Exposition of the Whole Bible

are here addreffed,|:when they fhall ‘be converted to him; and who, upon this enlargement of his kingdom, will be congratulated by his people, for taking to: himfelf \his great. power and reigning, Rev. xiv 15, 16, 17. « His excellency is over Ifrael; the fpiritual J/rae/, fuch who are J/raelites indeed. Over thefe his. glorious Majefty in his kingdom rules; they are; fubject to him, and, acknowledge him for their King; and among, them is his /bekinab, or divine prefence. Or over I/ael, literally underftood;, when they. fhall,. as at this time the prophecy refers to, ‘be. all called, converted and faved: they fhall feek, the, Lord their God, and David their King, and he thall be. Prince over them. Aud bis ftrength, is, in, the clouds’; which are- round about -him,ithe chariots,in. which he tides, and in which,he fhews. his ftrength; by fending forth from thence the rain of his ftrength, the terrible: lightning and thunder, » In thele he went up to heaven,! and; in thefe-he»will come again to judgment... They may be mpyftically underftood of the minifters of the gofpel; efpecially in the latter day, who may. be compared to clouds for, their numbers, they will then.be many; for their fwiftnefs.in moving jto and fro,. and preading the gofpel; and;for their being full of the doc+ trines of grace, comparable to rain; fee J/a. v. 6, And the Lord’s ftrength will be feen in them,who will greatly ftrengthen them to do. their, work; his) ftrength will be made perfect..in their weaknefs.; the excellency of the power attending their miniftrations, to the large converfion of: finners, will appear to be of God, and not of/man....._. ¥. 35. O God, thou art terrible, 8ec,]: In his judgments and aéts.of vengeance, on,Antichrift and the antichriftian. ftates; being the Lion of the tribe of Fudab, that will break them to pieces as a potter’s veflel: or reverend * 5 to be feared-and wore fhipped by his faints.. Out of thy baly places; both out of heaven, the habitation of his holinefs, by angels and glorified faints.there; and out of all his churches, the feveral aflemblies of them, among whom he is greatly:to be feared and: adored: the Targum interprets it of.the houfe of the fanétuary. Ihe God of ITfrael is be that giveth ftrength and power unto his people; his peculiar covenant-people, his J/rae] he is the God of.. Thefe are wea and encompafied' about with infirmities; he | ftrength in himfelf for them); he has promifed it to them, and he gives it to them asa pure gift and unmerited favour of his. It may be underftood of the great degree of ftrength that will be given them in the latter day; when a {mall one fhall be a {trong nation, and the feeble fhall be as David, and David as God, as the angel of the Lord, J/z. Ix, 21. Zech. xii. 8. and of the dominion and greatnefs of the kingdom under the whole heaven; which will be given to the faints of the moft High, Dan. vii. 27. Bleffed be God: the pfalm is concluded with an afcription of blefling to the Mefiiah, who is God bleffed for evermore; and who, as Mediator, is the promifed feed, in whom all nations were to be bleffed, and now will be; fee Rev, v,

To the chief mufician, upon Shofhannim, 4 p alm of Dayid.

O* the word fhofbannim, fee the noté upon the title of P/a/. xlv. The Targum renders it, ** concerning the temoval of the fanxhedrim;” which was about the time of Chrift’s death. The Talmudifts * fay, that forty years before the deftruc - tion of the temple, the Janbedrim removed, they removed from the paved chamber, &c. But it can hardly be thought that David prophefied of this affair; nor of the captivity of the people of Jraél, as the Targum, Aben Ezra, Kimchi, Arama and R. Obadiah interpret it: and fo Farchi takes the word /bofbannim to fignify lilies, and applies it to the J/raelites, who are as a lily among thorns. But -not a body of people, but a fingle perfon is fpoken of, and in forrowful and fuffering circumftances; and if the Jews were not blind, they might fee that they are the enemies of the perfon defigned, and the evil men from whom he fuffered fo much. And indeed what is faid of him cannot be faid of them, nor of any other perfon whatever but the Meffiah: and that the pfalm belongs to Chrift, and to the times of the gofpel, is abundantly evident from the citations out of it in the New Teftament; as ¥. 4. in Fobn xv.25. Wg. in Fobn ii. 17. and Rom. XV. 3. ¥. 21. in Matt. xxvil. 34, 38. Fobn xix. 28, 29. ¥. 22, 23. in Rom. xi. 9, 10. ¥. 25. in Affs i. 16, 20. The infcription of the pfalm in the Syriac verfion is, ‘* a pfalm of David, according to ** the letter, when Shemuah (Sheba) the fon of s¢ Bichri, blew a trumpet, and the people ceafed ‘¢ from following after him (David); but the pro- *¢ phecy is faid concerning thofe things which the «© Meffiah fuffered, and concerning the rejection of <* the Jews.” And ben Ezra interprets the laft verfe of the days cf David, or of the days of ‘the Meffiah, y. 1. Save me, O God, &c.} The petitioner is Chrift; not as a divine perfon, as fuch he is blefs- ‘ed for ever, and ftands in no need of help and affiftance; but as man, and in diftreffed and fuffer- ‘ing circumftances. As a prieft, it was part of his work to intefcede, as well as to offer facrifice; ‘and though he did not offer a fin-offering for himfelf, ‘yet he offered up fupplications, with {trong cryings and tears; and as the furety of his people, he prayed, in point of right and juftice, both for himfelf and thems fee Fohn xvii. 4, 5, 24. The perfon petitioned is God the Father, who was able to fave him, and always heard him; and did in this petition, Heb. v. 7. which perfectly agrees with fome petitions of Chrift, recorded ‘in the New Teftament,

‘weaknefs-of the human nature, the weight: of ‘fin upon him, and his fenfe of the wrath of God; and

‘which notwithftanding, were made with limitations and reftrictions, and even with a’correction. More- he could have done himfelf, but he would be faved in a legal way, ina way of juftice; and as a point of honour, when he had. done the work, he, asa furety, engaged to do.. The reafons enforcing this petition follow: For the waters are come in unto my foul, the Meffiah reprefents his cafe, ‘in thefe words and in the following verfe, as like to that of a man ftanding up to his chin in water, and the waters running into his mouth, juft fuffocating him; and that in a miry place, where he could not fet his feet firm, nor get himfelf out; and even overflowed with the floods, and immerfed in the deep waters, and fo in the moft imminent danger. Thefe overwhelming waters may fignify the floods of ungodly men that encompafied him, the affembly of the wicked that inclofed him; and the proud waters that went over his foul, the Gentiles and people of J/rael, that were gathered againft him to deftroy him; and fo the Zargum interprets it of the camp of finners, that preffed him on every fide, as water: the whole pofie of devils may alfo be defigned, for now was the hour and power of darknefs; Satan, and his principalities and powers, came in like a flood upon him, to {wallow him up; innumerable evils, the fins of his people, came upon him from every quarter, and prefied him fore; the curfes of the law fell upon him, which may be compared to the bitter water of jealoufy that caufed the curfe. Thefe entred into him, when he was made a curfe for his peoples and the wrath of God went over him, and lay hard upon’ him, and came about him like water, into his very foul, which made him exceeding forrowful, even unto death,

¥.2. I fink in deep mire, where there is no ftanding, 8c.] Which fignifies not defpair of mind, but difficult and diftreffed circumftances; the Meffiah now bearing the filthy fins of his people, and the punifhment of them, and fo was got into the horrible pit, the mire and clay; fee the note on P ai, xl. 2. I am come inio deep waters, where the floods overflow me; as afflictions are often compared to waters in fcripture; Chrift’s forrows and fufferings are very aptly fignified by deep waters and overflowing floods; and therefore rightly called a baptifm, as by himfelf, Luke xii. 50. when: he was as one immerfed in and overwhelmed with water. * _¥. 3. Lam weary of my crying, &c.] ‘In his diftrefs; when, bearing the punifhment both of Jofs and fenfe, he cried: unto God; -he prayed earneftly, with great intenfenefs and fervency of {pirit; he of» fered fupplications, with ftrong cryings and tears, infomuch that he calls it a roaring: and whereas there was a feeming delay of anfwer to ‘his cries, he cried till, he was weary of crying; and yet it is remarkable, that his laft cry was with a loud voice, which furprifed the centurion; fee P/al, xxii, 1, 2.

