Psalms 38 commentary

Nothing will disquiet the heart of a good man so much as the sense of God's anger. The way to keep the heart quiet, is to keep ourselves in the love of God. But a sense of guilt is too heavy to bear; and would sink men into despair and ruin, unless removed by the pardoning mercy of God. If there were not sin in our souls, there would be no pain in our bones, no illness in our bodies. The guilt of sin is a burden to the whole creation, which groans under it. It will be a burden to the sinners themselves, when they are heavy-laden under it, or a burden of ruin, when it sinks them to hell. When we perceive our true condition, the Good Physician will be valued, sought, and obeyed. Yet many let their wounds rankle, because they delay to go to their merciful Friend. When, at any time, we are distempered in our bodies, we ought to remember how God has been dishonoured in and by our bodies. The groanings which cannot be uttered, are not hid from Him that searches the heart, and knows the mind of the Spirit. David, in his troubles, was a type of Christ in his agonies, of Christ on his cross, suffering and deserted.

Wicked men hate goodness, even when they benefit by it. David, in the complaints he makes of his enemies, seems to refer to Christ. But our enemies do us real mischief only when they drive us from God and our duty. The true believer's trouble will be made useful; he will learn to wait for his God, and will not seek relief from the world or himself. The less we notice the unkindness and injuries that are done us, the more we consult the quiet of our own minds. David's troubles were the chastisement and the consequence of his transgressions, whilst Christ suffered for our sins and ours only. What right can a sinner have to yield to impatience or anger, when mercifully corrected for his sins? David was very sensible of the present workings of corruption in him. Good men, by setting their sorrow continually before them, have been ready to fall; but by setting God always before them, they have kept their standing. If we are truly penitent for sin, that will make us patient under affliction. Nothing goes nearer to the heart of a believer when in affliction, than to be under the apprehension of God's deserting him; nor does any thing come more feelingly from his heart than this prayer, “Be not far from me.” The Lord will hasten to help those who trust in him as their salvation.

PSALM 38

David, suffering under some severe and dangerous malady, as may be conjectured, acknowledges that he is chastened by the Lord, and entreats him to turn away his anger from him. In order the more effectually to induce God to have mercy upon him, he bewails before him the severity of his afflictions in a variety of particulars. These we shall consider separately, and in order.

A Psalm of David to bring to remembrance. This title occurs only here and in the 70th psalm. This psalm is the third of what are called the Penitential Psalms. The two before this are the 6th and the 32d; and the four which follow it are the 51st, the 102d, the 130th, and the 143d. It is a curious fact, that when Galileo was sentenced to be confined in the dungeons of the Inquisition for an indefinite period, for having maintained the Copernican system, he was enjoined to repeat as a penance these seven Penitential Psalms every week for three years; by which it was doubtless intended to extort a sort of confession from him of his guilt, and an acknowledgement of the justice of his sentence.

The title of this psalm refers to its subject. Some suppose that it is the beginning of a common song, because in other psalms the beginning of the song, to the tune of which they were set, is commonly prefixed: but such an interpretation is unnatural, and without foundation. Instead of this, I rather think that the title indicates that David composed this psalm as a memorial for himself, as well as others, lest he should too soon forget the chastisement by which God had afflicted him. He knew how easily and speedily the chastisements with which God visits us, and which ought to serve as a means of instruction to us all our life, pass away from the mind. He was also mindful of his own high calling; for, as he was appointed master and teacher over the whole Church, it was necessary that whatever he had himself learned in particular by divine teaching should be made known, and appropriated to the use of all, that all might profit thereby. Thus we are admonished that it is a very profitable exercise often to recall to remembrance the chastisements with which God has afflicted us for our sins.

Psalm 38:1-5

1. O Jehovah! rebuke me not in thy wrath, and chasten me not in thy anger. 2. For thy arrows go down in me That is, they enter deep into the flesh. The Septuagint reads, “Ενεπάγησάν μοι” the Vulgate, “Infixae sunt mihi;” — “Are fastened in me;” which is a natural consequence of entering deep, and rather expresses the meaning, than conveys the precise idea of the original word. The Syriac and Arabic versions give the same rendering with the Vulgate. and thy hand has come down upon me. 3. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thy anger; nor any peace in my bones because of my sin. 4. For my iniquities have passed over my head, and as a weighty burden they have become too heavy for me. 5. My wounds have become putrid, they are corrupt, because of my foolishness.

1 O Jehovah! rebuke me not in thy wrath As I have already expounded this verse in the beginning of the sixth psalm, where it occurs, and that I may not prove tedious to the reader, I shall notice it more briefly here. David does not expressly ask that his afflictions should be removed, but only that God would moderate the severity of his chastisements. Hence we may infer, that David did not give loose reins to the desires of the flesh, but offered up his earnest prayer in a duly chastened spirit of devotion. All men would naturally desire that permission should be granted them to sin with impunity. But David lays a restraint upon his desires, and does not wish the favor and indulgence of God to be extended beyond measure, but is content with a mitigation of his affliction; as if he had said, Lord, I am not unwilling to be chastised by thee, but I entreat thee, meanwhile, not to afflict me beyond what I am able to bear, but to temper the fierceness of thy indignation according to the measure of my infirmity, lest the severity of the affliction should entirely overwhelm me. This prayer, as I have said, was framed according to the rule of godliness; for it contains nothing but what God promises to all his children. It should also be noticed, that David does not secretly indulge a fretful and repining spirit, but spreads his complaint before God; and this he does, not in the way of sinful complaining, but of humble prayer and unfeigned confession, accompanied with the hope of obtaining forgiveness. He has used anger and wrath as denoting extreme rigour, and has contrasted them with fatherly chastisement.

PSALM 38

Psa 38:1-22. To bring to remembrance, or, remind God of His mercy and himself of his sin. Appealing to God for relief from His heavy chastisement, the Psalmist avows his integrity before men, complains of the defection of friends and persecution of enemies, and in a submissive spirit, casting himself on God, with penitent confession he pleads God's covenant relation and his innocence of the charges of his enemies, and prays for divine comfort and help.

1-4. He deprecates deserved punishment, which is described (Psa 6:1), under the figure of bodily disease [Psa 38:3].

5-8. The loathsomeness, corruption, and wasting torture of severe physical disease set forth his mental anguish [Psa 38:6]. It is possible some bodily disease was connected. The

loins are the seat of strength. His exhaustion left him only the power to groan [Psa 38:9].

9. That God can hear (Ro 8:26).

10. My heart panteth--as if barely surviving.

light ... from me--utter exhaustion (Psa 6:7; 13:3).

11-12. Friends desert, but foes increase in malignity.

13-14. He patiently submits, uttering no reproaches or replies (Joh 19:9) to their insulting speeches;

15-17. for he is confident the

Lord--literally, "Sovereign" (to whom he was a servant), would answer his prayer (Psa 3:4; 4:1), and not permit their triumph in his partial halting, of which he was in danger.

18. Consciousness of sin makes suffering pungent, and suffering, rightly received, leads to confession.

19-20. Still, while humbled before God, he is the victim of deadly enemies, full of malice and treachery.

enemies are lively--literally, "of life," who would take my life, that is, deadly.

21-22. (Compare Psa 22:19; 35:3). All terms of frequent use. In this Psalm the language is generally susceptible of application to Christ as a sufferer, David, as such, typifying Him. This does not require us to apply the confessions of sin, but only the pains or penalties which He bore for us.

O Lord, rebuke me not - He was sensible that he was suffering under the displeasure of God; and he prays that the chastisement may be in mercy, and not in judgment.

Thine arrows stick fast in me - This no doubt, refers to the acute pains which he endured; each appearing to his feeling as if an arrow were shot into his body.

No soundness in my flesh - This seems to refer to some disorder which so affected the muscles as to produce sores and ulcers; and so affected his bones as to leave him no peace nor rest. In short, he was completely and thoroughtly diseased; and all this he attributes to his sin, either as being its natural consequence, or as being inflicted by the Lord as a punishment on its account.

Mine iniquities are gone over mine head - He represents himself as one sinking in deep waters, or as one oppressed by a burden to which his strength was unequal.

My wounds stink and are corrupt - Taking this in connection with the rest of the Psalm, I do not see that we can understand the word in any figurative or metaphorical way. I believe they refer to some disease with which he was at this time afflicted; but whether the leprosy, the small pox, or some other disorder that had attacked the whole system, and showed its virulence on different parts of the outer surface, cannot be absolutely determined.

Because of my foolishness - This may either signify sin as the cause of his present affliction, or it may import an affliction which was the consequence of that foolish levity which prefers the momentary gratification of an irregular passion to health of body and peace of mind.

I am troubled - In mind. I am bowed down in body. I am altogether afflicted, and full of distress.

For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease - Or rather, a burning; נקלה nikleh, from קלה kalah, to fry, scorch, etc., hence נקלה nikleh, a burning, or strongly feverish disease.

There is no soundness in my flesh - All without and all within bears evidence that the whole of my solids and fluids are corrupt.

I am feeble and sore broken - I am so exhausted with my disease that I feel as if on the brink of the grave, and unfit to appear before God; therefore "have I roared for the disquietness of my heart."

That David describes a natural disease here cannot reasonably be doubted; but what that disease was, who shall attempt to say? However, this is evident, that whatever it was, he most deeply deplored the cause of it; and as he worthily lamented it, so he found mercy at the hand of God. It would be easy to show a disease of which what he here enumerates are the very general symptoms; but I forbear, because in this I might attribute to one what, perhaps, in Judea would be more especially descriptive of another.

Lord, all my desire is before thee - I long for nothing so much as thy favor; and for this my heart is continually going out after thee. Instead of אדני Adonai, Lord, several of Dr. Kennicott's MSS. have יהוה Yehovah.

My heart panteth - סחרחר secharchar, flutters, palpitates, through fear and alarm.

My strength faileth - Not being able to take nourishment.

The light of mine eyes - is gone - I can scarcely discern any thing through the general decay of my health and vigor, particularly affecting my sight.

My lovers - Those who professed much affection for me; my friends, רעי reai, my companions, who never before left my company, stand aloof.

My kinsmen - קרובי kerobai, my neighbors, stand afar off. I am deserted by all, and they stand off because of נגעי nigi, my plague. They considered me as suffering under a Divine judgment; and, thinking me an accursed being, they avoided me lest they should be infected by my disease.

They also that seek after my life - They act towards me as huntsmen after their prey; they lay snares to take away my life. Perhaps this means only that they wished for his death, and would have been glad to have had it in their power to end his days. Others spoke all manner of evil of him, and told falsities against him all the day long.

But I, as a deaf man - I was conscious of my guilt, I could not vindicate myself; and I was obliged in silence to bear their insults.

No reproofs - תוכחות tochachoth, arguments or vindications; a forensic term. I was as a man accused in open court, and I could make no defense.

In thee, O Lord, do I hope - I have no helper but thee.

Thou wilt hear, O Lord my God - Thou art eternal in thy compassions, and wilt hear the prayer of a penitent soul. In the printed copies of the Hebrew text we have אדני אלהי Adonai Elohai, Lord my God; but, instead of אדני Adonai, one hundred and two of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS. read יהוה Yehovah. As this word is never pronounced by the Jews, and they consider it dreadfully sacred, in reading, wherever it occurs, they pronounce אדני Adonai; and we may well suppose that Jewish scribes, in writing out copies of the sacred Scriptures, would as naturally write Adonai for Yehovah, as they would in reading supply the former for the latter.

When my foot slippeth - They watched for my halting; and when my foot slipped, they rejoiced that I had fallen into sin!

For I am ready to halt - Literally, I am prepared to halt. So completely infirm is my soul, that it is impossible for me to take one right step in the way of righteousness, unless strengthened by thee.

I will declare mine iniquity - I will confess it with the deepest humiliation and self-abasement.

But mine enemies are lively - Instead of חיים chaiyim, lively, I would read חינם chinam, without cause; a change made by the half of one letter, נ nun for a י yod. See the parallel places, Psa 35:19 (note); Psa 79:5 (note). See also the Preliminary Dissertation to Dr. Lowth's Isaiah, p. 40: "But without cause my enemies have strengthened themselves; and they who wrongfully hate me are multiplied." Here the one member of the verse answers to the other.

Because I follow the thing that good is - The translation is as bad as the sentence is awkward. תחת רדפי טוב tachath rodpi tob, because I follow goodness. There is a remarkable addition to this verse in the Arabic: "They have rejected me, the beloved one, as an abominable dead carcass; they have pierced my body with nails." I suppose the Arabic translator meant to refer this to Christ.

None of the other Versions have any thing like this addition; only the Ethiopic adds, "They rejected their brethren as an unclean carcass." St. Ambrose says this reading was found in some Greek and Latin copies in his time; and Theodoret has nearly the same reading with the Arabic: Και απερῥιψαν με τον αγαπητον, ῳς νεκρον εβδελυγμενον· "And they cast me, the beloved, out, as an abominable dead carcass." Whence this reading came I cannot conjecture.

Forsake me not, O Lord - Though all have forsaken me, do not thou.

Be not far from me - Though my friends keep aloof, be thou near to help me.

Make haste to help me - I am dying; save, Lord, or I perish. Whoever carefuIly reads over this Psalm will see what a grievous and bitter thing it is to sin against the Lord, and especially to sin after having known his mercy, and after having escaped from the corruption that is in the world. Reader, be on thy guard; a life of righteousness may be lost by giving way to a moment's temptation, and a fair character sullied for ever! Let him that most assuredly standeth take heed lest he fall. 'Tis but a grain of sweet that one can sow,

To reap a harvest of wide-wasting wo.

Arrows - Thy judgments outward and inward.

Sin - Which hath provoked thee to deal thus severely with me.

Iniquities - Or, the punishment of mine iniquities, as this word is frequently used. Are gone - Like deep waters wherewith I am overwhelmed.

Foolishness - Sin.

Disease - The disease might be some burning fever, breaking forth outwardly in carbuncles, or boils. It is true, this and the other expressions may be taken figuratively, but we should not forsake the literal sense of the words without necessity.

Deceit - They design mischief, but cover it with fair pretences.

Dumb - Was silent, to testify his humiliation for his sins, and his acceptation of the punishment which he had brought upon himself.

When - When I fall into any misery, they triumph in the accomplishment of their desires.

To halt - just falling into destruction. Before me - I am constantly sensible of thy just hand, and of my sins the cause of it.

Declare - To thee.

Strong - Are thriving and flourishing.

