Annotations upon the Holy Bible. Vol. I wherein the sacred text is inserted, and various readings annex'd, together with parallel scriptures, the more difficult terms in each verse are explained, seeming contradictions reconciled, questions and doubts resolved, and the whole text opened / by the late reverend and learned divine Mr. Matthew Poole.

PSAL. CIX.

To the chief musician, A Psalm of David.

It is sufficiently evident from the body of this Psalm, that it was composed by David when he was in a state of perse∣cution either by Saul or by Absalom; and that amongst and above all the rest of his enemies he takes very parti∣cular notice of, and breaks forth into vehement expressi∣ons of anger against one particular person, which whether it were Do•…•…g or Ahitophel is not certain, nor at all ne∣cessary to know. But as David was, and very well knew himself to be a Type of Christ, and consequently his enemies did typifie or represent the enemies of Christ, and this particular adversary of his did represent some sin∣gular and eminent enemy of Christ, which though David might not, yet the Spirit of God which indited this Psalm, did know to be Iudas, and accordingly directed all these bitter invectives and imprecations against him, who de∣served and received far worse punishments for his mon∣strous wickedness; than all which are here mentioned. And that he was the person principally aimed at in this Psalm, will seem very probable to him who considers Davids mild and merciful temper even towards his ene∣mies, which he both professed in words in this very book, as Psal. 35. 12, 13, 14. and practised in deeds, as 2 Sam. 16. 10, 11. & 19. 22, 23. and withal the severity of these imprecations, reaching not onely to the persons of his ene∣mies, but to their children, who yet by the Law of God were not to suffer for their parents sins, Deut. 24. 16.

1. HOld not thy peace a, O God of my praise b.

2. For the mouth of the wicked, and the † mouth of the deceitful c † are opened d against me: they have spoken against me e with a lying tongue f.

3. They compassed me about also with words of hatred g: and fought against me without a cause h.

4. For my love, they are my adversaries i: but I give my self unto prayer k,

5. And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

6. Set thou a wicked man l over him m, and let ‖ Satan stand at his right hand n.

7. When he shall be judged o, let him † be condemned, and let his prayer become sin p.

8. Let his days q be few, and let another take his ‖ office r.

9. Let his children be fatherless s, and his wife a widow t.

10. Let his children be continually vaga∣bonds u, and beg x: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places y.

11. Let the extortioner z catch a all that he hath: and let the stranger b spoil his labour c.

12. Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fa∣therless children d.

13. Let his posterity be cut off, and in the generation following e let their name be blotted out.

14. Let the iniquity of his fathers be remem∣bred f with the LORD, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

15. Let them g be before the LORD h con∣tinually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.

16. Because that he remembred not i to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man k, that he might even s•…•…ay the broken in heart l.

17. As he loved cursing m, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing n, so let it be far from him.

18. As he clothed himself with cursing like as with a garment o: so let it come † into his bowels like water p, and like oyl q into his bones.

19. Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him, and for a girdle r wherewith he is girded continually.

20. Let this be the † reward of mine adversa∣ries s from the LORD, and of them that speak evil against my soul t.

21. But do thou for me u, O GOD the LORD, for thy names sake x: because thy mercy is good y, deliver thou me.

22. For I am poor and needy z, and my heart is wounded within me a.

23. I am gone b like the shadow, when it declineth c: I am tossed up and down as the lo∣cust d.

24. My knees are weak through •…•…asting e: and my flesh faileth of fatness f.

25. I became also a reproach unto them g: when they looked upon me, they shaked their heads h.

26. Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy:

27. That they may know i that this is thy hand: that thou, LORD, hast done it.

28. Let them curse k, but bless thou: when they arise l let them be ashamed, but let thy servant rejoyce.

29. Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame m: and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.

