Psalms 39

This Psalm was written by David, when his Mind was much discomposed and disquieted, with the Contemplation of the Prosperity of sinners, and the afflictions of the Godly; which being Exemplified in himself and in his Enemies, he speaks of the Case not in general, but as in his own Person.

I Said I fully resolved,, I will take heed to my ways (i. e.) To order all my Actions aright, a... d particularly to govern my Tongue, which is very hard to do, and especially under these Provocations., that I sin not with my tongue That, if any evil Thoughts or Passions do arise in me, I will indeavour to suppress and mortifie them, and not suffer them to boyl and break forth, into sinful and scandalous Reflections upon God and his Providence, as they usually do upon such occasions.: I will keep my mouth as with a bridle (i. e.) With all possible Care and Diligence. The Phrase implies the great Difficulty of ruling the Tongue., while the wicked is before me Either, 1. In my Presence. Or rather, 2. In my Thoughts, as the same Phrase is understood, Psal. 51. 3. (i. e.) Whilst I consider the flourishing Estate of wicked Men..

I was dumb with silence I was so long, and so Obstinately silent, that I seemed to my self and to others to be Dumb. Two words put together, Expressing the same thing, to Aggravate or Increase it. Or, I was dumb with quietness, (i. e.) Not out of Sullenness, but with Submissiveness to God's Dispensations, which is oft noted by silence., I held my peace, even from good I forbare to speak what I justly might upon that occasion, l... st, the Flood-gates of Speech being once opened, and Speech stirring up my Passion, I should by degrees break forth into some indecent and sinful Expressions, to the Dishonour of God, the wounding of m... ne own Conscience, and the offence of others. Or, this may be a proverbial Speech signifying strict silence; Like that, Gen. 31. 29. speak to him neither good nor bad, (i. e.) Nothing at all, to wit, about that matter to persuade him to return., and my sorrow was stirred My silence did not asswage my Grief but increase it, as it naturally and commonly does..

My heart was hot within me, while I was musing (i. e.) Considering in my own Thoughts, the great wickedness and successfulness of mine Enemies, and other wicked Men; and withal mine own and other good Mens Integrity, attended with great Troubles and Miseries in this Life., the fire burned My Thoughts kindled my Passions.: then spake I with my tongue To wit, such Words, as I had purposed not to speak, v. 1: Rash and impatient Words; Either 1. Some Words not here expressed: Which having uttered Men, he turneth his Speech to God, v. 4. Or, 2. Those which here follow..

LORD This Verse contains Either, 1. A Correction of himself, for his impatient Motions or Speeches, and his Retirement to God for Relief, under these perplexing and sadding Thoughts. Or, 2. A Declaration of the Words which he spake., make me to know Either, 1. Practically so as to prepare for it. Or, 2. Experimentally, as Words of Knowledge are oft used. And so this is a secret desire of Death, that he might be free from such Torments, as made his Life a burden to him. Or, 3. By Revelation; that I may have some Prospect or Fore-knowledge, when my Calamities will be ended: Which argued impatience, and an unwillingness to wait long for Deliverance. my end (i. e.) The end of my Life, as is Evident from the following Words., and the measure of my days, what it is How long or short it is, or the utmost extent or Period of the days of my Life., that I may know how frail I am Or, How long, (Or, How little, for the Word may be, and is by divers Interpreters, taken both ways:) Time I have, or shall Continue here..

Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth Which is one of the least Measures, (i. e.) Very short. These and the following Words are Either. 1. A Con... nunuance of his Complaint that although his days were of themselves very short, yet God seemed to grudge him their natural length, and threatned to make them shorter, and to cut him off before his time. Or rather, 2. A Consolation and Correction of his last Words, as if he said; Why, am I so greedy to know the end of my Life, seeing I do already know this that my Life cannot last very long, and therefore if my Troubles be sharp, they will be but short., and mine age is nothing Next to nothing for Substance and for Continuance. before thee (i. e.) In thy Judgment, and therefore in Truth and Reality: Or, if Compared with thee, and with thy everlasting Duration. Comp. Psal. 90. 4. 2 Pet. 3. 8.: verily every man Prince or Peasant, Wise or Fools, good or bad. at his best State Heb. though settled or Established: When he stands fastest, and likely to continue longest, in regard of his Health and Strength, and all possible means whereby Life may be secured, supported or prolonged., is altogether vanity All that he is or has, is as Light and Vain, and unstable as Vanity it self, there is nothing but Vanity and uncertainty, in all his outward Enjoyments, in the Constitution of his Body; yea, in the very Temper and Endowments of his Mind. By which general Condition of all mankind, he indeavours to quiet and Compose his Mind, to bear the common Lot., Selah.

Surely every man walketh (i. e.) Passeth the Course of his Life; Or, goeth about busily and restlesly hither and thither, as this Verb in this Conjugation signifies, and as the next Verb more plainly expresseth. in a vain show Heb. In a shadow or Image, (i. e.) In an imaginary rather than a real Life in the pursuit of vain Imaginations, in which there is nothing solid or Satisfactory. Or, as some Read it, Like a shadow, to which Man's Life is Compared, Iob 14. 2. Man and his Life, and all his Happiness in this World, are rather Appearances and Representations and Dreams, than Truths and Real... ties.: surely they are disquieted Or, troubled: Heb. They make a noise, or Bus... ling, or Tumult, with unwearied Industry, seeking for Riches, as it follows, and Troubling and Vexing both themselves and others, in the pursuit of them, as this Word implies. in vain To no purpose; Or without any Real or Considerable benefit, to him or his.: he heapeth up For his own use, and for his Posterity after him. riches, and knoweth... ot who shall gather them Whether his Children, or Strangers, or Enemies, shall possess and enjoy them..

And now LORD, what wait I for? my hope is in thee Seeing this Life and all its Enjoyme... are so vain and short to all Men, and especially to me, never expect nor seek for Happiness here, from the... Vanities, I will Compose my self Patiently and Conte... dly to bear both my own Afflictions, and the Prosperity and Glory of ungodly Men, for both are Vanishing and Transitory things, a... I will seek for Happiness no where but in the Love and of God, in serving and glorifying him here, and in the or Confident Expectation of enjoying him here... in the mean time, of receiving from him and Assistances, which my present Condition.

De... ver me from all my That I may not be disappointed of of enjoy... thee, and thy Favour, which is the that I desi... e, pardon all my sins, which stand Cloud between thee and me, and fill me with Fea... my Condition both here and hereafter.; make me not the reproach Let not their Prosperity and my Misery give them Occasion, to deride and Reproach me, for my serving of thee, and trusting in thee, to so little purpose or Advantage. of (i. e.) Of wicked Men, who, though they profess and think themselves to be Wi... e, yet indeed are Fools, as is manifest from their Eager pursuit of fruitless Vanities, v. 6. and from their Gross neglect of God, and of his Service, who only is able to make them Happy..

I was dumb, I opened not my mouth To wit, in way of Murmuring, or Repining against thee, o... thy Providence, as I promise I would be, v. 1. For though, when I looked only to Instruments, I was Discomposed, and did at last speak a foolish Word, yet when I did Recollect my self and looked up to thee, the first Cause and Soveraign disposer of this, and all other things, I return to my former silence.; because thou didst it What? Either, 1. And particularly, Absolom's Rebellion; wherein I acknowledge thy just Hand in punishing my sins. Or, 2. And more generally, whatsoever is done in these Matters, all the Events which befall all Men, whether good or bad; The Afflictions of the one, and the Prosperity of the other: All which are the Effects of thy Counsel and Providence, in which all Men ought to acquiesce..

Remove thy stroke away from me But although I may not, I will not, open my Mouth to Complain of thee, yet I may open it to Complain and Pray to thee, that thou wouldest take off the Judgment, which thou hast inflicted upon me.: I am consumed Help me therefore, before I be utterly and irrecoverably lost., by the blow of thine hand.

