Psalms 34 commentary

If we hope to spend eternity in praising God, it is fit that we should spend much of our time here in this work. He never said to any one, Seek ye me in vain. David's prayers helped to silence his fears; many besides him have looked unto the Lord by faith and prayer, and it has wonderfully revived and comforted them. When we look to the world, we are perplexed, and at a loss. But on looking to Christ depends our whole salvation, and all things needful thereunto do so also. This poor man, whom no man looked upon with any respect, or looked after with any concern, was yet welcome to the throne of grace; the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The holy angels minister to the saints, and stand for them against the powers of darkness. All the glory be to the Lord of the angels. By taste and sight we both make discoveries, and have enjoyment; Taste and see God's goodness; take notice of it, and take the comfort of it. He makes all truly blessed that trust in him. As to the things of the other world, they shall have grace sufficient for the support of spiritual life. And as to this life, they shall have what is necessary from the hand of God. Paul had all, and abounded, because he was content, Php 4:11–18. Those who trust to themselves, and think their own efforts sufficient for them, shall want; but they shall be fed who trust in the Lord. Those shall not want, who with quietness work, and mind their own business.

Let young persons set out in life with learning the fear of the Lord, if they desire true comfort here, and eternal happiness hereafter. Those will be most happy who begin the soonest to serve so good a Master. All aim to be happy. Surely this must look further than the present world; for man's life on earth consists but of few days, and those full of trouble. What man is he that would see the good of that where all bliss is perfect? Alas! few have this good in their thoughts. That religion promises best which creates watchfulness over the heart and over the tongue. It is not enough not to do hurt, we must study to be useful, and to live to some purpose; we must seek peace and pursue it; be willing to deny ourselves a great deal for peace’ sake. It is the constant practice of real believers, when in distress, to cry unto God, and it is their constant comfort that he hears them. The righteous are humbled for sin, and are low in their own eyes. Nothing is more needful to true godliness than a contrite heart, broken off from every self-confidence. In this soil every grace will flourish, and nothing can encourage such a one but the free, rich grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The righteous are taken under the special protection of the Lord, yet they have their share of crosses in this world, and there are those that hate them. Both from the mercy of Heaven, and the malice of hell, the afflictions of the righteous must be many. But whatever troubles befal them, shall not hurt their souls, for God keeps them from sinning in troubles. No man is desolate, but he whom God has forsaken.

PSALM 34.

A Psalm of David, when he changed his countenance before Abimelech, who banished him from his presence, and he departed from him.

David gives thanks to God for a signal deliverance, and takes occasion from it to celebrate his perpetual grace towards all the saints, and to exhort them both to trust in him, and to the study of godliness; affirming, that the only way to pass through life happily, is to walk holily and harmlessly in the world, in the service and fear of God. It is obvious from the title what particular instance of God’s favor he here celebrates. When he was driven to King Achish, as recorded in 1 Samuel 27:2, It should be 1 Samuel 21:11, 12. whom, with the exception of Saul, he accounted the deadliest of all his enemies, it was not probable that he would ever be able to make his escape from him. The only means, therefore, he had of saving his life was to feign himself mad by frothing at the mouth, looking fiercely, and disfiguring his countenance. Nor is this to be wondered at; for Achish, being disappointed of the confident hope of victory which he had, and attributing to David alone both the loss which he had sustained and the dishonor which he had received, burned with implacable hatred against him. In allowing him to escape, therefore, contrary to his own expectation, and the expectation of all other men, David acknowledges that there had been exhibited a memorable instance of God’s favor towards him, which may be serviceable for the general instruction of the whole Church. Instead of Achish, Achish may have been his particular name, while Abimelech was the common title of the Kings of Gath. The word Abimelech signifies Father — King. Abimelech is here employed; and it is probable that the latter name had been the common designation of the monarchs of the Philistines, as Pharaoh was the common name of the monarchs of Egypt, and Caesar that of the Roman Emperors, which was borrowed from the name of Julius Caesar, who had first seized the imperial power among the Romans. We know that many ages before David was born, the kings who reigned in Gerar in the time of Abraham were called Abimelech. It is not, therefore, to be wondered at, that this name should be handed down from age to age among their posterity, and become the common name of all the kings of Palestine. The Hebrew word טעם, taäm, which I have translated countenance, signifies also tasting, understanding, Ainsworth reads, His behavior, or his sense, reason; and observes, that it is “properly the taste, as in verse 9, Job 6:6, and often elsewhere, which is used both for one’s in ward sense or reason, and outward gesture and demeanour, (as the Gr. here translateth it, face,) because by it a man is discerned and judged to be wise or foolish, as meats are discerned by the taste.” and therefore might be pertinently interpreted in this manner, that he appeared foolish and without taste. The verb from which it is derived properly signifies to taste, and therefore is often transferred to reason, understanding, and all the senses. Accordingly, David having feigned himself mad, the term understanding is very appropriate. Now, although he escaped by this subtle device, he doubts not that he was delivered by the hand of God; nor does he ascribe the praise of his safety to the pretense of madness, but rather acknowledges that the cruelty of his enemy had been softened by the secret influence of God, so that he who formerly burned with rage against him had been pacified by an artifice. Certainly it was not to be expected that Achish would have driven away in contempt from him so brave a man, whom he had found a dangerous enemy to his whole kingdom, and from whom he had suffered such severe losses. This gives rise to the question, Whether David feigned himself mad under the guidance of the Holy Spirit? For by his appearing to connect together these two things, - the pretense of madness and the happy result of this pretense, it might be inferred that the same Spirit by whom this psalm was dictated suggested this stratagem “Luy melt aussi au coeur ceste finesse.” — Fr. to the mind of David, and directed him in deceiving King Achish. I answer, that although God sometimes delivers his people, while at the same time they err in choosing the means, or even fall into sin in adopting them, yet there is nothing inconsistent in this. The deliverance, therefore, was the work of God, but the intermediate sin, which is on no account to be excused, ought to be ascribed to David. In this way Jacob obtained the blessing by the favor and good pleasure of God; and yet the subtlety of the mother, with which the obtaining of it was mixed up, was, we know, sinful on her part. It may then sometimes happen that the event shall be brought to pass by the Spirit of God, and yet the saints whom he may employ as instruments shall swerve from the path of duty. It would therefore be a superfluous task to endeavor to exculpate David, who is rather to be blamed, because, by not committing his life entirely to God, he exposed himself and the grace of the Spirit, by whom he was governed, to the derision of the ungodly. I would not positively assert it, but there appears in this deception some token of infirmity. If it should be said that David here magnifies the grace of God, because by changing his countenance and his speech he escaped death, I again reply, that David expressly mentions this circumstance, in order to render the grace of God still more illustrious, in that his fault was not laid to his charge.

Psalm 34:1-6

1. I will bless Jehovah at all times: his praise shall always be in my mouth. 2. My soul shall make her boast in Jehovah: the humble shall hear of it, and be glad. 3. Magnify Jehovah with me, and let us exalt his name together. 4. I sought Jehovah, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. 5. They shall look to him, and shall flow to him; and their faces shall not be ashamed. 6. This poor man cried, and Jehovah heard him, and delivered him from all his troubles.

1. I will bless Jehovah at all times. “That is, in all circumstances; in every posture of my affairs.” — Horsley. David here extols the greatness of God, promising to keep in remembrance during his whole life the goodness which he had bestowed upon him. God assists his people daily, that they may continually employ themselves in praising him; yet it is certain that the blessing which is said to be worthy of everlasting remembrance is distinguished by this mark from other benefits which are ordinary and common. This, therefore, is a rule which should be observed by the saints — they should often call into remembrance whatever good has been bestowed upon them by God; but if at any time he should display his power more illustriously in preserving them from some danger, so much the more does it become them earnestly to testify their gratitude. Now if by one benefit alone God lays us under obligation to himself all our life, so that we may never lawfully cease from setting forth his praises, how much more when he heaps upon us innumerable benefits? “Quand il ne cesse de nous bien-faire?” — Fr. “When he never ceases from doing us good?” In order to distinguish the praise which he had before said would be continually in his mouth from the empty sound of the tongue, in which many hypocrites boast, he adds, in the beginning of the second verse, that it would proceed from the heart.

PSALM 34

Psa 34:1-22. On the title compare 1Sa 21:13. Abimelech was the general name of the sovereign (Ge 20:2). After celebrating God's gracious dealings with him, the Psalmist exhorts others to make trial of His providential care, instructing them how to secure it. He then contrasts God's care of His people and His punitive providence towards the wicked.

1-4. Even in distress, which excites supplication, there is always matter for praising and thanking God (compare Ep 5:20; Php 4:6).

5-7. God's favor to the pious generally, and to himself specially, is celebrated.

looked--with desire for help.

lightened--or, "brightened," expressing joy, opposed to the downcast features of those who are ashamed or disappointed (Psa 25:2, 3).

8. taste and see--try and experience.

9. that fear him--who are pious--fear and love (Pr 1:7; 9:10).

saints--consecrated to His service (Is 40:31).

10. not want any good--"good" is emphatic; they may be afflicted (compare Psa 34:10); but this may be a good (2Co 4:17, 18; He 12:10, 11).

11. children--subjects of instruction (Pr 1:8, 10).

12. What man--Whoever desires the blessings of piety, let him attend.

13-14. Sins of thought included in those of speech (Lu 6:45), avoiding evil and doing good in our relations to men are based on a right relation to God.

15. eyes of the Lord are upon--(Psa 32:8; 33:18).

16. face ... against--opposed to them (Le 17:10; 20:3).

cut off the remembrance--utterly destroy (Psa 109:13).

17-18. Humble penitents are objects of God's special tender regard (Psa 51:19; Is 57:15).

20. bones--framework of the body.

21-22. Contrast in the destiny of righteous and wicked; the former shall be delivered and never come into condemnation (Joh 5:24; Ro 8:1); the latter are left under condemnation and desolate.

I will bless the Lord at all times - He has laid me under endless obligation to him, and I will praise him while I have a being.

My soul shall make her boast - Shall set itself to praise the Lord - shall consider this its chief work.

The humble - ענוים anavim, the afflicted, such as David had been.

Magnify the Lord with me - גדלו ליהוה gaddelu lavhovah, "make greatness to Jehovah;" show his greatness; and let "us exalt his name," let us show how high and glorious it is.

I sought the Lord - This is the reason and cause of his gratitude. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me out of all my fears. This answers to the history; for when David heard what the servants of Achish said concerning him, "he laid up the words in his heart, and was greatly afraid," 1Sam 21:13. To save him, God caused the epileptic fit to seize him; and, in consequence, he was dismissed by Achish, as one whose defection from his master, and union with the Philistines, could be of no use, and thus David's life and honor were preserved. The reader will see that I proceed on the ground laid down by the Septuagint. See before, Psa 34:1 (note).

They looked unto him - Instead of הביטו hibbitu, they looked, several of Dr. Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS. have הביטו habbitu, with the point pathach, "Look ye."

And their faces were not ashamed - Some MSS., and the Complutensian Polyglot, make this clause the beginning of a new verse and as it begins with a vau, ופניהם upheneyhem, "and their faces," they make it supply the place of the verse which appears to be lost; but see what is said in the introduction before the first verse.

This poor man cried - זה עני zeh ani, "This afflicted man," David.

The angel of the Lord encampeth round - I should rather consider this angel in the light of a watchman going round his circuit, and having for the objects of his especial care such as fear the Lord.

O taste and see that the Lord is good - Apply to him by faith and prayer; plead his promises, he will fulfill them; and you shall know in consequence, that the Lord is good. God has put it in the power of every man to know whether the religion of the Bible be true or false. The promises relative to enjoyments in this life are the grand tests of Divine revelation. These must be fulfilled to all them who with deep repentance and true faith turn unto the Lord, if the revelation which contains them be of God. Let any man in this spirit approach his Maker, and plead the promises that are suited to his case, and he will soon know whether the doctrine be of God. He shall taste, and then see, that the Lord is good, and that the man is blessed who trusts in him. This is what is called experimental religion; the living, operative knowledge that a true believer has that he is passed from death unto life; that his sins are forgiven him for Christ's sake, the Spirit himself bearing witness with his spirit that he is a child of God. And, as long as he is faithful, he carries about with him the testimony of the Holy Ghost; and he knows that he is of God, by the Spirit which God has given him.

There is no want to them that fear him - He who truly fears God loves him; and he who loves God obeys him, and to him who fears, loves, and obeys God, there can be no want of things essential to his happiness, whether spiritual or temporal, for this life or for that which is to come. This verse is wanting in the Syriac.

The young lions do lack - Instead of כפירים kephirim, the young lions, one of Kennicott's MSS. has כבירים cabbirim, "powerful men." The Vulgate, Septuagint, Ethiopic, Syriac, Arabic, and Anglo-Saxon have the same reading. Houbigant approves of this; and indeed the sense and connection seem to require it. My old Psalter reads: - The Ryche had nede; and thai hungerd: but sekand Lard sal noght be lessed of alle gode. That es, says the paraphrase, with outen lessyng thai sal have God; that es alle gode; for in God is al gode.

Come, ye children - All ye that are of an humble, teachable spirit.

I will teach you the fear of the Lord - I shall introduce the translation and paraphrase from my old Psalter; and the rather because I believe there is a reference to that very improper and unholy method of teaching youth the system of heathen mythology before they are taught one sound lesson of true divinity, till at last their minds are imbued with heathenism, and the vicious conduct of gods, goddesses, and heroes, here very properly called tyrants, becomes the model of their own; and they are as heathenish without as they are heathenish within.

Trans. Cummes sones heres me: bred of Lard I sal gou lere.

Par - Cummes with trauth and luf: sones, qwam I gette in haly lere: heres me. With eres of hert. I sal lere you, noght the fabyls of poetes; na the storys of tyrauntz; bot the dred of oure Larde, that wyl bryng thou til the felaghschippe of aungels; and thar in is lyfe." I need not paraphrase this paraphrase, as it is plain enough.

What man is he that desireth life - He who wishes to live long and to live happily, let him act according to the following directions. For a comment upon this and the four ensuing verses, see the notes on 1Pet 3:10-12 (note).

The righteous cry - There is no word in the present Hebrew text for righteous; but all the versions preserve it. I suppose it was lost through its similitude to the word צעקו tsaaku, they cry צעקו צדיקים tsaaku tsaddikim, the righteous cry.

A broken heart - נשברי לב nishberey Web, the heart broken to shivers.

A contrite spirit - דכאי רוח dakkeey ruach, "the beaten-out spirit." In both words the hammer is necessarily implied; in breaking to pieces the ore first, and then plating out the metal when it has been separated from the ore. This will call to the reader's remembrance Jer 23:29 : "Is not my word like as a fire, saith the Lord? And like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" The breaking to shivers, and beating out, are metaphorical expressions: so are the hammer and the rock. What the large hammer struck on a rock by a powerful hand would do, so does the word of the Lord when struck on the sinner's heart by the power of the Holy Spirit. The broken heart, and the contrite spirit, are two essential characteristics of true repentance.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous - No commander would do justice to a brave and skillful soldier, by refusing him opporbunities to put his skill and bravery to proof by combating with the adversary; or by preventing him from taking the post of danger when necessity required it. The righteous are God's soldiers. He suffers them to be tried, and sometimes to enter into the hottest of the battle and in their victory the power and influence of the grace of God is shown, as well as their faithfulness.

Delivereth him out of them all - He may well combat heartily, who knows that if he fight in the Lord, he shall necessarily be the conqueror.

He keepeth all his bones - He takes care of his life; and if he have scars, they are honorable ones.

Evil shall slay the wicked - The very thing in which they delight shall become their bane and their ruin.

They that hate the righteous - All persecutors of God's people shall be followed by the chilling blast of God's displeasure in this world; and if they repent not, shall perish everlastingly.

The Lord redeemeth - Both the life and soul of God's followers are ever in danger but God is continually redeeming both.

Shall be desolate - Literally, shall be guilty. They shall be preserved from sin, and neither forfeit life nor soul. This verse probably should come in after the fifth. See the introduction to this Psalm.

Shall boast - Shall glory in this, that I have so powerful and so gracious a master. The humble - The righteous.

Together - Not in place, for David was now banished from the place of God's publick worship, but in affection: let our souls meet, and let our praises meet in the ears of the all - hearing God.

Lightened - Comforted and encouraged. Ashamed - They were not disappointed of their hope.

This man - David.

The angel - The angels, the singular number being put for the plural.

O taste - Make trial, of it by your own experience of it. Good - Merciful and gracious.

Fear - Reverence, serve, and trust him: for fear is commonly put for all the parts of God's worship.

Life - A long and happy life, begun in this world and continued for ever in the next. Good - In which he may enjoy good, prosperity or happiness.

Evil - From all manner of evil speaking, from all injurious, false and deceitful speeches.

Depart - From all sin. Do good - Be ready to perform all good offices to all men. Seek - Study by all means possible to live peaceable with all men. Pursue it - Do not only embrace it gladly when it is offered, but follow hard after it, when it seems to flee away from thee.

The face - His anger, which discovers itself in the face.

Nigh - Ready to hear and succour them. To - Those whose spirits are truly humbled under the hand of God, and the sense of their sins, whose hearts are subdued, and made obedient to God's will and submissive to his providence.

Bones - All the parts and members of their bodies.

1. I Will bless the LORD at all times : his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

I will never forget to bless God for this miraculous Deliverance.

2. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD : the humble shall hear thereof and be glad .

Shall glory in this, that I have so powerful and so gracious a Lord and Master.

Or, the Meek, (i. e.) The Godly, oft called in Scripture by that Title; and particularly my Friends and Favourers in Israel, whom he thus calls in Opposition, to his proud and furious Adversaries, in Saul's Court and Camp.

Both for their Love to me, and to the publick good of Israel, which they know that I design and seek above all things; and for the Comfort and Benefit of my example to them, in like Straits and Difficulties.

3. O magnifie the LORD with me , and let us exalt his name together .

Joyn your Praises with mine, O all ye humble Ones.

