Bible Commentaries

Psalms 119:119 — Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth [like] dross: therefore I love thy testimonies. Thou pullest away all the wicked of the earth like dross — Consuming them in the fire of thy wrath, and casting them out as refuse; see Isaiah 1:25 vel quasi rubiginem existimasti, thou hast reckoned them as rust (Kimchi); whereas the saints are preciously esteemed, as the least filings of gold are. Therefore I love thy testimonies — Quia purgant a scoriis hypocriscos, et intus est ut

Psalms 119:131 — The Septuagint renders it by επιποθεω , which signifieth a most vehement desire, impatient of delays. As one that runneth himself out of breath. Sitio propter legem sicut dracones propter pluviam, Job 29:1-25

Psalms 124:3 — prey. Ptolemy Lathurus, king of Egypt, slew thirty thousand Jews, and compelled the living to feed upon the dead. Adrian the emperor made a decree, that he who had not slain a Jew should himself be slain (Gualth Praef. in Marc. R. Obad. Gaon in Psalms 124:1-8 ). When their wrath was kindled against us — Heb. in the flagrancies or inflammations of their anger.

Psalms 128:5 — The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion — viz. With spiritual benedictions, Ephesians 1:3 , and these are far better than all other that heaven and earth afford, Psalms 134:3 . And thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem — i.e. The prosperity of the Church, without which all other comforts are to a good soul but as so many Ichabods;

Psalms 132:2 — How he sware unto the LORD, [and] vowed unto the mighty [God] of Jacob; How he sware unto the Lord — Out of the abundance of his affections, 1 Chronicles 29:3 , see Psalms 119:106 he solemnly took God to witness; and this he did, say the Rabbis, at that time when he saw the punishing angel, and was terrified. And vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob — Jacob is mentioned, say the Hebrews,

Proverbs 1:9 — For they [shall be] an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck. For they shall be an ornament. — "A man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine." Ecclesiastes 8:1 Tum pietate gravem, … Virgil. Oυ το χρυσος ουτε αδαμας ουτως αστραπτει

Proverbs 18:16 — man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men. A man’s gift maketh room for him. — This Jacob Genesis 43:11 knew well, and therefore bade his sons take a present for the governor of the land, though it were but of every good thing a little. So Saul, 1 Samuel 9:7 when to go to the man of God to inquire about the asses; "But behold, said he to his servant,

Proverbs 24:17 — of devilish hatred - επιχαιρεκακια being the devil’s disease - what goodwill, innocence, or ignoscency soever thou makest show of. Job cleareth himself of this fault, Job 31:24 and so doth David notably. Psalms 35:13-14 See his practice. 2 Samuel 1:11-12 Caesar wept when Pompey’s head was presented to him, and said, Victoriam volui, non vindictam. See Trapp on " Matthew 5:44 " See Trapp on " Romans

Proverbs 26:8 — As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so [is] he that giveth honour to a fool. As he that bindeth a stone in a sling. — A precious stone is not fit for a sling - where it will soon be cast away and lost; no more is honour for a fool. See Proverbs 26:1 . Ebenezra saith that Margemah, here rendered a sling, signifies purple, and senseth it thus: As it is an absurd thing to wrap a pebble in purple, so is it to prefer a fool, as Saul did Doeg, as Ahasuerus Haman.

Isaiah 14:31 — Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, [art] dissolved: for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none [shall be] alone in his appointed times. Howl, O gate. — Philistines are elsewhere taxed for flashy and foolish mirth Judges 16:23-30 2 Samuel 1:20-21 Here they are told they have more cause to fear than flear, to sigh than sing, to howl than hollo. “ Quis globus, O cives, caligiue, volvitur atra? Hostis adest. ” - Virg. From the north a smoke, — i.e., Hezekiah’s

Isaiah 47:12 — This is spoken in way of derision. Wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth. — But found them to be no better than toilsome toys, quae nec ignoranti nocent, nec scientem iuvant, Against judiciary astrology, see Aug. De Civ. Dei, lib. v. cap. 1-5.

Isaiah 49:22 — shall bring thy sons in [their] arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon [their] shoulders. Behold, I will lift up my hand, …, — i.e., I will call them by the gospel, which is the power of God to salvation to all believers. Romans 1:16 And they shall bring thy sons in their arms, — sc., When they bring them to be baptized. Respicit ad puerilem conditionem: yet some expound it metaphorically, as Deuteronomy 32:10 Hosea 11:3 .

Isaiah 50:3 — I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering. I clothe the heavens with blackness. — I did so in that three days’ darkness in Egypt, Exodus 10:21-22 and shall do so again at the time of my passion. I can therefore, doubtless, deliver you, not only from Babylon, but from sin, death, and hell, by giving you an entrance into heaven by the waters of baptism, and by bringing you out of darkness

Isaiah 65:3 — defiance of me. Siquis me in faciem depalmaret, vix indignius essera laturus: I could almost as well bear a blow on the face. And burneth incense upon altars of brick. — Lateres - per meiosin cum contemptu. Erected on the house tops. 2 Kings 23:12 Zephaniah 1:5 They should have offered on the golden altar only. Exodus 30:3-5

Jeremiah 12:7 — abandoned by him. I have given the dearly beloved of my soul. — Or, My dearly beloved, my soul - i.e., Myself, my second self. Heb., The love of my soul. Gr. and Vulgate, My beloved soul. "God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth." Nahum 1:2

Jeremiah 16:6 — die. — Princes and peasants, lords and lowlies together. Nor cut themselves, nor make themselves bald. — Neque caedetur neque calvabitur. This they had learned of the heathen, and would needs use it, though flatly forbidden them. Leviticus 19:27-28 Deuteronomy 14:1 Now they were told that they should have little either lust or leisure to do any such matter.

Jeremiah 18:20 — greatest disingenuity and unthankfulness. To render good for evil is divine; good for good is human; evil for evil is brutish; but evil for good devilish. Lo, with such breathing devils had Jeremiah here to do; and, indeed, what good man hath not? See 1 Samuel 24:17 Psalms 35:12 ; Psalms 109:5 .

Jeremiah 28:5 — softly; he made but small noise, though he heard great words and full of falsehood. In the presence of the priests, and in the presence of the people. — Publicly he took him up, though mildly; because he had publicly offended. See Galatians 2:14 1 Timothy 5:20 .

Jeremiah 33:26 — seed [to be] rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them. Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob. — The body of the faithful, whom he ruleth by his Word and Spirit. Psalms 105:1 ; Psalms 105:6 Romans 9:6 Galatians 3:16-17 ; Galatians 6:16 And will have mercy on them. — This is a complexive promise, and better than money, answereth all things.

Jeremiah 35:19 — man to stand before me for ever, — i.e., To be beloved by me, and to be in special favour with me, lifting up pure hands in all places of their abode. Captive they were carried among the Jews; but they returned also again with them (as appears 1 Chronicles 2:55 ), erantque Deo cordi et curae and they were dear to God.