Austin apply this Psalm to the holy city of the Church of which that of Ierusalem was the figure tho S. Chrisostome and some other interpreters thiâ— it relates to the reestablishment of the city of Ierusalem after the Captivity of Babylon 1 GReat is our Lord Psalm 47. and worthy of all praise in the city of our God upon his holy mountan 2 With the joy of the whole earth mount Sion is founded on the side of the north stands the city of the great King 3 In the houses therof God will make himself known when he takes upon him to defend it 4 For behold the Kings of the earth did assemble And conspire against it 5 But when they saw it so defended they were astonish'd were frighted were driven away And were seised with trembling 6 They felt the pains of a woman in labour with a violent wind thou wilt break to pieces the ships of Tharsus 7 As wee have heard so now wee have seen in the city of the Lord of Hosts in the city of our God that God has founded her to last for ever 8 Wee have received thy mercy O God! in the midle of thy Temple 9 As is thy name so is thy praise spred to the ends of the earth thy right hand is full of justice 10 Let mount Sion rejoyce let the daughters of Judah be overjoy'd at the sight of thy judgments O Lord 11 Go round about Sion and incompass it relate those things from the top of its towers 12 Consider well its strength take a view of every house that you may make it known to the next generation 13 For he is God our God for ever and ever And he will reign eternally over us PSALME XXXXVIII Audite haec omnes gentes It is needles to be iniquisitive into the occasion of composing this Psalm since ther is nothing certain to be said of it and on the other side it consists only of morall instructions The Prophet represents the vanity of riches the unprofitablenes of worldly wisdom and shews that tho it often happens that the just are afflicted in this life and that the wickâ—d are in prosperity yet when death comes there will be an equall distribution made 1 HEar what I say all you Nations Psalm 48. be attentive all you inhabitants of the world 2 All that are born of the earth all sons of men both the rich and the poor 3 My mouth shall utter wisdom and the meditation of my heart shall bring forth prudence 4 I will give attention to parables And my proposition I will explain upon the harp 5 Why shall I be affraid in the evill day least I be found involved in the iniquity of my ways 6 They who confide in their strength And who glory in the abundance of their riches let them hear this 7 A brother wil not redeem a brother will a man vvho is a stranger redeem him he can not give for himself wherwith to appease God 8 Nor pay the ransom of his own soul he will allways toyle and labour and so live on to the presixt end of his days 9 He will not look upon death tho he sees wise men dying before him but the insensible man and the fool at last must perish 10 And they will leave their houses to strangers And their sepulchers will be their houses to the world's end 11 Their places of habitation passe from one generation to an other they have left their names to their lands 12 Man when elevated in honour looseth understanding he is compared to brute beasts that have no reason and he becomes like them 13 This way of theirs is the occasion of their fall And yet they please and applaud themselves 14 Like sheep to the shambles they are driven into hell And death will devour them 15 And the just will have dominion over them in the morning And all the props of their vvorldly glory will sink and faile them in hell 16 But God will redeem my soul from the power of hell when he has taken me into his protection 17 Be not concern'd when the unjust man becomes rich And his house is in great glory 18 For of all this when he dyes he will carry nothing with him nor will his glory accompany him when he goes below 19 During his life he shall be said to be happy And he will praise thee as long as thou do'st well with him 20 There he will enter where his fathers went before him And for ever he will not see light 21 Man when he is elevated in honour looseth understanding he is compared to brute beasts that have no reason and is become like them PSALME XXXXIX Deus Deorum Many of the holy fathers interpreters think this Psalm relates to the comings of our Saviour the one of mercy when he call'd mankind and established his Church the other of justice when he will come to judge the world Others apply it to the Israelites who vainly confided in their sacrifices and at that same time violated his law and neglected to obey his will Those two opinions may easily be reconciled in taking the Israelites to be the figure of the Christians and the judgment which God prononces