Matthew Poole and continuators on Psalms 11

1. IN the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul , Flee as a bird to your mountain .

(i. e.) In his faithfulness who hath promised and will, I doubt not, give me the Kingdom.

Either 1. Ye my Friends: who through diffidence and dispondency advised him to this course. Or 2. Ye my Enemies: who said it scoffingly and insultingly: How say ye. With what face or reason can you say thus to him who hath the Lord God almighty for his refuge?

(i. e.) To me, as Psal. 6. 4. and 7. 2.

Suddenly and swiftly, and to some remote place, where thou mayst be out of Saul's reach. Feed not thyself with vain hopes of the Kingdom, but consult for thy own safety, which thou canst not do without taking the wings of a Dove, or some other Bird, that thou maist flee away out of the land, and be at rest, as thou sayest Psal. 55. 6. Or, flee away, O thou Bird, thou little silly Bird; lest the Royal Eagle seize upon thee.

(i. e.) To some of your Mountains in Iuda, and there hide thyself. But this was David's common practise: and therefore there was no need that any should advise him to it, or that he should reprove them for that advice. Or, from (which prefix is oft wanting and to be understood, as Ios. 10. 13. 2. Sam. 23. 24.) your Mountain, (i. e.) from the Mountain, or mountainous Country of Judah, as it is called Ios. 20. 7. The Mountain being frequently put for a mountainous Country, as Numb. 13, 29. and 23. 7. Ios. 9. 1. and 10. 6, 40. and oft elsewhere: or, from your Mountains, in which thou and thy Companions use to hide your selves: flee into some forreign Land where you may be safe. For this was the design of David's Enemies, as he complains 1. Sam. 26. 19. and afterward, when David was under sore Temptations, it was his practise once or twice.

2. For lo , the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string : that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart .

These are the words, either 1. Of David's Friends or Enemies; confirming their former advice: which might suit with it, if that was the counsel of his Friends; but not, if it was (as it seems to have been) the counsel of his Enemies; for these would never have called themselves wicked, [illegible: 1+ letters]or David and his men upright in heart. Or rather 2. Of David himself: who having directed his speech to his Enemies v. 1. Now turns it to God, and powers out before him his Complaints against his Enemies, as his usual course is in this Book. They do not onely speak scornfully of me, as I have said, but, O Lord, they act against me with all their might and malice.

They lay designs for my destruction and they make all things ready to execute them.

Out of their lurking holes, Comp. Psal. 10. 8, 9. and 64. 5. For as some of his Enemies did openly oppose him, so others did secretly undermine him, and with pretences of Friendship seek to betray him.

At me and my followers, who have manifested our integrity both towards God, and towards Saul, whom I have faithfully served and spared when I could have taken away his life.

Marginal references: Psal. 64. 3, 4.; Heb. in darkness.

3. If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do ?

Or, for, or wi[illegible: 1+ letters]en.

(i. e.) Piety and Justice, and Fidelity and Mercy, which are the Pillars or Foundations of a State or Kingdom, as they are called Psal. 75. 2, 3. and 82. 5. By which they are established, Prov. 29. 14. and which Saul and his Courtiers had manifestly violated and overthrown in persecuting David and his Friends. The sence is, There is nothing in publick administrations, but disorder and oppression, and right can take no place.

The condition of all righteous men (whom thou hast engaged thyself to protect and deliver) will be desperate; which will not be for thine honour. Heb. what hath the Righteous done. As for me and my Friends upon whom all the blame is laid, what have we poor, but righteous persons (for such thou knowest us to be) done? namely, to cause all these Calumnies and Persecutions, or to occasion all these Commotions and Disturbances of publick Peace and Justice. It is easy to slander us, but let them prove their Accusations by any one of our Actions.

Marginal references: Psal. 60. 2. 8. & [illegible: 1+ letters]5. 3. & 82. 5.; Heb. hath [illegible: 1 word] ▪

4. The LORD m is in his holy temple , the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eye-lids try the children of men .

Either 1▪ In his Tabernacle, which is sometimes called his Temple, as 1. Sam. 1. 9. and 3. 3. Psal. 18. 6. and 38. 2. and 68. 29. where he resides to hear the Prayers and Appeals of all his People. Or 2. In Heaven, as it is explained in the next Clause; which is also called God's Temple, Mich. 1. 2. Revel. 7. 15. And which seems to be most emphatical here; for God's being in Heaven is oft mentioned as an evidence of his glorious Majesty, of his soveraign Power and Dominion over all men and things, and of his accurate Inspection into all men and their actions here below, which from that high Tower he can easily behold, as it here follows.

