_A.M. 3416. B.C. 588._
This Psalm was doubtless composed upon the mournful occasion of the
destruction of Judea and Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. It might be
written by the latter Asaph, or, as some think, by Jeremiah, who lived
at that time, and in whose book more than one whole verse of this
Psalm... [ Continue Reading ]
_O God, the heathen are come_ As invaders and conquerors; _into thine
inheritance_ Into Canaan and Judea, which thou didst choose for thine
inheritance. _Thy holy temple have they defiled_ By entering into it,
and touching and carrying away its holy vessels, and shedding blood in
it, and burning of... [ Continue Reading ]
_The dead bodies of thy servants_ Either, 1st, Of thy faithful and
holy servants, whom they used as cruelly as the worst of the people.
Or, 2d, Of the Jews in general, whom, though most of them were wicked,
he calls God's servants and saints, because they were such by
profession; and some of them we... [ Continue Reading ]
_We are become a reproach_, &c. We, who were the terror of our
neighbours, and whom they stood in awe of, and were afraid to offend,
are now neither feared nor pitied, but are become the objects of their
scoffs and reproaches. For they study to abuse us and load us with
contempt, upbraiding us with... [ Continue Reading ]
_Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen_ Though we confess that we have
deserved thy wrath, yet the heathen, by whom thou hast scourged us,
have deserved it much more, as being guilty of far greater impieties
than we, living in gross ignorance and contempt of thee and thy
worship. And, therefore, we pr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Remember not against us former iniquities_ The sins committed by our
forefathers, and by us who have filled up the measure of their sins,
for which we confess thou hast most righteously brought this
desolating judgment upon us. _Let thy tender mercies_ Upon which all
our confidence is fixed; for me... [ Continue Reading ]
_Help us, O God of our salvation_ From whom we have often received,
and from whom alone we now expect salvation, that is, deliverance, or
protection; _for the glory of thy name_ Which is now obscured by the
insolence and blasphemy of thine enemies, who ascribe their conquest
to their idols, and triu... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let the sighing of the prisoner_ Of thy poor people now in prison,
or, at least, in captivity; _come before thee_ Be taken cognizance of
by thee, and be as prevalent with thee as these prayers; _according to
the greatness of thy power_ Hebrew, זרועךְ, _zerognacha_, _of
thine arm;_ with which no cre... [ Continue Reading ]
_So we thy people will give thanks for ever_ “Such is the resolution
of a church under persecution; and such ought to be the practice of
every church when delivered out of it, and restored to the favour and
protection of her God. The same is the duty of every soul with regard
to afflictions and merc... [ Continue Reading ]