certainty of these Judgments and partly to awaken and affect the stupid Israelites who greatly needed it 20 The earth c The People of the Earth shall * Chap. 19. 14. reel to and fro like a drunkard d Shall be sorely perplexed and distressed not knowing whither to go nor what to do and shall be removed like a cottage e Or like a lodge in a Garden of which this Word is used Isa. 1. 8. which is soon taken down and set up in another place as occasion requires Or as others render it like a tent which is easily and commonly carried from place to place and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it f Those Sins which they formerly esteemed light and pleasant shall now be most burdensom and grievous to them because of the dreadful punishments which shall follow them and it shall fall and not rise again 21 And it shall come to pass in that day g Either when God shall punish the Apostatical Jews or about or after that time or in a time known to God for this Phrase is oft used indefinitely and without any respect to the time designed in the foregoing passages that the LORD shall †Heb. visit upon punish the host of the high ones that are on high h The proud and potent Enemies of God and of his People who possess the High-places of the Earth and the kings of the earth i Either 1. the great Monarchs of the World who now scorn and trample upon God's People or 2. the Princes and Rulers of Israel or Iudah for the Name of king is frequently given in Scripture unto mean and inferiour Rulers as Iudg. 1. 7. 1 Kings 20. 1 12. Psal. 119. 46. and elsewhere upon the earth 22 And they shall be gathered together k By God's special Providence in order to their punishment as the following Words shew And thus the unbelieving Iews were generally gathered together at Ierusalem to their Solemn Feast when Titus came and besieged and after some time took and destroyed them Which was a very remarkable Hand of God as 〈◊〉 and other Historians observed And I know nothing to the contrary but this very thing may be meant in this place it being confessed that divers Passages of this Chapter concern the times of the Messiah †Heb. with the gathering of prisoners as prisoners are gathered in the ‖ Or dungeon pit and shall be shut up in the prison l As Malefactors which are taken in several Places are usually brought to one common Prison where they are reserved in order to their Trial and Punishment and after many days shall they be ‖ Or found wanting visited m Either 1. in Judgment as visiting is oft used So the sence is After they have been punished with long Imprisonment and tormented with Expectation and Fear they shall be 〈◊〉 forth to receive coâ—…ign Punishment Or rather 2. 〈◊〉 Mercy And so the sence may be either 1. After the Jews shall have suffered many and grievous things from the Assyrians Chaldeans Persians and others at last their Messiah and Deliverer shall come into the World c. Or 2. After the Unbelieving and Apostate Jews shall have been shut up in Unbelief and in great Tribulations for many Ages together they shall be convinced of their Sin in crucifying their Messiah and brought home to God and Christ by true Repentance 23 Then the * Chap. 13. 10. Ezek. 32. 7. Joel 2. 31. 3. 15. moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed n The sun and moon are here considered either 1. as they were abused to Idolatry for these two were most eminent Idols and most generally worshipped especially in those Eastern Countries Deut. 4. 19. 17. 3. Iob 31. 26. c. and so may be put for all Idols which were confounded by Christ at his coming as was foretold in Scripture and verified by the Testimony of Ancient yea even of Heathen Historians Or 2. as they were the most eminent and glorious Lights of the World and were oft used both in Scripture and other Authors to signifie the great Kings and Potentates and Glories of the World as hath been formerly noted and we shall have further occasion to remember So the sence is That all Earthly Powers and Glories should be obscured with the far greater Splendour of Christ the King of Kings at whose Feet even the Kings of the Earth shall fall down and worship as we shall see in other parts of this Prophecy when the LORD of hosts o The Messiah who though Man yet is also God and the Lord of Hosts and is so called Zech. 2. 8 11. shall reign in mount Zion and in Jerusalem p Shall come in the Flesh and set up his Kingdom first in Ierusalem and afterward in all other Nations and ‖ Or there shall be glory before his ancients before his ancients q Before his Ministers who are in some sort the Courtiers of this King of Glory as being continually attending upon him and enjoying his Presence and executing the Powers and Offices of his Kingdom and especially before his Apostles who were the Witnesses of his Divine Words and Works and particularly of his Resurrection and Ascension by which he entred upon his Kingdom and of the Exercise of his Royal Power in subduing both Jews and Gentiles to himself The Word ancient or elder is not a Name of Age but of Office as it is in very many Texts of Scripture And the ancients are here put Synechdochically for the whole Church in whose Name and for whose Service they act gloriously r Heb. in glory for that Preposition is very frequently understood CHAP. XXV O LORD thou art my God I will exalt thee I will praise thy Name a The Prophet reflecting upon those great and glorious Prophecies which he had delivered concerning the Destruction of his Enemies and the Protection and Deliverance of his People and the sending of the Messiah and the Establishment of his own Kingdom in spight of all opposition interrupteth the Course of his Prophecies and breaketh forth into a Solemn Celebration of all these wonderful Works for thou hast done wonderful things thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth b Thy counsels from which all thy Works proceed and which thou hast from time to time revealed to thy Prophets and People which were of old being conceived from all Eternity and long since made known by thy Threatnings and Promises are true and firm and therefore shall certainly be accomplished 2 For thou hast made * Chap. 21. 9. 23. 13. of a city c Which is put collectively for cities He speaks of the Cities of strangers as the following Clause explains it or of Enemies of God and of his People And under the Name cities he comprehends their Countries and Kingdoms of which Cities are an eminent and
Name of the LORD if the thing e Which he gives as a sign of the truth of his prophecy He means the prediction of some strange and wonderful event as appears by comparing this with Deut. 13. 1 2. follow not nor come to pass that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken f The falshood of his prediction shews him to be a false prophet though the truth and accomplishment of his prediction had not proved him to be a true Prophet as is evident from Deut. 13. 2 3. but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously g Impudently ascribing his own vain and lying fancies to the God of truth thou shalt not be afraid of him h i. e. Of his predictions or threatnings so as to be scared from doing thy duty in bringing him to deserved punishment CHAP. XIX 1 WHen the LORD thy God * chap. 12. 29. hath cut off the nations whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee and thou †Heb inheritest or possessest succeedest them and dwellest in their cities and in their houses 2 * Exod. 21. 13. Num. 35. 10. 11. Josh. 20. 2. Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land a To wit beyond Iordan as there were three already appointed on this side Iordan Numb 35. 14. He saith in the midst of the land either for in the land as in the midst of the city Ier. 52. 25. is the same with that in the city 2 King 25. 19. or to design the places that they should be scituated in the midst of the several parts of their land to which they might conveniently and speedily flee from all the parts of the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it 3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way b Distinguish it by evident marks and make it plain and convenient to prevent mistakes and delays and divide the coasts of thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit into three parts c Not into more because it was fit that these places should as far as it was possible be at some considerable distance from the friends of the slain person least the sight of the manslayer might have provoked their passion and occasioned his ruine that every slayer may flee thither 4 And this is the case of the slayer which shall flee thither that he may live whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly whom he hated not †Heb. froâ—…â—…terday the 〈◊〉 day in time past 5 As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the ax to cut down the tree and the †Heb. 〈◊〉 head slippeth from the †Heb. 〈◊〉 helve and †Heb. 〈◊〉 lighteth upon his neighbour that he die he shall flee unto one of those cities and live 6 Lest the avenger of blood pursue the slayer d This verse is to be joyned with ver 3. as is evident the 4th and 5th verses coming in as a parenthesis which is usual in Scripture and other authors while his heart is hot and overtake him because the way is long and †Heb. 〈◊〉 him in 〈◊〉 slay him e Which is supposed but not allowed as appears from the following words But the avenger of blood is not to be punished with death for killing the manslayer in case he found him without the borders of the city of refuge after he had been received there Numb 35. 26 27. because then he was guilty of a new crime to wit a contempt of Gods ordinance and a gross neglect of the duty of self-preservation and therefore deserved death from God who might permit it to be inflicted by the avenger of blood whereas he was not worthy of death inasmuch as he hated him not †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in time past 7 Wherefore I command thee saying Thou shalt separate three cities for thee 8 And if the LORD thy God * chap. 1â—… 〈◊〉 enlarge thy coast f As far as Euphrates See Gen. 15. 18. Exod. 23. 31. Deut. 1. 7. as he hath sworn unto thy fathers and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers 9 If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them which I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God and to walk ever in his wayes * Josh. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then shalt thou add three cities moe for thee beside these three 10 That innocent blood be not shed in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance and so blood be upon thee 11 But if any man hate his neighbour and lie in wait for him and rise up against him and smite him †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in life mortally that he die and fleeth into one of these cities 12 Then the elders of his city g Either of the slain person who were most likely to prosecute the murderer or of the murderer because God would oblige even his own fellow citizens to prosecute him to death that it might appear how hateful murder and the murderer is to God and ought to be to all men shall send and fetch him thence h Demand him of the Elders of the city of refuge who upon the hearing of the cause and the evidence of the murder were obliged to deliver the offender to justice and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood that he may die 13 Thine eye shall not pity him but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel that it may go well with thee 14 * chap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbours †Heb. 〈◊〉 land-mark i By which the several portions of lands distributed to several families were distinguished one from another See Iob 24. 2. Prov. 22. 28. Hos. 5. 10. which they of old time have set in thine inheritance which thou shalt inherit in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it 15 * Nâ—…m 35. 〈◊〉 chap. 17. â—… Mat. 18. 1â—… Joh. 8. 17. 2 Cor. 13. â—… Heb. 10. 〈◊〉 One witness shall not rise up k Or not stand or not be established accepted owned as sufficient it is the same word which in the end of the verse is rendred be established against a man for any iniquity or for any sin in any sin that he sinneth at the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses shall the matter be established 16 If a false witness l A single witness though he speak truth is not to be accepted for the condemnation of another man but if he be convicted of false witness this is sufficient for his own condemnation rise up against any man to testifie against him ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is wrong 17 Then both the men between whom the controversie is shall stand before the LORD before the priests and the judges
