2 Samuel 23:1

Now these [be] the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man [who was] raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,

Ver. 1. Now these be the last words of David.] The last he set down as a penman of holy writ, and as divinely inspired. This was his swanlike song; Davidis novissima; wherein he doth, in few words but full of matter, acknowledge God's benefits, confess his sins, profess his faith, comfort himself in the covenant, and denounce destruction to unbelievers. So that we may well say of this piece of Scripture, as Cicero did of Brutus's laconical epistle, Quam multa quam paucis! How much in a little! Some think that they were his very last solemn words that he uttered, a though here set down.

David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high.] Though raised up to regal majesty, yet as not ashamed of his mean parentage and the obscurity of his family; saying in effect as Iphierates afterwards did, εξ οιων εις οια, from what a low estate am I advanced to this height of honour!

The sweet psalmist of Israel.] Sweet indeed: for in his psalms are amulets of comfort, as one b well saith, more pleasant than the pools of Heshbon, more glorious than the tower of Lebanon, more redolent than the oil of Aaron, more fructifying than the dew of Hermon. One touch of the son of Jesse, one murmur of this heavenly turtle dove, one michtam of David's jewel, is far above the buskined raptures, garish phantasms, splendid vanities, pageants and landscapes of profaner wits.

a Quum iamiam esset moriturus. - Jun.

b The divine cosmographer.