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. XLI.

The ARGUMENT.

The Occasion of this Psalm was manifesty, some sore Disease or Affliction, which God had inflict∣ed upon David, and which gave his Enemies Op∣portunity, to discover their Hatred and Malice a∣gainst him.

To the chief musician; A Psalm of David.

1. BLessed is he that considereth a 1.1 ‖ 1.2 the poor b 1.3, the LORD will deliver him c 1.4, † 1.5 in time of trouble.

2. The LORD will preserve, and keep him alive d 1.6, and he shall be blessed upon the earth; and ‖ 1.7 thou wilt not deliver him into the † 1.8 will of his enemies e 1.9.

3. The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt † 1.10 make all his bed f 1.11 in his sickness.

4. I said LORD, be merciful unto me; heal my soul g 1.12, for I have sinned against thee h 1.13.

5. Mine enemies speak evil of me i 1.14: When shall he die, and his name perish?

6. And if he come to see me k 1.15, he speaketh vanity l 1.16: his heart gathereth iniquity to it self m 1.17, when he goeth abroad he telleth it n 1.18.

7. All that hate me whisper together against me o 1.19: against me do they devise † 1.20 my hurt.

8. † 1.21 An evil disease p 1.22, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth, he shall rise up no more q 1.23.

9. * 1.24 Yea, † 1.25 mine own familiar friend r 1.26 in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath † 1.27 lift up his heel r 1.28 against me.

10. But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me s 1.29, and raise me up that I may requite them t 1.30.

11. By this I know that thou favourest me u 1.31: because mine enemy doth not triumph over me x 1.32.

12. And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity y 1.33: and settesteme before thy face for ever z 1.34.

13. Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, from everlasting, and to everlasting ‖ 1.35 Amen and amen † 1.36.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Or, That carries himself wisely and prudently, with or to∣wards him, not rashly and foolishly, Censures and Condemn∣him, as my pretended Friends dealt with me, v. 8. nor insult∣eth over him, which is a foolish, as well as wicked thing, but considereth that it may be his own Case, and therefore pitieth and helpeth him; which is the likeliest way to obtain the like Pity, for himself in his Trouble.
• ‖ 1.2

  〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• b 1.3

  Or rather, The Weak, or Sick, or languishing Person, as may be gathered by Com∣paring this with v. 3. where the Mercy which he is supposed to have afforded to him, is returned upon himself, and with v. 8,
• c 1.4

  Either, 1. The poor afflicted man. Though his E∣nemies conclude his Case to be desperate. v. 8. God will Consute them, and deliver him. Or, 2. The Considerer of the Poor, of whom also this same Pronoun, Him, is Con∣fessedly meant, v. 2, 3. And so it is a Promise of Recompence, the wise and merciful Man shall find Mercy.
• † 1.5

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 is the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Evil.
• d 1.6

  Heb. quicken him, (i. e.) revive and restore him, Ei∣ther, he will preserve him from Trouble, Or, if God see Trou∣ble necessary or fit for him, and therefore suffer him to fall into it, he will raise him out of it.
• ‖ 1.7

  〈…〉〈…〉
• † 1.8

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Psa. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• e 1.9

  (i. e.) To Destructi∣on, which they earnestly desire and indeavour to procure.
• † 1.10

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• f 1.11

  Either, 1. Change or overturn his Bed of sickness; which is done when a man is restored to Health. Or rather, 2. Give him Ease and Comfort, which sick men receive by the help of those who turn and stir their whole Bed, to make it soft and easie for him. For the Words foregoing and fol∣lowing these suppose him to be and continue in a State of sickness. Thus the Lord elsewhere Compares himself to a Servant, waiting upon his People at Table, Luk. 12. 37. as here, to one that makes their Bed. Metaphors implying strange Condescension.
• g 1.12

  (i. e.) Either, 1. My self, to wit, my Body. So it is a double Synecdoche. And the soul is so taken. Psal. 16. 10. Or, 2. My Soul properly so called; which is said to be heal∣ed, when it is pardoned and purged, as 2 Chron. 30. 20. Isa. 53. 5. Comp. with 1 Pet. 2. 24. Mat. 13. 15. Comp. with Mark 4. 12. Iam. 5. 16. So he strikes at the Root of his Mi∣sery, and prays for the Removal of the sin of his Soul, as the Cause of the Disease of his Body.
• h 1.13

  This may be added Ei∣ther, 1. As a Reason or Motive to God, grant this Request, for I have sinned, and therefore thy Grace in healing me, will be more glorious and admirable; Or, for I acknowledge that I have sinned: for the Act is oft put for the Declaration of it, as Exod. 33. 13. Psal. 51. 5. Or, 2. As a Reason moving him thus to pray, I said, Lord be merciful unto me, heal my Soul; and great Reason I had to say so, for I have sinned against thee.
• i 1.14