against them to represent that which he will prononce at the last day against all who break his divine law 1 THe God of Gods Psalm 49. our Lord has spoken And has summon'd the earth 2 From the rising to the setting of the sun the splendor of his glory shines out of Sion 3 God will come our God will manifest himself And he will not be silent 4 Fire will flame out before him And a violent tempest will incompass him round 5 He will call to him the heavens from above and the earth from below to distinguish his people 6 Bring before him all his Saints who make a covenant with him by sacrifices 7 And the heavens shall proclame his justice for God is the supreme judge 8 Hear me my people and I will speak hear me Israel and I will testify to thee that I am God thy God 9 I will not accuse thee as to thy sacrifices for thy holocaustes are allways in my sight 10 I will not take your calves from your houses nor your goats from your herds 11 For all the beasts of the woods are mine All the cattell in the mountains and the oxen 12 I know all the birds of the air And the fruitfull beauty of the feilds comes from me 13 If I want meat I shall not tell you for the whole world is mine and all that it contains 14 Will I eat the flesh of bulls Or will I drink the blood of goats 15 Immolate to God a sacrifice of praise And pay your vowes faithfully to the most high 16 And call upon me in the day of tribulation I will sett you free and you shall honour me 17 But to the sinner God has said why do'st thou declare my laws And why do'st thou assume into thy
hate me unjustly 21 They who render evill for good speak ill of me because I have followed goodnes 22 Forsake me not O Lord my God! do not depart from me be mindfull to help me O Lord God of my salvation PSALME XXXVIII Dixi custodiam vias David probably made this Psalm about the same time with the former viz. When he was pursued by Absalom and outraged by Semei He describes the vanity shortnes of this life and the necessity of patience to attaine peace and quiet 1 I have said Psalm 38. I will watch my ways that I may not offend with my tongue 2 I have put a guard upon my mouth when the sinner stood up against me 3 I was silent and humbled my self even the good things I could say I suppressed And my greif did augment 4 My heart was in a great heat And whilst I meditated a flame rose up with in me 5 I said with my tongue Lord make known to me my end 6 And what is the number of my days that I may know what is wanting to me 7 I see that thou hast stinted my days And that my being is as it were nothing before thee 8 True it is that every living man is vanity all over 9 True it is that man passeth away like a shadow and like an image And yet he vainly disquiets and troubles himself 10 He gathers and hoords up wealth And yet knows not who after him shall injoy it 11 But now where lyes my hope and expectation is it not in our Lord all my treasure is in thee my God! 12 Deliver me from all my iniquitys thou hast made me a subject of derision even to fools 13 I have held my tongue and have not open'd my mouth because thou hast done it remove thy chastisements from me 14 The force of thy hand has made me sink under thy corrections 't is for his iniquity that thou dos't punish man 15 And thou hast made his soul wither and dry up like aspider And indeed vaine is the trouble and solicitude of mankind 16 O Lord hear my prayer and my supplication hear the voice of my tears 17 Be not silent for I am but a stranger and a traveller before thee as all my progenitors have been 18 O Lord grant me remission that I may be refreshed before I depart and shall be no more PSALME XXXIX Expectans expectavi Interpreters say that this Psalm contains two different senses the one which regards the person of David persecuted by Absalom and the other which regards the person of the son of God born according to the flesh of the race of David Thus it is applyd by S. Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews David thanks God for having deliver'd him from so many dangers and begs his further assistance in that which he at this time was in Iesus Christ in the name of all his members gives thanks to God his father for the many benefits they have received from him and some times he speaks in hiâ— own name clearly denoting the mistery of his Incarnation which has made ceâ—se all the sacrifices of the old law 1 I have waited with perseverance on our Lord Psalm 39. And at last he has hearken'd to me 2 He has heard my prayer And has brought me out of a lake of misery And out of dirt and mire 3 And has set my feet upon a rock And he has directed my steps 4 And has put into my mouth a new song a song in praise of our Lord. 5 Many will see this and