secret of his purpose to save them which is one of the deepest things of God that cannot be revealed by any but by the Spirit of God And he will shew them his Covenant It should rather be rendred And to make known his Covenant to them ad notificandum iis Montanus PSAL. XXVI Verse 2. EXamine me O Lord and prove me try my reins and my heart The words here are not the same but all different to note how earnest the Psalmist was to know well his state Vers. 5. I have hated the Congregation of evil doers and will not sit with the wicked He shews how much he abhorres wicked persons Vers. 6. I will wash my hands in innocency so will I compass thine Altar O Lord. He alludes to the Ceremony of the Priests washing at the brazen laver before they ministred at the Altar Exod. 30. 18 20 21. 40. 32. to let us see that though this Ceremony belonged only to the Priests yet the morality belongs to all they must wash before they meddle with holy services See Isa. 1. 15 16. 1 Tim. 2. 8. Vers. 9. Gather not my soul with sinners nor my life with bloody men The holy Ghost speaks of a bundle of the living Abner praies for David that God would binde up his soul in the bundle of life and of a bundle of the dead God will gather the tares together in a bundle therefore the godly and wicked are said both to be gathered to their Fathers that is they go to men of their own rank and condition PSAL. XXVII Verse 1. THe Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid A godly man is acted nec spe nec metu from outward things Vers. 5. One thing have I desired of the Lord. One principall thing That will I seek after chiefly that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple To enjoy him in his Ordinances Vers. 8. When thou saidst Seek ye my face That is by injections of holy thoughts and the actuall excitation of his grace By Gods face is meant 1. God himself Exod. 20. 3. before my face that is before me 2. His favour will shew them the back and not the face Prov. 29. 26. Seek his presence and favour Vers. 13. I had fainted unless I had beleeved to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living The first words are not in the Hebrew David could not tell what to say I had despaired been in a hell of darkness what you will The goodness of the Lord. That is the good things promised by him Heaven is properly the land of the living though it mean Canaan in the letter so the Chaldee in the land of life eternall i. in hac ipsa vita ut Psal. 116. 9. Junius Vers. 14. And he shall strengthen thine heart Chazak signifies to lay hold on a thing strongly it is used Job 2. 6. 8. 14. PSAL. XXVIII Verse 1. UNto thee will I cry O Lord my rock be not silent to me left if thou be silent to me I become like them that go down into the pit David professeth that if God when he prayed did not answer him that is give some comfortable assurance that he accepted and took his prayer in good part it would be even a death to him PSAL. XXIX Verse 1 GIve unto the Lord Oye mighty Give unto the Lord glory and strength Vers. 2. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name Here are three Gives either because such great persons are backward to give God his due or because God desires great persons to come in or because God would have such to go on if they once begin Princes of all men should be most carefull to glorifie God and yet it is most rare to see them humble themselves before him for naturall corruption is as strong in them as in others their education doth breed them to high and stately thoughts of themselves their riches and power puffeth them up and flatterers ordinarily following them do make them forget themselves and God also Therefore are they here thrice exhorted to give glory to God Dickson O ye mighty Or sonnes of the mighty that is ye mighty men or potentates so Psal. 9. 7. The Chaldee referreth it to the company of Angels Give unto the Lord glory and strength That is a strength which is glorious Vers. 2. Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness That is the Temple so called because the Lord appears there dispensing holineis 1 Chron. 16. 29. Vers. 3. The voice of the Lord is powerfull David cals thunder so It is called simply voice Exod. 20. 18. The people saw the voices but when the word Lord is added the metaphor is made more magnificent and is more fit to express the force of thunder Job 37. 2. 41. 5. a Poeticall metaphor plainly God is often said to thunder to signifie his presence either in punishments or rewards as Psal. 18. 14. Joel 3. 16. Exod. 19. 16. 20. 18. Jer. 25 â—0 Vers. 9. The voice of the Lord maketh the hindes to calve Though of all other creatures they bring forth with most trouble Job 39. 4 6. PSAL. XXX Verse 7. LOrd by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong That is his Kingdom Who art thou O mountain before Zerubabel that is the Persian Monarchy And I was troubled Like a withered flower that loseth sap and vigour so Exod. 15. 15. Vers 11. Thou hast put off my sackcloth That is hast taken away my mourning because mourners were cloathed with sackcloth Vers. 12. My glory i. Lingua praeco gloriae ut 16. 9. Junius That is my tongue so Gen. 49. 5. because it should be the trumpeter of Gods glory PSAL. XXXI Verse 1. DEliver me in thy righteousness That is that faithfulness whereby thou defendest thine own children according to thy promise Vers. 5. O Lord God of truth As truth notes faithfulness in promises so it is from him 2. As it notes true doctrine John 14. 6. Vers. 15. My times are in thy hand He saith not my whole time or course of life but times in the plural to shew that every point and period of ones life dependeth upon God The seasons of his comforts and of his sorrows all the turnings and changes of his life from one condition to another were cast and ordered by the power and wisdom of God Vers. 19. O how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee David stands in admiration of the riches of goodness which God hath provided for those which fear him as if he wanted words to express it as indeed he did A figurative speech taken from carefull parents which lay up for their children Col. 1. 5. Vers. 20. Thou shalt hide them in the
