Psalms · Chapter 16

Verse 1. Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.] On the mode of interpretation which I have hinted at above, I consider this a prayer of the man Christ Jesus on his entering on his great atoning work, particularly his passion in the garden of Gethsemane. In that passion, Jesus Christ most evidently speaks as man; and with the strictest propriety, as it was the manhood, not the Godhead, that was engaged in the suffering. ynrmv shomreni, keep me-preserve, sustain, this feeble humanity, now about to bear the load of that punishment due to the whole of the human race. For in thee, ytysj chasithi, have I hoped. No human fortitude, or animal courage, can avail in my circumstances. These are no common sufferings; they are not of a natural kind; they are not proportioned to the strength of a human body, or the energy of a human spirit; and my immaculate humanity, which is subjected to these sufferings, must be dissolved by them, if not upheld by thee, the strong God. It is worthy of remark, that our Lord here uses the term, la El, which signifies the strong God, an expression remarkably suited to the frailty of that human nature, which was now entering upon its vicarious sufferings. It will be seen with what admirable propriety the Messiah varies the appellations of the Divine Being in this address; a circumstance which no translation without paraphrase can express.

Verse 1. Preserve me, O God — Hebrew — ynrmv, shamereeni, keep, support, guard, or defend me — These words are evidently spoken by one in trouble and distress, or in danger, either from his enemies or in some other way. As David was frequently in such circumstances, they were probably primarily spoken by him in his own person, as a member of Christ, and they are words which often suit the case of any believer, who has frequently need to pray for support under troubles and distresses, to be protected against his spiritual enemies, and preserved and kept from the sins to which he is exposed. For in thee do I put my trust — And therefore thou art in honour and by promise obliged not to deceive my confidence. The Hebrew, Ëb ytysj, chasiti back, properly means, I have fled to thee for protection, the verb hsj, chasah, meaning, “recipere se ad aliquem, sub cujus protectione tutus sit, ut pulli sub alis gallinarum,” to betake one’s self to any one, under whose protection one may be safe, as chickens under the wings of the hens. Thus they who make God their refuge and strength, and by faith commit themselves to his care, shall be safe under the shadow of the Almighty, and shall find him a present help in the time of trouble. Dr. Horne, who considers the whole Psalm as “one continued speech, without change of person,” supposes the contents of this verse, as well as of the rest of the Psalm, to be spoken by Christ, who, he thinks, is here represented as making his supplication to the Father for the deliverance promised to, and expected by, him. Certainly the words are applicable to Christ, for he prayed, Father, save me from this hour, and trusted in God that he would deliver him.

1. Preserve me—See introductory note.

V. 2. To thee-Thou dost not need me or my service, nor art capable of any advantage from it.

Verse 2. Thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord] Thou hast said hwhyl layhovah, to Jehovah, the supreme, self-existing, and eternal Being; Thou art my Lord, hta ynda adonai attah, Thou art my prop, stay, or support. As the Messiah, or Son of God, Jesus derived his being and support from Jehovah; and the man Christ was supported by the eternal Divinity that dwelt within him, without which he could not have sustained the sufferings which he passed through, nor have made an atonement for the sin of the world; it is the suffering Messiah, or the Messiah in prospect of his sufferings, who here speaks.

My goodness extendeth not to thee] There are almost endless explanations of this clause; no man can read them without being confounded by them. The SEPTUAGINT read oti twn agaqwn mou ou creian eceiv; Because thou dost not need my goods. The VULGATE follows the Septuagint. The CHALDEE: My good is given only by thyself. So the SYRIAC: My good is from thee. The ARABIC: Thou dost not need my good works. And in this sense, with shades of difference, it has been understood by most commentators and critics.

Bishop Horsley translates, Thou art my good-not besides thee. Dr. Kennicott, My goodness is not without thee.

I think the words should be understood of what the Messiah was doing for men. My goodness, ytbwc tobathi, “my bounty,” is not to thee. What I am doing can add nothing to thy divinity; thou art not providing this astonishing sacrifice because thou canst derive any excellence from it: but this bounty extends to the saints-to all the spirits of just men made perfect, whose bodies are still in the earth; and to the excellent, yryda addirey, “the noble or supereminent ones,” those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. The saints and illustrious ones not only taste of my goodness, but enjoy my salvation. Perhaps angels themselves may be intended; they are not uninterested in the incarnation, passion, death, and resurrection of our Lord. They desire to look into these things; and the victories of the cross in the conversion of sinners cause joy among the angels of God.

The µyvwdq kedoshim, “saints,” or consecrated persons, may refer to the first planters of Christianity, evangelists, apostles, &c., who were separated from all others, and consecrated to the great important work of preaching among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. With these was all the desire, xpj chephets, the good will and delight of Christ. In all their ministrations he was both with them and in them.

The passage, taken as referring to David, intimates that he abhorred the company of the profane and worthless, and delighted to associate with them that excelled in virtue.

On these two verses the translation and paraphrase of my old Psalter must not be forgotten:—

Ver. 1. Conserva me, Domine, &c.

Trans. Kepe me Lord, for I hoped in the; I said til Lord, my God thou ert; for, of my gudes thu has na nede.

Par.—The voice of Crist in his manhede; prayand til the fader, and sayand: Lord, fader, kepe me imang peplis, for I hoped in the, noght in me. I said til the, my God, thu ert in that, that I am man; for thu has no nede of my godes; bot I haf of the, al that I haf; here is the wil pride of men confounded; that evenes that thai haf ought of tham self bot syn. Ver. 2. Sanctis qui sunt in terra, &c.

Trans. Til halowes the qwilk er his land, he selcouthed all my willes in tham. Par.—Noght til wiked, bot til halows clene in saule, and depertid fra erdly bysynes, the qwilk er in his land: that es, that haf fested thair hope in the land of heven; and rotyd in luf: the qwilk hope es als anker in stremys of this werld. He selcouthed al my willes, that of wonderful, he made my willes, of dying and rysing, sett and fulfilled in tham: that es, in thair profete, qware in that feled qwat it profeted tham my mekenes that wild dye, and my myght to rise.

