your welfare, I shall give you concerning the fear of the Lord.

Ver. 12. What man is he that desireth life, and loweth many days, that he may see good?] Who is there among you that desires to live happily? that would fain prolong his life to a great number of years, and have them all prosperous and pleasant?

Ver. 13. Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.] Let him be very careful, in the first place, to bridle his tongue; and never employ it to speak evil of others, or to deceive them with fair words and false promises.

Ver. 14. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.] Let him in all his actions also eschew what God hath prohibited, and do what he hath commanded; and more particularly, avoiding all hatreds and enmities, strife and contention, study to maintain love and friendship with all his neighbours, and to make peace among them when they quarrel; and though they be averse to it, not to cease his importunities, till, if it be possible, he hath reconciled them.

Ver. 15. The eyes of the LORD are upon the righ teous, and his ears are open unto their cry.] Such men will feel great contentment in their own hearts, and be exceedingly beloved by others; and (which is the greatest happiness of all) the Lord will have a special care of them, and when they are in any distress, most readily hear their cry, and help them.

Ver. 16. The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.] But as for all those that take the contrary course, (besides that they are ill at ease in themselves, and hated by their neighbours), the Lord is their enemy, and in his heavy displeasure will utterly destroy both them and theirs.

Ver. 17. The righteous cry, and the LORD beareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.] Experience bath taught us this, (and therefore let them not be disheartened if they fall into any trouble, but still expect good days), that the Lord graciously answers the prayers of those who adhere unto him in the ways of piety and peaceableness, and sends them seasonable relief and deliverance.

Ver. 18. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.] Though he may seem to absent himself, by suffering them to be sorely bruised and crushed under their burdens, yet he is really present to them, to support and comfort their drooping spirits; and at last to ease them of their burdens, after they have humbly and patiently submitted to them.

Ver. 19. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.] Many of these afflictions there may be, (for such prosperity they must not promise themselves, as will exempt them from troubles, for a trial of their fidelity); but in this they ought to think themselves happy, that they know the Lord will put an end to them, when he hath sufficiently proved them.

Ver. 20. He keepeth all his bones; not one of them is broken.] And while they lie under them, he sustains, pholds, and defends them; so that they receive not VOL. III.

the least hurt by any of those sufferings, which otherwise would crush them in pieces.

Ver. 21. Evil shall slay the wicked; and they that bate the righteous shall be desolate.] Whereas the wicked, who for the present flourish, shall at last be seized by some calamity or other, which shall stick to them till it hath destroyed them: They that spite-. fully persecute the righteous, bring such a guilt upon themselves, that they shall not escape without their justly-deserved punishment.

Ver. 22. The LORD redeemeth the soul of bis servants; and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.] And by that very means the Lord oft-times res

scues his faithful servants from those mischiefs which their enemies intended to them; and, you may be sure, will not suffer any of them, fince they rely entirely upon him, to perish, like those ungodly wretches.

PSALM XXXV.

A Psalm of David.

THE ARGUMENT.-This psalm, we are sufficiently informed by the matter of it, was penned by David, when he was fiercely persecuted by Saul: Whose forces, which were unjustly raised against him, he beseeches the Lord to dissipate; and especially to stop the mouth of his falso accusers, (such as Doeg, and the Ziphites), of whom he most heavily complains in the middle of the psalm, vowing to God that he would be ever mindful of the benefit, and never cease to give him thanks and praise for his loving-kindness, if he would be pleased to confound them, and deliver him.

There may seem to be here, as in other psalms, such horrid imprecations against his enemies, as do not become the mouth of a good man. But they must be considered as an appeal to God in a particular case, for justice against those whom no court on earth could or would punish: Which made it fit, he thought, to desire the divine majesty to execute the judgement he had enacted in his law against obstinate and incurable offenders, who else would escape the hand of justice; whereby also others would be hardened in their wickedness.

Besides, the words may be interpreted not as a prayer, but as a prediction; and rendered not, let them be, but they shall be, &c.

Ver. 1. PLEAD my cause, O LORD, with them

that strive with me; fight against them that fight against me.] Take my part, O Lord, and maintain my cause, against those that contend with. me, and have raised a war against me; for I am not able to defend myself, and have none else to appear for me.

Ver. 2. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine belp.] Be thou my protector, and preserve me under the shield of thy almighty providence ! oppose thyself unto them, and keep off all the assaults of my enemies.

