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ledgements to thy almighty goodness; which shall attract the admiration of all good men, and provoke them unanimously to join together with me, in praising thee; when they see that thou art the most righteous Judge, and bountiful benefactor of those that commit themselves unto thee.

PSALM CXLIII.

A Psalm of David.

THE ARGUMENT. To the title of a psalm of David, Theodoret says, he found, in some Greek copies, those words added, (to explain the time of its composition), when Absalom his son persecuted him.' Which he confesses was not then in the Hebrew, (no more than it is now), nor in other interpreters of the psalms; but agrees well enough, he thinks, with the truth of the story. So he that was the author of the vulgar Latin thought also; though there are some passages in this psalm, which sound as if it had been made during the persecution of Saul, at some time when he was in the like distress with that described in the foregoing. For, ver. 3. 4. he uses some of the same expressions which we find there, and represents himself as in danger to be buried in some such cave as that mentioned in the last verse of Psal. cxlii. where he begs, as he doth here, for a speedy deliverance. Yet, for all this, there are other passages which will incline us to adhere to the fore-named addition, and apply the psalm to his flight from Absalom. For then it was he had most reason to fear, lest God should deal with him according to his sins; which he deprecates, (ver. 2.), with such a deep sense of his unworthiness, that it hath made this to be numbered among the penitential psalms, and is the last of them. The memory, also, of God's former deliverances of him, a great while before, (ver. 5.), may well refer to what he had done for him, not only against Saul, but before he knew him; which as he doth not forget, so he hoped the Lord would now remember, and grant him the like again, when he was in the like distresses.

Ver. 1.

H EAR my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications; in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.] I renew my requests and my earnest supplications unto thee, O Lord, for some relief, in these new straits and difficulties into which I am fallen; hoping, though I am very unworthy, yet in thy abundant mercy, thou wilt faithfully fulfil thy promises thou hast made to me.

Ver. 2. And enter not into judgement with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.] My sins, indeed, (2 Sam. xii. 9. 10. 11.), have justly brought these troubles upon me; but I humbly beseech thee to own me still for thy servant, and not call me unto a severe account for what I have done amiss, but to deal favourably with me; for if thou shouldst proceed according to the rigour of the law,

the best man living (much less so great a sinner as I) will not be acquitted at thy tribunal.

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Ver. 3. For the enemy bath persecuted my soul; be bath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.] And I am not so bad, but my enemy that persecutes me is far worse, who without any provo cation seeks my life, and hath utterly despoiled me of all the comforts of it, (2 Sam. xv. 13.), and forced me to seek my safety in holes and obscure places, in the wilderness, (xvii. 16.), where I seem to be buried alive, without any hope of a resurrection.

Ver. 4. Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me: my heart within me is desolate.]. Which as it calls to mind the distress wherein I was, when, in my flight from Saul, I hid myself in caves, (see cxlii. 3.), so it hath the same effect upon me, for I am ready to swoon away in this great perplexity, which hath struck me with such astonishment, that I have no strength remaining in me;

Ver. 5. I remember the days of old, I meditate on all thy works: I muse on the work of thy hands.] Till I call to mind withal, not only what thou didst for me in that former persecution, but long before, in my younger days, when I was delivered by thee from the greatest dangers, (1 Sam. xvii. 34. &c.): on these wonderful works I meditate, and consider with my self, that not by my own strength, but by thy stupendous power, I was then preserved.

Ver. 6. I stretch farth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Silak.] And then I feel my fainting spirits return again; and though I despair of human help, I make my prayer unto thee with a chearful confidence for thy relief, which I long for, and expect with as eager desire, as the parched ground gasps for a refreshing shower.

Ver. 7. 'Hear me speedily, O LORD, my spirit faileth; hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.] Do not delay it, O Lord, I most earnestly beseech thee, for I am not able to hold out much longer in this great extremity; deny not my humble request, lest I be utterly lost, (as I am in danger), without all hope of recovery, (2 Sam. xvii. 16.)

Ver. 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.] Though this night be very sad, yet let me hear (according to the confidence I repose in thy mercy) better news, and see my affairs in a more comfortable posture in the morning, (2 Sam. xvii. 22. 23.); shew me which way I shall direct my course, and provide for my safety, (ver. 24.-27.), for I depend entirely upon thee,

Ver. 9. Deliver ine, O LORD, from mine enemics: I flee unto thee to hide me.] Let me not fall into the hand of my enemies, from whom I am now flying; but know not whither to go, but only to thee, for shelter and protection.