answer is more than to hear viz. returning word again to a person concerning the matter whereof he hath spoken and to incline ones â—ar is to use great and favourable attention as a man which gives another leave to come so near him that he may even lay his ear to his mouth and hear his whisperings if he had more secret and important matter to speak of Vers. 3. For my daies are consumed like smoak Without all comfort vainly and to no purpose And my boxes are burnt as an hearth That is all his strength was quite dried up so that no marrow and moisture remained Vers. 4. My heart is smitten and withered like grass This is more emphaticall say some than I am smitten Vers. 5. My bones cleave to my skin or flesh So Calvin and Ainsw Vers. 6. I am like a Pellican of the wilderness A bird living in wilde and desolate places Zeph 2. 14. Isa. 34. 11. Hierom writing upon these words saith when the Pellican beholdeth her young ones brought almost to death by the sting of a Serpent she diggeth a hole in her breast with her beak and from thence fetcheth out blood which lighting upon and besprinkling them doth kill the poison of the Serpents sting and restore them to life but Christ was contented to have his breast his head his sides his hands and feet pierced and opened that he might besprinkle us with his blood and so revive us that were dead in sins by the poysonous sting of the old Serpent Rev. 12. 9. Vers. 7. I watch and I am as a sparrow alone upon the house top Was kept sleepless and unable to take his naturall rest and that by reason of his being comfortless and friendless and destitute of all means of safeguarding him from danger as a sparrow alone upon the house top Vers. 8. Mine enemies reproach me all the day and they that are mad against me are sworn against me His enemies traduced him and bound themselves with oaths to do him mischief Nish bagnu jurant in me that is they wish all evil to befall me that I may become an execration so Numb 5. 27. Isa. 65. 15. a pattern of misery so that all men might say when they cursed the Lord make thee like David Vers. 9. For I have eaten ashes like bread and mingled my drink with weeping That is when I did eat and drink I had then little joy in my food for I wept abundantly in the midst of my meals He did count himself so vile a sinner that he was not worthy to feed upon any better food and that dust and ashes were too good for him In the daies of old they were wont in times of sorrow and sadness in a Fast to sprinkle dust and ashes upon their heads from whence our Ashwednesday hath its name being dies cinerum a day wherein men humbled themselves before the Lord in dust and ashes he means he did fast exceeding much Vers. 10. Because of thine indignation and thy wrath for thou hast lifted me up and cast me down That is had most vehemently cast him down as a man which lifts up a thing first that he may throw it down with more strength and vehemency Vers. 11. And I am withered like grass Before he said his heart withered like grass that is all his comfort and cheerfulness was dashed now he saith himself was withered which is something more then the withering of his heart it signifies that he was even ready to die and perish through extremity of sorrow Vers. 12. But thou O Lord shalt endure for ever and thy remembrance unto all generations God himself is eternall and he will give cause to those which live in one age as well as another to remember his truth goodness and great works Vers. 13. Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come Gods power is noted in the word Arise the appointed time is come God had limited their Captivity to seventy years which were ready to be expired Vers. 14. For thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof That is were greatly gladded to think of her repairing and re-edifying and pitied her dust that is were moved with great remorse and compassion at the consideration of her ruines Vers. 15. So the Heathen shall fear the Name of the Lord and all the Kings of the earth thy glory That is become true Christians and shew it as by performing his whole worship so by fearing his Name shall know the glorious mystery of the Gospel so as shall work them to a holy fear of that glory Or by the glory of God may be meant Christ here who is made known in the Gospel whom Simcon calleth the glory of the people of Israel Vers. 16. When the Lord shall build up Zion he shall appear in glory That is the Church he shall then appear in his spirituall glory Vers. 17. He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer Some take the word rendred destitute to signifie the heath or wilderness so we translate it Jer. 17. 6. Utterly broken so others Jer. 51. 