Matthew Poole and continuators on Psalms 44

1. WE have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days , in the times of old.

They alledge their former Experiences, as Encouragements to their Faith, and Motives to God, to continue to be gracious to them.

2. How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantest them , how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.

The Canaanites.

To wit, our Fathers, easily understood both from the Matter, and from v. 1. where they are expressed: the Pronoun being referred unto the Remoter Antecedent, as it is, Gen. 10. 12. and 19. 13. Psal. 18. 15. and oft elsewhere. So them must be the People, or [illegible: 1 word]. But because the Comparing of this Branch of the Verse, with the former, Plantedst them, to which this Answers, and withthe following, they, makes it more than probable, that this them, belongs to the Fathers, this is to be otherwise rendred, Either, 1. Thus, send them out, to wit, free or Manumitted out of Egypt, of which this same Verb is used, Exod. 5. 1. and 12. 33. And then the foregoing People are the Egyptians, not the Canaanites. Which yet seems not to agree with the foregoing and following Passages, both which speak of the Canaanites onely, nor with the order of the Words in this Verse, it being improper to mention their coming out of Egypt, after their being planted in Canaan. Or rather, 2. Thus, make them send or shout forth, to wit, Branches, as it is more fully expressed, Psal. 80. 11. Ezek. 17. 6. Where this Verb is used. And this most Naturally and Properly, follows upon and after their Planting mentioned in the former Clause.

Marginal references: Exod. 15. 17▪ Psal. 78. 55. & 80. 8.

3. For they got not the land in possession by their own sword , neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance , because th[illegible: 1+ letters] hadst a favour unto them.

(i. e.) By their Arms or Valour.

(i. e.) Thy Favour, as the next Words explain it, Thy gracious and glorious Presence, which went along with us.

Marginal references: Deut. [illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1 word]. Josh. [illegible: 1+ letters]4. [illegible: 1 word] ▪

4. Thou art my King , O God, command deliverances for Jacob.

Iacob's, or Israel's King, in a peculiar manner. The whole People speak like one Man, as being united together in one Body.

(i. e.) Effectually procure by thy Commanding Word.

Marginal references: Psal. 74. 12.

5. Through thee will we push down our enemies; through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.

Heb. Smite with the Horn, (i. e.) Subdue and destroy. The Phrase is taken from Deut. 33. 17. and is borrowed from horned Beasts. Comp. 1 Kings 22. 11.

(i. e.) By the Help of thy Power.

6. For I will not trust in my bow , neither shall my sword save me l.

But in thee onely; as the next Verse implies; and therefore do not frustrate my Hope, and Confidence fixed upon thee.

8. In God we boast all the day long: and praise thy name for ever Selah.

As in a most sure Rock, and our onely Refuge.

9. But thou hast cast off , and put us to shame ; and goest not forth with our armies .

But now thy Countenance and Course is quite changed to us.

Made us ashamed of our boasting, and trust in thee, which we have oft professed, to the Face of our Enemies.

To lead them, and fight for them, as this Phrase signifies, Iudg. 4▪ 14. 1. Sam. 8. 20. He seems to allude to God's marching, with and before the Israelites in the Wilderness, and afterwards, as occasion was offered. Comp. Psal. 68. [illegible: 1+ letters].

Marginal references: Psal. 60. 1. 10. & 74. 1. & 89. 38.

10. Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy : and they which hate us spoil for themselves .

By withdrawing thy Help, and our Courage according to thy Threatnings, Levit. 26. 36.

(i. e.) Take away our Estates to their own use, and for their onely Benefit, not in Compliance with thy Will, which was to punish us for our sins, nor for thy Service and Glory. They minded nothing but their own advantage.

11. Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat: and hast scattered us among the heathen .

Those of us, who were not slain are carried into Captivity, and dispersed in several places.

Marginal references: Rom. 8. 36.; Heb. as sheep of Meat:

12. Thou sellest thy people for nought , and dost not increase thy wealth by their price .

For a thing of nought. Or, without Money, and without Price, as it is said▪ Isa. 55. 1. For a very small, or for no Price, for a pair of Shoes, as we Read, Amos 2. [illegible: 1+ letters].

Thou hast not advanced thy Honour and Service thereby; for thy Enemies do not serve thee, more and better than thy People, nor yet so much.

Marginal references: Jer. 15▪ 13.; Heb. without Ric[illegible: 1+ letters]s.

13. Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours: a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.

They contemn our Persons, and sport themselves in our Miseries.

Marginal references: Deut. 28. 37. Psal. 79. 4.

