John Trapp on Psalms 25:1

PSAL. XXV.

A Pſalm of David] An excellent Pſalm; the ſecond of thoſe ſeven called by the Ancients penitentiall; and ſuch as may well ſerve us for a pattern of our daily prayers;Beza. as wherein David beggeth three things (anſwerable to thoſe two laſt petitions in the Lords prayer) firſt, Pardon of ſin; ſecondly, Guidance of Gods good Spirit; thirdly, Defence againſt his enemies. It appeareth, that this Pſalm was made by David, when hee was well in years, verſ. 7. after his ſin in the matter of Ʋriah (that great iniquity as hee calleth it, verſ. 11. ſaith Vatablus) and ſome gather from verſ. 19. that hee framed this Pſalm, when Abſolom was up in armes againſt him, verſ. 19. (compared with Pſal. 3.1.) See alſo verſ. 15. & 22. It may ſeem therefore that when hee came to Mahanaim, a Sam. 17.24, 27. (where God ſhewed him marvellous loving kindneſſe in a ſtrong City, Pſal. 31.21. and where-hence hee was at the peoples requeſt, to ſuccour them, or to cauſe them to bee helped, viz, by his hearty prayers for Gods aſſiſtance, 2 Sam. 18.3.) he compoſed this Pſalm with more than ordinary artifice, viz. in order of Alphabet, as hee hath done alſo ſome few others, both for the excellencie of the matter, and likewiſe for help of memory; for which cauſe alſo St. Matthew ſummeth up the genealogie of Chriſt into three fourteenes; all helps being but little enough. Nazianzen and Sedulius, have done the like; the former in his holy Alphabet, [non-Latin text not transcribed], &c. and the latter in his Hymn, A Solis ortus cardine Beatus au[illegible: 1 letter]tor ſaeculi, &c.

Verſ. 1. Ʋnto thee O Lord, do I lift up my ſoul] i. e. Praeparo cor meum, Ad te orand non ad Idola. ſaith R. Solomon. My heart maketh its faithfull addreſſes to thee (and not any other) with ſtrength of deſire and delight, with earneſt expectation and hope of relief. See Jer. 22.27. Deut. 24.15. Pſal. 86.5. Cyprian ſaith, that in the primitive times the Miniſter was wont to prepare the peoples minds to pray,Cyp. de orat. by prefacing Surſum corda, Lift up your hearts. The Jews at this day write upon the walls of their Synagogues theſe words, Tephillah belo cavannah ceguph belo neſhamah. That is,Buxtorf, abbreviar. A prayer without the intention of the affection, is like a body without a ſoul; and yet their devotion is a meer out-ſide, ſaith One, a brainleſſe head, and a ſouleleſſe body;Spec. Eu[illegible: 1 letter]. Antiquum obtinent, Iſa. 29.13. This people draweth nigh to mee with their lipps, but their heart is farre from mee. A carnall man can as little lift up his heart in prayer, as a moul can flye. A David finds it an hard task; ſith the beſt heart is lumpiſh, and naturally beareth downward, as the poiſe of a clock, as the lead of a net. Let us therefore lay aſide every weight, and the ſin that doth ſo eaſily beſet it; and pray God to draw us up to himſelf, as the load-ſtone doth the Iron, &c.