order barbarous and rude and savage and brutish in their manners And yet these people I will prefer before you and take into your stead receive them and reject you which when it came to pass how desperately it provoked the Iews to jealousie may be gathered from Mat. 21. 43 c. Act. 11. 2 3. and 22. 21 22 23. 1 Thes. 2. 15 16. I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation g So the Gentiles were both in the opinion of the Iews and in truth and reality notwithstanding all their pretences to wisdom Rom. 1. 22. there being nothing more foolish or brutish than the worship of Idols See Ier. 10. 8. 1 Cor. 12. 2. 22 For * Jer. 15 14 Lam. 4. 11. a fire is kindled h i. e. Great and grievous judgments shall be inflicted which oft come under the name of fire c. See Deut. 4. 24. Ezek. 30. 8. Amos 2. 2 5. in mine anger and ‖ Or hath consumed shall burn unto the lowest hell i Or unto hell or the graves beneath The sence is it shall not onely burn up all the corn and fruits and buildings which appear above ground but it shall reach to the inwards and depths of the earth and burn up the very roots and hopes of future increase and ‖ Or hath burned shall consume the earth with her increase and set on fire the foundations of the mountains 23 I will * Isa. 26. 14 15. heap mischiefs upon them I will * Psal. 7. 12 13. Ezek. 5. 16. spend mine arrows k i. e. Even empty my quiver and send upon them all my plagues which like arrows shot by a skilful and strong hand shall speedily reach and certainly hit and mortally wound them Compare Zech. 9. 14. upon them 24 They shall be burnt with hunger l With famine which burneth and parcheth the inward parts and makes the face black as a coal Lam. 4. 8. and devoured with †Heb. burning coals Heb. 3. 5. burning heat m From fevers or carbuncles or other inflaming distempers and with bitter destruction I will also send * Lev. 26 22. the teeth of beasts upon them with the poyson of serpents of the dust n Who feed upon the dust Gen. 3. 14. and lurk in it that they may surprize unwary passengers Gen. 49. 17. 25 * Lam. 1. 20. Ezek. 7. 15. The sword without and terror †Heb. from the chambers within shall †Heb. bereâ—… destroy both the young man and the virgin the suckling also with the man of gray hairs 26 I said I would scatter them into corners I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men 27 Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy o i. e. Their rage against me as it is expressed Isa. 37. 28 29. their insolent and furious reproaches against my name as if I were unnatural and cruel to my people or unable to deliver them Compare Exod. 32. 12. Numb 14. 13. Deut. 9. 28. Ios. 7. 9. The fear hereof is ascribed to God after the manner of men lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely p i. e. Insolently and arrogantly above what they used to do Or make themselves strangers i. e. either really not acknowledge or pretend they did not know that which I had publickly declared and they either did or easily might have known to wit that this judgment was inflicted upon them by my hand for their sins and lest they should say ‖ Or our high hand and not the LORD hath done all this Our hand is high and the LORD hath not done all this 28 For they q Either 1. the enemies last mentioned who are foolish people and therefore make so false and foolish a judgment upon things Or rather 2. the Israelites themselves of whom he speaks both in the foregoing ver 26. and in the whole foregoing chapter and in the next v. 29. and afterwards are a nation void of counsel r That have not wisdom to direct themselves nor discretion to desire and receive counsel from others but rashly and madly go on in those courses which will certainly ruine them neither is there any understanding in them 29 * Psal. 94. 8. O that they were wise that they understood this * Lam. 1. 9. that they would consider their latter end s What their end will be and that although God spare them long yet at last judgment will certainly overtake them 30 How should * Josh. 23. 10. 2 Chro. 24. 24. Isa. 30. 17. one chase a thousand t Whence should this miraculous change come that whereas God had promised that five Israelites should chase an hundred of their enemies c. Levit. 26. 8. now on the contrary one enemy should chase a thousand Israelites and two put ten thousand to flight except their Rock u i. e. Their God as before ver 4 18. who was their onely refuge and defence * Psal. 44. 12. Isa. 50. 1. and 52. 3. had sold them x To wit for bondslaves had quitted his right and relation to them and given them up into their enemies hands and the LORD had shut them up y As it were in the net which their enemies had laid for them 31 For their rock is not as our Rock even our enemies themselves being judges z Who by their dear bought experience have been forced to acknowledge that our God was far stronger than they and their â—…ise Gods together See Exod. 14. 25. Num. 23. 1 Sam. 4. 8. Ier. 40. 3. 32 For a Or But for these words seem to contain an answer to that question ver 30. how should c. To this he answers 1. Negatively it was not from impotency in God for if he had not forsaken and delivered them up they could not have been so easily chased 2. Positively But saith he the true reason was this their vine c. their vine ‖ Or is worse than the vine of Sodom c. is of the vine of Sodom b The people of Israel which I planted and brought up as a choice vine are now degenerated and become like the vine of Sodom their principles and practises are all corrupt and abominable Compare Isa. 1. 10. and of the fields of Gomorrah their grapes are grapes of gall their clusters are bitter c Their fruits or actions are most loathsome to me malicious and mischievous to others and at last will be pernicious to themselves 33 Their wine is the poison of dragons d For although some write that the Dragons of Greece have no poison in them yet that the African and Arabian Dragons of which Moses here writes have poison in them is confessed by antient heathen authors and the cruel venom of asps e Whose poison kills certainly and speedily as Aristotle and others write 34 Is not this
that whatsoever good was in or had been done by their Progenitors was wholly from Gods free Grace and not for their own merit or righteousness as the Iews were very apt to conceit served other gods 3 And I took g I apprehended him by my grace and snatched him out of that Idolatrous and Wicked place and took him into Acquaintance and Covenant with my self which was the highest Honour and Happiness he was capable of your father Abraham from the other side of the floud and led him throughout all the land of Canaan h i. e. I brought him after his Fathers Death into Canaan Gen. 12. 1. and I conducted and preserved him in safety in all his Travels through the several parts of Canaan and multiplyed his seed i i. e. Gave him a numerous Posterity not only by Hagar and Keturah but even by Sarah and by Isaac as it follows and * Gen. 21. 2. gave him Isaac k By my special Power and Grace to be the Heir of my Covenant and all my Promises and the Seed in or by which all Nations were to be Blessed Gen. 12. 1. and 21. 2. 4 And I gave unto Isaac * Gen. 25. 24 26. Jacob and Esau and I gave unto * Gen. 36. 8. Esau mount Seir to possess it l That he might leave Canaan intire to his Brother Iacob and his Posterity Gen. 36. 7 8 * Gen. 46. 1 6. but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt m Where they long lived in grievous Bondage which God having delivered us from I shall now pass it over 5 * Exod. 3. 10. I sent Moses also and Aaron and I plagued Egypt according to that which I did n i. e. In such manner and with such Plagues as I inflicted and are recorded amongst them and afterward I brought you out 6 And I * Exod. 12. 37. brought your fathers out of Egypt and ye came unto the sea and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with charets and horsemen unto * Exod. 14. 9. the Red-sea 7 And when they cryed unto the LORD he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and brought the sea upon them and covered them and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt o He speaketh this to the Elders v. 1. who were so not only by Power and Dignity but many of them by Age and there being now not sixty years past since those Egyptian Plagues it is very probable that a considerable number of those here present had seen those things in Egypt and being not twenty years old were exempted from that dreadful Sentence of Destruction passed upon all who were then of more years standing Numb 14. and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season 8 And I brought you into the land of the Amorite which dwelt on the other side Jordan * Numb 21. 34. Deut. 2. 32. and they fought with you and I gave them into your hand that ye might possess their land and I destroyed them from before you 9 Then Balak the son of Zippor king of Moab arose and warred against Israel p Qu. How is this true when Balak did never fight against Israel Iudg. 11. 25 Ans. One Prince may commence a War against another though he never come to a Battel nor strike one stroke So Balak warred though not by open force yet by Crafty Counsel and Warlike Stratagems by Magical Arts by Wicked Devices by making bate betwixt them and God their Confederate or by Warlike preparations in case Balaam's Charms had succeeded as may be gathered from Numb 22. 11. or at least by design or intention things being oft said to be done both in Scripture and other Authors which were only designed or intended as here v. 11. Gen. 37. 21. Ezek. 24. 13. Mat. 5. 28. Ioh. 10. 32 33. And the old Lawyers note That he is rightly called a Thief or an Adulterer c. who wanted nothing but occasion to be so and * Numb 22. 5. Deut. 23. 4. sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you 10 But I would not hearken unto Balaam q Who hereby appears to have desired of God leave to Curse Israel and therefore it is not strange that God who permitted him simply to go was highly angry with him for going with so wicked an intent Numb 22. 20 22 32. therefore he blessed you still so I delivered you out of his hand r i. e. From Balaks malicious Design against you 11 And * Chap. 3. 14. ye went over Jordan and came unto Jericho and * Chap. 6. 1. and 10. 1. and 11. 1. the men of Jericho sought against you s Made opposition against you by shutting their Gates by endeavouring to cut off your Spies c. they Warred against you if not by an Offensive yet by a Defensive War the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Girgashite the Hivite and the Jebusite t To wit successively for in these few words he seems to comprise all their Wars which being so fresh in their Memory he thought it needless particularly to mention and I delivered them into your hand 12 And * Exod. 23. 2â—… Deut. 7. 20. I sent the hornet u Either siguratively i. e. Terrors and Plagues or other destroying Judgments Or 2. Properly so called See on Exod. 23. 28. And this being done before Ioshua's entrance into Canaan it is not strange if it be not mentioned in this Book or Record of Ioshua's actions before you which drave them out from before you even the two kings of the Amorites but * Psal. 44. 3 6. not with thy sword nor with thy bow x For though thou didst fight with them and prevail against them in Battel yet this was not because thou hadst more force or courage than they but because by my Hornet which I sent like an Harbinger before thee I had both broken their spirits and greatly diminished their numbers and particularly cut off those Giants or others who were like to give thee most trouble and difficulty whence it comes to pass that we read of so few Giants in that Land which was called the Land of Giants Deut. 3. 13. 13 And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour and * Deut. 6. 10 11. cities which ye built not y See on Ios. 10. 12 13. and ye dwell in them of the vineyards and olive-yards which ye planted not do ye eat 14 ¶ Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in truth z Either these two expressions note the same thing or sincerity is opposed to the mixture of false gods with the true as it here follows or of a false and corrupt worship of God with that which God appointed and Truth is opposed to dissimulation and falseness and instability of heart and put away the gods a
Dreams it is but reasonable to allow something extraordinary For who can doubt but God may so clear up and assist a mans reason in his Dream that he may have a true and strong apprehension of some things which also may make a sutable impression upon the will or affections and consequently such acts of the Soul may be Moral acts and regardable by God and men And this might be a kind of exstatical rapture whereby his Soul might be as it were carried out of his Body as St. Paul's was 2 Cor. 12. 3. for a season in which case both his reason might clearly and distinctly apprehend Gods mind and his Gracious offer and his Will might make a free choice of Wisdom which therefore might be accepted and rewarded by God Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great ‖ Or bounty mercy according as he walked before thee in truth q Either First Sincerely and without dissimulation But that is more fully expressed in the following words in uprightness of heart Or rather Secondly in the true Worship and Service of God in the profession belief practice and defence of the truth or of the true Religion or of Gods Will or Word which is called truth Prov. 23. 23. Ioh. 17. 17. Gal. 3. 1. So truth here contains all his duties to God as righteousness doth his duties to men and uprightness the right manner of performing both sorts of duties and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart with thee r i. e. In thy Judgment to whom alone his heart was known and to whom he oft appealed as the witness of his Integrity and with respect to whom he performed all his duties even to men and thou hast kept s Or reserved that which thou didst not reserve for Saul whose Posterity thou didst cut off from the Kingdom for him this great kindness that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne as it is this day 7 And now O LORD my God thou hast made thy servant king in stead of David my father and I am but a little child s So he was in Years not as if he were now but twelve Years old as many gather from this name of Child for that name is given to Ishmael when 18 Years old Gen. 21. 14 15 and to Rehoboam when 41 Years old 2 Chron. 13. 7. where the word is the same in the Hebrew and before this time David calls him a wise man chap. 2. 9. but he was now not above 20 Years old and withal which he principally intends he was raw and unexperienced as a Child in State-Affairs and altogether unfit for so hard a task I know not how to go out or come in t i. e. To govern my People and manage Affairs as that Phrase signifies Num. 27. 17. Deut. 31. 2. Ios. 14. 11. 8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people u i. e. Is set over them to rule and guide them A Metaphor from the Overseer of divers Workmen who usually is in the midst of them that he may the better observe how each of them dischargeth his office which thou hast chosen x Thy peculiar People whom thou takest special care of and therefore wiltst expect a more punctual account of my Government of them a great people that cannot be numbred nor counted for multitude 9 * â—… Chr. 1. 