Bible Commentaries

Job 39:20 — afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils [is] terrible. Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? — Which soon flincheth and flieth with the least noise. But the horse is more like that formidable army of locusts described Joel 2:1-32 , that bare down all before them, and shook all places wherever they came. The glory of his nostrils is terrible — Heb. Terrors; his snorting and sneezing strikes terror into people. The more wonderful is God’s goodness in subduing to

Job 42:16 — years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, [even] four generations. After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, … — And this was not the least part of his happiness. Length of days is a piece of Wisdom’s wages, Proverbs 3:16 . Pliny tells of one Xenophilus, who lived 105 years without sickness (lib. vii. cap. 5). And what a mercy ευγηρια , or a good old age, is, hath been before noted. See Job 5:26 . For a short braid of adversity

Psalms 104:1 — Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. Bless the Lord, O my soul — This was much in David’s mouth, as Deo gratias was in Austin’s. See Psalms 103:1 ; Psalms 103:22 , after which this psalm is fitly set. There he blesseth God for his benefits to himself and the whole Church; here, for his works of creation and government common to the whole world. The Greek and Latin translations prefix this

Psalms 117:2 — we would put it back, yet it will overcome us; his grace is irresistible, neither can it ever be taken away. And the truth of the Lord — As his mercy alone moved him to make promise, so his truth bindeth him to perform the same. See 2 Samuel 7:18 ; 2 Samuel 7:21 . The word of promise bindeth God, and, therefore, it may seem to be stronger than God. If his merciful kindness prevail over us, as Psalms 117:1 , his truth prevaileth over him. The Jewish doctors observe that the word Emeth, here

Psalms 14:2 — supreme judge of all useth much forbearance. And that did understand and seek God — These only are they whom God looketh after; not the rich, but the righteous. And because knowledge is the ground of all goodness, as folly is of wickedness, Psalms 14:1 , therefore is it here said, "any that did understand and seek God." Lo, these are these precious ones whom God regarded; such as are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, Romans 15:14 . "The Father seeketh such to worship him,"

Psalms 18:7 — Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. Then the earth shook and trembled, … — Upon David’s prayer all this befell; like as, Acts 4:31 , the house shook wherein they were praying; and the thundering legion procured thunder and rain; and so did Samuel by his prayers, 1 Samuel 12:17-18 . But this terrible tempest here described is to be taken rather allegorically than historically. The

Psalms 25:13 — than he had whom Horace describeth, Epod. 2, Beatus ille qui procul negotiis, …; blessed is that man who is far from trouble, such as good Jacob had, when he said, I have enough, my brother, … Godliness only hath such a contentedness, 1 Timothy 6:6 . And his seed shall inherit the earth — God’s love dieth not with the parents; but reviveth in their posterity, 2 Samuel 7:12 . Eυσεβεων παιδεσσι

Psalms 37:23 — The steps of a [good] man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord — Heb. The steps of a man; for good men only are reckoned of by God, Jeremiah 5:1 . So a wife is put for a good wife, Proverbs 18:22 . A bad wife is but (according to Lamech’s second wife’s name) Zillah, that is, the shadow of a wife. Now, as God chose out the Israelites’ way for them all along the wilderness; so

Psalms 39:13 — O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more. O spare me, that I may recover strength — Ut refociller, reficiar. Job maketh the like request, Job 10:20 . Some breathing while they would have, and a time to recollect themselves, before that last, great encounter. They say in effect, Differ, habent parvae commoda magna morae. Before I go hence, and be no more — No more seen among men. It is

Psalms 50:5 — active instrumeuts and executioners of God’s judgments. By saints here understand professors at large, all that live in the bosom of the Church visible, and partake of the external privileges only; such as are in the vine, but bear no fruit, John 15:2 ; have a name to live, but are dead, Revelation 3:1 ; such as whose sanctity consisteth only in covenanting by sacrifice. Basil saith that such are called saints to aggravate their sins; as a man that hath an honourable title, but hath done wickedly;