58. The Hebrew word signifies a poor shrub that stands alone in the wilderness liable to every blast trodden by the feet of beasts that is when they pray he will cast a favourable eye and grant their requests Vers. 18. This shall be written for the generation to come and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord This that is the coming of Christ in glory and goodness to the poor destitute soul. Shall be written that is set down in a book recorded and published by the Scriptures of the Apostles and Evangelists and propagated to all succeeding ages to the worlds end Vers. 19. For he hath looked down from the height of his Sanctuary from heaven did the Lord behold the earth His high and holy place this is taken from Deut. 26. 15. the sons of men which inhabit the earth Vers. 20. To hear the groaning of the prisoner to loose those that are appointed to death Not only such who are imprisoned for well-doing but all those to whom sin is a prison whether they be otherwise prisoners or not Those that are appointed to death Which have deserved death for sin and such as are by men condemned to death for their righteousness sake free them from the danger of eternall death Vers. 21. To declare the Name of the Lord in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem The Jews the inhabitants of it should magnifie it Vers. 22. When the people are gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord. That is when the Gentiles which shall be converted shall meet together to perform publick worship unto God Vers. 23. He weakned my strength in the way This present life which is as it were a way leading to the life that is to come hereafter Vers. 24. I said
and takes them in their own craft Vers. 32. It is God that girdeth me with strength That is Raiseth up a strong resolution in me Vers. 33. He maketh my feet like Hindes feet and setteth me upon my high places 2 Sam. 22. 24. Hab 3. 19. PSAL. XIX Verse 1. THe Heavens declare the glory of God That is Offer unto us fit occasion of glorifying God when we see their excellency and order Vers. 2. Day unto day uttereth speech That is The providences and turnings of every day declare the glory of God and shew his handy work Vers. 4. Their line is gone out through all the world By which word he shews that the heavens being so curious a fabrick made as it were by line and level do clearly though silently preach the skill and perfection of God Vers. 5. Which is as a Bridegroom coming out of his Chamber Because his beams are prolifical Vers. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect Having spoken in the beginning of the Psalm of the Heavens and Sunne now he treats of the word of God which is as necessary as the Sunne Satiùs est ut Sol non luceat quam ut non doceat Chrysostomus The whole word of God all these titles here are used promiscuously for the word of God Vers. 9. The fear of the Lord is clean That is The Doctrine of the fear of God Vers. 10. Sweeter also than honey and the honey-comb He doth not mean the honey-comb barely that is the vessel wherein the honey is kept but the honey that flows or drops immediately and naturally without any art which is the purest honey Vers. 11. In keeping of them there is great reward And from keeping them not only a reward after or for the keeping of them but the observing of Gods Commandments is a reward to it self Vers. 12. His errours Practical not Doctrinal Cleanse thou me from secret faults Secret not only to other men but himself even such secret sins as grew from errours of which he said Who can understand his errours Vers. 13. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins Two things make a presumptuous sin 1. When committed against knowledge 2. When resolutely Some say this Psalm was penned after Davids great revolt from God he intimates that there is a great deal of pride and presumption in every such revolt from the Lord. The great transgression That is The unpardonable sin it is above presumptuous sins Vers. 14. Let the words of my mouth The outward acts of prayer and praise And the meditations of my heart That is Inward ejaculations PSAL. XX. Verse 3. REmember all thy Offerings and accept thy burnt Sacrifice Or turn thy burnt Offering into ashes It is translated the Lord accept because God had sometime witnessed his acceptance by sending down fire to burn the Sacrifice Levit. 9. 12. Vers. 4. Grant thee according to thine own heart and fulfill all thy counsel That is Fulfill not only thy desire and aim of thy prayer but in that very way by that very means which thy judgement and counsel pitcht upon in thine own thoughts See Ainsw Vers. 9. Save Lord let the King hear So Junius and we The LXX have it Lord save the King and hear us in the day that we call upon thee PSAL. XXI Verse 3. FOr thou preventest him with the blessing of goodnesse That is When David never asked such blessings at Gods hands even then did the Lord bestow his liberal blessings upon him as namely this when David was following his Fathers sheep and walking in his calling thence the Lord took him to be King over Israel Vers. 6. Most blessed Blessings Heb. not Benedictum but Benedictiones See Calvin Full of blessings A good Magistrate PSAL. XXII THis Psalm is a prophecie of the Suffering Death and Resurrection of Christ and the glorious fruit that shall follow thereupon in the seed and service that shall be performed unto God It is wholly spoken in the Person of Christ because the New Testament doth apply sundry passages of this Psalm unto Christ as Mat. 27. 46. John 19. 23 24. John 20. 25 27. Heb. 2. 12. It is called the Hinde of the morning Cantic 2. 9 Christ is lovely as the Hart. Swift to save his Church as the Hart Cantic 2. 17. Beset with Dogs as the Hart vers 16. Is at warre with the Serpent as the Hart. See Ainsw Vers. 2. My God my God Mi Deus fortis mi Deus fortis Junius Christ speaketh this Psalm to God his Father The Hebrew is AEli AEli Lammah gâ—azahtani which words our Lord uttered on the Crosse Matth. 