Spiritual Promises and especially that of the Messiah coming out of his Loins and assuring it by a special Covenant Sealed by Circumcision the Church began now to take Root and to be imbodyed in Jacob's Family under the name of Israel and here God undertook the protection of his People and Worship by the visible presence of Christ her Head that Angel of the Covenant going continually with them Comforting and Defending them till they came into Aegypt where the Church continued until Joseph's Death where this Book ends CHAP. I. IN * 〈◊〉 â—…6 102. 〈◊〉 â—… 146. 6. 〈◊〉 24. Jer. 〈◊〉 51. 15. 〈◊〉 12. 1. Acts 〈◊〉 1â—… 17. 24. 〈◊〉 11. 3. the beginning a To wit Of Time and Things in the first place before things were distinguished and perfected in manner hereafter expressed Or the sense is this The beginning of the World was thus And this phrase further informeth us that the World and all things in it had a beginning and were not from Eternity as some Philosophers dreamed God Created b Made out of nothing the Heaven and the Earth c Either 1. The Heaven and Earth as now they are with their Inhabitants So this verse is a sum in or brief of what is particularly declared in the rest of this Chapter Or 2. The substance and common matter of Heaven and Earth Which seems more probable by comparing this verse with the next where the Earth here mentioned is declared to be without form and the Heavens without Light as also with Gen. 2. 1. Where the Heavens and the Earth here only said to be created are said to be finished or perfected Yet I conceive the third Heaven to be included under the Title of the Heaven and to have been created and perfected the first day together with its blessed Inhabitants the Holy Angels as may be collected from Iob 33. 6 7. But the Scripture being written for men and not for Angels the Holy Ghost thought it sufficient to comprehend them and their dwelling place under that general term of the Heavens and proceedeth to give a more particular account of the visible Heavens and Earth which were created for the use of man In the Hebrew it is The Heavens and the Earth For there are three Heavens mentioned in Scripture The Aereal the place of Birds Clouds and Meteors Matth. 26. 64. Rev. 19. 17. 20. 9. The Starry the Region of the Sun the Moon and Stars Gen. 22. 17. The highest or third Heaven 2 Cor. 12. 2. the dwelling of the Blessed Angels 2. And the Earth e The same confused mass or heap is here called both Earth from its most solid and substantial part and the deep from its vast bulk and depth and Waters from its outward face and covering See Psal. 104. 6. 2 Pet. 3. 5. was without form and void f i. e. Without order and beauty and without furniture and use and darkness was upon the face g The surface or uppermost part of it upon which the light afterward shone Thus not the Earth onely but also the Heaven above it was without light as is manifest from the following verses of the deep and the Spirit of God h Not the Wind which was not yet Created as is manifest because the Air the Matter or Subject of it was not yet produced But the Third Person of the Glorious Trinity called the Holy Ghost to whom the work of Creation is attributed Iob 26. 13. as it is ascrib'd to the Second Person the Son Ioh. 1. 3. Col. 1. 16 17. Heb. 1. 3. and to the first Person the Father every where moved upon the face of the Waters * i. e. Upon the Waters To cherish quicken and dispose them to the production of the things after mentioned It is a Metaphor from Birds hovering and fluttering over and sitting upon their Eggs and young Oaes to cherish warm and quicken them 3. And God said i i. e. Commanded not by such a word or speech as we use which agreeth not with the spiritual nature of God but either by an act of his powerful will called the Word of his Power Heb. 1. 3. Or by his substantial Word his Son by whom he made the Worlds Heb. 1. 2. Psal. 33. 6. who is called The Word partly if not principally for this reason Iohn 1. 1 2 3. 10. * 2 Cor. 4. 6. Let there be Light And there was Light k Which was some bright and lucid Body peradventure like the fiery Cloud in the Wilderness giving a small and imperfect Light successively moving over the several parts of the Earth and afterwards condensed encreased perfected and gathered together in the Sun 4. And God saw l i. e. Observed with approbation the Light that it was good m i. e. Pleasant and amiable agreeable to Gods purpose and mans use and God divided †Heb. Between the Light and between the Darkness the Light from the Darkness n Made a distinction or separation between them in place time and use that the one should succeed and shut out the other and so by their vicissitudes make the day and the night 5. And God called the Light Day and the Darkness he called Night †Heb and the Evening was and the Morning was c. and the Evening and the Morning o It is acknowledged by all that the Evening and the Morning are not here to be understood according to our common usage but are put by a Synecdoche each of them for one whole part of the natural day But because it may be doubted which part each of them signifies some understand by Evening the foregoing day and by the Morning the foregoing night And so the natural day begins with the Morning or the light as it did with the antient Chaldeans Others by Evening understand the first night or darkness which was upon the face of the Earth ver 2. which probably continued for the space of about twelve hours the beginning whereof might fitly be called Evening and by Morning the succeeding light or day which may reasonably be supposed to continue the other twelve hours or thereabouts And this seems the truer opinion 1. Because the darkness was before the light as the Evening is put before the Morning v. 5 and 8. and afterwards 2. Because this best agrees both with the vulgar and with the Scripture use of the terms of Evening and Morning 3. Because the Jews who had best opportunity of knowing the mind of God in this matter by Moses and other succeeding Prophets begun both their common and sacred days with the Evening as is confessed and may be gathered from Levit. 23. 32. were the first day p Did constitute or make up the first Day Day being taken largely for the natural Day consisting of 24 hours These were the parts of the first Day and the like is to be understood of the succeeding days Moreover God who
a Let his Excellency discovered in his works be the Matter of your joy and praise O ye righteous for * â—…sal 147. 1. praise is comely for the upright b It well becomes them to Exercise themselves in this work of praising and blessing of God Partly because they have such singular and abundant Obligations and Occasions to do so and Partly because they will praise God worthily and Heartily and with due Reverence and Thankfulness as God requires and deserves to be praised whereas ungodly men do indeed disparage and 〈◊〉 the Holy Name of God while they 〈◊〉 to praâ—… and therefore God rejects their Praâ—…s and Prayers See 〈◊〉 5â—… 16. and 109. 7. Prov. 28. 9. 2. Praise the LORD with harp sing unto him with the psaltery and * Psal 92. 3. an instrument of ten strings c He mentions these Instruments because they were used in the publick Worship and Praises of God in the Tabernacle 3. * Psal. 96. 1. 〈◊〉 1. 149. 1. 〈◊〉 â—…2 10. Sing unto him a new song d Either 1. Newly Composed As God gives you 〈◊〉 occasions so do not you content your selves with the olâ—… Songs or Psalms made by the holy Men of God but make New ones suited to the occasions But neither had all the Rigâ—…ous to whom he speaks v. 1. the Gift of Composing Songs nor was it of any Necessity or Importance that they should make new Songs to praise God at least for the Works here mentioned when there were so many made by David and other Holy Prophets for the use of God's Church and People when they had any such occasion Or 2. Renewed or repeated or sung again in which Sence Iob saith his Gâ—…y was Nâ—…w or fresh in him Iâ—…b 29 20. i. e. Renewed or continued from Day to Day and the Command of Love is called New Iob. 13. 34. because it was renewed and re-inforced by Christ. So this Song is here called Nâ—…w not so much from the Matter as from the singing of it because it was sung afresh or again play skilfully with a loud noise 4. For the word of the LORD is right e All God's Counsels and Commands either contained in the Scriptures Or given forth in his Providence for the Government of the World are wise and Just and Good without deceit or defect and all his works are done in truth f i. e. All his works of Providence agree with his Word and are no other then the accomplishment of his Promises or Threatnings or other Declarations of his Mind and Will in his Word although sometimes for a season they may seem contrary to it 5. * Psal. 4â—… 7. He loveth righteousness and judgment g i. e. Just judgment by a Figure called Hendyadis as Ier. 22. 3. Or Iustice relates to the Sentence and Iudgment to the Execution of it He not onely doth Justice to all men as was implied v. 6. but which is more he Loves it and Delights in it * Psal 119. 64. the earth is full of the ‖ Or mercy goodness of the LORD h He not onely doth no man wrong but he is very kind and merciful to all Men in the World to whom he gives many Favours and Invitations to his Love and Service See Mat. 5. 45. Act. 14 17. Rom. 1. 20 21. 6. * Gen. 1. 6 7. Heb. 11. 3. 2. Pet. 3. 5. By the word of the LORD i Either 1. By the Hypostatical word Christ who is oft called God's Word even by the Chaldee Paraphrast as also Iohn 1. v. 1 2 3. where he is said to be that â—…rd by whom all things were made So that which is here spoken more darkly and doubtedly according to that state of the Church is more clearly declared in the New Testament Or 2. By his Will or Command as this very Phrase is here used v. 4. and as it seems to be explained v. 9. And so it hath a great Emphasis in it that God made this admirable structure of the Heavens and all its glorious Stars not with great pains and time and help of many Artists and Instruments as men do far meaner Works but with one single Word which is much to the Glory of the Creator were the heavens made and all the host of them k The Angels Or the Stars See on Gen. 2. 1. * Job 26. 13. by the breath of his mouth l Either 1. By the Holy Ghost so called Iob 33. 4. And so here are all the Persons of the Trinity Iâ—…hovah the Father and the Word and the Spirit to each of which this Work of Creation is elsewhere ascribed as was noted on Gen. 1. 26. Or 2. By his Word as it was expressed in the last Clause which is so called Isa. 11. 4. 2. Tâ—…s 2. 8. 7. * Gen. 1. â—… 〈◊〉 26. 1â—… 〈◊〉 â—…8 8. He gathereth m Or gathered For he speaks of the first Creation when this was done Gen. 1. the waters of the sea together * Psal. 78. 1â—… as an heap o Either in the Clouds or in the Bowels of the Earth Whence he can draw them forth when he sees fit he layeth up the depths in store houses o Either in the Clouds or in the Bowels of the Earth Whence he can draw them forth when he sees fit n By which Expression he brings to our Minds this great work of God that the Sea which is lighter and higher than Earth is yet Confined within its Bounds that it might not overâ—…ow the Earth 8. Let all the earth p All the people of the Earth as the next Clause expounds this not only Iews but Gentiles who equally enjoy the Benefit of this great and glorious work of God fear the LORD let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him 9. For * Psal. 148. 5. he spake and it q The work here mentioned v. 6 7. Or stood forth as a Servant at his Masters Command Or was or did exist was done he commanded and it stood fast r. 10. * Isa. 19. 3. The LORD †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bringeth the counsel of the heathen s Or of the Nations though Nations combine themselves and their Counsels together yet he defeats them when he pleaseth Thus he passeth from the work of Creation to the works of Providence and from the Instances of his Power in Sensless and unreasonable Creatures to manifest his power in over-ruling the Thoughts and Wills and Actions of all Men whether single or united to nought he maketh the devices of the people of none effect 11. * Prov. 19. 2â—… Isa. 46. 10. The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever t All his Purposes and Designs and especially those which concern his choseh people of whom he speaks in the next Verse are always successful and irresistible the thoughts of his heart †Heb. to Generation and Generation
All my postures and motions my actions and my cessations from action thou understandest my thought c All my secret counsels and designs afar off d Before they are perfectly formed in my mind Thou knowest what my thoughts will be iâ—… such and such circumstances long before I know it yea from all eternity 3 Thou ‖ Or winâ—…owest compassest my path e Thou watchest me on every side and therefore discernest every step which I take It is a Metaphor either from huntsmen watching all the motions and lurking places of wild beasts that they may catch them or from Souldiers beâ—…ieging their enemies in a City and setting watches round about them and my lying down f Me when I lye down in my bed where men oft contrive what they execute in the day time and art acquainted with all my ways 4 For there is not a word in my tongue but lo O LORD thou knowest it altogether g Thou knowest what I speak and with what design and disposition of mind Or rather as others render it and which is more admirable When there is not a word c. Thou knowest what I intend to speak either in prayer to thee or in conversation with men when I have not yet uttered one word of it 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before h With thine all-seeing and all-disposing Providence and laid thine hand upon me i Thou keepest me as it were with a strong hand in thy sight and under thy power 6 * Psal. 131. 1. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me it is high I cannot attain unto it k I am so far from equalling thy knowledge that I cannot apprehend it in what manner thou dost so perfectly know all things even such as are most secret and have yet no being and seem to depend upon many casualties and uncertainties 7 * Jer. 23. 24. Whither shall I go from thy spirit l Either 1. from the Holy Ghost the third Person in the Trinity or 2. from thee who art a Spirit and therefore canst penetrate into the most secret parts or 3. from thy mind or understanding of which he is here speaking as this word seems to be taken Isa. 40. 13. compared with Rom. 11. 34. for what there is called the Spirit of the Lord is here called the mind of the Lord. And as the Spirit of God is oft used in Scripture for its gifts and graces so the Spirit of God in this place may be put for that knowledge which is an Attribute or action of God or whither shall I flee from †Heb. thy â—…ace So Gâ—… thy presence m A man can go to no place which is out of thy sight 8 * Am. 9. 2 3 4. If I ascend up into heaven thou art there if * Prov. 15. 11. I make my bed in hell n If I should or could repose and hide my self in the grave or in the lowest parts of the earth which are at the farthest distance from Heaven behold thou art there 9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea o If I should flee as swiftly from thy presence as the morning light doth which in an instant scatâ—…ereth it self from East to West for the Sea being the Western border of â—…anaan is oft put for the West in Scripture And wings are Poetically ascribed to the morning or morning light here as they are elsewhere to the Sun as Mal. 4. 2. and to the winds as Psal. 18. 11. 104. 3. and to other things of eminent swiftness 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me p I could neither go thither without thy conduct nor subsist there without thy powerful support and much less could I go out of thy sight for a man may see many things which are out of his power 11 If I say Surely the darkness shall cover me even the night shall be light q Shall be as clear and manifest to God as the light it self about me 12 Yea * Job 26. 6. 34. 22. Heb. 4. 1â—… the darkness †Heb. darkneth not hideth not from thee but the night shineth r Or enlightneth as this word is used Psal. 19. 9. Prov. 29. 13 c. discovereth me and all mine actions as the day †Heb. as is 〈◊〉 darkness so is the light the darkness and the light are both alike to thee s This is repeated so oft to reprove and confute the ridiculous conceits of many ungodly men who flatter themselves with hopes of secrecy and impunity for those sins which they commit in the dark See Isa. 29. 15. 13 For thou hast possessed t Or thou dost possess thou dwellest in them thou art the Owner and Governor of them and therefore must needs know them Or thou hast formed as some of the Ancients and others render it my reins u The most inward and hidden part of the body supposed also to be the seat of mens lusts and passions thou hast covered me x Either 1. with that covering called the after-birth wherein the infant is wrapped and preserved in the womb by the wonderful care of Divine providence Or 2. with skin and flesh as it is expressed Iob 10. 11. in my mothers womb 14 I will praise thee for †Heb. by 〈◊〉 things I aâ—… become 〈◊〉 I am fearfully and wonderfully made y Thy infinite wisdom and power manifested in the rare and curious structure of mans body doth fill me with wonder and astonishment and with the dread of thy Majesty marvellous are thy works z Both in the lesser world man and in the greater and that my soul knoweth †Heb. greatly right well a I am well assured both by thy word and by the contemplation and study of thy works to which I have much addicted my self that they are wonderful although I do not so accurately understand all the particulars of them as I would do 15 * Job 10. 8 10. Eccl. 11. 5. My ‖ Or strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 substance b Or My bone as the LXX and others render the word And bone may be here taken collectively for bones as is usual in such words or for the whole fabrick of the bones And the bones may be very fitly mentioned here because they are inward and invisible as being covered with skin and flesh and sinews Or the bones may be put Synecdochically for the whole body as being the most substantial part of it as they are Psal. 35. 10. was not hid from thee when I was made in secret c In the dark vault of my mothers womb and curiously wrought d Heb. embroidered exquisitely composed of bones and muscles and sinews and veins and arteries and other parts all framed with such wonderful skill that even Heathens upon the contemplation of
Particle is sometimes put indefinitely Or Then when thou didst set David in the Throne thou spakest in vision t Which then was the usual way by which God spake to the Prophets Numb 12. 6. to thy holy one u To thy holy Prophets the singular number being put for the plural especially to Samuel and Nathan for part of the following message was delivered to the former and part to the latter and saidst I have laid help x I have provided help and relief for my people which I have put into safe hands upon one that is mighty y Upon a person of singular courage and wisdom and every way fit for so great a charge I have exalted one chosen out of the people z One whom I have pickt and chosen out of all the people as the fittest for the Kingly Office one enriched with eminent gifts and graces c. 20 * 〈◊〉 16. â—… I have found a This is spoken of God figuratively after the manner of men to imply the great scarcity of such persons and the difficulty of finding them out David my servant with my holy oyl b Both with material oyl 1 Sam. 16. 13. 2 Sam. 5. 3. and with the gifts and graces of my holy Spirit which are oft signified by oyl or unction as Psal. 45. 8. compared with Heb. 1. 9. Isai. 61. 3. 1 Ioh. 2. 20 27. have I anointed him 21 * 〈◊〉 8â—… 17. With whom my hand shall be established c i. e. Constantly abide to protect and assist him mine arm also shall strengthen him 22 * 〈◊〉 â—… 10. The enemy shall not exact upon him d Not conquer him or make him tributary Or shall not deceive or circumvent him as this word is used Gen. 3. 13. 2 Kings 18. 29. nor the son of wickedness afflict him e To wit so as to overthrow or destroy him 23 And I will beat down his foes before his face and plague them that hate him 24 But my * 〈◊〉 61. 7. faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him f Faithfulness in making good all my promises to him and mercy either in doing more for him than I have promised or in pardoning his sins for which I might justly make him to know my breach of promise and in my name g By my favour and help shall his horn be exalted 25 I will set his hand h i. e. Establish his power and dominion also in the sea i The midland Sea and his right hand in the rivers k To wit Euphrates called Rivers in the Plural Number as Nilus also is Isai. 18. 1. Ezek. 29. 3 4. in regard of divers branches of it and rivers which flow into it So here is a description of the utmost bounds of the promised land Exod. 23. 31. Numb 34. 3. to which the Israelitish power was extended by David and Solomon 26 He shall cry unto me Thou art my father l He shall find me to be a true and a kind father to him and shall familiarly and confidently make his addresses to me as such for all necessary supplies and assistances which Parents willingly afford to their children as need requires my God and the rock of my salvation 27 Also I will make him my first-born m As he calls me father v. 26. so I will make him my son yea my first-born who had divers priviledges above other sons This and the following passage in some sort agree to David who may well be called Gods first-born as all the people of Israel are Exod. 4. 22. and so is â—…raim Ier 31. 9. Nor can I see fit wholly to exclude David here of whom all the foregoing and following Verses may and some of them must be understood But this is more fully and properly accomplished in Christ and seems to be ascribed to David here as a type of Christ and that our minds might be led through David to him whom David represented even to the Messias to whom alone this doth strictly and literally belong higher than the kings of the earth n This also was in some sort accomplished in David partly because he had a greater power and dominion than any of the Neighbouring Kings yea than any other Kings of his age and in those parts of the world except the Assyrian Monarch nor is the expression here universal but indefinite and if it had been said higher than all the Kings yet even such universal expressions admit of some limitation or exception as is manifest and confessed and partly because David had many priviledges wherein he did excel all other Kings of the Earth of his Age without exception which probably he did in the honour and renown which he got by his military atchievements and by that wisdom and justice wherewith he managed all his Dominions but certainly he did in this that he was a King chosen and advanced by the immediate order and appointment of God himself that he was set over Gods own peculiar and beloved people that he was intrusted with the care and Patronage of the true Religion and the worship of God in the World and especially that he was not onely an eminent type but also the Progenitor of the Messias who is King of kings and Lord of lords and God blessed for ever 28 * Isai. 55. 3. My mercy o Declared and promised to him and his Seed as it here follows will I keep with him for evermore and my covenant p Of which see 2 Sam. 7. 12 13 c. shall stand fast with him 29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever q i. e. To sit upon the Throne for ever as the next words explain it This was accomplished onely in Christ the eternal King of the Church and of the World who was of Davids Seed according to the flesh and his throne as the days of heaven r i. e. For ever as he now said as long as the World shall have a being It shall be as unchangeable and durable as the Heavens themselves which are of an incorruptible nature See the like expression Deut. 11. 21. Ier. 31. 35 36. 30 If his children forsake my law s Of this and the two next Verses see the notes on 2 Sam. 7. 14 15. and walk not in my judgments 31 If they †Heb. profane my statutes break my statutes and keep not my commandments t By this variety of expressions he implies that God will pardon not onely their lesser but even their greater sins 32 Then * 2 Sam. 7. 14. will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes 33 Nevertheless my loving kindness u My mercy promised to David * Heb. I will not make void from him will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness †Heb. to lie to fail 34 My covenant will I not break nor
of men both good and bad and that by which he preserveth and manageth his Church and People 1 IT is a * Psal. 147. 1. good thing b It is a good work and a just debt to God to give thanks unto the LORD and to sing praises unto thy name O most High 2 To shew forth thy loving kindness in the morning and thy faithfulness †Heb. in the nights every night c To adore and celebrate thy goodness and truth continually and especially at those two solemn times of Morning and Evening which on every day and especially upon the Sabbath day were devoted to the worship and service of God 3 Upon an instrument of ten strings and upon the psaltery ‖ Or upon the solemn sound with the harp upon the harp †Heb. Higgaion with a solemn sound 4 For thou LORD hast made me glad through thy work I will triumph in the works of thy hands d Which thou didst create by thine Almighty power and dost still govern with infinite wisdom one instance whereof we have in the following Verses 5 * Psal. 40. 5. O LORD how great are thy works and * Rom. 11. 34. thy thoughts e Thy counsels and methods in the government of the World and of thy Church are very deep 6 * Psal. 94. 8. A brutish man f Who cannot or doth not seriously consider things whose mind is corrupted by his sensual and brutish appetites who is led by sence and not by reason and faith knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this g The depth of Gods counsels and works mentioned v. 5. or that particular work of God â—…escribed v. 7. 7 * Job 12. 6. Jer. 12. 1 2. Mal. 3. 15. When the wicked spring as †Heb. herbs Psal. 104. 14. the grass and when all the the workers of iniquity do flourish it is that they shall be destroyed for ever h Their present worldly prosperity is a presage and occasion of their utter and eternal ruine 8 But thou LORD art most High for evermore i So this Verse is added by way of opposition to the former They shall perish but thou shalt endure as is said in a like comparison Psal. 102. 26. they flourish for a season but thou rulest for ever to judge and punish them Or For as this Hebrew Particle is not seldom used whereof instances have been formerly given thou Lord art c. So this Verse gives a reason of the former as well as the first branch of it why God suffers the wicked to flourish so long because he is not like man of short and uncertain continuance here to whom a little time is long and tedious who therefore impatiently expects the time of vengeance and fears lest the offender should escape it whereas God is unchangeable and everlasting and therefore long-suffering without any inconvenience and the longest time of the prosperity of the wicked is but short and inconsiderable in his Eyes a thousand years being in his sight but as yesterday when it is past Psal. 90. 4. and they can never escape out of his hands as also of the latter branch of the Verse why the wicked shall be destroyed for ever because God lives and reigns for ever to execute that just sentence of everlasting punishment which he hath pronounced against them 9 For lo k He represents their destruction as present and as certain which the repetition of the words implies thine enemies O LORD for lo thine enemies shall perish all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered 10 But my horn shalt thou exalt l But as for me and other righteous persons of whom he saith the same thing v. 12. we shall be advanced to the height of honour and true and lasting felicity like the horn of an unicorn m Of which see on Deut. 33. 17. I shall be anointed n I shall have great cause of rejoicing and testifying my joy by anointing my self as the manner was in Feasts and all joyful solemnities with fresh oil o Sweet and uncorrupted 11 Mine eye also shall see my desire p To wit in the ruine of thine and mine incorrigible Enemies on mine enemies and mine ears shall hear q What I do not see my self I shall understand by the certain reports of others my desire of the wicked that rise up against me 12 * Hos. 14. 5. The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree r Which is constantly green and flourishing and fruitful Cant. 7. 8. and growing even when it is pressed down and so is a fit Emblem of a just mans person and condition See Revel 7. 9. he shall grow like a cedar s Which spreads it self wide and grows very high and strong and is very durable and in some sort incorruptible in Lebanon 13 Those that be planted t Whom God by his gracious providence and holy spirit hath planted or fixed there in the house of the LORD u i. e. In its Courts which are a part of the House and oft come under that name in Scripture And by this House he means the Church of God whereof all just persons are real and living members shall flourish in the courts x Which he mentions rather than the House because he speaks not here of the Priests but of all just men who were permitted to come no further than into the Courts of our God 14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age y When their natural strength decayeth it shall be renewed their last days shall be their best days wherein as they shall grow in grace so they shall increase in comfort and blessedness they shall be fat and †Heb. green flourishing 15 To shew that the LORD is upright z This glorious work of God in compensating the short prosperity of the wicked with everlasting punishments and of exchanging the momentany afflictions of the just with eternal glory and happiness doth clearly demonstrate that God is just and blameless in all the dispensations of his Providence in the World he is my rock and there is no unrighteousness in him PSAL. XCIII This Psalm contains an assertion or declaration of Gods soveraign and universal dominion in and over the whole world Which is here set forth partly for the comfort of Gods Church and People against all the assaults of their numerous and potent Adversaries and partly to give an intimation and assurance of the accomplishment of that great Promise of the Kingdom of the Messias which was not to be confined to the Israelites but to be extended to all the Nations of the Earth which though wonderful in our Eyes the Supream and Almighty Ruler of the World could easily effect This and the six following Psalms according to the opinion of the Hebrew Doctors belong to the times of the Messias 1 * Psal. 96. 1â—… 97. 1.
