Psalms 44

There is no certainty, either Concerning the Author, or the particular occasion of this Psalm. This is evident that it was Composed with respect unto the Calamitous Condition of the Church and People of Israel, whom it supposeth to be in a state of Captivity and Persecution. But whether it was made by David, who foresaw and foretold by the Spirit of God, their future Captivity, and framed this for their use in that... state; or by some other holy Man of God, when they were actually in this Condition, is not determined, nor necessary to know for the understanding of it.

WE have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days They alledge their former Experiences, as Encouragements to their Faith, and Motives to God, to continue to be gracious to them., in the times of old.

How thou didst drive out the heathen The Canaanites. with thy hand, and plantest them To wit, our Fathers, easily understood both from the Matter, and from v. 1. where they are expressed: the Pronoun being referred unto the Remoter Antecedent, as it is, Gen. 10. 12. and 19. 13. Psal. 18. 15. and oft elsewhere. So them must be the People, or. But because the Comparing of this Branch of the Verse, with the former, Plantedst them, to which this Answers, and withthe following, they, makes it more than probable, that this them, belongs to the Fathers, this is to be otherwise rendred, Either, 1. Thus, send them out, to wit, free or Manumitted out of Egypt, of which this same Verb is used, Exod. 5. 1. and 12. 33. And then the foregoing People are the Egyptians, not the Canaanites. Which yet seems not to agree with the foregoing and following Passages, both which speak of the Canaanites only, nor with the order of the Words in this Verse, it being improper to mention their coming out of Egypt, after their being planted in Canaan. Or rather, 2. Thus, make them send or shout forth, to wit, Branches, as it is more fully expressed, Psal. 80. 11. Ezek. 17. 6. Where this Verb is used. And this most Naturally and Properly, follows upon and after their Planting mentioned in the former Clause., how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.

For they got not the land in possession by their own sword (i. e.) By their Arms or Valour., neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance (i. e.) Thy Favour, as the next Words explain it, Thy gracious and glorious Presence, which went along with us., because th... hadst a favour unto them.

Thou art my King Iacob's, or Israel's King, in a peculiar manner. The whole People speak like one Man, as being united together in one Body., O God, command (i. e.) Effectually procure by thy Commanding Word. deliverances for Jacob.

Through thee will we push down Heb. Smite with the Horn, (i. e.) Subdue and destroy. The Phrase is taken from Deut. 33. 17. and is borrowed from horned Beasts. Comp. 1 Kings 22. 11. our enemies; through thy name (i. e.) By the Help of thy Power. will we tread them under that rise up against us.

For I will not trust in my bow But in thee only; as the next Verse implies; and therefore do not frustrate my Hope, and Confidence fixed upon thee., neither shall my sword save me l.

But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.

In God we boast As in a most sure Rock, and our only Refuge. all the day long: and praise thy name for ever Selah.

But thou hast cast off But now thy Countenance and Course is quite changed to us., and put us to shame Made us ashamed of our boasting, and trust in thee, which we have oft professed, to the Face of our Enemies.; and goest not forth with our armies To lead them, and fight for them, as this Phrase signifies, Iudg. 4 14. 1. Sam. 8. 20. He seems to allude to God's marching, with and before the Israelites in the Wilderness, and afterwards, as occasion was offered. Comp. Psal. 68......

Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy By withdrawing thy Help, and our Courage according to thy Threatnings, Levit. 26. 36.: and they which hate us spoil for themselves (i. e.) Take away our Estates to their own use, and for their only Benefit, not in Compliance with thy Will, which was to punish us for our sins, nor for thy Service and Glory. They minded nothing but their own advantage..

Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat: and hast scattered us among the heathen Those of us, who were not slain are carried into Captivity, and dispersed in several places..

Thou sellest thy people for nought For a thing of nought. Or, without Money, and without Price, as it is said Isa. 55. 1. For a very small, or for no Price, for a pair of Shoes, as we Read, Amos 2....., and dost not increase thy wealth by their price Thou hast not advanced thy Honour and Service thereby; for thy Enemies do not serve thee, more and better than thy People, nor yet so much..

Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours: a scorn and a derision They contemn our Persons, and sport themselves in our Miseries. to them that are round about us.

Thou makest us a by-word Or, a Proverb. They used to say Proverbially, More despicable, or miserable than an Israelite. among the heathen: a shaking of the head A gesture of scorn and insultation. See on Psal. 22. 7. among the people.

My confusion is continually before me Before the Eyes of my Mind, and Body too. They vilifie me, not only behind my Back, but even before my Face., and the shame of my face has covered me (i. e.) I am filled with shame of my Face on every side, being ashamed to show my Face in any place or Company..

For the voyce of him that reproacheth and bsasphemeth That does not only Reproach me, which I could better bear, but blaspheme God and our Religion for our sakes; which is intolerable to me.; by reason of the enemy and avenger Who executeth both God's and his own Vengeance upon me, Persecuting me with a despightful hatred, and with great Cruelty..

All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsly in thy covenant Although we cannot excuse our selves from many other sins, for which thou hast justly punished us, yet this we must say for our selves, that through thy Grace we have kept our selves from Apostacy and Idolatry, notwithstanding all the Examples and Provocations, rewards proposed and promised, or Punishments Threatned to induce us thereunto. Which we hope thou wil... graciously consider and not suffer us to be Tempted, above what we are able to bear.. d All the Evils before-mentioned.

Our heart is not turned back To wit, from thee, or thy Worship and Service unto Idols, as it follows, v. 20., neither have our steps declined from thy way Because it is easie and ordinary falsly to pretend sincerity of Heart, which men cannot discern nor Confute; they prove it from the unblameableness of their Lives and Actions..

Though thou hast sore broken us in Or rather, into, as others render it; which seems much more Emphatical. And so this Verb may be rendred, hast humbled, or brought us down, as all the Antients rendred it. Or this is a pregnant Verb, as they Call them, or one Verb put for two; of which there are many instances, as has been showed. So it may be rendred, thou hast sore broken us, casting us into: Or, thou hast by sore breaking, brought us into. By inflicting upon us, one breach after another, thou hast at last brought us to this pass. the place of dragons Which signifies a place extremely desolate, such as Dragons love, Isa. 13. 21. 22 and 34. 13. and 35. 7. and therefore full of Horror, and Danger, and Mischief. Thou hast thrown us among People, as Fierce and Cruel as Dragons., and covered us with the shadow of death (i. e.) With deadly Horrors and Miseries. See on Iob. 3. 5. and Psal. 23. 4..

If we have forgotten the name of God (i. e.) Either God himself; Or, his Worship and Service; which we have denied that we have done, v. 17., or stretched out our hands In way of Prayer or Adoration, whereof this is a Gesture, Exod. 9. 29. 1 Kings 8. 22. Psal. 143. 6. to a strange God.

Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart We appeal to the Heart-searching God, concerning the sincerity of this Profession of ours..

Yea Or, But. We do not suffer for our Apostacy, but because we will not Aposta... ize from thee., for thy sake Because we are thy People, and continue Constantly and Resolutely in the Profession and Practise of thy Worship, which they abhor, and from which they seek to draw or drive us. are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

Awake, why sleepest thou, O LORD? arise, cast us not off for ever.

Wherefore hidest thou thy face (i. e.) Dost not regard ou... Miseries, nor affordest us any Pity or Help.? and forgettest our affliction and our oppression Then we have not forgotten thee. This seems not well to become thy Faithfulness and Goodness.?

For our soul (i. e.) Either our Lives, or Persons; or rather Bodies, as it is explained in the next Clause, and as the soul is oft taken by a Synecdoche, as Numb. 11. 6. Psal. 16. 10: and 106. 15. &c. is bowed down to the dust Either to the ground where we lye prostrate at our Enemies feet: Or, to the Grave.: our belly cleaveth unto the earth We are not only thrown down to the Earth, but we lye there like dead Carkasses fixed to it, without any Ability or Hope of rising again..

Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies sake We mentioned our sincerity and Constancy in thy Worship, only as an Argument to move thee to Pity, and not as a ground of our Trust and Confidence, or as if we merited Deliverance by it; but that we expect and implore only upon the account of thine own free and Rich Mercy..