27. 46. save for the later be used the Syâ—iack Sabachtani of the same signification At which the prophane Jews mocked saying That he called for Elias Matth. 27. 47 49. In that he calleth God twice his and pours out his complaints into his bosom it is not an obscure Confession of Faith saith Calvin According to faith he saith My God my God According to present feeling Why hast thou forsaken me Vers. 3. But thou art holy O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel That is a glorious Title which God hath Psal. 56. 2. Tremellius with the Vulgar renders it Laus Israëlis Ainsworth The praises of Israel and so they apply it to God He is frequently called the praise of Israel and Israel the praise of God Deut. 10. 21. Jer. 17. 14. as he is called the hope of Israel and the fear of Isaac the object of their praise because the God to whom Israel gives praise Others reade it as we or Inhabiting the praises of Israel To inhabit praise signifies two things 1. That he alwayes gives them matter of praise 2. Makes them to perform the duty of praise Where God hath his constant residence he is said to dwell as in Heaven and in the souls of his people Vers. 4. Our Fathers trusted in thee they trusted and thou didst deliver them Christ helpt his faith in his Agony with the experience of the great things God had done for his people of old Vers. 11. For there is none to help Nullus prater te Junius He that looks up to God for help acknowledgeth that there is no help in any thing else Vers. 12. Many Buls have compassed me Now he complains of the cruelty and fury of his enemies And first He compares them to Buls then to Lions and thirdly to Dogs Buls Full of might and malice Psal. 68. 31. Scimus ubi accensa est taurorum ira quà m terribili impetu ferantur Calvin Strong Buls of Bashan have beset me round That is fat ones that mountain was famous for fat pastures Deut. 32. 14. Vers. 14. All my bones are out of joynt Disparted are sundred in the Hebrew Et separaverunt se. Rivet Vers. 15. My strength is dried up like a potsherd Which is baked in the fire that is there is
people and shaking of the earth Trembling and shaking are effects of a great measure of fear overcoming the person in whom it is and leaving him destitute of all power to resist and oppose or flie from the thing feared The meaning seemeth to be that all men yea and all things shall even faint and shrink before the Lord as utterly unable to stand against him when he comes to fight for his Church and defeat their projects and practices against it 4. Gods greatnesse in his Church vers 2. The Lord is great in Zion and he is high above all people By Zion a part put for the whole is meant the whole Church where Christ is acknowledged and the name of God called upon in him God is said to be great there because in the Church and for the maintenance and guidance of it he principally declares his greatnesse High above all people Not alone in respect of authority or right to govern but also in respect of strength power and sufficiency so that he is able to effect his own will amongst and against them and they cannot hinder his designs and purpose or effect any thing contrary to his good pleasure Secondly The Prophet layes down the duty it self In the third verse is the matter of the Exhortation with a reason to confirm it also Let them praise Or They shall or ought to praise it is so an Exhortation to a duty that it also shews a necessity and fore-tels the performance of it Thy great and terrible Name That is thy self that art great and fearfull For it holy So it is concisely in the Original and may be meant of the name of God or himself all is one for when the name of God is said to be holy the meaning is Himself is and known so to be The Name of God signifies his renown and honour and sometimes those things by which he is made known and called and sometimes himself so called and made known as here Vers. 4. The Kings strength also loveth Judgment By it here may be meant wisdom and understanding to moderate justice Justice is 1. Commutative which stands in the right behaviour of one person to another in all things as also toward the Governour 2. Distributive which is proper to Superiours and Governours and standeth in the right ordering of their Inferiours by punishing and rewarding them according to their works Thou dost establish equity To establish equity is to appoint and ordain by his powerfull authority the doing of that which is right and equal to ratifie it as a Law which cannot be altered or disanulled Thou executest judgement and righteousnesse in Jacob Thou givest to every man according to his works Psal. 99. 14. In Jacob in the Church Vers. 5. Exalt ye the Lord our God and worship at his footstool For he is holy Ut sit excelsus in cordibus vestris Hieron To exalt is to lift on high not in place but worth so termed figuratively because it makes him eminent the meaning is take notice of confesse acknowledge make known and set forth Gods excellency To worship is to bow down the head or whole body in testimony of doing honour The Footstool of God is his Ark Temple or Tabernacle A footstool is the lower part of a Throne prepared for him to rest his feet upon that sits on the Throne This Hebrew word here translated Footstool is six times used in the Old Testament and hath alwayes the word feet added to it as 1 Chron. 28. 2. Psal. 132. 7. 110. 1. Isa. 66. 1. Lam. 2. 1. and here The LXX who translated the Hebrew into Greek do herein follow the Hebrew so do the Pen-men of the New Testament who wrote in Greek and that in eight several places as Matth. 