EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS (3)

Verse 17.—“Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray.” This was the custom of the pious Hebrews. See Dan. vi. 10. The Hebrews began their day in the evening, and hence David mentions the evening first. The rabbins say, men should pray three times each day, because the day changes three times. This was observed in the primitive church; but the times in different places were various. The old Psalter gives this a curious turn: “At even I sall tel his louing (praise) what tim Crist was on the Crosse; and at morn I sall schew his louing, what tim he ros fra dede. And sua he sall here my voice at midday, that is sitand at the right hand of his fader, wheder he stegh (ascended) at midday.”—Adam Clarke.

Verse 17.—“Evening and morning,” etc. The three principal parts of the day are mentioned, not as marking special times set apart for prayer, but as a poetical expression for “the whole day,” “at all times,” “without ceasing.”—J. J. Stewart Perowne.

Verse 17.—If our poor, frail bodies need refreshment from food three times a day, who, that knows his own weakness, will say that we need not as frequent refreshment for our poor frail spirits?—William S. Plumer, 1867.

Verse 17.—I can no more believe him to be frequent and spiritual in ejaculatory prayer, who neglects the season of solemn prayer, than I can believe that he keeps every day in the week a Sabbath, who neglects to keep that one which God hath appointed.—William Gurnall, 1617-1679.

Verse 17.—There is no limited time in the court of heaven for hearing petitions. It is not like the court of earthly princes, for there is a free access any day of the week, any hour of the day, or the night, any minute of the hour. As the lawyer saith of the king, for having his due, Nullum tempus occurrit regi: so may I say of the godly, for making his prayers and granting his requests, Nullum tempus occurrit fidelibus, no time unseasonable, so the heart be seasoned with faith; no non term in God’s court of requests. He keeps continually open house for all comers and goers; and indeed, most for comers, then goers. His eyes are always open to behold our tears; his ears are always open to hear our groans; his heart also and his bowels are always open, and never shut up so fast, but they will yearn and turn within him, if our misery be never so little. For as we have not an High Priest to pray by “that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;” so neither have we a God to pray to, that shall see us in distress, and hear us call and cry, and never be moved.—Zachary Bogan (1625-1659), in “Meditations of the Mirth of a Christian Life.”

Verse 17.—“And cry aloud.” The word here employed properly means to murmur; to make a humming sound; to sigh; to growl; to groan. Here the language means that he would give utterance to his deep feelings in appropriate tones—whether words, sighs, or groans.—Albert Barnes.

Verse 17.—“And he shall hear.” And what will this loud cry obtain? A hearing without doubt, so he assures himself, “He shall hear me.” Not that God hears any prayers whether he will or no (as men sometimes do that upon importunity which they have no mind to); but he hath no will, no mind not to hear such prayers, the prayers of those who cry aloud to him.—Joseph Caryl, 1602-1673.

Verse 18.—“He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle.” In the midst of war the Lord can keep a man as safe as in the time of peace, and in extreme perils preserve him from danger. He that depends upon God in the time of trouble, albeit he had an host against him, yet hath he more with him when God is with him, than can be against him.—David Dickson.

Verse 18.—“For.” The “for” implies the reason why God interposed to deliver him; namely, because of the general principle that God ministers relief when his people are come to an extremity.—A. R. Fausset.

Verse 18.—“There were many with me.” This is doubtful whether it be meant of foes or friends. If of foes, it may be resolved thus: for with many (with a great multitude) they were fighters with me. If of friends, it may be understood of God’s angels, that in a great number were with him, pitching camp for his aid (Psalm xxxiv. 7); as Elisha said, “Many more are with us than with them.” 2 Kings vi. 16, 17. The Chaldee explaineth it, “For in many afflictions his word was for my help.”—Henry Ainsworth.

Verse 19.—“Even he that abideth of old.” The deeds by which God had already showed himself from of old as the righteous King and Judge, the judgments, for example, upon the wicked in the land of Shinar (ver. 9), the company of Korah (ver. 9 and 18), the cities of the plain (ver. 15), pledge his still ready interposition. He who had already so long held the throne, must now also show himself as King and Judge; he cannot now, at so late a period, be another.—E. W. Hengstenberg, 1845.

Verse 19.—“Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.” That is, there is no new thing among them, no extraordinary providential turns, no judiciary changes, their prosperity keeps a settled course, and because they find all things going on in the old course of providence, therefore they go on in their old course of sinfulness, “they fear not God;” intimating, that as such changes always should, so usually they do, awaken fear; and that, if the Lord would but change, and toss, and tumble them about, by various troublesome dispensations, surely they would fear him.—Joseph Caryl.

Verse 19.—“Because they have no changes,” etc. Or, “with whom also there be no changes, yet they fear not God.” If changes be referred to their temporal estates and welfare, as Job x. 17 (it is the same word there as here, חְלִיפוֹת), “changes and war are against me;” then, according to the first translation, “because,” etc., a reason is given of their perseverance in wickedness, and contempt of God; to wit, their constant and uninterrupted world prosperity. Or, according to the second, “With whom there are no changes, yet,” etc.; it is a great aggravation of their impenitency, that notwithstanding so much goodness vouchsafed unto them, they should continue so unthankful as to requite so ill, or so stupid and insensible as not to acknowledge the author. But if changes be referred, as by many, to the soul, then the meaning is—that through long use and continuance of sinning, they are, through God’s just judgment, become altogether obdurate and inflexible; and therefore, no wonder if nothing work upon them to their conversion. “Can the Ethiopian change his skin?” etc. Jer. xiii. 23. But this “changes” might also have another meaning. The Grecians used to say, στρέπται φρένες ἐσθλῶν, that the minds or hearts of good men are changeable; their meaning is, that good men are merciful. Quos quisque est major, magis est placabilis ira: et faciles motus mens generosa capit, as the Latin proverb expresses it. He may therefore say, that they show by their cruel unmercifulness, that they have no fear or sense of God at all; else they would fear him, of whose mercy themselves stood in so much need, and consider that they whom they so fiercely persecute are his creatures as well as they.—Westminster Assembly’s Annotations.