Ver. 10. Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God: thy Spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.] Whose guidance I beseech, as well as defence,

that I may do nothing (no not for my preservation) but what is perfectly agreeable to thy laws; for thy favour is my security, which I know is not other

only his kingdom, but his courage, his victories and successes, were all to be ascribed unto God.

wise to be obtained; and therefore I desire the con- Ver. 1. BLESSED be the LORD my strength, which

duct of thy good Spirit, (which is ready to assist those that seek it), as well to lead me in the plain path of justice and piety, as to suggest to me the ways and means of escaping the snares of my enemies, and of coming into an honest country, where I may be free from the fear of being betraved to them.

Ver. 1. Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name's sake for thy righteousness' sake, bring my soul out of trouble.] I have nothing to move thee to it, but only the honour it will be unto thy majesty, in respect to which, I hope, O Lord, thou wilt preserve me from perishing, and restore me again to thy kingdom; for though my straits are so great, that my life is in extreme danger, yet nothing can hinder the performance of thy just and faithful promise to me.

Ver. 12. And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.] Thy mercy also surpasses all the malice of my enemies, whom I trust thou wilt cut off, and destroy, rather than let me continue in these hazards; for I am thy minister, and though never so unworthy, am appointed by thee to govern thy people, in which office I will do thee all faithful service.

PSALM CXLIV.

A Psalm of David.

THE ARGUMENT.-The inscription will not let us doubt that David was the author of this psalm; but that it was a triumph after his victory over Goliath, (as the vulgar Latin hath it), is asserted without ground. For though some Greek copies have such an addition to the inscription, yet Theodoret says, that as he could not find it in the Hebrew, so it was not to be met withal in any other interpreter, no, not in the Seventy in the Hexaplus. And it plainly appears by the second verse, that it was composed after he came to the kingdom, and not then till he had got some victories over those that opposed him. Nay, there are so many expressions here, like to those we meet withal in the 18th psalm, that it hath inclined some to think it was made at the same time, and for the same purpose with that, of which it looks like a compendium, and might be intended for a short form of thanksgiving for his deliverance from all his enemies. But if the expressions be carefully examined, their opinion will appear to be truer, who think it was composed, not after God had given him rest from all his enemies, but after those two victories over the Philistines, mentioned 2 Sam. v. if not before them; for as he still mentioned more opposers who were unsubdued, ver. 7.-11. so he doth not say, as in the 18th psalm, that God had cast forth lightnings, and shot his arrows against them, &c. but desires him here, (ver. 5. 6.), that he would appear in that manner for him; acknowledging, that not.

teacheth my

bands to war, and my fingers to fight.] Praised be the Lord, by me and by all men else, by whom I have been kept in safety as in an impregnable fortress; and who hath given me both strength and skill to handle my arms, whensoever I engaged, either in single combat or in battles.

Ver. 2. My goodness and my fortress, my high tower, and my deliverer, my shield, and he in whom I trust: who subdueth my people under me.] I ever found him very merciful unto me, when I was in any danger; for he still preserved me as in a strong hold, nay, set me out of the reach of the most potent enemies; either making a way for my escape when they surrounded me, or protecting me in their most furious assaults upon me; and as I reposed a constant trust in him, so he hath never failed my expectation, but, after long contests, made all Israel submit themselves unto my empire, 2 Sam. v. 1. &c. .

Ver. 3. LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him? or the son of man, that thou makest account of him?] I am astonished, O Lord, at this thy wonderful goodness, and know not what to say, but only admire that thou shouldest take such care of so poor a thing as man is at the best; especially of me, a miserable wretch, whom thou hast honoured with most glorious successes.

Ver. 4. Man is like to vanity; his days are as a shadew that passeth away.] Man, alas! is but a breath, which presently vanishes; what a marvel is it, then, that I should have strength to achieve such things? His life is exceeding short and uncertain; and yet such is thy stupendous goodness, I am not only alive, notwithstanding all the hazards through which I have run, but in a little time have performed such memorable acts, that the fame of them will last for

ever.

Ver. 5Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down; touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.] Proceed, O Lord, to perfect my conquest; and now that new enemies are combined against me, (2 Sam. viii.), let thy majesty appear as it hath done formerly (see, Psal. xviii. 9.) for my assistance and defence; and as soon as the proudest opposers see that thou art present, they will vanish away like smoke.

Ver. 6. Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.] Let them be dis persed by flashes of lightning in their faces; and so terrified with thunder and hail, that they may not be able to re-collect their forces.