Not in place, for David was now banished from the place of God's publick Worship, but in Affection and Work: Let our Souls meet, and let our Praises meet in the Ears of the all-hearing God. Or, alike, (i. e.) With equal Zeal and Fervency; let none be willing to be out stripped by another.

5. They looked unto him , and were lightned , and their faces were not ashamed .

The humble, v. 2. Or they fear him, v. 7. when they were in Distress. Or, it is an indefinite Expression.

Either, 1. Unto the Lord, expressed v. 4. (i. e.) They sought and expected Help from him. Or rather, 2. Unto this po[illegible: 1+ letters]r Man, as it follows, v. 6. or unto David. So he speaks of himself in the third Person, which is usual. So the Sence is, when I was delivered, v. 4. men looked upon me, with wonder and Astonishment, as one saved in a prodigious manner.

(i. e.) Comforted and encouraged by my Example. But these and the foregoing Words are by the antient Interpreters, read Imperatively, as an Exhortation to others, to whom he oft addresseth his Speech, as v. 3 8, 9, 11. Look unto him, (with an Eye of Faith and Prayer) and [illegible: 1+ letters]e ye inlightned, (i. e.) Take Comfort in the Expectation of Mercy from him. And then the last Words they render thus, and your (Heb. their. But the Change of Persons, is very frequent in this Book) Fear shall not be ashamed.

They were not disappointed of their Hope, but found Relief, as I did.

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] unto him. [illegible: 1 word] 31. 16.

6. This poor man cryed, and the LORD heard him; and saved him out of all his troubles.

(i. e.) David, of whom they that looked, &c. v. 5. spake these Words.

7. The Angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

(i. e.) The Angels, the singular number being put for the plural, as it is, Psal. 78. 45. and 105. 33. 40. for it is both improper and unusual, to ascribe encamping, and that round about all good Men, to one created Angel. And we find many Angels employed in this Work, Gen. 32. 1, 2. 2 Kings 6. 1[illegible: 1+ letters].

Guardeth them from Dangers on every side; to which work they are appointed by God. Heb. 1. 14.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1+ letters]ech. 9. 8. &c [illegible: 1 word]. 32. 1, [illegible: 1 word] ▪ Kin 6. 17.

8. O tast and see that the LORD is good : blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

(i. e.) Consider it seriously, and thoroughly, and affectionately; make tryal of it, by your own and others Experiences. This is opposed to those sleight and vanishing Thoughts, which men have of it.

(i. e.) Merciful and Gracious, to wit, to all his people.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. 2. 3.; [illegible: 1 word]. 2. 12.

9. O fear the LORD , ye his Saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.

(i. e.) Reverence, and serve him, and trust in him: for Fear is Commonly put for all the parts of God's Worship.

10. The young lyons do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing .

Either, 1. Properly, See Iob 4. 11. Or, 2. Metaphorically so called, the great Potentates of the Earth, who are oft so called, as Ier. 2. 15. Ezek. 38. 13. Nah. 2. 1[illegible: 1+ letters].

Which is necessary and truly good for them, all Circumstances Considered: of which God alone is a competent Judge: And therefore although God doth usually take a special Care, to supply the wants of good Men, and hath oft done it, by extraordinary ways, when ordinary have failed, yet sometimes he knows, and it is certainly true, that Wants and Crosses are more needful, and useful to them than Bread, and in such Cases it is a greater mercy of God, to deny them supplies, than to grant them.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. 10, 11. [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word].

11. Come ye children , hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD .

Whom I love as mine own Children, and who own me as your Civil Father, your Prince; see 2 Kings 5. 13. and as your spiritual Father, a Prophet: for the Disciples of the Prophets were called their Sons. 2 Kings 2. 3.

(i. e) The true and principal way of Worshipping and serving God with his Acceptation, and to your own Salvation.

12. What man is he that desireth life , and loveth many days, that he may see good ?

To wit, seriously and in good earnest, so as to be willing to use any indeavours which shall be prescribed to him: For otherwise the question were needless▪ for there is no man but desires it, at least Coldly and Faintly.

A long and happy Life, begun in this World and continued for ever in the next. And thus Life is oft used, as Psal. 16. 11. and 30. 5.

Heb. Loveth days to see (i. e. In which he may see, i. e. Enjoy) Good, to wit, Prosperity or Happiness.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1+ letters] Pet. 3. 10.

13. Keep thy tongue from evil , and thy lips from speaking guile .

From all manner of evil speaking, from all opprobrious, injurious, false and deceitful Speeches: Which, though men Commonly use to ease and gratifie their own Minds, or to Compass their Designs, do frequently fall upon their own Heads, by provoking both God and Men against them.

Or, guileful Words, contrary to thy Intentions, and with a purpose of deceiving men by them.

14. Depart from evil , and do good : seek peace , and pursue it .

(i. e.) From all sin, and especially from all wicked and injurious Acts, and practises against thy Neighbour.

Be ready to perform all good and friendly Offices to all Men, as thou hast Opportunity.

Study by all means possible, to live peaceably and quietly with all Men, avoiding Grudges, Debates, Dissensions, Strifes and Enmities.

Do not only embrace it gladly when it is offered, but follow hard a[illegible: 1+ letters]r [illegible: 1+ letters]t, when it seems to flee away from thee, and use all possible indeavours by fair Words▪ by Condescensions, and by the Mediation or Assistance of others to recover it, and to Compose all Differences which may arise, between thee and others. It is here observable, that whereas he said he would Teach them the Fear of the Lord, v. 11. the Lessons he teacheth them, v. 13, 14: are only such as concern Men. Not that he meant to exclude Duties of piety towards God, which he every where enjoyneth and presseth as most necessary, but only to Teach us, what is oft inclucared, both in the Old and New Testament, that sincere Religion towards God, is always accompanied with a Conscientious discharge of our Duties to men; and to Convince the Hypocritical Iraelites, and particularly his Adversaries, that so long as it was their daily Course and Practise, to speak and Act all manner of Evil against him, and other good Men, all their pretences to Religion, were but vain.

Marginal references: Psal. 37. 27:; Heb. 12. 14.

15. The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous , and his ears are open unto their cry.

This is added to prove his last Assertion, to wit, that the practice of these Duties, v. 13, 14. is the true and best, and indeed the only way to see that good proposed and promised, v. 21. both because such righteous Persons, howsoever they may meet with Affronts and Injuries, from Men, are under the special Care and Favour of God, in this Verse; and those who do the Evils there forbidden, shall find to their cost, that God is their Enemy, v. 16.

Marginal references: Job 36. 7: Psal. 33. 18. 1▪ Pet. 3. 1[illegible: 1+ letters].; Neh. 8. 3.

16. The face of the LORD is against them that do evil , to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth .

(i. e.) His Anger, oft called his Fa[illegible: 1+ letters]e, as Levit. 17. 10. and 20. 5. Ier. 44. 11. Lam. 4. 16. because Anger discovers it self in the Face.

(i. e.) Whose common Course and study, and business it is to do Evil: For else [illegible: 1 word] is not a just man upon Earth, that doth good and sinneth not, Eccles. 7 20.

Heb. They cry, to wit, the righteous, as is manifest both from the Nature of the thing, and from v. 15. where they are so called, and with which this Verse is to be continued, the 16th. Verse coming in by way of parenthesis, as is very usual in many places of Scripture.

m Utterly to deprive both them and their Children, of that Worldly Happiness; which is the only thing that they desire, and seek, by their wicked Courses.

Marginal references: Jer. 44. 11. Am. 9. 4.

18. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart: and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit .

Ready to hear and succour them; though by the severe Course of his Providence towards them, he seems to themselves and others to stand afar off, as David complains, Psal. 10. 1.

By which he understands, Either, 1. Those whole Spirits are oppressed, and even broken with the greatness of their Calamities. But this may be▪ and frequently is the Lot of wicked Men. And therefore in this Sence, and to such Persons, this Proposition and Promise is not true: Or rather, 2. Those whose Hearts or Spirits are truly and deeply humbled, under the hand of God and the Sence of their sins, and God's displeasure for them, which was David's Case, Psal. 6. 1. &c. and 32. 3, 4. whose proud and self-willed Hearts are subdued, and made obedient to God's Will, and submissive to his Providence. For to all such, and to such onley, this Promise is verified.

Marginal references: Heb. to the [illegible: 1 word] of Heart.; Heb. Contrite of Spirit.

20. He keepeth all his bones ; not one of them is broken .

(i. e.) All the Parts and Members of their Bodies, which are Synecdochically expressed by the Bones, which are the stay and strength of the rest.

God will not suffer any Mischief to be al him: though he may be oft afflicted, yet, he shall not be destroyed. But these Words, though they are here spoken of the righteous M[illegible: 1+ letters]n in general, of whom they are true in a [illegible: 1 word] Sence; yet they had a further meaning in them, being designed by the Spirit of God, which Dictated to David, not onely the Matter, but the very Words and Expressions, to signifie a great Mystery, that none of Christ's Bones should be broken; to which purpose they are alledged, Io[illegible: 1+ letters]. 19. 36.

21. Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous , shall be desolate.

Either, 1. The Evil of sin: his own wickedness though designed against others, shall destroy himself. Or, 2. The Evil of Misery. When the afflictions of good Men, shall have an happy Issue, theirs shall end in their total and final Destruction.

That persecute them, and Plot their Ruine; which is an Evidence that they hate them, whatsoever they may pretend to the contrary.

Marginal references: Psal. [illegible: 1+ letters]4. 23.; Or, shall be [illegible: 1 word].

22. The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants : and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

(i. e.) Their Lives or their Persons from the malicious Designs of all their Enemies, and from Desolation or utter Ruine, as it follows.

Marginal references: Psal. 97. 10.

Thanksgiving and Teaching of One Who Has Experienced Deliverance

In Psa 33:18 we heard the words, “Behold, the eye of Jahve is directed toward them that fear Him,” and in Psa 34:16 we hear this same grand thought, “the eyes of Jahve are directed towards the righteous.” Ps 34 is one of the eight Psalms which are assigned, by their inscriptions, to the time of David’s persecution by Saul, and were composed upon that weary way of suffering extending from Gibea of Saul to Ziklag. (The following is an approximation to their chronological order: Ps 7, 59, Psa 56:1-13, 34, Psa 52:1-9, Psa 57:1-11, Psa 142:1-7, Psa 54:1-7). The inscription runs: Of David, when he disguised his understanding (טעמּו with Dag., lest it should be pronounced טעמו) before Abimelech, and he drove him away (ויגרשׁהוּ with Chateph Pathach, as is always the case with verbs whose second radical is ר, if the accent is on the third radical) and he departed. David, being pressed by Saul, fled into the territory of the Philistines; here he was recognised as the man who had proved such a dangerous enemy to them years since and he was brought before Achish, the king. Psa 56:1-13 is a prayer which implores help in the trouble of this period (and its relation to Psa 24:1-10 resembles that of Ps 51 to Psa 32:1-11). David’s life would have been lost had not his desperate attempt to escape by playing the part of a madman been successful. The king commanded him to depart, and David betook himself to a place of concealment in his own country, viz., the cave of Adullam in the wilderness of Judah.

The correctness of the inscription has been disputed. Hupfeld maintains that the writer has blindly taken it from 1Sa 21:14. According to Redslob, Hitzig, Olshausen, and Stähelin, he had reasons for so doing, although they are invalid. The טעמוּ of the Psalm (Psa 34:9) seemed to him to accord with טעמּו, 1Sa 21:14; and in addition to this, he combined תּתהלּל, gloraris, of the Psalm (Psa 34:3) with ויּתהלל, insanivit, 1Sa 21:14. We come to a different conclusion. The Psalm does not contain any express reference to that incident in Philistia, hence we infer that the writer of the inscription knew of this reference from tradition. His source of information is not the Books of Samuel; for there the king is called אכישׁ, whereas he calls him אבימלך, and this, as even Basil has perceived (vid., Euthymius Zigadenus’ introduction to this Psalm), is the title of the Philistine kings, just as Pharaoh is title of the Egyptian, Agag of the Amalekite, and Lucumo of the Etruscan kings. His source of information, as a comparison of 2Sa 22:1 with Psa 18:1 shows, is a different work, viz., the Annals of David, in which he has traced the Psalm before us and other Psalms to their historical connection, and then indicated it by an inscription in words taken from that source. The fact of the Psalm being alphabetical says nothing against David as its author (vid., on Ps 9-10). It is not arranged for music; for although it begins after the manner of a song of praise, it soon passes into the didactic tone. It consists of verses of two lines, which follow one another according to the order of the letters of the alphabet. The ו is wanting, just as the נ is wanting in Ps 145; ; and after ת, as in Ps 25, which is the counterpart to Ps 34, follows a second supernumerary פ.

Psa 34:1-3 (Hebrew_Bible_34:2-4) The poet begins with the praise of Jahve, and calls upon all the pious to unite with him in praising Him. The substantival clause Psa 34:2, is intended to have just as much the force of a cohortative as the verbal clause Psa 34:2. אברכה, like ויגרשׁהו, is to be written with Chateph-Pathach in the middle syllable. In distinction from עניּים, afflicti, ענוים signifies submissi, those who have learnt endurance or patience in the school of affliction. The praise of the psalmist will greatly help to strengthen and encourage such; for it applies to the Deliverer of the oppressed. But in order that this praise may sound forth with strength and fulness of tone, he courts the assistance of companions in Psa 34:4. To acknowledge the divine greatness with the utterance of praise is expressed by גּדּל with an accusative in Psa 69:31; in this instance with ל: to offer גּדלּה unto Him, cf. Psa 29:2. Even רומם has this subjective meaning: with the heart and in word and deed, to place the exalted Name of God as high as it really is in itself. In accordance with the rule, that when in any word two of the same letters follow one another and the first has a Shebâ, this Shebâ must be an audible one, and in fact Chateph Pathach preceded by Gaja (Metheg), we must write וּנרוממה.

Psa 34:4-6 (Hebrew_Bible_34:5-7) The poet now gives the reason for this praise by setting forth the deliverance he has experienced. He longed for God and took pains to find Him (such is the meaning of דּרשׁ in distinction from בּקּשׁ), and this striving, which took the form of prayer, did not remain without some actual answer (ענה is used of the being heard and the fulfilment as an answer to the petition of the praying one). The perfects, as also in Psa 34:6, Psa 34:7, describe facts, one of which did not take place without the other; whereas ויּענני would give them the relation of antecedent and consequent. In Psa 34:6, his own personal experience is generalised into an experimental truth, expressed in the historical form: they look unto Him and brighten up, i.e., whosoever looketh unto Him (הבּיט אל of a look of intense yearning, eager for salvation, as in Num 21:9; Zec 12:10) brightens up. It is impracticable to make the ענוים from Psa 34:3 the subject; it is an act and the experience that immediately accompanies it, that is expressed with an universal subject and in gnomical perfects. The verb נהר, here as in Isa 60:5, has the signification to shine, glitter (whence נהרה, light). Theodoret renders it: Ὁ μετὰ πίστεως τῷ θεῷ προσιὼν φωτὸς ἀκτῖνας δέχεται νοεροῦ, the gracious countenance of God is reflected on their faces; to the actus directus of fides supplex succeeds the actus reflexus of fides triumphans. It never comes to pass that their countenances must be covered with shame on account of disappointed hope: this shall not and cannot be, as the sympathetic force of אל implies. In all the three dialects חפר (חפר) has the signification of being ashamed and sacred; according to Gesenius and Fürst (root פר) it proceeds from the primary signification of reddening, blushing; in reality, however, since it is to be combined, not with Arab. hmr, but with chmr (cf. Arab. kfr, כפר, Arab. gfr , gmr), it proceeds from the primary signification of covering, hiding, veiling (Arabic chafira, tachaffara, used of a woman, cf. chamara, to be ashamed, to blush, to be modest, used of both sexes), so that consequently the shame-covered countenance is contrasted with that which has a bright, bold, and free look. In Psa 34:7, this general truth is again individualised. By זה עני (like זה סיני in Psa 68:9) David points to himself. From the great peril in which he was placed at the court of the Philistines, from which God has rescued him, he turns his thoughts with gratitude and praise to all the deliverances which lie in the past.

Psa 34:7-10 (Hebrew_Bible_34:8-11) This praise is supported by a setting forth of the gracious protection under which God’s saints continually are. The מלאך יהוה, is none other than He who was the medium of Jahve’s intercourse with the patriarchs, and who accompanied Israel to Canaan. This name is not collective (Calvin, Hupfeld, Kamphausen, and others). He, the One, encampeth round about them, in so far as He is the Captain of the host of Jahve (Jos 5:14), and consequently is accompanied by a host of inferior ministering angels; or insofar as He can, as being a spirit not limited by space, furnish protection that covers them on every side. חנה (cf. Zec 9:8) is perhaps an allusion to מחנים in Gen 32:2., that angel-camp which joined itself to Jacob’s camp, and surrounded it like a barricade or carrago. On the fut. consec. ויחלּצם, et expedit eos, as a simple expression of the sequence, or even only of a weak or loose internal connection, vid., Ewald, §343, a. By reason of this protection by the Angel of God arises (Psa 34:9) the summons to test the graciousness of God in their own experience. Tasting (γεύσαστηαι, Heb 6:4., 1Pe 2:3) stands before seeing; for spiritual experience leads to spiritual perception or knowledge, and not vice versa. Nisi gustaveris, says Bernard, non videbis. David is desirous that others also should experience what he has experienced in order that they may come to know what he has come to know, viz., the goodness of God.On account of this Psa 34:9, Γεύσασθε καὶ Ἴδετε κ. τ. λ., Ps 33 (34) was the Communion Psalm of the early church, Constit. Apost. viii. 13, Cyril,. Catech. Myst. v 17.

