Explanatory Notes upon the Old and New Testaments

David declares his confidence in God, ver. 1-3. His desire to be in the house of God, ver. 4-6. He prays for light and salvation, ver. 7-12. And exhorts others to wait upon God, ver. 13, 14. A psalm of David.

2. Light - My counsellor in all my difficulties, and my comforter and deliverer in all my distresses. Strength - The supporter and preserver of my life.

3. In this - That God is my light.

4. Dwell. &c. - Have opportunity of constant attendance upon God. To behold - That there I may delight myself, in the contemplation of thy amiable and glorious majesty, and of thy infinite wisdom, holiness, justice, truth, and mercy.

5. The secret - In his tabernacle, into which mine enemies cannot come. He alludes to the ancient custom of offenders, who used to flee to the tabernacle or altar. Rock - A place high and inaccessible.

9. Away - From thy face or presence, or from the place of thy worship.

11. Because of - That I may neither fall into their hands by my folly, nor give them any occasion of triumphing over me.

13. The living - David was thus earnestly desirous of this mercy in this life, not because he placed his portion in these things; but because the truth and glory of God, were highly concerned in making good the promise of the kingdom to him.

A prayer for help, ver. 1-3. The doom of the wicked, ver. 4, 5. A thanksgiving, closed with prayer, ver. 6-9. A psalm of David.

2. Towards - Towards the holy of holies, because there the ark was; from whence God gave oracular answers to his people.

3. Draw not - Do not drag me; as thou dost these, to execution and destruction.

5. Regard not - The providential works of God towards his people.

7. I am helped - He speaks of it as past, because God assured him by his spirit, that he had heard and accepted his prayers.

It is probable David wrote this psalm, during a storm of thunder, lightning, and rain; as that he wrote the eighth in a moon- shining night, and the nineteenth in a sun-shining morning. He calls on the great to give glory to God, ver. 1, 2. Observes his power in thunder and lightning, Ver. 3-9. His dominion over the world and care over the church, ver. 10, 11. A psalm of David.

1. Ye - Ye potentates and rulers of the earth. Glory - By an humble and thankful acknowledgment of it.

2. Give, &c. - The honour which he deserves: own him as the Almighty, and the only true God. Holiness - Or, in his holy and beautiful house.

3. The waters - Above in the clouds, which are called waters, Gen. i, 7 chap. xviii, 11. The Divine power displays itself in those high places, which are far above the reach of all earthly potentates. Many - Upon the clouds, in which there are vast treasures of water, and upon which God is said to sit or ride, chap. xviii, 10, 11; civ, 3.

5. Lebanon - A place famous for strong and lofty cedars.

6. Them - The cedars; which being broken by the thunder, the parts of them are suddenly and violently hurled hither and thither. Sirion - An high mountain beyond Jordan joining to Lebanon. Lebanon and Sirion are said to skip or leap, both here, and chap. cxiv, 4, by a poetical hyperbole.

7. The flames - The lightnings.

8. Kadesh - An eminent wilderness, vast and terrible, and well known to the Israelites, and wherein possibly they had seen, and observed some such effects of thunder.

9. To calve - Through the terror it causes, which hastens the birth. He names the hinds, because they bring forth their young with difficulty, Job xxxix, 1, 2. Discovereth - Hebrew. maketh bare, of its trees, which it breaks or strips of their leaves. Glory - Having shewed the terrible effects of God's power in other places, he now shews the blessed privilege of God's people, that are praising God in his temple, when the rest of the world are trembling under the tokens of his displeasure.

10. The flood - The most violent waters, which sometimes fall from the clouds upon the earth. These are fitly mentioned, as being many times the companions of great thunders. And this may be alleged as another reason, why God's people praised him in his temple, because as he sends terrible tempests and thunders, so he also restrains and over-rules them. Sitteth - He doth sit, and will sit as king forever, sending such tempests when it pleaseth him.

