Bible Commentaries

Job 14:9 — of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. Yet through the scent of water it will bud — Heb. From the smell of waters. A sweet metaphor, saith Merlin, sense being attributed to things senseless, as smelling to the fire, Judges 16:9 , and here to trees, which are said to turn themselves and their roots after a sort, to take in the smell of the water, and thereby refreshed to bud and bring forth boughs, like a plant. This is check to those that live under the droppings of the

Job 27:7 — speaking, wherein when men express an abomination of a thing, they wish it to their enemies; taking it for granted that the power of malice is so great that no man can express it in the wish of any particular evil. See the like phrase 2 Samuel 8:2-3 1 Samuel 25:26 Daniel 4:27 .

Job 38:19 — matters. Those that are more high and hard we learn not but with much labour and long experience. As for the mysteries of God, and things pertaining to salvation, we cannot at all attain unto them by human reason, as is to be seen in Nicodemus, John 3:9-10 1 Corinthians 2:14

Job 41:25 — up himself, the mighty are afraid — When he shows himself like some moving mountain upon the surface of the water, the most assured pilots or passengers are seized with fear of death, and seek to make peace with God, as those mariners did, John 1:5-6 , … By reason of breakings — Broughton reads, of shiverings. They purify themselves — Expiant se, they beg pardon of sin, and prepare to die. Others render it aberrant, they are dispirited; and know not what course to take. Others

Psalms 11:5 — The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. The Lord trieth the righteous — Or approveth, as James 1:12 ; he justifieth and accepteth him, as appeareth by the opposition here. The Vulgate rendereth it thus: Deus interrogat iustum et impium, sc. quia per interrogatoria veritas dignoscitur: The Lord interrogateth the just and the wicked, sc. that so

Psalms 12:7 — — Heb. him, that is, every one of them, viz. the poor and needy, among whom David reckons himself, which shows his humility. From this generation — So they are called for their multitude, in opposition to those few faithful ones, Psalms 12:1 . An evil and adulterous generation they were, a bastardly brood, as Matthew 12:39 . Omne tempus ferct Clodios, Catones non omne feret, saith Seneca.

Psalms 17:4 — rudder of my life, I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer — Effractoris, of the breach maker; such as is the bridge maker of Rome, at this day. David meaneth that he had shunned the society of graceless persons, Psalms 26:4 Proverbs 24:21 Jeremiah 15:17 ; and taken heed to his ways, that he offended not with his tongue, while the wicked was present, Psalms 39:1-2 , lest the wicked should rejoice at his misdemeanors, Psalms 38:17 .

Psalms 18:23 — I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. I was also upright before him — This he had because he kept God’s commandments, as Psalms 18:22 , had respect to them all, Psalms 119:6 , both to the magnalia and minutula legis, which he kept as the apple of his eye, Proverbs 7:2 , even all God’s wills, Acts 13:22 , and was therefore approved in Christ, as Apelles, Romans 16:10 , and

Psalms 19:5 — deal of pomp and gaiety; such is the sun rasing, when he first showeth himself above our horizon. Kimchi addeth, that as the bride groom when he is abroad hasteneth home to his bride, so doth the sun to his descent, anhelat ad occasum, Ecclesiastes 1:5 . And rejoiceth as a strong man (or champion) to run a race — Readily running, and effectually affecting all things with his heat. The Persian angari, or posts, the ostrich, the wild ass, the bustard, the dromedary, the eagle, is nothing so

Psalms 2:6 — anointed and appointed by his Father to the office and work of a mediator; and is therefore here called his king. And, is here a sign of indignation stirred. Upon mine holy hill of Zion — David’s strong hold, and a figure of the Church, Hebrews 12:22 Revelation 14:1 Isaiah 60:14 , as being the seat of the kingdom, a sanctuary. Out of Zion also went forth the law, and the word of the Lord out of Jerusalem, Isaiah 2:3: it signifieth a watch tower. In the Church Christ, angels, ministers, common

Psalms 26:8 — ευπρεπειαν , comeliness. The Protestants at Lyons, in France, called their public meeting place paradise. And the place where thine honour dwelleth — i.e. Where thou thyself dwellest, or thine ark, which is called God’s glory, 1 Samuel 4:21 Psalms 78:61 , yea, God’s self, Psalms 132:5 , and God’s face, Psalms 105:4 .

