_He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty._ Ver. 1. _He that dwelleth in the secret place, &c._] The safety of a saint is in this whole psalm (_Quo nihil neque solidius neque splendidius dici potest_) set forth to the life, _Verbis vivis, an... [ Continue Reading ]
I will say of the LORD, [He is] my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Ver. 2. _I will say of the Lord_] I dare say it is so as I have said, said the psalmist (whom the Jews make to be Moses), and I will presently make proof of it in myself; _Non verbis solum praedicans, sed exempl... [ Continue Reading ]
Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, [and] from the noisome pestilence. Ver. 3. _Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler_] _i.e._ Of the devil and his emissaries, 2 Timothy 2:26, who, by force and fraud, seek to ensnare the saints. _Gratiae privativae multo p... [ Continue Reading ]
_He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth [shall be thy] shield and buckler._ Ver. 4. _He shall cover thee with his feathers_] As the hen doth her chickens; _Fides est quae te pullastrum, Christum gallinam facit, ut sub pennis eius speres; nam salus in... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; [nor] for the arrow [that] flieth by day; Ver. 5. _Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night_] Thou shalt be freed, if not from the common destruction, yet from the common distraction. _ Impavidum ferient ruinae._ _ Nor for the arrow that f... [ Continue Reading ]
__ Psalms 91:6 _[Nor] for the pestilence [that] walketh in darkness; [nor] for the destruction [that] wasteth at noonday._ Ver. 6. _Nor for the pestilence_] Called before terror, and arrow, as some conceive, Hippocrates calleth it το θειον, the divine disease, because sent more immediately from Go... [ Continue Reading ]
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; [but] it shall not come nigh thee. Ver. 7. _A thousand shall fall, &c._] This deadly disease lays heaps upon heaps (as we have had lamentable experience), and scarce leaveth living enough to bury the dead, as in the days of Deci... [ Continue Reading ]
Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Ver. 8. _Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold_] And say, Oh the severity of divine justice! Oh the venomous and mischievous nature and effects of men's sin! Behold the goodness and severity of God; on them which fell severit... [ Continue Reading ]
Because thou hast made the LORD, [which is] my refuge, [even] the most High, thy habitation; Ver. 9. _Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, &c._] Because thou hast done as I do, thou shalt speed as I have sped; for God is rich in mercy to all his. _ Even the Most High thy habitation... [ Continue Reading ]
There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. Ver. 10. _There shall no evil befall the_] No devoratory evil, as Tertullian expresseth it; nothing that tendeth _ad exitium,_ but only _ad exercitium,_ and such as shall end in thy good. _ Neither shall any plague_]... [ Continue Reading ]
_For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways._ Ver. 11. _For he shall give his angels charge over thee_] This guard of angels, many angels, yea, all, if need be, to secure every poor believer, how meanly soever he thinks of himself, or is esteemed by others, is no sm... [ Continue Reading ]
They shall bear thee up in [their] hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Ver. 12. _They shall bear thee up in their hands_] _See Trapp on "_ Mat 4:6 _"_ Be sensible of the many good offices done us by the blessed angels, not once looking for our thanks.... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Ver. 13. _Thou shalt tread upon the lion, &c._] No creature shall harm thee, so as to hinder thine eternal happiness. See Isa 11:6-8 Hos 2:18 Job 5:23 Mark 16:18. This text was shamefully abused b... [ Continue Reading ]
_Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name._ Ver. 14. _Because he hath set his love upon me, &c._] Because he cleaveth unto me, and acquiesceth in me. _Ardet me, amplexus est me._ Thus God is brought in speaking toward... [ Continue Reading ]
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I [will be] with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. Ver. 15. _He shall call upon me_] This is an indispensable duty, and will be cheerfully performed by those who know and love the Lord. _ I will deliver him, &c._] As he did David, Jos... [ Continue Reading ]
With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. Ver. 16. _With long life, &c._] He shall have enough of this life present even to a satiety, and heaven in the end. The Hebrews call this psalm _Canticum de accidentibus._ When Beza came first to the Reformed Church he found them singing... [ Continue Reading ]