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

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

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

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

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

Marginal references: Job 6. 4:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Marginal references: Ezra 9, 6.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

They design Mischief, but cover it with fair Pretences.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer for the Changing of Merited Wrath into Rescuing Love

The Penitential Psalm, 38, is placed immediately after Ps 37 on account of the similarity of its close to the ת strophe of that Psalm. It begins like Psa 6:1-10. If we regard David’s adultery as the occasion of it (cf. more especially 2Sa 12:14), then Psa 6:1-10; 38; 51; Psa 32:1-11 form a chronological series. David is distressed both in mind and body, forsaken by his friends, and regarded by his foes as one who is cast off for ever. The fire of divine anger burns within him like a fever, and the divine withdrawal as it were rests upon him like darkness. But he fights his way by prayer through this fire and this darkness to the bright confidence of faith. The Psalm, although it is the pouring forth of such elevated and depressed feelings, is nevertheless symmetrically and skilfully laid out. It consists of three main paragraphs, which divide into four (Psa 38:2), three (Psa 38:10), and four (Psa 38:16) tetrastichs. The way in which the names of God are brought in is well conceived. The first word of the first group or paragraph is יהוה, the first word of the second אדני, and in the third יהוה and אדני are used interchangeably twice. The Psalm, in common with Psa 70:1-5, bears the inscription להזכּיר. The chronicler, in 1Ch 16:4, refers to these Hazkir Psalms together with the Hodu and Halleluja Psalms. In connection with the presentation of meat-offerings, מנחות, a portion of the meat-offering was cast into the altar fire, viz., a handful of the meal mixed with oil and the whole of the incense. This portion was called אזכּרה, ἀνάμνησις, and to offer it הזכּיר (a denominative), because the ascending smoke was intended to bring the owner of the offering into remembrance with God. In connection with the presentation of this memorial portion of the mincha, the two Psalms are appointed to be used as prayers; hence the inscription: at the presentation of the Azcara (the portion taken from the meal-offering). The lxx adds here περὶ (τοῦ) σαββάτου; perhaps equivalent to לשּׁבּת.

In this Psalm we find a repetition of a peculiarity of the penitential Psalms, viz., that the praying one has to complain not only of afflictions of body and soul, but also of outward enemies, who come forward as his accusers and take occasion from his sin to prepare the way for his ruin. This arises from the fact that the Old Testament believer, whose perception of sin was not as yet so spiritual and deep as that of the New Testament believer, almost always calls to mind some sinful act that has become openly known. The foes, who would then prepare for his ruin, are the instruments of the Satanic power of evil (cf. Psa 38:21, ישׂטנוּני), which, as becomes perceptible to the New Testament believer even without the intervention of outward foes, desires the death of the sinning one, whereas God wills that he should live.

Psa 38:1-8 (Hebrew_Bible_38:2-9) David begins, as in Psa 6:1-10, with the prayer that his punitive affliction may be changed into disciplinary. Bakius correctly paraphrases. Psa 38:2 : Corripe sane per legem, castiga per crucem, millies promerui, negare non possum, sed castiga, quaeso, me ex amore ut pater, non ex furore et fervore ut judex; ne punias justitiae rigore, sed misericordiae dulcore (cf. on Psa 6:2). The negative is to be repeated in Psa 38:2, as in Psa 1:5; Psa 9:19; Psa 75:6. In the description, which give the ground of the cry for pity, נחת, is not the Piel, as in Psa 18:35, but the Niphal of the Kal נחת immediately following (root נח). קצף is anger as a breaking forth, fragor (cf. Hos 10:7, lxx φρύγανον), with ĕ instead of ı̆ in the first syllable, vowels which alternate in this word; and חמה, as a glowing or burning. חצּים (in Homer, κῆλα), God’s wrath-arrows, i.e., lightnings of wrath, are His judgments of wrath; and יד, as in Psa 32:4; Psa 39:11, God’s punishing hand, which makes itself felt in dispensing punishment, hence תּנחת might be attached as a mood of sequence. In Psa 38:4 wrath is called זעם as a boiling up. Sin is the cause of this experiencing wrath, and the wrath is the cause of the bodily derangement; sin as an exciting cause of the wrath always manifests itself outwardly even on the body as a fatal power. In Psa 38:5 sin is compared to waters that threaten to drown one, as in Psa 38:5 to a burden that presses one down. ככבּדוּ ממּנּי, they are heavier than I, i.e., than my power of endurance, too heavy for me. In Psa 38:6 the effects of the operation of the divine hand (as punishing) are wounds, חבּוּרת (properly, suffused variegated marks from a blow or wheals, Isa 1:6; from חבר, Arab. ḥbr, to be or make striped, variegated), which הבאישׁוּ, send forth an offensive smell, and נמקּוּ, suppurate. Sin, which causes this, is called אוּלת, because, as it is at last manifest, it is always the destruction of itself. With emphasis does מפּני אוּלתּי form the second half of the verse. To take נעויתי out of Psa 38:7 and put it to this, as Meier and Thenius propose, is to destroy this its proper position. On the three מפּני, vid., Ewald, §217, l. Thus sick in soul and body, he is obliged to bow and bend himself in the extreme. נעוה is used of a convulsive drawing together of the body, Isa 21:3; שׁחח, of a bowed mien, Psa 35:14; הלּך, of a heavy, lagging gait. With כּי in Psa 38:8 the grounding of the petition begins for the third time. His כּסלים, i.e., internal muscles of the loins, which are usually the fattest parts, are full of נקלה, that which is burnt, i.e., parched. It is therefore as though the burning, starting from the central point of the bodily power, would spread itself over the whole body: the wrath of God works commotion in this latter as well as in the soul. Whilst all the energies of life thus yield, there comes over him a partial, almost total lifelessness. פּוּג is the proper word for the coldness and rigidity of a corpse; the Niphal means to be brought into this condition, just as נדכּא means to be crushed, or to be brought into a condition of crushing, i.e., of violent dissolution. The מן of מנּהמת is intended to imply that the loud wail is only the utterance of the pain that is raging in his heart, the outward expression of his ceaseless, deep inward groaning.

Psa 38:9-14 (Hebrew_Bible_38:10-15) Having thus bewailed his suffering before God, he goes on in a somewhat calmer tone: it is the calm of weariness, but also of the rescue which shows itself from afar. He has complained, but not as if it were necessary for him first of all to make God acquainted with his suffering; the Omniscient One is directly cognisant of (has directly before Him, נגד, like לנגד in Psa 18:25) every wish that his suffering extorts from him, and even his softer sighing does not escape His knowledge. The sufferer does not say this so much with the view of comforting himself with this thought, as of exciting God’s compassion. Hence he even goes on to draw the piteous picture of his condition: his heart is in a state of violent rotary motion, or only of violent, quickly repeated contraction and expansion (Psychol. S. 252; tr. p. 297), that is to say, a state of violent palpitation (סחרחר, Pealal according to Ges. §55, 3). Strength of which the heart is the centre (Psa 40:13) has left him, and the light of his eyes, even of these (by attraction for גּם־הוּא, since the light of the eyes is not contrasted with anything else), is not with him, but has become lost to him by weeping, watching, and fever. Those who love him and are friendly towards him have placed themselves far from his stroke (nega`, the touch of God’s hand of wrath), merely looking on (Oba 1:11), therefore, in a position hostile (2Sa 18:13) rather than friendly. מנּגד, far away, but within the range of vision, within sight, Gen 21:16; Deu 32:52. The words וּקרובי מרחק עמדוּ, which introduce a pentastich into a Psalm that is tetrastichic throughout, have the appearance of being a gloss or various reading: מנּגד = מרחק, 2Ki 2:7. His enemies, however, endeavour to take advantage of his fall and helplessness, in order to give him his final death-blow. וינקּשׁוּ (with the ק dageshed)The various reading וינקּשׁוּ in Norzi rests upon a misapprehended passage of Abulwalîd (Rikma, p. 166). describes what they have planned in consequence of the position he is in. The substance of their words is הוּות, utter destruction (vid., Psa 5:10); to this end it is מרמות, deceit upon deceit, malice upon malice, that they unceasingly hatch with heart and mouth. In the consciousness of his sin he is obliged to be silent, and, renouncing all self-help, to abandon his cause to God. Consciousness of guilt and resignation close his lips, so that he is not able, nor does he wish, to refute the false charges of his enemies; he has no תּוכחות, counter-evidence wherewith to vindicate himself. It is not to be rendered: “just as one dumb opens not his mouth;” כ is only a preposition, not a conjunction, and it is just here, in Psa 38:14, Psa 38:15, that the manifest proofs in support of this are found.The passages brought forward by Hupfeld in support of the use of כ as a conjunction, viz., Psa 90:5; Psa 125:1; Isa 53:7; Isa 61:11, are invalid; the passage that seems most to favour it is Oba 1:16, but in this instance the expression is elliptical, כּלא being equivalent to כאשׁר לא, like ללא, Isa 65:1, = לאשׁר לא. It is only כּמו (Arab. kmâ) that can be used as a conjunction; but כ (Arab. k) is always a preposition in ancient Hebrew just as in Syriac and Arabic (vid., Fleischer in the Hallische Allgem. Lit. Zeitschr. 1843, Bd. iv. S. 117ff.). It is not until the mediaeval synagogal poetry (vid., Zunz, Synagogal-poesie des Mittelalters, S. 121, 381f.) that it is admissible to use it as a conjunction (e.g., כּמצא, when he had found), just as it also occurs in Himjaritic, according to Osiander’s deciphering of the inscriptions. The verbal clause appended to the word to which this כ, instar, is prefixed is for the most part an attributive clause as above, but sometimes even a circumstantial clause (Arab. ḥâl), as in Psa 38:14; cf. Sur. lxii. 5: “as the likeness of an ass carrying books.”

Psa 38:15-22 (Hebrew_Bible_38:16-23) Become utterly useless in himself, he renounces all self-help, for (כּי) he hopes in Jahve, who alone can help him. He waits for His answer, for (כי) he says, etc. - he waits for an answer, for the hearing of this his petition which is directed towards the glory of God, that God would not suffer his foes to triumph over him, nor strengthen them in their mercilessness and injustice. Psa 38:18 appears also to stand under the government of the פּן;The following are the constructions of פן when a clause of ore than one member follows it: (1) fut. and perf., the latter with the tone of the perf. consec., e.g., Exo 34:15., or without it, e.g., Psa 28:1 (which see); (2) fut. and fut. as in Psa 2:12, Jer 51:46. This construction is indispensable where it is intended to give special prominence to the subject notion or a secondary notion of the clause, e.g., Deu 20:6. In one instance פן is even followed (3) by the perf. and fut. consec., viz., 2Ki 2:10. but, since in this case one would look for a Waw relat. and a different order of the words, Psa 38:18 is to be regarded as a subject clause: “who, when my foot totters, i.e., when my affliction changes to entire downfall, would magnify themselves against me.” In Psa 38:18,   כּי connects what follows with בּמוט רגלי by way of confirmation: he is נכון לצלע, ready for falling (Psa 35:15), he will, if God does not graciously interpose, assuredly fall headlong. The fourth כּי in Psa 38:19 is attached confirmatorily to Psa 38:18: his intense pain or sorrow is ever present to him, for he is obliged to confess his guilt, and this feeling of guilt is just the very sting of his pain. And whilst he in the consciousness of well-deserved punishment is sick unto death, his foes are numerous and withal vigorous and full of life. Instead of חיּים, probably חנּם, as in Psa 35:19; Psa 69:5, is to be read (Houbigant, Hitzig, Köster, Hupfeld, Ewald, and Olshausen). But even the lxx read חיים; and the reading which is so old, although it does not very well suit עצמוּ (instead of which one would look for ועצוּמים), is still not without meaning: he looks upon himself, according to Psa 38:9, more as one dead than living; his foes, however, are חיּים, living, i.e., vigorous. The verb frequently ash this pregnant meaning, and the adjective can also have it. Just as the accentuation of the form סבּוּ varies elsewhere out of pause, ורבּוּ here has the tone on the ultima, although it is not perf. consec.As perf. consec. the following have the accent on the ultima: - וחתּוּ, Isa 20:5, Oba 1:9, and ורבּוּ, Isa 66:16; perhaps also וחדּוּ, וקלּוּ, Hab 1:8, and ורבּוּ (perf. hypoth.), Job 32:15. But there is no special reason for the ultima-accentuation of רכּוּ, Psa 55:22; רבּוּ, Psa 69:5; דּלּוּ, Isa 38:14; קלּוּ, Jer 4:13; שׁחוּ, Pro 14:19; Hab 3:6; חתּוּ, Job 32:15; זכּוּ, צחוּ, Lam 4:7.Psa 38:21 is an apposition of the subject, which remains the same as in Psa 38:20. Instead of רדופי (Ges. §61, rem. 2) the Kerî is רדפי, rādephî  (without any Makkeph following), or רדפי, rādophî; cf. on this pronunciation, Psa 86:2; Psa 16:1, and with the Chethîb רדופי, the Chethîb צרופה, Psa 26:2, also מיורדי, Psa 30:4. By the “following of that which is good” David means more particularly that which is brought into exercise in relation to his present foes.In the Greek and Latin texts, likewise in all the Aethiopic and several Arabic texts, and in the Syriac Psalterium Medilanense, the following addition is found after Psa 38:21 : Ce aperripsan me ton agapeton osi necron ebdelygmenon, Et projecerunt me dilectum tanquam mortuum abominatum (so the Psalt. Veronense). Theodoret refers it to Absalom’s relation to David. The words ὡσεὶ νεκρὸν ἐβδελυγμένον are taken from Isa 14:19.

He closes in Psa 38:22 with sighs for help. No lighting up of the darkness of wrath takes place. The fides supplex is not changed into fides triumphans. But the closing words, “O Lord, my salvation” (cf. Psa 51:16), show where the repentance of Cain and that of David differ. True repentance has faith within itself, it despairs of itself, but not of God.

Sorrowful Complaints.

1 O Lord , rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. 2 For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. 3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. 4 For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. 5 My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness. 6 I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. 7 For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh. 8 I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart. 9 Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee. 10 My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me. 11 My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.

The title of this psalm is very observable; it is a psalm to bring to remembrance; the 70th psalm, which was likewise penned in a day of affliction, is so entitled. It is designed, 1. To bring to his own remembrance. We will suppose it penned when he was sick and in pain, and then it teaches us that times of sickness are times to bring to remembrance, to bring the sin to remembrance, for which God contended with us, to awaken our consciences to deal faithfully and plainly with us, and set our sins in order before us, for our humiliation. In a day of adversity consider. Or we may suppose it penned after his recovery, but designed as a record of the convictions he was under and the workings of his heart when he was in affliction, that upon every review of this psalm he might call to mind the good impressions then made upon him and make a fresh improvement of them. To the same purport was the writing of Hezekiah when he had been sick. 2. To put others in mind of the same things which he was himself mindful of, and to teach them what to think and what to say when they are sick and in affliction; let them think as he did, and speak as he did.

I. He deprecates the wrath of God and his displeasure in his affliction (v. 1): O Lord! rebuke me not in thy wrath. With this same petition he began another prayer for the visitation of the sick, Ps. vi. 1. This was most upon his heart, and should be most upon ours when we are in affliction, that, however God rebukes and chastens us, it may not be in wrath and displeasure, for that will be wormwood and gall in the affliction and misery. Those that would escape the wrath of God must pray against that more than any outward affliction, and be content to bear any outward affliction while it comes from, and consists with, the love of God.

