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with necromancers, (or any other of those vanities wherewith the Gentile world is cheated), which way I should flee, or how I should provide for my safety: no, I have hated all such practices, and those that observe them; confiding entirely in the Lord, and his directions.

Ver. 7. I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy for thou hast considered my trouble, thou hast known my soul in adversities.] In whose merciful providence over me I will be glad and rejoice, even when I am in straits for it is most delightful to remember how thou hast taken care of me in my afflictions; and never neglected, but still owned me, and provided for my security, in the greatest distresses.

Ver. 8. And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.] And very lately didst not suffer me to be shut up in Keilah, (1 Sam. xxiii. 7.), whose inhabitants would have deli vered me into the hands of Saul: but admonishedst me by thy oracles, at which only I inquired, (1 Sam. xxiii. 9. &c.), to depart from thence, where I was in danger to be inclosed; and gavest me a larger compass to seek the means of my preservation.

Ver. 9. Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. Go on, good Lord, to perfect thy mercy to me; and now that I am fallen into a new difficulty, and closely begirt on every side by my enemy, take some pity upon me, and speedily deliver me for the continual anguish and vexation which these returning dangers give me, together with the hunger and thirst which at present sorely pinch me, have in a manner quite dispirited me.

Ver. 1c. For my life is spent with grief, and my years. avith sighing my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.] I cannot subsist long, unless thou relievest me: for I am wasted away with sorrow and sighing; the punishments of my sins are so heavy, and I am so weak, that I cannot support myself under their burdens.

Ver. 11. I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without, fled from me.] My enemies also mock at my confidence in thee, now that they have thus, distressed me and my neighbours, who have been witnesses of my integrity in all my actions, are too prone to join with them in those reproaches: and, which is still sadder, my familiar friends are afraid to be seen in my company, or to send me the least relief: they dare not entertain me into their houses; for when they have met me in the highway, they fled, and would not come nigh me. Ver. 12. I am forgotten, as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.] They look upon me as a man utterly lost; and so never think of me, no more than if I were in my grave: they despair of my restitution, and despise me as much as an earthen vessel when it is broken in pieces; which no body minds, because it cannot be repaired.

Ver. 13. For 1 have heard the slander of many; fear was on every side, while they took counsel together against me they devised to take away my life.] The calumnies

and slanders, also, whereby the greatest persons defame me, are come to my ears. They say I am a seditious fellow; that the life of the king cannot be in safety till I be destroyed: and so they have held consultation together against me; wherein they have debated nothing else, but how to find a way to take away my life.

Ver. 14. But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God.] But how great soever their cunning and their power be, and how dejecting soever my fears, I do not quite despond; but still repose a sure confidence in thee, O Lord, saying, Thou art a judge of my innocence; thou art my defender and protector, who hath hitherto alway done me right.

Ver. 15. My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.] It is not in their power to dispose of my life at their pleasure, no more than it is in mine to appoint the time of my deliverance, which I leave to thy wisdom, O Lord, to whom it belongs; only beseeching thee, at present, to rescue me from falling into the hands of my enemies, and at last, when thou judgest it most fit, to free me from their persecution.

Ver. 16. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; save me for thy mercies sake.] Disperse these black clouds of affliction, which have so long kept me in such a mournful condition, that my enemies fancy thou hast abandoned me: and shew the favour thou bearest to me, who am faithfully devoted to thy service; and therefore, though I am unworthy of it, yet hope thou wilt magnify thy own mercy in delivering me from these dangers, and making me as happy as now I am miserable.

Ver. 17. Let me not be ashamed, O LORD, for 1 have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.] Let not thy humble supplicant, O Lord, who testifies by his daily prayers. that he wholly depends upon thy favour, be shamefully disappointed in his expectation of relief from thee: but let the wicked be confounded, to see all their contrivances against me come to nothing; let them be laid in their graves, and give me no farther disturbance.

Ver. 18. Let the lying lips be put to silence, which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.] Stop the mouths of those bold calumniators, who insolently threaten utter ruin to the innocent; whom they charge with the most grievous crimes, and deride all that he can say or do in his own defence.

Ver. 19. O how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought. for them that trust in thee, before the sons of men!] O. what a comfort is it, when they thus insult, to think of thy kind intentions towards those that fear to offend thee, though for the present they are most miserably abused! how great are the blessings thou hast treasured up in store, (as shall in time appear openly before all the world), and prepared for those that religiously avoid all unjust ways of preserving themselves, and trust to thee alone.