gone before thee the Prophets and Apostles and after and in subordination to them and to their Writings others whom I shall raise from time to time to feed my People with Wisdom and Understanding 9 I have compared thee s Heb. I have made thee like which may be understood either 1. Verbally by comparing Or 2. Really by making a real resemblance in Quality or Condition * Ch. 2. 2 10 1â—… 4. 1 7. â—… 2. 6. 4. Joh. 14. 15. O my love to a company of Horses in Pharaohs chariots t Either 1. For comeliness for an Horse is a very stately and beautiful Creature and the Egyptian Horses were preferred before others 1 King 10. 28. Isa. 31. 1. and Pharaohs own Charet Horses were doubtless the best of their kind Or 2. For excellent order and usefulness as those Horses did equally and orderly draw the Chariot and carried Pharaoh with ease and speed whither he designed to go Or rather 3. For strength and courage to overcome all thine Enemies For Horses are famous for that property Iob 39. 21 c. And the strength of the Battle was then thought to consist very much in Horses Prov. 21. 31. and Chariots and especially in a company or multitude of them And the Chureh in this Book is represented not only as fair and beautiful but also as terrible to her enemies Cant. 6. 10. Compare Rev. 19. 11 14. 10 * Ezek. 16. 11 12 13. Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels u Which being fastened to the Heads of Brides used to hang down upon and to adorn their Cheeks according to the manner in those times He mentions the Cheeks as the chief seat of Beauty and he intimates that the Churches Beauty is not natural nor from her self but from the jewels wherewith Christ adorns her thy neck x Which is mentioned as another visible part and seat of Beauty Hos. 10. 11. But to accommodate every part and ornament named in this Book to some particular thing in the Church seems to have more of curiosity and Artifice than of solidity and use with chains of gold y Whereby as well as by the rows of Jewels he may seem to design all those persons and things wherewith the Church is made beautiful in the Eyes of God and of men such as excellent Ministers and Saints righteous Laws holy Ordinances and the Gifts and Graces of Gods spirit all which are given by God to the Church and are her best ornaments 11 We z I thy Bridegroom with the cooperation of my Father and of the holy Spirit Such plural Expressions are somtimes used in Scripture concerning one God to note the plurality of Persons in one Divine Essence as hath been noted upon Gen. 1. 26. and elsewhere will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver a Beautiful and honourable Ornaments such as those v. 10. Variety of Expressions are used to signifie the various kinds and Improvements of the Gifts and Graces which are bestowed by Christ upon the Church The Phrase here used may be compared with that of Apples of Gold in pictures of silver Prov. 25. 11. 12 While the king b My Royal Husband sitteth at his table c Either 1. With the spirits of just men and blessed Angels in heavenly Glory to which Christ was advanced after his sufferings and from which he poureth down his Spirit upon his People Or rather 2. With me in his Gospel and Ordinances in which Christ entertaineth his People and is in a special and gracious and glorious manner present with them Mat. 18. 20. 28. 20. which also is oft represented in Scripture under the notion of a Feast or Banquet of which see Prov. 9. 1 2 3 5. Isa. 25. 6. Mat. 8. 11. 22. 12. 1 Cor. 10. 21. my spikenard d The Graces of his Spirit conferred upon me and drawn forth by his powerful presence which is here compared to those sweet Ointments which the Master of the Feast caused to be poured out upon the Heads of the Guests of which see Mark 14. 3. Luk 7. 38. in which Ointments Spikenard was a chief ingredient Ioh. 12. 2 3. sendeth forth the smell thereof e Which notes the exercise and manifestation of her Graces which is a sweet smelling favour in the nostrils of her Husband and of her Companions 13 A bundle of mirrh f Or A bag of mirrhe in which there was a considerable quantity of the Gum which droppeth from the Mirrhe Tree Mirrhe is bitter to the taste but sweet to the smell and therefore was ever reckoned amongst the best perfumes See Exod. 30. 23. Psal. 45 8. Ioh. 19. 39. is my beloved unto me g He is most precious and comfortable to me and the Author of my sweet smell last mentioned he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts h In the place where bundles or bags of Mirrhe or other persumes hung down being fastened about their Necks which yet were taken away and laid aside by night But the Church intimates that she will not part with Christ neither day nor night Or this Phrase may note the Churches intimate Union with and hearty Affection unto Christ. 14 My beloved is unto me as a cluster of ‖ Or cypress camphire i Or Cypress as others render it It was an odoriferous plant growing in Vineyards and some think that it was a most pleasant kind of Vine like that which bears Muscatella Grapes yea some very learned men understand it of that Plant which dropped balm which grew in or near the place here specified as is affirmed not only by the Jews but also by Pagan Writers as Diodorus and Tâ—…ogus Nor are we concerned to know which or what it was it being confessed and evident that it was some pleasant and grateful Plant and that it sets forth that great delight which the Church hath in the enjoyment of Christ. in the vineyards of En-gedi k A pleasant and well watered place in the Tribe of Iudah Ios. 15. 62. Ezek. 47. 10. where there were many pleasant Plants whence it was called Hazazon Tamar 2 Chron. 20. 2. 15 * Ch. 4. 1. â—… 12. Behold thou art fair ‖ Or 〈◊〉 compaâ—…ion my love behold thou art fair l This is the Speech of Christ. The words are doubled partly to note the certainty of the thing notwithstanding her mean and modest opinion of her self and partly to manifest his high esteem and fervent affection for her and to assure her that notwithstanding all her infirmities he was very well pleased with her thou hast doves eyes m Which are 1. Comely and pleasant 2. Modest and humble not lofty as the looks of some other Creatures are 3. Mild and harmless not fierce and fiery not looking and watching for prey as the Eyes of revenous Birds are 4. Chast and faithful looking only to their Mates so that if any
to look to the weights and measures as plainly appears from 1 Chron. 23. 29. a shekel is twenty gerahs an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD p Not less least it should be contemptible nor more least it should be too burdensome for the poor 14 Every one that passeth among them that are numbred from twenty years old and above q The time when they began to be fit for employment and capable of getting and paying mony Women and Children are not included here because they are reckoned in their fathers or husbands shall give an offering unto the LORD 15 The rich shall not †Heb. multiplâ—… give more and the poor shall not ‖ Heb. diminish give less r This was partly to teach them that all souls are of equal worth in themselves and price with God that there is no respect of persons with God and in Gods Worship and Service but Gospel-graces Ordinances and Priviledges are common and equal to all Exod. 12. and 16. 18. Gal. 3. 28. Col. 3. 11. that all persons are alike obnoxious to divine justice and are redeemed by one and the same price partly to check the arrogance and vanity of the rich who are very apt to despise the poor and partly that by this means the number of the people might be exactly known when occasion required it than half a shekel when they give an offering unto the LORD to make an atonement for your souls 16 And thou shalt take the atonement-money of the children of Israel and * chap. 38. 25. shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle s For the building and furniture of it and the maintenance of Gods worship in it of the congregation that it may be a memorial t Either to the people who hereby profess God to be their Lord and owner and themselves his subjects and tributaries or to God who hereby takes occasion to remember them and to own them for his people unto the children of Israel before the LORD to make an atonement for your souls 17 And the LORD spake unto Moses u The frequent repetition of this phrase and the shortness of these discourses in comparison of the length of the forty dayes shew that God did not deliver all these Laws and Prescriptions at one time but successively at several times possibly upon the Sabbath-dayes saying 18 Thou shalt also make a laver of brass x See the accomplishment Exod. 38. 8. and his foot also of brass to wash withal y Both the Priests and the parts of the sacrifices and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar z To wit of burnt-offerings and thou shalt put water therein 19 For Aaron and his sons * Psal. 26. 6. Isa. 52. 11. Heb. 10. 22. wash their hands and their feet a To signifie their natural impurity and unworthiness either to handle holy things or to come into the holy place and their need of washing with the blood and spirit of Christ which was typified by this washing thereat 20 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation they shall wash with water that they die not b For though the fault might seem small yet the command was evident and easie and therefore the disobedience was worse arguing presumption rebellion and contempt And God is more severe in the matters of his Worship than in other cases or when they come near to the altar to minister to burn an offering made by fire unto the LORD 21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet that they die not and it shall be a statute for ever to them even to him and to his seed throughout their generations 22 Moreover the LORD spake unto Moses saying 23 Take thou also unto thee c The words are very emphatical and the Jews from hence do rightly infer that this ointment was but once made and that by Moses his own hands principal spices d See Cant. 4. 14. Ezek. 27. 22. and compare Psal. 45. 8. Amos 6. 6. of pure myrrhe e Heb. myrrhe of liberty either 1. Free from adulteration or mixture or rather 2. Freely dropping from the Tree which is esteemed better than that which is forced out of it five hundred shekels and of sweet cinamon half so much even two hundred and fifty shekels and of sweet calamus f A sweet reed of which see Isa. 43. 24. Ier. 6. 20. two hundred and fifty shekels 23 And of cassia g Not the common kind of Cassia which we use in purging but another kind of it there being seven several kinds of it as the learned note five hundred shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary and of oil olive an * chap. 29. 40. hin 25 And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment an ointment compound after the art of the ‖ Or perâ—…umer Apothecary it shall be an holy anointing oil 26 And thou shalt anoint h This was onely an outward ceremony signifying the separation and sanctification of these things for the service of God as the anointing of Kings and Priests noted their designation to their Offices the tabernacle of the congregation therewith and the ark of the testimony 27 And the table and all his vessels and the candlestick and his vessels and the altar of incense 28 And the altar of burnt-offering with all his vessels and the laver and his foot 29 And thou shalt sanctifie them that they may be most holy whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy 30 And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons i Not all of them but onely those who succeed him in the High-Priests Office as appears from Exod. 40. 15. Levit. 4. 3 5 16. and 16. 32. and 21. 10. This anointing of them signified both Gods election or calling them to this office and the inward qualifications requisite for it to wit the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost which are oft designed by this word of anointing as Isa. 61. 1. Dan. 9. 24. 1. Iohn 2. 27. and the solemn setting a part of Christ the true High-Priest for the mediatorial office and consecrate them that they may minister unto me in the priests office 31 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel saying This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me k i. e. Reserved for my service alone not employed to any profane or civil use as it follows throughout your generations 32 Upon mans flesh shall it not be poured l Except those whom God himself the author of this Law excepts to wit the High-priests of which see verse 30. and some of the Kings of which see 1 King 1. 39. Psal. 89. 20. though others think the Kings were onely anointed with common oil neither shall ye make any other like it after the composition of it it is holy and it shall be holy unto you m As it
beast they shall surely be put to death their blood shall be upon them 17 * chap. 18. 9 Deut. 27. 23. And if a man shall take his sister his fathers daughter or his mothers daughter and see her nakedness x Seeing is here understood either 1. properly and so God would cut off the occasions of further filthiness Or rather 2. improperly for touching her or lying with her for 1. the sence of seeing is oâ—…t put for other sences as for hearing Ger 42. 1. compared with Act. 7. 12. Exod. 2â—… 18. Rev. 1. 12. and for touching as Ioh. 2â—… 25 29. 2. that act is expressed by words parallel to this of seeing as by 〈◊〉 or discovering and by knowing Gen. 4. 1. 3. so it is directly explained in the following words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uncovered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which manifestly signifies lying with her â—… it is not probable that an equal punishment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dest sight and to the highest act of filthiness 5. nor seems there to be any reason why this crime should be restrained to this rather than to any other relations when it was as great yea a greater crime in some other relations and she see his nakedness it is a wicked thing and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people y i. e. Publickly for the terrour and caution of others he hath uncovered his sisters nakedness he shall bear his iniquity 18 * chap. 18. 19. See ch 15. 24. And if a man shall lie with a woman z Wittingly and willingly See on Lev. 15. 24. and 18. 19. having her sickness a i. e. her monethly infirmity and shall uncover her nakedness he hath †Heb. made naked discovered her fountain b Or her issue Thus the fountain of blood in Mark 5. 29. is the issue of blood Luk. 8. 44. the fountain put for the stream the cause for the effect which is common and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood and both of them shall be cut off from among their people 19 * ch 18. 12 13. And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mothers sister nor of thy fathers sister for he uncovereth his near kin they shall bear their iniquity 20 * chap. 18. 14. And iâ—… a man shall lie with his uncles wife he hath uncovered his uncles nakedness they shall bear their sin they shall die childless c i. e. Either shall be speedily cut off ere they can have a child by that incestuous conjunction that the remembrance of the fact may be blotted out or if this seem a less crime than most of the former incestuous mixtures because the relation is more remote and therefore the Magistrate shall forbear to punish it with death yet they shall either have no children from such an unlawful bed or their children shall die before them Hos. 9. 11 12. or shall not be reputed their genuine children but bastards and therefore excluded from the congregation of the Lord Deut. 23. 2. 21 * chap. 18. 16. And if a man shall take his brothers wife d Except in the case allowed by God Deut. 25. 5. it is †Heb. a separation an unclean thing e An abominable thing like the uncleanness of a menstruous woman which is oft expressed by this word Heb a separation or removing i. e. a thing deserving separation or exclusion from society with others or a thing to be removed out of sight or out of the world he hath uncovered his brothers nakedness they shall be childless 22 Ye shall therefore keep all my †chap. 18. 26. statutes and all my judgments and do them that the land whither I bring you to dwell therein * chap. 18. 25. spue you not out 23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation which I cast out before you for they committed all these things and * Deut. 9. 5. therefore I abhorred them 24 But I have said unto you Ye shall inherit their land and I will give it unto you to possess it a land that floweth with milk and honey I am the LORD your God which have separated you from other people f By my special grace and favour vouchsafed to you above all people in glorious and miraculous works wrought for you and among you and in ordinances and other singular priviledges and blessings imparted to you all which calls for your special love and service 25 * chap. 11. 2. Deut. 14. 4. Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean and between unclean fowls and clean and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast or by fowl or by any manner of living thing that ‖ Or moveth creepeth on the ground which I have separated from you as unclean g i. e. As things which by my sentence I have made unclean and which you must avoid as such 26 And ye shall be holy unto me * Verse 7. chap. 19. 2. Peâ—… 1. 1â—… 1 for I the LORD am holy and have severed you from other people that ye should be mine 27 * Deut. 1â—… 10 11. 1 Sam 28. 7 8. A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit or that is a wizard shall surely be put to death they shall stone them with stones their blood shall be upon them CHAP. XXI 1 AND the LORD said unto Moses Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron and say unto them * Ezek. 44. 25. There shall none be defiled for the dead a To wit by touching of the dead body or abiding in the same house with it or assisting at his funerals or eating of the funeral feast The reason of this law is evident because by such pollution they were excluded from converse with men to whom by their function they were to be serviceable upon all occasions and from the handling of holy things Num. 6. 6. and 19. 11 14 16. Deut. 26. 14. Hos. 9. 4. And God would hereby teach them and in them all successive Ministers of holy things that they ought so entirely to give themselves to the service of God that they ought to renounce all expressions of natural affections and all worldly employments so far as they are impediments to the discharge of their holy services See Lev. 10. 3 7. Deut. 33. 9. Mat. 8. 22. Hereby also God would beget in the people a greater reverence to the Priestly function and oblige the Priests to a greater degree of strictness and purity than other men among his people 2 But for his kin that is near unto him b Under which general expression his wife seems to be comprehended though she be not expressed in the following instances because from the mention of others more remote it was easie to gather that so near a relation was not excluded And hence it is noted as a peculiar and extraordinary case that Ezekiel who was a
from Proselytes from whom less might seem to be expected and in whom God might bear with some things which he would not bear with in his own people Yet even from those such should not be accepted much less from the Israelites shall ye offer the bread d i. e. The sacrifices See on Levit. 21. 8. of your God of any of these e i. e. So corrupted or defective Which clause limits the sense and kinds of offerings and cuts off another more general interpretation received by many to wit that he forbids the receiving of any offering whether blemished or perfect from the hands of a stranger remaining in Heathenism because their corruption is in them f i. e. They are corrupt vitious and unlawful sacrifices and blemishes be in them they shall not be accepted for you g Or from you O Priest to whom it belongs to offer You shall bear the blame of it for the strangers might do so through ignorance of Gods Law 26 And the LORD said unto Moses saying 27 * Exod. 34. 26. Deut. 14. 21. When a bullock or a sheep or a goat is brought forth then it shall be seven dayes under the dam and from the eighth day h See on Exod. 22. 30. and 23. 19. and thenceforth it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the LORD 28 And whether it be cow or ‖ Or she-goat ewe ye shall not kill it * Deut. 12. 6. and her young both in one day i Because it savoured of cruelty See on Deut. 22. 6. 29 And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD offer it at your own will k i. e. What and when you please so the rules be observed Or for your acceptance as Levit. 1. 3. i. e. in such manner that God may accept it i. e. regularly chearfully c. 30 On the same day it shall be eaten up ye shall leave * chap. 7. 15. none of it until the morrow I am the LORD 31 Therefore shall ye keep my commandments and do them I am the LORD 32 Neither shall ye profane my holy name l Either by despising me and my commands your selves or by giving others occasion to profane it but * chap. 10. 3. I will be hallowed m Or sanctified either by you in keeping my holy commands or upon you in executing my holy and righteous judgments Levit. 10. 3. Isa. 26. 15. I will manifest my self to be an holy God that will not bear the transgression of my laws among the children of Israel I am the LORD which hallow you n By separating you from all the world unto my self and service by giving you holy laws and my holy spirit to enable and inâ—…line â—…ou to keep them and therefore you have the more reason to hallow me and keep my commands and are the more inexcusable if you transgress them 33 That brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God I am the LORD CHAP. XXIII 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2 Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them concerning the feasts of the LORD which ye shall proclaim a i. e. Cause to be proclaimed by the Priests See Numb 10. 8 9 10. to be holy convocations b Days for your assembling together to my worship and service in a special manner even these are my feasts c Which I have appointed and the right observation whereof I will accept 3 * Exod. 20. 9. and 23. 12. and 31. 13. and 34. 21. chap. 19. 3. Deut. 5. 13. Luk. 13. 14. Six dayes shall work be done but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest an holy convocation ye shall do no work d So it runs in the general for the sabbath day and for the day of expiation ver 28. excluding all works about earthly occasions or employments whether of profit or of pleasure but upon other feast dayes he forbids onely servile works as ver 7 21 36. for surely this manifest difference in the expressions used by the wise God must needs imply a difference in the things therein it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings e This is added to distinguish the sabbath from other feasts which were to be kept before the Lord in Ierusalem onely whither all the males were to come for that end but the Sabbath was to be kept in all places where they were both in Synagogues which were erected for that end and in their private houses 4 These are the feasts of the LORD even holy convocations which ye shall proclaim in their seasons f In their appointed and proper times as the word is used Gen. 1. 14. Psal. 104. 19. 5 * Exod. 12. 18. and 13. 3. and 23. 15. and 34. 18. Numb 9. 2. and 28. 16. Deut. 16. 1. In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORDS passeover 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same moneth is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD seven dayes ye must eat unleavened bread 7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation ye shall do no servile work therein 8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven dayes g The matter and manner whereof see Numb 28. 18 c. in the seventh day is an holy convocation ye shall do no servile work therein 9 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 10 Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them * Exod. 23. 16. Num. 28. 26. When ye be come into the land h Therefore this obliged them not in the desert where they reaped no harvest c. which I give unto you and shall reap i i. e. begin to reap as it is expounded Deut. 16. 9. So he begâ—…t i. e. began to beget Gen. 5. 32. and 11. 26. and he built 1 King 6. 1. i. e. he began to build as it is explained 2 Chroâ—… 3. 1. the harvest thereof k To wit barly harvest which was before wheat harvest See Exod. 9. 31 32. and 34. 22. Ruth 2. 23. then ye shall bring a ‖ Or handful †Heb. an Omer sheaf l Heb. An omer which is the tenth part of an Ephah It seems here to note the measure of corn which was to be oâ—…ered For it is to be considered that they did not offer this Corn in the ear or by a sheaf or handful but as Iosephus 3. 10. affirms and may be gathered from Levit. 2. 14 15 16. purged from the chaff and dryed and beaten out and some adde ground into meal and sifted into fine flour though this may be doubted of because the meat-offering attending upon this was of fine flour ver 13. and because this offering is said to be of green ears of Corâ—… dried c. Levit. 2. 14. of the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest
so this is a Genitive case of the object as Mat. 12. 31. blasphemy of the spirit for so it is in the Greek is blasphemy against the holy Ghost as it is called Mark 3. 28. Luk. 12. 10. and power of all flesh Ioh. 17. 2. is power â—…ver all flesh and power of spirit Mat. 10. 1. is power over or against spirits Luk. 9. 1. and prayer of God Luk. 6. 12. is prayer directed unto God and the spoil of the poor Isa. 3. 14. is the spoil taken from the poor and violence of the children of Iudah Ioel 3. 19. is violence against them as we translate it to do a trespass against the LORD g Which words may be added either 1. to express a new sin of prevaricating or dealing falsly with God either by a false oath which is a special injury to God or by a lie or simple denial that he hath taken any thing of his neighbours which also God takes as a sin especially concerning himself who in such cases is the câ—…ely judge of what is 〈◊〉 said or sworn See Act. 5. 3 4. Or 2. to aggravate the former sin and to shew that such injuries done to men are also sins against God who hath commanded justice to men as well as religion to himself But the former is more probable both because here is a ram of atonement to be offered to God for the special injury done to him as well as satisfaction is to be made to the man whom he injured and especially by comparing this with the parallel place Levit. 6. 2 c. and that person be guilty h i. e. Shall be sensible of his guilt or be convicted in his conscience of his sin for otherwise this might seem a meer tautology if it were onely meant of being really guilty of sin which was expressed before in those words when one shall commit any sin i. e. be guilty of any sin 7 Then they shall confess their sin i They shall not continue in the denial of the fact as such persons oft do but shall give glory to God and take shame to themselves by acknowledging their sin with grief and remorse See Lev. 5. 5. and 6. 4. which they have done and he shall recompense his trespass * Lev. 6. 5. with the principal thereof k i. e. The thing he took away or what is equivalent to it and add unto it the fifth part thereof l Which is added both as a compensation to the injured person for the want of his goods so long and for his trouble for the supposed utter loss of them and as a penalty upon the injurious dealer to discourage others from such attempts Qu. How doth this agree with that law Exod. 22. 1 Ans. That law was made against notorious and obstinate thieves who were legally convicted of their crime and this against more modest thieves whose necessities might induce them to steal and whose consciences are affected with their sin and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed 8 But if the man have no kinsman m Which might be the case commonly with Proselytes if not with Israelites This also supposeth the person injured to be dead or gone away into some unknown place and the person injured to be known to the injurer to recompense the trespass unto let the trespass be recompensed unto the LORD even to the priest n Whom God appointed as his deputy to receive his dues and take them to his own use that so he might more chearfully and intirely devote himself to the ministration of holy things This is an additional explication to that law Lev. 6. 2. and for the sake thereof it seems here to be repeated beside the * Lev. 6. 6. and 7. 8. ram of the atonement whereby an atonement shall be made for him 9 And every ‖ Or heave-offering * Lev. 6. 18 26. and 7. 6 32. chap. 18. 8. Deut. 18. 3. offering o Heb. every heave-offering the heave-offering being here taken largely so as to comprehend also the wave-offering for both these were Aarons portion See Exod. 29. 26 27 28. of all the holy things of the children of Israel which they bring unto the priests p To wit to offer unto the Lord by his hands shall be his q i. e. the Priests See Levit. 6. 16. 10 And every mans hallowed things r Understand this not of the sacrifices no not of such of them as were voluntary or vowed as most understand it because these were not the Priests peculiar but a good part of them was offered to God and the remainder was eaten by the offerer as well as by the Priest as is manifest but of such other things as were devoted to God and were such as could not be offered in sacrifice as suppose a man consecrated an house or rent of it to the Lord this was to be the Priests And this restriction may be easily collected from the nature of the thing because he speaketh in this and the other branches here of such things as were appropriated to the Priests as his portion which none of the sacrifices were shall be his whatsoever any man giveth the priest it shall be * Lev. 10. 13. his 11 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 12 Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them If any mans wife s This law was given partly to deterre wives from adulterous practises and partly to secure wives against the rage of their hard-hearted husbands who otherwise might upon meer suspitions destroy them or at least put them away Quest. Why was there not the same law for the trial of the husband when the wife was jealous of him Ans. This might be either 1. because the womans sin is greater because there is not onely filthiness and falsness in it which is also in the mans sin but also peculiar unrighteousness in dishonouring his name and family and transferring his estate to strangers and other mens children or 2. because there was not like fear of inconveniencies to the husband from the jealousie of the wife who had not that authority and power and opportunity for the putting away or killing of the husband as the husband had over the wife Or 3. because being the inferiour and the weaker sex and more subject to jealousies and groundless suspitions it was not thought expedient to trust them with such a power or priviledge go aside t From the way of religion and justice or from her faith given to her husband or to the by-paths of falshood and filthiness and that either in truth or in appearance and in her husbands opinion and commit a trespass against him 13 And a man lie with her carnally and it be hid from the eyes of her husband and be kept close u She utterly denying it Prov. 30. 20. and none being able and willing to discover it and she be defiled and there
to themselves because they were then in their Parents loyns and their very being and all their Happiness depended upon that Deliverance until we were gone over 24 That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD that it is mighty that ye might fear the LORD your God †for ever ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 CHAP. V. AND it came to pass when all the kings of the Amorite a These and the Canaanites are mentioned for all the rest as being the chief of them for number and power and courage which were on the side of Jordan westward b This is added to distinguish them from the other Amorites Eastward from Iordan whom Moses had subdued and all the kings of the Canaanite c So the proper place of this Nation was on both sides of Iordan which were by the Sea d The mid-land Sea all along the Coast of it which was the chief seat of that people though divers Colonies of them were come into and settled in other places * Num. 13. 〈◊〉 Exod. 1â—… â—… heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan e Which was their Bulwark on the East side where the Israelites were for it is very probable they had taken away all Bridges near those parts and the Israelites having been so long in that Neighbouring Countrey and yet not making any attempt upon them they were grown secure especially now when Iordan swell'd beyond its ordinary bounds and therefore they did not endeavour to hinder their passage from before the children of Israel until we were passed over that their heart melted f They lost all their courage and durst attempt nothing upon the Israelites not without Gods special Providence that the Israelites might quietly participate of the two great Sacraments of their Church Circumcision and the Passover and thereby be prepared for their high and hard work and for the possession of the Holy and Promised Land which would have been Defiled by an Uncircumcised People neither was there spirit in them any more because of the children of Israel 2 At that time g As soon as ever they were come to Gilgal which was on the tenth day and so this might be executed the next or the eleventh day and that in the morning on the thirteenth day they were sore of their wounds and on the fourteenth day they recovered and at the Even of that day kept the Passover the Lord said unto Joshua Make h Or prepare or make ready as this word is sometimes used As it was not necessary for those who had such Knives already to make others for that use so it is not probable that such were commanded to do so but only to make them sharp and fit for that work thee * Exod. 4. â—… sharp knives †i Called in Hebrew Knives of Flints not as if they were all necessarily to be made of Flints but because such were commonly used especially in those parts where there was but little Iron and because such Knives were oft used in this work as the Iewish Doctors note and in such like works as Heathen writers relate Thus we call that an Ink-horn which is made of Silver because those Utensils are commonly made of Horn. and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time k He calleth this a second Circumcision not as if these same persons had been Circumcised once before either by Ioshua or by any other for the contrary is affirmed below v. 7. but with respect unto the body of the People whereof one part had been Circumcised before and the other at this time which is called a second time in relation to some former time wherein they were Circumcised either 1. in Egypt when many of the people who possibly for fear or favour of the Egyptians had neglected this Duty were by the command of Moses who had been awakened by the remembrance of his own neglect and danger thereupon Circumcised which during the Ten Plagues and the grievous confusion and consternation of the Egyptians they might easily find opportunity to do Or 2. at Sinai when they received the Pass-over Numb 9. 5. which no uncircumcised person might do Exod. 12. 48. and therefore it may not seem improbable that all the Children born in that first year after their coming out of Egypt and all they who peradventure might come out of Egypt in their uncircumcision were now Circumcised Obj. 1. All that came out of Egypt were Circumcised v. 5. Ans. 1. This may be true but he doth not say when and where they were Circumcised nor doth he deny that this was done to some of them either in time of the Plagues in Egypt or at Sinai 2. All is very oft used of the greatest part as is confessed Obj. 2. All the people that were born in the Wilderness were not Circumcised v. 5. Ans. 1. Understand this also of the greatest part 2. This is limited to them that were born by the way as it is said there and emphatically repeated v. 7. i. e. in their Journeys and Travellings which insinuates the reason why they were not Circumcised because they were always uncertain of their stay in any place and were constantly to be in readiness for a removal when God took up the Cloud But this reason ceased at Sinai where they knew they were to abide for a considerable time and seeing they took that opportunity for the celebration of the Pass-over it is likely they would improve it also to the Circumcision of their Children or others which they ought to prize highly and to embrace all occasions offered for it which though the people might it is not likely that Moses would neglect Obj. 3. They are said to have remained uncircumcised Forty whole Years in the Wilderness v. 6. Ans. i. e. for almost 40 years as the same Phrase is used Numb 14. 33 34. and 32. 13. when there was above one year of that number past and gone Or 3. in Abraham and so the sense may be The first Circumcision conferred upon Abraham and continued in his Posterity hath been for many years neglected or omitted and so that great and solemn pledg of my Covenant with you is in a manner wholly loâ—…t and therefore it is but fit and necessary to have this long interrupted practice of Circumcision revived and to have Abrahams Posterity circumcised a second time for the renewing of the Covenant between them and me again ‡ Or 〈◊〉 of flints 3 And Joshua made him sharp knives and circumcised l i. e. He caused this to be done and because it was to be done speedily the Passover approaching it was necessary to use many hands in it either Priests and Levites or other Circumcised persons who at least in those circumstances were permitted to do it the children of Israel m i. e. Such of them as were uncircumcised And though it be not mentioned it is more than probable
