MEDITATIONS, CRITICAL AND PRACTICAL, ON PSALMS iv. xxxii. AND CXXX. Now first translated from the Latin. 2 S MEDITATIONS, CRITICAL AND PRACTICAL, ON PSALM iv. Title, To the chief Musician on Neginoth, a Psalm of David. MANY of the calamities of good men look like miseries, which yet on the whole appear to have conduced greatly to their happiness; witness the many prayers which they poured out in those calamities; the many seasonable and shining deliverances which succeeded them, and the many hymns of praise they sung to God their deliverer: so that they seem to have been cast into the fire on purpose that the odour of their graces might diffuse itself all abroad. O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame ?”* And what follows they explain with the same reference : Know that the Lord has in a wonderful manner separated his Holy One unto himself. Others however render the title in a different manner (victori) to the conqueror. Moderns translate it præcentori or præfecto musice, to the chief musician, or him who presided over the band of musicians, which, after all, seems the most natural interpretation. The word Neginoth, which is sometimes rendered stringed instruments, did, no doubt, signify instruments of music which were struck to give their sound, as Nehiloth, in the title of Psalm v., seems, though not without some little irregularity in the ety. mology, to signify instruments of wind music. The Psalm was written by David, as a sum. mary of the prayer he had poured out before God, when some exceeding great affliction seemed to besiege him on every side, whether it were the persecution of Saul, or the conspiracy of Absalom his son. VER. 1. Hear the when I call, O God of my righte ousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. The seventy Greek interpreters seem to have read the word which we render to the Chief Musician, something different from the reading of our present Hebrew copy, that is, Lemenetz, instead of Lemenetzoth; and therefore they render it, is rides, as the Latin does in finem, to the end. From whence the Greek and Latin fathers imagined, that all the Psalms which bear this inscription refer to the Messiah, the great end and the accomplishment of all things; a sentiment which was rather pious than judicious, and led them often to wrest several passages in the Psalms by violent and unnatural glosses. Yet I would not morosely reHear me.] Behold the sanctuary to which ject all interpretations of that kind, seeing the this good man betook himself in all the afflicApostles themselves apply to Christ many tions of his life; a sanctuary which, therepassages out of the Psalms and other books fore, he sets off, by accumulating a variety of the Old Testament, which, if we had not of expressive titles all to the same purpose. been assured of it by their authority, we Psalm xviii. 1: My rock, my fortress, my should hardly have imagined to have had strength, my deliverer, my buckler, &c. He any reference to him. Nor is it probable is indeed a place of refuge to his children; that they enumerated all the predictions of the Messiah, which are to be found in the prophetic writings, but only a very small part of them, while they often assure us that all the sacred writers principally centre in him; and it is certain the passage out of this Psalm, which Austin and some others suppose to refer to Christ, may be applied to him without any force upon the expression, and therefore, as Solomon expresses it, Prov. xiv. 26, In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence. There seems something of an enigma in that expression, confidence in fear, yet the thing itself is most true. And again, Proverbs xviii. 10, The name of the pidity of heart which the rejecting of Christ and his gospel manifests. They read it gravi corde, as expressive of the stu Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run- | argues, it were no more of grace, Rom. xi. neth into it, and is safe. And they who 6. Our prophet is certainly very far froin know not this refuge, are miserable; and boasting of his merits; for here he so menwhen any danger arises, they run hither and thither, as Antonius beautifully expresses it, μVINY TITOMEVWY diadgonais, "They fly and flutter they know not whither." The life of man upon earth is a warfare; and it is much better, in the midst of enemies and dangers, to be acquainted with one fortress than with many inns. He that knows how to pray may be pressed, but cannot be overwhelmed. tions his righteousness, as at the same time to cast himself upon the Divine mercy : Have mercy upon me, exercise thy propitious clemency towards me; and this is indeed the genuine temper of one who truly prays with sincerity and humility; for polluted hands are an abomination to the Lord, and he hates the heart that is puffed up; he beholds the proud afar off, as the Hear me, O Lord, hear my prayer.] He celebrated parable of the