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. III.

1 David in Absaloms rebellion complaineth to God of his many enemies: 4 Comforteth himselfe in Gods protection: 6 Testifieth his securitie therein. 8 Prayeth for full deliverance, 9 and a blessing up∣on Gods people.

A Psalme of David when he fled from [unspec 1] the face of Absalom his sonne.

IEhovah, how many are my distressers? [unspec 2] [unspec 3] many that rise up against me. Many, saying of my soule, There is no salvation for him in God, Selah. But thou Iehovah [unspec 4] art a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter up of my head. With my voice I called un∣to [unspec 5] Iehovah, and he answered me from the mountaine of his holinesse, Selah. I lay [unspec 6] downe and slept, I waked up, for Iehovah su∣stained me. I will not feare for ten thou∣sands [unspec 7] of people, which round about doe set against me. Rise up, Iehovah, save me, O [unspec 8] my God; for thou hast smitten all mine ene∣mies on the cheeke bone: thou hast broken the teeth of the wicked. To Iehovah the [unspec 9] salvation: upon thy people thy blessing, Selah.

Annotations.

APsalme] called in Hebrew Mizmor, which [unspec 1] hath the signification of pruning or cutting off superfluous twigs, and is applied to songs made of short sentences or verses; where many superfluous words are cut away. There be three kinds of songs mentioned in this booke; 1 Mizmor, in Greeke Psalmos, a Psalme: 2 Tehillah, in Greeke hymnos, a hymne or praise: 3 and Shir, in Greeke Odé, a song or Laie. All these three the Apostle mentio∣neth together, where he willeth us to speake to our selves with Psalmes, and Hymnes, and spirituall Songs, Ephe. 5. 19. of David] or to David: and so after in this booke usually. But the Hebrew speech useth these indifferently; as lasderoth. 2 Kings 11. 15. and hasderoth, 2 Chron. 23. 14. lam∣maghnaloth and hammaghnaloth, Psal. 120. 1. and 121. 1. So the sword of Iehovah, Ier. 47. 6. the Prophet of Iehovah, 1 Kings 22. 7. 2 Kings 3. 11. and many the like. So in the Greeke, Disciples to thee, Mark. 2. 18. and Disciples of thee, Matth. 9 14. are one and the same. from the face] or pre∣sence, or for feare of. So the woman fled from the face of the serpent, Rev. 12. 14. Of Davids flight it is thus written; Then David said to all his ser∣vants that were with him in Ierusalem, Rise up and let us flee, for we shall not escape else from the face of Absalon; make speed to depart, lest he come suddenly and take us, and bring evill upon us, and smite the citie with the edge of the sword. So the King departed, and all his houshold after him, 2 Sam. 15. 14. 16. his sonne] David having sinned in defiling Bath∣sheba, and killing her husband Vriah, 2 Sam. 11. was threatned therefore of God, that he would raise up evill against him, out of his owne house, 2 Sam. 12. 11. which was fulfilled in this rebellion of Absalom.

Vers. 2. how many are] or, how multiplied are. [unspec 2] For, the conspiracie was great, and the people multi∣plied still with Absalom, 2 Sam. 15. 12.

Vers. 3. Many saying] or how many doe say? [unspec 3] of my soule] that is, of me, of my life, concerning me; or, to my soule, and so the Greeke translateth it. no salvation] or, no manner salvation; no health, helpe or deliverance at all. The Hebrew hath a let∣ter more than ordinary, to increase the significati∣on. The like is in many other places, as Psal. 44.