30. I will greatly praise the LORD n with my mouth: yea, I will praise him among the multitude o.

31. For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor p, to save him † from those that condemn his soul q.

Notes

• a

  Do not neglect me, but take notice of my extreme dan∣ger and misery, and deliver me, which thou canst do by the speaking of one word.
• b

  The Author and matter of all my praises; who hast given me continual occasion to praise thee, whom I have used to praise, and will praise whilst I live, do not therefore now give me occasion to turn my praises into lamentations.
• †

  〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• c

  Of those who add hypocrisie and perfidiousness to their malice.
• †

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. have o∣•…•… them∣•…•….
• d

  They speak freely, boldly, and publickly, with∣out any fear or shame.
• e

  Or, to or with me, as this particle commonly signifies.
• f

  Either, 1. with calumnies or false and malicious reports. Or, 2. with deep dissimulation and professions of friendship and kindness.
• g

  Which though covered with specious pretences, pro∣ceeded from deep malice and hatred, and were designed to work my destruction.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 69. 4.
• h

  Without any just provocation gi∣ven them by me.
• i

  They require my love and good will with enmity and mischief, as it is explained v. 5.
• k

  Heb. but I prayer, i. e. I am a man of prayer, or, I betake my self to prayer. Thus I peace is put for I am for peace, as we render it Psal. 120. 7. and thy bread for the men of thy bread, or, that eat thy bread, Obad. v. 7. The sence is, whilst they reproach and curse me, I pray either, 1. for them, as he did Psal. 35. 13. or, 2. for my self: I did not render unto them evil for evil, but quietly committed my self and my cause to God by prayer, desiring him to plead my cause against them; and I had no other re∣fuge.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 35. 12. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 20.
• l

  Heb. the wicked. Which may be understood either, 1. of some wicked Tyrant, which may rule him with rigour and cruelty. Or, 2. of Satan, who is mentioned in the next clause. Let him be delivered over to Satan, to be acted and ruled by him at his pleasure.
• m

  Either, 1. all mine enemies: for the Singular number is sometimes used in like manner. Or rather, 2. one particular enemy, who was worse than any of the rest, more implacable and inexcusable, whom he thought not fit to express by name, nor was it in the least necessary to do so, because he was speaking to God, who knew his thoughts, and whom he meant.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 3. 1.
• ‖

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 adver.
• n

  Either, 1. to molest and vex him, and hinder him in all his affairs; for the right hand is the great instrument of action. Or rather, 2. to accuse him; for this was the place and posture of ac∣cusers in the Jewish Courts. And as for his condemnation, which is the consequence of this accusation, that follows in the next verse.
• o

  When he shall be called to an account, and his cause examined before thy Tribunal.
• †

  Heb. go out guilty, or wick∣ed.
• Prov. 28. 9.
• p

  i. e. Be turned into sin, or be imputed to him as his sin, or be as unavailable with God for his relief as his sins. When he makes supplication to his Judge, as Iob speaks Iob 9. 15. for pity and pardon, let him be the more provoked and enraged by it.
• q

  The days of his life. Let him die an untimely death.
• Act. 1. 20.
• ‖

  Or, charge.
• r

  Made void by his death. He also implies that his enemy was a man of power and reputation.
• s

  Whilst they are but children, and so unable to provide for themselves.
• t

  Either made a widow by his death: or constantly a widow; all persons abhorring her who was re∣lated to so vile a miscreant.
• u

  Having no certain place of abode. Which is a grievous curse in it self, Gen. 4. 12, 14. Isa. 16. 2.
• x

  This increa∣seth their misery.
• y

  Into which they are fled for fear and shame, as not daring to shew their faces amongst men.
• z

  Or, usurer, or, creditor.
• a

  Heb. Ensnare, which is an Emphatical expression, i. e. take away not only by oppressi∣on and violence, but also by cheats and cunning artifices, where∣by such persons entangle, and so ruine their debtors.
• b

  Who hath no right to his goods, and will use no pity nor measure in spoiling him.
• c

  All the fruits of his labours.
• Psal. 34. 10.
• d

  Let him and his be unpitied and hated as the publick enemies of mankind.
• Job 18. 19.
• e

  Heb. in another generation, either in the third genera∣tion: or in the second, or that which next followed the ge∣neration of his fathers. So in this clause he limits the time of that destruction which he imprecates or foretells in the former.
• f

  Against him, or punished in him, as God hath threat∣ned to deal with great delinquents, Exod. 20. 5.
• g

  The sins of his parents last mentioned.
• h

  In Gods sight and memory to provoke God to punish him: let them not be covered or pardoned.
• Job 18. 17. Psal. 34. 16.
• i