Verse 19.—“They have no changes,” etc. Who are they who have no changes? Apparently those whom God is said to humble or chastise. And what is the meaning of the word “changes” as here used? Many understand it of a moral change; “who are without change of heart or reformation.” But the word never occurs in this sense. It means, properly, “a change,” in the sense of succession; as of garments, of troops relieving guard, servants leaving work, and the like. Hence it would rather mean in a moral sense: “They who have no cessation in their course (by being relieved guard, for instance), who always continue, and persevere in their evil life.” Calvin and others understand it of change of fortune, i.e., “who are always prosperous;” but this again is not supported by usage.—J. J. Stewart Perowne.

Verse 19.—“They fear not God.” The fear required here, is to fear him as God, and as God presented in this name, Elohim; which, though it be a name primarily rooted in power and strength (for El is Deus fortis, The powerful God; and as there is no love without fear, so there is no fear without power), yet properly it signifies his judgment, and order, and providence, and dispensations and government of his creatures. It is that name which goes through all God’s whole work of the creation, and disposition of all creatures in the first of Genesis: in all that he is called by no other name than this, the name God; not by Jehovah, to present an infinite majesty; nor by Adonai, to present an absolute power; nor by Tzebaoth, to present a force, or conquest: but only the name of God, his name of government. All ends in this; to fear God is to adhere to him, in his way, as he hath dispensed and notified himself to us; that is, as God is manifested in Christ, in the Scriptures, and applied to us out of those Scriptures, by the church: not to rest in nature without God, nor in God without Christ.—John Donne, 1573-1631.

Verse 21.—“The words of his mouth were smoother than butter,” etc. Of this complexion are the cant of hypocrites, the charity of bigots and fanatics, the benevolence of atheists, the professions of the world, the allurements of the flesh, and the temptations of Satan, when he thinks proper to appear in the character of an angel of light.—George Horne, 1730-1792.

Verse 21.—“Butter.” The Eastern butter is by no means like the solid substance, which is known by that name in these colder climates; but is liquid and flowing, as appears from different passages in Scripture, particularly Job xxix. 6; xx. 17; and as is confirmed by the accounts of modern travellers; so that in fact it more resembles “cream,” which Vitringa says is the genuine sense of the word here used.—Richard Mant, 1776-1849.

Verse 21.—To avoid all difficulties, the readiest expedient is to receive the Septuagint rendering of חָלְקוּ, διεμερίσθησαν, they were, or are divided, viz., the members of the wicked man there spoken of, they are at great distance one from the other; מַחֲמָאֹת פִּיו, butter their mouth, or, their mouth is butter, וּקִרָב־לִבּוֹ and war their heart, or, their heart is war; and this seems to be the fairest rendering of it.—Henry Hammond, 1605-1660.

Verse 21.—A feigned friend is much like a crocodile who, when he smileth, poisoneth; and when he weepeth, devoureth; or the hyæna, having the voice of a man and the mind of a wolf, speaking like a friend and devouring like a fiend; or the flattering sirens that sweetly sing the sailor’s wreck; or the fowler’s pipe that pleasantly playeth the bird’s death; or the bee, who carrieth honey in her mouth and a sting in her tail; or the box-tree, whose leaves are always green, but the seeds poison. So his countenance is friendly and his words pleasant, but his intent dangerous, and his deeds unwholesome.

Verse 21.—“The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.” Well, when I came to the justice again, there was Mr. Foster, of Bedford, who coming out of another room, and seeing me by the light of the candle, for it was dark night when I came thither, he said unto me, “Who is there? John Bunyan?” with much seeming affection, as if he would have leaped in my neck and kissed me,[27] which made me somewhat wonder that such a man as he, with whom I had so little acquaintance, and, besides, that had ever been a close opposer of the ways of God, should carry himself so full of love to me, but afterwards when I saw what he did, it caused me to remember those sayings, “Their tongues were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords,” and again, “Beware of men,” etc. When I had answered him that, blessed be God, I was well, he said, “What is the occasion of your being here?” or to that purpose. To whom I answered that I was at a meeting of people a little way off, intending to speak a word of exhortation to them; but the justice hearing thereof (said I) was pleased to send his warrant to fetch me before him, etc.—John Bunyan. In relation to J. B.’s imprisonment: written by himself. Offor’s edit., Vol. I. p. 52.

Verse 21 (first clause).—

Verse 22.—“Cast thy burden upon the Lord,” etc. The remedy which the Psalm suggests, and, perhaps, the only resource in a difficulty of the kind, where the enemies of true religion are fighting under the semblance of friendship, is announced in an oracular voice from God: “Cast thy care upon Jehovah, for he will sustain thee; he will not suffer the just one to be tossed about for ever.”—R. H. Ryland.