Psalms 73
PATA Psalm of Asaph. Here begins anew collection of seventeen Psalms, most of them very disconsolate and full of sad complaints, which make up the third book of this volume, as the Hebrews* divide it. They were most of them composed by Asaph (and but one of them by David), though who he was is not resolved by interpreters: who suspect, indeed, there might be another author of some ofthese Psalms; but have no other Asaph to name, but Asaph the singer, who was famous in the days of David. (1 Chron. vi. 39/ xvi. 5. 2 Chron. v. 12.) And accordingly ApOlIinarius thus descants upon the title, " The Divine invention of David failing in the composing of songs, Asaph arose,* arid by the Divine Spirit resounded this hymn." But it seems to me that there is another person of this name mentioned in the holy books (who may be more probably entitled to this work), called Asaph the seer, (see Psal. 1.) who lived in the days of Hezekiah, (2 Chron. xxix. 30.) and whose son, I suppose, was then recorder/ (2 Kings xviii. 37. Isa. xxxvi. 3.) Some of them, indeed (as I shall take notice in due place), may be thought rather to belong to another Asaph in aftertimes: but for the present Psalm (and most of the rest) I can find no’ person so likely to whom it may be entitled, as him now named: who composed it, I conceive, either when he saw the miserable havoc which strangers made among them in the days of Ahaz, (2 Chron. xxviii. 17— 19. xxix. S, 9.) or when Sennacheril? invaded them, notwithstanding the reformation which Hezekiah had made: or, which is most probable, upon the occasion that David wrote % the thirty-seventh Psalm, to comfort himself and good men, when they saw the lewder sort among them thrive and prosper, and the pious sometimes sorely afflicted: quite contrary to the sanctions of their law, whieh promised all good things to those that observed it, and threatened the evil to those that broke it. This extremely afflicted his spirit, and staggered his faith, till he considered the matter more deeply; and then he broke out into this meditation, saying, fusions I behold, question the justice of Gods providence; but constantly affirm that he is not merely just, but very good; yea, hath a most singular lovo to his faiihfdl people; who, notwithstanding the evils they endure, will never consent to do any evil. and, when they least expect it, an end is put to their greatness; nay, they are quite destroyed, in a most terrible manner, as if they had never been. * The desolation of Jerusalem and of the temple, as well as the rest of the country, made by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, was the sad occasion of this Psalm. For it is altogether improbable, that it hath respect to the days of Antiochus Epiphanes, as some fancy; because, as Theodoret pertinently notes (to omit all other reasons), we read nothing in any history of his burning the temple, or so much as of his laying the city waste; which are both here most sorrowfully bewailed by Asaph. Who was not therefore that Asaph in David’s time (unless we should grant him to have written by the spirit of prophecy, and predicted what should be in aftertimes, as a great many think), because there was no such temple in those days, nor had been, as is here described: nor was it Asaph the seer in Hezekiah’s days (of whom see Argument of the foregoing Psalm), who saw no such desolation made by Sennacherib (forhedid not take Jerusalem, nor shoot so much as an arrow into it), nor, in all likelihood, prophesied of the destruction here spoken of; because the description of it in this Psalm is so plain, that we may most reasonably think the author of it had it before his eyes, and did notmerely see it by the spirit of prophecy; which is not wont to foretell things in so clear a manner, but more obscurely and darkly. I conclude, therefore, it was some other Asaph who composed this Psalm, in the time of the captivity, and in the middle, or rather towards the conclusion of it; because he complains (ver. 9.) that they had no prophet (as there was in the beginning of the captivity, particularly Jeremiah) to tell them how long it should last. And, considering that in the second verse he speaks of himself as one that dwelt still in the land of Israel, pointing to Mount Zion as a place near to him, I take him to have been some pious man of the posterity of Asaph, who was suffered to remain there with the Chaldeans., And if it were fit to suppose him to have written this Psalm very young, and to have lived to a great age, when I have no proof of cither, I should guess him to be Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, in the days of Nehcmiah; who desired Artaxerxes to write to him, to furnish him with timber out of Lebanon, for the rebuilding some of those places which the Psalmist here complains were de- [PSA^SI LXXIV stroyed. Among which, t\e parch of the court of the sanctuary remained unbuilt even unto those times. Howsoever, from the mention of Mount Zion in the second verse, it is manifest Grotius forgot himself, when, in his notes upon ver. G. he applies this Psalm to the destruction of Shiloh, which he supposes Asaph to have here bewailed. For Mount Zion had then never beeii in their possession, as it was afterward, and had lain so long waste, (ver. 3.) when Asaph wrote this Psalm, that it looked like a perpetual desolation. Besides, the tabernacle was not burnt when Shiloh was destroyed, but remained, though without the ark, till the days of Solomon, 2 Chron. i. 3. (see Psal. lxviii.) And of the meaning of Maschil, see Psal. xxxii. Ver.l. LP GOD, why hast thou cast lis off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?] O God, the sovereign judge of the world, who hast justly expelled us out of our land, and continued our banishment so long, that little hope appears of our being restored to it again; behold the anguish of our souls wherein we cry unto thee for mercy: for w r e are confounded to see thee so highly incensed against those, who were once under thy most indulgent care, as if thou wert resolved never to be reconciled to us any more.
