upon thy hearing our prayers, promised reformation of life, and voluntary oblations, for the acknowledgement of that deity from whence we expected and begged our relief. And now being heard and answered by thee, we are under the strictest obligation of justice and gratitude, and performance of promise, to return our most cheerful acknowledgements to thee.  
15. I will offer unto thee burnt-sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams: I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.  
And this I will now do in the liberallest and most magnificent manner that can be.  
16. Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.  
And proclaim to all pious men, for their encouragement, how graciously God hath dealt with me all my life long.  
17. I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.  
How, as soon as I made my prayers unto him, he granted them presently, and gave me cause to convert them into praises.  
18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.  
19. But verily God hath heard me, he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.  
Which is, beside the blessing granted, a farther matter of joy and comfort to me, that that God, which cannot patronise any sin, hath been pleased to h●arken to my request, and so to sign unto me his approbation of my sincerity.  
20. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.  
His name be for ever magnified, for this honour of hearing my prayers, and the deliverance consequent thereto.  

Annotations on Psalm LXVI.  
V. 2. Make his praise glorious] {untranscribed Hebrew} here the Jewish Arab renders in the notion of giving, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  give him glory,( and so regularly {untranscribed Hebrew} posuit put] is used for dedit gave, and is here v. 9. joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} to give, as a synonymon, and so to put to him honour] is to give it him;) but he, as well as others, avoids making {untranscribed Hebrew} to be in regimine, so as to govern the noun that follows, the glory of his praise:] for then( as in the beginning of this verse, {untranscribed Hebrew} the honour of his name) the vowel should be changed from {untranscribed Hebrew} to {untranscribed Hebrew} It is then possible that the nouns should be put by apposition; and then {untranscribed Hebrew} may be in the ordinary notion of put, or make,] make glory his praise, i. e. either your glory] as Aben Ezra would have it, make your glory his praise, let it be your glory to praise him) or his glory,] make his glory his praise. But 'tis yet more probable, that the difficulty may be best removed by understanding a preposition in {untranscribed Hebrew}: the Jewish Arab supplies it by {untranscribed Hebrew} from, or of his praise; it may be as fitly [ by his praise] i. e. by your praising of him. To this sense the Chaldee may be interpnted, {untranscribed Hebrew} give him glory by his praise, and the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} give glory by his praise, or by praising him: and that seems to be the most ready rendering of it. There are ●everal ways of giving glory to God; one by confessing of sins, Josh. vii. 19. my son give glory to God, and make confession to him, and tell me what thou hast done; and so 1 Sam. vi. 5. ye shall give glory to God, peradventure he will lighten his hand, and Jer. xiii. 16. and elsewhere. And another by praising him, Isa. xLii. 12. Let them give glory to the Lord, and declare his praise; so Rev. ii. 9. when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks; And so here, give him glory, by what means? {untranscribed Hebrew} by his praise, or by praising him.  
V. 7. Power for ever] That {untranscribed Hebrew}, as the English age, signifies not only time and duration, but also the men that live in any time, there is no question. And then {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  must here most properly be rendered, ruling the world, or over the world; and so the Chaldee certainly understood, who red {untranscribed Hebrew} which exerciseth dominion over the world: and so I suppose the Lxxii. their {untranscribed Hebrew}, having dominion over the world,] doth import, though the latin hath rendered it amiss,( and against their meaning,) in aeternum. The Syriack, by following the Hebrew, and rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew} in seculum, is capable of the right sense, he that hath dominion over the world; the very paraphrase of {untranscribed Hebrew}, by which God is known in the creed, the ruler of all things.    

The Sixty Seventh Psalm.  
TO the chief musician upon Neginoth, a Psalm, or Song.  
The sixty seventh is a Psalm of supplication and thanksgiving, and was committed to the Praefect of the music, to be sung to the stringed instruments.( See note on Ps. iv. a.)  
1. God be merciful unto us, and bless us, and cause his face to shine 
or, with us {untranscribed Hebrew}  upon us. Selah.  
The good God of heaven pardon our sins, supply our wants, bestow his blessings both spiritual and temporal, behold us with favour and acceptation, and for ever continue them to us.  
2. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy 
salvation {untranscribed Hebrew}  saving health among all nations.  
And this will be a means of propagating the fear, worship, and service of the true God to the whole heathen world, when they shall see and consider the eminent miraculous acts of thy providence over us, in delivering us from the dangers and distresses that have been upon us.  
3. Let the people 
confess to {untranscribed Hebrew}  praise thee, O God, let all the people 
confess to  praise thee.  
And this of an universal reformation and acknowledgement of the one God of heaven and earth, is a mercy so much to be wished for, and desired by every pious man,( the enlargement of Gods kingdom) that I cannot but give my suffrage to it, and most affectionately call upon all to join in it, and beseech God to give this grace of his to all the men in the whole world.  
4. 
let  O let the nations be glad, and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and 
a.  
led or conduct.  govern the nations upon earth. Selah.  
And for them that are admitted to this honour, of being ruled and d●rected by God, 'tis matter of infinite joy and exultation, his statutes being so admirably good, and agreeable to all our interests, and the administration of his works of providence so perlectly wise and just, that all the world are, in prudence and care of, and love to themselves, obliged with joy to submit to the erection of his kingdom in their hearts.  
5. Let the people 
confess to {untranscribed Hebrew}  praise thee, O God, let all the people 
confess to  praise thee.  
'twere a happy and blessed thing, if all the world would be duly sensible of it, and so all join to aclowledge and worship, serve and obey, and partake of this mercy of God. and so be induced to magnify his name for it.  
6. 
The earth hath yielded her fruit.  Then 
b.  shall the earth yield her increase, 
God bless us, even  and God even our own God shall bless us.  
His mercies are afforded to all, the rain from heaven, and the fruitful seasons, peculiar acts of his providence( see note on Act. xiv. 17.) and such as oblige all the most heathen men in the world to aclowledge, and bless, and give up themselves to the obedience of the God of heaven. It remains, that we continually pray to the same God, who hath expressed himself so graciously to us, that he will bestow his benediction both on us, and on all that he hath so richly afforded us.  
7. God 
bless us, and let— fear him. See note b.  shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.  
And may it thus be, The Lord of heaven crown us with his blessings, and may all the most barbarous people in the world be brought to the acknowledgement, and worship, and uniform obedience, and subjection to him.  

Annotations on Psalm LXVII.  
V. 4. Govern] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} duxit, seems here to signify, in a comprehensive latitude, all acts of conduct; as of a pastor toward his sheep, leading them into their pastures, guiding and directing men into those courses which are most eminently profitable for them; of a General toward his Souldiers, marshalling them, and going before them, and so prospering them in their fight against all kinds of enemies; and lastly of a King, ruling and ordering his subjects, and so doth God those, that will sincerely submit to him. All which the word [ led or conduct] may contain under it; and so that will be the fitter, because the more literal, and withall more comprehensive rendering, and to be preferred before that of governing.  
V. 6. Shall yield] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  being in the praeter tense, is so interpnted by the ancients. The xxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, the earth hath given or yielded her fruit; the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the earth hath given; and the Syriack in the same words, and so the latin, Terra dedit, and the arabic, and Aethiopick. And therefore although it be frequent, whence the sense requires it, to interpret the Hebrew praeter tense in the future; yet the sense not requiring it here, and the Interpreters according in the contrary, there will be no reason here to admit of it, but to set it, as the Hebrew lies, as an argument to infer the universal confessing, and acknowledging, and serving of God v. 5. as it is set by S. Paul to the heathens Act. xiv. 17. And then that which follows, {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  will be best rendered, in form of benediction, God bless us, even our God: and so the LXXII. red, {untranscribed Hebrew}( and the Latins, Benedicat) both here, and in the beginning of the next verse.    

The Sixty Eighth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, A Psalm or Song of David.  
The sixty eighth Psalm, beginning in the same manner as Moses's song at the setting forward of the ark did, Num. x. 35. was composed by David afterward( as appears by the mention of the Temple, i. e. the ark and Sanctuary at Jerusalem, v. 29.) in commemoration of the great deliverances afforded to the Israelites, and judgments inflicted on their enemies,( especially in that of their coming up out of egypt) and mystically containing and predicting the resurrection of Christ, and the exaltation of the Christian Church consequent thereto. It seems to have been formed by David on the like occasion as Moses's was, at the bringing up of the ark 2 Sam. vi. 12. and was committed to the Praefect of his music, to be sung with all Musical instruments of joy, 2 Sam. vi. 15.  
1. 
or, God shall— {untranscribed Hebrew}  Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered; let them also that hate him flee before him.  
The ark is a token of the special presence of almighty God, who when he is pleased to interpose, subdues all before him, no enemy of his or of his people can stand or prosper. And so when Christ, mystically typified by the ark of God, comes into the world, it is the great God of heaven and earth that exhibits himself in our mortal flesh, and being crucified by the Jews, he shall by his own almighty power be raised again, and ascend to heaven, and then subdue or destroy, convert by the preaching of the Gospel, or utterly exterminate, the people and whole nation of the Jews his crucifiers.  
2. As smoke is driven away, so 
shalt thou  drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so 
shall  let the wicked perish at the presence of God.  
As soon as God appears, they vanish and are routed immediately: smoke doth not turn into air, wax doth not melt at the heat of the fire more speedily. And as certainly and suddenly shall the either melting or vanishing, conversion or destruction of the Jews follow the resurrection and ascension of Christ. As soon as he is ascended, the apostles shall set on preaching, and begin first at Jerusalem and Judaea; and by that time they have gone through all the cities of Judaea, and converted all that are farthel, Christ shalll come in judgement on the obdurate, Mat. x. 23. the Roman Eagles or armies, Mat. xxiv. 28.( with the ensign of the Eagle) in that very generation, v. 34. wherein Christ ascended, shall besiege and take Jerusalem, destroy the Temple, and take away both their place and nation. And tho●gh this were some years( about forty) before it was finished, yet with God, with whom a thousand years are but as one day, 2 Pet. lii. 8. these forty years are but proportionable to a moment, and so to that space which is required to the vanishing of smoke, or melting of wax before the fire:( and so the Lord is not slacken concerning his promise, v. 9. this repetition of the greatest swiftness of destroying his enemies, hath its due completion.)  
3. But 
the righteous shall  let the righteous be glad, let them rejoice before God; yea let them exceedingly rejoice.  
And this shall be matter of the highest superlative joy to all pious men, who have answers to their prayers from the presence of God in the ark; but most eminently to all faithful obedient servants of Christ, who shall in a notable manner be delivered out of that common calamity, wherein the unbelieving Jews shall be involved, and( by the power of Christs spirit in their hearts, cheerfully received and made use of) be ascertaind of their portion in eternal heaven.  
4. Sing unto God, sing praises to his name; extol him that 
a  rideth upon the 
highest heaven.  heavens 
or, his name is Jehovah.  by his name Jah, and rejoice before him.  
He that thus presentiates himself in the ark, as also the messiah, that shall be born, and rise again in our flesh, is no other than the supreme omnipotent God of heaven and earth, creator, first mover, and ruler of the uppermost heaven and all under it: let all the world worship, and aclowledge and magnify him as such, and take pleasure in performing obedience to him.  
5. A father of the fatherless and a Judge of the widows is God in his holy habitation.  
Though he inhabits the highest heaven, yet is he pleased here below to exhibit himself in the ark first, and after in our human flesh, to relieve and patronise all that are in distress, to heal the broken in heart, those that are oppressed with the burden of their sins, and so supply all other( even secular) wants to all that by humble devout prayer and reliance on him are qualified for it.  
6. God 
maketh the destitute dwell at home.  setteth the 
b.  solitary in families, he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.  
He is made up all of pity and compassion to all that are in want and distress, that serve and wait on him; 
so the Chald.  brought the Israelites out of egypt, their state of hard slavery, and punished their oppressors very heavily, and so constantly supplies all his servants wants. And this in an eminent manner shall be the work of the messiah, by his miracles, going about, doing good, and healing diseases; but especially by his death, working spiritual redemption( the most sovereign mercy) for our souls, whilst the impenitent infidels, that resist and frustrate all his methods of grace and mercy, are finally forsaken by him.  
7. O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness. Selah.  
8. The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God, 
this is Sinai before the presence—  even 
c.  Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.  
God, at his bringing his people, with an high hand out of egypt into Canaan, conducted them through the wilderness in a pillar of cloud and fire, to denote his special providence over them, and bringing them to Mount Sinai, delivered them his Law in a most solemn dreadful manner, the earth trembling, Exod. xix. 18. and the air sending out thunder and lightning, and a thick cloud of tempestuous rain, v. 16. as a token of his presence there, and an essay of the terrible account that should be exacted on those that obeied not this Law. And in the like dreadful manner shall Christ, after his ascending to heaven, come to visit his crucifiers, and avenge all impenitent unbelievers.  
9. Thou, O God, didst sand a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance when it was weary.  
When they were in great distress in the wilderness for want of food, God made abundant provision for their refreshment and sustenance, by sending them, together with the thunder, plentiful refreshing showers, by raining down quails and Manna from heaven; and above all, the divine irrigation of the law was thence distilled. And so shall the messiah make his spiritual supplies in great abundance to the comfort of all humble penitent hearts, that are sensible of their wants, and that ardently desire and pray to him for the supply of them.  
10. 
d.  Thy 
living creatures have i●●●bited  congregation hath dwelled therein; for thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.  
And so the wilderness became an habitable place, or constantly Gods holy Angels went along with them, to defend and conduct, and provide for them: Instances of Gods gracious and special providence, and protection over all those that stand in need of him, and faithfully serve, and humbly wait on him. And parallel to these, Christ, at his departure from the world, shall leave his Apostles and their successors, called Angels of the Churches, Rev. ii. and iii. to provide for the spiritual wants of all his faithful disciples, all docible Christians.  
11. The Lord gave the word; great was the company 
e.  of 
women that proclaimed it, or, to the women th●● published the victories of the great ar●●.  those that published it.  
And continually from time to time God gave us victories over the nations, abundant matter of praise and triumph, which the train of singing women, mustering themselves up in another army( according to their wont) set forth in their triumphant hymns( A type of the victories over death and hell by the resurrection of the messiah, which the women in like manner, Mary Magdalen &c. should first publish to the Disciples, and they preach to the whole world.)  
12. Kings of armies 
f.  did fly apace, and she that tarried at doom divided the spoil.  
To this or the like purpose, that all the Canaanitish Kings with their forces, that opposed or stood out against them, were utterly routed and put to flight, Jos. x. and the weakest Israelites, they that could not enter the battle were yet partakers of the spoils of their wealth.( And so in like manner that by the resurrection of Christ the powers of hell should be discomfited, and the humble meek peaceable Christian reap the fruit of it.)  
13. 
or shall ye ly among the brickbats, or rubbish ye wings—  Though ye have lain among 
g.  the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with 
yellowness of—  yellow gold.  
And the Israelites that were oppressed, and long lay in a sad and black destitute despised condition, were now at length advanced to all prosperity, splendour and glory:( as was remarkable at their coming out from the kilns of egypt, with the Jewels and wealth of the egyptians, and afterward more illustriously, at their enjoying of Canaan.) And so under Christs kingdom the heathenish Idolaters, that were brought to the basest and most despicable condition of any creatures, worshipping wood and ston, &c. and given up to the vilest lusts, and a reprobate mind, Rom 1. should from that detestable condition be advanced to the service of Christ, and practise of all Christian virtues, charity, meekness, &c. the greatest inward beauties in the world.  
14. 
O God by scattering Kings on it, thou wert white as snow on Salmon.  
h.  When the almighty scattered Kings in it, it was white as snow in Salmon.  
15. 
the hill of Bashan became the hill of God, the high hill, the hill of Bashan.  The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan, an high hill, as the hill of Bashan.  
When God destroyed and dissipated the Kings of the seven nations before them( for though it was by their arms, yet was their strength so small in proportion to the giantly inhabitants, that the victory was wholly to be attributed to God his providence was illustriously visible in it; and the people were by this means soon possessed of the land, on this and on the other side of Jordan, a most fruitful and profitable possession( caused by the melting of the snow that lay on the top of the hills, and exceedingly enriched all the plains that lay below them) and there dwelled, remarkable and illustrious in the eyes of all their neighbours. And so upon Christs rising from the dead, and thereby conquering death and hell, and soon after, upon his victorious conquest over his enemies, the Jews his crucifiers, which would not suffer him to reign over them, the Church of Christ typified by the people of Israel, should be possessed of a prosperous and flourishing condition in Judaea, and even in the heathen world; though for a while it should sometimes meet with persecution from the heathen Emperors, yet at length Christianity should be victorious, and subdue the greatest opposers to the faith.  
16. 
i.  Why 
do ye exalt yourselves,  leap ye, ye high hills? This is the hill which God desireth to dwell in: yea, the Lord will dwell in it for ever.  
Yet was not God pleased so far to favour either of these high hills, as to choose them for the place of his habitation; but hath now brought the ark of the Covenant, and placed it on Mount Sion, not the highest hill in those parts, but one of an humble and moderate size, preferring this before all other for the place of his special residence; and this so, as never to remove from thence( as formerly he hath done) to any other station, as long as the Jewish state lasted.( And so proportionably shall Christ erect his Church in the hearts of the meek and lowly, Mat. v. 3. whereas the proud and lofty, as they will oppose and stand out against him, so shall they be utterly rejected by him.)  
17. 
k.  The 
Chariot.  chariots of God 
is two myriad, thousands multiplied or iterated, The Lord is among them, Sinai is in the Sanctuary.  are twenty thousand, even thousands of Angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.  
There therefoce the hosts of Angels, infinite numbers of them, took up their station, and so signified this to be the place of the special presence of God, that Lord of hosts that appeared so terribly in mount Sinai, who is said to reside where these his courtiers of heaven, his guards of attendants, are visible.( But much more illustriously shall Christ be present in his Church by the ministry of many thousands of Angels, after his resurrection, being that very God that once appeared by his Angels in Mount Sinai, and hath all the hosts of them continually ministering to him.)  
18. Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast 
carried away captives {untranscribed Hebrew}  lead captivity captive, thou hast 
taken {untranscribed Hebrew}  received gifts for men; 
and even the rebel: {untranscribed Hebrew}  yea for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.  
The God of heaven hath pleased to reveal himself in great Majesty, to return victoriously to his throne in heaven, being, as a triumphant conqueror, attended by many captives, enabling his people the Israelites by the conduct of David to overcome the heathens, and subject some of them to this Law of God, to bring them in proselytes to their religion, and those particularly which long held out against it, the Gibeonites, and the like; and by this means( as conquerors are wont to scatter largesses, donatives, so he) 
{untranscribed Hebrew} Chald: {untranscribed Hebrew} sir: and hast given  hath distributed among these( the spectators of his power among his people) the greatest blessings, the richest donatives imaginable, the dignity of worshipping and praying to him in his Sanctuary,( as afterwards in the Temple) whereby God vouchsafeth now to be present among those, to hear and answer their prayers, that were before strangers to him.( And thus Christ having by his resurrection overcome death, hell and sin( and also, soon after, signally destroyed his crucifiers) shall sand his Apostles and Evangelists to preach his gospel to the whole heathen world, enduing them with gifts of tongues and miracles &c. to qualify them for their office, and by them bring many Disciples to the faith, particularly a remnant of the unbelieving Jews, who seeing the Idolatrous Gentiles come in, were stirred up with emulation, and so timely prevented their ruin, and lived members of the Church of Christ, to which he promised his presence; see Eph. iv. 8.  
19. Blessed be the Lord, who daily 
heapeth led upon u●, {untranscribed Hebrew}  loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.  
Thus doth God our great deliverer from time to time continually oblige us with a great weight of mercies afforded us: Blessed be his name for it.  
20. He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the 
l.  
going● forth, or passages 〈◇〉 death.  issues from death.  
'tis not in the power of any other, but of this God whom we worship, to work the least deliverance for any; His privilege it is to rescue out of the greatest dangers, and to him we owe all our escapes. From him also have all the signal judgments proceeded, under which our enemies have fallen, the egyptians, and the inhabitants of the seven nations.  
21. 
even, see note l.  But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the 
crown of hair {untranscribed Hebrew}  hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.  
And indeed for all those that will not be wrought on, and brought home to him, by all his wise and gracious methods, but still resist and stand out impenitently in their sins, 'tis in all reason to be expected from his justice, that he shall poure out his vengeance upon these stout presumptuous sinners heads, and destroy them utterly. And thus shall it befall those that hold out against the messiah, when the Apostles, after his resurrection, shall, with the conviction which that brought, and the miraculous powers  shed on them by the holy Ghost, preach the Gospel to his crucifiers, and call them to repentance; for then, upon their persisting in their obstinacy, their utter destruction is to be look't for.  
22. The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea.  
The Lord hath promised now to repeat among us all his glorious acts, to do as great things, command as signal deliverances and victories for Jerusalem, as were wrought in Batanca or the read sea.( And all this but an essay of the deliverance of the messiah from the very power of the grave, consequent to which is our resurrection, as also of the spiritual deliverance wrought for Christians from the power of sin and satan.)  
23. That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the same.  
The blood of thy enemies,  shed in such abundance, that thy dogs shall lap and drink it, shall be the sea in which thou shalt pass, and that read without a figure.( And proportionably shall be the destructions on the enemies of Christ and Christians, in the age of the messiah.)  
24. They have seen thy goings, O God, even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary.  
After the coming out from egypt and delivery of the Law, by the ministry of whole hosts of Angels, the ark and the Tabernacle being built, constantly marched before them in all their journeyings, with a procession of like solemnity, though performed by meaner persons, an host, though not of heavenly officers, and so conducted them, to the place of their promised rest, Num. x. 35. and with it God himself went, as a King before them, to rule and guide and protect them.( And so shall Christ by his grace, by his word and his sacraments, when he is in heaven.)  
25. The singers went before, and the players on instruments followed after: amongst them were the damsels playing with timbrels.  
And the going up of the ark was very solemn, with voices and instruments of music, both which were committed to the Levites care; And the pious women accompanied and bare their part in the choir,( And so when Christ is gone up to heaven, the Apostles shall celebrate and promulgate it to all the world, and Mary Magdalen and other women, witnesses thereof, shall affectionately join with them in divulging it.)  
26. Bless ye God in the congregation, even the Lord 
ye of the fountain {untranscribed Hebrew}  from the fountain of Israel.  
And all the people of Israel, all that are come forth from out of the waters of Judah, Is. 48.1. excited and called upon the other to magnify the name of the Lord.( As all Christians shall be obliged solemnly to magnify the name of the messiah, and to that end frequently to assemble together.)  
27. There 
was  is little Benjamin 
their ruler.  with 
m.  their rulers, the princes of Judah 
their governor●.  and 
n.  their counsel, the princes of Zabulon, and the princes of Naphtali.  
Particularly the two royal tribes, 1. that of Benjamin, from which the first King sprung. 2. that of Judah, from which the second; and the two learned tribes, Zabulon and Naphtali.( And we may note that the kingdom of the Messiah should at length be submitted to, by all the Potentates and learned men in the world.)  
28. Thy God hath 
established {untranscribed Hebrew}  commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us.  
Thus is it merely the work of Gods presence,( noted by the ark) assistance, and providence, that we have thus been enabled to subdue our enemies, and get possession of this good land,( and so the grace of Christ, by which sin and Satan shall be weakened and subdued.) Lord, do thou continue this thy power and goodness, and go through with, and confirm this work of mercy which thou hast begun, and thus fa●re advanced in us.  
29. Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall Kings bring presents unto thee.  
And then, as thy donatives have been imparted to the very heathen enemies of God, v. 18. so by way of return, shall the heathen nations and princes come in to the acknowledgement and worship of thee, and bring sacrifice and oblations to thy Temple, the Queen of Shebah personally, the asiatic Princes and roman Emperors by their offerings.( And in like manner the heathen world and the greatest princes thereof shall embrace and accept the faith of Christ.)  
30. 
o.  rebuk the company of 
lancers, or, archers,  spear-men, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, 
that tread upon pieces of silver.  till every one submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war.  
And those that hold out, and trust in their military strength, tyrannizing, and oppressing, and subduing all their neighbour nations, and out of an insatiate define of wealth, have they never so much, will have more, and use all violence and war to that purpose, Jam. iv. 2. these wilt thou severely punish and destroy.( And so shall Christ the greatness of heathen Rome, which having attained to the Empire of the world, and to the greatest wealth imaginable, shall be subdued and destroyed by the Goths &c. and so the Empire subjected to Christianity, in Constantine's time; see Rev. xvii. and xviii.)  
31. 
or, ambassadors {untranscribed Hebrew}. Lxxii.  Princes shall come out of egypt: Aethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.  
And by this means shall many other heathen nations, egyptians and Aethiopians, &c. be induced to come in as Proselytes, and embrace the law of God, and offer up their prayers in his Temple.( And so when heathen Rome is subdued to the faith of Christ, the other nations that depend on that Empire shall receive it also.)  
32. Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth, O sing praises unto the Lord. Selah.  
And Jerusalem shall be a house of prayer to all nations; and this shall be just matter of the most solemn triumphant joy to all the people in the world; all due, and to be acknowledged to the God of heaven.  
33. To him that rideth upon the heaven of heavens 
of old, {untranscribed Hebrew}  which were of old: lo, he doth sand out his voice, and that a mighty voice.  
To that God that descended and spake to Moses of old out of the cloud, on Mount Sinai, with such thunder as made them all to tremble,( see note on Ps. cxlviii. a.) and will more clearly reveal his will in the fullness of time, by the voice of his own son incarnate, and by the preaching of the Apostles to all the world.  
34. Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds.  
O let us all praise the Lord for all the glorious acts of his power toward us, who though he rule in heaven over all the world, yet hath most illustriously exhibited himself to the people of the Jews( see Deut. xxxiii. 26.) and will in like manner to the spiritual seed of Abraham, the Christian Church.  
35. O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.  
O the dreadful presence of God in his sanctuary, where by his myriad of Angels he exhibits himself to his servants! From him is all our sufficiency to defend ourselves, to subdue others,( an essay of the power of his grace without which we can do nothing that is good, and by which we are enabled to do all that he requires, in such a degree as he will be sure to accept.) His glorious name be for ever praised and blessed for it.〈…〉  

Annotations on Psalm LXVIII.  
V. 4. Rideth upon the heavens] From {untranscribed Hebrew} is {untranscribed Hebrew}, ordinarily used for the evening, and from that notion of it, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is here by the Lxxii. rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, and by the latin supper occasum, upon the going down of the sun; and accordingly {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which the Chaldee duly render {untranscribed Hebrew} praise ye, from {untranscribed Hebrew} exaltavit, they render {untranscribed Hebrew} make way, from another notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for casting up a causeway. But the feminine {untranscribed Hebrew} is frequently taken for a plain, and so for the desert, and accordingly the Jewish Arab rendereth it here, that dwelleth in absent or remote or secret places. But {untranscribed Hebrew}, in the plural, is acknowledged by the Hebrews to signify the heavens, and so in arabic {untranscribed Hebrew} heaven, and peculiarly the seventh heaven. This Abu Walid saith belongs to the heavens by reason of their height or supereminency, which signification he affirms {untranscribed Hebrew} to have: And then there is no need of those other descants, which from the notion of a desert apply it to the uppermost heavens, either as being plain and voided of stars, and so a kind of superior desert, without any thing in it, or( as the learned Grotius piously conjectures, from 1 Tim. vi. 16.) because as a desert it is {untranscribed Hebrew}, not approach't or approachable by any. The Chaldee here explains it, {untranscribed Hebrew} upon the seat of his glory in Araboth, which the latin there render coelo nono, the ninth heaven. His riding on this, as in a chariot, or horse( so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies, and from thence {untranscribed Hebrew} a chariot) may signify either to set it a moving, or else in a second notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for dominari, gubernare, to rule or govern it. In both senses it properly belongs to God, to move the primum mobile, and so to be the author of all motion under it, and to rule and manage it also, and so all the world with it. What here follows, {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  may promptly and literally be rendered by Jah, i. e. Jehovah, his name, joining it with {untranscribed Hebrew} precedent, thus, exalt by his name Jehovah him that rideth— But all the ancient Interpreters render it by itself, Jah is his name, taking ב( as oft it is) for an expletive, unsignificant. {untranscribed Hebrew} Jah is his name, say the Chaldee; {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Lord is his name, the LXXII. and so the Syriack and latin &c.  
V. 6. Solitary] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  unicus, and solitarius, signifies also desertus destitute, in the same sense as {untranscribed Hebrew} 1 Tim. v. 5. she that is quiter alone, is the periphrasis of the {untranscribed Hebrew}, a widow indeed, one that hath neither husband nor children to supply her,( and so, as it is there, must be maintained by the Church.) Now one that is thus destitute of all means of subsisting, is forced to seek abroad for relief, unless some mercifull-minded person take some care of him; and he that doth so, is fitly styled {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  one that makes him dwell at home, relieves him that he need not seek abroad: and this therefore is a fit title of Gods in this place, joined with father of the fatherless, preceding, and bringing out the prisoners, or those that are bound in chains; and therefore this sure is the meaning of the phrase.  
V. 8. Sinai] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  belongs to, or how 'tis to be rendered, is matter of some question. The Chaldee red it {untranscribed Hebrew} just answerably to the Hebrew, and so define nothing in it; but the Lxxii.( as after them the latin) join it with {untranscribed Hebrew} God, foregoing, {untranscribed Hebrew} from the presence of the God of Sinai, supposing God from his special exhibition of himself, in giving the Law on Mount Sinai, to be styled the God of Sinai, as from his special presence and favour to the people of the Jews, he is styled the God of Israel. But it may also be set by itself, {untranscribed Hebrew} this is Sinai, to denote deictically, where that shaking of the earth and tempestuous rain was heard, viz. in Sinai. And this the Chaldee and the Syriack will bear. Or lastly, by understanding the preposition {untranscribed Hebrew} in, or the like, it may be rendered, at the presence of God in that Sinai. Each of these is very obvious, but specially the second, and fit to be preferred before the English, which makes a far greater ellipsis.  
V. 10. Thy Congregation] From the word {untranscribed Hebrew} vixit, is {untranscribed Hebrew} vivus, and so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Psal. L. 10. the living creature of the wood, and so Psal. civ. 11. Psal. Lxxix. 2. And thus it may signify here, {untranscribed Hebrew} thy living creatures; so the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, thy living creatures, and the latin, Animalia tua, and so the Syriack, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and thy living creatures. That desolate place, where only wild beasts before could live, was now by those showers of Manna v. 9. enabled to sustain a multitude of other tamer living creatures, even of men and all their flocks and herds. By this style in prophetic writings the Angels are signified; see Rev. iv. 6. where the {untranscribed Hebrew} four living creatures full of eyes are certainly four Angels, and so the Chaldee here, having first set down from the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast placed thy living creatures there, they add {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast prepared thine hosts of Angels. And so possibly it may signify here, thine Angels have resided therein, i. e. among the people; as an exhibition of Gods special presence among them, who is said to be present where his Angels appear, as oft they did among that people, at the giving the Law, in conducting them as by a cloud, and in the supplying of their wants on special occasions.  
V. 11. Those that published it] {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to bring good news, is certainly in the feminine gender, and so must belong to the women who were wont to celebrate victories, or any kind of good news, with singing and music. Thus, after the coming of Israel out of egypt, Exod. xv. 20, 21. miriae the Prophetess the sister of Aaron took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances; and miriae answered them, sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously, the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. This therefore in all reason must be the literal notation of the verse, and accordingly Gods giving the word is his affording those victories, that matter of triumph and {untranscribed Hebrew} to the Israelites( and not, as the Chaldee surmises, the publishing the Law by Moses and Aaron) but hath a farther completion in the resurrection of Christ. All the difficulty is, whether {untranscribed Hebrew} be in the notion of the dative or the genitive case. If in the genitive case, then {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  must be rendered company, great was the company of the women that thus sang; as indeed all the women, all the female choir or congregation solemnly came out, and joined in these songs of victory, and {untranscribed Hebrew} an host is oft taken for the congregation or assembly in the service of God. But it may also be in the dative, and then the whole verse runs thus, God gave the word to the female nuntios of the great army, the men of Israel being the great army, and the women the singers of their victories: and thus the learned Castellio understands it, Suppeditabit Dominus argumentum nuntiis magni exercitus foeminis, The Lord shall afford matter( of triumphant song) to the women the nuntios of the great army. And thus the Lxxii. may be understood, {untranscribed Hebrew}( I suppose it should be {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Lord God shall give the word or matter to the women that Evangelize to or for the great army, i. e. which supply the office of praecones thereto, in proclaiming their victories; though 'tis c●rtain the latin, that render it virtute multa, by much virtue, did not thus understand it.  
V. 12. Fly apace] This v. 12. is most unhappily transformed both by the Lxxii. and vulgar latin, so that 'tis not possible to make any tolera●le sense of it. {untranscribed Hebrew}. Rex virtutum dilecti dilecti,& speciei domus dividere spolia. The occasions of their misrendring are discernible. For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  shall fly, from {untranscribed Hebrew} fugit, they deriving the word from {untranscribed Hebrew}, rendered it {untranscribed Hebrew}. And so for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  habitation, or woman inhabitant, from {untranscribed Hebrew} habitavit, they red it as from {untranscribed Hebrew}, and render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, pulchritude: which latter, if it had been rendered in the nominative case, the beauty of the house divideth the spoil, it might have had some sense( meaning by the beauty of ●he house the woman in it) as the Syriack seems to have taken it. But the Chaldee for the inhabitress of the hous●enders {untranscribed Hebrew} the congregation of Israel.  
V. 13. Po●s] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here signi●ies is very uncertain. The Jewish A●ab, as Solomon Jarchi also, red it in that notion of limits, bounds, or ways or paths, wherein we have {untranscribed Hebrew} Jud. v. 16. which we there render sheepfolds, but the Chaldee renders {untranscribed Hebrew} bounds in the divisions of the way, the Syriack and arabic, paths and ways,( and to this notion it is imputable that the Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew} inheritances, portions, because mens portions of land or possessions were thus severed from other mens, by such boundaries.) The same word we have again Gen. xLix. 14. where though we red couching between two burdens, yet the Chaldee and Syriack accord in the former notion for ways and bounds; and in that is there a fit character of Issachar, as a merchant and trafficker in the world, that he is, as a strong ass, lying down between the two ways, as being weary with hard travail, and able to go no farther. And if thus it be rendered here, it will be significant enough, to express a woeful forlorn condition, to lie down betwixt the bounds, i. e. in the high ways. But it is here by most thought to signify somewhat belonging to pots, and may be very probably the same that the Arabs call {untranscribed Hebrew} Athaphi, stones set in a chimney for the pot to rest on, the pots being without legs. Of these the Arabians had three, and the third being commonly( to them in the desert) some fast piece of a rock, or the like behind the pot, as in a chimney the back of the chimney itself, and that not looked on as distinct from the chimney, the other two at the sides which were loose, might fitly be here expressed in the dual number, {untranscribed Hebrew}: And then the lying between these will betoken a very low squalid condition, as in the ashes or amid the foot and filth of the chimney. And this I suppose the meaning of those that render it tripodes, or chytropodes, or uncini, or cremathrae; all belonging to this one end of setting pots over the fire, which having no legs, were thus upheld by this supply of stones or broken bricks on each side. These two rendrings may seem somewhat distant, and yet considering that the Termini or bounds in divisions of ways were but heaps of stones, or broken bricks, or rubbish, the word {untranscribed Hebrew}, which signifies these, may well signify these supporters of the pots also, in respect of the matter of them, being such stones or broken bricks; and accordingly the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew}, which is here used to render it, is by Sionita rendered scobes brickbats; and that is all one with the arabic {untranscribed Hebrew}, with the usual change of ח into ש, and both may well be as I conceive, from the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}( in Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew}) in the notion of contundere and confringere, to break in pieces. To this also the Chaldee here agree, which render it {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} concussit, or projecit, broken bricks, or rubbish, that are thrown away. From this notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 'tis not very remote, that {untranscribed Hebrew} is used for a dunghill Psal. cxiii. 7. where the poor are said to lye, meaning the meanest and vilest place, whether all the trash and rubbish are cast out. And it may be remembered; that when Job was brought by Satan to his lowest pitch of affliction, we found him sat down among the ashes, and scraping himself with a potsherd, Job 11.8. which assures us that the ashes and potsherds, and all such kind of rubbish, lay together, and that lying or sitting down among these, was an effect of the greatest debasing and sadness. And then this is most proper for the turn here, that lying {untranscribed Hebrew} among the brickbatts or rubbish, should be the thing meant, as an exposition of the most mean, dejected and squallid condition. As for the form of speech {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which is rendered though ye have lain, it may be interrogative, have, or shall you lye, thus? {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. Ye wings of the dove which are covered with silver, and her feathers {untranscribed Hebrew} with the yellowness of pure gold, {untranscribed Hebrew} shall ye lye among the pots, or potsherds? This seems to relate to the wings of the Cherubims in the ark, whereby Gods presence was exhibited to his people; and by that it was that the Israelites were rescued out of egypt the place of their bondage, and low despised condition. And therefore it was no more imaginable that God should permit this people of his thus to continue among the potsherds, then that the ark of his presence should perpetually be kept in a captive or mean despised condition.  
V. 14. When the Almighty] The construction of these two verses lies thus, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  O God, by scattering Kings there, or, when thou, O God Almighty, didst scatter Kings( such were Sehon King of the Amorites and Og King of Basan, and the kingdoms of Canaan, Psal. cxxxv. 11.) in or on it, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Lxxii. i. e. on Salmon( and Basan following) {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thou wert white as Snow, or else thou didst snow( from {untranscribed Hebrew} snow) {untranscribed Hebrew} on Salmon; that is, thou didst there appear in the most shining, bright, the most white, propitious form; thy mercies made that place more beautiful, then the crown of snow doth the head of that mountain, when it melts in fertile moisture on the neighbouring valleys. Salmon is the name of a very high hill, which consequently used to have snow lying long upon it; and it is particularly specified here in opposition to Bashan following: for as Bashan was beyond Jordan, a rich and fruitful mountain, called by the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew} a fat hill, and {untranscribed Hebrew} a hill that yielded much butter and cheese; so this was on this side Jordan, the portion of the tribe of Ephraim, see Jud. ix. 40. And so by naming these two mountains, he poetically expresses first their victories, and then secondly the whole possession of the people of Israel, on this, and on that side Jordan. And then the sense lies clear, When the Kings, the Governors of those nations, were killed or put to flight by the Israelites, setting upon them in their own lands, then did God illustriously exhibit himself to them there, or on it, shined as bright, was as remarkable, as the snow on that hill used to be; and then also {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the hill Bashan, which was a gibbous protuberant hill,( so {untranscribed Hebrew}, an hill of gibbosites, signifies) and was formerly in the hands of the heathen King Og, {untranscribed Hebrew} did, as the former, Salmon, become the hill of God, i. e. was possessed by the Israelites his people.  
V. 16. Why leap ye] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} occurs only here, and is by guess rendered to leap, or lift up, or exal● ones self; but may best be interpnted, not leap or hop( as an expression of joy) but lift up or exalt yourselves, as an effect of pride. Thus certainly the Chaldee understood it, who paraphrase it thus, {untranscribed Hebrew}, Why do ye lift yourselves up ye high hills? 'tis not, saith God, my pleasure to give the Law upon high and supercilious or proud hills; behold Mount Sinai is a low one, and the word of God is pleased to place his Majesty on that. But the place here seems not so properly to refer to Mount Sinai, whereon the Law was given before their taking possession of Canaan, here mentioned in the precedent verses, as to Mount Sion, where David placed the ark, and where the Temple was built. However, this seems to be the meaning of {untranscribed Hebrew} exalting themselves, God having not chosen any of the highest hills to build his Temple on, but this of Sion, of a very moderate size, lower than the hill of Hermon, and at the foot of it, Psal. cxxxiii. 3. Kimchi both in his roo●es and Commentaries thinks the interpretation of R. Hai considerable, who would have it the same in sense with the arabic {untranscribed Hebrew}, which is to look after and observe. And thus the importance will be the same, What look you for, expect ye, ye high hills, to be done unto you? ye are not those which God hath chosen to beautify with his glorious presence, but Mount Sion: and so the Jewish Arab, What expect you?  
V. 17. Chariots] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  being in the singular, and the myriad in the dual, and the iterated thousands( so {untranscribed Hebrew}, from {untranscribed Hebrew} iteravit, is best rendered) in the plural, it follows that all those thousands and myriad of Angels( for though Angels are not mentioned, they are to be understood, as judas 14. {untranscribed Hebrew}, holy myriad) are but as it were one chariot of Gods, i. e. one instrument of transporting him, or conveying him from heaven to earth, i. e. an evidence of his special presence in the ark( as after in the Temple, and at length in our human flesh.) So that all that is signified by the whole verse, is this, That as God at the giving the Law on Mount Sinai did evidently exhibit himself by the ministry of his Angels, himself being invisible, and uncapable of circumscription or definition by any local dimensions; so he would exhibit himself in the Sanctuary, or place set apart for his worship, by the Angels dwelling there perpetually( an emblem of which was the picture of Cherubims shadowing the propitiatory or covering of the ark) and so carrying up the prayers which should be offered there, and bringing down returns to them. In which respect God is said to be {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  among them, in this his holy place, i. e. among the Angels that are present there. And to that also belongs what follows, {untranscribed Hebrew} Sinai is in the Sanctuary, i. e. all the Angels that ministered at the giving the Law in Sinai are constantly attendant on this place of Gods service.  
V. 20. Issues from death] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  must literally be rendered goings forth to death, and must signify the several plagues and judgments inflicted by God on impenitent enemies, the ways of punishing and destroying the egyptians and Canaanites, drowning in the Sea, killing by the sword, infesting by hornets &c. And these are properly to be attributed and imputed to God, as the deliverances of the Israelites his people in the former part of the verse. And to this sense the consequents incline v. 21. {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. Even God shall wound— The Jewish Arab interprets it kinds of death, or several ways of death; R. Tanchum, causes. The Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew} the passages of death, the ways by which death goes out upon men to destroy them; the latin exitus mortis goings out of death; the Chaldee more largely {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. from before the Lord death, and the going out of the soul to suffocation, do contend or fight against the wicked. The Syriack most expressly, {untranscribed Hebrew} the Lord God is the Lord of death; but then adds also ex abundanti, {untranscribed Hebrew} and of escaping.  
V. 27. Their rulers] {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} dominatus est, is here by contraction from {untranscribed Hebrew} their ruler, and being applied to Benjamin, hath respect to Saul, who was of this tribe, the first King that was placed over that people. Which gives the first place to that tribe in this enumeration, so saith the Targum, Benjamin was little among the tribes, which first descended into the sea, therefore at first he received the kingdom; as the second is given to Judah( who, saith the Chaldee, received the kingdom next after them) in respect to David. As for Zebulon and Nephtali, why their names are here added, rather than any of the other tribes, the reason may perhaps best be taken from what we find prophesied of those two Gen. xLix. and Deut. xxxiii. and Jud. v. by Jacob, and Moses, and Debora, that learning and knowledge should be most eminent in those two tribes. Of Nephtali 'tis said Gen. xLix. 21. Nephtali is a hind let loose, he giveth goodly words; and of Zebulon Jud. v. 14. they shall handle the pen of the writer. Whence it is thought to be, that Isa. ix. 1. the comparison is made between the knowledge which should be after Christs coming in the regions where he preached, and Zabulon and Nephtali on the other side, because those were the most learned tribes, and yet should now be obscured and far outgone by those to whom Christ was first preached.  
V. 27. Their council] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies a ston, but is here used in a metaphorical sense for a ruler or governor, as a foundation-stone, which supports the whole building, may fitly be applied to a commonwealth, and then signify the Prince thereof. Thus 'tis certain the Lxxii. understood {untranscribed Hebrew}, who render it {untranscribed Hebrew} their governors; and the Syriack in like manner, {untranscribed Hebrew} their Sultans or rulers; Abu Walid, their assembly; the Jewish Arab, {untranscribed Hebrew} their captains, or leaders. The Chaldee are willing to refer it to three stones, by which, say they, they of that tribe overthrew their enemies.  
V. 30. rebuk] Of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Kimchi and Abenezra observe, that as when it is in construction with ב, it signifies to rebuk, so without it, as here, it is to destroy, the most real and sharp way of rebuking: so Psal. ix. 5. where 'tis interpnted by {untranscribed Hebrew} destroying that follows. Then for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that signifies a congregation, and so is here interpnted by {untranscribed Hebrew} an assembly that follows. Then for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  arundo a reed, the latin canna, it is taken for an arrow or a lance, or perhaps a spear, and so the {untranscribed Hebrew} the company of the reed, will denote a military company of archers, or lancers, or spear-men. Then in the next words all difficulty will be removed, if by {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  we understand not a company of bulls or beasts, but of men which behave themselves like bulls {untranscribed Hebrew} among the calves of the people, i. e. behave themselves toward other men as bulls in the fields do toward lesser or younger cattle. For then that will denote the most lofty Princes, which fight and disturb and tyramnize over all their neighbour-nations, and by force endeavour to propagate their Empire and Dominions, and will not be restrained within any bounds. And to this belongs that other part of the character, that they are {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} ( from {untranscribed Hebrew} conculcavit) treading {untranscribed Hebrew}, upon pieces of silver: the Syriack render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, from {untranscribed Hebrew} operuit, obduxit, covered with gold, to denote those that covet the wealth of the world, and get it, and yet never have enough of it, that disturb all mens quiet to get themselves possessors of it, and then are not satisfied with it, till they are covered over with it, tread on it &c.( and so out of that insatiate desire, delight in war, as it follows.) Abu Walid interprets this parcel of the period, by giving {untranscribed Hebrew} the notion of ob or propter because of,[ goes about, or treads it about, because of pieces of silver; probably he means because they abound with pieces of silver, or perhaps that they may get pieces of silver.    

The Sixty Ninth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician upon 
the six-stringed instruments. see Psal. xlv. note ●.  Shoshannim, A Psalm of David.  
The Sixty ninth Psalm is a prayer and complaint to God against his enemies, and a prediction of the judgments that should befall them. 'twas composed by David in time of eminent distress, and committed to the Praefect of his music to be sung to the instruments of six strings.  
1. Save me, O God, for the waters are come in unto my soul.  
Lord, be thou pleased to interpose thy hand of deliverance in this so seasonable a time of exigency, when I am so near to be overwhelmed with dangers.  
2. I sink in deep mire where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.  
I am not able to secure or defend myself, to find any way to support me in this distress, or deliver me out of it; my enemies are many and mighty, and without thy help I am sure to be overborne by them.  
3. I am weary of my crying; my throat is dried, mine eyes fail, while I wait for my God.  
I have long called and uncessantly made my complaint to thee, and am ready to faint, and to be disheartened, because thou art not yet pleased to harken to me.  
4. They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; 
my enemies that oppress me wrongfully {untranscribed Hebrew}  they that 
a.  would destroy me being mine enemies wrongfully are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.  
And mine adve●saries daily increase beyond number, have nothing from me to provoke them, nothing but patience of their injuries, and re●diness( when I have not in the least offended them) to satisfy their causeless quarrels by mine own diminutions; and yet they are so far from being melted or mollified with my soft returns, that they still grow more obstinate and obdurate: and as they are very willing, so are they very able to mischief me.  
5. O God, thou knowest my foolishness, and my sins are not hide from thee.  
To thee, O Lord, I make my appeal, who perfectly knowest what I have done amiss, either through ignorance, or more criminously, and canst certainly testify for me, that I have not been guilty of any thing whereby to deserve this usage from them.  
6. Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed for my sake; let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.  
If thou forsake, and do not vindicate my cause, if thou permit me to be thus overborne by injurious men, 'twill be a great discouragement and reproach to those that faithfully serve and depend on thee. Thy glory therefore is concerned in it; O let this move thee to hasten to my relief.  
7. Because for thy sake I have born reproach, shane hath covered my face.  
For I have been oft scofft at, and upbraided by men, for relying on thee, and keeping fast mine hold on thee, whilst I receive no deliverance from thee.  
8. I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien to my mothers children.  
Those that are nearest to me in blood, and such like relations, avoid me, and disclaim me, because I am resolved to adhere to thee, and expect with patience the issues of thy providence.  
9. For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up, and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.  
I have shewed myself very affectionately zealous for thy honour and worship, and this hath brought hatred and persecutions upon me; all the scoffs that blasphemous Atheists have cast on thee are become my portion, because I own depending on thee.( This had a more eminent completion in Christ, see Joh. ii. 17. Rom. xv. 3. when his zealous expressions of dislike to the corruptions of the Jews brought his crucifixion upon him.)  
10. When I wept 
in the fasting of my soul  and chastened 
b.  my soul with fasting, this was to my reproach.  
11. I made sackcloth also my garment, and I became a proverb unto them.  
If at any time, either by fasting or wearing of sackcloth, I seemed to them to perform any special act of devotion to God, this was made matter of scorn and reproach and bitter sarcasm.  
12. They that sit in the 
c.  gate speak against me, and I 
am  was the song of the drunkards.  
And thus have I been used both by the grave men that sit in the seats of judicature, and by the vainest and lightest, that spend their time in drinking excessively, they please themselves by scoffing at me.  
13. But 
I make my— {untranscribed Hebrew}  as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.  
In this sad distressed condition, as in a season most capable of thy merciful interposition, I humbly address my prayer to thee: O be thou pleased for thy abundant mercies, and for thy righteous promise sake, to receive and answer it.  
14. Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not 
or stick {untranscribed Hebrew}  sink: Let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.  
Lord, suffer me not to remain any longer in this disconsolate and dangerous condition, these present pressures, and continual expectations of being overwhelmed by them, but hasten timely, I beseech thee, to my rescue.  
15. Let not the water-flood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up; and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.  
How low soever my condition, and how imminent soever my danger is, Lord, do thou support, that I perish not under it.  
16. hear me, O Lord, for thy loving kindness is 
d.  
gracious, or bountiful  good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.  
17. And hid not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble, hear me speedily.  
Lord, thou art a God of infinite mercies, of the tenderest and most compassionate affections to those that are in any distress, O be thou pleased at this time thus to exhibit thyself to me, to rescue me out of this distress, and no longer to delay thy timely succours.  
18. Draw nigh unto my soul and redeem it; deliver me because of my enemies.  
Thou canst not but take notice of the pride and malice of mine opposers: O do not thou permit them 
{untranscribed Hebrew} Chald. that my enemies may not lift up themselves against me.  to triumph over me, as they certainly will, when they think me forsaken by thee.  
19. Thou hast known my reproach and my shane and my dishonour; mine adversaries are all before thee.  
Thou seest how contumeliously I have been used by them, thou discernest every word and thought of theirs against me, which are by interpretation against thyself also.  
20. Reproach hath broken mine heart, I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.  
And this is it that so extremely pricks and wounds me, that makes my sorrow so comfortless and unsupportable, that when I have prayed for and expected relief from thee, I have yet been disappointed, and so scoffed at by my enemies for the vanity of my hopes, which being reposed on thee, have not as yet been answered by thee.  
21. They gave me also gull 
t●— {untranscribed Hebrew}  for my meat, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.  
In such a distress, men of any tolerable good nature would have had some compassion upon me, and at least afforded me some alleys, if not relief; but these hard-hearted men have studied to add to my weight, and farther to embitter my sufferings to me.( How this had a more eminent and more literal completion in the souldiers usage to Christ upon the across, see Mat. xxvii. 34. Mar. xv. 23. Joh. xix. 28, 29.)  
22. 
Their table shall be for—  Let their table become a snare before them; and 
their peace-offerings f●r a trap.  that 
e.  which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.  
But Gods vengeance shall find these out, that have dealt thus barbarously with me: their oblations and prayers shall be so far from pacifying him, or being accepted by him, or bringing them any advantage, that,( like the offerings to false Gods, styled the preparing a table, &c. Is. 65.11.) they shall provoke God, and turn to their mischief.( How this was fulfilled of the Jewish crucifiers of Christ, whose worship and temple was abolished and destroyed for that fact, see Rom. xi. 9.)  
23. 
Their eyes shall—  Let their eyes be darkened that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.  
And their end shall be occaecation and terrors, obduration and despair.( And so also of the impenitent Jews, after the crucifixion of Christ.)  
24. Poure out thine indignation upon them; and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.  
The severest punishments of God shall overtake them, and all the most miserable effects of his displeasure.  
25. Let their habitation be desolate, and no man to dwell in their tents.  
And in fine, utter desolation and eradication.( This had a most eminent completion in the final destruction of the jews presently after their crucifying of Christ.)  
26. For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten, and 
f.  they 
add.  talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.  
For when God was pleased to withdraw his countenance, and fatherly to chastise his servants for their good, these cruel unmerciful men, instead of coming in to their comfort or relief, endeavoured to heap afflictions and reproaches upon them.  
27. 
g.  
Give, or, Permit  add iniquity unto their iniquity, and let them not come into thy righteousness.  
And accordingly God in his just displeasure shall withdraw his grace from them, and permit them to accumulate one sin upon another, so as never finally to return to amendment of life, and capacity of his mercy.  
28. 
h.  Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.  
And then suddenly cut them off in the midst of their sins, and not suffer them to live any longer among pious men, who are so maliciously bent against them.( How signal a completion this had in Iudas, after his betraying of Christ, see Act. 1.20.)  
29. But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.  
Meanwhile, O Lord, be thou pleased to deliver me out of this sad distressed disconsolate condition.  
30. I will praise the name of God with a song, and magnify it with thanksgiving.  
That I may be excited thereby and engaged to make my most solemn and thankful acknowledgements to thee.  
31. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofes.  
That being the most acceptable sacrifice that can be presented to thee, and which alone shall be used by the Christian Church instead of all the Mosaical.  
32. The humble shall see this and be glad; and your heart shall live that seek God.  
This shall be a joyful spectacle to all that depend and rely on God. Thy seasonable interposing for me that rely on thee, and stand in such need of thy relief, and am resolved never to give over my affiance on thee, will be the most sovereign cordial to all that have espoused thy service, the greatest matter of joy and transportation to their very hearts.  
33. For the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.  
An instance to confirm their belief of that great truth, and divine axiom, that God never was or will be wanting to any faithful servant of his in time of distress, that continues his prayers to and affiance in him.  
34. Let heaven and earth praise him, the sea and every thing that 
treadeth, or creepeth in them {untranscribed Hebrew}  moveth therein.  
For this and all other thy glorious excellencies, and emanations of goodness toward us thy unworthy creatures, may all the Angels and Saints in Heaven, and all the inhabitants of this inferior globe, pay their due tributes of lauds and thanksgiving to thee.  
35. For God will save Sion, and will build the cities of Judah, that they may dwell there and have it in possession.  
For what ever distress befalls his people, he will timely deliver them out of it, return their captivities, when they have reformed their lives( forsaken their sins, which bring their punishments on them) and restore them to a prosperous peaceable state.  
36. The seed also of his servants shall inherit it, and they that love his name shall dwell therein.  
Which they and their posterity shall successively enjoy, as long as they make good their piety and constant obedience to his commands.  

Annotations on Psalm LXIX.  
V. 4. Would destroy] From {untranscribed Hebrew} succedit, to cut short, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, those that cut me short, i. e. oppress or persecute me: the Lxxii. render it so, and join it with {untranscribed Hebrew} falsely, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they that persecute me unjustly.  
V. 10. My soul] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifying the sensitive soul or animal faculty, which in fasting or abstinence is afflicted, 'tis ordinary in scripture to describe bodily fasting by afflicting the soul, which is no more than simply fasting. So the Chaldee renders it, exactly according to the Hebrew, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and I wept in the fasting of my soul. The Lxxii. paraphrase it by {untranscribed Hebrew}, and I bowed down my soul by fasting.  
V. 12. Gate] {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the gate, is frequently taken for the place of judicature, which was wont to be in the gate of the city. So Deut. xxv. 7. Let his brothers wife go up to the gate to the Elders; the Chaldee red, to the gate {untranscribed Hebrew} of the house of judgement. So Ruth. iii. 11. all the {untranscribed Hebrew} gate of my people] is by the Chaldee rendered, all that sit in the gate of the Sanhedrim:& so Ruth. 6.1. Boaz went up to the gate, i. e. to the gate of the house of the judgement of Sanhedrim. So Hest. ii. 19,& 21. Mordecai sat in the Kings gate,] is by some learned men understood of his sitting in the Sanhedrim, which the King instituted. And so in all reason it is to signify here, and denotes the solemnest and gravest Senators; as after, the more unworthy, the d●unkards, &c.  
V. 18. Good] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in this, as in many other places, signifies abundance of goodness or mercifulness. So in S. Paul Rom. v. 7. {untranscribed Hebrew} a good man, in opposition to {untranscribed Hebrew} a righteous man,] is a mercifull-minded man in a high degree, above the proportion of {untranscribed Hebrew} mercifulness, which is oft expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew} righteousness. Accordingly the Lxxii. here render it {untranscribed Hebrew} bountiful or gracious, and so the latin benignae. And to this is proportionable what follows, the multitude of thy tender mercies.  
V. 22. That which should have been for their welfare] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  ad paces, for prosperities, here signifies, may perhaps best be learned from the Chaldee Paraphrast, who explains it by {untranscribed Hebrew}( from {untranscribed Hebrew} mactavit) their victims or sacrifices, frequently called peace-offerings, and so here abbreviated into {untranscribed Hebrew} for peace, as sin-offerings are styled {untranscribed Hebrew} of, or for sin; and though the word, when it is used for peace-offerings, is without ו, and vowel'd with', yet is {untranscribed Hebrew} peace scarce ever found in the plural, as here, but in the notion of peace-offerings. And besides, the preposition prefixed {untranscribed Hebrew}( wherein the poetry of the verse seems to consist, almost all the words beginning with {untranscribed Hebrew}) being rendered of, or for, accords well, Offerings of, or for, peace. To this the context also agrees, joining the table and these peace-offerings in the same sense, to denote a sacrificial feast, of which the {untranscribed Hebrew} or portions were wont to be the furnishing of a feast for the Sacrificers. Abu Walid reads, to those that are in peace, i. e. as he saith, to themselves, who have long been secure and safe from the turnings of the world, let their table be now a trap and snare to them. The Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, and for a retribution, in the same sense as {untranscribed Hebrew}, and {untranscribed Hebrew}, for a snare, and a stumbling-block. The account of which is to be taken from the distant notions of {untranscribed Hebrew},( noted Ps. vii. note c.) for returning evil, as well as good( and accordingly the Jewish Arab, as there Ps. vii. 4. so here interprets it by those that are contrary to me, or oppose themselves against me.) From the version of the Lxxii. when S. Paul cites this verse Rom. xi. 9. he only reads, let his table be made a snare, retaining the sense completely in that variety of words; the true notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} being contained in the mention of the table, as the sacrifice is oft comprehended under the mention of the Altar. That this and the following verses are to be understood in the future sense by way of prediction, and not as an imprecation, see Saint Augustine de Civ. l. xvii. c. xix. Haec non optando sunt dicta, said optandi specie, prophetando, These things are not said by way of wishing, but under the show or scheme of wishing, by prophesy. And indeed the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} is in the future, and is most fitly rendered, shall be. And so doth the Jewish Arab Interpreter observe, that such seeming imprecations, as here and elsewhere occur in this book of Psalms, are not so much {untranscribed Hebrew} by way of imprecation, as {untranscribed Hebrew} by way of prophesy, or prediction of what in Gods just judgments would certainly befall these.  
V. 26. They talk] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in this place seems to be best rendered by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, they added to. So the Syriack, latin, arabic,& Aethiopick red also:& this agreeably enough to the Theme, {untranscribed Hebrew}, which signifies to number, and of that we know addition is one sort. And accordingly the learned Castellio reads, sauciorum tuorum numerum adaugentes, increasing the number of thy wounded.  
V. 27. add iniquity] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to give, signifies also to permit, appears by Esth. ix. 13. {untranscribed Hebrew} let it be given to the Jews, i. e. permitted them. So Exod. xii. 23. and shall not suffer( the Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew} give) the destroyer to come in; the Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} permit, and the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, to the same sense. So Psal. xvi. 10. Thou shalt not suffer( {untranscribed Hebrew} again, give) thy holy one to see corruption. And so {untranscribed Hebrew} give wickedness, is no more than permit: for so 'tis ordinary with God, as a punishment of some former great sin or sins, though not to infuse any malignity, yet by withdrawing his grace, and delivering them up to themselves, to permit more sins to follow, one on the heels of the other, and so to be so far from reforming& amending, as daily to grow worse and worse, to be more obdurate, and so finally never to enter into Gods righteousness, i. e. into that way of obedience required by him, and which will be accepted by him, or( as {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the notion of mercy may signify, being applied to God) into his mercy, so as to be made partakers of it.  
V. 28. Book of the living] The phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the book of the living, is to be interpnted, according to the custom of those times, of a register of names of those who live in any kingdom. Thus Luk. ii. 1. we have the {untranscribed Hebrew} the enrolling of all in the Emperors dominions: and accordingly {untranscribed Hebrew} is ordinarily taken for a catalogue, and the catalogue of the living, is the number of those that are alive at any time, who when they die, their names are blotted out, and so are no longer written in this book or catalogue of the living. See Psal. cxxxix. 16. where Gods book is this register, or censual book, or roll, where all that are born are enrolled: so Exo. xxxii. 32. blotting him out of Gods book, is no more than dying, instead of the people.    

The Seventieth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, A Psalm of David to bring to remembrance.  
The seventieth is a mournful affectionate prayer to God for relief out of his present miseries, a beseeching God that he will at length remember him see: Psal. xxxviii. 1.  
1. Make hast, O Lord, to deliver me; make hast to help me, O Lord.  
See the same very little varied Psal. xl. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.  
2. 
or, They shall.  Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and put to confusion that desire my hurt.  
3. 
or, They shall.  Let them be turned back for a reward of their shane that say, Aha, Aha.  
4. Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee; and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.  
5. But I am poor and needy, make hast unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer, O God make no tarrying.   

The Seventy First Psalm.  
THe seventy first Psalm is a prayer for deliverance in time of distress, probably of Absolom's conspiracy, which happened to him in the latter end of his life, referred to v. 9.& 18.  
1. In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me 
not be pa● to shane for ever. {untranscribed Hebrew}  never be put to confusion.  
Lord, all my repose and confidence is in thee, I have not forsaken this my hold to catch after any other secular aid; O let not my reliance on thee be still disappointed and frustrated.  
2. Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape; incline thine ear unto me, and save me.  
Thou art the patron of all that are in distress, and thou hast promised thy certain relief to all that constantly wait on thee, and in those thy promised mercies I have a peculiar portion: Thy justice therefore and fidelity, as well as thy mercy, are concerned in granting me a seasonable deliverance at this time.  
3. Be thou 
to me for a rock of repose {untranscribed Hebrew}  my strong habitation whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me, for thou art my rock and my fortress.  
O be thou my sure place of retreat, whither I may constantly betake myself in time of distress or danger. This thou hast promised, O Lord, and therefore on thee I confidently depend for the performance of it.  
4. Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.  
Lord, suffer not injurious wicked men to succeed in their projected violences and cruelties against me.  
5. For thou art my hope, O Lord God; thou art my trust from my youth.  
To obtain thy audience to this request I have this argument of all others most forcible with thee, viz. that I am one that have ever depended and relied on thee, as thy creature and peculiar client.  
6. By thee have I been holden up from the womb, thou art he that took me out of my mothers bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.  
Who aclowledge it thy work of continued protection, by which I have been supported every hour of my life, as of thy primary gift that I ever had any being in the world, and so am obliged to bless and magnify thy name continually for both.  
7. I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong 
hope {untranscribed Hebrew}  refuge.  
I am vilified, and scoffed, and reproached by many, that I can talk of relief from heaven, when in the eye of man I am so low, and in such a deplored and lost condition; but yet am I not disheartened or amated by this, I know whom I have trusted, and that there is no security like that of relying and depending on thee.  
8. 
my mouth shall— {untranscribed Hebrew}  Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.  
O be thou now pleased to hasten to my relief, that I may be able to refute these scoffers, and divulge and proclaim to others the glorious advantages of thy service, beyond any other course that can be received in competition with it.  
9. Cast me not off in the time of old age, forsake me not when my strength faileth me.  
When I am in the wane of mine age, and most feeble and destitute of strength, I have none to fly unto but thee only; O be thou pleased not to reject or despise me.  
10. For mine enemies 
say to me {untranscribed Hebrew}  speak against me, and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,  
11. Saying, God hath forsaken him; persecute him and take him, for there is none to deliver him.  
But refute the obloquys of my enemies, who rejoice and triumph over me, and resolve and assure one another that I am forsaken by God, and may now be securely assaulted and destroyed by them.  
12. O God, be not far from me: O my God, make hast for my help.  
Let this their impiety excite and provoke thee speedily to arise to my relief, who have no other to depend on but thee only.  
13. Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.  
And so shall my triumphant enemies be brought to shane, seeing themselves thus frustrated and disappointed in their malicious designs and attempts against my life.  
14. But I will hope continually, and will 
add unto, or over and above all thy praise. {untranscribed Hebrew}  yet praise thee more and more.  
But whatever their triumphs and scoffs are, they shall not drive me from my fast and sure hold, nor yet from proclaiming to all men the exceeding goodness of that God on whom I wait; but the more they scoff, the more will I magnify his greatness, and profess my dependence on him,  
15. My mouth shall 
recount  show forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; 
though  for I know not 
a.  the numbers thereof.  
And continually declare, and depraedicate his mercy and fidelity( that never fails to deliver those that rely on him.) And when I have spent my whole life on this task, I shall justly think that I have come far short of giving him his due praises, whose abundant excellencies and goodness toward his servant are infinitely above my imperfect measures either of valuation or expression.  
16. I 
b.  will 
go in in the strengths—  go in the strength of the Lord God: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine onely.  
Whatsoever I undertake, shall not be in any confidence of mine own, but in a full reliance on Gods strength alone, and never talk of any security, but that which I hold by his free mercy and fidelity which obligeth him to perform his promise, and never to forsake those that depend on him.  
17. O God, thou hast taught me from my youth, and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.  
O blessed God, I have had experience of thy wonderful acts of power and goodness from the first part of mine age, and accordingly I have made declaration of them.  
18. Now also when I am old and gray-headed, O God, forsake me not, until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.  
do not thou now that my years increase, and therewith my wants of thy support, withdraw it from me, but afford me matter of continual acknowledgements, that I may yet proclaim thy attributes to many more than yet I have done, that I may live to be an instrument of bringing in many proselytes to thy service, who as yet are not born, or know nothing of thee.  
19. Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee?  
O how great is thy bounty, how infinitely great? how glorious are thy works of power and goodness? There is none that can in the least be compared with thee.  
20. Thou which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and 
return {untranscribed Hebrew}  shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.  
Though thou hast permitted me to fall into very sharp afflictions and distresses, yet I doubt not either of thy power or will to restore me again, and rescue me out of the lowest and most disconsolate state.  
21. Thou shalt increase my greatness, 
c.  and 
return and comfort me.  comfort me on every side.  
And having done so, exalt me higher than I was before the turning of thy face from me.  
22. I will also praise thee with the Psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou holy one of Israel.  
And for this thy constant performance of promise to me, and all thy rich mercies, I will in the solemnest manner exalt and praise thy name, O thou great and only God of heaven, who hast revealed thyself to thy people.  
23. My lips shall greatly rejoice, when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.  
And this shal be to me the joyfullest employment in the world; joy to my tongue, that is above measure honoured by being the instrument of thy praises, and joy to my very life, which hath been rescued by thee from such present dangers.  
24. My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shane that seek my hurt.  
And therefore being the pleasantest, it shall also be the most constant employment of my life, to depraedicate thy mercy, and performance of all thy gracious promises, who hast secured me, and disappointed and frustrated all mine enemies.  

Annotations on Psalm LXXI.  
V. 15. The numbers] {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} numeravit, regularly signifies numbers, and so the Chaldee renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} the numbers of them; and Symmachus accordingly, {untranscribed Hebrew}, I know not how to number. The Lxxii. now red {untranscribed Hebrew}, I know not tradings, negotiationes saith the Roman Psaltery. But the latin, reading literaturam, makes it more probable that the more ancient reading of the Lxxii. was not {untranscribed Hebrew}, but {untranscribed Hebrew}. The Syriack retain the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} the numbers thereof, and is not so well rendered by the latin, Scripturam. The elegancy is here observable, {untranscribed Hebrew} my mouth shall number or recount thy righteousness, {untranscribed Hebrew} though I know not the number of them, they being so numerous that 'tis not possible to count them.  
V. 16. I will go] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to go, or go in, signifies( among many other things) the administration of any public office; See Num. xxvii. 16, 17. where to go out and {untranscribed Hebrew} to go in before them, is to govern the people, and so oft elsewhere: and so also of more private actions, Deut. xxviii. 6. Thou shalt be blessed {untranscribed Hebrew} in thy going out, i. e. in all thy undertakings. And thus( without the addition of going out) it is here used for any action of his life.  
V. 21. Comfort] {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} conversus fuit, doth regularly signify shalt return; so all the ancient Interpreters seem to understand it,( and not in the notion of circuivit:) {untranscribed Hebrew}, thou hast returned and comforted, say the Lxxii. and so the latin reversus, the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to return.    

The Seventy Second Psalm.  

1. Solomon {untranscribed Hebrew}  A Psalm for Solomon.  
The Seventy Second Psalm was composed in contemplation of Solomons succeeding David in the throne, and the happy dayes of his reign, and under that type looks forward to the dayes of the messiah( as the Jews themselves apply it; see note e.)  
1. Give the King thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the Kings son.  
O Lord, I beseech thee to poure out upon Solomon my son, who is to succeed me in the throne, all the royal virtues, and skill in government( according to the rule which thou hast prescribed to Kings) and all manner of justice and goodness in the admiration of so sublime an office:  
2. He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgement.  
That so he may manage this power with all indifferency, and impartially relieve all that make their appeals to his tribunal;  
3. The mountains shall bring peace unto the people, and the little hills 
righteousness.  by 
a.  righteousness.  
And both the higher and lower judicatures move so regularly, that the whole kingdom may be governed peaceably and justly;  
4. He shall judge the poor of the people; he shall save the children of the needy, and break in pieces the oppressor.  
And all innocent persons receive the benefit of his patronage and protection, and all injurious invaders of others rights be severely punished by him.  
5. 
b.  
or, with the sun and before the moon, generation of generations shall fear or adore thee.  They shall fear thee as long as the Sun and Moon endure, throughout all generations.  
Then shall his government be famed, and his wisdom and happy administration be looked on with continual reverence by all posterities, and therein be a type of the kingdom of the messiah, who shall descend from him, and set up his throne in mens hearts, when the Jewish kingdom shall determine, and be adored and worshipped at set hours constantly every day throughout all ages.  
6. He shall come down like rain upon the mowed grass, as showers that water the earth.  
Then shall he be an instrument under God of refreshment, and encouragement, and growth to all virtue( and so shall the messiah in a most eminent manner.)  
7. In his dayes shall the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace 
till the moon cease, or, till there be no 〈◇〉  so long as the Moon endureth.  
And as long as he reigns, the nation shall be managed with all justice, and peaceableness and prosperity, and from him shall the Messiah arise in the time appointed by God, and settle and establish a Church, which shall never utterly perish till the end of the world.  
8. He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the 
land {untranscribed Hebrew}  earth.  
The whole Jewish nation, the kingdom of Israel and Judah, both shall remain under his subjection as long as he lives( see note on Psal. 11. f.) and so shall the bordering nations also, the philistines, and Moabites, and Idumaeans, and Syrians, &c.( ●s for the messiah, of whom he is the most eminent type, he shall begin his spiritual kingdom in Judaea, and propagate it over all the world.)  
9. 
c.  They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him, and his enemies shall lick the dust.  
And others more remote shall do him homage, and th●se that oppose and make war against him, shall be subdued and des●royed.( And so in the dayes of the messiah, the heathen nations shall submit to the faith of Christ, and they that obstinately oppose it shall be destroyed.)  
10. The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents; the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.  
And many Princes from the remotest parts of the world( see note on psal. xlviii. 6.) shall sand tokens of their respect and reverence to him, see note c. and 1 King. x. 1. Ma●. xii 12( And so in like manner the gentle nations shall receive the faith of Christ, and as a praesignification thereof, the Magi, Mat. ii. shall bring him presents, as soon as he is born.)  
11. Yea, all Kings shall fall down before him, all nations shall serve him.  
And in sum, the generality of the Potentates of the world, and all the people thereof shall aclowledge and magnify his government,( And so shall the gentle world universally subject themselves to Christ.)  
12. For he shall deliver the needy when he 
d.  crieth, the poor also and him that hath no helper.  
As the government of a just and merciful Prince, that is ready to relieve all that are oppressed and wronged.( And therein a type of Christs kingdom, who never denies grace and pardon to the humble suppliant, that having no trust to rely on in himself, flies in prayer to his free grace and mercy.)  
13. He shall spare the poor and needy, and he shall save the souls of the needy.  
A Prince of bowels and compassion to them that are in any kind of distress, to defend and deliver them out of it,( And so shall Christ not only not punish the lowly penitent sinner, but bestow all that is precious upon him, even grace here, and eternal salvation hereafter.)  
14. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence; and precious shall their blood be in his sight.  
To rescue them out of the hand of the injurious and oppressor, and preserve their lives from the invader, as those that are much valued and esteemed by him.( And so shall Christ redeem, in the most eminent manner, those that rely on him, from all their spiritual enemies, sin and Satan, from the power of the one, and tyranny of the other, and pay his own life a ransom for mankind.)  
15. And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually, and daily shall he be praised.  
As long as he lives shall strangers reverence, and subjects continually bless and pray for him, as the author of a peaceable and happy life to them.( And so shall the faith of Christ have the reverence of strangers, be admired by all that hear of it, as being made up of the most excellent divine doctrines of charity, purity, subjection, &c. and for all those that set themselves to the practise of his precepts, they shall have cause to bless them and magnify them as the greatest mercy that could ever have been vouchsafed them.)  
16. There shall be 
e.  an handful of corn in the earth, upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon, and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.  
In his time shall there be great abundance of all things, and Gods hand very remarkable, in blessing and prospering the smallest quantity of seed, sown in the barennest soil, into a most plentiful harvest, and this city shall thrive proportionably, the number of the inhabitants shall increase as fast as the seed which is sown doth( And so in the dayes of the Messiah shall Gods providence and his grace most signally evidence itself, in bringing forth a multitude of believers by a little contemptible preaching of the faith, among the most idolatrous obdurate Gentiles.)  
17. His name shall endure for ever, his name shall 
descend upon his children before the Sun.  be continued 
f.  as long as the Sun; and 
g.  
they  men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.  
And his memory and honour shall outlive his person, shall never be blotted out, but shall flourish, and descend upon his posterity, as a mark of renown to all that shall come from him. And for all others, when they shall bless any Prince or royal person, they shall do it in this form, The Lord make thee like Solomon. And in sum, all the nations in the world shall look upon him as a most blessed person, a most wise and a most prosperous Prince.( And so shall Christ, pretypified by Solomon, be in a most eminent manner remembered, even adored and worshipped and magnified for ever. All they that receive his faith shall, as his sons, be called by his name, be known by the the title of Christians, and be looked upon as a most happy and blessed sort of men, that they are vouchsafed that dignity of being his sons, to be taught and educated by him, and to transcribe his copies, to be like him in all goodness.)  
18. Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doth wondrous things.  
For these and all other his mercies so wonderfully wrought for his servants, and which none else is able to work, the eternal Lord of heaven and earth, who alone is worshipped by the Jews, and which hath chosen them to himself to be his people, be now and ever magnified.  
19. And blessed be his glorious name for ever, and let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen, and Amen.  
And O that all the men in the world would set themselves industriously and faithfully to his service, that they would bless and praise him continually, offer up their daily oblation of lauds and thanksgiving to him, and all hearts be thoroughly possessed with his divine excellencies, and endeavour to express the power thereof in all the actions of their lives, in doing what he hath directed and exemplified to them. O that every man would say Amen to this prayer. O that God would once grant this petition.  
20. The prayers of David the son of jesse are ended.  
Here is the conclusion of the Second Book of Psalms, which were, if not all composed, yet perhaps all collected and put into this order by David. The other books that follow being a collection of Asaph and other men, in which some there are also of Davids composing, after the finishing of this collection, or shutting up of this book.  
The End of the Second Book.   

Annotations on Psalm LXXII.  
V. 3. Righteousness] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in this place is by the Lxxii. rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} in righteousness, and so joined in construction with {untranscribed Hebrew} shall judge, in the beginning of the next verse; and so it must be, if the ב 
ב  have any signification. But it is not unusual for this and other prepositions to be used as expletives; and accordingly the Chaldee retains it here( {untranscribed Hebrew},) whilst yet both the Syriack and latin leave it out, and red {untranscribed Hebrew}, thy righteousness, and justitiam righteousness. And so the sense is most perspicuous.  
V. 5. They shall fear thee] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  they shall fear or reverence thee, the Lxxii. seem to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} and he shall prolong( his life) and so render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, he shall endure as long as the Sun; and so the latin, & permanebit cum sole, and he shall abide with the Sun. But the Chaldee adhere to our reading of the Hebrew, and render it both by {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall fear from, or be afraid of thee; and again, by {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall pray before thee, and so the Syriack, {untranscribed Hebrew}( from {untranscribed Hebrew} to fear or adore) which the Interpreter renders, adorabunt te, shall adore thee. Then for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  with the Sun, {untranscribed Hebrew} and before, or in the presence of the Moon,] the Chaldee seems to give the true notion of it, {untranscribed Hebrew} with the ascending of the Sun, and {untranscribed Hebrew} before or in the presence of the light of the Moon, i. e. by day and by night, continually, {untranscribed Hebrew} generation of generations, i. e. either in the nominative case, generation of generations shall fear thee, or supplying the want of the preposition ל) throughout all generations. And so the primary literal meaning is, that all posterity shall revere Solomon continually, esteem of him as of the wisest and justest Prince. But the more sublime( and that as literal) sense belonging to Christ( of whom Solomons wisdom and prosperous government was a type) will be this. That both by day and night all generations shall adore Christ, pray to him, and perform solemn service to him, and through all ages never cease to do so, while( as the Jewish Arab renders it) the Sun endureth.  
V. 9. Dwell in the wilderness] From {untranscribed Hebrew} a dry or desert place, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, the inhabitants of the desert: such were the Aethiopians and others, and therefore the Lxxii. have chosen to paraphrase it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Aethiopians, as ver. 10. for {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  they red {untranscribed Hebrew} Arabians and Sabaeans; by the former Scheba, with ש, noting the inhabitants of Arabia Foelix, from whence comes Gold, v. 15. by the latter, with ם, all the whole region of Arabia, Madiam, and Epha,( saith S. jerome) which is called Saba, the Queen whereof came to Solomon 1 King. x. 1. and is called the Queen of the South Mat. xii. 42. because Arabia Felix reacheth to the South, and belongs to the Aethiopick sea, and torrid Zone, and so is styled the Queen of the South from the ends of the earth.  
V. 12. Crieth] {untranscribed Hebrew}, from {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  clamavit, signifies him that cries: But the LXXII. from {untranscribed Hebrew} rich or powerful, red {untranscribed Hebrew} from the powerful; but this perhaps by way of Paraphrase, because the oppression of such is it that causeth the poor to cry.  
V. 16. handful] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a small quantity of corn( from {untranscribed Hebrew} minutus est) is in all the copies of the Lxxii. rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, and from thence by the vulgar latin firmamentum, by the arabic and Aethiopick in like manner, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  without any mention of corn or any thing to render {untranscribed Hebrew}. The Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew}( from {untranscribed Hebrew}, which signifies both fulcivit and comedit) the food or fulciment of bread. i. e. bread for food, or for refection and strengthening; and the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} plenty of corn; all varied much from the literal importance of the Hebrew. The reason of this variation as to all those that follow the Lxxii. is evidently the same, either having an eye to the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} in the notion of fulcimentum, as that agrees with the phrase elsewhere used, the staff of bread; or more probably a mistake in the copies of {untranscribed Hebrew} firmamentum for {untranscribed Hebrew} a handful, for so {untranscribed Hebrew} regularly signifies, and so {untranscribed Hebrew} a hand 1 King. xviii. 44. is rendered by the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} the palm of the hand, and so in Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} is the sole of the foot, and among the rabbins is applied both to hand and foot, {untranscribed Hebrew} the palm of the hand, {untranscribed Hebrew} the sole of the foot. This therefore is the most probable meaning of the place, {untranscribed Hebrew} there shall be a handful of corn, and that sown( so {untranscribed Hebrew} in the earth, noteth) {untranscribed Hebrew} on the head, i. e. top of the hills, the most stony, dry, and barren platt; and yet {untranscribed Hebrew} the fruit thereof, that which comes from this handful, in this barrenest soil, {untranscribed Hebrew} shall shake like Libanus, i. e. like the trees of Libanus, whose tallness causeth a great noise, when they are shaken with the wind. And this resemblance signifies the great growth of this corn, which makes it liable to the wind, and being shaken by it, it makes a noise like the tallest trees on the top of an hill. An excellent poetical description of the greatest plentifulness, when a handful of corn sown on the barrenest soil, shall yet bring forth so prosperously. And this the Chaldee and Syriack were, it seems, willing to express by periphrasis, and not literally, and so only mention, the one, the bread that comes from it, for food, the other, the plenty of the corn, without mention of the small proportion of the seed it springs from. This R. Obad: Gaon applies to the messiah( as Aben Ezra, Midras Tehilin and he, do the whole psalm) saying that he is the {untranscribed Hebrew}, beginning like an handful of wheat, but afterwards shall grow into a multitude, like the herb of the field: see Jo. xii. 24. Abu Walid in his rendering it may seem singular, unless the like mystical use be made of it: He makes the words thus to sound, He shall be a pure piece of justice upon the earth, or there shall be, or let there be from him, a●solute justice in the earth: Upon the top of the mountains let his fruit increase,( viz. his children or progeny) like Lebanon, i. e. as the trees of Lebanon, which proverbially signify a great multitude. The Jewish Arab renders it to this purpose, God make him as fruitful corn in his country on the top of its mountains, and make him rich fruit, as Lebanon, &c. taking {untranscribed Hebrew}( as Abu Walid doth) for [ let him be] or [ he shall be,] not [ there shall be;] and rendering {untranscribed Hebrew} let him be rich, as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew} by transposition of letters, but that Abu Walid rejects.  
V. 17. As long as the Sun] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  before, or at the faces, or in the presence of the Sun,] signifies, will be learnt from what was said note b. of {untranscribed Hebrew}, before, or in the presence of the Moon( i. e. in the night time,) and proportionably to continue {untranscribed Hebrew} before the Sun, must be to live, to survive, to flourish in opposition to perishing, which is expressed by not seeing the sun. And this is appliable to names, to memories, as well as to persons: the names of good men {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} ( from {untranscribed Hebrew} a son) shall descend upon their children, i. e. continue successively before the Sun, i. e. live, and prosper; and the names of evil men die and perish. The LXXII. literally enough, render it, {untranscribed Hebrew} shall continue before the sun; and so the Syriack, {untranscribed Hebrew} is before the sun. But the Jewish Arab, in agreement with his notion of v. 5. till the heavens vanish.  
V. 17. Men shall be blessed] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  they shall be blessed in him,] is no more than, men shall bless themselves in him, i. e. when they will bless any man, they shall use this form, let him be blessed as Solomon was. Thus we see the phrase explained Gen. xLviii. 20. In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim; where to bless in any man, or any name,] is to pray that he may be as that man, wise as Solomon, a peaceable and happy ruler as Solomon, &c.( see more of this phrase note on Gal. iii. c.) The Interpreters generally join it with the nominative case that follows, [ all nations shall be blessed in him;] and so it may well be: but it may also be set absolutely, they shall be blessed, i. e. men shall bless themselves in or by him, and then, {untranscribed Hebrew} all nations shall bless him, or proclaim him blessed. The Chaldee renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} all nations shall be blessed in his righteousness, or purity; merito, saith the latin interpreter of the Targum, which though it have a primary sense in application to Solomon, thus; All nations shall bless themselves in this or or the like form, God make thee as pious, just, blameless, excellent a person as Solomon was; yet it must be allowed a much more eminent notion, in reference to Christ, that all Christians shall desire to imitate his divine patterns, and bless and pray for one another, in that form, God endow thee with some degree of those virtues, which were eminently observable in Christ.    

THE THIRD BOOK OF PSALMS.  

PSALM LXXIII.  
A Psalm 
a.  of Asaph.  
The Seventy third Psalm, the first of the Third Book of this Collection, seems to have been composed by 
{untranscribed Hebrew}* {untranscribed Hebrew} by the hand● of Asaph. Chald.  Asaph( either the Recorder, the chief of the Levites that ministered before the ark of the Lord, who is frequently mentioned in the story of David, see 1 Chron. xvi. 5. or else some other of that name of latter times.) It contains a discourse of Gods providence, and the wise purposes thereof in permitting wicked men to prosper, though but for a time. It is much of the 
{untranscribed Hebrew}† {untranscribed Hebrew} like for the argument Aben Ezra.  same subject with Psalm 49. and seems to have been composed by him for the use, or as in the person, of David: see v. 24.  
1. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.  
It is a most certain infallible truth, that God is abundantly gracious and kind( and not faithful and just only) to every true hearted, sincere, upright servant of his.  
2. But as for me, my feet were almost gone, my steps had well-nigh slipped.  
Yet was I under no small temptation to doubt of the truth of this, and so to deny that which is so main an article of the belief of all that aclowledge a providence.  
3. For I 
had a zeal against {untranscribed Hebrew}  was envious at the foolish, 
I shall see the peace {untranscribed Hebrew}  when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.  
For I had a zealous displeasure, or indignation against ungodly wicked men, to see them go on still in their sins so foolishly and irrationally; and being thus affencted, I was surprised with a sudden incitation, to think that they were likely to prosper and enjoy a secular felicity, and all good successses in their impieties; and this was a matter of temptation to me.  
4. For there are no 
b.  bands in their death, but their strength is 
or fat, or robustious.  firm.  
For when I considered them, me thought they were strong and vital, likely to live and prosper a long time.  
5. They are not 
in the sorrow or pain of the weak.  in trouble like other 
c.  men, neither are they 
scourged with man.  plagued like other men.  
Whereas many other men meet with diseases and maladies of all sorts, and the generality of mankind with misadventures, and afflictions, and sundry sore scourges and chastisements, these seemed to have an immunity from all.  
6. Therefore pride 
d.  compasseth them as a 
ties on their chain, or necklace, violence fastens the ornament upon them.  chain, violence covereth them as a garment.  
And being thus heightened and puffed up, they set themselves out most magnificently, and make use of all the unlawfullest means, oppression and rapine, to maintain it.  
7. Their eyes stand out with fatness, they have 
surpassed the imaginations of the heart {untranscribed Hebrew}  more than heart could wish.  
They thrive and increase in wealth and grandeur exceedingly, and unexpectedly advance to a greater height than either themselves could at first project, or any man else divine or imagine possible.  
8. 
e.  They 
deride and speak maliciously, from on high they speak oppression.  are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression, they speak loftily.  
And being thus elevated they deride all others, say any thing that may tend to the mischieving others, and out of the pride and hautiness of their hearts profess to commit all injustice, to oppress, and scorn to be restrained by any laws divine or human.  
9. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.  
They profestly blaspheme the God of heaven, despise his threats, oppose and resist all his commands, and take liberty to say what they please of any the most innocent or 
{untranscribed Hebrew}* {untranscribed Hebrew} against the holy of the earth. Chald.  holiest man upon earth.  
10. Therefore his people 
turn  return hither, and 
f.  
plentiful waters  waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.  
And this tempts pious men, when they see them thus riot it in violence, and blasphemy, and contempt of all sanctity, to pour out abundance of tears, in the contemplation.  
11. And they say, How doth God know? is there knowledge in the most high?  
And thus to dispute and argue within themselves, Doth God indeed see and discern and take notice of all this? If he doth, how comes it about that he permits them?  
12. Behold, these are the ungodly 
and they are the prosperous of the age or world {untranscribed Hebrew}  who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.  
'tis most visible that they which are thus wicked, enjoy the greatest tranquillity and prosperity in this life, have all the wealth and greatness of the world heaped upon them.  
13. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.  
And there( as they are moved to argue) what reward is there for perfect purity of hearts and hands, of thoughts and actions, for all the strictest exercises of all virtues, if the quiter contrary to all this be thus prospered by God.  
14. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.  
And they that have faithfully endeavoured to make good their innocence in both, are yet exercised with continual afflictions?  
15. If I say I will speak thus, behold, I 
g.  should 
or pre●●ricate.  offend against the generation of thy children.  
Such thoughts as these are apt to suggest themselves on this occasion; but then piety soon gives a check to them as profane and blasphemous, the denying of the divine providence, and downright apostasy from all profession of piety.  

I resolved therefore more accurately to weigh this, that was matter of so much disquiet and trouble and temptation to me.  16. 
And ן  When I thought to know this, 
which was grievous in mine eyes {untranscribed Hebrew}  it was too painful for me.  

And as soon as I made my resort to thy sanctuary, entering into a sober consideration of Gods counsels and providence, I discerned what was the ordinary conclusion of these mens felicities:  17. 
when I go {untranscribed Hebrew}  until I went into the Sanctuary of God: 
I shall understand {untranscribed Hebrew}  then understood I their end.  
18. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places, thou castedst them down into 
h.  destruction.  
The same that of those that are exalted to the top of an hill, and when they are there have no firm footing, but slip and fall, and then by the highnesse of the ground are more sorely kruised, even killed outright by this their fall.  
19. How are they brought into desolation? as in a moment they are utterly consumed with terrors.  
So doth it befall wicked men, when they are arrived to the height of their secular prosperity, they suddenly fall into a most terrible amazing destruction.  
20. As a dream when one awaketh, So, O Lord, when 
they awake.  thou awakest thou shalt 
illude, mock, or make to vanish.  
i.  despise their 
or shadow.  image.  
And so their prosperity is no more but like that of a dream; whilst it lasts, it is but imaginary, not real, the gaining of the honours, or pleasures, or riches of the world, which are themselves but splendid nothings, mere phasmes, and when they are unlawfully gotten or enjoyed, are far from being any solid prosperity, and then within a very little while, they are lost or taken away from them: lost by some turn or change here in time of life, or else seized on by God, and taken from them by death; and so this very shadow of prosperity vanishes presently, is of a very inconsiderable duration.  
21. Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.  
22. So foolish was I and ignorant; I was as a beast before thee.  
It was therefore a stupid and bestial ignorance and folly in me, thus to be disquieted and troubled with the sight of the prosperous successses that wicked men meet with, and to have any temptation to repined and murmur at my own afflictions, as if those were a mark of my being neglected by thee.  
23. 
And I {untranscribed Hebrew}  Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.  
When all this while I have been particularly considered and cared for, and in a special and eminent manner supported by thee.  
24. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, 
k.  and 
after glory receive me.  afterward receive me with glory.  
And have assurance that thy providence shall conduct me safe through all my afflictions, and at length deliver me out of them, and bring me to an honourable condition here, and eternal rest with thee hereafter.  
25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee.  
Lord, there is none in heaven or earth except thee only, no creature in the world to whom I have any inclination to address myself, to seek their aid, or to have any dependence on them: I have a full security in relying and waiting on thee.  
26. My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.  
Though never so great afflictions befall me, what perplexities and destitutions soever Hab. 3.17. yet thou, O God, art my sure defence, thou shalt never fail me: and all the prosperities in the world are comprised in this, and insured on me, that thou art pleased to be my God, and continually to yield me all that which others in vain seek for from their worldly succours.  
27. For lo they that are far from thee shall perish; thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.  
For nothing is more visible and frequently experimented, than that they that forsake God, and apply themselves to any other hold, that are guilty of this adulterous falseness unto him, using him as those wives who prefer any other before their own husband, are frustrated and disappointed in their Atheistical designs, and signally punished, brought to nothing, and destroyed by God; as it is just for the injured husband to bring the adulterous wife to open punishment.  
28. But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.  
On the contrary, there is no such advantageous and politic course even in respect of the enjoyments of this life, as that of a close and constant adhaerence to God, without ever falling off from him to any unlawful worldly trusts or refuges. And this shall be my course, to him I will address myself for the supply of all my wants; and beside the benefit of having them richly supplied to me, I shall be engaged also in that most honourable employment of proclaiming Gods gracious acts of wisdom and admirable providence, and exciting all men to adore and bless his holy name for them.  

Annotations on Psalm LXXIII.  
Tit. Of Asaph] How {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  should be rendered here and in the following Psalms, may be matter of some question. For as the preposition {untranscribed Hebrew} is sometimes a note of the genitive case, and so an intimation of the author of the psalm, and accordingly Davids Psalms are generally thus entitled, {untranscribed Hebrew}, of David; so it is also a note of the dative case, and then refers to the musician that was to sing, or order the singing of it, as when the Psalm is committed to the Praefect of the music, the style is {untranscribed Hebrew} to the Praefect— But the former notion is to be embraced, both because {untranscribed Hebrew} is so perfectly proportionable to {untranscribed Hebrew}, that as David was known to be author of the Psalms which were so inscribed, so Asaph is in reason to be believed the author of these other; and also because in divers of them, Ps. Lxxv. Lxxvi. Lxxvii. as in Davids, there is express addition of {untranscribed Hebrew} to the praefect, which will not permit Asaph to be the singer, but in all reason the author of them. What Asaph this was, whether he in Davids time 1 Chron. xvi. 5. or some other in after-times, must be uncertain, and consequently whether those Psalms under his name which refer to latter times, as Psalm Lxxiv. Lxxvi. Lxxvii. but especially Psalm Lxxix.( which by the vastation of Jerusalem seems to refer to the time of Nebuchadonosor) be to be looked on as Historical, or Prophetical onely. The Chaldee there say of the Lxxix. Psalm, that it was on the destruction of the house of the Sanctuary, and that {untranscribed Hebrew} he spake by the spirit of prophesy. Yet it may have been historical, and so it is most probable by the style, and then it must have been composed by some of that name of after-times; and if so, then there is no reason to doubt, but the rest which bear Asaphs name were so also.  
V. 4 Bands] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here signifies will be hard to define, it being uncertain from what root it comes, and there being but one place more of Scripture wherein 'tis used, Isa. Lviii. 6. There 'tis by all the ancient interpreters rendered knots, or bonds, and so 'tis generally expounded by Grammarians: 'tis, saith David de Pomis, {untranscribed Hebrew} tantamount to the word which, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to bind, signifies bonds; and to the same effect saith Kimchi in his Roots. But this doth not secure us of the importance of the word in this place, there being many possible rendrings of it, to each of which this of bands will be appliable. For 1. the word bands in Hebrew style oft signifies child-bed pangs, so the word {untranscribed Hebrew}( which seems to be the same with {untranscribed Hebrew}) is indifferently used for bands or pangs, and so is rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} pangs Act. ii. 22.( see note c. on that chapter) and this because the child-bed-pangs are caused by the breaking of those ligatures which join the infant to the womb, which consisting of a texture of nerves and membranes, parts of a most accurate sense, cannot be severed without causing intolerable pains. Hence therefore the notion of bands may here fitly be ingredient in the expression of pains or agonies, especially when all pain, of what kind soever, is some degree of solutio continui, a rapture, at least straining of those fibers of which the sensible parts of our bodies are composed: and accordingly pain is either more or less, in proportion to this breach of union; the torments of abortions greater then those of regular births, and those of an untimely violent death exceed the pains of a natural, where age is the only sickness, where there are no bands to be forced asunder, but the ripe fruit drops willingly from the three, men come to their grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn comes in in his season, in Jobs language, ch. v. 26. whereby he concludes his description of a prosperous life. Upon these grounds this seems to be the most probable signification of the phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} there are no pangs, because no ligaments, in their death; their death is not caused by those violent and painful assaults, as other mens frequently are; {untranscribed Hebrew} they die with ease, as Kimchi speaks; and to the same purpose Abu Walid, who renders {untranscribed Hebrew} difficulties, hardships, molestations. To this notion the Syriack seem to have particular respect, rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew}, which the latin interpreter translates terminus,( as from {untranscribed Hebrew} omnino prorsus, from whence, saith Ferrarius, is {untranscribed Hebrew} finis, terminus:) but then likewise {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies chordae, and fides, strings, to which most probably that translator had an eye; and withall it signifies apostemata, sappurationes, apostems, or boils, according to the Oriental way of expressing all pain and torment by bands and ligatures. Secondly therefore; and in good agreement with this first notion, by bands we may understand any kind of disease or pain, or pressure or heavy burden, which is wont to be bound on them on whom 'tis laid: so Mat. xxiii. 4. {untranscribed Hebrew}, they bind heavy burdens and hard to be born; where the heavy and most unsupportable burdens are laid on them by way of {untranscribed Hebrew} bands; to which the Prophet refers, when he mentions the yoke of his burden Isa. ix. 4. a burden tied on, as a yoke is wont to be. And thus diseases are expressed in Scripture-style.— See the story of the woman which had a spirit of infirmity, a sore disease inflicted on her by an evil spirit, eighteen years, Luk. xiii. 11. to her Jesus saith v. 12. {untranscribed Hebrew} thou art loosed from thine infirmity,( and losing, we know is proper to bands;) and v. 15. he compares her cure to the {untranscribed Hebrew}, losing or untying an ox, and v. 16. in express terms, this daughter of Abraham, {untranscribed Hebrew}, whom Satan hath bound, lo these eighteen years,( where her spirit of infirmity v. 11. is in other words expressed by Satans binding her:) and again in the end of that verse, {untranscribed Hebrew}, ought she not to be loosed from this band, i. e. cured from this sickness? In that story, this violent disease, with which she was so affencted, that she was {untranscribed Hebrew} bowed together, is styled {untranscribed Hebrew} a band, and consequently {untranscribed Hebrew} bands here may by analogy fitly signify violent diseases; which Aquila owns in his translation, {untranscribed Hebrew}, there are no diseases, or hard sufferings. To either of these acceptions of the word for child-bed-pangs, or whatsoever other pains or pressures, the use of it Isa. Lviii. 6. will well accord, where to loose the bands of wickedness signifies the rescuing the oppressed from their injurious pressures, that afflict them as sore as pangs or pains do those that are under them; but most commodiously it will be interpnted of burdens or weights which are unjustly bound upon them, and press them sore. The Chaldee there have a paraphrase, which will give us a third acception of the word, for a bond or obligation, in judicature, which binds one to undergo the award of it, a decree or sentence as it were; for so they render {untranscribed Hebrew} bands of wickedness, by {untranscribed Hebrew} bonds of writings of false judgments. And thus among us, men are said to be bound over to judgement, when they are before a tribunal to answer any thing laid to their charge; and so again to be bound over to punishment, when judgement is past upon them. And in this sense, there are no bands {untranscribed Hebrew} to their deaths, will be, there are no writs signed for their execution. And to this well agrees the Paraphrase of the Chaldee in this Psalm, they are not frighted nor troubled, {untranscribed Hebrew} for, or because of the day of their deaths, as they that are sentenced or bound over to death( be it by form of law in judicatures, or be it by disease, or any thing else, as 2 Cor. i. 9. {untranscribed Hebrew}, having the sentence of death, signifies being in imminent danger of it) are supposed to be. And the phrase being here poetically used, may reasonably be extended to all other ways of death, disease, slaughter in the field, as well as that by judicature, and any kind of danger to the life be thus expressed by bands or obligations to their death; as among us apprehending, or taking, or seizing on, being phrases primarily used in judicature for the officers apprehending of malefactors, are vulgarly used of diseases and death itself. A fourth interpretation of the word the Lxxii. on that place of Isaiah do suggest, rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew}. That word {untranscribed Hebrew}, we know, signifies a conspiration, or conjunction of many, and with {untranscribed Hebrew} iniquity, is used of Simon Magus, when he would have bought the gifts of the spirit of God, out of a Satanical design, the more advantageously to oppose and set up against Christ; see note on Acts viii. e. This is the frequent importance of {untranscribed Hebrew} ligae, colligationes, conspirationes( to which David de Pomis  told us the {untranscribed Hebrew} here is equivalent) and that the sense may possibly bear also; there are no conspiracies for their deaths, wicked men being of all others the safest in this respect, good men being hated and conspired against by evil men, but good men conspire not against evil. Of these four possible senses, the first and second together seems most probable, that the wicked men have no pangs, or assaults of pains and torments {untranscribed Hebrew} bringing them to their deaths. Castellio renders it in latin style, non sunt necessitates quae eos enecent, there are no necessities to cut them off,( no fatal destinies to bring them to their end, such were diseases, and the rest which the Poets feigned to come out of Pandora's box.) Our vulgar hath not mistaken the sense, when they red, they are in no peril of death. To this accords what here follows, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in our rendering of it, their strength is firm, or fat,( as Eglon judas iii. 17. is said to be {untranscribed Hebrew} a very fat man) noting an athletick health and habit of body, that is the firmest and most robustious, farthest removed from {untranscribed Hebrew} consumptive, or emaciating sicknesses, and so from all danger of death. The Lxxii. render the verse {untranscribed Hebrew}, there is no rest( so the arabic understands it, and so saith Hesychius, {untranscribed Hebrew}, it signifies rest; and so {untranscribed Hebrew} in Lucian, is to ly upon the back and look up, the posture of rest) in their death, and firmament in their scourge: and the latin, non est respectus morti eorum,& firmamentum in plagâ eorum, there is no respect to their death, and firmament in their plague. 'tis not easy to divine what they meant by these expressions; unless perhaps reading {untranscribed Hebrew} in the notion of renitence, refusing, denying,( {untranscribed Hebrew}, saith Hesychius, it signifies to deny, refuse, not to consent) the meaning may be, that they have no aversion to, or at their death,( they die in a good old age, without any violent disease to bring them to it;) nor is there any firmness in their scourge, the diseases or afflictions that befall them are quickly over again, continue not long upon them. But the latin will not be brought to this sense. It may be non est respectus morti eorum may signify, they do not think of dying, and then that will not be far from the sense, though with the words it have no affinity. Our former English, which most frequently follows them, hath here happily departed from them, and rendered it fully to the sense, they are in no peril of death, but are lusty and strong. But still it must be acknowledged there is great difficulty in {untranscribed Hebrew}, whether מ be radical or no. It it be not, and if {untranscribed Hebrew} in Hebrew may be thought to have the like notion to what it hath in arabic, to signify first; then very agreeably to what went before, it would thus be rendered, {untranscribed Hebrew} and the former part of their life is healthy, free from diseases, or maladies, according to the usual notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} in arabic. Or if it be radical, and have any affinity with the arabic {untranscribed Hebrew} pain or grief, then it would be( in consort with the former still) but it, i. e. their death, is free from pain. But these conjectures are without authority. Abu-Walid then makes מ radical, and takes it to signify porticus, the porch, or, as some times it doth, the whole temple; and then understanding ב the note of comparison; he renders it, they are firm and sound as the porch, or temple, i. e. as such a strong building; as Psal. cxiiv. he prays that their daughters may be as corner-stones polished after the similitude of a palace. This interpretation is mentioned as by Aben-Ezra, so by Kimchi in his Commentary, and also in his Roots, in the name of R. Jonah, i. e. Abu-Walid, without any censure: though he bring also the other interpretation, making מ an affix, and {untranscribed Hebrew} to signify strength; as also Aben-Ezra doth. The Jewish Arab interpreter making {untranscribed Hebrew} an affix, takes the other for {untranscribed Hebrew} perhaps, thus rendering the verse, there are no bonds of or from their destruction, nor danger, but they say perhaps they shall recover, or be in health, as if it were literally healthful is their perhaps, or that which they persuade themselves of, not thinking themselves in danger of death. Aben-Ezra also hath another rendering, taking {untranscribed Hebrew} for a palace, and understanding ב, they, or every of them is in health in his palace. In this variety it may be best to adhere to that of our English, reading מ as an affix, and {untranscribed Hebrew}, as {untranscribed Hebrew}, or {untranscribed Hebrew}, for strength of body.  
V. 5. Men] In this verse the critical difference between {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and {untranscribed Hebrew} seems to be respected: The former from {untranscribed Hebrew} doluit, aeger fuit, signifies a painful, sickly, calamitous estate, and accordingly {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the labour( from {untranscribed Hebrew} doluit, male habuit) denotes sickness or pains or other such kinds of misery, which bring anguish and faintings with them; which the Lxxii. fitly express by {untranscribed Hebrew} lassitudes, used also for diseases, or sickness. But {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is a more general word for any sort of man, any son of Adam, any mortal, which by bearing sinful flesh, is subject to afflictions of all sorts, noted here by {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to strike, or scourge, which the Lxxii. fitly express by {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin by flagel●art. And so, as the former phrase denotes the sorrow or pain or sickness of the diseased, or weak, so this latter, to be strike, or scourged, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  with man] signifies all other kind of afflictions, which befall men in this world, parallel to {untranscribed Hebrew} 1 Cor. x. 13. human temptation, or such as frequently befalls men in this world.  
V. 6. Compasseth] From {untranscribed Hebrew} a gold chain, or neck-lace, or chain of the neck, Cant. iv. 9. is the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, and must signify putting on this chain upon them by way of ornament. The Chaldee renders it by {untranscribed Hebrew} crowneth them, or encompasseth their neck, as a crown is wont to do the head. This {untranscribed Hebrew} pride or elation of mind is here said to do( the consequent of their uninterrupted prosperity, as Aristotle saith of wealth, {untranscribed Hebrew}, it makes men proud and insolent) setting them out in the greatest lustre, and the most costly ornaments. And then it follows {untranscribed Hebrew} violence or unjust oppression {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  putteth, or shall put, or bind, or fasten on( from {untranscribed Hebrew} to put on raiment) the ornament upon them. So the Chaldee understood it, and render it by way of paraphrase {untranscribed Hebrew}— the crown which they put on their head is from their rapine: which also the Lxxii. their rendering will bear, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they were clothed with their injustice and impiety.  
V. 8. Corrupt] {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} is not elsewhere to be met with in these books. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  we have Lev. xxvi. 39. which is duly rendered by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} shall be consumed; but that is from {untranscribed Hebrew} to dissolve or melt. The notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew} may best be fetched from the use of {untranscribed Hebrew} in Chaldee and Syriack. So Luk. xvi. 14. {untranscribed Hebrew} must signify deriding, being there set to express {untranscribed Hebrew}. So Psal. i. 1. for {untranscribed Hebrew} scorners, the Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew}, which the learned Schindler corrects into {untranscribed Hebrew} deriders. So Psal. cxix. 51. in the same manner the Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew}, but the Targum {untranscribed Hebrew}, or rather {untranscribed Hebrew}, have had me in derision; which being there spoken of the proud, may well give us the notion of it here, where it is set in the character of the prosperous wicked man, whose prosperity makes him proud, v. 6. and his pride scornful and contumelious. And thus hath S. jerome rendered it, irriserunt they have derided or scoffed. Abu Walid thus renders the verse, They prate foolishly in their speech, and the violence of their insultations, or insolences. And thus it hath affinity with the arabic {untranscribed Hebrew}, which hath the notion of foolish rudeness, such as is oft in the words of insolent rich men, which think they may speak what they will. The arabic Jewish interpreter reads, They multiply words, and speak oppression wickedly, and as if they spake from aloft. To this agrees what follows, {untranscribed Hebrew} and they speak maliciously: {untranscribed Hebrew}, say the Lxxii. they speak in mischief or mischievously; the latin, loquuti sunt nequitiam, they speak mischief; and so the Syriack: but the Chaldee more fully, {untranscribed Hebrew} and they speak that they may hurt. All of them leaving {untranscribed Hebrew}, that follows, to be joined with the end of the verse, thus, {untranscribed Hebrew} from on high they speak oppression, by from on high meaning, say the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} the height of their heart, and by speaking oppression, the open professing of it, as the same phrase is used Isa. Lix. 13.  
V. 10. Waters] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  waters, as S. Jerome reads {untranscribed Hebrew} who? so the Lxxii. appear to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} dayes; and for {untranscribed Hebrew} shall be wrung out, from {untranscribed Hebrew} expressit, {untranscribed Hebrew} shall be found, from {untranscribed Hebrew} invenit. See Schindler Pentaglot. p. 1029. B. Accordingly they interpret it {untranscribed Hebrew}( so they render {untranscribed Hebrew}) {untranscribed Hebrew}, full dayes shall be found among them. This reading the Syriack( as well as the latin &c.) seem to follow, but convert it to a very distant sense, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and they( i. e. the people of God, precedent) shall find to themselves abundantly. The most probable way of interpreting the verse will be( with Castellio) by setting it as a consequent, inferred( as the {untranscribed Hebrew} therefore imports) from the former verse. Before the wicked {untranscribed Hebrew} v. 3. were spoken of, and so the subject of the speech continued in the plural, and so it follows again v. 11. but here {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  his people, that must be the people of God, my people say the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} Gods people, say the Chaldee,( as Ps. cxxv. 3. the Lord is round about his people) so Abu Walid his, i. e. Gods people, contrary to the wicked. Of this people of God it is said in the beginning of the verse, that because of the prosperity of wicked men, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  they shall turn hither: so the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, my people shall turn hither; and so the Syriack and latin, &c. What that means, must be taken from one of the many special acceptions of {untranscribed Hebrew} to turn, for considering, or thinking on any thing; so Kimchi, his people return to this consideration again and again. So Isa. xLiv. 19. {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Lxxii. render it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, he considered not in his mind; and so here, to turn hither, is to turn the mind hither, and so consider, or to turn the eyes, and so look,( so Malac. iii. 18. {untranscribed Hebrew} and ye shall turn, and see, or discern.) And then follows, in reference peculiarly to the eyes, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and full, or plentiful waters( or waters able to fill a vessel) shall be wrung out from them, thus Abu Walid, and thus the Chaldee renders this part expressly, {untranscribed Hebrew} and many tears shall flow from them; though in the former part they vary much, {untranscribed Hebrew} they are turned against the people of the Lord to strike them, &c. and many tears shall flow from them. The Jewish Arab hath a rendering by himself. Therefore some of his people turn to their way, i. e. to their opinion, there is drank of by them of the water of boldness, or rebellion against him; i. e. Upon this divers of Gods people grow bold or insolent against him. And Abu Walid hath a peculiar way of rendering {untranscribed Hebrew}, as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the infinitive, with breaking of spirit, for broken in spirit, discomfited in soul, as concerning the ways of godliness, wavering, and saying, how doth God know, &c. Behold, &c. and then there flow from them abundant waters,( viz. of tears) connects very well with it. This interpretation Kimchi in his Roots recites without censure, though he seem to prefer this other, His people return hither, i. e. to this consideration, why the wicked should so prosper, &c. and why the waters of a full cup of prosperity should be wrung out to them, i. e. they should have their fill of all good things in this world.  
V. 15. Offend] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies perfidiousness, breaking of Covenant, of faith, and is accordingly here rendered by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} in the same notion that {untranscribed Hebrew} Rom. i. 31. signifies Covenant-Breakers. And thus it will best accord here, being applied to {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the generation of Gods children. What that phrase signifies, appears by the parallel phrases, the generation of the righteous, Ps. xiv. 5. the generation of them that seek thee, Ps. xxiv. 16. The word {untranscribed Hebrew} generation oft signifies a set, and sort of men, see Prov. xxx. 11, 12, 13, 14. Ps. Lxxviii. 8. and so the generation of Gods children, signifies all the whole set and sort of pious men, those who have undertaken the service of God, entred into covenant with him, part of which covenant and profession it is, to believe in Gods Providence, which therefore to deny, or question, or doubt of, is to break the covenant, to prevaricate, to deal perfidiously, to apostatise and do quiter contrary to their profession. And this seems to be the fullest importance of the phrase here, to fall off, apostatise from all professors of piety, to be in the Talmudical dialect, {untranscribed Hebrew} Epicurus, or Epicurean, so they call all who deny, or blaspheme Gods providence,( see Maimoni in his tract of Idolatry.) This is not charged upon him that only had those apprehensions suggested to him, was under the temptation, his feet were but almost gone, his treadings were but well nigh slipped, v. 2. But if I say, I will speak thus, utter it with the mouth, it is resolved by the Jews themselves to be apostasy, and it will not avail the speaker to recall or renounce them, saith Maimoni in that tract of Idolatry.  
V. 18. Destructions] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  into destructions, from {untranscribed Hebrew} vastavit, or, as Abu Walid and Kimchi will have it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, which signifies the same, the LXXII. red {untranscribed Hebrew} in being exalted, as from {untranscribed Hebrew} with ש, to elevate, from the affinity of the words, as their manner oft is, expressing the Psalmists meaning, the elevation being that which ascertains their destruction, when they chance to fall from it.  
V. 20. Image] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is an image, or a shadow, the image of a body, and so seems to be taken here, for that which hath a fantastical only, in opposition to a real substantial being. So Ps. xxxix. 6. In an image man walketh, his life is but an image of life. And then thus lies the comparison in this verse, betwixt the prosperity that wicked men enjoy, and that which is fancied( and by fancy only enjoyed) in a sleep or dream. That which one dreams of, is not really enjoyed by him, and whensoever he awakes, the very appearance, or fantastical being, which was all it had, perisheth; and just so the prosperity which wicked men for a time enjoy, is at that very time but an image or shadow of prosperity, and that such as within a while ceaseth to be so much as a shadow, it absolutely vanisheth and comes to nothing: God doth as it were awake them out of this their dream, remove them out of this imaginary prosperity; or they of themselves awak●, their prosperity leaves them, or else they leave their prosperity. And then {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in, or by this awaking( so it signifies, from {untranscribed Hebrew} evigilare, and not as the Lxxii. red, {untranscribed Hebrew}, in thy city, as if it were from {untranscribed Hebrew} city) or, when they thus awake, thou, O God, shalt illude, or mock, or make to vanish, or bring to nothing( so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies from {untranscribed Hebrew} illusit, the Lxxii. aptly render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, shalt bring to nothing) {untranscribed Hebrew} their image or shadow( {untranscribed Hebrew}, say the Lxxii. and so the Chaldee and Syriack &c.) that imaginary prosperity which for a time they had. The Chaldee in their paraphrase refer it to the day of judgement, when wicked men shall rise out of their graves, and God proceed in wrath against them,( {untranscribed Hebrew}, in fury shalt thou scorn or despise them) according to that expression of Dan. xii. 2. Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some to shane and everlasting contempt. But it may also fitly be referred to their imaginary prosperity here v. 18.  
V. 24. With glory] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  may best be rendered, and after glory. So the Chaldee understood it, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. and after that the glory shall have been completed, which thou hast said thou wilt bring upon me; it then follows, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  receive, or thou shalt receive me, the Lxxii. reads {untranscribed Hebrew}, I suppose it should be {untranscribed Hebrew}, reeeive me to thyself. Thus {untranscribed Hebrew} to take or receive signifies, Gen. v. 24. where of Enoch 'tis said, God took him, which Eccl. xLiv. 16. and Heb. xi. 5. is expressed to be his translation. To this rendering the Jewish Arab accords. And after this honour thou shalt( meet me, so his word {untranscribed Hebrew} usually signifies, but here more probably) receive me to thee, or perhaps raise me up; for the day of Resurrection is in arabic called {untranscribed Hebrew} the day of meeting God.    

The Seventy Fourth Psalm.  
MAschil of Asaph.  
The Seventy Fourth Psalm composed by Asaph( see note on Ps. 73. a.) and set to the tune known by the name of Maschil or intelligent( see note on Psal. xxxii. a.) is a prayer for deliverance and safeguard of Gods Church and people from their enemies, and seems to have been indited under the captivity, and describes the sacking of Jerusalem by Nebuchadonosor, and their state of sadness under the deportation.  
1. O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? 
shall thy- {untranscribed Hebrew}  Why doth thy anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?  
O God, return to us in mercy, we beseech thee, and let us not always lie under thy displeasure, and the sharp expressions of it, who are thine own chosen peculiar people.  
2. Remember thy congregation which thou hast purchased of old, 
a.  the 
nation or kingdom.  rod of thine inheritance which thou hast redeemed, this mount Sion wherein thou hast dwelled.  
We are thy Church which long ago thou wert pleased to gather, and account of as thine own, as a man doth the possession which he hath purchased with his price; we are a nation which thou once broughtest out of egypt with a mighty hand, many signs and wonders being shewed for the rescuing us one of the egyptian slavery; and since that time all the successions of us have been thine: among us hath the ark of the Covenant resided, and therein the continued exhibition of thy presence, in Mount Sion, the place consecrated to thy solemn service. O do not thou forget and renounce all these thy gracious relations toward us.  
3. Lift up thy feet 
or because of the utter destructions, all evil hath the enemy done in, or on—  unto the 
b.  perpetual desolations, even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in thy Sanctuary.  
The enemies both of thee and us, the Chaldeans have sacked thy Temple, and used it reproachfully, being( for our sins, most justly) permitted by thee to work desolations among us, and even to invade and destroy thy holy place consecrated to thy peculiar presence and service. But those that are thus malicious, God will at length( interpose his power, and) utterly destroy.( Thus it fared as with the philistines of old, so soon after this with the Chaldeans, and at length with heathen Rome.)  
4. Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns 
c.  for 
or trophies {untranscribed Hebrew}  signs.  
For a while tyrannical unjust oppressors may invade Gods people, and sacrilegiously break in upon his holy place, and prove victorious and successful therein,  
5. 
They show themselves as one that lifts up axes on high in the thicket of trees.  A man was 
d.  famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees:  
hue down and destroy, as one that comes to a wood well grown with instruments of excision in his hand, and presently sets about the execution.  
6. 
And ן  But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers.  
And thus do our enemies now lay wast the rich and beautiful sculptures, designed for thy honour and service, and use all means of violence they can think of, to perfect their malicious designs hewing, and knocking, and  
7. They have cast fire into thy sanctuary; they have 
violated or destroyed to the ground the {untranscribed Hebrew}  defiled by casting down the dwelling-place of thy name to the ground.  
Setting on fire and utterly demolishing the fabrics erected for thy presence.( How this was eminently fulfilled on the Temple of Jerusalem, see Mat. xxiv. 2.)  
8. They said in their hearts, 
their children together, or at once.  Let us 
e.  destroy them together; they have burnt up all the synagogues of God in the land.  
And that they might make but one work of it, to root out all religion both from the present and future ages, burning down and destroying all sorts of sacred assemblies, oratories, or synagogues all the nation over.  
9. We see not our signs; there is no more any Prophet, neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.  
And to increase our misery, the gift of prophesy by which we were wont to have signs given, to make known Gods will to us, is now ceased and lost from among us, and we have now none to consult or inquire of, how long this desolation shall continue.( This was most fully completed in the destruction by Titus, when though there were many ominous and prodigious signs, yet there was no Prophet sent by God, of whom they might ask or be advised in any thing.)  
10. O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?  
Blessed Lord, let not our enemies any longer have this occasion to scoff at and deride our affiance in thee, and to reproach and blaspheme thee our God, as if thou wert unable to rescue us, or chastise them.  
11. Why 
recallest, see note f.  withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? 
f.  
from within thy bosom destroy.  pluck it out of thy bosom.  
But be thou at length pleased to show forth thy power, in executing thy judgments on them, in subduing and bringing them down.  
12. For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.  
For thou alone art he that hast guided and defended us from the beginning, giving many signal and illustrious deliverances to thy people.  
13. Thou didst 
drive, or cause to recede, see note h.  divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.  
When the egyptian hosts pursued them at their departure out of egypt, by thy power the read sea was driven back, to give passage to the Israelites, but returned with violence on the egyptians, and destroyed them.  
14. Thou brakest the heads of Leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to 
g.  the people inhabiting the wilderness.  
And in the same destruction Pharaoh the oppressive King was himself enclosed and drowned, and so devoured by the fishes, which the Ichthyophagi,( so called from their eating of fish) inhabiting the desert on the shores of that sea, do feed on.  
15. Thou 
h.  didst 
bring out  cleave the fountain and the flood, thou driedst up 
rapid {untranscribed Hebrew}  mighty 
i.  rivers.  
And as in the wilderness to satisfy their thirsts, thou causedst a full current of water to flow out of an hard rock, only by Moses striking the rock with his rod; so when there was need, thou driedst up great and violent rivers, some others( it seems) as well as that of Jordan, to give an easy passage to thy people.  
16. The day is thine, the night also is thine; thou hast prepared k the 
moon  light and the sun.  
17. Thou hast 
appoin●●● all the bounds {untranscribed Hebrew}  made all the borders of the earth, thou hast made summer and winter.  
In sum, thou which hast made the day and the sun to rule that, the night and the moon to give light to that, which hast settled all the climbs of the earth, and all the various seasons of the year, dost also with the conduct of thy providence dispose all other inferior effects, and conditions of men, and canst restrain and punish, defend and support, and restore to prosperity, as thou pleasest.  
18. Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, 
or, the Lord {untranscribed Hebrew}, Lxxii.  O Lord, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name.  
Be thou therefore now pleased to interpose on our behalf, and repress our adversaries, which have not only reproached and triumphed over us, but at once violated thy blessed and holy name, blasphemed and contemned the God we worship and depend on.  
19. O deliver not the soul of 
l.  thy turtle-dove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever.  
O Lord, we are like turtles, in an afflicted, and so a mournful condition; and yet, as turtles, constant in our fidelity to thee, have not taken in any rival into thy service, O let not an helpeless multitude of such, whose innocence delivers them up to the hatred of vultures, become for ever a prey to them: either repress them, I beseech thee, or secure us, that wait only on thee, and depend on thy aid against our enemies.  
20. Have respect unto the Covenant; for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.  
Thou hast promised thy aids and protections to all that uprightly serve and adhere unto thee, and hast still an holy covenant, Dan. 11.30. by force of which we still, how low soever we are brought, are confident to receive deliverance from thee. And now there is special need of it, the multitude being so great of unjust and cruel oppressors, which secretly lay and manage their designs of darkness against us. O be thou now pleased seasonably to make good thy promise to us.  
21. O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name.  
O let not our trust and reliance on thee be disappointed, suffer not our oppressors still to triumph over us; but return our captivity, rescue us out of our present low dejected estate, that we may have the comfort of receiving deliverances from thee, and thou the just honour of our acknowledgements.  
22. Arise, O God, pled thine own cause; remember 
thy reproach from the fool every day {untranscribed Hebrew}  how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.  
23. Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the 
noise {untranscribed Hebrew}  tumult of those that rise up against thee 
ascends, goes up {untranscribed Hebrew}  increaseth continually.  
Lord, it is not against us only that their reproaches are meant, but they advance higher, even against thy sacred Majesty, whom they scoff at and blaspheme daily. This is a most horrible crying sin, that cannot choose but provoke thine indignation; and yet of this are these Atheists continually guilty( their successses against us and prosperous impieties puff them up into this high degree of profaneness to scoff at the God we worship, as one that is not able to protect his clients.) O let this excite and engage thee to interpose thy hand, to show forth thy power, to undertake our defence and patronage, to repress and so confute their folly, that at length they may aclowledge their sins, and adore thy Majesty.  

Annotations on Psalm LXXIV.  
V. 2. The rod.] From the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a rod or sceptre, is that other notion of it, for a kingdom, or Empire; and being here joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} of thine inheritance, it signifies a nation, which through all successions, God had a peculiar right and title to.  
V. 3. Lift up thy feet &c.] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  lifting up thy feet, here signifies, will be best learnt from Gen. xxix. 1. There of Jacob 'tis said, {untranscribed Hebrew} he lift up his feet, and went into the East country. For {untranscribed Hebrew} there, the Syriack hath {untranscribed Hebrew}, the same word which here we have; and that {untranscribed Hebrew} are all one with {untranscribed Hebrew} feet, is evident from the scripture-use of it, Ps. xvii. 5. and in many other places. And then as lifting up the feet, is there in Genesis no more different from the going that follows, then opening the mouth from speaking; so Gods coming, or presence, being in scripture-dialect frequently used for his inflictions of punishment, this will consequently be the meaning of the phrase here, when to it is immediately joined, {untranscribed Hebrew} to desolations. Abu Walid renders it, Tread hard upon thine enemies. The J●wish Arab, show forth thy punishment, adding in a note that the lifting up the feet implies punishment, the bringing under by force being usually expressed by treading under the feet. There is another notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for a mall or hammer, Is. xLi. 7. and Kimchi would have that the meaning here, {untranscribed Hebrew} lift up thy mall, in opposition to the axes and hammers v. 6. and thus also Abu Walid, lift up thy dashing instruments. And the Lxxii. that red {untranscribed Hebrew}, lift up thy hands, come nearer that: But the Chaldee puts it out of question, {untranscribed Hebrew} lift up thy goings or footsteps, i. e. come. For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to vastations, or destructions, from {untranscribed Hebrew} with ש, the Lxxii. as from {untranscribed Hebrew} with ש to lift up) red {untranscribed Hebrew} upon their prides, or elations( see note on Ps. Lxxiii. h.) yet differ not much in the sense: Gods lifting up his ●eet, or coming, as to act revenge upon their prides, being in effect the destroying of them. Thus Abu Walid also, because of the utter destructions which the enemy hath made, and because of all the evil that he hath done in, or on the sanctuary. And Aben Ezra, because of the perpetual vastations i. e. because of thine inheritance which is wast. But the Chaldee again is most express, {untranscribed Hebrew} to lay wast the nations, viz. those that had dealt so cruelly with Jerusalem, the Chaldaeans, in revenge of whose desolations and vastations, God should now come to his desolations on them. To desolations here is added {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  perpetuity, to signify final, utter desolations, confronted to the perpetuity of Gods absence, v. 1. And then as the reason to excite God to this, follows, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. all evil hath the enemy done in or on thy sanctuary. God had deserted his sanctuary, by the going up of the Schecina from between the Cherubims, Ezec. x. 4. and in consequence to that, the heathen people had invaded that holy place, and laid it wast: he is now besought to return, and come to them again in mercy and reconciliation to them, and in vengeance to those that in wasting them had opposed him; and this is the full importance of this verse.  
V. 4. signs] {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies a sign, and from thence a standard, or ensign in militia; and the setting up this in any place which hath been taken by arms, is a sign of that victory; and so an ensign or standard thus set up is in effect a trophy. And this gives the different rendrings to the same word in this place. In the first place {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  their ensigns; but then being set up, they become {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  trophies. There is another notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} ver. 9. for such signs as diviners give, to foretell things to come; and of these Jarchi understands it, that having finished their conquest according to the auspicia or signs of soothsayers, Ezek. xxi. 21. The King of Babylon stood at the parting of the way to use divination, he made his arrows bright, he consulted with Teraphim, he looked in the liver) they resolve their divinations were true, their signs {untranscribed Hebrew} real signs. And this is no improbable interpretation of the words.  
V. 5. Famous] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in Niphal ( from {untranscribed Hebrew} knew) signifies to be known, or, in the notion of Hithpael, reciprocally, to make himself known, to set himself out, to show himself: and being in the singular number, Abu Walid seems to understand it of the stroke or punishment from God. Let it be known, as the stroke of him that lifteth up axes. But it more probably connects with the enemies in the former verse, either as 'tis ordinary to change the numbers, or else as understanding each or every of them, that were before spoken of; and so this verse well connects with the former, they, or every of them, show themselves  {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} — as one makes to ascend {untranscribed Hebrew} on high, i. e. lifts up {untranscribed Hebrew} axes, instruments of hewing or cutting down, of excision, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the thicket( from {untranscribed Hebrew} perplexus fuit) of wood, or as the Lxxii. not amiss, {untranscribed Hebrew} in a copse or wood o● trees. Thus the Chaldee interprets this verse: but the Lxxii. for the former part of it, so as will hardly be intelligible, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and they knew not as to an entrance on high, as in a wood of trees with axes; and yet the latin follow them, & non cognoverunt( for {untranscribed Hebrew} was known) and they knew not, sicut in exitu as in the end( for {untranscribed Hebrew} as one that lifts) supper summum on the top( for {untranscribed Hebrew} up, or on high) and then in the beginning of the next verse quasi in sylva lignorum securibus— as in the wood of trees with axes. But in the former way of construction the sense is obvious, and such as well connects with that which follows, {untranscribed Hebrew} and now, not as a notation of time, but as an expletive, or bare copulative, which the Chaldee express by {untranscribed Hebrew} and so, as the {untranscribed Hebrew} or counter-part of the similitude, as they cut down wood, so these break and cut down {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  carved works from {untranscribed Hebrew} aperuit, in the notion of sculpture, when applied to such materials, Zach. iii. 9. for which the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} their doors as in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} from the same root, that so signifies.  
V. 8. Destroy them] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is by all the ancient interpreters, the Syriack only excepted, rendered as from {untranscribed Hebrew} filius; {untranscribed Hebrew} their children, saith the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} their kindred, say the Lxxii. and so the latin,( and arabic and Aethiopick) cognatio eorum: yet the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} let us destroy them, deducing it, as 'tis thought, from {untranscribed Hebrew} vim intulit, oppressit. And thus Abu Walid deduceth it, and Aben Ezra, as likewise Kimchi approves it. But the former seems more regularly the rendering of it, and being here joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} together,( their posterity at once, or together) it is a proverbial expression, to signify utter destruction, as we know it is when they and their children at once are involved in the same calamity. The Jewish Arab follows this notion of children, or posterity, but renders it of the enemies. So that their posterity have said of us in their mindes, all of them, when they have burnt up all the synagogues of the Almighty in the land, that we do not see our signs, &c. i. e. as he gives his note, the second order or progeny of our enemies have said of us, that we have not seen our signs, &c.  
V. 11. Pluck it] From {untranscribed Hebrew} consumptus est, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in Piel, consume thou, so Psal. Lix. 14. 'tis twice used, {untranscribed Hebrew} Consume in thy wrath, consume. And so in all reason 'tis here to be rendered, and being joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from within thy bosom, it must signify drawing out the hand thence to destroy: and so 'tis paraphrased by the Chaldee, draw it( i. e. thy right hand preceding) out of the midst of thy bosom, and destroy. And thus it coheres with the former part of the verse, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  why returnest thou thy hand, or recallest it into thy bosom? The Jewish Arab reads, turn not from them thy hand, even thy right hand, but consume them out of the midst of thy house, giving a note that the house of God is called {untranscribed Hebrew}. For {untranscribed Hebrew} the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin, in finem, from the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} finitus est.  
V. 14. The people inhabiting the wilderness] What is here meant by {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the people of the wilderness, may seem somewhat uncertain. By Leviathan, the whale is literally meant, but Poetically, Pharaoh, the King of egypt, as by the Dragons v. 13. his army that pursued Israel. Now of these it is said Ex. xiv. 30. that Israel saw the egyptians dead on the sea shore, and then being thus made a prey to the wild-beasts and birds, 'tis not improbable that these wild-beasts, and birds should here be expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew} the people of the wilderness, as being the only proper inhabitants thereof. That {untranscribed Hebrew} people, hath sometimes that interpretation in Scripture, appears by Prou. xxx. 25.& 26. where the ants are styled {untranscribed Hebrew} a people, and so the coneys also. And in analogy with this interpretation it is, that God in the Prophets expresses the defeat and slaughter of an army, by making a great feast, and inviting a multitude of guests to it, Isa. Lvi. 9. meaning beasts and birds of prey. But though to the bodies of the egyptians drowned in the sea, and here meant, this interpretation of people for beasts be most agreeable, yet because egyptians are here not name, but poetically expressed by Leviathan and the Dragons, and those are more proper food for men then for birds and beasts, and because the 
{untranscribed Hebrew}. Pausan, in Attic.  inhabitants of that desert lying by the read sea, did feed wholly on fish, and were therefore called Ichthyophagi, fish-eaters, it will be most reasonable to interpret this {untranscribed Hebrew} people of the wilderness, of these Ichthyophagi, near whose shore Pharaoh and his hosts were drowned. Of their feeding on the Leviathan, or Whale, when they meet with it, as well as on lesser fishes, Agatharcides tells us, cap. xx. {untranscribed Hebrew}, they feed and live on the whales which are cast on dry land: and so Diodorus Siculus l. 3. {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. they are fed or nourished by whales, and other {untranscribed Hebrew} fishes of a vast size, {untranscribed Hebrew}, which because of their greatness are hard to be taken; answerable to the {untranscribed Hebrew} dragons v. 13. Of these Aben Ezra interprets this place, {untranscribed Hebrew} the inhabitants of the wilderness by the shore of the sea, the same that are mentioned by the name {untranscribed Hebrew} Ps. Lxxii. 9. they that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; which were men sure, and not beasts, and particularly these Ichthyophagi by the read sea, which was one of the seas mentioned v. 8. Of this sea 
l. 3.  Diodorus Siculus hath a remarkable passage pertinent to our present purpose, It is, saith he, a tradition among the Ichthyophagi that dwell near, which they have conserved from their ancestors, that at a certain great {untranscribed Hebrew} ebb or recess of the sea, {untranscribed Hebrew}, every place of that sinus was dried up, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the sea departing to the other opposite parts, and then again {untranscribed Hebrew} flowing back with a huge float, it was restored to its former course. Which certainly refers to this part of history, and sets it down most exactly according to the truth: not that the sea so partend asunder, that the Israelites might pass from one side to the other on dry land, as over Jordan they did,( for that they did not thus pass over, but came out at the same side of the sea that they went in; see note i.) but that as in a great ebb,( such as was never seen before, nor since) the sea departed so far from the banks of egypt, that the Israelites first, and the egyptians after them, went in, and marched in the midst of the channel on dry ground, and then the waters returned, Ex. xiv. 28. i. e. flowed back again, and drowned the egyptians, and cast up their bodies on the shore, as the text saith, Ex. xiv. 30. and thereby made the parallel more complete betwixt Pharaoh with his egyptians armies, and Leviathan, and the Dragons, or great fishes, which are wont to be cast upon the shore by the tides; and so the Ichthyophagi come out at set times to gather them, twice a day, saith Agatharcides, at the third and ninth hour, {untranscribed Hebrew}, when the tide comes in from the sea to the dry land. Which being considered, it now appears how far these two interpretations are from being unreconcilable, they being both most true, one in the historical, the other in the poetical sense. In the historical sense, Pharaoh and the egyptians were drowned in the sea, then cast upon the shore, and devoured by the beasts and birds of the wilderness, which must then be the {untranscribed Hebrew} people in the wilderness; but this here poetically described by the Whale and other great fishes cast upon the shore by the tide, and gathered up and used for food by the Ichthyophagi, which are properly, and not poetically styled, {untranscribed Hebrew} the people of the wilderness. And so this is the complete importance of this verse.  
V. 15. Cleave] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as it signifies to cleave, so also to bring forth or fetch out; expressisti, saith Seb Castellio. It is used of birds disclosing or hatching their young ones, Isa. xxxiv. 15. and lix. 5. because that is done by the young ones cleaving, or breaking the shell with their bills. And accordingly 'tis here used of Gods wonderful work, of cleaving, and so bringing or causing to break out( the lxxii. well express it by {untranscribed Hebrew}, the latin by dirupisti,) waters out of the rock, and that in such plenty that it became a river, which ran along with them in their journeyings( see note on 1 Cor. x. 4.) in respect of its first coming out of the rock 'tis here called {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a fountain; but in respect of the current, here is added {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and a flood, or torrent.  
Ibid. Rivers] What the strong rivers were which were here referred to, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the Chaldee hath undertaken to specify, Arnon, and Jabbok, and Jordan. That the read sea was not in this verse referred to, is probable, because that had been before mentioned v. 13. and that under another style {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , from that notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} to go back, or recede, wherein the Arabs use it; and so God by his strength dealt with that, made it go back, and give place to the Israelites entering into the Channel, not so as to part asunder, for them to go quiter over from one side to the other: for 1. the way from egypt to Canaan lead them not across the read sea, 2. their journeyings set down Num. xxxiii. 6. and 8. show that as before their entering into the sea, they were in Etham in the edge of the wilderness, so after they were come out of the sea, they came into the same wilderness of Etham, and went three dayes journey in it, an evidence that the Israelites came out on the same side of the sea as they went in. That this and no more is the meaning of {untranscribed Hebrew} passing through the read sea Heb. xi. 29. their walking on dry land in the midst of the sea. Exod. xiv. 29. see note on Heb. xi. b. But then Jordan, that was dried up, and gave them an easy passage over it, Jos. iii. 16. But as for any miraculous drying up either of Arnon or Jabbok, there is no History of it in scripture, onely one intimation there is Num. xxi. that may incline us to credit the Targums tradition. For there on the mention of their remove, and pitching on the other side of Arnon, v. 13 it follows, wherefore it is said in the Book of the warres of the Lord, what he did in the read sea, and in the brooks of Arnon. Where the comparing and joining Gods miraculous works in the read sea, with those he did in the brooks of Arnon, is an indication that some such like thing was done for the Israelites at those brooks, as was before done at the read sea, viz. at the time of its receding before the Israelites. And from that book of the warres of the Lord the Chaldee by tradition might have it.  
V. 16. The light] From {untranscribed Hebrew} luxit is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in general any luminary or receptacle of light, indifferently the Sun and the Moon, Gen. i. 16. But being joined with, and so opposed to, the Sun, as here the night is to the day, it must needs signify the luminary of the night, the Moon, as the Sun is of the day: and accordingly the Chaldee renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} the Moon, and the LXXII. {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} and the Jewish Arab, Thou hast prepared the Moon with the Sun. Only the latin reads auroram the morning.  
V. 19. Thy Turtle] From {untranscribed Hebrew} the original of our latin turtur, which is but the doubling of it, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here thy turtle; which being by the Psalmist designed poetically to signify the pious, faithful servants of God, who make good their fidelity to him, which in the spiritual sense is parallel to the purity and chastity of the turtle, the Chaldee and lxxii. have chosen to paraphrase it, the former by {untranscribed Hebrew} those that learn thy law, with respect to {untranscribed Hebrew} law, which hath such affinity with it; the other by {untranscribed Hebrew} confessing to thee, as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew}, the letters whereof differ so little from it.    

The Seventy Fifth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, Altaschith, A Psalm or song of Asaph.  
The seventy fifth Psalm was composed by Asaph, to the tune known by the name Altaschith,( see note on Psal. lvii a.) praising God for all his wondrous acts of mercy, and of justice upon the enemies of his people, and was committed to the Praefect of the music.  
1. Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks; 
and near is thy name to them that declare thy wondrous works.  for that thy name is near thy wondrous works 
a.  declare.  
We bless and magnify thy mercies, O Lord, and again we bless and magnify them, and have all manner of inducement and obligation thus to do, not only because we have received so many signal engagements from thee, but especially because the performance of this duty of praise is so richly accepted and rewarded by thee, and thy power and providence ascertained to the present defence of all those that perform it faithfully, that wait on thee for thy aids, and sail not in acknowledging the receipt of them.  
2. When I shall 
take a fit time.  receive 
b.  the congregation, I shall judge uprightly.  
For God is a most upright judge, and if he doth a while delay the punishing of wicked men, and relieving the godly, that certainly is but an act of his wise disposal, to choose the fittest season for it, a time which in all respects is most agreeable; and then he will certainly interpose in mercy to the one, and just vengeance to the other.  
3. The earth and all the inhabiters thereof 
were melted {untranscribed Hebrew}  are dissolved, I bear up the pillars of it. Selah.  
When the whole land was in a civil combustion, one part ●s it were melted and dissolved from another, 'twas God alone that kept it from utter destruction, by preserving alive the pious men, who by their prayers and intercessions are wont to contend and prevail for averting of ruin,( see note b.) or supported it still upon the proper basis, and reestablisht David in his throne.  
4. I said unto the fools, Deal not so foolishly, and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn.  
5. Lift not up your horn on high, speak not with a stiff neck.  
repressed and brought down the wicked Rebells, that scofft at God and his anointed, and were o●stinately bent to exalt themselves in his ruin. These did God in his good time bring down and put to shane.  
6. For 
c.  
neither from the East, nor West, nor desert of Mountains  promotion cometh neither from the East, nor from the West, nor from the South.  
7. But God is 
d.  the 
For governor.  Judge, he putteth down one, and setteth up another.  
For indeed it is he only that can exalt or suppress, and no power on earth can properly be said to do it, this is the privilege and prerogative of the one supreme supereminent ruler of all the world; and in great justice he thus disposeth of this, as of all things here below, as he sees fittest( never suffering wicked men continually to prosper.)  
8. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is read, it is full of mixture, and he poureth out of the same; but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.  
All that befalls either good or evil men comes certainly from God, who hath in his power judgments of the most direful aloy, most fitly compared ●o a cup of the strongest wine, with the addition of the most stupefying mixtures, mirth &c( see note on Rev. xiv. 10. c.) and in the dispensing and pouring out of this, some drops may fall to the portion of godly men in this world, some afflictions for a time; but then for the wicked they must expect the bottom of the cup, the bitterest and most intolerable part of sufferings, every drop of those dregs of Gods wrath to be drunk up by them, in this life probably, but undoubtedly in another.  
9. But I will declare for ever, I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.  
As therefore it is my part not to fail to proclaim and bless the name of this God for ever, which hath so favourably owned the cause of his servants;  
10. All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.  
So I shall securely remit to him the taking h s own time to execute his judgements, to bring down the power of all his enemies, which he will certainly perform, cherishing, and at last promoting, those that adhere faithfully to his service.  

Annotations on Psalm LXXV.  
V. 1. Declare] The whole difficulty of this v. 1. seems to be best removed by rendering {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as a participle plural in the sense of the dative case, for then that will express to whom Gods name, i. e. his power is here said to be nigh, viz. {untranscribed Hebrew} to them that declare( the Chaldee renders it {untranscribed Hebrew}) thy wondrous works. Thus hath the learned Castellio rendered it, cujus praesens adest nomen tua narrantibus miracula. To thee will we give thanks whose name is present at hand( so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies) to them that show forth thy miracles.  
V. 2. Congregation] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , from {untranscribed Hebrew} condixit, signifies an appointed time or season, as well as place; and in that former sense 'tis most commonly used either for time in general, or in special for the four seasons of the year, the months, the solemn feasts, &c. and to this sense of time, not place or congregation, the learned interpreters render it: {untranscribed Hebrew} time, saith the Chaldee; {untranscribed Hebrew} time, saith the Syriack; {untranscribed Hebrew} the Lxxii. and tempus the latin; and so the arabic and Aethiopick, and the Interlinear statutum tempus; and Castellio, certum tempus: and then with {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} cepit, it may fitly signify the taking a fit season. And then follows the {untranscribed Hebrew} I will judge rectitudes, understanding it of the Lord. That the speech belongeth to God, appears by the next verse, his establishing or supporting the pillars of the earth, preserving religious persons, who in the Hebrew dialect are frequently styled pillars: so Maimonides de Idol: of Abraham that he was {untranscribed Hebrew} the pillar of the world: so Gal. 11.9. those eminent Apostles, are called {untranscribed Hebrew} pillars, and oft elsewhere: Which establishing and preserving of them( {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Lxxii. I have set them firm and solid) can belong to none but God; and so in the following verses, till at length v. 7. 'tis expressly said, God is the judge, he putteth down one, and setteth up another. This is again observable v. 10. For as here v. 1. and 2. there is an alternation between the Psalmist and God, designed to be sung severally by several persons or chori, and so both in the first person, unto thee do we give thanks, saith one, and when I— I shall judge according to right, saith the other,( {untranscribed Hebrew} the words of God, saith Kimchi;) so again in the conclusion, I will declare, I will sing praises, saith one, and All the horns of the wicked will I cut off, saith the other; to signify to us the certain answers we may expect from God: If we adhere to him and bless him, bear thankfully and patiently what he lays upon us, he will certainly espouse our cause, defend and secure us, judge rectitudes in one place, and cut off the horns of the wicked in the other, which is but the paraphrase of his judging rectitudes( i. e. the most perfect right judgments) here, which yet he oft defers to do, till he find a fitt time, either the time of wicked mens having filled up the measure of their sins, or a choice season when their oppressions grow high, and the godly are ready to sink under them, and then upon their flying to God in their trouble, he delivereth them out of their distress. Another rendering the former part of the verse is capable of, taking {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the front in the notion of although, of which there are many instances. So Gen. xlvii. 14. {untranscribed Hebrew} not for, but although Manasses was the first born, he laid his right hand on Ephraim. So Exod. xxxiv. 9. Let the Lord come among us {untranscribed Hebrew} not for, but although it be a stiffnecked people. See Jos. xvii. 18. Dan. ix. 9. Ex. xiii. 17. Ps. xli. 5. Is. xii. 1. Ps. Lxxi. 15. And then {untranscribed Hebrew} will be, though I take time, i. e. delay or make some stay, I will judge rectitudes; according to that of our Saviour Luk. xviii. 7. that God will avenge his elect, though he bear or stay long; and Habak. ii. 3. The vision is for an appointed time, the {untranscribed Hebrew} here, though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry. To which sense it may farther be observed, that {untranscribed Hebrew} hath also the notion of buying, and then buying times, is a solemn phrase Dan. 11.9. for making delays, from whence S. Paul hath {untranscribed Hebrew} redeeming the time. Eph. v. 16.  
V. 6. Promotion] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here signifies mountains in the genitive plural, and so is governed of {untranscribed Hebrew} from the desert preceding, is agreed by all the ancients, and then it is to be rendered from the desert of the mountains, or the mountainous desert: so the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}; the latin, neque à desertis montibus, nor from the desert mountains, the Chaldee with some change, neither from the North of the deserts, nor from the South of the mountains; but the Syriack expressly, {untranscribed Hebrew} nor from the desert of the mountains; and so the Interlinear also. And then the speech must be elliptical, and the supply of it fetched either from the precedent verse, or else rather from the subsequent; and not be promotion only, by which some interpreters render {untranscribed Hebrew}, as if it were the infinitive( from {untranscribed Hebrew} exaltavit) exaltare; or exaltatio; but more fully pulling down; and setting up, thus, For neither from the East( so {untranscribed Hebrew} literally, from the going out, signifies) nor from the West, nor from the desert of mountains, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. For God judgeth— Thus the Jewish Arab, Neither from the East, nor from the West, nor from the deserts and mountains cometh that unto you. The word {untranscribed Hebrew} here alludes to the {untranscribed Hebrew} ver. 7. and {untranscribed Hebrew} ver. 5. On this verse the rabbis have their changes. Kimchi's Father would have {untranscribed Hebrew} to be custom or impost( from 1 Ki. x. 28.) {untranscribed Hebrew} to be traffic( Ezek. xxvii. 14.) {untranscribed Hebrew} to be eloquence( Cant. iv. 3.) the several ways of preferment in the world. R. Obad. Gaon interprets {untranscribed Hebrew} the rising of the stars, {untranscribed Hebrew} their setting, {untranscribed Hebrew} the primum mobile( for so 'tis called) and so to refer to astrological predictions, pretended from the horoscope. But David Kimchi himself having mentioned his Fathers descant, translates it literally, neither from the East, nor from the West, &c. i. e. it is not acquired by mans diligence in going hither and thither &c. and although he prefer the notion of exaltation, or promotion, yet he gives a note from R. Aba an ancient Rabbin, that {untranscribed Hebrew} in every other place of scripture but this, signifies mountains, And then why not in this also?  
V. 7. Judge] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies somewhat more then an ordinary justiciary among us, for to such it scarcely belongs to bestow honours, and preferments at pleasure. It is the style whereby the Captains and managers of the wars of the people of Israel were styled, Gideon, and Samson &c. which, as the Roman Dictators, acted in an unlimited power. These were raised up by God, when the people were oppressed, or captivated, to vindicate them to their ancient liberties; and from hence the latin Suffes and Suffetes is derived, qui summus Poenis magistratus est, 
8. bell Pun.  saith Livy, which was the supreme magistrate among the Carthaginians, and to these the managery of their wars belonged, quod velut consulare imperium apud Carthaginenses erat, 
10. bell. Pun.  saith Livy, again, because the government of the Carthaginians, was as it were consular. And in this notion it is here attributed to God, as to judge rectitudes, punish and avenge them of their enemies v. 2.( the {untranscribed Hebrew} here referring to the {untranscribed Hebrew} there) so to subdue their oppressors here( as a Captain in war) and restore to their country again.    

