Davids Harp Strung and Tuned

The Thanksgiving and Prayer out of the sixty sixth Psalm.

O All ye that dwell in the earth, [Vers. 1] make a joyful noise unto God, set a Psalm to the honor of his name, obscure not his glory, darken not his honor, [unspec 2] but in a glorious and magnificent fashion make it known, that praise and honor are his due. [unspec 3] Say even before God, O Lord, how wonderful and admirable are thy ways, and thy works past finding out? how terrible are thy doings, [unspec 4] even among thy very enemies? so that not only they which love and serve thee with an honest heart, shall submit unto thee, but even those whom thou hast conquered by thy power, [unspec 5] and subdued by thy mighty arm. Those willingly, these against their wills, shall adore, and worship, and sing praise to thy name, which is great, wonderful, and holy.

But O the stupidity of men! O the dullness of our wits! God does terrible things, but they are not regarded; his works are wonderful, but they are not considered. [unspec 6] Come then and see the works of God, and confessed it must be, [unspec 7] that he is terrible in his doings toward the children of men. Who was it that turned the red Sea into dry land? was it not thee, O Lord? Who made Jordan to stand on a heap, till thy people went through the flood on foot? was it not thy power? Even we, we that were not then born, will rejoice for it, being assured, that thou which didst these wonders for them, wilt do even mighty things for us also, in them we were delivered, we were saved. In him, I say, did they rejoice, and in him will we rejoice, since it is the same God that rules by his power forever, the same God whose eyes of providence beholds all Nations, conserving Crowns, disposing Scepters, and upholding Cities and civil Societies; in a word, the same God that brings down the rebellious, though they exalt themselves, and set their nests above the clouds.

O God of our salvation, thou hast of late showed thy people heavy things; [Vers. 10] proved us thou hast by many tribulations, tried us by a fiery affliction, [unspec 11] even as silver is melted and tried in the fire, till it be purified and refined from the dross, but not consumed. [unspec 12] Thou hast permitted us to be brought into captivity and slavery: Our enemies have enclosed us as with a Net, out of which we had no hope to escape, upon our loins they have laid heavy loads, as if we were no better than beasts of burden. They have set their feet upon our necks, and insulted and rode over our heads. So many have been our calamities, so many our pressures, that we seemed as men burning in a fiery furnace, or compassed round with a vast deluge of waters.

And yet, O Lord, we were not consumed, thou, [unspec 9] even thou hast upheld our soul in life, and not suffered us for any affliction to fall from thee; pressed we were, but not oppressed; singed, but not burnt; tempted, but not overcome; in mercy thou hast not suffered our feet to slip. And to endear and crown this thy mercy the more unto us, after all this trial and trouble, [unspec 12] thou hast brought us into a moist, fertile, and wealthy place, where for sorrow we shall have joy, for discomfort refreshment, for barrenness fertility, [unspec 8] for want plenty; in a word, for our troubles rest and felicity. Now for this wonderful and unexpected vicissitude, O bless our God ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard.

This thy goodness, O Lord, shall never be written in sand, [unspec 13] nor laid up in an ungrateful heart, for this I will go into thy house, and fall low before thy footstool, and offer unto thee a Sacrifice of praise, [unspec 14] which is better than all burnt-offerings; I will pay thee there those vowed thanksgivings, which my lips have clearly uttered, [unspec 15] and my mouth hath distinctly spoken when I was in trouble. Cheerfully and willingly I will offer unto thee, as a Holocaust upon the Altar of a penitent heart, the whole man, body, and soul, to be a living, holy, and acceptable Sacrifice unto thee.

And indeed I should be very ungrateful, should I offer less, for, [unspec 16] Come you hither all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. [unspec 17] In my great distress and sorrow of heart I cried aloud to him for help with my mouth, and as I cried, my tongue exalted and extolled him, [unspec 18] as him alone that was able, and I expected to deliver me, and because I called unto him with a clean and sincere heart, he graciously he •• me, and gave attention to my prayer. For of this I am assured, [unspec 19] that had I served him with a double heart, and called upon him with hypocritical lips, that the Lord had not heard me. For obstinate, malicious, impenitent sinners he will not hear, nor such as regard iniguity with their heart.

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which hath not turned away my prayer; [unspec 20] not that I am worthy to be heard, not that I can bring anything of worth, that may incline his ear. It is his sole mercy, his love, his goodness, that I can plead, and out of his mercy he hath heard, and I am assured that he will hear those petitions, which I offer unto him in the name of Jesus Christ his Son, my only Lord and Savior. Amen.

PSAL. LXVII. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

T HIS Psalm contains a Prayer of Israel, first for the flourishing estate of their own Church and people, and then that the Mercy and Blessing of God might be so extended to them, that the Kingdom of Christ might be enlarged; and all Nations come in and bless and praise God with them, with joyful hearts, and exultation of spirit.

The parts are,

• 1. A general Prayer, verse. 1. and the reason, verse. 2.
• 2. A double vow, verse. 3, 4. with the reason. The vow repeated, verse. 5.
• 3. The effects which were to follow, verse. 6, 7.

1. He first desires of God, that he would so carry himself to his Church and people, that it might appear, that he hath a care of them, that he loves them.

• 1. [Vers. 1] God be merciful to us, favor us, for his Mercy is the fountain of all our good.
• 2. Then, Bless us. Give whatsoever is good. Temporal, spiritual blessings.
• 3. [Vers. 2] In particular. Cause his face to shine upon us. Clear up his countenance to us. Every man desires a blessing, the good man this blessing, the blessing of the right-hand. Let him openly show that he favors us.

And for this he gives his reason, viz. That the light may be communicative, and the benefit pass over to others, even unto all men, all Nations.

• 1. That thy Way, thy Will, thy Word, thy Works, may be known on earth.
• 2. Thy saving health, not in Jury alone, but among all Nations. He desires that all men may come to the knowledge of the Truth, and take notice of those ways, which he takes for the salvation of his people.

2. And upon it he Votes honor to God, for one will easily and naturally flow from the other, [Vers. 3] his mercy brings knowledge, and his knowledge praise.

Let the people praise thee, O God: Let all the people praise thee. This verse is Emphatical.

• 1. [Vers. 5] In respect of the Object. Te. Thee. Not other strange gods.
• 2. Celebrent omnes. All the people. Not mutter thy praises, but make them illustrious.
• 3. And do it often. Repeat them again and again, as he doth this verse, verse. 5.
• 4. [Vers. 4] And do it with a joyful and glad heart. O let the Nations rejoice, and sing for joy.

And of this also he gives his reason, the Acts that flow from God's special providence, his governing, his moderating, his directing his people.

• 1. His equity in judging. Thou shalt judge the people righteously.
• 2. His wisdom in governing. Thou shalt govern, lead, and direct the Nations, and that on earth, that they know the way to eternal happiness. Uia gratia, via gloriae.

3. The effects of his blessing and our praise, are expressed in the two last verses.

• 1. [Vers. 6] Then shall the earth yield her increase. Which literally, is an ample Harvest. Spiritually, the inhabitants of the earth shall increase in knowledge, thanks, &c.
• 2. And God shall bless this increase, for without his blessing, the increase will be to little purpose. God, even our God shall bless. Which he ingeminates, that it be not forgotten. God shall bless. [Vers. 7]
• 3. The last effect is, that God shall be worshipped and honored all the world over. And all the ends of the earth shall fear him.

PSAL. LXVIII. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

D Iverse conjectures there are of the occasion of the composure of this Psalm; But the most probable is, that it was composed by David, when he brought up the Ark of God, which was the Type of the Church, and Symbol of God's presence to Jerusalem. This, after it was sent home by the Philistines, rested first in the obscure Lodge of Aminadab, then for a while it stayed with Obed-Edom, near sixty years in both places. It was David's care to provide a fit room for it in the head of the Tribes, even in his own City. And to express his joy, and honor the Solemnity, David led the way, dancing with all his might in a linen Ephod, and all the house of Israel followed with shouts and instruments of Music in a Triumphant manner. Now that the Choir might not want how to express their joyful affections, the sweet Singer of Israel scored this Anthem, and began the Verse himself, as was commanded at the remove of the Ark, Numb. 10.35.

The Psalm hath six parts.

• 1. The Entrance or Exordium, from verse. 1. to 4.
• 2. An Invitation to praise God, verse. 4.
• 3. The Confirmation of it by divers Arguments, from verse. 4. to 24.
• 4. A lively description of the Triumph or Pomp in the Arks deportation, from verse. 24. to 28.
• 5. A Petition, which hath three parts, from verse. 28. to 31.
• 6. An exhortation to all Nations to praise God, from verse. 31. to the end.

1. Let God arise, is either a Prayer, or an Acclamation. A Prayer that he would, or an Acclamation that he doth show his power and presence, of which the consequence would be double.

• 1. [Vers. 1] Toward his enemies destruction, for which he prayers, Let his enemies be scattered. Let those that hate him, fly before him. 2. Which he illustrates by a twofold comparison.
  • 1. As smoke, when it is at the highest, is driven away, so drive them away.
  • 2. [Vers. 2] As wax easily melts at the fire, so let the ungodly perish at the presence of God.
• 2. Toward good men his servants, which is quite contrary to the other, Let the righteous be glad, let them rejoice before God, yea let them exceedingly rejoice. [Vers. 3] As it fell out at this time. For when the Ark was taken by the Philistines, the glory was departed from Israel, and there was nothing but sadness and sorrow. Phinehees Wife named her child Ichabod. But with the return of the Ark, the glory returned, and there was nothing but joy and gladness.

2. And so by an Apostrophe he turns his speech to all good men, and exhorts them to praise God.

• 1. Sing unto God. Let it be done with your voice, aloud, publicly.
• 2. Psallite. Sing praises to his Name. Let it be done with instruments of Music. [Vers. 4]
• 3. Extoll him, or sternite viam ejus: as in a triumph, and was in use when our Savior rode into Jerusalem, when they cut down branches, and strewed their garments in the way.