He praises God for delivering him, and exhorts others to praise him, ver. 1-5. Recollects his former security, and his prayer when in trouble, ver. 6-10. And stirs himself up to thankfulness, ver. 11, 12. A Psalm and song, at the dedication of the house of David. Title of the psalm. Song - A psalm to be sung with the voice to an instrument. David - At the dedication of David's house, which was built, 2 Sam. v, 11, and doubtless was dedicated, as God had commanded.

5. Cometh - Speedily and in due season.

7. Mountain - My kingdom: kingdoms are usually called mountains in prophetical writings.

9. Profit - What wilt thou gain by it? The dust - Shall they that are dead celebrate thy goodness in the land of the living? Or, shall my dust praise thee?

11. Sackcloth - Given me occasion to put off that sackcloth, which they used to wear in times of mourning, Esth iv, 1 chap. xxxv, 13 Isaiah xxxii, 11 Joel i, 13. Girded - With joy, as with a garment, surrounding me on every side.

12. My glory - My tongue.

David professes his confidence in God, intermixing prayer to him, ver. 1-8. Complains to God and prays for deliverance, ver. 9-18. Concludes with giving glory to God, and encouraging others to trust him, ver. 19-24. To the chief musician, A psalm of David.

1. Ashamed - Of my confidence in thy promise. Deliver me - According to thy faithfulness and goodness.

5. My spirit - My soul or life; to preserve it from the malice of mine enemies. For - Thou hast delivered me formerly, and therefore I commit myself to thee for the future. O Lord, &c. - Who hast shewed thyself so, in making good thy promise.

6. Vanities - Idols, which are often called Vanities, as Deut. xxxii, 21. Or, curious arts, and all sorts of divinations.

7. Known - Loved me, and cared for me.

8. Room - Made way for me to escape, when I was encompassed by them.

9. Grief - With continual weeping.

10. Iniquity - For the punishment of mine iniquity. Consumed - The juice and marrow of them bring almost dried up with grief.

11. A fear - They were afraid to give me any countenance or assistance. Fled - To prevent their own danger and ruin.

12. A broken vessel - Which is irreparable, and useless, and therefore despised by all.

13. Fear - Just cause of fear.

15. My times - All the affairs and events of my life, are wholly in thy power.

19. Laid up - His favour is not always manifested, to them, but it is laid up for them in his treasure, whence it shall be drawn forth when they need it, and he sees it fit. Before - Publickly and in the view of the world.

20. The secret - Or, as in the secret of thy presence: either,

1. As if they were in thy presence chamber, where thine own eye and hand girdeth them, from all the assaults of their enemies; called his secret, partly, because the greatest part of the world are strangers to God and his presence: and partly, because it is a safe and secure place, such as secret and unknown places are. Or,

2. As if they were in the secret of God's tabernacle, as it is called, chap. xxvii, 5, the place of God's special presence, where none might enter save the high-priest. With thy secret favour and providence, which saves them by hidden and unknown methods. From - From their vain-glorious boasting and threats, and from their bad and insolent attempts. Pavilion - Or, tabernacle. Strife - From contentious and slandering tongues.

21. City - In Keilah: where God wonderfully preserved me.

22. Haste - When my passion took away my consideration, and weakened my faith. Cut off - Cast out of thy sight, and out of the care of thy gracious providence.

The happiness of them whose sins are forgiven, ver. 1, 2. The necessity of confessing our sins, and of prayer, ver. 3-6. God's promise to them that trust in him, ver. 7-10. An exhortation to rejoice in God, ver. 11. A psalm of David, Maschil. Title of the psalm. Maschil - Or, an instructor. This psalm is fitly so called, because it was composed for the information of the church, in that most important doctrine, the way to true blessedness.

2. Imputeth - Whom God doth not charge with the guilt of his sins, but graciously pardons and accepts him in Christ. No guile - Who freely confesses all his sins, and turns from sin to God with all his heart.

