성경 주석서

« [A Psalm] of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed. » I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise [shall] continually [be] in my mouth.

A Psalm of David — An alphabetical psalm, which David (newly delivered from the Philistines, who had taken him prisoner, and presented him to their king as a special prize) composed with singular art; as fit to be committed to memory by all godly people, who may here meet with many excellent lessons and cordial comforts. Semper in ecclesia hic psalmus piis fuit commendatissimus (Moller).

When he changed his behaviour — Heb. Gustum, hoc est gestum. This he did (being put to his shifts), but not without sin, for he was splendide mendax (as Horace, lib. iii. Od. 11, saith of Hypermnestra), at the best; neither can this dissimulation or officious lie of his be excused; as some have by distinctions endeavoured it, but in vain.

Before Abimelech — Or, Achish, king of Gath, 1 Samuel 21:10 , for he was binominis, saith Aben Ezra; or else Abimelech, that is, father king, was his title of honour; as Augustus would be styled Pater Patriae, the father of his country. R. Solomon saith that Abimelech was a common name to all the Philistine kings, as Pharaoh to the Egyptian.

Who cast him out — For a mad man, 1 Samuel 21:15 , wherein there was a sweet providence of God, who can order our disorders to his own glory and our good; like as a craftsman with a crooked tool can make straight work; or as an apothecary of a poisonous viper can make a wholesome treacle.

And he departed — Into some parts of Judea, where he might repent of his sin first (as Peter did when got into a corner), and then compile this psalm of thanksgiving to God, who had so graciously delivered him out of that hard and hazardous condition, not only above, but against his desert.

I will bless the Lord at all times — As not satisfied with anything I can do herein at any time. The saints have large hearts, and could beteem the Lord a great deal more service than they are able to perform. A certain martyr said at the stake, I am sorry that I am going to a place where I shall be ever receiving wages and do no more work.

His praise shall continually be in my mouth — For this remarkable mercy especially, which I will still be telling of, and speaking good of God’s name to as many as I can possibly extend unto. This thankful man was worth his weight in the gold of Ophir.

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My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear [thereof], and be glad.

My soul shall make her boast in the Lord — This holy gloriation is a Christian’s duty not to be neglected. The Church in the Canticles is much in it; and so is St Paul. It showeth a heart full of joys unspeakable and full of glory, 1 Peter 1:8 . And, besides, God is thereby greatly glorified, Jeremiah 9:23-24 .

The humble shall hear thereof, and be glad — Not for my sake only, but their own, as conceiving good hope of like deliverance. But, then, they must be as I am, not only humbled, but humble; low, but lowly.

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O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

O magnify the Lord with me — As not sufficient to do so great a work himself, he calleth in the help of others. We read of a monster rather than a man, who lying on his death bed, not only himself swore as fast and as furiously as he could, but desperately desired the bystanders to help him with oaths, and to swear for him. I knew the man, saith mine author (Bolton, Assize Serm.). And should not we much more call upon others to join their forces with ours in magnifying the Lord? Birds, when they come to a full heap of corn, will chirp and call in for their fellows. Charity is no churl; goodness is diffusive.

And let us exalt his name together — And so begin heaven beforehand. Aben Ezra glosseth thus, Quasi diceret, Nos omnes simul ad laudandum Deum sumus imbecilles, We are all too weak for this work, though we should all do our utmost at it.

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I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

I sought the Lord — Even when I was in the enemies’ hands, and playing my pranks as a mad man among them; I prayed secretly and inwardly, I sent up some ejaculations, as Nehemiah 2:4 , and was heard, though unworthy.

And delivered me out of all my fears — Which were not a few, 1 Samuel 21:13 , besides his inward terrors upon his unwarrantable practices to save his life. Sense fights sore against faith, when it is upon its own dunghill (in a sensible danger I mean), to the great disturbance of the conscience afterwards. George Marsh, afterwards a martyr in Queen Mary’s days, being examined before the Earl of Derby, kept himself close in the sacrament of the altar, as they called it. But afterward, thus he writeth to a friend; I departed much more troubled in my spirit than before; because I had not with more boldness confessed Christ, but in such sort as mine adversaries thereby thought they should prevail against me; whereat I was much grieved; for hitherto I went about, as much as in me lay, to rid myself out of their hands, if by any means, without openly denying Christ and his word, that could be done (Acts and Mon. fol. 1419). Thus he; but no rest he had in his mind till he had better declared himself, though to the loss of his life. A man had better offend all the world, than his own conscience. David, not without much ado, recovered his peace, for which he here heartily blesseth God.

