Annotations upon the five bookes of Moses, the booke of the Psalmes, and the Song of Songs, or, Canticles VVherein the Hebrevv vvords and sentences, are compared with, and explained by the ancient Greeke and Chaldee versions, and other records and monuments of the Hebrewes: but chiefly by conference with the holy Scriptures, Moses his words, lawes and ordinances, the sacrifices, and other legall ceremonies heretofore commanded by God to the Church of Israel, are explained. With an advertisement touching some objections made against the sinceritie of the Hebrew text, and allegation of the Rabbines in these annotations. As also tables directing unto such principall things as are observed in the annotations upon each severall booke. By Henry Ainsworth.

PSAL. X.

1 The Prophet complaineth to God of the outrage of the wicked against God himselfe and his poore peo∣ple. 12 He prayeth for remedie. 16 He professeth his confidence.

WHerefore Iehovah dost thou stand [unspec 1] in a place farre off, dost thou hide at times in distresse? In the haugh∣tinesse [unspec 2] of the wicked, he hotly pursueth the poore afflicted, let them be taken in the crafty purposes that they have thought. For praise [unspec 3] doth the wicked for the desire of his soule, and the covetous he blesseth, he despiteth Ie∣hovah. The wicked, such is the loftinesse of [unspec 4] his nose, that he seeketh not: there is no God, in all his crafty purposes. His waies doe [unspec 5] wel succeed in al time, thy judgements are on high above his sight, all his distresses he puf∣feth at them. Hee saith in his heart, I shall [unspec 6] not be removed, for that I shall not be in evill to generation and generation. His mouth [unspec 7] is full of cursing, and of deceits and fraud; un∣der his tongue is molestation and painfull ini∣quitie. Hee sitteth in the waiting place of [unspec 8] the villages, in the secret places doth he mur∣der the innocent, his eyes lurke for the poore.

Hee lieth in wait in the secret place, as a [unspec 9] Lion in his den he lieth in wait to snatch away the poore afflicted, hee snatcheth away the poore afflicted, in drawing him into his net.

He croucheth, he boweth downe, that fall [unspec 10] may into his strong pawes a troope of poore.

He saith in his heart, God hath forgotten, [unspec 11] he hideth his face, he will not see to perpetui∣tie. Rise up Iehovah, ô God lift up thy hand, [unspec 12] [unspec 13] forget not the meeke afflicted. Wherefore doth the wicked despite God? he saith in his heart, thou wilt not enquire. Thou seest, for [unspec 14] thou beholdest molestation and indignation, to give it into thy hand, unto thee the poore doth leave it: thou art the helper of the fa∣therlesse. Breake thou the arme of the wic∣ked [unspec 15] one, and of the evill man; seek out his wic∣kednesse, till thou findest none. Iehovah is [unspec 16] King for ever and aye; perished are the hea∣thens out of his land. Iehovah thou hast [unspec 17] heard the desire of the meeke, thou preparest firme their heart, thou makest attentive thine eare. To judge the fatherlesse and the op∣pressed, [unspec 18] that he adde not any more to daunt with terrour sory man out of the earth.

Annotations.

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

of the Lion, Iob 39. 2. that fall may int^o his strong pawes a troope] or, and he falleth with his strong pawes on the troope of poore. Strong pawes] or, Strong members; Here wanteth a word to be supplied, as often in this and other tongues; as, a full, for a full cup, Psal. 73. 10. a new, for a new sword, 2 Sam. 21. 16. cold, for cold water, Matth. 10. 42. This want sometime the Scripture it selfe suppli∣eth in repe••ting histories; as, he set in Aram, 1 Chro. 18. 6. for he set garrisons in Aram, 2 Sam. 8. 6. the first of the feast, Matth. 26. 17. for the first day of the feast, Mark. 14. 12. So after, Psal. 22. 13. and 27. 4. troope of poore] or, the weake, the poore; called here by a name that noteth their power, wealth, and facultie, to be dimmed or decayed, or, a company of obscure persons. This word is no where found, but thrise in this Psalme, in the eight verse before, in this, and againe in the fourteenth.