Psalms 28:3 — to their neighbours, but mischief [is] in their hearts. Draw me not away with the wicked — Who seek to draw me away from my settled purpose of attending upon thee, απερισπαστως , 1 Corinthians 7:35 , and are therefore likely to be drawn away by thee to execution, as malefactors are drawn, hanged, and quartered (there wanteth but a hurdle, a horse, and a halter, said Belknapp, to do me right), as Sisera was drawn by God to the

Psalms 35:13 — the soul, the cost of compassion, … And my prayer returned into mine own bosom — i.e. Though they had no benefit by it, yet myself had; for no faithful prayer is ineffectual; like Jonathan’s bow, it never returned empty, 2 Samuel 1:22 . I received the fruit of my prayers for them upon my bosom.

Psalms 4:5 — slay them; run to him who is the propitiation, Jesus Christ the righteous, present your bodies a living sacrifice, bring a contrite spirit; to do good and to communicate forget not, …, else you offer the sacrifice of fools, as Ecclesiastes 5:1 , and not of righteousness, as here. The Chaldee hath it, Domate concupiscentias, sacrifice and subdue your lusts. And put your trust in the Lord — It is well observed that God brings men home by a contrary way to where they fell from him. We

Psalms 43:3 — bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. O send out thy light — i.e. Thy comforting grace, opposed to that, Psalms 43:2 , I go mourning, or in black. And thy truth — i.e. Thy faithfulness, opposed to the deceitful man, Psalms 43:1 . The Rabbis interpret light and truth by Christ and Elijah; the Arabic maketh it a prayer for the Jews’ conversion, Lux et veritas piorum comites. Yet them bring me unto thy holy hill — Zion, the place of holy assemblies for God’s

Psalms 46:6 — The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The heathen raged — Among themselves, and against the Church (Christ mystical, as Psalms 2:1-2 ) with great three and fury: Quia ab ascensore suo Daemone perurgentur, as Bernard giveth the reason, because the devil rideth them, and spurreth them on. The kingdoms were moved — To remove and root out the Church, but that will not be; because

Psalms 5:2 — help from heaven. Let mind and mouth, spirit and speech, go together in prayer, and then it is right, the voice of the heart is simply necessary. Moses cried to God at the Red Sea, though he said nothing. The voice of the lips is of great use also; 1. For preventing of distraction; 2. For exciting devotion. My king — And therefore help, O king, as she said, 2 Kings 5:24 . And my God — Who art in covenant with me, both offensive and defensive. For unto thee will I cry — Thou art

Psalms 50:18 — partaker with adulterers. When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him — Mala opera hic memorata sunt in secreto, saith Kimchi. These evils hereafter mentioned are secretly acted by those that pretended to better things, see Ephesians 5:12 and, therefore, heaven and earth are called to witness against them, Psalms 50:4 . See Jeremiah 20:2-7 Servi ut taceant iumenta loquentur, the very beasts have a verdict to pass upon secret sinners, as the ass upon Balaam, and those horses upon Cardinal

Psalms 61:7 — He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, [which] may preserve him. He shall abide before God for ever — Or, He shall sit, viz. upon the throne, a long while in his person; but for ever in his Son Christ, Luke 1:32-33: and this affordeth sweet and singular comfort to the whole Church and each member thereof; forasmuch as the dignity of a king cannot stand unless his subjects be in safety. O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him — Hos duos custodes

Psalms 64:6 — search the devil’s skull for new inventions; who is ready enough to lend them his seven heads to plot and his ten horns to push at good people. How wittily wicked was Saul to destroy David, if he could have done it! See his counsel to the Ziphites, 1 Samuel 23:22 . They accomplish a diligent search — Heb. a search searched, i.e. They seek out all occasions, they try all tricks, they do all that can be done to undo me. Whereunto he fitly subjoineth this epiphonema by way of exclamation, Adeo