Ver. 7. Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters ; from the band of strange children.] Send powerful aid unto me from heaven, (Psal. xviii. 16.), for I rely upon nothing on earth; relieve me in all my straits, and deliver me out of these great and manifold dangers, wherewith I am threatened by a foreign power of idolatrous people, which now invade me;

Ver. 8. Whose mouth speaketh vanity; and their right

hand is a right hand of falsehood.] Who, as they have been wont to brag of more than they do, so promise more than they will ever perform; for whatsoever treaties of peace and leagues of friendship I make with them, they break them all, and falsify so shamefully both their words and their oaths, that there is no trust to be given to them, (ver. 11.)

Ver. 9. I will sing a new song unto thee, O God; upon a psaltery, and an instrument of ten strings, will I sing praises unto thee.] I will never prove ungrateful to thee for so great a benefit; but here solemnly vow to compose, with my best skill, new hymns of thanks unto thee, O God, and with the usual instruments of music sing thy praises, saying,

Ver. 10. It is he that giving salvation to kings, who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword.] It is not merely by the conduct and valour of our captains and soldiers that we have overcome, but the most powerful kings owe their safety and their victories unto the Lord; to whom I am more particularly bound, first for the high honour he hath done for me in making me his minister, and now for this deli-, verance from these mighty armies, which threaten my destruction, (2 Sam. viii.)

Ver. 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.] Grant my renewed requests, therefore, I beseech thee, (ver. 7. 8.), and send me seasonable relief and deliverance from this foreign invasion of an idolatrous people, who have no faith nor honesty, but shamefully falsify both their words and their oaths; and when they shake hands with others, as if they were their friends, intend thereby to deceive them.

Ver. 12. That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as cornerstones, polished after the similitude of a palace.] Let not our country be over-run by such barbarians, but be so preserved by thee in peace and tranquillity, that our hopeful sons may grow up like young flourishing trees, till they attain their full strength and stature; and our daughters be tall and beautiful, like those polished pillars which are the ornaments of a royal palace.

Ver. 13. That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store; that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in cur streets. Our granaries also and store-houses being as full as they can hold, may afford us all sorts of provision from year to year; and our flocks of sheep bring forth thousands, which may multiply into ten thousands, in their

walks.

Ver. 14. That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets.] Our cows also, being great with young, may neither be driven away by the irruption of our enemies, nor cast their calves at home; but we may be free from this, and all other causes of crying or complaining in our streets.

Ver. 15. Happy is that people that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people whose God is the LORD.] Happy is that nation which is settled in such a pro

sperous condition! that is, happy is that nation which truly worships the great Lord of the world, who hath promised (Deut. xxviii.) to bless his faithful servants, with these and all other fruits of his love.

PSALM CXLV.

David's psalm of praise.

THE ARGUMENT.-After David had obtained those favours of God for himself and for the nation, which he begs in the foregoing psalm, he composed (according to his promise there, ver. 9.) this admirable hymn; which is contrived with such art, that it is manifest from thence he made it when he was at much leisure, and God had given him rest from all his enemies, (2 Sam. vii. 1.) For every verse begins with a new letter of the alphabet in order; which are all here, except the letter Nun, which is wanting, ver. 13. I suppose it was lost, when this psalm came to the hands of the collector of this book; and he would not adventure to supply it with one of his own inventing. The Greek, indeed, (that is, the present Greek copies, for Theodotion, and Aquila, and the ancient LXX. had it not), and Latin and Arabic, (which in effect are but one and the same), have another verse, which we may well think, if it ever were in the Hebrew, began with that letter Nun; but it differs so little from the seventeenth verse, (when there is no repetition in any other part of the psalm), that it doth not, in my opinion, look like the true original verse. And it may be doubted, whether there ever was any such verse in that place, (where we suppose one wanting), for the psalmist might be carried, (see Psal. xxv.), by the strength of the inspiration which was upon him, out of the method he had at first proposed to himself.

Certain it is this psalm was always esteemed so excellent, that the title of the whole book of psalms is taken from this; which is wholly spent in praising God with such admirable devotion, that the ancient Hebrews were wont to say, (as Valentine Schindler hath long ago observed), "he could not fail to be a child of the world to come, who would say this psalm three times every day." And for that reason perhaps it was composed alphabetically, that so useful a psalm might be the more easily learned and remembered by every body.

