enemies that invade us not that we may grow more famous no we have no thoughts of the glory that will accrue to our selves thereby but that thy Divine Majesty may be honoured and thy goodness and faithfulness to thy promises be made the more illustrious 2. Wherefore should the heathen say Where is now their God 2. What a sad thing will it be to hear the Nations that surround us insult not so much over us as over Thee saying what is become of their God in whom they trusted If He be so powerfull as they boast why doth He not deliver them 3. But our God is in the heavens he hath done whatsoever he pleased 3. Let them know that Thou art infinitely superiour to them and all their gods being the possessour of the heavens as well as the earth 2 Chron. XX. 6. whom no power of theirs can hurt or so much as restrain but art able to doe whatsoever Thou pleasest for their confusion and for our deliverance 4. Their idols are silver and gold the work of mens hands 4. Their Idols cannot hinder it in the least who are of no more value then the silver and gold of which they are made and are so far from being the makers of things that they themselves are the work of those that adore them 5. They have mouths but they speak not eyes have they but they see not 5. They are mere lifeless Images that have mouths but cannot give a word of advice or of incouragement and comfort to their supplicants and eyes also but cannot see the devotion wherewith they look up unto them or prostrate themselves before them 6. They have ears but they hear not noses have they but they smell not 6. Let their worshippers cry to them never so loudly they cannot hear a word All the Frankincense and sweet Odours which they burn to them are merely lost for they cannot smell them 7. They have hands but they handle not feet have they but they walk not neither speak they through their throat 7. Though they have thunderbolts in their hands they feel them not nor are able to doe either good or harm They cannot stir a foot from the place where they stand unless they be carried nor make so much noise as a fly being utterly void of breath as well as of sense and reason 8. They that make them are like unto them so is every one that trusteth in them 8. To what then but to those Idols shall we compare the makers of them and such as confide in them who are mere Images of men having eyes but do not see that the brutes are more excellent then such gods and that the least help is not to be expected from them 9. O Israel trust thou in the LORD he is their help and their shield 9. O ye Israelites who by the Divine Favour are better instructed repose that confidence in the eternal Lord which they do in those Vanities And He will not onely protect and defend you against all the assaults of your enemies but help you to overcome them 2 Chron. XX. 9. 10. O house of Aaron trust in the LORD he is their help and their shield 10. O ye Priests and Levites do you above all others rely upon that eternal Lord whose praise you sing and to whom you offer continual Sacrifice For He will never fail not onely to protect but to assist all such as piously confide in Him 11. Ye that fear the LORD trust in the LORD he is their help and their shield 11. And let all that fear the Lord and devoutly worship Him of whatsoever Nation they be place the like confidence in his Almighty Goodness For He will never forsake those that depend on Him alone though they be not of the seed of Abraham but defend them also in all dangers and aid them against all their enemies 12. The LORD hath been mindfull of us he will bless us he will bless the house of Israel he will bless the house of Aaron 12. We have had abundant experience of his care over us in all ages and therefore though now for the present our enemies afflict us yet let us believe that the Lord will doe us good and bless us with a glorious deliverance All the house of Israel shall see how kind He is especially they that minister unto Him in his holy Temple 13. He will bless them that fear the LORD both small and great 13. And He will not forget those pious Proselytes that are come to worship Him there as the onely God but without any respect of persons give them his blessing also which shall not be denied either to old or young to rich or poor 14. The LORD shall increase you more and more you and your children 14. Nor will He grant you onely a single blessing by sending a present deliverance but heap his benefits and multiply his mercies upon you and upon all those that shall succeed you 15. You are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth 15. Ye are a happy people who live under the care and love and benediction of that mighty Lord whose power nothing can confine for He is not made like the Gentile gods but Himself created both the Heaven and the Earth 16. The heaven even the heavens are the LORD's but the earth hath he given to the children of men 16. In which He cannot be comprehended neither for his Empire extends further then you can see to the heavens which are above these visible heavens from whence his Providence reaches down even to us the children of men whom He hath placed upon this earth to admire and praise his infinite Majesty 17. The dead praise not the LORD neither any that go down into silence 17. And therefore will not suffer us to be rooted out as our enemies design 2 Chron. XX. 11. for then the earth would have none in it to sing his praises which the dead who dwell in the silent grave cannot celebrate 18. But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore Praise the LORD 18. But will continue us still alive that we may praise the Lord and speak good of his Name as we do at this time 2 Chron. XX. 21 22. and leave those to succeed us who shall continue his praises in all future generations to the worlds end Hallelujah Praise the Lord. PSALM CXVI ARGUMENT I do not understand the reason why Theodoret applies this Psalm to the times of Antiochus Epiphanes when it agrees so exactly to the condition of David in his flight from his Son Absalom which seems to be mentioned Ver. 11. when Ahitophel and others proved very false to him and he had little or nothing to depend upon but onely the Goodness of the Almighty who was pleased to plead his cause and deliver him For which he resolved to be very thankfull and to call all his Friends to rejoice with him as I have expressed it Ver. 13. where the first
see such variety of humours and inclinations all conspiring with one accord to promote the common good of the whole Society 3. As the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Sion for there the LORD commanded the blessing even life for evermore 3. The dew of heaven is not more necessary for the parched mountains which though never so distant one from another as far as from Hermon to Sion are refreshed with it then this is for men of all ranks and conditions who every where perceive the comfortable fruits of it for to this the Divine favour is immutably annexed which will pour upon such Societies innumerable blessings giving them an happy and long life an earnest of endless felicity in a constant enjoyment of all manner of good things PSALM CXXXIV A Song of degrees ARGUMENT It is uncertain by whom this Psalm was composed but it seems to have been made to be sung by some one or more of the Levites at the shutting up of the Gates of the Temple to excite the rest whose turn it was to watch that night to be diligent in their office of singing Psalms and making devout prayers for the people It is the last of those that have the Title of A Song of degrees concerning which see CXX 1. BEHOLD bess ye the LORD all ye servants of the LORD which by night stand in the house of the LORD 1. ATtend to your duty O ye Ministers of the Lord who not onely by day but by night also reverently wait upon Him in his House 1 Chron. IX 33. cease not to declare how great and how good the Lord is 2. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and bless the LORD 2. Be fervent in your devotion and disclaiming all dependance on any thing else praise the Lord in his Sanctuary with pure hearts and clean hands and give thanks for all his benefits 3. The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Sion 3. Pray also for his people Israel and say The great Lord who though He cannot be confined being the Creatour of all things yet hath his special residence in this place dispense his blessings both heavenly and earthly from hence unto every one of you PSALM CXXXV ARGUMENT This perhaps was the morning Hymn which the Praecentor Ver. 4 5. called upon the Levites to sing at the opening of the Gates of the Temple as the former was sung at the shutting up of the Gates in the evening It recounts several of the great works of the Lord especially towards that Nation whom it excites to stedfastness in their Religion and to contempt of Idols and Idolaters It both begins and concludes with an Exhortation to give praise to God and so was intituled as several other Psalms are CVI. CXI c. Hallelujah or Praise the Lord. That is by this Hymn set forth the most excellent perfections and works of the Lord. There are those who conjecture from what we reade Ver. 14. of this Psalm that when it was composed they were or rather had been lately infested by some of their idolatrous neighbours Whose gods the Psalmist derides in the very same manner as he doth Psalm CXV For the four following Verses of this Psalm 15 16 17 18. differ very little from the 4 5 6 8. of that which it is certain was composed in a time of great distress as this was when it was over 1. PRaise ye the LORD praise ye the name of the LORD praise him O ye servants of the LORD 1. LET all here present praise the most wise and omnipotent goodness of the Lord Let Him especially be praised by you his Priests who minister unto his Majesty 2. Ye that stand in the house of the LORD in the courts of the house of our God 2. And by the Levites who attend upon Him in his House together with all the rest of his people that frequent the Courts of God's House who is our constant and most liberal benefactour 3. Praise ye the LORD for the LORD is good sing praises unto his name for it is pleasant 3. Let this excite you all to praise the Lord For as his Nature is most excellent so He is the fountain of all the good we enjoy and no imployment is so delightfull as to acknowledge his perfections and commemorate the benefits we have received from Him by singing Psalms and Hymns of praise and thanks unto Him 4. For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself and Israel for his peculiar treasure 4. I invite you above all other people to this heavenly duty both because the Lord had a peculiar kindness for Jacob your Forefather and doth still exercise a special providence over you his Children as far more dear and precious to Him then the rest of mankind who are under his care 5. For I know that the LORD is great and that our Lord is above all gods 5. And because I am sensible that the Lord under whose government we are is so great and powerfull above all other Beings though called by the name of gods that you can never praise his Majesty enough 6. Whatsoever the LORD pleased that did he in heaven and in earth in the seas and all deep places 6. His own will alone gives bounds to his power for as none can act without his leave so none can hinder Him from doing what pleases Himself in the heavens as well as in the earth and the seas and other deep waters 7. He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth he maketh lightnings for the rain he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries 7. He raises vapours for instance from any quarter of the earth and makes them go up into the air where some of them break forth in flashes of lightning and that which is strange is followed with great showres of rain and from unknown places and causes strong and violent winds blow with such continuance as if they came out of some Treasury where He had gathered and long lockt them up till He had occasion to bring them forth 8. Who smote the first-born of Egypt both of man and beast 8. He made the Egyptians feel how much superiour He was to all their gods XII Exod. 12. who could not defend them from his stroke but He sent his Angel and in one night slew all the first-born in the Country both of man and beast XII Exod. 29. 9. Who sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee O Egypt upon Pharaoh and upon all his servants 9. Before which terrible blow He had given many other wonderfull demonstrations of his power in several miraculous plagues which He openly inflicted on thee O Egypt not onely on the meaner sort but upon the King and all his Court Exod. VII VIII IX c. 10. Who smote great nations and slew mighty kings 10. And after He had by these means brought you out of their bondage He overthrew several great Nations and slew
foot-steps signifies properly the heel of a mans foot and from thence is translated to signifie the end of any thing as in Psal CXIX 33. Which notion of it in my judgment best suits with all that goes before in this Psalm concerning the stability of David's Kingdom which their enemies now boasted as we would express it in our present language they saw upon its last legs And the truth is it was never restored to that Family till Christ the great Son of David came to whom some passages in this Psalm are applied by the Jews themselves in both the Beresiths and in other Books to which Abenezra and R. Solomon consent Why this Psalm is called Maschil see Psal XXXII But why any should fancy as some have done that it was made by Jehojachin after he came out of Prison 2 King XXV 27 28. I cannot conceive unless the first words moved them to think that he who in the foregoing Psalm speaks of himself as in a Dungeon gives God thanks here for his deliverance 1. I Will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations 1. THE innumerable calamities that are befaln us shall not blot out the memory of the innumerable benefits which the Lord hath formerly bestowed on us but I will sing of them without ceasing and indeavour to make all posterity believe notwithstanding our present desolation that Thou art faithfull and constant to thy word 2. For I have said Mercy shall be built up for ever thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens 2. For I am confident thy Mercy which is immovable and indures for ever will raise us out of these ruines thy promises being as firm and stedfast as the heavens in which we see an image of the unchangeableness of thy Nature and of thy will 3. I have made a convenant with my chosen I have sworn unto David my servant 3. Which Thou didst declare by thy Prophet saying 1 Sam. XVI 13. 2 Sam. III. 9 10. V. 2. VII 15 16 28. I have chosen David my faithfull Servant to be the Governour of my people and have made a Covenant with him confirmed by an Oath 4. Thy seed will I establish for ever and build up thy throne to all generations Selah 4. That not onely he but his Children after him shall be settled in the Throne which though it totter sometime or be thrown down shall be raised again and continued throughout all succeeding generations 5. And the heavens shall praise thy wonders O LORD thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints 5. For which stupendious kindness if we should forget to praise Thee or in this our calamitous condition distrust thy power and fidelity to make it good the heavenly inhabitants will not fail to doe it but in their holy Assemblies confess them both with their solemn praises 6. For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD 6. For there are none of the powers of the air they know much less any upon earth that can resist the Lord and hinder the fulfilling of his will The mightiest among themselves they are sensible are not to be compared with his Majesty to whom they are but Ministers 7. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him 7. And when they assemble in the greatest numbers and make the most glorious Court stand in great fear and dread of Him attending with awfull reverence what commands He will be pleased to lay upon them 8. O LORD God of hosts who is a strong LORD like unto thee or to thy faithfulness round about thee 8. With whom I will join O Lord the Commander of all these heavenly Hosts and celebrate thy Name on earth as they do in heaven saying Where is he among them all that can equal Thee O most powerfull Lord whose Faithfulness is as ready to fulfill thy Promises as the Angels are to execute thy Commands 9. Thou rulest the raging of the Sea when the waves thereof arise thou stillest them 9. The Sea it self which submits to no body else is under thy Government who when it is a calm makest it swell as if it would overflow the earth and reducest it when it is in its greatest rage to a perfect stilness again 10. Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces as one that is slain thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm 10. There the Egyptians who had been wounded before with many other grievous plagues were utterly overthrown and with the like irresistible power the Canaanites were scattered at the entrance of thy people into the promised Land 11. The heavens are thine the earth also is thine as for the world and the fulness thereof thou hast founded them 11. For Thou art the owner of things both in heaven and earth and hast the justest right to dispose of them to whom Thou pleasest because the world and all the inhabitants of it are thy Creatures 12. The north and the south thou hast created them Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name 12. Whether we cast our eyes to the Southern or Northern parts of the earth to the West towards Tabor or Eastwards towards Hermon they all acknowledge Thee their Creatour and rejoice in thy bountifull Providence which inriches them with all things needfull for them 13. Thou hast a mighty arm strong is thy hand and high is thy right hand 13. And thy power extending it self throughout the whole always effects in every place whatsoever Thou designest whether it be to punish evil-doers or to preserve and exalt them that doe well 14. Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne mercy and truth shall go before thy face 14. But none shall be able to say Thou doest them any wrong Because Thou dost not rule the world merely by thy absolute power but hast placed thy principal glory in justice and equity mercy and fidelity from which Thou never swervest 15. Blessed is the people that know the joyfull sound they shall walk O LORD in the light of thy countenance 15. Happy then are the people who live under thy righteous and mercifull Government and hear the Trumpet sound which signifies the royal presence of thy Majesty among them and calls them to attend upon Thee X. Numb 10. They shall spend their days most chearfully O Lord being secure of thy favour which will let them want nothing that is good for them 16. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted 16. They shall not barely rejoice but triumph and that continually in thy love to them and thy power to defend them and walking in thy holy Laws shall by thy goodness be highly exalted and made superiour to all their enemies 17. For thou art the glory of their
means dost restore my strength and makest my youth and freshness return like the Eagles O that I may with fresh delight and joy be still praising Thee and be lifted up to heaven as they are when they have renewed their plumes in more vigorous love and affectionate desires and indeavours to imploy all my renewed strength in thy faithfull service 6. The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed 6. Nor am I alone obliged to my gracious Lord for his singular favour to me but blessed be his name He relieves all those who suffer wrong and doth justice upon their oppressours who are too mighty for them 7. He made known his ways unto Moses his acts unto the children of Israel 7. Moses and the rest of our Forefathers are witnesses of this whom the Lord delivered in a stupendious manner out of the house of bondage 8. The LORD is mercifull and gracious slow to anger and plenteous in mercy 8. And by other methods of his Providence towards them and dealings with them declared how bountifull his blessed nature is and how ready to forgive forbearing long when men deserve to be punished and soon releasing them from their pain when they heartily repent of their folly 9. He will not always chide neither will he keep his anger for ever 9. He doth not love blessed be his Name to be always chastising us for our faults And when He doth chastise us He neither loves to prolong our miseries nor to inflict them proportionable to our deserts 10. He hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities 10. No Blessed be his holy Name there is mercy even in our punishments our sufferings are never so great as our sins but we might justly suffer a great deal more then we do for our faults 11. For as the heaven is high above the earth so great is his mercy toward them that fear him 11. And were we never so obedient there is not a greater disproportion between the vast circumference of the heavens and this little spot of earth then there is between his mercies towards us and our small services 12. As far as the east is from the west so far hath he removed our transgressions from us 12. To those mercies alone it is to be ascribed that we are not bemoaning our selves under innumerable miseries but He hath quite taken away his wrath from us and adored be his goodness perfectly remitted the punishment due to our manifold offences 13. Like as a father pitieth his children so the LORD pitieth them that fear him 13. O what bowels of mercy are these No father can be more indulgent and tender-hearted to his returning children then the Lord blessed be his Name is to those who so reform by his chastisements as to fear hereafter to offend Him 14. For he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are dust 14. He easily relents and takes compassion on them considering how frail he hath made them and how soon of themselves they will moulder into the dust out of which He took them 15. As for man his days are as grass as a flower of the field so he flourisheth 15. For what is man that the Almighty should contend with him He looks fresh and fair but alas is as feeble as the grass and as a flower in the field whose beauty is far greater then its strength 16. For the wind passeth over it and it is gone and the place thereof shall know it no more 16. Many accidents snatch him away even in his prime Just as the biting wind to which the field flowers are exposed blasts them on a sudden and they spring up no more in the place that was adorned with them 17. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and his righteousness unto childrens children 17. O how much doth this magnifie the wonderfull mercy of our God! who designs to be everlastingly kind blessed be his Goodness to such short-liv'd creatures as we are rewarding the faithfull services of a few years with eternal life to our selves and with many blessings to our posterity in future generations 18. To such as keep his covenant and to those that remember his commandments to doe them 18. There is no doubt of this which hath been verified in those who have sincerely kept their faith with Him and not onely promised but constantly performed the obedience they owed Him 19. The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens and his kingdom ruleth over all 19. For none can hinder Thee O most mighty Lord from being as kind as Thou pleasest who art the universal Monarch the blessed and onely Potentate to whom not onely the greatest men on earth but the highest powers in heaven are subject 20. Bless the LORD ye his angels that excell in strength that doe his commandments hearkening unto the voice of his word 20. Let the Angels therefore who know his greatness power and gracious Providence better then I bless his holy Name Let those mighty ones whose strength surpasses all the powers on earth and yet never dispute his sacred commands give praise unto Him with all their might and with the same chearfulness wherewith they obey his word 21. Bless ye the LORD all ye his hosts ye ministers of his that doe his pleasure 21. Let the whole company of heaven all the several hosts of those glorious creatures who have been imployed by His Majesty so many ways for our good and understand how much we are beholden to his love speak good of his Name and bless his Mercy both to themselves and unto us 22. Bless the LORD all his works in all places of his dominion bless the LORD O my soul 22. Yea let every creature throughout the wide world proclaim as well as it is able the loving kindness of the Lord let none of them be silent but all with one consent bless his holy Name And thou O my soul be sure thou never forget to make one O fail not to bear thy part in this joyfull quire that daily sing his praise PSALM CIV ARGUMENT The foregoing and the following Psalm being certainly composed by David the Greeks and from them several other ancient interpreters have ascribed this also to the same Authour For which they had this further reason that it begins as Aben Ezra observes just as the foregoing Psalm ends and celebrates the mighty power and goodness of God in the fabrick of the world as the CIII doth his benefits to himself and to the rest of the children of men As for the occasion of it we may look upon it as a probable opinion that when David thought of building a House for the Divine Service and God sent Nathan to forbid him 2 Sam. VII 5. he fell not long after into the contemplation of the Majesty of God who having built this great world as his Temple needed none of his erecting though He
the day of thy power in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth 3. For in the day when thy forces 2 Tim. II. 3. compleatly armed with a Divine power IV. Act. 33. shall march forth to subdue the world unto thy obedience they that are fit for thy Kingdom IX Luk. 62. XIII Act. 48. shall chearfully submit themselves and present Thee with free-will Offerings in token of their absolute subjection to Thee II. Act. 45. IV. 34. And great shall be the number of chosen men 1 Joh. II. 13. who glad to see the night of Ignorance gone shall at thy first appearance by the celestial blessing fall unto Thee as thick as the morning dew 4. The LORD hath sworn and will not repent Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek 4. And happy are they who live under thy Government for the Lord hath unchangeably resolved that Thou shalt be a Priest as well as a King with full power to bless all thy Subjects not onely in that but in all future Ages even to all Eternity For Thou shalt not be a Priest like those after Aaron's order who die to make room for others but like that great King and Priest Melchisedek shalt neither have any Predecessour nor Successour in thine Office but continue a royal Priest for evermore Hebr. VII 5. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath 5. Who as he will be most compassionate to all those that heartily acknowledge Him for their Lord and submit unto His Government so will break in pieces the greatest powers on earth that provoke his displeasure by obstinate opposal of his Authority at thy right hand 6. He shall judg among the heathen he shall fill the places with the dead bodies he shall wound the heads over many countries 6. From whence He shall demonstrate Himself to all the heathen world to be their Law-giver and their Judge taking a severe vengeance on those that persecute his Subjects and destroying at last even that mighty Empire which shall then rule over many Countries 7. He shall drink of the brook in the way therefore shall he lift up the head 7. But before all this He shall first humble Himself to the meanest condition not living in the state of a King here in this world but of a way-faring man IX Luk. 56. who is content with such provision as he meets withall For which cause after the enduring many hardships even death it self He shall be highly exalted to his Royal and Priestly dignity in the Heavens from whence He shall never fall PSALM CXI Hallelujah i. e. Praise the Lord. ARGUMENT It is certain this is the Title of the Psalm which consists of as many short Metres as there are Letters in the Hebrew Alphabet and therefore cannot begin with Hallelujah whos 's first Letter is the fifth not the first Letter in that Alphabet In which order it proceeds for the better help of the memory being composed thus artificially that every one as well as the singers to whom the Hallelujah perhaps is particularly directed might have in their minds a brief form of thanking God especially upon festival days for the wonderfull things He had done for that Nation It was a meditation which the Authour had in time of peace and quiet for in distress or immediately after a great deliverance mens spirits are not at liberty to use such art and curiosity in their composures as there is in this Psalm being full at those seasons of such passions as make them neglect it even when they are inclined to use it see Psalm XXV For which reason I think Theodoret's opinion hath no ground that the Psalmist hath respect to the great Victory obtained by Jehoshaphat over the Ammonites and other Nations who invaded his Kingdom for which they gave thanks to God presently after 2 Chr. XX. It is more likely that David who composed those larger forms of commemoration Psalm CV and CVI. made this as I said for a compendious remembrance of what is there more largely delivered And that He might not exceed the number of the Ten Commandments as some give the reason of it in the Verses of this Psalm the Metres of the two last are so short that they have each of them three Letters of the Alphabet in them whereas all the former have but two 1. PRaise ye the LORD I will praise the LORD with my whole heart in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation 1. I Will make my thankfull acknowledgments to the Lord not onely with my lips or with some slight affections of my mind but with all my heart and soul And that not onely in the private society of those good â—…en whom I am more inâ—…mately acquainted withall but in the publick congregation of all his people 2. The works of the LORD are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein 2. Who ought to join together to praise the Lord for his mighty and wonderfull works which it will not cost them much labour to understand for they are easily found out by all those who take any pleasure in such inquiries 3. His work is honourable and glorious and his righteousness endureth for ever 3. And there is not one of them but is full of majesty and splendour and the fruit of his infinite bounty and faithfulness to his promise which He still expresses towards us and will doe so for ever 4. He hath made his wonderfull works to be remembred the LORD is gracious and full of compassion 