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. LXXIX.

The ARGUMENT.

This Psalm was doubtless composed upon the sad occa∣sion of the destruction of Judaea and Jerusalem, either by Antiochus, or rather by the Chaldaeans; as may be gathered from 1 Macc. 7. 16, 7. where in the relation of the persecution of Antiochus the second and third Verses of this Psalm are cited.

A Psalm ‖ 1.1 of Asaph.

1 O God, the heathen are come a 1.2 unto thine inheritance b 1.3, * 1.4 thy holy temple have they defiled c 1.5, they have laid Jerusalem on heaps d 1.6.

2 The dead bodies of thy servants e 1.7 have they given to be meat unto the fowls of heaven f 1.8, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.

3 Their blood they shed like water g 1.9 round about Jerusalem, * 1.10 and there was none to bury them h 1.11.

4 * 1.12 We are become a reproach to our neigh∣bours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us i 1.13.

5 * 1.14 How long, LORD, wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousie burn like fire?

6 * 1.15 Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen k 1.16 that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name k 1.17.

7 For they have devoured Jacob l 1.18, and laid waste his dwelling place.

8▪ * 1.19 O remember not against us ‖ 1.20 former ini∣quities: m 1.21 let thy tender mercies n 1.22 speedily prevent us o 1.23, for we are brought very low p 1.24.

9 Help us, O God of our salvation q 1.25, for the glory of thy name r 1.26: and deliver us, and † 1.27 purge away our sins for thy names sake.

10 * 1.28 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God! s 1.29 Let him be known among the heathen, t 1.30 in our sight u 1.31 by the † 1.32 revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed.

11 Let * the sighing of the prisoner u 1.33 come* 1.34 before thee, according to the greatness of † 1.35 thy power: † 1.36 preserve thou those that are appointed to die x 1.37.

12 And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom y 1.38, there reproach wherewith they have reproached thee, z 1.39, O Lord.

13 * 1.40 So we thy people and sheep of thy pa∣sture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise † 1.41 to all generations.

Notes

• ‖ 1.1

  Or, •…•…or Asaph.
• a 1.2

  As Invaders and Conquerors.
• b 1.3

  Into Canaan and Iu∣daea, which thou didst chuse for thine inheritance.
• * 1.4

  •…•…al. 74. 5.
• c 1.5

  By entring into it, and touching and carrying away its holy Ves∣sels, and shedding blood in it, and burning of it.
• d 1.6

  Made of the ruines of those goodly houses which they burned, or threw down.
• e 1.7

  Either 1. Of thy faithful and holy servants, whom they used as cruelly as the worst of the people. Or 2. Of the Jews, whom, though the generality of them were very wick∣ed, he calleth God's Servants and Saints, because they were all such by profession; and some of them were really such; and the Chaldaeans did never know nor regard those that were so, but promiscuously destroyed all that came in their way.
• f 1.8

  By casting them out like dung upon the face of the earth, and not suffering any to bury them.
• g 1.9

  Plentifully and contemptuously, valuing it no more than common water.
• * 1.10

  Psal. 141. 7. Jer. 14. 16. and 16. 4.
• h 1.11

  Because their friends who should have done it were either slain or fled, or were not permitted, or durst not undertake to perform that Office to them.
• * 1.12

  Psal. 44. 13.
• i 1.13

  We who were their terrour and scourge are now neither feared nor pityed, but become the matter of their scoffs and reproaches. See Psal. 80. 6. and 137. 7. Ezek. 35 2, 12, &c.
• * 1.14

  Psal. 89. 46.
• * 1.15

  Jer. 1•…•…. 25.
• k 1.16

  Though we confess that we have deserved thy wrath▪ yet the Heathen, by whom thou hast scourged us, deserve it much more, as being guilty of far greater impieties than we, living in gross ignorance and contempt of God and of his worship. And therefore we pray transfer thy wrath from us to them.
• k 1.17

  Though we confess that we have deserved thy wrath▪ yet the Heathen, by whom thou hast scourged us, deserve it much more, as being guilty of far greater impieties than we, living in gross ignorance and contempt of God and of his worship. And therefore we pray transfer thy wrath from us to them.
• l 1.18

  The posterity of Iacob, whom thou didst love, and with whom and his Seed thou madest a sure and everlasting Co∣venant; whereby thou didst ingage thy self to be an enemy to their enemies, Exod. 23. 22. Besides thou ha•…•…est cruelty, e∣specially when the wicked devour those who are more righte∣ous than themselves. Habak. 1. 13.
• * 1.19

  Isa. 64. 9
• ‖ 1.20

  Or, the ini∣quities of them that were before us.
• m 1.21

  The sins committed by our Forefathers, and by us who have filled up the measure of their sins, for which, we con∣fess▪ thou hast most righteously brought this desolating judg∣ment upon us.
• n 1.22

  Upon which all our confidence is fixed; for merit and righteousness we have none. See Dan. 9 7, 9.
• o 1.23

  Prevent our utter extirpation which we have deserved, and have great reason to expect.
• p 1.24

  Past the hopes of all humane help, and therefore the glory or our deliverance will be whol∣ly thine.
• q 1.25

  From whom we have oft received, and from whom alone we now expect, salvation.
• r 1.26

  Which is now obscured by the insolency and blasphemy of thine enemies, who ascribe this Conquest to their Idols, and triumph over thee no less than over thy people, as one unable to deliver them out of their hands. See Dan. 3. 15.
• † 1.27

  Heb. attone▪ or, expiate.
• * 1.28

  Psal. 42. 10. and 115. 2.
• s 1.29

  He whom they served, and of whom they boasted. He is lost and gone, or grown impotent or idle.
• t 1.30

  By the ex∣pectation of his judgments upon them according to Psal. 9. 16.
• u 1.31

  That we may live to see it and praise thy name for it.
• † 1.32

  Heb. ven∣geance.
• u 1.33

  Of thy poor people now in prison, or at least, in captivity.
• * 1.34

  Psal. 102. 20.
• † 1.35

  Heb. thine arm.
• † 1.36

  Heb. reserve the children of death.
• x 1.37

  Heb. the children of death, (i. e.) Which were either designed to death, or in manifest danger of it, as being wholly in the power of their cruel and barba∣rous enemies.
• y 1.38

  (i. e.) Either 1. Abundantly, as this Phrase notes, Isa. 65. 6, 7. Ier. 32. 18. Luke 6. 38. Or 2. Sen∣sibly, so as it may come home to them, and fall heavily upon them in their own persons.
• z 1.39

  As impotent or unfaithful or unmerciful to his own people. So they intimate that this de∣desire did not proceed from a revengeful mind, but from a due sence of God's favour.
• * 1.40

  Psal. 9•…•…. 7.
• † 1.41

  Heb. to ge∣neration and ge∣neration.