Ver. 3. Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me; say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.] Strike through them, as well as defend me; let them run upon the spear and the sword, if they continue to pursue me; and confirm my soul in this belief, that thou wilt at last deliver me from this persecution.

Ver. 4. Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul; let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.] Disappoint them [or, they shall be disappointed] of their hope, which they have to destroy me; and make them blush to see all their warlike preparation against me come to nothing let them all be put to flight, and make a confused retreat with shame and dishonour, who design my ruin.

Ver. 5. Let them be as chaff before the wind; and let the angel of the LORD chase them.] Let them be dispersed [or, they shall be dispersed, and so of the rest] as the chaff, when it is blown about by a mighty wind; and let the invisible powers, which thou usest as ministers of thy displeasure, (especially when thy ministers on earth do not their duty), drive them forward, and thrust them on in that disorder. Ver. 6. Let their way be dark and slippery, and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.] Let them not Let them not know where they are in their flight, but wander, as men in the dark, up and down in slippery and dangerous ways; and there let the ministers of thy vengeance still pursue them, and press them on with restless fears, till they tumble headlong into destruction. Ver. 7. For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.] For though I have done them no wrong, nor given them any provocation, they hunt and pursue me as if I were some wild beast; and by treachery, as well as open force, endeavour to take away my life.

Ver. 8. Let destruction come upon him at unawares, and let his net that he hath bid, catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.] Let him, whose hatred hath armed so many against me, (and, when I suspected no danger, sought my ruin, 1 Sam. xviii. 10. 11. 21. xix. 10.), meet with unexpected destruction: let him be caught in his own wiles, and according to the rules of thy righteous judgement, suffer that himself which he thought to do to me.

Ver. 9. And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.] Then shall my soul conceive the highest joy in the love the Lord bears to me, and in his care over me: to him will I give thanks, as the author of my deliverance, and rejoice in what he hath done for me.

Ver. 12. All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him; yea, the poor and the needy, from him that speileth him.] The joy shall spread all over me, and from the inmost sense of my heart, with all the power and strength I have, both of body and soul, I will burst forth in thy praise, and say, Lord, who is comparable to thee in mercy, and wisdom, and power? who rescuest the poor helpless man, in wonderful

ways, from him whom he cannot resist; the man who is miserably in want, and hath none to relieve him, from him who by violence and oppression hath undone him.

Ver. 11. False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.] For which they have no pretence at all, but what is founded on calumnies and lies, forged by men of no conscience; who have accused me of the highest crime, and laid to my charge such things as never entered into my mind, 1 Sam. xxiv. 9.

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Ver. 12. They rewarded me evil for good, to the spoiling of my soul.] And (which adds to the sharpness of my persecution) they are men whom I have obliged; who are so detestably ungrateful, as, for all the good I did them when I was in power, to make me no other requital, but to endeavour to deprive me of my life.

Ver. 13. But as for me, when they avere sick, my chathing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned into my arun bosom.] O how unlike is this to the kindness that I shewed to them in their troubles! When they were sick, for instance, I sympathized most heartily with them; and testified my unfeigned grief and sorrow for them, by putting on sackcloth; in which I humbled myself before God, with prayer and fasting, for their recovery: which I often repeated; and in such an affectionate manner poured out my soul to God on their behalf, in my most secret retirements, that I wished myself no better, than I desired God to do for them.

Ver. 14. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.] I walked mournfully; and went to visit them with the same diligence as if I had been in danger to lose a friend or brother: I could not have looked more dejectedly, if I had bewailed the death of the dearest mother.

Ver. 15. But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not.] But these very meu (such was their inhumanity) could not dissemble the joy they conceived, when the news was brought of any evil that befel me; but ran to tell one another, and assembled themselves together, that they might publicly testify how glad they were to hear it. The very scum of the people, who were so vile that I did not so much as know there were such men in the world, met together, by their example, to revile me; and there was no end of their reproaches.

Ver. 16. With hypocritical mockers in feasts: they gnashed upon me with their teeth.] They joined themselves to the profane flatterers and trencher-buffoons; who, maintaining themselves by saying any thing which they think will please their lords and masters, made me the subject of their abusive jests, ridiculous sayings and scoffs, in their table-talk; which they accompanied with such rage, as if they could have eaten me up.

Ver. 17. LORD! how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destruction, my darling from the lions.]

