Psalms 17

HEar the right Heb. righteousness, (i e.) Me who, notwithstanding all their Accusations and slaunders, am righteous; Or, my righteous cause; do thou take notice of it and give Sentence for me: or my righteous P... ayer. I desire nothing that is unreasonable or unjust, but that thou wouldest judge righteously between me and mine Enemies, and vindicate thine own Honour and faithfulness in making good thy Promise to me; which thy righteousness obligeth thee to do., O LORD, attend unto my cry (i. e.) My... ervent Prayer attended with strong Cries., give ear unto my prayer that goeth not out of... eigned lips Heb. not with deceitful lips, which speak one thing when my Heart knoweth and designeth another. And this profession of his sincerity in his Words, does fitly make way for his solemn appeal to God in the following Verses..

Let my sentence Heb. my right or judgment (i. e.) Judgment in my cause, or on my behalf. come forth from thy presence (i. e.) From thee, and from thy tribunal to which I bring my cause. Do not suspend or delay it, but speedily examine my cause and give Sentence in it.: let thine eyes behold the things that are equal Or, Right. For though I desire and need thy Grace and Favour in many other Respects, yet I beg only thy justice in this cause between me and them..

Thou hast proved Or searched or tried it, by many and fore Temptations and Afflictions, whereby the sincerity or hypocrisie of mens Hearts, are easily and commonly discovered, and especially by thy all-seeing Eye. And that is my great Comfort, that thou art Witness of my innocency. mine heart, thou hast visited me Thou hast made an inspection and enquiry into my Heart. in the night Either 1. Metaphorically, (i. e.) in the time of Trouble. Or, 2. properly; when mens minds being freed from the incumbrance and distraction of Business, and from the Presence and Society of men: Which either lays a restraint upon them, or tempts them to use Dissimulation, do act most vigorously and freely, either upon Good or Evil, according to their several inclinations., thou hast tried me Accurately and severely, as Gold-smiths do Metals., and shalt find nothing (i. e.) Nothing of unrighteousness, in Heb. shalt not find, To wit, that whereof mine Enemies accuse me, namely Hypocrisie towards thee, and evil design against Saul, covered under fair Pretences, as they alledge. So this general Phrase is to be limited from the Context, as other Generals most frequently are. For he was far from thinking himself Sinless, that he often acknowledgeth his many and great sins, and particularly, that, if God should enter into Iudgment with him, and be severe to mark iniquities, no man living could be justified, Or, stand before him, Psal. 130.... 3. and 143. 2.: I am purposed Or, I have resolved upon Deliberation, as the word implies. that my mouth shall not transgress I am so far from Practising against Saul's Life, as they charge me, that I will not wrong him so much as in a Word. Some joyn these Words with the next foregoing, and render the place thus, That which I have thought, my mouth shall not transgress, or rather, has not transgressed; (i. e.) My Thoughts and Words always agree together. Iabhor falshood and Dissimulation..

Concerning the works of men Concerning my care and Caution about my Words, I have now spoken, v. 3. now I may say the like concerning my works. As for the works which men generally Practise. Or, Because of (as the prefix, Lamed is oft used, as Gen. 2. 23. Numb. 16. 34. Jer. 4. 31. and 22. 10. and 23. 9.) The works of men. So the Sense may be this, Observing and considering the quality of the Works of the men of this Age, with whom I converse, or of all mankind, some few excepted, considering, I say, how wicked and unreasonable and pernicious they are, not only to others, but also to themselves; I was resolved to take more care in the ordering of my own Actions., by the word of thy lips (i. e.) By the help of thy blessed Word and the excellent Rules, Promises and Threatnings thereof, which by deep and frequent Meditation I have hid and fixed in mine Heart, as the best An... idore against sin and temptation, Psal. 119. 9. 11., I have kept me from So the same Verb is used with the like Supplement, Ios. 6. 18. which also is in a manner included in the Verb. Or, I have observed, To wit, so as to avoid them. the paths Or, ways, (i. e.) The Customs and Practices, or the imitation of them; as may be gathered from the next Verse, where he prays to be kept in God's paths, which are oppossed to these Paths. of the destroyer Or, of the violent Man: Such as Saul and his Courtiers and Soldiers have showed themselves towards me. Although their rage and violence against me, might have tempted me to have repayed them in their own Coyn, yet I forbore it, and spared both others, and Saul himself when his Life was at my Mercy, 1 Sam. 24. and 26. and this I did in Obedience to thy Word, which required me to Honour and preserve the Lords anointed..

