Matthew Poole and continuators on Psalms 38

1. O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure .

I Confess, I both deserve Chastisement and need it, and therefore I desire not that thou wouldest remove it, but onely moderate it. See the same Expression, Psal. 6. 1:

2. For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore .

(i. e.) Thy Judgments inflicted upon my outward and inward Man, oft Compared to Arrows, as Deut. 32. 23. Psal. 7. 13. and 45▪ 5. and 91. 5.

Or, comes down upon me, as when a strong man lifts up his hand and Weapon, that it may fall down with greater Violence, and make the deeper Wound.

Marginal references: Job 6. 4:

3. There is no soundness in my flesh, because of thine anger: neither is there any rest in my bones , because of my sin .

My disease or grief, hath seized upon all the parts of my Body, my very Bones not excepted, so that my Bed can give me no rest.

Which hath provoked thee, to deal thus severely with me.

Marginal references: Psal. 6. 2.; Heb. Peace, Or, Health.

4. For mine iniquities are gone over my head : as an heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

Or, the Punishment of mine iniquities, as this Word is frequently used: Which best agrees both with the foregoing and following Verses, and with the Metaphor here used; which in other places of Scripture is generally applyed to Afflictions, and not to [illegible: 1+ letters]ins.

Like deep Waters wherewith I am overwhelmed and almost drowned, Psal. 42. 7. and 69. 2. and 124. 4, 5.

Marginal references: Ezra 9, 6.

5. My wounds stink, and are corrupt : because of my foolishness .

The Bruises and Sores caused by my Disease, are not onely painful but loathsome, to my self and to others.

(i. e.) Sin, which really is, and is commonly called folly, as Psal. 69. 5. Prov. 13. 16. and 14. 17. and 15. 2, &c.

6. I am troubled , I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.

Heb. Distorted, or Depressed; Or, as it is expressed by anoother Word, signifying the same thing, bowed down, to wit, in my Body, as diseased Persons commonly are, and withal dejected in my Mind.

Heb. In black, the sign of Mourning, which may here signifie the thing, as signs oft do. When for my ease I rise out of my Bed and walk, or rather Creep about in my Chamber, I do it with a sad Heart, and dejected Countenance. Or, if he did walk further, his Disease had some Intervals and Mitigations. Or going, may be here meant of his Languishing, or going towards the Grave, as this same Word is used, Gen. 15. 2. Comp. with 25. 32. Ios. 23. 14.

Marginal references: Heb: Cryed.; Or, in black. Mal. 3. 14.

7. For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease : and there is no soundness in my flesh.

Or, with filthiness: Or, with scorching Heat. The Disease might be some burning Feaver, being also Malignant or Pestilential, either burning inwardly, or breaking forth outwardly, in Carbuncles, or Boyls. It is true, this and the other Expressions may be taken Figuratively, of some grievous Calamity. But we should not forsake the proper and the literal Sence of the Words without necessity, which seems not to be in this place.

8. I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart .

Like a Bear or a Lyon, through extreme Pain and Misery.

For the great Anxiety and Torment of my Mind, caused by the deep Sence of my sins, and of God's wrath, and of the sad Issue of my Disease; which being added to my bodily Pains, makes them more intolerable.

9. Lord, all my desire is before thee: and my groaning is not hid from thee .

I do not utter all these Complaints, nor Roar out that thou mayst hear and know them, for thou hearest and knowest, even my lowest Groans; yea, mine inward Desires, and all my Necessities. And therefore, I pray thee, Pity and deliver me, as, I trust, thou wilst do.

10. My heart panteth , my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me .

Or, goes round, Wanders hither and thither, as the Word signifies, is Perplexed and Tossed, with many and various Thoughts, not knowing what to do, nor whither to go.

Mine Eyes are grown dim; Either, through grief and Tears, as Psal. 6. 7. Or through weakness, as 1 Sam. 14. 28, 29.

