EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS.

Title.—“Shiggaion,” though some have attempted to fix on it a reference to the moral aspect of the world as depicted in this Psalm, is in all probability to be taken as expressing the nature of the composition. It conveys the idea of something erratic (שָׁגָה, to wander) in the style; something not so calm as other Psalms; and hence Ewald suggests that it might be rendered, “a confused ode,” a Dithyramb. This characteristic of excitement in the style, and a kind of disorder in the sense, suits Habakkuk iii. 1, the only other place where the word occurs.—Andrew A. Bonar.

Whole Psalm.—Whatever might be the occasion of the Psalm, the real subject seems to be the Messiah’s appeal to God against the false accusations of his enemies; and the predictions which it contains of the final conversion of the whole world, and of the future judgment, are clear and explicit.—Samuel Horsley, LL.D., 1733-1806.

Verse 1.—“O Lord, my God, in thee do I put my trust.” This is the first instance in the Psalms where David addresses the Almighty by the united names Jehovah and my God. No more suitable words can be placed at the beginning of any act of prayer or praise. These names show the ground of the confidence afterwards expressed. They “denote at once supreme reverence and the most endearing confidence. They convey a recognition of God’s infinite perfections, and of his covenanted and gracious relations.”—William S. Plumer.

Verse 2.—“Lest he tear my soul like a lion,” etc. It is reported of tigers, that they enter into a rage upon the scent of fragrant spices; so do ungodly men at the blessed savour of godliness. I have read of some barbarous nations, who, when the sun shines hot upon them, they shoot up their arrows against it; so do wicked men at the light and heat of godliness. There is a natural antipathy between the spirits of godly men and the wicked. Genesis iii. 15. “I will put enmity between thy seed and her seed.”—Jeremiah Burroughs, 1660.

Verse 3.—“O Lord, my God, if I have done this, if there be iniquity in my hands.” In the primitive times the people of God were then a people under great reproach. What strange things does Tertullian tell us they reproached them withal; as that in their meetings they made Thyestes suppers, who invited his brother to a supper, and presented him with a dish of his own flesh. They charged them with uncleanness because they met in the night (for they durst not meet in the day), and said, they blew out the candles when they were together, and committed filthiness. They reproached them for ignorance, saying, they were all unlearned; and therefore the heathens in Tertullian’s time used to paint the God of the Christians with an ass’s head, and a book in his hand, to signify that though they pretended learning, yet they were an unlearned, silly people, rude and ignorant. Bishop Jewel in his sermon upon Luke xi. 5, cites this out of Tertullian, and applies it to his time:—“Do not our adversaries do the like,” saith he, “at this day, against all those that profess the gospel of Christ? Oh, say they, who are they that favour this way? they are none but shoemakers, tailors, weavers, and such as were never at the university;” they are the bishop’s own words. He cites likewise Tertullian a little after, saying, that the Christians were accounted the public enemies of the State. And Josephus tells us of Apollinaris, speaking concerning the Jews and Christians, that they are more foolish than any barbarian. And Paulus Fagius reports a story of an Egyptian, concerning the Christians, who said, “They were a gathering together of a most filthy, lecherous people;” and for the keeping of the Sabbath, he says, “they had a disease that was upon them, and they were fain to rest the seventh day because of that disease.” And so in Augustine’s time, he hath this expression, “Any one that begins to be godly, presently he must prepare to suffer reproach from the tongues of adversaries;” and this was their usual manner of reproach, “What shall we have of you, an Elias? a Jeremy?” And Nazianzen in one of his orations says, “It is ordinary to reproach, that I cannot think to go free myself.” And so Athanasius, they called him Sathanasius, because he was a special instrument against the Arians. And Cyprian, they called him Coprian, one that gathers up dung, as if all the excellent things that he had gathered in his works were but dung.—Jeremiah Burroughs.

Verse 3.—“If I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands.” I deny not but you may, and ought to be sensible of the wrong done to your name, for as “a good name is a precious ointment” (Cant. i. 3), so to have an evil name is a great judgment; and therefore you ought not to be insensible of the wrong done to your name by slanders and reproaches, saying, “Let men speak of me what they please, I care not, so long as I know mine own innocency,” for though the testimony of your own innocency be a ground of comfort unto you, yet your care must be not only to approve yourselves unto God, but also unto men, to be as careful of your good names as possibly ye can; but yet you are not to manifest any distemper or passion upon the reproachful speeches of others against you.—Thomas Gouge, 1660.

Verse 3.—It is a sign that there is some good in thee if a wicked world abuse thee. “Quid mali feci?” said Socrates, what evil have I done that this bad man commends me? The applause of the wicked usually denotes some evil, and their censure imports some good.—Thomas Watson.

Verse 3.—“If there be iniquity in my hands.” Injustice is ascribed to the hand, not because injustice is always, though usually it be, done by the hand. With the hand men take away, and with that men detain the right of others. David speaks thus (1 Chron. xii. 17), “Seeing there is no wrong in mine hands;” that is, I have done no wrong.—Joseph Caryl.