Ver. 20. Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy

presence from the pride of men: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.] They are forced to hide themselves sometimes in caves and dens of the earth, (1 Sam. xxiii. 14. 19. 23. xxiv. 2. 3. 8.), but there thou art present with them; and it is thy gracious providence that preserves them from him that furiously persecutes them: thou dost keep them as safe as if they were in thy dwelling-place, from the mischiefs which contentious men, by their false accusations, seek to bring upon them.

Ver. 21. Blessed be the LORD, for he hath shewed me bis marvellous kindness in a strong city.] Of which I myself (for ever praised be the Lord) am a remarkable instance: for he hath magnified his mercy to me in assisting my escape, when I was shut up in a fortified city that had gates and bars, (1 Sam. xxiii. 7. 13.)

Ver. 22. For I said in my baste, I am cut off from before thine eyes nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications, when I cried unto thee.] And presently after that, when I fell into such a strait, that I had no hope of evading it, but (so vehement was my fear) said in my precipitous flight, (1 Sam. xxiii. 26.), I am lost: I shall never be able to save myself, though I make never so much haste; yet even then, upon my humble supplication to thee, thou didst instantly senda most seasonable and wonderful deliverance to me, (ver. 27.)

Ver. 23. O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.] What an encouragement is this to all truly pious souls! Let them love the Lord, and stedfastly cleave unto him: for the Lord taketh care of their safety, who continue faithful to him in all their troubles, and plagueth those who proudly insult over them, till he hath left none of their race remaining.

Ver. 24. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.] Be not dejected, therefore, much less disheartened, in the course of piety, all ye that place your hope and confidence in the Lord: But let that fill you with courage, and make you firmly resolved to adhere to him, and never to shrink from your duty under the sorest afflictions.

PSALM XXXII.

A Psalm of David. Maschil.

THE ARGUMENT.-Apsalm composed by David, when the calamities into which he fell by his son's rebellion, taught him how evil and bitter a thing it was to offend God, and how infinitely he was beholden to him, that he was so merciful as not to take such a vengeance on him as his sins deserve. There are those who think it was intended for public use, upon the great day of expiation, when the whole nation made a general confession of their sins; and called Maschil, either because it contains an excellent instruction, (as that word signifies), concerning the means to obtain true blessedness; or because it

was set to the tune of a song, in vulgar use in those days, which began with the word Maschil. This is the more probable of the two, because there are twelve psalms besides this that have the same title, to all of which the former reason cannot be applied.

Ver. 1. BLESSED is be whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.] Happy is that man, thrice happy, to whom God will be pleased,. out of his own free grace and mercy, (for no man can merit such a favour by any services that we can do him), to remit not only his common errors and weaknesses, but also his grosser sins, whether committed against the divine majesty, or against his neighbour.

Ver. 2. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.] It is impossible to express the happiness of that man to whom the Lord will be so gracious, as not to ex-, act the punishment due to his former offences, for which he is most heartily afflicted, (for to none else this happiness belongs); and doth not only seem by his sorrowful confessions to hate and abhor them, but is unfeignedly resolved to forsake them.

Ver. 3. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old; through my roaring all the day long.] He that hath felt the smart of them as I have done, will be sensible what a pleasure it is to be eased of such a sting. For when I seriously reflected upon the grievous sin I had committed, but not bewailed it as I ought, it filled me with such anguish and horror, that I lost all appetite to my meat, and pined away till I was not able to go or stand; but lay roaring perpetually (like a lion that hath received a deadly wound) under the miserable torture of my mind.

Ver. 4. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selab.] So heavy was the sense of thy displeasure, wherewith I was struck, that I could find no means to throw it off, either by business or diversions in the day; nor would it suffer me to take my rest in the night, but still pressed down my spirit, and scorched me so vehemently with its raging heat, that my body (which heretofore was fat and fresh) was consumed and parched like the grass of the earth in the midst of the driest summer.

Ver. 5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity bave I not bid: I said, I will confess my transgression unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selab.] But at last I bethought myself of that remedy which I had too long neglected, and humbled myself before thee in a sorrowful confession of all my sins, both great and small: I laid open all those wounds which were so full of anguish, and acknowledged I deserved to be still far more miserable; I resolved I would never hereafter palliate or excuse my sins, but ingenuously charge myself home with them, and condemn myself before thee for them. And straightway thou (who sawest the sincerity of my repentance) was. pleased to grant me a gracious pardon, and to release

me from all my pain; though my guilt, which was the cause of it, was exceeding great.