Marginal references: Heb. is [illegible: 1 word] with me.

11. My lover and my friends stand aloof , from my sore: and my kinsmen stand afar off.

Either, through Neglect and Contempt, or Disdain of me: Or, through Delicacy and Abhorrency, from loathsome and sadding Spectacles: Or, through Fear of Infection, or some other Inconveniences.

Marginal references: Psal. 31. 11. Mat. 27. 55.; Heb. stroke.; Or, my Neighbours.

12. They also that seek after my life, lay snares for me : and they that seek my hurt, speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.

That, if my Disease do not kill me, they may destroy me some other way.

They design Mischief, but cover it with fair Pretences.

13. But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man, that openeth not his mouth .

I carried my self towards them, as if I had no Ears to hear, what they said either to me, or for me, nor a Tongue to Answer, or reprove them for their Reproaches and Calumnies. Which he did not for want of just Answers to them, but to testifie his Humiliation for his sins, and his patient Submission to, and Acceptation of the Punishment which he had brought upon himself. Of which see an instance, 2 Sam. 16. 10, 11, 12. Wherein also he was an eminent Type of Christ, who when he was reviled, reviled not again, 1 Pet. 2. 23.

14. Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs .

Or, Arguments, to Convince or Confute them, or to defend my self.

15. For in thee, O LORD, do I hope : thou wilt hear, O LORD my God.

I bore their Carriage silently and patiently, because I hoped and knew that thou wouldest Answer for me, and Plead my Cause better than my self; which I would not prevent by my impatience, and avenging my self. Or, But in thee do I hope, (i. e.) Though Friends forsake me, and mine Enemies Plot and Practise against me, yet I do not Despair, because I have thee on my side.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 span].; [illegible: 1 word], [illegible: 1 word].

16. For I said , Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoyce over me : when my foot slippeth , they magnifie themselves against me .

To wit, in my Heart and Prayers, I used this Argument which I knew was prevalent.

In my Destruction, which also will reflect upon thee; who hast undertaken to defend and save me, and for whose sake I suffer so much from these wicked Men, v. 20.

When I fall either into any Gross sin, or into any Misery, or into both, as I have now done.

They Triumph in the Accomplishment of their Designs, or Desires.

17. For I am ready to halt , and my sorrow is continually before me .

Just falling into utter Destruction; see Ier. 20. 10. and therefore, if thou dost not help me speedily, it will be too late.

I am deeply and constantly sensible of thy just Hand, and of my sins the cause of it; wherewith I shall be overwhelmed, if thou dost not prevent it.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] for Halt [illegible: 1+ letters]. Psal. 35. [illegible: 1 word]. Mic. 4. 7.

18. For I will declare mine iniquity ; I will be sorry for my sin .

Either to thee: Or publickly to the World, because my sin hath been publick and Scandalous.

Heb. I will be (Or, I am: Futures being oft so taken) Solicitous or Anxious, full of Grief for what is past, and of Cares and Fears for the Future; Partly, lest I should Relapse into the same folly, upon new Temptations, and Partly, lest thou shouldest cut me off, for my sins. Therefore Pity and pardon, and save me.

Or, by reason of my sin, or upon that occasion.

19. But mine enemies are lively , and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.

Heb. Living, (i. e.) Thriving or Flourishing, or Prosperous, as Life is used, Psal. 22. 26. and 34. 12. and elsewhere.

Marginal references: Heb. being [illegible: 1 word], [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word].

20. They also that render evil for good , are mine adversaries: because I follow the thing that good is .

They hate and Persecute me, not onely without any Injury or Provocation on my part, but as it were in Requital of the good, which I have done to them.

Because I Love, and diligently Practise Justice and Godliness, which they hate, and which they take to be a Reproach to them, and which I did Exercise, as I had Opportunity, in the Punishment of such as they are. Compare Ioh. 15. 19. 1 Ioh. 3. 12.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] 35. 12.