This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this text, in whole or in part. Please contact project staff at eebotcp-info@umich.edu for further information or permissions.
Vers 1. THe man of God] that is; the Prophet; as Deut. 33.1. For a Prophet, a Seer, and a man of God, were all one; 1 Sam. 9.6.8.9.10.11. The Chaldee pa∣raphrast sheweth it here, saying, A prayer that Moses the prophet of the Lord prayed, when the people of the house of Israel had sinned in the wildernes. an habitation] or mansion, in our travailes in this terrible wiildernes. Exod. 33.14. Deut. 8.15. and 33.27.
Vers. 2. were born] this and the next word, brought forth, are similitudes taken from procreation of children, to signify the creation of the world. Like speeches are in Iob 38, 28, 29. of the rayn, deaw, yce, and frost.
Vers. 3. unto contrition] till he be contrite, or broken; that is, even to death, as the Chaldee explaineth it. return] the body to the earth, Psal. 146.4. and the spirit to God, Eccles. 12.7.
Vers. 4. a watch] a ward, or custodie; which is about three houres space: for the Jewes divided the day into twelve howres, Iohn. 11.9. and so the night: which they subdivided into four watches, Mat. 14.25. named the evening, midnight, cock-crowing, and dawning: Mark. 13.35. Luk. 12.38.39. Mat. 24.43. See also Exod. 14.24. 1 Sam. 11.11.
Vers. 6. is changed] or changeth, to weet, the estate thereof; that is, sprowteth, or groweth, as the Chaldee explaineth it. And so the Hebrue (which generally signifieth a change, passage, or shifting,) is somtime used for the better, to sprowt, Iob 14.7. So to change the strength, Isa. 40.31. is to renew, or increase it.
Vers. 8 our hidden sinns] or, sinns of our youth, as the Chaldee here taketh it. The Hebrue word will bear both; so also the sense: for we have both secret sinns, Psal. 19.13. and sinns of our youth, Psal. 25.7. which God often punisheth us for, Iob 20.11. to the light of thy face] that is, knowing, remembring, manifesting, and punishing them. Ier. 16.17. Psal. 109.14.15. For the Lord lightneth things that are hidd in darknes, and maketh the counsels of the hearts manifest, 1 Cor. 4 5. he is of pure eyes and cannot see evil, Habak. 1.13. therefore David prayeth, hide thy face from my sinns, Psal. 51.11.
Vers. 9. do turn away] or, turn-the face, decline; as the day drawing to an end. Ier. 6:4. as a thought] or, as a word, a sound that passeth out of the mouth, as Iob 37, 2. as a tale that is told; for mans life is a breath, or vapour; Psal. 39, 6. Iam. 4, 14. Moses bewayleth the decaying of the people in the wildernes: for they came out of Aegypt, six hundred thousand men, Exod. 12, 37. and not one feeble among them, Psalm 105, 37. and being mustred at mount Sina: from 20. yeres old and above, they were 603550. men, besides the tribe of Levy; Num. 1, 46, 47. but for their sin, at Kadesh, God sware their karkesses should fall in the wilder∣nes; Num. 14.28, 29. which came so to passe. For being mustred about 38. yeres after, there was of all that armie, not left a man alive, save Caleb and Iosua. Num. 26, 63, 64, 65.
Vers. 10. if they] (the yeres) be in strength; that is, most strong and valid: or, if by reason of great-strength. their pride] or prowesse, that is, the excellencie, or lustihead of those yeres, the bravest of them, is but miserie. painful-iniquitie] payn and miserie, the punishment of sin. Iniquitie is often put for the punishment of it, Ps. 32.5.
Vers. 11. and according to thy fear, &c.] or, as thy fear; that is, who knoweth (or acknowledgeth) thy wrath, so as thy fear teacheth men to doe? meaning by fear, eyther Gods law, as Psal. 19, 10. or his fearfull judgments upon sinners, which should strike a fear into mens hearts. Deut. 13, 11. Psal. 119, 120. Ion. 1, 16. or, as thy fear; that is, so as to fear thee for thy wrath, and by it to depart from evil, as Prov. 16.6. 2 Cor. 5.10.11. or, even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.
Vers. 12. may apply] or, may bring, may make-come. to wisdom,] or, may get a heart of wisdom, that is, a wise heart; and so may bring it to thee, when we shall come to judgment.
Vers. 13. how long?] wilt thou afflict us? as the Chaldee paraphraseth: or, wilt thou deferr to help us? see Psal. 6.4. repent thee] to weet, of the evill intended or infli∣cted upon thy servants, as Deut. 32.36. Ioel. 2.13. Ion. 3.10. Ier. 18.8.
Vers. 14. In the morning] that is, early; after the dark night of afflictions; see Psal. 5.4. and 30.6.
Vers. 15. the yeres, &c.] that is, as we have been many dayes and yeres afflicted: so let us have many yeres of comfort.
Vers. 16. thy comly honour] or magnificence, in releasing us from trouble, and re∣freshing us with mercy.
Vers. 17. the pleasantnes] or, beautie; that is, the accomplishment of thy covenant and promise to our fathers, let now be seen upon us. So the staffe, beautie (or pleasantnes) in the Lords hand, signified his covenant with them, Zach. 11.7.10. or generally, it mean∣eth Gods aminable grace and favour. see Psal. 27.4. stablish] or direct, firm and sure. For the Lord worketh all our actions for us, Isa. 26.12. and without him, we can doe nothing, Iohn. 15.5.