Psalms 11 commentary

Those that truly fear God and serve him, are welcome to put their trust in him. The psalmist, before he gives an account of his temptation to distrust God, records his resolution to trust in Him, as that by which he was resolved to live and die. The believer, though not terrified by his enemies, may be tempted, by the fears of his friends, to desert his post, or neglect his work. They perceive his danger, but not his security; they give him counsel that savours of worldly policy, rather than of heavenly wisdom. The principles of religion are the foundations on which the faith and hope of the righteous are built. We are concerned to hold these fast against all temptations to unbelief; for believers would be undone, if they had not God to go to, God to trust in, and future bliss to hope for. The prosperity of wicked people in their wicked, evil ways, and the straits and distresses which the best men are sometimes brought into, tried David's faith. We need not say, Who shall go up to heaven, to fetch us thence a God to trust in? The word is nigh us, and God in the word; his Spirit is in his saints, those living temples, and the Lord is that Spirit. This God governs the world. We may know what men seem to be, but God knows what they are, as the refiner knows the value of gold when he has tried it. God is said to try with his eyes, because he cannot err, or be imposed upon. If he afflicts good people, it is for their trial, therefore for their good. However persecutors and oppressors may prosper awhile, they will for ever perish. God is a holy God, and therefore hates them. He is a righteous Judge, and will therefore punish them. In what a horrible tempest are the wicked hurried away at death! Every man has the portion of his cup assigned him. Impenitent sinner, mark your doom! The last call to repentance is about to be addressed to you, judgement is at hand; through the gloomy shade of death you pass into the region of eternal wrath. Hasten then, O sinner, to the cross of Christ. How stands the case between God and our souls? Is Christ our hope, our consolation, our security? Then, not otherwise, will the soul be carried through all its difficulties and conflicts.

PSALM 11.

This psalm consists of two parts. In the first part, David recounts the severe assaults of temptation which he had encountered, and the state of distressing anxiety to which he had been reduced during the time of his persecution by Saul. In the second, he congratulates himself on the deliverance which God had granted him, and magnifies the righteousness of God in the government of the world.

To the chief musician. A Psalm of David.

Psalm 11:1-3

1. In Jehovah do I put my trust: how then say ye to my soul, Flee ye into your mountain as a bird? 2. Surely, behold! the ungodly shall bend “Ont tendu l’arc.” — Fr. “Have bent their bow.” their bow, they have fixed their arrows upon the string, to shoot secretly at the upright in heart. 3. Truly, the foundations are destroyed: what “Mais que?” — Fr. “But what?” hath the righteous One done?

1. In Jehovah do I put my trust. Almost all interpreters think that this is a complaint which David brings against his countrymen, that while seeking in every quarter for hiding-places, he could find nowhere even common humanity. And it is indeed true, that in the whole course of his wanderings, after betaking himself to flight to escape the cruelty of Saul, he could find no secure place of retreat, at least, none where he might continue for any length of time undisturbed. He might, therefore, justly complain of his own countrymen, in that none of them deigned to shelter him when he was a fugitive. But I think he has a respect to something higher. When all men were striving, as it were, with each other, to drive him to despair, he must, according to the weakness of the flesh, have been afflicted with great and almost overwhelming distress of mind; but fortified by faith, he confidently and steadfastly leaned on the promises of God, and was thus preserved from yielding to the temptations to which he was exposed. These spiritual conflicts, with which God exercised him in the midst of his extreme perils, he here recounts. Accordingly, as I have just now observed, the psalm should be divided into two parts. Before celebrating the righteousness of God, which he displays in the preservation of the godly, the Psalmist shows how he had encountered even death itself, and yet, through faith and an upright conscience, had obtained the victory. As all men advised him to leave his country, and retire into some place of exile, where he might be concealed, inasmuch as there remained for him no hope of life, unless he should relinquish the kingdom, which had been promised to him; in the beginning of the psalm, he opposes to this perverse advice the shield of his trust in God.

But before entering farther upon the subject, let us interpret the words. The word נוד, nud, which we have rendered to flee, is written in the plural number, and yet it is read in the singular; Calvin’s meaning is, that according to the Hebrew letters, the verb is in the plural number; but according to the Hebrew punctuation, which regulates the reading, it is in the singular. Piscator, in his commentary on this passage, observes, נודו, nudi, according to the points, is singular and feminine, and refers to the soul of David; according to the letters it is plural, נודו, nudu, and refers to David and his associates. This last reading appears to me the most appropriate, both because it is followed by the relative in the plural number, and because it does not seem to be a proper or natural mode of expression, to speak of persons addressing the soul of another” The phrase, to my soul, however, may simply mean to me, a sense in which it is frequently used in Scripture. but, in my opinion, this is a corrupt reading. As David tells us that this was said to himself only, the Jewish doctors, thinking the plural number unsuitable, have taken it upon them to read the word in the singular. Some of them, wishing to retain the literal sense as it is called, perplex themselves with the question, why it is said, Flee ye, rather than Flee thou; and, at length, they have recourse to a very meagre subtilty, as if those who counselled him to betake himself to flight addressed both his soul and his body. But it was unnecessary labor to put themselves to so much trouble in a matter where there is no difficulty; for it is certain that those who counselled David did not say that he alone should flee, but that he should flee, together with all his attendants, who were in the same danger with himself. Although, therefore, they addressed themselves especially to David, yet they included his companions, who had a common cause with him, and were exposed to the like danger. Expositors, also, differ in their interpretation of what follows. Many render it from your mountain, as if it were מהרכם, meharkem; and, according to them, there is a change of person, because those who spoke to him must have said, flee thou from Our mountain. But this is harsh and strained. Nor does it appear to me that they have any more reason on their side, when they say that Judea is here called mountain. Others think we should read הר כמו צפור, har kemo tsippor, This is the reading adopted by the Chaldee, Septuagint, and Vulgate versions. Hammond observes, that “where the Hebrew now reads, הרכם צפור, har kemo tsippor, To your mountain a sparrow, all the ancient interpreters uniformly read, To the mountain as a sparrow.” Horsley translates the words, “Flee, sparrows, to your hill,” and views the expression “as proverbial, denoting a situation of helplessness and danger, in which there was no hope of safety but in flight” The noun, צפור tsippor, which he renders sparrows, is singular, and it is here construed with a plural verb and a plural pronoun. But he remarks, that as this word, like most names of animals in the Hebrew language, signifies either the individual or the species, it may here be used in the singular number for many individuals, and construed with plural verbs, adjectives, and pronouns. that is, into the mountain as a bird, without a pronoun. “Sans specifier a qui est ceste montagne. — Fr. “Without specifying whose mountain it is.” But if we follow what I have said, it will agree very well with the scope of the passage to read thus, Flee ye into your mountain, for you are not permitted to dwell in your own country. I do not, however, think that any particular mountain is pointed out, but that David was sent away to the desert rocks wherever chance might lead him. Condemning those who gave him this advice, he declares that he depends upon the promise of God, and is not at all disposed thus to go away into exile. Such, then, was the condition of David, that, in his extreme necessity, all men repelled and chased him far away into desert places.

But as he seems to intimate that it would be a sign of distrust were he to place his safety in flight, it may be asked, whether or not it would have been lawful for him to flee; yea, we know that he was often forced to retire into exile, and driven about from place to place, and that he even sometimes hid himself in caves. I answer, it is true he was unsettled like a poor fearful bird, which leaps from branch to branch, “Je response que combien qu’il n’ait non plus este arrestd qu’un poure oiselet craintif qui saute de branche en branche.” — Fr. and was compelled to seek for different bypaths, and to wander from place to place to avoid the snares of his enemies; yet still his faith continued so steadfast that he never alienated himself from the people of God. Others accounted him a lost man, and one whose affairs were in a hopeless condition, setting no more value upon him than if he had been a rotten limb, “Combien que les autres le tenissent pour un homme perdu et duquel les affaires estoyent bors d’espoir et qu’ils n’en felssent non plus de casque d’un membre pourri.” — Fr. yet he never separated himself from the body of the Church. And certainly these words, Flee ye, tended only to make him yield to utter despair. But it would have been wrong for him to have yielded to these fears, and to have betaken himself to flight, as if uncertain of what would be the issue. He therefore says expressly, that this was spoken to his soul, meaning that his heart was deeply pierced by such an ignominious rejection, since he saw (as I have said) that it tended only to shake and to weaken his faith. In short, although he had always lived innocently, as it became a true servant of God, yet these malignant men would have doomed him to remain for ever in a state of exile from his native country. This verse teaches us, that however much the world may hate and persecute us, “Nous deteste et poursuyve.” — Fr. we ought nevertheless to continue steadfast at our post, that we may not deprive ourselves of a right to lay claim to the promises of God, or that these may not slip away from us; and that, however much and however long we may be harassed, we ought always to continue firm and unwavering in the faith of our having the call of God.

PSALM 11

Psa 11:1-7. On title, see Introduction. Alluding to some event in his history, as in 1Sa 23:13, the Psalmist avows his confidence in God, when admonished to flee from his raging persecutors, whose destruction of the usual foundations of safety rendered all his efforts useless. The grounds of his confidence are God's supreme dominion, His watchful care of His people, His hatred to the wicked and judgments on them, and His love for righteousness and the righteous.

1. my soul--me (Psa 3:2).

Flee--literally, "flee ye"; that is, he and his companion.

as a bird to your mountain--having as such no safety but in flight (compare 1Sa 26:20; La 3:52).

2. privily--literally, "in darkness," treacherously.

3. Literally, "The foundations (that is, of good order and law) will be destroyed, what has the righteous done (to sustain them)?" All his efforts have failed.

4. temple ... heaven--The connection seems to denote God's heavenly residence; the term used is taken from the place of His visible earthly abode (Psa 2:6; 3:4; 5:7). Thence He inspects men with close scrutiny.

5. The trial of the righteous results in their approval, as it is contrasted with God's hatred to the wicked.

6. Their punishment is described by vivid figures denoting abundant, sudden, furious, and utter destruction (compare Ge 19:24; Job 18:15; Psa 7:15; 9:15).

cup--is a frequent figure for God's favor or wrath (Psa 16:5; 23:5; Mt 20:22, 23).

7. his countenance--literally, "their faces," a use of the plural applied to God, as in Ge 1:26; 3:22; 11:7; Is 6:8, &c., denoting the fulness of His perfections, or more probably originating in a reference to the trinity of persons. "Faces" is used as "eyes" (Psa 11:4), expressing here God's complacency towards the upright (compare Psa 34:15, 16).

In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye - Some of David's friends seem to have given him this advice when they saw Saul bent on his destruction: "Flee as a bird to your mountain;" you have not a moment to lose; your ruin is determined; escape for your life; get off as swiftly as possible to the hill-country, to some of those inaccessible fortresses best known to yourself; and hide yourself there from the cruelty of Saul. To which advice he answers, "In the Lord put I my trust," shall I act as if I were conscious of evil, and that my wicked deeds were likely to be discovered? Or shall I act as one who believes he is forsaken of the protection of the Almighty? No: I put my trust in him, and I am sure I shall never be confounded.

For, lo, the wicked bend their bow - Perhaps these are more of the words of his advisers: Every thing is ready for thy destruction: the arrow that is to pierce thy heart is already set on the bow-string; and the person who hopes to despatch thee is concealed in ambush.