14. Thou makest us a by-word among the heathen: a shaking of the head among the people.

Or, a Proverb. They used to say Proverbially, More despicable, or miserable than an Israelite.

A gesture of scorn and insultation. See on Psal. 22. 7.

Marginal references: Je[illegible: 1+ letters]. 24. 9.

15. My confusion is continually before me , and the shame of my face hath covered me .

Before the Eyes of my Mind, and Body too. They vilifie me, not onely behind my Back, but even before my Face.

(i. e.) I am filled with shame of my Face on every side, being ashamed to shew my Face in any place or Company.

16. For the voyce of him that reproacheth and bsasphemeth ; by reason of the enemy and avenger .

That doth not onely Reproach me, which I could better bear, but blaspheme God and our Religion for our sakes; which is intolerable to me.

Who executeth both God's and his own Vengeance upon me, Persecuting me with a despightful hatred, and with great Cruelty.

17. All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsly in thy covenant .

Although we cannot excuse our selves from many other sins, for which thou hast justly punished us, yet this we must say for our selves, that through thy Grace we have kept our selves from Apostacy and Idolatry, notwithstanding all the Examples and Provocations, rewards proposed and promised, or Punishments Threatned to induce us thereunto. Which we hope thou wil[illegible: 1+ letters] graciously consider and not suffer us to be Tempted, above what we are able to bear.

d All the Evils before-mentioned.

18. Our heart is not turned back , neither have our steps declined from thy way .

To wit, from thee, or thy Worship and Service unto Idols, as it follows, v. 20.

Because it is easie and ordinary falsly to pretend sincerity of Heart, which men cannot discern nor Confute; they prove it from the unblameableness of their Lives and Actions.

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 word].

19. Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons , and covered us with the shadow of death .

Or rather, into, as others render it; which seems much more Emphatical. And so this Verb may be rendred, [illegible: 1 word] hast humbled, or brought us down, as all the Antients rendred it. Or this is a pregnant Verb, as they Call them, or one Verb put for two; of which there are many instances, as hath been shewed. So it may be rendred, thou hast sore broken us, casting us into: Or, thou hast by sore breaking, brought us into. By inflicting upon us, one breach after another, thou hast at last brought us to this pass.

Which signifies a place extremely desolate, such as Dragons love, Isa. 13. 21. 22 and 34. 13. and 35. 7. and therefore full of Horror, and Danger, and Mischief. Thou hast thrown us among People, as Fierce and Cruel as Dragons.

(i. e.) With deadly Horrors and Miseries. See on Iob. 3. 5. and Psal. 23. 4.

20. If we have forgotten the name of God , or stretched out our hands to a strange God.

(i. e.) Either God himself; Or, his Worship and Service; which we have denied that we have done, v. 17.

In way of Prayer or Adoration, whereof this is a Gesture, Exod. 9. 29. 1 Kings 8. 22. Psal. 143. 6.

21. Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart .

We appeal to the Heart-searching God, concerning the sincerity of this Profession of ours.

22. Yea , for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

Or, But. We do not suffer for our Apostacy, but because we will not Aposta[illegible: 1+ letters]ize from thee.

Because we are thy People, and continue Constantly and Resolutely in the Profession and Practise of thy Worship, which they abhor, and from which they seek to draw or drive us.

Marginal references: Rom. 8. 36.

24. Wherefore hidest thou thy face ? and forgettest our affliction and our oppression ?

(i. e.) Dost not regard ou[illegible: 1+ letters] Miseries, nor affordest us any Pity or Help.

Then we have not forgotten thee. This seems not well to become thy Faithfulness and Goodness.

25. For our soul is bowed down to the dust : our belly cleaveth unto the earth .

(i. e.) Either our Lives, or Persons; or rather Bodies, as it is explained in the next Clause, and as the soul is oft taken by a Synecdoche, as Numb. 11. 6. Psal. 16. 10: and 106. 15. &c.

Either to the ground where we lye prostrate at our Enemies feet: Or, to the Grave.

We are not onely thrown down to the Earth, but we lye there like dead Carkasses fixed to it, without any Ability or Hope of rising again.

Marginal references: Psal. 119. 25.

26. Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies sake .

We mentioned our sincerity and Constancy in thy Worship, onely as an Argument to move thee to Pity, and not as a ground of our▪ Trust and Confidence, or as if we merited Deliverance by it; but that we expect and implore onely upon the account of thine own free and Rich Mercy.

Marginal references: Heb. a H[illegible: 1+ letters]lp [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word].