both by my Birth and by my Education and by this marvellous Deliverance whereby Thou hast rescued me from the power of death which had in a manner taken hold of me 17. I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call upon the name of the LORD 17. I can never sure prove ungratefull to Thee unto whom I am tied by so many bonds But will always be making Thee my most thankfull solemn acknowledgments for the benefits I have received And together with those praises and thanksgivings wait upon thy Goodness for the like mercies in time to come 18. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people 18. I resolve again religiously to make good these and all other my vows wherein I stand ingaged to the Lord and that not onely in private but here at this solemnity in the face of all his people 19. In the courts of the LORD's house in the midst of thee O Jerusalem Praise ye the LORD 19. When they are gathered together at his House in the midst of the holy City of our God where they meet to worship Him and to doe Him honour There let them all join with me to bless and praise the great Creatour and Preserver of all things PSALM CXVII ARGUMENT This Psalm like the CX seems to be altogether Prophetical of the joy that all the world should conceive at the coming of the Messiah to give Salvation first to the Jews and then to all other Nations according to his faithfull promise Saint Paul applies the first words of it to this business Rom. XV. 11. and some of the Hebrews justifie his application confessing that this Psalm belongs to that matter The brevity of it makes it the more remarkable and easier to be remembred both by Jews and Gentiles 1. O Praise the LORD all ye nations praise him all ye people 1. LET not the praises which are due to the great Lord of all be confined to our Nation but let all people upon the face of the earth praise Him Let all mankind sing thankfull hymns unto Him 2. For his mercifull kindness is great towards us and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever Praise ye the LORD 2. For they are all concerned in his transcendent kindness which hath done mighty things for us and the Lord who changes not will never fail to perform his faithfull promises to the worlds end Therefore let us all join our praises to our common Benefactour PSALM CXVIII ARGUMENT There is nothing more probable then that David composed this Psalm after God had settled him upon the Throne of Israel as well as Judah and also subdued the Philistines who hoped to have crusht him before he grew too powerfull 2 Sam. V. 17. together with other enemies round about him who though they are not mentioned yet in all likelihood joyned with them as we may gather from Ver. 10 11. of this Psalm compared with 2 Sam. VII 1. For that it was written after he had brought the Ark to Jerusalem mentioned there Chap. VI. and placed it in the House he had prepared for it seems very plain from Ver. 19. of this Psalm Where he begins to praise God in such words as had not their compleat fulfilling till the Lord 's Christ whom the Jews rejected and said He shall not reign over us was made King of the World For to Him R. Solomon himself acknowledges those words The stone which the builders refused c. are to be applied And as the latter part of the Psalm is a Prophecy of Christ in David his Type so the former part may be accommodated to all Christians who being persecuted as Theodoret speaks and tormented and disgracefully treated by many Princes and their people by Kings and Governours got a glorious Victory over them all after they had indured a thousand deaths It seems also to have been pronounced at first in some solemn assembly of all the people met together to praise the Lord for his benefits And it is the common opinion of most Interpreters that they all had a part in this Psalm The greatest part of which was spoken by David who begins with a declaration how much he was indebted to God desiring all to assist him in his praises And then coming in a solemn procession I suppose to the Gates of the Tabernacle calls upon the Porters Verse 19. to open them to him that he might praise God in his Sanctuary which he doth in the very entrance Ver. 20 and then in the Courts of his House Ver. 21. After which all the people shout and magnifie the Divine Goodness in making him who was banished from his Country their King Ver. 22 c. And then the Priests come forth and bless both the King and people in the Name of the Lord Ver. 26 and exhort them to be thankfull Ver. 27 And then David seems to take the words out of their mouth and to declare that he will never be unmindfull of God's benefits desiring all the people also to remember them Ver. 28 29. According to which account of the Psalm I have ordered the Paraphrase 1. O Give thanks unto the LORD for he is good because his mercy endureth for ever 1. O Make your thankfull acknowledgments to the great Lord of all the world who as He is the Authour of all good and hath been exceeding bountifull unto us so will continue his kindness to all succeeding generations 2. Let Israel now say that his mercy endureth for ever 2. Let the Children of Israel who have had such long experience of his love and now see his promises fulfilled let them confess and thankfully acknowledge that his kindness continues to all generations 3. Let the house of Aaron now say that his mercy endureth for ever 3. Let the Priests and the Levites whose business it is to attend upon His service confess now and thankfully acknowledge that his kindness extends unto all ages 4. Let them now that fear the LORD say that his mercy endureth for ever 4. And let all the devout Worshippers of the Lord of whatsoever Nation they be join together with us for there is one Lord of all who dispenses various benefits to every one of us and confess now most thankfully that there is no end of his kindness 5. I called upon the LORD in distress the LORD answered me and set me in a large place 5. You may see an example of it in me who was in grievous straits and dangers 1 Sam. XXIII 26. XXVII 1. but then imploring the Divine Protection the Lord not onely delivered me but placed me in a secure estate free from all such molestation 2 Sam. V. 3. VII 1. 