3. Silence - From a full and open confession of my sins. Old - My spirit failed, and the strength of my body decayed. Roaring - Because of the continual horrors of my conscience, and sense of God's wrath.

4. Hand - Thy afflicting hand. My moisture - Was dried up.

5. The iniquity - The guilt of my sin.

6. For this - Upon the encouragement of my example. Found - In an acceptable and seasonable time, while God continues to offer grace and mercy. Waters - In the time of great calamities. Not come - So as to overwhelm him.

8. I will - This and the next verse seems to be the words of God, whom David brings in as returning this answer to his prayers. Mine eye - So Christ did St. Peter, when he turned and looked upon him.

9. Will not - Unless they be forced to it by a bit or bridle. And so all the ancient translators understand it.

10. Sorrows - This is an argument to enforce the foregoing admonition.

The Psalmist exhorts the righteous to praise God, for his truth, justice and goodness, ver. 1-5, For creating the world, ver. 6-9. For his providence in governing it, ver. 10-17. For his peculiar favour to his people, encouraging them to trust in him, ver. 18-22.

2. Harp, &c. - These instruments were used in the publick worship of God in the tabernacle.

3. A new song - Renewed or continued from day to day.

4. The word - All God's counsels and commands are wise, and just, and good. His works - All his works of providence agree with his word, and are the accomplishment of his promises or threatenings.

5. Goodness - He not only doth no man wrong, but he is kind and merciful to all men.

6. The word - God made this admirable structure of the heavens, and all its glorious stars; not with great pains and time, but with one single word. Host - The angels: or the stars.

7. Store-houses - Either in the clouds, or in the bowels of the earth.

10. The Lord - Thus he passes from the work of creation, to the works of providence, and from the instances of his power, in senseless and irrational creatures, to his power in over-ruling the thoughts and wills, and actions of men, whether single or united.

11. The Counsel - All his purposes and designs are always successful.

13. All men - Although he hath a relation to Israel, yet he hath a general care over all mankind, all whose hearts and ways he observes.

15. Fashioneth - Having said that God sees and observes all men, he now adds, that he rules and governs them; yea, even the hearts which are most unmanageable, he disposes and inclines according to the counsel of his will. Alike - Or, equally, one as well as another: whether they be Jews or Gentiles, princes or peasants; all are alike subject to his jurisdiction. Their works - Both outward and inward, all the workings of their minds and actions, and all their endeavours and actions.

16. No king - He instances in these, as the most uncontrollable persons in the world, and most confident of themselves. By which he strongly proves his general proposition, of God's powerful providence over all men. By an host - But only by God's providence, who disposes of victory and success, as he pleases, and that frequently to the weakest side.

17. An horse - Though he be strong and fit for battle, or for flight, if need requires. And so this is put for all warlike provisions. Vain things - Hebrew. a lie; because it promises that help and safety which it cannot give.

18. The eye - Whosoever therefore would have safety, must expect it only from the watchful eye, and almighty hand of God. That fear - These are the chief objects of his care and favour. Hope - That place their hope and trust, and happiness, not in any creature, but only in God, and in his mercy and blessings.

David praises God for his goodness to himself and others, ver. 1-7. Encourages the righteous to trust in him, ver. 8-10. Exhorts them to fear God and depart from evil, ver. 11-14. God's favour to the righteous and displeasure at the wicked, ver. 15-22 A psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech: who drove him away, and he departed. Title of the psalm. When - A psalm made upon that occasion, though not at that time, when he counterfeited madness. Wherein whether he sinned or not, is matter of dispute; but this is undoubted, that his deliverance deserved this solemn acknowledgment. Abimelech - Called Achish, 1 Sam. xxi, 10. But Abimelech seems to have been the common name of the kings of the Philistines, Gen. xx, 2; xxvi, 1, as Pharaoh was of the Egyptians.