The Seventy Sixth Psalm.  
TO the 
Master of the stringed instruments( see Psalm. note a.)  chief musician upon Neginoth, a Psalm or song of Asaph.  
The seventy sixth Psalm is a commemoration of the power and Majesty, and merciful presence of God unto his people, in hearing and answering them, and executing judgments on their enemies, overthrowing their 
{untranscribed Hebrew} an ode on the Assyrian Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. of Senacherib and his company, Jarchi.  heathen invaders, It was composed by Asaph, and committed to the Praefect of the stringed instruments.  
1. In Judah is God known, his name is great in Israel:  
Though God have done abundantly sufficient to reveal his power and glorious attributes to all the men in the world, yet in a most signal manner hath he exhibited himself to the people of the Jews:  
2. In Salem also is his Tabernacle, and his dwelling in Sion.  
And that especially in the holy place of public assembly, where when pious men meet devoutly to offer up their sacrifices and requests to him, they receive certain answers of mercy from him, most evident demonstrations of his peculiar presence and audience there.  
3. There broke he 
a.  the 
or lightnings, or fires.  arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah.  

so the Chald.  Whilst we kept close to his service there, we never failed to receive portentous aids from him, to obtain the most illustrious victories over our enemies, to secure ourselves, and destroy them in their most furious and formidable assaults; and whatsoever we have at any time achieved in this kind, it hath been no strength of ours, but his peculiar interposition.  
4. Thou art more glorious and excellent then the mountains of prey.  
Thy presence, O God, in this hill of Sion hath a far greater and more glorious virtue for the guarding of us, and overcoming our opposers, than the mountains of most strength and advantage, where our malicious enemies in their siege and designs of taking our City, make their rendezvous, are for the fortifying themselves, or annoying of us.  
5. The stoutest-hearted 
have despoiled or disarmed themselves they sleep.  are spoiled, they have slept their sleep, and none of the men of might b have found their hands.  
The stoutest and most able men in the world, the most warlike and victorious Assyrians, have by this means without any considerable strength of ours, been utterly discomfited, when they had betaken themselves to their rest, 2 Chron. xxxii. 21. in the midst of their security the Lord sent an Angel, and cut off all their mighty men of valour, they slept but never waked again; and so their whole army( see Is. xxxvii. 36.) like men asleep, have been able to do nothing, not so much as to move an hand to hurt us.  
6. At thy rebuk, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.  
'twas the secret interposition of thy power, O Lord, that wrought this signal destruction upon so potent and numerous an army.  
7. Thou, even thou art to be feared, and who may stand in thy sight 
from the minute of thy anger {untranscribed Hebrew}  when once thou art angry?  
Thou art most terrible and irresistible in thy judgements, and consumest all before thee in the first minute that thou art pleased to execute them.  
8. Thou didst cause judgement to be heard from heaven; the earth 
c.  feared, and was still,  
9. When God arose to judgement, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah.  
When thou, though in heaven, didst please to interpose for thy oppressed people in imminent pressing danger, to deliver them from the violences of men, and to punish those that injured them, then thy Angels came forth on thy messages, with thunder and lightning and earthquakes; by these the proudest sinners were strike with horror, dreaded these thy thunderbolts, and had no means imaginable to secure them from them, were all destroyed and put to flight, and so left thy people to their rest and quiet, whom they came to besiege and conquer.  
10. Surely the wrath of man shall 
or confess  praise thee; the remainder of wrath shalt 
d.  thou 
or gird on,  restrain.  
And thus art thou praised and acknowledged, and in some degree honoured by the miscarriage and frustration of unjust and wicked men, and occasionally by their very sin, their cruelty and blasphemies when they came to be restrained and quelled, and remarkably punished by thee: or, Against their rage thou preparest rage; they begin in fury against pious blameless men, afflicting and oppressing them, and thou in thy time dealest with them in wrath, repayest them, as they have deserved.  
11. Vow and pay unto the Lord your God: 
all  let all that be round about him bring presents to 
the terrible. {untranscribed Hebrew}  him that ought to be feared.  
Our God is a gracious and a dreadful God, gracious to us in defending us against the most savage oppressors, dreadful to them that continue thus to provoke and blaspheme him. O let us all, that profess his service, consecrate( and perform) to him the fruits of our lips, all possible praises and thanksgivings, all works of piety and charity. And let those that have provoked, make speed to atone him by reformation, and the meet fruits thereof.  
12. 
e.  He shall 
bring down.  cut off the spirit of Princes, he is terrible to the Kings of the earth.  
Else be they never so great and prosperous, never so proud and stout, God will in a most terrible manner deal with them, and at length be sure to bring them low enough, as he hath done the proud Senacherib, and Rabshakeh, and the whole Assyrian army.  

Annotations on Psalm LXXVI.  
V. 3. Arrows] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies fire, Job v. 7. where sparks that fly upward are poetically expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew} the sons of the fire. So Psal. Lxxviii. 48. it is used not for thunderbolts or lightnings, as our margin reads, but simply for fire, shot out of the clouds, and running along upon the ground Exod. ix. 23. And from thence by metaphor it is applied to an arrow or dart, shot out of a bow, and by the swiftness of the motion supposed to be inflamed, see Cant. viii. 6. where of love it is said, that {untranscribed Hebrew}( not the Coals, but) the arrows thereof are arrows of fire, it shoots, and wounds, and burns a mans heart, inflames it vehemently by wounding it. Here we have the word twice, and if the former of them do not signify arrows simply, it will not be found in that sense in the Bible: nor do the Lxxii. render it in the notion of an arrow, but in this place express it by a general word, {untranscribed Hebrew} the strengths of the bows, referring to that which is supposed to be the cause of inflaming the arrows, the strength of the bow from which they are shot out. The Syriack in some degree of compliance with them render it {untranscribed Hebrew} the arms of the bow, that which the bow reacheth out as a man doth his arm, and by which, as by an arm, it reacheth to, and forcibly seizeth on that which is distant from it. The poetical expression will best be conserved by retaining some notice of the primary sense in the rendering of it, fires or lightnings, of the bow, i. e. those hostile weapons which are most furious and formidable, as fire shot out from a bow.  
V. 5. Found their hands] {untranscribed Hebrew} may be rendered, have not found their hands, i. e. have not been able to use them for resistance, for the offending others, or even for their own defence; the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} ( as the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} by which they here render it) signifying as to find, or get, so to have in readiness, in their power, to be able to use. To this the Chaldee look in their paraphrase, {untranscribed Hebrew} they could not take their weapons in their hands, i. e. they could not use their hands to manage their weapons. The Lxxii. have but little varied the phrase, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they found nothing with their hands, i. e. they were able to do nothing with them,( their vast army achieved nothing, but returned wi●h shane of face to their own land 2 Chron. xxxii. 21.) Which the latin seems to have a little mistaken, when they add the preposition in] to what they found in the Lxxii. nihil invenerunt in manibus, they found nothing in their hands; but that still interpretable to the former sense, they found nothing, i. e. they had neither weapons nor strength in their hands, their whole army was utterly routed and discomfited, without striking a stroke; for which the Syriack red, {untranscribed Hebrew}, their hands were not able, or impotent. And this well agrees to the beginning of the verse; {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  they have been cut off or perished, they are gone, saith Abu Walid, or have despoiled themselves,( the reciprocal from {untranscribed Hebrew} praedatus est,) they have cast away their weapons, saith the Chaldee; {untranscribed Hebrew}, they were troubled, say the LXXII. as when in a panic terror men are amazed, discomfited, throw away their weapons, and fly, and by that astonishment are like men in a sleep, their strength and sense tied up; but it more punctually refers to the time wherein the Angel smote the Assyrian army, in the deep of the night, when they had put off their garments and weapons both, were fast asleep in their tents, and at once 185000. of them slain, Is. xxxvii. 36. This is poetically described by sleeping their sleep; and as is added v. 6. {untranscribed Hebrew} men in a dead sleep, dura quies, ferreus somnus, an hard and thorny sleep. Were they never so strong or valiant, had they never such strength of body, skill in arms, courage of mind, and all that was necessary for a conquest, in the midst of their security, they were smitten, and so utterly vanquished, and returned re infectâ, without doing of any thing.  
V. 8. Feared] What is meant by the earths fearing here, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  must be judged by proportion with the judgments being heard from heaven in the former part of the verse. In the history 2 Chron. xxxii. 21. the Angel of the Lord wrought that great execution on the Assyrians army. Now the descent of an Angel, when he came commissioned for any act of power, was generally furnished by God with some sensible attestation from nature, thunders and earthquakes, neither of which would probably be wanting in so eminent a work as the slaughter of eighty five thousand. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Of the thunder there can be no doubt, the judgements being heard from heaven, refers to {untranscribed Hebrew}, which indifferently signifies voice, and thunder, which is a vocal, and so audible judgement, coming out of the air, which in scripture is styled heaven. And then for the earthquake, that that is signified by the {untranscribed Hebrew} the earths fearing, may be guessed from 1 Sam. xiv. 15. There was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people, the garrison and the spoilers they also trembled, and the earth quaked, so it was a very great trembling, or a trembling of God. Here a trembling of God, or such as is caused by the appearance of Angels sent by God, is made up not only of the trembling of men, but of the earth itself. And so Matth. xxviii. 2. at the appearance of Angels there was a very great earthquake. And this to very good purpose, that they that opposed Gods people might evidently perceive that it was not chance, or ordinary sickness, or sudden infection, that cut them off, but the displeasure of an omnipotent Deity. Now because among us trembling is an effect of fear, and where trembling is visible outwardly, fear is supposed to be within, therefore it is here an easy poetic figure, to express an earthquake by the fearing of the earth. And then that which follows, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and was still, as it is elegantly opposed to the trembling, or fear forementioned, so it imports the effect of this earthquake to the children of Israel, this short commotion gave rest and quiet to the land: as Jud. iii. 30. {untranscribed Hebrew}( just the same phrase as here) the land had rest eighty years, and so ch. v. 31. and viii. 28. and in several other places, the land had rest, or the country was in quiet. And so in S. Paul {untranscribed Hebrew} rest] is quiet from the persecutors of the Christians.( see note on Heb. iii. c.) Abu Walid from its conjunction with {untranscribed Hebrew} fearing here, would make it one of those which have contrary significations, and so to signify here stirred or moved. But the Jewish Arab renders it, some of the people of the earth feared, and some were still, i. e. saith he, the oppressors feared, and the oppressed had rest.  
V. 10. Restrain] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies here, is not agreed among the interpreters, the word signifying 1. to gird, and 2. to restrain. In the notion of restraining it will have a very commodious sense, applied to Senacherib to whom this Psalm belongs. For as by the slaughter of the eighty five thousand in his army, he was forced to depart, and dwell at Niniveh, 2 King. xix. 36. so after his return thither, there be some remainders of his wrath on the Jews that dwelled there. We may see it, tub. i. 18. If the King Senacherib had slain any, when he was come and fled from Judaea, I butted them privily( for in his wrath he killed many) &c. This was the racemation, as it were, or gleanings of his wrath, and this was restrained by God; for he soon falls by the hands of his sons Adramelech and Sharezer, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his God. 2 Ki. xix. 37. And to this sense Kimchi interprets it, thou shalt so repress the malice of our enemies, that the other nations shall not dare to fight against us: so likewise Aben-Ezra. And thus it must be, if the remainder of wrath, be mans wrath, as the former part of the verse inclines it, Surely the wrath of man &c. But {untranscribed Hebrew} in the primary notion signifies girding, or putting on, arraying ones self; cinxit, accinxit, praecinxit. Girding, we know, signifies putting on, and is applied to garments, ornaments, arms; {untranscribed Hebrew} Gird thy sword upon thy thigh Ps. xlv. 3. and frequently elsewhere: and so girding with gladness, is putting on festival ornaments. And agreeable here in a poetical phrase, thou shalt gird on the remainder of wrath, parallel to putting on the garments of vengeance for clothing, Isa. Lix. 17. will signify Gods adorning and setting out himself by the exercise of his vengeance, vulgarly expressed by his wrath, and the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  wrath, most fitly used with reflection on {untranscribed Hebrew} the wrath of man in the beginning of the verse. Mans wrath is the violence and rage and blasphemy of the oppressor, upon the meek or poor man foregoing. This begins, goes foremost, in provoking God; and then {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the remnant or second part of wrath is still behind for God, and with that he girds himself, i. e. sets himself out illustriously and dreadfully, as with an ornament, and as with an hostile preparation, in the eyes of men. And so in this sense also it is agreeable to the context. The wrath of man, Rabshake's railings and blasphemies, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  shall confess or praise thee, as being brought down by God, and signally refuted by him,( for then after so eminent a vindication of Gods honour, his opposition and reproaches did but illustrate that glory which he endeavoured to eclipse, and become a kind of confession to him.) One of the Targums red {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall convert, and confess to thy name, and praise thee, in reference to other men that look on,& admire,& give honour to God, who thus seasonably interposes, and girds on the remainder of wrath, comes in opportunely to rescue the oppressed, and execute judgement on the oppressor. And so in either sense the parts of this verse are perfectly answerable the one to the other. To this latter rendering of {untranscribed Hebrew} the Chaldee inclines us, paraphrasing it by {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast girded on, or prepared, or made ready the remainder of fury( meaning Gods fury) for the destroying of the nations. And so the Interlinear, residuum irarum accinges, thou shalt gird on thee the residue of wraths; and Castellio, exuberantibus furoribus decoraris, thou art adorned with exuberant furies, in the notion of an ornament or festival garment; to which also if the Lxxii. refer not by their {untranscribed Hebrew}, the remnant of wrath shall celebrate to thee a feast, it will be hard to guess what they meant by it. This the latin render from them, reliquiae cogitationis diem festum agent tibi, the relics of thought( so interpreting {untranscribed Hebrew}) shall keep an holiday to thee.  
V. 12. Cut off] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  spirit, seems here to denote the proud, and cruel and fastuous spirit of oppressing Nimrods( such Senacherib was) lifted up with the successses of their impiety; so the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} he shall repress the grossness, or elation, or pride of the spirit of the great ones( so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies, the same phrase by which they paraphrase the pride of the countenance, Ps. x. 4.) And Gods cutting it off, bringing it low,( so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} minuit, signifies) is his not only repressing, and not permitting it to proceed farther, but his inflicting severe punishments upon it, cutting off the tyrant in his bloody pursuits, as it fared with Senacherib( see note d.) The LXXII. as we now red it, having {untranscribed Hebrew}, taking away the spirits of Princes, may be thought by spirits to signify no more then their lives: but the latin reading spiritum in the singular, and so the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} spirit, show that {untranscribed Hebrew} not {untranscribed Hebrew} is the right reading; and then nothing hinders, but that they might take it in this sense for pride and elation of spirit, which as it may be taken away by other means of humbling, beside that of death, so it is then surely subdued and brought low, when it brings destruction on him in whom it is. Abu Walid here renders {untranscribed Hebrew} shall exalt, and hinder the enemies from them; and so Kimchi in his roots shall exalt them, and strengthen them. But withall he saith, it may be interpnted, shall cut off, or bring low, the radical signification being, as he resolves, the notion of hindering, keeping in, or restraining.    

The Seventy Seventh Psalm.  
TO the chief musician 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to Jeduthun, a Psalm of Asaph.  
The seventy seventh Psalm is a pious resolution of affiance in and prayer to God, in all the miseries that befall us in this life, by way of dialogue between diffidence and a well-grounded hope and faith. It seems to have been composed by Asaph in reference to the 
{untranscribed Hebrew}, This Psalm is spoken in the tongue or Dialect of the Captives. Kimchi.  captivity, and committed to the Praefect of music, to be song to those instruments in which Jeduthun and his posterity were employed.  
1. 
My voice was unto God, and I cried, my voice unto God, {untranscribed Hebrew}.  I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice, and he gave ear unto me.  
My distresses were great, and I had none but God to sly to: to him therefore I addressed my request importunately, and he was pleased to relieve me out of them.  
2. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; 
a.  my 
hand was stretched out ●●d remitted not.  sore ran in the night and ceased not; my soul refused to be comforted.  
When any affliction came, this was my constant practise, never to give over praying, never to take any repose by diverting from that employment.  
3. I remembered God, 
b.  and 
tumultuated, or made a wise, or was cla●●teus, I meditated, 
didst held, or keep the watches of mine eyes; I was troubled, and spake not.  〈◇〉 prayed—  was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was 
troubled, agitated.  overwhelmed. Selah,  
But betaking me to God, and with all importunity making my requests to sound in his ears, I prayed with all the ardency and devotion and affection of my spirit.  
4. 
c.  Thou holdest mine eyes waking; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.  
When I am in the night on my bed, thou, O Lord, seest how I am employed every minute of it; when any matter of trouble seizeth on me, I betake myself to this kind of silent meditation.  
5. I 
consider, or recount.  have considered the days of old, the years of 
ages, see noted.  ancient times.  
I recount all the eminent passages of thy providence toward this nation of ours, beginning from the first foundation of it.  
6. I call to remembrance my song in the night; I commune with mine own heart, and my spirit 
demandeth, asketh. {untranscribed Hebrew}  made diligent search,  
And thus I think over my own composures in the solitudes of the night, conversing silently with myself, in this form of dialogue betwixt me and my own spirit: And first my spirit or mind asks the question, in this or the like form, reflecting on the distresses that are now upon us,  
7. Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?  
God is displeased and chastiseth us severely, as if he would never be atoned,  
8. Is his mercy clean gone for ever? 
is his ward abolished {untranscribed Hebrew}  Doth his promise fail for evermore?  
9. Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.  
His mercies and his promimises gave us ground of hope, and will he never remember these? Is he finally resolved never again to turn to us in mercy?  
10. And I said, 
d.  this 
my desertion is a change of the right— or the years of—  is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high.  
The continuance and repetition of his judgements for so many years, or in so many forms frequently varied, but still lying heavy upon us, makes this a seasonable fear.  
11. I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember 
from the ancient times of thy wonders, see noted.  thy wondrous works.  
12. I will meditate also of thy works, and talk of thy doings.  
But I soon answered and silenced these my melancholy infidel reasonings, and opposed unto them the acts, the many illustrious miraculous acts of God, in bringing us out of egypt, possessing us of Canaan, subduing all our neighbouring enemies, &c. infallible evidences both of his power, and fidelity to all that depend on him; and resolved more reasonably to stay and support myself with the meditation and solemn reflection on these, by his former dealings inviting the continuance of them, and raising to myself confident presages of his future mercies.  
13. Thy way, O God, is in 
holiness, {untranscribed Hebrew}  the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?  
And upon an entire survey of all I am forced to aclowledge, that all God's dealings are most just and holy, he never fails the least in the performance of his promises; but, on the contrary, hath magnified his power( as well as justice and fidelity) in a most illustrious manner, in all his dealings with his people.  
14. Thou art the God that dost wonders; thou hast declared thy strength among the people.  
15. Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.  
When thou rescuedst thy people of Israel out of the bondage of egypt, the posterity of Joseph all begotten there, and all the rest of the seed of Jacob which came to egypt to Joseph( and were at first kindly treated by the King, but after a while oppressed and tyrannically enslaved) thou didst it in a most mighty miraculous dreadful manner, so as convinced the very obdurate heathens of thy power and vengeance upon them.  
16. the waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid, the depths also were troubled.  
And when the Israelites by thy conduct came to the sea side, the very sea, that untamed body way restrained by thee, and as in a frightful dread of thy majesty sled from before them, gave them leave to pass as on dry ground through the channel of it.  
17. The clouds poured out water, the sky sent out a sound; 
thy sharp stones {untranscribed Hebrew}  thine arrows also went abroad.  
18. The voice of thy thunder was in the heavens, the lightnings lightened the world, the earth trembled and shook.  
And on the other side the Lord sent out his judgements upon the egyptians, looked unto their host through the pillar of fire and cloud, and troubled them, Exod. xiv. 24. by which was intimated the tempestuous rain and thunder resounding in the air, and sending out shafts or sharp stones, and again thunders in the clouds, and lightning flashing in their eyes, to the disturbing them extremely.  
19. Thy way is in the sea, and thy paths in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.  
And thus whilst thy people were conducted and carried safe by thee through the midst of the read sea, the egyptians were in no wise able to follow them( but were all first disordered and restrained in the speed of their march, God took off their chariot wheels that they drove them heavily, Exod. xiv. 25. and soon after by Moses's stretching out his hand, swallowed up and destroyed by the sea returning upon them, v. 26.) and so thy works of providence in preserving some, whilst by the same means thou destroyest others, most undiscernible and inscrutable.  
20. Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.  
And in sum, thy care over thy people, and thy conduct by the hand of Moses and Aaron, hath been experimented to be like that of the most watchful and skilful shepherd over a flock, securing them from all assaults or violence of their enemies. And thy dealings with them there, are a full security to us now, if we continue our faithful dependence on thee, that thou art both able and ready to relieve and rescue us out of the greatest captivities and most present dangers.  

Annotations on Psalm LXXVII.  
V. 2. My sore ran] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from protraxit, extendit se, being here applied to {untranscribed Hebrew} my hand, will most probably be rendered, was stretched out, or stretched itself; and to that best agrees {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and remitted not, gave not over, fell not down from {untranscribed Hebrew} remissum esse. 'tis true when it is joined with any fluid thing, it signifies to flow, or run about, as of water, tears, wine, or blood, but here with the hand( if that be the meaning of {untranscribed Hebrew}) the stretching out is the most proper notion of it: and though the Lxxii. for {untranscribed Hebrew} seem to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} over against him, yet they have sufficiently expressed the sense, and restrained it to the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  for my hand, {untranscribed Hebrew}, I sought him with my hands by night toward him. The Chaldee having taken {untranscribed Hebrew} by itself, and given it a paraphrase remote enough {untranscribed Hebrew} prophesy restend upon me( from one use of the word {untranscribed Hebrew} spoken of God, for the spirit of God 2 King. iii. 15.) do also paraphrase {untranscribed Hebrew} by the eye dropping of tears; but the Syriack reading {untranscribed Hebrew}, as if it had been {untranscribed Hebrew} his hand, convert it to another matter. 'tis true {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies many things besides an hand, particularly a stroke, or hurt, or wound that befalls any, but this sure respecting him that strikes or inflicts it, whose hand or stroke it is said to be, not his who is stricken by it. So Deut. xxxii. 36. where their hand is thus interpnted by the Chaldee, 'tis {untranscribed Hebrew} the stroke of the hater, and Exo. xxiv. 11. where the not laying the hand, is by the Chaldee rendered not hurting, and so {untranscribed Hebrew} interpnted by {untranscribed Hebrew} hurt; yet the {untranscribed Hebrew} his hand or hurt, is not there applied to the patients, but to the agent, God. And Abu Walid, who renders it here a wound or stroke in respect to the sufferer, mentions it as a distinct signification from what it hath in other places. And so still it is most reasonable to understand it in the ordinary sense, {untranscribed Hebrew} my hand, and then {untranscribed Hebrew} must be the extending, holding out, or up, the hand, by which prayer is fitly expressed, whereof that is the solemn gesture.  
V. 3. And was troubled] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , from {untranscribed Hebrew} sonuit, fremuit, cannot better be rendered than by, I made a noise, which following the remembering of God, and the other phrases v. 1. and 2. of crying, and stretching out the hand, must needs be understood of the voice of his prayers very importunate in Gods ears,( and either very loud or very moanfull) or, as 'tis used Ps. xxxix. 6. very unquiet, and clamorous in Gods ears: and then follows to the same matter, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  I will or did meditate, either answerable to the remembering God in the beginning of the verse, or else in the notion of praying, as Psal. Lv. 17. it was rendered by the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} I will pray: and here {untranscribed Hebrew} I will speak before the Lord: and lastly {untranscribed Hebrew} my spirit was involved, anxious, troubled; the Syriack render it {untranscribed Hebrew} was rapt, caught into an ecstasy, as it were, exagitated, or disturbed. And so every part of this verse is an expression of the Psalmists devotion, in the day of his trouble v. 2. but not of his affliction itself.  
V. 4. Eyes waking] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} ( from {untranscribed Hebrew} custodivit) signifies watches, or vigils, whether the spaces into which the night was divided, the first, second, or third watch, or the office of watching for such a space. Here it seems to be taken in the latter sense, for the office of guarding, watching over; and then {untranscribed Hebrew} joined with it, holding the watches( parallel to {untranscribed Hebrew} keeping the watches Lu. ii. 8. is the executing of that office.) This is here poetically spoken of God, that he holds the watches of the Psalmists eyes, i. e. sees and knows how they are employed every minute of the night. And this is here used but as a preface to introduce what follows in the rest of the psalm, which is made up of the meditations which he had on his bed, and in which he spent the night, supposing God to be present to them. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  saith he, I was in perturbation, agitated, disquieted, {untranscribed Hebrew} and spake not vocally, but as in a deep meditation: {untranscribed Hebrew} I recounted or thought on the years that were past—  
V. 10. My infirmity] This v. 10. may perhaps be best rendered, if it be taken as the conclusion of the sad hopeless thoughts, set down v. 7, 8, 9. There by way of question his spirit had seemed to say, that there would never be any end of the present afflictions, that Gods mercies were forgotten, and his promises cassate, as if the decree were gone forth, Gods oath in his wrath, a final irreversible sentence, of which he would not repent, saith Rasi: And in the same tenor 'tis here added, I said {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  this my disease( so the Syriack render it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, from {untranscribed Hebrew} aegrotavit, and so both {untranscribed Hebrew} in Hebrew, and {untranscribed Hebrew}, and {untranscribed Hebrew}, primarily signify) this my wound, or this my dejection, saith Abu Walid, or perhaps this my desertion.( for {untranscribed Hebrew} is used by the Arabs also for desertus fuit, being put away, as in divorce, Mat. xix. 7.) {untranscribed Hebrew}. Here the word {untranscribed Hebrew} is capable of several interpretations, either for changes, or years. In the first sense it will be {untranscribed Hebrew} a change, or changes( from {untranscribed Hebrew} mutavit) of the right hand of the highest, not a mutability in Gods counsels, or providence, but a varied punishment sent by him, {untranscribed Hebrew} a repeated blow or plague, saith the Syriack; and so sure the Chaldee understood it, who render it thus, {untranscribed Hebrew} and I said, {untranscribed Hebrew} this disease {untranscribed Hebrew} a mutation, or, is a mutation {untranscribed Hebrew} of the strong right hand of the most High, a varying of his inflictions, not any inconstancy in his providence and counsels. If it be that, it must be by way of interrogation, And I said this is my infirmity, What? shall the right hand of the most high change? But it may be taken also in the second notion for years, as 'tis evidently used v. 5. and from that verse the sense reacheth down to this place, after this manner, I have considered the dayes of old, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the years of ages, viz. of the several ages, wherein our nation hath been retrenched, and by degrees prepared for this final deportation under Zedekiah, as 1. the captivity of the tribes beyond Jordan, and Galilee, 2 King. xv. then of the remainder belonging to the kingdom of Samaria, 2 King. xvii. and lastly of Judah, both to Pharaoh Necho, the egyptian King, and then to Nebuchadnezzer in his first and second war 2 Kin. xxiii. and xxiv. In relation hereto the Psalmist asks v. 7. {untranscribed Hebrew} will the Lord cast off for ages, i. e. for several ages; will he be favourarable no more? and so on in divers phrases v. 8. and 9. and then v. 10. And I said this my disease or desertion, {untranscribed Hebrew} is the years of the right hand of the most high, i. e. my captivity is lasting, my sufferings many, the measure of their duration, as the years of eternity. This latter sense seems somewhat more consonant to the genius of these writings. wherein it is customary for the verses to refer by several characters, and allude to each other, and so in likelihood this is the importance of {untranscribed Hebrew}. But the former also will well enough be born; and in either of them this verse very fitly concludes the first part of this dialogue, which all inclined to the sad part of the reflection. And then v. 11. follows the second part of it, of a quiter contrary resolution, to the end of the Psalm, I will remember the works of the Lord, surely I will remember, {untranscribed Hebrew} from the ancient of thy wonders, i. e. I will take up another Epoch, that of all the miraculous deliverances of our nation, when first brought out of egypt; I will put the Lord in mind of all his former mercies, and by that recognition endeavour to persuade him to a repetition of them; which belongs clearly to that new matter. The Lxxii. for {untranscribed Hebrew} red {untranscribed Hebrew} now I began, as from one notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} in Hiphil coepit; and herein the latin follow them: but the Syriack, as was said, forsake them, and adhere to our rendering of that word, my infirmity. Abu Walid, who renders {untranscribed Hebrew} this my disease, or my dejection, being cast down or wounded( as coming, saith he, either from {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew}) and {untranscribed Hebrew} years, will have the whole passage run thus, And if I say this my prostration or distress or suffering shall be for the remainder of time perpetual, I call to mind thy former benefits to us, and my hope is strengthened, and despair ceaseth, making this sadder part an introduction to the more cheerful. And so the Jewish Arab, And when I say this is my dejection, prostration, and the space[ or duration] of the plague[ or punishment] of the most High, I remember &c.    

The Seventy Eighth Psalm.  
MAschil of Asaph.  
The seventy eighth Psalm is a reflection on Gods various dealing, his mixtures of mercies and punishments on the people of Israel, from the time of their being in egypt, to Davids exaltation to the kingdom. It seems to have been composed by Asaph, and set to the tune called Maschil. See note on Psal. xxxii. a.  
1. Give ear, O my people to my law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.  
2. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old,  
Let all the people of God give diligent attention to what I shall now deliver, as to that which is designed for their special instruction, and gathered out of the records of Gods providence toward his own people, the Jews,( see note on Psal. xlix. 6.) that all that profess Godliness may be admonished thereby.  
3. Which we have heard and known, and our Fathers have  told us.  
4. We will not hid them from their children, showing to the generations to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength and his wonderful works that he hath done.  
And the truth of the things being so undoubtedly certain,( as well as of weighty consideration) either particularly known to us that now live, or thought fit to be by tradition conveyed down to us by our ancestors, I have all reason to communicate and propagate them to others, to whom also our Fathers designed them, as well as to us of this age; that they might join with us in blessing, and praising, and magnifying the glorious attributes of God, and the powerful and gracious acts that he hath wrought for us.  
5. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:  
For thus indeed did God himself appoint, when he first revealed his will and laws unto the Jews by Moses, laying it as an obligation on the parents to be strictly careful to instruct their children to all posterity in the knowledge of them,( see Deut. 4.9.& 6.7.)  
6. That the generation to come might know them, even the children that should be born, who should arise and declare them to their children.  
That not themselves only, but even all their posterity, those that were not then born, should first learn them themselves, and then diffuse and instil them into all others.  
7. That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.  
And that in order to the preserving and cherishing all parts of piety in them, a cheerful reliance and dependence on him that had thus demonstrated his readiness to succour them, thanksgiving and praising of him for his works of power and mercy, and a careful performance of all holy uniform obedience to his commands, as to him that had wrought redemption for them, and so purchased them to be his servants.  
8. And might not be as their fathers, 
a.  a 
perverse, apostatising.  stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that 
directed not their heart.  set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.  
And to restrain them from transcribing their fathers copies, who when they were thus strangely obliged by God, were yet guilty of most vile provoking obstinacies unbeliefs, and rebellions, murmurings, and downright Apostasies from his law by Idolatry, &c. would either never set themselves hearty to the ways of God, or if they did, presently relapsed into soul transgressions;  
9. The children of Ephraim being armed and 
b.  
shooting with.  carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.  
Delaying in their performances with God, as they did sometimes in their warlike engagements, when they were just ready to fight, and wanted nothing toward the doing it successfully, they fainted in the very point of the assault, and fled out of the field. Thus the Ephraimites appear to have done, and consequently were defeated and assaulted by the philistines, 1 Chron. vii. 21. And just thus did many other of these, when any service was really to be performed to God, any danger to be combated with, and virtue of patience or faith, or courage to be exercised, then were they sure to falter, and fall of shamefully.  
10. They kept not the Covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law,  
11. And forgot his works and wonders which he had shewed them.  
And seldom or never made they good any constancy of obedience to him, were still apt to murmur and distrust his promised assistance, though ascertaind to their faith by never so many wonderful experiments of his power and providence toward them, would not go on in the way that God directed them, but through fear and distrust fell into mutinies and quarrels with Moses, and refused to be ruled or conducted by him.  
12. marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of egypt, in the field of 
c.  Zoan.  
And this was a most heinous aggravated infidelity, much heightened by the many works of wonder, that God had afforded their fathers so lately, in bringing them out of egypt by a mighty hand, and fearful prodigious judgments upon Pharaoh and his people.  
13. He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.  
The conclusion of which was, that he made the very sea recede, and depart before them, and stand still like a wall Exod. xiv. 22. or like a heap Exod. xv. 8.( see note on Psal. xxxiii. b.) to secure them from all danger of approach, and so carried them through the channel as on dry ground, and conducted them safe out of egypt.  
14. In the day time also he lead them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.  
To this end he set a lightsome cloud over their heads, at once to overshadow and environ them( see note on 1 Cor. x. a.) and this cloud so disposed, that in the night-time it afforded light to the Israelites, though not to the Egyptians that followed them, but made a clear separation between them, Exod. xiv. 20. and in the day-time, when they needed not its light, it was yet visible over them and about them, by this means miraculously directing and conducting them in their journeys.  
15. He clavae the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.  
And in their journeying in the wilderness, when they wanted water, he commanded Moses to strike a rock with his rod, and by so doing there came out from thence so great abundance of water, as if the Abyss had supplied the rock with that store.  
16. He brought streams also out of the rocks, and caused waters to run down like rivers.  
And from this new kind of spring proceeded a full current, which followed them as far as Cades( see note on 1 Cor. x. b.) and afforded them plentiful supplies of water in that place of drought.  
17. And they sinned yet more against him, by provoking the most High in the wilderness.  
Yet did not this miracle of mercy prevail upon them, to give them a trust and affiance in God, who had wrought such wonders for them; but they fell back after this into a new distrust of his power, and thereby provoked his wrath exceedingly.  
18. And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat 
d.  for their lust.  
19. Yea, they spake against God, they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?  
20. Behold he smote the rock, and the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also, can he provide flesh for his people?  
For when he had taken such care to convince their infidelity and supply their wants by sending them quails in the evening, and in the morning manna, Exod. xvi. both these rained down on them miraculously from heaven, and when on their murmuring for water at Rephidim, he had given them plenty of water out of the hard rock in Horeb, Exod. xvii. yet again after both these, Num. xi. 5. they fell a murmuring, and complaining, and distrusting of God, preferring their condition in egypt before this which God had now brought them to, and in a manner blaspheming and speaking ill of him, and requiring, as a proof of his power and presence among them, a table furnished with flesh, as well as bread, a satisfaction to their appetites, which they pretended to be cloyed with Manna, as well as a provision for their wants.  
21. Therefore the Lord heard this and was wrath: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;  
And this very highly displeased and provoked God, and brought down very sharp punishments upon them.  
22. Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation.  
23. Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,  
24. And had rained down Manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.  
25. 
or, every one  Man did eat 
e.  
or bread of the strong  Angels food, he sent them me at to the full.  
And that most justly for their strange obsinate distrust and infidelity, even after all those signal miracles shewed for the supplying their wants, that especially of his giving them Manna, a solid, nutritive, substantial sort of bread, prepared and made ready for them in heaven, and brought them down in a shower( as it were of rain) in the greatest abundance, a very ample proportion to every person among them, and all this wrought for them signally by God, through the ministry of Angels.  
26. He caused an East-wind to blow in heaven, and by his power he brought in the South-wind.  
27. He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fouls like as the sand of the sea.  
28. And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.  
Thus then God was pleased to deal with these unbelieving murmurers, at once to convince and punish them: He sent out a vehement wind, and by it brought from the sea an innumerable company of quails, and let them light in the place where they encamped, near a dayes journey on this side, and as far on the other side of their dwellings, where they lay strawed as thick as the sand is wont to be on the sea shore, two cubits high upon the face of the earth, Num. xi. 31.  
29. So they did eat and were well filled, for he gave them their own desire.  
30. They were not estranged from their lust, 
their meat was already— {untranscribed Hebrew}  but while their meat was yet in their mouths,  
31. 
And {untranscribed Hebrew}  The wrath of God came upon them, and slay the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men that were in Israel.  
Thus did he answer their demands to the full, restrained not their appetites, gave them what they so longed for in great abundance, and permitted them to gather it, Numb. xi. 32. to dress it, and to take it into their mouths. And then before they had chewed it, while it was yet between their teeth, v. 33. the instruments of Gods displeasure and vengeance seized on them, a very terrible plague v. 33. and destroyed the healthiest and principal men among them in very great numbers.  
32. For all this they sinned still, and believed not 
his  for his wondrous works.  
These judgments thus added to his works of mercy, might, a man would think, have wrought upon them, and deterred them from farther provoking God, convinced them of his power, and engaged them to a full resignation, and affiance, and dependence on it. But they were not thus successful, they had not this effect, but after this again, they were as rebellious, and mutinous, and unbelieving as ever.  
33. Therefore their dayes did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.  
And God accordingly continued his punishments among them, kept them in a wearisome condition in the wilderness, there to be harassed and worn out, and at length to die( all of them that came out of egypt, but Caleb and Joshua) and never to enter into the promised land.  
34. 
f.  When he slay them, 
and  then they sought him, and 
returned  they returned, and enquired early after God.  
35. And 
remembered  they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.  
36. 
Though  Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and 
lied  they lied unto him with their tongues.  
37. 
And  For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his Covenant.  
Some exemplary severity God oft exercised among them, and that had some weak effect upon them, reduced them in some degree, brought them for a while into some temper of piety, and belief, and dependence on God, together with an acknowledgement of his mercies. And though this was not hearty nor durable, but formal and feigned and temporary, and so still but hypocritical,  
38. 
Tet  But he being full of compassion forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not; yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.  
39. 
And remembered  For he remembered that they were but flesh, a 
or spirit, or breath, {untranscribed Hebrew}  wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.  
Yet such was Gods abundant mercy and compassion, and love to the posterity of Abraham, to whom his promises were made, that he would not destroy them all at once, but left a seed and remnant, from whom might come a succession of such whom he might bring into the promised land, and so make good his covenant to Abraham &c. which could not have been, in case he had at once destroyed them all.  
40. How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert?  
This they very often deserved, by their distrusts and murmurings, even ten several times, Num. xiv. 22. in the forty years space which they spent in the wilderness.  
41. Yea they turned back and tempted God, and limited the holy one of Israel.  
Sometimes expressing a desire to go back again into egypt; sometimes demanding some evidence of his power; sometimes resolving their wants to be so great, that God was not able to supply them.  
42. They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy;  
And so showing themselves to have forgotten the power of his mighty works toward them, when he rescued them out of the slavery and oppression of Pharaoh,  
43. How he had wrought his signs in egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan;  
And wrought such miraculous signal judgments on the egyptians.  
44. And had turned their rivers into blood, and their floods that they could not drink.  
Such was the turning all their rivers and springs into blood, and so leaving them no water to drink, Exod. vii. 21.  
45. He sent 
mixtures  divers sorts of 
g.  flies among them, which devoured them, and frogs which destroyed them.  
Such the mixed multitude of noxious creatures, Ex. viii. 21. such the frogs, Exo. viii. 5.  
46. He gave also their increase unto 
h.  the 
consumer.  Caterpillar, and their labour unto the Locust.  
Such the Locusts Ex. x. 4. which devoured the fruit of their ground, for which they had laid out their seed and labour, and by this means lost all their expected harvest.  
47. He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore-trees 
i.  with 
congealed reize.  frost.  
48. He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to 
tales of fire, see ●●e i.  hot thunderbolts.  
Such the plague of hail and fire mixed together, Ex. ix. 22. which destroyed and burnt up their trees, and whole flocks of cattle.  
49. He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation and trouble, 
the—  by 
k.  sending evil angels among them.  
Such was that great expression of his highest displeasure, and that sorest plague to them, the sending the destroyer into every house of the egyptians, Exod. xii. 23, 29. a multitude of angels, ministers of his wrath.  
50. He 
weighed  made a way to his anger, he spared not their soul from death, but gave 
l.  their 
catell.  life over to the pestilence:  
51. And smote all the first born in egypt, the chief of 
m.  their strength in the tabernacles of Ham.  
Which executed his vengeance with great discretion on the very lives both of man and beast of the egyptians; sent a sore disease among them, which destroyed all the first born both of men and cattle, through all their dwellings; not one meanwhile of the Israelites being involved in it.( see note k.) Thus dealt he with that people( which sprung from Cham by Mizraim) when they opposed his power, and oppressed his chosen people.  
52. But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.  
Whereas his mercy, and care, and signally favourable providence attended the children of Israel, both in their passage from egypt, and journeying through the wilderness, went before them in a remarkable manner, in a pillar of cloud and fire, conducting them day and night, as a shepherd going before his flock leads them into their pastures; and continually waited over them, and provided supplies for all their wants.  
53. And he lead them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.  
And the same sea that gave them a safe and fearless passage, as soon as they were gone, returned violently, and drowned all their enemies that pursued them.  
54. And he brought them to 
n.  the 
mountain  border of his sanctuary, 
this mountain his right hand hath  even to this mountain which his right hand had purchased.  
And the same conduct of his special providence hath he afforded them from time to time, till at last he hath brought them to the possession of mount Sion, where now his worship is set up; a place of special strength taken from the Jebusites by David, through that victorious overruling hand of Gods, which obtained this conquest for him.  
55. He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them 
by line for an inheritance.  
o.  an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.  
Thus when they entred Canaan, the whole work was Gods, first in dispossessing the heathen inhabitants, then in appointing their lands to be by Joshua divided among the tribes of Israel, and then giving them a quiet and safe possession of them.  
56. Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies;  
But all Gods wonderful mercies had no effect on them; whilst he thus obliged them, they still disinherited him, and thereby, and by their obstinate unruliness and disobedience, extremely provoked his displeasure.  
57. But turned back and dealt unfaithfully, like their fathers, they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.  
As they which were brought out from egypt did frequently apostatise from God, and wished themselves back in egypt again, and never were sincere in their affections to, and their service of God; so did they still continue to do, when they were settled in Canaan, they fell off from God, Deut. xxii. 15.18. and at every turn diverted to Idol worship, and cannot be more fitly compared than to a crooked bow, which never sends the arrows to the mark to which they are directed; professing the service of God, and styling themselves his people, all their actions were quiter contrary to what he required and expected from them.  
58. For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graved images.  
They foully fell into the highest and grossest sins of idolatry and superstition, worshipping false Gods, i. e. devils or evil spirits, and images of the heathen in high places, where altars were erected, and sacrifices offered to them, Deut. xxxil. 16, 17.  
59. When God heard this, he was wrath, and greatly abhorred Israel.  
This could not choose but provoke Gods displeasure in a very high degree. And so indeed it did: And the effect of it was,  
60. So that he forsook the tabernacle in Shilo, the tent which he placed among men;  
That God assisted not their armies, but permitted the philistines to rout them, and carry away the ark 1 Sam. iv. 10, 11. that Tabernacle which God had pitched among that people for himself to dwell in, and so to conduct them and protect them.  
61. And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemies hand.  
And thus by Gods chastising hand, did the greatest and most professed enemies of God, the Idolatrous philistines, take possession of that ark, wherein God was wont most powerfully and gloriously to exhibit himself to his people.  
62. He gave his people also unto the sword, and was wrath with his inheritance.  
In that rout thirty thousand of the people were slaughtered,( an evidence of his great wrath against them.)  
63. The fire consumed their young men, and their maidens 
p.  were not 
celebrated.  given in marriage.  
And among them the choicest flower of their youth, by whom their families were to have been supported, and the people multiplied.  
64. Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation.  
And withall Hophni and Phinehas were slain 1 Sam. iv. 11. and the wife of Phinehas fell in travail for grief, and did not long survive him, v. 20.  
65. Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man 
q.  that 
rouseth himself from wine.  shouteth by reason of wine:  
This sad calamity was an evident token that God had been sore displeased, and withdrawn his protections from his people, that he did no more espouse their cause, or go out with their armies, or conduct and assist them, then a General doth when he is asleep, or the most puissant warrior when his senses are fast bound with wine. Yet at length, as he that was asleep awakes, and he that was overcome with wine returns to his senses again, so did God again return in mercy to his people, and in the exercise of his sovereign power, which he was now pleased to show forth for them against their enemies;  
66. And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts, he put them to a perpetual reproach.  
Pursuing the philistines with his plagues, who had taken the ark( not only destroying of Dagon, but farther) smiting them with Emrods, a reproachful disease, and that which assured them that Gods wrath was against them whosoever detained the ark, 1 Sam. v. 7, 8, 9. and the memorials of this plague, the five golden Emrods and five golden mice, continued as testimonies of this, c. vi. 4. and 11. and a ston was set up for the remembrance of it, c. vi. 18. to the great reproach of the philistines, and the magnifying of Gods power.  
67. Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and choose not the tribe of Ephraim.  
68. But choose the tribe of Judah, the mount Sion which he loved.  
And the ark being thus returned to Kiriathjearim, 1 Sam. vii. 1. and there continued all the time of Samuel and Saul, David fetched it from thence 2 Sam. vi. 2. and leaving it a while at the house of Obed-Edom, at length by the appointment of God, he brought it up to Jerusalem the Metropolis of Judaea, and there placed it in Mount Sion, the place which God preferred both before Shiloh, a city in the tribe of Ephraim, one of Josephs sons, where before it was, and before all other places.  
69. And he built his Sanctuary 
r.  like high palaces, like the earth which he established for ever.  
And there a structure was built on the top of the hill, where the ark was put as in a most conspicuous place; and though it were built so high, yet was it so firmly pitched, that it should not fear that the most violent storms should be able to beat it down.( An eminent type of the Church of Christ, conspicuous and durable, by force of that promise, that the gates of Hades should not prevail against it.)  
70. He choose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds;  
71. From 
behind {untranscribed Hebrew}  following the 
or, milk ewes {untranscribed Hebrew}  ewes great with young, he brought him to feed Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance.  
And as Sion in the Metropolis of Judah was the chosen place for his ark, so was David also of that tribe, taken from the mean trade of a shepherd, to be the King of all the tribes of Israel and Judah.  
72. So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.  
And this faithful servant of his governed his people with great uprightness and skill, being a very just and wise manager of all affairs that were entrusted to him.  

Annotations on Psalm LXXVIII.  
V. 8. Stubborn and rebellious] The difference and distinct importance of these two words, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and {untranscribed Hebrew}, may be here observed, the former fitly rendered by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} crooked, or perverse, those that the New Testament dialect styles {untranscribed Hebrew} disobedient, those against whom Gods oath was, that they should not enter into his rest Heb. iii. 19. the murmuring Israelites, who were all excluded Canaan. Then for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , that is the actual Apostate, the LXXII. render it {untranscribed Hebrew} provoking, from whence the Apostle hath his {untranscribed Hebrew} Heb. iii. 16. Some when they had heard provoked, i. e. apostatised in heart, and desired to cast off all obedience to Gods Law, referred to v. 12. {untranscribed Hebrew} in apostatising from the living God, to their egyptian Idols. Thus is Apostasy styled {untranscribed Hebrew} the gull of bitterness, Act. viii. 23. {untranscribed Hebrew} a root of bitterness, Heb. xii. 15. And accordingly {untranscribed Hebrew}, so frequently discoursed of by the Talmudists, are {untranscribed Hebrew} Apostates. In the end of this verse, where the Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew} and we, with the Chaldee and LXXII, render, whose spirit was not steadfast with God, the Syriack red {untranscribed Hebrew} and confided not in the God of its spirit, rendering {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  by a masculine verb: and thus indeed the sense will very well bear, and the change of genders is not unusual, and God is frequently known by that title, the God of the spirits of all flesh, see Num. xvi. 22.  
V. 9. Carrying bows] Of the Ephraimites 'tis here said, that being armed, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  shooting with bows, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to cast, or dart, or shoot, they turned back in the day of battle. Of their being archers we have an intimation Gen. xlix. 24. where in Jacobs blessing of Joseph, the father of Ephraim, it is said, his bow abode in strength &c. But of their cowardly flight, the Scholion of Kimchi may deserve to be considered, {untranscribed Hebrew}, this was done, saith he, in the wilderness, in the desert it was that they were put to flight, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. and although the story be not mentioned in the law, or books of Moses, yet it is written in the books of the Chronicles, viz. 1 Chron. vii. 21. where on occasion of Zabad the Ephraimite, and Shutelah, and Ezer, and Elead, it is added, whom the men of Gath that were born in that land slay, because &c. and Ephraim their father mourned many dayes, and his brethren came to comfort him. The manner of this relation shows, that it was a very sad and considerable slaughter,& the greatness of it Kimchi collects probably, by comparing the sum of the Ephraimites, Num. ii. 19. when they came out of egypt; with that of them in the plains of Moab, Num. xxvi. 37. In the former, the host of the Ephraimites was 40500, in the latter but 32500, eight thousand short, whereas in that space the other tribes were considerably increased. And to this flight, and defeat, and slaughter, an effect of their cowardice and unbelief, and want of dependence on God, the Psalmist here refers most probably.  
V. 12. Zoan] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , the name of a city in Egypt, Numb. xiii. 22. though it be not set down in the story in Exodus, is twice specified by the writer of this Psalm, here, and v. 43. as the scene wherein the wondrous works were wrought on Pharaoh by Moses; either because really the first and principal of the miracles were shewed Pharaoh there, this city being the seat of the King, and a most ancient city, as appears by the expression used of Hebron Num. xiii. 22. where to set out the antiquity of that city, where Abraham the tenth from Noah dwelled, 'tis said, that it was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt; or perhaps only in poetical style, as the field or country of Zoan, is all one with the land of Egypt, foregoing. Thus in other prophetic writings, when judgments are threatened, instead of Egypt sometimes we find Zoan alone, Isa. xix. 11. where the Princes of Zoan are all one with the wise Counsellors of Pharaoh: sometimes the Princes of Zoan, with the addition of some other city, as v. 13. the Princes of Zoan, the Princes of Noph, i. e. again, the Counsellors of that kingdom, which, as it there follows, have seduced egypt, brought the whole nation to ruin. So Isa. xxx. 4. where they sand to egypt for relief, 'tis said their Princes were at Zoan, their ambassadors at hands. But elsewhere Ezek. xxx. 13. &c. we have a larger enumeration of many cities of egypt, Noph, Pathros, Zoan, No, Sin, Aven, Phibeseth, Tehaphnehes, all to express the same thing, the land of egypt( after the manner of the Hebrews) by some one or two, or more cities of it. For Zoan the Chaldee and Lxxii. and latin red {untranscribed Hebrew} Tanis, which certainly is but a light change from {untranscribed Hebrew}, the צ, as 'tis ordinary, being turned into T, and they ע left out. Of this saith Stephanus Byzant. {untranscribed Hebrew}, it is the name of a great city of egypt.  
V. 18. Lust] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the soul is generally set to signify the sensitive or animal faculty, as that is distinguished from the spirit, the upper or rational faculty. And so here, when their wants were abundantly supplied, and yet they remained unsatisfied and querulous, it is fitly said, that they demanded meat {untranscribed Hebrew} for their souls; i. e. not for their real wants, which they might rationally desire to have supplied, but for their fancies, their sensitive and carnal appetites, not restrained by reason. Thus the Jewish Arab took it, rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew} without need. And this in the story Num. xi. 4. is called {untranscribed Hebrew} lusted a lust, and so here v. 29, 30. and accordingly in sense it is not unfitly here rendered by our English, meat for their lust.  
V. 25. Angels] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} strong or robustuous, is appliable to any creature that is such, oxen, horses, souldiers, and may here not improbably refer to the Israelites groundless complaint against the Manna, as thin light food, assuring us that it was meat for the healthiest appetite, noble food, saith the Jewish Arab; and accordingly they were fed with it( as athletae) to saturity, as it follows in this verse; and v. 31. the wrath of God fell on the fattest of them, their murmurings being most unexcusable. But besides this the word being used first of God, may be here secondarily applied either to heaven, or therein to the Angels, and so it is taken by all the ancient Interpreters; {untranscribed Hebrew} the bread of Angels, say the LXXII. and all the rest accord; the bread of heaven, saith Abu Walid, and Kimchi. As for the meaning of the phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  bread of Angels( who we know neither eat nor drink) the Chaldee gives a full account of it, {untranscribed Hebrew} the food that descends from the dwelling of Angels, and so it signifies no more than {untranscribed Hebrew} wheat or corn of heaven v. 24. only {untranscribed Hebrew} corn relates onely to the matter of it, whereas {untranscribed Hebrew} adds the dressing of it, which without question is the importance of the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} praeparavit, and accordingly is rendered by the author of the book of wisdom, {untranscribed Hebrew} c. xvi. 20. bread prepared from heaven, as an explication of {untranscribed Hebrew} the food of Angels preceding there. Of this 'tis here said {untranscribed Hebrew}, which is capable of a double interpretation; either that man eat that food which was brought by Angels, as a special dignity to the murmuring Israelites, to be so royally attended; or else that as {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies quilibet, every one, and is rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} Isa. xxxvi. 16. so here every one did eat, in reference to the great abundance of this manna, as it here follows, he sent them meat to the full.  
V. 34. When he slay them] The full and clear importance of these 6. verses from the beginning of ver. 34. to the end of ver. 39. will be best fetched from the various acception of the particle ו 
ו , which is sometimes copulative, and then must be rendered and; sometimes is the note of an {untranscribed Hebrew} introducing the latter part of a disjunctive or comparative speech, and then is sometimes best rendered yet, sometimes than. If the period begin with {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  when, or if, then ו that introduceth the latter part must be rendered then: If the period being begun thus consist of many members, one involved in the other by way of parenthesis, and ו be still continued as the means of connecting them, then they will best be rendered by though and yet. And so it is most probably here. For there being very many parts of this period, each of them begun with ו, the context directs to carry the sense suspended for the four former verses 34, 35, 36, 37. and to begin the {untranscribed Hebrew} v. 38. after this manner, {untranscribed Hebrew}— If, or, when he killed them, {untranscribed Hebrew} and they sought him, and returned— {untranscribed Hebrew} and remembered— {untranscribed Hebrew} though they flattered him with their mouth, {untranscribed Hebrew} and with their tongues lied unto him, {untranscribed Hebrew} and their heart was not right with him, {untranscribed Hebrew} and they were not faithful in his Covenant: {untranscribed Hebrew}( there the {untranscribed Hebrew} will best begin) Yet he being merciful, or compassionate, forgave their iniquity— {untranscribed Hebrew} and remembered that they were but flesh— And then here is a full and excellent description of Gods {untranscribed Hebrew}, long suffering to a provoking nation, not cutting them off presently in every of their rebellions; because if he doth thus, there is a total dispatch or end of them( {untranscribed Hebrew} the animal spirit, or breath in their nostrils being once taken away, returneth not again:) but often chastising them, destroying some for their murmurings and provocations, and upon the but seeming reformation of the rest, though he see it be not sincere, yet interposing mercy and compassion, not proceeding to utter destruction of them, but still giving them time to repent sincerely, at least permitting them to live, and beget others that may be more tractable and obedient, and capable of the promised Canaan. And this exactly was the course taken by God with the people of Israel, punishing the provokers, and not permitting any of them to come into Canaan, but yet taking them away by such degrees, that their sons came up in their steads, and at length possessed that which was justly denied their Fathers.  
V. 45. Divers sorts of flies] From {untranscribed Hebrew} miscuit, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, and Exod. viii. 21. and Ps. cv. 31. the title of one of the plagues that fell on the egyptians; and it is not certain what is meant by it. The Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} a mixture of living creatures of the wood, the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} mixture( from {untranscribed Hebrew} miscuit) which the interpreter rendering muscas caninas, did certainly but divine, and take his rendering of the Syriack from the LXXII. For thus do our copies of the Lxxii. red, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the dog-fly, or terrible biting fly. But S. Jerome ad Suniam& Fretellam saith, it is to be red {untranscribed Hebrew}, from whence the latin hath coenomyiam, as Aquila {untranscribed Hebrew}. The word, I suppose, comprehends all creatures of equivocal generation, which so frequently change from reptil to flying, and back again, that they are more fitly expressed by some common word as mixtures, or the like, then of animals of any distinct species, unless it be that of insectiles, of which every year seems to bring forth variety; of which Ulysses Aldrovandus hath written very accurately.  
V. 46. The Caterpillar] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} consumpsit, signifies any kind of vermin that consumes or devours the fruit of the ground, and is here set not a several species from the locust following, but( by the figure {untranscribed Hebrew}, two words to signify one thing) to join with that, and signify the consuming locust, or the locust which is such a consumer( just as v. 47. two words are used to signify but one thing, the plague of the hail, see note g.) For beside the locust Exod. x. 4. there is no several plague to which this of the consumer can be affixed. The Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin aerugo, because as the rust eats and consumes metals, so the locust doth corn or fruits, Exod. x. 5.  
V. 47. Frost] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies hail, or congealed rain, so doth {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  also, saith Kimchi, citing R. Saadias that renders it in arabic {untranscribed Hebrew}( as doth Abu Walid also, and the Jewish Arab) whether that be a kind of hoar frost, or of hail; and so both together signify but one thing, the plague of hail, Exod. ix. 22. with which there being fire mixed, that is here added to the mention thereof v. 48. under the title of {untranscribed Hebrew} to the fires: {untranscribed Hebrew}, to the fire simply, say the Lxxii.( see note on Psal. Lxxvi. a.) but the Chaldee with the addition of {untranscribed Hebrew} fire to {untranscribed Hebrew}, thereby denoting some matter wherein the fire was, to distinguish it from the bare flash of lightning, which is but the air inflamed.  
V. 49. By sending evil Angels] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to sand, is no more then sending or immission, and being joined by way of apposition to the precedents, wrath and indignation and trouble, denotes most fitly the particular judgement to which those severe titles are affixed, the destroying of the first-born, which was wrought by immission of so many Asmodei or evil angels. Thus the Chaldee reads, wrath and extermination and distress, {untranscribed Hebrew}, &c. which were sent by the hands of evil angels; so the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, a message by evil angels; the weapons of evil angels, saith Abu Walid; by sending Angels of punishment, punishing Angels, or by the message of punishing Angels, saith the Jewish Arab. Aben Ezra here fancies the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to be Moses and Aaron, as messengers of evil to Pharaoh,( when they aforehand denounced them to him) as when Ahijah the Prophet makes use of the like phrase, when Jeroboams wife came to him to inquire concerning her son, {untranscribed Hebrew} I am a messenger to thee of hard things, 1 King. xiv. 6. But the former is the more probable meaning of the words, and exactly agreeable to the story Exod. xii. 23. where it is said, the Lord will pass through to smite the egyptians, &c. where the Lords passing must denote the ministry of his Angels; and so it follows there, in reference to the Israelites, The Lord will not suffer the destroyer( the evil angels here) to come into your houses to smite you. Whereby we may better understand the full meaning of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the beginning of ver. 50.( from {untranscribed Hebrew} to librate, to weigh, to direct exactly) he weighed ou, or exactly directed the way to his wrath. For so in those latter plagues God separated between the Israelites and the egyptians, especially in that of the slaughter of the first-borne.  
V. 50. Their life] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is by all the ancient interpreters rendered in the notion of their cattle: {untranscribed Hebrew} saith the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} the Lxxii. jumenta eorum the latin, {untranscribed Hebrew} the Syriack, all to the same sense, their cattle; so the Jewish Arab, their beasts, or living creatures, referring to that part of the plague on their first-borne, which fell not only upon the men, but upon the cattle, Ex. xii. 29.  
V. 51. Strength] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  strengths, from one notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for robur( of which there be several examples, Gen. xLix. 3. Deut. xxi. 17. Hos. xii. 3.8. Psal. cv. 36. Isa. xl. 25, 28. Prov. xi. 7.) is yet by the Chaldee rendered here {untranscribed Hebrew} their labour, as if it belonged to the fruits of their ground, produced by their labour; and so by the Lxxii. and latin, {untranscribed Hebrew}, laboris eorum, their labour, from the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for doluit. But the Syriack have departed from them, and pitched on the right rendering, {untranscribed Hebrew} the beginning of their strength, by {untranscribed Hebrew} every first-borne of theirs: and accordingly the Chaldee on Psal. cvi. 36. a place exactly parallel to this, renders {untranscribed Hebrew} by {untranscribed Hebrew} their strength.  
V. 54. Borders] From {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  terminavit, to bound or limit, the Arabs use {untranscribed Hebrew} for an high mountain, because such are generally the boundaries of nations, and from thence {untranscribed Hebrew}, that pertains to the mountains. This is an argument that thus anciently the word was used in Hebrew, of which the arabic is but a dialect. And so it seems to signify here {untranscribed Hebrew}, not the border, but the mountain or hill of his sanctuary, viz. mount Sion, where the Ark was now fixed. For thus the next words enforce, {untranscribed Hebrew} this mountain his right hand hath purchased: which must needs belong as the relative to this antecedent {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so conclude that and {untranscribed Hebrew} this mountain to be the same.  
V. 55. An inheritance] From {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  cecidit to fall, is the use of the word for dividing, because as the lot fell, so the division was made. So Jud. xviii. 1. the Danites sought them an inheritance, for unto that day {untranscribed Hebrew} it had not fallen to them among the tribes; where the Chaldee reads, {untranscribed Hebrew} divided. So Num. xxxiv. 2. this is the land which {untranscribed Hebrew} shall fall to you( the Chaldee again {untranscribed Hebrew} shall be divided to you) for an inheritance. So Jos. xiii. 6. Onely {untranscribed Hebrew} cast it, or make it fall( in Hiphil) {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Chaldee, divide it unto the Israelites for an inheritance; the same that v. 7. is {untranscribed Hebrew} divide it. So Jos. xxiii. 4. Behold {untranscribed Hebrew} I have cast, i. e. divided to you these nations. By these( especially last) uses of the phrase, we may best resolve the meaning of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  literally, and he made them fall, i. e. divided the nations {untranscribed Hebrew}( as in Joshuah) immediately foregoing; and this was done {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  by the line( as inheritances or possessions are ordinarily divided by measuring lines) and this {untranscribed Hebrew} an inheritance or possession, as in Joshua the phrase was. By this 'tis clear what the rendering must be, viz. this, He divided them by line for an inheritance,& then fitly follows, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents, i. e. in the tents or dwelling places of these nations, whom, i. e. whose land he thus divided among the Israelites, to every tribe a set portion of it.  
V. 63. Given in marriage] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to praise and celebrate, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a marriage song, {untranscribed Hebrew} marriages, and {untranscribed Hebrew} the wedding house; and so proportionably {untranscribed Hebrew}( spoken of virgins here) they were not celebrated with verses and dances and Epithalamia, to signify that they died unmarried, and that, as an effect of the destruction of the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  their choice, or their young, the flower of their youth. The Chaldee renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} they were not praised. The Lxxii. in proportion v. 64. red {untranscribed Hebrew} bewailed them not, as in the acctive, taking it for a {untranscribed Hebrew} or mourning song; but the Syriack reads {untranscribed Hebrew} they were ravished, from {untranscribed Hebrew} rapuit, discerpsit, by that, I suppose, designing to express the same thing that the Hebrew meant, such rapes being not accompanied with the honourable nuptial rites. These wedding-songs were likewise called {untranscribed Hebrew}. So Job xxxvi. 11. They shall spend their years in pleasure; the Targum reads {untranscribed Hebrew} in marriage-songs.  
V. 65. Shouteth] From {untranscribed Hebrew} clamavit, to cry out or make a loud noise, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, one that makes a noise, and thereby rouses and awakes himself; and so here spoken of a giant, and {untranscribed Hebrew} from wine joined with it, it denotes his awaking out of a deep sleep, such as wine had caused. Thus the ancient Interpreters understood it. The Chaldee renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} that opens his eyes or ears, awakes, returns to himself, grows sober again. So the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, as a mighty man that hath been drunk with wine, i. e. who having been overcome by mine, now awakes out of that drunkenness: and so the Syriack, and as a giant {untranscribed Hebrew} who hath shaken off his wine, from {untranscribed Hebrew} excussit, to shake off. And thus it best corresponds to the former part of the verse, of his awaking as out of sleep, with which the shouting by reason of wine, making a drunken or rude noise, bears no proportion.  
V. 69. Like high palaces] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is literally, as high or lofty buildings; so the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} on high: but the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} the horn of an unicorn, as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew} unicorns; and so the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} as of unicorns, making this of the tabernacle on the top of mount Sion, to be as the horn on the head of the unicorn. The Jewish Arab interpreter reads firmly as the heavens.    

The Seventy Ninth Psalm.  
A Psalm of Asaph.  
The seventy ninth Psalm is spent wholly in a view of some great calamity befalling the congregation of the Jews; not so probably the taking of the ark by the philistines,( which was not then at Jerusalem v. 1. but at Shiloh 1 Sam. iv. 4.) as the destroying the Temple in the times of Nebuchadonosor. It was composed by Asaph, either the Recorder in Davids time, and then it was repetition( see note on Psal. Lxxiii. a.) or by some other of that name, and then it might be history. It was fitted, as Psal. Lxxiv. for the Church in any time of persecution.  
1. O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy Temple have they defiled, and laid Jerusalem 
a.  on heaps.  
O blessed Lord, thy displeasure is heavy upon us, and as an effect and evidence of that, a multitude of wicked men, the professed enemies of thee and thy service, have invaded this people that are called by thy name, and owned by thee in a special manner: And in this invasion they have not spared that place set apart on purpose for thy service, and the exhibition of thy divine presence, but have foully violated and profaned it, and laid wast the whole city wherein it is situate.  
2. The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat to the fouls of the heavens, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.  
3. Their blood have they  shed like water round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them.  
At other times in common calamities, some special servants of thine have been exempted, Noah from the deluge, Lot from the overthrow of Sodom,( see Ezec. xiv. 14.) but now thy chosen people, set apart by thine own appointment, as thy subjects and servants, have all without any discrimination been slain in the field, slaughtered in great abundance, their bodies neglected and left unburied, so that the wild beasts and fouls have fed on them, and their blood poured out most barbarously, and running down in streams through the streets of Jerusalem.  
4. We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.  
They that formerly looked on us with reverence, as a people guarded and secured by thy protection, do now deride and scorn us, and upbraid us with our calamities, and the trust which we still repose in God, when we are forsaken by him.  
5. How long, Lord, wilt thou be angry, for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?  
Blessed Lord, be thou pleased in thine own time at length favourably to return to us, and not to poure out thy fiercest wrath, and destroy us utterly.  
6. Poure out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the Kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.  
Those that have thus butchered us are aliens from thee, neither know thy laws, nor aclowledge thee to be their God, and consequently never worship nor pray unto thee. 'twill not be strange for thy heaviest punishments to light on them, as on thy professed enemies: O let them not fall on us, who profess to be thy servants.  
7. For they have devoured Jacob, and laid wast his dwelling-place.  
Beside their heathen sins of Idolatry and all impiety, it cannot but be a great addition to their guilts, a kind of sacrilege and violation of thee, that they have invaded and wasted this land of thine, which thou hast given to the posterity of thy chosen special servants, Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, with whom thou hast entred into Covenant that thou wilt be their God, and they thy people.  
8. O remember not against us 
old  
b.  former iniquities; 
make hast, let thy compassions prevent us {untranscribed Hebrew}  let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us, for we are brought very low.  
'tis certain, our continued obstinacies and rebellions against thee, from the beginning of our being a nation to this time, have most justly brought down thy judgments on us; and if to our present provocations thou add the multitude of our old abominations, that of the golden calf, &c. we can expect nothing but utter desolation and destruction. O be pleased not to lay them to our charge, heap not all our Ancestors idolatries and rebellions upon our shoulders, lest we, that have a full weight of our own, be ascertained to sink and be drowned under them. We are now very sore afflicted and distressed, O do thou make all speed to return to us; Our miseries have fully qualified us for thy seasonable mercies, O be thou graciously pleased to interpose them for us, and rescue us out of our present captivation.  
9. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name, and deliver us, and purge away our sins for thy names sake.  
Thou, O God, art our only redeemer and deliverer, be thou graciously pleased to relieve and rescue us, and thereby to show forth the glory of thy power and mercy, and all thy divine attributes. O free us from the effects of thy displeasure due to our sins, be thou graciously reconciled to us. And this we beg and hope, upon no other enforcement but that of thine own mercy, promised to those that make their humble addresses to thee, and of thine honour, which seems to be concerned in the preserving thine own people.  
10. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? 
c.  let 
the revenge— be known— {untranscribed Hebrew}—  him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenge of the blood of thy servants which is  shed.  
If thou do not interpose for our relief, the idolatrous nations will resolve that our God is not able to defend us, and so reproach and blaspheme thee. Be thou therefore pleased to show forth thy power in relieving us, and requiring our blood at the hands of those which have most unjustly destroyed us, that not only we may be delivered by thee, but our oppressors, thy enemies may be taught to fear thee, by beholding thy power and justice in thy signal vengeance on them.  
11. Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee: according to the greatness of thy 
arm {untranscribed Hebrew}  power preserve thou those that are appointed to die.  
Many of us are now in bands ready for the sentence of death, whensoever these tyrannical enemies please; O thou that art the refuge of all such, be thou pleased, in answer to our saddest moans, seasonably to interpose for our preservation.  
12. And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom, their 
d.  reproach 
the reproach of them who have—  wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.  
To repay those injuries and contumelies, in thy just measure of retaliation, to all those that have oppressed and contumeliously handled us, and so to own us as our patron and advocate.  
13. So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever, we will show forth thy praise to all generations.  
For this timely interposition of thine, O Lord, our constant acknowledgements and commemorations of thy mercies shal be our perpetual tribute through all ages, our posterity to all successions joining with us in that payment.  

Annotations on Psalm LXXIX.  
V. 1. Heaps] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} obliqne or crooked( or else {untranscribed Hebrew} being itself a theme) signifies heaps. So Mic. i. 6. I will make Samaria {untranscribed Hebrew} for an heap; the Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew} for heaps, though here by way of paraphrase they red {untranscribed Hebrew} for a desolation; and so the Syriack also {untranscribed Hebrew} desolate. The Lxxii. here red {untranscribed Hebrew} for an hoard of ripe fruit, because that is wont to be laid in heaps; which the latin reads, I suppose to the same sense, in pomorum custodiam, for the keeping of apple, or for a place where apple are kept. But the original seems to refer to one sort of heaps, that of graves, which are made by aggestion or casting up of earth, to cover the dead body that lies under. So Job xxx. 24. {untranscribed Hebrew} into the grave. And this is here fitly applied to Jerusalem, the stately buildings whereof underwent the same destruction with the inhabitants; it was before their dwelling place, it is now their Sepulchre, the whole city is turned into several tombs or monumental heaps. Abu Walid ascribes to the word the notion of desolations, and wasts, and so the Jewish Arab.  
V. 8. Former iniquities] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  may probably here have a special reference to those first sins, which this people had been guilty of after their coming out of egypt. Such was their Idolatry in the Golden calf. Of that God tells them Exod. xxxii. 34. In the day that I visit, I will visit their sin upon them, viz. this sin of theirs. Accordingly the Jews have a received maxim, {untranscribed Hebrew}, there is no visitation, in which there is not some visitation of, or infliction for the calf. To this the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}( from {untranscribed Hebrew} head or feet) seems to incline, and so doth the Chaldee, which renders it our iniquities {untranscribed Hebrew} that were from the beginning; and the Lxxii. by {untranscribed Hebrew},( as that is all one with {untranscribed Hebrew} those that were from the beginning) are to the same sense; and so the Syriack by {untranscribed Hebrew} our old sins, and the vulgars Antiquarum, their ancient sins.  
V. 10. Let him be known] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  cognoscatur, let be known, is to be connected to the noun {untranscribed Hebrew} revenge, and not to the name of God preceding, is agreed on by the ancient Interpreters. So the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}— And let the revenge of the blood of thy servants which is poured out be known among the heathen before our eyes. So the Syriack, {untranscribed Hebrew} Let the avenging or inquisition be known among the nations in our sight. And so may the Chaldee be rendered also, {untranscribed Hebrew}, Let the avenging of the blood of thy servants be manifested among the people, that we may see it. And so the others also.  
V. 12. Reproach] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  most fitly belongs here to the persons foregoing, viz. our neighbours, and not to the reproach, thus, Render our neighbours seven fold into their bosom, i. e. as they have dealt with us, so do thou deal with them, return to them seven fold, by way of punishment, for all their oppressions and injuries done to us: then follows {untranscribed Hebrew}, the reproach of them which have reproached thee, O Lord, i. e. repay or return reproach, and( from the former words) seven times as much reproach, to them which have reproached thee, O Lord. Thus the Chaldee their {untranscribed Hebrew} may be rendered, who have reproached— and so the Interlinear reads probrum eorum qui affecerunt te probris, the reproach of them that reproached thee.    

The Eightieth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician upon 
the hezachord of the testimony, see note on Ps. lx. a.  Shushannim Eduth, A Psalm of Asaph.  
The eightieth Psalm is a complaint of the troubles of Gods Church and people, probably in time of captivity, or by way of prediction of it, and prayer for release from them. 'twas composed by Asaph, and committed to the Praefect of the music, to be sung to the six-stringed instrument that waited on the ark, or that was used in the sacred commemorations and festivities.  
1. Give ear, O thou shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the Cherubims shine forth.  
harken, O Lord, unto our prayers: Thou art the great governor and defender of thy people, and conductest them in all their ways, thou givest responses from the oracle, and exhibitest thyself by the ministry of thy holy Angels to those that make their addresses to thee in thy sanctuary, thou revealest thy will to them and grantest their petitions; O be thou thus graciously pleased to exhibit and manifest thyself to us at this time.  
2. 
a.  Before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasses, stir up thyself, and come and save us.  
Thou once wentest along with the Israelites in their march from egypt to Canaan, the three tribes of Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasses next following the ark of thy presence, and then thou didst deliver us from all our assailants; O let us all now, in like manner as then, the tribes of Israel and Judah( both carried away captive, the one under 
{untranscribed Hebrew}, A Psalm concerning the Assyrian. Lxxii. in the title.  Salmanasar, the other under Nebuchadonosor) receive deliverance and redemption from thee.  
3. turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.  
Be thou pleased to 
{untranscribed Hebrew}* {untranscribed Hebrew} reduce us from our captivity, Chald.  return our captivity, and restore thy favour and loving kindness towards us, else there is no possibility of relief to be hoped for by us.  
4. O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry 
at נ  against the prayer of thy people?  
We address ourselves to thee, as to the supreme commander of all the hosts of Angels, the only Monarch and governor of heaven and earth, from thee alone we beseech deliverance; but thou rejectest our prayers, and continuest the evidences of thy displeasure: Lord, be thou at length pleased to be reconciled to us.  
5. Thou feedest them with the 
b.  bread of 
weeping.  tears, and givest them tears to drink in great measure.  
We are in continual sorrow and distress, and that of the heavyest sort, shut out, and deprived of thy presence, and have no degree of comfort or refreshment but our lamentations.  
6. Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours, and our enemies laugh among themselves.  
Thou permittest our neighbours that hate us, Edumaeans, &c. Ps. Lxxxiii. 6.( see note c.) to add their load to our pressures, to assault and invade us, and that successfully, to rejoice and triumph over us.  
7. turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.  
In this sad conjuncture we have none but thee to fly unto for relief; O be thou pleased to show thyself to us in thy power and majesty, to rescue us from this captive forlorn state, and restore us to thy favour and mercy, to return our captivity, v. 3. and then our neighbours triumphs and depradations shall be at an end, then it shall be well with us, who are otherwise in a most deplorable condition.  
8. Thou hast brought a vine out of egypt, thou hast cast out the heathen and planted it.  
9. Thou 
c.  
lookedst c●●, or preparedst the scile before it.  preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.  
10. The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the 
stately cedars with the branches thereof.  boughs thereof were like the 
d.  goodly cedars.  
11. She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river.  
Thou hast brought this people out of the bondage of egypt to the most fertile and prosperous land, that where the Canaanites &c. inhabited, as when a vine is transplanted from a most barren to a most fruitful soil, the side of an hill, &c. and there, as it is the manner of planters to dress and prepare the soil exactly, that it may speedily and happily take root, and spread and cover the ground, and the boughs of it being supported with props or trees, grow into a great height and breadth, so didst thou fit the land for their quiet and peace and fertility, and plentiful multiplying, by removing the old inhabitants, and leaving all to their enjoying, and accordingly they very soon prospered as into a very powerful and victorious, so into a very large and numerous nation; extending itself on the West to the mediterranean sea, and on the East to Euphrates.  
12. Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they that pass by the way do pluck her?  
13. The boar out of the wood doth wast it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.  
But now as when the hedge of a vineyard is broken down, all passengers come freely in, and gather the fruits, and the rude swine and other wild beasts break in, and tear and root up all that is planted there; so is it with us, thy protection which was our only defence being withdrawn for our sins, the heathen nations round about us( see note c. on Ps. Lxxxiii.) together with the Kings of Assyria and Babylon, those potent tyrants, break in upon us, carry away all our wealth, and even root us out from our dwellings, carry us as captive servants into their own lands.  
14. return we beseech thee, O Lord of hosts, look down from heaven, and behold and visit this vine.  
15. And 
e.  the 
root, or pla●●.  vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch which thou madest strong for thyself.  
Lord, in this extremity be thou pleased to interpose thy power for us, to be graciously reconciled to us, and in favour to behold this poor captive people, and Temple, which thine especial providence hath built and supported so long, the place of thy special residence among us.  
16. 
being cut d●wn it is burnt with f●re; they shall perish ( see note e.)  It is burnt with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuk of thy countenance.  
For since upon our provoking sins thou hast withdrawn thy mercy from us, the enemies have broken in and burnt our Temple, and if thou still continue thy wrath, both people and Temple will be utterly consumed.  
17. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son man whom thou madest strong for thyself.  
We have none therefore but thee to whom we may fly for succour, who art justly displeased with us. Yet, O Lord, it is thou which hast set our King over us, thy special grace and providence, and 
{untranscribed Hebrew}— to whom thou hast sworn with thy right hand, Chald.  thy oath made to David and his seed, by which the power is vested on him; though he be but a man, he is yet set up and established by thee, in thy stead to administer justice among us: O be thou favourably pleased to deliver and rescue him out of all the calamities that are fallen upon him.  
18. So will not we go back from thee: quicken us and we will call upon thy name.  
And this shall be the greatest obligation on us from thee, for ever to cleave fast to thee in the most obediential reliance: Thy restoring of us shall be sure to be answered by our constant returns of prayers and praises.  
19. turn us again, O Lord God of hosts; cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.  
This therefore is the burden of our song, the sum of our reiterated request to thee, that as thou hast an immense host and many legions of Angels ready prest for thy service, which can the next minute perfect any the vastest enterprise to which thou shalt assign them, so thou wilt at length return our captivity, restore thyself to thy wonted favour and old mercies, cast some beams of thy gracious countenance, evidences of thy being reconciled to us, and then we shall certainly be released out of all our afflictions, and till then we have no human hope of the least respite.  

Annotations on Psalm LXXX.  
V. 2. Before Ephraim &c.] What is meant here by {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  before Ephraim, and why Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasses, and no other are here name, must be learnt from the order of the Israelites march in the Wilderness, Num. ii. For there, next after the ark, the pledge of Gods special presence and assistance, did these three tribes follow, Then the Tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward, &c. v. 17. On the West side( i. e. next behind it) shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim v. 18. and his host v. 19. And by him shall be the tribe of Manasses v. 20. and his host, v. 21. then the tribe of Benjamin and his host, v. 22, 23. Now the returning from the captivity, the desire whereof is the business of this Psalm, being a parallel to the delivery from egypt, Gods leading them back, stirring up himself and coming to save them, is very fitly begged, and described in a style resembling the former rescue: There he was said to have shined forth, and to have risen and come, Deut. xxxiii. 2. ( the Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them, he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with holy myriad;) and here in like manner, the Psalmist beseecheth him that dwelleth between the Cherubims,( that sure is God in the ark) to shine forth v. 1. and that before these three tribes, which next followed the ark, and to stir up himself, and come and save.  
V. 5. Bread of tears] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  will here be best rendered bread of weeping, thereby most probably signifying the bread of mourners, {untranscribed Hebrew} Hos. ix. 4. of which it is there said, all that eat thereof shall pollute themselves, the eater was legally unclean, and so separated from the congregation; and so were they at that time, in the captivity, detained from the comforts of Gods solemn worship. To which is elegantly added, that {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  tears in the plural, and that {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in a treble or large measure, are the drink apportioned to these meats.  
V. 9. Preparedst room] From {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to look, to turn the face, to bow down, to look out, to look toward any thing, is {untranscribed Hebrew} in Piel, to sweep, to cleanse, to remove filth out of the way, and so to prepare for the coming of any, to fit or provide an house, a way or path. A house, and room, Gen. xxiv. 31. Lev. xiv. 36. a way Isa. xl. 3. and lvii. 14. If this be applied to an house, then 'tis to sweep or cleanse, and so the Interlinear here renders it, scopasti, thou hast swept: if to a way, then 'tis to purge or prepare, Isa. lvii. 14. Prepare the way, take up the stumbling-block; and so the Lxxii. here, {untranscribed Hebrew}, thou hast made or prepared the way before it( though the latin rendering, dux itineris fuisti, thou wert the leader or captain of their journey, seem to have looked toward {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew} a corner, and by metaphor, a captain.) But being applied to the earth, in order to a plantation, as here, it is most fitly rendered either looking out, according to the original notion( as Ezek. xx. 6. a land that I had espied for them) or preparing before-hand, or else more probably preparing( not room, but) soil for it: and to this fitly follows, and didst cause it to take deep root, that being the proper effect of preparing the soil. To the notion of looking out, I suppose the Syriack is to be understood {untranscribed Hebrew}, not as the latin translator renders it, intuitus es illam, thou lookedst on it, but as {untranscribed Hebrew} in Chaldee and Syriack signifies also scrutari, to search, or look out, thou lookedst out, or didst search before it, as the twelve spies were after appointed to do by Moses. The Chaldee follow the other notion of sweeping or purging out, retaining the Hebrew word, save only that by way of paraphrase they thought fit to change it from the figure of a vine to the people of Israel, and so red {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast purged out( or swept) from before them the Canaanites.  
V. 10. Goodly Cedar-trees] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Cedars of the strong, or as the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} of God, signify( as mountains of God) tall and lofty Cedars, there is no question. All the doubt is of the syntaxis, how it lies. And of that the Lxxii. give us the fairest account, reading the whole verse thus, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the shadow thereof covered the hills, and the branches thereof the cedars of God, i. e. covered the Cedars. This sense the latin exactly follow, Operuit montes umbra ejus,& arbusta ejus Cedros Dei, the shadow of it covered the mountains, and the sprouts thereof( covered) the Cedars of God. And to this the Hebrew well accords, for as {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the mountains were covered with the shadow is directly equivalent with the shadows covering the mountains, so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  may best be rendered, in the same common construction( repeating {untranscribed Hebrew} were covered, from the former part) and the goodly Cedars were covered with the branches thereof, and that is as perfectly equivalent to the branches covering the Cedars. The Syriack put it out of question,( and after them the arabic) reading {untranscribed Hebrew} above the Cedars. Thus the Jewish Arab, Her shadow covered the mountains, and her branches the divine or stately Cedars. That the sides of hills are the most commodious places for vineyards is sufficiently known, as also that the vine hath props on which it climbs, and rests itself, and these are lower or higher according to the nature of the several soils or climates; in fertile soils, as now adays in Lombardy, they run up the trees, and cover them. And so here in an expression of the luxuriant growth of this fruitful vine, it may not unfitly be said in poetical style to run up, and reach the tops of the tall Cedars, as Joseph is said Gen. xlix. 22. to be a fruitful bough, whose branches run over the wall.  
V. 15. The vineyard] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here signifies, is not agreed on by interpreters. The Lxxii. red it as a verb( from {untranscribed Hebrew} to prepare) {untranscribed Hebrew}, and thence the latin, perfice, make perfect. But there is no appearance of truth in that. The interlinear reads vitiarium vineyard, either confounding it with {untranscribed Hebrew} a garden, as the learned Schindler conjectures, or more probably from the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for a basis, and from thence by metaphor the place of habitation, all one with {untranscribed Hebrew}, which being by the antecedents applied to a vine, is a vineyard. But the Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew} a sprout, for so they evidently use that word Num. xiii. 23. rendering {untranscribed Hebrew}( sarmentum, or palmitem, a branch, on which was a bunch of grapes) by {untranscribed Hebrew}( and so Ez●k. xvii. 6. for {untranscribed Hebrew} branches, they red {untranscribed Hebrew}.) The Syriack reads {untranscribed Hebrew} which from {untranscribed Hebrew} fundavit, is consonant to the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} a basis, and applied to a vine may most fitly be rendered a root or stock, such as is wont to be planted. Thus Dan. xi. 7. there shall rise from the branch of her roots, {untranscribed Hebrew} his basis, the latin reads plantatio ejus, his plantation, i. e. a rooted stock fit to plant. For this we know, that a branch of a vine, being laid in the ground, will take a root to it, and so be fit to be transplanted. And accordingly Dan. xi. 20. for {untranscribed Hebrew} there shall stand up, or rise from his basis, the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, there shall rise up out of his roote,( and so the arabic also) resolving for us, that( speaking of vines or other such plants) {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies a root, which root being fit for planting, must be supposed to be not a root only, but a small trunk, or stalk of the vine with a root to it; as in that place of Daniel c. xi. 20. out of that {untranscribed Hebrew} root arises {untranscribed Hebrew}, which from the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} in Piel, for propagavit, will signify the very same with {untranscribed Hebrew}, which the Chaldee here useth, viz. propago, a plant, of a vine; and so in that place of Daniel the Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew} a plant, and so the arabic also. By all this it appears, that {untranscribed Hebrew} here having in its original notion somewhat of strength and stability,( as when it is used for a foot or basis, Ex. xxx. 28. xxxi. 9. Levit. viii. 11. 1 King. vii. 29.) and being by the context confined to vines, must signify such a slip, or young stock, or plant, as is fit to be set and grow by itself; and accordingly Abu Walid, though he be himself of opinion that {untranscribed Hebrew} is the same with {untranscribed Hebrew} by change of נ into כ, yet confesses that the most of Interpreters take it for {untranscribed Hebrew}. It should probably be {untranscribed Hebrew}, the word which the Jewish Arab useth, and signifies a vine or any root thereof,( {untranscribed Hebrew} rather signifying the burden or fruit.) And this being by the Masorites written with a large {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies this eminent plant, the whole people of the Jews, whom God had chosen; and so his right hand is truly said to have planted it. And then that will direct us farther in the interpretation of the latter part of the verse, {untranscribed Hebrew} and the son, or, upon the son which thou hast made strong for thyself: where as {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is most probably an expletive of no signification( or possibly refers to {untranscribed Hebrew} look foregoing, {untranscribed Hebrew} look upon;) so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  son, in accordance with {untranscribed Hebrew} the root or plant of the vine, must denote the son of that plant, and that is according to the Hebrew style a bough or branch of it. So Gen. xlix. 22. Joseph is a fruitful {untranscribed Hebrew} son, i. e. bough, by a spring, whose {untranscribed Hebrew} daughters, i. e. branches, run over the wall; by the same proportion as {untranscribed Hebrew} which signifies sucking children, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to suck, is here v. 11. used for branches. And then in proportion with the people being meant by the root or plant, the branch {untranscribed Hebrew} may signify the {untranscribed Hebrew} rod, or tribe of Judah, the Regal tribe of which David was, who being by God invested with power, and as his proxy and minister on earth, it is properly said, that God hath made him strong for himself. The Chaldee therefore paraphrase it {untranscribed Hebrew}— on the Messiah, i. e. anointed King, whom thou hast confirmed or established for thyself. And in the prophetic sense that will be farther extended to Christ the King or Ruler of his Church: and so saith Aben Ezra, this may be understood of {untranscribed Hebrew} the Messiah Ben-Ephraim, others call him Ben-Joseph, who they say is to be killed in war( being prest by the text in Zachary to aclowledge a suffering messiah) as Messiah Ben David( for they admit of two) is to conquer all the world. R. Obadiah also interprets it of the Messiah. And the Lxxii. reads {untranscribed Hebrew}, and on the son of man, and so the latin and Syriack, the title by which any eminent man, a Prince, is fitly expressed( and by which Christ is so frequently called) and so most expressly v. 17. the man of Gods right hand, and the son of man, not {untranscribed Hebrew} son simply, but {untranscribed Hebrew} son of man, is set to signify the King. But it is possible also, and, I suppose, more probable, that the {untranscribed Hebrew} or branch may be set to denote the Temple, for of that it follows immediately v. 16. It is burnt with fire, it is cut down, or as it may best be rendered, {untranscribed Hebrew} being cut down it is burnt with fire, the vine, when 'tis cut down, being good for nothing else, Ezec. xv. 3, 4. shall wood be taken thereof to do any work, or will men take a pin of it to hang any thing thereon? It is cast into the fire for fuel, the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burnt; is it meet for any work? This belongs not well to the King, but agrees perfectly to the Temple at this time of the captivity. And so the phrase which thou hast made strong for thyself seems to be borrowed from Moses song, Ex. xv. 17. where it is spoken of the Temple, Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established. And in this sense it will well agree with the {untranscribed Hebrew} or plant foregoing, that signifying the nation of the Jews, which God brought in and planted, in Moses's dialect, and with which the Temple is joined, Jo. xi. 48. they will take away our place and nation, by those two words there expressing more plainly what is here in poetic style, the root or plant, and branch, i. e. the whole Commonwealth of the Jews, so styled Mal. iv. 1. It shall leave them neither root nor branch, people nor Temple. Of both these it here follows in the plural {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  they shall perish at the rebuk of thy countenance; i. e. If to the spoil of violent men foregoing, the boar out of the wood, and the wild beasts of the field v. 13. thou add thine anger and inflictions, both root and branch, people and temple shall be utterly consumed. To avert which it follows, Let thine hand be upon the man of thy right hand, and the son of man, which in all reason by the characters of {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} must be interpnted of the King.    

The Eighty First Psalm.  
TO the chief musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of Asaph.  
The eighty first Psalm, said to be composed by Asaph for the feast of trumpets, Lev. 23.24. Num. 29.1. and 10.10.( which was instituted to commemorate the deliverance out of egypt, the sounding of the trumpet being a token of liberty, Lev. 25.10.) is a solemn invitation to all, to sing praises to God for his great deliverances and special mercies to his people, whose sins are the only averters of his favour, and originals of their misery. It was set to the tune called Gittith( see Psal. viii. a.) and committed to the Praefect of the music.  
1. Sing aloud unto God our strength, make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.  
2. 
Take up, or lift up:  
a.  Take a Psalm and 
answer, or speak, or sing to  bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the Psaltery.  
3. Blow up the trumpet in 
b.  the 
first day of the month, on the new moon, on the day of our feast.  new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast-day.  
The God of Jacob is our only refuge, preserver and deliverer, O let us all join in the most solemn joyful expressions of thankfulness to him: All the sweetest and most pleasant instrum●nts of music are in all reason to accompany, and endeavour to improve our lands, and all the whole nation to be assembled at those times which are solemnly set apart for these offices, the beginning of every month, to consecrate all that follows.  
4. For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob:  
And this is but agreeable to the ordinances of divine service given by God himself on mount Sinai for all posterity most strictly to observe, soon after that great and signal time of his showing himself in power and majesty against Pharaoh and the egyptians, when we lived among strangers, and were cruelly handled by them.  
5. This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out 
upon, or against {untranscribed Hebrew}.  through the land of egypt, where I heard a language that I understood not.  
6. I delivered his shoulders from the burden, his hands 
past away  were 
c.  delivered from the pots.  
'twas then the mighty work of his overruling power, upon our addresses made to heaven, speedily to rescue us out of that great slavery, to redeem us from those severe tasks of working in the kilns under Pharaohs officers.  
7. Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in 
d.  the 
or covert or, hiding-place from thunder, or by, or with thunder.  secret place of thunder, I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah.  
And soon after, at the giving of the law in Sinai, when the thunder and lightning and tempest was so terrible, that they all quaked, and besought to be freed from it, he was pleased to free them accordingly, and secure them from all danger. A little before( Exod. xvii.) they were in distress for water at Rephidim, it being for their trial that God suffered them to be in want for a while; and though they behaved it very ill, shewed themselves a faithless murmuring people, yet God spared them then, and enabled Moses by striking the rock Horeb to bring forth plenty of water for them.  
8. Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee, O Israel, if thou wilt harken unto me,  
9. There shall no strange God be in thee, neither shalt thou worship 
e.  any 
heathen, or foreign.  strange God.  
But having this experience of their infidelity and proneness to apostatise and return to egypt, preferring the false Gods there before the true God, which brought them out from thence, he thought good in that terrible manner v. 7. to give them severe precepts and ordinances of not admitting any Idol or heathen worship among them,  
10. I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.  
Severely requiring them to commemorate and serve and worship him, as the God which had with such prodigies of judgments on the egyptians, and miracles of mercies toward them, delivered them out of that tyrants hands, and by bringing them water in time of distress out of the hardest rock, demonstrated his power and readiness to grant them the greatest abundance, if by humility and obedience and fidelity, and constant addresses to him in all their wants, they should render themselves capable of it.  
11. But my people would not harken to my voice, and Israel 
obeied me not {untranscribed Hebrew}  would none of me.  
But they were far from the performance of this condition, from qualifying themselves by obedience, and 
{untranscribed Hebrew}† {untranscribed Hebrew} acquiesced not in my word, Chald.  acquiescence and delight in him, for his performance of this most gracious promise to them.  
12. So I gave them up unto 
the imaginations of their hearts {untranscribed Hebrew}  their own hearts lusts, and they walked in their own counsels.  
And accordingly God withdrew his protection, grace and favour from them, delivered them up to follow their own corrupt counsels and purposes, to enjoy their own choices, the vanities of their Idol worships, which were not able to protect them, and all the sad consequences thereof.  
13. 
or If {untranscribed Hebrew}  O that my people had harkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways:  
14. I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.  
Had they but performed their part of Covenant to God, afforded cheerful obedience, and faithfully observed his directions, he would have been most sure to have performed his promise to them, and by interposition of his strength immediately have discomfited and destroyed their stoutest enemies.  
15. The haters of the Lord should have 
yielded feigned obedience, see note on Ps. xviii. o.  submitted themselves unto him; but their time should have endured for ever.  
All that opposed them, and so resisted the counsels of God for making Israel a most happy and prosperous people, should certainly have been brought low, and for dread of his power performed a feigned, though not real, obedience to him; and so the peace and strength of the people of Israel should have been most durable and lasting.  
16. He should have fed them also with 
f.  the 
fat  finest of the wheat; and with honey out of 
the rock.  the 
g.  stony rock should I have satisfied thee.  
And that accompanied with all temporal plenty, the most fertile harvests and richest accessions, the best sorts and greatest stores of every thing, not only for necessity, but delicaty.( And so parallel to this the world of Christians, if they would but set themselves cheerfully to the practise of his precepts, should find a wonderful spiritual completion of this promise, not only sufficient, yea abundant grace to perform what is required of them in that degree as will be accepted, but withall the most exuberant joys and pleasures in this world( abstracted from the bliss of the other world) in the constant exercises of his graces, and practise of those duties.)  

Annotations on Psalm LXXXI.  
V. 2. Take a psalm] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies, will be discerned best from the Chaldee, who render it by {untranscribed Hebrew} Lift up your voice in a laud or Psalm; so Abu Walid, sound, or sing out aloud praise, or songs of praise; according to the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for lifting up, applied to the voice, whether in singing or weeping, which the Lxxii. duly render, {untranscribed Hebrew}, to raise or lift up the voice. It is also applied to speaking, as when Balaam is said to take or lift up a parable, Num. xxiii. 7, 18.& xxiv. 3, 15, 20, 21, 23. So Job xxvii. 1. Job added {untranscribed Hebrew} to lift up his parable: the Lxxii. render it, {untranscribed Hebrew} he adding spake. So Hab. ii. 6. {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall lift or take up a parable. All Hebrew dialect for pronouncing, or speaking aloud, or solemnly, as here the Psalm is solemnly to be sung, and so to be lifted up. As for {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which follows, it may perhaps be best rendered, answer the Timbrel, from the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for refer, or perhaps rather according to the Chaldee use of the word, speak, or annuntiate to the Timbrel; as Jud. xi. 40. the daughters of Israel went yearly {untranscribed Hebrew} to speak to the daughter of Jephtha, i. e. to annuntiate, sing songs to her, by way of lamentation; the Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew} to mourn for, and so the rest of the ancient Interpreters agree: and then by analogy, this here will be singing a cheerful, as that was a doleful song. So Jud. v. 11. {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall rehearse, by way of Praise or Psalm, the righteousnesses of the Lord. But others derive {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew}, so doth Abu Walid, and under that root renders it strike up, or play on the Timbrel.  
V. 3. In the new moon] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  must here be rendered in the beginning of the month, that so {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that follows, may be rendered, as it truly signifies, in the new moon. 'tis true that from {untranscribed Hebrew} new, {untranscribed Hebrew} doth indifferently signify the novilunium, and the first day of the month; but here the new moon being peculiarly expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew}, and that saith Aben Ezra, because the moon is then hide( from {untranscribed Hebrew} texit) to which the C● ds, {untranscribed Hebrew} in the 〈…〉( 'tis strange the latin ● render it in mensae qui cooperi 〈◇〉, when {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies first moon, and from thence month) to avoid tautology, {untranscribed Hebrew} must be rendered the new month, i. e. the first day of the month. Thus Num. 28.17. is rendered by the Targum {untranscribed Hebrew} the beginning of the month, and {untranscribed Hebrew} in the plural {untranscribed Hebrew} the beginning of the moneths, not of the moons. The Syriack set this down here most expressly, {untranscribed Hebrew} in the beginning or first of the month, and on the new moon, which meeting always together, were festival among the Jews( the Jewish Arab reads, over the sacrifice, in the dayes that his people keep the feast) and so the trumpet to be sounded thereon. The Lxxii. red the {untranscribed Hebrew} on an eminent day, I suppose, rather by way of Paraphrase, for such it was, then by deducing the word from {untranscribed Hebrew} computavit, as some imagine, because the festival recurres constantly on a numbered or fixed day. Then for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that literally is to be rendered, on the day of our feast: the Lxxii. joins it with the former, and reads {untranscribed Hebrew} in the eminent day of our feast( some festival dayes being among the Jews more eminent then others, the first and last dayes of those feasts, which continued many dayes;) but this sure again by way of paraphrase, not of literal rendering, the preposition ל on being not taken notice of in their rendering.  

{untranscribed Hebrew}  V. 6. Delivered] From {untranscribed Hebrew} transiit, to pass away, or over, is {untranscribed Hebrew} here, they passed, i. e. went out, or away, to denote an escape or deliverance. The Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} they served, or had served, as from {untranscribed Hebrew} serviit, through the great affinity betwixt the two letters ך and ר, in which also the sense is not amiss expressed, if only we red it as in the preterplupersect tense, they had served, for that signifies that now they did not, but were delivered from it. As for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from which they past, it signifies a pot, or other utensil made of earth, to be set over the fire to heat any thing; and such it seems the Israelites were employed in making, when they were under the task-masters in egypt.  
V. 7. Secret place] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is latibulum, a covering, or place to fly unto from any danger, from {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to hid, protect, or defend. And then if thunder be joined with it, {untranscribed Hebrew} will be either the covering of thunder, the cloud where the thunder is hide,( to which the story agrees, where God is said to have spoken from the midst of the cloud, and that with thunders, Deut. v. 22.) as Habak. iii. 4. the hiding of his power, or else the covering or hiding-place from thunder. That here it is to be taken in the second sense, will probably be concluded from a parallel place, Isa. xxxii. 2. There {untranscribed Hebrew} is resolved to be the covering from rain or inundation; so the Syriack expressly red it {untranscribed Hebrew} a refuge from the shower, and to the same purpose the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} as they that hid themselves from the tempest or shower, and the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, he shall be hide as from driven rain or water; in like manner as in the former part of that verse, {untranscribed Hebrew} is by us rendered a hiding place from wind,( the same that is elsewhere expressed by the preposition, {untranscribed Hebrew} a protection from inundation, Is. xxv. 4.) and so the Syriack reads, {untranscribed Hebrew} from the wind, and so all the interproters agree there. And if they there hold, then by just analogy so it may be here, and thereto the story also well accords. The thunder was that which is set down Ex. xix. and which is there mentioned to be so terrible on mount Sinai at the giving of the Law, that all the people that were in the camp trembled, v. 16. and removed and stood afar off, Exod. xx. 18. and were afraid by reason of the fire &c. Deut. v. 5. and v. 23. it came to pass, when you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, ye said, Behold the Lord hath shewed us his glory, &c. Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the Lord any more, then we shall die, v. 25. Go thou near and speak to us, v. 27. So the Apostle, they entreated that the word should not be spoken to them anymore, Heb. xii. 19. And then as God was pleased to harken to this request of theirs, Deut. v. 28. The Lord heard the voice of your words when ye spake unto me, and the Lord said, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, they have well said, &c.( which is certainly a form of granting their requests, as well as an approbation of their promise to obey;) so here it is said, Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee, relieved thee from that great fear of thine. And then it follows, I answered thee in the covert from thunder, i. e. granted thy petition in delivering thee, or giving thee safety from the thunder, in that notion of answering for granting a request: Or else, I answered, i. e. I spake to thee, in the covert from thunder, because as God thus by thunder answered them here, i. e. spake to them in the words here following, v. 8. Hear O my people( according to the use of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  for speaking, as well as answering, and the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew} in the same sense, see Mar. xi. note a.) so did he take special care to preserve them from receiving any hurt by it( and accordingly Moses said unto the people, Fear not— Exod. xx. 20. and I stood between the Lord and you at that time Deut. v. 5.) and so is here said to have answered them {untranscribed Hebrew} in the covering or hiding-place from the thunder; {untranscribed Hebrew} in the hiding place of or from the tempest, say the Lxxii. defended them from it( when it thundered most terribly) as in a hiding-place or safe refuge. That it belongs to this time of giving the Law is made evident by that which follows v. 8. Hear O my people, the form of giving the law Deut. v. 1. and, I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of egypt v. 10. the very first words of the Decalogue Exod. xx. 2. This therefore of Gods speaking to them at mount Sinai, so famous for the thunders, is without question that which is intimated in this place, which way soever the interpretation lye, whether of his speaking in the place where thunder is hide as in a repository, i. e. in the clouds, or that he answered or spake in the covert from thunder, which by analogy with the two places in Isaiah compared together, Is. xxxii. 2. and Is. xxv. 4.( where for {untranscribed Hebrew} in one, is {untranscribed Hebrew} in the other) seems more probable, and so likewise by the coherence with the antecedents here, their calling and Gods delivering. The only seeming objection against interpreting it of Sinai is, that that murmuring at Meribah, Exod. xvii. was before the thundering on Sinai Ex. xix. whereas here the thunder is mentioned first, and then after that Meribah, in the end of this verse. But that will easily be answered, as by the nearness of those two passages the one to the other, so also by the liberty taken in poems of not observing strict order in each narration,( see Ps. Lxxxiii. 9. where the victory over the Midianites judge. vii. is mentioned before that of Sisera Jud. iv.) but especially by looking forward to v. 8. where the subject being the commands given in Sinai, and those connecting in sense to Gods answering them in Sinai, in that hiding-place of, or covert from thunder, i. e. whether his speaking in the clouds, or his speaking to them in thunder, but protecting them from receiving any hurt by it, that which comes in the midst betwixt them is in all reason to be red, as in a parenthesis, to this sense, that Gods having proved and found them so faulty at Rephidim, so extremely prove to infidelity and returning to egypt, was the occasion of his giving them that law on Sinai against other Gods &c. v. 8, 9. Hear O my people— I am the Lord— the beginning or first words of Gods answering or speaking to them in Sinai out of the thunder. All this hath been said on supposition that {untranscribed Hebrew} thunder is to be joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} secret place. But the Jewish Arab gives us another rendering of it, out of the secret place, with or by thunder. And then the secret place must refer to God, who is said to make darkness his secret place Ps. xviii. 11. that is to dwell in his infinite majesty in Heaven invisibly, and so here to give answer from Heaven by thunder. To this the Chaldee appertains, which paraphraseth it the hidden place of the house of Gods majesty.  
V. 9. Strange God] From {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  known, familiar, is the word also used per antiphrasin for any foreigner or stranger, peculiarly for one that is not of the house of Israel, an alien or gentle. So Gen. xvii. 12. {untranscribed Hebrew} a stranger which is not of thy seed; {untranscribed Hebrew} the son of the people, say the Chaldee, i. e. a gentle. So Gen. xxxv. 2. Put away {untranscribed Hebrew} the Gods of the alien, the gentle God; {untranscribed Hebrew} the Idols of the people, say the Chaldee. And so here {untranscribed Hebrew} any gentle God, for which the Chaldee sets {untranscribed Hebrew} profane Idols.  
V. 16. Finest] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies originally milk, and thence fat, and so its poetically applied here to wheat, as Deut. xxxii. 14. the fat of the kidneys of the wheat, and so Gen. xLv. 18. {untranscribed Hebrew} the sat of the earth, and Num. xviii. 29. for which the Chaldee significantly reads {untranscribed Hebrew} the goodness, as here {untranscribed Hebrew} Good bread of wheat, the Lxxii. and Syriack retaining the literal {untranscribed Hebrew} the fat.  
V. 18. Stony rock] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies a rock there is no question, but whether it be literally or poetically to be understood here, being joined with hony, is the only difficulty. And first it is not to be thought, that the discourse is of miraculous feeding,( then indeed there is no doubt but God could bring hony, as well as water, out of the hardest rock.) It plainly belongs in this place to the description of the plenty of Canaan. Secondly then, if the style be in this poetical, as it was in the words immediately precedent, the fat of the wheat, it will then be neither impossible nor improbable that the rock, to which the hony here relates, should be the honeycomb, because hony out of the comb is the best( sweeter then hony and the hony comb, by way of ascent) as the fat of the wheat signified the best. But then thirdly, because Deut. xxxii. 13. where hony out of the rock is again mentioned, there is added to it, oil out of the flinty rock, it is most probable, that the word rock should be equally literal in both places, and signify that to be usual in those countries, which is still ordinary, for Bees to breed and swarm in holes of rocks, and thence to supply them with hony in great plenty. And then why may not oil out of the flinty rock signify, that there was no rock so hard, or barren, but God would make the Olive-trees to grow there, and yield them abundance of oil?    

The Eighty Second Psalm.  
A Psalm of Asaph.  
The eighty second Psalm composed by Asaph, is an admonition to justice, and an upbraiding invective against the injustice of earthly tribunals, with an appeal unto God the supreme and most just judge. 
To that place Kimchi refers, and thinks it probable that the Psalm was written in the dayes of Jehoshaphat.  See 2 Chron. 19.7.  
1. God standeth in the congregation 
a.  of 
God {untranscribed Hebrew}  the mighty, he is a judge among 
b.  Gods.  
Be the Rulers and Judges and administrators of this world never so highly honoured, invested by God with his own power, his proxies on earth, as Angels in a manner, i. e. persons commissionated from God; yet must they resolve that God is superior to all their judicatures and administrations, presides in all, and will exact and call them to a severe account, judge over again whatsoever hath been judged by them.  
2. How long will you judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.  
'tis therefore a great folly and impiety in them, to favour any unrighteous cause or person, and either for bribes or other carnal interest to judge falsely.  
3. Defend the poor and fatherless; 
justify  
c.  do justice to the afflicted and needy.  
4. Deliver the poor and needy, 
relieve or, free {untranscribed Hebrew}  rid them from the hand of the wicked.  
'tis the office and business of their calling, entrusted to them by God, to receive all that are most helpless( not which are most powerful and rich) into their care and patronage, to absolve the innocent, be he never so unable to purchase their favour, or secure himself from the oppressions of other men, to pled the cause of such, and rescue them out of the hand of the violent and injurious.  
5. They know not, neither will they understand, they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth 
●●●ve, nod, or are s●●ken {untranscribed Hebrew}  are out of course.  
But impious obstinate men pervert justice, and proceed without all remorse in their corrupt courses, a gift blindeth the eyes of the wise or seer, Ex. 23. 8. and so those that should rule and administer the several nations of the earth uprightly, and preserve justice among all men, are themselves the most unjust, and thereby the authors of all mischiefs to the world.  
6. 
d.  I have said, you are Gods, and all of you are children of the most High.  
7. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the Princes.  
By their commissions and power derived to them from the God of heaven, they are a sort of terrestrial Angels, employed and ennobled by God, and as children are of parents, his copies and images upon earth. But this doth not so privilege them as to give them immunity from the common fate of all men, whether people or Prince, that of mortality, nor consequently from that severe account and reward of their actions, which after death expects all such.  
8. Arise, O God, judge the earth; for thou shalt inherit all nations.  
It being most certain that such a judgement of God shall one day come, wherein the whole world shall be concerned; all the men on earth being the subjects of the supreme Deity, and so accountable and sadly punishable for all they have ever offended.  

Annotations on Psalm LXXXII.  
V. 1. The mighty] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is the title of God, is sufficiently known, taken from his supreme power which he hath over all the world; And then Gods standing i. e. presiding( so 1 Sam. xix. 20. Samuel {untranscribed Hebrew} stood presiding over them) in the congregation of God, i. e. in his own judicature( so the Jewish Arab saith that it is the repetition of the name again, instead of the affix) or that which is erected and authorised by him, is the same which we red 2 Chron. xix. 6. He said unto the Judges, Take heed what you do, for ye judge not for men, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgement. R. Obad. Gaon glosseth it, that God is an assistant and defender when they judge righteously, but a revenger when they pervert judgement. The Jewish Arab reads, Gods command standeth, is placed in the conventions among the judges when they judge, i. e. by his commission it is that they do act.  
Ibid. Gods] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here signifies, may be examined by the use of the word in other places. As Psal. Lxxxvi. 8. There is none like unto thee {untranscribed Hebrew} among these Elohim: where the Chaldee expressly renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} among the high angels. So 1 Sam. xxviii. 13. I saw {untranscribed Hebrew} Elohim ascending out of the earth: the Targum reads again {untranscribed Hebrew} an angel of the Lord. So here v. 6. I said {untranscribed Hebrew} ye are Elohim: the Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} as Angels. And when it there follows {untranscribed Hebrew} and children or sons of the most High, they render {untranscribed Hebrew} and as the high angels, in the notion of sons of God. Job i. 6. and ii. 1. {untranscribed Hebrew} the sons of God came, i. e. saith the Chaldee, in consent with all interpreters in that place, {untranscribed Hebrew} the assemblies of angels. This therefore being the frequent known use of the word, and that taken from the office of angels, to be the ministers and legates and officers sent( from whence is their title both in Hebrew and Greek, {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew}) and commissionated by God, whose name therefore they bear; it is by the same reason of analogy applied to all Judges and Magistrates( and accordingly Ps. cxxxviii. 1. this same word is by the Chaldee rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} Judges, and by the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} Kings) administering justice to the people, in the name and by commission from God, whose {untranscribed Hebrew} ministers they are Rom. xiii. 4. {untranscribed Hebrew}, appointed by God, v. 1. and their assembly the judicature of God, in the beginning of this verse. Among these God is here said to be the {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the punic notion of Suffes for a dictatory, or Supreme judge.  
V. 3. Do justice] From {untranscribed Hebrew} justus fuit, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in Hiphil to justify, in the notion of acquitting or absolving, and is set opposite to condemning, Deut. xxv. 1. {untranscribed Hebrew} and they shall justify, or acquit the just, and condemn the wicked. So Prov. xvii. 15. {untranscribed Hebrew} he that acquits the impious, and condemns the just. And so here {untranscribed Hebrew} being spoken of a Judge whose office it is to acquit or condemn, must in all reason be rendered in that notion of acquitting from the charge that injurious men lay against him.  
V. 6. I said ye are Gods] These words being cited by Christ, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Jo. x. 34. are introduced in this style, Is it not written in your Law? From hence the conclusion is necessary, that this book of Psalms was among the Jews looked on as a part of the Divine Law, in a more wide and loose notion of law; as the writings of the Prophets, and all that were inspired by God, and bring divine authority along with them, are styled Law. To this purpose the words of Midras Tehillim are observable: {untranscribed Hebrew} the psalms are thora, i. e. the law. And to that perhaps may be referred what we find Ps. Lxxviii. 1. Hear my law, O my people, by law meaning the same thing which in the end of the verse is called the words of my mouth, i. e. the Psalm which he is there inditing, as it follows, I will open my mouth into a parable, &c.    

The Eighty Third Psalm.  

A Canticle of Psalm {untranscribed Hebrew} see note on Ps, iii. 2.  A Song or Psalm of Asaph.  
The eighty third Psalm, the last of the number of those that were composed by Asaph, is a complaint addressed to God against the oppressors and adversaries of his people the Jews( and, under that type, of the opposers of the Church of Christ) and a prediction of Gods severe punishments that should fall upon them. It seems most probably to have been composed in Jehosaphats time, yet may not unfitly be referred to all the oppositions against the jews to the time of the captivity under the Assyrians; see note c.  
1. Keep not thou 
a.  silence, O God, hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.  
2. For lo thine enemies make a tumult, and they that hate thee have lift up their head.  
O blessed Lord, be thou at length pleased to show forth thyself, to interpose, and vindicate thine own honour, in repressing the proud, tumultuous, importunate adversaries of thee and of thy people.  
3. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy 
b.  
or, treasures.  hidden ones.  
Their malice and avarice is great, and accordingly their consultations and designs very treacherous and bloody, and cunningly managed for the invading this nation which so nearly relates to thee( but especially thy temple which is among us, either as that which seems to secure thy protection over us, or as by the magnificent structure and riches thereof it invites them to pillage it.)  
4. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.  
And their joint resolution is, that they will employ all their strength utterly to destroy us, to invade, and possess themselves of the land, and finally to root out all the inhabitants.  
5. For they have consulted together with one consent, they are confederate against thee;  
6. The Tabernacles of 
c.  Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagarens;  
7. Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek, the philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre.  
To this end a multitude of nations have from time to time combined and joined in the same malicious purpose,( if not altogether, yet all in their several seasons, some after, and taking advantage by the others.) Thus the Idumeans and Arabians, of both sorts, those of the posterity of ishmael and from Cethura, the Moabites, and Syrians, and Ammonites, and Amalekites, and philistines, and Tyrians,( the neighbours, but inveterate enemies of this kingdom, 2 Sam. viii. 11.)  
8. Assur also is joined with them; they 
were an arm to {untranscribed Hebrew}  have holpen the children of Lot.  
And thus at length the Assyrians, either as confederates with them, or as the principal invaders, under Salmanasar and Senacherib, on the same destructive and bloody design that had been of old espoused, but could not then be effected by the Ammonites and Moabites, have now contributed their utmost to the wasting and destroying this land, and so been successful instruments of delivering us up to these our neighbours rapines.( See note c.)  
9. Do unto them as unto the Midianites, as to Sisera, as to Jabin at the brook of Kison,  
10. Which perished at 
d.  Endor; they became as the dung of the earth.  
But this their malice to us is not likely to succeed well to them, but shall bring upon them the like destructions which have from time to time befallen the enemies of this Church and chosen people of God, not by their own strength, but by Gods special interposing for us: even such as befell the host of Midian, when by Gods direction to Gideon they were discomfited by no more than three hundred men( a most disproportionable number) with empty pitchers and lamps in them, Iud. vii. 16. and by the sword of the Lord and of Gideon, v. 18. such as under the conduct of Deborah befell jabin King of Canaan, who was discomfited, and Sisera Captain of his host slain by jael a woman, Iud. iv. 21. which fight as it was near the river Kishon, Iud. iv. 7. and v. 21. so Endor near to Megiddo and Tanaach Iud. v. 19. was the peculiar place where the slaughter was made, wherein that whole host was utterly destroyed.  
11. Make 
e.  their 
Princes  nobles like Oreb and like Zeeb, yea all their Princes as Zeba and as Salmunna,  
12. Who said, Let us take to ourselves 
f.  the 
beauty, or ornaments, or pastures  houses of God in possession.  
Such as when in the pursuit of Gideons victory over the Midianites, there were four Kings slain, Oreb and Zeeb Iud. vii. 25. and Zeba and Salmunna Iud. viii. 12. So shall it fare with all those that design to oppress and despoil Gods people, and the possessions settled on them by God, or to invade his Temple, and sacrilegiously pillage the riches thereof.  
13. O My God, make them 
g.  
as  like a wheel, as the stubble before the wind.  
14. As the fire burneth a 
a forest  wood, and as the flamme setteth the mountains on fire:  
15. So persecute them with thy tempest, and 
terrify them {untranscribed Hebrew}  make them afraid with thy storm.  
Thou, O Lord, shalt in thy time( when they have been thy scourge to chastise us) proceed in great severity against them, use them as the husband-man doth the chaff in a threshing floor, first threshing, then winnowing, and then burning it up: and so shalt thou afflict them, dissipate them, and finally consume them.  
16. Fill their faces with shane, that they may seek thy name, O Lord.  
Thy severity toward them may be more for their advantage than any prosperity could be; when they discern themselves disappointed and discomfited in their enterprises of malice, this may possibly work upon them, and bring them to the acknowledgement of thee.  
17. Let them be confounded and troubled for ever, yea let them be put to shane and perish.  
18. That men may know that thou 
h.  
art thy name Jehovah, alone the— or according to thy— art.  whose name alone is Jehovah, art the most high over all the earth.  
But if this be not the success of it, 'tis then just with thee that they should be delivered up to everlasting confusion and destruction, that others, though not they, may be instructed by it, and brought, by the sight of thy judgments on proud obdurate Atheists, to aclowledge thee to be what thy name jehovah imports, the one supreme ruler and disposer of all the men in the world.  

Annotations on Psalm LXXXIII.  
V. 1. Silence] From the two acceptions of the word {untranscribed Hebrew}, to be silent, and to be like, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here variously interpnted. The Lxxii. latin, Syriack, arabic and Aethiopick agree to red it in the latter notion, {untranscribed Hebrew}; who shall be likened to thee? But the Chaldee, by reading {untranscribed Hebrew} hold not thy peace, determine it to the former. And so doth the Context, the verse consisting of two phrases more both to the same purpose.  
V. 3. Hidden ones] The Chaldee's rendering may here deserve to be considered. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Instead of {untranscribed Hebrew}, which we render secret ones, they red {untranscribed Hebrew} that are hidden in thy treasures, and so Abu Walid, those that are kept by thee. And thus {untranscribed Hebrew} is certainly used Ps. xvii. 14. thou shalt fill {untranscribed Hebrew} with thy hidden, i. e. thy treasure; and Ezek. vii. 22. They have polluted {untranscribed Hebrew} my treasure. And therefore in this sense it is most probable to be used in this place also. All the question is, what is meant by Gods treasure; and that is not improbably solved by the Chaldee in that place of Ezek. vii. 22. {untranscribed Hebrew} the earth or land of the house of my Schechinah or habitation, the land or people of the Jews, among whom Gods house or place of residence was, or rather the Temple or Sanctuary itself,( which is expressly said to be that which should be defiled, their holy places v. 24. my sanctuary, and my house, c. viii. 6. and ix. 6. and 7.) of which God was justly thought to have such a special care, and yet which was for their sins, v. 20. under the title of the beauty of his ornament, delivered up by him to be polluted.( And that this passage in Ezechiel may possibly be parallel, for the time, to that which is spoken of in this Psalm, see note c.) To this I suppose agrees the rendering of the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, thy holies, not as of persons, as the latin sanctos tuos, but in the neuter gender, as {untranscribed Hebrew} the holies, plural, do frequently signify the Sanctuary, and particularly in the places of Ezechiel forecited c. viii. 6. and ix. 6. and so the Syriack, {untranscribed Hebrew} thy holies. And thus {untranscribed Hebrew} thy secrets seems elegantly opposed to {untranscribed Hebrew} foregoing, they wage their secrets against Gods adyta. And to this sense will the word {untranscribed Hebrew} treasure be the rather interpnted, because of the great wealth in the Temple, which was that which provoked and invited the avarice of wicked men, to consult and design the invading of it. And to this sense it would be determined by v. 12. where they are introduced saying, Let us take to ourselves the beauty or ornaments of God in possession; but that that word {untranscribed Hebrew} is capable of another interpretation, see note f. But if it be taken in the masculine for the people foregoing, in the beginning of the verse, then it must signify the people of Israel, as those which are under Gods special protection, kept and in special manner tendered by him.  
V. 6. Edom] It is not resolved among Interpreters to what times this Psalm belongs, and who these several people are who are here name. And I suppose the former of these will be probably resolved on by the latter. Of Edom and Moab and Ammon and Amalek, and the philistines and the inhabitants of Tyre and Assur, there can be no difficulty: These evidently denote so many people, the Edumaeans and Moabites and Ammonites and Amalekites and philistines and Tyrians and Assyrians. Then for the Ishmaelites, they are the Arabians called Scenitae, twelve Princes according to their nations, Gen. xxv. 16. And the Hagarenes, the posterity of Abraham by Cetura,( which is supposed to be Hagar after Sarah's death) were Arabians also, and joined together with the Ishmaelites into one nation. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Then for Gebal, that was the name of a region in Arabia, if we may believe Stephanus, {untranscribed Hebrew}( though out of Hecataeus he tells us that Gabala was a City of Phoenice, out of Strabo of Syria) from whence we have the Giblines( {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
So Plin. l. v. c. xx.  saith Stephanus) 1 King. v. 18.( mentioned as excellent artificers) and so again Ezech. xxvii. 9. in both which places the Lxxix. red {untranscribed Hebrew} for {untranscribed Hebrew}. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Lastly, for the children of Lot, those, we know, were Moab and Ben-ammi, and so the Moabites and Ammonites before mentioned meant thereby. Now many of these did oppose and were enemies to the children of Israel at several times, and that in a signal manner: To David 2 Sam. viii. who there discomfited the philistines, the Moabites, the King of Zobah, the Syrians of Damascus, the King of Hamath, the children of Ammon and Amalek, and the Edumaeans. So again in Jehosaphat's reign 2 Chron. xx. and to that many circumstances of this Psalm very fully accord: For as here 'tis said, they are confederate against thee, The Tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagarens, Gebal and Ammon; so 2 Chron. xx. 1. the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other besides the Ammonites came against Jehoshaphat to battle, a great multitude &c. and v. 10, and 22. the inhabitants of mount Seir are distinctly name, to answer the mention of the Idumaeans and Ishmaelites. And whereas here the Auxiliary nations are said to have been {untranscribed Hebrew} an arm, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  or help to the children of Lot, which very probably signifies the Moabites and Ammonites to have been the principal in the quarrel, this exactly accords with that story 2 Chron. xx. 1. So to the mention here v. 12. of their design of taking the houses of God( of which see note f.) in possession, Jehoshaphat v. 11. sets the parallel, Behold how they reward us, to cast us out of our possession which thou hast given us to inherit. Lastly, as the Psalmist by praying v. 15. predicts Gods persecuting them with his tempest, &c. so in that chapter v. 22. the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon &c. and they were smitten. And it is not improbable that Jehoshaphat, an eminent restorer of the music of the Temple, who also indicted a prayer upon this exigent, v. 6. &c. should likewise take order for a solemn hymn on purpose for this occasion. It is therefore very reasonable, what Kimchi positively affirms, {untranscribed Hebrew} this Psalm was spoken of the war which was in the dayes of Jehoshaphat. And herein it might not be unsafe to aquiesce. Yet the circumstances of the Psalm will also well enough agree to another interpretation, viz. to all the oppositions which had been made to this people, from the beginning of their possessing of Canaan, to that of the Assyrians inclusively. For as those others, Moab and Ammon especially, had violently, but not successfully, invaded them, both in David's and Jehoshaphat's time, and had continually a covetous desire to get this fruitful soil into their hands,( and we red not that the Assyrians were their auxiliaries in any of those their assaults, as here is affirmed v. 8.) so when the Assyrians at last invaded this people, and carried them captive to Assyria, 'tis evident that in doing so, they did much gratify all those other the neighbours and constant enemies of the Jews, and principally the Moabites and Ammonites. Of the Edumaeans 'tis expressly affirmed, Psal. cxxxvii. 7.— the children of Edom in the day of( i. e. this heavy visitation on) Jerusalem, said, Down with it, down with it, even to the ground. So it is observable of the same Edumaeans, and of the Ishmaelites and the Hagarens( three of those which are here name) Isa. xxi. the first, under the name of the desert of the sea, v. 1. viz. in Etham, Exod. xiii. 20. and xv. 22. Num. xxxiii. 8. the second, under that of the inhabitants of Dumah v. 11. one of the sons of Ishmael Gen. xxv. 14. the third, under the title of Arabia v. 13. For all these having joined with the Assyrians against the Jews, are foretold there the punishments which they should meet with for it; as here v. 9, 10, 11. is likewise foretold of them, and of the Edumaeans again upon the same account, Isa. xxxiv. 5. and Lxiii. 1. And the same must be supposed of those other people, the Moabites, and Ammonites, &c. which being neighbours and enemies to the Jews, the Assyrians that came and wasted Jerusalem may not unfitly be said to have been {untranscribed Hebrew} an arm to these children of Lot, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  i. e. to have effectively performed that which they so vehemently desired, and oft attempted to do. And accordingly soon after the carrying away of Zedechiah follows the destruction of the Ammonites, and that as a punishment for their possession of the land of Israel after their ejection, Jer. xlix. 1. so again of the Edumaeans, v. 7. of the Syrians of Damascus v. 23. of the Arabians, noted by Kedar, v. 28. But most expressly in the prophesy of Ezechiel c.xxv. where first the Ammonites are to be punished for their clapping their hands, and stamping with their feet, and rejoicing in heart, with all their despite against the land of Israel, v. 6. and 10. then the Moabites v. 8. for saying, Behold the house of Judah is like to all the heathen, i. e. for triumphing and rejoicing over her affliction: then the Edumaeans v. 13. and lastly the philistines, because they dealt by revenge, and took vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy Israel for the old hatred or enmity that was betwixt them, v. 15. And so it fared also with Tyre Ezech. xxvi. because Tyrus hath said against Jerusalem, Aha, she is broken that was the gates of the people; I shall be replenished, now she is laid wast, v. 2. All which put together, 1. the conjunction of all these in this desolation of the Jews by the Assyrians, the former enmities, and frequent invasions and wars of all these against the Jews, 2. and the not only rejoicing at it, but partaking of the spoils of it, 3. the destructions which soon befell them as a punishment thereof, may serve for a key to let us in to the full importance of this Psalm, which will best be divided into these two parts, the conjunction and continual( not any one single) conspiration of the enemies of God against his people, and the destructions that at last attended them, v. 9, 10. &c.  
V. 10. Endor] {untranscribed Hebrew} Endor is not mentioned in the story to which this passage of the discomfiture of Jabin's host and slaughter of Sisera belongs, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Jud. iv. yet appears Jos. xvii. 11. to be part of the portion that fell to Manasses. Now to this adjoined Taanach and Megiddo, as is expressed in that place of Joshua. And in Deborah's song we find that this fight with the King of Canaan was in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, Jud. v. 19. and so it will not be strange, that they should here be affirmed to have perished at Endor, which so near joins to those places.  
V. 11. Nobles] {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} voluntary, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  ingenuous, liberal, is the title not of Nobles only, but especially of Rulers or Princes, to whom that quality so properly belongs, and so well becomes, and bears analogy to that of {untranscribed Hebrew} benefactors Lu. xxii. 25.( see note c. on that Chapter.)  
V. 12. Houses] That {untranscribed Hebrew} in Piel signifies to desire, and {untranscribed Hebrew} in Niphal, desirable, faire, beautiful( for which the rabbins use {untranscribed Hebrew}, and {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew}) there is no doubt. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  From this {untranscribed Hebrew} here doth regularly come, and not from {untranscribed Hebrew}, and in this sense the word is used, Ps. xxxiii. 1. {untranscribed Hebrew}, praise is comely, {untranscribed Hebrew}, say the Lxxii. So xciii. 5. {untranscribed Hebrew} holiness is comely for thy house, and Isa. Lii. 7. How {untranscribed Hebrew} beautiful? And so the Chaldee understands it here, {untranscribed Hebrew} all the bravery or ornaments of God, from the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} ornatus est( as Ezek. vii. 20. the Sanctuary is styled {untranscribed Hebrew} the glory or beauty of his ornament, in the same word which the Chaldee here useth.) The latin render them duly omne mundum; but the Syriack seems to have misread the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} cities, for {untranscribed Hebrew} mundum, and accordingly they red {untranscribed Hebrew} City. But the Jewish Arab reads the dwelling places of God, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the arabic {untranscribed Hebrew}, that answereth to {untranscribed Hebrew} in Hebrew, signifying to dwell, and making it probable that the root in Hebrew also might have that signification. And the Lxxii. seem to have expressed this notion, reading {untranscribed Hebrew} altar, and so the arabic and Aethiopick; or as other copies have it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, Sanctuary, which the latin follows, and red Sanctuarium. This therefore may well be the meaning of the {untranscribed Hebrew} here, the Sanctuary or Temple of God,( especially if the Psalm be understood of the Assyrian invasion, for that fell heavy on the Temple) the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}( very easily transmuted into the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew}) that beautiful fabric, set apart to his service. There is yet another notion wherein {untranscribed Hebrew} is oft used for pastures, or feeding grounds, and hath frequently the addition of {untranscribed Hebrew} wilderness, or desert, by which title the Jews call all land that was untilled. So Joel i. 19. the pastures of the wilderness, the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} the beautiful places, and Jer. ix. 10. {untranscribed Hebrew}, the paths; but Jer. xxiii. 10. {untranscribed Hebrew} the feeding-places of the wilderness, and Joel ii. 22. {untranscribed Hebrew}, the fields of the desert. And in this sense tis possible it should be here taken, in reference to the Scenitae, Arabians, and Moabites( if the Psalm belong to their war in Jehosaphat's time) whose wealth was their cattle, and not being content with their own pastures, they would take these pastures and fat demeans of God into their Common. Thus the Midianites had done, Jud. vi. 5. for they came up with their cattle, and their tents, &c. and the story of Gideon in repelling these, and taking Oreb and Zeeb, Jud. vii. 25. is here mentioned v. 11. and to the mention of them it here follows immediately, Who said, Let us take to ourselves these {untranscribed Hebrew} whether beauties, ornaments, or pastures of God in possession. Which, if it belong to those Midianites in Judges, cannot be applicable to the Temple: And if it belong to the Moabites &c. in Jehoshaphat's time, then still this circumstance of the persons to whom 'tis applied, makes this interpretation the more probable, in case the Psalm belong to that war, wherein the Moabites and Ammonites were the principal, who probably most affencted these their pastures.  
V. 13. Wheel] What {untranscribed Hebrew} here signifies, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  must be uncertain, because of the ambiguity of the word {untranscribed Hebrew}, which as it signifies a wheel, so it is also used for straws, stubble, dust, or chaff, &c. which, because of its lightness, is tossed and turned and carried away by the wind, according to the primitive notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} to turn. In this latter sense the word is found Isa. xvii. 13. as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, {untranscribed Hebrew} and as galgal before the whirlwind. The Chaldee there retain the very Hebrew word {untranscribed Hebrew} in what notion soever belongs to that word; but the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} the dust of the wheel, and so the arabic from them, and the Syriack to the same sense {untranscribed Hebrew}, which the translator there duly renders festuca; and so the Syriack word signifies without any question( Mat. vii. 3. where for {untranscribed Hebrew} mote in thy brothers eye, they red {untranscribed Hebrew}. Thus Abu Walid saith that {untranscribed Hebrew} is here {untranscribed Hebrew} small motes or pieces of any thing, lying on the ground, as of straw, &c. which he saith is manifest by {untranscribed Hebrew}, which follows, though, saith he, some render it in the notion of wheel, by a manifest error, though an ancient one. So the Jewish Arab renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} as small dusts that one scatters with his hand, or scatterings of things. And thus the learned Val. Schindler understands it in this place, and then there can be no difficulty in the whole passage; {untranscribed Hebrew} as motes or chaff will be all one with {untranscribed Hebrew} as motes( the English word of great affinity with the Hebrew) and stubble, which is joined with it in Isaiah, and {untranscribed Hebrew} to the same sense here. In Isaiah, they will be chased as the {untranscribed Hebrew} of the mountains before the wind, and like the {untranscribed Hebrew} before the whirlwind; where {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} seem to differ as little as wind and whirlwind. And here only the order inverted, and {untranscribed Hebrew} for {untranscribed Hebrew}, make them as {untranscribed Hebrew} and as {untranscribed Hebrew}, as chaff and as stubble before the wind. And thus the rendering is very natural. And yet after all this, none of the ancient interpreters adhere to this notion, but render it in the former( as Abu Walid truly observed of the ancients) that of a wheel; so the Chaldee with a large paraphrase to express this to be their meaning, as a wheel {untranscribed Hebrew}— which is turned and moved and never stands still in a declivity. The Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} as a wheel; the Syriack as {untranscribed Hebrew}, the word which they certainly use for a wheel Eccl. xii. 6. Isa. xxviii. 28. and Ezech. xxiii. 24. And so the latin, pone eos ut rotam, and the arabic and Aethiopick, set them as a wheel. And in reverence to this concurrent judgement of all these, together with the Interlinear and our modern translators, it will not be amiss to retain this notion of wheel, yet so as may best agree with the context, and with the mention of wheels when it is joined with chaff &c. in other places. For the wheel was the instrument used in husbandry for the beating the corn out of the straw, and breaking the straw into small parts, {untranscribed Hebrew} Isa. xxviii. 28. the threshing-wheels of a cart: see the manner of it largely set down in Annot. on Mat. iii. 1. And then the phrase in this sense will be very intelligible and expressive also, if only we be careful to observe, that the wheel here is the instrument of breaking or threshing, and so that the words must be thus rendered, not make them ut rotam, as a wheel, i. e. as a wheel is made, but, make them ut rota, as a wheel makes other things, i. e. as a wheel deals with the corn, so shalt thou deal with them, thrash and break them in pieces. So shall we find the phrase in that eminent place Isa. xxviii. 28. Corn is bruised, because he will not ever be threshing it, nor breaking it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen: where the wheel is the agent( and not the patient) that which breaks. This was needful to be advertised; because in the next word {untranscribed Hebrew} like the chaff or stubble before the wind, the chaff is the patient( and not the agent) that which is driven away by the wind, after the wheel hath done its execution upon the sheaves, threshed out the corn, broken the straw, for then what remains, but that the dust and chaff, and all that is good for nothing, be winnowed, and carried away with the wind? What their manner of winnowing was, is also at large set down Annot. on Mat. iii. 1. And from thence this 14th verse explained, as far as the flames setting the mountains on fire, not burning the earth or body of the mountains, but only burning the chaff which is winnowed from the corn upon the threshing-floor, situate for that turn on some eminent place, and so making a flamme upon the mountain. This being without question the meaning of that latter part of v. 14. it is most probable that it should belong also to the former. All the difficulty is in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which we render a wood( and may be thought to refer to fire burning wood) but signifies any open place, where grass and trees grow, a forest, &c. so Ps. cxxxii. 6. where we render {untranscribed Hebrew} the wood, 'tis certain the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite is meant by it, for there we know the Temple was built; and so 1 King. vii. 2. we render {untranscribed Hebrew} forest, the house of the forest of Lebanon, Solomons own house being near the Temple, in that tract of ground( not in that wood) called Lebanon, where the tall cedars grew. The Chaldee there renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} a house of pleasure or summer-house for the Kings, such as was wont to be in the freest and coolest air. The same is Mic. iii. 12. called the mountain of the house {untranscribed Hebrew} on the high place of the forest. And then this very well agrees to the matter in hand, the forest and the mountain being in effect as to this use, all one, both of them open places, where the wind comes and drives away the dust and chaff( especially when it is the higher part of the foreste, such as that floor of Araunah was) and such as were generally set apart for this purpose. And so for the fire to burn the foreste, is no more than the flames burning the mountains, both of them to express the conclusion of a threshing, when the chaff hath the fire set to it, and is burnt all up, that it be not, upon the turning of the wind, blown back on the corn again: of which see more, Annot. on Mat. iii. i. That both these verses 13. and 14. entirely belong to this one matter, the threshing and winnowing, and burning the chaff consequent to it, appears by the {untranscribed Hebrew} or application of the similitude v. 15. so persecute them with thy tempest, and terrify them with thy storm or whirlwind, which hath no propriety to any other notion of the words but that of winnowing.  
V. 18. Whose name is Jehovah] The construction of the words in the close of the Psalm lies most probably thus, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and they shall know, i. e. it shall be known by this means, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thou art thy name Jehovah, i. e. that thou art what thy name Jehovah imports; and what that is, is expounded in the remainder of the verse, {untranscribed Hebrew}— thou only the high over all the earth, that being indeed the meaning of Jehovah, the infinite, eternal, and so onely supreme power over all the world. But it is possible that before {untranscribed Hebrew} thy name, some preposition( as 'tis ordinary) is understood, and so it will be rendered more expressly, to the same sense, that thou, according to thy name Jehovah, art only, &c. Or because {untranscribed Hebrew} name is among the rabbis ordinarily used for God himself, therefore it will not be remote from Hebrew style, if {untranscribed Hebrew} be resolved to signify no more then Jehovah, and then this will be the rendering, that thou, Jehovah, art alone the most High—    

The Eighty Fourth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician upon Gittith, A Psalm for the sons of Coreh.  
The eighty fourth Psalm is the panting of a pious soul toward God, a pathetical expression of the benefits and joy of his public service, and an encouragement of the people to make the ways of passage thither from all quarters faire and passable. It seemeth to have been composed in some time of detention from, and deprivation of those advantages and privileges. It was set to the tune called Gittith,( see note on Psal, viii. a.) and committed to the Praefect of the music to be sung by the posterity of Coreh,( see Psal. xlii. 1.)  
1. How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!  
O omnipotent Lord, thou that rulest and dispensest all things by thine own power and wisdom, yet usest the ministry of thy celestial Angels herein, and hast whole armies of them perpetually ready for thy service, and most peculiarly makest use of their ministry in the place of thy public worship, there to presentiate and exhibit thyself to thy servants, to testify by them that thou residest there, as it were in thy Majesty, to set up a glorious tent among us( a type of thy promised incarnation, inhabiting and pitching thy tent in human flesh. joh. i. 14.) what condition can be so desirable or valuable, so honourable or joyous, as this, to be thus admitted unto thy presence, and enjoy the divine effects and benefits of it?  
2. My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh 
shouteth to  a crieth out for the living God.  
Of this none is more sensible than those which are deprived of these felicities: and this is our portion at this time, which raiseth our desires to an holy impatience, and vehement panting thirst( see Psal. xlii. 1.) a most earnest pursuit of this so great a dignity, of being, after so long an exclusion, admitted to this thy throne of grace, thy divine most comfortable presence, without which we faint and are ready to die, our life is no life, but a melancholy image of death without it. To this therefore we aspire with all our most ardent affections, and as with a shout or jubilation excite one another to the most passionate pursuit of it.  
3. Yea the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thy altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.  
Now that we are deprived of this felicity, the silly birds( whose happiness we have reason to envy) are permitted to inhabit there; no place that they seem so ambitious to choose, to build their nest and lay their young ones in, as those which were wont to be honoured with thy presence among thy servants( as if the protection which was wont to be afforded us upon our addresses to God, were by them especially hoped for there.) O that thou wouldst be pleased of thine infinite power and goodness, to afford us that dignity which those little birds, the sparrow and swallow, are now principally partakers of.  
4. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house; they shall be still praising thee, Selah.  
O what a blessedness do they enjoy, that are allowed those celestial privileges of thy constant solemn service, to divide their years betwixt praying and praising, petitioning and receiving thy mercies, and then returning their devoutest acknowledgements to thee at the solemn festivals;  
5. Blessed is the man 
who hath strength in thee,  whose strength is in thee, 
the high ways are in their hearts, or in the midst of them.  in 
b.  whose heart are the ways of them:  
Who place all their trust and confidence in thy aids, and seek them from thee in thy Temple, the place of thy peculiar residence; who are always full of devout thoughts of going up thither to the sacred solemnities, and of fitting the high ways for commodious passage to themselves and others,( or that have free liberty to resort thither.)  
6. Who passing through 
c.  the 
mulberry-valley, or valley of weeping, turn it into a spring, even when the rain filleth, or covereth—  valley of Bacha, make it a well, the rain also filleth the pools.  
Which by trenching and draining the most wet and watery valleys, make the way very passable, in the moistest season, from every corner of the land to Jerusalem.  
7. They go from 
valley to valley, the God of Gods shall appear in Sion.( see note c.)  strength to strength; every one of them in Sion appeareth before God.  
And so go up cheerfully and unanimously and devoutly on their road, from one stage to another, and at length come to that amiable and desirable place, where God is so graciously pleased to exhibit and presentiate himself.( And so in the antitype of the Sanctuary, the Christian Church, there is no doubt but he will give grace, and that abundantly, to all that ask, and knock, and persevere in an holy obedience to his directions, to seek and beg it of him in Christ.)  
8. O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob, Selah.  
Thou therefore that fittest and rulest in the midst of all thine armies of Angels, and by them sendest down thy blessings, as oft as they bear up our prayers to thee, that hast obliged thyself in a peculiar manner to protect this thy chosen people, and in token thereof vouchsafest to be called their God; I beseech thee to harken to and grant this prayer of mine for the free and cheerful return of thy people to the place of thy solemn and holy worship.  
9. Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed.  
Thou art our onely God, our onely protector and defender, we beseech thee in mercy to behold and receive the petition, to grant the prayer of our sovereign whom thou with thine holy oil hast inaugurated, and by thy special providence appointed to be King over us.  
10. For a day in thy Courts is better than a thousand: I had rather 
lie at the threshold.  be a 
d.  dorekeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.  
It is infinitely more desirable and valuable to spend one day in thy presence, and service in the place where thou art pleased peculiarly to exhibit thyself, than a thousand dayes in any other condition, deprived of this privilege and advantage; more eligible to lie at the threshold, in the most abject condition of nearness to this palace of thine, than to have all the pomp and glory of any the most splendid worldly condition, and to be withheld from this liberty, as men excommunicated and separated from thy presence.  
11. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.  
For this God of ours that there exhibits himself, is the spring of all light and strength, directs us in our way and defends us in it; he will not only pity and deliver, but even advance and dignify, and heap all abundance of blessings, both corporal and spiritual in this life, and eternal in another life, on all those that faithfully adhere to him, and constantly observe his commandments.( Surely God heareth not sinners, but him that is a worshipper of God, and doth his will, him he heareth, denieth him no request which is truly for his avail to have granted him.)  
12. O Lord God of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.  
O thou blessed omnipotent Lord of all Majesty, how unspeakably great and valuable is that one felicity, which consists in a constant adherence to and dependence on thee? He that is thus united to the fountain of all good things, can never stand in need of any thing that is truly profitable or desirable.  

Annotations on Psalm LXXXIV.  
V. 3. crieth out] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to cry aloud, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  vociferate or jubilate, is {untranscribed Hebrew} here,& it is used either for grief, but especially for joy and exultation: the Lxxii. fitly render it by {untranscribed Hebrew} exceeding joy. And being here joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} to, it hath a special notation, such as is taken from the custom of mariners, or souldiers, or husbandmen; the first of which when they loose from land into the ocean, set sail with a shout; the second when they assault their enemies, encourage one another with a shout, when they have gotten the victory, express their joy with a shout; the third when they conclude their harvest, do it with a shout, called therefore proverbially( Isa. ix. 3.) the joy in harvest: And so when they went up to the feasts at Jerusalem, they went with an holy jubilation, or shout. And this seems to be the full importance of the phrase in this place, My heart and my flesh, my rational, and even carnal sensitive faculties shout to the living God, are ardently desirous of thus going up to the Sanctuary, are ready with their {untranscribed Hebrew} ovations and vociferations( when they be allowed that favour) to go up to the presence of this living God, the joy of their very life, whose gracious assistance and exhibition of himself is the only tenor they have in all kind of prosperity.  
V. 5. Hearts] The difficulties of this verse may possibly be removed by remembering the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  not only for the heart, but by metaphor( being oft applied to those things that have no heart) for the middle. So {untranscribed Hebrew} Ion. ii. 3. not into the heart, but the midst of the seas. So Deut iv. 11. the mountain burnt with fire to the {untranscribed Hebrew}( not heart, but) midst of heaven. 2 Sam. xviii. 14. Absolom was alive {untranscribed Hebrew} in the midst of the oak. So Jer. Li. 1. inhabitants of the {untranscribed Hebrew}( not heart, but) midst of them that rise up against me. And if {untranscribed Hebrew} may thus, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  with the learned Grotius, be rendered here in the midst of them, then the passage will be clear, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Blessed is the man {untranscribed Hebrew}, literaly strength or( as the Lxxii. and Syriack and latin {untranscribed Hebrew}—) help to him in thee, i. e. which hath in thee strength, help, or protection, being allowed liberty( as the former part of the Psalm determins the sense) to resort to Gods Sanctuary, which is sometimes called {untranscribed Hebrew}, and from whence that protection and aid in all exigencies may be had. Then follows to the same sense {untranscribed Hebrew} paths, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  or highways, fossewayes, or causeys( from {untranscribed Hebrew} to raise or pave a way with ston) {untranscribed Hebrew} ascents, i. e. ways of going up to the Sanctuary, in the midst of them, i. e. who have such highways, free liberty to go up to the holy assembly in the midst of them; or( if {untranscribed Hebrew} must signify their hearts) who take care and look to the maintenance of these causeyes, in order to the sacred assemblies, which they that are deprived of that privilege of going up to them most sadly bemoan the want of. When Jerusalem became the Metropolis of Judaea, the roads to it, upon civil grounds, were to be made large and passable; but when the Temple was built there, and by the law the whole nation obliged thrice every year to resort thither, this was now, upon weightier reasons, to be provided for. Especially considering that Judaea was a mountainous, uneven country, where the brooks in the valleys upon any fall of rain were apt to swell, so as to be hardly passable. And therefore among the causes for a {untranscribed Hebrew} intercalation of a month, and alteration of the seasons of the festivals thereby, the chief that are set down by 
Hilch. Kid.  Maimonides, are {untranscribed Hebrew} because of the ways,( when in respect of them occasion requires it,) {untranscribed Hebrew} and because of the bridges. And the same Maimonides tells us Hilch. Roths. c. 8. that for the maintenance of the ways every year at the 15. of the month Adar, Commissioners were sent out to look to the repairs of bridges, causeyes &c. This makes it not unreasonable to suppose that the ways to the Temple should here be mentioned, in reference to those sacred solemnities, as when Lam. i. 4. 'tis said The ways of Zion mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts. And then as it is a felicity to have the use of these ways, so must it also have been an act of piety in any to take care of them, that they might be serviceable to this end, for themselves and others. And to this purpose also the next verse will be best interpnted: see note c. Abu Walid seems to take {untranscribed Hebrew} for strengths, and interprets it of strong and firm resolutions. Kimchi in his Roots renders it high praises. The Jewish Arab expresses the whole passage by {untranscribed Hebrew} whose hearts are sincere.  
6. Valley of Bacha] From {untranscribed Hebrew} flevit is {untranscribed Hebrew} weeping, and in arabic {untranscribed Hebrew}. And from this notion of the word the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} the valley of weeping, and the Vulgar Lachrymarum, of tears; and the Chaldee seems to follow that sense. Our latter interpreters here make use of the notion {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  for a mulberry-tree( and the Jewish Arab telling us in a note that it is a valley in Syria Damascena, yet renders it {untranscribed Hebrew}, as much as to say, the valley of plumb-trees) so 2 Sam. v. 23. over against {untranscribed Hebrew} the mulberry-trees; and so again v. 24. where the Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew} trees. The use of the word must probably be deduced from the sort of the soil where mulberry-trees grow. For of them it is observable that they use to grow( not in dry and waterless soils, as vulgar Interpreters would fancy, but) peculiarly in low grounds or valleys( non temere in montibus, saith Pliny l. xvi. c. 18.) in a fat and moist soil, say the Herbalists. And so, if that were the rendering here, the passing through the mulberry valley would fitly signify passing through a low and wet and moist place, which according to the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} is by us called a weeping ground. The Syriack here red {untranscribed Hebrew}, which will best be rendered, they passed through, or by, or into profound weeping; yet thereby meaning not tears from mens eyes so probably as waters overflowing the ground by which they past; for so Job xxviii. 11. {untranscribed Hebrew} he bindeth the floods from weeping, is by us duly rendered from overflowing. So again Job xxxviii. 16. we have {untranscribed Hebrew}( from the same theme) the Interlinear reads fletus maris, the weeping of the sea: It signifies most probably the waters that distil from thence( as tears from the eyes) and pass by secret meatus in the earth. The Lxxii. reads {untranscribed Hebrew} the spring of the sea. And then by analogy with these, we shall best render the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} through the valley of weeping, or the moist and weeping valley. And to make or turn that into a spring( so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies, they make it a well, or turn it into a spring,) is by casting up earth and trenching it( as the fens with us are drained) to render it a spring, the water whereof having gained a regular course, becomes a stream, passable in the deep of winter, when, as here it follows, the rain covers or fills the pools. So those words will best be rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} yea, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  or though, or even where the rain covers the pools. The ambiguity of the words {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} have caused very various rendrings of these words. But as {untranscribed Hebrew} from one notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} in Hiphil, for teaching, signifies a law-giver, and so is by the Lxxii. rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, so from another notion of it for watering, it certainly signifies rain, so Joel ii. 23. he will give {untranscribed Hebrew} the rain, and again {untranscribed Hebrew} the early and latter rain; and so in proportion with the valley, and the weeping, or wateriness foregoing, it must be thought to signify here. And so likewise as {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} benedixit, signifies benediction, and is rendered by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} blessing; so not only the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew}, but with the same points as here, the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} is used for a pool Jud. i. 15. give me {untranscribed Hebrew} not a blessing, but the pool, for thou hast given me a south land or dry land; and so it there expressly follows, give me also {untranscribed Hebrew} springs of waters. And so this well connects with the former part of this verse, they shall make the mulberry-valley or weeping-valley a spring, drain it and make it passable in a channel or water-course, and that even after the fall of the greatest reins, when the pools are swollen and filled highest; this being the benefit of the fosse-wayes, forementioned v. 5. This is the most probable interpretation of the verse, in perfect accord with the former, and the design of the Psalm in magnifying the felicities of those that are allowed the liberty of the sacred assemblies at Jerusalem. And to the same sense follows in the next verse, {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall walk or proceed from valley to valley( so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies 1 King. xxi. 23. {untranscribed Hebrew} in the valley of Jezreel: so in the Targum Isa. xxviii. 2. {untranscribed Hebrew} the valley of fatness) or perhaps from trench to trench( for so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Psal. cxxii. 7. is rendered by the Interlinear, in antemurali tuo, in thy trench without the wall: so Lam. ii. 8. Nahum iii. 8.) expressing the convenience of their journey through all those most suspected and naturally impassable places, by the help of trenches, or by means of these fosse-wayes, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  till at length {untranscribed Hebrew} the God of Gods shall appear, or be seen, or beholded in Sion, i. e. shall show or reveal himself graciously to them there; or as Jehovah jire signifies Gen. xxii. 8. shall provide, and take care of them, as he will be sure to do of all faithful servants of his, that address themselves to him there, in his Temple or Sanctuary.  
V. 11. Doorkeeper] From {untranscribed Hebrew} threshold is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to sit or ly at or on the threshold, when one is not admitted into the house, in a vile and abject condition. The Lxxii. here renders {untranscribed Hebrew}, to be cast down in the house of God, to lye as a Lazar at the door, or as the {untranscribed Hebrew} in the ancient Church, which lay prostrate without the door of the Church, to beseech the prayers of them that enter there, being themselves unworthy to be admitted thither. The Targum reads {untranscribed Hebrew} to cleave to the house, i. e. to lye fastened to the door of the house, which is not the office of the Nethinim or door-keepers, that were admitted in, but the condition of the vilest person that is shut out of the Temple, only is admitted to lye and beg mercy at the entrance into it. And this the Psalmist much prefers before any the most flourishing worldly condition of those that are kept at a greater distance from it.    