If the foundations be destroyed - If Saul, who is the vicegerent of God, has cast aside his fear, and now regards neither truth nor justice, a righteous man has no security for his life. This is at present thy case; therefore flee! They have utterly destroyed the foundations; (of truth and equity); what can righteousness now effect? Kimchi supposes this refers to the priests who were murdered by Doeg, at the command of Saul. The priests are destroyed, the preservers of knowledge and truth; the Divine worship is overthrown; and what can the righteous man work? These I think to be also the words of David's advisers. To all of which he answers: -

The Lord is in his holy temple - He is still to be sought and found in the place vhere he has registered his name. Though the priests be destroyed, the God in whose worship they were employed still lives, and is to be found in his temple by his upright worshippers. And he tries the heart and the reins of both sinners and saints. Nothing can pass without his notice. I may expect his presence in the temple; he has not promised to meet me in the mountain.

The Lord trieth the righteous - He does not abandon them; he tries them to show their faithfulness, and he afflicts them for their good.

His soul hateth - The wicked man must ever be abhorred of the Lord; and the violent man - the destroyer and murderer - his soul hateth; an expression of uncommon strength and energy: all the perfections of the Divine nature have such in abomination.

Upon the wicked he shall rain - This is a manifest allusion to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Snares - Judgments shall fall upon them suddenly and unawares.

Fire - Such as shall come immediately from God, and be inextinguishable.

Brimstone - Melted by the fire, for their drink! This shall be the portion of their cup.

A horrible tempest - רוח זלעפות roach zilaphoth, "the spirit of terrors." Suffering much, and being threatened with more, they shall be filled with confusion and dismay. My old MS. has "gost of stormis." See at the end, Psa 11:7 (note). Or, the blast of destructions. This may refer to the horribly suffocating Arabian wind, called Smum.

Mohammed, in describing his hell, says, "The wicked shall drink nothing there but hot stinking water; breathe nothing but burning winds; and eat nothing but the fruit of the tree zakon, which shall be in their bellies like burning pitch." Hell enough!

The portion of their cup - Cup is sometimes put for plenty, for abundance; but here it seems to be used to express the quantum of sorrow and misery which the wicked shall have on the earth. See Psa 75:8; Isa 51:17, Isa 51:21-23; Jer 25:15; Jer 49:12; Lam 4:21, Lam 4:22. It is also used in reference to the afflictions of the righteous, Mat 20:22; Mat 26:39, Mat 26:42; Joh 18:11.

We find a similar metaphor among the heathens. The following, from Homer, Il. xxiv., ver. 525, is in point: - Ὡς γαρ επεκλωσαντο θεοι δειλοισι βροτοισι, Ζωειν αχνυμενους· αυτοι δε τ' ακηδεες εισι, Δοιοι γαρ τε πιθοι κατακειαται εν Διος ουδει Δωρων, οια διδωσι, κακων· ἑτερος δε εαων· Ὡ μεν καμμιξας δῳη Ζευς τερπικεραυνος, αλλοτε μεν τε κακῳ ὁγε κυρεται, Αλλοτε δ' εσθλῳ.

Such is, alas! the god's severe decree,

They, only they are bless'd, and only free.

Two urns by Jove's high throne have ever stood,

The source of evil one, and one of good.

From thence the Cup of mortal man he fills:

Blessings to these; to those distributes ills.

To most he mingles both: the wretch decreed

To taste the bad unmixed, is curs'd indeed. - Pope.

The righteous Lord loveth righteousness - He loves that which resembles himself. His countenance - his face - is ever open and unclouded to the upright. They always enjoy his salvation, and know that he is pleased with them.

The preceding verse my old MS. translates and paraphrases thus: -

He sal rayne on synful, snares, fyre, brimstane, and gost of stormis.

Par - He Sal rayne on synful in this werld, snares, that es wiked Lare: fyre is covatyse: brunstane, that es stynk of il werkes: and post of stormis, that es a stormy though that es withoutyn rest in Ihesu Crist, and ay es traveld with the wynd of the devel. Or the past of stormys, es the last depertyng of synful fra ryghtwis men, and there fyre, brunston, storm, er part of the chalyie of thaim: that es, thai ar thair part in pyne. He cals thair pyne a "Cop", for ilk dampned man sal drynk of the sorow of Hel, eftir the mesure of hys Syn. Behald the pynes of wikid men: fyrst, God raynes upon thaim snares, that es qwen he suffers fals prophetes that comes in clathing of mekenes; and withinnen er wers than wolves, to desayf thaim thurgh errour. Sythen the fyre of lychery, and covatys wastes al the gude that thai haf done: eftirward for stynk of il werkes that er castyn fra Crist, and al his Halows, and then er in sentence of dome; as in a grete storme, dryven in til a pitte of Hel, to bryn in fyre withoutyn ende. This es the entent of this wers.

For ryghtwis es Lord; and he lufes ryghtwisnes; evennes saw the face of hym - Yf ge ask qwy oure lorde yelded pyne to synful? lo here an answere; for he es rightwis. Als so if ge wil witt qwy he gifes ioy til gude men? Lo here an answere; for he lufed ryghtwisnes: that es, ryghtwis men, in the qwilk er many ryghtwisneses: thof ane be the ryghtwisnes of God, in the qwilk al ryghtwise men or parcenel. Evenes saw his face: that es, evenes es sene in his knawyng inence, both the partys of gud and il. This es ogayne wryches at sais, If God saf me noght, I dar say he es unryghtwis: bot thof thai say it now, qwen he suffris wryched men errour in thought, and worde and dede; thai sal noght be so hardy to speke a worde qwen he comes to dampne thaire errour. Bot who so lufes here and haldes that na unevenes may be in hym, qwam so he dampnes, or qwam so he saves, he sal have thaire myght to stand and to speke gude space. Now er swilk in a wonderful wodenes, that wenes for grete wordes to get ought of God.

The former part of this Psalm, Flee as a bird, etc., this ancient author considers as the voice of heresy inviting the true Church to go away into error; and intimates that those who were separating from haly kyrk were very pure, and unblameable in all their conduct; and that mountain or hill, as he translates it, signifies eminent virtues, of which they had an apparently good stock. So it appears that those called heretics lived then a holier life than those called halows or saints.

Ye - Mine enemies.

For lo - David having directed his speech to his enemies, now turns it to God, and pours out before him his complaints. Ready - They lay designs for my destruction and make all things ready to execute them.

Foundations - Piety, justice, fidelity, and mercy, which are the pillars or foundations of a state or kingdom. What - The condition of all righteous men will be desperate.

Temple - In heaven; which is mentioned as an evidence of his glorious majesty, of his sovereign power and dominion over all men and things, and of his accurate inspection into all men and their actions. Throne - Where he sits to examine all causes, and to give righteous sentence according to every man's works. Try - He throughly discerns all men, their most inward and secret actions: and therefore he sees and will reward my innocency, notwithstanding all the calumnies of mine enemies; and withal he sees all their secret designs, and will discover and defeat them.

Trieth - He chastens even righteous persons, yet still he loves them, and therefore will in due time deliver them. But as for the wicked, God hates them, and will severely punish them.

Rain - Send them plentifully, swiftly, and suddenly, as rain commonly falls from heaven. Snares - Grievous plagues or judgments, which are called snares, because wicked men are often surprized with them when they least expect them. And because they cannot escape them, or get out of them; but are held fast and destroyed by them. Horrible tempests - Dreadful judgments so called, in allusion to the destruction of Sodom by these means. But this he seems to speak not so much of present calamities, as of eternal punishments. This - Is their portion, and as it were the meat and drink appointed them by God.

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.

Psa 11:1-3

David rejects the advice of his friends to save his life by flight. Hidden in Jahve (Psa 16:1; Psa 36:8) he needs no other refuge. However well-meant and well-grounded the advice, he considers it too full of fear and is himself too confident in God, to follow it. David also introduces his friends as speaking in other passages in the Psalms belonging to the period of the Absolom persecution, Psa 3:3; Psa 4:7. Their want of courage, which he afterwards had to reprove and endeavour to restore, showed itself even before the storm had burst, as we see here. With the words “how can you say” he rejects their proposal as unreasonable, and turns it as a reproach against them. If the Chethîb, נוּדוּ, is adopted, then those who are well-disposed, say to David, including with him his nearest subjects who are faithful to him: retreat to your mountain, (ye) birds (צפּור collective as in Psa 8:9; Psa 148:10); or, since this address sounds too derisive to be appropriate to the lips of those who are supposed to be speaking here: like birds (comparatio decurtata as in Psa 22:14; Psa 58:9; Psa 24:5; Psa 21:8). הרכס which seems more natural in connection with the vocative rendering of צפור (cf. Isa 18:6 with Eze 39:4) may also be explained, with the comparative rendering, without any need for the conjecture הר כמו צפור (cf. Deu 33:19), as a retrospective glance at the time of the persecution under Saul: to the mountains, which formerly so effectually protected you (cf. 1Sa 26:20; 1Sa 23:14). But the Kerî, which is followed by the ancient versions, exchanges נודו for גוּדי, cf שׁחי Isa 51:23. Even reading it thus we should not take צפור, which certainly is epicoene, as vocative: flee to your mountain, O bird (Hitz.); and for this reason, that this form of address is not appropriate to the idea of those who profer their counsel. But we should take it as an equation instead of a comparison: fly to your mountain (which gave you shelter formerly), a bird, i.e., after the manner of a bird that flies away to its mountain home when it is chased in the plain. But this Kerî appears to be a needless correction, which removes the difficulty of נודו coming after לנפשׁי, by putting another in the place of this synallage numeri.According to the above rendering: “Flee ye to your mountain, a bird” it would require to be accented נודו הרכם צפוז (as a transformation from נודו הרכם צפור vid., Baer’s Accentssystem XVIII. 2). The interpunction as we have it, נודו הרכם צפור, harmonises with the interpretation of Varenius as of Löb Spira (Pentateuch-Comm. 1815): Fugite (o socii Davidis), mons vester (h. e. praesidium vestrum, Psa 30:8, cui innitimini) est avis errans.

In Psa 11:2 the faint-hearted ones give as the ground of their advice, the fearful peril which threatens from the side of crafty and malicious foes. As הנּה implies, this danger is imminent. The perfect overrides the future: they are not only already in the act of bending the bow, they have made ready their arrow, i.e., their deadly weapon, upon the string (יתר = מיתר, Psa 21:13, Arab. watar, from יתר, wata ra, to stretch tight, extend, so that the thing is continued in one straight line) and even taken aim, in order to discharge it (ירה with ל of the aim, as in Psa 54:5, with acc. of the object) in the dark (i.e., secretly, like an assassin) at the upright (those who by their character are opposed to them). In Psa 11:3 the faint-hearted still further support their advice from the present total subversion of justice. השּׁתות are either the highest ranks, who support the edifice of the state, according to Isa 19:10, or, according to Psa 82:5, Eze 30:4, the foundations of the state, upon whom the existence and well-being of the land depends. We prefer the latter, since the king and those who are loyal to him, who are associated in thought with צדּיק, are compared to the שׁתות. The construction of the clause beginning with כּי is like Job 38:41. The fut. has a present signification. The perf. in the principal clause, as it frequently does elsewhere (e.g., Psa 39:8; Psa 60:11; Gen 21:7; Num 23:10; Job 12:9; 2Ki 20:9) in interrogative sentences, corresponds to the Latin conjunctive (here quid fecerit), and is to be expressed in English by the auxiliary verbs: when the bases of the state are shattered, what can the righteous do? he can do nothing. And all counter-effort is so useless that it is well to be as far from danger as possible.

