Psalms 69

This Psalm of David, Consists of his Complaints and servent Prayers, and Comfortable predictions of his Deliverance, and of the Ruin of his Enemies. But the Condition of this Psalm is, like that of divers others, wherein although the Matter or Substance of it agree in some sort to David, yet there are some singular passages; which he delivers with a particular Respect unto Christ, of whom he was an Eminent Type, and upon whom his Thoughts were much and often fixed, and of whom they are more fitly and fully understood: and therefore they are justly applied to him in the New Testament, as we shall see.

SAve me, O God, for the waters (i. e.) Tribulations, which are oft expressed by waters; as has been observed. are come in unto my soul (i. e.) To my Vital parts; so that I am ready to be choaked with them. My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto Death..

I sink in deep mire Heb. In the Mire of the deep Waters. I am not in the Shallows, or nigh the Bank, but in the middle, and deepest Parts, and in the very Mire, which is at the bottom of the Waters., where there is no standing No firm and sure footing, but I sink in deeper and deeper, and, without thy speedy and Almighty help, shall be overwhelmed and destroyed.: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

I am weary of my crying I have Prayed and Cryed to God, long and servently, and yet God seems to neglect and forsake me., my throat is dried With loud and frequent Cryes.: mine eyes fail With looking to God for that Assistance, which he has Promised, and I Confidently expected, but in Vain. while I wait for my God.

They that hate me without a cause g, are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away Without any injury or occasion given them by me.. i Either, because they uniustly and violently forced me to it: Or, because I was willing to do it to my own wrong for Peace l... ke. By this one kind of Wrong, he understands all those Injuries and Violences, which they Practised against him.

O God, thou knowest my foolishness, and my sins are not hid from thee e. i This is added; Either. 1. As a Proof of his Innocency which he had now asserted, by way of appeal to God, do thou, O Lord, Judge between me and them, whether I be Guilty of those Follies and Sins, which they lay to my Charge. And such Appeals indeed David useth, Psal. 7. 3, 4. and elsewhere: But then they are delivered, in form of a Supposition, and not a positive Assertion, as this is. Or rather, 2. As an Exception to what he last said. But, O Lord, although I have been innocent to mine Enemies, and have given them no cause to Hate or Persecute me, as they do, yet I must Confess, I am guilty of many Sins and Follies against thee, and have given thee just Cause to punish me, and to give me up into their Hands, and to deny or delay thine Help unto me. By Foolishness he means Sin, as he explains it, which is commonly so called in Scripture; Or, by his Foolishness, he means lesser sins Commited through Ignorance, or Inconsiderateness, and by sins, those of a grosser Nature.

Let not them that wait on thee (i. e.) Thy Godly people, who relye upon thy Promises, which thou hast made to all thine in General, and to me in a special manner, wherein they also are concerned., O LORD GOD of hosts, be ashamed (i. e.) Frustrated of their just Hopes; which will make them ashamed; Either, to look up upon God, or to look upon their Enemies, when they shall Reproach them, for their Confidence in God. for my sake Either, 1. For the sake of my sins last mentioned, let not all Good men suffer for my sins. Or, 2. Because of my sad Disappointments. For if they see me Rejected and forsaken of God, whom they have esteemed a great example of Faith, and Prayer, and all Virtue and Piety, they will be exceedingly discouraged by this Example; which will tend much to thy Dishonour and disservice: let not those that seek thee, be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.

Because for thy sake For my trust is in thy Promise, and Obedience to thy Commands and Zeal for thy Glory, and against all Wickedness: All which they turn into matter of Derision and Reproach. I have born reproach: shame has covered my face In which mans Majesty and Glory is most Evident, which I am in a manner ashamed to show amongst men..

I am become a stranger unto my brethen, and an alien unto my Mothers children My nearest Kinsmen estranged themselves from me. Partly, out of Fear, left they should be involved in my sufferings: and Chiefly, out of dislike of his Piety and excessive Zeal in Religion, as it here follows..