3. And so David enters upon his Confirmation, producing his reasons,

• 1. Drawn from his Majesty. He rides upon the heavens, i.e. rules in heaven. [Vers. 4]
• 2. From his Essence. By his name, Jah, the contract of Jehovah, I am. He gives Essence to all things; therefore; Rejoice before him.
• 3. From his general providence and goodness toward his Church.
  • 1. He is the Father of the fatherless. Loves, cares for, provides an inheritance for them.
  • 2. A Judge of the Widows. He cares for his people, when deserred, [Vers. 5] and for whom no man cares; and when exposed to injury, a Husband to her he is, even then; Even our God is such in his Holy Habitation; That God, whose presence is represented by this Ark. [Vers. 6]
  • 3. God sets the solitary in Families. He makes the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful Mother of Children: As also the barren woman, the children, the Gentile Church, that had no Husband, to bring forth children to God.
  • 4. He brings forth those which are bound with chains. As Joseph, Jeremy, Daniel, Peter, Paul.
  • 5. On the contrary. But the rebellious dwell in a dry land. Perish for want and hunger.
• 4. From his special providence toward his people Israel, to which he makes his way by an Elegant Apostrophe, O God, when thou wentest out before thy people; and amplifies it by many particulars. As, [Vers. 7]
  • 1. God's going before them, and marching along with them, [Vers. 8] in Egypt, in the Wilderness: all which time there were manifest signs of his presence. For the earth shook, the heavens also dropt at the presence of God, even as Sinai also was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel. [Vers. 9]
  • 2. God's provision for them after he gave them the possessionof the Land. He fed, sustained them there, counted them his inheritance, and gave them rain and fruitful seasons. Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, [Vers. 10] whereby thou didst confirm thy inheritance when it was weary. [Vers. 11] Thy Congregation hath dwelt therein. Thou, O God, of thy goodness hast prepared for the poor. [unspec 12]
  • 3. The Victories he gave them over their enemies, expressed, verse. 12. To which he prefaces, by intimation of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as was then usually sung by the women and damosels of those times, verse. 11. The Lord gave the Word, i. e. either the Word of War, or else the matter and occasion to these songs, and then great was the company of the damosels that published it. As Miriam, Deborah, &c. 2. And in their songs, they sung, Kings with their Armies did fly apace, and they that tarried at home divided the spoil. So great was the prey.
  • 4.
    • The deliverance he sends from troubles, [unspec 13] and the advance and joy he after gives them. Though ye have lien among the pots, i.e. cast aside as some useless, old, or broken crok, been 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the off-scouring of all things, yet ye shall be as the wings of a Dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellowgold, i. e. shining and glorious. The allusion, I guess, is from some standard, whose portraiture and device was a Dove so overlaid. The Babylonian Ensign was a Dove. Scaliger. Etsi jacueritis, splendebitis.
    • And this he farther declares by another similitude. [unspec 14] When the Almighty scattered Kings in it, or for her, i.e. his Church, it was white, i. e. glistering, glorious, to be seen a far off, as was 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 the snow upon the top of Salmon, with which it was for the most part covered.
  • 5. From God's especial presence among them; which that he might make the more evident, [Vers. 15] he enters upon the commendation of the Hill of Zion, to which the Ark at this time was to be brought, comparing it with other Hills, especially with Basan. That is a Hill of God, a high, plentiful, fertile Hill. As if he had said, So much I grant, to them, to other Hills. But

    Why leap you so, [unspec 16] ye Hills? why are you so proud? why do you insult? why do you boast of your vines, your fruits, your pastures, your cattle? Zion hath the preeminence of you all in two respects.

    • 1. For God's continual inhabitation, and more than ordinary presence in it. This is God's Hill, in which it pleaseth him to dwell, yea the Lord will dwell in it forever.
    • 2. [unspec 17] For his defense of it. The Chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of Angels, and these are for the defense of Zion, his Church, for God is among them as in Sinai, in the holy place. In glory and Majesty there in Sinai; and in glory and Majesty here in Zion.

And yet he hath not done with his Arguments to persuade us to praise God; Two there are yet behind. 1. His strange and wonderful works. 2. And the performance of his promises. Now among his great works, there was none so glorious as was the Ascension of our Savior, of which the Arks ascension to Jerusalem at this time, was a type, and therefore he instanceth in that.

• 1. Before which it may well be thought, that David and the people used these words of Acclamation, Ascendisti in altum, Thou hast ascended up on high, [Vers. 18] i. e. Thou, O God, whose presence is shadow'd out by the Ark, hast ascended from an obscure house, to a Kingly Palace, Zion.
• 2. Thou hast led captivity captive; those that led us captives, being captives themselves, and now led in Triumph.
• 3. Thou hast received gifts for men, i. e. spoils, and gifts from the Kings that be conquered, or who now became homagers unto him, and redeemed their peace.
• 4. Yea, for the rebellious also, formerly so, but now Tributaries.
• 5. That the Lord God might dwell among them. Might have a certain place to dwell in, and the Ark not carried from place to place as before.

This is the literal sense, but the Mystical is other, and must be refer'd to our Savior's Ascension, the Apostle being our Author for it, Eph. 4.

• 1. Ascendisti in altum. When the cloud carried him from earth to heaven.
• 2. Then he led captivity, i. e. Those which captiv'd us, captive, viz. Death, the Devil, Sin, the power of Hell, the curse of the Law.
• 3. He received, and gave gifts to men. 1. The Apostles, Evangelists, Prophets, Doctors, and Teachers, were those gifts. 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Graces, Gists of the Spirit.
• 4. Yea, for the rebellious also. Paul a persecutor called. Austin a Manachaean, &c.
• 5. That he might dwell among them; for to that end St. Paul saith, these gifts were given, to the work of the Ministry, to the edification of the Church, to the building up the body of Christ, Ephes. 4.

The two effects then of this Ascension were, One toward his enemies, the other for his friends. When thou ascendest up on high.

• 1. Thou ledst captivity captive. That was the consequent on his enemies.
• 2. Thou receivedst, and gavest gifts: That's for his friends; for which he sings a Benedictus, Blessed be God; for he comes over both these again, but by an Epanodos, speaking of the last first. [Ver. 19]
  • 1. The gifts to his friends: Blessed be God, which loadeth us with benefits, [Ver. 20] even the God of our salvation: He that is our God, is the God of salvation, and unto God the Lord, belong the issues from death; he knows many ways to deliver, even in ipsa morte, when there is no hope.
  • 2. The conquest of his enemies, for such he counts obstinate, impenitent, [unspec 21] and malicious sinners; those he will destroy, even the highest, the heads of them: God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his wickedness.

2. His last Argument, is, God's performance of his promise to his to save them, as if he had said, Although you should be in so great straits as you were in the Wilderness, when you fought with Og King of Basan, or at the red Sea, yet I will fetch you out, and deliver you, as I did them; his word is past for it, The Lord said, [Ver. 22]

• 1. I will bring again from Basan; from dangers as great as that was.
• 2. I will bring my people again from the depth of the Sea, [Ver. 23] when there is no hope.
• 3. And for thy enemies, they shall be destroyed by a great effusion of blood; That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thy enemies, and the tongue of thy Dogs in the same: Thou shalt waste, and be glutted with their blood.

4. And now he descends by an elegant 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to set before our eyes the pomp and show which was used in the Ascent and deduction of the Ark, and the proceeding of it.

• 1. The people were all present to see the pomp: They have seen thy goings, [unspec 24] O God, even the goings of my God, my King, in the Sanctuary.
• 2. The manner used in the pomp: The Singers go before, [unspec 25] the Players on Instruments followed after, amongst them were the Damsels playing with Timbrels.
• 3. In the pomp they were not silent; and that they be not, he exhorts them, [unspec 26] Bless ye the Lord in the Congregations, ye that are of the Fountain of Israel, i. e. Jacob's posterity.
• 4. And he gives in the Catalogue of the Tribes that were present, all, but these especially.
  • 1. There is little Benjamin, Jacob's youngest son, or now the least, [unspec 27] wasted with War, with their Ruler, the chief Prince of their Tribe.
  • 2. The Princes of Judah, and their Counsel.
  • 3. The Princes of Zebulun, and Princes of Naphtali, the farthest Tribes, therefore the nearest.
• 5. And in the midst of the pomp, he interserts a prayer, which hath three Votes, before which he prefixeth this ingenuous acknowledgment, that all the power and strength of the Kingdom of Israel was from God; Thy God hath commanded thy strength; and then he prays, [Ver. 28]
  • 1. For the confirmation, establishment, continuance of this strength: Strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought in us; and let this be evidenced by the Kings and Tributaries that shall bring gifts: Because of thy Temple at Jerusalem, shall Kings bring presents to thee. [unspec 29]
  • 2. For the conquest and subduing of the enemy, until they become Tributaries, and do their Homage: Rebuke the company of Spear-men, the multitude of the Bulls and Calves of the people, i. e. Kings, [unspec 30] Princes, and their potent Subjects, till everyone submit himself with pieces of silver; scatter thou the people that delight in War.
  • 3. For the increase of Christ's Kingdom, of which David's was but a Type by the access of the Gentiles: Princes shall come out of Egypt, [unspec 31] Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands to God: These by a Synecdoche put for all Nations.

5. This excellent Psalm draws now toward a Conclusion, and it is a resumption of that he principally intended, viz. that God be blessed, honored, praised; to which he first exhorts, and then shows new Reasons for it.

1. He exhorts all Nations to perform this Duty; before the Jews, but now all universally: [unspec 32] Sing unto God ye Kingdoms of the Earth, O sing praises to the Lord. Selah.