27. and 92. 16. and 94. 17. and 63. 8. and 125. 3. Iob. 5. 16. God] in Hebrew Aelohim, which is the first name whereby the Creator of all is called in Scripture, Gen. 1. 1. See the Annotations there. And it is in the plurall number, to signifie the my∣stery of the Trinitie in the Vnitie of the God head; and therefore is joyned commonly with other words of the singular number, and sometime of the plural, indifferently; as Aelohim, he went, 1 Chr. 17 21. and Aelohim, they went. 2 Sā. 7. 23. See Psal. 58. 12. It is sometime used (though more seldome) in the forme singular, Aeloah, Psal. 18. 32. &c. And it may be derived either from Ael, which signifieth mightie; and so by increase of the word, the signification is increased, most mightie, or the Almightie: or from Alah, to adjure; because of the covenant, oath, and execration, wherewith we are bound unto God; according to that in Deut. 29. 12. 14. 19. Nehem. 10. 29 Eccle. 8. 2. This honoura∣ble name is also given to Angels, Psal. 8. 6. and to Magistrates Psal. 82. 1. 6. because God hath com∣municated with them his word, Iohn 10. 34. 25. Selah] This Hebrew word signifieth elevati∣on, or lifting up, whether of the mind, to marke, or of the voice to straine it, or of both. And for the matter, it seemeth to import an asseveration of a thing so to be and an admiration thereat. For the manner, it is a note of singing high, and there∣fore is used onely in Psalmes and Songs, and al∣wayes at the end of verses, excepting some few places, Psal. 55. 20. and 57. 4. Hab. 3. 3. 9. where it is set in the midst. The Chaldee Paraphrast, and some other Hebrewes have turned it, For ever. Our Doctors of blessed memory have said, that every place where it is written, Netsach, Selah, and Ghned, there is no ceasing (or end) of that thing, saith R. Me∣nachem on Lev. 25. The Greeke version makes it a musicall notion, Diapsalma.

Vers. 4. a shield about me] or for me, that is, a protector, a defender. So Gen. 15. 1. Deut. 33. 29. [unspec 4] Psal. 84. 12. glory] or honour, which in the Hebrew hath the signification of weightinesse or gravitie; which the Apostle seemeth to respect, mentioning the eternall weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4. 17. David here calleth God his glory, who had ad∣vanced him to kingly dignitie; such as our Savi∣our calleth glory, Mat. 6 29. the lifter up] or ex∣alter of my head, that is, givest me victory, honour and triumph. So Psal. 27. 6. and 110. 7.

Vers. 5. he answered] or heard: but to answer is to certifie by some meanes, that he heareth; as by [unspec 5] helpe or deliverance from danger, Psal. 22. 22. Isa. 41. 17. (so to answer by fire, 1 Kings 18. 24.) there∣fore it importeth more than bare hearing, Isa. 30. 19. and 58. 9. The Chaldee translateth, he received my prayer, from the mountaine of the house of his Sanctuary for ever.

Vers. 6. I lay downe, &c.] This speech denoteth [unspec 6] safetie and securitie from danger and dread of evill, Lev. 26. 6. Iob 11. 19. Ps. 4. 9. Ezek. 34. 25. Pro. 3. 24.

Vers. 7. doe set] to wit, themselves in leager, or in [unspec 7] battell-ray, or set their engins. So Esa. 22. 7.

Vers. 8. on the cheeke-bone] a signe also of re∣proach, [unspec 8] as Iob 16. 10.

Vers. 9. To Iehovah the salvation] to wit, is, or [unspec 9] belongeth; or, Of Iehovah is salvation, helpe, or deli∣verance. So Prov. 21. 31. Ion. 2. 29. Also Rev. 7. 10. and 19. 1. The salvation to our God. Like speeches are, Holinesse to Iehovah, Exod. 28. 36. To Iehovah the warre, 1 Sam. 17. 47. To Iehovah the earth. Psal. 24. 1. and many the like. The Chaldee saith, From before the Lord is redemption: the Greeke, Of the Lord, thy blessing] This word when it is spo∣ken of God towards man, (as in this place) signifi∣eth a plentifull bestowing of good things, earthly or heavenly, Gen. 24. 35. Deu. 28. 2, 3, 4. &c. Eph. 1. 3. Gal. 3. 8. When it is spoken of men towards God, it betokeneth praise or thankesgiving, by word or deed, Deut. 8. 10. Psal. 103. 1, 2. Luk. 1. 64. and 2. 28. And that which in Matth. 26. 26. is called blessing, in Luke 22. 19. is called thankesgiving. When it is spoken of men towards men, it signifi∣eth sometime salutation, as Gen. 47. 7. 1 Sam. 13. 10. sometime a gift, or a benevolence, as 1 Sam. 25. 27. 2 Cor. 9. 5. 2 Kings 5. 15. sometime a pronoun∣cing (by way of prayer or prophesie) of good things in the name of God, as Gen. 14. 19, 20. Num. 6. 23, 24. In this signification, the lesse is blessed of the greater, Heb. 7. 7.