I have expected some relief; but cannot yet obtain it of my God, who hath been formerly most gracious

to me.

Ver. 4. They that hate me without a cause, are more than the bairs of my head; they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty; then I restored that which I took not away.] No, rather my enemies are grown more formidable, both for their number, which exceeds the hairs of my head, and for their power, which enables them to destroy me; to which they want no will, having conceived an implacable, but undeserved hatred to me: Who have been so far from provoking their, malice, that I am content, rather than quarrel with them, to part with my own right; and to make them satisfaction for a wrong that I never did them.

Ver.

5. O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not bid from thee] O God, the righteous Judge, I make appeal to thee, who knowest the very worst of me; and protest, that, whatsoever my mistakes or my wilful sins have been, which cannot escape thy sight, I never did them any injury, nor gave them cause to persecute me.

Ver. 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.] Which will move thee, I hope, to take some compassion on me; for it will extremely dishearten all pious men, if thou sufferest innocence to be thus ruined; for their sakes, as well as for mine, be pleased to relieve me; O let not those that rely alone on thee, O Lord the mighty God, who commandest all the powers in heaven and earth, hang down their heads for shame, to see me deserted by thee; let not those, O God, (who hast engaged thyself unto us by a gracious covenant), that commend themselves to thee in well doing, be confounded; as they will, if they see me forsaken by thee.

Ver. 7. Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame bath covered my face.] For it is upon thy account (merely because I adhere to thee, and will use no unlawful means to right myself, 1 Sam. xxiv. 10. &c.) that I have thus long suffered so many reproaches and abuses, as have made me extremely contemptible.

Ver. 8. I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.] Not only to those that do not know me, but to my cousins and familiars, nay, to those who lay in the same womb with me; who behave themselves towards me as if I were a perfect stranger, or a man of another country and religion.

Ver. r. 9. For the zeal of thine house bath eaten me up, and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.] Whereas thou knowest it was nothing but my ardent zeal for thy honour and service, (not any childish ambition), which made me hazard my life for them; and was the first occasion of this hatred they bear me, (1 Sam. i. xvii. 6. 7. 8. as it will be of the death of the Messiah, Job, ii. 17.), I could not endure the blasphemies which I heard against thee, but they moved my indignation (as they will

do

his, Rom. xv. 3.) as much as if they had been against myself, 1 Sam. xvii. 10. 26. 45.

Ver. 10. When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.] These things grieved me exceedingly, and it hath cost me many a tear, while I humbled my soul with fasting to bewail their impiety, and the dishonour that was done thee; but they took occasion from thence only to despise me, and to load me with greater reproaches, either of weakness, or of hypocrisy.

Ver. 11. I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.] And still the more sorrowfully I de based myself, wearing sackcloth in token of my heaviness, the more I was scorned and derided, and it was the common saying, (when they would express their utmost hatred or contempt of any man), I value him no more than I do David.

Ver. 12. They that sit in the gate, speak against me, and I was the song of the drunkards.] This is the language even of the grave senators, and judges of the land; who ought in reason rather to have vindicated my innocence, (Gen. xxiii. 10. 18. xxxiv. 20. Ruth, iv. 1. Prov. xxii. 22.), as well as of the idle and dissolute companions, who, in their drunken meetings, make abusive songs and libels on me.

Ver. 13. But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy bear me, in the truth of thy salvation.] While I in the mean time do nothing but only commend myself with the greater earnestness unto thee, O Lord, who, now that I am so despicable, wilt think it, I hope, the fittest time to be favourable to me: hear my prayer, O God, I beseech thee, and thereby magnify thy abundant mercy, and thy faithfulness, in such a seasonable deliverance of me.

Ver. 14. Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink; let me be delivered from themthat hate me, and out of the deep waters.] For I am in extreme great danger of perishing in this distress, unless thou interpose (as I most humbly again beseech thee that thou wilt, ver. 1. 2.) for my deliverance; O leave me not in this miserable condition into which I am plunged; but deliver me from my bitter enemies, and all the troubles and difficulties wherein they have involved me:

Ver. 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.] Which are great and many, and extremely dangerous, enough to make me despair of safety, did I not depend on thee, that thou wilt not suffer me to be carried away, overwhelmed, and buried in this heap of calamities, which oppress me so sorely, that I am ready to sink under the weight of them.