2. Shall boast - Shall glory in this, that I have so powerful and so gracious a master. The humble - The righteous.

3. Together - Not in place, for David was now banished from the place of God's publick worship, but in affection: let our souls meet, and let our praises meet in the ears of the all-hearing God.

5. Lightened - Comforted and encouraged. Ashamed - They were not disappointed of their hope.

6. This man - David.

7. The angel - The angels, the singular number being put for the plural.

8. O taste - Make trial, of it by your own experience of it. Good - Merciful and gracious.

9. Fear - Reverence, serve, and trust him: for fear is commonly put for all the parts of God's worship.

12. Life - A long and happy life, begun in this world and continued forever in the next. Good - In which he may enjoy good, prosperity or happiness.

13. Evil - From all manner of evil speaking, from all injurious, false and deceitful speeches.

14. Depart - From all sin. Do good - Be ready to perform all good offices to all men. Seek - Study by all means possible to live peaceable with all men. Pursue it - Do not only embrace it gladly when it is offered, but follow hard after it, when it seems to flee away from thee.

16. The face - His anger, which discovers itself in the face.

18. Nigh - Ready to hear and succor them. To - Those whose spirits are truly humbled under the hand of God, and the sense of their sins, whose hearts are subdued, and made obedient to God's will and submissive to his providence.

20. Bones - All the parts and members of their bodies.

David prays for deliverance from his enemies, and prophecies their destruction, ver. 1-10, Describes their wickedness, ver. 11-21. Foretells their confusion, the joy of the righteous, and his own thanksgiving, ver. 22-28. A psalm of David.

3. Say - By thy spirit assuring me of it: and by thy providence effecting it.

6. Their way - By which they flee, being chased.

7. For - Out of mere malice.

10. My bones - My whole body, as well as my soul.

13. Returned - Although my fastings and prayers did them no good.

15. Gathered - They were so full of joy, that they could not contain it in their own breasts, but sought to communicate it to others. Abjects - Or, vile persons, either for the meanness of their condition, or for their wickedness. Knew not - While I had no suspicion of them. Tear me - My good name with calumnies, and reproaches and curses.

16. Mockers - They made themselves buffoons and jesters, and accustomed themselves to mock and deride David, that thereby they might gain admittance to the tables of great men, which was all they sought for.

17. Look on - Without affording me pity or help. Darling - My soul, Hebrew. my only one; which is now left alone and forsaken by my friends, and hath none to trust in but God.

18. I will - When I shall be restored to the liberty of the publick assemblies.

20. For - They breathe out nothing but threatenings and war; they use not open violence but subtile artifices, against me and my followers, who desire nothing more than to live quietly and peaceably.

21. Wide - To pour forth whole floods of scoffs and slanders. \Aha - An expression of joy and triumph. Our eye - What we have long desired and hoped for.

22. This - Thou also hast seen, all their plots and threats, and all my distresses and calamities. Keep not - Be not deaf, to my prayers. The same word signifies, both to be silent, and to be deaf.

23. Awake - To plead my cause against mine adversaries.

The grievous state of the wicked, ver. 1-4. The goodness of God, ver. 5-9. David prays, in confidence of deliverance, ver. 10- 12. To the chief musician, a psalm of David, the servant of the Lord.

1. No fear - When I consider the manifold transgressions of ungodly men, I conclude within myself, that they have cast off all fear of the Divine majesty.

2. Flattereth - He deceiveth himself with vain persuasions, that God does not mind his sins, or will not punish them. Found - Punish, as the same phrase is used, Num. xxxii, 23.

3. Left off - Once he had some degrees of wisdom, but now he is become an open apostate.

4. Deviseth - Freely, from his own inclination, when none are present to provoke him to it.

5. Thy mercy - Mine enemies are cruel and perfidious, but thou art infinite in mercy, and faithfulness. Heavens - Is infinite and incomprehensible. Faithfulness - The truth both of thy threatenings against thine enemies, and of thy promises made to good men. The clouds - Is far above our reach, greater and higher than we can apprehend.