‘over, this may alfo defign help and affiftance from his divine Father, which was promiféd him,”and ‘the expected and had; in’ the acceptable time; in ‘the day of falvation: and he was fo faved in'death, "as that he abolifhed that,!and deftroyed him! that had the power of it; and ‘was quickly raifed: from ‘the gtave, and thereby faved’out'of it. Aind this | Mats xxviis 46... My: throat. is dried; with crying, fo thar he was hoarfe 5 or burnt swith in- | ward heat of a fever, which ufvally attended:perfons:crucified'; fee P/al. xxii. 15. Mine eyes fail, while J:qwait\for my God; God the Father was the God of Chrift, as he was.man 5 he prepared a ry for him, and anointed his human nature with the holy Spirit; he fupported and upheld him: and.as fuch Chrift loved him, believed in‘hith, ptayed to him, and waited and looked for help and falvation from him; this being delayed, his eyes failed with intenfe looking about for it, as well as with grief and tears. dinfworth obfetves, that failing’ of the eyes is one of the curfes of the law, Lev. »xxvi.16. Dent. xxviii. 32. and it fhews how in every thing Chrift was made a curfe for his people. ¥. 4. They that hate me without a caufe, &c.) As the Jews did; fee Fohbn xv. 18—25. for he did ho injury to the perfons or properties of men; but went about continually doing good, both to their fouls and bodies; fo that he merited their higheft sefteem and love, and not their hatred; and yet they were his implacable enemies; fee Luke xix. 44,27. Are more than the bairs of mine head; they “were amultitude that came to take him in the gar- ‘den; ard it was the multitude, that the priefts and pharifees inftigated to afk for the releafe of Barabas, and the crucifixion of Jefus; and a vaft nurhber of people followed him to the crofs, and in- -fulted him on it; the Gentiles and the people of J - vael were gathered together againft him. They that would deftroy me; as the Jews fought to do-eften before his time was*come. Being mine enemies wrongfully; without caufé, as before; or through lies and falfhoods told of him, and fpread about conterning him: Are mighty; lively and ftrong, a8 David's enemies were, P/al. xxxviii. 19. The great men of the earth, kings and princes, as Hevod and Pontius Pilate, and alfo the infernal principalities and powers, who were concefned in contriving thofe lies, and putting them into the minds of men; for Satan is the father of lies and falfhood. Then I reftored that which I took not away; by rapine, force and violence, as the word ” fignifies; and which was done by others. Thus,’ for inftance, Chrift reftored the glory of God, of which “he was robbed, and which was takeh away by the fin of man; by vailing his own glory, not feeking that, but his Father’s; and by wofking out the fal- ‘vation of his people, in fach a manner as that all the divine perfections were glorified by it; hence, Ghiry te God in the bigheSt, Luke ii..14. — He “fa- ‘tisfied juftice he had never injured, though others ‘had; he fulfilled a law, and bore the penalty of it, which he never broke; and made fatisfaétion for fins he wever'committed; and brought in a righteoufnefs he had not taken away; and provided a ‘better inheritance than what was loft by Adam: and all this was done at the time of his fufferings and death, and by the means of them. v5. O God, thou knoweft my foolifbnefs, &c.} Not ‘that there was real foolifhnefs in’ him, who, as man, from his infancy was filled with wifdom, and increafed in it 5 and as Mediator had the Spirit of wifdom on him, and the treafures of wifdom in him 5 and as‘a divine perfon, he is the wifdom of God, and the only wife God; and as in our nature there was no foolifhnefs in his heart, nor in his words, norin his a¢tions: but this is to be underftood, ‘either of what was accounted fo by others; he and his followers were reckoned foolifh and illiterate’ men, and the gofpel preached by him and his apoftles, was foolifhnets to them that petithed; or of what he was charged with by his enemies; even with immorality, herefy, blafphemy and fedition; -of all which he was innocent, and therefore could appeal to his divine Father, who knows all things, that he was clear of all fach folly s for it smb tu not te hie abut mje sed, may be rendered, thou knowe/ft as to my foolifhnefs *,

‘with refpeét to what he was charged with, that there was none in him; or elfe it regards the foolifhnefs.

of his people imputed to him, the fin of Adam, that folly of follies, together with all the foolifhnefs in the heart, lip, and lives of his people, before and after converfion; thefe were all reckoned

‘to him, and reckoned by him, as-his own in fome fenfe; and which is confirmed by what follows. And my fins are not hid from thee, meaning not any committed by him; for then he could not have faid what he does in the preceding verfe; but the fins of his people imputed to him, which he calls his own, as he does in P/a/. xl. 12. {ee the note there = thefe muft be known to his divine Father, fince he is God omnifcient, and fince he laid them upon him, and he made fatisfaction for them to him;

and which he obferves to inforce his with this compare J/a. lili, 11, 12. Ra y. 6. Let not them that wait on thee, O LordGod of bofts, be albamed for my fake, &c.| Of their expectation of redemption and falvation by the Mef- — fiah, they have been waiting upon the Lord tor; when they fhall fee him in fuffering circumftances, and even dead and laid in the grave, without any hope of his rifing again; which was the cafe of the two difciples travelling to Emmaus, Luke xxiv.

19, 20, 21. whofe truft in him, and expectation of him, as the Redeemer of J/rael, were almoft gone,

The people of God, and believers in Chrift, are defcribed by fuch that wait on the Lord; for the coming of Chrift, and falvation by him; whe would be in danger of being put to fhame and in confufion, when they fhould fee him under the power of death and the grave; wherefore in this petition Chrift addreffes his divine Father, as the Lord God of bofts, of armies above and below, as God omnipotent; partly to encourage their truft and confidence in him, and partly to encourage his own faith as man, that this petition would be anfwered. Let not thofe that feek thee; in the word and ordinances, by prayer and fupplication, with all their hearts, in Chriff, in whom the Lord is only to be found, and for life and happinefs, Be confounded for my fake; ¥ is, through his fufferings and death, as before, - God of Ijrael, the covenant-God of the {piritual Jfrael, whom he has chofen; the Meffiah redeems, and the Spirit makes //reelites indeed. -¥. 7. Becaufe for thy fake I have borne reproach, &c,}, Being reckoned:a finner, called a deceiver, faid to be a Samaritan, and to have a devil; with many other reproaches, which he bore patiently for - the fake of the word and worfhip of God, and for the fake of the glory of God;. which he all fought, and to repair the lofs of it, which was for;

tained'through the fin of man. Shame hath covered my face when he was {pit upon by fome,’ and {mote by others with a rod upon his cheek; and when he was. blindfolded, and bid to prophely who Kencnesbise'y, fee. Gide Bas. 0s- 4 eee py. 8, Lam become a ftranger unto my bretbren, &c,]/ Not only to the Jews in general,. who w his own people and nation, to whom he came. and of whom he came; who received him not, hid 4 it were their faces from him, and Te the Meffiah; but alfo to fuch who were {till a-kin to him, according to the flefh, who believe in him, Zobx vii. 5. and even in fon to his difciples and followers; fome of whic ing heard fome do¢trines deliv)

greeable'to them, withdrew frombhim, and walked no more with him, John vi. 60, 66. yea, to his apoftles, whom he often called his. brethren: one of thefe betrayed him, another denied him with oaths and curfing, and allof them forfook him and fled, when he was taken by his enemies, and about to fuffer death, dnd an alien unto my mother’s cbildren; which is the fame as before, in.other words. The Targum is, ‘ as the fon of the Gentiles to my ** mother’s childrens”? that is,,as an heathen. to them; fee Matt. xviii. 17.