1â—… Give therefore thy servant an ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 understanding heart y Whereby I may both clearly discern and faithfully perform all the parts of my duty for both these are spoken of in Scripture as the effects of a good understanding and he that lives in the neglect of his duties or the practice of wickedness is called a Fool and one void of understanding to judge z Or govern as that word is used Iudg. 3. 10. and 4. 4. Psal. 7. 8. and 67. 4. Isa. 2. 4. and 16. 5. thy people that I may discern between good and bad a To wit in Causes and Controversies among my People that I may not through mistakes or prejudices or passions give wrong Sentences and call evil good or good evil for who is able b Of himself or without thy Gracious assistance to judg this thy so great a people 10 And the speech pleased the LORD c How such a Dreaming-prayer could please God see in the notes on v. 5 and 6. that Solomon had asked this thing 11 And God said unto him Because thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thy self ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 days long life neither hast asked riches for thy self nor hast asked the life of thine enemies d That God would take away their lives or put them into thy power to destroy them but hast asked for thy self understanding ‡ Heb to 〈◊〉 to discern judgment 12 Behold I have done according to thy word e I have granted and do at this present grant unto thee thy desire And accordingly at this time God did infuse into him a far higher degree and greater measure of Wisdom than he naturally had lo I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart f i. e. Wisdom to govern thy People to know and do thy several duties which was the thing that Solomon desired v. 7 9. and the effects whereof here follow v. 16 c. and withal all Divine and human Wisdom the knowledge of all things of all the Arts and Sciences as may be gathered from 1 King 4. 29 c. and that in a far greater proportion than by his years and the time he could get for his study could possibly produce so that there was none g Either no King or rather no man for he is herein preferred not onely before all Kings but before all men chap. 4. 31. no meer man since the fall equalled him to wit in universal knowledge and especially in the art of well governing his People like thee before thee neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee ‖ Quest. Did not the Apostles excel him Ans. They did not in Natural and Political knowledge but onely in the knowledge of the mysteries of Faith which were more freely and more fully imparted in those times the ignorance whereof was no disparagement to Solomon's Wisdom because they were not discoverable by any Creature without Divine revelation which God saw fit not to afford in Solomon's time I know no inconvenience in affirming that Solomon's Natural capacities were higher than any of the Apostles and Solomon had a more comprehensive knowledge of all things known in that Age than the Apostles had in all the discoveries of their Age. 13 And I have also * Mat. 6. 〈◊〉 given h Either First I have granted and decreed to give for words signifying action are oft put onely for the purpose of the action Or rather Secondly I will give as it is expressed in the Parallel place
by other Authors that I may go in and dress it for me and my son that we may eat it and die b For having no more Provision we must needs perish with Hunger For though the Famine was onely in the Land of Israel yet the Effects of it were in Tyre and Sidon which were fed by the Corn of that Land See Acts 12. 20. Or the same Famine might be in those parts also the chief cause of the Famine to wit the Worship of Baal being common to both places 13 And Elijah said unto her Fear not go and do as thou hast said but make me thereof a little cake first c Which he requires as a tryal and exercise of her Faith and Charity and Obedience which he knew God would graciously and plentifully reward and so this would be a great Example to encourage others to the practise of the same Graces upon like occasions and bring it unto me and after make for thee and for thy son 14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel d In whom I perceive thou trustest The barrel of meal e i. e. The Meal of the Barrel An Hypallage or Metonymy So the cruse of oil â—…or the oil of the cruse shall not waste neither shall the cruse of oil fail until the day that the LORD ‡ Heb. giveth sendeth rain upon the earth 15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah f Giving Glory to the God of Israel by believing his Prophet and she and he and her house did eat ‖ Or a full year many days g i. e. A long time even above Two Years See Chap. 18. 1. Heb. days i. e. A full Year as ver 7. namely before the following Event about her Son happened and the rest of the time of the Famine after it 16 And the barrel of meal wasted not h God still Creating new as fast as the old was spent neither did the cruse of oil fail according to the word of the LORD which he spake ‡ Heb. by the hand of by Elijah 17 ¶ And it came to pass after these things that the son of the woman the mistress of the house fell sick and his sickness was so sore that there was no breath i Or no Soul or Life as this Hebrew Word oft signifies i. e. He died as is manifest from the following Verses See also Heb. 11. 35. left in him 18 And she said unto Elijah What have I to do with thee k Wherein have I injured or provoked thee Or Why didst thou come to Sojourn in my House as the following Words seem to Explain these if this be the fruit of it They are Words of a troubled Mind favouring of some rashness and impatience O thou man of God art thou come unto me l Didst thou come for this end that thou mightest severely observe my Sins and by thy prayers bring down God's just Judgment upon me for them as thou hast for the like cause brought down this Famine upon the Nation to call my sin to remembrance m Either 1. To my remembrance that I should by this dreadful Judgment be brought to the knowledge and remembrance of my Sins which have procured it Or rather 2. To God's Remembrance for God is oft said in Scripture to remember sins when he punisheth them and to forget them when he spares the Sinner See 2 Sem. 16. 10. Have I instead of the Blessing which I expected from thy presence met with a Curse and to stay my son 19 And he said unto her Give me thy son n Into mine Arms. And he took him out of her bosom and carried him up into a loft o A private place where he might more freely and fully pour out his Soul to God and use such Gestures or Methods as he thought most proper without any offence or observation where he abode and laid him upon his own bed 20 And he cried unto the LORD and said O LORD my God hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn by slaying her son p A Prayer full of powerful Arguments Thou art the Lord that canst revive the Child and my God and therefore wiltst not do not deny me She is a widow add not Affliction to the Afflicted deprive her not of the great support and staff of her Age She hath given me kind entertainment let her not fare the worse for her kindness to a Prophet whereby Wicked Men will take occasion to Reproach both her and Religion 21 And he ‡ Heb. measured stretched himself upon the child q Not as if he thought this could contribute any warmth or Life to the Child but partly to express and withal to increase his grief for the Child's Death and his desire of its reviving that thereby his Prayers might be more fervent and consequently more prevalent with God and partly that it might appear That this Miracle though wrought by God alone yet was done for the sake of Elijah and in answer to his Prayers Compare 2 King 4. 34. Ioh. 9. 6. Act. 20. 10. three times and cried unto the LORD r First he stretched himself then he prayed and that for Three times successively and said O LORD my God I pray thee let this childs soul come ‡ Heb. into 〈◊〉 inward parts into him again s By which it is evident That the Soul was gone out of his Body and therefore doth subsist without it after Death Compare Gen. 35. 18. This was a great Request but Elias was incouraged to make it partly by his Zeal for God's Honour which he thought was concerned in it and would be Eclipsed by it partly by the experience which he had of his prevailingpower with God in prayer and partly by a Divine Impulse moving him to desire it 22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah and the soul of the child came into him again and he revived 23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down out of the chamber into the house and delivered him unto his mother and Elijah said See thy son liveth 24 ¶ And the woman said to Elijah Now by this I know t Now I am assured of that concerning which I began upon this sad occasion to doubt that thou art a man of God and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth u That the God whom thou professest is the True God and the Doctrine and Religion which thou Teachest is the onely True Religion and therefore henceforth I wholly Renounce the Worship of Idols CHAP. XVIII AND it came to pass after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year a Either 1. From the time when he went to hide himself by the Brook Cerith Six Months before which time the Famine might begin though it was not yet come to extremity And so this being in or
pretended to fear and serve both the Lord and Idols yet in truth they did not and do not fear or worship the Lord but their own Calves or other vain inventions And God will not accept that mongrel and false Worship which they pretend to give to the true God Or this may intimate that the Israelites were worse than their Successors because these feared the Lord and Idols too but they did quite cast off the fear and worship of God in their captivity and wholly degenerated into Heathenish Idolatry neither do they after their statutes d i. e. God's Law delivered to their Fathers and to them as their Inheritance Psal. 119. 111. This is alledged as an Evidence that they did not fear the Lord whatsoever they pretended because they lived in the constant breach of his statutes or after their ordinances or after the law and commandment which the LORD commanded the children of Jacob e i. e. Themselves the Noun put for the Pronoun which is usual among the Hebrews * Gen. 32. 28. and 35. 10. whom he named Israel f A Name signifying his special interest in God and power with him which was given to him not onely for himself but for his Posterity also whom God frequently honours with that Name And by this great favour he aggravates their sin 35 With whom the LORD had made a covenant g Containing many precious promises upon the condition here following see Gen 17. 7. Exod. 19. 5. and 24. 7. and charged them saying * Judg. 6. 10. Ye shall not fear other gods nor bow your selves to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them 36 But the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched-out arm him shall ye fear him shall ye worship and to him shall ye do sacrifice 37 And the statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandment which he wrote for you ye shall observe to do for evermore and ye shall not fear other gods 38 And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget neither shall ye fear other gods 39 But the Lord your God h i. e. God above as the whole context shews ye shall fear and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies i And therefore you have no pretence of need to go to other gods for relief 40 Howbeit they did not hearken but they did after their former manner 41 So k i. e. In like manner and after their example these nations l Who came in their stead feared the LORD and served their graven images both their children and their childrens children as did their fathers so do they unto this day CHAP. XVIII NOw it came to pass in the third year a In the third of those nine years mentioned chap. 17. 1. of which see there See below ver 10. of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel that * 2 Chron. 28 2â—… and 29. 1. He is called Ezekias Mat. 1. 9. Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign 2 Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign b How is this credible For then Ahaz who lived but Six and Thirty years chap. 16. 2. must beget Hezekiah at the Eleventh year of his Age. Ans. 1. There are some like instances mentioned by credible Authors which these very men will not deny who are so ready to quarrel with the holy Scriptures for such matters 2. This being the confessed custom of sacred and other Writers in the numbring of years sometimes to omit and sometimes to add those which are imperfect or unfinished And so Ahaz might be near One and twenty years old when he began to reign and near Seventeen years older when he died And on the other side Hezekiah when he began to reign might be onely Four and Twenty years old compleat and but entred into his Five and Twentieth year And thus Ahaz might be between Thirteen and Fourteen years old when he got Hezechiah which is not at all strange especially in that Nation to which God had promised a singular degree of Fruitfulness and in that House of David to which God had made so many and such great Promises 3. It is not certain that Ahaz lived onely Thirty six years for those Sixteen Years which he Reigned Chap. 16. 2. may be computed not from the first beginning of his Reign when he Reigned with his Father of which see the notes on Chap. 15. 30. which was at the Twentieth Year of his Age but from the beginning of his Reign alone 4. Some affirm That Hezekiah was not the Natural but onely the Legal Son and Successor of Ahaz for the name of Son is given in Scripture to such Persons as 1 Chron. 3. 16. comp with 2 King 24. 17. Matt. 1. 12. compared with Ier. 22. 30. and to Adopted Sons Act. 7. 21. Heb. 11. 24. And to Sons in Law 1 Sam. 24. 16. and 26. 17. Luk. 3. 23. Any of these Solutions are far more credible to any man of common prudence than that these Sacred Books whose Divine Original hath been so fully Evidenced both by God and Men are but the Fictions and Contrivances of a base Impostor And if none of these Solutions were sufficient it is absurd to conclude That a true Resolution 〈◊〉 be found because it is not yet found because it is 〈◊〉 That many difficulties both in Scripture and in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were formerly judged Insoluble have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore we may justly expect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Difficulties which may be thought 〈◊〉 Explained and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem his mothers name also was Abi the daughter of Zachariah c Or Abiah 2 Chron. 29. 1. 3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD according to all that which David his father did 4 * 2 Chro. 31. â—… ¶ He removed the high places d i. e. The most of them or such as the people most frequented for all were not taken away Chap. 23. 13 14. And this he attempted to do notwithstanding the peoples great and constant Affection to them partly because he had more Zeal and Courage than his Predecessors and partly because the Dreadful Judgments of God upon the Kingdom of Israel for their Superstition and Idolatry had made the People of Iudah more pliable to the Commands of God and of their good King and brake the †images and cut down the groves and brake ‡ Heb. Staâ—…es in pieces the * Numb 21. 9. brazen serpent that Moses had made e By God's Command to be an Ordinance or mean for the conveyance of God's Blessing to the People which therefore had been hitherto kept as a Memorial of God's Mercy but being now commonly abused to Superstition was destroyed for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it f Not