Hence, in Psa 34:10, the call to the saints to fear Jahve (יראוּ instead of יראוּ, in order to preserve the distinction between veremini and videbunt, as in Jos 24:14; 1Sa 12:24); for whoso fears Him, possesses everything in Him. The young mature lions may sooner lack and suffer hunger, because they have no prey, than that he should suffer any want whatsoever, the goal of whose striving is fellowship with God. The verb רוּשׁ (to lack, be poor, once by metaplasm ירשׁ, 1Sa 2:7, root רשׁ, to be or to make loose, lax), elsewhere used only of men, is here, like Psa 104:21 בּקּשׁ מאל, transferred to the lions, without כּפירים being intended to refer emblematically (as in Psa 35:17; Psa 57:5; Psa 17:12) to his powerful foes at the courts of Saul and of Achish.

Psa 34:11-14 (Hebrew_Bible_34:12-15) The first main division of the Psalm is ended; the second (much the same as in Psa 32:1-11) assumes more the tone of a didactic poem; although even Psa 34:6, Psa 34:9 have something of the didactic style about them. The poet first of all gives a direction for fearing God. We may compare Psa 32:8; Psa 51:15 - how thoroughly Davidic is the turn which the Psalm here takes! בּנים are not children in years or in understanding; but it is a tender form of address of a master experienced in the ways of God to each one and to all, as in Pro 1:8, and frequently. In Psa 34:13 he throws out the question, which he himself answers in Psa 34:14. This form of giving impressiveness to a truth by setting it forth as a solution of some question that has been propounded is a habit with David. Psa 14:1; Psa 24:8, Psa 24:10; Psa 25:12. In the use made of this passage from the Psalms in 1Pe 3:10-12 (=Psa 34:13 of the Psalm) this form of the question is lost sight of. To חפץ חיּים, as being just as exclusive in sense, corresponds אהב ימים, so that consequently לראות is a definition of the purpose. ימים signifies days in the mass, just as חיּים means long-enduring life. We see from Jam 3:2., where Psa 34:13 also, in its form, calls to mind the Psalm before us, why the poet gives the pre-eminence to the avoiding of sins of the tongue. In Psa 34:15, from among what is good peace is made prominent, - peace, which not only are we not to disturb, but which we are to seek, yea, pursue it like as the hunter pursues the finest of the herds. Let us follow, says the apostle Paul also, Rom 14:19 (cf. Heb 12:14), after those things which make for peace. שׁלום is a relationship, harmonious and free from trouble, that is well-pleasing to the God of love. The idea of the bond of fellowship is connected with the corresponding word eiree'nee, according to its radical notion.

Psa 34:16-21 (Hebrew_Bible_34:17-22) The poet now recommends the fear of God, to which he has given a brief direction, by setting forth its reward in contrast with the punishment of the ungodly. The prepositions אל and בּ, in Psa 34:16 and Psa 34:17, are a well considered interchange of expression: the former, of gracious inclination (Psa 33:18), the latter, of hostile intention or determining, as in Job 7:8; Jer 21:10; Jer 44:11, after the phrase in Lev 17:10. The evil doers are overwhelmed by the power of destruction that proceeds from the countenance of Jahve, which is opposed to them, until there is not the slightest trace of their earthly existence left. The subjects to Psa 34:18 are not, according to Psa 107:17-19, the עשׁי רע (evil doers), since the indispensable characteristic of penitence is in this instance wanting, but the צדיקים (the righteous). Probably the פ strophe stood originally before the ע strophe, just as in Lam 2-4 the פ precedes the ע (Hitzig). In connection with the present sequence of the thoughts, the structure of Psa 34:18 is just like Psa 34:6 : Clamant et Dominus audit = si qui (quicunque) clamant. What is meant is the cry out of the depth of a soul that despairs of itself. Such crying meets with a hearing with God, and in its realisation, an answer that bears its own credentials. “The broken in heart” are those in whom the egotistical, i.e., self-loving life, which encircles its own personality, is broken at the very root; “the crushed or contrite (דּכּאי, from דּכּא, with a changeable ā, after the form אילות from איּל) in spirit” are those whom grievous experiences, leading to penitence, of the false eminence to which their proud self-consciousness has raised them, have subdued and thoroughly humbled. To all such Jahve is nigh, He preserves them from despair, He is ready to raise up in them a new life upon the ruins of the old and to cover or conceal their infinitive deficiency; and, they, on their part, being capable of receiving, and desirous of, salvation, He makes them partakers of His salvation. It is true these afflictions come upon the righteous, but Jahve rescues him out of them all, מכּלּם = מּכּלּן (the same enallage generis as in Rth 1:19; Rth 4:11). He is under the most special providence, “He keepeth all his bones, not one of them (ne unum quidem) is broken” - a pictorial exemplification of the thought that God does not suffer the righteous to come to the extremity, that He does not suffer him to be severed from His almighty protecting love, nor to become the sport of the oppressors. Nevertheless we call to mind the literal fulfilment which these words of the psalmist received in the Crucified One; for the Old Testament prophecy, which is quoted in Joh 19:33-37, may be just as well referred to our Psalm as to Exo 12:46. Not only the Paschal lamb, but in a comparative sense even every affliction of the righteous, is a type. Not only is the essence of the symbolism of the worship of the sanctuary realised in Jesus Christ, not only is the history of Israel and of David repeated in Him, not only does human suffering attain in connection with Him its utmost intensity, but all the promises given to the righteous are fulfilled in Him κατ ̓ ἐξοχήν; because He is the righteous One in the most absolute sense, the Holy One of God in a sense altogether unique (Isa 53:11; Jer 23:5, Zec 9:9; Act 3:14; Act 22:14). - The righteous is always preserved from extreme peril, whereas evil (רעה) slays (מותת stronger than המית) the ungodly: evil, which he loved and cherished, becomes the executioner’s power, beneath which he falls. And they that hate the righteous must pay the penalty. Of the meanings to incur guilt, to feel one’s self guilty, and to undergo punishment as being guilty, אשׁם (vid., on 1Sa 14:13) has the last in this instance.

Psa 34:22 (Hebrew_Bible_34:23) The order of the alphabet having been gone through, there now follows a second פ exactly like Psa 25:22. Just as the first פ, Psa 25:16, is פּנה, so here in Psa 34:17 it is פּני; and in like manner the two supernumerary Phe's correspond to one another - the Elohimic in the former Psalm, and the Jehovic in this latter.

Praise and Thanksgiving.

1 I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 My soul shall make her boast in the Lord : the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. 3 O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. 4 I sought the Lord , and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. 5 They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. 6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. 8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. 9 O fear the Lord , ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. 10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.

The title of this psalm tells us both who penned it and upon what occasion it was penned. David, being forced to flee from his country, which was made too hot for him by the rage of Saul, sought shelter as near it as he could, in the land of the Philistines. There it was soon discovered who he was, and he was brought before the king, who, in the narrative, is called Achish (his proper name), here Abimelech (his title); and lest he should be treated as a spy, or one that came thither upon design, he feigned himself to be a madman (such there have been in every age, that even by idiots men might be taught to give God thanks for the use of their reason), that Achish might dismiss him as a contemptible man, rather than take cognizance of him as a dangerous man. And it had the effect he desired; by this stratagem he escaped the hand that otherwise would have handled him roughly. Now, 1. We cannot justify David in this dissimulation. It ill became an honest man to feign himself to be what he was not, and a man of honour to feign himself to be a fool and a mad-man. If, in sport, we mimic those who have not so good an understanding as we think we have, we forget that God might have made their case ours. 2. Yet we cannot but wonder at the composure of his spirit, and how far he was from any change of that, when he changed his behaviour. Even when he was in that fright, or rather in that danger only, his heart was so fixed, trusting in God, that even then he penned this excellent psalm, which has as much in it of the marks of a calm sedate spirit as any psalm in all the book; and there is something curious too in the composition, for it is what is called an alphabetical psalm, that is, a psalm in which every verse begins with each letter in its order as it stands in the Hebrew alphabet. Happy are those who can thus keep their temper, and keep their graces in exercise, even when they are tempted to change their behaviour. In this former part of the psalm,

I. David engages and excites himself to praise God. Though it was his fault that he changed his behaviour, yet it was God's mercy that he escaped, and the mercy was so much the greater in that God did not deal with him according to the desert of his dissimulation, and we must in every thing give thanks. He resolves, 1. That he will praise God constantly: I will bless the Lord at all times, upon all occasions. He resolves to keep up stated times for this duty, to lay hold of all opportunities for it, and to renew his praises upon every fresh occurrence that furnished him with matter. If we hope to spend our eternity in praising God, it is fit that we should spend as much as may be of our time in this work. 2. That he will praise him openly: His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Thus he would show how forward he was to own his obligations to the mercy of God and how desirous to make others also sensible of theirs. 3. That he will praise him heartily: "My soul shall make her boast in the Lord, in my relation to him, my interest in him, and expectations from him." It is not vainglory to glory in the Lord.

II. He calls upon others to join with him herein. He expects they will (v. 2): "The humble shall hear thereof, both of my deliverance and of my thankfulness, and be glad that a good man has so much favour shown him and a good God so much honour done him." Those have most comfort in God's mercies, both to others and to themselves, that are humble, and have the least confidence in their own merit and sufficiency. It pleased David to think that God's favours to him would rejoice the heart of every Israelite. Three things he would have us all to concur with him in:—

1. In great and high thoughts of God, which we should express in magnifying him and exalting his name, v. 3. We cannot make God greater or higher than he is; but if we adore him as infinitely great, and higher than the highest, he is pleased to reckon this magnifying and exalting him. This we must do together. God's praises sound best in concert, for so we praise him as the angels do in heaven. Those that share in God's favour, as all the saints do, should concur in his praises; and we should be as desirous of the assistance of our friends in returning thanks for mercies as in praying for them. We have reason to join in thanksgiving to God,

(1.) For his readiness to hear prayer, which all the saints have had the comfort of; for he never said to any of them, Seek you me in vain. [1.] David, for his part, will give it under his hand that he has found him a prayer-hearing God (v. 4): "I sought the Lord, in my distress, entreated his favour, begged his help, and he heard me, answered my request immediately, and delivered me from all my fears, both from the death I feared and from the disquietude and disturbance produced by fear of it." The former he does by his providence working for us, the latter by his grace working in us, to silence our fears and still the tumult of the spirits; this latter is the greater mercy of the two, because the thing we fear is our trouble only, but our unbelieving distrustful fear of it is our sin; nay, it is often more our torment too than the thing itself would be, which perhaps would only touch the bone and the flesh, while the fear would prey upon the spirits and put us out of the possession of our own soul. David's prayers helped to silence his fears; having sought the Lord, and left his case with him, he could wait the event with great composure. "But David was a great and eminent man, we may not expect to be favoured as he was; have any others ever experienced the like benefit by prayer?" Yes, [2.] Many besides him have looked unto God by faith and prayer, and have been lightened by it, v. 5. It has wonderfully revived and comforted them; witness Hannah, who, when she had prayed, went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad. When we look to the world we are darkened, we are perplexed, and at a loss; but, when we look to God, from him we have the light both of direction and joy, and our way is made both plain and pleasant. These here spoken of, that looked unto God, had their expectations raised, and the event did not frustrate them: Their faces were not ashamed of their confidence. "But perhaps these also were persons of great eminence, like David himself, and upon that account were highly favoured, or their numbers made them considerable;" nay, [3.] This poor man cried, a single person, mean and inconsiderable, whom no man looked upon with any respect or looked after with any concern; yet he was as welcome to the throne of grace as David or any of his worthies: The Lord heard him, took cognizance of his case and of his prayers, and saved him out of all his troubles, v. 6. God will regard the prayer of the destitute, Ps. cii. 17. See Isa. lvii. 15.

(2.) For the ministration of the good angels about us (v. 7): The angel of the Lord, a guard of angels (so some), but as unanimous in their service as if they were but one, or a guardian angel, encamps round about those that fear God, as the life-guard about the prince, and delivers them. God makes use of the attendance of the good spirits for the protection of his people from the malice and power of evil spirits; and the holy angels do us more good offices every day than we are aware of. Though in dignity and in capacity of nature they are very much superior to us,—though they retain their primitive rectitude, which we have lost;—though they have constant employment in the upper world, the employment of praising God, and are entitled to a constant rest and bliss there,—yet in obedience to their Maker, and in love to those that bear his image, they condescend to minister to the saints, and stand up for them against the powers of darkness; they not only visit them, but encamp round about them, acting for their good as really, though not as sensibly, as for Jacob's (Gen. xxxii. 1), and Elisha's, 2 Kings vi. 17. All the glory be to the God of the angels.

2. He would have us to join with him in kind and good thoughts of God (v. 8): O taste and see that the Lord is good! The goodness of God includes both the beauty and amiableness of his being and the bounty and beneficence of his providence and grace; and accordingly, (1.) We must taste that he is a bountiful benefactor, relish the goodness of God in all his gifts to us, and reckon that the savour and sweetness of them. Let God's goodness be rolled under the tongue as a sweet morsel. (2.) We must see that he is a beautiful being, and delight in the contemplation of his infinite perfections. By taste and sight we both make discoveries and take complacency. Taste and see God's goodness, that is, take notice of it and take the comfort of it, 1 Pet. ii. 3. He is good, for he makes all those that trust in him truly blessed; let us therefore be so convinced of his goodness as thereby to be encouraged in the worst of times to trust in him.

3. He would have us join with him in a resolution to seek God and serve him, and continue in his fear (v. 9): O fear the Lord! you his saints. When we taste and see that he is good we must not forget that he is great and greatly to be feared; nay, even his goodness is the proper object of a filial reverence and awe. They shall fear the Lord and his goodness, Hos. iii. 5. Fear the Lord; that is, worship him, and make conscience of your duty to him in every thing, not fear him and shun him, but fear him and seek him (v. 10) as a people seek unto their God; address yourselves to him and portion yourselves in him. To encourage us to fear God and seek him, it is here promised that those that do so, even in this wanting world, shall want no good thing (Heb. They shall not want all good things); they shall so have all good things that they shall have no reason to complain of the want of any. As to the things of the other world, they shall have grace sufficient for the support of the spiritual life (2 Cor. xii. 9; Ps. lxxxiv. 11); and, as to this life, they shall have what is necessary to the support of it from the hand of God: as a Father, he will feed them with food convenient. What further comforts they desire they shall have, as far as Infinite Wisdom sees good, and what they want in one thing shall be made up in another. What God denies them he will give them grace to be content without and then they do not want it, Deut. iii. 26. Paul had all and abounded, because he was content, Phil. iv. 11, 18. Those that live by faith in God's all-sufficiency want nothing; for in him they have enough. The young lions. often lack and suffer hunger—those that live upon common providence, as the lions do, shall want that satisfaction which those have that live by faith in the promise; those that trust to themselves, and think their own hands sufficient for them, shall want (for bread is not always to the wise)—but verily those shall be fed that trust in God and desire to be at his finding. Those that are ravenous, and prey upon all about them, shall want; but the meek shall inherit the earth. Those shall not want who with quietness work and mind their own business; plain-hearted Jacob has pottage enough, when Esau, the cunning hunter, is ready to perish for hunger.

An Exhortation to Fear God; The Privileges of the Righteous.

11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord . 12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? 13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. 14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. 15 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. 16 The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 17 The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. 18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. 20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. 21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. 22 The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

David, in this latter part of the psalm, undertakes to teach children. Though a man of war, and anointed to be king, he did not think it below him; though now he had his head so full of cares and his hands of business, yet he could find heart and time to give good counsel to young people, from his own experience. It does not appear that he had now any children of his own, at least any that were grown up to a capacity of being taught; but, by divine inspiration, he instructs the children of his people. Those that were in years would not be taught by him, though he had offered them his service (Ps. xxxii. 8); but he had hopes that the tender branches will be more easily bent and that children and young people will be more tractable, and therefore he calls together a congregation of them (v. 11): "Come, you children, that are now in your learning age, and are now to lay up a stock of knowledge which you must live upon all your days, you children that are foolish and ignorant, and need to be taught." Perhaps he intends especially those children whose parents neglected to instruct and catechise them; and it is as great a piece of charity to put those children to school whose parents are not in a capacity to teach them as to feed those children whose parents have not bread for them. Observe, 1. What he expects from them: "Hearken unto me, leave your play, lay by your toys, and hear what I have to say to you; not only give me the hearing, but observe and obey me." 2. What he undertakes to teach them—the fear of the Lord, inclusive of all the duties of religion. David was a famous musician, a statesman, a soldier; but he does not say to the children, "I will teach you to play on the harp, or to handle the sword or spear, or to draw the bow, or I will teach you the maxims of state policy;" but I will teach you the fear of the Lord, which is better than all arts and sciences, better than all burnt-offerings and sacrifices. That is it which we should be solicitous both to learn ourselves and to teach our children.

I. He supposes that we all aim to be happy (v. 12): What man is he that desireth life? that is, as it follows, not only to see many days, but to see good comfortable days. Non est vivere, sed valere, vita—It is not being, but well being, that constitutes life. It is asked, "Who wishes to live a long and pleasant life?" and it is easily answered, Who does not? Surely this must look further than time and this present world; for man's life on earth at best consists but of few days and those full of trouble. What man is he that would be eternally happy, that would see many days, as many as the days of heaven, that would see good in that world where all bliss is in perfection, without the least alloy? Who would see the good before him now, by faith and hope, and enjoy it shortly? Who would? Alas! very few have that in their thoughts. Most ask, Who will show us any good? But few ask, What shall we do to inherit eternal life? This question implies that there are some such.

