Psalms 42
PATand now that he lieth, he shall rise up no more. This is the time, say they: for now God hath met with him, and punished his heinous sins with a grievous disease; which sticks as fast to him as our reports (which the people believe, and he will never be able to confute), and hath laid him so low, that he cannot possibly recover. Here begins the second of the five books of Psalms, according to the Hebrew division. All those of the former. book, except four, have the name of David prefixed to them, as the author of them; and so were put together, by hi in that collected them, into one volume. But in this second book, the first part of it consists of Psalms entitled to the sons of Korah; as several learned men understand the inscriptions; who imagine that some holy men among them composed these Psalms, in the time of the captivity. But I shall follow our English translation, and take this Psalm (as the LXX. and the Vulgar Latin do) to be directed to the sons of Korah, to be set or sung by them, under the chief master of music in the tabernacle. And then there is little question to be made, but David indited this, and some of the Psalms.which have this title; as it is certain he did most, if not all, of those that are contained in the latter part of this second book, from Psalm the fiftieth to the end of the seventy-second. And this present Psalm, with that which follows, seems to have been penned, either when he was under the persecution of Saul, or (which is nyore probable) when he was driven again from the house of God by Absalom. Which sad condition he bewails; with a gTeat mixture of grief for his banishment from those sweet enjoyments he had there, and of hope to be restored to them again. This Psalm is the second of those thirteen which are called Maschil; (see Psal. xxxii.) by some here taken to be an epithet of the master of music, who taught or instructed the sons of Korah very skilfully. a pompous manner accompanied me with their praises and thanksgivings at that festival solemnity. (1 Chron. xv. 25. 28.) It even breaks my heart with grief to remember this thing, and all the other sacred times, when before this banishment we met together at thy house, to worship and acknowledge thee for all thy benefits.
Psalms 42:1
juLS the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. The hunted deer doth not long more earnestly, and cry more loudly, for the brooks of water to quench her thirst, than my soul doth for the happy enjoyment of thee, my God, in the public solemnities; from whence I am driven by those that seek my life.
Psalms 42:2
My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?. It is not my throne of which I am so desirous, as the place where thou my God dwcllest; who art the eternal spring of life and comfort, which no other God can communicate. O how vehemently doth my soul long for thee; and how tedious doth the time of my banishment from thee seem! O when shall I see that happy day, wherein I shall be restored to the liberty again of presenting myself before thee in thy tabernacle?
Psalms 42:3
My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?. There I was wont with great delight to feast with thee; hut now my appetite fails me to my daily food: instead of which, my only satisfaction is in tears; to which I have wholly abandoned myself. For what can be more grievous than to hear them say, I am abandoned by thee? (2 Sam. xvi. 7, 8.) and to be continually reproached and derided with this taunting question, What is become of thy God, of whose favour thou wast wont to boast?
Psalms 42:4
When I remember these things, I pour out my soid in me: for I had gone with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holy-day.] O what a sad thought is it, to call to mind those pleasant days which are past and gone! particularly when I brought the ark to thy dwelling-place, with the joyful shout of all thy people; wha in
Psalms 42:5
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. And why may I not expect the like again? It is true, my soul, these are very sad and melancholy reflections; but must I therefore be utterly dejected? Is there any cause that anxiety of mind should make thee so tumultuous, as if all hopes of this felicity were lost for ever? Trust in God, and patiently wait upon him; for the time will come when I shall go to his house, and praise him still for his favour towards me; in delivering me from this as well as all my former afflictions.
Psalms 42:6
O my God, my soul is cast doiun within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. O my most gracious God, thou seest howl chide myself for it; and yet I am overcome with grief, and should be quite oppressed, while I am forced to hide myself in this wilderness beyond Jordan, (2 Sam. xvii. 22. 29.) and wander up and down in these solitary mountains, far distant from thy tabernacle, did I not comfort myself with the thoughts of thy goodness and power; whom I have served there.
Psalms 42:7
Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. I am fallen into a bottomless depth of miseries; which follow one upon another, as if the former invited the next to succeed it: they gush in upon me by thy appointment with such violence, as spouts of water do out of a cloud. I am tossed like one upon a tempestuous sea, where the waves rage and swell so high, that every billow threatens to overwhelm and bury me in the deep.
Psalms 42:8
Yet the Lord will command his loving-kindness in the day-time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. Yet I do not distrust the loving-kindness of the Lord, by whose autho-. rity this tempest shall be appeased. He will in much. mercy order and dispose things so, that night and day I shall have perpetual cause to sing his praise: and therefore I will commend myself to him continually, who is the author of my life, and beseech him to preserve it.
Psalms 42:9
Yea, mine oivn familiar frieiul, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. And, which is still more afflictive, the man with whom I never had any quarrel, but rather used as a friend; he in whom I reposed the greatest confidence, (2 Sam. xvi. 23.) who was one of my family, and was maintained by my service, hath, in a brutish manner, not only forsaken me, but (like a horse that kicks at him that feeds him) contemptuously lifted up himself against me. I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?] I will take the boldness also to expostulate with him, saying, God, I have always made thee my refuge; and thought myself safer under thy protection, than if I had been in the strongest fortress: why then dost thou delay thy help, as if thou tookest no farther care of me? why do I still continue in that mournful condition wherein I left Jerusalem, (2 Sam. xv. 30.) and have no relief from this grievous oppression of the enemy?
Psalms 42:10
But thou, OLord, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them. But all this doth not discourage me when I think of thy mercy, O Lord; which as I most humbly implore, so thou art wont to shew to those that are merciful. I am not so low, (ver. 8.) but, contrary to their expectation, thou art able to raise me up, and restore me to my throne, from whence they have driven me; and then I shall punish them, according as my office and their wickedness require. Ver.ll. By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.] And truly I take this to be an argument of thy kind intentions towards me, that hitherto thou hast marvellously preserved me, both in this sickness and in all other dangers; so that my enemy hath missed the triumph he hoped for in my ruin. As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?] O how cutting are their reproaches! how deeply do they wound my soul! It is like a stab to the very heart, to hear them say, in their daily jeers, What is become of thy God, in whom thou trustedst? why doth he make no more haste to send thee deliverance?
Psalms 42:11
Wliy art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. But it better becomes me to expostulate with myself, than with thy majesty. And therefore I ask myself again; O my soul, why art thou thus sadly afflicted? why do these things so miserably torment thee, and disturb thy quiet? since there is hope in God, that I am not utterly banished from his presence; but shall return to his house again to praise him: on whom I fix my eyes as my only saviour (for hitherto he hath been my most gracious God), who will pull off my mourning apparel; and make joy and gladness take place of sorrow and sadness in my countenance.
And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and setteth me before thy face for ever. The triumph belongs to me, who thankfully acknowledge that thou hast supported me, and defended my innocence: thou hast taken such a special care of me, that I hope I shall serve thee all my days, without interruption, in that office thou hast committed to me.
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting,- and to everlasting. Amen, and amen. For which and all other his benefits, let tlie great Lord of all the world, the God of Israel, whom he hath chosen tor his own peculiar people, be most heartily blessed and praised; let him be blessed throughout all generations, as long as the world shall last, and unto all eternity: let him be blessed; let him be blessed (again and again I repeat it with most fervent affection); and let all his people concur with me in these desires, and with one consent accompany me with their joyful acclamations, saying, The Lord “be praised, the Lord be praised. PART II. PSALM XLII; To the chief Musician. Maschil. For the Sons of Korah.