Psa 11:4-6

The words of David’s counsellors who fear for him are now ended. And David justifies his confidence in God with which he began his song. Jahve sits enthroned above all that takes place on earth that disheartens those of little faith. At an infinite distance above the earth, and also above Jerusalem, now in rebellion, is a קדשׁ היכל קד, Psa 18:7; Psa 29:9, and in this holy temple is Jahve, the Holy One. Above the earth are the heavens, and in heaven is the throne of Jahve, the King of kings. And this temple, this palace in the heavens, is the place whence issues the final decision of all earthly matters, Hab 2:20; Mic 1:2. For His throne above is also the super-terrestrial judgment-seat, Psa 9:8; Psa 103:19. Jahve who sits thereon is the all-seeing and omniscient One. חזה prop. to split, cf. cernere, is used here according to its radical meaning, of a sharp piercing glance. בּחן prop. to try metals by fire, of a fixed and penetrating look that sees into a thing to the foundation of its inmost nature. The mention of the eyelids is intentional. When we observe a thing closely or ponder over it, we draw the eyelids together, in order that our vision may be more concentrated and direct, and become, as it were, one ray piercing through the object. Thus are men open to the all-seeing eyes, the all-searching looks of Jahve: the just and the unjust alike. He tries the righteous, i.e., He knows that in the depth of his soul there is an upright nature that will abide all testing (Psa 17:3; Job 23:10), so that He lovingly protects him, just as the righteous lovingly depends upon Him. And His soul hates (i.e., He hates him with all the energy of His perfectly and essentially holy nature) the evil-doer and him that delights in the violence of the strong towards the weak. And the more intense this hatred, the more fearful will be the judgments in which it bursts forth.

Psa 11:7, which assumes a declaration of something that is near at hand, is opposed to our rendering the voluntative form of the fut., ימטר, as expressive of a wish. The shorter form of the future is frequently indicative in the sense of the future, e.g., Psa 72:13, or of the present, e.g., Psa 58:5, or of the past, Psa 18:12. Thus it here affirms a fact of the future which follows as a necessity from Psa 11:4, Psa 11:5. Assuming that פּהים might be equivalent to פּחמים, even then the Hebrew פּחם, according to the general usage of the language, in distinction from גּחלת, does not denote burning, but black coals. It ought therefore to have been אשׁ פּחמי. Hitzig reads פּהים from פּיח ashes; but a rain of ashes is no medium of punishment. Böttcher translates it “lumps” according to Exo 39:3; Num 17:3; but in these passages the word means thin plates. We adhere to the signification snares, Job 22:10, cf. Job 21:17, Pro 27:5; and following the accentuation, we understand it to be a means of punishment by itself. First of all descends a whole discharge of missiles which render all attempt at flight impossible, viz., lightnings; for the lightning striking out its course and travelling from one point in the distance, bending itself like a serpent, may really be compared to a snare, or noose, thrown down from above. In addition to fire and brimstone (Gen 19:24) we have also רוּח זלעפות. The lxx renders it πνεῦμα καταιγίδος, and the Targum זעפא עלעוּלא, procella turbinea. The root is not לעף, which cannot be sustained as a cognate form of להב, לאב to burn, but זעף, which (as 1Sa 5:10 shows) exactly corresponds to the Latin aestuare which combines in itself the characteristics of heat and violent motion, therefore perhaps: a wind of flames, i.e., the deadly simoom, which, according to the present division of the verse is represented in connection with אשׁ וגפרית, as the breath of the divine wrath pouring itself forth like a stream of brimstone, Isa 30:33. It thus also becomes clear how this can be called the portion of their cup, i.e., what is adjudged to them as the contents of their cup which they must drain off. מנת (only found in the Davidic Psalms, with the exception of 2Ch 31:4) is both absolutivus and constructivus according to Olshausen (§§108, c, 165, i), and is derived from manajath, or manawath, which the original feminine termination ath, the final weak radical being blended with it. According to Hupfeld it is constr., springing from מנית, like קצת (in Dan. and Neh.) form קצות. But probably it is best to regard it as = מנות or מנית, like גּלות = גּלות.

Thus then Jahve is in covenant with David. Even though he cannot defend himself against his enemies, still, when Jahve gives free course to His hatred in judgment, they will then have to do with the powers of wrath and death, which they will not be able to escape. When the closing distich bases this different relation of God towards the righteous and the unrighteous and this judgment of the latter on the righteousness of God, we at once perceive what a totally different and blessed end awaits the righteous. As Jahve Himself is righteous, so also on His part (1Sa 12:7; Mic 6:5, and frequently) and on the part of man (Isa 33:15) He loves צדקות, the works of righteousness. The object of אהב (= אהב) stands at the head of the sentence, as in Psa 99:4, cf. Psa 10:14. In Psa 11:7 ישׂר designates the upright as a class, hence it is the more natural for the predicate to follow in the plur. (cf. Psa 9:7; Job 8:19) than to precede as elsewhere (Pro 28:1; Isa 16:4). The rendering: “His countenance looks upon the upright man” (Hengst. and others) is not a probable one, just because one expects to find something respecting the end of the upright in contrast to that of the ungodly. This rendering is also contrary to the general usage of the language, according to which פנים is always used only as that which is to be seen, not as that which itself sees. It ought to have been עינימו, Psa 33:18; Psa 34:16; Job 36:7. It must therefore be translated according to Psa 17:15; Psa 140:13 : the upright (quisquis probus est) shall behold His countenance. The pathetic form פנימו instead of פּניו was specially admissible here, where God is spoken of (as in Deu 33:2, cf. Isa 44:15). It ought not to be denied any longer that mo is sometimes (e.g., Job 20:23, cf. Job 22:2; Job 27:23) a dignified singular suffix. To behold the face of God is in itself impossible to mortals without dying. But when God reveals Himself in love, then He makes His countenance bearable to the creature. And to enjoy this vision of God softened by love is the highest honour God in His mercy can confer on a man; it is the blessedness itself that is reserved for the upright, 140:14. It is not possible to say that what is intended is a future vision of God; but it is just as little possible to say that it is exclusively a vision in this world. To the Old Testament conception the future עולם is certainly lost in the night of Sheôl. But faith broke through this night, and consoled itself with a future beholding of God, Job 19:26. The redemption of the New Testament has realised this aspiration of faith, since the Redeemer has broken through the night of the realm of the dead, has borne on high with Him the Old Testament saints, and translated them into the sphere of the divine love revealed in heaven.

Confidence in God.

1 In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? 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. 3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

Here is, I. David's fixed resolution to make God his confidence: In the Lord put I my trust, v. 1. Those that truly fear God and serve him are welcome to put their trust in him, and shall not be made ashamed of their doing so. And it is the character of the saints, who have taken God for their God, that they make him their hope. Even when they have other things to stay themselves upon, yet they do not, they dare not, stay upon them, but on God only. Gold is not their hope, nor are horses and chariots their confidence, but God only; and therefore, when second causes frown, yet their hopes do not fail them, because the first cause is still the same, is ever so. The psalmist, before he gives an account of the temptation he was in to distrust God, records his resolution to trust in him, as that which he was resolved to live and die by.

II. His resentment of a temptation to the contrary: "How say you to my soul, which has thus returned to God as its rest and reposes in him, Flee as a bird to your mountain, to be safe there out of the reach of the fowler?" This may be taken either,

1. As the serious advice of his timorous friends; so many understand it, and with great probability. Some that were hearty well-wishers to David, when they saw how much Saul was exasperated against him and how maliciously he sought his life, pressed him by all means to flee for the same to some place of shelter, and not to depend too much upon the anointing he had received, which, they thought, was more likely to occasion the loss of his head than to save it. That which grieved him in this motion was not that to flee now would savour of cowardice, and ill become a soldier, but that it would savour of unbelief and would ill become a saint who had so often said, In the Lord put I my trust. Taking it thus, the two following verses contain the reason with which these faint-hearted friends of David backed this advice. They would have him flee, (1.) Because he could not be safe where he was, v. 2. "Observe," say they, "how the wicked bend their bow; Saul and his instruments aim at thy life, and the uprightness of thy heart will not be thy security." See what an enmity there is in the wicked against the upright, in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman; what pains they take, what preparations they make, to do them a mischief: They privily shoot at them, or, in darkness, that they may not see the evil designed, to avoid it, nor others, to prevent it, no, nor God himself, to punish it. (2.) Because he could be no longer useful where he was. "For," say they, "if the foundations be destroyed" (as they were by Saul's mal-administration), "if the civil state and government be unhinged and all out of course" (Ps. lxxv. 3, lxxxii. 5), "what canst thou do with thy righteousness to redress the grievances? Alas! it is to no purpose to attempt the saving of a kingdom so wretchedly shattered; whatever the righteous can do signifies nothing." Abi in cellam, et dic, Miserere mei, Domine—Away to thy cell, and there cry, Pity me, O Lord! Many are hindered from doing the service they might do to the public, in difficult times, by a despair of success.

2. It may be taken as a taunt wherewith his enemies bantered him, upbraiding him with the professions he used to make of confidence in God, and scornfully bidding him try what stead that would stand him in now. "You say, God is your mountain; flee to him now, and see what the better you will be." Thus they endeavoured to shame the counsel of the poor, saying, There is no help for them in God, Ps. xiv. 6; iii. 2. The confidence and comfort which the saints have in God, when all the hopes and joys in the creature fail them, are a riddle to a carnal world and are ridiculed accordingly. Taking it thus, the two following verses are David's answer to this sarcasm, in which, (1.) He complains of the malice of those who did thus abuse him (v. 2): They bend their bow and make ready their arrows; and we are told (Ps. lxiv. 3) what their arrows are, even bitter words, such words as these, by which they endeavour to discourage hope in God, which David felt as a sword in his bones. (2.) He resists the temptation with a gracious abhorrence, v. 3. He looks upon this suggestion as striking at the foundations which every Israelite builds upon: "If you destroy the foundations, if you take good people off from their hope in God, if you can persuade them that their religion is a cheat and a jest and can banter them out of that, you ruin them, and break their hearts indeed, and make them of all men the most miserable." The principles of religion are the foundations on which the faith and hope of the righteous are built. These we are concerned, in interest as well as duty, to hold fast against all temptations to infidelity; for, if these be destroyed, if we let these go, What can the righteous do? Good people would be undone if they had not a God to go to, a God to trust to, and a future bliss to hope for.

4 The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord 's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. 5 The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. 6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. 7 For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.

The shaking of a tree (they say) makes it take the deeper and faster root. The attempt of David's enemies to discourage his confidence in God engages him to cleave so much the more closely to his first principles, and to review them, which he here does, abundantly to his own satisfaction and the silencing of all temptations to infidelity. That which was shocking to his faith, and has been so to the faith of many, was the prosperity of wicked people in their wicked ways, and the straits and distresses which the best men are sometimes reduced to: hence such an evil thought as this was apt to arise, Surely it is vain to serve God, and we may call the proud happy. But, in order to stifle and shame all such thoughts, we are here called to consider,

I. That there is a God in heaven: The Lord is in his holy temple above, where, though he is out of our sight, we are not out of his. Let not the enemies of the saints insult over them, as if they were at a loss and at their wits' end: no, they have a God, and they know where to find him and how to direct their prayer unto him, as their Father in heaven. Or, He is in his holy temple, that is, in his church; he is a God in covenant and communion with his people, through a Mediator, of whom the temple was a type. We need not say, "Who shall go up to heaven, to fetch us thence a God to trust to?" No, the word is nigh us, and God in the word; his Spirit is in his saints, those living temples, and the Lord is that Spirit.

II. That this God governs the world. The Lord has not only his residence, but his throne, in heaven, and he has set the dominion thereof in the earth (Job xxxviii. 33); for, having prepared his throne in the heavens, his kingdom ruleth over all, Ps. ciii. 19. Hence the heavens are said to rule, Dan. iv. 26. Let us by faith see God on this throne, on his throne of glory, infinitely transcending the splendour and majesty of earthly princes—on his throne of government, giving law, giving motion, and giving aim, to all the creatures—on his throne of judgment, rendering to every man according to his works—and on his throne of grace, to which his people may come boldly for mercy and grace; we shall then see no reason to be discouraged by the pride and power of oppressors, or any of the afflictions that attend the righteous.