II. He bitterly laments the impressions of God's displeasure upon his soul (v. 2): Thy arrows stick fast in me. Let Job's complaint (ch. vii. 4) expound this of David. By the arrows of the Almighty he means the terrors of God, which did set themselves in array against him. He was under a very melancholy frightful apprehension of the wrath of God against him for his sins, and thought he could look for nothing but judgment and fiery indignation to devour him. God's arrows, as they are sure to hit the mark, so they are sure to stick where they hit, to stick fast, till he is pleased to draw them out and to bind up with his comforts the wound he has made with his terrors. This will be the everlasting misery of the damned—the arrows of God's wrath will stick fast in them and the wound will be incurable. "Thy hand, thy heavy hand, presses me sore, and I am ready to sink under it; it not only lies hard upon me, but it lies long; and who knows the power of God's anger, the weight of his hand?" Sometimes God shot his arrows, and stretched forth his hand, for David (Ps. xviii. 14), but now against him; so uncertain is the continuance of divine comforts, where yet the continuance of divine grace is assured. He complains of God's wrath as that which inflicted the bodily distemper he was under (v. 3): There is no soundness in my flesh because of thy anger. The bitterness of it, infused in his mind, affected his body; but that was not the worst: it caused the disquietude of his heart, by reason of which he forgot the courage of a soldier, the dignity of a prince, and all the cheerfulness of the sweet psalmist of Israel, and roared terribly, v. 8. Nothing will disquiet the heart of a good man so much as the sense of God's anger, which shows what a fearful thing it is to fall into his hands. The way to keep the heart quiet is to keep ourselves in the love of God and to do nothing to offend him.

III. He acknowledges his sin to be the procuring provoking cause of all his troubles, and groans more under the load of guilt than any other load, v. 3. He complains that his flesh had no soundness, his bones had no rest, so great an agitation he was in. "It is because of thy anger; that kindles the fire which burns so fiercely;" but, in the next words, he justifies God herein, and takes all the blame upon himself: "It is because of my sin. I have deserved it, and so have brought it upon myself. My own iniquities do correct me." If our trouble be the fruit of God's anger, we may thank ourselves; it is our sin that is the cause of it. Are we restless? It is sin that makes us so. If there were not sin in our souls, there would be no pain in our bones, no illness in our bodies. It is sin therefore that this good man complains most of, 1. As a burden, a heavy burden (v. 4): "My iniquities have gone over my head, as proud waters over a man that is sinking and drowning, or as a heavy burden upon my head, pressing me down more than I am able to bear or to bear up under." Note, Sin is a burden. The power of sin dwelling in us is a weight, Heb. xii. 1. All are clogged with it; it keeps men from soaring upward and pressing forward. All the saints are complaining of it as a body of death they are loaded with, Rom. vii. 24. The guilt of sin committed by us is a burden, a heavy burden; it is a burden to God (he is pressed under it, Amos ii. 13), a burden to the whole creation, which groans under it, Rom. viii. 21, 22. It will, first or last, be a burden to the sinner himself, either a burden of repentance when he is pricked to the heart for it, labours, and is heavy-laden, under it, or a burden of ruin when it sinks him to the lowest hell and will for ever detain him there; it will be a talent of lead upon him, Zech. v. 8. Sinners are said to bear their iniquity. Threatenings are burdens. 2. As wounds, dangerous wounds (v. 5): "My wounds stink and are corrupt (as wounds in the body rankle, and fester, and grow foul, for want of being dressed and looked after), and it is through my own foolishness." Sins are wounds (Gen. iv. 23), painful mortal wounds. Our wounds by sin are often in a bad condition, no care taken of them, no application made to them, and it is owing to the sinner's foolishness in not confessing sin, Ps. xxxii. 3, 4. A slight sore, neglected, may prove of fatal consequence, and so may a slight sin slighted and left unrepented of.

IV. He bemoans himself because of his afflictions, and gives ease to his grief by giving vent to it and pouring out his complaint before the Lord.

1. He was troubled in mind, his conscience was pained, and he had no rest in his own spirit; and a wounded spirit who can bear? He was troubled, or distorted, bowed down greatly, and went mourning all the day long, v. 6. He was always pensive and melancholy, which made him a burden and terror to himself. His spirit was feeble and sorely broken, and his heart disquieted, v. 8. Herein David, in his sufferings, was a type of Christ, who, being in his agony, cried out, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful. This is a sorer affliction than any other in this world; whatever God is pleased to lay upon us, we have no reason to complain as long as he preserves to us the use of our reason and the peace of our consciences.

2. He was sick and weak in body; his loins were filled with a loathsome disease, some swelling, or ulcer, or inflammation (some think a plague-sore, such as Hezekiah's boil), and there was no soundness in his flesh, but, like Job, he was all over distempered. See (1.) What vile bodies these are which we carry about with us, what grievous diseases they are liable to, and what an offence and grievance they may soon be made by some diseases to the souls that animate them, as they always are a cloud and clog. (2.) That the bodies both of the greatest and of the best of men have in them the same seeds of diseases that the bodies of others have, and are liable to the same disasters. David himself, though so great a prince and so great a saint, was not exempt from the most grievous diseases: there was no soundness even in his flesh. Probably this was after his sin in the matter of Uriah, and thus did he smart in his flesh for his fleshly lusts. When, at any time, we are distempered in our bodies, we ought to remember how God has been dishonoured in and by our bodies. He was feeble and sorely broken, v. 8. His heart panted, and was in a continual palpitation, v. 10. His strength and limbs failed him. As for the light of his eyes, that had gone from him, either with much weeping or by a defluxion of rheum upon them, or perhaps through the lowness of his spirits and the frequent returns of fainting. Note, Sickness will tame the strongest body and the stoutest spirit. David was famed for his courage and great exploits; and yet, when God contended with him by bodily sickness and the impressions of his wrath upon his mind, his hair is cut, his heart fails him, and he becomes weak as water. Therefore let not the strongman glory in his strength, nor any man set grief at defiance, however it may be thought at a distance.

3. His friends were unkind to him (v. 11): My lovers (such as had been merry with him in the day of his mirth) now stand aloof from my sore; they would not sympathize with him in his griefs, nor so much as come within hearing of his complaints, but, like the priest and Levite (Luke x. 31), passed on the other side. Even his kinsmen, that were bound to him by blood and alliance, stood afar off. See what little reason we have to trust in man or to wonder if we disappointed in our expectations of kindness from men. Adversity tries friendship, and separates between the precious and the vile. It is our wisdom to make sure a friend in heaven, who will not stand aloof from our sore and from whose love no tribulation nor distress shall be able to separate us. David, in his troubles, was a type of Christ in his agony, Christ, on his cross, feeble and sorely broken, and then deserted by his friends and kinsmen, who beheld afar off.

V. In the midst of his complaints, he comforts himself with the cognizance God graciously took both of his griefs and of his prayers (v. 9): "Lord, all my desire is before thee. Thou knowest what I want and what I would have: My groaning is not hidden from thee. Thou knowest the burdens I groan under and the blessings I groan after." The groanings which cannot be uttered are not hidden from him that searches the heart and knows what is the mind of the Spirit, Rom. viii. 26, 27.

In singing this, and praying it over, whatever burden lies upon our spirits, we would by faith cast it upon God, and all our care concerning it, and then be easy.

Sorrowful Complaints.

12 They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long. 13 But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. 14 Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs. 15 For in thee, O Lord , do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God. 16 For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me. 17 For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me. 18 For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin. 19 But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. 20 They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is. 21 Forsake me not, O Lord : O my God, be not far from me. 22 Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.

In these verses,

I. David complains of the power and malice of his enemies, who, it should seem, not only took occasion from the weakness of his body and the trouble of his mind to insult over him, but took advantage thence to do him a mischief. He has a great deal to say against them, which he humbly offers as a reason why God should appear for him, as Ps. xxv. 19, Consider my enemies. 1. "They are very spiteful and cruel: They seek my hurt; nay, they seek after my life," v. 12. That life which was so precious in the sight of the Lord and all good men was aimed at, as if it had been forfeited, or a public nuisance. Such is the enmity of the serpent's seed against the seed of the woman; it would wound the head, though it can but reach the heel. It is the blood of the saints that is thirsted after. 2. "They are very subtle and politic. They lay snares, they imagine deceits, and herein they are restless and unwearied: they do it all the day long. They speak mischievous things one to another; every one has something or other to propose that may be a mischief to me." Mischief, covered and carried on by deceit, may well be called a snare. 3. "They are very insolent and abusive: When my foot slips, when I fall into any trouble, or when I make any mistake, misplace a word, or take a false step, they magnify themselves against me; they are pleased with it, and promise themselves that it will ruin my interest, and that if I slip I shall certainly fall and be undone." 4. "They are not only unjust, but very ungrateful: They hate me wrongfully, v. 19. I never did them any ill turn, nor so much as bore them any ill-will, nor ever gave them any provocation; nay, they render evil for good, v. 20. Many a kindness I have done them, for which I might have expected a return of kindness; but for my love they are my adversaries," Ps. cix. 4. Such a rooted enmity there is in the hearts of wicked men to goodness for its own sake that they hate it, even when they themselves have the benefit of it; they hate prayer even in those that pray for them, and hate peace even in those that would be at peace with them. Very ill-natured indeed those are whom no courtesy will oblige, but who are rather exasperated by it. 5. "They are very impious and devilish: They are my adversaries merely because I follow the thing that good is." They hated him, not only for his kindness to them, but for his devotion and obedience to God; they hated him because they hated God and all that bear his image. If we suffer ill for doing well, we must not think it strange; from the beginning it was so (Cain slew Abel, because his works were righteous); nor must we think it hard, because it will not be always so; for so much the greater will our reward be. 6. "They are many and mighty: They are lively; they are strong; they are multiplied, v. 19. Lord, how are those increased that trouble me?" Ps. iii. 1. Holy David was weak and faint; his heart panted, and his strength failed; he was melancholy and of a sorrowful spirit, and persecuted by his friends; but at the same time his wicked enemies were strong and lively, and their number increased. Let us not therefore pretend to judge of men's characters by their outward condition; none knows love or hatred by all that is before him. It should seem that David in this, as in other complaints he makes of his enemies, has an eye to Christ, whose persecutors were such as are here described, perfectly lost to all honour and virtue. None hate Christianity but such as have first divested themselves of the first principles of humanity and broken through its most sacred bonds.

II. He reflects, with comfort, upon his own peaceable and pious behaviour under all the injuries and indignities that were done him. It is then only that our enemies do us a real mischief when they provoke us to sin (Neh. vi. 13), when they prevail to put us out of the possession of our own souls, and drive us from God and our duty. If by divine grace we are enabled to prevent this mischief, we quench their fiery darts, and are saved from harm. If still we hold fast our integrity and our peace, who can hurt us? This David did here. 1. He kept his temper, and was not ruffled nor discomposed by any of the slights that were put upon him or the mischievous things that were said or done against him (v. 13, 14): "I, as a deaf man, heard not; I took no notice of the affronts put upon me, did not resent them, nor was put into disorder by them, much less did I meditate revenge, or study to return the injury." Note, The less notice we take of the unkindness and injuries that are done us the more we consult the quiet of our own minds. Being deaf, he was dumb, as a man in whose mouth there are no reproofs; he was as silent as if he had nothing to say for himself, for fear of putting himself into a heat and incensing his enemies yet more against him; he would not only not recriminate upon them, but not so much as vindicate himself, lest his necessary defence should be construed his offence. Though they sought after his life, and his silence might be taken for a confession of his guilt, yet he was as a dumb man that opens not his mouth. Note, When our enemies are most clamorous it is generally our prudence to be silent, or to say little, lest we make bad worse. David could not hope by his mildness to win upon his enemies, nor by his soft answers to turn away their wrath; for they were men of such base spirits that they rendered him evil for good; and yet he conducted himself thus meekly towards them, that he might prevent his own sin and might have the comfort of it in the reflection. Herein David was a type of Christ, who was as a sheep dumb before the shearer, and, when he was reviled, reviled not again; and both are examples to us not to render railing for railing. 2. He kept close to his God by faith and prayer, and so both supported himself under these injuries and silenced his own resentments of them. (1.) He trusted in God (v. 15): "I was as a man that opens not his mouth, for in thee, O Lord! do I hope. I depend upon thee to plead my cause and clear my innocency, and, some way or other, to put my enemies to silence and shame." His lovers and friends, that should have owned him, and stood by him, and appeared as witnesses for him, withdrew from him, v. 10. But God is a friend that will never fail us if we hope in him. "I was as a man that heareth not, for thou wilt hear. Why need I hear, and God hear too?" He careth for you (1 Pet. v. 7), and why need you care and God care too? "Thou wilt answer" (so some) "and therefore I will say nothing." Note, It is a good reason why we should bear reproach and calumny with silence and patience, because God is a witness to all the wrong that is done us, and, in due time, will be a witness for us and against those that do us wrong; therefore let us be silent, because, if we be, then we may expect that God will appear for us, for this is an evidence that we trust in him; but, if we undertake to manage for ourselves, we take God's work out of his hands and forfeit the benefit of his appearing for us. Our Lord Jesus, when he suffered, threatened not, because he committed himself to him that judges righteously (1 Pet. ii. 23); and we shall lose nothing, at last, by doing so. Thou shalt answer, Lord, for me. (2.) He called upon God (v. 16): For I said, Hear me (that is supplied); "I said so" (as v. 15); "in thee do I hope, for thou wilt hear, lest they should rejoice over me. I comforted myself with that when I was apprehensive that they would overwhelm me." It is a great support to us, when men are false and unkind, that we have a God to go to whom we may be free with and who will be faithful to us.

III. He here bewails his own follies and infirmities. 1. He was very sensible of the present workings of corruption in him, and that he was now ready to repine at the providence of God and to be put into a passion by the injuries men did him: I am ready to halt, v. 17. This will best be explained by a reflection like this which the psalmist made upon himself in a similar case (Ps. lxxiii. 2): My feet were almost gone, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. So here: I was ready to halt, ready to say, I have cleansed my hands in vain. His sorrow was continual: All the day long have I been plagued. (Ps. lxxiii. 13, 14), and it was continually before him; he could not forbear poring upon it, and that made him almost ready to halt between religion and irreligion. The fear of this drove him to his God: "In thee do I hope, not only that thou wilt plead my cause, but that thou wilt prevent my falling into sin." Good men, by setting their sorrow continually before them, have been ready to halt, who, by setting God always before them, have kept their standing. 2. He remembered against himself his former transgressions, acknowledging that by them he had brought these troubles upon himself and forfeited the divine protection. Though before men he could justify himself, before God he will judge and condemn himself (v. 18): "I will declare my iniquity, and not cover it; I will be sorry for my sin, and not make a light matter of it;" and this helped to make him silent under the rebukes of Providence and the reproaches of men. Note, If we be truly penitent for sin, that will make us patient under affliction, and particularly under unjust censures. Two things are required in repentance:—(1.) Confession of sin: "I will declare my iniquity; I will not only in general own myself a sinner, but I will make a particular acknowledgment of what I have done amiss." We must declare our sins before God freely and fully, and with their aggravating circumstances, that we may give glory to God and take shame to ourselves. (2.) Contrition for sin: I will be sorry for it. Sin will have sorrow; every true penitent grieves for the dishonour he has done to God and the wrong he has done to himself. "I will be in care or fear about my sin" (so some), "in fear lest it ruin me and in care to get it pardoned."

IV. He concludes with very earnest prayers to God for his gracious presence with him and seasonable powerful succour in his distress (v. 21, 22): "Forsake me not, O Lord! though my friends forsake me, and though I deserve to be forsaken by thee. Be not far from me, as my unbelieving heart is ready to fear thou art." Nothing goes nearer to the heart of a good man in affliction than to be under the apprehension of God's deserting him in wrath; nor does any thing therefore come more feelingly from his heart than this prayer: "Lord, be not thou far from me; make haste for my help; for I am ready to perish, and in danger of being lost if relief do not come quickly." God gives us leave, not only to call upon him when we are in trouble, but to hasten him. He pleads, "Thou art my God, whom I serve, and on whom I depend to bear me out; and my salvation, who alone art able to save me, who hast engaged thyself by promise to save me, and from whom alone I expect salvation." Is any afflicted? let him thus pray, let him thus plead, let him thus hope, in singing this psalm.