Hold up my goings in thy paths As by thy Word and Grace thou hast hitherto kept me from the Paths of evil men, and led me into thy Paths, so, I pray thee, enable me by the same means to persevere in thy ways, and in mine abhorrency of wicked Courses., that my footsteps slip not That I may not fall into that sin of revenging my self upon Saul, to which I may be more and more tempted, nor into any other sin, whereby thou mayst be provoked, or men may be offended, and Religion disgraced..

I have called upon thee It has been and still is, and shall be my constant Course, to apply my self to thee for assistance and for deliverance., for thou wilt hear me, O God For though thou mayst delay for a season, I am well assured that thou wilst hear and answer me.: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.

show thy marvellous loving kindness To wit, in preserving and delivering me; which, if thou dost, I must ever acknowledge it to be an Act of kindness, or free Grace, or undeserved Bounty, yea and of marvellous kindness, because of my extream and pressing Dangers, out of which nothing but a wonder of Gods mercy and power can save me., O thou that savest by thy right hand (i. e.) By thy great Power., them which put their trust in thee Or, in it, (i. e.) In thy right Hand, as was now expressed. Or, because of (as the Hebrew... prefix Mem oft signifies, as Psal. 12. 6. and elsewhere) those that exalt themselves, (as this word signifies, Iob. 20. 27. and 27. 7. Psal. 59. 1) not only against me, but against thee who hast engaged and declared thy self for me. So this Prayer is like that Psal. 66. 7. Let not the Rebellio... s exalt themselves. But this place is otherwise translated in the Margent of our Bibles, with which divers others, both Antient and latter Interpreters agree, and that more agreeably to the Order of the words in the Hebrew text, O thou that savest (or usest to save) them which trust in thee (or, as the Hebrew word may be properly rendred without any Supplement, Believers) from those that rise up against thy right Hand, (i. e.) Either against thy mighty Power, which thou hast already showed in my wonderful Preservation: Or, against thy Counsel (which is called Gods hand, Act. 4. 28.) and revealed Will concerning my advancement to the Kingdom, which divers of these men did knowingly oppose, as may be gathered from 2 Sam. 3. 9, 10. Or, against the man (which word is oft understood, whereof examples have been given, and more we shall have in this Book) of thy right Hand, as David is called, Psal. 80. 17. According to this Translation his Prayer is inforced with a double motive, to wit, his trust is in God, and his Enemies opposition against God., from those that rise up against them Which God has marvellously fenced on every side, and men use their utmost Care and Diligence to keep e..

Keep me as the apple of the eye e: hide me under the shadow of thy wings As an Hen does her Chickens..

From the wicked Or, Because of the wicked. that oppress me, from my deadly enemies Heb. from those who are mine Enemies in or for, or against my (which Pronoun is easily supplied out of the... oregoing Word, where it is expressed) Soul or Life (i. e.) Whom nothing but my Blood and Life will satisfie., who compass me about Which shows both their extream Malice and his great Danger..

They are inclosed in their own fat They live in great Splendour and Prosperity, whilst I am exercised with many and... ore Troubles. The like Phrase we have Iob. 15. 27. Psal. 73. 7.: with their mouth they speak proudly Not only against us whom they scorn, but even against God himself whom they despise, boasting of their own Power, and what great things they will certainly effect against me..

They have now compassed us in our steps (i. e.) In all our ways. We go from place to place, to Rocks and Caves, and Woods; but wheresoever we go they are at hand, and ready to surround us. Of which see an example, 1 Sam. 23. 26.; they have set their eyes To wit, upon or against us, (i. e.) They have discovered us, and keep their eyes fixed upon us, that we may not escape, or as designing to shoot at us. bowing down to the earth (i. e.) Couching and casting themselves down upon the Earth, that they may not be discovered, and so may watch the fittest opportunity to surprize us. Which Sense is favoured by the next Verse, and by comparing, Psal. 10 10. Oth. To cast us down to the Earth.:

Like a lyon that is greedy of his prey When he is hungry and therefore cruel., and as it were a young lyon lurking in secret places See Psal. 7. 2. and 10. 8, 9, 10..