Verses 2, 3. O my soul, thou hast said, &c. — The words, O my soul, not being in the original, Houbigant translates the clause, I have said unto the Lord — I have oftentimes avowed and professed it, and still persist so to do. Thou art my Lord — By creation, preservation, and on various other accounts: the king, to whom I am subject, the master whom I serve, the father whom I obey, the husband and portion whom I love, and to whom I cleave. My goodness extendeth not to thee — Whatever piety, or virtue, or goodness may be in me, or be done by me, it does not add any thing to thy felicity, for thou dost not need me nor my service, nor art capable of any advantage from it. Or, is not for thee, as the expression, Ëyl[ lb, bal gnaleka, is sometimes used; that is, for thy use or benefit. Or, is not upon thee, that is, it lays no obligation upon thee. All which interpretations come to the same thing, and signify that God is all-sufficient and infinitely happy, and the author of all the good that is in, or is done by, any of his creatures; and therefore that good cannot prevent or oblige God any further than he is graciously pleased to oblige himself. Thus he renounces all opinion of merit; and, though he urged his trust in God, as a motive to induce God to preserve him, verse 1, yet he here declares he did not do it as supposing that God was indebted to him for it. The words, as applied to Christ, mean, that the services which he performed by his ministry, and the benefits which he procured by his sufferings, did not, properly speaking, make any addition of happiness and glory to God; because, being infinitely perfect in himself, his glory cannot be increased by any services which are paid him, nor be diminished by the crimes of his creatures. But to the saints — That is, the faithful, who are sanctified in Christ Jesus. See 1 Corinthians 1:2; John 17. As if he had said, I bear singular respect and love to all saints, for thy sake, whose friends and servants they are, and whose image they bear. This more properly agrees to David than to Christ, whose goodness was principally designed for, and imparted to, sinners, and who did not find men saints, but made them so; nor was it confined to them that lived with him upon the earth, but extended to all believers, of all ages, before and after him. And to the excellent — Hebrew yrydaw, veadiree, the magnificent, or mighty, or honourable, namely, the saints, as he now termed them, whom, because they were mean and despicable in the eyes of the world, he honours with their just titles, and by appropriating these titles to the people of God, he sufficiently intimates that all other men, how great soever, are truly ignoble before God, and vile persons, as he had termed them, Psalm 15:4. In whom is all my delight — That is, whose company and conversation are pleasant and desirable to me. See Psalm 119:63.

2. O my soul—These words are not in the original, but trma, thou hast said, being in the second person feminine, supposes the soul addressed, which is not uncommon in David’s dramatic style. See Psalm 42:5, 11, and 43:5. Comp. Lamentations 3:24. My goodness extendeth not to thee—Hebrew, my goodness [is] not above, Ëyl[, or beyond thee. Goodness is not to be here taken in the sense of beneficence, but of happiness. Nothing stood above, or aside from, God as an object of desire or aim. God himself was the source and sum of all satisfaction, as in Psalm 73:25. This is the soul’s response to Exodus 20:3, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

V. 3. But-I bear a singular respect and love to all saints, for thy sake, whose friends and servants they are, and whose image they bear. This more properly agrees to David, than to Christ, whose goodness was principally designed for, and imparted to sinners.

Verses 2, 3. O my soul, thou hast said, &c. — The words, O my soul, not being in the original, Houbigant translates the clause, I have said unto the Lord — I have oftentimes avowed and professed it, and still persist so to do. Thou art my Lord — By creation, preservation, and on various other accounts: the king, to whom I am subject, the master whom I serve, the father whom I obey, the husband and portion whom I love, and to whom I cleave. My goodness extendeth not to thee — Whatever piety, or virtue, or goodness may be in me, or be done by me, it does not add any thing to thy felicity, for thou dost not need me nor my service, nor art capable of any advantage from it. Or, is not for thee, as the expression, Ëyl[ lb, bal gnaleka, is sometimes used; that is, for thy use or benefit. Or, is not upon thee, that is, it lays no obligation upon thee. All which interpretations come to the same thing, and signify that God is all-sufficient and infinitely happy, and the author of all the good that is in, or is done by, any of his creatures; and therefore that good cannot prevent or oblige God any further than he is graciously pleased to oblige himself. Thus he renounces all opinion of merit; and, though he urged his trust in God, as a motive to induce God to preserve him, verse 1, yet he here declares he did not do it as supposing that God was indebted to him for it. The words, as applied to Christ, mean, that the services which he performed by his ministry, and the benefits which he procured by his sufferings, did not, properly speaking, make any addition of happiness and glory to God; because, being infinitely perfect in himself, his glory cannot be increased by any services which are paid him, nor be diminished by the crimes of his creatures. But to the saints — That is, the faithful, who are sanctified in Christ Jesus. See 1 Corinthians 1:2; John 17. As if he had said, I bear singular respect and love to all saints, for thy sake, whose friends and servants they are, and whose image they bear. This more properly agrees to David than to Christ, whose goodness was principally designed for, and imparted to, sinners, and who did not find men saints, but made them so; nor was it confined to them that lived with him upon the earth, but extended to all believers, of all ages, before and after him. And to the excellent — Hebrew yrydaw, veadiree, the magnificent, or mighty, or honourable, namely, the saints, as he now termed them, whom, because they were mean and despicable in the eyes of the world, he honours with their just titles, and by appropriating these titles to the people of God, he sufficiently intimates that all other men, how great soever, are truly ignoble before God, and vile persons, as he had termed them, Psalm 15:4. In whom is all my delight — That is, whose company and conversation are pleasant and desirable to me. See Psalm 119:63.

3. To the saints—Taking the preposition “to” in the sense of belonging to, joining to, the meaning would be, “I have no good beyond thee, belonging as I do to the fellowship of the saints, and the noble, in whom is all my delight.”—Perowne. Or, taking the same particle in the sense of as to, in respect to, read, In respect to the saints who are in the earth, even the noble, or princely, all my delight is in them. Saints are those dedicated to God by covenant and sacrifice. In the earth—Is purely descriptive and relative. The contrast is with saints “in heaven,” which is often made. See note on Psalm 89:6; and compare Ephesians 3:15; Hebrews 12:23. Excellent—A title of rank—noble, princely—synonymous with “saints who are in the earth,” in the previous line. Deuteronomy 33:29; Hebrews 11:25; 1 Peter 2:9. He discovers and confesses their rank, though being in the earth they are often imperfect and in reproach. In whom is all my delight—I delight in them alone. David’s supreme happiness is in God, and, secondarily, in the “saints” as God’s people.

