Psalms 16

Ver. 2. — my goodness extendeth not to thee.] Or, my good things are not needful for Thee: they would be a sacrifice of no value; else I would give them Thee. The best sacrifice I can offer to Thee is beneficence to thy saints and servants. Green.

Psalms 16:4

4. — He that sweareth &c.] He that promises by an oath to do a thing, and does accordingly, though it be to his own hurt, and breaks not his oath. Dr. Wells.

5. — drink offerings of blood] This alludes to sacrifices in which the blood of men was offered. Bp. Patrick. A principal ceremony is here put for the whole of idolatry. Gerard.

— nor take up their names into my lips.] David here declares that he will have no conversation with idolaters, nor swear by the name of their gods. Bp. Wilson.

Psalms 16:5

5. He that putteth not out his money to usury.] That is, to any poor brother Israelite, God having forbidden usury in this case: see Deut. xxiii. 19, 20. Dr. Wells. — shall never be moved.] Shall never fail of God’s favour. Dr. Wells.

The following prayer is a just improvement of the above Psalm:

Gracious God, who hast vouchsafed to let us know upon what conditions we may be received into thy protection and eternal favour; give us grace to practise those virtues Thou hast enjoined us: make us to love justice in all our actions, and uprightness in all our words; make us as tender in the wrongs and injuries done to our neighbours, as if they were done to ourselves; infuse into our hearts an abomination of all vice, by how great persons soever countenanced; and a love and reverence for virtue, and of virtuous men, in how little esteem soever they are in this world: and let us do all this out of our true love of Thee, and of thy Son Jesus Christ. Amen. Lord Clarendon.

Psalm XVI. In this Psalm David declares his full trust and confidence in God for protection and assistance; and renders Him thanks for his security in this life, and for the hopes of a happy immortality in the next. The latter part contains a clear prophecy of the resurrection of our Lord Christ, to which St. Peter and St. Paul directly apply it, Acts ii. 25, and xiii. 35. Travell.

Michtam] If one may guess from the signification of this word, joined to the Greek translation, it may be, A Psalm to be written in golden letters, and set up,

the LORD, Thou art my Lord: a my goodness extendeth not to thee; a Ps. 50. 9. Job 23. 2. & 35. 7.

Psalms 16:6

6. The lines are fallen &c.] That is, my lot and portion, or kingdom, is appointed unto me in a pleasant country. Bp. Wilson, Dr. Wells. They used with cords to measure their grounds in surveys, Amos vii. 17: and hence, by a figure, a measuring cord comes frequently to signify any space or portion of land that belongs to a person. Dr. Hammond.

Psalms 16:7

7. — my reins] That is, my inward thoughts and affections. S. Clarke.

Psalms 16:8

8. I have set the Lord always before me:] As my God, and my support. Green.

Psalms 16:9

9. — my glory] By this word he meant his tongue. The Psalmist, as applying his own tongue to the best purpose, the praise of God, had reason to call it his glory. Merrick.

— my flesh also shall rest in hope.] David here declares that he would lay down his body in the grave, in a certain hope of his resurrection to immortality. Bp. Hall.

Psalms 16:10

10. For thou wilt not leave &c.] I know, that Thou, O God, wilt not forsake me in distress; nor even when I die, wilt Thou suffer me to remain for ever in the grave.—So also, when that Holy Person, who shall