Lord! thou seest all this, I know very well; but how long wilt thou bear with it, and be a spectator only? Be pleased at length to vindicate my innocence, and deliver me (who am desolate, and have none to relieve me, but thee alone) from those that have already despoiled me of my goods and good name; and now seek, like so many rapacious lions, to devour me, and take away my life.

Ver. 18. I will give thee thanks in the great congregation; I will praise thee among much people.] I will ever preserve a grateful remembrance of it, if thou wilt vouchsafe this mercy to me; it shall be acknowledged with the most hearty thanks before all thy people, as soon as thou shalt restore me to thy taber nacle; in the most frequent assemblies, when the whole nation meets at their solemn feasts, I will celebrate thy power and goodness with my praises.

Ver. 19. Let not them that are mine enemies wrong fully rejoice over me; neither let them wink with the eye, that hate me without a cause.] Let not those, therefore, that unjustly persecute me, have the pleasure of get ting any advantage of me; let them no longer make signs one to another with their eyes and their heads, as if they had done their business, and should satisfy their causeless hatred of me.

Ver. 20. For they speak not peace, but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land. For they are men of a turbulent spirit, that give not their sovereign peaceable counsels, but devise false stories, to incense him against those that would gladly serve God quietly under his government, without doing the least harm to any body.

Ver. 21. Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.] Nor are they content to do this secretly; but now they bawl against me with open mouth, and boldly accuse me as a traitor, rejoicing at any colour they can meet withal for their calumnies; and saying, So, so, we have found him out; his treasonable practices are discovered; we ourselves are eye-witnesses of it.

Ver. 22. This thou hast seen, O LORD, keep not silence: O LORD, be not far from me.] But thou know est me better than they, O Lord; to whom I appeal as a witness of the wrong they do me; beseeching thee to declare my innocence, by affording me thy help, and delivering me from their hands, now that they hope to seize on me.

Ver. 23. Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgement; even unto my cause, my God and my LORD.] Thou hast seemed hitherto to neglect me, though I have so often made my appeal to thee; but I beseech thee at length, O my God and my Lord, who art the only judge that can give me relief, the only sovereign that can protect an unjured subject, to take cognizance of my cause, and pass sentence on me according to my doings.

Ver. 24. Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me.] I desire only that thou wilt do me right; and not that thou shouldst, in favour of me, forbear to condemn and punish me, if I be guilty of what they accuse me. Deal with me according to thy unspotted jus

tice, O Lord, (whom the fear of none can overawe); my God, who art a judge whom none can corrupt; and then I know they shall never have the better of me.

Ver. 25. Let them net say in their heart, Ah, si would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.] Prevent so great a mischief, O Lord, lest they should applaud themselves in their wickedness. Let them have no occasion to think within themselves they shall prevail; saying to their souls, So, now all goes well; cheer up, we shall have our desires much less let them prevail so far, that they should triumph in my ruin, and say, We have obtained our end, we have utterly destroyed him.

Ver. 26. Let them be ashamed, and brought to confusion together, that rejoice at mine hurt : let them be cloathed with shame and dishonour, that magnify themselves against me.] Let them all be shamefully disappointed; and as they have combined together insolently to deride and mock me, so let them who rejoice at my present forlorn condition look upon one another with amazement and confusion. Let them not only be put to the blush, but perfectly confounded, and never be able to lift up their heads again, who proudly traduce me, and seek to raise themselves upon my ruin.

Ver. 27. Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.] And thereby fill all their hearts with joy, and their mouths with the voice of triumph, who, believing my innocence, have wished well to me; and let them see me so victorious, that this may be their perpetual song, The Lord be extolled with the highest praises, who favoured his servant David so much, that he delivered him out of all his troubles, and settled him in peace and prosperity.

Ver. 28. And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness, and of thy praise all the day long. As for my tongue, that sure shall never rest; but be declaring thy justice, and goodness, and fidelity to me: on which I shall ever think, and be giving thee the praise which is due unto them perpetually.

PSALM XXXVI.

To the chief musician. A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD.

THE ARGUMENT.-This psalm, composed by David, and delivered by him to the chief master of music in the tabernacle, seems to have been penned, as the former and many others were, during the persecution he suffered from Saul. It is hard to say to what part of that time it peculiarly belongs. The most probable opinion is, that it hath respect to the beginning of it: when Saul had a jealousy of him, and a hatred to him; but hid it secretly in his heart, and counterfeited friendship to him, and desire of his alliance, (as you read 1 Sam. xviii.); and yet could not carry the matter so cunningly, and so wholly suppress and conceal his in

tentions to destroy him, but that they broke out in some fits, (as you find there, ver. 1. and in the next chapter, ver. 10.); and by the very preferment he gave him, made it 'plainly appear he designed his ruin. This treachery David here describes, (without naming Saul, to whom he preserved a due reverence); and opposes thereunto the fidelity and goodness of God, who rules the whole world, and takes care of beasts as well as men; and there fore would not, he hoped, desert him, nor any else that depend on him, and are his faithful servants; as he, in a special manner, professed himself, and was obliged to be.