5. 35. 22. 44. Mark 12. 36. Luke 20. 43. Acts 2. 35. 7. 49. Heb. 1. 13. 10. 13. Once the word Footstool is singly used without the addition of the other phrase of feet Jam. 2. 3. Doctor Gâ—uge on Heb. 1. 14. Sect. 154. These signs were fitly called his footstool there his feet as it were are set a littlelow expression of his greatnes is here a mean and scant manifestation of his excellencies but the fulnesse of his Majesty is seen alone in Heaven For he is holy Gods holinesse is thrice repeated in this Psalm Holinesse in God is that Excellency of his Nature whereby he is separated to himself regards himself knows himself esteems himself loves himself doth all for himself Vers. 6. Moses and Aaron among his Priests and Samuel among them that call upon his name The Lord raised up holy Priests and Prophets for his people Moses and Aaron were Priests Moses extraordinarily Aaron ordinarily Samuel a Prophet called on his Name in behalf of his people to turn away punishment from them See Jer. 15. 1. They called upon the Lord and he answered them God heard them and at their request did forbear to plague the people Vers. 7. He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar they kept his testimonies and the Ordinance that he gave them This is meant not alone of those particular times when God spake out of a cloudy pillar to Moses and Aaron as he did often but of his giving unto the people the whole Law out of Mount Sinai which was full of darknes and fire to Exod. 19. 18. and that because he telleth of their keeping the Laws after in the next clause Vers. 8. Thou answeredst them O Lord our God thou wast a God that forgavest them though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions That is that didst sometimes forbear to punish them and forgavest their sins and sometimes again didst severely punish them for their sins or that pardoned the penitent amongst them but did avenge himself upon the impenitent didst punish their inventions or works or deedâ— PSAL. C. THis is a Psalm of praise that is a Psalm made for this purpose to be sung to the praise of God in the Assemblies of his Saints Vers. 1. Make a joyfull noise unto the Lord. Shout to him out of great gladnesse in respect of his goodnesse and the benefits he gives us especially himself or out of applause of his excellent works The word is used to signifie the blowing of an alarm with Trumpets Levit. 10. 5. the Prophet may well allude to this custome of blowing with Trumpets over their Sacrifices as they were wont to do in their new Moons and this they did to expresse the greatnesse of their joy in God All ye Lands Heb. All the earth not alone all the Land of Israel at that time but all the world after Christs coming Vers. 2. Serve the Lord with gladnesse That is Do his works submit to his Laws acknowledge his Sovereignty over us and be ruled by him and that cheerfully Come before his presence with singing The face of God here signifies his gracious presence in his Tabernacle Come before That is present ones self in
what to do with or for us so rather here waited not the time when his counsell was to be fulfilled concerning them Vers. 15. But sent leanness into their soul. That is the Lord did not bless their meat to their nourishment but it proved to their destruction so it is commonly expounded but both a spirituall and temporall judgement went together See Psal. 36. 8. 63. 23. Vers. 20. Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an Oxe that eateth grass That is whereas God had shewed himself unto them gloriously in the Pillar and Cloud otherwise they could not be satisfied with these glorious signes of his presence but they must needs set up the Image of an Oxe a most beneficiall creature whose labour did yield them through Gods blessing the best means of maintenance They did like the Heathens Rom. 1. 23. Vers. 23. Had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach In the gap which their sinne had opened for God as an enemy to enter and destroy them A similitude taken from War when by a breach in the wall the enemy entreth the City so Eze. 13. 5. 22. 30. But Moses earnest prayer stopped this breach Ex. 32. 11 14. Vers. 28. They joyned themselves unto Baal-peor and ate the sacrifices of the dead The Fathers make him to be the beastly God Priapus See Athanasius Kirchers Oâ—dipus AEgyptiacus Tom. 1. Syntag. 4. c. 5. Sacrifices of the dead Meat offerings to the Idoll a liveless dull dead and inanimate thing therefore God in opposition thereto is above thirty times styled the living God See Jer. 10. 5 10. 1 Thess. 1. 9. Vers. 30. Then stood up Phinehas and executed judgement and so the plague was stayed Vajephallel and he prayed saith one translation and he executed judgement saith another The Originall word bears both to note that Religion doth marvellously fit a man for works of justice Vers. 31. And that was counted unto him for righteousness Not to justifie him God approved the work and imputed it to him as an eminent service and rewarded him accordingly Though he was a Priest and not a publick Magistrate and the thing was done without ordinary authority Vers. 33. Because they provoked his spirit Imbittered or exasperated it being in Hiphil some take it transitively that the people caused Moses to rebell quod mihi non displicet saith Calvin Vers. 37. Yea they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils God never required this but of Abraham and would not let him do it they would not be behind Abraham PSAL. CVII HEre are four instances of Gods providence in this Psalm 1. To pilgrims or strangers vers 3. which he concludes with Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderfull works to the children of men v. 8. 