Psalms 102:1 «A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD. » Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee. _A Prayer of the afflicted_] Or, for the afflicted, made by Daniel, or some other prophet, not long before the return out of Babyl... [ Continue Reading ]
Hide not thy face from me in the day [when] I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day [when] I call answer me speedily. Ver. 2. _Hide not thy face from me_] For this would be worse than all the rest. See Jeremiah 16:13, "I will cast you out of this land, and I will show you no favour.... [ Continue Reading ]
For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth. Ver. 3. _For my days are consumed like smoke_] Which the higher it mounteth the sooner it vanisheth. Some read it, in the smoke. So Psalms 119:83, "I am become like a bottle in the smoke," dried and withered, _exsuccus et ex... [ Continue Reading ]
My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread. Ver. 4. _My heart is smitten_] Blasted with thine indignation, that _ventus urens et exsiccans._ So that I forget to eat my bread] I am stomachless, through want of that heat that my heart should supply.... [ Continue Reading ]
By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin. Ver. 5. _By reason of the voice of my groaning_] A broken spirit drieth the bones, Proverbs 17:22, and, by drinking up the marrow and radical moisture, casteth all into a consumption.... [ Continue Reading ]
I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert. Ver. 6. _I am like a pelican_] Or bittern, which liveth in lonely places, and crieth out dolefully, Isa 34:11 Zephaniah 2:14 . _ I am like an owl in the desert_] _Avis lucifuga,_ a night bird, a night raven, the Vulgate hath it... [ Continue Reading ]
I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top. Ver. 7. _I watch_] I can as little sleep as eat, Psalms 102:4. That nurse of nature, and sweet parenthesis of men's griefs and cares, sleep, departeth from me, _ Nec membris dat cura soporem._ _ And am as a sparrow_] That hath lost his mate,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Mine enemies reproach me all the day; [and] they that are mad against me are sworn against me._ Ver. 8. _Mine enemies reproach me all the day_] This is an evil that man's nature is most impatient with. See Psal. cxxxvii. _ And they that are mad against me_] That let fly at me, or that once praise... [ Continue Reading ]
For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping, Ver. 9. _For I have eaten ashes like bread_] Being cast on the ground as a mourner, I know not whether I eat bread or dust; this relisheth to me as well as that, my mouth is so out of taste. _ And mingled my drink with weeping_]... [ Continue Reading ]
Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down. Ver. 10. _Because of thine indignation_] This lay heavier upon the good man's heart than all the rest, God was displeased. _ For thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down_] That is, that I might fall with the... [ Continue Reading ]
My days [are] like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass. Ver. 11. _My days are like a shadow that declineth_] As at sunset the shadows are at longest, but not longlasting. _ And I am withered like grass_] Mown down, and laid a drying.... [ Continue Reading ]
But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations. Ver. 12. _But thou, O Lord, shalt endure for ever_] And therefore we, thy covenanters, shall be restored, Lamentations 5:19 . _ And thy remembrance_] Which thou hast of us, and we of thee.... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou shalt arise, [and] have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. Ver. 13. _Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion_] This he speaketh with as much confidence as if he had been in God's bosom; for he knew the promise of deliverance after 70 years' captivity. Se... [ Continue Reading ]
For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof. Ver. 14. _For thy servants take pleasure in her stones_] They pity her, and wish her welfare; much more then dost thou. He argueth from that sweet, tender, melting frame of spirit that was found in the faithful, which is but... [ Continue Reading ]
So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory. Ver. 15. _So the heathen shall fear, &c._] By the restoration of Jerusalem, where the Messiah was to be born and manifested, the everlasting gospel shall be preached, and the Gentiles converted to the faith.... [ Continue Reading ]
When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory. Ver. 16. _When the Lord shall build up Zion_] Isaiah had foretold that the second temple should be more glorious than the first, Isaiah 54:11; Isaiah 60:17, the stones whereof were types of those living stones whereof that spiritual t... [ Continue Reading ]
He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer. Ver. 17. _He will regard the prayer of the destitute_] Heb. of the poor shrub that is in the wilderness, trod upon by beasts, unregarded, worthless; heath, juniper, wild tamarisk, _Humilesque myricae_ (Virg.). Tremellius rend... [ Continue Reading ]
This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD. Ver. 18. _This shall be written for the generation to come_] This, that the poor shrub hath sped so well in prayer, together with all other the particulars of this psalm, and indeed the wh... [ Continue Reading ]
For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth; Ver. 19. _For he hath looked down from the height, &c._] This is no small condescension, since he abaseth himself to look upon things in heaven, Psalms 113:6 . _ From heaven did the Lord behold the... [ Continue Reading ]
To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death; Ver. 20. _To hear the groaning of the prisoner_] Those prisoners of hope held so long captive in Babylon, the cruelty whereof is graphically described, Jeremiah 51:34 .... [ Continue Reading ]
To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem; Ver. 21. _To declare the name of the Lord in Zion_] This shall be the business of the converted Gentiles, to make up one catholic Church with the Christian Jews, and to bear a part in setting forth God's worthy praises. See Psalm... [ Continue Reading ]
When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD. Ver. 22. _When the people are gathered together_] _sc._ To the Lord Christ; for to "Shiloh shall be the gathering of the people," Genesis 49:10 . _ And the kingdoms to serve the Lord_] As they did under Constantine the Gre... [ Continue Reading ]
He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days. Ver. 23. _He weakened my strength in the way_] This is the complaint of the poor captives yet undelivered, _In via, hoc est in vita, quia hic sumus viatores, in coelo comprehensores,_ here we are but on our way to heaven, and we meet with ma... [ Continue Reading ]
_I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years [are] throughout all generations._ Ver. 24. _Take me not away in the midst of my days_] Heb. Make me not to ascend, _Serus in coelum redeam._ Fain I would live to see those golden days of redemption. Abraham desired to see the d... [ Continue Reading ]
Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens [are] the work of thy hands. Ver. 25. _Of old thou hast laid the foundation, &c._] Here is a clear proof of Christ's eternity, Hebrews 1:10, because he was before the creation of the world, and shall continue after the consummation... [ Continue Reading ]
They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: Ver. 26. _They shall perish_] _i.e._ They shall change form and state, being dissolved by the last fire, 2 Peter 3:7; 2 Peter 3:10 . _ But thou s... [ Continue Reading ]
But thou [art] the same, and thy years shall have no end. Ver. 27. _But thou art the same_] _Tu es tu_ (Arabic). Therefore immutable, because eternal, _ut nihil tibi possit accedere vel decidere,_... [ Continue Reading ]
_The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee._ Ver. 28. _The children of thy servants shall continue_] By virtue of the covenant, and that union with thee which is the ground of communion. If it could be said of Caesar, that he held nothing to be his... [ Continue Reading ]