PSAL. XLIII The ARGUMENT This Psalm seems to have been Composed by the same Author and upon the same Occasion with the former 1. JUdge me a Or Iudge or give Sentence for me as this Phrase is used Psal. 26. 1. and elsewhere O God and plead my cause against an ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ungodly b Or unmerciful i. e. Cruel or inhumane for it is a Meiosis nation c So he calls the Company of his Enemies for their great Numbers and because they were the far greatest part and almost the whole Body of the Nation O deliver me 〈◊〉 from a 〈◊〉 deceit †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the deceitful and unjust d Who covereth his wicked Designs with fair and false Pretences Which sort of men are hateful to thee and to all good Men. man e Either Saul Or rather Achitophel or Absalom For he speaks of the holy Hill of Zion v. 3. which was not so till after Saul's time Or Man may be put Collectively for the Men of that time 2. For thou art the God of my strength why dost thou cast me off * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 9. Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy 3. O send out f i. e. Actually impart and discover them for at present thou seemest to Conceal and with-hold them from me i. e. Thy Favour or the Light of thy Countenance and the Truth of thy Promises made to me as God's Mercy and Truth oft go together as 2 Sam. 15. 20. Psal. 61. 7. and 89. 14. c. Or this may be a Figure called Hendiaduo whereby Light and Truth is put either for the Light of Gods Truth Or rather for true Light the Illumination of Gods Spirit and the direction of his gracious Providence whereby he might be led as it follows in the right way which would bring him to God's holy Hill thy light and * 〈◊〉 57. 3 thy truth g let them lead me let them bring me unto thy holy hill h To wit of Zion the place of God's Presence and Worship and to thy tabernacles i i. e. Tabernacle Which he calls Tabernacles Either 1. Because there were now two Tabernacles one at Zion where the Ark was and another at Gibeon 1 Chron. 16. 37. 39. Although he here seems to speak but of one of them even of that which was upon God's holy Hill Or 2. Because of the several parts of it the most Holy and the Holy place and the Church These indeed were in that of Gibeon but not in that of Zion Or rather 3. By a meer Enalâ—…age of the Number the plural for the singular which is frequent as in other Words so in those which belong to this Matter as Tabernacles Psal. 46. 4. and Sanctuaries Levit. 26. 31. Psal. 73. 17. c. and 74. 7. Ier. 51. 51. Nay the most Holy place though but one simple part is by the Greeks called Holies So in other Authors we Read the Rivers of Nilus of that one River and Right hands for one Right hand and many like Phrases 4. Then will I go unto the altar of God k To offer Sacrifices of Thanksgiving for my Deliverance unto God †Heb. the gladness of my joy my exceeding joy l The principal Author and Matter of all my Joy and Comfort yea upon the harp will I praise thee O God my God 5. * Psal. 42. 5. 11. Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my Countenance and my God PSAL. XLIV The ARGUMENT There is no certainty either Concerning the Author or the particular occasion of this Psalm This is evident that it was Composed with respect unto the Calamitous Condition of the Church and People of Israel whom it supposeth to be in a state of Captivity and Persecution But whether it was made by David who foresaw and foretold by the Spirit of God their future Captivity and framed this for their use in that â—…state or by some other holy Man of God when they were actually in this Condition is not determined nor necessary to know for the understanding of it To the chief musician for the sons of Korah Maschil 1. WE have heard with our ears O God our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their days a They alledge their former Experiences as Encouragements to their Faith and Motives to God to continue to be gracious to them in the times of old 2. How * Exod. 15. 17 Psal. 78. 55. 80. 8. thou didst drive out the heathen b The Canaanites with thy hand and plantest them c To wit our Fathers easily understood both from the Matter and from v. 1. where they are expressed the Pronoun being referred unto the Remoter Antecedent as it is Gen. 10. 12. and 19. 13. Psal. 18. 15. and oft elsewhere So them must be the People or 〈◊〉 But because the Comparing of this Branch of the Verse with the former Plantedst them to which this Answers and withthe following they makes it more than probable that this them belongs to the Fathers this is to be otherwise rendred Either 1. Thus send them out to wit free or Manumitted out of Egypt of which this same Verb is used Exod. 5. 1. and 12. 33. And then the foregoing People are the Egyptians not the Canaanites Which yet seems not to agree with the foregoing and following Passages both which speak of the Canaanites onely nor with the order of the Words in this Verse it being improper to mention their coming out of Egypt after their being planted in Canaan Or rather 2. Thus make them send or shout forth to wit Branches as it is more fully expressed Psal. 80. 11. Ezek. 17. 6. Where this Verb is used And this most Naturally and Properly follows upon and after their Planting mentioned in the former Clause how thou didst afflict the people and cast them out 3. * Deut. â—… 〈◊〉 Josh. â—…4 〈◊〉 For they got not the land in possession by their own sword d i. e. By their Arms or Valour neither did their own arm save them but thy right hand and thine arm and the light of thy countenance e i. e. Thy Favour as the next Words explain it Thy gracious and glorious Presence which went along with us because thâ—… hadst a favour unto them 4. * Psal. 74. 12. Thou art my King f Iacob's or Israel's King in a peculiar manner The whole People speak like one Man as being united together in one Body O God command g i. e. Effectually procure by thy Commanding Word deliverances for Jacob. 5. Through thee will we push down h Heb. Smite with the Horn i. e. Subdue and destroy The Phrase is taken from Deut. 33. 17. and is borrowed from horned Beasts Comp. 1 Kings 22. 11. our enemies through thy name i
of Prudence because it was Ambiguous and might be understood Either of himself or of Soul whereby he might avoid the Envy of the Expression if this Psalm was Composed before he was King shall rejoyce in God every one that sweareth by him f Either 1. By the King by whom they sometimes did swear as Gen. 42. 15. 2 Sam. 15. 21. But they did also swear by some other Persons of Eminent Place and Authority though under the King as 1 Sam. 1. 26. and 20. 3. Nor is it likely that the Psalmist would justifie those kinds of Oaths this Practise of swearing by ones Name being Accounted a part of that Worship which is proper to God both in the Old and New Testament If this were meant of the King it might better be rendred that sweareth to for so the Particle Beth is sometimes used him as Subjects used to swear Homage to their Prince So the Sence is All those that shall own me for their King Or 2. By God who was last mentioned that sweareth by the Name of God to wit in Truth and Iudgment and Righteousness as it is expressed Iâ—…r 4. 2. i. e. Every sincere Servant and Worshipper of God Swearing being oft put for the whole Worship of God whereof it is a Considerable part and Swâ—…arers by God for Worshippers of him as Isa. 19. 18. and 45. 23. Compared with Rom. 14. 11. and Isa. 65. 16. shall glory g Shall rejoyce in my Deliverance and Exaltation both for their Respect to the Honour and Service of God which I shall advance and for the Benefits which all good Men and the whole Kingdom shall feel by my Government whereas in Saul's time the vilest Men were exalted and good Men oppressed and Persecuted and the whole Kingdom Groaned under his Tyranny but the mouth of them that speak lyes h That now make it their Business to invent or spread lying and slanderous Reports concerning me and others of God's People shall be stopped i I shall severely restrain and punish such wicked Practises PSAL. LXIV To the chief musician a Psalm of David The Matter of this Psalm plainly declares that it was made in a time when David was greatly Distressed and Reproached Which he was both under Saul and in the time of Absaloâ—…'s Rebellion 1. HEar my voyce O God in my prayer preserve my Life from fear a i. e. From Danger The Act or Passion of Fear being oft put for its Object Danger as Psal. 14. 5. 1 Pet. 3. 14. and oft elsewhere of the enemy 2. Hide me from the secret counsel b i. e. From the ill Effects of their Plots against me of the wicked from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity 3. * Psal. 11. â—… Who whet their tongue like a sword and * Psal. 57. 4. bend their bows to shoot their arrows c Of which Phrase see the notes on Psal. 58. 7. even bitter words d slanderous and pernicious Speeches against me 4. That they may shoot in secret e Lying in Ambush or hiding themselves in secret places as Fowlers commonly do at the perfect f Or upright Man i. e. At me who in spight of all their Calumnies dare avow that my Heart is perfect with God and that I am blameless as to them having given them no just Provocation suddenly g At the very first Opportunity do they shoot at him and fear not h Neither men because they conceal it from them as appears from the foregoing and following Words nor God whose Judgments they despise 5. They encourage themselves i Heb. They strengthen or sortisie themselves by firm Resolutions by assured Confidence of Success by Uniting their Counsels and Forces together and by mutual Encouragements and Exhortationâ—… in an evil ‖ Or Speech matter they commune †Heb. to hide Snaâ—…es of laying snares privily they say who shall see them k Their snares are so secretly laid that David cannot discern and therefore not avoid them 6. They search out iniquities l They study Diligently and Constantly to find out either Matter which they may lay to my Charge or new Ways and means of doing me Mischief ‖ Or we 〈◊〉 Consumed by that which they heart throughly searched they accomplish †Heb. a part searched a diligent search m They have long and accurately searched till at last they have Ripened and perfected their Thoughts and found out a very cunning and deep Plot. Or they say we have accomplished our accurate search By long searching we have at last found what we desired both the inward thought of every one of them and the heart is deep n Mine Enemies are not onely Cruel and Malicious but also very Cunning both to Contrive and Conceal and to execute their Plots 7. But God shall shoot at them o Though I can neither search out or prevent their subtil Devises yet God can and will certainly do it with an arrow suddenly p Shortly and unexpectedly †Heb. their Wound shall be shall they be wounded 8. So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves q The Mischief of their hard Speeches and Threats and Crafty Counsels against me shall be turned against themselves all that see them shall flee away r Partly through Abhorrency of them and Partly through Fear of being involved in their Destruction 9. And all men s i. e. A greater number of those who shall see these Events shall fear and shall declare the work of God t i. e. This admirable work of divine Power and Wisdom and Faithfulness for they shall wisely consider of his doing u Learning Wisdom by their Folly and Misery and avoiding those Evil Courses which brought them to Ruin 10. The righteous shall be glad in the LORD x Or for the Lord i. e. Not out of Malice or ill Will to the Persons of their Enemies but for the Honour of God which by this means is fully Vindicated and greatly advanced and shall trust in him and all the upright in heart shall glory y To wit in God as their sure Rock and all-sufficient Portion PSAL. LXV To the chief musician a Psalm and song of David The Design of this Psalm seems to be to declare the Great and Glorious work of Divine Providence both towards his Church and the Land of his People and towards the rest of Mankind 1. PRaise †Heb. is silent waiteth a Heb. is silent or silence i. e. Quietly waits as this Phrase is used also Psal. 62. 1. And praise may be here put for the Person or Persons who use to praise God upon all occasions and who are now prepared and ready to do so as Deceit is put for a deceitful Man as Prov. 12. 24. and sin for the Sinner Prov. 13. 6. and Dreams for Dreamers Ier. 27. 9. So the meaning