The Eighty Fifth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician, A Psalm for the sons of konrah.  
The eighty fifth Psalm is a thankful acknowledgement of Gods mercy in returning their captivity, and an humble importunate prayer for the confirming, continuing, and perfecting this mercy to them. It hath some degree of propriety to Davids return to Jerusalem after his flight from Absolom, but much more to the dayes of Ezra and Nehemiah, after the captivity. It was committed to the Praefect of the music, to be sung by the posterity of Coreh.  
1. Lord, thou hast been favourable to thy land; thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.  
2. Thou hast 
a.  forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.  
3. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath, thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thy anger.  
It is thy special mercy and compassion to us, O Lord, that we that were chased and carried captive from our country, are now restored to it again. Our sins that brought these sad effects of thy displeasure upon us, thou hast now been pleased to pardon, and so being reconciled to us, of thine own abundant free grace and mercy, to release us from those severe punishments, which have most justly lain upon us for our provoking offences.  
4. turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.  
From thee, O blessed Lord, all our deliverance proceeds; be thou pleased to interpose thy hand, to perfect this work of mercy and reconciliation and restauration, which thou hast so graciously begun for us, and pardon the deviations that since our return we have most unexcusably been guilty of.  
5. Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thy anger to all generations?  
6. Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people may rejoice in thee?  
We have long been exercised under thy sharp hand of punishments, and almost been tempted to despair of any release either to ourselves or our posterities; and since thou hast brought us back to our country, our new fresh provocations have again withheld thy loving kindness from us, cast back the work of rebuilding thy Temple. O be thou now pleased, as thou hast begun to give us some essay of thy mercy, to perfect and complete it to us, to restore unto us that life and pleasure and joy, which we were wont to enjoy in approaching to and attending on thee in thy Sanctuary.  
7. show us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation.  
This is a divine work of mercy and deliverance, O Lord, be thou graciously pleased to afford it us.  
8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: 
b.  
and they shall not, or let them not—  but let them not turn again to folly.  
And this I am confident thou wilt now do in return to our prayers, if we be but duly qualified to receive so great a mercy, sincerely penitent for our former sins, faithfully resolved on a new and holy life, and continue constant in these vows of never relapsing to our former provoking sins: All which we shall after such correction certainly be careful to perform, if we be not the most stupid fools in the world.  
9. Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.  
God certainly on his part will be most ready to perfect this mercy to us, that thy Temple may be rebuilt, and the glorious majestatick presence or inhabitation of God may return and be resettled in Jerusalem; if we only be on our parts careful to qualify ourselves for the receiving it, by sincere reformation, and persevering obedience to his divine precepts.  
10. 
c.  Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.  
Let us be careful to approve the sincerity of our obedience to God, and he will certainly crown that with his mercies, all felicity and prosperity.  
11. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven.  
Let our hearts fructify in good works, and God will cherish and reward them.  
12. Yea the Lord shall give that which is good, and our land shall yield her increase.  
These two things shall never be separated, our bringing forth fruits of righteousness, and Gods heaping all manner of good upon us.  
13. Righteousness shall go before him, and 
he shall set his steps in, or to the way: see note c.  shall set us in the way of his steps.  
Our duty it is to walk obediently before him, and then he will follow in performing his part of the Covenant of mercy, bring us to all that is desirable or valuable to us.  

Annotations on Psalm LXXXV.  
V. 2. Forgiven the iniquity] {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  literally thou hast born, or taken away iniquity, is by the Chaldee rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} pardonned,( and so by the Syriack) by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} remitted. And this, with all that follows, of covering their sin, taking away his wrath, &c. a lively expression of what went before, v. 1. the bringing back their captivity. It is a maxim among the Jewish Doctors, that Captivity is one way of expiation, and so to return from thence was a sure indication that the sin, for which it was inflicted, was remitted, or done away. This, saith 
on Levit. xvi.  Abarbanel, was obumbrated in the Azazel, or scape-goat, which, as the other that was slain, was a sin-offering, as appears Lev. 16. v. 5. He shall take— two kids for a sin-offering— And then the confessing the sins over him, mentioned v. 21.( Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel &c. putting them on the head of the goat: And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities into a land of separation, v. 22.) shows that they were to carry their sins with them into the land of their captivity, meant by the {untranscribed Hebrew} the land of separation, that land, whatsoever it was, whither the divine providence had designed their deportation. From whence therefore being now returned, their sins for which they were thus punished, are supposed to be left behind them, no more to be laid to their charge, if their return to their former sins do not cause them to be called to remembrance. Thus indeed they did, as appears by the books of Ezra c. ix. 1. and Nehem. c. v. and c. xiii. and that gave sufficient occasion as for the fast Ezra ix. 3. and Nehem. ix. 1. so for the earnest deprecations here following in this Psalm v. 4.  
V. 8. Not turn to folly] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and they shall not, or, and let them not return to folly,( which the Chaldee and Syriack render to that sense) the Lxxii. have {untranscribed Hebrew}, and to them that turn their heart to him, and the latin, & ad eos qui convertuntur ad cor, and to them that are converted or returned to their heart. This they seem to have drawn from some affinity of the Hebrew words, which with some light changes produce this, reading for {untranscribed Hebrew} not, {untranscribed Hebrew} to, and so joining it in construction with {untranscribed Hebrew}( twice foregoing;) and for {untranscribed Hebrew} to folly, {untranscribed Hebrew} the heart, Selah: which because it still makes an imperfect sense, and to them that turn the heart, Selah, they have therefore supplied the seeming Ellipsis, the Lxxii. by addition of {untranscribed Hebrew} to him, i. e. to God, the latin by inserting ad before cor, returning to the heart, which is a phrase to signify repentance or resipiscence, growing wise again( and so better agrees with the Hebrew, which indeed signifies, not returning to folly.) That they thus did red the Hebrew words, is not so likely, as that by occasion of this affinity of phrases they thus thought fit to paraphrase the Hebrew, which is not unusual with them in other places. And in this place, though the words be quiter changed, the sense doth not suffer much by this paraphrase, this being on both sides the condition of Gods removing his judgements, that they which receive them be sincerely penitent, and then they will not return again to the folly of their former ways of sin.  
V. 10. Mercy and truth] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  truth, from {untranscribed Hebrew} fidus fuit, is frequently used for fidelity, and is all one with {untranscribed Hebrew} in the passive sense for faithfulness, and in that notion doth well agree with {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  righteousness in the latter part of the verse( and is by the Lxxii. rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} righteousness, Gen. xxiv. 49. Isa. xxxix. 19.) as {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  mercy, and {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  peace( all prosperity given us by God) are in effect all one also. And then the meeting of these pairs, mercy and truth or fidelity, and( by way of {untranscribed Hebrew}, very frequent in Scripture) of righteousness and peace, will signify the performance on Gods part proportionable to the qualification on ours: where truth or fidelity is made good towards God, there mercy will undoubtedly be had from him; where righteousness on our part, there peace on Gods, i. e. all the felicity and prosperity imaginable. This rendering of the place is most agreeable to the matter here in hand, the confidence that God will pardon their sins which unfeignedly return to him, v. 7, 8, 9. And to the same purpose is that which follows v. 11. As truth or uprightness( sincere reformation) springs out, and ascends from the earth, the hearts of men, the proper soil for it to grow in; so shall {untranscribed Hebrew} righteousness in the other notion, very frequent, that for mercy( and to pass from one notion of a word to another is an elegance, and no rarity in these writings) look down from heaven, as the sun doth upon the world, when it sheds its influences upon it, and cherishes the germina or sprouts, all productions of the earth here below. And so again v. 12. to the Lords giving {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the good, indefinitely, i. e. all good things, is annexed, our land shall give {untranscribed Hebrew}. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  The word signifies from {untranscribed Hebrew} in Hiphil, produxit, all the sorts of fruits which the earth brings forth, and by analogy with v. 11. where Truth was to sprout out of the earth, must signify that sort of fruit or productions, i. e. truth, or sincerity of obedience to God; and so that again( by way of regressus, naming that first which had been last, and that last which had been first) is all one with v. 11. in the notion we have assigned it. And once more v. 13. Righteousness, in the notion of v. 10. uprightness and fidelity, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  shall go or walk {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  before his face, i. e. the face of God, mentioned in the former verse; {untranscribed Hebrew} and he, i. e. God, shall set {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  his feet {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to the way, {untranscribed Hebrew} into the way say the Lxxii. i. e. shall follow after, where righteousness goes before; having such a Prodromus or Usher, to prepare the way before him, God will solemnly and in state come on in the Procession, as Psal. Lxxxix. 14. mercy and truth are said to go before the face of God, as Heralds to engage his following after. The Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} shall set him {untranscribed Hebrew} in a good way, i. e. set him at liberty, in a prosperous condition, rescue, and return the captivity of them that walk uprightly before him. All these but various expressions( as in a poem it is ordinary) of the same thing, Gods never failing to return in mercy to them that sincerely convert to him by repentance. The Jewish Arab reads this last verse in another sense, They that seek equity or justice, shall walk before him, and shall set their steps in his ways; as likewise before, v. 10. the people of goodness and truth have met together, &c. But the former sense is more probable.    

The Eighty Sixth Psalm.  
A Prayer of David.  
The eighty sixth Psalm was composed by David in some time of distress, probably in his flight from Absolom, and is a mixture of ardent prayer to God, and full indisturbed reliance on him, and adoration of his power and mercy.  
1. Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: I am poor and needy.  
2. Preserve my soul, 
a.  for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.  
3. Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I cry unto thee daily.  
4. rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.  
O God of all mercy, that never failest to hear and answer the prayers of those that being in distress address themselves to thy throne of grace, with humble obedient and devout hearts, with full reliance and affiance on thee, with constancy and perseverance in fervent prayer, I that am qualified by my present distress and want of thy supplies to receive this mercy from thee, that have been wonderfully favoured by thee, and do with all reverence, and yet also with confidence, and importunately, and constantly, and ardently poure out my petitions before thee, beseech thee at length that thou wilt harken unto me, rescue me out of my present distress, refresh and comfort me in my affliction.  
5. For thou, Lord, art good and 
pardoning {untranscribed Hebrew}  ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.  
For it is thy property to hear and answer prayers, and most graciously to pardon the sins of all humble suppliants, and to abound to them in mercy and benignity.  
6. Give ear, O Lord to my prayer; and attend the voice of my supplications.  
And hereon I found my trust and importunity, that thou wilt now grant this my petition.  
7. In the day of my 
distress {untranscribed Hebrew}  trouble I will call upon thee, for thou wilt answer me.  
When I am in the greatest streights, then, as in thy special opportunity, I address my prayers unto thee, being then most confident that thou wilt give me an answer of mercy.  
8. Among 
b.  the 
or, Angels  Gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.  
Of all the Angels in heaven, much more of the false heathen Idol gods, there is none fit to be compared with thee; their power to relieve is not comparable to thine, nor proportionably their readiness for such a work of mercy.  
9. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord, and shall glorify thy name.  
And this is so evident in thy works of creation( but especially in thy works of redemption, and thy strange providential dispensations, and interpositions of thy hand in behalf of thy servants) that all the blindest Idolatrous Gentiles may therein discern reasons abundantly sufficient to convince them of thy power, and to bring them, as proselytes to thy worship, to aclowledge and magnify thy divine majesty; and so at length they shall do 
{untranscribed Hebrew}* {untranscribed Hebrew} this shall be in the dayes of the messiah. Kimchi.  in the dayes of the messiah.  
10. For thou art great, and dost wondrous things; thou art God alone.  
For to thee only belongs the sovereign commanding controlling power, to which all creatures yield their obedience, as being the one only God over all the world: None but thou only hast the privilege of working true miracles, of resisting the most puissant power of men, and so of rescuing the most disconsolate sufferers out of the utmost distresses.  
11. Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: 
c.  unite my heart to fear thy name.  
O Lord, let thy spirit direct and guide all the actions of my life, that they may be acceptable to thee, that I may uniformly practise what thou requirest: O be thou pleased to purge all hypocrisy out of my soul, that I may perform a sincere universal obedience to thy commands, not taking any interest of the world or flesh into competition with thee.  
12. I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all mine heart, and I will glorify thy name for evermore.  
13. For great is thy mercy toward me, and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.  
This I am sure is most perfectly due to thee, and with it all the praises and acknowledgements of my whole soul, and that for ever; It being a work of thy superabundant mercy toward me thy poor indigent, helpless, and withall most unworthy servant, that thou hast not permitted me to be swallowed up with that abyss of dangers that have encompassed me, but as yet preserved, and so in some degree delivered me out of them.  
14. O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies 
d.  of 
formidable, or p●tent.  violent men have sought after my soul, and have not set thee before them.  
For they are a sort of obstinate, and withall very numerous, powerful, and formidable enemies, that have set themselves purposely to destroy me, without any fear of thee, or imagination that thou wilt interpose any hindrance to the prosperous success of their designs.  
15. But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.  
But thou, O Lord, wilt undoubtedly relieve me, and discomfit them. Of this thy divine attributes assure me, who art so wholly made up of mercy and pity to them that are in distress, and cry to thee for help, that I cannot doubt of thy hearing and rescuing me at this time: and though thou deferrest the execution of thy wrath upon wicked doers, on purpose to reduce them by thy patience to repentance; yet when this work of thy long-sufferance and mercy proves ineffectual, when men go on impenitently and obstinately in their course, thy fidelity and performance to thy servants that are oppressed by such, as well as that sovereign property, thy mercy, oblige thee to discomfit and exemplarily to punish them, and relieve and deliver those that are oppressed by them.  
16. O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me: give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thy handmaid.  
Lord, if it be thy will, may this now be thy opportunity, to restore thy wonted mercies to me, to interpose thy power for my rescue, and deliver me thy most lowly servant out of these present dangers.  
17. show me a token for good, that they which hate me may see it and be ashamed; because thou, Lord, hast holpen me, and comforted me.  
Let thy savour and kindness toward me be now by some means, as thou shalt think good, signally and illustriously expressed, that it may be effectual to work a shane and reformation in mine enemies, so far at least, as to give over their malicious design, when they discern thee to espouse my cause, to take my part, to assist and support me against all their machinations.  

Annotations on Psalm LXXXVI.  
V. 2. For I am holy] The meaning of {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which we render, for I am holy, may deserve to be examined. The Chaldee directly follow the Hebrew words, and are to be interpnted by them, and give no help toward the understanding them. The LXXII. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, which is as literal, the very word {untranscribed Hebrew}, with an aspirate for ח( as {untranscribed Hebrew} with χ for ח) being most probably formed, by an easy change, from the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}: This signifying originally 1. piety, to God, 2. probity, 3. mercy or benignity, the Syriack, it seems, thought it so unreasonable for the Psalmist to affirm any of these of himself, that taking it in the third notion, that of goodness, as that is all one with mercy, they apply it not to the Psalmist, but to God, {untranscribed Hebrew} thou art good; and so the arabic also. That this was by them done either through change or misunderstanding the Hebrew, is not probable, when there is another notion of the word, which as it will best accord with this place, so it will perfectly justify this their rendering, that of {untranscribed Hebrew}( see note on Ps. iv. d.) one that hath found favour with God. This best accords with the rest of the titles here given to himself, poor and needy, v. 1. thy servant that trusteth in thee, v. 2. one that cries daily to thee, v. 3. that lifts up his soul to thee, v. 4. Which what are they but the description of Gods Eleemosynary, the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} elsewhere? Another possible notion of the word, and which recedes very little from this,( such as may be owned of the Psalmist speaking of himself) may be taken from Prov. ii. 8. For as here the prayer to God to keep or preserve his soul, is backed with this motive, for I am {untranscribed Hebrew}; so there the aphorism is delivered expressly, for he will preserve the way {untranscribed Hebrew} of his pious ones, which the Lxxii. render there {untranscribed Hebrew}, of them that revere, or fear, or worship him. In this sense it is used Psal. xxxii. 6. For this shall every {untranscribed Hebrew} pious, godly man( that fears or worships God) pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found; A promise again of Gods being found granting the requests of such as these, when they pray to him. And in this notion of the word, for one that fears and reveres and humbly addresseth his prayers to God, there will be no more difficulty for the Psalmist to say this of himself, than that he trusteth in him, in the end of the verse, cries daily to him, v. 3. lifts up his soul unto him, v. 4. calls upon him, v. 5. and 7. or that he prays and supplicates to him, v. 6.— And thus Ps. cxvi. 15. speaking of himself, precious, saith he, in the sight of the Lord is the death {untranscribed Hebrew} of his holy ones, those who depend, and wait and rely on him, in the former verses. Nor can it be strange that any or all of these should here be introduced with a {untranscribed Hebrew} for, as the grounds of his begging an audience to his prayers, when God, who though he be not obliged by the merits of our performances, is yet by the force of his own promise, hath promised to hear the prayers of such as come thus qualified to him. The Jewish Arab renders it, Preserve my soul, and I shall be pure.  
V. 8. The Gods] That by {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Gods {untranscribed Hebrew} high angels are to be here understood, is the gloss of the Targum, and so the word frequently signifies, see note on Psal. Lxxxii. b. yet the mention of all nations immediately following, and those evidently in the notion of the heathen Idolaters of the world, of whom it is said, that they shall come and worship thee, O Lord, i. e. forsake their Idols, and become proselytes to the true God, makes it reasonable to understand it here of those, whether good Angels or devills, which are by those nations adored, and prayed to, and depended on, that so the connexion may be evident, Among those Gods none is like to thee, O Lord; and consequently, All nations shall forsake them, and become worshippers of thee.  
V. 11. Unite] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  unite( retained also by the Chaldee,) the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}— Let my heart rejoice, reading it seems {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to rejoice, as when Job iii. 6. we red in the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} let it not rejoice, the Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} let it not be united, when yet the next verse determines it to the sense of joy, let no joyful voice come therein. Here the points differing, the rendering must in reason be as from {untranscribed Hebrew} univit, and note the contrary to hypocrisy, or unsincere, partial obedience, ordinarily expressed by the double heart.  
V. 14. Violent] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to fear or be frighted, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, and therefore is most literally to be rendered terrible or formidable. Yet Abu Walid and Kimchi among the significations of it, put fortis, potens; and accordingly the Lxxii. renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} powerful men, and the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew}, which as it signifies potent, so also cruel, oppressing men, from {untranscribed Hebrew} fortis& durus fuit.    

The Eighty Seventh Psalm.  
A Psalm or song for the sons of Corah.  
1. 
The foundation thereof, or The foundation or beginning thereof is on the hills of holiness.  His 
a.  foundation is in the holy mountain.  
The eighty seventh Psalm is a brief comparison, first betwixt Sion the place of Gods worship, and all Judaea besides; and then betwixt it and all other heathen people, particularly in respect of the numerousness of eminent persons in the one, above what was to be found in all the others. It seems to have been composed as a prophetic scheme to foretell the return of the Jews captivity( as Isa. liv. 1. &c.) and the great prosperity of Jerusalem consequent to it, and was designed to be sung by the posterity of Corah.  
2. The Lord loveth the gates of Sion, more than all the dwellings of Jacob.  
The Lord of heaven hath chosen one place on all the earth, wherein he is pleased to reside in a peculiar manner, to exhibit himself to his people that call upon him there; and as this he hath by promise determined to the cities of Judah, rather than any other nation upon the earth, so hath he now of all them chosen out Jerusalem, and on the north side thereof Psal. xlviii. 2. the hill of Sion, and there he appointed the Temple to be sumptuously and magnificently built, and many Schools of learning to be erected there.  
3. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.  
This then is the place of Gods residence( the emblem of his future incarnation, or inhabitation of his glorious Majesty among men, as also of the Christian Church, wherein God by his grace exhibits and presentiates himself) and all that ever have spoken of this place, have given it huge eulogies, for the beauty of the situation, beyond all other places, Psal. xlviii. 2.  
4. I will make mention of 
b.  Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia and Tyre, with 
c.  Aethiopia; 
this was  this man was born there.  
5. And of Sion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her; and the highest himself shall establish her.  
And if it be compared with all other nations, egyptians, Babylonians, philistines, Tyrians, and Arabians, the difference will be found very great, especially in respect of the number of eminent pious men produced by the one, much greater than in all the other. To which also must be added one supereminent advant●ge, viz. that the onely true God by his special presence and providence will continue this flourishing condition to this place above all others.  
6. The Lord shall count, 
in the writing or the book of the people, that this was—  when 
d.  he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah.  
7. 
But the singers as the minstrels shall count, all—  As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee.  
Among the nations very few can be found considerable for piety, and those discernible only by God, who exactly knows and considers every man living; whereas through Gods special favour to the Jews, in taking such care for the instructing them in his will, and engaging them to his service, the number of eminent knowing and pious men is so great, that the burden of the song, by which they are praised and celebrated, sounds to this sense, that whole fountains are here to be found, when all other places yield but their single drops; vast multitudes of pious men are here to be met with, and in comparison with them very few in all other nations.  

Annotations on Psalm LXXXVII.  
V. 1. Foundation] Of the meaning of this phrase here in the front {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  no judgement can be made, till it be first resolved what is the design of this Psalm. Herein the Hebrew interpreters do in a manner concur, that it is a panegyric on Sion: And if it be so, then probably this first verse is but a part of the title, thus, To the sons of Coreh, {untranscribed Hebrew} a Song-Canticle, or Canticle-Song, {untranscribed Hebrew} the beginning or foundation whereof {untranscribed Hebrew} is of, or on the hills of holiness, i. e. Gods holy hills, those of Sion, whereon the Temple was built, and of which the next verse( which must then be the first of the Psalm) begins expressly, The Lord loveth the gates of Sion— Thus from {untranscribed Hebrew} fundavit, {untranscribed Hebrew} is sometimes metaphorically used for a beginning, Ezr. vii. 9. The first day of the first month, which is {untranscribed Hebrew} the beginning of the going up out of Babel. And to this construction here the Chaldee accord, who red it thus conjoined in the title, By the hands of the sons of Coreh was said {untranscribed Hebrew} the Canticle that was founded. If this will not be allowed( as indeed beside the Lxxii. and Syriack and other interpreters, Kimchi, Sol. Jarchi, and Midrasch Tehillim agree to make the first verse a part not of the title but the Psalm) then still applying the Psalm to the Temple, {untranscribed Hebrew} will hold good in the ordidinary notion of a foundation, thus, The foundation thereof, i. e. of the Temple, is on the holy hills; so the Jewish Arab, A Psalm which is a description of the Sanctuary, the foundations of which are in the mountain of holiness.( but then His foundation will have no sense.) To this design of the Psalm, the Hebrew writers generally agreeing, I have thought best to accord the whole interpretation of the Psalm; yet I shall not omit to advertise the reader, that 'tis not improbable the Psalm should be of another scheme, a Carmen Genethliacon at the celebrating the nativity of some eminent person, pointed out to the Jews by God( such was Hezekiah, celebrated by the prophesy of Isaiah ch. ix. 6. To us a chi●de is born, &c.) And the use of these is known among the Jews as well as other nations, the Scripture having left us several copies of them, Hannahs hymn in the old Testament, Zacharies, and Simeons, and the Angels in the New. And if this should be the design of this Psalm, then {untranscribed Hebrew} will most probably be rendered, His original, beginning, extraction, is from the holy hills; the person whom we celebrate was born in the royal Palace, upon the holy hill, contiguous to the Temple, nothing being more frequent in such composures then the mention of the place of his birth. If this which professes to be but a conjecture should be deemed the right, it must then be consequent, that all the Psalm have an interpretation agreeable. As when v. 4. he saith {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  &c. it must then be rendered, not I will mention, but, I will attest Rahab, i. e. Aegypts, tires, Babels, and the Chushites Kings, 
see 2 Ki. xviii. 21.& xix. 9.& xx. 12.  confederate with this Prince( suppose Hezechiah) who were jealous of the Assyrian greatness, and secured of so formidable an enemy by his defeat before Jerusalem, and so were fit to give the most competent account of this glorious Prince, and so to be attested to that purpose by the Psalmist. So again v. 5. if it look this way, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  must be rendered this, even this man, this notable person was born there. But the interpretation I adhere to, as most allowed, being the extoling and praising of Sion, to that sense I shall apply all the parts thereof, thinking it sufficient to have made this mention of the other.  
V. 4. Rahab] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to be strong, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the title of egypt. The Chaldee here render it {untranscribed Hebrew} the egyptians( so Psal. Lxxxix. 11. of Rahab they add {untranscribed Hebrew} this is Pharaoh) the mention whereof in this place joined with Babylon, and Philistia, and Tyre, and {untranscribed Hebrew} or Arabia( see note c.) was designed as an instance of so many of the chief and eminentest of the heathen nations, which yet were no way able to compare with mount Sion, the subject of this present Psalm. This is here expressed by the opposition betwixt its being said of these {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  this was born there, i. e. some one particular, and perhaps contemptible, person, and mens saying {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  this and that man, i. e. many eminent men, were born in that. For 1. {untranscribed Hebrew} this, is but a form of contempt, either this without any addition, or this fellow, or the like; whereas {untranscribed Hebrew} a man is a note of some honour: and 2. {untranscribed Hebrew} is some one, and no more, but {untranscribed Hebrew} man and man, or man after man, denotes a multitude of several men, as Isa. Lxi. 7. double signifies great, and as etiam atque etiam, again and again signifies very often, and as in all languages, repetition signifies greatness of that which is spoken of, as thrice happy, &c. What sort of eminence it is that is here spoken of, and attributed to the Jews in Sion, before all other nations, cannot be obscure, when the advantages of the Jews above all others are famously known, Rom. iii. 2. where yet the oracles of God being committed to them is taken notice of as the chief. And to that the Chaldee seems to refer in this place, who in the first verse rendering the gates of Sion, the gates {untranscribed Hebrew} of the houses of learning, or the schools which are built in Sion( of which sort the Jewish writers tell us there were very many in Jerusalem) implies this to be the matter of the comparison betwixt the Jews and all other nations here, that they have among them many more learned and knowing men, viz. in the ways of God, the true, most valuable learning, those that have more understanding of the divine laws than all other people in the world, according to that of the Psalmist, He hath not dealt so with any nation, and as for his judgments they have not known them, Psal. cxlvii. 20.  
Ibid. Aethiopia] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Chushi, which is here joined with Tyre and Philistia, though it be by the Lxxii. rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} the people of Aethiopia( reading {untranscribed Hebrew} with, as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew} the people) is by the Chaldee rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} the Chushites. Who these are there can be little doubt, if( not the authority of Philo and Josephus, and others that follow them, but) the evidence of several texts of the Scripture and the express paraphrase of Jonathan be considered. Gen. x. 6. For the Hebrew Chush that hath {untranscribed Hebrew} Arabia. And to that the testimonies of Scripture agree. Hab. iii. 7. Chusan( the diminutive of Chush) is all one with Madian following in that verse; and accordingly Moses's wise Sephora the Chushite Num. xii. 1. is the daughter of the priest of Midian Ex. ii. 16. and Midian or Madaan is by Josephus and Ptolemaeus and others generally placed in Arabia, on the shore of the read sea. So Ezec. xxix. 10. Where the total desolation of egypt is expressed by making it desolate from Syene to Chush, setting those two as opposite points, the one on one side, the other on the other side of egypt; and then Syene being the boundary of egypt toward Aethiopia by acknowledgement of all, {untranscribed Hebrew} saith 
de bell. Jud. l. v. c. 1. see Plin. l. v. c. 9. Solon. c. 35. Strabo l. xvii. p. 817.  Josephus, Syene divides egypt from the Aethiopians, it follows of necessity that Chush must signify Arabia, which borders on egypt in the point most opposite to Aethiopia. So when Ezec. xxx. 9. immediately after the visitation of egypt, follows, Messengers shall go from me in ships to make careless Chush afraid, this is very appliable to Arabia, to which they oft pass by ship from egypt by the read Sea, but not to Aethiopia, to which they cannot pass by Nilus, because of the cataracts near Syene. So 2 Chron. xxi. 16. the Arabians are said to be neighbours of the Aethiopians: and accordingly when Sennacherib besieged Libna in the tribe of Judah, 2 King. xix. 9. Tirhacha King of Chush came upon him unawares, which their neighbours the Arabians might do, but the Aethiopians could not without first subduing egypt, which lay betwixt them. So when Isa. xx. 5. Chush is said to have been the Expectation of Ashdod or Azotus v. 1.( the city of the philistines) this may well be understood of their neighbours the Arabians, but not of the Aethiopians so far removed from them. To these doth the learned Bochart add Isa. xviii. 1. where egypt is by the Prophet in Jewry said to be beyond the rivers of Chush, which cannot be applied to Aethiopia, which is directly beyond egypt. This then may be safely resolved, that Chush in this and other places must signify the inhabitants of Arabia, those that were vulgarly called Scenitae, because they dwelled in tents, called thence the tents of Chushan Hab. iii. 7. and accordingly for the tents of Kedar Cant. i. 5. the Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew} as the sons of Chush, which dwell in those black tents, or tents of Kedar.  
V. 6. When he writeth up] From {untranscribed Hebrew} scripsit, descripsit, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here in writing, in setting down, {untranscribed Hebrew} in the description, or writing, say the Lxxii. To this the ensuing {untranscribed Hebrew} is to be annexed, as in the genitive case, the writing of the people: {untranscribed Hebrew} the writing of the people and Princes, say the Lxxii. and latin, {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Syriack, in the book of the people. And what this signifies the Chaldee have more largely expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew} the book in which are written the numberings of all the people, i. e. the roll, or matricula, wherein the names of all the inhabitants are set down. This book as appears by v. 4. must refer to the nations there name, in the view, or on the inspection of which, God, to whose eyes all mens hearts are discernible, shall count, saith the Psalmist( as before v. 4.) {untranscribed Hebrew} this( or this fellow) was born there, some one pious man or servant of God in an age, in a nation, as Job and the like, Job i. 1. whereas v. 7. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the singers {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as, or like, the minstrels, shall recite or count( so the Ellipsis must be supplied, by repeating the verb used in the beginning of the 6. verse) {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  all my fountains are in thee. In which words must be explained 1. what the singers and minstrels refers to, 2. what is meant by all my fountains. For the former it is sufficiently known that the singers and minstrels joined in celebrating the praises of eminent men, as also in the service of God. And as at the removal of the ark the singers go before, and the minstrels follow after, the singers begin and led the tune, as the Praecentors, and the players on instruments followed after, as the choir; so here the singers are supposed to begin, and the minstrels or players on instruments, taberers tympanistae, saith the Jewish Arab, follow to the same tune, both joining in this celebration of the divine knowledge and piety of those that dwell in Zion, and the great multitude of such; which is the most probable importance of the last words whereof their anthem consists, All my fountains are in thee. 2. Then for my fountains, it will best be explained by {untranscribed Hebrew} they that were from the vein or( as the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}) fountains of Israel, Psal. Lxviii. 26. By vein of Israel there the people of Israel were meant, and those as numerous as the drops of water coming from a spring, or dust of any metal in a mineral vein; and so here my fountains, or springs, or flowings of water, are the great multitude of pious people, which as such are called my, i. e. Gods fountains. And so these two verses 6. and 7. are but the same which had been said v. 4. and 5. only varied in the expression. The Jewish Arab reads, the singers and taberers shall describe[ set forth, or rehearse] all your root, or stock, which is as a fountain to you.    

The Eighty Eighth Psalm.  
A Song or Psalm for the sons of Corah, to the chief musician upon 
the hallow instruments for answering.  Maalath 
a.  Leannoth, Maschil of 
b.  Heman the Ezrahite.  
The eighty eighth Psalm being a sad complaint addressed unto God in time of some heavy affliction,( most probably in the t●me of the* captivity, as Ps. 89.) was committed to the Praefect of the music to be sung by the posterity of Corah, the hollow instruments, pipe, flute, 
{untranscribed Hebrew} it was written in the person of them that were in captivity. Kimchi.  &c. being appointed to answer their voices. It was set to the tune called Maschil( see note on Psal. xxxii. a.) from the title of a divine song composed by Heman the son of Zerah, the son of judah.  
1. O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee;  
2. Let my prayer come before thee, incline thine ear unto my cry.  
Thou, O God, art he from whom my deliverance must come, no other means can be effectual for me, to thee I continually address my prayers; O be thou graciously pleased to hear and answer them.  
3. For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh unto 
hedes {untranscribed Hebrew}  the grave.  
4. I am accounted with them that go down unto the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:  
For this I am one way competently qualified, viz. by the great measure of my present troubles and dangers, mine own absolute impotence, and the deplorablenesse and desperateness of my condition.  
5. 
c.  Free among the dead, like the slain that lye in the grave, whom thou remembrest no more, and they are cut off from thy hand.  
I am now so low, that I begin to have the privileges of dead men, those that are at the lowest, or that being brought down to the grave are out of the malice and thought of their enemies: I am laid aside as one not considered, or concerned in the affairs of this world, sequestered from the conversation of men, and( which is the worst part of my misery) from the Sanctuary, accounted by men as one wholly forgotten and forsaken by thee, no part of thy care, and as uncapable of restauration by thy power as those that are dead already.  
6. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.  
Thou hast permitted me to be brought to a state of the utmost distress and destitution.  
7. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.  
The effects of thy displeasure lye very pressing upon me, as one that leans with his whole weight upon another; my afflictions come in one upon the neck of another, as waves of the sea beating upon any vessel.  
8. Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me, thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.  
The sharpness of thy punishments hath averted all men from me, they account me forsaken by thee, and so they forsake me, get aloof from me, as from an execrable thing, and so leave me as in a prison, a state of restraint and perfect solitude, from which I cannot discern any way of rescue or redress.  
9. Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: Lord, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.  
I look, and wait, and languish, but receive no mitigation to my afflictions; I continually pray and importune thee, my voice and hands( and heart) are for ever employed in sending up my complaints to the.  
10. Wilt thou show wonders to the dead? shall the 
d.  dead arise and praise thee? Selah.  
11. Shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave, or thy faithfulness in destruction?  
12. Shall thy wonders be known in the dark, and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?  
Thou hast promised me relief, and so thy fidelity is concerned in it, which therefore I am confident I shall at length receive from thee; O when wilt thou please to reach it out and afford it me? If thou dost not speedily, I am likely to be consumed and destroyed by my pressures, and then there will be no remedy, no capacity of thy relief; unless thou work a miracle for me, and raise me when I am dead, out of the grave again, and so exercise not only thy special extraordinary providence and mercy, but even thine omnipotent creative power in my restauration.  
13. But unto thee have I cried, O Lord, and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.  
All that I have to do, O Lord, is in prayer and with importunity daily and duly to solicit thee, after this manner,  
14. Lord, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?  
Lord, be thou at length pleased to receive my prayers, which proceed from an humble and devout soul, to restore thy favour and mercy to me.  
15. I am afflicted, and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors, I am distracted.  
My pressures are very extreme and of long duration, and the continual new dangers that harass me put me in great anxiety and consternation.  
16. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me, thy terrors have cut me off.  
The sense of thy displeasure, and the direful expectation of all the miserable effects thereof( till thou art pleased to look favourably on me) do even overwhelm and destroy me.  
17. They came round about me 
all the day {untranscribed Hebrew}  daily like water, they compassed me about together.  
And like continual floods of water enclosing me round about, leave no way of passage out of them.  
18. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine 
e.  acquaintance 
sculke or hid themselves.  into darkness.  
As for any human aid of friends or neighbours, I have not the least tender of that, they from whom I had most reason to expect it are affrighted with the sight of my afflictions, fly from me, lest I should implore their aid, and keep themselves at a great distance from me. 'tis thou, O Lord, which hast thus punished me for my sins; and from the return of thy mercy alone am I to expect relief.  

Annotations on Psalm LXXXVIII.  
Tit. Leannoth] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies hollow instruments, hath been taken notice of note on Psal. Liii. a. To this our English hath joined Leannoth, as if both together, Maalath-Leannoth were a proper name. But as the former was a mistake, so the latter is a double addition to it; first in that it is joined to it, when in the original 'tis not, 2. in that the importance of it, which is plain, is not considered, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is literally( as from the Lxxii. their {untranscribed Hebrew} the Vulgar and the Interlinear red it) ad respondendum, for answering, for which the Learned Castellio reads alternis, by way of answer, or alternation. This, I suppose, refers to the custom in singing their Anthems to instruments, or the conjunction of vocal and instrumental music, mentioned note on Psal. Lxxxvii. d. where the Corabites, or singers beginning the tune, as a praecentor, the instruments follow to the very same tune, which is properly styled answering them; this being the primary use of {untranscribed Hebrew}( as to begin, so) to continue a song, to proceed, or go on in a tune begun by any. So 1 Sam. xviii. 7. {untranscribed Hebrew} and the women answered playing, and said— which phrase is expounded by the former verse, which tells us, that the women came out of all cities, singing and dancing, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music, and so their singing going first, they followed or answered their voices with tabrets and instrumental music. Proportionable to this was the ancient Greek custom, poetically expressed by Apollo and the Muses, Apollo singing, and they following {untranscribed Hebrew}, answering with Musical instruments to the tune which he began. So in Homer in a funeral, there are first {untranscribed Hebrew}, the beginners or praecentors of the lamentations, and then {untranscribed Hebrew} the company stood about waiting, and {untranscribed Hebrew} the women came after, or answered in their moaning, this wailing bearing then proportion with the music which was after used in their Funerals. See note on Matth. ix. h. And although the Hebrew music be not much known or discernible to us of these times, yet perhaps some {untranscribed Hebrew} may be taken notice of in this Psalm, by which to judge of that which now we speak of, their alternation, or answering. For this Psalm seems to be composed of two parts, the one reaching to v. 9. the other beginning at v. 9. and continued to the end of the Psalm, and the several parts of each of these very agreeable and answering the one to the other. Thus when v. 1. the first part begins.  
O Lord God I have cried day and night before thee; the second answers v. 9. in the very same scheme, Lord, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.  
When v. 3. we red, For my soul— my life draweth nigh unto the grave;  
The tenth bears proportion, Wilt thou show wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee?  
Again v. 6. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in the darkness in the deeps:  
And then v. 11. Shall thy loving kindness be shewed in the grave, or thy faithfulness in destruction?  
So when v. 7. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves.  
The answer is in the 14, 15,& 16. v. Lord, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me? I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up, while I suffer thy terrors, I am distracted. Thy fierce wrath—  
Lastly, as v. 8. Thou hast put away my acquaintance far from me,—  
So v. 18. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me and mine acquaintance—  
In each of these the analogy is so very discernible in respect of the matter, that we may not unreasonably resolve that the alternation here was not betwixt the first and second verses, and so on betwixt the third and fourth, but betwixt the first and second part, and the several lesser partitions of the one and other. As when among us a tune is made up of many lines or measures, and when that is done, it begins again, and is again completed in the same number of lines or feet, and one of these is performed by vocal, and the other to the very same tune by instrumental music. And this seems to be the scheme or sort of the {untranscribed Hebrew} for answering, or alternation, in this place. The Jewish Arab renders it, A Psalm with which the waiters of the sons of konrah praised[ God] by playing on the tabrets, and answering with understanding( so they render Maschil) Heman the Ezrahite answering them. And he explains it in a note, that this Psalm David delivered to the sons of konrah, and the sons of Heman, there with to praise[ God] commanding the sons of konrah to play on the instruments, and the sons of Heman to answer them with their voices.  
Tit. Ezrahite] Of Heman {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the Ezrahite, we have mention 1 King. iv. 31. as of a very eminent person, famous for learning, he and his three brothers, Ethan and Chalcol and Darda; for to set out the wisdom of Solomon not only above the Orientals and egyptians v. 30. but even above all men v. 31. it is added, he was wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman and Chalchol and Darda the sons of Mahol. Who these four learned men were, appears 1 Chron. ii. 6. where Zerah the son of Jud●h by Tamar is recorded to have five sons, Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Dara( for {untranscribed Hebrew} Dara some copies of the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} Dardaa.) Hence appears the reason of their name Ezrahite, both there and here, and in the title of Psal. Lxxxix. because they were the sons of Zerah; so the Chaldee interprets it in their rendering 1 Kin. iv. 31. he was wiser than all men {untranscribed Hebrew} than Ethan the son of Zerah— And whereas it is said in that place 1 King. iv. 31. that they were the sons of Mahol, it must be resolved that Mahol was the name of a woman, Zerah's wife, whose wisdom transfused to her children, seems to be the cause, that in a comparison of wisdom, her name is set down, and not her husbands, though in that other place 1 Chron. ii. his name is set down, and not hers, and so likewise in their being called Ezrahites from Zerah their father. Now that this Heman the grandchild of Judah, and Ethan his brother, both ancienter than Moses, were the Authors of this and the next Psalm, inscribed {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to or of Heman, and {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to or of Ethan( as other Psalms {untranscribed Hebrew} to or of David, a signification of his being the Author) will not be very reasonable to define, there being in the next Psalm inscribed to Ethan, such express mentions of David, and Gods oath to him, v. 3, 19, 20, 35. of Gods judgments on the egyptians, v. 10. and of all other things of a date much later than the age of Judah's grandchild, that it is not probable that they should be so expressly prophesied of by one which is not taken notice of in Scripture as a Prophet, when neither Moses nor any other of the patriarches had foretold these, or any other such things so expressly. Whether this consideration were it that moved the Chaldee to inscribe Psal. Lxxxix. {untranscribed Hebrew} that it was spoken by the hand of Abraham, who came out of the East, as thinking this more reasonable, to attribute it to that great Patriarch and Prophet, than to Ethan, I cannot define. But that which seems to me most probable, is, that both this and the next Psalm were written by an unknown Author, and that {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Maschil of Heman, and so likewise Maschil of Ethan, are but the names of the tune( as of Maschil hath been resolved note on Psal. xxxii. a.) to which these two Psalms were set, each of those wise men having composed a song known by that name.  
V. 5. Free] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to free, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, free( in opposition to servitude) manumitted, set at liberty. The use of this word may more generally be taken from 2 Chron. xxvi. 21. where of Uzziah being a leper 'tis said, that he dwelled {untranscribed Hebrew} In an house of freedom, for he was cut off from the house of the Lord. The meaning is, that after the manner of the lepers, he was excluded from the Temple, and dwelled {untranscribed Hebrew} saith the Chaldee there, in some place without Jerusalem, which is therefore called the house of freedom, because such as were there were exempt from the common affairs and shut up from the conversation of men. And in proportion with these, they that are dead& laid in their graves, are here said to be free, i. e. removed from all the affairs and conversation of the world, even {untranscribed Hebrew} from the commandments, say the Jews, of them that are dead, Nidda, fol. 76. Thus is death described, Job iii. by lying still, and quiet, and at rest, v. 13. in desolate places, v. 14. where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary be at rest, v. 17. where the prisoners rest together, and hear not the voice of the oppressor, v. 18. and where the servant is {untranscribed Hebrew}( as here) free from his master, v. 19. In this verse there seems to be a gradation. To be slain is more then to die, to be in the grave more then either, but to die by a {untranscribed Hebrew} to be cut off by excision, not to have {untranscribed Hebrew} the remembrance of blessing, to be utterly sorgot, and have no share in the world to come, which they say every Israelite hath, is the utmost pitch of misery.  
V. 10. Dead] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here signifies the dead, those that lie in the grave, there can be no question. The Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew} the carcases that are putrefied in the dust. So Isa. xxvi. 14. {untranscribed Hebrew} shall not rise, is but the interpretation of what went before, they are dead, they shall not live, and so v. 19. the earth shall cast out {untranscribed Hebrew} the dead bodies. So Prov. xxi. 16. the man that wandereth from the way of understanding shall remain {untranscribed Hebrew} in the congregation of the dead: the Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew} with the sons of the earth. The same word is elsewhere used for giants, Gen. xiv. 5. and Isa. xvii. 5. which makes it probable that the word comes from a notion of the root {untranscribed Hebrew} not ordinarily taken notice of by Lexicographers( who generally take it for healing and curing) such as may be common to these two so distant derivatives, dead men, and giants. The giants we know are in most languages expressed by phrases taken from the bottom or bowels of the earth {untranscribed Hebrew}, and terrae silij, born from, or sons of the earth: and just so the Chaldee even now rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} where 'twas used for dead bodies Prov. xxi. 16. which gives us reason to resolve, that the Radix originally signified something pertaining to the lower parts of the earth, and so 'twill be fitly communicated to these two, which in the notion of healing it will not be. And to this accords a notion of the word {untranscribed Hebrew} among the Hebrews, for metals, minerals, gold, silver, coral, &c. which are digged out of the earth, and from the very bottom of the sea, the abyss, which is very agreeable to both these notions of the word, the dead being there laid and disposed of, after their departure out of this world, their bodies in the grave, and their animal souls in Scheol, the state of separation, not otherwise capable of being described but by {untranscribed Hebrew}, hades, {untranscribed Hebrew} disappearing, the abyss, or deep; and the giants by their great strength and exercise of it( in invading and oppressing others) and by being of uncertain originals, fancied to have received their birth from some subterranean powers, and so called by that title. The Lxxii. deducing the word from {untranscribed Hebrew} to heal, render it here and elsewhere {untranscribed Hebrew} Physitians, and the latin medici, but the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} strong men or giants.  
V. 18. Acquaintance] From {untranscribed Hebrew} was darkened, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, an obscure dark place, an hole, or hiding-place; and then {untranscribed Hebrew} a dark place, or hole to my acquaintance, signifies the lying hide, and skulking of friends, hiding themselves, for fear they should be seen by him, and called to help him. The Jewish Arab reads. And mine acquaintance are become as darkness.    

The Eighty Ninth Psalm.  
MAschil of Ethan the Ezrahite.  
The eighty ninth Psalm is a commemoration of the mercies performed, and promised to be continued to David and his posterity to the end of the world, but now( in the time of some great affliction on Prince and people, probably in the captivity v. 38. &c. see note i.) seemingly interrupted by their sins, and their breach of Covenant with God, together with an hearty prayer for the return of them. The Author of it is not known. It was set to the tune of a song of Ethan the son of Z●●ah called Maschil( see note on Psalm Lxxxviii. b.)  
1. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever; with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.  
The mercies of our God, in making such gracious and glorious promises to his people, and his exact fidelity in performing them is so great, that it exacts all our lauds and most magnificent commemorations, thereby to proclaim and divulge them to all posterity.  
2. For 
a.  I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever; thy saithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.  
God hath promised abundant kindness and mercy, and that to endure to us to all our posterities; and so I am most confident he will perform, make good, by his continual saithfulness from his seat of mercy and of justice, what he hath thus promised us.  
3. I have made a Covenant with my chosen; I have sworn unto David my servant.  
This promise of his was most solemnly made by way of a sworn Covenant, strike with David, whom he choose to be King over his people, when he rejected and removed Saul.  
4. Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.  
And the sum of his Covenant was, not only that he should be King over his people, but that this dignity should be continued to his posterity for many generations, and that in some degree( though with great disturbances which their sins should bring upon them) as long as this nation should continue, and that toward the time of the destruction thereof, the messiah should be born of this very race of David, and erect a spiritual kingdom in the hearts of all faithful men( the only true genuine posterity of Abraham and David) which should undoubtedly endure to the end of the world.  
5. And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord, thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the 
holy ones, see note b.  saints.  
This is a most glorious Covenant of transcendent and wonderful mercies, which as thou hast made, so thou shalt exactly perform to us; the glories thereof shall be admired and celebrated by all the Angels in heaven, when they are met together for the praising and glorifying thee.  
6. For who in the heaven 
or shall contest, or enter the lists with  can be compared unto the Lord? who among the sons of the 
b.  mighty can be likened unto the Lord?  
7. God is 
formidable in the great assembly of holy ones, that harass him.  greatly to be feared in the assembly of his saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.  
For though they be glorious creatures, and instruments and ministers of God, yet there is no least comparison between all the power and operations of all those, and that which is performed by God in these his admirable dispensations toward his people; which therefore are to be looked on with amazement, and highest degree of reverence and adoration, by all those glorious creatures which attend him.  
8. O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? 
and thy faithfulness encompasseth thee.  
c.  or to thy faithfulness round about thee?  
Thou art the Lord, and only supreme commander of all those armies of Angels: and as thou art armed with power above all those, so art thou guarded with fidelity; by the former thou canst, and by the latter thou wilt certainly perform all that thou hast covenanted with us.  
9. Thou rulest 
over the pride, or, elation {untranscribed Hebrew}  the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.  
Thy power is sufficient to bring down and tame the proudest and most tumultuous element: the very ocean itself, when it is most boisterous, is immediately quiet on thy command.  
10. Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces as one that is slain: thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.  
By this means, as once thou gavest thy people the children of Israel a passage out of egypt through the channel of the read sea, so didst thou return the sea upon Pharaoh and the egyptians, the tyrannizing enemies of thy people, destroyedst him there as discernibly and illustriously, as if thou hadst slain him with a sword, and together with him by thine own immediate interposition didst then overwhelm and drown the egyptians.  
11. The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the 
d.  fullness thereof thou hast founded them.  
Thou art the only creator of the whole world, and all that therein is; thou gavest it that stable firm being that it hath,( so that the sea, though much higher than the rest of the globe, doth not yet drown the earth.) And as in the creation all was ordered by thy command, so hast thou still the only right of power and dominion over all, in the administration of things.  
12. The North and the 
e.  South thou hast created them, Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.  
All the regions of all the quarters of the earth, as the northern and Southern, so the Western and Eastern coasts, are created by thy power, and protected and supported by it, and accordingly are obliged to bless thy providence for all the least good that they enjoy.  
13. Thou hast a mighty arm; strong is thy hand, and 
exalted {untranscribed Hebrew}  high is thy right hand.  
Thy power is far removed above all the oppositions and resistances in nature: whatsoever thou wilt, thou art perfectly able to do, and thy providential power of mercy, of delivering and obliging, is, above all the other works of it, eminently observable.  
14. 
Righteousness  
f.  Justice and judgement are the 
preparing  habitation of thy throne, mercy and truth shall go before thy face.  
Whatsoever thou dost, thy mercy and pity is discernible in it, and so is thy Justice and fidelity also: Thou makest promises of abundant mercy to thy servants, and never failest to perform them.  
15. Blessed is the people that know the 
g.  joyful sound; they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.  
And 'tis no small degree of bliss to be thus honoured by God, as the people of Israel is, to receive such stupendious mercies from him, and to be taught the way of praising and acknowledging his mercies, so as will be acceptable to him: such as they, are secured of Gods continual favour, if they be not stupidly wanting to themselves; there being no more required of them, than humbly to beg, and qualify themselves to receive his mercies; and then thankfully to aclowledge, and being secured of this, they can want nothing to live most comfortably and pleasurably. Psal. cxxxv. 3.  
16. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day, and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.  
Two sovereign benefits shall they enjoy hereby; 1. a continual delight and joy, that they are favoured by thee, which they shall as delightfully express in singing continual praises to thee( and this very communion with God, a confidence of Gods kindness, and a perpetual blessing him for it, is of all others the most pleasurable way of living, a paradise or antepast of heaven here) 2. the natural consequent of Gods favour and mercy, his raising them up out of the most low and dejected state( see v. 17.) to the greatest height of dignity.  
17. For thou art the glory of their strength; and in thy favour shall our horn be exalted.  
For though such men have no solid strength of their own, yet by additions they receive from thee, they may confidently attempt any thing, and depend on thee for the performance: And that gives us thy servants, by thy continued favour and kindness to us, an humble assurance, that thou wilt raise us out of our present dejection, v. 38. &c. to an high degree of power and dignity.( see Luk. 1. note n.)  
18. For 
of or from the Lord  the 
h.  Lord is our defence, and 
from the  the holy one of Israel is our King.  
The ground of our assurance being only this, that the supreme God of heaven and earth, he that hath made and performed such wonderful promises to this people of Israel, and by his own special providence appointed David to be King over us, by this owning us peculiarly as his own kingdom, is he that undertakes to shield and secure us from all dangers.  
19. Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon, 
an eminent man.  one that is 
i.  mighty, I have exalted one chosen out of the people;  
20. I have found David my servant, with my holy oil have I anointed him,  
One special act of his goodness to us it was, that appearing in vision to Samuel the good Prophet, he  told him who it was that he had chosen to be King in Saul's stead, to rule and defend his people, a person of eminent virtues, and though mean in the eyes of men, an approved faithful servant of his( herein an eminent type of Christ, the fountain of all good to mankind.)  
21. With whom mine hand shall be 
red for firm {untranscribed Hebrew}  established, mine arm also shall strengthen him.  
To him God promised to be always present, and ready at hand to assist, and preserve, and secure him in all his undertakings,  
22. The enemy 
k.  shall not 
deceive him  exact upon him, nor the son of wickedness afflict him.  
To protect him from the stratagems and violences of the most rapacious enemies,  
23. And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.  
And to bring the greatest mischiefs, even destruction and utter ruin, on them that designed him any.( This had an eminent completion in the crucifiers, and all other the obstinate opposers of Christ.)  
24. But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him, and in my name shall his horn be exalted.  
And herein, and in all other exercises of his mercy, to make good his covenant and promise, to approve his fidelity to him, as being the immediate visible signal author as of his first advancement, so of all the dignities that should be heaped on him.  
25. I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.  
To him he then promised what he abundantly since performed, to extend his dominions from the Ocean to Euphrates( And therein to typify the progress and propagation of the faith of Christ to all the regions of the world.)  
26. He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and 
l.  the rock of my salvation.  
To deal with him as a father with a beloved son, a God with an eminent servant, and to secure and deliver him from all troubles and dangers, and finally to support him in, or redeem him out of them.( This had a most literal eminent completion in the Messiah, the eternal son of God, to whom God was hypostatically present in all his works and sufferings on earth, and at length raised him out of the grave, and exalted him to his regal power in heaven.)  
27. Also I will make him my first-born, higher then the Kings of the earth.  
To deal with him as with an eldest son, to whom the double portion of honour and possessions is due, advancing him to greater dignity and wealth than any other Prince in the world.( This in the fullest latitude was to belong to Christ, the first-borne of every creature, the most eminent person that ever the world saw, on whom all power was instated both in heaven and earth.)  
28. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.  
29. His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the dayes of heaven.  
And herein did the height of this promised mercy consist, that it should inviolably be made good to David to the end of the world, and when the royal power over this people of God should fail from his family, there should be another more illustrious kingdom erected in the hearts of men, the spiritual kingdom of the messiah, who should be born of the seed and posterity of David, and that kingdom should never be extinguished, but changed only into the kingdom of glory in Heaven.  
30. If his children forsake my Law, and walk not in my judgments,  
31. If they 
pollute, profane {untranscribed Hebrew}  break my statutes, and keep not my commandments,  
32. Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with 
scourges {untranscribed Hebrew}  stripes.  
To him it was foretold and bound with Gods oath v. 35. irrevocably, that as in case of uniform and faithful obedience, his mercies should be continued to his feed; so in case his succeeding heirs should depart from that obedience, and violate the commandments of God, falling off to known and wilful transgressions, God would deliver them up to very sore and severe punishments, deportations, and at length to utter rejection from the regal dignity, and upon an universal defection of the people and obstinate impenitency, holding out against the most efficacious methods, sand an universal destruction on the kingdom.  
33. Nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not 
break from with him {untranscribed Hebrew}  utterly take from him, nor 
lye in my faithfulness {untranscribed Hebrew}  suffer my faithfulness to fail.  
34. My covenant will I not 
profane see v. 31.  break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.  
35. Once have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lye unto David.  
36. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.  
37. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.  
And even when this should by their sins be most justly brought upon them, yet should not this covenant of mercy made under oath with David's seed be in the least measure infringed, the posterity of that faithful servant of God being perpetuated in Christ, the messiah that should rise and spring from the loins of David; and his kingdom, though not an earthly or secular, yet in a much greater height, a divine and spiritual kingdom in the hearts of Christians, is secured, that it shall never have an end, or be destroyed, as long as this world lasts. And this is a full evidence of the fidelity and performance of Gods promise to David and his seed, beyond any thing that any creature in the world enjoys. The heavens are looked on as an immutable unchangeable body, the Sun and Moon divide all time betwixt them, and are ordained and fixed in their spheres to be signs of times and seasons Gen. i. 14. and so they shall certainly continue as long as this world lasts: But then, when there shall be no farther use of them, they shall be set aside; whereas the Church and kingdom of Christ, that spiritual seed of him which is the most eminent son of David( when all other branches of this stock are destroyed) shall endure beyond all time, lasting as long as this world lasts, and then not be concluded, but removed only and transplanted to heaven.  
38. But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wrath with thine anointed;  
39. Thou hast made voided the covenant of thy servant, thou hast profaned his crown 
to the earth {untranscribed Hebrew}  by casting it to the ground:  
40. Thou hast broken down all his hedges, and hast 
made {untranscribed Hebrew}  brought his strong holds 
a ruin. {untranscribed Hebrew}  to ruin.  
But notwithstanding this firm promise to David and his posterity, and the perpetuating of the kingdom to them, thy punishments are now very heavy upon his family. They have provoked thy wrath, and thy covenant with them( the condition being broken on their part) hath not secured them from the bitterest effects of it, divesting them of their regal power, and demolishing and laying wast all their forces.( The Covenant, it seems, mutable in respect of this seed of David, and if they continue in their sins, revocable; but under oath v. 35. and immutable only in respect of Christ, that eminent promised seed of Abraham and David.)  
41. All that pass by the way spoil him, he is a reproach to his neighbours.  
They that were wont to be victorious over all their affailants, that subdued in Davids time the philistines and Edumeans and Ammonites and Moabites, &c. are now by their captivation under the Assyrians, delivered up to be spoiled and scorned by all these their revengeful neighbours( see Psal. Lxxxiii. 6. &c.)  
42. Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries, thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.  
And now their enemies and affailants are as continually prosperous, as David himself was wont to be.  
43. Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to 
rise {untranscribed Hebrew}  stand in the battle.  
Their weapons that were for ever victorious, by thy forsaking them have quiter lost their keenness; they that were never accustomend to defeats in their fights, are now subdued, and unable to make any farther resistance.  
44. Thou hast made his 
splendour {untranscribed Hebrew}  glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground.  
The great same and renown and power which they had among all men is now utterly lost:  
45. The dayes of his youth hast thou shortened; thou hast covered him with shane. Selah.  
Our Princes slain, and their people subdued, and captivated, and contumeliously handled.  
46. How long, Lord, wilt thou hid thyself, for ever shall thy wrath burn like fire?  
This is a most sad estate, and if we be not speedily res●●ued out of it, we shall all be finally destroyed, and the people, and seed of David to whom those Illustrious promises were made, utterly consumed.  
47. Remember 
what my age is {untranscribed Hebrew}  how short my time is: hast thou made all men in vain?  
48. What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall be deliver his soul from the hand of 
hades {untranscribed Hebrew}  the grave? Selah.  
Our age and space of life here is very transient and flitting, and is soon and certainly concluded in the grave, that inevitable lot of all mankind: And in this state of captivity we have little joy or comfort in that life which is afforded us, we are born miserable, and pass through a succession of miseries here, and are shortly seized with death.( And this is far distant from the purport of that Covenant made with David, the benefits of which we, it seems, by our sins have, as to this age of ours, utterly forfeited.)  
49. Lord, where are 
m.  thy 
pri●i●in●,  former loving kindnesses which thou snarest unto David in thy truth?  
O blessed Lord be thou at length pleased to be propitiated, to pardon these our provoking sins, to remember and resume thy methods of mercy, and by what ways thine own wisdom shall best choose, to perform the purport of thy Covenant so long since ratified to David. In this thy fidelity is concerned, and this we are sure will be made good in the eyes of all. O that it might be thy good pleasure to manifest it at this time by the restoring of David's posterity, our monarchy, temple and people to the former dignity.  
50. Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants, how I do bear in my bosom the 
total of many people {untranscribed Hebrew}  reproach of all the mighty people,  
51. Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord, wherewith they have reproached 
n.  the 
delays  foot-steps of thine anointed.  
Till thou please thus by some means to rescue us, we are likely to be the reproach of all the heathen people about us, who will now object the evacuation and frustration of our faith and hopes founded on thy promises to David's seed, and say by way of derision, that our messiah is very long a coming.  
52. Blessed be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and Amen.  
But whatever their contumelies or our sufferings are, they shall not discourage or take us off from blessing and praising thee, and steadily relying on thee; whatsoever desertion our soul provoking sins have most justly now brought upon us, yet upon our reformation thou wilt certainly return in mercy to us; and whatsoever interruptions thy promised mercies may seem to have in respect of our captive Prince and people, the present posterity and kingdom of David, yet 'tis most certain, the promises made for sending the messiah, whose kingdom and redemption is not of this world, but spiritual and eternal, the erecting of his throne in his servants hearts, and the redeeming them from sin and Satan, shall in due time be performed in Christ, that most illustrious son of David, to whom( and none else) belonged the promise under the oath of God. And in this completion of Gods Covenant with David his servant( of which all Gods faithful servants shall have their portions) we securely and with full confidence acquiesce, and all join in an ardent and most devout celebration of God's fidelity, his constant performance of all his promises, and so conclude. So be it, Lord, and So certainly it shall be.  
The End of the Third Book.   

Annotations on Psalm LXXXIX.  
V. 2. I have said] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  I have said, belongs to God, and not to the Psalmist, appears v. 3. where in connexion with this, is added, I have made a Covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant. When the Lxxii. therefore, and Syriack and latin, &c. red it in the second person {untranscribed Hebrew}, thou hast said, it is to be looked on as their paraphrase to express the meaning, and not that they red it otherwise than the Hebrew now hath it; and this the rather, because of the great affinity betwixt {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew}, the second and the first person. But when it 〈◇〉 thy faithfulness shalt thou establish, these again, as those of v. 1. are the words of the Psalmist speaking unto God. And of such permutation of persons, God saying the former part, and the Psalmist by way of {untranscribed Hebrew} answering God in the latter, there are many examples. One follows here in the next words, the third and fourth verses being evidently spoken by God. I have made a Covenant— Thy seed will I establish— But the fifth by way of answer by the Psalmist, And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord. The Jewish Arab, who seems with some other Interpreters to refer it to the Psalmist, {untranscribed Hebrew} as I have known, or made known,( though being without vowels it may be red in the second person, as thou hast declared) adds in the beginning of v. 3. who hast said, I have made a covenant, &c.  
V. 6. Mighty] As of {untranscribed Hebrew} hath been shewed( note on Psal. Lxxxii. 6.) so of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here is to be resolved, that it signifies Angels, even those that are in heaven, in the beginning of the verse( the word {untranscribed Hebrew} which is applied to God, being communicated also to them) there being no more difference between those two phrases {untranscribed Hebrew} in heaven and {untranscribed Hebrew} among the sons of God, than there is betwixt compared in the former, and likened in the latter part of the verse: where we red can be compared, the Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew}, which is ponere, disponere, there to set himself in array, to enter the lists, Job vi. 4. and thence 'tis to dispute, to array, or order words against another, Job xxxii. 14.& xxxiii. 5. and from thence to contest for pre-eminence, to enter the comparison. The Chaldee here reads, {untranscribed Hebrew} is equalled, and that is exactly the same with {untranscribed Hebrew} is likened, that follows. And so the Jewish Arab hath {untranscribed Hebrew} shall be equal with, and Abu Walid, shall be like unto. And thus have all the Interpreters understood it; the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} among the quires of Angels, the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, among the sons of God,( and so the latin) the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} among the sons of Angels. The same are again expressed v. 7. by {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the great counsel or assembly of holy ones( as before v. 5. by {untranscribed Hebrew} congregation of holy ones) as appears by the end of the verse, where the same are again expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew} all that are about him; {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Chaldee, all the Angels that stand about him. Only the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  great( which is best joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} assembly, the number of Angels, when assembled together, being so very great) the Chaldee applies to God, that he is {untranscribed Hebrew} great and to be reverenced; and so the Lxxii. and Syriack and latin also. The Jewish Arab for heavens, v. 5. reads the inhabitants of heaven, &c. and for congregation of saints, assembly of Angels: And so v. 7. In the congregation of many Angels. Yet {untranscribed Hebrew} he renders {untranscribed Hebrew} of those that are endued with power, or might.  
V. 8. Or to thy faithfulness] The rendering of {untranscribed Hebrew} will be best learnt from the ancient Interpreters: they red it by itself, separate from the former part of the verse, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and thy truth is round about thee; and the latin, & veritas tua in circuitu tuo, and so the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} and thy truth or fidelity is round about thee; and so the Syriack also, and the Jewish Arab, And thy truth is {untranscribed Hebrew} round about thee. The elegancy of the phrase( which is poetical) seems to be taken from the style of Angels v. 7. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  they that harass God, signifying, that as they wait upon God and execute his will, so, far above the strength of those, Gods fidelity, his care to perform his promise exactly, incompasses him, is ready prest to perform all that he hath ever promised to do.  
V. 11. fullness thereof] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to be filled, is {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} fullness, and {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the fullness thereof here, and being applied to the world, signifies the whole number of the inhabitants thereof, without which every place is empty and desert. So Ps. xxiv. 1. the earth and the fullness, is after expressed by the world, and they that dwell therein. So Ps. L. the forest, and cattle, v. 10. is expressed by the world and fullness thereof, v. 12. see Ps. xcvi. 11. xcviii. 7. Is. xlii. 10. The Jewish Arab reads {untranscribed Hebrew} all of it. The word {untranscribed Hebrew} in Piel signifies also to gather together, or congregate, and from thence is {untranscribed Hebrew} a multitude, collection, or congregation: so in arabic {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies a multitude or congregation of people. And from that is the use of {untranscribed Hebrew} Rom. xi. 12. and very frequently in the most ancient Ecclesiastical writings, for the coming in of believers to the Church.  
V. 12. South] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which is vulgarly used for the right hand, being here a denotation of a particular quarter of the world, must not be rendered in that primitive sense, but( as 'tis elsewhere oft used, 1 Sam. xxiii. 19. Cant. v. 15. Ezec. xxi. 2. and the opposition to {untranscribed Hebrew} the North exacts) the South, because looking towards the East, as in prayer 'twas customary to turn the face that way, and from thence the East is styled {untranscribed Hebrew} face, and the West {untranscribed Hebrew} the hinder part, the South by consequence must be on the right hand: so the Chaldee here renders it, {untranscribed Hebrew} those that are in the South, and the Lxxii. to the same sense, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the latin mere, the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} the right hand, or the South. By proportion with these two ( the North and the South) are {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Tabor and Hermon to be interpnted, the West and the East, these being the names of two mountains in the Holy land, Tabor on the West, Hermon on the East of it. So saith the Chaldee by way of paraphrase of the latter, {untranscribed Hebrew} Hermon which is on the East. By which the former, Tabor, being opposite to it, must be concluded to be in the West.  
V. 14. Justice] What is frequently observable of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  righteousness and mercy, that they are used promiscuously for works of mercy, differing at most but by degrees one from the other, is here to be observed v. 14. And by proportion thereto, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  judgement, and {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  truth or faith or fidelity, are equivalent also; by judgement meaning Gods most just and righteous performances of his promises, for then that is the known meaning of fidelity. These two when applied to men, comprehend all duties toward men, Justice and Charity. So we have judgement and mercy Mat. xxiii. 23. as contradistinguished to faith or the duties of the First Table, called in the parallel place Luk. xi. 42. the love of God. And being here applied to God they are said to be {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a preparation of thy throne; so {untranscribed Hebrew} is rightly rendered by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} preparation, and so the Jewish Arab, {untranscribed Hebrew} preparation: and to that sense, the going before thy face, in the end of the verse, interprets it, it being directly all one to go before ones face, and to prepare either his way or his dwelling Luk. i. 76. And Gods throne or seat being said to be prepared for, or in judgement Ps. ix. 7. {untranscribed Hebrew}, say the Lxxii. in judgement; from hence it is that the Jews say, God hath two thrones, {untranscribed Hebrew} the throne of mercy, and {untranscribed Hebrew} the throne of judgement,( the former of which is mentioned Heb. iv. 16.) By these two all Gods judicatures are managed, mercy in all his dispensations, and so likewise fidelity( making good his promise) in all; when so ever he administers or doth any thing, these two are the Praecones or Heralds to go before, and erect his tribunal, and so by these two his throne is prepared, in these two it is erected.  
V. 15. joyful sound] From {untranscribed Hebrew} vociferatus est, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, for those vociferations or jubilations with which God is praised, the singing and instruments of music,( both which are noted by this word) which are wont to be used in giving lauds to God.( see Ps. cl.) To this sense the Chaldee render it, Blessed is the people that know {untranscribed Hebrew} to please their creator with jubilee, the Lxxii. that knows {untranscribed Hebrew} jubilation, the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} thy praises, and so the Jewish Arab, whose custom is to shout to thee; and that is the most perspicuous rendering of it: qui te Jova cantare novit, saith Castellio, happy is the people that knows how to praise and celebrate thee.  
V. 18. The Lord] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  must be rendered, of or from the Lord, in both places in this verse, Of the Lord is our shield, or defence; Of the Lord, or from him, i. e. of his appointment, is our King. So the Chaldee appear to have understood it, reading {untranscribed Hebrew} in both places: and Aben Ezra gives this account of it, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. because David our King is chosen by God, God hath promised that the horn of David shall flourish. And to this the nineteenth verse belongs;( see note i.)  
V. 19. Mighty] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies here, may be worth enquiring. That the place belongs to Gods exaltation of David to the kingdom, when he was first anointed by Samuel, 1 Sam. xvi. 13. is evident here v. 18,& 20. And that David when he was thus exalted, was no powerful, or, to outward appearance, eminent man, but the contrary, a youth feeding sheep, 1 Sam. xvi. 11. and even the youngest and least probable to outward judgement of all his brethren. And this circumstance, that he was so when God choose him, is taken notice of both there v. 7. and Ps. Lxxviii. 70, 71. It is therefore not altogether improbable, that so it should be here also. And though he be soon after described by Saul's servants to be {untranscribed Hebrew} a mighty valiant man, a man of war 1 Sam. xvi. 18. yet with this is there joined the Lord is with him, and that refers it to the time after his being anointed, on which it is expressly affirmed v. 13. the spirit of the Lord came upon him from that day forward. And accordingly his dealing with the Lion and the Bear, ch. xvii. 34. most probably refers to some acts consequent to this his anointing, after which 'tis evident he continued to keep the sheep, and from them was sent for to come to Saul ch. xvi. 19. And then though {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} valuit viribus, being strong or prevailing, signify a strong or honourable man; yet as vir from virtue, fortitude or virility, is frequently taken for a man simply, so is {untranscribed Hebrew} and so perhaps might {untranscribed Hebrew} be conceived to do also, and then having the addition of {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which as it signifies elect, so also 'tis frequently taken for a young man( Deut. xxxii. 25. {untranscribed Hebrew} the young man and the virgin, and 2 Sam. vi. 1. all the {untranscribed Hebrew} youth or young men in Israel, {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Lxxii. and accordingly the Chaldee here render it {untranscribed Hebrew} a young man) the conjunction of them might possibly signify no more than a man, and that a young man, a man not by way of excellence, above, but of diminution, below other men, till by Gods free choosing and anointing him, he was thus advanced. That {untranscribed Hebrew} should thus signify, it would not much be doubted. The only difficulty is of {untranscribed Hebrew} which( though {untranscribed Hebrew} be no more than a man) is generally an eminent kind of man, a giant, or an heros. In this difficulty the Chaldee may seem to have interposed seasonably, by paraphrasing it {untranscribed Hebrew} one that was eminent in the law, referring to the true piety and virtue of David, the practical knowledge of the law, which denominated him David God's servant v. 20. and in the sight of God, without any external accomplishments, might, and certainly did, render him an illustrious person. And thus it is most reasonable to interpret it, that by this means it may in the more sublime sense refer to Jesus Christ here typified by David, styled by Isaiah {untranscribed Hebrew} the mighty as well as God; not in respect of any outward worldly greatness, which here he was possessed of( though he were a King, yet his kingdom was not of this world) but of his inward divine excellencies, and his spiritual invisible power in the hearts of believers. And upon this account it will not be amiss to take {untranscribed Hebrew} also in its first notion, for a choice eminent person, one chosen {untranscribed Hebrew} from the people, preferred before all others, esteemed such in the sight of God, who seeth not as man seeth, for man looketh on the outward appearance, but God looketh upon the heart 1 Sam. xvi. 7. which being there said by God to Samuel, on purpose to direct him to find out and anoint David of all the sons of Jesse, is an intimation that there was somewhat of internal eminence in David, on which he was chosen by God to be King in Sauls stead. If this be not it, it must then refer to what God by choosing and anointing made him, for after that he was a {untranscribed Hebrew} an heros indeed.  
V. 22. Exact] {untranscribed Hebrew}, with the point on the right hand of ש, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies to deceive; and that either with the preposition {untranscribed Hebrew} or ל after it, as Isa. xxxvi. 14. Let not the servants of Hezekiah {untranscribed Hebrew} deceive you, or with ב, as here. So the Chaldee understands it, rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew} deceive him; and the Lxxii. I suppose, to the same sense, when they red {untranscribed Hebrew}, nihil proficiet inimicus in eo, saith the vulgar, his enemy shall not profit, or gain by him, the deceiving or depriving of one, being the gaining to him that doth deceive.  
V. 26. Rock of my Salvation] The full importance of this phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} rock of my salvation, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  both here and again Ps. xcv. 1. may perhaps best be fetched from the figure {untranscribed Hebrew}, and then it will be all one with my rock and my salvation Ps. Lxii. 2. he to whom I fly as to a refuge( so {untranscribed Hebrew} rock oft signifies) and from him receive deliverance out of approaching danger. To this agrees the Lxxii. their rendering of it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the helper of my salvation, i. e. he which helps, and rescues or delivers me. Or else taking {untranscribed Hebrew} rock in the notion of strength( as oft 'tis used) it is then( as the Chaldee renders it {untranscribed Hebrew}) strength of my redemption, i. e. he from whose strength all my deliverance proceeds. The Syriack expression of it is most facile, {untranscribed Hebrew} my most potent deliverer.  
V. 49. Former] From {untranscribed Hebrew} head or beginning, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  {untranscribed Hebrew} here must signify primitive or primordial; and so the Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to begin, and so the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} old or primitive {untranscribed Hebrew} from the beginning. From the importance of this word 
De Civ. Dei lib. xvii. c. xii.  S. Augustine argues that this prophesy was to be fulfilled in the Christians, in respect of whom the time when the promise was made, viz. David's age, might be truly called tempus antiquum, the ancient time. But it must be considered, that not at the time of the completion, but at the time of writing these words by the Psalmist, it was an ancient time: and that indeed proves that this Psalm was penned long after Davids time, probably under the captivity, to which all this complaint from v. 38. doth evidently belong. Meanwhile it cannot be denied, what that Father conceived, that the full completion of that promise to David was reserved to the dayes of the Messiah.  
V. 51. Footsteps] From the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} heel, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  many other acceptions there are of the word; first, for paths or ways or actions, Psal. Lxxvii. 19. Secondly, for the end of any thing, Ps. cxix. 33. Thirdly, for a reward Ps. xix. 11. there rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} retribution, and here {untranscribed Hebrew} commutation by the Lxxii. Beside these there is a notion of the verb {untranscribed Hebrew} in Piel in Syriack and Chaldee, for delaying or detaining, Job xxxvii. 4. and from thence the Chaldee here rightly deduces {untranscribed Hebrew}, and accordingly renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} the slowness of the footsteps of the feet of thy Messiah or anointed: And that may most reasonably be pitched on as the true importance of the word, which by the dagesch in ק appears to be deduced from the verb in Piel, and then that will be the denotation of the sort of the reproaches of their Atheistical enemies, that the promises the Jews so firmly depended on had now failed them, their messiah, whom they expected to rescue and redeem them out of their captivity, had now deceived them. So saith Kimchi, the delays of the Messiah, the discourse, saith he, being of those, who say, {untranscribed Hebrew} that he will never come. A style taken up in the times of the Gospel against the Christians by the scoffing gnostics, Where is the promise of his coming? and he is slacken in coming: in opposition to which the Apostles tell them, that he will come, {untranscribed Hebrew} and will not tarry, Heb. x. 37.37. and 2 Pet. iii. 9. the Lord is not slacken concerning his promise, as some men count slackness.    

THE FOURTH BOOK OF PSALMS.  

PSALM XC.  
A Prayer 
or, for ל  of Moses the Man of God.  
The ninetieth, being the first of the Fourth Book of the Collection of Psalms, is a complaint of the afflictions and shortness of life, together with a prayer for the return of mercy; composed either by Moses, that 
{untranscribed Hebrew} the prophet of God Chald.  eminent Prophet, which in Gods stead governed the people of Israel, and conducted them out of egypt; or else, as in his person, by some other, with reflection on those times wherein Moses lived, when the children of Israel in the Wilderness were sorely afflicted, and great multitudes of them untimely cut off for their provocations.  
1. Lord, thou hast been 
a.  our 
refuge, or help, or support  dwelling-place in all generations.  
Blessed Lord, we have never had any helper but thee, any other to whom we might resort for aid and relief, from time to time; Thou hast been our only protector and defender: O do not now forsake and destroy us utterly.  
2. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou 
or the earth were in travail,  hadst formed the earth, and the world, 
b.  even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.  
Before any part of this world was formed by thee, thou hadst an infinite, incomprehensible being, a power by which this whole orb, wherein we move, was at first created, and thou remainest immutably the same almighty power, and so shalt do to the end of the world: O let us thine afflicted creatures receive at this time the benefits and auspicious effects of this thy both power and mercy.  
3. 
c.  Thou turnest man to 
a broken estate,  destruction, and sayest, return ye children of men.  
Thou art the great Ruler and most just disposer of all events; when those whom thou of thine infinite power and goodness didst create, fell off, and made defection from thee, 'twas then just with thee to punish them for their sins, and return them back to the earth, that lowest and vilest condition, from which man was first brought forth by thy creative power. This was the sentence against Adam, and thus thou art at this time justly provoked to deal with great multitudes of us.  
4. For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday, when it is past, and as a watch in the night.  
And if in the old world, such as had thus offended, were permitted( some of them, even Adam himself, to whose sin death was awarded by God) to live near a thousand years after it, yet alas what is that, compared with thy infinity? Thou art without all beginning, O blessed Lord, most absolutely eternal; a thousand years being considered in thy duration, are but as a drop spilled and lost in the Ocean, no more than the shortest time among men, but a day, and that past and gone, or but the sixth part of that, the space of four hours in the night( see note on Psal. cxxx. b.) which is insensibly past over in sleep.  
5. 
d.  Thou 
overflowest them, they shall be a dream in the morning as grass is changed,  carriest them away as with a flood, they are as a sleep; in the morning they are as grass which groweth up:  
6. In the morning it flourisheth and groweth up, in the evening it is cut down and withereth.  
As for us men, we are naturally frail and short-lived, our whole age is instantly at an end by the course of nature: But then when thy wrath also breaks forth against us, death comes as a torrent, and sweeps us away in the midst of our strength; our life then is but as a dream, when one awakes out of sleep, but a fancy at first, and that soon vanished; whilst we live, we do but seem to live, and strait death comes, and that phasme vanishes. Our condition here is no more stable and durable than that of the flower or grass of the field, which when it flourishes most, is subject to instant fading and withering; but if the sith or sickle come, the emblem of thy judgments on sinners, then it falls in the prime of its verdure: In the morning it is fresh and prosperous and in its growth, and the very same day it is cut down, and then immediately fadeth, loseth all its verdure and beauty before the night.  
7. For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.  
8. For thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.  
And just thus it is with us: Our sins have provoked thee to cut us off in the prime and most flourishing part of our age; our open and crying sins, these, as the Rector of the Universe, thou thinkest fit to punish with excision; and beside these, many more secret sins there are, unknown to men, but most clearly discernible by thee, our secret apostasies, and in our hearts returning to egypt, our dislike of thy methods, thy presiding and governing us, and preferring the satisfaction of our lusts before the observance of thy commands, and these also provoke thy wrath, call forth thy vengeance against us, and by this means( as with a torrent v. 5.) we are swept away, and consumed in a visible formidable manner.  
9. For all our dayes are passed away in thy wrath; we 
end {untranscribed Hebrew}  spend our years 
e.  as a 
thought or breath.  tale that is  told.  
Thou hast been incensed by our Atheistical murmurings, thy displeasure is gone out against us; and so the years that were allowed us here, and might otherwise have been prolonged for some time, are now suddenly cut off, our race is ended in a trice, we are seized on with a swift destruction.  
10. The dayes of our years 
to them are seventy years,  are 
f.  threescore years and ten, and if 
in signs, eighty years, and the strength of them is labour—  by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we flee away.  
The vast numbers of 603550. that were fit for war, and so were listed at our coming out of egypt, do all drop away one after another, thy oath being gone out against them, that but two of that whole number shall enter into Canaan, all the rest leaving their carcases in the Wilderness. By this means it comes to pass, that great multitudes die before they advance to more than the seventieth year of their age, viz. all that were but thirty years old at their coming out of egypt. Others that were then in their prime, about forty years old, are sure not to out-live eighty( And for the youth that were not numbered, those that were to enter into Canaan and so out-live the rest, they have yet little joy in their life, nothing but wearisome journeys and turmoils, see Psal. Lxxviii. 33.) and so our complaint is most just, as to a vast multitude of us, that our age is even as nothing in respect of true duration, but a thought or breath v. 9. our most vigorous men being cut off in their prime, and so there is an end of them.  
11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? 
as thy fear thy wrath, or and the terror of thine indignation,  even according to 
g.  thy fear so is thy wrath.  
12. 
To number our dayes, do thou so teach us, that we may  So teach us to number our dayes, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.  
Whilst thus we are daily cut off, the great unhappiness of it is, that no man is careful to lay to heart these terrible effects of Gods heavy wrath upon us; no man is so far instructed by what he sees daily befall multitudes of other men, as to be sensible of his own danger, and the shortness of his life, so as to live well, while he is permitted to live. Lord, be thou pleased to give us this grace, so to instruct us, and convince us of the shortness of our lives, that we may be brought to pay that constant reverence and obedience that is due to thee, and wherein true wisdom consists, there being nothing so unwise as our provoking of thee, and adventuring to be cut off in our sins.  
13. Return, O Lord, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.  
And if it may be thy good pleasure, O Lord, reverse that sentence of excision which is gone out against us: let it suffice that thy displeasure hath flamed to the devouring so great numbers of us, and at length vouchsafe to be pacified and reconciled with us.  
14. O satisfy us early with thy mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our dayes.  
We have lain very long under thy wrath, O Lord, O delay not to afford us the full streams of thy mercy which we have thus long wanted and impatiently thirsted after; that so for the remainder of our time we may have some matter of ovation and rejoicing, after so much sadness.  
15. Make us glad according to the dayes wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.  
Our afflictions and miseries have lasted long; O let us have some proportion of joy to so much of sorrow.  
16. Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.  
O magnify thy glorious work of grace and mercy to us and our posterity, which is most properly thine,( thy acts of punishments being thy strange works, Is. 28.21.)  
17. And let the 
sweetness {untranscribed Hebrew}  beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and establish thou the work of our hands upon us, yea the work of our hands establish thou it.  
show forth thy loving kindness and light of thy countenance toward us, look graciously and favourably upon us, give us thy grace to direct us in all our ways, work thou in us both to will and to do, and then by thy good providence prosper our designs and undertakings.  

Annotations on Psalm XC.  
V. 1. Dwelling] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to dwell, the noun {untranscribed Hebrew} ordinarily signifies habitation, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and so the Syriack understands it here rendering {untranscribed Hebrew} house. But the arabic usage of the verb in another notion, for aiding or protecting, is a sign that thus the word anciently signified; and so Deut. xxxiii. 27. the Lord {untranscribed Hebrew} is thy refuge, we render it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, shall cover thee, say the Lxxii. and so indeed every house being a covert, the notions of house and refuge will well agree: and Aben Ezra, that resolves this Psalm was written by Moses, proves it( among other reasons) by this word being there used by Moses in Deuteronomy. And then from that signification of it there, {untranscribed Hebrew} may here best be rendered protector or helper; and so the Chaldee seem to have understood it, who having paraphrased the word Lord, with some reflection on that notion of the word {untranscribed Hebrew} in their dialect, wherein it signified the Temple, O Lord, whose habitation of the house of thy Schechina or Majestatick presence is in heaven, add {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast been to us a helper. The Jewish Arab, which looks to the former notion, and renders it {untranscribed Hebrew}, which is a place of abode, yet gives a reason of his version in a note, to this purpose, The meaning is, Thou hast born( or supported) us much, and held our hands( or held us by the hand) and been to us as a place to bear us in our reliance on thee. To the same purpose Abu Walid, having interpnted the word {untranscribed Hebrew} for an habitation, place, or place of abode, makes mention afterwards of this verse and some others, in which the word might seem not so exactly to bear that signification, and saith that it is attributed as an Epithet to God, from the notion of a place, which remaining bears or sustains him that is in it. Though God be the Creator both of place and time, and the destroyer of them, yet figuratively it is attributed to him: so that according to their understanding of it, it should be literally a place, but in signification, a support to us. Kimchi mentions another interpretation of his Fathers, who would have {untranscribed Hebrew} derived from {untranscribed Hebrew} an eye, as if it were, our respect, or whom we respect, on whom our eyes are set; but he himself puts for explication of it, {untranscribed Hebrew} a place and refuge. The Lxxii. both here and Psal. xci. 9. render it {untranscribed Hebrew} refuge, which being applied to a person, as 'tis here to God, must needs signify one, from whom he that flies to him expects help, and so [ helper] will be the best rendering of it.  
V. 2. Thou hadst formed the earth] The phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} will best be rendered, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and thou earth wert in travail; or, taking {untranscribed Hebrew} in the third person, {untranscribed Hebrew} being most usual in the feminine gender, and the earth was in travail: so the Syriack sets it more plainly {untranscribed Hebrew} before the earth fell in travail. By this phrase is poetically meant the earth's bringing forth the mountains, when from the first round or globular form of it, some parts were lifted up above the rest, the high rising whereof became the mountains, which therefore may be called the issue of the earth: and then, as they are said to be brought forth in the former part of the verse, so by analogy the earth must be said to travail, and bring them forth. And this to express the very first minute that there was time to compute from, and so as far as our expressions can go, the infinity of God. The Jewish Arab version hath respect to another notion of the word for beginning, and renders it by {untranscribed Hebrew}, Before thou broughtest forth the mountains, and begannest( or first createdst) the habitable, with the rest of the earth, or else( as, being without vowels, it may be red) before the mountains grew up( or were brought forth) and the habitable with the rest of the earth began.  
V. 3. Turnest man] The Lxxii. begin this v. 3. with {untranscribed Hebrew} not, either taking the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} God from the end of v. 2. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and converting it into {untranscribed Hebrew} not, and prefixing it to this v. 3. or else reading the Hebrew by way of interrogation, which they therefore think fit to interpret by the negative, wilt thou turn man, &c. by {untranscribed Hebrew} turn thou not. Which the latin follow in the form of a prayer, Ne avertas— turn not man to humility— The word which they render humilitatem( from the Lxxii. their {untranscribed Hebrew}) is in the original {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to bruise or beat to pieces. By this, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  destruction, or dissolution of parts in death, and the resolution of the body to dust, may be fitly expressed; and accordingly the Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} to death: and to that the ensuing part of the Psalm may seem to apply it, treating of short life, and speedy death; and if so, then to this sense we must also, with the learned 
in the word {untranscribed Hebrew}  Schindler, understand the immediate consequents, {untranscribed Hebrew} and sayest, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  return ye sons of Adam, i. e. return to the earth, from whence Adam had his name, and from whence he first came, according to that of Gen. iii. 19. Out of the ground wast thou taken, for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. So Ps. cxlvi. 4. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth. And Eccles. xii. 7. then shall the dust return to the earth as it was. But it is possible that {untranscribed Hebrew} may signify no more then bringing low by punishment, and that in order to amendment, according to the importance of Ps. Li. 17. and Isa. Lvii. 15. and then {untranscribed Hebrew} return ye sons of men must be meant of returning by repentance; and thus indeed generally the Imperative {untranscribed Hebrew} taken by itself signifies. To this those words of the Chaldee, which are inserted in the beginning of the second verse( but somewhat out of their place) seem to refer, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. When it was revealed before thee that thy people would sin, thou preparedst repentance; according to that tradition of the Jews, that repentance was one of the seven things created before the world. And thus the arabic reads it more expressly, in the Lxxii. their form of deprecation, Bring not men back to destruction {untranscribed Hebrew} since thou hast said, come back ye children of men: he that hath promised to forgive upon repentance, defeats his own act of grace, if he cut off the transgressor in his sin. Thus Jarchi interprets the bringing to destruction to be {untranscribed Hebrew} near to death, and the returning to be {untranscribed Hebrew} from evil ways. But still the context seems to authorize the former interpretation of destruction, and speedy returning to the earth, which is evidently the subject of the fifth and sixth verses. And for verse the fourth, it seems to be the preventing of an objection, ready to offer itself from the long lives of the patriarches, who lived near a thousand years; but those, saith the Psalmist, are in Gods sight, or in respect of his infinity, but a very unconsiderable time. The number, saith Jarchi, hath a peculiar respect to Adam, to whom God had said, thou shalt die in the day that thou eatest, and yet he lived nine hundred and thirty years.  
V. 5. Carriest them away] To set down the shortness of mans life, the comparison is here made between God and us: A thousand years, which is longer then Adam or Methuselah lived, and since those dayes, as long as many ages of men, bears not the least proportion with Gods eternity v. 4. whereas( here v. 5.) mens years are presently at an end; {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to overflow, and sweep, and carry away, thou( i. e. God) sweepest them away, with the same force and swiftness that a torrent carries any thing before it, and there is no resisting it. And to the same purpose, in another similitude, {untranscribed Hebrew} a sleep shall they be, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  or, as {untranscribed Hebrew} also signifies, a dream. So the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} as dreamers shall they be. To this I suppose {untranscribed Hebrew} in the morning must be annexed( and not prefixed to the consequents) a dream in the morning, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as that is all one with a dream when one awakes, Ps. Lxxiii. 20. in the notion of vanishing: as a dream, when the morning comes, and the man awakes, presently vanisheth; so shall they vanish( for to this of vanishing, and coming to nought, both here and Ps. Lxxiii. the phrase is used) no considerable matter is done by them in their lives, but a few slight actions, which have but the nature of dreams, and suddenly they die, or vanish, as at the coming of morning, this sleep, or but dream as it were of life, is at an end. Both these expressions of the overflowing, and the dream, the Lxxii. by slight changes put together into one. For {untranscribed Hebrew} thou overflowest them, they seem to have red with other points {untranscribed Hebrew} their flowings, and rendering the sense, and not the word, translate that {untranscribed Hebrew}, their being turned to nothing. Then for {untranscribed Hebrew} dream or sleep, from {untranscribed Hebrew} dormivit, they red {untranscribed Hebrew} year, and so make but one sentence of both, {untranscribed Hebrew}, their years are things of nought; very full to the sense, though not to the letter, and the two similitudes in the Hebrew. The same again is succinctly expressed by a third similitude, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  {untranscribed Hebrew} As grass is or shall be changed, or pass away( viz. the verdure and beauty of it.) The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies to alter the thing, or the place, to change, or to pass away. The Jewish Arab renders it {untranscribed Hebrew}, which in the ordinary use of the word signifies passeth away: and so is fitly applied to the grass. When that begins to fade, to lose its fresh green colour, 'tis then said to change and pass away; {untranscribed Hebrew} pass away, say the Lxxii. and latin, but the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} as the grass which is cut down {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall be changed, i. e. lose their verdure, and whither, and so pass. To this of the grass the whole sixth verse belongs also, where we have another distant notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  In the morning {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall flourish, {untranscribed Hebrew} and( not pass away, or fade, or change from better to worse, but, in a good sense) change to the better, spring, and grow, is renewed, saith Abu Walid: so that same word {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies also to spring, or sprout out, Job xiv. 7. There is hope unto a three, if it be cut down, that it will sprout out again. The Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew}, sprout out, the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} reflourish. So Isa. xl. 31. They that wait on the Lord {untranscribed Hebrew} shall( we render it) renew their strength, but the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew}— shall add or increase in strength, and be renewed to their youth {untranscribed Hebrew} as a sprout that grows: and so the consequents interpret it, they shall mount up with wings as Eagles— And so sure 'tis here, {untranscribed Hebrew} and it shall increase or grow, saith the Chaldee. And the using it here in this so different sense from that of v. 5. is not without example, but poetical and elegant, oft observable in these books, in this very Psalm, where {untranscribed Hebrew} is v. 3. in the notion of a year, but v. 5. of a sleep or dream; Yet the Jewish Arab taketh {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} in the same sense in both places, and thus paraphrases the whole passage, So hast thou set them, or constituted them( the years foregoing) as if they flowed, and were as a sleep, and we in our morning are as grass that passeth away. For in the morning blossoming it passeth away, and in its evening is dry, and is broken. Abu Walid rendering the latter is renewed, declareth not his opinion of the former which he subjoineth to it. And then it follows, In the evening {untranscribed Hebrew} it shall be cut down {untranscribed Hebrew} and be dried up or whither. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  In one and the same day it thus alters its fate, it is florid and thriving, sprouting out and growing in the morning; and before the end of that very day, it is cut down, and withers instantly.  
V. 9. As a tale] {untranscribed Hebrew}( from {untranscribed Hebrew} to speak, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and that either with the tongue or heart) signifies either a thought or speech, and being here used to express the shortest duration imaginable, it may most probably signify a thought, as that which alone is quicker than a word is spoken. When the latins would express the greatest swiftness, they do it by dicto citius, and this Castellio hath chosen to make use of here, finimus annos nostros dicto citius, we end( so {untranscribed Hebrew} literally signifies) our years sooner than one can speak; 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and that sure is as soon as one can think. If this be not it, then it must be remembered that {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies also gemitus and halitus, a sigh and a breath, and accordingly the Chaldee render it here, {untranscribed Hebrew} as the vapour or breath of the mouth in winter; agreeable to which is the definition of our life in Saint James c. iv. 14. What is our life? It is even a vapour, that appears for a little while, but afterward vanisheth. The Lxxii. here red {untranscribed Hebrew}, our years as a spider have meditated; and the latin, sicut aranea meditabuntur, or( as the conformity with the Greek exacts) meditabantur did meditate, reading for the noun {untranscribed Hebrew} the verb {untranscribed Hebrew}, and for {untranscribed Hebrew} by a light change of מ into ט, {untranscribed Hebrew} which the learned Schindler mentions( from {untranscribed Hebrew} to spin) as all one with the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew} a spider. For this the learned Hugo Grotius hath a more remote conjecture, supposing them for {untranscribed Hebrew} to have red {untranscribed Hebrew}, the word which is used for a spider Prov. xxx. 28. But besides that {untranscribed Hebrew} is very distant from {untranscribed Hebrew}( nothing but מ common to them) there would, in that supposed reading, be nothing to answer the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew}, and though that also may be conceived to have been by them added by way of supply to an Ellipsis( as sometimes it is) yet still that makes the conjecture the more remote, which hath two such difficulties in it. Meanwhile their meaning, in these words, though somewhat obscure, may probably be this, Our years as a spider have meditated, or exercised themselves, or been employed, viz. in weaving such webs as the next broom sweeps away; our age is spent in fruitless slight labours, which presently come to nothing. And so this they might take for no inconvenient paraphrase of our years as a breath, or thought, which they found in the Hebrew, referring the {untranscribed Hebrew} we have finished or ended to the former part of the period.  
V. 10. Threescore years] In this verse what is said of the age of man, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that it is but {untranscribed Hebrew} seventy, or at most {untranscribed Hebrew} eighty years, is thought by most to belong to later ages than that of Moses, by whom the Psalm is supposed to have been composed. The period of life is indeed by Solon thus set, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the term of a mans life is seventy years, saith Herodotus of him, L. 11. and so Laertius in his life, {untranscribed Hebrew}, Solon saith seventy years are the term of mans life. But in Moses's time it was sure much larger, Moses himself was cxx. years old, and his eye was not dim, nor his natural force or vigour abated, Deut. xxxiv. 7. and was eighty years old when God made him Captain of his people, as Aaron likewise was eighty three before he was made High-Priest, Exod. vii. 7. which is evidence enough, that that age of eighty was not an extreme decrepit age at that time. This hath made many resolve that this Psalm was of a far later date than that of Moses. But with how little reason they have thus resolved, will soon be made manifest, and the difficulties of this verse sufficiently cleared, by remembering the subject matter of the whole Psalm, the afflictions, and shortness of life, not absolutely to all at that time, but peculiarly {untranscribed Hebrew} to them that are there spoken of; 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  {untranscribed Hebrew} to or among them saith the Syriack, {untranscribed Hebrew} the Lxxii. the latin in ipsis, in or among them, i. e. to the children of Israel in the desert, when for their murmurings and other provocations which they were guilty of, Gods wrath and oath was gone out against them, that of all that were numbered of them at their coming out of egypt, not one, save onely Caleb and Joshua Numb. xiv. 29, 30. Deut. i. 35. no not Moses himself Deut. xxxii. 52. Numb. xvii. 13. should enter into Canaan. This oath of Gods was to be exactly performed in the space of forty years( whilst they wandered in the Wilderness from place to place, without any house or city to dwell in) the whole number of those that were then numbered, all the males from twenty years old and upward that were able to go forth to war, except only those two, were consumed. How great that number was, appears by the list appointed to be made Numb. i. 3. six hundred thousand, and three thousand and five hundred and fifty, Numb. i. 32. Of this number then, all that were but twenty years old were( 'tis evident) cut off before they exceeded the sixtieth year of their age; of all that were but thirty years old, none out-lived the seventieth year; of all that were forty, none, save only those two out-lived his eightieth. And of these that exceeded not forty, and were not under twenty at the coming out of egypt, who consequently, all but two, died before they attained to eighty years, certainly the number must be very great, probably near three hundred thousand, it being unlikely, that the number from forty to the age of discharge from war, should do much more than equal that from twenty to forty; and consequently the reason of the complaint very considerable in that age, beyond any other age of those times, that without any Epidemical disease, so vast a number should die before eighty years old. This I suppose the meaning of the addition here {untranscribed Hebrew} and if in vigour, fourscore years. {untranscribed Hebrew} is a strong man, and {untranscribed Hebrew} ordinarily used for a warlike person, and {untranscribed Hebrew} 2 King. xviii. 20. strength for war; and the prime age for such was about or under forty years old. Those then that at their numbering were not above forty years old, might possibly live to fourscore, but falling( all but two of them) in the Wilderness in the forty years space, they cannot be imagined to have survived that age. And for all others, those under twenty years old, that were not numbered at the coming out of egypt because of their youth, the next part of the period seems to belong to them, {untranscribed Hebrew} and the strength of them is labour and sorrow. By {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} ( from {untranscribed Hebrew} strong) Abenezra and Rabbi Solomon understand the strength of youth, i. e. of the best of mans age, the strength, or firmness that is in, or to a man in those dayes. And thus it may signify Synecdochically( as by the Youth of the nation we mean in ordinary style) those under twenty years old. The Lxxii. reads {untranscribed Hebrew}, which the latin renders, Quod amplius eorum, the overplus of them, taking {untranscribed Hebrew} in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} multitude; so Abu Walid, reading {untranscribed Hebrew}, doth yet render it, the overplus, what exceeds of them. And thus the sense will well bear, the overplus of them, that is the youth that were not numbered; and to this the Chaldee and Syriack seem to refer, who both render it {untranscribed Hebrew} and the increase of them, not plerique ipsorum, the most of them, as the translator of the Syriack renders, but the increase of them, i. e. of the Israelites, viz. their little ones Num. xiv. 31. which God there promised to bring into the land of Canaan, when all that were numbered, should fall in the Wilderness, v. 29, 30. Of these therefore it is added, that though they were not so short-lived, yet for that while they had little comfort of their lives; though they survived and entred into Canaan, Numb. xiv. 31. yet all the space of the forty years in the Wilderness, it was most true of them what here follows, their life for that space was {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  hard travail or moil, the Lxxii. duly renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} lassitude or wearisome toil; {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and sorrow or labour, {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Lxxii. dolor the latin, both joined to express the wholesomeness of their tedious desart-marches. This later passage seems to be here set in a parenthesis( to give some account of the over-plus, those that were not numbered, as well as the former words did of those that were) for not to them, but the former belongs the conclusion of the verse, with the causal particle in the front; {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} — for it is suddenly cut off, and we flee away; so to all them it was that were numbered at the coming out of egypt, save only to Caleb and Joshua, in the space of forty years their carcases fell all and every of them in the Wilderness, and so they were {untranscribed Hebrew} mowed grass, or stubble, cut up by the roots,( so the word signifies from {untranscribed Hebrew} to pluck up) and like stubble before the wind, or a rolling thing before the whirlwind Isa. xvii. 13. they fled away. The Jewish Arab reads, when the harvest is nigh, we flee, so taking it from {untranscribed Hebrew}. If it be deduced from {untranscribed Hebrew} it may then be compared with the arabic {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew} to pass along, and so R. Solomon renders it by {untranscribed Hebrew}. But to the rest this cannot be applied, who did survive in Canaan, and were not thus cut off. This the Lxxii. have much transformed, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so after them the latin, for mansuetude is come upon us, and we shall be strike. How they came thus to render the words, is not, that I find, taken notice of by any. That which seems to me most probable is, that the Greek copies are corrupt, and that their original reading was, not {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew}, as now we have it, but {untranscribed Hebrew}, it is early gone and we shall be smitten. For so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and {untranscribed Hebrew}, which signifies to cut off, signifies also to pass and go away, and so might probably be rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} is gone away; and {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  celeriter quickly, might as fitly be rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} early, as that is frequently used for quickly( see v. 14.) and so the Chaldee here adds in the end of the verse, {untranscribed Hebrew} in the morning, to express the swiftness of the flight. And then for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to flee, they seem to have deduced it from {untranscribed Hebrew} to smite, changing the ע into נ, and so to have rendered it {untranscribed Hebrew} and we shall be smitten,  
V. 11. Thy fear] All difficulty will be removed from this verse, if only the כ in {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  may be taken, as an expletive, unsignificant, for then the words will ly plainly thus, who knows the power of thy anger, {untranscribed Hebrew} and thy terror or terribleness of thy wrath? Thus the Syriack have taken it, rendering {untranscribed Hebrew} by {untranscribed Hebrew} and the terror. Thus to know the force and terror of Gods wrath, is to discern the cause of it, our sins, and to be truly affencted with it, so as to prevent it by seasonable reformation. This is the interpretation of knowledge in Scripture-stile, as 'tis used for spiritual prudence, and practise proportionable to our knowledge. And this the Chaldee have paraphrastically and more largely expressed, {untranscribed Hebrew}— Who is he that knoweth to avert the strength of thy anger, but the just who fear thee and appease thy fury? The rendering the particle כ 
כ  as, or according to, seems not here so facile or agreeable; for by that according to thy fear, signifying our fear of God, 'tis certain that Gods wrath is not proportioned to our fear of him. And that our fear of God should signify our want of that fear, to which only his wrath is apportioned, is very remote and without example. Aben Ezra would have it to signify the same with those words of the Law, Levit. x. 3. I will be sanctified in all them that come nigh me, viz. that Gods anger is increased according to our knowledge of him, and so Jarchi, and Kimchi. But seeing the knowledge of God is oft separated from obedience to him, but the fear of God in the sacred style is not so separable, and therefore they that know God, and so only approach him, may incur his highest displeasure, but they that fear God cannot be imagined to do so; therefore I cannot adhere to that notion. Yet if the former shall seem remote, then I shall propose this third, that the phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} as thy fear thy wrath, shall bear proportion with that way of speaking Jud. viii. 21. {untranscribed Hebrew} as a man, his strength; which proverbial for me may probably have been transferred to other things, and then the meaning here may be, that Gods wrath is equal to what men fear or apprehended of it; God affrights not with vain, empty terrors, but will really inflict on impenitent sinners to the utmost of his threats, or of what they can apprehended, or expect. This may not improbably be the meaning of the phrase. Yet the context seems better to accord with the other, the prayer following, So teach us, being fitly opposed to the former complaint, that no man takes notice, or lays to heart the terribleness of Gods wrath, in cutting off so many daily before their eyes. And therefore of that only I have taken notice in the paraphrase. For indeed that which follows in our books, as the beginning of v. 12. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to number our dayes, will best be adjoined to this v. 11. and so the Lxxii. join {untranscribed Hebrew}—( only for {untranscribed Hebrew} our dayes, they seem to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} thy right hand, and so render it {untranscribed Hebrew}.) If thus we set it, the sense will be most current in the first way of interpretation, Who knows the power of thine anger, &c.— to number, i. e. so knows the power of Gods anger, and terror of his indignation, as thereby to be moved, or to learn to number his dayes, i. e. to look upon his life as short and fading( for so we number that which is short, pauperis est numerare pecus, the poor man, that hath but a few cattle, may number them, the flocks of the rich are innumerable) and accordingly to spend it the more to his eternal advantages. The asking the question {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Who knows? signifies a strong negation, and complaint, that no man knows, they fall every day, and no man considers it so( in the example of others) as to number his own dayes, or apply it to his own benefit or amendment. And then follows a prayer to God {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  do thou so teach us or make us know, that we may apply— or as that phrase may better be rendered, {untranscribed Hebrew} that we may bring an understanding heart; so {untranscribed Hebrew} an understanding spirit Ex. xxviii. 3. and Isa. xi. 2. and in many other places: and then by that will be signified that knowing the terribleness of Gods wrath, the want of which was matter of the complaint, v. 11. And so this is a facile and obvious rendering of these two verses. Yet it is not amiss to mention other descants. The Jewish Arab seems not to take {untranscribed Hebrew} v. 11. for wrath, but( according to an arabic use of that word) for consideration, and so goes in his interpretation far different from others, thus, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. And who knows the power of thy wrath, so as to consider thy fear? As the number( or according to the numbering) of our age which is known, that we might bring an heart of wisdom, or wise heart. Adding in a note, that the meaning is, that our dayes are numbered and known, and if we did continually know( or aclowledge) the power of thy wrath, and punishment, as we aclowledge that our dayes and ages are fading, we would come before thee with a wise heart, and by repentance turn unto thee. {untranscribed Hebrew} he seems to take not for the Imperative, but for the preterperfecttense passive. Abu Walid takes that in another sense, and thus interprets it, According to the measure of our age, so discipline( or chastise) us, exceed not measure in chastising us, because our age is short, &c. and he compares it with Job vii. 19. How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone, &c. But this Kimchi in his roots seems not to like of. R. Moses, mentioned by Aben Ezra, thus makes the meaning, He that knows the force of thy wrath, and knows how to number our dayes, the truth is known to him.    

The Ninety First Psalm.  
The ninety first Psalm is a meditation of the special security of the truly pious man, who relies on God alone for it, together with all other blessings of this world, as the reward of his firm adherence to God.( 'tis affirmed by the Chaldee and Lxxii. and latin to have been composed by 
{untranscribed Hebrew} David said v. 2. {untranscribed Hebrew}, Laus Cantici David, A laud of Canticle of David, Tit.  David, in reference perhaps to Gods being entreated for the land, and removing the pestilence, 2 Sam. xxiv. 25. just as it was seizing on Jerusalem, see note b. and hath its most eminent completion in the messiah.)  
1. HE that 
remains in the protection—  dwelleth in the secret place of the most High, shall abide under the shadow of the almighty.  
He that adheres to God, that seeks and expects all his safety from his sole protection,( and accordingly qualifies himself for a capacity of that, keeps in those ways to which God hath promised his safeguard) shall be sure never to fail of receiving it; His tenor cannot fail, as being founded on so sure a title, as is the promise of him that hath all power and dominion over all creatures in the world, and can certainly, and as undoubtedly will perform, whatsoever he hath promised.  
2. I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge, and my fortress, my God; in him will I trust.  
This general never-failing axiom gives me confidence cheerfully to repose my whole trust and affiance in God, as the most sacred inviolable sanctuary, the most strong, provided, impregnable fort, the supreme and divine power, that governs and overrules the whole world, and hath by his promise obliged himself never to destitute me that thus hang on him.  
3. Surely he will deliver thee from the snare of the fouler, and from the noisome pestilence.  
In this his safeguard I shall be secured from those dangers that are in the eye of man most unavoidable, the most secret ambush that is most cunningly laid, and the most killing poison that propagates itself most insensibly.  
4. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust; his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.  
For as an Eagle or other bide doth with her wings protect and secure her feeble young ones from all approaching dangers, and to that safeguard they confidently resort, without seeking or soliciting any other( from whence, and by analogy with which it is, that in the Holy of holies the Cherubims with their wings overshadow the mercy-seat, to signify Gods gracious care and protection over all that there address themselves to him) so shall God guard and defend me, and in his protection will I repose all my hope and trust, the power of the almighty being abundantly sufficient, and( upon his promise given) his fidelity engaged to afford his continual defence to all that are thus qualified for it.  
5. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by 
a.  night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day,  
6. Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that wasteth at noon-day.  
To this it is consequent, that I have no cause to apprehended with terror either the most secret or the most open dangers, the most unavoidable evils that can threaten destruction or mischief to me, either by night or day.  
7. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not come nigh thee.  
Those judgments which seize on multitudes of wicked men, on every side of me, shall( like the plagues that swept away the egyptians, but past over the Israelites, or the plague that slay seventy thousand from Dan to Beersheba, but fell not on Jerusalem) be forbidden to seize on me.  
8. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, and see the reward of the wicked.  
All the sense of evil which I need fear, is in its seizing on others, not on myself, the beholding the untimely deaths of many others, such as is by the law denounced to ungodly men( but in time of epidemical diseases, oft seizes upon others as well as them.)  
9. Because 
b.  thou 
O Lord art my hope, thou hast made the most High thy help or refuge ( see Psal. xc. ●.).  hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High thy habitation.  
I have placed all my affiance in the Lord, and thereby secured myself of all the protection and safeguard that the omnipotent Monarch of heaven and earth can bestow on me.  
10. There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.  
By strength hereof no kind of mischief shall by any mishap befall or approach me.  
11. For he shall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.  
God having set a guard of his about me, given charge to the holy Angels, that always attend and execute his commands, that as long as I cleave fast unto him, they shall secure me from all manner of evil that his providence shall permit to approach me.  
12. They shall 
carry thee {untranscribed Hebrew}  bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a ston.  
When any such approacheth, those holy officers of his shall be ready with their aid, and preserve me safe from it.  
13. Thou shalt tread upon the Lion and 
asp or basilicke, {untranscribed Hebrew}, Lxxii.  adder; the young Lion and the Dragon shalt thou trample under feet.  
The most ravenous and venomous beasts, which prey on and mischief all they meet, shall not be permitted to annoy me, but as so many conquered creatures aclowledge my power over them.( This was most eminent to receive its completion in the Messiah, here typified by the Psalmist in the miraculous power which he had over the whole creation, healing all manner of diseases, and casting out devils, and communicating this power to his Disciples, see Mar. xvi. 18.)  
14. Because he hath 
delighted in me {untranscribed Hebrew}  set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.  
I have placed my whole joy and delight in God, most faithfully observed all his commands, and revealed them to others, given them knowledge of his will, how he expects to be served by them;( This had its eminent completion in Christs espousing the will of his father, and preaching it to the world) and this shall be sure to be rewarded by him with preservation or delivery from all danger, if any approach and involve me, he shall be sure to rescue me out of the power of it.( This was most literally verified in the resurrection and ascension of Christ.)  
15. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him.  
16. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.  
God hath obliged himself by promise, and shall certainly perform it, whatsoever request I address to him, shall certainly be granted me; when any affliction comes, I am secured of his support under it, rescue out of it, and higher degree of exaltation attending it, great length of dayes in this world( This belonged not to Christ, but was abundantly made up by his resurrection) even as great as I can desire, and then a joyful vision of him in another world.  

Annotations on Psalm XCI.  
V. 5. Night] In this verse, saith the learned Joseph Scaliger, Ep. ix. is an enumeration of the several sorts of evils that human life is subject to, and those distinguished by the several parts of the natural day, by the vicissitude of which our time and whole age is made up. The parts, saith he, are sour, midnight, and midday, the beginning of night, and beginning of day. The two former here expressed by 1. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  night, 2. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  midday; the two latter by 1. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  duskyness or twilight,( sit to denote the evening which is such) and 2. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  interaiu, the day-time. To these four, saith he, are appointed four sorts of evils, 1. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  fear, terror, consternation,( those dangers or evils, that falling out in the night, are by the darkness and solitude of that much improved, as sudden assaults, or fires &c.) 2. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the arrow flying by day,( any disease or open assault, any calamity that usually befalls men) 3. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the pestilence,( any infectious disease, that invisibly diffuseth itself, and can no more be prevented than an assault in a mist or twilight.) 4. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a wasting slaughter,( when with all the advantages that midday can give to an open assault of overpowering enemies, an utter desolation and spoil is wrought.) This the Lxxii. renders {untranscribed Hebrew}, a midday accident and devil; for which Scaliger there professes to know no reason,( it is no doubt according to their custom of taking one word for some other that hath affinity with it, for {untranscribed Hebrew} reading {untranscribed Hebrew}, which they render elsewhere {untranscribed Hebrew}, Psal. cvi. 37. and Deut. xxxii. 17.) But after all hi● care in approving this his Critical observation, he hath not made it probable that {untranscribed Hebrew} in the day-time should have any propriety to the morning, the fourth part of his {untranscribed Hebrew},( not otherwise accounted for) which indeed upon all occasions is opposed to {untranscribed Hebrew} the night, and never to the crepusculum, or evening. 'tis therefore much more probable,( and agreeable to the practise of poetic writers) that the two latter, the deceivableness and noon-day, should be but an explication of the two former, by night and by day, and so but the two known parts of the {untranscribed Hebrew} be referred to, the night and the day; and proportionably the evils here mentioned by the Psalmist will be at most but of two sorts, the night terror being no more then the pestilence that walketh in darkness, and the arrow that flieth by day the same thing with the destruction that wasteth at noon-day. But indeed both these in effect but one, the destroying angel, which by the pestilence swept them away both by night and day: and accordingly the Chaldee interpret the terror by night, the fear {untranscribed Hebrew} of the devils that walk in the night; the arrow by day, the arrow {untranscribed Hebrew} of the Angel of death; the destruction that wasteth at noon, {untranscribed Hebrew}, a company or troop of devils; all three, as well as the pestilence, name, to signify the destroying angels, instruments of those Epidemical diseases sent from God. That the Psalmist here principally pitcheth on this instance of pestilential diseases, or destroying angels, may probably be in reference to that plague, which for the sins of the people first 2 Sa. 24.1. and then for David's sin in numbering the people, fell upon Israel; and destroyed seventy thousand from Dan to Beersheba, v. 15. but when it was ready to fall on Jerusalem, the angel stretching out his hand upon that to destroy it, v. 16. the Lord repented, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand; and the Prophet Gad coming to David, and directing him to rear an altar, and offer burnt-sacrifice to God in Araunahs threshing floor v. 18.( the place where the Angel stood 1 Chr. xxi. 15.) upon the humiliation of David and the Elders of Israel 1 Chr. xxi. 16.) and calling upon God, and offering burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, v. 26. God was entreated, and propitiated, and the plague was stayed, and fell not on Jerusalem at all. On this occasion it follows, that David sacrificed there on that threshing-floor of Araunah;( the tabernacle and the altar of burnt offering, which Moses made in the Wilderness, being at this time in Gibeon v. 29.) and so designed that place for Gods house ch. xxii. 1. and there the Temple was afterwards built by Solomon, 2 Chron. iii. 1. This then being so remarkable a passage of Gods providence, and mercy in sparing Jerusalem, when seventy thousand were slain in other places round about it, it might very fitly be referred to by the Psalmist, as a signal instance of Gods mercy, and care, and remarkable preservations over his people, and an evidence that there is no means of security, no way to avert or remove any, though but temporal evils, disease, and the like, but that one of applying ones self to God by humiliation, and reformation, and sacrifice, i. e. solemn intercession: and then as when Saint James, ch. vi. 14. gives the like directions in time of sickness, and promiseth that the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, it is not yet to be imagined, that no such person, which observed such directions, should ever die, but that generally this should be a successful way, and that no means should have that assurance of being effectual as this; so in this Psalm, the promises of immunity from dangers, pestilential diseases, &c. made to those that remain in the protection of the most High, v. 1. i. e. to pious men in the use of these means, thus adhering to, and not departing from God, are not so to be interpnted, that no pious man shall die of any Epidemical disease, any more then that he shall not die at all, but that this of adherence and address to God with humiliation and intercession, is the only means either to preserve single persons, or multitudes, whole nations at once; which is the full importance of Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the Temple, 1. Ki. viii. 31. &c. which may be taken as a comment on this Psalm: whereas wicked men, that have no right to any part in this promise, are to expect excision, whole multitudes of them together, thousands and ten thousands v. 7. and that as the just reward of their impiety, v. 8.  
V. 9. That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thou must here in the beginning of the verse be understood of God, is most evident, and so the rendering clear {untranscribed Hebrew} for thou, O Lord, art my hope; and so all the ancient Interpreters have understood it: {untranscribed Hebrew}— thou thyself, O Lord, art my trust, say the Chaldee; and the Lxxii. exactly accord, {untranscribed Hebrew}, thou, O Lord, art my hope— and so the Syriack and latin &c. But then that which follows, {untranscribed Hebrew} the most High hast thou set or made thy help or refuge, is a part of a soliloquy between the Psalmist and his own soul, i. e. himself. And though the Chaldee feigning the Psalm to be( instead of a soliloquy) a Dialogue betwixt David and Solomon, understand this, as the former part of the verse, of God also, that he hath set the house of his Majesty on high, and so the Syriack also, thou hast set thy house on high; yet the Lxxii. and latin, not discerning two persons in the Psalm( beside God) but onely the Psalmist and his own soul, have agreed to understand it of the soul making God her refuge, {untranscribed Hebrew}, altissimum posuisti refugium tuum, thou hast set, or made, the most High thy refuge. And indeed in this manner hath the whole Psalm proceeded, sometimes in the first person, ver. 2. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge— then in the second person ver. 3. Surely he shall deliver thee— i. e. thee, my soul, which is in effect myself: and so the most perspicuous way of paraphrasing the whole Psalm is, by understanding it throughout in the same, i. e. first, person; but that so, as to extend it as appliable to all other pious men, as well as the Psalmist,( according to the general aphorism in the first verse, He that dwelleth—) and in a most eminent manner to the Messiah, to whom the devil applies it Matth. iv. 6. If thou be the son of God &c. for it is written( ver. 11,& 12. of this Psalm) he shall give his Angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands shall they bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a ston. And so saith Aben Ezra of the last verse, and show him my salvation, it refers {untranscribed Hebrew} to the dayes of the messiah. And so R. Gaon, and Kimchi also. And so especially the latter part of the Psalm, though in a lower sense it may agree to David, yet hath its fuller completion in Christ. The Jewish Arab takes the whole Psalm for a colloquy, or discourse by David directed to a Godly man: and therefore as he reads the first verse of the Psalm, O thou that sittest under the covert of the High, &c. I say of the Lord &c. v. 2. so he renders this ninth verse, Because thou hast said to the Lord, Thou art my refuge, and hast made the High thy habitation.    

The Ninety Second Psalm.  
A Psalm or Song for the 
day of Sabbath, see note c.  Sabbath day.  
The ninety second Psalm is a joyous meditation on the gracious works of God toward his people, and his judgments on wicked men, appointed in the Jewish Church to be used on the Sabbath day; not so much to commemorate the Creation, and Sabbath following that, as to foretell their peace and prosperity in this world, and withall, that 
{untranscribed Hebrew} the age to come of the Messiah which shalt be all Sabbath. Sol. Jarchi.  rest from persecutions which God had promised to give his Church under the Messiah. See note a. on the title to the Romans, and 2 Thess. 1. note a. and Heb. iii. c.( The Jewish Arab ascribes this Psalm also to David.)  
1. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most Highest;  
2. To show forth thy loving-kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night;  
3. Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the Psaltery, upon the 
song or loud voice ( see Ps. iii. 6.) on the harp. {untranscribed Hebrew}  harp with a solemn sound.  
There is nothing that better becomes a pious man than to confess and land and magnify the great and glorious name of almighty God, morning and evening every day to proclaim his gracious goodness in promising, and his fidelity in performing what he hath promised, and to do this with all the advantage that art and all sort of Musical Instruments and voices can add to it; there being no so proper and seasonable employment for all these, as that of worshipping and glorifying the great and good Creator of all the world, and faithful protector of his servants.  
4. For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work; I will triumph in the works of thy hands.  
The works of thy creation were all exceeding good, and thy continued protections and preservations, the glorious, alwise and all-gratious dispensations of this thy providence, are matter of the most ravishing transporting exultation.  
5. O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.  
Thy actions and thy counsels are evidences of thy transcendent unfathomable power, and wisdom, and goodness,  
6. A brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a fool understand this.  
7. 
a.  When the wicked spring as the grass, and 
all  when all the workers of iniquity do flourish, 
that they may be destroyed  it is that they shall be destroyed for ever.  
Such, as wicked men, that go on prosperous and uninterrupted in their course, do not at all discern or comprehend the meaning of; for when they from their successses gather matter of triumph, applaud and congratulate their prosperities, this is a most gross and sad mistake in them: The only true account which is to be made, or conclusion to be collected from these their temporary successses, being rather this, 1. that now they are hastening to their excision, their bravery like that of a flower being a most certain indication of their approaching ruin, whilst the righteous flourish like a palm or Cedar, v. 12. get height and strength and glory from their age; and 2. that Gods vengeances due to them, and not yet inflicted, will one day come upon them the more direfully and unavoidably for these their present short prosperities, even utter ruin and destruction.  
8. But thou, Lord, art most high for evermore.  
And herein Gods power and justice and fidelity is, and shall be most eminently discernible, to the eternal discomfiture and confusion of all the enemies of him and his Church.  
9. For lo thine enemies, O Lord, for lo thine enemies shall perish: all the workers of iniquity 
b.  shall be 
or separated.  scattered.  
For God shall certainly distinguish and make a difference betwixt wicked and pious men, his enemies and his friends and faithful servants; and what ever indiscrimination there appears between them here in this world for some time, he will undoubtedly make the separation, he will visibly seize on the ungodly, the oppressors and persecutors of his Church, blast their greatest prosperities, dissolve their strength, rout their armies, bring them to nought, and adjudge them to irremediable perishing.  
10. But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn; I shall be 
c.  anointed with fresh oil.  
Whilst, on the other side, the truly pious men shall have all their oppressions and sufferings repaired, and be rewarded abundantly with honour and exaltation, deliverance and peace here in Gods season, advancement to a flourishing condition here in this world, and eternal bliss in another life.  
11. Mine eye also shall 
behold or look on mine enemies. {untranscribed Hebrew}  see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall 
hear the wicked— {untranscribed Hebrew}  hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.  
And this change shall be most visible and illustrious; the judgments of God and destructions that fall upon the obstinate enemies of God and his Church, shall be very stupendious and remarkable.  
12. The righteous shall flourish like a engraff; he shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon.  
And the prosperity and peaceable flourishing of the Church in the fruits as well as the profession of piety, in the former resembling the fertility of the engraff, in the latter the tallness of the Cedar, shall be as remarkable also.  
13. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the Courts of our God.  
14. They shall 
Yet more {untranscribed Hebrew}  still bring forth fruit in old age, they shall be fat and flourishing:  
They that sincerely and faithfully give up their names to the service of God and his worship, shall at length enjoy great tranquillity, liberty of holy offices, and all other such most desirable privileges and opportunities of piety: such trees as these,( as men are said to be trees inverted) may, without violation of the law, be planted near the altar, and flourish in the courts of God. And the Church shall be much increased by this means, propagated beyond the holy land over the face of the whole earth, and not decay with age, but herein also imitate the engraff v. 12. that the older it grows, is still the more fertile.  
15. To 
declare or show forth {untranscribed Hebrew}  show that the Lord is upright; 
my rock {untranscribed Hebrew}  he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.  
All this as an eminent testimony of the great justice and uprightness of Gods judgements, who although he permit wicked men to flourish, and his own people to be afflicted for a while, yet at length changeth the scene, and by interposition of his almighty power subdues the wicked, restores and advances his faithful servants to all prosperity and flourishing in this life.  

Annotations on Psalm XCII.  
V. 7. When the wicked] The 7. and 8. verses are so to be joined together, and red as in one period, and affixed to v. 6. that they may set down the error that is there imputed to the ignorant or inconsiderate wicked man; he thinks well of his own condition, measuring by his present successses, and atheistically despising any future account that he shall be concerned in: and this is the error noted v. 6. and refuted in the two following verses; {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the wickeds springing or sprouting out like grass, or flower of the field, or when, or that, or how the wicked do spring {untranscribed Hebrew}— and all the workers of wickedness do flourish, {untranscribed Hebrew} to their destruction, or that they may be destroyed for ever; {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Lxxii. that they may, this being the event and consequent of their flourishing like grass, for so, we know, the flourishing of that abodes its sudden perishing, either by excision, or natural decay( which is not true of the flourishing of palms and Cedars v. 12.) {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and, or but thou, Lord, art most high— They flourish, and thereby do but accelerate their ruin, and over and above, make it more sad when it comes, but God remains just and magnified in these strange turns of his providence. The Jewish Arab here refers the sixth verse to what precedes ver. 5. reading it, How great are thy works, O Lord, and thy thoughts &c. And man is more foolish then that he should know them all, and more brutish then that he should understand it; and then begins a new sentence with the seventh verse.  
V. 9. Scattered] From {untranscribed Hebrew} partitus est, whence both the latin partiri, and the English part,( in the notion of dividing or separating) is deduced, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here in Hithpael, which the Interlinear renders segreg●buntur, shall be partend or separated. And thus it may possibly be a judicial phrase, to denote the discrimination that is made betwixt men, as betwixt the sheep and the goats, Matth. xxv. 32. All the nations shall be gathered together or assembled before him( as a Judge) and {untranscribed Hebrew} he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd {untranscribed Hebrew} separates the sheep from the goats. For this interpretation we have the authority of the Chaldee which paraphrase it by {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. in the world to come they shall be separated from the congregation of the just. And in this sense, if it be admitted, it will be all one with what is said in more words, Psal. i. 4. The ungodly are not so, but— and the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous, v. 5. as that signifies condemnation, rejection, perishing, v. 6. and so {untranscribed Hebrew}( as in the Jewish, so) in the Christian Church, hath been always used to signify the censures. But the Lxxii. render it by {untranscribed Hebrew}, shall be scattered, and the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} shall be dispersed: we have the word, Ps. xxii. 14. my bones are out of joint, partend asunder; but here being somewhat beyond perishing, it seems to be the scattering of enemies in a rout, which have been worsted in battle, and so this may be pitched on as the more probable rendering.  
V. 10. Anointed] From {untranscribed Hebrew} perfundere, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here I am anointed; and so the Chaldee and Syriack appear to have red it. The Lxxii. seem to have red it as from {untranscribed Hebrew} senuit, and so render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, my old age, and so the latin and arabic: and then for {untranscribed Hebrew} with fresh or green oil, the copies which we now have of the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, which the latin render in misericordia uberi. But as the Syriack, so the arabic and Aethiopick depart here from the latin, and assure us that the Lxxii. wrote not {untranscribed Hebrew}, but {untranscribed Hebrew} oil. Now as there were many uses of oil, some vulgar among the Jews( see Mat. vi. note i.) others were extraordinary, the ceremony of inauguration to some office of dignity; so it might here be uncertain to which of these the phrase belonged, did not the context determine it, and the conjunction of anointing with exaltation, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the exalting of the horn, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as of an unicorn, is questionless the advancing to Regal monarchic power, of which that horn of an unicorn is a most significant Emblem: and then the anointing with fresh or rich oil, adjoined to it, must in all reason be applied to the same matter, and denote the inauguration to the Regal power; and then as the Chaldee confirm this, {untranscribed Hebrew}, thou hast magnified, i. e. exalted or inaugurated me with the oil of exaltation or inauguration( anointing by them being still expressed by exalting) so the very reading of the Lxxii.( though varied from the Hebrew) may bear a commodious sense, and that which sufficiently expresses the true meaning, {untranscribed Hebrew}, my old age shall be in fat oil, i. e. the latter part of my age shall be advanced to regal power. What is primarily meant by this, or so as might be applied to the Psalmist's time which wrote it, cannot easily be determined, because the writer of the Psalm is not resolved on among the Jews: the rabbis saying it to have been made by Adam presently after the creation, before the Sabbath, and so the Chaldee paraphrase, and Kimchi; but others, as Aben Ezra, saying that all from the XC. to CI. were written by Moses. Which though it be readily refuted from Samuels being mentioned Ps. xcix. yet may have truth to this, as to some others, particularly the XC. and then that being accepted that Moses was the author of the Psalm, and the title of the Psalm being A Psalm or Song( a joyful Eucharistical celebration) {untranscribed Hebrew} for the day of Sabbath, designing it to be used on their sabbath-days, and probably referring to that Sabbath, that rest, which was by Moses promised the people of the Jews, Deut. xii. 9, 10. this may most fitly be resolved on as the primary sense of it, that God would bring his people the Jews at length, after a wilderness of troubles and many enemies, to rest in Canaan, and establish them a kingdom in peace. But the more eminent, and that as( or more) literal sense of it, pertains to the Christian Church, first Christ, then Christians. Christ the messiah, after his being persecuted and crucified, was to be raised and inaugurated to his spiritual kingdom, and that commencing in the destruction of his enemies the Jews; and the Christians for some time after his death persecuted by the same Jews, were to have their rest, haltionian dayes of peace( see note on Heb. iii. c.) and this expressed by their being Kings and Priests unto God( see note on Apoc. i. d.) parallel to the horn being exalted as the horn of an unicorn, and being anointed with fresh oil here, as it hath before been interpnted.    

The Ninety Third Psalm.  
The ninety third Psalm is a brief meditation on the power of God, and his providence, as in the works of his creation, and the stability of those laws whereby all are governed, notwithstanding the tumults of this sublunary world, so in settling his Church in peace, and faithful performing of his promises to his servants. It is resolved by the 
R. Saad: Gaon, and Rasi, and Kimchi.  Jews to have its fullest completion in the messiah.  
1. THe Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, 
he hath girded himself {untranscribed Hebrew}  wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is established, that it cannot be moved.  
The Lord hath now been pleased powerfully and illustriously to show forth himself, to give signal testimonies of his omnipotence, he is come out as in a royal, so in a military manner, hath secured the whole nation( see note on Mat. 24. e.) from all the dangers that encompassed it, and set it safe from the fear of evil;( And this an emblem of the spiritual kingdom of Christ, see note c. on Psal. cvi.)  
2. Thy throne is established of old, thou art from everlasting.  
This gives us occasion now seasonably to praise and magnify him in all his glorious attributes of power and justice, which from all eternity have belonged to him, his righteousness being as eternal as his being.  
3. The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice, the floods lift up their waves.  
When the violent uproars and seditions of wicked men did their utmost to disturb and overwhelm all, imitating the waves and surges of the rivers or seas v. 4. which make a great noise and roaring,( And so when the devils and wicked men stood out against, rejected, and crucified the messiah.)  
4. The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea even than the mighty waves of the Sea.  
God was then pleased seasonably to interpose his almighty power, to subdue and quiet them, and frustrate their most boisterous assaults, showing them and all the world beside, that his strength is far superior to the strength of the most riotous unruly creatures, and can, when he please, restrain and still them:( And so did he in the resurrection set up the kingdom of the messiah.)  
5. Thy testimonies are very sure; holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, 
to length of dayes {untranscribed Hebrew}  for ever.  
And according to his strength, so is his fidelity; he is able to perform whatsoever he please, and having interposed his promise, he will certainly fulfil it; he can no more fail in that, than he can renounce his holiness, which is of all others his most divine attribute, always most illustriously visible in all his proceedings, and so shall continue to the end of the world.( And this discernible in nothing more, than in his making good his promises to the Christian Church.)   

The Ninety Fourth Psalm.  
The ninety fourth Psalm is an earnest prayer to God, and a confident assurance of him, that he will dissipate the attempts of wicked men, and uphold the righteous. 'tis 
So R. Gaon, Sol. Jarchi, and Kimchi.  thought to have been composed in Babylon, for redemption from thence.  
1. 
O Lord, thou God of revenges, thou God of revenges {untranscribed Hebrew}  O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth, O God to whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself.  
Thou Lord of heaven and earth, to thee onely pertains that great judicial office of distributing punishments and rewards in the world; we that are injured and oppressed, as we are not able, so neither is it our duty to avenge ourselves; this is the divine prerogative annexed to thy sovereignty. Be thou now pleased to interpose on our side, and testify to all, that at length thou takest the matter into thine own hands.  
2. Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth, render a reward to the proud.  
Thou art the one supreme governor of the world, against whose Edicts it is that these proud oppressors exalt themselves. It is just with thee to depress those that exalt themselves, to punish the injurious; O be thou now pleased to execute thy justice upon them.  
3. Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?  
4. How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?  
Wicked men, if they be long permitted to thrive and prosper in their course, are apt to talk Atheistically, to persuade themselves and others that they have mastered heaven, that there is no power superior to theirs, that they can carry all before them. Blessed Lord, permit them not to go on in this proud error; subdue at length and humble, and let them no longer continue under so dangerous a temptation to impiety and profaneness, as their prosperities have proved unto them.  
5. They break in pieces thy people, O Lord, and afflict thine heritage.  
6. They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.  
7. Yet they say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it.  
When they oppress and grinned the faces of the people and servants of God, riot and glut themselves with the blood of those whom by all obligations of charity they ought to relieve and support, tyrannizing over all that are weaker than they, they flatter themselves that God either doth not see, or will not call them to any account for all this.  
8. Understand, O ye brutish among the people; and ye fools, when will ye be wise?  
This is a strange, brutish, irrational, mad folly, for any that hath the understanding of a man to be guilty of.  
9. He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?  
10. 
a.  He that 
instructs the nations, he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he rebuk?  chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know?  
Certainly the Creator of eyes and ears, he by whose only power it is that any creature is endued with those faculties, cannot be imagined to want himself, or not to possess in a more eminent manner what he out of his own fullness hath derived in some lower degree to others. 'twere hard to think that the sole omnipotent Creator should want any power or excellence which he alone hath imparted to his creatures: And so there can be no question of his most exact seeing and knowing all which is here done by wicked men. And as strange it were, that having taken such care as God hath done to reveal his will, to give laws to the sons ●f Adam and Noah, and after by Moses to the Jews( and at last to sand his own son and spirit, and by those divine means to disperse his commands of transcendent purity and charity to all the men in the world) he should not after all, demand exact obedience to these commands, and chastise and punish all disobedience.  
11. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are 
b.  vanity.  
Let those that thus flatter themselves and blaspheme God, and think that they shall carry it away unpunished, know this, that even these very thoughts of theirs, so false, so foolish and Atheistical, are perfectly discerned by God the searcher of all hearts, and shall one day be severely punished by him.  
12. Blessed is he whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law.  
The prosperity of impious men is so far from being a felicity to them that enjoy it,( as these men deem) that the direct contrary to it, viz. to be punished and rebuked by God for all that we do amiss, and by that means to be reduced to the sense and practise of our duty, is indeed the greatest savour and mercy of God, and so the most valuable felicity, and evidence of Gods tender care of us( whereas they that are left in their sins unpunished, permitted to go on securely in their course, have reason to look on it as an act of the feverest vengeance from God, a leaving them and delivering them up unto themselves.)  
13. That thou mayest give him rest from the dayes of adversity, 
whilst  
c.  until the pit 
is  be digged for the wicked.  
And withall makes us capable of Gods farther mercies, in removing afflictions and persecutions, when they have obtained their desired end upon us, rectified and reformed what was amiss: for then without question God will at once restore rest and tranquillity to the oppressed pious man, and destroy and consume the ungodly oppressor, cast the rod into the fire, when his children have been sufficiently corrected by it.  
14. For the Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.  
For though God may and sometime will fatherly correct and chastise his children, and permit them a while to abide under sharp oppressions; yet will he not utterly forsake them, but in his own chosen season restore their prosperity and subdue their enemies.  
15. But judgement shall return 
d.  
even to  unto righteousness, and 
after it all the upright in heart.  all the upright in heart shall follow it.  
The time shall certainly come, that all wrong judgments shall be reversed, that the sufferings of good men shall be turned into their greatest advantages, that the righteous and truly pious man shall be the most thriving and prosperous even in this world, and all impious opposers and oppressors the most improsperous( This was eminently fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem and heathen Rome, the crucifiers of Christ, and bitter persecutors of Christians, and the haltionian dayes that the Christians had after each of these, see Psal. xcvi. 13. and Isa. xlii. 1. and Rev. i. 6.) and then shall good men have all kind of encouragements to follow and adhere to goodness,( hereby the profession of Christianity shall be propagated over all the world) as that which, though with some mixture of persecutions, hath the promise, and is sure to be rewarded even in this life, Matth. xix. 29. and 1 Tim. iv. 8.( and not only in that which is to come.)  
16. Who will rise up for me against the evil doers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?  
17. Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelled in silence.  
But this is to be wrought, not by any human aids or means, by armies raised to defend piety against impiety; when these are wanting, and impiety is backed with the greatest visible strength, then shall God himself by his own ways and means in his due time interpose, and rescue his faithful people from the utmost imminent destruction.  
18. 
If {untranscribed Hebrew} Chald. {untranscribed Hebrew} Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}  When I said, My foot slippeth, thy mercy, O Lord, held me up.  
If at any time the danger appear greater then ordinary, that the pious man is ready to think himself lost, then is Gods special season to interpose his hand for his relief.  
19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts 
have cherished or refreshed  
e.  delight my soul.  
When he is in the greatest anxiety and solicitude, encompassed with apparent hazards on every side, and from thence disquieted and troubled, God then chooseth most seasonably to interpose, to deal with him as a tender parent with a querulous child, provides for him whatsoever may be most grateful and satisfactory in this condition.  
20. Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?  
Let men sin never so confidently, make laws for impiety, as 
So Sol. Jarchi expounds it.  Nebuchadnezar did for the worshipping his golden image, Dan. 3.4. and set up wickedness on the throne or tribunal, confounded all justice, and substitute oppression and rapine instead of it; the comfort is, God will never be drawn to take part with them, to favour or countenance their impiety.  
21. They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.  
22. But the Lord 
to me for a defence {untranscribed Hebrew}  is my defence, and my God 
for a rock of my trust {untranscribed Hebrew}  is the rock of my refuge.  
Be they never so violent and unanimous in their pursuit of the life of blameless pious men, and their forms of process never so solemn and legal, there is yet an appeal behind to the unerring supreme tribunal, and my resort to that shall never fail to bring me a rescue from their bloodiest sentence; God shall reverse that, and protect me, and all that cheerfully depend on him.  
23. And he shall 
render or return {untranscribed Hebrew}  bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea the Lord our God shall cut them off.  
And he shall most certainly requited and punish the wicked oppressors, return that mischief on them which they designed to bring on others, and by making their sins their own scourges and certain ruin, manifest his fatherly care and providence over his obedient faithful servants.  

Annotations on Psalm XCIV.  
V. 10. He that chastiseth] {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to instruct and institute,( as well as to correct) is in all reason so to be understood and rendered here, he that instructs {untranscribed Hebrew} the nations, all the people in the world. The Lxxii. duly render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, he that instructs the nations; but the Chaldee more fully {untranscribed Hebrew}— he that gives the law to his people. This is here said of God, as in the end of the verse to the same sense {untranscribed Hebrew} he that teacheth Adam or man( all the men in the world) knowledge: the first man, saith the Chaldee, referring to those precepts which were given in the creation, called the precepts of the sons of Adam( as after of Noah.) Now these two being the attributes of God( as well as that of planting and forming the eye and ear in the creation, and ever since in procreation v. 9.) that which is in the midst, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  shall not he rebuk or punish? from {untranscribed Hebrew} increpavit, corripuit) must in all reason belong {untranscribed Hebrew} to both those, and to that purpose be best rendered in the end, after both, He that instructeth— and he that teacheth— shall not he rebuk or punish? Is it possible, saith the Chaldee, that God shall have given law, {untranscribed Hebrew} and when they have sinned, shall they not be rebuked or punished? what is added by the English translation in the end of the verse, shall not he know? is not in the Hebrew, but was added as a supply to a supposed Ellipsis. But the right rendering of the verse hath no need of that aid, the sense is much more perspicuous without it.  
V. 11. Vanity] From {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which first signifies to vanish or come to nought,( Jer. ii. 5. they walked after {untranscribed Hebrew} vanity, {untranscribed Hebrew} and vanished, or came to nought) is {untranscribed Hebrew} here; and if in that notion, then it must signify vanishing, transient, that soon comes to nothing: and so the Syriack renders it, {untranscribed Hebrew} a vapour,( as they do Ja. iv. 14. where our life is called a vapour) and thus we have it Ps. cxliv. 4. man is like {untranscribed Hebrew} to a vanishing transitory thing, for as it follows, his dayes are as a shadow that passeth away. But there is another notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}, by metaphor lightly varied from hence, for stultescere growing foolish; so Ps. Lxii. 11. it is best rendered from the Hebrew, trust not in oppression and rapine, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  become not vain, i. e. fools, to signify that those that so trust, that depend on unlawful means for the enriching themselves, will certainly be deceived, find this the most perfect folly in the event. And this of folly being that by which the Atheist is most frequently expressed in Scripture, will be most agreeable to this place, where the Atheists cogitations are described, v. 7. confident of Gods not seeing, not regarding; which thoughts of his, as they are Atheistical, and so false, and so foolish in one sense, as folly is ignorance, so are they most impudent,( which is practical, and the greatest folly) will never secure his wicked actions of impunity, but on the contrary will betray him to all the ruin in the world. And to this sense it is, that verse 8. we find in the like style, Understand, O ye brutish; and ye fools, when will ye be wise? and so this is the adequate notion of the word here.  
V. 13. until] The rendering of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  until, in this place, may much disturb the sense, and make it believed that the rest {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from the evil dayes, i. e. from persecution( see Eph. v. 16.) which God gives to good men, is to continue till the pit be digged up for the ungodly, i. e. till the measure of their sins be filled up, and so destruction be ready for them: whereas the contrary to this is evident, that either the destruction of the wicked is first, and the quiet and rest of the good,( oppressed by them) a natural effect of that, and so subsequent to it; or that both of them are of the same date, at once tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you who are troubled, rest, 2 Thess. i. 6, 7. And this is evidently the meaning of it here, and so will be discerned, if only the {untranscribed Hebrew} be rendered dum, whilst,( as it is elsewhere used, Jon. iv. 2. {untranscribed Hebrew} whilst I was, Job i. 16. {untranscribed Hebrew} whilst he was speaking) for then thus it will run very fitly, That thou mayst give him rest— whilst the pit is digged—  
V. 15. Unto righteousness] The notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} righteousness for charity and mercy hath oft been observed; 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  only the Emphasis of the preposition {untranscribed Hebrew} unto here offers itself to consideration, which will best be expressed by even unto, as when Gen. xiv. 23. we red, from a thread {untranscribed Hebrew} even to a shoe latchet, and Gen. vii. 23. Every living substance was destroyed from man to beast, to creeping things, {untranscribed Hebrew} & usque ad saith the Interlinear, and even to the souls of heaven( which were in least danger to be destroyed with water.) And thus here it seems to import, that the present rigour of their enemies shall by Gods judging, or taking their part, not only be removed, but be even converted into the greatest mercies. Thus in every revolution of state it is ordinary, none are so likely to escape and be favoured by the conqueror, as they that were oppressed by the former government. And so was it to the Jews of the Captivity( of whom the learned Jews understand this Psalm) when the Persian executes judgement on the Babylonian, when the sacrilegious drunken. Tyrant is taken in his city, as in a pit or snare, v. 13. the Jews then are no losers by their former oppressions, but receive preferments in the commonwealth, Dan. vi. 5. and licence to return to their own country. And the same observation held both in the destruction of the Jewish and Heathen enemies of Christ, the Christians were not only freed from their persecutions, but became most flourishing. And this is the full importance of judgments returning even to righteousness; God not only pleading their cause and delivering them( which is meant by judgement) but even converting their former sufferings into their greatest advantages. To this is added {untranscribed Hebrew} and after it all the pure in heart. What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies, may be learned from judge. v. 14. {untranscribed Hebrew} after thee Benjamin, i. e. saith the Chaldee, Saul the son of Benjamin succeeded Joshuah, noted before by Ephraim. And so after this all the upright in heart, i. e. to this shall immediately succeed the flourishing prosperous condition of all pious men: {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall be redeemed, saith the Chaldee; but it is somewhat more, they shall return to a flourishing condition; and so this very fitly agrees to what went before, and is as the proof of it. The severity of their enemies is turned into mercy, and then follows the prosperity of all pious men.  
V. 19. Delight] {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to look upon with delight, is in Piel doubled, and used for looking kindly and lovingly, embracing, and making much of, doing any thing that is grateful to another. So the Chaldee understood it, rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew}, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to make much of: so they use the word Prov. xxix. 21. for that which we render, delicately bringeth up. And hence it is that the Lxxii. render it here {untranscribed Hebrew}, have loved, i. e. behaved themselves in a loving manner, so as they which love are wont to do. Isa. xi. 8. it is used for playing or sporting, dealing friendly and with confidence with any; and Isa. Lxvi. 12. for being dandled on the knees like a child by the nurse or parent: and by analogy with all these, being here applied to Gods consolations, it will most significantly be rendered, have cherished, or refresh't, caressed, or gratified my soul.    