III. That this God perfectly knows every man's true character: His eyes behold, his eye-lids try, the children of men; he not only sees them, but he sees through them, not only knows all they say and do, but knows what they think, what they design, and how they really stand affected, whatever they pretend. We may know what men seem to be, but he knows what they are, as the refiner knows what the value of the gold is when he has tried it. God is said to try with his eyes, and his eye-lids, because he knows men, not as earthly princes know men, by report and representation, but by his own strict inspection, which cannot err nor be imposed upon. This may comfort us when we are deceived in men, even in men that we think we have tried, that God's judgment of men, we are sure, is according to truth.

IV. That, if he afflict good people, it is for their trial and therefore for their good, v. 5. The Lord tries all the children of men that he may do them good in their latter end, Deut. viii. 16. Let not that therefore shake our foundations nor discourage our hope and trust in God.

V. That, however persecutors and oppressors may prosper and prevail awhile, they now lie under, and will for ever perish under, the wrath of God. 1. He is a holy God, and therefore hates them, and cannot endure to look upon them: The wicked, and him that loveth violence, his soul hateth; for nothing is more contrary to the rectitude and goodness of his nature. Their prosperity is so far from being an evidence of God's love that their abuse of it does certainly make them the objects of his hatred. He that hates nothing that he has made, yet hates those who have thus ill-made themselves. Dr. Hammond offers another reading of this verse: The Lord trieth the righteous and the wicked (distinguishes infallibly between them, which is more than we can do), and he that loveth violence hateth his own soul, that is, persecutors bring certain ruin upon themselves (Prov. viii. 36), as follows here. 2. He is a righteous Judge, and therefore he will punish them, v. 6. Their punishment will be, (1.) Inevitable: Upon the wicked he shall rain snares. Here is a double metaphor, to denote the unavoidableness of the punishment of wicked men. It shall be rained upon them from heaven (Job xx. 23), against which there is no fence and from which there is no escape; see Josh. x. 11; 1 Sam. ii. 10. It shall surprise them as a sudden shower sometimes surprises the traveller in a summer's day. It shall be as snares upon them, to hold them fast, and keep them prisoners, till the day of reckoning comes. (2.) Very terrible. It is fire, and brimstone, and a horrible tempest, which plainly alludes to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and very fitly, for that destruction was intended for a figure of the vengeance of eternal fire, Jude 7. The fire of God's wrath, fastening upon the brimstone of their own guilt, will burn certainly and furiously, will burn to the lowest hell and the utmost line of eternity. What a horrible tempest are the wicked hurried away in at death! What a lake of fire and brimstone must they make their bed in for ever, in the congregation of the dead and damned! It is this that is here meant; it is this that shall be the portion of their cup, the heritage appointed them by the Almighty and allotted to them, Job xx. 29. This is the cup of trembling which shall be put into their hands, which they must drink the dregs of, Ps. lxxv. 8. Every man has the portion of his cup assigned him. Those who choose the Lord for the portion of their cup shall have what they choose, and be for ever happy in their choice (Ps. xvi. 5); but those who reject his grace shall be made to drink the cup of his fury, Jer. xxv. 15; Isa. li. 17; Hab. ii. 16.

VI. That, though honest good people may be run down and trampled upon, yet God does and will own them, and favour them, and smile upon them, and that is the reason why God will severely reckon with persecutors and oppressors, because those whom they oppress and persecute are dear to him; so that whosoever toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye, v. 7. 1. He loves them and the work of his own grace in them. He is himself a righteous God, and therefore loves righteousness wherever he finds it and pleads the cause of the righteous that are injured and oppressed; he delights to execute judgment for them, Ps. ciii. 6. We must herein be followers of God, must love righteousness as he does, that we may keep ourselves always in his love. He looks graciously upon them: His countenance doth behold the upright; he is not only at peace with them, and puts gladness into their hearts, by letting them know that he is so. He, like a tender father, looks upon them with pleasure, and they, like dutiful children, are pleased and abundantly satisfied with his smiles. They walk in the light of the Lord.

In singing this psalm we must encourage and engage ourselves to trust in God at all times, must depend upon him to protect our innocence and make us happy, must dread his frowns as worse than death and desire his favour as better than life.

PSAL. XI.

To the Master of the Musicke, a Psalme of David.

IN Iehovah doe I hope for safety; how say yee to my soule, flee to your mountaine as a bird? For loe the wicked bend the bow, they prepare their arrow upon the string to shoot in the darknesse at them that are upright in heart. For the foundations are cast downe, the just what hath he done? Iehovah in the palace of his holinesse, Iehovah in the heavens his throne; his eyes will view, his eye-lids will prove the sonnes of Adam. Iehovah will prove the just one, and the wicked one; and him that loveth violent wrong his soule doth hate. He will raine upon the wicked, snares, fire and brimstone, and wind of burning stormes shall bee the portion of their cup. For just Iehovah hee loveth justices, his face will view the righteous.

Annotations. A Psalme of David: I this word Psalme wanting in the Hebrew, is supplied in the Greeke. So in Psal. 14. and 25. and 26. and 27. and many other. See the note on Psal. 10. 10. flee] or flit. In the Hebrew there is a double reading, flee thou, and flee yee, meaning David in speciall, and his retinew with him. to your mount] or, from your mount; but the Greeke and Chaldee supplieth the word to. In mounts, rockes, and caves, David hid himselfe from Sauls persecution, 1 Sam. 23. 14. and 24. 3, 4. as a bird] This noteth his danger, who was hunted as a partrich on the mountaines, 1 Sam. 26. 20. and his feare, as in Isa. 16. 2. Hereupon is that proverb, As a bird fleeing from her nest, so is a man fleeing from his place, Prov. 27. 8. Vers. 3. For the foundations] or the things set up. The originall word Shathoth signifieth things orderly set and disposed, and may be applied to many things; as in buildings, to the foundation; in hunting, unto nets or snares; in the common-wealth, unto constitutions or positive lawes; in warres, unto engins or leagers, as Psal. 3. 7. in the minde of man, unto purposes, plots, deliberations; in religion, unto faith, which is the foundation and beginning of the hypostasis, or the hypostasis (that is, the subsistence and expectation) of things hoped for, Hebr. 3. 14. and 11. 1. According to all, or most of these, may this sentence be applied, either to the plots, purposes, snares, set for Davids ruine, but pulled downe by the Lord; or to Sauls estate and kingdome which seemed setled, but by the Lord was overthrowne; or, to Davids estate and faith, which the enemies boasted to be come to nought. The Greeke version of the Lxx. translateth thus, for the things that thou hast perfected, they have destroyed. are cast downe] or, shall be broken downe, destroyed. The Chaldee giveth this interpretation, For if the foundations be destroyed, why doth the just doe innocency? Vers. 4. Palace of his holinesse] or, his holy palace or Temple, which here may be taken for very heaven, as also in Hab. 2. 20. for the holy places made with hands, were antitypes (or answerable similitudes) of the true Sanctuary, Hebr. 9. 24. Vers. 5. prove the just] or trie them; by the persecution of the wicked, as well as by other afflictions, Psal. 66. 10, 11, 12. his soule] that is, Gods soule doth hate. This is attributed to God after the manner of men; as he is also said to have eies, hands, eares, &c. So Levit. 26. 11. my soule shall not loath you. Vers. 6. snares] hereby is often meant in Scripture, strange, sudden, and inevitable judgements, Iob 22. 10. and 18 9, 10. Isa. 8. 14. and 24. 17, 18. The Chaldee expounds it, He will send downe the raine of vengeance on the wicked that breathe fire, &c. fire and brimstone] such was the wrath that fell on Sodome and the cities by it, Gen. 19. 24. and was threatned unto Gog, Ezek. 38. 22. and figureth the vengeance of eternall fire, Iude 7. Rev. 20. 10. wind of burning stormes] or, of blasting tempests, that is, a horrible blasting whirlewind. David felt such from his persecutors, Psalm. 119. 53. and here they feele such from God, for persecuting him. Ieremie applieth this word to the burning storme of hunger, Lam. 5. 10. but it is properly a hideous burning tempest, rushing out of the darksome cloud; such as the Evangelist calleth [illegible: 2 letters]emos tuphonicos, a smouldry burning wind, named in Greeke Euroclydon, Act. 27. 14. the portion of their cup] that is, the due measure of their punishment. See Psal. 75. 9 and 16. 5. Vers. 7. loveth justices] that is, all manner justice, both to punish the evill, and preserve the good, both just causes and persons. his face] or their faces, in mystery of the holy Trinity; as often in the Scripture. See Psal. 149. 2. The Hebrew here may be Englished, the face (the aspects) of them, or of him: See the note on Psal. 2. 3. will view the righteous] usually vieweth the right. And this noteth the manifesting of Gods care and fauour towards the righteous, both cause and person. The Greeke translateth, His face seeth righteousnesses: the Chaldee thus, The just shall see the sight of his face.

PSAL. XI.

VErſ. 1. In the Lord put I my truſt] This was that which David had and held, wherewith to anſwer him that reproached him (and it was an excellent good one) that hee truſted in Gods Word, Pſal. 119.42. When it was that he gave this anſwer, In the Lord put I my truſt (whether when Sauls courtiers,See the like Neh. 6.10. Luk. 13.31. under pretence of friendſhip, counſelled him to quit the Court for fear of Saul, which hee was very loth to do; or elſe when he was with Samuel at Naioth, 1 Sam. 19.18. &c. where his carnall friends might adviſe him, as Peter did his Maſter, Mat. 16.22. with a Fuge, fuge, David, cito, citius, citiſſime) is uncertain. But this is certain, that all the troops of ungodlineſs aime and act vigorouſly to caſt down the caſtle of confidence we have in God. This therefore we muſt be ſure to ſecure, as the Serpent doth his Head, the Souldier his Shield, Epheſ. 6.16. This is the victory whereby we overcome the World (with its Allurements, or Affrightments) even our faith, 1 Joh. 5.4. The beleever walketh about as a Conquerour; and he alone is the man whom the Heathen Poet elegantly deſcribeth, Juſtum & tenacem propoſiti virum, Non sivium ard or prava jubentium,Horat. Carm. lib. 3. Od 7 Non vult us inſtantis tyranni Mente quatit ſolida, &c. Si fractus illabatur orbis, Impavidum ferient ruinae.

The Poet inſtanceth in Hercules and Bacchus, but had he known of David, Moſes, Micaiah, Nehemiah, Daniel, and his three friends, &c. he would rather have pitched upon them, or ſome others of thoſe Worthies, of whom the world was not worthy, Heb. 11.

Flee as a Bird to your mountain] Get you gone, you and your followers (the Hebrew word Flee is plural) or flee to your mountain, O bird; ſee you not the Fowlers ſnare? and will you not away with all ſpeed? Thus they ſought to fright him (as Birds are fearful, Iſa. 16.2. and to make him flee from his place, as a Bird fleeth from her Neſt, Prov. 27.8. But he was never without his Cordial, the ſame that releeved him at the ſack of Ziglag, where, in the fail of all other comforts, he incouraged himſelf in the Lord his God, 1 Sam. 30.6. he knew that as birds flying, ſo will the Lord of Hoſts defend his people; defending alſo, he will deliver them, and paſſing over he will preſerve them, Iſa. 31.5. This, though it were not written in Davids days, yet he had the good aſſurance of it in his ſoul.