II. He prescribes the true and only way to happiness both in this world and that to come, v. 13, 14. Would we pass comfortably through this world, and out of the world, our constant care must be to keep a good conscience; and, in order to that, 1. We must learn to bridle our tongues, and be careful what we say, that we never speak amiss, to God's dishonour or our neighbours prejudice: Keep thy tongue from evil speaking, lying, and slandering. So great a way does this go in religion that, if any offend not in word, the same is a perfect man; and so little a way does religion go without this that of him who bridles not his tongue it is declared, His religion is vain. 2. We must be upright and sincere in every thing we say, and not double-tongued. Our words must be the indications of our minds; our lips must be kept from speaking guile either to God or man. 3. We must leave all our sins, and resolve we will have no more to do with them. We must depart from evil, from evil works and evil workers; from the sins others commit and which we have formerly allowed ourselves in. 4. It is not enough not to do hurt in the world, but we must study to be useful, and live to some purpose. We must not only depart from evil, but we must do good, good for ourselves, especially for our own souls, employing them well, furnishing them with a good treasure, and fitting them for another world; and, as we have ability and opportunity, we must do good to others also. 5. Since nothing is more contrary to that love which never fails (which is the summary both of law and gospel, both of grace and glory) than strife and contention, which bring confusion and every evil work, we must seek peace and pursue it; we must show a peaceable disposition, study the things that make for peace, do nothing to break the peace and to make mischief. If peace seem to flee from us, we must pursue it; follow peace with all men, spare no pains, no expense, to preserve and recover peace; be willing to deny ourselves a great deal, both in honour and interest, for peace' sake. These excellent directions in a way to life and good are transcribed into the New Testament and made part of our gospel duty, 1 Pet. iii. 10, 11. And, perhaps David, in warning us that we speak no guile, reflects upon his own sin in changing his behaviour. Those that truly repent of what they have done amiss will warn others to take heed of doing likewise.

III. He enforces these directions by setting before us the happiness of the godly in the love and favour of God and the miserable state of the wicked under his displeasure. Here are life and death, good and evil, the blessing and the curse, plainly stated before us, that we may choose life and live. See Isa. iii. 10, 11.

1. Woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with them, however they may bless themselves in their own way. (1.) God is against them, and then they cannot but be miserable. Sad is the case of that man who by his sin has made his Maker his enemy, his destroyer. The face of the Lord is against those that do evil, v. 16. Sometimes God is said to turn his face from them (Jer. xviii. 17), because they have forsaken him; here he is said to set his face against them, because they have fought against him; and most certainly God is able to out-face the most proud and daring sinners and can frown them into hell. (2.) Ruin is before them; this will follow of course if God be against them, for he is able both to kill and to cast into hell. [1.] The land of the living shall be no place for them nor theirs. When God sets his face against them he will not only cut them off, but cut off the remembrance of them; when they are alive he will bury them in obscurity, when they are dead he will bury them in oblivion. He will root out their posterity, by whom they would be remembered. He will pour disgrace upon their achievements, which they gloried in and for which they thought they should be remembered. It is certain that there is no lasting honour but that which comes from God. [2.] There shall be a sting in their death: Evil shall slay the wicked, v. 21. Their death shall be miserable; and so it will certainly be, though they die on a bed of down or on the bed of honour. Death, to them, has a curse in it, and is the king of terrors; to them it is evil, only evil. It is very well observed by Dr. Hammond that the evil here, which slays the wicked, is the same word, in the singular number, that is used (v. 19) for the afflictions of the righteous, to intimate that godly people have many troubles, and yet they do them no hurt, but are made to work for good to them, for God will deliver them out of them all; whereas wicked people have fewer troubles, fewer evils befal them, perhaps but one, and yet that one may prove their utter ruin. One trouble with a curse in it kills and slays, and does execution; but many, with a blessing in them, are harmless, nay, gainful. [3.] Desolation will be their everlasting portion. Those that are wicked themselves often hate the righteous, name and thing, have an implacable enmity to them and their righteousness; but they shall be desolate, shall be condemned as guilty, and laid waste for ever, shall be for ever forsaken and abandoned of God and all good angels and men; and those that are so are desolate indeed.

2. Yet say to the righteous, It shall be well with them. All good people are under God's special favour and protection. We are here assured of this under a great variety of instances and expressions.

(1.) God takes special notice of good people, and takes notice who have their eyes ever to him and who make conscience of their duty to him: The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous (v. 15), to direct and guide them, to protect and keep them. Parents that are very fond of a child will not let it be out of their sight; none of God's children are ever from under his eye, but on them he looks with a singular complacency, as well as with a watchful and tender concern.

(2.) They are sure of an answer of peace to their prayers. All God's people are a praying people, and they cry in prayer, which denotes great importunity; but is it to any purpose? Yes, [1.] God takes notice of what we say (v. 17): They cry, and the Lord hears them, and hears them so as to make it appear he has a regard to them. His ears are open to their prayers, to receive them all, and to receive them readily and with delight. Though he has been a God hearing prayer ever since men began to call upon the name of the Lord, yet his ear is not heavy. There is no rhetoric, nothing charming, in a cry, yet God's ears are open to it, as the tender mother's to the cry of her sucking child, which another would take no notice of: The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, v. 17. This intimates that it is the constant practice of good people, when they are in distress, to cry unto God, and it is their constant comfort that God hears them. [2.] He not only takes notice of what we say, but is ready for us to our relief (v. 18): He is nigh to those that are of a broken heart, and saves them. Note, First, It is the character of the righteous, whose prayers God will hear, that they are of a broken heart and a contrite spirit (that is, humbled for sin and emptied of self); they are low in their own eyes, and have no confidence in their own merit and sufficiency, but in God only. Secondly, Those who are so have God nigh unto them, to comfort and support them, that the spirit may not be broken more than is meet, lest it should fail before him. See Isa. lvii. 15. Though God is high, and dwells on high, yet he is near to those who, being of a contrite spirit, know how to value his favour, and will save them from sinking under their burdens; he is near them to good purpose.

(3.) They are taken under the special protection of the divine government (v. 20): He keepeth all his bones; not only his soul, but his body; not only his body in general, but every bone in it: Not one of them is broken. He that has a broken heart shall not have a broken bone; for David himself had found that, when he had a contrite heart, the broken bones were made to rejoice, Ps. li. 8, 17. One would not expect to meet with any thing of Christ here, and yet this scripture is said to be fulfilled in him (John xix. 36) when the soldiers broke the legs of the two thieves that were crucified with him, but did not break his, they being under the protection of this promise as well as of the type, even the paschal-lamb (a bone of him shall not be broken); the promises, being made good to Christ, through him are sure to all the seed. It does not follow but that a good man may have a broken bone; but, by the watchful providence of God concerning him, such a calamity is often wonderfully prevented, and the preservation of his bones is the effect of this promise; and, if he have a broken bone, sooner or later it shall be made whole, at furthest at the resurrection, when that which is sown in weakness shall be raised in power.

(4.) They are, and shall be, delivered out of their troubles. [1.] It is supposed that they have their share of crosses in this world, perhaps a greater share than others. In the world they must have tribulation, that they may be conformed both to the will of God and to the example of Christ (v. 19); Many are the afflictions of the righteous, witness David and his afflictions, Ps. cxxxii. 1. There are those that hate them (v. 21) and they are continually aiming to do them a mischief; their God loves them, and therefore corrects them; so that, between the mercy of heaven and the malice of hell, the afflictions of the righteous must needs be many. [2.] God has engaged for their deliverance and salvation: He delivers them out of all their troubles (v. 17, 19); he saves them (v. 18), so that, though they may fall into trouble, it shall not be their ruin. This promise of their deliverance is explained, v. 22. Whatever troubles befal them, First, They shall not hurt their better part. The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants from the power of the grave (Ps. xlix. 15) and from the sting of every affliction. He keeps them from sinning in their troubles, which is the only thing that would do them a mischief, and keeps them from despair, and from being put out of the possession of their own souls. Secondly, They shall not hinder their everlasting bliss. None of those that trust in him shall be desolate; that is, they shall not be comfortless, for they shall not be cut off from their communion with God. No man is desolate but he whom God has forsaken, nor is any man undone till he is in hell. Those that are God's faithful servants, that make it their care to please him and their business to honour him, and in doing so trust him to protect and reward them, and, with good thoughts of him, refer themselves to him, have reason to be easy whatever befals them, for they are safe and shall be happy.

In singing these verses let us be confirmed in the choice we have made of the ways of God; let us be quickened in his service, and greatly encouraged by the assurances he has given of the particular care he takes of all those that faithfully adhere to him.

PSAL. XXXIV.

1. A Psalme of David, when he had changed his behaviour before Abimelech, and he had driven him away, and he was gone.

2. I Will blesse Iehovah in all time, continually his praise shall be in my mouth.

3. In Iehovah my soule shall glory, the meeke shall heare and shall rejoyce.

4. Magnifie ye Iehovah with me, and let us extoll his name together.

5. I sought Iehovah, and he answered me, and rid me free from all my feares.

6. They looked to him and flowed, and their faces be not ashamed.

7. This poore afflicted man called, and Iehovah heard, and saved him out of all his distresses.

8. The Angell of Iehovah pitcheth a campe about them that feare him, and releaseth them.

9. Taste ye and see, that Iehovah is good: O blessed is the man that hopeth for safety in him.

10. Feare Iehovah ye his Saints, for there is no want to them that feare him.

11. The Lions are impoverished and an hungred, but they that seeke Iehovah shall not want any good.

12. Come sonnes, hearken to me, I will learne you the feare of Iehovah.

13. Who is the man that willeth life, that loveth dayes to see good?

14. Keepe thy tongue from evill, and thy lips from speaking guile.

15. Eschew evill, and doe good; seeke peace and pursue it.

16. The eyes of Iehovah are unto the just, and his eares unto their outcrie.

17. The face of Iehovah is against them that do evill, to cut off their memoriall from the earth.

18. They cried, and Iehovah heard, and rid them free out of all their distresses.

19. Iehovah is neere to the broken of heart, and the contrite of spirit hee will save.

20. Many are the evils of the just, and out of them all Iehovah will rid him free.

21. He keepeth all his bones, one of them is not broken.

22. Evill shall slay the wicked, and they that hate the just shall be condemned as guiltie.

23. Iehovah redeemeth the soule of his servants, and they shall not be condemned as guiltie, all that hope for safetie in him.

Annotations. HIs behaviour] or his sense, reason, properly the taste, as in verse 9. Iob 6. 6. and often other-where, which is used both for ones inward sense or reason, and outward gesture and demeanour, (as the Greeke here translateth it, face,) because by it a man is discerned and judged to be wise or foolish, as meats are discerned by the taste. David when he was afraid of the King of Gath, changed his behaviour before them, and sained himselfe mad in their hands, & scrabbled on the doores of the gate, and let his spittle fall downe upon his beard, 1 Sam. 21. 12, 13. Abimelech] whose proper name was Achish King of Gath, a citie of the Philistims, 1 Sam. 21. 10. and as every King of Egypt was called Pharaoh, Gen. 41. 1. Exod. 5. 1. 1 King. 11. 18. so every King of the Philistims was called Abimelech, that is, Father King, Gen. 20. 2. and 26. 1. had driven] or expelled. For Achish said to his servants which had taken and brought David to him, Loe ye see the man is beside himselfe, wherefore have ye brought him to me? have I need of mad men? &c. So David departed thence, 1 Sam. 21. 14, 15. and 22. 1. Vpon that he made this Psalme. Vers. [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word]] or, in every seaso[illegible: 1 letter]. See Psal. [illegible: 2 words] T[illegible: 1 span] [illegible: 1 word] is also composed according to the order [illegible: 1 word] the Hebr e[illegible: 2 letters] Alphabet, as it observed on Psal. 25. 1. Vers. 3 shall glgrie] or joyfully boast. For so the Apostie expoundeth this word, which properly signifieth to praise ones selfe, 1 Cor. 1. 31. from Ier. 9. 23, 24. So in Psal. 52. 3. and 97. 7. and 105. 3. and 106. 5. Vers. 4. Magnifie] or, Make gr[illegible: 1 letter]at, to wit, by praising. So Deut. [illegible: 2 words] 3. Give ye greatnesse unto our God. Vers. 6. They looked] to wit, the meeke, mentioned before, vers. 3. or generally, they that looke and flow unto him. flowed] ran as a river; the like similitude is, Isa. 2. 2. and 60. 5. Ier. 31. 12. and 51. 44. be not ashamed] or, shall not be ashamed; which word in the originall signifieth digging; as Psal. 35. 7. applied to shame, which causeth men to seeke to hide themselves, as is lively described, Rev. 6. 15, 16. Vers. 8. The Angel] that is, the Angels; for hee speaketh of an host: And often in the Hebrew, one is put for a muititude; as the inhabitant, for, the inhabitants, 2 Sam. 5. 6. with 1 Chron. 11. 4. So, frog for [illegible: 1 word], Psal. 78. 45. tree for troes, quaile for quailes, Psal. 105. 33. 40. See the note on Psal. 8. 9. pitcheth a campe] a similitude taken from warres; as Psal. 27. 3. So Iakob, when the Angels of God met him, said, This is Gods campe (or host) Gen. 32. 1, 2. Likewise about Elishah, the mountaine was full of horses and chariots of fire, 2 Kings 6. 17. See also Psal. 91. 11, 12. Vers. 9. Taste and see] that is, make triall and you shall find that God is good, sweet and delectable; and you will the more desire him. Thus the Apostle applieth these words, saying; as new borne babes desire yee the sincere milke of the word, that yee may grow thereby, if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is good, 1 Pet. 2. 2, 3. [illegible: 1 word] in him] The Chaldee expoundeth it, in his word. Vers. 10. Feare Iehovah] under this word Feare, is comprehended Gods whole worship, as is shewed on Psal. 19. 10. and the walking in his wayes, as it is expounded in 2 Chr. 6. 31. compared with 1 King. 8. 40. and Psal. 128. 1. Vers. 11. Lions] Lurking lions (whereof see Psal. 7. 3.) which are lusty, strong toothed, fierce, roaring, ravenous, as appeareth by Psal. 58. 7. and 104. 21. Mic. 5. 8. Ezek. 19. 3. 5, 6. 7. Iob [illegible: 1 letter]9. 1, 2. And hereby may be meant the rich and mighty of the world, whom God often bringeth to miserie; and so the Greeke for Lions, putteth here the rich. Tyrants and strong men are sometime called Lions, Ier. 2. 15. 1. Chr. 11. 22. Nahum 2. 13. See Luke 1. 53. are impoverished] or suffer penurie. See Iob 4. 10, 11. Prov. 10. 3. that seeke Iehovah] Chaldee, that seeke the doctrine of the Lord. Vers. 13. that willeth] that is, faine would have and delighteth. dayes to see good] that is, to enjoy good many dayes; which the Apostle (following the Seventie) expresseth thus, to see good daies, 1 Pet. 3. 10. that is, dayes of prosperitie, pleasure, comfort. Vers. 14. Keepe thy tongue] to wit, by restraining and making it cease from evill, as the Apostle teacheth, 1 Pet. 3. 10. Vers. 16. their outcrie:] or, their deprecation, their prayer for need, as the Greeke (which the Apostle followeth) expresseth it. Vers. 17. The face] that is, open anger, Lev. 17. 10. So the Chaldee expoundeth it, The face of the Lord is angry against evill doers: See Psalm. 21. 10. Vers. 18. They cried] that is, as the Greeke faith, The just cried: and the Chaldee, the just prayed. Vers. 19. the broken of heart] them that have their hearts broken and their spirits contrite (or humble) for their sinnes. See the like speeches, Psal. 51. 19. and 147. 3. Isa. 57. 15. and 61. 1. Ier. 23. 9. Luke 4. 18. Vers. 20. the evils] that is, griefes and afflictions; as Deut. 31. 17. Psal. 27. 5. and 88. 4. Mat. 6. 34. the word also may import sinnes and vices, as Psal. 28. 3. and 94. 23. So after in verse 22. Vers. 22. slay the wicked] or, doe him die, kill him; because he shall not be delivered there-from, as the just man is, vers. 20. The Greeke and Chaldee expound it, The death of sinners (of the wicked) is evill. condemned as guilty] and consequently perish. See Psal. 5. 11. Vers. 23. all that hope] that is, any one of them. So all is used for any, Psal. 147. 20.

PSAL. XXXIV.

VErſ. 1. A Pſalm of David] An Alphabeticall Pſalm, which David (newly delivered from the Philiſtines,Semper in Eceleſia his Pſalmus piis ſuit commendatiſſimus. Moller. who had taken him priſoner, and preſented him to their King as a ſpeciall prize) compoſed with ſingular art; as fit to be committed to memory by all godly people, who may here meet with many excellent leſſons, and cordiall comforts.

When he changed his behaviour] Heb. guſt um, hoc eſt geſtum. This he did (being put to his ſhifts) but not without ſin,Lib. 3. Od. 11. for he was ſplendide mendax (as Horace ſaith of Hypermueſtra) at the beſt; neither can this diſſimulation or officious lye of his be excuſed; as ſome have by diſtinctions indeavoured it, but in vain.

Before Abimelech] Or, Achiſh, King of Gath, 1 Sam. 21. for he was binomini[illegible: 1 letter], ſaith Aben-Ezra; or elſe Abimelech, that is, Father-King was his title of honour. As Auguſtus would be ſtiled Pater Patria, the Father of his Country. R. Solomon ſaith that Abimelech was a common name to all the Philiſtin-Kings, as Pharaoh to the Egyptian.

Who caſt him one] For a mad man, 1 Sam. 21.15. wherein there was a ſweet providence of God, who can order our diſorders to his own glory, and our good; like as an Artificer with a crooked tool can make ſtraight work; or as an Apothecary of a poyſonfull Viper can make a wholeſome triacle.

And he departed] Into ſome parts of Judea, where he might repent of his ſin firſt (as Peter did when got into a corner) and then compile this Pſalm of thankſgiving to God, who had ſo graciouſly delivered him out of that hard and hazardous condition, not only above, but againſt his deſert.

Verſ. 1. I will bleſſe the Lord at all times] As not ſatisfied with any thing I can do herein, at any time. The Saints have large hearts; and could bet eem the Lord a great deal more ſervice than they are able to perform. A certain Martyr ſaid at the ſtake, I am ſory that I am going to a place, where I ſhall be ever receiving wages, and do no more work.

His praiſe ſhall continually be in my mouth] For this remarkable mercy eſpecially, which I will ſtill be telling of, and ſpeaking good of Gods name to as many as I can poſſibly extend unto. This thankfull man was worth his weight in the gold of Ophir.

Verſ. 2. My ſoul ſhall make her boaſt in the Lord] This holy gloriation is a Chriſtians duty not to be neglected. The Church in the Canticles is much in it; and ſo is St. Paul. It ſheweth an heart full of joyes unſpeakable, and full of glory, 1 Pet. 1. 8. And beſides, God is thereby greatly glorified, Jer. 9.23, 24.