For This is the Reason of that Alienation of my brethren and others from me, because there is a vast difference and contrarity in our Tempers. They mind not the concerns of God and of Religion, but are wholly intent upon Wealth and Honour, and Worldly greatness. the zeal of thine house That servent Passion which I have for thy House and Service, and Glory, and People. has eaten me up Exhausted and wasted my natural Moisture, and Vital Spirits, which is oft effected by Grief and Anger, and servent Love and Desire; of which Passions Zeal is Composed., and the reproaches of them that reproached thee That speak Contemptuously or Wickedly of thy Name or Providence, or Truth, or Worship and Service., are fallen upon me Either, 1. By imputation: They reflect upon me, because I am engaged in the defence of thy Cause and Glory, which wicked men oppose and despise, and therefore must needs suffer in it, and with it. Or, 2. By Choice and Affection. I have been as deeply affected with thy Reproaches, as with raine own. This whole Verse, though truly belonging to David, yet was also directed by him, or at least by the Spirit of God in him, to an higher use, to represent the Disposition and Condition of Christ, in whom this was more truly and fully accomplished then in David, to whom therefore it is applied in the New Testament, the first part of it, Ioh. 2. 17. and the Latter, Rom. 15. 3..

When I wept For their Impiety and Reproaches, which they cast upon God and Godliness., and chastened Which word is here understood, out of Psal. 35. 13. as it is also, in 2. 10. 11. 14. out of i Kings 12. 11. where it is expressed. my soul Either my Body; Or my self, the Soul, being oft used both ways. with fasting that was to my reproach They derided me for my Piety and Devoti... n, and for my Faith in God's Promises, and Hopes of assistance from him..

I made sackcloth also my garment Wearing it next to my Skin, in Token of my Humiliation and hearty Sorrow, as the manner then was in days of Fasting.: and I became a proverb to them They used my Name proverbi... lly of any Person, whom they thought Vainly, and Foolishly Religious..

They that sit in the gate Either, 1. Vain and Idle Persons, that spend their time in the Gates and Markets, in which there used to be a Confluence of People. Or rather, 2. The Judges and Magistrates, who used to sit (which was their posture, Exod. 18. 14. Prov. 20. 8. &c.) in the Gates of Cities, the usual places of Judicature: For David oft Complains of his hard usage from these Men, as Psal. 58. 1, 2. and 119. 23. and elsewhere; which was the more grievous, because these who were obliged by their Office to protect and Right him, did joyn with others in Reproaching and oppressing him., speak against me, and I was the song of the drunkards Of the seum of the People, of all lewd and deba... ched Persons. Thus both high and low Conspired against him..

But as for me, my prayer is unto thee But whilst they scoff I will pray, and not be driven from God, and from my Prayers and other Duties, by all their Reproaches or other Discouragements., O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation Heb. In a time of Acceptation, or Grace; Or thy Good will. or good Pleasure. These words may be joyned; Either, 1. With the following Words, by way of Limitation: Hear me in thy accepted time, (i. e.) I do not limit thee to a Day or time, but when thou seest fit, hear and help me. Or rather, 2. With the foregoing, as an Argument to enforce his Prayer, I pray in a time of Grace or Acceptation, I seek thee, when thou mayst be found, as Psal. 32. 6. Isa. 55. 6. in a good Day, as they said, 1 Sam. 25. 8. in the day of Grace and Mercy, in a time of great Trouble, which is the Proper season for Prayer, Psal. 50. 15. and whilst I have thee engaged to me by Promises, which thy Honour and Truth oblige thee to perform. I come not too late, and therefore do thou hear me.. c Or, for, or according to thy saving Truth, or Faithfulness; whereby thou art obliged to grant unto me that Salvation, which thou hast graciously Promised.

Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me Whereby he explains his meaning in these Metaphors of Mire, and Waters, and Deep, and Pit., and out of the deep waters.

Let not the water-stood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.

Hear me, O LORD, for thy loving kindness is good (i. e.) Is Eminently and unspeakably good: the Positive degree being put for the Superlative, as it is, Luk. 1. 28. 1 Cor. 12. 23. &c. It is most ready to Communicate it self, to indigent and miserable Creatures., turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

And hide not thy face from thy servant, for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.

