not graciously remit the punishment we deserve? for when thou chastisest man, (in any of those ways whereby thou hast threatened to rebuke his extravagance), his wealth, his power, and whatsoever else he hath that is valuable, moulders away like a garment that is moth-eaten; and it is no wonder, for the greatest of men, as well as the meanest, are but mere vanity.

Ver. 12. Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.] But let even this move thee, O Lord, to grant my petition, which I make for pardon and release from this chastisement: Because I am so frail, (as all my forefathers were); and our time here is so very short, that I am more like a stranger and sojourner in this country, than an inhabitant, or lord of it, (as I lately thought myself); therefore grant my earnest request; and when I say nothing, but silently submit to thy correction, let my tears speak for me, and prevail with thee for some mercy.

Ver. 13. O spare me, that I may recover strength, before 1 go bence, and be no more.] Forbear me, I be seech thee, and do not proceed thus to afflict me; but repair the decays that are in my strength, and let the very few days I have to live be more peaceable; that, free from the disturbance my enemies give me, I may do thee some small service before I leave the world, and have nothing to do in it any more.

PSALM XL.

To the chief musician. A Psalm of David. THE ARGUMENT.-A psalm of David, directed to the chief master of music, for the use of the tabernacle. Wherein he thankfully acknowledges God's goodness to him, in delivering him from some great danger, (it is not certain what; but may be applied either to the distress he was reduced into by his enemies, as we read in the psalm foregoing; or to the sickness God had inflicted on him; or to both, mentioned, Psal. xxxviii.) And then declares his resolution to serve God faithfully and chearfully, in such words as may be better applied to Christ's readiness to do the will of God, though it were by dying for us.

But it seems this deliverance was not so complete, but that still he was infested with many enemies; and therefore, in the latter part of this psalm, he commends himself still to God's merciful providence; beseeching him to finish what he had begun, by continuing to be his deliverer.

Ver. 1.

I Waited patiently for the LORD, and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.] It is good, I see, to persevere in prayer, and with constancy and patience to wait upon the Lord; for though he hath made me expect very long, yet at last be hath been graciously pleased to condescend unto me, and to grant my desire.

Ver. 2. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.] For when I was in the greatest distress, and no more able to help myself, than a man who is fallen into a very deep pit, where he sticks fast also in the stiffest clay; he not only delivered me from that present danger, which was very dreadful, but brought me into a place of safety, and withal confirmed me in it, that I might not fall again into the like extremity;

Ver. 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. But have liberty in quiet and peace to meditate his praises, and to indite a new song in honour of our God; who hath to all other benefits added this late wonderful preservation: which shall excite many others, when they duly consider it, to join together with me in his worship and service; and patiently to depend upon him, and hope in his mercy, as I have done.

Ver. 4. Blessed is the man that maketh the LORD his trust; and respecteth not the proud, not such as turn aside to lies.] And happy is that man, notwithstanding all the troubles he may endure, who reposes his confidence in the Lord alone; and neither envies the success of insolent and deceitful men, nor is tempted thereby to imitate them in their pride and in their perfidiousness.

Ver. 5. Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.] Many are the benefits, O mighty Lord, and my most gracious God, which thou hast bestowed upon such faithful servants; for whom thou hast done wonders, and still designest great and many kindnesses, which cannot be comprehended, much less expressed by our weakness. Whensoever I attempt to make thee some acknowledgement for such inestimable favours, I find it is beyond my power, so much as to tell the number of them.

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Ver. 6. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire, mine cars hast thou opened: burnt-offering and sin-offering. hast thou not required.] There are no peace-offerings, (whereby we are wont to testify our thankfulness for thy mercies), nor any oblations which attend upon them, that are worthy to be presented unto thee; or are a fit expression of our gratitude for so many and so great benefits as I have received from thee. ready and constant obedience to thee in thy faithful service, is far more acceptable; to which as I am by nature tied, and thou hast by thy mercies strongly engaged me, so I do freely consent, and, chearfully devote myself, (as the Lord Christ hereafter will do entirely): if I should add all other kinds of sacrifice, whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin, I see of how little value they are of to thee.

