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. LXXX VIII.

A prayer containing a grievous complaint of ma∣nifold miseries.

A Song, a Psalme to the sonnes of Korach: [unspec 1] to the master of the musicke, on Machalath leannoth; an instructing Psalme, of He∣man the ••zrachite.

OIehovah, God of my salvation, by day I cry out, & in the night before thee. [unspec 2] Let my prayer come before thee; bow thine eare to my shrill cry. For my [unspec 3] [unspec 4] soule is filled with evils, and my life draweth neere to hell. I am counted with them that goe downe the pit; I am as a man that hath [unspec 5] no strength. Among the dead, free like the [unspec 6] slaine that lie in the grave, whom thou re∣membrest no more; and they are cut away from thine hand. Thou hast put me in the pit of the lowest places; in darknesses, in the [unspec 7] deepe places. Thy wrathfull heat stayeth up∣on [unspec 8] me; and with all thy billowes thou affli∣ctest me Selab. My knowne acquaintance thou hast put farre away from me, hast see me [unspec 9] for abominations to thē; I am shut up & can∣not get out. Mine eye languisheth through [unspec 10] mine affliction; I call on thee Iehovah, all the day; I spread out my hands unto thee.

Wilt thou doe a miraculous worke to the [unspec 11] dead, or shall the deceased rise up, shall they confesse thee Selah? Shall thy mercy be [unspec 12] told in the grave, thy faithfulnesse in perditi∣on? Shall thy miraculous worke be knowne [unspec 13] in the darknesse, and thy justice in the land of oblivion? But I, unto thee Iehovah doe [unspec 14] I cry out, and in the morning my prayer shall prevent thee. Wherefore Iehovah, [unspec 15] dost thou reject my soule; doest thou hide thy face from me? Iam poore afflicted, and [unspec 16] breathing out the ghost from my youth; I beare thine affrightings, I am doubtfully troubled. Thy wraths passe over me, thy [unspec 17] [unspec 18] terrours doe dismay me. They compasse me about as waters, all the day; they are gone about against me together. Thou hast [unspec 19] put far away from me, lover & fellow friend, my knowne acquaintance are in darknesse.

Annotations.

MAchalath] a kind of wind instrument; or, by in∣terpretatiō, [unspec 1] infirmitie: see Ps. 53. 1. leannoth] or, to sing by turnes, which is, when one part answe∣reth another in singing; it may also be interpreted to afflict (or humble.) This Psalme is the most dole∣full of all the Bible, full of complaints even to the end. Heman the Aezrachite] so the next Psalme is intituled of Aethan the Ezrachite: there were two of this name, Heman and Aethan, sonnes of Zerach the sonne of Iudah the Patriarch, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Chron. 2. 4, 6. men renowned for their wisedome▪ 1. King. 4. 31. also Heman and Aethan, singers and musi∣cians of the posteritie of Levithe Patriarch, 1 Chr. 15. 17, 19. and 16. 42. Heman being son of Ioel the son Samuel the Prophet, 1 Sam. 6. 33. himselfe being also a Seer or Prophet in King Davids daies, 1 Chron. 25. 5. And of the kingdome promised to David, doth Aethan intreat, Psal. 89. 4. &c. Christs afflictions and kingdome are in these Psalmes fore-told; he was the true David, Hos. 3. 5.

Vers. 4. draweth neere] or toucheth hell, or the [unspec 4] grave. So, to touch (or come neere to) the gates of death, Psal. 107. 18.

Vers. 5. a man] Hebr. geber, that is, a strong man, [unspec 5] but without abilitie or power to helpe my selfe; as the Greeke saith, helplesse.

Vers. 6 free] that is, acquitted, or discharged from [unspec 6] the troubles and affaires of this life; for in death, the prisoners rest together, and the servant is free from his master, Iob. 3. 18. 19. or free, that is, seque∣stred, apart from others; as King Azariah being le∣prous, dwelt in an house of freedome, that is, alone, apart from other men, 2 King. 15. 5. from thine hand] that is, from thy care, helpe, guidance, &c. as King Azariah before said, was cut off from the house of the Lord, 2 Chr. 26. 21. or by thine hand; and so understand from the land of the living, as Isa. 53. 8.

Vers. 7. pit of the lowest places] the nether most pit, [unspec 7] as the Greeke saith; w^ch the Chaldee paraphraseth

thus; in captivitie, which is like to the nether pit. darknesses] or darke places: so Psal. 143. 3. deepe places] or gulses: see Psal. 69. 3.

Vers. 8. stayeth] or, is imposed, and lieth hard. [unspec 8] billowes] breaking waves of the sea: see Psal. 42. 8.

Vers. 9. set me abominations] that is, made me most abominable (or loathsome,) to every of them. [unspec 9] can not get out] so Lam. 3. 7. Iob 19. 8. Of this phrase see the Note on Psal. 77. 5.

Vers. 10. languisheth] or pineth away; the Chal∣dee [unspec 10] saith, droppeth teares. Compare herewith, Lev. 25. 16.

Vers. 11. the deceased] Hebr. Rephaim; dead [unspec 11] men are so called, as being incurable or unrecovera∣ble to life; so Isa. 14. 9 and 26. 14, 19. Prov. 2. 18. and 9. 18. and 21. 16. See also Psal. 6. 6. The Chal∣dee expoundeth, shall the bodies which are delivered to the dust rise up?

Vers. 12. perdition] Hebr. Abaddon, the grave [unspec 12] where bodies perish, and seeme to be lost. So Iob 28. 22. and 26. 6.

Vers. 13. darknesse] that is, the place and state of [unspec 13] the dead, called the land of darknesse, and shadow of death, Iob 10. 21, 22. So Eccles. 6. 4. Note here the sundry titles given to the state of death. land of oblivion] where dead men are, (as is before noted;) which also are forgotten out of minde, Psal. 31. 13. Eccles. 8. 10. and 9. 5.

Vers. 16. breathing out the ghost] that is, ready to [unspec 16] dye, expiring, through continuall miseries. The Greeke saith, in labours from my youth. from the youth] or, for the shaking off, that is, the affliction. am doubtfully troubled] or distracted for feare lest evils should befall me.

Vers. 17. dismay] suppresse, or cut me off. The He∣brew [unspec 17] word is larger than usuall, to increase the sig∣nification. The Greeke turneth it trouble.

Vers. 19. my knowne acquaintance are in dark∣nesse] [unspec 19] that is, withdraw and hide them from my sight; and (as Iob complaineth,) are strangers un∣to me. See Iob 19. 13, 14. Or as the Greeke refer∣reth it to the former, and my knowne friends (to wit, thou hast put farre) from calamitie; or for the cala∣mitie that is upon me. Or, as the Chaldee para∣phraseth, and to my knowne friends, darke I am in their sight.