Annotations upon the five books immediately following the historicall part of the Old Testament (commonly called the five doctrinall or poeticall books) to wit, the book of Iob, the Psalms, the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon ... / by Arthur Jackson ...

PSALM XLIII.

Vers. 1. JVdge me, O God, and plead my cause, &c.] That is, Clear mine innocency, and deliver me from mine enemies; see the Notes Deut. 32.36, and Ps. 35.1. against an ungodly nation, to wit, Saul and his wicked crew, or ra∣ther Absalom and his conspirators. And accordingly we must understand the following clause, O deliver me from the deceitfull and unjust man, either indefinitely, as spoken of all his unjust and treacherous enemies, or particularly of Saul, who often pretended fair to him, when he sought his ruine; or rather of Ahithophel, a man of noted subtilty, or Absalom, who had cunningly stolen the hearts of the people from him, and pretended a sacrifice at Hebron, when he meant to rise up in rebellion against him: For this seems most probable, because he speaks vers. 3. of going to Gods holy hill, to wit, mount Sion, where the Ark was not in Sauls time: unlesse we will say, that though David penned this Psalm with reference to his exile in Sauls daies, yet he used that expression, because he penned it after he was settled in the throne, and had removed the Ark to Sion; which seems not so probable. However, doubtlesse he mentions the ungodlinesse, injustice and de∣ceitfulnesse of his enemies, thereby to move God to pity and help him.

Vers. 2. For thou art the God of my strength.] That is, the God that givest me strength, and art my strength. See the Note Exod. 15.2.

Vers. 3. O send out thy light and thy truth, &c.] That is, Manifest thy loving kindnesse and favour to me to the chearing of my heart, by sending me help, and directing me what to doe, that so I may come again to thy house, where I may enjoy the light of thy presence, Word and Ordinances, and the truth of thy pro∣mises

may be made good unto me. See the Notes 2 Sam. 22.29. Esth. 8.16. Job ••9.••. and Psal. 27.1. Yet some would have the accomplishment of Gods promi∣ses to be all that is desired in these words; O send out thy light and thy truth, that is, By doing what thou hast spoken, cause the light of thy promises to shine forth clearly, which now seem to be obscured and overclouded. As for the following clause, let them lead me, let them bring me unto thy holy hill and to thy tabernacles, though some hold this is meant of the hill whereon Kiriath-jearim stood, whether the Ark was removed in the daies of Samuel, 2 Sam. 7.1. yet I rather take it to be meant of mount Sion, for which see the Note above vers. 1. and that he speaks of Gods tabernacles in the plurall number, either 1. because the Ark was removed to severall places before it came to be settled in the Temple; or 2. because the ••ent or tabernacle which David pitched for the Ark, and the tabernacle which Mo∣ses built, were in two severall places all Davids time, see 1 Chro. 16.37, 38, 39; or 3. because the tabernacle consisted of two parts, to wit, the holy place and the most holy.

Vers. 4. Vpon the harp will I praise thee.] See the Note Psal. 33.2.

Vers. 5. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? &c.] See the Notes Psal. 42.5, 11.