Psalm 41-45
1599 Geneva Bible
41 1 David being grievously afflicted, blesseth them that pity his case, 9 and complaineth of the treason of his own friends and familiars, as came to pass in Judas, John 13:18. After he feeling the great mercies of God gently chastising him, and not suffering his enemies to triumph against him, 13 giveth most hearty thanks to God.
To him that excelleth. A Psalm of David.
1 Blessed is he that [a]judgeth wisely of the poor: the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble.
2 The Lord will keep him and preserve him alive, he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.
3 The Lord will strengthen him upon the [b]bed of sorrow: thou hast turned all his [c]bed in his sickness.
4 Therefore I said, Lord have mercy upon me: heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.
5 Mine enemies [d]speak evil of me, saying, When shall he die, and his name perish?
6 And if he come to see me, he speaketh [e]lies, but his heart heapeth iniquity within him, and when he cometh forth, he telleth it.
7 All they that hate me whisper together against me: even against me do they imagine mine hurt.
8 [f]A mischief is light upon him, and he that lieth, shall no more rise.
9 Yea, my [g]familiar friend, whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, [h]hath lifted up the heel against me.
10 Therefore, O Lord, have mercy upon me, and raise me up: so shall I reward them.
11 By this I know that thou favorest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph against me.
12 And as for me thou upholdest me [i]in mine integrity, and dost set me before thy [j]face forever.
13 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel world without end. [k]So be it, even so be it.
42 1 The Prophet grievously complaineth, that being letted by his persecutors, he could not be present in the congregation of God’s people, protesting that although he was separated in body from them, yet his heart was thitherward affectioned. 7 And least of all he showed that he was not so far overcome with these sorrows and thoughts, 8 but that he continually put his confidence in the Lord.
To him that excelleth. A Psalm to give instruction, [l]committed to the sons of Korah.
1 As the Hart brayeth for the rivers of water, so [m]panted my soul after thee, O God.
2 My soul thirsteth for God, even for the living God: when shall I come and appear before the presence of God?
3 [n]Mine tears have been my meat day and night, while they daily say unto me, Where is thy God?
4 When I remembered [o]these things, I poured out my very heart, because I had gone with the multitude, and led them into the house of God with the voice of singing, and praise, as a multitude that keepeth a feast.
5 Why art thou cast down, my soul, and unquiet within me? [p]wait on God: for I will yet give him thanks for the help of his presence.
6 My God, my soul is cast down within me, [q]because I remembered thee, from the land of Jordan, and Hermon, and from the mount Mizar.
7 One [r]deep calleth another deep by the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy floods are gone over me.
8 The Lord [s]will grant his loving-kindness in the day, and in the night shall I sing of him, even a prayer unto the God of my life.
9 I will say unto God, which is my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning, when the enemy oppresseth me?
10 My [t]bones are cut asunder, while mine enemies reproach me, saying daily unto me, Where is thy God?
11 [u]Why art thou cast down, my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? wait on God: for I will yet give him thanks: he is my present help and my God.
43 1 He prayeth to be delivered from them that conspire against him, that he might joyfully praise God in his holy congregation.
1 Judge [v]me, O God, and defend my cause against the unmerciful [w]people: deliver me from the deceitful and wicked man.
2 For thou art the God of my strength: why hast thou put me away? why go I so mourning, when the enemy oppressed me?
3 Send thy [x]light and thy truth: let them lead me: let them bring me unto thine holy Mountain, and to thy Tabernacles.
4 Then [y]will I go unto the altar of God, even unto the God of my joy and gladness: and upon the harp will I give thanks unto thee, O God my God.
5 Why art thou cast down, my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me: [z]wait on God: for I will yet give him thanks, he is my present help and my God.
44 1 The faithful remember the great mercy of God toward his people. 9 After they complain, because they feel it no more. 17 Also they allege the covenant made with Abraham, for the keeping whereof they show what grievous things they suffered. 23 Finally, they pray unto God not to contemn their affliction, seeing the same redoundeth to the contempt of his honor.
To him that excelleth. A Psalm to give instruction, committed to the sons of Korah.
1 We have heard with our [aa]ears, O God: our fathers have told us the works that thou hast done in their days, in the old time:
2 How thou hast driven out the [ab]heathen with thine hand, and planted [ac]them: how thou hast destroyed the [ad]people, and caused [ae]them to grow.
3 For they inherited not the land by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou didst [af]favor them.
4 Thou art my king, O God: send help unto [ag]Jacob.
5 [ah]Through thee have we thrust back our adversaries: by thy Name have we trodden down them that rose up against us.
6 For I do not trust in my bow, neither can my sword save me.
7 But thou hast saved us from our adversaries, and hast put them to confusion that hate us.
8 Therefore will we praise God continually, and will confess thy Name forever. Selah.
9 But now thou art far off, and puttest us to [ai]confusion, and goest not forth with our armies.
10 Thou makest us to turn back from the adversary, and they which hate us, spoil [aj]for themselves.
11 (A)Thou givest us [ak]as sheep to be eaten, and dost scatter us among the nations.
