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 60

THis short Psalme may be diuided, as I suppose, [Di.] rightlye into thrée parts. In the first the Prophet sheweth the great afflic∣tion [unspec 1] that he had a long time indured, and the great blessings that God afterwards poured forth vppon him: from ver. 1. to the end of the 5. In the seconde hee doth by the spirite of [unspec 2] Prophecie, foretell the inlargement of his kingdome, not onely in the land of Iudea, but among the nations about him from verse 6. vn∣to the end of the 8. In the third he prayeth the Lord to strengthen him agaynst [unspec 3] his enemies, and assureth himselfe of his ayde, from verse 9. to the ende of the Psalme.

The title, [Se.] to him that excelleth [this is expounded before] vpon Shushan E∣duth. I take it to be the name either of some instrument, which shoulde bée vsed in the singing of this Psalme: or else the beginning of some song, according

to the tune whereof Dauid would haue this Psalme sung] or Michtam [q.d. It may be sung eyther vpon the one instrument or tune: or vpon the other in∣strument or tune: of michtam we haue spoken before, and namelye Psalme 16. in the Title] a Psalme of Dauid [i. which Dauid made] to teache [vz. not only himselfe and those of his time, but others that should come after him, what great care God hath ouer his, though he afflict them for a little while] when he fought agaynst Aram Naharaim [this expresseth the time of the making of this Psalme: The history whereof you may sée at large 2. Samuel 8. thorowe out, and namely verse 12.13. For Aram Naharaim what Countrie it was, and why it was so called, sée Gen. 24.10. and the note in that place] and agaynst A∣ram Zobah [he maketh only mention of terrible people and such as are farre of, leauing to speake of the nations round about him, because the discomfiture of those was as it were incredible: and yet God gaue him the victory both against the Aramites of Mesopotamia, and againste the other Aramites that inhabited Zobah] When Ioab returned, to wit, from the slaughter of the Syrians, as 2. Samuel 8.13. where it is sayd, that Dauid slew eyghtéene thousand: which wée must vnderstand thus because he was the chéefe of that armye, and therefore that is ascribed to him, which was performed by the people that was subiect to him: and in 1. Chronicles 18.12. It is sayd that Abishai Ioabs brother flew thē: which must be vnderstoode, because he was the first instrument that ouerthrew the Syrians, killing sixe thousand of them, which victorye his brother and the armie that was with him pursued, and flew twelue thousand more of them, of which mention is made in this place: read diligently for the better vnderstan∣ding hereof, the places before alleaged, vz. 2. Samuel 8. throughout, and 1. [unspec 1] Chron. 18. thorow out.] Verse 1. No doubt he bewayleth the miserable disper∣sion and long afflictions, that the people of Israel aboad in the time of the Iud∣ges and Saule, of which you may reade in the booke of Iudges, and the firste of Samuel] thou hast cast vs out [vz. eyther of thy fauour, or else of the lande and dwelling places that thou hast giuen vs: of whiche the story of Ruth yieldeth an example] thou hast scattered vs [vz. amongest other peoples round about vs: see more of this phrase Psalme 59.11.] thou hast bin angry [vz. agaynst vs, euident signes of which thy wrath, haue bin our outcastinges and dispersions] turne agayne vnto vs [q.d. behold our misery and affliction, and once agayne looke vpon vs in mercy and louing fauour, as thou hast don sundry times here∣tofore: take not thy flight from vs, neyther depart away from vs in sury, but in mercy returne to vs, and abide with vs for euer.] Verse 2. Thou hast made [unspec 2] the lande to tremble [i. thou hast striken a wonderfull feare into the hartes and heads of thy people, by reason of forraine warres and heauie troubles: or else thus: Thou hast brought great disorders amongst the people, euen as confusi∣on commonly and ouerthrowing of houses followeth earthquakes: but I al∣low rather of the former sence: whatsoeuer it be he doth by a metonymia, put the land for the people inhabiting the same] and thou hast made it to gape [vz. not only as it were with an earthquake, but also as it were with a most dry and