Ver. 7. Then said I, Lo, 1 come in the volume of the book it is written of me:] And therefore, when I thought what thou mightest justly expect from me, after this great deliverance, immediately I said, (as if I had

heard thee calling upon me, to do thee some extraordinary service): Behold I come to make an offering of myself unto thee, (as the Lord Christ will do, even of his very blood). For so the book of the law requires (wherein this sacrifice of Christ is more plainly described).

Ver. 8. I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.] That I should do what is pleasing and acceptable to thee, O my God, (as the Lord Christ will do more perfectly), though it be never so difficult and troublesome to me and so I will most gladly, with all my soul; for there thy law is written, and not only in my book, (Deut. xvii. 18. 19.).

Ver. 9. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.] And as an earnest of it, I have already proclaimed to all thy people, in their full assemblies, what great obligations I have unto thee: behold, O Lord, I appeal to thee, who canst not be deceived, how forward I have been to offer thee, on all occasions, this public sacrifice of praise, for all thy benefits bestowed upon me.

Ver. 10. I have not bid thy righteousness within my heart, I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy loving-kindness and thy truth from the great congregation.] I have not thought it sufficient to meditate alone by myself upon thy loving-kindness, which hath mightily affected my heart; but I have made known to others how faithfully thou hast performed thy promises in the wonderful deliver ance thou hast lately given me: This singular kindness and fidelity I have openly published to all thy people, in their most frequent assemblies, at the solemn festivals.

Ver. 11. With-hold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy loving-kindness and thy truth continually preserve me.] Be thou pleased, O mighty Lord, as readily, openly, and abundantly, to express thy tender mercy towards me: let that loving-kindness and faithfulness, which I have so much magnified, be ever seen in my continued preservation and deliverance from all future dangers.

Ver. 12. For innumerable evils have compassed me about, mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up: they are more than the hairs of mine bead, therefore my heart faileth me.] For I am not yet so completely happy, but I see mine enemies are so busy in contriving more mischief against me, that dangers without number surround me. And indeed my sins are so many, that it is but just I should feel the fruit of them in multiplied punishments; which have suddenly seized on me, and grown to such a number, that as I may sooner tell how many hairs I have on my head, than how many troubles I suffer, so I am ready to faint under the burden of them.

Ver. 13. Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; 0 LORD, make haste to help me.] Till I think of thee, O Lord, who, I hope, will be still pleased to deliver me; yea, thou hast been so very good to me, that I

take the humble boldness to beseech thee, O Lord, to deliver me speedily.

Ver. 14. Let them be ashamed and confounded together, that seek after my soul to destroy it : let them be driven backward, and put to shame, that wish me evil.] Let them all be alike most shamefully disappointed, that restlessly endeavour to take away my life: defeat them, and put them to flight, with open disgrace, whoever they be that study to do me any mischief.

Ver. 15. Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame, that say unto me, Aka, aha.] Let utter desolation be the recompense of all their shameful deeds, whereby they thought to have exposed me to shame; when they insulted over me, and made a mock, both of my affliction, and of my trust in thee.

Ver. 16. Let all those that seek after thee, rejoice and be glad in thee; let such as love thy salvation, say continually, The LORD be magnified.] But let all those that depend on thee alone, and seek for safety by no other means but those which thou allowest, have perpetual cause to rejoice in thee exceedingly: let such as expect and delight to see thee appear for the deliverance of thy people, never cease to say, The Lord be praised; let the glory of his wonderful works be every where published and extolled.

Ver. 17. But I am poor and needy, yet the LORD thinketh upon me; thou art my help and my deliverér ; make no tarrying, O my God.] As for myself, this is my never-failing comfort, that though I am stript of all, and quite destitute of human help, yet the Lord takes care of me, and consults my good: and it is sufficient that thou, Lord, art my God, on whom I depend for relief and deliverance; O delay not to send it to me.

PSALM XLI.

To the chief musician. A Psalm of David.

THE ARGUMENT. Though some will have this psalm to have been composed by David, and delivered to the chief master of music, only upon occasion of that great strait, into which he was brought by the rebellion of his son Absalom; yet it is the more common opinion, and seems more probable, that he had been also lately very sick. And then finding, by sad experience, what an aggravation it was of his affliction, to see his enemies so barbarous as to rejoice at it, and wish his death; nay, his friends, especially some one particular friend, (who was a type of the traitor Judas), not only to take no pity on him, but prove false and perfidious to him; he, in the first place, highly commends and blesses that temper of mind, which inclines men to be pitiful and compassionate to those that are sick, and assures such persons that they shall feel the happy fruits of it; and then complains most heavily of their inhumanity, who insulted over him in his calamity, and with reproachful words, and vile calumnies, exasperated the grief of his mind. On which he hoped God, who loves merciful men,

would take compassion, and put him into a condition to chastise their insolence.