Ver. 1.

THE transgression of the wicked saith with in my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.] The wicked may use many arts to disguise and cloak his evil intentions; but his actions, directly contrary to all the laws of humanity, as well as the law of God, discover what he is, and make me resolve not to trust him; because, without all doubt, he hath no regard to God, nor will be restrained by the fear of him from doing me still more

mischief.

Ver. 2. For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.] Though he flatter and soothe up himself in his own conceit, imagining he carries things so cunningly and smoothly, that none can accuse him; yet at length his iniquity shall be found out, and make him odious to all the world. Ver. 3. The words of his mouth are iniquity and de ceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.] When he pretends great kindness to me, and professes I am dear to him, his meaning is to do me mischief, and to cheat and ensnare me into danger. He was once a better man, and better affected towards me; but now his passions have so blinded his judgement, and perverted his will, that he knows not what belongs to justice and equity, much less to goodness and charity.

Ver. 4. He deviseth mischief upon his bed, he setteth himself in a way that is not good: he abhorreth not evil.] For whatsoever he may say in public of his affection to me, when he is retired, he is contriving how to ruin me. He muses of nothing else when he lies down to sleep, and when he awakes; and is not transported merely by a sudden fit of jealousy and anger against me, but hath set himself (with an obstinate resolution to persist in it) in a course so void of all piety, justice, or charity, that there is no wickedness, though never so abominable, at which he sticks, to compass his design to destroy me.

Ver.

5. Thy mercy (O LORD) is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.] My comfort is, that his hatred and falsehood cannot be so great, but thy goodness and loving-kindness, O Lord, and thy faithfulness to thy word, are infinitely greater on these I rely, which I know will not deceive me, being no less conspicuous and constant (as well as unmeasureable) than the heavens.

Ver. 6. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgements are a great deep: O LORD, thou preser.

vest man and beast.] Thy justice also, in the administrations of all affairs, appears as visibly, and is as unmoveable, as the highest mountains, which the greatest power on earth cannot shake, nor make to bend to their inclinations. The deepest plots they can lay are shallow, and easily disappointed by thee, whose orders and decrees shall be executed and brought to pass, by ways and means that we cannot fathom; and therefore I will trust in thee, O Lord, whose careful providence extends not only to men, but to beasts also, which have no sense of thee.

Ver. 7. How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God L therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.] For if thou hast such care of their well-being, O God, thy loving-kindness, sure, and tender mercy, is incomparably greater to those that know thee, and depend upon thee. It is impossible to express the value of it; and to know how rich, how safe and secure they are, who in all troubles and dangers can confide in thee for thy powerful protection.

Ver. 8. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house: and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.] They shall not only be well contented in that condition wherein they are, but have abundant satisfaction in thy love to them, and at length bring thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, for thy merciful preservation of them, and feast with thee in thy house; where thou shalt pour into them the sweetest joys, and give them an earnest of the greatest plenty of all divine blessings, that shall continually flow in upon them.

Ver. 9. For with thee is the fountain of life; in thy light shall que see light.] For thou art the spring from whence all our happiness comes, which thou art able to communicate for ever and if thou wilt be favourable to us, nothing shall hinder our joy; but we shall think ourselves happy in the most disconsolate condition.

Ver. 10. O continue thy loving-kindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.] Vouchsafe then, O most gracious God! to extend thy loving-kindness (which is so precious that it excels all worldly things) not only unto me, but unto all that obediently acknowledge their dependence on thee never withdraw thy favour from them, but perform thy promises to thy faithful servants, and defend them from all the mischievous devices of their enemies to destroy them.

Ver. 11. Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the band of the wicked remove me.] Make me an example of it; and, whatsoever is secretly designed and plotted against me, let not my proud enemy prevail, and tread me under his feet; let not all the power of the wicked that may join with him be able to subvert me.