6. The LORD is on my side I will not fear what can man doe unto me 6. For the Lord it is evident takes my part and therefore though I have many enemies I am not afraid of them for when He is for me what disturbance can men be they
forty years long before the end of which I concluded that they were a people whose heart would never be stedfastly resolved to adhere unto me for they did not mind what wonderfull things I did for them nor what I commanded them to doe for me 11. Vnto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest 11. Which so highly displeased me that I sware they should wander all their days and die at last in the Wilderness XIV Numb 28 c. and never enter into that good Land where I intended to give them rest after all their travels XII PSALM XCVI ARGUMENT This Psalm also wants a Title in the Hebrew but the Greeks are justified in the former part of their Inscription which calls it An Ode of David's by the 1 Chron. XVI where we find that at the bringing up the Ark from the house of Obed Edom to the place he had prepared for it on Mount Sion David delivered this Psalm together with the CV into the hand of Asaph to express the joy he had in God's special presence among them which all their neighbours round about he foretells should be made sensible of as well as themselves This Psalm indeed is not exactly the very same with that but there is a difference in some expressions ex gr it is called here A new Song but not there which shews it was afterward altered by some divine person who accommodated it to other uses And very probably by Ezra when they came out of Babylon which occasioned the Greeks to add in the latter part of the Inscription of this Psalm these words when the house was built after the Captivity Ezra that is made use of it to express their joy at the re-edification of the Temple But it never had a compleat fulfilling answerable to the height of it till the Messiah who was indeed the Temple of God came to dwell among us to give eternal Salvation to us Several of the Jewish Writers acknowledge that it belongs to His times and accordingly we not onely may but ought to have Him in our minds when we say Sing unto the Lord a new Song for his new Grace that is in sending Him to give Salvation to all Nations and the Lord reigneth Ver. 10. and hath all things put under his feet See Euseb in his Demonstrat Evangelica L. 1. c. 4. 1. O Sing unto the LORD a new song sing unto the LORD all the earth 1. O Sing praises unto the Lord for his new and extraordinary benefits which He hath bestowed upon us Let all the earth join together with us to sing his praises 2. Sing unto the LORD bless his name shew forth his salvation from day to day 2. We can never praise Him enough and therefore cease not to bless his Name and to spread the fame of his Almighty Goodness towards us but publish every day with joyfull hearts the great deliverances He hath wrought for us 3. Declare his glory among the heathen his wonders among all people 3. Tell the Nations round about how He hath glorified Himself let none of them be ignorant of the wonderfull things He hath done among us 4. For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised he is to be feared above all gods 4. For all our praises fall infinitely short of the greatness of the Lord who is worthy of the highest praise of the whole world and hath shewn both to us 1 Chron. XIII 10 12. 1 Sam. VI. 20. and to others 1 Sam. V. 3 4 c. how dreadfull He is above all that are called Gods 5. For all the gods of the nations are idols but the LORD made the heavens 5. For all the Gods of the Nations are nothing worth being able to doe neither good nor harm But the Lord not onely made the earth but the heavens too which abundantly declare the greatness and the splendour of his Majesty 6. Honour and majesty are before him strength and beauty are in his sanctuary 6. Whose heavenly Court infinitely out-shines all the state and pomp wherein the greatest earthly Monarchs live 1. Esther 4. For all the words we have are not able to express the brightness and magnificence the power and comely order of so much as his Ministers an image of which we have in his holy place wherein He manifests Himself among us 7. Give unto the LORD O ye kindreds of the people give unto the LORD glory and strength 7. Ascribe therefore unto the Lord O ye people from whatsoever Family ye come ascribe unto Him that incomparable Majesty and supreme Dominion and Authority which you give to imaginary gods 8. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name bring an offering and come into his courts 8. And renounce them all and acknowledging the Lord alone to be the omnipotent King of all the world doe Him honour sutable to the excellency of his Majesty bring Him an oblation in token of your subjection to Him and humbly worship Him in his Temple 9. O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness fear before him all the earth 9. O come and cast down your selves before the Lord in his Sanctuary where He hath fixed his glorious residence among us Adore his transcendent perfections and let all the people approach into his presence with a pious trembling and dread to offend their Sovereign 10. Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved he shall judge the people righteously 10. Go ye that are already become Proselytes unto Him and publish every where in all Countries that the Lord CHRIST is the Sovereign of the World who alone can make it happy For He shall settle those in peace that submit unto his Government and they shall not be so disturbed as they were wont with wars and tumults He shall administer equal justice unto all and neither suffer the good to be unrewarded nor the evil to escape unpunished 11. Let the heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad let the sea roar and the fulness thereof 11. Let the whole Universe therefore be filled with joy at this blessed news which the Angels themselves shall gladly receive I. Luk. 30 32. much more ought all mankind wheresoever they are dispersed on the Earth or on the Sea and the Islands thereof exceedingly rejoice and fill all places with the loud sound of their joyfull praises 12. Let the field be joyfull and all that is therein then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice 12. Let the husbandmen and the shepherds and all that dwell in the fields leap for joy and the woodmen and foresters shout for joy to see the happy day approaching when all the Idols that are worshipped there shall be thrown down together with their groves 13. Before the LORD for he cometh for he cometh to judge the earth he shall judge the world with righteousness and the people with his truth 13. Let them
souls of his saints he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked 10. But do not content your selves merely with this passion of joy if you truly love the Lord hate every thing which you know is displeasing to Him so shall you have the Lord of all things for your continual keeper who preserves the lives of sincerely pious men and watches over them with such a carefull providence that when they are in the power of the wicked He will not suffer them to destroy them 11. Light is soweâ—… for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart 11. Be not discouraged though the world should frown upon you but rest assured that God designs you in due time more chearfull and happy days which if you continue faithfull and serve Him with upright hearts shall as certainly come as the corn at last springs up after it hath lain all winter in the ground 12. Rejoice in the LORD ye righteous and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness 12. Let all truly good men rely on this and rejoice in their worst estate that they serve such a gracious Lord Let them give thanks unto Him for his benefits and gratefully commemorate how kind and gracious He hath been unto them that it may be kept in perpetual remembrance PSALM XCVIII A Psalm ARGUMENT There is no Title here but onely this A Psalm to which the Greeks add of David who it is very probable was the Authour or if he was not it was made by some holy man in imitation of what David saith in the XCVI of many of whose expressions this Psalm consists upon occasion of some remarkable deliverance which God had newly granted to Israel as an earnest of future blessings especially of the coming of that great blessing the Lord Christ to give compleat Salvation to his people 1. O Sing unto the LORD a new song for he hath done marvellous things his right hand and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory 1. O Let the new and extraordinary benefits which the Lord hath bestowed upon us provoke you to sing praises unto Him with fresh devotion for He hath done stupendious things and by his Almighty goodness alone and incomparable strength hath wrought salvation for those who were as unworthy to be helped by Him as they were unable to help themselves 2. The LORD hath made known his salvation his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen 2. The Lord hath declared by the wonders He hath done how mighty He is to save and deliver He made the Gentile world apparently see that He is the just rewarder of all those who piously obey Him and will not let the wicked escape unpunished 3. He hath remembred his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God 3. He hath not forgot his ancient Covenant with our Forefathers but so faithfully performed what his mere mercy moved Him to promise 1. Luke 54 72. that all mankind have seen what our gracious God hath done and partake of his Divine benefits 4. Make a joyfull noise unto the LORD all the earth make a loud noise and rejoice and sing praise 4. Let them all therefore shout for joy let them cry aloud and with strong and chearfull voices sing hymns of thanks and praise unto the Lord. 5. Sing unto the LORD with the harp with the harp and the voice of a psalm 5. Let nothing be wanting to express your joyfull sense of the goodness of the Lord but let the Harp accompany your songs let the sweet sound of the Harp I say and the sound of your voices be mixt together with your Psalms 6. With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyfull noise before the LORD the King 6. And let the Trumpet also and Cornet proclaim with a louder sound the exceeding greatness of your joy while you shout with triumphant acclamations to Him and acknowledge the Lord to be your King 7. Let the sea roar and the fulness thereof the world and they that dwell therein 7. Let the noise of his praises be heard like