that I may slay him 16 And when the messengers were come in behold there was an image in the bed with a pillow of goats hairjor his bolster 17 And Saul said unto Michal Why hast thou deceived me so and sent away mine enemy that he is escaped And Michal answered Saul He said unto me Let me go Why should I kill thee r If thou dost not permit me to escape without discovery I shall be forced for my own defence to kill thee Though it is most likely this was a lye and a fiction of her own 18 ¶ So David fled and escaped and came to Samuel to Ramah s Partly for comfort and direction in his grert distress and partly for safety supposing that Saul would be ashamed to execute his Bloody designs in the presence of so venerable a Person as Samuel who had laid so great obligations upon Saul and had such great and just Reputation with the People and told him all that Saul had done to him and he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth 19 And it was told Saul saying Behold David is at Naioth in Ramah t Or near Ramah the Hebrew preposition beth in being oft put for near as it is apparently used Numb 33. 37 38. Ios. 5. 13. Ier. 20. 2. and 32. 7. Naioth was either an House or Colledge in the Town of Ramah or a Village in the Territory of Ramah or near to the Town of Ramah in which there was a Colledge of the Prophets amongst whom Samuel thought David might be secure 20 And Saul sent messengers to take David u Thus Saul's wickedness and fury increased and he that at first used onely secret practices against David now breaks forth into open and impudent Hostilities plainly declaring that he neither feared God nor reverenced Man He would have punished Samuel as afterwards he did Abimeleck for giving David entertainment but that he feared the People who had so great and unanimous a Veneration for him and when they saw the company of the Prophets prophesying x i. e. Speaking of God or of the things of God by Divine inspiration either praising God or instructing Men. Compare Numb 11. 25. 1 Sam. 10. 5. and Samuel standing as appointed over them y To instruct moderate and direct them in those Holy exercises For though they prophesied by Divine Inspiration which Samuel could not govern yet they were both to prepare and dispose themselves for it before-hand and to make good improvement of it afterwards in both which they needed Samuel's counsel and assistance And whereas some might falsly pretend to those Raptures or the Devil might transform himself into an Angel of Light and convey some Evil or false Suggestions into some of their minds Samuel's presence and judgment was necessary to prevent and to detect such Impostures Besides Samuel would by his present conjunction with them in those Holy Exercises encourage them and stir up others to the coveting of those Gifts and the performance of such Religious Duties the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul and they also prophesied z Being Inspired by God to do so as wicked Balaam also was that being wrapt up into such an extasie their minds might be wholly taken up with those matters and quite taken off from their design of seizing David 21 And when it was told Saul he sent other messengers and they prophesied likewise and Saul sent messengers again the third time and they prophesied also 22 Then went he also to Ramah and came to a great well that is in Sechu and he asked and said Where are Samuel and David a For his Messengers not returning he knew not exactly where they were And one said Behold they be at Naioth in Ramah 23 And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah and the Spirit of God was upon him also b It came upon him in the way whereas it came not upon his Messengers till they came to the place Whereby God would convince Saul of the vanity of all his designs against David and that in them he Fought against God himself and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah 24 And he stript off his clothes c To wit his Military or Royal Garments which he did either that he might suit himself and his habit to the rest of the Company or because his mind being altogether taken up with Divine things he did not understand nor heed what he did also d This implies that the Messengers which he sent who probably were Military persons had done so before him and prophesied before Samuel e This doth not contradict 1 Sam. 15. 35. where it is said that Samuel came no more to see Saul for here Saul goes to Samuel and that not with design to see him but to surprize David in like manner f As the rest of the Prophets there did and ‡ Heb. fell Num. 24. 4. lay down g Heb. fell to wit down upon the Earth for his mind being in an Extasie he had not the use of his Senses or Motion as he Numb 24. 4. God so ordering it that David might have an opportunity to escape naked h i. e. Stript of his upper Garments as was said before and as the word Naked is oft used as Isa. 20. 2. Mich. 1. 8. See also 2 Sam. 6. 20. Ioh. 21. 7. And it is here repeated to signifie how long he lay in that posture all that day and all that night i So God kept him as it were in Chains till David was got out of his reach wherefore they say * Chap. 10. 11. Is Saul also among the Prophets k The same Proverb which was taken up upon a like occasion 1 Sam. 10. 12. is here remembred and revived upon this new occasion as an Evidence of Gods wonderful care over David he made Saul in some sort a Prophet that he might make David a King CHAP. XX. AND David fled a Whilst Saul lay in an Extasie from Naioth in Ramah b To Gibeah where Ionathan was taking the opportunity of Saul's absence and came and said before Jonathan What have I done what is mine iniquity and what is my sin before thy father c What is it which thus incenseth thy Father against me What Crime doth he charge me with that he seeketh my ‡ Hâ—…b 〈◊〉 life d To wit to destroy it as this Phrase is oft used as chap. 22. 23. Psal. 38. 12. and 54. 3. and 63. 9. 2 And he said unto him God forbid thou shalt not die e I will secure thee by my Interest with my Father nor doth he design to destroy thee for what he doth in his frantick fits is not to be imputed to him and when he comes to himself I doubt not to reconcile thee to him For Ionathan gave credit to his Fathers Oath chap. 19. 6. and the worthiest minds are least
until the day of her death q i. e. Never for if she ever had any it must be before her death Compare 1 Sam. 15. 35. Matth. 1. 25. CHAP. VII AND it came to pass * 1 Chr. 17. â—… when the king sat in his house a i. e. Was settled and warm in the House which Hiram's men built for him chap. 5. 11. then he reflected upon the unhandsome and unsettled state of the Ark. and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies b Philistines Moabites and others so that they durst not invade his Land as they had formerly done For though you read of David's Wars with them chap. 8. yet in them David was the Aggressor and entred their Lands 2 That the king said unto Nathan the prophet See now I dwell in an house of Cedar but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains c i. e. In a Tent or Tabernacle v. 6. composed of several Curtains Exod. 26. 1 c. 3 And Nathan said to the king Go do all that is in thine heart d Pursue thy intentions and Build an House for the Ark. The design being Pious and the thing not forbidden by God Nathan hastily approves it before he had either seriously considered it in his own mind or consulted God about it as both he and David certainly ought to have done in a matter of so great moment And therefore Nathan meets with this rebuke that he is forced to acknowledge his error and recant it For the Holy Prophets did not speak all things by Prophetical Inspiration but some things by an human spirit and prudent conjecture and therefore they were ignorant and mistaken in some matters as 1 Sam. 16. 6. 2 King 4. 27. for the LORD is with thee 4 ¶ And it came to pass that night e Because David's mistake was Fious and from an honest mind God would not suffer him to lie long in his mistake nor to disquiet his mind or run himself into inconveniencies in order to the Work before he gave a stop to it that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan f That the same Person who had confirmed David in his mistake might now rectify it saying 5 Go and tell ‡ Heb. to my servant to David my servant David Thus saith the LORD * See 1 Kin. 5. 3. 1 Chron. 22. 8. and 28. 3. Shalt thou build g i. e. Thou shalt not Or wiltst thou build c Dost thou purpose it me an house for me to dwell in 6 Whereas I have not dwelt in any house * 1 King 8. 16 since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt even to this day but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle h These two seem thus to be distinguished the one may note the Curtains and Hangings within the other the Frame of Boards and Coverings upon it 7 In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word i Did I ever give any command about it without which neither they did nor thou shouldst attempt it with ‖ 1 Chr. 17. 6. any of the Judges any of the tribes k In 1 Chron. 17. 6. it is of the Iudges and to them not to the Tribes the following words agree whom I commanded to feed my people Israel Either therefore the Tribes are here put Synecdochically for the Rulers of the Tribes as the word Church is sometimes used for the Governors of it or the word here rendred Tribes may be rendred Scepters as it is used Gen. 49. 10. and Scepters put for Scepter-bearers or Rulers as is very frequent of Israel whom I commanded to feed my people Israel saying Why build ye not me an house of cedar 8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David l Lest David should be too much discouraged or judge himself neglected and forsaken of God as one thought unworthy of so great an honour God here gives him the honourable title of his Servant thereby signifying that he accepted of his service and of his good intentions which also was expressed at this time as it may seem from 1 King 8. 18. though not in this place Thus saith the LORD of hosts * 1 Sam. 16. 11 12. Psal. 78. 71. I took thee from the sheep-coat ‡ Heb. from after from following the sheep to be ruler over my people over Israel m I advanced thee and I do not repent of it 9 And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest and have cut off all thine enemies ‡ Heb. from thy face out of thy sight and have made thee a great name like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth 10 Moreover I will appoint a place n i. e. I will make room for them whereas hitherto they have been much straitned and distressed by their Enemies Or I will establish for so that Verb sometimes signifies a place for them i. e. I will establish them in their Place or Land Some learned Men render the Verse thus and the Hebrew words will bear it And I have appointed or assigned or given a place for my people Israel to wit the Land of Canaan and have planted them in it that they may dwell in their own place and be no more driven to and fro or rather and they shall dwell in their own place c. i. e. As I did long ago appoint it to them and afterwards planted them or put them into actual possession so now they shall continue or dwell in it in spight of all their Enemies for my people Israel o Among the favours which God had vouchsafed and would vouchsafe to David he reckons his Blessings to the people of Israel because they were great Blessings to David partly because the strength and happiness of a King consists in great part in the multitude and happiness of his People and partly because David was a Man of a pious and publick spirit and therefore no less affected with Israel's felicity than with his own and will plant them that they may dwell in a place of their own p i. e. In their own Land not in strange Lands nor mixed with other people and move no more neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more as before-time q Either First As in the Land of Egypt and so he goes downward to the Judges Or Secondly As in Saul's time and so he ascends to the Judges 11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel r Nor as they did under the Judges neither so oft nor so long But all this is to be understood with a condition except they should notoriously forsake God or rebel against him which being so oft declared by God in other places it was needless to mention it here Or this may relate to the
the occasion of his eminent Victories and the blessings of his wife and righteous Government some whereof we have in the Book of Psalms Or 2dly As the Author of them he who was eminent and famous among the people of God for the composing of sweet and holy Songs to the praise of God and for the use of his Church in after Ages For he did not only indite most of the Book of Psalms by the direction of Gods Spirit but also invented the Tunes or appointed Tunes to which they were to be Sung and the Instruments of Mâ—…sick which were used in and with those Holy Songs 1 Chron. 25. 2 6. Amos 6. 5. If the expressions here used seem arrogant and not fit to be said by David in his own praise let him consider First That Holy men spake by inspiration from God and therefore must follow his suggestions impartially as indeed they do sometimes in the publishing their own praises which yet is never done unnecessarily and always moderately and sometimes in the publishing of their own infirmities and shame as they are moved thereunto and as the Edification of the Church requires Secondly That these seem not to be the words of David but of the Sacred Penman of this Book to make way for and gain the greater attention and respect unto David's following words said 2 The spirit of the LORD spake by me and his word was in my tongue e The following words and consequently the other words and Psalms composed and uttered by me upon the like Solemn occasions are not to be looked upon as my private fancies or human inventions but both the matter and the words of them are suggested and governed by Gods Spirit which is the great teacher of the Church 3 The God of Israel said * Deut. 〈◊〉 The Rock of Israel f He who is the strength and defence and protector of his people which he here manifests by obliging and directing Kings and Rulers so to manage their Power and Authority as may most conduce to their comfort and benefit spake to me g By way of command Or of me by way of prediction and promise concerning me and my House and the Messias who is to come out of my Loyns ‖ Or Be 〈◊〉 ruler He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God h Thus it is a Precept or Declaration of the Duty of Kings and particularly of Solomon his Son to whom as a dying man he gives this advice and of his Successors the Kings of Gods Israel for whose instruction he gives this Rule And so here are the two principal parts of a Kings duty answerable to the two Tables of Gods Law Justice towards men and Piety towards God both which he is to maintain and promote among his people To which if you add benignity and clemency whereby a King renders his Government not frightful and burdensom but acceptable and amiable to his people which possibly may be meant by the following similitudes here is a compleat Character of an excellent Prince or Governor Others make it a Prophesie of Christ and then the words are or may be thus rendred There shall be a Ruler over men or rather among men as the Hebrew word properly signifies to wit the Messias who though he be the Eternal and Invisible God yet shall visibly appear and rule among men a Iust or Righteous one a title oft given to Christ as Isa. 53. 11. Ier. 23. 5 6. and 33. 15. Zech. 9. 19. ruling in the fear of the Lord making it his great business to advance the Service and Worship and Glory of the Lord or as it is in the Hebrew ruling the fear of the Lord i. e. Governing and ordering the Worship of God which is 〈◊〉 called the fear of God And so this clause iâ—… added to prevent or remove scandals and offences which might be taken at the Messias when he should come because of his changing and abrogating the Ceremonial Law and to insinuate that he should have no less power in the governing of Gods House and Worship than Moses had and that he might make such Laws as he thought meet And if this be the meaning of the place then as Iacob being greatly afflicted with the troubles which he by the Spirit of Prophecy foresaw were coming upon his Posterity comforts himself with the thoughts of that Great and Glorious Salvation of God which he also foresaw and waited for Gen. 49. 18. So David reflecting upon the great disorders and miscarriages and calamities which had already arisen in his house and either wisely presaging or foreseeing by the Spirit of the Lord v. 2. that the same sins and miseries should befal his Posterity and Successors he supports and comforts himself with this Consideration That one of them should be a most excellent Person Just and Pious and Merciful and an unspeakable Blessing to David himself and to all his Family and People and to the whole World even the great Messias who was undoubtedly Revealed to and expected by David as appears by many passages of the Psalms and by other Scriptures 4 And * Judg. 5. 31. Psal. 89. 36. Proâ—… 4. 18. Hos. 6. 5. he shall be i These Words are either 1. A further Description of the Kings Duty which is not onely to Rule with exact Justice and Piety but also with sweetness and gentleness and condescention to the Infirmities of his People to render his Government as pleasant and acceptable to them as is the Sun-shine in a clear Morning or the tender Grass which springs out of the Earth by the warm and refreshing Beams of the Sun after the Rain which hath a peculiar kind of sweetness and fragrancy in it Or rather 2. A Prediction or Declaration of the sweet and blessed Effects of such a Government both to the Governour himself in that Peace and Prosperity and Glory and Happiness which it brings to him and to his People to whom it is no less grateful and comfortable and beneficial than those great and publick Blessings of Sun-shine and Rain and the Fruits which they produce Which is true of every good King or Governour but most eminently of the Messias as the light of the morning when the sun riseth even a morning without clouds as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain 5 Although my house be not so with God k Although God knows that neither I nor my Children have Lived and Ruled as we should have done so justly and in the fear of the Lord and therefore have not enjoyed that uninterrupted Prosperity which we might have enjoyed but our Morning-light or the beginning of that Kingdom promised to me and mine for ever hath been overcast with many black and dismal Clouds and my Children have not hitherto been like the tender Grass springing out of the Earth and thriving by the Influences of the Sun and Rain but rather like
their hearts bethink themselves q Heb. bring back their hearts to wit their Sin Expressed ver 46. and implied in the following word Repent in the land whither they were carried captives and repent and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives saying r Sensibly and with an honest heart We have sinned and have done preversly we have committed wickedness 48 And so return unto thee with all their heart and with all their soul s i. e. Sincerely Universally and Stedfastly in the land of their enemies which led them away captive and * Dan. 6. 10. pray unto thee toward their land which thou gavest unto their fathers the city which thou hast chosen and the house which I have built for thy Name 49 Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling-place and maintain their ‖ Or right Heb. judgment cause t Heb. their right against their Invaders and Oppressors For they had forfeited all their Rights to God onely but not to their Enemies whom though God used as scourges to chastise his Peoples Sins yet they had no pretence of Right to their Land nor any regard to it but onely minded the satisfaction of their own Lusts and Interests See Isa. 10. 5 6. and 47. 6. Zech. 1. 15. 50 And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee and * Psa. 106. 46. give them compassion before them who carryed them away captive that they may have compassion on them u i. e. May gently use them whilst they are there and proclaim Liberty to their Captives to go to their own Land 51 For they be thy people x For howsoever they may sin against thee or suffer from men yet still remember that they are thy peculiar People and therefore do thou pity and pardon and save them and thine inheritance which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt from the * Jer. 11. 4 midst of the furnace of iron y So called either from the Metal melted in it or rather from the Matter of which it consisted an Iron Furnace being more hot and terrible than one of Brick or Stone He understands hereby their cruel Bondage and painful Labours See on Deut. 4. 20. 52 That thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant and unto the supplication of thy people Israel to hearken unto them in all that they call for unto thee 53 For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth to be thine inheritance z Thou hast begun to build a Work of great and glorious Mercy to them do not give occasion to thine Enemies to think thou wast unable to finish it or that thou art unstable in thy ways and Counsels or unkind to thine own Children * Exod. 19. â—… as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt O LORD GOD. 54 And it was so that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD he arose from before the altar of the LORD from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven 55 And he stood and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice saying 56 Blessed be the LORD that hath given rest unto his people Israel according to all that he promised * Deut. 12. 10. there hath not ‡ Heb fallen failed one word of all his good ‡ Heb. word Jer. 29. 1â—… promises a See the like Iosh. 21. 45. and 23. 14. 2 King 10. 10. which he ‡ Heb. spake promised by the hand of Moses his servant 57 The LORD our God be with us b By the presence of his Grace and Mercy as he was with our fathers let him not leave us nor forsake us 58 That he may incline our heart unto him c That he may not onely bless us with outward Prosperity and Glory but especially with Spiritual Blessings and that as he hath given us his Word and Statutes to teach and direct us so he would by his Holy Spirit effectually incline and engage our Hearts to keep and obey them to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments which he commanded our fathers 59 And let these my words wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night that he ‡ Heb. do the judgment maintain the cause of his servant d i. e. Of me as ver 28 29 30. their King and consequently of all my Successors and the cause of his people Israel e According to mine or their various necessities and exigencies ‡ Heb. the thing of a day in his day at all times as the matter shall require 60 That all the people of the earth may know f Both by our vertuous and holy Lives to which thou inclinest us by thy Grace and by the eminent manifestations of thy Power and Goodness in defending and delivering us from all the assaults and devices of our Enemies that * 35 the LORD is God and that there is none else 61 Let your heart therefore be perfect g i. e. Sincere and serious in your purposes of Obedience for sinless Perfection he himself taught them was not to be expected here Eccles. 7. 20. with the LORD our God to walk in his statutes and to keep his commandments as at this day 62 ¶ And * 2 Chron. 7. 4. the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifice before the LORD 63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice h By the hands of the Priests of peace-offerings which he offered unto the LORD two and twenty thousand oxen and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep i Not all in one day but in the 7 or it may be in the 14 days mentioned ver 65. so k i. e. By these Sacrifices and Holy Exercises the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD l i. e. Began to set it apart for the Work and Service of God 64 The * 2 Chron. 7. 7. same day did the king hallow the middle of the court m To wit of the Priests Court in which the great Altar was This he Consecrated as he did the great Altar to wit by Sacrifices but with this difference That he Consecrated That for lasting and perpetual use but This onely for the present time and occasion being warranted to do so both by the necessity of it for God's Service and for the present Solemn Work for which the Brazen Altar was not sufficient as it here follows and by the direction of God's Spirit where with Solomon was endowed as being a Prophet as well as a King Here therefore he suddenly reared up divers Altars which after this
10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel i In that part of Land in or near the City which belonged to Naboth and there shall be none to bury her And he opened the door and fled 11 ¶ Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord k To the rest of the Commanders and Officers there present and one said unto him Is all ‡ Heb. peace well l Is not this unlucky Messenger come with some ill tidings Wherefore came this mad fellow m They perceived him to be a Prophet by his habit and gestures and manner of speech And these prophane Soldiers esteemed the Lords Prophets mad men partly because of their neglect of themselves and contempt of all worldly Wealth and Honour which the wise Men of this World so greedily seek and of their strange and uncouth manner of living partly because of their Holy Exercises to which they devoted themselves which they esteemed nothing but a Religious phrenzy and partly because of those unusual and seemingly ridiculous gestures and actions which the Prophets sometimes used in raptures of Spirit or in the â—…ervours of Devotion Compare Ier. 29. 26. Ioh. 10. 20. Act. 26. 24. to thee And he said unto him Ye know the man and his communication n You rightly guess that he was a mad man and so it appears by his discourse with me which was after the manner of that sort of men vain and impertinent to tell me of my â—…ins or of my duty or such things as are not worth my speaking or your hearing 12 And they said It is false o There is something extraordinary and of great importance in his Message as we plainly perceive by his calling thee into an inner Chamber by his great expedition and by his gesture and carriage tell us now p His concealment of the thing made them more greedy to know it And he said Thus and thus spake he to me saying Thus saith the LORD I have anointed thee king over Israel 13 Then they hasted q Being well pleased with the thing partly from the advantage which hereby they expected pattly from that desire of change which is in most mens natures and principally by Gods Providence inclining their hearts to Iehu and took every man his garment and put it under him r A Ceremony used in the Eastern parts towards Superiors in token of great reverence to his Person that they would not have his Feet to touch the ground and that they put themselves and their concerns under his Feet and into his disposaâ—… See on Matth. 21. 7. on the top of the stairs s In some high and eminent place whence he might be seen and owned by all the Soldiers who were called together upon this great occasion and blew with trumpets saying Jehu ‡ Heb. reignâ—… is king 14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram Now Joram had kept Ramoth-gilead t Which Interpreters conclude to have been taken by Ioram before this time though the taking of it be not mentioned This they gather First From the mention of the inner chamber ver 2. and of the top of the stairs here Secondly From ver 15. let none go forth out of the city But these Arguments seem not to be cogent Not the former because there might be some Suburbs or out-Buildings be longing to the City or not far from it which the Israelites might have in their possession Nor the later as we shall there see And if it was taken why should all Israel be there to keep it for which a strong Garison was sufficient The words therefore may be otherwise rendred exactly according to the Hebrew Ioram had kept or did keep to wit by his Army left there or put guards or laid siege at or to for so the Particle Beth is oft used Ramoth-Gilead And therefore he had all Israel i. e. all the Military Force of Israel with him that he might both maintain the siege and withall oppose Hazael who sought to relieve it he and all Israel because of Hazael king of Syria 15 But * Chap. 8. 29. king ‡ Heb. Jehoram Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians ‡ Heb. smote had given him when he fought with Hazael u When he came with an Army either to retake the City taken by Ioram or to raise the Siege king of Syria And Jehu said If it be your minds then ‡ Heb. let â—…o escaper go c. let none go forth nor escape out of the city x Or from the City either from within the City or from before it from the Siege or Army to go tell it in Jezreel y That we may surprise him and so more easily subdue him 16 So Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel z Accompanied with the Horsemen of his Army for Joram lay there z Accompanied with the Horsemen of his Army and Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram 17 And there stood a watch-man on the tower in Jezreel and he spied the company of Jehu as he came and said I see a company And Joram said Take an horseman and send to meet them and let him say Is it peace a Enquire who it is comes and if he come upon peaceable terms For he feared lest either the Syrians had prevailed there or some Sedition or Rebellion was raised against him which the example of Libnah and his own guilty Conscience made him fear 18 So there went one on horseback to meet him and said Thus saith the king Is it peace And Jehu said What hast thou to do with peace b What right hast thou or thy Master that sent thee to Peace turn thee behind me And the watch-man told saying The messenger came to them but he cometh not again 19 Then he sent out a second on horseback which came to them and said Thus saith the king Is it peace And Jehu answered What hast thou to do with peace turn thou behind me 20 And the watch-man told saying He came even unto them and cometh not again and the ‖ Or marching driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi for he driveth ‡ Heb. in madness furiously c As his temper is hasty and fierce so is his March 21 And Joram said ‡ Heb. Bind Make ready And his chariot was made ready And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out each in his chariot and they went out againt Jehu d Or to meet Iehu to know his intentions and by his presence to repress any Seditious inclinations which might be in Iehu or his followers and ‡ Heb. found met him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite e In that Field which formerly belonged to Naboth part whereof was inclosed by