The Ninety Fifth Psalm.  
The ninety fifth Psalm is an invitation to all to bless and praise the name of God, and to live obediently before him. 'tis affirmed to be written by David, Heb. iv. 7. and may probably have been fitted by him, among others here put together, for the solemnity of bringing the ark to the place of Gods rest, v. 11. and is by the Jews 
R. Gaon, Rasi, Kimchi.  confessed to refer to the duties of the messiah, as we see it applied, Heb. 3,& 4.  
1. O Come, let us sing unto the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.  
The Lord of heaven is he from whom all our deliverance and strength doth come( see note on Ps. 89. l.) O let us uniformly join in praising and glorifying his name.  
2. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with Psalms.  
Let us make our daily constant addresses to him with all the acknowledgements and expressions of thankful hearts;  
3. For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all Gods,  
As to him that is the supreme God of heaven and earth, the only supereminent Monarch over all powers and dignities, the Angels his ministers in heaven, and the mightiest Princes his vicegerents upon earth.  
4. In his hands are the 
secret parts {untranscribed Hebrew}  deep places of the earth; the strength of the hills is his also.  
The bowels and bottom of the earth are in his disposal, and( what is emblematically intimated by them) the meanest and lowest men or creatures on the earth are particularly respected and ordered by his providence in all that befalls them here; and so likewise the loftiest and stoutest hills, and the mightiest men in the world are bounded and governed by him.  
5. The sea is his, and he made it; and his hands formed the dry land.  
It is he that framed the whole orb of the sea and dry land, and contrived them so, the one in the bowels of the other, that neither should incommodate the other, but both together make up an useful globe for men and all other creatures to inhabit.  
6. O come let us worship, and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.  
O let us jointly adore, and praise, and pray unto him, and make the members of our bodies partners and witnesses of the real devotion of our hearts, join inward and outward reverence together, even the submissest and lowlyest gestures, to signify and express the sincere humility of our souls, a tribute most due to him who is both Lord and Creator of all.  
7. For he is our God, and we are the people 
a.  of his 
or, dominion  pasture and sheep of his hand; To day 
or if you will to day hear—  
b.  if ye will hear his voice,  
For although we have oft rebelled against him, and so oft deserved his dereliction, and oft smarted for it, yet if now at length we shall be wrought on by his calls and warning, and perform sincere obedience to him, he is most ready to accept us, to take us into his care and protection, and secure us from all our enemies.  
8. Harden not your hearts as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness,  
9. When your fathers tempted me, proved me, 
or, though they {untranscribed Hebrew}  and saw my works.  
Our Ancestors, when they had been delivered by him, with the greatest manifestation of his almighty power, from the hardest oppression and slavery in egypt, were yet so unthankful and obdurate, that they repined and murmured at every turn, ten times one after another, Num. xiv. 22. apostatising from and rebelling against them; they would not believe and rely on his power, though it were abundantly testified to him by miraculous effects of it, but still required more miracles and assurances of his presence among them, and hereby they most sadly provoked Gods wrath. O let not us, that have so liberally tasted of his power and goodness and long-suffering, and are yet afforded his calls to repentance, imitate these in our ingratitude and impenitence.  
10. forty years long was I 
wearied {untranscribed Hebrew}  grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their hearts, for they have not known my ways.  
11. Unto whom I swore in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.  
Those Ancestors of ours for the space of forty years( wherein God for their sins detained and perplexed them in the wilderness of Sin) did very frequently provoke God to indignation, made him resolve that they were a most stupid, idolatrous people, that preferred the service of the 
{untranscribed Hebrew} a people whose idols are in their hearts. Chald.  irrational egyptian false Gods, and devils, before the obedience and worship of the one true God of heaven and earth; and therefore being as it were tired out with their continued provocations, God at length by an oath obliged himself irreversibly, that of all the many thousands that were listed after their coming out of egypt, none, but only Caleb and Joshua, should enter the promised land of Canaan. O let us not offend after their example, lest we follow them in their punishments also, and be denied our part in Gods rest here, the privileges of the ark and presence of God among us, in Jerusalem, where he hath promised to rest and dwell for ever, if we do not provoke him to forsake us.( How this was applicable to the Jews under the times of Christ, see note b.)  

Annotations on Psalm XCV.  
V. 7. His pasture] When the Psalmist useth these two phrases together, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  people of his pasture, and {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  sheep or cattle of his hand, 'tis obvious to discern the seeming impropriety, and withall to cure it, by interchanging the adjuncts, and annexing the hand to the people, and the pasture to the sheep. But it is more reasonable to fetch the explication from the different significations of {untranscribed Hebrew}, as for feeding, so for governing, equally appliable to men and cattle, from whence it is but analogy, that {untranscribed Hebrew} which signifies a pasture, where cattle are fed, should also signify dominion or kingdom, or any kind of {untranscribed Hebrew}, wherein a people are governed. And then the other part, the sheep of his hand, will be a fit, though figurative expression, the shepherd that feeds, and rules, and leads the sheep, doing it by his hand, which manageth the rod and staff. Ps. xxiii. 4. by which they are administered. The Jewish Arab reads, the people of his feeding, or flock, and the sheep of his guidance.  
Ibid. If] {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which is here rendered If, is elsewhere oft used for an optative sign, and expression of a wish. So Luk. xix. 42. {untranscribed Hebrew}, If thou knewest, for, O that thou knewest; and Luk. xxii. 42. {untranscribed Hebrew}, If thou wilt, for, O that thou wouldest remove this cup from me. So Exod. xxxii. 32. {untranscribed Hebrew}, If thou wilt, for, O that thou wouldest forgive them. And if so it be here, then the rendering must be, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. O that to day you would hear his voice, live obedient to him, as people to a Ruler, or sheep to a Pastor. And this may be thought needful to the making the sense complete in this verse, which otherwise is thought to hang( though not so fitly) on the eighth verse, and not to be finished without it. But it may be considered also, whether this verse be not more complete in itself, by rendering {untranscribed Hebrew} if, thus, Let us worship, and bow down, and kneel before the Lord our maker; For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and sheep of his hand, if ye will hear his voice to day,( or, as the Jewish Arab reads, sheep of his hand, or guidance to day, i. e. speedily, if ye will hear his voice, perform obedience to him) setting the words in form of a conditionate promise, thereby to enforce the performance of the condition on our part. The condition to the performance of which they are exhorted v. 6. is paying God the worship and lowly obedience due to him; and the promise secured to them on this performance, that he will be their God, and they his people of his pasture, &c. i. e. that God will take the same care of them that a shepherd of his sheep, preserve them from all enemies, Midianites, philistines, Canaanites &c. and that though for their rebellions and disobediences against God, they had hitherto been oft disturbed, and not long since the ark taken by their heathen enemies, yet if now, to day, they shall at length hear Gods voice, and perform this obedience sincerely, they shall also be secured, that their enemies should no more disturb them, their ark should no more be captive, but enjoy a rest v. 11. with them for ever in Jerusalem. That to this of Jerusalem, the rest spoken of by David referred, as well as to the land of Canaan, in Moses's time, is the observation of Rab. Solomon, {untranscribed Hebrew} to the land of Israel, and also Jerusalem, which is called a rest, as 'tis said, This is my rest for ever, here will I dwell. And so their enjoying this rest of Gods, these privileges of the ark and Gods presence among them, was the completion of the promise on Gods part, that he would be their God, and they his people, &c. And according to this sense of this verse, the Apostles discourse seemeth to be framed, Heb. iv. 6, 7. thus, seeing they to whom it was first preached entred not in because of unbelief: Again he limiteth a certain day, saying, To day &c. i. e. notwithstanding all former rebellions, if you will now come in, the promised rest shall be made good to you. Which the Apostle there applies to the Hebrews, under the preaching of the Gospel; not as if it had no completion in Davids time, by the carrying up the ark to Jerusalem, and Gods resting, and their worshipping him there; but because beyond that, the Psalm had a farther completion in the messiah,( as the Jews themselves, Rab. Kimchi and others confess,) in whom God did much more eminently dwell, then he ever did in the Ark, or Temple at Jerusalem. From whence therefore the Apostle concludes, that there then remained a rest to the people of God, the persecuted Christians, and to all unbelieving Jews, upon condition, if they shall harken to the voice of God in the preaching of the Gospel. For then notwithstanding all their misbehaviours continued in till that time( of his writing to them that warning) they should yet be Gods people, and enjoy the glorious promises of peace and happiness under the Messiah. In which words, to day if, a farther offer of grace and pardon is made to those Jews, on condition of timely reformation. And so elsewhere, according to these grounds, the Apostle saith, 'twas necessary that the Gospel should first be preached to the Jews, but they then again refusing, it was to depart from them, and be promulgated to the Gentiles, who, in the scheme here used in this verse, are called by Christ other sheep, Jo. x. 16. which are not of this fold, taken in by God into his Church upon their hearing his voice, when the Jews, who, if they would have heard at that time, had still continued his sheep, were cast out, and given over, as lost sheep, for their not hearing.    

The Ninety Sixth Psalm.  
The ninety sixth Psalm is a form of common thanksgiving and praising of God for all his works of grace and mercy, as the great Creator and Preserver, Redeemer and Judge of the world. It was first composed by David, and, among others, delivered into the hand of Asapb and his brethren, at the carrying up of the ark from the house of Obed-Edom to Zion, 1 Chron. xvi. 23. &c. and afterward lightly changed, and 
see the Lxxii. their title of the Psalm.  said to have been used at the rebuilding the Temple after the Captivity: And is in the prophetic sense very appliable to Christs spiritual kingdom and the effects thereof in the conversion of the Gentiles, &c.( see note c.)  
1. O Sing unto the Lord a new song; sing unto the Lord all the earth.  
2. Sing unto the Lord, bless his name, show forth his salvation from day to day.  
O let all men in the world aclowledge and bless and magnify the Lord of heaven, and this in the utmost cheerful joyous manner, every day of their lives; but more peculiarly we at this time, who have this present signal addition to his wonted mercies, commemorating all the glorious works and mighty deliverances which he hath wrought for his people.  
3. Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.  
Let this zeal of ours endeavour to extend itself to the benefit of all the heathen people in the world, those that know not God; and by proclaiming the glorious miraculous acts of his power and goodness to his faithful servants, invite and persuade all to become proselytes to his service.  
4. For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all Gods.  
For certainly his power and goodness, his majesty and his mercy is most worthy to be adored by all rational creatures; and his divine vengeance( so lately felt by the philistines, whose Gods were plagued by him, as well as their votaries, and by the Jews themselves, in that breach upon Uzza 1 Chron. 13.11.) ought in all reason to be admired, and reverenced, and trembled at by all opposers, much more than all the feigned deities that are feared and worshipped among men, and are not able to secure their worshippers or themselves.  
5. For all the Gods of the nations are 
a.  idols; but the Lord made the heavens.  
The choicest of those that the heathen people of the world have adored for Gods, are but either Angels, or souls of men, or celestial bodies; and what are these but the creatures of God?( who is the Creator of the highest heavens, and of all that inhabit there) and are therefore in all reason to give place to the kingdom of the messiah, which is to be erected in mens hearts:( see note c.)  
6. 
splendour {untranscribed Hebrew}  Honour and majesty are before him, strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.  
The sanctuary or holy place appointed for the assembly to whom God will powerfully presentiate himself, is the most glorious majestic place in the world; the Angels, those splendid ministers of his, reside there, and by their ministry our prayers are heard, our wants supplied, and so sufficiency of strength imparted to those that stand in need of it, and there petition for it. And this an image and imperfect type of what shall be at the coming of Christ, that spiritual kingdom of his among us, by the efficacy of his grace in his Church.  
7. Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory 
b.  and 
power, or empire.  strength.  
O Let all the nations and people of the world aclowledge him the great and glorious Creator and supreme sole governor of all.  
8. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name, bring an offering, and come into his courts.  
Let them pay to him those acknowledgements which his alwise and gracious providence and disposals, and the redemption which he hath wrought for the whole world, exact from all, and offer up themselves and their prayers( those their spiritual sacrifices) together to him in his Church.  
9. O worship the Lord in 
or, his holy majesty, see Ps. xxix. 6.  the beauty of holiness: fear before him all the earth.  
Let them magnify and adore him in all his glorious attributes, revere and obey him in all his commands, and never fall off or apostatise from him.  
10. Say among the heathen that 
c.  the Lord reigneth; the world also shall be established, that it shall not be removed: he shall judge the people righteously.  
Let his people of the Jews instruct the heathen world in these great Articles of their Creed, not only that the God of Israel, the Creator of the world, is also the sole governor of it, but farther that the messiah his eternal Son, having conquered death, shall have all dominon over his Church committed to him by his Father; that by his divine providence and power he shall so over-rule, and settle, and compose the disturbances and oppositions among men, that he shall plant miraculously, and then powerfully support his Church against all the enemies thereof, destroying in a remarkable manner those that hold out against him, and will not be subject to his kingdom.  
11. Let 
d.  the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the Sea 
make a loud noise {untranscribed Hebrew}  roar, and the fullness thereof;  
12. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein; then shall all the trees of the wood 
cry vehemently {untranscribed Hebrew}  rejoice,  
13. 
At the presence of— {untranscribed Hebrew}  Before the Lord, for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.  
And this is matter not of mourning, but of joy to the whole heathen world, who upon this act of divine vengeance and judicature, Christs destroying their false Gods, and casting them out of their Temples, and by their forsaking those ridiculous detestable idol-worships and all the pollutions annexed to them, and receiving the Christian faith, and with it mortification of lusts, practise of all Christian virtues, and tasting the inward joys and comforts of these, shall be obliged to bless and praise and magnify God, and aclowledge this sovereign mercy far beyond all that ever they aspired to, and admire his justice and wisdom in this blessed turn of his providence, and withall the uprightness of his judgments, the exact justice thereof in dispensing both his punishments and rewards to all the people in the world, protecting those that by adhering to him take care of their eternal welfare, and eminently and signally destroying those that will not permit so gracious a Saviour and Redeemer( with his easy and pleasant yoke, and not only light, but beneficial burden) to rule and reign over them.  

Annotations on Psalm XCVI.  
V. 5. Idols] From {untranscribed Hebrew} not, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a thing of nothing, that which profits not: Job xiii. 4. {untranscribed Hebrew} Physitians that profit not, are not esteemable, are not able to cure or help. So a false vision or prophesy, not fit to be headed, or depended on, is called {untranscribed Hebrew} a nothing, Jer. xiv. 14. and a shepherd that leaveth the flock, that instead of visiting, healing, feeding, devoureth and teareth the flock in pieces, Zach. xi. 16. is called a pastor {untranscribed Hebrew} of nothing. From this notion, is the word used of the false Gods of the heathens, which Hesth. xiv. 11. are styled {untranscribed Hebrew}, things that are not, and of which therefore the Apostle pronounceth that an Idol is nothing 1 Cor. viii. 4. Not simply nothing, for that physician was not nothing, nor that vision, nor that shepherd, but, as the context there inclines to interpret, we know an Idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one; that the Idol-God is {untranscribed Hebrew} not a God, there being in the whole world but one such, the Creator and first cause of all other {untranscribed Hebrew} those that are called Gods; and again that the Idol-Gods are not able to profit, to preserve or defend their worshippers. So Deut. xxxii. 16. they provoked me to jealousy {untranscribed Hebrew} with that which was not God, and Jer. ii. 9. they walked after {untranscribed Hebrew} those that profit not; where the notion of the heathen Gods is, that they are not Gods, and that they profit not. In which respect they are Esth. xiv. 10. called {untranscribed Hebrew} vain things, and iii. Mac. both {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew}, empty and vain. And so heer, when the Gods of the heathen are said to be {untranscribed Hebrew}, the meaning is clear, they are not Gods, but creatures of Gods making; for be they the Angels of heaven, or the souls of eminent men, supposed to be assumed thither, or the Sun, Moon, and Stars, it is the Lord that made the heavens( as here it follows) and consequently all that is comprehended in them; and being creatures they are not able to profit their worshippers. 'tis here observable with what variety the ancient interpreters in this place have expressed this word. The Syriack have {untranscribed Hebrew}( from {untranscribed Hebrew} vain or empty) the vain things, as {untranscribed Hebrew} in Hester and iii. Mac. The Chaldee have {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to err, and to fornicate, either as a wandring from the true to false Gods, or else as the worships of them had all manner of filthiness joined with them. The Jewish Arab reads Idols. Abu Walid, as he puts the ordinary interpretation of the name, as denoting things of no possibility, and vain, so he commends another respect to be had in the understanding of it, according to the use in the arabic of the word {untranscribed Hebrew}, in the notion of grief and dolour, as things bringing and causing grief, and so may be compared with that other name given to an Idol, {untranscribed Hebrew} from trouble or molestation. But the Lxxii. and latin have {untranscribed Hebrew} daemonia, which elsewhere they use also, Isa. Lxv. 11. for Fortune( so the Jews expound Gad there) Isa. xxxiv. 14. for {untranscribed Hebrew} the wild beasts of the desert, Satyrs, &c. Deut. xxxii. 17. and Psal. cv. 35. Psal. xc. 6. for {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} the destroyer or evil Angel, as again tub. iii. 8. vi. 17. viii. 2. and Isa. xiii. 21. for {untranscribed Hebrew} the satire again, and Bar. iv. 7, 35. for the false Gods promiscuously, as they are there v. 7. opposed to the one true God. By all which it appears that the {untranscribed Hebrew} in the Lxxii. and the Hellenists signify neither evil spirits( or devils) alone, as it is vulgarly thought, nor peculiarly the souls of men departed( as others conceive of the word) but more comprehensively all sorts of false heathen Gods, as they are opposed to the true God, whatsoever creatures have by the errors of men been deified and worshipped, in the notion wherein Plato uses {untranscribed Hebrew} Gods in the plural, when, in Timaeo, he saith that the supreme God, the parent of all things, created all the rest of the Gods. See Augustin de Civit. Dei l. ix. c. 23. Of the original of this creature-worship, as far as it concerns the stars of heaven, Maimonides hath spoken at large, l. 1. de Idololat. and in opposition to those {untranscribed Hebrew} no Gods, it is here literally to be understood, the Lord made the heavens; these visible spheres which they so admire and adore as Gods, the one God of the Jews did make. As for that of deified men, Istiaeus Milesius hath as clearly deduced the story of it( see Euseb. Chron. l. 1.) that of the line of Japhet came Zerug, {untranscribed Hebrew}— who first began the grecian or heathen worship; for, saith he, Zerug and they that were with him did with statues of pillars honour those which had anciently been warriors or Captains, or that did any virtuous or valiant act in their lives worth the commemorating, and worshpiped and sacrificed to them as Gods. After them others arising, and not knowing their predecessors intention, viz. that they honoured them as their ancestors and inventors of good things with memorials only, they worshipped them as Gods of heaven, and sacrificed to them. And this was their form of making Gods of them. After their deaths they put their names in the books of their Priests, and solemnized a feast to them at a set time, saying that their souls were gone to the fortunate Islands, &c. In this relation thus set down in those fragments set out by Scaliger, there is certainly a foul mistake, an {untranscribed Hebrew} not left out. For when of the first institutors it is here said, that they honoured those Heroes {untranscribed Hebrew} with memorials only, how can it be imagined that in the relation of that very passage foregoing, Istiaeus should say, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they adored them as Gods and worshipped them? It must therefore of necessity be thus red, that Zerug— did with statues of pillars honour their Captains— {untranscribed Hebrew}, and did not worship them as Gods, or sacrifice to them, as others arising afterward did. And of these again it is as clear, that these deified men, who were supposed to be assumed to heaven, and were no doubt many of them truly gone thither in their souls, were yet but {untranscribed Hebrew} not Gods, but creatures of that one supreme Jehovah, who {untranscribed Hebrew} made the heavens, and those most eminent saints that dwelled there. And this seems to be the fullest importance of this verse.  
V. 7. And strength] As( from {untranscribed Hebrew} fortis fuit) is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  strength; so doth the same word signify what the Greeks call {untranscribed Hebrew} power, dominion, empire. In the notion of strength or robur it may probably be used v. 6. where as beauty, so strength is said to be in his Sanctuary; beauty in respect of the glory of the divine presence, by the guard of Angels that attend there, and strength in respect of the assistance that is by God provided and furnished there to all that seek it by prayer. But the latter notion is fitter for this place, where it is joined with glory and attributed to God; and so 1 Pet. v. 11. which seems to be taken from hence, it is {untranscribed Hebrew} to him be glory and dominion; and the arabic there red {untranscribed Hebrew}, a light variation from the {untranscribed Hebrew} here: and from hence Gods title of {untranscribed Hebrew} is best rendered( not almighty, or he that hath all strength, but) he that hath the {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew} dominion or empire over all. And thus in the doxology annexed to the Lords prayer, kingdom as well as power is joined with glory, when they are attributed to God. And to this accord the Lxxii. which here render it {untranscribed Hebrew} honor, or dignity, referring to the royal power, to which that dignity belongs. And so their giving him the power or empire here, is agreeable to the proclaiming v. 10. that the Lord reigneth.  
V. 10. Lord reigneth] That the Lord in this place is the messiah, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is the resolution generally of the ancients, both Jews and Christians. Of the Jews, R. Solomon affirms this is spoken of the days of the Messiah, and gives it for a rule, that wheresoever 'tis said {untranscribed Hebrew} a new song, 'tis meant of the future age,( and thus indeed Rev. v. 9.& xiv. 3. the new songs are sung unto Christ) And R. Gaon renders the reason, because then there shall be a new heaven and new earth. Kimchi also saith the Psalm concerns the dayes of the messiah. And to this {untranscribed Hebrew} v. 2. hath a great propriety, having a particular notion of good tidings, or Gospel, and is duly rendered by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} Evangelize, or as a piece of Gospel preach, declare his salvation; {untranscribed Hebrew} his redemption, saith the Chaldee. Of the Christians see Justin Martyr in his Dialogue with Trypho the Jew p. 298. &c. And the Psalm being( as appears 1 Chr. xvi. 23.) first composed on occasion of the bringing of the ark to Sion( though afterward lightly changed and fitted, if we believe the Greek title of it, to the rebuilding of the Temple after the captivity, {untranscribed Hebrew}) may thus fitly be understood in its prophetical extent to embrace Christs ascending to heaven in his human nature: By his assumption of humanity he did truly dwell among us, and that much more eminently than ever he did in the ark or Sanctuary; and the carrying of this to heaven was answerable to the bringing up the ark, and placing it solemnly in Sion. Now to this exaltation of his, the across was the forerunner, and ceremony, as it were, of his inauguration, his Kingly office commencing at his resurrection from the grave, to which the across conveyed him, {untranscribed Hebrew}, God after his death upon the across having given him the kingdom of all the Earth, saith Justin p. 300. A. This is the meaning of the words, and of that ancient Scholion which S. Augustin on the Psalms, and Arnobius and 
Fortunatus in Hymn. Impleta sunt qua concinit David fideli carmine, Dicens in nationibus, Regnavit à ligno Deus.  others after him, and( of the most ancient) 
Apol. 11. p. 80. A.& Dial. cum Tryph. p. 298, 299.  Justin Martyr, and 
advers. Judaeos c. x.& xiii. & adver. Marc. l. iii. c. 19, 21.  Tertullian recite, as from this place, {untranscribed Hebrew}, The Lord hath reigned from the wood or three, i. e. from the across. That these words {untranscribed Hebrew} from the wood, or across, were once in the text, and by the Jews taken out from thence, though it have the authority of Justin, and be eagerly defended by Lindanus, hath no degree of probability in it. The very Lxxii.( which alone are concerned in the charge) in the copies which have come down to us, have it not, nor the vulgar latin, nor yet the arabic, nor Aethiopick, which all follow the Lxxii. no nor the version of S. Jerome, much less the Chaldee or Syriack, from all which it cannot with any show of reason be pretended that the Jews have razed or stolen it out;( for how was it possible for them to corrupt the Greek Bible throughout the world, many of which were in the hands and libraries of heathens?) or that the universal Church, which for many hundred years hath allowed of, and confirmed the Original Copies, and all these translations, hath joined with the Jews in their sacrilege, and opposition to Christianity, and that after it had received warning from so great a person as Justine was. Many other evidences are produced to this purpose by our learned countryman Nicholas Fuller, Miscell. l. iii. c. 13. and his conclusion is unquestionable, that it was but a Scholion of some of the ancients written in the margin of his book,( as the result of his observation of the kingdom of Christ, discernible in this prophesy) which after by some unskilful scribe was inserted in the text, and so perhaps in more then one, found by Justin, and by his writings communicated to others, who examined not the truth by the Hebrew text, or more ancient copies of the Lxxii. Meanwhile by this gloss, and the reception of it with Justin, and Tertullian, and Augustin, &c. it competently appears to have been the opinion of the first Christians, those before as well as after Justin, that these words the Lord reigneth, and so this Psalm, belonged to the resurrection of Christ, and the regal power wherein that installed him( and accordingly it was used in the Eastern service) and this kingdom of his set up here in this world, in converting both Jews and heathens, and bringing them into the Church. This is the ground of the style wherein the verse begins, and this his kingdom is mentioned, Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth; as before v. 6. that all the Gods of the heathens are Idols or no Gods, but 'tis God that made the heavens, i. e. that this God, that made the heavens, should cast out all the heathen Gods out of their temples, and set up his spiritual kingdom in its stead, throughout the heathen world, which is the interpretation of his coming to judge the earth, v. 12. thus exercising his regal power, to which he was inaugurated, in destroying idolatry through the world. From this and the like predictions it was, that as Tacitus Hist. l. v. c. xiii. Sueton. in Vespas. c. iv. and Josephus de Bell. Judaic. l. v. c. xii. tell us, there was an universal belief and rumour scattered through the East, before the reign of Vespasian( soon after the resurrection of Christ) that a King should come thence and reign over the whole world; which the heathen ignorantly applied to Vespasian, but was thus verified in Christ; not in his birth, but in this spiritual exercise of his regality, partly in converting Jews and Gentiles to the faith, and partly in destroying their worship, the Mosaical rites, together with the Temple on one side, and the heathen Temples and Oracles on the other side.  
V. 11. The heavens] The heavens, and earth, and sea, and fields, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and trees, are here put together( after the scripture-style, which useth by the enumeration of parts, to signify the whole) to denote the whole inferior world, which( interpreting the heavens of the airy regions) is made up of these, see note on 2 Pet. iii. e. Then for that phrase, the whole world, that in the sacred dialect also, as {untranscribed Hebrew}, every creature, signifies the whole heathen world, see note on Mar. xvi. b. and Rom. viii. d. and so these two v. 11. and 12, 13. are but a poetical expression of the great causes of joy that this kingdom of Christ,( expressed by the Lord's reigning, v. 10. and coming to judge the world v. 13.) which should be spiritually erected among them, should bring to the heathen world.    

The Ninety Seventh Psalm.  
The ninety seventh Psalm, agreeable to the ninety sixth, is the praising the God of heaven for his works of justice and mercy. 'tis 
{untranscribed Hebrew}, Lxxii.  thought to be composed by David on occasion of his peaceable re-establishment in his kingdom, after the rebellion and destruction of Absolom; but it as literally contains a prediction of the messiah his inauguration to his regal office, and the signal exercise thereof in the destruction of his crucifiers, and all other enemies of his kingdom. See note a.  
1. THe Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice; let the 
many Islands {untranscribed Hebrew}  multitude of the Isles be glad thereof.  
God hath subdued all the enemies and opposers of that kingdom which he hath been pleased to erect, to seat his anointed quietly in his throne, an eminent type of the kingdom of the messiah, which is to commence at his resurrection, and to be set up in the hearts of believers, and shall prove matter of all true joy to all the heathen world, and the several nations thereof, as well as to the Jews.  
2. Clouds and darkness are round about him; righteousness and judgement are 
a.  the 
basis  habitation of his throne.  
His judgments are secret and unsearchable, and so the infinitely wise ways and depths of his providence; but all founded in, and managed with most perfect justice and rectitude.  
3. A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.  
4. His lightning enlightened the world; the earth saw and trembled.  
5. The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.  
Those that will not receive him when after his miraculous resurrection and ascension the Gospel is preached to them, shall be soon overwhelmed with signal judgments from heaven, as remarkable and formidable, and as fully evidenced to be the effects of Gods wrath, as if fire from heaven, or flames of lightnings, or Angels the witnesses of Gods presence, should visibly appear in their destruction.( And this first and in the most illustrious manner to be executed on the nation of the Jews the crucifiers, the city and temple of Jerusalem, and after upon heathen Rome, &c.  
6. The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.  
And all Angels and men shall discern and aclowledge and proclaim the great justice of it, and the glorious manifestation of the divine power of Christ in the ruin of his malicious opposers.  
7. Confounded be all they that serve graved images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him all ye 
b.  
Angels.  Gods.  
This vengeance all are to expect among the nations, who do not presently forsake the worship of their false Gods( see Psal. xcvi. note a.) that still adhere to idols, when the faith of Christ the eternal God, Creator of the world, whom the very Angels adore and obey Heb. 1.6. is preached among them.( There being no way to rescue Idolaters from this ruin, but an hearty speedy acceptation of the Christian faith, as appeared in the roman Empire.)  
8. Sion heard and was glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoiced, because of thy judgments, O Lord.  
This was good news both to Jerusalem, and the villages and towns about, the daughters of that mother city: And all the true children of Abraham, all the believing Jews( and Gentiles, also) shall by this means be delivered from their persecutions, and so obliged to glorify the justice and mercy of God in it.  
9. For thou, Lord, art 
most high {untranscribed Hebrew}  high above all the earth; thou art exalted far above all Gods.  
For this( messiah whom we have hoped for so long) is the supreme God of heaven and earth, whose creatures they are which all the Idolatrous people of the world have worshipped for Gods; and accordingly at the preaching of the Gospel all their oracles and worships shall vanish.  
10. Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the soul of his saints, he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.  
O let all that pretend to love or honour or serve him, fly from all pollution both of flesh and spirit, all that he hath forbidden, all that may any way provoke his wrath, who is a God of pure eyes, and cannot behold iniquity. And if all their lives be laid out on this one care of approving themselves to him, their time will be well spent in this service; and beside the endless reward in another world, they shall not fail of the evidences of his goodness and graciousness here in giving them signal preservations and deliverances from all the machinations of wicked men, and in his time rest and cessation of persecutions, peaceable assemblies and opportunities of serving him.  
11. 
c.  Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.  
For though the service of God under the Gospel have an annexation of tribulations, which must be expected, and cheerfully supported in this life, being dispensed by the divine providence for many salubrious and beneficial ends; yet is there that seed and foundation of joy and abundant delight to all honest and truly pious hearts sown there, that shall not fail to bring forth all comfortable and blessed effects to them even in this life, by the practise of Christian virtues, by the comforts and peace of conscience, and that lively hope that is afforded to all faithful obedient disciples, and over and above, after this life, the fruition of endless bliss and glory.  
12. rejoice in the Lord ye righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.  
This therefore is matter of the greatest exultation, and thanksgiving, and commemoration of Gods infinite goodness and mercy to all truly pious men.  

Annotations on Psalm XCVII.  
V. 2. Habitation of his throne] From {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} prepared, fitted, confirmed, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is {untranscribed Hebrew} here, used for a place, seat, but especially a basis whereon any thing is set: from whence the Lxxii. had their {untranscribed Hebrew}( the very Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}) for basis, 1 King. vii. 27. The Chaldee here reteins the Original {untranscribed Hebrew}, but the Lxxii. from the notion of the verb for fitting, red {untranscribed Hebrew} the setting right of his throne; the Syriack by way of paraphrase, by equity and judgement {untranscribed Hebrew} thy throne is confirmed: all which concur to the notion of basis and foundation, which is the thing which gives the rectitude first, and then the stability, to the chair or throne that is set on it. And so that is without question the right, intelligible rendering of the phrase, Righteousness and judgement are the( not habitation, but) basis of his throne, i. e. his sentences, decrees, judicatures are all built upon righteousness and judgement, as a throne is built and established on a foundation. The Jewish Arab renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} the condition, state, or manner.  
V. 7. Gods] That {untranscribed Hebrew} sometimes signifies Angels hath been formerly noted. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  And that in this place it doth so, and not as it doth afterward v. 9. and Psal. xcvi. 4, 5. the Gods of the Gentiles, the Idol false Gods, or as here the Chaldee understand it, {untranscribed Hebrew} all the nations that serve Idols, is manifest not only by the Lxxii. that render it {untranscribed Hebrew} his Angels, and the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} to the same sense, and so the latin &c. but especially by the Apostle Heb. i. 6. where speaking expressly of Christs pre-eminence above Angels, and bringing testimonies of it out of Scripture, he adds that {untranscribed Hebrew}, when it, i. e. the Scripture, would introduce the first born, i. e. the messiah, into the world, i. e. that superior world called {untranscribed Hebrew} the world to come c. 11. 5. {untranscribed Hebrew}, it saith, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and let all the Angels of God worship him. Which words being evidently taken from the Lxxii. in this place, as they convince {untranscribed Hebrew} here to signify Angels, so they are a key to admit us into the full importance of this whole Psalm, that it is the introducing the messiah into heaven, a description of Christs middle coming, so frequently styled in the New Testament {untranscribed Hebrew} the coming or presence( as here v. 5.) of the Son of man, and the kingdom of God, and of heaven, viz. his ascent thither, and so entering on his regal power v. 1. which he was to exercise there. To which therefore are annexed the effects thereof on those that would not permit or allow him to reign over them, destroying the obstinate rebels, both Jews and Gentiles, and giving all cause of rejoicing to all that received the faith, and subjected themselves to his Government. That this so useful a key to this Psalm may not be wrested from us, it is not amiss to take notice, that some show of probability there is, that the words Heb. i. 6. may be taken from Deut. xxxii. 43.( and not from this Psalm) where the Lxxii. red these very words, {untranscribed Hebrew}, Let all the Angels of God worship him. But first, the Hebrew in that place hath no such words, but only these, {untranscribed Hebrew}, which the Chaldee, and Syriack, and Samaritan, and arabic, and Vulgar latin, all with exact accord, render, Praise his people ye Gentiles,( or proclaim, depredicate his people, promulgate Gods special favour to them) for which the cause is rendered in the next words, for he will avenge the blood of his servants, whereas the Lxxii. as our copies now have it, presents us with this great variety, no less then four express Scholions, for this one plain sense, {untranscribed Hebrew}, rejoice ye heavens together with him, and let all the Angels of God worship him; rejoice ye Gentiles with his people, and let all the sons of God be strong to him. Of these it may be observed, that as only the first and the third pretend to be rendrings of the Hebrew, and the second and fourth paraphrases or explications of their meaning in them; so the false reading of {untranscribed Hebrew} with him for {untranscribed Hebrew} his people, hath begotten them both. For having rendered that in the former, {untranscribed Hebrew}, together with him, they have converted {untranscribed Hebrew} nations into {untranscribed Hebrew} heavens, then annexed the second to render an account of that, let all the Angels of God worship him, signifying the Angels worshipping him to be that which they meant by the heavens rejoicing together with him, and so those heavens, those Angels in them, to be the {untranscribed Hebrew} the nations there called to, to praise or rejoice with him. In the third they have rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} by {untranscribed Hebrew}, rejoice ye Nations,( which differs but lightly from praise or proclaim ye Gentiles) but then again for {untranscribed Hebrew} his people, they red {untranscribed Hebrew} with his people, which is the conjunction of {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} both. As for {untranscribed Hebrew} let all the Angels of God worship him, it is so far from having any the least affinity with the words in the Hebrew, that 'tis no way probable that it was in the original copies of the Greek,( but only by some scribe cast into the margin, from this Psalm) it being certain that none of those ancient translators, which use to follow the Lxxii. do follow it in this. This consideration therefore will render it very unreasonable to fetch those words,( which the Apostle citeth out of the Scripture) from this place of Deuteronomy, where the Original text hath nothing like it, and which the Hebrews, to whom the Epistle was written, did know was not to be found in the Hebrew, when this text in the Psalm in the Hebrew, as well as Greek, did so readily afford it. Secondly, this citation Heb. 1. coming in consort with many other testimonies of the Old Testament, 'tis observable that all the rest of the testimonies( save only that of I will be to him a father, and he shall be unto me a son, which seems to be taken from 2 Sam. vii. 14. where they are spoken of Solomon the son of David, a special type of Christ) are taken out of this one book of Psalms. Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee, v. 5. from the express words Psal. ii. 7. Who maketh his Angels spirits, &c. v. 7. from Psal. civ. 4. Thy throne, O God, is for ever, &c. v. 8, 9. from Psal. XLV. 6, 7. Thou Lord, in the beginning, &c. v. 10, 11, 12. from Psal. cii. 25, 26. Sit thou on my right hand, &c. v. 13. from Ps. cx. 1. And therefore in all probability from the same book of Psalms, and therein from the express words in this Psalm, this testimony was cited by the Apostle.  
V. 11. Light] R. Solomon reads {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here in the notion of a plant, or herb, as we have it Isai. xxvi. 19. {untranscribed Hebrew} the due of herbs, and 2 Kin. iv. 39. where the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, a corruption of the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}. If this might be admitted, it would be appliable to the Germen David, which was to spring up as a tender plant. But the conjunction with gladness here, gives it the ordinary notion of light, which is so gladsome, and so fitly used for joy,( as darkness for sorrow) the seed whereof is little, saith Aben Ezra, but the harvest great; which R. Saadiah interprets, the seed is in this world, but the harvest in that to come. The Jewish Arab reads, Light is powred forth to the righteous.    

The Ninety Eighth Psalm.  
A Psalm.  
The ninety eighth Psalm, composed probably as a breviate of Moses's song at the delivery of the Israelites, 
{untranscribed Hebrew} A prophetic Psalm Chald.  and destroying Pharaoh and the egyptians, Exod. xv. 1. &c. is( as the ninety sixth and seventh foregoing) a‖ prediction of Christs kingdom, and the bringing the gentle world in subjection to it: it is thought to have been composed by 
{untranscribed Hebrew} Lxxii. sir. Lat. &c.  David.  
1. O sing unto the Lord a new song, for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand and his holy arm hath 
helped him, or brought him salvation, or deliverance.  gotten him the 
a.  victory.  
It is now a most opportune season to praise and magnify the Lord of heaven, for all the miraculous deliverances which he hath wrought, but especially for that glorious resurrection of the messiah out of the grave( the pawn and pledge of ours) a work of his omnipotent power, and an evidence of his fidelity in making good his promise to him.  
2. The Lord hath made known his salvation; his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.  
This mighty work of his in raising the messiah from the dead, and the exact completion of his predictions and promises therein, is by God appointed to be annuntiated and proclaimed to all the men in the world; to the Jews first, beginning at Jerusalem, Luk. xxiv. 41.( see v. 3.) and then through all the gentle regions, to every creature.  
3. He hath remembered his mercy and truth to the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.  
And this not as a miracle only, though of a most stupendious nature, but as an act of infinite goodness, and promised mercy, and so of fidelity in performing it; the benefits whereof as they were first reached out to his own peculiar people the Jews, so were they to extend, and soon after to be preached and promulgate, to the utmost nations of the world, who have all their parts in the redemption from sin and satan achieved and wrought by it.  
4. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all the earth; make a loud noise, and 
cry vehemently {untranscribed Hebrew} Ps. xcvi. 12.  rejoice and sing praise.  
5. Sing unto the Lord with the harp, with the harp, and the voice of a Psalm.  
6. With Trumpets and sound of Cornet, make a joyful noise before the Lord the King.  
This is true matter of the greatest joy and exultation to all men, and deserves to be celebrated in the most solemn manner, with all the instruments of music used in the service of God; and all little enough to express the glory of the work, and the infinite advantages designed to us, by Christ thus entering on his regal office, and subduing all the world to the power of the Gospel, that sceptre of his kingdom.  
7. Let the Sea 
make a loud noise {untranscribed Hebrew} Ps. xcvi. 11.  roar and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein.  
8. Let the 
Rivers {untranscribed Hebrew}  floods 
b.  clap their hands, let the hills 
cry vehemently {untranscribed Hebrew}  be joyful together  
9. Before the Lord, for he cometh to judge the earth; with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with 
uprightness {untranscribed Hebrew}  equity.  
The whole habitable world, the heathen people that have been long under the servitude of their false Idol-worships, shall now be redeemed from that slavery of sin and Satan, their oracles and temples destroyed, and the doctrine of the true God, and practise of piety and justice and charity, set up in their stead, and thereby a most happy joyful reformation wrought among men, which deserves all the acknowledgements of humble and thankful hearts. See Psal. xcvi. 11, 12, 13. and note d.  

Annotations on Psalm XCVIII.  
V. 1. Victory] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to deliver, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here in Hiphil, and being in construction with {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the dative case, signifies to bring help or relief to any. The Jewish Arab reads, And his right hand and his excellent power hath holpen his people. So Psal. cxvi. 6. I was brought low, {untranscribed Hebrew} and he helped me. The Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} hath relieved, or redeemed him: the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin salvavit sibi, hath saved for him; the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew}, as the Chaldee, hath relieved or redeemed him. This being here applied to God, that his right hand and holy arm hath relieved him, helped him, brought him salvation or deliverance, though by some figure it may be interpnted of Gods relieving his people, and setting forth himself victorious in the eyes of men, yet most literally it belongs to the prophetic sense, accomplished in the resurrection of Christ; for then in an eminent manner did the divine power, called {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  his, i. e. Gods, right hand, and Gods fidelity in making good his promised relief ( he will not leave my soul in hades—) fitly styled {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  his holy arm, bring him, i. e. Christ, relief, in raising his dead body out of the grave, and exalting him personally to Gods right hand in heaven: and this peculiarly seems to be the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the wonderful things, the complication of miracles, which are here mentioned in the beginning, and are the matter of the solemn thanksgiving in the ensuing Psalm.  
V. 8. Clap] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  shall clap the hands, is here applied to {untranscribed Hebrew} the rivers, as an expression of great joy. The whole heathen world are here expressed by the several parts of this visible globe, Sea, and World, and Rivers, and Hills, as before by Earth, and Sea, and Field, and Trees, Psal. xcvi. see Note d. and so the joy that is here attributed to each of these, being the joy of men in the world, is fitly described by those expressions of joy which are frequent among men; yet so as may have some propriety to those inanimate parts, of which they are literally spoken. In triumphs and ovations it is ordinary among men to make a loud and vehement noise, and the roaring of the sea is not very unlike that; and so likewise the mugitus which hath sometimes been heard to break out from hills, in an earthquake: and accordingly {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  make a loud noise, is here applied to the sea, v. 7. and {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  cry vehemently, to the hills v. 8. And so the clapping of the hands being a token of delight and approbation, and the striking or dashing of the water in a river being, for the noise of it, a resemblance of that, the rivers are here said to clap their hands. The Chaldee, saith Schindler, explain it by {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall strike or play on the timbrels with the hand, but sure that is a false reading of the Chaldee; the more emendate copies red {untranscribed Hebrew} let the rivers clap their hands together, &c. and so the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, shall clap the hand. The same phrase is used of trees, Isa. Lv. 12. and there both Chaldee and Lxxii. agree in the rendering, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they shall clap the hand, or applaud with the boughs, the clashing of boughs together in the three, being a like sound to that of clapping of hands. The Jewish Arab reads. And let the people of the rivers strike or clap their hands, and the people of the mountains all of them cry aloud or shoute.    

The Ninety Ninth Psalm.  
The ninety ninth Psalm, anciently 
{untranscribed Hebrew} A Psalm of David. Lxxii. sir. Lat. &c.  attributed to David, seems first to refer to his quiet establishment in that throne to which God had chosen him, but prophetically also( as the former) to the kingdom of the messiah.  
1. THe Lord reigneth, 
a.  let the people 
be unquiet  tremble: he 
that fitteth  sitteth between the Cherubims, let the earth be moved.  
The omnipotent God of heaven, that God that hath promised to be present in his sanctuary, and appointed the Cherubims to be placed covering the propitiatory, thereby to denote his presence there to all that seek him and pray to him, hath at length been pleased to show forth his power in behalf of his servant David, hath discomfited the Canaanites and Jebusites, and other his heathen enemies, and now quietly seated him in his throne( a lively image of his erecting the Messias's kingdom in mens hearts) and so shall firmly continue in despite of all commotion or opposition whatsoever.( The gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church, the spiritual kingdom of Christ here.)  
2. The Lord is great in Zion, and he is high above all people.  
And herein hath God magnified himself in the sight of all the people round about, the God that is worshipped and presentiates himself in the ark, now placed in Zion, is discerned even by heathen men to be far too strong for any nation to resist or oppose.  
3. 
They shall confess {untranscribed Hebrew}  Let them praise thy great and terrible name, 
that  for it is holy.  
This they now are forced to aclowledge, to dread his power and vengeance, and confess that it is most justly evidenced on them, to the subduing of them, and magnifying his people.( This was more eminently fulfilled in the conversion of the Gentiles to Christ.)  
4. The Kings strength also loveth judgement: thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgement and righteousness in Jacob.  
All the strength and ability that David hath had to bring him to this height and peace and stability, he hath received wholly from God: and ●hat God which hath thus holpen him, hath done it to this great end, to punish sin, and s●● up all manner of virtue, casting out and destroying the detestable idolaters, severely visiting their unnatural sins upon them, and by excellent laws, and Rulers after his own heart, endeavouring to advance the practise of all purity and justice and charity among the jews.  
5. Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.  
O let us all make our humblest united approaches unto him: and as they that petition a Prince on earth, use to cast themselves prostrate at his feet, so let us be prostrate in his sanctuary( see v. 9.) that place of his peculiar residence, where we are appointed to assemble; and let us there uniformly adore, and praise, and magnify him for this signal act of his glorious goodness and mercy toward us, and offer up our prayers and supplications unto him, as to one that never fails to make good his promise of hearing and answering the prayers of his faithful servants, which are ardently addressed to him.  
6. Moses and Aaron among 
b.  his 
chief men  priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name: they called upon the Lord, and he answered them.  
Thus hath he constantly dispensed his mercies to his people at the prayer of those holy men whom he hath set over them. Three eminent instances there are of it recorded. One Exod. xxxii. 11. when at the prayer of Moses God was propitiated after the great provocation of the golden calf. A second Num. xvi. 46. when upon Aaron's making the atonement for the people in the business of Coreh, the plague was stayed. A third 1 Sam. vii. where upon Samuel's burnt-offering v. 9. and prayer v. 5. and crying importunately and constantly to God for the people v. 8. the Lord heard him v. 9. and the philistines were discomfited v. 10.  
7. He spake unto them in 
c.  the 
pillar of cl●●d  cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinances that he gave them.  
With every one of these God was pleased to commune and talk, as a friend with a friend, giving them vocal answers out of a bright cloud which encompassed them, a wonderful dignation of Gods to those faithful servants of his which obeied and observed his commands.  
8. Thou answeredst 
d.  them, O Lord our God; 
O God then wert propitiated for their s●kes, even punishing, or when th●● wert p●●ishing their machinations.  thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.  
And when the people had provoked God, and God's wrath was already gone out against them for their crying sins, these mens prayers were so effectual with him, as to avert the plagues, and obtain remission for them.  
9. Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.  
O let these unspeakable dignations of his, and signal answers unto the prayers of his servants, bring us all to his sanctuary on our knees, to praise and adore his sacred and glorious majesty, and offer up our continual and ardent prayers unto him.  

Annotations on Psalm XCIX.  
V. 1. Tremble] Of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  we have spoken before( see note on Ps. iv. e.) and observed the notion of it, as for anger so also for fear( so saith Abu Walid of this root, that in the arabic it signifies trembling and commotion, and is sometimes from anger, sometimes from fear, and other occasions) the word generally signifying motion or commotion, either of body or of mind, and both these being equally commotions of mind. Here the context may seem to direct the taking it in the notion of commotion simply, as that signifies {untranscribed Hebrew} sedition or tumult of rebels or other adversaries. And then the sense will lie thus, The Lord reigneth, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  let the people be moved, i. e. Now God hath set up David in his throne, and peaceably settled the kingdom on him, in spite of all the commotions of the people. The Lxxii. render it to this sense( as Ps. iv. 4.) {untranscribed Hebrew}, let the people be angry, or regret it, as much as they will. The Chaldee and Syriack use the same word {untranscribed Hebrew}, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to be moved, which competently agrees to this notion, as also the latter part of this verse: for as {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the participle, he that sitteth on or inhabiteth the Cherubims, is all one directly with {untranscribed Hebrew} the Lord, so {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew}, which, as {untranscribed Hebrew} also, signifies motion and agitation, is exactly the same with {untranscribed Hebrew}, and accordingly the Chaldee renders it {untranscribed Hebrew}, the former word {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew} reduplicated, and so to the very same sense; the Lxxii. have {untranscribed Hebrew} be shaken, the latin moveatur be moved, the same also. Yet may it also be red as in the future, and in the notion of fearing and quaking; The nations shall tremble; and the earth shall be moved, as appearances of God are wont to be received with trembling and amazement, and at the giving the law, the people trembled and the earth shook, and this will be a fit expression of the subjecting the heathen world to Christs kingdom. Abu Walid doubts whether {untranscribed Hebrew} should be referred to {untranscribed Hebrew} to signify let the earth be moved, the same with {untranscribed Hebrew}, or whither to God, and so be of the signification with {untranscribed Hebrew} in arabic, to hang, making the earth the accusative case, he that sitteth between the Cherubims hangeth( fast) the earth, according to that of Job xxiii. 7. and hangeth the earth upon nothing. And thus in an Hebrew-Arabick glossary it is rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} hanging.  
V. 6. Priests] {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to minister, is a common title of civil as well as Ecclesiastical officers. Hence it is that Exod. ii. 16. where the Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew} the Prince of Midian. So Exod. xix. 22, 24. {untranscribed Hebrew} clearly signifies, not the sons of Aaron, but the first-borne or chief of the families. So 2 Sam. viii. 18. Davids sons were {untranscribed Hebrew}, not Priests, but Princes or chief Rulers; {untranscribed Hebrew} great men, saith the Chaldee, the same called {untranscribed Hebrew} principal or chief men at the hand of the King 1 Chron. xviii. 17. Of which sort was Ira, called {untranscribed Hebrew}, not a Priest, but a chief Ruler about David, 2 Sam. xx. 26. And in the more general notion of the word, as it comprehends both civil and Ecclesiastical Rulers, it is evident that Moses as well as Aaron are here rightly recited {untranscribed Hebrew} among God's Rulers or chief men.  
V. 7. Cloudy pillar] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  station or pillar of cloud here signifies, as far as refers to Moses and Aaron, there is no difficulty. For as in their passage out of egypt, God conducted and protected them by a bright cloud, Ex. xiii. 21. which is there, as here, called {untranscribed Hebrew} a pillar, signifying thereby the form or similitude of an hollow pillar, or concave body over their heads, coming down to the ground on every side of them, and so like wings encompassing and shielding them( see note on 1 Cor. x. a.) so when 'tis added c. xiv. 1. that the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, that Lord that in the verse immediately foregoing went before them in a pillar of cloud, there can be no doubt but God, as here is said, spake unto them in a pillar of cloud. So Exod. xvi. 10. the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud, and the Lord spake unto Moses saying: so Exod. xvii. 6. when God saith unto Moses, I will stand before thee upon the rock in Horeb, and thou shalt smite, and water shall come out, this is again this {untranscribed Hebrew} pillar, or( according to the notion of the theme {untranscribed Hebrew} stetit) standing of the cloud on Horeb. So Exod. xix. 9. lo I come to thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever: and so v. 16. as there were thunders and lightnings, so there was a thick cloud upon the mount, and the Lord descended v. 18. and answered Moses by voice v. 19. and to this commerce Aaron was admitted v. 24. So c. xx. 21. Moses drew near to the thick darkness( all one with the cloud) where God was, and the Lord spake unto Moses v. 22. All the difficulty is, what relation this of the pillar of cloud can have to Samuel, in whose time this is not reported. To this the answer might be, that although the answering them v. 6. were common to all the three persons, Moses and Aaron and Samuel, yet there is no necessity that the pillar of cloud should be common to them all; 'twere sufficient that it is applicable to Moses and Aaron, though not to Samuel. But yet even of Samuel it is evident, that( as 'tis here) God spake unto him, calling him by his name, 1 Sam. iii. and 'tis there said at the fourth time of calling, when he proceeded to speak and reveal himself to him, v. 10. the Lord came, and stood, and called, Samuel, Samuel. This must certainly signify the same thing that was said of Gods appearing to Moses, Exod. xvii. 6. I will stand before thee upon the rock. And that being reasonably resolved to be this of the pillar of cloud, in probability this to Samuel being parallel to that, may be conceived to be this pillar of cloud also, though at three former calls 'tis certain it appeared not. So again at the time when Samuels offering and prayers were so signally heard at Mizpeh 1 Sam. vii. it is said v. 9. the Lord answered him, and v. 10. the Lord thundered with a great thunder; where Gods voice, and thunder, were questionless like that of Exod. xix. 16. where the cloud is mentioned as well as the thunder; and indeed where thunder is, a cloud is supposed to be, and so this answering of Samuel with thunder, must be Gods speaking to him at this time( if not before) out of the cloud also. Thus in the New Testament we so frequently have the voice of God out of a cloud, that when the voice is mentioned without the mention of the cloud, the cloud is yet to be supposed, as that from whence the voice came.  
V. 8. Them] The difficulty of this v. 8. will best be cleared by observing the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  not to them, or barely as a dative case ( forgavest them) but for them, i. e. for their sakes. The Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew} for, or because of them. And then Gods being {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  pardoning or propitiated( so {untranscribed Hebrew} oft signifies remission, propitiation) {untranscribed Hebrew} for them, is his sparing the people for their prayers, as he certainly did in all the examples of Moses and Aaron and Samuel; for all their prayers being for the averting of Gods wrath from the people, Gods being propitiated for them( or as the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, easily propitiated by them) is Gods pardoning not them, but the people for their sakes, or at their requests. This signal dignation of Gods to them, in being thus propitiated and reconciled to the people for, or by their prayers, is here farther set off by the addition of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} —( literally,) and revenging their inventions, i. e. when thou wert revenging or punishing their wicked deeds, when thou wert just entering on the work, then thou wert propitiated. Thus in the first example, that of Moses, it is visible; The people had terribly provoked God, and God was just punishing them, and he was stayed only by Moses prayers, Exod. xxxii. 10. Now therefore let me alone, saith God, that my wrath may wax hot, and that I may consume them, and I will make of thee a great nation; i. e. Gods wrath was gone out against them to the destroying of some of them, for this idolatry of theirs: so it appears v. 35. the Lord plagued the people because they made the calf— i. e. the Lord was {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  avenging, or acting revenge on their deeds or machinations, and some of the people were already fallen by Gods hand, and three thousand in one day were slain by the Levites at Moses's command v. 28. and if Moses would have let God alone, they had been all utterly consumed: and now, when Gods wrath was thus high, and engaged in the execution, Moses besought the Lord v. 11. and God repented him of the evil which he thought to do unto this people v. 14. So in the second example, that of Aaron, Num. xvi. God saith to Moses v. 45. Get you up from this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment, and it follows, they fell upon their faces( and prayed to God) then v. 46. Moses said to Aaron, Take a Censer, and put fire therein from off the Altar; and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them, for there is wrath gone out from the Lord, the plague is begun, and v. 47. behold the plague was begun among the people:( and so God was literally {untranscribed Hebrew} avenging or punishing their deeds) and he, i. e. Aaron, put on incense, and made atonement for the people, and stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stayed. The like is also intimated in the third instance, that of Samuel, 1 Sam. vii. For there 'tis evident the Israelites were sore prest and worsted by the philistines, and afraid of them v. 7. and Samuel tells them, that if they do return unto the Lord with all their hearts, then they must put away their strange gods— and God will deliver them out of the hand of the philistines, v. 3. And they do as he bid them v. 4. and kept a solemn fast v. 6.( certainly for the averting some judgement under which they were) and they said to Samuel v. 8. Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us, that he will save us— And just then it was, that God was propitiated by Samuels prayers, Samuel took a lamb and offered it, and cried unto the Lord for Israel, {untranscribed Hebrew} and the Lord answered him, as here in the beginning of the verse, {untranscribed Hebrew} thou answeredst them, O Lord our God. And so in every of the examples here specified, this appears to be the full and ready importance of this passage.    

The Hundredth Psalm.  
A Psalm 
for thanksgiving. {untranscribed Hebrew}  of praise.  
The hundredth Psalm being made up of lauds and praises of God for all his mercies, was appointed to be used at the offering of those peace-offerings which were for a thanksgiving, Lev. vii. 12. the praefect or praecentor beginning, and singing,  
1. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all 
the earth {untranscribed Hebrew}  ye lands;  
2. Serve the Lord with gladness, come before his presence with 
ovation or triumph {untranscribed Hebrew}  singing.  
O let all the people in the world bless and worship and praise, and offer up their prayers and supplications to the God of heaven, resort daily to his sanctuary, and constantly attend his service, and count this the most estimable and delectable task, the most renowned and glorious employment:  
3. Know ye that the Lord he is God, 
he hath {untranscribed Hebrew}  it is he that hath made us, and 
a.  not we ourselves: we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.  
As being our way of conversing with the great and glorious omnipotent creator of heaven and earth, to whom we owe all that we have, our very being and conduct and preservation, and to whom we are obliged to pay all the obedience and observance that the meekest creatures in nature pay to those that have care and conduct of them.  
4. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.  
O let us make our solemn addresses to his sanctuary, that Court or Palace whore his divine Majesty is signally pleased to exhibit himself, and to testify his peculiar residence, and favourable audience to them who assemble there, by the presence of his holy Angels in that place; let us come thither with all the humility and devotion of loyal thankful hearts, and praise and magnify his name for all the mercies we have ever received from him. To which beginnings of the Praefect, the whole choir of Priests answer,  
5. 
b.  For the Lord is good, his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endureth to all generations.  
To this we have all imaginable obligations, not only that of his sovereign dominion over all, to which therefore all the performances of our lives are but a most unproportionable tribute; but also his abundant benignity, his rich promises of a never failing mercy, and his constant fidelity in performing to every man, that is qualified for receiving it, the utmost that he ever promised, to any.  

Annotations on Psalm C.  
V. 3. Not we ourselves] The Jewish-Arab follows here another reading, not {untranscribed Hebrew} but {untranscribed Hebrew} to him, and accordingly interprets it, we are {untranscribed Hebrew} to him, or his, his people, and the sheep of his pasture. And so the Chaldee also, he hath made us, {untranscribed Hebrew} and we are his; but the Syriack and Lxxii. and latin and arabic accord in the other reading {untranscribed Hebrew}, and not we.  
V. 5. For the Lord is good] That the Psalm was appointed to attend the oblation of the peace-offering, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  appears by the title of it, {untranscribed Hebrew} a Psalm of confession, acknowledgement, thanksgiving, proportionable to that sacrifice of thanksgiving, so styled, Lev. vii. 12. Now as in the offering of such, the priests prepared and fired the sacrifice, so the singers prepared and began the lauds. And this Psalm being, in the former part of it, an admonition to blessing and praising,( which was the Levites office, as the Deacons in the Primitive Church, who was therefore styled the monitor, that invited or called upon them to pray) Make a joyful noise, serve, Come before his presence, Know ye, Enter, be thankful— but in this last verse a General form of prayer, used upon all occasions, the Lord is good, his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endureth— this last seems to be the Response of the whole Chorus of the Priests, at the instant of the firing of the sacrifice, the praefect or praecentor having begun the rest.    

The Hundred First Psalm.  
A Psalm of David.  
The hundred and first Psalm, composed by David, is a meditation, and resolution of all care of piety both in his own person and family, and in the administration of the regal office, to encourage and advance virtue, and rebuk and chastise impiety. It seems to have been composed on occasion of bringing up the ark to the city of David, to qu●lify them for the presence of that amongst them: and it is an excellent directory to all persons in the greatest or lowest place of authority on earth, whose sole end and design it ought to be, if they desire Gods blessing upon them, to people the world with virtuous living, and to discountenance all wickedness.  
1. I will sing of mercy and judgement; unto thee, O Lord, will I sing.  
This Psalm will I address unto the Lord of heaven, the subject of it being a firm resolution and vow that I have inwardly made to him, for the setting up all goodness in my own, my servants, and subjects hearts, and for the managing of that office to which he hath raised me, so as may most tend to the encouraging of piety, and repressing of impiety, by distributing rewards and punishments with that impartial justice as shall most contribute to those ends.  
2. I 
a.  will 
instruct in the perfect-  behave myself wisely in a perfect way: 
when he shall come unto me,  O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.  
Now that God hath restored my peace, and established me in the kingdom, and afforded me this signal testimony of his presence, the ark of his Covenant, I am obliged to endeavour my utmost to fit and qualify myself for so great mercies, and am therefore steadfastly purposed, that from the day of his Arks coming into jerusalem, I will with all the wisdom and prudence with which he shall endow me, set myself to the most exact performance of my duty, and in all things endeavour to approve myself to him, ordering all my affairs and actions, those especially of my Court, and of public administration, so as may best demonstrate the sincerity of my heart, and the uprightness of my desires and purposes in his service.  
3. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside, it shall not cleave to me.  
I will not entertain any one unlawful design, though it should pretend to reason of state, or appear to contribute to worldly advantages never so much. The least declination from the rules of justice, whatsoever the plausible pretence be, I will for ever detest and avoid, and never permit myself to be thus ensnared by the politic maxims of the world, as to admit that as prudential, which is not exactly consonant to the strictest laws of justice and piety.  
4. 
b.  A 
crooked or cunning  froward heart shall depart from me: I 
know no evil {untranscribed Hebrew}  will not know a wicked person.  
He that shall think to obtain my favour, or gain admission into my court or Counsels, by being more shrewd or subtle or ●unning than other men, by being able to direct me to ways of serpentine wisdom, shall much fail in his project: There is none I shall more solicitously avoid, and banish from my secrets or service, than such, being absolutely bent never to make use of any one such art in all my deliberations.  
5. Who so privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and 
c.  a 
wide or vast {untranscribed Hebrew}  proud heart, will not I suffer.  
Those ways of whispering and detraction, by which men are wont to gain confidence and favour and employment from Princes, shall not only miss of that success with me, but be sure to be severely punished, whensoever I meet with them: As for those whose pride, and ambition and insatiable desires of enriching or advancing themselves, do put them forward to seek offices or employments under me, I will have no patience for them, assuring myself that those that design such advantages to themselves, are never likely to intend the good of the public.  
6. Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.  
In the choice of counsellors, or servants and officers, this shall be my constant rule, to seek out those that are of most tried fidelity and exact honesty, that for any advantage whatsoever, even the preservation of the kingdom, will not admit of any unlawful practise: such and none but such I shall expect will do me service; and I will not admit any else, but such as shall thus approve themselves, into any employment about me.  
7. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell 
in the midst of {untranscribed Hebrew}  within my house; he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.  
A subtle, cunning, false person shall be so far from getting advancement in my Court or Counsels, or being preferred to the supreme offices of state, that he that hath been found guilty of such arts as these, that makes no conscience of injustice or deceit, shall not be endured in my presence.  
8. I will 
in the morning {untranscribed Hebrew}  
d.  early destroy all the wicked of the land, that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord.  
When wicked men are brought before my tribunals, I shall judicially proceed against them, and extirpate them out of the nation, and reform and reduce all this people, called by Gods name, to the practise of all godliness, leaving, if it be possible, never an obstinate notorious sinner among them.  

Annotations on Psalm CI.  
V. 2. Behave myself wisely] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to understand, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here in Hiphil, I will make wise, or instruct; so Psal. xxxii. 8. {untranscribed Hebrew} I will instruct thee. The Chaldee interpret it as a speech of God to David, {untranscribed Hebrew} I will instruct thee; but the rest of the Psalm favours not this interpretation, being all in sequence to the first verse, in the first person, applicable to none but David himself. Of him therefore the word here in Hiphil being used, it must be applied in relation to his kingdom, or family, that he will instruct them, or perhaps as 'tis sometimes used intransitively, I will understand, or( as elsewhere 'tis frequent) in the notion of Hithpael, reciprocally, I will instruct myself: which the Lxxii. have sufficiently expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew}, I will understand, and the Syriack by {untranscribed Hebrew} and I will walk, which is the paraphrase, though not the literal rendering of it; the only end and use of his knowing, learning, or instructing himself in the way, being the walking in it. And indeed knowing in the scripture-style so frequently signifying doing( viz. the practical knowledge) and wisdom being used for piety, as folly for sin, 'tis but regular, and agreeing to rules of analogy here, that understanding, or instructing ones self in the right way, should signify the walking in it. The Jewish Arab here reads, I will show understanding or deal with understanding in an upright way, or I will consider the perfect way, till thy enlargement or refreshment come unto me, and I will walk in perfectness or uprightness of my heart, in the midst of my family. But if we consider the latter part of the verse, which may most probably direct us to the occasion of composing this Psalm, we shall find reason to apply it to others as well as himself, and indeed particularly to his household, or family. When David resolved to bring up the Ark of the Lord to Jerusalem, 2 Sam. vi. they brought it on a cart out of the house of Abinadab, and Uzza driving the cart and taking hold of the ark, God smote Uzza and he died v. 7. On this David was displeased v. 8. and afraid v. 9. and said, How shall the ark of the Lord come to me? And David would not remove the ark unto him into the city of David, but carried it aside unto the house of Obed-Edom, and there it continued three moneths. But then being encouraged by the blessing of the Lord on Obed-Edom and his household, v. 12. he resumed the enterprise again,& brought up the ark of God into the City of David with gladness, and offered sacrifice v. 13.& danced v. 14.& offered burnt offerings and peace offerings v. 17. and blessed the people v. 18. and dealt to all the people to every one a portion of bread, and flesh, and wine, v. 19. and then David returned to bless his household v. 20. Where beside the solemnities of carrying up the Ark, two things are observable in order to this present verse of this Psalm: 1. his being afraid of the Lord, which caused him to say, How shall the ark of the Lord come to me? v. 9. and 2, his returning to bless his household v. 20. These two passages had in all probability relation the one to the other. He was afraid, the sins or unworthiness of his family might so far unqualify them for receiving benefit by the presence of the ark, that it might bring a curse instead of a blessing upon him; and although by the experience of it on Obed-Edom, he was encouraged to hope well, yet as soon as he had brought up the ark, he omits no time, neglects no care, to sit and prepare his family for such a blessing; and that sure was by instructing them in the rules of Gods worship and obedience, purging out all unreformed evil livers, not permitting one wicked person, slanderer, liar, to remain in his household, which as it is the meaning of his returning to bless his household( in the notion of blessing, Act. iii. 26. for turning every one from his iniquities) and withall, the interpretation of what we red in the latter part of this Psalm, A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person v. 4. Who so privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and proud heart, I will not suffer v. 5. Mine eyes shall be on the faithful, that they may dwell with me, and serve me v. 6. He that worketh deceit, shall not dwell in the midst of my house; he that tells lies shall not tarry in my sight v. 7. so it is exactly equivalent to his instructing in a perfect way, he( which therefore probably must be interpnted to belong, as the bl●ssing did, to his household or family, yet including himself as his first care, the chief member of it.) Thus again to those words of his, caused by his fear, {untranscribed Hebrew} how shall the ark of the Lord come to me? the next words here are answerable, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  when it shall come to me, by it meaning the ark or God, which had that his peculiar residence in the ark.( Aben Ezra reads, I will understand the perfect way, when it, i. e. that way shall come unto me.) By this accordance we have little reason to doubt, but this of the second preparation of bringing up the ark to Jerusalem, was the occasion and season of composing this Psalm, and his resolution of purging, and so blessing of his household, the subject of it: and this will prove a fit key to let us in to the meaning and full importance both of this verse, and the rest of the Psalm; and therefore I have thus far enlarged on it.  
V. 4. A froward heart] From {untranscribed Hebrew} pervertit, curvat, to bend the wrong way, or make crooked, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  crooked, or cunning; he, or that, which recedes from straightness or directness; and so 'tis to be taken here, in sequence to them that decline or turn aside, v. 3. The Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew} a crooked heart( so saith Hesychius, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the word signifies crooked) in opposition to directness and clearness of dealing; and so the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew}, from {untranscribed Hebrew} obliqne or crooked. All to express that serpentine subtilety, made up of crooked motions and Maeanders, which are most opposite to upright and honest and clear dealings.  
V. 5. Proud heart] From {untranscribed Hebrew} latus or dilatatus est, is the noun {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, broad, or wide, or large, and being applied to the heart or soul, it notes largeness of desires. So Pro. 28.25. {untranscribed Hebrew} he here that is large in soul, The Lxxii. fitly rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, insatiable, applying it either to wealth or honour, the insatiate desire of either of which( as there it follows) stirs up strife. And so here they have rendered it again, {untranscribed Hebrew}, he that cannot be filled in the heart, i. e. the covetous or ambitious man: the Syriack red {untranscribed Hebrew}; wide or broad, so the Jewish Arab, Him that is high of eyes, and wide of heart, I can have no patience with those two.  
V. 8. Early] The judicatures for the examination and sentemcing of wicked men were wont to be in the Morning, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  saith the Learned Hugo Grotius, who thinks this also to be the meaning of Job xxxviii. 13. where of the morning 'tis said, that wicked men are driven away by it. And thus 'tis possible that phrase of being dispelled or driven away may be used for the cutting them off in judicature, for so Psal. i. 4. the ungodly being driven away by the wind, is attended with their not standing in judgement. But it may perhaps in that passage in Job more probably refer to the dispersing of those, whom the darkness of the night encouraged to wickedness, thieves, treacherous persons &c. whom the light would discover. To those the consequents seem to refer it; see the learned Castellio on that place. However of the custom itself there can be no doubt, both as to sitting in Courts of Judicature, and to executions, that among them, as among us, they were usually in the morning, at least began then, when they continued till the evening. And to this most probably {untranscribed Hebrew} in the plural, in the mornings, here refers, the season wherein David, as a Judge, entering on the Tribunal, destroys and cuts off the wicked-doers. The former part of the Psalm contains his resolution for choice of counsellors and officers of state, preferring the plain, honest, and not the subtlest contrivers; and this last for the execution of justice, discountenancing, and judicially cutting off all wicked men. The Jewish Arab reads according to the passing of the mornings, i. e. continually, day after day, every day or morning.    

The Hundred Second Psalm.  
A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord.  
The hundred and second Psalm, 
{untranscribed Hebrew} in the person of the Captives, Kimchi. So Chald. v. 24. {untranscribed Hebrew} the way of our exile.  styled from v. 17. and 23. the prayer of the afflicted, seems to have been composed in time of the* Captivity( see v. 13, 14. &c.) probably by Nehemiah, after the return of Ezra with commission for rebuilding the Temple, see Nehem. i. 3. &c. and is a fit form for any that is sore afflicted and ready to 
{untranscribed Hebrew}‖ {untranscribed Hebrew} when he faints, Chald.  faint under the weight, and out of a mournful soul affectionately addresseth his prayer to God.  
1. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee.  
2. hid not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble: incline thine ear unto me, in the day when I call, answer me speedily.  
O blessed Lord, that hast promised thy seasonable relief to all that in time of distress humbly require it from thee, I am now overwhelmed with sorrow( see Nehem. i. 4.) and desire to poure out my soul unto thee, to cry and call for thy relief, O be thou graciously pleased to admit my address, and not to reject or cast me from thee, to hear and answer my petitions, and that, as the exigence of thy people requires, with all speed possible.  
3. For my dayes 
are consumed in the smoke, or end in smoke,  are consumed 
a.  like smoke, and my bones are burnt up as 
dry wood  an hearth.  
If thy relief be not speedy, we shall soon be consumed, our life will be suddenly at an end, our strength is already well-nigh exhausted.  
4. My heart is smitten, and withered like grass, 
because {untranscribed Hebrew}  so that I forget to eat my bread.  
The punishments which we groan under are so pressing, that they permit me not to take my ordinary food, and that brings fainting and feebleness upon me.  
5. By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.  
My grief and sorrow is such that it hath wholly emacinated me.  
6. I am like a Pelican of the Wilderness, I am like an owl of 
b.  the 
wast places, or desolations,  desert.  
And for any relief from man, I am as distetute and hopeless of it as the most solitary Pelican in the desert, which complains so sadly, or the owl that constantly takes up his lodging in ruinous houses,  
7. I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.  
Or the sparrow, that having never a mate, sits very sad and solitary and mournful, expecting the return of her company, and in the mean time hath no provision of food nere her, no alloy of her sorrow or solitude.  
8. Mine enemies reproach me all the day, and 
my slanderers have  they that are 
c.  mad against me are sworn against me.  
My adversaries employ both their tongues and hands, make no scruple of the soulest slanders and perjuries to mischief me.  
9. 
d.  
wherefore  For I have 
e.  eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping;  
This hath been matter of excessive continual sorrow to me, and accordingly I have solemnly betaken myself to fasting and mourning.  
10. Because of thine indignation and thy wrath, for thou hast 
f.  lifted me up, and cast me down.  
And the principal ingredient in my sorrow is the consideration of that great displeasure of thine, to which I am to impute all these sad and direful effects of it.  
11. My dayes are like a shadow that declineth, and I am withered like grass.  
12. But thou, O Lord, shalt endure for ever, and thy remembrance unto all generations.  
13. Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion; for the time to favour her, yea the set time is come.  
My condition is every day worse and more hopeless than other, my joyless life hastening to its fatal period: and unless thou please to interpose thy sovereign power, I am utterly and finally lost. But herein this one great comfort remains, that thy strength is beyond our weakness, thy eternity is opposed to our frail transitory state, thy mercy surmounts our wants and misery; and on this I still found an hope and confidence, that thou wilt in thy good time return the captivity of our Church and nation, restore us to the privileges and blessings of peaceable assemblies, and that it will not now be long ere that most desirable and acceptable time come.  
14. For thy servants 
g.  
resent,  take pleasure in her stones, and 
will savour, or deal kindly with  favour the dust thereof.  
To this hope I am induced by thine own promise, that whensoever thy people are carried captive by heathen enemies, if they shall be truly sensible of thy punishments, and humbled for their sins, thou wilt then remember thy Covenant, and restore them. And this is our condition at this time. Now thy Church is laid wast among us,( see Nehem. i. 3.) we cannot choose but be sensible of our loss and our sins, and with all compassion and affection be transported, when we think of either. At present the want of outward prosperity hath not rendered her less desirable in our eyes, but rather enhanced the value of those interdicted felicities, and made us vow all r●adiness to endeavour the repairing of those ruins, whensoever thou shalt please to grant us that welcome opportunity.  
15. So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the Kings of the earth thy glory.  
16. When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.  
17. He will regard the prayer of the 
shrub {untranscribed Hebrew}  destitute, and not despise their prayer.  
When that blessed time shall come, it shall be an effectual means to bring in whole heathen nations, Princes and people to thy service, when they see so great a deliverance wrought for thy people, their captivity returned, and their Temple reaedified, evidences as of the omnipotent power of God, so of his readiness to hear the prayers of those that are brought to the lowest ebb of misery and destitution.  
18. This shall be written for the generation to come, and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord.  
The wonderfullness of this deliverance shall be recorded to all posterity, and in probability be a means of bringing in those that have not yet any being, to be proselytes to the service of so great and compassionate a God;  
19. For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth,  
20. To hear the groaning of the prisoner, to loose those that are appointed to death,  
21. To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem,  
22. When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms to serve the Lord.  
When they hear how signally he doth exercise his power and providence in affairs of the world here below, and how ready he is to relieve and rescue those that are in the greatest distress and destitution, to return their captivity, and restore them to their country again, there to bless and praise, and proclaim the power and mercy of God in his Temple, making their constant solemn resort thither, from all the quarters of the land, at the times by God appointed.  
23. 
h,  He weakened my strength in the way, he shortened my dayes.  
24. I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my dayes: thy years are throughout all generations.  
When I consider the sadness of our state, the misery and shortness of our lives, and on the other side the strength and eternity of God, I cannot but address my prayers unto him, with some hope that he will spare us, and restore us to some prosperity, and not cut us off in the most flourishing part of our lives.  
25. Of old hast thou laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands.  
26. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure; they all shall wax old like a garment, as a vesture shalt thou‖ change them, and they shall be changed: 
see Heb. 1. note c.   
27. But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.  
'twas he, that by his almighty power at first created the whole world, and all the parts thereof; and though by the same he will in his due time either destroy, or change them quiter from the condition of their creation, yet through all these transmutations he shall continue the same to all eternity.  
28. The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.  
And this irresistible power and immutable will of his is a ground of firm hope and confidence to me, that there shall be a time of rest to Gods faithful servants, that upon our sincere return to him, and reformation of our sins, he will return our captivity: and if this fall not out in our dayes, yet our children and their posterity shall receive the benefit and comfort of it, and be continued a people to him, and thereby for ever engaged to serve him.  

Annotations on Psalm CII.  
V. 3. Like smoke] For {untranscribed Hebrew} in smoke, which we red in the Hebrew, the Chaldee and Lxxii. are thought to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as smoke, and accordingly they render it {untranscribed Hebrew} as smoke. But 'tis more probable that they so express what they thought to be the meaning, then that they red it otherwise then we do: For the Jewish Arab, though reading {untranscribed Hebrew}, yet renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. as smoke is consumed or vanisheth. The Syriack red {untranscribed Hebrew} in smoke, and so the sense will best bear, either my dayes or time of my life {untranscribed Hebrew} consume, and whither in smoke, as Ps. cxix. 83. a bottle in the smoke, afflictions have had the same effect on me, as smoke on those things that are hung in it, dried me up, and deformed me: or perhaps {untranscribed Hebrew} end, or fail, or consume in smoke( as when any combustible matter is consumed, smoke is all that comes from it, and so it ends in that:) and to that the latter part of the verse may seem to incline it, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and my bones, or members, or body, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  are burnt up, as that is all one with consumed; so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies ustus, exustus est, Isa. xxiv. 6. the inhabitants of the earth {untranscribed Hebrew} are burnt up, {untranscribed Hebrew} saith the Chaldee, are consumed; and Ezech. xv. it. it is cast into the fire for sewel, the fire devoureth both ends, and the midst {untranscribed Hebrew} is burnt up; and Ezec. xxiv. 10. speaking, as here, of the bones {untranscribed Hebrew} let them be burnt up. As for {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that is added, the interpreters differ in the understanding it. The word coming from {untranscribed Hebrew} accensus est, may be either the place where the fire is, or the pot which is heated by the flamme of the fire, or the wood which is set on fire. The Syriack seems to take it in the first notion, rendering it, my bones are grown white, as the hearth, for so the chimney or hearth doth with the fire constantly burning on it. The Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew} as one of the stones that is set under the pot or cauldron, for that is the most probable meaning of {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the arabic {untranscribed Hebrew}, see note on Psal. Lxviii. g. But the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} as dry wood( {untranscribed Hebrew} saith Hesychius) and the latin, sicut cremium, as dry combustible wood, and that is most appliable to the matter in hand; the bones or members of the body their being burnt up as dry wood, notes the speedy exhausting of the radical moisture, which soon ends in the consumption of the whole. And then the whole verse fitly accords, My dayes are withered away in the smoke, or perhaps end in smoke, my bones are burnt up like dry wood.  
V. 6. Desert] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to be destroyed, or laid wast, Isa. Lx. 12. Jer. xxvi. 8. Zeph. iii. 6. is {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a wast place, or desolation, the ruins of an house, or an house ready to fall down, being uninhabited. In this sense it must here be taken, so as to fit it for the owl( so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies Lev. xi. 17. Deut. xiv. 16.) here mentioned, for that is known to choose its lodging or place of abode in such ruinous places. The Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew} in the foundation of an house that is fallen; though the latin mistook it, when they red, in domicilio, in an house. The Jewish Arab red wast desolate places, or ruins.  
V. 8. Mad against me] {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which ordinarily signifies laudavit, signifies also to behave ones self indecently, like a mad-man, and in the Chaldee and Syriack dialect to reproach, or slander. Thus Ps. Lxxv. 5. I said {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Chaldee renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} to the scoffers, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they red again {untranscribed Hebrew} scoff not, and so the sense best bears there, speaking of the rebels that depraved and defamed and slandered him. And so here {untranscribed Hebrew}, adjoined to {untranscribed Hebrew} my enemies reproach me, are most probably my reproachers, or slanderers; the Chaldee reads again {untranscribed Hebrew} my scoffers or backbiters, and to them most properly belongs, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  they have sworn against me, confirmed their slanders by oaths, or execrations upon themselves if they be not true, see Num. v. 21. The Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, they that commend me, from the first notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} laudavit, and the Syriack and latin and arabic agree with them.  
V. 9. For] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  sometimes is a note of the cause, sometimes of the effect, and accordingly is sometimes rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} for, or because, sometimes {untranscribed Hebrew} wherefore, see note Luk. vii. d. And to the latter sense the context inclines it here, his eating ashes for bread, i. e. his mourning( see note e.) and plenty of tears, being sure the effect of the reproaches and slanders precedent, caused by them, and therefore not to be thought mentioned here as the cause of them, as the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew}, and latin Quia, and English For, must import.  
Ibid. Eaten ashes like bread] The importance of this phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  I have eaten ashes, may perhaps be mistaken by those who interpret it literally, of feeding on ashes, or mixing ashes with their food, whether it be by eating panem subcinericium, bread baked in the embers, which is not cleansed from the ashes that stick to it, or whether by making ashes one of the ingredients in their bread, or( as 
in vita: Franc. c. 5. cinere conf●ciebat cibaria.  Bonaventure saith of S. Francis) casting ashes upon his meat. The use of ashes in mourning is frequently mentioned in Scripture, but that not as of a kind of diet, but as of that which accompanied sackcloth, and was cast upon their head, or tumbled and wallowed in, or sat in. See 2 Sam. xiii. 19. Esth. iv. 1, 3. Job ii. 8.& xLii. 6. Isa. Lviii. 5.& Lxi. 3. Jer. vi. 26. Lam. iii. 16. Ezech. xxvii. 30. Dan. ix. 3. Jon. iii. 6. And that certainly was the use of ashes among the Jews to disguise them( see 1 King. xx. 38.& 41.) to make them look sadly and neglectedly. But this had no relation to eating, but was generally used in their times of humiliation and fasting, when they eat nothing at all. Only Isa. xLiv. 20. we red, He feedeth on ashes, but that certainly in a prophetical, i. e. figurative sense; for it is applied to the Idol-worshipper v. 17. who prayed to that which cannot hear or help him, any more than ashes would nourish; he cheats and abuseth himself, a deceived heart hath turned him aside, as there it follows. It remains therefore that this one place here in this Psalm, which speaks of eating ashes like bread, be looked on as a poetical phrase, to be interpnted by the context, and by the general use of ashes in the Scripture. The context speaks of sadness and mourning, and ashes were the solemn rite thereof, being cast upon the head &c. and then fasting being joined with mourning, the union of these two are here poetically expressed by eating ashes like bread, i. e. eating no bread, taking no food at all, but instead of that, entertaining themselves with ashes, though not eating them, but sitting down or wallowing in them. And this being the importance of this phrase, the other that follows {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  I mingled my drink with weeping, must be understood by analogy therewith, not literally, that he put any of his tears into his drink, but that instead of drinking( which is expressed by mingling of drink, because they commonly drank their wine mixed with water) he spent his time wholly in weeping and lamenting. Thus Psal. xlii. 3. my tears have been my meat, is no more, but instead of eating I weep; as when Christ saith Jo. iv. 34. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, i. e. he follows that task incumbent on him from his Father, and his doing so supplies the place of eating, he doth this instead of that: and so Psal. Lxxx. 5. Thou feedest them with the bread of tears, givest them tears to drink, i. e. they weep and fast, or eat nothing. And so that is the utmost importance of this whole verse, mourning and fasting accompanied with ashes, the ceremony, and tears, a natural consequent of both these.  
V. 10, Lifted up] What is meant by {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thou hast lifted me up, &c. is to be judged by the immediate antecedents, {untranscribed Hebrew} indignation and wrath; by those is meant a vehement displeasure and anger, and in God, in whom anger is not found, effects that bear analogy with those which proceed from angry men. To such it is ordinary to cast to the ground any thing that they are displeased with, and when the displeasure is vehement, to lift it up first as high as they can, that they may cast it down with more violence, and dash it in pieces by the fall. And this is the meaning of the phrase here, and so is a pathetical expression of his present affliction, heightened by the dignity of the public office wherein Nehemiah was at the time of writing this mournful Psalm, Nehem. i. 1. and ii. 1. The greater his place was at Shushan, the deeper this sorrow for his countrymen, and for Jerusale, Nehm. i. 3. pierced him, whereupon he complains that God by way of indignation hath dealt with him, as those that take an earthen vessel, and throw it against the pavement, and that they may beat it to pieces the more certainly, lift it up first, as high as they can, to throw it down with more violence. This the Lxxii. have fitly rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin elevans illi sisti me, having lifted me up, thou hast dashed me to pieces. The Jewish Arab reads, as if thou hadst carried me, and then cast me to them.  
V. 14. Take pleasure in her stones] The fullest meaning of {untranscribed Hebrew} will be fetched from the promise of God to the Jews, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Lev. xxvi. 41. that when they are carried captive by the heathens, and there pine in the enemies land, if they shall confess their iniquity— and if their uncircumcised heart be humbled, {untranscribed Hebrew} we red, and accept of the punishment of their iniquity, then will God remember his Covenant with Jacob &c. and remember the land. In those words it is certain, that {untranscribed Hebrew} is( as we render it) the punishment of iniquity, see 1 Sam. xxviii. 10. and such surely was the demolishing of the Temple, the ruin of that fabric, which is here expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  her stones, i. e. rubbish, or heaps of the ruinated stones of the Temple. So that in what sense soever {untranscribed Hebrew} is taken in Leviticus, applied to {untranscribed Hebrew} punishment of iniquity, in the same it must be taken here, where 'tis applied to the stones or ruins of the Temple; and that is sure a passionate resentment with humble melting sorrow, to look upon the judgments inflicted, assenting to the equity of them. In this sense, I suppose, {untranscribed Hebrew} must be taken in the thirty fourth verse of that xxvi. of Levit. {untranscribed Hebrew} then shall the land resent( we misrender, enjoy) her sabbaths, speaking of the desolate country, lamenting and bewailing the loss of those precious opportunities which they formerly had, and made not use of. And thus in Vespasians coin, in memory of the conquest of palestine, there was on one side a woman sitting weeping under a engraff, and Judaea Capta Jury taken, in the reverse. And so of this Captivity the Psalmist tells us, Psal. cxxxvii. 1. By the waters of Babylon we sat down, and wept when we remembered thee, O Sion. To which kind of melting resentment seeing the promise is made in that place of Levit. that God will then remember the Covenant, and the land, the Psalmist here fitly endeavours to prove that the time is come, in which God should have mercy upon Sion, v. 13. by this argument, for or because thy servants {untranscribed Hebrew} passionately resent her stones, &c. referring in all likelihood to that promise of God, of which that resentment was the express condition. As for that which follows, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  {untranscribed Hebrew} it will best be rendered( as it is) in the future tense, they will or shall favour, or deal kindly with her dust or rubbish, i. e. they now promise most affectionately to repair her ruins, according to that of Zorobabel, Zach. iv. 7. he shall bring forth the head-stone thereof with shoutings, {untranscribed Hebrew} grace, grace to it, or favour, favour, in accord with {untranscribed Hebrew} shall favour the dust of it here: they that now passionately bewail and lament those ruins, and their own and their fathers sins, as the causes of them, shall hereafter joyfully join in the repairing thereof, and celebrate their finished work with the same tender, though more grateful or pleasing passion. The Jewish Arab thus renders the verse, For now thy servants are pleased with the stones thereof, contented[ or contentedly] and are tenderly affencted towards its dust, in honour[ or honouring it:] and he explains himself in a note, that whereas formerly they set light by the Sanctuary, and sinned against it, they now sought after it, vestigium post oculum( an arabic phrase proverbially signifying the seeking after that which one hath let go) magnifying, or honouring the dust thereof, how much more the building thereof, if it might be built?  
V. 23. weakened] From the different acceptions of {untranscribed Hebrew} for answering and afflicting, and by reading {untranscribed Hebrew} for {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Lxxii. have much deformed this ver. 22. rendering {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  he hath afflicted or humbled my strength in the way, by {untranscribed Hebrew}, he answered him in the way of his strength; and the latin take it from them, respondit ei in viâ virtutis suae; but the Syriack depart from them, and red {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. They have humbled my strength on earth. Then to {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  he hath shortened my dayes, the Lxxii. connect the {untranscribed Hebrew} I will say, following, and render it {untranscribed Hebrew}— and the latin likewise, paucitatem dierum meorum nuncia mihi, declare to me the paucity of my dayes. And herein the Syriack also agree with them; only the Chaldee divide them, and render them aright, My strength is afflicted through the labour of the journey of my exile, my dayes are shortened, I will say before the Lord. And this is surely the full rendering of the verse. The Jewish Arab reads, He hath weakened in this way my strength, and shortened my age from it, i. e. saith he, the way of patience, or enduring and calling[ out on thee,] and we being in captivity our strength is weakened from[ or by it, or from bearing] it, by reason of the length of it.    

The Hundred and Third Psalm.  

Davids. {untranscribed Hebrew} ‖ A Psalm of David.  
The hundred and third Psalm is a solemn acknowledgement of the great and abundant mercies and deliverances of God, especially that of pardoning of sin, and not exacting the punishments due to it, which must interweave in every mercy or deliverance which is bestowed on sinful men, whose demerits have so much provoked the contrary. It was composed by David, as 'tis 
so Aben Ezra and Kimchi.  thought, on a recovery from sickness, and is also a 
{untranscribed Hebrew}* {untranscribed Hebrew} it was spoken by prophecy, Chald.  prophetic description of the state of Christians under the Gospel.  
1. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name.  
2. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:  
When I behold God in himself and his glorious divine attributes, but especially in his works of mercy toward me, I am obliged with my whole heart, and all my most ardent affections of devotion, to bless and praise his name for all the mercies and favours which in great bounty he hath afforded me.  
3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases:  
4. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee with 
mercy {untranscribed Hebrew}  loving kindness and 
commiseration, or bowels {untranscribed Hebrew}  tender mercies:  
5. Who satisfieth 
a.  thy mouth with good things, so that 
b.  thy youth is renewed like the Eagles.  
6. The Lord executeth righteousness and judgement for all that are oppressed.  
Particularly that for some time having corrected me for my good, to bring me to repentance, he hath now returned to me in mercy, pardonned my sins, which most justly deserved this his wrath, and withdrawn his punishments from me; and not only rescued me from the greatest dangers hanging over my life, out of the bowels of his compassion to his distressed creature, but restored me to a perfect health, and to a most prosperous condition, a confluence of all mercies, to surround me, and satisfy all my desires, and so made my old age like that of the Eagle, when she hath moulted the old, and comes out furnished and adorned with new young plumes, as fresh and flourishing as in youth it ever had been; hereby exercising that signal property of his, to vindicate the cause of all those that suffer injuries, to punish the oppressor, aod relieve those that are not able to defend themselves.  
7. He made known his ways unto Moses, 
c.  his 
inclinations or nature  acts unto the children of Israel.  
8. The Lord 
merciful {untranscribed Hebrew}  is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.  
Thus did he once proclaim his name to Moses and the Israelites, Exod. xxxiv. and therein his glorious nature, and the manner of his dealing with men, all exactly according to the rules of the most abundant mercy, in giving and forgiving, and sparing long, and never sending out his thunderbolts or destructions, till our provocations, continued in impenitently, extort and force them from him.  
9. He will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger for ever.  
10. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.  
And this is Gods constant course; though he rebuk and express his just displeasure, and punish us for our sins, yet upon our reformation and serious return to him he takes off his punishing hand again, and will not proceed with us according to that measure that our sins might justly expect from him.  
11. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy 
d.  
or above  toward them that fear him.  
On the contrary, to them that love and fear and serve him faithfully, his mercy is most abundantly poured out, as much above the proportion of their services, as heaven is above the earth, nay infinitely more, there being indeed no proportion between them.  
12. As far as the East is from the West, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.  
And by that mercy of his it is, that at this time he hath so perfectly reconciled himself to us, and freed us from the punishments due to our sins:  
13. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.  
And so he constantly will deal with all that sincerely return from their sins to new obedience, having the bowels of a father to all such, which will never permit him to be wrath with penitents, to scourge but rather compassionate that child that reforms that for which the punishment was sent.  
14. For he knows our frame, he remembreth that we are dust.  
For he knows and considers the fraileness and sickleness and great infirmities of our lapsed sinful nature, our first original out of the dust of the earth, an emblem of our meanness and vileness, to which the 
{untranscribed Hebrew}‖ {untranscribed Hebrew} Our evil concupiscence that hurreis us to sin. Chald.  corruption introduced by Adams first sin,( see note on Psal 51.3.) and hereditarily derived to us, hath added wicked inclinations, which oft betray us to actual sin, if we do not strictly watch and guard ourselves; and such is our weakness in this lapst state, that the most perfect, being not able to keep always upon so diligent and strict a watch, do oft slip and fall: All which God is graciously pleased to weigh, and not to deal in rigor with us, to punish us, or to cast us out of his favour, or withdraw his grace from us for every sin that we commit through this weakness, but in all his proceedings with us, to make an allowance for such sins as are committed through infirmity, sudden surreption, continual incursion of temptations, &c. and for these to afford his mercy( in Christ) to all that sincerely endeavour his service, and do not indulge themselves to any deliberate sin.  
15. 
The dayes of man {untranscribed Hebrew}  As for man, his dayes are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.  
16. For the wind passeth over it and it is gone, and the place thereof shall know it no more.  
17. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto childrens children,  
18. To such as keep his covenant, to those that remember his commandments to do them.  
Man is a pitiful, weak, feeble, frail creature, fit to be compared with the most short-lived herb, or floure, which in its height of flourishing is suddenly blasted and destroyed, and gone, never to return again. And herein is the infinite mercy of God toward his servants to be seen, that it is much more durable than their lives: If they adhere faithfully to him in constant loyalty to his precepts, perform their part of the Covenant made with him, that of uniform, sincere, though not of never-sinning obedience, his mercies shall continue to them even after death( and then what matter is it, how short their present life is?) to their persons in eternal immarcescible joy and bliss in another world, and to their posterity in the blessings of this life, which he hath promised not only to the third and fourth, but to the thousandth generation, Exod. xx. 6. and being thus by promise obliged, will be sure to perform it to all those that are careful to observe the condition of it.  
19. The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all.  
This is he surely able to do, being the omnipotent God of heaven and earth, sitting in heaven as a great Monarch in his throne, and exercising dominion over all creatures in the world, who are all most ready to obey him, and do whatsoever he will have them. But most eminently this will he do, by sending his Son the messiah into the world, the spring of all grace and mercy, who, after his birth and death, shall rise, and ascend, and enter on his regal office in heaven, subduing the whole heathen world in obedience thereto. See Rev. iv. 2.  
20. Bless the Lord, ye his Angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, 
e.  
at hea●ing the—  harkening unto the voice of his word.  
21. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts, ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.  
A natural and proper consequent to this it is, that( as Rev. iv. 8. at the erecting of Christs throne, all the living creatures rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy— so) the Angels of heaven( meant by those living creatures) those Courtiers that attend his throne, and are by him endued with the greatest power of any, that harass him, many myriad of them, and do whatsoever he commands them with all the readiness and speed imaginable, these glorious creatures that are witnesses and ministers of his great and wonderful acts of mercy, should for ever bless and magnify his sacred name.  
22. Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.  
And that all the men in every corner of the world aclowledge and bless and praise his name, as being all the subjects of his kingdom as well as works of his power; among whom it is most just that I, that have received such mercies from him, should take up my part of the anthem, make one in the choir and consort of those that sing continual praises to him.  

Annotations on Psalm CIII.  
V. 5. Thy mouth] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here signifies, is not agreed among interpreters. The Chaldee renders {untranscribed Hebrew} the dayes of thy old age, referring it, saith Schindler, to {untranscribed Hebrew} old, worn out clothes, opposed to the renewing of the age, which here follows. But the word is used for the mouth Psal. xxxii. 9. {untranscribed Hebrew} whose mouth must be holden— the Lxxii. there render it {untranscribed Hebrew} his jaws. According to this notion it is that the Syriack here render it {untranscribed Hebrew} thy body, but the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, thy desire, or sensitive appetite, the satisfying of which is the providing for the body all the good things it standeth in need of, and so is a commodious paraphrase for filling the mouth, the organ of conveying nourishment to the body. Aben Ezra, and Kimchi, that refer this Psalm to David s recovery from sickness, give this farther account of the phrase, because in sickness the soul refuseth meat, Job xxxiii. 20. and the physician restreins from full feeding, and prescribes things that are nauseous: In which respects the blessing of health is fitly described by the contrary. Abu Walid recites two interpretations; 1. that of our translators, 2. taking {untranscribed Hebrew} in the notion of ornament, that multiplieth thy adorning with good, i. e. that abundantly adorneth thee with good, Aben Ezra approves the notion of ornament, but applies it to the soul, the ornament of the body, i. e. who satisfieth thy soul with good: And an Hebrew arabic Glossary renders {untranscribed Hebrew} thy body.  
Ibid. Thy youth is renewed like the Eagles] Of the Eagle S. Augustine affirms, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that the beak grows out so long, that it hinders her taking her food, and so would endanger her life, but that she breaks it off upon a ston; and of this he interprets the renewing her youth here. But S. jerome on Isa. xl. 30. more fitly expounds it of the changing of feathers. Of all birds it is known, that they have yearly their moulting times, when they  shed their old, and are afresh furnished with a new stock of feathers. This is most observable of Hawks and Vultures, and especially of Eagles, which when they are near an hundred years old, cast their feathers, and become bald, and like young ones, and then new feathers sprout forth. From this shedding their plumes, they seem to have borrowed their name, {untranscribed Hebrew} an Eagle from {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew} decidit, defluxit to fall or  shed. To their bareness, or baldness, the Prophet Micah refers, c. 1.16. enlarge thy baldness as the Eagle, {untranscribed Hebrew} as the Eagle whose feathers  shed. And to the coming again of their feathers Isaiah relates, c. xl. 30. they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength {untranscribed Hebrew} as Eagles they shall sand up their feathers: {untranscribed Hebrew}, they shall sprout out their feathers, say the Lxxii. and so the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall sand out their wings; but the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} and they shall be renewed to their youth, just as here {untranscribed Hebrew} thy youth shall be renewed as an Eagle; 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which therefore in all reason must refer to the new or young feathers, which the old Eagle yearly sprouts our. Aquila longam aetatem ducit, dum vetustis plumis fatiscentibus, novâ pennarum successione juvenescit. The Eagle is very long-lived, whilst the old plumes falling off, she grows young again with a new succession of feathers, saith S. Ambrose Serm. Liv. So the Jewish Arab reads, So that thy youth is renewed like the feathers of Eagles.  
V. 7. His acts] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to machinate, to design, to study, to attempt to do any thing, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here annexed to {untranscribed Hebrew} his way, by these to signify the nature and ways of God, or his dispensations toward men. The place here evidently refers to Exod. xxxiii. There Moses petitions God, show me thy way that I may know thee, v. 13. and I beseech thee show me thy glory, v. 18. by his way and glory meaning his nature, and his ways of dealing with men, that they might discern what to conceive of him, and expect from him. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord, v. 19. by which his nature is signified: and what that name is, is set down by enumeration of his attributes, c. xxxiv. 6. The Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness, just as here in the next verse, The Lord is merciful— Which concludes that God's {untranscribed Hebrew} here are his nature, that which in men would be called studium or indoles, disposition or inclination, as {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  his way is his dealings, his methods or course of dealing with men, the first his attributes, the second his actions, all which are totally made up of mercy and compassion, and grace, not punishing his servants according to their sins. The Lxxii. fitly render it {untranscribed Hebrew} his wills, or inclinations, but the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} his doings( and so the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew}) but the learned Castellio most fully to the sense of the place in Exodus, naturam suam, his nature. The Jewish Arab {untranscribed Hebrew} his nature or properties in the plural( for so the word here is.)  
V. 11. Toward] Though {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signify on, and toward, as well as above, or over, and be fitly so rendered v. 13. and 17. where( as here) God's mercy is said to be {untranscribed Hebrew} upon his children, and {untranscribed Hebrew} upon them that fear him; yet the comparison that is here made between the heaven and the earth, and the height or excellence of one {untranscribed Hebrew}( not upon, but) above the other, being answered, in the {untranscribed Hebrew}, by the greatness or strength( so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies) of Gods mercy {untranscribed Hebrew}, that phrase must by analogy be rendered, above, not upon, or toward them that fear him. And then the meaning must needs be this, that whatsoever our fear or obedience to God be, his mercy toward us is as far above the size or proportion of that, as the heaven is above the earth, i. e. there is no proportion between them, the one is as a point to that other vast circumference; nay the difference far greater, as Gods mercy is infinite, like himself, and so infinitely exceeding the pitiful imperfect degree of our obedience. The other expression that follows v. 12. taken from the distance of the East from West, is pitched on, saith Kimchi, because those two quarters of the world are of greatest extent, being all known and inhabited. From whence it is that Geographers reckon that way their Longitudes, as from North to South their Latitudes.  
V. 20. hearkening] The notation of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in this place seems best expressed by the arabic, statim atque audiunt, as soon as they hear, for that is the character of the Angels obedience, that as soon as they hear the voice of Gods word, as soon as his will is revealed to them, they promptly and presently obey it. The Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew} at his voices being heard, the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} as they hear, or as soon as they hear.    

The Hundred and Fourth Psalm.  
The hundred and fourth Psalm is a most elegant pious meditation on the power and wisdom of God, in framing and preserving all the creatures in the world. 'tis uncertain by whom it was composed, though in 
Greek, latin, Syriack, arabic, Aethiopick.  some translations it hath Davids name in the inscription of it.  
1. bless the Lord, O my soul: O Lord my God, thou art very great, thou art clothed with 
glory and beauty, {untranscribed Hebrew}  honour and majesty;  
There is no more consonant employment or exercise for the soul of man, who●e chief end and hope it is to come to the vision of God, then to ponder and meditate on his glorious essence and attributes, his power and providence or wisdom, the greatness and vastness of the one, and the infinite goodness and excellence of the other, such as cannot but be liked and admitted by all that consider it. To which if I add his grace and mercy, wherein he hath revealed himself to me, not onely as a Lord and Prince of the whole creation, but withall as my most gracious God, and Father, and preserver, and Redeemer, I shall be obliged to aclowledge myself under innumerable engagements to bless and magnify him with my very soul, and all the faculties thereof.  
2. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment, who stretchest out the heavens like a 
a.  
tent.  curtain;  
He hath set up his throne and palace in the highest heavens, that place of the greatest splendour, which was at first all light, the chief work which is mentioned of the first dayes creation, Gen. i. 3. In this he afterwards on the fourth day placed those glorious luminaries, the Sun, Moon, and multitudes of stars, Gen. i. 14. and on that glorious spangled rob, the great Jehova seems to shrowded himself from human view; and whensoever he appears, or exhibits himself to his servants( being in himself an infinite spirit, and so invisible to the eye of flesh) he doth it in a bright shining cloud, a weak image of that immense splendour and glory, thereby to challenge that admiration and reverence which is most due to him. Then under that pure luminous body of the heavens, he framed on the second day the regions of the air, Gen. i. 6. erected them as a spacious tent or Tabernacle or pavilion, expanded and extended round about, so as to harass the earth, which was placed in the midst of that great globe, as the center of it, and by his secret power he hath ever since sustained it in this posture.  
3. Who layeth the beams of his 
upper rooms  
b.  chambers in the waters, who maketh the clouds his chariot, who walketh upon the wings of the 
c.  wind;  
In the middle region of this element of air he placed also vast receptacles of waters, Gen. i. 6. which he dispenseth to things below, as he sees convenient for them, and so also a multitude of clouds; and if at any time he will evidence his special presence, come down in judgement, or in mercy, among us men, those clouds are his high triumphant chariot, as it were, wherein he sits, and the wind as it were the wheels of that chariot, on which, as on the wings of Cherubims in the ark, overshadowing the mercy-seat( i. e. by the ministry of Angels) he is pleased to descend toward us.  
4. Who maketh his Angels 
winds, see note c.  spirits, his ministers a flaming fire;  
For though he be able to do all things by himself, to administer the whole world, as he first created it, by a word, by saying, and it was done, yet is he pleased to make use of the ministry of Angels, who some of them in subtle bodies of air, others of fire, come down, and execute his commands here upon the earth.  
5. Who 
hath built the earth upon her bases {untranscribed Hebrew}  laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.  
As for the globe of the earth, which is encompassed with the regions of air and celestial spheres, and hath no visible support to sustain so heavy a body, hanging in the midst of such an expansion, yet hath God settled and established it as firm as if it restend on the most solid basis or foundations, fitted so strange a place for it, that being an heavy body, one would think it should fall every minute, and yet which way soever we would imagine it to stir, it must contrary to the nature of such a body fall upwards, and so can have no possible ruin but by tumbling into heaven. Thus hath God provided for its sustentation, and so shall it be sure to continue till the end of the world.  
6. Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment, the waters stood above the mountains.  
7. At thy rebuk they fled, at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.  
At the first creation, the earth was covered all over, and as it were clothed with the great deep, that vast expansion of air and waters; those that are now the highest mountains, were then all under that liquid element: But in the second day a division was made, and the Firmament placed betwixt the upper and lower waters, Gen. i. 7. And then as at Gods command v. 9. these inferior waters were all gathered together into one place, and dry land appeared, and in the cavities of the earth large room was made for an Ocean of waters, and for many lesser streams and lakes, and so the earth became habitable by this means, and a bare word of God did all this; so the other portion of those waters were made to float aloft in the air, and when they are ready to discharge themselves, thereby to drown what is beneath them, at the blast of an unseen wind, as at a rebuk of Gods, they disperse and hid themselves, and at the voice of thunder which purifies the air, they immediately vanish, and are so far from overflowing the earth, which their posture seemed to threaten, that they are not discerned to be at all, save only to refresh us sometimes with their seasonable showers.  
8. 
d.  They 
climb the- {untranscribed Hebrew}  go up by the mountains, they 
fall down ●n {untranscribed Hebrew}  go down by the valleys, unto the place which thou hast 
prepared, provided {untranscribed Hebrew}  founded for them.  
This great body of waters being thus disposed, and withall the earth distributed into mountains and valleys, some parts much higher than the other, it pleased God that the water which was thus placed in the lower abyss or ocean, should by secret passages through the bowels of the earth, where it meets with an advantage to rise by, ascend far above its level, and so break forth and spring in those mountains, and from thence tumble down into the valleys, and so again by a perpetual alternation return unto the Ocean;  
9. Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over, that they turn not again to cover the earth.  
And being there enclosed, though it be perpetually tumultuous, foaming and swelling and tossing itself, labouring to overswell and overflow them by its waves, and billows, and surges, daily threatening to recover its old position of encompassing the face of the whole earth, yet hath God set such boundaries and banks to it, and by his own power so wonderfully restrained it, and promised always to do so, that it observes a regularity in its disorder, a temper in its madness, keeps still a just return of ebbing and flowing, seldom transgresses the known water-marks, and so frees us from all fear that it shall ever be able to prevail to drown the earth( see Jer. v. 22.)  
10. He sendeth the springs into the 
brooks {untranscribed Hebrew}  valleys, which run 
between {untranscribed Hebrew} see note e.  among the hills.  
11. They give drink to every beast of the field, the wild Asses 
e.  quench their thirst.  
12. By them shall the fouls of the air have their habitations, 
f.  which 
sand out their voice from between the b●ughs or leaves.  sing among the branches.  
But on the other side, the water thereof God dispenseth through veins of the earth, which sweetens and takes off all the brackishnes of it, and then pours it out in springs, and those fill the hollow or low places, set by him for receptacles of waters; and having from the hills, as they pass, still fresh supplies, they grow at length into deep and navigable rivers, from which all the wants of men and beasts and fouls of the air( that feed on flies and infects, and fishes generated there, and are sheltered with the thickets which that moisture plentifully produces, and fill the woods with variety of sounds) are sufficiently provided for.  
13. He watereth the hills from his 
or upper rooms, see note b.  chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.  
14. He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of men, that he may bring forth food out of the earth,  
15. And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth mans heart.  
As for those superior parts of the earth which are not thus furnished, the clouds are a store-house for them, and those God by his special care and providence empties out upon the earth, when he sees fit, and gives it its fill of moisture, whereby it is enabled to bring forth grass for the beasts, all manner of plants and grain for men, bread and wine and oil, all manner of provision both for necessity and delight, for daily food and festivities; all which are by this means demonstrated to be the special productions of Gods alwise and gracious providence.  
16. The trees of the Lord 
shall be satisfied {untranscribed Hebrew}  are full of sap, the Cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted;  
17. Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the 
g.  firr-trees are her house.  
18. The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats, and the rocks for the 
h.  conies.  
And the same wise providence extends to the trees of the forest, affords maintenance even to the tallest and goodliest of them, the Cedar and the fir; and that in the most improbable soil, the tops of the barrenest mountains, never manured or planted by human industry, in the midst of rock and flint, where no grass can grow to any height, and where 'tis hardly imaginable how the roots of such trees should fasten: This sure an act of no less then a divine power and wisdom, designed for some more then common end. The Cedars are of such excellent use for buildings, that they seem to have been planted and nourished by God on Lebanon on purpose for the most magnificent structure of the Temple; and both that and the firr-tree grow to a vast height, so as to secure the birds that build in them, as the tops of the steepest hills secure the goats( that have the peculiar faculty of climbing them, where no hunter can follow them) and as the holes in the rocks are a safe retreat for the rabbits, passing a mine and building themselves an house, where no crows of iron could make entry.  
19. He appointed the moon for seasons, the sun knoweth his going down.  
A special work of the same providence it is, that by the motion and influences of the moon, the fit seasons of husbandry and other human actions are measured and directed, according to the different quarters thereof; on this depend the stationary returns of tides, the growth of plants, the increase and decrease of humours in the body even of man, and peculi●rly his brain, the seat of his understanding, is much concerned in it. In all which respects it is, that the sun, which hath so much to do in the governing and blessing every part of the world, doth not always keep up in any horizon, but leaves some part of every natural day to that other luminary to manage.  
20. Thou makest dark●ess, and it is night, wherein all the beasts of the forest 
tread or move, see note k.  creep forth.  
21. The young Lions 
roaring for prey, and to seek {untranscribed Hebrew}  roar after their prey, and seek their 
i.  meat from God.  
And as between these the day and the night are divided, so there are evidences of Gods wisdom in each of these, special uses for each. The dark of the night is useful to beasts of prey, which are pursued by mankind, and are said to keep in their holes and caverns all day, when if they should come abroad, they would much disturb the quiet of men, but then by advantage of the darkness of night are enabled to ravage, and seed, and sustain themselves; and though the Lions for want both of swiftness and of sent be ill qualified to provide for themselves, yet hath divine providence taken care of them, directed them to make use of another creature which is swift, and of a quick sent, and that joins in league with them, and having seized the prey, stands by, till they have filled themselves: A wonderful dispensation, to which, and to the hand of God in it, they owe their food as discernibly as they would do, if God in answer to their roaring, as by way of return to our prayers, immediately powred down, or bestowed their food upon them.  
22. The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.  
23. Man goeth forth to his work, and to his labour until the evening.  
And the day is more eminently useful for other offices, the doing all the works incumbent on us, for the culture of the earth, &c. and for this a fair space is assigned from sun-rise till sun-set, all which space those beasts of prey lye close in their dens, to which they gather themselves in companies, though by the same providence it is ordered that they go not out in herds,( if they did there would be no resisting them) and thither they betake themselves at the same time that men rise to their labour, i. e. constantly every morning.  
24. O Lord, how manifold are thy works? in wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches.  
25. So is 
the sea, great and wide in space  this great and 
k.  wide sea, wherein are 
l.  things 
swimming  creeping innumerable, both small and great 
living creatures, see note k.  beasts.  
26. There go the ships, there is that 
l.  Leviathan, whom thou hast 
formed to scorn, or triumph, or contemn.  made to 
m.  play therein.  
Thus hath God created and disposed not onely these, but all things else, in all variety of excellencies; his wisdom and his bounty is seen in all things; and not onely in the earthly part of the globe, but in the other as to appearance barren and destructive element, that most vast and spacious ocean, furnished with such a multitude of fishes of all sorts and sizes, useful also to the benefit of men by navigation, and famous for the great sea-dragon, the whale, which is fortified against all force and art, so as to contemn all assaults of men.  
27. These wait all upon thee, that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.  
28. 
Thou givest {untranscribed Hebrew}  That thou givest them, they gather; thou openest thy hand, they are filled with 
n.  good.  
And for all these hath God made abundant provision of food, to support and refresh them when they stand in need of it, and that by ways of his own wise dispensing, without any care or solicitude of theirs, requiring no more of them than to partake of that festival entertainment which he hath prepared for them.  
29. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.  
30. Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created, and thou renewest the face of the earth.  
And from him their very life, and all the joys and comforts thereof every minute depend. The withdrawing his favour and benign aspect and concurrence, and sustentation, is the cause of all their misery, of all the stroke and judgments that light upon any part of this lower world, and of their present death, and return to the elements whereof they are compounded, when he sees fit to summon them. And as at first by his bare will and command, as by a breath and word of his mouth, all these were created out of nothing; so by the same omnipotent creative power and wise disposal, of his own mere will and pleasure, he continues the species of each by seed and succession, by which, as by a natural stock of supply to all that decays and departs, he doth yearly and daily renew the world, and keep it up as full as if nothing ever perished in it,( an emblem of his future dealing with us men in the resurrection.)  
31. The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever; the Lord shall rejoice in his works.  
This method and course of Gods, for the setting out and illustrating the glory of his infinite power and providence, shall thus last as long as this world continues; and as God in the first creation, had his rest and sabbath, took delight in his own work, looked on it altogether, and behold it was exceeding good; the same complacency hath he in the continuance, and managery of it ever since.( O let not us men be the only ungrateful part of his creation; let us for ever praise and glorify his name, transcribe that festival Sabbath of his, and return him the tribute of our obedience and our most pious acknowledgements for these and all his abundant mercies, afford him that equitable content and delight, of not pouring out his benefits on such unworthy receivers as we men most frequently are, and as we shall be, if we live not in uniform obedience, in all works of piety before him.)  
32. He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth; he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.  
And as his providence, so his sovereign power and dominion is continued over all the creatures in the world. As one breath or act of his will created all, so one look of his, one least expression of his displeasure, is enough to set the whole earth a trembling, and the loftiest parts of it, the mountains, a smoking( and so to cast the stoutest proudest sinner into an agony of horror and dread. 'tis a most formidable thing to fall into the hands of the living Lord. As the Law was given on Sinai with thunderings and lightnings and earthquakes; so shall our obedience be exacted of us, and our disobedience avenged in a most fearful manner. And the foresight of all that may very reasonably charm us to all duty and observance.)  
33. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.  
34. My meditation 
o.  
shall be sweet to him.  of him shall be sweet; I will be glad in the Lord.  
On both these accounts every faithful servant of his having a rational soul to apprehended, a spirit inflamed and enlightened to observe, and a tongue and voice to speak these wonders, will find very frequent occasions of continuing to bless and praise his name as long as God allows them life and faculties to do it: They will take care to be constantly and diligently exercised in performing this most acceptable duty to him, and take more pleasure in it, than in all the most dilectible divertisements or transporting sensualities in the world, and never be fully cheated but in some exercises of piety or virtue, which they are assured is grateful to him, and will be itself a reward to him that is thus exercised; and yet hath assurance of much more, God himself will be to all such their joy and gladness.  
35. Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord O my soul. Praise ye the Lord.  
As for those that will still stand out against his so just, so reasonable, so honourable, so joyous an employment, and in spite of all conviction and obligation maintain their stubborn disobedience against the alwise, all-powerful, all-mercifull Creator, and force him to the exercise of his justice, they can look for nothing but perishing and utter destruction. O let my lot be among them that praise him here, and shall for ever praise him hereafter, I will therefore make hast to join with the blessed Saints and Angels in heaven, and now early beforehand practise that which I hope to chant out for ever, and end, as I began, by calling all men to join with me in an Hallelujah. Blessed be the name of the Lord now and to all eternity.  

Annotations on Psalm CIIII.  
V. 2. Curtain] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  properly signifies, will appear by Ex. xxxvi. there we find ten {untranscribed Hebrew} of fine twined linen— v. 8. and those being coupled one unto another became one Tabernacle, v. 13. Over these he made {untranscribed Hebrew} of goats hair for the tent or covering over the Tabernacle. Here 'tis evident that both the sides of the tabernacle, such as we usually call curtains, and the top, which in a bed we call a Tester, in a tent the covering, were indifferently called {untranscribed Hebrew}; which concludes it to be any expansum, whither of linen or skin, of which tents were wont to be made, and from thence the tent itself, which consisted of such. So 2 Sam. vii. 2. the ark of God which was then in the Tabernacle or Tent, was said to dwell {untranscribed Hebrew}, say the Lxxii. in the midst of the Tent or Tabernacle, as that is there opposed to an house of Cedar. So Cant. i. 5. the {untranscribed Hebrew} of Solomon are to be understood by analogy with the tents of Kedar precedent, from which they differed as faire from black, those being plain and black, but Solomons( as all the rest of his furniture) sumptuous and magnificent, but still both of them of the same common nature of Tents, though one much finer than the other. From hence it is that Jer. iv. 20. dwellings are expressed as by tents, so by {untranscribed Hebrew}, which the Chaldee there renders {untranscribed Hebrew} my towns or cities. So that still the word signifies a Tent or Tabernacle, or the materials whereof such were made, which being ordinarily skins, the Lxxii. here render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, the latin pellem a skin, the Syriack and Chaldee retaining the Hebrew word. And being here applied to the heavens or body of the air( which is oft expressed in the Scripture by this word {untranscribed Hebrew} heavens) it must probably signify not the uppermost part of the tent, the tester or canopy only, but the whole tent, canopy and curtains both, for by that the air which incompasses the earth is most fitly resembled, in respect of us here below, for whose use it is that God hath thus extended or stretched it out. Agreeable to this it is that Gen. i. 6. the air, which there divideth or separateth,( as {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} in arabic is to separate as a curtain doth) betwixt the waters, is called {untranscribed Hebrew}, which we render firmament, but coming from {untranscribed Hebrew} expandit, is better rendered expansum, expansion, being thus extended over all the earth, as a tent about it; so that the earth is placed( as it was said of the ark 2 Sam. vii.) {untranscribed Hebrew} in the midst of a Tent or Tabernacle. This Tent God is said to stretch out, by his secret invisible virtue doing that which in Tents here below is wont to be done with cords.  
V. 3. Chambers] {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} ascendit, signifies any upper room, to which they ascend. So 2 Sam. xviii. 32. he went up to {untranscribed Hebrew} the chamber over the gate. Accordingly the Lxxii. here render it {untranscribed Hebrew} an upper room, and the latin superiora ejus, his upper stories. By {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  therefore must be meant, though not the supreme, yet the superior or middle region of the air, which is here described as an upper story in an house, laid firm with beams( accounting the earth and the region of air about that as the lower room) and this floor is here said poetically to be laid in the waters, those waters which Gen. 1. are above the expansum. This is most evident by v. 13. where God is said to water the mountains {untranscribed Hebrew} from these his upper rooms, these clouds, whence the rain descends: the Chaldee calls them {untranscribed Hebrew} the house of his superior treasuries, where plenty is stored up, and from whence it is rained down upon us. And so as v. 2. the highest heavens are in the first place set down, expressed by light covering God,( a luminous palace where he dwells especially, who is every where present, and next after that, the clement of air, as a Tent or Tabernacle for the earth; so here in the third place we find the waters, that part of them which remained in the middle region of the air( when the lower region of the air called {untranscribed Hebrew} the expansion Gen. i. 6. divided the waters from the waters, the superior waters kept in the air from the inferior which now fill the Ocean) in which, saith the Psalmist, the beams of these upper room were laid;( see note a on Psalm cxlviii.) i. e. whereas in the building of an upper story, there must be some walls or pillars to support the weight of it, and on that the beams are laid, God here by his own miraculous immediate power laid, and ever since supported these upper rooms, there being nothing there but waters to support them, and those, we know, the most fluid tottering body, not able to support itself: and therefore that is another work of his divine power, that the waters, which are so fluid, and unable to contain themselves within their own bounds, should yet hang in the middle of the air, and be as walls or pillars to support that region of air, which is itself another fluid body.  
Ibid. Wind] What {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which sometimes signifies spirit, sometimes wind, which is nothing but air moved, is set to import here, might be somewhat uncertain, were it not for the next verse, where 'tis said of the Angels, He maketh his Angels {untranscribed Hebrew}, and his ministers a flaming fire,( which the Apostle Heb. i. 7. expressly expounds of the Angels.) There as Angels& ministers are but several names of the same divine creatures, so {untranscribed Hebrew} and fire are but expressions of the several appearances of them, sometimes in airy, sometimes in flaming clouds. In this part of v. 3. Is described the use of clouds for Gods appearing to us here below, expressed by mention of his chariot and wa●king. He is we know an infinite Spirit, and so invisible to any material, created, finite faculty; yet he is said to come down to us to presentiate and exhibit himself to us at some times more than others, then especially when the Angels, who are the attendants and officers of his Court, the satellitium or guard that wait upon him, 
both.  mentemque profundam circumeunt, and harass this profound mind( as the Platonists styled God) do visibly appear unto us. And these again being in their own nature either spiritual, and so invisible substances, or else, if bodies, of a most subtle, indiscernible nature, are wont( when they purpose to appear) to come in clouds, either airy, or( that air being ascended) fiery and flaming. In which respect that airy or fiery cloud, when it is in motion especially, is fitly resembled to an Eagle with wings, in which those Angels descend, and overshadow first, then perhaps light on us, as an Eagle, or Dove doth first hover over, then light on any thing, and then God is agreeably said to come, or fly, or walk on those wings of the wind, or moved air, or white cloud, i. e. to be eminently present, where the Angels thus appear. From hence therefore it may be resolved that as {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the plural in the next verse are the winds, i. e. agitated air, or clouds, wherein the Angels appear, and those defined( by their opposition to flaming fire) to be clouds of pure air, white not fiery clouds; so the {untranscribed Hebrew} here is the generical word, belonging to both those sorts of clouds, which the Angels make use of to descend and appear in, and those clouds of such a breadth, as to resemble the wings of an Eagle or great bide: and then God who makes the clouds his chariot, his vehiculum to bring him down, may fitly be said to walk on these wings toward us. Thus Psal. xviii. 10. God's riding on the Cherub, is again expressed by flying on the wings of {untranscribed Hebrew} which we there also render the wind. There the Angels are sure meant by the Cherub, and those( as in the ark) pictured with wings. Now in the ark the wings of the Cherubim were so placed one toward the other, that they made over the Propitiatory a kind of Seat, and that was looked on as the seat of God; and accordingly the {untranscribed Hebrew} or spirit, there and here, on whose wings God is said to fly there, and walk here, must be those agitated clouds, whereby, as with wings, the Angels fly down to us; and so God is said to walk, or be present on them. This makes it necessary to render {untranscribed Hebrew} in the same sense in both verses, and that( according to the original notion of it) air, or wind, which are exactly all one, save that the latter intimates motion, and so is the fitter to express these clouds by which the Angels descend, most frequently with some incitation, {untranscribed Hebrew}, a violent rushing blast, Act. ii. 2. Aben Ezra and Kimchi in this fourth verse are willing to take the word {untranscribed Hebrew} winds in the genuine notion, and Angels in a metaphorical, interpreting it by Psal. cxlviii. 8. wind and storm fulfilling his word, where the wind is described as a kind of minister, and so Angel of God. But the Apostle Heb. i. 7. expressly applying the words of this fourth verse to the Angels, obligeth us thus to interpret them.  
V. 8. They go up by the mountains—] It is not here certain whether {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  mountains, and {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  valleys or plains, be to be red as in the nominative, or as in the accusative case. If they be in the nominative, then we must red as in a parenthesis ( the mountains ascend, the plains or valleys sink down) joining the end of the verse, unto the place— to hast away, v. 7. thus, The waters once stood above the mountains, those places which now are such, but at the uttering Gods voice, they fled and hasted away( the mountains ascending, and the valleys descending) unto the place which thou hast prepared for them. Thus the Lxxii. and latin understood it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, ascendunt montes,& descendunt campi, the mountains ascend, and the plains descend, referring to the change that was made in the earth, from being perfectly round and encompassed with waters, into that inequality wherein now it is, great mountains in some parts, and great cavities in other parts, wherein the waters were disposed, which before covered the face of the earth. But they may be more probably in the accusative case, and then {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the waters v. 6. which were understood v. 7. though not mentioned( for it was the waters that there fled and hasted away) must be here continued also, viz. that the waters {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  ascend or climb the mountains, and {untranscribed Hebrew} descend or fall down upon the valleys or fissures, or hollow places, ditches and the like receptacles of waters( for so {untranscribed Hebrew} now signifies among the rabbis.) And this sense the Chaldee follow, they ascend from the abyss {untranscribed Hebrew} to the mountains, and they descend {untranscribed Hebrew} into the valleys, to the place— And this is the clearest exposition of it, rendering an account of the course of waters, since the gathering them together in the Ocean, that from thence they are by the power of God directed to pass through subterranean meatus to the uppermost parts of the earth, the hills and mountains, where they break forth in springs, and then by their natural weight descend, and either find or make channels, by which they run into the Ocean again, that {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  place which God hath hewed out as a receptacle for them; and by their thus passing they are profitable for the use of men, in watering the cattle, and the fruits that grow on the earth, v. 10. &c.  
V. 11. Quench] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to break, and applied to hunger, or( as here) to thirst, must signify to alloy, or quench, to debilitate, and take off the keenness of the appetite. The phrase is communicated to other languages, and is usual among us, who take breaking of fast, for eating. The Lxxii. here red {untranscribed Hebrew}, they expect or wait for their thirst; and so the latin, expectabunt, reading no doubt {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} with ש( not ש) which signifies to expect or wait: so v. 27. all these wait on thee {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Lxxii. there, as here, red, {untranscribed Hebrew} expect. So Psal. cxlv. 15. the eyes of all {untranscribed Hebrew} wait on thee. But( as the Chaldee, so) the Syriack assures us of the other reading of it, who render it {untranscribed Hebrew} are filled or satisfied, when they thirst. This is here peculiarly remarked of the asses in the dry remote and sandy deserts, which though a dull and stupid creature, are by providence taught the way to the waters, and there is no such way for the thirsty traveller, as to observe the herds of them descending to the streams.  
V. 12. Sing] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is not elsewhere used in the Bible, but onely in the Chaldee Dan. iv. 12, 14, 21. There 'tis interpnted by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} leaves, as here by the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} boughs or leaves( from {untranscribed Hebrew} being moved or shaken) because the boughs or leaves are agitated by the wind. There it is distinguished from {untranscribed Hebrew} branches, which are there expressed by another word, {untranscribed Hebrew} his branches. It is therefore most reasonable to render it here either boughs or leaves, and {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  must be in strict rendering from between( so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  must be rendered v. 10. not among but between, {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Lxxii. to denote the hollow receptacles for waters betwixt the hills, or risings of the ground on both sides.) From between these boughs or leaves then the fowls of the air {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  sand out their voice, not by singing only( for that is peculiar to few) but by making any noise that is proper to them. It is here hard to divine upon what ground, or by what understanding of the word, the Lxxii. should render it {untranscribed Hebrew} rocks, and yet the latin follow them in the reading, and the Syriack by {untranscribed Hebrew} mountains, or rocks, seem to consent to them, the context inclining it to the notion of boughs or leaves, and the use of the word in Daniel confirming it. 'tis possible they might apply it to the springs precedent, v. 10. which coming out of rocks or mines, they might think those rocks poetically expressed by branches of those springs. But it is most probable that for {untranscribed Hebrew} they red {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so render it rocks, for so we know Cepha signifies.  
V. 17. Firr-trees] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  firr-trees, so understood both by the Chaldee and Syriack, the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} is the captain of them, the latin, dux est eorum, reading, 'tis probable, {untranscribed Hebrew} in the head of them.  
V. 18. Coneys] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  rabbits or coneys( so used Lev. xi. 5. Deut. xiv. 7.) some copies of the Lxxii. now red {untranscribed Hebrew} hedghoggs, others {untranscribed Hebrew} hares, and the latin follows the former, reading herinaceis hedghoggs; and that most probably is the right reading of the Lxxii. because both in Leviticus and Deuteronomy they so render {untranscribed Hebrew}. That the word cannot signify hares, is certain both from Deut. xiv. 7. where {untranscribed Hebrew} the hare is set down distinct from it, and from the context here, which makes the rocks their refuge, as to coneys they are, but not to hares: and the same prejudice lies against the other; and therefore the Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew} coneys, and so Abu Walid, saying, 'tis a creature not so common in the East, but in the Western parts frequent, and called {untranscribed Hebrew}, Alconilie, the corruption of Cuniculi; and so the Jewish Arab, {untranscribed Hebrew} to the Coneys; and the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew}( not as the latin translator Leporibus, but) to coneys.  
V. 21. Meat from God] What is here said of the Lions peculiarly, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that they roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God, may be illustrated by what is observed of those creatures, that to their great strength, and greediness, and rapacity, they are not proportionably provided with swiftness of body to pursue those beasts in the desert on which they prey, nor yet so quick-sented, as to be able to follow and trace them to their places of repose. It hath therefore been necessary to the providing for these, that some supply should be made to these defects by some other way. And it hath been affirmed by some, that their very roaring is useful to them for this end, and that when they cannot overtake their prey, they do by that fierce noise so astonish and amate the poor beasts, that they fall down before them. But it is more credible, what is reported of the Jackales, a sort of larger foxes, that being provided of those abilities which the Lion wants, is joined to him, first by interest( as wanting that strength which the Lion hath) but more by the great Law of Nature, into a league and strict confederacy, and so constantly hunts for the Lion, and when he hath seized the prey, stands by, till the Lion hath sufficiently gorged himself, and then contents himself with the remainder. If this have that truth, which it professes to have, it gives a clear account both of the phrase of roaring after the prey, and of seeking it from God: of roaring, as being able to do nothing else toward the getting it, but only thus to frighten the hearers, and express his own hunger and want, in which respects the Devil, in seeking whom he may devour, is expressed in this style of a roaring Lion, 1. as very greedy of his prey, 2. very unable to get it, unless we voluntarily yield to his loud noises, beside which he hath no other means to prevail upon us, and if we resist or not give our consent to his temptations, we have conquered, and he, as worsted, will fly from us. Of his seeking his meat from God, who by this extraordinary dispensation bestows it on him, as it were in answer to his call, the roaring here being proportionable to the crying, or gaping of the young Ravens, Psal. cxlvii. 9. and so this, as that, interpnted to be a natural way of calling on God, which he that relieves the destitute, obliges himself to answer.  
V. 25. Wide sea] One Epithet of the sea here is, that 'tis {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which the latin renders spaciosum manibus, wide in hands, by hands signifying the extent of the branches thereof both ways, on this side and on that side; but the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} wide or spacious in the bounds; the Jewish Arab, wide of banks, or shores; and the Lxxii. very properly {untranscribed Hebrew} of wide extent. The Syriack reteins the Hebrew, {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} which as it signifies hand; so it is used also for space or place, because those are wont to be distinguished by the right and left hand. So Deut. xxiii. 12. {untranscribed Hebrew} and thou shalt have a place without the camp, where the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} place. So 2 Sam. viii. 3. {untranscribed Hebrew} his place, we render his border; and so many times more in the Old Testament.  
Ibid. Things creeping] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} ( from {untranscribed Hebrew} to tread or go) signifies any kind of incessus or motion, whether on the earth or water, and must be rendered as the context directs it. v. 20. 'tis used of the beasts of the forest, {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and then must be interpnted not creep, but go, or move, or walk; and here being applied to the fishes of the sea, it must be rendered swimming; and so Gen. i. 21. where in the waters God is said to bring forth whales and every living soul {untranscribed Hebrew} that moves as things move in the waters, i. e. that swims. In proportion wherewith the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that follows, are not to be rendered beasts( which we use not to apply to fishes) but by some more general word or phrase, living creatures, which is exactly answerable both to the original {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} vixit, and the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew}.  
V. 26. Leviathan] Of Leviathan, the Whale, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  or vast bulk of fish, we have a large description Job xli. 1. &c. The sum of it is, that he is of too great a size to be taken with hooks and lines, as other fishes are, to be brought to hand, or managed, as beasts of the land oft are, and so made useful and serviceable either to our sports or business, to be slaughtered for food, and either eaten or sold, as others, or any ways to be assaulted and taken. He is so fortified by nature, that there is little hope to combat with him, and prevail; consequently all care and solicitude is removed from him, as long as he hath his guide, the {untranscribed Hebrew} or Musculus, by whose conduct he steers, but being deprived of that( which 'tis the fishers first design to procure) he runs himself a ground, and so perisheth. And this may give us the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, which is applied to Leviathan. The word signifies to deride, scoff, or contemn, and is applied to God Psal. ii. 4. speaking of the oppositions and tumults of the people, He that sitteth in heaven {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  shall laugh at them, contemn them, as those that are not able to do any thing against him. So Job xxxix. 7. {untranscribed Hebrew} he shall laugh at the tumult of the city; and in the description of Leviathan ch. xli. 29. {untranscribed Hebrew} and he shall laugh at the shaking of the sphere, i. e. contemn all the weapons that can be brought against him. And this certainly is the meaning of it in this place, that the Whale is so fortified with his scales, which are so near one to another, that no air can come betwixt them, they are so joined and stick together, that they cannot be sundered, Job xli. 16, 17.( and from thence the word Leviathan seems to be fetched, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to be joined and stick fast together) that he scorns and laughs at, and triumphs over all opposition or assaults which can be made upon him in the sea. The Lxxii. well render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, to mock, or scoff, or laugh at.  
V. 28. Good] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  hath the notion of goodness onely, not of benignity also; which we accordingly in vulgar style call Bounty or Bonity. The Lxxii. here red {untranscribed Hebrew} benignity, and other copies {untranscribed Hebrew} fatness: and it is here applied to the great plenty that God provides for all creatures, even to saturity( so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies) a kind of festival diet, according to the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} a good day, i. e. a festival. The word is also used sometimes to signify a great degree, as when in our language we use a good deal, for a great deal, and well done, for thoroughly done; and so the Lxxii. oft renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} very much, and {untranscribed Hebrew} exactly; and so here {untranscribed Hebrew} may signify well i. e. plentifully filled, and that returns to the same sense.  
V. 34. Of him] It may be thought dubious whether {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to, or on him, belongs to the meditation, or the sweet. If to the first, then our English is right, My meditation of, or on, him shall be sweet, viz. to him that meditates; and to that the consequents well accord, I will be glad,( which is an effect of sweetness in him to whom it is such.) But all the ancients join in the second way of understanding it, My meditation shall be sweet to him, or, as the Jewish Arab, {untranscribed Hebrew} with him, according to that of the Psalmist Psal. xix. 14. Let the meditation of my heart be always acceptable in thy sight. Thus the Chaldee here {untranscribed Hebrew} before him, the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, Let it be sweet to him, the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} to him, and so the others also. And so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies to, as well as on.    

The Hundred and Fifth Psalm.  
The hundred and fifth Psalm is a thankful pious commemoration of all Gods mercies, and providences, and fidelities to his people, the first of those three that David delivered to the hand of Asaph and his brethren, 1 Chron. xvi. 8. to be used in the daily ministry before the ark, to record and bless the name of God.  
1. O Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.  
O let us all, in our daily prayers to God, confess and aclowledge, and proclaim to all the world, the great and gracious works which he hath wrought for his people.  
2. Sing unto him, sing Psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.  
3. 
a.  
Praise ye the name of his holiness  Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.  
Let us both in his public service, and in our more private discourses and conversation, endeavour to promulgate his miracles of mercy, and so bring all other men, that worship God, to do it with all delight and joy, as to him that hath most abundantly obliged and engaged them.  
4. Seek the Lord and 
b.  his strength; seek his face evermore.  
And so in like manner let our prayers be constantly addressed to him in his sanctuary, and all the relief and deliverance we at any time want be begged from his omnipotence.  
5. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,  
6. O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.  
To both these constant duties of prayer and praise, the people of the Jews, and all that transcribe the copy of Abrahams or Jacobs fidelity, are eternally obliged by the great and miraculous mercies afforded them by God, and the portentous judgments and punishments on their enemies, which he, by a word of his mouth, by the exercise of his immediate power, hath wrought for them.  
7. He is the Lord our God: his judgments are in all the earth.  
By his mercy and providence, and the exercise of his omnipotence, it is, that we have been conducted and supported, and our heathen enemies, wheresoever we came, subdued under us.  
8. He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations:  
9. Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac;  
10. And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a Law, and to Israel for an everlasting Covenant,  
And all this as the exact performance of his part of that Covenant and Law, which he solemnly and by oath established with Abraham and isaac and Jacob, and their posterity after them, that not to them only, but to all their successors to the end of the world, he would be a most constant protector and rewarder, in case they adhered faithfully to him;( and in case of their apostasy and rebellion, he would yet make good that promise to all others that should come in, and transcribe that copy of fidelity performed by those patriarches, receive the faith of Christ, and perform sincere uniform constant obedience to him.)  
11. Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance;  
12. When they were 
scarce a ●●ier of pers●is, and they strangers—  but a 
c.  few men in number, yea very few, and strangers in it;  
13. When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people.  
The sum of this Covenant, as it concerned Abraham and his seed according to the flesh, was, the bringing them into a most fruitful and desirable land, the land of Canaan( a type and image of the state of the Gospel, and joys of heaven) dispossessing the inhabitants thereof, and conducting them to a quiet secure enjoyment of it, as of an inheritance bequeathed to them by God himself, and not to be acquired by any strength of their own. In which respect it was, that as God choose to make this promise to him, Gen. xii. 6, 7. at a time when he had none but his wife, and so could hardly make up a number, a pitiful weak family, and those but in a journey, admitted but as strangers to lodge in their passage to Sichem, v. 6. so, that they might be obliged to aclowledge the whole work to be wrought by God, in relation to his promise, he so disposed it, that they should not now rest, but be removed out of Canaan, and pass from one nation and kingdom to another, from Sichem, where he built one Altar to God, v. 7. to a mountain on the East of Bethel, where he built another, v. 8. and from thence to egypt, v. 10.  
14. He suffered no man to do them wrong, yea he reproved Kings for their sakes,  
15. Saying, Touch not 
d.  mine anointed, and do my Prophets no harm.  
When they were there, God was pleased to afford them one special instance and pledge of his favour to them, and protection over them; when the King of egypt took Sarah into his house, Gen. xii. 15. and was in danger to have defiled her, and so again ch. xx. in Gerar, when Abimelech King of Gerar took Sarah v. 2.( a like passage there was afterward betwixt Abimelech King of the philistines and Rebeckah Isaacks wife, Gen. xxvi. 8.) God plagued that King, Gen. xii. 17. and severely threatened the other, Gen. xx. 3. and suffered neither of them to violate her chastity, v. 6. but  told Abimelech, that Abraham was a Prophet, v. 7. and one very highly valued by him( designed to be the root of a potent kingdom, and the stock from whom the messiah should come) and therefore commanded him by a most severe interdict not to do any harm to him, or his wife.  
16. Moreover he called for a famine upon the land; he broke the whole staff of bread.  
After this, in Jacobs time, the season being not yet come of performing this promise unto Abrahams seed, and that Gods work of possessing them of Canaan might be the more remarkable, and wholly imputable to him, and not to any strength of their own, or to natural proceedings, or casual event. God thought fit so to dispose of it, that all the posterity of Abraham should be removed out of this land, where yet they were but as sojourners. And thus it was, There fell out to be a very sore famine in all that land of Canaan, so that they had not corn for the necessities of life; and so Jacob was forced to sand his sons down into egypt to buy corn for his family.  
17. He sent a man before them, even Joseph who was sold for a servant:  
And herein a wonderful act of providence was discernible. Joseph, one of Jacobs sons, being envied and hated by the rest of his brethren, had been first taken and cast into a pit, then by occasion of some Ismaelite merchants coming by in that neck of time, Gen. xxxvii. 25. taken out, and sold to them, and carried into egypt, and there bought by Potiphar for a servant.  
18. Whose feet they hurt with fetters, 
e.  
the iron entred his soul  he was laid in irons,  
Where being falsely accused by his mistress, he was cast into prison, and setters, and extremely injured and afflicted by this calumny;  
19. until the time that his 
saying came to pass  word 
f.  came, the word of the Lord 
purged  tried him.  
And so continued till God, by revealing to him the interpretation of Pharaohs butlers and Pharaohs bakers dreams, which accordingly came to pass, brought him to the knowledge of Pharaoh, and then the interpretation of Pharaohs dream also, revealed unto him by God, perfectly purged him from the crime of incontinence falsely charged against him, this being an evidence of his integrity and perfect innocence, that God would vouchsafe thus to inspire him.  
20. The King sent and loosed him, even the ruler of the people, and let him go free.  
21. He made him Lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance,  
22. To 
command  bind his Princes 
g.  at his pleasure, and 
judge  teach his senators wisdom.  
Hereupon therefore Pharaoh not onely set him free from his restraint, but withall advanced him to be next himself, in a most supereminent power over the whole nation, to control and do whatsoever he pleased.  
23. Israel also came into egypt, and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.  
By this means, joined with the occasion forementioned v. 16. the famine in Canaan, upon which Jacob sent down his sons unto egypt( where alone by Josephs providence it was to be had) to buy food, Joseph by degrees made himself known to his brethren, and at length invited his father Jacob to come and bring all his family with him into egypt, providing him a part of the country, where they might live by themselves, and use these own rites and customs, as they pleased; and accordingly Jacob, overjoyed to hear that his beloved son, whom he thought devoured by wild beasts, was yet alive, accepted the offer, and came, and dwelled in egypt, Gen. xlvi.  
24. And he increased his people greatly, and made them stronger than their enemies.  
And in his journey at Beersheba, God appeared to him, Gen. xlvi. 1. and encouraged him in his journey to egypt, and promised to make of him a great nation there, v. 3. And according to that promise so it was. For there being but a small number of persons in this family when they came down, but seventy reckoned in all, Gen. xlvi. 27. whereof some also were born after their coming into egypt( see note on Act. vii. b.) they were within few years increased to a multitude, and waxed exceeding mighty, and the land was filled with them, Exod. i. 7. and the King of egypt entred into consultation about them, taking notice to his people v. 9. that the children of Israel were more and mightier than the egyptians.  
25. He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtly with his servants.  
This great and signal goodness of God to the posterity of Jacob, in multiplying them so exceedingly, was a means to provoke the egyptians jealousy; and from fear they turned soon to hatred, and mischievous machinations against them, giving order first for the oppressing them by burdens and hard labour, Exod. i. 11. and when that did not prevail to the lessening, but increasing of them, v. 12. then enhancing the rigor of their servitude, v. 13, 14. and at length appointing all their male children to be killed as soon as they were born.  
26. He sent Moses his servant, and Aaron whom he had chosen.  
In this point of time was Moses seasonably born, and preserved by Gods providence miraculously: and when he was 40. years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren in egypt, but he was soon forced to fly thence, and sojourned in Madian, Act. 7.23, 29. and about forty years after, v. 30. he was called by God, and sent as his impowred commissioner to Pharaoh, his brother Aaron being joined with him, to negotiate the delivery and departure of this whole people out of the bondage of egypt:  
27. They shewed 
the words of his signs  his 
h.  signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.  
To that end God give them power of working miracles, to gain belief both from the Israelites themselves, that they were sent from God to deliver them, and from Pharaoh also, and particularly directed them from time to time what miracles they should work, and they performed exactly according to direction.  
28. He sent darkness and 
he made  made it dark, 
●  and they rebelled not against his word.  
For example, when many of the miracles prescribed by God had been successeless, and but enraged, and not melted or persuaded Pharaoh, and withall now after the time that God had  told Moses that he would sand all his plagues upon Pharaohs heart, ch. ix. 14. and that he is said expressly to have hardened Pharaohs heart, v. 12. after which Moses was in reason to expect he would be more enraged by his signs, yet putting off all fear of Pharaohs wrath and cruelty, as soon as God Exod. x. 21. commanded Moses to stretch out his hand to heaven, that there might be darkness over the land of egypt, even darkness that might be felt, Moses immediately obeied, stretched forth his hand to heaven, and there was a thick darkness in all the land of egypt three dayes v. 23.  
29. He turned their waters into blood, and slay their fish.  
Before this, God had begun with Pharaoh with variety of other plagues; by Aarons striking his rod upon the waters, the waters of all the land of egypt were presently turned into blood, Exod. vii. 20. and the fish that was in the river died, v. 21.  
30. 
their land {untranscribed Hebrew}  The land 
swermed with frogs  
k.  brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their Kings.  
Then after that, he smote all their borders with frogs, Exod. viii. 2. upon Aarons stretching out his rod over the streams, v. 5. and the frogs came and covered the whole land of egypt, and came into Pharaohs house, and into his bed-chamber, and upon his bed, v. 3.  
31. He spake, and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts.  
After this at Gods appointment, Aaron with his rod smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man and beast, Exod. viii. 17. a judgement wherein the Magicians themselves acknowledged the finger of God, all their skill in sorcery being not able to arrive to this: Then, when that would not work, great swarms of flies, Exod. viii. 24. came upon Pharaoh, and all the egyptians, the Israelites only being free from them.  
32. He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in the land.  
33. 
and smote their vines and— {untranscribed Hebrew}  He smote their vines also and their figg-trees, and 
shiverd {untranscribed Hebrew}  broke the trees of their coasts.  
Then after two other plagues, the murrain and the blains, Exod. ix. 3.& 9. God sent a most grievous hail, v. 18. and with it thunder, and fire running along upon the ground, v. 23. and these broke to small pieces all sorts of trees in the field, and smote all sorts of plants, v. 25.  
34. He spake, and the Locusts came, and caterpillars and that without number,  
35. And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground.  
Then what was left undestroyed by the hall, of their plants and corn and trees, an innumerable multitude of Locusts Exod. x. 4. came and swept utterly away, v. 5.  
36. He smote also all the first-born in their land, the chief of all their strength.  
In the last place, he sent his destroying Angels, in the depth of the night, to kill every first-born, the prime, and stoutest, and most valued both of man and beast, through all the land, from Pharaoh to the meanest person in egypt, ch. xi. 5.& xii. 29.  
37. He brought them forth also with silver and gold, and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.  
And upon this last judgement they were urgent and importunate to have them gone, Exod. xii. 31, 33. And the children of Israel took all the householdstuff that they had, and God gave them favour in the sight of the egyptians, Exod. xi. 3.& xii. 36. so that they lent them many rich jewels, and denied them nothing that they required, Exod. xii. 35, 36. And one circumstance more there was very considerable, that at this time of their going out in this hast, there was not one sick or weak person among all the people of Israel, not one by impotence or sickness disabled for the march, but all together, and in one host or army, went out from the land of egypt( which strange remark of Gods providence, though it be not expressed in the story, is yet intimated Exod. xii. 41.)  
38. egypt was glad when they departed, for the fear of them fell upon them.  
And now the egyptians were instructed by their plagues, not onely to be content to lose these their so profitable servants, but even rejoiced, and looked upon it as a deliverance to themselves, that they were thus rid of them, and so, as they hoped, of the sufferings, which the detaining them against Gods command had brought upon them. So terribly were they amated at the death of their first-born, that they cried out, they were all but dead men, if they did not presently atone God by dismissing them, Exod. xii. 33.  
39. He spread a cloud for a covering, and fire to give light in the night.  
In their march God conducted them in a most eminent manner, by his Angels in a cloud encompassing their hosts, and that cloud so bright and shining, that in the dark of the night it lighted them, and gave them an easy passage, Exod. xiii. 21, 22.  
40. The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.  
As they past through the wilderness of Sin, and wanted food, and murmured, God pardonned their murmuring, and furnished them with quails, a most delicious sort of flesh; and instead of corn for bread, he sent them down, in a shower from heaven bread ready dressed or prepared( and thence called Manna) and that in such plenty that every man had enough, Exod. xvi. 16.  
41. He opened the rock, and the waters gushod out; 
they went along a river in— {untranscribed Hebrew}  they ran in the dry places like a river.  
At Rephidim, when they murmured for water, Exo. xvii. God appointed Moses to strike the rock in Horeb, v. 6. and there came out water in such plenty, that it ran along( see Psal. Lxxviii. 20.) and, as the Jews relate, attended them in a current or stream through the drought of the desert,( so that we hear no more of their want of water till they came to Cadesh( see note on Cor. x. b.) and then took a contrary way in their journeying.)  
42. For he remembered 
the word of his holiness with Abr—  his holy promise, 
k.  and Abraham his servant.  
And all this an effect of his own free-mercy, in discharge of his promise made to Abraham, whose fidelity to him God was pleased thus to reward upon his posterity.  
43. And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness,  
44. And gave them the lands of the heathen, and they inherited the labour of the people,  
And so at length having brought out his people with so much glory, victorious and triumphant, out of egypt, he possessed them of the promised Canaan, cast out the old inhabitants before them for their pollutions and Idolatries, and planted this his peculiar people in their stead.  
45. That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the Lord.  
And all this, not that they should indulge to riot, and employ their plenty in lusts and pleasures, or grow fat and wanton, but that being thus richly supplied, wanting no manner of thing that is good, having nothing of encumbrance or diversion, but on the contrary, all kinds of encouragements to piety, they should therein constantly exercise themselves, according to the engagements and obligations incumbent on those that had received such a succession of miracles of mercies from God,( a type of that duty now incumbent on us Christians, upon far greater and more considerable obligations, that especially of our redemption by Christ from the power, as well as the guilt of sin) and return him the tribute of sincere obedience for ever after, approve themselves an holy peculiar people to him, zealous of good works. And in so doing, let us all endeavour uniformly to praise, and magnify, and glorify the name of God. Hallelujah.  