PSAL. XXXVIII.

A Psalme of David, for to record.

IEhovah, rebuke me not in thy fervent anger, neither chastise me in thy wrathfull heat. For thy arrowes are stucke in me, and thou lettest downe thy hand upon me. No soundnesse is in my flesh because of thy angry threat, no peace is in my bones, because of my sinne. For my iniquities are gone over my head: as a heavie burden, they are too heavie for me. My stripes do stinke, are putrified, because of my foolishnesse. I am crooked, I am bowed downe very vehemently, all the day I walke sad. For my flankes are full of parching, and there is no soundnesse in my flesh. I am weakned and crushed very sore, I roare out for the groaning of my heart. Lord before thee is all my desire, and my sighing is not hid from thee. My heart panteth, my able strength forsaketh me, and the light of mine eyes even they are not with mee. My lovers and my nearest friends stand from before my stroke, and my neighbours stand a farre off. And they that seeke my soule, set snares; and they that seeke my evill, speake wofull evils, and all the day they meditate deceits. And I as a deafe man heare not, and as a mute man openeth not his mouth.

And I am as a man which heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofes. Because for thee Iehovah I doe hopefully wait, thou wilt answer, O Lord my God. For I said, lest they rejoyce at me, and when my foot is moved doe magnifie against me. For I am ready to halting, and my paine is before me continually. For I doe declare my iniquitie, I am carefull for my sinne. And my enemies are alive mighty, and multiplied are they that hate mee falsly. And they that repay evill for good, are my adversaries, for that I follow good. Forsake me not, Iehovah; my God, be not farre off from me. Hasten to my helpe, Lord, my salvation.

Annotations. FOr to record] or to cause remembrance for commemoration, to wit, of Davids troubles, as Psal. 132. 1. and of Gods mercies, deliverances, and prais[illegible: 1 letter]s for the same, as Isa. 63. 7. The like title is of the 70 Psalme. David appointed before the Arke, singers of the Levites for to record, and to confesse, and to praise Iehovah the God of Israel, 1 Chron. 16. 4. The Greeke addeth to the title, A Psalme of David for remembrance concerning the Sabbath. Vers. 2. neither] Hebr. and, where the word not is againe to be repeated, as is noted, Psal. 9. 19. and as is expressed, Psal. 6. 2. where the like prayer is made. Vers. 3. thy arrowes] so Iob saith, the arrowes of the Almighty are in me, the venome whereof drinketh up my spirit, Iob 6. 4. Arrowes are sicknesses, or plagues of body or mind, Psal. 18. 15. and 91. 5. thy hand] in Chaldee, the stroke of thy hand. Vers. 4. no soundnesse] or, there is nothing sound, or whole. So Esai. 1. 6. angry throat] or, detestation, indignation. See Psal. 7. 12. Vers. 6. my stripes] or skarres: properly such sore marks, wounds or stripes, as wherin the bloud and humours are gathered and doe appeare after beating; named in English, wailes. foolishnesse] The Hebrew, svveleth, meaneth rash and unadvised folly, through want of prudencie. Therefore though commonly in Greeke it is turned imprudencie, yet sometime it is called unadvised rashnesse, Prov. 14. 17. and Aevil the Foole, is named rash or heady, Prov. 10. 14. And by foolishnesse is meant usually viciousnesse or sinne, and is so expressed by the Greekes, Prov. 13. 16. and 15. 2. and 26. 11. and our Saviour numbreth foolishnesse among other evils that defile a man, Marke 7. 22. Vers. 7. sad] mournfully. See Psal. 35. 14. Vers. 8. my flancks] or loines. parching] or, burning, rosting: so elsewhere he complaineth of the burning of his bones, Psal. 102. 4. and so the Chaldee Paraphrast here taketh this word, which may also be translated, vile matter: meaning a vile or loathsome disease, full of burning paine. The Greeke turneth it, mockings. Vers. 9. the gro[illegible: 1 letter]ing] or rumbling, roaring noise. Vers. 11. panteth] throbbeth, beateth about, through trouble and distemperature. able strength] force and abilitie that is in the heart and bowels; as elsewhere he saith, my heart forsaketh me, Psal. 40. 13. are not with me] that is, I have no use of them; I cannot see, Psal. 40. 13. Through faintnesse oft times the eye-sight faileth, 1 Sam. 14. 28. 29. Psal. 13. 4. Vers. 12. my plague] or, stroke, touch, hurt. The Hebrew useth touching, for striking, or hurting any manner of way, Psal. 105. 15. Vers. 13. seeke my soule] to kill me. See Psal. 35. 4. wofull evils] in Greeke, vanities; in Chaldee, falshood. Vers. 15. no reprehensions] no arguments, or convictions. Vers. 16. thou wilt answer] or, that thou make answer, that is, heare and deliver me, Psal. 3. 5. Vers. 17. I said, lest] or, I say, (I thinke) it is to be feared, lest, &c. An unperfect speech through passion. my foot is moved] that is, slip. This is alwayes in the evill part, when ones state is changed to worse, Deut. 32. 35. Psal. 66. 9. and 94. 18. and 121. 3. A like phrase is of moving of the hand, Lev. 25. 35. magnifie] vaunt themselves: in Greeke, speake great things: See Psal. 35. 26. Vers. 18. to halting] to shew my infirmitie in my trials and afflictions; as Iaakob halted after his wrastling with God, Gen. 32. 31. See Psal. 35. 15. In the Greeke, I am ready for scourges, that is, to suffer correction and punishment for my sinnes: so the Chaldee saith, for calamitie. Vers. 19. am carefull] or, will shew care, taking thought as for feare of some evill or danger to come. So the originall word importeth, Iosh. 22. 24. 1 Sam. 9. 5. and 10. 2. Isa. 57. 11. Vers. 20. are alive] or living, that is, lively, lusty, chearefull, haile, and sound. Or rich, as the word seemeth to meane in Eccles. 6. 8. are mightie] or strengthened, compacted, by power, riches, number, &c. See Psal. 35. 18. falsly] or in falsitie, that is, for a false untrue and unjust cause, Ps. 35. 19. So the Greek translateth it, unjustly. Vers. 21. my adversaries] or, are adverse to me, opposite, to let and hinder me. The Hebrew Satan is hereupon applied to the Devill, who is an adversary to hinder all goodnesse, Zach. 3. 1. Mar. 1. 13. Rev. 12. 9. So after, Psal. 71. 13. and 109. 4. 6. 20. 29.

PSAL. XXXVIII.

A Pſalm of David to bring to remembrance] Made purpoſely for a memorial, both of what he had ſuffered, and from what he had been delivered. See 1 Chron. 16.4. Exod. 30.16. Lev. 2.2. & 6.15. Recordat[illegible: 3 letters] autem intelligitur miſerie ex miſericordia, Pſal. 132. Iſa. 62.6. & 63.7. It is probable that David had ſo laid to heart the Rape of his Daughter Tamar, the Murther of his eldeſt Son Amnon, the flight of his next Son Abſolom, and other troubles that befell him; (Baſil thinks Abſoloms conſpiracy, Ahitophels perfidy, Shimeies inſolency, &c.) that it coſt him a great fit of ſickneſs; out of which hardly recovering, he penned this and ſome other Pſalms (as the 35.39, 40.) but this eſpecially for a Momento, to imminde him of his own late miſery, and Gods never-failing mercy to him. Both theſe we are wondrous apt to forget, and ſo both to loſe the fruit of our afflictions, by falling afreſh to our evil practices (as Children ſoon forget a whipping.) and to rob God our Deliverer of his due praiſes: like as with Children, eaten bread is ſoon forgotten. Both theſe miſchiefs, to prevent, both in himſelf and others (for we are bound not only to obſerve Gods Law, but alſo to preſerve it as much as may be from being broken) David compoſed this Pſalm, for to record, or to cauſe remembrance (See the like title, Pſal. 70.) and for a form for a ſick man to pray by, as Kimchi noteth; not to be ſung for thoſe in Purgatory, as ſome Papiſts have dreamed.

Verſ. 1. O Lord rebuke me not in thy wrath] He beginneth and endeth the Pſalm with Petitions, filleth it up with ſad complaints; wherein we ſhall finde him groaning, but not grumbling; mourning, but not murmuring; for that is not the guiſe of Gods people. He beginneth with Eheu Jehova non recuſo coargui & caſtigari; Correct me O Lord, but with Judgement, not in anger, leſt thou bring me to nothing, Jer. 10.24. See Pſal. 6.1. with the Notes.

Verſ. 2. For thine arrows ſtick faſt in me] i. e. Sickneſſes of body, R. Obadiah. Deus amatquod ſagittat. Aug. and troubles of minde, Job 6.4. Pſal. 18.14. the Jew-Doctors ſay, that he had a Leproſie for fix Months; and that the Divine preſence was taken away from him; ſo that he complained not without cauſe. But theſe were ſagitta ſalut is, ſaith Chryſoſtom, Arrows of Salvation, Love-tokens from the Lord, not unlike Jonathans arrows, 1 Sam. 20.36. and he had been fore-warned of them by Nathan the Prophet; 1 Sam. 12 and ſo bore them the better. Praeviſa jacula minus forinnt, Darts fore-ſeen are in a manner dintleſs.

And thine band preſſeth me ſore] Heb. Thou letteſt down thy hand up[illegible: 1 letter]s me. Now Gods hand is a mighty band, 1 Pet. 5.6. and the weight of it is importable, but that Ʋna eadem que manus, &c.

Verſ. 3. There is no ſoundneſs in my fleſh becauſe of [illegible: 1 span] ] This was the immediate cauſe of Davids miſery, it came from [illegible: 1 letter]ove diſpleaſed; and [illegible: 1 span] ſins ſeldom [illegible: 3 letters]pe better. But bleſſed be our Almighty [illegible: 1 span], who [illegible: 1 word] health out of ſickneſs, by bringing thereby the body of death into a Conſumption.

Neither is there any reſt in my bones] [illegible: 1 letter]is repetit, mere l[illegible: 1 letter]gentium. He ſaith the ſame thing twice; as Mourners uſe to do but with an aggravation of his pain, reaching to his very bones.

Becauſe of my ſin] This was the remote cauſe of his preſent ſufferings; and is the true Mother of all mans miſerie. Now when theſe two (Gods wrath, and mans ſin) meet in the ſoul, as phyſick and ſickneſs in the ſtomack, there muſt needs be much unreſt, till they be vomited up by confeſſion. Tis as naturall for guilt to br[illegible: 2 letters]d diſquiet, as for putrid matter to br[illegible: 2 letters]d vermin. Let God therefore be juſtified, and every mouth ſtopped.

Verſ. 4.Sicut aquae praevalentes in quibus erat abſorptus▪ Kimchi For mine iniquities are gone over my head] So that I am even overwhelmed by them, and almoſt drowned in perdition and deſtruction. The Goſpel is poſt naeufragium tabula; and aſſureth us that God hath caſt all our ſins into the bottom of the Sea; and this keepeth the head of a ſinking ſoul above water.

As an heavy burden] How light ſoever ſin ſeemeth in the committing, it will lye full heavy, even as a Talent of lead, Zach. 5.7. or as an huge Mountain, Heb. 12.1.A facie irae tuae. A facie peccati mei. A facie ſtulritiae meae. when once we come to a ſight and ſenſe of it, when Gods wrath and mans ſin ſhall face one another, as the former verſe hath it, according to the originall.

Verſ. 5. My wounds ſtink, and are corrupt] What his grief or diſeaſe was, we read not; ſome ſay the Leproſy; ſome take all this allegorically, the word rendred wounds, Livores vibices turnices. ſignifieth ſtripes, ſcarres, wailes, mattery ſoares, running ulcers, the effects of the envenomed arrowes of the Almighty. Could we but foreſee what ſin will coſt us, we durſt not but be innocent. That we do not, is extream fooliſhneſſe, as David here acknowledgeth.

Becauſe of my fooliſhneſſe] In not conſidering aforehand the hainouſneſſe of my ſin[illegible: 1 letter]nor the heavineſſe of the divine diſpleaſure. The word ſignifieth unadviſed raſhneſſe, Prov. 14.17. and tis probable he meaneth his great ſin with Bathſheba, wherein he was miſcarried by his luſts to his coſt. See Pſal. 107.17, 18. Becauſe of my fooliſhneſſe, i.e. Quia non praveni Nathanons confeſſione, ſaith R. Obadiah, becauſe I prevented not Nathans comming, by a voluntary confeſſion of my ſin unto the Lord.

Verſ. 6. I am troubled (Heb. wryed) I am bowed down &c.] Incurvus et prorſu[illegible: 1 letter] obſtipus, arroque vul[illegible: 1 letter]u ſquallidus, vix corpus traho, I am a pittifull poor creature, and in a moſt heavy Condition, as appeareth by my gate, my geſture, my looks, and habit. See Pſal. 35.14.

Verſ. 7.Faemora me[illegible: 1 letter] prorſus occupat atdens ulcus. Vat. In quit us eſt concupiſcentia, Theodoret. For my loyns are filled with a loothſome diſeaſe] The loins, thoſe ſeats of luſt, are now grievouſly inflamed and pained with ſome impoſtumated matter, or peſtilentiall carbuncle: Morbo viliſſim, quem nominare dedecet, ſaith Aben-Ezra. God oft puniſheth ſinne in kind, and ſpeaketh to the Conſcience in its own Language, that ſuch a ſickneſſe was the fruit of ſuch a ſin.

And there is no ſoundneſſe in my fleſh] Principium dulce eſt, ſed finis Amoris amarus, Lata venire Venus, triſtis abire ſolet.

Sinne is as the poyſen of Aſpes, which firſt tickleth him that is ſtung, and maketh him laugh: till by little and little, it gets to the heart, and then puts him to intollerable torture.

Verſ. 8. I am feeble and ſore broken] Through the length and nature of my diſtemper, Iſai. 38.10, 12. The ſame Hebrew word ſignifieth pining ſickneſſe, and a th[illegible: 3 letters], becauſe of the thinneſſe and weakneſſe of it.

I have [illegible: 1 word] ] But not repined: this nature prompteth to, when we are in extremity; and grace is not againſt it.

Verſ.9. Lord all my deſire is before thee] Confuſed deſires, broken requeſts, if from a [illegible: 1 word] ſpirit are upon the file of heaven, and ſtand before God till they may have an anſwer.

And my [illegible: 1 span] hid from thee] No, not my breathing. Lam. 3.56 God [illegible: 1 span] groaning of his people go to his heart.

