Matthew Poole and continuators on Psalms 13

1. HOW long wilt thou forget me, O LORD, for ever ? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

How long wilt thou forget (i. e. neglect or disregard) me? For ever?

(i. e.) Withdraw thy Favour and assistance.

Marginal references: Psal. 69. 17▪

2. How long shall I take counsel in my Soul ; having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

How long shall I be in such perplexities and anxieties of Mind, not knowing what course to take, nor how to get out of my Troubles.

3. Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes , lest I sleep the sleep of death ;

Either 1. Because I find my Counsel insufficient, v. 2. do thou enlighten my mind, and guide me by thy Counsel and Spirit into the right way of obtaining thy Mercy and Help. So this Phrase is used Psal. 19. 8. [illegible: 1+ letters]ph. 1. 18. Or 2. Do thou revive and comfort, and deliver me from the darkness of Death, which is ready to come upon me and to close mine Eyes. Nothing is more common than to express great Dangers and Calamities by Darkness, and great Comforts and Deliverances by Light, as Iob 15. 22. and 17. 13. and 30. 26. and by an enlightening of the Eyes, as Ezra. 9. 8. Comp. Prov. 15▪ 30. and 29. 13.

(i. e.) Lest I sink under my Burthen and die: for Death is oft called a Sleep in Scripture, as Iob. 3. 13. and 14. 12. Psal. 76. 5. Iohn 11. 11.

Marginal references: Psal. 38. 10▪

4. Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him ; and those that trouble me, rejoyce when I am moved .

To wit, by my art or strength: which will reflect dishonour upon thee, as if thou wert either unfaithful and unmindful of thy Promises: o[illegible: 1+ letters] unable to make them good. Therefore repress this their Arrogancy and Blasphemy, and maintain thine own Honour.

Or, stumble, or fall, to wit, into Mischief.

Marginal references: Psal. 25. 2▪

5. But I have trusted in thy mercy , my heart shall rejoyce in thy salvation.

Neither their Threats and Brags, nor my own Dangers shall shake my Confidence in thy Mercy promised to me.

6. I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me .

Either 1. In giving me that support and assurance of his Favour which for the present I enjoy. Or, 2. In giving me that Mercy which he hath freely promised me: it being a common thing for David and other Prophets to speak of future Dèliverances as if they were already come, that so they may signify both the infallible certainty of the thing, and their firm assurance thereof. But the words may be rendered, When he shall have dealt bountifully with me. This Verb properly signifies to requite, or reward (as it may be taken here, for there is a reward of Grace, as well as of Debt, Rom. 4. 4.) but here it signifies a free and bountiful giving, as it doth al[illegible: 1+ letters]o Psal. 119. 17. and 142. 7.