Psalms 44:1 «To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. » We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, [what] work thou didst in their days, in the times of old. _Maschil_] _i.e._ Making wise, or giving instruction; for which purpose this psalm was composed by David (as... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 44:2 [How] thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; [how] thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out. Ver. 2. _How thou didst drive out the heathen_] _i.e._ The Canaanites. These God, the great proprietary of all, supplanted, after that they had for a long ti... [ Continue Reading ]
For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them. Ver. 3. _For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, &c._] Men are apt to arro... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob. Ver. 4. _Thou art my King, O God_] Heb. Thou art he, my King; Or, Thou art the same, my King, _i.e._ the same that thou wast to those of old. Oh, see to thy subjects, as ever thou hast done. _ Command deliverances for Jacob_] A Mandamus from... [ Continue Reading ]
Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us. Ver. 5. _Through thee will we push down our enemies_] _Cornu petemus,_ a metaphor from horned creatures, as Deuteronomy 33:17. This we shall soon do if thou do but only give the word of co... [ Continue Reading ]
_For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me._ Ver. 6. _For I will not trust in my bow_] To trust in men or means is the ready road to utter ruin. Idas, one of the Argonauts, is brought in by the poet, bragging that he trusted not in the gods, but in his own arm and arms. αιια ου... [ Continue Reading ]
But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. Ver. 7. _But thou hast saved us_] Thou hast wrought and fought for us against those that sought to destroy us. Thou hast, and, therefore, thou will for thou art the same, my King, Psalms 44:4 .... [ Continue Reading ]
In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah. Ver. 8. _In God we boast all the day long_] The Spaniards are said to be great boasters in the very lowest ebb of fortune. A godly man may be, and must be so by a holy gloriation; he must make his boasts of such a King, immortal... [ Continue Reading ]
But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies. Ver. 9. _But thou hast cut off, and put us to shame_] Here is a sudden change, and a sad complaint, but handsomely brought in, the better to insinuate, the sooner to prevail for redress. Only this, it should have been... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves. Ver. 10. _Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy_] By expectorating our faith and courage, and leaving us to a fearful faint heartedness, that flieth at the sound of a shaken leaf. God strengtheneth or weak... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou hast given us like sheep [appointed] for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen. Ver. 11. _Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat_] _Aliqui occisi, dispersi alii, et venundati gratias,_ Some of us are slain, others scattered here and there, and sold for nought (Aben-Ezra). _... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase [thy wealth] by their price._ Ver. 12. _Thou sellest thy people for nought_] Thirty for a penny the Jews were sold by the Romans, saith Josephus, at the last devastation. _ And dost not increase thy wealth by their price_] Thou takest thy... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us. Ver. 13. _Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours_] This to a generous spirit is very grievous. The Cappadocians were noted for a servile people; and Tiberius said of his Romans, that they were... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people. Ver. 14. _Thou makest us a byword among the heathen_] Who use to say, As base as a Jew, as wretched as an Israelite, &c. The Turks at this day say, _Iudaeus sim si fallam,_ If I be not as good as my word, count me a... [ Continue Reading ]
My confusion [is] continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me, Ver. 15. _My confusion is continually before me_] Heb. All the day long, or every day; so as that there is neither hope of better nor place of worse.... [ Continue Reading ]
For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger. Ver. 16. _For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth_] Reproacheth religion, blasphemeth God and his people, as if he eared not what became of them; and his dispensation seemeth to say as much: thi... [ Continue Reading ]
_All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant._ Ver. 17. _All this is come upon us; yet_] This they allege, viz. their constance as an arguent of their sincerity, and a motive to pity. Apply this, with Jerome, to Christians, and then it is... [ Continue Reading ]
Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way; Ver. 18. _Our heart is not turned back_] _Metaphora a stadio,_ saith Vatablus. As those that run a race stand not at a stay, much less turn back again; so neither have we either stopped or stepped backward, but advanced sti... [ Continue Reading ]
Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death. Ver. 19. _Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons_] _i.e._ In deserts haunted by dragons, see Isaiah 34:13; Isaiah 35:7, whereinto we are driven in banishment, and there hast crushed us... [ Continue Reading ]
If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; Ver. 20. _If we have forgotten the name of our God_] _i.e._ Foregone our religion, as renegadoes, denying the Lord that bought us. In the time of the Maccabees many defected to Paganism; Demas, forsaking Paul, be... [ Continue Reading ]
Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. Ver. 21. _Shall not God search this out?_] What pretences or excuses soever be used for the colouring and covering of the same. _ For he knoweth, &c._] See Matthew 10:26, _See Trapp on "_ Mat 10:26 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Ver. 22. _Yea, for thy sake are we killed, &c._] _q.d._ Thou knowest that for thy sake, and not for vain glory, or out of pertinace, &c., we are killed. It is the cause, and not the punishment, that maketh... [ Continue Reading ]
Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast [us] not off for ever. Ver. 23. _Awake, why sleepest thou?_] Considering all the premises, stir up thyself, and come and save us? carest thou not that we perish?... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore hidest thou thy face, [and] forgettest our affliction and our oppression? Ver. 24. _Wherefore hidest thou thy face?_] God sometimes concealeth his love, as Joseph did, out of increasement of love; he retireth, but faith fetcheth him out, as the woman of Canaan did, Mark 7:24,25 .... [ Continue Reading ]
For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth. Ver. 25. _For our soul, &c._] Soul and belly (or body), both are oppressed, and lie suppliant at God's feet; resolved there to live and die together.... [ Continue Reading ]
Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake. Ver. 26. _Arise for our help_] Heb. A help for us, a sufficient help, proportionable to our necessities. The Hebrew hath a letter more than ordinary. _Hebrew Text Note_... [ Continue Reading ]