thunder throughout all the habitable world both among those that live on the Sea and those that are upon the Land 8. Let the flouds clap their hands let the hills be joyfull together 8. Let high as well as low applaud their happiness and joyn together with one consent to express by all the tokens of joy the singular pleasure and satisfaction they feel in their hearts 9. Before the LORD for he cometh to judge the earth with righteousness shall he judge the world and the people with equity 9. Let them meet the Lord with forward affections who is coming to reform the earth and will govern mankind by righteous and mercifull Laws distributing to every man according to his works PSALM XCIX ARGUMENT The Greeks intitle David to this Psalm which seems to have been made upon the same occasion and to the same end with the three foregoing onely with these two differences First that from the consideration of the royal power of the Lord who had manifested himself by some notable conquests over his enemies to be the onely Monarch whose Sovereignty extends over all the world they should mix fear and trembling together with that joy and exultation to which in the former Psalm he had excited them And secondly that he doth not so plainly as in those Psalms prophesie of the Kingdom of the Lord Christ But there are many passages as Theodoret observes which may be applied to the appearing of our Saviour and the infidelity of the Jews Saint Austin and Saint Ambrose apply to him that passage upon which the Roman Church builds the lawfulness of worshipping Images Ver. 5. where the vulgar Latin reading adorate scabellum pedum ejus worship his footstool those two Fathers think there is no way to reconcile this with that command Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him onely shalt thou serve but by expounding this of the flesh of Christ which is the footstool they say which the Psalmist exhorts all men to worship so far were those holy men from allowing adoration to any thing that is not God or hath not a personal union with Him And indeed Christ was represented by the Ark which was the Divine footstool here spoken of but not to be adored no more then the Hill on which it stood concerning which the Psalmist speaks in the last Verse just as he doth of the Ark in this and therefore we ought to understand both passages alike the particle in the Hebrew being the very same before footstool and before Hill and translate them thus worship at or before or towards his footstool and holy Hill as elsewhere he speaks of worshipping towards his Temple V. 8. CXXXVIII 2. And so Menochius very honestly here expounds this passage in these words worship in his Temple turning your faces towards the Ark on which
weight of my affliction support and strengthen me according to thy promise that I may never take any undue course for ease and relief 29. Remove from me the way of lying and grant me thy law graciously 29. Far be all fraud and falshood from me whereby my enemies contrive to undo me I desire not to learn any of their wicked Arts but onely beseech Thee to give me grace to observe thy Laws constantly 30. I have chosen the way of truth thy judgments have I laid before me 30. That 's the way I have resolved upon to deal truly and sincerely squaring all my actions according to thy judgments which I have laid before me as the most equal Rule of my life 31. I have stuck unto thy testimonies O LORD put me not to shame 31. And hitherto I have kept my resolution and never started from thy Testimonies Preserve me good Lord that I may not hereafter disgrace my self by doing any thing contrary to them nor be disappointed of my hope by falling into the hands of those that seek my ruin 32. I will run the way of thy commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart 32. And when Thou shalt have filled my heart with joy by freeing me from these grievous straits I will doe Thee better service and be more forward chearfully to execute all thy Commandments HE. V. 33. Teach me O LORD the way of thy statutes and I shall keep it unto the end 33. Instruct me therefore good Lord more and more in the right way of serving Thee and I will shew my self most thankfull for it by keeping exactly to it all the days of my life 34. Give me understanding and I shall keep thy law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart 34. Illuminate my mind to understand the excellence of thy Law and then I shall not onely observe it but set my self to doe it with a watchfull impartial and most affectionate diligence 35. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments for therein do I delight 35. Be Thou my Leader and Guide that I may not stray from the path of thy Commandments wherein I find the greatest satisfaction 36. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies and not to covetousness 36. Incline my heart always to seek its contentment in thy testimonies and suffer it not to be drawn away by the desire of worldly goods which having no measure is never satisfied 37. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity and quicken thou me in thy way 37. Help me to overlook those empty honours and fading beauties which we are apt to behold with too much admiration and with lively affections and vigorous indeavours to persist in the pursuit of thy favour in the way Thou hast set before me 38. Stablish thy word unto thy servant who is devoted to thy fear 38. And at last make good thy promise to thy servant 2 Sam. V. 2. who fears to doe any thing to offend Thee though thereby he might win a Crown 39. Turn away my reproach which I fear for thy judgments are good 39. Turn from me that disgrace of which I cannot but be sometime afraid 1 Sam. XXVII 1. and must certainly suffer if I fall into my enemies hands for Thou wilt proceed I know according to thy own judgments which are all equitable mercifull and gracious 40. Behold I have longed after thy precepts quicken me in thy righteousness 40. I appeal to Thee whether I have not a great zeal for thy Precepts unto which I desire above all things to be conform'd let me not perish therefore in these troubles but in much mercy revive me according to thy faithfull promise VAV. VI. 41. Let thy mercies come also unto me O LORD even thy salvation according to thy word 41. To those infinite mercies of thine which moved Thee to make me such gracious promises I betake my self and beseech Thee to let me feel the happy effects of both in my deliverance 42. So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me for I trust in thy word 42. So shall I be able to put to silence those that reproach me for my confidence in Thee which they call a vain presumption but is a humble reliance on thy own gracious promises to me 43. And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth for I have hoped in thy judgments 43. Which till Thou art pleased to fulfill do not so far abandon me as to let me be disheartned in asserting their truth and faithfulness which I am wont to oppose to all the threats of my enemies for my whole dependance is on this that Thou wilt not fail me but pronounce a righteous sentence for me 44. So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever 44. And I for my part promise when Thou shalt be so gracious to me not to suffer my self to grow more negligent in thy service but to be more carefull then ever in the observance of thy Laws to the very end of my days 45. And I will walk at liberty for I seek thy precepts 45. For then I shall have no such incumbrances on me as I now have in these straits and difficulties from which when Thou freest me I will doe my duty with the greater chearfulness and joy for it is not liberty no nor a Kingdom that I seek so much as better advantages to fulfill thy Precepts 46. I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings and will not be ashamed 46. Which I will not be ashamed to justifie before the greatest persons in the world to be the most excellent Rule of life and the best testimony of thy love to us and will doe it with such reasons that they shall never be able to disprove me 47. And I will delight my self in thy commandments which I have loved 47. Nor will I confute my self by leading a voluptuous life when I have liberty to doe as I list but as I have hitherto preferred thy Commandments before all other things so then will I take the highest pleasure in them 48. My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments which I have loved and I will meditate in thy statutes 48. Not onely in their study but shew the truth of my love to them by a diligent and zealous practice of them which shall be the end of my meditation in them ZAIN VII 49. Remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope 49. Be pleased therefore in due time to perform the promise which Thou hast long ago made unto thy servant 2 Sam. V. 2. and when I thought of no such thing given me an assured hope of it 1 Sam. XVI 11 12 13. 50. This is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickned me 50. Which as it hath been the occasion of many and great troubles to me so hath comforted me under them all and even when I despaired of safety revived my spirit and restored my courage
doubt for the Title ascribes it to him but this Psalm was made by David And it is little less undoubted that he composed it as Theodoret well judges when he was persecuted by Saul who was instigated thereunto by the calumnies of Doeg and the information of the Ziphites whose falseness and pestilent malice he here describes beseeching God to preserve him from the mischief they intended him and to turn it upon themselves as he rests assured He would When he came to his Kingdom and had settled the service of God in that manner which we reade 1 Chron. XVI XXIII c. he delivered it to the Master of the Musick to be sung at certain times in the Tabernacle But it was not found I suppose no more then the two foregoing and the four following till some time after the other Books of Psalms were published and so were placed here all together by him that collected this Book 1. DEliver me O LORD from the evil man preserve me from the violent man 1. DEfeat O Lord the wicked designs of that naughty man 1 Sam. XXII 9 c. who makes no conscience of what he saith or doeth to compass his ends and let me not fall into the hands of that injurious Prince XXIII 7. whom I have never wronged but done him faithfull service 2. Which imagine mischiefs in their hearts continually are they gathered together for war 2. They are zealously bent to doe me all the mischief they are able which they studiously plot and doe nothing all the day but contrive how to oppress me with armed force which in several places they have laid to intercept me 3. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent adders poison is under their lips Selah 3. And they have so traduced me by their calumnies and false accusations that they have already given my reputation a deadly wound for the tongue of the Serpent or the teeth of the Adder or Viper doth not more effectually convey their poison into mens bodies then they have infused these venomous slanders into the peoples minds 4. Keep me O LORD from the hands of the wicked preserve me from the violent man who have purposed to overthrow my goings 4. And therefore I most humbly again beseech Thee O Lord to keep me from falling into the power of that naughty man Ver. 1. who instigates his Prince to the most injurious proceedings against me Be Thou my preserver O Lord for otherwise I shall never escape the trains they have devised and laid to supplant and utterly undoe me 5. The proud have hid a snare for me and cords they have spread a net by the way-side they have set grins for me Selah 5. There is no hunter or fowler more industrious and cunning in laying snares and toils in spreading nets or setting gins and traps for the beasts or the birds in the places which they are wont to frequent then they are to trace me in all my motions 1 Sam. XXIII 23. and to invent all manner of wiles and subtle arts to surprise me which they proudly presume will have their desired success 6. I said unto the LORD Thou art my God hear the voice of my supplications O LORD 6. To which I have neither cunning nor power of my own to oppose no Friend whose aid I can implore but onely commend my self unto the Lord saying I have always owned Thee for my Proteetour and Thou hast hitherto owned me and been my mercifull deliverer Do not now O Lord of all power and might deny my earnest request who depend on Thee alone for succour 7. O GOD the Lord the strength of my salvation thou hast covered my head in the day of battel 7. O most mighty Lord whom no Creature whatsoever can withstand O Thou who disposest of all events I again profess that I look for safety from thy almighty Power alone by which I was protected having no other helmet or armour but onely that 1 Sam. XVII 39 40 50. in the day when I fought with Goliath 8. Grant not O LORD the desires of the wicked further not his wicked device lest they exalt themselves Selah 8. Suffer not him O most mighty Lord who now seeks my destruction to effect his desire let him not succeed in any of his mischievous designs and projects against me lest he and his partakers grow so insolent as to dare to attempt all manner of violence against other innocents 9. As for the head of those that compass me about let the mischief of their own lips eover them 9. Let the poisonous and pernicious calumnies of those that now beset me round retort upon themselves and let them be overwhelmed by those very devices which with laborious lies they have contrived for my ruin 10. Let burning coals fall upon them let them be cast into the fire into deep pits that they rise not up again 10. Let their slanders which I can compare to nothing better then burning coals that are not easily quenched be the instruments of their own destruction let them perish in the flames which they themselves have kindled and be irrecoverably thrown headlong into those dangers and mischiefs which like dreadfully deep pits they prepared for my destruction 11. Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him 11. This I am confident shall be their portion for though a false Informer may for a time be believed and thrive by his lies and slanders yet Truth will at last prevail and not suffer him to establish his greatness by such base and wicked practices And as little shall violence and injustice avail him that relies upon it but bring upon him one evil after another which shall pursue him to his ruin as the hounds do the wild beast which after all its windings and turnings becomes a prey unto them 12. I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted and the right of the poor 12. For I am sure the Lord who is stronger then all will assert the cause of the Oppressed and doe right to those who are destitute of humane help by punishing all that are injurious to them 13. Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name the upright shall dwell in thy presence 13. Let the righteous rely on this as an undoubted truth that they shall give thanks to thy almighty Goodness for appearing in their vindication and when these false and violent men shall be extinct they that are sincerely honest shall remain in thy favour and receive the marks of it in thy constant care and providence over them PSALM CXLI A Psalm of David ARGUMENT If the Title had not told us that David was the Authour of this Psalm the matter of it would have led our minds to think of him and of his many sufferings during the persecution of Saul Which he prays to God as Theodoret observes upon the third and fourth Verses he may be able to bear so
welcome that day and meet the Lord with forward affection who is coming to them For he comes to reform the earth and will govern mankind by righteous and mercifull Laws and faithfully keep his word with all those that truly observe them PSALM XCVII ARGUMENT Some of the Hebrews conceive as I observed upon Psalm XC that Moses was the Authour of this as well as the rest of these Psalms which want an Inscription And indeed he excelled in this faculty of composing Hymns as we learn from Exod. XV. and Deut. XXXII and might upon some other occasion as well as the overthrow of Pharaoh in the red Sea make a Song of triumph after some of those great victories which God gave them over their enemies Which was a thing in use before his time as it appears by the fragments of ancient Songs recorded in his Books particularly that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made by some Poet among the Amorites after Sihon had taken Heshbon from the Moabites to whom it formerly belonged wherein they triumph over their God Chemosh as unable to deliver his worshippers XXI Numb 27 c. And if we could be