use and of the place of the mercy-seat t i. e. In what particular part of the Holy of Holies it was to be placed 12 And the pattern †〈…〉 of all u For Even the Pattern of all for this clause belongs both to the foregoing and to the following Particulars that he had by the spirit x By the Spirit of God as is evident from v. 19. For seeing all the particulars of the Tabeâ—…acle built by Moses were suggested to him by Gods Spirit by which even the Workmen were inspired Exod. 25. 40. and 31. 3. it is not credible that God would use less care and exactness in the building of this far more glorious and durable Work of the courts of the house of the LORD and of all the chambers round about of the treasuries of the house of God and of the treasuries of the dedicate things y All which were within the Courts or adjoyning to them as the other Chambers v. 11. were adjoyned to the House 13 Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD and for all the vessels of service in the house of the LORD 14 He gave of gold by weight for things of gold for all instruments of all manner of service silver also for all instruments of silver by weight for all instruments of every kind of service 15 Even the weight for the candlesticks of gold and for their lamps of gold by weight for every candlestick and for the lamps thereof and for the candlesticks of silver by weight both for the ‖ main body 〈◊〉 the. candlestick and also for the lamps thereof according to the use of every candlestick z Whether they were large and fixed in one place whereof there were ten in the Holy Place 1 King 7. 49. or such as were less and loose to be carried from place to place as need required 16 And by weight he gave gold for the tables of shew bread a By this and 2 Chron. 4. 19. it appears that there were divers Tables to be used either successively or together about the shew-bread but one of them seems to have been of more Eminency and use than the rest and therefore it is most commonly called the Table of the Shew-bread in the singular number But oâ—… this and the rest of the Utensils here named see the Notes on Exodus for every table and likewise silver for the tables of silver 17 Also pure gold for the flesh-hooks and the bowls and the cups and for the golden basons he gave gold by weight for every bason and likewise silver by weight for every bason of silver 18 And for the altar of incense refined gold by weight and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the * 1 Sam. 4. â—… 1 Kin. 6. 23. c. cherubims b i. e. Of the Cherubims which Solomon was to make of which see 1 King 6. 23. for those which were fastened to the Mercy-seat were made by Moses long before which he fitly compares to a Chariot because within them God is oft said to sit and to dwell as 2 King 19. 15. Psal. 80. 1. 99. 1. and sometimes he is said to ride upon a Cherub Psal. 18. 10. And because a Chariot is made to carry a Person from place to place this Expression may be used to intimate that God was not so fixed to them by the building of this Temple but that he both could and would remove from them if they forsook him And when they did so God did make use of the Chariot of his Cherubims to convey himself away from them as is noted Ezek. 10. 15 c. that spread out their wings and covered the ark of the covenent of the LORD c Not above it for that was done by Moses his Cherubims but before it to keep it from the Eyes of the High-priest when he entred into the most Holy Place 1 King 6. 23. 19 All this said David * Exod. 25. 40. the LORD made me understand in writing by ‖ Or from his hand upon ‖ Or to or within me d The meaning is either 1. That God revealed this to Samuel see 1 Chron. 9. 22 or God or Nathan or some other Man of God who put it into writing and by them to David Or 2. That God did as it were by his own Hand and Finger wherewith he wrote the Ten Commandments Exod. 31. 18. write these things upon the Table of my Mind which now I deliver to thee even all the works of this pattern 20 And David said to Solomon his son Be strong and of good courage e See the Notes on v. 10. and do it fear not nor be dismayed for the LORD God even my God will be with thee he will not fail thee nor for sake thee until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD 21 And behold the courses of the priests and the Levites even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God and there shall be with thee for all manner of workmanship every willing skilfull man for any manner of service also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment CHAP. XXIX 1 FUrthermore David the king said unto all the congregation Solomon my son whom alone God hath chosen is yet * Ch. 22. 5. young and tender a Comparatively for he was now married as appears by comparing 2 Chron. 9. 30. and 12. 13. and the work is great for the palace is not for man but for the LORD 2 Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold and the silver for things of silver and the brass for things of brass the iron for things of iron and wood for things of wood onyx-stones and stones to be set b Diamonds or Emeraulds or Rubies or any of those pretious Stones which are usually set in Rings or such things glistering stones and of divers colours and all manner of precious stones and marble-stones in abundance 3 Moreover because I have set my affection to the house of my God †Heb. there is to me a peculiar treasure I have of mine own proper good c Of that which I had reserved as a peculiar Treasure to my own Use after I had separated those things which I had devoted to God of gold and silver which I have given to the house of my God over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house 4 Even three thousand talents of gold of the gold of * 1 Kin. 9. 28. Ophir d Which was accounted the best and purest Gold of which see Iob. 22. 24. 28. 16. Isa. 13. 12. By which it appears that those 100000 Talents mentioned before ch 22. 14. were a courser
altar 23 And they brought †Heb. near forth the he goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation and they r i. e. The King and the Elders of the Congregation in the Name of the whole Congregation laid their * Lev. 4. 15 24 hands upon them 24 And the priests killed them and 〈◊〉 made reconciliation with their blood upon the â—…tar to make an atonement for all Israel s i. e. For Judah and Benjamin and all the rest of the Tribes whereof a considerable Number were now in his Dominions for the king commanded that the burnt-offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel 25 * 1 Chr. 16. 4. 25. 6. And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals with psalteries and with harps * 1 Chr. 23. 5. 25. 1. according to the commandment of David and of Gad the kings seer and Nathan the prophet for so was the commandment †Heb. by the hand of the LORD of the LORD †Heb. by the hand of by his prophets 26 And the Levites stood with the instruments * 1 Chr. 23. 5. Amos 6. 5. of David and the priests with * Num. 10. 10 the trumpets 27 And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt-offering upon the altar and †Heb. in the time when the burnt-offering began the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets and with the †Heb. hands of instruments instruments ordained by David king of Israel 28 And all the congregation worshipped and the †Heb. song singers sang and the trumpets sounded and all this continued until the burnt-offering was finished 29 And when they had made an end of offering the king and all that were †Heb. found present with him bowed themselves and worshipped 30 Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer and they sang praises with gladness and they bowed their heads and worshipped 31 Then Hezekiah answered and said Now ye have ‖ Or filled your hand consecrated your selves unto the LORD t Now that you have reconciled your selves and the House to Gods Favour and that he is willing and ready to accept your Sacrifices come near and bring sacrifices and †Heb. thanks * Lev. 7. 12. thank-offerings into the house of the LORD And the congregation brought in sacrifices and †Heb. thanks thank-offerings and as many as were of a free heart burnt-offerings u Wherein there was more generosity than in the other Sacrifices because they were wholly burnt and offered to God and the People had no share in them as they had in the rest 32 And the number of the burnt-offerings which the congregation brought was threescore and ten bullocks an hundred rams and two hundred lambs all these were for a burnt-offering unto the LORD 33 And the consecrated things x i. e. All the Offerings consecrated to God besides the Burnt-offerings already mentioned were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep 34 But the priests y To wit such as were sanctified and fit for their Work as the following words shew for otherwise the Number of the Priests was more than sufficient for this Employment were too few so that they could not flay all the burnt-offerings z And much less all the other Sacrifices which were more numerous the flaying whereof was the Priests proper Work Levit. 1. 5 6. wherefore their brethren the Levites †Heb. strengthened them did help them ‖ Necessity excusing their deviation from the Rule as it hath excused others in like Cases till the work was ended and untill the other priests had sanctified themselves for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctifie themselves than the priests 35 And also the burnt-offerings were in abundance * Or For the Burnt-offerings were to be offered also in abundance So it is a reason why the Priests could not stay all the burnt-offerings as was said v. 34. Because there was so much other work for them for the Burnt-offerings were not onely to be flayed but also to be offered to wit wholly and with them the Fat of Peace-offerings c. with the fat of the peace-offerings and the drink-offerings for every burnt-offering So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order 36 And Hezekiah rejoyced and all the people that God had * 1 Chr. 29. 18. prepared the people for the thing was 〈◊〉 suddenly †It was as a very great so a sudden Change that the People who but the other day were so ready to comply with wicked Ahaz in his Idolatrous and Impious Prescriptions were now so free and forward in Gods Service whereby it plainly appeared to be the Work of the Almighty God changing their Hearts by his Holy Spirit CHAP. XXX 1 ANd Hezekiah sent to all Israel a Whereby he understands all the Persons of the Ten Tribes who were now setled in his Kingdom as appears by their contradistinction to Ephraim and Manasseh here following and Judah and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh b i. e. To all the remainders of the Ten Tribes v. 5. who are here Synecdochically expressed by the names of Ephraim and Manasseh as elsewhere by the name of Ephraim onely But he names these two Tribes because they were nearest to his Kingdom and a great Number of them had long since and from time to time joyned themselves to the Kingdom of Judah 2 Chron. 15. 8 9. and therefore had most hopes of success amongst them that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem c Admonishing them of their Duty to God and perswading them to comply with it to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel 2 For the king had taken counsel and his princes and all the congregation in Jerusalem to keep the passover in the second * Num 9. 10 11. month d Which was against the common Rule and Practise but was justified by that Supreme Law of Necessity and by a just Impediment which made the doing of this in its proper time to 〈◊〉 the 14th Day of the first Month impossible because the Temple was not cleansed nor they prepared till that time was past 〈◊〉 29. 3. 1â—… Compare Numb 9. 10 11. 3 For they could not keep it at that time e Which God had appointed for it Exod. 12. 6. One Reason whereof was evident in it self because the Temple was not then purified and prepared to which he adds two other Reasons because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently f To wit in such manner and degree as was fit nor in such Numbers as were necessary for the sâ—…aying and offering of so many thousands of Paschal-offerings as appears because they were not
blessings which by thy great goodness they obtained and enjoyed f i. e. Neglected and despised them would not regard nor observe them whereas they should have had them continually before their eyes to direct and govern them Compare Psal. 50. 17. Ezek. 23. 35. 26 Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against thee * 1 Kin. 14. 9. cast thy law behind their backs f Of which see on Levit. 18. 5. Ezek. 20. 11. Rom. 10. 5. Gal. 3. 12. and slew thy * 1 Kin. 19. 10. prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee and they wrought great provocations 27 * Judg. 2. 14. 3. 8. c. Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies who vexed them and in the time of their trouble when they cried unto thee thou heardest them from heaven and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours who saved them out of the hand of their enemies 28 But after they had rest †Heb. they returned to dâ—… evil they did evil again before thee therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies so that they had the dominion over them yet when they returned and cried unto thee thou heardest them from heaven and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies 29 And testifiedst against them that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law yet they dealt proudly and hearkned not unto thy commandments but sinned against thy judgments which if a man do he shall live in them f Of which see on Levit. 18. 5. Ezek. 20. 11. Rom. 10. 5. Gal. 3. 1â—… and †Heb. 〈◊〉 gave a withdrawing â—…oulder withdrew the shoulder and hardened their neck g i. e. Would not submit to thy yoke like stubborn oxen and would not hear 30 Yet many years didst thou †Heb. protract over them forbear them h i. e. Thou didst delay to bring upon them these judgments which thou hadst threatned and they had deserved and didst wait for their repentance and testifiedst * 2 Kin. 17. 13. against them by thy spirit †Heb. in the hand of thy prophets in thy prophets i By thy prophets who spake to them by the inspiration of thy holy Spirit whom therefore they should have obeyed yet would they not give ear k i. e. Would not obey them nor would they vouchsafe so much as to hear them therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands 2 Chr. 36. 15. 31 Nevertheless for thy great mercies sake thou didst not utterly consume them nor forsake them for thou art a gracious and merciful God 32. Now there ore our God the great * Exod. 3â—… 6 7. the mighty and the terrible God who keepest covenant and mercy l i. e. Covenanted mercy or thy covenant of mercy and peace Or he adds mercy because the covenant in its self was not a sufficient ground of hope because they having so basely broken it God was discharged from keeping it and therefore they fly to Gods free and rich mercy for relief let not all the †Heb. weariness trouble seem little before thee m Do not thou account it small and insufficient for our punishment and that it is fit to continue and encrease it †Heb. that hath found us that hath come upon us on our kings on our princes and on our priests and on our prophets and on our fathers and on all thy people since the time of the kings of Assyria n Strictly and properly so called for from them was the beginning of all the calamities both of Iudah and of Israel as appears from 2. Kings 15. 19. and 18. 13. Or the kings of Babylon so called a Chron. 33. 11. unto this day 33 Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us for thou hast done right but we have done wickedly 34 Neither have our kings our princes our priests nor our fa ther 's kept thy law nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies wherewith thou didst testifie against them 35 For they have not served thee in their kingdom and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them o i. e. Which thou didst lay open to their view and possession removing their enemies and all impediments out of the way neither turned they from their wicked works 36 Behold we are servants this day and for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof behold we are servants in it p In that land wherein heretofore under thee and by thy favour we were rightful lords and owners 37 And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us q We plow and sow and labour and thou givest thy blessing to our indeavors and yet in a great measure this is not for our selves as formerly it was but for our kings to whom we pay great heavy tributes for these things of which see Ezra 6. 8. and 7. 24. because of our sins also they have dominion over our bodies and over our cattel r Pressing or foreing both us and our beasts to go and do what they please at their pleasure and we are in great distress 38 And because of all this s Because all this misery lies upon us for our sins we do heartily repent of them resolve to forsake them we make a sure covenant t Or we faithfully promise and engage our selves to future obedience and write it and our princes Levites and priests †Heb. are at the sealing or sealed seal unto it CHAP. X. 1 NOW †Heb. at the sealings or over the sealers those that sealed a Both in their own names and in the name of all the rest It may seem strange that Ezra doth not appear among them But that might be because he was prevented either by death or by some sickness or other extraordinary impediment for which we have this presumption that whereas Ezra appears and preacheth and prayeth with Ieshua and Bani c. before the feast of Tabernacles 〈◊〉 8. v. 4 c. We have no mention of him ch 9. but the whole work of that solemn fast day was managed by them alone without any mention of Ezra whose name would not have been omitted if he had been then present It is true we meet with Ezra after this at the dedication of the wall of Ierusalem ch 12 36. and therefore he was then freed from this impediment whatsoever it was but thence it appears that he was not dead were Nehemiah ‖ Or the Governor the Tirshatha b This is added to distinguish him from others of that name whereof we have one Ne. 3. 16. the son of Hachaliah and Zidkijah 2 Serajah Azariah Jeremiah 3 Pashur Amariah Malchijah 4 Hattush Shebaniah Malluch
is in his Presence and under his Providence So far am I from imagining that God cannot see through a dark Cloud as you traduced me Chap. 22 13. that I very well know that even Hell it self that place of utter darkness is not hid from his sight k i. e. The place of destruction as it is also used Prov. 15. 11. by a Metonymy of the Adjunct l To wit such as to keep it out of his sight 7. * Chap. 9. 8. Psal. 104. 2 c. He stretcheth out the North m i. e. The Northern Pole or part of the Heavens which he particularly mentions and puts for the whole visible Heaven because Iob and his Friends lived in a Nothern Climate and were acquainted only with that part of the Heavens the Southern Pole and parts near it being wholly unknown to them The Heavens are oft and fitly said to be spread or stretched out like a Curtain or Tent to which they are resembled over the empty place n To wit the Air so called not Philosophically as if it were wholly empty but popularly because it seems to be so and is generally void of solid and visible bodies and hangeth the earth upon nothing o Upon its own Center which is but an imaginary thing and in truth nothing Or upon no Props or Pillars but his own Power and Providence Which is justly celebrated as a wonderful Work of God both in Scripture and in Heathen Authors 8. He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds and the cloud is not rent under them p This also is a miraculous Work of God considering the nature of these Waters which are fluid and heavy and pressing downward especially being oft-times there in great abundance and withal the quality of the Clouds which are thin and loose bodies of the same nature with Fogs and Mists upon the Face of the Earth and therefore of themselves utterly unable to bear that weight and to keep up those Waters from falling suddenly and violently upon the Earth 9. He holdeth back q i. e. To wit from our view that its lustre and glory should not reach us and so dazle our sight he covereth it with a Cloud as the next words explain it Or He holdeth fast or binds together or strengthens it that it may be able to bear that burden the face of his throne r Either 1. this lower Air which is as the Face or open part of the Heavens which is often called God's Throne as salm 11. 4. Isa. 66. 1. Amos 9. 6. Or 2. the appearance or manifestation of the Heaven of Heavens where he dwelleth whose light and glory is too great for mortal eyes which therefore by Clouds and other ways he hides from us and spreadeth his cloud upon it 10. * Ps. 33 7. 104 9. He hath compassed the waters s To wit of the Sea for of the upper Waters coming out of the Clouds he spake before with bounds t Which are partly the Rocks and Shores and principally God's appointment made at the first Creation and renewed after the Deluge Gen. 9. 11. 15. that the Waters should not overwhelm the Earth See Iob 38. 8 10 11. Psalm 104. 3. Ier. 5. 22. †Heb. until the end of light with darkness until the day and night come to an end u i. e. Unto the end of the World for so long these Vicissitudes of Day and Night are to continue Gen. 8. 22. 9. 9 c. Ier. 5. 22. 31. 35 36. 11. The pillars of heaven x Either 1. those Mountains which by their height and strength may seem to reach and support the Heavens as the Poets said of Atlas for this is a Poetical Book and there are many Poetical expressions in it These tremble sometimes by force of Earthquakes or by God's glorious appearance in them as Sinai did Or 2. Holy Angels but they are not subject either to trembling or to God's rebuke Or 3. the Heavenly Bodies as the Sun and Moon and Stars which as they may seem in some sort to support so they do certainly adorn the Heavens And we know Pillars are oft made not for support but only for Ornament as the two famous Pillars of the Temple Iachin and Boaz 1 Kings 7. 21. And these oft-times seem to tremble and be astonished as in Eclipses or Tempests and terrible Works of God in the Air by which they are frequently said to be affected and changed because they seem so to us and many things are spoken in Scripture according to appearance See Isa. 13. 10. 24. 23. Ioel 2. 10 31. Mat. 24. 29. c. Either 1. when God rebuketh them for God is sometimes said in Scripture to rebuke the lifeless Creatures which is to be understood figuratively of the Tokens of God's anger in them Or 2. when God reproveth not them but men by them manifesting his displeasure against sinful men by Thunders or Earthquakes or prodigious Works tremble and are astonished at his reproof y. 12. * Isa. 51. 15. He ‖ Or stilleth Chap. 38. 11. divideth the sea z He speaks either 1. of God's dividing the Red-sea for the Israelites to pass over And consequently the Hebrew word Rahab which here follows and is translated pride or the proud is meant of Egypt which is oft called Rahab as Psalm 87. 4. 89. 10. Isa. 51. 9. But it seems most probable that that Work was not yet done and that Iob lived long before Israels coming out of Egypt Or rather 2. of the common Work of Nature and Providence in raising Tempests by which he breaketh or divideth the Waves of the Sea by making deep Furrows in it and casting up part of the Waters into the Air and splitting part of them upon the Rocks and Shores of the Sea with his power and by his understanding a i. e. By his wise Counsel and administration of things so as may obtain his own glorious ends he smiteth thorough †Heb. pride the proud b Either 1. the Whale which is called King over all the children of pride Job 41. 34. and which is sometimes by force of Tempests cast upon the shore Or rather 2. the Sea which is fitlâ—… called proud as its Waves are called Iob 38. 11. because it is lofty and fierce and swelling and unruly which God is said to smite when he subdues and restrains its rage and turns the storm into a calm 13. By his * Psal. 33. â—… spirit c Either 1. by his Divine Vertue or Power which is sometimes called his Spirit as Zach. 4. 6. Mat. 12. 28. Or 2. by his holy Spirit to which the Creation of the World is ascribed Gen. 1. 2. Iob 33. 4. Psalm 33. 6. he hath garnished the heavens d Adorned or beautified them with those glorious Lights the Sun and Moon and Stars his hand hath formed the †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bâ—…r
no enemy as being full of courage and sensible of his own invincible strength Or so as he cannot be bruised or broken by reason of his prodigious hardness of which I have spoken before 34. He beholdeth all high things y He doth not turn his back upon nor hide his face from the highest and proudest Creatures but looks upon them with a bold and undaunted countenance as being without any fear of them as was now said he is a king over all the children of pride z He carries himself with Princely Majesty and courage towards the stoutest and loftlest Creatures which though of far higher stature than himself he striketh down with one stroke of his Tail as he commonly doth Cows and Horses and sometimes Elephants CHAP. XLII 1. THen Job answered the LORD and said 2. I know that thou canst do a Not onely by power but also by for that he always thought right about which he had in some sort doubted and disputed It is a Maxim in Law that a Man can onely do that which he hath a right to do every thing b Whatsoever it pleaseth thee to do with thy Creatures and that ‖ Or 〈◊〉 thought of thâ—…e can be â—…indred no thought can be withholden from thee c He speaks either 1. Of Iob's thoughts Thou knowest me and all my sinful and unworthy thoughts of thy providential dealings with me though I was not able to see the evil of them Or 2. Of God's thoughts Whatsoever thou thinkest or purposest to do thou canst or mayest do it and neither I nor any of thy Creatures can either restrain thee from it or condemn thee for it as I have boldly and wickedly presumed to do So this last Clause of the Verse explains the former 3. * Chap. 38. â—… Who is he d i. e. What am I that I should dare to do so Ah silly audacious wretch that I am that I should be guilty of such madness that hideth counsel without knowledg e Which words are repeated out of Ch. 38. 2. where they are explained therefore f Because my mind was without knowledge therefore my speech was ignorant and foolish Or Being sensible of my ignorance and rashness I think fit to make this humble and ingenious confession have I uttered that I understood not * Psal. â—…0 â—… 13â—… â—… things too wonderful for me which I knew not g I have spoken foolishly and unadvisedly of things fâ—…r above my reach even of God's infinite and soveraign Majesty and of his deep and unsearchable Counsels and Providence 4. Hear I beseech thee and I will speak h Hear and accept my humble and penitent confession and recantation I will demand of thee i Or and enquire to wit counsel or instruction as a Scholar doth of his Master as the following words note I will no more saweily dispute the matter with thee but beg information from thee The words which God had uttered to Iob by way of challenge Ch. 38. 3. 40. 7. Iob returns to him again in way of submission and declare thou unto me 5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee k The knowledge which I had of thy Divine nature and perfections and counsels was hitherto dark and doubtful and conjecturaâ—… being grounded chiefly if not onely upon the instructions and reports of other men but now it is clear and certain as being immediately inspired into my mind by this thy glorious Apparition and Revelation and by the Operation of thy Holy Spirit which makes these things as certain and evident to me as if I saw them with my bodily Eyes 6. Wherefore I abhor l i. e. Dislike and detest and loath my self m Or my former words and carriage One of these or some like supplement is necessary to compleat the sense and is clearly gathered from the following words and repent in dust and ashes n Sitting in dust and ashes which hitherto I have done in token of my grief for my affliction but now I desire and resolve to do in Testimony of my penitence for my sins 7. And it was so that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite o As the Eldest of the three and because he spoke first and by his evil example leâ—… the rest into the same mistakes and miscarriages My wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two friends p To wit Bildad and Zophar who are not excused but severely reproved although they were drawn into the sin by Eliphaz his authority and influence Elihu is not here reproved because he dealt more justly and mercifully with Iob and did not condemn his Person but onely rebuke his sinful expressions for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my servant Job hath q Either 1. as Iob hath now spoken you have not acknowledged your errours as he hath done Or rather 2. as Iob did in his discourses with you Which is not to be understood simply and absolutely as is manifest from God's censure upon Iob for his hard and evil speeches of him but comparatively because Iob was not so much to be blamed as they partly because his opinion concerning the methods of God's Providence and the indifferency and promiscuousness of its dispensations towards good and bad men was truer than theirs which was that God did generally reward good men and punish sinners in this Life partly because their misbelief of God's counsels and dealings with men was attended with horrid uncharitableness and cruelty towards Iob whom they wounded with bitter and injurious speeches and condemned as an Hypocrite not onely without sufficient evidence as not being able to search his Heart but upon false and frivolous grounds to wit his sore afflictions and against many evidences of Piety which Iob had given and partly because Iob's heavy pressures might easily cloud and darken his mind and draw forth his impatience and passionate speeches which although it did not wholly excuse Iob yet did certainly much extenuate his offences whereas they were under no such temptations or provocations either from God or from Iob but voluntarily broke forth into their hard and severe and untrue expressions concerning God's counsels and Iob's conditions thereby adding affliction to him whom God did so sorely afflict which was most unfriendly and inhumane 8. Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams and go to my servant Job r Whom though you have censured and condemned as an Hypocrite I own for my faithful Servant humane infirmity excepted and offer up s By the hand of Iob whom I do hereby constitute your Priest to pray and Sacrifice for you for your selves a burnt-offering and my servant Job shall pray for you for †Heb. his face or person him will I accept t To wit on
reach thee I indeavour to pay a singular Respect and Love and Kindness to all Saints for thy sake whose Friends and Servants they are and whose image they bear This may seem more properly to agree to David than to Christ whose goodness was principally designed for and imparted to Sinners and did not find men Saints but make them so nor was it confined to them that lived with him upon the Earth but extended to all the Believers of all Ages before and after him and to the excellent l Or the magnificent or mighty or honourable to wit the Saints as he now called them whom because they were mean and despicable in the Eyes of the World he honours with their just Titles and by appropriating them to the Saints he sufficiently intimates that all other men how great sover are but ignoble and vile Persons as he had called them Psal. 15. 4. in whom is all my delight m i. e. Whose Company and Conversation is most Pleasant and desirable to me Compare Psal. 119. 63. 4. Their sorrows shall be multiplied that ‖ Or give gift to 〈◊〉 hasten after another God n Or that present or endow as this Verb signifies Exod. 22. 16. another God to wit with Oblations as it follows God is not expressed in the Hebrew text but seems fitly and necessarily to be understood because of the following Offerings which are made to none that is not either really or by Reputation a God The Sence is Idolaters notwithstanding all their zeal or cost about their Idols gain nothing to themselves but abundance of sorrow and misery This he mentioneth partly as one Reason why he would have no fellowship with them in their Idolatrous worship which he adds in this Verse and partly that by this Comparison he might illustrate and commend his own Happiness in having the Lord for his Portion of which he speaks v. 5 6. Or thus let their sorrows be multiplied c. Having shewed his great Respect and Affection to the Saints and excellent Servants of the true God he now declares what an abhorrency he had for those that forsake the true God and worship Idols To whom he wisheth increase of their sorrows whereby they may either be awakened and converted to the Lord again or may be cut off if they be impenitent and incorrigible their drink offrings o Under which he comprehends all their Offerings the reason being for Substance the same in all but he mentions these particularly because of a special Corruption in them above their other Sacrifices to wit that the very matter of them was unlawful as we shall see Which also might serve both to convince and deter those Israelites which harkened after Idolatry and made no Conscience of maintaining Communion with Idolaters which was the Case of many of them in Saul's time and to justifie himself for his Detestation of them and of all fellowship with them of blood p In which the Gentiles used as divers learned men have observed to Offer and sometimes to drink part of the Blood of their Sacrifices whether of Beasts or of Men as either of them were Sacrificed Which must needs be very hateful to God because he had so severely forbidden the drinking of Blood to his people either at their Sacrifices or in their common Food will I not offer * Josh. 23. 7. nor take up their names q i. e. Of those other Gods mentioned before I abhor the very name and memory of them Not that he thought it unlawful to name these Idols which is frequently done by the holy Prophets but to express the odiousness of the thing by his loathing of the very name and shadow of them Compare Exod. 23. 13. Deut. 12. 3. Hos. 2. 16 17. Eph. 5. 3. Or the Sence is I will not swear by them For taking up ones names is used for swearing Exod. 20. 7. into my lips 5. * Deut. 32. 9. Psal. 73. 26. 142. 5. â—…am 3. 24. The LORD is the portion †Heb. of 〈◊〉 paâ—…t of mine inheritance r Or of my devision i. e. Of that inheritance which God hath mercifully divided or distributed to me and which I by his grace have chosen for my self I envy not the vast Riches and Glory of Idolaters but do heartily rejoyce in God as my portion and desire no better nor no other Felicity God who hath suffered other Nations to walk in their own Idolatrous ways hath granted this favour to me to know and worship him the only true God And as other Nations have chosen and do adhere to their false Gods so have I chosen God and will cleave to him and of my cup s The same thing repeated in other Words The portion of my Cup is the portion which is put into my Cup as the ancient manner was in feasts where each had his portion of Meat and of Wine allotted to him See Psal. 11. 6. The Cup oft denotes a Mans portion oâ—… Condition as Mat. 20. 22. and 26. 39. thou maintainest my lot t i. e. My inheritance divided to me by lot as the Custome then was Ios. 18. 11. Iudg. 1. 3. u As thou hast given me an excellent lot having planted me among thine own People and in that place which thou hast chosen for thy dwelling and worship so I doubt not thou wilst uphold aâ—…d preserve me there in spight of all the malicious designs of mine Enemies that seek to drive me thence 6. * 〈◊〉 17. â—… Heb. Psal. 7 55 Miâ—… 2. 4. 5 The lines u i. e. My portion which was measured with lines Comp. Ios. 17. 5. Deut. 3. 4. are fallen unto me in pleasant places x In a sweet land flowing with Milk and Hony and above all blessed with the Presence and Knowledge and Service of the true God yea I have a goodly heritage 7. I will bless the LORD who hath given me counsel y Heb. consulted for me i. e. By his wise and gracious Counsel hath provided so good an heritage for me and withal inspired that Counsel and Wisdom into me by which I have chosen the Lord for my Portion and am so fully satisfied with him my reins z i. e. My inward thoughts and affections which are commonly signified by the Reins as Psal. 7. 9. and 26. 2. and 73. 21. and 139. 13. Ier. 11. 20. and 12. 2. and 17. 10. being inspired and moved by the holy Spirit also instruct me a i. e. Direct me what course to take how to please and serve God and to put my whole Trust and Confidence in him as it follows in the night-seasons b Not only in the day time but also in the night when others are asleep but my mind is working upon God and the things of God and improving the silence and leasure and solitude of the night to holy Meditations and the exciting of my affections towards God 8. *
