PSALM 144 THE ARGUMENT The matter of this Psalm is partly gratulatory for mercies received, and partly petitionary for further blessings. It seems to have been composed after Saul's death, and in the beginning of David's reign, when he was exposed to many perils, both from his own rebellions subject... [ Continue Reading ]
MY GOODNESS; or, _my mercy_; or, the God _of my mercy_, as God is called, PSALMS 59:10,17; the name of God being easily understood from the foregoing verse. Or, he who is exceeding good or merciful to me, as good as goodness itself; the abstract being put for the concrete, as it is frequently in spe... [ Continue Reading ]
LORD, WHAT IS MAN he aggravates God's goodness to him, expressed PSALMS 144:2, by the consideration of his own meanness. Though I am king over my people, yet, alas, I am but a man. a base, sinful, mortal, and miserable creature; if compared with thee, less than nothing and vanity. TAKEST KNOWLEDGE O... [ Continue Reading ]
MAN IS LIKE, in his nature and continuance in the world, TO VANITY, or _to a vapour or a breath_, as ISAIAH 57:13, which is gone in an instant. THAT PASSETH AWAY; or, that declineth, as PSALMS 102:11, PSALMS 109:23; that groweth less and less, till it be quite out of sight, and lost.... [ Continue Reading ]
COME DOWN, to help me, before it be too late, remembering what a frail and perishing creature I am. AND THEY SHALL SMOKE; or, that they may smoke; or, and let them smoke, as Sinai did at thy glorious appearance, EXODUS 19:18. This is a figurative and poetical description of God's coming to take veng... [ Continue Reading ]
Thy thunderbolts, which oft accompany the lightnings and thunder.... [ Continue Reading ]
Either of the heathen nations, which envy and hate me; or of the rebellious Israelites, who, though they profess themselves to be the Lord's people, yet in truth and for their carriage to me are like the barbarous heathens.... [ Continue Reading ]
VANITY; either, 1. Vain brags and threatenings, which shall come to nothing; or, 2. Vain and deceitful promises, or professions, or friendship. Their right hand; here mentioned either, 1. As it is used in swearing, to note their perjury; or rather, 2. As an instrument of action. Is a right hand... [ Continue Reading ]
When thou hast granted this request of mine, PSALMS 144:7,8, which I know assuredly thou wilt do.... [ Continue Reading ]
KINGS are not preserved by their own power or prudence, but by God's special providence, which for the public good of the world watcheth over them.... [ Continue Reading ]
And upon these accounts grant me the mercy which I desired before, and now again do repeat.... [ Continue Reading ]
This mercy I beg, not only for my own sake, but for the sake of thy people, that thine and our enemies being subdued, and peace established in the land, thy people may enjoy those blessings which thou hast promised to them; and particularly, THAT OUR SONS, which are the strength, and safety, and hop... [ Continue Reading ]
So as they may fill our streets, being brought in thither for food to the towns and cities. Or, _in our folds or stables_, as the Chaldee and others render it; or, as the LXX. and others, _in their_ (or rather, _in our_, as it is in the Hebrew) _outlets or outgoings_, i.e. in the fields, where they... [ Continue Reading ]
TO LABOUR, Heb. _laden_, either with flesh and fat, as many understand it; or, as others, with young: but then the foregoing word is not to be rendered OXEN, but _cows_, as the same word and in the same masculine gender is used DEUTERONOMY 7:13. And so this agrees best with the former prayer for the... [ Continue Reading ]
This is a correction of the last sentence. This is a very desirable estate; but the true and chief happiness of our Israel doth not consist in these things, which are common to others with us, but in this peculiar privilege, that the true and blessed God is our God by covenant and special relation.... [ Continue Reading ]