sure this Psalm was made by Moses I should think it to have been composed after the Israelites had conquered Sihon and his Land over whom they triumphed as he had done over the former possessours of that Country But the Psalm seems so plainly to have been composed in pursuance of what was said in the foregoing Psalm that the Lord reigneth and is King not onely over Israel but all the earth that one cannot but think they had the same Authour who shews the truth of that by the illustrious Victories which God as their King had given them over all those that opposed them For the eighth verse makes it manifest that this Psalm hath respect to some Conquests they had lately made over the heathen which I suppose were no other then those which David won over divers Nations not long after 1 Chron. XVIII 1. he had brought the Ark to Sion and delivered the foregoing Hymn to be sung to put the Israelites in hope and their enemies in fear of the great things which would insue upon this special presence of God among them Which moved the Greeks to call this A Psalm of David after his Land was restored unto him that is after he was made Master of all those Countries which God anciently designed to be the inheritance of Israel For that it should relate to the restoring his Kingdom to him after Absaloms rebellion is not probable because the mention of Idolaters and of their gods Ver. 7. seem to determine it to other Countries In the subduing of which God it is likely fought for them by some such tempest as we reade of 2 Sam. V. 20 21 24. whereby their enemies Armies were shatâ—ered and so terrified that they not onely fled but left their images behind them such was their haste and gave the Israelites an easie Victory over them But whatever was the carnal sense it belongs in the diviner meaning to Christ's triumph over the grave and all the powers of darkness at his Resurrection and Ascension to his throne in heaven as appears by those words which the Apostle to the Hebrews alledges out of the seventh verse and applies to Christ's royal power and authority over Angels Which the Hebrew Doctours themselves as Kimchi confesses take to be there intended and may be further justified from that exposition which we meet withall in Midrasch Tanchuma of the words of the Prophet Isaiah LII 13. Behold my servant shall prosper He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high This is the King Messiah says that gloss who shall be exalted above Abraham and extolled above Moses and be very high above the Angels of the Ministry 1. THe LORD reigneth let the earth rejoice let the multitude of Isles be glad thereof 1. THE Lord it is manifest is the Sovereign of the world under whose happy Government not onely we and they who are already become subject to Him in other places ought to rejoice but the most distant Countries have the greatest reason to be glad thereof 2. Clouds and darkness are round about him righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne 2. His Majesty is most dreadfull and hath appeared in great terrour against those that oppose Him whom as he will not wrong so He will certainly punish for He maintains his Authority and supports his Government by doing exact and equal justice 3. A fire goeth before him and burneth up his enemies round about 3. Let none therefore resist Him for flames of fire proceedâ— from his presence which make the battel too hot for his enemies who can turn no way but they feel them flashing in their faces 4. His lightnings enlightned the world the earth saw and trembled 4. It was his thunder and lightning the brightness of which the world lately saw and were so amazed that shivering pains took hold upon them as upon a woman in her travail 5. The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD at the presence of the LORD of the whole earth 5. The hearts of the stoutest Kings and Captains failed them and melted like wax before the fire at this terrible appearance of the Lord at the appearance of Him whose dominion extends over all the earth 6. The heavens declare his righteousness and all the people see his glory 6. For He is the Lord of the heavens which have declared by this dreadfull tempest excited by his Angelical Ministers his severity against his enemies and made all the people sensible of the incomparable splendour of his Majesty 7. Confounded be all they that serve graven images that boast themselves of idols worship him all ye gods 7. Which may well make them all ashamed and they shall be confounded by Him if they will not renounce their errours who worship graven Images though of gold and silver 2 Sam. V. 21. and boast themselves in vain gods who can doe nothing for them Let all that are called gods whether Princes on earth or Angels in heaven bow down to Him as the onely Saviour 1. Heb. 6. and acknowledge his supreme authority over them all 8. Sion heard and was glad and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments O LORD 8. Jerusalem the mother City hath received the news of thy Victories with a joyfull heart after whose example all the other Cities of Judah are exceeding glad O Lord because Thou hast judged righteously in destroying our idolatrous enemies and defending thy faithfull servants 9. For thou LORD art high above all the earth thou art exalted far above all gods 9. Whose hearts are filled with the greater joy because Thou O Lord hast manifested thy self hereby to be the supreme and onely Potentate who rulest over all the earth and art infinitely superiour to all that have the name of gods 10. Ye that love the LORD hate evil he preserveth the