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. LXXXVI.

‖ 1.1 A Prayer of David a 1.2.

1 BOw down thine ear, O LORD, hear me, for I am poor and needy b 1.3.

2 Preserve my soul, for I am ‖ 1.4 holy c 1.5: O thou my God d 1.6, save thy servant that trusteth in thee e 1.7.

3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee ‖ 1.8 daily.

4 Rejoyce the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul f 1.9.

5 * 1.10 For thou, LORD, art good and ready to forgive g 1.11: and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee k. * 1.12

6 Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer: and attend to the voice of my supplicati∣ons i 1.13.

7 * 1.14 In the day of my trouble I will call up∣on thee: for thou wilt answer mee k 1.15.

8 Among the gods there is none like unto thee l 1.16, O Lord, * 1.17 neither are there any works like unto thy works.

9 All Nations whom thou hast made, shall come and worship before thee, O LORD: and shall glorifie thy name m 1.18.

10 For thou art great, and * 1.19 dost won∣drous things n 1.20: * 1.21 thou art God alone o 1.22.

11 * 1.23 Teach me thy way p 1.24, O LORD, I will walk in thy truth q 1.25: unite my heart r 1.26 to fear thy name.

12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorifie thy name for evermore s 1.27.

13 For great is thy mercy toward me, and thou hast delivered my soul t 1.28 from † 1.29 the lowest hell u 1.30.

14 O God, * 1.31 the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of † 1.32 violent men have sought after my soul: and have not set thee be∣fore them x 1.33.

15 * 1.34 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious: long-suffering and plenteous in mercy y 1.35 and truth.

16 O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me: give thy strength z 1.36 unto thy servant, and save * 1.37 the son of thine handmaid ‖ 1.38.

17 Shew me a token for good, † 1.39 that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed, be∣cause thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and com∣forted me.

Notes

• ‖ 1.1

  Or, a prayer, being a Psalm of David.
• a 1.2

  When he was in some deep distress, either from Saul, or by Absalom, or upon some other occasion.
• b 1.3

  Forsaken and persecuted by men, and utterly unable to save my self, and therefore a very proper objects or thy power and goodness to work upon.
• ‖ 1.4

  Or, one whom 〈◊〉〈◊〉 savourest.
• c 1.5

  Sanctified in some measure by thy Grace, and sincerely devoted to thy service. This, David speaks, not in a way of vain ostentation, but partly as a powerful argument to move God to hear his prayers, because he was one of that sort of men to whom God had engaged himself by his Promise and Cove∣nant; and partly by way of just and necessary vindication of himself from the censures of his Enemies who represented him to the world, as a gross dissembler, and secretly a very wicked man; concerning which he here makes a solemn appeal to God, desiring audience and help from God, upon no other terms, than upon this supposition, that he was an holy man. Which, by the way, savoureth of no more arrogancy than when he elsewhere professeth his great love to and longing after God, his sincere obedience to all God's commands, and his hatred of every false way, and the like.
• d 1.6

  By thy Covenant, and my own choice.
• e 1.7

  Whereby thou seemest obliged in ho∣nour, and by promise to help me.
• ‖ 1.8

  Or, all the day.
• f 1.9

  The expression notes servent desire joyned with hope o•…•… expectation, as appears by comparing D•…•…uter. 24. 15. Ier. 22. 27.
• * 1.10

  Verse 1•…•…. Joel 2. 13.
• g 1.11

  Herewith he relieveth himself under the sence of his guilt, whereby he had brought his present calamities upon himself.
• * 1.12

  h To wit, in truth, as it is explained Psal. 145. 18. or with an upright heart: for if a man regard iniquity in his heart, God will not hear him, Psal. 66. 18.
• i 1.13

  He repeats and multiplies his requests both to ease his own troubled mind, and to prevail with God, who is well pleased with his peoples importunity in prayer. See Luke 18. 1, &c.
• * 1.14

  Psal. 50. 15.
• k 1.15

  Whereof I have assurance both from the be•…•…ignity of thy hature, and from the truth and certainty of thy promises, and from my own and others experiences in former times.
• l 1.16