12 Thou sellest thy people [al]without gain, and dost not increase their price.
13 Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbors, a jest and laughing stock to them that are round about us.
14 Thou makest us a proverb among the nations, and a nodding of the head among the people.
15 My [am]confusion is daily before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,
16 For the voice of the slanderer and rebuker, for the enemy and [an]avenger.
17 All this is come upon us, yet do we not [ao]forget thee, neither deal we falsely concerning thy covenant.
18 Our heart is not turned back: neither our steps gone out of thy paths,
19 Albeit thou hast smitten us down into the place of [ap]dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.
20 If we have forgotten the Name of our God, and held up our hands to a [aq]strange god,
21 Shall not God [ar]search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
22 Surely for thy sake [as]are we slain continually, and are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
23 Up, why sleepest thou, O Lord? awake, be not far off forever.
24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face? and forgettest our misery and our affliction?
25 For our soul is [at]beaten down unto the dust: our belly cleaveth to the ground.
26 Rise up for our succor, and redeem us for thy [au]mercy’s sake.
45 1 The majesty of Solomon, his honor, strength, beauty, riches, and power are praised, and also his marriage with the Egyptian being an heathen woman, is blessed. 10 If that she can renounce her people and the love of her country, and gave herself wholly to her husband. Under the which figure, the wonderful majesty and increase of the kingdom of Christ and his Church his spouse, now taken of the Gentiles, is described.
To him that excelleth on [av]Shoshannim, a song of [aw]love to give instruction, committed to the sons of Korah.
1 Mine heart will utter forth a good matter: I will entreat in my works of the king: my tongue is as the pen of a swift writer.
2 Thou art [ax]fairer than the children of men: grace is poured in thy lips, because God hath blessed thee forever.
3 Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, to wit, thy worship and thy glory:
4 And prosper with thy glory: [ay]ride upon the word of truth and of meekness and of righteousness: so thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.
5 Thine arrows are sharp to pierce the heart of the King’s enemies: therefore the people shall fall under thee.
6 Thy [az]throne, O God, is forever and ever: the scepter of thy kingdom, is a scepter of righteousness.
7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness, because God, even thy God, hath [ba]anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
8 All thy garments smell of myrrh and aloes, and cassia, when thou comest out of the ivory palaces [bb]where they have made thee glad.
9 King’s daughters were among thine honorable wives: upon thy right hand did stand the [bc]Queen in a vesture of gold of Ophir.
10 [bd]Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear: forget also thine own people and thy father’s house.
11 So shall the King have pleasure in thy beauty: for he is thy Lord, and reverence thou him.
12 And the [be]daughter of [bf]Tyre with the rich of the people, shall do homage before thy face with presents.
13 The King’s daughter is all glorious [bg]within: her clothing is of broidered gold.
14 She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needlework: the virgins that follow after her, and her companions shall be brought unto thee.
15 With joy and gladness shall they be brought, and shall enter into the king’s palace.
16 Instead of thy fathers shall thy [bh]children be: thou shalt make them princes [bi]through all the earth.
17 I will make thy [bj]Name to be remembered through all generations: therefore shall the people give thanks unto thee, world without end.
Footnotes
- Psalm 41:1 Not condemning him as accursed whom God doth visit, knowing that there are divers causes why God layeth his hand upon us, yea and afterward he restoreth us.
- Psalm 41:3 When for sorrow and grief of mind he calleth himself upon his bed.
- Psalm 41:3 Thou hast restored him in his sick bed and sent him comfort.
- Psalm 41:5 That is, curse me and cannot have their cruel hate quenched, but with my shameful death.
- Psalm 41:6 For pretending to comfort me, he conspireth my death in his heart, and braggeth thereof.
- Psalm 41:8 The enemies thought by his sharp punishments that God was become his mortal enemy.
- Psalm 41:9 Hebrew, the man of my peace.
- Psalm 41:9 As David felt this falsehood, and as it was chiefly accomplished in Christ, John 13:18, so shall his members continually prove the same.
- Psalm 41:12 Meaning, either in prosperity of life, or in the true fear of God against all tentations.
- Psalm 41:12 Showing me evident signs of thy fatherly providence.
- Psalm 41:13 By this repetition he stirreth up the faithful to praise God.
- Psalm 42:1 As a treasure to be kept of them, which were of the number of the Levites.
- Psalm 42:1 By these similitudes of thirst and panting, he showeth his fervent desire to serve God in his Temple.
- Psalm 42:3 As others take pleasure in eating and drinking, so he was altogether given to weeping.
- Psalm 42:4 That is, how I led the people to serve thee in thy Tabernacle, and now seeing my contrary estate, I die for sorrow.