Verſ. 10. [illegible: 1 span] ] Heb. [illegible: 1 span] toſſed and [illegible: 1 letter]ro, circuivit cor moum, inordinate movetur, et non quieſcit, ſaith Aben-Ezra The Hebrew word ſignifieth ſuch a kind of motion as that of Merchant, who runne up and down from one Countrey to another. Alſo the two laſt Radical are doubled to note, that it is more than an ordinary ſtirring and motion of the ſpirit, becauſe it is not come to its reſt. All earthly things to the ſoul are but as the air to the ſtone, can give it no ſtay till it come to God the center. As the circle is the perfecteſt figure, becauſe it beginneth and endeth the points do meet together. (as Mathematicians give the reaſon) the laſt point meeteth in the firſt, from whence it came. So ſhall wee never come to perfection or ſatiſfaction (ſaith a Reverend man) till our ſouls come to God, till God make the circle meet, &c. The Wicked wall[illegible: 1 letter] the round from one creature to another, Plaſ. 12.9. but they come not at God and hence they are ſo diſ-ſatisfied. Return to thy reſt (Heb. Reſts) ſaith David to his ſoul, that is to God, to whom hee here maketh his moan, Miſer anime varias ſubinde partes abreptus me deſerit.

As for the light of mine eyes] that lumen amicum of mine eyes is almoſt quite benighted.

Verſ. 11. My lovers and my friends ſtand aloof from my ſore] Heb.Praehorrore detrectantes accedere. Trem. [illegible: 1 letter]ry ſtrank, which therefore ſome Jew-Doctors will have to bee the Leproſy, which was noyſome and contagious: and therefore by the Law of God none were to come near ſuch. So among the Perſians, none might come neer a Piſaga (ſo they called a Leper) and therefore Magabyzus having offended Artaxerxes, Cteſ. Perſ. kept himſelf five years from Court pretending himſelf a Leper and in that ſpace made his peace with the King. But in Davids friends, who dealt thus with him, it was not ſo much fear of danger, as pride and perfidy, that made them deny him all duty and friendſhip, Pſal. 31.11. Job was ſo uſed, Chap. 6.15.Sophoc. Val. Mar. Plutarch. in Alex. and our Saviour when hee hung naked on the Croſſe, Luk, 23.49. and St. Paul, when hee made his defence before Nero, 2 Tim. 4.16. So was not Oreſtes by his friend Pylades, nor Dam[illegible: 1 letter]n by his Pythias, nor Achilles by Patr[illegible: 1 letter]clus, which made Alexander cry out O felicem juvenem! Trouble tryeth who are friends who traytors.

Verſ. 12. They alſo that ſeek after my life] That ſeek and would ſuck my blood. As his friends were ſlack to help him, ſo his foes were active to hurt him. This David relateth before the Lord, that hee may pitty him and be ſo much the more ingaged to him; for hee knew that where humane help faileth, [non-Latin text not transcribed] ab [non-Latin text not transcribed] divine beginneth.

Speak miſchievous things] Exitialia, ſuch things as wring from mee that lamentable voice, Woe and Alaſſe, woefull evills. voce [non-Latin text not transcribed]

And imagine deceits] Or, Murmure,

Verſ. 13. But I as a deaf man heard not] But poſſeſſed my ſoul in patience; in quietneſſe and confidence was my ſtrength, Iſa. 30.15. As they were Maſters of their tongues, ſo was I of mine ears. Hee that cannot bear calumnies reproaches and injuries, cannot live, faith Chytraeus; let him even make up his pack, and get him out of the World. Vitus Theodorus ſends to adviſe with Melancthon what to do when Oſiander preached againſt him? Melancthon deſired him for Gods ſake to make no reply, but to behave himſelf as a deaf man that heard not. Vitus writeth back that this was very hard; yet he would obey. Another bravely anſwered one that railed upon him, Facile eſt in me dicore, cum non ſim reſponſurus, Thou maieſt ſpeak what thou wilt; but I will hear no more than I liſt, and puniſh thee with ſilence, or rather with a merry contempt. Princes uſe not to chide [illegible: 1 word] Embaſſadours offer them indecencies, but to deny them audience. That man certainly enjoyeth a brave compoſedneſſe, who ſetteth himſelf above the flight of the injurious claw.

And I was as a dumb man, &c.] He anſwered them by ſilence and taciturnity which is the beſt anſwer to words of ſcorn and petulancy; Thus Iſaac his Brother Iſmael and our Saviour, Pilat, Herod, and Caiaphas; and Giles of Braſſels, when the barking Fryers reviled him, held his peace continually; inſomuch that thoſe blaſphemers would ſay abroad, that he had a dumb Devil in him.Act. & M[illegible: 1 letter]n 811. This is a great victory, not to render evill for evill, or railing for railing, a Pet. 3.9. Nihil fortius, nihil magis egregiam quam audire [illegible: 1 span] ſaith Caſſiodore, nothing is more and return no anſwer. As on the contrary, [illegible: 1 span] he goes by the worſt that hath the better, faith Baſit. And, Sile, & funeſtam dediſti plagam, ſaith [illegible: 1 word]. Say nothing in ſuch a caſe, and thou thereby giveſt thine adverſary a deadly blow.

Verſ. 14. Thus was I [illegible: 1 word] a man [illegible: 1 word] ] He doubleth his ſpeech, to ſhew his holy pertinacy in a prudent and patient ſilence, though greatly provoked. David was, as it is reported of [illegible: 1 word] the Emperour, [non-Latin text not transcribed], careful of what was to be done by him, but careleſs of what was ſaid of him by others. As Auguſtus, he did but laugh at the Satyrs and Buffoner[illegible: 3 letters] publiſhed againſt him. He knew that as Phyſical pils muſt not bee chewed, but ſwallowed whole; ſo muſt many injuries and indignities. Conviti[illegible: 1 letter] ſpreta ex[illegible: 1 letter] leſ[illegible: 2 letters]nt.

Verſ. 15. For in thee, O Lord, do I hope] This was the ground of his patience, and differenceth it from that of Heathens, which was rather perti[illegible: 1 letter]acy than patience, and came not from a right principle.

Thou wile hear] Or anſwer; and therefore what need is there of my anſwer.

Verſ. 16. For I ſaid, hear me, leſt otherwiſe, &c.] He ſpread their vile ſpeeches before the Lord, as afterwards good [illegible: 1 word] did Rabſheeds Letter; and as it was ſaid of Charls 5. that he ſpake more to God than to men; ſo did David. His former ſilence therefore was not either from ſtupidity (a Sheep bitten by a Dog is as ſenſible thereof as a Swine, though he make not ſo great a noyſe) nor from inability to make his own defence, if it had been to any purpoſe, for he was both innocent and eloquent: but he thought it farre better to ſuſtain himſelf in faith and patience, and meekly to commit himſelf to God in well-doing, as unto a faithfull Creator. Beſides, he feared, leſt if he ſpake at all in this caſe, he ſhould ſpeak unadviſedly with his lips (as it is very eaſte to exceed) and ſo give occaſion to the enemy to triumph, as the Papiſts did over Luther, for his hot and haſty ſpeeches.

When my foot ſlippeth] Or, when my tongue out-laſheth in the leaſt, they deſire no other ſport, but lay it in my diſh as a foul diſgrace. My Motto therefore ſhall be, (and my practice according) Taceo, Fero, Spero, I ſay nothing, but ſuffer, and hope for better.

Verſ. 17. For I am ready to halt] i.e. to miſ-behave my ſelf, and ſo to marre a good cauſe by ill managing it, and then what will become of thy great Name? This is a very forcible inotive to prevail with a jealous and juſt God.

And my ſorrow is continually before me] That is, my ſin, as Eccleſ. 11.10. Or, my ſorrow, but much more my ſin the cauſe of it.

Verſ. 18. For I will declare mine iniquity] To them that viſit me in this diſeaſe, ſaith Aben-Ezra, that they may pray for me, according to Jam. 5.16. or rather to God, that he may pardon me, and eaſe me. Or thus, When I declare, &c. Then

Verſ. 19. Mine exemies are lively, &c.] q. d. It is nuts to them, and they ſoon compoſe Comedies out of my Tragedies, growing more inſolent by mine afflictions, and upbraiding me with my ſins.

Verſ. 20. They alſo that render evil for good] Whilſt they rejoyce at my miſery, who faſted for them in their adverſity, Pſal. 35.15.

Are mine adverſaries] Heb. They Satanically hate me, as if they were transformed into ſomany breathing Devils.

Becauſe I follow the thing that good is] This was Devil-like indeed: this was to hate and perlecute God in David. Tertul. Thus Cain the Devils Patriarch hated his brother Abel, and ſlew him: And why? Becauſe his own works were evil, and his brothers righteous, 1 Joh. 3.12. For like cauſe Meab fretted at Iſrael, Numb. 22.324 and the Courtiers at Daniel, chap. 6.5.

Verſ. 21. Forſake me not, O God] This was that he moſt of all feared, Spiritual deſertion. So Jeremy, Be not [illegible: 1 word], O God; and then I care not what elſe can befall me.

O my God, [illegible: 1 word] than farre from me] Though my friends ſtand aloof, verſ. 11. yet [illegible: 1 letter]e thou ever a[illegible: 1 letter] hand [illegible: 1 letter]o help me.

[illegible: 1 word] his bleſſings to us.

O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath. Rebuked I must be, for I am an erring child and thou a careful Father, but throw not too much anger into the tones of thy voice; deal gently although I have sinned grievously. The anger of others I can bear, but not thine. As thy love is most sweet to my heart, so thy displeasure is most cutting to my conscience. Neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. Chasten me if thou wilt, it is a Father's prerogative, and to endure it obediently is a child's duty; but, O turn not the rod into a sword, smite not so as to kill. True, my sins might well inflame thee, but let thy mercy and longsuffering quench the glowing coals of thy wrath. O let me not be treated as an enemy or dealt with as a rebel. Bring to remembrance thy covenant, thy fatherhood, and my feebleness, and spare the servant.

For thine arrows stick fast in me. By this he means both bodily and spiritual griefs, but we may suppose, especially the latter, for these are most piercing and stick the fastest. God's law applied by the Spirit to the conviction of the soul of sin, wounds deeply and rankles long; it is an arrow not lightly to be brushed out by careless mirthfulness, or to be extracted by the flattering hand of self righteousness. The Lord knows how to shoot so that his bolts not only strike but stick. He can make convictions sink into the innermost spirit like arrows driven in up to the head. It seems strange that the Lord should shoot at his own beloved ones, but in truth he shoots at their sins rather than them, and those who feel his sin killing shafts in this life, shall not be slain with his hot thunderbolts in the next world. And thy hand presseth me sore. The Lord had come to close dealings with him, and pressed him down with the weight of his hand, so that he had no rest or strength left. By these two expressions we are taught that conviction of sin is a piercing and a pressing thing, sharp and sore, smarting and crushing. Those who know by experience "the terrors of the Lord, "will be best able to vouch for the accuracy of such descriptions; they are true to the life.

There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger. Mental depression tells upon the bodily frame; it is enough to create and foster every disease, and is in itself the most painful of all diseases. Soul sickness tells upon the entire frame; it weakens the body, and then bodily weakness reacts upon the mind. One drop of divine anger sets the whole of our blood boiling with misery. Neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. Deeper still the malady penetrates, till the bones, the more solid parts of the system, are affected. No soundness and no rest are two sad deficiencies; yet these are both consciously gone from every awakened conscience until Jesus gives relief. God's anger is a fire that dries up the very marrow; it searches the secret parts of the belly. A man who has pain in his bones tosses to and fro in search of rest, but he finds none; he becomes worn out with agony, and in so many cases a sense of sin creates in the conscience a horrible unrest which cannot be exceeded in anguish except by hell itself.

For mine iniquities are gone over mine head. Like waves of the deep sea; like black mire in which a man utterly sinks. Above my hopes, my strength, my life itself, my sin rises in its terror. Unawakened sinners think their sins to be mere shallows, but when conscience is aroused they find out the depth of iniquity. As an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. It is well when sin is an intolerable load, and when the remembrance of our sins burdens us beyond endurance. This verse is the genuine cry of one who feels himself undone by his transgressions and as yet sees not the great sacrifice.

My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness. Apply this to the body, and it pictures a sad condition of disease; but read it of the soul, and it is to the life. Conscience lays on stripe after stripe till the swelling becomes a wound and suppurates, and the corruption within grows offensive. What a horrible creature man appears to be in his own consciousness when his depravity and vileness are fully opened up by the law of God, applied by the Holy Spirit! It is true there are diseases which are correctly described in this verse, when in the worst stage; but we prefer to receive the expressions as instructively figurative, since the words "because of my foolishness" point rather at a moral than a physical malady. Some of us know what it is to stink in our own nostrils, so as to loathe ourselves. Even the most filthy diseases cannot be so foul as sin. No ulcers, cancers, or putrifying sores, can match the unutterable vileness and pollution of iniquity. Our own perceptions have made us feel this. We write what we do know, and testify what we have seen; and even now we shudder to think that so much of evil should lie festering deep within our nature.

I am troubled. I am wearied with distress, writhing with pain, in sore travail on account of sin revealed within me. I am bowed down greatly. I am brought very low, grievously weakened and frightfully depressed. Nothing so pulls a man down from all loftiness as a sense of sin and of divine wrath concerning it. I go mourning all the day long. The mourner's soul sorrow knew no intermission, even when he went about such business as he was able to attend, he went forth like a mourner who goes to the tomb, and his words and manners were like the lamentations of those who follow the corpse. The whole verse may be the more clearly understood if we picture the Oriental mourner, covered with sackcloth and ashes, bowed as in a heap, siting amid squalor and dirt, performing contortions and writhings expressive of his grief; such is the awakened sinner, not in outward guise, but in very deed.

For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease —a hot, dry, parching disorder, probably accompanied by loathsome ulcers. Spiritually, the fire burns within when the evil of the heart is laid bare. Note the emphatic words, the evil is loathsome, it is in the loins, its seat is deep and vital —the man is filled with it. Those who have passed through the time of conviction understand all this. And there is no soundness in my flesh. This he had said before, and thus the Holy Spirit brings humiliating truth again and again to our memories, tears away every ground of glorying, and makes us know that in us, that is, in our flesh, there dwelleth no good thing.

I am feeble. The original is "benumbed, "or frozen, such strange incongruities and contradictions meet in a distracted mind and a sick body —it appears to itself to be alternately parched with heat and pinched with cold. Like souls in the Popish fabled Purgatory, tossed from burning furnaces into thick ice, so tormented hearts rush from one extreme to the other, with equal torture in each. A heat of fear, a chill of horror, a flaming desire, a horrible insensibility —by these successive miseries a convinced sinner is brought to death's door. And sore broken. Crushed as in a mill, pounded as in a mortar. The body of the sick man appears to be all out of joint and smashed into a palpitating pulp, and the soul of the desponding is in an equally wretched case; as a victim crushed under the car of Juggernaut, such is a soul over whose conscience the wheels of divine wrath have forced their awful way. I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart. Deep and hoarse is the voice of sorrow, and often inarticulate and terrible. The heart learns groanings which cannot be uttered, and the voice fails to tone and tune itself to human speech. When our prayers appear to be rather animal than spiritual, they are none the less prevalent with the pitiful Father of mercy. He hears the murmur of the heart and the roaring of the soul because of sin, and in due time he comes to relieve his afflicted. The more closely the preceding portrait of an awakened soul is studied in the light of experience, the more will its striking accuracy appear. It cannot be a description of merely outward disorder, graphic as it might then be; it has a depth and pathos in it which only the soul's mysterious and awful agony can fully match.