Psalms 55:1 — « To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, [A Psalm] of David. » Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication. A Psalm of David — Whether made upon occasion of his flight from Keilah, 1 Samuel 23:2 , or from Absalom, 2 Samuel 15:16 . Idem est argumentum, et idem usus huius Psalmi atque, superioris, saith Beza; this and the former psalm are of the same argument and for the same use. It is most probable that this psalm was written when

Psalms 68:14 — When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was [white] as snow in Salmon. When the Almighty scattered kings in it — i.e. In the wilderness as they passed; or in Canaan which they possessed, according to Psalms 68:1 . Or, scattered kings for her, that is, for his Church, or for her that tarrieth at home, Psalms 68:12 , a periphrasis of the Church, in the times of primitive persecution especially, till the Almighty scattered those persecuting princes. Some of the

Psalms 68:6 — God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry [land]. God setteth the solitary in families — i.e. He blesseth them with issue. See Psalms 113:9 , and so he doth the Church, Isaiah 54:1 , in these days of the gospel especially. He bringeth out those which are bound in chains — As he did Peter, Acts 12:7 , Paul and Silas, Acts 16:25-26 Some read it thus, He bringeth out those which

Psalms 89:1 — to all generations. Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite — Who having out lived Solomon, and seen both the defection of the ten tribes from the house of David, and the woeful work made by Shishak, king of Egypt, in the kingdom of Judah, 2 Chronicles 12:1-9 composed this psalm (as it may seem), and left it for an eruditive or instruction to all succeeding ages what to do in such dismal changes and concussions. That Jewish doctor mentioned by Aben Ezra was more ignorent than wise, who would neither

Proverbs 10:7 — The memory of the just [is] blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot. The memory of the just is blessed. — "Demetrius had a good report of the truth." 3 John 1:12 In the Hebrew tongue the same word signifieth "a good name," and "a blessing." This is one of those blessings mentioned in Proverbs 10:6 , that shall be heaped upon holy men. "Holy and reverend is his name." Psalms 111:9

Proverbs 11:27 — willingly brake his sheep, and traded every talent for his people’s comfort; as Scipio Africanus, who usually went before day into the capitol, in cellam Iovis, and there stayed a great while, quasi consultans de Rep. cum Iove, Gell., lib. vii. cap. 1. as consulting with his god about the public welfare; whence his deeds were pleraque admiranda, saith mine author, - amiable and admirable, the most of them. And as Daniel, who though sick, yet rose up and did the king’s business. Daniel 8:27 It

Proverbs 11:4 — Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death. Riches profit not in the day of wrath. — Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath. Zephaniah 1:18 Isaiah 13:7 Yea, they carried away the richer Jews, when the poorer sort were left to till the land. 2 Kings 24:14 The great Caliph of Babylon, whom all the Mohammedan princes honoured above all others, as the true successor of Mohammed, and the

Proverbs 3:24 — When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Thou shalt not be afraid. — See this exemplified in David; Psalms 3:5-6 Peter; Acts 12:6 and Mr Rogers, our late protomartyr, who when he was warned suddenly to prepare for the fire, he then being sound asleep in the prison, scarce with much shaking could be awaked. Acts and Mon., fol. 1356. Thy sleep shall be sweet. — As knowing

Proverbs 5:8 — he that would not hear the bell, must not meddle with the rope. “ Quid facies facies Veneris cum veneris ante? Non sedeas, sed eas; ne pereas, per eas. ” "Chambering and wantonness," is a deed of darkness and dishonesty. Romans 13:13 Exodus 23:7 Come not nigh the doors. — Keep thee far from an evil matter, saith Moses. The plague (and worse) is at the harlot’s house; stand off, αφισπασο . 1 Timothy 6:5 To venture upon the

Proverbs 9:12 — three hundred and sixty different commodities, and is therefore in great esteem among them. How should men esteem of sound wisdom, since there is a μυριομακαριοτης in it, 1 Timothy 4:8 a thousand commodities to be reaped by it! Thou alone shalt bear it. — Thy scorning shall not, as thou thinkest, hurt him that tendereth thy salvation. For as the air when beaten is not hurt, no, nor so much as divided, but returns