Ver. 1. BLESSED is he that considereth the poor: the will deliver him in time of trouble.] Happy is that tender-hearted man, who, prudently considering it may be his own condition, doth not despise, but visit the sick, especially such as are poor, and takes care to comfort and relieve them. The Lord will requite his kindness, and send him the like succour and relief when he falls into any danger.

Ver. 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.]. In sickly times, or other public calamity, the Lord will preserve his life; and more than that, will make him live in prosperity upon the earth; which when the envy and hatred of his enemies endeavour to destroy, the Lord will disappoint them, and not suffer them to have their will on him.

Ver. 3. The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. Or if any sickness (as no man can expect al ways to be in health) bring him into such a languishing condition, that he cannot help himself, the Lord will support him, and give him patience; then thou wilt remarkably requite his officious care about the i ck, (whose bed he was wont to turn and smooth for his softer repose), by giving him ease and refreshment during his weakness, till thou change it again into health and strength.

Ver. 4. I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.] In confidence of this, I myself, when I was sick, addressed my prayer unto the Lord, and implored his mercy, saying, Take pity upon me, (who have not been negligent in this duty, Psal. xxxv. 13. 14.), and do not deal in strict justice with me; but though I have been a grievous offender, and so deservest a heavier stroke, graciously pardon all that I have done amiss, and restore me again to my former health.

Ver. 5. Mine enemies speak evil of me: when shall he die, and his name perish ?] I am the fitter object of thy compassion, because my enemies have none at all; but to the affliction which thou hast laid upon me, add their defamations, and imprecate more evils to befal me for nothing will satisfy them but my death; which they impatiently long to see, and hope to bury my reputation together with me.

Ver. 6. And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity; his heart gathererb iniquity to itself, when he goeth abroad, he telleth it.] If any of them indeed come to see me, he seems to be sorry for me, and condoles with me; but there is nothing but fraud and deceit under these fair words, which he bestows upon me: for all the time that he either counsels or comforts me, or makes any promises of what he will do for me, he is hatching some mischief in his heart against me, from what he can gather out of my words, or actions, or disease; and as soon as he is out of my doors, he spreads it abroad. among his companions, to increase their hatred, or their contempt of me.

Ver. 7. All that hate me whisper together against me against me do they devise my hurt.] Which discovers itself in their private assemblies, where they

secretly confer together how to undo me: they have no other business there, but to contrive what use they shall make of his information for my ruin.

Ver. 8. An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him; and now that he lieth, he shall rise up no more.] This is the time, say they; for now God hath met with him, and punished his heinous sins with a grievous disease; which sticks as fast to him as our reports, (which the people believe, and he will never be able to confute), and hath laid him so low, that he cannot possibly recover.

Ver. 9. Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.] And, which is still more afflictive, the man with whom I never had any quarrel, but rather used as a friend, he in whom I reposed the greatest confidenee, (2 Sam. xvi. 23.), who was one of my family, and was maintained by my service, hath in a brutish manner, not only forsaken me, but (like a horse that kicks at him that feeds him) contemptuously lifted up himself against me.

Ver. 10. But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.] But all this doth not discourage me when I think of thy mercy, O Lord; which as I most humbly implore, so thou art wont to shew to those that are merciful. I am not so low, (ver. 8.), but, contrary to their expectation, thou art able to raise me up, and restore me to my throne, from whence they have driven me; and then I shall punish them, according as my office, and their wickedness requires.

Ver. 11. By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.] And truly I take this to be an argument of thy kind intentions towards me, that hitherto thou hast marvelously preserved me, both in this sickness, and in all other dangers; so that my enemy hath missed the triumph he hoped for in my ruin.

Ver. 12. And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.] The triumph belongs to me, who thankfully acknowledge, that thou hast supported me, and defended my innocence: thou hast taken a special care of me, that I hope I shall serve thee all my days, with out interruption, in that office thou hast committed to

me.