Lord, all my desire is before thee. If unuttered, yet perceived. Blessed be God, he reads the longings of our hearts; nothing can be hidden from him; what we cannot tell to him he perfectly understands. The psalmist is conscious that he has not exaggerated, and therefore appeals to heaven for a confirmation of his words. The good Physician understands the symptoms of our disease and sees the hidden evil which they reveal, hence our case is safe in his hands. And my groaning is not hid from thee.

"He takes the meaning of our tears,

The language of our groans."

Sorrow and anguish hide themselves from the observation of man, but God spies them out. None more lonely than the broken hearted sinner, yet hath he the Lord for his companion.

My heart panteth. Here begins another tale of woe. He was so dreadfully pained by the unkindness of friends, that his heart was in a state of perpetual palpitation. Sharp and quick were the beatings of his heart; he was like a hunted roe, filled with distressing alarms, and ready to fly out of itself with fear. The soul seeks sympathy in sorrow, and if it finds none, its sorrowful heart throbs are incessant. My strength faileth me. What with disease and distraction, he was weakened and ready to expire. A sense of sin, and a clear perception that none can help us in our distress, are enough to bring a man to death's door, especially if there be none to speak a gentle word, and point the broken spirit to the beloved Physician. As for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me. Sweet light departed from his bodily eye, and consolation vanished from his soul. Those who were the very light of his eyes forsook him. Hope, the last lamp of night, was ready to go out. What a plight was the poor convict in! Yet here, we have some of us been; and here should we have perished had not infinite mercy interposed. Now, as we remember the lovingkindness of the Lord, we see how good it was for us to find our own strength fail us, since it drove us to the strong for strength; and how right it was that our light should all be quenched, that the Lord's light should be all in all to us.

My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore. Whatever affection they might pretend to, they kept out of his company, lest as a sinking vessel often draws down boats with it, they might be made to suffer through his calamities. It is very hard when those who should be the first to come to the rescue, are the first to desert us. In times of deep soul trouble, even the most affectionate friends cannot enter into the sufferer's case; let them be as anxious as they may, the sores of a tender conscience they cannot bind up. Oh, the loneliness of a soul passing under the convincing power of the Holy Ghost! And my kinsmen stand afar off. As the women and others of our Lord's acquaintances from afar gazed on his cross, so a soul wounded for sin sees all mankind as distant spectators, and in the whole crowd finds none to aid. Often relatives hinder seekers after Jesus, oftener still they look on with unconcern, seldom enough do they endeavour to lead the penitent to Jesus.

They also that seek after my life lay snares for me. Alas! for us when in addition to inward griefs, we are beset by outward temptations. David's foes endeavoured basely to ensnare him. If fair means would not overthrow him, foul should be tried. This snaring business is a vile one, the devil's own poachers alone condescend to it; but prayer to God will deliver us, for the craft of the entire college of tempters can be met and overcome by those who are led of the Spirit. They that seek my hurt speak mischievous things. Lies and slanders poured from them like water from the town pump. Their tongue was for ever going, and their heart fore ever inventing lies. And imagine deceit all the day long. They were never done, their forge was going from morning to night. When they could not act they talked, and when they could not talk they imagined, and schemed, and plotted. Restless is the activity of malice. Bad men never have enough of evil. They compass sea and land to injure a saint; no labour is too severe, no cost too great if they may utterly destroy the innocent. Our comfort is, that our glorious Head knows the pertinacious malignity of our foes, and will in due season put an end to it, as he even now sets a bound about it.

But I, as a deaf man, heard not. Well and bravely was this done. A sacred indifference to the slanders of malevolence is true courage and wise policy. It is well to be as if we could not hear or see. Perhaps the psalmist means that this deafness on his part was unavoidable because he had no power to answer the taunts of the cruel, but felt much of the truth of their ungenerous accusations. And I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. David was bravely silent, and herein was eminently typical of our Lord Jesus, whose marvellous silence before Pilate was far more eloquent than words. To abstain from self defence is often most difficult, and frequently most wise.

Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs. He repeats the fact of his silence that we may note it, admire it, and imitate it. We have an advocate, and need not therefore plead our own cause. The Lord will rebuke our foes, for vengeance belongs to him; we may therefore wait patiently and find it our strength to sit still.

David committed himself to him that judgeth righteously, and so in patience was able to possess his soul. Hope in God's intervention, and belief in the power of prayer, are two most blessed stays to the soul in time of adversity. Turning right away from the creature to the sovereign Lord of all, and to him as our own covenant God, we shall find the richest solace in waiting upon him. Reputation like a fair pearl may be cast into the mire, but in due time when the Lord makes up his jewels, the godly character shall shine with unclouded splendour. Rest then, O slandered one, and let not thy soul be tossed to and fro with anxiety.

For I said, hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me. The good man was not insensible, he dreaded the sharp stings of taunting malice; he feared lest either by his conduct or his condition, he should give occasion to the wicked to triumph. This fear his earnest desires used as an argument in prayer as well as an incentive to prayer. When my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me. The least flaw in a saint is sure to be noticed; long before it comes to a fall the enemy begins to rail, the merest trip of the foot sets all the dogs of hell barking. How careful ought we to be, and how importunate in prayer for upholding grace! We do not wish, like blind Samson, to make sport for our enemies; let us then beware of the treacherous Delilah of sin, by whose means our eyes may soon be put out.

For I am ready to halt. Like one who limps, or a person with tottering footsteps, in danger of falling. How well this befits us all. "Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall." How small a thing will lame a Christian, how insignificant a stumbling block may cause him to fall! This passage refers to a weakness caused by pain and sorrow; the sufferer was ready to give up in despair; he was so depressed in spirit that he stumbled at a straw. Some of us painfully know what it is to be like dry tinder for the sparks of sorrow; ready to halt, ready to mourn, and sigh and cry upon any occasion, and for any cause. And my sorrow is continually before me. He did not need to look out of window to find sorrow, he felt it within, and groaned under a body of sin which was an increasing plague to him. Deep conviction continues to irritate the conscience; it will not endure a patched up peace; but cries war to the knife till the enmity is slain. Until the Holy Ghost applies the precious blood of Jesus, a truly awakened sinner is covered with raw wounds which cannot be healed nor bound up, nor mollified with ointment.

For I will declare mine iniquity. The slander of his enemies he repudiates, but the accusations of his conscience he admits. Open confession is good for the soul. When sorrow leads to hearty and penitent acknowledgment of sin it is blessed sorrow, a thing to thank God for most devoutly. I will be sorry for my sin. My confession will be salted with briny tears. It is well not so much to bewail our sorrows as to denounce the sins which lie at the root of them. To be sorry for sin is no atonement for it, but it is the right spirit in which to repair to Jesus, who is the reconciliation and the Saviour. A man is near to the end of his trouble when he comes to an end with his sins.

But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong. However weak and dying the righteous man may be, the evils which oppose him are sure to be lively enough. Neither the world, the flesh, nor the devil, are ever afflicted with debility or inertness; this trinity if evils labour with mighty unremitting energy to overthrow us. If the devil were sick, or our lusts feeble, or Madame Bubble infirm, we might slacken prayer; but with such lively and vigorous enemies we must not cease to cry mightily unto our God. And they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. Here is another misery, that as we are no match for our enemies in strength, so also they outnumber us as a hundred to one. Wrong as the cause of evil is, it is a popular one. More and more the kingdom of darkness grows. Oh, misery of miseries, that we see the professed friends of Jesus forsaking him, and the enemies of his cross and his cause mustering in increasing bands!

They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries. Such would a wise man wish his enemies to be. Why should we seek to be beloved of such graceless souls? It is a fine plea against our enemies when we can without injustice declare them to be like the devil, whose nature it is to render evil for good. Because I follow the thing that good is. If men hate us for this reason we may rejoice to bear it: their wrath is the unconscious homage which vice renders to virtue. This verse is not inconsistent with the writer's previous confession; we may feel equally guilty before God, and yet be entirely innocent of any wrong to our fellow men. It is one sin to acknowledge the truth, quite another thing to submit to be belied. The Lord may smite me justly, and yet I may be able to say to my fellow man, "Why smitest thou me?"

Forsake me not, O Lord. Now is the time I need thee most. When sickness, slander, and sin, all beset a saint, he requires the especial aid of heaven, and he shall have it too. He is afraid of nothing while God is with him, and God is with him evermore. Be not far from me. Withhold not the light of thy near and dear love. Reveal thyself to me. Stand at my side. Let me feel that though friendless besides, I have a most gracious and all sufficient friend in thee.

Make haste to help me. Delay would prove destruction. The poor pleader was far gone and ready to expire, only speedy help would serve his turn. See how sorrow quickens the importunity of prayer! Here is one of the sweet results of affliction, it gives new life to our pleading, and drives us with eagerness to our God. O Lord my salvation. Not my Saviour only, but my salvation. He who has the Lord on his side has salvation in present possession. Faith foresees the blessed issue of all her pleas, and in this verse begins to ascribe to God the glory of the expected mercy. We shall not be left of the Lord. His grace will succour us most opportunely, and in heaven we shall see that we had not one trial too many, or one pang too severe. A sense of sin shall melt into the joy of salvation; grief shall lead on to gratitude, and gratitude to joy unspeakable and full of glory.

TITLE. The first word, MIZMOR, or Psalm, is the designation of forty-four sacred poems, thirty-two of which are ascribed to David. The English reader must observe, that this word is not the same in the original Hebrew as that which forms the general title of the book of Psalms; the latter expressing a Hymn of Praise. The word Psalm, however, as used both in the context and in the titles of the individual compositions, is uniformly Mizmor in the original; a term which accurately defines their poetical character. To explain its proper meaning I must have recourse to the beautiful and accurate definition of Bishop Lowth. "The word Mizmor signifies a composition, which in a peculiar manner is cut up into sentences, short, frequent, and measured by regular intervals." ...He adds that Zamar means to cut or prune, as applied to the removing superfluous branches from trees; and, after mentioning the secondary sense of the word, "to sing with a voice or instrument, "gives it as his opinion, that Mizmar may be more properly referred to the primary sense of the root, so as to mean a poem cut up into short sentences, and pruned from all superfluity of words, which is the peculiar characteristic of the Hebrew poetry. John Jebb.

Title. The title that David gives this Psalm is worth your notice. A Psalm of David to bring to remembrance. David was on his deathbed as he thought, and he said it shall be a Psalm of remembrance, to bring sin to remembrance, to confess to God my uncleannesses with Bathsheba, to bring to my remembrance the evils of my life. Whenever God brings thee under affliction, thou art then in a fit plight to confess sin to God, and call to remembrance thy sins. Christopher Love.

Title. The Psalm is to bring to remembrance. This seems to teach us that good things need to be kept alive in our memories, that we should often sit down, look back, retrace, and turn over in our meditation things that are past, lest at any time we should let any good thing sink into oblivion. Among the things which David brought to his own remembrance, the first and foremost were, (1) his past trials and his past deliverances. The great point, however, in David's Psalm is to bring to remembrance, (2) the depravity of our nature. There is, perhaps, no Psalm which more fully than this describes human nature as seen in the light which God the Holy Ghost casts upon it in the time when he convinces us of sin. I am persuaded that the description here does not tally with any known disease of the body. It is very like leprosy, but it has about it certain features which cannot be found to meet in any leprosy described either by ancient or modern writers. The fact is, it is a spiritual leprosy, it is an inward disease which is here described, and David paints it to the very life, and he would have us to recollect this. A third thing the Psalm brings to our remembrance is, (3) our many enemies. David says, that his enemies laid snares for him, and sought his hurt, and spoke mischievous things, and devised and imagined deceits all the day long. "Well, "says one, "how was it that David had so many enemies?" How could he make so many? Must he not have been imprudent and rash, or perhaps morose? It does not appear so in his life. He rather made enemies by his being scrupulously holy. His enemies attacked him, not because he was wicked, but as he says, in this very Psalm, they were his enemies because he loved the thing which is good. The ultimate result of the religion of Christ is to make peace everywhere, but the first result is to cause strife. Further, the Psalm reminds us of, (4) our gracious God. Anything which drives us to God is a blessing, and anything which weans us from leaning on the arm of flesh, and especially that weans us from trying to stand alone, is a boon to us. C. H. S

Whole Psalm. The most wonderful features in this Psalm, are the depth of misery into which the psalmist gradually plunges in his complaints in the first part of it, the sudden grasp at the arm of mercy and omnipotence that is made in Ps 38:8, and the extreme height of comfort and consolation that it reaches in the end. Benjamin Weiss.

O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath. But is it not an absurd request, to require God not to rebuke me in his anger; as though I thought he would rebuke me if he were not angry? Is it not a senseless suit to pray to God not to chasten me in his displeasure, as though he would chasten me if he were not displeased? The most froward natures that are, will yet be quiet as long as they be pleased: and shall I have such a thought of the great yet gracious God, that he should be pleased and yet not be quiet? But, O my soul, is it all one, to rebuke in his anger and to rebuke when he is angry? He may rebuke when he is angry, and yet restrain and bridle in his anger; but to rebuke in his anger is to let loose the reins to his anger; and what is it to give the reins to his anger, but to make it outrun his mercy? And then what a miserable case should I be in, to have his anger to assault me, and not his mercy ready to relieve me? To have his indignation fall upon me when his lovingkindness were not by to take it off! Oh, therefore, rebuke me not in thine anger, O God, but let thy rebuking stay for thy mercy; chasten me not in thy displeasure, but let thy lovingkindness have the keeping of thy rod. Sir Richard Baker.

Neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure, etc. Both these words, which we translate to chasten, and hot displeasure, are words of a heavy and of a vehement signification. They extend both to express the eternity of God's indignation, even to the binding of the soul and body in eternal chains of darkness. For the first, jasar, signifies in the Scriptures, vincire, to bind, often with ropes, often with chains; to fetter, or manacle, or pinion men that are to be executed; so that it imports a slavery, a bondage all the way, and a destruction at last. And so the word is used by Rehoboam, "My father chastised you with whips, but I will chasten you with scorpions." 1Ki 12:11. And then, the other word, chamath, doth not only signify hot displeasure, but that effect of God's hot displeasure which is intended by the prophet Esay: "Therefore hath he poured forth his fierce wrath, and the strength of battle, and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew it not, and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart." These be the fearful conditions of God's hot displeasure, to be in a furnace, and not to feel it; to be in a habit of sin, and not know what leads us into temptation; to be burnt to ashes, and so not only without all moisture, all holy tears, but, as ashes, without any possibility that any good thing can grow in us. And yet this word, chamath, hath a heavier signification than this; for it signifies poison itself, destruction itself, for so it is twice taken in one verse: "Their poison is like the poison of a serpent" Ps 58:4; so that this hot displeasure is that poison of the soul, obduration here, and that extension of that obduration, a final impenitence in this life, and an infinite impenitableness in the next, to die without any actual penitence here, and live without all possibility of future penitence for ever hereafter. David therefore foresees, that if God rebuke in anger, it will come to a chastening in hot displeasure. For what should stop him? For, "if a man sin against the Lord, who will plead for him?" says Eli. "Plead thou my cause, " says David; it is only the Lord that can be of counsel with him, and plead for him and that Lord is both the judge and angry too. John Donne.

