A right godly and learned exposition, vpon the whole booke of Psalmes: wherein is set forth the true diuision, sence, and doctrine contained in euery Psalme: for the great furtheraunce and necessarie instruction of euery Christian reader. Newly and faithfully set forth by a godly minister and preacher of the word of God.

Psalme 143

I Doe iudge that this Psalm may very fitly be diuided into two partes. [Di.] In the first the Prophet beséecheth the Lord to grant [unspec 1] his petition, and to remooue his sins, which might be a hin∣deraunce to his mercies, alleaging certayne reasons of his supplication, as the rage of the enemie, his owne weakenes, the experience he had had of Gods goodnesse, &c. from verse 1. to the end of sixt. In the second part he doth as it were renewe his prayer a∣fresh, [unspec 2] desiring the Lord to graunt his requests, to shew him his mercy, to order his conuersation, and to deliuer him from his aduersaries and oppressors: from verse 7. to the end of the Psalme.

The title] A Psalme of Dauid [i. which Dauid made: [Se.] this is y^e title of sundry Psalmes, and hath bin expounded before.] Ver. 1. Heare my prayer O Lord [i. graunt me the things that I pray for] & hearken vnto my supplication [i. giue me the things that I humbly sue vnto thée for] answere me [vz. who call vppon thée, and pray vnto thée, vnderstanding by answering also, yéelding vnto his re∣quests] in thy truth [i. according to thy gracious promises which contayn in thē nothing but truth because they procéed from thée, that art the God of truth and truth it self] & in thy righteousnesse [i. according to thy righteous nature, who doest deliuer a iust cause from iniustice: or else by righteousnes we may vnder∣stand gods goodnesse, by which he maintaineth those that are his, for gods righ¦teousnesse specially shineth forth in his faithful accomplishment of his promi∣ses.] Ver. 2. And enter not into iudgement [i. be so farre of, from pronouncing [unspec 2] sentence I pray thée, that I would not haue thée to begin to prepare thy selfe, to lay out my faults or to come into iudgement] with thy seruaunt [i. with me thy seruaūt, speaking of himself in y^e third persō, as sundry times before, & name∣ly, Psal. 119, 17.] for in thy sight [i. before thée, if thou shouldest once take vppon thée to enter into iudgement with thē] shal none [of what state or condition soe∣uer he be] that liueth [vz. euen now, or shal liue hereafter] be iustified [i. be foūd iust, if he be loked vpon in himself, for otherwise he mindeth not to say y^t al shall be condēned, for God hath a remnaunt in election according to grace.] Ver. 3. [unspec 3] For the enemie [i. my enemy or enemies rather ••utting one, who was the chéef, as Saul or some such other for him, & al his cōplices] hath persecuted my soule [i. hath egarly pursued me, and my life to take it awaye from mee] hee hath smitten [vz. with his rage and crueltie] my life [i. me my selfe & my company that I haue with me, who are means for the preseruation of my life, which ap∣peareth plainly by the history of the first booke of Sam. and by Psalme 141.7] he [i. the enemye, as in the beginning of this verse.] hath layde mée in the darkenesse [i. hath caused me and mine to dwell in Caues and holes, and other darke places: sée 1 Samuel 24.4.] as they that haue bin deade long agoe

