John Trapp on Zechariah 12:8

Verſe 8. In that day ſhall the Lord defend &c.] Proſequitur eandem ſententiam ſaith Calvin. Prov. 21.24. He proceedes in the former argument, to aſſure the feeble Iews (as Sanballat that proud haughty ſcorner called them Neh. 4.2.) of ſafety and protection. God will bleſſe the righteous:Pſal. 5. vlt. with favour will he compaſſe them as with a ſhield. Now there is no comming at the body but thorough the ſhield, if well handled; no comming at the Saints, but through Gods own ſides, as I may ſay. He beareth his people as on Eagles wings Exod. 19.4. Deut. 32.11. Now the Eagle carries her yong upon her wings (and not between her talons as other birds do) ſo that they cannot be ſhot, but thorough the body of the old one. Oh the dignity and ſafety of a Saint! Well might Moſes ſing, Happy art thou O Iſrael: who is like unto thee, O people! ſaved by the Lord, the ſhield of thy help, and who is the ſword of thine excellency: and thine enemies ſhall be found [illegible: 1 word] unto thee, and thou ſhalt tread upon their high places. Deut. 33 29. Let all that would be ſafe indeed, as in a tower of braſſe, or town of warr, labour to be found written among the living in Ieruſalem Iſa. 4.3. to be of the Church of the firſt-born which are enrolled in heaven Heb. 12.23. like as in Ieruſalem were records kept of the names of all the citizens Pſal. 48.3. Get under Gods wing, and nothing can annoy thee. As if he be angry, where ſhall a man ſhelter? Braſſe and iron can fence him againſt a bullet or a ſword: but if he be to be caſt into a furnace of fire, it would help to torment him: if into a pit of water, to ſink him. Now our God is a conſuming ſire Heb. 12.29. and his breath a ſtream of brimſtone Iſa. 30.33. To run from him to other refuge, is but for a man to run his head into a barrel of gunpowder, for a ſhelter againſt the force of a fire kindled over him.

and he that is feeble among them] So that he cannot ſtand but ſtagger (as the word importeth) as did Miles Cobelite a Chriſtian ſouldier ſore wounded, ſo that he reeled like a drunken man and fell down diverſe times, for want of ſtrength. This man drawing nigh to Amurath the third king of Turks, as he was viewing the dead bodies after a bloody fight, making as if he would have craved his life of him.Turk Hiſt: fol. 200. ſuddenly ſtabbed him in the bottome of his belly with a ſhort dagger which he had under his ſouldiers coat; of which wound that great king and conquerour preſently died.

ſhall be as David] who was a mighty man of valour (as Huſhai told Abſalom and bid him beware 2 Sam. 17.8.) and had ſuch a band of worthies about him, as were not to be matched 2 Sam. 23.8. Theſe had a houſe by themſelves to dwell and exerciſe feats of armes: as Lyra gathereth out of Neh. 3.16. where mention is made of the houſe of the mighty. The Maccabes (ſlighted as abjects) did greater exploits and got greater victories then David had done: and the condition of this poor people was to be ſhortly after (ſc. under the preaching of Chriſts goſpel) far better and happier then ever it had been under the rich and flouriſhing kingdome of David: for then they ſhould be able to ſay, Gods grace is ſufficient for me: his ſtrength is made perfect in my weakneſſe. I will glory in mine infirmities, that the power of Chriſt may reſt upon me: for when I am weak, then I am ſtrong. I can do all things, ſuffer all things thorough Chriſt that ſtrengtheneth me. The weak ſhall ſay I am ſtrong Ioel 3.10 And indeed how can they be otherwiſe, that have a mighty ſtrong God Eſay 9.6. a ſtrong word, the Lords own arme, the power of God to ſalvation Rom. 1.16. Act. 20.32. a ſtrong ſpirit 2 Tim. 1.7. ſtrong conſolations Heb. 6.18.Prov. 18.10. ſtrong armour both offenſive and defenſive Eph. 6.18.Iſa. 40.31. and the name of the Lord as a ſtrongtower whereunto the righteous run and are ſafe, and where waiting upon the Lord they renew their ſtrength, they mount up with wings as Eagles, or rather as Angels.

for the houſe of David ſhall be as God as the Angell of the Lord before them] i. e. As Chriſt the Angell of Gods preſence, and that went before the people in the wilderneſſe. Such were thoſe of the blood-royall, and that ſucceeded David in the government: but eſpecially ſuch were the Apoſtles, Chriſts Mighties, who ſhould be endued with ſo many graces in majeſty, Authority, Strength, and truth, that men ſhould receive them (Cornelius like) as ſo many Angels of God, yea even as Chriſt Jeſus Gal. 4.14.