Psalm CV
8“What time as they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people” (ver. 13). This is a repetition of what he had said, “from one nation to another.” “He suffered no man to do them harm: but reproved even kings for their sakes” (ver. 14). “Touch not,” He said, “Mine anointed, and do My prophets no harm” (ver. 15). He declareth the words of God chiding or reproving kings, that they might not harm the holy fathers, while they were small in number, very few, and they strangers in the land of Canaan. Although these words be not read in the books of that history, yet they are to be understood as either secretly spoken, as God speaketh in the hearts of men by unseen and true visions, or even as announced through an Angel. For both the king of Gerar and the king of the Egyptians were warned from Heaven not to harm Abraham, and another king not to harm Isaac, and others not to harm Jacob; while they were very few, and strangers, before he went over into Egypt to sojourn with his sons: which is understood to be herein mentioned. But since it occurred to ask, before they passed over and multiplied in Egypt, how so few in number, and those strangers in a foreign land, could maintain themselves: he next addeth, “He suffered no man to do them wrong,” etc.
9But it may well excite a question, in what sense they were styled (Christs, or) anointed, before there was any unction, from which this title was given to the kings. …Whence then were those patriarchs at that time called “anointed”? For that they were prophets, we read concerning Abraham; and certainly, what is manifestly said of him, should be understood of them also. Are they styled “christs,” because, even though secretly, yet they were already Christians? For although the flesh of Christ came from them, nevertheless Christ came before them; for He thus answered the Jews, “Before Abraham was, I am.”
But how could they not know Him, or not believe in Him; since they are called prophets for this very reason, because, though somewhat darkly, they announced the Lord beforehand? Whence He saith Himself openly, “Your father Abraham desired to see My day, and he saw it, and was glad.” For no man was ever reconciled unto God outside of that faith which is in Christ Jesus, either before His Incarnation, or after: as it is most truly defined by the Apostle: “For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.”
10He then beginneth to relate how it happened that they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people. “He calleth,” he saith, “for a famine upon the land: and brake all the staff of bread” (ver. 16). Thus it happened that they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people. But the expressions of the holy Scriptures are not to be negligently passed by. “He called,” he saith, “for a famine upon the land;” as if famine were some person, or some animated body, or some spirit that would obey Him who called.…Under this impression the old Romans consecrated some such deities, as the goddess Fever, and the god Paleness. Or meaneth it, as is more credible, He said there should be famine; so that calling be the same thing as mentioning by name; mentioning by name, as speaking; speaking, as commanding? Nor doth the Apostle say, “He calleth those things which be not, that they may be;” but, “as though they were.” For with God that hath already happened which, according to His disposition, is fixed for the future: for of Him it is elsewhere said, “He who made things to come.” And here when famine happened, then it is said to have been called, that is, that that which had been determined in His secret government, might be realized. Lastly, he at once expounds, how He called for the famine, saying, “He brake all the staff of bread.”
11“But He had sent a man before them” (ver. 17). What man? “Even Joseph.” How did He send him? “Joseph was sold to be a bond-servant.” When this happened, it was the sin of his brethren, and, nevertheless, God sent Joseph into Egypt. We should therefore meditate on this important and necessary subject, how God useth well the evil works of men, as they on the other hand use ill the good works of God.
12Next he doth relate the story, mentioning what Joseph suffered in his low estate, and how he was raised on high. “His feet they hurt in the stocks: the iron entered into his soul, until his word came” (ver. 18). That Joseph was put in irons, we do not indeed read; but we ought no ways to doubt that it was so. For some things might be passed over in that history, which nevertheless would not escape the Holy Spirit, who speaketh in these Psalms. We understand by the iron which entered into his soul, the tribulation of stern necessity; for he did not say body, but “soul.” There is a somewhat similar expression in the Gospel, where Simeon saith unto Mary, “A sword shall pierce through thy own soul also.” That is, the Passion of the Lord, which was a fall unto many, and in which the secrets of many hearts were revealed, since their sentiments respecting the Lord were extorted from them, without doubt made His own Mother exceeding sorrowful, heavily struck with human bereavement. Now Joseph was in this tribulation, “until his word came,” with which he truly interpreted dreams: whence he was introduced to the king, that unto him also he might foretell what would happen in respect to his dreams. But since he said, “Until his words were heard,” that we might not altogether so understand “his,” that any one might think so great an event was to be ascribed unto man; he at once added, “The word of the Lord inflamed him” (ver. 19); or, as other copies have it more closely from the Greek, “The word of the Lord fired him,” that he also might be reputed amongst those to whom it is said, “Receive ye praise in His holy Name.”