Ver. 6. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee, in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters, they shall not come nigh unto him.] Which should encourage every one that hath any sense of God, and of the blessedness of being in his favour, and the misery of lying under his displeasure, to apply himself speedily to him, by unfeigned repentance, as soon as ever he hath offended him for that is the surest time of finding mercy with him, and the way of preventing those great calamities, which otherwise may overtake him, when the Lord sends a deluge of miseries, as he did in the days of Noah, upon the world of the ungodly.

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Ver. 7. Thou art my hiding-place, thou shalt preserve me from trouble: thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selab.] Then he may say, Thou, Lord, art my refuge, to whom I fly for safety; and I trust that thou wilt preserve me (though I have been a grievous sinner) from those distresses which surround me; and thereby give abundant cause to me, and all that are about me, to bless and praise thee for thy merciful deliverance of me.

which thou shalt

Ver. 8. I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way 80: I will guide thee with mine eye.] Hearken therefore unto me, whosoever thou art, who hast any care of thy salvation; and I will bestow some good advice upon thee, and direct thee into the wisest and safest course of life: trust thyself with me to be thy guide, and I, from my own experience, will give thee faithful counsel, and take care thou do not go amiss.

Ver. 9. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.] God hath endued you with reason, both to tell you what you ought to do, and to check you when you do not as you ought; and hath made you capable also of receiving good admonitions from others: do not therefore follow your own unbridled lusts and appetites, much less be refractory and untractable, when God would reduce you from the error of your ways; as if you were not men, but headstrong horses and mules, who can by no means be curbed, nor made to come near thee, that thou mayest manage them at thy plea

sure.

Ver. 10. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but be that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.] Let such ungovernable, obdurate sinners, expect to be handled like those brutes, for they shall receive many and grievous strokes, which shall make their hearts to ache. But he that entirely commits himself to the Lord, to be ruled and disposed of according to his will, shall be not only secured by his good providence, but enriched with abundance of his blessings.

Ver. 11. Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righ teous; and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in beart.] And therefore, whatsoever your present troubles may be, let your heart be glad, O ye that are

obediently led and governed by him: rejoice in the confidence you ought to have of his favour towards you: triumph in his loving-kindness, all ye that sincerely study to do his will; and shout for joy, as if you were already victorious over all your enemies.

PSALM XXXIII.

THE ARGUMENT.-It is not recorded by whom this psalm was composed, nor upon what occasion. But there is little question it was a pious meditation of David, (of whose spirit it savours), and, as we may guess, upon occasion of some special benefit received from God, (though not particularly mentioned); which makes him call it, ver. 3. a new song: (Of which see more, Psal. cxlix.) Wherein he desires all the faithful to join with him in joyful praises of the Lord; considering his excellent nature, and his admirable works, both of creation and providence; especially over good men, who piously trust in him, and expect all good from him; and therefore ought to think themselves blessed that they have relation to him.

Ver. 1. REJOICE in the LORD, O ye righteous ; for

praise is comely for the upright.] Bless the Lord with joyful hearts, triumph in his praise, all ye that are just and good for nothing is more becoming them that sincerely do the will of God, than to praise him, from whom they have received, and hope for so many benefits; and nothing is more desired, than to have your hearts perpetually filled with delightful thoughts of him.

Ver. 2. Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery, and an instrument of ten strings.] Extol, therefore, his glorious perfections in psalms and hymns, composed in praise of him: and let all the instruments of music accompany the voices, to express and excite your joy in him.

Ver. 3. Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.] Let not the ancient songs of praise suffice you, but indite a new hymn, to testify your singular love and gratitude to him: employ your best skill to make the sweetest music; and sing as chearfully as you are wont to do at your most solemn feasts.

Ver. 4. For the word of the LORD is right: and all his works are done in truth.] For the Lord hath graciously revealed his will unto you, and shewn you the right way, in which if you walk, you cannot miss of being happy: and whatsoever he doth, hath the same scope with what he saith; for in all that befals you, he faithfully designs your good.

Ver. 5. He loveth righteousness and judgement: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.] Let this, therefore, be part of your song, The Lord governs the world with perfect justice and equity; these he loves, and in these he delights: his goodness and mercy also are so conspicuous, that we can look no where, but we see innumerable proofs of his bounty towards us, which spreads itself over the face of the whole earth.

