_O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself._ Ver. 1. _O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth_] Heb. Jehovah, God of revenges; so Jeremiah 51:56, "The Lord God of recompences." "Vengeance is mine," saith he, "I will repay," Deuteronomy 32:35. And it i... [ Continue Reading ]
Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud. Ver. 2. _Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth_] Judges, as they ascend the tribunal, so when to pass sentence they usually stand up. See Isaiah 33:10. And hereunto the psalmist alludeth.... [ Continue Reading ]
LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? Ver. 3. _Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long?_] _Bis, quia de die in diem gloriantur,_ saith Aben Ezra. Twice he saith it, because the wicked boast day after day, with such insolence and outrage, as if they were above control... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 94:4 [How long] shall they utter [and] speak hard things? [and] all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? Ver. 4. _How long shall they utter_] Heb. They will bluster (or well-out, as a fountain), they will speak hard things (speak millstones, throw daggers), they will boast themselves (t... [ Continue Reading ]
They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage. Ver. 5. _They break in pieces thy people_] They make potsherds of them. And this is the best use they make of thy patience; break it off, therefore.... [ Continue Reading ]
They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Ver. 6. _They slay the widow and the stranger_] Those sacred persons, thy proper clients; to such a height of hard heartedness are they grown, that they pity not them whom nature and courtesy would show compassion to. _ Nulla fides,... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard [it]. Ver. 7. _Yet they say, The Lord shall not see_] To all other their enormities they added this, that they denied a Divine providence, and professed profaneness. _Irridendum vero, curam agere rerum humanarum illud quicq... [ Continue Reading ]
Understand, ye brutish among the people: and [ye] fools, when will ye be wise? Ver. 8. _Understand, ye brutish_] Ye that are ringleaders to the rest, but no wiser than the reasonless creatures; yea, therefore worse, because ye ought to be better. Polybius complaineth of man's folly, above that of o... [ Continue Reading ]
_He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?_ Ver. 9. _He that planted the ear, shall he not hear?_] Shall the author of these senses be senseless? Our God is not as that Jupiter of Crete, who was pictured without ears, and could not be at leisure to attend... [ Continue Reading ]
He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, [shall not he know]? Ver. 10. _He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct?_] _Qui totis gentibus non parcit, vos non redarguet?_ He that punisheth profane nations that know him not, shall he spare you? A... [ Continue Reading ]
The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they [are] vanity. Ver. 11. _The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity_] Or worse; that they are ever weaving spiders' webs, or else hatching cockatrices' eggs, Isaiah 59:5. This sentence St Paul allegeth against the world's wizards, 1 Cor... [ Continue Reading ]
Blessed [is] the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law; Ver. 12. _Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, &c._] And thereby effectest that his vain thoughts lodge not within him, Jeremiah 4:14; but that the wicked forsake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts,... [ Continue Reading ]
That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked. Ver. 13. _That thou mayest give him rest_] Here usually, but hereafter certainly. _Mors aerumnarum requies_ was Cbaucer's motto; Those that die in the Lord shall rest from their labours. Meanwhile the... [ Continue Reading ]
For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance. Ver. 14. _For the Lord will not cast off his people_] Though he cast them into the furnace of affliction. The wicked he bringeth into misery, and there leaveth them to come off as they can, Ezekiel 22:20; Ezekiel 29... [ Continue Reading ]
But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it. Ver. 15. _But judgment shall return unto righteousness_] All shall be set to rights, and every one have his due, according to Romans 2:6,10, if not sooner, yet at the day of judgment without fail. Some give... [ Continue Reading ]
Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? [or] who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity? Ver. 16. _Who will rise up for me_] _q.d._ But a very few fast friends find I at court, Jonathan excepted. Some there are that will sprinkle me with court holy water, as they say, give glos... [ Continue Reading ]
Unless the LORD [had been] my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. Ver. 17. _Unless the Lord had been my help_] He loveth to help at a pinch; he usually reserveth his hand for a dead lift. See 2 Timothy 4:16,17 . _ My soul had almost dwelt in silence_] _i.e._ In the dark cloisters of death.... [ Continue Reading ]
When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up. Ver. 18. _When I said, My foot slippeth_] I stand on a precipice, and shall be down, _Hypotyposis est._ Thy mercy, O Lord, held me] I have subsisted merely by a miracle of thy mercy, by a prop of thine extraordinary pity and patience.... [ Continue Reading ]
In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. Ver. 19. _In the multitude of my thoughts within me_] My perplexed, intricated, ensnarled, intertwined (as the branches of a tree) cogitations and ploddings upon my daily sufferings; when I know not what to think, or which way... [ Continue Reading ]
Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law? Ver. 20. _Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee_] Shall tyrants and oppressors (who do exercise regiment without righteousness) entitle thee to their wicked proceedings, and go unpunished? See... [ Continue Reading ]
They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood. Ver. 21. _They gather together_] Heb. run by troops, as thieves do. _ Against the soul_] Which they would gladly destroy if it lay in their power. This the Popish persecutors oft attempted, but God h... [ Continue Reading ]
But the LORD is my defence; and my God [is] the rock of my refuge. Ver. 22. _But the Lord is my defence_] Heb. my high place, where I am set out of their reach.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; [yea], the LORD our God shall cut them off. Ver. 23. _And he shall bring upon them, &c._] See Psalms 7:15,16 .... [ Continue Reading ]