- Psalm 42:5 Though he sustained grievous assaults of the flesh to cast him into despair, yet his faith grounded on God’s accustomed mercies getteth the victory.
- Psalm 42:6 That is, when I remember thee in this land of my banishment among the mountains.
- Psalm 42:7 Afflictions came so thick upon me, that I felt my self as overwhelmed: whereby he showeth there is no end of our misery till God be pacified and send remedy.
- Psalm 42:8 He assureth himself of God’s help in time to come.
- Psalm 42:10 That is, I am most grievously tormented.
- Psalm 42:11 This repetition doth declare that David did not overcome at once, to teach us to be constant, forasmuch as God will certainly deliver his.
- Psalm 43:1 He desireth God to undertake his cause against the enemies but chiefly that he would restore him to the Tabernacle.
- Psalm 43:1 That is, the cruel company of mine enemies.
- Psalm 43:3 To wit, thy favor, which appeareth by the performance of thy promises.
- Psalm 43:4 He promiseth to offer a solemn sacrifice of thanksgiving in token of his great deliverance.
- Psalm 43:5 Whereby he admonisheth the faithful not to relent, but constantly to wait on the Lord, though their troubles be long and great.
- Psalm 44:1 This psalm seemeth to have been made by some excellent Prophet for the use of the people, when the Church was in extreme misery, either at their return from Babylon, or under Antiochus, or in such like affliction.
- Psalm 44:2 That is, the Canaanites.
- Psalm 44:2 To wit, our fathers.
- Psalm 44:2 Of Canaan.
- Psalm 44:2 That is, our fathers.
- Psalm 44:3 God’s free mercy and love is the only fountain and beginning of the Church, Deut. 4:37.
- Psalm 44:4 Because thou art our king, therefore deliver thy people from their misery.
- Psalm 44:5 Because they and their forefathers made both one Church, they apply that to themselves which before they did attribute to their fathers.
- Psalm 44:9 As they confessed before that their strength came of God, so now they acknowledge that this affliction came by his just judgment.
- Psalm 44:10 Or, at their pleasure.
- Psalm 44:11 Knowing God to be author of this calamity, they murmur not, but seek remedy at his hands, who wounded them.
- Psalm 44:12 As slaves which are sold for a low price, neither lookest thou for him that offereth most, but takest the first chapman.
- Psalm 44:15 I dare not lift up my head for shame.
- Psalm 44:16 Meaning, the proud and cruel tyrant.
- Psalm 44:17 They boast not of their virtues, but declare that they rest upon God in the midst of their afflictions: who punished not now their sins, but by hard afflictions called them to the consideration of the heavenly joys.
- Psalm 44:19 Or, whales: meaning, the bottomless seas of tentations: here we see the power of faith, which can be overcome by no perils.
- Psalm 44:20 They show that they honored God aright, because they trusted in him alone.
- Psalm 44:21 They take God to witness that they were upright to himward.
- Psalm 44:22 The faithful make this their comfort, that the wicked punish them not for their sins, but for God’s cause, Matt. 5:10; 1 Pet. 4:14.
- Psalm 44:25 There is no hope of recovery, except thou put to thine hand and raise us up.
- Psalm 44:26 Which is the only sufficient ransom to deliver both body and soul from all kinds of slavery and misery.
- Psalm 45:1 This was a certain tune or an instrument.
- Psalm 45:1 Of that perfect love that ought to be between the husband and the wife.
- Psalm 45:2 Solomon’s beauty and eloquence to win favor with his people, and his power to overcome his enemies, is here described.
- Psalm 45:4 He alludeth to them that ride in chariots in their triumphs, showing that the quiet state of a kingdom standeth in truth, meekness and justice, not in worldly pomp and vanity.
- Psalm 45:6 Under this figure of this kingdom of justice is set forth the everlasting kingdom of Christ.
- Psalm 45:7 Hath established thy kingdom as the figure of Christ, which is the peace and joy of the Church.
- Psalm 45:8 In the which palace the people made thee joyful to see them give thanks and rejoice for thee.
- Psalm 45:9 Though he had many Kings’ daughters among his wives, yet he loved Pharaoh’s daughter best.
- Psalm 45:10 Under the figure of Pharaoh’s daughter, he showeth that the Church must cast off all carnal affections to obey Christ only.
- Psalm 45:12 He signifieth that divers of them that be rich shall be benefactors to the Church, albeit they give not perfect obedience to the Gospel.
- Psalm 45:12 Or, Zor.
- Psalm 45:13 There is nothing feigned, nor hypocritical, but she is glorious both within and without: and howbeit the Church hath not at all times this outward glory, the fault is to be imputed only to their own ingratitude.
- Psalm 45:16 They shall have greater graces than their fathers.
- Psalm 45:16 He signifieth the great compass of Christ’s kingdom, which shall be sufficient to enrich all his members.
- Psalm 45:17 This only must be referred to Christ and not to Solomon.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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