Psalms 73:1
JL RULY God is good to Israel, even to such as art of a clean heart. I will never hereafter, whatsoever con-
Psalms 73:2
But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. Time was indeed, when I, even I, who have had such long experience of his care over me, began to doubt and stagger in my faith: nay, was in danger to tumble headlong into unbelief. Remember thy congregation, which time hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this Mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.’] Thou hast not forgotten, we know, though it be very long ago, with the expense of how many miracles thou didst make our ancestors thy peculiar people: for which reason, though we be exceedingly undeserving, we beseech thee to let all the world see, thou wilt not utterly abandon the poor remainders of that nation, w T hich thou didst acquire at so great a price; that kingdom, which thou didst rescue out of the most miserable slavery, to be thy own possession; and this Mount Zion, wherein (after thou hadst by many wonders brought us into Canaan, and rooted out the old inhabitants) thou wast pleased at last to settle thy abode among us..
Psalms 73:3
For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the tricked. The reason was, that having a just indignation against the folly, or rather madness, of wicked men, it first vexed me to see them, notwithstanding their ill descrvings, in a very flourishing condition; and then tempted me to think it very hard, that sober men should not equal, if not exceed, them in such happiness: especially when I saw no likelihood that it would end, but that they continue in their prosperity. Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations, even qll that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.] Make haste, good Lord, to come and visit the ruins of our country and city, which have lasted exceeding long, and will never be repaired without thy powerful help: which we implore against the authors of them; who, to all the other mischiefs they have done, have, with a peculiar spite, not only defaced, but utterly destroyed, thy dwellingplage.
Psalms 73:4
For there are no bands in their death; but their strength is firm. For as they carry on all their designs smoothly, and meet with no rub in their way, nor are in any danger (so great is their power), to be bound over by Human justice to answer for their crimes, how many soever they commit: so they are not afflicted with sore diseases by the hand of God, nor brought to their graves with pains and torment; but after a long life, in firm and vigorous health, depart easily out of the world. Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs.] They arp thy enemies therefore as well as ours, whose fury and rage so transport them, that they roar rather than shout; whilst they triumph in those places where thy people were wont to meet to praise thy name: there they have set up their banners in token of their victory, and brag as if their gods were superior unto thee.
Psalms 73:5
They are not in trouble as oilier men; neither are they plagued like other men. Their life is nothing so laborious and toilsome, as that of many honest, but poor and wretched men: and they escape untouched, or are little hurt by such calamities as are common to all mankind. A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.] Every one of them laid about him, and bestirred himself with all his might, as if he hoped to get renown by the mischief he did: which was committed with no more remorse, than if they had been | lopping off boughs in the thickets of a forest, wherp they may be spared. Ver. G. But 7iow they break dtyun the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers-] Just so methinks J see (as if it were now a-doing) how they hackee) and hewed with axes, and knocked down with hammers, the curious carved work of the temple: whose elegance would havo moved any but barbarians to have preserved it, with as great a zeal as they employed to beat it in pieces.