they will fear And they will hope in our Lord. 6 Happy is the man who has placed his hope in the name of our Lord And has not look'd after vanitys and deceitfull follies 7 Many wonderfull things hast thou done o Lord my God! nor is ther any body like thee in thy designs 8 I have told them and I have spoke of them they are multiply'd above number 9 Sacrifice and offerings did not please thee but thou hast given me ears to hear and obey thee 10 Thou didst not require a holocaust or sin-offering then I said behold I come 11 In the first place of the book 't is written of me that I should do thy will my God! so I will do And thy law shall allways be in the midle of my heart 12 I have declared thy justice in the greatest assemblys I will not shut my lips Lord thou knowest it 13 I have not conceal'd thy justice within my heart but have publish'd thy truth and thy saving mercy 14 In great assemblies I have made know'n thy truth and thy mercy 15 Remove not therfore O Lord thy commiseration from me thy mercy and thy truth have allways been my protection 16 For innumerable evills have incompass'd me my iniquities have beset me roun'd and I was not able to discern them 17 They are more in number then the hairs of my head And my heart has quite failed me 18 Be pleas'd O Lord to deliver me o Lord look upon me and help me 19 Let them be cover'd with shame and confusion who seek to take away my life 20 Let those who intend evill against me be driven back with infamy 21 Let them suddenly be brought to confusion who scoffingly insult me with their words 22 But let all those who seek thee triumph and rejoyce in thee And who love thy saluation let them allways say glorified be our Lord. 23 But I am poor and needy our Lord is solicitous for me 24 Thou art my helper and my protector my God! make no delay PSALME XXXX Beatus qui intelligit David in the time of his affliction fulls sick and has recourse to God All the fathers have apply'd this Psalm to Iesus Christ and with a great deal of reason since our Saviour himself cites one of the verses of it as predicting the treason of Iudus So that David in being persecuted by his son betray'd abandon'd by his freinds was a plain figure of Iesus Christ in the time of his passion when the Iews who were the people of God called his children rose up against him and when his Apostles all abandon'd him and one betray'd him 1 BLessed is the man who considers the poor and the distressed Psalm 40. in the evill day our Lord will deliver him 2 May our Lord preserve Him give him life and make him happy upon the earth And not deliver him up to the will of his enemies 3 May our Lord bring him help when he ly's in paine on his bed thou hast turn'd and made easy his bed for him in the time of his sicknes 4 I said Lord take pity on me heal my soul for I have sin'd to thee 5 My enemies with evill minds have sayd of me when will he dy and his name be extinct 6 If any of them came in to visite me he spake deceitfully to me his heart was full of iniquity 7 Which as soon as he went from me he
the wonderfull things he had shewn to them 15 Their fathers beheld with their eyes the wonderfull things he did in the land of Egipt in the plaines of Janes 16 He divided the sea and brought them thorow it He shutt up the waters as it were in a vessel 17 With a cloud he led them by day and by night with an illumination of fire 18 He cleaved the rock in the desert and gave them to drink as plentifully as out of the deep 19 He brought water out of the rock and made it flow like a great river 20 And after all this they fell again to sinning against him and provoked the anger of the most high in the dry desert 21 And they tempted God in their hearts in asking him for meat they long'd for 22 And they spoke evill of God saying can God provide a table for us in the desert 23 Because he struck the rock and the water gush'd out and the torrents did oveâ—flow 24 Is he likewise able to give us bread and provide a table in the wildernes for all his people 25 Therfor our Lord hearing this suspended his blessings and a fire was kindled in Jacob and he powred his wroth over Israel 26 Because they did not beleeve God and did not trust to his powerfull assistance 27 And he gave his command to the clouds aboue and he opened the gates of heaven 28 And he rained manna for them to eat and he gave them the bread of heaven 29 Man did eat the bread of angels he sent them food in great abundance 30 He removed the southerly wind out of the air and by his power brought in a westernly wind 31 And he rained meat upon them as thick as the dust that flyes in the air and birds innumerable as the sands of the sea 32 And he caused them to fall in the midle of their camp and round about