The humble ſhall hear thereof, and be glad] Not for my ſake only, but their own; as conceiving good hope of like deliverance. But then they muſt be as I am, not only humbled, but humble; low, but lowly.

Verſ. 3. O magnify the Lord with mee] As not ſufficient to do ſo great a work himſelf, he calleth in the help of others. We read of a Monſter rather than a man, who lying on his death bed, not only himſelf ſwore as faſt and as furiouſly as hee could, but deſperately deſired the ſtanders by to help him with oaths,Boltons, Aſſize-ſerm. and to ſwear for him. I knew the man, ſaith mine Author. And ſhould not wee much more call upon others to joyn their forces with ours in magnifying the Lord? Birds, when they come to a full heap of corn, will chirp and call in for their fellows. Charity is no churl; goodneſſe is diffuſive.

And let us exalt his name together] And ſo begin Heaven afore-hand. Aben-Ezra gloſſeth thus, Quaſi diceret, Nos omnes ſimul ad laudandum Deum ſumus imbecilles, we are all too weak for this work, though we ſhould all do our utmoſt at it.

Verſ. 4. I ſought the Lord] Even when I was in the enemies hands, and playing my pranks as a mad man amongſt them; I prayed ſecretly and inwardly, I ſent up ſome ejaculations (as Nehem. 2.4.) and was heard, though unworthy.

And delivered mee out of all my fears] Which were not a few, 1 Sam. 21.13. beſides his inward terrours upon his unwarrantable practices, to ſave his life. Senſe fights ſore againſt faith, when it is upon its own dunghill (in a ſenſible danger I mean) to the great diſturbance of the conſcience afterwards. George Marſh (afterwards a Martyr in Queen Maryes dayes.) being examined before the Earl of Derby, kept himſelf cloſe in the Sacrament of the Altar, as they called it. But afterward, thus he writeth to a friend; I departed much more troubled in my ſpirit than before; becauſe I had not with more boldneſſe confeſſed Chriſt, but in ſuch ſort as mine adverſaries thereby thought they ſhould prevail againſt mee; whereat I was much grieved; for hitherto I went about as much as in mee lay, to rid my ſelf out of their hands, if by any means without open denying of Chriſt and his word, that could be done, &c. Thus He; but no reſt he had in his mind,Act. & Mon[illegible: 1 letter] fol. 1419. till hee had better declared himſelf, though to the loſſe of his life. A man had better offend all the World, than his own conſcience. David, not without much ado, recovered his peace, for which he here heartily bleſſeth God.

Verſ. 5. They looked unto him, and were lightened] They, that is, my ſervants and fellow-ſouldiers who accompanied mee firſt to Nob, 1 Sam. 21.2, 4. Mat. 12.3, 4. and afterwards to Gath (as it is probable) theſe being in the ſame danger, looked likewiſe unto God by faith, hope, and prayer; and were lightened; that is, comforted, cheared, directed, yea delivered together with David. Or, They flowed together, viz. to God, as Rivers roll to the Sea, or malefactors run to the ſanctuary, Iſa. 2.2, & 60.5.

And their faces were not aſhamed] i.e. They were not repulſed, diſappointed, made to hide their heads, as Rev. 6.15, 16.

Verſ. 6. This peer man cried] Meaning himſelf, to whom it ſeemeth he pointed the finger, or laid his hand on his heart, when he ſaid, This poor man, Hic vilis, et evium Paſtor, ſaith Theoderèt, this mean Shepherd not long ſince; but rather, This miſerable ſinner, who whilome raſhly ran ſuch an hazard, and ſo unworthily deported himſelf in the preſence of King Achiſh; this poor Soul, I ſay, cried, but ſilently and ſecretly, as Moſes did at the red Sea, as Nehemiah did in the preſence of the King of Perſia.

And the Lord] Who might better be called the poor mans King, than was James 4. King of Scotland.

Heard him, and delivered him out of all his troubles] And the like he will do for all that in like caſe, being poor in ſpirit, make their humble addreſſes unto him. It is good to communicate unto others our experiences. See the like done, Pſal. 116.6. Rom. 8.2. 1 Tim. 1.15.

Verſ. 7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about, &c.] Not one Guardian-Angel only (as ſome have hence conceited) nor Michael the Arch-Angel only, that Angel of the Covenant, Jeſus Chriſt, as Auguſtine expoundeth this Text, but an Hoſt of created Angels, thoſe miniſtring Spirits, ſent forth to miniſter for them who ſhall be heirs of Salvation, Heb. 1.14. For although Chriſt the Captain of our Salvation needeth not their help, for the ſafe-guard of his people; yet for our comfort he maketh uſe of the holy Angels, who meet us ſtill, as they did Jacob at Mahanaim (where they made a lane for him, as the Guard doth for their Prince, as the word importeth) Gen. 32.1. they miniſter many bleſſings to us, though inviſibly; ſtand at our right hands, Luke 1.11. as ready to releeve us, as the Devils are to miſchief us,Sicut hoſtes ſunt in circuitu, Kimchi. Zech. 3.1. yea they pitch Camp round about us, as here (Oh the dignity and ſafety of a Saint in this reſpect!) fight in battel-array againſt our enemies, Dan. 10.20. (the Heathens ſpeak much of their Caſtor and Pollux fighting for them; and H[illegible: 1 letter]ſiod telleth of thirty thouſand demy-gods that were [non-Latin text not transcribed] Keepers of Mankind) and convey them at death, as they did Lazarus, through the enemies Country, the air, into Abrahams boſome, Luke 16.

Verſ. 8. O taſte and ſee, &c.] Viz. with the mouth of your minde, and with the eyes of your faith perceive, and experiment the goodneſs of God in chuſing, and uſing ſuch Inſtruments as the Angels, and otherwiſe, in the manifold expreſſions of his love to us; wherein if we take not comfort, the fault is meerly in our ſelves; we being like him who hath pleaſant and nouriſhing meat, but will not make uſe of it. The Saints taſte how good the Lord is, and thence long after him. Optima demonſtratio eſt à ſenſibus; as he that feels Fire hot, or as he that taſteth Hony ſweet, yee need not uſe arguments to perſwade him to beleeve it: So here, let a man but once taſte that the Lord is good, and he will thenceforth, as a new born Babe, deſire the ſincere Milk of the Word, 1 Pet. 2.2, 3. neither will he take any more content in the Worlds taſtleſs fooleries, than in the white of an Egge, or a dry chip.D. 4. dom. Guſtato ſpiritu deſipit omnis caro, ſaith Gerſon, All fleſh is ſavourleſs to him that hath taſted of the Spirit. Paul, after his Rapture, looked with ſcorn and pity on all the Worlds glittering Poverty. His mouth doth not water after homely proviſions, who hath lately taſted of delicate ſuſtenance. O let us get Spiritual ſenſes, habitually bitually exerciſed to diſcern good and evil, Heb. 5. ult. It is the Spirit that quickneth, the fleſh profiteth nothing, ſaith our Saviour to the Jews, q.d. yee accept not my words, becauſe yee have not the Spirit, yee have but fleſh, that is, a common knowledge, no ſound taſte; and therefore it is that my words reliſh not with you.

Bleſſed is the man, &c.] See Pſal. 2.12. with the Notes.

Verſ. 9. [non-Latin text not transcribed] quaſi [non-Latin text not transcribed] O fear the Lord yee his Saints] Yee that having taſted of Gods ſweetneſs, are ſeparated from the World, with its luſts, and can live with a little; Fear the Lord, and then you ſhall not need to fear want of any thing; for he is Allſufficient to thoſe who are altogether his, and with-draw not from him by miſtruſt, or miſdoing.

For there is no want to them that fear him] Habent omnia, qui habent habentem omnia. David, when captive among the Philiſtines, wanted not. Paul had nothing, and yet poſſeſſed all things. Contrarily, the wicked, in the fulneſs of his ſufficiency is in ſtraights, Job 20, 22.

Verſ. 10. The young Lions do lack and ſuffer hunger] And yet they will have it, if it be to be had. H &c eſt ſceleratorum imago, ſaith Beza. Lion-like wicked oppreſſors, rich Cormorants (as the Septuagint render it) who live on the ſpoil of poor people, and are never ſatisfied, do yet periſh with famine (as Eliphaz ſaith of the old Lion, Job 4.11.) and come oſt to great poverty; ſo that they pine away,Donec miſ[illegible: 1 letter] tabeſeant. Beza. and miſerably periſh.

But they that ſeek the Lord] That, content with his bleſſing alone, ſeek not their nouriſhment any other way but from his hand, and will rather lye in the duſt, than riſe by evil Principles; theſe have an autarkie, a ſelf-ſufficiency, ſuch as godlineſs is never without, 1 Tim. 6.6. Some Rabbins ſay,Aben-Ezra Loc. that the ſervants of Achiſh had almoſt famiſhed David (under pretence haply of reducing him to his right mind) but God ſuſtained him by Miracle, as he did Elias, 1 King. 17.

Shall not want any good thing] Want they may, this or that, which they may think would be good for them: but God knoweth it to be otherwiſe; or elſe they ſhould be ſure of it. Of good nothing followeth of it ſelf but good, but if by accident any evil followeth, yet it is turned into good to ſuch as ſeek the Lord in ſincerity.

Verſ. 11. Come yee children, hearken unto me] Yee that are little, and low in your own eyes, as ſeeing your want of holy Learning.

I will teach you the fear of the Lord] That beſt Trade, whereby you ſhall be ſure to be kept from want; for by humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life, Prov. 22.4. He then who ſhall teach this fear ſhould be honoured, and reſpected as a Father. The Jews at this day account a mans Maſter, or Tutor worthy of more reſpect than his Father: for he hath given him only his being,Leo Modena[illegible: 1 letter] the other his wel-being.

Verſ. 12. What man is he that deſireth life] This is Davids Doctrin; and to draw company about him, he proclaimeth and promiſeth that which he well knew every man coveteth, happy life, many days, and a comfortable enjoyment of all. Now, who is it that would have theſe, ſaith he? Auſtine bringeth in all ſorts, ſaying, Ego & ego, I would, and I would. But as all men deſire health, but few take a right courſe to get it, and keep it; ſo all would be happy, but few hearken to this wholſome counſel, for the compaſſing of true happineſs.

Verſ. 13. Keep thy tongue from evil, &c.] This is an hard ſaying, think the moſt; who will therefore rather venture it than yeeld to be ſo tied up. The Tongue is an unruly member, and can hardly be hampered. But who would not temper his tongue, and bind it to the good abearance, for true bleſſedneſs? Who would not rather bite it off, and ſpit it out (as that ancient Martyr did his, into the face of the Tyrant, who ſolicited him to deny Chriſt) than miſs of Heaven? Ficinus after his Tracts De ſanitate tuenda, of keeping good health; and another, of recovering health; and a third, of prolonging life; becauſe all will not do, wiſely addeth a fourth; Of laying hold on eternal life; which cannot be done, but by mortifying this earthly member, a looſe and lewd tongue. For by thy words thou ſhalt be juſtified, and by thy words thou ſhalt be condemned, ſaith the Judge himſelf, Mat. 12.37. Compare Gen. 49.21. with Deut. 33.23. and it will appear that good words ingratiate with God and Men.

Verſ. 14. Depart from evil, and do good] For negative goodneſs helpeth not. A man muſt ſo abſtain from evil, as that he do good, or he doth nothing. It is ſaid of Ithacius, that the hatred of the Priſcillian Hereſie was the beſt that could bee ſaid of him; this was but a ſlender commendation.

Seek peace and purſue it] As Hunters do the prey. If it fly from thee, make after it; it will pay thee for thy pains. It is ſaid of Frederick the Third, Emperour, that by putting up many injuries, he reigned quietly fifty and three years, and five months. He had need be patient that would be at peace. Vt habeas quietum tempus, Val. Max. Chriſtian. 30 Auguſtin. perde aliquid, was a Proverb at Carthage; not unlike that of ours, Do any thing for a quiet life. Concedamus de jure ut careamus lite. And if, in this purſute of peace, thou meet with many rubs and remoraes, yet be not diſcouraged, conſidering what follows in the two next verſes.

Verſ. 15. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous] He ſeeth and weigheth the wrongs they ſuſtain for peace ſake, and they ſhall be no loſers thereby; provided that their purſute of peace proceed from the filiall fear of God, which David here profeſſeth to teach, Verſ. 11. Gods eyes are intent, his ears attent to theſe righteous ones. Palàm, clàm (as Aben-Ezra here) openly, ſecretly, he will right them and recompenſe them. Should not God ſee, as well as hear (ſaith another) his children ſhould want many things. Wee apprehend not all our own wants, and ſo cannot pray for relief of all. Hee (of his own accord without any monitor) is wont to aid us.

And his ears are open to their cry] Heb. Are to their cry. Or, (as St. Peter hath it) His ears are into their prayers; 1 Pet. 3[illegible: 1 letter] to ſhew, that though their prayers are ſo faint and feeble that they cannot enter into the ears of the Lord of Hoaſts, yet that he will bow down and incline his ears unto, nay into their prayers, their breathings, Lam. 3.56.

Verſ. 16. The face of the Lord is againſt them that do evill] Let not ſuch dream of a long and happy life, as Verſ. 12. This they are apt to do; but ſhall be carried from a fooles Paradiſe to a true priſon. For that people may not imagin God to be [non-Latin text not transcribed], and ſo made up of mercy, as to forget his judgements, the Wicked are here affured, that the face of the Lord is againſt them, that he beholdeth them from Heaven with a terrible countenance, that he is grievouſly angry with them, and will ſurely and ſeverely puniſh them; and theirs after them.

To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth] And ſo to croſſe them in the thing that they moſt coveted, viz. to renown themſelves amongſt men. God writeth them in the earth (in oppoſition to thoſe, whoſe names are written in Heaven, Luk. 10.) becauſe they forſook the Lord the fountain of living waters, Jer. 17.13.

Verſ. 17. The Righteous cry, &c.] This is often inculcated for our better aſſurance; becauſe we are apt to doubt, if delayed. See verſ. 6.

Verſ. 18. The Lord is nigh unto them, &c.] More nigh than the bark is to the Tree, for he is with them, and in them continually; pouring the oyl of his grace into theſe broken veſſells, quorum corda pecc at a corum non amplius retinent, ſed, ut vas fractum, effundunt, faith Aben-Ezra here, whoſe hearts retain not their ſins any longer, but poure them out as water before the Lord.

And ſaveth ſuch as bee of a contrite spirit] Such as are ground to pouder, as it were, with ſenſe of ſin, and fear of wrath; yet not without good hope of mercy. Theſe God delivereth out of their dangers; and in fine bringeth them to eternall bleſſedneſſe.

Verſ. 19. Many are the troubles, &c.] Dei ſunt nuntii, theſe are Gods meſſengers, faith Kimchi; and they ſeldome come ſingle. See Jam. 1.2. with the Note. Sent they are alſo to the Wicked, Pſal. 32.10. but on another errand, and for another end. The Righteous per anguſt a ad auguſtum, per spinas ad roſas, per motum ad quietem, per procell as ad portum, per crucem ad coelum contendunt, through many tribulations they enter into Gods Kingdome. Not ſo the Wicked; their croſſes are but a typicall Hell.

But the Lord delivereth him out of them all] No Country hath more venemous Creatures, none more Antidotes than Egypt; ſo godlineſſe hath many troubles, and as many helps againſt trouble.

Verſ. 20. He keepeth all his bones] Which are very many. Perhaps (ſaith AbenEzra here) David had been ſcourged by the Philiſtines, but his bones were not broken; nor were our Saviours, Joh. 19.36.

Verſ. 21. Evill ſhall ſlay the Wicked] For lack of ſuch deliverance, as verſ. 19. malum jugulat au thorem mali. Their malice ſhall prove their miſchief. The Arabick hath it (but not right) mors impii peſſima. Aben-Ezra better ſenſeth it thus, One affliction killeth the Wicked; when out of many, God delivereth the Righteous.

Verſ. 22. The Lord redeemeth the ſoules of his ſervants] Though to themſelves and others they may ſeem helpleſſe and hopeleſſe, yet they ſhall not periſh in [illegible: 1 word] fins, and for their ſins, as do the Wicked.

I will bless the Lord at all times. He is resolved and fixed, I will; he is personally and for himself determined, let others so as they may; he is intelligent in head and inflamed in heart —he knows to whom the praise is due, and what is due, and for what and when. To Jehovah, and not to second causes our gratitude is to be rendered. The Lord hath by right a monopoly in his creatures praise. Even when a mercy may remind us of our sin with regard to it, as in this case David's deliverance from the Philistine monarch was sure to do, we are not to rob God of his meed of honour because our conscience justly awards a censure to our share in the transaction. Though the hook was rusty, yet God sent the fish, and we thank him for it. At all times, in every situation, under every circumstance, before, in and after trials, in bright days of glee, and dark nights of fear. He would never have done praising, because never satisfied that he had done enough; always feeling that he fell short of the Lord's deservings. Happy is he whose fingers are wedded to his harp. He who praises God for mercies shall never want a mercy for which to praise. To bless the Lord is never unseasonable. His praise shall continually be in my mouth, not in my heart merely, but in my mouth too. Our thankfulness is not to be a dumb thing; it should be one of the daughters of music. Our tongue is our glory, and it ought to reveal the glory of God. What a blessed mouthful is God's praise! How sweet, how purifying, how perfuming! If men's mouths were always thus filled, there would be no repining against God, or slander of neighbours. If we continually rolled this dainty morsel under our tongue, the bitterness of daily affliction would be swallowed up in joy. God deserves blessing with the heart, and extolling with the mouth —good thoughts in the closet, and good words in the world.