Ver. 1. will bless thy name for ever and ever.] I will proclaim to all the world, O my God, the supreme Governor of heaven and earth, how excellent. thy majesty is, infinitely surpassing the highest of our thoughts; and will never cease to express the delightful sense I have of all thy glorious attributes, whereby thou art made known unto us.

WILL extol thee, my God, O King; and I

Ver. 2. Every day will I bless thee, and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.] This shall be my daily employment, and I will sing joyful hymns in praise of thy glorious perfections, without any end.

Ver. 3. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.] For the Lord is immensely great in power and dominion, and all other ways, and therefore to be honoured with our highest and with our endless praises; but when we have done all we can, our best praise of him will be, to confess that his transcendent excellencies cannot be comprehended.

Ver. 4. One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.] For there are none of thy works, which we see, that we are able to understand; but, though this age transmit its observations to the next, and that recommend the study of them to posterity, yet still we are ignorant, and cannot praise them enough; no, nor sufficiently declare the prodigious acts of thy miraculous providence, for the preservation of thy people, which shall be perpetually commemorated.

Ver. 5. I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.] It shall be my business, in this present age, to speak of the dazzling splendour and beauty of thy majesty; which I want words to express, but appears in thy stupendous works:

Ver. 6. And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts; and I will declare thy greatness.] Which they that come after shall rehearse, and, from the narratives that I shall make of thy magnificent greatness, declare to their posterity, what dreadful things were done by thy irresistible power, for the subversion of our enemies.

Ver. 7. They shall abundantly utter the memory of tby great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.] And with the same diligence shall they continue the constant memory of thy numerous benefits to us; which they shall no more cease to celebrate with their praises, than a spring doth to pour out water; but publish, in their perpetual hymns, how just and faithful thou art to thy word.

Ver. 8. The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion, slow to anger, and of great mercy.] For the Lord (this shall be the subject of their and of my song) is exceeding propense to do us good, and very indulgent when we do amiss; which makes him that he doth not presently punish, but rather chooses to bestow new and greater benefits upon us, if we repent of our faults.

Ver. 9. The LORD is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works.] Nor is his goodness confined unto us, but extends itself in various acts of bounty to all mankind; who need not doubt of his kindness, when they see he takes so tender a care of

all his creatures.

Ver. 10. All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD, and thy saints shall bless thee.] Who all in their several kinds declare, O Lord, throughout all generations, how great, how wise, how powerful and provident thou art; which such as we, who are particularly bound unto thee for special favours bestowed upon us, ought most sensibly to acknowledge with thankful praises.

Ver. 11. They shall speak of the glory of thy king

dom, and talk of thy power.] It is their duty to discourse of the incomparable wisdom, and goodness, and care, which thou exercisest in the government of the whole world, especially of us; and to recount the memorable acts of thy invincible power among

us.

Ver. 12. To make kuown to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.] That all mankind, who regard not such things so much as they ought, may be made sensible how mighty the Lord is, and adore the amazing splendour of his illustrious works, and the admirable order he observes in his government of all things.

Ver. 13. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.] Which as they are all entirely subject to him, so his empire over them is immoveable, and neither ends nor decays; but when earthly kingdoms fail, and are transferred from one to another, his dominion is still the same throughout all successions.

Ver. 14. The LORD upholleth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.] In which he doth not neglect any of his subjects that depend upon him, (as mortal princes too frequently do), but supports and comforts the meanest of them that are oppressed with grievous afflictions, and gives them a seasonable deliverance, when they are in danger to sink and perish under the heavy weight of their burdens.

Ver. 15. The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season.] He makes a constant provision also for them; which every creature, when their necessities call for supply, daily receive from thee, O Lord, in the proper season for it.

Ver. 16. Thou openest thy hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing] And thou art not sparing of thy blessings, but dispensest them with such a bountiful hand, that there are none of them live without satisfactions, but have all their appetites filled, by thy liberality to the smallest of them.

Ver. 17. The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and boly in all his works.] And therefore let us not doubt, but thankfully acknowledge, that the Lord is not only just in all the dispensations of his providence to us, (though perhaps we do not apprehend it), but exceeding merciful and kind in every thing that befals

us.

Ver. 18. The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon bim in truth.] need do no more but piously commend ourselves to him, and he will take care of us; for he is ready, on all occasions, to relieve every one that addresses himself unto him, with a sincere heart, truly disposed to

be faithful to him.

Ver, 19. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; he will also hear their cry, and will save them.] He that satisfies the appetite of all creatures, (ver. 16.), will not fail, we may be confident, to gratify in their desires, such religious persons as fear to offend him; but though he let them fall into troubles and straits, in due time will be moved, by their importunate prayers, to send them à seasonable deliverance.

