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THis Psalme is in the Greeke version a continu∣ance and part of the former ninth. Whereupon the count of the Psalmes following, doth in the Greeke books, and such as follow them, differ from the Hebrew; the 11. Psalme being reckoned for the 10. the 12. for the 11. and so forward. Yet to make up the number of 150. Psalmes, they divide the 147. into two. Likewise the 114 and 115. Psalmes they make one, and the 116. they part in two.
Vers. 1. wherefore dost thou stand] or, wilt thou stand? This forme of expostulation implieth an [unspec 1] earnest prayer, Lord stand not farre off. For questi∣ons may be resolved into plaine affirmations, or de∣nials: as where one Evangelist saith, why diseasest thou the Master, Mark. 5. 35. another saith, Dis∣ease not the Master, Luke 8. 49. See the notes on Exod. 32. 11. dost thou hide] to wit, thine eyes, as Esay 1. 15. or, thine eare, as Lam. 3. 56. or thy selfe. times in distresse] that is, when we are in distresse. So Psal. 9. 10. Times, may specially note troublous times. See Psal. 31. 16.
Vers. 2. hee hotly pursueth] or, burne doth the [unspec 2] poore, doth broile in afflictions, is hotly persecuted. See Psal. 7. 14. The Apostle useth like speech for exceeding griefe, 2 Cor. 11. 19. Who is offended and I burne not? craftie purposes] or, devices, po∣licies; The word noting sometime good purposes, and sometime evill. See also Psalm. 26. 10. The Greeke translateth, they are taken in the counsels.
Vers. 3. praise doth the wicked] to wit, himselfe, [unspec 3] or his fortune, for that he hath what his soule desi∣reth. And the soule of the wicked desireth evill, Prov. 21. 10. the covetous] or gain-thirsty, he bles∣seth, to wit, himselfe, and his fortune. The covetous hath his name of a word which sometime signifieth to pierce or wound, Ioel 2. 8. And fitly is the gain-thirsty so called, both for the hurt he doth to others, whose life oft he would take away, Prov. 1. 19. and for that hee woundeth himselfe with his greedy carke; the holy Ghost testifying that such as lust after gaine, doe pierce themselves thorow with many sorrowes, 1 Tim. 6. 10. he despighteth] or con∣temptuously provoketh with evill words or carriage, and so incenseth or stirreth him to wrath. So vers. 13. The Chaldee expoundeth it thus, he that bles∣seth the unrighteous man, abhorreth the word of the Lord.
Vers. 4. such is the loftinesse of his nose] or, ac∣cording [unspec 4] to the height of his countenance, or, of his an∣ger. The nose and casting up of it, signifieth a proud, scornefull, and sometime an angry countenance; For as the highnesse of the heart, Psal. 131. 1. and of the spirit, Prov. 16. 18. noteth inward pride: so the loftinesse of the eyes, Psal. 101. 5. and here of the nose, noteth outward pride and disdainful behaviour. The Hebrew hath one word, for the nose, and for anger, (as is observed, Psal. 2. 5.) the Greeke here saith, ac∣cording to the multitude of his anger, meaning that whereby hee persecuteth the poore. The Chaldee translateth it, in the pride of his spirit. he seeketh not] nothing regardeth or careth, to wit, for God, or his will. Or it may be translated, The wicked in∣quireth not into the height of his anger, that is, into Gods anger, he careth not, nor feareth his wrath. in all his craftie purposes] or, be all his presump∣tuous cogitations; meaning that hee doth not once thinke of God, whiles so he purposeth against the poore; or he presumeth in heart, and faine would so perswade himselfe that there is no God. He stu∣dieth Atheisme, as Psalm. 14. 1. The Chaldee ex∣pounds it, He saith in his heart, that all his cogitati∣ons are not manifest before the Lord.
Vers. 5. His waies, &c.] or, bring forth doe his [unspec 5] waies; a similitude from bringing forth children with paine, which being effected, causeth joy, Ioh. 16. 21. Therefore here, (as in Iob 20. 21.) it is used for good successe and (as the Chaldee explaineth it,) prosperitie. Or referring it to the poore whom he persecuteth, we may reade, his wayes make sorowfull, or are grievous; the Greeke saith, are polluted. in all time] or, in every time, that is, alwaies conti∣nually. So Psal. 34. 2. and 62. 9. and 106. 3. so the Apostle in Greeke saith, praying in all time, that is, alwaies, Ephes. 6. 18. like phrase is, in all day, that is, daily, Psal. 145. 2. above his sight] or out of his presence, from before him. he puffeth] that is, defieth & setteth them at nought, dominiers over them (as the Greeke translateth it) as if he could o∣verthrow them with his breath. Or he puffeth, blow∣eth, and consequently setteth them on fire, and con∣sumeth them: as, scornefull men puffe, (that is, in∣flame, or as the Greeke saith, burne) the citie, Prov. 29. 8. So Ezek. 21. 31. The Chaldee expoundeth it, he is angry at them.
Vers. 6. I shall not be in evill:] or, that am not [unspec 6] in evill; that is, I who am not now in evill, shall ne∣ver be; meaning by evill, trouble or affliction; as the Israelites saw themselves in evill, Exod. 5. 19. Or, perhaps, by evill, he meaneth sinne and malicious∣nesse, (as when Aaron said, the people were in evill, Exod. 32. 22.) and then he boasteth here of his in∣nocencie, for which he promiseth to himselfe a set∣led estate. The Chaldee giveth this sense; I will not be moved from generation to generation, from doing evill.
Vers. 7. of cursing] or, of execration or adjurati∣on. [unspec 7] The Hebrew Alah signifieth an oath with exe∣cration or cursing, Numb. 5. 21. for cursing was ad∣ded to an oath, for to confirme it the more, Nehem. 10. 29. Deut. 29. 12, 21. therefore one and the same thing is called both an oath, and a curse, Gen. 24. 8. 41. This here the Apostle calleth in Greeke Ara, Cursing, Rom. 3. 14. deceits and fraud] or impo∣stures and inward guile, that is, outward deceitfull shewes and promises, and privie guile lurking in the heart.
Vers. 8. in the waiting place of the villages] or, the [unspec 8] ambush of the court-yards, both which have their name in Hebrew of the grasse that groweth in them, as it were grasse-yards. And because such places commonly are rich mens possessions, therefore (it seemeth) the Greek translateth, in the waiting place with the rich.
Vers. 10. He croucheth] or, And he crusheth, to [unspec 10] wit, himselfe, lest he should be espied. See this spo∣ken