¥. Qe Forthe zeal of thine boufe bath eaten me | ups &c.]. Of the houfe of the fanctuary,, as the

Targum, thatis, the temple, which was Chrift’s Father’s, houfe, where he was, worfhipped and dwelt; and zeal for his Father, and his glory in it, and indignation againft thofe that made it an houfe

_ of merchandife, inflamed him;,put him upon driving out the buyers and fellers init, whereby this. paflage had its accomplifhment, Fobm ii. 145.17: | ‘and this may. be applied co the:church of God, which is the houfe of God, of his building, and ‘where he dwells; and zeal may defign the fervent affection of Chrift for it, for the doctrine, difcipline, and falvation of it.. His zeal for the gof- l appeared in his warm and lively preaching it, in his affiduity and conftancy in its in the wearifome journies, he took to fpread it, in the rifks he run, and dangers:he expofed himfelf to for the fake of it; in the miracles he wrought to confirm it, and in the care he took'to free it from calumny. and reproach; his zeal for the worfhip and difcipline of God’s houfe was fhewn, by his afferting the purity of worthip in {pirit and truths by his fevere inveighing againft the traditions, {uperftition, and willworfhip of men, ahd again{t the vices and corruptions of profeflors of religion, the fcribes and Pharifees: his zeal for the falvation of his people, is eafily feen in his furetyfhip-¢éngagements for them; in coming, into. this, world to do the will of him that feat him; in his. early. regards unto it, and vehement defire, even of fuffering death, in order ‘to accomplifh jit, and.in his voluntary and chearful fubmiffion, and, obedience; ‘even to the; death of the crofs: this zeal of his;was according to knowledge, and was cordial, hearty. and unfeigned; and this eat him. 4p, enflamed like fire his:fpirit and affections 3 confumed his time, and ftrength;,; and even life itfelf....And the reproaches of them, that reproached thee are fallen upon.me; the fame perfons that reproached the one reproached the other;

and the reproaches of his divine Father were as cutting, to, him as. if caft on -himéelf; it went to his heart. that. his, Father’s houfe thould be made an houfe of merchandife; that his doétrine fhould be defpiled,. his, worfhip negleéted, -and his glory leffened,-to have the name. of God, his.ways and truth,. evil. fpoken of, were not -pleafing to him; he took.all reproach of this kind to himfelf,, and bore it becomingly; and. yet fhewed zeal for his Father’s glory, and indignation againft thofe that reproached. hint; fee Rom.xV.I——-3, y. 10. When I wept, &¢.]. Becaufe of the fins of his people imputed to him; the hardnefs and.unbelief of the. Jews that rejected him 3 their impiety and profanenefs in polluting the temple with their merchandife; he. wept at the grave of Lazaus, and over the city of Ferufalem, on account of the blindnefs of its inhabitants, and the ruin coming upon them, and in his prayers at different times, efpecially in the garden and on the crofs, which were offered up with ftrong crying and tears; fee

John xi. 35«.Luke xix. 41. Heb. v. 7... And chaftened my foul with fafting; or my foul being in fast= ing”. The Targum renders it in the fajting of my foul; the word chaftened is fupplied from P/al. xxXv, 13. and /oul is put for the body, or for the whole perfon. Chrift fafted forty days and nights in the wildernefs; and often, through neglect. of himfelf, and multiplicity of bufinefs, in preaching, and in healing difeafes, was without food for fome time: he feems to have been fafting the day that he fuffered,; when he made atonement for fin; and fo anfwered the type on the day of atonement, when every man was to afflict his foul with fafting, Lev. Xvi. 29, hence the Jews taunting at him. gave him gall for his meat, and vinegar for his drink, y..21. and it follows, bat was to my reproach; if he eat and drank, he was charged with being a glutton and wine-bibber; and it he wept and fafted, as Jobn his forerunner did, they reproached him with madnefs, and having a devil, Mast. xi. 18, 19. Mark iii. 20, 21. and, as may be reafonably fuppofed, after this manner; ‘* Can this poor creature, that weeps, and mourns, and fafts,, be thought.to be the Son of God, a divine perfon, as he makes himfelf to be, and his followers believe he is?”’ and fo the blind Jews reafon to this day.:

¥. 11. I made fackcloth alfo my garment, &c.] Though we no where read that Jefus put on fackcloth upen any occafion, yet it: is not improbable that he did; befides, the phrafe may only intend, that he mourned and forrowed at certain times, as perfons do when they put on fackcloth: moreover, as the common garb of his forerunner was raiment of camel’s hair, witha leathern girdle; fo it is very likely his own was very mean, fuitable to his condition;, who, though he was rich, for our fakes And I became. a proverb to them; a bye-word; fo that when they faw any perfon in fackcloth, or in vile raiment, behold fuch an one looks like Jefus of Nazareth.

_ W124 They that fit in the gate [peak againft me, &c.]_.The princes, magiftrates and judges, who fat in the gates of cities, heard and tried caufes, and executed judgment there; the elders of the city; fee Ruth iv.1. Lam. v. 14. Zech, viii. 16. the civil rulers among the Jews are meant; and alfo their ecclefiaftical ones, the fcribes. and Pharifees that fat in Mofes’s {eat; though fome think men of lower characters are defigned, idle. perfons that faunter about, and fit in gate-ways, and corners of ftreets, and in market-places; {pending their time like the

Athenians, in hearing and telling of news, and prating about this and the other perfon, and their affairs;. but the former fenfe feems beft, fince thefe are rather intended in the next claufe: now fuch men of rank and figure fpoke againft,Chrift.; againft his perfon as the Son of God, againft his office as the Meffiah,. againft his doctrines and ordinances, and againft his people and followers; or they fpake together of bim*; they confabulated and confulted together; how to feize him, and take away his life; as the chief priefts and elders. frequently did; and when they, had taken him they gave their voice againft him, and unanimoufly condemned him, when they fat in judgment upon him... 4nd 1 was the fong. of the drunkards; or. of them that drink firong drink*; be it made of what it will; that is, to excefs: thefe, whilft they ie ed on’ thei? inftruments of mUfic, as the word? here ufed fignifies, fung fongs, and Chrift was the fubjeé&t of them; as %od complains was his cafe, Fob xxx. 8, 9. very probably the common people that were employed in taking of Jefus might have plenty of liquor given them by the priefts and elders, to encourage them; and this being a feftival time too, might come at it more eafily than ufual, and drink more freely; and this: might be the cafe of the Roman foldiers, when they made Chrift the fubject of their mirth and diverfion in Pilate’s hall. Us y. 13. But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord, &c.] Chrift betook himfelf to: prayer in thefe circumftances, and not to railing and reviling again: he applied to h's divine Father, and committed -himfelf to him that judgeth righteoufly, and prayed both for himfelf and for his enemies too 5 and this he did. In an acceptable time; or a time of good-will*; which was the time of his fufferings and death; fo called, becaufe the good will and pleafure. of 'God was feen therein; in not’ {paring his ‘Son, his own, and only begotten Son, his beloved Son, and delivering him up to juftice and death ‘for the worft of finners; and becavfe at this time the good will of God was done: Chrift laid down his life by the commandment of his Father, offered himfelf a facrifice by the will of God, and hereby the law of God was fulfilled, juftice. fatisfied, and the work of man’s redemption finifhed; which -was the pleafure.of the Lord, that profpered in his hands; ard therefore this mutt be an acceptable time to God. The fufferings of Chrift were well-pleafing to him the facrifice’ of Chrift was for a weet- fmelling favour; the righteoufnefs of Chrift was acceptable. to him, the law being magnified and made honourable by it: peace was now made by the blood of his crofs; the perfections’ of God were glorified, his purpofes executed, his promifes fulfilled, his covenant confirmed, and his people faved; ‘dnd fo ‘a proper time for the Mediator to offer up his fupplications and prayers, in which he was heard, as appears from J/a) xlix. 8. O'God, in the'multitude of thy mercy, thefe words, according tothe accents in the Hebrew text, fhould be rendered in connexion with the preceding words, thus: inthe time of good will, -O. God.; or in the time of the good will of God, through the multitude of thy mercy; and then the fenfe is, that the acceptable tithe was owing to the greatnefs of divine mercy; it was from hence that the day-{pring from on high vifited men; or Chrift came in the flefh, and fuffered inthe room ‘and ftead of finners 5 in which there’ was a wonderful difplay of the abundant mercy of God to men; for’ -otherwife there was none fhewn to the furety and Saviour; he was not fpared, but delivered up; and‘then it follows, “Hear me, in the truth of thy falvation 5 or becaufe of, or by thy true: falvation*, that’ which God contrived in council, and fecured in covenant, and fent his Son ‘to effeét, and which heis become the author of, is a true and real falvation; not figurative and fhadowy, ‘asthe falvation of J/rael out of Egypt and Babylon were: or becaufe of the truth and faithful- *nefs of God, who had promifed falvation’ to the -Meffiah, that he fhould be carried through his fuffétings, be raifed from the’dead, ‘and’ be crowned with glory and honour; and therefore he prays he might be heard on this account, and his prayer follows, and the feyeral’petitions in its 2;.y. 14. Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not)

te ms 258 Phlxix.9'13—16, fink, &c.) in which he was finking; yi 2. and accordingly he was delivered out of it,» P/al. xl. 2. even out of all the mire of fin, the fins of his peo ple that were upon him, from which he was juftis fied when railed from the dead, and fo will appear without fin, when he comes a fecond time. Let me be delivered from them that bate me, and out | the deep waters; thefe phrafes defign the fame, even the enemies of Chrift; fuch that hated him, compared to deep watets: thefe are the floods of the ungodly, and the many waters out of which he was drawn and delivered, Pfal. xviii. 4, 16, 17.;