Ver. 6. By the word of the LORD were the heavens made: and all the hosts of them by the breath of his mouth.] And who can doubt of the greatness of his power, when he beholds the spacious heavens, with the sun, moon, and all the stars, which are placed there like an army in excellent order; and considers, that all these he made with the same ease that we speak a word, only by commanding them to be? Ver. 7. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an beap: be layeth up the depth in store-houses.] Nay, the earth itself declares how mighty he is: for when it lay covered with the waters, being far heavier than they, he commanded it to appear, (Gen. i. 9. 10.); and cutting a deep channel for them, he laid them up there as in cellars, where they swell and rise up in round heaps, higher than the shore, but cannot overflow the earth.

Ver. 8. Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.] Let all mankind, therefore, in whatsoever part of the world they dwell, dread this Almighty Lord : let them not dare to disobey him, who thus tamed even the raging

sea.

Ver. 9. For he spake, and it was done : be commanded, and it stood fast.] For as then he did but signify his pleasure, and the thing was done, and remained fixed and firm according to his appointment; so, whatsoever he will have now to be done, (whether for a blessing on those that submit to him, or a punishment of the disobedient), it shall certainly come to pass; and none can resist or alter his orders.

Ver. 10. The LORD bringeth the counsel of the beathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.] Let men lay their designs never so deep; let whole nations combine together, and in their gravest assemblies consult how to compass their ends; the Lord (such is his wisdom, as well as his power) easily disappoints them all, and makes the most likely contrivances which oppose his will, to be in vain, and without success.

Ver. 11. The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.] Whereas, that which he resolves none can defeat, but shall certainly obtain its effect. One generation passes away, and another comes in its stead; but his purposes are still immoveably the same, and can no more in future ages, than now, be overthrown.

Ver. 12. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his inberitance.] Most happy, then, is that nation which worships this Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth: unspeakably happy are they who live under the care of so just, so good, so powerful, and wise a Being, and are so highly in his favour, that he hath chosen them (though all mankind be his) to be a peculiar people to himself; among whom, in a special manner, he will reside, and hath engaged himself, by a gracious covenant, to do them good.

Ver. 13. The LORD looketh from heaven: he beholdeth all the sons of men.] How careful ought they to be to please him, and approve their very hearts unto him! For though he be in heaven, as the place of his

most special and most glorious presence, yet there is not a man upon earth but he sees and observes him. Ver. 14. From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.] They are all exposed to his view; and from thence he takes a strict and exact account, not only of all their open actions, but of their most secret designs and contrivances.

Ver. 15. He fashioneth their hearts alike: be considereth all their works.] For they are every one of them, without exception, his creatures: and as he is equally the Former of them all, so he formed their souls, as well as their bodies; and, therefore, must needs see into their very hearts, and be perfectly acquainted with every one of their thoughts.

Ver. 16. There is no king saved by the multitude of an bost: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.] And to him a king is no more than another man; but if he sees that he regards not his majesty, nor depends upon him, he will make him find, that it is not in the power of the greatest army he can raise to secure and defend him; nor shall the mightiest and most valiant man in that army be able to deliver so much as himself, though he hath a giant-like strength.

Ver. 17. An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall be deliver any by his great strength.] Though he should be mounted upon the stoutest horse, (which is a most warlike creature), he will but deceive himself, if he rely either upon his courage, or his strength, or his agility, or his swiftness, for preserva

tion.

It is

Ver. 18. Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;} the Lord only from whom comes salvation; and he hath regard to none but those that fear to offend his majesty, and, placing their confidence and hope in his love, more than all human force, look up to him for safety. Over such he will watch with a very careful providence;

Ver. 19. To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.] To rescue them when they are in danger by the sword or the plague, and to supply their necessities in time of scarcity and dearth.

Ver. 20. Our soul waiteth for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.] What shall we do, therefore, in all straits, but desire him to take care of us? for this is our peculiar privilege, that we may confidently expect and wait for his seasonable relief, who is our only helper and defender.

Ver. 21. For our heart shall rejoice in him; because we have trusted in his holy name.] For we may be sure he will not fail our expectations, but at last fil our hearts with joy, as a reward of the pious trust we have reposed in him, whose unspotted purity and faithfulness shall be ever famed.

Ver. 22. Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.] O Lord, thou seest we depend upon thee alone, and have placed all our hope, all our comfort and contentment, in thy care and good providence over us: let us prosper according ly; deal with us according as we trust in thee, and

not in any strength, wisdom, or contrivance of our

own.