2. To the captives and imprisoned ver 10. and concludes likewise as formerly vers 15. 3. To such as were sick and diseased ver 17 18. and concludes so v. 21. 4. To those that go to sea ver 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. and concludes so ver 31. Vers. 20. He sent his word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions The Serpent lifted up by Moses in it self and by its own vertue was a bare sign and no remedy to cure distressed Israelites but they were cured by their faith in the word of Gods promise annexed unto the sign The cure saith Austin came not from the Serpent but from Gods Commandment obeyed and his promise beleeved Vers. 23. They that go down to the Sea in Ships that do business in great waters Here in another kinde the Prophet shews what great care God hath of mankinde while he brings those that suffer shipwrack into the haven as if he should raise them up out of the grave Vers. 26. They mount up to the heaven they go down again into the depths their soul is melted because of trouble Vers. 42. And all iniquity shall stop her mouth Will be forced to be silent the same kinde of speech there is Job 5. 16. Vers. 43. Who is wise and will observe those things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. The loving kindness of God may not so clearly appear in every action one had need to be wise to discern that PSAL. CVIII THis Psalm is composed of the 57 Psalm from the 8 v. to the end and of the 60 Psalm from the 7 v. to the end Vers. 1. O God my heart is fixed Fixed as a throne See Psal. 57. 7. that is I will go to duty I have got a heart fit for it Heb. a heart established and setled there is a fixed heart in regard of Gods providences and various dispensations Psal 112. 2. in reference to the word of God so here Vers. 2. I my self will awake early In the Originall it is more emphaticall Hagnira shahber I will awaken the morning As if David should say the morning never took me napping but I wakened it still Vers. 9. Moab is my washpot over Edom will I cast out my shoe or washing pot PSAL. CIX Verse 4. BUt I give my self unto prayer A broken spâ—ech But I prayer or I was all prayer So I peace Psal. 120. 7. Vers 6. And let Satan stand at his right hand To hinder him in action or let him in his accusation overcome him Zach. 3. 1. An allusion to the custom of ancient times in which the adversary stood at the right hand of him that was condemned and at the left hand of him that was acquitted PSAL. CX CHrist applies the first verse of this Psalm to himself Rabbi Saadia Gaon upon Daniel interprets this Psalm of the Messiah Vers. 1. Jehovah That is God the Father Assuredly said See Psal. 36. 2. To my Lord. That is to Christ. Sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstool Sitting notes reigning with continuance 1 Cor. 15. 25. Heb. 10. 12 13. This implies 1. Victory a perfect conquest over them conquerours used to make their enemies their footstool 2. Ignominy the lowest subjection Sapores King of Persia overcoming Valerian the Emperour in battel used his back after for a stirrup when he got upon his horse so Tamberlane served Bajazet The footstool is a piece of State and both raiseth and easeth him that sits on the Throne so Christs enemies raise and ease him Vers. 2. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion Or Scepter Hoc est insigne regiae potestatis Hieron The Gospel Vers. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power The people of God are Christs five waies 1. By way of gift Psal. 2. John 17. 6. 2. By purchase and redemption Gal. 3. 13. 3. By way of conquest 4. By way of Covenant Luk 1. 57. Servus a servando 5. By way of communion 1 Cor. 3. ult Willing Willingnesses
phrase Psal. 109. 4. PSAL. CXXI Verse 1. I Lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help That is towards Sion or rather heaven Heb. 9. 24. This Psalm seems to be written when he had warre with Absalom saith Grotius Vers. 2. My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth A speech of contempt Looks for help no other way Vers. 3. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved viz. to thy ruine Vers. 4. Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep Non dormitabit ac multo minus dormiet Bucer Muis. He shall be so farre from sleeping that he shall not so much as slumber The phrase is taken from watchmen who stand on wals in time of warre to foresee the approach of enemies and give warning they may be treacherous or sleepy The Capitol of Rome had been taken by the Gaules if the Geese had not been more waking than the watchmen of the walls Vers. 5. The Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand That is protection comfort and refreshing from heat Isa. 25. 4. 4. 6. Num. 14. 9. The French and we say ready at hand Vers. 6. The sunne shall not smite thee by day nor the moon by night The stars have in reference to the curse severall noxious influences they shall nourish and cherish the Saints they shall have benign influences on them The Sun and Moon being rulers of day and night Psal. 136. 8 9. imply all other things whatsoever but this hath reference to Gods protection of Israel in the wiâ—â—â—â—ness Exod. 13. 21. Isa. 4. 5. Ainsw 〈◊〉 â—hose hot regions as the heat of the day was intolerable so the cold of the night was hurtfull He means God would drive away all evils at what time soever they came Vers. 8. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and coming in That is prospers all thy actions at home and abroad Numb 27. 17. 1 King 3. 7. 2 Chron. 1. 10. See Dâ—ut 28. 6. 2 Sam. 3. 25. Act. 1. 21. 9. 28. Vitae actiones Scriptura egressum ingressum vocat Bucerus Thy going out To warre And coming in That is returning into thine house when the warre is ended Muis. PSAL. CXXII Verse 6. PRay for the peace of Jerusalem The originall words have such elegancy here as I think all the Scripture cannot parallell this verse The words do so excellently answer one another in matchless Paranomasie It is in English unexpressible Shaalu Shelâ—m Jerushalaim PSAL. CXXIII Verse 2. OUr eyes are upon the Lord our God For direction and protection Vers. 4. Of those that are at â—ase Not taken for absence of pain such as are drencht with pleasure PSAL. CXXIV Verse 3. THen they had swallowed us up or down quick A metaphor taken from ravenous beasts that devour their prey so suddenly that it seems to go quick down their throats PSAL. CXXV Verse 2. AS the mountains are round about Jerusalem so the Lord is round about his people from hence forth even for evâ—r Heb. 13. 5. As the City Jerusalem is every where compassed with mountains so God compasseth and will for ever compass the Church Vers. 3. Least the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity Noting that if the godly should be too much afflicted they could not hold out but would turn aside to sinfull courses See Deut. 20. 18. Vers. 5. As for such aâ— turn aside unto their crooked waies Ainsworth renders it crcokednesses it signifies to be crooked in his way serpentum more as Numb 22. 23. PSAL. CXXVI THis Psalm was penned after their return from Captivity out of Babylon This Psalm is divided into Halelujahs and Hosannahs Praises and Petitions Vers. 1. Zion The people of God the Ark was there placed and there God was worshipt We were like them that dream That is we as it were forgat what our state and condition but lately was as a dreamer forgets how it was with him did not know whether it was true or no we were so amazed with the greatness of the deliverance Dreams are 1. Things unthought of 2. Unlaboured for 3. Of strange things Jacob of a ladder reaching to heaven that a Heathen King Cyrus of his own accord on a sudden should give them commission to return out of Babylon Ezra 1. 1. See Luke 24. 41. Act. 12. 9. PSAL. CXXVII IT is a Psalm concerning Salomon whom David foresaw to be his successor he is called Jedidiah 2 Sam. 12. 25. that is beloved of Jah so here Vers. 2. Iâ—did his beloved or dearling it hath reference to Salomons name Vers. 2. For so he giveth his beloved sleep So how is that that is notwithstanding all the hard labour and pains they take yet the Lord giveth them sleep and sleep makes them forget all their former labour Some say it should be translated For he rightly giveth his beloved sleep as the same Hebrew particle is used elsewhere Numb 27. 7. He means not bodily sleep but a quieting of the soul in God Some mysticall Divines speak of obdormitiâ— animae in Deo PSAL. CXXVIII Verse 2. FOr thou shalt â—at the labour of thine hands That is the fruit of thy labours or thou shalt take delight in the very labour it self as Christ saith It was his meat and drink to do his Fathers will Vers. 3. Thy wiâ—e shall be as a fruitfull Vine by the â—ides of thine house The Vine tree brings forth liquor of the Vine most profitable to nourish the body and cheer the heart Secondly Fruitfulness is commended in the Vine tree so in women 1. Not a wanderer abroad as Dinaâ— but a house-wife 2. In the house side not the house top she is in thy side who was taken out of thy side 3. The Vine is of a bending and yeelding nature so she must be flexible to her husband 4. A Vine is an excellent shade against the schorching Sun so should she refresh her husband in his greatest misery Thy children like Olive plants round about thy table He mentions here the Vine and the Olive two of the best fruits the one for cheering the heart the other for cleering the face Psal. 104. 15. the one for sweetness the other for fatness Judg. 9. 13. Christ himself is compared to these two trees John 15. 1. Rom. 11. 24. 1. Numerous round about 2. Legitimate one cannot graff any thing in an Olive but the Olive 3. Flourishing that is alwaies green Psal. 52. 10. That he faith about thy table he expresseth the delight which they bring to the Father while many of them and those pretty ones stand alwaies in his sight Vers. 5. The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion That was Gods speciall residence PSAL. CXXIX Verse 8. NEither do they which go by say The blessing of the Lord be upon you we bless you in the Name of the Lord. Shewing evidently that it was a good and commendable custom
of the people of God then to crave Gods blessing on the corn grass or other fruits that they saw upon the earth in these or the like words God bless it or God save it PSAL. CXXX Verse 3. IF thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand That is rectus in curia It is the posture of those that would boldly defend their cause Vers. 6. My soul waiteth for the Lord more then they which watch for the morning As the weaâ—y Sentinell which is weâ— with the dews of the night waits for the appearance of the morning or as the Levites watched in the Temple when the morning would come that they might be taken off from their work Vers. 7. With him is plenteous redemption From all â—inâ—e and all the consequences of it PSAL. CXXXI Verse 2. AS a childe that is weaned of his mother my soul is even as a weaned childe See Isa. 32. That is was carefull of nothing as a weaned childe and as he depends on his mothers â—are so doth he commit the event to God and wholly depend on him PSAL. CXXXII Verse 8. ARise O Lord into thy rest thoâ— and the Ark of thy strength The royall Prophet having setled himself in his Kingdom according to his own desire and besides having after many wandrings to and fro at length brought back again the Ark unto Jerusalem maketh here most zealous and devout prayers to God for the continuance of his favour both to the Church and Commonwealth committed to his Government Vers. 9. Let thy Priests be cloathed with righteousness The Priests had linnen cloathes reaching down to their feet so Christ our Highpriest Rev. 1. 