YW 15. Let not the water-flood overflow me, 8c.) - The enemy, Satan, that came in Jike a flood upon him, with his whole poffe of devils; or the wrath of God, which came upon hiin like a flood overs whelming him. Neither let the deep fwallow me up; as ‘fonab by the whale, and Dathan and Abiram in the earth, And let not the pit fout ber mouth upon me; either the pit of hell; fo the Targum interprets it: for Chrift; when he endured the curfes of the law, andthe wrath of God, ‘fuffered the fame for kind as the damned in hell; only the mouth of this pit could not be fhut upon him, or he'be con=. tinued under fuch wrath and curfe: or elfé’ the’pit of the grave, where his divine’ Father left him not, or fuffered him to be fo long init as to fee corruption; this pit was not fhut upon him, ‘but he was delivered out of it, and will die no ‘more. Satie y¥..16. Hear me, O Lords for thy loving-kindne s is good, &c.} ° His loving-kindnefs to’ him, not only as his Son, but as Mediator; and which is a love of complacency and delight, and was from eternity, and will be to eternity: and ‘this is good, as appears by the effects and evidences of it; fuch as putting all things into his hands, shewing ‘him all that he does, concealing and keeping nothing from. him, appointing him to be the Saviour of his peo+ ple, the head of the church, and the: Judge of thé. world; and this loving-kindnefs fhewn to him isa reafon why he might expect to be’ heard by his God and Father; fee Fohn xvii. 24."and the loving= kindnefs of God to his people; andthe membefs oF Chrift, is alfo good: it arifes: from'the good will and pleafure of God; it‘is pleafantly and delight= fully good to the: faints,who have tafted'that the Lord is gracious, and have had his love thed abroad in their hearts; it is profitably good unto them; it has prepared andlaid up'good things for them, both foritime and eternity, even all the bleffings ‘of grace and goodnefs: it has-promifed good things unto them ‘in covenant, ‘and it gives Chrifty and all good things’along with him; it has’a’ good influence on the graces of the Spirit, faith, hope and love, to encourage them;° and engages believers to a chearful obedience to all the divine commands; to which ‘may bevadded. the duration of it, it lafts for ever: and it is fo good, that itis better than any’ temporal good thing without its it is’ better- than life, and all the comforts of it, P/al. Ixiii. 3.9 Turn unto. me,-according to the multitude of thy-tender mer=_ from hit, and turned his fury upon him} he had awoke his: fword of juttice'againft ‘him, "pointed ft ‘at him, “dnd thruft ir intohim; and now ‘fatisi

‘tion beifig: mvade,* he.defiresche would turn’ unto ‘him in @ wayof grace and’favour’, that-he would have’refpect unto him, ‘and look” upon’ him with his paternal countemanee, and ina kind and terider

| manner; as’ welle pleafede. With him sland “with" his righteoufnefs and facrifice. Of the phrafe, accordniosloM vom amie ofenjst ni sho meus CBP Cae ang my as Bi placiti, vr:

ing to the multitude of thy tender mercies, fee the note on Pfal. li.a... fk yt y¥.17. And bide not thy face from thy (ne &c.} This isa character that is frequently given to Chrift as Mediator; he is a fervant of God’s bringing: forth, and fupporting; who.is an obedient, diligent, righteous, and prudent one; who always reverenced and honoured him whofe fervant he was, J/a. xlii..1. and xiii, 10. and xlix. 1, 3. and lit. 13. and. liti, 11, Zech, iii. 8. now, when he was on the crofs, fuffering in the room and. ftead of his people, his: Father hid his face from him;. which he here deprecates, aid defires he would not continue to do, teeing he was his fervant, now, doing his fervice, and about to finifh it, even the great work of man’s redemption 5 and for a reafon following. For I am in trouble; in traits and difficulties; preffed on every fide, inclofed with the affembly of the wicked, who were mocking of him, and with the whole poffe of devils, who were throwing their fiery darts at him; having the fins of his people, and the curfes of a righteous law on him, and the wrath of God in him; and what increafed his trouble was, he was forfaken by him. Hear me {peedily, or make bafte to bear *; and an- {wer me; his cafe required hafte; fee Pfal, xxii. 19. y¥. 18. Draw nigh unto my foul, &c.} God his Father, whilft he was fuffering, ftood afar off from him; wherefore he defires that he would,draw nigh to him in the manifeftations of his love and favour to. him; which he did, when he made known to him the way of life, and made him full of joy with his countenance. And redeem it; that is, from the power of the grave; not leave it there, but raife him from the dead, and give him glory, as he did. Deliver me, betaufe of mine enemies; that they might not triumph over him, as if being dead, he Frould rife no more; and fo the Zargum, ‘that mine enemies might not lift up them- «¢ felves againft me.” Or the meaning is, deliver me from the grave, raife me from the dead, that I may requite mine enemies, and take vengeance on them; fee Pal. xli. 8,9,10, 11. | y.19. Thou bajt known my reproach, and my frame, and my difbonour, 8c.) A heap of words to exprefs the greatnefs of the contempt that was caft upon him, and the injury that was done to his perfon and character; which was all known to God: as how he was vilified by wicked words and blafphemous fpeeches; how he was expofed to fhame and difhonour by deeds; by {pitting upon him, buffeting him, veiling his face, {tripping him of his garments, and fcourging and crucifying him naked. Mine adverfaries are all. before bee in his fight: he knew their perfons, the malice and wickednefs that were in their hearts;. and all the evil words that were fpoken, and the, evil actions that were done by them. Or, are all againjt thee‘; for they that were againft Chrift, were againft his Father. oy y. 20. Reproach hath broken my heart, &c.] This was his cafe when his foul was exceeding forrowful unto death, and his heart like wax melted in the midft of his bowels, Matt. xxvi. 38. Pfal. xxii. 14." And I am full of beavinefs; as he was in the garden; Mark xiv. 33. or, very Jick, yea incurably fick, as the word * fignifies 5 fee

33 coram te, vel contra te, Cocceius. adeo ut afficiar egritudine, Junius & Tremellius, Pifcator; dolui vel egritudine affectus fum, Gejerus.

2 Sam, xii. 15 Fer. XxX. t2,.45. For what cure is there for a broken heart? And I Jooked for fome to take pity, but there was none, and. for comforters, but I found none: his difciples forfook him and fled; the priefts, fcribes and common people, that attended him at the crofs, mocked him, the thieves that were crucified with him, reviled him; and, his Father hid his face from him; only a few women ftood afar off and lamented. ae

_¥.21. They gave me alfo gall for my meat,. &c.. Either gi ws fue ae 10 8 fies rarsegl wood and hemlock, Deut. xxix. 18. Lam. iii, 19. Amos vi. 12. or the gall of fome animal. The Targum renders it, ‘ the gall of the heads of fer- “* pents:”” the poifon of fome ferpents is in their heads, and the word that is here ufed fignifies the head; fee Deut. xxxii. 33. Fobxx. 14, This was literally fulfilled in Chrift, Matt. xxvii. 34,. and fhewed that he bore the curfe of the laws, that being given to him for food, which was not fit to be eaten; thereby intimating, that he deferved not to have the common food and neceffaries of life; which is the café of thofe, in whofe place and ftead he fuffered: and this may be a rebuke to fuch who through fulnefs and affluence, are apt to flight and contemn fome of the good creatures of God,which ought to be received with thankfgiving; let them remember the gall that was given Chrift for meat. And this may ferve to reconcile poor Chriftians tg that mean fare and low way of living they are obliged to; though they have but a dinner of herbs, or bread and, water, it is better fare than their, Lord’s; it is not gall.. And in my. thirft they fave me vinegar to drink; Chrift,when on the crofs, was athirft, which was occafioned by.a fever, that ufually attended perfons. in his circumftances;, fee Pfal. xxii, 15. and that this {cripture might be ful+ filled, he fignified it, faying, J thirft; upon which vinegar was given to him, as all the evangelifts re, late; MMaét. xxvii. 48. Mark xv. 36.. Luke xxiiic 36. Fobu xix. 28,29. This fhews the truth of Chrift’s human nature; that it was a true and real body that he affumed, which was fubject to hunger and thirft, and was {upported by food and drink, as our bodies are; alfo the truth of divine revelation; fince fuch a minute circumftance as this, predicted fo many hundred years ago, fhould, after fo long a time, be exactly fulfilled; and likewife the’. truth of the Meffiahthip of Jefus, in whom this, and every thing elfe faid of the Meffiah, in the Law, the Prophets, and the book of Pfalms, -were fully accomplifhed; and therefore it may be ftrongly concluded, that this is he of whom they fpoke.