Ver. 16. Hear me, O LORD, for thy loving-kindness is good: turn unto me, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.] Do not fail my expectation, O Lord, whose loving-kindness, as it is the only comfort I have, so it gives me abundant consolation: for it is prone to pity and relieve those that are distressed; and will incline thee, I hope, to look now favourably upon me, as thou hast done many and many a time, with most compassionate mercy towards me.

Ver. 17. And bide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.] Who, as despicable as I am, yet am thy servant; and upon that score claim the patronage of my most gracious Lord and master, O disown nfe not, especially now that I am in such helpless straits; but rather make the greater haste to relieve me.

Ver. 18, Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it : deliver me because of mine enemies.] For nothing less than my life (which is in imminent danger) will satisfy the rage and hatred of my enemies: therefore interpose thy power for my rescue, and let not them have the pleasure (which will make them still more insolent) to see me ruined.

Ver. 19. Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour; mine adversaries are all be fore thee.] Thou art perfectly acquainted with the reproaches, the shameful and contumelious abuses of all sorts, which I have suffered, and must still (with out thy seasonable deliverance) endure from my cruel enemies: none of whom, nor of their secret plots, and subtle lies, whereby they seek to defame and undo me, are hidden from thy all-seeing eyes.

Ver. 20. Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.] Which, behold likewise, what an intolerable burden it is to me, to be thus loaded with reproaches, and to have no means to clear myself from their false imputations: It even breaks my heart, and I am oppressed with heaviness, looking still for some help to arrive; but, alas! I cannot meet with so much as the comfort of any body to condole with me.

Ver. 21. They gave me also gall for my meat, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.] Instead of that, they exasperated my grief; and because I was so miserable, reproached me the more bitterly just as if, when a man is hungry, one should give him gall to eat; or when he is thirsty, they should give him (as they really will do to Christ, Job, xix.) vinegar to drink.

Ver. 22. Let their table become a snare before them : and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.] Which barbarous usage shall meet with a suitable vengeance; for they shall have no friends neither but they that eat of their meat shall betray them, and their posterity shall prove their ruin. This shall be the recompence of those that abuse the Messiah, as now they do me, Rom. xi. 9.

Ver. 23. Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.] They shall be deprived of all judgement, and not be able to see the evils that are coming on them; or if they do, let them not be able, O Lord, to prevent them; but make their councils uncertain, and let them have no power to execute any good design for their preservation.

Ver. 24. Pour cut thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.] Pour out on a sudden so many evils upon them, that they may not be able to escape; but feel they suffer the most dismal

effects of thy severest and lasting displeasure against them.

Ver. 25. Let their habitation be desolate, and let none dwell in their tents.] Let their most magnificent structures be laid waste; and root them out so entirely, that there may not be a man left to dwell in their poorest cottages, (Matth. xxiii. 38. Acts, i. 20.).

Ver. 26. For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten, and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.] For they had no pity upon the miserable; but, instead of comforting him when they saw him afflicted by thee, they took that opportunity to insult over him, and oppress him; nay, made a pastime of his calamity; and added to all his other suffering their scoffs and jeers, their lies and calumnies, or at least their uncharitable censures of him.

Ver. 27. Add iniquity to their iniquity: and let them not come unto thy righteousness.] Let such obstinate offenders be quite deserted by thee; and by thy just judgement be suffered to go on to complete their iniquity, and never obtain any mercy from thee.

Ver. 28. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.] Let them be cut off before their time, in the midst of their jollity; and let them enjoy none of the blessings which thou hast promised to the righteous.

Ver. 29. But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvavation, O God, set me up on high.] But let me, O God, who now am despised and dejected, be graciously delivered by thee, and raised above the contempt or power of such men to depress me.

Ver. 30. I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.] And I will not be unmindful of the benefit; but praise thy power and goodness in joyful hymns; and acknowledge how great they are, in thankful commemorations of them.

Ver. 31. This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that bath horns and hoofs.] Which will be, I know, more acceptable sacrifices to the Lord, than if I should bring him a whole ox, when he is young and in his prime, and offer him at his altar.

Ver. 32. The humble shall see this, and be glad : ana your heart shall live that seek God.] For other pious men, reading in my songs the goodness of the Lord, will be filled with joyful hopes, when they fall into such like troubles as I am in: they will think they hear me saying to them, Do not despond, but be of good comfort, whosoever you are that seek God, and faithfully depend upon him.

Ver. 33. For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.] For the Lord, you see, doth not fail to relieve the afflicted and helpless men, when they cry unto him, and rely on him alone; but owns them for his servants, when they are no better than slaves, by delivering them from their hard and cruel bondage.