When thou with rebukes (i. e.) With Punishment, which are o... t s... called, See Psal. 6. 1. and 76. 6. dost correct man for iniquity (i. e.) Dost punish him as his iniquity deserves., thou makest his beauty Heb. his Desire, (i. e.) His desiderable things, as this Word signifies, Lam. 1. 11. Dan. 9. 23. and 1.... 3. 11. 19. His Comeliness, Strength, Wealth and Prosperity, and all his present Excellencies or Felicities. to consume away like a m... th Either, 1. Passively, as a Moth is quickly and easily crushed to Pieces with a touch; as this Phrase is used, Iob 4. 19. Or, 2. Actively, as a Moth consumeth a Garment, as it is, Iob 13. 28. Isa. 50. 9. to which God Compareth himself and his Judgments, secretly and insensibly consuming a People, Isa. 51. 8. Ho... a 5. 12.: surely every man is vanity And this Confirms what I said, v. 5. That every Man is Vanity. Which though men in the height of their Prosperity will not believe, yet when God Contendeth with them, by his Judgments they are forced to acknowledge it., Selah.

Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry, hold not thy peace at my Tears Joyned with my Prayers, Heb. 5. 7.: for I am a stranger Though I be not only a Native, but either anointed, or actually King of this Land, yet in Truth I am but a Stranger, both in regard of my very uncertain and short Continuance here, where I am only in my... Journey or Passage, to my real and long Home, which is in the other World; and in Respect of the many wants, and Hardships, and Contempts, and Injuries to which I am exposed as men usually are in strange Lands. And therefore, I greatly need and desire thy Pity, and Help, Oh thou who art the Patron of Strangers, whom thou hast Commended to our Care and kindness, Exod. 12. 48. Levit. 19. 33. and 25. 35. &c. with thee Either, 1. In thy sight or Judgment, and therefore truly. We are apt to flatter our selves, and can hardly believe that we are but Strangers here, where we seem to have settled Habitations and Possessions, but thou knowest the Truth of the Business, that we are really such. Or,.... In thy Land or Territory, in which I sojourn only by thy leave and Favour, and during thy Pleasure, as this whole Phrase is used, Levit. 25. 23. whence these Words are taken, is also, v. 35, 36. 39. 40. 45. 47. where that Branch of it, with thee is so meant. And withal this Phrase both here and Levit. 25. 23. may have a further Emphasis in it, implying that every Israelite, and particularly David himself, in Respect of men, were the Proprietors or owners of their Portions, of which no other man might deprive or dispossess them, and therefore David's Enemies had done wrongfully in banishing him from his, and from the Lords inheritance; but yet in Respect of God they were but strangers, and God was the only Proprietor of it., and a sojourner, as all my fathers were Both in thy Judgment expressed, Levit. 25. 23. and in their own Opinion, Heb. 11. 13. &c. Upon which Account thou didst take a special Care of them, and therefore do so to me also..

O spare me Or, Cease from me, (i. e.) From afflicting me, do not destroy me. My Life at best is but short and miserable, as I have said, and thou knowest, sufficient for it is the Evil thereof do not add Affliction to the Afflicted., that I may recov... r strength Both in my outward and inward Man, both which are much weakened and oppressed. Or, that I may be Refreshed, or Comforted, eased of the Burden of my sins, and thy Terrors Consequent upon them, and better prepared for a Comfortable and happy D... solution., before I go hence Heb. Before I go, to wit, unto the Grave, as this Phrase is used, Gen. 15. 2. and 25. 32. or the way of all the Earth, as the Phrase is Compleated, I... s. 23. 14. or, whence I shall not return, as it is, Iob 10. 21. or, which is all one, into that place and state in which I shall not be, to wit, amongst the Living, or in this World, as this Phrase is frequently used, both in Scripture, as Gen. 5. 24. Gen. 37. 30. and 42. 36. and in Heathen Authors: Of which see my Latin Synopsis., and be no more.