Psalms 22:29

All, i.e. many of them, as the word all is oft used, as Psalms 72:11 Matthew 2:5; Matthew 3:11 Luke 6:26 1 Thessalonians 3:26 2 Timothy 3:9. They that be fat upon earth, i.e. kings and princes, and the great men of the world, who are oft described by this metaphor, as Psalms 78:31 Isaiah 10:16; compare Job 15:27 Psalms 17:10, Psalms 73:7; whose conversion to Christ is also foretold in other places, as Psalms 45:12, Psalms 72:10,11 Isa 60:3,5,10 1 Timothy 2:1,2 Kings 21:24. These are opposed to the poor and miserable part of the world, of whom he speaks in the next words, as also Psalms 22:26, where see the first note. So the sense of the place is, that both poor and rich should embrace the gospel. But the Syriac interpreter renders these words otherwise, the hungry of the earth. And another, to the same purpose, those that are turned to ashes (for which I should rather say, they that lie down in ashes, which is a usual description of poor, afflicted, and humbled persons) on the ground; for the first Hebrew word, rendered fat, with the change but of one point, signifies ashes. Shall eat, and be satisfied, as it was more fully expressed, Psalms 22:26; shall feed upon the Bread of life, Christ and all his benefits. And worship: this is added to explain the word, and to show what kind of eating he spoke of not of a carnal, but of a spiritual feast. They that go down to the dust; they that languish and draw nigh to death, through poverty, or misery, or anguish of mind and conscience; for such are oft said to go down into or to sit in the dust, as Job 30:19 Psalms 44:25, Psalms 113:7 Isaiah 29:4, Isaiah 47:1. These may be opposed to the fat ones mentioned in the first clause of the verse. None can keep alive his own soul: this may seem to be a further description of the same persons, and an aggravation of their miserable condition, from this circumstance, that it was not in their power to help themselves; their soul was going down to the dust, as he said in the last foregoing clause, and now he adds that none of them could stop it, or keep himself alive; so that their case was wholly desperate as to themselves; and this drove them out of themselves to seek relief from God, and to receive Jesus Christ and the gospel of salvation gladly. Heb. and he who (the pronoun relative being here understood, as it is in very many places) doth not or cannot quicken or enliven his own soul, i.e. himself, as the soul is oft taken; and quickening may be put either for nourishing, as Isaiah 7:21, or for comforting, as here, Psalms 22:26, or preserving life, whether temporal or spiritual and eternal, as Genesis 19:19 Ezekiel 13:19, Ezekiel 18:27. But these words are and may be rendered otherwise, and that very agreeably to the Hebrew text, and the scope of the place. Having said that all nations should bow before him, i.e. before Christ and unto Christ, whom they should own as their Lord and Saviour, he now adds these words, either,

1. As a reason why they did receive him, or believe in him, because (for so the particle vau is frequently rendered, as 1 Kings 1:21, 1 Kings 18:3,4 Psa 60:12 Isaiah 16:2, Isaiah 64:5, and oft elsewhere) he did not keep alive his own soul, as he could easily have done, by his Divine power, in spite of all that his enemies could do, but freely gave himself to death for them. Because he laid down his life for sinners, which the Father had commanded him, and he had promised to do, therefore God loved him, 1 Thessalonians 10:17,18, and glorified him, and performed his promise made to him upon that condition, that if he did make his soul an offering for sin, he should see his seed, &c., Isaiah 53:10. Or,

2. As an amplification or commendation of the faith of the Gentiles in coming and bowing to Christ, although (for so also the Hebrew vau is often used, as Psalms 99:8 Proverbs 26:24 Ecclesiastes 9:16) he did not keep alive his own soul, but laid down his own life, and suffered himself to be killed by wicked men; which was one principal reason why the Jews would not believe on him, as is noted, Matthew 27:40,42,43, and therefore was a just commendation to the Gentiles, that, notwithstanding this great stumbling-block, believed on him. But this I propose with submission. Only it may be observed that this last clause of the verse in the Hebrew is in the singular number, and therefore more likely to belong to him, immediately going before it, which is of the same number, than to the other preceding clauses, which are all expressed in the plural number. And though I know enallage of numbers be very usual, yet they are not to be supposed without necessity.