Verſ. 2. For loe, the wicked bend their bow] ſcil. to ſhoot at you a ſilly Bird; you were beſt therefore to be packing,Nam ecce inquitis impii appoſuerunt pedem arcui. Beza. and not to ſtay till you come tumbling down, as a Bird fetcht off with a bolt. This hath ever been the guiſe of the Churches enemies, and is ſtill, to terrifie her (if they could) and affright her out of her faith, and true religion. Nebuchadnezzar for inſtance, Antiochus that little Antichriſt, the primitive Perſecutors, and ſtill the Papiſts with their cruel Inquiſition, and otherwiſe. But what ſaith the Apoſtle, In nothing be terrified by your adverſaries, Phil. 1.28. Be not afraid with any amazement, 1 Pet. 3.6. Nos quidem ne que expaveſcimus ne que pertimeſcimus ea quae ab ignorantibus patimur, Ad Scapulam, ſaith Tertullian; We fear not what any of you can do to us, do your worſt. Contemptus eſt à me Romanin & favor & furor, ſaid Luther, I care not for Romes frowns, or fair hooks. This the blinde World counteth, and calleth ſillineſs, or ſtubbornneſs, but they know not the force of faith, nor the privie armour of proof, that the Saints have about their hearts. They make ready their Arrow upon the ſtring (not in the quiver as the Vulgar reads it.)

That they may privily ſhoot] Heb. to ſhoot in the darkneſs: ſo that although the Saints hide themſelves in Caves, and dark corners, yet they are ferreted out thence by their Perſecutors, as David was by Saul often. And this ſome hold to bee the meaning of that place, Pſal. 74.20. The dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty; that is, we can hideour ſelves no where, but the Perſecutors find us out.

Verſ. 3. If the foundations be deſtroyed] If all things be turned topſie turvie in the State, and no regard had to right or wrong, Sed vi geritur res, ut in regno Cyclopico; If Saul, not withſtanding mine alliance to him, and innocency toward him, his many fair promiſes to me, and thoſe hazards and hardſhips I have ſuffered for his ſake, will needs go on to hunt me up and down, as a Partridge in the mountains, and to ſeek mine utter undoing, what can I do to help it? how can it bee but the moſt righteous muſt have his ſhare of ſufferings? See Pſal. 82.5.

VVhat can the righteous do?] More than glorifie God, by ſuffering his Will, and patiently wait for better times, comforting himſelf (as in the next verſe) in this confidence, that God is in Heaven, &c. Some render it, What hath the righteous done? The wicked will ſay, that he hath undone all, and that David with his complices are the cauſes of all the publick calamities and confuſions. So the Primitive Perſecutors charged the Chriſtians, and Papiſts do ſtill the Proteſtants,Chriſtianos ad leones. Tertul. to be the troublers of the State, the Seeds-men of ſedition, the diſturbers of the Churches peace, &c. when as indeed themſelves are flagella Reip. flabella ſeditionis, the only traitors and troublers of Iſrael; with Athaliah they cry out Treaſon, Treaſon, when themſelves are the greateſt Traitors and Incendiaries of Chriſtendom. We may confidently ſay with the Pſalmiſt, The foundations are deſtroyed, but what hath the righteous done? Some render the words thus, But thoſe purpoſes or counſels (of Saul and his flatterers, verſ. 2.) ſhall be deſtroyed. (Saul ſhall be fruſtrated of his hope, therefore I will not flee into the mountains) But what hath the righteous done? That is, I have done nothing unrighteouſly againſt Saul, therefore I will not fly, &c.

Verſ. 4. The Lord is in his holy Temple] i. e. in Heaven, and there-hence hee both can and will do much for the releef of his poor oppreſſed,Ubi deficit auxilium humanum incip[illegible: 2 letters] divinum. Philo. though the righteous can do little for themſelves: he alſo knows, and will clear their innocency; for he ſits between the Cherubims, whence he is wont to ſend help, Pſal. 20.3. and hath his Throne in Heaven, whence he is wont to ſtrike terrour into the enemies, Pſal. 18.8, &c.

The Lords Throne is in Heaven] This is the ſame with the former, ſerving to ſet forth Gods Sufficiency, as the following words do his Efficiency,Dei ſolium eſt noſtrum aſylum. thoſe props of Davids faith, anſwerable to Jachin and Boaz, thoſe two braſen Pillars in Salomons Temple.

His eyes behold, his eye-lids try the children of men] The eye of God is taken in Scripture (ſaith one) either for his knowledge, or for his judgement; his eye in this Text pointeth out his knowledge, his eye-lids his critical deſcant. It is a manner of ſpeech, ſaith another, taken from thoſe mens actions who being deſirous to look upon a thing more intently do wink with their eyes, or cloſe up one of them, that they may ſee the better with the other.

Verſ. 5. The Lord trieth the righteous] or approveth, as Jam. 1.12, he juſtifieth and accepteth him as appeareth by the oppoſition here. The vulgar rendreth it thus; Deus interrogat juſtum & impium, ſc. quiae per interrogatoria veritas dignoſe[illegible: 1 letter] tur. The Lord interrogateth the juſt and the wicked ſcil. that ſo he may ſift out the truth of things. But neither doth the Hebrew word ſo ſignifie, nor doth God need any ſuch help.

His ſoul hateth] i.e. he can in no wiſe away with; and this is ſpoken of God after the manner of men, for fury, hatred, and the like affections are not in him. If it could be ſaid of Trajan the Emperour, that hee neither feared nor hated any man, how much more of God? And if of the Tribunal at Zant, much better of Gods Throne.

Hic locus odit, amat, punit, conſervat, honorat, Nequitiam, pacem, crimina, jura, bonos.

Verſ. 6. Upon the wicked he ſhall rain ſnares] His ſoul hateth them; and, as revenge is the next effect of hatred, he will exerciſe horrible Judgements upon them. Go on they may in their wicked ways for a time, and haply think to out-run Wrath, but it ſhall eaſily overtake them, and inevitably; for the firſt thing that God ſhall rain upon them is Snares, to catch and hold them faſt, that they may ſurely ſuffer the reſt that follow. Take him, and lead him away ſafely, ſaith Judas concerning Jeſus to the Souldiers. Mark 14.44. And the ſame in effect ſaith God to his Judgements concerning the wicked, on whom for that purpoſe he raineth Snares, i.e. he ſuddenly ſurpriſeth them: as by unexpected foul weather.

Fire and Brimſtone] Hell from Heaven, as once upon Sodom and her Siſters, figuring the vengeance of eternal fire. Jude 7. Rev. 20.10.Perdic ſe[illegible: 1 letter] [illegible: 1 word] diſperdit. &c cruciat ita ut nunquam perimar. Camero. where the Sacrifice is ſalted with fire, Mark 9.49. that is, burneth, but conſumeth not, Fire being of a burning, but Salt of a preſerving nature. Tophet is of a moſt tormenting temper, the fuel thereof is fire and much wood: the breath of the Lord like a ſtream of fire doth kindle it, Iſa. 30.33. Utinam ubi que de Gehenna differeretur, ſaith a Father; O that men would think, and talk much of Hell! O that they would take a turn in it; and taking a view of that formidable fire fed with a river of Brimſtone, and blown by the breath of the Almighty, they would haſten out of their Natural condition, as Lot did out of Sodome; ſith there is the ſmell of the fire and brimſtone already upon them!

And an horrible tempeſt] Ventus procelloſiſſimus, a moſt terrible blaſting Whirlwind, ſuch as the Greeks call Preſter; whereof ſee Plin. Lib. 2. c. 48. and the Evangeliſt calleth Euroclydon, Act. 27.14. The mariners miſchief.

This ſhall be the portion of their cup] Vel, portio part is eorum, id eſt, ipſiſſima eorum portio; duplicatur idem ſenſus duobus verbis, ſaith R. David. He ſeemeth to allude to the cuſtom at Feaſts, where each had his Cup, his demenſum, or meaſure of meat and drink. Wicked ones ſhall drink up the cup of Gods Wrath (worſe than that cup of boyling Lead powred down the drunken Turks throat by the command of the Baſhaw) though it be brim-full, and have eternity to the bottom, Pſal. 75.8.

Verſ. 7. For the righteous Lord loveth righteouſneſs] Sc. as a reflection of himſelf, as a peece of his own image. This is better than eyes opened, limbs reſtored, Pſal. 146.8.

His countenance] Heb. Countenances, or their faces, in myſtery of the Holy Trinity.

Doth behold the upright] With ſingular delight and complacency.Vide Vicars in Loc.

These verses contain an account of a temptation to distrust God, with which David was, upon some unmentioned occasion, greatly exercised. It may be, that in the days when he was in Saul's court, he was advised to flee at a time when this flight would have been charged against him as a breach of duty to the king, or a proof of personal cowardice. His case was like that of Nehemiah, when his enemies, under the garb of friendship, hoped to entrap him by advising him to escape for his life. Had he done so, they could then have found a ground of accusation. Nehemiah bravely replied, "Shall such a man as I flee?" and David, in a like spirit, refuses to retreat, exclaiming, "In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?" When Satan cannot overthrow us by presumption, how craftily will he seek to ruin us by distrust! He will employ our dearest friends to argue us out of our confidence, and he will use such plausible logic, that unless we once for all assert our immovable trust in Jehovah, he will make us like the timid bird which flies to the mountain whenever danger presents itself.

How forcibly the case is put! The bow is bent, the arrow is fitted to the string: "Flee, flee, thou defenceless bird, thy safety lies in flight; begone, for thine enemies will send their shafts into thy heart; haste, haste, for soon wilt thou be destroyed!" David seems to have felt the force of the advice, for it came home to his soul; but yet he would not yield, but would rather dare the danger than exhibit a distrust in the Lord his God. Doubtless the perils which encompassed David were great and imminent; it was quite true that his enemies were ready to shoot privily at him.

It was equally correct that the very foundations of law and justice were destroyed under Saul's unrighteous government: but what were all these things to the man whose trust was in God alone? He could brave the dangers, could escape the enemies, and defy the injustice which surrounded him. His answer to the question, "What can the righteous do?" would be the counter-question, "What cannot they do?" When prayer engages God on our side, and when faith secures the fulfillment of the promise, what cause can there be for flight, however cruel and mighty our enemies? With a sling and a stone, David had smitten a giant before whom the whole hosts of Israel were trembling, and the Lord, who delivered him from the uncircumcised Philistine, could surely deliver him from King Saul and his myrmidons. There is no such word as "impossibility" in the language of faith; that martial grace knows how to fight and conquer, but she knows not how to flee.

David here declares the great source of his unflinching courage. He borrows his light from heaven —from the great central orb of deity. The God of the believer is never far from him; he is not merely the God of the mountain fastnesses, but of the dangerous valleys and battle plains. "Jehovah is in his holy temple." The heavens are above our heads in all regions of the earth, and so is the Lord ever near to us in every state and condition. This is a very strong reason why we should not adopt the vile suggestions of distrust. There is one who pleads his precious blood in our behalf in the temple above, and there is one upon the throne who is never deaf to the intercession of his Son. Why, then, should we fear? What plots can men devise which Jesus will not discover? Satan has doubtless desired to have us, that he may sift us as wheat, but Jesus is in the temple praying for us, and how can our faith fail? What attempts can the wicked make which Jehovah shall not behold? And since he is in his holy temple, delighting in the sacrifice of his Son, will he not defeat every device, and send us a sure deliverance? "Jehovah's throne is in the heavens;" he reigns supreme. Nothing can be done in heaven, or earth, or hell, which he doth not ordain and over-rule. He is the world's great Emperor. Wherefore, then, should we flee? If we trust this King of kings, is not this enough? Cannot he deliver us without our cowardly retreat? Yes, blessed be the Lord our God, we can salute him as Jehovah-nissi; in his name we set up our banners, and instead of flight, we once more raise the shout of war. "His eyes behold." The eternal Watcher never slumbers; his eyes never know a sleep. "His eyelids try the children of men:" he narrowly inspects their actions, words, and thoughts. As men, when intently and narrowly inspecting some very minute object, almost close their eyelids to exclude every other object, so will the Lord look all men through and through. God sees each man as much and as perfectly as if there were no other creature in the universe. He sees us always; he never removes his eye from us; he sees us entirely, reading the recesses of the soul as readily as the glancings of the eye. Is not this a sufficient ground of confidence, and an abundant answer to the solicitations of despondency? My danger is not hid from him; he knows my extremity, and I may rest assured that he will not suffer me to perish while I rely alone on him. Wherefore, then, should I take wings of a timid bird, and flee from the dangers which beset me?

