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. XXX.

A Psalm and song a 1.1, at the dedication of the house of David b 1.2.

1. I Will extol thee, O LORD, for thou hast lifted me up c 1.3, and hast not made my foes to rejoyce over me d 1.4.

2. O LORD my God, I cryed unto thee, and thou hast healed me e 1.5.

3. O LORD, * 1.6 thou hast brought up my soul from † 1.7 the grave f 1.8: thou hast kept me a∣live g 1.9, that I should not go down to the pit h 1.10.

4. Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and * 1.11 give thanks ‖ 1.12 at the remembrance of his holiness i 1.13.

5. For † 1.14 * 1.15 his anger endureth but a moment k 1.16, in his favour is life l 1.17: weeping may endure † 1.18 for a night, but † 1.19 joy cometh in the morn∣ing m 1.20.

6. And * 1.21 in my prosperity I said, I shall ne∣ver be moved n 1.22.

7. LORD, by thy favour thou hast † 1.23 made my * 1.24 mountain to stand strong o 1.25, thou * 1.26 didst hide thy face p 1.27, and I was troubled q 1.28.

8. I cryed to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication.

9. What profit is there r 1.29 in my blood s 1.30, when I go down to the pit t 1.31? * 1.32 shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?

10. Hear O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper.

11. * 1.33 Thou hast turned u 1.34 for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my saccloth x 1.35, and girded me with gladness y 1.36.

12. To the end that ‖ 1.37 my glory z 1.38 may sing praise to thee, and not be silent; O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Or, a Psalm of Song; (i. e.) Either, 1. A Psalm to be sung with the Voyce to an Instrument. Or 2. A Psalm of joy and praise: for so this is. And this Hebrew word, Schir, may be here taken not simply for a Song, but for a joyful Song, as it is, Gen. 31. 27. Exod. 15. 1. Psal. 33 3. and 42. 8. Prov. 25. 20. Isa. 30. 29. Amos. 8. 3. 10.
• b 1.2

  Either, 1. At the Dedication of the Temple, called the House, Or, that House, Eminently and Emphatically. So the Chaldee Para∣phrast and the Hebrew Doctors understand it. And then the last Words, of David, are to be joyned with the first, a Psalm and Song. But this seems not probable; because the Temple was not built by David, nor in his days. Although he might prescribe a Psalm to be used afterwards upon that occasion. Or, 2. At the Dedication of David's House, which was built, 2 Sam. 5. 11. and doubtless was Dedicated, as God had commanded; See Deut. 20. 5. Nehem. 12. 27. Or, 3. At the second Dedication of Da∣vid's House, after it had been polluted by Absolom and his Concubines. But there is no Law of God, for any Re-Dedication of Houses in such Cases; nor any Evidence that David did so. And indeed it seems strange, if this Psalm was made upon this occasion, Or, upon any of these De∣dications here mentioned, that there should not be one Line in it suitable to that occasion. Others therefore make these Words, the Dedication of the House, not to note the Matter of this Psalm or Song; but Either, 1. The name of the Tune to which this Song was sung, which was the same that David used at the Dedication of his House: and so this gives us a Reason, why the word Song is added to that of Psalm, and why this Psalm was called, the Song of the Dedi∣cation. Or, 2. The time when it was sung; which was at the Dedication of David's House. For such Dedications were performed in a very Solemn manner, with divers Rites and Prayers, and Praises to God, as the Nature of that Business required. And it seems probable from the Matter of this Psalm, Compared with the Title, that Da∣vid had about this time been delivered from some Emi∣nent distresses, and particularly from some dangerous sick∣ness. For which he here gives thanks to God, taking Advan∣tage of this publick and Solemn occasion.
• c 1.3

  Or, drawn up, to wit, out of the deep Pit, or Waters; to which great Dangers and Afflictions are frequently Compa∣red.
• d 1.4

  Which they both desired, and Confidently expected an occasion to do.
• e 1.5

  (i. e.) Delivered me from the Fears and Troubles of my Mind, which are oft compared to Diseases, and from very dangerous Distempers of my Body.
• * 1.6

  Psal. 71. 20. & 86. 13.
• † 1.7

  Heb. H•…•…ll, so Gr.
• f 1.8

  My deliverance is a kind of Resurrection from the Grave, upon the very brink whereof I was.
• g 1.9