parching summer: meaning thereby seditions and ciuil discordes, when the people were diuided among themselues, some following Dauid and some the house of Saule, as appeareth 2. Samuel from Chap. 1. to the fourth] heale the breaches therof [i. remedy the disorders therin and cure y^e diseases like a good Phisition, as in déed one to whom alone it belōgeth] for it is shaken [vz. great∣ly and gréeuously: with the calamities that it hath alreadye endured, and is like to indure, vnlesse thou redresse it: q. d. It is so laden with affliction and misery, that it can not long indure, euen as if a man had a burthen on his back that were too heauie for him to beare.] Verse 3. Thou hast shewed thy people [unspec 3] heauy things [i. thou hast made that people whom thou diddest dearely loue, to féele and sée things that might minister, and haue ministred great sorrowe, and heauinesse to them] thou hast made vs to drinke the wine of giddinesse [he spea∣keth of some venemous and infected drink, which taketh from men their sence and vnderstanding, and as a man would say, bewitcheth people and maketh them drunke: q.d. Thou hast made vs dull and blockish in our euils, euen as drunkards are, or people that are inchaunted. Not that God was eyther the author of euil or did thē any iniury, but that he had iust cause thus to plague thē and giue them ouer for their sinnes.] Verse 4. But now thou hast giuen a ban∣ner [unspec 4] [i. a playne signe of thy fauour, and of good hope to vs ward, giuing vs by the chaunge that is fallen out, matter and occasion of courage and reioysing, in hope that the dispersed shall be gathered together, and thinges broughte into good order, he meaneth that God by the light of his promises, and by his ayde: and namely by the new victory he had giuen them, whereof mention is made in this Psalme, would take into his guiding againe the people whome he had séemed before to forsake, and go before them now as it were, with a banner dis∣playde, sée Psalme 20.5.] because of thy truth, because of thy most true and as∣sured promises, that thou hast made to them in that behalfe.] Verse 5. That thy beloued [i. those whome thou cariest a singuler fauour to] may be deliuered [unspec 5] [i. set from daunger and distresse] helpe with thy right hand [i. with thy wōder∣full might and power, as sundry times before] and heare me [i. graunte my re∣quest and prayer.] Verse 6. God hath spoken [vz. by his seruaunt and Prophet [unspec 6] Samuel] in his holinesse [some reade it by his holinesse: if we reade in his holinesse, then he meaneth thereby Gods sanctuary and Arke, whiche is called his holinesse, because he that is holinesse it selfe, did dwell and appeare there. If we reade by his holinesse, it is as much as if he should saye, hee hath called his holinesse to witnesse, and pawned it, as a man would saye, for the certainty and assuraunce of that which was promised him] I will reioice [i. comforte my selfe in this, as good cause I haue indéede so to doe.] I shall deuide Shechem, and measure the valley of Succoth. Shechem was the name of a place on this side the Riuer Iordan as the valley of Succoth was on the other side this riuer. He nameth some parts of the land, putting them for the whole kingdome, in the full possession thereof though he were not, by reason of the diuision betwéen him and Saules house, yet he assured himselfe vpon the promise of God that hee

should inioy the same in good tyme: and by deuiding and measuring, he mea∣neth nothing but that they should come vnder his subiection, as the other parte of that land was, alluding to the manner of diuiding and measuring out lands by cordes, the owners thereof being the principall dealers most commonlye in that matter, and it is as much as he should say: I will not looke to haue my share measured out by others, but I will diuide it, and measure my selfe, and [unspec 7] will be the right owner and possesser thereof.] Verse 7. Giliad shall be mine, and Manasseth shall be mine [these are other partes of the kingdome whiche Da∣uid assureth himselfe shall come into his possession] Ephraim also [i. that whole tribe and people] shal be the strength of mine head [i. the stay and power of my kingdome, because that this tribe was very mightye and well peopled: in so muche that the very name of it in the Prophets, is put for the whole kingdome of Israell] Iudah is my lawgiuer [i. that Tribe obtayneth the righte of go∣uernment and kingly authority amongest the people of GOD. Sée for the better vnderstanding of these two last spéeches, Deutronom. 33.17. Gene∣sis [unspec 8] 49.10.] Verse 8. Moah [i. the Moabites: and nowe he speaketh of for∣rayne people] shalbe my Washpot [i. so base and contemptible in my sighte, that I will fréelye breake them as a potshearde, and if I shall reserue anye of them, I will put them to filthye seruices, as 2. Samuell 8.2.] ouer E∣dom [i. the Edomites] will I cast out my shoe [i. I will boldlye treade them downe, as altogether in subiection to me, for I will bring them altogether vnder mine obedience, and that with as much ease in a manner, as casting my Shoe ouer them] Palestina [i. O ye Philistines] shewe thy selfe ioyfull for me [q.d. at the least make outwarde shewe, though thou haue nothing in∣warde, [unspec 9] that yée are gladde, that I shall raigne ouer you.] Verse 9. Who will leade mee [i. me and mine that are with me q.d. none canne doe this, but God alone] into the strong Citie [vz. of myne aduersaries: and here he put∣teth [unspec 10] one for many.] Verse 10. Whiche haddest cast vs of [vz. for a tyme] and diddest not goe forth [vz. to Warre, ayding and strengthening the hands [unspec 11] and hartes of ours in the daye of Battaile,] Verse 11. Vayne is the helpe of [unspec 12] man [vz as it commeth from man.] Verse 12. Through GOD [i. through the assuraunce we haue of his succour and ayde, and by the strength that hee shall giue vs] we shall doe valiauntly [vz. agaynst his and our enimies] for he [vz. eyther by himselfe extraordinarilye, or by our ministerie, as by a meane: but whatsoeuer it is he ascribeth all to God] shall tread downe our enimies [vz. vnder his féete, and vnder our féete, so that they shall not bee able to rise vp a∣gayne.

[Do.] Verse 1.2.3. Teach that God doth sundry times, and in sundry sorts afflicte his people, and that very sore. Verse 4 teacheth that yet he doth neuer vtterlye take away his louing kindnesse and mercy from them, but that at the length he giueth them assured testimonies and signes of his fauour. Verse 5. Teacheth that Gods power is all in all for the sauegarde and deliueraunce of his Ser∣uaunts. Verse 6.7. Teacheth Princes that it is GOD alone that tyeth the

hartes of their owne people in holy affection fast vnto them. Verse 8. sheweth that it is God onely that must subdue all enemyes, both forrayne and at home. Verse 9. Teacheth that strong cities and peoples are nothing, when God will haue them subdued and sacked. Verse 10. deliuereth the same doctrines that Verse 1.2.3. and 4. of this Psalme. Verse 11. Teacheth two thinges, firste ear∣nestly to pray to God in all our troubles, and secondly neuer to make accounte of man otherwise then of man, that is as of a vayne thing without God. Verse 12. Teacheth that God is our only strength, and that whatsoeuer victorye wee get, we must ascribe it to him alone.