Ver. 34. Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.] Let the whole world, therefore, join together, to celebrate

him with their praises: for one tongue is not sufficient to proclaim his most excellent goodness, and to thank him for all his benefits.

Ver. 35. For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession.] Which shall be continued towards Sion; for God will preserve it from being destroyed in these tumults; and will repair the ruins of the other cities of Judah; that his people may dwell quietly, and not be disturbed in their possessions.

Ver. 36. The seed also of his servants shall inherit it and they that love his name shall dwell therein.] And their posterity also may hereafter inherit it, provided they faithfully serve him, and heartily love him and his religion: for then they shall dwell securely in Sion; and offer the continual sacrifice of praise unto him.

PSALM LXX.

To the chief musician. A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.

THE ARGUMENT.-It is not easy to determine, whether this psalm was only separated from the 40th, (whereof, for the main, it is a part), that it might serve those who are in any distress, as a short form, recommending themselves and their condition to God or that David in some new danger (probably that into which he fell by Absalom's conspiracy, as Theodoret thinks) took a review of what he had there said; and with some small alterations, composed this as a distinct prayer, to be used by him constantly, during the time of that sharp affliction. I incline to this latter, because there is some difference (though not very much, in the 4th verse) between every verse of this psalm, and those in the latter end of the 40th, from which it is taken; just as there is between the 53d and the 14th. See what I have said there; and in the title of the 38th psalm, you will find why this is called, A Psalm to bring to remembrance.

Ver. 1. MAKE baste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O LORD.] O God, the judge of the world, thou seest the danger I am in is so exceeding great, that I am undone without thy speedy relief, which I beseech thee therefore not to delay; but to make haste, O Lord, to declare thy power in sending me seasonable help, for my rescue, now that I am ready to perish.

Ver. 2. Let them be ashamed and confounded, that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and pat them to confusion, that desire my hurt.] My enemies fancy that I cannot escape their hands: but do thou most shamefully disappoint all those that restlessly endeavour to take away my life: defeat them, and put them to flight with open disgrace; whosoever they be that study to do me any mischief.

Ver. 3. Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame, that say, Aha, aha.] Let a total rout of their forces be the recompence of their shameful

deeds; whereby they thought to have exposed me to shame; when they insulted over my calamity; and made a mock both of it, and of my hope that thou wouldest deliver me.

Ver. 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.] But let all those that depend on thee alone, and seek by no other means, but such as thou allowest, for safety, 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, Let the righteous Judge of the world be praised; let the glory of his wonderful works be every where published and extolled.

Ver. 5. But I am poor and needy, make baste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O LORD, make no tarrying.] O God, I beseech thee again, delay not to speed the relief I expect from thee; that this song may be my song also: for at present I am stript of all, and utterly destitute of human help; nay, so forlorn, that I shall perish presently, unless thou prevent it, O Lord; on whom alone I rely for help and deliverance, which I once more beseech thee to send me speedily.

PSALM LXXI.

THE ARGUMENT.-Though this psalm want an inscription, yet it is generally thought that David was the author of it; and if he was, there is no doubt he composed it, upon the occasion of Absalom's unnatural rebellion. For the matter of the psalm sufficiently informs us, that when he made it, he was in extreme great danger of perishing; and this danger also happened in the time of his old age, ver. 9.; when he was grey-headed, ver. 18. Now, he was not so during the time of Saul's persecution, (2 Sam. v. 4.), but in that of Absalom's he was; which though it did not last so long as the other, yet in this regard was more grievous to him; that it fell out in his declining years, when men are more unapt for toil and labour, and naturally desirous of quiet and repose. And therefore he begins the psalm almost in the same words as he doth one of those which he made when he was distressed by Saul (Psal. xxxi.) in his younger tears, when he was better able to bear it.

As for the title, which some of the Greek translators, and from them the Latin, have prefixed to this psalm (which they will have to be a psalm of the sons of Jonadab and the first captives); it is so far from the business, that it is hard to give any account of it. For Theodoret pertinently observes, that the sons of Jonadab were not among the first captives; and that he who made this inscription, confesses he did not find it in the Hebrew, but placed it there himself. Yet that learned father, I know not for what reason, takes this psalm to have been composed by David, in the person of those who were captive in Babylon; and wishing

Ver. 1.

