John Trapp on Psalms 42:3

Verſ. 3. My tears have been my meat day and night] Hunters ſay, the Hart ſheddeth tears, or ſomething like tears, when he is purſued, and not able to eſcape. Hereunto David might allude. Sure it is, that as Hinds by calving, ſo men by weeping, caſt out their ſorrowes, Job 39.3.

Expletur lachrymis egeritur que dolor.

And,Act. and Mon. 1457. Affert ſolatium lugentibus ſuſpiriorum ſociet as ſaith Baſil, ſighs are an eaſe of ſorrow. Of Mr. Bradford the Martyr it is reported, that in the midſt of dinner he uſed oft to muſe, having his hat over his eyes, from whence came commonly plenty of tears dropping on his trencher. — [non-Latin text not transcribed], The better any are,So Pſal. 80.5. the more inclined to weeping; as David than Jonathan, 1 Sam. 20. Here we have him telling us that his tears were his meat, or his bread, as Gregory readeth it; and he giveth this reaſon, that like as the more bread wee eat, the dryer we are, and the more thirſty; ſo the more tears of godly ſorrow we let fall, the more we thirſt after that living fountain ſpringing from above. Davids greateſt grief was, that he was baniſhed from the Sanctuary; and next to that, the reproachfull blaſphemy of his enemies hitting him in the teeth with his God, as if not able or not willing to relieve him now in his neceſſity, and bitterly upbraiding him with his hopes as altogether vain.

Whiles they continually ſay unto mee, Where is thy God?] Violenti certe impetus, ſaith Vatablus here; theſe were violent ſhocks indeed; and ſuch as wherewith Davids faith might have been utterly overthrown, had it not been the better rooted, and withall upheld by the ſpeciall power of the Spirit of grace. Other of Gods ſuffering Saints have met with the like meaſure. At Orleance in France, as the bloody Papiſts murthered the Proteſtants, they cryed out, where is now your God? what is become of all your prayers and Pſalms now? Let your God that you called upon ſave you if he can.Mr. Clarks Gen. Martyrol. P. 316. Others ſang in ſcorn, Judge and revenge my cauſe O Lord; Others, Have mercy on us Lord, &c. The Queen Mother of Scotland having received aid from France. forced the Proteſtants for a while to retire to the High-Lands, whereupon ſhe ſcoffingly ſaid, where is now John Knox his God? My God is now ſtronger than his, yea even in Fife; but her braggs laſted not long; for within a few dayes,Mr. Knox his life by Mr. Clark. ſix hundred Proteſtants beat above four thouſand French and Scots &c. Gods Servants fare the better for the inſolencies of their enemies; who when they ſay where is now their God? might as well ſay betwixt the ſpace of the new, and old Moon, where is now the Moon? when as it is never nearer the Sun, than at that time.