V. 4. Sorrows-Having shewed his affection to the servants of the true God, he now declares what an abhorrency he has for those that worship idols. Offerings-In which the Gentiles used sometimes to drink part of the blood of their sacrifices. Names-Of those other gods mentioned before.

Verse 4. Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god] The Chaldee has: “They multiply their idols, and afterwards hasten that they may offer their gifts.” In the Hebrew text there is no word for God, and therefore Messiah or Saviour might be as well substituted; and then the whole will refer to the unbelieving Jews. They would not have the true Christ; they have sought, and are seeking, another Messiah; and how amply fulfilled has the prophetic declaration been in them! Their sorrows have been multiplied for more than 1800 years.

The Vulgate and Septuagint, and after them the Æthiopic and Arabic, have given this clause a widely different turn: “their afflictions have been multiplied, and afterwards they have run swiftly;” referring to the suffering saints: the more they were afflicted and persecuted, the more fervent and prosperous they became.

Their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer] Ësn nesech is a libation, whether of wine or water, poured out on the sacrifice. A drink-offering of blood is not a correct form of expression; it is rather the libation on the blood of the sacrifice already made. Coverdale translates the same; but Mathewes, who reformed his text in a few places, has Their brente offeringes of bloude, without much mending the text; though by this the exceptionable idea of a drink-offering of blood is avoided. As applicable to our Lord, here is an intimation that their libations and sacrifices should cease. None of these should exist under the Christian dispensation; Jesus Christ’s offering upon the cross being the accomplishment and termination of all such sacrifices.

Nor take up their names into my lips.] None of those sacrifices shall be mentioned with any kind of respect after the end of their institution shall have been accomplished; for sacrifice, offering, burnt-offering, and sacrifice for sin, such as are offered according to the law, God would no longer receive; therefore Jesus said; “Lo, I come to do thy will; a body hast thou prepared me.” Since that time all these sacrifices have ceased. The old Psalter is curious:—

Ver. 4. Multiplicate sunt infirmitates eorum; postea acceleraverunt. Trans. Manyfalded er thair sekenes: and sythen thai hasted thaim. Par.—That es at say; thai knew that thai war ful seke in body and saule, and sythen thai hasted tham til the Leche; for he that feles him seke, he sekes remedy. Il men wenes that thai er noght seke for thi that dye in thair syn.

Non congregabo conventicula eroum de sanguinibus, &c.

Trans. I sal noght gadyr the coventes of tha of blodes; ne I sal be menand of their names thurgh my lippis.

Par. That est at say, by the coventes of haly men, my servaundes sal nout fleschely, but gastly: for blode bytakyns syn and unclenes that that er in, that folous thair flesche, and the vanites of thair blode; that er comen of grete kyn. Ne I sal by menand of thair names; for thai er chaunged fra syn till ryghtwisnes on domesday, qwen I sal speke thrugh my lippes til thaim that haldes the name of wykednes: sa ye weryed til fyer with outen end.

Verse 4. Their sorrows, &c. — Having showed his great respect and affection to the saints and servants of the true God, he now declares what an abhorrence he had for those that worshipped idols, the increase of whose sorrows he foretels, that a consideration thereof might be a means of awakening and converting them to the Lord. That hasten after another God — Or, that present to, or endow, (as the verb rhm, mahar, signifies, Exodus 22:16,) another God, namely, with oblations, as it follows. The sense is, Idolaters, notwithstanding all their zeal or cost about their idols, gain nothing to themselves but abundance of sorrow and misery. This he mentions as a reason why he would have no fellowship with them in their idolatrous worship; and also, that by this comparison he might illustrate and commend his own happiness, in having the Lord for his portion, of which he speaks, verses 5, 6. Their drink-offerings of blood — Under which he comprehends all their offerings, none of which would he be concerned in offering; but he mentions these particularly, because of the peculiar wickedness implied in these sacrifices, more than in others. For in these, as divers learned men have observed, the heathen used not only to offer, but even to drink part of the blood of their sacrifices, whether of beasts or men, according as either of them were sacrificed. Which must needs have been very hateful to God, because he had so severely forbidden his people to drink or eat blood, either at their sacrifices or at their common meals. By this the psalmist probably meant to convince those Israelites of the greatness of their sin who hankered after idolatry, and made no conscience of maintaining communion with idolaters, (which was the case with many of them in Saul’s time,) as well as to justify himself for his detestation of them and of all fellowship with them. Nor take up their names into my lips — The names of those other gods mentioned before. I abhor the very name and memory of them. Not that he thought it absolutely unlawful to mention the names of these idols, which is frequently done by holy prophets, but he means thus to express the odiousness of idolatry, by showing his hatred to the very names of idols. Compare Exodus 23. 13; Deuteronomy 12:3; Hosea 2:16, 17; Ephesians 5:3.

4. Hasten after another god—Spoken of the zeal of idol worship-pers, and especially of apostates, who in distress and fear precipitately cast off Jehovah for idols. Such shall multiply sorrows. This verse is in marked contrast with the preceding. Drink offerings of blood—The drink offering was a libation of wine, poured upon the sacrifice on the altar. It accompanied both bloody and unbloody sacrifices. See notes on Leviticus 23:13; 18:27; Numbers 15:5; 7:10. The “drink offering of blood,” might be so called because accompanying the bloody sacrifice, as opposed to the minchah, or unbloody offerings; or as being, among idol worshippers, associated with inhuman rites, or with bloodstained hands. Nor take up their name into my lips—Which the law forbade. Exodus 23:13.

V. 5. The Lord-I rejoice in God as my portion, and desire no better, no other felicity. Cup-The portion which is put into my cup, as the ancient manner was in feasts, where each had his portion of meat, and of wine allotted to him. Lot-My inheritance divided to me by lot, as the custom then was.