IN

N thee, O LORD, do I put my trust, let me never be put to confusion.] Thou seest, O Lord, that in all these troubles which have befallen me, I have no confidence in any thing but only thy powerful goodness; which I hope will not fail me now, no more than it hath done heretofore; for I shall be lamentably ashamed, if thou shouldest frustrate my expectation.

Ver. 2. Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape; incline thine ear unto me, and save me.] Magnify thy mercy and fidelity in delivering me, and finding a way for my escape from these dangers that surround me: let me obtain this extraordinary favour of thee, and preserve me from falling into the hands of those who have conspired to destroy me.

Ver. 3. Be thou my strong habitation whereunto I may continually resort; thou hast given commandment to save me, for thou art my rock and my fortress.] For I am forced to quit my habitation, and have no place of safety (so universal is the revolt) to retreat unto but whensoever I fly to thy Almighty protection, do thou always keep me as secure as if I reposed my self in an impregnable castle; it is thy purpose, I am confident, to preserve me; for I never trusted in any other strong hold or fortress, but in thee alone.

Ver. 4. Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.] Deliver me therefore from falling into the power of that turbulent man, who hath no fear of thee before his eyes; from the power of him that cares not by what perfidious arts, or cruel violence, he brings his ends to pass.

Ver. 5. For thou art my hope, O LORD God; thou art my trust from my youth.] For in thee, O Lord, who hast a sovereign dominion, which alters not, bave I placed all my hope; and from thee is my expectation when I was but a youth I confided in thee, ( Sam. xvii. 33. 37.), and was marvellously preserved by thee.

Ver. 6. By thee have 1 been bolden up from the womb thou art be that took me out of my mother's bowels; my praise shall be continually of thee.] Who didst take care of me, even before I could trust in thee; for I have been supported by thee, and preserved in innumerable dangers, ever since I came out of my mother's womb; where I had perished also, if thy power had not drawn me thence, and brought me into the world; to praise and bless thee, as I have ever done, and will never cease to do, to the end of iny days.

Ver. 7. I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.] There are many indeed (especially the great ones) that stare upon me, as if I were a monster; marvelling as much at this confidence I place in thee, as they do at my sudden fall into this deplorable condition: but for all their taunts, I do not look upon myself as abandoned by thee; but have a strong hope that thou wilt deliver me.

Ver. 8. Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.] And that I shall still

Ver. 9. Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.] I have deserved, I know, very ill of thee; but let me prevail with thee, notwithstanding, for the continuance of thy favour towards me; and do not reject me now in my old age: O forsake me not, when I have most need of thy help, and am least able to do any thing for myself; but let that good providence, which watched over me in my youth, be still my security. Ver. 10. For mine enemies speak against me: and they that lay wait for my soul, take counsel together.] For my enemies are no less subtle, than they are cruel, having defamed me, and taken away my reputation: as they now seek for an opportunity, and for that end are combined in a strong conspiracy to take away my life, (2 Sam. xv. 3. 12.).

Ver. 11. Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him, for there is none to deliver him.] Encouraging one another in their enterprise, with such words as these: God, it is manifest, hath forsaken him, for the hearts of all Israel are turned from him, and his own heart faileth him, (2 Sam. xv. 13. 14.); pursue him closely now, and we shall certainly take him; for he hath not forces enough to withstand us, and to deliver him out of our hands, (2 Sam. xvii, 1. 2.)

Ver. 12. O God, be not far from me: O my God, make baste for my help.] But how false soever my subjects are, it daunts me not, if thou, O God, who judgest righteously, wilt not be estranged from me : let this their vain confidence, and insulting language, O my God, who hath hitherto so wonderfully preserved me, incline thee to make the greater speed to relieve me.

Ver. 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.] Let those implacable enemies, that will not be satisfied but with my life, be most shamefully. disappointed; and see all their forces wherein they trusted, quite dissipated, and come to nothing, expose them that design my ruin to the open shame and contempt of all the world; when they find that they have only ridiculously contrived their own destruction.

Ver. 14. But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.] And I will learn thereby, both to hope in thee perpetually, (as now I do), even in the greatest straits and difficulties; and to add new songs of praise, over and above all those which I. have already composed, to magnify thee for the vast heap of benefits which thou hast conferred on me.

Ver. 15. My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day long; for I know not the numbers thereof.] That shall be the subject of my songs, to publish thy mercy and truth in judging righteously between me and my enemies: this shall be my continual employment; though I shall never be able to tell the least part of that mercy, which will appear in my deliverance from such formidable enemies.