"The Lord trieth the righteous:" he doth not hate them, but only tries them. They are precious to him, and therefore he refines them with afflictions. None of the Lord's children may hope to escape from trial, nor, indeed, in our right minds, would any of us desire to do so, for trial is the channel of many blessings.

"Tis my happiness below

Not to live without the cross;

But the Saviour's power to know,

Sanctifying every loss. * * * * * * *

Trials make the promise sweet;

Trials give new life to prayer;

Trials bring me to his feet —

Lay me low, and keep me there.

Did I meet no trials here —

No chastisement by the way —

Might I not, with reason, fear

I should prove a cast-away?

Bastards may escape the rod,

Sunk in earthly vain delight;

But the true-born child of God

Must not —would not, if he might." William Cowper.

Is not this a very cogent reason why we should not distrustfully endeavour to shun a trial? —for in so doing we are seeking to avoid a blessing.

"But the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth:" why, then, shall I flee from these wicked men? If God hateth them, I will not fear them. Haman was very great in the palace until he lost favour, but when the king abhorred him, how bold were the meanest attendants to suggest the gallows for the man at whom they had often trembled! Look at the black mark upon the faces of our persecutors, and we shall not run away from them. If God is in the quarrel as well as ourselves, it would be foolish to question the result, or avoid the conflict. Sodom and Gomorrah perished by a fiery hail, and by a brimstone shower from heaven; so shall all the ungodly. They may gather together like Gog and Magog to battle, but the Lord will rain upon them "an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone:" Ezekiel 38:22. Some expositors think that in the term "horrible tempest," there is in the Hebrew an allusion to that burning, suffocating wind, which blows across the Arabian deserts, and is known by the name of Simoom. "A burning storm," Lowth calls it, while another great commentator reads it "wrathwind;" in either version the language is full of terrors. What a tempest will that be which shall overwhelm the despisers of God! Oh! what a shower will that be which shall pour out itself for ever upon the defenceless heads of impenitent sinners in hell! Repent, ye rebels, or this fiery deluge shall soon surround you. Hell's horrors shall be your inheritance, your entailed estate, "the portion of your cup." The dregs of that cup you shall wring out, and drink for ever. A drop of hell is terrible, but what must a full cup of torment be? Think of it —a cup of misery, but not a drop of mercy. O people of God, how foolish is it to fear the faces of men who shall soon be faggots in the fire of hell! Think of their end, their fearful end, and all fear of them must be changed into contempt of their threatenings, and pity for their miserable estate.

The delightful contrast of the last verse is well worthy of our observation, and it affords another overwhelming reason why we should be stedfast, unmoveable, not carried away with fear, or led to adopt carnal expedients in order to avoid trial. "For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness." It is not only his office to defend it, but his nature to love it. He would deny himself if he did not defend the just. It is essential to the very being of God that he should be just; fear not, then, the end of all your trials, but "be just, and fear not." God approves, and, if men oppose, what matters it? "His countenance doth behold the upright." We need never be out of countenance, for God countenances us. He observes, he approves, he delights in the upright. He sees his own image in them, an image of his own fashioning, and therefore with complacency he regards them. Shall we dare to put forth our hand unto iniquity in order to escape affliction? Let us have done with by-ways and short turnings, and let us keep to that fair path of right along which Jehovah's smile shall light us. Are we tempted to put our light under a bushel, to conceal our religion from our neighbours? Is it suggested to us that there are ways of avoiding the cross, and shunning the reproach of Christ? Let us not hearken to the voice of the charmer, but seek an increase of faith, that we may wrestle with principalities and powers, and follow the Lord, fully going without the camp, bearing his reproach. Mammon, the flesh, the devil, will all whisper in our ear, "Flee as a bird to your mountain;" but let us come forth and defy them all. "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." There is no room or reason for retreat. Advance! Let the vanguard push on! To the front! all ye powers and passions of our soul. On! on! in God's name, on! for "the Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge."

Whole Psalm. The most probable account of the occasion of this Psalm is that given by Amyraldus. He thinks it was composed by David while he was in the court of Saul, at a time when the hostility of the king was beginning to show itself, and before it had broken out into open persecution. David's friends, or those professing to be so, advised him to flee to his native mountains for a time, and remain in retirement, till the king should show himself more favourable. David does not at that time accept the counsel, though afterwards he seems to have followed it. This Psalm applies itself to the establishment of the church against the calumnies of the world and the compromising counsel of man, in that confidence which is to be placed in God the Judge of all. W. Wilson, D.D., in loc., 1860. Whole Psalm. If one may offer to make a modest conjecture, it is not improbable this Psalm might be composed on the sad murder of the priests by Saul (1 Samuel 22:19), when after the slaughter of Abimelech, the high priest, Doeg, the Edomite, by command from Saul, "slew in one day fourscore and five persons which wore a linen ephod." I am not so carnal as to build the spiritual church of the Jews on the material walls of the priests' city at Nob (which then by Doeg was smitten with the edge of the sword), but this is most true, that "knowledge must preserve the people;" and (Malachi 2:7), "The priests' lips shall preserve knowledge;" and then it is easy to conclude, what an earthquake this massacre might make in the foundations of religion. Thomas Fuller. Whole Psalm. Notice how remarkably the whole Psalm corresponds with the deliverance of Lot from Sodom. This verse, with the angel's exhortation, "Escape to the mountains, lest thou be consumed," and Lot's reply, "I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil take me and I die." Genesis 19:17-19. And again, "The Lord's seat is in heaven, and upon the ungodly he shall rain snares, fire, brimstone, storm and tempest," with "Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire out of heaven:" and again "His countenance will behold the thing that is just," with "Delivered just Lot . . . for that righteous man vexed his righteous soul with their ungodly deeds." 2 Peter 2: 7, 8. Cassidorus (A.D., 560) in John Mason Neal's "Commentary on the Psalms, from Primitive and Mediaeval Writers," 1860. Whole Psalm. The combatants at the Lake Thrasymene are said to have been so engrossed with the conflict that neither party perceived the convulsions of nature that shook the ground —

"An earthquake reeled unheedingly away,

None felt stern nature rocking at his feet."

From a nobler cause, it is thus with the soldiers of the Lamb. They believe, and, therefore, make no haste; nay, they can scarcely be said to feel earth's convulsions as other men, because their eager hope presses forward to the issue at the advent of the Lord. Andrew A. Bonar.

"I trust in the Lord: how do ye say to my soul, Swerve on to your mountain like a bird?" (others, "O thou bird.") Saul and his adherents mocked and jeered David with such taunting speeches, as conceiving that he knew no other shift or refuge, but so betaking himself unto wandering and lurking on the mountains; hopping, as it were, from one place to another like a silly bird; but they thought to ensnare and take him well enough for all that, not considering God who was David's comfort, rest and refuge. Theodore Haak's "Translation of the Dutch Annotations, as ordered by the Synod of Dort, in 1618." London, 1657.

"With Jehovah I have taken shelter; how say ye to my soul, Flee, sparrows, to your hill?" "Your hill," that hill from which you say your help cometh: a sneer. Repair to that boasted hill, which may indeed give you the help which it gives the sparrow: a shelter against the inclemencies of a stormy sky, no defence against our power. Samuel Horsley, in loc.

"In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?" The holy confidence of the saints in the hour of great trial is beautifully illustrated by the following ballad which Anne Askew, who was burned at Smithfield in 1546, made and sang when she was in Newgate: —

Like as the armed knight,

Appointed to the field,

With this world will I fight,

And Christ shall be my shield.

Faith is that weapon strong,

Which will not fail at need:

My foes, therefore, among,

Therewith will I proceed.

As it is had in strength

And force of Christe's way,

It will prevail at length,

Though all the devils say nay.

Faith in the fathers old

Obtained righteousness;

Which makes me very bold

To fear no world's distress.

I now rejoice in heart,

And hope bids me do so;

For Christ will take my part,

And ease me of my woe.

Thou say'st Lord, whoso knock,

To them wilt thou attend:

Undo therefore the lock,

And thy strong power send.

More enemies now I have

Than hairs upon my head:

Let them not me deprave,

But fight thou in my stead.

On thee my care I cast,

For all their cruel spite:

I set not by their haste;

For thou art my delight.

I am not she that list

My anchor to let fall

For every drizzling mist,

My ship substantial.

Not oft use I to write,

In prose, nor yet in rhyme;

Yet will I shew one sight

That I saw in my time.

I saw a royal throne,

Where justice should have sit,

But in her stead was one

Of moody, cruel wit.

Absorbed was righteousness,

As of the raging flood:

Satan, in his excess,

Sucked up the guiltless blood.

Then thought I, Jesus Lord,

When thou shall judge us all,

Hard it is to record

On these men what will fall.

Yet, Lord, I thee desire,

For that they do to me,

Let them not taste the hire

Of their iniquity.

"How say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?" We may observe, that David is much pleased with the metaphor in frequently comparing himself to a bird, and that of several sorts: first, to an eagle (Psalm 103:5), "My youth is renewed like the eagle's;" sometimes to an owl (Psalm 102:6), "I am like an owl in the desert;" sometimes to a pelican, in the same verse, "Like a pelican in the wilderness;" sometimes to a sparrow (Psalm 102:7), "I watch, and am as a sparrow;" sometimes to a partridge, "As when one doth hunt a partridge." I cannot say that he doth compare himself to a dove, but he would compare himself (Psalm 55:6), "O that I had the wings of a dove, for then I would flee away and be at rest." Some will say, How is it possible that birds of so different a feather should all so fly together as to meet in the character of David? To whom we answer, That no two men can more differ one from another, that the same servant of God at several times differeth from himself. David in prosperity, when commanding, was like an eagle; in adversity, when contemned, like an owl; in devotion, when retired, like a pelican; in solitariness, when having no company, (of Saul), like a partridge. This general metaphor of a bird, which David so often used on himself, his enemies in the first verse of this Psalm used on him, though not particularising the kind thereof: "Flee as a bird to your mountain;" that is, speedily betake thyself to thy God, in whom thou hopest for succour and security.

Seeing this counsel was both good in itself, and good at this time, why doth David seem so angry and displeased thereat? Those his words, "Why say you to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?" import some passion, at leastwise, a disgust of the advice. It is answered, David was not offended with the counsel, but with the manner of the propounding thereof. His enemies did it ironically in a gibing, jeering way, as if his flying thither were to no purpose, and he unlikely to find there the safety he sought for. However, David was not hereby put out of conceit with the counsel, beginning this Psalm with this his firm resolution, "In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye then to my soul," etc. Learn we from hence, when men give us good counsel in a jeering way, let us take the counsel, and practice it; and leave them the jeer to be punished for it. Indeed, corporal cordials may be envenomed by being wrapped up in poisoned papers; not so good spiritual advice where the good matter receives no infection from the ill manner of the delivery thereof. Thus, when the chief priests mocked our Saviour (Matthew 27:43), "He trusted in God, let him deliver him now if he will have him." Christ trusted in God never a whit the less for the fleere and flout which their profaneness was pleased to bestow upon him. Otherwise, if men's mocks should make us to undervalue good counsel, we might in this age be mocked out of our God, and Christ, and Scripture, and heaven; the apostle Jude, verse 18, having foretold that in the last times there should be mockers, walking after their own lusts. Thomas Fuller.