of both these Holy places God appeared and put forth such Acts of his Power as might justly terrifie his Enemies the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people f The strength which the Kingdom of Israel now hath is not to be ascribed to my Valour or Conduct nor to the Courage or numbers of the People nor to that happy Union now made and Established among all the Tribes but onely to the might and Grace of God blessed be God PSAL. LXIX To the chief musician upon Shoshannim a Psalm of David This Psalm of David Consists of his Complaints and servent Prayers and Comfortable predictions of his Deliverance and of the Ruin of his Enemies But the Condition of this Psalm is like that of divers others wherein although the Matter or Substance of it agree in some sort to David yet there are some singular passages which he delivers with a particular Respect unto Christ of whom he was an Eminent Type and upon whom his Thoughts were much and often fixed and of whom they are more fitly and fully understood and therefore they are justly applied to him in the New Testament as we shall see 1 SAve me O God for * Jon. 2. 5. the waters a i. e. Tribulations which are oft expressed by waters as hath been observed are come in unto my soul b i. e. To my Vital parts so that I am ready to be choaked with them My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto Death 2 * Ver. 14. I sink in †Heb. the Mire of death deep mire c Heb. In the Mire of the deep Waters I am not in the Shallows or nigh the Bank but in the middle and deepest Parts and in the very Mire which is at the bottom of the Waters where there is no standing d No firm and sure footing but I sink in deeper and deeper and without thy speedy and Almighty help shall be overwhelmed and destroyed I am come into †Heb. depth of Waters deep waters where * Psal. 18. 4. the floods overflow me 3 I am weary of my crying e I have Prayed and Cryed to God long and servently and yet God seems to neglect and forsake me my throat is dried f With loud and frequent Cryes mine eyes fail g With looking to God for that Assistance which he hath Promised and I Confidently expected but in Vain while I wait for my God 4 They that * Joh. 15. 25. hate me without a cause g are more than the hairs of mine head they that would destroy me being mine enemies wrongfully are mighty then I restored that which I took not away h Without any injury or occasion given them by me i Either because they uniustly and violently forced me to it Or because I was willing to do it to my own wrong for Peace lâ—…ke By this one kind of Wrong he understands all those Injuries and Violences which they Practised against him 5 O God thou knowest my foolishness and my †Heb. 〈◊〉 sins are not hid from thee e. i This is added Either 1. As a Proof of his Innocency which he had now asserted by way of appeal to God do thou O Lord Judge between me and them whether I be Guilty of those Follies and Sins which they lay to my Charge And such Appeals indeed David useth Psal. 7. 3 4. and elsewhere But then they are delivered in form of a Supposition and not a positive Assertion as this is Or rather 2. As an Exception to what he last said But O Lord although I have been innocent to mine Enemies and have given them no cause to Hate or Persecute me as they do yet I must Confess I am guilty of many Sins and Follies against thee and have given thee just Cause to punish me and to give me up into their Hands and to deny or delay thine Help unto me By Foolishness he means Sin as he explains it which is commonly so called in Scripture Or by his Foolishness he means lesser sins Commited through Ignorance or Inconsiderateness and by sins those of a grosser Nature 6 Let not them that wait on thee f i. e. Thy Godly people who relye upon thy Promises which thou hast made to all thine in General and to me in a special manner wherein they also are concerned O LORD GOD of hosts be ashamed g i. e. Frustrated of their just Hopes which will make them ashamed Either to look up upon God or to look upon their Enemies when they shall Reproach them for their Confidence in God for my sake h Either 1. For the sake of my sins last mentioned let not all Good men suffer for my sins Or 2. Because of my sad Disappointments For if they see me Rejected and forsaken of God whom they have esteemed a great example of Faith and Prayer and all Vertue and Piety they will be exceedingly discouraged by this Example which will tend much to thy Dishonour and disservice let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake O God of Israel 7 Because for thy sake i For my trust is in thy Promise and Obedience to thy Commands and Zeal for thy Glory and against all Wickedness All which they turn into matter of Derision and Reproach I have born reproach shame hath covered my face k In which mans Majesty and Glory is most Evident which I am in a manner ashamed to shew amongst men 8 I * Psal. 31. 11. am become a stranger unto my brethen and an alien unto my Mothers children l My nearest Kinsmen estranged themselves from me Partly out of Fear left they should be involved in my sufferings and Chiefly out of dislike of his Piety and excessive Zeal in Religion as it here follows 9 * Psal. 119. 139. Ioh. 2. 17. For m This is the Reason of that Alienation of my brethren and others from me because there is a vast difference and contrarity in our Tempers They mind not the concerns of God and of Religion but are wholly intent upon Wealth and Honour and Worldly greatness the zeal of thine house n That servent Passion which I have for thy House and Service and Glory and People hath eaten me up o Exhausted and wasted my natural Moisture and Vital Spirits which is oft effected by Grief and Anger and servent Love and Desire of which Passions Zeal is Composed * Rom. 15. 3. and the reproaches of them that reproached thee p That speak Contemptuously or Wickedly of thy Name or Providence or Truth or Worship and Service are fallen upon me q Either 1. By imputation They reflect upon me because I am engaged in the defence of thy Cause and Glory which wicked men oppose and despise and therefore must needs suffer in it and with it Or 2. By Choice and Affection I have been as deeply
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.
demean my self in all the varieties of my condition and in all my affairs and actions so as is most agreeable to thy precepts so shall I talk of thy wondrous works a Even the wonders of the Law mentioned before v. 18. 28 My soul †Heb. droppeth melteth b Like wax before the fire it hath no strength nor consistency left in it but consumeth or pineth away for heaviness c Through grief partly for my extreme danger and misery and principally for my sins and thy wrath and terrors following upon them strengthen thou me d That so I may bear my burdens patiently and cheerfully and vanquish all my temptations according unto thy word 29 Remove from me the way of lying e Or of falshood either 1. the practice of lying and dissembling and cheating which is so rise in Sauls Court and in the Courts of most Princes but Lord let it not be so in my Court or rather 2. every false way of doctrine or worship for to this way he opposeth Gods Law in the next clause And he justly prayeth to God to keep him from Apostasie Heresie Idolatry and Superstition because his own corrupt nature of it self and without Gods grace was prone to these errours and not onely Heathens but many Israelites did frequently fall into them and grant me thy law graciously f Vouchsafe unto me an accurate knowledge and firm belief of thy Word and that I may constantly attend and adhere to it and govern my self by it in all things 30 I have chosen the way of truth g To wit thy Word or Law for my portion and the rule of my worship and whole life thy judgments have I laid before me h Or set before me as the Phrase is fully expressed Psal. 16. 8. as a delightful object or as a mark to aim at or as a rule to direct me 31 I have stuck unto thy testimonies i I have resolutely persisted in the practice of thy precepts in spight of all temptations reproaches persecutions and discouragements to which I was exposed in and for so doing O LORD put me not to shame k Either 1. by giving me over to Apostasie or transgression which will bring shame Or rather 2. by the disappointment of my hopes and confidence in those promises of the blessings of this life as well as of the next which thou hast made to the obedient of which I have made my boast 32 I will run the way of thy commandments l I will obey thy precepts with all readiness fervency and diligence when thou shalt enlarge my heart m Either 1. when thou shalt bring me out of my present straits or distresses This indeed is called enlarging as Psal. 4. 2. 18. 36. but never to my remembrance the enlarging of the heart Or rather 2. when thou shalt replenish my heart with more wisdom and love to and delight in thee and thy Law for this enlargement of heart in Scripture is ascribed to wisdom 1 Kings 4. 29. and love 2 Cor. 6. 11. and joy Isa. 60. 5. When thou shalt knock off those fetters of remaining corruption and give me a more noble and generous disposition towards thee and stablish me with thy free Spirit as it is expressed Psal. 51. 12. Thus David both ownes his duty and asserts the absolute necessity of Gods grace to the performance of it HE. 33 Teach me O LORD the way of thy statutes and I shall keep it unto the end n Or that I may keep it c. That I may persevere for Apostasie proceeds from the want of a good understanding 34 Give me understanding and I shall keep thy law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart 35 Make me to go o By directing my mind into the right way by inclining my will and strengthening my resolution in the path of thy commandments for therein do I delight p Forsake not him who delighteth in thee and in thy service and as thou hast wrought in me to will work in me also to do 36 * Psal. 141. 4. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies q To the love and practice of them and not to covetousness r Not to the inordinate love and desire of riches Which particular lust he mentions partly because this lust is most spreading and universal and there is scarce any man who doth not desire riches either for the love of riches or upon pretence of necessity or for the service of pride or luxury or some other lust partly because this lust is most opposite to Gods testimonies and doth most commonly hinder men from receiving Gods word and from profiting by it See Mat. 13. 22. Luke 16. 14. and partly because this lust is most pernicious as being the root of all evil 1 Tim. 6. 20. and is most mischievous in Princes and Governors such as David was and therefore in a special manner forbidden to them Exod. 18. 21. 37 †Heb. make to pass Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity s The vain things and lusts of this present evil world such as riches honours pleasures from beholding them to wit with admiration and inordinate affection for such a sight of the eyes doth usually affect the heart and stir up mens lusts and passions Of which see Numb 15. 39. Iob 31. 1. Prov. 4. 25. 23. 5 6. Mat. 5. 28. and quicken thou me in thy * Ver. 27. way t As I desire that I may be dull and dead in affections to worldly vanities so Lord make me lively and vigorous and servent in thy work and service 38 Stablish thy word u Confirm and perform thy promises as concerning the Kingdom so also for the giving of gracious assistances directions and comforts to those that fear thee of which number I am one unto thy servant who is devoted to thy fear 39 Turn away my reproach x Either 1. for the shameful disappointment of my hopes and confident boastings concerning the truth and certainty of thy promises or 2. for my manifold failings and particularly for that shameful matter about Uriah and Bathsheba or 3. for my instability in or Apostasie from thy ways which in respect of mine own weakness and folly I have great cause to fear which I fear for thy judgments are good y This may be a reason either 1. why he prayed and hoped that God would turn away reproach from him because Gods word and statutes were good and therefore it was not fit for any to suffer reproach in and for his diligent observation of them or 2. why he feared reproach because he had and feared he might hereafter transgress those judgments or statutes of God which were and he very well knew to be good i. e. just and holy and excellent and therefore it was a shameful thing to violate them 40 Behold I have longed after thy precepts z After a