4. And such is his Goodness lest we should forget his Benefits He hath instituted solemn times for the commemoration of the wonders He hath done for us XII Exod. 14. XIII 3 9 c. which are everlasting testimonies that we serve a most gracious and compassionate Lord. 5. He hath given meat unto them that fear him he will ever be mindfull of his covenant 5. Who gave our Forefathers whom by his wonderfull works He possessed with the fear of Him XIV Exod. 31. the spoil of the Egyptians XII Exod. 35 36. and afterward fed them with Manna in the wilderness XVI Exod. according to his Covenant which He had made long before XV. Gen. 14. and will never forget in future Ages 6. He hath shewed his people the power of his works that he may give them the heritage of the heathen 6. He hath evidently demonstrated to his people the greatness of his power in destroying Sihon the Amorite II. Deut. 24 25. and Og the King of Bashan III. Deut. 21 24. with the rest of the Amorites and other Nations in the Land of Canaan X. Josh 6 11 12 c. which He took from the ancient Inhabitants that He might give it us for our possession 7. The works of his hands are verity and judgment all his commandments are sure 7. In which He did them no wrong but was exactly
faces and so terrified with Thunder and Hail that they may not be able to recollect their Forces 7. Send thine hand from above rid me and deliver me out of great waters from the hand of strange children 7. Send powerfull aid unto me from Heaven XVIII Psal 16. for I rely upon nothing on Earth relieve me in all my straits and deliver me out of these great and manifold dangers wherewith I am threatned by a forreign power of Idolatrous people which now invade me 8. Whose mouth speaketh vanity and their right hand is a right hand of falshood 8. Who as they have been wont to brag of more then they doe so promise more then they will ever perform For whatsoever treaties of peace and leagues of friendship I make with them they break them all and falsify so shamefully both their words and their oaths that there is no trust to be given to them v. 11. 9. I will sing a new song unto thee O God upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee 9. I will never prove ungratefull to Thee for so great a benefit but here solemnly vow to compose with my best skill new Hymns of thanks unto Thee O God and with the usual instruments of Musick sing thy Praises saying 10. It is he that giveth salvation to kings who delivereth David his servant from the hurtfull sword 10. It is not merely by the conduct and valour of our Captains and Souldiers that we have overcome but the most powerfull Kings owe their safety and their victories unto the Lord To whom I am more particularly bound first for the high honour He hath done me in making me his Minister and now for this deliverance form these mighty Armies which threaten my destruction 2 Sam. VIII 11. Rid me and deliver me from the hand of strange children whose mouth speaketh vanity and their right hand is a right hand of falshood 11. Grant my renewed requests therefore I beseech Thee v. 7 8. and send me seasonable relief and deliverance from this forreign invasion of an Idolatrous people who have no faith nor honesty but shamefully falsify both their words and their oaths and when they shake hands with others as if they were their Friends intend thereby to deceive them 12. That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth that our daughters may be as corner stones polished after the similitude of a palace 12. Let not our Country be overrun by such barbarians but be so preserved by Thee in peace and tranquillity that our hopefull Sons may grow up like young flourishing Trees till they attain their full strength and stature and our Daughters be tall and beautifull like those polished Pillars which are the ornaments of a royal Palace 13. That our garners may be full affording all manner of store that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets 13. Our Granaries also and Store-houses being as full as they can hold may afford us all sorts of Provision from year to year and our flocks of Sheep bring forth thousands which may multiply into ten thousands in their walks 14. That our oxen may be strong to labour that there be no breaking in nor going out that there be no complaining in our streets 14. Our Cows also being great with young may neither be driven away by the irruption of our Enemies nor cast their Calves at home but we may be free from this and all other causes of crying or complaining in our streets 15. Happy is that that is in such a case yea happy is that people whose God is the LORD 15. Happy is that Nation which is setled in such a prosperous condition That is happy is that Nation which truly worships the great Lord of the World who hath promised Deut. XXVIII to bless his faithfull servants with these and all other fruits of his love PSALM CXLV David's Psalm of Praise ARGUMENT After David had obtained these favours of God for himself and for the Nation which he begs in the foregoing Psalm he composed according to his promise there Ver. 9. this admirable Hymn which is contrived with such Art that it is manifest from thence he made it when he was much at leasure and God had given him rest from all his enemies 2 Sam. VII 1. For every Verse begins with a new Letter of the Alphabet in order which are all here except the Letter Nun which is wanting Verse 13. I suppose it was lost when this Psalm came to the hands of the Collectour of this Book and he would not adventure to supply it with one of his own inventing The Greek indeed that is the present Greek Copies for Theodotion and Aquila and the ancient LXX had it not and Latin and Arabick which in effect are but one and the same have another Verse which we may well think if it ever were in the Hebrew began with that Letter Nun But it differs so little from the seventeenth Verse when there is no repetition in any other part of the Psalm that it doth not in my opinion look like the true original Verse And it may be doubted whether there ever was any such Verse in that place where we suppose one wanting for the Psalmist might be carried see Psalm XXV by the strength of the inspiration which was upon him out of the method he had at first proposed to himself Certain it is this Psalm was always esteemed so excellent that the Title of the whole Book of Psalms is taken from this which is wholly spent in praising God with such admirable devotion that the ancient Hebrews were wont to say as Valentine Schindler hath long ago observed He could not fail to be a child of the world to come who would say this Psalm three times every day And for that reason perhaps it was composed Alphabetically that so usefull a Psalm might be the more easily learnt and remembred by every body 1. I Will extoll thee my God O King and I will bless thy name for ever and ever 1. I Will proclaime to all the world O my God the supreme Governour of heaven and earth how excellent thy Majesty is infinitely surpassing the highest of our thoughts and will never cease to express the delightfull sense I have of all thy glorious Attributes whereby Thou art made known unto us 2. Every day will I bless thee and I will praise thy name for ever and ever 2. This shall be my daily imployment and I will sing joyfull Hymns in praise of thy glorious perfections without any end 3. Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised and his greatness is unsearchable 3. For the Lord is immensely great in power and dominion and all other ways and therefore to be honoured with our highest and with our endless praises But when we have said all we can our best praise of Him will be to confess that his transcendent excellencies cannot be comprehended 4.