  Vent their ill Wishes against me, in the following Words.
• k 1.15

  To visit me in my sickness according to the Custome.
• l 1.16

  Or, falshood, pretending Sympathy with me, and friendship to me, whilst they Plot mischief in their Hearts against me.
• m 1.17

  Even when he is with me, and pretends hearty affection to me, his Heart cannot forbear its Customary Practice, of me∣ditating and devi•…•…ing Mischief against me; for which he watch∣eth and seeketh for all Occasions from my Speeches, or Car∣riage, or the Circumstance of my Condition, which he ob∣serves.
• n 1.18

  Partly, to delight his Companions and Pa•…•…tly, to encourage them, to and direct them in their malicious De∣signs against me.
• o 1.19

  (i. e.) Secretly defame me, and closely Plot against me.
• † 1.20

  Heb. •…•…vil to 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• † 1.21

  Heb. a thing of B•…•…lial.
• p 1.22

  Heb. A word or thing of B•…•…lial, (i. e.) Either, 1. Some wicked Calumny which they had raised, and which stuck close to him. Or, 2. His great Wickedness, whereof this is a sign. Or rather, 3. This sore Disease or Mischief, Either sent upon him, in way of Vengeance for his horrid Crimes; Or, such as God useth to inflict upon the Sons of B•…•…lial, to shew that he is in Truth such an one, whatsoever he pretends to the contrary.
• q 1.23

  Seeing God hath begun to punish him, he will make an end of him.
• * 1.24

  Job 19. 19. Jer. 20. 10.
• † 1.25

  Heb. the man of •…•…y Peace.
• r 1.26

  He means either A•…•…hitophel, or some other perfidio•…•…s Counsellor or Courtier, who was a Type of Iodas, to whom therefore it is applied, Ioh. 13. 18. as David was a Type of Christ, in being thus betrayed. So these Words were literal∣ly fulfilled in David, and yet the Holy Ghost which dictated them, looked further in them, even to Christ and Iodas, in whom they received a further and fuller Accomplishment. •…•… A Phrase implying, Injury joyned with Insolency and Con∣tempt, taken from an un•…•…uly Horse, which Kicks at him, that owns and feeds him.
• † 1.27

  Heb. magni∣fied.
• r 1.28

  He means either A•…•…hitophel, or some other perfidio•…•…s Counsellor or Courtier, who was a Type of Iodas, to whom therefore it is applied, Ioh. 13. 18. as David was a Type of Christ, in being thus betrayed. So these Words were literal∣ly fulfilled in David, and yet the Holy Ghost which dictated them, looked further in them, even to Christ and Iodas, in whom they received a further and fuller Accomplishment. •…•… A Phrase implying, Injury joyned with Insolency and Con∣tempt, taken from an un•…•…uly Horse, which Kicks at him, that owns and feeds him.
• s 1.29

  They Censure me grievously, and conclude my Case to be desperate, but, Lord, do thou vindicate me, and Con∣fute them.
• t 1.30

  Or, and I will▪ requite them, (i. e.) Punish them for their malicious and perfidious and wicked Practises: which, being now a Magistrate, he was obliged to Revenge, Rom. 13. 4. although when he was a private Person, he was so far from revenging Evil, that he rendred good for it, as we see, Psal. 35. 12, 13. and elsewhere.
• u 1.31

  Bearest a good Will to me, and art resolved to make good thy Promises to me, and wilst plead m•…•… righteous Cause against them.
• x 1.32

  Because hitherto thou hast helped and sup∣ported me, and prolonged my days to the disappointment of their Hopes, and designed Triumphs. This Merey I thank∣fully receive as a Token of further Mercy. Compare, 1 Sam. 17. 37. 2 Cor. 1. 9, 10.
• y 1.33

  As I have kept my Integrity, so thou hast kept me, in and with it. Or, for mine Integrity, because thou hast seen my Innocency notwithstanding all the Calum•…•…ies of mine E∣nemies; and thou hast promised and usest to afford thy Pro∣tection to the innocent and upright.
• z 1.34

  Or, hast Confirmed, or Established me in thy Presence (i. e. Either, under thine Eye and special Care: Or, to Minister unto thee, not onely in thy Temple, but as a King over thy People, or in that Land, where thou art peculiarly present) for ever, Either, 1. Pro∣perly: And so this was done to David, Either in his own Per∣son, Partly here, and Partly, in the next Life: Or, in re∣gard of his Posterity, in whom the Kingdom was Established for ever. Or, 2. For my whole Life, or for a long time, as that Phrase is commonly used.
• ‖ 1.35

  Or, from Age to Age, as long as the World lasts, and to all Eternity.
• † 1.36

  Amen signifies an hearty Assent, and Approbati∣on, and withal an earnest Desire, and Confidence of the thing, to which it is annexed. And as the Psalms are divid∣ed into five Books, so each of them is closed with this Word, the first here; The second, Psal. 72. the third, Psal. 89. the fourth, Psal. 106. the last in the end of Psal. 150. the doubling of the•…•… word shews the Fervency of his Spirit, in this Work of praising God.