9 Let the mischief of their own lips fall upon the head of them that compass me about. 10 The feverest 10 Let [hot burning coals] fall upon them: let them be Judgments.] See Pfal. caft into the fire, and into the pit, that they never rise up again. II [A man full of words fhall not profper upon the earth: evil fhall hunt the wicked perfon to overthrow him.] xviii. 8. cxx. 4. [He that is too lavifh in his Talk of other Perfons,and overready and forward to give Information a gainft innocent Men, fhall thereby, in the end, work his own ruine: Violence and Malice fhall purfue thofe that are guilty of them to their own ruine.] 12 Sure I am that the Lord will avenge the poor and maintain the cause of the helplefs. 13 The righteous alfo fhall give thanks unto thy Name : and the juft [fhall continue in thy fight.] 13 [Shall always enjoy thy Favour and gracious Prefence. APfalm of David, while he was perfecuted by Saul, perhaps prefently after he was come out of the Cave, fee ver. 8. 'Tis true, the next Pfalm was made upon his being in the Cave; and it may at first fight feem strange, that this fhould be placed before the other, when this fuppofes bim come out of the Cave, and the next as yet in it: But the Reader may obferve, once for all, that the Pfalms are not placed in that order in which they were Compofed, of which I might give a great many Proofs. It hall fuffice at prefent only to take notice, that the fe cend Pfalm was Compofed long after this, and the folloving; for these two Pfalms were made during his being perfecuted by Saul; the fecond, after he had been fome time King, and won Zion. See Pfal. ii. 6. Domine, clamavi. Pfal. CXLI. 2 Now that I am drove from the place of publick Worship, and cannot be perfonally prefent at the offering 2 [Let my praver be fet forth in thy fight as the incenfe: and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening-facri up the Incenfe, and fice.] Evening Sacrifice, do thou accept of the lifting up my Heart and 4 To eat of the bread of wickedness, Prov. iv. 17. fignifies to take delight in Sin, to come to the highest pitch of Vice, and make ir ones daily enterrain ment; As on the con 3 Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth: and keep the door of my lips. 4 let not mine heart be inclined to any evil thing: let me not be occupied in ungodly works, with the men that work wickednefs, [left I eat of fuch things as please them.] : trary, Obedience was the Meat of Chrift Jefus, John iv. 14. his greatest 1 greatest pleasure and, fatisfaction. And then the fenfe of these words are: [Left at laft I come to fuch a habit of Sin, as to make it, as it were, my conftant Food' and enjoyment, as these Men do.] 5 Let the righteous rather fmite me friendly: and reprove me. 6 [But let not their precious balms break my head: yea, I will pray yet against wickedness.] their * 6 Their,] that is, The wicked, mention'd ver. 4. So the ancient .i. Interpreters, Ham. &c. But let not the Flat teries and demure Prétences of my wicked Enemies, which may feem like the most precious Oil poured on the Head, very foft and foothing, proye as fatal to me as a Battle-ax, as they certainly will, if I yield to them, Pfal. lv. 22. but in ftead of doing that, I will add another Prayer against all their wicked Plots.] 7 [Let their *judges be over- 7 Judges,] that is, thrown in ftony places: that Generals or great Capthey may hear my words, for tains; fuch were Feptha, Gideon, &c. who they are sweet.] were called Judges. See Pfal. ii. 10. [My Prayer is, that their Leaders may be defeated, and reduced here in thefe rocky mountainous places, where they purfue me, 1 Sam. xxiii. 27, 28, 29. xxiv. 2, 3. that fo being cooled, and made fober by their ill Succefs, they may hearken to thofe peaceable Propofáls which I fhall make, and which are fo inoffenfive and reafonable, that I cannot but hope to win them by what I have to fay.], 8 [Our bones lie fcattered before the pit: like as when one breaketh and heweth wood upon the earth.] 8 [And there is great reafon why I fhould ask this; for alas, I and thofe few who accompany me, are like Men dead and buried, and dug up again, whofe Bones lie fcat- 9 But mine eyes look unto 10 Keep me from the fnare that they have laid for me: and A Prayer of David, when he was in the Cave, Cried unto the Lord with my voice: yea, even unto the Lord did I make my fupplication. I poured out my complaints before him: and fhewed him of my trouble.. 3 When my fpirit was in heaviness, [thou kneweft my path:] in the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a fnare for me. I looked alfo upon my right hand t: and faw there was no man that would know me. 5 I had no place to flee unto: Confider my complaint: 9 Bring 9 Bring my foul out of pri fon, that I may give thanks unto thy Name: which thing if thou wilt grant me, then fhall. the righteous refort' unto my compary †, 9 *Prison, that is, The Cave. See Title. † To join with me in praifing theer can A Pfalm of David, when he was perfecuted by Saul, The Seventh Penitential Pfalm. Domine, exaudi. Pfal. CXLIII. Ear my prayer, O Lord, and confider my defire: hearken unto me forthy [truth] and righteoufnefs faket 2 [And enter not into judge ment with thy fervant; for in thy fight fhail no man living be justified.] ni 97 Babaos ange [Faichfulness.] to a fevere Account for what I have done 4mifs; for then no Man living would be acquit 2 fand call me not 3 [He hath forced me to hide my felf under Ground, and buried 13 For the enemy hath ported at thy Tribunal.] fecuted my fouly he hath fmitten my life down to the ground he hath daid me in the darkriefs, as the men that have been long dead. ] 4 Therefore is my spirit vexed within me and my heart within me is defolate. : 5 Yet do I remember the time paft, I muse upon all thy works: yea, I exercise my self in the works of thy hands. I ftretch forth my hands unto thee my foul gafpeth unto thee as a thirsty landt. 7 Hear me, O Lord, and that foon, for my spirit waxeth faint hide not thy face from me alive in Holes and Caves.] See Title of 6+ For a refreshing Shower. me, |