or Error and in their Effect as guiding and directing men in the right and ready way to eternal Happiness Which also reflects upon that knowledge of Divine things which men have by the light of Nature and works of God or by the Doctrines of the Philosophers or others that wanted or neglected the light of God's word wherein there is a great deal of darkness and uncertainty and Error and Danger rejoycing the heart m Partly by that clear and certain knowledge of Divine things which it gives for knowledge is pleasant to the Soul Prov. 2. 10. and partly by the discoveries of God's Love and Grace to sinful men in Offers and Promises of Mercy therein contained the commandement of the LORD n i. e. All his Commands is * Psal. 119. 140. pure o Without the least mixture of Error or injustice or Deceit Which cannot be said of humane Laws enlightning the eyes p To wit of the Mind with an evident and compleat manifestation of God's Will and Man's Duty both which the works of Nature and all the Writings of men discover but darkly and imperfectly 9. The fear of the LORD q By which he understands not the Grace of God's fear as this Phrase is commonly taken nor the whole Worship of God as it is taken Psal. 34. 9. 11. Mat. 1â—… 9. but the Law and Word of God which is the only thing that is hâ—…re commended and which is meant by all the other parallel Titles of his Testimony and Statutes and Commandements and Iudgments and consequently by this of his â—…ear which is as it were hemmed in within them And this may well be so called by an usual Metonymy because it is both the Object and the Rule and the Cause of this Grace of holy Fear as God himself is called Fear for the like reason Gen. 31. 53. and in the Hebrew Psal. 76. 11. is clean r i. e. Sincere not adulterated with any mixture of Vanity or Falshood or Vice not requiring noâ—… allowing any uncleanness or wickedness as the Religion of the Gentiles did enduring for ever s Constant and unchangeable the same for Substance in all the Ages of the Church and the World Which is most true both of the moral Law and of the Doctrine of God's Grace and Mercy to sinful and miserable man which two are the Principal partâ—… of that Law of which he here speaks as is Evident from the whole Context For as the difference between the Old and the New Testament that lyes only in Circumstantial and Ceremonial or Ritual things which are not here intended and that Alteration also was foretolâ—… in the Old Testament and consequently the accomplishment of it did not destroy but confirm the certainty and constancy of God's word This also is opposed to humane Laws wherein there are and ought to be manifold Changes according to the difference of Times and People and Circumstances the judgments of the LORD t i. e. God's Laws frequently called his Iudgments because they are the Declarations of his righteous Will and as it were his legal oâ—… judicial Sentence by which he expects that men should govern themselves and by which he will judge them at the last day are †Heb. truste true and righteous altogether u. 10. More to â—…e desired are they than gold * Psal. 1â—…9 12. 127 Prov. 8. 11. 19. yea than much fine gold x Than Gold of the best quality and in the greatest quantity * Psal. 119. 103. sweeter also than honey y Which was most sweet in those Eastern Countries and †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 the honey comb z Than that Honey which the Bees have most diligently wrought in their Combs and which freely flows from them which is sweeter than the rest 11. Moreover by them is thy servant a I thy servant though a King and a Prophet and of some Repute for Wisdom and Knowledge yet I am daily taught by them Or 〈◊〉 as Dan. 12. 3. or clearly admonished as this word signifies 〈◊〉 18. 20. 2 Kings 6. 10. Eccles. 4. 13. 〈◊〉 3. 17 c. and 33. 3. 9. It is a faithful and excellent Monitor to shew me my Duty in all Conditions and to preserve me from falling into sin and danger and Mischief warned and in keeping of them b To those that make it their great Design and care to conform their whole Lives to them For he speaks not of a Legal and perfect keeping of them which no man attaineth to in this Life 〈◊〉 7. 20. Gâ—…l 3. 10 11 12. 1 Ioh. 1. 8. but of doing it in an Evangelâ—…al Sence with the allowances which God through Christ makes for Humane infirmities there is great reward c In this Life and especially in the next 12. * Psal. 40. 12. Who can understand d This may be here added Either 1. As a further Proof of the Excellency and necessity of God's Law because mens Errors are so many and hard to be discovered and prevented that they indispensably need such a Friend and Counsellor as the Law is to give them the true knowledge of themselves and of their sins Or 2. As a just and sorrowful Censure of himself upon the Consideration of the exact Purity of God's Law and the Comparing of his Life with it Thy Law O Lord is Holy and just and Good But I am a poor sinful Wreâ—…ch falling infinitely short of it and Condemned by it Or 3. As a signification of the insufficiency of God's Law strictly so called for the healing and saving of mens Souls and of the necessity of further supplies of the Gospel and grace of God whereby the eyes of their Minds may be enlightned to see that light which shines in God's Law and their Hearts may be renewed to yield universal Obedience to it for which therefore he prays in the following words And withal he implies that he did not expect that reward which he last mentioned as a just Recompence to his Obedience which he confesseth to need a Pardon more than to deserve a reward but only as an effect of God's grace and goodness his Errors e Either 1. His sins of ignorance of which this word is used Levit. 4. 2 22 27. 〈◊〉 5. 6. Or rather 2. His sins in general â—…â—…ich afterwards he divides into secret and presumptuous sins Or all deviations from God's Law which are thus called 1 Saâ—… 26. 21. Psal. 119. 67 118. Heb. 9. 7. Iam. 5. 20. The Sence is I cannot comprehend the numbers or the several kinds or all the Hainous Aggravations of my sins cleanse thou me f Both by justification or the Pardon of my sins through the Blood of thy Son which is to be shed for me and by Sanctification through thy holy Spirit co-working in and with thy Word to the further Renovation of my Heart and Life For these are the two ways of câ—…eansing Sinners
the Heart as Exod. 15. 8. Deut. 4. 11. And so it may be here for the Army as such hath no Heart Properly so called And so this is fitly alledged as a Proof of the sharpness and force of his Arrows that they not onely wound those who march in the Front but even those who are in the midst of the Army where they may seem secure and out of their Reach of the Kings Enemies But the middle Words may be and are by many included within a Parenthesis and so they may agree with our Translation thus Thine Arrows are sharp for the People fall under thee which is an Evidence of their sharpness in the Heart or against the Heart Or piercing into the Heart Which is an easie and usual Ellipsis of the Kings Enemies 6. * Psal. 93. 2. Heb. 1. 8. Thy throne O God z It is most Evident that the Speech is still continued to the same Person whom he calls King v. 1. 11. and here God Which change of the Title was very expedient and in some sort necessary to give us a true understanding of this Psalm and to assure us that he doth not speak of Solomon to whom neither these nor the foregoing nor the following Words agree because his Reign was peaceable and short and stained with many and great iniquities but a far greater King even of the Messias who is not onely a Man but also the mighty God as he is called Isa. 9. 6. and as the Apostle solâ—…dly proves from this place Heb. 1. 8. For though the Name of Elohim or God be sometimes given in Scripture to some Creatures yet in those Cases it is always Clogged with some diminishing Expression signifying that they are onely made or called Gods and that onely for a certain Time and Purpose as is manifest from Exod. 4. 16. and 7. 1. Psal. 82 6. and it is no where put simply and absolutely for any Person but him who is God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. is for ever and ever a To wit Properly and in thine own Person in which as he Lives for ever so he must necessarily Reign for ever whereas David whose Throne is said to be Established for ever 2 Sam. 7. 16. was a Mortal man and therefore that Promise was not intended of nor could be fulfilled in his Person without including his Posterity And as he here gives to the Messias the Name of God which was never given to David nor Solomon so he ascribes an everlasting Kingdom to him in such a Sence as it was never given to them So Dan. 2. 44. and 7. 14. the scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter b It is not strange that thy Throne is not liable to the same uncertainties and Causualties with the Thrones of earthly Princes because their Scepters are commonly managed with great injustice and manifold iniquities which lay the Foundation of their overthrow whereas thou rulest with exact Righteousness and Equity whereby thy Throne is Established Prov. 16. 12. 7. Thou lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness c Thou dost not onely do that which is good and avoid that which is Evil Which even bad Princes and Men may do and sometimes Actually do for Politick or Prudential Reasons but thou dost this sincerely and from an inward Principle even from a true Love to God and Goodness and from an implacable Hatred against all Wickedness therefore d So this Particle is commonly used And so it denoteth Either 1. The reward of Christ's righteous Administration of his Kingdom So the Sence is Because thou hast given so many and great Proofs of thy Love to Righteousness and of thy Hatred of sin and that not onely by the constant Course of thy Life but also by thy Death and Passion therefore God hath raised and exalted thee far above all Men and Angels to a state of Joy and endless Glory at his right Hand which is fitly expressed by the Oyl of gladness For anointing doth not always signifie the Conferring of inward Gifts or Endowments but sometimes onely notes the Designation or inauguration of a Person to some high Dignity or Employment as Ezek. 28. 14. and elsewhere Or 2. The final Cause or end of Christ's Unction So the Sence is To that end i. e. That thou mightest love Righteousness and hate Wickedness and govern thy self and thy Kingdom accordingly God hath anointed thee c. i. e. Hath endowed thee with all the Gifts and Graces of thy Holy Spirit Act 10. 38. in an Eminent and peculiar manner to the Comfort and Refreshment of thine own and all thy Peoples Hearts and hath Solemnly called thee to be the Priest and Prophet and King of all his People But the former Sence seems to be the truest and is for Substance the same thing which is said in other Words Phil. 2. 8 9 10. God thy God e According to thy humane Nature Ioâ—… 20. 17. though in respect of thy divine Nature thou art his Fellow Zech. 13. 7. and his Equal Phil. 2. 6. and one with him Iob. 10. 30. hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness f So called here as also Isa. 61. 3. Partly because it not onely makes the Countenance fresh and pleasant Psal. 104. 15. but also rejoyceth the Heart Prov. 27. 9. and Partly because it was a Token of gladness and used in Feasts and other Solemn occasions of Rejoycing Of which see Psal. 23. 5. Dan. 10. 3. Amos 6. 6. above thy fellows g i. e. Above all them who partake with thee in this Unction Either 1. Above all that ever were anointed for Priests or Prophets or Kings Or 2. Above all Believers who also have received this same Unction 1 Iob. 2. 20. 27. and are made Priests and Kings unto God Revel 1. 6. 8. All thy garments smell of myrrhe and aloes and cassia h Wherewith they used to Persume their Garments See Gen. 27. 27. This may denote those glorious and sweet smelling Vertues which as they were Treasured up inwardly in Christs Heart so did they manifest themselves outwardly and visibly and give forth a greatful Smell in the whole Course of his Life and Actions his Doctrine also was a sweet Savour unto God and Men 2 Coâ—… 2. 14 15. out of the ivory palaces i Which may be referred Either 1 To the Garments which were usually kept in and now upon this extraordinary Solemnity were brought out of Palaces or Houses or Wardrobes of Ivory so called here as also Amos 3. 15. not because they were wholly made of Ivory but because they were adorned or covered here and there with it Or rather 2. To the King himself who is here supposed to reside in his ivory Palaces and his Garments are so fragrant that they do not onely Perfume the whole Palaces in which he is but the sweet Savour thereof is perceived by those that pass by them or are at some distance from them All which is
that Occasion to break forth into Prayer which also he continues in the following Verses Onely as he prays there for justification or Pardon of sin so here he prays for Renovation or Sanctification So his meaning is this Therefore as the Particle and is oft used as hath been shewed in the hidden Part do thou make me to know Wisdom Or thus thoâ—… wouldest have me know for Futures are oft taken Potentially as Psal. 118. 6. and Mat. 12. 25. Compared with Mark 3. 24. and elsewhere And Verbs which signifie making or causing are sometimes understood onely of the Will or Command as Ieroboam is said to make Israel to sin 1 Kings 14. 16. because he Commanded them to do so Hos. 5. 11. This I propose with Submission but if this Sence be admitted the last Clause of the Verse answers very well to the former as it doth in the foregoing and following Verses and every where in these Books For this thou wouldest have me know Answers to that thou willest or desirest and in the hidden part Answers to that in the inward Parts and Wisdom is the same thing for Substance with Truth onely called by another Name wisdom y i. e. True Piety and Integrity which is called Wisdom Iob 28. 28. Psal. 111. 10. and in many other Texts as sin on the contrary is commonly called as it really is Polly And to know Wisdom is here meant of knowing it Practically and Experimentally so as to approve and Love and Practise it as Words oâ—… knowledge are most frequently taken in Scripture and in other Authors 7. * Lev. 14. 6. Numb 19. 18. Purge me with hyssop z Or as with Hyssop the note of similitude being frequently understood As Lepers and other unclean Persons are by the appointment purified by thy use of Hyssop and other things Levit. 14. 6. Numb 19. 6. so do thou cleanse me a most Leprous and polluted Creature by thy Grace and by the Vertue of that Blood of Christ which is signified by those Ceremonial usages and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be * Isa. 1. 18. whiter than snow 8. Make me to hear joy and gladness a Send me glad Tidings of thy Reconciliation to me and by thy Spirit seal the Pardon of my sins to my Conscience which will fill me with joy that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce b That mine Heart which hath been sorely Wounded and Terrified by thy dreadful Message sent by Nathan and by the dismal Sentence of thy Law denounced against such Sinners as I am now by this Occasion brought home to my Conscience may be revived and Comforted by the Manifestation of thy Favour to my Soul 9. Hide thy face from my sins c Do not look upon them with an Eye of indignation and Revenge but forget and forgive them and blot out d See v. 1. all mine iniquities 10. Create in me a clean heart e Seeing I have not onely defiled my self by these actual sins but also have a most filthy Heart corrupted even from my Birth v. 5. which nothing but God's Almighty and Creating Power can purifie do thou Effectually work in me an Holy frame of Heart whereby both my inward filth may be Purged away and I may be prevented from falling into such actual and scandalous sins O God and renew f That good Temper which before this Apostacy I had in some measure be pleased graciously to restore it to me with Advantage ‖ Or a constant Spirit a right g Heb. Firm or Constant or Stedfast that I may not be so easily shaken and cast down by Temptation as I have been but that my Resolution may be more fixed and unmoveable spirit h Temper or Disposition of Soul or Spirit as the Word Spirit is very frequently used in Scripture within me i Heb. In my inward Parts He wisely strikes at the Root and Cause of all sinâ—…ul Actions 11. Cast me not away from thy presence k i. e. From thy Favour and Care and gracious Communion with thee and take not thy holy spirit l Thy sanctifying Spirit by which alone I can have Acquaintance and fellowship with thee from me 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation m The Comfortable Sence of thy saving Grace and Help promised and vouchsafed to me both for my present and everlasting Salvation and ‖ Or lâ—…t 〈◊〉 free Or â—…ly Spirit uphold me uphold me n A weak and frail Creature never able to stand against Corruption and Temptation without thy powerful and gracious Succours with thy free o Or ingenuous or Liberal or Princely Which he seems to oppose to his own base and Illiberal and Dis-ingenuous and servile Spirit which he had discovered in his wicked and unworthy Practises and Desires a better Spirit even the Spirit of God which may free him from the Bondage of sin and inable and inâ—…line him freely and Cheerfully and constantly to run the way of Gods precepts See Exod. 35. 21. Psal. 110. 3. Rom. 8. 15 16. 2 Cor. 3. 17. spirit 13. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways p Either 1. Thy Will and their Duty and the way to their eternal Happiness Or rather 2. The manner of thy dealing with Sinners whom thou dost so severely Chastise for their sins and yet so graciously receive to Mercy upon their Repentances Both which I will shew them in my own Example which I will declare unto them although I shall therewith publish my own shame which I shall most willingly bear that I may in some measure repair the Injury which I have done to thee and others by my publick and scandalous Crimes and sinners shall be converted unto thee q And I perswade my self that my Indeavours shall not want Success and that either thy Justice and severity or thy Goodness and Clemency will bring them to Repentance 14. Deliver me from †Heb. Bloods blood-guiltiness r Heb. from Bloods because he had been the Cause of the Death not onely of uriah but of others of the Lords people with him 2 Sam. 11. 17. O God thou God of my salvation and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness s Either 1. Thy Faithfulness in making good thy Promises Or rather 2. Thy Clemency and Goodness as that Word is frequently used 15. O LORD open thou my lips t Which are shut with shame and Grief and Horror Restore unto me the Opportunity and Ability and Liberty which formerly I had of speaking to thee with Freedom and Boldness and Familiarity as this Phrase signifies Ezek. 3. 27. and 24. 27. Eph. 6. 19 20. and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise 16. For * 〈◊〉 50. 8. 〈◊〉 1. 11. â—…er â—… 22. Hos. 6. 6. thou desirest not sacrifice u Which is not to be understood absolutely and Universally as appears from v. 19. but
thou madest it Snow-white in Darkness or as the Chaldee renders this Word in the shadow of Death i. e. Thou didst cause Light to shine out of Darkness When the state of thy People and of the Land of Canaan which thou hadst given to them was Dark and 〈◊〉 or Bloody by reason of the Wars raised against them by the Canaanitish Kings thou didst quickly change it and whereas it was Red like Scarlet or Crimâ—…on thou mad'st it whiter than Snow 15 The hill of God n i. e. Of Zion the seat of God's Ark. is as the hill of Bashan o Equal to it to 〈◊〉 in height as the next Clause explains it which yet is not to be understood of an external and Visible height for Zion was a low and little Hâ—…ll and Bashan a very high 〈◊〉 but of its spiritual height or Exaltation in Regard of the glorious Priviledges of God's Presence and Worship and Blessing conferred upon it in which Respect the Mountain of the Lords House is said to be Established on the top of the Mountains and exalted above the Hills Isa. 2. 2. an high hill as the hill of Bashan 16 Why leap ye p Why do you Triumph and boâ—…st of your height and look upon poor Zion with Storn and Contempt as un obscure and inconsiderable Hill if Compared with you He speaks to the Hills by an usual Figure called 〈◊〉 ye high hills * Psal. 87. 1. 〈◊〉 132. 1â—… this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in yea the LORD will dwell in it for ever q This Hiâ—…l though despicable in your Eyes is precious and Honourable in God's Eyes and chosen by him for his settled and perpetual Residence For though the Ark was removed from this particular place in which it was now to be placed to the Hill of Moriah upon which the Temple was built yet it must be remembred that Zion and Moriah stood one near to the other being both in Ierusalem and are by some said to have been but two Tops of one and the same Hill 17 * Deut. 33. 2. Dâ—…n 7. 10. Heb. 12. 22. Rev. 9. 16. The chariots of r i. e. The Hosts or Armies whereof Chariots were a great and Eminent part in those times and places which attend upon God to do his Pleasure and to fight for him and for his People God are twenty thousand ‖ Or even mary Thousands †Heb. Thousands of doubling or doubtâ—… ones even thousands of angels the Lord is among them s i. e. An innumerable Company a certain number being put for an uncertain as Psal. 3. 6. and 91. 7. and in many other places as in Sinai in the holy place t Here is not onely the Presence of the Angels but of the great and blessed God himself And here the Psalmist seems to be transported by the Prophetical Spirit from the Narration of those external Successes and Victories of which he had been speaking in the former part of the Psalm unto the Prediction of higher and more Glorious things even of the coming of the Messiah and of the Happy and Transcendent Priviledges and Blessings accruing to Mankind by it described in the next Verse And the Connexion of this new Matter with the former is sufficiently Evident For having preferred Zion before other Hills v. 15 16. he now proves its Excellency by an invincible Argument because this is the place to which the Lord of Hosts himself the Messiah God manifested in the Flesh was to come as is manifest from Psal. 2. 6. and 110. 2. Isa. â—… 3. and 23. 16. Compared with 1 Pet. 2. 6. Isa 59. 20. Compared with Râ—…m 11. 26. and many other places of Scripture And when he did come into the World he was attended with a multitude of holy Angels which celebrated his Birth Luk. 2. 14. t God is no less Gloriously though less Terribly present here then he was in Sinai when the great God attended with Thousands of his Angels solemnly appeared there to deliver the Law Heb. Sinai is in the Sanctuary or holy Place Which is a Poetical and a very Emphatical Expression and very Perâ—…inent to this place For having advanced Zion above all other Hiâ—…ls he now equals it to that venerable Hill of Sinai which the Divine Majesty honoured with his glorious Presence Here saith he you have in some sort Mount Sinai it self to wit all the Glories and Priviledges of it the Presence of Iehovah attended with his Angels and the same Law and Covenant yea and a greater Priviledge than Sinai hâ—…d to wit the Lord Iehovah descending from Heaven into an humane Body as appears by his ascending thither again which the next Verse describes and visibly coming into his own Temple as it was Prophecied concerning him Mal. 3. 1. 18 * Eph. 4. 8. Thou hast ascended on high u Having spoken of the Lord and of his Presence upon Earth he now turneth his Speech to him as is most usual in this Book And the Contents of this Verse do not agree to the present occasion of carrying the Ark to Zion but have a manifest Reference to Christ and to his Ascension into Heaven in whom and in whom alone they are literally and fully accomplished and to whom therefore they are ascribed Eph. 4. 8. Although the Expressions here used are borrowed from the Anâ—…ient Custom of Princes or Generals of Armies who after some glorious Archievments and Victories used to go up into their Royal Cities in triumphant Chariots being attended by their captive â—…nemies and afterward to distribute divers gifts to their Soldiers and Subjects and sometimes to do some Acts of Grace and â—…lemency even to their Rebels and Enemies and to receive them into the number of his own people thou hast led captivity x 〈◊〉 1. Those who did formerly take thy people captives Or rather 2. Those whom thou hast taken captive as this word is most commonly used as Numb 21. 1. Deut. 21. 10. Iudg. 5. 12. c. So poverty is put for the poor 2 Kings 24. 14. This is meant of death and sin and the Devil and all the Enemies of Christ and of his people whom Christ led in triumph having spoiled them and making a shew of them opâ—…nly as it is expressed Col. 2. 15. captive thou hast received gifts y Though as thou art God thou art uncapable of receiving any thing more than thou hast yet according to thy manhood thou hast received from God all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge and all those gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit which are necessary either to the perfection of thy nature or to the discharge of thine Office or to the service and good of thy Church and people †Heb. the Maâ—… for men z Not for thy self for thou didst not need them having thâ—… fulness of the God-head dwelling in thee bodily Col. 2. 9. but for the sons of men or
people of Israel whom therefore he desires God to rebuke and humble that he may acknowledge the true God which is foretold that he shall do v. 31. As for this enigmatical designation of this King that is agreeable enough both to the usage of the Prophets in such cases and to the rulers of prudence and upon the same accounts the Prophet 〈◊〉 threatning destruction against 〈◊〉 calls it enigmatically 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 25 26. and 51. 41. and S. Paul calls Nero the Lion 2 Tiâ—… 4. 17. But then this one King being eminent in his kind is by an usual 〈◊〉 put for all of them which were enemies to God's people the multitude of the bulls n By which he doubtless understands men of War as the following words expound it the great and potent and fiâ—…rce and furious Adversaries of God and of his Church as this word is used Psal. 22. 12. Isa. 34. 7. And consequently the calves must be their people or Soldiers depending upon them and joining with them in these acts of hostility against thine Israel with the calves of the people till every one submit himself with pieces of silver o This he adds as a limitation of his request Rebuke them O Lord not to utter destruction but onely till they be humbled and submit themselves and in token thereof bring pieces of silver for presents as was foretold v. 29. For 〈◊〉 himself it is in the Hebrew cast 〈◊〉 down or offers himself to be trod upon But because this supplement may seem too large and not necessary the words are and may be rendred otherwise that tread upon or walk proudly in or with fragments or pieces of silver wherewith eminent Captains used to adorn themselves and their very horses And to this belongs to the bulls and calves whose pride and wealth and power is described in this manner ‖ Or â—…e 〈◊〉 scatter thou p Heb. He hath scattered i. e. He will certainly scatter according to the Prophetical Style So this may contain an answer or his assurance of an answer to his prayer I prayed Rebuke the company c. and God hath heard my prayer and I doubt not will rebuke or scatter them the people that delight in war q That without any necessity or provocation and merely out of a love to mischief and spoil make war upon others and upon us particularly Now that thou hast given thy people rest and settled the Ark in its place O Lord rebuke all our mâ—…licious and bloody enemies and give us assured peace that we may worship the Lord without disturbance And withal David may seem to utter this for his own vindication It is true O Lord I have been a mâ—…n of War and therefore have lost the honour of building the Temple and am now forced to lodge the Ark in a mean Tabernacle which I have erected for it But this thou knowest that I have not undertaken any of my wars out of wantonness or ambition or love to war and mischief but onely by constraint and necessity for the just defence of my self and of thy people and therefore do not lay my wars to my charge 31 Princes shall come out of Egypt Ethiopia r He names onely these as the great and Ancient Enemies of God and of his People and as a most wicked and Idolatrous and Incorrigible sort of Men see Ier. 13. 23. Avos 9. 7. but by them he Synecdochically understands all other Nations and People of the like Character shall soon stretch out her hands unto God s Either in way of humble Supplicaâ—…ion and Submission begging Mercy of him Or to offer up the presents expressed v. 19. But this Prophecy as also the next Verse Evidently belongs to the times of the Messiah when the Gentiles were to be brought in to the knowledge and Worship of the true God with the Thoughts and Hopes whereof David oft Comforteth himself in that Confined and Afflicted state of the Church in his time 32 Sing unto God ye kingdoms of the earth t Not onely Epypt and Ethiopia but other Kingdoms and Nations also who shall partake of the same Grace with them O sing praises unto the Lord Selah 33 To him * Psal. 18. 10. aâ—…d 104. 3. that rideth upon the heavens u Upon the highest Heavens as Deut. 10. 14. his truest and best Sanctuary By which Expressions he prevents all mean and Carnal Conceptions of God as if he were confined to the Ark or Tabernacle and lifteth up the Minds both of Iews and Gentiâ—…es to Heaven and representeth God as dwelling there in infinite Glory and Majesty and from thence looking down upon all the Inhabitants of the Earth and Ruâ—…ing them by his Almighty Power and therefore most fit to be owned and received by all Kings and Kingdoms as their Lord and Governour which were of old x i. e. From the very beginning of the World whereas the Ark was onely some hundreds years Old Or which are everlasting for this Hebrew word Answers to Olam which looks not onely backward to time past but forward to the Future of which this Word is by divers understood Deut. 33. 15. This is also opposed to the Condition of the Ark and Tabernacle and Temple all which as David by the Spirit of Prophecy well knew would be abolished and dissolved lo he doth †Heb. give send out his voyce and that a mighty voyce y By which he understands Either 1. The Thunder called God's 〈◊〉 Psal. 29. â—… and elsewhere Or rather 2. His Word to wit the Gospel published by Christ and by his Apostles assisted by the holy Spirit sent from Heaven which might well be called God's Voyce and that a mighty Voyce because it produced such great and wonderful Effects as are here above mentioned in converting all the Kings and Kingdoms of the Earth 34 Ascribe ye strength unto God z Acknowledge that he is mighty and able to do whatsoever he pleaseth for his People or against his and their Enemies his excellency a His excellent Power and Goodness is over Israel b Dwels among them and is employed for them as occasion requires He is indeed the universal Lord of the whole Heaven and Earth but in a special and excellent manner he is the God of Israel and his strength is in the ‖ Or Heavens clouds c Or in the Heavens He hath two dwellings and Thrones the one in his Church and People and the other in Heaven See Isa. 57. 15. 35 O God thou art terrible d Or Venerable deservedly to be both Reverenced and Feared out of thy holy places e Or Sanctuaries He useth the plural Number Either 1. Of the Sanctuary in Zion because the Tabernacle and Temple consisted of three Parts the Court the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies Or rather 2. With respect to that twoâ—…old Sanctuary here mentioned one in Zion and the other in Heaven And out
