Psalms 144

The matter of this Psalm is partly gratulatory for mercies received, and partly petitionary for further blessings. It seems to have been composed after Sauls death, and in the beginning of Davids reign, when he was exposed to many perils both from his own rebellious Subjects, and from the Philistins and other foreign enemies, yet so that he had a good prospect and assurance of a more complete and established felicity.

BLessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight Who hast given me that skill in military conduct, and that dexterity in the management of my weapons, which was wholly unsuitable to and much above my education and former course of life..

My goodness Or, my mercy: or, the God of my mercy, as God is called Psal. 59. 10, 17. the Name of God being ea... ily understood from the foregoing verse. Or, he who is exceeding good or merciful to me, as good as goodness it sel...: the abstract being put for the concrete, as it is frequently in speeches of God, who is called wisdom, Truth, Goodness, &c. and sometimes of men, as Psal. 12. 2. Prov. 10. 29. where faithfulness and uprightness are put for faithful and upright men. and my fortress, my high tower and my deliverer, my shield, and he i... whom I trust: who subdueth my people under me Who hast disposed my peoples hearts to receive and obey me as their King..

LORD, what is man He aggravates Gods goodness to him expressed v. 2. by the consideration of his own meanness. Though I am King over my people, yet al... s I am but a man, a base, sinful, mortal and miserable creature, if compared with thee, less than nothing and vanity., that thou takest knowledge of him i. e. Hast any care and kindness for him, as words of knowledge commonly imply in Scripture.! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him The same thing repeated in other words.?

Man is like In his nature and continuance in the world. to vanity Or, to a vapor or a breath, as Isa. 57. 13. which is gone in an instant.: his days are as a shadow that passeth away Or, that declineth, as Psal. 102. 11. & 109. 23. that groweth less and less till it be quite out of... ight and lost..

Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down To help me, before it be too late, remembring what a srail and perishing creature I am.: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke Or, that they may smoke: or, and let them smoke, as Sinai did at thy glorious appearance, Exod. 19. 18. This is a figurative and Poetical description of Gods coming to take vengeance upon his enemies, which is continued in the next verse..

Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows Thy thunderbolts which oft accompany the lightnings and thunder., and destroy them.

Send thine hand from above, rid me, and deliver me out of great waters: from the hand of strange children Either of the Heathen nations which envy and hate me: or of the rebellious Israelites, who, though they profess themselves to be the Lords people, yet in truth and for their carriage to me are like the barbarous Heathens..

Whose mouth speaketh vanity Either, 1. vain brags and threatnings which shall come to nothing: or, 2. vain and deceitful promises or professions of friendship.: and their right hand Here mentioned either, 1. as it is used in swearing, to note their perjury: or rather, 2. as an instrument of action. is a right hand of falshood Deceiving either, 1. themselves, by being unable to do what they designed: or, 2. others, by not giving them that help which they promised to them..

I will sing a new song unto thee When thou hast granted this request of mine, v. 7, 8. which I know assuredly thou wilt do., O God: upon a psaltery, and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.

It is he that giveth salvation unto kings Who are not preserved by their own power or prudence, but by Gods special providence, which for the publick good of the world watcheth over them.: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword.

Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children And upon these accounts grant me the mercy which... desired before, and now again do repeat.; whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falshood.

That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth This mercy I beg not only for my own sake, but for the sake of thy people, that thine and our enemies being subdued, and peace established in the land, thy people may enjoy those blessings which thou hast promised to them; and particularly, that our sons, which are the strength and safety and hopes of a nation, may be like plants, flourishing and thriving and growing in height and strength, as plants do in their youth, and then only; for when they grow old, they wither and decay.; that our daughters Upon whom the hope of posterity depends. may be as corner-stones polished after the similitude of a palace Strong and beautiful, and adorned with all the ornaments belonging to their sex..

That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands, and ten thousands in our streets So as they may fill our streets, being brought in thither for food to the Towns and Cities. Or, in our folds or stables, as the Chaldee and others render it; or, as the LXX. and others, in their (or rather, in our, as it is in the Hebrew) outlets or outgoings, i. e. in the fields where they abide..

That our oxen may be strong to labour Heb. laden, either with flesh and... at, as many understand it: or, as others, with young: but then the foregoing word is not to be rendred oxen, but cows, as the same word and in the same Masculine gender is used Deut. 7. 13. And so this agrees best with the former prayer for the sheep v. 13. and he wisheth the same blessing of fruitfulness both for greater and smaller cattel.: that there be no breaking in To wit, of enemies invading the Land, or assaulting our Cities, and making breaches in their walls., nor going out To wit, of our people, either out of the Towns and Cities to fight with an invading enemy: or out of the Land into captivity.: that there be no complaining Or, no out... ry, or howling for any sad tidings, or publick grievances or calamities. in our streets.

Happy is that people that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD This is a correction of the last sentence. This is a very desirable estate, but the true and chief happiness of our Israel does not consist in these things, which are common to others with us, but in this peculiar priviledge that the true and blessed God is our God by covenant and special relation..