The inscription of the title, of David himself.⁵⁰⁵

505 [“Michtam of David,” which Bishop Wordsworth derives from Catham, and illustrates by Job xix. 23.—C.]

1. Our King in this Psalm speaks in the character of the human⁵⁰⁶

506 Susceptionis humanæ.

2. Now He saith as follows; “Preserve me, O Lord, for in Thee have I hoped” (ver. 1): “I have said to the Lord, Thou art my God, for Thou requirest not my goods” (ver. 2): for with my goods Thou dost not look to be made blessed.

3. “To the saints who are on His earth” (ver. 3): to the saints who have placed their hope in the land of the living, the citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, whose spiritual conversation is, by the anchor of hope, fixed in that country, which is rightly called God’s earth; although as yet in this earth too they be conversant in the flesh. “He hath wonderfully fulfilled all My wishes in them.” To those saints then He hath wonderfully fulfilled all My wishes in their advancement, whereby they have perceived, how both the humanity of My divinity hath profited them that I might die, and the divinity of the humanity that I might rise again.

4. “Their infirmities have been multiplied”⁵⁰⁷

507 So Oxford mss.

508 Isa. i. 11, 12.

5. “The Lord is the portion of Mine inheritance, and of My cup” (ver. 5). For together with Me they shall possess the inheritance, the Lord Himself. Let others choose for themselves portions, earthly and temporal, to enjoy: the portion of the Saints is the Lord eternal. Let others drink of deadly pleasures, the portion of My cup is the Lord. In that I say, “Mine,” I include the Church: for where the Head is, there is the body also. For into the inheritance will I gather together their assemblies, and by the inebriation of the cup I will forget their old names. “Thou art He who will restore to Me My inheritance:” that to these too, whom I free, may be known “the glory wherein I was with Thee before the world was made.”⁵⁰⁹

509 John xvii. 5.

6. “The lines have fallen to me in glorious places” (ver. 6). The boundaries of my possession have fallen in Thy glory as it were by lot, like as God is the possession of the Priests and Levites.⁵¹⁰

510 Numb. xviii. 20.

7. “I will bless the Lord, who hath given Me understanding” (ver. 7): whereby this inheritance may be seen and possessed. “Yea moreover too even unto night my reins have chastened Me.” Yea besides understanding, even unto death, My inferior part, the assumption of flesh, hath instructed Me, that I might experience the darkness of mortality, which that understanding hath not.

8. “I foresaw the Lord in My sight always” (ver. 8). But coming into things that pass away, I removed not Mine eye from Him who abideth ever, foreseeing this, that to Him I should return after passing through the things temporal. “For He is on My right hand, that I should not be moved.” For He favoureth Me, that I should abide fixedly in Him.

9. “Wherefore My heart was glad, and My tongue exulted” (ver. 9). Wherefore both in My thoughts is gladness, and in my words exultation. “Moreover too My flesh shall rest in hope.” Moreover too My flesh shall not fail unto destruction, but shall sleep in hope of the resurrection.

10. “For Thou wilt not leave My soul in hell” (ver. 10). For Thou wilt neither give My soul for a possession to those parts below. “Neither wilt Thou grant Thine Holy One to see corruption.” Neither wilt Thou suffer that sanctified body, whereby others are to be also sanctified, to see corruption. “Thou hast made known to Me the paths of life” (ver. 11). Thou hast made known through Me the paths of humiliation, that⁵¹¹

511 Oxford mss. “that by it.”

512 [Compare Acts ii. 25 and xiii. 34.—C.]

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