Bible Commentaries

Psalms 133:2 — like the precious ointment — This similitude setteth forth the pleasure and amenity of it; as the other (from the dew) the profit and commodity. Sic miscnit utile dulci. This ointment was most rich (as made up of the chiefest spices, Exodus 30:1-38 ), and very fragrant, refreshing the senses, not of Aaron oaly, but of all about him; so doth Christian unity and amity (that "fruit of the Spirit," Galatians 5:22 ) far beyond that common friendship so highly extolled by Cicero, and other

Psalms 30:1 — lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. A Psalm and Song — i.e. A holy hymn, first framed in metre, then sung with men’s voices. At the dedication of the house of David — Either when it was newly built, 2 Samuel 5:11 , confer Deuteronomy 20:5 Nehemiah 12:27 , saying, as he once, Tu mihi ius dederas, posse vocare meos. God so loveth his people that their walls are ever in his sight, Isaiah 49:16 ; they should therefore have holiness to the Lord written upon them,

Psalms 37:4 — also in the Lord — While others delight in riches and pleasures; as if there were no other happiness but to have and to hold, no sport unless men may have the devil their playfellow. The like counsel hereunto giveth St Paul to his son Timothy, 1 Timothy 6:12 ; while others lay hold as with tooth and nail on riches, …, lay thou hold on eternal life; make God thy portion, and thou art made for ever. And he shall give thee the desires of thy heart — It shall be unto thee even as thou

Psalms 38:4 — the bottom of the sea; and this keepeth the head of a sinking soul above-water. As an heavy burden — How light soever sin seemeth in the committing, it will lie full heavy, even as a talent of lead, Zechariah 5:7 , or as a huge mountain, Hebrews 12:1 , when once we come to a sight and sense of it, when God’s wrath and man’s sin shall face one another, as the former verse hath it, according to the original. A facie irae tuae. A facie peccati mei. A facie stultitiae meae. From the face

Psalms 49:18 — Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and [men] will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself. Though whilst he lived he blessed his soul — As that rich fool did, Luke 12:16-21 , and that king of France, who, puffed up with the marriage of his sister to the king of Spain, called him by a new title, Tres-heureuse Roi, the thrice happy king; but was soon after accidentally slain by the captain of his guard running at

Psalms 50:7 — God. Hear, O my people, and I will speak, … — What sweet and winning language is here for a preface! God’s proceedings against sinners, whom he might confound with his terrors, is with meekness and much mildness, Genesis 3:9 ; Genesis 3:11 ; Genesis 4:9 Matthew 22:11 ; Matthew 26:50 . Be we herein followers of God as dear children, Joshua 7:19 Galatians 6:1 2 Timothy 2:19 . O Israel, I will testify against thee — i.e. I will expostulate with thee, and convince thee. This is a mercy

Psalms 54:4 — have God with them and for them ( non interfuit modo, sed etiam praefuit ), and how many do you reckon him for? as Antigonus once said. David was environed, and in great danger to be surprised; but God rescued him by an invasion of the Philistines, 1 Samuel 23:27-28 . The Lord knoweth how to deliver his, 2 Peter 2:9 R. Moses expounded it, God is loco omnium, et super omnes, instead of all, and above all.

Psalms 61:1 — attend unto my prayer. To the chief Musician upon Neginah, … — Vincenti in melodiis Davidis (Vatab.). It is probable that he made this psalm when, driven out of his kingdom by his son Absalom, he took up at Mahanaim beyond Jordan, 2 Samuel 17:24 , and therehence prayed from the ends of the earth, or rather of the land, Psalms 61:2 . Howbeit R. Obadiah saith, that this psalm is De pugna cum Aram in confinibus Israel, concerning the battle with the Syrians in the borders of the land. See

Psalms 68:17 — all the angels, who are here called Shinan, of their changeableness now taken away by Christ, say some; of their pre-excelleney above other creatures, say others, as being second or next unto God, the chief princes, the nobles of that court, as Daniel 10:13 , Michael one of the chief princes. The Seventy render it ευθυμουντων , the cheerful ones such as are in joy and tranquillity, freely serving God in all his wars, carrying the elect,

Psalms 68:20 — but one for us, he appeareth as out of an engine, and pulleth us out of death’s jaws. The Lord knoweth how to deliver his, 2 Peter 2:9 , from the most desperate and deadly dangers. Peter might well say it, for he had the experience of it, Acts 12:7-11 ; Christ hath the keys of death, Revelation 1:18 , the sole dominion and disposal of it. Servat nos a morte, sicut ipse primus exibat e manu mortis.