Verse 5. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance] The Messiah speaks. Jehovah is the portion of mine inheritance; I seek no earthly good; I desire to do the will of God, and that only. It is God who has given me this lot-to redeem mankind-to have them for mine inheritance. From him I have received the cup of suffering, which I shall drink for their sake, through which I shall impart to them the cup of consolation. He, by the grace of God, has tasted death for every man; and he has instituted the cup of blessing to commemorate his passion and death.

Verse 5. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance — Hebrew, yqlj, chelki, of my division, that is, of that portion which God hath mercifully divided, or distributed to me, and which, by his grace, I have chosen for myself. I envy not the vast riches and glory of idolaters, but do heartily rejoice in God as my portion, and desire no better nor any other felicity. God, who hath suffered other nations to walk in their own idolatrous ways, hath granted this favour to me, that I should know, worship, and serve him, the only true God. And as other nations have chosen, and adhere to their false gods, so have I chosen Jehovah, and will cleave to him. And of my cup — The portion that is put into my cup, as the ancient manner was in feasts, in which each had his portion of meat and of wine allotted to him: see Psalm 11:6. Thus while the carnal part of mankind take the world for their chief good, and place their felicity in the enjoyments of it, every truly pious and spiritual person, like David, will say, The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup. This is the portion I make choice of, and will gladly take up with, how poor soever my condition may be in this world. Let me have the love and favour of God, and be accepted of him: let me have the comfort of communion with him, and satisfaction in the communications of his graces and comforts: let me have an interest in his promises, and a title by promise to everlasting life and happiness in the future state, and I have enough, I need no more, I desire no more, to complete my felicity. Thou maintainest my lot — My heritage, in allusion to the land of Canaan, divided by lot. As thou hast given me an excellent lot, having planted me among thy own people, and in that place, which thou hast chosen for thy dwelling, and for the house and ordinances of thy worship, so, I doubt not, thou wilt uphold and preserve me there, in spite of all the malicious designs of mine enemies, that seek to drive me hence. Thus may the true Christian say: Thou, that hast by promise made over thyself to me to be mine, wilt graciously make good what thou hast promised. Thou wilt not leave me nor forsake me, nor put it into the power of mine enemies to rob me of my happiness in communion with thee, while I cleave to thee with full purpose of heart; and while the life I live in the flesh is by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

5. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance—An allusion to the settlement by lot of the land of Canaan among the tribes, and specially to the tribe of Levi, which had no landed estate except the suburbs of their cities, for “Jehovah was his portion.” See Numbers 18:20; Deuteronomy 10:9; and 18:1, 2. Jehovah was not only the one who gave him his portion, but he was himself that portion. See notes on verses 2, 3; and compare 1 Corinthians 3:22, 23; Ephesians 1:11; with note. My cup—See note on Psalm 11:6.

V. 6. Lines-My portion, which was measured with lines. Are fallen-In a land flowing with milk and honey, and above all, blessed with the presence and knowledge of God.

Verse 6. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places] Here is an allusion to the ancient division of the land by lot among the Israelites, the breadth and length being ascertained by lines which were used in measuring. I have got a rich inheritance of immortal spirits; and I myself, as man, shall have a name above every name, and be raised to thy throne, on which I shall sit, and be admired in my saints to all eternity. I have a goodly heritage.] A Church, an innumerable multitude of saints, partakers of the Divine nature, and filled with all the fulness of God. And these shall dwell with me in the heaven of heavens to all eternity. The old Psalter:—

Ver. 5. Dominus pars hereditatis mee et calicis mei, &c.

Trans. Lord es part of myn herytage and of my chalyce; thow ert that sal restore myn herytage til me.

Par. Lord the fader es part, that es, he es porcioun and mede of myn herytage; that es of haly men, qwam I weld in herytage. Other men cheses tham what tham lyst: my part es God, and he es part of my chalyce: that es, he es my copp of al my delyte and boor. Wereldys men drynkes the venemus lustes, and the drubly delytes of lychery and covatys: I in my halows sal drynk God; for thu ert fadyr that sal restore till me, that es, til my men, myn herytage, that thai lost in Adam: that es thu restores til tham the knawyng of my bryghthede.

Ver. 6. Punes ceciderunt michi in preclaris, &c.

Trans. Strynges fel to me in ful bryght: for qwy, myn herytage is ful bryght til me. Par. Strynges, that er merkes of my possessioun, in thi bryghtnes, fel als with cutte; als the possessioun of prestes and dekens in the alde law, was God; for qwy myn herytage, that es haly men es bryght til me of that seme layth and aute castyng til some of the werld, til me thai er fairer and bryght.

Verse 6. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places — In a sweet land, flowing with milk and honey, and, above all, blessed with the presence and knowledge of the true God. The allusion is the same as it was in the preceding verse, lines signifying the lot or tract of land which it was anciently the custom to divide by lines. Those have reason to speak in this language who have God for their portion, for they have a worthy portion, a goodly heritage. What can they have better? What can they desire more? Return unto thy rest, O my soul, and look no farther. “Gracious souls,” says Henry, “though they still covet more of God, never covet more than God; but, being satisfied they possess his loving-kindness, are satisfied with it, and envy not any their carnal mirth and sensual pleasures and delights, but account themselves truly happy in what they have, and doubt not but to be completely happy in what they hope for. And those whose lot is cast, as David’s was, in a land of light, in a valley of vision, where God is known and worshipped, have, upon that account, reason to say, the lines are fallen to them in pleasant places, much more they that have not only the means but the end not only Immanuel’s land, but Immanuel’s love.”

6. This is an amplification of verse 5. Lines—Cords or chains by which land was measured. Sometimes, by metonymy, the land itself was thus called because measured by line.

V. 7. The Lord-Hath inspired that wisdom into me, by which I have chosen the Lord for my portion, and am so fully satisfied with him. Reins-My inward thoughts and affections, being inspired and moved by the holy spirit. Instruct-Direct me how to please God, and put my whole trust in him. Night-Even when others are asleep, my mind is working upon God, and improving the silence and solitude of holy meditations.