It is as great an offence to make a new, as to deny the true God. "In the Lord put I my trust;" how then "say ye unto my soul" (ye seducers of souls), "that she should fly unto the mountains as a bird;" to seek unnecessary and foreign helps, as if the Lord alone were not sufficient? "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and he that delivereth me, my God, and my strength; in him will I trust: my shield, the horn of my salvation, and my refuge. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so shall I be safe from mine enemies." "Whom have I in heaven but thee," amongst those thousands of angels and saints, what Michael or Gabriel, what Moses or Samuel, what Peter, what Paul? "and there is none in earth that I desire in comparison of thee." John King, 1608.

In temptations of inward trouble and terror, it is not convenient to dispute the matter with Satan. David in Psalm 42:11, seems to correct himself for his mistake; his soul was cast down within him, and for the cure of that temptation, he had prepared himself by arguments for a dispute; but perceiving himself in a wrong course, he calls off his soul from disquiet to an immediate application to God and the promises, "Trust still in God, for I shall yet praise him;" but here he is more aforehand with his work; for while his enemies were acted by Satan to discourage him, he rejects the temptation at first, before it settled upon his thoughts, and chaseth it away as a thing that he would not give ear to. "In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?" And there are weighty reasons that should dissuade us from entering the lists with Satan in temptation of inward trouble. Richard Gilpin.

The shadow will not cool except in it. What good to have the shadow though of a mighty rock, when we sit in the open sun? To have almighty power engaged for us, and we to throw ourselves out of it, by bold sallies in the mouth of temptation! The saints' falls have been when they have run out of their trench and stronghold; for, like the conies, they are a weak people in themselves, and their strength lies in the rock of God's almightiness, which is their habitation. William Gurnall.

The saints of old would not accept deliverances on base terms. They scorned to fly away for the enjoyment of rest except it were with the wings of a dove, covered with silver innocence. As willing were many of the martyrs to die as to dine. The tormentors were tired in torturing Blandina. "We are ashamed, O Emperor! The Christians laugh at your cruelty, and grow the more resolute," said one of Julian's nobles. This the heathen counted obstinacy; but they knew not the power of the Spirit, nor the secret armour of proof, which saints wear about their hearts. John Trapp.

"For, lo, the wicked bend their bow," etc. This verse presents an unequal combat betwixt armed power, advantaged with policy, on the one side; and naked innocence on the other. First, armed power: "They bend their bows, and make ready their arrows," being all the artillery of that age; secondly, advantaged with policy: "that they may privily shoot," to surprise them with an ambush unawares, probably pretending amity and friendship unto them; thirdly, naked innocence: if innocence may be termed naked, which is its own armour; "at the upright in heart." Thomas Fuller.

"For, lo, the ungodly bend their bow, and make ready their arrows within the quiver: that they may privily shoot at them which are true of heart." The plottings of the chief priests and Pharisees that they might take Jesus by subtlety and kill him. They bent their bow, when they hired Judas Iscariot for the betrayal of his Master; they made ready their arrows within the quiver when they sought "false witnesses against Jesus to put him to death." Matthew 26:59. "Them which are true of heart." Not alone the Lord himself, the only true and righteous, but his apostles, and the long line of those who should faithfully cleave to him from that time to this. And as with the Master, so with the servants: witness the calumnies and the revilings that from the time of Joseph's accusation by his mistress till the present day, have been the lot of God's people. Michael Ayguan, 1416, in J. M. Neale's Commentary.

"That they may secretly shoot at them which are upright in heart." They bear not their bows and arrows as scarecrows in a garden of cucumbers, to fray, but to shoot, not at stakes, but men; their arrows are jacula mortifera (Psalm 7), deadly arrows, and lest they should fail to hit, they take advantage of the dark, of privacy and secrecy; they shoot privily. Now this is the covenant of hell itself. For what created power in the earth is able to dissolve that work which cruelty and subtlety, like Simeon and Levi, brothers in evil, are combined and confederate to bring to pass? Where subtlety is ingenious, insidious to invent, cruelty barbarous to execute, subtlety giveth counsel, cruelty giveth the stroke. Subtlety ordereth the time, the place, the means, accomodateth, concinnateth circumstances; cruelty undertaketh the act: subtlety hideth the knife, cruelty cutteth the throat: subtlety with a cunning head layeth the ambush, plotteth the train, the stratagem; and cruelty with as savage a heart, sticketh not at the dreadfullest, direfullest objects, ready to wade up to the ankles, the neck, in a whole red sea of human, yea, country blood: how fearful is their plight that are thus assaulted! John King.

"If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" But now we are met with a giant objection, which with Goliath must be removed, or else it will obstruct our present proceedings. Is it possible that the foundations of religion should be destroyed? Can God be in so long a sleep, yea, so long a lethargy, as patiently to permit the ruins thereof? If he looks on, and yet doth not see these foundations when destroyed, where then is his omnisciency? If he seeth it, and cannot help it, where then is his omnipotency? If he seeth it, can help it, and will not, where then is his goodness and mercy? Martha said to Jesus (John 11:21), "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." But many will say, Were God effectually present in the world with his aforesaid attributes, surely the foundations had not died, had not been destroyed. We answer negatively, that it is impossible that the foundations of religion should ever be totally and finally destroyed, either in relation to the church in general, or in reference to every true and lively member thereof. For the first, we have an express promise of Christ. Matthew 16:18. "The gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Fundamenta tamen stant inconcussa Sionis. And as for every particular Christian (2 Timothy 2:19), "Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his." However, though for the reasons aforementioned in the objections (the inconsistency thereof with the attributes of God's omnipotency, omnisciency, and goodness), the foundations can never totally and finally, yet may they partially be destroyed, quoad gradum, in a fourfold degree, as followeth. First, in the desires and utmost endeavours of wicked men,

They bring their —

1. Hoc velle,

2. Hoc agere,

3. Totum posse.

If they destroy not the foundations, it is no thanks to them, seeing all the world will bear them witness they have done their best (that is, their worst), what their might and malice could perform. Secondly, in their own vainglorious imaginations: they may not only vainly boast, but also verily believe that they have destroyed the foundations. Applicable to this purpose, is that high rant of the Roman emperor (Luke 2:1): "And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed." All the world! whereas he had, though much, not all in Europe, little in Asia, less in Africa, none in America, which was so far from being conquered, it was not so much as known to the Romans. But hyperbole is not a figure, but the ordinary language of pride; because indeed Augustus had very much he proclaimeth himself to have all the world. . . . Thirdly, the foundations may be destroyed as to all outward visible illustrious apparition. The church in persecution is like unto a ship in a tempest; down go all their masts, yea, sometimes for the more speed they are forced to cut them down: not a piece of canvas to play with the winds, no sails to be seen; they lie close knotted to the very keel, that the tempest may have the less power upon them, though when the storm is over, they can hoist up their sails as high, and spread their canvas as broad as ever before. So the church in the time of persecution feared, but especially felt, loseth all gayness and gallantry which may attract and allure the eyes of beholders, and contenteth itself with its own secrecy. In a word, on the work-days of affliction she weareth her worst clothes, whilst her best are laid up in her wardrobe, in sure and certain hope that God will give her a holy and happy day, when with joy she shall wear her best garments. Lastly, they may be destroyed in the jealous apprehensions of the best saints and servants of God, especially in their melancholy fits. I will instance in no puny, but in a star of the first magnitude and greatest eminency, even Elijah himself complaining (1 Kings 19:10): "And I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." Thomas Fuller.

"If." It is the only word of comfort in the text, that what is said is not positive, but suppositive; not thetical, but hypothetical. And yet this comfort which is but a spark (at which we would willingly kindle our hopes), is quickly sadded with a double consideration. First, impossible suppositions produce impossible consequences, "As is the mother, so is the daughter." Therefore, surely God's Holy Spirit would not suppose such a thing but what was feasible and possible, but what either had, did, or might come to pass. Secondly, the Hebrew word is not the conditional im, si, si forte, but chi, quia, quoniam, because, and (although here it be favourably rendered if), seemeth to import, more therein, that the sad case had already happened in David's days. I see, therefore, that this if, our only hope in the text, is likely to prove with Job's friends, but a miserable comforter. Well, it is good to know the worst of things, that we may provide ourselves accordingly; and therefore let us behold this doleful case, not as doubtful, but as done; not as feared, but felt; not as suspected, but at this time really come to pass. Thomas Fuller.

"If the foundations," etc. My text is an answer to a tacit objection which some may raise; namely, that the righteous are wanting to themselves, and by their own easiness and inactivity (not daring and doing so much as they might and ought), betray themselves to that bad condition. In whose defence David shows, that if God in his wise will and pleasure seeth it fitting, for reasons best known to himself, to suffer religion to be reduced to terms of extremity, it is not placed in the power of the best man alive to remedy and redress the same. "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" My text is hung about with mourning, as for a funeral sermon, and contains: First, a sad case supposed, "If the foundations be destroyed." Secondly, a sad question propounded, "What can the righteous do?" Thirdly, a sad answer implied, namely, that they can do just nothing, as to that point of re-establishing the destroyed foundation. Thomas Fuller.

"If the foundations be destroyed," etc. The civil foundation of a nation or people, is their laws and constitutions. The order and power that's among them, that's the foundation of a people; and when once this foundation is destroyed, "What can the righteous do?" What can the best, the wisest in the world, do in such a case? What can any man do, if there be not a foundation of government left among men? There is no help nor answer in such a case but that which follows in the fourth verse of the Psalm, "The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men;" as if he had said, in the midst of these confusions, when as it is said (Psalm 82:5), "All the foundations of the earth are out of course;" yet God keeps his course still, he is where he was and as he was, without variableness or shadow of turning. Joseph Caryl.

"The righteous." The righteous indefinitely, equivalent to the righteous universally; not only the righteous as a single arrow, but in the whole sheaf; not only the righteous in their personal, but in their diffusive capacity. Were they all collected into one body, were all the righteous living in the same age wherein the foundations are destroyed, summoned up and modelled into one corporation, all their joint endeavours would prove ineffectual to the re-establishing of the fallen foundations, as not being man's work, but only God's work to perform. Thomas Fuller.

"The foundations." Positions, the things formerly fixed, placed, and settled. It is not said, if the roof be ruinous, or if the side walls be shattered, but if the foundations.

"Foundations be destroyed." In the plural. Here I will not warrant my skill in architecture, but conceive this may pass for an undoubted truth: it is possible that a building settled on several entire foundations (suppose them pillars) close one to another, if one of them fall, yet the structure may still stand, or rather hang (at the least for a short time) by virtue of the complicative, which it receiveth from such foundations which still stand secure. But in case there be a total rout, and an utter ruin of all the foundations,, none can fancy to themselves a possibility of that building's subsistence. Thomas Fuller.

"What CAN the righteous?" The can of the righteous is a limited can, confined to the rule of God's word; they can do nothing but what they can lawfully do. 2 Corinthians 13:8. "For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth:" Illud possumus, quod jure possumus. Wicked men can do anything; their conscience, which is so wide that it is none at all, will bear them out to act anything how unlawful soever, to stab, poison, massacre, by any means, at any time, in any place, whosoever standeth betwixt them and the effecting of their desires. Not so the righteous; they have a rule whereby to walk, which they will not, they must not, they dare not, cross. If therefore a righteous man were assured, that by the breach of one of God's commandments he might restore decayed religion, and re-settle it statu quo prius, his hands, head, and heart are tied up, he can do nothing, because their damnation is just who say (Romans 3:8), "Let us do evil that good may come thereof."

