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. LX.

To the chief musician upon Shushan-eduth a, ‖ Michtam of David, to teach b, when he strove with Aram-naharaim c, and with Aram-Zobah d, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of salt, twelve thousand e.

1 O God, thou hast cast us off f, thou hast † scattered us g, thou hast been displea∣sed; O turn thy self to us again.

2 Thou hast made the earth to tremble h; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches there∣of i, for it shaketh.

3 Thou hast shewed k thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonish∣ment l.

4 Thou hast given m a banner n to them that fear thee o: that it may be displayed because of the truth p, Selah.

5 That thy beloved q may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me.

6 God hath spoken r in his holiness s, I will rejoyce t: I will divide u Shechem x, and mete out the valley of Succoth y.

7 Gilead z is mine, and Manasseh a is mine, Ephraim also is the strength of mine head b, Ju∣dah is my law-giver. c

8 Moab is my wash-pot d; over Edom e will I cast out my shoe f: Philistia, ‖ triumph thou because of me g.

9 Who will bring me h into the † strong ci∣ty i? who will lead me into Edom k?

10 Wilt not thou O God, which hadst cast us off? and thou, O God, which didst not go out with our armies l?

11 Give us help from trouble: for vain is the † help of man m.

12 Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.

Notes

• a

  This, like the rest, seems to be the Name of an Instrument, or Song, or Tune, then well known, but now quite un∣known and forgotten; It may be, and is by some rendred, The Lilly, or Rose of the Testimony or Oracle: But why it was so called, is a Matter of meer Conjecture, and of small im∣portance to us to know.
• ‖

  Or, a Golden 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• b

  To wit, in an Eminent manner: Or, for the special instruction of God's Church and Peo∣ple, in some points of great moment; as Concerning the grievous Calamities, to which God's Church and People were obnoxious; v. 1, 2, 3. and concerning the certainty of God's Promises, and of their Deliverance out of them, upon Condition of their Faith and Obedience. Which Doctrines were of great moment, especially to the Israelites, who were, and were likely to be Exercised in the same manner, and with the same Variety and Vicissitudes of Con∣dition, under which their Ancestors had been. Or, where∣as other Songs were to be Learned onely by the Levites, or by some of them, this possibly was one of them, which the People also were to be taught, and were to sing upon occasion, because of the publick and general Concern∣ment, which they all had in the Matter herein contained.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 8. 3. 13. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 18. 3. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• c

  Or, the Syrians▪ (so called from Aram, the Son of Sem, Gen. 10. 22.) of the two Rivers, or of Mesopotamia, the Country between those two great and famous Rivers, Tygris and Euphrates.
• d

  Or, the Syrians of Zobah, part of Syria so called, 2 Sam. 8. 5. 12.
• e

  This Report seems not to agree with the Histories to which this Psalm is supposed to Relate, 2 Sam. 8. 13. and 1 Chron. 18. 12. neither in the Persons slain, who are Edomites here and Syrians, 2 Sam. 8. 13. nor in their Numbers, which are here onely twelve Thousand, and their eighteen Thousand, nor in the Persons to whom this Victory is ascribed, who is Ioab here, David, 2 Sam. 8. 13. and Abishai, 1 Chron. 18, 12. But these Difficulties, may easily be resolved by these Considerations; 1. That David being King, and Ioab Lord General of all his Forces, and Abishai his Lieutenant-General, as to a Considerable part of his Army, the same Victory may well be ascribed to any, or every one of them; as it is usually done in like Cases, in the Roman and Grecian Histories. 2. That the E∣domites and Syrians were united in this War. 3. That twelve Thousand might be slain in the pitcht Battel, and the rest by the Pursuers in their flight 4. That these several places, may speak of several Fights. See more of this Business in the Notes, on 2. Sam. 8. 13.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 44. 9.
• f

  Or, rejected, or forsaken us, as to thy gracious and pow∣erful Presence, not onely in the time of the Judges, but also du∣ring Sauls Reign.
• †

  Heb. broken.
• g

  Heb. broken us; Partly, by that dreadful overthrow by the Philistins, 1 Sam. 31. and Partly, by the Civil War in our own Bowels, between me and Ishbosheth.
• h

  A poetical and Hyperbolical Expression, signifying great and dreadful Changes among the People, as Hagg. 2. 7. Comp. with Heb. 12. 26, 27. See also, 1 Sam. 14. 15.
• Psal. 75. 3.
• i

  Reconcile all those Differences, which our Civil Wars have made a∣mong us.
• k

  Heb. Made them to see, (i. e.) To Experience or Feel, as Seeing is oft put, as Psal. 49. 10. and oft elsewhere.
• l

  Thou hast filled us with no less Honour and Trembling, than Men who intoxicated with strong and stupifying Drink, which they are forced to Drink. Compare, Isa. 51. 17. 21.
• m

  Either, 1. Formerly. As thou hast sometimes afflicted thy People, so at other times thou hast delivered them. Or rather, 2. Now lately by and under me.
• n