Pharisee and Pubdid not think it enough to have said this lican (Luke xviii.,) is, you know, intended once, but he redoubled it. He who prays to teach us. Thou art not a God that hast indeed, is seriously engaged in the matter, pleasure in wickedness. If I regard iniand not only seriously but vehemently too, quity in my heart, the Lord will not hear and urges the address because he himself is me. But the righteous Lord loveth righurged by his necessities and difficulties, and teousness, and his countenance beholds the the ardent motion of his own desire and af- upright. Whereas the words of the wicked, fection: and let it be observed, that these are when he prays, are but as a fan, or as belthe only prayers that mount on high, and lows, to blow up the Divine displeasure into offer a kind of grateful violence to heaven. a flame: for how can he appease God, who Nor does the Divine goodness grant any does not at all please him? Or how can he thing with greater readiness and delight, please, who is indeed himself displeased with than the blessings which seem, if I may be God, and who utterly disregards his pure allowed the expression, to be forced out and laws, and that holiness which is so dear to extorted by the most fervent prayer. So that him ? Tertullian used to say, "That when we pray Thou hast enlarged me when I was in eagerly, we do as it were combine in a re-distress.] "I have often experienced both solute band, and lay siege to God himself."+ the riches of thy bounty, and the power of These are the perpetual sacrifices in the thy hand; and I derive confidence from temple of God (via Rovina)-rational thence, because thou art immutable, and victims, prayers and intermingled vows, flow-canst never be wearied, by rescuing thy sering from an upright and pure heart. But vants from the dangers that surround them." he who presents his petitions coldly, seems The examples we have heard of divine aid to bespeak a denial: for is it to be wonder- granted to others in their distress should ed at, that we do not prevail on God to hear animate us; as David recollected, Psalm our prayers, when we hardly hear them our-xxii. 4, Our fathers trusted in thee; they selves while we offer them? How can we trusted in thee, and thou didst deliver them. suppose that such devotions should penetrate But our own personal experiences are later heaven, or ascend up to it? How should and nearer, and he who treasures them up they ascend, when they do not so much as in his memory, not only thereby expresses go forth from our own bosoms, but, like his gratitude to God, but wisely consults wretched abortives, die in the very birth? his own interest; for he enjoys all those But why do I say that they do not go out from the inward recesses of our bosoms? Alas! they are only formed on the surface of our lips, and they expire there; quite different from what Homer ascribes to his wise and eloquent Ulysses, when he says, Όπα τε μεγαλην εκ στήθιος κει. Forth from his breast he poured a mighty cry. benefits of Divine favour twice, or rather as often as he needs, and pleases to renew the enjoyment of them: and he not only supports his faith in new dangers, by surveying God's former interpositions, but by laying them open before God in humble prayer, he more earnestly implores and more effectually obtains new ones. By a secret kind of magnetism, he draws one benefit by another; he calls out, and as it were allures the Divine favour by itself. Thou God of my righteousness.] “O God, who art righteous thyself, and art the patron of my righteousness, of my righteous cause, Thou hast enlarged me.] The redeeemand of my righteous life;"-for it is necessary ed of the Lord may especially say so, in rcthat both should concur, if we desire to ad- ference to that grand and principal deliverdress our prayers to God with any confidence: ance, by which they are snatched from the not that, depending upon this righteousness, borders of hell, from the jaws of eternal we should seek the Divine aid and favour as a death. The remembrance of so great salvamatter of just debt; for then, as the apostle tion may well excite songs of perpetual Premi potest, non potest opprimi. † Precantes veluti stipato agmine Deum obsidere. praise to be ascribed (Deo liberatori) to God the deliverer: and by this deliverance, so much more illustrious than any of the destined his servants, whom you insult and rest, they may be encouraged, in the confi- deride. The height of your honour and dence of faith, to urge and hope for the aids vanishing glory, from the exaltation of which of his saving arm in every other exigency. you look down upon me, will, if you desire One thing more may be observed here, I should courageously speak the truth, only but it is so very obvious, that I shall only render your future fall more grievous and just mention it, as what needs not to be fatal, which he whose destruction you seek much inculcated; that he