Henry Ainsworth on Psalms 120:1-7

PSAL. CXX.

A song of degrees.

VNto Iehovah, in my distressednesse, I cried, and he answered me. Iehovah, deliver thou my soule from the lip of falshood, from the tongue of deceit.

What shall it give thee, and what shall it adde to thee, tongue of deceit. Sharpe arrowes of a mightie one, with coales of Iuniper. Woe is me that I sojourne with Meshec, dwell with the tents of Kedar. My soule it hath much dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for peace, and when I speak, they are for warre.

Annotations. OF degrees] or, of ascensions, of heights: (Hebr. ham-mahaloth,) that is, a Psalme to be sung with an high voice; as the Levites are said to praise God with a great voice on high, (Hebr. le-mahlah,) 2 Chron. 20. 19. Or, this title noteth the excellencie of the song, for short, grave and pithy sentences; as Adam ham-mahalah, is a man of eminencie, (or of high degree,) 1 Chron. 17. 17. Sundry other waies is this title understood, as of the staires that went up to the house of the Lord, whereon the singers should stand; and this the Chaldee favoureth: also of the comming up from Babylon, (called mahalah, an a scension, Ezr. 7. 9,) &c. Fifteene Psalmes together have this title prefixed. distressednesse] that is, sore distresse: the Hebrew addeth a letter to increase the signification; so, helpfulnesse, for full helpe, Psal. 44. 27. cried] in Chaldee, prayed, and he received my prayer. Vers. 3. What shall it give] or, (as the Greeke hath) what shall be given, that is, what good, or profit shalt thou get? meaning, none at all. The verbe active is often used passively; see Psal. 32. 9. and 36. 3. Or, what shall be (meaning God, or any one) give to thee, O deceitfull tongue? it adde] or be added, to wit, as good, or advantage: so Psal. 115. 14. tongue] this may also be read, what shall the tongue of deceit give to thee, that is, profit thee, speaking to the calumniator. Vers. 4. arrowes, &c.] This may note out the hurt of a guileful tongue, whose evill words are like arrowes, Ps. 64. 4. Prov. 25. 18. or, the reward which God will give the deceitfull tongue, his plagues, like arrowes, Psal. 45. 6. Deut. 32. 23. Ezek. 5. 16. coales of Iuniper] which wood in burning smelleth sweet, but the coales thereof burne extremely, and last long; so that under the ashes the glowing coales may be kept (as some write) a yeere long. So it fitly noteth the long lasting infamy of an evill tongue. Or, if we referre it to Gods judgements, they are severe and durable, as Deut. 28. 59. Ps. 18. 9. and 140. 11. Vers. 5. sojourne] or am a pilgrim, a stranger. with Meshec] that is, with a profane and barbarous people, like the posteritie of Meshec and Kedar, mentioned in Gen. 10. 2. and 21. 13. Meshec signifieth length or protraction, and so may here be taken for no proper name, but I sojourne so long; and thus the Greeke turneth it, my peregrination is prolonged. Tents of Kedar] the sonne of Ismael, Gen. 25. 13. whose children dwelt in Arabia, Esa. 21. 13,—17. therefore the Chaldee here turneth it Arabians, they dwelt in Tents or Cottages in the wildernesse, as shepherds. See also Esa. 42. 11. Ier. 49. 28, 29. Ezek. 27. 21. Vers. 6. it hath much] or, to it selfe (in it own seeming) hath long dwelt: so Psal. 123. 4. Vers. 7. for peace] or, to peace (as after for or to warre) that is, addicted thereto; or understand, a man of peace, that is, peacefull, as the Greeke expoundeth it; so Iob 5. 24. and 21. 9. 2 Sam, 17. 3. See the like phrase Psal. 109. 4. Also in Obad. 7. thy bread, for, men of thy bread.