My soul shall make her boast in the Lord. Boasting is a very natural propensity, and if it were used as in this case, the more it were indulged the better. The exultation of this verse is no mere tongue bragging, "the soul" is in it, the boasting is meant and felt before it is expressed. What scope there is for holy boasting in Jehovah! His person, attributes, covenant, promises, works, and a thousand things besides, are all incomparable, unparalleled, matchless; we may cry them up as we please, but we shall never be convicted of vain and empty speech in so doing. Truly he who writes these words of comment has nothing of his own to boast of, but much to lament over, and yet none shall stop him of his boast in God so long as he lives. The humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. They are usually grieved to hear boastings; they turn aside from vauntings and lofty speeches, but boasting in the Lord is quite another matter; by this the most lowly are consoled and encouraged. The confident expressions of tried believers are a rich solace to their brethren of less experience. We ought to talk of the Lord's goodness on purpose that others may be confirmed in their trust in a faithful God.

O magnify the Lord with me. Is this request addressed to the humble? If so it is most fitting. Who can make God great but those who feel themselves to be little? He bids them help him to make the Lord's fame greater among the sons of men. Jehovah is infinite, and therefore cannot really be made greater, but his name grows in manifested glory as he is made known to his creatures, and thus he is said to be magnified. It is well when the soul feels its own inability adequately to glorify the Lord, and therefore stirs up others to the gracious work; this is good both for the man himself and for his companions. No praise can excel that which lays us prostrate under a sense of our own nothingness, while divine grace like some topless Alp rises before our eyes and sinks us lower and lower in holy awe. Let us exalt his name together. Social, congregated worship is the outgrowth of one of the natural instincts of the new life. In heaven it is enjoyed to the full, and earth is like heaven where it abounds.

I sought the Lord, and he heard me. It must have been in a very confused manner that David prayed, and there must have been much of self sufficiency in his prayer, or he would not have resorted to methods of such dubious morality as pretending to be mad and behaving as a lunatic; yet his poor limping prayer had an acceptance and brought him succour: the more reason for then celebrating the abounding mercy of the Lord. We may seek God even when we have sinned. If sin could blockade the mercyseat it would be all over with us, but the mercy is that there are gifts even for the rebellious, and an advocate for men who sin. And delivered me from all my fears. God makes a perfect work of it. He clears away both our fears and their causes, all of them without exception. Glory be to his name, prayer sweeps the field, slays all the enemies and even buries their bones. Note the egoism of this verse and of those preceding it; we need not blush to speak of ourselves when in so doing we honestly aim at glorifying God, and not at exalting ourselves. Some are foolishly squeamish upon this point, but they should remember that when modesty robs God it is most immodest.

They looked unto him, and were lightened. The psalmist avows that his case was not at all peculiar, it was matched in the lives of all the faithful; they too, each one of them on looking to their Lord were brightened up, their faces began to shine, their spirits were uplifted. What a means of blessing one look at the Lord may be! There is life, light, liberty, love, everything in fact, in a look at the crucified One. Never did a sore heart look in vain to the good Physician; never a dying soul turned its darkening eye to the brazen serpent to find its virtue gone. And their faces were not ashamed. Their faces were covered with joy but not with blushes. He who trusts in God has no need to be ashamed of his confidence, time and eternity will both justify his reliance.

This poor man cried. Here he returns to his own case. He was poor indeed, and so utterly friendless that his life was in great jeopardy; but he cried in his heart to the protector of his people and found relief. His prayer was a cry, for brevity and bitterness, for earnestness and simplicity, for artlessness and grief; it was a poor man's cry, but it was none the less powerful with heaven, for the Lord heard him, and to be heard of God is to be delivered; and so it is added that the Lord saved him out of all his troubles. At once and altogether David was clean rid of all his woes. The Lord sweeps our griefs away as men destroy a hive of hornets, or as the winds clear away the mists. Prayer can clear us of troubles as easily as the Lord made riddance of the frogs and flies of Egypt when Moses entreated him. This verse is the psalmist's own personal testimony: he being dead yet speaketh. Let the afflicted reader take heart and be of good courage.

The angel of the Lord. The covenant angel, the Lord Jesus, at the head of all the bands of heaven, surrounds with his army the dwellings of the saints. Like hosts entrenched so are the ministering spirits encamped around the Lord's chosen, to serve and succour, to defend and console them. Encampeth round about them that fear him. On every side the watch is kept by warriors of sleepless eyes, and the Captain of the host is one whose prowess none can resist. And delivereth them. We little know how many providential deliverances we owe to those unseen hands which are charged to bear us up lest we dash our foot against a stone.

O taste and see. Make a trial, an inward, experimental trial of the goodness of God. You cannot see except by tasting for yourself; but if you taste you shall see, for this, like Jonathan's honey, enlightens the eyes. That the Lord is good. You can only know this really and personally by experience. There is the banquet with its oxen and fatlings; its fat things full of marrow, and wine on the lees well refined; but their sweetness will be all unknown to you except you make the blessings of grace your own, by a living, inward, vital participation in them. Blessed is the man that trusteth in him. Faith is the soul's taste; they who test the Lord by their confidence always find him good, and they become themselves blessed. The second clause of the verse, is the argument in support of the exhortation contained in the first sentence.

O fear the Lord, ye his saints. Pay to him humble childlike reverence, walk in his laws, have respect to his will, tremble to offend him, hasten to serve him. Fear not the wrath of men, neither be tempted to sin through the virulence of their threats; fear God and fear nothing else. For there is no want to them that fear him. Jehovah will not allow his faithful servants to starve. He may not give luxuries, but the promise binds him to supply necessaries, and he will not run back from his word. Many whims and wishes may remain unfulfilled, but real wants the Lord will supply. The fear of the Lord or true piety is not only the duty of those who avow themselves to be saints, that is, persons set apart and consecrated for holy duties, but it is also their path of safety and comfort. Godliness hath the promise of the life which now is. If we were to die like dogs, and there were no hereafter, yet were it well for our own happiness' sake to fear the Lord. Men seek a patron and hope to prosper; he prospers surely who hath the Lord of Hosts to be his friend and defender.

The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger. They are fierce, cunning, strong, in all the vigour of youth, and yet they sometimes howl in their ravenous hunger, and even so crafty, designing, and oppressing men, with all their sagacity and unscrupulousness, often come to want; yet simple minded believers, who dare not act as the greedy lions of earth, are fed with food convenient for them. To trust God is better policy than the craftiest politicians can teach or practice. But they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. No really good thing shall be denied to those whose first and main end in life is to seek the Lord. Men may call them fools, but the Lord will prove them wise. They shall win where the world's wiseacres lose their all, and God shall have the glory of it.

Come, ye children. Though a warrior and a king, the psalmist was not ashamed to teach children. Teachers of youth belong to the true peerage; their work is honourable, and their reward shall be glorious. Perhaps the boys and girls of Gath had made sport of David in his seeming madness, and if so, he here aims by teaching the rising race to undo the mischief which he had done aforetime. Children are the most hopeful persons to teach —wise men who wish to propagate their principles take care to win the ear of the young. Hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord. So far as they can be taught by word of mouth, or learned by the hearing of the ear, we are to communicate the faith and fear of God, inculcating upon the rising generation the principles and practices of piety. This verse may be the address of every Sabbath school teacher to his class, of every parent to his children. It is not without instruction in the art of teaching. We should be winning and attractive to the youngsters, bidding them "come, "and not repelling them with harsh terms. We must get them away, apart from toys and sports, and try to occupy their minds with better pursuits; for we cannot well teach them while their minds are full of other things. We must drive at the main point always, and keep the fear of the Lord ever uppermost in our teachings, and in so doing we may discreetly cast our own personality into the scale by narrating our own experiences and convictions.

Life spent in happiness is the desire of all, and he who can give the young a receipt for leading a happy life deserves to be popular among them. Mere existence is not life; the art of living, truly, really, and joyfully living, it is not given to all men to know. To teach men how to live and how to die, is the aim of all useful religious instruction. The rewards of virtue are the baits with which the young are to be drawn to morality. While we teach piety to God we should also dwell much upon morality towards man.

Keep thy tongue from evil. Guard with careful diligence that dangerous member, the tongue, lest it utter evil, for that evil will recoil upon thee, and mar the enjoyment of thy life. Men cannot spit forth poison without feeling some of the venom burning their own flesh. And thy lips from speaking guile. Deceit must be very earnestly avoided by the man who desires happiness. A crafty schemer lives like a spy in the enemy's camp, in constant fear of exposure and execution. Clean and honest conversation, by keeping the conscience at ease, promotes happiness, but lying and wicked talk stuffs our pillow with thorns, and makes life a constant whirl of fear and shame. David had tried the tortuous policy, but he here denounces it, and begs others as they would live long and well to avoid with care the doubtful devices of guile.

Depart from evil. Go away from it. Not merely take your hands off, but yourself off. Live not near the pest house. Avoid the lion's lair, leave the viper's nest. Set a distance between yourself and temptation. And do good. Be practical, active, energetic, persevering in good. Positive virtue promotes negative virtue; he who does good is sure to avoid evil. Seek peace. Not merely prefer it, but with zeal and care endeavour to promote it. Peace with God, with thine own heart, with thy fellow man, search after this as the merchantman after a precious pearl. Nothing can more effectually promote our own happiness than peace; strife awakens passions which eat into the heart with corroding power. Anger is murder to one's own self, as well as to its objects. And pursue it. Hunt after it, chase it with eager desire. It may soon be lost, indeed, nothing is harder to retain, but do your best, and if enmity should arise let it be no fault of yours. Follow after peace when it shuns you; be resolved not to be of a contentious spirit. The peace which you thus promote will be returned into your own bosom, and be a perennial spring of comfort to you.

The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous. He observes them with approval and tender consideration; they are so dear to him that he cannot take his eyes off them; he watches each one of them as carefully and intently as if there were only that one creature in the universe. His ears are open unto their cry. His eyes and ears are thus both turned by the Lord towards his saints; his whole mind is occupied about them: if slighted by all others they are not neglected by him. Their cry he hears at once, even as a mother is sure to hear her sick babe; the cry may be broken, plaintive, unhappy, feeble, unbelieving, yet the Father's quick ear catches each note of lament or appeal, and he is not slow to answer his children's voice.

The face of the Lord is against them that do evil. God is not indifferent to the deeds of sinners, but he sets his face against them, as we say, being determined that they shall have no countenance and support, but shall be thwarted and defeated. He is determinately resolved that the ungodly shall not prosper; he sets himself with all his might to overthrow them. To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. He will stamp out their fires, their honour shall be turned into shame, their names forgotten or accursed. Utter destruction shall be the lot of all the ungodly.

The righteous cry. Like Israel in Egypt, they cry out under the heavy yoke of oppression, both of sin, temptation, care, and grief. And the Lord heareth; he is like the night watchman, who no sooner hears the alarm bell than he flies to relieve those who need him. And delivereth them out of all their troubles. No net of trouble can so hold us that the Lord cannot free us. Our afflictions may be numerous and complicated, but prayer can set us free from them all, for the Lord will show himself strong on our behalf.

The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart. Near in friendship to accept and console. Broken hearts think God far away, when he is really most near them; their eyes are holden so that they see not their best friend. Indeed, he is with them, and in them, but they know it not. They run hither and thither, seeking peace in their own works, or in experiences, or in proposals and resolutions, whereas the Lord is nigh them, and the simple act of faith will reveal him. And saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. What a blessed token for good is a repentant, mourning heart! Just when the sinner condemns himself, the Lord graciously absolves him. If we chasten our own spirits the Lord will spare us. He never breaks with the rod of judgment those who are already sore with the rod of conviction. Salvation is linked with contrition.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous. Thus are they made like Jesus their covenant Head. Scripture does not flatter us like the story books with the idea that goodness will secure us from trouble; on the contrary, we are again and again warned to expect tribulation while we are in this body. Our afflictions come from all points of the compass, and are as many and as tormenting as the mosquitoes of the tropics. It is the earthly portion of the elect to find thorns and briars growing in their pathway, yea, to lie down among them, finding their rest broken and disturbed by sorrow. BUT, blessed but, how it takes the sting out of the previous sentence! But the Lord delivereth him out of them all. Through troops of ills Jehovah shall lead his redeemed scatheless and triumphant. There is an end to the believer's affliction, and a joyful end too. None of his trials can hurt so much as a hair of his head, neither can the furnace hold him for a moment after the Lord bids him come forth of it. Hard would be the lot of the righteous if this promise, like a bundle of camphire, were not bound up in it, but this sweetens all. The same Lord who sends the afflictions will also recall them when his design is accomplished, but he will never allow the fiercest of them to rend and devour his beloved.

He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. David had come off with kicks and cuffs, but no broken bones. No substantial injury occurs to the saints. Eternity will heal all their wounds. Their real self is safe; they may have flesh wounds, but no part of the essential fabric of their being shall be broken. This verse may refer to frequent providential protections vouchsafed to the saints; but as good men have had broken limbs as well as others, it cannot absolutely be applied to bodily preservations; but must, it seems to me, be spiritually applied to great injuries of soul, which are for ever prevented by divine love. Not a bone of the mystical body of Christ shall be broken, even as his corporeal frame was preserved intact. Divine love watches over every believer as it did over Jesus; no fatal injury shall happen to us, we shall neither be halt or maimed in the kingdom, but shall be presented after life's trials are over without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, being preserved in Christ Jesus, and kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

Evil shall slay the wicked. Their adversaries shall be killing; they are not medicine, but poison. Ungodly men only need rope enough and they will hang themselves; their own iniquities shall be their punishment. Hell itself is but evil fully developed, torturing those in whom it dwells. Oh! happy they who have fled to Jesus to find refuge from their former sins, such, and such only will escape. And they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. They hated the best of company, and they shall have none; they shall be forsaken, despoiled, wretched, despairing. God makes the viper poison itself. What desolation of heart do the damned feel, and how richly have they deserved it!

The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants —with price and with power, with blood and with water. All providential helps are a part of the redemption by power, hence the Lord is said still to redeem. All thus ransomed belong to him who bought them —this is the law of justice and the verdict of gratitude. Joyfully will we serve him who so graciously purchases us with his blood, and delivers us by his power. And none of them that trust in him shall be desolate. Faith is the mark of the ransomed, and wherever it is seen, though in the least and meanest of the saints, it ensures eternal salvation. Believer, thou shalt never be deserted, forsaken, given up to ruin. God, even thy God, is thy guardian and friend, and bliss is thine.

Title. Abimelech was king of Gath, the same with Achish, 1Sa 21:20: who either had two names, or this of Abimelech, as it should seem, was a common name to all the kings of the Philistines (see Ge 20:2 26:8); as Pharaoh was to the Egyptian kings and Caesar to the Roman emperors: the name signifies a father king, or my father king, or a royal father; as kings should be the fathers of their country: before him David changed his behaviour, his taste, sense, or reason; he imitated a madman. John Gill.

Whole Psalm. (This Psalm is alphabetical.) The Alphabetical Psalms, the psalmi abcedarii, as the Latin fathers called them, are nine in number; and I cannot help thinking it is a pity that, except in the single instance of the hundred and nineteenth, no hint of their existence should have been suffered to appear in our authorised version. I will not take it upon me to affirm, with Ewald, that no version is faithful in which the acrostic is suppressed; but I do think that the existence of such a remarkable style of composition ought to be indicated in one way or another, and that some useful purposes are served by its being actually reproduced in the translation. No doubt there are difficulties in the way. The Hebrew alphabet differs widely from any of those now employed in Europe. Besides differences of a more fundamental kind, the Hebrew has only twenty-two letters, for our twenty-six; and of the twenty-two, a considerable number have no fellows in ours. An exact reproduction of a Hebrew acrostic in English version is therefore impossible. William Binnie, D.D.

Whole Psalm. Mr. Hapstone has endeavoured to imitate the alphabetical character of this Psalm in his metrical version. The letter answering to F is wanting, and the last stanza begins with the letter answering to R. One verse of his translation may suffice —

"At all times bless Jehovah's name will I;

His praise shall in my mouth be constantly:

Boast in Jehovah shall my soul henceforth;

Hear it, ye meek ones, and exult with mirth."

I will bless the Lord at all times. Mr. Bradford, martyr, speaking of Queen Mary, at whose cruel mercy he then lay, said, If the queen be pleased to release me, I will thank her; if she will imprison me, I will thank her; if she will burn me, I will thank her, etc. So saith a believing soul: Let God do with me what he will, I will be thankful. Samuel Clarks's "Mirror."

Should the whole frame of nature be unhinged, and all outward friends and supporters prove false and deceitful, our worldly hopes and schemes be disappointed, and possessions torn from us, and the floods of sickness, poverty, and disgrace overwhelm our soul with an impetuous tide of trouble; the sincere lover of God, finding that none of these affects his portion and the object of his panting desires, retires from them all to God his refuge and hiding place, and there feels his Saviour incomparably better, and more than equivalent to what the whole of the universe can ever offer, or rob him of; and his tender mercies, unexhausted fulness, and great faithfulness, yield him consolation and rest; and enable him, what time he is afraid, to put his trust in him. Thus we find the holy psalmist expressing himself: I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. William Dunlop.

S. Basil tells us that the praise of God, once rightly impressed as a seal on the mind, though it may not always be carried out into action, yet in real truth causes us perpetually to praise God. J. M. Neal's Commentary.

My soul shall make her boast in the Lord. Not like the boasting of the Pharisee, so hateful in the eyes of God, so offensive in the ears of the humble; for the humble can hear this boasting and be glad, which they would never do if it were not conformable to the rules of humility. Can any boasting be greater than to say, "I can do all things"? Yet in this boasting there is humility when I add, "In him that strengtheneth me." For though God likes not of boasting, yet he likes of this boasting, which arrogates nothing to ourselves, but ascribes all to him. Sir Richard Baker.

Verses 2-6. There is somewhat very striking and pleasing in the sudden transitions, and the change of persons, that is observable in these few verses. "My soul shall boast; ""The humble shall hear; " "I sought the Lord; ""They looked to him; ""This poor man cried." There is a force and elegance in the very unconnectedness of the expressions, which, had they been more closely tied by the proper particles, would have been in a great measure lost. Things thus separated from each other, and yet accelerated, discover, as Longinus observes, the earnestness and the vehemency of the inward working of the mind; and though it may seem to interrupt, or disturb the sentence, yet quickens and enforces it. Samuel Chandler, D.D.