Synecdochically put for the whole is exceeding broad m Or large both for extent and for continuance it is useful to all persons in all times and conditions and for all purposeâ—… to inform direct quicken comfort sanctifie and save men it is of everlasting truth and efficacy it will never deceive nor forsake those who trust to it as all wordly things will but will make men happy both here and for ever 97 O how love I thy law n O Lord thou knowest it and to thee I appeal herein against all the censures and calumnies of mine enemies to the contrary it is my meditation all the day 98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies o Because by that means I have thy wisdom to guide me and thy power engaged to protect and save me which is a more certain and effectual way to obtain my desires and ends than all the policy and craft of mine enemies is to hinder them as I have found by experience for †â—…eb it is 〈◊〉 for ever 〈◊〉 Gr. they are ever with me p They are continually before mine eyes as a rule by which to govern all my actions whereby I am kept from splitting upon those rocks whereby others are ruined 99 I have more understanding q He speaks not here of notional but of spiritual and practical and experimental knowledge than all my teachers r Than all or most for that general word is oft so understood of those who taught me formerly or of the publick teachers in Saâ—…s time which probably were for the generality of them neither so knowing nor so good as they should have been for thy testimonies are my meditation s The matter of my constant and most diligent study 100 I understand more than the ancients because I keep thy precepts t By which reason He intimates that the practice of Religion is the best way to understand it and that mens vicious hearts and lives are the greatest hinderances of all true and solid knowledge of it 101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way u Or way of evil which either is evil or leads to it sin and the temptations or occasions of sin that I might keep thy word x I did this not for any carnal reasons as some men abstain from divers sins for their credit or advantage but out of pure respect to thy Word 102. I have not departed from thy judgments for thou * 〈◊〉 26. â—… hast taught me y To wit by thy blessed Spirit illuminating my mind and working upon my heart which other teachers cannot do 103 * 〈◊〉 19. 10. 〈◊〉 â—… 11. How sweet are thy words unto my †〈◊〉 palate taste yea sweeter than honey to my mouth z The study and obedience of thy words yields me more satisfaction and delight than any worldly men find in their sensual pleasures 104 Through thy precepts I get understanding a True and useful and powerful knowledge therefore b Because that discovers to me as the wickedness so the folly and mischief of such practices * 〈◊〉 128. I hate every false way c Every thing which is contrary to that rule of truth and right all false doctrine and worship and all 〈◊〉 or vicious courses NUN 105 Thy word is a ‖ 〈◊〉 â—…andle lamp unto my feet d To direct me in all my doubts and difficulties to preserve from sin and from sin and misery both which oft come under the name of darkness and to comfort me in all my fears and distresses and a light unto my path 106 I have sworn e Obliged my self by serious purpose and solemn vow or by a formal oath which was not unusual amongst Gods people as 2 Chron. 15. 15. Nehem. 10. 29. and I will perform iâ—… f I do not repent of it but by Gods grace I will fulfil it that I will keep * Ver. 144. thy righteous judgments 107 I am afflicted very much quicken me O LORD according unto thy word 108 Accept I beseech thee the free-will offerings of my mouth g Either 1. those which I have promised with my mouth though I am not now in a capacity of performing my promises as being banished from thy house Or rather 2. the sacrifices of prayer and praises which I do freely and frequently offer unto thee which are called Sacrifices as Psal. 50. 15. and calves of our lips Hos. 14. 2. O LORD and teach me thy judgments 109 My soul is continually in my hand h Exposed to perpetual and extreme danger as any precious and frail thing is which a man carrieth openly in his hand whence it may easily fall or be snatched away by a violent hand See the same or like phrase Iudg. 12. 3. 1 Sam. 19. 5. Iob 13. 14. yet do I not forget thy law 110 The wicked have laid a snare for me yet I erred not from thy precepts 111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an * Deut. 33. 4. heritage for ever i I have chosen them for my chief portion from which I will never part for they are the rejoicing of my heart 112 I have inclined my heart k As I prayed to thee to incline mine heart to them above v. 36. so I did not neglect my duty but chearfully complied with the motions of thy Spirit and yielded up my mind and heart to the study and practice of them †Heb. to do to perform thy statutes alway even ‖ Gr. for the recompence of reward unto the end SAMECH 113 I hate vain thoughts l This word signifies thoughts Iob 4. 13. 20. 2. or opinions 1 Kings 18. 21. Which being indifferent to good and evil is here taken in an evil sence for vain thoughts as we render it or for thoughts or opinions or devices of men differing from or opposite to Gods Law as may be gathered from the next clause where Gods Law is opposed to these and as some both Jewish and Christian Expositors understand it Nor is it unusual in the Hebrew Text for one and the same word to be taken both in a good and an ill sence in several places whereof we have one instance in a word of the same signification with this mezimmah which signifies a thought and is sometimes taken in a good sence as Prov. 1. 4. 3. 8. 8. 12. 13. 16. Ier. 51. 11. but elsewhere in a bad sence as Iob 21. 27. Psal. 10. 2 4. Prov. 12. 2. 14. 17. The like hath been observed concerning another Hebrew word of the same or near signification hormah which is taken in a good sence Prov. 1. 4. 13. 16 c. and in an ill sence as Exod. 21. 14. Ios. 9. 4. Iob 5. 13. And the like may be said concerning this word also But the ancient Interpreters understand this word not of things but
oft put for other Senses as Feeling Hearing c. as hath been oft observed before 17. And the residue thereof he maketh a god even his graven image he falleth down unto it and worshippeth it and prayeth unto it and saith Deliver me for thou art my god 18. * Chap. 45. 20. They have not known nor understood z This sheweth That they want common discretion and have not the understanding of a Man in them for he a To wit God who is easily understood and is oft expressed by this pronoun He and to whom this very act is frequently ascribed in other places of Scripture And therefore Men need not be shie in ascribing it to God here Which yet is to be soberly understood not as if God did make Men wicked but onely permits them so to be and orders and over-rules their Wickedness to his own glorious Ends. And such passages as these are added in such cases to give an account of the prodigious madness of Sinners herein because as they wilfully shut their own Eyes harden their own Hearts so God judicially blinds and hardens them and sends strong Delusions upon them and gives them up to believe Lies and then it is no wonder if they fall into such dotages hath †Heb. daubed shut their eyes that they cannot see and their hearts that they cannot understand 19. And none †Heb. setteth to his hearâ—… considereth in his heart b Whereby he implies That the true Cause of this as well as of other absurd and brutish practices of Sinners is the neglect of serious and impartial Consideration of things neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say I have burnt part of it in the fire yea also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof I have rosted flesh and eaten it and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination shall I fall down to †Heb. that which comes of a tree the stock of a tree 20. He feedeth of ashes c Which is an unsavoury unprofitable and pernicious Food and no less unsatisfying uncomfortable and mischievous is the worship of Idols * Hos. 4. 12. a deceived heart d A Mind corrupted and deceived by long custome deep prejudice gross errour and especially by his own Lusts. hath turned him aside e From the way of Truth from the knowledge and worship of the true God unto this brutish Idolatry that he cannot deliver his soul f From the snares and dangers of Idolatry This cannot is to be understood morally so as to note the great difficulty but not the utter impossibility of it for if Idolaters would consider things they might be convinced of and turned from that gross way of Wickedness as is implied from the foregoing Verse nor say Is there not a lie in ‖ Or at my right hand g What is this Idol which I have made with my right Hand i. e. with all my strength as was said before the right Hand being the strongest and the chief instrument of this and other actions which I set at my right Hand as the true God is said in Scripture to be at the right hand of his People Psal. 16. 8. 109. 31. 121. 5. Which I highly honour for the most honourable place was on the right Hand as is known to which I look and trust for relief and assistance which God in Scripture is said to afford to his People by being at and holding of their right hand Psal. 73. 23. 110. 5. What I say is this Idol Is it not a lie which though it seems and pretends to be something and to be a god yet in truth is nothing but vanity and falshood deceiving all that put their trust in it 21. Remember these h Either these Men Or which comes to one these things the deep ignorance and stupidity of Idolaters which may be a warning to thee O Jacob and Israel for thou art my servant I have formed thee thou art my servant O Israel thou shalt not be forgotten of me i I will not forget nor forsake thee and therefore thou shalt have no need of Idols Or as the ancient Interpreters and divers others render it do not forget me what I am and what I have done and can and will do for Thee the forgetting whereof is the ready way to Idolatry 22. I have blotted out as a thick cloud k As the Sun commonly dissolveth or the Wind scattereth the thickest and blackest Cloud so as there is no remnant nor appearance of it left thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins return l From thine Idolatry and other wicked practices unto me for I have redeemed thee m Therefore thou art mine and obliged to return and adhere to me 23. * Psal. 96. 11 12. Chap. 42. 10. 49. 13. Jer. 51. 48. Sing O ye heavens for the LORD hath done it shout ye lower parts of the earth break forth into singing ye mountains O forrest and every tree therein n By such invitations to the senseless Creatures to praise God with and for his People he signifies the transcendent greatness of this Mercy and Deliverance sufficient to make even the Stones if it were possible to break forth into God's praises and withal that as the brute Creatures were Sufferers by Man's Sin so they should receive benefit by Man's Redemption for the LORD hath redeemed Iacob and glorified himself in Israel 24. Thus saith the LORD thy redeemer and * Chap. 43. 1. he that formed thee from the womb o Of which Phrase see above on ver 2. I am the LORD that maketh all things * Job 9. 8. Psal. 104. 2. Chap. 40. 22. 42. 5. 45. 12. 51. 13. that stretcheth forth the heavens alone that spreadeth abroad the earth by my self p And therefore I can Save thee without the help of any other gods or men 25. That frustrateth the tokens of the liars q Of the Magicians and Astrologers and Sorcerers who were numerous and greatly employed and esteemed in Babylon Isa. 47. 12 13. Dan. 2. 2 48. and who had foretold the long continuance and prosperity of the Chaldean Empire But saith God I will confute their tokens or predictions and prove them to be Liars and maketh diviners mad r With grief for the disappointment of their hopes and predictions and their disgrace and loss which followed it that turneth wise men backward s Stopping their way thwarting and blasting their designs so as they can proceed no further but are forced to retreat and take new Counsels and giving them up to such counsels and courses as are foolish and pernicious to themselves and maketh their knowledge foolish 26. That confirmeth the word of his servant t Of his Servants the Prophets as appears from the next Clause which answers to this where he useth the plural number his messengers Isaiah and
Astrologers c. with whom they are said to have laboured both here and ver 12. who also may possibly be called their Merchants because they traded so much with them and because of their deceitful practices for which Ephraim is called a Merchant Hos. 12. 7. And so the following Clause may be rendred who have been thy Merchants from thy Youth Or the last clause may be understood of Merchants properly so called who came from several Countries to trade with Babylon as is noted in Scripture and by other Authors And the Verse may be thus rendred Thus vain and unprofitable shall they thy Sorcerers c. with whom thou hast laboured be unto thee So here is onely a transposition of Words than which nothing is more usual in Scripture Then follows another matter in the next Clause also Thy Merchants or they with whom thou hast traded from thy Youth shall wander every one to his own quarter be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured even thy merchants from thy youth they shall wander every one to his quarter none shall save thee x They shall all leave thee and flee away with all possible speed to their several Countries and Habitations CHAP. XLVIII 1. HEar ye this a What I am now going to say against thee that thou mayest be assured that that great deliverance which I have determined and declared to give thee is not for thy own sake but for my names sake O House of Jacob which are called by the Name of Israel b Which are Israelites in name but not in Truth as it follows and are come forth out of the waters of Judah c From the linage of your Progenitor Iudah as waters flow from a Fountain and as the Israelites are said to be of the Fountain of Israel Psal. 68. 26. Compare also Deut. 33. 28. Prov. 5. 15 c. which swear d Which profess the true Religion one act of Religion being put for all by the Name of the LORD and make mention of the God of Israel e Either in Oaths or otherwise that own him and seem to glory in him as their God and call themselves by his name but not in Truth nor in Righteousness f Which are the two chief ingredients of a lawful oath Ier. 4. 2. They are guilty of falshood and injustice both in oaths and in their whole Conversation 2. For g Or as others render it and this particle frequently signifies Though And so this is added as a great aggravation of their want and neglect of Truth and Righteousness they shall call themselves of the Holy City h They glory in this that they are Citizens of Ierusalem a City sanctified by God himself to be the onely place of his true worship and gracious presence which as it is a great priviledge so it laid a great obligation upon them to walk more holily than they did and stay themselves i Not by a true and well-grounded Faith but by a vain and presumptuous confidence flattering themselves as that people commonly did that they should enjoy peace and safety notwithstanding all their wickedness because they were the Lords people and had his Temple and Ordinances among them which disposition the Prophets frequently observe and sharply censure in them upon the God of Israel the LORD of Hosts is his Name k Or Whose name is the Lord of Hosts 3. I have declared the former things from the beginning l Those things which have formerly come to pass which I punctually foretold from time to time before they came to pass Whereby I gave you full proof of my godhead and they went forth out of my mouth and I shewed them I did them suddenly and they came to pass m What my mouth foretold my hand effected 4. Because I knew n Therefore I gave thee the more and clearer demonstrations of my divine nature and providence because I knew thou wast an unbelieving and perverse Nation that would not easily nor willingly be convinced that thou art †Heb. hard obstinate and thy Neck is an Iron sinew o Which will not bow down to receive my yoke nor to obey my commands It is a metaphor taken from untamed and stubborn cattel of which see also Nehe. 9. 