Draw nigh unto my soul To support and relieve it, O thou who seemest to be departed far away from me., and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies Partly, because they Persecute it, and greedily seek to destroy it; and Partly, because they are thine, as well as mine Enemies, and, if they succeed, will Triumph not only over me, but in some sort over thee, and over Religion..

Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour Thou... eest how much of it I suffer, and that for thy sake; as he said v. 7.: mine adversaries are all before thee Thou knowest them thoroughly, and all their Injurious and wicked Devices, and implacable Malice against me, and all their Impiety and Contempt of thee; for which they deserve to be utterly and speedily destroyed..

Reproach has broken my heart For Reproach is most grievous, to the most generous and noble Souls; and besides, this was the highest degree, and the worst kind of Reproach, being cast upon him for God's sake, and upon God also for his sake., and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none (i. e.) Few or none, as that Word is frequently used. both in sacred and pro... ane Writers. For whether you understand it of David, or of Christ, there were some who pitied both of them., and for comforters, but I found none.

They gave me also gall Or, Poison: Or, bitter,. 10. 4. See Deut. 29. 18. I... r. 9. 15.. 3. 19. In stead of giving me that Pity and Comfort, which my Condition required, they barbarously added to my Afflictions. for my meat, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink These things were Metaphorically fulfilled in David, but Properly, and Literally in Christ, the Description of whose sufferings, was principally intended here by the Holy Ghost, who therefore directed Davids Pen to these Words, and possibly informed him, that this should be accomplished in Christ. Which may not seem improbable to him that Considers the following Impr... cations, which are so many and so severe, that they may seem to exceed the bounds of Justice and Charity, if they be applied to David's Enemies, as a Recompence for their Injuries done to him; whereas they most deservedly and fitly belong to the Enemies, and Murderers of Christ..

Let These and the following Words, which are expressed in the form of Imprecations, are thought by divers to be only Predictions, and that the Imperatives, are put for the Futures, as sometimes they are. And accordingly they translate the Words thus: Their Table shall become a S... are, &c. But if they be Imprecations, here was sufficient Cause for them. And besides it is apparent, that they were not the Dictates of humane Passion, but of Divine inspiration, and proceeded from a just Zeal for God's Glory, as has been observed before. their table (i. e.) Their Food and all their Provisions for N... cessity or Delight; Either, For Body or Soul; for the Curses here following, are Spiritual and Eternal, as well as Temporal. And so this may Comprehend their Sacrifices and other legal Ordinances, and the Word of God: all which became to the I... ws, through their own default, a great occasion of stumbling at Christ. And this Punishment in their, exactly Answers to their sin, in giving Christ Gall for his Meat, v. 21. become a snare before them Heb. Before them (i. e. Their Table or Meat, which is set before them, which is the usual Expression in this Case, as Gen. 1.... 8. 2 Kings 6. 22.) become a Snare, (i. e.) The occasion or Instrument of their Destruction. It is a Metaphor taken from Birds, or Fishes, that are Commonly and taken with their... aits.: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap Heb. And as for their great Peace (which the plural Number seems to import, all that Tranquility and Prosperity which they do, or may enjoy) let it be a Trap. Or, And their Peaceofferings (which Sacrifices may be here mentioned, because the offerers did partake of them, and Feast upon them; and so this agrees with the Table expressed, in the former Clause) a Trap. And so they were to the unbelieving Iews, whose false Conceit of the Everlastingness of the Mosa... cal Dispensation, was one Cause of their Rejection of Christ. Or thus; And for Recompences, (i. e. An abundant Compensation of all their Injuries,) and for a Trap. For thus it is rendred by divers, both Antient and Modern Interpreters, and, which i... more Considerable, by the Apostle, Rom. 11. 9..