6. Mountains - Stedfast and unmoveable: eminent and conspicuous to all men. Judgments - The executions of thy counsels. Deep - Unsearchable, as the ocean. Man - The worst of men; yea, the brute-beasts have experience of thy care and kindness.

7. Loving-kindness - Though all thine attributes be excellent, yet, above all, thy mercy is most excellent, or precious and amiable.

8. Satisfied - Who trust in thee, as he now said. Fatness - With those delightful provisions, which thou hast prepared for them in heaven. The river - Which denotes both their plenty, and their perpetuity.

9. Life - It is in God as in a fountain, and from him is derived to us. But - Of that glorious and blessed, and endless life, which alone is worthy of the name. Light - In the light of thy glorious presence, which shall be fully manifested, when we see thee face to face. Light - Joy and comfort, and happiness: the word light is elegantly repeated in another signification; in the former clause it is light discovering, in this light, discovered or enjoyed.

11. The foot - Of my proud and insolent enemies. Come - So as to overthrow me.

12. There - He seems as it were to point at the place, as if it were already done.

David exhorts to patience and confidence in God, ver. 1-8. Shews the different state of the righteous and the wicked, ver. 9- 40. A psalm of David.

1. Fret not - Because they prosper in their wicked enterprizes.

5. Commit - All thy cares and business, and necessities, commend to God by fervent prayer.

6. Judgment - It shall be as visible to men, as the light of the sun, at noon-day.

7. Rest - Do not repine at his dealings, but quietly submit to his will, and wait for his help.

8. Fret not - Either against the sinner for his success; or against God. Do evil - If grief arise in thee, take care that it do not transport thee to sin.

9. The earth - This for the most part was literally fulfilled in that state of the church.

10. Not be - He shall be dead and gone. Diligently - Industriously seeking him. His place - His place and estate, and glory.

11. But - Those who patiently bear God's afflicting hand, and meekly pass by injuries. Peace - Partly of outward peace and prosperity, which God in his due time will give them: but principally of inward peace, in the sense of God's favour and the assurance of endless happiness.

13. His day - The day appointed by God for his punishment or destruction.

18. Knoweth - Observes with care and affection. The days - All things which befall them, their dangers and fears, and suffering. For ever - To them and their seed forever: and when they die their inheritance is not lost, but exchanged for one infinitely better.

20. Fat - Which in an instant melts before the fire.

23. Established - So that he shall not fall into mischief.

24. Fall - Into trouble.

25. Forsaken - These temporal promises, were more express to the Jews in the times of the Old Testament, than to Christians.

26. Blessed - Not only with spiritual, but with temporal blessings.

27. Dwell - Thou shalt dwell in the land, and afterwards in heaven.

30. The mouth - Having shewed, God's singular care over the righteous, he proceeds to give a character of them. Judgment - Of God's judgment, word or law.

31. Heart - His thoughts, meditations and affections are fixed upon it. Slide - Slide, or swerve, from the rule, from God's law.

35. Bay-tree - Which is continually green and flourishing even in winter.

36. Yet - He was gone in an instant. But - There was no monument or remainder of him left.

37. Peace - Though he may meet with troubles in his way, yet all shall end well.

38. Together - All without exception.

David complains of God's displeasure and his own sin, ver. 1-5. Of his bodily sickness, ver. 6-10. Of the unkindness of his friends and the injuries of his enemies, ver. 11-20. Prays to God for help, ver. 21, 22. A psalm of David to bring to remembrance. Title of the psalm. To bring, &c. - Either, to God, that by this humble and mournful prayer, he might prevail with God, to remember and pity him; or, to himself, that by reviewing this psalm afterwards, he might call to mind his former danger and misery, and God's wonderful mercy in delivering him; and that others also might remember what God had done to him.

2. Arrows - Thy judgments outward and inward.

3. Sin - Which hath provoked thee to deal thus severely with me.

4. Iniquities - Or, the punishment of mine iniquities, as this word is frequently used. Are gone - Like deep waters wherewith I am overwhelmed.