  Which is a Sign and Instrument. 1. Of Union. This people who were lately divided and under several Banners, thou hast now gathered together and united under one Banner, to wit, under my Government. 2. Of Battel. Thou hast given us an Army, and Power to oppose our Enemies. We had our Banner to set a∣gainst theirs. 3. Of Triumph. We have not lost our Ban∣ner, but gained theirs, and brought it away in Triumph▪ Compare, Psal. 20. 5. Or, for, or, on the behalf of them that fear thee. An Emphatical passage implying, that God gave so great a Blessing, to the People of Israel, for the sake of those few sincere Israelites which were among them.
• p

  Not for any Merit of ours, but to shew thy Faithfulness in making good thy Promises which thou hast made, both to me, con∣cerning the Establishing of this Kingdom to me, and to my seed for ever, and to thy People in general; whom thou hast frequently Promised to hear and help when they call upon thee, in times of Trouble.
• Psal. 108. 6. &c.
• q

  Thy beloved People last mentioned.
• r

  Having prayed that God would save and hear him, he now intimates that God had done it already, and had prevented his Prayers, and had spoken to him, and of him, about the stablishing of his Throne.
• s

  Or, in the Sanctuary, or Holy place, to which David used to resort to ask Counsel, and from whence God usually gave out his Oracles. Or rather, by his Holiness, as this very Word is rendred, Psal. 89. 35. which carries the form of an Oath, and implies that God did not simply speak, but swore by his Holiness, as it is there expressed.
• t

  Therefore I will turn my Prayers into Praises, and Rejoycings for what God had already done, and as I am assured, will further do on my behalf.
• u

  Or, Distribute; which supposeth Possession and Dominion.
• x

  A place within Iordan, in Mount Ephraim. See Gen. 33. 18. Ios. 20. 7.
• y

  A place without Iordan. See Gen. 33. 17. Ios. 13. 27. He mentions Shechem, and Succoth; Either, Synecdochically for all the Land of Canaan, within and without Iordan; which, having been formerly divided between him and Ishbosheth, was now intirely in his Possession: Or, because these two places had been in Ishbosheth's hands, and possibly were extraordinarily devoted to Saul's House, and utterly averse from David: Or, for some other Reason now unknown.
• z

  All their Land beyond Iordan, which was possessed by Reuben and Gad, and half of the Tribe of Manasseh, Numb. 32. 29. 39, 40. Deut. 3. 10. &c. Ios. 13. 25, &c.
• a

  The other half of that Tribe within Iordan.
• b

  Either, 1. Mine Horns where∣with I shall push mine Enemies, according to Moses his Prophecy of that Tribe, Deut. 33. 17. Or, 2. The keeper of mine Head, as Achish spake, 1 Sam. 28. 2. A chief part of my strength, either to offend mine Enemies, or to defend my self. For this Tribe was very Numerous, and Valiant and Rich. See Gen. 48. 19. Deut. 32. 11. Psal. 78. 9.
• Gen. 49. 10.
• c

  The chief Seat of my Throne and Kingdom, and of the inferiour Thrones of Iudgment, Psal. 1▪ 2. 5. the Tribe to which the Royal Scepter and Law∣giver, are appropriated by God's appointment, Gen. 49. 10.
• d

  In which I shall wash my Feet. I shall bring them into the lowest degree of Servitude, and make them Contempti∣ble and miserable. See 2 Sam. 8. 2.
• e

  An Old and Proud, and insolent and cruel Enemy of Israel.
• f

  (i. e.) I will use them like Slaves; Either, holding forth my Shoes, that they may pluck them off, or throwing my Shoes at them; Either, in Anger or Contempt, as the manner of many Masters was, and is in such Cases. Other, I will take Possession of them; which was done by Trading upon their Land. Or, I will tread upon their Necks, as they did in like Case, Ios. 10. 24. But these Notions suit not with this Phrase, of casting or throwing the Shoe.
• ‖

  Or, Triumph thou over me, (by an Irony.)
• g

  Or, over me, as thou didst in former years, use to Triumph and insult over the poor Israelites. It is an ironi∣cal Expression, signifying, that her Triumphs were come to an End.
• h

  None can do it but God, as he declareth in the following Verses.
• †

  Heb. City of strength.
• i

  (i. e.) The Cities; the singular Number for the plu∣ral, which is usual. Having beaten his Enemies out of the Field, and into their strong Cities; from whence they hoped to renew the War, he desires God's Assistance whereby he may take their strong Holds, and so secure himself from further At∣tempts against him.
• Psal. 108. 10.
• k

  Which was an high and Rocky Coun∣try, Obad. v. 3, fortified by Nature, as well as by Art, and therefore not to be invaded, and subdued without a divine Hand.
• Psal. 44. 9. & 108. 11.
• l

  To wit, in former times; but now hast graciously return∣ed to us. He brings to his own and peoples Minds, their for∣mer Calamities, that they may be more thankful for present Mercies and Deliverances.
• †

  Heb. Salva∣tion.
• •…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 19. 23.
• n Though I have some Reputation for Valour and Conduct, and though my People are very Numerous, and now united under me, yet all this will avail little or nothing without thy Almighty help.