John Trapp on Psalms 53

PSAL. LIII.

MAſchil, a Pſalm of David] Purpoſely ſet down here the ſecond time, (ſee Pſal. 14.) to inſtruct what every man is by nature, and that hee who is ſcholar to his own carnal reaſon, is ſure to have a fool to his maſter. The Heathens are very obſtinate in propugning mans nature, witneſs Cicero, and both the Senecaes, ſaying, that if men would but follow the bent of their own natures, they could not do amiſs. And we have much ado to perſwade people that their Natures are ſo foul, their ways ſo wicked, &c. twice therefore is this Pſalm recorded, that all may be convinced, that there is no ſafety in ſuch a condition, nothing better than to haſten out of it.

Verſ. 1, 2. The Fool, &c.] See the Notes on Pſal. 14.1, 2.

Verſ. 3. Every one of them is gone back] Diogenes in a great aſſembly going backward of purpoſe, and ſeeing every one laughing him to ſcorn, asked them aloud, if they were not aſhamed ſo to do? ſith he went backward but once, they did ſo all the days of their life.

Verſ. 4. Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge?] Etiam ſcient in fine, & dolebunt, ſaith one, Know they ſhall to their ſorrow in the end, that they have eaten that on earth which they muſt diſgeſt in hel.

Verſ. 5. There were they in great fear] Heb. They feared a fear. God they feared not, of men they were greatly feared, and yet here they feared a fear where no fear was, viz. without themſelves; only facti ſunt à corde ſuo fugitivi, they feared and fled before their own conſciences, their own trembling heart, Deut. 28.65. the ſound of fear that is in their ears, Job 15.21. the ſound of a leaf chaſeth them, Levit. 26.36. they flee when none purſueth, Prov. 28.1. Naturaliſts tell us of a certain little bird, quae fertur metu ne in ipſam coelum ruat, imponere ſibi ſemper dormienti alterum pedem, which for fear leſt the Skie ſhould fall on her head, ſleepeth ſtill with one foot laid upon her head. The Gaules that dwelt neer the Adriatick Sea, being asked by Alexander the Great, what they moſt feared? anſwered, ne ſupra ſe coelum corruat, leſt the Skie ſhould fall upon them. Galen writeth of a certain Melancholick fellow, who hearing that Atlas ſupported Heaven with his ſhoulders, was therefore ſore afraid leſt he ſhould faint under the burthen; and therefore carried his arm before him to ſave his head. Heraclides out of Anacreon telleth of one Artemon a timorous man, who kept home as much as might be, having ever a couple of ſervants to hold a brazen buckler over his head, leſt any thing ſhould fall upon him from above. And if he were at any time neceſſitated to go abroad, he was carried in a horſe-litter that touched the ground almoſt;Piut. in Pericl[illegible: 1 letter] and was thereupon called Periphoretus.

For thou haſt ſcattered the bones] i. e. The ſtrength, the ſtrong troops ſaith the Chaldee; they want decent burial, as Jer. 22. ſaith the Syriack.

Thou haſt put them to ſhame] viz. The poor afflicted, Pſal. 14.5. becauſe

God hath deſpiſed them] i. e. Subjected them to the contempt of the wicked.

Verſ. 6. O that the ſalvation] Heb. Salvations; Indicat plenam ſatutem, ſaith Kimchi.