Psalms 73:6
Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth thein as a garment. Which makes them so unsufFerably proud, and vainly conceited of themselves, that they not only tyrannize over their neighbours, but openly boast of the power they have to do them mischief: and glory in all the violence and cruelty, whereby they maintain and increase their pompous greatness.
Psalms 73:7
TJieir eyes standout with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. In which they pamper themselves to such an excess, that in their very countenance they express the haughty swelling of their minds and hearts: which are strangely puffed up, by their being raised (not only beyond the expectation of all other men; but) far above all that they themselves at first imagined or could design. They have cast fire into thy sanctuary; they have defded by casting down the dwelling-place of thy name to the ground.] But so mad was their rage, it was not satisfied with this, but set fire unto thy holy place: and what that did not consume, they pulled down; till they had utterly profaned the habitation consecrated to thy majesty, by laying it level with the ground.
Psalms 73:8
They are corrupt; and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. They mock at all those who scrupulously tie themselves to the rules of justice, or tell them of the danger they run by their violation: for they threaten to undo all those that oppose them; and publicly declare, in the height of their arrogance, that they will not be bound by any laws. They said in their hearts, Let us destroy than together: they have burnt up all the synagogues of God in the land.] Nor did all this give a stop unto their fury; but they rather grew the more outrageous: for, designing quite to destroy our religion, both in this and in future generations, they left not so much as one place Ayherein wo might meet to say our prayers, or hear the law, throughout the land.
Psalms 73:9
They set their mouth against the heavens; and their tongue walketh through the earth. No, not those of God himself, who (with all the invisible powers of which men talk), they say, is but a name; which they do not dread: and, therefore, no wonder if such blasphemers of his majesty spare neither high nor low, but let their tongues loose, to abuse and calumniate whomsoever they please upon earth. We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth hoiv long.] And, which is the saddest thing of all, thou seeraest to have left us too; and we see no token of thy Divine presence with us: so far we are from beholding any miraculous works, as our fathers did, for our deliverance, that there is not so much as a prophet to be founds to give us any advice, or speak a word of comfort to us: not a man among us, that can tell when these calamities will have an end.
Psalms 73:10
Tlierefore his people return hither; and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. And yet, as bad as they are, there is none of them uut hath his followers and admirers; whom ho first invites, and then retains, like beasts, by filling their bellies: which abundantly contents them, though others be squeezed and oppressed, to give them this poor satisfaction. O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?] What a reproach is this, O God? which hath quite tired our patience, and made us cry unto thee to make haste to avenge thyself of these insulting enemies: stop their blasphemous mouths, O God, and let them not say any more, as they have dono too long, that thou art not able to deliver us. Ver. 1], Why ivithdrawest thou thy hand; even thy right hand?- pluck it out of thy bosom.] For we are confounded, and know not what to say, while thou thus withdrawest thy powerful presence from us; that mighty power which was wont to do such wonders for us: exert it again, we beseech thee, and stretch it out for the destruction of those who have spoken of it so contemptuously.
Psalms 73:11
And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?. Nay, they drink in their opinipns, and join with them in their impiety, saying, How can God know what we do here? or if he do, why should we think that he, who is so high, troubles himself about our affairs?
Psalms 73:12
Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. For, behold, there arc none that contemn him more than these men; and yet he is so far from inflicting any punishment on them, that none enjoy such a continued course of prosperity as they, whose wealth and power increase every day. For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.] Why should I despairof it? since the great God, whom they deride, hath many ages ago undertaken the government and protection of us: working for us such deliverances in this land, which now lies waste, as astonished all the world.
Psalms 73:13
Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. And verily, if these men discourse aright, I have taken a great deal of pains to little purpose; while I have studiously endeavoured to keep my heart pure from so much as ill designs, as well as to refrain the doing of any evil actions, from the charge of which I can safely purge myself., Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: tluni brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.] Thou art that God, to whose power the raging sea is subject; which at thy command retired, and opened a way for us to pass through; but came back again with its wonted violence, and overwhelmed the Egyptians; who, like so many seamoiisters, thought to have devoured us.
Psalms 73:14
For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.* And yet I am plagued perpetually by the restless malice of these wicked doers; which, as constantly as the sun rises, falls on me a deal sooner than on other men. Thou brakest the lieads of leviathan in pieces* and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wiU
Psalms 73:15
If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I shoidd offend against the generation of thy children. But, whatever confused and foolish thoughts came on a sudden into my mind, I concluded, upon more mature deliberation, that if I said as these men do, I should basely betray the cause of all them who are truly dear unto thee.