  Either for power or readiness to hear and answer prayers. I am not now calling upon a deaf and impotent Idol, for then I might cry my heart out, and all in vain, as they did, 1 King. 18. 26, &c. but upon the Almighty and most Gracious God.
• * 1.17

  Exod. 15. 1•…•…. Deut. 3. 24. Psal. 89. •…•….
• m 1.18

  So true is that which I have now said of thee, Verse 8. that the time is coming when all the Nations of the Earth shall acknowledge it, and, forsaking their impotent Idols, shall worship thee alone. Which being a Work of thy Power and Grace clear•…•… proves that no God is like to thee, and no works like thine. And those words, whom thou hast made, are added to prevent, or remove Objections concern∣ing the insuperable difficulty and incredibility of this work. The God, saith he, that made them can easily convince and convert them to himself.
• * 1.19

  Psal. 72. 18▪ and 77. 14.
• n 1.20

  This is added as a reason either why the Nations should own the true God, because they should see his wonderful Works; or why that great Work, Verse 9. was not incredible, but should certainly be accomplished.
• * 1.21

  Deut. 6. 4. and 32. 39. Isa. 37. 16. and 44. 6. Mark 12. 29. 1 Cor. 8. 4. Eph. 4. 6▪
• o 1.22

  And all the Idols of the Heathen are no gods, but vanities; as the Gentiles them∣selves shall see and acknowledge.
• * 1.23

  Psal. 25. 4. and 119. 33. and 143 8.
• p 1.24

  Wherein thou wouldst have me to walk. As thou hast taught me by thy word, so also by thy spirit enlighten my mind that I may clearly discern thy will and my duty in all Conditions and Circumstances.
• q 1.25

  In the way of thy Precepts which are true and right in all things, as he saith Psal. 119. 12•…•…. and the onely true Rule of thy Worship, and the onely true way to man's happiness.
• r 1.26

  Ingage and knit my whole heart to thy self and service, and deliver me from inconstancy and wa∣vering, that I may not at any time, nor in the least degree be withdrawn from thee either to any corrupt Worship, or to the love and pursuit of the lusts or vanities of this present evil world.
• s 1.27

  Either 1. If thou grantest my request, Verse 11. Or 2. Because thou hast done what is expressed, Verse 13.
• t 1.28

  My person or life, as in the next Verse.
• † 1.29

  Heb. Hell beneath. Psal. •…•…6. 10.
• u 1.30

  Either 1. From hell properly so called. Or rather, 2. From extreme and desperate dangers and miseries; by comparing this with Deut. 32. 22. and with Psal: 88. 6. Thou hast laid me in the low∣est (the same word in the Hebrew which is here) pit. Where by the pit he means, as is evident and confessed, the grave, which is commonly called Scheol, the word here used.
• * 1.31

  Psal. 54. 3.
• † 1.32

  Heb. terrible.
• x 1.33

  They have no reverence nor regard for thee, neither for thy word which hath conferred the Kingdom upon me; nor for thine all-seeing Eye which beholds all their wicked devises and practises against me; nor for thy justice which will un∣doubtedly bring their mischief upon their own heads.
• * 1.34

  Exod. 34. 6. Numb. 14. 18. Nehem. 9. 17. Psal. 103. 8. and 145. 8. Joel 2. 13. Verse 5.
• y 1.35

  To wit, to thy People, and to me in particular; and therefore thou wilst forget and forgive my manifold sins for which thou mightest justly reject me, and make me to know thy breach of Promise; and therefore thou wilst save me from my cruel Enemies.
• z 1.36

  To assist, support and save me.
• * 1.37

  Psal. •…•…16. 16.
• ‖ 1.38

  Me, who by thy gra∣cious providence was born not of. Heathen, but of Israelitish Parents, and therefore was in covenant with thee from my Birth, and whose Mother was thy faithful Servant, and did in∣tirely devote me to thy Service.
• † 1.39

  Vouchsafe unto me some evident and eminent token of thy good will to me, for the conviction of mine Enemies, and mine own comfort.