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Ver. 20. The LORD preserveth all them that love bim; but all the wicked will be destroy.] For since they love him so well, that they had rather suffer any thing than disobey him, the Lord undoubtedly will preserve them, and destroy all those impious men, who have no regard to his laws, nor make any scruple to abuse and oppress such virtuous perVer. 21. My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD; and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.] For which, and all the rest of his benefits, I will never cease to sing hymns of praise unto the Lord; and let all mankind (remembering how weak and frail they are) join together with me in this employment, (as the greatest support, and comfort, and security they have) to bless his incomparable good ness and power, and careful providence, for ever and

ever.

PSALM CXLVI.

Hallelujah.

THE ARGUMENT. This psalm, and the other four which follow, both begin and conclude with the word Hallelujah, i. e. praise ye the Lord. And therefore might, if the Jews had pleased, have been called the great Hallelujah; being all of them exhortations and incitements to the people, to stir up themselves to that heavenly employment; which this psalm recommends to them, from the consideration of several of the divine excellencies, which make him the proper object of our coufidence in all conditions. The vulgar Latin and the present Greek entitle it to Haggai and Zechariah; but there is no such thing in the Hebrew, nor in other ancient interpreters, nor in the Seventy in the Hexaplus, as Theodoret tells us. And we might rather think it not unlikely to have been composed by David, when Saul, who at first had a great kindness for him, afterwards turned his most bitter enemy; were it not for one word, viz. the mention of Sion, which was not then in David's possession. This, it is possible, inclined those that made the foregoing title to think it was not composed till after times; and they could find none so likely as that after the captivity; when they soon found it was in vain to rely upon the favour of princes, some of which hindered the building of the temple as much as Cyrus at the first had furthered it. I shall not trouble the reader with any other conjectures; but only note, that the eighth verse was most exactly and literally fulfilled in our Lord Christ, when he came to give salvation to us.

•PRAISE ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. Stir up thyself, O my soul, to give the Lord, who gave being to all things, those affectionate praises which are due unto him.

Ver. 2. While I live, will I praise the LORD; I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.] The best resolution thou canst make is this, I will

praise the Lord all my life long, and never cease to give thanks unto my God, who never ceases to bestow his benefits on me.

Ver. 3. Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.] And let all mankind, if they would be happy, preserve his favour, by being grateful to him, and not (with the neglect of his service) court the favour of princes, and settle upon them their dependence; for the greatest king on earth, though never so just, never so bountiful, as well as rich and powerful, is still but a man, who cannot be present every where when we are in danger, nor be able always to help us in our greatest

Ver. 4. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.] For there is a time when he cannot help himself, nor by the whole power of his empire, keep his soul from leaving his body; nay, a small accident may carry him away suddenly; and then a clod of earth can do as much as he; and, whatsoever designs and projects he had laid, (for any man's preferment), suppose they all die together with him.

Ver. 5. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD bis God.] He, and he alone, is the truly happy man, who expects help from the mighty God, by whom Jacob was fed all his life long, (Gen. xlviii. 15.), who trusts to him that is Lord of the world, and hath made him his friend so much, that he can call him his God.

Ver. 6. Which made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that therein is; which keepeth truth for ever.] For as he never dies, so there can be no defect in his power, nor want of his presence in every place; the heavens, the earth, and the sea, and all that is in them, being his own works; and, as nothing can hinder him from doing what he pleases, so he will never alter his mind, nor go back with his word, but faithfully keep his promises for ever with those that rely upon them.

Ver. 7. Which executeth judgement for the oppressed; which giveth food to the hungry: the LORD looseth the prisoners.] There are innumerable instances of the careful providence of this great King, who doth not slight or forget the cries of his grieved subjects, but in due time asserts the right of those who are oppressed, and can find no relief in other courts of judgement; he supplies also the needs of the poor hungry wretches, who are. ready to famish; and is so gracious à Lord, that he sets them at liberty, who by unjust or pitiless men have been held in miserable captivity.

Ver. 8. The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down; the LORD loveth the righteous.] The Lord sends help, when there are no hopes of human cure; for he restores sight to the blind, (as we shall see most remarkably when the Lord Christ appears), and lifts up those who are bowed together by tedious weaknesses, (Luke, xiii. 11.), or crushed under other insupportable burdens; and, above all, the Lord delights to do good to them who have done good to others.

Ver. 9. The LORD preserveth the strangers; be re

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