Let their eyes Not the Eyes of their Bodies (for so this was not accomplished in David's, nor in Christ's Enemies) but of their Minds, that they may not discern God's Truth, not their own Duty, nor the way of Peace and Salvation. Punish them in their own kind: As they that shut their Eyes and would not see, so do thou Judicially blind them. This was threatned and inflicted upon the Iews, Isa. 6. 10. Ioh. 12. 39, 40. be darkned that they see not: and make their loins continually to shake This also belongs to the Loyns of their Minds, or Souls; of which we Read, Luk. 12. 35. 1 Pet. 1. 13. The Loyns of the Body are the Seat of strength, and the great Instrument of bodily Motions and Actions. Which being applied to the Mind, the Sense may be; Either, 1. Take away their Courage and Ala... rity, and give them up to Pu... illanimity, and Terror, and Despair: Or rather, 2. Take away their Strength and Ability, for spiritual Actions. In the former Branch, he wisheth that they may not... e able to see, or choose their way; and here, that they may not be able to Walk in it, nor to execute the good Counsels, which others may give them. As on the other side, when God gi... s Men strength they are able, not only to Walk, out to in the ways of God, Psal. 119. 32. Cant. 1. 4. I... 40. 31..

Pour out thine indignation upon them In such other ways and Judgments, as thou shalt think... it., and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.

Let their habitation Heb. their Palace, as this Word signifies, Gen. 25. 16. Numb. 31. 10. Cant. 8. 9. Either their Temple, in which they place their Glory and Safety. Or rather, 2. And more generally, their strongest and most Magnificent Buildings, and Houses, in which they dwelt as it follows in the next Clause, which explains this. be desolate, and let none Either, 1. None of their Posterity. Destroy them both Root and Branch. Or, 2. None at all. Let the places be accounted Execrable and Dreadful. dwell in their tents.

For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten Which is an Act of barbarous Cruelty, and inhumane Malice., and they talk Reproaching them with, and insulting and Triumphing in their Calamities. to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.

Add iniquity to their iniquity Give them up to their own vain Minds and vile Lusts, and to a Reprobate Sense, and take off all the Restraints of thy Grace and Providence, and expose them to the Temptations of the World, and of the Devil, that so they may grow worse and worse, and at last may fill up the Measure of their sins; as is said, Mat. 23. 32. Compare, Rom. 1. 28, 29. Or, Add Punishment to their Punishment; as this Word is oft taken: Send one Judgment upon them after another, without ceasing.: and let them not come into thy righteousness Let them never partake of thy Righteousness, (i. e.) Either, 1. Of thy Faithfulness, in making good thy Promises to them. Or, 2. Of thy Mercy and Goodness. Or rather, 3. Of thy Righteousness; Properly so called, of that everlasting Righteousness, which the Messiah shall bring into the World, Dan. 9. 24. which is called the Righteousness of God, Rom. 1: 17. Phil. 3. 9. &c. Which is said to be witnessed by the Law, and the Prophets, Rom. 3. 21. by, and for, which God does justifie, or Pardon sinners, and accept them in Christ as Righteous Persons. For this was the Righteousness, which the Iews Rejected to their own Ruin, Rom. 10. 3. according to this Prediction. Thus as the first Branch of the Verse maketh, or supposeth them Guilty of many Sins, so this excludes them from the only Remedy, the Remission of their sins. And that justifying, rather then sanctifying Righteousness is here meant, seems most Probable from the Phrase, which seems to be a judicial Phrase, as we Read of Coming, or Entring into Iudgment, Iob 22. 4. and 34. 23. and into Condemnation, Iob. 5. 24. opposite unto which is this Phrase, of Coming into Iustification; Or, which is one, into thy Righteousness..