  This he adds to ex∣plain the former Phrase, which was Ambiguous.
• h 1.10

  (i. e.) into the Grave which is oft called, the Pit, as Psal. 28. 1. and 69. 15. and 88. 4. Isa. 38. 17.
• * 1.11

  Psal. 97. 12.
• ‖ 1.12

  Or, to the Me∣morial.
• i 1.13

  Or, at the mention, &c. When you call to mind, or when others Celebrate, as I do this day, the Holiness of God's Na∣ture; which he Demonstrates by his Works▪ by his Faithful∣ness, Care, and Kindness towards his holy Ones.
• † 1.14

  Heb. there is but a moment in his Anger.
• * 1.15

  Isa. 26. 20. & 54. 7, 8. 2 Cor. 4. 17.
• k 1.16

  Commonly the Afflictions which he sends upon his Peo∣ple are short; and last but for a few moments of their Lives.
• l 1.17

  Or, Life, (i. e.) Our whole Life, is in his Favour, (i. e.) He heapeth his Favours upon them, for the greatest part of their present Lives, and in the next Life which en∣dures for ever; of which the Chalde•…•… Paraphrast, expounds this place. And indeed without the Consideration of eter∣nal Life, the difference between the duration of the Afflicti∣ons, and of the Happiness of God's people, were neither so Evident nor Considerable, as David here makes it. Life is oft put for along and Happy time, as Psal. 34. 12. and 133. 3. Prov. 3. 2. and for an Eternal and immortal Duration, 2 Tim. 1. 10. Iam. 1. 12. And in Civil Affairs; Estates for Life are opposed to those that are but for a short time.
• † 1.18

  Heb. in the Evening.
• † 1.19

  Heb. singing.
• m 1.20

  (i. e.) It comes speedily and in due season.
• * 1.21

  Job. 29▪ 18.
• n 1.22

  I thought my self past all Danger of further Changes, forgetting my own Frailty, and the uncertainty of all World∣ly things.
• † 1.23

  Heb. settled strength for my Mountain.
• * 1.24

  Psal. 46. 4, 5. & 48. 1, 2, 3. & 87▪ 5.
• o 1.25

  Thou hast so firmly settled me in my Kingdom: which he calls his Mountain; Partly, because Kingdoms are usually call∣ed Mountains in Prophetical writings, as Psal. 46. 3, 4. Isa: 2. 2. Ier. 51. 25. Dan. 2. 34, 35. 44, 45, and Partly, with respect to Mount Sion, where he built his Royal Palace, the Dedication whereof is mentioned in the Title of the Psalm.
• * 1.26

  Psal. 104. 29.
• p 1.27

  (i. e.) Withdraw thy Favour and Help.
• q 1.28

  I was quickly brought into such Distresses of Body, and Anxiety of Mind, that I saw the Vanity of all my Carnal Confidences.
• r 1.29

  To wit, unto thee, as the latter part of the Verse ex∣plains it. What wilt thou gain by it?
• s 1.30

  (i. e.) In my vio∣lent Death, as Blood is frequently used, as Gen. 37. 26. Numb. •…•…5. 33. Ios. 20. 3. 1 Sam. 25. 26. 33. Mat. 27. 6.
• t 1.31

  When I dye. See above, on v. 3. Shall they that are Dead, or gone down into the Dust, Celebrate thy Faithfulness and Goodness in the Land of the Living? Or, shall my Dust or Dead Corps praise thee? No Lord, shouldest thou cut me off in the beginning of my Reign, thy Name would lose the Praises, which many will return to thee for my Life, and be exposed to Reproaches, as if thou hadst not kept thy Word with me: and I should lose those Opportunities of praising thy Name, and serving my Generation, which I prize above my Life.
• * 1.32

  Psal. 6. 5. & 88. 11. & 115. 17.
• * 1.33

  Isa. 61. 3.
• u 1.34

  Having related his Prayer, he now declares the gracious Answer which God gave him.
• x 1.35

  (i. e.) Given me occasion to put off that Saccloth; which they used to wear in times of Mourning. See Esth. 4. 1. Psal. 35. 13. Isa 32. 11. Ioel, 1. 13.
• y 1.36

  Either, with Garments of Gladness, or Rejoycing: Or, with joy, as with a Garment surrounding me, on every side; as he is for the like Reason, said to be girded with strength, Psal. 18. 32.
• ‖ 1.37

  That is, my Tongue, Or, my Soul.
• z 1.38

  My Soul: Or, rather my Tongue, to which both singing and silence most properly belong. See on Psal. 7. 5. and 16. 9.