"Do." It is not said, What can they think? It is a great blessing which God hath allowed injured people, that though otherwise oppressed and straitened, they may freely enlarge themselves in their thoughts. Thomas Fuller.

Sinning times have ever been the saints' praying times: this sent Ezra with a heavy heart to confess the sin of his people, and to bewail their abominations before the Lord. Ezra 9. And Jeremiah tells the wicked of his degenerate age, that "his soul should weep in secret places for their pride." Jeremiah 13:17. Indeed, sometimes sin comes to such a height, that this is almost all the godly can do, to get into a corner, and bewail the general pollutions of the age. "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" Such dismal days of national confusion our eyes have seen, when foundations of government were destroyed, and all hurled into military confusion. When it is thus with a people, "What can the righteous do?" Yes, this they may, and should do, "fast and pray." There is yet a God in heaven to be sought to, when a people's deliverance is thrown beyond the help of human policy or power. Now is the fit time to make their appeal to God, as the words following hint: "The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven;" in which words God is presented sitting in heaven as a temple, for their encouragement, I conceive, in such a desperate state of affairs, to direct their prayers thither for deliverance. And certainly this hath been the engine that hath been instrumental, above any, to restore this poor nation again, and set it upon the foundation of that lawful government from which it had so dangerously departed. William Gurnall.

The infinite understanding of God doth exactly know the sins of men; he knows so as to consider. He doth not only know them, but intently behold them: "His eyelids try the children of men," a metaphor taken from men, that contract the eyelids when they would wistly and accurately behold a thing: it is not a transient and careless look. Stephen Charnock.

"His eyes behold," etc. God searcheth not as man searcheth, by enquiring into that which before was hid from him; his searching is no more but his beholding; he seeth the heart, he beholdeth the reins; God's very sight is searching. Hebrews 4:13. "All things are naked, and opened unto his eyes," tetrachlidmena, dissected or anatomised. He hath at once as exact a view of the most hidden things, the very entrails of the soul, as if they had been with never so great curiosity anatomised before him. Richard Alleine, 1611-1681.

"His eyes behold," etc. Consider that God not only sees into all you do, but he sees it to that very end that he may examine and search into it. He doth not only behold you with a common and indifferent look, but with a searching, watchful, and inquisitive eye: he pries into the reasons, the motives, the ends of all your actions. "The Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men." Revelation 1:14, where Christ is described, it is said, his eyes are as a flame of fire: you know the property of fire is to search and make trial of those things which are exposed unto it, and to separate the dross from the pure metal: so, God's eye is like fire, to try and examine the actions of men: he knows and discerns how much your very purest duties have in them of mixture, and base ends of formality, hypocrisy, distractedness, and deadness: he sees through all your specious pretenses, that which you cast as a mist before the eyes of men when yet thou art but a juggler in religion: all your tricks and sleights of outward profession, all those things that you use to cozen and delude men withal, cannot possibly impose upon him: he is a God that can look through all those fig-leaves of outward profession, and discern the nakedness of your duties through them. Ezekiel Hopkins, D.D.

"His eyes behold," etc. Take God into thy counsel. Heaven overlooks hell. God at any time can tell thee what plots are hatching there against thee. William Gurnall.

"His eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men." When an offender, or one accused for any offence, is brought before a judge, and stands at the bar to be arraigned, the judge looks upon him, eyes him, sets his eye upon him, and he bids the offender look up in his face: "Look upon me," saith the judge, "and speak up:" guiltiness usually clouds the forehead and clothes the brow; the weight of guilt holds down the head! the evil doer hath an ill look, or dares not look up; how glad is he if the judge looks off him. We have such an expression here, speaking of the Lord, the great Judge of heaven and earth: "His eyelids try the children of men," as a judge tries a guilty person with his eye, and reads the characters of his wickedness printed in his face. Hence we have a common speech in our language, such a one looks suspiciously, or, he hath a guilty look. At that great gaol-delivery described in Revelation 6:16, All the prisoners cry out to be hid from the face of him that sat upon the throne. They could not look upon Christ, and they could not endure Christ should look upon them; the eyelids of Christ try the children of men. . . . Wickedness cannot endure to be under the observation of any eye much less of the eye of justice. Hence the actors of it say, "Who seeth us?" It is very hard not to show the guilt of the heart in the face, and it is as hard to have it seen there. Joseph Caryl.

"The Lord trieth the righteous." Except our sins, there is not such plenty of anything in all the world as there is of troubles which come from sin, as one heavy messenger came to Job after another. Since we are not in paradise, but in the wilderness, we must look for one trouble after another. As a bear came to David after a lion, and a giant after a bear, and a king after a giant, and Philistines after a king, so, when believers have fought with poverty. they shall fight with envy; when they have fought with envy, they shall fight with infamy; when the have fought with infamy, they shall fight with sickness; they shall be like a labourer who is never out of work. Henry Smith.

"The Lord trieth the righteous." Times of affliction and persecution will distinguish the precious from the vile, it will difference the counterfeit professor from the true. Persecution is a Christian's touchstone, it is a lapis lydius that will try what metal men are made of, whether they be silver or tin, gold or dross, wheat or chaff, shadow or substance, carnal or spiritual, sincere or hypocritical. Nothing speaks out more soundness and uprightness than a pursuing after holiness, even then when holiness is most afflicted, pursued, and persecuted in the world: to stand fast in fiery trials argues much integrity within. Thomas Brooks.

Note the singular opposition of the two sentences. God hates the wicked, and therefore in contrast he loves the righteous; but it is here said that he tries them: therefore it follows that to try and to love are with God the same thing. C. H. S.

"Upon the wicked he shall rain snares." Snares to hold them; then if they be not delivered, follow fire and brimstone, and they cannot escape. This is the case of a sinner if he repent not; if God pardon not, he is in the snare of Satan's temptation, he is in the snare of divine vengeance; let him therefore cry aloud for his deliverance, that he may have his feet in a large room. The wicked lay snares for the righteous, but God either preventeth them that their souls ever escape them, or else he subverteth them: "The snares are broken and we are delivered." No snares hold us so fast as those of our own sins; they keep down our heads, and stoop us that we cannot look up: a very little ease they are to him that hath not a seared conscience. Samuel Page, 1646.

"He shall rain snares." As in hunting with the lasso, the huntsman casts a snare from above upon his prey to entangle its head or feet, so shall the Lord from above with many twistings of the line of terror, surround, bind, and take captive the haters of his law. C. H. S.

"He shall rain snares," etc. He shall rain upon them when they least think of it, even in the midst of their jollity, as rain falls on a fair day. Or, he shall rain down the vengeance when he sees good, for it rains not always. Though he defers it, yet it will rain. William Nicholson, Bishop of Gloucester, in "David's Harp Strung and Tuned," 1662.

"Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest." The strange dispensation of affairs in this world is an argument which doth convincingly prove that there shall be such a day wherein all the involucra and entanglements of providence shall be clearly unfolded. Then shall the riddle be dissolved, why God hath given this and that profane wretch so much wealth, and so much power to do mischief: is it not that they might be destroyed for ever? Then shall they be called to a strict account for all that plenty and prosperity for which they are now envied; and the more they have abused, the more dreadful will their condemnation be. Then it will be seen that God gave them not as mercies, but as "snares." It is said that God "will rain on the wicked snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest:" when he scatters abroad the desirable things of this world, riches, honours, pleasures, etc., then he rains "snares" upon them; and when he shall call them to an account for these things, then he will rain upon them "fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest" of his wrath and fury. Dives, who caroused on earth, yet, in hell could not obtain so much as one poor drop of water to cool his scorched and flaming tongue: had not his excess and intemperance been so great in his life, his fiery thirst had not been so tormenting after death; and therefore, in that sad item that Abraham gives him (Luke 16:25), he bids him "remember that thou, in thy lifetime, receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented." I look upon this as a most bitter and a most deserved sarcasm; upbraiding him for his gross folly, in making the trifles of this life his good things. Thou hast received thy good things, but now thou art tormented. Oh, never call Dive's purple and delicious fare good things, if they thus end in torments! Was it good for him to be wrapped in purple who is now wrapped in flames? Was it good for him to fare deliciously who was only thereby fatted up against the day of slaughter? Ezekiel Hopkins.

"Snares, fire and brimstone, storm and tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup." After the judgment follows the condemnation: pre-figured as we have seen, by the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah. "Snares:" because the allurements of Satan in this life will be their worst punishments in the next; the fire of anger, the brimstone of impurity, the tempest of pride, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. "This shall be their portion;" compare it with the psalmist's own saying, "The Lord himself is the portion of my inheritance and my cup." Psalm 16:5. Cassidorus, in J. M. Neale's Commentary.

"The portion of their cup." Hebrew, the allotment of their cup. The expression has reference to the custom of distributing to each guest his mess of meat. William French and George Skinner, 1842.

That God may give grace without glory is intelligible; but to admit a man to communion with him in glory without grace, is not intelligible. It is not agreeable to God's holiness to make any inhabitant of heaven, and converse freely with him in a way of intimate love, without such a qualification of grace: "The righteous Lord loveth righteousness;" his countenance doth behold the upright;" he looks upon him with a smiling eye, and therefore he cannot favourably look upon an unrighteous person; so that this necessity is not founded only in the command of God that we should be renewed, but in the very nature of the thing, because God, in regard to his holiness, cannot converse with an impure creature. God must change his nature, or the sinner's nature must be changed. There can be no friendly communion between two of different natures without the change of one of them into the likeness of the other. Wolves and sheep, darkness and light, can never agree. God cannot love a sinner as a sinner, because he hates impurity by a necessity of nature as well as a choice of will. It is as impossible for him to love it as to cease to be holy. Stephen Charnock.

Faith's bold avowal, and brave refusal.

Teacheth us to trust in God, how great soever our dangers be; also that we shall be many times assaulted to make us put far from us this trust, but yet that we must cleave unto it, as the anchor of our souls, sure and steadfast. Thomas Wilcocks.

The advice of cowardice, and the jeer of insolence, both answered by faith. Lesson —Attempt no other answer.

The craftiness of our spiritual enemies.

This may furnish a double discourse.

I. If God's oath and promise could remove, what could we do? Here the answer is easy.

II. If all earthly things fail, and the very State fall to pieces, what can we do? We can suffer joyfully, hope cheerfully, wait patiently, pray earnestly, believe confidently, and triumph finally.

Necessity of holding and preaching foundation truths.

The elevation, mystery, supremacy, purity, everlastingness, invisibility, etc., of the throne of God.

In these verses mark the fact that the children of men, as well as the righteous, are tried; work out the contrast between the two trials in their designs and results, etc.

In these verses mark the fact that the children of men, as well as the righteous, are tried; work out the contrast between the two trials in their designs and results, etc.

"The Lord trieth the righteous."

I. Who are tried?

II. What in them is tried? —Faith, love, etc.

III. In what manner? —Trials of every sort.

IV. How long?

V. For what purpose?

"His soul hateth." The thoroughness of God's hatred of sin. Illustrate by providential judgments, threatenings, sufferings of the Surety, and the terrors of hell.

The trying of the gold, and the sweeping out of the refuse.

"He shall rain." Gracious rain and destroying rain.

The portion of the impenitent.

The Lord possesses righteousness as a personal attribute, loves it in the abstract, and blesses those who practise it.