‘Moreover, this expreffes the inhumanity of the

¥.22. Let their table become a fnare before them,, &c.]_ This and the following imprecations were not the effects of a fpirit of private revenge; of which there was no appearance in Chrift, but all the reverfe; who prayed for his enemies, while they, were ufing him as above related: but they are pro-.

phecies of what fhould be, being delivered out un-.

der the infpiration of the Spirit of God, 4és i. 16, 20, Wherefore fome verfions render the words, their table fhall become a fnare*; and therefore are not to be drawn into an example by us,. to favour and encourage a fevengeful fpirit: and they are very

“juit and righteous, according to /éx talionis, the law ‘of retaliation; fince, inafmuch as they gave Chrift gall for his meat, and vinegar for his drink, it was but right, that the fame meafure fhould’be meted out to them again; and their table-mercies and -bleffings be curfed; that they fhould have them not in love, but in bitter wrath. ‘ Or that they fhould be left to’ be overcharged with them, and furfeit upon them; and fo the day of their deftruction corne upon them as a fnare: or that they fhould | want the common neceffaries of life, and be tempted to eat what was not lawful; and even theit own ‘children, as fome did; fee Mal. ii. 2. Luke xxi. 34, 35. Lam. iv. 10, The Targum gives the fenfe of ‘the words, thus; ** Let their table, which they pre- “* pared before me, that I might eat beforethem, “* be for a fnare;”” meaning a table {pread with vinegar and gall. Of the figurative fenfe of thefe words,’ fee my note on Rom, xi. 9. where the apoftle ‘cites this paffage, and applies it to the fews, the enemies of Chrift. dad that which fhould have been for their welfare, let it become 4 trap; the word tranflated, ‘for their welfare, comes from coow which fignifies both to be at peace, and to recompenfe, and fo is differently interpreted. Some think the /belamim, or peace-offerings, ‘are meant; fee Exod. xxiv. 5. and fo the Targum, “ let their “< facrifices be for a trap, or ftumbling-block;” as they were, they trufting in them for the atonement of fin; and fo negleéted the atoning facrifice of Chrift, and his righteoufnefs; which was the ftum- -bling-block at which they ftumbled, and the trap into which they fell, and was their ruin. And it is obfervable, that whilft they were eating the facrifice of the paffover, they were furrounded by the Roman army, and taken as birds in a net, and as beafts in a trap. Others render the words, to them that are at peace’, let their table be for a trap, whilft they are living in fecurity, and crying, Peace, peace, let fudden deftruction come upon them’; as it did. But the apoftle has taught us how to render the word, for a recompence, Rom. xi. 9. as the word differently pointed is in J/a. xxxiv. 8. The true rendering and meaning of the whole feem to be this, Jet their table become a fnare before them; and let their table be for recompences unto them, or in juft retaliation; let the fame food, or the like unto it, be fet upon their tables, they gave to Chrift, and let their table Zecome a trap; for all relate to their table.

y. 23. Let their eyes be darkned, that they fee not, &c.] Not literally, the eyes of their bodies; but figuratively, the eyes of their underftanding; which were fo darkned, and they given up to fuch judicial blindnefs, that they could not difcern the figns of the times that the Meffiah muft be come, Daniel’s weeks being up; could not fee any glory, excellency, and comelinefs in Chrift; could not fee the evidence of the Meffiahfhip of Jefus in the miracles he wrought; nor in the prophecies of the Old Teftament fulfilled in him: that book was‘a fealed book unto them; the gofpel, and the doétrines of it, were hid from them, even from the wife and prudent among them; yea, ‘alfo thofe things which belonged to their temporal peace; they were fo blinded and infatuated, they could not fee what was for their outward good and happinefs; and in proof of this their blindnefs, the words are cited by the apoftle in Rom. xi. 7, 10, 25. fee Matt, xvi.

typ 79w> tranquilli, Gejerus; fo fome in Michaelis.

3. and xi. 25. and xiii, 11,43. Luke xix. 42. And make their loins continually to foake, weaken theit loins, in which a man’s ftrength Hes, that the may not be able to rife up againft their enemies’; and that they might not be able to flee and efcape from them; fee Deut. xxxiii. 11. or fill them with horror, dread and trembling, as they will be whe: Chrift fhall come in the clouds of heaven; ai they fhall fee him whom they have pierced, Rev. i. 7. The apoftle renders the words in Rom. xi. 10. bow down their back alway; fee the note there. - ¥.24. Pour out thine indignation upon them, ac] Not a few drops of it only, but a flood of it, fweeping away and bearing down all before its which was done when wrath came upon them to the uttermoft, in the deftruction of their city, temple and nation, 1 Theff. ii. 16. Let thy wrathful anger take hold of them; follow after them, over= take them, feize upon them, and hold them faft, that they may not efcape. It denotes the feverity of God towards them; the fiercenefs and fury of his wrath upon them; and that their deftruétion would be inevitable, and an intire and utter one. © ¥. 25. Let their habitation be defolate, &c.] Which is applied to Fudas, Acts i. 20, but not to the exclufion of others; for it muft be underftood of the habitations of others; even of their princes and nobles, their chief magiftrates, high prieft and other priefts, feribes, and doctors of the law: for the word may be rendered, their palace or caftle™, as ‘it is by fome; and fo may denote the houfes of their principal men, the members of their /anbedrim, their houfes great and fair, of which there were many in Ferufalem when it was deftroyed; fee Ifa. v. 9. as well ‘as the habitations of the meaner fort of people, which all became defolate at rhat time; and particularly their houfe, the temple, which was like a palace or caftle, built upon a mountain. This, was left defolate, as our Lord foretold it would, Matt. xxiii, 38. And let none dwell in their tents; the city of Ferufalem was wholly deftroyed, and not a houfe left ftanding in it, nor an inhabitant of it; it was laid even with the ground, plowed up, and not one ftone left upon another, Luke xix. 44. ax

| y. 26. For they perfecute him whom thou hajt Jmitten, &cc.} Meaning the Meffiah, who was not only fmitten and fcourged by men, but was ftricken and fmitten of God; according to his determinate counfel and foreknowledge, and agreeable to his will and pleafure; with the rod of his juftice for the fatisfaction of it; for the fins of his people, whofe furety he was. Him the Jews followed with reproaches and calumnies; purfued after his life, and perfecuted him unto death; and which was the caufe of their ruin and deftruation; fee 1 Theff. ii. © 15, 16. And they talk to the grief of thofe whom thou baft wounded; or, of thy wounded ones, not wounded by him, but wounded for his fake, on his account, and for their profeffion of faith in his ~ Son Jefus Chrift. Thefe, as they were led to the flaughter, had trial of cruel mockings, which aggravated their fufferings, and were very grieving to them; efpecially fuch talk as reflected upon the

-dear Redeemer, for whofe fake they were put to death. AF Se Tag: $8 ¥.27. Add iniquity to their iniquity, Bcc.) Let them:alone in fin; fuffer them to go on in it; lay no reftraints upon them; put no ftop in providence

PH xix. ¥.28—30; in ‘their way; let thenr proceed from one evil to another, till they fall into ruin: to their natural and acquired hardnefs of heart, give them up to a

Judicial hardnefs; that they may do thines that are not convenient, and be damned. Suffer them not to ftop at the crucifixion of the Meffiah;’ let them go on to perfecute his apoftles and followers; to sw the utmoft fpite and malice againft tlie Chriftian religion; to embrace falfe Chrifts, and blafpheme the true one; to believe the greateft lies and abfurdities, and commit the fouleft of aétions; as feditions, rapines, murders, &¥c. as they did whilft Ferufalem was befieged; that they may fill up the meafure of their fins, and wrath may come upon them to the uttermoft, 1 The/f ii. 15,16. The word yi rendered iniquity, fometimes fignifies punifoment, as in Gen. iv. 13. and, according to this fenfe of it, the words may be differently rendered, and admit a different meaning; either, give puni h- ment for their iniquity™; fo Kimchi; that is, punifh them according to their deferts, as their fins and iniguities require: or, add, puni/bment to their punifoment *; to their prefent temporal’ punifhment before imprecated, relating to their table-mercies, their perfons and their habitations, add future and everlafting punifhment; let them be punithed with everlafting deftruction, foul and body, in hell. And let them not come into thy righteoufne/s meaning, not his ftrict juftice or righteous judgment; into that they would certainly come; nor was it the will of the Meffiah they fhould efcape-it: but either the goodnefs, grace and mercy of God, which is fometimes defigned by righteoufnels, as in P al.