Annotations on Psalm CV.  
V. 3. Glory ye—] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the reciprocal conjugation, is yet to be here rendered in the active sense, is agreed on both by the Chaldee and Syriack; {untranscribed Hebrew} saith the former, praise in his name, and the other {untranscribed Hebrew} praise to his name, where as ב 
ב  in, so ל 
ל  to is certainly a Pleonasme( as v. 15. both ב and ל are, in {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew}, his anointed and his prophets:) and the whole phrase signifies no more than the latin of the Syriack expresses, Laudate nomen Sanctitatis ejus, praise the name of his holiness, just as {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew}, believing God and in God, are all one, the preposition being abundant very frequently. The Lxxii. indeed and the latin red it in the passive sense, {untranscribed Hebrew}, Laudamini in nomine sancto, be ye praised in his holy name: but this certainly without any propriety of expression, the praises of God, and not of ourselves, being the duty to which we are invited in this Psalm.  
V. 4. His strength] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  his strength, the Lxxii. seem to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} be strengthened, and accordingly render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, the latin confirmamini, be confirmed, and so the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} be strengthened; and so the sense would well bear, seek the Lord, and be confirmed, let all your strength be sought from him; so the Jewish Arab, Seek the Lord, and seek that he would strengthen you, or strength from him, or, you shall certainly be strengthened, if by prayer you diligently seek him. But we need not change the reading, for the gaining this sense. This Psalm was composed for the constant use of the Sanctuary; and then {untranscribed Hebrew} may most properly here denote the Sanctuary, as it doth not unusually in several places; and so 'tis best joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} his face, the appearance and exhibition of himself in the Sanctuary: And so seeking his sanctuary, is offering up our prayers to him there, as the means of obtaining all assistance and strength from him. The Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} his law, which we know was kept in the Sanctuary, and which all were obliged to obey that addressed unto him there, and in obedience to that all their strength consisted.  
V. 12. Few men in number] The phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  almost, which is here added to {untranscribed Hebrew} persons of a number, or plurality, must needs be a restraint and lessening to it. A number or plurality we know is of no less than three in the Hebrew and other languages, and so persons of a number almost, cannot signify either more or less than two. And this a most exact and commodious expression to signify Abrahams state when the promise of Canaan was first made to him, Gen. xii. 7. for then before the birth of Isaac, nay of Ishmael, he had certainly no other but his wife Sarai, unless perhaps some servant, which was not here to be numbered. This therefore will be the best rendering of the phrase {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in their being, or when they were {untranscribed Hebrew} scarce, or almost, or not so much as persons of a number, or a number of persons, i. e. distinctly but two of them, Abraham and his wife.  
V. 15. Mine anointed] That unction was a ceremony of inauguration, or advancing to any great office among the Jews, is sufficiently known: Hence it is that the Chaldee oft renders it by making great, Ps. xlv. 7. {untranscribed Hebrew} God hath anointed thee, they render {untranscribed Hebrew} hath advanced or dignified thee. And as there were three offices to which unction was used, the Regal, the Sacerdotal, the Prophetical; so each of these may not unfitly be styled {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  my( i. e. Gods) anointed; but especially the King is thus styled. So 1 Sam. xxiv. 6. If I shall do this {untranscribed Hebrew} to the Lords anointed, i. e. to King Saul. So of Cyrus Isa. xlv. 1. thus saith the Lord {untranscribed Hebrew} to his anointed. And so the messiah Dan. ix. 25. was by all that from that text expected him, looked upon as a King that should come among them. And thus in this place, where of the patriarches Abraham and isaac God useth this double style, mine anointed, and my prophets, these two offices are in all reason to be understood, that as they were Prophets by God inspired, Abraham having signal revelations made unto him, particularly of the captivity of his posterity in egypt, and their coming out in their fourth generation, Gen. xv. 16. and again c. xvii. 6. of the great dignity that should befall his seed( and so isaac prophesied also of the future estates of the posterity of Jacob and Esau, Gen. xxvii. 40.) so they were designed by God as the foundation of a most illustrious Monarchy, that should spring out of their loins,( I will make nations of thee, Kings shall come out of thee, Gen. xvii. 6.) and being thus great, advanced to this dignity in Gods decree, they are justly to be equalled to the greatest Kings, anointed with oil, being particularly owned by God, and warning given by him in an extraordinary manner to other Kings, Abimelech &c. that they should not dare to do them the least injury.  
V. 18. He was laid in irons] The Phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is capable of two rendrings; either the iron entred his soul, or his soul entred the iron. The Lxxii. take it in the latter sense, {untranscribed Hebrew}, his soul past through iron, and so the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. his soul went into iron, and the Jewish Arab, his soul came into iron: but the Chaldee follow the former rendering, {untranscribed Hebrew} the chain of iron went into his soul. The difference of these is not great, as long as by the iron is understood, with the Chaldee, the iron chain( and to that the foregoing mention of the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a give or chain inclines it: and if there be no mention of Josephs being put in chains in the story Gen. xxxix. yet the manner of securing prisoners, being ordinary by chains, and the crime objected to Joseph so great, of attempting his Mistresses chastity, there can be no cause to doubt of that, especially when the former part of the verse mentions a chain expressly) for as {untranscribed Hebrew} his soul frequently signifies no more than he, and so his soul entering into iron, is no more than that he was fettered; so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  oft signifies the sensitive faculty, that which is capable of pain and grief, and then the irons entering his soul, is no more than being painful to him. And in this sense {untranscribed Hebrew} iron is certainly used Psal. cvii. of prisoners bound in affliction {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and iron, i. e. chains or fetters. But there is another possible notion of the phrase, as {untranscribed Hebrew} iron may signify a sword or dart, or other sharp weapon made of that metal, by which in this book of Psalms Calumny is oft poetically expressed. So Psal. Lv. 21. their words were drawn swords, and Psal. Lvii. 4. their teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Thus have some learned men understood the phrase of Mary Christs mother, Luk. ii. 35. {untranscribed Hebrew} a sword shall pass through thy soul, of the scandal and reproach of the across of Christ, or some other great affliction. And the metaphor is very easy, and as vulgar as the phrase of wounding ones reputation, which is constantly used of the calumniator, such as Josephs mistress certainly was, and the calumny of so foul a nature, that it must needs pierce his soul, grieve him more than setters of iron could do. If this be the notion, then the former rendering must be retained, the iron( that sword of the mistresses tongue) entred or pierced his soul. And if not this but the other be the meaning of it, iron properly taken for setters or gyves, yet that may most sitly be the rendering still, the shackles, both the pain of them, and especially the reproach of them to a person of approved piety and chastity, must needs pierce his soul, and grieve him exceedingly: and so this may either in the literal or metaphorical sense be best resolved on for the rendering of it.  
V. 19. His word came] Among the many uses of {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to come, there is one peculiar to words, or sayings, or promises, which must therefore belong to {untranscribed Hebrew} his word here, viz. to come to pass, to be performed. So Jer. xvii. 15. where is the word of the Lord {untranscribed Hebrew} let it come to pass, 1 Sam. ix. 6. there is a man of God, all that he saith {untranscribed Hebrew} cometh certainly to pass. Gen. xviii. 19. {untranscribed Hebrew} that the Lord may make come, i. e. bring to pass, all that he hath spoken to him. So Ezec. xxiv. 24. {untranscribed Hebrew} when it shall come to pass. And so here unquestionably, Joseph was kept in prison under that slander, until his word came to pass, i. e. till he interpnted the dreams of Pharaohs Officers, and his predictions came to pass to each of them, that being the peculiar means of making him known to Pharaoh, and fetching him out of the prison Gen. xli. 14. And then his interpreting of Pharaoh's dream following it, which Pharaoh looked on as an evidence that the spirit of God was in him, v. 38. and upon which he said to Joseph, For as much as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art, v. 39. this in all reason may be resolved to be that which was respected here in the next words, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the word of the Lord( i. e. Gods showing him the meaning of those dreams Gen. xli. 39. Gods telling him, or revealing to him the interpretation of them, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the oracle of the Lord, say the Lxxii.) purged him( so {untranscribed Hebrew} properly signifies to purge) as silver is purged in the fire, and so approved to be pure when it comes out thence, that which is not pure being destroyed there, or evidently discovered what metal' tis. And in this sense it most exactly belonged to the passage of Joseph, under the calumny and scandal of having attempted his mistresses purity, for which he was imprisoned( which by the way makes it more probable, that that calumny was meant by the iron entering his soul) this interpretation of Pharaohs dream being clearly from God, who had sent the dream, and so an evidence that Joseph was a pure and pious person, it being not imaginable that God would vouchsafe to reveal such secrets to an impure person, or to any, but a pious and truly virtuous man. And so this is the full importance of this verse.  
V. 22. At his pleasure] {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for will or pleasure, is no more than at his will: The Chaldee render it with little change {untranscribed Hebrew}, so as to( i. e. as was agreeable to) his will or pleasure; but the Syriack most expressly {untranscribed Hebrew}, as he would. So the Jewish Arab {untranscribed Hebrew}, as he saw fit, ex sententiâ suâ; and the Jewish Arab Glossary citing the place expounds {untranscribed Hebrew} by {untranscribed Hebrew} consilium, sententia, {untranscribed Hebrew}. But the Lxxii. reading it seems {untranscribed Hebrew} as his soul, red {untranscribed Hebrew} as himself, and so the latin, sicut semetipsum, without any great sense in it. As for the phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to, or that he might bind his Princes, the meaning of it is clear, that he might have power over the greatest men in his kingdom, to command or forbid the doing of any thing( so {untranscribed Hebrew} also signifies) to punish them that do contrary( and accordingly the Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, to chastise) and so to bind, that no body could reverse what he did, according to the use of that phrase in the inscription of Isis, 
Diodor. Sicul. lib. 1. p. 16.  {untranscribed Hebrew}, Isis Queen of the region— and whatsoever I shall bind, no man hath power to loose; making this power of binding to be an evidence of authority, and then power of binding the Sirs, or Lords, or Princes of Pharaoh, must signify Joseph's having next to the King himself, a supreme uncontrollable power. And so the word {untranscribed Hebrew} generally signifies to oblige to obedience, and to punishment, to command,( so Dan. vi. 7, 8, 9. {untranscribed Hebrew} is rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} a decree or law) and to inflict punishment on the disobedient. Of this word see Power of the Keys Ch. iv.§. 6, 7, 8. &c. And in the same sense must the next phrase be understood, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and he shall( not teach wisdom, but, in the notion of the word now found in the arabic dialect) judge his Senators. The word is so used, Psal. x. 18. {untranscribed Hebrew} to judge the fatherless, and Act. xxiii. 3. {untranscribed Hebrew} judge me according to law, and frequently elsewhere in that dialect; which shows that this was anciently a notion of the word. And so still that denotes the supereminent power that was given Joseph, as to command the Nobles, so to judge the Judges, or Senators. According to what we find in the story Gen. xli. 40. Thou shalt be over my house, and according to thy word shall all my people be ruled, only in the throne will I be greater than thou; and again v. 41. see, I have set thee over all the land of egypt: And Pharaoh took off his ring— v. 24. and made him ride in the second chariot v. 43. and without thee shall no man lift up his hand— v. 44.  
V. 27. His signs] In this phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the words of his signs or prodigies, {untranscribed Hebrew} words seems to be somewhat more than a pleonasme. God had  told them what signs they should use, to convince the people first, and then Pharaoh, of their mission; and so in each judgement God commands, and they show the sign: and God's thus telling, or speaking to them, is properly {untranscribed Hebrew} words, and the matter of these words expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew} signs or prodigies of his, viz. which as he directed, he would also enable them to do among them. Accordingly not only the Lxxii. retain {untranscribed Hebrew}, the words of his signs, but the Chaldee also {untranscribed Hebrew} the words of his signs. And v. 28. it follows, that they disobeyed not his word, i. e. Moses and Aaron( see note h.) disobeyed not the direction of God for the showing that particular miracle of the three dayes darkness upon the egyptians. The Jewish Arab so expresseth it, as may be rendered either the thing, i. e. matter, or the command of his signs.  
V. 28. And they rebelled not] The Hebrew in all copies is acknowledged to red {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and they provoked not, rebelled not, i. e. disobeyed not his word. So the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} and they rebelled not, resisted not his word. Which passage is to be understood of Moses and Aaron, that how little hope soever they had of doing good on Pharaoh, yea after God had given him up to obduration, and they were to expect all rage and ill usage from him, yet as God commanded them, or according to the {untranscribed Hebrew} the words of his signs, v. 27.( see note g.) they did courageously proceed from one sign to another( not fearing the wrath of the King or people) to show all Gods miracles upon the egyptians. The latin reads, non exacerbavit, he did not provoke, in the singular, but to the same sense, referring it I suppose to Moses. But neither singular nor plural can probably refer to Pharaoh or the people of egypt, that he or they resisted not Gods word: for though upon that plague of darkness Exod. x. 24. Pharaoh called unto Moses and said, go ye, serve the Lord, yet that is attended with an only let your flocks and your herds be stayed; and then it follows v. 27. he would not let them go. The importance therefore of {untranscribed Hebrew} they resisted not, seems no more than what is affirmed in the story v. 21, 22. The Lord said unto Moses, stretch out thy hand— And Moses stretched forth his hand— i. e. readily obeied, and did what God directed, and that at a time when Pharaoh was likely to be incensed, and vehemently offended with them. For which consideration the story there gives us this farther ground; For as v. 10. he had before expressed some anger and threats, Look to it, for evil is before you, and they were driven from his presence v. 11. so now upon the hardening his heart, which follows this plague of darkness, he said to Moses, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more, for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die the death, v. 28. This rage of Pharaoh Moses in reason might well foresee, but he dreaded it not, but boldly did as God directed, and that is the meaning of {untranscribed Hebrew} they resisted not Gods words. The Lxxii. now red it without the negation; some copies, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and they exasperated, others {untranscribed Hebrew} because they exasperated his words. And the Syriack( and arabic and Aethiopick) follow them, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and they murmured( so that word seems to be translated into other languages) or resisted his word. And thus it might have truth in it, being applied to Pharaoh and the egyptians, who could not yet be brought to be content to let the Israelites go free, and carry their goods with them out of their kingdom, Exod. x. 24, 27. But 'tis more probable that the true original reading of the Lxxii. was {untranscribed Hebrew} neither, which as it is the exact rendering of {untranscribed Hebrew}, and not, so it is very near to {untranscribed Hebrew} which some copies now have. And from this light, but very ancient, corruption of their copy, the other translations have it, which consequently must be reformed by the Original.  
V. 30. Brought forth] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  properly belongs to water breaking or springing out of the earth, and is applied to any plentiful production, Exod. i. 7. the children of Israel grew {untranscribed Hebrew} and procreated abundantly, and, as it there follows, the land was filled with them. The noun {untranscribed Hebrew} from hence is used for all sorts of creatures of the earth or water that go not on legs, Locusts, Ants, Worms, Hornets, Fishes, &c. because they procreate so exceedingly. It cannot therefore more fitly be rendered, both according to the force of the verb and noun, than by swarming, and that in such a degree over all the land, that the palace, which may be supposed to be most carefully kept, was not free from them. The Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, which signifies among them scaturivit, any copious production also. But the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, from the notion of the word for creeping. What is here said of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  their land, that that produced these swarms of frogs, is Exod. viii. 3. said of the river, and so 5. and 6. stretch forth thy hand over the streams, the rivers, the pounds, and cause frogs to come: and as this makes more for the propriety of {untranscribed Hebrew} according to that of Gen. i. speaking of the waters, {untranscribed Hebrew} let them swarm or produce abundantly the swimming thing; so the earth and the waters being now but one globe, the earth may be said to bring forth that which the waters produce; or 2. {untranscribed Hebrew} their land may signify their country of which their rivers were a part; or 3. though the rivers produced the frogs, yet the land swarmed with them, as appears by the consequents, they went up into the Kings chambers.  
V. 42. Holy promise] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  joined to a verb intransitive signifies with, is acknowledged by Lexicographers, and here such a verb is understood, after {untranscribed Hebrew} the word of his holiness( which he spake or had) {untranscribed Hebrew} with Abraham: so the Chaldee understood it, and red {untranscribed Hebrew} which with( i. e. which he had with) or to Abraham; and so the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}— which he had, or which was made to Abraham.    

The Hundred and Sixth Psalm.  

a.  Praise ye the Lord. The hundred and sixth Psalm, the last of the fourth partition, entitled Hallelujah, is chiefly spent in confessing the sins and provocations of the children of Israel, but begun and concluded with the praising and magnifying of Gods mercies, and by the beginning and two last verses of it, set down 1 Chron. xvi. 34, 35, 36. appears to be one of those Psalms which David delivered into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, v. 7. to record, and thank, and praise the Lord, in their continual or daily ministering before the ark, v. 4.  
1. O Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is 
or gracious {untranscribed Hebrew} Lxxii.  good, for his mercy endureth for ever.  
Let us all join in proclaiming the abundant goodness and continued mercies of God, which from time to time he hath vouchsafed, and will never fail to reach out unto us.  
2. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? who can show forth all his praise?  
His miraculous works of power and grace are far beyond our describing or expressing.  
3. Blessed are they that keep judgement, and he that doth righteousness at all times.  
O 'tis a blessed thing to be always engaged and exercised in the service of so gracious a master, and by the continual practise of all duties of justice and mercy, to be qualified for those mercies and protections, which he never fails to make good to those which are thus fitted to expect or receive them.  
4. Remember me, O Lord, 
of the favour to thy- {untranscribed Hebrew}  with the favour which thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation.  
O blessed Lord, of thy great abundant goodness to all thy faithful servants, be thou pleased to look favourably upon me, though most unworthy: O do thou afford me that pardon and that grace which I stand in need of, and can hope for from none but thee.  
5. That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may 
sing praises see Ps. cv. note a.  glory with thine inheritance.  
That I may experimentally feel and taste the incomparable felicity of being in the number of thy favourites, that I may have my part of that joyous blissful state, that all which sincerely serve thee enjoy even in this world,( as the present reward or result of their conscientious obedience) and so for ever make one in that choir which sings Hosannahs and Hallelujas to thee.  
6. We have sinned with our Fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.  
Meanwhile it is the present duty of every one of us, to cast ourselves down in all humility before this thy throne of grace, to confess before thee the many great and crying sins, transgressions and provocations, that either every one of us, or together this whole nation, from our first rise and growth into a people, have been most sadly guilty of.  
7. Our Fathers understood not thy wonders in egypt, they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies, but provoked him 
b.  at the sea, even at the read sea.  
When thou hadst shewed so many signs and wonders in the sight of our fore-fathers in egypt, which were abundantly sufficient to convince them of thy power, and purpose to bring them safe out of those tyrannical masters hands, yet in the very beginning of their march, before they were out of the land, as soon as the least danger approached, when they discerned the egyptians to follow and overtake them, they were presently amated, and faint-hearted, and sore afraid, Exod. xiv. 10. and in that fit of fear and infidelity, reproached Moses( and in him God himself) for looking upon them in their oppressions, for offering to disquiet them in their slavery, deemed it much better to have served the egyptians, than now to adventure themselves under Gods protection.( And how many provocations have we severally been guilty of, in not laying to heart the signal mercies bestowed on us by God, evidences of his goodness and his power, and in despite of all fallen off, on occasion of every worldly terror, into murmurings at his providence, and satiety of his service, into infidelity and Practical atheism?)  
8. Nevertheless he saved them for his names sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.  
But though they thus provoked God, and so well deserved to be forsaken by him, though he had so little encouragement to show miracles of mercy among those whom neither miracles could convince, nor mercies provoke to obedience; yet that he might glorify himself, and give more evidences of his omnipotence to them, and the heathen people about them, he was now also pleased to interpose his hand in a most eminent manner for these unthankful murmurers, and by a new miracle of mercy to secure and deliver them.  
9. 
And re●●ked {untranscribed Hebrew}  He rebuked the read sea also, and it was dried up: so he lead them through the depths, as through the wilderness.  
10. And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.  
11. And the waters covered their enemies, there was not one of them left.  
For being now at the shore of the read sea, and close pursued by the egyptians, when there was no visible means of their rescue from the rage of Pharaoh on one side, or the sea on the other, God then shewed forth his power, divided the sea, Exod. xiv. 16. caused it to retire, and give passage to the Israelites, who marched through the midst of the sea in part of the channel, as upon the driest firmest ground; and when the egyptians assayed to follow them, and were engaged in the midst of the sea so far that they could not retire, even the whole host of Pharaoh, v. 23. first God encompassed his own people with a cloud, that the enemy came not near them all night, v. 20. secondly, he troubled the egyptians host, and took off their chariot wheels, v. 24, 25. so that they could neither pursue the Israelites, nor fly out of the sea, and thirdly he caused the sea to return to his strength, and overwhelmed their chariots, horsemen, and whole army, there remained not so much as one of them, v. 28. Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the egyptians, v. 30.  
12. Then believed they his words, they sang his praise.  
And this so visible a prodigy of mercy so seasonably and undeservedly afforded them, did indeed at the time work upon them, convinced them of the power and mercy of God; they saw that great work, and feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses, Exod. xiv. 31. and joined with Moses in the anthem, or song of victory that he composed on this occasion, Exod. xv. blessing God for the wonders of this deliverance.  
13. 
c.  They 
made hast, they forgot {untranscribed Hebrew}  soon forgot his works, they waited not for his counsel;  
14. But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.  
But after this, when they came into the wilderness, they fell a murmuring again, first on occasion of the bitterness of the water at Marah, Exod. xv. 24. then in the wilderness of Sin, c. xvi. upon remembrance of their flesh-pots in egypt; and when they had these so many convictions of Gods power and providence over them, which should 〈◇〉 reason have charmed them into a full, cheerful resignation, and dependence on him, they on the contrary, without any consideration of any thing that God had wrought for them, without ●ver addressing themselves humbly to God, or his servant Moses, to learn his pleasure and purposes concerning them, were transported pracipitously by their own luxurious appetites, and because they had not that festival plenty which could not be expected in the wilderness, they again reproached Moses for having brought them out of egypt, to die, as hey called it, in the wilderness, v. 3. and now forsooth God must show more miracles, not 〈◇〉 supply of their wants, but to pamper and satisfy their lust,( Ps. Lxxviii. 18.) he must give them t●●e festival diet in the wilderness,( Psal. Lxxix. 19.) or else they would no longer believe his power, or serve him.  
15. And he gave them their request, but sent 
d.  leanness into their soul.  
And at this time also God was pleased to magnify his power and providence among them: at Marah he directed Moses to a three, which sweetened the waters, Exod. xv. 25. and soon after brought them to Elim, where there were twelve wells, &c. and he rained down bread( as it were ready baked) from heaven, a full proportion for all of them every day, Exod. xvi. 4. and not onely so, but in answer to their importunity for flesh, he sent them whole shoals of quails, which covered the camp. Exod. xvi. 13. Num. xi. 31. as thick as dust, Psal. Lxxviii. 27. But then when they had gathered great plenty of these, at least ten homers to a man, just as they were ready to eat them, the wrath of God came out against them, and punished their murmuring with a terrible plague: And so this( as all other inordinate desires) cost them full dear, and brought them not any the least benefit.  
16. They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the Lord.  
17. The earth opened, and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram:  
18. And a sire was kindled in their company, the flamme burnt up the wicked.  
After this they broke out in a mutiny against Moses and Aaron, Num. xvi. not allowing them to have any commission of pre-eminence, or authority, more than any other of the people had, every one pretending to be holy, and, upon that account, free from subjection to any other. But for the repressing and refuting of this vain plea, and vindicating the authority of those that God had set over them, both in the Church and State, two terrible essays of Gods wrath were here shewed; the opening of the earth, and swallowing up all that belonged to Dathan and Abiram, v. 32. and a fire from heaven, coming down upon them that presumed without mission from God to offer incense, to assume the Priests office, v. 35. And when both these did but make the people murmur the more at Moses and Aaron, v. 41. God avenged this yet more severely with a plague, that swept away fourteen thousand and seven hundred of them.  
19. They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the melted image.  
20. Thus they changed their 
e.  glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.  
After this, when God was delivering the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai, and therein made a strict prohibition of making them any graved image, or similitude of any creature in the world, in order to worship, God exhibiting himself to them in a thick cloud, and they seeing no similitude, but only hearing a voice, yet, while Moses was absent from them, they made them a melted calf, calling it their Gods, and that it might go before them in Gods stead, and accordingly worshipped it, and made a sacrificial feast unto it, Exod, xxxii. 6. and committed great abominations( see note on 1 Cor. x. c.)  
21. They forgot God their Saviour, which had done great things in egypt,  
22. Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the read sea.  
Such hast they made to cast oft the service of that God which had so lately delivered them out of their egyptian slavery, and in order to that showed forth such prodigies of his power, and vengeance on Pharaoh and the egyptians, both before he dismissed them, and when he pursued them in their march out of the land.  
23. 
And he spake of destroying them {untranscribed Hebrew}  Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the 
f.  breach, to turn away his wrath lest he should destroy them.  
Upon this provocation of theirs, God communed with Moses, Exod. xxxii. 10. about destroying this whole people that thus rebelled, promising to make of him a great nation. But Moses most earnestly besought him, v. 11. to turn from his fierce wrath, v. 12. and repent of this evil against his people; and God was atoned by his importunity, and repented of the evil, v. 14. and he destroyed them not.  
24. Yea they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word;  
25. But murmured in their tents, and harkened not unto the voice of the Lord.  
After this, when they came near their Canaan, that most fruitful possession promised them by God, and when Moses had sent out spies to descry the land, and they brought back word as of the great fertility of the land, so of the giantly strength and stature of the men, their fortifications, and their eating up the inhabitants, Num. xiii. 26, 27, &c. they fell into a great passion of fear, ch. xiv. 9. and sorrow, v. 1. and murmured against Moses and Aaron, and God himself, v. 2, 3. and resolved to give over the pursuit of Canaan, and make them a Captain, and return back to egypt, v. 4. and so utterly to forsake the service of God.  
26. Therefore he 
g.  lifted up his hand 
about, or, because of them.  against them to destroy them in the wilderness;  
27. To overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands.  
This again most justly provoked God to that degree of wrath against them, that he said, he would smite them with pestilence, and disinherit them, destroy the whole people, and make of Moses a greater nation, v. 12. see Ezech. xx. 23. But Moses again interceding for them, and urging that argument, formerly used by him with success, that the egyptians and other nations would say, that God was not able to bring them into the land which he had sworn to them, v. 16. he again prevailed for their pardon, v. 20. but that with this reserve, which he bound with an oath, v. 21, 28. that all they that having seen his miracles in egypt, had now tempted him ten times, should die before they came to this good land, v. 23, 29. And accordingly after this the Amalekites came down and the Canaanites, and smote them, and discomfited them, v. 45. and Arad King of Canaan fought against them and took some of them prisoners, c. xxi. 1.( to this Kimchi applies the scattering both here and in Ezekiel.)  
28. They joined themselves also to 
h▪  Baal-Peor, and eat the sacrifices of the dead.  
After this they mixed themselves with the Moabitish women, Nam. xxv. 3. and by them were seduced to their Idol-worship, partaking and communicating in their sacrifices offered to the Moabitish Gods, which were but dead men.  
29. Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions, and the plague broke in upon them.  
On this foul provocation of Idolatry and uncleanness, Gods judgments fell heavily upon them, a terrible plague, that swept away four and twenty thousand of them.  
30. Then stood up Phineez and 
i.  
made an atonement  executed judgement, and so the plague was stayed.  
Onely in the very point of time, Phineez the son of eleazar did an act of special zeal, took a javelin, and killed an Israelitish man and Midianitish woman in the very act of their uncleanness; And this zeal of his propitiated God, and so the plague ceased.  
31. And 
k.  that was counted to him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore.  
And this act of his was so acceptable to God, that, beside the dignity of being an instrument of appeasing Gods wrath toward the people, God thought fit to reward it with the honour of the High-priests office, to be annexed to his family for ever, if they walked not unworthy of it:  
32. They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes.  
33. Because they provoked his spirit, 
and he spake with.  so that he 
l.  spake unadvisedly with his lips.  
Before this, is set down( Num. xx.) another murmuring of our fathers against God, occasioned by some want of water at Merihah, a place so called from their chiding and contending with Moses, where in their rage they wished they had died in that former plague, Num. xi. 13. And this their peevishness was a provocation to Moses, who, though he were a meek man, broke out into a passionate speech, v. 10. Hear ye now, ye rebells, shall we fetch you water out of this rock? Wherein as he spake with some diffidence, as if it were impossible to fetch water out of the rock, when God had assured him, v. 8. that at his speaking to the rock, it should bring forth water sufficient for them all, and is accordingly challenged of unbelief, v. 12; so he seems to have assumed somewhat to themselves,[ shall we?] and so did not sanctify God in the eyes of the people of Israel, v. 12. did not endeavour, as he ought, to set forth Gods power and glory, and attribute all to him. And this passionate speech cost Moses very dear, and was punished with his exclusion out of Canaan, v. 12. Deut. i. 35. and iii. 26, and iv. 21. and xxxiv. 4.  
34. They did not destroy the nations concerning whom the Lord commanded them:  
35. But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.  
36. And they served their idols, which were a snare to them.  
37. Yea they sacrificed their sons and daughters unto devills:  
38. And  shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood.  
39. Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.  
After all this, when at length they were come into the promised land and had received particular command, Deut. vii. 2. that they should utterly destroy all the idolatrous inhabitants thereof, for fear they should be inveigled by them, and drawn away to their idol-worship, and those abominable pollutions they were infamously guilty of; yet contrary to this express command of Gods, they did not execute this severity, they spared them, and drove them not out, but permitted them to live amongst them, Jud. i. 21.( and so 'tis oft mentioned through that book) and by this means they were corrupted, and brought into their heathen sins, see Jud. iii. 6, 7. worshipped their Idols and false Gods, and observed those abominable rites which infernal spirits had exacted of their worshippers, the slaying and sacrificing of men, innocent persons, yea their own dearest children; and so to idolatry and worship of the devil they added blood-guiltiness, of the highest degree, the deepest dy, even the most barbarous and unnatural, and to all these yet farther adding fornication, and those abominable sins that those nations were guilty of, and for which the land spewed them out, Lev. xviii. 28.  
40. Therefore was the wrath of God kindled against his people, in so much that he abhorred his own inheritance.  
This great sin, adding to all the former provocations, most justly inflamed the vehement anger and displeasure of God against this people, of which he had before resolved, and promised Abraham, that he would own them for ever as his peculiar; and so a long while he did, and bare with them very indulgently, but they growing still worse and worse, 'twas but reasonable, and according to the contents of his( not absolute, but) conditionate covenant, at length to reject and cast them off, or withdraw his protection from them.  
41. And he gave them into the hands of the heathen, and they that hated them ruled over them.  
42. Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought in subjection under their hand.  
And accordingly so he did, he suffered the heathen nations about them to invade and overcome them, the King of Mesopotamia, Jud. iii. 8. who had dominion over them eight years, the Midianites and Amalekites, Jud. vi. 3. the philistines and Amorites, Jud. x. 6. the philistines, Jud. xiii. 1.  
43. Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity.  
In each of these destitutions and oppressions, God still retained his wonted respect to them, so far as from time to time to raise them up captains to undertake their battels, and to rescue them out of their oppressors hands; but then still again they fell to their sinful idolatrous courses, and again forfeited and devested themselves of Gods protection, and were again subdued by the same or some other of their heathen neighbours.  
44. 
And he beholded when distress was upon them {untranscribed Hebrew}  Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry.  
45. And he remembered for them his Covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.  
46. He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives.  
And yet then also he did not utterly destitute them, but in their times of distress, and flying to him for succour, he looked upon them with pity again, remembered the Covenant made with their fathers, and in infinite mercy returned from his fierce wrath, and so inclined the hearts of those that had conquered them, that instead of increasing, they compassionated their miseries;  
47. Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks to thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.  
O blessed Lord, be thou now pleased to return our captivity, to reduce us from the hands of our heathen enemies, that we may live to enjoy those blessed opportunities of making our most solemn acknowledgements to thee, and blessing and magnifying thy holy name in this, or the like form.  
48. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting; and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord.  
To the almighty Lord of heaven and earth, that hath made good his Covenant of mercy to all his faithful servants, be all honour and glory from all and to all eternity; And let all the world join in this joyful acclamation, adding every one his most affectionate Amen, and Hallelujah.  
The End of the Fourth Book of Psalms.   

Annotations on Psalm CVI.  
Tit. Praise the Lord] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is here no part, but onely the title of this Psalm. This appears by two competent evidences: 1. By the joint suffrage of all the ancient translators, of which the Syriack renders it not at all, but in stead of it gives( as their use is) a large syllabus, or contents of the Psalm; but the Chaldee retain it as a title, and the Lxxii. and latin retain the Hebrew words, putting them into one, in the direct form of a title, {untranscribed Hebrew}, Alleluja, and the arabic more expressly, such a Psalm, noted with the title of Alleluja. 2. By express testimony of Scripture 1 Chron. xvi. There we red v. 7. On that day David delivered first( not this Psalm, as we red, but) these, viz. three Psalms to thank the Lord, into the hands of Asaph and his brethren. The first of these Psalms is the cv. recited there in the first thirteen verses, the second Psal. xcvi. the last is that which we have before us. And as the first begins v. 8. the second v. 23. so doth this third follow v. 34. Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever( and then as in a breviate, v. 35, 36. the two last verses of it) and so 'tis evident, the Alleluja in the front was not used, but left out, as being no part, but onely the title of the Psalm: which by the way teacheth us, that in the offices of the Church, the titles of the Psalms were not wont to be used in the Jewish Church, but designed for other purposes, either to signify the Author, or Occasion, or Matter, or kind of the Psalm. This being thus cleared of this present Psalm, will be in all reason applicable to all those other Psalms which have this form of Alleluja, Praise the Lord, in the front of them, as the title in every of them, and not any part of the Psalm.  
V. 7. At the sea] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  by the Sea, the Lxxii. seem to have red {untranscribed Hebrew}, the participle present from {untranscribed Hebrew} to ascend, rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew} ascending; but that not very fit to be accorded to the context, which speaks of their murmuring at the read sea, into which they could not with any propriety be said to ascend. And yet herein the latin( and arabic) follow them, though they do also truly render {untranscribed Hebrew} in mere, ascendentes in mere, mere rubrum, ascending into the sea, the read sea. But the Syriack departs from them,( as the Chaldee) and reads {untranscribed Hebrew} near the waters.  
V. 13. They soon forgot] {untranscribed Hebrew} doth questionless signify making hast; 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and if here it did so, there is no necessity it should be joined with the following verb, and signify adverbially, for all the ancient interpreters red it as a Verb; {untranscribed Hebrew}, they made hast, say the Lxxii. citò fecerunt, they did suddenly, the latin, {untranscribed Hebrew} the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} the Syriack, both used for making hast, from the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} being in commotion and perturbation. And so the sense will best bear, they made hast, i. e. took it ill, that they were not presently brought into the plenty they were promised( so after this we see Num. xx. 5. that this was their form of expostulation with Moses, Wherefore have ye made us to come up out of egypt to bring us to this evil place? it is no place of seed, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates, the plenty promised them in Canaan:) and then thus to make hast, was to be impatient to stay Gods time of giving them this inheritance; but because they had it not streight, wishing themselves back again in egypt. And this well agrees to the context, they made hast, they forgot his works, they waited not for his counsel, making an opposition betwixt the first and the two last of these; they made hasle, i. e. weighed not, considered not what Gods purposes or promises concerning them were, could not attend the performance of Gods promise in his own time, went on passionately in pursuit of their plenty which they looked for, and as soon as they descried any difficulty( want of water, a desert place) concluded presently, that they were betrayed, and should be utterly undone, and lost, neither remembering what God had formerly done for them, by interposition of his power, nor waiting with patience till Gods time, or till concerning their present exigence he should make known his purposes to them. This is very agreeable to the notion of this word in Kal for making hast, and in Niphal, applied to the mind, for doing all things rashly, unconsiderately, praecipitously, and so foolishly. So Job v. 13. the counsel of the froward {untranscribed Hebrew} is hasty, inconsiderate; we render it, is carried headlong. So Hab. i. 6. the Chaldeans are called a bitter nation, {untranscribed Hebrew} and passionate, inconsiderate. And so for that other passion of fear, most opposite to faith, or trust in God( in which sense that is most true Isa. xxviii. 16. he that believeth will not make hast) 'tis used Isa. xxxv. 4. say unto the {untranscribed Hebrew} hasty or praecipitous in heart, i. e. those which because they had not presently what they hoped, feared they should never have it, for so it follows, be strong, have some constancy of mind, fear not. And this seems to be the full importance of the word here, their passionate fear and distrust of Gods promises, because they were not instantly performed, made them hasty, praecipitous, inconsiderate: and in that fit of passion, they forgot his works—  
V. 15. leanness] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  maciem, leanness, the Lxxii. are deemed by some to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} pleasure, or desire, because they render it {untranscribed Hebrew} saturity, as if that were set to signify as much as they could, or did desire; and this not disagreeable to the story, which mentions it in this style Exod. xvi. 8. The Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full, and Psal. Lxxviii. 25. he sent them meat to the full, and v. 29. they eat and were well filled, for he gave them their own desire, they were not estranged from their lust. In this rendering of the Lxxii. the Syriack and latin &c. agree: the Syriack reads {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so the latin, saturitatem, saturity; And without changing the Hebrew word {untranscribed Hebrew} into any other, this probable account may be given of their rendering. 'tis known in physic, that upon the ingestion of meats in their quality unwholesome, or of too much of those which are healthful, Nature with much violence seeks to discharge itself by the several evacuations, upon which follows a sudden and almost incredible dejection of strength, and falling away in flesh. To this the story, Num. xi. 20. seems to refer, where 'tis said, that the quails should come out at their nostrils, for that is a symptom not unusual in violent vomitings, such as accompany great and dangerous surfeits; so that the plague which then befell the Israelites, seems to be that affection which Physitians name cholera, and is then properly styled {untranscribed Hebrew} saturity, or surfeit by the Lxxii. and those translators that follow, or accord with them, and so not very unfitly set to express that emaciation which was an effect of this {untranscribed Hebrew}, or saturity. But the Chaldee render it more to the letter {untranscribed Hebrew} leanness. The passage visibly belongs to the immediate consequents in the story of quails, set down Num. xi. 33. and Psal. Lxxviii. 30.( though not in Exodus) viz. that while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the Lord smote the people with a very great plague,( the judgement whereof was never the less discernible, that it was an effect of their diet, when even miracles admit the subserviency of usual means) whereupon the place was called Kibroth hattaavah, because there they butted the people that lusted. By this means they were deprived of the fruit of this their festival table, even when he gave them what they lusted for. The word {untranscribed Hebrew} to attenuate, emaciate, is used also for destroying, Zeph. ii. 11. when God threatens that he will emaciate, i. e. destroy all the Gods— And then {untranscribed Hebrew} may be rendered more generally destruction or plague, and so R. Tanchum on Zeph. 11. renders it destruction. The Hebrew arabic Glossary interprets {untranscribed Hebrew} by {untranscribed Hebrew} defect; the Jewish Arab version hath leanness into their body, as {untranscribed Hebrew} is sometimes taken for the body. Accordingly for sending leanness here, the Psalmist Psal. Lxxviii. 31. useth this plainer style, of slaying the fattest of them, and smiting the chosen men in Israel.  
V. 20. Glory.] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  their glory, which we now red, and so is followed by some copies of the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} their glory,( and though others have {untranscribed Hebrew} his, yet from the former both the Syriack have {untranscribed Hebrew} and the latin gloriam suam, their glory) the Original copies are by the Jews said to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} his glory. What heed is to be given to the Jews herein I shall not now define, but only observe, that the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} here being that of a thick cloud, wherein God was pleased to exhibit or presentiate himself, {untranscribed Hebrew} their glory may well enough have been the original word, meaning by it Gods presentiating himself to them, that when God had spoken to them out of the midst of the fire with darkness, clouds and thick darkness, Deut. iv. 11. and they saw no similitude, only they heard a voice v. 12. they turned this majestatick presence afforded to them, i.e. their glory, into the similitude of a calf— the image of one of their egyptian Gods. Thus the word may be interpnted as we now have it, {untranscribed Hebrew} their glory, for which the Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} the glory of their Lord; it being yet clear, that this very thing is elsewhere in Scripture frequently styled {untranscribed Hebrew} his glory, Deut. v. 24. the Lord hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire. So Exod. xxiv. 16. the glory of the Lord abode upon the mount, and v. 17. the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the sight of the children of Israel. So Exod. xxxiii. 18. show me thy glory, and ch. xl. 34. a cloud covered the tent, and the glory of the Lord( this bright cloud) filled the Tabernacle; and Numb. xiv. 10. the glory of the Lord— Thus Rom. i. 23. in the like matter and style as here, they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image— by {untranscribed Hebrew} glory here meaning the glorious presence and exhibitions of God, which he was wont to afford them, which being in radiant fiery clouds, wherein Angels appeared, God himself remaining perfectly invisible, Deut. iv. 15. the making and setting up any figure or image of an ox or calse,( whether to signify Apis an egyptian false God, or the image or similitude of the true God, whose voice they heard, but saw no kind of similitude) and the proclaiming before it, These be thy Gods, O Israel, which brought thee out of Ae●ypt, Ex. xxxii. 4. and these to go before them and conduct them, in stead of Moses, v. 1. was a great abomination and provocation. That this is the meaning of Gods glory, see 2 Pet. i. 17. where the voice from heaven [ This is my beloved son—] is said to have come from the magnificent glory, which the text tells us Mar. ix. 7. came out of the cloud, that overshadowed them. So in those places of Exodus premised, where the glory of the Lord is certainly the thick cloud, &c. on the mount, by which God exhibited himself, called in the Targum and among the Jewish writers so frequently the majestic presence, or {untranscribed Hebrew} inhabitation of God( of which see more Annot. on mat. iii. k. and Rom. i. f.) one text there is that useth the word glory of the visible throne of God the Father in heaven, Act. vii. 55. he looked into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, by glory meaning that visible satellitium of Angels, which appearing to him in a radiant manner were an evidence of Gods special presence there, according to which it is that among us the rays about the name {untranscribed Hebrew} are ordinarily styled a glory.  
V. 23. The breach] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the breach or rapture here signifies, must be resolved by the use of both verb and noun in other places. Eccl. iii. 3. {untranscribed Hebrew} to break, is applied to an house, and opposed to the building of it, and so evidently signifies the pulling down, or ruinating it; so the Chaldee renders it, {untranscribed Hebrew} to pull it down. So 2 Sam. v. 20. {untranscribed Hebrew} the Lord hath broken, i. e. destroyed, mine enemies before me, {untranscribed Hebrew} according to the breaking, i. e. destruction, of waters, which carry all away before them, a sweeping destruction; upon which that place was called {untranscribed Hebrew} the plain of ruptures, i. e. ruins or destructions. So Exod. xix. 24. {untranscribed Hebrew} lest he break on them, i. e. destroy them, {untranscribed Hebrew} kill them, saith the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} destroy, the Lxxii. Thus is the verb frequently rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} destroying by the Lxxii. and the noun {untranscribed Hebrew} ruin, Job xvi. 14. he breaketh me with breach upon breach, one ruin and destruction on the heels of another. So Jud. xxi. 15. Gods making {untranscribed Hebrew} a breach in the tribes of Israel, is his having destroyed one of the tribes, that of Benjamin being lacking v. 3. and cu● off v. 6. So Ezech. xxii. 30. standing, as that oft signifies praying, interceding with God, in the {untranscribed Hebrew} rapture, is explained by that which follows, that I should not destroy it, i. e. saving or rescuing it from destruction. So 2 Sam. vi. Gods smiting of Uzzah that he died v. 8. is called {untranscribed Hebrew} Gods breaking a breach upon Uzzah; and from thence the place is called Perez Uzzah, the breaking of Uzzah, i. e. his destruction. And thus is the word here to be understood, He said he would destroy them, or spake of destroying them, had not Moses stood before him, i. e. prayed, {untranscribed Hebrew} in, or about the rapture or ruin, in that very point of time, lest he should destroy them. The Chaldee express it paraphrastically, if Moses had not stood before him, {untranscribed Hebrew} and prevailed in prayer, i. e. thereby averted the destruction. So here again v. 29. {untranscribed Hebrew} broke in upon them, i. e. destroyed a multitude of them. And v. 30. where the Hebrew reads the plague ceased, the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, the same word which here they use to render {untranscribed Hebrew}.  
V. 26. Lifted up his hand] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and lifted up his hand because of them, here signifies, is best understood by the Chaldee, who render it {untranscribed Hebrew} and he lifted up his hand with an oath {untranscribed Hebrew} because of them; so the Jewish Arab, And he swore by his power to them, that he would &c. Thus we know the lifting up the hand is the sign of swearing, and thus the story to which this refers, exacts. For though it is at first said only,( and not under oath) Num. xiv. 12. I will smite them with pestilence— and that again retracted by God, as to the whole people, v. 20. yet it follows v. 21.( in form of oath, when it is used by God) As truly as I live, all these men that have seen my glory— v. 22. shall not see the land, v. 23. and again v. 28. As truly as I live, your carcases shall fall in this wilderness, ye shall not come into the land, v. 29. and your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms until your carcases be destroyed in the wilderness, v. 33. which is the full interpretation of what is here said of destroying t●em in the wilderness, overthrowing their seed among the nations, and sca●tering them in the lands. This being the very same passage which is referred to, Psal. xcv. Unto whom I swore in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest, that land where God had provided a rest for his people.  
V. 28. Baal-Peor] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Baal-Peor both here and Num. xxv. 3. is the Moabites false Idol-God, there can be no question. Peor, which the Lxxii. expressing ע by γ, translate {untranscribed Hebrew}, was a mountain of Moab, Num. xxiii. 28. and Deut. xxxiv. 6. and {untranscribed Hebrew} signifying Lord, must be that Idol-God peculiarly which the Moabites worshipped. The Jewish Arab renders it Peor the Idol, making Peor, the name of that mountain, the name of their Idol also, as well it might be, the mountain taking its denomination from the God that was worshipped there. Of this saith the story in Numbers, the people bowed down to their Gods, v. 2. which is here called joining to that God Peor, or of Peor or Moab; {untranscribed Hebrew}, say the Lxxii. were initiated to the rites of that Idol. And as it is there said, They called the people to the sacrifices of their Gods, so here, they eat the sacrifices of the dead,( where again the Jewish Arab reads of Idols) these their Baalim being some dead Heroes, whom they had deified, and continued to offer sacrifice to them.  
V. 30. Executed judgement] The notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in this place is much questioned. That {untranscribed Hebrew} the Radix signifies to judge, or separate, discern, or divide, or take audience of a cause, there is no doubt: 1 Sam. ii. 25. {untranscribed Hebrew} and God shall judge him, Ezech. xxviii. 23. {untranscribed Hebrew} shall be judged in the midst of thee, Ezech. xvi. 51. {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast judged thy sister. But all the ancient interpreters take it here in another sense, for praying, or interceding, atoning; {untranscribed Hebrew} and prayed, saith the Targum, and the Syriack in the same word; the Lxxii. have {untranscribed Hebrew} propitiated, the latin, placavit appeased. And the use of the Hebrew word in Hithpael in this sense for appeasing or propitiating, is an argument that the theme originally had some such notion. Thus in that 1 Sam. ii. 25. it follows, If a man sin against God, {untranscribed Hebrew} who shall intercede for him? the Targum reads {untranscribed Hebrew} from whom shall he request that it may be remitted him? Hence {untranscribed Hebrew} is the ordinary word for prayer, and among the rabbins for a proseucha or oratory. And if we look into the story, we shall find two things said of Phinees, one v. 7. that he took the javeline, and thrust them through; for which, if he was one of the Judges of Israel, as 'tis not unlikely he was being the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron, then he had a clear commission from Moses for what he did Num. xxv. 5. Moses said to the Judges of Israel, slay you every one his m●n, and then the Jus z●lotarum among the Jews, which is thought to take its rise from Phinees, is a great deviation from the pattern. The like sharp proceeding, upon express warrant we see Exod. xxxii. 27. Slay every man his companion. Secondly, that God saith of him v. 11. he hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, that I consumed them not. Both these are again set down, and joined together, v. 13. he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel. And the latter of these, that of turning away Gods wrath, making the atonement, doth better answer the acception of {untranscribed Hebrew}, than the zeal for God, as that signifies running through Zimri and Cosbi with the javelin●. And therefore the best and fullest rendering of the word seems to be, neither he executed judgement, nor he prayed, but( which is the work of prayer ordinarily, but here also of zeal to God in killing the malefactors) made an atonement, appeased, or propitiated God. The Jewish Arab reads {untranscribed Hebrew}, and did what was just and right.  
V. 31. Counted to him] The phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and it was accounted to him for righteousness, may here deserve to be briefly noted, that it signifies much more than justification, as in the forinseck sense that is opposite to condemning: for thus it should note no more than acquitting or pardoning him to whom it was here so accounted; whereas by the story it is evident, that as God was atoned to the people by this act of his, and not to him, so God thought fit to reward him and his posterity for this, Behold, saith God, Num. xxv. 12. I give him my Covenant of peace: And he shall have it and his seed after him, even the Covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for God— Here his zeals being accounted to him for righteousness, is bringing this high reward upon him. The Chaldee therefore renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} it was counted unto him either for righteousness, or for merit, i. e. for a very rewardable act. So {untranscribed Hebrew} in Chaldee signifies both just, and worthy, and meritorious; not speaking of perfect righteousness, or sinless merit, but such as God in his goodness is pleased to reward: and the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, it was reputed to him for righteousness, the phrase so frequently used in the New Testament for rewarding men richly and infinitely above their merit, yet this as the reward of somewhat performed by his faithful servants, which he looks upon with special favour in the Second Covenant.  
V. 33. Spake unadvisedly] How Moses's fault, which was so great as to be punished by God with exclusion from Canaan, is here expressed by these words, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  he spake or pronounced with his lips, is not easily resolved. The word {untranscribed Hebrew} is used Lev. v. 4. and there signifies to declare, to pronounce, to speak. Now if it were that he spake with his lips only, but doubted in his heart, when he struck the rock, and said, Shall we fetch you water out of this rock? then this will note his Infidelity; and perhaps the Lxxii. may refer to that, reading {untranscribed Hebrew}, he doubted in his lips, i. e. did by his words signify his diffidence. But there is no reason that when in the Hebrew here it is only said, that he spake with his lips, we should thence conclude his hearts disguising with his tongue. 'tis therefore most reasonable, that speaking with his lips being in itself indifferent and innocent, should onely be concluded ill from the influence that the words precedent seem to have on it, They provoked his spirit, and he spake with his lips, i. e. he spake passionately as one provoked. And then as S. James saith, the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God, ch. i. 20. so here we may conclude of Moses; God had appointed him to speak to the rock, and it should bring forth water. And he being exasperated in his spirit, put into a passion by the people, goes and strikes the ro●k twice, and sai●h, Hear ye rebells, shall we fe●ch you water out of this rock? This passion of his was itself a fault, and disturbed him so, that it is not to be believed that he could discharge that duty now incumbent on him from God, in that manner as he ought to do, with that faith and affiance in God, with that care of setting out the power and mercy of God to these provokers; and these two are the crimes charged on him by God, Num. xx. 12. his unbelief, and his not sanctifying God in the sight of the people. This therefore is Moses his crime here, briefly intimated, not largely set down in this verse, that they provoked his spirit, and he spake, i. e. he spake in a provocation, and not as a meek and faithful servant of the Lord, that desired to glorify God before the people, ought to have done. And this being here but imperfectly touched, was left to be explicated by the story where the fact was recorded, and from thence, more than by the words, we may conclude this to be the meaning of this verse. The Jewish Arab here, differently from all others, hath it, because they contradicted his prophesy[ which] he spake to them in his saying.   
The End of the Fourth Book.   

THE FIFTH BOOK OF PSALMS.  

PSALM CVII.  
The hundred and seventh the first of the last Book of Psalms, is an invitation to all sorts of men to take notice of, and aclowledge Gods special mercies in rescuing them from the several dangers that every part of their lives is subject to, peculiarly from hunger, prison, disease, and danger by Sea. It seems probably to have been written presently after the captivity, when the nation had been exercised by siege and famine, by deportation, and imprisonment, and the land had been made desolate for want of cultivation, yet withall so contrived as to have respect to the deliverance out of egypt. Twas a Psalm of Answering or parts to be sung alternately, having a double burden, or intercalary verse oft recurring.  
1. O Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever.  
The great and daily bounty of God is such, his mercies and preservations so constant and perpetual, in all the turns and varieties of our lives, that we are most strictly obliged to take notice of them, and pay the ●ribute of most grateful hearts, and the obedience of our whole lives in acknowledgement thereof.  
2. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.  
3. And gathered them out of the lands, from the East, and from the West, from the North, and from the 
a.  South.  
This is in a most eminent manner incumbent on those that have been taken, and carried captive by oppressing invaders, and by the good providence of God reduced and recollected from their dispersions, and brought home safe to their own country again.  
4. They wandered in the wilderness, in a 
solitude, they found not the way to an inhabited city,  solitary 
b.  way, they found no city to dwell in,  
5. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them,  
6. Then they cried unto the Lord 
when distress was upon them see Psal. cvi. 44.  in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.  
7. And he lead them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.  
So is it on all them which when they have been permitted by God for some time to a state of seeming destitution, deprived of all the necessaries of life, harbour, and all kind of food &c. have yet upon their devout addresses to heaven in prayer, found present relief, and deliverance from their pressures, God by his gracious providence directing them to some auspicious successful means of supplying their wants, and either returning them to their old, or bringing them to some new more fruitful possession.  
8. 
Let them acknowledge to the Lord, his mercy, {untranscribed Hebrew}  O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men.  
9. For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.  
This certainly is an act as of a special and undeserved bounty, so of an overruling omnipotent prov●dence, to provide so liberally for those that are so thirsty, and hungry, v. 5. i. e. altogether destitute, and that both these should be thus exercised and employed for the only benefit of us unw●rthy sinful sons of Adam, is matter of infinite comfort to us, and acknowledgement and thanksgiving to God.  
10. Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron,  
11. Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most high,  
12. Therefore he brought down their heart with labour, they fell down, and there was none to help;  
13. Then they cried unto the Lord 
See v. 6.  in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distress.  
14. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their bands in sunder.  
In like manner is he pleased to deal for those that are in prison, and expectation of present death, when in this valley of anchor they fly to him for rescue: 'tis most just and so most ordinary with God to deliver men up to be chastised for their sins, wh●n they are so proud and stout, as to resist, or neglect the commands of God, 'tis but seasonable discipline, to exercise them with afflictions, to bring distresses upon them, persecution, imprisonment, &c. thereby to teach them that necessary lesson of humility. And if then they shall speedily return to him that strikes, and with obedient penitent hearts, and servant devotions endeavour to atone him, he will certainly be propitiated by them, and deliver them out of their distresses, be they never so sharp, and in the eye of man irremediable.  
15. 
See v. 8.  O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men,  
16. For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.  
This certainly is another act of his special and un●eserved bounty, and withall an instance of his omnipotence, thus to rid them of those gives that none else can loose, to preserve those that in human judgement are most desperately lost, and abundantly deserves to be acknowledged and commemorated by us.  
17. Fools, 
from or because of the way of  
c.  because of their transgression, and because of their iniquity, are afflicted.  
18. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat, and they draw near unto the gates of death.  
19. Then they cry unto the Lord 
See v. 6.  in their trouble, he saveth them out of their distresses.  
20. He sent his word and healed them, and delivered them out of their destructions.  
So again when the follies and stupidities of men betray them to wilful sins, and God punisheth those with sickness and weakness, brings them so low that nature is almost wholly exhausted in them, and present death is expected, If from their languishing bed they shall apply themselves to the great and sovereign physician, forsake the sins that brought this infliction upon them, and thus timely make their solid peace wi h heaven, and then pray, themselves and others( see Jam. v. 14 15, 16. Ecclus xxxviii. 9) imploring his gracious hand for their recovery, there is nothing more frequently experimented, than that, when all other means fail, the immediate blessing of God interposeth for them, and restores them to life and health again.  
21. 
See v. 8.  O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men.  
22. And let them sacrifice the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.  
And this certainly is a third instance of Gods infinite power and goodness, this of unhoped, unexpected cures of the feeblest patients, which exacts the most solemn grateful acknowledgements from those that have received them from his hand.  
23. They that go down to the sea in ships, and do business in great waters,  
24. These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.  
25. For he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof:  
26. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths, their soul is melted because of trouble:  
27. 
d.  They 
are giddy, or turned round.  reel to and fro, they stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits end.  
28. Then they cry unto the Lord 
see v. 6.  in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distress.  
29. He 
e.  
stilled the storms into a calm,  maketh the storms a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.  
30. Then are they glad, because they be quiet, so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.  
So again the great navigators, traffickers and merchants of the world, when in their voyages by sea, they meet with terrible amazing tempests, waves that toss their ships with that violence, as if they would mount them into the air, and at another turn, douse them deep into the vast Ocean, as if they would presently overwhelm them, and the passengers are hereby stricken into sad trembling fits of consternation and amazement, and expectation of present drowning; in this point of their greatest danger they oft experiment the sovereign mercy and power of God, and receive such seasonable returns to their devout prayers, that they find the storm presently turned into the perfectest calm, and by the friendliest gales are safely wasted to that port which they designed to sail to.  
31. 
see v. 8.  O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works toward the children of men.  
And this certainly is a fourth most eminent instance of Gods infinite power and goodness, which exacts our most fervent offerings of praise and thanksgiving.  
32. Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the 
f.  people, and praise him in the assembly of the Elders.  
And not only such as are sent up to God from our single breasts or closerts, but it deserves the most solemn public commemorations in the Temple, in the united lands of the whole congregation, Elders and people answering one the other.  
33. He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the water-springs into dry ground:  
The same act of his power and providence it is to convert the greatest abundance of waters into perfect drought:  
34. A fruitful land into 
saltness {untranscribed Hebrew}  barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.  
Thereby to punish those with utter sterility and fruitlesseness( after the manner of his judgments on sodom) whose plenty had been infamously abused, and misspent on their lusts.  
35. He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into water springs:  
36. And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation,  
37. And sow the fields and plant vineyards which may yield fruits of increase.  
38. He blesseth them also so that they are multiplied greatly, and 
diminished not {untranscribed Hebrew}  suffereth not their cattle to decrease.  
And the same act again it is of his bounty and power together, to improve the barrenest desert into the fruitfullest pastures, most commodious for habitation and plantations, and thither to bring those who had formerly lived in the greatest penury, and by his auspicious providence onely, without any other observable means, to advance them to the greatest height of wealth, and prosperity of all kinds, making them a numerous and powerful nation, remarkable for the blessings of God upon them.  
39. Again they are minished, and brought low through 
evil oppression {untranscribed Hebrew}  oppression, affliction and sorrow.  
40. He poureth contempt upon Princes, and causeth them to wander in the 
solitude {untranscribed Hebrew}  wilderness, where there is no way.  
41. Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.  
And when they are thus signally favoured by him, 'tis yet in the power of their sins to dishpate all this their prosperity: Upon their forsaking God, and falling to any course of evil( see the Chaldee, and v. 11. 17.) 'tis most just, and so to be expected from God, that he should give them up into the hands of wicked men( which are always ready for such offices) to oppress and afflict them sadly, to subdue their Governours, eject them out of their dominions, bring them to the state of greatest destitutions, without any visible means or way of evading; and just when they are brought to the lowest, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}‖ {untranscribed Hebrew} and when they return to the Law, Chald.  upon their humiliation, contrition, and sincere reformation, to rescue them out of this deplored condition, and immediately advance them to the greatest height of plenty, order, and peace.  
42. The righteous shall see it, and rejoice, and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.  
43. 
Who is wise? he will lay up these things, and they—  Who so is wise 
g.  and will observe these things, even they shall understand the 
bounties  loving kindness of the Lord.  
By these so wise, so just, and so gracious dispensations of God, 'tis but reasonable that all sorts of men should be effectually wrought on. All pious and good men have here matter of infinite joy, that they are under the protection of so gracious a father, who if they adhere to him, will never be wanting to them. All wicked men will here disce●n the cause of all the calamities that overtake them in this world, as prognostics of their far greater sufferings to come in another world, if Gods scourge here be not permitted to rouse, and awake, and work reformations upon them, and in all their sufferings will have nothing to object, or quarrel at, the sole original of all being from themselves. And so as the wicked will have incomparable advantages from this meditation, if they be but wise to their own greatest interests and concernments; so all the true servants of God will here learn how gracious a master, how liberal a rewarder it is, to whom they perform their services.  

Annotations on Psalm CVII.  
V. 3. The South] The Hebrew here readeth {untranscribed Hebrew} from the sea, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  for which the Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew} from the south sea. The word is most frequently taken for the great or mediterranean sea, which is west to Judaea, and generally when {untranscribed Hebrew} the sea is put for any of the Cardinal points, it then signifies the West; and accordingly Gen. xii. 8. Bethel {untranscribed Hebrew} is Bethel on the west, {untranscribed Hebrew} on the west, saith the Targum, and Exod. x. 19. {untranscribed Hebrew} a wind of the sea, we duly render it a west wind. But 'tis elsewhere taken for the read sea, Psal. cxiv. 3. and Lxxii. 8. which is on the south of Judaea, and so in respect to that, the sea here signifies the south sea, as both the enumeration of the other three, East, West, and North, demonstrates, and the consideration of the matter in hand, the quarters whither they were dispersed, or carried captive, East, West, and North, and egypt, whither they shall go in ships, Deut. xxviii. 68. by the way that they came, i. e. by the read sea.  
V. 4. Solitary way] The Hebrew here may best be rendered, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  they wandered {untranscribed Hebrew} in the desolate wilderness, or, as the Syriack, {untranscribed Hebrew} in the desert Assimon,( for the word is used appellatively) the Jewish Arab accordingly, {untranscribed Hebrew} in the way of Alsamawa,( transposing the words) as likewise Ps. Lxviii. 8. and Lxxviii. 40. and cvii. 14. And so Saadias in his version of the Law, Num. xxi. 21. and xxiii. 28. and Deut. xxxii. 10. useth the same word, as also Abu Walid in the root {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the Jewish Translators of the Historical books 1 Sam. xxiii. 24. Then follows, {untranscribed Hebrew} they found not the way to an inhabited city. Thus the Chaldee may be rendered also, {untranscribed Hebrew} the way to the city, and not {untranscribed Hebrew} in a desolate way, as their latin render it. Thus 'tis evident the Lxxii. red, {untranscribed Hebrew} they sound not the way of an habitable city, and so the Syriack, and latin, and arabic. And so the sense very well bears, their passage through the wilderness being not a journeying, such as when men pass on in a road to some inhabited place, and though at the present they be in the wilderness, yet if they have provision for a while, they will soon and safely come to their journeys end; but a wandring up and down from all path and road, and so in an endless maze of desolation. In opposition to which we have v. 7. He lead them by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation, or habitable city; the going to which there corresponds with the way to it here.  
V. 17. Fools] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  fools, which the Chaldee reteins, and renders {untranscribed Hebrew} fools, the Lxxii. seems to have red some other word, {untranscribed Hebrew}, or the like, for they render it {untranscribed Hebrew} he helped them; and so the Syriack, {untranscribed Hebrew} he helped them, and the latin, and arabic, and Aethiopick. But there is no reason to misdoubt our Hebrew reading, which the Chaldee hath adhered to. In the next place {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which we render because, literally signifies, as the Lxxii. render it, {untranscribed Hebrew} from, or because of the way of their wickedness, as elsewhere the way of wickedness signifies their sinful course, or actions. And the word {untranscribed Hebrew} way seems designedly to allude to the same word set twice before, v. 4. they wandered in a solitary way, or as the Lxxii. and all other interpreters have it, {untranscribed Hebrew} they found not the way to an inhabited city,( see note b.) and v. 7. He( God) lead them by the right way. The like correspondence is observable in other parts of the Psalm, as between v. 4. they found no city, and v. 7. to go to a city, and v. 36. a city for habitation; between sit in darkness, v. 40. and he brought them out of darkness, 14. between bound in affliction and iron, v. 10. and he cut the bars of iron, v. 16. between the longing soul, v. 9. and their soul abhorring &c. v. 18. between gathering from the sea, v. 3.( see note a.) and going down into the sea, v. 23.  
V. 27. They reel] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} circumgyratus est, being whirled or turned round, may here fitly be applied to the tossing of the ship in the tempest, and so of the passengers that are in it, to signify their uncertain and dangerous state, sometimes whirled round, sometimes tottering▪ and ready to overturn, which is here called staggering &c. But it may also be understood of the men, and not of the ship, and so signify( by the metonymy of the Cause for the Effect) they were giddy, which is the natural effect of such turning. The Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} trembled, and the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} to the same sense, were moved, or trembled, and so the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} were troubled; all joining to denote the effect of this their danger on the men, their fear, perturbation, astonishment, giddiness,( not knowing which way to turn in this condition) and not only the danger itself, which had been poetically expressed, v. 26. The Jewish Arab reads {untranscribed Hebrew} and they go up and down; so Abu Walid, they go and pass up and down, hither and thither, as a drunken man: and he compares the word in this notion to the same root in the arabic, where it signifies coming or going. And then the word will not be sitly appliable to the ship, or any inanimate thing, in his judgement.  
V. 29. Maketh the storms calm] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} stetit, stabilis est, cannot be better rendered here than by quieted, or stilled, because of the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that follows, which must literally be rendered into a silence, or calm. The Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, he commanded the tempest, and it stood, or was stilled into a calm, taking in somewhat of the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to command or decree; but the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} he dismissed, or quieted it; the Jewish Arab {untranscribed Hebrew}, he maketh to stand in the place of a tempest a calm, using {untranscribed Hebrew} a word taken up from the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew}, by those that live near the sea, as he notes.  
V. 32. People] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the people is here evidently opposed to {untranscribed Hebrew} Elders, and both signify the whole assembly or congregation. For among the Jews, the Doctors, Rulers of the Synagogue and Elders, had a distinct appartement from the people, and the service being much in Antiphona or response, part was spoken by them that officiated in the seat of the Elders, and the rest by the multitude of common men, the {untranscribed Hebrew} that answered Amen at least, at their giving of thanks.  
V. 43. Who is wise, and will] The Hebrew here is by way of interrogation {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  who is wise? so the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} who is wise? and the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}; 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  And then {untranscribed Hebrew} must be rendered not, and, but, he shall keep, lay up, observe; the ן 
ן.  in this scheme of speaking being either an expletive redundant, or of such significancy as will be best expressed by also, thus, who is wise? he that is so, if he be but wise for the world, wise in this generation, will add to his former notions of human wisdom this consideration of these providences of God, in the foregoing Psalm. The Syriack have best rendered this according to sense, {untranscribed Hebrew}, he that is wise will observe these things. And then follows {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and they shall understand, in the plural, some copies of the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, he, in the singular; and from thence the Syriack hath {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the Vulgar intelliget; which if the right reading, must apply it to the who is wise? and interpret both parts of the pious, truly wise man. But as the Hebrew and Chaldee red this second clause in the plural, so do the most emendate copies of the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, they— And then it will not be amiss to remember one part of the Scripture-style frequently exemplified( see note on Mat. vii. 6.) called {untranscribed Hebrew}, reverting or going back, when, two things being said, the discourse enlarged upon both speaks first of the latter, and then last of the former of them. This is taken notice of by the Jews as an idiom of their language. Aben Ezra on Psal. xliii. saith, {untranscribed Hebrew} He speaks of the ear before he does of the eye, because in the {untranscribed Hebrew} seventh verse he spake last of the care, and according to custom therefore begins with it. Thus it may well be here: the concernments both of the righteous and the wicked in the matter of this Psalm being mentioned v. 42. The righteous shall rejoice, and iniquity shall stop her mouth; to the latter of these is probably returned the first, who is wise? wise in any the lowest degree, he shall observe, or lay up, ponder, consider these things; either learn by Gods judgments on other men, or else being awaked by his own smart, and having nothing to object against the justice of his sufferings, he will think fit, if he be not a most insensate fool, to reform, and so benefit by them, and prevent the yet future evils, which will certainly attend these, if he repent not. And then the discourse reverts to the former part, the subject of which was the righteous, in the plural, {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  v. 42. and concludes of them what is most obvious, and they shall understand {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the mercies or gratiousnesses or bounties of the Lord; those so oft mentioned in the former part of the Psalm, Praise the Lord for {untranscribed Hebrew} his goodness, and here by way of recapitulation Emphatically referred to, The righteous shall observe these wonders, and experimentally know this his goodness. It is true, the wise in Scripture-style doth most frequently signify the Godly; and 'tis no news to pass from the singular to the plural number, without varying the subject, when the context shows this to be necessary; and where it is not necessary, 'tis yet possible. But it is as certain, that wisdom is sometimes to be taken in a greater width, for human wisdom, understanding, considering, to which wicked men are frequently called( O consider this ye that forget God, and many the like:) Secondly, that iniquity( as that signifieth all wicked men) is spoken of v. 42. as well as the righteous: Thirdly, that not onely the Hebrew letter, but the Paraphrase of the Chaldee( as the Lxxii. also) varies the number; which if it do not without cause, then there is a place here for the ordinary figure of {untranscribed Hebrew}, and then the wise will be the wicked man, that is not utterly a fool to his worldly interests. But this only as a conjecture. The Jewish Arab reads, And he that is wise let him observe these sayings, that he may understand the bounty of the Lord, the goodness, as that is taken for the same with bounty.    

The Hundred and Eighth Psalm.  
A Song or Psalm of David.  
The hundred and eighth Psalm is compiled and very little changed from two branches of two former Psalms; Psal. Lvii. v. 8, 9, 10, 11. and Psal. Lx. v. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. and is a solemn commemoration of Gods mercies to David in the victories obtained by him over his enemies round about, particularly at the taking of Rabba, 2 Sam. 12.29. together with a prayer for continuance of all Gods mercies.  
1. O God, my heart is 
prepared, {untranscribed Hebrew} see Ps. 57.7.  fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.  
2. Awake Psaltery and harp; 
I will {untranscribed Hebrew}  I myself will awake early.  
Blessed Lord, how am I engaged to bless and praise thy holy name, to employ my tongue and all the instruments of music, and every faculty of my soul, in commemorating thy goodness and signal mercies to me? This is the least that can be deemed incumbent on me; and this I shall most readily, hearty and cheerfully perform( see Psal. Lvii. 7, 8)  
3. I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people, and I will sing praises to thee among the nations.  
And 'tis not fit that so great dignations should be acknowledged in the closet or privacy only; 'tis most decent that our tribute of praise for them should be in the midst of the assembly, with the greatest possible solemnity, calling all others to take part in so important an office.( Psalr Lvii. 9.)  
4. For thy mercy is great 
a.  
from above  above the heavens, and thy truth 
unto {untranscribed Hebrew}  reacheth unto the 
skies: see note on Ps. Lvii. c.  clouds.  
For thy mercy and fidelity have been magnified toward me in a most eminent manner, and are each of them infinitely great( see Psal Lvii. 10.)  
5. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens, and thy glory 
or, upon  above all the earth.  
For which therefore blessed be for ever thy glorious majesty in the highest degree that is possible for us finite and infirm creatures,( see Psal. Lvii. 11.)  
6. That thy beloved may be delivered, save with thy right hand and answer me.  
Who have received such signal assistan●es from thee, evidences of thy special favour, and interposition of thine own right hand, in return and answer to the prayers which we have addressed to thee.( See Psal. Lx. 5.)  
7. God hath spoken in his holiness, I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and meet out the valley of Succoth.  
8. Gilead is mine Manasseh is mine: Ephraim also is the strength of my head, Judah is my lawgiver.  
God made me a most sure promise, which he hath now most signally performed, and so given me matter of all triumph, and rejoicing and thanksgiving, that I am not only fully and quietly possessed of all the kingdom both of Israel and Judah, and delivered from the assaults which were made against me by my malicious neighbours( see Psal. Lx. 6, 7. note d.)  
9. Moab is my washpot, over Edom will I 
cast my-  cast out my shoe, over Philistia 
b.  will I 
shout  triumph.  
but even that they that thus assaulted me are themselves brought down in subjection to me; by name the Moabites, the Edumaeans, and the philistines,( see Psal. Lx 8. and note d.)  
10. Who will bring me into the strong city? who will led me into Edom?  
And now let the Ammonites cast us in the teeth, reproach us as if we should do nothing of all this, as if their cities were impregnable, or our armies utterly unsufficient to vanquish and subdue them;  
11. 
c.  Wilt not thou, O God, who 
Hadst  hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts?  
That God which for our sins had formerly withdrawn his assistance( and so long we m●st needs be improsperous, having no means left to accomplish any victories) hath now b en g●aciously pleased to return to us, and assist us, and manage the whole business for us, to give us this last victory over the Regal city and King of the Ammonites, and so to testify by this happy succesie his signal presence with us.  
12. Give us help from* trouble, 
distress {untranscribed Hebrew}  for vain is the help of man.  
To him therefore alone is our resort in the greatest distress, from him must come the relief, or we shall be lost; all other assistances, beside that of heaven, being utterly unsufficient,( see Psal. Lx. 11.)  
13. Through God we shall do valiantly, for it is he that shall tread down our enemies.  
If he interpose his power on our side, no enemy shall be able to stand before us. It is he, and not any strength of ours, that shall work all our victories for us( see Psal. Lx. 12.) And on this we will confidently depend, through his goodness and mercy to us.  

Annotations on Psalm CVIII.  
V. 4. Above the heavens] Among the few variations which are made in this Psalm from the several parcels of Ps. lvii.& lx. of which it is composed, it may be observed, that instead of {untranscribed Hebrew} to the heavens Psal. lvii. 10. 'tis here {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from above the heavens; which being designed as an expression to set out the greatness of the extent of Gods mercies, First, it doth that very perfectly, and signifies the infiniteness of it, not onely above the heavens, but from thence continuedly down to us, {untranscribed Hebrew} from above, to the lowest and meanest of us, and to all betwixt: and Secondly, it confirms our rendering {untranscribed Hebrew} both there and here, not clouds, but skies, meaning the bodies of the heavens, those pure ethereal orbs, where the Sun and Moon and stars are( see Note on Ps. lvii. c.) for taking {untranscribed Hebrew} for the regions of the air, and {untranscribed Hebrew} for the celestial bodies, these two phrases will perfectly accord, {untranscribed Hebrew} from above the lower of them, the airy regions, and {untranscribed Hebrew} to, or the higher of them, the celestial orbs; only with this difference, that the former phrase notes the descent from thence hither( not {untranscribed Hebrew} above, but {untranscribed Hebrew} from above) and the latter the ascent from us {untranscribed Hebrew} to, or as far as to that: the former notes the {untranscribed Hebrew} or depth, the latter the {untranscribed Hebrew} or height of it.  
V. 9. Will I triumph] Here is another variation betwixt this Psalm and the copy whence 'tis transcribed, Ps. lx. 8. Here 'tis {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  over the philistines I will shout, {untranscribed Hebrew} I will jubulate, saith the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} I will cry or make a noise, give a shout, saith the Syria k, but the Lxxii. by way of paraphrase, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Phylistins are subjected unto me, the full intimation of that shouting over them. But Ps. lx. 8. 'tis {untranscribed Hebrew}. Of that place we have already shewed( see Ps. lx. Note c.) that {untranscribed Hebrew} is not to be rendered over me, but simply over, viz.( joined with that which next follows) over the Phylistims; and that {untranscribed Hebrew} shout thou, was to be applied either as speaking to himself, shout thou, my soul, or to the congregation of Israel, shout thou, ye Israelites, over Philistia. And then, as that was there according to sense rendered by the Syriack, over the philistines {untranscribed Hebrew} will I shout, so here the Hebrew hath it most expressly, to secure us of the truth of that interpretation there, in both those particulars; there being as little difference between {untranscribed Hebrew} I will shout, and {untranscribed Hebrew} shout thou, my soul, as betwixt {untranscribed Hebrew}, which is acknowledged to signify to more than over( a bare preposition) and {untranscribed Hebrew} which hath the same letters, though it be otherwise pointed. The Jewish Arab Ps. lx. reads {untranscribed Hebrew} the philistines shall be smitten down by me, and here {untranscribed Hebrew} I will smite down the philistines, as if he took the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} in the notion of breaking, in these places. R. Solomon here takes it in the notion of shouting, but in the other Psalm in a different, expounding it, join thyself to my kingdom, by becoming subject to me.  
V. 11. Wilt not thou, O God,] This passage though in words( all but {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thou) the very same with Ps. lx. 10. must yet be understood in somewhat a distant sense. And tis no news in sacred compositions, especially those that are Poetical, to apply words spoken upon one subject to another, to which however they were not at first designed, yet they may be commodiously referred. The occasion of this Psalm seems to be the taking of Rabba, 2 Sam. xii. 30. as the subject of Ps. lx. was the achievements of Joab, mentioned in the title of it, which all were praeludia and preparative to this great success, the taking a fortified Metropholis, and therewith the King, and possessing the Crown of the conquered nation. So that now all that was said Psal. lx. but in vote, by way of address to God in prayer for his relief and assistance, is here repeated by way of just and solemn triumph, and religious boasting: God hath spoken, v. 7. yea and hath now signally performed; Who will bring me, ver. 10. Let them now ask that question, which formerly they did ask by way of scorn, but now have little reason for; Wilt not thou, O God, who hadst cast us off? It is now apparent by the event, that though for a time God withheld his prospering hand, went not out with our armies, yet he is now graciously pleased to espouse our cause, to give us this great and signal victory. And herein the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thy beloved v. 6. may possibly glance on the name of Solomon, who by the Prophets direction was at this time styled Jedidiah, 2 Sam. xii. 25. the beloved of the Lord, because of the Lord, or because God was now graciously pleased to be propitiated to David, for his sin with Bathshebah, Solomon's mother, and to prosper his military attempts. The fifty seventh Psalm, from which the former part of this Psalm was taken, was composed by him in the time of his greatest exigence, his flight from Saul; and therefore he being now in a state quiter contrary to that, in his highest exaltation, 'twill be most reasonable to understand those words here v. 5. that were then petition and prayer Ps. lvii. 5.& 11. in the notion of lauds and grateful retribution. Kimchi and Jarchi refer it to the dayes of the Messiah.    

The Hundred and Ninth Psalm.  
TO the chief musician a Psalm of David.  
The hundred and ninth Psalm,( composed on occasion whither of Absoloms rebellion, and assuming the government, as the Syriack takes it, or of Davids flight from Saul, as Kimchi and Aben Ezra resolve) is a direful prediction of Gods judgments that should fall upon his enemies, whither absalon and his councillor Achitophel, or Saul and Doeg: and by Act. i. 20. where v. 8. of this Psalm is said to be fulfilled in Iudas, it appears to have had a more eminent completion in those that opposed and consulted against, and crucified Christ, the Pharisees, and the Rulers of the jews, who with Iudas, that betrayed him into their hands, and was their counsellor and guide at the apprehension of him, Act. i. 16. met with sad and direful ends. It was composed by David, and committed to the Praefect of his music.  
1. Hold not thy peace, 
a.  O God 
or, my praise {untranscribed Hebrew}  of my praise.  
Thou, O God, art the only joy and comfort and refuge of my life, from thee all the good things flow that ever I received, to thee all the glory and praise is due: Be thou now pleased to interpose for my aid and relief.  
2. For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me, they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.  
For now I have special need of it, wicked men having most falsely and treacherously and cunningly infused into mens mindes most slanderous reports of me.  
3. They compassed me about also with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause.  
Their slanders and false suggestions have been their special pestilent weapons against me; with them they have besieged, as it were, and gird me close, and then shot out these poisonous darts against me, sharpened the swords of their tongues, and with them most maliciously assaulted me.  
4. For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself to prayer.  
5. And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my good will.  
I never did any act of hostility or unkindness to them, but contrariwise obliged them with all acts of love and greatest charity; they had no other provocation but this from me; and for this they have most unhumanely returned all the effects of the bitterest malice. Yet hath not this moved me to act any revenge; but on the contrary, I have hearty prayed to God 
{untranscribed Hebrew} for them, sir: Deum pro ipsis compecatus. castle.  for them, besought his pardon, and the averting his judgments from them, and his grace for their timely reformation. And all this hath produced no other effect from them but their most malignant hatred, and mischievous practices, in return to my greatest charity.  
6. Set thou a wicked man 
b.  over him, and let 
the adversary  satan stand at his right hand.  
7. When he shall be judged, let him 
or, go at wicked.  be condemned; and let his prayer become 
c.  sin.  
8. Let his dayes be 
d.  few, and let another take his office.  
9. Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.  
10. Let his children be continually vagabonds and beg; let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places.  
This will certainly bring down upon the chief actors, and all the partners in this wickedness( whither Achitophel and Absolom and their followers, or Saul and Doeg, in the first literal sense, or Iudas and the jewish Sanhedrim, and all that nation that opposed and crucified Christ, in the prophetic sense) most unavoidable sad executions, judgments, and vengeances, as on so many accursed Malefactors, whose lives and estates being forfeited to the law, their widow'd wives and orphan children shall become vagabonds over the face of the earth, covetous and gripping and beggarly for ever.  
11. Let the 
usurer seize on  extortioner 
e.  catch all that he hath, and let the stranger spoil his labour.  
12. Let there be none to extend mercy to him, neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children.  
And as they corrade and endeavour to get together the wealth of others, so shall others when they have any thing to be seized on, plunder and rifle and pillage them, rob them of all these gainings, and no man take any compassion on them or their posterity in their sufferings, be they never so cruel.  
13. Let 
his end be to destruction, and in the next generation  his 
f.  posterity be cut off, and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.  
14. Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the Lord, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.  
15. Let them be before the Lord continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.  
As for the principal instruments in these wicked rebellions and treasons( against David and the son of David) they shall certainly come to untimely deaths( so did Achitophel 2 Sam. xvii. 23. and Absolom c. xviii. 14. and Saul 1 Sam. xxxi. 5. and Doeg Psal. Lii. 5. and so Iudas Matth. 27.) and their posterity shall not last beyond the next age. They shall be cursed by God, and all the punishments due to their fathers sins shall be so visited on this their wicked progeny, that they shall soon come to utter eradication and extirpation.  
16. Because that he remembered not to show mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, 
and broken in heart to slay him {untranscribed Hebrew}  that he might even slay the broken in heart.  
And this a most just reward for their uncharitable and cruel dealing with him, whose distresses might justly have extorted their greatest kindness and assistance, but found nothing but bloody pursuits from them.( This seems especially to refer to David at Nob, and Ahimelech and the priests slain by Doeg.)  
17. As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.  
18. As he clothed himself with cursing, like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.  
19. Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him, and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually.  
'tis to be expected from the all-just retributions of heaven, that as they were willing to meet to others it should be meted back to them. They were for nothing but mischief and cruelty,& they are to expect no least mixture of compassion or mercy: They delighted in slandering and cursing, wishing and speaking ill of them that least deserved it; and the bitter water that causeth the curse, Num. v. 21. that maketh the thigh to rot and the belly to swell, shall enter, as water is wont into one that is overwhelmed with it, into his stomach, belly, bowels, and make them, as the bitter water did, to swell and burst( so it happened literally to Iudas Act. i. 28. and probably to Achitophel, see note on Mat. xxvii. a and in effect to the others also, in their untimely excision.) And as oil, which is more piercing than water, penetrates the very flesh, veins, nerves and bones; so shall this the most inward parts of them, seize upon their very spirits and souls,( so it did remarkably on those two, Achitophel and Iudas, and the same every such wicked man is to expect) and never be gotten out again, but within afflict, and without harass them, and cleave to them for ever.  
20. 
This is, or shall be {untranscribed Hebrew}  Let this be the reward of mine adversaries from the Lord, and of them that speak evil against my soul.  
Thus will God certainly punish them that either so rebelliously or so bloodily and cruelly set themselves against me( and so those hereafter that oppose and crucify the messiah.)  
21. But do thou for me, O God the Lord, for thy names sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me.  
As for me, I have no other solicitude than to repose myself in Gods hands: he is a God of most abundant goodness and mercy, and his honour is engaged in vindicating my cause, in maintaining me, whom he hath set on the throne, against all opposers. He is also an omnipotent Lord, whose power can soon overrule and calm all these tempests. To him therefore I humbly address myself for his seasonable interposition and relief, referring the way and means to his all wise disposal.  
22. For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.  
23. I 
walk or go. {untranscribed Hebrew}  am gone like the shadow, 
about its declining {untranscribed Hebrew}  when it declineth; I am 
g.  tossed up and down as the locust.  
And of this his mercy I am very confident, being a most seasonable object of it at this time, brought to great want, to a sorrowful deplorable condition, every day growing lower and lower, like the shadow about sun-set; driven from my home, and by the same danger that driven me thence, removed from place to place, like the silly impotent locusts, that are carried without any aim, design or conduct, whithersoever the tempest drives them.  
24. My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh 
is emaciated from  faileth of 
h.  fatness.  
25. I am become also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they shaked their heads.  
We are now quiter wearied out, ready to faint and fail, and accordingly are looked on by our enemies with scorn and derision, making no question, but we shall soon fall into their hands, to be destroyed and devoured by them.  
26. Help me, O Lord my God; O save me according to thy mercy:  
27. That they may know that 
this {untranscribed Hebrew}  it is thy hand, and that thou Lord hast done it.  
To thee therefore, O God of all power, which hast obliged and insured thy particular mercy to me. I humbly address myself: be thou pleased seasonably to relieve and rescue me, that it may be visible to all, that this so opportune interposition of thine hath wrought the deliverance for us.  
28. 
They will curse {untranscribed Hebrew}  Let them curse, but bless thou: 
they have risen up {untranscribed Hebrew}  when they arise, 
and shall be put to shane {untranscribed Hebrew}  let them be ashamed, but let thy servant rejoice.  
Though they rail and defame and rise up against me, yet I shall be secure of thy benediction; and this shall be sure to give me the victory, when they are put to flight and dissipated.  
29. Let my adversaries be clothed with shane, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion as with a mantle.  
And this shall certainly be their portion, and consequently nothing but shane and con usion of face for all their malicious successless enterprises.  
30. I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth, yea I will praise him among the multitude.  
31. For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from them that 
i.  
oppose, pursue  condemn his soul.  
Of this I am so confident, that I have nothing to do but to provide for my thanksgiving: and this will I perform in the most solemn and public manner, and proclaim his abundant constant mercies to me, in taking my part most signally when I am at the lowest, espousing my cause, rescuing me from all the assaults of those that resolved and verily hoped to take away my life. And in the same manner will he certainly deal for all those, who in their greatest distresses shall faithfully adhere to him, and repose their full confidence in him.  

Annotations on Psalm CIX.  
V. 1. O God of my praise] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  my praise, is to be joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} God, is agreed on both by the Chaldee and Syriack. The only question is, whether it be to be joined by apposition, and rendered, O God my praise; or as a genitive case, following another substantive, O God of my praise. Of either of these the word is equally capable, and the sense is either way the same, being but a compellation of God, as of him whom he is bound continually to praise and magnify, for espousing his cause and defending him. The Lxxii. have joined it to the verb, and so red, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin, Deus, laudem meam ne tacueris— But again those words are capable of a double sense; for, my praise may either be Gods praising of David, or it may be Davids praising of God. In the first sense 'twill be, O God, be not thou silent of my praise; whilst others reproach me, v. 2. be thou my advocate, pled my cause, proclaim and justify my innocence. In the latter 'tis, be not silent to my praising of thee, or silence not, refuse not, neglect not my praising of thee; and the Aethiopick have put prayer for praising, and then 'tis evidently, be not silent to, but answer my prayer. But the former is the most probable way of rendering, putting it by itself, hold not thy peace, in the notion wherein Gods holding his peace, keeping silence, is opposed to his interposing for the aid and defence of any. So Ps. xxviii. 1. in the very same words {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  be not silent from me( lest if thou be, I become like them that go down into the pit) i. e. interpose thine aid and strength for me. So Ps. xxxv. 22. {untranscribed Hebrew} be not silent, remove not thyself from me, O God: and Ps. L. 3. The Lord shall come, {untranscribed Hebrew} and shall not be silent: and Lxxxiii. 1. in three phrases all to the same importance, {untranscribed Hebrew} Let not stillness or silence be to thee, {untranscribed Hebrew} be not silent, {untranscribed Hebrew} and do not thou be quiet. And so here, O God my glory, {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Chaldee; or {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Syriack, O God of my glory, my singing, my rejoicing, to the very same sense: Thou who art the only author of all the good or joyful news that I ever receive, of all the mercies, in whom I glory, rejoice and take comfort, to whom all my praises are due, do thou interpose for my rescue and relief. The Jewish Arab reads, Withhold not, or refrain not from my oppressor; refrain not to oppose thyself against him that oppresseth and injureth me.  
V. 6. Set thou a wicked man over him] The latin translator of the Syriack suggests here another rendering, Praecipe adversus eos iniquo, give the wicked man charge against them; and so the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  would well enough bear, against, as well as over him. But the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in Hiphil will not accord, being in the Scripture used only in these two notions, either of disposing unto as a trust, or setting over as a praefect: and accordingly the Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew}, set over him, and the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, constitute over him a wicked man; and so the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} will as readily bear, set a wicked man over him. The only difficulty will be, what 'tis to set the wicked over him: and that will best be fetched from the forementioned notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}, explicated by the context: That signifies to set over as a Praefect, and the context determins that Praefect to be a Judge, being the description of a Judicature, in which the person here spoken of is to be condemned and cut off. And that will sure be done, if a wicked man be set on the tribunal, before which he is accused and arraigned. In accordance with this follows, {untranscribed Hebrew} and let the adversary or {untranscribed Hebrew}, he that maintains the accusation against him, {untranscribed Hebrew} the accuser, say the Lxxii. stand at his right hand, according to the Jewish manner in judicature, where the accuser, he that managed the plea, was set at the right hand of the accused. And then it follows, {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  when he shall come to receive his sentence, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  let him go out wicked; {untranscribed Hebrew}, say the Lxxii.( and so the Chaldee and Syriack also) let him go out condemned, in the notion of going out as that is opposed to standing in judgement, Ps. i. and of wicked, as that is opposed to just in sorrow( justified or acquitted) for so that must signify condemned. Now it may next be demanded who this person is that is thus to be arraigned and condemned. And the story and first literal sense referring it to Achitophel or to Doeg principally, and in an inferior degree to all others, the parties whether in Sauls oppression, or in Absoloms rebellion, and the prophetic sense to Judas principally, and together with him to the Jews the crucifiers; 'tis yet manifest that none of these were arraigned before any human tribunal. The resolution therefore must be, that the style is here poetic as well as prophetical, and signifies their ruin as certain, and as formidable, as the arreignment, condemnation and execution of a malefactor upon earth. The tribunal also before which they are sentenced, being first that of their own conscience, remarkable both in Achitophel and Judas, which died the same death( probably that of suffocation of melancholy, see note on Mat. xxvii. a.) inflicted on them by their own accusing conscience; and secondly, that of Gods just judicature, before which they are sure to be cast, and go out condemned. And from thence it was, that these signal judgments fell both upon Saul and Doeg, and on Absolom and his followers, in the story, and on the bloody crucifiers in the New Testament.  
V. 7. His prayer become sin] The meaning of this phrase may most probably be taken from the custom of the Jews, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  who at their death did out of course make this prayer, {untranscribed Hebrew} let my death be an expiation for all my offences. This was likewise said by those that fell not by the hand of justice, but died natural deaths. Now he that dies in the midst of an ill attempt, and much more he that makes away himself, as Judas in a fit of suffocation probably did, by throwing himself down a praecipice, his death will be so far from an expiation, that it will be sin, and a great accumulation of the other crimes. And this is an expression of a most sad deplorable condition, when( as it is P●ov. i. 28. then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer) their prayers for averting their judgement shall be of no more force then their sins would be. The Jewish Arab hath here a sense strangely different from others, And let his prayer for him be destruction to him; understanding it of the prayer of the oppressed, which he putteth up to God for good to his oppressor, but God turneth it for destruction to him.  
V. 8. Daies be few] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  few, or short, or little, doth here signify the cutting him off before the natural period of his life comes. To this all the following words to the end of v. 10. belong. For when he is thus cut off, his office is voided, and so ready for another; his children have lost their father, and his wife an husband, v. 9. and his estate being forfeited to the Law as well as his life, his children and posterity are ejected out of their inheritance, and so must provide for themselves, either by wandering and begging from place to place( this is meant by {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  by moving let them move, i. e. be in perpetual motion; {untranscribed Hebrew}, say the Lxxii. let them be shaken, tost, and removed from place to place) or by seeking out some unhabited place where they may rest and plant. The former of these is here expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  let them ask or beg. And perhaps the latter may be the meaning of {untranscribed Hebrew} let them seek( i. e. get their subsistence, maintenance) out of places which being desolate, in no other owners hands, are alone fit to entertain and receive them. But the Chaldee interprets it of their own dwellings, {untranscribed Hebrew} when their desolation is come. The Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, let them be cast out of their ruinous dwellings, and seem to have red not {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  let them seek, but {untranscribed Hebrew} let them be cast out, from {untranscribed Hebrew} which signifies to eject. And so 'tis very applicable to the Jews, whose Temple, and Jerusalem was demolished, and they driven out from the very ruins, not permitted to rebuild or inhabit there. But the common Hebrew reading is to be preferred, being witnessed to by the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} and shall seek; and very agreeable to the context also, which speaks of their unsettled motions from place to place, their begging and not knowing where to dwell. For by this also is very lively described the condition of the Jewish posterity, ever since their ancestors fell under that signal vengeance for the crucifying of Christ. First, their desolations and vastations in their own country; and being ejected thence, Secondly, their continual wanderings from place to place, scattered over the face of the earth; and Thirdly, their remarkable covetousness, keeping them always poor and beggarly, be they never so rich, and continually labouring and moiling for gain, as the poorest are wont to do: and this continually the constant course attending this people, wheresoever they are scattered. The Jewish Arab reads, Make few his dayes, and turn over of his age to another. Abu Walid also renders the {untranscribed Hebrew} his office, strangely, his treasure, or wealth. Kimchi interprets it that which is under his command, as his wealth, Wife, &c.  
V. 11. Catch] The Hebrew here reads {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} which in Piel signifies concussit, exegit, and applied here to the grating creditor and usurer toward the debtors goods, is best rendered to exact, or seize on; so the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} shall levy, exact, take away, gather, as the publican doth the taxes, or as the {untranscribed Hebrew} Luk. xii. 58. doth {untranscribed Hebrew} exact, Luk. iii. 13. and xix. 23. or as the {untranscribed Hebrew} tormentor, Matth. xviii. 34.( directly answerable to the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} exactor) to whom the debtor there being delivered, is racked to the utmost, till he pay the last farthing. The Lxxii. here red {untranscribed Hebrew}, the latin scrutetur, let him search; either paraphrastically to express it, for so he that seizes on anothers goods, searches, and takes all that he can find; or else because of the affinity of {untranscribed Hebrew} exact with {untranscribed Hebrew} inquire or search. The Interlinear, that reads illaqueet, let him ensnare or catch, seems to have looked on {untranscribed Hebrew} to ensnare, in which sense the Chaldee took it Psal. xxxviii. 13. rendering {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  by {untranscribed Hebrew} and they made snares. And thus the Jewish Arab, Let the enemy ensnare all his wealth, as a creditor or usurer, ( Abu Walid, let the creditor consume or destroy all his wealth) let strangers spoil or make prey of his gain. And so 'tis ordinary for words of that affinity to have the same signification. To the sense of levying, or seizing on, the latter part of this verse agrees well, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  let the strangers spoil, snatch away, prey upon his labours( from {untranscribed Hebrew} to snatch or prey upon) the stranger being no other than {untranscribed Hebrew} the usurer in the beginning of the verse, who being none of his family, to whom by inheritance his goods may come, is fitly called a stranger, especially when no Jew being permitted to lend on usury to a Jew, the usurer that lent a Jew must needs be a stranger, i. e. no Jew.  
V. 13. Posterity] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is here best rendered, his end, or novissimum, as the Interlinear hath it, the last of him. So the Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} his end, and the Syriack, being the same with the Hebrew, put only in the plural, {untranscribed Hebrew} is rendered sinis eorum, their end. So the learned Castellio, exitus eorum, their end. The Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} his children, from another supposed notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for children, because they come after a man. But the context inclines to the former notion, the next words affirming that {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in another, i. e. in the next generation, in the age of those that live after him( the Lxxii. again reads {untranscribed Hebrew} one generation, as from {untranscribed Hebrew} one, not {untranscribed Hebrew} another) his name shall be blotted out, i. e. all those that bear his name, his children: and so the verse comprehends his own and his childrens destruction, which is much more reasonable, than his childrens destruction, and his childrens blotting out, which is no more than the former.  
V. 23. Tossed up and down like the Locusts] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to move to and fro, to drive or agitate, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here I am tost or driven; {untranscribed Hebrew} saith the Chaldee, I am carried, removed; the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} I am shaken, or driven, or cast out, in accordance with the Lxxii. who red {untranscribed Hebrew}, I am shaken out. The full notition of it here will be guest by the adjoining resemblance {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as the Locust. That creature hath its name from {untranscribed Hebrew} multiplying, because they fly in great multitudes( see Jud. vi. 5. Psal. cv. 34. Prov. xxx. 27.) and being weak and feeble creatures, they are driven by the wind, whole shoals of them together. So Exod. x. 13. the East wind brought the army of Locusts into egypt, and so v. 19. a mighty strong West wind took away the Locusts, and cast them into the read Sea. And to this the similitude here seems to refer. David was in his flight from Absolom, he and all that were with him; and this flight from this rebellion is poetically described by being driven as the Locusts are driven by the wind or tempest. Another possible way there is of understanding the resemblance. The Locust is but a large sort of grasshopper, which hath no set abiding place or nest, but leaps to and fro, roves about the field: so we have the running to and fro of Locusts Isa. xxxiii. 4. And this uncertain unsettled condition of those creatures may be proper also to express David's condition in his flight, when he had not where to lay his head, but wandered from place to place uncertainly. But the former, that is founded in the bands of Locusts, is fitter to express David and the company with him, his weak fugitive army( the Lxxii. reads {untranscribed Hebrew} in the plural, and the Hebrew word in the singular may import a plurality of them) than that which is founded in the manner of the single Locust, or grasshopper; and so that of being tossed to and fro by a tempest, is the most probable importance of the verb {untranscribed Hebrew}.  
V. 24. Faileth of fatness] From {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to deny, to ly, there is also a metaphorical use of it for any kind of change or frustration or destitution. And being here applied to the flesh, it signifies a change of that( {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Lxxii. was changed) attenuation, emaciation, decay from the state that before he was in, or wherein healthy men are wont to be. It is here expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from oil or from fatness. The word {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies both fat and oil, and the LXXII. render it in the second notion {untranscribed Hebrew}, changed for oil; either by the confused use of prepositions ordinarily observed among them, and then for oil may be instead of from oil, or else for oil, i. e. for the loss of oil, viz. that radical moisture which resembleth oil. The plainest rendering will be, my flesh is emaciated from fatness, that which was before full and corpulent, is now fallen away, grown lean, extremely attenuated. And this very consonant to the beginning of the verse, his knees being weak through fasting: the feeble knees being proverbially taken notice of in Scripture, as the parts which in any weakness are most sensible of the weight that lies upon them, and in any great lassitude or other infirmity are the first that are wont to fail.  
V. 31. That condemn his soul] Some difficulty there is here whether {untranscribed Hebrew} his soul, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  be to be joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} to save, and so rendered to save his soul, or life, or else with {untranscribed Hebrew} as our English reads, from those that condemn his soul. But this is soon salved by leaving it indifferent to either, or both of them; it being certain, that he that delivers from the condemners of soul or life, doth thereby deliver the soul or life, the deliverance being of necessity proportioned to the assault. The greater question will be, what is the adequate notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in this place. The word {untranscribed Hebrew} is ordinarily used for judging or condemning; but it signifies also to implead, accuse, or bring to judgement, to lay any crime to ones charge; for thus {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  oft signifies a controversy or question, a crime or fault, as well as punishment or judgement, or sentence in judicature. The Chaldee here expresses it by {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew}, which is indifferent to these two, judging, and comending in judgement; from whence the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew} is ordinarily used among the Hellenists for suing or impleading, 1 Cor. vi. 1.( see note on Rom. iii. b.) And to this notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} in this place the sense directs: For David speaking of himself and those that espoused his cause, under the notion of the poor, and consequently of his adversaries under the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}, 'tis most agreeable that the word should be here taken in that notion of opposing or pursuing. Thus they are formerly expressed v. 20. by {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  my i. e. Davids adversaries, plaintiffs, accusers( so that word properly signifies, {untranscribed Hebrew} an ad●ersary {untranscribed Hebrew} in judgement, i. e. an accuser) and by {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  those that speak evil against his soul. And this verse is thus far parallel with that, in describing the persons, viz. those that design and wage evil( for so speaking is oft taken for doing) against his life; and then that exactly agrees with this notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} opposers of his soul, those that contend, sight against his soul. For though it was in war, and not in judicature, that they thus contended with him, yet one of these is poetically expressed by the other, their hostile opposition by words which are onely sorensick. Thus the Jewish Arab reads, and will help him from those that implead him, or contend with him for his soul. And in this scheme this whole verse runs. He shall stand at the right hand of the poor, i. e. to defend and pled for him: as the accuser stood at the right hand( see v. 6. note b.) so shall he stand, as his advocate, to maintain him against his injurious charge, and that is to save him from those that oppose or implead his soul, that assault him and call his life in question. The Lxxii. here most fully express the sense by {untranscribed Hebrew} from those that pursue my soul.    

The Hundred and Tenth Psalm.  
A Psalm of David. The hundred and tenth Psalm was certainly composed by David,( see Mat. xxii. 43.) not concerning himself, and Gods promising the kingdom to him after Saul, as the Chaldee suppose, but by way of prophesy of the exaltation of the messiah( see Mat. xxii. 44. Act. ii. 34. 1 Cor. xv. 25. Heb. i. 13.) to his Regal and( which never belonged to David) Sacerdotal office; both which are by him exercised at the right hand of his Father, and settled on him as the reward of his humiliation and passion.( see Phil. ii. 8, 9.)  
1. THe Lord said 
a.  unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool.  
The messiah which is to come into the world is to be looked on by all men with adoration, as being, though born in the mean estate of human flesh, and of King Davids seed, yet really much higher than David( which he could not be if he were not God himself, the King of kings and lord of Lords.) And of him, Jehovah, the one supreme God, Creator of heaven and earth, hath decreed, that having been for some time opposed, and at length crucified, by those whom he was sent to call powerfully to repentance, he should be exalted in that human nature which here he assumed, to the highest pitch of glory and majesty and authority in heaven, there to exercise all power over this inferior world, to reign 1 Cor. xv. 25. till he hath subdu d all that opposeth this his kingdom; 1. his crucifiers, by converting some, and destroying others, 2. the Idolatrous heathen world, by subjecting them to the Gospel, 3. the power of sin, and 4. Satan in mens hearts, and at last 5. death itself, 1 Cor. xv. 26. And when all this is done at the conclusion of this world, then shall he give up his power into his fathers hand from which he had it, and himself be subject to him that put all things under him, 1 Cor. xv. 27.  
2. The Lord shall sand the rod of thy strength out of Sion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.  
This kingdom of his is to be a spiritual kingdom, exercised by the sword or sceptre of his sweet but powerful spirit, the Gospel of Christ, the power of God unto salvation to all that believe and obey it. And this shall first be preached( after his resurrection and ascension) by his Apostles at Jerusalem( see Psal. ii. 6.) to those that crucified him, and from thence it shall be propagated to all Judea, and then to all parts of the habitable world, on purpose designed to bring home sinners to repentance and change of life. And the success thereof shall be admirable, a Church of humble obedient Christians gathered from amongst his greatest enemies, some of the rebellious Jews, and great multitudes of heathen Idolaters.  
3. Thy 
b.  people shall be 
a people of voluntary oblations  willing in the day of thy 
army or forces.  power, in the beauties of 
the sanctuary.  holiness, 
thy children shall be to thee the due from the womb of the mor●ing.  from the womb of the morning, thou hast the due of thy youth.  
At the going out of the Apostles upon their great expedition, their sacred warfare, to conquer the obdurate world, all that have any thing of humility or piety wrought in their hearts by the efficacy of his preventing grace, shall come in and receive the faith of Christ most willingly, forsake and leave all to follow him, and attend him in his Church, and the multitude of disciples shall be as( the stars of heaven, the sands on the sea-shore, or) the due that in the morning covers the face of the whole earth.  
4. The Lord hath sworn and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.  
And as he is to be a King, so is he to be a priest also. At his exaltation and ascending to heaven, God his father hath firmly decreed that he shall be advanced to such a sort of Priesthood as that of Melchizedek was( see Heb. v. 6.& vii. 17.) who had those two great offices of King and Priest united in him; so shall Christ be instated 
{untranscribed Hebrew}* {untranscribed Hebrew} in the world to come Chald.  at the right hand of his Father, in the full power of entertaining and blessing his faithful servants, such as Abraham was, when he was entertained and treated by Melchizedek, and blessed by him. And the interpretation of this his benediction is, his giving them grace to turn away every man from his iniquities, Act. iii. 26. to aid them against all their spiritual enemies, and support them in all their necessities. And this office, commencing at his ascension, is never to have an end, never to be succeeded in by any, as the Aaronical priesthood descended from father to son, but to continue in his hands, and to be most successfully exercised, till it be at the end of this world delivered up to God the Father.  
5. 
c.  The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through Kings in the day of his wrath.  
But as he shall be a most merciful High Priest to all that humbly receive, and obey, and address themselves to him; so to all obdurate sinners, that stand out, and oppose his power in their hearts, that will not suffer this Priest to bless, this King to reign over them, he shall manifest himself a most terrible Judge, and destroy the mightiest grandeur and prowess upon earth, that doth not come in unto the faith.  

nations. he shall fill them {untranscribed Hebrew}  6. He shall judge among the† heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies, he shall 
strike through ( see v. 5.) the head ever much l●nd. {untranscribed Hebrew}  wound the heads over many countreys.  
All the impenitent wicked world, both of Jews and heathens, he shall most illustriously destroy, make them a kind of Akeldama; and the greatest Antichristian Monarchy in the world, most eminently that of heathen Rome( which so bloodily persecutes the Christians) shall be demolished( see Rev. xviii. 2) and Christian profession set up in the place of it.  
7. He shall drink of the 
d.  brook in the way, therefore shall he lift up the head.  
Thus shall the messiah and his kingdom be advanced. And all this but a proportionable reward designed b●●is Father to his great humiliation, and patience, and fidelity and constancy in the pursint and discharge of the office prophetic assigned him here on earth, the calling home sinners to repentance: In this he shall be so diligent and industrious, so vigilant and intent on all opportunities of advancing this end, of doing the will of his Father, the work for which he was sent, that he shall wholly neglect himself, his own will, his own ease, his own ordinary food, take that which comes next, and is most mean and vile, like a General in his keenest pursuit of his enemies, that satisfies the necessities of nature with water out of the next brook, &c.( and with the same alacrity he shal at last undergo the most contumelious death) and for this espousing of God's will, and despising and contemning himself, God shall highly exalt him, and possess him of that both Regal and Sacerdotal power, to continue to him, and by his hands, in that human nature wherein he thus served his Father, to be administered for ever.  

Annotations on Psalm CX.  
V. 1. My Lord] That {untranscribed Hebrew} to my Lord here, denotes the Messiah, will appear not onely by our Saviour and his Apostles, who insist on this Psalm above any text in the Old Testament,( as the late Jews, and some others who are willing to be looked on as very good Christians, are most industrious to evade it) but even by the testimonies of the ancient Jews themselves, the evidence of truth breaking forth in despite of the most partial and resolved interest. Moses Haddarsan on Gen. xxxvii. 12. saith, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. The Redeemer whom I will raise up from among you, shall not have a father, according to that of Zach. vi. 12. behold the man whose name is the Branch, and Is. Liii. he shall come up, &c. So also David saith of him Psal. cx. 3. out of the womb, &c. lastly the Scripture saith of him, This day have I begotten thee, Ps. ii. So on Gen. xviii. Hereafter God holy and blessed shall set the King messiah {untranscribed Hebrew} on his right hand, as 'tis written Ps. cx. The Lord said &c. And to the same purpose again on Gen. xiv. 18. So Midrash Tehillim, on occasion of these words, I will declare the Law, &c. Ps. ii. saith, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. the affairs of the Messiah are set forth in the scripture of the Law, of the Prophets, and of the Hagiographa: In the Law Ex. iv. 22. In the Prophets Esai. lii. 13.& xlii. 1. In the Hagiographa Ps. cx. The Lord said, and the due of thy birth &c. So again Midr. Tehil. on Ps. xviii. 35. thy right hand shall uphold me, saith, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. R. Joden said that in the age of the Messiah the blessed God will set the King Messiah at his right hand, as it is written, The Lord said to my Lord. R. Saad Gaon on Dan. vii. 13. he came with the clouds of heaven, saith, And this is {untranscribed Hebrew} Messiah our righteousness, as 'tis written, The Lord said &c. So the Jerusalem Talmud tract. Berachoth c. 5. saith, this verse, the due of thy birth, &c. is to be explained by Mich. v. 7.  
V. 3. Thy power] For the explicating this very obscure verse, the first thing to be taken notice of is the importance of {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} power or strength, as that signifies an army, or military forces, as we call them. The messiah in the former verses is set upon his throne for the exercise of his regal power, with a sword or sceptre in his hand; and as such he is supposed to rule in the world, to go out to conquer and subdue all before him. The army which he makes use of to this end, is the college of Apostles, sent out to preach to all nations: and the time of their thus preaching is here called {untranscribed Hebrew} the day of his power, or forces, or army; {untranscribed Hebrew} in the day that he shall wage war or join battle, saith the Chaldee. In which day, saith the Psalmist, the people that belong to God, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thy people, those that are at all affencted to piety, {untranscribed Hebrew}, fit for the kingdom of God, Luk. ix. 16. {untranscribed Hebrew}, disposed, arrayed, ordered, on file for the kingdom of heaven, Act. xiii. 48. all that are any way listed among Gods souldiers, all these shall become {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  i. e.( repeating {untranscribed Hebrew} again) a people of voluntary oblations( so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies liberal, voluntary, spontaneous oblation, or contribution to the service of God) such as shall willingly offer up and consecrate themselves, and all that they have, to Gods service, forsake all and follow Christ, bring their estates, and lay them at the Apostles feet, as we know the believers did, Act. ii. an essay of the great charity and liberality which the faith of Christ brought into the world. This they shall do {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the beauties of holiness, or of the Sanctuary, i. e. I suppose, mystically in the Christian Church, beautified with all those graces which the spirit of Christ works in the hearts of believers. {untranscribed Hebrew} 1 King. vii. 18. signifies the Ark of the Covenant or Sanctuary, and from thence the place in the Temple where the Ark was placed was called the {untranscribed Hebrew} holy of holies; and so I suppose the Lxxii. understood it here, when they rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} of thy holies, for so the plural {untranscribed Hebrew} every where signifies the Sanctuary; and the beauties of the Sanctuary are literally the ornaments of the Priests and Levites, their Urim and Thummim, which they have on when they carry the Ark( see note on Ps. xxix. b.) But mystically these are the graces of Christ, the inward beauty or glory which shines in the Christian Sanctuary or Church, which is as it were the arena or place where these forces of God are mustered: Or perhaps in the beauties of holiness, as that signifies no more than God's sacred Majesty, in whose service they are listed, and on whose expedition engaged, according to Castellio's reading, quo die expeditionem sacrâ cum majestate facies, in the day when thou shalt with thy sacred majesty make thine expedition. Another sense the words may be capable of, which the comparing the mention of Sion v. 2. and beauty of holinesse here suggesteth, by taking {untranscribed Hebrew} power, or host, or army, in the sense that frequently belongs to {untranscribed Hebrew}, which signifies an host in scripture, viz. the attendance on the Sanctuary, the priests {untranscribed Hebrew} warring his warfare, i. e. officiating. And then {untranscribed Hebrew} will simply import free-will offerings, and the sense run thus, Thy people will be a free-will offering in the day of thy Assemblies in the Sanctuary, shall offer( in stead of any thing else) themselves lively sacrifices, holy and acceptable. And this, if accepted, need not be deemed to exclude the other rendering, but the priestly and kingly offices of Christ being both here set down in this Psalm, the words( as is frequent in these compositions) may have been purposely contrived to fit both. Then follows {untranscribed Hebrew}, which may perhaps be thus most literally rendered, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thy children or progeny( to the Chaldee must understand it, when they join it with {untranscribed Hebrew} shall sit) {untranscribed Hebrew} to thee, i. e. shall be to thee, {untranscribed Hebrew} due {untranscribed Hebrew} from the womb of the morning: i. e. according to the proportion of the due which the morning brings forth( as it were out of its womb) in such plenty as to cover the face of the whole earth, so shall thy children be, so numerous, the multitudes of those that receive the faith of Christ, this due on the face of the earth, being like the sand of the sea and stars of heaven; by which two expressions is set out elsewhere the spiritual seed of Abraham, the multitude of believers. i. e. Over all the face of the earth, through all nations shall the Christian faith be propagated by this the Apostles {untranscribed Hebrew} expedition or warfare, their preaching and promulgating of the Gospel. Another possible rendering the words are capable of, thus; {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  used ten times in scripture, in all the other places expresses an immediately preceding birth, and is equivalent to as soon as born. So Ps. lviii. 3. the wicked are estranged {untranscribed Hebrew} from the womb, or birth; Ps. xxii. 10. I have been cast on thee from the womb, i. e. ever since my birth. Then, though {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  be by many construed, from the morning, as if מ were a Praefix; yet seeing the ש hath no dagesch, others conceive it a noun, though not elsewhere found, yet guidable by the signification of its neighbouring words, and then it will note either morning or youth. Next {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is twice used, beside this place, and signifies not children but childhood, or the first age of youth. So Eccl. xi. 9,& 10. {untranscribed Hebrew} childhood and youth are vanity. Where {untranscribed Hebrew} being joined with it 'tis made more probable that here, where {untranscribed Hebrew} is joined with it, they should both be taken in this sense, wherein there confestly they are. If this be accepted, then the Hebrew will be thus literally rendered, {untranscribed Hebrew} From the womb youth is to thee, i. e. as soon as thou art born, thou enjoyest a firm and vigorous youth( increasing suddenly in wisdom and stature and favour with God and man) {untranscribed Hebrew} thy infancy the due, i. e. is as the due upon the face of the earth, in a moment spreads itself over all, is seen fallen rather then falling, is sprightly and aerial, and makes all things else so too. And then in accordance with it will be rendered what follows, Thou art a Priest for ever, art never superannuated for the service of the tabernacle, like the Levitical priests, nor ever removed from it by death. In the following words the י in {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is by the Jewish writers, Kimchi and Aben-Ezra, allowed to be paragogical, and so {untranscribed Hebrew} to signify {untranscribed Hebrew} according to the manner or order; which is exactly the Lxxii. their rendering, {untranscribed Hebrew}, that is insisted on by the Apostle in the New Testament, to which also the Syriack accords, {untranscribed Hebrew} according to the likeness. And then it is strange the Interlinear should make it a suffix, and render it secundum verbum meum according to my word: and yet herein some other learned men have imitated them. The Jewish Arab interpreting this whole Psalm of Abraham, as a relation of his victory over the Kings, and telling us that he was made a Priest in the place of Melchizedek, for his miscarriage in his blessing, because in it he made mention of Abrahams name before God's, renders the latter part of this third verse thus, and from the deep of the black sea, that thou mayest cast for thee the portions of thy children, explaining it by a Note to this purpose, he teacheth him, that they( viz. his children or posterity) shall divide the countreys from the black sea to the utmost of regions, saying that he takes {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} Pro. xvi. 33.& {untranscribed Hebrew} to cast. Abu Walid expounds those words {untranscribed Hebrew} by from the belly or womb of the darkness, i. e. saith he, from the time that thou wert in the dark of the womb; that the meaning might be, Prosperity hath accompanied thee from the time that thou wert in the dark of the womb, i. e. from thy first forming or creation, that is it that he saith, {untranscribed Hebrew}, from thy first ortus or original. And so he would have both those passages joined in their signification. In this verse the Lxxii. have made many changes. First for {untranscribed Hebrew} thy people, they appear to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} with thee, and so render it {untranscribed Hebrew}. For {untranscribed Hebrew} voluntary oblations, they red {untranscribed Hebrew} government( not as the latin renders them, principium beginning) as from {untranscribed Hebrew} an {untranscribed Hebrew} or Prince Ps. cxiii. 8. Then for {untranscribed Hebrew} of the morning, they red {untranscribed Hebrew}, before the procedure, omitting the word {untranscribed Hebrew} due, and for {untranscribed Hebrew} thy progeny, they red {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so render it {untranscribed Hebrew} I begot thee; and so the Syriack, {untranscribed Hebrew} from ancient time I begot thee my son. And to this as the latin exactly accords, ex utero ante Luciferum genui te, and the arabic in like manner, so doth the Syriack also( save that for {untranscribed Hebrew} before the morning-starr, they red {untranscribed Hebrew} from of old) and many of the ancient Fathers have followed them, especially 
Edit. Pamel. p. 586. G.  Tertullian l. v. contra martion. c.ix. who applies it to the nativity of Christ in the night, and that of a Virgin without the knowledge of any man, and refutes the Jews, who applied the Psalm to Hezekiah. That the Jews after Christs time did thus apply it to Hezekiah, as the Chaldee Paraphrases understand it of David, appears evident from that Father. But before their hatred of Christ did thus engage them, some of the ancient Jews( see note a.) applied it to the messiah; and they are followed by Isaac Benarama on Gen. xlvii. and the passage next following of this King being a Priest, makes it impossible, according to their own principles, to be applied to any King of the Jews, the Priesthood among them being peculiar to the Aaronical tribe. And therefore the Chaldee, which applies it to David, interprets this of his exaltation to greatness in the world to come, by way of reward to his having been an immaculate King here.  
V. 5. The Lord at thy right hand] In this Psalm it is evident v. 1. that {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is the title of God the Father, and so again v. 4. and {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  of the messiah God the Son, in respect of that dignity, and dominion, and regal power to which he was to be exalted at his ascension, that at the name of Jesus avery knee should bow— This is expressed v. 1. by his sitting at Gods right hand, for which the Apostle 1 Cor. xv. 25. reads, {untranscribed Hebrew}, It must be that he reign— By this 'tis evident that in this verse {untranscribed Hebrew} The Lord at thy right hand, must be understood of the messiah instated in his regal power at the right hand of his Father, and not of the Father, as his {untranscribed Hebrew} to back and help him, as Ps. xvi. 8. and elsewhere the phrase is used. For of the Son thus exalted we know it is that we red Joh. v. 22. that the Father hath committed all judgement to the Son. Agreeable to which it is that this Adonai or Lord at Jehovahs right hand here, shall strike through Kings in the day of his wrath, i. e. shall act revenges most severely on the opposers of his kingdom; which revenges in the New Testament are peculiarly attributed to Christ, and called the coming of the Son of man, coming in the clouds, coming with his Angels, and the approaching, or coming of his kingdom.  
V. 7. Brook of the way] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies any hollow place or vale, a receptacle of waters, and from thence a small river or brook, which hath not its original from any spring, but is filled with raine-waters, and so is full in the winter, but in the summer dried up. So Gen. xxvi. 17. {untranscribed Hebrew} in the valley of Gerar; Joel iii. 18. a fountain shall come forth and water {untranscribed Hebrew} the valley of Shittim: and 2 King. iii. 16. make this valley full of ditches; and v. 17. ye shall not see rain, yet that valley shall be filled with water. And being here joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the way, it seems to signify no more than those plashes of water, which in the winter are frequent in highways, from the fall of much rain. These first from the places where they are collected,( no pools on purpose provided for the receipt of waters, but every little cavity in the way, which is thus filled by rain,) and secondly, by the stagnancy or standing still of these waters, and thirdly, by the frequency of passengers fouling them, are to be concluded very unfit for the use of men, very inconvenient for drinking, and would never be used for that purpose, were it not by him that hath no other, or that so far intends the hast of his way, and so far despises or neglects himself, as to content himself with the worst and meanest sort of accommodation, that which will just satisfy the necessities of nature. This is most observable of souldiers in an hasty march, that are thirsty, but will not make stay at an inn to refresh themselves with wine, or so much as go out of their way to make choice of or seek out for wholesome water, but insist on their pursuit, and satisfy their thirst at the next receptacle of waters, the next puddle, or trench, or ditch, or brook they meet with. This is a sign of great alacrity in a soldier, and withall of great humility, and contempt of hardship and difficulties, of submitting to any the meanest and most servile condition: and may well here be used poetically to express the great humiliation and exinanition of the messiah, assuming the real form and all the mean offices of a servant, pursuing the work to which he was sent with all alacrity, counting it his meat( and drink) to do the will of him that sent him, and finish his work, Joh. iv. 34. and in fine laying down his life, suffering as willingly a most bitter contumelious death; which being by him expressed by drinking of a cup, and that a special sort of cup, such as others would not probably be content with,( Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of? Matth. xx. 22.) and that an insupportable bitter cup Matth. xxvi. 39, 42. ( Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me) it may very fitly be extended to his death, as well as to all that was preparative and in the way to it. And to this the lifting up his head, reigning victoriously over all his enemies, being constituted Judge of quick and dead, is here justly apportioned, according to that of Phil. ii. 8, 9. He made himself of no reputation, but humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the across. Wherefore God hath highly exalted him— Another notion there is of {untranscribed Hebrew} for a torrent or river Prov. xviii. 4. a flowing {untranscribed Hebrew} torrent, or river, and so Am. vi. 14. unto the {untranscribed Hebrew} we render it river of the wilderness. If it be here taken in that notion, then drinking of it may be a proverbial speech to express victory, as Isa. xxxvii. 25. when Sennacherib is boasting of his conquests, he thus speaks, I will enter into the height of his border, and the forest of his Carmel: I have digged and drunk water, and with the sole of my feet I have dried up all the rivers of the besieged places. Where the former part being an expression of victory and forcible seizure, and so the latter also of blocking up and close siege, the middlemost may probably be to the same sense; and the rather because of the custom of Eastern Princes, who in token of dedition exacted from subjugated provinces Earth and Water, Judith ii. 7. In reference to which, the digging up Earth and drinking Water will signify a forcible entry, a method of battery( where the milder summons have not prevailed) thereby to take livery and seizing of an hostile country. And if that be the notion here, then the phrase signifies Christs victory achieved by his death over Satan, Sin and Hell. Which being wrought upon the cross, is fitly precedaneous and preparative to the l●fting up of his head.    

The Hundred and Eleventh Psalm.  

a.  Praise ye the Lord. The hundred and eleventh Psalm is one of those whose title( see note 
a. . on Psal. cvi.) is Hallelujah, and is accordingly spent in praising and magnifying the name of God for all his works of power and mercy. It is composed in twenty two short metres, each beginning with the several letters of the Hebrew Alphabet.  
1. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the 
secret or counsel {untranscribed Hebrew}  assembly of the 
b.  upright, and in the congregation.  
From the bottom of my soul, and with the full choir of all the faculties thereof, I will acknowledge and bless the name of God. This I will do more privately in counsel of all pious men, the true Israelites, when ever any transaction of concernment is to be advised on by those that make strict conscience of their duty; and this will I do in the most public and solemn assembly. No juncto is too close, no congregation too wide, for such a most due performance.  
2. The works of the Lord are great, 
studied by or found by, or in all their purposes, or designs.  
c.  sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.  
marvelous are the works of God, and of all other sorts of study most worthy to be the exercise and employment of all pious men, who can entertain themselves with more pleasure in such meditations, than in all other the most sensual divertisements, and receive great profit and advantage by it.  
3. His work is 
honour and glory {untranscribed Hebrew}  honourable and glorious, and his righteousness endureth for ever.  
All that he doth is infinitely magnificent and beautiful, the works of his creation most admirable and stupendious, and so the works of his preservation and providence full of omnipotent greatness and wisdom. But above all, his justice and purity, his detestation of all sin and exact fidelity in all his promises is infinitely to be magnified, as that which goes through all his other works.  
4. He hath made 
him a name or memorial by or of his wonderful—  his wonderful works to be 
d.  remembered: The Lord 
gracious  is gracious and full of compassion.  
The great miraculous works of his providence among us have made such impressions on men as will never be forgotten, but recorded and reported for ever: and indeed God hath made special ordinances, the Passeover &c. to that purpose: Yea they have given him a title whereby he is known by all, the same that he once proclaimed of himself to Moses, when he desired to know and discern his nature more perfectly, The Lord, gracious— i. e. a most gracious and merciful Lord, not forward to punish every sin that out of frailty is committed against him, but abundant in mercy and loving kindness to all that faithfully adhere to him.  
5. He hath given 
or spoil, see note d.  meat unto them that fear him; he will ever be mindful of his Covenant.  
He never fails to provide for them that serve and obey him, all things that they stand in need of; he hath promised never to leave nor forsake such: and whatsoever he hath thus by Covenant obliged himself to, he will be certain duly to perform. Thus did he promise Abraham concerning his posterity in egypt Gen. xv. 13. and accordingly it was signally performed.  
6. He hath shewed his people the 
virtue {untranscribed Hebrew}  power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.  
His providence hath most effectually and eminently been discernible in his dealing with his people the Jews, before whom he hath cast out the Canaanites and other inhabitants of seven very fruitful nations, who had exceedingly provoked him with their unnatural sins, and given to this his people the quiet possession of them, to which they had not the least right or title but from his immediate donation.  
7. The works of his hands are 
fidelity  verity and judgement, all his 
e.  commandments are sure.  
And herein, as in all things else, his actions have been most just and righteous, just vengeance to obdurate sinners, as perfect fidelity and performance of his promise to Abraham his servant. And so all his appointments both for the rooting out and planting in; his menaces and promises, are most assuredly performed, there is no frustrating of any of them.  
8. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and righteousness.  
Being once ratified and confirmed by him, they are sure to have that exact uprightness in them that they remain steady and immutable.  
9. He sent redemption to his people, he hath commanded his covenant for ever; holy and reverend is his name.  
And the like wonderful act of power and mercy and fidelity was it in God, that he rescued& brought out the seed of Abraham, to whom his promises were made, from the slavery of egypt( an emblem of our greater redemption from the bondage of sin and Satan wrought by his own Son) and by a mighty hand made good his promises to them of bringing them into Canaan. Thus firm and inviolable are all Gods pacts and agreements made with his people, to whom as his mercies are most admirably firm, and for ever to be acknowledged with thanksgiving, so his judgments are most dreadful and formidable to all that provoke them to fall upon them.  
10. The fear of the Lord is the 
f.  beginning of wisdom; a good understanding 
are they to all that do them {untranscribed Hebrew}  have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.  
There is therefore no such excellent prudential course as the preserving in our breasts a just and due reverence of God, an awe to his laws, and a dread to his judgments; and when all is considered, this will be sound the prime wisdom. And the reason is clear; The Law of God is the declaration of those things which are most our concernments to know, his commandments bring all profitable knowledge and judgement to them that carefully set themselves to, and are daily exercised in the practising of them. They that constantly guide their lives according to those divine directions, will soon discern experimentally what others at a distance never dream of, that the practise of his precepts is of all other things most for their turns, most agreeable to all their interests both in this and an●ther world. And so for that most eminent mercy of such his divine and most excellent precepts( as well as for other parts of his Covenant, his grace and mercies) all possible praise is for ever due to his most holy name.  

Annotations on Psalm CXI.  
V 1. Praise ye the Lord] What was observed, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and competently proved, note a on Ps. cvi. that Hallelujah was no part, but only the Title of the Psalm, is applicable to this also and more that follow, and is here most clearly demonstrable. For this Psalm( as also the next) is one of those that are composed with exact respect to the order of the letters of the Alphabet. And it is S. Hieromes true observation, that this Psalm is the first, which is purely Alphabetical. the xxv. and others, which are well-nigh such, failing or abounding in some letter, whereas this, leaving {untranscribed Hebrew} for the Title, begins with {untranscribed Hebrew}, as the cxii. doth with {untranscribed Hebrew}, and in very short meter goes on exactly according to the letters of the Alphabet, which it could not be imagined to do, if it began with {untranscribed Hebrew} Hallelujah.  
V. 1. Upright] Of the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  upright, 'tis Kimchi's observation, {untranscribed Hebrew} it is an appellative of Israel, as Num. xxiii. 10. Let me die {untranscribed Hebrew} the death of the upright. And so they are called by a name of much affinity with this, Jesharun, in the notion, and by analogy as in the New Testament the Christians are called Saints.  
V. 2. Sought out] {untranscribed Hebrew} to seek, investigate, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  search, is used for meditating, studying, and from thence {untranscribed Hebrew} a school, or place for study of the Law, and in arabic {untranscribed Hebrew} an academy, or University; and accordingly 1 Cor. i. 20. {untranscribed Hebrew}, the inquirer, is the student, he that spends his time in searching and finding out difficulties( see Note f. on that place:) and then {untranscribed Hebrew} here applied to the great works of God, may be rendered are studied, or meditated on, {untranscribed Hebrew} by all that have delight or pleasure in such study or meditation, sought of all that desire them, saith the Jewish Arab. But the word also signifies to be found, Isa. Lxv. 1. I am found by them that sought me not. And then this will bear an excellent sense, frequently met with in other places, that the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, his way is plain unto the righteous,( so Abu Walid, they are evident or plain to all that delight in them, or love them) though the wicked shall fall therein, and the like. The next words, {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  are capable also of another rendering, in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} Eccl. iii. 1. where we render it purpose, and Eccl. v. 7. where we render it matter, and the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} thing, in both places. And by analogy with those the phrase may here signify in all their parts, designs, or purposes, or in all their several concernments.  
V. 4. Made his wonderful works to be remembered] The most proper rendering of this verse will be pitched on by observing the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for a memorial, any thing by which a man may be remembered, any name or title attributed to any for any notable action or excellency. So the Lxxii. Exod. xvii. 14. render {untranscribed Hebrew} by {untranscribed Hebrew} name, and Hos. xii. 5. The Lord God of hosts, {untranscribed Hebrew} the Lord is his memorial; that sure is, the Lord is his name. And accordingly the Mazorites call God's name {untranscribed Hebrew} memorial. Accordingly {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  he made a memorial, is no more than he hath made him a name; either by common way of speaking, he hath left remembrances of himself which will continue( as Gen. xi. 4. Let us make us a name, and 2 Sam. vii. 9. I have made thee a great name, and v. 23. of God himself, that he went to make him a name, and to do for you great things, very agreeable to the style here, he hath made a memorial or name {untranscribed Hebrew} by his wondrous works, and so the Chaldee understand it here, {untranscribed Hebrew} he hath made him a good memorial) Kimchi reads it, a memorial of his wonders in egypt, in giving us the Sabbath, Passeover, and other feasts; accordingly Aben Ezra renders {untranscribed Hebrew} v. 5. the spoil of the egyptians, according to the promise of God, Gen. xv. 13. But it may be also interpnted more minutely and critically, he hath made him a title, a name, by which he expects to be called, viz. this which here follows, as the breviate of that by which he was pleased to proclaim himself, Exod. xxxiv. 6. {untranscribed Hebrew} The Lord merciful and gracious, not making this a distinct sentence from the former, but affixing it as that name which he hath made himself by his works.  
V. 7. Commandments are sure] From {untranscribed Hebrew} which signifies true and sure and faithful, is the epithet of Gods commandments here {untranscribed Hebrew}. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  How it is to be rendered, will be best guest by considering the context, and the peculiar importance of the Commandments here. The former verse speaks of the heathen nations, the Canaanites &c. who were by Gods appointment rooted out of their land, and the Israelites planted in their stead. In this, saith the Psalmist, there was {untranscribed Hebrew} fidelity and judgement: fidelity in performing the promise made to Abraham many years before, and just vengeance on those nations for their sins, the measure of which they had now filled up. And as the ground of both these, 'tis here added that {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  all his commandments— The word which we render commandments, comes from {untranscribed Hebrew} to visit either for good or evil, which signifies also to command, or give order. So of Cyrus Ezr. i. 2. {untranscribed Hebrew} he hath charged me, and 2 Chron. xxxvi. 23. {untranscribed Hebrew} the Lord hath charged me,( the same Cyrus) to build him an house at Jerusalem. In this sense of the word it may here be fitly used for God's appointments and commands to the children of Israel to root out the Canaanites, and to take possession of their land( not understanding it of the Commandments or Law of God written in their hearts, against which these nations had so unnaturally offended.) So when Joshua, Jos. viii. 29. commanded to cut down the carcase of the King of Ai &c. the Chaldee render it by {untranscribed Hebrew}, and frequently in the like sense. And then of these commands of God, these appointments of his, for the good of the one sort, and the punishment of the other( the Lxxii. fitly render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, commands or expresses given by him) the Psalmist saith, they are {untranscribed Hebrew} sure, firm, faithful, i. e. are most certainly performed: whensoever he gives order for the destroying of a nation, it shall certainly be performed, unless by their speedy repentance they avert it, Jer. xviii. 8. and so for his command of building and planting v. 9. And this in both parts is the probablest meaning of the place, as will be guest by the ensuing verse, They stand fast for ever and ever—  
V. 10. Beginning of wisdom] The word beginning is of uncertain sense. It may signify the first in time only, and so the rudiments, first foundation, or groundwork, and so though the most necessary, yet the most imperfect part of the work. And if it should thus be understood here and in other places, the sense would be no more but this, that there were no true wisdom, which had not its foundation in piety and fear of God. But the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} ( as {untranscribed Hebrew} head) signifies the first in dignity as well as in order or time, and is frequently used for the chief or principle of any kind. So Deut. xviii. 4. {untranscribed Hebrew}( the Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} the head) the prime, the principal, i. e. the best, of thy corn and wine and oil, and of the fleece of thy sheep. So Amos vi. 6. that anoint themselves {untranscribed Hebrew} with the chief of ointments, the best and most precious; and 1 Sam. xv. 21. {untranscribed Hebrew} the first of that which was devoted, is interpnted v. 9. by {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} the goodness, and, all the good, as that is opposed to the base and vile in that verse. So Numb. xxiv. Amalek was {untranscribed Hebrew} first, i. e. chief, of the nations. And thus it is to be understood here, that the fear of the Lord( which signifies all piety) is the principal or chief of wisdom, as sapientia prima in Horace is the principal or most excellent wisdom; according to that of Job chap. xxviii. 28. Unto man he said, Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding, that by way of eminence, the most excellent wisdom and understanding. The Jewish Arab reads, The first thing that wisdom gives in command is the fear of the Lord, and a goodness of understanding is to all that do that.    

The Hundred and Twelfth Psalm.  

Hallelujah: see note a on Psal. cxi.  Praise ye the Lord. The hundred and twelfth Psalm is a description of the present employments and felicities of the truly pious man, such as do much tend to the honour and praise of God, who is so exceeding gracious unto all his servants, that there cannot be a greater freedom and bliss than to be in the number of them. And therefore the Psalm, which describes this, is by the Hebrews entitled Hallelujah, though there be no other express praising of God in it. It is composed like the former, the several short metres beginning with the letters of the Hebrew Alphabet.  
1. BLessed is the man that feareth the Lord, 
be delighteth {untranscribed Hebrew}  that delighteth greatly in his commandments.  
There is no true felicity but that which consists in a most careful performance of all the commandments of God, strictly abstaining from all that may displease him, and cheerfully practising all that he requires of us. And indeed there is no such security of all true durable delight and pleasure as this, the present gratefulness, and the succeeding comforts of such practices to any truly virtuous mind, are a continual feast, of all others the most exceeding, and all other pleasures in respect of this are nothing worth.  
2. His seed shall be mighty upon the earth; the generation of the upright shall be blessed.  
And as this is the most pleasurable, so is it the most thriving skilful method to bring all greatness and flourishing upon any family, to advance and enrich the posterity. For as long as God hath the disposing of the good things of this world, honour and wealth, &c. 'tis unreasonable to imagine that any subtleties or policies, projects or ambitions of ours, which have impiety in them, and thereby forfeit all title to Gods benedictions, shall be near so successful toward our present worldly interests, as a strict piety and constant adherence to the ways of God.  
3. Wealth and riches shall be in his house, and his righteousness endureth for ever.  
The promise of the greatest abundance and confluence of earthly felicities being by God entailed on the persons and families of such men, as well as the eternal rewards in another world.( See 1 Tim. iv. 8.)  
4. Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness; he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.  
5. A good man sheweth favour and lendeth; he will guide his 
or words {untranscribed Hebrew}  affairs with 
judgement {untranscribed Hebrew}  discretion.  
6. Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.  
And if any affliction at any time befall such( as the promises of felicities in this world are always to be taken with the exception of the cross, some mixtures of afflictions for gracious and wise ends, the punishing our sins here, that they be not punished hereafter, the curing our spiritual maladies, and exercising our graces) yet are there such alleys joined with it, such strengths to support, and such seasonable and oft unexpected issues and deliverances out of it, that this cannot be looked on otherwise than as a special work of his merciful providence toward them. And( which is oft to be observed) this supply from God of alleys and comforts in affliction, together with timely deliverances out of it, shall certainly be performed unto good men, not only because 'tis promised them, and therefore shall not fail them, but also because 'tis made over to them from Gods special providence, as a reward most fitly apportioned to several graces in them: as 1. to their charity and bounty and compassion to others, giving and lending to all that are in distress, God hath promised such, by way of proportionable reward, that they shall receive mercy as the wages of their mercifulness, and not only in another world, but in this, they shall be blessed on earth, Psal. xxxvii. 25. So 2. to discreet moderation and temper both of their words and actions. Good men, if they be thoroughly, sincerely such, are meek, and not apt to be impatient in words or deeds, and so they contribute much to the allaying of their afflictions, and softening their persecutors, both which ragefull and impatient behaviour is wont to exasperate: And then 'tis over and above, a reward of their patience and meekness and discretion, which God hath allotted them to temper and sweeten and timely to remove their sufferings who bear them so well, at least to afford them strength, to make them very supportable. By these means, whatever misadventures they may for a time meet with here, God will assuredly provide for them, yea and for their posterity( if they go on constantly in their steps) he will give them stability in the prosperities of this life; and because a good name after death is as great a blessing as wealth or honour in this life, that proportion shall be secured to them also, their memory shall be fresh and flourishing among all posterities( when their bodies are rotten in their graves) and by their example they shall benefit many, when by their actions they can no longer oblige them.  
7. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.  
8. His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he 
a.  
look upon his oppressors.  see his desire upon his enemies.  
Another special privilege there is that belongs to every pious man. His adherence to God and dependence on him is an amulet against all worldly fears or apprehensions; when the news of danger or misery, the one imminent, the other already present, assaults him, it is not able to disquiet or disturb him. The reason is, he hath resigned his whole being into Gods wisest disposal, and is assuredly persuaded that his divine choices are to be preferred, that what he sends or permits to fall, is fitter for his turn than any thing else that he could choose for himself, and consequently that if God sees it not good for him, he will avert it before it come, or remove it speedily: and by this one assurance he is completely fortified, not onely for a patient, but cheerful entertainment of all that is or shall come, remains unmoved, and well pleased with Gods present dispensations, whatsoever they are, and so constantly continues, till the same hand that sent them give him release and deliverance out of them, which in Gods good time shall be done also.  
9. He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor, his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.  
As for his charity, and constant liberality to the poor,( which is a special piece of piety, and interpnted by God as if it were done to himself) it never goes unrewarded. One crown is reserved for it, eternal felicity in another world; which though a gift of Gods free bounty, shall then be dispersed with respect to the performances of this kind( see Mat. xxv. 34. &c.) And another is presently bestowed here; wealth, and honour, and a most flourishing condition in this world, is very frequently the visible and discernible, and when not so, yet the secret unobservable reward of this one sort of piety, being promised to it more peculiarly then to any other good works. Deut. xxvi. 11.13. Ps. xli. 2. xxxvii. 26. Prov. xi. 24, 25, 26, 27. xiii. 22. xiv. 21. xix. 17. xxii. 9. xxviii. 27. Mar. x. 30.  
10. The wicked shall see it, and be grieved, he shall gnash with his teeth and 
b.  melt away; the desire of the wicked shall perish.  
To conclude, the felicities of piety even in this life are such, as are matter of real envy and trouble and indignation to the wicked, who cannot choose but see it, and secretly confess it, and repined and malign and be disquieted at it, whilst themselves, be they never so intent and industrious in the getting and keeping of worldly wealth, do yet sensibly decay and grow hinderly, all their designs and indirect methods of thriving are cursed and blasted, and pursued with a continual improsperousness; yield them no kind of fruit in this world, yet cost them full dear in another.  

Annotations on Psalm CXII.  
V. 8. See his desire] The phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} shall see, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in composition with {untranscribed Hebrew} on his distressers or oppressors, hath been already explained, Note on Psal. xLiv. c. in reference to David at that time. 'tis used again Psal. Lix. 10. {untranscribed Hebrew} God shall let me see or look on mine enemies; and Psal. xcii. {untranscribed Hebrew} Mine eye hath looked on mine enemies, and mine ear hath heard of them that rise up against me, i. e. seen and heard of their destruction v. 10. and so the Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew} on the ruin— So Psal. cxviii. 7. {untranscribed Hebrew} I shall look upon my haters: the Lxxii. red, {untranscribed Hebrew}, I shall behold my enemies, i. e. having God for my auxiliary, I shall without fear look on them. Here it is applied more generally to all pious men, and must still be rendered shall behold or look upon his oppressers or distressers; the meaning still being proportionable, he shall behold them securely, confidently look in their faces, as we say, as being now no longer under their power, being freed from their tyranny and pressures. The Chaldee, which rendered it Psal. xLiv. by seeing revenge, here change it into {untranscribed Hebrew} redemption, deliverance from his distress.  
V. 10. Melt away] {untranscribed Hebrew} here, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to dissolve or melt, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  being joined with seeing, grieving and gnashing with the teeth, expr●ssions of the wicked mans envy, may be thought to belong to the same matter, consuming or melting away with grief. But the word signifying any kind of melting, consumption, or dissolution, outward of the estate, as well as inward of the mind, that particularly which is caused by putrefaction, that may as probably be the notion of it here; and so it best agrees with that which follows, the desire of the wicked shall perish. Whilst pious men thrive and prosper, wicked men decay, consume, melt away, and all their covetousness, worldly-mindedness, earnest pursuit of wealth( so {untranscribed Hebrew} desire imports) comes to nought and perisheth. The Syriack therefore for melting red {untranscribed Hebrew} shall be taken away or destroyed.    

The Hundred and Thirteenth Psalm.  

Hallelujah  Praise ye the Lord. The hundred and thirteenth is a thankful commemoration of the glory and condescensions of God, and the great and signal works of his providence to the most afflicted abject creatures( never more discernible than in the work of redemption) and from the matter of it was by the Hebrews styled, as the two former, Hallelujah.( See note a. on Ps. cvi. and cxi.)  
1. PRaise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord.  
All faithful servants of God are most nearly concerned and obliged cheerfully to celebrate and commemorate the great and glorious and gracious works of God.  
2. Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth for evermore.  
To him therefore be all possible praise and glory ascribed both now and to all eternity.  
3. From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same the Lords name is to be praised.  
From one end of the heathen world unto the other( see Mal. i. 11.) his mercies and goodness to mankind( especially that great Evangelical mercy, the gift of Christ) shall be solemnly proclaimed and promulgated.  
4. The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.  
The power and dominion of God is paramount, the greatest Empires in the world are all subordinate to him; He is the one supreme Lord over all the world, and not onely of this one people which is called by his name: And though the highest heavens be the special place of his mansion, yet his glory is infinitely greater than to be encircled or comprehended by them.  
5. Who is like unto the Lord our God, 
a.  who 
exalteth himself to dwell.  dwelleth on high,  
6. 
Who humbleth himself to behold in heaven and in earth.  Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth?  
And above all other ways of expression, herein is he most incomparable, that sitting in the highest heavens in the greatest majesty, he is pleased to descend to this low state of ours, to visit us here below in the greatest humility( not only by overseeing, overruling and governing the affairs of this lower world, but by assumption of our flesh pitching his tent among us, and so corporally visiting us, in the incarnation of the son of God.)  
7. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill,  
8. That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.  
9. He 
b.  
setteth the barren in a family a—  maketh the barren woman to keep house, to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.  
And as this God of heaven hath been pleased thus to descend and humble himself to us, so is he graciously pleased to exalt those that are humbled, and from the lowest pitch of worldly vileness and desolation to advance sometimes to the highest dignities, even to that of the royal throne, 1 Sam. ii. 8. at other times to dispense other seasonable mercies, children to the barren Sarah and Hannah, and many the like( but especially the gift of grace, and of more grace to the humble, the glad tidings of the Gospel to the poor.) For which we are all obliged to pay him our Hallelujahs.  

Annotations on Psalm CXIII.  
V. 5. Dwelleth on high] The Syntaxis in this place is very poetical, and a very discernible {untranscribed Hebrew} in it. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and {untranscribed Hebrew} are acknowledged to be in exact opposition one to the other, the first from {untranscribed Hebrew} high, is exalting himself, the latter from {untranscribed Hebrew} lowly, humbling himself. And proportionably {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} in heaven and earth must be opposed also, and the one joined with his exaltation as the term of that, and the other with his humiliation as the term of that: and then the like decorum being observed betwixt dwelling, and seeing or beholding( the higher being proper for the habitation, but the lower being accommodated to the works of his providence, signified by seeing) the construction will be regularly thus, who is like unto Jehovah our God, who exalteth himself {untranscribed Hebrew} to heaven {untranscribed Hebrew} to inhabit or dwell there, and yet humbleth himself( at the same time) {untranscribed Hebrew} to the earth {untranscribed Hebrew} to see, behold, or order all things therein by his providence and his grace? An observation which hath always had truth in it from the beginning of the world, but then most signally, when the messiah, the supreme God of heaven, came to visit us here on earth in so great humility. Of this kind of composition there want not examples: see Cant. i. 5. I am black, but comely, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon; i. e. black as the tents of Kedar, but faire as the curtains of Solomon. So Deut. xxxii. 42. I will make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh, with the blood of the slain and of the captives: where the sense exacts this other placing, I will make my arrows drunk with blood, the blood of the slain, and my sword shall devour the flesh of the captives— So Rom. i. 12. the righteousness of God is revealed {untranscribed Hebrew} from faith to faith, i. e. the righteousness of God by faith is revealed to faith, or that men might believe: see Note b. on that chapter. To this sense I conceive all the ancient translators had respect, the Chaldee rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew}— who exalted his habitation that he may dwell, and lets down his eyes that he may see in heaven and in earth; but the Lxxii. more expressly, {untranscribed Hebrew}, who dwelleth in the heights, and beholdeth the things that are below in the heaven and in the earth; and so the Syriack, who sitteth on high, and beholdeth or looketh {untranscribed Hebrew} on that which is deep or low( not as the latin reads coelum& terram, the heaven and earth, but) {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. on heaven and earth. In all which rendrings the letting down the eyes, the beholding the things that be low or deep, cannot be common to the heaven and earth, but is proper to the earth in opposition to heaven. For as for the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  for the regions of the air, it cannot probably have place here, any more than v. 4. where his glory is said to be above the heavens, to express the infiniteness of it, by its superiority to the highest of all creatures, which consequently must be resolved to be the highest heavens, and not the air, which is much inferior to them. If this should seem to be too unusual and violent an hyperbaton, then the meaning must be, that although God be high in his throne of glory, yet he condescends to the managery of the whole fabric, stoops down to behold the things on earth, and by as great a condescension, looks on those in heaven; his glory therein approving itself to be above the heavens, because his beholding the transactions there is a descending or looking down.  
V. 9. Keep house] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} house, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is sometimes best rendered family: so Gen. vii. 1. Go thou and all {untranscribed Hebrew} thy family into the Ark. So Exod. i. 21. God made for the midwives {untranscribed Hebrew} families, 2 Sam. vii. 11. God shall make {untranscribed Hebrew} a family, i. e. give thee children. And so here speaking of Gods mercy to the poor and lowly, and instancing in {untranscribed Hebrew} the barren, childless woman, {untranscribed Hebrew} settling her an house, must be giving children, and so will most intelligibly be rendered, settleth the barren in a family; and then to it will best accord what follows, {untranscribed Hebrew} a joyful mother of children, there being no such matter of joy to a barren woman, as that of having children. The Jewish Arab quiter leaving out {untranscribed Hebrew} in his translation, renders it, and that maketh the barren woman a joyful mother of children; as thinking it included in the sense. A phrase very nigh unto this we had Psal. Lxviii. 7. {untranscribed Hebrew}, where the speech being of solitary persons, widows &c. and {untranscribed Hebrew} signifying adverbially, at home, the rendering was somewhat to differ from this, as the sense did.    