their tents 33 And they did eat and they were fill'd with them he gave them their desire And they had what they long'd for 34 The meat was still in their mouths when the anger of our Lord rose up against them 35 And he kill'd the strongest amongst them and the choicest of Israel he overthrew 36 After all this they sinned still and his wonders wrought no faith in them 37 And their days vanish'd like a shadow and their years were suddenly at an end 38 When he punished them with death they sought him They returned and made hast to come to him 39 They remembred that God was their defender that God the most high was their redeemer 40 And in their words they lovâ—d him but their tongue ly'd to him 41 For their heart was not right towards him and they were found unfaithfull in observing his covenant 42 But he is mercifull and he pardoned their sins and did not wholly destroy them 43 And in great measure he did moderate the rigour of his justice and would not kindle his whole anger against them 44 He remembred that they were flesh and that their life was like a breath of wind passing away and never returning 45 How often did they exasperat him in the desert and provoke his anger in places without water 46 They still relapsed to tempt God and to irritate the holy one of Israel 47 They did not remember with what might and power he had delivered them out of the hands of their persecutor 48 What signs he had shew'd of his mightines in Egipte and what miracles he had wrought in the plaines of Tanis 49 How he turn'd the rivers into blood and left them no waters that they could drink 50 He sent them swarms of flys that devour'd them and frogs that destroy'd them 51 He gave their fruit to the Caterpiller and their labour to the grashoper 52 With haile he killed their vines and with frost their mulbery trees 53 And with hailstones he destroy'd theire cattle and their possessions with fire 54 He made them feel the effects of his anger and indignation is punishments of all kinds by the ministery of evil angels 55 He open'd the passage of his angeâ— to fall upon them He spared not the lives of them nor of their cattle 56 And he destroyd every first born in the land of Egipte and all the first fruit of their labour in the tabernacle of Cham. 57 And he brought away his people like sheep and conducted them like a flock in the desert 58 He led them on with hope and they feared nothing And their enemys were overwhelmed in the sea 59 And he brought them up to the-mountaine which he had made ' holy To the mountaine acquired with his right hand 60 And he drove out the nations before them And divided by lot the land amongst them measur'd out by the line 61 And he established the tribes of Israel in the dwellings of these nations 62 And still they tempted and irritated God the most high and his precepts they did not observe 63 They turn'd away from him And did not keep his covenant as their fathers before them they became like a bow that never carrys true 64 Vpon their hills they provoked him to anger and by their idols they rais'd his jealousy 65 This God heard and he despised them And brought Israel even to nothing 66 And he abandon'd his Tabernacle at Silo his Tabernacle where he had dwelt amongst men 67 And he deliver'd up the ark their strength into captivity And their glory into the hands of the Enemy 68 And he expos'd people on all sides to the sword And he contemned his inheritance 69 Their young men were devour'd by fire ad their virgins were not lamented 70 Their preists fell by the sword and there was none to mourn for their widows 71 Then our Lord rose up as it were waked out of a long sleep Or like a strong man after being drunk with wine 72 And he struck the enemy in their hinder parts and gave them a lasting mark of infamy 73 And he rejected the Tabernacle of Joseph nor did he chuse the tribe of Ephraim 74 But he made choice of the Tribe of Judah The mountain of Sion which he loved 75 And he built his sanctuary in a high place upon the earth which he hath founded to last for ever 76 And he chose David his servant and took him from the flocks of sheep and from following the breeding yews 77 To feed Jacob his servant And Israel his inheritance 78 And he led them with integrity of heart And with skillfull hands he conducted them PSALME LXXVIII Deus venerunt gentes Some interpreters think that by this Psalme is meant the cruell persecution which the Iews suffered under Antiochus his successors according to what is cited in the history of the Mabées shewing that what is here fortold was there accomplish'd Others maintain that this Psalme speaks of the ruine of Ierusalem caused by Nabuchodonosor Whither it be the one or the other what is said in it may be very