5. Foolishness - Sin.

7. Disease - The disease might be some burning fever, breaking forth outwardly in carbuncles, or boils. It is true, this and the other expressions may be taken figuratively, but we should not forsake the literal sense of the words without necessity.

12. Deceit - They design mischief, but cover it with fair pretenses.

13. Dumb - Was silent, to testify his humiliation for his sins, and his acceptation of the punishment which he had brought upon himself.

16. When - When I fall into any misery, they triumph in the accomplishment of their desires.

17. To halt - just falling into destruction. Before me - I am constantly sensible of thy just hand, and of my sins the cause of it.

18. Declare - To thee.

19. Strong - Are thriving and flourishing.

David relates the struggle which had been in his breast, ver. 1-3. He meditates on man's frailty and mortality, ver. 4-6. He prays for pardon, deliverance from trouble, and respite from death, ver. 7-13. To the chief musician, even to Jeduthun, A psalm of David. Title of the psalm. Jeduthun - One of the three chief masters of the sacred musick, 1 Chron. xvi, 41, 42.

1. I said - I fully resolved. Take heed - To order all my actions right, and particularly to govern my tongue.

2. Dumb - Two words put together, expressing the same thing, to aggravate or increase it. I held - I forbear to speak, what I justly might, lest I should break forth into some indecent expressions. Stirred - My silence did not assuage my grief, but increase it.

4. My end - Make me sensible of the shortness and uncertainly of life, and the near approach of death.

5. Before thee - If compared with thee, and with thy everlasting duration.

6. Vain shew - Hebrew. in a shadow or image; in an imaginary rather than a real life: in the pursuit of vain imaginations, in which there is nothing solid or satisfactory: man in and his life, and all his happiness in this world, are rather appearances and dreams, than truths and realities. Disquieted - Hebrew. They make a noise, bustling, or tumult, with unwearied industry seeking for riches, and troubling and vexing both themselves and others in the pursuit of them.

7. Mow Lord - Seeing this life and all its enjoyments are so vain and short. My hope - I will seek for happiness no where but in God.

10. Remove - Take off the judgment which thou hast inflicted upon me. I am - Help me before I am utterly lost.

11. Beauty - His comeliness and all his excellencies or felicities. Moth - As a moth consumeth a garment, to which God compares himself and his judgments, secretly and insensibly consuming a people, Isaiah li, 8.

12. A stranger - I am only in my journey or passage to my real home, which is in the other world.

13. No more - Among the living, or in this world.

This psalm is a celebration of God's great goodness to him, and all his people. In it there are some passages which cannot belong to Christ, and some which do not properly belong to David, or to that time and state of the church, but only to Christ, and to the times of the New Testament. He praises God for delivering him out of deep distress, ver. 1-5. Thence takes occasion to speak of the work of our redemption by Christ, ver. 6- 10. Prays for mercy and grace both for himself and for his brethren, ver. 11-17. To the chief musician, A psalm of David.

2. Pit - Desperate dangers and calamities. Rock - A place of strength and safety. Established - Kept me from falling into mischief.

3. And fear - Shall stand in awe of that God, whom they see to have so great power, either to save or to destroy.

4. The proud - Or, the mighty, the great and proud potentates of the world, to whom most men are apt to look and trust. Turn - From God, in whom alone they ought to trust. To lies - To lying vanities, such as worldly power and wisdom, and riches, and all other earthly things, or persons, in which men are prone to trust: which are called lies, because they promise more than they perform.

5. Many - This verse seems to be interposed as a wall of partition, between that which David speaks in his own person, and that which he speaks in the person of the Messiah, in the following verses.

