John Trapp on Psalms 129

PSAL. CXXIX.

VErſ. 1 Many a time] Or, Much, and long.

Have they] i. e. The Perſecutors that deſerve not a name. The rich man is not named (as Lazarus is) becauſe not worthy. They ſhall bee written in the Earth,Luk. 10. Jer. 17.13.

Afflicted mee] i. e. The whole community of Saints; ſpoken of here in the ſingular, for their 1 Unity, 2 Paucity.

From my youth] The firſt that ever dyed, dyed for religion; ſo early came Martyrdome into the World.

May Iſrael now ſay] Who yet are promiſed peace, Pſal. 128.6. but ſo was Joſiah; and yet he dyed in battel, 2 Chron. 34.28. But the very God of peace had ſanctified him throughout, and ſo altered the property of his affliction, that it was ſubſervient to his ſalvation.

Verſ. 2 Many a time, &c.] Anadiploſis ad exaggerationem, q. d. They have done it and done it again, but could never atchieve their deſign, viz. to ſupplant and eradicate mee; which might not bee. Oppugnarunt (non expugn[illegible: 2 letters]unt, however the Vulgar ſo rendreth here.) The Church is invincible. Athens took upon her of old to bee ſo; and Venice late boaſteth the like: but time hath confuted the one, and may ſoon do the other; when the Church ſhall ſtand firm, becauſe founded on a Rock. More truly may it bee ſaid of it, than twas once of Troy, Victa tamen vinces, everſaq, Tr[illegible: 1 letter]ja reſurges: Obruet hoſtiles illa ruina domes.Ovid de [illegible: 1 word].

Verſ. 3 The plowers plowed upon my back] Which was never without ſome Croſs upon it, yea ſome plough paſſing over it. The Church is Gods Husbandry; and hee will bee ſure to plow his ſeverall, what ever becommeth of the wild waſte. She is his threſhing-flore, Iſa. 21.10. and hath but little reſt or reſpite. Enemies are flails to threſh off our husks, files to brighten our graces; ploughs and harrows, without which wee ſhould bear but a very thin crop. Gods people do [non-Latin text not transcribed], ſow the ſeed of prayer in the long furrows which thoſe plowers made on their backs; like as the Jews in their feaſts break their glaſſes, as Jeruſalem was broken.

They made long their furrows] Heb. Furrow; as if there were totum pro [illegible: 1 word] corpus. Here haply the Pſalmiſt alludeth to thoſe exquiſite torments whereunto many of the Martyrs were put, ſulcati fidiculi[illegible: 1 letter].

Verſ. 4 The Lord is righteous] That's a ruled caſe, and muſt bee held for a certain truth, whatever wee are, or our Perſecutors.

Hee hath cut aſunder the cords of the wicked] That is, their harneſs, their ploughtraces (nam continuatur tropus Ruſticus) ſo that the plough is looſe, and the horſes at liberty; all their forces and deſigns are broken.

Verſ. 5 Let them all bee conſounded, &c.] And if thoſe that hate Zion, how much more thoſe that hurt her with their virulent tongues, or violent hands?

Verſ. 6 Let them bee at the graſs, &c.] They are curſed with a witneſs whom the Holy Ghoſt thus curſeth, in ſuch emphaticall manner, in ſuch exquiſite tearms.

Verſ. 7 Wherewith the Mower filleth not his hand] As holding it not worth gathering in. Wicked men are uſeleſs creatures: as Stratonicus in Athenau[illegible: 1 letter] ſaith, that the Hill Hamus was for eight months in the year very cold, and for the other four it was Winter.

Verſ. 8 Neither do they which go by ſay, &c.] As they uſe to do to harveſt men, Ruth 2.3 Joh. Chriſtianity is no enemy to curteſie; yet in ſome caſes, ſaith not, God ſpeed.