Vers. 11. he will not see] or, not at all respect. [unspec 11] The like prophane speeches of the wicked are set downe, Psalm. 94. 7. Ezek. 8. 12. and 9. 9. Isay 29. 15.

Vers. 12. lift up thy hand] that is, shew openly thy [unspec 12] power for helpe of thy people, and confusion of thy foes. Lifting up the hand is applied to the publish∣ing and manifesting of the Gospell, Isay 49. 22. some∣time for signe of helpe, Ezek. 20. 5. sometime for hurt, 2 Sam. 18. 28. and sometime for signe of an oath, as Ps. 106. 26. Deut. 32. 40. In this latter sense the Chaldee Paraphrast taketh it here, Confirme the oath of thy hand.

Vers. 14. to give it into thine hand] that is to [unspec 14] take the matter into thy hand, to menage it, or, to give with thy hand, that is, liberally to recompence the evill that is done. The Chaldee paraphraseth thus, It is manifest before thee, that thou wilt send upon the wicked sorrow and wrath, thou lookest to pay a good reward to the just with thy hand. unto thee] or, upon thee the poore leaveth, to wit, his cause, or him-selfe. To leave, is to commit unto ones fidelitie, Gen. 39. 6. Esa. 10. 3. Iob 39. 14. And so the Chaldee saith, thy poore trust in thee. See also 2 Tim. 1. 12.

Vers. 15. Breake the arme] the arme noteth strength, meanes, power, and helpe, Ezek. 30. 21, 25. [unspec 15] Isa. 33. 2. Dan. 11. 6. 22. also violence, Iob 35. 9. I respect of all these, the armes of the wicked men shall be broken, Psal. 37. 17. till thou findest none.] In Ier. 50. 20. the sinnes of Gods people being sought for, are not found, because of his mercy in pardo∣ning them: but here of the wicked they are not found, because of his judgement in consuming them, as he saith in Ezek. 23. 48. thus will I cause wicked∣nesse to cease out of the land.

Vers. 16. heathens out of his land] the land of Ca∣naan, [unspec 16] whose peoples the Lord drove out, Psal. 44. 3. and of which he said, the land is mine, Levit. 25. 23. It may also be understood of the wicked Israe∣lites, which in conditions were like the heathens, and borne of them, Ezek. 16. 3. such were also cal∣led heathens, Psal. 2. 1. as appeareth by Act. 4. 27.

Vers. 17. thou preparest firme] to wit, by thy Spi∣rit, [unspec 17] which helpeth the infirmities of men that know not what to pray as they ought, Rom. 8. 26. Or we may reade it prayer-wise, prepare thou their heart, apply &c. for prayers are often made in faith, as if they were already done; as, where one saith, it hath pleased thee to blesse, 1 Chron. 17. 27. another saith, let it please thee to blesse, 2 Sam. 7. 29. thine eare the Chaldee addeth, to their prayers. The Greeke thus, to the preparation of their heart thine care at∣tendeth.

Vers. 18. that he adde not] he, that is, the wic∣ked [unspec 18] man spoken of before, vers. 15. unlesse we refer it to that which followeth, the man of the earth. to daunt with terrour] or, to breake with feare, to dismay or terrifie. The word is indifferent, ap∣plied sometime to God, Psalm. 89. 8. sometime to wicked men, Psal. 37. 35. The Apostle following the Greeke version, saith, be not troubled, 1 Pet. 3. 14. for, be not daunted with feare, Esay 8. 12. but morefully the word is opened by Paul, saying, in nothing be terrified (or daunted) of your adversaries, Philip. 1. 28. pturómenoi. sory man, out of the earth] or sory men, (Aenosh,) as P. 9 21. This may be referred to the fatherlesse and oppressed, whom the wicked would daunt and sk••re out of the earth, or land. Or, changing the order of the words, thus, that man of the earth (that is, earthly man,) doe no more terrifie the meeke. The Chaldee explaineth it thus, Let the sons of men not any more be broken (or daunted) from before the wicked of the earth.