Matthew Poole and continuators on Psalms 52

1. WHy boastest thou thy self in mischief, O mighty man ? the goodness of God endureth continually .

As if thou hadst done a great Exploit, which none else durst undertake; and thereby established the Crown upon Saul's Head, and thy self in his Favour; and broken all David's Designs, by striking a Terror into all his Favourers by this sad Example.

He speaks Ironically. O Valiant Captain! Oh glorious Action! To kill a few Weak and unarmed Persons in the Kings Presence, and under the Protection of his Guards. Surely thy Name will be Famous to all Ages, for such Heroical Courage.

God's Love and Favour to his People, and in particular to me, is not fading and inconstant, but everlasting and unchangeable, and therefore not to be hindred or defeated by any wicked Designs or Practises. And therefore though he hath permitted thee, and may do others to Rage for a season, yet he will defend, and in due time deliver his People.

Marginal references: Heb. all the day.

2. Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs like a sharp rasor, working deceitfully .

(i. e.) Expresseth what thy wicked Mind had devised. Thus Skilfulness is ascribed to those [illegible: 1 word], which are governed by a skilful or prudent Man, Psal. 78. last. This Word implies that Doeg's Words were not uttered rashly and unadvisedly, but with Premeditated malice, and a mischievous Design, which he waited for an Opportunity to Execute; and therefore he readily took the first occasion which offered it self.

Wherewith a man pretending onely to shave off the Hair, doth suddenly a[illegible: 1+ letters]d unexpectedly cut the Throat. So Doeg pretended onely to Vindicate himself from the Imputation of Disloyalty, 1 Sam. 22. 8. but really intended to expose the Priests, who were Friends to David, to the Kings fury and Cruelty.

Marginal references: Psa. 57. 4. & 59. 7. & 64. 3.

3. Thou lovest evil more than good : and lying rather than to speak righteousness , Selah.

Evil and Good may be here taken; Either, 1. Morally. Thou lovest Wickedness and not Goodness: for so Comparative passages are oft meant, as Psal. 118. 8. It is better to trust in the Lord, then to put Confidence in Man: (i. e.) It is good to trust God, but it is not good to trust Man; for this is absolutely forbidden, Psal. 146. 3. Ier. 17. 5. Or, 2. Physically. Thou lovest to speak or Act to the hurt and Ruin of others, rather than to their Benefit. Thou mightest, without any Danger to thy self, have been silent concerning [illegible: 1 word] 's Fact; or have put a Favourable Construction upon it; but thou hast chosen rather to mis-represent and Aggravate it. He saith, thou lovest, to imply that he did this not by any Constraint or Necessity, but by choice, and with Complacency, and out of a Love to mischief.

Whereof Doeg was guilty; Partly, in reporting that hi (i. e. Abime[illegible: 1+ letters]ech) enqqired of the Lord for him, (David,) 1 Sam 22. 10. which he did not Ch. 21. where all that History is recorded; and Partly, in putting a false Interpretation upon what he did, in giving him Victuals, and a Sword, as if he had done it knowingly, and in Compi [illegible: 1+ letters]acy with David, and against Saul, as appears by comparing D[illegible: 1+ letters]eg's Answer with Saul's enquiry, 1 Sam. 22. 7, 8.

(i. e.) The whole and naked Truth, without any such lying, or Malitious Comment upon it, which was but an Act of Justice, due from thee to any. Man, and much more on the behalf of so innocent and Sacred a Person.

4. Thou lovest all devouring words , O thou deceitful tongue.

Such as might swallow up and destroy an whole Family at once.

Marginal references: Or, the deceitfu[illegible: 1+ letters] Tong[illegible: 1+ letters]e.

5. God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling-place , and root thee out of the land of the living , Selah.

(i. e.) Totally and unavoidably, as thou didst destroy the Priests.

(i. e.) Violently and Irresistibly and suddenly remove thee, as the Hebrew word signifies.

From thy House and Lands, and all the Wages of thy unrighteousness. Or, out of his (i e. the Lord's) Tabernacle; in which▪ thou didst seek and take the Mattes of thy Slaunders, and from which thou didst cut of the Lords Priests. Therefore God shall Excommunicate thee from his Presence, and from the Society of the Faithful.

Though thou seemest to have taken very deep Rooting, and to be the more firmly settled for this barbarous Cruelty, yet God shall pluck thee up by the very Roots, and destroy thee both Root and Branch.

Out of this World, as the Phrase is taken, Isa. 53. 8. Ezek. 32. 32. and elsewhere. Which was very Terrible to him, who had all his Portion in this World.

Marginal references: Heb. beat thee down.

6. The righteous also shall see , and fear , and shall laugh at him .

To wit, thy Remarkable downfal, and Consequently shall survive thee in sp[illegible: 1+ letters]ght of all thy Power and Malice against them.

Both reverence Gods just Judgment upon thee, and be afraid of provoking God to send like Judgment upon them.

Not taking Pleasure in his Ruin as such, but onely in the Glory of Gods justice Vindicated thereby, Revel. 18. 20. and deriding their Vain and Carnal Confidence in their wicked Courses.

7. Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength : but trusted in the abundance of his riches , and strengthned himself in his wicedness.

These are the Triumphant Words of the Righteous. This is the great and Famous man, take special Notice of him, and of his doleful end.

That trusted and feared Saul more than God, and was willing to purchase Saul's Favour with Gods Displeasure.

Thought himself secure in his great and growing Wealth, without God's Protection or Blessing.

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

8. But I am like a green olive-tree in the house of God : I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

When Doeg and his Brethren shall Wither and Perish, I, who have made God my Refuge, I whom he despised and Persecuted and thought to be in a desperate Condition, shall be established and flourish:

Either, 1. in God's Church, or among his People. Or, 2. In God's Tabernacle, from which D[illegible: 1+ letters]eg shall be plucked away, v. 5. and from which I am now banished by the Tyranny and Malice of this Man and his Confederates: But, I doubt not, I shall be restored to it, and dwell in it all the days of my Life, which is the one thing that I desire, Psal. 27. 4.

Marginal references: Or rather, [illegible: 1 word].; * Psal. 92. 13, 14. Hos. 14. 6.

9. I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it : and I will wait on thy name , for it is good before thy saints .

(i. e.) Destroyed Doeg, and all mine and thine implacable Enemies, and Established in the Throne, and in thy House; of which I am no less assured, than if it were already done.

I will continue in thy way, placing my whole Trust and Confidence in thy Power and Goodness, and Faithfulness, all which are called God's Name, and not turn aside to any Crooked paths for my Deliverance, as others do, Psal. 125. 5.

(i. e.) In the Eyes of thy Saints. They, whose Judgments onely are to be valued, approve of this Practise, of trusting God, and keeping his way as the wisest and safest Course, and have ever found it so, to be by their own Experience; however Doeg and his Complices account it meer [illegible: 1+ letters]olly, and the the ready way to Ruin. But the last Words of this Clause may very Conveniently be joyned with the former Clause, thus, I will wait upon thy Name before thy Saints; which seems best to suit with the first Clause, I will praise thee; which surely was meant of Praising God publickly, or before the Saints; and then it follows Conveniently. And in the mean time I will wait on thy Name, in the Presence of thy Saints, who shall plainly see that I do so by the whole Course of my Life. And those Words, for it is good, may be inclosed within a Parenthesis, as is very usual in Scripture, and may be referred; Either to God's Name, for thy Name is good; or to wait on it, for it is good to wait upon it.