Verse 7. Who hath given me counsel] Jesus, as man, received all his knowledge and wisdom from God; Luke 2:40-52. And in him were hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

My reins also instruct me] ytwylk kilyothai, reins or kidneys, which from their retired situation in the body, says Parkhurst, and being hidden in fat, are often used in Scripture for the most secret workings and affections of the heart.

The kidneys and their fat were always to be burnt in sacrifice, to indicate that the most secret purposes and affections of the soul are to be devoted to God.

In the night seasons.] That is, in the time of my passion, my secret purposes and determinations concerning the redemption of man support me. “For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, despising the shame;” Hebrews 12:2.

Verse 7. I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel — The Hebrew, ynx[y, jegnatzani, may be rendered, hath consulted for me, that is, by his wise and gracious counsel hath provided so good a heritage for me: or, who hath inspired that counsel and wisdom into me by which I have chosen him for my portion and happiness, and am so fully satisfied with him. So ignorant and foolish are we, that, if we be left to ourselves, our hearts will follow our eyes, and we shall choose our own delusions, and forsake our own mercies, for lying vanities: and, therefore, if we have indeed taken God for our portion, and preferred spiritual and eternal blessings before those that are sensible and temporal, we must thankfully acknowledge the power and goodness of divine grace, directing and enabling us to make that choice. My reins also — That is, my inward thoughts and affections (which are commonly signified by the reins, Psalm 7:9, and 26:2; Jeremiah 11:20, and 12:2, and 17:10) being inspired and moved by the Holy Spirit; instruct me — Admonish me concerning my duty and happiness, direct me what course to take, how to please and glorify God, and to put my whole trust in, and live to him; in the night seasons — Even when others are asleep my mind is employed about God and things divine, and engaged to improve the silence and solitude of the night in holy meditation, prayer, and devotion. All this may be applied to Christ, who made the Lord his portion, and was pleased with that portion; made his Father’s glory his highest end, and made it his meat and drink to seek that, and to do his will, and delighted to prosecute his undertaking, pursuant to his Father’s counsel, depending upon him to maintain his lot, and carry him through his undertaking. And we ought so far to apply it to ourselves as to learn from it wherein our duty and happiness consist, and to examine ourselves by it, whether we are properly influenced by such discoveries, and act accordingly.

7. Counsel—God had made him wise and skilful in divine wisdom. Reins—the word twylk, (kelayoth,) which occurs only in the plural, is always, in the common version, translated either kidneys or reins, the former the literal, the latter the figurative or physical sense, in which it denotes the tenderest inward sensibility. It is often associated with bl, (lebh,) heart, (Psalm 26:2; Jeremiah 11:20,) as denoting the innermost feeling, never with ˆcb, (beten,) or µymjr, (belly, or bowels,) or with brq, (kereb,) inner part, all psychical terms. See on Psalm 5:9. To be instructed by the reins, is to be admonished and corrected by the feelings, awakened by meditation, whether of a painful or pleasurable nature. The word rsy, (yahsar,) instruct, chasten, has commonly the idea of painful discipline, but here of joyful incentive to make Jehovah his portion.

V. 8. I have set-I have always presented him to my mind, as my witness and judge, as my patron and protector. Hitherto David seems to have spoken with respect to himself, but now he is transported by the spirit of prophecy, and carried above himself, to speak as a type of Christ, in whom this and the following verses were truly accomplished. Christ as man did always set his father’s will and glory before him. Right-hand-To strengthen, protect, assist, and comfort me: as this assistance of God was necessary to Christ as man. Moved-Though the archers shoot grievously at me, and both men and devils seek my destruction, and God sets himself against me as an enemy, yet I am assured he will deliver me out of all my distresses.

Verse 8. I have set the Lord always before me] This verse, and all to the end of Psalm 16:11, are applied by St. Peter to the death and resurrection of Christ. Acts 2:25, &c.

In all that our Lord did, said, or suffered, he kept the glory of the Father and the accomplishment of his purpose constantly in view. He tells us that he did not come down from heaven to do his own will, but the will of the Father who had sent him. See John 17:4.

He is at my right hand] That is, I have his constant presence, approbation, and support. All this is spoken by Christ as man. I shall not be moved.] Nothing can swerve me from my purpose; nothing can prevent me from fulfilling the Divine counsel, in reference to the salvation of men.

Verse 8. I have set the Lord always before me — I have always presented him to my mind as my witness and judge, as my patron and protector, in the discharge of my office, and in all my actions. Hitherto David seems to have spoken chiefly in his own person, and with special regard to himself, but now he appears to be transported by the Spirit of prophecy, to be carried above himself, and to have an eye to the man Christ Jesus only, who is, and was, the end of the law, and the great subject and scope of all the prophecies. In other words, having hitherto spoken of himself as a member, he now begins to speak of himself as a type of Christ, in whom this, and the following verses, were truly and fully accomplished. Christ, as man, did always set his Father’s will and glory before him, as he himself often declares: see John 10:18, and 14:31. He is at my right hand — To strengthen, protect, assist, and comfort me. And this assistance of God was necessary to Christ as man. I shall not be moved — Either from the discharge of my duty, or from the attainment of that glory and happiness which are prepared for me. Though archers shoot grievously at me, and both men and devils seek my destruction, and God sets himself against me as an enemy; yet I am assured, he will deliver me from all my distresses.

8. Set the Lord always before me—Acting as under his eye, and “as seeing Him who is invisible,” Hebrews 11:27. At my right hand— Close to me, and at the place for most opportune aid. This and the following verses are Messianic and evangelical in the highest sense. (See Acts 2:25; and note.) As such, the interpretation must proceed upon a literal and historic sense only so far as that is an ectype of the prophetic and spiritual. It is impossible to compress the language of these verses within the limits of the personal history of David.

V. 9. My glory-My tongue, which is a man’s glory and privilege, above all other living creatures. Rejoiceth-Declares my inward joy. For this word signifies not so much eternal joy, as the outward demonstrations of it. My flesh-My body shall quietly rest in the grave. Shall rest-in confident assurance of its incorruption there, and of its resurrection to an immortal life: the flesh or body is in itself, but a dead lump of clay; yet hope is here ascribed to it figuratively, as it is to the brute creatures, Romans 8:19.