against the generation of thy children f By grieving and discouraging and Condemning them and by tempting them to revolt from God and Godliness But because the Hebrew Verb Bagad in this Sence is always so far as I have observed Construed with the Proposition Beth which is not here and is constantly put before that Proposition and Word which it governs and not after as here it is I rather joyn with them who render the place thus which is more agreeable to the Words and Order of the Text Behold the Generation of thy Children or Behold these are the Generation of thy Children as appears by thy fatherly Care of and indulgence and kindness to them whilst thou dost at present seem to treat them like Bastards who are more truly called thy Children dealing roughly and severely with them I shall or rather should to wit in speaking so Transgress or Prevaricate speak against the Truth and against my own Conscience which assureth me that these are the haters of God and hated and Cursed by him 16 When I thought to know this g To find out the Reason of this Mysterious Course of thy Providence †Heb. it was 〈◊〉 in mine 〈◊〉 it was too painful for me h I was gravel'd with the Difficulty 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God i Till I consulted with the Oracle or Word of God He alludes to the Practise of those times which was in dark and difficult Cases to resort to God's Sanctuary and the Oracle in it for satisfaction then understood I their end k There I learned that their Prosperity was short and would quickly have an End and that a most dismal and terrible one that their fair Morning would be followed with a black and dreadful Enemy and an everlasting Night 18 Surely * Psal. 35. 6. thou didst set them in slippery places l Their Happiness hath no firm Foundation is was very unstable like a mans standing in very slippery ground thou castest them down into destruction m The same hand which raised them will cast them down into the Pit of utter Destruction 19 How are they brought into desolation as in a moment n Their fall is wonderful both for its soreness and for its suddenness they are utterly consumed with terrors o Either with the Horrors of their own Minds Or rather with God's dreadful Judgments unexpectedly seizing upon them 20 * â—…ob 20. 8. As a dream when one awaketh p Their Happiness is like that in a Dream wherein a man seems to be highly pleased and Transported with Ravishing Delights but when he awakes he finds himself deceived and unsatisfied so O LORD when thou * Psal. 7. 6 awakest q i. e. Stir up thy self to punish them Or rather when they shall awake out of the pleasant Dream of this vain sinful Life by Death and following it For this seems to agree best with the Metaphor here before mentioned And the Hebrew words being onely these in awaking may be applied Either to God or to them as the Context directs thou shalt despise r Not so much Really for so God ever did despise it in the height of all their Glory but declaratively things being oft said to be done in Scripture when they appear or are manifested as hath been more then once noted Thou shall pour Contempt upon them make them despicable both to themselves and to all others and raise them to Shame and everlasting Contempt as is said Dan. 12. 2. their image s i. e. All their Felicity and Glory which as indeed it ever was so now it shall be Evidently discerned to be no Real or Substantial and solid thing but a meer image or shadow or vain shew which can neither abide with them nor yield satisfaction to them See Psal. 39. 6. Act. 25. 23. where what is rendred Pomp in the Greek signifies a meer Fancy or Imagination 1 Cor. 7. 31. 21 Thus t So as I have above expressed for this Particle so taken doth not belong to what he had now wisely and piously said in the next foregoing Verses but to what he had unadvisedly spoken in the former Verses as is Evident from the following Verse Or Nevertheless as this Particle is oft used Although I knew very well that the Prosperity of sinners would have a sudden and Dismal end yet I was so foolish as to be grieved at it my heart was grieved and I was pricked in my reins u I was heartily and deeply wounded with disquieting Thoughts and tormenting Passions Envy and Sorrow and Anger 22 * Psal. 92. 6. So foolish was I and †Heb. I knew not ignorant I was as a beast x Heb. Beasts which may signifie a great Beast a most stupid and sottish Creature like one not onely void of Grace but of Reason too For Reason it self especially assisted by the Holy Scriptures did sufficiently discover that all things considered I had no sufficient cause to Envy the Prosperity of wicked Men. I minded onely present things as the Brutes do and did not consider things to come as reasonable Creatures do and ought to do †Heb. with thee before thee y In thy sight or Judgment and therefore in Truth Rom. 2. 2. howsoever I seemed to my self or others to have some degree of Reason and Discreâ—…on 23 Nevertheless z Notwithstanding all my Temptations and my gross folly in yielding to them I am continually with thee a Either 1. In a way of Duty Yet I did not depart from thee nor from thy ways but did at last Conquer them and firmly cleave unto thee by Faith Or rather 2. In a way of Mercy and Favour of which he speaks in the next Clause of this and in the following Verse Although I gave thee just cause to cast thee off yet thou didst continue thy gracious Presence with me and thy Care and Kindness to me And this Phrase with thee seems to have some Emphasis in it as being opposed to the other with thee v. 22. I was a Beast with thee such was my folly and Wickedness and yet I was in Favour with thee such was thy goodness thou didst pardon and Cure it * Or wâ—… thou hast holden me by my right hand b That my Faith might not fail and I might not be overthrown by this or any other Temptations 24 Thou shalt guide me c As thou hast kept me hitherto in all my Tryals so I am assured thou wilt'st lead me still into right Paths and keep me from wandring or straying from thee or falling into Mischief with thy counsel d Partly by thy gracious Providence executing thy purpose of Mercy to me and watching over me Partly by thy word which thou wilst open mine Eyes to understand as Psal. 119. 18. and Principally by thy Holy Spirit sanctifying and directing me in the whole Course of
Judgments in the execution of which thou mayst live and be happy for ever This God did presently after he brought them from Meribah even at Sinai O Israel if thou wilt hearken unto me 9 There shall no strange God be in thee neither shalt thou worship any strange God u Thou shalt renounce all false Gods and worships and worship me onely 10 I am the LORD thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt open thy mouth wide x Either 1. To pray for mercies Ask freely and abundantly and boldly as this Phrase oft signifies whatsoever you need or in reason can desire Or 2. To receive the mercies which I am ready to give you and I will fill it y I will give or grant them all upon condition of your obedience 11 But my people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me z Or did not assent to me or acquiesce in me or obey me or my commands 12 * Act. 7. 42. and 14. 16. So I gave them up ‖ Or to the hardness of their hearts or imaginations unto their own hearts lust a Upon their obstinate and oft-repeated Rebellions and Rejections of my Grace and Mercy offered to them I withdrew all the restraints of my providence and my Holy Spirit and Grace from them and wholly left them to follow their own vain and foolish imaginations and wicked lusts and they walked in their own counsels b They practised those things both in common conversation and in religious Worship which were most agreeable not to my commands or counsels but to their own fancies and inclinations as appeared in the Golden Calf and many other things 13 * Deut. 32. 29. Isa. 48. 18. O that my people had hearkened unto me and Israel had walked in my ways 14 I would soon have subdued their Enemies c Those Remainders of the Canaanites whom now for their unbelief and apostacy I have left in the Land to be snares and plagues to them and turned my hand against their adversaries 15 The haters of the LORD d All the haters and enemies of God's people as the neighbouring Nations were whom he calls haters of God partly because they hated the Israelites for God's sake and for the singularity of their Religious Worship as the Heathen oft declared and partly to shew the strict League and Union which was betwixt God and them by virtue whereof God had declared all their Friends and Enemies to be his own which was a great aggravation of their wickedness should ‖ Or yielded seigned obedience †Heb. lied have submitted themselves unto him e Should have professed and owned their subjection to them For the Phrase see on Psal. 18. 44. but their time f i. e. Israel's time the Relative belonging to the remoter Antecedent as it is in many other places of Scripture whereof I have formerly given Instances By their time he means either 1. Their happy time as life is oft put for an happy life or state as Psal. 34. 12. and 49. 18. Deut. 4. 1. and 5. 33 c. Or 2. The duration of their Common-wealth should have endured for ever g i. e. Lasted for a very long time whereas now their latter and dolesul end is hastening towards them 6 He should have fed them also †Heb. with the fat of wheat with the finest of the wheat and with honey h Either 1. Metaphorically with all pleasant and precious fruits and with all delights as all necessaries may be expressed under the name of wheat Or rather 2. Properly this Land of Canaan being commended for its excellent and plentiful honey and the Bees there did oft-times harbour and make their honey in the holes of Rocks and such like places from which it flowed down upon the ground See Deut. 32. 13. 1 Sam. 14. 25 26. out of the rock should I have satisfied thee PSAL. LXXXII The ARGUMENT This Psalm contains an Admonition either 1. To the chief Rulers of Israel whether Iudges or Kings or their great Council called the Sanhedrim Or rather 2. To all the Rulers of the several Nations of the World to whom this word might come as may be gathered partly from the expressions here used which are general and not peculiar to the Governors of Israel and therefore not rashly and unnecessarily to be restrained and partly from the last Verse where he mentions the whole earth and all nations as concerned in the Contents of this Psalm A Psalm ‖ Or for Asaph of Asaph 1 GOd standeth a As a Judge diligently to observe all that is said or one there and to give sentence accordingly The Judge sits when he heareth Causes but standeth up when he giveth sentence Or standing doth not note the posture but onely the being or presence of a person as Isa. 11. 10. Dan. 11. 10. Ioh. 3. 29. Whence this Hebrew Word is by some Learned Interpreters rendred is present and by others presideth as this word is used 1 Sam. 19. 20. and 22. 9. in the congregation of †Heb. God Psal. 89. 7. and 95. 3. the mighty b Or of the gods as it is explained and expressed in the next Clause the singular number being here as it is frequently elsewhere put for the plural By Gods or the mighty he understands Kings or other chief Rulers who are so called because they have their power and commission from God and act as his Deputies in his name and stead and must give an account to him of all their Actions And by their congregation he understands not a convention or assembly of such persons which seldom meet together but either 1. All Congregations or Assemblies of People in which Magistrates sit to execute Justice Or 2. All persons whatsoever of this high and sacred Order or Number for the Hebrew Word here rendred congregation doth not always signifie an Assembly of persons met together in one place but sometimes notes all the particular persons of or belonging to such a sort and body of men though dispersed in divers places as Psal. 26. 5. I have hated the congregtion of evil doers i. e. all evil doers Prov. 21. 16. he shall remain in the congregation of the dead i. e. shall be one of that number and state See also Ios. 22. 20. Psal. 74. 19. Some render it as it is in the Hebrew in the congregation of God in his own Congregation the Noun being put for the Pronoun as is usual in the Hebrew Text i. e. in the Conventions or Tribunals of Princes or Rulers which he rightly calls his because their authority is wholly derived from him But the former Exposition seems more agreeable both to the following words and to the scope and whole Body of the Psalm he judgeth c Accurately observeth all their carriages and passeth sentence upon them accordingly among the gods d i. e. Judges and
die while * Job 6. 4. I suffer thy terrors b Upon my mind and conscience which do accompany and aggravate my outward miseries I am distracted 16 Thy fierce wrath goeth over me thy terrors have ‖ almost cut cut me off 17 They came round about me ‖ Or all the day daily like water c As the Waters of the Sea encompass him which is in the midst and bottom of it they compassed me about together 18 Lover and friend hast thou put far from me d Of which see the note on v. 8. and mine acquaintance into darkness PSAL. LXXXIX ‖ Or a psalm for Ethan the Ezrahite to give instruction Maschil of * 1 Chron. 2. 6. Ethan the Ezrahite a Either first He who is mentioned 1 Kings 4. 31. And then the Psalm is prophetical of things to come which yet after the manner of the Prophets he represents as present And this Prophetical Psalm might be left upon record as a cordial for Davids Family in their future distresses which Ethan by the spirit of Prophecy foresaw Or secondly some other person of the same name and inspired by the same spirit who had lived in the times of which the Psalmist here speaketh This Psalm manifestly treats of the declining and calamitous time and state of the House and Kingdom of David either first in Rehoboams Reign as a late judicious Interpreter conceives To which those expressions v. 40 41 42. do not agree or rather secondly in or about the time of the Babylonish Captivity 1 I Will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever b Intending to discourse of the doleful estate of Davids Family and of the Kingdom he prefaceth this partly lest the following complaints of present miseries should argue ingratitude for former mercies and partly to move God to pity from the remembrance of his former mercies with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness c Whatsoever hath befallen or shall befal Davids House or any other it proceedeth not from thy unfaithfulness but from some other causes †Heb. to generation and generation to all generations 2 For I have said d Within my self I have been assured in my own mind Mercy shall be built up for ever e As thou hast laid a sure foundation of mercy to Davids Family by that everlasting Covenant which thou hast made and established with it so I concluded That thou wouldst carry on the same project of mercy towards it that thou wouldest build it up and not destroy it * Psal. 119. 8â—… thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens f So the sence may be this Thou sittest in the Heavens and there thou didst make this everlasting and unchangeable Decree and Covenant concerning David and his House and from thence thou beholdest and orderest all the affairs of his lower World and therefore I doubt not thou wilt so order these matters as to accomplish thine own counsel and word But the Hebrew words are by some others and may very well be translated thus with as the Hebrew prefix Beth is oft rendred the very heavens i. e. as firmly and durably as the Heavens themselves as with the sun in the Hebrew Text Psal. 72. 5. is by most Interpreters rendred as long as the sun endureth as our translation hath it And so this phrase in this last branch of this Verse answers to for ever in the former as it is also in the foregoing Verse and so in v. 4. in both which Verses for ever in the first clause is explained thus in the latter to all generations 3 I have made a covenant with my chosen g With David whom I have chosen to the Kingdom I have * 2 Sam. 7. 11 c. sworn unto David my servant 4 Thy seed will I establish for ever and build up thy throne †Heb. to generation and generation to all generations h I will perpetuate the Kingdom to thy Posterity which was promised upon condition and was literally and fully accomplished in Christ who was of the seed of David Selah 5 And * Psal. 19. 1. the heavens i i. e. The Inhabitants of Heaven the Holy Angels as Iob 15. 15. who clearly discern and constantly adore thy mercy and faithfulness when men upon earth are filled with doubts and perplexities about it shall praise thy wonders O LORD thy faithfulness also k Understand shall be praised out of the foregoing clause which supplements are most usual in Scripture as hath been already shewed by divers instances in the congregation of the saints l Either first of thy Saints upon Earth in their publick Assemblies who always acknowledge and celebrate thy truth although they cannot always discern the footsteps of it Or rather secondly of the Angels of Heaven of whom he speaks in the foregoing clause who are oft called Saints or holy ones as Deut. 33. 2. Iob 15. 15. Dan. 4. 13 17. 8. 13. 6 For * Psal. 86. 8. who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD who among the sons †Heb. of God So Gr. Psal. 29. 2. of the mighty m Either first among the Potentates of the Earth or rather secondly among the highest Angels who well may and needs must admire and adore thee because thou art incomparably and infinitely more excellent than they can be likened unto the LORD 7 God is greatly to be feared n With a fear of reverence for dread and terrour have no place in those blessed Mansions and holy Spirits in the assembly of the saints o To the whole Society of Angels called Saints as v. 5. and ‖ Or terrible above all that are about him So Gr. to be had in reverence of all them that are about him p The Angels which are always in his presence and encompass his Throne 8. O LORD God of hosts †Heb. who is strong like unto thee O LORD Psal. 130. 5. Ezr. 9. 6. who is a strong LORD like unto thee q Who is equal to thee in Power or as it follows in faithfulness or to thy faithfulness round about thee r Heb. and thy faithfulness is round about thee like a girdle adorning and encompassing thee It appeareth in all thy paths and actions in thy words and works 9 * Psal. 65. 7. Thou rulest the raging of the sea s Giving commands and setting bounds to its waves when they are most impetuous and unruly when the waves thereof arise thou stillest them 10 * Exod. 14. 26. Thou hast broken ‖ Or Egypt Rahab t Egypt as Psal. 87. 4. in pieces as one that is slain u Thou didst wound them not slightly but unto death See Exod. 14. 15. thou hast scattered thine enemies †Heb. with the arm of thy strength with thy strong arm 11 * Gen. 1. 1. Psal. 24. 1.
strongest and most vigorous old Age. Or their excellency or pride that old age which is their glory and in which men do commonly glory labour and sorrow f Filled with troubles and griefs from the infirmities of age the approach of Death and the contingences of humane life for it g Either our age or our strength is soon cut off h It doth not now decline by many degrees and slow steps as it doth in our young and flourishing age but decayeth apace and suddenly fleeth away and we flee away i We do not now go to Death as we do from our very Birth nor run but flee swiftly away like a Bird as this word signifies 11 Who knoweth k Few or none sufficiently apprehend it or stedfastly believe it or duly consider it or are rightly affected with it For all these things are comprehended under this word knoweth the power of thine anger l The greatness and force and dreadful effects of thine anger conceived against the Sons of men and in particular against thine own people for their miscarriages even according to thy fear m i. e. According to the fear of thee as my fear is put for the fear of me Mal. 1. 6. and his knowledge for the knowledge of him Isa. 53. 11. According to that fear or dread which sinful men have of a just and holy God These fears of the Deity are not vain Bugbears and the effects of ignorance and folly or Superstition as Heathens and Atheists have sometimes said but are just and built upon solid grounds and justified by the terrible effects of thy wrath upon mankind so is thy wrath n It bears full proportion to it nay indeed doth far exceed it It cannot be said of Gods wrath which is said of Death that the fear of it is worse than the thing it self But this Verse is by many both antient and later Interpreters rendred otherwise and that very agreeably to the Hebrew Text who knoweth the power of thine anger and thy wrath according to thy fear i. e. either 1. according to the fear of thee or so as thou art to be feared or answerably to thy terrible displeasure against sin and sinners Or 2. so as to fear and dread thee in such manner and measure as sinful Creatures ought to fear the infinite and offended Majesty of God their Creator and Judge and Soveraign and thereby to be moved to humble himself before thee and fervently to seek thy face and favour which is the onely true wisdom for which he prayeth in the next Verse 12 * Psal. 39. 4. So teach us o By thy spirit and grace as thou hast already taught us by thy word Or Teach us rightly as this word is used Numb 27. 7. and 2 Kings 7. 9. to number c. as it follows to number our days p To consider the shortness and miseries of this life and the certainty and speediness of Death and the causes and consequences thereof that we may †Heb. cause to come apply our hearts unto wisdom q That we may heartily devote our selves to the study and practice of true wisdom which is nothing else but piety or the fear of God And why so Not that the Israelites might thereby procure a revocation of that peremptory sentence of death passed upon all that Generation nor that other men might hereby prevent their death both which he very well knew to be impossible but that men might arm and prepare themselves for death and for their great account after death and might make sure of the happiness of the future life Of which this Text is a plain and pregnant proof 13 Return O LORD r To us in mercy for thou seemest to have forsaken us and cast us off how long s Understand wilt thou be angry or will it be ere thou return to us and let it repent thee concerning thy servants t i. e. Of thy severe proceedings against us and change thy course and carriage to us 14 O satisfie us early u Speedily or seasonably before we be utterly consumed with thy mercy that we may rejoyce and be glad all our days 15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us and the years wherein we have seen evil x Our afflictions have been sharp and long let not our prosperity be small and short 16 Let thy work appear unto thy servants and thy glory unto their children y Let that great and glorious work of giving thy people a compleat deliverance which thou hast long since designed and promised be at last accomplished and manifested unto us and in the sight of the World 17 And let the beauty of the LORD z i. e. His favourable countenance and gracious influence and glorious presence our God be upon us and establish thou the work of our hands upon us a Or in us Do not onely work for us but in us And because the glorious work of thy hands is hindered by the evil works of our hands be thou pleased by thy holy spirit to direct or establish for this Hebrew word signifies both the works of our hands that we may cease to do evil and learn to do well and turn and constantly cleave unto thee and not revolt and draw back from thee as we have frequently done to our own undoing yea the work of our hands establish thou it PSAL. XCI The Penman of this Psalm is uncertain The occasion of it seems to have been that great Pestilence recorded 2 Sam. 24. 1 HE that * Psal. 27. 4 5 31. 20. dwelleth in the secret place a Or hiding place He that makes God his habitation and refuge as he is called below v. 9. resorting to him and relying upon him in his dangers and difficulties of the most High shall †Heb. lodge abide under the shadow of the Almighty b He shall not be disappointed of his hope but shall find a quiet and safe repose under the Divine protection A shadow in Scripture phrase commonly signifies protection See Gen. 19. 8. Iudg. 9. 15. Psal. 17. 8. c. 2 I will say of the LORD He is my refuge c Upon that ground I will confidently commit my self and all my affairs to God and my fortress my God in him will I trust 3 Surely * Psal. 124. â—… he shall deliver thee d O thou believing pious Soul who after my example shale make God thy refuge thou shalt partake of the same priviledge which I enjoy from the snare of the fowler and from the noisom Pestilence e From the Pestilence which like a Fowlers snare taketh men suddenly and unexpectedly and holdeth them fast and commonly delivers them up to Death 4 * Psal. 57. 1. He shall cover thee with his feathers and under his wings shalt thou trust his truth f Whereby he is obliged to
LORD for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever PSAL. CXIX The Author of this Psalm was David which I know none that deny and of which there is no just reason to doubt The scope and design of it is manifest to commend the serious and diligent study and the stedfast belief and the constant practice of Gods Word as incomparably the best counsellor and comforter in the world and as the onely way to true blessedness And this he confirmeth by his own example which he proposeth to them for their imitation and he declareth the great and frequent experience which he had of its admirable sweetness and manifold benefits in all conditions and especially in the times of his distresses And because it was an hard thing rightly to understand this Word in all its parts and harder to put it in practice he therefore intermixeth many prayers to God for his help therein thereby directing and encouraging others to take the same course And because this Psalm was very large and the matter of it of greatest importance the Psalmist thought fit to divide it into two and twenty several parts according to the number of the Hebrew Letters that so he might both prevent tediousness and fix it in the memory It is further observable that the Word of God is here diversly called by the names of Law Statutes Precepts or Commandments Iudgments Ordinances Righteousness Testimonies Way and Word By which variety he designed to express the nature and the great perfection and manifold parts and uses of Gods Word Which is called his Word as proceeding from his mouth and revealed by him to us his way as prescribed by him for us to walk in his Law as binding us to obedience his Statutes as declaring his Authority and Power of giving us Laws his Precepts as declaring and directing our duty his Ordinances as ordained and appointed by him his Righteousness as exactly agreeable to Gods righteous Nature and Will his Iudgments as proceeding from the great Judge of the World and being his Judicial Sentence to which all men must submit and his Testimonies as it contains the witnesses of Gods mind and will and of mans duty And there are very few of these 176 verses contained in this Psalm in which one or other of these Titles is not found ALEPH. 1 BLessed are the ‖ Or perfect or sincere undefiled a Or the perfect or sincere as this word properly and most frequently signifies such whose hearts and course of life agrees with their profession in the way b Either 1. in their way or course of life which in Scripture is oft called a mans way or 2. in the way of the Lord as it seems to be explained by the next clause who walk in the law of the LORD c Who order their lives according to the rule of Gods Law or Word 2 Blessed are they that keep d In mind and heart that carefully and diligently observe his testimonies e His precepts For the reason of this and the other Titles of Gods Word see the Argument or Preface to this Psalm and that †Heb. they will seek him So Gr. seek him f To wit the Lord expressed v. 1. that seek his presence and favour and acquaintance with the whole heart g Sincerely industriously and servently above all other things This is opposed to hypocrifie and sloth and lukewarmness in Religion 3 They also do no iniquity r Or are not workers of iniquity i. e. do not knowingly and resolvedly and industriously and customarily continue in sinful courses So this phrase is understood Ioh 31. 3. 34. 8. Psal. 5. 5. 6. 8. 125. 5. Prov. 10. 29. Luke 13. 27. otherwise there is not a just man upon earth that sinneth not Eccles. 7. 20. they walk s This is their constant practice and the general course of their lives which is commonly signified by walking as Psal. 1. 1. and every where in his ways t In the paths which God hath prescribed to them 4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently u Not is it strange that thy people do so exactly and diligently observe and practise thy precepts because they are commanded so to do by thee their Soveraign Lord. 5 O that x My desires answer thy commands my ways were directed y Or established to wit by thy Grace and holy Spirit for the direction of Gods word he had already to keep thy statutes 6 Then shall I not be * Ver. 80. ashamed z Either of my actions or of my profession of Religion or of my hope and confidence in thy favour When sinners shall be ashamed both here Rom. 6. 21. and hereafter Dan. 12. 2. I having the conscience of mine own integrity shall lift up my head with courage and boldness both before men when they either accuse or persecute me and before God in the day of judgment as it is said 1 Ioh. 4. 17. when I have respect a A due and true respect which implies high valuation hearty affection diligent study and common practice unto all thy commandments b So as not to be partial in my obedience not to allow my self in the practice of any known fin or in the neglect of any known duty 7 I will * Ver. 171. praise thee c i. e. Worship thee one eminent duty of Gods worship being put for all as is frequent in Scripture with uprightness of heart d Or with a right mind or heart in a right manner so as may be acceptable to thee and beneficial to my self when I shall have learned †Heb. judgments of thy righteousness thy righteous judgments e When by thy good Spirit I shall be more fully instructed in the meaning of thy Word which is the onely rule of thy Worship for want of a sound knowledge whereof many persons run into superstitious or erroneous practices 8 I will keep thy statutes f It is my full purpose to do so whatsoever it cost me O forsake me not utterly g Not totally and finally for then I shall fall into the foulest sins and greatest mischief Not that he was contented to be forsaken in the least degree but this he more especially deprecates as he had great reason to do BETH 9 Wherewithal shall a young man h Or any man But he names the young man because such are commonly void of wisdom and experience heady and wilful and impatient of admonition full of violent passions and strong lusts and exposed to many and great temptations cleanse his way i Reform his life or purge himself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit by taking heed thereto according to thy word k By a diligent and circumspect watch over himself and the examination and regulation of all his actions by the rules of thy Word 10 With my whole heart have I
sought thee l Deny me not thy grace and assistance which I have so sincerely and earnestly desired and laboured to obtain O let me not wander m Heb. do not make me to wander to wit by leading me into temptation by withdrawing thy grace which is necessary to keep me from wandring from thy commandments 11 * Psal. 37. 3â—… Thy word have I hid in mine heart n I have not contented my self with bare hearing or reading thy Word but have received it in the love of it have diligently pondered it and laid it up in my mind and memory like a choice treasure to be ready upon all occasions to counsel or comfort or quicken or caution me as need requires that I might not sin against thee o That by a diligent and affectionate consideration of thy precepts and promises and threatnings I might be kept from sinful courses against which these are the best Antidoâ—…e 12 Blessed art thou p Thou art infinitely blessed and most worthy of all blessing and praise and therefore do thou bless me in teaching me as it follows Or Blessed be thou I bless and praise thee for that great blessing of thy Word v. 11. O LORD * Ver. 26 33 64 68 108 124 135. teach me thy statutes q Both to know and to practise them better 13 With my lips have I declared r If thou wilt teach me I will teach others as I have already done and so thou shalt have glory and others benefit by it all the judgments of thy mouth 14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies s In the study and practice of them as much as * Ver. 72. and 162. in all riches 15 I will * Ver. 23 meditate in thy precepts t I will diligently and seriously consider the nature and design and extent of thy precepts and especially so far as they concern my own duty and have respect unto u Or look unto them as workmen constantly and carefully look to their rule to guide themselves by it thy ways 16 I will delight my self in thy statutes I will not forget thy word GIMEL 17 Deal bountifully y I plead no merit but onely thy free grace and rich mercy with thy servant that I may live z Safely and comfortably in spight of all the attempts of mine enemies to take away my life and keep thy word a I do not desire life that I may satisfie my own lusts but that I may spend it in thy service 18 †〈◊〉 â—…ncover Open thou mine eyes b Inlighten my mind by the light of thy holy Spirit and dispel all ignorance and errour that I may behold * 〈◊〉 129. wondrous things out of thy law c Those great and marvellous depths of Divine wisdom and goodness and those profound Mysteries of Christ and of Gods grace to mankind and of that future and everlasting state which are contained in Gods Law and which were not to be known but by Divine illumination Mat. 16. 17. 1 Cor. 2. 11 14. 2 Cor. 3. 14. 4. 4 6. Eph. 1. 17. especially in the times of the Old Testament 19 * Gen. 47. 9. Chro. 29. 15. 〈◊〉 39. 12. Cor. 5. 6. 〈◊〉 11. 13. I am a stranger d Or sojourner I am not here as in my home but as a pilgrim travelling homeward in a strange land which calls for thy pity and help That Law of Nature which thou hast planted in all mens minds teacheth them to shew humanity to strangers and to direct travellers Much more may this be expected from thee in the earth hide not thy commandments e Which are my chief support and guide in my pilgrimage from me 20 * Ver. 40 〈◊〉 My soul breaketh f Fainteth as it frequently doth when a thing vehemently desired is denied or delayed Compare Prov. 13. 12. for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments g To a more sound knowledge and serious practice of them at all times 21 Thou hast rebuked h Or dost rebuke i. e. severely punish and destroy And therefore I justly long for thy judgments as for the love which I have to them so for fear of those terrible judgments which thou sendest upon the despisers of them the proud i Obstinate and presumptuous sinners who sin with an high hand and with contempt of God and of his Laws and of his Judgments all which is the effect of pride that are ‖ Or 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 that do err 〈◊〉 cursed k That have the curse of God upon them and upon all which they have or do which is the depth of misery which do erre l Or wander knowingly and wilfully and maliciously as proud sinners use to do from thy commandments 22 Remove from me reproach m Which I suffer unjustly and for thy sake as he elsewhere complains and contempt for I have kept thy testimonies n And therefore I am innocent from those crimes for which they censure and reproach me Or And therefore thou wilt maintain mine honour and interest according to thy promise made to such as keep thy testimonies and I beg with some confidence that thou wilt do it 23 Princes also did sit and speak o Did speak against me continually for sitting notes continuance and when they sate upon their seats of Judicature and when they sate together in companies entertaining one another with discourses against me but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes p All their contumelies and reproaches did not discourage nor divert me from the study belief and practice of thy Word 24 Thy testimonies also are my delight q My chief comfort under all their censures and persecutions and †Heb. men of 〈◊〉 counsel my counsellors r To teach me how to carry my self under them DALETH 25 My soul cleaveth unto the dust s I am in evident danger of present death through the rage and power of mine enemies I am like one laid in the grave without all hopes of recovery So this phrase is used Psal. 22. 15. * Psal. 71. 20. quicken thou me t Preserve my life or revive me and raise me out of the dust by thy Almighty power according to thy word u According to thy promise 26 I have declared my ways x My sins in way of confession and all my cares and fears and troubles and concerns in way of humble petition to thee as appears from Gods answer and thou heardest me * Psal. 25. 4. 〈◊〉 27. 11. 16. 11. teach me thy statutes 27 Make me to understand y More thorowly and more practically Either 1. the full mind and meaning of thy precepts which are exceeding broad as he saith afterwards or 2. the way wherein I may walk according to thy precepts the way of thy precepts z How to
