John Trapp on Psalms 63:1

PSAL. LXIII.

WHen he was in the Wilderneſs of Judah] That is, of Idumea, ſaith Genebrard, which bordered upon the Tribe of Judah. But better underſtand it, either of the Forreſt of Hareth, 1 Sam. 22.5. or of the Wilderneſs of Ziph, 1 Sam. 23.14. where David was, In deſerto deſertus exul, & omnis ferè conſolationis inops, not only deſtitute of outward comforts, but in ſome deſertion of ſoul; Et ſic miſerrimus, & calamitoſiſſimus oberravit, ſaith Beza.

Verſ. 1. O God, thou art my God] And that is now mine only comfort; Divini mellis alvearium, the Bee-hive of heavenly honey.

Early will I ſeek thee] Now they who ſeek God early, have a promiſe that they ſhall finde him. Aben-Ezra rendreth it, Cicut mercator gemmas, inquiramte; [non-Latin text not transcribed] Mercator. I will diligently ſeek thee, as a Merchant doth precious Stones.

My ſoul thirſteth for thee] Thirſt is Tacl[illegible: 1 letter]th hattaavah ſay the Rabbines, the perfection of deſire. The whole life of a Chriſtian is nothing elſe but Sanctum deſiderium, ſaith Auſtin. How many broken ſpirits ſpend and exhale themſelves in continual Sallies as it were, and egreſſions of affection unto God, thirſting after, not only an union but an unity with him?

My fleſh longeth for thou] Non habet haec vox ſocium, ſaith Aben-Ezra; this word is here only found: It is a notable Metaphor, ſaith another Interpreter,R. Solomon. Areſcere exponit. taken from Women with Childe, to expreſs the earneſt affection that hee had to Godward. The Septuagint render it [non-Latin text not transcribed], Quam multipliciter. His ſoul, his fleſh, all was on a light fire, as it were, with ardent affection towards God.

In a dry and thirſty Land] Where I am hardly beſtead, and at a great fault for outward accommodations, but much more for ſweet and Spiritual communion with thee in holy Ordinances, there lieth the pinch of my grief.