Verse 9. Therefore my heart is glad] Unutterably happy in God; always full of the Divine presence; because whatsoever I do pleaseth him. The man Christ Jesus must be constantly in communion with God, because he was without spot and blemish.

My glory rejoiceth] My tongue, so called by the Hebrews, (see Psalm 57:8; 30:12,) because it was bestowed on us to glorify God, and because it is our glory, being the instrument of expressing our thoughts by words. See Dodd. But soul bids as fair to be the meaning. See Clarke’s notes on “Ac 2:25”, &c.

My flesh also shall rest in hope.] There is no sense in which these and the following words can be spoken of David. Jesus, even on the cross, and breathing out his soul with his life, saw that his rest in the grave would be very short: just a sufficiency of time to prove the reality of his death, but not long enough to produce corruption; and this is well argued by St. Peter, Acts 2:31.

Verse 9. Therefore — Upon this ground and confidence; my heart is glad — I feel, not only a perfect satisfaction, but joy and triumph in my heart. And my glory — My tongue, as St. Peter explains it, Acts 2:26. For the Hebrews give the tongue the name of glory, Psalm 30:12, and 57:8, and 108:1, because it was bestowed upon us that we might thereby glorify God and because it is our glory, as being the instrument of expressing our thoughts by words, a privilege not vouchsafed to any of the inferior creatures; rejoiceth — Hebrew, lgy, jagel, exulteth; declares my inward joy. For this word signifies, not so much inward joy, as the outward demonstrations of it. My flesh also shall rest in hope — My body shall quietly and sweetly rest in the grave, to which I am hastening, in confident assurance of its not suffering corruption there, and of its resurrection to immortal life. The flesh, or body, is in itself but a dead lump of clay; yet hope is here ascribed to it figuratively, as it is to the brute creatures, Romans 8:19, because there is a sufficient cause and foundation for such hope, if it were capable of it, the good promised and expected being future and certain.

9. My glory—The word generally means honour, majesty, renown; but here, the soul, as the most excellent part of man. My flesh… shall rest in hope—rck, (flesh,) is the organic body, and the enumeration of heart, glory, (soul,) flesh, nearly answers to the Greek trichotomy, “spirit, soul, and body,” 1 Thessalonians 5:23, where see note. When applied to the human body the word commonly means the living body, as opposed to one dead, and it has been hence urged that it could not apply, as a prophecy, to the dead body of Christ. But against this it may be urged, first, To restrict the whole to the personal history of David would give only the sense, “My body shall dwell in safety,” that is, I shall be preserved alive—a rendering too insipid and pointless to comport with the dignity of the psalm. Secondly, The scope of the passage requires us to understand the author as speaking of the state after death. See on verses 10, 11. Thirdly, It would be perfectly natural for him, in speaking of the future state and destiny of the body, to use a term that designates that living body, as if he had said, “This body, now alive, shall rest in hope,” etc. Fourthly, The word not unfrequently denotes the body as frail, mortal, perishable, (as 2 Chronicles 32:8; Psalm 56:4; 78:39,) in which sense it is exactly suitable to this connexion, just as the apostle, “This corruptible (equal to mortal body) shall put on interruption.” 1 Corinthians 15:53. Fifthly, The word is certainly applied to a dead body. Zechariah 11:9; Ezekiel 37:68. Sixthly, The “also” (“also my flesh,” etc.) signifies something additional to what had been hitherto said or applied. But the rendering objected to gives no accession to, but a fatal falling off, of the sense. Above all, it directly contradicts the literal application of the passage made by the apostle in Acts 2:25-35, where see notes.

V. 10. Hell-In the state of the dead. Holy one-Me thy holy son, whom thou hast sanctified and sent into the world. It is peculiar to Christ, to be called the holy one of God. To see-To be corrupted or putrefied in the grave, as the bodies of others are.

Verse 10. Thine Holy One] This is in the plural number, Ëydysj chasideycha, thy Holy Ones; but none of the versions translate it in the plural; and as it is in the singular number, Ëdysj chasidecha, in several ancient editions, among which is the Complutensian Polyglot, and no less than two hundred and sixty-four of Kennicott’s and Deuteronomy Rossi’s MSS., and in the quotation by St. Peter, in Acts 2:27; 13:35, we may take it for granted that the present reading is a corruption; or that Ëydysj is an emphatic singular.

As to leaving the soul in hell, it can only mean permitting the life of the Messiah to continue under the power of death; for lwav sheol signifies a pit, a ditch, the grave, or state of the dead. See Clarke’s notes on the parallel places, “Ac 2:25”, &c.

See corruption.] All human beings see corruption, because born in sin, and liable to the curse. The human body of Jesus Christ, as being without sin, saw no corruption.

Verse 10. Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell — Hebrew, lwavl, lesheol, rendered, eiv adhn, by the LXX., and eiv adou, in hades, Acts 2:27, which word generally means the invisible world, or the state of separate spirits; not a place of torment, which the word adhv, hades, seldom means, and into which Christ’s soul certainly did not go after it left the body, but into paradise, Luke 23:43-46. See Bishop Pearson on the Creed, and Revelation 20:14, where death and hell (in the original hades) are said to be cast into the lake of fire, which shows that hades is a different place, or state, from the lake of fire, or what we call hell. The meaning of which passage is evidently, that then, the dead being raised, the state of separate spirits shall no longer have any existence, but men’s souls and bodies, being again united, the wicked shall have their place in the lake of fire, or in hell, properly so called, and the righteous in the third heaven, the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, evidently distinguished from paradise, the place of holy souls, 2 Corinthians 12:2, 4; neither wilt suffer thy Holy One — Me, thy holy Son, whom thou hast sanctified and sent into the world; (for it is peculiar to Christ to be called the Holy One of God, Mark 1:24; Luke 4:34;) to see corruption — To be corrupted in the grave as the bodies of others are. Perhaps we ought to observe here that, in our printed Hebrew copies, the word rendered Holy One is plural, Ëydysj, chesideika: but as the best expositor of the text, St. Peter, (with the LXX.,) renders it in the singular, ton osion sou, Acts 2:27, and 13:35, and as several Hebrew manuscripts read it in the singular, and as the Masorites themselves have ordered it to be so read, we may be satisfied it is the true reading.

10. Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell— “Hell” is here used in its old English sense, in which it is the fittest English word for the Hebrew lwav, (sheol,) and its corresponding Greek, adhv, (hades,) both signifying, pit, grave, under world, unseen world, region of the dead, especially the place of departed spirits, whether good or bad. Our English translators have rendered sheol by grave thirty times out of the sixty-four times it occurs. It sometimes means the place of future punishment, never the region of the blessed; the context always determining its specific sense in a given place. The text in the original simply reads, “Thou wilt not abandon my soul to sheol,”—that is, to the dominion of death. But lwavl, (to sheol,) might be rendered in sheol, the preposition denoting rest in a place, as well as motion to it. It is not that he should not taste death, but that his body should rest in hope of deliverance, and not be left or abandoned to the grave. See note on Psalm 6:5. So convinced were the ancient Jews that the language applied to one literally dead, that they had a tradition that the body of David never decayed. Neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption— “This forms, in our text, an essential member in the progress of thought, and an important declaration and revelation respecting the resurrection of the body.”—Moll. It is the gist of the Messianic application of the psalm, so literally and forcibly applied by Peter and Paul, Acts 2:27; 13:35. Holy One—Saint. The word Ëydysj, is, in our present Hebrew Bibles, plural—holy ones, saints.—which completely evades the Messianic application of the passage; and it has been charged that the Jews, in the Masoretic, or common Hebrew, text, have changed the word for this purpose from its original singular form. But this is improbable; for besides that they have given the singular pointing to the word in the text, (d, for d,) they have, in Keri, or margin, marked the plural yod (y) as redundant. It is certain that the present reading is an error. The Septuagint, Vulgate, and Syriac, give the singular, indicating that that was anciently the true reading, with which the weight of testimony from the MSS. accords. Dr. Kennicott, (“Dissertations,” etc.,) out of thirty-two manuscripts, found twenty-eight of the oldest and best which had the singular. Modern critical authority amply concedes this point. Indeed, it would be enough to say that a plural signification simply contradicts all fact, for the saints do die and see corruption. Only in its prophetic designation of some one particular person can it be true, and this person both Peter and Paul directly affirm to be Jesus. Acts 2:27; and 13:35. Corruption—Whether the Hebrew word denotes “corruption” in the sense of putrescence, decomposition, or only pit, grave, involving the simple idea of death, depends upon its derivation. The Septuagint, diarqosan, (corruption,) is derived from thv, (shahath,) to reduce to ruins, crush, corrupt. So, also, the ancient versions generally, and so Peter and Paul used it. Acts 2:27; 13:34; 36:37. This is allowable by competent critics, (Gesenius, Winer, Moll, Furst, etc.,) and so ought to settle the question. Others derive it from hjwv, (shoohhah,) pit, grave, as Jeremiah 18:20,

22. The difference is, that the former has the idea of remaining in the grave till decomposition: the latter of simply dying and being buried: as if the psalmist had said, “Thou wilt not suffer me to see the pit or grave,” that is, Thou wilt not suffer me to die and be buried—the flatness of which, as seen in verse 9, is its own refutation. Besides, “to see the pit,” is admitted on all hands to have the sense of “to succumb to the dominion of death,” and denotes a permanent state, opposed to the phrase, “To see life.” Verse 11; Psalm 49:9; John 3:36. The word “suffer,” also, means to give, to give up, to deliver up, and answers to “leave,” or forsake, in the previous hemistich. The idea, then, in both lines of the distich is, that of abandonment to sheol, or the grave, which involves decomposition or corruption, which the psalmist asserts God will not do.

V. 11. Life-Thou wilt raise me from the grave, and conduct me to the place and state of everlasting felicity. Presence-In that heavenly paradise, where thou art gloriously present, where thou dost clearly and fully discover the light of thy countenance; whereas in this life thou hidest thy face and shewest us only thy back-parts. Right-hand-Which he mentions as a place of the greatest honour, the place where the saints are placed at the last day, and where Christ himself is said to sit, Psalm 110:1. Pleasures-All our joys are empty and defective: But in heaven there is fulness of joy. Our pleasures here are transient and momentary; but those at God’s right hand are pleasures for evermore. For they are the pleasures of immortal souls, in the enjoyment of an eternal God.

Verse 11. Thou wilt show me the path of life] I first shall find the way out of the regions of death, to die no more. Thus Christ was the first fruits of them that slept. Several had before risen from the dead, but they died again. Jesus rose from the dead, and is alive for evermore. Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead was the first entrance out of the grave to eternal life or lives, חיים chaiyim, for the word is in the plural, and with great propriety too, as this resurrection implies the life of the body, and the life of the rational soul also.

In thy presence] Ëynp paneycha, thy faces. Every holy soul has, throughout eternity, the beatific vision, i.e., “it sees God as he is,” because it is like him; 1 John 3:2. It drinks in beatification from the presence of the Eternal TRINITY.

Thy right hand] The place of honour and dignity; repeatedly used in this sense in the Scriptures.

Pleasures for evermore.] jxn netzach, onwardly; perpetually, continually, well expressed by our translation, ever and more; an eternal progression. Think of duration in the most extended and unlimited manner, and there is still more; more to be suffered in hell, and more to be enjoyed in heaven. Great God! grant that my readers may have this beatific sight; this eternal progression in unadulterated, unchangeable, and unlimited happiness! Hear this prayer for His sake, who found out the path of life, and who by his blood purchased an entrance into the holiest! Amen and Amen.

For the application of the whole Psalm to David, see the analysis at the end, which is a little altered from David’s Harp Strung and Tuned. The remains of this Psalm in the old Psalter are worthy to be inserted:— Ver. 7. Benedicam Dominum qui tribuit michi intellectum, &c. Trans. I sal blis the Lord that gaf til me undirstandyng; and over that til the nyght, suyled me my neres.