Venema remarks that after the affair with Achish, we are told in 1Sa 22:1, "His brethren, and all his father's house went down to the cave Adullam unto him, "and these, together with those who were in debt, and discontented with Saul's government, formed a band of four hundred men. To these his friends and comrades, he relates the story of his escape, and bids them with united hearts and voices extol the Lord. C. H. S.

I sought the Lord, and he heard me. God expects to hear from you before you can expect to hear from him. If you restrain prayer, it is no wonder the mercy promised is retained. Meditation is like the lawyer's studying the case in order to his pleading at the bar; when, therefore, thou hast viewed the promise, and affected thy heart with the riches of it, then fly thee to the throne of grace, and spread it before the Lord. William Gurnall.

He delivered me from all my fears. To have delivered me from all my troubles had been a great favour, but a far greater to deliver me from all my fears; for where that would but have freed me from present evil, this secures me from evil to come; that now I enjoy not only tranquillity, but security, a privilege only of the godly. The wicked may be free from trouble, but can they be free from fear? No; God knows, though they be not in trouble like other men, yet they live in more fear than other men. Guiltiness of mind, or mind of the world, never suffers them to be secure: though they be free sometimes from the fit of an ague, yet they are never without a grudging; and (if I may use the expression of poets) though they feel not always the whip of Tysiphone, yet they feel always her terrors; and, seeing the Lord hath done this for me, hath delivered me from all my fears, have I not cause, just cause, to magnify him, and exalt his name? Sir Richard Baker.

They looked unto him. The more we can think upon our Lord, and the less upon ourselves, the better. Looking to him, as he is seated upon the right hand of the throne of God, will keep our heads, and especially our hearts, steady when going through the deep waters of affliction. Often have I thought of this when crossing the water opposite the old place of Langholm. I found, when I looked down on the water, I got dizzy; I therefore fixed my eyes upon a steady object on the other side, and got comfortably through. David Smith, 1792-1867.

This poor man cried. The reasons of crying are 1. Want cannot blush. The pinching necessity of the saints is not tied to the law of modesty. Hunger cannot be ashamed. "I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise, "saith David Ps 55:2; and Hezekiah, "Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove" Isa 38:14. "I went mourning without the sun: I stood up, and I cried in the congregation" Job 30:28. 2. Though God hear prayer only as prayer offered in Christ, not because very fervent; yet fervour is a heavenly ingredient in prayer. An arrow drawn with full strength hath a speedier issue; therefore, the prayers of the saints are expressed by crying in Scripture. "O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not" Ps 22:2. "At noon, will I pray, and cry aloud" Ps 55:17. "In my distress I cried to the Lord" Ps 18:6. "Unto thee have I cried, O Lord" Ps 88:13. "Out of the depths have I cried" Ps 130:1. "Out of the belly of hell cried I" Jon 2:2. "Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock" Ps 28:1. Yea, it goeth to somewhat more than crying: "I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard" Job 19:7. "Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer" La 3:8. He who may teach us all to pray, sweet Jesus, "In the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears" Heb 5:7; he prayed with war shouts. 3. And these prayers are so prevalent, that God answereth them: This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his fears Ps 34:6. "My cry came before him, even into his ears" Ps 18:6. The cry addeth wings to the prayer, as a speedy post sent to court upon life and death: "Our fathers cried unto thee, and were delivered" Ps 22:5. "The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth" Ps 34:17. Samuel Rutherford.

The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. I will not rub the questions, whether these angels can contract themselves, and whether they can subsist in a point, and so stand together the better in so great a number, neither will I trouble myself to examine whether they are in such and such a place in their substance, or only in their virtue and operation. But this the godly man may assure himself of, that whensoever he shall want their help, in spite of doors, and locks, and bars, he may have it in a moment's warning. For there is no impediment, either for want of power because they are spirits, or from want of good will, both because it is their duty, and because they bear an affection to him; not only rejoicing at his first conversion Lu 15:10, but, I dare confidently affirm, always disposed with abundance of cheerfulness to do anything for him. I cannot let pass some words I remember of Origen's to this purpose, as I have them from his interpreter. He brings in the angels speaking after this manner: —"If he (meaning the Son of God) went down, and went down into a body, and was clothed with flesh, and endured its infirmities and died for men, what do we stand still for? Come, let's all down from heaven together." Zachary Bogan.

The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him. This is the first time that, in the psalter, we read of the ministrations of angels. But many fathers rather take this passage of the "Angel of the Great Counsel, "and gloriously to him it applies. J. M. Neale.

The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, etc. By whom may be meant, either the uncreated Angel, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Angel of God's presence, and of the covenant, the Captain of salvation, the Leader and Commander of the people; and whose salvation is as walls and bulwarks about them, or as an army surrounding them; or a created angel may be intended, even a single one, which is sufficient to guard a multitude of saints, since one could destroy at once such a vast number of enemies, as in 2Ki 19:35; or one may be put for more, since they are an innumerable company that are on the side of the Lord's people, and to whom they are joined; and these may be said to encamp about them, because they are an host or army (see Ge 32:1-2 Lu 2:13); and are the guardians of the saints, that stand up for them and protect them, as well as minister to them. John Gill.

The angel of the Lord is represented in his twofold character in this pair of Psalms, as an angel of mercy, and also as an angel of judgment, Ps 35:6. This pair of Psalms (the thirty-fourth and thirty-fifth), may in this respect be compared with the twelfth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, where the angel of the Lord is displayed as encamping about St. Peter, and delivering him, and also as smiting the persecutor, Herod Agrippa. Christopher Wordsworth, D.D.

Round about. In illustration of this it may be observed, that according to D'Arvieux, it is the practice of the Arabs to pitch their tents in a circular form; the prince being in the middle, and the Arabs about him, but so as to leave a respectful distance between them. And Thevenot, describing a Turkish encampment near Cairo, having particularly; noticed the spaciousness, decorations, and conveniences of the Bashaw's tent, or pavilion, adds, "Round the pale of his tent, within a pistol shot, were above two hundred tents, pitched in such a manner that the doors of them all looked towards the Bashaw's tent; and it ever is so, that they may have their eye always upon their master's lodging, and be in readiness to assist him if he be attacked." Richard Mant.

O taste and see that the Lord is good. Our senses help our understandings; we cannot by the most rational discourse perceive what the sweetness of honey is; taste it and you shall perceive it. "His fruit was sweet to my taste." Dwell in the light of the Lord, and let thy soul be always ravished with his love. Get out the marrow and the fatness that thy portion yields thee. Let fools learn by beholding thy face how dim their blazes are to the brightness of thy day. Richard Alleine, in "Heaven Opened, "1665.

O taste and see, etc. It is not enough for thee to see it afar off, and not have it, as Dives did; or to have it in thee, and not to taste it, as Samson's lion had great store of honey in him, but tasted no sweetness of it; but thou must as well have it as see it, and as well taste it as have it. O taste and see, says he, "how sweet the Lord is; "for so indeed Christ giveth his church not only a sight but also "a taste" of his sweetness. A sight is where he saith thus: "We will rise up early, and go into the vineyard, and see whether the vine have budded forth the small grapes, and whether the pomegranates flourish; "there is a sight of the vine. A taste is where he says thus, "I will bring thee into the wine cellar, and cause thee to drink spice wine, and new wine of the pomegranates; "there is a taste of the wine. The church not only goes into the vineyard and sees the wine, but also goes into the wine cellar, and tastes the wine. Thomas Playfere.

Taste and see. There are some things, especially in the depths of the religious life, which can only be understood by being experienced, and which even then are incapable of being adequately embodied in words. O taste and see that the Lord is good. The enjoyment must come before the illumination; or rather the enjoyment is the illumination. There are things that must be loved before we can know them to be worthy of our love; things to be believed before we can understand them to be worthy of belief. And even after this —after we are conscious of a distinct apprehension of some spiritual truth, we can only, perhaps, answer, if required to explain it, in the words of the philosopher to who the question was put, "What is God?" "I know, if I am not asked." Thomas Binney's "Sermons," 1869.

Taste and see. Be unwilling that all the good gifts of God should be swallowed without taste, or maliciously forgotten, but use your palate, know them, and consider them. D. H. Mollerus.

Heaven and earth are replete with the goodness of God. We omit to open our mouths and eyes, on which account the psalmist desires us to taste and see. Agustus F. Tholuck.

The taste and see invite, as it were, to a sumptuous feast, which has long been ready; to a rich sight openly exposed to view. The imperatives are in reality not oratory but persuasive. E. W. Hengstenberg.

All that the believer can attain of spiritual consolation in this life is but a taste. David Dickson.

O taste the Lord, and see how sweet He is,

The man that trusts in him lives still in bliss. —Sir John Davies, 1569-1626.

Verses 8-10. All these verses are beautiful representations of the fulness, suitableness, completeness, and all sufficiency of God in Christ to answer all the wants of his people. And is there not a vast elegance in the comparison taken from the hunger and rapacity of the lion, even the impetuousness of the young lion, to that of the patience and silent waiting of the faithful believer? A life of faith will find food in everything, because it is all founded in Christ. The young lions may, and will lack, because nothing will supply their voracious appetites but that which is carnal. Robert Hawker.

The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger, The old lions will have it for them, if it be to be had. But they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. As they would feel no evil thing within, so they shall want no good thing without. He that freely opens the upper, will never wholly close the nether springs. There shall be no silver lacking in Benjamin's sack, while Joseph has it to throw in. Grace is not such a beggarly visitant, as will not pay its own way. When the best of beings is adored, the best of blessings are enjoyed. William Secker.

People are apt to fancy that a wild beast's life must be happy —in a brute's sense —and that the carnivorous and graminivorous creatures which have never come under the dominion of mankind are better off than the domesticated quadrupeds which buy their quieter and safer lives at the price of ministering to the luxuries or necessities of their human lords. But the contrary is the case: the career of a flesh eating animal must be wretched, even from the tiger's or leopard's point of view. They must often suffer pangs of long continued hunger, and when they find and kill food they frequently have to wage desperate war for the enjoyment of their victim. The cry of almost every wild beast is so melancholy and forlorn, that it impresses the traveller with sadness more even than with fear. If the opportunity occurs for watching them in the chase, they are seen to sneak and sniff about, far less like "kings of the forest, "than poor, dejected, starving wretches, desperate upon the subject of their next meal. They suffer horribly from diseases induced by foul diet and long abstinence; and very few are found without scars in their hide —the tokens of terrible combats. If they live to old age their lot is piteous: their teeth are worn down, their claws are blunt, and in this state numbers of them perish by starvation. Not one half of the wild animals die a natural death; and their life, so far as can be observed, is a series of stern privations, with desperate and bloody fights among themselves. Clipping from "Daily Telegraph."

They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. There shall be no want to such, and such shall want no good thing: so that he must be such an one to whom the promise is made; and he must also be sure that it is good for him which is promised. But oftentimes it is not good for a man to abound with earthly blessings; as strong drink is not good for weak brains. Yea, if anything be wanting to a good man, he may be sure it is not good for him; and then better that he doth want it, than that he did enjoy it; and what wise man will complain of the want of that, which if he had, would prove more gainful than hurtful to him? As a sword to a madman, a knife to a child, drink to them that have a fever or the dropsy. "No good thing will God withhold, "etc., and therefore, not wants themselves, which to many are also good, yea, very good things, as I could reckon up many. Want sanctified is a notable means to bring to repentance, to work in us amendment of life, it stirs up prayer, it weans from the love of the world, it keeps us always prepared for the spiritual combat, discovers whether we be true believers or hypocrites, prevents greater evils of sin and punishment to come; it makes us humble, conformable to Christ our Head, increaseth our faith, our joy, and thankfulness, our spiritual wisdom, and likewise our patience, as I have largely shown in another treatise. Richard Young, in the "Poor's Advocate," 1653.

I remember as I came through the country, that there was a poor widow woman, whose husband fell at Bothwell: the bloody soldiers came to plunder her house, telling her they would take all she had. "We will leave thee nothing, "said they, "either to put in thee, or on thee." "I care not," said she, "I will not want as long as God is in the heavens." That was a believer indeed. Alexander Peden's Sermon, 1682.

Take a survey of heaven and earth and all things therein, and whatsoever upon sure ground appears good, ask it confidently of Christ; his love will not deny it. If it were good for you that there were no sin, no devil, no affliction, no destruction, the love of Christ would instantly abolish these. Nay, if the possession of all the kingdoms of the world were absolutely good for any saint, the love of Christ would instantly crown him monarch of them. David Clarkson.

(last clause). Part of his last afternoon was spent by Columba, in transcribing the Psalms of David. Having come to that passage in the thirty-fourth Psalm, where it is said, They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing, he said, "I have come to the end of a page, and I will stop here, for the following Ps 34:11, "Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord, "will better suit my successor to transcribe than me. I will leave it, therefore, to Baithen." As usual the bell was rung at midnight for prayers. Columba was the first to hasten to church. On entering it soon after, Dermid found him on his knees in prayer, but evidently dying. Raising him up in his arms, he supported his head on his bosom. The brethren now entered. When they saw Columba in this dying condition they wept aloud. Columba heard them. He opened his eyes and attempted to speak, but his voice failed. He lifted up his hands as if to bless them, immediately after which he breathed out his spirit. His countenance retained in death the expression it wore in life, so that it seemed as if he had only fallen asleep. "Story of Columba and his successors, "in the Christian Treasury for 1848.

Come, ye children. Venema in substance remarks that David in addressing his friends in the cave, called them his sons or children, because he was about to be their teacher, and they his disciples; and again, because they were young men in the flower of their age, and as sons, would be the builders up of his house; and still more, because as their leader to whose discipline and command they were subject, he had a right to address them as his children. C. H. S.

Come, ye children, etc. You know your earthly parents, aye, but labour to know your heavenly. You know the fathers of your flesh, aye, but strive to know the Father of your spirits. You are expert it may be in Horace's Odes, Virgil's Eclogues, Cicero's Orations; oh! but strive to get understanding in David's Psalms, Solomon's Proverbs, and the other plain books of Holy Writ. Manna was to be gathered in the morning. The orient pearl is generated of the morning dew; aurora musis amica, the morning is a friend to the muses. O "remember thy Creator, "know him in the morning of thy childhood. When God had created the heavens and the earth, the first thing he did was to adorn the world with light, and separate it from the darkness. Happy is that child on whom the light of saving knowledge begins to dawn early. God, in the law, required the firstborn, and the first fruits, so he doth still our first days, to be offered to him. They are wisdom's words, "They that seek me early shall find me." Pr 8:17. Where a rabbin observeth a (n is added to the verb more than usual, which in numbering goeth for fifty. With this note, that early seeking hath not only twenty, or thirty, but fifty, nay, indeed, an hundred fold recompense attending on it. Nathaneal Hardy.

Come, ye children. David in this latter part of the Psalm undertakes to teach children; though a man of war and anointed to be king, he did not think it below him: though now he had his head so full of cares, and his hands of business, yet he could find heart and time to give good counsel to young people from his own experience. Matthew Henry.

Observe. I. What he expects from them, Hearken unto me, leave your play, lay by your toys, and hear what I have to say to you; not only give me the hearing, but observe and obey me. II. What he undertakes to teach them, The fear of the Lord, inclusive of all the duties of religion. David was a famous musician, a statesman, a soldier, but he doth not say to his children, I will teach you to play upon the harp, or to handle the sword or spear, or draw the bow, or I will teach you the maxims of state policy, but I will teach you the fear of the Lord, which is better than all arts and sciences, better than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. That is it which we should be solicitous both to learn ourselves, and to teach our children. Matthew Henry.

I will teach you the fear of the Lord. I shall introduce the translation and paraphrase from my old Psalter; and the rather because I believe there is a reference to that very improper and unholy method of teaching youth the system of heathen mythology before they are taught one sound lesson of true divinity, till at last their minds are imbued with heathenism and the vicious conduct of gods, goddesses, and heroes (here very properly called tyrants), becomes the model of their own; and they are as heathenish without as they are heathenish within. Translation. Cummes sones lere me: dred of Lard I sal you lere. Paraphrase. "Cummes, with trauth and luf: sones, qwam I gette in haly lere: beres me. With eres of hert. I sal lere you, noght the fabyls of poets; na the storys of tryauntz; bot the dred of oure Larde, that wyl bring you til the felaghschippe of aungels; and thar in is lyfe." I need not paraphrase this paraphrase, as it is plain enough. Adam Clarke.

The fear of the Lord. The Master of Sentences dwells, from this verse, on the four kinds of fear: mundane, servile, initial, filial. Mundane, when we fear to commit sin, simply lest we should lose some worldly advantage or incur some worldly inconvenience. Servile, when we fear to commit sin simply because of hell torments due to it. Initial, when we fear to commit it, lest we should lose the happiness of heaven. Filial, when we fear, only, and entirely because we dread to offend that God whom we love with all our hearts. I will teach. Whence notice, that this fear is not a thing to be learnt all at once; it needs careful study and a good master. S. Chrysostom compares the Psalmist's school here with the resort of heathen students to the academy; and S. Ephraem, referring to this passage, calls the fear of God itself the school of the mind. As if he proclaimed, "says S. Lawrence Justiniani, "I will teach you, not the courses of the stars, not the nature of things, not the secrets of the heavens, but the fear of the Lord." The knowledge of such matters, without fear, puffs up; but the fear of the Lord, without any such knowledge, can save." "Here, "says Cassiodorus, "is not fear to be feared, but to be loved. Human fear is full of bitterness; divine fear of sweetness: the one drives to slavery, the other allures to liberty; the one dreads the prison of Gehenna, the other opens the kingdom of heaven." J. M. Neale.