2. His Reasons to persuade it.

• 1. [unspec 33] The Majesty of God testified.
  • 1. By his works: To him that rides upon the Heaven of Heavens which were of old.
  • 2. His power, in his Thunder, in his Word: He doth send forth his voice, and that a mighty voice.
• 2. [unspec 34] His wise protection and providence to his people: Ascribe ye the power to God, his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the Cloud.
• 3. His communication of himself to his Church in particular.
  • 1. [unspec 35] O Lord thou art terrible out of thy holy places.
  • 2. The God of Israel is he that gives strength and power to his people.
  • 3. Blessed be God, with that Epiphonema he concludes.

PSAL. LXIX. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

IN this Psalm, David shows to what extreme straits he was brought by malicious enemies; and yet he is but the Type, for the bitter passion of our Savior are by these not obscurely set out to us.

The parts are:

• 1. David's prayer, and the Reasons he useth for help, from ver. 1. to 23.
• 2. An imprecation against his enemies, from ver. 23. to 31.
• 3. His profession of thanks, from ver. 30. to the end.

1. He petitions, Save me, O God, ver. 1. and then adjoyns his Reasons, which are many.

1. The present condition in which he was in, expressed by divers Metaphors, comparing his enemies to waters, deep waters, deep mire, great floods.

• 1. [Ver. 1] Save me, for the waters are come in unto my soul.
• 2. I sink in the deep mire, where there is no standing.
• 3. [unspec 2] I am come into the deep waters, where the floods overflow me; no more hope for me to escape without thy help, than for a man of life, who is compassed with the waves of the Sea.

Yea, and that which adds to my grief, I call to thee, and thou seemest not to hear.

• 1. [unspec 3] I am weary of my crying.
• 2. My throat is dry.
• 3. My eyes fail while I wait upon my God; nothing is wanting on my part, and yet I have no answer, and yet I will wait still, for thou art my God.

2. Farther yet; when I consider my enemies, I have reason to cry, Save me; for they are malicious: 2. Many: 3. Mighty: 4. Injurious.

• 1. Malicious: They hate me without a cause.
• 2. [unspec 4] Many: They are more than the hairs of my head.
• 3. Mighty and injurious: They that would destroy me, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty; Then • restored that I took not away.

3. From his innocence, touching which he appeals to God; O God, Thou knowest how guilty I am of that which they impute to me for foolishness, viz. I am not guilty, [unspec 5] and yet my faults are not hid from thee. Before thee I confess that I am a sinner, but not guilty of any folly done to them; for that which they call folly, [unspec 6] viz. thy Service, is my greatest wisdom.

4. Lest if he suffer thus, and be not saved, others then by it will be discouraged, fall away, and judge it a vain thing to depend and rely upon thee; and therefore he prays, Let not them who wait upon thee, O Lord God of Hosts, be ashamed for my cause; let not them who seek thee, be confounded through me, O God of Israel.

5. And the fifth Reason he gives, which may be most persuasive that God hear and save, viz. that what we suffer is not for his own, but for God's sake: Because for thy sake have I suffered reproach, [unspec 8] shame hath covered my face; for this I am become a stranger to my Brethren, an Alien to my mothers children. And upon this cause he stays, us{que}, ver. 13. and shows how he was affected toward God, that he might make it appear, that for this cause it was he suffered: 2. And then how for it they were affected to him.

• 1. He was zealous for his God: The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up; and for this he suffered: [unspec 9] The reproaches of them that reproached thee, are fallen on me.
• 2. He was religious, a Penitent, fasted, us{que} ad castigationem animae; I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting; but when I did this, [unspec 10] that also was turned to my reproof. [unspec 11]
• 3. He humbled himself even to wear Sackloth; I made Sackloth my garment; but he could not so please neither, I became a Proverb to them, to them of all sorts.
  • 1. To the high, and such as were in Authority: [unspec 12] Those that sit in the Gate speak against me.
  • 2. To the low, common and ordinary people: And I was the song of the Drunkards.

2. This I suffer for thy sake, and therefore he now renews again his Petition, and enforceth it near upon the same Arguments; and first he prays earnestly, hoping that he hath chosen for this a fit season: But as for me, my prayer is unto thee in an acceptable time.

• 1. Hear me, ver. 13. Deliver me, let me not sink, let me be delivered, [unspec 13] ver. 14. Let not the water-flood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me, &c. [unspec 14] And again, Hear me, O Lord, turn unto me; Hide not thy face from thy servant; Hear me speedily; Draw nigh to my soul, and redeem it; [unspec 15] Deliver me. [unspec 16]
• 2. Thus earnest he was in his prayer, and his Arguments to persuade Audience: are, [unspec 17]
• 1. God's goodness, mercy, truth: In the multitude of thy mercy hear me, [unspec 18] in the truth of thy salvation: Hear me, O Lord, for thy loving-kindness is good; Turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. [unspec 13]
• 2. I am in very great troubles and dangers: In the mire, and like to sink; [unspec 16] in deep waters that overflow, and are ready to swallow me; in a pit, whose mouth is ready to shut upon me; I am in trouble, therefore hear me speedily, [unspec 14] and deliver me. [unspec 15]
• 3. I am thy servant, 'tis for my service to thee I suffer; therefore hide not thy face, &c. [unspec 17]
• 4. Do it, do it, because of my enemies; as if he had said, Though I be not worthy for whom thou shouldst do this, yet mine enemies are such, that they deserve no favor, they deserve not that I be left in their hands. [unspec 18]
  • 1. They are scorners, and that thou knowest: Thou hast known my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor; my Adversaries are all before thee; in thy sight they do it. [unspec 19]
  • 2. And this their base usage toucheth me near, and puts me into an agony; Reproach hath broken my heart, I am full of heaviness.
  • 3. My friends stand afar off, fly, and forsake me: And I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. [unspec 20]
  • 4. Lastly, they were inhumane: They gave me Gall to eat; and in my thirst they gave me Uinegar to drink: [unspec 21] Nothing more true than these four degrees in Christ's Passion, such enemies he found, such Jews.

2. His prayer being ended, he fitly subjoins a heavy imprecation by way of a Prophecy.

• 1. And first he prays, That as they gave him Gall and Vinegar in his thirst, that they might find the like at their Table: [unspec 22] Let their Table be made a snare to them, and that for their welfare a Trap: A heavy judgment, when that which God ordains for our necessity, delight, content, health, prosperity, should be our hurt, discontent, sickness, death.
• 2. That they be struck blind; and he means not so much in body, as in mind; a grievous judgment, [unspec 23] when a man can neither see imminent dangers, nor future evils: Let their eyes be darkened that they see not.
• 3. That they be enfeebled in their bodies and counsels, Make their loins continually to shake; i. e. let them be unfit for War and action; or, as Saint Paul renders it, Ever bow down their backs, let them be in perpetual slavery, and carry burdens. [unspec 24]
• 4. That they suffer speedily, greatly, and continually.
  • 1. Greatly; for he prays, effunde, pour out, and that is commonly out of a full Vessel, [unspec 25] and plentifully.
  • 2. Speedily; Pour out thy indignation on them; for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Basil.
  • 3. Perpetually; Let thy wrathful anger take hold of them; for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .
• 5. [unspec 26] That their Country be wasted, and their posterity thrust from their inheritance and houses: Let their habitation be desolate, and none dwell in their Tents: And here the Prophet interserts a Reason, which was their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or which is worse, their adding affliction to affliction; so far from commiseration, [unspec 27] that they help to increase the grief of those whom God hath wounded; For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten, and they talk to grieve those whom thou hast wounded.
• 6. [unspec 28] That they may fill up the measure of their iniquity, and so be ripe for God's Sickle, Add iniquity to iniquity; withdraw thy grace, that they sin freely.
• 7. That they die in the state of impenitency, Let them not come into thy righteousness.
• 8. That they finally perish, Let them be blotted out of the Book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

3. Hitherto we have heard David's complaints and prayers; but now out of the sense of divine protection, he breaks out into praises.

• 1. [Ver. 29] He confesses his own condition: As for me, I am poor and sorrowful; [unspec 30] and then acknowledgeth God's help; Let thy salvation set me on high. [unspec 31]
• 2. Then with full voice he sings praise: I will praise the Name of God with a Song, and will magnify it with Thanksgiving.
• 3. And of this praise he promiseth himself acceptance: This also shall please the Lord better than an Ox or Bullock, that hath Horns and Hoofs.

And the effect of this his praise for his deliverance, will be double: First, upon the godly poor afflicted people; and secondly, upon the whole World▪

• 1. [unspec 32] The effect upon the poor will be joy: The humble and meek shall see this, and be glad; and your heart shall live that seek God; their sad heart shall revive.
• 2. [unspec 33] The Reason is; For the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his Prisoners: David and Christ he heard, and this gives assurance that he will hear suos vincta, those that suffer for him.

Then secondly, the effect it shall have upon the whole World, is a general Thanksgiving.

• 1. [unspec 34] Let the Heaven and the Earth praise him, the Seas, and everything that moveth therein.
• 2. And the Reason he gives for it, is worth noting, which is, his goodness to his Church and people.
  • 1. [unspec 35] In saving them from their enemies: He will save Zion.
  • 2. In confirming his Kingdom among them: He will build the Cities of Judah.
  • 3. In giving them security and peace; That men may dwell there, and have it in possession.
  • 4. [unspec 36] In conserving it perpetually, that the Cates of Hell shall not prevail against it: The seed also of his servants shall inherit it, and they that love his Name shall dwell therein: Not Hypocrites, but they who love him sincerely, and worship him in Spirit and Truth.

PSAL. LXX. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

THIS Psalm is the same with the five last verses of the fortieth Psalm.

The Contents of this Psalm are.