Psalms 73:16
When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me. And therefore resolved with myself, before I pronounced my sentence, to “study this point more seriously; which at first sight appeared so hard, that it grievously perplexed me.
Psalms 73:17
Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. And retiring myself into the holy places, to consult with thee, and with those to whom thou communicatcst thy secrets, I was presently sensible how short their felicity is: unto which death having put an utter end, it is followed with a dismal after-reckoning in another world.
Psalms 73:18
Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. And next I considered, that all of them do not stand so firm as they imagine, but merely flatter themselves with vain hopes of continning in their station to the end of their days: for being raised to the highest preferments, they find them to be very slippery places; from whence, to the amazement of themselves, and of all spectators, they come tumbling down into a most horrible ruin.
Psalms 73:19
How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. Oh what an astonishing change is this! which is the most frightful, when on a sudden the Divine vengeance seizes on them;
Psalms 73:20
As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image-. So that it is but a dream of happiness wherein they live, and they pride themselves in a mere imaginary glory; which not only vanishes away, when thou, O Lord, dost arise to judge them, but becomes as contemptible, in that very city where they appeared in all their pomp and splendour, as the fine things which a man sees in his sleep are when he awaketh.
Psalms 73:21
TJius my heart tvas grieved, and I teas pricked in my reins. Ana therefore, when my spirit boiled with vexation, and grew sour at the sight of their prosperity; (ver. 2, 3.) when I was so vehemently provoked to passionate complaints, feeling the sharpest touches of grief and anger;
Psalms 73:22
So foolish was I, and ignorant; I was as a beast before thee. I now ingenuously acknowledge, it was for want of such manly and religious thoughts as these, which should have been in my mind when I thought of thy administrations; if I had not been dull and stupid, as void of sense as the beasts, which look only at things before their eyes, and have no regard to what is to come, or is not seen. t
Psalms 73:23
Nevertheless J am continually with thee; thou hast holden me by my right hand. For, if I had looked beyond my senses, I might have seen that I am under the care of thy good providence, and that thou hast been my guide and my supporter, even when I had these brutish thoughts, and didst not suffer these wicked men to destroy me.
Psalms 73:24
Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. And therefore I ought in all reason still to conclude, that thou wilt direct me to behave myself so wisely, that I shall never fall into their snares: but, after I have suffered awhile, be preferred to those dignities from whence they fall; and, which is more, be so graciously accepted by thee, as to continue in them unto immortal glory.
Psalms 73:25
Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. This I expect from thy almighty goodness, who art the’ sole object of my hope. For thou knowest there is none in heaven, whom I depend upon for help and protection, hut thee alone; none upon earth, whose favour I seek, but only thine, which shall perfectly content me. Ver. 2G. My flesh and my heart fail: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.] It is possible I may still be pressed with such sore afflictions, that not only ray bodily strength, but also my courage, may begin again to fail me; but then I will recover myself, and fortify my soul by flying unto thee, O God, for safety: in whose love I will always think myself happy, and enjoy everlasting satisfaction.
Psalms 73:27
For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. For there is nothing more certain or more remarkable than this; that they who, by forsaking thec, have put themselves far from under thy care, will never be able, by any other means, to save themselves from perishing: for thou hast already made such men a terrible example of thy displeasure; and utterly destroyed those, who, quitting thy service, have devoted themselves to the worship of other gods, (2 Chron. xxviii. 6. 18, 19. xxix. 7—0.)
Psalms 73:28
But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works. 7. And therefore I will learn, by their miscarriages, that it is the best and safest course for metp adhere to my good God, and to make my humble addresses to him alone. I have done so hitherto, and no danger shall tempt me hereafter to quit this hold, and to confide in any thing, but only in the Sovereign of the world, who never fails those that depend upon him; and will, I hope, be so gracious unto me, that I shall have abundant cause to publish and proclaim to all others the works of his providence; in preserving the good, and in throwing the wicked down, at last, to the ground. • PSALM LXX1V. Maschil of Asaph.