The fear of the Lord. Let this, therefore, good children, be your principal care and study: for what shall it avail you to be cunning in Tully, Virgil, Homer, and other profane writers, if you be unskilful in God's book? to have learned Greek and Latin, if you learn not withal the language of Canaan? to have your speech agreeable to the rules of Priscian, of Lily, if your lives and courses be not consonant to the rules and laws of Christianity? to have knowledge of the creatures when you are ignorant of the Creator? to have learned that whereby you may live a while here, and neglect that whereby you may live eternally hereafter? Learn to fear God, to serve God, and then God will bless you; for "He will bless them that fear him, both small and great." Ps 115:13. Thomas Gataker's "David's Instructor, "1637.

It is no great matter to live long, or always, but to live happily. That loyal prayer, "Let the king live" (in every language) imports a prosperous state. When the psalmist saith, "Who is the man that would see life?" he explains himself presently after by "good days." Vivere among the Latins is sometimes as much as valere, to live is as much as to be well; and upon this account it is that, on the one hand, the Scripture calls the state of the damned an eternal death, because their life is only a continuance in misery; so on the other hand the state of the blessed is an eternal life, because it is a perpetual abode in felicity. Nathanael Hardy.

The benefit of life is not in the length, but in the use of it. He sometimes lives the least that lives the longest. Seneca.

Keep thy tongue from evil, etc. Ficinus, after his tracts, De sanitate tuenda, of keeping good health; and another, of recovering health; and a third, of prolonging life; because all will not do, wisely addeth a fourth, of laying hold on eternal life; which cannot be done but by mortifying this earthly member, a loose and lewd tongue. "For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned, "saith the Judge himself. Mt 12:37. Compare Ge 49:21, with De 33:23, and it will appear that good words ingratiate with God and man. John Trapp.

And thy lips from speaking guile. Perhaps David is warning us that we speak no guile, reflects upon his own sin in changing his behaviour. They that truly repent of what they have done amiss, will warn others to take heed in doing likewise. Matthew Henry.

Depart from evil, etc. This denotes that evil is near to men; it keeps close to them, and should be declined and shunned: and it regards all sorts of evil; evil men and their evil company; evil things, evil words and works, and all appearance of evil; and the fear of the Lord shows itself in a hatred of it, and a departure from it. Pr 8:13 16:6. John Gill.

Depart from evil. The other precepts are the duty of works, and they are four, where the precepts of words were but two; because we must be more in works than in words; and they are all affirmative, for it is against the nature of a work to be in the negative; for so working should be no better than idleness: the two former are general, as general as good and evil; that if we meet with anything that is evil, our part is to depart, for there is no demurring upon evil. Sir Richard Baker.

Do good. Negative goodness is not sufficient to entitle us to heaven. There are some in the world whose religion runs all upon negatives; they are not drunkards, they are not swearers, and for this they do bless themselves. See how the Pharisee vapours Lu 18:11, "God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, "etc. Alas! the not being scandalous will no more make a Christian than a cypher will make a sum. We are bid, not only to cease from evil, but to do good. It will be a poor plea at last —Lord, I kept myself from being spotted with gross sin: I did no hurt. But what good is there in thee? It is not enough for the servant of the vineyard that he doth no hurt there, he doth not break the trees, or destroy the hedges; if he doth not work in the vineyard he loseth his pay. It is not enough for us to say at the last day, we have done no hurt, we have lived in no gross sin; but what good have we done in the vineyard? Where is the grace we have gotten? If we cannot show this, we shall lose our pay, and miss of salvation. Thomas Watson.

Seek peace, and pursue it. Yea, do well, and thou shalt not need to pursue it; peace will find thee without seeking. Augustine says, Fiat justitia, et habebis pacem —Live righteously, and live peaceably. Quietness shall find out righteousness wheresoever he lodgeth. But she abhorreth the house of evil. Peace will not dine where grace hath not first broken her fast. Let us embrace godliness, and "the peace of God, that passeth all understanding, shall preserve our hearts and minds in Jesus Christ." Php 4:7. Thomas Adams.

See peace and pursue it. The most desirable things are not the easiest to be obtained. What is more lovely to the imagination than the tranquillity of peace? But this great blessing does not voluntarily present itself: it must be sought. Even when sought it often eludes the grasp: it flies away, and must be pursued.

1. The man of a peaceable carriage must be cautious not to give offence when needless, or, when it may innocently be spared.

2. Another part of the peaceable man's character is, not to take offence; especially in small matters, which are hardly worth a wise man's notice. 3. If any needless offence has been either given or taken, we must endeavour to put a stop to it as soon as may be. If a difference is already begun, stifle it in the birth, and suffer it not to proceed farther. Condensed from Dr. Waterland's Sermon, in J. R. Pitman's Course of Sermons on the Psalms, 1846.

His ears are open unto their cry. The word "open" is not in the original, but the meaning is that the ear of God is propense, and in a leaning kind of posture, towards the cries of the righteous; the word may here be taken emphatically, as many times in Scripture it is, for some worthy, choice, and excellent strain of righteousness. Those who are worthy and righteous indeed, the ear of God, I say, is propense, and leans and hangs towards them and their prayers, according to that of So 2:14, "Let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice." There is a kind of naturalness and pleasantness between the ear of God and the prayers, and petitions, and cries of such a righteous man. Joh 15:7. John Goodwin.

His ears are open unto their cry. Hebrew, Are to their cry, or as St. Peter hath it, His ears are into their prayers 1Pe 3:12; to show that though their prayers are so faint and feeble that they cannot enter into the ears of the Lord of Hosts, yet that he will bow down and incline his ears unto, nay, into their prayers, their breathings. La 3:56. John Trapp.

Verses 15-17. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. Strangers may howl, and we take little notice what they ail —it is a venture whether we relieve them or no; but if our children cry, being in great distress, we hasten to their help. Our relation to God may well strengthen our hope that our desires shall be heard. He that can cry, Abba, Father, may be confident of the success of his suit, and that God will deal with him as a son. George Swinnock.

The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart. God is nigh unto them (with reverence be it spoken), God takes so much complacency in the company of such, that he cannot endure to have them far from him; he must have them always under his eyes; as for these broken ones, he will be sure not to leave them long, nor go far from them, but will be ready at hand to set their bones, to bind up their wounds to keep them from festering. It may be he may put them to much pain before he brings the cure to perfection, but it is to prevent future aches. He is a foolish cruel chirurgeon, who, for fear of putting his patient to some pain, never searcheth the wound, but skins it over presently; and a wise man will not think him unmerciful that puts him to exquisite pain, so he may make a thorough cure of it. Thus God doth by his patients sometimes, when the nature of their distemper calls for it. But, however, he will be sure not to be out of the way when they want him most. It is possible that they may look upon themselves as forgotten by God, they may not know their Physician when he is by them, and they may take their Friend for an enemy; they may think God far off when he is near; but when their eyes are opened and their distemper is pretty well worn off, they will, with shame and thankfulness, acknowledge their error; nay, they do from their souls confess, that they do not deserve the least look of kindness from God, but to be counted strangers and enemies; but God will let them know that he loves to act like himself, that is, like a God of love, mercy, and goodness; and that they are the persons that he hath set his heart upon; he will have them in his bosom, never leave them nor forsake them; and though these contrite ones many times look upon themselves as lost, yet God will save them, and they shall sing a song of thankfulness amongst his delivered ones. James Janeway.

The Lord is nigh unto them, etc. Consider the ADVANTAGES of this broken heart; as I. A broken heart is acceptable and wellpleasing to God, "A broken and a contrite heart, O God thou wilt not despise." Ps 51:17. II. It makes up many defects in your service and duties, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit." Ps 51:17. III. It makes the soul a fit receptacle for God to dwell in, "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isa 57:15. IV. It brings God near to men, "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." Ps 34:18. And V. It lays you open to Christ's sweet healing, "I will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick." Eze 34:16. And, oh, who would not be broken that they might find Christ's soft hand healing them, and find the proof of that sweet word, "For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord." Jer 30:17. Yea, VI. It puts you in the right road to heaven, where all your wounds and bruises will be cured; for there is a tree Re 22:2 the leaves whereof are for the healing of the nations; there is no complaining there of wounds or bruises, but all are perfectly healed. John Spalding, in "Synaxis Sacra, or a Collection of Sermons, " etc., 1703.

"The Lord is nigh unto them, "etc. We are apt to overlook men, in proportion as they are humbled beneath us; God regards them in that proportion. Vessels of honour are made of that clay which is "broken" into the smallest parts. George Horne.

Broken heart...contrite spirit. Oh, this is the misery of all miseries which ministers have most cause to complain of, that men are not fitted enough for Jesus Christ, they are not lost enough in themselves for a Saviour. "In thee the fatherless findeth mercy." Ho 14:3. Were we more hopeless, helpless, and fatherless, we should find more mercy from the hand of Jesus Christ. O that God would awaken and shake some sin sleeping soul this day! O that this doctrine thus opened might be as a thunderbolt to let some of you see the inside of yourselves! O poor sinner, thou hast an unsupportable burden of sin and guilt lying on thy soul, ready to press thee down to hell, and yet you feel it not; thou hast the wrath of God hanging over thy head by the twined thread of a short life, which it may be thou mayest not be free from one year, nay, perhaps not one month, but thou seest it not; if thou didst but see it, then thou wouldest cry out as he did in Bosworth field, "A horse! a horse! a kingdom for a horse!" So thou wouldest cry out, None but Christ! nothing but Christ! ten thousand worlds for Christ! James Nalton, 1664.

A contrite spirit. (xwr-yakd), dakkeey ruach, "the beaten out spirit." In both words the hammer is necessarily implied; in breaking to pieces the ore first, and then plating out the metal when it has been separated from the ore. This will call to the reader's remembrance Jer 23:29, "Is not my word like as a fire?" saith the Lord: and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? The breaking to shivers, and the beating out are metaphorical expressions: so are the hammer and the rock. What the large hammer struck on a rock by a powerful hand would do, so does the word of the Lord when struck on the sinner's heart by the power of the Holy Spirit. The broken heart, and the contrite spirit, are two essential characteristics of true repentance. Adam Clarke.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, etc. Be our troubles many in number, strange in nature, heavy in measure; yet God's mercies are more numerous, his wisdom more wondrous, his power more miraculous; he will deliver us out of all. Thomas Adams.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, etc. When David did behold his trouble, like the host of the Aramites 2Ki 6:16, he looked back unto God like Elisha, and spied one with him stronger than all against him. Therefore, respecting his afflictions he crieth, Many are the troubles of the righteous; respecting the promise he says, The Lord delivereth him out of all. Thus, by his own foot, David measures the condition of the righteous, and saith, Many are the troubles of the righteous; and then, by his own cure, he showeth how they should be healed, saying, The Lord will deliver him out of them all. ...The lawyer can deliver his client but from strife, the physician can deliver his patient but from sickness, the master can deliver his servant but from bondage, but the Lord delivereth us from all. As when Moses came to deliver the Israelites, he would not leave a hoof behind him, so when the Lord cometh to deliver the righteous he will not leave a trouble behind him. He who saith, "I put away all thine iniquities," will also say, "I put away all thine infirmities." Henry Smith.

He keepeth all his bones, which were very many. Perhaps (saith Abenezra here), David had been scourged by the Philistines, but his bones were not broken, nor were our Saviour's. Joh 19:36. John Trapp.

All his bones. Muis observes, "It says not his body, for this he permits to be afflicted; but it signifies that the evils of the godly are light, and scarcely penetrate to the bone; "but Geier observes, "This is too subtle, rather the bone reminds us of the essential parts of the body, by whose injury the whole frame is endangered. It is a proverbial form of speech like that in Mt 10:30, `The very hairs of your head are all numbered, ' expressing the remarkable defence afforded to the righteous." Genebrard says, "The bones are put by synecdoche for all the members." From Poli Synopsis.

The passover lamb, of which not a bone was broken, prefigured Jesus as one, "not a bone of whose body should be broken; " and yet, at the same time, it prefigured the complete keeping and safety of Christ's body, the church; as it is written, He keepeth all his bones; not one of them is broken. Andrew A. Bonar's Commentary on Leviticus.

Christ's bones were in themselves breakable, but could not actually be broken by all the violence in the world, because God had fore decreed, a bone of him shall not be broken. So we confess God's children mortal; but all the power of devil or man may not, must not, cannot, kill them before their conversion, according to God's election of them to life, which must be fully accomplished. Thomas Fuller.

Observe as a point of resemblance between this and the following Psalm, the mention of the bones here and in Ps 35:10. C. Wordsworth.

Evil. Afflictions though in the plural, prove not ruinous to the righteous, for the Lord delivers him out of them all, whereas evil in the singular slays the wicked, to signify the difference of God's economy towards righteous and wicked men. The former is permitted to fall into many pressures, the latter is not so frequently exercised with them, yet the many that befall the one do no hurt, but work good for him, whereas the few that befall the wicked, or perhaps the one singular affliction of his life is the utter ruin of him. Henry Hammond.

Conscience self the culprit tortures, gnawing him with pangs unknown; For that now amendment's season is for ever past and gone, And that late repentance findeth pardon none for all her moan. S. Peter Damiano, 988-1072.

Shall be desolate. In the margin it is, shall be guilty. And this is the proper meaning of the original word, (wmvay). They are guilty, and liable to punishment. Thus the word is frequently rendered in our version (see Le 4:13,22); and generally includes it in the idea of guilt, and the punishment incurred by it. Samuel Chandler, D.D.

The promises of God to his church, and his threatenings of sin recorded in the living book of his word, are not antiquate; no age shall ever superannuate them, or put them out of full force and virtue. What if good persons and good causes do suffer oppression? The poet is a divine in that case —

Informes hiemes reducit

Jupiter; idem

Summovet. Non si male nunc, et olim

Sic erit.

After foul weather comes fair; though it be ill with us now, it will not be always. What if enemies of religion and moths of commonwealth do flourish and prosper, and have all things at will, let it not trouble David and Job; both of them saw as fair a sunshine shut up in a dark cloud, and a world of foul weather following. Edward Marbury.

Satan cannot tempt longer than God shall give him leave; and he will never suffer thee to be tempted above measure, but will give a good issue unto the temptation. Thou art called to fight under the banner of Christ Jesus, and in the name of the Lord thou shalt be enabled to do valiantly and overcome. If Satan continue his assaults, "God's grace is sufficient for thee." 2Co 12:9. If thy strength be clean gone, God's power shall be magnified the more in thee, and he hath brought thee low that thou mayest not trust in thyself, but in the living Lord, and that the whole praise of the victory might be ascribed unto him. If thy strength did remain, it was not to be leaned unto; and now it is decayed and gone, there is no cause of fear, for the Lord will be thy stay. In the most difficult assaults and tedious encounters, we are exhorted to "be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." Be of good courage, and God will grant thee an easy, a joyful victory. Satan's drift in tempting is to turmoil, dishearten, and perplex with fears, and drive into despair; and if thou take heart to rest quietly upon God's grace, and fly unto his name, thou shalt put him to flight, thou hast already got the day. Wait but awhile, and these dark mists and terrible storms shall be dispersed. By these temptations the Lord hath taught thee to see by weakness, and the malice of Satan; to deny thine own wisdom and prize his favour, lightly to esteem all things here below, and highly to value mercy reaching to the pardon of sin, and heavenly communion and fellowship with God. And if this bitter potion hath wrought so kindly for thy spiritual good, why shouldest thou be dismayed? Trust in the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thee. The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate, John Ball.

Firm resolution, serious difficulties in carrying it out, helps for its performance, excellent consequences of so doing. Six questions. —Who? "I." What? "Will bless." Whom? "The Lord." When? "At all times." How? Why?

Direction for making a heaven below.

The commendable boaster and his gratified audience. We may boast of the Lord, in himself, his manifestations of himself, his relationship to us, our interest in him, our expectations from him, etc. The duty of believers to relate their experience for the benefit of others.

Invitation to united praise.

Magnifying —or making great the work of God, a noble exercise.

Confessions of a ransomed soul. Simple, honouring to God, exclude merit, and encourage others to seek also.

Four stages, "fears, ""sought, ""heard, ""delivered."

The power of a faith look.

1. The poor man's heritage, "troubles."

2. The poor man's friend.

3. The poor man's cry.

4. The poor man's salvation.

The poor man's wealth.

The position of prayer in the economy of grace, or the natural history of mercy in the soul.

Castra angelorum, salvatio bonorum.

The ministry of angels. In what sense Jesus is "The angel of the Lord."

Experience the only true test of religious truth.

Taste. The sanctified palate, the recherche provision, the gratified verdict, the celestial host.

The blest estate of a God fearing man.

Fear expelling fear. Similia similibus curantur.

Lions lacking, but the children satisfied. See "Spurgeon's Sermons, "No. 65.

1. Description of a true Christian, "seek the Lord."

2. The promise set forth by a contract.

3. The promise fulfilled.

What is a good thing?

A royal teacher, his youthful disciples, his mode of instruction, "Come; "his choice subject.

Sunday school work.

Verses 12-14. How to make the best of both worlds.

Sins of the tongue —their mischief, their cause, and their cure.

(first clause). The relation between the negative and positive virtues.

(second clause). The royal hunt. The game, the difficulties of the chase, the hunters, their methods, and their rewards.

Our observant God. Eyes and ears both set on us.

The evil man checkmated in life, and forgotten in death.

Afflictions and their threefold blessing.

1. They make us pray.

2. They bring us the Lord's hearing ear.

3. They afford room for joyful experience of deliverance.

The nearness of God to broken hearts, and the certainty of their salvation.

Black and white, or bane and antidote. Special people, special trials, special deliverances, special faith as a duty.

The real safety of a believer when in great perils. His soul, his spiritual life, his faith, hope, love, etc.; his interest in Jesus, his adoption, justification, these all kept.

Wickedness, its own executioner, illustrated by scriptural cases, by history, by the lost in hell. Lessons from the solemn fact. The forlorn condition of a man of malicious spirit.

Verses 21-22. Who shall and who shall not be desolate.

Redemption in its various meanings; faith in its universal preservation; the Lord in his unrivalled glory in the work of grace.

WORK UPON THE THIRTY-FOURTH PSALM

Meditations upon the XXXIV. Psalme, in Sir RICHARD BAKER'S Works.