13. Linnen signifies righteousness in the Scripture Rev. 17. 8. To this David alludes here To this petition here God answers v. 16. and to Davids petition v. 10. God answers v 17. to the end of the Psalm Vers. 11. Of the fruit of thy body Thy womb or belly thâ—â— is thy childrenâ— See 2 Sam. 7. 12. This prophesie respecteth Christ Act. 2. 30. PSAL. CXXXIII Verse 1. BEhold how good and how pleasant it is How good that is how much would come to the persons by it by way of admiration and how pleasant Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit â—â—iâ—â— dulci. Some things are good which are not pleasant as afflictions repentance self-deniall rendring good for evil some things pleasant which are not good as sensuall pleasures some things neither good nor pleasant as envy despair impatience some things both good and pleasant as the happiness in heaven Vers. 2 3. He useth two comparisons answering to good and pleasant the second verse answering pleasant the third answering to good Vers. 2. It is like the precious oyntment upon the head that ran down upon the beard even Aarons beard that went down to the skirts of his garments It signifies that the spirituall oyl was first of all poured upon our Head Christ and from thence consequently derived to all his members Vers. 3. As the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion for there the Lord commanded the blessing even life for evermore Hermon was a very fruitfull hill inter pascua celebratur Tâ—erâ— Where brethren dwell in unity Commanded Appointed and sent effectually See Psal. 42. 9. PSAL. CXXXIV Verse 3. THe Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion He doth not say The Lord that made the earth bless thee out of heaven nor the Lord that made heaven bless thee out of heaven but bless thee out of Zion as if he would teach us that all blessings come as immediatly and primarily from heaven so mediatly and secondarily from Zion where the Temple stood PSAL. CXXXV Verse 6. WHatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in hâ—aven and in earth in thâ—sâ—â—s and all deep places A holy Minister said that Scripture did â—â—â—ch content him Such a thing pleased God said he why should it not please me PSAL. CXXXVI Verse 10 To him that sâ—â—â—te AEgypt in their first-born Here are four particulars 1. God hath judgements for a whole Nation Exod. 12. 30. 2. God punisheth his enemies in what is neerest to them Zech. 12. 10. 3. God proportions his judgements to mens sins Exod. 1. they drowned the Israelites first-born 4. This judgement brake Pharaohs heart Vers. 11. And brought out Israel from among them The bondage of the Israelites was great 1. In regard of their bodies it is called an iron-fornace See Exod. 3. 7 9. 2. In regard of their souls great Idolatry The AEgyptians worshipt almost every thing the Crocodile River Ox Herbs in the garden Rev. 11. Rome is called AEgypt this was therefore a great deliverance Vers. 13. To him which divided the Red Sea into parts Or Divisions By the Jews tradition the Red Sea was parted into twelve several parts for every of the twelve Tribes to goe thorow But Bucer and Muis mislike that Interpretation Vers. 14. And made Israel to passe thorow the midst of it He shews for whom this was done Israel Exod 14. 22 29. not the AEgyptians Heb. 11. 29. 2. God gave Israel courage and faith to venture Heb. 11. Vers. 15. But overthrew Shook them off in the original as a man would shake a worm off his garment Ainsworth and Grotius render it Shook off See Exod. 14. 27. PSAL. CXXXVII Verse 6. ABove my chief joy Heb. The head of my joy PSAL. CXXXVIII Verse 1. BEfore the gods will I sing praise unto thee The Kings and Princes of the earth as vers 4. called gods Psal. 82. 1 6. before such David used to confesse the Lord Psal. 119. 46. Vers. 2. For thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name The Name of God appears in his great work of Creation and Providence 1. Because there is more of God discovered in his Word then in his works 2. He works greater things by his Word then by his works converting the soul and comforting afflicted consciences 3. Gives it authority over the conscience PSAL. CXXXIX Verse 3. THou compassest my paths That is markest me which way soever I goe Vers. 13. For thou hast possessed my reins That is my secret cogitations for the kidneys lie in a hid and secret place of the body Jer. 12. 2. Vers. 14. For I am fearfully and wonderfully made Made as it were and composed altogether in wonders Vers. 15. My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth So he cals the womb because curious work-men when they have some choice piece in hand perfect it in private and then bring it forth to light for men to gaze at Vers. 17. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me Some expound it of the thoughts he had of God he valued nothing so much as high thoughts of him See vers 18.