• 1. The Prayer of David for himself, that he may be freed from his enemies, ver. 1. which he repeats, ver. 5.
• 2. For the speedy destruction of the wicked, ver. 2, 3.
• 3. For the prosperity of the godly, ver. 4.
• 4. The Arguments he urgeth to move God to grant his prayer.
  • 1. His miserable condition, I am poor and needy.
  • 2. God's office, Thou art my Helper and Redeemer, therefore make no long tarrying; O my God.

The Psalm needs no farther Analysis, because it is fully Analysed before in the end of the fortieth Psalm.

PSAL. LXXI. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

BEcause David composed this Psalm in his old age, as is evident by the 4, 5, 8. verses, conceived it is, that the enemies he here prays to be delivered from, was Absalom and his Conspirators.

The parts in general, are two.

• 1. A Prayer, that God would help and deliver him, to persuade which, he useth many Arguments, from ver. 1. to 22.
• 2. His Vow of Thanksgiving, from ver. 22. to the end.

1. In the first verse he proposeth his Petition in general words, Let me never be put to confusion, [Vers. 1] be shamed by my enemies. 2. And intimates the cause, In thee I put my trust. [Vers. 2] Which Petition he renews more particularly, verse. 2. Deliver me, [Vers. 3] cause me to escape, incline thine ear, save me. Be my strong habitation, whereunto I may always resort.

2. And then urgeth many Arguments, that he might draw God to hear and deliver him.

• 1. [Vers. 2] From his justice and equity. Deliver me in thy righteousness, i. e. as thou art a just God.
• 2. [Vers. 3] From his word and promise. Thou hast given Commandment to save me; therefore save me. Ut verax.
• 3. [Vers. 3] From his power. Thou art a Rock and Fortress. Able then to deliver.
• 4. [unspec 4, 5.] From that relation betwixt God and David. Thou art my Rock, my Fortress, my God, my hope. An interest I have in thee. Therefore deliver.
• 5. [Vers. 4] From the Qualities of his Adversaries. They were wicked, unrighteous, cruel men.
• 6. From the confidence he had in God. Which he amplifies from the time. [unspec 5]
  • 1. [unspec 6] Thou art my trust even from my youth.
  • 2. And recalling, as it were, his words. Nay, long before. By thee I have been holden up from the womb. Thou art he that took me out of my mothers bowels.
• 7. From his thankful heart. My praise shall be continually of thee.
• 8. [unspec 7] From the condition he was in. Become he was the scorn of men. I am as a wonder unto many.
• 9. [unspec 8] Lastly, None he had to trust to but his God. But thou art my strong refuge, and therefore from him prays and expects deliverance, that thereby he might sing his praises with the fuller voice. Let my mouth be filled with thy praise, and with thy honor all the day.

3. And then he returns to his prayer again.

Cast me not off in the time of old age, forsake me not when my strength faileth. [unspec 9] And then complains of his Adversaries, which he useth for a reason also, that God hear him. These are very impetuous, and intolerable.

• 1. [unspec 10] For mine enemies speak against me. Linguam ad jurgia solvunt.
• 2. They labor to take away my life. They watch, they lay wait for my soul.
• 3. They study mischief. They take counsel together. It is a plot, a conspiracy.
• 4. [unspec 11] They insult, and speak words able to break my heart. God hath forsaken him, persecute him, and take him, for there is none to deliver him.

4. This puts David to his prayers again. O my God, be not far from me, make haste to help me, O my God. And he prays,

• 1. [unspec 12] Against them. Let them be confounded and consumed, that are adversaries to my soul, [unspec 13] let them be covered with reproach and dishonor, that seek my hurt.
• 2. Then makes a profession of his hope and thankfulness.
  • 1. But I will hope continually.
  • 2. [unspec 14] I will yet praise thee more and more. In which he ascribes all the honor to God. [unspec 15] My mouth shall show forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day, for I know not the numbers thereof. [unspec 16] I will go in the strength of the Lord God, I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.

Secondly, [Vers. 17] He re-enforceth his prayer from his experience unto him from his youth.

• 1. O God, thou hast taught me from my youth. Both by thy Word, and Spirit.
• 2. And hitherto I have served thee, I have declared thy wondrous works.
• 3. Therefore let thy grace uphold me still, forsake me not now, when I am old, and gray-headed. And the end why he thus prays, is,
• 4. Untill I have shown thy power to this generation, and thy strength to everyone which is yet for to come. Let not thy power receive dishonor by my ruin.

Thirdly, And yet again he returns to praise God: and he begins with an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

• 1. Thy righteousness, O Lord, is very high, who hast done great things: [unspec 19] O God, who is like unto thee? i. e. Wonderful, O Lord, is thy power in defense of thy Servants, for thou savest them in another way, and by a higher hand, than we can wish or think.
• 2. And this is evident in me. I am the example of it. For,
  • 1. Thou hast shown me, 1. Troubles. 2. Great and sore troubles.
  • 2. Yet thou shalt quicken me again. [unspec 20]
  • 3. And shalt bring me up from the depths of the earth.
  • 4. Thou shalt increase my greatness. [unspec 21]
  • 5. And comfort me on every side. 'It is an elegant Incrementum.

2. And thus by faith having encouraged and comforted himself in God, he cheerfully returns his Doxology, professing to do it by all means he could.

• 1. With instruments of Music. [unspec 22] I will also praise thee with the Psaliery, even thy Truth, O my God, unto thee will I sing with the Harp, O thou holy One of Israel.
• 2. With his lips and soul. [unspec 23] My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to thee, and my soul, which thou hast redeemed. Hypocrites praise God with the lips only, but David joins the soul to the lips.
• 3. With his tongue. [unspec 24] My tongue shall also talk of thy righteousness all day long. And he concludes with this reason.

For they are confounded, for they are brought to shame, that seek my hurt.

PSAL. LXXII. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

D AUID being near his death, makes his prayer for his son Solomon, that he may be a just, peaceable, and great King, and his Subjects happy under his Government. But this is but the shell of the Psalm, for the kernel is Christ, and his Kingdom, under whom righteousness, peace, and felicity shall flourish, and unto whom all Nations shall do homage forever and ever.

The parts of the Psalm are,

• 1. The Petition, verse. 1.
• 2. The general express of the Qualities of this Kingdom, verse. 2, 3, 4.
• 3. The particular unfolding of these in the effects, from verse. 4. to 18.
• 4. The Doxology, from verse. 18. to 20.

1. David being taught by experience how hard a matter it is to govern a Kingdom well, prays to God for assistance to his son Solomon, to whom, being to die, he was to leave his Crown and Scepter.

• 1. Give the King thy judgments, O Lord; [Vers. 1] The true knowledge of thy Law.
• 2. And thy righteousness to the Kings son: That he may not decline to the right or left hand, but judge ex aquo & bono. Administer thy justice. Judge for God.

2. For then this will follow.

• 1. Justice will flourish in his Kingdom. He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. [Vers. 2]
• 2. And peace also, and prosperity. The Mountains, i. e. The chief Magistrates, and the little hills, the lesser officers, [Vers. 3] shall bring peace to the people. 2. But by righteousness. For justice upholds the world. Opus justitiae pax.

3. And now he proceeds to unfold himself upon the two former generals; first of justice, then of peace. 1. Of justice he assigns two effects.

• 1. The defense of good men. He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy. [Vers. 4]
• 2. The revenge of the ill. He shall break in pieces the oppressor.

The Consequents of peace are,

• 1. Fear and reverence, and the service of God. They shall fear thee, [Vers. 5] as long as the Sun and Moon endures, throughout all generations.
• 2. Plenty and abundance. [Vers. 6] He shall come down as the rain upon mown grass, that causeth it to shoot again, and as showers that water the earth.
• 3. Prosperity of good men. In his time shall the righteous flourish, [Vers. 7] and abundance of peace so long as the Moon endureth.

4. Now he shows the amplitude and greatness of this Kingdom, which will not be so true of Solomon, as of Christ and his Kingdom.

• 1. His Kingdom will be very large. He shall have dominion from Sea to Sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.
• 2. His Subjects many; some of which shall willingly, [unspec 8] others against their wills, obey him. They that dwell in the Wilderness, [unspec 9] shall bow before him. 2. His enemies shall lick the dust. Croutch at his feet, low to the earth.
• 3. Homage shall be done to him by Asian, Europaan, [unspec 10] and Arabian Princes.
  • 1. The Kings of Tarshish, and of the Isles, shall bring presents: The Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
  • 2. Nay, all Kings shall fall down before him, [unspec 11] all Nations shall serve him.

5. He sets down divers excellent qualities of this King.

• 1. He should be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ready to good, a gracious Lord to the meanest Subject. For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth, the poor also, and him that hath no helper. [Vers. 12]
• 2. He should be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , far from loading his Subjects with exactions, [Vers. 13] burdens, penalties. He shall spare the poor, and shall save the soul of the needy.
• 3. [Vers. 14] Far from all tyranny. For he shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence.
• 4. Far from shedding innocent blood. And precious shall their blood be in his sight.

6. And as he shall be kind and loving to his Subjects, so shall his Subjects show great love and affection to him.

• 1. [Vers. 15] They shall pray for his life. He shall live.
• 2. They shall offer him presents. And to him shall be given of the gold of Arabia.
• 3. They shall pray for him. Prayer also shall be made for him continually.
• 4. They shall speak well of him. Daily shall he be praised.

7. And that which in all likelihood might move them to it, was, that besides the equity and justice, love and kindness he showed to all, they found that under him they were in a happy condition, they enjoyed a very great plenty and abundance of all things.