Where he sits to examine all Causes, and to judge all Men, and to give forth righteous Sentences according to every mans works: which is my great Comfort and Joy.

(i. e.) He doth exactly and thoroughly discern all men, and all that is in men, their most inward and secret Actions, Psal. 7. 9. And therefore he sees and will reward my Innocency notwithstanding all the Reproaches and Calumnies of mine Enemies; and withal he sees all their secret and subtil, and malitious Designs against me through all their cunning Pretences, and will discover and defeat them.

n To whom I appeal from mens unjust Tribunals.

Marginal references: Heb. 2. 20.; Psal. 33. 13. & 3[illegible: 1+ letters]. 15, 16. & 66. 7.

5. The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence , his soul hateth .

Either 1. He examines them, and knows them to be righteous, and consequently approveth and loveth, and will preserve and bless them: which may be gathered from the contrary Condition of the Wicked, whom God is supposed to try, though that be not expressed, and upon Trial finds them to be wicked, and therefore hates and punisheth them, as it follows. The like Ellipsis of an whole Sentence see on Psal. 1. 6. Or 2. He tryeth and exerciseth them and their Graces by Afflictions, or he corrects them for their Sins; which is oft called trying, as Psal. 66. 10. Zech. 13. 9. Iames 1. 12. 1. Pet. 4. 12. So this is spoken by way of concession, and to remove the Offence which some men might take at David, whose person and cause they might be apt to condemn because of his Troubles. Therefore he saith, God tries, (i. e.) chastens, even righteous persons, yet still he loves them, and therefore will in due time deliver them. But as for the wicked, let not them rejoyce in my Tryals, for far worse things are appointed for them: God hates them, and will severely punish them.

By which Character he describes and brands his Enemies, and aggravates their Malice, because they chose and practised Violence against him, not for any need which they had of it (for David was a most peaceable and harmless man, and neither pretended nor indeavoured to do any more than to defend himself, and that, as far as was possible, without the Offence or Injury of any other man) but meerly from their Love to Injustice and Violence and their implacable Hatred against goodness and good men.

He hateth with, or from his Soul, (i. e.) inwardly and ardently.

6. Upon ▪the wicked he shall rain snares , fire, and brimstone, and an horrible tempest : this shall be the portion of their cup .

Which notes their Original to be extraordinary, and from God's hand, and withal that they should come plentifully, swiftly, and suddenly, violently and unavoidably, as Rain commonly doth fall from Heaven.

(i. e.) Grievous Plagues or Judgments which are called Snares here, as also Iob. 18. 9, 10. and 22. 10. Isa. 8. 14. and 24. 17, 18. Partly because wicked men are oft times surprized with them when they least expect them, Luk. 21. 35. And partly because they cannot escape them, nor get out of them, but are held fast and destroyed by them.

(i. e.) Dreadful Judgments so called metaphorically, and by allusion to the Destruction of Sodom and other places by these means. But this he seems to speak not so much of present and temporal Calamities, as of their future and eternal Punishments: because he manifestly speaks of those Miseries which are peculiar to wicked men, whereas David knew very well both by his own Experience, and by the History of Iob, and of Israel's Bondage in Egypt, that all things here came alike to all men, good or bad, Eccles. 9. 2. and that good men had many times a greater share of worldly troubles than God's own people; as David acknowledgeth and complaineth of it, Psal. 73.

This is their portion, and as it were the meat and drink appointed to them by God. This shall certainly and unavoidably be their state or condition; which is oft called a mans part or portion, as Psal. 16. 5. and 63. 10. and 75. 8. Mat. 24. 51. He alludes to the antient custom of Masters of Families, or of Feasts, who used to distribute the several Portions of Meat to their Domesticks or Guests.

Marginal references: Ezek. 38 22.; Or, a burning [illegible: 1 word].; Psal. 16. 5.

7. For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness: his countenance doth behold the upright .

So this is given as the reason why God hateth and punisheth wicked men so dreadfully, because he loves righteousness, and therefore must needs hate wickedness and punish wicked men. Or, But, as this Particle is oft rendred. For this seems to be added by way of Opposition to what he now said concerning the State of wicked men▪

To wit, with an eye of Approbation, and true and tender Affection, and watchful and gracious Providence: which is oft signified by God's beholding or looking upon men, as Exod. 2. 25. Ezra 5. 5. Psal. 25. 18. and 33. 18. and 34. 15. &c. As on the contrary God is oft said to hide or turn away his Face, or Eyes from wicked men.

Marginal references: Heb. the LORD is righteous, [illegible: 1+ letters]e [illegible: 1 word] righteousness. So Gr.