who has not been with such insatiable rage, sees indeed, but accustomed to prayer when the pleasant gales does not wish; nay, he rather wishes that of prosperity have been breathing upon him, this misery may be averted from you, and will have little skill and confidence in applying himself to it, when the storms of adversity arise; as Xenophon well observed in the person of Cyrus. that, by a return to the exercise of your right mind, it may be totally prevented; and therefore he gives you this admonition, lest while you are deriding him, unexpected destruction should come upon you, and your YER. 2. O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame ? How long will ye love laughter should prove of the Sardonic kind, vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah. which nothing can quiet till it end in death. JUSTLY may we admire the force and the You have indeed great strength and deep speed with which prayer flies up to heaven, counsel, but these things are only the blan and brings down answers from thence; a dishments of your ruin, and the splendid preExos, áμa sgyos—no sooner said than done. lude of that misery which is hovering over If not as to the accomplishment of the thing you. You have spent time enough, (and, itself, which perhaps may be more opportune alas! how much more than enough!) in in some future hour, yet at least in clear, giving chase to such vanities; at last refirm hope, and strong confidence, sent from gard the man who in the most disinterested above into a praying soul. Prayer soars above manner admonishes you of the most importhe violence and impiety of men, and with a tant truths." swift wing commits itself to heaven, with How long will ye turn my glory into happy omen, if I may allude to what the shame ?] The Septuagint appears to have learned tell us of the augury of the ancients, read these words something different from which I shall not minutely discuss. Fervent our copies, but the sense is, nevertheless, prayers stretch forth a strong, wide-extended much the same; and though the Psalmist, wing; and while the birds of night hover in the affair which he had in view, speaks beneath, they mount aloft, and point out as only of a few, the words themselves have it were the proper seats to which we should such an expressive dignity, and are in truth aspire. For certainly there is nothing so unhappily extensive, that without doing that cuts the air so swiftly, nothing that any the least violence to them, they may be takes so sublime, so happy, and so auspi- considered as an admonition to all mankindcious a flight, as prayer, which bears the O ye sons of men, how long will ye love vasoul upon its pinions, and leaves far behind nity and lies? For, indeed, what are all all the dangers, and even the delights of these things which we foolish mortals purthis low world of ours. Behold this holy sue, with such contention and ardour of spi. man, that just before was crying to God in rit, but, as an ancient expresses it, "Trifles the midst of distress, and with urgent impor- that are but like the shadow of smoke ?"+ tunity intreating that he might be heard, But we are to speak of this hereafter. In now, as if he were already possessed of all he the mean time let us attend to the words behad asked, taking upon him boldly to rebuke fore us, How long will ye turn my glory into his enemies, how highly soever they were ex- shame? The things which are the brightest alted, and how potent soever they might be ornaments of human nature, and which alone even in the royal palace! constitute its very glory, are holiness, piety, O ye sons of men.] The Hebrew phrase and faith; and these are treated as if they here used, bene Isch, properly speaking, were the most despicable and ignominious signifies noble men, great men, as persons of things in the whole world. Among ChrisPlebeian rank are called bene Adam.* tians, or those who are called by the name, "Whoever you are, and however illustrious it is the greatest of all scandals to be a Chrisby birth, or inflated with pride, or perhaps tian indeed. We have long since lost the formidable on both accounts, your greatness true names of things; candid simplicity of is false, and when it is most blown up, is manners is despised as rusticity; lively relimost likely to burst: that is a sound and gion is called the delirious dream of superstable degree of honour to which God has stitious notions; and gentleness, dullness * Παρα των θεων πρακτικωτέρος αν είη ώσπερ και παρ' ανθρώπων, όστις μη όποτε ἐν αποξείς είη, τοτε κολακίνοι, αλλ' ότι αρίστα πραττοι, τότε μάλιστα των θεων μεμνηται. Accordingly, the Latin renders it, not filii hominum, but filii virorum. and stupidity: while pride has usurped the * They render it, "How long are ye slow of heart?" Εως ποτέ βαρυκάρδιοι ; and the Latins, Usquaquo ταυ sorde? Instead of Kebudi lekelessch, they read Kebudi leklessi. † Φλιδόνες άπαντα και καπνου σκιαι· |