The Hundred and Fourteenth Psalm.  
The Hundred and fourteenth is a brief recital of the miraculous works of God to his people the Jews, in their redemption out of egypt, and journey to Canaan; an emblem of his greater miracles of mercy in the redemption of mankind by the death of his son.  
1. WHen Israel went out of egypt, the house of Jacob from a 
barbarous people  people of 
a.  strange language,  
2. Judah was 
b.  his 
to or for his holiness  sanctuary, and Israel his 
power.  dominion.  
When God was pleased to deliver his people of Israel out of the servitude they endured in egypt, he did in a signal manner demonstrate both the sacred and inviolate nature of all his promises, and the overruling virtue of his power and dominion over all creatures, his fidelity at once, and his omnipotence.  
3. The sea saw it and fled, Jordan was 
turned {untranscribed Hebrew}  driven back.  
At his least command the read sea departed out of the channel, and left a dry ground for them to pass in the midst of it; as at another time the river Jordan partend asunder, and the current stopped its course, and went backward, the waters were cut off, Jos. iv. 7. whilst Joshua and the people passed over it.  
4. The 
c.  mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.  
And at the giving the Law to them in the wilderness, the whole mountain on which it was, Mount Sinai, all the greater and lesser branches of it, did greatly shake, and move out of the place most terribly, Exod. xix. 18.  
5. What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest; thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?  
6. Ye mountains that ye skipped like rams, and ye little hills like lambs?  
7. Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob,  
8. Which turned the rock 
d.  into a 
lake of  standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters.  
If any man demanded what was the reason of the prodigious ebb of the read sea, or of the standing still and parting of Jordan, of the terrible earthquake and commotion that was of the whole mountain and parts of Sinai, the account is evident, God was there pleased by the ministry and guard of Angels to exhibit himself in a special manner to that people for their rescue out of egypt, and to bring them into Canaan, and to deliver his Law unto them; and that presence of his was the only cause of all these prodigious effects, as at another time it was of bringing such plenty of water out of a rock of flint, that it maintained a current( as if it had been a notable spring) some considerable time after.  

Annotations on Psalm CXIV.  
V. 1. Of strange language] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is by the Chaldee here rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} barbarous, and so by the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew}. The word among the Greeks and latins comes from the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} extra, redoubled, and so signifies to a Jew any man of any other nation, and so fitly answers to {untranscribed Hebrew} a stranger or alien.  
V. 2. His sanctuary] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} will literally be rendered to or for his holiness, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and being joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} was will signify, that Judah, the people of the Jews there spoken of, was made use of by God on, or among, them to demonstrate his holinesse, in the notion wherein oft it is taken for the keeping his promise sacred or inviolate; as when Psal. cxi. 9. speaking of the firmness and immutability of his Covenant, it is added, {untranscribed Hebrew} holy( as in another respect, reverend) is his name. The meaning then is, that Judea was a special instance of his holinesse, or performing his promise made to Abraham long before. And then in proportion, that which follows must be understood, {untranscribed Hebrew} Israel was his power, i. e. Israel was an instance of his power, in his acting for Israel he declared his omnipotence most signally; the Lxxii. literally render it {untranscribed Hebrew} his power, but the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} his praise or glory, i. e. in dealing with whom he set forth his glory. In this, as in the former verse, the expression is poetical. In the first verse, as Israel and the house of Jacob are the same thing in several names, so is egypt and the barbarous people. And here, as Judah and Israel are all one( the separation being not made at that time, which is here respected) so {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} his holinesse, or to his holinesse, and his power, are jointly attributed to the same subject, Judah and Israel; not that the holinesse of God was shewed in one, and the power in the other. Another interpretation the words are capable of, that as Judah marched out of egypt, the cloud which went before the host abode upon them, and that presentiating almighty God, and still consecrating and making holy the place of his abode, may found that speech, that Judah was his sanctuary, or place of his residence. And then, as Psal. cxxxvi. 9. the moon is said to be {untranscribed Hebrew} for a dominion in the night, i. e. in an active sense to rule, and govern; so the meaning of Israels being his dominion here may be, their being empowered as a Prince by God, to go out with an high hand, executing justice on their enemies.  
V. 4. Mountains] Though the earthquake at the giving the Law were so remarkable, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that there can be no doubt of the fitness of accommodating this skipping of the mountains to it; yet 'tis not amiss to mention the interpretation of Kimchi, who applies it to the striking the rocks in Rephidim and Cades, which also hath this probability, that Naturalists observe that earthquakes sometimes make eruptions of water.  
V. 8. Standing water] The {untranscribed Hebrew} is best rendered a lake of water, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to note the abundance of it; accordingly the Chaldee renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} into a river: and so the Psalmist expressly describes the gushing out of the waters from the rock, that they ran in dry places like a river, Psal. cv. 41.    

The Hundred and Fifteenth Psalm.  
The hundred and fifteenth( by the Lxxii. and Syriack and latin and arabic and Aethiopick 
So also the Jewish Arab, who having begun the former Psalm with[ even as, O Lord, thou didst when Israel went out of egypt &c. begins this with {untranscribed Hebrew} even so, O Lord, thou dost not, or do thou not to us what we deserve but to thy name &c. So Kimchi notes it of some copies.  annexed to the former, but distinguished in the Hebrew and Chaldee) is a rendering of all glory to the true and onely God in opposition to all Idol-Deities, and a calling upon all sorts of men to place their whole affiance and trust in him.  
1. NOt 
a.  unto us, O Lord, not unto us, 
Tis not with us, O Lord, not with us,  but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy and for thy truths sake.  
O Lord, we sinful and vile men are most unable in the least degree to glorify thee, we are most unworthy of the least of all thy goodness, abundantly reached out unto us; no strength of ours hath contributed in the least to our felicities, no merit or desert of ours hath brought them down from thee by way of due or challenge: thine holy blessed and most glorious name, that hath wrought all in us and for us, must in all reason have the entire honour and praise of all; there being no other motive or impellent to excite or invite thy mercies but thine own mere grace and favour, and thy fidelity and immutable constancy to thy Covenant and promises freely made to us, which thou wilt never fail to perform.  
2. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?  
The heathen Idolaters round about us have not sped so well in their machinations or attempts against us, as to have any temptation to reproach us of the God we worship, that he is either unable or unwilling to help us.  
3. But our God is in the heavens, he hath done whatsoever he pleased.  
Though the God we worship be not here in any visible shape among us, as their Idols are, his court of residence, his palace and throne being in the highest heavens; yet hereby is he not so removed from us, but that he hath been always able to perform whatsoever he hath pleased, as readily and effectually as if he had been always bodily present among us.  
4. Their 
b.  idols are silver and gold, the work of mens hands.  
5. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;  
6. They have ears, but they hear not; noses have they, but they smell not;  
7. They have hands, but they handle not; feet have they, but they walk not, neither 
c.  
breath, or murmur,  speak they through their throats.  
8. They that make them are like unto them, so is every one that trusteth in them.  
Whereas the gods falsely so called, which the heathens worship, and from whom they expect relief and assistance, are nothing but so many lifeless images of wood, ston, or metal, conceived by them to be inspirited by the false deities to whose names they are consecrated, but have really not the least degree of sense or life in them: The materials whereof they are made are perfectly inanimate, and the artificers carving on them mouths, and eyes, and ears, and noses, and hands, and feet, and throats, is not at all available to give them the use or first faculty of language, or sight, or any other sense, or so much as of breath. And then they that can carve and work them to this end, specially those that can offer their prayers, repose their confidences in such inanimate statues, are certainly, as to any regular use of their faculties, as senseless, as irrational as any of them, act as contrary to all reasonable or animal rules, as mere images would do, if they were supposable to do any thing.  
9. O Israel, 
d.  trust thou in the Lord; he is their help and their shield.  
Whilst those, the best gods that other nations aclowledge, are thus perfectly impotent, the God of Israel is a God of goodness and of power, as able as willing to relieve them that trust in him. O let all that are admitted to the honour of being owned as his people, confidently rely and repose their trust in him.  
10. O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord; he is their help and their shield.  
And above all, those especially that draw nigh to him, wait on his altar, officiate in his divine service, are in peculiar manner obliged to offer up their prayers, and repose their affiance in him, who hath promised to be present and assistant to them, as those which are his proxyes and commissioners upon earth, to intercede betwixt God and man in things belonging to God.  
11. Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; he is their help and their shield.  
And the same is the duty, or rather privilege, of all faithful servants of God, to repose their whole trust in him, as one that will be sure never to fail them nor forsake them.  
12. The Lord hath been mindful of us, he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel, he will bless the house of Aaron.  
Of this we have had many experiences in the several acts of his power and mercy toward us, and each of those is a pawn and engagement to secure us of the continuance of the like both to our Church and State, Temple and people, whensoever we have need of it.  
13. He will bless them that fear the Lord, 
the small with the— {untranscribed Hebrew}  both small and great.  
And the same will he not fail to do to all true servants of his, of what condition soever they are in this world; the greatest Prince shall not have any privilege herein above the meanest peasant.  
14. The Lord shall increase 
upon you, upon you, and {untranscribed Hebrew}  you more and more, you and your children.  
And the same blessings which he bestoweth on such, he will continue and entail upon their posterity.  
15. Ye are the blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth.  
This is a prerogative indeed, wherein the pious man infinitely exceeds and surpasses all other men in the world, that he and his family, and all that come from him, are the peculiar province and care of the Creator of all the world; and what blessing is there that they may not confidently expect and depend on by that tenor?  
16. 
heavens of heavens {untranscribed Hebrew}  The heavens, even the heavens are the Lords; but the earth hath he given to the children of men.  
The highest heavens hath God provided for his own palace and court of residence; but the other part of the Universe, the inferior globe of earth and air and sea, hath he given to man, to have the dominion and use of the creatures that are therein.  
17. The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.  
18. But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the Lord.  
And to this vast bounty of his what praises and acknowledgements of ours can ever bear any proportion? The most we can do in discharge of this duty is, to bless and serve him constantly whilst we live here; and when we are gone off from this scene where this service is performed to him, and our bodies laid in their graves, where there is nothing but silence, no power or opportunities of serving or magnifying God any longer, to leave it as a legacy to our posterity through all successions unto the end of the world, that they may supply our delects, and sing continual hosannas and Hallelujahs to him for ever.  

Annotations on Psalm CXV.  
V. 1. Not unto us] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is literally to be rendered not with us, in the notion wherein that is said to be with us which we have, or is in our power: as {untranscribed Hebrew} Psal. Lxxiii. 25. who is with me? or, whom have I in heaven? and Gen. xxxiii. 9. {untranscribed Hebrew} enough with me, or I have enough.  
V. 4. Idols] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies literally grievances; and 'tis usually observed that the Jews imposed names of ill omen on the heathen Deities: so the feasts dedicated to them in their idiom are proportionably {untranscribed Hebrew} mourning, {untranscribed Hebrew} fear, and {untranscribed Hebrew} contrition. But the word {untranscribed Hebrew} which signifies to be sad and anxious, signifies also by Metonymy, to form or frame any thing very diligently( applied to Gods framing of us, Job x. 8. and to enemies distorting and depraving others words, Psal. Lvi. 5.) And in that notion of it also may be deduced {untranscribed Hebrew} here, the simulacra, idols or Images of the Gentiles, which being consecrated by their Priests, and thereby thought to be animated by those whose images they are, thenceforth are worshipped as Gods. So when 2 Sam. v. 21. we red that the philistines left there {untranscribed Hebrew} their images, 1 Chron. xiv. 12. it is {untranscribed Hebrew} their Gods. So S. Augustine De Civit. Dei l. viii. c. 23. tells us of the Theology of the heathens, received from Trismegistus, that the simulachra or statues were the bodies of their Gods, which by some magical ceremonies or {untranscribed Hebrew} were forced to join themselves as souls, and so animate and campaign those dead organs, to assume and inhabit them. So saith Minutius, Isli impuri spiritus sub statuis& imaginibus consecratis delitescunt, those impure spirits lye hide under the consecrated statues or images; and again, rapiunt ad se daemonia& omnem spiritum immundum per consecrationis obligamentum, they catch and force to them the devils, and every unclean spirit, by the band of consecration( the spirits are supposed to be annexed and bound to them by their magical rites and ceremonies.) So Arnobius cont. Gent. l. vi. Eos ipsos in his( signis) colitis, quos dedicatio infert sacra,& fabrilibus efficit inhabitare simulacris, the heathens in the images worship those which the dedication or consecration brings into them, and causes to dwell in their graved images. And so Proclus de Sacrif.& madge. mentions it as their common opinion, that the Gods were by their favour and help present in their images. And therefore the Tyrians fearing that Apollo would forsake them, bound his image with golden chains, supposing then the God could not depart from them. The like did the Athenians imagine, when they clipped the wings of the image of Victory; and the Sicilians in Cicero de Divin. who complain that they had no Gods in their iceland, because Verres had taken away all their statues: and so we know Laban, when he had lost his Teraphim, tells Jacob Gen. xxxi. 30. that he had stolln {untranscribed Hebrew} his Gods. And so of the Golden calf, after the feasts of consecration, proclamation is made before it, These be thy Gods, O Israel. But this of the animation and inspiriting of images by their rites of consecration being but a deception and fiction of their Priests, the Psalmist here discovers it, and assures all men, that they are as inanimate and senseless after the consecration as before, bare silver and gold, with images of mouths and ears &c. but without any power to use any of them, and consequently most unable to hear, or help their votaries.  
V. 7. Speak they] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here signifies, will be concluded by the context, which immediately before had mentioned their having mouths and not speaking. Here therefore( as there the proper action of the mouth was speech) the proper action of the throat or larynx seems to be intended, and that is to breath. So when Psal. xc. 9. he saith, we consume our dayes {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Targum reads {untranscribed Hebrew} as a vapour, i. e. breath of the mouth in winter. If it be not this, then sure 'tis an inarticulate sound, contradistinct from speaking. So Kimchi and Aben Ezra state it, and quote Isai. xxxviii. 14. where the word is applied to the murmuring of the dove.  
V. 9. Trust thou] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the imperative, trust thou, the Lxxii. appear to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} in the praeter tense, and so render it {untranscribed Hebrew} hath hoped, and so in v. 9,& 10. And so the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} they of the house of Israel trust. And if that were the true reading, the sense would well accord, in opposition to what went before, The idol-worshippers, that hope in their gods, are most senseless persons, lose all their prayers that are poured out to them, receive no aid or relief from them; but the house of Israel trust in the Lord of heaven, make their addresses to him, and they receive the benefit of their trusts and prayers, {untranscribed Hebrew} he is their help and their shield, he actually defends and assists them, when they thus depend on him. But the Hebrew reading is to be adhered to, and the sense is the same either way. The Jewish Arab altering the signification from the imperative, paraphraseth, and as the house of Israel hath trusted in the Lord, because he &c. v. 12. so the Lord will be mindful of us, and will bless us &c.    

The Hundred and Sixteenth Psalm.  
The hundred and sixteenth is a grateful acknowledgement of Gods seasonable deliverances, and gracious returns to the prayers of his afflicted distressed servant, which are to be answered with vows of new obedience, and entire affiance in God. It is thought to have been composed by David upon his delivery from the rebellion of Absolom, after which he immediately had the liberty to return to the sanctuary and public assembly at Jerusalem, v. 14, and 18, and 19. but may possibly, and not unfitly, belong to the return from the captivity( see note a.)  
1. 
I desired that the Lord would hear my voice, my  
a.  I Love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.  
2. 
That he would incline  Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, 
and in my dayes I will call upon him.  therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.  
I made my prayer to the Lord the God of heaven, that he would in his good time give audience to my cries which I daily poured out before him, that he would at length be graciously pleased to consider my distress. When calamities approach or seize upon me, I have nothing to apply myself to, but my prayers to heaven, and those I shall not fail to poure out before God.  
3. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell 
found me {untranscribed Hebrew}  gate hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.  
4. Then called I upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee deliver my soul.  
At this time my dangers were very great, I was pursued close, and encompassed with my enemies, who were purposely sent as the messengers of death unto me; and having no way of rescue from any human means, I then addressed myself to the over-ruling help and providence of God, and to him I humbly and importunately came, beseeching this seasonable deliverance from him.  
5. gracious is the Lord and righteous, yea our God is merciful.  
And thus I concluded with myself, that whatever my pressures were, yet God was both merciful and faithful, and would certainly make good his promised mercy to me;  
6. The Lord preserveth the 
or little ones {untranscribed Hebrew}  simplo: I was brought low, and he helped me.  
That 'twas his proper attribute to be the supporter of the weak, the reliever of them that are in distress: and accordingly so hath he dealt with me in my greatest destitution.  
7. return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.  
8. For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.  
9. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.  
And now being thus rescued by him, and delivered out of the sad condition that encompassed me, I have nothing to do, but to serve God in all sincerity and integrity of conversation, cheerfully and constantly, all my dayes which God shall afford me in this world; at the present devoutly to return to the Ark, the place where God is pleased to presentiate himself, and there in great tranquillity to celebrate that mercy which hath afforded me this signal deliverance.  
10. I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted.  
11. I said in my 
flight,( see note on Psal. xxxi. g.)  hast, All men are liars.  
I had a full trust and repose and affiance in God, and therefore I did and spake thus: When my afflictions were at the greatest( see 2 Cor. iv. 13.) when I was in my flight, I was sufficiently convinced that the arm of flesh was unable to yield me any relief( Psal. cviii. 12.) men might promise, and either prove false( as those now did that David had most reason to depend on, his own son, Achitophel, &c.) or impotent: there was, I know, but one sure hold, to which it is tolerably prudent to resort, the never-failing omnipotent hand of God, and to that I betook myself entirely, and from that I received my deliverance.  
12. What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits toward me?  
13. I will take the 
b.  cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.  
14. I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people.  
15. 
c.  Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.  
For this and all other the abundant mercies which I have received from God, I am now by all obligations concerned to make my most thankful acknowledgements, and to do it in the solemnest manner, in the presence of the whole assembly, by way of public festival, blessing and magnifying his holy name, that he hath not permitted my enemies to have their will of me, that he hath preserved my life, and not delivered it up into their hands, that he hath kept it as a jewel of his own cabinet, as being by me humbly deposited with and entrusted to him. And thus he always deals with those that rely and depend on him( see note b. on Psal. Lxxxvi.)  
16. O Lord, 
I pray thee {untranscribed Hebrew}  truly I am thy servant, I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid; thou hast loosed my bands.  
17. I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.  
18. I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people,  
19. In the courts of the Lords house, in the mids of thee O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord.  
O blessed Lord, how am I obliged to thee by all the bonds that any engagement can lay upon me? No servant bought with a price or born in a mans house can be more closely bound to him, than I who have been rescued from the utmost danger by thee. What remains but that I should return to thee the humblest offerings of praise and prayer, spend my whole life as a vowed oblation to thy service, render thee all possible praise in the public assembly, in thy sanctuary, in the solemnest manner that is possible? Blessed be the name of the Lord.  

Annotations on Psalm CXVI.  
V. 1. I love the Lord] For the right understanding of the two first verses, we must observe one special use of {untranscribed Hebrew}( when it stands by itself absolutely without any noun after it, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as here it doth) for wishing or desiring. So Am. iv. 5. for so {untranscribed Hebrew} ye have desired. So Jer. v. 31. my people {untranscribed Hebrew} wished, desired it so. Thus {untranscribed Hebrew}, by which the Lxxii. render it in all these places, signifies in Greek to desire; {untranscribed Hebrew}, saith Phavorinus. Hence {untranscribed Hebrew} 'tis a verb of wishing. And then {untranscribed Hebrew} will be best rendered, I wished that the Lord would hear; and so I suppose the Lxxii. meant by {untranscribed Hebrew}, I desired that( not because) he will or would hear. Accordingly the Syriack renders it {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew}, which is of the same importance with {untranscribed Hebrew}, I wished that the Lord would hear. So the Jewish Arab, I desire not but that the Lord would hear my voice, and my supplication, and that he would harken unto me when I call, in or by reason of what I find( or meet with) in my dayes. And then v. 2. follows currently, {untranscribed Hebrew} that he would incline his ear to me; the Syriack reads, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and that he would incline his care to me, in conjunction with the former verse. Then follows {untranscribed Hebrew} and in my dayes will I call, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  by dayes, I suppose, signifying calamities, as Ps. xxxvii. 12 his day is coming, i. e. his distress, {untranscribed Hebrew} the day of his calamity, saith the Targum. So Obad. 12. the day of thy brother is the time of their being carried captive v. 11. So the day of Jerusalem, Ps. cxxxvii. 7. So Isa. xiii. 22. {untranscribed Hebrew} his dayes shall not be removed far, his time is come, is the time of his contrition, saith the Targum. The Syriack indeed leave out the ו there, as redundant, and red {untranscribed Hebrew} in the( not my) day wherein I call him. In which also they depart from the Hebrew punctation of {untranscribed Hebrew}. Without either of those changes the rendering will be most facile, I wished or desired that the Lord would hear {untranscribed Hebrew} my voice; or perhaps the voice( so {untranscribed Hebrew} may be rendered, the י being oft redundant,& so both the Syriack and the Lxxii. understands it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the voice) {untranscribed Hebrew} of my supplications, in the genitive case; or by apposition, my voice, my supplications, that he would incline his ear unto me, In my dayes will I invoke or call upon him. The rendering these verses in the praeter sense, he hath heard, he hath inclined, is quiter contrary to the following verses, which mention the distresses as approaching, and growing still more and more upon him, v. 3, 4. To what times this refers, and what were those his dayes must be uncertain, and onely matter of conjecture. 'tis ordinarily thought to be a Psalm of David, and then it most probably belongs to the time of his flight from Absolom, to which his hast, or speed, or flight, ver. 11. probably determins it; and then ver. 14, 18, 19. must refer to his return to the sanctuary at Jerusalem, after the quelling of that rebellion: and to this, as being the most received sense, I have set the paraphrase. Yet some indications there are which make it probable to have been written after the Captivity( and then the dayes here must be like the day of thy brother, and of Jerusalem forementioned, denoting the captivity, and so their flight also v. 9. their being carried captive, and v. 14, 18, 19. the celebrating of their return to the service of God in the Temple) viz. the Chaldee idiom observable v. 7. in the words {untranscribed Hebrew}, and {untranscribed Hebrew}, and v. 12. in {untranscribed Hebrew}, where the Chaldee or Syriack suffix {untranscribed Hebrew} is visible.  
V. 13. Cup of salvation] {untranscribed Hebrew} the cup of deliverances, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  for which the Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} the Cup of redemptions. This was either more solemn in the Temple, by the Priest, or more private in the family. The former the drink-offering, or strong wine poured out in the holy place Num. xxviii. 7. Of this R. Sol. Jarchi interprets it, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. I will bring the drink-offering of praise which I vowed. And to this of the Temple the Praise may most reasonably be applied, because, as the Jewish Doctors tell us, {untranscribed Hebrew} the Levites repeat not the song of the oblation, but only over the drink-offering. Yet there was also the more private in their families, the cup of thanksgiving or commemoration of any deliverance received. This the master of the family was wont to begin, and was followed by all his guests. S. Paul calls it {untranscribed Hebrew} {untranscribed Hebrew}, the cup of blessing, that which was drank as a symbol of thanksgiving and blessing, and had forms of commemoration and praise joined with it; and so by the Fathers, Justin Martyr, &c.( used of the Sacrament) is called {untranscribed Hebrew}, the wine that hath thanksgiving said over it. The use of it was either daily after each meal, or more solemn at a festival. In the daily use of it, they had this form, {untranscribed Hebrew}, Blessed be our God the Lord of the world, who hath created the fruit of the vine. But on festival dayes there was joined with it an hymn proper for the day( as upon the Passeover, for the deliverance out of egypt) as we see Mat. xxvi. 30. where the Paschal commemoration or postcoenium, advanced by Christ into the Sacrament of his blood, was concluded after the Jewish custom, with an hymn. And so here with the cup of salvations is joined {untranscribed Hebrew} a calling upon the name of the Lord. And both the more private and the solemn performance of this, with all the magnificent rites of solemnity belonging to it, is called the paying of vows to the Lord, that thanksgiving and acknowledgement which men in distress may be supposed to promise, upon condition of deliverance, or if they promise not, are however bound to perform, as a due return or payment for their deliverance.  
V. 15. precious] The notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} in this place for rare or precious, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  must be so taken, as not to signify that which is spoken of to be desirable to, or in the presence of the Lord, for it is the life, not the death of his servants, that is precious in that sense to God the preserver of their lives. But for their death to be precious is in effect no more, than that it is so considered, ranted at so high a price by God, as that he will not easily grant it to any one that most desires it of him. Absolom here hostilely pursued David, and desired his death, he would have been highly gratified with it, taken it for the greatest boon that could have befallen him: but God would not thus gratify him; nor will he grant this desire easily to the enemies of godly men, especially of those that commit themselves to his keeping, as David here did, and therefore is called Gods {untranscribed Hebrew}( see note b. on Psal. Lxxxvi.) for to such his most signal preservations do belong peculiarly. The Jewish Arab here reads, precious with the Lord {untranscribed Hebrew} the putting to death his saints, or giving up to death.    

The Hundred and Seventeenth Psalm.  
The hundred and seventeenth is a solemn acknowledgement of Gods mercy and fidelity, and an exhortation to all the world to praise him for it.  
1. O Praise the Lord, all ye 
a.  nations; praise him, all ye people.  
2. For his merciful kindness is great toward us; and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.  
All the heathen nations of the world, and all the people dispersed over the face of the earth, have a singular obligation, as well as the children of Israel( Abrahams seed according to the flesh) to praise and magnify the name of God( see Rom. xv. 11.) and that especially for his great and transcendent mercy toward them in the work of their redemption, and the promulgation of his Gospel to them, wherein his promise of mercy to Abraham and his seed for ever, i. e. to his true spiritual posterity, to the sons and heirs of his Faith, unto the end of the world, shall be most exactly performed, and therein his fidelity, as well as mercy, manifested.  

Annotations on Psalm CXVII.  
V. 1. Nations] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  all the nations here, and in the next word, {untranscribed Hebrew} all people, signify in the greatest latitude all the nations and people of the gentle world, even {untranscribed Hebrew} the whole creation, and {untranscribed Hebrew} the whole world, Mar. xvi. 15. appears both by Mat. xxviii. 19. where parallel to those phrases in S. mark is no more than {untranscribed Hebrew} all the nations here; but especially by Rom. xv. where for a proof of Gods purpose that the Gentiles should be received into the Church, and join with the believing Jews in one consort of Christian love and faith, and praise God together in the same congregation, the proof is brought as from several other texts, so from these words in this Psalm. And this not onely by express citing v. 11. And again, Praise the Lord all ye nations, and laud him all ye people, but also in the front of the testimonies by the phrases {untranscribed Hebrew} for the truth of God, v. 8. {untranscribed Hebrew} for the mercy or pitty( of God) v. 9. both which are here mentioned v. 2. For thus the discourse there lies, Christ was a minister of the circumcision, i. e. was by God appointed an instrument of the Jews greatest good, preaching the Gospel first to them, calling them to repentance, &c. and this for the truth of God, i. e. to make good Gods fidelity or performance of covenant to them, {untranscribed Hebrew} to confirm the promises made to the fathers, i. e. to Abraham &c. {untranscribed Hebrew}, and that the Gentiles for his mercy might glorify God: where though this preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles was a work of mercy, not so much as promised to or looked for by them, and so there is nothing but {untranscribed Hebrew} pity, compassion toward them; yet is this an effect of that ministry of Christ, which was {untranscribed Hebrew} for the truth of God, i. e. a completion of that promise made to Abraham, that he should be the father of many nations, which had never its perfect completion till the Gentiles came, and sat down with Abraham, became sons of this faith of Abraham, in this kingdom of heaven, the Church of Christ. And exactly to this sense the second verse of this Psalm is to be understood, as the reason why all the gentle world is to praise and magnify the name of God, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  &c. because the mercy of God is strong upon us, {untranscribed Hebrew} was confirmed say the Lxxii. and latin, and the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew}, from {untranscribed Hebrew} grew strong, was in full force upon us, i. e. all that mercy which is promised to Abraham for his spiritual as well as carnal seed, is fully made good {untranscribed Hebrew} upon us( in which respect those words Rom. xv. 8. {untranscribed Hebrew}— to confirm the promises of the fathers, may reasonably be thought to refer to these words in this Psalm, the making good of Gods mercy to us, being, as in words, so in sense, parallel to confirming the promises to the Fathers) and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever, i. e. Gods fidelity, which consists in an exact performance of his promise, endureth to the end of the world; because though the Jews for their unbelief were cut off, yet the Gentiles, the seed of Abrahams faith, were grafted in, and so Gods promise of making him a father of many nations fully performed in the vocation of the Gentiles, at the time of the Jews obduration and apostasy. Thus much is manifest; yet perhaps it may be farther observable, that the {untranscribed Hebrew} strong here attributed to the mercy of God, is the known title of the messiah Isa. ix. 6. For though the late Jews have endeavoured to interpret that place of Hezekiah, whom they there style {untranscribed Hebrew} the Lord of eight names, Talmud tract. Sanhedr. c. Chelek; yet the Targum and others have resolved it to belong to the Messiah, and so {untranscribed Hebrew}, and {untranscribed Hebrew} to be two of his names. And so indeed the mystery of our Redemption is to be looked on as an eminent exertion of the power of God, Act. ii. 33. the Incarnation is showing strength with Gods arm, Luk. i. 51. and the Angel that brings the news of it, and( as the Jews tell us) hath his name correspondent to the employment he manages, is Gabriel, from this word {untranscribed Hebrew} strong. And so above all, the power was remarkable in his Resurrection, which was wrought by Gods right hand, Act. ii. 33.& v. 31. to this add that {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which follows, is taken notice of to be another of the names of the Messiah; and the Midrasch Tehillim observes, that that word comprehends all the letters in the Alphabet, א the first, מ the middlemost, and ת the last, as Rev. i. 8. he is called Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.    

The Hundred and eighteen Psalm.  
The hundred and eighteen Psalm seems to be a gratulatory hymn to David upon his full and most undisturbed possession of the kingdom, after the Ark was brought to Jerusalem, as may be conjectured from ver. 19, 20, 26, 27. and was probably appointed to be sung at the feast of Tabernacles, v. 15.( some parts of it in the person of the people, and others, by way of alternation, in the person of the King himself) the most joyful solemnity in the whole year, as about which time the armies returned home from the field, and Hosanna v. 25. the acclamation then used of course, though no extraordinary accident had happened. It is applied both by our Saviour, Mat. xxi. 42. and by S. Peter, 1 Pet. ii. 4. to Christ the Son of David, as by his ascension he was installed to be the King, and so the head corner-stone of the Church; and it is therefore made up of lauds and praises to God for all his mercies.  
1. O Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, because his mercy endureth for ever.  
2. Let Israel now confess that his mercy endureth for ever.  
3. Let the house of Aaron now say that his mercy endureth for ever.  
4. Let them now that fear the Lord say that his mercy endureth for ever.  
It is now a fit season for all, people and Priests, especially for all truly pious men,( the most concerned and interested persons) to laud and magnify the great goodness and constant mercies of God toward us, let all therefore join uniformly in the performance of it.  
5. I called unto the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, 
with enlargement, {untranscribed Hebrew}  and set me in a large place.  
When I was brought into great distress,( may David now say) I addressed my prayers to God for deliverance, and he presently sent me a most seasonable relief.  
6. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear what man can do unto me.  
And having God to take my part, I have no reason to apprehended the power or malice of man, whatsoever it is.  
7. The Lord 
is to me among my helpers {untranscribed Hebrew}  taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I 
look upon, see note on Ps. cxii. a.  see my desire upon them that hate me.  
As long as he is on my side to support and assist me, I shall not fear to meet an whole host of enemies.  
8. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put any confidence in man.  
9. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put any confidence in Princes.  
He that reposeth his whole trust in God, hath thereby a far better security than all the Princes or men in the world can yield him.  
10. All nations compassed me about; 
in the name of the Lord will I trust, therefore I will- see note a.  but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them.  
11. They compassed me about, yea they compassed me about; 
see v. 10.  but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.  
Let all the men and nations in the world begird me never so close, and leave me no way in human sight for mine escape and relief, yet I have my confidence in God; and being thus fortified with ammunition and auxiliaries from heaven, I shall make no doubt to repel and destroy them all.  
12. They compassed me about like bees, 
a.  they 
or flamed  are quenched as the fire of thorns, 
In the name— see v. 10.  for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.  
Let them swarm about me as thick as bees, seize on me with the same violence that the fire doth upon 
chaff, sir.  chaff or thorns which it presently sets a flaming and consumes; yet being thus armed as I am with a full trust and reliance on the omnipotent power of God, I shall escape their fury, and cut them off, in stead of being destroyed by them.  
13. Thou hast thrust sore at me, 
b.  
to ruin or falling  that I might fall: but the Lord helped me.  
Mine enemies violence was so great, that I had no power to resist it, but was just ready ●o fall and sink under it: and just then, when my distress was greatest, God interposed for my relief.  
14. The Lord is my strength and my song, and is become my salvation.  
On him have I always depended as my onely support, him have I always acknowledged and praised, and expressed my confidence in him; and accordingly now in time of my want he hath rescued me, and set me in perfect safety.  
15. The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the Lord doth valiantly,  
16. The right hand of the Lord 
c.  is exalted, the right hand of the Lord doth valiantly.  
And thus it is with all that adhere steadfastly to their obedience to, and trust in God; their whole lives are made up of receiving and celebrating mercies and deliverances from God, such as his omnipotent hand worketh for them, either without the assistance of human aids, or so as the success is eminently imputable to God and not to man.  
17. I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.  
And having received this instance of his mercy at this time, being now secured from my greatest dangers, what remains for me, but to spend my whole age in proclaiming the power, and mercy, and fidelity of my deliverer, and call all men off from their vain and weak trusts, the arm of flesh, to this more skilful and politic dependence on God?  
18. The Lord hath chastened me sore; but he hath not given me over unto death.  
God hath most justly delivered me up to be severely punished, pursued and hunted by my enemies; but then hath seasonably delivered me out of their hands, and not permitted me to be overwhelmed by them.  
19. Open to me the gates of righteousness: occasions as may make way for the praising God, I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord.  
20. This 
is the gate {untranscribed Hebrew}  gate of the Lord into which the righteous shall enter.  
The sanctuary of God, the holy place whither all good men resort, to petition mercies, and to aclowledge them when they are received, is that to which, as I am most bound, I will now make my most solemn address, and there commemorate Gods mercies to me. Or, I will make use of all 
so the Jewish Arab.   
21. I will praise thee, for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.  
Proclaiming to all the gracious returns I have received to my prayers, the abundant and seasonable deliverances which God hath afforded me.  
22. 
d.  The ston which the builders refused, is become the head-stone of the corner.  
23. This 
was from the Lord {untranscribed Hebrew}  is the Lords doing, it is marvellous in our eyes.  
And now may all the assembly of Israel rejoice, and join in their congratulations, that being now fallen out in King Davids exaltation to the throne( and much more eminently in the resurrection and ascension of the Messiah) which is ordinarily said,( whether by way of History or Parable) that the ston which, in the laying the foundation of some eminent building, was oft tried by the builders, and as oft rejected by them, as unfit for their use to any part of the fabric, and thereupon ●●st among and covered over with rubbish, was at length, when they wanted a ston for the most eminent use, the coupling and justing the whole fabric together, found most exactly fitted for the turn, and so put in the most honourable place, the chief corner of the building. A thing so unexpected and strange, that it was with reason judged as special an act of Gods providence, as if it had been sent them down immediately from heaven. As strange was it, and as imputable to Gods special hand, that David, of no eminent family, the son of Jesse, and withall the youngest and most despised of his brethren, should be in Sauls stead exalted by God to the regal throne, and being for this driven by Saul from his court, and pursued as a partridge on the mountains, should yet continually escape his hand, and be peaceably placed in his throne. And so yet farther in the mystery, that the Messiah, the Son of a Carpenters wife, with him brought up in the trade, that whilst he made known the will of God had no dwelling-place, that was rejected by the chief of the Jews, as a drunkard and glutton, and one that acted by the Devil, as a blasphemous and seditious person, and as such put to the vilest death, the death of the across, and was held some space under the power of the grave, should be raised the third day from death, taken up to heaven, and there sit in his throne to rule and exercise regal power over his Church for ever. This certainly was a work purely divine, and so ought to be acknowledged and admired by us.  
24. This is the day the Lord hath made: we will rejoice and be glad in it.  
25. Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, sand now prosperity.  
This day is the celebrating of a mercy wrought eminently, signally and peculiarly by the Lord( 'twas he that exalted David to the throne, and he that will advance the messiah to his regality in heaven) and thereby peculiarly consecrated by God to his service, and so for ever deserves to be solemnized by us, being matter of the greatest joy imaginable to all subjects, either of Davids or of Christs kingdom( and so this Psalm fit for a Paschal Psalm in the Church of Christ for ever.) Now it is seasonable to use Hosannahs( see note on Psal. xx. d. and Mat. xxi. a.) acclamations and wishes of all manner of prosperity to this King exalted by God, David, the type of the Messiah. Let us all join in doing it most solemnly, crying, people and priest together,  
26. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: we have blessed you 
from {untranscribed Hebrew}  out of the house of the Lord.  
The Lord be praised for the great mercy of this King, sent us so peculiarly by God, but especially for the messiah, whose coming hath been so long promised and expected( see Mat. xxi. 9.) All we that belong to the house of God, the Priests that wait on his sanctuary, do hearty bless God for this day, and beseech his blessing on him that is now crwoned: and so shall all the Church of the messiah for ever celebrate him, bless God for his exaltation, and pray to God to prosper this regal office unto him, bringing in the whole world unto his service.  
27. God is the Lord 
and hath shined upon us {untranscribed Hebrew}  which hath shewed us light: bind the 
e.  sacrifice with cords, even to the horns of the altar.  
Thus hath God shewed forth himself as in mercy, so in power for us; he hath magnified himself, exercised this double act of his dominion over the world, 1. in raising David from so mean an estate to the Regal throne, 2. in raising Christ from death to life, and then assuming him to an entire dominion over the world, to endure to the day of judgement. And in both these he hath revived us with the most cheerful beams of his divine goodness. O let us in commemoration thereof keep an anniversary sacrificial feast( see v. 24.) to praise and magnify his name for these and all his mercies, every man giving thanks and saying,  
28. Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.  
I will laud and praise thy mercies, so eminently vouchsafed unto me, and in so peculiar a manner enhanced to the benefit of my soul, and proclaim thy goodness and superlative divine excellencies to all the world:  
29. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever.  
Calling unto all to confess and extol thy acts of providence and divine dispensation, wherein thou hast most graciously exhibited thyself to us, and from time to time continued to oblige us, and so wilt continue for ever.  

Annotations on Psalm CXVIII.  
V. 12. Quenched] {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which from {untranscribed Hebrew} to be extinguished, or go out, is regularly interpnted, quenched, is yet by the ancient interpreters far otherwise rendered. The Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} burning, and the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} were on fire, the arabic inflamed, and the latin exarserunt, they burnt or flamed; which makes it probable, that as many other words in the Hebrew language are used in contrary senses( see Mr. Pocock in his Miscellany notes cap. 2.) so {untranscribed Hebrew}, which signifies in other places passively to be consumed or extinguish●, may signify here, as an {untranscribed Hebrew}, to flamme, or in an active sense, as in arabic 'tis used, violently to break in or set upon, as in war or contention, when men violently rush one on another. So R. Solomon on the place, notes the signification of {untranscribed Hebrew} to be sudden leaping, used therefore of fire and water, for their sudden leaping out of their place, and then applied to fire, it will be flaming. And thus it best agrees with that which follows, as fire among the thorns, for 'tis certain that flames violently: and thus it best connects with the antecedents, the other example of their coming about him like bees, with which 'tis joined without any note of disjunction. This I say, because all the ancient interpreters, except the Syriack, agree in this rendering; and the Syriack retaining the Hebrew word {untranscribed Hebrew}, must be interpnted to the same sense that shall appear to belong to the Hebrew, and by the addition of the copulative and, doth rather incline to this sense, They came about me like bees, and they— If this be not it, then the meaning of those interpreters must be supposed to be, that as the fire among thorns is soon extinguished by the consumption of the thorns, so for the time that it burns, it flames extremely; and so the similitude of his enemies is supposed to hold in the burning, as well as the extinction,( and so 'tis observed of the bees that they die, or lose all vigour, when they sting, animasque in vulnere ponunt) and then still this divolves to the same effect or purpose. But for the notation of the word itself, that 'tis here used in the sense of flaming, and not being extinguished, one farther argument may be drawn from the whole contexture, specially from the phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} in the name of the Lord, and the {untranscribed Hebrew} which follows, both thrice repeated in the same manner v. 10, 11, 12. thus, All nations compassed me about; {untranscribed Hebrew} in the name of the Lord, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  therefore( so saith the Chaldee, and so {untranscribed Hebrew} oft signifies) I will destroy them. That the words are to be rendered by supply of an ellipsis from v. 9. I will trust in the name of the Lord, rather than by reading {untranscribed Hebrew} in construction before in the name of the Lord, and so rendering it for in the former, and but in this verse, we are taught by the Chaldee, who thus render that verse, All people compassed me about; I trusted in the name of the word of the Lord, {untranscribed Hebrew} therefore I shall cut them off. And so again v. 11. They compassed me about, they compassed me about; In the name of the word of the Lord {untranscribed Hebrew} I trusted, therefore I shall cut them off. And then in all reason so it must be here, v. 12. In the name of the Lord I trusted, therefore I shall destroy them. And if so it be, then the former part of the verse, if it go on in the same scheme with the former two verses, must most probably set down the enemies besieging, and assaults only, leaving their destruction to the last words of the verse, as in the two former it was; and then {untranscribed Hebrew} must signify they were inflamed, or burnt, as the fire among the thorns, or else it will not belong to that sense. The other rendering is prest with divers, but especially with this inconvenience, that after he hath said they are quenched or extinct, he is supposed to add, that he will destroy them, which cannot in propriety belong to those that are extinct, i. e. destroyed already. And whereas our English endeavours to help that, by rendering {untranscribed Hebrew} for in this verse, whereas it was rendered but v. 10. and 11. first there is no appearance of reason for that change, but to answer this objection, to facilitate this rendering,( of which the principal doubt is;) and secondly, it doth not perform what it pretends to, for it cannot be any reason( so for notes) of their being extinct already, that he will, or hath confidence that he shall destroy them. If therefore the notion of quenching be still retained, it must be by taking the praeter tense in signification of the future, thus, they compassed me like bees, they shall be extinct— So the Jewish Arab takes it, If or though they compass &c. certainly they shall be extinguished— making {untranscribed Hebrew} a particle of asseveration, as Abu Walid notes.  
V. 13. That I might fall] The full importance of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is best expressed gerundially, ad cadendum, to falling, not only to express their desire who thus prest and thrust at him, that he might fall, for that is supposed in the violence of their impulsion, expressed by repetition of the verb {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast by thrusting thrust me, but to signify the event or success of it, that I was falling, or ready to fall, {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Lxxii. in the infinitive mood gerundially, and so the Chaldee and the Syriack; and so the Jewish Arab, It is a long while that thou hast driven or thrust me to falling. And this expresses the greatness and seasonableness of the deliverance, that when he was falling, God helped him.  
V. 16. Is exalted] For the passive notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which the Chaldee follows, reading {untranscribed Hebrew} exalted, the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, hath exalted me, and so the Syriack and latin and arabic; either from the active notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} exaltavit, elevavit, wherein we have it v. 28. {untranscribed Hebrew} I will exalt thee, from which {untranscribed Hebrew} is the participle, and so literally signifies exalting; or else expressing the sense by a short paraphrase, Gods right hand being therefore said to be exalted, as also to do valiantly, because it had exalted him, and given him victory over his enemy.  
V. 22. The ston] The author of Historia Scholastica mentions it as a Tradition, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that at the building of the second Temple, there was a particular ston of which that was literally true which is here parabolically rehearsed, viz. that it had the hap to be often taken up by the builders, and as oft rejected, and at last was found to be perfectly fit for the most honourable place, that of the chief corner-stone, which coupled the sides of the walls together, the extraordinariness whereof occasioned the speech here following, This is of the Lord, and it is marvellous in our eyes. If there were indeed any such tradition of the Jews, as he reporteth, and truth in the tradition, it were necessary to resolve that this Psalm was made at the {untranscribed Hebrew} or dedication and consecration of the second Temple, or on some like occasion after that. But although these two verses thus historically interpnted might incline to that date of it,( and then the gates of righteousness v. 19. would well refer to the gate of the second Atrium, the public solemn way into the temple, by which the Jews and Proselytes of righteousness entred, the Proselytes of the gates entering only the first court) yet the rest of the Psalm is not so agreeable thereto, being much more applicable to David in respect of the difficulties which he had overcome in his way to the kingdom. And accordingly the Chaldee interpret all the verses to the end expressly of him, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. The builders despised the youth which was among the sons of Jessai, and he deserved to be constituted {untranscribed Hebrew} the King and Ruler. This hath been from the Lord, said the builders; this is wonderful in our eyes, said the sons of Jessai. The Lord made this day, said the builders; let us rejoice and be glad in it, said the sons of Jessai. We pray thee, O Lord, bestow salvation now, said the builders; we pray thee, O Lord, prosper us now, said the sons of Jessai. Blessed is he which cometh in the name of the word of the Lord, said the builders; let them bless you from the house of the sanctuary of the Lord, said David. The Lord our God hath shined on us, said the tribes of the house of Judah; bind the young lamb( {untranscribed Hebrew}, the latin absurdly renders it puerum) f●● a sacrifice of solemnity with chains till you have sacrificed him, and poured out his blood upon the horns of the altar, said Samuel the Prophet. Thou art my God, I will confess before thee; thou art my God, I will praise thee, said David. Samuel answered and said, Praise ye, all ye congregation of Israel, confess before the Lord that he is good, that his mercy endureth for ever. This makes it not unreasonable to resolve, that the whole Psalm belongs to David, and that it was composed either by him, or by some other in commemoration of his exaltation to, and full possession of the kingdom; which being from a very low condition, and other the like circumstances of improbability, it was very fitly resembled by this of the ston which the builders refused &c. whether that were a story of any real passage, or whether only an emblem and parabolical expression of what was here done; and both that emblem and this real exaltation of David a most lively type of the humiliation and exaltation of the Messiah, and his ascension, and taking possession of heaven, and so is made use of Mat. xxi. 42. Mar. xii. 10. Luk. xxi. 17. Act. iv. 11. Eph. ii. 20. 1 Pet. ii. 4. and by way of prophesy, Isai. xxviii. 16. And to him it belongs more eminently and more completely, than to Davids person it could, the tribes of Israel and Judah being not divided before, and so not united by David; whereas Christ of Jew and gentle made one Church, and so was most literally the chief corner-stone, that coupled the walls and knit the building together, which cannot so literally be affirmed of David. Of this we have the confession of the Jews themselves. Sol. Jarchi on Mich. v. 2. saith, Out of Bethlehem shall come {untranscribed Hebrew} Messiah the son of David, {untranscribed Hebrew} so he( the Psalmist) saith, the ston which the builders refused, &c.( And so v. 15. the voice of joy &c. Kimchi& Jarchi refer to the days of the Messiah, as from the stones of Israel Gen. 29.24. they fetch their dream of their suffering messiah Ben Joseph, or Ben Ephraim.)  
V. 27. Sacrifice] The Hebrew word here is {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which is ordinarily used for a festival, but sometimes by metonymy signifies the sacrifice used at such times. So Exo. xxiii. 18. the fat {untranscribed Hebrew}, not of my feast, but {untranscribed Hebrew} of my festival sacrifice, saith the Chaldee. So Isa. xxix. 1. {untranscribed Hebrew} behead or kill the sacrifices. So Amos v. 21. where we red, I hate, I despise {untranscribed Hebrew}, it is most probably to be rendered your sacrifices: for as what follows, I will not smell in your solemn assemblies, must be understood of the smoke of their sacrifice, or their incense, {untranscribed Hebrew} oblation saith the Chaldee, and the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} sacrifices, and not of the dayes or assemblies themselves; so the ensuing verse is express, Though you offer me burnt-offerings and meat-offerings, I will not accept them. So Mal. ii. 3. the dung {untranscribed Hebrew}( in all probability) of their sacrifices. And thus have the Chaldee rendered it in this place, {untranscribed Hebrew} the young lamb for a festival sacrifice. Of this 'tis here said, {untranscribed Hebrew} bind it with cords, as the sacrifice is wont to be when 'tis killed, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  even to the horns of the altar; i. e. after 'tis bound, kill it, and do all other things preparatory to the offering it up, till at last you lay it upon the altar, and sprinkle the blood on the horns of it. So Kimchi and Jarchi literally expound this of bringing the sacrifice bound, till he came to the altar, {untranscribed Hebrew}. But the Jewish Arab will have it signify the continuance or being instant in sacrificing or bringing sacrifices. The horns of the altar were on every corner of it, Exo. xxvii. 1. and so by sprinkling the blood on the horns of the altar, was perhaps meant the sprinkling it round about( so we know the appointment was Exod. xxix. 15, 16. Thou shalt take the ram— and thou shalt take his blood and sprinkle it round about upon the altar; so Lev. i. 5. they shall sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar.) Or else sprinkling it on the horns was the shorter way( see Lev. iv. 7, 18. and c. viii. 15. and c. ix. 9. and xvi. 18.) and was by interpretation the sprinkling it round about, every horn representing the side next that corner. But for binding the sacrifice to the horns of the altar, whilst it was killed, we find no such custom in the Law; and therefore sure the words are to be interpnted by supposing an ellipsis in them, which is to be supplied as the Chaldee hath done, bind it with bands till ye have sacrificed it, and poured the blood thereof upon the horns of the altar. But from the ambiguity of {untranscribed Hebrew} used frequently for a feast, the Lxxii. have far departed from this sense, and red {untranscribed Hebrew}, appoint the feast in condensis,( the vulgar renders it) in the thick boughs; and so Hesychius, {untranscribed Hebrew}. But also {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies to hid or cover; {untranscribed Hebrew}, saith he. And so the Lxxii. here may have used it for the booths or tabernacles, of which the Jews had a {untranscribed Hebrew} or feast yearly. However though I suppose them to have receded from the true meaning of the words already shewed, yet they seem to have had a meaning very commodious to the Hosannah foregoing, v. 25. For as there was use of those acclamations at the feast of tabernacles( in that notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}) so to them were adjoined branches of trees &c. as we see in the Gospel, where they cut down branches from the trees, and strewed them in the way, and cried Hosannah. And so Neh. viii. 15. go forth and fetch Olive branches, and Pine branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees; the Hebrew reads {untranscribed Hebrew}, the very word which is here used for a band or cord, and is there rendered by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} thick wood( as here {untranscribed Hebrew}) perhaps it were better rendered wood of bands, i. e. bundles of wood, for so Elias Levita tells us in his Thisbi, that to bind up Hosannahs was to bind up bundles of willow boughs, which were most used in the feast of tabernacles. And so by {untranscribed Hebrew}, they probably meant the feast of Tabernacles, celebrated with willow boughs, with which they strewed and adorned the court of the Temple, {untranscribed Hebrew}, even to the horns of the altar. The Syriack here red, bind with chains {untranscribed Hebrew} their latin renders it solennitates, solemnities; but this sure( proportionable to the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}) for the sacrifices used at those solemnities, as when eating the feast( {untranscribed Hebrew} 2 Chron. xxx. 22. a word of the same origination) must needs signify the sacrifices of the feast.    

The Hundred and Nineteenth Psalm.  
The hundred and nineteenth is wholly spent in consideration of the divine Law, the excellency, the necessity, the advantages of it, descanting on the several appellations of it, with frequent reflections on ourselves, by way of exhortation to a pious life, and constant adherence to God in times of distress. It is in the Hebrew Alphabetical, the eight first verses beginning with the first letter, and therefore entitled Aleph, the next eight with the second, and so called Beth, and so throughout every of the two and twenty Hebrew Letters, and styled by the Masora the great Alphabet.  

Aleph.  
1. Blessed are the undefiled in the 
a.  way, who walk in the law of the Lord.  
2. Blessed are they that 
observe, see note a.  keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.  
3. 
That also {untranscribed Hebrew}  They also do no iniquity, 
that  they walk in his ways.  
The true and onely felicity which is attainable in this life( and the forerunner withall to eternal happiness) consists in a blameless pious life, a strict and careful inquiry after, and diligent observation of the divine Law, a loving and seeking and serving God sincerely, and not admitting any one known sin in the whole course of our lives, but constantly and continually practising his commands.  
4. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts 
very much {untranscribed Hebrew}  diligently.  
5. O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes.  
I know it is the will and command of God that I should with all diligence and watchfulness and earnest endeavour observe and give heed unto his Law. Blessed Lord, give me that grace to guide and set right the whole course of my life, that I may never fail in that vigilance.  
6. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.  
Then shall I have confidence both toward God and man, and mine own soul, when I can pronounce of myself that my obedience is impartial, and uniform, and universal, no secret sin reserved for my favour, no least commandment knowingly or willingly neglected by me.  
7. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learnt thy righteous judgments.  
As long as I live in any sin indulgently, I cannot think myself qualified for any pious performance either of prayer or praise: But when I have diligently studied and practised those precepts of thine, in obedience to which all righteousness consists, then may I with full peace of mind, with a clear confidence present my sacrifice before thee, and not be guilty of any hypocrisy in doing it.  
8. I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not 
to any great degr●e,  
b.  utterly.  
My present resolution is to keep close to the commands of God, and then I have confidence that he will not so far withdraw his grace from me, but that I shall be able to persevere. If I sin wilfully, I cannot then promise myself the grace to return again; but if I make use of the grace already afforded me, and by strength thereof stand firm from any such wilful fall, as I pray, so I hope and trust and am confident that God will never first forsake me in any such degree as shall be destructive or hurtful to me.   

Beth.  
9. wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? 
to observe, or, that he may observe thy word,  
c.  by taking heed thereto according to thy word.  
Blessed Lord, I humbly beg of thee that grace which may be an effectual instrument in thy hand to purge and cleanse my polluted heart and actions in such a degree, that I may be competently enabled for the future to observe and obey thy commands.  
10. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O 
d.  let me not wander from thy commandments.  
My heart is sincerely and entirely bent to serve thee diligently, to learn my duty, and to perform it: O give me that grace that may sufficiently assist me, and withhold those temptations that may be able to seduce me out of my course of obedience.  
11. Thy word have I 
laid up {untranscribed Hebrew}  hide in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.  
Thy terrors and promises and commandments have I treasured up in the depth of my soul, as I would do that which I am to value most pretiously, and to guard most carefully, that so whatsoever the temptation be, I may have within my own breast sufficient to oppose against it; to the bare suggestions of sin, the consideration of thy commands to the contrary; to the tenders of pleasures or profits, &c. thy promises made to obedience, infinitely above the proportion of those advantages; and to the additions of threats, thy terrors and denunciations against sin, as much above the size of all those dangers that the devil, or world, or mine own flesh, or fancy can suggest unto me.  
12. Blessed art thou, O Lord; teach me thy statutes.  
O Lord, I praise and glorify thy name for all thy mercies; and that I may do it so as may be accepted by thee, Lord, give me thy grace, both to know and obey thy commandments, which is the most noble way of glorifying thee, living worthy of so divine a master.  
13. With my lips have I declared 
e.  all the judgments of thy mouth.  
I have made it one of my special exercises to express to others the venerable opinion I have of thy laws, and that of all and every of them.  
14. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as 
for all {untranscribed Hebrew}  much as in all riches.  
The joy that I have in performing obedience to them is so great, so much exceeding the delight that any worldly man takes in the greatest plenty, that I cannot but express the transportation.  
15. I will meditate in thy precepts, and 
consider or behold {untranscribed Hebrew}  have respect unto thy ways.  
16. I will delight myself in thy statutes; I will not forget thy word.  
And therefore if I had nothing to consider but these present joys which result from the service of God, I were most unwise if I should change this study, this exercise, this felicity, for any other, if I should ever forget or forsake the comforts of a pious life.   

Gimel.  
17. 
f.  
Render unto  Deal bountifully with thy servant, 
I will  that I may live and keep thy word.  
O Lord, I am constantly resolved to obey and adhere to thy known will all the dayes of my life: O make me those gracious returns which thou hast promised to all such.  
18. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.  
And what are those? The enlightening and removing all degrees of darkness remaining on my heart, quickening and forerunning my faculties, giving me a vital taste and relish of the delights of that obedience which is performed to thy precepts: which when I have, I shall then truly discern those admirable Divine excellencies of thy Law, those pleasures resulting from the practise of it, which are not to be found any where else, and consequently learn to love, and adore the Author of it, be ravished and transported with the thought of thee, that hast dealt thus wonderfully with thy servants, given them a rule of life, and promised them eternal felicities as their reward for their being content to be ruled by it; when if we might have been our own choosers, we could not have pitched on any thing so advantageous and pleasurable to ourselves at the present, as this obedience to thy laws will be certainly found to be by any that will experiment it.  
19. I am a stranger in the earth; hid not thy commandments from me.  
For mine own part, I may truly say, though I am possessed of a great sovereignty, am by thy providence placed in a most prosperous condition upon earth, yet in all this secular greatness and plenty I enjoy no more than a mere stranger or lodger, that hath supply for his present necessities, but nothing more: The one true comfort of which I am capable is that of obedience to thy precepts: O let me never be deprived of this advantage and comfort, without which a kingdom is not able to make me tolerably happy.  
20. My soul 
g.  
is taken up in longing for, or love to thy—  breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.  
My desires are vehement, languishing, and continual toward thee and thy judgments; I desire to be always employed and exercised in them, and when I am not, my soul is wholly taken up with a love and desire of them.  
21. Thou hast rebuked the proud 
h.  
cursed are they which  that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.  
All disobedient obstinate persons, which stand out against these laws of thine, are sure to be punished by thee, and eternally accursed and rejected from thee: And indeed their very present course of irrational sottish pride and obstinacy, is a very competent curse unto itself, robs them of all the comforts of a pious life, and ingulfes them in many sad miseries in this life, sufficient to denominate them accursed, if there were no arrear of torments and woes in another life.  
22. Remove from me reproach and contempt, for I have 
observed see note a.  kept thy testimonies.  
But I have carefully observed and practised thy precepts: Lord, do thou preserve me from all the rebukes or punishments that the malice of men can design against me.  
23. Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.  
24. Thy testimonies also are my delight and 
or men of my counsel  my counsellors.  
And this I am confident thou wilt do, and in that confidence I shall not seek out for any other security. Whatsoever conspiracies are laid against me by the greatest Potentates, whatsoever reproaches from my heathen neighbours, depending on their own strength, and deriding my trust in God, they shall not take me off from this one constant exercise, the study and practise of thy law; to these shall I resort, as for all the comforts of my life, the joy and delight of my soul, so for advice and counsel also in time of difficulty and danger, and from thence take my directions how to prevent or avert them.   

Daleth.  
25. My soul cleaveth unto the dust; quicken thou me according to thy word.  
Whensoever I am cast down in a sight either of my unworthiness, or my sins, 'tis then a season for God to interpose his hand for my comfort and relief: This he hath promised to do for all that are truly humbled, and I doubt not he will in his good time perform it for me.  
26. I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes.  
As soon as I make my confession to him, and with a sincerely contrite heart petition his pardon, he is graciously pleased to hear my prayer, and to be reconciled with me; and then I may seasonably beg and hope for his grace to support me for my future life, that I may no more fall off and provoke him.  
27. Make me to understand the way of thy precepts; so shall I 
or, meditate {untranscribed Hebrew}  talk of thy wondrous works.  
Then I may pray for an understanding heart, an experimental knowledge of his easy and gracious yoke, which when I have obtained, I shall be for ever most delightfully exercised in the meditation and discovery of thy most admirable dispensations towards us, especially of that transcendent goodness of thine in pardoning of sins, giving us such admirable precepts, assisting us to the performance of them, accepting our imperfect obedience, and then crowning us for ever for it.  
28. My soul 
i.  
distills, weeps,  melteth away for heaviness; 
raise {untranscribed Hebrew}  strengthen thou me according to thy word.  
My sorrow and vehement contrition, expressed by the tears of my very soul, qualifies me for that comfort and raising up which thou hast promised to all truly humbled sinners.  
29. Remove from me the way of lying, and grant me thy law graciously.  
And then I may be a meet suitor for thy grace, to mortify every wicked desire in me, every false apostatising or hypocritical affection, and to campaign me to a pious virtuous life, exactly regulated by thy will and word, the richest donative that can be bestowed upon me.  
30. I have chosen the way of truth; thy judgments have I laid before me.  
This of obedience and fidelity and sincere adherence to thee, is to me far more eligible and desirable than the contrary, v. 29. I have therefore proposed to myself thy Law as the rule of my life, and steadfastly resolved to direct all my actions by it.  
31. I have stuck unto thy testimonies; O Lord, put me not to shane.  
And having done so, if I adhere and constantly cleave unto them, persevere as I have resolved, I am sure I shall never be disappointed of my expectations, I shall never miss of the comforts of this life, or the joys of a better.  
32. I will run the way of thy commandments, 
because thou hast dilated  when thou shalt 
k.  enlarge my heart.  
This is matter of infinite delight and pleasure to me, and a special act of thy gracious dealing with us men, to bind up our present joys in our practise of virtue, to make us at once pious and happy. This shall certainly engage me to all the speed and diligence of a most alacrious obedience.   

He.  
33. Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes, and I shall 
observe i●( see note a.) by way of reward,  keep it 
l.  unto the end.  
O blessed Lord God, let thy holy spirit direct and guide me in performing an acceptable obedience to thee, and I shall by all laws of justice and gratitude be engaged to continue the course with all possible care and diligence.  
34. Give me understanding, and I shall 
observe( see note a)  keep thy Law; yea I shall 
watch or keep {untranscribed Hebrew}  observe it with my whole heart.  
Be thou pleased to illuminate my mind, to remove from me that darkness of spirit that my corruptions and sins have brought upon me, and give me that practical pliableness, and docileness, and humility, that may be assistant to the work, by the continuance of thy grace, to work in me to do as well as to will, to perform a most careful, watchful, diligent, and withall a most impartial uniform obedience to thee.  
35. 
m.  
led or g●ide  Make me to go in the path of thy commandments, for therein is my delight.  
Lord, let me never fail of thy direction and guidance in all the obedience which by thy grace I shall endeavour to perform to thee. There is nothing so pleasurable to me as to be thus exercised and employed: O do thou conduct, and assist, and direct me in it.  
36. Incline mine heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.  
It is much more desirable to me to be employed in thy laws, than in any matter of the greatest secular advantage. O let thy grace so prevent and bend my heart, that this pleasure may still possess me, and never give place to any secular pursuance or carnality.  
37. turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and quicken thou me in thy way.  
Lord, grant me a strict guard over mine eyes, those inlets of many sins: withdraw me from all delight or complacency in wealth or worldly grandeur, on which the lust of the eye is wont to be placed; in frail, false, deceitful beauty, which is apt to accend foul flames within the breast; in any other vain transporting object; and on the contrary campaign and inflame in me all pious and virtuous designs and pursuits.  
38. Stablish 
to thy servant thy word, which is to the fearing thee.  thy word unto thy servant who is 
n.  devoted to thy fear.  
There are in thy word, the revelation of thy will to us, the greatest arguments imaginable to engage us to fear and reverence of and uniform obedience to thee, promises of the divinest, and terrors of the most formidable sort: To this are the oracles of God all designed, to bring us to the practise of true piety. O grant me that grace that I may never permit these to depart out of my mind, but make use of them constantly to this end to which thou hast designed them, persevere firmly in thy obedience.  
39. turn away my reproach which I fear, for thy judgments are good.  
O what a shane and reproach would it be to me, who aclowledge thy yoke to be so easy and pleasurable, the obedience to thy commands so sweet and desirable, ever to fall off from it into any unprofitable work of darkness? This the sight of my own frailty bids me to fear beyond all things, and to be for ever jealous of myself in this behalf. O let thy word and thy grace give me that stability, v. 38. and constancy, that I never thus shamefully miscarry.  
40. Behold I have longed after thy precepts; quicken me in thy righteousness.  
All that I can say of myself is, that I have an ardent desire to obey thee. O let thy grace, which in mercy thou wilt not fail to give to all such that in humility address to thee, excite and campaign me from time to time in all works of obedience to thee, that so I may daily improve in all righteousness.   

Vau.  
41. Let thy mercies come unto me, O Lord, even thy salvation according to thy word.  
Lord, be thou graciously pleased to compassionate me, to espouse my cause, to rescue me out of mine enemies hands, according to the promise thou hast made unto me.  
42. So shall I 
return a word {untranscribed Hebrew}  have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me; for I trust in thy word.  
And then I shall be able to make a solid reply to all my despiteful enemies, which are ready to insult over me in any distress, and upbraid my trust and reliance on thee.  
43. And take not the word of truth 
to any great degree( see note b)  utterly out of my mouth, for I have hoped in thy judgments.  
It is thy promise of eternal immutable truth, that thou wilt never forsake them that trust in thee and adhere to thee: O let me never be forsaken by thee in any such eminent degree, that I may doubt of applying this promise to myself, and assuming on the strength thereof this assurance, that thou wilt infallibly rescue me.  
44. So shall I keep thy Law continually, for ever and ever.  
This shall engage and oblige the constancy of my obedience to thee from this time to the end of my life.  
45. And I will walk at liberty, for I seek thy precepts.  
And being delivered by thee, I will most cheerfully and alacriously set to the ways of all piety, there being no course wherein I shall more delightfully exercise myself.  
46. I will speak of thy testimonies also before Kings, and will not be ashamed.  
Yea I will proclaim and boast of the excellency of thy Law, and the advantages of ordering our lives by it, and recommend it with confidence to the greatest Princes in the world, as that which will inhaunse their crowns, and make them much more glorious and comfortable to them, if they will resolve to guide their lives after this model.  
47. And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.  
And for myself, as in my love and value of thy precepts I prefer them before all other jewels in the world, so will I entertain and recreate and gratify myself by this exercise, the meditation and practise of these, rather than by any other way of divertisement which the world doth most esteem of.  
48. My hands also will I 
o.  lift up unto thy commandments which I have loved, and I will meditate in thy statutes.  
And this pleasure shall not be an aerial idle speculative pleasure, but such as shall set me vigorously about the practise of all holy obedience to thee; and therein will I constantly and diligently exercise myself, and thereby express the reality of my love to them.   

Zain.  
49. Remember the word unto thy servant, on which thou hast caused me to hope.  
50. This is my comfort in my affliction; for thy word hath quickened me.  
O Lord, thou hast made me many most gracious promises, and thereby given me grounds of the most unmoved hope and comfort: And these are able to support and campaign me in the midst of the greatest pressures.  
51. The proud have had me greatly in derision, yet have I not declined from thy law.  
52. I remembered thy judgments of old, O Lord, and have comforted myself.  
Atheistical wicked men, when they see me in distress, make a mock at my reliance and trust in God, and think it ridiculous to talk of relief from heaven, when earthly strength faileth. But all their scoffs and bitterest sarcasms shall not discourage me, or tempt me to forsake my hold. I have many notable illustrious examples of thy power and goodness, of the seasonable interpositions of thy reliefs to thy servants in their greatest distresses; and these being laid to heart have infinitely more force to confirm my faith, than all their Atheistical scoffs to shake it.  
53. 
A tempest {untranscribed Hebrew} see Psal. xi. 6.  Horror hath taken hold on me, because of the wicked that forsake thy law.  
Nay these their heathenish discourses have been so far from working thus on me, that they are matter of great disquiet and commotion and trembling to me, to think of the direful condition which they are in that have utterly forsaken God and all thought of obedience, that have quiter devested themselves as of all hope, so of all dread of him.  
54. Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.  
For my part, what ever can befall me in this frail transitory life, I can take joy in the commands and promises of God, and ma●e them true real solaces to me in whatsoever distress, as knowing that I suffer nothing but what God sees to be best for me, and that if I faithfully wait on him, he will in his time give me a seasonable deliverance.  
55. I have remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night, and have kept thy law.  
56. This I had because I 
observed see note a.  kept thy precepts.  
With these thoughts of God I have in the solitude and darkness of the night entertained and supported myself, and thereby taken up a courage and constancy of resolution never to relinquish this hold for any other. Thus hath God abundantly rewarded my diligence in his service by a pleasure resulting from it, v. 54. by a steadfast unmovable hope and comfort in him. v. 50. and by a durable constant resolution of a persevering obedience, never to depart from him.   

Cheth.  
57. Thou art my portion, O Lord; I have said that I would keep thy word.  
Blessed Lord, of all the possessions and comforts of the world thou onely art worth the having; thy promises are precious promises, thy commands most excellent divine commands: I have by thy grace deliberately made my choice, preferred these before all the glories of this world, and resolved that thy word shall be my treasure, which I will most diligently preserve.  
58. I 
besought thy face {untranscribed Hebrew}  entreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful to me according to thy word.  
To this thy grace is most necessary, for without it I can do nothing; for this therefore I make my most humble, sincere, passionate address to thee. O be thou graciously pleased to grant my request, to vouchsafe me this mercy, which thou hast promised never to deny to those that ask, and importunately seek and beg it of thee.  
59. I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.  
But neither have I contented myself with my bare prayers for strength and grace; I have set to my part, in a diligent examination of my past sins, and a careful watch over my future actions, and so have forsaken my old ways, and diligently pursued that course which thou hast prescribed me.  
60. I made hast, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.  
And to this end, I did immediately set out, I made no one minutes stay in so necessary a pursuit, as knowing that the longer I should dally, the more unlikely I should be ever to perform so great a journey.  
61. 
p.  The 
troops  bands of the wicked have robbed me; but I have not forgotten thy Law.  
In my course I have oft met with disturbances, the assaults and injuries of wicked men: but these, how sharp soever they were, have been but exercises of my patience, have not provoked me to do any thing but what best becometh thy servant.  
62. At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee, because of thy righteous judgments.  
This, and the many other benefits and advantages of thy Law, and my obedience to it are such, as I am bound to aclowledge all the dayes of my life, and even to interrupt my lawful sleep and repose, to find frequent vacancies for so necessary a duty of lauding and magnifying thy mercy.  
63. I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.  
And for my dayes exercise I endeavour to associate myself with all those that serve and obey thee conscientiously, by that society to excite one another, and to attain to some proficiency in so good a work.  
64. The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes.  
O Lord, thy goodness and mercy and grace is abundantly poured out upon the men in the world: O let me enjoy a special degree of it, for the sanctifying my soul, and planting an uniform obedience to thy commandments in the depth thereof.   

Teth.  
65. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word.  
O Lord, I cannot but aclowledge thy great bounty toward me, to the utmost that any promise of thine gave me confidence to hope.  
66. Teach me 
or goodness of inclination, or manners  good 
q.  judgement and knowledge, for I have believed thy commandments.  
I am fully resolved to adhere to and obey thy precepts: O be thou pleased by thy grace to rectify my inclinations and natural bent of mind, to work all corruption, perverseness or contumacy out of it, and then to illuminate my understanding, to give me that knowledge of my duty, and that resolvedness of mind, that I may never swerve from it.  
67. Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now have I kept thy word.  
To this end I must aclowledge the chastisements and afflictions which thou hast sent me, to have been very advantageous and instrumental to me: I was out of the way, but thy rod hath reduced and brought me into it again.  
68. Thou art good, and dost good: teach me thy statutes.  
Thou art a gracious father, and all that thou dost is acts of grace and goodness, even the sharpest of thy administrations v. 67.( see Rom. viii. 28.) are sent by thee as that which is absolutely best for us. O led and direct and assist me in thy obedience, and then I have no farther care to exercise me.  
69. The proud have forged a lie against me; but I will 
observe see note a.  keep thy precepts with my whole heart.  
My malicious adversaries have contrived slanders against me: But I shall not be much concerned in their practices. I shall endeavour carefully to preserve my conscience upright to God, and then not fear their suggestions or machinations.  
70. Their heart is 
gross as it were with fat.  as fat as 
r.  grease; but I delight in thy law.  
They are obstinately and imperswasibly bent upon their course, and please themselves very much in it: But I shall not envy their felicities, but take infinitely more pleasure in a strict adherence to thy law, than they in all their impieties.  
71. It was good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes.  
Nay the afflictions and chastisements thou hast sent me, are to me much more beneficial and valuable than all their prosperity can be to them, being very contributive to the reforming what was amiss, and so most wholesome profitable discipline to me. v. 67.  
72. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.  
And all the wealth in the world is not near so considerable to me as this.   

Jod.  
73. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me▪ give me understanding, that I may know thy commandements.  
Lord, thou art the author of my life and being, I am a mear creature of thy forming, and therefore obliged by that title to pay thee all the obedience of my life: Lord, be thou pleased by thy grace to instruct and assist me to it.  
74. They that fear thee 
shall see me and be glad {untranscribed Hebrew}  will be glad when they see me, because I have hoped in thy word.  
By this means shall I be cause of joy to all pious men, who know that I have depended on thy promised assistances, when they see me thus answered and supported by thee.  
75. I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are 
righteousness {untranscribed Hebrew}  right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.  
All the dispensations of thy providence, O Lord, be they never so sharp, are, I am confident, made up of perfect justice; and not only so, but it is an act of thy sovereign mercy, which thou hadst promised to make good to me, to sand me such afflictions as these. These are but a necessary discipline, and so a mercy to me; and having promised not to deny me real and principal mercies, thou wert obliged in fidelity thus to sand them.  
76. Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.  
But there is one mercy more of which I am capable, thy savour and loving-kindness, thy sealing pardon and peace unto my soul,( and that thou hast promised me also) and if thou affordest me this, it will be an alloy abundantly sufficient to all my afflictions  
77. Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live; for in thy Law is my delight.  
Without this favourable aspect of thine, I am even a dead man; thy restoring it to me will raise me as it were from death to life, there being now no joy that I take in the world, but in thy favour and my obedience. And this I hope may render me capable of this mercy from thee.  
78. Let the proud be ashamed, for they 
have depraved, perverted me {untranscribed Hebrew}  dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.  
My malicious enemies have without all guilt of mine accused, defamed, and depraved my actions: this shall bring shane and mischief as well as disappointment to them, but shall never disturb me in my course of obedience; by that I hope I shall refute all their calumnies.  
79. Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies.  
And as long as all that truly fear thee, and have lived conscientiously in thy service, continue faithful to me, I have no reason to wonder at the defection of others. But if any man that is truly pious be seduced by their slanders, and engaged against me, Lord, in mercy to them be thou pleased to disabuse and reduce them.  
80. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes, that I be not ashamed.  
As for me, I desire and beg of thee, that if there be any degree of unsincerity in me, any spared sin still remaining, it may be effectually wrought out of my heart, that I may approach thee with confidence, and never be in danger of being rejected by thee.   

Caph.  
81. My soul 
or hath longed {untranscribed Hebrew}  fainteth for thy salvation: 
I have expected {untranscribed Hebrew}  but I hope in thy word.  
82. Mine eyes 
or long {untranscribed Hebrew}  fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?  
83. For I am become like a bottle in the 
s.  smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes.  
It is long, O Lord, that I have 
affectionately inclineth, Jewish Arab.  waited and attended with great desire for deliverance from thee, the expectation hath even worn me out; yet have I not forsaken my hope, or permitted myself to be tempted to any sin, whether of impatience, or applying myself to any indirect means for my relief, but remain still confident that thou wilt in thy good time still sand me release.  
84. 
t.  How many 
or, dayes are appointed  are the dayes of thy servant? When wilt thou execute judgement on them that persecute me?  
How long, Lord, wilt thou permit this weight to continue upon me? and not take my part against my enemies, punishing or restraining them, and delivering me out of their hands?  
85. 
u.  The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thy Law.  
Wicked malicious men have dealt most treacherously and injuriously with me.  
86. All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.  
Thou obligest us to observe all justice, charity, and fidelity one toward another, and their practices toward me are quiter contrary, most unjust, treacherous, and uncharitable. This engageth thee to own and protect me, and thereby to evidence thy fidelity not only in thy promises, but in thy commands. For as thy fidelity in thy promises is then demonstrated, when those that depend on them are not frustrated in their expectations; so doth thy fidelity in thy commandments consist in this, that no man really miscarries that adheres and performs constant obedience to them: though thou permit wicked men to prosper in their oppressions for a while, yet in thy good time thou appearest for the repressing the wicked, and vindicating the cause of the oppressed. O let me have my part in this at this time.  
87. They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts.  
They were very near destroying me, my danger was very great and imminent; Yet, blessed be the power of thy supporting grace, I have not been tempted to forsake my adherence to thee, or to doubt of thy seasonable reliefs.  
88. Quicken me after thy loving kindness: so shall I keep the testimonies of thy mouth.  
Be thou now pleased to bestow them on me, to make good thy wonted constant bounty and compassion toward me, and thereby to cherish and campaign me, and by encouraging to engage the perseverance of my obedience to thee.   

lame.  
89. 
Thou art for ever, O Lord.  
w.  For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.  
Blessed Lord, thou art the one eternal everlasting God, and thy word is of eternal truth.  
90. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.  
91. They continue 
or to this day( see note w.)  this day according to 
thy judgements  thine ordinance: for all are thy servants.  
All thy promises have their constant completion, thou dost whatsoever thou pleasest, and never failest in whatsoever thou promisest. This thy promise and fidelity reacheth to the whole world, this lower part of it here on earth; that as well as the heavens was created by thee, settled in a course which it keeps with the same constancy that the heavens observe in their motion; thine appointment gives law to all, and there is not the least thing done among us without thy prescience, providence, and wise disposals, to which all things in the world are subjected.  
92. Unless thy Law had been my delight, I should then have perished in my affliction.  
This thy constant fidelity, in performing all thou promisest, in supporting thy faithful servants, and never permitting them to be tempted above what they are able to bear, and at length giving them a passage out of their pressures, hath been matter of most pleasant meditation to me, and supported me miraculously in my affliction, which would probably have sunk and drowned me with the weight, if it had not been for this.  
93. I will never forget thy precepts, for with them thou hast quickened me.  
And for this most precious benefit of thy Law, that it yields such supports in our pressures, I will remember, and prise, and cleave fast to it as long as I live.  
94. I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts.  
These advantages assuredly belong to all thy faithful clients, that sincerely attend and perform obedience to thee. I can confidently place myself in that number: O be thou now pleased to reach out thy promised deliverance to me.  
95. The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: 
I  but I will consider thy testimonies.  
Meanwhile whatever mischief is designed me by wicked men, my resort shall be to thy word, in that I will exercise myself, and think myself most safe in thy tuition.  
96. I have seen 
the extent  an 
x.  end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad.  
There shall I have full space to entertain myself, a plentiful store of ingredients to make applications to every malady, to quiet every doubt that can rise in my soul: which way soever else I betake myself, I shall suddenly come to a stand or nonplus, all other ways of supporting myself will soon fail; but the width and amplitude of thy commandments is infinite, the contemplations, and assistances, and securities that they yield, the promises that are annexed to them, are sure to continue my never-failing comforts.   

Mem.  
97. O how love I thy Law! It is my meditation all the day.  
It is an infinite, inexpressible delight and joy, that I take in the consideration of the depths and various excellencies of the Law of God. There is no objection which I can so pleasantly and contentedly spend all my thoughts and my time.  
98. Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies; for 
that is {untranscribed Hebrew}  they are ever with me.  
And by this means, by fixing my meditation, designing my study thus profitably, the wisdom which I have acquired, the skill of bearing, waiting, attending Gods leisure, of thinking that every affliction comes from God, and tends to my greatest good, and that when release is more for my turn, I shall be sure to have it, the assurance that my adherence and constancy of obedience to God is the surest way to my present ease and future release, the several branches of that divine wisdom,( see Paraph. on Jam. 1.5.) is a far more profitable and secure fortification to me than all their worldly wisdom and secular policy is to my enemies, which think thereby to over reach and ruin me.  
99. I have more understanding than all my teachers; for thy testimonies are my meditation.  
100. I understand more than the ancients, because I 
observe( see note●)  keep thy precepts.  
This kind of spiritual wisdom or prudence, for the managing all the actions of my life most advantageously, in whatsoever state, which the Law of God instructs me in, is infinitely to be preferred before all other knowledge of the Scribes and Elders, the deepest sages in the world.  
101. I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep thy word.  
102. I have not departed from thy judgments; for thou hast taught me.  
In this I am instructed by God himself, who is sure the most excellent teacher: and the excellency of this knowledge is, that it is not a bare speculative, but an effective practical knowledge, that teaches me to adhere to Gods precepts impartially, uniformly, universally, and to keep a strict close hand over my affections, that they led me not into any sinful course.  
103. How sweet are thy words unto my taste? yea sweeter than honey to my mouth.  
And what pleasure or delight is there in the world, what most transporting delicacy, that most affects mens senses at the present( and if it be liberally taken upon that invitation, brings satiety and bitterness and pangs after it in the stomach, for so honey doth, Prov. xxv. 16.27.) is any way comparable to this, which as in the consequents it is most salubrious and profitable, so at the very instant of the making use of it is most extremely delectable to any man that hath a palate qualified for such delicates.  
104. Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.  
And the advantages it brings are not inferior to the pleasure: He that is not thus studied and instructed, is apt to be seduced and ensnared in many deceitful and mischievous lusts; but this instruction will keep men from that danger, give them a timely knowledge, and beget in them an hatred and abhorrence of all such fallacious flattering pleasures, which mean us no kindness, but treachery and the utmost malice.   

Nun.  

Thy law is the onely guide and director of all my actions.  105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my paths.  
106. I have sworn and I will perform it, that I will keep 
the judgements of thy righteouseness, {untranscribed Hebrew}  thy righteous judgments.  
And being instructed in that, both what my duty is, and what the means that may be safely relied on for the performance of it, thy grace to be obtained by constant prayer and vigilance, diligence and endeavour to receive and make use of that grace, and withall being by my admission into the number of thy people entred into a solemn sacramental covenant to perform obedience to those commands wherein God hath commanded us to walk,( and an obedience to which he hath in that covenant promised to justify and accept us, and without which either constantly performed, or returned unto by a sincere repentance, and persevering reformation, he will neither justify nor accept us) I am now most indispensably engaged, and most nearly concerned to perform this obedience uprightly.  
107. I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O Lord, according to thy word.  
Lord, thou hast promised to relieve, and support, and refresh the afflicted: be thou now pleased accordingly to reach out thy hand to me, and seasonably to restore and revive me.  
108. Accept I beseech thee, the free-will offerings of my mouth, O Lord, and teach me thy judgments.  
Lord, I have nothing to present to thee but my prayers and praises; those are my richest oblations, which I most cheerfully address to thee, acknowledgements of thy former, and petitions for thy continued deliverances, Lord, be thou graciously pleased to accept these, and to add this constant mercy to all other, thy grace to instruct, and excite, and assist me in a sincere obedience to thy commandments.  
109. My soul is continually in my 
y.  hand; yet do I not forget thy Law.  
110. The wicked have laid a snare for me; yet I erred not from thy precepts.  
My malicious enemies have very treacherous designs against my life, I am in continual danger of being seized on and destroyed by them; yet shall not this fear amate, or diverte me from a most vigilant attendance on thee, and constant performance of obedience to thee. My dangers, be they never so great, shall not discourage or slacken my diligence in attending to and relying on thee, from whom I am sure( or from none) my deliverance must come.  
111. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.  
112. I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes alway 
or, by way of return( see note k.)  even to the end.  
Whatever afflictions or distresses thou sendest, or permittest to fall on me, I have all reason to take them in good part, having also so rich a portion as I have, that of thy Law and covenant and promised mercies: These are an inheritance that will never fail me, the most joyous and blissful that can be; to which therefore by all obligations of justice and gratitude I am bound to perform my constant obedience. And this I shall carefully do, and all little enough by way of return to so superlative a mercy.   

Samech.  
113. I hate 
those that think evil  vain 
z.  thoughts, but thy Law do I love.  
Wicked men I detest and fly from and have no such pleasure and joy, as the meditation and practise of all holy duties.  
114. Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.  
When any distress approaches, to thee I betake myself for relief and succour: thy promises are my safe and constant refuge, on them I can cheerfully depend, and am confident to be defended by thee.  
115. Depart from me, ye evil doers, for I will 
observe see note a.  keep the commandments of my God.  
I have no need of the aids that wicked men can suggest unto me, and as little am I concerned in their scoffs, whereby they endeavour to weaken my confidence: I will admit of no other policies but those of studying and practising his commandments, who I am sure will continue steadfast to me, if I do not forsake him.  
116. Uphold me according to thy word, that I may live; and let me not be ashamed of my hope.  
He hath promised me his support, and will undoubtedly make it good unto me, and in his time rescue me out of the saddest estate, he will certainly answer, and never disappoint this confidence. O be thou now pleased to interpose thy hand, effectually to defend and relieve me.  
117. Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe; and I 
shall delight myself {untranscribed Hebrew} see v. 16. and 47.  will have respect unto thy statutes continually.  
Thus if thou dost, I am then most certainly provided for. What greater safety can I desire, than the guard and tuition of the divine providence? There shall I repose myself most cheerfully, and account it a continued felicity of my life that I am thus part of thy care, considered and protected by thee.  
118. Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes; for their 
cunning {untranscribed Hebrew}  deceit is falsehood.  
Wicked men have no other wisdom or policy but that of their falsehood and deceitfullnesse; their lying and treacherous imposing on the simplicity and uprightness of honest men, is the only advantage they have above others: and this being so contrary to all laws of God and man, to justice and charity and common ingenuity, but especially an affront to God, a setting ones self in opposition to his rules and methods, God is engaged sooner or later to pluck off this visard, to bring disappointments and ruin on those that make use of such impieties.  
119. Thou 
destroyest the dross, all—  puttest away all the wicked of the earth like 
[&.]  dross: therefore I love thy testimonies.  
The wicked men of the world, compared to the righteous, are but as so much dross to good metal: And the judgments of God, which are as searching and discerning as fire, will certainly make this separation, first purge out the dross, divide it from the purer metal, and then preserve one, and destroy the other. And this consideration, if there were no other, is certainly sufficient to engage every wise man to the approbation and liking of the Law of God, as that in compliance with which our temporal as well as eternal safety doth consist.  
120. My flesh 
is in horror {untranscribed Hebrew}  
aa.  trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgments.  
As on the other side, to set every man living a trembling, and to keep every pious man in that dread of Gods judgments, as never to dare to do any thing but what is perfectly acceptable in his sight, lest he fall justly under this vengeance.   

Ain.  
121. I have done judgement and justice: leave me not to mine oppressors.  
122. 
or interpose  Be 
bb.  surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.  
Lord, I have not done any wrong to them that are most forward to mischief me: I have none to fly unto but thee. Be thou pleased to take my part, to interpose for me, to deliver me out of their hands.  
123. Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the 
cc.  word of thy righteousness.  
124. Deal with thy servant according to thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes.  
I have long waited and expected deliverance from thee, continually hoping that thou wouldest at length sand me some message of mercy: O be thou pleased to afford it me out of thy never-failing compassion to all that want and wait for thee, and both then and now direct me, which way I may perform to thee most acceptable service.  
125. I am thy servant, give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.  
Lord, there is nothing that I design to myself but the approving my obedience to thee: O give me that grace that may direct and enable me to do it sincerely and faithfully.  
126. It 
dd.  is time 
to perform to the Lord  for thee, O Lord, to work, for they have made voided thy Law.  
And this the more seasonably now, when mine enemies despise and contemn Gods Law. The more confidently they do so, the more are all pious men engaged to perform exact obedience to it, if it be but to resist that torrent, to hold up virtue in some kind of reputation among men.  
127. Therefore I love thy commandments above gold, yea above 
or topaz●redge● see note on Ps. xix. f.  fine gold.  
And upon this account I do profess to prise and value the performance of obedience to thee before all the greatest wealth in the world.  
128. Therefore 
all thy precepts, even all I have approved—  I 
ee.  esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right, and I hate every false way.  
And indeed I have not the least exceptions to any law of thine, but most uniformly and impartially embrace them all, and every one single, and utterly dislike and detest the courses of all wicked men.   

Pe.  
129. Thy testimonies are wonderful; therefore doth my soul 
observe( see note a)  keep them.  
The Law of God is made up all of wonderful and excellent ingredients, prescribes us those things which are admirably the most desirable of all other things to any rational man: The consideration of which makes me study and search into them, and observe them most diligently.  
130. 
ff.  The 
opening  entrance of thy word giveth light: it giveth understanding to the simplo.  
And by doing so I learn and discern many mysteries. The most ignorant natural man, if he will enter seriovsly into this study, and apply the several branches of thy Law as his rule of ordering all the actions of his life, will by this have his eyes opened and illuminated, and discern that there is no such solid substantial wisdom as this.  
131. I opened my mouth and 
gasped {untranscribed Hebrew}  panted; for I longed for thy commandments.  
This have I sucked in with the greatest appetite, the most insatiable thirst, having a most vehement passionate desire toward it, as that which is of all things really the most delectable.  
132. Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, 
according to the manner toward {untranscribed Hebrew}  as thou usest to do to those that love thy name.  
Lord, it is thy constant wont and method, to encourage all those that sincerely love and serve thee, to poure on them all manner of expressions of thy favovr and mercy: O be thou thus pleased to deal with me at this time, who desire and hope to be found in that number.  
133. Order my steps in thy word; and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.  
Of this thy mercy I beseech thee to grant me that constant assistance of thy spirit, which may support and guide me in a regular obedience to thy commands, and rescue me from the power of every known sin, let not any such be ever able to gain consent from, or command over my will.  
134. Deliver me from the oppression of man; so will I keep thy precepts.  
Wicked men are forward to oppress and injure me: O be thou pleased to interpose for my rescue, and it shall engage me to a constant observation of all thy commandments.  
135. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant, and teach me thy statutes.  
Lord, be thou pleased to look favourably upon me, and by thy special grace and guidance to direct me to a conscientious practise of all duty toward thee.  
136. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy Law.  
The great universal impiety of men is a most sad spectacle, fit to be washed in whole floods of tears, to be matter of humiliation and lamentation to all pious beholders.   

Tsaddi.  
137. Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgments.  
138. Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are 
justice and truth exceedingly {untranscribed Hebrew}  exceeding righteous and faithful.  
Thy Law, O Lord, and all thy dispensations are, as thou thyself, most eminently and superlatively righteous, commanding those things which all moral justice and fidelity exacts, and forbidding those which have a natural turpitude and indispensible sinfulness in them.  
139. My zeal 
gg.  hath 
constrained  consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.  
The consideration of which puts me into a kind of indignation and vehement displeasure at mine enemies at this time; not so much for mine own sufferings, as that rational men should so far depart from all obligations of piety, justice, common humanity, and even their own interests, as to neglect the practise of those commands which are so eminently just, v. 138.  
140. Thy word is 
tried in the fire {untranscribed Hebrew}  very pure; therefore thy servant loveth it.  
Thy whole Law is most exactly formed, as metal refined from all dross, no least corruption or mean alloy to be found in it: And this is the just ground of the extreme love and value I bear to it.  
141. I am small and despised; yet do I not forget thy precepts.  
And as mean and contemptible a person as I am, either really in myself, or in the opinion of other men, yet am I careful to uphold this reputation and credit with God, that I am his faithful servant.  
142. Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy Law is the truth.  
The things which thou commandest are of eternal truth and goodness; no time shall ever come that the Law which thou hast given to mankind to guide their actions by( that of loving of God above all, and our neighbours as ourselves) shall be out-dated or unseasonable.  
143. Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me; but thy commandments are my delight.  
144. The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.  
And this eternal justice of thy precepts, as it is matter of infinite advantage in many other respects, so is it more especially in this, that it yields the greatest joy and comfort in time of afflictions, through the conscience of duty, and the cheerful reflections on afflicted innocency. And if God grant a man that grace of regulating his actions according to that divine rule, 'tis not then in the power of the world to make him miserable.   

Koph.  
145. I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O Lord; I will 
observe( see note a)  keep thy statutes.  
146. I cried unto thee: save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.  
Lord, in my distresses have I called and invoked thee, addressed myself to thee for thy seasonable rescue and deliverance: grant it me now, I beseech thee, and I will faithfully return thee the sincere obedience of my whole life.  
147. I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried; I hoped in thy word.  
148. Mine eyes prevent 
hh.  the 
watches  night-watches, that I might meditate in thy word.  
The comfort and repose that I take in meditating on thy word, and the hope that at length thou wilt hear my prayers, is such, that I come to this double exercise with the greatest appetite, get up early in the morning, and all the day long ●ntertaine myself most delightfully therein.  
149. Hear my voice according to thy loving kindness, O Lord: quicken me according to thy judgement.  
150. They draw nigh that follow after mischief, they are far from thy Law.  
O Lord, my enemies are maliciously resolved against me, they forsake thee, and contrary to all justice approach and endeavour to mischief me: O be thou pleased to confirm thy wonted goodness toward me, and of thy mercy rescue me out of their hands.  
151. Thou art near, O Lord, and all thy commandements are true.  
152. Concerning thy testimonies I have known of old, that thou hast founded them for ever.  
But they cannot be so near to mischief me, as thou, O Lord, art nigh and ready for my defence and support. Thou art made up of mercy and fidelity; thy promises and decrees of caring for those that adhere to thee are most firm, constant and immutable. This I am not now to learn; I have always, since I knew any thing of thee, resolved of the truth of it.   

Resh.  
153. Consider mine affliction, and deliver me; for I do not forget thy Law.  
154. pled my cause, and deliver me; quicken me according to thy word.  
Lord, my pressures and enemies are great, but my trust is constantly reposed in thee, that thou wilt be the friend and advocate of the afflicted, as thou hast promised thou wilt: O be thou now pleased to make good this mercy to me, and raise me out of this desolate condition.  
155. Salvation is far from the wicked; for they seek not thy statutes.  
156. Great are thy tender mercies, O Lord; quicken me according to thy judgments.  
In this estate I am sure to have no relief from wicked men, but on the contrary, all accumulations and increase of misery; they delight in that more than in any works of justice or mercy. But the less I have to expect from men, the more I am confident to receive from God, whose mercies are beyond the proportion of their cruelties. O be thou now pleased to bestow this thy promised seasonable relief upon me.  
157. Many are my persecutors and mine enemies: yet do I not decline from thy testimonies.  
158. I beholded the transgressors and was 
or wearied or troubled  grieved, because they keep not thy word.  
Though my enemies daily increase in number and malice, yet shall they not be able to prevail, to weary me out of my constancy, affiance and obedience to thee. All the passion they shall excite in me is, that of excessive trouble and sorrow to see men so desperately and obstinately oppugn and disobey the commands of God.  
159. Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O Lord, according to thy loving kindness.  
160. 
The beginning of thy word is truth— {untranscribed Hebrew}  Thy word is true from the beginning; and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.  
Lord, I appeal to thee, whether my obedience to thy commands have not been sincere, and such as to which thou hast promised thy mercies: O then be pleased to bestow them on me. For of this I am sure, that thy promises are most constantly performed: They are faithful, and of eternal truth, and never fail any that are qualified to receive them.   

Schin.  
161. Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.  
'tis not the power or malice of the world, though exercised never so virulently and causelessly against me, which shall any way provoke me to forsake my obedience to thee.  
162. I rejoice at thy word as one that findeth great spoil.  
But on the contrary, my adherence to thee, and the comforts which thy Law and the promises annexed to it afford me, are matter of as great rejoicing and triumph and exultation to me, as the richest and most gainful victory could be to any worldly man.  
163. I hate and abhor lying; but thy Law do I love.  
The false, deceitful practices of ungodly men, whereby they advance their interests, are most degenerous and unworthy of any ingenuous man; I cannot but detest and have an aversion to them: whereas the ways which are prescribed by God of adherence to him, in the practise of all works of justice and charity, are most amiable and eligible.  
164. Seven times a day do I praise thee, because of thy righteous judgments.  
I can never admire and magnify sufficiently the divine excellency of Gods most righteous Law. If I had nothing but that to make matter of my lauds, I would think myself obliged every day seven set times to make my solemn addresses to God, to praise his blessed name( and offer up my prayers to him.)  
165. Great peace have they which love thy Law, 
ii.  and 
there is no scandal to them.  nothing shall offend them.  
There is no such prosperity and felicity in this world, as that of those who take delight in the commands of God, and the practise of all duty: They shall be in no danger of any of those snares and temptations which the world is full of, and which frequently bring other men to sin and ruin. The pleasure they take in duty will with them infinitely outweigh all the pitiful transient delights or advantages that can offer themselves as the bait to any unlawful commission.  
166. Lord, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.  
167. My soul hath kept thy testimonies, and loved them exceedingly.  
168. I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies; for all my ways are 
kk.  before thee.  
Accordingly thus have I endeavoured to secure myself from all such dangers; whatsoever my pressures have been, I have reposed my trust in thee, relied on thee for deliverances, kept close to thy commandements, and so qualified myself to receive them, and withall laboured to approve the sincerity of my obedience to thee, not only by doing what thou commandest, but even by loving and liking that better than any thing else, by applying all my endeavours to walk piously and acceptably in thy sight, laying all my actions open and naked before thee( for thee to judge whether there be any the least malignity in them.) And by so doing, by keeping myself for ever as in thy alseeing presence, I have performed an uniform faithful obedience to thee.   

Tau.  
169. Let my cry come near before thee, O Lord: give me understanding according to thy word.  
170. Let my supplications come before thee: deliver me according to thy word.  
O Lord, I humbly address my prayer unto thee in this time of my distress, and beseech thee first to bestow on me that wisdom( see Jam. i. 5.) which may support me and direct me to order all my actions aright in all the pressures thou shalt permit or appoint to lie upon me, and then to interpose thy hand, and give me a seasonable deliverance out of them.  
171. My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes.  
172. My tongue shall speak of thy word; for all thy commandments are righteous.  
Thus shalt thou oblige me to bless and praise thy name, thy mercies and the perfect uprightness of all both thy commands and promises, when those that thus adhere to and depend on thee are supported and delivered by thee.  
173. Let thine hand 
be for my help {untranscribed Hebrew}  help me; for I have chosen thy precepts.  
174. I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord, and thy Law is my delight.  
Lord, I beseech thee interpose thy hand for my relief. And if my obedience to thy Law, and not onely so, but my taking more pleasure in it, valuing it more than all other things in the world, together with my constant dependence on thee for my deliverance, may give me a capacity of this mercy, thou wilt not deny it me, who am by thy grace in some measure thus qualified.  
175. Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee: and let thy judgments help me.  
Lord, grant me this thy mercy of seasonable preservation at this time, succour me according to thy promised and wonted mercies; so shall my life, twice received from thee, in my birth and in this my preservation, be, as in all justice it ought, for ever dedicated to thy service.  
176. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant, for I do not forget thy commandments.  
I have been driven from place to place, in perpetual hazards and distresses, flying and desolate, as a partridge on the mountains; thou hast justly permitted me to be persecuted by my enemies, to wander up and down, as a silly sheep driven by the wolf, and scattered from the sold: Lord, I repent me of all my former sins, and shall unfeignedly set myself to the performance of new obedience all my dayes: Be thou pleased to consider my afflictions, and in thy good time to relieve and restore me.   

Annotations on Psalm CXIX.  
V. 1. Way] 'tis usually observed that the composure of this Psalm doth affect the frequent reflections on the Law of God in the several parts and appellations of it, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and those are observable to be no less then eleven, {untranscribed Hebrew}, Kimchi adventures to give the critical several importance of each of these words. {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  saith he, is the {untranscribed Hebrew} setting down of duties, how they are to be done, as 'tis said Lev. vi. 17. this is the Law of the sin-offering &c.( R. Gaon saith 'tis the speculative part of the Law;) {untranscribed Hebrew} is {untranscribed Hebrew}, the rule upon which the precepts are grounded, as, Be holy because God is holy, merciful as he is merciful,( referring probably to Moses's request to see God's way;) {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies those precepts whose reason is not known, as the purification of the( legally) unclean, not wearing causey, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and {untranscribed Hebrew}, the judgments that pass betwixt a man and his neighbour; {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the precepts that are for a testimony, or faederal commemoration, as Sabbath Feasts, Phylacteries,& c. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  {untranscribed Hebrew} those precepts which reason teacheth, that are as it were( according to the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}) deposited in our nature. And so on in the rest. But these without question are indistinctly& promiscuously used through this Psalm. Proportionably the practise of these commandments is expressed in as great variety, by walking, seeking, keeping, &c. Of the last of these it is not amiss to add a little in this first place, once for all. The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  v. 2.( as also v. 34, 69, 115, 129.) is by the Lxxii. rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}, by the latin scrutantur, searching or seeking out. So again Psal. xxv. 10. they render it {untranscribed Hebrew} seek out, as here v. 22. {untranscribed Hebrew} I have sought, and v. 33. {untranscribed Hebrew} I will seek, and v. 100. And this the Hebrew well bears from {untranscribed Hebrew} custodivit, curavit, watching or taking care of, looking diligently after, as those that search and seek do. And so the Arab notion of the same word( which changing צ into ט they make {untranscribed Hebrew}) well accords, being to behold, contemplate, consider, observe; and so likewise the Chaldee and Syriack use {untranscribed Hebrew} exactly to the same sense: and so it here best accords with that which follows, seeking him with the whole heart. And this is better and with more clearness rendered observe( for that fitly signifies watching, or looking to) than keep, which ordinarily denotes no more than performing them. This is the {untranscribed Hebrew} diligently seeking of God, Heb. xi. 6. and contains more than a resolution and purpose to obey God, a studying his precepts, seeking out means to facilitate the performance of them, and an exact care and diligence in the use of them. The word is here in the participle, and so agrees with the foregoing {untranscribed Hebrew} the perfect( or undefiled, {untranscribed Hebrew}, say the Lxxii.) and {untranscribed Hebrew} the walkers, or they that walk. And although what follows be in the future and preter tense, {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew}, shall seek, done, walked; yet are they all to be rendered in Syntaxis with the former, they that seek, that do, that walk, all making up the subject to which the blessedness belongs. And so doth the Jewish Arab take them, and therefore v. 3. repeats again, & blessed he that doth not iniquity also,& hath gone in his ways or paths.  
V. 8. Utterly] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} here and v. 43. is literally, unto very much. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  So the Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, i. e. to any high degree, the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} unto all at once, but the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} for ever, both referring it to the time, whereas the Hebrew seems rather to the degree, from the noun that signifies multitude, plenty, abundance. And then Gods not forsaking in any eminent degree, as it contains his not forsaking altogether or for ever, so it is somewhat more than that, and a greater privilege of a pious man, this, not to be forsaken in any eminent degree, than not to be forsaken eternally, whatsoever the degree be at present. v. 4 'tis said that God hath commanded his precept to be kept {untranscribed Hebrew} very much, not to be heard,& talked of, but obeied; and here v. 8. having said, he hath decred thus to keep them, he begs, keep me in proportion, at least forsake me not {untranscribed Hebrew} to any great degree.  
V. 9. By taking heed] Two difficulties there are in this place: first, how {untranscribed Hebrew} must be rendered; 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  then how {untranscribed Hebrew}. For the first, it is in all reason, from the force of the preposition ל, and by analogy with the use of it v. 4,& 5. to be rendered, to observe, or guard, or keep, i. e. as the end of his cleansing his ways precedent, that he may do it. So the Chaldee and Syriack understood it; the former retaining the Hebrew preposition ל, {untranscribed Hebrew} to observe; the latter expressing it by {untranscribed Hebrew} that he may observe. And so the Jewish Arab, behold I seek by what a man may cleanse his ways that he may keep them in or by thy precepts, {untranscribed Hebrew}. And though the Lxxii. have {untranscribed Hebrew}, from whence the latin and others have their in custodiendo, in or by keeping; yet 'tis frequently observable, that their {untranscribed Hebrew} is used for {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so is to be rendered not in, or by, but to. And so 'tis certain that every young man will have special need of some purgatives, the preventing grace of God, to purge and cleanse his ways, to work out his natural corruptions, and actual contracted pollutions,( which will otherwise extremely encumber him in the course) that he may be, in any competent measure, qualified for the observing of Gods commandments. For the second, 'tis very ordinary for prepositions to be redundant, and then {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  will be best rendered as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew} thy word: so the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} thy words, and the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} thy commandments; and the latin accords with them. And so the whole verse will be best rendered as one entire question, wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his ways, that he may observe thy word? To which question seeing there follows no distinct answer in the next words, it is to be understood as a poetic form of prayer poured out to God for that grace whereby young men may cleanse, and without which they have nothing in themselves to do it.  
V. 10. Let me not wander] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is here in the conjugation Hiphil, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to be ignorant, or err. Now of that conjugation the Hebrews observe, that as it signifies sometimes no more than to permit, so it sometimes notes to cause, sometimes to occasion that which the verb imports. Consequently the word here taken in that form is capable of these three interpretations, to cause to err, to deceive, to seduce. So Deut. xxvii. 18. {untranscribed Hebrew} he that maketh the blind to wander. And in this sense the Psalmists prayer could not probably be conceived, that God would not cause him to err, seduce him, deceive him; for whatsoever his condition were, this would not be looked on as possible for God( to deceive any, in this sense of causing to err,) nor consequently be so solicitously averted. For though of the false Prophet Ezec. xiv. it be said, if he be deceived, when he hath spoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived him; yet the deceiving there is not the causing him to believe or foretell that false thing, but the disappointing him, doing the contrary to what he hath prophesied. He was first deceived or seduced; so the text hath it, A prophet {untranscribed Hebrew} when he is seduced, {untranscribed Hebrew} and speaketh a word; i. e. prophesyeth what he hath no commission from God to prophesy, I the Lord, saith God, {untranscribed Hebrew} have deceived,( or as the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} I will make him err, and the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} I will, in the future, so the preter in prophesies is oft taken for the future) I will deceive that Prophet, i. e. I will falsify or frustrate him and his prediction, when he predicts peace, I will sand destruction; for so it follows, I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the face of the earth: which certainly God would not do, if he had been the cause of his error, or sin of prophesying as he did. It remains then, that the Psalmists prayer is to be understood here either in the first or in the third sense. The first, that of the non-permission, is not so probable, for it is the common state of good men here to be still left peaceable, so as not to be totally restrained and hindered( and so not permitted) to fall into sin( if it be in this sense, it must be of not being permitted to be tempted above their strength.) 'tis more probable to be understood in the third sense, of Gods doing nothing that may occasion their wandering from his comm●ndments. This God may be said to do, when he withdraws sufficient grace, leaves a man or delivers him up to himself. But that God by the tenor of Evangelical mercy will not do, unless we first leave him. And therefore the Psalmist that can say, as here he doth, with my whole heart have I sought thee, may pray in faith, found his request on Gods promise, that he will not thus leave him, deliver him up to wander from his commandments. The Lxxii. red here {untranscribed Hebrew}, the latin nè repellas, repel me not from thy commandments: but they sure are to be understood in this notion of the form Hiphil, abdicate me not( so {untranscribed Hebrew} were more fitly rendered) not, drive me not away, in that vulgar notion of repelling, but repudiate me not, forsake me not, deny me not that grace which is necessary to my adhering to thy commandments.  
V. 13. All the judgments] In this place it is observable that the Jewish Arab for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  all reads many, in relation probably to that opinion of theirs, that therefore God gave many Commandments to them, that though they did not all, by doing others they might be saved.  
V. 17. deal bountifully] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which signifies either to do good, or to render and return good, is here by the ancient interpreters rendered in the latter notion, the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} retribute good, the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} retribute, the latin and Aethiopick follow them, retribue servo tuo, the Syriack( and with them the arabic) {untranscribed Hebrew} harken to thy servant, in the notion of answering, which is all one with that of returning. This makes it reasonable to resolve, that what follows in the verse is in sense to precede, as that to which the return is begged as a reward, though not of debt, yet of pact and mercy. And then it must not be rendered, that I may live— but simply, I will live, and keep thy word: and so indeed the Hebrew exacts, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  I shall or will live— so the Chaldee also without any addition or paraphrase, {untranscribed Hebrew} I will live, and the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} I will live. Yet the Syriack have {untranscribed Hebrew} that I may live, and so the Aethiopick; the arabic, that he, i. e. thy servant, may live, agreeable enough to their former rendering of {untranscribed Hebrew} harken. But the latin depart from all, and red, vivifica me& custodiam— campaign me and I shall keep thy words, a paraphrase no doubt of the Syriacks rendering, hear that I may live, for that is all one with forerunning: And the Jewish Arab, And in bounty give life to thy servant, that I may keep thy commandments. But the rendering of the Chaldee and Lxxii. I have chosen to adhere to, as being most literal, and most commodious to connect with the ensuing words; and the rather, because in the next verse, where the phrase is of that scheme wherein the Syriack here taketh it, Open— that I may— the Hebrew scheme differs from what here it is, {untranscribed Hebrew}, not Open— I shall, but Open, and I shall— the form, we know, that every where imports as we render it, that I may.  
V. 20. Breaketh] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , which is but once more used in the Bible, Lam. iii. 16. and there signifies to break, hath in the Chaldee a metaphorical signification, for being taken up, being employed, studying, vehement desire. So when Prov. v. 19. the Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew}, which we render being ravished with her love, the Targum reads {untranscribed Hebrew} being wholly taken up with it. From thence is {untranscribed Hebrew} a student or scholar. And in this metaphorical( not that other literal) sense the word seems here to be used, {untranscribed Hebrew} my soul is wholly taken up, or employed, {untranscribed Hebrew} with the desire or longing it hath— The Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew} my soul hath desired the desire, i. e. vehemently desired, the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so the latin, concupivit desiderare, my soul hath longed to desire, i. e. hath had a longing desire; the Syriack more clearly {untranscribed Hebrew} my soul hath longed and desired. All very fit and proper paraphrases to express the importance of the phrase.  
V. 21. That are cursed] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is so placed, that it is uncertain whether it be joined by apposition to the proud foregoing, or begin the next sense, thus, Cursed are they that err— The former may hold, and bear this sense, that the proud, rebellious, disobedient, impenitent sinners that err from his commandments, and go on unreformed in their wanderings, are most unhappy and execrable in being such, their pride and obstinacy is the greatest curse to itself, and yet they are rebuked, certain to be severely punished by God. But all the ancient interpreters seem to have followed the other sense; {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Chaldee, in the same scheme as the Hebrew, and may most probably be rendered, as their latin doth, maledicti qui oberrant, cursed are they that err; but the Lxxii. expressly, {untranscribed Hebrew}— Thou hast rebuked the proud, cursed are they that err— and the Syriack, Thou hast rebuked the nations or Gentiles, {untranscribed Hebrew} the Gentiles {untranscribed Hebrew} and they are cursed which err; and so the latin, maledicti qui declinant, cursed are they that decline from thy commandments. And then the latter part of the verse is an exegesis of the former, the curse here the explication of Gods rebuk. And though both senses are very commodious, and so are retained in the paraphrase, yet the authority of the interpreters will incline to the latter of them.  
V. 28. Melteth] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to distil or drop, Eccl. x. 18. or to weep and poure out tears, Job x. 16, 20. the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here is best rendered weepeth. The Chaldee render it by the cause of tears( sorrow) {untranscribed Hebrew} my soul was sorrowful,( {untranscribed Hebrew} used by them in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}) the Syriack to the same sense {untranscribed Hebrew} is troubled; but the copies of the Lxxii. which now we have red {untranscribed Hebrew}, and from thence the Vulgar Latins( with the arabic) dormitavit, was drowsy. But Saint Ambrose's reading, stillavit( to which hilary also accords) assures us the true reading was {untranscribed Hebrew} distilled, which was easily corrupted by the Scribes into {untranscribed Hebrew}, to which they might be tempted by the {untranscribed Hebrew} weariness, which follows, by which they rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} for grief, it being of the nature of sadness to make one weary of every posture. Abu Walid observes the proper notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} to be dropping, as when an house drops, thence, saith he, to be transferred to denote weeping, and then farther in this place to denote dissolving, flowing, or else the same with that phrase, Jer. xiii. 17. my soul shall weep in secret places. The Jewish Arab reads {untranscribed Hebrew}, which will signify being afraid, or perhaps being weak.  
V. 32. When thou shalt] The notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  when 'tis applied to the heart, is here critically to be observed. The word primarily signifies to dilate, and the dilatation of the heart is the constant effect of joy, as the contraction is of sorrow. Isa. Lx. 5. {untranscribed Hebrew} and thy heart shall be dilated, i. e. rejoice, as being delivered from distress or fear foregoing. Accordingly Gods enlarging the heart here is rejoicing it, making it glad. This he doth by the comforts of a good conscience, that joy in the holy Ghost, the great pleasure that results from the practise of pious duties, the transporting delights and joys of his {untranscribed Hebrew} gracious yoke, when by his grace we come to the experience of it. This the Chaldee and Lxxii. have literally expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew}, thou hast dilated my heart; but the Syriack more clearly by {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to rejoice, thou hast exhilarated, or made me glad. Which rendering being in all probability the most commodious to the place, it will be fit to follow them also in the rendering of {untranscribed Hebrew}, not when( as we red from the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}) but because, or seeing that, for so they red {untranscribed Hebrew} because: This being not only the season, but the motive of all others most powerful and engaging to expedite running the way of Gods commandments, the alacrious performance of all duty, because the performance of it is matter of such experimental delight and joy to them that are exercised therein.  
V. 33. Unto the end] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as it signifies an end, so it signifies a reward. So Psal. xix. 11. in the keeping of them there is {untranscribed Hebrew} great reward; the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} retribution. And so in this Psalm v. 112. they render it {untranscribed Hebrew} by way of return to the rejoicing of his heart, which his testimonies yielded, v. 111. And so Aben Ezra understands it here, and so the Interlinear, reading mercede, by way of reward or return; and so being oft turned into a preposition, rendered propter, for, it still reteins this notion, by way of return, or reward, see Isa. v. 23. Gen. xxii. 18. And so the sense will best bear, Teach me— and I will observe it by way of return, or reward, or gratitude to thee, Gods mercy in teaching, being in all reason to be rewarded, or answered by our observing and taking exact care of what he teaches. Or else, by analogy with Psal. xix. 11. where the keeping his commandments brings great reward with it, it may here be rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}( understanding the preposition ל) for the reward, meaning the present joy of it, v. 32. not excluding the future crown. The Chaldee here red {untranscribed Hebrew} unto the end( as ver. 112. {untranscribed Hebrew} even to the end;) and so Abu Walid; and the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} altogether. The Syriack wholly omit it here, but v. 112. red {untranscribed Hebrew} firmly, or certainly, or in truth, i. e. sincerely: which as it is more agreeable to that place than the Chaldees to the end, which cannot probably follow {untranscribed Hebrew} for ever, as there {untranscribed Hebrew} doth; so it would as fitly agree with this place, I shall observe it sincerely or firmly. But of this there is no example, nor ground in the origination of the word, which is evidently used for reward Psal. xix. but not so evidently for either an end( unless as it is used for the heel, the last part of the body, in relation to which the Jewish Arab renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} juxta vestigium, or è vestigio, instantly, without delay, as if his keeping it should follow on the heels, as it were, of his being taught it) or else for truth and firmeness. And therefore still that of reward or return to God is the most allowable rendering of it here, and v. 112.  
V. 35. Make me to go] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in Hiphil from {untranscribed Hebrew} to go, or tread, or walk, is to lead, or direct, or conduct in any journey. So Psal. xxv. 9. we render {untranscribed Hebrew} shall guide, and cvii. 7. {untranscribed Hebrew} he lead them. And so the Lxxii. rightly here, {untranscribed Hebrew}, led me, direct, conduct me, and the latin deduce, led.  
V. 38. Who is devoted to thy fear] It is uncertain how {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is to be rendered, because uncertain to what {untranscribed Hebrew} relates, whether to thy word, or to thy servant. The Syriack joins it with the latter, thy servant {untranscribed Hebrew} which worships, or fears thee. But the Chaldee joins it with thy word, {untranscribed Hebrew} which is to the fearing, or which concerns the fearing thee. So the Lxxii. leaving out the {untranscribed Hebrew} which as redundant, red {untranscribed Hebrew}, to the fear of thee. And to this the Hebrew position of the words inclines, stablish to thy servant {untranscribed Hebrew} thy word, {untranscribed Hebrew} which is to the fearing thee: and remembering that {untranscribed Hebrew} word is one of the appellations of Gods Commandements, those, we know, immediately tend to the fear of God. The Jewish Arab reads it, Make good to thy servant thy saying which is to the people of thy fear, or those that fear thee. But Aben Ezra, Every decree of thine, which may bring me to thy fear.  
V. 48. My hands also will I lift up] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  lifting up the palms, or hands, is a phrase of various use: 1. for praying, Psal. xxviii. 2. When I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle; Lam. ii. 19. Lift up thy hands toward heaven; Hab. iii. 10. the deep uttered his voice, and lift up his hands; from whence the Apostle hath the phrase of lifting up holy hands, 1 Tim. ii. 8. and so— ad sidera palmas, in the poets: 2. for blessing others, Lev. ix. 22. Aaron lift up his hands toward the people, and blessed them; or for praising and blessing God, Psal. cxxxiv. 2. lift up your hands— and praise the Lord, and Psal. xxii. 4. I will bless thee, I will lift up my hands— 3. for swearing, Gen. xiv. 22. I have lift my hand to the Lord— i. e. sworn; Exod. vi. 8. I lifted up my hand {untranscribed Hebrew}, we render it, I swore to give it to Abraham— Ezec. xxxvi. 7. I have lifted up my hand, i. e sworn, surely &c. so Rev. x. 5. the Angel lifted up his hand to heaven and swore; so Deut. xxxii. 40. of God, I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever, a form of Gods swearing; Psal. cvi. 26. He lifted up his hand against them to overthrow them in the wilderness, i. e. he swore they should not enter into his rest( see note g. on that Psalm:) 4. for setting about any action, especially of weight, Gen. xLi. 44. without thee shall no man lift up his hand— i. e. attempt or do any thing; so Psal. x. 12. Arise, O Lord, lift up thy hand, forget not the poor, i. e. set to thy active hand to their assistance; so Heb. xii. 12. lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees, i. e. set actively and vigorously about the Christian task. And every of these might possibly be accommodated to this place, of lifting up his hands to Gods commandements. For it may be 1. praying for Gods grace to perform them: 2. blessing them as we do our daily food, or rather praising and blessing God for them, in respect of the great advantages we may reap by them; and to this the Syriack seems to have inclined, adding at the end of the verse {untranscribed Hebrew} and I will glory in thy faith or fidelity: 3. it may be vowing and promising under oa h a constant obedience to them: or 4. it may be the setting vigorously about them. And that is the most probable meaning of it, I will lift up my hands to the practise of them.  
V. 61. The bands] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a cord doth also signify a troope or company, whether of souldiers or of any other: so 1 Sam. x. 5. {untranscribed Hebrew} a troope of prophets, for so the Chaldee there render it, {untranscribed Hebrew} a company of scribes; and so here {untranscribed Hebrew} a company or troope of wicked men; in opposition whereto is {untranscribed Hebrew} ver. 63. I am a companion engaged in another society. This farther appears by the {untranscribed Hebrew} that follows, men may be said to rob or plunder, but cords or bands cannot.  
V. 66. Good judgement] From {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  gustavit, to taste, the noun is used for sapour, savour or taste of any thing; Exod. xvi. 31. {untranscribed Hebrew} the taste of the manna was as the taste of a wafer— And the verb being transferred from the body to the mind( Psal. xxxiv. 8. {untranscribed Hebrew} taste— how gracious the Lord is) the noun is so in like manner, and signifies in proportion either the outward fashion and behaviour &c. by which the mind is discerned, as meats by the taste, as in the title of Ps. xxxiv. when David changed {untranscribed Hebrew} his behaviour, the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} his countenance; or else the inner disposition and habit of mind, rendered by them {untranscribed Hebrew} disposition, 1 Sam. xxv. 33. Other uses of the word there are for a decree Jon. iii. 7. and Dan. iii. 10. but that which best agrees to it here, where it is joined with knowledge, is either 1. as our English render it, judgement, in the notion of opinion, counsel; so the Jewish Arab and Abu Walid render it by a word deduced from {untranscribed Hebrew} vidit to see, and spoken of the mind, sensit, judicavit, statuit, to think, judge, or resolve; or else 2. the habit of mind, genius, indoles, and then {untranscribed Hebrew} will be goodness of disposition, inclination, to which when knowledge is added, it is a special gift of God, fit to be here the matter of a prayer. The Chaldee 1 Sam. xxi. 13. and in the title of Psal. xxxiv. render it {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} thy knowledge, and his knowledge or sense; and accordingly here the Interlinear reads bonum sensum, a good sense, and the translator of the Chaldee( which here reteins the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}) rationem, reason. But as that notion cannot be applicable to the word in the title of that Psalm( for sure David was not really mad, and so 'twas not his sense, or knowledge, or reason, that was said to be changed there;) so it is not certain that it hath that sense in any other place of scripture. The most probable is that of Prov. xi. 22. where the faire woman {untranscribed Hebrew} is compared to a jewel of gold in a swines snout. Here the Interlinear reads declinans discretionem, as from {untranscribed Hebrew} recessit, departing from discretion, and the Vulgar latin fatua, foolish; but the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, which cannot be better rendered than of ill inclinations, disposition: and to that I suppose the Chaldee accords, and the Syriack, both retaining the original {untranscribed Hebrew} in their dialects, and the former reading it with {untranscribed Hebrew} as from {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} to be corrupted or stink, the latter retaining the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}, as that signifies perverse, contumacious, and so may best be rendered( not as the latin of the one, foetida sensu, and of the other foetida sapore, but) of a corrupt or perverse disposition, or manners, as {untranscribed Hebrew} 1 Cor. xv. 33. to corrupt manners is applied to the debauching their whole habit of mind. And proportionably here {untranscribed Hebrew} will be the {untranscribed Hebrew} the good manners, there mentioned, or rather {untranscribed Hebrew} goodness of manners. The Lxxii. have divided it into {untranscribed Hebrew}, goodness and discipline, and the latin follow them; and the Syriack have changed the order {untranscribed Hebrew} savour and goodness.  
V. 70. Fat as grease] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is very differently rendered by interpreters. The Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, is made cheese like milk; and the Syriack, latin, and arabic accord with them. And this undoubtedly by reading {untranscribed Hebrew} milk for {untranscribed Hebrew} fat; for {untranscribed Hebrew}, confestly signifying incrassation, being applied to milk, it must needs signify being coagulated, or made into cheese. But the Chaldee, it is certain, red {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so render it {untranscribed Hebrew} fat. The word {untranscribed Hebrew} being onely here found, the Jews do but by guess give the meaning of it. Aben Ezra notes only that it is without a fellow. R. Solomon meddles not with it. Kimchi renders it to be fat. Abu Walid gives three expositions of it; 1. rendering it by the arabic {untranscribed Hebrew}, and expounding it is troubled,( or corrupted, or unclean, foul, sordid and stinking( or sending up smells or fumes like that of fat stinking flesh) with unclean evil thoughts sends up, saith he, stinking fumes of evil thoughts, like burnt fat: 2. according to the Chaldee use of it, to be fat and gross: 3. {untranscribed Hebrew}, or, as more probably it should be written, {untranscribed Hebrew}, or {untranscribed Hebrew}, which signifies to be thick and gross, or hard; and then the two last fall in as one almost. Now for the construction, it may most probably be by understanding a preposition, not their heart is incrassate or gross like fat( for fatness can no more be said to be gross, than to be fat, being that by which other things are incrassate:) but, either their heart is gross as fat, i. e. as if it were a more lump of fat; or, their heart is become gross as with fat, as Psal. Lxxiii. 7. their eyes stand out {untranscribed Hebrew} with fat; and 'tis ordinary in poesy for the prepositions to be omitted. Thus the translator of the Chaldee supplies the preposition by rendering it in the ablative case, incrassatus est quasi adipe, is incrassate as with fat, and so the learned Castellio, quasi obesita●e obtusum est, is stuffed up as with fat. And to that the Jewish Arab agrees, their hearts are stuffed up ב with fat. As for the application of this to the heart, the gross or incrassate heart is all one with the dull or stupid, as pinguis Minerva among the latins signifies, and this from nature, the membranous lean parts being only sensitive. And thus will it stand in direct opposition to the {untranscribed Hebrew} good genius or disposition, v. 66. and denote the {untranscribed Hebrew}, the stupid incapable mind, and so in effect( although fat is the softest of any flesh) an obdurate heart, in the sense that Philoponus useth {untranscribed Hebrew} an incrassate spirit, and many the like expressions are used.  
V. 83. smoke] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to sand up smoke, or incense, or burn, Exo. xxix. 18. is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  smoke, Gen. xix. 28. and so here a bottle {untranscribed Hebrew} in the smoke, a bottle of skin( such as the Jews used) hung up in the smoke, and by that means parched and dry, and so fit to express one worn out and dried up with long suspense of expectation. The Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} in the frost, the latin in pruina, and the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} in the frost, from some other notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}, of affinity with that wherein 'tis used Psal. CXLviii. 8. in company with hail and snow, probably from the manner of the generation of a frost, or congealed mist, being but a smoke out of the earth. The Jewish Arab renders it strangely, as he that wandereth, noddeth, reeleth in the smoke being amazed.  
V. 84. How many are the dayes] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  how many days, is here most probably to be interpnted by the context, which, from the beginning of this Octonarie, speaks of Gods deferring his deliverance, and permitting him to wait and pray, and yet lye under his affliction. And accordingly there being an ellipsis in the words, it is in reason so to be supplied as best agrees with that sense, How many dayes of, or to thy servant( the word {untranscribed Hebrew}, without a preposition, is indifferent to either) i. e. how many dayes are appointed or assigned me for the continuance not of life( as How many are the dayes sound,) but of the pressures or afflictions that are upon me? and so it accords with when wilt thou comfort me? v. 82. and when wilt thou execute judgement( avenge or punish, or at least restrain and check my persecutors?) in the remainder of this verse. Thus 'tis frequent in the Hebrew, and among the Hellenists, for day to signify judgement, his day is coming, Psal. xxxvii. 13.( see note on Rom. xiii. d. Heb. 10. a.)  
V. 85. Proud have digged pits] The notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  proud in this Psalm, for wicked, injurious men, both here, and v. 21, 51, 69, 78, 121. is here observed by the Lxxii. which render it {untranscribed Hebrew} wicked( and so the Syriack and latin {untranscribed Hebrew} and iniqui, wicked men) as Isa. xiii. 11. {untranscribed Hebrew} lawless, and {untranscribed Hebrew} impiety Deut. xviii. 22. and frequently {untranscribed Hebrew} contumely, Pride being indeed the original as of all wickedness, so especially of contumely and injury. For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  they have digged ditches or pits for me, which the Chaldee and Syriack follows, the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, the latin narrarunt mihi fabulationes, they have  told me vain and idle discourses; so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the arabic fully expresses it by words of dotage or folly, long impertinent discourses of other mens matters. The ground of their reading is visible: {untranscribed Hebrew} with ש from {untranscribed Hebrew} to speak or talk, is elsewhere duly rendered by them {untranscribed Hebrew} talk, 1 King. xviii. 27. but being here with ש from {untranscribed Hebrew} to decline, bend down, &c. it signifies a ditch, or pit, or declining ground, and so is used Psal. Lvii. 6. As for {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to dig, and Psal. vii. 15. joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} a ditch or pit( parallel to {untranscribed Hebrew} here) though it have no signification proportionable to that of {untranscribed Hebrew} telling, yet the other word being so rendered, idle talks or discourses, for pits, this was by analogy to follow; the telling being accommodated to those talks, as digging to pits. Meanwhile this rendering of the Lxxii. is not very unagreeable to the sense, their telling him long and idle tales, or talking thus impertinently with him, being easily excusable( as was the Herodians and Pharisees with Christ) to have been designed on purpose to ensnare him. What here follows {untranscribed Hebrew} which are not according to thy Law,( for which the Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew} which thou hast not commanded in thy Law, and the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, not as thy Law, O Lord) is to be taken in the Hebrew dialect( imitated by most other languages) by the figure {untranscribed Hebrew}, when that is said to be not good, or not well done, which is extremely ill, when unprofitable signifies very wicked, and many the like( see note on Mat. xii. e.) for so here, not according to Law signifies extremely contrary to it, and so {untranscribed Hebrew}, by which the Lxxii. rendered the proud here, is literally no more than they that act beside the Law( which is the style of the Syriack in this latter part of the verse) but it signifies those that do most contrary to it.  
V. 89. For ever O Lord] The Syriack seem most fitly to have expounded these words {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  For ever, O Lord, by addition or supply of {untranscribed Hebrew} art thou, thus, Thou art for ever, O Lord, and thy word endures. This may suggest a rendering of these two verses by way of correspondence, that one may bear proportion and be directly answerable to the other; which will be, if we shall compare together the beginnings and the ends of the verses severally. The beginnings lie thus, Thou art for ever, O Lord, v. 89. Thy faithfulness is {untranscribed Hebrew} to generation and generation, i. e. to all generations, which are exactly parallel. Then the latter parts of the verses lie thus, Thy word {untranscribed Hebrew} stands or is settled in the heauens, v. 89. i. e. whatsoever thou commandest in heaven, doth certainly come to pass, and Thou hast established the earth, {untranscribed Hebrew} and it shall stand or abide, i. e. the earth and all things in it are by thee most firmly established. And then as the parallel will be exact, so the sense will flow most currently. The parallel will be exact, for as v. 89. his word is said to stand or be settled in heaven, so v. 90. his faithfulness shall be said to abide or stand in the earth, as steadfast as the earth itself, or ever since the creation and establishment of the earth. And then the sense will be, that as God is eternal, so his word and faithfulness remains constant, and never failes in heaven above, or here below on earth, where from the afflictions of good men there is more show of objection against Gods making good his promise to them. Now as his word and faithfulness, though severed in place, are to be united in sense, and signify his faithful performance of his word; so the heaven and earth are in sense to be joined also, and signify by a frequent hebraism( see note on 2 Pet. iii. e.) the whole world, in his constant governing of which this his fidelity is as illustriously visible, as in the creation of them. Accordingly v. 91. they are joined together, They continue this day, or, They have continue d to this day {untranscribed Hebrew}, they in the plural, and {untranscribed Hebrew} either adverbially, as the Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} this day, or understanding the preposition {untranscribed Hebrew} until this day; not as the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} the day continues, but they, i. e. the heaven and the earth foregoing, and consequently all things therein comprehended, for so it follows, {untranscribed Hebrew} for all things serve thee.  
V. 96. End of all perfection] The word {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which we render end, signifies limit, or boundary, or extreme part, and is most ordinarily applied to places or regions; so the Lxxii. who render it {untranscribed Hebrew} bound. And if in this sense it be here used, then 'tis not amiss to take notice of the Syriacks rendering of {untranscribed Hebrew} perfection, by {untranscribed Hebrew}, which their latin translator Sionita renders regioni region, I have seen that there is a bound to every region; for so {untranscribed Hebrew} which signifies a bound or end( and is here by the Chaldee used to render {untranscribed Hebrew}) is there rendered a region, and {untranscribed Hebrew} in arabic is space or place, {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew}, the common style of a region. So saith Sionita in a note on this his version in the margin of his edition in quarto, Propriè terminum significat, saepe tamen pro regione seu parte mundi sumitur, It properly signifies bound, limit, yet 'tis oft taken for a region or part of the world. To this the latter part of the verse well accords, of {untranscribed Hebrew} the exceeding width or amplitude of Gods commandments, not having such bounds as each region hath. And to this perhaps the Chaldee looked, which paraphrastically expresseth it {untranscribed Hebrew} of all that I have been solicitous of, or beholded. This carries that probability with it, that it deserved to be mentioned. And if it be not accepted, then still {untranscribed Hebrew}, in the ordinary signification of perfection or universality, as a comprehensive word, must denote the greatest latitude or amplitude, whether qualitative or quantitative, of virtue, or of space, and so still {untranscribed Hebrew} be the bound or utmost extent of it. The Jewish Arab renders it, To every kind an end; Abu Walid, I have seen the uttermost of every end[ or uttermost extent] but the ext●nt of thy judgement,[ commandment, law, or wisdom] for that is wider and deeper, then that the uttermost of its extremity[ or end] may be attained to.  
V. 109. My soul is— in my hand] The meaning of this phrase is obvious, I am in danger of my life. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  See Jud. xii. 3. I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, i. e. I fearelesly adventured my life. So 1 Sam. xix. 5. he put his life in his hand, and slay the philistines, i. e. by adventuring his own life he killed the other: and ch. xxviii. 21. I have put my life in my hand, and harkened to thy words, i. e. run the hazard of my life to obey thee: and Job xiii. 14. Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand? The only difficulty is, what is the original of this proverbial style. This Pat. Cocburne hath proposed as an instance of the interpreting scripture from vulgar speech, making this to be the meaning of it, that he hath no aid now left him but from his own hand, as being left destitute of all other help or auxiliaries. And thus indeed the place in Judges seemed to suggest, When I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon; you gave me no aid, and so I was fain to go over myself without you: and so likewise of David, who without any help smote goliath, to which there Jonathan refers 1 Samuel xix. 5. But the other places, of the witch of Endor and Job, will not bear this sense; and therefore this is not to be pitched on, but rather this. That as what is in a mans hand is easily partend with, easily lost, and as easily taken from him, so a mans life is said to be in his hand, when there is but little distance betwixt him and death: and so the Chaldee interprets it by way of paraphrase, my soul {untranscribed Hebrew} is in danger( from {untranscribed Hebrew}, which in Hebrew is to profit, but in the Chaldee language to periclitate) {untranscribed Hebrew} in the back of my hand, which consequently he hath no hold of, it may depart at pleasure. So the Jewish Arab thus paraphraseth it, Although my soul be as it were in my hand continually through danger. And this is the most allowable original of the phrase. The Lxxii. have here varied the phrase, and red {untranscribed Hebrew}, my soul is in thy hands, and so the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} in thy hands; not so probably misreading the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} into {untranscribed Hebrew}, as expressing it by way of pious paraphrase, our lives being then certainly in Gods hands, to save if he please, when they are in human sight in greatest danger, and so by every pious man to be deposited in Gods hands.  
V. 113. Vain thoughts] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is here to be taken not for the thoughts or opinions themselves, as elsewhere, Job xx. 2. and 1 King. xviii. 21. but for the persons that think, and that not for thoughts simply, but for wicked thoughts, all the ancient interpreters agree: the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew}, the latin iniquos, transgressors, wicked men; breakers of the Law, saith the arabic. The Jewish Arab reads {untranscribed Hebrew} hypocrites, and the Chaldee by way of paraphrase, {untranscribed Hebrew} those that think vain or false thoughts. Abu Walid expounds it those that have hypocrisy, and evil counsels, and deceitful cogitations. And so Kimchi saith that others interpnted it as an Adjective, though he as a Substantive, for the thoughts themselves. Sol. Jarchi interprets it of instability, hanging distracted between two opinions, betwixt God and Baal, the {untranscribed Hebrew}, or {untranscribed Hebrew}, Ja. 1. the double-minded man unstable in all his ways.  
V. 119. 
&.  dross] The Hebrew reading of this verse is much departed from by the ancient interpreters. The words are plain in the original, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thou hast destroyed or done away, made to cease( so {untranscribed Hebrew} is used Ezec. xii. 23. in Hiphil, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to rest or cease) {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the dross, so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies all the dross or refuse that goes away( from {untranscribed Hebrew} to recede) and departs from the metal in the melting, and so in other things; Midr. Tehil. saith that grapes being prest make {untranscribed Hebrew}, which men throw upon the ground,( and so Gods judgments are deciphered in scripture by treading a winepress.) The word seems to allude to {untranscribed Hebrew} foregoing v. 118. Then follows by apposition {untranscribed Hebrew} all the wicked of the earth. But the Lxxii. render the two first words {untranscribed Hebrew}, I have accounted prevaricators, for {untranscribed Hebrew} probably reading {untranscribed Hebrew} those that err, and for {untranscribed Hebrew} I have reputed. The Chaldee red far otherwise, {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast destroyed the Idols, thou hast consumed all the wicked of the earth. And the Syriack have quiter omitted this verse, and in a manner repeated v. 117. instead of it.  
V. 120. Trembleth] For {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which notes being in horror, such as causeth the hair to stand an end( see Job iv. 15.) the Lxxii. here red {untranscribed Hebrew}( I suppose it should be {untranscribed Hebrew}) evidently from another old notion of the word {untranscribed Hebrew} to fasten with a nail, from whence the Chaldee use {untranscribed Hebrew} for a nail, as we see in their Targum, Isa. xli. 7. Herein the latin follows them, and reads confige; but the Syriack hath {untranscribed Hebrew} the verb, whence is the arabic noun for an hedghogge, whose prickles standing up are the emblem of horror; and so that sure is the meaning of the phrase, and that fitly following the destroying the dross v. 119. for that may well be the motive to this horror.  
V. 122. Surety] Of the several usages of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  interpreters have been uncertain which to take. From the notion of pleasing or being acceptable, the Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} delight or make merry. And so the Syriack also. But the Lxxii. that red {untranscribed Hebrew} and the latin suscipe, seem to refer to the other notion( that in which arrhabo comes from it) of a surety, or undertaker, for that we know is the importance of suscipere. And this doth best agree with the antecedents and consequents. Leave me not to my oppressors, let not the proud oppress me; for with both those well accords, undertake, interpose, be surety for me for good, i. e. so as to deliver me out of their hands. Abu Walid takes it in the notion of doing well to.  
V. 123. Word of thy righteousness] The notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thy righteousness, for thy kindness, charity and mercy, is very obvious( see note on Matth. 1. g.) and that agrees well with this place, where Gods deliverance, in the beginning of the verse, is the thing that is waited for, and dealing with him according to his mercy v. 124. and then {untranscribed Hebrew} word added to it, is no more then Gods speaking mercy to him, as elsewhere speaking peace, i. e. hearing his prayers, giving him an answer of mercy. But the word righteousness may denote the rule of righteousness, the Law of God, his prescript manner of dealing with men; and then the word of thy righteousness will be the tenor of thy Law, that promises deliverance to the pious.  
V. 126. Time for thee, O Lord, to work] The Hebrew here reads {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which is literally time to do, or perform,( so {untranscribed Hebrew} is facere and persicere) to the Lord. And as this is more agreeable to the sense of the ancient interpreters, than the reading it time for the Lord to work, the Chaldee being express, time to work {untranscribed Hebrew} the will of God, and the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} time to worship God, to which sense also the Lxxii. are to be understood, {untranscribed Hebrew}, time to work or perform to the Lord; so it will also best accord to the context, other mens evacuating, frustrating Gods Law, by their neglecting and contemning it, being a fit motive to his servants most diligently to perform it.  
V. 128. Esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} as it signifies to be right, so 'tis also to please, or to be approved, as when a thing is said to be right in the eyes of God, i. e. to please him; and then by analogy with this sense, it signifies in other conjugations( as to correct and direct, so) to approve. And so the Syriack rightly understands {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, and renders it by {untranscribed Hebrew} I have loved all thy precepts: and to the same purpose is the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to like, to approve. Only the Lxxii. and others from them adhere to the other notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}, and red {untranscribed Hebrew}, I was directed to all thy ways. The reduplication of the universal particle {untranscribed Hebrew} is emphatical, all, even all, and so the plain rendering is most current, All thy commandments, even all, have I approved— The Jewish Arab reads, And therefore for all thy commandements, all of them have I sought.  
V. 130. Entrance of thy word] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to open, doth regularly signify opening. The only question is, whether thy word be the agent, or the patient, that which opens, or which is opened. If we take it in the latter sense, then the opening of Gods words is the explaining them; so the Jewish Arab renders, Because the opening of thy word enlighteneth, O thou that makest the simplo to understand. And so the Lxxii. their {untranscribed Hebrew} is understood both by the latin and the Syriack: {untranscribed Hebrew} open thy word, and illuminate, saith the one, and declaratio verborum tuorum illuminat, the declaring of thy words doth illuminate, saith the other. But if it be in the sense of thy word being the agent, then 'tis the opening our eyes wrought by thy word; and that seems to be the more genuine meaning of it, that Gods word by opening our minds gives light to them, teacheth them those things which naturally they did not, could not know, till they were thus illuminated. And the Chaldee favours, who renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} the sculpture or impression of thy word illuminates; which evidently refers to the Urim, whose name is derived from light, and therefore will with full propriety be said to enlighten; which surely the Lxxii. likewise reflected on, when they call it {untranscribed Hebrew}, the word by them used constantly to translate Urim.  
V. 139. Consumed me] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} from which is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, as it signifies to consume, and so is here rendered by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, hath melted me, or by melting consumed me, and by the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} cruciated me, so it signifies also to bind, press, constrein, in the notion wherein 'tis said of Paul Act. xviii. 5. that {untranscribed Hebrew}, he was constrained or prest in spirit. Thus the Chaldee renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} hath constrained me. And this is the most probable acception of it, zeal having that faculty of pressing, and forcing expressions from one, either of grief, or indignation, or the like, as the occasion requires.  
V. 148. Night-watches] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to keep, guard, watch, signifies indifferently any of the three watches into which the night was divided, the evening watch, or beginning of the watches, or first watch, Lam. ii. 19. the middle, or night watch, Jud. vii. 19. and the last, or morning watch, Exod. xiv. 24. And to the last of these the context here inclines it, so as it may agree with the dawning of the morning v. 147. and be fitly joined with preventing, which sure in both verses signifies rising betimes, so it is proper to the morning, not evening watch. The Chaldee indeed gives it a greater latitude, and reads the watches {untranscribed Hebrew} of the morning and evening both, but the Lxxii. red expressly {untranscribed Hebrew} early in the morning.  
V. 165. Offend them] The Hebrew here red {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , i. e. as the Lxxii. literally red, {untranscribed Hebrew} there is no scandal to them, by scandal meaning any thing that may wound, or hurt, or cause them to fall in their journey, in the threefold notion of the word {untranscribed Hebrew}( which the Lxxii. here use, and is perfectly parallel to {untranscribed Hebrew}) for a stumbling-block, and a snare, and a gall-trap. The meaning of it will be best understood, by comparing it with the like phrase 1 Joh. ii. 10. He that loveth his brother abideth in light, {untranscribed Hebrew} and there is no scandal in him, or to him; the light, wherein he abides, will so assist him in every part of his march, that he shall be free from those dangers which are parallel to the snares, and stumbling-blocks, and gall-traps, which they that travail in the dark are subject to. There the scandals are means of betraying the soul into sin, temptations; and no scandal to them signifies their security from those temptations, that others so frequently are overcome by. And so here, as the great peace, in the beginning of the verse( according to the Hebrew notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}) notes all manner of prosperity and felicity, that especially wherein the soul is concerned, so the no scandal to them, is the immunity from temptations and snares, i. e. from sins to which temptations are designed to bring men: and this is the security which the love of Gods Commandements will give men, when nothing else will. The Chaldee here red, there is no scandal to them {untranscribed Hebrew} in the world to come, meaning no mischief, punishment of sin, but the Syriack, there is to them no {untranscribed Hebrew} infirmity, sickness, disease,( the word, from {untranscribed Hebrew}, signifies sickness either of body or mind) and so is most applicable to sin, the disease of the soul.  
V. 168. Before thee] What is the meaning of a mans ways being before God, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  will best be judged by other parallel phrases, such are walking before God, or in his sight, and that signifies to live piously, and so as is accepted by him. And then here, though it is certain all mens actions are seen by God, and done in his sight, yet his ways being before him, will best be interpnted walking, or living piously.    

The Hundred and Twentieth Psalm.  
A Song 
a.  of 
ascents.  Degrees. The hundred and twentieth is a prayer against calumniators and malicious persons, and a complaint of the infelicity of such companions. It seems to have been first formed by David, in relation to Doeg, 1 Sam. xxii. and to have been after made use of in relation to the 
so the Syriack( see note a) and R. Kimchi( see note c)  Captivity, and is called a Psalm of Ascents, because it was appointed to be sung by the Levites on some place of advantage, with elevation of voice.  
1. IN my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me.  
Blessed be the name of the Lord God, for all his mercies vouchsafed unto me: I was in great distress, and accordingly addressed myself to God for his relief, and he was pleased to give ear unto me.  
2. Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.  
And this was the sum of my prayer; O blessed Lord, I am fallen into the midst of calumniators and malicious false persons, who by treachery and deceit are resolved to destroy me, if thou Lord be not graciously pleased to deliver me out of their hands.  
3. 
b.  What shall 
a false tongue give thee, or what shall it add to thee?  be given unto thee, or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?  
All the good that is to be had by such company, is to be wounded incurably, and mischieved by them.  
4. sharp arrows of the mighty with coals of juniper.  
Their tongues are as piercing as darts read hot in a flout souldiers hands, no armor of innocence is fence against them.  
5. Woe is me that I sojourn 
long, I  in 
c.  Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar.  
6. My soul hath long dwelled with him that hateth peace.  
O what an infelicity and sad condition it is to be forced to spend so much time, as a stranger and sojourner, among such barbarous unhuman people, which are always projecting mischief against me?  
7. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war.  
Let my actions and my words be never so friendly and pacificatory; their malice is rather accended than slackened thereby. The deceitfulness of their own hearts infuseth jealousies into them, makes them suspect the meekness and friendliness of my behaviour to be but a stratagem of fraud and guile in me,  

Annotations on Psalm CXX.  
Tit. Degrees] The meaning of this title {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a Psalm of Ascents, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to ascend, will I suppose best be learnt from Nehem. ix. 4, &c. There we find {untranscribed Hebrew} the ascent or scaffold or pulpit of the Levites, some place of advantage, whereon they stood when they chanted out the forms of Praise. Thus we find in the institution that the Levites were to stand, by Davids last words, to thank and praise the Lord morning and evening, 1 Chron. xxiii. 50. and this at the east or front of the altar, {untranscribed Hebrew} over against it, say the Lxxii. 2 Chron. v. 12.( as before the ark 1 Chron. xvi. 4.) i. e. probably at the East gate of the Temple, before the courts of the people; for so saith Maimonides Cele Hammikdosh, c. iii. that at both the gates of the mens and womens court, there was a scaffold or pulpit for the Levites, where they stood, twelve at least, to make one sound, to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, 2 Chron. v. 13. So we see it practised in that place of Nehemiah, Jeshuah and Bani &c. standing up on that ascent cried with a loud voice unto the Lord their God, v. 4. and again Jeshuah and Kadmiel &c. said, stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever, and blessed be thy glorious name— Here is a double ascent, 1. an advantage of ground, whether as on a scaffold, or desk, or pulpit, such as is wont to be set up for such purposes of public reading, proclaiming, or other services; 2. an elevation of voice. From either or both of which, rather than from the xv. steps or stairs of the Temple, which the Talmudists have fancied, in compliance with the number of the xv. Psalms here so styled, the Psalm which is there delivered is fitly styled a Psalm of ascents. Accordingly the Jewish Arab rendereth it a Psalm of praise, with lifting up the voice, which Kimchi takes notice of, as the opinion of R. Saadiah. It may be here farther observed, that that passage in Nehemiah refers to the deliverance of that people out of the captivity of Babylon; and 'tis not improbable, this title may have some respect to that also, the returning of the captives to their own country being not unfitly styled an ascent or coming up. Of this as Theodoret and Euthymius interpret, so 'tis certain the Syriack understand it, making the contents of this Psalm to be a prayer of the people detained in Babel, and entitling the next a Psalm {untranscribed Hebrew} of eduction, or ascent out of Babel, and so forward in the rest of the fifteen: and to that the Chaldee may be interpnted also, when it paraphrases it, the Psalm which was said {untranscribed Hebrew} upon the ascent from the abyss, thereby resembling the depth of their bottomless misery in the captivity,( though 'tis not improbable, they might refer to the wild Talmudical story of the rising up of the abyss at the building of the Temple, which with much ado was at last conjujured down.) What is here said of this, is to be applied to the rest of the xv. Psalms, which carry the same title. Not that this and all the rest were first composed on occasion either of the delivery out of the captivity, or of the captivity itself; but that being formerly made by David or others, on some other occasion, they were then used, some in their thralldome, some upon their delivery, as they were proper, and thought applicable to some part of this occasion. Aben Ezra resolves it possible that it was no more than a Musical tone.  
V. 3. Given to thee] The Hebrew reads {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  what shall give to thee, the nominative case being reserved to the end of the verse {untranscribed Hebrew} deceitful tongue, thus, What shall a deceitful or false tongue give thee? i. e. profit thee? and so again more explicitly, {untranscribed Hebrew} and what shall the deceitful tongue add to thee? i. e. what advantage shall it bring thee? Thee, i. e. the person who converseth with such, i. e. the Psalmist here. Thus the Chaldee understood it, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. What shall the detractor give thee, or what shall the delator add to thee by a false tongue? The Syriack more plainly, {untranscribed Hebrew}, What shall deceitful tongues give thee, or add to thee? so the Jewish Arab, He shall say to him that hath it, what is that with thee, or that thou hast, and what shall a deceitful tongue add to thee? i. e. what shall a man gain by such a conversation, by living among deceitful malicious men? Even {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  arrows of the strong man, the military man or giant, such as men use in war, on purpose to mischief, and so are {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  very sharp, and not only so, but to make them enter the more certainly, and pierce the deeper, and burn together as they wound, they are heat read hot, and that in the scorchingst fire, such as is that which is made of the coals of Juniper, saith S. jerome, of which 
Schindler in the word {untranscribed Hebrew}  others have affirmed, that being once on fire they will keep the fire a year together without going out. And so saith Kimchi {untranscribed Hebrew} they are very hot and will not be quenched, who adds that these coals keep fire in them when they appear dead: and so indeed in nature, the coal that lasts long alive, must cast thick ashes about it( and then it will seem dead, the life not discovering itself through the ashes) otherwise the sulphurous parts, wherein fire consists, will presently get out. Thus is this instrument of the deceitful persons punishment adapted to his sin, and is an emblem of him, the concealing hatred being as destructive as the long burning of it, the ashes, as the coals of Juniper. And so this question and answer being a poetical description of the mischief of such company, that which follows, v. 4. Woe is me that I sojourn, or dwell among such, doth exactly accord with it.  
V. 5. Mesech] The Hebrew phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which we render as if Mesech were the name of a place, seems best to be expounded v. 6. by {untranscribed Hebrew} I have a long while dwelled, for so {untranscribed Hebrew}, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to draw or protract, seems to signify adverbially long. So the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, my sojourning is lengthened, to which as the latin and arabic, so the Syriack accord, {untranscribed Hebrew} my peregrination is protracted, so Aquila {untranscribed Hebrew}, I was a stranger a long time, and Symmachus {untranscribed Hebrew}, I have protracted sojourning. Thus to protract and prolong are the same in all languages, and so is {untranscribed Hebrew} frequently used in that sense of protracting, Prov. xiii. 12. Psal. xxxvi. 11. and Lxxxv. 6. and cix. 12. and oft elsewhere, from whence is {untranscribed Hebrew} a space, and so here adverbially, or for {untranscribed Hebrew} for a space, i. e. a long time. The Chaldee indeed take it here for a people, rendering {untranscribed Hebrew} with the Asiaticks, and from them the latter Jews understand it of Tuscany, and so of italy and the Roman Empire, as Kedar following they interpret of the Saracens, or Turks. But as all the other ancient Interpreters depart from the Chaldee, so Kimchi hath receded from this invention of his fellow Jews, and renders the place, woe is me {untranscribed Hebrew} that my captivity is very much lengthened, drawn out, or protracted. Should it be otherwise interpnted, the conjecture of the learned Bochart would be worth remembering, that {untranscribed Hebrew} in Chaldee and Syriack signifies a skin, and so {untranscribed Hebrew} in Hesychius out of Nicander, {untranscribed Hebrew} a fleece or skin; from whence saith he, Mesech might be the name of a city, so called not from Mesech the son of Japhet, but from the skins with which the Arabes Scenitae covered their tents, mentioned in the end of the verse. But it is no less probable, that in the notion of skins, it should be here joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} tents, which were thus covered with skins; and if we deduce it from {untranscribed Hebrew} to draw, it may signify a draw-wagon, or traha, and the barbarous nations that were not by agriculture fixed to one place, dwelled as well in their wagons as tents: either way it well agrees with Kedar, i. e. the progeny of Kedar, the son of Ishmael, Gen. xxv. 13. those barbarous people of Arabia, that were called Scenitae, because they continued in tents, without houses, and so the Chaldee reads it {untranscribed Hebrew} the Tabernacles of the Arabians. To whom, as being a barbarous unhuman people, the Psalmist here compares those malicious deceitful men among whom he dwells. If( because the time of consigning the Canon of Scripture, soon after the Captivity, will not permit it to be spoken literally) we shall interpret the Psalm prophetically to look upon Antiochus, the analogy would well hold, for he is in Scripture expressed as by Gog, so by Mesech, and described by Daniel as a flatterer, a speaker of lies, a worker of deceit, and forecaster of evil devices, &c. and then the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  enemies of peace, would be those sworn enemies of Jerusalem, both the inhabitants of Asia minor, and the confederate Arabians. The Jewish Arab reads, a people that is after the way or sect or manner of Mesech. David Kimchi, though in his Comment, as was said, he expound it of the protraction of his sojourning, yet in his Roots saith, it is the name of a nation mentioned in the Law, viz. Gen. x. 2.    