29. Zech. 7. 11. Act. 7. 51. The sence is I considered that thou wast unteachable and incorrigible and thy brow brass p Thou wast impudent and therefore wouldst boldly pretend that thou didst forsake me for want of full conviction of my divine Authority and of thy duty therefore I determined that I would leave thee without excuse 5. I have even from the beginning declared it to thee before it came to pass I shewed it thee q I foretold these things that it might be evident that they were the effects of my counsel and not of thine Idols as I knew thou wast very inclinable to believe least thou shouldest say Mine idol hath done them and my graven image and my molten image hath commanded them 6. Thou hast heard see all this r As thou hast heard all these things from my mouth from time to time so now I advise thee to see i. e. seriously to consider them and to lay them to heart and will not ye declare it s I call you to witness must you not be forced to acknowledge the truth of what I say Deny it if you can Or have ye not declared it unto all People as occasion required it Have you not boasted unto the Gentiles of this as your Honour and Priviledge I have shewed thee new things from this time t And I have now given thee new predictions of secret things and such as till this time were wholly unknown to thee as it follows concerning thy deliverance out of Babylon by Cyrus even hidden things and thou didst not know them 7. They are created now u i. e. Revealed unto thee by me brought to light as things are by Creation Things are frequently said to be made or done in Scripture when they are declared or manifested Iob. 5. 3. I cursed i. e. I pronounced it cursed Psal. 51. 4. That thou mightest be justified i. e. declared and acknowledged to be just Hos. 5. 15. Till they acknowledge their offence which in the Hebrew is till they be guilty and not from the beginning x Heb. Not from thence not from these antient times when other things were revealed unto thee even y Heb. and or or as this particle is frequently used before this day Such pronouns are oft understood as we have seen and this day answers to none in the first clause and this clause seems to be added as an exposition of the next foregoing clause which is more general and ambiguous not from then or before this day before the day when thou heardest them not z Heb. and thou didst not hear them to wit before this time
following words many nations the kings shall shut their mouths at him k Shall be silent before him out of a profound Humility and Reverence and Admiration of his Wisdom and an eager desire to hear and receive Counsels and Oracles from his Mouth Compare Iob 29. 9 10 11 21. They shall no more contend with him nor blaspheme the true God and Religion as they formerly used to do for that * Rom. 15. 21. which had not been told them shall they see l For they shall hear from his Mouth many excellent Doctrines which also will be new and strange to them such as Men are very desirous to hear And particularly they shall hear from him that comfortable Doctrine concerning the Conversion and Salvation of the Gentiles which was not only new to them but was strange and incredible to the most of the Jews themselves and that which they had not heard shall they consider m Or they shall understand Which is added to shew that the seeing in the former clause was meant of discerning these things with the Eyes of their Minds CHAP. LIII 1 * Joh. 12. 38. Rom. 10. 16. WHo hath believed our ‖ Or doctrine †Heb. hearing report a The Prophet having in the 3 last verses of the former Chapter made a general report concerning the great and wonderful Humiliation and Exaltation of Christ of which he intended more largely to discourse in this Chapter before he descended to particulars he thought fit to use this Preface Who not only of the Gentiles but even of the Jews will believe the truth of what I have said and must say Few or none The generality of them will never receive nor believe in such a Messias as this Thus this place is expounded by Christ himself Iob. 12. 38. and by Paul Rom. 10. 16. And this premonition was highly necessary both to caution the Jews that they should not stumble at this Stone and to instruct the Gentiles that they should not be surprised nor scandalized nor seduced with their Example and to whom is the Arm of the LORD b Either 1. The Word of God called the report in the former clause the Doctrine of the Gospel which is expresly called the power of God 1 Cor. 1. 18. because of that admirable Virtue and Success which accompanied the preaching of it Or 2. The Messiah who also is called the arm or power of God 1 Cor. 1. 24 and that most fitly because the Almighty power of God was both seated in him and declared and exercised by him in his powerful Words and mighty Deeds as Simon for some great works wrought by him was called by the Samaritanes the great power of God Act. 8. 10. revealed c Not outwardly for so Christ was revealed and preached to vast numbers both of Jews and Gentiles as is evident from this Context and from divers other places of Scripture but inwardly and with power to their Minds and Hearts of which kind of Revelation See Eph. 1. 17 18 19. and compare it with 2 Cor. 4. 4. Thus even Moses though sufficiently revealed to the Eyes and Ears of the Jews yet is said to be unrevealed or hid from their Minds and Hearts 2 Cor. 3. 14 15. The sense of the place is few or none of the Jews will believe the Gospel or receive their Messiah when he comes among them 2 * Ch. 49. 7. 52. 14. Mark 9. 12. For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground d And the reason or occasion why the Jews will so generally reject their Messiah is because he shall not come into the World with secular pomp and power like an earthly Monarch as they carnally and groundlesly imagined but he shall grow up or spring up Heb. ascend to wit out of the ground as it follows be brought forth and brought up before him before the unbelieving Jews of whom he spake v. 1. and that in the singular number as here who were witnesses of his mean original and therefore despised him according to Christs observation Iob. 4. 44. or as others according to his face or outward appearance as he was man whereby he sufficiently implies that he had another a far higher and a Divine Nature in him as a tender plant or as this very word is translated Ezek. 17. 4. a young twig which is a small and inconsiderable thing and as a root as Christ is called Rom. 15. 12. and elsewhere or as a branch the root being put Metonimically for the branch growing out of the root as it is apparently used where Christ is called the root of Iesse and of David Isa. 11. 10. Rev. 5. 5. and in other places as 2 Chr. 22. 10 out of a dry ground out of a mean and barren soil whose productions are generally poor and contemptible either 1. Out of the Womb of a Virgin but that was no ground of contempt Or 2. Of the Jewish Nation which was then poor and despised and enslaved Or 3. Out of a poor and decayed and contemptible Family such as the Royal Family of David was at that time he hath no form nor comeliness e His bodily presence and condition in the World shall be mean and contemptible and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him f When we shall look upon him expecting to find incomparable Beauty and Majesty in his Countenance and Carriage and Condition we shall be altogether disappointed and shall meet with nothing amiable or desirable in him This the Prophet speaketh in the person of the carnal and unbelieving Jews we i. e. our People the Jewish Nation 3 He is despised and rejected of men g Accounted as the scum of Mankind as one unworthy of the company and conversation of all men a man of sorrows h Whose whole Life was filled with and in a manner made up of an uninterrupted succession of Sorrows and Sufferings and acquainted with grief i Who had constant Experience of and familiar converse with grievous afflictions for knowledge is oft taken practically or for Experience as Gen. 3. 5. 2 Cor. 5. 21. and elsewhere and ‖ Or he hid as it were his face from us †Heb. as a hiding of faces from him or from us we hid as it were our faces from him k We scorned and loathed to look upon him Or as others he hid as it were his face from us as one ashamed to shew his Face or to be seen by any Men as persons conscious to themselves of any great deformity do commonly shun the sight of men as Lepers did Lev. 13. 45. he was despised and we esteemed him not l Here are divers words expressing the same thing to signifie both the utmost degree of contempt and how strange and wonderful a thing it was that so excellent a person should be so despised
this people not for their immoralities or lewd lives but for their errors and superstitions in Divine Worship Other sins provoke God to wrath but those of this nature alone are enough to ruine Souls and Nations that wherein I delighted not 13 Therefore thus saith the Lord God u You sinned deliberately chusing sinful courses the things which I hated which are here as often expressed by a Meiosis called the things in which God delighteth not In matters of Worship we ought to chuse nothing wherein God delighteth not and reason as well as Scripture will assure us he can delight in nothing of that nature which himself hath not directed It is observable that ruine is here threatned to this people not for their immoralities or lewd lives but for their errors and superstitions in Divine Worship Other sins provoke God to wrath but those of this nature alone are enough to ruine Souls and Nations Behold my servants shall eat but you shall be hungry x As there are a party amongst you who instead of serving God are the Servants of men in complying with Idolatry and superstition so I have some Servants amongst you who have distinguished themselves by keeping close to my institutions from the rest of you I will distinguish them from you in the dispensations of my Providence those that have eat bread at their Idol Feasts shall be hungry my people that would not do so they shall have enough those who have furnished a drink-offering to Meni or that number of Idols shall want that drink by which they have so prophaned my name but my Servants from whose mouths you pull'd the drink because they would only furnish a drink-offering to me they shall drink My Servants whom now you make to mourn and upon whom you pour shame and contempt shall rejoice and you shall be ashamed you that now rejoice and shout while my Servants that cannot comply with you are afflicted and by you made to mourn you shall cry for sorrow and houl through vexation whiles my Servants who keep close to my institutions shall sing for joy of heart Those who in an hour of Persecution for Religion can have patience under the Enemies Triumphs and Rage will find that the Rod of the wicked shall not alwaies rest upon the lot of the righteous Behold my servants shall drink but you shall be thirsty Behold my Servants shall rejoice but ye shall be ashamed 14 Behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall houl for vexation of Spirit ‖ Breaking 15 And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen y Your name shall rot as Pâ—…ov 10. 7. or only be used when men would curse others saying let them be made like such persons as the names of Leah and Racâ—…el Ruth 4. 11. and others of Gods Servants were used in blessing so your names shall only be used in cursing or when men will curse themselves they shall use your names as examples of the eminent wrath of God upon sinners for the Lord God shall slay thee z For you shall not perish by an ordinary hand but by the hand of the Lord God and as is the God so is his justice so is his strength yea God himself shall look upon your name as accursed and not suffer his people to be called by it they shall not be called Iews but Christians Acts 11. 26. The Children of God Iohn 1. 12. So detestable a sin is Idolatry that God will not suffer himself to be called by a name given to Idols how proper soever it be to express his perfection Hos. 2. 16 17. Nor yet suffer his own people to be called by a name by which Idolaters are known and * Chap. 62. 2. call his servants by another name 16 That he who blesseth himself in the Earth shall bless himself in the God of truth a I will bring it to pass that over all the world if any man bless himself or bless another it shall be in God Amen So the Heb. we translate it the God of truth Amen is a name given to Christ Rev. 3. 14. 〈◊〉 things saith the Amen the faithful and true witness being here applied to God many think it makes a great proof of the God-head of Christ and judge the sense of this text to be That under the times of the Gospel men should not bless themselves as before in the names of Abraham Isaac and Iacob but in the name of Christ in the God Amen nor is this an improbable sense Others taking it more appellatively by Elohim Amen here understand that God who shews himself true and faithful in his promises and * Deut. 6. 13. Psal. 63. 11. Chap. 19. 18. 45. 23. Zeph. 1. 5. he that sweareth in the Earth shall swear by the God of truth b In like manner it is prophesied that those that swear by which some understand worship God others calling God to be a witness should swear by the God of truth or in the God of truth Either worshipping God in Christ the Amen or calling the faithful God to attest their sincerity or swearing by that God who hath approved his truth and faithfulness by saving and delivering his people because the former troubles are forgotten and because they are hid from mine eyes c because they shall see what God promised is fulfilled the troubles of his people are at an end and they are hid from Gods Eyes that is they are at an end 17 For behold c I will tell you yet a more admirable thing I am about wholly to alter and change the state not only of my people who are now afflicted restoring them to a more lightsome state more free from trouble afflictions but I create * Ch. 66. 22. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Rev. 21. 1. new heavens and a new earth d Bringing a new face upon the world sending my Son to raise up a new Church and to institute a new worship Iohn 4. 21. 24. and giving out my spirit in a more plentiful manner Acts 2. 17. which new state shall abide until a new Heavens and Earth appear in which shall dwell nothing but righteousness 2 Pet. 3. 13. Rev. 21. 1. and the former shall not be remembred nor †Heb. shall come upon thy heart come into mind e That state of things shall be such and so glorious as the former state of my People shall not be remembred nor come into mind whether this new Heavens and new Earth here promised signifies such a state of the Church wherein Christ shall personally reign upon Earth over his Saints the wicked being destroyed as some have thought he shall for a thousand years I very much doubt do not see how from this and the parallel texts any such thing can be concluded 18 But be you glad and rejoice for ever f You