Psalms 93:1 — Christ. Kimchi here noteth that all the following psalms till the hundred and first are de diebus Christi, of the days of Christ. Here we have his empire and regality asserted, first, by his works; secondly, by his word, Psalms 93:5 . See the like Psalms 19:1-2 ; Psalms 19:7-8 , …, and that manifestation of himself by his word far preferred. He is clothed with majesty — He hath now put off his arms, and put on his robes, he will henceforth rule all wisely and righteously. The Lord is clothed

Proverbs 10:15 — — Wealthy worldlings think themselves simply the better and the safer for their hoards and heaps of riches. The best of us are more ready to "trust in uncertain riches than in the living God, who giveth us all things richly to enjoy." 1 Timothy 6:17 Surely this should humble us, that riches - that should be our rises to raise us up to God, or glasses to see the love of God in - our corrupt nature useth them as clouds, as clogs, …, yea, sets them up in God’s place, and

Proverbs 10:31 — shall be cut out. — As a fruitless tree is cut down to the fire. Nestorius the heretic his tongue was eaten off with worms. Nestorii lingua vermibus exesa. Archbishop Arundel’s tongue rotted in his head. From Miriam’s example, Numbers 12:1-3 ; Numbers 12:10 the Jewish doctors gather that leprosy is a punishment for an evil tongue, and in special for speaking against rulers. The Lady de Breuse had by her virulent and railing tongue more exasperated the fury of King John, whom she reviled

Proverbs 10:5 — of any action, which, as it is seldom found in haste, so it is too often lost in delay. The men of Issachar were in great account with David, because "they had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do," and when to do it; 1 Chronicles 12:32 so are they in great account with God for their wisdom who observe and use the season of well doing. But he that sleepeth in harvest, — i.e., That lets slip his opportunity; as Plutarch writes of Hannibal, that when he could have

Proverbs 14:8 — wisdom begins in the right knowledge of himself, and ends in the right knowledge of God, that he may "walk worthy of God in all well pleasing," worthy of the calling wherewith he is called, that high and "heavenly calling" Hebrews 3:1 to the fruition of high and heavenly privileges, to an angelical and convincing conversation, such as may draw hearts or daunt them. We use to say of him that knows his place, and carries himself accordingly, such a man understands himself well enough.

Proverbs 20:13 — satisfied with bread. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty. — In sleep there is no use either of sight or hearing, or any other sense. And as little is there of the spiritual senses in the sleep of sin. It fared with the good prophet Zechariah 4:1 as with a drowsy person, who though awake and set to work, yet was ready to sleep at it; and Peter, James, and John, if the spirit hold not up their eyes, may be in danger to fall asleep at their prayers, Matthew 26:37-45 and so fall into spiritual

Proverbs 28:17 — Note to show that a blood shedder is not worthy to be called man. Buxtorf. Shall flee to the pit, let no man stay him, — i.e., Let him die without mercy; let no man mediate for him, lest he pay down, as Ahab did, life for life, people for people, 1 Kings 20:42 lest he draw upon the land guilt of blood, Numbers 35:33-34 and hinder the man slayer from repentance to salvation never to be repented of. To blame then are the Papists that open sanctuaries to such; and if a cardinal put his red hat upon

Proverbs 28:18 — Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but [he that is] perverse [in his] ways shall fall at once. Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved, — See Trapp on " Proverbs 10:9 " "Shall be saved"; a little word, but of large extent. It properly noteth the privative part of a man’s happiness, deliverance from evil; but is put here, and everywhere almost, for the positive part too - fruition of good as

Proverbs 30:15 — and then sucketh the blood. Hereunto Solomon seemeth to resemble those cruel cormorants spoken of in the former verse. By the horseleech some understand the devil, that great red dragon, red with the blood of souls, which he hath sucked and swallowed, 1 Peter 5:8 seeking whom he may ( καταπιη ) let down his wide gullet, while he glut gluts their blood, as the young eaglets are said to do, Job 39:30 by a word made from the sound, Iegna legundum. By the horseleech’s

Proverbs 8:21 — upon that which is not?" Outward things are not, but only in opinion, in imagination; in semblance, not in substance. The pomp of this world is but a fancy, Acts 25:23 the glory of it a conceit, Matthew 4:8 the whole fashion of it a mere notion. 1 Corinthians 7:31 Riches get them great eagles’ "wings, they fly away," Proverbs 23:5 without once taking leave of the owner, leaving nothing but the print of their talons in his heart to torment him. When we grasp them most greedily,