• 1. For the earth brought forth corn in abundance, not so much as the Mountains, [Vers. 16] but afforded them an ample Harvest; There shall be a handful of corn in the earth upon the top, the highest part of the Mountains. The fruit even there shall shake, stand so thick, that the ears brush one against another, as the trees in Lebanon.
• 2. And the Kingdom shall abound in people. They of the City shall flourish as grass upon the earth; Which is thick set, and green.

In a word, this King shall be so dear unto his people, that they shall love his name living, and honor his memory when he is dead, and continue it to all posterities.

• 1. [Vers. 17] His name shall endure forever. His name shall be continued, as long as the Sun.
• 2. Men shall be blessed in him. God bless thee, as he did Solomon.
• 3. All Nations shall call him blessed: acknowledge his happiness, and wish a blessing to themselves after Solomon's example.

3. In the close of the Psalm, according to his manner, he gives thanks. For taking into his consideration the happiness that was to accrue unto his people under such a King, even when he was laid up in his grave. He breaks forth,

• 1. [Vers. 18] Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, which only doth wondrous things; for indeed such a King is a wonder, and 'tis the grace and Spirit of God that must make him so.
• 2. And again. Blessed be his glorious Name forever.
• 3. [Vers. 19] And that not in Judea alone, but all the world over. And let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen. Amen.

The Prayers of David the Son of Jesse, [Vers. 20] are ended. Of which

• 1. Some, and most judge that this was the last Prayer David made.
• 2. Jumus, that it was so the last, that it is absolutely the last, and those that follow, were composed by some other. And adds, Haec est mea sententia. But Bellarmine runs as wide another way, affirming, that all the Psalms were composed by David.

PSAL. LXXIII. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

T HE Prophet shows the grief that good men sustain at the prosperity of the wicked, and at the pressures of the godly, and how bitter a temptation this is; but at last consulting the Will of God, he finds, and acknowledgeth, that the felicity of wicked men ends in infelicity, and the crosses of the godly are the way to happiness, with which consideration he quiets his troubled soul.

Let then the Question be, Who is the happy man, whether the godly or ungodly? he that serves God with a pure heart; or he that serves his belly and lusts? And the parts of the Psalm will be in general, Are these:

• 1. The Arguments produced for the happiness of the wicked, from ver. 1. to 10.
• 2. The impression these Arguments make too often in a carnal mind, ver. 2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.
• 3. The Rejection of those impressions and doubts, 15, 16, 17.
• 4. The Refutation of those former Arguments, that for those the wicked were not to be accounted happy, ver. 18, 19, 20.
• 5. The Prophets censure and condemnation of himself for his former judgment, ver. 21, 22.
• 6. His full resolution of the doubt after the full examination of the Reasons on both sides, that it is happiness only to cleave to God, and therefore the wicked, however they flo ••• h, are unhappy, from ver. 23. to the end.

The Prophet, before he falls to debate the question, premiseth this Paradox or Problem, Truly, or, But God is loving or good to Israel: 2. And that he be not mistaken in it, he warily limits it, viz. that be means not all Israel, [Ver. 1] not everyone that carries the name; But those who are of a clean heart: Israelites indeed, as was Nathanael.

And this he premiseth for a Truth, though at first sight a strange on, praeter opinionem vulgi, as are all Paradoxes; and it seems before he durst pronounce it, he had a long debate with himself, and struggled with flesh and blood, heard all that could be said to the contrary (much of which he after expresses) and yet he is bold to utter, and resolute to stick to this conclusion, Truly God is good to Israel: Much debate there was, as I said, betwixt him and his soul, before he came to resolve; and the temptations to the contrary, as it seems, were very strong; so much he confesseth in the two following verses.

• 1. But as for me, my feet were almost gone, my steps had well •• gh slipped: [Ver. 2] The Argument on the contrary side, had near drawn him to a contrary opinion, near made him resolve that God is not good to Israel.
• 2. Ready to breed in him envy, emulation, vexation, [Ver. 3] and perturbation of spirit: For I was envious at the foolish.

Now the main Argument was, The peace, the prosperity, the successes of wicked persons: I well nigh slipped, I grew envious, [Ver. 3] when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. A sharp temptation, as appears, not only in this place, but Jarem. 12.1, 2. Job 21.7, &c.

Now this prosperity of the wicked is amplified by a long Narration, and shown in many particulars to the tenth verse, and that two ways: Negatively. 2. Affirmatively.

1. Negatively.

• 1. There are no bands in their death, but their strength is firm; the sense diverse. [Ver. 4]
  • 1. Either not vexed with sharp diseases, so that they have 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an easy death.
  • 2. Or their death not hastened by misfortunes, adversities, calamities.
  • 3. Or else by their riches they extricate themselves from the bonds of all Laws, by which otherwise they ought to die; and therefore their strength is firm; for by the power of their purse, there is nothing which they cannot do.
• 2. [Ver. 5] They are in no trouble like other men, neither are they plagued like other men. In troubles they are, and plagued they may be, but not like other men.
  • 1. Incumbrances of wife, children, household affairs, victuals, &c. lie on other men.
  • 2. Famine, war, pestilence invade others; but they living in prosperity, have means to avoid the first, and find means to escape the extremities of the last.

Then affirmatively he shows what follows upon their prosperity, and to the life sets out unto us their manners: Vermis divitiarum superbia; Therefore,

• 1. [unspec 6] They are devilish proud, Pride compasseth them about, as with a chain: As their Chains of Gold compass their necks, so pride surrounds their hearts; or, they are catenati, as slaves in chains, so are they bond-slaves of pride.
• 2. And guilty they are of that, which commonly accompanies pride, viz. Violence, Tyranny, Oppression; Violence covereth them as a Garment: They are involved, and wrapit up in it, and hope to keep themselves warm by it.
• 3. Pride and fierceness are their internal qualities, and now the Prophet shows how they are manifested outwardly, in their gesture, apparel, gate, speech.
  • 1. [Ver. 7] Their pride is seen in their eyes, Their eyes swell with fatness.
  • 2. Then in their words, They pass the thoughts of the heart; on this he stays.
    • 1. [unspec 8] They speak against the poor: For they are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , They impudently boast of their Theft and Rapine. 2. They speak loftily, They speak with Authority, think of others words nothing to theirs.
    • 2. [unspec 9] They speak against God; For they set their months against the Heavens.
    • 3. Their tongue walks through the Earth; They intermeddle, and labor to have an oar in all Kingdoms, no Law of God or man holds them.

This impression the prosperity of the wicked may sometimes make even upon a considerate and good man; but upon the common man, and sottish multitude, the temptation produceth a far more dangerous effect; in them it brings forth,

• 1. Faction, and part taking in mischief; therefore his people are turned hither; i. e. because they have money to feed them, they behold them successful, therefore his people, [unspec 10] i. e. Those who profess Religion, turn to them, side with them, fight for them: 2. And they again pay them well, Waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
• 2. Atheism and Blasphemy, Hesitation of God's Providence, nay, a plain denial of it.
  • 1. [unspec 11] They say, how doth God know? as if they had said, They are fools which think God takes care of things below, and what everyone does in this World.
  • 2. Nay, how can he, he is in excelso, on high, and how can he know what's done here? What, is there knowledge in the most High?
• 3. Extreme folly; for they collect, That God cares not for things below, because these men are ungodly, and yet they prosper in the World, and increase in riches. [unspec 12]
  • 1. In this yet they are wise, that they can discern betwixt piety and impiety.
  • 2. In this also, that they think it just, Ut bonis been, ut malis male, à Deo fiat.
  • 3. In this lies their folly, that they know not, that eternal happiness is reserved as a portion, an inheritance for the just; and that the happiness which the Earth can afford, is a common commodity, allotted to men in general, nay, to beasts also.

Hitherto the Prophet hath disputed the Thesis, as far as it makes against him, and may seem to speak for the felicity of a wicked man, together with the impressions their prosperity makes at first on some good men, and generally on the vulgar and the multitude.

1. But now he descends to speak of the other part, and to prove, that notwithstanding all that had or could be said, yet the good and godly person is the sole happy man: To which, before he comes directly, he repeats again his temptation to think otherwise, confesses his weakness, and how far it wrought upon him; if this be so, then all my study of Religion is in vain: 2. All my sufferings are to no purpose, 'tis all folly, 'tis all vanity.

• 1. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence. [Ver. 13]
• 2. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. [unspec 14]

2. Then next he shows by a Dilemma, the way he took how to find out the resolution of this question; and two ways he proposed, first, that of Reason, and he condemns it by a double Argument; the first drawn, ab absurdo: The second, ab impossibili.

• 1. If I say, I will speak thus; Thus, as ver. 13, 14. That I have cleansed my heart in vain, that no man can be happy under the Cross, Behold, I should offend against the Generation of thy children; [Ver. 5] for all these were plagued and chastened, and yet all these cleansed their hearts, and were innocent; 'tis absurd then to affirm this.
• 2. If I examine this again in the balance of Reason, That good men should be under the Cross, and yet happy, it seemed to me impossible to be true, let Reason be Judge, and the quite contrary will appear, viz. that those who have power, authority, wealth, health, are the happy men; [Ver. 16] and therefore the Prophet adds, When I thought to know this, viz. by the strength of Reason and Discourse, it was too painful, too hard and difficult for me.
• 3. Irresolved then he was, and so shall any other about this point, [Ver. 17] till he consults with God, and the Oracle of his Word, there he shall find a remedy; in his Book, and the School of Christ, what shall quiet the passions and tumults of his soul, there it is to be learned, and not from flesh and blood; this he confesses, I understood nothing in this point, until I wont into the Sanctuary of God, for then I understood the end of these men: By the end of life a man is to judge of any man's happiness; for ante obitum nemo, &c. To their end then we are to look, and by that to judge; What is their end then? that God's Book here teacheth.
  • 1. Be it that they are set on high, [unspec 18] yet their felicity is unstable and uncertain; Surely, Thou O God, Thou raisest them thither, but then, Thou settest them in slippery places; They can have no certain stay and standing for their feet.
  • 2. Under them is a great Gulf and Precipice, and God not only humbles them, for that sometimes befalls good men; But these thou casts down to destruction, prosternis ut intereant.
  • 3. Their ruin is not vulgar and common, nor delayed long, but sudden, and unlooked for, which the Prophet intimates by his Exclamation, [unspec 19] How are they consumed, and brought to desolation, as in a Moment?
  • 4. Add to this, That their destruction is terrible, and full of amazement, both to others that behold it, and to themselves, being troubled with the affrights of a guilty conscience, and the fear of the wickedness that pursues them: They are utterly consumed with terrors, as Judas, Saul, Cain, Nero, Julian, &c.

