b ſecondly their grievouſneſs, that they pierced him to the very heart, which is ſometimes called 7he boſom, as Eccl. 7. 9, 5 Of the great Potentates and Princes of the World who now reproached the Houſe of David with their vain and confident boaſting of the ever- laſtingneſs of their Kingdom, which was now in a deſperate and loſt condition. Or, al the reproaches of many people.
51 Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O LORD, wherewith they have reproached, the foot- ſteps of thine anointed 7,
£ Or, of thy M:ſſiah. By whom he ſeems to underſtand either firſt the Kings of Judah, the tingular number being put for the plural ; and by rheir foerſteps may be meant either their waysor aftions,and the ſad conſequences thereof; or the traces or memorials of their antient ſpiendor and dominion, wherewith they now upbraid them; Or rather ſecondly the Meſſiah moſt properly and eminently > cal- led ; of whom nor only many Chriſtians,but the Chaldee Paraphraſt and the Hebrew Dottors, underſtand this place. And this ſuits very well both with the ſingular number here uſed which points at on particular and eminent perſon anointed by God to bz the King of his People, and with the matter and occation of this Pſalm. For * it was univerſally believed by the Jews, thaf the Meſſiah ſhould come of the Seed of David, and that by him the antient glory and power of Davids Houſe ſhould be revived and vaſtly increaſed. And this coming of the Meſſiah the Jews did continually expe for a Jong time together before he did come, and ſupported themſelves thzrewith under all their Calamities. All which being well known to many of the Heathens; they reproached the Jews with the vani- ty of this belief and expeQation. And by thefoorfteps of the Meſſiah he may underſtand his coming, as by the feet or foorfteps of Minifters, Iſa. 52. 7. their coming and bringing the Goſpel with them is un- derſtood. 52 Bleſſed be the LORD « for evermore. Amen and Amen. | # Let thine Enemies reproach thee and thy promiſes concerning the ſending of the Meſſiah, and the deliverance of thy pople by his hand, I do and will heartily bleſs and praiſe thee for them, anden- courage my ſelf with them, not doubting but thou wilt conſider and take away all our reproaches, and in thine own due time ; ( which is the beſt ) ſend him who is the conſolation and expeRtati- on of Iſrael, and the deſire of all Nations. PSAk SG | [ Or, 2 [] A Prayer of Moſes the man of God 4.
Prayer ,be- 3 Who conſidering that terrible but righteous ſentence of God
ing a Pſalm
pf M0ſes. derneſs, of which ſee Numb. 14. takes that occaſion to publiſh theſe Meditations concerning Mans Mortality and Miſery in this Life, which might be uſeful both to that and to all ſucceeding Generations.
Moſes ſetting forth the Eternity and Providence of God, 1, 2. deſcribeth the miſery and ſhortneſs of Mans Life, 3 11. Prayeth for Wiſdom to to number his days, 12. And for the knowledge and ſenſible Experience of Goals good Providence, 13 7. | :
J ORD, thou haſt been our dwelling-place Þ :n all
generations 6.
b Although we and our Fathers, for ſome Generations,have had no certain and fixed Habitation,but have been ſtrangers in # land that was 20t ours, and aff: #ed for four hundred years, according to thy pre- diQtion, Ger. 15. 13- And although we now are, and have been for ſome time,and till are like to continue in a vaſt howling Wil- derneſs, having ao Houſes, but dwelling in Tents, and wandring
from place to place, we know nor whither ; yer thou, OLord,hait
fully ſupplyed this want, and baſt been in ſtead of, and better than, a dwelling place to us, by thy watchful and gracious Pro- vidence over us in all places and exigences. And Tis 1s a very proper Preface to this Pſalm, to intimate that all the following miſeries were not to be imputed to God butunto themſelves who S by their own fins had brought theſe miſchiefs upon them- - ſelves.
2 Before the mountains c were brought forth, or e-
thou hadſt formed the earth, andthe world d,even from
everlaſting to everlaſting, thou are God e. | c Which he mentions as the moft fixed and ſtable part of the
FHeb.in generation and gente ration,
Earth. 4 3. e. From Eternity ; which is frequently deſcribed in this manner, as Prev. 8. 25, 26. Joh. 17. 24 Eph. 1. 4. becauſe there was nothing tefore the Creation of th: World bat Eternity. And thus the words here following do explain it. And this Erer- nity of God is here mentioned, partly thar Men by the conrem- plation thereof might be wrought to a deeper ſenſe of their own frailty and nothingneſs, which is the foundation of humility and of all true piety; and ro a greater reverence and admiration of the Divine Majeſty ; and partly for the comfort of Gods peop!e, who notwithſtanding all their preſent miſeries have a ſure and e- verlaſting refuge and portion. e Or, :o» art the firong God. Thou had?ft thy power and all thy perteCtions, not by degrees, as men have theirs, but from all Ercrnity. Or, ckou art or waſt, O God. Thou turneſt man to deſtruction f, and fayeſt g,
Return ye children of men. |
y F But as for man, his caſe is farotherwiſe, his time- 1s ſkort, and though he was m:de by thee an happy Creature, and ſhould have been immortal, yet upon and for his tin thou didſt make him mortal and miſerable. es Or, didjt jay, 7. e. pronounce thar {ad ſentence here following, Return,O men, to the duſt out of which yau were tak-n; Gi. 3. 19. Pjal, 146. 4. Ed, 12. 7. 5
£ -M &
concerning the cutting ofFall that ſinful Generation in the Wil- |