Ver. 13. Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Am.n, and amen.] For which, and all other his benefits, let the great Lord of all the world, the God of Israel, whom he hath chosen for his own peculiar people, be most heartily blessed and praised: let him be blessed throughout all generations, as long as the world shall last, and unto all eternity: let him be blessed; let him be blessed, (again and again I repeat it with most fervent affection); and let all his people concur with me in these desires, and with one consent accompany me with their joyful acclamations, saying, The Lord be praised, the Lord be praised.

PSALM XLII.

To the chief musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korab.

THE ARGUMENT.-Here begins the second of the five books of Psalms, according to the Hebrew division. All those of the former book, except four, have the name of David prefixed to them, as the author of them and so. were put together by him that collected them, into one volume. But in this second book, the first part of it consists of psalms intitled to the sons of Korah; as several learned, men understand the inscriptions: who imagine that some holy men among them composed these psalms in the time of the captivity. But I shall follow our English translation, and take this psalm (as the LXX. and the vulgar Latin do) to be directed to the sons of Korah; to be set or sung by them, under the chief master of music in the tabernacle. And then there is little question to be made, but David indited this, and some of the psalms, which have this title as it is certain he did most, if not all, of those that are contained in the latter part of this second book, from Psal. 1. to the end of the 72d. And this present psalm, with that which follows, seems to have been penned, either when he was under the persecution of Saul, or (which is more probable) when he was driven again from the house of God by Absalom. Which sad condition he bewails, with a great mixture of grief for his banishment from those sweet enjoyments he had there; and of hope to be restored to them again.

This psalm is the second of those thirteen which are called Maschil, (see Psal. xxxii.), by some here taken to be an epithet of the master of music, who taught or instructed the sons of Korah very skilfully.

Ver. I.

IS the bart panteth after the water-brooks, AS so panteth my soul after thee, O God.] The hunted deer doth not long more earnestly, and cry more loudly for the brooks of water, to quench her thirst, than my soul doth for the happy enjoyment of thee, my God, in the public solemnities, from whence I am driven by those that seek my life.

Ver. 2. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?] It is not my throne of which I am so desirous, as the place where thou my God dwellest; who art the eternal spring of life and comfort, which no other God can communicate. O how vehemently doth my soul long for thee; and how tedious doth the time of my banishment from thee seem! O when shall I see that happy

day, wherein I shall be restored to the liberty again of presenting myself before thee in thy tabernacle?

Ver. 3. My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?] There I was wont with great delight to feast with thee; but now my appetite fails me to my daily food instead of which my only satisfaction is in tears; to which I have wholly abandoned myself. For what can be more grievous than to hear them say, I am abandoned by thee? (2 Sam. xvi. 7. 8.), and to be continually reproached and derided with this taunting question, What is become of thy God, of whose favour thou wast wont to boast?

Ver. 4. When I 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, with a multitude that kept holy-day.] O what a sad thought is it, to call to mind those pleasant days which are past and gone! particularly when I brought the ark to thy dwelling-place, with the joyful shout of all thy people; who, in a pompous manner, accompanied me with their praises and thanksgivings at that festival solemnity. (1 Chron. xv. 25. 8.). It even breaks my heart with grief to remember this thing, and all the other sacred times, when before this banishment we met together at thy house, to worship and acknowledge thee for all thy benefits.

Ver. 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 his countenance.] And why may I not expect the like again? It is true, my soul, these are very sad and melancholy reflections; but must I therefore be utterly dejected? Is there any cause that anxiety of mind should make thee so tumultuous, as if all hopes of this felicity were lost for ever? Trust in God, and patiently wait upon him; for the time will come when I shall go to his house, and praise him still for his favour towards me, in delivering me from this as well as all my former afflictions.

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Ver. 6. 0 my God, soul is cast down within me : therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the bill Mizar.] O my most gracious God, thou seest how I chide myself for it; and yet I am overcome with grief, and should be quite oppressed, while I am forced to hide myself in this wilderness beyond Jordan, (2 Sam. xvii. 22. 29.), and wander up and down in these solitary mountains, far distant from thy tabernacle; did I not comfort myself with the thoughts of thy goodness and power, whom I have served there.

Ver. 7. Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy water-spouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.] I am fallen into a bottomless depth of miseries; which follow one upon another, as if the