Par. That es I sal luf the fader that hafs gyfen undyrstandyng til my servauntes, thurgh the qwilk the herytage of heven may be sene and welded; and aver that undyrstandyng, in the qwilk I saw, sais Crist, al sothefast thynges and haly. Of that I sal lof him that my nerys that es the Jewis of qwas kynd I toke flesch, that es my kyn snybbed me in wranges and temptaciounis, and passiouns, til the nyght, that es al the dede thai missaid hym, als so oure nerys; that es our fleschely delytes makes us worthy snybbyng til our dede; for perfytely may we noght be with outen syn, qwyles we lyf.

Ver. 8. Providebam Dominum in conspectu meo, &c.

Trans. I pervaide God ay in my syght; for he es at the ryght hand til me, that I be nout styrred.

Par. And in al thys anguys I for gatt nout God: bot I pervayde hym ay in my syght; that es, I comande o mang passand thynges: I toke nout my nee fra hym that ay es; bot I fested it in hym, so that he was ay in my sight, and he es nout fyled in synnes that assyduely with the ee of his thoght, byhaldes God, for he es at the ryght hand of me: that I be noght styred; that es, he helps me in desyre of endless gudes, that I last stabil in hym, and for thi nane il thyng may haf mayster of me.

Ver. 9. Propter hoc, elatum, est cor meum, et exultavit lingua mea, &c. Trans. Thar fore gladded es my hert, and my toung joyed over that, and my flesch sal rest in hope.

Par. This es ful joy that in hert es resayved, and with toung schewed, and over that joy in hert and mouth, my flesch sal rest in hope of rysyng. Ver. 10. Quoniam non derelinques in Inferno animam meam, &c. Trans. For thow sal noght lefe my Saule in hell, ne thu sal noght gyf thi Halow to se corrupcion.

Par. That es at say, the Saule that I haf als veray man, sal noght be left in hell; and my body that thu haloued, sal noght rote. Here men may knaw that this es goddes word; for other mens bodis rotes.

Ver. 11. Notas michi fecisti vias vite, &c.

Trans. Knawen thu maked til me, the wayes of lyf: thou sal fil me of joy with thi face, delytynges in thi ryghth and in til the end.

Par. Knawen thu maked thurgh me till myne, the wayes of lyf, that es the wayes of mekenes and charite, that men came til heven thurgh mekenes, fra qwethyn thai fel thurgh Pryde: and thow sal ful fil me; that es, my servaundes, of joy with thi face; that es, in the syght of the, apertly; so that thai desyre nothing over, qwen thai af sene the, face til face, and ay til than delytynges til tham in way of this lyf. In thi ryght hand; that es thi favoure, and thi mercy the qwilk delytyngs ledys tham intil the ende, that es, in til perfectioun of endeles Blisfulhede.

I have given the whole of the translation and comment of this Psalm from this ancient Psalter, as a curious specimen of the doctrine and language of our northern neighbours in the thirteenth or fourteenth century.

Verse 11. Thou wilt show me the path of life — That is, the way that leadeth to life; not to a temporal and mortal life here, for he is supposed to be dead and buried, (verse 10,) but to an endless, immortal, and blessed life after death, in the presence of God, as it follows; the way to which is by the resurrection of the body. The sense, therefore, is, Thou wilt raise me from the grave, and conduct me to the place and state of everlasting felicity. In thy presence — Hebrew, yËynp ta, eth panecha, or, before thy face, that is, in that heavenly world where thou art graciously and gloriously present; where thou dost clearly and fully discover thy face, and the light of thy countenance: whereas, in this life thou hidest thy face, and showest us only thy back parts, and we are in a state of comparative absence from thee, and see thee only through a glass darkly, and enjoy thee but in part. Is fulness of joy — Full and perfect joy, and satisfaction, which it is in vain to expect in this life, and which is only to be found in the vision and fruition of thee, Exodus 33:14. See the margin. At thy right hand — Which he mentions as a place of the greatest honour, the place where the saints have their station at the last day, Matthew 25:33, and where Christ himself is said to sit, Psalm 110:1; Matthew 26:64; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3. There are pleasures for evermore — Everlasting delights in the contemplation and fruition of God. Observe, reader, through the resurrection of Christ, here foretold, every dying believer in him, like his dying Master, may cheerfully put off his body in confident expectation of a blessed immortality. His flesh also shall rest in hope. Our bodies have little rest in this world; but in the grave they shall rest as in their beds, Isaiah 57:2. We have little to hope for from this life, but we may rest in hope of a better life, and put off the body in that hope. Death destroys the hope of man, Job 14:14, but not the hope of a true Christian, Proverbs 14:32. He has hope in his death, “living hopes,” says Henry, “in dying moments; hopes that the body shall not be left for ever in the grave; but though it see corruption for a time, it shall, at the end of time, be raised to immortality; Christ’s resurrection is an earnest of ours, if we be his.” Observe further: “In this world sorrow is our lot, but in heaven there is joy; all our joys here are empty and defective; but, in heaven, there is fulness of joy; our pleasures here are transient and momentary, and such is the nature of them that it is not fit they should last long; but those at God’s right hand are pleasures for evermore; for they are the pleasures of immortal souls in the enjoyment of an eternal God.”

11. Thou wilt show me the path of life—Thou wilt cause me to see (make known to me) the path of life, contrasted with to see corruption, in previous verse. “Life,” here, is not natural life, but spiritual and eternal life, as in Psalm 36:9; Proverbs 15:24; Jeremiah 2:13; Daniel 12:2; John 4:10, 14. “Path of life,” is the same as Matthew 7:14. Its application to Christ as “the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” is indisputable; and as a typical groundwork it is also a declaration of the faith of the psalmist in the resurrection of the body, and the life after death. In thy presence—Literally, Before thy face. The idea is, that of a subject standing before the face of a king, a place of honour; the particle eth, rendered “in,” expressing endearment. He stands before the face of God with complaisance and delight. Psalm 140:13; compare 17:15. At thy right hand—Also the place of honour and felicity. See 1 Kings 2:19; Matthew 25:33, 34. For evermore—The duration of this fullness of joy, and these pleasures, shall be as lasting as the subject of them. The language belongs to eternity, and this wonderful foregleam of eternal life in Christ, through the resurrection, has nothing to exceed it in the Old Testament.