53. 2. and partly because Christ who is the truth Iohn 14. 6. and a minister of the circumcision i. e. of the circumcised or of the Jews for the truth of God to confirm the promises made unto the fathers was born upon the earth of a Virgin 's Womb. and righteousness shall look down from heaven u Even God's Justice which was offended with men shall then be satisfied and shall through Christ look down upon sinful men with a reconciled and smiling countenance 12 Yea the LORD shall give that which is good x i. e. All that is good in it self and for us all spiritual and temporal Blessings and * Pal. 67. 6. our land shall yield her increase 13 * Psal. 89. 14. Righteousness shall go before him y As his Harbenger or Attendant He shall work and fullfill all righteousness he shall glorifie and satisfie the righteousness of God and shall advance the practice of righteousness and holiness among men and shall set †Heb. hir steps iâ—… tâ—…e way or 〈◊〉 steps in tâ—…e way So Gr. us in the way of his steps z i. e. shall cause us to walk in those righteous ways wherein he walketh and which he hath prescribed to us But this us is not in the Hebrew and may seem too liberal a supplement And the words may be and are by almost all other Interpreters rendred otherwise He i. e. God shall set which may note his stability and constancy in so doing it to wit righteousness last mentioned in the way of his steps i. e. in the way wherein he walketh So the sence of this last Clause is the same for substance with the former as is very usual in this Book righteousness in that Clause goes before him and in this it goes along with him PSAL. LXXXVI ‖ Or a prayer being a Psalm of David A Prayer of David a When he was in some deep distress either from Saul or by Absalom or upon some other occasion 1 BOw down thine ear O LORD hear me for I am poor and needy b Forsaken and persecuted by men and utterly unable to save my self and therefore a very proper objects or thy power and goodness to work upon 2 Preserve my soul for I am ‖ Or one whom 〈◊〉 savourest holy c Sanctified in some measure by thy Grace and sincerely devoted to thy service This David speaks not in a way of vain ostentation but partly as a powerful argument to move God to hear his prayers because he was one of that sort of men to whom God had engaged himself by his Promise and Covenant and partly by way of just and necessary vindication of himself from the censures of his Enemies who represented him to the world as a gross dissembler and secretly a very wicked man concerning which he here makes a solemn appeal to God desiring audience and help from God upon no other terms than upon this supposition that he was an holy man Which by the way savoureth of no more arrogancy than when he elsewhere professeth his great love to and longing after God his sincere obedience to all God's commands and his hatred of every false way and the like O thou my God d By thy Covenant and my own choice save thy servant that trusteth in thee e Whereby thou seemest obliged in honour and by promise to help me 3 Be merciful unto me O Lord for I cry unto thee ‖ Or all the day daily 4 Rejoyce the soul of thy servant for unto thee O LORD do I lift up my soul f The expression notes servent desire joyned with hope oâ—… expectation as appears by comparing Dâ—…uter 24. 15. Ier. 22. 27. 5 * Verse 1â—… Joel 2. 13. For thou LORD art good and ready to forgive g Herewith he relieveth himself under the sence of his guilt whereby he had brought his present calamities upon himself and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee k. h To wit in truth as it is explained Psal. 145. 18. or with an upright heart for if a man regard iniquity in his heart God will not hear him Psal. 66. 18. 6 Give ear O LORD unto my prayer and attend to the voice of my supplications i He repeats and multiplies his requests both to ease his own troubled mind and to prevail with God who is well pleased with his peoples importunity in prayer See Luke 18. 1 c. 7 * Psal. 50. 15. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee for thou wilt answer mee k Whereof I have assurance both from the beâ—…ignity of thy hature and from the truth and certainty of thy promises and from my own and others experiences in former times 8 Among the gods there is none like unto thee l Either for power or readiness to hear and answer prayers I am not now calling upon a deaf and impotent Idol for then I might cry my heart out and all in vain as they did 1 King 18. 26 c. but upon the Almighty and most Gracious God O Lord * Exod. 15. 1â—… Deut. 3. 24. Psal. 89. â—… neither are there any works like unto thy works 9 All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O LORD and shall glorifie thy name m So true is that which I have now said of thee Verse 8. that the time is coming when all the Nations of the Earth shall acknowledge it and forsaking their impotent Idols shall worship thee alone Which being a Work of thy Power and Grace clearâ—… proves that no God is like to thee and no works like thine And those words whom thou hast made are added to prevent or remove Objections concerning the insuperable difficulty and incredibility of this work The God saith he that made them can easily convince and convert them to himself 10 For thou art great and * Psal. 72. 18 and 77. 14. dost wondrous things n This is added as a reason either why the Nations should own the true God because they should see his wonderful Works or why that great Work Verse 9. was not incredible but should certainly be accomplished * Deut. 6. 4. and 32. 39. Isa. 37. 16. and 44. 6. Mark 12. 29. 1 Cor. 8. 4. Eph. 4. 6 thou art God alone o And all the Idols of the Heathen are no gods but vanities as the Gentiles themselves shall see and acknowledge 11 * Psal. 25. 4. and 119. 33. and 143 8. Teach me thy way p Wherein thou wouldst have me to walk As thou hast taught me by thy word so also by thy spirit enlighten my mind that I may clearly discern thy will and my duty in all Conditions and Circumstances O LORD I will walk in thy truth q In the way of thy Precepts which are true and right in all things as he saith Psal. 119.
12â—… and the onely true Rule of thy Worship and the onely true way to man's happiness unite my heart r Ingage and knit my whole heart to thy self and service and deliver me from inconstancy and wavering that I may not at any time nor in the least degree be withdrawn from thee either to any corrupt Worship or to the love and pursuit of the lusts or vanities of this present evil world to fear thy name 12 I will praise thee O Lord my God with all my heart and I will glorifie thy name for evermore s Either 1. If thou grantest my request Verse 11. Or 2. Because thou hast done what is expressed Verse 13. 13 For great is thy mercy toward me and thou hast delivered my soul t My person or life as in the next Verse from †Heb. Hell beneath Psal. â—…6 10. the lowest hell u Either 1. From hell properly so called Or rather 2. From extreme and desperate dangers and miseries by comparing this with Deut. 32. 22. and with Psal 88. 6. Thou hast laid me in the lowest the same word in the Hebrew which is here pit Where by the pit he means as is evident and confessed the grave which is commonly called Scheol the word here used 14 O God * Psal. 54. 3. the proud are risen against me and the assemblies of †Heb. terrible violent men have sought after my soul and have not set thee before them x They have no reverence nor regard for thee neither for thy word which hath conferred the Kingdom upon me nor for thine all-seeing Eye which beholds all their wicked devises and practises against me nor for thy justice which will undoubtedly bring their mischief upon their own heads 15 * Exod. 34. 6. Numb 14. 18. Nehem. 9. 17. Psal. 103. 8. and 145. 8. Joel 2. 13. Verse 5. But thou O Lord art a God full of compassion and gracious long-suffering and plenteous in mercy y To wit to thy People and to me in particular and therefore thou wilst forget and forgive my manifold sins for which thou mightest justly reject me and make me to know thy breach of Promise and therefore thou wilst save me from my cruel Enemies and truth 16 O turn unto me and have mercy upon me give thy strength z To assist support and save me unto thy servant and save * Psal. â—…16 16. the son of thine handmaid ‖ Me who by thy gracious providence was born not of Heathen but of Israelitish Parents and therefore was in covenant with thee from my Birth and whose Mother was thy faithful Servant and did intirely devote me to thy Service 17 Shew me a token for good †Vouchsafe unto me some evident and eminent token of thy good will to me for the conviction of mine Enemies and mine own comfort that they which hate me may see it and be ashamed because thou LORD hast holpen me and comforted me PSAL. LXXXVII THE ARGUMENT This Psalm was doubtless composed after the Building of the Temple and as Learned Men think and it seems probable when the People were newly returned out of Babylon and laboured under many Discouragements about the returm of most of their Brethren and the Difficulties which they met with in the rebuilding of their Temple and City A Psalm or Song ‖ Or of for the sons of Korah 1 HIs foundation a Whose Foundation Either 1. The foundation i. e. the argument or matter of this Psalm or Song So these words are thought to be a part of the Title the words lying thus in the Hebrew Text For the sons of Korah a Psalm or Song whose foundation is in the holy mountains But 1. The Hebrew word rendred foundation is no where used in that sence 2. There is no example of any such like Title in the Book of the Psalms Or rather 2. Of the City or Temple of God of which he speaks in the following Verses And whereas the beginning is somewhat abrupt which seems to be the onely ground of the foregoing Exposition that is no unusual thing in Scripture and the Pronoun Relative such as this is is oft put without any foregoing Antecedent and the Antecedent is to be fetched out of the following Words or Verses As Numb 24. 17. I shall see him or it to wit the star which follows afterward Psal. 105. 19. his word i. e. the Lords Prov. 7. 8. to her house i. e. the harlot's mentioned Verse 10. And especially Cant. 1. 2. let him kiss to wit my beloved who is there understood but not expressed till Verse 14. And the ground of that abrupt and imperfect speech there seems to be the same with this here for as the Church was there in deep meditation and a great passion about her beloved which caused that abruptness of speech which is usual in such cases so the Psalmists thoughts were strongly fixed upon the Temple and City of God and therefore this Relative his had a certain Antecedent in his thoughts though not in his words The word foundations may possibly be emphatical because this Psalm might probably be composed when the foundations of the second Temple were newly laid and the old men who had seen the Glory of the former House were dejected at the sight of this of which see Ezra 3. 11 12. And so the meaning of this passage may be this Be not discouraged oh ye Jews that your Temple is not yet erected and built but onely the foundations of it laid and those too are mean and obscure in comparison of the Magnificence of your former Temple but take comfort in this that your Temple hath its foundations laid and those sure and firm sure in themselves because they are not laid in the sand nor in hoggy or fenny grounds but in the mountains and sure by divine establishment because those mountains are holy consecrated to God and therefore maintained and established by him Or he may use this word foundations in opposition to the Tabernacle which was moveable and without foundations to note the stability and perpetuity of this Building is * Psal. 48. 〈◊〉 in the holy mountains b Or among or within the holy mountains to wit in Ierusalem which was encompassed with mountains Psal. 125. 2. and in which were two famous mountains to wit Zion and Moriah Or the plural number is here put for the singular whereof we have seen examples formerly and mountains are put for the mountain either for the Mount Moriah upon which the Temple stood or for Mount Zion which is mentioned in the next Verse which is often taken in a large and comprehensive sence so as to include Moriah in which sence the Temple is said to be in Zion Psal. 74. 2. and 76. 2. Isa. 8. 18. 2 The LORD loveth the gates c of Zion d Largely so called as was now said to wit of Ierusalem which was built upon and near