So that all their happiness in this World was but a vain, [unspec 20] empty thing, like a dream, which similitude is explained, Isa. 29.7, 8. As a dream when one awaketh, so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise, and make contemptible their image, totam 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , all their pomp and great show.

4. And now the Prophet begins ingeniously to acknowledge his weakness and infirmity in the debating this question betwixt him and his own Reason; he takes all the fault to himself, and clears God.

• 1. He confesseth that he was transported with indignation, animosity, and fretfulness at it; Thus my heart was, is not now, grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. [unspec 21]
• 2. He confesseth his folly, ignorance, brutishness about it; So foolish was I, and ignorant, [unspec 22] I was as a beast before thee; in this point I knew no more than a brute beast.
• 3. He comforts himself in God's goodness and presence, showing, that though he be in trouble, and under the Cross (which is the lot of the godly) yet there is a great deal of difference betwixt their troubles, and those of the wicked; for,
  • 1. They are not neglected and deserted; Nevertheless, I am continually with thee. [unspec 23]
  • 2. Thou hast holden me by my right hand; As a Father thou leadest me by the hand.
  • 3. [unspec 24] Thou directest me with thy counsel; by thy Word and Spirit.
  • 4. And after receive me to Glory; Here I may be vilified, but one day glorified; yea, and if thou seest it good, raised to honor, glory, and promotion in this life.

5. And now being as it were, ravished with the contemplation of God's Providence, and certainty of his good will toward him, in an ardent affection he breaks forth, expressing how resolute he is, say flesh and blood what it will, in all his troubles to stick and cleave fast to his God.

• 1. [unspec 25] Whom have I in Heaven but thee? What God beside, what Angel or Saint to be my hope?
• 2. And there is none upon earth I desire besides thee; They are miserable comforts and comforters, I nauseate all in Heaven or Earth in comparison of thee.
• 3. [unspec 26] I confess through weakness, I am often tempted to see the prosperity of the wicked; and when I feel myself pressed with miseries, poverty, violence, wrongs, so that my flesh and my heart faileth.
• 4. But through confidence and hope in thee, I quickly revive and recover: God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.

6. Now two conclusions I have learned from this temptation and debate.

• 1. That they that are far from thee, shall perish; Thou hast destroyed all that go a whoring from thee. [unspec 27]
• 2. That it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, [unspec 28] that I may declare all thy works; Thy works in governing and defending thy Church in this life, and rewarding thy servants with glory.

PSAL. LXXIV. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

THIS Psalm was composed by the Prophet upon some grievous desolation which he either saw, or fore-saw to fall upon the Temple and Houses of God in the land of Judea, whether by Nebuchodonozer, Antiochus, Epiphanes, or some other, is uncertain.

Two parts.

• 1. His Complaint, from ver. 1. to 10.
• 2. His Prayer, from ver. 10. to 23.

1. Both the Complaint and Petition are first summarily comprised in the three first verses, and afterward amplified through the whole Psalm.

The Exordium is full of passion, for he expostulates with God about this calamity, and aggravates it, O God, why hast thou cast us off, &c?

• 1. From the Author of it, it is thou, Thou, O God, that dost it.
• 2. [Ver. 1] From the extremity of it, Thou hast cast us off.
• 3. From the time, duration, or continuance, forever.
• 4. From the cause, Anger, smoking anger; Thine anger smokes.
• 5. From the object, The sheep of thy pasture.

As if he had said, when thou art a good and faithful God toward thine, canst thou so far forget thy Promise and Covenant to thy people, as, to cast them off, forever to cast them off, and in anger, in smoking anger, thus to proceed against the sheep of thy pasture? Why, why Lord should it be thus? Uis Deo grata est, quae precibus adhibetur.

2. And presently to his Complaint he subjoins his Petition. [Vers. 2]

Remember thy Congregation, &c. where every word is almost an Argument.

• 1. Thy Congregation. A chosen people.
• 2. Whom thou hast purchased by a mighty hand from Pharaoh. [Argumentative.]
• 3. Of old, thy people a long time since, ever since thy Covenant with Abraham.
• 4. The rod of thine inheritance, dwelling in that Land which thou gavest them to inherit.
• 5. Whom thou hast redeemed from their enemies, the Canaanites, &c.
• 6. And honored thee in Mount Zion in thy Temple, where thou hast dwelt.
• Remember thou, O Lord, this people, and all these engagements, and cast us not off forever.

3. Or if these Arguments move thee not, then look upon thine own dishonor. Lift up thy f • et, i. e. Set up thyself, and march against thy enemies, and the perpetual desolations which they have brought upon us. [unspec 3] Now that he might the better prevail with God, he omits the vastations which were made, no question, through the whole Land, and instanceth in their insolence to the house of God. Lift up thy feet—even to all that the enemy hath done wickedly in thy Sanctuary.

• 1. As Lions and Beasts of prey. [unspec 4] They roar in the midst of the Congregations.
• 2. As Conquerors. They set up their Ensigns for signs of Victory.
• 3. As profane persons, what our forefathers built with much cost, art, [unspec 5] and piety, that they break down, rob, and carry away Sacrilegiously. [unspec 6] A man was famous heretofore according as he had lifted up Axes upon the thick Trees, hewed them out, polished, and dedicated them to the work of thy Temple: But now these Sacrilegists break down all the carved work thereof with Axes and Hammers.
• 4. And yet their fury stays not here. [unspec 7] For after they have robbed thy Temple, and taken the dedicated Vessels, not content with the spoil, They have cast fire into thy Sanctuary, they have defiled it by casting down the dwelling-place of thy name to the ground.
• 5. Nay, their malice stayed not here neither. Their impiety was such, that after they had destroyed thy Temple, they encouraged one another to do more mischief, [unspec 8] even to the depopulation of all the other Synagogues and Schools of Learning. They said in their hearts: Let us destroy them, without exception, all together. They have burnt up all the Synagogues of God in the Land.

4. And that which yet imbitters his Complaint, he professeth, that it was not with them now as heretofore; Thou, Lord, now dost seem to cast us off indeed; in our calamities heretofore we could inquire of thee, and thou didst answer us, either by some sign and miracle, or by Urim, and Thummim, or by some Prophet. But now,

• 1. We see not our signs, i. e. Miraculous deliverances. 2. [unspec 9] Or signs of thy presence in thy Temple.
• 2. There is no more any Prophe, as Isaiah, &c. who might promise us deliverance.
• 3. Neither is there among us any that knows how long? as did Jeremy the seventy years Captivity.

5. He proceeds in his Complaint, and presseth God to hear it, from the contumely and blasphemy that these wicked wretches used toward God, [unspec 10] to which they were the more encouraged by his longsuffering and forbearance. [unspec 11]

O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme: thy name forever? Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right-hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.

6. But that now he return, and with favor and mercy look upon the present calamities of his people, [Vers. 12] he useth other Arguments.

• 1. The special favor and good-will he had long ago showed them. For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. Of which he gives instances.
  • 1. Their miraculous deliverance out of Egypt, and destroying of Pharaoh, [unspec 13] Thou didst divide the Sea by thy strength, thou brakest the heads of the Dragons, i. e. the Princes and Nobles of Egypt in the waters of the red Sea. [unspec 14] Thou brakest the heads of Liviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat for the people inhabiting the Wilderness. Basil saith, that the Ethiopians, upon Pharaohs overthrow in the red Sea, invaded and possessed Egypt, so that he and his Land was given, as it were, for meat to the inhabitants of the desert.
  • 2. [unspec 15] Their miraculous preservation, by bringing out of the Rock water to quench their thirst. Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood, Numb. 20.11.
  • 3. Their wonderful passage through Jordan dry-foot. Thou dryedst up mighty waters.
• 2. God's general providence in his Mercy to all men. The instances are
  • 1. [unspec 16] His Order for day and night. The day is thine, and the night also is thine. [unspec 17]
  • 2. His Order for the two great Luminaries. Thou hast prepared the light and the Sun.
  • 3. His Order for Sea and Land. Thou hast set all the borders of the earth.
  • 4. His Order for the year. Thou hast made Summer and Winter.

Both in thy special and general providence, thy Mercy and Power, are sufficiently declared, and upon these the Prophets affections being heightened, he falls to an evident Petition.

• 1. That God would remember his own glory, and take revenge of his reproachful enemies. [Vers. 18] Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O Lord, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy Name.
• 2. [unspec 19] That he would remember his children, those Turtle Doves, dear to him.
  • 1. O deliver not the soul of thy Turtle Dove unto the multitude of their enemies.
  • 2. Forget not the Congregation of the poor forever.
• 3. [unspec 20] That he would remember his Covenant made with Abraham, that they should inherit the Land, which now they could not do in quiet. For all the earth was full of darkness, i. e. impiety, and cruel habitations. Plunderers everywhere.

And he goes on in his Prayer, and useth two Arguments more.

• 1. [unspec 21] That God's people be not ashamed of their hope, and expectation, and dependence on God. O let not the oppressed return ashamed.
• 2. [unspec 22] From their gratitude. Let the poor and needy praise thy Name.