  His duty to God, and his obligation to me for my for∣mer kindness expressed v. 4, 5.
• k

  My self, who was deso∣late and miserable, whose condition required pity and not additions of cruelty.
• l

  Whose spirit was grieved and even broken with the burden of his calamities.
• Ezek. 35. 6.
• m

  Either, 1. cursed or sinful courses. Or rather, 2. to curse others, as appears from the blessing here opposed to it, and from the next verse; to wish and to procure mischief to others, and especially to me.
• n

  In desiring and promoting the welfare of others, which indeed was an eye-sore and tor∣ment to him.
• o

  Which a man wears constantly, and that as an orna∣ment.
• †

  Heb. within him.
• p

  Which when a man drinks, goes into his bowels, and searcheth all the inwards of his belly.
• q

  Which is more piercing than water, and being applied to outward parts, reacheth even to the bones and marrow.
• r

  Which cleaves closer and faster to a man than a garment, especially than the Eastern garments did, which were large and loose.
• †

  Heb. work. Isai. 40. 10.
• s

  Of those who were confederate with that arch-enemy in his wicked enterprise.
• t

  With design to take away my life.
• u

  To wit, what I desire, which he expresseth in the next clause. Or, do thou act for me: be not silent or still, but stir up thy self to work on my behalf.
• x

  For the glory of thy faithfulness, which is highly concerned in giving me the de∣liverance which thou hast promised to me.
• y

  i. e. Graci∣ous, and ready to do good to all, but especially to those that love and fear thee. As sin is said to be sinful, Rom. 7. 13. so Gods mercy may be said to be merciful, to wit, in an eminent degree, and above the mercy of all the creatures.
• z

  And therefore a very proper object for thy pity and help.
• a

  I am wounded not slightly, but even to the very heart with soul-piercing sorrows.
• b

  Heb. I am made to go, either, 1. from place to place; which was Davids case when he was persecuted by Saul and by Absalom; and Christs case upon earth, where he had no certain place where to lay his head, Mat. 8. 20. Or, 2. into the grave, as this phrase is used 1 Chron. 17. 11. Psal. 58. 9. and oft elsewhere.
• Psal. 102. 11.
• c

  Towards the evening, when, the Sun setting, it vanisheth instantly, and irrecoverably until the Sun rise again, which it never will do to me in this world, when once I am gone out of it.
• d

  Which of it self is unstable, con∣tinually skipping from place to place, and is easily driven away with every wind. So am I exposed to perpetual and successive changes within my self, and to a thousand violen∣ces and mischiefs from other persons and things.
• e

  Either with voluntary fasts, to which the frequency and long continuance of my calamities obliged me: or with for∣ced fasts sometimes through want of necessary provisions, but most commonly from that loathing of meat, which was occa∣sioned by his excessive sorrows and terrors. See on Psal. 107. 18.
• f

  Or, for want of fatness. See the like Hebrew phrases Gen. 18. 26. Ier. 48. 45. Lam. 4. 9.
• g

  Instead of that pity, which either Religion or Humanity should have taught them to a man in extreme misery, they loaded me with reproaches and scorns.
• h

  A gesture of con∣tempt and derision: of which see Iob 16. 4. Psal. 22 8.
• i

  Being convinced of the eminency and singularity and strangeness of the work.
• k

  I can patiently bear their curses, as being causless and fully compensated by thy blessing. Or, they do and will curse, I expect nothing else from them.
• l

  i. e. Bestir themselves against me. Both God and men are oft said to arise when they enter upon any undertaking, as Ios. 24. 9. Iudg. 8. 21. 2 Chron. 13. 6. & 21. 4, &c.
• m

  For the disappointment of their wicked hopes and de∣signs, and for that unexpected destruction which they have brought upon themselves.
• n

  For that deliverance which I confidently expect.
• o

  Or, among the mighty or great men, as this word sometimes signi∣fies. Comp. Psal. 119. 46.
• p

  To defend him from his adversary, who stood in that place to accuse him, and to procure his condemnation and destruction. See above on v. 6.
• †

  Heb. from the judges of his soul.
• q

  That pass a sentence of death upon him.