another command which as suddenly Ver. 15. makes a thaw and by the warm breath of softer winds loosens the waters which were bound up and causes them to flow again 19. He sheweth his word unto Jacob his statutes and his judgments unto Israel 19. In such things as these the whole world see how powerfull and how good He is But we have more peculiar reasons to depend upon Him for a happy return of our Nation whom He doth not teach merely by the snow the hoar frost and the ice but by another sort of word then that which sends them upon the earth Ver. 15. even by His Ten Commandments delivered from heaven XX. Exod. 1. in a most glorious and astonishing manner Ver. 18. and by Laws of all sorts which He hath given us for the government of our life 20. He hath not dealt so with any nation and as for his judgments they have not known them Praise ye the LORD 20. This is a privilege which no other Nation in the world enjoys IV. Deut. 32 33. For though they all receive the showres and snow out of the clouds yet Laws from thence they have no acquaintance withall Therefore let not us dishonour Him so much as to distrust his Providence but continually praise the Lord and acknowledge his bounty to us PSALM CXLVIII Hallelujah See CXLVI ARGUMENT It doth not appear who was the Authour of this Hymn nor upon what occasion it was composed But the last Verse sufficiently shews the Nation was then in a very flourishing condition and therefore probably it was made by David when God had given him rest from all his Enemies which filled his heart with such love to God that it transported him into this rapture Wherein finding how short his own praises were he wishes all Creatures in heaven and earth would conspire in a sweet symphony as Theodoret speaks of singing Hymns unto Him And first he calls upon the world above and all that is therein from the first Verse to the seventh where he descends to the world here below and calls upon all things on the earth to praise the Lord concluding v. 13. that as there is one Maker of both so all that they can say of Him when they have joyned all their powers together in one Quire falls infinitely short of his most excellent Majesty Who hath set forth his most transcendent wisdome power and munificence in such variety of stupendious work that there is not the smallest of them but ministers such matter of praise nay admiration to those that attentively consider them that they cannot but wish with the Psalmish here that every one of them were able to tell us how much skill and kindness He hath shown in their contrivance or that we were able to find it out and comprehend it Thus He is to be understood when he calls upon all Creatures to praise the Lord or it is as if he had said The Lord is to be praised by or in all these things as long as the world lasts This I take to be the true account of this Psalm which I refer to the times of David because the two following seem to have been then made and there is no other we can so well fix upon unless we will conceive that it was a Meditation when they were perfectly settled in a peaceable enjoyment of their Religion after the Captivity of which there is not the least intimation in the Psalm 1. PRaise ye the LORD praise ye the LORD from the heavens praise him in the heights 1. LET all Creatures praise the Lord. First let the Celestial Quire begin and sing their thankfull Hymns to Him who hath raised them so high above us in power and might as well as in dignity and place 2. Praise ye him all his Angels praise ye him all his hosts 2. Praise Him all ye Angels who have the honour to be the prime Ministers of his most excellent Majesty O let their several Hosts and Companies in whatsoever rank or order they stand praise Him whose Sovereign Authority commands them all 3. Praise ye him Sun and Moon praise him all ye stars of light 3. Praise Him ye Sun and Moon who are his greatest visible Ministers and unwearied in his service Praise Him all the rest of the shining Stars and declare to all future generations as ye have done for so many Ages past how glorious He is 4. Praise him ye heavens of heavens and ye waters that be above the heavens 4. Let all the heavenly Regions praise Him particularly the Clouds which hang in the Aire and disstill in fruitfull showres to inrich the Earth 5. Let them praise the Name of the LORD for he commanded and they were created 5. Let all these set forth the adorable wisdome and power and goodness of the Lord For by his omnipotent word these whom the mistaken world calls Gods were created not to be worshipped but perpetually to proclaim his praise 6. He hath also established them for ever and ever he hath made a decree which shall not pass 6. who hath made them not onely illustrious but everlasting monuments of his splendour and glory having fixt and settled them in an admirable order which they constantly observe and prescribed them Laws which they never transgress 7. Praise the LORD from the earth ye dragons and all deeps 7. O Let all Creatures here below accompany those celestial hosts in their praises of the Lord whose power the vast Whales in their several kinds and all that moves in the profound depth of the Sea abundantly declare 8. Fire and hail snow and vapour stormy wind fulfilling his word 8. Let the Lightnings Thunder and Hail the Snow hoary Frost and Ice the Winds Storms and Tempests all make a part of this Song for they constantly execute his Sovereign Will and serve his wise Designs 9. Mountains and all hills fruitfull trees and all cedars 9. The lofty Mountains also and the lesser Hills the Fruit-bearing Trees with the stately Cedars the Pines the firrs and all the rest which He hath created for several ends and uses let them all be called upon to tell how great and how bountiful He is 10. Beasts and all cattel creeping things and flying fowl 10. The wild Beasts also of the Forest and all the Cattel that feed in the Fields whatsoever creeps upon the Earth or swims in the Sea or flies in the Aire let it joyn in this Hymn of praise to Him who hath shown his manifold wisdome and diffusive goodness in them all 11. Kings of the earth and all people Princes and all Judges of the earth 11. But especially let Mankind praise Him who after He had made these things brought them into the world last of all to contemplate his wonderfull works And first let Kings who here on Earth resemble the Angels or the Sun in Heaven and then let their Ministers of State and Lieutenants in their several Provinces and next all the Judges of the Earth who are
like the Moon and the Stars give a good example unto all the Subjects and stir them up to meditate his praise 12. Both young men and maidens old men and children 12. Let no Sex no Age think themselves exempted from this heavenly imployment But let the Young men praise Him for their strength and the Virgins for their beauty they that are going out of the world for all that they have seen and heard of Him and they that are newly come into it for all the goodly spectacles that are before them 13. Let them praise the Name of the LORD for his Name alone is excellent and his glory is above the earth and heaven 13. Let them praise the incomparable Wisedom Goodness and Power of the Lord For how great soever any other Beings are there is no other God but He whose most excellent Majesty infinitely surpasses all that the Earth or the Heavens can tell us of Him 14. He also exalteth the horn of his people the praise of all his Saints even of the children of Israel a people near who him Praise ye the LORD 14. And yet so great is his condescention unto us who are bound therefore more particularly to praise Him He takes a peculiar care of us and hath set over us a powerfull Prince for the defence and safety of his People LXXXIX Psal 19. Whose fame He hath thereby raised to the highest pitch of honour having obliged the Children of Israel by many peculiar benefits especially this that they are a people more nearly related to Him then any other whatsoever for He dwells among them in his holy place where they approach to Him O praise Him there for this singular favour PSALM CXLIX Hallelujah See CXLVI ARGUMENT Theodoret thinks this Psalm was made for them that after their return from Captivity had many opposers but by the Divine Assistance overcame them And that it is a praediction of those great things which were done by the Maccabees Certain it is that some signal Victory was the occasion of it and thence Saint Chrysostome hath here given us a full account I think of the meaning of A new Song which according to the use of the word new in other places when they would express a thing very wonderfull such as hath not been seen or heard of before XVI Numb 30. XXXI Jer. 22. he takes to denote An illustrious and famous Hymn made for Victories for great Atchievements and Trophies Which were never more remarkable in this Nation then in the days of David and therefore this Psalm may very well relate to his reign who subdued several Kingdoms which had stood out and would not submit to Israel till his time though God had promised to give their Countries to them XV. Gen. 18. XXIII Exod. 31. 