Ver. 16. I will go in the strength of the LORD God;

I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. I will enter notwithstanding upon this work, of pondering in my mind, and publishing with my mouth, the mighty things which I expect from the sole powers of the great Lord and governor of all things I will not ascribe them to my own deserts, or to the courage or fidelity of those few friends that still adhere to me, but to thy undeserved favour, and faithfulness to thy word; and to that alone will I give the praise.

Ver. 17. O God, thou hast taught me from my youth; and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.] O good God, thou hast given me many instances of this kind power and faithfulness of thine ever since I was a youth, (ver. 5.); and from thence unto this present moment thou hast been doing wonderful things for my preservation and preferment; which I have not failed to proclaim, and thankfully

commemorate.

Ver. 18. Now also when I am old and grey-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.] And therefore do not now, O God, abandon the care of me, when I need it most: but continue the same kindness to me in my declining years, which I found when I was a youth: and let me survive these calamities, to proclaim thy power in fresh instances of it to this present generation; and let all posterity know how mighty it is, in making a few victorious over very great multitudes.

Ver. 19. Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things; O God, who is like unto thee?] Which I do not despair to see, when I consider how infinitely thy mercy, O God, surpasses all our deserts, nay, expectations; and what stupendous things thou hast already done for me, such as have no example; for who is there, O God, that can be compared to thee, either in goodness to design well for us, or in power to do what thou thinkest good?

Ver. 20. Thou which hast shewed me great and sore trouble, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.] I never was in such straits and distresses (and yet I have been in the greatest and sorest) but I found relief from thee: and therefore I doubt not thou wilt revive me, now that all men give me up for dead; and draw me out of this extreme danger into which I am plunged, and wherein I shall perish without thy help.

Ver. 21. Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.] Nay, thou wilt not only restore me to my former greatness, but much augment the splendour of it: and though now I seem forsaken by thee, wilt thou return again, and so surround me with thy favour; that my future comforts shall far exceed my present troubles.

Ver. 22. I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God; unto thee will I sing with the harp, Othou boly one of Israel. And then sure I shall be no less forward to bless thee, than thou art to bestow thy benefits on me: I will bless thee, O my God, in the most joyful manner, with the psaltery and harp, and the rest of my musical instruments; which shall

play to the songs I will compose in praise of thy faithfulness and constancy to thy word; O thou, whose incomparable excellencies are peculiarly known unto, and celebrated by thy people İsrael.

Ver. 23. My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.] It is not possible to express the joy wherewith not merely my lips, but my heart and soul, shall sing triumphant songs; for the miraculous deliverance which I expect from thee.

Ver. 24. My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long; for they are confounded, for they· are brought unto shame, that seek my burt.] Which shall not only be the subject of my solemn songs, but of my constant discourse; wherein I will perpetually magnify thy goodness and truth towards me, and thy just vengeance upon my enemies; whom I look upon already as utterly defeated; and hanging down their heads, to see that ruin fall upon themselves, which they designed for me.

PSALM LXXII.

A Psalm for Solomon.

THE ARGUMENT.-That David was the author of this psalm, we may be satisfied from the conclusion of it. From whence we may also gather, that it was made by him towards the conclusion of his life. When by his command Nathan, the prophet, and Zadok, the priest, took Solomon and set him upon his throne, ( Kings, i. 39. &c.), that David might have the satisfaction to see all the great men do homage to Solomon, and acknowledge him for their succeeding sovereign before he died, which you find he did, see 1 Chron. xxix. 24. And thereupon the spirit of the holy man being transported with an extraordinary joy, he indited this hymn, and sent it to Solomon; wherein he first recommends him to the divine benediction, and then instructs him how to make his people happy, by describing the qualities of a good king, and the prosperous state of the kingdom under his government. Which his eyes began to behold before he died, (1 Chron. xxix. 25.), and he hoped others should behold. when he was gone, to the example and admiration of all following generations. For what we translate in the future time, as if it were a prophecy, may be construed to be only a prayer; which he carries on in so high a strain in some places, that the words had not a full accomplishment in Solomon, nor in any one else, till the appearing of that great King Christ. Of the happiness of whose reign, and of the justice of whose government, together with the mightiness, and the largeness, and the eternal continuance of his kingdom, his father David here prophesies.

Of that there can be no reasonable doubt; (for the Jews themselves acknowledge it, as appears by the Chaldee Paraphrase, Misdrach Tehillim, the book Siphire, and many others); but that in this psalın he prophesies of nothing else, and hath no respect