Let them be blotted out of the book of the living Or, Of Life. Either, 1. Of this Life: Out of the number of Living Men; which Antiently used to be Written in Catalogues, out of which the Names of those, who died were blotted: Or rather, 2. Of eternal Life, as both Iewish and Christian Interpreters commonly understand it. Which agrees best, 1. To the use of this Phrase in Scripture: For in this Sense men are said to be... ritten in the Book, Dan. 12. 1. or, in God's Book, Exod. 32. 32. Or, in the Book of Life, Phil. 4. 3.... el. 3. 5. and 13. 8. and 17. 8. and 20. 12. and 21. last. 2. To the last Clause of the Verse, which explains it, of that Book wherein none but the Righteous are written; whereas this Life, and that attended with Health and Prosperity, is Promiscuously given to, and taken from good and bad Men. 3. To the quality of the Persons, of whom this is said; which are the Malicious Enemies of God, and of his People, and the Murderers of the Lord of Glory; who shall be punished with eternal Death. In this Book, Men may be said to be written: Either, 1. In Reality, by God's Election, or Predestination. Or, 2. In Appearance, when a Man is called by God, to the Profession and Practice of the true Religion, and into Covenant with himself, and Professeth to Comply with it; and so is written, in the writing of the House of Israel, which is said of all that are in the Assembly of God's People, Ezek. 13.... and so seems to others, and it may be, to himself; to be Really written in the Book of Life. And when a Man renounceth this Profession and Religion, he may be said to be out of that Book, because his Apostacy makes it Evident, that he was not written in it, as he seemed to be. For this is a known and approved Rule, for the understanding of many Texts of Scripture, that things are oft said to be done, when they only seem to be done, and are not Really done; as he is said to find his Life, Mat. 10. 39. who falsly imagined that he did find it, when in Truth he lost it; and to have, Mat. 13. 12. who only seemed to have, as it is explained in the Parallel place, Luk. 8. 1.... and to Live, Rom. 7..... when he vainly Conceited himself to be alive. And in like manner, Men may be said to be written in, or blotted out of this Book, when they seem to be so, by the Course of their Lives, and Actions. But that this, blotting out is not meant; Properly, and Positively, is clear from the last Branch of this Verse, which, after the manner of these Books, expounds the former, wherein this doubtful Phrase is explained, by one which is Evident and unquestionable, even by his not being written in it. For it is impossible, that a Mans name should be Properly blotted out of that Book, in which it was never written. The Sense of the Verse seems to be this: Let their Wickedness be so notorious, and the Tokens of God's wrath upon them so manifest, that all Men may discern that they are blotted out that is, that they never were written in the Book of Life in which the Righteous are written., and not be written with the righteous (i. e.) In that Book of Life, in which all righteous or holy Persons, and only they are written, whereby it may appear, that whatsoever show or Profession they once made, yet they neither are nor were truly righteous Persons..

But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high Out of the reach of mine Enemies; Or, li... t me out of the deep Waters, and the Mire, in which I was sinking, v. 14..

I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnifie him with thanks-giving.

This also shall please the LORD better than an oxe or bullock This sincere and hear... y Sacrifice of Praise, is and shall be more grateful to God, than the most Glorious legal Sacrifices: For so such moral Services ever were, 1 Sam. 15. 22. Hos.... 6 6. and such Sacrifices shall be accepted, when those Legal ones shall be abolished. that has horns and hoofs This is added as a Description and Commendation of the Sacrifice, or Bullock, which he supposeth to be of the best sort, both tender and Mature, as it is when the Horns bud forth, and the Hoofs grow hard..

The humble shall see this, and be glad Those pious Persons, who are grieved for my Calamities; shall have occasion to Rejoyce, and they will heartily Rejoyce in my Deliverance, and Exaltation., and your heart shall live Or, be Revived, to wit, with Joy, which were dejected, and in a manner Dead with Sorrow. Compare, Gen. 45. 27. Psal. 22. 26. and 109. 21. that seek God.

For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners Those who are in Prison, or any Straits and Afflictions for his sake; which is my Case, v. 7..

Let the heaven and earth Either, 1: Angels and Men. Or rather, 2. The Heaven and Earth themselves, as in the next Branch, the Seas, and every thing that moveth... erein. All which by an usual Figure, he invites to praise God, a...... e does elsewhere, because they all give men occasion to praise God. praise him, the seas and every thing that moveth therein.

For God will save Sion The City of Sion, or Ierusalem; and his Church and People, which are frequently expressed under that Title., and build the cities of Judah: that they The humble and Po... r, v. 32, 33. or his Servants, as is explained in the following Verse. may dwell there In the literal Canaan for a long time, and in the Heavenly Canaan for ever., and have it in possession.

The seed also of his servants shall inherit it Their posterity shall flourish after them, and partake of the same Happiness with them., and they that love his name shall dwell therein.