Before - Before your pots can be heated. Take them - Violently and irresistibly. Living - Alive, as he did Korah.
Rejoice - For the blessed effects of it; the vindication of God's honour, and the deliverance of himself and of all good men. Wash - There shall be so great a slaughter of his enemies that he might, if he pleased, wash his feet in their blood.
Run - To and fro, to receive Saul's commands, and to execute them with all speed.
The God - A God in covenant with all true Israelites, whom thou hast promised to protect and bless. The heathen - Or, these heathens, who though they are Israelites by birth; yet in their dispositions they are mere Heathens. Be not - For indeed thou canst not according to thy word, be merciful to such incorrigible offenders.
Return - Watching for me: which they did at this time all the night long, 1Sam 19:11. A dog - When he is pursuing his prey. Go round - When they did not find him in his own house, they sought for him in other parts of the city.
Pour out - Sharp and bitter word's, abundantly and vehemently, as a fountain doth waters, as this word signifies. Swords - Words as keen and mischievous as swords. For who - David doth not hear us, and God either doth not hear, or not regard what we say.
Prevent - Thou wilt help me sooner than I expect.
My people - Over whom thou hast appointed me to be governor in due time. Forget - Their former danger, and thy glorious mercy in delivering them. Scatter - Let them wander from place to place, that they may carry the tokens of thy justice, and their own shame to all places.
Pride - For their proud and insolent speeches against thee. Lying - For their execrations and lying reports, which they have spread concerning me.
Not be - In the land of the living any more.
Tremble - A poetical expression, signifying great changes among the people.
To drink - Thou hast filled us with no less honor, than men intoxicated with strong drink.
A banner - Which is a sign and instrument, Of union. This people who were lately divided, thou hast united under one banner, under my government: Of battle. Thou hast given us an army, and power to oppose our enemies; which blessing God gave to Israel, for the sake of those few sincere Israelites who were among them. The truth - Not for any merit of ours, but to shew thy faithfulness in making good thy promises.
Beloved - Thy beloved people.
Rejoice - Therefore I will turn my prayers into praises, for what God has already done. Divide - Which supposeth possession and dominion. Shechem - A place within Jordan, in mount Ephraim. Succoth - A place without Jordan. He mentions Shechem, and Succoth; for all the land of Canaan, within and without Jordan.
Gilead - All the land beyond Jordan, which was possessed by Reuben and Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh. Manasseh - The other half of that tribe within Jordan. The strength - A chief part of my strength, either to offend mine enemies, or to defend myself. For this tribe was very numerous, and valiant and rich. Law - giver - The chief seat of my throne and kingdom, and of the inferior throne of judgment, Psal 122:5.
Wash - pot - In which I shall wash my feet. I shall bring them into the lowest degree of servitude. Shoe - I will use them like slaves; a proverbial expression. Triumph - It is an ironical expression, signifying that her triumphs were come to an end.
Who - None can do it but God. City - The cities; the singular number for the plural. Having beaten his enemies out of the field, he desires God's assistance to take their strong - holds, and so secure himself from farther attempts. Edom - Which was an high and rocky country, Obad 1 - 3, fortified by nature, as well as by art, and therefore not to be subdued without a Divine hand.
Hadst cut off - But now hast graciously returned to us.
The end - To which David was driven. Lead me - Convey me into some high and secure fortress.
I will - I shall, I doubt not, be restored to the tabernacle, and worship thee there all my days.
Heritage - Thou hast granted me this singular mercy, to live in God's land, to enjoy his presence, and to worship in his tabernacle; which is the heritage that all that fear thee, prize and desire above all things.
Prolong - The years of my life and reign. Thus he speaks because his kingdom was not like Saul's, but established to him and his heirs; and because Christ, his son and heir, should actually, and in his own person possess the kingdom for ever.
Abide - In the throne. Before God - Living and ruling as in God's presence, serving God and worshipping him in his tabernacle. Truth - Thy truth in giving me those mercies which thou hast promised, and thy mercy in giving me such further blessings as I needs.
Ye - Mine enemies; to whom now he turns his speech. Against - Against me, a man like yourselves, whom common humanity obliges you to pity.
Vanity - Vain, and helpless creatures. A lie - They promise much, but generally deceive those who trust in them.
Vain - Feeding yourselves with vain hopes of felicity, from those riches which you take from others by violence.
Spoken - Frequently, both immediately as at Sinai, and by his holy prophets, from time to time. That - That power is God's prerogative; and consequently all creatures, either against or without him, are poor impotent things.
Therefore - God is almighty, therefore he can easily destroy all his enemies: he is also merciful, and therefore will pardon good mens failings. Renderest - And this as he is obliged to do by his holy nature, so is he able to do it, being omnipotent, and willing to do it to the godly (which was the only thing that might be doubted, because of their manifold miscarriages) because he is merciful and gracious.
Early - Heb. in the morning, Which implies the doing it with diligence and speed. Thirsteth - For the enjoyment of thee in thy house and ordinances. Flesh - The desire of my soul, is so vehement, that my very body feels the effects of it. No water - In a land where I want the refreshing waters of the sanctuary.
To see - To enjoy. Power - The powerful and glorious effects of thy gracious presence.
Satisfied - When thou shalt fulfil my earnest desire of enjoying thee in the sanctuary.
Shall go - Into the grave.
Foxes - Their carcases shall become a prey to wild and ravenous creatures.
The king - I who am already anointed king. Every one - That sweareth by the name of God, in truth, and judgment, and righteousness. Every sincere servant and worshipper of God. Shall glory - Shall rejoice in my deliverance.
Iniquities - They study diligently, to find new ways of doing mischief. Deep - Cunning, both to contrive and conceal, and to execute their plots.
Flee - Through fear of being involved in their destruction.
Glad - For the honour of God, which by this means is vindicated.
Approach - To draw near to God in his house and ordinance, by prayer and praise, and other acts of communion with him. Satisfied - With the blessings there conferred upon thy people, the favour and fellowship of God, remission of sins, renovation of heart and life, joy and peace, and well - grounded assurance of eternal life.
Righteousness - By virtue of thy faithfulness, and goodness. Wilt thou - Thou wilt graciously answer our prayers. The confidence - Thou art the stay and support of all mankind, by thy powerful and gracious providence.
Tumult - No less wild and impetuous.
Thy tokens - Terrible thunders and lightnings, and earthquakes, and comets or other strange meteors, or works of God in the air. Morning - The successive courses of the morning and evening; or of the sun and moon which go forth at those times. Thus the whole verse speaks of the natural works of God, the former clause, of such as are extraordinary and terrible, the latter of such as are ordinary and delightful.
River - With rain, which he very significantly calls a river for its plenty, and the river of God, of God's immediate providing. Them - The inhabitants of the earth. Provided - Or, disposed, the earth, which without this would be hard and barren.
Bringest down - For the rain dissolves the high and hard clods of earth.
Wilderness - Which though neglected by men, are furnished with food for beasts.