enemy hath persecuted my soul e i. e. My life for nothing less will satisfie him he hath smitten my life down to the ground f He hath beaten me down to the ground where I lie strugling for life he hath made me to dwell in darkness g He hath forced me to have mine abode in dark vaults and caves as those that have been long dead h Where I am out of sight and memory and in as â—…orlorn and hopeless a condition in the eye of man as those that have â—…ain long rotting in the grave 4 Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me i See on Psal. 61. 2. 14â—… 3. my heart within me is desolate k Deprived of all hope and comfort Or is astonished 5 I * Psal. 77. 5. 11. remember the days of old l i. e. What thou hast done for thy servants in former times Which he mentions either 1. as matter of terror to consider how unlike God now was to himself and to his former dealings or 2. as matter of support from former experience because God was still the same Either way it drive him to his prayers which here follow I meditate on all thy works I muse on the works of thy hands 6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee m I pray to thee â—…ervently See on Psal. 141. 2. * Psal. 63. 1. my soul thirsteth after thee n After thy favour and help as a thirsty land o To wit thirsâ—…eth for rain Selah 7 Hear me speedily O LORD my spirit faileth hide not thy face from me * Psal. 28. 1. ‖ Or for I am become like c. lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit p That are dead and buried of whom there is no hope 8 Cause me to hear thy loving kindness in the morning q i. e. Early as this phrase is taken Psal. 90. 14. and elsewhere seasonably and speedily for in thee do I trust cause me to know the way wherein I should walk r So as to please thee and to secure my self for * Psal. 25. 1. I lift up my soul unto thee 9 Deliver me O LORD from mine enemies I †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with thee flee unto thee to hide me s Without whose care these caves and rocks can give me no protection 10 * Psal. 25. 4 5. 139. 24. Teach me to do thy will t To continue in faithful obedience to thee notwithstanding all tempâ—…ations to the contrary for thou art my God thy spirit is good lead me u Or rather as it is exactly in the Hebrew and as many both ancient and modern Translators render it Let thy good Spirit lead me Leave me not to my own blind and vain mind or corrupt affections neither give me up to the evil Spirit as thou didst Saul â—…ut conduct me in all my ways by thy good i. e. gracious and holy Spirit into the land of uprightness x Or in plain or even land or ground in a straight and smooth path that I may not stumble nor fall either into sin or mischief This is opposed to the crooked and rugged ways in which sinners are said to walk See Psal. 125. 5. Prov. 2. 15. Isa. 40. 4. 11 Quicken me O LORD for thy Names sake for thy righteousness sake bring my soul out of trouble 12 And of thy mercy y Out of thy mercy to me whose life they seek cut off mine enemies and destroy all them that afflict my soul for * Psal. 16. 16. I am thy servant PSAL. CXLIV A Psalm of David The matter of this Psalm is partly gratulatory for mercies received and partly petitionary for further blessings It seems to have been composed after Sauls death and in the beginning of Davids reign when he was exposed to many perils both from his own rebellious Subjects and from the Philistins and other foreign enemies yet so that he had a good prospect and assurance of a more compleat and established felicity 1 BLessed be the LORD †Heb. â—…y rock my strength * â—… Sam. 22. â—…5 which teacheth my hands †Heb. to the war c. to war and my fingers to fight a Who hast given me that skill in military conduct and that dexterity in the management of my weapons which was wholly unsuitable to and much above my education and former course of life 2 * 2 Sam. 22. 2 3 40. 48. ‖ Or my mercy My goodness b Or my mercy or the God of my mercy as God is called Psal. 59. 10 17. the Name of God being eaâ—…ily understood from the foregoing verse Or he who is exceeding good or merciful to me as good as goodness it selâ—… the abstract being put for the concrete as it is frequently in speeches of God who is called wisdom Truth Goodness c. and sometimes of men as Psal. 12. 2. Prov. 10. 29. where faithfulness and uprightness are put for faithful and upright men and my fortress my high tower and my deliverer my shield and he iâ—… whom I trust who subdueth my people under me c Who hast disposed my peoples hearts to receive and obey me as their King 3 * â—…ob 7. 17. Psal. 8. 4. Heb. 2. 6. LORD what is man d He aggravates Gods goodness to him expressed v. 2. by the consideration of his own meanness Though I am King over my people yet alâ—…s I am but a man a base sinful mortal and miserable creature if compared with thee less than nothing and vanity that thou takest knowledge of him e i. e. Hast any care and kindness for him as words of knowledge commonly imply in Scripture or the son of man that thou makest account of him f The same thing repeated in other words 4 * 〈◊〉 14. 2. 〈◊〉 39. 5. â—… 9. Man is like g In his nature and continuance in the world to vanity h Or to a vapor or a breath as Isa. 57. 13. which is gone in an instant his days are as a shadow that passeth away i Or that declineth as Psal. 102. 11. 109. 23. that groweth less and less till it be quite out of â—…ight and lost 5 * 〈◊〉 18. 9. Bow thy heavens O LORD and come down k To help me before it be too late remembring what a srail and perishing creature I am * 〈◊〉 104. 32. touch the mountains and they shall smoke l Or that they may smoke or and let them smoke as Sinai did at thy glorious appearance Exod. 19. 18. This is a figurative and Poetical description of Gods coming to take vengeance upon his enemies which is continued in the next verse 6 * 〈◊〉 18. 13 〈◊〉 Cast forth lightning and scatter them shoot out thine arrows m Thy thunderbolts which oft accompany the lightnings and thunder and destroy
Solomon but whether before his Fall or after his Repentance is not easie to determine nor necessary to be known 2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth c The beginning of this Book is abrupt and may seem disorderly but is very sutable to and usual in Writings of this nature wherein things are not related in an historical and exquisite order but that which was first done is brought in as it were accidentally after many other passages as we see in Homer and Virgil and in the Greek and Latine Comedians These are the words of the Spouse as all acknowledg wherein the breatheth forth her passionate Love to the Bridegroom whom she doth not name but only intimate by the Pronoun Relative him which is here put without and for the antecedent as Psal. 87. 1. 114. 2. Iohn 20. 15. Which manner of Expression she useth because it was needless to name him as being so well known to the person or persons to whom she speaks and being the only person who was continually in her thoughts and speeches By kisses which were the usual tokens of Love and good-will she means nothing else but the communications and manifestations of his Love and favour to her as the following clause explains this his Graces and comforts breathed into her from the mouth and Spirit of Christ. * Ch. 4. 10. for †Heb. thy â—…oves thy love d This sudden change of the person is frequent especially in such pathetical discourses First she speaks of him as absent and at a distance but speedily grows into more acquaintance with him and by ardent desire and faith embraceth him as present is better than wine e Than the most delicious meats or drinks or than all sensual delights this one kind being Synecdochically put for all the rest as it is Esth. 5. 6. Iob 1. 13. Prov. 9. 2. Eccl. 2. 3. 3 Because of the favour of thy good ointments f Because of those excellent Gifts and Graces of Gods Spirit wherewith thou art replenished and which flow from thee upon thy Members thy name g Either 1. Thou thy self Names being oft put for Persons as Act. 1. 15. Rev. 3. 4. Or rather 2. Thy same or report the very mention of thee and all those things by which thou makest thy self known to men thy Word and particularly thine offers and promises of Pardon and Salvation made to sinners and all thy works both ordinary and miraculous especially that great work of Redemption is as ointment poured forth h Most lovely and acceptable and refreshing therefore do the virgins i Called the companions of the Bride Psal. 45. 14. particular believers who are called Virgins 2 Cor. 11. 2. Rev. 14. 4. who have their senses exercised to perceive this sweetness and fulness of Christ. love thee 4 * Joh. 6. 44. Draw me k By thy Grace and holy Spirit effectually enclining my Heart to come unto thee as this Phrase implies Ier. 31. 3. Hos. 11. 4. Ioh. 6. 44 45. As thou hast outwardly called and invited me so do thou inwardly move me who am naturally averse and backward to follow thee we l Both I thy Spouse and the Virgins my Companions And this change of numbers teacheth us that the Spouse in this Book is one great Body consisting of many Members of whom therefore he speaks somtimes in the singular and sometimes in the plural number will run after thee m Will follow thee readily and chearfully and swiftly which is opposed to her former sluggishness and listlesness We will not receive thy Grace in vain but will improve it and cooperate with it and stir up all our strength to serve and obey thee the king n Christ my Husband and Lord the King of his Church as he is oft called the King of Kings c. * Ps. 45. 14 15. hath brought me o Heb. hath caused me to come by drawing me as I desired He hath answered my Prayer into his chambers p Where I may most freely and familiarly converse with him and enjoy him He hath taken me into intimate communion with himself These Chambers seem to note either 1. Those heavenly Mansions into which Believers are sometimes said to be brought even in this Life as Eph. 2. 6. because they have a lively Faith and well grounded Hope and Assurance and some comfortable foretasts of that blessed State Or rather 2. Those places and conditions upon Earth in which they enjoy the special favor and fellowship of God in Christ as the publick Assemblies in which Christ is in a peculiar manner present Mat. 18. 20. where his Word and Ordinances are dispensed and where he poureth forth his Spirit and Blessings and speaks great Peace and gives forth his Loves unto his People Yea even the private Closets wherein Believers enjoy much of Christ by Prayer and Praise and Reading and Meditation are such Chambers also For it is not the Place but the State or Priviledge which is here signified and which is considerable we will be glad and rejoice in thee q Or For thee in or for thy Love and Favour to us which is the principal cause of our Joy we will remember r Or commemorate or celebrate This shall be the matter of our Thoughts and Discourses thy love more than wine ‖ Or they love thee uprightly the upright s Those chaste and sincere Virgins mentioned v. 3. who are here opposed to hypocritical Professours love thee 5 I am black t It might be objected who art thou that thou shouldst have or pretend to such a Royal Bridegroom and such Honours and Favours To this the Church answers I confess as to my self and outward appearance in the Eyes of the World I have not that Pomp and Beauty which Men admire but am black contemptible and deformed both for my own Infirmities and Disorders and for the scandals of some of my own Members and for the Reproaches and Persecutions of worldly men She alludes to the complexion of Pharaoh's Daughter who was black but comely u Yet I am glorious withiâ—… Psal. 45. 13. and comely through the Beauty which my Husband hath put upon me by his Graces and Blessings conferred upon me such as Justification and Sanctification c. O ye daughters of Jerusalem x By which she understands particular Believers whose Mother Jerusalem is called Gal. 4. 26. who had joined themselves to her especially young Converts and weak Christians who were startled and oâ—…ended at the contemplation of her blackness as the tents of Kedar y i. e. Of the wild Arabians the Posterity of Kedar Gen. 25. 13. who dwelt in Tents which were black and uncomely both in themselves and by the injuries of the weather to which they were constantly exposed as the curtains of Solomon z As the Hangings wherewith Solomons House was furnished which none can doubt that
inwardly by his Spirit and said unto me Rise up h Shake off sloth and security and disentangle thy self more fully from all the snares of this World and of thy own Lusts that thou maist be more ready to come to me and more fit for my embraces my love my fair one and come away i Unto me and with me follow me fully serve me more perfectly labour for a nearer Union and more satisfying communion with me 11 For lo the winter k Which made the ways in some sort unpassable and so might seem to hinder or allright thee from coming to me This winter and the following rain may be understood either 1. Of worldly Tribulations which he intimates to be past and gone to wit so far that they shall not destroy nor hurt the Church but on the contrary do her much good both by multiplying her Members and increasing her Graces and promoting her Eternal Happiness Or rather 2. Of spiritual Troubles arising in the Minds and Consciences of sinners from a deep sense of the guilt of sin the Justice and Wrath of God the Sentence and Curse of the Law all which made them afraid to come unto God and desirous if possible to run away from him But saith Christ I have removed this great impediment God is ready to be reconciled and therefore cast off all discouragements and excuses and come unto me is past the rain is over and gone 12 The flowers appear on the earth l This and the following clauses are here alledged as evidences of the Spring time which in the mystical and principal sense seems to signifie the day of Grace or the glad tidings of Salvation proposed to â—…nners in the time of the Law by Types and Shadows and Promises but much more clearly and fully in the Gospel and all the discoveries and communications of Gods Grace to Mankind in holy Ordinances in the Gifts and Graces and Comforâ—…s of the Holy Spirit vouchsafed unto and appearing in Believers as Buds and Blossoms do in the Spring time the time of the singing of birds m When Birds sing most â—…reely and sweetly as they do in the Spring Or as the ancient Translators render it of cutting or cropping not Trees which agrees not with that season but the flowers last mentioned for Nosâ—…gays or other uses is come and the voice of the turtle n Which changeth its place according to the season as is observed Ier 8. 7. and by all other Writers who affirm that it disappears in Winter and appears in the Spring as some others Birds also do but this seems particularly to be mentioned because it doth not only give notice of the Spring but also doth aptly represent the Spirit of God which even the Chaldee Paraphrast understands by this Turtle which appeared in the shape of a Dove and which worketh a Dove-like Meekness and Chastity and Faithfulness in Believers is heard in our land o In Immanuels Land as Canaan is called Isa. 8. 8. in the Church 13 The fig-tree putteth forth her green figs p Which it shooteth forth as soon as it doth Leaves in the Spring-time Mat. 24. 32. and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell q Which though not strong is pleasant and grateful and given by it in the progress of the Spring Arise my love my fair one and come away r These words are here repeated to shew both the Churches infirmity and indisposition which needs so many Calls and Arguments to press so necessary and advantageous a Duty and Christs tender compassion to her weakness and servent desire of converse with her 14 O my dove s So the Church is called partly for her Dove-like Temper and Disposition because she is chaste and mild and harmless c. and partly for her Dove-like Condition because she is weak and exposed to Persecution and given to Mourning as Doves are Isa. 38. 14. 59. 11. Ezek. 7. 16. and subject to many Fears and therefore forced to hide her self in Rocks as it follows that art in the clefts of the rock t Where she hid her self either 1. For fear of her Enemies whom to avoid she puts her self into the Protection of the Almighty Or 2. Out of Modesty and an humble sense of her own Deâ—…rmities and Infirmities which makes her endeavour to hidâ—… her self even from her Beloved as ashamed to appear in his prâ—…ence 〈◊〉 is frequently the case of Gods People especially after 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 And this sense seems to be â—…avoured by the following words in which Christ relieveth her against such discouragâ—…â—…ughts in the secret places of the * Ezek. 38. 20. stairs u In the holes of craggy and broken Rocks which 〈◊〉 â—…airs So the same thing is 〈◊〉 repeated in other words let me see thy countenance x â—…e not afraid nor ashamed to appear before me come boldly into my presence and acquaint thy self with me * Ch. 8. 13. let me hear thy voice y Thy Prayers and Praises for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely z Thy Person and Services are accepted by me and are amiable in my â—…ight 15 Take a The Bridegroom gives this charge to his Bridemen or Friends whose Office it is to attend upon him and to observe in Commands By whom he understands those Magistrates and 〈◊〉 to whom under Christ the custoâ—…y of the Vineyards to wit the Churches principally belong These he commands to take the Foxes i. e. to restrain them from doing this mischief us b Heb. for us i. e. at our instance and for our common good as this spoiling of the Vines was injurious and grievous to them both * Ezek. â—…34 Luk. 13. 3â—… the foxes c The disturbers of the Vineyard or the Church Seducers or â—…alse Teachers who are fitly compared to Foxes here and Ezek. 13. 4. partly to distinguish them from great Tyrants and Persecutors who are compared to wild Boars or other wild Beasts Psal. 80. 13. as to Lions 2 Tim. 4. 17. and partly for their fox-like qualities and actions because they are very crafty and deceitful 2 Cor. 11. 13 14. Eph. 4. 14. and very mischievous also Ezek. 34. 2 3. 2 Tim. 2. 17. Tit. 1 10 11. 2 Pet. 2. 2. He mentions Foxes because these abounded in that Country as is â—…anifest from Iudg. 1â—… 4. Psal. 63. 10. Lam. 5. 18. c. but under 〈◊〉 he comprehends all noxious Creatures upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the little foxes d This he adds not as if the great Foxes were excused or exâ—…mpted but for more abundant caution to teach the Church to preâ—… Errours and Heresies in the beginnings of them before they spread and grow strong and incurable that spoil the vines e Which Foxes do maâ—…y â—…ays as those who write of them have observed by gâ—…awing and breaâ—…ng the little Branches and Leaves and the Bark by â—…igging
tower of David t Round and smooth and white long and streight and upright firm and strong and moreover adorned with chains of Gold or Pearl or the like Ornaments All which things as they set forth the beauty of the Neck so they may signifie the various excellencies and uses of Faith By this Tower he understands either 1. The strong hold of Sion of which see 2 Sam. 5. 9. Or rather 2. Some other Tower built by David when he repaired and enlarged and fortified his Royal City 1 Chr. 11. 8. and used by him as an Armory See Neh. 3. 19 25 26 27. built for an armory whereon there hang a thousand bucklers all shields of mighty men u Either 1. Such as are fit and reserved for the use of mighty Men. Or 2. Such as had been used either by themselves or by their Enemies from whom they took them by force and were hung up there as Trophies or Monuments of Victory Which is added to shew that the Church is not only beautiful and glorious but also strong and victorious over all her Enemies and to intimate the great power and exploits of Faith of which read Heb. 11. and which is compared to a shield Eph. 6. 16. A thousand is here put indefinitely for a great number 5 * Ch. 7. 3. Thy two breasts x Another part in which beauty consists Ezek. 16. 7. By which some understand the two Testaments or the two Sacraments but these are rather Christs than the Churches Breasts Others the Churches servent Love to Christ and to all the Saints for the Breasts signifie Love Prov. 5. 19. Cant. 1. 13. Others her fruitfulness both in good Works and in bringing up Children unto Christ like a Nurse with her Breasts But the following similitude seemeth not to respect the use of the Breasts or the Love which is signified or manifested by them but their comeliness And therefore this is generally to be understood of the Churches Beauty in all parts as hath been said are like two young roes that are twins which feed among the lillies y i. e. In the fields where Lilies grew as is evident both from Mat. 6. 28. where they are called the Lillies of the field and from other Scriptures and from the Testimony of other Writers The Lillies being white and swelling and the Roes of a reddish colour and their Bodies being hid from sight by the Lillies their Heads only appearing above them bear some resemblance to the red nipples appearing in the top of the lillie white Breasts But we must remember that this Book is a sacred Pastoral and the Bridegroom is represented as a Shepherd and the Bride as a country Maid and therefore such similitudes are used as are agreeable to Persons of that Quality and such are usual in prophane Writers of this kind as the learned have observed They are compared to Roes for their loveliness of which see Prov. 5. 19. to young ones for their smallness which in breasts is a beauty to Twins for their exact likeness 6 * Ch. 2. 17. Until the day †Heb. breath break and the shadows flee away z These words are uttered by the Bride Ch. 2. v. 17. and here returned by the Bridegroom as an Answer to that Request And this place may be understood either 1. Of the day of the Gospel when all legal shadows shall vanish Or 2. Of the day of Glory or of the general Resurrection when all manner of shadows and Ordinances shall cease Till which time either the Spouse feeds among Lillies as was now said v. 5. or the Bridegroom gets him to the mountains c. as it follows For the words are by most joined with the foregoing and by some with the following clause I will get me to the mountain of myrrhe and to the hill of frankincense a Either 1. To the Temple at Ierusalem which is oft and fitly expressed by the name of a mountain or hill because it was built upon a Mountain and which may be called a Mountain of Myrrhe and frankincense because of the abundance of Myrrhe and Frankincense which was there used and offered in which place the Church was to feed and Christ would continue his presence until the dawning of the Gospel-day Or 2. To my Church upon Earth which was typified by the Mountain of Moriah and the Temple upon it and which in Prophetical Writings is called a Mountain as Isa. 2. 2 3. Mich. 4. 1 2. elsewhere which may well be call'd a Mountain of Myrrhe Frankincense both for the acceptable services which are there offered to God and for the precious Gifts and Graces and Comforts of the Holy Spirit which are of a sweet smelling savour to God and Men and which there and there only are poured sorth Thus Christ directs his Bride to wit particular Believers where they may find and enjoy him namely in his Church and Ordinances 7 * Eph. 5. 27. Thou art all fair b It is needless to mention the several beauties of all thy parts for in one word thou art wholly beautiful and it may be said more truly of thee than it was of Absalom 2 Sam. 14. 25. that from the sole of thy Foot to the crown of thy Head there is no blemish in thee my love there is no spot in thee c Which is not to be understood simply and absolutely as if the People of God were really perfect and free from all sin but either 1. Comparatively no such spot or blemish as is in wicked Men or as is inconsistent with true Grace of which Moses speaks Deut. 32. 5. Or 2. In regard of Gods gracious acceptation in which respect he is said not to behold iniquity in Jacob Num. 23. 21. God doth not look upon them with a severe Eye as they are in themselves but in and through Christ in whom he accepts them as if they were perfect partly because it is their chief design desire and endeavour to be so and partly because Christ hath undertaken to make them so Eph. 5. 25 27. and they shall one day be such 8 Come with me d Unto the Mountains of Myrrhe c. mentioned v. 6. from Lebanon e A known Mountain in the North of Canaan which is somtimes mentioned as a pleasant and glorious place as Cant. 5. 15. Isa. 35. 2. Hos. 14. 6 c. in regard of its goodly Cedars and somtimes as a barren Wilderness as Isa. 29. 17. and seat of Wild-Beasts as 2 Kiâ—… 14. 9. Which latter sense seems more agreeable both to the opposition which is here tacitly made between this Mountain and the mountain of myrrhe and to the quality of the other mountains here joined with Lebanon and to the last clause of the verse my Spouse f This is the first time that Christ gives her this name which he now doth both to encourage and oblige her to go with him with me from Lebanon look
and in stead of well-set hair baldness and in stead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth and burning p By the heat of the Sun to which they are now commonly exposed from which they used formerly to guard themselves with great care in stead of beauty 25 Thy men shall fall by the sword and thy †Heb. might mighty in the war 26 And her gates q The Gates of Zion or Ierusalem which by a Figure very usual in Sacred Scripture and all Authors are said to lament to imply the great Desolation of the Place that there should be no People to go out and come in by the Gates or to meet together in the Gates as they used to do shall lament and mourn and she being ‖ Or emptied †Heb. cleansed desolate shall sit upon the ground r Like a mournful Woman bewailing the loss of her Husband and Children CHAP. IV. AND in that day a Of which he hath hitherto been speaking Chap. 2. 3. and still continueth to speak In that calamitous time seven b Many A certain number for an uncertain women shall take hold c Shall sue to him and even lay hands upon him contrary to their Custom and their natural Modesty of one man d Because few Men shall survive that dreadful Stroke They who before were not contented with their own Husbands are now glad of a Seventh part of an Husband saying We will eat our own bread and wear our own apparel e We will ease thee of that Charge which otherwise would fall upon thee by Gods Law Exod. 21. 10. onely †Heb. let thy name be called upon us let us be called by thy name f Own us for thy Wives ‖ Or take thou away to take away our * Luk. 1. 25. reproach g Virginity was esteemed a Reproach especially among that People because it was a Token of Contempt from Men and of the Curse of God Children the usual Fruit of Marriage being both an Honour to their Parents before Men and a great Blessing of God especially to that People from some of whose Loins the Messâ—…ah was to spring 2 In that day h About and after that time when the Lord shall have washed away as this time is particularly expressed v. 4. the filth of Zion by those dreadful Judgments now described shall the Branch of the LORD i Either 1. the Church and People of Israel oft called Gods vine or vineyard as we saw before and the Branch of Gods planting Isa. 60. 21. or 2. the Messiah who is commonly defined in Scripture by this Title the Branch Isa. 11. 1. Ier. 23. 5. 33. 15. Zech. 3. 8. whose name is expresly said to be the Branch Zech. 6. 12. of whom not onely Christians but even the Hebrew Doctors understand it For after the foregoing Miseries were brought upon the Iews by the Remainders of the Grecian Empire of which Daniel prophecies so exactly and particularly and afterwards by the Roman Empire the Messiah was born and after that utter Destruction brought upon the Jewish City and Temple and Nation by Titus the Kingdom of the Messiah became beautiful and glorious as it here follows be †Heb. beauty and glory beautiful and glorious and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent k The Land which for the Sins of the People was made barren upon their Repentance and return to Christ shall recover its former Fertility Under this one Mercy he seems to understand all temporal Blessings which together with spiritual and eternal God shall confer upon them and withal to intimate the Fruitfulness of the People the earth or land being oft put for its Inhabitants in Knowledge and Grace and all good works and comely †Heb. for the escaping of Israel for them that are escaped l That shall survive all the forementioned Calamities of Israel 3 And it shall come to pass that he that is left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy m i. e. Shall be really holy as is said Chap. 60. 21. To be called is oft put for to be as Gen. 21. 12. Isa. 1. 26. 44. 5. even every one that is written ‖ Or to life So Gr. among the living n So this is a Restriction of the foregoing indefinite Proposition Not all that are left but a great number of them shall be holy even all that are written c. i. e. all the Elect who are frequently described by this Character that they are written in Gods or the Lambs book or in the book of life or of the living Psal. 69. 28. Dan. 12. 1. Phil. 4. 3. Rev. 3. 5. 13. 8. 17 8. c. But this last Clause of the Verse is by some Learned Interpreters rendred thus all that are in Ierusalem i. e. a very great number of them as such general Expressions are frequently used or the generality of them shall be written unto life i. e. shall be such as are elected unto Salvation through Sanctification Which may deserve consideration So he notes the singular Priviledge of this People at this time above the former Ages in which many were called but few were chosen in Jerusalem o Of the People living in or belonging to Ierusalem 4 When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughter of Zion p This shall be accomplished when God hath thorowly cleansed the Iewish Nation from their Sins and shall have purged the blood q The Blood-guiltiness and especially that of killing the Lord of Life their own Messiah of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by * Chap. 32. 15 16. the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning r This is opposed to the former Legal way of Purification which was by Water By the spirit he seems to understand the Holy Spirit of God to which this washing and purging Work is commonly ascribed as 1 Cor. 6. 11. and elsewhere which Spirit did accompany the Preaching of the Gospel and did this Work in part in some of the Iews and will do it more fully in the Body of the Nation And this Spirit may well be called a spirit of judgment because it executes Judgment in the Church and in the Consciences of Men separating the precious from the vile convincing men of Sin and Righteousness and Judgment Ioh. 16. 8 9. manifesting the Secrets of mens Hearts in the Preaching of the Word 1 Cor. 14. 25. accusing and terrifying and punishing some witnessing for and with others and filling them with Peace and Joy in believing hardning some and softning and subduing others to God as this Spirit is particularly promised to do the Iews Zech. 12. 10. And the same Spirit may be fitly called the spirit of burning as he is compared to fire Mat. 3. 11. because he doth burn up and consume the Dross which is in the