Verses 3, 4.—A good conscience is a flowing spring of assurance. “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.” 2 Cor. i. 12. “Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God.” 1 John iii. 21. A good conscience has sure confidence. He who has it sits in the midst of all combustions and distractions, Noah-like, all sincerity and serenity, uprightness and boldness. What the probationer disciple said to our Saviour, “Master, I will follow thee whithersover thou goest,” that a good conscience says to the believing soul; I will stand by thee; I will strengthen thee; I will uphold thee; I will be a comfort to thee in life, and a friend to thee in death. “Though all should leave thee, yet will I never forsake thee.”—Thomas Brooks.

Verse 4.—“Yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy.” Meaning Saul, whose life he twice preserved, once in Engedi, and again when he slept on the plain.—John Gill.

Verse 4.—“If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me.” To do evil for good, is human corruption; to do good for good, is civil retribution; but to do good for evil, is Christian perfection. Though this be not the grace of nature, yet it is the nature of grace.—William Seeker.

Verse 4.—Then is grace victorious, and then hath a man a noble and brave spirit, not when he is overcome by evil (for that argueth weakness), but when he can overcome evil. And it is God’s way to shame the party that did the wrong, and to overcome him too; it is the best way to get the victory over him. When David had Saul at an advantage in the cave, and cut off the lap of his garment, and did forbear any act of revenge against him, Saul was melted, and said to David, “Thou art more righteous than I.” 1 Sam. xxiv. 17. Though he had such a hostile mind against him, and chased and pursued him up and down, yet when David forbore revenge when it was in his power it overcame him, and he falls a-weeping.—Thomas Manton.

Verse 5.—“Let him tread down my life upon the earth.” The allusion here is to the manner in which the vanquished were often treated in battle, when they were rode over by horses, or trampled by men in the dust. The idea of David is, that if he was guilty he would be willing that his enemy should triumph over him, should subdue him, should treat him with the utmost indignity and scorn.—Albert Barnes, in loc.

Verse 5.—“Mine honour in the dust.” When Achilles dragged the body of Hector in the dust around the walls of Troy, he did but carry out the usual manners of those barbarous ages. David dares in his conscious innocence to imprecate such an ignominious fate upon himself if indeed the accusation of the black Benjamite be true. He had need have a golden character who dares to challenge such an ordeal.—C. H. S.

Verse 6.—“The judgment which thou hast ordained.” In the end of the verse he shows that he asks nothing but what is according to the appointment of God. And this is the rule which ought to be observed by us in our prayers; we should in everything conform our requests to the divine will, as John also instructs us. 1 John iv. 14. And, indeed, we can never pray in faith unless we attend, in the first place, to what God commands, that our minds may not rashly and at random start aside in desiring more than we are permitted to desire and pray for. David, therefore, in order to pray aright, reposes himself on the word and promise of God; and the import of his exercise is this: Lord, I am not led by ambition, or foolish head-strong passion, or depraved desire, inconsiderately to ask from thee whatever is pleasing to my flesh; but it is the clear light of thy word which directs me, and upon it I securely depend.—John Calvin.

Verse 7.—“The congregation of the people:” either, 1. A great number of all sorts of people, who shall observe thy justice, and holiness, and goodness in pleading my righteous cause against my cruel and implacable oppressor. Or rather, 2. The whole body of thy people Israel, by whom both these Hebrew words are commonly ascribed in Holy Scripture. “Compass thee about;” they will, and I, as their king and ruler in thy stead, will take care that they shall come from all parts and meet together to worship thee, which in Saul’s time they have grossly neglected, and been permitted to neglect, and to offer to thee praises and sacrifices for thy favour to me, and for the manifold benefits which they shall enjoy by my means, and under my government. “For their sakes;” or, for its sake, i.e., for the sake of thy congregation, which now is woefully dissipated and oppressed, and has in a great measure lost all administration of justice, and exercise of religion. “Return thou on high,” or, return to thy high place, i.e. to thy tribunal, to sit there and judge my cause. An allusion to earthly tribunals, which generally are set up on high above the people. 1 Kings x. 19.—Matthew Pool, 1624-1679.

Verse 8.—Believers! let not the terror of that day dispirit you when you meditate upon it; let those who have slighted the Judge, and continue enemies to him and the way of holiness, droop and hang down their heads when they think of his coming; but lift ye up your heads with joy, for the last day will be your best day. The Judge is your Head and Husband, your Redeemer and your Advocate. Ye must appear before the judgment-seat; but ye shall not come into condemnation. His coming will not be against you, but for you. It is otherwise with unbelievers, a neglected Saviour will be a severe Judge.—Thomas Boston, 1676-1732.

Verse 9.—“The righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.” As common experience shows that the workings of the mind, particularly the passions of joy, grief, and fear, have a very remarkable effect on the reins or kidneys (see Prov. xxiii. 16; Psalm lxxiii. 21), so from their retired situation in the body, and their being hid in fat, they are often used to denote the most secret workings and affections of the soul. And to “see or examine the reins,” is to see or examine those most secret thoughts or desires of the soul.—John Parkhurst, 1762.

Verse 9 (last clause).—“The righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.”

Verse 9.—“The heart” may signify the cogitations, and the “reins” the affections.—Henry Ainsworth.