q.d. By the importunitie of our enemies, we are inforced to flie the light, & to liue in darke places euen as it were in the graues with them that died long si∣thence.] [unspec 4] Ver. 4. And my spirit was in perplexitie in me [i. I was greatlye and gréeuously troubled, sée Psal. 77.3. also Psal. 142.3] and my hart within me was amased [vz. by reason of the gréeuous assaultes that both outwardlye and in∣wardly [unspec 5] I did indure.] Ver. 5. Yet [q.d. notwithstanding al my heauy affliction] do I remember [vz. euen to my great ioy and comforte] the time past [i. the graces and blessinges whiche in former time thou diddest bestowe vppon my forefathers and me. He putteth time for the things done in the time, he mea∣neth that by former examples & trials he strengthened himself in the faith, a∣gainst the bitter assaults which he suffred] I meditate [vz. carefully and conti∣nually] in all thy workes [i. in all that thou hast wrought] yea I meditate [i. I doe diligentlye and déepely think vpon] in the works of thine hands [i. in those excellent workes which by thy power and prouidence thou hast performed.] [unspec 6] Verse 6. I stretch forth mine hands vnto thée [i. I doe earnestlye and hartilye pray vnto thée: he putteth the signe for the thing signified, as Psalme 141, 2. to declare that we must euen as it were lift vp our selues vnto God] my soule [i. I my selfe, but chéefely my inward man] desireth after thée [i. longeth sore after thée: sée Psalme 42, 1, 2, also Psalme 84, 2,] as the thirstye lande [vz. doth desire water, rayne, or dew. He vnderstandeth by thirstie lande, the earth which is dried and chopped for lack of water, gaping gréedily as it were to re∣ceaue the moysture or raine that shal fal from heauen: sée also Psal. 63.1.] Ver. [unspec 7] 7. Heare me [i. graunt the requests which I make vnto thée] speedily O Lorde [i. quickly and in good time, not that he prescribeth god a season, but expresseth rather his great misery: q.d. vnlesse thou quickly helpe, it is like in mās iudg∣ment that I shal be destroyed] for my spirit fayleth [i. I faint euen in the in∣ward man, and this is a reason of his prayer, taken from his own person & the misery that he was in] hide not thy face from me [i. shew not thy selfe angry a∣gainst me, as men many times do, who wil not vouchsafe to looke vpon thē with whom they are displeased] else [vz. if thou hide thy face] I shal be like vnto thē that go down into the pit [i. there wil be no difference betwéene me & those that [unspec 8] are dead.] Ver. 8. Let me heare thy louing kindnesse [i. make me to know, féele, and perceiue thy mercy] in the morning [i. in good time and spéedily] for in thée is my trust [i. I depend and hang only vpon thée] and shew me the way that I should walke in [i. direct not only the order and conuersation of my life, but e∣uen my very steppes also from daunger.] for I lift vp my soule vnto thée [i. I [unspec 9] do both trust in thée & cal vpon thée from the hart.] Ver. 9. Deliuer me O Lord from mine enemies [i. from the power and rage of them, who séeke nothing else but to destroy me] for I hid me with thée [i. I did hang vpon thy prouidēce and [unspec 10] protection only: sée Psal. 31.5.6.] Ver 10. Teach me to doe thy will [i. to do the thing which thou willest & commaundest in thy word] for thou arte my God [i. thou art he alone, whom I wil serue & worship] let thy good spirit [i. thy blessed and holy spirit, which is called good, because it is Gods effectuall instrumente,

to lead vs into all goodnesse] leade me [vz. which am so often and continuallye straying and wandering from good thinges] vnto the land of righteousnesse [i. guide me not only in this life to righteousnesse of life, but to that same eternall life, wherein righteousnesse shall dwell for euer, sée 2. Peter. 3.13.] Ver. 11. [unspec 11] Quicken me O Lord [i. cause me to passe safe and sound thorow this danger, wherein I séeme to be as it were in death] for thy names sake [i. that I & others may praise thy name, as Psal. 142.7.] and for thy righteousnesse [i. for thy righ∣teous and faythful accomplishment of thy promises] bring my soule [i. me, and my life] out of trouble [i. out of this trouble, wherein it presently is, and vnder which it wil quaile if thou assist me not.] Ver. 12. And for thy mercy sake [vz. [unspec 12] toward me thy seruaunt] slay mine enemies [i. destroy them, by what meanes, or wayes soeuer thou shalt think good] and destroy [vz. in thy iustice and iudge∣ments against the wicked] al them [vz. of what state or condition soeuer they be whether it be Saul as the chéefest, or his complices] that oppresse my soule [i. me, and would faine take away my life from me] for I am thy seruaunt [i. I am such a one, as whom thou in mercy hast vouchsaued worthy of this honour, to commit some part of thy seruice into his hands: sée 1. Timoth. 1.12, 13. so that he boasteth not here of his merits, but magnifieth y^e grace of God, from whom this goodnesse came.

Ver. 1 teacheth vs, [Do.] first in our distresses to run vnto God by earnest and harty prayers: secondly to ground our prayers, vpon the righteousnesse, truth and faythfulnes of our God. Ver. 2 teacheth vs two things: first to pray the Lord to remoue al things that might hinder the course of his mercy toward vs: second∣ly it is a strong place to ouerthrow al imagination of mans righteousnes. Ver. 3 teacheth vs that God suffereth and appointeth y^e wicked many times to pre∣uaile very far against y^e godly. Ver. 4 is a notable place to proue y^t euen gods children in their troubles, haue their affections against that blockish dotage of the sto••ks. Ver. 5 teacheth vs that the consideratiō of Gods goodnesse in former times, should minister no smal comfort vnto vs, in the time of our present hea∣uines. Ver. 6 teacheth vs to hunger and thirst after the Lord, and to bee earnest with him in our supplications vnto his maiesty. Ver. 7 teacheth vs, that y^e more our miseries grow & increase vpon vs, the more earnest and often we should be with the Lord our God in prayer. Ver. 8 teacheth vs y^t there is nothing more comfortable then plentifully and in good time to féele Gods mercy. Ver. 9 tea∣cheth vs in all distresses to commend our selues to Gods power and prouidēce, as to a most sure rock and tower of defence. Ver. 10 is a notable place againste fréewill, because we are blind til God teach vs, and we can do nothing without the assistance of his holy spirit. Ver. 11 teacheth vs, that vnlesse God set vs frée from trouble we can neuer be deliuered. Ver. 12 teacheth vs, that we may safe∣lye praye agaynste the malicious and obstinate enemies of Gods Churche and people