And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins d It shall adorn him and be the Glory of his Government as a Girdle was used for Ornament Isa. 3. 24. and as an Ensign of Power Iob 12. 18. and it shall constantly cleave to him in all his Administrations as a girdle cleaveth to a mans loins which is the Prophets Similitude Ier. 13. 11. and faithfulness the girdle of his reins e The same thing in other Words 6 * Chap. 65. 25. Exek 34. 25. Hos. 2. 18. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie down with the kid f The Creatures shall be restored to that State of Innocy in which they were before the Fall of Man But this is not to be understood literally which is a gross and vain Conceit of some Iews but spiritually and metaphorically as is evident And the sence of the Metaphor is this Men of fierce and cruel and ungovernable Dispositions shall be so transformed by the Preaching of the Gospel and by the Grace of Christ that they shall become most humble and gentle and tractable and shall no more vex and persecute those meek and poor ones mentioned v. 4. but shall become such as they of which we have Instances in Saul being made a Paul and in the rugged Jaylour Act. 16. and in innumerable others But how can this be applied to Hezekiah with any colour and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together and a little child shall lead them g They will submit their proud and rebellious Wills to the Conduct and Command of the meanest Persons that speak to them in Christ's Name 7 And the cow and the bear shall feed h Together as it follows without any Danger or Fear their young ones shall lie down together and the lion shall eat straw i The Grass and Fruits of the Earth as they did at first Gen. 1. 29 30. and shall not devour other Living Creatures as now they do like the ox 8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp k A most fierce and poisonous Serpent Deut. 32. 33. Iob 20. 14 16. which also will not be charmed by any Art of Man Psal. 58. 5. and the weaned child shall put his hand on the ‖ Or adders cockatrice l A Serpent of more than ordinary Cunning and Cruelty Prov. 23. 32. The meaning is They shall not fear to be either deceived or destroyed by those who formerly watched all Opportunities to do it den 9 * Job 5. 23. Isa. 35. 9. They shall not hurt nor destroy in my holy mountain m In Zion in my Church Whereever the Gospel comes and prevails it will have this effect * Hab. 2. 14. for the earth n Metonymically put for the Inhabitants of the Earth and as before it was used for the greater part v. 4. so here it is used for the better part of the World shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD o Of saving and practical Knowledge Whereby he intimates That all that Savageness and Malignity which is in wicked men towards true Christians proceeded from their deep Ignorance and particularly from Ignorance of God and withal that a right Knowledge of God will make a marvellous and thorow Change in the Dispositions and Conversations of men as the waters cover the sea p The Channel of the Sea the thing contained being put for the thing containing by a Metonymy common in Scripture and all Authors 10 And in that day there shall be a root q A Branch growing upon the Root of which see on v. 1. of Jesse which shall stand for an ensign r Shall grow up into a great and high Tree shall become a visible and eminent Ensign of the people s Which not onely the Iews but all Nations may discern and to which they may and shall resort to it shall the * Râ—…m 15. 10 12. Gentiles seek t As the Gospel shall be preached to the Gentiles so they shall receive it and believe in the Messiah and his rest u His Resting-place as this Word frequently signifies as Gen. 8. 9. 49. 5. Psal. 132. 8 14. Isa. 34. 14. Miâ—…h 2. 10. his Temple or Church the Place of his Presence and Abode shall be †Heb. glory glorious x Shall be filled with greater Glory than the Jewish Tebernacle and Temple were of which see on Hag. 2. 9. onely this Glory shall be Spiritual consisting in Glorious Ordinances in the plentiful Effusions of the excellent Gifts and Graces and Comforts of the Holy Spirit 11 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time y The first time to which this Word second relates seems to be either 1. the Deliverance out of Egypt as most both Jewish and Christian Interpreters understand it And then this second Deliverance must be that out of Babylon Or 2. the Deliverance out of Babylon And then this second Deliverance must be in the days of the Messiah Which with submission to better Judgments seems to me more probable 1. because that first Deliverance is supposed to be like the second a Deliverance of the Remnant of this People from several Countries into which they were dispersed whereas that out of Egypt was a Deliverance not of a Remnant but of the whole Nation and that out of Egypt onely 2. because this second Deliverance was universal extending to the generality of the Out-casts and Dispersed ones both of Israel or the Ten Tribes and of Iudah or the Two Tribes as is evident from v. 12 13. whereas that out of Babylon reached onely to the Two Tribes and to some few of the Ten Tribes which were mixed with them as is acknowledged both by Ieus and Christians 3. because this second Deliverance was given them in the days of the Messiah and did accompany or follow the Conversion of the Gentiles as is evident from v. 9 10. whereas that out of Babylon was long before the coming of the Messiah and the calling of the Gentiles to recover the remnant of his people which shall be left * Zech. 10. 10 11. from Assyria and from Egypt and from Pathros and from Cush and from Elam and from Shinar and from Hamath and from the islands of the sea z From all Places both far and near into which either the Ten Tribes or the Two Tribes were carried Captives for the Places of both their Captivities are here named Of which it is needless to discourse particularly because they are well known and have been considered in former Texts Onely Pathros was not named before and that was a Province in Egypt which yet is sometimes distinguished from Egypt strictly so called See on Ier. 44. 1 15. Ezek. 29. 14. 30. 14. 12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations
7. 2. and 17. 19. and turn aside x To wit from judgment as this phrase is more fully delivered Isa. 10. 2. or from his Right which is elsewhere called the perverting or overturning or overthrowing of a man's right or judgment as Deut. 27. 19. Prov. 17. 23. Lam. 3. 35. the just y The faithful Prophets and Ministers of God and among others Christ who is oft called the just or righteous one both in the Old and New-Testament for a thing of nought z Not for any great advantage but for a trifle which is a great Aggravation of their injustice Or with vanity i. e. with vain and frivolous Pretences or without any colour of Reason or Justice 22. Therefore thus saith the LORD who redeemed Abraham a From manifold dangers and especially from that Idolatry in which his Family and Ancestors were generally involved Ios. 24. 2 3. concerning the house of Iacob Iacob b The Israelites or posterity of Iacob who are oft called 〈◊〉 in Scripture who had great cause to be ashamed 〈◊〉 â—…heir continued infidelity and for their Persecutions of God's Prophets and righteous Servants and for their Rejection of their own Messiah but shall at last be brought back unto the God of their Fathers and to their Messiah shall not now be ashamed neither shall his face now wax pale c Through fear of their Enemies who from time to time have molested them but now they shall be delivered from them all and shall serve God without fear as is said Luk. 1. 74. 23. But when he seeth his children d When the believing Seed of Iacob shall see those Children whom they have begotten to God by the Preaching of the Gospel even the Gentiles converted by their Ministry the work of mine hands e The children not of the flesh but of the promise Rom. 9. 8. whom I by My almighty Power and Grace have Created or Regenerated of Stones raising up Children to Abraham in the midst of him f Which Gentiles shall be incorporated with the Iews into one and the same Body and Church they shall sanctify my name g They shall not despise and hate the Gentiles and envy them the Grace of God and an interest in their Messiah but shall praise and glorify God with them and for them as the believing Iews did Act. 11. 18. and sanctify the holy one of Iacob and shall fear the God of Israel 24. They also that erred in spirit h Those Gentiles whose Spirits or Minds were ignorant of and erred from God's Truth and who were led aside by a lying Spirit or by the Spirit of errour and delusion to Idolatry and all manner of Impiety †Heb. shall know understanding shall come to understanding i Shall come to the knowledge of the Truth and they that Murmured shall learn doctrine k They that would not receive the doctrine of God but murmured at God's faithful Prophets and Teachers who delivered it which was the practice of divers both Iews and Gentiles shall now learn Doctrine and receive God's Truth in the Love of it CHAP. XXX 1. WO to the rebellious children a The Iews who call themselves God's Children though they are rebellious Ones as was said Isa. 1. 2. saith the LORD * Chap. 29. 15. that take counsel b That Consult together and resolve to do what follows ver 2. but not of me c Not following nor asking My Advice which they had command and encouragement from Me to do and that cover with a covering d That seek protection but not of my spirit e Not such as by My Spirit speaking in My Word I have directed and required them to do but such as I have severely forbidden to them for the contrary Affirmative is frequently implied in the Negative of which I have formerly given many instances that they may add sin to sin f That unto those Sins by which they have deserved and procured my Judgments upon them they may add distrust of my Power and Mercy to Save them and confidence in an Arm of Flesh which also is Rebellion against My express Command to the contrary 2. * Chap. 31. 1. That walk to go down into Egypt g That send Ambassadors to Egypt for succour as we read ver 4. which the Iews were forward to do upon all occasions and did now upon the Invasion of the King of Assyria as is evident from Isa. 20. 5 6. and did the like against the King of Babylon Ier. 37. 7. Ezek. 17. 15. and have not asked at my mouth h Either by the Priests or Prophets as they were to do in weighty cases of which see Numb 27. 21. Ios. 9. 14. 1 Sam. 23. 9 10. 1 Kings 22. 7. Ier. 21. 2. and 42. 2 20. or by studying my Word which plainly directs them to another course and forbids them this practice to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh and to trust in the shadow i In their power as it is in the foregoing Clause and protection which is oft signified by the shadow as Iudg. 9. 15. Psal. 17. 8. and 91. 1 4. of Egypt 3. Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame k As being not onely unprofitable but mischievous to you and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion 4. For his princes l The Princes of Iudah either sent by the King or by the appointment of their Brethren were at Zoan and his ambassadours came to Hanes m An eminent City of Egypt called more largâ—… 〈◊〉 aâ—…apanes and 〈◊〉 Ier. 2. 16. and 43. 3 8. 5. * Jer. 2. 36. They n Both the Messengers and they who sent them were all ashamed of a people that could not profit them nor be an help nor profit but a shame and also a reproach 6. The burden o Either 1. the Prophecy which is oft called the burden or rather 2. the burden of riches or treasures as it is explained in the latter part of the Verse of the beasts of the south p Which is carried upon Asses or Camels as it follows into Egypt which lay southward from Iudea into the land of trouble and anguish q Into Egypt and Ethiopia or Cush for both are joyned together in this matter Isa. 20. whose Land seems to be called a land of trouble and anguish prophetically because they should distress them and not help them as was said of the Assyrians in the like case 2 Chron. 28. 20. Some render it by or through the land c. and understand it of the vast Wilderness which lay between Iudea and Egypt But it was more proper and important to speak of the Land to which these Men and Beasts went than of that through which they were to pass which it was needless so particularly to describe Nor was the direct Road from Iudea to Egypt such a
puff of Breath which quickly vanisheth away It is the same thing in effect with the wind shall take them l Or take them away as this verb signified Hos. 11. 13. and elsewhere but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land and shall inherit my holy mountain m Shall enjoy my favour and presence in my Temple 14 And shall say n Heb. And he shall say or and one shall say God will raise up a man who shall say these words and that with authority and efficacy so as the thing shall be done * Ch. 40. 3. 62. 10. Cast ye up cast ye up o Make causeways where it is needful for their safe and easie passage prepare the way take up the stumbling block out of the way of my people p Remove all things which may hinder them in their return 15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity whose name is Holy q Who is omnipotent everlasting and unchangeable holy in all his words and ways and therefore both can and will deliver his People as he hath promised to do I dwell in the high and holy place * Ps. 34. 18. 51. 17. 138. 6. Ch. 66. 2. with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit r With such also whose Spirits are broken and humbled by Afflictions and by a sense of their sins for which they were afflicted which doubtless was the case of many of the Jews in the Babylonish Captivity whom therefore he here implies that God would pity and deliver out of their Distresses to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones 16 For * Ps. 103. 9. Mic. 7. 18. I will not contend for ever s I will not constantly proceed to the utmost severity with sinful men in this Life and therefore I will put an end to the miseries of the Jews and turn their captivity neither will I be always wroth for the spirit should fail before me and the souls * Num. 16. 22. Job 34. 14. Heb. 12. 9. which I have made t For then their Spirits would sink and die under my stroke and I should do nothing else but destroy the works of mine own hands Therefore I consider their Infirmity and spare them Compare Psal. 78. 38 39 103. 13 14. 17 For the Iniquity of his covetousness u Of which sin the Jews were eminently guilty as is expresly affirmed Ier. 6. 13. 8. 10. But this is not mentioned exclusively as to other sins but Synecdochically so as to comprehend all those sins for which God contended with them was I wroth and smote him I hid me x I withdrew my Favour and help from him and left him in great calamities and was wroth and he went on †Heb. turning away frowardly in the way of his heart y Yet he was not reformed by corrections but in his distresses trespassed more and more as was said of Ahaz and obstinately persisted in those sinful courses which were chosen by and were most pleasing to the Lusts of his own corrupt Heart 18 I have seen his ways a I have taken notice of these evil ways in which he seems resolved to walk and that he is neither bettered by Mercies nor Judgments and will heal him b Or yet I will heal him Although I might justly destroy him and leave him to perish in his own ways yet of my meer Mercy and for my own Names sake I will pity them and turn them from their sins and bring them out of all their troubles I will lead him also and restore comforts unto him and c Or to wit the copulative Conjunction being put expositively as it is frequently to his mourners d To those that are humbled under Gods Hand that mourn in Sion Isa. 61. 2 3. for their own and others â—…ns Ezek. 9. 4. and for the calamities of Gods Church and People Isa. 66. 10. 19 I create e I will by my Almighty Power and in a wonderful manner produce * Pro. 16. 1. Heb. 13. 15. the fruit of the lips peace f Either 1. Praise or Thanksgiving which is called the fruit of our lips Hos. 14. 2. Heb. 13. 15. and Peace Or rather 2. That Peace which is not wrought by Mens hands but only by Gods Lips or Word Peace with God and in a mans own Conscience which God hath promised to his People and which he hath published and offered to all sorts of men by the preaching of the Prophets and especially of the Apostles as may be gathered both from the Object of this Peace in the following words and by the exclusion of all wicked Men from this Peace v. 20 21. peace g The doubling of the word signifies the certainty and abundance of this Peace to him that is far off and to him that is near h To the Gentiles who are far from God and from Salvation Act. 2. 38 39. Eph. 2. 12 c. as well as to the Jews who are called a people near unto God Psal. 148. 14. saith the LORD and I will heal him 20. But the wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt i Their Minds are restless being perpetually hurried and tormented with their own Lusts and Passions and with the horrour of their guilt and the dread of the Divine Vengeance due unto them and ready to come upon them 21 * Ch. 48. 22. There is no peace faith my God to the wicked k Though they may have as great a share of prosperity as the best of Men have as appears from Psal. 37. 35. 73. 3 c. Eccl. 8. 14. 9. 1. yet they have no share in this inward and spiritual and everlasting Peace CHAP. LVIII 1 CRy †Heb. wiâ—… the throat aloud a The Prophet having in the foregoing Chapter noted and censured divers gross miscarriages of the Jews proceeds upon the same Subject in this Chapter and in Gods name expostulates with them for other misdemeanours spare not b Forbear not to speak whatsoever I command thee for the conviction of this People lift up thy voice like a trumpet and shew my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins 2 Yet they seek me daily c They cover all their wickedness with a profession of Religion from time to time resorting to my house pretending to ask Counsel of me and to desire and seek my Favour and Blessing and delight to know my ways d Either 1. They seem to delight in it for men are oft said in Scripture to be or do that which they seem or profess to be or do as Mat. 13. 12. that which he hath is thus explained in Luk. 8. 18. that which he seemeth to have and Rom. 7. 9. I was alive
clause unto thee and all they that despise thee shall * Rev. 3. 9. bow themselves down at the soles g This notes that great degree of Submission that eveâ—… despisers and enemies shall yield to the Church prostrating themselves as humble suppliants See Chap. 49. 23. or rather to Christ the head King and Husband of the Church of thy feet and they shall call thee The city h They shall give her that honourable title or acknowledge her to be so and so called both from the Love that God had for her and from the Temple of God that was in her of the LORD the Zion of the holy One of Israel 15 Whereas thou hast been forsaken i Both of God i. e. As to outward appearance and of her inhabitants being upon the matter depopulated and hated k Either slighted and neglected or suffering actual miseries and Slaughters thus was she dealt with Lam. 1. 2. so that no man went through thee l Thy streets were left desolate I will make thee an eternal excellency m The Abstract is put here for the Concrete whereby the Hebrews are wont to express the superlative degree and in this happy estate we find the Church Zech. 2. per toâ—… and 9. 9. c. Which refers to the coming of Christ and it is said to be Eternal i. e. For a great while it being an hyperbolical expression frequent with the Hebrews who express a long time by eternity a joy of many generations n The Churches happiness should be the rejoicing and comfort of succeeding generations she would be the matter of their great rejoicing a Metonymy of the Object 16 * Chap. 49. 23. 61. 6. Thou shalt also suck o A Metaphor taken from Children sucking nourishment from the breast the sense is that the Church should draw or drain the wealth of Nations and the riches and power of Kings and what ever is most excellent and that it should come freely and affectionately as milk flows from the breast of the Mother the same thing intended Chap. 49. 23. and in the foregoing verses the milk of the Gentiles and shalt suck the breast of kings and thou shalt know p i. e. Experience it knowing is often put for an experimental knowing that * Chap. 43. 3. I the LORD am thy saviour and thy redeemer the mighty One of Jacob q Styled so either with reference to Iacob's Person he being the first that gave God this title Gen. 49. 24. or with reference to Iacobs posterity viz. the Jews These things will certainly be accomplished for he is the mighty God and so able and the God of Iacob so obliged by Covenant and Relation 17 For brass I will bring gold r Here is the effect of the former promise thy poverty shall be turned to riches all things shall be altered for the best an allusion to the days of Solomon when gold was as brass thus on the Contrary when they change for the worse in the state it useth to be expressed by the like Metapâ—…ors Ch. 1. 21 22 23. and for iron I will bring silver and for wood brass and for stones iron I will also make thy officers peace s i. e. Loving Meâ—…k and Peaceable the Abstract put for the Concrete as is usual whether you understand it of Under-officers they shall be Officers of peace or of Governours thou shalt have a peaceable Government as was made good to them under Ezra Nehemiah Zoroâ—…abel and such like and thine exactours righteousness t Most righteous as before peace for peaceable the Church is not freed from Taxes and paiments that is given by Christ and Peter unto Caesar but it shall be without oppression and grinding no more then is necessary and not exacted rigorously though all these were made good in their return out of Babylon yet doth it more properly relate to the meliorating of the Church under the Gospel wherein instead of carnal Ceremonies she had Spiritual Ordinances which is the scope of the Apostle Heb. 9. and larger measures of the holy Spirit and should have such Officers as would speak peace to the Consciences by discovering the compleat and perfect righteousness of him who fulfilled all righteousness 18 Violence u That this and what follows must necessarily be understood of the Church Triumphant though there only it will be compleat I see no necessity neither will I obtrude my Judgment but leave it to the judicious as being more proper in a Comment none to ofter violence to this quiet state thou shalt attain to either within thee to oppress by Injustice Rapine or Fraud or without thee by hostiâ—… invasions and this the Prophet mentions as the effect of good Officers in the former verse shall no more be heard in thy land wasting nor destruction within thy borders x no havock made among thy people but thou shalt call * Chap. 26. 1. thy walls salvation y They shall be safe and able to defend thee thou shalt be as safe as salvation it self can make thee when a thing is said in Scripture to be called so it often signifies as much as to be so Ch. 26. 1. 47. 1. and 56. 7. and it intimates as much as that God will be salvation to his Church when they shall be without Gates and Walls he will be their safety and the matter of their praise see Isa. 26. 1. and God's care of his Church is the matter of that exhortation to praise him Psa. 147. and thy gates praise z A double Metonymy viz. of the Effect as salvation will cause praise and of the Adjunct as it is worthy of praise so that within or upon thy Gates and Walls thou shalt sing praises 19 * Rev 21 23. 22. 5. The sun shall be no more thy light a These shall not be at all esteemed in comparison of the Spiritual light of the Church and this is laid down as the 〈◊〉 of the Churches comfort as the former was for her safety so that God will not only be a shield but a Sun to her Psa. 84. 11. â—…ot â—…at they shall not have the Sun and Moon among them but that the light of the godly as such should principally consist in what is â—…tual by day neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light b Christ shall scatter all darkness and ignorance enlightning thee with the doctrines of the Gospel and graces of his Spirit and this shall be Everlasting not wax and wane and sufâ—…r â—…lipses and settings as the Sun and Moon do but it shall be conâ—…ant without shadow of change no night which will be undoubtedly truâ—… of the Church in Heaven whatever it will be or how near soever it will come to it here which I presume will bear its analogy and * Zech. 2. 5. thy God
to stand the most miserable condition that men can fall into Psa. 36. 12. 7 I will mention q Whether this ought to be the beginning of a new Chapter or no is not material but certainly here begins a new matter which contains the Prophets prayer either in his own name or the Church's to the end of chap. 64. wherein he begins with mentioning the great kindnesses that God had shewn the Iews and that Emphatically setting it forth with the greatest advantages and the more either to aggravate their great unkindness or to give them some hope of finding him the like again in their distresses or by way of argument with God to shew them mercy because he had been so good to them the loving kindnesses of the LORD and the praises of the LORD according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us and the great goodness towards the house of Israel which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies and according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses 8 For he said r viz within himself of old when he made a Covenant with our Fathers and brought them out of Egypt Surely they are my people s In Covenant though they are unworthy of me yet I cannot but look upon them as my people their enemies would persuade themselves O they are not God's People but cast ouâ—…s that none cared for or looked after but God will own them children that will not lie t That will keep my Covenant they will not deal falsly with me that are under such obligations or I presume they will not though they did go after their Idols and prove unfaithful to me in serving Baal and Ashteroth c. Now I presume they will do so no more thus Parents are apt tenderly to think of those Children that they have been indulgent to that they will not offer to abuse their kindness thus God thinks the best of them or he intimates here what they are obliged to do though he knew they would do otherwise or they will not degenerate after I have renewed them so he was their Saviour u viz. On these hopes and on these Conditions he undertook the charge of them Exod. 19. 5 6. Psal. 81. 8 9. 10. or he so â—…e alone was their Saviour when none to save none to uphold then he saved them not Cyrus Zerubbabel Nehemiah c. But Christ himself 9 * Judg. 10. 16. In all their affliction he was afflicted x Because of all the afflictions they endured in Egypt this notes the Sympathy that is in Christ he having the same Spirit in him that the Church hath and her head and Father or in all their afflictions no affliction so the words may be read their afflictions were rather favours then afflictions all that befell them from the red Sea through the wilderness and then Tzar is taken actively he afflicted not this may note his Clemency their sting was taken out either way it maâ—… be read according to the different spelling of â—…o whether by Aleph or Vaâ—… The first seems the more genuin they that list to drive this notion further may consult the Latine Synopsis and the English Annotations and the angel of his presence y The same that conducted them through the wilderness called an Angel Exo. 33. 2. and his Presence ver 14. and Iehovah Exo. 13. 21. so that it must be the Lord Jesus Christ who appeared to Moses in the bush as Stephen doth interpret it Act. 7. 35. c. Other Angels are in his presence but they were not always he was ever so therefore so called by way of eminency hence the LXX express it not a Lâ—…gate or Angel but himself saved them z From the house of Bondage brought them thorough the red Sea the wilderness c. Their rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10. 4. * Deut. 7. 7 8. in his love and in his pity a This shews the ground of his kindness they were a stubborn Superstitious Idolatrous people yet Christs Love and pity saved them for all that It was because he loved them he redeemed them and he * Exod. 19. 4. Deut. 1. 31. Chap. 46. 3. bore them and carried b He left them not to shift for themselves but bare them as a Father his Child or an Eagle her young onâ—…s he carried them in the arms of his power see Chap. 46. 4. and on the wings of his Providence see Deut 32. 10 11 12. and the Notes on Deut. 1. 31. And he is said to do it of old To remember his ancient kindness for many Generations past Olam signifies an Eternity or a long time past as well as to come from the daies of Abraham or Moses from their Bondage in Egypt to the time of Isaiah and it is used as an Argument to move him to do so still he will carry her till he bring her unto his Father them all the days of old 10 But they rebelled c Many of their Rebellions we read of in Exodus and Numbers in their Travels The Lord tells Moses that they had tempted him ten times and therefore severely threatens them Numb 14. 22 23. There were three principal Times of their Rebellion 1. In the Wilderness where they murmured for want of Bread and Water 2. In Canaan in noâ—… destroying but onely making Tributary suâ—…h Nations as God commanded them to destroy 3. Before the Babylonian Captivity when they set themselves against the Prophets which Stephen chargeth upon them Acts 7. 51 52. Among which also we may reckon all their behaviours under their Iudges and their Kings Or we may understand it of their not answering God's End and Expectation and * Exod. 15. 24. Num. 14. 11. Psal. 78. 40 â—…6 95. 9. Eph. 4. 30. vexed his holy spirit d Spirit of his Holiness they vexed him by their obstinacy against his will and mind and walking contrary unto him not that there are such Passions in God but it is spoken after the manner of men as they are vexed when their will is crossed therefore he was turned to be their enemy e He overthrew them not onely in the Wilderness Psal. 78. 31 33 59 60 c. sending among them fiery Serpents Numb 21. 6. but even in Canaan stirring up against them Adversaries sometimes the Philistines anon the Midianites and then the Moabites c. and he fought against them 11 Then f Or yet he remembred g This relates either 1. To the People and then He is collectively taken and so it looks like the Language of the People in Babylon and must be read he shall remember Or 2. It may look back to their condition in the Wilderness and thus they may properly say Where is he or that God that delivered his People of old to do the like for us now there is a like phrase used by Elisha 2 King 2. 14. Or rather 3. To God as it
were recollecting himself in a pathetical Prosopopoeia q. d. Where is he Where am I with my former bowels that moved me to help them of old that I should now turn to be their Enemy Or Is my hand shortned that I cannot do it And so in the following verses he gives a particular description how kind he had been to them formerly the times mentioned v. 9. and thus God seems to work upon himself the days †Heb. of eternity of old Moses and his people h Or what great things he had done for them by Moses saying Where is he that * Exod. 14. 30. Jer. 2. 6. brought them up out of the sea i Here God speaks of himself as in the former clause viz. that divided the Sea for them being one of the greatest Miracles that ever God wrought for his People it is therefore frequently mentioned by way of encouragement to them when they are in sore troubles with the ‖ Or Shepherds as Psal. 77. 20. shepherd k Or Shepherds viz. Moses that brought out his People as a Shepherd doth his Flock He and Aaron are both joyned Psal. 77. 20. of his flock Where is he that * Neh. 9. 20. put his holy spirit l i. e. Those Abilities and Gifts wherewith God furnished Moses as properly proceeding from the Spirit he can do the like again and qualifie Instruments for his work within him 12 That led them by the right hand m viz. The Strength and Power that God gave to Moses expressed by the Right hand that being usually esteemed the stronger Psal. 16. 8. 20. 6. Or the Rod in his Right hand by which understand also all the wonders that he did for them in Egypt of Moses with his glorious arm n Or that Arm wherewith God gained to himself so much glory being alway present at the Assistance of Moses Deut. 4. 34. Or Moses his Right Hand led by God's glorious Arm as Parents lead their Children that God may have all the glory in the using of his Instruments * Exo. 14. 21. Josh. 3. 16. dividing the water o The Red Sea Exod. 14. 21. and also Iordan Iosh. 3. 15 16. before them to make himself an everlasting name p With reference both to his Power and Providence as respecting either his Aim and End in doing what he did or the Effect of it when it was done It got him Renown 13 That led them through the deep q Shewing that God did not dry up the shallow places but the very depth of the Sea the very Channel which is the deepest part Or between those heaps of waters that stood up as a wall on each side of them which might make it seem terrible and therefore it is ascribed to their Faith Heb. 11. 29. as an horse in the wilderness r Or Plain for so Wilderness is sometimes taken and may be here 〈◊〉 by comparing it to a Valley in the next verse viz. with as much safety as the Horse runs up and down in the plain ground Or with as much ease and tenderness as an Horse led by the Bridle not as men affrighted but soberly and orderly that they should not stumble s This may be taken Metaphorically they came to no harm Or Properly that though the Sea were but newly divided yet it was so dried that the mud as also the unevenness of the ground was not any occasion of their stumbling or their sticking in it probably so dried and smoothed by the wind that God sent as it were to prepare the way before them See Chap. 4. 3 4 5. 14 As a beast goeth down into the valley t A laden Beast goeth warily and gently down the hill or as a Beast goeth down to the vally for Grass that being a Mountainous Country or going down for going along so the word is used Isa. 38. 8. noting the evenness of their passage or alluding to their going down from the shore into that great Channel as the coming out of it is called a going up ver 11. now made through the Sea orderly and compoâ—…edly not like the Gadaren's Swine through consternation ready to break their necks for hast the spirit of the LORD u i. e. The Lord himself caused him to rest x Led them easily that they should not be over-travelled or â—…all down or come to any injury through wearâ—…ness thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it chap. 31. 2. and thus God gave them rest from their enemies drowning of them in the Sea and in their safe conduct that they could not annoy or disturb them leading them till he found them a place for resting the word for 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 being much of a like notion Zech. 10. 6. pointing at their several rests by the way Num. 10. 33. or it may be read by way of Interrogâ—…tion as all the foregoing words and be the close of that inquiry and where is the Spirit that caused them to rest or he led them to Canaan the place of their rest so called 〈◊〉 12. 9. and Psa. 9â—… 11. so didst thou lead y The Prophet here by an Apostrople doth onely repeat the words in the name of the Jews that he had spake before ver 12. q. d. as thou didst then so maiest thou do again if thou pleasest thy people to make thy self a glorious name 15 * Deut. 26. 15. Look down from heaven z Now they or the Prophet begin to pray and expostulate with God and to argue both from the goodness of his nature and from the greatness of his works that he had done God sees every where and every thing but he is said to â—…ook down from Heaven because there is his throne whereon he siâ—…s in greatest Majesty and Splendor behold is added to note that he would not onely barely see and look on but that he would behold with regard and respect his poor people in Captivity and behold from the habitation of thy holiness a A description of heaven by a Periphrasis frequently used and explained Deâ—… 26. 15. and of thy glory Where is thy zeal b What is become of that love which of old would not leâ—… thee suffer thy people to be wronged chap. 37. 32. and thy strength c That Power of thine manifested in those valiant Acts which thou didst put forth for thy people Psa. 145 11 12. and 150. 2. see Ier. 14 9. ‖ Or the â—…titude the sounding * Jer. 31. 20. Hos. 11. 8. of thy bowels d By the sounding thereof may be understood those Sympathizing sighs and compassionate groans that proceed from the bowels when they are affected which being thought the subject of Pity are often by a Metonymy put for compassion and hence proceed those rumblings of the bowels occasioned by strong passions called yernâ—…ngs it is spoken of God after the manner of men Is all this shut up from me Thou that