In the close of the Psalm, he more openly expresseth the affection of his heart for God, and presseth him for help, because the cause is his, the enemies his, the blasphemy against him, and redounds to the dishonor of his name, and that it daily increaseth.

• 1. [unspec 23] Arise, O Lord, plead thine own cause.
• 2. Remember how the foolish people reproach thee daily.
• 3. Forget not the voice of thine enemies.
• 4. The tumult of those that rise against thee, increaseth continually.

PSAL. LXXV. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

IT is most likely that David composed this Psalm upon his Inauguration or entrance upon the Kingdom, and he sets out unto us in it an example of a good King.

The parts of the Psalm are,

• 1. His Doxology, verse. 1. repeated, verse. 9.
• 2. His profession to perform his Kingly office, verse. 2, 3, & 10.
• 3. His rebuke and remove of mistakes in foolish men.
  • 1. Partly for their pride, when they rise to great places, verse. 4, 5.
  • 2. Partly, that they know not whence their preferment comes, verse. 6, 7.
  • 3. And that they judge not rightly of afflictions, verse. 8.

1. David begins with thanksgiving: and he ingeminates it, that it be often done.

• 1. Unto thee do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks. [Vers. 1]
• 2. His reason for it is. For that thy Name is near, thou, thy help is at hand; for God is near to those that call on him.
• 3. Of which he had experience, who beyond all hope and expectation was now exalted to the Kingdom. Which he calls here Mirabilia Dei, This thy wondrous works declare.

2. And next he shows which way he would show his thankful heart to God for his preferment, which was in doing the Office of a good King. When I shall receive the Congregation, or when I shall take a set time, when the people shall come to me for judgment, upon every season and opportunity given.

• 1. I will Judge uprightly. Which is the first part of the Kingly Office. [Vers. 2]
• 2. I will restore, and set right what is out of order. Which is the second part of a Kings duty.
  • 1. Now, till I came to the Crown, the earth, and all the inhabitants are dissolved. [Vers. 3] In Saul's reign there was a dissolution in Manners, Justice, Religion.
  • 2. But I bear up the pillars of it. Religion and Justice are the pillars that support a Kingdom, and David was resolved to support them.

3. From this profession of his duty, he falls upon a Rebuke of foolish men; Which is also the third part of the Kingly Office, it being for a Superior to reprehend in the Inferior what is amiss. And he labors to rectify in them three mistakes.

• 1. The first was their Pride, which caused them to do foolish, unjust, imous Acts. [Vers. 4]
  • 1. I said to the fools, (so David calls Saul's ambitious, arrogant Courtiers) Deal not foolishly, i. e. impiously, unjustly. [Vers. 5]
  • 2. And to the wicked, Lift not up your horn. Vaunt not of your wealth, power, &c.
  • 3. Lift not up your horn on high. Be not over-proud of your place.
  • 4. Speak not with a stiff neck. Be not Rebellious, and Contumacious.
• 2. The second was, that they thought their honor came from Saul, their wit, their good parts, and not from God, which was indeed the cause of their pride; To remove this, David tells them who is the fountain of Honor.
  • 1. Negatively, Not any man in the whole world, no Prince in the East, none in the West, none in the North, none in the South: or else the wind blows no man to any high place. [Vers. 6] No not David himself.
  • 2. Positively, God is the Judge. He humbles, he exalts. [Vers. 7] He puts down one, put case Saul, and sets up another, me David upon the Throne.
• 3. The third mistake was about the calamities and afflictions that befall men in this life; Impute them they usually do to wrong causes, whereas these, even these come from God. Is there evil in the City, and hath not God done it?

To prove this, the Prophet useth an Elegant comparison, or Hypotyposis, for he likens God to a Master of a Feast, who invites and entertains all kind of men at his Table, and that hath a Cup of mixed wine in his hand, by which he understands the miseries that befall men in this life, and God reaching to everyone good and bad, some portion of this Cup, to all some, but to all not equally, nor yet of the same wine. [Vers. 8] For mark what David saith.

• 1. For in the hand of the Lord there is a Cup. The Cup at his dispose.
• 2. And the wine is red. 'It is high color'd, faeculent, or troubled wine, i. e. afflictions.
• 3. It is full of mixture. Not all sour, nor all sweet; The strength of it is allayed, and tempered by God, that it intoxicate not the head, nor produce a feavour, there are some waters of comfort mixed with it.
• 4. And he, viz. God poureth out of the same, some of this mixed wine, even to his dearest children. For you must drink of the Cup that Christ drank.
• 5. But for the dregs thereof, the lees that settles in the bottom of this Cup, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them. Because they drink last, there is nothing left for them but the dregs of God's wrath, in which there is none of the mixed sweet wine.

He concludes the Psalm with a double repetition. First, Of his thanks. Secondly, Then of a second protestation of his duty.

• 1. [Vers. 9] Thankful he would be. But I will declare forever: I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
• 2. His Duty as King he would do, in both kinds.
  • 1. [Vers. 10] De bellabo superbos. All the horns also of the wicked will I cut off.
  • 2. Parcam subjectis bonis & favebo. But the horns, i. e. power, dignity, honor of the righteous shall be exalted.

PSAL. LXXVI. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 vel Triumphalis.

THE Glory and Power of God is in this Psalm amply set forth in his defense of Jerusalem and Zion, which were types of his Church; and it hath

Three parts.

• 1. The Prerogative of Judah and Israel, verse. 1, 2.
• 2. A Narration of God's Majesty in his Church, from verse. 3. to 11.
• 3. An Exhortation to worship and serve God, verse. 11, 12.

1. In the two first verses is set forth the Jews Prerogative above other Nations.

• 1. [Vers. 1] That God was known among them. In Judah is God known.
• 2. That his Name was great in Israel. Great for his manifold deliverance. [Vers. 2] Illustrious.
• 3. At Salem is his Tabernacle, his Temple, his seat of worship. His presence singular.
• 4. His dwelling in Zion. I will dwell in the midst of them, and I will be their God.

2. Next he declares God's power and Majesty, and vindicating his people, and destroying their enemies. There, i. e. at Jerusalem, before Zion, as in the days of Sennacherib. [unspec 3] Or else in the Land of Judah. There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah. By which he became Glorious. 2. And Terrible, verse. 7.

• 1. [unspec 4] Glorious. Thou art more Glorious and Excellent, viz. among good men, than the Mountains of prey. Than the Kingdoms gotten by violence, murder, and robbery.

And this his glory was made manifest in these particulars.

• 1. [unspec 5] That they who came to spoil, were spoiled. The stout-hearted are spoiled.
• 2. They have slept their sleep. Either dead. Or overtaken with so deep a slumber, that like men surprised by a deep sleep, and suddenly awaked, they were amazed, and knew not which way to turn themselves. Their hands were feeble, [unspec 6] their courage lost.
• 3. Which he explains in the words following, And none of the men of might have found their hands. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Pind.
• 4. The cause of this consternation. At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the Chariot and Horse are cast into a dead sleep.

Thus God became Glorious and Excellent among good men.

• 2. [Vers. 7] But he became Terrible also to wicked men. So Terrible, that
  • 1. Thou, even thou art to be feared, for who may stand in thy sight when thou art angry? None, be he never so proud.
  • 2. [Vers. 8] Of which this is an evident Argument, Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven. It was so in the destruction of Sennacherib. The earth feared, and was still. Men saw it, were amazed at it, and put to silence.

And this work of God in overthrowing his enemies, and saving his Church, he farther amplifies, When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. [Vers. 9]

The consequent was this.

• 1. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee; The fierceness and rage of man against thy Church, shall at last turn to thy praise; confess they shall, being conquered by thy hand, that thou art mightier than they; [unspec 10] so did Pharaoh, This is the finger of God; so Julian. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .
• 1. The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain; Though they body and rally again, yet thou shalt overcome and conquer their fury.

3. In the Close, he exhorts all God's people to vow him honor, and to perform their vow.

• 1. Vow and pay unto the Lord your G • d; let all that are round about him, [unspec 11] bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.
• 2. And he adds his Reason in an Epiphonema. [unspec 12]
  • 1. He shall cut off the spirits of Princes; Take away from Tyrants their courage and prudence.
  • 2. He is terrible to the Kings of the earth, They shall know he is God.

PSAL. LXXVII. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

In this Psalm, the Prophet shows the bitter agony which a troubled spirit undergoes upon the sense of God's desertion, and the comfort again it receives upon the consideration of God's great and gracious works.

Two parts of this Psalm.

• 1. He sets forth the strife betwixt the flesh and the Spirit, and how the flesh tempts to despair, and calls into question the goodness and favor of God, from ver. 1. to 10.
• 2. Next he shows the victory of the spirit over the flesh, being raised, encouraged, and confirmed by the Nature, Promises, and Works of God, from the 10th. verse, to the end of the Psalm; an excellent Psalm this is, and of great use in all spiritual desertions.

1. I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice, and he gave ear unto me; [Ver. 1] in the day of my trouble, I sought the Lord, ver. 1, 2.

Here David shows the course he took to find ease in his extreme trouble of soul; [unspec 2] he accused not God of hard dealing to him, he blasphemed not, he despaired not, nor filled the Air with empty complaints; but he betook himself to his God, opened to him his grief, and of him he desired help and comfort. 1. He prayed. 2. He prayed often. 3. He prayed earnestly. 4. With a troubled foul.

• 1. His prayer was, a cry, 'twas earnest.
• 2. With his voice, with his voice he cried, it was often.
• 3. To God he cried, I sought the Lord.
• 4. And it was in his agony; he no question had done it before in his prosperity, which is the best way, for then he is near; but yet now he does it again, even in the day of his trouble, and yet he despairs not to be heard then; and he gave ear to me. The Psalm is not then an expression of a despairing soul, but of one that hath a conflict with temptation.

