Psalms 11
PATTo the chief Musician. A Psalm of David. argument; This Psalm, the title tells us, was composed by David: and very likely (as Theodorct and others conjecture) when Saulpersecuted him, and some advised him to seek. his ^safety in flight: or rather, when Saul began to have evil designs against him; and he was invited by some, who pretended friendship to him, to a place of safety in the mountainous country of Judea. When he came v to the crown^he delivereditto the master of music in the tabernacle, to be sung there in remembrance of what then passed between his friends, hirh, and God Almighty, in whom he placed his hope.
Psalms 11:1
JLNthe Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?. It is not in fortresses or friends that I place my confidence, and hope for safety, but only in the Lord, who hath anointed me his king. On him I rely; and therefore do not put me in fear, and bid me fly away thus speedily, like a timorous bird before the fowler, to your place of security. HELP, Lord, for the godlyman ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.] Lord, be thou my safeguard, for there is no such thing as kindness and friendship to be found among men: I dare trust myself with none of them; for there is not so much as any truth and honesty left in the world.
Psalms 11:2
For, lo, the wicked bend their boiv, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. Behold> say you, the danger wherein thou art is no less imminent, than when a fowler hath bent his bow, and fitted his arrow upon the string, and, lying close, hath the bird in his eye,w r hom he means to shoot: for just so have Saul and his wicked counsellors laid their plot on a sudden to destroy thee. * They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips, and with a double heart, do they speak.] One neighbour cannot with safety believe another-: they aTe all liars and dissemblers, pretending fair in words, but meaning quite otherways.
Psalms 11:3
If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?. And if mien have no regard to laws and public decrees, which are the foundation of human society, but will boldly violate all known and standing rules of justice and truth, Vhat security can an honest man have? or what should he do, but make haste away from this court, where they act so arbitrarily, arid are so perfidious? The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things.’] This vice hath spread itself so universally among us, that it cannot be roofed up, but only by the hand of Heaven: which will destroy these pestilent. deceivers; who speak also big and blasphemous words, whereby they daunt those that are below them.
Psalms 11:4
Hie Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of Digitized by microsoft ® PSALM XII. THE BOOK OF PSALMS. men.] My answer is, that the world is not governed by chance, nor can men carry things just as they please: but the Lord, into whose holy palace no unjust counsels can possibly enter, and whose throne is infinitely above that of the highest king on earth: he, I say, is the supreme and most righteous ruler of all affairs; and no mischief can be so secretly contrived, no wicked design so artificially dissembled, but it lies open before his eyes, and he sees through it: nor need he take any pains to discover it; for at the first glance, as we speak, he perfectly discerns how all men are inclined, and looks to the very bottom of their hearts. Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?] We will have the better, say they, of all those that oppose us; and our tongues are the weapons whereby we will get the victory. They are our own; who shall hinder us from employing them to supplant whom we please? whether it be true ot false which we say, what is that to any body; or who shall call us to an account for it?
Psalms 11:5
Tfie Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked, and him that loveth violence, his soul hatethJ. And he may think fit to try the fidelity of him whom he knows to be upright, by many adversities; that he may afterward give him the more illustrious testimonies of his approbation and love. But whatsoever success the wicked, and he that delights in doing mischief, may have for the present, he is most hateful to God; and he will without fail severely punish him, for abusing his power to oppression and violent dealing. For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now ivill I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.] That will the Lord; whom the sighs, and tears, and miserable groans, of those poor wretches, who arc oppressed by your calumnies, have moved to resolve to take a speedy vengeance on you. He hath absolutely determined to rescue and deliver them from your snares and fraudulent practices: you may puff and storm as much as you please, but shall not be able to hinder it. i • Ver. G. The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.] For the promises of God are not deceitful like yours; but sincere, and void of all guile: the purest silver, refined to the greatest perfection, is not more free from dross, than they are from all mixture of falsehood.
Psalms 11:6
Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.) The wicked may think themselves very secure, because they are so cunning and so strong; but how can they defend themselves against the Lord, who hath innumerable ways to ensnare them when they least think of it; and can as unexpectedly overthrow all their forces, as, when the heavens are most serene, a sudden storm of thunder and lightning, and tempestuous blasts, arises, and tears up the trees by the roots? Thus the Sodomites, thus the Egyptians, perished; and such measure will the wise Dispenser of all punishments mete to these violent oppressors.
Psalms 11:7
For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright. For the Lord, who is jnst in his own nature, and in all his ways, loves none but those who are like himself: and therefore he will plague all injurious persons, but with special favour defend and reward all upright men, who steadfastly keep (notwithstanding all the injuries they receive) in the paths of righteousness. P S ALM XII. To the chi^f Musician upon Sheminith. A Psalm of David., ARGUMENT.,, M Thi3 Psalm was composed by David, and delivered to the master of music in the tabernacle, to be sung as the sixth Psalm, upon the harp with eight strings. The occasion of it is not expressed; but it is a sad complaint of the corrupt manners of that age, (especially of the court of Saul, ver. 3.) in which it was hard to find an honest, plain-dealing man, in whom one might confide. Some think it aims partly at Doeg, and such-like courtiers: partly at the Ziphites, and such perfidious people in the country, who, promising him their friendship (as Theodoret understands it), would have most biasely betrayed him unto Saul, his declared enemy. - Thou slialt keep (hem, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.] I am confident, O Lord, thou wilt perform them, and’not sufier thy words to fail. Thou wilt ever preserve him that confides in thee from this perverse generation, how oft soever they renew their attempts against him.
The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted. Which will make the wicked not know which way to turn themselves; but be ready to burst with anger and vexation, when they see those poor men, whom they contemned and vilified, not only preserved, but exalted by thy favour to dignity and honour.