For thine arrows stick fast in me. First, we shall see in what respect he calls them arrows: and therein, first, that they are alienae, they are shot from others, they are not in his own power; a man shoots not an arrow at himself; and then that they are veloces, swift in coming, he cannot give them their time; and again, they are vix visibiles, though they be not altogether invisible in their cunning, yet there is required a quick eye, and an express diligence and watchfulness to avoid them; so they are arrows in the hand of another, not his own; and swift as they come, and invisible before they come. And secondly, they are many arrows, the victory lies not in escaping one or two. And thirdly, they stick in him: they find not David so good proof as to rebound back again, and imprint no sense: and they stick Fast: though the blow be felt and the wound discerned, yet there is not a present cure, he cannot shake them off; infixae sunt, and then, with all this, they stick fast in him; that is, in all him; in his body and soul; in him, in his thoughts and actions; in him, in his sins and in his good works too; infixae mihi, there is no part of him, no faculty in him, in which they stick not; for (which may well be another consideration), that hand, which shot them, presses him: follows the blow, and presses him sore, that is, vehemently. But yet (which will be our conclusion), sagittae tuae, thy arrows, and manus tua, thy hand, these arrows that are shot, and this hand that presses him so sore, are the arrows, and the hand of God; and therefore, first, they must have their effect, they cannot be disappointed; but yet they bring their comfort with them, because they are his, because no arrows from him, no pressing with his hand, comes without that balsamum of mercy to heal as fast as he wounds. John Donne.

Thine arrows stick fast. Though importunity be to God most pleasing always, yet to us it is then most necessary when the cheerful face of God is turned into frowns, and when there is a justly conceived fear of the continuance of his anger: and have I not just cause to fear it, having the arrows of his anger sticking so fast in me? If he had meant to make me but a butt, at which to shoot his arrows, he would quickly, I suppose, have taken them up again; but now that he leaves them sticking in me, what can I think, but that he means to make me his quiver; and then I may look long enough before he come to pluck them out. They are arrows, indeed, that are feathered with swiftness, and headed with sharpness; and to give them a force in flying, they are shot, I may say, out of his crossbow, I am sure his bow of crosses; for no arrows can fly so fast, none pierce so deep, as the crosses and afflictions with which he hath surprised me: I may truly say surprised me, seeing when I thought myself most safe, and said, "I shall never be moved, "even then, these arrows of his anger lighted upon me, and stick so fast in my flesh, that no arm but his that shot them, is ever able to draw them forth. Oh, then, as thou hast stretched forth thine arm of anger, O God, to shoot these arrows at me, so stretch forth thine arm of mercy to draw them forth, that I may rather sing hymns than dirges unto thee; and that thou mayest show thy power, as well in pardoning as thou hast done in condemning. Sir Richard Baker.

Thine arrows. Arrows are (1) swift, (2) secret, (3) sharp (4) killing instruments. They are instruments drawing blood and drinking blood, even unto drunkenness De 32:42; afflictions are like arrows in all these properties. 1. Afflictions often come very speedily, with a glance as an arrow, quick as a thought. 2. Afflictions come suddenly, unexpectedly; an arrow is upon a man afore he is aware, so are afflictions. Though Job saith, the thing he feared came upon him, he looked for this arrow before it came; yet usually afflictions are unlooked for guests, they thrust in upon us when we dream not of them. 3. They come with little noise; an arrow is felt before, or, as soon as it is heard; an arrow flies silently and secretly, stealing upon and wounding a man, unobserved and unseen. Lastly, all afflictions are sharp, and in their own nature killing and deadly. That any have good from them, is from the grace of God, not from their nature. Joseph Caryl.

Let no one think these expressions of penitence Ps 38:1-4 overstrained or excessive. They are the words of the Holy Spirit of God, speaking by the mouth of the man after God's own heart. If we were as repentant as David, we should bring home to ourselves his language; as it is, our affections are chilled, and therefore we do not enter into his words...And let us observe how all the miseries are referred to their proper end. The sin is not bewailed merely on account of its ill effect on the guilty one, but on account of the despite done to God. The psalmist's first thought is the "anger" of the Lord, and his hot displeasure. It is not the "arrows" that afflict him so much as that they are God's. "Thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me." The reason why there is no health in his flesh is because of God's displeasure. Such is true contrition, "not the sorrow of the world which worketh death, but the sorrow that worketh repentance not to be repented of." A Commentary on the Seven Penitential Psalms. Chiefly from Ancient Sources, (by A.P.F.) 1847.

Thy hand presseth me sore. Not the hand of Egypt or Ashur; then it were hand for hand, a duel of some equality: hand to hand; here forces and stratagems might achieve a victory: but Thy hand. The weight of a man's blow is but weak, according to the force and pulse of his arm; as the princes of Midian answered Gideon, when he bade his son try the dint of his sword upon them; "Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength." Jud 8:21. But "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Heb 10:31. As Homer called the hands of Jupiter ceirez aeptoi, hands whose praise could not be sufficiently spoken; which some read ceires aaptoii, hands inaccessible, irresistible for strength: all the gods in heaven could not ward a blow of Jupiter's hand. This hand never strikes but for sin; and where sin is mighty his blow is heavy. Thomas Adams.

Thine anger...my sin. I, alas! am as an anvil under two hammers; one of thine anger, another of my sin; both of them beating incessantly upon me; the hammer of thine anger beating upon my flesh and making that unsound; the hammer of my sin beating upon my bones and making them unquiet; although indeed both beat upon both; but thine anger more upon my flesh, as being more sensible; my sin more upon my bones, as being more obdurate. God's anger and sin are the two efficient causes of all misery; but the procatarctic (as applied to diseases, signifies the exciting cause) cause indeed is sin: God's anger, like the house that Samson pulled upon his own head, falls not upon us but when we pull it upon ourselves by sin. Sir Richard Baker.

My flesh...my bones. I know by the unsoundness of my flesh that God is angry with me; for if it were not for his anger my flesh would be sound: but what soundness can there be in it now, when God's angry hand lies beating upon it continually, and never ceaseth? I know by the unquietness of my bones that I have sin in my bosom; for if it were not for sin my bones would be quiet. But what quietness can be in them now, when sin lies gnawing upon them incessantly with the worm of remorse? One would think my bones were far enough removed and closely enough hidden from sins doing them any hurt: yet see the searching nature, the venomous poison of sin, which pierceth through my flesh, and makes unquietness in my very bones. I know my flesh is guilty of many faults, by which it justly deserves unsoundness; but what have my bones done? for they minister no fuel to the flames of my flesh's sensuality; and why then should they be troubled? But are not my bones supporters of my flesh, and are they not by this at least accessory to my flesh's faults? As accessories, then, they are subject to the same punishment the flesh itself is, which is the principal. Sir Richard Baker.

neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. A Christian in this life is like quicksilver, which hath a principle of motion in itself, but not of rest: we are never quiet, but as the ball upon the racket, or the ship upon the waves. As long as we have sin, this is like quicksilver: a child of God is full of motion and disquiet...We are here in a perpetual hurry, in a constant fluctuation; our life is like the tide; sometimes ebbing, sometimes flowing; here is no rest; and the reason is because we are out of centre. Everything is in motion till it comes at the centre; Christ is the centre of the soul; the needle of the compass trembles till it comes to the North Pole. Thomas Watson.

Learn here of beggars how to procure succour and relief. Lay open thy sores, make known thy need, discover all thy misery, make not thy case better than it is. Beggars by experience find that the more miserable they appear to be, the more they are pitied, the more succoured; and yet the mercies of the most merciful men are but as drops in comparison of the oceans of God's mercies; and among men there are many, like the priest and Levite in the parable Lu 10:30-32, that can pass by a naked, wounded man, left half dead, and not pity him nor succour him. But God, like the merciful Samaritan, hath always compassion on such as with sense of their misery are forced to cry out and crave help. Read how Job, Job 6:1-30 and Job 7:1-21; David, Ps 38:3, etc., Hezekiah, Isa 38:10, etc., and other like saints poured out their complaints before the Lord, and withal observe what mercy was showed them of the Lord, and you may have in them both good patterns how to behave yourselves in like cases, and good encouragement so to do. This is it which God expects of us, and whereunto he desireth to bring us, that seeing our own emptiness and insufficiency, and the impotency and disability of others to help us, we should in all humility fly to his mercy. William Gouge.

For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. David proceeds to a reason why his prayer must be vehement, why these miseries of his are so violent, and why God's anger is permanent, and he finds this all to be, because in his sins, all these venomous qualities, vehemence, violence, and continuance, were complicated, and unwrapped; for he had sinned vehemently, in the rage of lust, and violently, in the effusion of blood, and permanently, in a long and senseless security. They are all contracted in this text into two kinds, which will be our two parts in handling these words: first, the Supergressae super, "Mine iniquities are gone over my head, "there is the multiplicity, the number, the succession, and so the continuation of his sin; and then, the Gravatae super, "My sins are as a heavy burden, too heavy for me, "there is the greatness, the weight, the insupportableness of his sin. St. Augustine calls these two distinctions or considerations of sin, ignorantiam, et difficultatem; first that David was ignorant, that he saw not the tide, as it swelled up upon him, abyssus abyssum, depth called upon depth; and all thy waters, and all thy billows are gone over me (says he in another place); he perceived them not coming till they were over him, he discerned not his particular sins then when he committed them, till they came to the supergressae super, to that height that he was overflowed, surrounded, his iniquities were gone over his head; and in that St. Augustine notes ignorantiam, his inobservance, his inconsiderations of his own case; and then he notes difficultatem, the hardness of recovering, because he that is under water hath no air to see by, no air to hear by, he hath nothing to reach to, he touches not ground, to push him up, he feels no bough to pull him up, and therein that further notes difficultatem, the hardness of recovering. Now Moses expresses these two miseries together, in the destruction of the Egyptians, in his song, after Israel's deliverance, and the Egyptians' submersion, "The depths have covered them" (there is the supergressae super, their iniquities, in that punishment of their iniquities, were gone over their heads), and then they sank into the bottom like a stone (says Moses), there is the gravatae super, they depressed them, suppressed them, oppressed them, they were under them, and there they must lie. The Egyptians had, David had, we have, too many sins to swim above water, and too great sins to get above water again when we are sunk. John Donne.

As an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. No strength is so great but it may be overburdened; though Samson went light away with the gates of Gaza, yet when a whole house fell upon him it crushed him to death. And such, alas! am I; I have had sin as a burden upon me ever since I was born, but bore it a long time as light as Samson did the gates of Gaza; but now that I have pulled a whole house of sin upon me, how can I choose but be crushed to death with so great a weight? And crushed, O my soul, thou shouldest be indeed, if God for all his anger did not take some pity on thee, and for all his displeasure did not stay his hand from further chastening thee. Sir Richard Baker.

It is of singular use to us, that the backslidings of the holy men of God are recorded in Holy Writ. Spots appear nowhere more disagreeable than when seen in a most beautiful face, or on the cleanest garment. And it is expedient to have a perfect knowledge of the filthiness of sin. We also learn from them to think humbly of ourselves, to depend on the grace of God, to keep a stricter eye upon ourselves, lest perhaps we fall into the same or more grievous sins. Ga 6:1. Herman Witsius, D.D., 1636-1708.

Verses 4-5. It is only when we can enter into all that is implied here that we begin to see our exceeding sinfulness. There is a certain feeling of sin which does not interfere with our pride, and self respect. We can have that sort of feeling, and say pretty earnestly, Mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. But it is otherwise with us when we get to know ourselves better, and to feel ourselves loathsome in our wickedness, when our folly and meanness and ingratitude oppress us, and we begin to loathe ourselves, and can enter into verse five. Our wounds, once an object of self pity, and something in which we could claim sympathy and healing from our friends, have become corrupt, because of the meanness and folly we feel to be in us. We hide them now, for if they were seen, would not "lovers and friends stand aloof from our sore"? Then we are silent except to God, "For in thee, O Lord, do I hope; thou wilt hear, O Lord my God, "Ps 38:15. O love of God that turns not away! O blessed Jesus, that turneth not away from the leprous man that fell upon his face and said, "If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean, but put forth thine hand and touched him, saying, `I will: be thou clean, 'to whom can we go but unto thee!" Mary B. M. Duncan.

My wounds stink and are corrupt, etc. These expressions seem to be in a great measure figurative, and significant rather of the diseased state of his mind than of his body. William Walford.

My wounds stink and are corrupt. I know, O Lord, I have done most foolishly, to let my sores run so long without seeking for help; for now, My wounds stink and are corrupt, in as ill a case as Lazarus' body was when it had been four days buried; enough to make any man despair that did not know thee as I do. For, do not I know, that nullum tempus occurrit tibi; do not I know thou hast as well wisdom to remedy my foolishness as power to cure my wounds? Could the grave hold Lazarus when thou didst but open thy mouth to call him forth? No more can the corruption of my sores be any hindrance to their healing when thy pleasure is to have them to be cured. Although, therefore, I have done my own discretion wrong to defer my care, yet I will not do thy power wrong to despair of thy cure; for, how should I despair, who know thee to be as powerful as thou art merciful; if I may not rather say, to be as merciful as thou art powerful! Sir Richard Baker.

My wounds stink and are corrupt. Either they must be understood literally of the sores that were in his body (as the words in the following verse may also seem to import) which he calls wounds, to intimate that he looked upon them as the wheals or swelling tumours (for so the original word may signify) which the rod of God had made in his flesh, or the wounds of those arrows of which he had spoken Ps 38:2, "Thine arrows stick fast in me; "or else figuratively, of any other miseries that God had brought upon him, comparing them to stinking and festering sores; either to imply the long continuance of them, or the sharp pains and sorrows which he felt in himself by reason thereof. Yet some, I know, would have it meant of the shame which his sins had brought upon him. Arthur Jackson.

Verses 5-6. The spiritual feeling of sin is indispensable to the feeling of salvation. A sense of the malady must ever precede, and prepare the soul for, a believing reception and due apprehension of the remedy. Wherever God intends to reveal his Son with power, wherever he intends to make the gospel to be "a joyful sound, "he makes the conscience feel and groan under the burden of sin. And sure am I that when a man is labouring under the burden of sin, he will be full of complaint. The Bible records hundreds of the complaints of God's people under the burden of sin. My wounds stink and are corrupt, cries one, because of my foolishness. I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. "My soul, "cries another, "is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh until the grave, "Ps 88:3. "He hath led me, "groans out a third, "and brought me into darkness, but not into light." La 3:2. A living man must needs cry under such circumstances. He cannot carry the burden without complaining of its weight. He cannot feel the arrow sticking in his conscience without groaning under the pain. He cannot have the worm gnawing his vitals, without complaining of its venomous tooth. He cannot feel that God is incensed against him without bitterly complaining that the Lord is his enemy. Spiritual complaint then is a mark of spiritual life, and is one which God recognises as such. "I have surely hear Ephraim bemoaning himself." Jer 31:18. It shows that he has something to mourn over; something to make him groan being burdened; that sin has been opened up to him in its hateful malignancy; that it is a trouble and distress to his soul; that he cannot roll it like a sweet morsel under his tongue; but that it is found out by the penetrating eye, and punished by the chastening hand of God. J. C. Philpot. 1842.

I am troubled. I writhe with pain. This is the proper sense of the original, which means to "turn out of its proper situation, or course; "thence to be "distorted, writhed, "as a person in pain. Our Bible translation, which says in the text, I am troubled, adds in the margin, "wried, "an obsolete word, correctly expressing the Hebrew. Richard Mant.