Xxxi, 1. and li. 14, and the fenfe is, Let them have no fhare in pardoning grace now, for obtain mercy in the laft day; but be condemned when they are judged, P/faj. cix. 7. Or rather, the righteoufnefs of Chrift, which is called the righteoufnefs of God, that is, the Father; becaufe he approves and accepts of it, and imputes it to his people without works: and feeing the Jews fought for juftification by their own works, and went about to eftablith their own righteoufnefs, and fubmitted not to Chrift’s, but defpifed and rejected it; it was but juft that they fhould be excluded from all benefit and advantage by it, as is here imprecated. The Targum is, ** and let them not be worthy to come into the con- ** pregation of thy righteous ones;” neither here, nor at the laft judgments fee P/a/. i. 5.

¥. 28. Let them be blotted out of the book of life, &c.}] Which fome underftand of this animal life, or of the catalogue of living faints; of their being.

not written among the living in Ferufalem, or in the writing of the houfe of J/rae/, Ifa. iv. 3. Ezek. xiii. g. The Targum is, << let them be blotted out of the «¢ book of the memory of the living.” Let their names rot and perifh, being buried in everlafting oblivion. ben Ezra interprets this book of the heavens; where, he fays, all things that fhould come to pafS were written, at the time they were created; fee Luke x, 20. Heb. xii. 23. But this is the book of divine predeftination or election, often in the New Teftament called the Book of Life; in which the names of fome perfons are written, and others not, Phil. iv. 3. Rev. iii. 5. and xiii. 8. and xvii. 8. and XX. 12, 15. and xxi. 27. fo called, not with refpect to the prefent life, and the affairs of it, which belong to the book of providence; but with refpect to the life of the world to come, or eternal life, as Kimchi explains it. It is no other than God’s ordination or fore-appointment of men to eternal life;

which being called a book; and names written imity.

fhew that election is perfonal or particular; the exact knowledge God has of his chofen ones; his great care of them, and value for them, his conftant remembrance of them, and the;certainty of their falvation; for {uch whofe names: are written here in reality, can never be blotted out:, this would be contrary to the unchangeablenefs of God, the firmnefs of his purpofes, and the fafety of his people. Wherefore the defign of this imprecation is, that thofe perfons who had, in their own conceits, and in the apprehenfions of others, a name in this book; that it might appear, both to themfelves and others, they had none, by the awful ruin and deftruétion, that fhould be brought upon them. And not be written with the righteous; neither in the book of life with them 3 by which it appears, that to be blotted out, and not be written, are the fame: nor in a gofpelchurch-ftate; fo they were the branches broken off: nor be among them at the refurrection of the juft, and in the judgment-day.:, Kimchi obferves, that it is the fame thing in different words 5 to be blotted out, is the fame as not to be:written.

y¥.29: But I am poor and forrowful, &c.) The Meffiah was poor in a literal fenfe, as it was foretold he fhould, Zech. ix. 9. fo he was in his private life; born of poor parents,and brought up in a mean way: andin his public life, having no certain dwelling place, and miniftered to by others; and when on the crofs, being ftripped of his garments; and nothing to eat and drink, but gall and vinegar; and nothing to leave to his mother, but commits her to the care of his beloved difciple. Tho’ this phrafe in general may denote the low eftate of Chrift in his humiliation, being in the form of a fervant, humbled and obedient to.death; and the character of forrowful well agrees with him, who was a man of forrows all his days; and in the garden his foul was exceeding forrowful, even unto death;.and when on the crofs he had forrow enough; what with the fins of his people on him, the flouts and jeers of his enemies at him; the pains of body he endured, the wrath of God, the hidings of his face, and the curfes of his righteous law. After this declaration of his low and diftreffed ftate,, a petition follows: Let thy falvation, O God, fet meup on bigh; meaning either the falvation of the Lord’s people, fo called, becaufe concerted and,appointed of God, and is what he fent his Son to effect, and he approves of; this being wrought out, was the way and means of the exaltation of Chrift; both by his divine Father, who on this account exalted him at his right hand; and by his. people, who exalt him in their hearts, and with their tongues, and give him all the glory of their falvation. Or elfe this means the falvation of Chrift out of the hands of all his enemies, whom he conquered on the crofs;. and particularly death, from which he was faved by. his refurreétion, and was the firft ftep to his exaltation and glory; after which he afcended on high, and fat down at the right hand of God; where no mere creature, angels or men, were ever admitted; and where angels, principalities and powers, are fubject to him, The whole may be rendered thus; though I am poor and forrowful, thy falvation, O God, will fet me up on bigh°®; and fo is expreffive of the Meffiah’s faith in his refurreétion and. exaltation, notwithftanding his forrows and fufferings; on account of which he determines to praife the Lord, as follows, y¥. 30. Iwill praife the name of God with a fong, &c.] ~The name of God is himfelf, his ii ce and’ attributes; which are to be praifed by all his creatures; and efpecially his faints; and here by the Meftiah, who fung the praife of God with his difciples at*the fupper, a little before his death;) and in the great’ congregation in heaven, upon his.afcenfion thither, having finifhed the great work of man’s redemption. For as it was no leflening of his glory, as-Mediator, to pray to. God when on earth, it is no diminution of it to, praife him in our nature in heaven 3 fee P/al, xxii. 22. This being faid to be done with a fong, agrees with Hed. ii. 12, and is an inftance of praifing God this way, and which could not be prayer-wife; as well as is a confirmation’ of the practice of New-Teftament-churches finging pfalms, hymns and fpiritual fongs, by the example of our Lord. And will magnify:bim with thank/giving: to magnify, is to make great 3 but God cannot be greater than he is.. He is great above all gods; he is greater than all. But he is magnified when his greatnefs is owned and declared, and that is afcribed unto him; and particularly when thanks are given to him for favours; for then is he acknowledged by men to be the Father of mercies, the author and giver of them, and that they are unworthy of them, and that all the glory belongs to him, Chrift, as man, not only prayed, but gave thanks to his Father when on earth, Matt. xi. 25, 26, John xi, 41. nor is. it unfuitable to him, as fuch now in heaven, to give thanks and praife, for being: heard ‘and helped in a day of ‘falvation; or at'the time when he wrought out the falvation of his people, and glorified all the divine perfections. '

¥. 31. This alfo fhall pleafe the Lord, &c.] That is, this fong of praife and thankfgiving. The Targum has it, ** my prayers;” as if it referred to ¥. 29. but what is expreffed in ¥. 30. feems to be the proper antecedent to this, and which is a facrifice; fee Pfal. 1. 14. Heb. xiii. 15. and more acceptable to God than any of the legal facrifices, even when they were in force; and much more, now they are abrogated; and efpecially as offered up by the Meffiah himfelf, all whofe offerings are well-pleafing to God; particularly the offering up of himfelf, which was for a {weet-{melling favour to him, and in virtue of which all fpiritual facrifices of prayer and praife become acceptable unto God. Beiter than an ox or bullock that bath horns and hoofs; that is, than the beft of legal facrifices; as an ox or bullock was, whofe horns and hoofs were grown;.one of three years old, as Farchi and Kimchi obferve: the words may be literally rendered, than an ox, than a bullock, than horns, than hoofs; not only better than an ox or a bullock, but than any creature that has horns and hoofs; that is, than the lawful facrifice of any animal whatever, as Funius renders.and explains it.

¥..32. The humble foail fee this, and be glad, &c.