Ver. 12. There are the workers of iniquity fallen : they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise.] In this attempt I am confident they shall fail; I plainly see them baffled in this wicked design. It is as certain as if I already beheld it with my eyes, that where they thought to overthrow me, they shall fall

themselves with so powerful a hand shall they be thrown down, that they shall never recover them selves, to renew their attempts against me any more.

PSALM, XXXVII.

A Psalm of David.

The ArgumentT.-In this psalm (which is composed so artificially, that the order of the letters of the alphabet is observed, in the first letter of every other verse) David seems to intend to prevent the scandal which some might take when they saw the wicked in prosperity, and the godly under afflice tion, (as they did sometimes); quite contrary to the law, which promised all good things to those that kept it, and threatened all evil to those that broke it. He bids them be patient and stay a while; and they should see both verified. For the prosperity of the wicked shall be short, (as he over and over again bids them consider): and the just, if they would but wait a while, should see themselves not only delivered out of trouble, but made very flourishing. And therefore he advises, in the first place, that no man by any means suffer himself to be tempted, by the splendid condition of the wicked, to imitate them in their ungodly courses: but to stick close to the principles of piety and vir tae, trusting in God, and committing himself to him, who will give great satisfaction to such honest men in what they have at present, though never so little; and at last put them in possession of all that their hearts can desire. And to preserve themselves in this pious temper, he shews nothing could be more available than meekness and humility, (which procures us, as Theodoret here notes, abundance of good things), and to reflect on the lamentable end of the proud and haughty, who take unjust courses, (as was apparent in what befel Saul and Absalom, and such like persons), which sufficiently admonishes all men to bear their present troubles decently and well; and not to envy the prosperous successes of the wicked, nor to call them blessed, but rather account them unhappy and miserable. The son of Syrach seems to have summed up this psalm in those few words, Ecclus. i. 23. &c. "A patient man will bear for a time, and afterwards joy shall spring up unto him. For the fear of the Lord is wisdom; and faith and meekness are his delight."

Ver. 1. PRET not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.] Let it not vex thee to see the evildoers in great prosperity; nor be provoked thereby either to accuse God's providence, or to think the worse of virtue; or to imitate them in their wickedness, or to wish thyself to be what they are.

Ver. 2. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.] For this prosperity, which thou art apt to look upon with admiration,

envy, or anger, is so far from lasting alway, that it is but of short continuance: they shall be cut down on a sudden, as the grass is by the hand of the mower, when it is most flourishing; or they shall fade away as the green herb doth, which in a little time withers, and of itself falls to decay.

Ver. 3. Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.] If thou would have a firm and stable happiness, confide in God, (and not in riches, shouldst thou have them in the greatest abundance), doing all the good that thou art able in that condition wherein his providence hath placed thee: "so shalt thou be settled in the good land God hath given us, (when the wicked are cut off from it), and shalt enjoy securely all those blessings which he, according to his faithful promise, will provide for thee.

Ver. 4. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.] Be not discouraged, therefore, nor too much dejected, if thou art for the present afflicted; bat rest contented with what thou hast; or rather, solace thyself in the Lord, and take a greater delight in his promises, than the wicked can do in their present possessions; and, commending thyself unto him by constant prayer, be confident he will answer thee according to thy heart's desire.

Ver. 5. Commit thy way unto the LORD trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass.] When thou hast any difficult business in hand, and art doubtful of the success; or when thou knowest not what course to take, for the accomplishing of thy honest designs leave all to the Lord, and trust to him in pions and upright courses, that he will direct and assist thee, and bring things to a good issue.

Ver. 6. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement as the noon-day.] And if thou shouldst be accused as a man of evil designs, let not that trouble thee neither; for though thy fame be obscured for a time by calumnies and slanders, as the sun is by mists and clouds; yet as that scatters them all at last, so shall thy integrity appear, and shine as bright as the sun at noon-day.

Ver. 7. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in bis way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.] And in the mean time, rest satisfied in this, that the Lord knows thy innocency; and do not murmur and complain if he do not presently vindicate it; but think it becomes thee to wait upon him, with humble submission to his will, and to stay as long as he pleases. And be sure thou beest not so impatient, as to be irritated by the thriving wickedness of the ungodly, and the strange success they have in their dishonest contrivances to do as they do; and to follow them in their calumnies, fraud, injustice, and oppression, or any such like courses, whereby they craftily compass all their designs.

Ver. 8. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.] If thou perceive thy indignation begin to arise, to see such vile people so successful, suppress it presently; let it not vex.