Arise, O LORD, disappoint him Heb. Prevent his face, (i. e.) Go forth against him, and meet and Face him in Battle, as Enemies use to do. Or, Prevent the Execution of his mischievous Designs against me; stop him in his attempt, and give him the first blow., cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword Or, thy hand, as it follows, v. 14. (i. e.) Thy instrument to execute Vengeance upon thine Enemies, or to chastise and exercise thy People: For which reason the Assy... ian is called God's Rod. Isa. 10. 5. as being ordained for Correction,. 1. 12. The Sense is, do not punish me by this Rod: let me fall into thy hands, and not into the hands of wicked men, 2 Sam. 24. 14. Or, by (which Preposition is understood, Psal. 2. 12. and oft elsewhere) thy Sword, (i. e.) by thy Power.:

From men which are thy hand Wherewith thou dost Correct me., O LORD, from men of the world (i. e.) Who prosper in and set their Hearts upon this vain and Transitory World, and neither have, nor choose, or desire any other Portion or Felicity, as it follows., which have their portion in this life, and whose belly (i. e.) Mind or Appetite, as that word is used, Iob 20. 20. Prov. 20. 30. thou fillest with thy hid treasure (i. e.) Not only with common mercies, as Food and Raiment, but with thy choicest and most precious good things, such as men use to hide or keep in their treasures, with extraordinary Wealth and Glory, and all the Delights and Comforts of the present Life.: they are full of Children When many of the faithful Servants are barren, these are blessed with a numerous Posterity. Or, their Children are filled or satisfied as well as their Parents. There is abundantly enough both for them and for their Children, and to spare for their Childrens Children, as it follows., and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

As for me I do not envy this their Felicity, but my Hopes and Happiness are of another Nature., I will or shall behold thy face I do not place my Portion in earthly and temporal Treasures, as they do, but in beholding God's face, (i. e.) In the enjoyment of God's presence and favo... r; which is indeed enjoyed in part in this Life, but not fully and to Satisfaction, of which David here speaks, as appears from the last Clause of this Verse; The sight of God, and of his face, being frequently spoken of, both in the Old and New Testament, as a priviledge denied even to the Saints, in this Life and peculiar to the next Life, as is manifest from Exod. 33. 20. Iudg. 13. 22. Mat. 5. 8. 1 Cor. 13. 12. 2 Cor. 3. 18. 1 Ioh. 3. 2., in righteousness With the Comfort of a good Conscience, bearing me Witness that, notwithstanding all the Calumnies and Censures of mine Enemies, I have been, and am upright and righteous in the Course of my Life, both towards thee and towards all men. Which Testimony will enable me to look God in the Face with boldness, when mine Enemies, being Conscious to themselves of gross and manifold righteousness towards thee and me, and others, will be afraid to appear in thy Presence.: I shall be satisfied I am now greatly distressed and dissatisfied, and mine Enemies are fitted and satisfied with good things; but my turn will come, the time is coming wherein I shall be abundantly satisfied, to wit, with beholding thy Face, which is to me more Comfortable and Satisfactory than all the Possessions of this World, when I awake Either, 1. When I shall be delivered from my present Distresses and Calamities. But these never are in Scripture, nor indeed can fitly be, called by the name of Sleep, which is every where spoken of as a state of... est, and quietness; as Psal. 127. 2. Ioh. 11. 12, 13. and consequently deliverance from them, cannot be compared to awaking. Or rather, 2. When I shall arise from the Dead: For Death is very frequently called Sleep both in Scripture, as 1 Kings 1. 21. Isa. 26. 19. Ier. 51. 39, 57. Dan. 12. 2. Ioh. 11. 11, 13. and in other Authors; and consequently Resurrection from the Dead, is justly and fitly called an awaking, as it is Iob 14. 12. Dan. 12. 2. Ioh. 11. 11. And since the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the just, to a blessed and endless Life was not unknown to the Holy men of God in the Old Testament, as it were very easie to prove, nor to David in particular, as appears from Psal. 16. 10, 11. and from divers other Passages, it cannot be imagined but David would Support and Comfort himself in his greatest Agonies, with the Consideration thereof, this being incomparably the most weighty and effectual Argument and ground of Comfort, which he could possibly use. And this also best suits with the Context; for David is here opposing his Hopes and Portion to that of his Enemies, and having noted, not without a secret reflection and reproach upon them for it, that their Portion was in this Life, v. 14. it was most Consonant to the place and to the thing it self, that he should seek and have his Happiness in the future Life., with thy likeness Or Image. By which may be understood either, 1. Christ, the Son of God, who was known to David and other Prophets, as is Evident, and that under the name of the Son of God, Psal. 2 7, 12. Prov. 30. 4. Hos. 11. 1. Comp. with Mat. 2. 15. who being exactly like to his Father, might most fitly be called his likeness or image, as he is, Heb. 1. 3. Or 2. the image of God stamped upon his glorified Soul; which must needs afford him infinite Delight and Satisfaction. Or 3 God himself, or the face of God mentioned in the former Clause, and explained here by another Phrase, as is very usual in these Writings. And this Interpretation may receive strength from Numb. 12 8. Where beholding the similitude of the Lord is evidently the same thing, which is elsewhere called his face, and from Heb. 10 1. Where the image, does not note the likeness or Representation, but the truth and existence of the thing..