The refurrection and exaltation of Chrift, ¥. 29. the meek and humble followers of Chrift; as his difciples were, faw him rifen from the dead, faw him alive, to.whom he fhewed himfelf forty. days after his refurrection; they faw his hands, and feet, and fide, and the prints of the nails and fpear in them; they faw him go up to heaven, to be fet.on high at the right hand of God; and humble believers now fee-him by faith, crowned with glory and honour 3 and as the difciples were glad, and rejoiced when they faw him again, and when he was parted from them, and went up to heaven, Jobn xx. 20. Luke xxiv. 515 52, 53. fo true believers in Chrift, who have a fpiritual fight of a rifen, afcend-

:ed and exalted Saviour, are,glad and rejoice in him, with joy unfpeakable, and full of glory, 1 Pet. i. 8. they rejoice in the righteoufnefs he has brought ‘ip, inthe atonement that he has made, and in the falvation he has wrought out, which is fo fuitablefor them; and becaufe they do, or will fhare in al the bleffings of his refurrection, afcenfion and exaltation; fuch as regeneration, juftification, every ‘fupply of grace, and perfeverance in it, the refur-. rection of their. bodies, and eternal glorification:. and bumble ones are fuch as are humbled under a fenfe of fin, and the exceeding finfulnefs of it, ina view of their own. righteoufnefs, and its infufficie ency to juftify them before God; they afcribe alf they have and are to the free grace of God; and ¢ boafting is excluded from them, fave in Chrift; they are fuch that learn of him, who is meek and lowly; and behave humbly before men, efteem others better than themfelves; and are in their own account the chief of finners, and the leaft of faints = and as they are, for. the moft part, affiéted, and fo fome render the. word? here; they are humble under the mighty hand of God, and patiently bear it. nd your heart. fhall live that feek God;-that— feek his face and favour, his gracious prefence, and communion with him; that feek, by prayer and fupplications, bleffings from him; that feek him in Chrift, where he is to be found; that feek Chrift and righteoufnefs and falvation by him, and that early, earneftly and diligently; that feek the things of Chrift, the honour of his name, and the good of his intereft; and who, ina word, are the true and fpiritual. worfhippers of God; thefe feek him, and he feeksthem. The Targum is, ‘* that “< feek doctrine from before God:” and the hearts of thofe revived, who were as dead men before, aswere the two difciples.travelling to Emmaus, when they found that Chrift. was rifen, Lwke xxiv. 17 35. juft as the {pirit of old Facob revived, when he underftood.that his fon Zo/feph was alive, Gen, xlv, 27. fee Pfal. xxii..26, Jobn xvi. 22.; ¥. 33. For the Lord beareth the poor, &c.| The prayer of the poor, as the Targum; of the poor difciples of Chrift,, who were together mourning; weeping and praying, when their Lord was dead, and Jaid in the fepulchre, Mark xvi. 10. Luke xxiv. 10, 33. this epithet agrees with all the followers of Chrift, who for the moft part are literally poor, and are all of them fo in a fpiritual fenfe; they are poor in fpirit, and are fenfible of it; they are full of wants, and thefe daily return upon them; wherefore they conftantly apply to the throne of grace for help in time of need; and the Lord regards them, his eye is upon them, his heart is towards them, his thoughts are about them, his ears are open to their cries, and his hand is ready to fupply their’ wants. And defpifeth not his prifoners, the fame difciples of Chrift; who being afiembled together, the doors were fhut for fear of the Jews, Fobn xx, 1g. it may be applied to fuch who are the Lord’s prifoners; that is, for his fake, in a literal fenfé, as the apoftle Paul is called the prifoner of the Lord, Eph. iii. 1. and iv, 1, and there were many, both” - under the Old, and under the New Teftament, that fuffered imprifonment, for their profeffion of religion; and thefe the Lord defpifes not, chong ” men may, but highly efteems and honours; and it may be underftood myftically and {piritually of fuch as are, in their nature-ftate, prifoners of fin and Satan, and the law, and when called, are prifoners of hope; thefe the Lord has a regard unto, and opens the prifon-doors and fets them at liber-, Won a ee ik g. and Ixi.1. Zech. ix. 11, 12.: y..34. Let the heaven and earth praife him, &c.] As thofe, by a profopopeia, are often called upon to do, to exprefs the greatnefs of the favour enjoyed, and to excite thofe that are poffeffed of it to greater joy and thankfulnefs; fee P/al. xcvi.

ti——13. J/a. xliv. 23. and xlix. 13. or the inhabitants of the heavens and earth may be meant, as_ the angels of heaven; and fo the Targum interprets it; who, as they praifed the Lord at the incarnation of Chrift, Luke ii. 14. fo doubtlefs they did at his afcenfion, when he was feen and accompanied. by them, 1 Tim. iii. 16. Pfal, \xviti. 17, 18. Aédés i. 11. and alfo the fpirits of juft ‘men made perfect in heaven, who were there’ when Chrift was received into it; and the inhabitants of the earth, as the Targum alfo paraphrafes it; of the continent, particularly the Roman empire, when the gofpel was fent thither, which brought thie good news of an incarnate, fuffering, rifen, afcended, and.exalted Saviour. The feas, and every thing that moveth therein, the inhabitants of the ifles in the feas, fuch as ours of Great Britain and Ireland, who waited for the doétrine of the Meffiah, and to whom he calls to liften to what he fays; and which is a fufficient reafon for praife and thank{giving in them; even in as many as have fpiritual life and motion, who are quickened, influenced and moved by the Spirit of Gods fee J/a. xlii. 4, and xlix, 1.: pron

¥. 35. For God will fave Zion, &c.]° The church of Chrift, as it is often called; fee the note on P/al. ii..6. this is to be underftood, not fo muci: of the falvation of the people of God by Chrift, from fin, and Satan, and the world, law, ‘hell and death; as of the prefervation and continuance of the gofpel-church-ftate, notwithftanding all the oppofition and perfecution of the Jews and Gentiles; and efpecially of the deliverance of the Lord’s people in the latter day, from the cruelty, captivity and bondage of Antichrift, by the deftruction of him; which will occafion joy and praife, Rev, Xvili. 4, 20. and xix. 1,2. And will build the cities of Fudab; ere& gofpel-churches in the Roman

76% weré ifthe firft times of the gofpel, “and will be in the latter day, when the cities of God fhall be yet fpread abroad through profperity, Zech. 1.17. of which the faints are citizens; and ‘enjoy in them many privileges’ and immunities: thefe may be faid to be built, when they are’built upon Chrift, and on their moft holy faith; when the members of them are edified and multiplied; when purity of faith, difcipline and worfhip prevails among them; and though this is ufually by the minifters of the gofpel; as inftruments; yet the Lord’ is. the chief builder; for unlefs. he builds, in vain do'the builders’ build, P/al. cxxvii. r. © That they may dwell there, and have it in poffeffion; the men of Fudab, fuch ‘as’ ‘confefs the name of Chrift, as the word Fudab fignifies 5° who profefs to believe in him with their hearts; thefe have-a name and a’place, and an inheritance in the churches, and an abiding one; © they fhall never go out, but dwell in the houfe of God /for €ver; gofpel-churches being ereéted and built up for their fakes, and for fuch ends and puroles.; ¥. 36. The feed alfo of his fervants fhall inherit it, &c.] » Not their natural,’ but fpiritual feed, or a fucceffion’of converts in the churches 5: fee P al.

xlv.'16. Jai. lix.21.- who are born; not*of blood; nor of thé-will of the flefh, nor of the wilbof man, but of God; not of cortuptible, but incorruptible feed, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever, Fobn'i. 13. 1 Pet. i. 23. thefe are the proper and rightful inheritors of the gofpel-church+ ftate} and all its privileges, in “all fucceffive gene+ rations, quite down to the’ new Feru/alem-churchftaté, wherein will dwell. only’ righteous °perfons, and whofe names are in’ the- Lamb’s ‘book of life.- Aben Ezra’s note upon it is, ** they fhall in- «¢ herit it, they and their children, in the days of «« David, or in the days of the Meffiah.” And they that love bis'name shall dwell therein; that love the perfon, gofpel, truths and ordinances of Chrift; fee Cant. i. 3. thefe fhall have an abiding-place in Zion, the church’ of God; in the cities of Fudab, particular congregational churches; and in the city of the new Ferufalem, where will be the tabernacle of God among men, and’ he fhall dwell among empire, and in the feveral parts of the world; asi them, and they with him.

