then adds a reason perfonal to Zadok: Art not thou a feer? Return in peace. It should feem from hence, that Zadok was a prophet: however, as a priest, he was a teacher; and, as fuch, bound to stay with his people in the greatest exigencies, and inftruct them in their duty. Besides that by ftaying to do his duty to his people, he might also do good offices to his prince. And accordingly David concerted a method, both with Zadok and Abiathar, of correfponding with him, and fending him intelligence of all the enemies measures, by their fons, Abimaz the fon of Zadok, and Jonathan the fon of Abiathar.

THIS done, David went up the afcent of Mount Olivet, his feet bare, and his head covered; and wept as he went: and all the people that was with him, covered every man his head; and they went up weeping. And all the country wept with a loud voice,

How David's thoughts were employed, in this fad reverse of his fortune, I think, fufficiently appears from the forty-third Pfalm. And indeed it needs fo little fagacity to fee, or ingenuity to own, that the meditations there recorded are peculiarly fuited to this occafion, that commentators are agreed in

the

the point nor can any thing be imagined more natural to a man of his character, and under those circumstances, than that folemn appeal to the divine justice, against a vile son, and a wicked people, with which this Pfalm begins *; or the earneft fupplication for relief and restoration, which follows it †; or that lively expreffion of hope, and confidence in the divine protection, which concludes it‡.

1

If any reader should find any difficulty in concluding this Pfalm to have been meditated upon this occafion; let him reflect, whether there can be any thing extraordinary in fuppofing some memorial to have been left

*Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjuft man.

Ver. 2. For thou art the God of my strength. Why dost thou caft me off? Why go I mourning because of the oppreffion of the enemy?

+ Ver. 3. O send out thy light and thy truth; let them lead me, let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.

4. Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy yea, upon the harp will I praife thee, Ó God, my God.

Ver. 5. Why art thou caft down, O my foul? And why art thou difquieted within me? Hope in God; for I fhall yet praife him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

to

to us of David's meditations, upon an occasion so very extraordinary; for furely a more memorable event was never recorded in history; nor a more moving spectacle ever exhibited to mortal eyes! A king, venerable for his years and victories; facred in the characters both of his piety and prophecy; renowned for prowess, and revered for wisdom; reduced to the condition of a fugitive! to a fudden and extreme neceffity of flying for his life, from the prefence of his own fon, his darling and delight! and a whole country loudly lamenting his fate!

IN this condition David went up the Mount, and when he reached the fummit of it, fell down proftrate * before GOD: and again put up his prayers, for protection and deliverance, to that mighty Being, whoftilleth the raging of the fea, and the madness of the people; chiefly (as it is generally believed) in the words of the third Pfalm: and was immediately infpired with that confolation,

* fofephus tells us, that when David reached the top of the mountain, he took a view of the city, and prayed to God, with abundance of tears. The candid

reader will perhaps think it worth his notice, that Jofe phus fhould tell us, That David wept, and viewed the city, in the fame fpot, from which the evangelift informs us that our bleffed Saviour wept over it. K

VOL. III.

and

and ftrong confidence of conquering his enemies, recorded in the close of it, and, in all probability, poured out that moment, in the presence of all his people: Arise, O Lord; fave me, O my God; for thou haft Smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek-bone. Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people.

As David was going up the Mount, word was brought him, that Achitophel was among the confpirators: and the moment he heard it, he put up his humble and earnest fupplication to that GOD, who leadeth counfellors away Spoiled, and maketh the judges fools: O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counfel of Achitophel into foolishness. And when he had finished his devotions upon the Mount, it pleafed GOD to furnish him, at that moment, with the means of effecting what he prayed for: for, behold, Hufbai the Archite, David's friend, came, that inftant, to meet him, with his coat rent, and earth upon his head and David's good genius

Job xii. 17. alfo ver. 20. He removeth away the Speech of the trufty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.

fuggested

fuggefted to him, the fame inftant, the most probable method of defeating the devices of Achitophel, by the means of his friend.

HUSHA I was famous in the cabinet, but unpractised in the camp: David therefore told him, That if he fhould go with him into the field, he would be a burden to him (he would but add to the number of his houfhold, not his foldiers); faying, That he himself had no fure resource, or means of support: but if he would return to the city, and fubmit to Abfalom, he might be a means of defeating the counfels of Achitophel, in his prince's favour; and at the fame time, have an opportunity of letting him into all the fecrets of the enemy, by informing Zadok and Abiathar of every thing that paffed, who

account by their fons.

would transmit the Accordingly Hufhai

returned to Jerufalem, and reached the city foon after Abfalom had entered it.