John Trapp on Psalms 42:5

Verſ. 5. Why art thou [illegible: 1 letter]aſt down, O my ſoul?] Here David ſeemeth to be Homo diviſus in duas partes, ſaith Vatablus, a man divided into two parts, as indee devery new man is two men: and what is to be ſeen in the Shulamite, but as it were the company of two Armies? Cant. 6.13. David chideth David out of his dumps. So did Alice Benden the Martyr, rehearſing theſe very words (when ſhe had been kept in the Biſhops priſon all alone, nine weeks with bread and water) and received comfort by them in the midſt of her miſeries.Act. & Mon[illegible: 1 letter] 1797.

And why art thou diſquieted in me?] A good mans work lieth moſt within doors; he hath more ado with himſelf than with all the world beſides; he prayeth oft with that Ancient, Libera me Domine à malo homine meip ſo, Deliver me, Lord, from that naughty man my ſelf. How oft do we puniſh our ſelves by our paſſions, as the Lion, that beateth himſelf with his own tail? Grief is like Lead to the ſoul, heavie and cold, ſinking it downward, taking off the wheels of it, and diſabling it for duty; like as a Limb that is out of joynt, can do nothing without deformity and pain. Keep up thy ſpirit therefore, and watch againſt dejection, [non-Latin text not transcribed] whatſoever befalls thee, yea againſt all diſtempers; ſith they hinder comfortable intercourſe with God, and that Spiritual compoſedneſs, that Sabbath of ſpirit that we muſt enjoy, or elſe we cannot keep that continual Holy-day, 1 Cor. 5.8. How many are there who through unneceſſary ſadneſs, come to Heaven before they are aware?Dr. Sibbes.

Hope thou in God] Faith quieteth the ſoul firſt or laſt (ſaith a Reverend man on theſe words) there will be ſtirring at the firſt: As in a pair of Ballance, there will be a little ſtirring when the weight is put in, till it come to a poiſe; ſo in the ſoul, it comes not to a quiet conſiſtency till there be ſome victory of faith, till it reſt and ſtay the ſoul.

For I ſhall yet praiſe him for the help of his countenance] Heb.Homil. in Geneſ. The health[illegible: 1 letter] of his countenance, Adhuc confitebor ei ſalutes vultus ejus. Chryſoſtom bringeth in a man loaden with troubles coming into the Church, where when he heard this paſſage read, Why art thou caſt down? hope in God, &c. he preſently recovered.