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They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.

They looked unto him, and were lightened — They, that is, my servants and fellow soldiers who accompanied me first to Nob, 1 Samuel 21:2 ; 1 Samuel 21:4 Matthew 12:3-4 , and afterwards to Gath (as it is probable); these being in the same danger, looked likewise unto God by faith, hope, and prayer; and were lightened; that is, comforted, cheered, directed, yea, delivered together with David. Or, they flowed together, viz. to God, as rivers roll to the sea, or malefactors run to the sanctuary, Isaiah 2:2 ; Isaiah 60:5 .

And their faces were not ashamed — i.e. They were not repulsed, disappointed, made to hide their heads, as Revelation 6:15-16 .

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This poor man cried, and the LORD heard [him], and saved him out of all his troubles.

This poor man cried — Meaning himself, to whom it seemeth he pointed the finger, or laid his hand on his heart, when he said, This poor man, Hic vilis, et ovium pastor, saith Theodoret, this mean shepherd not long since; but rather, This miserable sinner, who whilome rashly ran such a hazard, and so unworthily deported himself in the presence of King Achish; this poor soul, I say, cried, but silently and secretly, as Moses did at the Red Sea, as Nehemiah did in the presence of the king of Persia.

And the Lord — Who might better be called the poor man’s king, than was James IV, king of Scotland.

Heard him, and delivered him out of all his troubles — And the like he will do for all that, in like ease, being poor in spirit, make their humble addresses unto him. It is good to communicate unto others our experiences. See the like done, Psalms 116:6 Romans 8:2 1 Timothy 1:15 .

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The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

The angel of the Lord encampeth round about, … — Not one guardian angel only, as some have hence conceited, nor Michael the archangel only, that angel of the covenant, Jesus Christ, as Augustine expoundeth this text, but a host of created angels, those ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation, Hebrews 1:14 . For although Christ, the Captain of our salvation, needeth not their help for the safeguard of his people; yet for our comfort he maketh use of the holy angels, who meet us still, as they did Jacob at Mahanaim (where they made a lane for him, as the guard doth for their prince, as the word importeth), Genesis 32:1 ; they minister many blessings to us, though invisibly; stand at our right hands, Luke 1:11 , as ready to relieve us as the devils are to mischief us, Zechariah 3:1 ; yea, they pitch camp round about us, Sicut hostes sunt in circuitu, (Kimchi), (oh the dignity and safety of a saint in this respect!) fight in battle array against our enemies, Daniel 10:20 (the heathens speak much of their Castor and Pollux fighting for them and Hesiod telleth of thirty thousand demi-gods that were φυλακες μεροπων ανθρωπων , keepers of mankind), and convey them at death, as they did Lazarus, through the enemies’ country, the air, into Abraham’s bosom, Luke 16:22

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O taste and see that the LORD [is] good: blessed [is] the man [that] trusteth in him.

O taste and see, … — viz. With the mouth of your mind, and with the eyes of your faith perceive, and experiment the goodness of God in choosing and using such instruments as the angels, and otherwise, in the manifold expressions of his love to us; wherein if we take not comfort the fault is merely in ourselves; we being like him who hath pleasant and nourishing meat, but will not make use of it. The saints taste how good the Lord is, and thence long after him. Optima demonstratio est a sensibus. As he that feels fire hot, or as he that tasteth honey sweet, ye need not use arguments to persuade him to believe it; so here, let a man but once taste that the Lord is good, and he will thenceforth, as a new born babe, desire the sincere milk of the word, 1 Peter 2:2-3 , neither will he take any more content in the world’s tasteless fooleries than in the white of an egg or a dry chip. Gustato spiritu desipit omnis caro, saith Gerson, All flesh is savourless to him that hath tasted of the Spirit. Paul, after his rapture, looked with scorn and pity on all the world’s glittering poverty. His mouth doth not water after homely provisions, who hath lately tasted of delicate sustenance. Oh, let us get spiritual senses habitually exercised to discern good and evil, Hebrews 5:14 . It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing, saith our Saviour to the Jews: q.d. Ye accept my words because ye have not the Spirit, ye have but flesh, that is, a common knowledge, no sound taste; and therefore it is that my words relish not with you.

Blessed is the man, … — See Psalms 2:12 . See Trapp on " Psalms 2:12 "

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