To the chief mufician, a p/alm of David, to bring to remembrances,

HIS pfalm, according to Kimchi, was compof-.

ed by David when he fled from Sau/, or from Abjalom; {0 Theodoret, but if at either of thofe times, it is moft likely to be the latter, fince the following pfalm, it is certain, was penned when he was an old man, ¥. 9. the word tranflated to bring io remembrance is thought, by ben Ezra, to be the firft word of fome pleafant fong; fee Pal. xxxviii. The Targum paraphrafes it, ** to remember the *« ufe of the frankincenfe;” alluding to Lev. ii. 2. Farchi fays it fignifies prayer, and refers to P al.

xx. 7. 1 Chron. xvi. 4. as inftances of the ufe of the word in fuch a fenfe; and fo this pfalm is compofed by the pfalmift in a petitionary way, to put the Lord in remembrance of his afflictions, and of his promifes of help and deliverance, which he prays for; fee Pfal. cxxxii. 1. J/a. xliii. 26. and that he would avenge him on his enemies, and fhew refpeét to his friends; or it was written to refrefh his own memory with his prefent ftate, and to put him in mind from whence he might expect help and falvation. “The title of the pfalm in the Arabic verfion is, and fo'in the Vulgate Latin, following the Septuagint, ** a remembrance that the «© Lord had faved him:” and in the Syriac verfion, “<A pfalm of David as to the letter, when he fent “© ¥oab to take Shemuah (Sheba) who rebelled; al- *< fo a fupplication of the righteous, and even of *« Chrift himfelf.”” And feeing this follows upon the preceding, and may be reckoned an appendix to it, and there are fome things in it which manifeftly refer to the latter part of that, and the whole is detached from the fortieth pfalm, with which it agrees, a few words only excepted, which manifettly belongs to the Meffiahs it is right to underftand this of him; fee the note on P/a/, xl. 13, yi 1. Make hafte; O -God, to deliver me, &c.} The phrafe, make hajfte, is fupplied from the following

Jowing claufe in P/al. xl. 13. it is, be pleafed, O ‘Lord, or Fehovah. The Targum renders it to deliver us; very wrongly. Make bafte io help me, O Lord; fee the note on Pfal. xxii. 19. « y. 2. Let them be afoamed and confounded, &c.] In Pfol. x). 14. it is added, together; fee the note there. That feek after my fouls or life; in Pfal.

xl.14. it is added, to destroy it; for that was the end of their feeking after it, Let them be turned yw. 3. Let them be turned back for a reward of their fhame, &c.) In Pfal. xl. 15. itis let them be ‘defolate; which feems to refpect their land and houfes, here their perfons; fee the note there. That fay y in the faid pfalm itis added, To me; not to his people, but himfelf, ba, aba; rejoicing at his calamisy and diftrefs. The Targum is, ‘* we are

HIS pfalm is without a title, but is thought to be David’s: the Septuagint, and Vulgate Latin verfions, and all the Oriental ones, afcribe it to him; and: both the fubjeét and ftile fhew it to be his... According to the title of the Syriac verfion, it was compofed’ by him when Saul made war againft the houfe of David; but this is not likely, fince-it. was written by him in his old age, y..9, 18. rather, according to Kimchi and Arama, it was penned when he fled from his fon 4b/alom: there are feveral things in it which incline to this.. The Septuagint, and Vulgate Latin verfions, call it <¢ A “© pfalm of David, of the fons of Fonadab, and of ‘¢ the: firft that were carried captive;”? and fo the Ethiopic and Arabic verfions. Apollinarius ays the fons of Fonadab compofed it; but without any foundation for it; and the Syriac verfion is, it is a prophecy concerning the fufferings and refurreétion of the Meffiah; and fo Yerom and others interpret it, The literal meaning refpecting David feems beft, though it may be applied to the church, and to any believer in. diftrefs. Theodoret thinks it was. written by David in the perfon of the captives in Babylon.. y. 1. In thee, O Lord, do I put my truft, &c.) The Targum is, “ in thy word;” fee the note on Pfal. xxxi.1, Let me never be put-to confufion; or be ajhamed; fee the note as before. ¥. 2. Deliver me in thy righteoufnefs, &c.] By it, or for the fake of it?; fee the note on Pfal. xxxi. 1, Aud caufe me to efcape; prefent danger, and out of the hands of enemies, as well as wrath to come, and eternal death; whicli nothing but the righteouinefs of God can deliver from, or caufe to efcape. Incline thine ear unto me; or bow it; fee the note on Pfal. xxxi. 2. And fave me; out of all troubles and afflictions, and from wicked and unreafonable men. ¥. 3. Be thou my ftrong habitation, &c.| This is very appofitely faid, when David was driven out of his dwelling-place, and palace at Feru alem, by his fon, as Kimchi obferves. When God’s people have no certain dwelling-place, which is fometimes their cafe, they always find one in the Lord; particularly in his heart’s love; for he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, 1 Fob iv. 16. and a {trong habitation he is: wherefore he is called a

“ glad, we are glad,” fee the note as before, and compare with this Ezek. Xxv. 3. 7 oe eee y. 4. Let all thofe that feek thee, &c.) The Targum is, ** that feek doétrine (or inftruction) “¢ from. thee.” Rejoice, and be glad in thee; the Targum. paraphrafes it, ‘* rejoice and be glad ir a. Ey sword.” And let fuch as love thy falvation Say continually, Let God be magnified; the Targum is, ‘* let the glory of the Lord be increafed;” and in Pal. xl. 16. inftead of God, it is the Lor Febovah; fee the note there.. y¥. 5. But Iam poor and needy, &c.] In Pfal, xl. 17. it follows, yet the Lord thinketh on me in-= ftead of which it is here, Make haste unto me, O God which repeats for fenfe the fame petition as in ¥. 1.. Thou art my help and my deliverer, O Lord, make no tarrying; in Pfal. xl. 17, it is, O my God.

ftrong rock, a ftrong hold, a ftrong tower; he is as a wall of fire around his people, a munition of rocks; his falvation is as. walls and bulwarks, and his power as a garrifon in which they are kept, The pfalmift adds, Whereunto I Bis refort, or may go into daily’, in times of danger and diftrefs, for fafety; the name of the Lord being a ftrong tower, whither the righteous run, and are fafe, Prov, xviii. 10. and his perfeétions, his power, faithfulnefs, loving: kindnefs and unchangeablenefs, being as fo many fecret chambers, wher they.may enter into, and hide themfelves, till calamities are over, P/al. lvii. 1. ai. xxvi. 20, and every day indeed for ‘food, for comfort, for refrefhment and pleafure, through communion with him; and God in Chrift is always to be come ~ at: Chrift is the way of accefs and acceptance; and.through his blood, facrifice, and righteousnefs, the believer has boldnefs to enter into the holieft of all,-and go up to the feat of God, the throne of his grace; and even to enter into him himfelf, who has been the dwelling-place of his people in-all generations, P/fal. xc. 1. Thou haf given commandment to fave me; either to the miniftring angels, as Aben Exra and Kimchi interpret it, comparing it with P/a/. xci. 11. or rather to his.

Son, in the council and covenant of gtace and peace; when he-enjoined him the falvation-of his people, which he readily agreed to, and with which David was acquainted, P/a/. xl. 7, 8. of this command our Lord fpeaks, ‘fobn x. 18. and xiv. 31. and to which he was obedient, Péi/. ii. 8. it may refpect David’s falvation from prefent trouble, and his affurance of it, believing that the Lord had determined it, and by his mighty power would effect it 5 fee Pfal. xliv. 4. For thou art my rock and my fortrefs; fee Pfal. xviii. 2. and xxxi. 3. 7

¥. 4. Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, &c.] Meaning Ab/alom his fon, as 4.- rama, who had rifen up in rebellion againft him; and he may not only intend him, but all thofe wic- ked- men, that had joined with him: it was Devia’s.

claim his iptereit in him, who had power to deliver mercy he had a covenant-God to go to, and cou him, and from whom he might expect it, Owe

the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man; or leaven-

ed‘; a four, ill-natured man; one leavened with malice and wickednefs: perhaps Abithopbel is in-

PON n139 ut ingrediar jugiter, Pag- * YIN malitie ferment prorfus corupti,; Michaelis, fecundum Gejerum