6. Sacrifice - These and the following words, may in an improper sense belong to the time of David; when God might be said, not to desire or require legal sacrifices comparatively. Thou didst desire obedience rather than sacrifices, but in a proper sense, they belong only to the person and times of the Messiah, and so the sense is, God did not desire or require them, for the satisfaction of his own justice, and the expiation of mens sins, which could not possibly be done by the blood of bulls or goats, but only by the blood of Christ, which was typified by them, and which Christ came into the world to shed, in pursuance of his father's will, as it here follows, ver. 7, 8. So here is a prediction concerning the cessation of the legal sacrifice, and the substitution of a better instead of them. Opened - Hebrew. bored. I have devoted myself to thy perpetual service, and thou hast accepted of me as such, and signified so much by the boring of mine ears, according to the law and custom in that case, Exod. xxi, 5, 6. The seventy Jewish interpreters, whom the apostle follows, Heb. x, 5, translate these words, a body hast thou prepared me.

7. Them - These words literally and truly belong to Christ, and the sense is this; seeing thou requirest a better sacrifice than those of the law, lo, I offer myself to come, and I will in due time come, into the world, as this phrase is explained in divers places of scripture, and particularly Heb. x, 5, where this place is expressly applied to Christ. Volume - These two words, volume and book are used of any writing, and both express the same thing. Now this volume of the book is the law of Moses, which is commonly and emphatically called the book, and was made up in the form of a roll or volume, as the Hebrew books generally were. And so this place manifestly points to Christ, concerning whom much is said in the books of Moses.

8. I delight - This is eminently true, of Christ, and is here observed as an act of heroic obedience, that he not only resolved to do, but delighted in doing the will of God, or what God had commanded him, which was to die, and that a most shameful, and painful, and cursed death. My heart - I do not only understand it, but receive it with heartiest love, delighting both to meditate of it, and to yield obedience to it.

9. Righteousness - Thy faithfulness. Great congregation - In the most public and solemn assemblies: not only to the Jews, but also to all nations; to whom Christ preached by his apostles, as is observed Eph. ii, 17. Not refrained - From preaching it, even to the face of mine enemies.

11. With-hold not - David, having been transported by the spirit of God to the commemoration of the great mystery of the Messiah, he now seems to be led back by the same spirit, to the consideration of his own case.

12. Taken hold - Mens sins are figuratively said to take hold of them, as an officer takes hold of a man whom he arrests. To look - Unto God or men, with any comfort: I am ashamed and confounded.

15. Shame - Their sinful and shameful actions.

David on a sick bed lays hold on God's promise and prays for mercy, ver. 1-4. Complains of the pride and malice of his enemies, ver. 5-9. Flees to God for succor, and praises him, ver. 10, 13. To the chief musician, A psalm of David.

3. Make his bed - Give him ease and comfort, which sick men receive by the help of those who turn and stir up their bed, to make it soft and easy for them.

4. Heal - The soul is said to be healed, when it is pardoned and purged. For - For I acknowledge that I have sinned.

6. His heart - Even when he is with me, and pretends hearty affection, his heart is devising mischief against me.

9. Yea - These words were literally fulfilled in David, and yet the Holy Ghost looked farther in them, even to Christ and Judas, in whom they received a fuller accomplishment. Lift up - A phrase implying injury, joined with insolency and contempt; taken from an unruly horse, which kicks at him that owns and feeds him.

10. Requite - Punish them for their wicked practices; which being now a magistrate, he was obliged to do.

11. By this - Because hitherto thou hast supported me, and prolonged my days to the disappointment of their hopes.

12. Settest - Or, hast confirmed me in thy presence, under thine eye and special care: to minister unto thee, as a king over thy people. And in regard of his posterity, the kingdom was established forever. 13. Amen - Signifies an hearty assent and approbation, and withal an earnest desire of the thing, to which it is annexed. And as the Psalms are divided into five books, so each of them is closed with this word; the first here: the second, chap. lxxii, 19, the third, chap. lxxxix, 52, the fourth, chap. cvi, 48, the last in the end of chap. 1l, 6, the doubling of the word shews the fervency of his spirit, in this work of praising God.