I go mourning all the day long. And now was I both a burden and a terror to myself, nor did I ever so know, as now, what it was to be weary of my life, and yet afraid to die. Oh, how gladly now would I have been anybody but myself! Anything but a man! and in any condition but mine own! for there was nothing did pass more frequently over my mind than that it was impossible for me to be forgiven my transgression, and to be saved from wrath to come. John Bunyan, in "Grace Abounding."

Let a man see and feel himself under the bonds of guilt, in danger of hell, under the power of his lusts, enmity against God, and God a stranger to him; let but the sense of this condition lie upon his heart, and let him go on in his jollity if he can. What a woeful creature doth a man see himself now to be! He envies the happiness of the beasts that are filled, and play in their pastures. We have heard of him who when he saw a toad, stood weeping, because God had made him a man, so excellent a creature, and not a toad, so abominable: the goodness of God, then, it seems, as he apprehended it, made him weep; but this man meets a toad, and he weeps also, but why? because he is a man who thinks his estate infinitely worse than the condition of a toad, and if it were possible to attain it, would change states with the toad, that hath no guilt of sin, fears no wrath of God, is not under power of lusts or creatures; God is not enemy to it, which is his miserable state. Giles Firmin, 1617-1697.

For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease. The word here used, according to Gesenius (Lex.), properly denotes the internal muscles of the loins near the kidneys, to which the fat adheres. The word rendered loathsome —the word disease being supplied by our translators —is derived from (hlq), kalah, a word which means to roast, to parch, as fruit, grain, etc.; and then, in the form used here, it means scorched, burned; hence, a burning or inflammation; and the whole phrase would be synonymous with an inflammation of the kidneys. The word here used does not imply that there was any eruption, or ulcer, though it would seem from verse five that this was the fact, and that the inflammation had produced this effect. Albert Barnes.

A loathsome disease. In many things our estimates are extravagant; but we never over estimate the evil of sin. It is as corrupting as it is damning. It covers the soul with plague spots, with the leprosy. Isa 1:5-6. William S. Plumer.

I am feeble, literally, I am benumbed. I have become deadly cold, cold as a corpse; possibly with reference to the burning inflammation in the previous verse, as marking the alternations in the fever fit. J. J. Stewart Perowne.

I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart. Where sin is, there will never be but unquietness of heart; and an unquiet heart will always produce these miserable effects —feebleness of body, dejectedness of mind, and roaring of voice. But how can roaring stand with feebleness, which seems to require a strength of spirits? Is it not, therefore, a roaring, perhaps not so much in loudness as in an inarticulate expressing? that having done actions more like a beast than a man, I am forced to use a voice not so much of a man as of a beast? Or is it perhaps a roaring in spirit, which the heart may send forth though the body be feeble; or rather then most, when it is most feeble; not unlike the blaze of a candle then greatest when going out? Howsoever it be, this is certain: the heart is that unhappy plot of ground, which, receiving into it the accursed seed of sin, brings forth in the body and soul of man these miserable fruits: and how, then, can I be free from these weeds of the fruits, since I have received into me so great a measure of the seed? Oh, vile sin, that I could as well avoid thee as I can see thee, or could as easily resist thee as I deadly hate thee, I should not then complain of either feebleness of body, or dejectedness of mind, or roaring of voice; but I should perfectly enjoy that happy quietness in all my parts, which thou, O God, didst graciously bestow as a blessed dowry on our first parents at their creation. Sir Richard Baker.

I have roared, etc. It is difficult for a true penitent, in the bitterness of his soul, to go over the life which he has dragged on in sinfulness, without groaning and sighing from the bottom of his heart. But happy are these groans, happy these sighs, happy these sobs, since they flow from the influence of grace, and from the breath of the Holy Spirit, who himself in an ineffable manner groans in us and with us, and who forms these groans in our hearts by penitence and love! but as the violence of both, that is, of penitence and of love, cannot but burst the narrow limits of a penitent heart, it must make a vent for itself by the eyes and mouth. The eyes shed tears, and the mouth sends forth sighs and groans, which it can no longer restrain; because they are driven on by the fire of divine love, and so these lamentations frame themselves into words and intelligible sentences. Jean Baptiste Elias Avrillon, 1652-1729.

The disquietness of my heart. David felt pains gather about his heart, and then he cried out. The heart is the mark that God principally aims at when a Christian hath turned aside from his upright course; other outward parts he may hit and deeply wound, but this is but to make holes in the heart, where the seat of unsoundness that principally offends him is. The fire which conscience kindles, it may flash forth into the eyes, and tongue, and hands, and make a man look fearfully, speak desperately, and do bloodily, against the body; but the heat of the fire is principally within, in the furnace, in the spirit; it is but some sparkles and flashes only that you see come forth at the lower holes of the furnace, which you behold in the eyes, words, and deeds of such men. Nicholas Lockyer.

There are usually, if not always, pains with desires, especially in desires after the creature, because that oftentimes there is a frustration of our desires, or an elongation of the things, the things are far off, hard to come by; our desires oftentimes are mute, they speak not; or the things that we desire, know not our minds: but our desires after God always speak, they are open unto God, he heareth their voice. Lord, all my desire is before thee, saith David, and my groaning is not hid from thee. Therefore it must needs be sweet, when the soul lies thus open unto God. Other desires do not assure and secure a man in the things he desires; a man may wish this and wish that, and go without both; but the soul that thus longs after God is instated in his wish, hath a present enjoyment, and certainly shall have a full enjoyment of him. "He will fulfil the desire of those that fear him: he also will hear their cry." Ps 145:19. Joseph Symonds.

My groaning is not hid from thee. Secret tears for secret sins are an excellent sign of a holy heart, and a healing balsam for broken spirits. God well understands the language of half words interrupted with sighs, and interprets them as the steams and breathings of a broken heart. As all our foolishness is before him to cover it, so is all our heaviness to ease it; and therefore shall our souls praise and please him more than a bullock with young horns and hoofs upon his altar. Holy mourning keeps out carnal sorrow and produces spirit joy. It stirs up the heart of a saint to beg preventing grace which no false heart can perform without secret reserves. This inward sorrow prevents open shame. God will never give up such souls to be trampled on by spiritual enemies, who are already humbled by themselves. In saints' humiliation there's a door opened for secret hope, because of the precious promises that are plighted to it, and especially of preventing future sin by strengthening grace. For as the love of God is the fountain of all true repentance, so it is the attractive of more incomes of divine love to the soul. Samuel Lee.

My heart panteth. The verb which David here uses signifies to travel or wander hither and thither, but here it is taken for the agitation or disquietude which distress of heart engenders when we know not what to do. According as men are disquieted in mind, so do they turn themselves on all sides; and so their heart may be said to turn round, or to run to and fro. John Calvin.

My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off. So miserable am I, that I am left alone as one utterly forsaken; they are all pieces that recoil and fly back at the first voice of the powder. Yet it is not so much me they stand aloof from as my sore; for if it were not for my sore, I should have enough of their company easily enough; but they cannot abide sores, their eyes are too tender to endure to see them, and yet hard enough not to relieve them. Or is it they stand aloof, that is, so near as to show they are willing enough to see them; but yet so far off as to show they have no meaning to come and help them! ...My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore, as fearing more my sore than me; but my kinsmen stand afar off, as fearing me no less than my sore; and where my lovers and friends by standing aloof do but violate the law of a contracted friendship, my kinsmen by standing afar off violate even the law of natural affection; and is not this a grievous thing, that the law of reason, the law of friendship, the law of nature, shall all be broken rather than I shall be relieved or find assistance? Sir Richard Baker.

My lovers and my friends stand afar off. Deserted by false friends, but conqueror through thee, to thee I speed, who though seeming to act the part of an enemy, yet never changest thy love; but lovest for ever him whom thou once hast loved. When you seem afar off, you are near. I conceive this sorrow on account of the treachery of false friends, and the cowardliness of my kinsfolk, who are to me as piercing thorns rather than sweet smelling roses. The proof of affection is seen by deeds. I hear the name of kinsman and friend; I see no deed. To thee, therefore, I flee, whose word is deed; for I need thy help. From the Latin of A. Rivetus.

But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. For why should I hear when I meant not to speak? and why should I speak when I knew beforehand I should not be heard? I knew by contesting I should but provoke them, and make them more guilty that were guilty too much before. I therefore thought it better myself to be silent than to set them a roaring and make them grow outrageous. No doubt a great wisdom in David, to know that to be deaf and dumb was in this case his best course, but yet a far greater virtue that knowing it, he was able to do it. Oh, how happy should we be, if we could always do that which we know is best to be done, and if our wills were as ready to act, as our reason is able to enact; we should then decline many rocks we now run upon, we should then avoid many errors we now run into. To be deaf and dumb are indeed great inabilities and defects, when they be natural; but when they be voluntary, and I may say artificial, they are them great abilities, or rather perfections. Sir Richard Baker.

But I, as a deaf man, heard not. The inspired writer here compares himself to a dumb and deaf man for two reasons. In the first place, he intimates that he was so overwhelmed with the false and wicked judgments of his enemies, that he was not even permitted to open his mouth in his own defence. In the second place, he alleges before God his own patience, as a plea to induce God the more readily to have pity upon him; for such meekness and gentleness, not only with good reason, secures favour to the afflicted and the innocent, but it is also a sign of true piety. John Calvin.

Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs. You, who truly know yourselves; by whom silent suffering, secret grief, and hidden joy are understood; by the knowledge of your own unspoken sorrow, unexpressed, because inexpressible feelings, by the consciousness of the unrevealed depths of your own nature, the earnest, but ever unsatisfied yearnings of your spirit, learn to reverence and love those by whom you are surrounded, whose inner life can never be completely read, but whom you are sure must need sacred sympathy and tender consideration. If a secret grief is constantly gnawing my heart, making my voice falter in the song of praise, may not my brother's downcast eye and heavy heart be occasioned by a similar cause; shall I condemn him for his want of gladness? No: but remember, "the heart knoweth his own bitterness, and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy." The silent breathings of the spirit are not for our ears; the hot tears which in secret fall, are not for our eyes; in mercy has the veil been drawn round each heart; but by the sacred memory of our own sadness, let our voice be gentle, our look tender, our tread quiet, as we pass amongst the mourners. Jessie Coombs, in "Thoughts for the Inner Life, "1867.

A man that is to go down into a deep pit, he does not throw himself headlong into it, or leap down at all adventures, but fastens a rope at top upon a cross beam or some sure place, and so lets himself down by degrees: so let thyself down into the consideration of thy sin, hanging upon Christ; and when thou art gone so low that thou canst endure no longer, but art ready to be overcome with the horror and darkness of thy miserable estate, dwell not too long at the gates of hell, lest the devil pull thee in, but wind thyself up again by renewed acts of faith, and "fly for refuge unto the hope that is set before thee." Heb 6:18. Thomas Cole (1627-1697), in "Morning Exercises."

For I am ready to halt: to show my infirmity in my trials and afflictions; as Jacob halted after his wrestling with God. Ge 32:31. In the Greek, I am ready for scourges, that is, to suffer correction and punishment for my sins: so the Chaldee saith, for calamity. Henry Ainsworth.

Pliny writeth of some families that had private marks on their bodies peculiar to those of that line, and every man hath, as it were, a private sin, which is most justly called his; but if we will confess our sins aright, we must not leave out that sin; nay, our chiefest spite must be against it, according to David's resolve: I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin. ...David doth not only say, I will declare, but, I will be sorry for my sin. The people of God 1Sa 7:6 in the day of their confession not only say, "We have sinned, "but draw water, and pour it out before the Lord in token of contrition. We should, in confessing sin, have our hearts so affected, that our eyes, with Job, may "pour tears before God" Job 16:20; that, with David, "rivers of tears may run down our eyes" Ps 119:136; yea, we should wish with Jeremiah, that "our head were waters, and our eyes a fountain of tears." Jer 9:1. But, however, nonne stillabit oculus noster? if we cannot pour out, shall we not drop a tear? or at least, if we cannot shed a tear, let us breathe forth a sigh for our sins. It is only the heart broken with godly sorrow that sends forth a true confession. Nathanael Hardy.

They are mine enemies because I follow the thing that good is. It is a bold attempt to ding Satan out of his nest. If we conform us to the men of this world we find peace with them; they will not discord with us so long as we go their way; but to shame them by a godly life is an affront they cannot digest; and to rebuke their sin, findeth at their hand all that Satan disappointed or corruption provoked can devise. A sleeping dog is quiet, but being stirred, turneth all in barking and biting. Not to do as they do is matter enough of anger, but a reproof is the highest degree of disgrace in their account. All that hatred which they ought to bear to Satan and his instruments, is turned upon God in his rebuking and reclaiming servants. That anger that in remorse should burn against their own sin is set against their reprovers. William Struther.

O Lord my salvation. Faith the suppliant is now made faith triumphant. Franz Delitzsch.

TITLE. The art of memory. Holy memorabilia. The usefulness of sacred remembrance.

The rebuke of God's wrath.

1. Richly deserved.

2. Reasonably dreaded.

3. Earnestly deprecated. —B. Daries.

The evil consequences of sin in this world. J. J. Blunt.

The bitterest of bitters, thy wrath; why deprecated; and how escaped.

God sharply chasteneth many of his children, and yet for all that he loves them never a whit the less, nor withholdeth in good time his mercy from them. Thomas Wilcocks.

(last clause). Sin causes unrest. He who cures it alone gives rest. Dwell on both facts.

(first clause). Sin in its relations to us. To the eye pleasing. To the heart disappointing. In the bones vexing. Over the head overwhelming.

The confession of an awakened sinner.

(last clause). Sin.

1. Heavy —a burden.

2. Very heavy —A heavy burden.

3. Superlatively heavy —too heavy for me.

4. Not immoveable, for though too heavy for me, yet Jesus bore it.

Foolishness. The folly of sin. Everything that a man has to do with sin shows his folly.

1. Dallying with sin.

2. Committing it.

3. Continuing in it.

4. Hiding it.

5. Palliating it. —B. Davies.

Conviction of sin. Its grief, its depth, its continuance.

I go mourning.

1. Unlawful reasons for mourning.

2. Legitimate themes for sorrow.

3. Valuable alleviations of grief.

The many desires of God's children: the fact that God understands them even when unexpressed; and the certainty that he will grant them.

Omniscience, a source of consolation to the desponding.

The wisdom, dignity, power, and difficulty of silence.

Prayer, the offspring of hope. Hope strengthened by confidence in God's answering prayer.

Mr. Ready to halt. His pedigree, and infirmity; his crutches, and his cure; his history, and safe departure.

The excellence of penitent confession.

The twin children of grace —confession and contrition: their mutual revelation and reaction.

(last clause). There is good reason for such sorrow, God is well pleased with it. It benefits the mourner.

The terrible energy and industry of the powers of evil.

Faith tried, faith trembling, faith crying, faith grasping, faith conquering.

WORKS UPON THE THIRTY-EIGHTH PSALM

"A Sacred Septenarie, "etc., by ARCHIBALD SYMSON, 1638, contains an Exposition of this Psalm. See Vol. I, p. 74.

"Meditations and Disquisitions upon the Seven Psalmes of David, commonly called the Penitential Psalmes." By Sir RICHARD BAKER, Knight: London: 1639, (4to.) contains "Meditations upon the XXXVIII. Psalme."