13“The king sent and loosed him, the prince of the peoples, and let him go free” (ver. 20). The “king” is the same as “the prince of the peoples:” he “loosed” him from his bonds “and let him go free” from his prison. “He made him lord also of his house: and ruler of all his substance” (ver. 21). “That he might inform his princes like unto himself, and teach his old men wisdom” (ver. 22). The Greek hath, “and teach his elders wisdom.” Which might altogether be rendered to the letter thus; “Might inform his princes like unto himself, and make his elders wise.” The word translated old men being presbyters or elders, not gerontas, old men: and to teach wisdom being from the Greek to sophize, which cannot be rendered by a single word in Latin, and is from the word sophia, wisdom, different from prudence, which is in Greek phronesis. Yet we do not read this in the high elevation of Joseph, as we read not of fetters in his low estate. But how could it happen that so great a man, the worshipper of the One True God, whilst in Egypt, should have been intent upon the nourishing of bodies, and the government of carnal matters only, and have felt no anxiety for souls, and how he could render them better? But those things are written in that history, which, according to the intention of the writer, in whom was the Holy Spirit, were judged sufficient for signifying future events in that narration.
14“Joseph also came into Egypt, and Jacob was a stranger in the land of Ham” (ver. 23). Israel is the same with Jacob, as is Egypt with the land of Ham. Here it is very plainly shown, that the Egyptian race sprang from the seed of Cham, the son of Noah, whose first-born was Canaan. So that in those copies wherein in this passage Canaan is read, we must alter the reading. It is better construed, “was a stranger,” than “dwelt,” as other copies have it: which would be the same as “was an inhabitant,” for it meaneth nothing different; the very same word is used in the Greek passage above, where it is said, “Very few, and they strangers in the land.” Moreover, the state of an incola or accola doth not signify a native, but a stranger. Behold how “they went from one nation to another.” What had been briefly proposed, hath been briefly explained in the narration. But from what kingdom they passed over to another people may well be asked. For they were not yet reigning in the land of Canaan, because the kingdom of the people of Israel had not yet been established there. How then can it be understood, except by anticipation, because the kingdom of their seed was destined there to exist?
15Next is related what happened in Egypt. “And He increased,” he saith, “His people exceedingly, and made them stronger than their enemies” (ver. 24). Even the whole of this is briefly set forth, in order that the manner in which it took place may be afterwards related. For the people of God was not made stronger than their enemies the Egyptians, at the time when their male offspring were slain, or when they were worn out with making bricks; but when by His powerful hand, by the signs and portents of the Lord their God, they became objects of fear and of honour, until the opposition of the hardened king was overcome, and the Red Sea overwhelmed the persecutor with his army.
16“And He turned their heart so, that they hated His people, and dealt untruly with His servants” (ver. 25). Is it to be in any wise understood or believed, that God turneth man’s heart to do sin?…For they were not good before they hated His people; but being malignant and ungodly, they were such as would readily envy their prosperous sojourners. And so, in that He multiplied His own people, this bountiful act turned the wicked to envy. For envy is the hatred of another’s prosperity. In this sense, therefore, He turned their heart, so that through envy they hated His people, and dealt untruly with His servants. It was not then by making their hearts evil, but by doing good to His people, that He turned their hearts, that were evil of their own accord, to hatred. For He did not pervert a righteous heart, but turned one perverted of its own accord to the hatred of His people, while He was to make a good use of that evil; not by making them evil, but by lavishing blessings upon those, which the wicked might most readily envy.