21 * The words of his mouth were ſmoother than butter, but war was in his heart. b: his words were ſofter
than oyl, yet were they drawn {wordsc. b He covered his treaſonable and bloody Deſign, with fair and flattering Speeches. «c Pernicious in their Deſign and Conſe-
> *Caſt thy || burden 4 upon the LORD, and be ſhall ſuſtain thee: he * ſhall never ſuffer che righteous to be moved e.
a4 Or Portion, Heb. Gift ; Whatſoever affliftion God giveth, or | ſendech to thee ; for even the tufferings of good men ate called |;
God's Gifts in Scripture, Phil- 1- 29+ John 18- 11+ So it is a SyneC- dochical Expreſſion. Or whatſoever Gift thou deſireſt from him. Although tae following words of the Verſe ſeem to reſtrain it to Afffi&@ions. The Senſe is: All thy Afffairs and Croſles, and Cares and Fears, lay them upon the Shoulders of the Almighty, by Faith and Prayer, with a confident expeCtation of a good iſſue. He di- reð this Speech to himſelf, or his own Soul, as he-oft doth in this Book, and withal to all good Men in like circumſtances. e i- & To be removed, to wit, from his ſure and happy ' eſtate. Or, which agrees as well with the Hebrew, He ſhall nor ſuffer the Righteous to be moved, or fall for ever, as he doth wicked men. Though he may for a ſeaſon ſuffer them to be ſhaken, yer he will not ſuffer them to be utterly overwhelmed.
23 But thou, O God ſhalt bring them f down into the pit of deſtruction:+ * bloody and deceitful men g Þ ſhall
not live out half their days & ; but I will truſt in thee z. _ f My wicked Enemies of whom I have hitherto ſpoken. g That colour their cruel intentions with ſpecious and deceitful pretences;
| #kb.fhgp Which are moſt hateful to God, and all Men. h Not half of what
others live, and they by the courſe of nature might live ; but ſhall be cut of by God's juit Judgment, by an untimely and violent Death. i And in this confidence I will quietly and patiently wait upon thee, for their downfal and for my deliverance.
PSA kk. +5
To the chief muſician upon Jonath-elem-rechokim #, || Michtam of David, when the * Philiſtines cook him
in Gath 6. | Which is ſuppoſed to be the Name of a Song. But many render it, as the words ſignific, Concerning the dumb Dove a far off. All which agrees very well to David in his preſent circumttances. He calls himſelf a Dove for his Innocency; and folly (which is aſcribed to the Dove, Hoſea 7- 11:) in caſting himſelf into this ſnare; and for his vexation and perſecution by his Enemies, thoſe birds of prey ; and for his ſad and mournful poſture. S:- lent he was, and it was his prudence ſo to be in this place and condition; and he was in a place remote enough from his Fa- thers Huuſe, and from God's Sanftuary where his Heart was. b When being chaſed by Saul's reſtleſs Malice, he had put him- ſelf into the hands and power of the Philif#ines at Garth, Where when he was, the following M:ditations came into his mind, which after his eſcape he d:geſted into this Order and Pſalm. _
avid praying to God, complaineth of his ſufferings, and magnifi:th hu Word, 1 anno 10, Is confident of Goa's fulfilling is, and promiſeth to praiſe lum forit, 11, 12+
{ I now am.
|
£ & Þ Plal. LVR
BE merciful unto me, O God, for manc would ſwal- _ low me up4: he fighting daily oppreſſeth me.
c 1. e- Men, weak and miſerable Men, as the word ſignifies, whom thou caaſt cruſh in an inftant; Sau! and his Courtiers, who have driven me hither; and now Achiſh and the Philiſlines, who have oft ſought my ruine. wh ch now they have opportunity to effect. d Like wild and ravenous Beaſts, rather than Men. Heb hath ſwallowed me up. The thing 15 begun, and in a manner done, if thou doe!t not miraculouſly prevent it.
27 Mine enemies e would daily ſwallow we up: For THebminll they be many that fight againſt mef, O thou moſt High g. ejervers. ol e Heb. my Obſervers, that narrowly look to all my paths, and watch for my Haltings, and for an Opportunity to deſtroy me. f They truſt to their great numbers; wherein they know them- ſelves to be much ſuperiour to me. g Who from the high place wer norigs all cheir plots, and canſt moſt eaſily diſturb and blaſt
them,
3 What time I am afraid I will truſt in thee þ.
þ When I have the greateſt cauſe of Fear, I will rely upon thy Providence and Promule for my Deliverance.
4 * InGod will I praiſe his word zZ; in God I haveput , my tra I*will not fear * what fleſh & can do unto me. , |
7 The Senſe is, either 1. I will praiſe or boaſt in the Lords »pr. ,.9. £\lf Word, or the Lord for his Word. Or, 2. With or by the Lord (ie. ba; by his favour or help) 1 will praiſe his Word. Or rather, 3s This, | Wi
It; ready in mine hand. k Infirm and mortal men, altogether un-
as I humbly conceive; There are many things to be praiſed and
celebrated in God, his Power, and Wiſdom, &c- but amongſt all -
able to oppoſe thy infinite Majeſty ; called Flgh by way of con- | tempt, as Pſalm 78. 39. 1ſa- 31+ 3+ Fer: 17+ 5. | |
Ver: 10!
in all their Exigencies, and particularly and eſpecially for that promute of the Kingdom made to me ; for which I will now praiſe
and above all, I ſhall at this time praiſe him for his Word, which him, becauſe Iam as ſure of its accompliſhment, as if I had it al-
he hath magnified above all his Name, as 1s ſaid Pſalm 138- 2 even for his Promiſes of Prote&ion and Deliverance made to his People 5 Every day || they wreft my words }: all their | Or, 9 | thoughts are againſt me for evil ». words || I They miſconſtrue and pervert my moſt innocent Expreſſions, bring ſor« —_——— them _ matter of Calumny, wherewith they may in- 199. cenie Sau againſt me. Or. They perplex my Affairs, m It is their whole ſtudy to do me miſchief, n
6 They gather themſelves together », they hide them-
_ o, they mark my ſteps p when they wait for my oul q.
» After they have ſevera'ly imployed their thoughts againſt me, they meet together to compare their thoughts, and to put them in execution. 9 They lurk ſecretly; either that they may pry into all my moſt private a&ions; or that they may ſurprize me with miſchief unawares Compare Pſalm 10- 8- Prov. 1+ 11. fp i. & All my goings and doings,that they may find ſome occaſion to reproach, or eatangle and-ſo deſtroy me- q Or Life, to wit, to take it a= way from me-
7 Shail rhey eſcape by iniquity r? in 7h;ne anger caſt down s the peoples, O God. | —
7 Shall they ſecure themſelves by ſuch injurious and malicious . Practices, whereby they do not only vex me, but provoke and de-