The Hundred Twenty First Psalm.  
A Song of 
Ascents, see note on Psal. cxx. a.  Degrees. The hundred twenty first is a repose in God, and a confident expectation of succour and safety under his protection.  
1. I Will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help.  
2. My help cometh 
a.  
from before, or from the presence of the Lord.  from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.  
Whatsoever, or how great soever my distress or pressure be, whether bodily or spiritual, I have no other Sanctuary or refuge to which to apply myself, but that one supreme of heaven,( the image of which is the ark on Zion, that holy hill or mount where God is pleased to presentiate himself) even to the all-sufficient omnipotent Creator, Ruler and Governor of the world. To him I can confidently address my prayers, and cheerfully expect a seasonable aid, which he by his holy Angels shall graciously afford me,( by the intercession of his own Son, who hath assumed my nature.)  
3. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; and he that keepeth thee will not slumber.  
4. Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.  
All other guards may fail; either through the strength of a more powerful affailant, or being at some time overtaken with sleep or weariness: But the watch that God affordeth us is impregnable; neither he nor his Angels, to whom he assigns this office of guarding, under him, all his faithful servants, can ever be surprised by any such advantage.  
5. The Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.  
6. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.  
The omnipotent Lord of heaven and earth shall be 
Nigher then thy shadow at, or from thy right hand, Jewish Arab.  present to thee, and overrule all his creatures, and keep thee from being mischieved by them; his protection, as the cloud to the Israelites, or as a faithful second in a duel, shall defend thee from all approach of danger: Neither the open assaults in the day-time from enemy or devil, nor the the secret ambushes in the night from any treacherous underminer either of thy temporal or spiritual estate,( the former fitly compared to the scorching of the Sun, the latter to the malignant influences of the Moon) shall be able to do thee any hurt.  
7. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil; he shall preserve thy soul.  
The Lord shall assuredly defend thee from any real mischief, of what kind soever, that can approach thee.  
8. The Lord shall preserve thy 
b.  going out and thy coming in, from this time forth and even for evermore.  
He shall keep thee under the shadow of his own wings, and in the beginning, progress, and end of thy undertakings and designs, when thou goest out to work, or comest home to rest, in thy business, or in thy retirement, his guard shall continually attend thee, and( if thou continue to adhere to him) never forsake or destitute thee.  

Annotations on Psalm CXXI.  
V. 2. From the Lord] The Hebrew is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from with, or before, the Lord; which the Jewish Arab red {untranscribed Hebrew} from at, or with the Lord. The Lxxii. red only {untranscribed Hebrew} before the Lord; but the Chaldee and the Syriack agree in {untranscribed Hebrew} from before, or from the sight or presence of the Lord, referring hereby more generally to the good Angels( styled the Angels of his presence, those that stand before the Lord, and always behold the face of God, and where they appear, there God is said to be in a peculiar manner) by whose ministry mercies and deliverances are solemnly conveyed to godly men; or rather to Christ incarnate, with whose Humanity the Deity being inseparably united, God is always present with him, and through him with us, for whom sitting at Gods right hand, he constantly maketh intercession: But more immediately referring to the ark of God, where he is pleased to exhibit his presence, and audience to the prayers of his servants, who there address them to him; which being placed on mount Zion, that sure is the meaning of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to the hills, v. 1. to which as they then came when they could to offer up their prayers, so when they were hindered and detained from that personal address, they yet turned their faces, and lift up their eyes that way, as here it is said. See Dan. vi. 10. This for the full and ultimate importance of the words. But for the immediate sense of them, the scheme seems to be military. The besieged person daily looks to the hills, to see if any relief be coming from any quarter, any signal by fire or the like, giving intelligence of succour approaching; so saith Aben Ezra as men do in a siege, and so Kimchi also. And then by this scheme the Psalmist expresses his own repose to be in God, that dwelleth above in heaven, and presentiates himself to his servants in Zon; Our help cometh from a place higher than any earthly hill, from a more sure deliverer.  
V. 8. Going out and coming in] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  going and coming, or going out and coming in, being, as here, used by itself, without any addition, hath a different importance from what it hath when it is used with {untranscribed Hebrew} before the people, 1 Sa. xviii. 13. and the like. For then it imports governing or ruling only. So v. 16. all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them. So Act. i. 21. all the time that Jesus went in and out among us, i. e. taught us, ruled us his disciples here on earth. But in this place, without that addition, it signifies more generally, doing any thing of what sort soever, all actions being comprehended under one of these two sorts, going out to more public, and coming in to more private affairs; or again, going out to begin, coming in at the end of the work. The Chaldee here paraphrase it, by going out {untranscribed Hebrew}( a corruption of the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew}) to affairs, to negotiation, and coming in {untranscribed Hebrew} to the study of the Law.    

The Hundred Twenty Second Psalm.  
A Song of 
ascents, see note on Ps. cxx. a.  degrees of David. The hundred twenty second is an expression of great joy for a return to the benefits of Gods public service, together with a prayer for continuance of those peaceable opportunities. It was first composed by David, probably after his return from his flight from Absolom, and solemnly sung by the Levites upon the return from the Captivity,( see note on Psal. cxx. a.)  
1. I Was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.  
2. Our feet 
have stood {untranscribed Hebrew}  shall stand in thy gates, O Jerusalem.  
Blessed be God for the joyful news which he hath now afforded us, the liberty to go to Jerusalem, and to the ark of Gods presence which is placed there, the most blissful prerogative of peaceable public assemblies, from which we have been debarred so long.  
3. Jerusalem is builded as a city that 
a.  is 
joined to itself together  compact together.  
Jerusalem is a lovely place, the very buildings, being so uniform, are very beautiful( and an emblem of that union of minds, both in charity and united intercessions, which is the most amiable graceful thing in the Church of God.)  
4. Whether the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, 
b.  
by, or according to the commandment, or testimony to Israel.  unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord.  
And nothing more lovely in it, than that it is the place to which all the inhabitants of the land are thrice every year obliged to go up to commemorate the mercies of God afforded to his people.  
5. For there 
set  are 
c.  set thrones of judgement, the thrones of the house of David.  
Yet beside this of the house and service of God, there also the Sanhedrim, or supreme judicature of the nation sitteth, that great court where the highest matters are decided: And there also is the palace where David, and the Kings of Judah descending lineally from David, do and shall constantly reside.  
6. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; they shall prosper that love thee.  
From all these both civill and Ecclesiastical considerations, it is the duty of all good men to pray for this place, and to love it most affectionately, to beseech God to bestow a quiet enjoyment of all these advantages, and therein all manner of prosperity upon it. And they that thus love, and pray, and contribute their utmost to it, shall certainly gain to themselves prosperity and temporal felicity by this means.  
7. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.  
Let this therefore be our united prayer, that God will pour down all his blessings upon this place.  
8. For my brethren and companions sakes I will now 
speak peace of, or ●●,  say, Peace be 
d.  within thee.  
9. Because of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek thy good.  
And as our prayers, so let our most earnest endeavours be bent this way, to advance the prosperity and tranquillity of it, and so both of Church and state, which are equally concerned in it. And to this all obligations, both human and divine, charity to our brethren, and piety to that God who is adored and glorified there, most strictly engage us.  

Annotations on Psalm CXXII.  
V. 3. Compact] This phrase of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  associated( from {untranscribed Hebrew} to join or associate) or joined to itself together, refers critically to that which the sacred story gives us of that city. The site of it was upon a very unequal ground; the low town was mean and dismantled; the castle on the hill was fortified, and held as a place of strength; which being taken by Joab, David built up the whole, and so made it one city, associated and joined together. 1 Chron. xi. 7, 8. David dwelled in the castle, and built the city round about, and Joab repaired the rest of the city.  
V. 4. Unto the testimony of Israel] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  doth literally signify, the testimonies( as that imports commands given) to Israel. So {untranscribed Hebrew} the verb, as it signifies to testify, is also to admonish; and so testimonies and statutes and judgments, Deut. iv. 45. are all used in the same sense, for the commands delivered by Moses from God; and so ch. vi. 20. What mean the testimonies— and frequently in this book of Psalms, Gods testimonies, being that which he hath revealed, and thereby testified of his will. So when we red of the Ark of the testimony, 'tis in relation to the Decalogue which was kept in the Ark, Exod. xxv. 16. thou shalt put into the Ark the testimony which I shall give thee. And so here the testimony to Israel is the command given to that people of going up from all parts of the land to Jerusalem three times a year, to the Feasts. That is meant in the beginning of the verse, Thither the tribes go up, not to, but by, or according to the testimony to Israel, the law given to that purpose. The preposition indeed is wanting, and so must of necessity be supplied( rather than to make the testimony the notation of the place, viz. the Ark) the sense being thus most current, Whither, i. e. to Jerusalem, the tribes go up, i. e. all the Jews wheresoever inhabiting, according to the testimony, or law given to Israel( so ל imports) to give thanks unto the name of the Lord, which was the end of their going up, and of the command which required it at the festivals, the solemn times of thanksgiving. The Chaldee have another notion of it, and render it Gods testifying to Israel {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. that his majestatick presence shall abide among them when they come to confess unto the name of the Lord. But the former rendering is more proper and agreeable. And accordingly the learned Castellio reads it, ex edito Israelitis oraculo, from, or by the oracle delivered to the Israelites. The Jewish Arab reads {untranscribed Hebrew} and it is the place of convention to, or for Israel, taking it in the notion that the words derived from {untranscribed Hebrew} have.  
V. 5. Thrones of judgement] That the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  seats for judgement here signify the Sanhedrim, or highest Court of Judicature, there can be no question. These are said to sit( so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  literally imports) at Jerusalem, as being the Metropolis of Judea,& so the seat of that greatest council, as lesser cities are of the Consistories or lesser consessus, called {untranscribed Hebrew} judgments Mat. v. 22. The onely difficulty is, whether {untranscribed Hebrew} the thrones for the house of David, be but another phrase to express the same thing. If it be, then the expression is poetical, to set down the grandeur of that supreme Sanhedrim, that it is a royal judicature, and so as it were the seat of the King himself; as among us the Kings-Bench is the title of our great court of judicature, where in the Kings name judgement is given to the people. But 'tis more probable, that it is added as a third argument of the glory of Jerusalem, that there is the Regal throne, where now David, as after him his successors should reside. The Chaldee red it to this sense, for interpreting the latter part of the house of the sanctuary, they say, that there are seats prepared {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. for the Kings of the house of David.  
V. 8. Within thee] The suffix ב is best rendered with, or of, or concerning. The Chaldee retain {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  but the Syriack red {untranscribed Hebrew} of thee, or on thee, the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} of, or concerning thee; all of them joining it with {untranscribed Hebrew} I will now speak peace on thee, or of thee, i. e. bless thee, and pray for all Gods blessings and felicities upon thee. The Jewish Arab, I will speak of thy peace or safety.    

The Hundred Twenty Third Psalm.  
A Song of 
ascents  Degrees. The hundred twenty third is a prayer for deliverance from proud insulting enemies, and an act of full affiance and dependence on God for it.  
1. UNto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.  
O thou supreme God of heaven, to thee I address my prayers, on thee I wholly depend for a gracious answer to them in this time of distress and calamity.  
2. Behold, as the eyes of servants 
a.  look unto the hand of their Masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her Mistress, so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us.  
Whatsoever misery is now upon us, comes certainly from thy just chastening hand; to that we look, and wait, and beg, and beseech. As servants or handmaids, when they are chastened by their Lords or Mistresses, bear it with all meekness, without murmuring or repining, only look to the hand that smiteth them, and beseech and importune for release, and patiently expect that good time, when the offended Lord shall say, that it is enough, and so withdraw his scourge, and return to mercy: so have we under all the inflictions that our sins have justly brought upon us from thee, behaved ourselves under the discipline of thy rod, acknowledging the most just original, and author of all our miseries, ourselves the original, and thy justice, provoked by our sins, the author of them; not looking so much to the instruments or executioners of thy wrath, as to that supreme divine hand that smiteth, and accordingly applying ourselves only to thee in our prayers and petitions for release, when thou shalt see it most expedient for us.  
3. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us; for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.  
4. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of 
the insolent,  those that are 
b.  at ease, and with the contempt of the 
c.  
proud oppressors.  proud.  
Be thou therefore now pleased, if it may be thy will, at length to withdraw thy chastening hand from us, to consider the weight of the calamity and tyranny that lies upon us from contumelious and insolent oppressors, and now seasonably to sand us relief, and deliver us out of their hands.  

Annotations on Psalm CXXIII.  
V. 2. Look unto the hand] What sort of looking it is which is here meant, must be judged by the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to the hand. For indeed the original style is elliptical, and the word look is not there to be found, but is supplied by the sense, the eyes of servants to the hand of their lords, or Masters. Now of such lords it is certain, as also of the mistress of a family over the {untranscribed Hebrew} inferior maid-servant, that they had power not only of commanding, but of chastising; and the latter of these is more frequently expressed by the hand, the former more significantly by the eye, or tongue; the one directing, the other commanding. And so the eyes of the servant or handmaid to the hand of the lord or mistress may very fitly note the servant under chastisement turning the eyes and looking to the hand that striketh, and beseeching, importuning mercy. And this as an argument of a meek, patient, and reforming disposition. So Isa. ix. 13. it is objected unto the people, that they turned not to him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts. And to this sense the context doth wholly incline it, for in the application so it lies, even so our eyes {untranscribed Hebrew} to the Lord our God, i. e. look, or wait, or are turned to the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us: and then follows the importunate prayer, Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us; where the mercy that is waited for, and the mone and importunity for mercy, is just the description of one that is under chastisement, and so determines the sense to that.  
V. 4. Those that are at ease] From {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} to be quiet, at ease, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is the noun {untranscribed Hebrew} used not only for quiet, secure, in the original notion, but, by metonymy of the Cause for the Effect, for insolent, scornful, because ease and security makes men such: {untranscribed Hebrew}, saith Aristotle in his Rhetoricks, riches and worldly felicity makes men insolent and contumelious despisers of others. The Syriack renders it {untranscribed Hebrew} contemners, scorners, deriders, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to scorn, to mock.  
Ibid. Proud] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, seems to be no simplo, but compound word, made up of {untranscribed Hebrew} or {untranscribed Hebrew} proud, and {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to afflict, and so to signify proud oppressors. The Chaldee seem to take notice of this, rendering it by two words, {untranscribed Hebrew} scorners, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to contemn, {untranscribed Hebrew} and proud. The Jewish Arab reads, of mocking with, or from the armies, and contempt from the stout, or from the armies. Besides this active notion of the scorning and contempt, the passive may also be considered, for the word {untranscribed Hebrew} is the epithet of excellent persons. So R. Shererah Gaon, R. Saadias Gaon &c. and the Talmudists that lived streight after the close of the Gemara, were called {untranscribed Hebrew} as a mark of honour; and if that were the word here, the despite of them must be despite which they suffered, and the reproach of the quiet so also, taking {untranscribed Hebrew}, as frequently 'tis, in a good sense; but taking {untranscribed Hebrew} as a compound, the high or great oppressors, it must be active despite, that which they do to others.    

The Hundred Twenty Fourth Psalm.  
A Song of 
ascents  Degrees of David. The hundred twenty fourth is an acknowledgement of Gods assistance, and a thankful commemoration of the deliverances wrought signally by him. It seems first to have been composed by David upon his deliverances from the hands of Saul, and after of Absolom, and being very applicable, was appointed to be sung by the Levites after the return from the captivity, and is very agreeable to any other eminent deliverance wrought by God for his servants.  
1. IF it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say,  
2. If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us,  
3. They had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us.  
4. Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the 
torrent {untranscribed Hebrew}  stream had gone over our soul.  
5. Then 
it had past over our soul, even swelling or proud waters.  the 
a.  proud waters had gone over our soul.  
It is now full time to look back with humility and thankfulness on the dangers and miseries we have past, and devoutly to aclowledge to whom our whole deliverance is to be imputed. 'tis now most evident to us, that the mischief designed us was no less than utter ruin and destruction, that the power of the designers was equal to their malice, and that no human means were any way able to have resisted or diverted them; they were so mightily enraged and violently bent against us. One only means there was which could avail us in this condition, the supreme, omnipotent, irresistible strength of heaven; and that hath signally appeared for us, and rescued us out of this ruin.  
6. Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.  
His holy and glorious name be now and ever magnified, that he hath not permitted them to have their will, but timely delivered us from their rage.  
7. Our soul is escaped, as a bide out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.  
8. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.  
And now being safely returned from our captivity, we have leisure to review our former state, the very same that the silly bide is in, when it is caught in a gin or spring; we were fast in their hands, they had long pursued their game, and at length were possessed of it, we were taken in their nets. And in this seasonable point of time God came and disappointed their malice, and rescued us out of their hands,( David by the death of Absolom, the Jews by the Persians breaking the Chaldean monarchy, to which the deliverance of the Jews was consequent.) And so our deliverance is to be acknowledged as an immediate work of Gods interposition, and as signal an evidence of his overruling power as the creation of the whole world was, when it was wrought by a word of his.  

Annotations on Psalm CXXIV.  
V. 5. The proud waters] This verse is from the Hebrew thus literally to be rendered, {untranscribed Hebrew} Then had it past over our soul( {untranscribed Hebrew} in the singular belonging to the {untranscribed Hebrew} torrent in the former verse:) then follows by opposition {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  swelling, lifted up, or proud waters. The word is from {untranscribed Hebrew} to swell or boil as water in a pot over the fire, and from thence 'tis applied metaphorically to other things. And by comparing the arabic, it is probable that the signification of the Root is more general, for any increase, or superabundance. The Lxxii. here render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, by that phrase I suppose meaning very deep waters, either unfordable, where there is no standing, or else rapid, against which there is no holding out, no resisting. The Syriack red {untranscribed Hebrew} copious, plentiful waters. Thus the meaning is clear, the torrent( v. 4.) had past over our soul, and that torrent farther expressed by swelling or proud, i. e. great plenty of waters breaking in, for such is a torrent. The Jewish Arab translates it, Then they had drowned us as water, and had been as a torrent over our souls. The Lxxii. here, as in the former verse, red {untranscribed Hebrew}, as there {untranscribed Hebrew}, our soul past through the water, and our soul past through the torrent; but this, I suppose, as a paraphrase, not so much to express the condition in, or under, as the escape and deliverance out of the danger: but the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} over our soul, will not bear that. And the Chaldee and Syriack exactly follow the Hebrew.    

The Hundred Twenty Fifth Psalm.  
A Song of 
ascents.  Degrees. The hundred twenty fifth is a declaration of the onely true safety, that which consists in our adherence to God, without any seeking to irregular indirect means for the attaining it.( Aben Ezra applies it to the 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  dayes of the Messiah.)  
1. THey that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion, which cannot be removed, but standeth fast for ever.  
2. 
Jerusalem hath hills round about her  
a.  As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.  
There is no such perfect security as that of the faithful servant of God, which reposeth his entire trust and dependence on him. He that doth so, stands as fast as the holy mountain whereon God himself is pleased to reside, which certainly no power of man can be able to remove out of its place. The guard of Gods Angels and blessed protection surrounding him, cannot better be expressed than by the situation of Jerusalem with hills encompassing it; for as those hills are sure to keep that city safe from all encounters of winds or tempests, so doth the blessed protection of God surround all faithful servants of his.  
3. For the rod of 
wickedness {untranscribed Hebrew}  the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.  
For however for a time the tyrannical oppressions of wicked men may prosper, to the disturbing the peace of the pious, and so rob them of their promised portion of felicity in this life; yet will not God permit this to be lasting or durable to the one or to the other,( prosperity to the wicked, or oppressions to good men) lest it should be a temptation of too great force, able to shake the constancy of pious men, and persuade them to do as wicked men do, when they see it prosper so well with them.( See note on Psal. xvi. f.)  
4. do good, O Lord, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.  
5. As for such 
b.  as 
or pervert their  turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall 
sand or cast  led them forth with the workers of iniquity; but peace shall be upon Israel.  
God is, and will certainly be, a gracious and bountiful God to all that continue faithful and constant to him. Their sincere endeavours of serving him shall be abundantly rewarded by him, whilst on the other side all obstinate impenitent sinners, that in despite of all Gods commands, and threats, and warnings, will still go on to heap sin upon sin, one wilful provocation upon another, God shall certainly inflict most horrid eternal punishments on them; which shall yet farther be increased and enhanced to them, by seeing the true pious man, whom they scorned and oppressed in this life, to be received into a state of immarcessible felicities.  

Annotations on Psalm CXXV.  
V. 2. As the mountains] The Hebrew here is elliptical, and best supplied by adding the verb hath, thus, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  {untranscribed Hebrew} Jerusalem hath hills round about her; and this a fit expression of the safety and security of the situation, being thus guarded from winds and tempests; and this a seasonable resemblance, to express the benefit and safety which ariseth from Gods protection, which encompasseth the pious man. The Lxxii. have here, by varying the punctation, made this other sense of the two first verses, {untranscribed Hebrew}, They that trust in the Lord are as the hill Sion; and then in another sentence, {untranscribed Hebrew}, He that inhabits Jerusalem shall not be shaken for ever, {untranscribed Hebrew}— The mountains are round about it, and the Lord is round about his people. In which rendering they have made no other change( beside that of the pointing) save that for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  shall stand, they seem to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} the participle, standing, or dwelling, which is answerable to {untranscribed Hebrew}. But the Chaldee and Syriack accord to our ordinary reading and punctation.  
V. 5. turn aside unto] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} ( from {untranscribed Hebrew} to bend, distort, pervert) regularly signifies perverting, distorting; and being joined here with {untranscribed Hebrew}, which we rightly render crooked ways, it signifies a perverting those ways which are already crooked, i. e. going on still, and improving their course of impiety, in stead of reforming or strengthening, growing worse and worse. And to such obdurate sinners, which daily accumulate sin on sin, the vengeance belongs which is here spoken of, viz. to be cast out, rejected from God( so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies, making to go, or walk; either bidding them go, go ye cursed into everlasting fire, or as {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew}, to cast out and sand out, is all one, {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Lxxii. here, he shall drive them out) and that {untranscribed Hebrew} with the workers of iniquity, as when Christ saith, they shall have their portion with hypocrites, or unbelievers. The Chaldee here adds {untranscribed Hebrew} into hell, the place where such must expect their payment.    

The Hundred Twenty Sixth Psalm.  
A Song of 
ascents.  Degrees. The hundred twenty sixth celebrates the return from captivity, and the great joyfulness thereof, after their former sorrow, and seems to have been first compiled by Esdras, or some of that Age.  
1. WHen the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that 
a.  
are recovered to health.  dream.  
2. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.  
After a long and a miserable captive state, it hath at length pleased God to bring us back again to the enjoyments of his public service in his holy place. This is a most joyful blessing to us, to be celebrated with mirth, and festivals, and singing of Psalms, being as it were the restoring of a joyful comfortable state of health to a numerous people that were long under a dolorous epidemical disease. The mercy so great and unexpected, and wrought so wonderfully for us, that the very heathens themselves could not but aclowledge it a work of Gods great power, and special favour to us.  
3. The Lord hath done great things for us, 
we have been made glad {untranscribed Hebrew}  whereof we are glad.  
And so indeed 'tis true. The Lord hath magnified his mercy toward us, restored to us health and joy.  
4. turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams 
b.  in the 
dry land  south.  
As for those that are yet behind, unreduced( for so 'tis certain some came back before others, some with Esdras, others after, with Nehemiah) Lord, be thou pleased to hasten their delivery. That mercy will come as seasonable to them, as water to the most parched dry soil.  
5. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.  
And this wilt thou do in thy good time, give them( as us) a joyful return, after so sad a time of captivity.  
6. He that goeth forth, and weepeth, bearing 
c.  
little.  precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.  
And the poor man that carries out his handful or small proportion of seed,( and looks upon it with some sadness, as a melancholy thing, to cast that away to rot in the earth, which cost him much labour to get into his granary, to bury that in the clods which was prepared for his sustenance, and so takes his leave of it with wet eyes, sends his tears and prayers after it) cannot be more joyed to bring home in time of harvest full loads of sheaves into his barn, as the reward from heaven of his faith and patience, than we have all reason to be at this time, having so unexpected a return frrm God to all the prayers and tears which we have long poured out to him.  

Annotations on Psalm CXXVI.  
V. 1. Dream] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  seems to be best rendered by the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} as those that are recovered from sickness, for 'tis but a figurative signification of {untranscribed Hebrew}, wherein 'tis used for dreaming, Jer. xxiii. 25. and elsewhere. The word signifies originally fat or gross, and thence healthy and strong, and recovered to a firm Athletick habit of body. So Isa. xxxviii. 16. {untranscribed Hebrew} thou wilt recover me, as appears by what follows, and make me to live. To this sense, and not to that of dreaming, all the ancient interpreters seem to have understood it: the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, the latin consolati, and so the arabic and Aethiopick, as men comforted, i. e. restored to strength again( as in the place of Isaiah {untranscribed Hebrew}, having recovered made to live;) not misreading it {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} to spare( as some fancy) but by this of comfort, expressing health of mind, which is opposite to sorrow, and expressed by laughter and singing v. 2. In this sense the Syriack also red {untranscribed Hebrew} as they that rejoice. And this is most probably the meaning of it.  
V. 4. South] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies, a dry and desert place, Jud. i. 15. Thou hast given me the land {untranscribed Hebrew} of dryness, a dry and a barren land, give me springs of waters. So Isa. xxi. 1. As whirlwinds in the dry ground. The Lxxii. both there and here render it {untranscribed Hebrew} the sauth: and so by a metonymy the word signifies, because the southern parts, by reason of the heat of the sun, are dry. But in this place the adjunct rivers doth sufficiently evidence how 'tis to be understood questionless for a dry ground, which wants {untranscribed Hebrew} torrents, floods to enrich it: for to those floods on a dry ground is this return to captives fitly compared. And thus the Chaldee at large paraphrases it, Lord, return our captivity as the earth is turned {untranscribed Hebrew} when the springs or goings out of water break out in time of dryness. Yet if by the south we understand a southern country, as egypt and the like, which being very dry, makes use of overflowings to enrich the grounds, and in its greatest exigence, in the heat of summer, when parched and dried up, to all human expectation utterly hopeless, the melted snow of Aethiopia sends down plenty of water to it, and thence the whole country is fully irrigated, the sense will be still the same; for then the south, and dry ground, will be the same thing. To which purpose 'tis observable that Aethiopia in Scripture is called the south, {untranscribed Hebrew} Matth. xii. 42. the Queen of the South, i. e. of Sheba, or Meroe. And therefore Abu Walid rendering it the South, gives the reason of mentioning that especially, because, saith he, of the dryness of the region, and probability of dearth therein, did not God, when they even despair, cause waters to flow on their ground. So R. Tanchum makes either meaning to be indifferent. The Jewish Arab renders the place, Lord, turn our captivity, as pools which return to the desert.  
V. 6. precious] The Hebrew here reads {untranscribed Hebrew}. Now {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to draw, signifies a small measure, such as may readily be drawn without any assistance of wheels, &c. So the Chaldee render it, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
— plaustra, Tribulaque, Traheaeque,& iniquo pondere rastri. Virg. george. 1.  traham, a sledge, or a dray used for slighter purposes, and so a cart to carry seed to the fields. This is of a small size, containing little; and accordingly Job xxxviii. 18. {untranscribed Hebrew} most probably signifies a little of wisdom. The copies of the Lxxii. there red {untranscribed Hebrew}; it should be sure {untranscribed Hebrew}, a small carriage of wisdom, which is there preferred before the richest jewels. In like manner the {untranscribed Hebrew} or small carriage of seed is opposed to the sheaves in the plural, the( perhaps) many wagon-loads of those which are brought home in the harvest. And thus no question it is to be understood, not of precious seed, which is not so fitly opposed to the sheaves, but of the small contemptible quantity of seed that is sown, and comes back multiplied in the harvest. The Lxxii. and the Syriack and arabic and latin and Aethiopick do not at all interpret the word, but only red {untranscribed Hebrew} casting or carrying out their seed; and the rest to the same sense. But the Jewish Arab reads expressly, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. and carrieth a basket of seed, or seed-lip: and so Abu Walid interprets {untranscribed Hebrew} for such a vessel in which the sour carrieth his seed.    

The Hundred Twenty Seventh Psalm.  
A Song of Degrees 
of ל  for Solomon. The hundred twenty seventh is thought to have been first composed by Solomon,( whose name being Jedidiah may be referred to v. 2.) and then is his compendium of Ecclesiastes, to set down the vanity of worldly solicitude without Gods blessing, as in all things, so in that of children, the greatest blessing of life. It was one of those that were by the Levites sung aloud in commemoration of Gods mercy in the return from the captivity.  
1. EXcept the Lord 
a.  build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.  
2. 
or, you do vainly that are hasting to rise, &c.  It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; 
when, or whereas, or since  for so he giveth his beloved sleep.  
3. Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.  
There is no way in the world to attain any secular wealth or safety, save only from the blessing of God, the author and dispenser of all good things. Without his special protection, 'tis not all the guards of men which can secure or preserve a city. And as little is it in the power of human solicitude, or of a multitude of wives and concubines( such as Solomon had in greatest abundance) to have children to inherit it, when 'tis gathered. For as to the former of these, wicked men that incessantly moil, and cark, and drudge for the acquiring it, and never enjoy any part of the comforts of this life, through the vehement pursuit of riches, are generally frustrated and disappointed in their aims: whereas on the contrary, those that have Gods blessing, thrive insensibly, become very prosperous, and yet never loose any sleep in the pursuit of it. And for the latter, that of children, it is a particular blessing of Gods, from whom all increase comes, and he dispenseth it as he sees good, as a present reward to the piety and other virtues of men.  
4. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are children 
b.  of the youth.  
5. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, 
when {untranscribed Hebrew}  but they shall speak with the enemies in 
c.  the gate.  
And indeed of all blessings, this of a numerous progeny is the greatest: every child is an addition of strength and safety to the father. As the military man guards himself with weapons, arrows and darts, &c. so the Master of a family is fortified both from hostile invasions, and all other insolences and molestations, by the multitude and strength of his children, who are ready still to back him and defend him at all turns, from the injuries, of any kind, which the open violence or more secret fraud of men can design against him, in the field, or in any court of judicature.  

Annotations on Psalm CXXVII.  
V. 1. Build] The right understanding of this Psalm, the connexion specially of the three first verses of it, depends on observing the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  building an house, as that is the work not of the Architect, but the Father. For so to build( from whence is the name {untranscribed Hebrew} a son) is to procreate and bring up children, by which houses, i. e. families, are built up, begun, supported, and continued. So Gen. xvi. 2. 'tis Sarah's saying to Abraham, go in unto my maid, it may be that {untranscribed Hebrew} I shall be built by her, i. e. I shall have children to build up a solitary childless family. To this appertains that of the midwives, Ex. i. 21. that because they feared God, he built them houses, gave them children to support their families. So Ruth iv. 11. of Rachel and Leah 'tis said, that they two {untranscribed Hebrew} built the house of Israel, i. e. brought all that number of children to Jacob, by which that nation( more than family) was replenished. So Deut. xxv. 9. of him that would not take his brothers wife, and raise up seed to him, the phrase is, he would not build up the house,( {untranscribed Hebrew}) of his brother. So 1 Chron. xvii 10. when Nathan tells David, that the Lord will build him an house, it is explained v. 11. I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons, and I will establish his kingdom. So again v. 23, and 24, and 25. And thus I suppose it is to be taken in this place, building an house, for raising a family, begetting children, and providing riches, inheritance for them. For of these two things the erecting a family consists; 1. gathering of wealth and riches, then 2. begetting some body to inherit it: and of both these the Psalmist here speaks distinctly in the two following verses; first of gathering the wealth, v. 2. rising early, sitting up late, eating the bread of sorrows, all which is certainly designed to that end; then of children, that they are an heritage and reward of the Lord, v. 3. and so cannot be acquired by mans solicitude, but are wholly imputable to Gods blessing. As for the other branch of the first verse, that of guarding the city, it seems to be inserted as an instance to the same purpose, vulgarly understood among men: 'tis God must guard, or else watchmen will do little good; and so unless God build, all the industry of men will not be successful to it. The Lxxii. in the copies we now have for rising early, and sitting up late, red, {untranscribed Hebrew}, but this probably in the former part is a corruption of the copy, to be mended thus, {untranscribed Hebrew} {untranscribed Hebrew}: for thus {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  hastening in the morning to rise, will be exactly rendered {untranscribed Hebrew}. As for {untranscribed Hebrew}, which in sense we duly render, sitting up late, or literally, being late to rest, foreslowing of going to bed, they red {untranscribed Hebrew}, as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew} the adverb, with an affix. In both these mistakes the latin follow the Greek copies, and red, vanum est vobis ante lucem surgere, surgite postquam sederitis, It is vain for you to rise before light, rise after you have sate. But the Syriack leave them, and red most clearly, vain are they {untranscribed Hebrew} that are early to rise, and late to sit down or rest, eating bread with sorrows— which is the fittest rendering of the participles in regimine. It follows {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  we render, so he gives his beloved sleep; but the Lxxii. more significantly, {untranscribed Hebrew}, when, or whereas, or since he, i. e. God, gives his beloved sleep, freely bestows and affords them rest and comfort of life, and withall provides as much wealth for them and their families, and indeed much more, than they that moil incessantly, and deny themselves the enjoyment of all worldly comforts most, by so doing to enrich their posterity. And that thus {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies, not onely so( as the Jewish Arab reads {untranscribed Hebrew} so) but when, may appear by the frequent use of {untranscribed Hebrew} for hucusque or, hactenus, for in that phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} must needs have the notation of time.  
V. 4. Youth] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  are questionless children of the youth, as those are opposed to children of the old age, Gen. xxxvii. 3. Of these it is frequently observed, that they are the strongest, being, as Jacob saith of reuben, his might, the beginning of his strength. And of such it is here said, that they are like arrows in the hand of a mighty man, defend him from hostile invasions as well as weapons can. The Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew} of the young man; Symmachus( with the Syriack) {untranscribed Hebrew}, of the youth; the Jewish Arab either children of youth, or children of young men, the word both signifying youth, and being likewise the plural of {untranscribed Hebrew} a young man; but the Lxxii. and the latin, {untranscribed Hebrew} excussorum, from the original use of {untranscribed Hebrew} excussit, from whence indeed comes both {untranscribed Hebrew} an infant, and {untranscribed Hebrew} the age from childhood to twenty five years old. So for {untranscribed Hebrew} his quiver, v. 5. they red {untranscribed Hebrew}, his desire; but that probably by way of paraphrase, filling his quiver with children being but a poetical expression for having as many as he desires.  
V. 5. The gate] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the gate of the city is the place of Judicature, their courts being there kept, Deut. xxv. 7.( and the places of execution a little without the gates, Heb. xiii. 12.) So Deut. xxi. 19. Zach. viii. 16. And so the Chaldee interprets here {untranscribed Hebrew} in the gate of the house of judgement. There contentions and suits are heard and determined, and by way of preparation to that are pleaded; and that is here meant by {untranscribed Hebrew} when they speak with their enemies, their accusers or plaintiffs, there. The Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew} when they contend, or manage any svit. For to those uses mens children, as friends and assistants, are useful to their parents, as well as to repel open force or violence. The Jewish Arab reads in places of convention.    

The Hundred Twenty Eighth Psalm.  
A Song of Degrees. The hundred and twenty eighth is a short enumeration of the present felicities which from Gods special blessing are ascertained to every pious man. It was on that account thought fit to be solemnly pronounced by the Levites, and sung after the return from the captivity, as a special eminent blessing of God to his people.  
1. BLessed is every one that feareth the Lord, that walketh in his ways.  
There is no such assurance of the comforts and felicities of this life, as that which is made over by God to all pious obedient servants of his.  
2. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.  
Such men shall not fail of a blessing on all their honest labours, but have plenty here, and, which is much more, take comfort in enjoying that plenty, which covetous worldly men never do; and after an age of felicity and prosperity here continued( save only when God sees fit to give his mixture of the across) shall be transplanted to 
{untranscribed Hebrew} Good shall be to thee in the world to come. Chal.  eternal immarcescible joys.  
3. Thy wife shall be as the 
a.  fruitful vine by the sides of thine house; thy children like Olive plants round about 
a.  thy table.  
4. Behold thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.  
One prime and special blessing of heaven it is, that he shall have a fruitful wife, and a plentiful and prosperous family of children. Of the former of which the clusters of such a vine as may for its fertility be styled the great bearer,( hanging so thick, that they even cover the walls of the house where they were wont to be planted) is the fittest resemblance; and of the latter, the verdure of the Olive is a proper emblem, with which as the tables without doors were wont to be surrounded, so shall his table be adorned and encompassed with a multitude of flourishing children. All true temporal felicity is comprised in this, and this shall be the pious mans portion.  
5. The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion, and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the dayes of thy life.  
6. Yea thou shalt see thy childrens children, and peace upon Israel.  
And whatever else he can stand in need of, it shall be performed to him by God, in answer to his prayers which he offers up in his holy place: and as an accomplishment of felicity to him, his intercessions shall be heard for others, even for the public of the nation; he shall be an instrument and a witness of good to the whole land; God shall be atoned by such as he, and turn the captivity of his people by way of return to his prayers and saith and patience. God shall enlarge his dayes, and crown them with that double blessing of old age, first, the sight of a numerous posterity, and secondly, the restoring of peace and prosperity to the kingdom.  

Annotations on Psalm CXXVIII.  
V. 3. fruitful vine] In all countreys the several sorts of vines have several names and appellations, among the Jews {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. and one sort seems here to be known by the title of {untranscribed Hebrew} the fruit-bearing vine, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as among us 'tis ordinary to style such a kind of fruit the great bearer. Vines, it seems, were then planted on the sides of houses, as now they are among us, and not onely in vineyards, to stand by themselves; and to that also the Psalmist here refers. So likewise of Olive-plants 'tis observable, not only that tables were dressed up with the boughs of them, ramis felicis Olivae, but that in the Eastern countries they were usually planted( as in arbours) to shade the table, entertainments being made without doors, in gardens, under that umbrage, which gave all the liberty of the cool winds and refreshing blasts. An image whereof we have Gen. xviii. 4. wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the three; and a full expression, Hest. i. 5. the King made a feast in the court of the garden of the Kings palace.    

The Hundred Twenty Ninth Psalm.  
A Song of Degrees. The hundred twenty ninth is the recounting of the many dangers of Gods people, and the many wonderful deliverances which God hath afforded them, and foretelleth the utter destruction of all the enemies thereof. It seemeth to have been composed by Ezra, or some of that time, at the return from the captivity.  
1. 
They have very much or sorely— {untranscribed Hebrew} see Ps. 123.3.  MAny a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:  
2. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth; yet they have not prevailed against me.  
'tis now a most proper vacant season to recount the very many invasions and distresses which the people of Israel have met with, from the beginning of their being a nation, from all which God hath wonderfully assisted and defended them.  
3. The 
a.  plowers ploughed upon my back, they made long their furrows.  
4. The Lord is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.  
We have now for some length of years been severely chastised by oppressing tyrants: but God hath at last in his great mercy delivered us out of their hands.  
5. 
they shall {untranscribed Hebrew}  Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.  
6. Let them be as the grass upon the house tops, which withereth afore 
b.  it 
be plucked up.  groweth up.  
7. Wherewith the 
meter  mower filleth not his hand, nor he that 
gathers the handfuls  bindeth sheaves his 
or arm.  bosom.  
8. Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the Lord be upon you; we bless you in the name of the Lord.  
And now their turns shall come of affliction and discomfiture. All our enemies, oppressors of the Church of God, shall be disappointed of their prey, and pursued with the curse of God, a blasting from heaven; their pride and flourishing condition shall without any arms of ours be speedily brought to nought. In stead of a prosperous harvest of all their oppressions and injustices, they shall reap nothing but emptiness and beggary. And all that see them shall discern Gods curse upon them, and think that they have but their deserts, and abstain from paying them those civilities which are afforded to other men, Ruth ii. 4. 2 jo. 10. not wish them any better success than what they have. Thus hath God at length magnified his deliverances to us, and his judgments on our enemies.  

Annotations on Psalm CXXIX.  
V. 3. Plowers ploughed] The meaning of the phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  will be discerned by two circumstances in the context, {untranscribed Hebrew} the back, and {untranscribed Hebrew} cords, in the next verse. For as {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies to dig or cut the ground, and so to plough; so 'tis simply to cut, or carve, or grave. So Jer. xvii. 1. {untranscribed Hebrew} it is graved in the table of the heart. So Exod. xxxv. 33. 'tis cutting of stones. And being here applied to the back of captives, and cords being the instruments of it, in all reason it is to be understood of scourging, which cuts, and as it were digs, and ploughs, and makes furrows in the flesh, and the longer the cords of the scourges are, the longer are the wounds and furrows. As for the doubling of the word, that signifies the great sharpness and severity, they scourging scourged on my back, i. e. scourged me most cruelly; in proportion to {untranscribed Hebrew} v. 1. which belongs to the sharpness of the affliction, the soreness of the stripes, and not to the frequency of them, which is otherwise sufficiently expressed by from my youth. Thus certainly the Chaldee understood it, who express it by {untranscribed Hebrew}( not as their latin interpreter renders it, araverunt, ploughed, but as {untranscribed Hebrew} in Chaldee and Syriack signifies) they laid on scourging or chastisement on my body. So when 1 King. xii. 14. the Hebrew reads, my father {untranscribed Hebrew} chastised you with whips, as after with scorpions, the Chaldee reads in both places as here {untranscribed Hebrew} scourged. The Syriack also accord, reading {untranscribed Hebrew} they smote with rods, or inflicted stripes on my back, from the Syriack usage of {untranscribed Hebrew} to scourge; and proportionably for {untranscribed Hebrew} cords v. 4. they have {untranscribed Hebrew} the twigs,( from {untranscribed Hebrew} a twig or bough) which is another notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for boughs as well as cords, and the twigs or boughs the instruments of scourging, as well as cords. The Lxxii. for ploughing they ploughed, or scourging they scourged, red {untranscribed Hebrew}, the wicked framed or wrought; and for lengthening their furrows, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they lengthened their iniquity; and for cords, {untranscribed Hebrew} necks; partly by way of paraphrase, and partly with reference to the Hebrew words: by {untranscribed Hebrew} to {untranscribed Hebrew}, which signifies also to frame, as an artificer doth, and so to work or machinate; and by {untranscribed Hebrew} to {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} from {untranscribed Hebrew} signifying a surrow, and {untranscribed Hebrew} from the same root signifying affliction, or oppression also, which is oft the importance of {untranscribed Hebrew} iniquity( see Matth. xxiv. 12.) As for {untranscribed Hebrew} they are thought by some to have red {untranscribed Hebrew} necks or backs, from {untranscribed Hebrew} back in the former verse. But 'tis more probable that having taken liberty to paraphrase in the former part, they should continue to do so here also.  
V. 6. Groweth up] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies not to grow up, but to pull up, or take out of the place. The Lxxii. rightly render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, the latin evellatur, plucked up. It is used of drawing a sword, Jud. viii. 20. and xx. 15. of pulling off the shoe, Ruth. iv. 7. and here of pulling up the grass, which was the fashion before sickles and scythes were used: and to that refers {untranscribed Hebrew} the meter or gatherer, but especially {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  v. 7. not he that bindeth the sheaves, but he that gathers the handfuls( so as the leasers did after the reapers, Ruth. ii. 3.) from {untranscribed Hebrew} a handful of grass or corn, which he that gathers puts into his arms, and carries in his bosom, as here {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies, and Isa. xLix. 22. they shall bring thy sons in their arms. The meaning of the phrase then is, that the enemies of Zion shall whither and fade away of their own accord, not need the sword of enemies to destroy them, but perish without any foreign violence, as grass on the top of an house, where it hath no mould to take good root in, it withers before it be plucked up; whereas other grass is first mowed or plucked up, and then is laid a withering. Again, the grass on the house top grows very thin, he that plucks it up will not have an armefull a great while, which in the field is soon had, and accordingly is not thought capable of those {untranscribed Hebrew}, acclamations or salutations particularly accustomend to be given to reapers, The Lord be with you, Ruth. ii. 4. The Jewish Arab renders {untranscribed Hebrew} by {untranscribed Hebrew} summer, by the East wind of, or in, the summer, is withered. Abu Walid also makes mention of some who render it before the heat, from an use of the word in the rabbis; and he likes the sense, but saith the Vowels of the word here admit it not to be taken otherwise then for a verb of the preterperfect tense, and himself interprets it, before it perfectly appear, or be come forth.    

The Hundred and Thirtieth Psalm.  
A Psalm of Degrees. The hundred and thirtieth is an affectionate devout prayer to God for mercy, pardon and propitiation, together with a confident affiance and dependence on him for it, and seems to have been composed in time of the captivity, for deliverance out of it.  
1. OUt of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.  
2. Lord, hear my voice; let thine ear be attentive to the voice of my supplication.  
Lord, we are deeply implunged in an ocean of miseries: to thee do we address our prayers for our release; be thou graciously pleased to hear and answer us.  
3. If thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?  
There is not a man to be found who hath not some fault or failing, which if thou shouldst proceed with us in thy just severity, would render us uncapable of thy absolution.  
4. But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayst 
a.  be feared.  
But thou art a God of grace and mercy, which allowest place of repentance to those that have offended, and wilt allow pardon to the penitent. Were it not for this, we were all in an hopeless desperate condition, and that utter desperation of mercy would engage us for ever in our course of sin, without any thought of returning or repenting. But being by thy mercy respited, and by thy gracious call invited, and by the attraction of thy spirit( if we do not resist) effectually drawn to repentance, and assured of thy acceptance if we come, here is a full concurrence of all arguments, and motives, and aids, to bring us, and oblige and engage us to it.  
5. I wait for the Lord: my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.  
In thee therefore my hope and full trust is reposed; thy mercies and gracious promises are the onely anchor and support of my soul.  
6. My soul 
hasteneth to the Lord from the guards in the morning, the guards in the morning.  waiteth for the Lord 
b.  more than they that watch for the morning; I say more than they which watch for the morning.  
To thee I daily betake myself early in the morning; at the time that the Priests offer their morning-sacrifice in the temple, I constantly address my prayers and my very soul before thee.  
7. Let Israel 
to the Lord {untranscribed Hebrew}  hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.  
8. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.  
And the same is the duty of all true Israelites: let all such apply themselves diligently and constantly to God, as to a God of mercy and pardon and propitiation, that will be reconciled to all truly penitent faithful servants of his, not imputing to them their frailty and sins of Infirmity, if they be guilty of no other, nay nor their grosser sins knowingly and deliberately committed, if they be retracted and forsaken by confession, contrition, and renovation of mind, and their pardon humbly sued out by constant prayer. For as a remedy for all such the blood of the messiah was most sufficient, and that decreed and designed by God to all the world, for the obtaining of actual redemption, and pardon and restitution to his favour( as of captive Israelites to their country and temple) upon their sincere change and reformation.  

Annotations on Psalm CXXX.  
V. 4. Feared] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that thou mayest be feared, our copies of the Lxxii. have {untranscribed Hebrew}, for thy names sake, and that joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} I have waited for thee, O Lord, following. But the Hebrew no way inclining to that reading of {untranscribed Hebrew} name, and the latin which most commonly follows the Lxxii. reading propter legem tuam sustinuite, Domine, for thy law I have waited for thee, and the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}( red without points) being easily mistaken for {untranscribed Hebrew} law, in all probability the original reading of the Lxxii. was {untranscribed Hebrew}( not {untranscribed Hebrew}) {untranscribed Hebrew}, for thy laws( not for thy names) sake. But this, as it is evident, by a double mistake; one in the reading of {untranscribed Hebrew} for {untranscribed Hebrew}, the other( whether in the latin only, or in the Lxxii. also, 'tis uncertain) by taking that word from the end of the former, and joining it to the latter period. But without either of these, the Hebrew reading is very current, But( so {untranscribed Hebrew} is oft to be rendered) there is {untranscribed Hebrew} pardon, {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Lxxii. propitiation, with thee, {untranscribed Hebrew} that thou mayst be feared, by the fear of God signifying obedience to his laws, to which his pardoning of the frailties and slips of our lives invites and draws us, when a desperation of all mercy for such would certainly avert us from it.  
V. 6. More then they that watch for the morning] This verse is very p●●spicuous in the Original, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  li●erally my soul to the Lord, where is an Ellipsis necessary to be supplied by riseth, or cometh, or hasteneth, or the like, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from the watchers or warders, or guard in the morning, i. e. as early, from that time that they come or hasten to their watches: then follows again repeated {untranscribed Hebrew} the guard or watchers in the morning; which repetition in Hebrew Dialect signifies the daily several watchers of every morning, as {untranscribed Hebrew} man man, i. e. every man one after another, the Hebrews wanting forms of distribution( see note on Mar. vi. e.) And so this is the full importance of the verse, The guards every morning that hasten to their watches, are not yet earlier than I in my daily addresses to God. What these watchers or guards of the morning are, the Chaldee hath best expressed; they that observe the morning watches, say they, {untranscribed Hebrew} that they may offer the morning oblation; i. e. the Priests which in their turns officiated: or rather some officers of theirs, which were peculiarly appointed from a tower to expect the first appearance of break of day, the manner of which is at large described in the Talmud, Cod. Joma. The Chaldee for {untranscribed Hebrew} from the watchers, red {untranscribed Hebrew}, just to the same sense, which yet their latin render plusquam observantes, more than they that observe. But the words do not so import, nor could it truly be said, that he waited, or observed his offices more than the Priests, or guards in the Temple did, who never mist the performing of their daily offices there. The Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} from the morning watch till night, by the addition of till night, thinking to supply what was wanting, and to the term from which he began his watch, adding the term to which he continued it, hereby evidencing their understanding of {untranscribed Hebrew} in the notion of from. And so the Syriack do also, who red {untranscribed Hebrew} from the watches of the morning, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. and until the morning watch, i. e. from one morning watch unto another. Whereby they rightly render the former part, but observe not the elegancy in the repetition, but suppose the preposition ל to to be there wanting, which they thus supply. But the interpretation we have given is most agreeable both to the sense, which is to express his daily constant earlinesse in the service of God, equal to that of the Priests in the Temple, every morning of every day, and to the Hebrew idiom also. Of these watches somewhat hath been said note on Psal. cxix. hh. Yet in this place it will not be amiss to add a little more, what this morning watch was, or of how many hours it consisted, because in this matter, the computation of the Old and New Testament doth appear to differ. In the Old Testament we find but three watches in the night, and then each must consist of four hours. The first is called {untranscribed Hebrew} the beginning of the watches, Lam. ii. 19. the second, {untranscribed Hebrew} the middle watch( an evidence that there were but three) judge. vii. 19. the third is {untranscribed Hebrew} the morning watch, Exod. xiv. 24. and accordingly here we have {untranscribed Hebrew} the watchers in the morning. And so in the Talmud tr. Berachoth, Rabbi Eliezer saith, {untranscribed Hebrew} there are three watches in the night; and so afterward R. Isaac also. And that thus the night was divided among the Grecians also, appears by Homer in the 11th. of the Iliads, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  
{untranscribed Hebrew}  
{untranscribed Hebrew},  the larger part of the night, that of two portions of it, was past, and now the third portion or division remained. On which saith Eustathius, {untranscribed Hebrew}, he makes the night according to the ancients to be divided into three watches, in like manner as the day also, saying, {untranscribed Hebrew}, morning, or evening, or midday. Yet in the New Testament it is evident there were four watches in the night among the Jews,( introduced as several other customs, from the Romans) mentioned Mar. xiii. 35. under the styles of evening, midnight, cockcrowing, and morning: and so Matth. xiv. 25. Jesus came to them in the fourth watch of the night. The verse is by the Jewish Arab rendered, So my soul is to him of, or from, the keepers or guard by day, and the keepers or guard by night; and in a note he saith that this is not a literal version, yet a rendering( as he supposed) of the sense, to express his continual doing it through the whole course of night and day. Kimchi reads, My soul is to the Lord of the watchers for the morning, i. e. waiteth in the night for the Lord, that it may be of those that watch for the morning, i. e. that rise in the morning-watch to pray; and the repeating the words sheweth their continual course and custom so to do.    

The Hundred Thirty First Psalm.  
A Song of Degrees of David. The hundred thirty first is a profession of humility, as that which best qualifies for Gods mercy, and is the only sure foundation of hope in him. It seems to have been first formed by David in the time of his distresses, to vindicate himself before God of the accusation which Sauls sycophants so studiously threw upon him, that he designed mischief to Saul, and thereby the kingdom to himself. And after it was appointed to be used at the return from captivity, no temper better becoming those that have received the greatest mercies, than that of humility and affiance.  
1. LOrd, mine heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.  
O Lord, I have always endeavoured to keep all pride and ambition out of my heart, not to meddle with things of weight and difficulty, and such as are above my strength to manage.  
2. 
But  
a.  Surely I have 
or levelled and quieted my soul,  behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned 
with or toward {untranscribed Hebrew}  of his mother: my soul is 
with me as— {untranscribed Hebrew}  as a weaned child.  
But on the contrary to learn and practise humility, self-denial, resignation and submission to the will of God, to look on myself as a most feeble impotent child, able to do nothing of myself, but wholly to be directed, supported, and enabled by him in all my undertakings, and so to wean myself from my natural affections and desires, as an infant is when he is estranged from his mothers breast.  
3. O Israel, hope in the Lord from henceforth and for ever.  
And the same temper I shall recommend to all pious men, as that which will for ever stand them in most stead, with an utter abrenunciation of all selfe-trusts, or secular confidences, to roll and repose themselves wholly upon God, who will undoubtedly answer and supply, and never be wanting to them that thus depend on him.  

Annotations on Psalm CXXXI.  
V. 2. Surely I have behaved] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is according to sense to be rendered quin, but. The Lxxii. attending to the letter, render it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, if not. For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that follows from {untranscribed Hebrew} to set, or dispose, the Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} I put my hand upon my mouth( and the Lxxii. to the same sense, {untranscribed Hebrew} I was humbly disposed) and so most rationally it is to be rendered, if not by force of {untranscribed Hebrew}, yet by virtue of {untranscribed Hebrew} that follows, which notes imposing silence upon himself; and then the putting preparative to that, must be the putting the hand upon the mouth: and so the Chaldees rendering may seem rather a supply of an Ellipsis, than by way of paraphrase. But there is another notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} to level, Isa. xxviii. 25. {untranscribed Hebrew} when he hath made plain the face of the ground, a scheme which the Baptist uses, for working such a temper in the heart, as is qualified for the reception of piety, Luk. iii. 5. To which that of the Lxxii. comes nearer, humility and lowliness of mind being the plain meaning of that other more poetical phrase. For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the Lxxii. seem to have red {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, but have elevated: but hereby they have varied the sense little, their if I have not humbled, but exalted my soul, being all one in effect with I have not exalted, but humbled. The similitude that follows, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as a weanling with, or toward the mother,( so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies with or toward) is a denotation of the greatest obedience and dependence and self-denial and resignation that can be; for so the weanling, though he begin to go, and speak, and live without the teat, yet wholly depends on the mothers aid, and teaching, and provision for each of these. And so in the application, my soul is {untranscribed Hebrew} as a weanling with me; where yet the Lxxii. render {untranscribed Hebrew} as retributions, from another notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} to retribute, which cannot belong to that place. The Jewish Arab reads, But I have equalled my soul, and made it like to a weanling, {untranscribed Hebrew} that desireth after his mother, as if {untranscribed Hebrew} were of the same notion with {untranscribed Hebrew} to be like, and {untranscribed Hebrew} and that were much alike in signification. The sense he gives in a note, I cast my affairs on the Lord, as a child doth on his mother; and his repeating it, my soul is with me as a weaned child, is as much as to say, I have weaned it from transgressions.    

The Hundred Thirty Second Psalm.  
A Song of Degrees. The hundred thirty second seems to have been at first a composure of Solomons upon the building the Temple,( part of it v. 8, 9, 10. inserted in Solomons prayer at the dedication of the Temple, 2 Chron. vi. 41, 42.) It is the recounting of Davids care of the Ark, and of Gods promises made to him and his posterity, as also of the setting apart of Sion to be the place of the Temple; and it was after used upon the rebuilding the walls, after the return from the captivity.  
1. LOrd, remember David and all his 
a.  
humility,  afflictions,  
2. How he swore unto the Lord, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob,  
3. Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my 
bed-stead {untranscribed Hebrew}  bed,  
4. I will not give sleep to mine eyes, nor slumber to mine eye lids,  
5. until I find out a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.  
Blessed Lord, remember, I beseech thee, and reward upon his family, the great piety and humility of David my father, the eminent expressions of his zeal toward thee. He was so highly concerned for the service of God, that having built himself houses, 1 Chr. xv. he immediately prepared a place for the Ark of God, v. 1. and brought it up thither in pomp, ch. xv.& xvi. having, it seems, solemnly vowed to do so, before ever he would dedicate and bless( or dwell in) his own house, chap. xvi. 43. and not content with that, his zeal farther broke out to Nathan the Prophet, ch. xvii. 1. being troubled to think of the magnificence of his own house, whilst the Ark was but in a tent, and resolved if God would have permitted him, to have erected a magnificent structure, wherein the Ark of God should be placed, and Gods solemn worship performed.  
6. Lo, 
b.  we heard of it at Ephrata, we found it in the fi●lds of the wood.  
7. We will go into his tabernacles, we will worship at his foo●stoole.  
8. Arise, O Lord, into thy rest, thou and the Ark of thy strength.  
At the bringing it up to Jerusalem there were great solemnities, a sacred devout procession, and all the parts there about resounded with joy and acclamations upon the bringing it to and seating it in Zion; every one with great alacrity resolving to go up and pay their devotions there, as in the place of Gods special residence, where his Law is laid up, and from whence he is graciously pleased to answer the prayers, and to reveal himself to his servants. This therefore David was resolved to bring to a place where it might remain, that so God might in a manner inhabit among us, and direct us, and assist in all our undertakings.  
9. Let thy Priests be clothed with righteousness, and let thy saints shout for joy.  
The Priests in their sacerdotal garments, the emblems of the sanctity of their office and persons, being by him appointed, 1 Chron. xv. 11. to attend on it, and the Levites carrying it on their shoulders, v. 15. and the singers celebrating it with great rejoicing, v. 19, 20, &c.  
10. For thy servant Davids sake, turn not away the face of thine anointed.  
Now therefore, O Lord, I beseech thee, remember the piety and humility, and all the acceptable graces of this thy faithful, beloved, zealous servant, and for his sake reject not me his son, whom thou hast established in his kingdom; but continue with me, and accept of me, whilst I actually perform what he had designed, whilst I build a temple for thy presence and service.  
11. The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David, he will not turn from it, Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.  
To him thou hast made thy most faithful promise, that the kingdom, which was not established in Sauls family, should be confirmed on his posterity.  
12. If thy children shall keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children also shall sit upon thy throne for evermore.  
And not so only, but that to all ages it should continue in the same line, if they shall but be careful to perform constant and uniform obedience to all the commands of God.  
13. For the Lord hath chosen Zion, he hath desired it for his habitation.  
14. This shall be my rest for ever, here will I dwell, for I have desired it.  
The place which I design for this structure is that of Zion, a place with which God is so well pleased, that he never intends to remove thence, nor consequently to transplant the royal throne from that family which placed it there, if they will but be careful to qualify themselves for the continuance of so great a mercy.  
15. I will abundantly bless her 
c.  provisions, I will satisfy her poor with bread.  
16. I will also cloath her Priests with 
d.  salvation, and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.  
Shall they but do so, he will also add all other sorts of blessings, a great plenty and prosperity to the whole nation, and a succession of mercies, which shall require the thanksgivings and solemn acknowledgements of the Priests and Levites and singers, whose daily office it is, by God himself appointed them, thus constantly to celebrate his mercies, to offer up prayers and praises to him continually.  
17. There will I make the horn of David to bud; I have ordained a 
e.  lamp for mine anointed.  
And by this means shall God be engaged to continue his favour to the posterity of David, to make it a most flourishing royal family, and continue it shining and burning in a continual succession till the coming of the Messiah, who is promised of the seed of David.  
18. His enemies will I cloath with shane; but upon himself shall his crown flourish.  
And all that oppose and invade them shall certainly be disappointed and put to flight, Gods special protection continuing to the posterity of so good a King, to perpetuate the kingdom to them.  

Annotations on Psalm CXXXII.  
V. 1. Afflictions] The signification of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in this place is worth the considering. The Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew} meekness, the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} humility, meekness, lenity, but the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} affliction. The original {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies especially two things, to speak or answer, and to be afflicted, humbled, or depressed. The context referring to Davids oath or vow to God, of preparing a place for the ark, which it seems was under vow, though it be not mentioned in the story, may seem to incline it to the former signification, of speaking or making promise to God, Remember David and all his speeches, how he swore unto the Lord— But the ancient interpreters authority may be preferred for the latter rendering; yet not for that of afflictions( for what reference could those have to his vow of preparing a place for the Ark, or of building the Temple?) but of humility, meekness, or pious affection to God, which excited him so to swear. And this the rather, because when he had built himself a palace, 1 Chron. xv. 1. it appears by the context, that he did not bless it, ch. xvi. 43. nor consequently live in it( for that he might not do till it were blessed) until he had first prepared a place, and brought up the Ark to it. So again when he designed to build a temple for it, the first proposition which he made to Nathan to this purpose, was introduced with a consideration and speech of great humility, 2 Sam. vii. 2. See now I dwell in a house of Cedar, but the Ark of God dwelleth within curtains. He was so humble, that he could not dwell in his house till the Ark of God was brought to Sion, nor then could he think meet to be himself in so stately a palace, whilst the Ark of God was but in a plain tent or tabernacle. But especially this humility of Davids is discernible in the passage recited, 1 Chron. xvii. 16. &c. where upon Gods promise to him, that he would build up his house, establish his family in the kingdom, he came and sat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? and so on in a speech of greatest humility and meekness, and fit here to be commemorated in the beginning of this Psalm, which belongs not only to the preparing a place for the Ark on David's part, but also to Gods promise of establishing the kingdom on his seed, v. 11, &c.  
V. 6. Heard of it] The chief difficulty in this Psalm is, what is here meant by hearing of in Ephrata. And first, it is certain that Ephrata is Bethleem, Mich. v. 2. secondly, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies we have heard it, rather then we have heard of it. And then it may be interpnted, that in the procession of the Ark through the tribe of Judah, being returned from the philistines, we heard the joyful acclamations which accompanied it in Bethleem; this not only when 'twas placed in Kiria●h Jarim, but when 'twas settled at Jerusalem; Bethleem, as Aben Ezra saith, being but three miles from Jerusalem. And in accordance with this sense, Kimchi, Jarchi and Aben Ezra agree to interpret the fields of the wood {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to be Jerusalem, as in the prophets frequently the Temple is called {untranscribed Hebrew} the wood. And to this inclines the correspondence between {untranscribed Hebrew} we found it, v. 6. and {untranscribed Hebrew} till I find out a place for the Lord, an habitation, &c. v. 5. This seems the most probable meaning of this passage, the difficulty of which the learned Castellio hath remarked with this note, Hujus loci sententiam non intelligo, I understand not the meaning of this place. Some probability there is, that the fields of the wood should be the house of Aminadab in the hill of Kiriath-Jarim, so called because it was a city in a woody place, 1 Sam. vii. 1. from whence David and all Israel resolved solemnly to fetch it,& brought it to the house of Obed-Edom v. 13. And then hearing of it at Ephrata must signify hearing it much talked of when he dwelled at home, in his fathers house at Bethleem. But the former is the more obvious interpretation. The Jewish Arab is obscure, and probably corrupted, yet the words seem thus to sound, And we, behold, heard it in the grass or pastures of multitude, abundance or plenty, and we found it between the desert and the wood.  
V. 15. Provisions] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to hunt, signifies any victuals that is taken with hunting, and absolutely flesh, food, provisions for a journey: so Ios. ix. 11. take in your hands {untranscribed Hebrew} provision for your journey. The Lxxii. renders it literally {untranscribed Hebrew}, not in the notion of hunting, but to signify that which is hunted, and so taken; as among us venison, the English of venatio, is the flesh which is thus caught. But this word {untranscribed Hebrew} was it seems mistaken, and by transcribers disguised into {untranscribed Hebrew} widow, and so by the latin rendered viduam, and so transfused into many other interpretations.  
V. 16. Salvation] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  salvation here imports, will be best judged by Ps. cxvi. There the taking the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  cup of salvations v. 13. is expounded v. 14. by paying his vows unto the Lord, those oblations which he had vowed, as his {untranscribed Hebrew} expressions of thankfulness for Gods deliverances( as Ps. L. 14. offering of thanksgiving and paying of vows are put together) and in plain terms v. 17. the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Accordingly, as the Lxxii. rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} the trespass-offering or peace-offering, Lev. vii. by {untranscribed Hebrew} sacrifice of salvation, v. 1. so they vary the style, and red {untranscribed Hebrew} sacrifice of praise, v. 2. and {untranscribed Hebrew} sacrifice of saving praise, v. 3.( see Note on Heb. xiii. e.) The Chaldee Psal. cxvi. red {untranscribed Hebrew} the cup of redemptions, i. e. such a cup, as they that have received any redemption or deliverance, are wont to take, to express their thankfulness( the {untranscribed Hebrew} cup of blessing in the Christian style) and so here {untranscribed Hebrew} the garments of redemption, were such literally as the Priests use in time of sacrifice, when they are solemnly to aclowledge any deliverance or mercy received from heaven, or more probably a Poetical, or Rhetorical scheme, such as Isa. Lix. 17. righteousness as a breastplate, and the helmet of salvation, and Eph. vi. 14, 17. and 1 Thess. 5.8. And accordingly to the Priests being clothed with salvation is here annexed, her saints shall sing aloud with joy.  
V. 17. lamp] The notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  lamp here will be discerned by considering the double property of a lamp or candle; 1. that it shineth, 2. that from that, when it is near spent, another may be lighted, and burn afresh, and so the light be, from one to another, perpetually kept in. For by this double resemblance a succession of Kings in a family is lively expressed. Of David himself it is said 2 Sam. xxi. 17. thou shalt go no more with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel: and of the succession 1 King. xi. 36. Unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light or lamp alway before me in Jerusalem; and again ch. xv. 4. for Davids sake did the Lord give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him. And so here {untranscribed Hebrew} a lamp to mine anointed, is a royal seed or posterity to rise up in stead of David, and sit upon his throne. The same was before meant by the budding of the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  horn of David. The horn is proverbially the regal dignity, and the budding thereof, the bringing forth successors to the kingdom. The same is again repeated v. 18. upon him, i. e. his posterity, shall his crown flourish; where for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  his crown, the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, not his but my, and taking {untranscribed Hebrew} in the notion of separation or sanctification, red {untranscribed Hebrew} my holiness. That this doth mystically refer to Christ, the Jews confess. So saith R. Saadiah, The lamp is the King which illuminates the nations; and Kimchi, that the horn of David is the M●ssias. To whom it is farther agreeable, that he is said {untranscribed Hebrew} to flourish or bud forth, which is another of his titles, and to that {untranscribed Hebrew} may possibly be added also.    

The Hundred Thirty Third Psalm.  
A Song of Degrees of David. The hundred thirty third is the magnifying the felicities of holy peaceable fraternal communion, and was fitly accommodated to the return from the captivity, and their uniform conjunction in the service of God.  
1. BEhold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell 
even as one {untranscribed Hebrew}  together in unity.  
There is nothing that is more acceptable to God, and matter of greater joy and present delight to the persons themselves, than a peaceable friendly conversation of pious men, with a perfect union of minds, and communion in devotions, and joint endeavours of doing, and helping one another to do, those things that are most excellent.  
2. It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aarons beard, that went down to the skirts of his garments.  
It cannot be more fitly compared to any thing than to the unction of Aaron the high-priest of God, the ointment of a most precious sort, very fragrant and odiferous. It was by order to be poured upon his head, and in that plenty, that being so poured, it diffused itself not only on his face and beard, but ran down also upon the upper part or collar of his garments,( see note a.) and this whole ceremony instituted by God himself, thereby to consecrate Aaron and his successors after him to the high-priests office, to offer sacrifice to God, and bless the people. And in all these particulars the proportion holds. This of fraternal charity, union and communion is 1. very precious, highly valued; 2. very grateful and welcome, a pleasant and refreshing spectacle to all beholders, to God, Angels and men; 3. it is so rich and plentiful a grace, that it communicates itself to all the meanest persons in the society, not only to superior and more eminent parts, but to every inferior member of the community, making supplies to all sorts of all their wants; and 4. no grace or virtue more signally commanded and recommended by God; or 5. more required to make our prayers acceptable to God, or our offices useful to others or ourselves.  
3. As the due of Hermon, 
that descended  and as the due 
a.  that descended on the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.  
And accordingly God hath promised abundant blessings to those that thus live, all happiness here, and all glory in another world. And in that respect it is most fitly compared to the innumerable drops of due that fall in a morning upon many several and distant hills, Hermon on one side of Canaan, and Zion on the other; or to that cloud of due which is seen hanging as such on the highest hills, but dissolves in showers of rain upon the lower, which cherish and refresh wheresoever they fall; For so do Gods blessings severally descend in great abundance upon every member of such a peaceable united community, be they in their condition as distant as Hermon and Zion in place, yet the goodness of God finds them out, and rewards them severally, bestows all benedictions upon them.  

Annotations on Psalm CXXXIII.  
V. 3. Zion] It is here thought very difficult to resolve what is the meaning of the phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which descended on the hill of Zion. For if it be spoken of the due of Hermon foregoing, then 'tis not imaginable how that should descend on the hills of Zion, Zion being very distant from Hermon, Zion at Jerusalem, and Hermon on the other side of Jordan, on the utmost part of Canaan toward the East, and so opposed to Tabor, Psal. Lxxxix. 12. as East to West. This hath put some learned men on a conjecture, that {untranscribed Hebrew} Zion here should be changed into {untranscribed Hebrew} Schion, which is another name of Hermon. But this is not found in any ancient or later copy, nor yet favoured by any of the ancient Interpreters, who uniformly red it Zion, and not Schion; nor hath any the least ground, but that of the nearness of the words, and the conceited difficulty of the matter, that the due of Hermon should descend on Zion at that distance. But for these, 1. It is most unsafe to use that liberty of conjecture, thereby to change words at pleasure into any that have affinity with them. 2. By this conjecture the difficulty is but changed, not taken away; for it would then be still difficult, and but little more reasonable, to suppose that the due of Hermon should be said to descend from Hermon upon Schion, i. e. upon itself, then that it should from Hermon descend upon the most remote mountain. 'tis therefore most seasonable to take notice of that which hath here occasioned the difficulty, or seeming improbability of interpreting the words of Zion at Jerusalem. The similitude in the former verse of the ointment falling directly and by descent from the head to the beard, hath lead men to conceit a falling of that in like manner from a higher to a lower place; which indeed cannot in any sense be applied to mount Hermon and the hills of Zion, whereas in the truth this of the due, were the hills never so near and subordinate one to the other, would still be a similitude unfit for that turn: for due is not like rain, which streams down from hills to valleys, or from an higher to a lower hill, but remains in the place where it falls, be it high or low. The due therefore in this place may possibly be set to express onely the plenty of that which is spoken of( as elsewhere the due of the morning is proportionable to the sand of the sea in respect of the numerousness, see note on Psal. cx. a.) and the blessing and refreshing quality thereof,& so to usher in Gods commanding a blessing and life for evermore, in the end of the verse. If that may be allowed, then the clear way of understanding this passage is, either to sever and red by itself {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as the due of Hermon, i. e, as the due that lies thick and numerous on the hill called Hermon, and then again to repeat, as the due which fell on the hills of Zion; or else, joining them together, to red by apposition, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that descends or falls, i. e. as the due that falls upon the hills of Zion. Thus 'tis certain, that as the due falls on Hermon, so it falls on the hills of Zion, yea and at the same time; and though not the same individual drops, yet the same specifical due, with the same blessing, refreshing quality, and in the like plenty on the one and on the other. And therefore though the literal rendering of the Hebrew be, As the due of Hermon which fell on the hills of Zion; yet our English, to avoid the mistake to which those words are subject, have not done amiss to make that supply as of an Ellipsis, adding and as the due, above what is in the Original: without which addition yet the words may very intelligibly be rendered, As the due of Hermon, which( due) falls on the hills of Zion, so they be taken in this sense which we have here expressed, the due which lies in great abundance on Hermon, and yet falls in the like plenty on hills very distant, those of Zion also. Or if we desire to make the resemblance and correspondence between the ointment and the due more complete, it may be observed that Hermon, called {untranscribed Hebrew}, and {untranscribed Hebrew}, from its high top still covered with snow, was one of the greatest land-marks of palestine. Now of such hills we know, that the mist or due of them is rain in lower places, there being no more ordinary indication of future rain, in all countreys, than when the high hills are cap't with a cloud of due. And so to say this due of Hermon, or that first formature of rain, which was on the top of that but as a due, should after fall in showers of rain on the adjacent country, will be very intelligible. And then for the choice of Zion for the other term on which the rain is here supposed to fall, there is this reason of analogy, that the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which we render skirts of Aarons garment, is by Kimchi and Jarchi affirmed to be the upper part, the collar of his garment, it being neither useful, nor convenient, nor consequently probable, that the anointing should be so liberal as to run over all his clothes: and then Zion, by being thus lower then Hermon, will bear a fit analogy with that.    

The Hundred Thirty Fourth Psalm.  
A Song of Degrees. The hundred thirty fourth is the encouraging the Priests in their constant offices, in the public worship and praising of God in the Sanctuary, and is the last of those which were accommodated to the return from the Captivity.  
1. BEhold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night 
a.  stand in the house of the Lord.  
Now is God in an eminent manner to be blessed and praised for all his mercies, that especially of giving liberty for the continual offices of the Temple, of which we were so long deprived, and to which being now restored, all that attend that service by day and night, the Priests in their courses, are obliged most diligently to perform it, and affectionately and devoutly to magnify his holy name,  
2. Lift up your hands 
or, in holiness  in the 
b.  Sanctuary, and praise the Lord.  
remembering always, that the ceremony of washing, which is constantly observed herein, is an Emblem of the great sanctity of lives that is required of those that thus wait on the Altar, that offer up any sacrifice to God, especially that of praise and thanksgiving; and that therefore they are most nearly concerned to be thus qualified, whensoever they come to officiate.  
3. The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.  
And the great omnipotent Creator and Governor of the whole world, that hath his peculiar blessing residence in Mount Zion, thence to hear and grant the petitions that are made unto him there, bless and prosper, receive, and graciously answer all the requests which his people shall there at any time address unto him.  

Annotations on Psalm CXXXIV.  
V. 1. Stand] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  ye that stand seems here to have a critical notation, for Aben Ezra observes that the High priest only sat in the Temple, the rest ever stood; which seems to have been imitated in the Primitive Christian Church, that the Bishop should sit, and the inferior Clergy stand.  
V. 2. In the Sanctuary] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifying holiness as well as the holy place, the Temple or Sanctuary, may here be taken in the former sense, the latter having been sufficiently expressed, v. 1. by the house of the Lord( to which also the Lxxii. adds there, above the Hebrew, {untranscribed Hebrew}, in the courts of the house of our God.) For the Priests( which are here spoken to) before their officiating, which is here expressed by lifting up their hands, were obliged to wash their hands, and that washing is styled {untranscribed Hebrew} sanctification:( see note on Joh. xiii. b. and on Psal. xxvi. d.) And to this refers the lifting up holy hands, 1 Tim. ii. 8. the bringing this purity to our offices of devotion. Of the Priest we red in Joma c. iii.§ 3. that the High Priest on the day of Expiation washes five {untranscribed Hebrew} and ten {untranscribed Hebrew} sanctifications, i. e. five washings of his whole body, and ten washings of his hands and feet. And so here lifting up the hands {untranscribed Hebrew} in or with holiness, or sanctification, will be the lifting up these holy hands, qualifying themselves thus for the discharge of their office, which was signified by their washing before their officiating. The Lxxii. indeed red {untranscribed Hebrew} to the sanctuary, but the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew}, either to holiness( as their latin red ad sanctitatem) or to the sanctuary, and so the Jewish Arab; but the Chaldee, to secure this sense, reads {untranscribed Hebrew}, in, or with, holiness to the holy place.    

The Hundred Thirty Fifth Psalm.  

Hallelujah.  Praise ye the Lord. The Hundred thirty fifth is a Psalm of thanksgiving to God, for all his mercies and deliverances afforded to his people; and was entitled Hallelujah,( see note a on Psal. cvi.)  
1. PRaise ye the name of the Lord, praise him O ye servants of the Lord;  
2. Ye that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.  
3. Praise ye the Lord, for the Lord is good: sing praises unto his name, for it is pleasant.  
It is now a season of singing most solemn praises, and making the most humble acknowledgements unto God, for all his goodness, and mercy, and grace afforded us. O let all his faithful servants, those especially whose office it is to wait at his altar, join ardently and uniformly in the performance of so joyous and pleasant a duty.  
4. For the Lord hath chosen Jacob to himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.  
And two things especially are to be the ingredients in our lands: First, that God hath vouchsafed to us the dignity and prerogative beyond all other nations in the world, that of being his own special ear and charge, whom he hath peculiarly chosen and espoused, to poure out his liberalities among us.  
5. For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all Gods.  
Secondly, that the power and greatness of this our God doth infinitely exceed all that is so much as pretended to by all the false Idol-deities, which are worshipped by other nations.  
6. Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deep places.  
The latter of these is evident in the works of his creation and preservation; all that is or ever was in the several parts of the universe, the heavens, and earth, and ocean, being at first produced, and ever since continued, by this power of his.  
7. He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth, he maketh lightnings for the rain, he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.  
All the vapours that ascend from any part of this lower world, are drawn up by means which he in his wisdom hath appointed for that work, and out of them he frameth in the air meteors of divers kinds; clouds that dissolve in rain, and flashes of lightning which often accompany that rain, and yet neither dry up that, nor are quenched by it,( a work of his wonderful managery) and then the most boisterous winds, which no man can imagine whence they come or whither they go, but only that they are laid up by God in some unknown receptacle, and from thence brought forth when or for what uses he pleaseth.  
8. Who smote the first born of egypt 
from man to {untranscribed Hebrew}  both of man and beast.  
9. Who sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee, O egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants.  
And this omnipotent power of his was he pleased to interpose for us in bringing our ancestors out of egypt, after he had shewed forth many prodigies of judgments upon the King and all the people of egypt, at length causing a sad lamentation through the whole land, by killing every first-born both of Pharaoh the King, and of all other the greatest and meanest inhabitants, and extending the stroke even to the first-born of cattle,( by which act of severity upon them they were persuaded to dismiss the people out of their land.)  
10. Who smote great nations, and slay mighty Kings,  
11. Sihon King of the Amorites, and Og King of Basan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan;  
12. And gave their land for an heritage, an heritage unto Israel his people.  
So again did he magnify his transcendent controlling power, in subduing those gyantly Kings and people, Sihon and the Amorites, Num. xxi. 24. and Og the King of Basan and his army, v. 34, 35. and the whole kingdom of Canaan, the Kings and all their cities, Num. xxi. 3. whom by no power of their own, but by Gods delivering them into their hands, v. 2. they utterly destroyed. And having thus evidenced his power( which was the latter thing mentioned v. 5.) he also magnified his mercy to us( which was the former thing v. 4. to which the Psalmist goes back, after the Scripture style, see note on Mat. vii. b.) in giving us this whole land of Canaan, a fruitful and pleasant land, for us and our posterity to enjoy by his divine gift, as if it had descended to us from our fathers.  
13. Thy name, O God, endureth for ever, and thy memorial, O Lord, throughout all generations.  
14. For the Lord 
a.  will 
pled for  judge his people, and he will repent himself concerning his servants.  
Thus are the power and bounty of our God magnified toward us, and we obliged never to forget either of them, but commemorate them to all ages. For though God for our sins doth sometimes justly permit us to be oppressed and disturbed by our enemies; yet such is his goodness and mercy to us still, that upon our returning and repenting, he is pleased to return and repent also, to pardon our sins, to take our parts, and avenge us on our enemies. See Deut. xxxii. 36.  
14. The Idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of mens hands.  
15. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not:  
16. They have ears, but they hear not; 
b.  
a nose, but there is no breath in their nostrils.  neither is there any breath in their mouths.  
17. They that make them are like unto them, and so is every man that trusteth in them.  
On the other side, the gods of the heathen world v. 5. are all but lifeless inanimate images,( see Ps. cxv. 4, 5. &c.) not able to afford the least aid to any of their votaries. A sad reproach that to all those that first make, and then pray to, and expect assistance from them, and an argument that they are but a sort of stocks and stones and images themselves, that can believe in, or hope for good from, such senseless pictures of men, whom they worship for Gods.  
18. Bless the Lord, O house of Israel; bless the Lord, O house of Aaron.  
19. Bless the Lord, O house of Levi: ye that fear the Lord, bless the Lord.  
20. Blessed be the Lord out of Zion, which dwelleth in Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord.  
And the sadder the condition is of such worshippers, of all the gentle world which is thus infatuated, the more are we of Israel obliged to bless and magnify the Lord of heaven, if it be but for that blessing bestowed so graciously and happily upon us, of rescuing us out of the blindness, and sottishness, and utter darkness, which possesseth the hearts of the far greater part of the world. And on this account, as also for all other his mercies, it is the special duty of this whole nation, thus assumed by him to be his people, but especially the Priests and Levites, and all his faithful servants, whom he hath yet more obliged, separated them from the rest of this people, and assumed them yet nearer to himself, to bless and praise and magnify his holy and glorious name, to assemble together at the place of his solemn worship, the place where he is pleased in a most special manner to reside, and presentiate, and exhibit himself unto them that address themselves to him there, and there to sing continual Hosannahs and Hallelujahs to him.  

Annotations on Psalm CXXXV.  
V. 14. Judge] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}; 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew}, signifies frequently not only to judge, or give sentence of punishment, but to contend in judicature; and that again, not onely as an accuser or plaintiff, in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}( answerable to it) for suing 1 Cor. vi. 1. but also as Defendant or Advocate; and so 'tis to pled, or take ones part, and patronise his cause, and so to bring sentence of mulct or punishment against the adversary. In this notion of defending or pleading for, {untranscribed Hebrew} is oft used: see Psal. vii. 8. x. 18. xxvi. 1. xxxv. 24. xLiii. 1. Lxxii. 4. And so is {untranscribed Hebrew} also: so Gen. xxx. 6. {untranscribed Hebrew} God hath judged me, saith Rachel, and heard my voice, i. e. taken my part, given me a son, whose name therefore she called Dan, a word from this theme. So Deut. xxxii. 36. whence this whole verse is verbatim taken. In like manner the nouns, both {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew}, being joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} doing, are not so fitly rendered doing judgement, as pleading a cause. So Psal. cxL. 12. I know that the Lord {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  will pled the cause of the afflicted, and again, {untranscribed Hebrew} the right of the poor. And so Ps. ix. 4. {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  thou hast pleaded my right and my cause: to which is there added, thou sattest in the throne judging right; not as the same again, but differing from it, as the part of a judge doth from that of an advocate, the Psalmist there signifying that God had taken both parts, first contended for him, then judged the controversy on his side, defended him, and so pleaded his cause, and overthrown his enemies, which was the passing of right judgement for him; for that seems to be the full importance of that Verse. And so, we know our Saviour is both our Advocate, and our Judge; and herein our happiness consists, that he which is our Judge, is our Advocate also. Then for {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that may be either from {untranscribed Hebrew} to grieve, and then 'tis duly rendered, will repent himself; or else from another, if not contrary, notion of the same word, for taking comfort, and so by the Lxxii. 'tis rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} shall be comforted, and so by the Syriack, takes comfort; but by the latin, deprecabitur. This rendering of the latin, as it may seem to be an imitation of the Greek {untranscribed Hebrew}, but not in the notion of being comforted, but entreated, and so to be in a passive( though unusual) sense, deprecabitur, shall be deprecated; yet doth it well sort with the former notion, that of repenting: for so God is said to do, when he is entreated for his people, and removes their punishments from them. So the Jewish Arab understood it, who renders it, will spare or pardon his servants. And to this notion of repenting the context both here, and Deut. xxxii. 36.( where we have the same words) inclines it, viz. Gods repenting himself of his anger, of which we often red, i. e. returning to mercy and favour toward those with whom he was formerly displeased; and so the whole verse shall signify Gods returning from punishing, to assisting and taking the part of his people: and that the Chaldee hath of all others best expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew} he shall return in mercies or compassions toward his just servants. And then pleading for, and such returning, do perfectly accord.  
V. 17. Neither is there any breath] That {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies a nose, is unquestionable; and that it so signifies here, is first the affirmation of the Chaldee, who render it {untranscribed Hebrew} nostrils, and so of the arabic also, which thus interprets it, and transcribes the following verse also from Ps. cxv. and herein recedes from the Lxxii. contrary to their use. And secondly, when 'tis considered that here it comes in conjunction with mouths, and eyes, and ears, there will be less doubt of this rendering. And thirdly, when 'tis evident, the foregoing verses do clearly answer the fourth and fifth and part of the sixth verse of Psal. cxv. and there follows {untranscribed Hebrew} a nose to them, or, they have a nose, and they smell not, there will remain no question but so it is to be rendered here also, {untranscribed Hebrew}, a nose, i. e. a nose they have, they have no breath in their nostrils( {untranscribed Hebrew} having no peculiarity to signify the mouth in distinction from the nose) their no breath being fairly equivalent to no smelling, no {untranscribed Hebrew}, by which they should {untranscribed Hebrew} smell.    

The Hundred Thirty Sixth Psalm.  
The hundred thirty sixth is the magnifying of Gods continual mercies in the exercise of his power, in the creation of the world, redemption and preservation and advancement of his people; and is one of them which is entitled Hallelujah,( which probably it had in the front, though now it be placed in the close of the former Psalm, both in the Hebrew and Chaldee) and is by the Jews called the 
{untranscribed Hebrew}† {untranscribed Hebrew}  great thanksgiving.  
1. O Give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever.  
Let the whole world in a most solemn, humble, devout manner, acknowledge the great bounty and liberality of God, and the continual exercises of his mercy, which is not, nor ever shall be at an end, but is constantly made good unto his servants in all the motions of their lives.  
2. O give thanks unto the God of Gods; for his mercy endureth for ever.  
3. O give thanks unto the Lord of Lords; for his mercy endureth for ever.  
Let them adore, and worship, and praise him with all possible expressions of veneration and admiration, as the onely and supreme Governor of the whole world, infinitely above all the heathen most adored deities, and above the greatest potentates on earth, and withall as a most gracious Father of infinite never-failing mercies toward those that adhere to him.  
4. To him who alone doth great wonders; for his mercy endureth for ever.  
There is nothing so difficult which he is not able to bring to pass, all nature is subject to his power, as it is not to any other whose essence and power both are finite and limited, and overruled by him, and this power of his most signally exercised for the supporting and assisting of his servants.  
5. To him that by wisdom made the heavens; for his mercy endureth for ever.  
A work of that power it was by which he at first created the upper part of the world, the body of the heavens and air; and in the fabric thereof was infinite wisdom expressed as well as power, yea and infinite mercy also to us men, for whose uses and benefit that stately fabric was principally designed.  
6. To him that stretched out the earth above the waters; for his mercy endureth for ever.  
A like act of infinite power and wisdom it was, when the waters covered the face of the earth, and so rendered it unhabitable to us, to prepare vast receptacles for the waters, and thither to convey and remove them from the surface of the earth, and so to secure the earth by bounds set to the Ocean, that it shall not be overflowed by it, but remain a peaceable fruitful safe habitation for us, which is an act of the same infinite constant mercy.  
7. To him that made great lights; for his mercy endureth for ever:  
8. The sun to rule by day; for his mercy endureth for ever:  
9. The moon and stars to rule by night; for his mercy endureth for ever.  
A like act of his power and wisdom it was, and so also of his infinite mercy and bounty toward us, that he created the sun, moon and stars, for such excellent benefits of mankind, not only illuminating this lower world of ours, but refreshing and warming, and sending forth various influences into every the meanest creature, by these great instruments managing, and guiding, and preserving, and by propagation continuing all creatures, directing them in all their undertakings, preparing both for work and rest, and providing all things necessary for them.  
10. To him that smote egypt in their first-born; for his mercy endureth for ever:  
11. And brought out Israel from among them; for his mercy endureth for ever:  
12. With a strong hand and with a stretched out arm; for his mercy endureth for ever:  
13. To him which divided the read sea into parts; for his mercy endureth for ever:  
14. And made Israel to pass through the midst of it; for his mercy endureth for ever.  
15. But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the read sea; for his mercy endureth for ever.  
But yet more peculiarly hath his power and mercy to us been magnified in rescuing our whole nation out of the slavery and oppressions of egypt, and this in a most prodigious manner, multiplying judgments upon the egyptians from one degree to another, till at length he destroyed the first-born in every family, upon which they were enforced to let us go; but then farther interposing for us, by making the read sea recede till our people past through the channel of it, and then bringing it back again in a full violence upon the armies of the egyptians, which pursued us at our departure, and overwhelming and drowning all of them: which was such an heap of prodigies of mercies to us his unworthy people, that no story hath ever exemplified in any other time.  
16. To him which lead his people through the wilderness; for his mercy endureth for ever.  
And after this leading us through the desert for many years together, he miraculously provided necessaries for us, sending us bread from heaven, abundance of delicate food, and water out of a rock of flint, and so gave us continual testimonies of his infinite unexhausted bounty.  
17. To him which smote great Kings; for his mercy endureth for ever:  
18. And slay famous Kings; for his mercy endureth for ever:  
19. Sihon King of the Amorites; for his mercy endureth for ever:  
20. And Og the King of Bashan; for his mercy endureth for ever:  
21. And gave their land for an heritage; for his mercy endureth for ever:  
22. Even an heritage unto Israel his servant; for his mercy endureth for ever.  
And then to perfect his mercy, he lead us to that land of Canaan which he had promised to give to the posterity of Abraham, and by his sole power and conduct enabled us to conquer and destroy great and eminent Princes with their whole armies, such were Sihon and Og( see Psal. cxxxv. 11, 12. and Num. xxi. 24, &c.) which came out against us, and by these slaughters rooted them out, planting us in their stead, giving us a most fertile kingdom to possess as our own, for ourselves and our posterities. An unparallelled number and weight of mercies, which ought for ever to be commemorated by us.( And yet for all this, but a weak imperfect shadow and resemblance of the redemption of mankind out of a far more unsupportable slavery under sin and Satan, which by the gift of his own Son he hath wrought for us.)  
23. Who remembered us in our low estate; for his mercy endureth for ever:  
24. And hath redeemed us from our enemies; for his mercy endureth for ever.  
And though since our coming unto all this plenty, he hath permitted us, upon our provoking sins, to be brought low and oppressed by our enemies; yet hath he not utterly forsaken us, but again returned in mercy to us, and rescued us out of their hands, and restored us wonderfully to our former peace and safety.  
25. Who giveth food to all flesh; for his mercy endureth for ever.  
Yet neither are his mercies confined and enclosed within so narrow a pale as this of the people of Israel, but it is enlarged to all mankind( even to all living creatures in the world) which as they have from him their original being, so have they their continual support, and a constant supply to all their wants, of what sort soever they are, all that is necessary to their bodies as well as their souls.  
26. O give thanks to the God of heaven; for his mercy endureth for ever.  
All which, and all the goodness that any man partakes of in this life, is but an efflux from that unexhausted fountain of infinite bounty, descends from the Father of lights, the one Creator and preserver and governor of the world, and so is to be owned and acknowledged by all, and he to have the thanks and honour and glory of it. O let all men in the world pay him this tribute, and never miss to commemorate his endless mercies.   

The Hundred Thirty Seventh Psalm.  
The hundred thirty seventh is a description of the sadness of the Babylonish captivity, and the peoples vehement desire and hopes to return to Canaan; and seems to have been composed presently after the return from the Captivity, or when they saw the taking and wasting of Babylon to approach.  
1. BY the waters of Babylon there we sat down, yea we wept, when we remembered Zion.  
In the time of our deportation and captivity, being carried so far, and detained so long from the comforts of our own country, we had no divertisement but that of reposing ourselves on the banks of Euphrates and Tigris, &c. and bewailing our losses, and recounting the felicities we once enjoyed, when we were allowed the solemn public meetings for the service of God at the Temple.  
2. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.  
As for the instruments of our music, which were wont to assist in the choir, and help to commemorate the mercies of God most cheerfully, we could not think it a season to make use of them, and therefore hanged them on the trees in a neglected forlorn manner.  
3. For there they that 
took us captive, {untranscribed Hebrew}  carried us away captive required of us a song, and 
a.  they that 
carried us up,  wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.  
Then they that had carried us up their captive slaves, would needs have us recite some of those joyous hymns which we were wont to sing in our solemn festivals at the Temple.  
4. How shall we sing the Lords song in a strange land?  
But our Levites gave answer presently, that it was not fit for them to sing those festival hymns that belonged to the praises of the God of Israel at a time of public mourning, and withall in a land and among a people that acknowledged him not for God, or indeed any where but in the Temple, the place of his solemn festival worship.  
5. If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand 
b.  
forget.  forget her cunning.  
'tis not possible for us so to put off the memory of our sufferings, so to divest ourselves of our great concernments and interests in the welfare of Jerusalem, which now is despoiled of her inhabitants, or to put off the sorrow conceived for the loss of those joyful advantages of Gods public worship which there we enjoyed: should we convert such dayes of mourning as these into seasons of joy, 'twere not fit we should ever more use those sacred instruments, set apart for the praising and glorifying of God;  
6. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I 
or, advance not Jerusalem in the beginning of my joy, or mirth.  prefer not Jerusalem 
c.  above my chief joy.  
Not fit we should ever be permitted to sing any joyful hymn again, if we can think fit to apply it to such purposes as these, of pleasing or gratifying our oppressors, or indeed ever sing again, till we can celebrate our return to our country and temple by our singing.  
7. Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem, who said, Rase it, rase it even to the foundation thereof.  
It is more seasonable for us to recount that sad time when our captivation befell us, when our unkind neighbours the Edumaeans were so forward to join their hands with our enemies to demolish our city and temple utterly; see Ezec. xxv. 12. But for this their malice, the time will come when they shall pay full dear; see Jer. xlix. 8.  
8. O daughter of Babylon, 
d.  
the destroyer,  who art to be destroyed, happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.  
9. Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.  
But alas, this is not like to be their lot alone, but in the first place the Babylonians themselves, they which had laid our city wast, are sure to be sadly repaid: All their injuries and cruelties to us will be visited on the universality of them, even to their infant children; the youngest of them shall be dashed to the ground, and all their people within a while signally destroyed.  

Annotations on Psalm CXXXVII.  
V. 3. Wasted us] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is from {untranscribed Hebrew} to take, or lift, or carry up, and from thence the noun {untranscribed Hebrew} is an heap, from that notion of elevating or raising; and from thence it is conceived by some learned men, that the verb here signifies laying wast, demolishing, and so turning cities into heaps, but without any example of such signification. Others would have it a participle, and so to signify their harps lifted, or hanged up, v. 2. But the ancient Interpreters all accord in a facile interpretation, and that which agrees with the ordinary use of the word, for taking, or carrying up, as that is appliable to deportation or carrying up of captives from their own to another country. The Chaldee reads it {untranscribed Hebrew} they that carried us away, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to spoil, or prey on, and carry away( so that word is used Ezec. xxvi. 12. {untranscribed Hebrew}, we red, they shall make a prey of, but the Chaldee there {untranscribed Hebrew}, and they shall carry them away:) but the Lxxii. more expressly, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they that lead or carried us away, and the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} and they that subdued us,( so {untranscribed Hebrew} is rendered by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} subdued, Psal. xLvii. 3.) or, as the Syriack use is, carried us away. And so the latin, qui abduxerunt nos, they that carried us away, and the arabic, they that snatched us, or forcibly carried us thither. And thus it agrees well with {untranscribed Hebrew} they that took us captive, {untranscribed Hebrew}, they that captivated us( so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies) in the beginning of the verse. The Jewish Arab red {untranscribed Hebrew} they that hanged us up, as Buxtorf in his Hebrew Concordance, Suspensores nostri. Abu Walid mislikes that it should be from {untranscribed Hebrew} an heap, and would have ח not to be radical, but the Root to be {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so the meaning to be, and, or when, or seeing our mournful cry is to them joy, or rejoicing. Aben Ezra seems to dislike this( cited from Moses Hace.) and proposes two other conjectures: as 1. that {untranscribed Hebrew} might in Hebrew signify to destroy, or pull down; 2.( which he saith is the opinion of some) that {untranscribed Hebrew} should be all one with {untranscribed Hebrew}, by change of letters, they that spoiled us.  
V. 5. Forget her cunning] In the Hebrew there is no more but {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  let my right hand forget, which the Chaldee render {untranscribed Hebrew} let me forget my right hand, and the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. let my right hand forget me, but the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} let my right hand be forgotten. And thus it may well be, to express the great and fresh memory and care he hath of Jerusalem, that that shall certainly be the last thing which the Psalmist, or the Levites in the Psalm, will forget. But the conjunction here between the right hand and the tongue v. 6. as the two instruments of music, the one to play, as the other to sing, do rather incline it to be interpnted by supply of an Ellipsis, let my right hand forget, i. e. forget to play, as my tongue to sing, v. 6.  
V. 6. Above my chief joy] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  head is frequently used for the beginning of any thing, and not only for the principal part of it. Gen. ii. 10. four {untranscribed Hebrew} heads are four beginnings, {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Lxxii. of rivers. So here the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} the beginning, and so the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} in the beginning of my mirth. And {untranscribed Hebrew} I will lift up, or advance, Jerusalem in the beginning of my mirth, is to make that the prime or chief ingredient in their rejoicing, the principal subject of their hymns.  
V. 8. Art to be destroyed] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to lay wast, or destroy( in Paul instead of Poel, which is frequent) may be rendered vastatrix, destroyer. So the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} the waster, or spoiler; and so the Syriack in the same word. Onely the Lxxii. reads {untranscribed Hebrew}, which as it signifies miserable, so it signifies vile and wicked also: and so even the Hebrew, if taken in the passive, will be but answerable to {untranscribed Hebrew} perditus, wretched, wicked, and so fit to be destroyed. The Jewish Arab reads O thou spoiled; and so 'tis agreeable to the custom of the Eastern people, by way of omen or presage, to put with the name of a city an Epithet of Preserved, or guarded, if they wish well to it: and so 'tis proportionable it should be in the contrary signification, if they wish ill to it, to speak of that as done, which they wish to be done.    

The Hundred Thirty Eighth Psalm.  
A Psalm of David. The hundred thirty eighth is a Psalm of thanksgiving to God for his mercies, his gracious audiences afforded to the prayers of his lowly servants, his powerful deliverances of them, most admirable in the sight of their heathen enemies: And being first composed by David, is said by the Lxxii. to have been made use of by 
{untranscribed Hebrew}.  Haggee and zachary at the rebuilding of the Temple.  
1. I Will praise thee with my whole heart: before the 
a.  Gods will I sing praise unto thee.  
2. I will worship towards thy holy Temple, and praise thy name 
above  for thy loving kindness and 
above  for thy truth; for thou hast 
b.  magnified thy word above all thy name.  
Blessed Lord, thou hast been exceeding gracious to thy servants, and never failed to answer them that rely on thee, thy mercies and fidelity are much spoken of, thou art known by this title of merciful and gracious, and one that never fails to perform his part of the Covenant with any. But thou hast infinitely exceeded all that is or can be either said or believed of thee, thou hast made us admirable divine promises( that especially of giving us thy Son, and in him all things) and wilt certainly perform them all to the utmost importance of them. And now what return shall we make unto thee for all this? having nothing else, we must in all equity pay thee the humblest acknowledgements of our very souls, and in thy public assembly, in the presence of the holy Angels, the witnesses of our performances, and assistants and partners of our praises, bless, and laud, and magnify thy glorious name for all thine abundant mercy toward us.  
3. In the day when I cried, thou answeredst me, 
thou shalt strengthen {untranscribed Hebrew}  and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.  
Whensoever I have addressed by prayer to thee, thou hast never failed to answer me and relieve me; which, together with thine own free promise, gives me full confidence to beg and crave thy grace, to strengthen and support my soul against whatsoever danger, and to rest secure in thee, that thou wilt grant it me.  
4. All the Kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, 
or, for they shall {untranscribed Hebrew}  when they hear the words of thy mouth.  
5. Yea they shall sing in the 
c.  ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord.  
These magnificent promises of thine v. 2. shall be proclaimed and made known( thy Gospel preached) to all the world, and thereby the greatest potentates on earth, they and their kingdoms with them, shall at length be brought in to worship, and serve, and glorify thee, and in so doing, never give over singing, and praising, and magnifying thy great, and gracious, and glorious works of mercy, those wonderful dispensations of thine in the gift of thy Son, and that gracious divine Law given us by him.  
6. 
For the Lord is high, and hath— {untranscribed Hebrew}  Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.  
The sum whereof is this, that as the supreme God of heaven hath humbled himself to this earth and flesh of ours, so he will favourably behold and deal with all lowly, humbled, penitent sinners, but proceed most severely with all proud, obdurate impenitents.  
7. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth th●ne hand against 
d.  the 
nose  wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.  
8. The Lord 
e.  will 
perform for me,  perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: 
do not thou let go  forsake not the works of thine own hands.  
And as for spiritual, so for temporal mercies, God will not fail to perform them also to his faithful servants; whatever their distresses be, he will relieve or support them, repel and subdue and repress their enemies, and secure them by his immediate divine interposition, if human means do fail: what they are not able, and what indeed belongs not to them to do for themselves, he will most certainly perform in their stead, having begun a work of mercy, he will not leave it imperfect, he will certainly go through with it. Thus doth God abound in mercies of all sorts to all his humble faithful servants. Lord, be thou thus graciously pleased to deal with me, and with all thy poor helpless creatures, which being made by thee, have none other to fly to but thyself.  

Annotations Psalm CXXXVIII.  
V. 1. Gods] Of the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  first for Angels, then for Magistrates, Judges, Kings, somewhat hath been said, Note on Psal. Lxxxii. b. Now to which of these it shall be applied in this place, is not agreed among the ancient Interpreters. The Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew} Judges, the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} Kings, the Jewish Arab, the Nobles, but the Lxxii.( and the arabic and Aethiopick and latin follow them) {untranscribed Hebrew} angels. And considering that in the next words v. 2. he mentions worshipping toward the {untranscribed Hebrew}( not temple, if it were, as the Title directs, composed by David, but) palace of holiness, i. e. the Sanctuary, where the Cherubims of glory, representations of Angels, shadowed the mercy-seat, Heb. ix. 5. and that in that house of God, and house of prayer, the Angels were present, according to that of Saint Chrysostome, {untranscribed Hebrew}, thou singest and chantest with the Angels, and on this place, {untranscribed Hebrew}, I will strive to sing with the Angels, contending with them in this holy strife and emulation, who shall praise him loudest, joining in choir with the supernal powers; 'tis not improbable that this should be the notion of the word in this place, and so singing praises to God before the Angels, be the praising him in the Sanctuary appointed for his worship, and where by his Angels he is present to his worshippers. So Eccles. v. 6. Say not before the Angel, viz. the Angel that is present in the house of God v. 1. So Agrippa( in Josephus de Bell. Jud. l. ii. c. xvi.) speaking to the people near the Temple, saith, {untranscribed Hebrew}, I call your Sanctuary to witness, and the holy Angels of God, those that are there present,) Angelus orationis, saith Tertullian de Orat. the Angel of prayer) which the Jews still believe to be present with them, and meet them, and praise God with them in their Synagogues; and of which that speech heard in the Temple, before the destruction of it by Titus, is most probably to be understood, Migremus illinc, Let us depart thence. The Lxxii. render {untranscribed Hebrew} before, by {untranscribed Hebrew} over against, referring probably to the way of alternate singing, one part of the choir singing over against and answering the other, singing together by courses, Ezra iii. 11. and that S. Chrysostomes {untranscribed Hebrew} contention, and {untranscribed Hebrew} emulation, and {untranscribed Hebrew} joining in choir with the Angels, seems to refer to. In the end of this first verse the Lxxii. add, above what is in the Hebrew, {untranscribed Hebrew}, because thou hast heard all the words of my mouth, which the latin affix to the first part of the verse, Confitebor tibi, Domine, in toto cord meo, quoniam audisti verba oris mei, I will confess to thee, O Lord, with my whole heart, because thou hast heard the words of my mouth. But this is sure some Scholion, which crept from the margin into the text, and is not owned either by the Chaldee or the Syriack.  
V. 2. Magnified thy word] For word here the copies of the Lxxii. which now we have and which S. jerome, S. Augustine, S. hilary, S. Chrysostome and Theodoret used, red {untranscribed Hebrew}, thy holy; which therefore the latin joining with {untranscribed Hebrew}, name, red, magnificasti supper omne, nomen sanctum tuam, thou hast magnified thy holy name above all; and so the arabic, thy holy name above all things. But in all probability {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} being so near, the true original reading of the Lxxii. was {untranscribed Hebrew} word or speech, by which they render the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  no less than five and twenty times, and never by {untranscribed Hebrew}, save in this one place. However it be, the Syriack as well as Chaldee adhere to the Hebrew, and red the one {untranscribed Hebrew} thy word, the other {untranscribed Hebrew} the words of thy praise. All the difficulty will be, what is meant by God's magnifying his word. His word, being here annexed to loving kindness and truth, must needs be that part of his word to which these two are applicable, i. e. his promise, the matter whereof is mercy or loving-kindness, and in the performance of which is truth or fidelity. And then to magnify this word of promise seems to signify two things; 1. the making very great and excellent promises, and then 2. the performing them most punctually,( and so that double meaning of the phrase will be perfectly answerable to the {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} benignity and fidelity foregoing:) and the doing it {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  above all his name, is promising and performing most superlative mercies, above all that is famed or spoken or believed of God. This will be yet more manifest, if we render the {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  twice used in the former part of the verse, not for( proportionably to the Lxxii. their {untranscribed Hebrew} with the Dative case) but above( proportionable to their use of it with an Accusative) as in this place it is acknowledged to signify. For then thus it will run, I will worship &c. and praise thy name above thy loving-kindness, and above thy truth; i. e. 'twill be too low, too short a compellation, to call thee merciful or veracious, or style thee after any other of thy Attributes, thou art all these, and more then so, thou hast magnified thy word, given and performed most glorious promises, above all thy name, above all that men have apprehended or spoken of thee. The Jewish Arab reads, I will give thanks unto thy name for thy bounty and beneficence, seeing thou hast magnified above all thy Attributes,( or thy description, or whereby thou art described) thy word. And in this sense, though not from the importance of thy word for the eternal Word, or Son of God, this Verse and Psalm may reasonably be interpnted of Gods mercies in Christ, so far above what could be famed, or said, or believed, or apprehended of him.  
V. 5. Ways] What is here meant by in the ways of the Lord hath some difficulty. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  {untranscribed Hebrew} hath many significations. 1. Its local importance for a way by which we pass, and then the ways of the Lord, will mean the coming to worship at Jerusalem, foretold in several of the Prophets; and then singing there will be very proper, because in the march to Jerusalem at the solemn feasts, the people were accustomend thus to entertain themselves with singing the praises of God. 2. 'tis taken for the Law, as was observed on Psal. cxix. Note a. and in that sense it will well cohere with the end of the foregoing verse, the Kings &c. shall praise thee, when they hear the words of thy mouth; Yea they shall sing in the ways of the Lord, rejoice and praise his name, and solace themselves in the Law of God. 3. 'tis taken for the manner of Gods dispensations, his nature, and Attributes, and dealing with men, according to the request of Moses, that God would show him his way, Exod. xxxiii. 13. And this also will be a convenient rendering in regard of the subsequent verses, though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect to the lowly, &c. And the full sense will be compounded of all these, that in the serving of God, in considering his dealings to us, and performing obedience to him, they shall rejoice, and bless his name and cheerfully entertain themselves.  
V. 7. The wrath] Of the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for a nose see Psal. cxxxv. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  Note b. and so the Interlinear renders it here, supper nasum upon the nose; so the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} thou shalt put thy hand upon the nose. Thus in our common speech, to led one by the nose, imports a perfect rule over him that is so dealt with; and in a like proverbial speech, to put a hook into the nostrils signifies restraining of the insolent, Isa. xxxvii. 29. And so it will fitly signify here, {untranscribed Hebrew} thou shalt put thy hand upon the nose of mine enemies, repress, and turn them which way thou pleasest. The Jewish Arab reads {untranscribed Hebrew}, which, according to the common use of the word, signifies in our English usual expression, in spite of the nose of mine enemies.  
V. 8. Perfect that which concerneth me] The Hebrew here red {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  shall perform for me; so Psal. Lvii. 2. the Lord {untranscribed Hebrew} which performeth for me. The Chaldee here express it by way of paraphrase, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. the Lord shall repay evil to them for me, and so the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, Lord, thou shalt repay or retribute in my stead: and so the word {untranscribed Hebrew} will possibly bear, being interpretable either to a good or ill sense, but here by the context inclined to the ill sense, punishing the enemies foregoing, as in that other place Psal. lvii. 2. 'tis by the Lxxii. rendered in a good sense, {untranscribed Hebrew} doing good to him. But the word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in the close, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to slacken or let go, either what we hold in our hand, or are in pursuit of, makes it probable that {untranscribed Hebrew} is here to have its primary notion of perfecting, performing or making good, according to that frequent form of prayer, that God will perfect the work of mercy begun, or taken in hand by him. Abu Walid explains it, by shall perfect or complete his goodness on or towards me, and saith that {untranscribed Hebrew} here signifies {untranscribed Hebrew} on me, or towards me.    

The Hundred Thirty Ninth Psalm.  
To the chief musician a Psalm of David. The hundred thirty ninth is the acknowledgement of God in that great attribute of his, of being the searcher of hearts, and consequently an appeal to him, as the witness of his sincerity, and the avenger of him against his enemies. It was composed by David, it appears not on what particular occasion, and commended to the perfect of his music.  
1. O Lord, thou hast preached me and known me.  
2. Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising; thou understandest my thoughts 
from far {untranscribed Hebrew}  afar off.  
3. 
a.  Thou 
searchest  compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.  
4. 
or, When there is not a word in my tongue, O Lord, thou knowest all( see note b.)  For there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.  
5. 
b.  Thou hast 
distressed, or begird  beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.  
Blessed Lord, thou hast the perfect inspection and knowledge of me, of al my designs and undertakings, of the beginnings and ends of my actions, of all the traverses of our lives, Deut. 6.7. and even of my very thoughts. A long time before my deeds discover them to men, they are all naked and bare to thine all-seeing eye in heaven. Thou hast ways of discovering and discerning the bent and inclination of my heart, not only as men have by words( and actions) but by immediate inspection into the heart, being so close and present to me in every the least motion of that, that a man can no more escape or march undiscovered out of a city the most closely besieged, when the galleries are prepared, and the assailant just ready to enter, than a thought can arise in my heart which is not perfectly discerned by thee, who are nearer and more intrinsic to me then my very soul. See Heb. iv. 13.  
6. Such knowledge is 
admirable above  too wonderful 
c.  for me: it is high, I cannot 
do or deal with it  attain unto it.  
7. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?  
8. If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there.  
9. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,  
10. Even there shall thy hand led me, and thy right hand shall hold me.  
11. If I say, 
but, or yet {untranscribed Hebrew}  the darkness shall cover me, then the night shall be light about me.  
12. Yea the darkness hideth not from thee, but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.  
This is an admirable power or virtue, a most divine excellence of thine, such as I am no way able to deal with or resist. There is no means imaginable for me or any mortal to escape the reach of thy most penetrating eye, to secure ourselves from thy alseeing presence: neither could an ascent to heaven, nor descent to the state of the dead,( that which hath its denomination from being invisible) nay though we were able to fly as swift as light, which of an instant overruns the whole horizon, and carries day to the most distant regions, the utmost parts of the world, those beyond the Ocean( whither it is thought there is no passage) can stand us in any stead toward the concealing us from thy sight and judgments. The darkest night, the closest and most artificious recess, the subtlest disguises and hypocrisies are all naked and bare and discernible before thee, and as much so as any the most open scandalous sins, which are committed before the sun, or on the house top.  
13. For thou hast 
d.  
formed, or power of  possessed my reins, thou hast 
compacted  covered me in my mothers womb.  
My very affections and inclinations, the original bends and pronenesses of my nature are within thy reach; my fabric and formation in the very womb of my mother being a work of thine.  
14. I will 
confess to {untranscribed Hebrew}  praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well.  
And that work, I must confess, a strange and prodigious work: so that if I look no farther than mine own original and formation, I cannot but aclowledge thee a God of stupendious operations.  
15. My substance was not hide from thee when I was made in secret, and 
e.  
embroidered  curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.  
16. Thine eyes did see my 
f.  
rude mass, and on thy books were all written( as they were daily fashioned) and not one of them was left out, or when there was not one of them.  substance yet being imperfect, and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there were none of them.  
But even then when in the womb of my mother, that place which no mortal eye can look into, my body was most secretly wrought, and all the art used that is imaginable to adorn it with the most various embroidery, from the first being of that mass, through all the changes that daily and hourly and minutely were made, till at length it came to a perfect formation, with all the parts which it brings into the world with it; thy all-seeing eye long before, even from all eternity, exactly discerned every the least change or variety which happened all that while, and thy book of register still reteins them, not one the least circumstance being omitted.  
17. How precious also are thy 
g.  thoughts unto me, O God! how 
prevailing or exceeding  great is the sum of them!  
18. If I should count them, they are 
multiplied above the-  more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.  
And as thy omniscience and all-seeing power is most wonderful, so are thy counsels, and most wise and various dispensations of thy providence most observable. Only the depth of them is so great, and the variety so infinite, that it is not possible for me to get by all my search to the bottom of them. The farther I proceed in this study, the farther I am from an end of it; I am as it were in a maze, no farther advanced to day then I was yesterday, this being indeed an abyss unsearchable, which cannot be founded by any human understanding. In all the turns and varieties of my life, whatsoever my condition is, thy assistance and safeguard is continually present to me.  
19. 
or wilt thou {untranscribed Hebrew}  Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.  
20. For they 
h.  
talk of thee for mischief  speak against thee wickedly; and thine enemies take thy name in vain.  
21. do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I 
wearied, nonseated, {untranscribed Hebrew}  grieved with those that rise up against thee?  
22. I hate them with a perfect hatred: 
they have been to me for enemies. {untranscribed Hebrew}  I count them mine enemies.  
All that I can reach unto in the view of thy acts of providence, that particularly of permitting wicked men to prosper here in their impieties, is, that they are reserved for some greater evil, their prosperity will not long last, but end in utter ruin and destruction. Whether this be the design of thy permitting them to prosper, I cannot affirm; but this I am resolved of, that I will have nothing to do with such kind of bloody men, such as oppose and hate God, yet talk demurely of him, make use of his name in their professions and protestations, as of an art of deceiving and mischieving others more advantageously. And those that do so, that profess kindness to God, and yet resist and oppose him, and under the veil of piety cover their mischievous designs, I cannot but abhor, and nauseate, and vehemently dislike; I am weary to think of them: I am as much concerned, as nearly touched with these their impieties, as if they were acts of injury and enmity against myself; no wrong that could be done me, would incense me more than what I see thus committed against piety and humanity itself, under the pretence of both.  
23. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts.  
24. And see if there be any 
i.  wicked way in me, and led me in the way everlasting.  
And for this I appeal to thy all-searching eye, which I am sure discerns the deepest of my heart, v. 4. even the secrets of my thoughts, in which I hope thou wilt not find any the least degree of unsincerity, any false accursed concealment. If there be, I hearty desire to be rid of it, to have it quiter purged out of my heart, and to be constantly lead and directed in that course of uprightness, both toward God and man, which alone can be able to bear the inspection of that all-seeing eye, and which alone will finally be the gainer, when frauds and colours and disguises are brought forth and severely punished.  

Annotations on Psalm CXXXIX.  
V. 3. Compasseth my path and my lying down] For {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  my lying down, from {untranscribed Hebrew} recubuit, our copies of the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, and from thence the latin funiculum meum, my cord. But the Chaldee reteins the Hebrew, with an addition of {untranscribed Hebrew} lying down to study: and the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} which the translator renders my path, may more fitly be rendered my rest, my vacancy; for there appears no reason why for lying down they should render path, when {untranscribed Hebrew} immediately precedent had signified that. The Lxxii, as now we have them, red {untranscribed Hebrew}: but 'tis the conjecture of the learned Hugo Grotius, that they red not {untranscribed Hebrew} but {untranscribed Hebrew}, not cord, but lying down, and that the affinity caused the change of one into the other, and then the latin following the corrupted copies, render {untranscribed Hebrew} funiculum. The greater difficulty is how {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is to be rendered. The Chaldee certainly mistake it, rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew} art become strange, as if it were from {untranscribed Hebrew} strange; but the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} thou knowest, and the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast sought out and investigated, and so the latin and arabic,( though the Jewish Arab, deriving it against analogy of Grammar from {untranscribed Hebrew} a span, render it, thou hast as it were spanned.) And this comes nearest the sense of it; for the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} as it signifies to disperse& dissipate, so 'tis peculiarly taken in the sense of fanning or ventilating. So Jer. iv. 11. {untranscribed Hebrew} to fan, and so Jer. Li. 2. {untranscribed Hebrew} and they shall fann them. And then as fanning is designed to the separating and discriminating the good corn from the chaff, so the word is here used in the metaphorical sense for searching, examining, as sifting, ventilating, winnowing doth oft signify. As for the supposed use of the word for encompassing, it is no where met with in Scripture, nor pretended by Lexicographers, save only in this place whereof the question is, and so that deserves not much to be considered.  
V. 5. Beset me] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies 1. to press, afflict, distress, 2. to besiege, 3. by pressing to form or frame any thing. The Lxxii. taking it in the last sense render {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, {untranscribed Hebrew}, thou hast formed me,( and so the Syriack, {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast framed me; and so the latin and the arabic, thou hast coagulated me) and to that purpose join the {untranscribed Hebrew} behind and before, to the former part of the period, thus, {untranscribed Hebrew}, thou, O Lord, knowest all things, the last and the first. But the Chaldee confirm our punctation and reading of the period out of the Hebrew, onely with this change, v. 4. that they render {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  not for but when, When there is not a word in my mouth, and then suppose the {untranscribed Hebrew} all to belong to all that is within, i. e. to all the thoughts of the heart. And truly that is a very probable interpretation, {untranscribed Hebrew} when there is not a word in my mouth, {untranscribed Hebrew} behold, O Lord, thou knowest all. Our words are the only instruments by which men come to know our hearts: but God without that help, though there be not a word spoken, knows, discovers all, hath his immediate inspection into the heart, and there sees the thoughts, without any optic of our words to look through. And then for {untranscribed Hebrew}, they render it {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast prest, distressed, driven me to streights, as one that hath laid a close siege on every side, that there is no escaping. And that this is the meaning of it appears by what follows, {untranscribed Hebrew} and thou hast put thy hand upon me, as they that have besieged so close that they can seize on or take when they please. And so 'tis all one whether we red it distressed me, or begird me, taking it either way in the notion of a strict and close siege, by which means the besieger, i. e. God here, hath exact knowledge of the state of the besieged, and can seize on him whensoever he pleaseth.  
V. 6. Too wonderful for me] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} is best rendered admirable above me, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  i. e. more admirable than that I can resist it or avoid it. To that sense the Antecedents and Consequents exact it: the Antecedents, which affirm the very thoughts to be manifest, and discernible before him; and the Consequents, that whithersoever he goes, he is still within his prospect. To the same sense is the other part of the verse, It is high, {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  I cannot to it, or with it, i. e. I cannot deal with it. I am not able to do ought that may be of any force this way, i. e. toward the concealing any thing from him; whither shall I go? i. e. I can go no whither, from thy spirit.  
V. 13. Possessed my reins] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as it signifies to get, to acquire, so 'tis also simply to have in ones power or dominion. In the notion of getting, 'tis indifferently used of whatsoever kind of acquiring, particularly of that which is by way of generation; as when Eve names her first-borne Cain, Gen. iv. 1. she renders that reason of it, {untranscribed Hebrew} I have gotten a man from the Lord( or a man the Lord, as {untranscribed Hebrew} may probably be rendered.) In that place, as in this, the Lxxii. render it by {untranscribed Hebrew} I have possessed. But Gen. xiv. 19. where God is called {untranscribed Hebrew}, we red possessor of heaven and earth; the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew} who created, and so the latin, qui creavit, and so the Persian Targum, the Creator of heaven and earth. And here the Syriack, that reteins( as the Chaldee doth also) the Hebrew word, {untranscribed Hebrew}, is by the interpreter rendered condidisti, hast framed. Thus 'tis certain the Chaldee have rendered the word, Prov. viii. 22. where for the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} the Lord hath possessed me, they red {untranscribed Hebrew} the Lord hath begotten or created me, and so the Syriack also {untranscribed Hebrew}, as well as the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}. And though that were made use of by the Arrians, to prove Christ to be {untranscribed Hebrew} a creature, and to avoid that consequent 'tis conjectured that the true reading was {untranscribed Hebrew} possessed, not {untranscribed Hebrew} created; yet some prejudices there are against that conjecture: as 1. that the Lxxii. never use that word in the active, but still {untranscribed Hebrew}, and {untranscribed Hebrew}, and {untranscribed Hebrew}, which hath not that affinity with {untranscribed Hebrew}: 2. that the Chaldee and Syriack render it by {untranscribed Hebrew}, which exactly accords with {untranscribed Hebrew}, not with {untranscribed Hebrew}. It will therefore be more reasonable to render such an account of the Lxxii. their rendering it by {untranscribed Hebrew}, as may be applicable to those other interpreters, and yet reconcilable with catholic doctrine, viz. that {untranscribed Hebrew} with them is not so strictly or nicely to be taken, as to denote a creation {untranscribed Hebrew} out of nothing, nor any more then what is taught by the Church, of Christs eternal generation, in respect of which he is truly styled the eternal son of God. Thus we know that {untranscribed Hebrew} is used in Chaldee of generation, Job iii. 3. There is a man-child conceived, they red {untranscribed Hebrew}. And so the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} is Zach. xiii. 5. rendered by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} begotten( where yet the context inclines it to the notion of educating.) And so still this notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for forming or begetting may have place in this verse of this Psalm, and the rendering be, thou hast formed( in stead of possessed) my reins; as Deut. xxxii. 6. after, is he not thy Father? is added {untranscribed Hebrew}, we red, that hath bought thee, the Chaldee more generally {untranscribed Hebrew} thou art his, and the Jewish Arab, thou art King or possessor of my inward parts, but the Persian Targum, he hath created thee; and to that the consequents also incline it, {untranscribed Hebrew} he hath made thee and formed thee,( as all the interpreters aclowledge.) And thus it well connects here with the Psalmists argument, of Gods knowing him, and nothing being concealed from him; for having formed the reins, the natural seats of the affections, from whence proceed the very first motions of sin, he must needs be acknowledged to know them exactly. And thus it best suits also with what follows, {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  we render, thou hast covered me, but the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} thou hast founded me, Castellio, composuisti me, hast compounded me: and so it may most probably be from the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} to mix or put together, thereby expressing the formation of the child in the womb. Or if it be in the notion of covering, then 'tis to be expounded by Job x. ii. thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, {untranscribed Hebrew}( from {untranscribed Hebrew}, which is all one with {untranscribed Hebrew}) thou hast fenced me with bones and sinews,( to which notion the Lxxii. their {untranscribed Hebrew} hast holpen me in this place must be referred, so as covering and fencing, protecting and helping are all one) and so still this returns to that of compounding or compacting,( so the Chaldee renders it in Job) and then the whole verse will be best thus rendered, Thou hast formed my reins, thou hast compacted me in my mothers womb: and then regularly follows, v. 14. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. If this notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} be not yet accepted, then it must be resolved to signify such a possessing as praerequires not any acquiring, but only implies having power over, as the Jewish Arab rendered it. And so the sense will well bear, Thou hast power over my reins, thou hast covered, or formed me in my mothers womb; he that hath so formed, having certainly the power over his very reins, and he that hath that creative power, having nothing concealed from him.  
V. 15. Curiously wrought] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies being embroidered. So Exod. xxxv. 35. with the ingraver and cunning workman is joined {untranscribed Hebrew} and the embroiderer. Of this see the learned Nicholas Fuller, Miscellan. l. 1. c. xx. And thus is it here most fitly used of the formation and contexture of the child in the womb( that certainly is the meaning of {untranscribed Hebrew} in the lower parts of the earth; for which the Jewish Arab reads, as if I had been in the lowest or bottom of the earth, saying that he adds {untranscribed Hebrew} as if, because the scope of the words is to describe the state or manner of his forming in the mothers womb: and so the like phrase may be understood not improbably Eph. iv. 9. see note on that place) wherein the flesh, and bones, and skin, and veins, and nerves, and arteries are so artificially weaved together, that no embroidery or carpet-work in the world can compare with it. What is here said of being made in secret, may seem to have some Emphasis, and reflect on the way of tapestry work, which requires a clear light, both to see what is wrought, and to view the pattern. For this the Lxxii. put {untranscribed Hebrew}, reading, as the learned Val. Schindler most probably conjectures, {untranscribed Hebrew}( from {untranscribed Hebrew} stature) through the affinity betwixt ר and ו, and not, as the learned H. Grotius, {untranscribed Hebrew} my substance, riches, which is much more remote in sound, if not also in signification.  
V. 16. Substance being yet imperfect] The Hebrew here hath no more then {untranscribed Hebrew}. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  The word signifies an embryo, or unformed lump, or mass of flesh, which the Chaldee red {untranscribed Hebrew} my body, but the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} that which was unwrought of me, the mass or lump, before it had that curious embroidery mentioned in the former verse. An evident continuation of the former similitude of tapestry, to the making of which there is nothing praerequired but rude glomi or skeins of silk, and yet when the artificers hand hath past upon it, there arises presently an unexpected beauty and accurate harmony of colours and proportions. And as the workman hath still his book or pattern before him, to which he always recurrs, by as exact a method were all my members fashioned. Rabbi Tanchum reads, my matter before the introduction of the form of man, and so makes the matter fit for the reception of any form, before the introduction of the form, to be {untranscribed Hebrew}. The Syriack here seems to have misread it, by changing the order of the letters, for {untranscribed Hebrew} and so render it {untranscribed Hebrew} my retribution. Of this rude mole or mass in the womb, two things are here added, one in respect of itself, the other in relation to Gods seeing it, which is the principal thing here considered. In the first respect 'tis said, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  they are formed or fashioned daily, i. e. from that rude mass receive daily some degree of figuration. In the second respect 'tis said, that in Gods book, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  upon his book, or register, or book of remembrance, as the Chaldee styles it, {untranscribed Hebrew} they are all written; to which, I suppose, is to be annexed that which ends the verse, {untranscribed Hebrew}: 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the Lxxii. render it literally, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and not one of or among them. Wherein there being an Ellipsis, that may not improbably be thus best supplied, There was not one, or any of or among them, omitted. 'tis true, the words are so placed, that that part of the period {untranscribed Hebrew} are daily formed, lies betwixt their being written in the book, and this close of the verse, not one of, or among them: but this is no unusual Hyperbaton, and may be avoided also by including those words in a Parenthesis, thus, Thine eyes did see my rude mass, and on thy register all were written( they were, or as they were daily fashioned) and not any of them was left out or omitted. And this is very consonant to the context, which is wholly designed to set down how all things lye open before Gods eyes, are discerned and registered by him, and so written in his book, even to the least figuration in the body of the child in the womb, not one of them omitted. But it may also be thus rendered, {untranscribed Hebrew} and there was not one of them, i. e. before there was any one of them formed, for this answers the knowing the thoughts afar off, the knowing the word, when 'tis not in the tongue, v. 4. which Aben Ezra understands of Gods prescience.  
V. 17. Thy thoughts] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is an equivocal word, signifying both thy thoughts and thy friends. In the latter notion all the ancient interpreters take it: {untranscribed Hebrew} thy lovers, say the Chaldee; {untranscribed Hebrew}, thy friends, the Lxxii. and so the rest. But the design of the whole context inclines it the other way. How precious to me are thy thoughts?( as most latter interpreters have acknowledged) and then {untranscribed Hebrew} must be looked on as a numeral word, and is by us rightly rendered the sum of them( though the Chaldee, in accordance with their other interpretation, red {untranscribed Hebrew} their rulers, and the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, the latin, principatus eorum, their principalities) as more clearly appears {untranscribed Hebrew} If I number them— v. 18. But then {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is not so fully rendered how great? but( as the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} they are advanced in strength) how prevailing is the sum of them, how exceeding? i. e. much above me, or my comprehension. For so it follows, If I number them {untranscribed Hebrew} they are multiplied {untranscribed Hebrew} above the sand. All the difficulty is, what is the meaning of the conclusion of the verse, {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  literally, I awaked, and I am still with thee. A way of explaining it will be by keeping this latter part of the verse to the same matter to which the former part belonged, and so making the parts of this answerable to the parts of that. There 'twas, I will number them, the future for the subjunctive, If, or when I would number them: Here, I awaked, i. e. in proportion with that, when I do awake. There 'twas, They are multiplied above the sands: Here 'tis, I am still with thee, i. e. as in a work which hath no end,( such is numbering of sands, and such is comprehending the counsels or thoughts of God) when I awake, I still am i. e. where I was before I went to sleep, the more I think of it the more I may, 'tis such an abyss, that I can never get to the bottom of it. Another interpretation the phrase is capable of, by laying the weight on the Amphibology which {untranscribed Hebrew} occasions, signifying 1. to be faint, and wearied out by work, then 2. to awake from sleep, which usually refreshes, and 3. to arise from the dead, see 2 Kin. iv. 31. the child is not awaked, i. e. revived, and Isa. xxvi. 19. Thy dead men shall live, arise, awake, &c. And then by the elegance of this comprehensive word, the meaning may be, that whether fainting, or refreshed, or rising from the dead, in whatsoever condition we are, God is present with us by his special assistance: and then fitly follows on the other side, his vengeance on wicked men, surely thou wilt slay, &c.  
V. 20. Speak against thee wickedly] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifying a thought( whence the Lxxii. render it {untranscribed Hebrew}) but that generally is an ill sense, a wicked, mischievous thought, a contrivance for the hurt of some body, the phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} must be rendered, for mischief,( and that so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies, by which the Lxxii. render it, see note on Mat. xv. e.) and then {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  must be interpnted( not they speak against thee, but) they speak or talk of thee, their talking of God, pretending to piety, is but a stratagem to do mischief. That this is the meaning of the phrase, appears by that which immediately follows, {untranscribed Hebrew}. First, they are Gods enemies( so certainly {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies 1 Sam. xviii. 16. and so {untranscribed Hebrew} is rendered by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} enemies Isa. xiv. 21. though here they red it, as from {untranscribed Hebrew} city, {untranscribed Hebrew} thy cities) and being so, sure their mentioning or naming of God must be on design to do mischief by it. Secondly, their assuming in vain, 
{untranscribed Hebrew} ( {untranscribed Hebrew} assuming for vanity or falseness, say the Lxxii.) is swearing falsely, mentioning the name of God for the confirming some falsity; and so that perfectly agrees with the former sense, of speaking of God for mischief. And accordingly the Chaldee render both phrases to the same sense, {untranscribed Hebrew} they swear by thy name for deceit, and again, they swear falsely.  
V. 24. Wicked way] The Original hath {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  way of falseness. {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies sorrow, labour, and withall any thing laboriously or artificially contrived, and so frequently an idol or image, which is expressed in scripture style by vanity and falseness. And so here the Chaldee render it {untranscribed Hebrew} the way of error, and the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} of falseness; the Lxxii. red more generally {untranscribed Hebrew} iniquity. This the Psalmist here disclaims in reference to the deceitful pretenders to piety, v. 20. their way being a way of deceit and falseness; and because he looked on that as that which would not long stand, God would at length discover and bring out such glozers, he therefore here adds, and led me {untranscribed Hebrew} into the way of lasting, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  of eternity, that way which alone will hold out when all others fail, when the way of the ungodly shall perish.    

The Hundred and fortieth Psalm.  
To the chief musician, A Psalm of David. The hundred and fortieth is a prayer of Davids for deliverance from his malicious treacherous enemies, such as 
see Chaldee paraph. v. 9.  Doeg, &c. 1 Sam. xxii. or rather the Ziphites, who had undertaken to overthrow his goings, v. 4. see 1 Sam. 23.20,& 22. and a prediction of the evils which should fall upon them, the just reward of their dealings with him. It was by him appointed for the public service, and committed to the Praefect of his music.  
1. DEliver me, O Lord, from the evil man, preserve me from the violent man,  
2. Which imagine mischief 
or with {untranscribed Hebrew}  in their heart: continually 
do they gather or prepare  are they 
a.  gathered together for war.  
O Lord, I come now to thee for thy seasonable relief and rescue, for wicked and injurious men, whose thoughts and actions are wholly set on doing of mischief, are now resolved to set upon me with the greatest violence, with all their heart as it were.  
3. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: adders poison is under their lips. Selah.  
For this they prepare by slanders and malicious forgeries, their weapons are like those of the serpent, or most venomous vipers, they carry them in their mouths: the tongue of the one is not more sharp, nor the teeth of the other more poisonous, than are their words and slanderous fictions against me.( See Rom. iii. 14. Psal. lviii. 4.  
4. Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man, which have purposed to overthrow my goings.  
5. The proud have laid a snare for me and cords; they have spread a net by the way side, they have set 'gins for me. Selah.  
Many insidious and treacherous ambushes have they laid for me; no fouler is provided with greater variety of 'gins, and nets, and springs, than they are with artifices of deceit to supplant and ruin me, and these they contrive, whithersoever I go; so that I have no means or hope of safety, but by my resort and appeal to thee, for thy safe conduct, to secure me through all these dangers.  
6. I said unto the Lord, thou art my God; hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.  
To thee therefore I humbly address myself, as to a God of mercy, and to me of most fatherly care and k●ndness, as well as to a Lord of all power and might, beseeching thee in mercy to look upon me.  
7. O God the Lord; the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.  
8. Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked, 
b.  
or suffer not his— to go forth, proceed  further not his wicked device, lest they exalt themselves.  
O thou eternal God, the Governor of all, from whose power it is that all my preservations and deliverances come, from thee I aclowledge to have received most particular and signal protections in all my former dangers: be thou now pleased to continue this thy good hand of safeguard over me, to blast, in stead of prospering, the designs of my malicious enemies, and not to allow them that temptation to exalt and elevate themselves, which good successses are wont to give wicked men.  
9. As for the head of those that compass me about, 
the— shall cover {untranscribed Hebrew}  let the mischief of their own lips cover them.  
And so I am confident thou wilt do, and make their wicked designs the instruments of evil to themselves( see Psal. vii. 15, 16.) and not me.  
10. 
Burning— shall  Let burning coals fall upon them: 
they shall be  let them be cast into the fire, into deep pits that they rise not up again.  
Thy severest judgments from heaven, such as fell on sodom, shall undoubtedly be their portion, perdition and irreversible destruction.  
11. 
A sycophant shall not—  Let not an 
c.  evil-speaker be established on the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.  
Such accursed arts as those, of detraction and rapine, falseness and oppression, shall never have a durable prosperity, but continually pursue the author, as the hound a prey, and at length bring certain destruction on him.  
12. I know that the Lord will 
act the—  maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the 
plea( see note on Ps. 135. a)  right of the poor.  
13. Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name, the upright shall dwell in thy presence.  
For unquestionably God will undertake the patronage of innocent injured persons, vindicate them from their oppressors, defend them so signally, that they shall be able to discern 'tis his work, and so give him the honour and glory of it, support and sustain such, when their oppressors are brought to nothing.  

Annotations on Psalm CXL.  
V. 2. Are they gathered together for war] The Hebrew reads {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} to collect or draw together or congregate; so Hab. 1.15. {untranscribed Hebrew} he gathers them into his net: and being here in the active sense, and joined with wars, it must be to prepare, put in order, instruere praelia, muster and set their affairs in order for battle. The Lxxii. duly render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, they set their battels in order; the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} they excite, or instigate; and so the Syriack also.  
V. 8. Further not] What was formerly noted of the conjugation Hiphil, that it sometimes imports not causing, but any degree of occasioning, or but permitting, is here observable of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  from {untranscribed Hebrew} exivit to go forth. From whence in Hiphil as it signifies to bring forth, to advance, so also to permit to go forth or advance; and so the prayer here is, not so much that God will not give them a good success, as that he will interpose to their hindrance, blast and frustrate their designs, in stead of permitting them to prosper. To that the Chaldee applies {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  that follows, not in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for attolli exalting, but for tolli being taken away or destroyed, for so they red, {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall be taken away or destroyed for ever, rendering Selah, as they constantly do, {untranscribed Hebrew} for ever; or perhaps in the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} to corrupt, or putrefy so as to breed worms, Exod. xvi. 20. they will be corrupted for ever. The Lxxii. have somewhat deformed this verse: for {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  desires, they red, as with other points, {untranscribed Hebrew}, from my desire; for {untranscribed Hebrew} his wicked thought or device, {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so rendering it {untranscribed Hebrew}, they thought or reasoned against me; then for {untranscribed Hebrew} suffer them not to advance or prosper, {untranscribed Hebrew}, forsake me not, from some other supposed notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}. Yet they seem best to have rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} they will be exalted, by {untranscribed Hebrew} lest they be exalted. So v. 9. for {untranscribed Hebrew} the head of those that harass me, they red( as if it were {untranscribed Hebrew}) {untranscribed Hebrew}, the head of their circuit.  
V. 11. Evill-speaker] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  a man of a tongue, is proverbially a detractor, or Sycophant: So Eccl. x. 11. {untranscribed Hebrew} a man of a tongue, is by the Chaldee rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} one that eats accusations, the phrase by which they express a sycophant; and so the similitude of the serpent biting doth enforce there. In this place they express it by {untranscribed Hebrew} a delator with a three-fold or three-forked tongue, which is another style of theirs for a sycophant, because such a man wounds three at once, the receiver, the sufferer, and himself. Of him it is here said, {untranscribed Hebrew} he shall not be established, in the future,( as all the former verbs v. 9, and 10. may be red,) and not in the imperative; and so by way of pronouncing or prediction onely, and not by way of wish.    

The Hundred forty First Psalm.  
A Psalm of David. The hundred and forty first is an ardent prayer of Davids for deliverance from his enemies, but first and especially for patience under them, that he be not by their oppositions, or the incitements of others, moved out of his course of meekness, of piety and the other parts of duty incumbent on him. It seems to have been composed( as the next is by the title affirmed to be) on occasion of Sauls persecuting him to the cave of Engedi, 1 Sam. 24.  
1. LOrd, I cry unto thee, make hast unto me: give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee:  
2. Let my prayer be 
directed {untranscribed Hebrew}  set forth before thee as incense, and the lifting up of my hands as an 
a.  evening sacrifice.  
O Lord, I am in distress, and have no other refuge but thee to whom I may resort. To thee therefore I most humbly and ardently address my prayers, in the same manner as thy priests are by thee appointed to address their daily oblations, to atone thee, beseeching thee graciously to accept and answer them, and in thy time to rescue me out of mine enemies hands.  
3. Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keep 
b.  the 
lifting up  door of my lips.  
4. 
or, My heart shall not incline to an evil word, to contrive devices in impiety,  
c.  Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity; and 
I will not partake in their delicacies.  let me not eat of their dainties.  
Meanwhile, O Lord, grant me thy guidance both for my words and actions: for my words, that whatever their dealings toward me are, I may not be provoked to any speech of rashness or impatience or disloyalty toward Saul; and for my actions, that I may not be tempted to any unlawful practise, that I may not for any appearance of advantage to myself thereby, give ear to any evil counsel. My resolutions are firm to the contrary, and how inviting soever the temptations are, I hope I shall never taste of the sweets of them.  
5. 
Reproach will bruise me that am righteous, and rebuk me, but that poisonous oil shall not bruise my head; for my prayer shall be in their mischiefs.  
d.  Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness; and let him reprove me, it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.  
6. 
Their Judges are left by the sides of the rock, and have heard my words, that they—  When their 
e.  judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words, for they are sweet.  
I have been most careful to preserve my loyalty to Saul, and am not guilty of the least disloyal attempt toward him; yet calumniators have made other representations of me, that I seek his life, &c. and so have incited him to pursue me to death. But how low soever my condition at present be, I am confident they shall not prevail against me to my final ruin. Against their bitterest and most poisonous calumnies, their most mischievous attempts against me, my prayers are a sufficient antidote, and will, I doubt not, avert the mischief from me. When Saul went into the cave, and left his Commanders and followers without by the sides of the cliff, they were witnesses of my dealing with Saul, and the signal evidences I gave him of mine integrity, sufficient to convince the most inveterate malice and most obstinate calumny, and accordingly so it wrought on Saul himself, 1 Sam. xxiv. 16, 17, 18, 19.  
7. Our bones are scattered at 
f.  the 
As one that cuts and slits the earth, our bones are scattered at the mouth of Scheol.  graves mouth, as when one cutteth and heweth 
g.  wood upon the earth.  
We have been terribly harrast and oppressed and persecuted, and now are every minute ready to be destroyed.  
8. But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord; in thee is my trust, 
or, poure not out, wast not away  leave not my soul destitute.  
9. Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, and the grins of the workers of iniquity.  
10. Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withall escape.  
But, O Lord, on thee is our full affiance& confidence, thy power and thy mercy is our sure refuge; to thee we address our humblest requests, that thou wilt not cast us out of thy care, but preserve us from all the ambushes and treacherous designs that wicked men have laid against us. And this I have full confidence thou wilt do, bringing mischief on them that design mischief, and by the same means deliverance to us who are injured by them.  