And now to the 10th. verse, he expresseth two things: First, What were the affrights of his troubled soul: Secondly, What did aggravate and increase this his trouble.

1. His complaint is bitter, and he sets down the particulars that troubled him, which were these. [Ver. 2]

• 1. His sore ran in the night, and ceased not; whether he means his sore of body or mind, is indifferent, both troubled him, yea, and in the night, when he should take his rest, then he found no intermission; and this his hand, as some reads it, runs and extends itself in prayer; even in this night, when no man saw it, and so his complaint was in secret, and far from hypocrisy, which loves witnesses.
• 2. My soul refused to be comforted: All the comforts which were offered me were to no purpose, my soul respuebat, as a sick stomach delicious meats; with Rachel, with Jacob, he would not be comforted, all friends were miserable comforters, as they were to Job; he was ready to say, There is no hope.
• 3. I remembered God, and was troubled: A heavy affliction, [Ver. 3] when the memory of God's goodness, his example of mercy, his pardons to great sinners before us, cannot comfort us; this was David's case, his memory presented to him all God's favors to himself and others, and yet he was troubled still; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed, Selah. He was, as it were, in a swoon.
• 4. Thou holdest my eyes waking, my sleep is gone from me; [Ver. 4] by the benefit of sleep, the spirits are refreshed; these must needs be turbulent and fearful, when his sleep was departed.
• 5. I am so troubled, that I cannot speak; Curae leves loquuntur, ingentes stupent: At the first verse, when he cried with his voice, he felt some ease; but in the extremity of his trouble, he was amazed, he had not a word to speak.

2. Hitherto of his agony, and trouble in body, soul, spirit; next, he shows what did aggravate and increase his grief, which were, the happiness which God's people, and he himself enjoyed before, the memory of which did increase his grief.

• 1. I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times; how merciful thou hast been to our forefathers in pardoning them, [unspec 5] in delivering them, in sending them comfort, of which I have now no sense.
• 2. In particular, I call to remembrance my song in the night; I remember with how much comfort and joy of heart, even in the night-season, I was wont to sing unto thee, and praise thee. [unspec 6]
• 3. But now I commune with mine own heart, and my spirit makes diligent search; I have a long dispute with my own heart, and make a diligent search betwixt me and my own soul, why it should be thus with me? why I should be thus afflicted? why my God should upon the point cast me off?

3. And now by an elegant Hypotyposis in the three following verses, he sets down what those disputes and disquisitions were he had with his own heart, when he struggled with the wrath of God, and his own heart tempting to despair of God's goodness and performance of his Promises to his people; he said within himself:

• 1. Will the Lord cast off forever? and will he be favorable no more? [unspec 7]
• 2. Is his mercy clean gone forever? doth his promise fail for evermore? [unspec 8]
• 3. Hath God forgotten to be gracious? [unspec 9] hath he in his anger shut up his tender mercies?

2. Now follows the second part of the Psalm, in which David shows how he did recover out of this temptation; and first, he confesseth that it arose not from any change in God, or alteration of his good-will, but from his own weakness; and secondly, shows the way how he would secure himself from the like trouble for the future.

• 1. He begins with a correction of himself, And I said, [unspec 10] it is my own infirmity, it is my own weakness of faith that puts me to all this trouble, which if it were stronger, I know I should hope better; the Nature, the Promises, the Works of God being sufficient to confirm me.
• 2. That therefore I relapse not:
  • 1. I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High; I will remember the power of God's right hand, which is able to turn the most desperate and darksom nights of trouble, into the pleasant and joyful days of content, according to our Savior's words, Your sorrow shall be turned to joy.
  • 2. [unspec 11] I will remember the works of the Lord, surely I will remember thy wonders of old, viz. That God calls not his people to the pleasures of this World, but to dangerous conflicts with Satan, sin, &c. And yet his presence is such, that he doth defend them, yea, and miraculously save them; This is the work of God, these are his wonders of old, which I will remember.
  • 3. [unspec 12] And I will so remember them, that I will seriously and sadly meditate upon them, and speak of them; I will meditate also of all thy works, and talk of thy doings.

Upon which works of God he makes a stand, and insists to the end of the Psalm; first in general, and then by name, in Israel.

• 1. At the 13th. verse, he turns his speech to God.
  • 1. [unspec 13] Thy way, O God, is in the Sanctuary; that is, in secret, and hid from the World; he that will understand the way of God to his people, must by faith enter into his Temple, and inquire of his Word, as it is, Psal. 73.17. 'tis too hard for him else to know; else he shall never perceive why God brings them into the case that David here was.
  • 2. To which he adds a Doxology, Who is so great a God as our God? which he confirms in the following verse, Thou art the God that dost wonders, Thou hast declared thy strength among the people; [unspec 14] thy power, thy wisdom, thy protection of thy Church even to all people, the Heathens themselves, and strangers to Israel, may see it, and acknowledge it, if not blind.
• 2. But in particular, Thou hast declared thy strength in defense of Israel. Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph.

And he amplifies this story of their deliverance from Egypt, [unspec 15] by several instances of God's power in it.

• 1. In the red Sea; The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; not only the Egyptians, but the senseless Element felt thy power, they were afraid, [unspec 16] the depths also were troubled, Exod. 14.
• 2. [unspec 17] In the Heaven; The clouds poured out water, the skies sent out a sound, thine arrows also went abroad; the voice of thy Thunder was in the Heavens, [unspec 18] thy lightnings lightened the World, Exod. 14.24, 25.
• 3. In the earth, The earth trembled and shook; and all this was done, that Israel might have a passage through it; [unspec 19] Thy way is in the Sea, and thy passage in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.

And the final cause of this miracle was, that he might show his severity toward his enemies, [unspec 20] and his goodness toward his people, for whose deliverance he sent Moses and Aaron, ordained a King and a Priest; by them, Thou leddest thy people like sheep, by the hands of Moses and Aaron.

PSAL. LXXVIII. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

T HE Prophet considering that it is God's Command, that his works be not forgotten, but that the Fathers deliver his former doings to posterity, that they might be to them for comfort and instruction, deter them from obstinacy in sin, and persuade them to the fear of God, he doth in this Psalm give in a prolix Catalogue of God's dealing with his people, even from their coming out of Egypt, to the days of David.

The parts of the Psalm are these.

• 1. A Preface, in which he exhorts to learn and declare the way of God, from ver. 1. to 9.
• 2. A continued Narrative of God's administration among his people, and their stubbornness, disobedience, and contumacy, together with the revenge that God took upon them, from ver. 9. to 67.
• 3. His mercy yet, that he did not wholly cast them off, but after the rejection of Ephraim, made choice of Judah, Zion, David, from ver. 67. to 72.

1. In the Exordium he labors to gain attention, Give ear, O my people, to my Law, incline your ears to the words of my mouth; and in this, and the following verses, useth many arguments to gain attention; as,

• 1. It is God's Law which he is to deliver, his Doctrine, the words of his mouth, taught, delivered from Heaven, [Ver. 1] and deposited only with the Prophet.
• 2. It is worth hearing, for it is a Parable, a dark, but wise saying, and it of old; I will open my mouth in a Parable, I will utter dark sayings of old; it hath dignity, wisdom, antiquity to commend it. [Ver. 2]
• 3. Yea, and certainty of Tradition also; Which we have heard and known, [unspec 3] and such as our Fathers have told us.

And now he acquaints them with the end, which is another Argument for attention.

• 1. It was not to hide them, or conceal them from their children. [Ver. 4]
• 2. But to show them to the Generations to come; of which, the ultimatus finis, was,
  • 1. That God be praised for his benefits, showing the praises of the Lord.
  • 2. That his power be celebrated in his miracles; And his strength, and wonderful works that he hath done.

But the intermedius finis, was the good of his people, for it was, that they might, 1. Know God: 2. Hope in God: 3. And obey God, not being rebellious: For he, that is, God, established a Testimony in Jacob, [unspec 5] and appointed a Law in Israel. It was not a Law which our Fathers invented, but taught from above: Now the Duty of the Fathers, was, to communicate this Law to their posterity; Which he commanded our Fathers, that they should make known to their children.

And the Duties of the children follow, which are the three ends before. [unspec 6]

• 1. That they know God, and his Law and Works: That the Generation to come might know them, and the children that were yet unborn; and their Duty is again, To declare them to their children.
• 2. That they might trust, and set their hope in God, [unspec 7] and not forget the works of God.
• 3. That they might be an obedient people, and keep his Commandments, which they could not be, if they were like their forefathers; for they were a stubborn and rebellious Generation, [unspec 8] a Generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit cleaved not steadfastly to God.

2. And now the Prophet begins his Narration, and proves by examples that they were a stubborn and rebellious Generation, of which his,

• 1. First example is of the Tribe of Ephraim, who being armed, and carrying Bows, turned back in the day of Battle; which Moller refers to the children of Ephraim invading the land of Canaan before Moses time, and were overthrown, 1 Chron. 17.21. and were slain, because they did it without command; [unspec 9] Ephraim by a Synecdoche, is put for all Israel, who were disobedient and cowardly, as Soldiers in War, that turn their back on the enemy, Bellarmine.
• 2. [unspec 10] These Ephraimites kept not the Covenant of God, and refused to walk in his Law; Jeroboam being of that Tribe, who set up the Calves in Dan and Bethel.
• 3. [unspec 11] And they forgot his works in Egypt, he means, and the wonders that he had shown them.

By which occasion the Prophet enlargeth his discourse, and shows, 1. God's goodness: 2. Israel's obstinacy: 3. Their punishment.

• 1. God's goodness appeared, in those wonders he did for them in their eduction from Egypt; Marvelous did he in the sight of their Fathers in the land of Egypt,