2. Sam. VIII 1 2 c. X. 19. The interpretation which I have given of the sixth Verse need not seem strange to any one who considers that it hath been and is the custom of all Nations to stir up themselves to fight by the sound of some musical Instrument or other The ancient inhabitants of Etruria saith Clemens Alexandrinus in the second Book of his Paedagogus chap. 4. used the Trumpet for this purpose the Arcadians the Whistle the Sicilians an Instrument called Pectids the Cretians the Harp the Lacedaemonians the Pipe the Thracians the Cornet the Egyptians the Drum the Arabians the Cymball But it was proper to the Israelites to go forth against their Enemies singing Psalms of Praise to God as we reade 2 Chron. XX. 21 22. who had given great Victories to their Ancestours and had promised never to forsake their Posterity while they served Him onely and piously confided in Him 1. PRaise ye the LORD Sing unto the LORD a new song and his praise in the congregation of saintâ— 1. SIng a new Hymn unto the Lord for the fresh and singular benefits He hath bestowed upon us Let Him be praised not onely in private but in the publick assemblies of those who have received special marks of his favour to them 2. Let Israel rejoice in him that made him let the children of Sion be joyfull in their king 2. Let all the Israelites rejoice in Him that made them his peculiar people and hath now raised them to great splendour among the Nations of the world let the inhabitants of Sion more particularly be exceeding glad that the Lord who is our King hath there settled his royal Throne 2 Sam. V. 9. VI. 12. 3. Let them praise his name in the dance let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp 3. Let them leap for joy and unanimously praise his most excellent Majesty in their Dances to the Flute 2 Sam. VI. 16. let them testifie their gratitude to Him by singing Psalms with the Timbrel and the Harp 4. For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people he will beautifie the meek with salvation 4. For the Lord taketh pleasure in doing good unto his people and will not onely deliver them after they have been oppressed many years but if they meekly depend upon Him make them as great and illustrious as they have been contemptible and mean 1 Chron. XIV 2. 5. Let the saints be joyfull in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds 5. Which shall fill the hearts of good men who are dear to Him with the highest triumph in the honour that He hath done them and make them shout for joy in the security and peace He shall bestow upon them 6. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth and a two-edged sword in their hand 6. Which they shall not doubt to maintain against all opposers for in assured hope of Victory they shall go to War with Psalms and Hymns in their mouths concerning the great acts of the Lord which they shall couragiously sing with a loud voice when they fall upon their enemies and prefer to the two edged sword wich they carry in their hand 7. To execute vengeance upon the heathen and punishments upon the people 7. Wherewith they shall take a just revenge upon the heathen for all the injuries they have done us and so chastise the insolence of the people that they shall fear again to molest us 1 Chron. XIV 17. 8. To bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron 8. For their Victories shall be so compleat that they shall not onely rout their enemies and put them to flight but lead away their Kings captive in chains and take their great Captains and Commanders prisoners and keep them fast in fetters of iron 9. To execute upon them the judgment written this honour have all his saints Praise ye the LORD 9. In order to the executing upon them the judgment which God hath long ago decreed and is recorded in his Law VII Deut. 24. XXXII 41 42 43. This is the honour which all Israel shall have when they are in favour with God and such shall be their glorious Victories and
such Hymns and melodious Songs shall they sing saying Hallelujah praise the Lord by whose power and might we have done all this PSALM CL. Hallelujah See CXLVI ARGUMENT Theodoret takes this also to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Song of Triumph after some Victory and the mention of the mighty acts of the Lord Ver. 2. seems to countenance this conjecture which consists well enough with what others conceive that it was at first particularly directed to the Levites by David I suppose whose office it was to praise the Lord with musical Instruments 1 Chron. XVI 4 5. and excite others to his praises not onely for Victory but for all other his benefits For if the Tradition of the Jews be true which we reade at large in Maimonides in a Treatise on that subject when the people of any place brought up their first fruits to present them to the Lord at Jerusalem according to the Law XXVI Deut. with a pipe going before them as soon as they came to the mountain of the Temple every one took his basket into his hand and sung this whole Psalm till they came to the courts of the Lord's house where the Levites met them singing the XXX Psalm And indeed it might well be used upon occasion of any exceeding great joy for it seems to be intended by the repetition of these words praise the Lord or praise Him thirteen times and by the calling for no less then ten Instruments of Musick to express the height and fulness of their joy and thankfulness to God for his benefits nor can Musick be so well imployed to any other use as this Divine and heavenly exercise of praising God by Hymns and Psalms and spiritual Songs to which the Psalmist seems to me to excite all Creatures in heaven and in earth from the highest to the lowest And with this the Collectour of these five Books of Psalms thought good to conclude the whole and not unfitly For in whatsoever condition we be as there are Psalms adapted to several purposes we should never forget to praise the Lord but after we have prayed or complained c. still end with thankfull acknowledgments to God for his goodness to us Here are several sorts of musical Instruments mentioned which I have not adventured to explain because the Hebrews themselves acknowledge they do not understand them We have no way saith Aben Ezra upon those words Ver. 5. which we translate loud Cymbals to know what these musical Instruments were there being many found in the Country of the Ismaelites i. e. Mahometans which are not among the men of Edom i. e. Christians and others among them which the wise men of Ishmael never heard of 1. PRaise ye the LORD Praise God in his sanctuary praise him in the firmament of his power 1. PRaise the mighty God ye Angelical Ministers that attend upon Him in his celestial Sanctuary Praise Him all ye inhabitants of heaven where you see the brightest demonstrations and most lasting monuments of his power 2. Praise him for his mighty acts praise him according to his excellent greatness 2. Praise Him all ye Ministers of his upon earth for the miraculous things which He hath done for our deliverance and exaltation let your praises bear some proportion to the excellence of his Majesty and the multitude of those great and magnificent acts of mercy towards us 3. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet praise him with the psaltery and harp 3. Let the Priests of the Lord X. Numb 8. praise Him with the sound of the Trumpet and let the Levites 1 Chron. XXV 6. praise Him with Psalteries and Harps 4. Praise him with the timbrel and dance praise him with stringed instruments and organs 4. Let some praise Him with the Timbrel and the Flute and others praise Him with the stringed Instruments and Organs 5. Praise him upon the loud cymbals praise him upon the high-sounding cymbals 5. Let all sort of Cymbals accompany their Psalms and Hymns in his praise both those of daily use and those that are wont to be imployed in times of the highest joy and triumph 6. Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD Praise ye the LORD 6. Finally Let every man living join himself to this sacred Quire and at every breath praise the Lord the giver of life and of all good things To Him let all the world with one consent give perpetual praise THE END
they may also look upon themselves as a people created a-new to praise the Lord. 19. For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary from heaven did the LORD behold the earth 19. Because in much mercy He hath been pleased to preserve a miserable Nation from utter destruction and though He be infinitely exalted above all our thoughts yet the Lord hath graciously condescended to mind the afflicted condition of this distressed Country 20. To hear the groaning of the prisoner to loose those that are appointed to death 20. And to be moved by our groans to deliver us out of a sad captivity and to revive us when we had reason to look upon our selves as dead and hopeless 21. To declare the name of the LORD in Sion and his praise in Jerusalem 21. That we might go and recount in his Temple the famous things which He hath done and make the holy City sound with the praises of his power goodness and truth which He hath declared in our restauration 22. When the people are gathered together and the kingdoms to serve the LORD 22. When all the people shall be gathered together there to worship the Divine Majesty and other Kingdoms join with us unanimously in his service 23. He weakened my strength in the way he shortned my days 23. I had hopes to have lived to see this blessed time and thought I had been in the way to it III. Ezra 8 c. But He hath stopt our vigorous beginnings IV. Ezra 4. and thereby so sorely afflicted me that I feel I am like to fall short of my expectations 24. I said O my God take me not away in the midst of my days thy years are throughout all generations 24. Though I prayed most earnestly to Him and said O my God who hast so graciously begun our deliverance take me not away before it be compleatly finished but let me see thy promise fulfilled which Thou who diest not as we do I am sure wilt not fail to make good 25. Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the work of thy hands 25. For it cannot be too hard for Thee to raise Sion out of her ruins who hast many ages ago created this goodly fabrick of heaven and earth by thy eternal Word I. Heb. 10. 26. They shall perish but thou shalt endure yea all of them shall wax old like a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed 26. And Thou dost neither decay nor alter in process of time as thy creatures do some of which shall perish but Thou shalt eternally subsist and all of them shall grow old like our garments with long wearing even the heavens themselves which now enwrap the earth as our cloaths do our bodies shall be folded up I. Heb. 12. and laid aside like a tattered garment when Thou shalt command that alteration 27. But thou art the same and thy years shall have no end 27. But Thou and thy Word art still the very same and shalt always continue so without any the least variation 28. The children of thy servants shall continue and their seed shall be established before thee 28. Yet all that I conclude from hence is onely this that though I do not live to see our perfect restauration yet according to thy unalterable purpose the Temple and Jerusalem shall be rebuilt and the children of thy servants who now are in great distress be peaceably settled there yea their posterity after them remain unmovable in thy favour and enjoy the tokens of thy Divine presence among them PSALM CIII A Psalm of David ARGUMENT The Title tells us this Psalm is one of Davids and the third fourth and fifth Verses may satisfie us that he composed it after his recovery from a dangerous sickness to such a vigorous health as the Eagles have when they renew their plumes To that he alludes Ver. 5. as Euthymius and Saint Hierom understand it The latter of which says upon XL. Isaiah that he had often taught the Eagles do no otherway return to youthfulness when they are old but onely mutatione pennarum by change of their feathers I have expressed this a little more largely then ordinary in the Paraphrase as I have done in the rest of the Psalm to fit it the better to their use now that have escaped the like danger who should take occasion when they thank God for such a blessing to imitate David in making a thankfull commemoration of the rest of his mercies both to him and to others both in the present and in past ages And the more to excite devout souls to this and that I might make their thankfulness the more affectionate if they please to make use of this Hymn for that purpose I have oft repeated the beginning of the Psalm which I think refers to the whole and likewise put it into a little different form of a soul actually praising God without the least alteration of the sense 1. BLess the LORD O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name 1. BLessed for ever blessed be the Lord of life and health and all other blessings Blessed be his eternal power wisedom and goodness with my whole heart do I bless Him with my most ardent love and the devoutest affections of my soul 2. Bless the LORD O my soul and forget not all his benefits 2. Which shall be every day thus employed and praise his name with continual pleasure I will never forget how shouldst thou prove so ungratefull O my soul as not to acknowledge the inestimable benefits I have received from his bounty which are more then thought can number 3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases 3. More particularly I render Thee O Lord my most hearty thanks for thy late mercies vouchsafed to me Blessed be thy mercifull kindness that after a short correction for my faults Thou hast graciously pardoned them and healed all the sores and grievous wounds which they had made 4. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies 4. Blessed be God who hath saved me from death and not onely spared my life but surrounded it most graciously with I know not how many benefits which make it exceeding delightfull to me I owe my friends lovers and acquaintance my carefull attendants my warm and quiet habitation the plentifull estate Thou hast given me the liberal provision Thou makest for me with all the rest of thy mercies to the bowels of thy tender compassions towards me 5. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things so that thy youth is renewed like the eagles 5. Blessed be thy almighty Goodness that my mouth which lately disgusted all things or was restrained from what is desired or was prescribed that which was disgustfull to it can now relish its food again and is satisfied with many good things I can never sufficiently bless thy Goodness who by this