PSALM XXXIV.

A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.

THE ARGUMENT.-The title tells us this psalm was penned by David, after the escape he made from Achish, king of Gath, (in which country all their kings were called by the common name of Abimelech, i. e. my father the king; as in Egypt anciently they were all called Pharaoh, and afterwards Ptolomy), who he was afraid would seize on him, when he heard it commonly reported that he was the person that killed Goliah, and pretended to the sovereignty over all those countries, (1 Sam. xxi. 11.) And therefore he put on the behaviour of a man beside himself, hoping, that when Achish saw this, he would despise him; and looking upon him as an useless man, that could do neither good nor harm, think fit to thrust him out of his court, where he had been entertained, and send him packing from thence. And accordingly it succeeded, (1 Sam. xxi. 14. 15.) But though he was preserved by this artifice, the deliverance notwithstanding is piously ascribed unto God's great mercy, who prospered the device: To whom therefore he would have all pious men commit themselves, and depend upon his favour in well-doing; which he declares is the sure course to be happy. The psalm is curiously composed, according to the number and order of the letters of the Hebrew Alphabet, in the beginning of every verse; which shews it was contrived when he reflected upon his escape, in some place of safety.

Ver. 1. Will bless the LORD at all times; bis praise shall continually be in my mouth.] I will never forget how gracious the Lord hath been to me in this remarkable deliverance; but, whatsoever my condition be, will still have my mind and my mouth perpetually filled with his praise.

Ver. 2. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.] This shall be my glory, in this I will think myself happy, that the Lord is with me, wheresoever I am, to guide and defend me; and I will let all those that humbly depend on him know what he hath done for me, that they may likewise joyfully hope for his mercy.

Ver. 3. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.] Oh that they would all join with me in declaring the greatness of his goodness in this miraculous providence over me! Let them with the same devout affection extol him in all his glorious attributes, who hath given me such a deliverance, and them such hope in the greatest danger.

Ver. 4. I sought the LORD, and be heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.] I was sore afraid (1 Sam. xxi. 12.) when I found they had discovered me

in the court of Achish who I was, and many a sad thought and dreadful apprehension began then to trouble my mind; but, committing myself to thee by hearty prayer, and desiring thee to be my guide and my protector, thou wast pleased presently to rid me of them, by inclining his heart to look upon me as I appeared, and to make no stricter inquiry after me.

Ver. 5. They looked unto him, and were lightened; and their faces were not ashamed.] From which all pious men should take courage in all their straits, and when their hearts are ready to sink, look up unto God; who will revive and comfort them, and never suffer them to be ashamed of the hope they repose in

him.

Ver. 6. This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.] Let them fix their eyes on me, and excite one another to a chearful dependance on him, saying, Behold that man he was in a miserably poor condition, destitute of all human help; but, commending himself to the Lord by earnest prayer, the Lord took care of him, and delivered him out of all his distresses.

Ver. 7. The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.] Why should we then despair of his mercy, who sends an invisible host (as appeared to Elisha) to guard those who fear nothing so much as to offend his majesty, and to preserve them as securely, as if they were surrounded with an invincible army, from all the assaults of their enemies?

Ver. 8. O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.] Oh that men would not be so negligent, but seriously consider this, and make a trial, by sted fast fidelity to God in all their troubles, how gracious and kind he is! They shall soon find, that there is no man so happy as he that piously confides in him.

Ver. 9. O fear the LORD, ye his saints; for there is no want to them that fear him.] Continue, therefore, O ye devout worshippers of the Lord! (whatsoever other men do), to fear nothing, but lest you should be false to him. be false to him. Never betake yourselves to any sinful ways to provide for your safety, or to supply any of your necessities; but religiously observe his commands, and you shall never be reduced to such straits, as to be utterly destitute of what is needful for your preservation.

Ver. 10. The young lions do lack, and suffer bunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.] The young lions, (an emblem of those that seek to enrich themselves by rapine or by injurious practices), who are most ravenous in their appetites, as well as swift to pursue, and bold to seize, and strong to tear in pieces their prey, are many times disappointed, and cannot meet with satisfaction to their hungry desires; but they that seek their food from the Lord in pious and honest ways, shall certainly be blessed with every thing that is good for them.

Ver. 11. Come, ye children, bearken unto me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.] Come hither then, all ye that are disposed to learn, and hearken to the instruction which, out of a most tender affection to

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