Annotations on Psalm CXLI.  
V. 2. Evening sacrifice] The reason why the Evening sacrifice is here name, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is rendered by Kimchi, because that supposeth and comprehends the morning sacrifice; but by R. Saadiah, because there is no sin-offering brought after that, all things being then atoned. The Jewish Arab reads, as an accepted or acceptable oblation.  
V. 3. door] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to draw up, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, and so signifies the lifting up: {untranscribed Hebrew} saith the Chaldee, elevation; and so the Jewish Arab, the lifting up of my lips, making it to be of the same root that {untranscribed Hebrew} Isa. xxxviii. 14. which according to him must be, Mine eyes are lifted up on high, from {untranscribed Hebrew} and so Kimchi saith his father interpnted it, that the meaning should be, the words which I take into my lips. So Abu Walid seems to have taken it. From the root {untranscribed Hebrew} is {untranscribed Hebrew} a door, and that metaphorically applied to the lips, Job xli. 14. Who shall open {untranscribed Hebrew} the door of his face, i. e. his lips? and so {untranscribed Hebrew} is thought here to be used by Apocope. But although the lips are fitly styled the door of the face, or the mouth, yet they will not so commodiously be styled {untranscribed Hebrew} the door of the lips, especially when that other rendering of the Chaldee is so much more agreeable, the lifting up, as that signifies the opening of the lips, or mouth, which is the most obvious and frequent Periphrasis of speaking: Job xi. 5. O that God would speak, {untranscribed Hebrew} and open his lips against thee; and so Job xxxii. 20. I will speak that I may be refreshed, I will open my lips— and Psal. li. 15. Open thou my lips— And therefore as the Syriack omits the rendering of this word {untranscribed Hebrew}, and onely reads, set a guard {untranscribed Hebrew} on my lips; so the Lxxii. that have {untranscribed Hebrew} a door, do use that with {untranscribed Hebrew} joined with it, for a Periphrasis of the guard, the rendering of {untranscribed Hebrew}, not of {untranscribed Hebrew}, set, O Lord, a watch on my mouth, and a door of guard about my lips: and so the latin and arabic, ostium circumstantiae, and ostium munitum, a guarded door to my lips; where 'tis evident the lips are not looked on as the door, but the guard, the grace of vigilance and circumspection, that is to be set upon them, and is useful, as a door, to keep all close, to keep any thing from coming out that ought to be kept in.  
V. 4. To practise wicked works] The Hebrew here red, {untranscribed Hebrew} to machinate machinations in evil; the Lxxii. red, {untranscribed Hebrew}, to pretend pretences in sins, and so the Jewish Arab, that I should pretend causes with the people that work deceit; noting this to be the manner of wicked men, when they project or contrive iniquity, to project also some specious pretences of doing it, whereby they much facilitate the practise of it, and hope to gain impunity, if they prosper not in it. And thus indeed doth the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here used signify, seeking occasions, pretences of doing any thing. But the Chaldee interprets it here by {untranscribed Hebrew} thinking, contriving, and the Syriack by speaking and committing iniquity; and so 'tis not amiss expressed by our English, to practise wicked works. In the end of the verse, for {untranscribed Hebrew} eat of their dainties, from {untranscribed Hebrew} pleasant, delightful, the Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, combine, or, as the latin, communicabo, communicate with their chosen things, i. e. certainly with the best or fattest of their diet, as {untranscribed Hebrew} is a crammed foul, and as the Lxxii. Gen. xlix. 15. render the same word {untranscribed Hebrew} by {untranscribed Hebrew} fat. The Chaldee red, {untranscribed Hebrew}— I will not be fed with the song of the house of their feasts, from a notion of {untranscribed Hebrew}, in which the rabbins use it, for music, or Song, and because music was a festival ceremony. But the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} I will not join, or mix, or, from the notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} for salt, I will not eat salt with them, as {untranscribed Hebrew} Act. 1.4. to eat salt with, is to converse familiarly with them. The onely difficulty in this verse is, whether it be a prayer, or a resolution: and indeed the words will bear either sense, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  being interpretable, in accord with the former verse, in form of a prayer, Incline not my heart, and yet( as beginning this period) they may as fitly be rendered, my heart shall not incline; and to this the design of the following verses seems to exact it. The occasion of the Psalm seems to have been that eminent passage of Davids story, to which the title of the next Psalm refers, when he was in the cave, 1 Sam. xxiv. when Saul entred into the cave to cover his feet, and David might have killed him if he would, and was by his servant incited to do so, but resolved he would not touch the Lords anointed; and when he had cut off the skirt of his garment, his heart smote him for it. To this the verse seems to refer, as a reflection on that resolution of his, not to join with any, on never so advantageous a prospect, in any unlawful practise, yea though it were to get the instant possession of a kingdom. And therefore that seems to be the most commodious rendering of it, My heart shall not incline, &c. The Jewish Arab interpreting it as a prayer, saith in a note, that he means not a forcing, but the defending him from his enemies, that his heart might not incline, or bend aside, to busy his thoughts about them, and how to do, or to think of them, or seek to beware of them.  
V. 5. Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness] The Hebrew words {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  are acknowledged very obscure; yet by observing the design of the Psalm forementioned, and the ambiguity of the word {untranscribed Hebrew}, which signifies reproach as well as mercy, they may receive their explication: for then it will thus readily signify, Reproach will bruise me that am righteous, and rebuk me. Herein there is no difficulty, the like elliptical scheme being elsewhere not rarely met with, Ezech. xxii. 5. {untranscribed Hebrew} they shall mock at thee infamous, i. e. which art infamous, and Jo. viii. 40. {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. ye seek to kill me, a man, i. e. who am a man, &c. Then follows {untranscribed Hebrew}. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  That {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies poison, as well as head, appears by Deut. xxix. 18. and Jer. ix. 15. Hos. x. 4. Am. vi. 12. and here Psal. lxix. 21. and that it is thought appliable to wine, see Deut. xxxii. 32. Their grapes are grapes of gull, i. e. poisonous, and their clusters are bitter. And then why may it not as fitly be the epithet of oil, and so signify calumnies or reproach( {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Lxxii. the oil of the wicked) such as David fell under among Saul's servants, as if he sought the Kings life, &c. But this, saith he, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  shall not break or bruise mine head,( by that customary scheme of allusion betwixt {untranscribed Hebrew} my head, and {untranscribed Hebrew} poison, the same word in different senses; here farther exemplified in {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} and the like) i. e. shall not finally destroy me. So bruising the head signifies Gen. iii. 15. in contradistinction to bruising the heel, which hath not that fatal consequence. That their calumny, though poisonous, and probable to bring ruin on him from the King, should yet not do it, his argument of assurance is, from a sure Antidote to which he had resort, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  for my prayer shall be in their mischiefs; i. e. my addresses to God shall be the instrument of preserving me from any real or considerable harm that calumny can do me. For {untranscribed Hebrew} in their mischiefs;( actively, their mischievous designs and enterprises) the Lxxii. reads {untranscribed Hebrew} in their good pleasures,( as from {untranscribed Hebrew} which in Chaldee signifies will;) and it may well enough be born, by wills meaning their evil designs or attempts. In a place of so much difficulty, it will not be amiss to add some other conjectures, as, by retaining the usually-received signification of the words, thus, Kindness will bruise me that am righteous, and rebuk me, i. e. work on me more then harsher dealing: Let not oil on the head, i. e. flattering words, as smooth as oil powred on the head, break my head; i. e. overcome me to be persuaded or enticed by them: for my prayer shall yet be in or against their mischiefs, i. e. that I may not be entrapped by those mischiefs which they intend when they speak me fairest. Some Jews, by another sense of {untranscribed Hebrew}, would have this the sense, rendering the first words, Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness, and reprove me, the oil of my head, with which I was anointed for King, shall not remove my head from the stroke of his correction or reproof, but my prayer shall be for them, that God would repay them good, and deliver them from their calamities.  
V. 6. When their Judges are overthrown in stony places] This passage also will receive its explication from the story 1 Sam. xxiv. Where Saul seeking David upon the rocks of the wild goats, v. 2. left his captains and followers there on the sides of the rock, whilst he went into the cave to cover his feet. Of them therefore it is here fitly said, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  their Judges( i. e. the commanders of his army, according to the style known in the book of Judges) are left( so {untranscribed Hebrew} usually signifies) {untranscribed Hebrew} by the sides of the rock( so {untranscribed Hebrew} hand metaphorically signifies:) the Lxxii. reads {untranscribed Hebrew} near or close by the rock. And being there left, it is aptly added, {untranscribed Hebrew} and have heard my words that they are sweet; for so 'tis certain they there heard David expostulate his case with Saul, with those gentle words which melted the inveterate hatred of Saul himself, who upon that Apology then made by David v. 14. dismissed his people from all further pursuit of him.  
V. 7. Graves mouth] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  at the mouth of Scheol, is a very full expression of the condition of David and his men in the cave, in which they seemed as it were butted alive, and yet were in so desperate a condition as to be worse then dead.  
Ibid. Wood upon the earth] The Hebrew here reads, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  {untranscribed Hebrew} as one that cuts and slits the earth,( so the Jewish Arab) or upon the earth, and in all probability belongs to the digging or ploughing up the surface of the earth: so the Chaldee render it, as a man that slits and cuts the earth {untranscribed Hebrew} with plough-shares, and so the Syriack, as {untranscribed Hebrew} the share cleaves the earth; and to that sense the Lxxii. also, though not by literal rendering, yet by way of paraphrase, {untranscribed Hebrew}, as the thickness, the crust, i. e. the uppermost clod of the ground is broken in pieces on the earth. And so in all reason we are to render it, not by supposing an Ellipsis, to be supplied by addition of wood; but without any Ellipsis, as he that cuts and slits {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the earth, the ב being frequently abundant. And then this is a fit description of a great distress, and very proportionable to Davids then present condition in the cave expressed in the beginning of the verse, by Our bones are scattered at the mouth of Scheol. When a pit is made, the earth that is digged and fetched out to make the pit, lies in an heap rudely at the mouth of the pit, and that that lies so is ready to tumble into it: Just so, saith the Psalmist, we have been ploughed and harrast out by sharp oppressions, we now lye like earth so digged or ploughed, at the mouth of the great pit, called Scheol, i. e. ready to be destroyed.  
V. 8. Leave not] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to empty or poure out, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here in the notion of casting away, pouring out, as that which one cares not for. So the Chaldee render it, {untranscribed Hebrew} poure not out my soul, the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} take not away, the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} cast not off, or away, my soul.    

The Hundred forty Second Psalm.  
Maschil of David, A prayer when he was in the Cave. The hundred forty second is a prayer of David for deliverance in his helpless state, when having escaped the treachery of the Keilites, he was now in the Cave of Engedi, 1 Sam. xxiv. 1. It was set to the tune called Maschil( see note on Psal. xxxii. a.)  
1. I 
will cry {untranscribed Hebrew}  cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord 
will( so the Jewish Arab)  did I make my supplication.  
2. I 
will poure  poured out my complaint before him: I 
will show  shewed before him my trouble.  
In the distress wherein now I am, this state of absolute destitution, there is none to whom I should resort but to thee, O Lord, who art able and willing to relieve those that in their greatest streights apply themselves to thee. To thee therefore I most humbly and devoutly address my petitions, beseeching thee favourably to behold and rescue me.  
3. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then 
a.  thou knewest my path: in the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.  
I am in great perplexity, not knowing which way to turn myself: I am even at the last gasp of earthly hopes, my treacherous enemies being very solicitous to ensnare and betray me. Thou seest, O Lord, the sadness of my streights, and withall knowest the sincerity of my heart: To thee therefore do I make my supplication, v. 1. that thou wilt now take my part, own, and defend me.  
4. 
look( so the Jewish Arab)  I looked on my right hand, 
behold, and there is none that will—  and beholded, but there was no man that would know me: refuge 
is lost from—  failed me, no man 
b.  
vindicateth  cared for my soul.  
I have no human strength to defend or patronise me, all worldly friends and auxiliaries have utterly forsaken me; my life is left as an orphan, destitute and helpless, to him that will be so bloody as to take it away from me.  
5. I cried unto thee, O Lord; I said, thou art my refuge, and my portion in the land of the living.  
To thee therefore I poure out my prayers, O God of all power and grace, on thee do I wholly depend for my succour and preservation, as on the only sanctuary of my life, as on the onely inheritance that is lest me in this world.  
6. Attend unto my cry, for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I.  
7. Bring my soul out of prison, 
c.  that 
or, they  I may praise thy name: 
through me shall the righteous come about, when thou  the righteous shall compass me about, for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.  
I am now very fitly qualified for thy sovereign hand of relief to interpose: my persecuting enemies are much too hard for me; I am now shut up in a close Cave, as in a prison. O do thou in this my time of distress sand me thy relief, and it will be a means of bringing in much honour to thy name, many proselytes to thy service, when by thy dealing with me they are so fully convinced of thy power and protection over all that rely on thee.  

Annotations on Psalm CXLII.  
V. 3. Thou knewest] What {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies here will be judged by Deut. ii. 7. He hath known thy walking through this great wilderness, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  i. e. hath preserved thee in all thy journeying; and so it agrees with what went before, for the Lord hath blessed thee in all thy works. So Psal xxxi. 7. Thou hast known my soul in adversity, i. e. taken notice of me, patronized me. And so here, thou knewest my path, i. e. hast taken notice of me, to defend and secure me.  
V. 4. Cared for my soul] The Hebrew hath {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  seeking for my soul. The word {untranscribed Hebrew}, to seek, is sometimes used for vindicating, avenging, taking part, or defending any. So Gen. xlii. 22. Reuben saith of Joseph, behold his blood {untranscribed Hebrew} is required, i. e. avenged and punished upon us; and Gen. ix. 5. {untranscribed Hebrew} I will require the life of man, i. e. avenge it on him that kills any man; and in Ezekiel oft, his blood will I require— Thus when God is said to require simply, without any addition, the meaning is, to avenge and punish. And proportionably here, requiring or seeking {untranscribed Hebrew} for my soul, most probably signifies vindicating or punishing another for the evil designed by him unto my soul. For this is the part of a Goel, an avenger of blood( such was the next of kin to him that was slain) to require justice for his soul, or blood, or life; and so {untranscribed Hebrew} to require, by which the Lxxii. here render it, frequently signifies. And to this the Syriack directs the interpretation, {untranscribed Hebrew} and there is no avenger for my soul; vindex ainae meae, vindicator of my soul, saith their latin Translator: and so the word signifies, from {untranscribed Hebrew} to avenge, which the Chaldee also useth in this place, {untranscribed Hebrew} there is none to vindicate or avenge my soul. That this is the meaning of the phrase, beside the authority of those interpreters, seems farther evident by the beginning of the verse, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  look( or looking) on the right hand, and see( or seeing)( so the words in the Imperative or Infinitive are literally to be rendered, and not, as the interpreters more paraphrastically red, {untranscribed Hebrew}, I looked) {untranscribed Hebrew} and there is not for me that knows me, i. e. acknowledges me, none that takes my part. The Advocate was wont to stand at the right hand of his Client( see Psal. cix. 31. Note i.) And to this the phrase seems to refer, look, or looking, on my right hand, where the Patron or Advocate useth to stand, and there is no man that acknowledges or takes my part. So again {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  refuge is lost or gone from me, to the same sense, there is none to whom I can fly to take my part; and then in the conclusion, none that requireth or avengeth for my soul, none that defends or vindicates it.  
V. 7. That I may praise] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  ad laudandum, to praising, may indifferently be rendered, either in the first person, that I, or in the third plural, that they may praise, i. e. the just in the next words. And to that latter sense the following words seem to incline it, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in me shall the righteous come about: in me, {untranscribed Hebrew} for my cause, saith the Chaldee, shall they come about, {untranscribed Hebrew} the just shall make thee a crown of praise, say they, not, come about me( or, as the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, they watch for me, in the notion wherein they render {untranscribed Hebrew} by {untranscribed Hebrew} expect, wait for, Job xxxvi. 11.) but {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  as that signifies for me, or for my cause, on occasion of me, come about, harass God, believe in him, praise his name, when( so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is to be rendered) they see how graciously God hath dealt with me. The Jewish Arab reads, And the righteous shall take me for a crown( to them.) The word {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies so to encompass or come about, as when a multitude of people assemble on any occasion: so Prov. xiv. 18. the simplo inherit folly, but the prudent {untranscribed Hebrew} shall encompass knowledge, i. e. seek it, and follow it with all diligence: and so to encompass God, is to frequent his sanctuary, devoutly and diligently to make addresses to him. The word also in arabic dialect signifies to be multiplied, and so it will commodiously be rendered, on occasion of me the righteous shall be multiplied, when they see thy merciful returns, or dealings toward me.    

The Hundred forty Third Psalm.  
A Psalm of David. The hundred forty third is a mournful supplication for deliverance from powerful enemies, and was composed by David, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}, when his son pursued him, Lxxii.  as some think, at the time of Absoloms rebellion; as 
R. Kimchi  others more probably, and in harmony with the two former, at the time of his being pursued by Saul, in the Cave of Engedi.  
1. hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications; in thy faithfulness answer me, 
in  and 
a.  and in thy righteousness.  
O Lord, I beseech thee to hear and answer my requests which my present distresses force me to present to thee, and thy abundant grace and promises of never-failing mercy give me confidence that thou wilt favourably receive and perform unto me.  
2. And enter not into judgement with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.  
I know my sins have justly provoked and brought down these pressures on me; but thou art graciously pleased to be reconciled with humbled penitent sinners, thou hast promised by a covenant of mercy not to charge on such, with severity, all the sins of which they have been guilty: and were it not for that covenant, 'twere impossible for any frail imperfect sinful creature, such as every more man is, to appear with hope or comfort before thine exact tribunal. To this thy promised mercy mine onely appeal lies; and having sincerely vowed to perform unto thee all faithful( be it never so mean and imperfect) obedience, I can put in my claim, founded on thy faithful promise( v. 1.) and hope and beg for this seasonable mercy and deliverance from thee.  
3. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul, he hath 
beate— to {untranscribed Hebrew}  smitten my life down to the ground, he hath made me to dwell in darkness, 
b.  as 
the dead of the age.  those that have been long dead.  
For my malicious enemies have calunniated first, then persecuted me, and now at length brought me to a very sad and dejected estate, forced me to hid myself under ground, to fly from one cave to another, from the cave of Adullam 1 Sam. 22. to the cave of Engedich. 24.  
4. 
And {untranscribed Hebrew}  Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me, my heart within me is desolate.  
5. I remember the dayes of old; I meditate on all thy works, I muse on the work of thy hands.  
This hath cast me into great perplexity( see Psal. cxlii. 3.) filled me with a most anxious horror, wherein yet I have been able to support myself by reflecting on thy former mercies and deliverances which thy acts of power have been signally interposed to work for me.  
6. I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul 
is to thee as— {untranscribed Hebrew}  thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land, Selah.  
To thee therefore I address my prayers with all the earnestness which my distresses can infuse into me. The ground that is parched with heat and drought, and gaspes for some shower from the clouds to refresh it, is an emblem of me at this time, who pant and gasp and call importunately for some refreshment and relief from thee, having no other means in the world to which I can apply myself.  
7. Hear me speedily, O Lord, my spirit faileth: hid not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.  
O Lord, I beseech thee hasten to my relief, my present exigences challenge and importune it from thee: If thou do not interpose in my behalf, I shall suddenly be overwhelmed by mine enemies and destroyed.  
8. Cause me to hear thy loving kindness in the morning, for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my soul unto thee.  
O be thou graciously pleased to show forth thy pity and thy bounty timely and speedily to me, who have no other refuge to resort to, but that of thine overruling sovereign aid: in this is my confidence, for this I offer up the humblest devotions of my soul. O be thou my guide, to direct me to that course, whatever it is, which thou shalt choose, and wilt prosper to me.  
9. Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: 
c.  I flee unto thee to hid me.  
Lord, to thee do I betake myself, as to mine onely refuge; under the safeguard of thy protection I desire to secure myself: O be thou graciously pleased to afford me that mercy, and thereby to rescue me out of mine enemies hands.  
10. Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God: 
let thy good spirit led me {untranscribed Hebrew}  thy spirit is good, led me into the land of uprightness.  
Above all, by thy paternal goodness I beseech thee, be thou pleased so to conduct me in all my ways, that I may do nothing but what is perfectly good and acceptable in thy sight. To which end, Lord, let thy gracious and sanctifying spirit, the only fountain and author of all goodness and holiness, direct and assist me in every turn and motion of my life, and bring me into a steady constant course of all strict and righteous living,( that antepast or first part of heaven on earth, which thou wilt be sure to crown with a state of perfect purity and impeccability hereafter.)  
11. 
Thou shalt—  Quicken me, O Lord, for thy names sake: for thy righteousness sake 
thou shalt  bring my soul out of trouble.  
12. And of thy mercy 
shalt thou  cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul; for I am thy servant.  
And thus, O Lord, I trust thou wilt answer my requests, restoring to me that cheerful and comfortable state of which these my sad distractions have deprived me. Two engagements thou hast to this, the honour of thy Name, which is concerned in thy protecting thy servants and suppliants, and thine own gracious and merciful disposit●on, which inclines thee to relieve and assist those that most stand in need of it. And the same goodness of thine and mercy to me, as to one who am resolved for ever to continue thy constant servant, doth oblige thee to take my part against these my malicious adversaries; and accordingly thy power will certainly interpose, and magnify itself in their utter excision and destruction.  

Annotations on Psalm CXLIII.  
V. 1. And in thy righteousness] The Hebrew reads {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in thy righteousness, without any Copula, and neither the Chaldee nor Lxxii. think fit to supply it. And this seems to be the truer rendering. For taking {untranscribed Hebrew} righteousness in the notion frequently exemplified, of mercy or favour, 'tis an act of that in God, viz. of divine mercy and grace, to answer in faithfulness, i. e. to perform his promise: for the promise of God being free, but yet conditional, and so not due by any tenor or claim( but that of his promise) to be performed to any, and not so also to any but him that performs the condition, and our sins and frailties being such, that we stand in need not onely of Gods grace, but also his mercy and {untranscribed Hebrew}, his moderation of strict right, v. 2. his grace to qualify us for a due performance of that condition, and his mercy to make us capable of being accepted in the number of those who have performed the condition; it follows, that it must be an act of Gods mere mercy and goodness to perform to any man that which he hath promised to his faithful servants, and so it must be {untranscribed Hebrew} in Gods righteousness or mercy that he answers the Psalmist {untranscribed Hebrew} in thy, i. e. Gods, truth or faithfulness. And this is most fully expressed by reading in thy righteousness, without any copula or form of conjoining it to faithfulness.  
V. 3. Long dead] What {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here signifies, is not clear. The Lxxii. render it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, as the dead of the age; the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} for ever. The Chaldee hath {untranscribed Hebrew} as they that lye along( see Psal. Lxxxviii. 5.) in, or of that age. What they mean by that style, may perhaps be guest by other parts of their dialect. The grave or sepulchre they usually style {untranscribed Hebrew} the house of the age,( as we ordinarily style it our long home.) So Isa. xiv. 18. where from the Hebrew we render, all of them lye in glory, every one in his house, the Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew} in the house of his age; and this from the description of death, Eccl. xii. 5. {untranscribed Hebrew} to the house of his age, which the Chaldee there render {untranscribed Hebrew} to the house of his sepulchre. To this belongs the phrase tub. iii. 6. of {untranscribed Hebrew}, eternal place, for the grave, just answerable to {untranscribed Hebrew} the house of the age, for which the Hebrew of Paulus Fagius's edition( for Munster's leaves it out) hath {untranscribed Hebrew} the house appointed for every one living. So Ezech. xxvi. 20. I will bring thee down with them that descend unto the pit, {untranscribed Hebrew} to the people of the age. And the ground of the phrase is there expressed, I will place thee {untranscribed Hebrew} in the infernal land, {untranscribed Hebrew} in the solitudes from the age, i. e. in those infernal vast recesses, whither from the beginning of the world all men have descended, and there remained in condition of desolation, though the number of them that are there be never so great. In proportion to which dialect {untranscribed Hebrew} will here be literally rendered, as the dead of the age( by the age meaning the place or state of the dead, hades, or Scheol) but according to sense, as the dead in the grave, the very same which Psal. Lxxxviii. 5. is expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew} they that lye in the grave.  
V. 9. I flee unto thee to hid me] So we paraphrastically render {untranscribed Hebrew}. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  The Lxxii. red {untranscribed Hebrew}, I have fled to thee as to a refuge. The Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew} thy word I have set up for my redeemer. The Radix {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies to hid, and so in Piel( as here it is) Psal. xxxii. 5. {untranscribed Hebrew}, I have not hide, Psal. xliv. 15. {untranscribed Hebrew} hath covered me, and lxix. 7. {untranscribed Hebrew} hath covered my face. Accordingly the Interlinear render it, ad te abscondi me, to thee have I hide me. The learned Val. Schindler supposes an Ellipsis, thus to be supplied, tibi revelavi quod homines celavi, I have revealed to thee what I have concealed from men, so Kimchi, To thee alone have I cried, or made my petition in secret, viz. not revealing his case to men, as not hoping in them for help. And if this notion for hiding must be retained( as 'tis in all other places wherein 'tis used in the Bible, and so generally and constantly rendered by {untranscribed Hebrew} and the like) then the rendering must be, to, or at thee I have hide myself; as those things which we are afraid to lose, we hid in a sure place; and thus it is all one with depositing in Gods hands. So the Jewish Arab, With thee have I sought to be hide, or for an hiding place, or refuge. So Abu Walid, to thee have I fled for refuge, and with thee sought for an hiding place, making it contrary to Isa. lvii. 8. {untranscribed Hebrew} which the Interlinear renders, quia à me discooperuisti& ascendisti, and our English, thou hast discovered thyself to another then me and art gone up. But 'tis not unusual with Hebrew words to enlarge their significations, and so it is reasonable to believe( though it cannot be demonstrated from any other place of the Bible) that {untranscribed Hebrew} to hid, may in Piel signify to fly unto as a refuge, because such {untranscribed Hebrew} refuges are either really or metaphorically hiding places. And then the Lxxii. their {untranscribed Hebrew}, I have fled, will be a literal rendering of {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so the latin confugi.  
V. 10. Land of uprightness] {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is literally to be rendered to or in a strait ground: so the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} into a strait ground, and the Jewish Arab, in a right or strait region, and so the latin in terram rectam; by which we are to judge of the reading of the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, in the right, that it should be undoubtedly, as Asulanus's copy hath it, {untranscribed Hebrew} in a strait ground. By this style is metaphorically signified a regular course of life, in obedience to all the commands of God, the onely rule of the good mans walking. The Syriack have duly explained it by {untranscribed Hebrew} into thy way of life, that course of living which thou requirest, or which may be acceptable to thee.    

The Hundred forty Fourth Psalm.  
A Psalm of David. The hundred forty fourth is a fiducial and humble prayer to God for deliverance from his heathen enemies, and prosperity upon his people, and this founded in his former experiences of Gods interposition for him, for which he humbly praiseth and blesseth his holy name. It was composed by David, in reflection, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}, Lxxii. so the Chaldee also v. 10.  as 'tis thought by some, on goliath and the philistines; but most certainly of a latter date, when he was settled in the kingdom, see v. 2, and 10. By the Jews, Kimchi and Saadiah, Gaon it is referred to the messiah.  
1. BLessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight.  
2. My 
mercy {untranscribed Hebrew}  goodness and my fortress, my high tower and my deliverer, my shield, and he in whom I trust, who subdueth my people under me.  
For all the preservations and victories which have been enjoyed by me, I am infinitely obliged to bless and praise and magnify the one supreme God of heaven and earth, from whom it is that I have received all the strength and skill in military affairs which I have ever shewed; an act of whose special mercy and favour, preservation and protection I must aclowledge it, that I have ever been successful or safe in any enterprise. In him therefore with all reason I wholly repose my full trust and confidence.  
3. Lord, 
a.  what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him? or the son of man, that thou makest account of him?  
4. Man is like to vanity: his dayes are as a shadow that passeth away.  
For myself, I am but a mean, infirm, frail, mortal man, subject to all the misadventures which are consequent to the feeble, inconstant, transitory condition of men, and it is an infinite mercy of dignation in God, to take so much consideration of me, as to make use of me as his instrument in subduing the enemies of his people.( And herein was David a type of Christ, who having humbled himself to assume our human mortal flesh, became by his divine power in that flesh victorious over the powers of hell. Heb. 2. b.)  
5. Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down; touch the mountains, and 
let them smoke {untranscribed Hebrew}  they shall smoke.  
6. Cast forth lightning, and scatter them; shoot out thine arrows and destroy them.  
7. sand thine hand from above, rid me and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children;  
8. Whose 
b.  mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.  
It must therefore be thine own work, O Lord, the interposition of thine own almighty hand, to which we must owe all our deliverances and preservations. If thus thou wilt vouchsafe to own thy servants, and by thy messengers and ministers, the Angels of thy presence, exhibit and presentiate thyself among us, then shall all our enemies be dispersed and destroyed, not by the strength or dint of our weapons, but as by thy thunderbolts and darts of lightning, by the artillery of heaven, by thy divine assistance, and protection over us( see note on Psal. xviii. d.) And thus be thou graciously pleased to magnify thy power and mercy to us at this time, to deliver us from these puissant heathen armies, which have nothing but their own strength and number to depend on or boast of, which worship and rely on false idol gods, which are not able to help, and so are sure to disappoint them, and so their hands fail no less in their undertaking then their mouths do, when thou the only Lord of heaven and earth, of those Angelical hosts, comest out and appearest against them.  
9. I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a Psaltery, 
of ten strings {untranscribed Hebrew} see Psal. xxxii. note a.  and an instrument of ten strings, will I sing praises unto thee.  
All the returns that I can make for this mercy, is my praising and magnifying thy name for it: And that I shall be careful to perform with the choicest ditties and sweetest instruments,( and all little enough to resound thy praises, who hast wrought so wonderfully for us) saying,  
10. It is he that giveth salvation unto Kings, who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword.  
All honour and praise be ascribed to the supreme God of heaven, from whom it is that the greatest Kings of the earth receive their strength and authority, and to whom they owe all their deliverances and preservations. And the same strength and power of his hath he graciously pleased to afford me at this time, that have no other title to it, but that I am his servant, and of myself so much weaker than my adversaries, that I am sure to be destroyed by them, if God do not defend and preserve me.  
11. Rid me and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.  
O be thou now pleased to continue this thy mercy to me, the enemies being still the same, Idolatrous, heathen, wicked men; that do not aclowledge or confess the true, but profess and depend on false Idol gods, and seasonably at this time to rescue and preserve me out of their hands.  
12. That our sons may be as plants 
growing great {untranscribed Hebrew}  grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as 
c.  corner-stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:  
13. That our garners may be full, affording 
from this to that sort, see note c.  all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our 
folds, see note d.  streets:  
14. That our oxen may be 
d.  
fat or fleshy  strong to labour: that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no 
cry  complaining in our 
fields, or yards.  streets.  
Be thou pleased at length to restore peace and prosperity to the land; that our families may flourish in goodly and beautiful children; that our provisions at home, and our flocks and herds abroad may be very thriving and prosperous; and th●t those goods which thy blessing bestows upon us may not be in danger of hostile invasions; that we may possess and enjoy ourselves in a cheerful continued peace, without any disturbances or disquiets.  
15. Happy is the people that is in such a case: yea happy is the people whose God is the Lord.  
This were a very happy condition indeed; and this and all other happiness of what sort soever is the sure and constant portion of those that perform faithful obedience unto God, and depend on him only for the acquiring it.  

Annotations on Psalm CXLIV.  
V. 3. What is man] By {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  man, and {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  son of man, as all or any of mankind may be understood, in the condition of frail, mortal, miserable, and unworthy creatures; so the Psalmist himself, David, and the son of David, the messiah, is especially to be understood in this place. The occasion of the Psalm is, by the title in the Lxxii. and latin and arabic, not improbably noted to be the combat with goliath. And for the setting out the wonderful mercy of God to him in that, 'twas very considerable, that he was but a young stripling, the youngest and most unconsiderable of all the sons of Jesse, who also was but an ordinary man. And accordingly Ps. viii. which hath probably been resolved to be composed on this occasion of goliath of Gath, the same consideration hath a principal place, v. 4. What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? there {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew}, weak man and son of mortal ordinary man, as here {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew}. Which accordance as it is some argument to confirm that( as this) Psalm to have been composed on that occasion, so it will apply these words in their more eminent, prophetic, mystical sense, to Christ our Saviour in his state of humiliation( wherein yet by the power of his Divine nature he did so many wonderful works) by virtue of the Apostles testimony Heb. ii. 6. where he cites those words from Psal. viii. 4.( exactly parallel to these) and applies them particularly to Christ.  
V. 8. Mouth speaketh vanity] In this verse somewhat more seems to be expressed than is ordinarily observed in it. 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  The Chaldee interprets it of false oaths and wicked laws; and the most obvious sense is followed by the rest of the interpreters, vain or lying speeches, and wicked works or actions: and thus it may fitly enough be adapted as the motive to God to destroy them. But if we consider 1. that the prayer is against Davids enemies, the philistines, and those by the title of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  sons of the stranger, the title that ordinarily belongs to Idolaters, and 2. that {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and {untranscribed Hebrew} vanity and falsehood frequently signify the false Idol gods, and 3. that their mouth speaking fitly signifies profession either of a true or false God, and 4. that {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  their right hand may poetically signify, him, or them, on whom they depend, as their {untranscribed Hebrew}, their patrons or auxiliaries,( as when it is said, the Lord at my right hand, Psal. cx. 5. and many the like, the meaning is, he assists and takes my part) and so {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  right hand of falsehood, be a vain gainless helper, that fails all that depend on him; on these considerations it will not be unreasonable thus to interpret the whole verse of these Idolatrous philistines, whose gods cannot stand them in any stead against the one true God of heaven, to whom David makes his address; and that this is the fuller importance of it, and that as a motive fit here to be used in a prayer to God, to incline him to own his suppliants against such kind of enemies as these.  
V. 12. Corner-stones] From {untranscribed Hebrew} an angle or corner, two formations there are in these 12, and 13. verses {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , and are to be distinguished by the matter of the context. For as in a building there are either the exterior or interior parts and corners; so here the {untranscribed Hebrew} or outer corners are the stones in the corners of the building, angular pillars saith Castellio, which are here {untranscribed Hebrew} hewn, and squared, and carved, and so for the beauty of them, in an {untranscribed Hebrew} palace especially, are fit to express the daughters of a prosperous family, in whom beauty is much valued. But {untranscribed Hebrew} the inner parts or corners of the building, are the repositories, places on purpose for keeping of store and provisions( such are cellars, larders, and the like) which the Lxxii. rightly render {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin promptuaria, repositories for all kind of provisions( and not so fitly garners or granaries, which are proper to corn or grain.) The former of these {untranscribed Hebrew} is rendered by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} beautified, either by way of paraphrase( as {untranscribed Hebrew}, carved or polished, they render {untranscribed Hebrew} adorned about) or as if it were from {untranscribed Hebrew} beauty or splendour; and so the Chaldee, {untranscribed Hebrew} beautiful. Of the latter when 'tis here said, that being full they bring forth or yield {untranscribed Hebrew}, this is interpnted by them {untranscribed Hebrew}, from this to that; not by mistake probably of {untranscribed Hebrew} for {untranscribed Hebrew}, as some conceive, but as taking {untranscribed Hebrew}( as it is) for a word of a large signification, to signify any thing to which the matter spoken of shall determine it,( and so sure the Chaldee do, which render it {untranscribed Hebrew} from year to year) particularly any kind of food or victuals, and so by this phrase, from this to that, meaning from this sort to that sort, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi understand it, i. e. somewhat of all sorts, to express the greatest plenty of all commodities for daily use or provisions. The Jewish Arab renders {untranscribed Hebrew} by measures.  
V. 14. Strong to labour] From {untranscribed Hebrew} to carry on shoulders, as a porter doth, is {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  here, not so much to signify their patience of weight( as the Chaldee interpret it by {untranscribed Hebrew} patient of burden, and strong-backt for carriage or service, saith Abu Walid, and so the Jewish Arab, our oxen carrying forth good) for oxen were not then wont to be so employed to bear burdens on their backs or shoulders,( though now adays the Turcomen and such like moving people use to carry their tents and other utensils on cows backs) but more probably to note the weight of flesh they carry about with them, which therefore the Lxxii. render {untranscribed Hebrew}, the latin crassae, thick or fat, the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew} strong, for so those are that are most fleshy, and so onustus is wont to be used for rich, or one that is in all plenty, and so not for patience of burdens, though that, as this, do thus originally signify, and though with us the lading be in a cart, yet we use to say the Oxen are heavy laden. The phrase that here follows in this matter of oxen, {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  not breaking in and not going out, is not improbably to express the safety of their herds, not only from straying, but, as in time of war, from invaders and abactors, whose breaking in( {untranscribed Hebrew}, breaking down or fall of the partition, or wall, or sept, say the Lxxii.) is attended with the cattels {untranscribed Hebrew} passing through, or going out: and then follows {untranscribed Hebrew} clamour, vociferation; {untranscribed Hebrew} cry, say the Lxxii. The same word they use Isa. v. 7. to render {untranscribed Hebrew}, which is there opposed to righteousness, whether in the notion of justice or mercy, and is the consequent of oppression; and so it may be here fitly used to express hostile oppressions and invasions. But the phrase may be also applied, that among their cattle none maketh abortion, {untranscribed Hebrew} never a breaker out: so Pharez came by his name, Gen. xxxviii. 29. How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee; therefore his name was called Pharez. {untranscribed Hebrew} also hath a peculiar notion in relation to the birth of children; But that being the regular birth, it is not so well appliable to this place, unless by the figure {untranscribed Hebrew} we thus red, no eruption, and no going out, i. e. no violent going out, for then that is clearly no abortion. Kimchi observes of these three verses 12, 13, 14. that there is mention of all those three blessings of the womb, of the Earth, and of cattle, set down Deut. xxviii. 4. The last word of the verse, {untranscribed Hebrew}, we render in our streets; so {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies Gen. xix. 2. as the street is opposed to an house or covert, from {untranscribed Hebrew} broad, or large. But our English street hath a particular relation to a town, or village, or city; and so it seems not so proper to this place, where being applied to oxen, it will signify in reason the place where they lye and feed, {untranscribed Hebrew}, the Lxxii. duly red, in their stabula, whether fields or closes, where they are kept. Or if in that verse it may retain the notion of street, being applied to the men who are thus oppressed, and may bemoan their losses in the field by their complaints in the city,( see Mar. v. 14.) yet this will not be applicable to v. 13. where the same word being used {untranscribed Hebrew}, we render it in like manner, in our streets, but being applied to sheep, must signify their folds or pastures, where they lye and bring forth; which though it be abroad, without doors( that is all that {untranscribed Hebrew} imports, from the literal notion of which the Lxxii. there have their rendering {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin in egressibus suis, in their goings out) yet they are safe there, and multiply exceedingly. The Jewish Grammarians, Abu Walid and Kimchi, assign not to the word {untranscribed Hebrew} any more particular signification then of broadplaces, which may then be as well back-sides; as we ordinarily call such yards as are about the house, in which cattle are kept, or the like places, as well as streets. And the word which the Jewish Arab uses may be rendered fields.    

The Hundred forty Fifth Psalm.  
Davids psalm of Praise. The hundred forty fifth is a form of solemn thanksgiving to God, descanting on all his glorious attributes. It was composed by David, and is one of those wherein every verse begins with a several letter of the Hebrew Alphabet.  
1. I will extol thee, my God, my King; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.  
2. Every day will I bless thee, and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.  
The Lord of heaven is my only God and King, a gracious Father, and a vigilant guide and conductor of me in all my ways; I am infinitely obliged to praise and magnify his holy name, and never to intermit that office till I come to heaven, there to sing continual Hosannahs and Hallelujahs to him.  
3. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.  
He is a God of a vast unfathomable power and dignity, his excellencies, and the effluxions thereof toward us, not to be traced or measured by human faculties: But the less they are comprehended, the more are they to be admired, and adored, and magnified by us.  
4. One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.  
Every age of the world, and person that lives in that age, hath new and fresh experience of the goodness and power of God in his gracious and glorious disposals, every where illustriously discernible, and so every age is obliged to make their acknowledgements, to record to posterity, and so to incite and call up all that live after them to the diligent and devout and vigorous performance of this duty.  
5. I will speak of the 
beauty or splendour of the glory {untranscribed Hebrew}  glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.  
Whether I consider the infinite incomprehensible beauty and splendour of his divine essence and attributes, or the most admirable operations and productions thereof in the framing and governing of the world, there is matter of all praise and thanksgiving to me, and to every other man living.  
6. And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts, and I will declare thy greatness.  
And accordingly both they and I, even all of us, with united hearts and voices, will proclaim and promulgate the wonderful and admirable acts of his power and glory.  
7. They shall 
issue or poure out  
a.  abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and sing of thy righteousness.  
And therein most peculiarly shall we count ourselves obliged to magnify and recount with the most exuberant joy the dispensations of his most abundant graces and mercies toward us, especially that towards our souls. These flow every minute from him, as from an inexhaustible fountain and abyss of goodness. O let our hearts learn of those fountains, continually to poure forth at our mouths the praises that are proportionably due to him.  
8. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger, and of great mercy.  
9. The Lord is good 
b.  to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works.  
'tis the title by which he was pleased to make known and proclaim himself to his people, Exod. xxxiv. 6. The Lord, the Lord God, merciful— very forward and willing to pardon repentant sinners, and not denying them that grace, or proceeding in judgement against them, till he be provoked to it by great ingratitude and obdurations: and this mercy of his is not enclosed to a few special favourites of his, but enlarged and vouchsafed to all and every man in the world, upon the title of his fatherly mercy to his creature, till by their impenitence persisted in, against his means of grace, they render themselves incapable of it.  
10. All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord, and thy saints shall bless thee.  
11. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;  
And proportionably according to the just merit of it, all the men in the world are obliged to pay thee the acknowledgements of thy supereminent transcendent mercy, but especially those that are so qualified by the power of thy grace obediently received by them, as to have a more particular interest therein.  
12. To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the 
glory of the splendour of {untranscribed Hebrew}  glorious majesty of his kingdom.  
These shall never satisfy themselves that they have said enough in depredicating the inward beauties, and felicities, and admirable excellencies of the kingdom of God in mens hearts, that state of souls, when by the divine and sanctifying power of his grace the dominion of sin and Satan is subdued, and the kingdom of heaven erected in the stead of it, and all the faculties of the soul voluntarily and cheerfully and constantly subjected to it. The sweetness and comforts of this shall so transport and ravish them that have a vital taste of it in their own hearts, that they shall earnestly desire and endeavour to discover and recommend it to others, and bring all men to a sense and acknowledgement, how desirable a thing it is to be the subjects of this kingdom.  
13. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; and thy dominion endureth throughout all ages.  
The magnificence and glory of any other the greatest kingdom is but finite and transitory, and so oft in few years is removed and destroyed: but the kingdom of God is as durable as God himself, and the comforts of subjection and obedience thereto, which all pious men enjoy, have never any end, but are swallowed up in the Ocean of eternal bliss and glory, the never sailing portion of all such.  
14. The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.  
And one special act of this his kingdom, one exercise of this power of his grace it is, that those which are sincere faithful subjects thereof, shall never want a sufficient supply of strength from him for all their wants, whether of souls or bodies: Be they never so weak in themselves, never so near falling, and unable to support themselves, and stand by their own strength, they shall yet be sure of a sufficiency in him; he will support them in the most infirm, feeble, tottering condition; and when through human frailty they are brought low, and actually fallen, he will not deny them grace to get up again, but afford them effectual means of recovery, if by humble confession of their lapses they beg and solicit it, and industriously make use of it when it is given them. And so for outward distresses, he will either preserve them from them, or support them under them, and in his good time deliver them out of them.  
15. The eyes of all wait on thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season.  
16. Thou openest thy hand, and satisfiest the 
c.  desire of every living thing.  
This mercy and benignity of his is a spring inexhaustible of all kinds of Good things, a treasure of abundant supply to all the creatures in the world, which consequently attend and wait his pleasure, and never fail to receive from him timely and seasonably to their necessities, whatsoever they really stand in need of.  
17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, 
d.  and 
merciful  holy in all his works.  
In sum, all Gods dispensations and dealings with us are made up of abundant mercy and compassion, charity and liberality to all our wants; and so are to be acknowledged and devoutly praised by all the men in the world.  
18. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in 
e.  truth.  
Whosoever addresses his prayers to God, and faithfully adheres to him, that flies not to any indirect course for aids, but keeps fast to him in constant obedience, and waits Gods time with patience, and perseverance in prayer, shall be sure never to fall of answers of mercy from him.  
19. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he will hear their cry, and will save them.  
If they faithfully serve and obey him, he will not be wanting to them in their greatest wants, but will seasonably grant them their requests, and deliver them out of all dangers.  
20. The Lord preserveth all them that love him: and all the wicked will he destroy.  
Those that love God and keep his commandments, have by his promise a claim and right to his protections and preservations; but for transgressors, which are accounted haters of him, he will certainly poure out his vengeance upon them.  
21. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.  
All this exacts the most solemn acknowledgements, all the praises and Hallelujahs that our hearts or tongues can express. O let all the men in the world join to perform this duty, and never give over praising and glorifying his holy name.  

Annotations on Psalm CXLV.  
V. 7. Abundantly utter] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  is from {untranscribed Hebrew} to bubble, to issue, to sand out as a spring or fountain issues out water: and though here it be metaphorically used of speaking, yet it must in reason be rendered with respect to the original use of it. The Lxxii. therefore render it {untranscribed Hebrew}, the latin eructabunt; for which our English yielding no proper word, we must be content with that of issuing or pouring out, or sending forth. The Chaldee, which reads {untranscribed Hebrew}( the same word with their termination) is rendered by the latin Translator personabunt, shall sound forth, as if it were from {untranscribed Hebrew} which so signifies, and is by the Greek lightly changed into {untranscribed Hebrew}, to proclaim.  
V. 9. To all] In this place the reading of the Lxxii, both in the Roman edition and others, is undoubtedly corrupted. The Hebrew reads {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  to all, and so is followed by the Chaldee and latin and arabic( the Syriack omitting it wholly) and only the copies of the Lxxii.( and from them the Aethiopick) red {untranscribed Hebrew}, to them that expect, and others add {untranscribed Hebrew}, that expect him. But Asulanus's reading is doubtless here to be preferred, which hath {untranscribed Hebrew}, to all; which being the original reading, and so followed by the latin and arabic, was changed by the scribe into {untranscribed Hebrew}, and so taken up by the Aethiopick.  
V. 16. The desire] In this place it is doubtful to what subject {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew} , the last words of the verse, belongs. From {untranscribed Hebrew} volvit, placuit, the noun signifies will, good pleasure, benevolence, favour. With thy favour {untranscribed Hebrew} hast thou defended me, Psal. v. 12. so Isai. xlix. 8. I have heard thee in the time {untranscribed Hebrew} of favour, we render it acceptable time, parallel to a day of salvation that follows; where, as the salvation is the deliverance wrought by God, so the favour must be Gods also. And thus the word may probably seem to be used here, he satisfieth every living thing( so {untranscribed Hebrew} must be rendered) {untranscribed Hebrew} with or by his favour: {untranscribed Hebrew}, say the Lxxii. thou fillest every living thing with thy good pleasure; the latin have benedictione, with thy benediction( perhaps reading {untranscribed Hebrew} for {untranscribed Hebrew}) and the Aethiopick more expressly, according to thy decree or good pleasure: the Jewish Arab reads every living thing with favour, good will, or complacency, from thee. But the Chaldee reads {untranscribed Hebrew} in the plural, which cannot belong to God, thou satisfiest all living with their will, or desire; and the Syriack, {untranscribed Hebrew} thou satisfiest the desire of all living. And so the learned Castellio, optatis satias, thou satisfiest them with their desires, i. e. with the things which are desired by them. And to this sense the use of the same word v. 19. inclines, where of God it is said, {untranscribed Hebrew} he will do or perform the will of them that fear him.  
V. 17. And holy] Of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  there can be no question but 'tis to be rendered, when spoken of God, merciful, abundantly good; and so 'tis here joined with {untranscribed Hebrew} righteous, in the notion thereof frequently exemplified for {untranscribed Hebrew} pitiful, or charitable, or liberal: for both these are here clearly inferred from the three last verses, which are instances of his mercy and bounty. In this place is fit to be observed what we find in the Lxxii their translation, after v. 13. and before v. 14. {untranscribed Hebrew}, The Lord is faithful in his words, and holy in all his works. The same we have in the Syriack, and latin, and arabic, and Aethiopick, and onely miss it in the Original and in the Chaldee. And that it is not added superfluously by the rest, but really wanting in these, we have this argument of some appearing force; Because the Psalm being Alphabetical, and exactly so in all other parts, is yet deficient in the letter Nun, as now we have it in the Hebrew, which yet from this reading of the Lxxii, &c. is so readily supplied,[ {untranscribed Hebrew}] that there seemeth little cause of doubt but this was the ancient reading, and so continued to the time when the Lxxii. first, and after when the Syriack made their translations. If thus it were, the occasion of the omission seems most probably to be taken from this v. 17. the words whereof being of so great affinity with those others, might by unskilful scribes be confounded, and conceived to be the same with them, and so on that conceit deliberately left out in one place, to avoid that which they deemed a Tautology. But if this were it, then herein they erred more than one way. For first, it is no news for this Psalmist in his lauds of God, to repeat the same expression more than once, witness that solemn Epiphonema, His mercy endureth for ever. 2. These two verses, if they be better considered, are not the same, but perfectly different, and each of them, according to that difference, fitted to the place wherein according to the alphabetical order they ought to stand. The eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth verses are spent in admiration of the power and glory of Gods kingdom, and that is fitly concluded with an Epiphonema of Gods fidelity in performing of all his promises, and perfect justice and holiness, and other divine excellencies, in all his dispensations toward men. And that is the sum of the letter Nun( which therefore with very good harmony follows the thirteenth verse, and so will put forward the fouretenth, which now is Samech, unto the fifteenth, which is the proper place for it) {untranscribed Hebrew}— The Lord is faithful in his words, and holy in all his works, i. e. veracity and holiness are two great inseparable attributes of God; the one in his words, he never affirmeth what is not most true, or promiseth what he doth not perform; the other in his actions, and works of providence, wherein he is so far from having any real causality in the sins of Angels and men, that he doth all that reasonably can be done by a God of holiness and purity toward any rational and free agents, whom he means to punish and reward according to their works, to prevent them, and assist them, and enlighten their minds, and sanctify their hearts, thereby to keep them from sinning, or to return them by repentance to that innocence( as near as may be) from which they are fallen. And this, as the chief exercise of his kingdom of grace, the glories whereof are set out in those three verses immediately foregoing. Whereas this which is now the seventeenth( but in that other account ought to be the eighteen) verse, as it is introduced by the three verses more, which are all spent in the view of the transcendent compassion, mercy and liberality of God, so being duly rendered, it is a very proper Epiphonema; to conclude and shut up the praises of God in that behalf, The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and merciful in all his works. Where {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  righteous and merciful, are but two words ordinarily used in scripture to signify charity and compassion: the former, not that righteousness which we style justice, but that charity which is by the law of God due to all men, and so in us is our righteousness, and in God is his goodness and charity to mankind, and the latter a more abundant degree of that, styled goodness, graciousness, bowels of compassion in man, and the most transcendent degree of infinite mercy and pitty in God. The Lxxii. render the former of these {untranscribed Hebrew}, the latin justus, and that being understood in our ordinary notion of justice, was apt to be conceived all one with faithful or true in that former verse. And the Lxxii. again render the latter of these by {untranscribed Hebrew}, which Greek word indeed oft signifies holy, and so is interpnted sanctus by the latin; but being but lightly changed by cutting off the last letter from the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}, and giving it the Greek termination {untranscribed Hebrew}( for so both {untranscribed Hebrew} and {untranscribed Hebrew} are deemed to come from that original) in this place and many others it is surely taken in the Hebrew notion of it, i. e. for merciful and pitiful, and so should better be rendered in latin pus, than sanctus,( as in Salvian and other good authors pietas piety in God ordinarily signifies mercy.) However, this equivocalness of that word {untranscribed Hebrew}, taken by readers for holy, when it signifies merciful, and the misinterpreting {untranscribed Hebrew} for just, when it imports merciful, may well be deemed to have contributed occasionally to the leaving v. 14. out of our Bibles. Of which the learned H. Grotius asks a question, Quomodo ad hoc respondebunt— What answer will be given to this by those men which require us in all things to stand to the decrees of the Masorites, which by their fence have hedged this verse out of the scripture? The only answer to the question, which I shall offer, is this, 1. That it is no news that one letter or more should be left out and missing in an Alphabetical Psalm, especially Psal. xxv. where ך being twice repeated, ק is certainly omitted. 2. That the Lxxii. and the translations that depend on them, have admitted several verses and larger additions, which are not in the Hebrew text. But then 3. since 'tis certain the Psalms received divers alterations, and both copies were transmitted to the use of the Temple, the answer will be satisfactory, that so it was here. And that will both justify the Jews from negligence, in losing part of the scripture, and the other translators from presumption, in adding to it.  
V. 18. In truth] The notion of {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in truth, in this place, being the qualification required in prayer to make it effectual, is fit to be observed. The word signifies truth, firmness, fidelity, constancy, stability; so Jer. xiv. 19. {untranscribed Hebrew} the peace of truth is a stable firm constant durable peace. And then that truth or constancy may be applied either to the person praying, or to the prayer itself. First, if to the person, then it signifies his firmeness of adherence to God, styled fearing him v. 19. constancy in his service, keeping close to God, and making good his dependence on him, and not applying himself to any indirect means to obtain what he prays for, but waiting only on God, from him in his good time to receive it. Secondly, in respect of the prayer itself, it signifies the continued constancy of address, not giving over the petition when it is not immediately granted, but enforcing it with importunity. And the union of these two is that to which the promise is here made, that the prayers so qualified shall certainly in Gods due time be answered by him. And this, specially the former part, Saint James styles asking in faith, the Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} signifying both faith and truth. See note on Jam. 1. a The Chaldee here reads {untranscribed Hebrew}; the word signifies truth, rectitude, integrity: and so the Syriack also. The Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew} in truth, but that capable of this same notion, as when {untranscribed Hebrew} true is opposed to {untranscribed Hebrew} unrighteous. See Note on Luke xvi. a.    

The Hundred forty Sixth Psalm.  

Hallelujah. See note on Ps. cvi. a. and cxi. a.  Praise ye the Lord. The hundred forty and sixth is another form of solemn praising of God, his sole and supereminent power and mercy, his patronage to all that are in distress, his judgments, and the eternity of his kingdom. The title of it is Hallelujah, and it is anciently thought to have been composed 
{untranscribed Hebrew} Lxxii.  at the return from the Captivity.  
1. PRaise the Lord, O my soul.  
2. While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God, while I have any being.  
I will excite and rouse up all the faculties of my soul to the solemn performance of that great and necessary duty, of praising and magnifying the God of heaven. This is an office never to be intermitted by me, as long as I have a tongue or breath to proclaim the excellencies and glories of so great and gracious a Majesty.  
3. Put not your trust in Princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.  
4. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth: in that very day his thoughts perish.  
As for any other, be it the greatest and most powerful Princes in the world( none born of woman excepted, save only the messiah, the Son of God as well as man) they being but mortal men, have no power to relieve any, and consequently will deceive and disappoint all those that rely on them. For how able or willing soever they may be in the eyes of men, or in their own resolutions forward to perform any office of charity to any; yet 'tis certain their whole being depends every minute upon the will of God: whensoever he pleaseth they die, their soul is separated from the body, the one is gathered to the earth from whence it hath its first beginning( see Psal. xc. note c.) the other to the hands of God that gave it( Eccl. xii. 7.) and when this hour comes, 'tis then too late for them to help themselves; whatsoever they designed for the relief of others, together with all their other worldly contrivances, are evacuated and frustrated.  
5. 
a.  Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God,  
6. Which made heaven and earth, the sea and all that therein is, which keepeth 
or fidelity {untranscribed Hebrew}  truth for ever;  
The onely sure hold, and never-failing foundation of confidence, is the special mercy and protection of the one omnipotent Creator of heaven and earth, the Lord of Israel, who as he is able to overrule all his creatures, and do whatsoever he pleases, so he hath promised to protect those that depend on him, and will certainly make good this promise to all that are careful to make good their fidelity to him.  
7. Which 
or pleadeth the cause, see note on Ps. cxxxii. a.  executeth judgement for the oppressed, which giveth food to the hungry: the Lord looseth the prisoners.  
8. The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind; the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down; the Lord loveth the righteous.  
One peculiar property of his it is to interpose his aid most seasonably when our distresses are the greatest, to undertake the defence and patronage of those which are most unjustly oppressed, to work even miracles of mercy for them that stand in most need of them, signally to express his favour to pious and charitable minded men, to provide food for some, as he did for Elias, to sand others liberty from then restreints, as he did to Daniel, to restore sight to the blind, to revive and comfort those that are in the greatest distress either of body or soul.( And this in a far more eminent completion by the incarnatian of his Son, the messiah of the world. See note a.)  
9. The Lord preserveth the strangers, he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.  
If there be any more destitute than other, more shut out from all sorts of human supportation, those that have neither house, nor parent, nor husband, to relieve and comfort them,( especially the poor in spirit, the meek, the mourners, those that hunger and thirst after righteousness, Matth. v. 3. &c.) are the fittest objects for God to afford his grace, to show his compassion on: Of such he will have a peculiar care,( of such the kingdom of the messiah is made up) if in the absence of worldly aids they sincerely apply themselves and constantly adhere to his obedience. But for all godless wicked men, he will as undoubtedly poure out his vengeance upon them, and bring them to utter destruction.  
10. The Lord shall reign for ever and ever; even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. 
see Psal. cxlvii. Paraphr. on the Title.  Praise ye the Lord.  
God hath the only supreme dominion over the world, and in a most eminent manner exerciseth it in the hearts of all his faithful people under the messiah. His regal power is exercised in his Church of Jews first, and after of Christians, and so shall continue to the end of the world. His glorious name be ever magnified for it. To this onely King eternal be all honour and glory world without end.  

Annotations on Psalm CXLVI.  
V. 5. Happy] This Psalm from this verse to the end hath a most visible remarkable aspect upon the messiah, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  the eternal Son of God, in his Incarnation. It is acknowledged by the Jews themselves; Sepher Ikkarim, {untranscribed Hebrew} &c. What forbids us to say that there shall come a divine law that shall make most of those things that are forbidden lawful? This is the opinion of most of our Doctors, who in Tanchuma explain that of Psal. cxlvi. 7. the Lord {untranscribed Hebrew} looseth or makes lawful those things that are forbidden. And on the 10. verse, the Lord shall reign, &c. Sol. Jarchi saith, it belongs to the dayes of the messiah. And that it doth so indeed, it will best appear by comparing what here is added v. 7, 8. with the characters of the messiah delivered by Christ himself, Mat. xi. 5, 6. There upon the demand of John Baptist by his Disciples, whether he were the Christ or no, he returns this answer to John, The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them: And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me. These words are ordinarily referred to, and look't on as a completion of Isa. xxxv. 5, 6, 7. and Lxi. 1, 2. and so no question they are: And by the same reason may be resolved also to reflect on this parcel of this Psalm, which bears a full correspondence with them in respect of the particulars mentioned in either. This is specially observable in the first branch of Christs answer, The blind receive their sight. Of this sort of miracles, as it refers to those that perfectly want that sense, were born blind, this maxim is delivered by one that had received such a cure, Joh. ix. 32. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. And the Pharisees, to whom this was so confidently delivered in an universal negative, were not, it seems, able to refute him. Nay it is observable, that God hath not left on record any example of his having wrought such a miracle as this at any time by the hand of Prophet, or ministry of Angel, till his Son incarnate came into the world, and did it with his own hands, that so these prophesies which principally insist on this, might appear to have their completion in the messiah. And when he wrought it, he did it by mixing day and spittle; of which the Fathers observe, that he gave him eyes out of the 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  same and no other materials, out of which he first created man, viz. out of the dust of the earth, to signify it an act of creative power by which he did it. And so this and the other like miraculous acts of his are here introduced with Which made heaven and earth— And therefore our Saviour, when he again met this blind man whom he had thus cured, his question to him is, Joh. ix. 35. dost thou believe on the Son of God? intimating that this miracle wrought on him was a competent testimony, that he which wrought it was no less than the Son of God, and so God himself. But it may here be demanded, what prisoners Christ loosed, of which the mention should here be made, v. 7. The Lord looseth the prisoners, and of which there is no mention either in Christs answer to John, or in the prediction, Isa. xxxv. to which that answer is thought to refer. To this I answer, 1. that this Objection would be of equal force against Isa. Lxi. 1. where there is express mention of proclaiming liberty to captives, and opening the prison to them that are bound, as here of losing the prisoners: 2. that as in that place of Isaiah the phrase of opening the prison to them that are bound, is by the learned thought to be a prophetic elegance, to signify the cure of those that are deaf and dumb, whose souls consequently were shut up from being able to express themselves, as language enables others to do; so here it may poetically signify also, and then it will be directly parallel to that part of Christs answer, the deaf hear, and accordingly at the curing of such Christs form of speech was, Epphatha, be opened, as to the doors of a prison, when those which were under restraint there were to be let loose out of it, their fetters being shaken off from them. But then 3. 'tis farther manifest, that those that were under any sore disease or lameness &c. are said to be bound by Satan, Luk. xiii. 16. and so to be loosed by Christ, when they were cured by him. So saith Christ v. 12. Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity: and immediately she was made strait. Her being made strait was her being loosed out of her restraint, or bonds, or prison. And in this latitude of the poetic or prophetic expression, the Lords losing the prisoners here will comprehend the walking of the lame, the lepers being cleansed, the hearing of the deaf, yea and the raising up of the dead, for those of all others are fastest bound, and so when they are raised, the style is as proper as to Lazarus in respect of the gravecloaths, loose them, and let them go. By this way of interpretation of this one phrase,( which yet farther also may be extended to the spiritual sense, of losing us from the captivity of sin) 'twill now be manifest how exactly parallel this of the Psalmist is to that answer of Christs, for then there be but two parcels of Christs words behind, To the poor the Gospel is preached, and Blessed is he that is not offended in or because of me. To the former of these are answerable here these so many severals to the same purpose, Which executeth judgement, or pleadeth the cause of the oppressed, Giveth food to the hungry, Raiseth them that are bowed down( unless that literally belong to Christs corporal cures) Loveth the righteous, Preserveth the strangers, Relieveth the fatherless and widow. All which are but so many prophetical expressions( to be understood in a spiritual sense) of his exceeding mercies under the Gospel to the poor in spirit, the humble and lowly in heart, the prime peculiar objects of Evangelical mercy, and those which are effectually wrought on by his grace, and so Evangelized by him, in that sense which belongs to that phrase in that place( see note on Mat. xi. b.) To the latter the words of this v. 5. are parallel, Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God: for so to hope, and adhere, and place his full trust in the one true God, is all one with not being scandalised or falling off from Christ, whatsoever befalls. And as that there is inferred from the other parts of the character of the messiah, as a Conclusion from premises, and so is set down in the close of all; so here 'tis set down as a principle in the front, and( which is all one) proved by what follows in the ensuing verses. By all which it is farther evident that the messiah, whose character it is, is no less than the Creator of heaven and earth, v. 6. and consequently the Lord that shall reign for ever and ever, v. 10. the God of Zion, or his Church, unto all generations. The latter of which is but proportionable to Christs words to the Apostles, Lo, I am with you to the end of the world: And the former the very style wherein Christs kingdom is expressed both in the Psalms( see Ps. xciii. 1.) and in the New Testament 1 Cor. xv. 25. and oft in other phrases amounting to the same sense, as, sitting at Gods right hand till he make his enemies his footstool, Psal. cx. 1. Mat. xxii. 44. and Act. ii. 34.    

The Hundred forty Seventh Psalm.  

Hallelujah  Praise ye the Lord. The hundred forty seventh Psalm( which is divided into two by the Greek and latin, &c.) is a solemn form of magnifying God in his works of power and mercy, and seems to have had for its title the close of the former psalm, Hallelujah, and to have been composed after the return from the Captivity, v. 2.  
1. PRaise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is comely.  
Many motives there are to excite and stir up all to the magnifying the name of God. 'tis a piece of service most acceptable in his sight; 'tis to them that perform it most pleasant and delightful, and that which best becomes us to pay to him, and him to receive and expect from us, who have our whole being from him.  
2. The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the out-casts of Israel.  
3. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.  
To this we are farther engaged by his present deliverances: for though Jerusalem and the Temple of God there, the state and Church, have been sadly wasted; yet hath God been pleased to return our captivity, to recollect our dispersions, and restore us to our homes and his Temple, the cheerful performance of his divine service, and so to refresh and revive us, to cure the diseases and wounds, to remove the sorrows of our souls.  
4. He telleth the number of the stars, and calleth them all by their names.  
So likewise his omniscience and omnipotence exact our acknowledgements and adorations. The stars of heaven, which are so impossible to be numbered by us, Gen. xv. 5. that they are compared and joined with the sand which is upon the sea shore for multitude, Gen. xxii. 17. are not only numbered, but particularly known by God, what powers, qualities, influences there are in every one of them; and as they were all by a word or expression of his will first created, so are they perfectly at his command, and at the least beck or call of his, as souldiers at the directions of their General, the whole host of them immediately obeys and doth whatsoever he pleases.  
5. Great is our Lord, and of great power: 
of his understanding there is no number or computation {untranscribed Hebrew}  his understanding is infinite.  
Thus infinite and boundless is the power, the knowledge, and the providence of God, which is to us absolutely incomputable.  
6. The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.  
And these doth he exercise constantly for the support and relief of all humble-minded men, for their spiritual advancement in strength and grace, which to them peculiarly he affords in greatest abundance: but for all proud obdurate sinners, which perversely resist him, he is resolved to resist them, and subdue them, and magnify his power in their destruction.  
7. 
Begin  
a.  Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving: sing praises upon the harp unto our God,  
8. Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.  
9. He giveth to the 
b.  beast his food, and to the young ravens that cry.  
O then let us all with tongues and instruments of music, with all the solemnest expressions of our hearts, celebrate those divine excellencies of his, his power, his wisdom, his goodness, and his providence. And here it will be very considerable, how in a series and succession of wise and gracious disposals, he provides for the wants of all creatures here below, especially of those that are otherwise most helpless: he gathereth a multitude of watery clouds into regions of the air, that those may distil and drop down moderate showers upon the higher and drier parts of the earth, which have no other supply but that of rain; and by so doing he provides grass for those wilder beasts that feed on those mountainous parts, and are not beholden to the care of man, as other beasts of the field, sheep and oxen, &c. are, and consequently would, without this special provision of his, be utterly destitute. And by the like way of providence it is, that the young broods of Ravens, which as soon as they are hatched are forsaken and left destitute by the old ones, yet by some secret undiscernible contrivance of Gods( whether by due falling into their mouths when they gape, or by flies in the air, or worms bread in their nests, or by some other constant, though secret, course of divine providence) are sufficiently furnished with necessaries of life by God, out of his unexhaustible treasury, their wants are considered by him, and certainly supplied( see Job xxxviii. 41.) and are emblems of his special protection and solicitude for those which humbly and faithfully depend on him, when they have no means to provide for themselves. See Matth. vi. 25, 26.  
10. He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh no pleasure in the legs of a man.  
11. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in them that hope in his mercy.  
In like manner, 'tis not the strength or agility of horse or man, the military prowess or other human excellencies, which recommend a man to God, or have any pretence of right to challenge any victories or prosperous successses from him; but the fear of God, a constant obedience to his commands, and an affiance and trust and dependence on him, not by any tenor of merit in ourselves, but only of free undeserved mercy in him, is that which hath the assurance of acceptance from him, and is blessed with more eminent prosperities from him, than all other intellectual, or corporal, or even moral excellencies without this.  
12. Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem: praise thy God, O Sion.  
13. For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee.  
14. He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the 
fat {untranscribed Hebrew}  finest wheat.  
At the present the whole kingdom and Church of the Jews are most eminently obliged to aclowledge and magnify the great power and mercy of God, who hath now restored peace& plenty& all kind of prosperity unto both,& not only so, but confirmed their security unto them, fortified them against all fears of hostile invasions.  
15. He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly.  
16. He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoar frosts like ashes.  
17. He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his could?  
18. He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.  
And this as a work of the same omnipotent power which continually shows itself to all the men in the world in some instance or other. They that have not such signal miraculous deliverances or rescues, have yet other most convincing evidences of his divine power and providence, which by the least word spoken, or appointment given, immediately performs the most wonderful things. Of this sort there is one vulgar, but yet wonderful, instance, in the coming of great frosts and snows, and the vanishing of them again: whensoever he pleases, without any visible mediate cause of it, we have great snows, that descend silently, and within a while lye in a great thickness as a fleece of white wool upon the ground, and no skeep is more warmely clad than the earth is by this means. At another time the frost comes, and scatters but a few ashes as it were upon the surface of the earth, and yet by that means the whole surface of the earth and waters is congealed into a firmeness as strong as Crystal, able to bear any the greatest weight, and upon the face of the ground a multitude of small pieces of ice are scattered, like morsels of bread, without any appearance of moisture in them; and the severity of this could so great, that no man can either resist the force of it, or long support it. And when both the earth and waters are thus crusted, and no human means can dissolve it, God doth but sand out a warm southerly wind, and, as at a word speaking, the snow and the frost immediately melt, and come down in full streams of water upon the valleys. A thing very observable, and sufficient to make known a divine power and providence to all men in the world.  
19. He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.  
20. He hath not dealt so with 
every {untranscribed Hebrew}  any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord.  
But his mercies and dispensations unto his Church and people of the Jews are infinitely above the proportion and weight of these. He hath made known his will to them, given them very many admirable laws and ordinances, moral, and judicial, and ritual. And herein have they the privilege and advantage above all other nations in the world, who were not vouchsafed such illustrious revelations of the will of God as they, till the messiah, promised to all nations, and not onely to the jews, should come, and take down the partition, and bring all in common into one pale, and make known to every creature what was before given to the jews peculiarly, and add more divine precepts of inward purity, and more clear revelations of most transcendent celestial promises, then the jews themselves had formerly received. For this and all other his infinite goodness and mercy, blessed be the name of the Lord for evermore.  

Annotations Psalm CXLVII.  
V. 7. Sing] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew}, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which the Interlinear renders Respondete, may here deserve to be considered. The theme {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies either to begin, or answer in speaking or singing, and so may here in lauds, be appliable either to the Praecentor that begins the hymn, or to them that follow, and take up the counterpart. In the first sense it is that {untranscribed Hebrew} to answer( by which it is ordinarily rendered) is sometimes used where there is no precedent speech to which any reply should be made, and so simply signifies to speak, and not to answer, see Mar. ii. 14. So Exod. xv. 21. of miriae 'tis said, {untranscribed Hebrew}, we red, she answered them, Sing ye to the Lord; but it should be, She began to them in the song. The Lxxii. duly render it, {untranscribed Hebrew}, she began to them. So Num. xxi. 17. Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well {untranscribed Hebrew}. The Lxxii. again red, {untranscribed Hebrew}, begin. And so here, {untranscribed Hebrew}, not Answer, but Begin to the Lord in confession or acknowledgement of his power and mercy. And so here follows, sing praises upon the harp. The Praecentor beginning with the voice, it was ordinary for the instruments to follow to the same tune, and key.  
V. 9. The beast] How {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  in this and other places is to be rendered, and how it critically differs from {untranscribed Hebrew} living creature, is not resolved among the Hebrews. That which is most generally received from Genebrard and Mercer and others is, that {untranscribed Hebrew} signifies a tame beast, such as are useful among men either for work or food, as Oxen, Sheep, &c. and that {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  signifies a wild beast: and to this the Lxxii. here incline, which render {untranscribed Hebrew}, and the latin jumentum, by which the tame beasts are signified, those that are useful among men: and so Psal. cxlviii. 10. {untranscribed Hebrew} wild beasts are set to render {untranscribed Hebrew} the living creatures, and {untranscribed Hebrew} or juments for {untranscribed Hebrew}. But this of the Lxxii. their rendering is of no force, because though they do most frequently render {untranscribed Hebrew} by {untranscribed Hebrew}, yet oft-times also they render it by {untranscribed Hebrew} wild beast. And generally where they do so, the context shows that wild beasts are peculiarly meant by it. So Deut. xxviii. 26. thy carcase shall be food for the fouls of the air, {untranscribed Hebrew} and to the beasts of the earth, {untranscribed Hebrew} say the Lxxii. that must be to the wild beasts of the earth, for such only feed on the flesh of men or other creatures. So Deut. xxxii. 24. I will sand the teeth of beasts upon them; {untranscribed Hebrew} is the Hebrew word, and {untranscribed Hebrew} the Greek, and must necessary be interpnted not of the tame, but wild beasts. See 1 Sam. xvii. 44. Isa. xviii. 6. Jer. vii. 33. xvi. 4. xix. 7. and xxxiv. 20. but especially Job xl. 10. Behold now {untranscribed Hebrew}, we retain it in our English Behemoth, but it is resolved to signify the greatest of wild beasts, the Elephant; and then by way of interrogation, will he eat grass as an ox? directly to distinguish him( and so the word {untranscribed Hebrew} here) from the tamer beasts, the one &c. such as eat grass and hay, whereas the Elephant is said to feed on the Palme-trees, the trunk and fruits of them, and when those are wanting, their roots, which he digs up. From these evidences it is manifest, that though {untranscribed Hebrew} signify not in all places peculiarly the wild beasts, yet that signifying all indifferently, it is by the context to be resolved to which sort it belongs, either wild or tame, in any particular place. And then it may here be worth observing, that the circumstances confine it( contrary to the Lxxii. their rendering) to the wild beasts, such are those which dwell upon the mountains here( as elsewhere in the woods, or foreste, or wilderness) the tamer being more properly beasts of the field. And of these peculiarly is this passage of the Psalmist to be understood, how God by his special providence prepares food for those which have no other care taken for them. Beasts that live among men, are by men taken care of, they enrich the ground with manure, and with water from springs and rivers, and till the ground, and that brings forth corn for the use of these cattle as well as men: But the wild beasts that live upon the mountains, and in woods and desert places, are fed onely from the heavens: the rain that from thence distills enricheth those dry hills, and maketh grass to grow there, which else would not, and so God giveth to these wild beasts their food after the same manner of divine providence, as in the end of the verse, he is said to provide for the young ravens. Of which saith Aristotle, Hist. Animal. l. vi. {untranscribed Hebrew} the Crow or Raven exposeth and forsakes her young ones when they are not able to help themselves, and must certainly perish, if God by his special care did not provide for them. See Valesius de Sacrâ Philosoph. p. 317. This therefore being the clear design of these two verses, 8.& 9. spent only on these two instances, the wild beasts& young ravens, which agree in this, that they are left destitute of all provision but what God sends them( as a shower of Manna) as it were immediately from heaven; it is yet quiter deformed by the vulgar reading of it, taken out of some copies of the Lxxii. which at the end of v. 8. after the mention of the grass upon the mountains, add {untranscribed Hebrew}, and her be for the service of men, of which there is no least footstep in the original( nor place in the due rendering of the words as there they lie) nor yet either in the Chaldee or Syriack, and of which therefore we may certainly resolve, that it was taken in by some ignorant Sciolus from Psal. civ. 14. where we find those words, and from the copies of the Lxxii. once corrupted, derived to the latin and arabic, &c. Of {untranscribed Hebrew} Abu Walid saith, that it is spoken of four-footed living creatures, yet so as that it sometimes comprehends birds also, which must be discerned by the place. Not unlike is the explication of the Arab. Lexicon, Al Kamus, of {untranscribed Hebrew}, viz. that it is any four-footed living thing, although of such as are in the water, or perhaps any living creature indifferently without distinction, i. e. any irrational living creature; but Bahmah from the same root is restrained to lambs and kids.    

The Hundred forty Eighth Psalm.  

Hallelujah.  Praise ye the Lord. The hundred forty eighth is a solemn invitation to all the several ranks of creatures in the world, to join in the celebration of Gods praises, and is entitled Hallelujah, as a form of praising God( see note on Psal. cvi. a.)  
1. PRaise ye the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights.  
2. Praise ye him all his angels, praise ye him all his hosts.  
The majesty, and power, and wisdom, and mercy, and all other the glorious Attributes of God are such, and so likewise the emanations and effluxions of all and each of these unto his creatures, that they exact the united acclamations, and most humble acknowledgements of all the creatures in the world; and all that but a poor unsufficient tribute to be returned to the great and glorious creator of them all. And first and principally the Angels of heaven are obliged to come in and pay this tribute, those blessed immortal spirits that always wait on his throne in the highest heavens, those many bands of celestial souldiers, regularly marshaled in their creation one under another in several ranks and orders, but all in perfect subordination to the eternal God, the supreme Governor and commander of all.  
3. Praise ye him Sun and Moon; praise him all ye stars of light.  
Next to them in respect of situation are those glorious creatures, the Sun, Moon and stars, and the spheres wherein they move, the works of his creation, made by him( though by ignorant men they are themselves deified and adored) and so obliged in serving him to honour and glorify him.  
4. Praise him ye 
a.  heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.  
Then all the regions of the air, in which are those treasuries of God placed, the clouds of water which at his pleasure are distilld down upon the earth, and so by obeying him, and relieving, or sometimes( for our sins) punishing us, bring in their tribute of honour and praise to their Creator.  
5. Let them praise the name of the Lord; for he commanded, and they were created.  
6. He hath also established them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.  
All these, as they were first created by the command of God, so have they been governed and managed ever since by the same creative omnipotent power, performing a perfect constant obedience to his precepts or directions, doing nothing but what he will have done, and so setting forth the glory of the great Creator and supreme Governor of the world.  
7. Praise the Lord from the earth, ye 
or whales {untranscribed Hebrew}  dragons and all deeps,  
8. Fire and hail, snow and vapours, stormy winds fulfilling his word,  
9. Mountains and all hills, fruitful trees and all cedars,  
10. Beasts and all cattle, creeping things and flying foul,  
11. Kings of the earth and all people, Princes and all judges of the earth,  
12. Both young men and maidens, old men and children.  
Lastly, this earth of ours, together with the vast ocean in the cavities and bowels of it, both making up but one region, and neither infesting nor annoying the other, were certainly thus ordered and disposed and governed by the omnipotent power of God, which therefore they make known and proclaim to all men in the world, and preach the knowledge of this one God and ruler of all, and so silently praise him, and leave all men without excuse which do not so also. And as the whole bodies of both these, the earth and ocean, so all the several creatures that are in either, the whales and other great and lesser fishes in the sea, the meteors that are begotten in the air, and descend upon the earth, the lightnings and thunder, hail and snow, congealed vapours, frost, ice and dews, the violent winds and tempests, every one of which are instrumental to him, perform his pleasure, are wholly commanded by him, and do whatever he directs them, the mountains and hills, and forrests adorned with stately, tall, but fruitless trees, and the valleys full of trees bearing fruit, and the cattle of daily use for man to do their work, and affording them their flesh for their food, and their skins for their clothing, and those also of a wilder sort, which dwell in the forrests and woods and mountains( see note on Psal. cxlvii. b.) yet are made useful also, to the benefit of men, and so all that creeps, or swimms, or flies: what have all these to do but to sing forth the glories of the Creator and Governor and disposer of them all? and so do, by being used to the ends to which he designed them. Lastly, all the men of the earth, the greatest Potentates, their subordinate rulers and all inferior subjects, of what sex or age soever.  
13. Let them praise the name of the Lord; for his name alone is excellent, his glory is above the earth and heaven.  
14. He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints, even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the Lord.  
Let them all join in the same choir of praises to the great and glorious and sole Creator and Governor of the world, whose mercy is such and so eminent, his gracious dealing with his people the Jews, and all the spiritual children of Abraham and Jacobs faith,( in reveling his will, and giving them the Messiah, and in him all things necessary to this life and another, in advancing their spiritual good, and rendering them acceptable to himself, and to all whose approbation or praise is worth the having) that they are for ever obliged to praise and adore and cleave fast unto him. For ever blessed be his holy Name.  

Annotations on Psalm CXLVIII.  
V. 4. Heavens of heavens] What this phrase {untranscribed Hebrew} 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  heavens of heavens signifies here, will best be gathered from the context, and by comparing this place with Ps. civ. 3. In that place, after the description of the highest heavens, by the style of light covering God,( a luminous palace) is mentioned the stretching out the heavens like a curtain,( which that it signifies the whole body of the air, see Note a. on that Psalm) and laying the beams of his chambers in the waters,( which that it belongs to the clouds of rain in the middle region of the air, see Note b.) And just so here, after the Sun, Moon, and stars of light, by which the whole body and spheres of the heavens are signified, there follows next the heavens of heavens, and the waters above the heavens: where, as in all reason the heavens of heavens are but the highest of those heavens, above some part of which the waters are here said to be placed; so in case the waters be no higher than that region of the air where the clouds are, the uppermost regions of the body of the air must be resolved to be that which is here meant by the heavens of heavens, and not the ethereal globe, which we call heaven. That this is so, may be farther approved by the use of the word {untranscribed Hebrew} in Scripture; and that cannot better be fetched than from the first chapter of Genesis. There 'tis certain the word is used first more generally for all the other parts of the world, beside the terrestrial globe, as when v. 1.( and in many other places) the heaven and earth are the dichotomie, by which the whole world was designed to be set down, all that God created. 2. 'tis as evident that the word is used for the ethereal or celestial globe, as v. 14. when he saith, Let there be light in the firmament of the heavens, and v. 16. 'tis specified what that light was, the Sun to rule the day— by which 'tis evident that {untranscribed Hebrew} the expansum of the heavens notes that ethereal body where the Sun and Moon, &c. are. 3. 'tis still as manifest that the word is used also for the air, v. 20, 26, 28, 30. where the place wherein the birds f●y is styled {untranscribed Hebrew} the firmament of the heavens, and simply the heavens; for which the Targum of Jonathan reads {untranscribed Hebrew} the air of the firmament, or expansion of heavens, v. 20. and {untranscribed Hebrew} the air of heavens, v. 26. and simply {untranscribed Hebrew} the heavens, v. 28.30. So again when {untranscribed Hebrew} an expansion is made in the midst of the waters, that divided the waters from the waters, v. 6. this expansion v. 8. is called heaven( {untranscribed Hebrew} in probability from {untranscribed Hebrew} waters in the dual number, those two sorts of waters above, and below the firmament) which consequently must be the air, that intercedes and divides betwixt the watery clouds, and the waters on the face of the earth: and accordingly those upper waters are affirmed by the Hebrews, R. Solomon, &c. to be still {untranscribed Hebrew} pendulous in the air, and that, saith he, {untranscribed Hebrew} by the word or command of the King: and so when the rain came down in the Flood, 'tis said the windows or floodgates or cataracts of the heavens were opened, Gen. vii. 11. as in a drought the heaven is made iron, Lev. xxvi. 19. and shut up, and many the like phrases. The air then being those heavens, above part of which are those clouds of waters, the heavens of heavens( immediately foregoing) cannot probably signify more than the whole body of the air, all the regions of it, or else the uppermost region of it, as Lord of lords is the supreme or sovereign Lord of all others. 'tis true, when the context requires it, the heavens of heavens may signify the highest heavens, otherwise called the highest, or the height in the abstract, the place of Gods throne: so Deut. x. 14.( and Nehem. ix. 6.) where by the heaven and the heaven of heavens, and the earth, the whole creation is signified; and therefore Jonathans Targum there adds, {untranscribed Hebrew} and the assembly of Angels that are therein, that they may be ministers before him. And so, I suppose, 1 King. viii. 27. when of Gods immensity 'tis said, behold, the heaven, the heaven of heavens( that habitation of his throne) cannot contain him, and Psal. cxv. 16. the heavens of heavens are the Lords, in opposition to the earth following. But that hinders not but that here, the place of the Sun, Moon and stars being before mentioned, and the waters above the heavens, or clouds, after, the heavens of heavens in the midst betwixt these may be the upper region of the air. And so I suppose Psal. Lxviii. 33. where of God it is said, that he rideth upon the heavens of heavens, and sends out his voice, and that a mighty voice, it may well refer to the coming of God by the presence and ministry of his Angels, and thundering in the air, and declaring his will to his people in mount Sinai, as at the giving the Law it is described, and as elsewhere God is said to come in the clouds, and his voice to be heard there, and to ride upon the Cherub, and to come flying upon the wings of the wind, whereas in that Psalm the highest heavens are expressed by another style, that of {untranscribed Hebrew} v. 4.( of which see note a. on that Psal.) As for any eternal or incorruptible waters, which from this text some mens fancies have produced, and then found a ground for their fancy v. 6. he hath established them for ever and ever, that place will never be able to conclude for them; the full importance whereof is no more than that all that was forenamed, being the good creatures of God, were by him preserved and continued also,( and so God to be praised for his works of preservation as well as creation) and ruled and managed by him, as it there follows, he hath made a decree which shall not pass. The Chaldee, which may seem to have understood the heavens of heavens here for the ethereal globe, and above the heavens, for the place of Gods residence, have given another kind of Paraphrase of it, Praise him ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that depend on the word of him which is above the heavens; according to that of the Jews, which aclowledge the key of rain, as that of the womb, to be in peculiar manner kept in Gods hand. But so it well may be, and yet be no higher elevated than the air, and there hang in clouds, till God please they shall dissolve and distil upon the earth. And considering how frequently the place of rain and of thunder, and of all other meteors, is called the heavens, there is no cause to doubt but the air is here meant by the heavens above which the waters are. Aben Ezra here calls it {untranscribed Hebrew} the sphere of fire, which is above the things which are here, after this, recited. Kimchi is observed somewhere to say, that the heaven of heavens may signify the lowest heavens, as a servant of servants doth the meanest of servants, Gen. ix. 25.    

The Hundred forty Ninth Psalm.  

Hallelujah.  Praise ye the Lord. The hundred forty ninth is a solemn form of thanksgiving for Gods people, on any signal victory afforded them by him, and mystically contains the eminent favour of God to his 
So R. Saadiah Gaon and Kimchi interpret it of the dayes of the messiah.  Church, and the conquest of the Christian faith over the heathen Potentates. It was entitled, as the former, Hallelujah.  
1. SIng unto the Lord a new song, 
let his praise be {untranscribed Hebrew}  and his praise in the congregation of saints.  
2. Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.  
3. Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.  
Let the whole Church of God through all ages constantly frequent his public service, and therein for ever magnify the name of God for all his mercies vouchsafed so liberally to them. The people of Israel are signally obliged to this, in that the omnipotent Creator of heaven and earth is pleased immediately to preside among them, to give them laws by which to live, and to exhibit himself graciously to them in his Sanctuary, and to fight their battels for them against their enemies, having brought them out of the slavery of egypt into the plenty of Canaan. And the Christian Church are much more obliged to this, for the redemption by Christ, and the regal government to which by his resurrection he was installed, spiritual, exercised by his word and grace in the hearts of his faithful people. O let us all with all possible exultation, with all the solemnest expressions of thankful hearts, commemorate and celebrate these mercies of his.  
4. For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will 
or glorify  beautify the meek with salvation.  
For those that humbly and faithfully adhere to him, he will never cease to love, he will delight to do them good, and, be they never so low, rescue and exalt them, and give them illustrious deliverances from all their temporal( and spiritual) enemies.  
5. Let the saints be joyful with glory: let them sing aloud in their beds.  
And when they are thus rescued and enjoy a quiet repose, they are in all reason obliged to praise and magnify their deliverer,( and so to anticipate the state of heavenly joys, where being arrived at our safe harbour, and rest from the pressures and sins of this life, we have nothing to do but to bless and glorify God, to rejoice and triumph in him.)  
6. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand,  
7. To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;  
8. To bind their Kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;  
9. To execute upon them the judgement written, This honour have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord.  
And those that thus depend on God, and thankfully aclowledge his works of mercy toward them, shall he signally assisted by him, as Moses and Joshuah were, whilst one held up his hands to pray and the other to fight, Exod. xvii. 11. God will make use of such, employ and assist and prosper them wonderfully in executing his judgments on sinful people, when the measure of their iniquities is filled up, and Gods decree gone out against them, as it was against the seven nations whose lands the Israelites took, destroyed their Kings, put some of them in gyves, as Adonibezek Jud. i. 7. and eradicated the whole people.( And thus in a mystical sense hath the faith of Christ been assisted by God, and prospered and propagated wonderfully, till it subdued the greatest Princes and Empire of the world to the sceptre of Christ.) And this certainly is a glorious prerogative of the people and beloved of God, for which they are obliged for ever to magnify him, and sing perpetual Hallelujahs to him.   

The Hundred and Fiftieth Psalm.  

Hallelujah.  Praise ye the Lord. The last Psalm is a solemn exhortation to all men in the world, to make use of all melodious instruments and voices to celebrate the praises of Gods power and Majesty. The title of it was, according to the matter, Hallelujah.  
1. PRaise God in his sanctuary: praise him in 
a.  the firmament of his power.  
O let us praise and magnify the God of heaven, that dwelleth so high, in power and glory, above us poor creatures on this earth, and yet is pleased to exhibit and presentiate himself to us, to hear and answer our prayers, and accept and reward our praises in the place of the public assembly. O let us be sure constantly to meet him there, and render him our humblest Eucharistical acknowledgements for all his mercies( those especially vouchsafed to us in Christ.)  
2. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to 
the multitude of his magnificence. {untranscribed Hebrew}  his excellent greatness.  
He hath shewed forth wonderful acts of power toward us, not once or twice, but frequently reiterated his miracles of mercy: O let our acknowledgements endeavour to bear some proportion with them in the ardency and frequency of our services.  
3. Praise him 
b.  with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the Psaltery and Harp.  
4. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.  
5. Praise him upon the loud Cymbals: praise him upon the high-sounding Cymbals.  
All the instruments of music that are at any time used to express the greatest ovations, to attend the noblest triumphs or festivities, the Trumpet, the Psaltery or decachord, the harp, the Timbrel, the Cymbals that have the loudest sounds, and are fittest for exultation, and withall the attendants of music, dancings, such as are customary in seasons of rejoicing, Jud. xxi. 21. Exod. xv. 20 are all very proper expressions of that thanksgiving which we owe unto God, and of the delight we take in paying him that tribute. There being no subject so fit for our devourest and most vigorous affections to poure out themselves upon, as this of the glorious excellencies and gracious acts of the divine power and goodness toward us.  
6. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.  
Let this therefore be part of the daily constant offices of the Church of God, to sing Hosannahs and Hallelujahs, Psalms and Hymns to him( to frequent the blessed Eucharist, the cup of blessing and rejoicing.) And let him be thought unworthy to live, to enjoy the breath of life( or any of the graces of Gods spirit) which doth not cheerfully exercise himself in this part of devotion, as ready to aclowledge the receipt of mercies from God; as to solicit them.  
HALLELUJAH.  

Annotations on Psalm CL.  
V. 1. Firmament of his power] The word {untranscribed Hebrew} expansion, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  which by the Lxxii. is generally rendered {untranscribed Hebrew} firmament,( in respect of the firmeness, stability and compactedness of that vast body, so distended and beaten out, as it were, by God, after the manner of a plate of gold or any other metal) is known to comprehend both the regions of the air, and all the celestial orbs, all that is above, and surrounds the earth. Here it is taken, as Gen. 1.14. for the superior part of this Expansion, that which we call the heavens, which being the place of Gods special residence, is called the expansion or firmament of his power, the throne where this powerful God of heaven dwells. But then, as the sanctuary, or place of Gods appointed solemn worship here below, is by the Apostle, Heb. ix. 23, 24. styled the figure and pattern, or copy of heaven, and God pleased in a singular manner to presentiate and exhibit himself there; so the sanctuary in this verse, expressed by {untranscribed Hebrew} in his holy, or holiness, but by the Chaldee expressed to be {untranscribed Hebrew} the house of his sanctuary, is poetically set down by this style which belongs to heaven itself, as the Church of God in the New Testament is oft styled the kingdom of heaven. So Aben Ezra renders the firmament by {untranscribed Hebrew} the ark, and saith the Psalm is an exhortation to the Levites to praise God, who upon these ten sorts of instruments were wont to play in the Temple, and accordingly all of them are distinctly reckoned up.  
V. 3. With the sound of the trumpet] The Hebrew {untranscribed Hebrew} undoubtedly signifying a trumpet, 
{untranscribed Hebrew}  and so interpnted by the Lxxii. {untranscribed Hebrew}, by the Chaldee {untranscribed Hebrew}, lightly varied from the Hebrew, is yet rendered by the Syriack {untranscribed Hebrew}( from which the latin cornu is but little removed) an horn; but this not to inject any suspicion that any other instrument is here meant, but only to refer to the ancient custom of making their trumpets of that matter, the horns of beasts bored or made hollow, agreeable to which is the arabic {untranscribed Hebrew} a trumpet( and the latin buccina hath some affinity to that) from the common Hebrew verb {untranscribed Hebrew} to empty or make hollow. The use of trumpets in war to celebrate a victory, and not only so, but to excite their souldiers and encourage them to fight, is most known, and allowed by the usage of all nations to have that propriety in it, and so might not unfitly be derived from the camp to the spiritual {untranscribed Hebrew} or warfare, Gods service in the Temple, both to celebrate their thanksgivings with this solemnity of greatest joy and transportation, and also to quicken, to stir up affections in the performance of such sacred Offices. The first mention we find of it in Scripture is in consort with thunder from heaven, Ex. xix. 16. to solemnize and signify the presence of God on Sinai, and to raise a reverence in the people, and withall to assemble them thither. And that use of it for the calling assemblies, as it is taken from the military custom of assembling all to battle unanimously by this sound, so is it of Gods own appointment, Num. x. 2. and to that use I suppose are the trumpets designed which are mentioned with other utensils of the Temple, 2 Kin. xii. 13. snuffers, basins, trumpets, &c. But for the use of trumpets in consort or harmony with other instruments, for the lauding of God, to which only this place belongs, the first mention we find of them is 1 Chron. xiii. 8. at Davids fetching the ark from Kiriath-jearim, when he and all Israel played before God with all their might, with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets: so again c. xv. 28. So on another, and not so festival an occasion, when on Azariah's prophecy Asa and Judah made a covenant to God, 2 Chron. xv. they swore unto the Lord with a loud voice, with shouting and with trumpets and with cornets, v. 14. And as Jehosaphat 2 Chron. xx. 20. at his going out against his enemies, to his exhortation to belief in God, adds the appointing of singers unto the Lord, v. 21.( and this attended with a signal blessing, v. 22. a victory over their enemies wrought by Gods hand) so they celebrated their triumph accordingly, going in procession to Jerusalem with Psalteries and Harps and Trumpets, v. 28. So on Hezekiah's reformation and sacrifice 2 Chron. xxix. 26. the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the Priests with the Trumpets: and when the burnt-offering began, the song of the Lord began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David King of Israel. So at the laying the foundation of the Temple, when it was reaedified, Ezra iii. 10. they set the Priests with trumpets, and the Levites with Cymbals: and so at the dedication of the wall, Neh. xii. 41. And as here, so Psal. cxviii. 6. the praises of God are appointed to be sung with that joyful noise that the harps and trumpets and cornets do sand forth. From these premises it will not be difficult to judge of the solidity of that Annotation which the Geneva Bible hath affixed to this verse in these words, Exhorting the people to rejoice in praising God, he maketh mention of those instruments which by Gods commandment were appointed in the old Law, but under Christ the use thereof is abolished in the Church. If by this phrase, appointed by Gods commandment in the old Law, be meant, that the use of these instruments was any part of the Ceremonial Law, given by God to Moses( in which onely the abolishing of it in the Christian Church can be founded with any appearance of reason) it already appears that there is no truth in this: For as this practise of praising God with the assistance of instrumental as well as vocal music is found to be ancienter then the giving of the Law in Sinai,( much more then of the ceremonies in Gods service either in the Tabernacle or Temple) being related of miriae the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, Ex. xv. 20. that to celebrate the delivery out of egypt, to Moses's song, took a timbrel in her hand, and the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances; so the appointment of it in Gods service cannot by the scripture be deduced from any higher original then that of David, according to that of 2 Chron. xxix. 26. which expresseth the instruments to have been ordained by David. The appointment, I say, or prescript command; for as to the practise of it, we have an earlier example and instance of that 1 Sam. x. 5. where the company of prophets are met by Saul, coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp before them, while they prophesied, or sang praises to God. And another yet earlier I mentioned, that of miriae and her maidens. And indeed the universal usage among all the nations that we red of, gives us cause much rather to assign it a place in the Natural Religion which the common light of Reason directed all civilized nations to, in attributing honour to God, then to number it among the ceremonies of the Mosaical Law. Homer, one of the ancientest heathen writers that we have, gives a sufficient account of the usage of the Greeks in celebrating the praises of the Gods and Heroes upon the Harp; and after him nothing more frequent then the mention of the Paeans, Dithyrambicks, Choriambicks, Pythaulae, the {untranscribed Hebrew} of Bacchus, the Phrygian way of service unto Cybele with the Drum, the Egyptians to Isis with the Timbrel or Sistrum. Of the more Eastern practise the third of Daniel is sufficient testimony, where the sound of the Cornet, Flute, Harp, Sackbut, Psaltery, Dulcimer, and all kinds of music are used in the worship of their Idol-Gods, v. 5. As for the Western or Roman, music was so great an ingredient in their Religion, that in the first Ages of that state, before they had learnt and received in to their own the rites of the nations they conquered, the Tibicines had a college or Corporation among them; and when upon a disobligation they left the city, the Senate addressed a solemn Embassy to them to bring them back, and at their return courted them with the donation of all the privileges they desired. By all this it appears how little affinity to truth there is in that observation, which made church-music a piece of abrogated judaism, it being no part of the Law given by Moses, and so great a part of the Religion of those to whose rites the Mosaical economy was most contrary; and yet so far also from being defamed by the Idolatrous heathens using of it, that the Prophets among the Jews practised it, miriae celebrated the deliverance from egypt with it in the presence of Moses, and David solemnly ordained and endowed it,( and from him the rest of the Kings of Judah) in the Tabernacle and the Temple. Which appointment of Davids although I suppose it not so far to be extended as to lay an obligation on all Christians in all their services to use this solemnity of instrumental music, Davids practices being not thus obligatory to us, nor his appointments reaching all Christians; yet 1. neither is there any reason deducible from hence to persuade us, that these Instruments taken in to assist in Gods service either then were, or now are, unlawful on that account, because they were not commanded by God, but appointed by David: for it being evident that David was both a Prophet and a King, the former( if not the latter of these alone) enabled and qualified him to ordain ceremonies in Gods service, as is visible in his numbering the age of the Levites, 1 Chron. xxiii. 27. otherwise then Moses had appointed, v. 3.& Num. iv. 3. and by his design to build God a Temple not commanded( but after forbidden) and yet his design of doing it approved by God. And 2. the motives which recommended the use thereof to David and his successors after him, being not shadows of things to come,( which therefore by the presence of the substance, the coming of Christ, are abolished) but reasons of equal efficacy now, and before, and in his time, viz. the propriety of those sounds to express and add to the solemnity of rejoicing, to enliven and stir up dull, and to compose irregular affections, to raise and inflame Devotion, to transport into holy extasyes, and this, as Boethius tells us, by virtue of the answerableness of the notes in music to those observed by nature in the temper of the body, which makes a well-composed harmony, a moral at least, if not even a natural instrument to work changes in human affections, and if the music be designed with judgement, and with respect to the present occasions, that change must in reason be to the better, and not to the worse. On these premises, I say, the least that can be inferred is, that if we only consider church-music as a suitable attendant on Divine Service, it is no more abrogated by the Gospel, then prostration of the body in prayer, setting apart Festival solemnities, making Oblations, building Oratories, and the like; and 2. if we join to this the consideration of the particular uses of it, then unless we have none of these wants which music is proper to supply, the Use may now as reasonably be retein'd in the Church( and that for other parts of Gods service as well as that one of Lauds and Magnificats, from the examples of Asa and Jehoshaphat forementioned) as it was introduced into Gods service in, and before the Temple. Yet when I say it may, I do not assume it must: When by the consent( in a manner) of all mankind I discern it looked on as an agreeable attendant and ornament of natural Religion, I do not yet esteem it either as any the least part of the Substance, or so much as a necessary rite of Divine Service, but place it in the classis of those things which, when they are seasonably and decently and reverently used, express our honour to the Deity. 'tis most certain, I may speak the praises of God without the addition either of Instrumental or even of vocal music; and so I know we may pray, and not in a Church or Consecrated place, and without the lowlyest posture of the body, that of prostration. Yet it will as little be doubted upon Christian Principles, or those which are common to all Religion, but, as these, so that, when it is( by the Piety of Governours, or without, so it be not against, their commands) superinduced, it will with good propriety fill up the solemnity and honorary respect, and so( though abstracted from the forementioned accessary advantages) maintain, against all rational opposition, the decency of retaining it in the Church of Christ. 3. To say still, after all this, that it is abolished in the Christian Church, and neither to show where, nor to tender any analogy or parity of reason by which that may( with some probability at least) be inferred, but having untruly suggested, that it was appointed by God in the Old Law, on that undue suggestion only, without the least tender of farther proof, to dictate magisterially that it is abolished, what is this but the fallacy in logic of begging the Question, and no small degree of the sin of dogmatizing, as far from the methods of Reason, as the purity or liberty of the Gospel? Especially when the Apostle under the New Testament, by prescribing Psalms and Hymns and spiritual songs Col. iii. 16. which three words are observed to comprise all the sorts of songs and Psalms mentioned among the Jews in the Old Testament( of the last of which those very Geneva-Annotations say, that they are peculiar and artificious songs, made fuller of music) and by the addition of singing, and making melody( the latter {untranscribed Hebrew} probably referring to 
The Psaltery is a known Instrument among the Hebrews, to which {untranscribed Hebrew} may refer.  instrumental, as the former to vocal music) seems so far from the least unkindness to the music customary in the Temple, that he rather recommends it on fit occasions to the Christians. Nor can there be any reason rendered, either Christian or Moral, why vocal music should be commanded under the Gospel, and yet Instrumental forbidden; or why Songs more than ordinarily artificious, and fuller of music, being in the Genevan judgement prescribed, should yet be interdicted the additional use of the Harp or Organ, or any other sort of grave, solemn, and most esteemed Musical Instruments, to accompany, and either assist, or adorn them. A more rational enquiry it would be, whether when the holy anointing oil, wherewith the Tabernacle was anointed, was not to be used for secular purposes under the severest penalty, Ex. xxx. 33. such Instruments, 1. so solemnly appointed, and thereby in a manner consecrated by David the holy Psalmist, and 2. honoured by the usage of the Temple, and also the Christian Church, be not in some degree debased, if not profaned, by being forbidden their Original proper Use, and employed to uses most contrary.    
HOSANNAH, HALLELUJAH.  
The End.   

An Index of the Words and Phrases explained in the Annotations.  

A.  

ABide pag. 255. col. 2  
Abjects pag. 190. col. 1  
Above the heavens pag. 190. col. 1. pag. 712. col. 1  
Abundantly utter pag. 699. col. 1  
Accept pag. 116. col. 1  
his Acts pag. 509. col. 1  
add iniquity pag. 343. col. 1  
deaf Adder pag. 294. col. 2  
Adversity pag. 189. col. 2  
Aethiopia pag. 433. col. 1  
Affliction pag. 132. col. 1  
Afflictions pag. 655. col. 1  
Afraid pag. 104. col. 1  
mine Age pag. 211. col. 1  
Aijeleth Shahar pag. 126. col. 1  
Alamoth pag. 240. col. 1  
Alike pag. 180. col. 2  
keep Alive pag. 132. col. 1  
to All pag. 699. col. 2  
All the judgments pag. 615. col. 1  
Altaschith pag. 291. col. 1  
evil Angels pag. 393. col. 1  
Angels food pag. 391. col. 1  
Anointed pag. 468. col. 1. pag. 525. col. 2  
Answered pag. 407. col. 1  
Appeareth before God pag. 423. col. 2  
holy arm pag. 489. col. 1  
Arrows pag. 375. col. 1  
Arrows of the mighty pag. 629. col. 1  
of Asaph pag. 356. col. 1  
Ashamed pag. 37. col. 1  
eaten Ashes like bread pag. 503. col. 1  
gone Aside pag. 72. col. 1  
Assembly of Saints pag. 445. col. 2  
Awake pag. 94. col. 1. pag. 291. col. ●  
Awake early pag. 291. col. 2  
when I Awake I am still with thee pag. 679. col. 1  
thou Awakest pag. 362. col. 2  
stand in Awe pag. 30. col. 1  
Axes pag. 367. col. 1    

B.  

Baal Peor pag. 540. col. 1  
valley of Bacha pag. 422. col. 1  
make them turn their Backs pag. 121. col. 2  
the Band pag. 618. col. 2  
Bands in their death pag. 356. col. 2  
set up our Banners pag. 117. col. 1  
Bash●n pag. 336. col. 1  
green Bay-tree pag. 201. col. 2  
the Beast pag. 709. col. 1  
wild Beasts pag. 261. col. 2  
Beauty pag. 211. col. 2. pag. 256. col. 2  
Beauty of holiness pag. 158. col. 2. pag. 563. col. 1  
Because pag. 547. col. 1  
Because of truth pag. 237. col. 1  
Before thee pag. 626. col. 2  
Beginning of wisdom pag. 570. col. 2  
Begotten pag. 15. col. 1  
Behaved pag. 189. col. 2. pag. 652. col. 1  
Belch pag. 301. col. 1  
Bend their bows pag. 315. col. 1  
Beset me pag. 675. col. 2  
Billows pag. 225. col. 2  
Bind with cords to the horns— pag. 594. col. 1  
Bind his Princes pag. 528. col. 1  
Blessed are— pag. 21. col. 1  
Blessed be the Lord— pag. 219. col. 1  
Blessed in him pag. 352. col. 1  
Blessed of him pag. 200. col. 2  
Blesseth pag. 56. col. 1  
Boast pag. 232. col. 2  
my Bones pag. 36. col. 1  
Book pag. 217. col. 1. pag. 678. col. 2  
Book of the living pag. 343. col. 2  
Book of Psalms pag. 1. col. 3  
Borders pag. 394. col. 1  
out of thy bosom pag. 367. col. 2  
a Bottle in the smoke pag. 620. col. 1  
dealt Bountifully pag. 70. col. 2. pag. 615. col. 1  
Bow down pag. 91. col. 1  
carrying bows pag. 390. col. 1  
a Bowing wall pag. 311. col. 1  
Branches pag. 517. col. 2  
the Breach pag. 539. col. 1  
Bread of tears pag. 400. col. 1  
Break pag. 17. col. 2. pag. 615. col. 2  
Break my head pag. 685. col. 2  
Breath out cruelty pag. 152. col. 1  
Bridegroom coming out of his chamber pag. 113. col. 1  
Broken pag. 103. col. 1  
Brook of the way pag. 565 col. 2  
Brought forth pag. 520. col. 2  
horn to Bud pag. 657. col. 2  
Build the house pag. 643. col. 1  
strong Bulls pag. 130. col. 1  
bones are Burnt up pag. 502. col. 1  
thy burden pag. 285. col. 2    

C.  

maketh the storms a Calm pag. 548. col. 1  
maketh the hinds to Calve pag. 161. col. 2  
his word Came pag. 527. col. 1  
Cared for my soul pag. 688. col. 1  
Carriest them away pag. 455. col. 1  
Carved work pag. 367. col. 1  
Cast down pag. 200. col. 2  
Cast out pag. 231. col. 1  
Catch pag. 558. col. 1  
Caterpillar pag. 392. col. 2  
without a Cause pag. 142. col. 1  
goodly Cedar-trees pag. 401. col. 1  
Chamber pag. 514. col. 2  
no Changes pag. 284. col. 2  
Chariot pag. 241. col. 2  
Chariots pag. 336. col. 2  
Charmers pag. 295. col. 1  
Chasticeth pag. 472. col. 1  
Cheek-bone pag. 25. col. 2  
sitteth between the Cherubims pag. 491. col. 2  
Chief joy pag. 668. col. 2  
Chief musician pag. 28. col. 1  
Chosen pag. 448. col. 1  
Clap their hands pag. 489. col. 1  
Cleanness of my hands pag. 100. col. 2  
Clear pag. 264. col. 1  
Cleave pag. 369. col. 1  
Clouds pag. 291. col. 2  
Cloudy pillar pag. 492. col. 1  
Come down pag. 100. col. 1  
shall Come pag. 260. col. 1  
lest they Come nerae unto thee pag. 175. col. 1  
Comfort pag. 347. col. 2  
Commandments are sure pag. 570. col. 1  
Commit pag. 199. col. 1  
Compact together pag. 684. col. 1  
in Company pag. 284. col. 1  
Compass thine altar pag. 147. col. 2  
Compassest pag. 675. col. 1  
Compasseth pag. 360. col. 1  
Conceived in sin pag. 266. col. 1  
condemn his soul pag. 559. col. 2  
Coneys pag. 518. col. 1  
Congregation pag. 8. col. 2. pag. 372. col. 1  
thy Congregation pag. 333. col. 1  
Consume as smoke pag. 200. col. 1  
Consumed me pag. 625. col. 2  
in Continuance pag. 678. col. 2  
Cords pag. 13. col. 1  
Corner-stones pag. 695. col. 2  
Corrupt pag. 360. col. 1  
Corruption pag. 84. col. 1  
Coucheth pag. 59. col. 2  
Covered me in— pag. 677. col. 1  
Counsel pag. 6. col. 1  
their Counsel pag. 337. col. 2  
given me Counsel pag. 83. col. 1  
take Counsel pag. 13. col. 1  
my Countenance pag. 226. col. 2  
light of thy Countenance pag. 232. col. 1  
rebuk of thy Countenance pag. 403. col. 2  
Creeping pag. 519. col. 1  
Crieth pag. 350. col. 2  
Crieth out pag. 421. col. 1  
Cup pag. 65. col. 2 pag. 81. col. 1  
Cup of salvation pag. 584. col. 2  
Curiously wrought pag. 677. col. 2  
that are Cursed pag. 615. col. 2  
Cursing pag. 58. col. 2  
Curtain pag. 514. col. 1  
Cush the Benjamite pag. 40. col. 1  
Cut off pag. 378. col. 2 pag. 458. col. 2    

D.  

how many are the Daies pag. 620. col. 2  
Dancing pag. 165. col. 1  
Dark saying pag. 253 col. 1  
into Darkness pag. 440. col. 2  
Daughter of Sion pag. 53. col. 2  
Dead pag. 439. col. 1  
Deadly enemies pag. 90. col. 2  
Deaf Adder pag. 294. col. 2  
Deal bountifully pag. 70. col. 2 pag. 615. col. 1  
issues from Death pag. 337. col. 1  
unto Death pag. 249. col. 2  
Declare pag. 372. col. 1  
Decree pag. 14. col. 1  
Dedication pag. 164. col. 1  
Deep pag. 224. col. 2  
Degrees pag. 628. col. 1  
Delight pag. 474. col. 2  
Delighted pag. 129. col. 2  
Delivered pag. 406. col. 1  
Desert pag. 155. col. 2 pag. 502. col. 1  
the Desire pag. 700. col. 1  
Desires pag. 682. col. 2  
Desolate pag. 143. col. 2  
shall be Desolate pag. 184. col. 2  
unto perpetual Desolations pag. 366. col. 1  
Destroy pag. 367. col. 2  
would Destroy pag. 342. col. 1  
art to be Destroyed pag. 668. col. 2  
the Destroyer pag. 89. col. 1  
to Destruction pag. 455. col. 1  
Destructions pag. 52. col. 2  
due of Hermon pag. 659. col. 1  
due of thy youth pag. 563. col. 2  
Disappoint pag. 92. col. 1  
Dissemblers pag. 146. col. 2  
Divide Sichem pag. 306. col. 2  
that he hath Done this pag. 133. col. 2  
Doth pag. 8. col. 2  
Dore-keeper pag. 423. col. 2  
door of my lips pag. 684. col. 1  
Draw pag. 155. col. 1  
Dream pag. 641. col. 1  
Dross pag. 623. col. 2  
favour the Dust thereof pag. 504. col. 2  
Dwell pag. 34. col. 1 pag. 135. col. 1 pag. 198. col. 1  
Dwelleth on high pag. 575. col. 1  
Dwelling pag. 453. col. 1  
Dwelling-place pag. 277. col. 1    

E.  

youth renewed like the Eagles pag. 508. col. 1  
Early pag. 498. col. 2  
right Early pag. 241. col. 1  
rise up Early pag. 644. col. 1  
in the Earth pag. 350. col. 1  
formed the Earth pag. 454. col. 1  
are at Ease pag. 636. col. 2  
East pag. 373. col. 1  
East wind. pag. 248. col. 2  
unto the End pag. 617. col. 1  
come to an End pag. 43. col. 1  
End of all perfection pag. 622. col. 1  
Endor pag. 415. col. 2  
Enemies pag. 679. col. 2  
Entrance of thy word pag. 625. col. 1  
before Ephraim— pag. 400. col. 1  
Ephrata pag. 656. col. 1  
mine Equal pag. 283. col. 2  
Escape pag. 289. col. 1  
in an Even place  
Evening sacrifice pag. 684. col. 1  
an Evil disease pag. 219. col. 1  
evil speaker pag. 682. col. 2  
Exact upon him pag. 448. col. 2  
Exalt themselves pag. 682. col. 1  
is Exalted pag. 592. col. 2  
mine Eye hath seen his desire pag. 279. col. 2    

F.  

the Face pag. 184. col. 1  
seek thy Face pag. 138. col. 1  
Faileth of fatness pag. 559. col. 1  
to thy Faithfulness pag. 446. col. 1  
Fall pag. 52. col. 1 pag. 313. col. 2  
that I might Fall pag. 592. col. 1  
make their own tongue to Fall pag. 316. col. 2  
Famous pag. 366. col. 2  
Fat pag. 199. col. 2  
Fat as grease pag. 619. col. 2  
Fatness pag. 559. col. 2  
go to the generation of his Fathers pag. 257. col. 2  
Fear not pag. 316. col. 1  
Fear was on every side pag. 169. col. 2  
thy Fear pag. 459. col. 1  
devoted to thy Fear pag. 617. col. 2  
put them in Fear pag. 53. col. 2  
in great Fear pag. 72. col. 2  
they shall Fear pag. 350. col. 1  
with Fear pag. 18. col. 1  
the earth Feared pag. 376. col. 2  
that thou mayst be Feared pag. 650. col. 1  
Feast-day pag. 406. col. 1  
in Feasts pag. 190. col. 2  
Fed pag. 198. col. 1  
Feel the thorns pag. 297. col. 2  
lift up thy Feet pag. 365. col. 1  
Few men in number pag. 525. col. 2  
dayes be Few pag. 557. col. 1  
seek till thou find none pag. 61. col. 2 pag. 88. col. 1  
Fine gold pag. 114. col. 2  
Finest wheat pag. 408. col. 2  
Fireb, rimstone— pag. 65. col. 1  
Firmament pag. 108. col. 1  
Firmament of his power pag. 716. col. 1  
Firr-trees pag. 517. col. 2  
Flattereth pag. 193. col. 1  
Flee away pag. 282. col. 2 pag. 459. col. 1  
the flood pag. 161. col. 2  
Fly apace pag. 334. col. 1  
divers sorts of Flies pag. 392. col. 1  
Follow it pag. 474. col. 2  
their Folly pag. 255. col. 2  
not turn to Folly pag. 425. col. 2  
Fools pag. 547. col. 1  
Footsteps pag. 298. col. 2 pag. 449. col. 2  
For pag. 502. col. 2 pag. 591. col. 2 pag. 675. col. 2  
For I shall— pag. 58. col. 1  
For so— pag. 644. col. 1  
For ever pag. 201. col. 1 pag. 325. col. 1  
For ever, O Lord, pag. 621. col. 2  
For evermore pag. 105. col. 1  
Forget her cunning pag. 668. col. 1  
Forgiven the iniquity pag. 425. col. 1  
Former pag. 449. col. 1  
Forsake pag. 672. col. 2  
Foundation pag. 431. col. 1  
Foundations pag. 63. col. 1  
portion for Foxes pag. 314. col. 1  
Free pag. 438. col. 1  
Freely sacrifice pag. 279. col. 2  
Fret pag. 199. col. 2  
From the Lord pag. 632. col. 1  
Frost pag. 393. col. 1  
a Froward heart pag. 498. col. 2  
fruitful vine pag. 646. col. 1  
Full of children pag. 93. col. 2  
right hand Full of righteousness pag. 249. col. 1  
fullness pag. 446. col. 1  
Furrows pag. 321. col. 2  
Further not pag. 682. col. 1    

G.  

Gate pag. 342. col. 1 pag. 644 col. 2  
ye Gates pag. 139. col. 1  
Gather pag. 211. col. 1 pag. 289. col. 1  
Gathered together for war pag. 682. col. 1  
Gebal pag. 419. col. 1  
Gentleness pag. 103. col. 1  
Gilead pag. 307. col. 1  
Gittith pag. 46. col. 1  
Given to thee pag. 629. col. 1  
make his praise Glorious pag. 324. col. 1  
Glory pag. 83. col. 1 pag. 166. col. 2 pag. 538. col. 1  
my Glory into pag. 29. col. 1  
with Glory pag. 362. col. 2  
Glory ye— pag. 525. col. 1  
God pag. 288. col. 2  
my God pag. 127. col. 1  
meat from God pag. 518. col. 1  
Gods pag. 410. col. 1 pag. 429. col. 2 pag. 485. col. 2 pag. 670. col. 1  
Godly pag. 29. col. 2  
go in pag. 347. col. 1  
Going out and coming in pag. 632. col. 2  
fine Gold pag. 114. col. 2  
Good pag. 342. col. 1 pag. 519. col. 2  
Good judgement pag. 618. col. 2  
a Good matter pag. 237. col. 1  
Goodness pag. 79. col. 1  
my Goodness pag. 79. col. 1  
Govern pag. 326 col. 1  
as Grass pag. 455. col. 2  
Grave pag. 255. col. 2  
Graves mouth pag. 686. col. 2  
Great pag. 587. col. 1  
Grievous pag. 57. col. 2  
Groweth up pag. 455. col. 2 pag. 646. col. 1  
Grudge pag. 303. col. a  
Guide thee pag. 175. col. 1    

H.  

Habitation of thy house pag. 148. col. 1  
Habitation of thy throne pag. 447. col. 1 pag. 485. col. 1  
Hagarenes pag. 414. col. 1  
Half their dayes pag. 285. col. 2  
thy Hand pag. 92 col. 1  
lift up thy Hand pag. 540. col. 1  
thy right Hand pag. 90. col. 1 pag. 565. col. 1  
my soul is in my Hand pag. 622. col. 2  
found their Hands pag. 376. col. 1  
Hand-breadth pag. 210 col. 1  
handful pag. 351 col. 1  
Happy pag. 704. col. 1  
Harps pag. 228. col. 2  
my hast pag. 170. col. 2  
soul Hateth pag. 64. col. 2  
as an Heap pag. 179. col. 2  
on Heaps pag. 397. col. 1  
Heapeth up pag. 20. col. 1  
hast Heard me pag. 132. col. 1  
Heard of it at Ep●rata pag. 655. col. 2  
Hear me pag. 28 col. 2  
Hear us pag. 118. col. 1  
harkening pag. 509 col. 2  
my Heart pag. 151. col. 1  
in the Heart pag. 238. col. 1  
Hearts pag. 421. col. 1  
say in their H●arts pag. 191. col. 2  
Heathens pag. 62. col. 1  
the Heavens pag. 292. col. 1 pag. 332. col. 1 pag. 483. col. 2 pag. 575. col. 2  
Heavens of heavens pag. 712. col. 1  
by taking Heed pag. 613. col. 2  
iniquity of my Heels pag. 253. col. 2  
Hell pag. 83. col. 2  
Heman the Ezrahite pag. 438. col. 1  
Hermon pag. 446. col. 2  
due of Hermon pag. 659. col. 1  
Hermon tes pag. 224. col. 1  
hide treasure pag. 93 col. 1  
Hidden ones pag. 413. col. 1  
to hid me pag. 602 col. 1  
High hill pag. 336. col. 1  
low and High pag. 252. col. 1  
High places pag. 102. col. 2  
to the Hills pag. 636. col. 1  
maketh the Hinds to calve pag. 161. col. 2  
Hold up my goings pag. 89. col. 1  
have Holpen pag. 415. col. 1  
Holy pag. 700. col. 1  
for I am Holy pag. 429. col. 1  
beauties of Holiness pag. 563. col. 1  
Honourable women pag. 239. col. 1  
horn of David pag. 657. col. 2  
mine horn shalt thou exalt pag. 468. col. 2  
horns of the Altar pag. 594. col. 1  
Horrible pit pag. 214. col. 1  
keep House pag. 576. col. 1  
Houses pag. 416. col. 1  
to his own Hurt pag. 76. col. 1    

I.  

O Jacob— pag. 137. col. 2  
Jah pag. 332. col. 2  
Idols pag. 479. col. 1 pag. 580. col. 1  
Jehovah pag. 418. col. 2  
If ye will— pag. 476. col. 2  
Image pag. 362. col. 1  
Imagine mischief pag. 310. col. 1  
substance yet Imperfect pag. 678. col. 1  
enclosed pag. 90. col. 2 pag. 131. col. 1  
Inditing pag. 236. col. 1  
my Infirmity pag. 382. col. 1  
Inhabitest pag. 128. col. 1  
Inheritance pag. 394. col. 1  
Iniquity pag. 101. col. 2 pag. 169. col. 1  
former Iniquities pag. 397. col. 1  
enlarge my heart pag. 616. col. 2  
Instructed pag. 18. col. 1 pag. 82. col. 2  
Instrument of ten strings pag. 179. col. 1  
Integrity pag. 143. col. 2  
Intended evil pag. 121. col. 1  
Inward parts pag. 274. col. 2  
exceeding Joy pag. 228. col. 1  
sacrifices of Joy pag. 151. col. 1  
be joyful pag. 489. col. 2  
joyful sound pag. 447. col. 1  
out of joint pag. 130. col. 2  
laid in Irons pag. 526. col. 2  
Ishmaelites pag. 414. col. 1  
Issues from death pag. 337. col. 1  
Judge pag. 373. col. 2 pag. 663. col. ●  
their Judges pag. 686. col. 2  
when thou Judgest pag. 265. col. 1  
executed judgement pag. 540. col. 2  
good judgement pag. 618. col. 2  
thrones of judgement pag. 634. col. 2  
coals of Juniper pag. 629. col. 1  
Justice pag. 446. col. 2  
do Justice pag. 410. col. 2    

K.  

Kadesh pag. 160. col. 1  
Keep pag. 612. col. 2  
shalt Keep them pag. 67. col. 2  
Kiss the son pag. 20. col. 1  
I Knew it not pag. 190. col. 1  
Knewest my path pag. 688. col. 1  
let him be Known pag. 397. col. 2    

L.  

to Labour pag. 696. col. 1  
lamp pag. 657. col. 1  
Law-giver pag. 307. col. 1  
Leanness pag. 537. col. 2  
Leannoth pag. 436. col. 1  
Leap pag. 336. col. 1  
Leaped pag. 101. col. 2  
Leave not pag. 687. col. 2  
Lebanon pag. 159. col. 2  
Lest if thou— pag. 154. col. 1  
Let me not wander pag. 614. col. 1  
Let the words— pag. 115. col. 1  
Let them pag. 188. col. 2  
Leviathan pag. 368. col. 1 pag. 519. col. 1  
their Life pag. 393. col. 2  
in this Life pag. 93. col. 1  
Lift up pag. 31. col. 1 pag. 503. col. 2  
Lift up thy feet pag. 365. col. 1  
Lift up your heads pag. 138. col. 2  
my hands will I Lift up pag. 618. col. 1  
Lift up his soul pag. 137. col. 1  
Lifted up his hand pag. 540. col. 1  
Light pag. 487. col. 2  
the Light pag. 370. col. 1  
Light of thy countenance pag. 232. col. 1  
Lighten mine eyes pag. 70. col. 1  
Like as a lion pag. 91. col. 2  
thy Likeness pag. 94. col. 1  
their Line pag. 109. col. 2  
Lines pag. 82. col. 1  
Lions roar after their prey pag. 518. col. 2  
young Lions pag. 183. col. 1  
shoot out the Lip pag. 129. col. 2  
as long as I Live pag. 584. col. 1  
that I may Live pag. 615. col. 2  
Living pag. 297. col. 2  
book of the Living pag. 343. col. 2  
land of the Living pag. 152. col. 2  
Loathsome disease pag. 207. col. 2  
as the Locust pag. 558. col. 1  
Loins pag. 207. col. 1  
Longeth pag. 313. col. 1  
Look unto the hand pag. 636. col. 1  
Lord pag. 288. col. 2 pag. 481. col. 2 pag. 565. col. 1  
my Lord pag. 562. col. 1  
Lot pag. 81. col. 1  
children of Lot pag. 414. col. 1  
I Love the Lord pag. 583. col. 1  
song of Loves pag. 236. col. 1  
Loving kindness pag. 549. col. 1  
Low and high pag. 252. col. 1  
Lust pag. 391. col. 1  
my Lying down pag. 675. col. 1    

M.  

Mad against me pag. 502. col. 2  
Magnified thy word pag. 671. col. 1  
Mahalath pag. 278. col. 1  
Maintainest my lot pag. 81. col. 2  
Make me to go pag. 617. col. 2  
Make mention pag. 432. col. 1  
Maketh my feet— pag. 102. col. 1  
this Man pag. 432. col. 2  
what is Man pag. 694. col. 1  
given in Marriage pag. 394. col. 2  
marvellous things pag. 489. col. 1  
Maschil pag. 173. col. 1  
Meat from God pag. 518. col. 1  
Meditation pag. 33. col. 2  
Melt away pag. 573. col. 2  
Melteth pag. 616. col. 1  
Men pag. 359. col. 3  
the Men pag. 93. col. 1  
Mercy pag. 426. col. 1  
merciful pag. 701. col. 2  
Mesech pag. 629. col. 2  
Michtam pag. 78. col. 1  
Mighty pag. 447. col. 2  
ye Mighty pag. 158. col. 1 pag. 410. col. 1 pag. 445. col. 1  
Mischievous things pag. 208. col. 2  
my Moisture pag. 173. col. 2  
a Moment pag. 165. col. 1  
a Moth pag. 211. col. 2  
my Mountain pag. 165. col. 2  
Mountains pag. 578. col. 2  
Mountains round about Jerusalem pag. 639. col. 1  
go up by the Mountains pag. 516. col. 2  
sin of their Mouth pag. 303. col. 1  
thy Mouth pag. 508. col. 1  
breath in their Mouths pag. 664. col. 1  
with the Multitude pag. 223. col. 1  
Muth-Labben pag. 50. col. 1  
My God pag. 127. col. 1    

N.  

whose Name is Jehovah pag. 418. col. 2  
Nations pag. 586. col. 1  
Neginoth pag. 28. col. 1  
Nehiloth pag. 23. col. 1  
a Net in a pit pag. 188. col. 2  
New Moon pag. 405. col. 2  
by Night pag. 463. col. 1  
Night-watches pag. 625. col. 2  
Nobles pag. 416. col. 1  
Not unto us— pag. 580. col. 1  
for Nought pag. 232. col. 2  
the Numbers pag. 346. col. 1    

O.  

Of him pag. 520. col. 1  
Offend pag. 361. col. 2 pag. 626. col. 1  
fresh oil pag. 468. col. 2  
mine ear hast thou Opened pag. 214. col. 2  
Oracle pag. 155. col. 1  
set a wicked man Over him pag. 556. col. 1  
Out-goings pag. 320. col. 1  
owl pag. 502. col. 1    

P.  

like high Palaces pag. 395. col. 2  
Panteth pag. 222. col. 1  
Passed pag. 202. col. 2  
his Pasture pag. 476. col. 1  
Pastures pag. 322. col. 2  
Paths pag. 321. col. 2  
enemies of Peace pag. 630. col. 2  
People pag. 548. col. 1  
thy People pag. 562. col. 2  
Perfect pag. 102. col. 1  
Perfect that which concerneth me pag. 672. col. 2  
end of all Perfection pag. 622. col. 1  
Perish from the way pag. 20. col. 2  
Persecute pag. 56. col. 1  
arrows against the Persecutors pag. 43. col. 2  
Pierced pag. 131. col. 1  
Pit pag. 189. col. 1  
proud have digged Pits pag. 621. col. 1  
Play pag. 519. col. 2  
at his Pleasure pag. 525. col. 2  
the Plowers ploughed upon— pag. 647. col. 1  
Pluck it out pag. 367. col. 2  
●ain filleth the Pools pag. 423. col. 1  
Portion of their cup pag. 65. col. 2  
Possessed my reins pag. 676. col. 1  
Posterity pag. 558. col. 2  
pots pag. 297. col. 1 pag. 334. col. 1  
great Power pag. 201. col. 2  
Power for ever pag. 325. col. 1  
thy Power pag. 562. col. 2  
practise wicked works pag. 684. col. 2  
Praise pag. 288. col. 1  
God of my Praise pag. 555. col. 1  
Praise the Lord pag. 536. col. 1 pag. 568. col. 1  
worthy to be Praised pag. 99. col. 1  
his Prayer become sin pag. 557. col. 1  
Preparedst room pag. 400. col. 1  
Presence pag. 170. col. 2  
Presumptuous sins pag. 115. col. 1  
Preserveth pag. 171. col. 1  
Preventest pag. 121. col. 1  
precious seed pag. 641. col. 2  
precious in the sight— pag. 585. col. 2  
Priests pag. 492. col. 1  
Privily set pag. 59. col. 2  
Promotion pag. 373. col. 1  
Proud pag. 620. col. 2 pag. 636. col. 2  
Proud heart pag. 498. col. 2  
Proud waters pag. 638. col. 1  
Provisions pag. 656. col. 2  
a Psalm pag. 23. col. 1  
take a Psalm pag. 405. col. 1  
Psalms col. 1  
those that Published it pag. 333. col. 2  
Puffeth pag. 66. col. 1  
Pure pag. 113. col. 2  
I am Purposed pag. 88. col. 2  
Puttest away pag. 623. col. 2    

Q.  

Quench pag. 517. col. 1  
Quenched pag. 591. col. 1    

R.  

Rage pag. 12. col. 1  
Rahab pag. 432. col. 1  
Ran pag. 381. col. 1  
they Rebelled not pag. 528. col. 2  
Rebellious pag. 389. col. 1  
rebuk pag. 337. col. 2  
rebuk of thy Countenance pag. 403. col. 2  
Receive me pag. 257. col. 1  
Reckoned up pag. 214. col. 2  
they reel pag. 547. col. 2  
Reins pag. 82. col. 1  
rejoice on every side pag. 322. col. 1  
Remember pag. 116. col. 2 pag. 117. col. 2 pag. 223. col. 2  
bring to Remembrance pag. 205. col. 1  
to be remembered pag. 569. col. 2  
Repent himself pag. 663. col. 2  
Reproach pag. 291. col. 1 pag. 379. col. 2  
a Reproach of men pag. 129. col. 1  
Request of his lips pag. 120. col. 1  
Rest pag. 199. col. 1  
restrain pag. 377. col. 2  
return pag. 361. col. 1  
Returned pag. 305. col. 2  
for a Reward pag. 217. col. 2  
Rewarded pag. 41. col. 1  
Rideth upon the heavens pag. 332. col. 1  
Right pag. 625. col. 1  
Right, O God pag. 87. col. 1  
Right hand pag. 90. col. 1 pag. 489. col. 1 pag. 695. col. 1  
Right hand of falsehood pag. 695. col. 1  
Righteous pag. 200. col. 2. pag. 701. col. 2  
Righteousness pag. 94. col. 1 pag. 137. col. 2 pag. 249. col. 1 pag. 350. col. 1 pag. 426. col. 2 pag. 624. col. 2 pag. 691. col. 1  
unto Righteousness pag. 473. col. 2  
counted to him for Righteousness pag. 541. col. 1  
sacrifices of Righteousness pag. 20. col. 2  
Rivers pag. 7. col. 2 pag. 369. col. 2  
my Roaring pag. 127. col. 1  
Rock pag. 98. col. 1  
Rock of my salvation pag. 44. col. 1  
stony Rock pag. 408. col. 2  
the Rod pag. 365. col. 1  
their Ruler pag. 337. col. 1  
run continually pag. 295. col. 2  
Runneth over pag. 134. col. 1    

S.  

Sabbath pag. 469. col. 1  
Sacrifice pag. 593. col. 2  
Sacrifice of righteousness pag. 33. col. 2  
Salmon pag. 335. col. 2  
Salvation pag. 656. col. 2  
cup of Salvation pag. 584. col. 2  
Sanctuary pag. 313. col. 2 pag. 577. col. 1 pag. 660. col. 1  
Save Lord pag. 177. col. 2  
Scattered pag. 467. col. 2  
Sea pag. 319. col. 2  
at the Sea pag. 536. col. 2  
wide Sea pag. 518. col. 2  
Seat pag. 7. col. 1  
the Secret pag. 406. col. 2  
Secret of thy presence pag. 170. col. 2  
See his desire pag. 573. col. 1  
Seek pag. 57. col. 1  
Seek thy face pag. 138. col. 1  
Seek till thou find none pag. 61. col. 2  
Seife pag. 284. col. 1  
Selah pag. 24, col. 2  
he Set pag. 112. col. 1  
Set themselves pag. 12. col. 2  
Shall yield— pag. 326. col. 1  
shane pag. 217. col. 2  
Shapen in iniquity pag. 265. col. 2  
bindeth Sheaves pag. 265. col. 2  
Shechem pag. 306. col. 2  
like Sheep pag. 255. col. 2  
Shields of the earth pag. 244. col. 1  
Shiggaion pag. 39. col. 1  
cast out my shoe pag. 307. col. 1  
Shoshannim pag. 236. col. 1  
Shot out pag. 100. col. 2  
Shouteth pag. 394 col. 2  
Shushan pag. 305. col. 1  
signs pag. 528. col. 2  
for signs pag. 366. col. 2  
Silence pag. 260. col. 2 pag. 413. col. 1  
Silent pag. 128. col. 1 pag. 170. col. 2  
his prayer become Sin pag. 557. col. 1  
Sinai pag. 332. col. 2 pag. 336. col. 1  
Sing pag. 517. col. 2 pag. 708. col. 1  
beautiful for Situation pag. 247. col. 1  
evil shall Slay pag. 184. col. 2  
Slay them not pag. 302. col. 2  
as a Sleep pag. 455. col. 2  
Slept their sleep pag. 376. col. 2  
Slide pag. 145. col. 1  
in the smoke pag. 620. col. 1  
like smoke pag. 501. col. 1  
smother than butter pag. 285. col. 1  
snail pag. 296. col. 2  
Snares pag. 208. col. 1  
white as Snow pag. 335. col. 2  
Solitary pag. 332. col. 2  
Solitary way pag. 546. col. 2  
son pag. 15. col. 1  
Soon forgot pag. 536. col. 2  
Sore pag. 208. col. 1  
my Sore ran pag. 381. col. 1  
Sore pained pag. 282. col. 1  
Sorrows pag. 81, col. 1 pag. 99. col. 2  
be Sorry pag. 208. col. 2  
Sought out pag. 569. col. 1  
soul pag. 526. col. 2  
my soul pag. 291. col. 1 pag. 342. col. 1  
my soul Is in my hand pag. 622. col. 2  
soul hateth pag. 64. col. 2  
poured out my soul pag. 223. col. 1  
South pag. 446. 548. 641. col. 1  
Spake unadvisedly pag. 541. col. 2  
Speak pag. 581. col. 1  
Speak against thee wickedly pag. 679. col. 2  
there is no Speech pag. 108. col. 2  
Spirit pag. 173. col. 1  
Spoiling pag. 189. col. 1  
Stand in the house of the Lord pag. 660. col. 1  
Standing pag. 410. col. 1  
Stick fast pag. 206. col. 1  
be Still pag. 377. col. 1  
the ston pag. 592. col. 2  
take pleasure in her Stones pag. 504. col. 1  
Stop the way pag. 188. col. 2  
Strange God pag. 408. col. 1  
Strange language pag. 577. col. 1  
Strange children pag. 695. col. 1  
Stranger pag. 558. col. 1  
in our Streets pag. 696. col. 2  
Strength pag. 393. col. 2 pag. 481. col. 2  
his Strength pag. 302. col. 1 pag. 525. col. 1  
Strength of his head pag. 307. col. 1  
by reason of Strength pag. 458. col. 1  
saving Strength pag. 156. col. 2  
Strengthen pag. 153. col. 1  
a Strong man pag. 113. col. 1  
madest Strong for thyself pag. 401. col. 2  
Stubble before the wind pag. 418. col. 1  
stubborn pag. 389. col. 1  
Stumbled pag. 151. col. 1  
Submit pag. 103 col. 2  
as long as the Sun pag. 351. col. 2  
for the Sun pag. 112. col. 2  
commandments are Sure pag. 570. col. 1  
Surely pag. 652. col. 1  
Surety pag. 624. col. 1  
Swallow me up pag. 288. col. 1  
Sweareth pag. 314. col. 2  
Sweet counsel pag. 283 col. 2  
thy Sword pag. 92. col. 1    

T.  

Tabernacle pag. 112. col. 2  
Tabor pag. 446. col. 2  
Take a Psalm pag. 405. col. 1  
as a Tale pag. 456. col. 2  
they talk pag. 343. col. 1  
Tarshish pag. 247. col. 2  
Teach his senators pag. 528. col. 1  
they did tear me pag. 190. col. 1  
Teeth pag. 295. col. 2  
Terrible things pag. 319. col. 2  
Testimony of Israel pag. 634. col. 1  
That I may live  
They have made— pag. 238. col. 2  
Thick trees pag. 367. col. 1  
Thorns pag. 297. col. 1  
Though ye have— pag. 335. col. 1  
Thought pag. 249. col. 1  
vain Thoughts pag. 623. col. 2  
thy Thoughts pag. 678. col. 2  
twenty Thousand pag. 336. col. 2  
Thousands of Angels pag. 336. col. 2  
Threescore years— pag. 457. col. 1  
Thy throne pag. 238. col. 1  
Thy way pag. 34. col. 2  
bring hither the Timbrel pag. 405. col. 2  
a Time when thou mayest be found pag. 174. col. 1  
Time for thee, Lord, to— pag. 624. col. 2  
my Times pag. 170. col. 1  
Together pag. 203. col. 2 pag. 367. col. 2  
Took pag. 287. col. 1  
Tossed up and down pag. 558. col. 2  
Toward pag. 509. col. 2  
Tremble pag. 491. col. 1 pag. 624. col. 1  
try pag. 146. col. 1  
thou hast Tried me pag. 87. col. 2  
Triumph pag. 307. col. 2 pag. 551. col. 1  
Troubled pag. 206 col. 2 pag. 381. col. 2  
Trumpet pag. 716. col. 1  
Trust pag. 117. col. 1  
Trust thou pag. 581. col. 2  
Trust in wealth pag. 254. col. 1  
put their Trust pag. 21. col. 1  
Truth pag. 274. col. 2 pag. 306. col. 2 pag. 426. col. 1  
turn aside pag. 639. col. 2  
thou Turnest pag. 454. col. 1  
thy Turtle pag. 370. col. 2    

V.  

Vagabonds pag. 557. col. 1  
Vain thoughts pag. 623. col. 2  
take thy name in Vain pag. 679. col. 2  
Vanity pag. 59. col. 1 pag. 473. col. 1  
speak Vanity pag. 695. col. 1  
lying Vanities pag. 169. col. 1  
Verily pag. 198. col. 2  
Vexed pag. 36. col. 2  
Victory pag. 489. col. 1  
Vilest pag. 68. col. 1  
Villages pag. 59. col. 1  
fruitful Vine pag. 646. col. 1  
Vineyard pag. 401. col. 2  
Violent pag. 430. col. 2  
Visitest pag. 320. col. 1  
Understand pag. 548. col. 2  
with Understanding pag. 243. col. 1  
Unite pag. 430. col. 1  
until pag. 473. col. 2  
Unto righteousness pag. 473. col. 2  
Voice pag. 109. col. 1  
Voice of the Lord pag. 159. col. 1  
in the Volume pag. 216. col. 2  
with them that Uphold pag. 279. col. 1  
Upright pag. 569. col. 1  
land of Uprightness pag. 692. col. 2  
Utmost parts pag. 16. col. 2  
abundantly Utter pag. 699. col. 1  
Utterly pag. 613. col. 1    

W.  

Wait pag. 199. col. 1  
Waiteth for— pag. 319. col. 1  
mine eyes Waking pag. 381. col. 1  
Walk on every side pag. 69. col. 1  
Walking pag. 7. col. 1  
a Wall pag. 101. col. 2  
a bowing Wall pag. 311. col. 1  
let me not Wander pag. 614. col. 1  
Warned pag. 114. col. 2  
Wash his footsteps pag. 298. col. 2  
Wash my hands in innocency pag. 147. col. 1  
Washpot pag. 307. col. 1  
Wasted us pag. 667. col. 1  
Watch for the Morning pag. 650. col. 1  
night Watches pag. 625. col. 2  
Water-spouts pag. 225. col. 1  
standing Water pag. 578. col. 2  
Waterest pag. 321. col. 1  
Waters pag. 360. col. 2  
Waves pag. 225. col. 2  
made a Way to— pag. 393. col. 2  
the Way pag. 612. col. 1  
thy Way pag. 34. col. 2  
wicked Way pag. 680. col. 1  
Way everlasting pag. 680. col. 2  
ways of the Lord pag. 671. col. 2  
ways of them pag. 421. col. 2  
weakened pag. 505. col. 1  
as a child that is Weaned pag. 653 col. 1  
not We pag. 495. col. 1  
mingled my drink with Weeping pag. 503. col. 2  
Weigh pag. 294. col. 1  
for their welfare pag. 342. col. 2  
Went with them— pag. 223. col. 2  
like a Wheel pag. 417. col. 1  
When pag. 320. col. 2 pag. 391. col. 2  
When I consider pag. 47. col. 2  
When the wicked— pag. 467. col. 1  
Wide sea pag. 518. col. 2  
dwell in the Wilderness pag. 350. col. 2  
people inhabiting the Wilderness pag. 368. col. 1  
Willing pag. 563. col. 1  
thou Wilt hear me pag. ●89. col. 2  
Wind pag. 515. col. 1  
be Wise pag. 17. col. 2  
Wise men pag. 255. col. 1  
who is Wise, and will— pag. 548. col. 1  
beginning of wisdom pag. 570. col. 2  
behave myself Wisely pag. 497. col. 1  
With them that uphold pag. 279. col. 1  
whither pag. 8. col. 1  
Within thee pag. 635. col. 2  
from the womb pag. 294. col. 2  
too wonderful for me pag. 676. col. 1  
a Wood pag. 418. col. 1  
cut Wood upon the earth pag. 686. col. 2  
fields of the Wood pag. 656. col. 1  
his Word came pag. 527. col. 1  
according to thy Word pag. 613. col. 2  
magnified thy Word pag. 670. col. 2  
Word of thy righteousness pag. 624. col. 2  
their Words pag. 110. col. 1  
to Work pag. 624. col. 2  
a worm pag. 128. col. 2  
Wounds pag. 206. col. 2  
Wrath of mine enemies pag. 672. col. 1  
Wrath of man pag. 378. col. 1  
remainder of Wrath pag. 378. col. 1  
Wrest my words pag. 288. col. 2  
when he Writeth up pag. 433. col. 2  
Wrought gold pag. 239. col. 1    

Y.  

Your mountain pag. 63. col. 1  
children of the Youth pag. 644. col. 1  
due of thy Youth pag. 563. col. 2    

Z.  

Zion pag. 658. col. 1  
Zoan pag. 390. col. 2     

Places of the Old Testament incidentally explained.  

Gen.  Chap. Ver. Pag. Col. vi 11 51 2 x 6 433 1 xiv 19 676 2   22 618 1 xviii 4 646 2 xli 40 20 1   44 618 1 xlix 14 334 2 
Exod.  i 21 576 1. 643 1 iv 16 238 1 xv 21 703 2 xix 24 539 2 xxxii 32 476 2 xxxiii 13.18 509 1 
Levit.  xx 5 184 1 
Deuteron.  ii 7 688 1 xi 10 7 2 xxv 7 342 1 xxxii 42 575 1   6 677 1 
judge.  i 15 423 1. 641 1 v 16 334 1 xii 3 622 2 xxi 15 539 2 
Ruth  iii 6 342 1 iv 11 643 1 vi 1 342 1 
1 Sam.  i 18 184 1 xix 5 622 2 xxviii 21 622 2 
2 Sam.  v 20 539 1 vii 11 576 1 viii 13 306 1 xii 25 552 2 xv 20 282 2 xix 10 260 2 
1 Chron.  xvi 7 536 1 xviii 12 306 1 
2 Chron.  xxvi 21 439 1 
Nehem.  ix 6 713 1 
Hest.  ii 19.21 342 1 
Job  xiii 14 622 2 xvi 14 539 2 xxi 33 283 2 xxxviii 13 498 2 xl 15 709 1 xli 29 519 2 
Prov.  xi 22 619 1 xiv 18 689 2 xxi 1 7 2 
Eccles.  v 6 670 1 x 1 271 2   11 682 2 
Cant.  i 5 575 1 viii 6 375 2 
Isai.  ix 1 337 1   6 432. 1. 587. 2   13 636 1 xiii 22 584 1 xviii 1 433 2 xix 11.13. 390 2 xxi 14 121 1 xxviii 16 537 1 xxxv 25 566 2 xl 31 456. 1. 508. 2 xli 4 279 1 xliv 20 503 1 Liii 6.11 253 2 Lviii 6 357 2 Lx 5 616 2 Lxv 11 480 2 
Jerem.  ii 8 480 1 iv 20 514 1 v 31 583 1 xlvi 15 130 1 
Ezech.  xiv 9 614 1 xxii 30 539 2 xxvi 20 691 2 xxix 10 433 1 xxx 9 ibid.   
Hose.  vi 9 122 1 ix 4 400 1 xii 5 569 2 
Amos  iv 1 130 2   5 583 1 v 21 594 1 
Obad.    12 584 1 
Mich.  i 16 508 2 vi 6 121 1 vii 17 104 2 
Hab.  ii 4 198 2 iii 7 433 2 
Zechar.  xi 17 479 2 
Mal.  ii 3 594 1   

Book Printed for, and sold by R. Royston.  


Books written by Dr. Hammond.  
A Paraphrase and Annotations upon all the Books of the New-Testament by H. Hammond, D. D. in fol. the second Edition enlarged.  
2. The Practical Catechism, with other English Treatises, in two volumes in 4.  
3. Dissertationes quatuor, quibus Episcopatus Jura ex S. scriptures& Primaeva Antiquitate adstruuntur, contra sententiam D. Blondelli & aliorum, in 4.  
4. A Letter of Resolution of six Queries in 12.  
5. Of Schism. A defence of the Church of England against the exceptions of the Romanists, in 12.  
6. Of Fundamentals in a notion referring to practise, in 12.  
7. Paraenesis, or a seasonable exhortation to all true sons of the Church of England, in 12.  
8. A Collection of several Replies and vindications published of late, most of them in defence of the Curhch of England, now put together in four Volumes. Newly published, in 4.  
9. The Dispatcher dispatched in, Answer to a late Roman catholic Book, entitled Schism dispatched, in 4. new.  
10. A Review of the Paraphrase and Annotations on all the Books of the New Testament, with some additions and alterations, in 8.  
11. Some profitable directions both for Priest and people, in two Sermons 8. new.    


Books and Sermons written by J. tailor D. D.  
{untranscribed Hebrew}, A Course of Sermons for all the Sundays of the Year; together with a discourse of the Divine Institution, Necessity, Sacredness and Separation of the Office Ministerial, in fol.  
2. The history of the Life and Death of the Ever-blessed Jesus Christ, third Edition in fol.  
3. The Rule and Exercises of holy living, in 12.  
4. The Rule and Exercises of holy dying, in 12.  
5. The Golden Grove, or, A manual of daily Prayers fitted to the dayes of the week, together with a short Method of Peace and Holiness, in 12.  
6. The Doctrine and practise of Repentance rescued from popular Errors, in a large 8. newly published.  
7. A Collection of Polemical and Moral discourses, in fol.  
8. A Discourse of the Nature, Offices and Measure of Friendship, in 12. New.  
9. A Collection of Offices or forms of prayer fitted to the needs of all Christians, together with the Psalter or Psalms of David after the Kings Translations, in a large octavo newly published.  
10. Ductor Dubitantium, or Cases of Conscience, fol. Now in the Press.    


Books written by Mr. Tho. Pierce Rector of Brington.  
1. THe Sinner impleaded in his own Court, wherein are represented the great discouragements from sinning, which the Sinner receiveth from Sin itself.  
2. The Christians Rescue from the grand error of the heathen, touching the fatal necessity of all Events, in 5 Books in 4. New.  
{untranscribed Hebrew}, or the Church of England defended, in two Treatises against the Fabulous and Scandalous Imputations cast upon her in those two Points. Of Succession of Bishops and Schism, wherein the Fable of the Nags-head Ordination is detected, and the Accusation of Schism rooted. By John Bramhall D. D. Bishop of Derry.  
The Law of Laws, or, the excellency of the Civil Law above all other human Laws whatsoever: showing of how great use and necessity the Civil Law is to this Nation. By Robert Wiseman, Dr. of the Civil Law. 4. New.  
The Grand conspiracy, by Master J. Allington, in 12.  
The History of the Church of Scotland by Dr. Spoiswood Archbishop of S. Andrews, in fol.  
Etymologicum parvum, in 8. by Mr. Gregory School-Master of Westminster.  
The contemplation of heaven, with a descant on the prayer in the garden, in 12.  
The Magistrates Authority, a Sermon by Master Lyford, in 4.  
The Quakers wild questions objected against the Ministers of the Gospel, by Master R. Sherlock, in 4.  
The Communicants Guide, by Master Grove, in 8.  
The plain mans sense exercised, by Master William Lyford, in 4.  
Anglicisms Latiniz'd, by Mr. Willis in 8.  
The persecuted Minister, written by Master Langly, Minister of the Gospel, 4.  
Lyfords Legacy in 12.  
The Catechism of the Church of England paraphrased, by Richard Sherlock. 2. Edition.  
An Apology for the ministry by William Lyford.  
The Examination of Tilenus before the Triers in Utopia, in 12. newly published.  
The Calvinists Cabinet unlocked, in answer to Mr. Baxter, by Tilenus Junior. New in 12.  
Examen Historicum, or a discovery and Examination of the mistakes, falsities and defects in some modern Histories, 8. by P. Heylin D. D. New.  
Reliquiae Sacrae Carolinae, The works of that Great Monarch and Glorious Martyr King charles the first, both Sacred and Civil.  
Certain Considerations of present Concernment, touching this Reformed Church of England, by Henry fern, D. D. in 12.  
A Compendious Discourse upon the Case, by Henry fern, in 12.  
{untranscribed Hebrew}. Ecclesiae Anglicanae Suspiria. The Tears, Sighs, Complaints, and Prayers of the Church of England: setting forth her former Constitution, compared with her present condition; also, the visible Causes, and probable Cures of her Distempers, in four Books, newly extant in fol. By John Gauden, D. D. of Bocking in Essex.