Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms

PSAL. LXXXV.

VErs. 1. Lord, thou hast been favorable, &c. ] God's free grace and favor is fitly premised, as the Fountain and Mother of all the following Mercies. This is that other Book, Rev. 20 12. that hath our names in it, and our pardon.

Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob] Of old from Egypt, and alate from the Philistines; who after Saul's death miserably tyrannized over Israel, till David delivered them. Some hold that this Psalm was composed at the end of the Babylonish Captivity. Others conceive it may be a prayer for the conversion of the Gentiles, who are brought in speaking, the whole Psalm throughout.

Vers. 2. Thou hast for given the iniquity, &c. ] This is worthily mentioned as a main mercy, as a chief fruit of Free-grace.

Thou hast covered all their sin ] That, that filthy thing may be no longer an eyesore unto thee. In the Original there are Six Homoioteleuta, which is an elegancy not to be englished.

Vers. 3. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath ] Heb. Thou hast gathered it, thou hast recollected it, that we might not bear it; when Sin is once remitted, Wrath is soon removed.

Thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness, &c. ] Here are six Hasts drawing in the next Turn, verse. 4. God hath, and therefore God will, is a strong Medium of hope, if not a demonstration of Scripture-Logicks. See 2 Cor. 1.10.

Vers. 4. Turn us, O God of our salvation ] Turn us, and we shall be turned; do as thou ever hast done, for thou art Jehovah, thou changest not, but art yesterday, today, and the same forever.

And cause thine anger, &c. ] I abefacta iram tuam erga nos.

Vers. 5. Wilt thou he angry with us forever? ] Dilato Christo two vel tuo adventu? Such expostulations mixed with faith are Vis Deo grata, as saith Tertullian, such as God is well pleased with.

Vers. 6. With thou not revive us again? ] Who for present are all amort, as it were, free among the dead? free of that company?

That thy people may rejoice in thee ] A joyless life is a lifeless life, Mortis habet vices quae trahitur vita gemitibus.

Vers. 7. show us thy mercy, O Lord ] Thy fatherly mercy, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

And grant us thy salvation ] Thy Christ, and our Jesus, Luke 2.30.

Vers. 8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak ] I will not repine, but listen what answer God giveth to my prayer, and patiently wait a good issue of my troubles.

For he will speak peace unto his people ] viz. by his Promises, and by his Providences.

And to his Saints ] For all God's people are righteous ones, Isa. 60.21. justified and sanctified, 1 Cor. 6.11.

But let 〈◊〉 them turn again do folly ] i.e. to the ways of the world, and of 〈◊〉 real son lest they smart for their rashness, and God 〈…〉 to their words again.

Vers. 9. Surely his salvation is nigh them, &c. ] Though they be so 〈…〉 with tears, that they cannot see it and so discouraged, that they have even done looking for it. Luke •• 7, • .

That glory may dwell in our Land, ] The Fathers hath by salvation and glory dwelling with man, understand Christ, Job. 1.26.

Vers. 10. Mercy and 〈◊〉 are met together ] 〈◊〉 (his) Mercy is ever ••••• ded by 〈◊〉 conjunction his people there is a 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 •••• tion of Graces, 2 Pet. • . • . and this is an effect of Christ Kingdom in m ••• 〈◊〉 Rom. 14.17.

Righteousness and peace have killed each other ] Have friendly saluted, in allusion to the manner of the Eastern Nations. See Isa. 12.17. Psal. 119.169.

Vers. 11. Truth shall spring out of the earth ] i. e. Heaven and 〈◊〉 shall be 〈◊〉 both of truth and righteousness. Many understand all concerning Christ. See J •• . 3.13. Others, concerning extraordinary plenty of all good things.

Vers. 12. Yea the Lord shall give that which is good ] Yea h • st of all, viz. his holy Spirit ( Luke 11.13. with Matthew 7.11.) with a largess of outward comforts.

Vers. 13. Righteousness shall go before him ] Men shall walk before God in holinels and righteousness all the days of their lives, Luke 1.75, they shall not rest in outward blessings, verse. 12. or be satisfied with such low things, but be led up thereby to the care of higher.

And shall set us in the way of his steps ] So that we shall go an upper (and •••• fore a better) way, Prov. 15.24. having our feat where other men's heads are: and so departing from Hell beneath, which 〈◊〉 gapeth for the unrighteous.

PSAL. LXXXVI.

A Prayer ] Left for a form, for a help to devotion, as was also, Psal. 1 • 2. Title.

Vers. 1. Bow down thine 〈◊〉 , O Lord ] As the careful Physician doth to his feeble Patient: so Basil glosseth here.

For I am poor, and needy ] Having nothing to live on but what my friends privily send me, or what I can get by boot-haling from the Lord's enemies, 1 Sam. 30.26.

Vers. 2. Preserve my soul, for I am holy ] Or, a 〈◊〉 , a Saint, merciful, such an one as upon whose heart the tender mercies of the Almighty 〈◊〉 forth abundantly, do leave a compassionate frame. David had the Divine Nature transfused into him, he was holy, as God is holy; and merciful, as God is merciful (in quality though not in equality) but all of free grace; and this he plead ••• for his own safety.

Save thy servant ] Serva servum tuum, thy devoted servant, and not thy beneficiary only.

Vers. 3. Be merciful unto me ] Lest any should by the former 〈◊〉 (I 〈…〉 ) suspect him to be a merit-monger, he beggeth mercy, with instancy and constancy of request.

Vers. 4. Rejoice the soul of thy servant ] True and solid joy entereth 〈◊〉 , by the door of servant prayer. Pray that your joy may be fell.

I lift up my soul ] In prayer, Psal. 25.1 and confident 〈◊〉 of an 〈◊〉 carrying return thereof 〈…〉 . 24. •• .

Vers. 5. For thou Lord are good, 〈◊〉 . ] Lord, I am • ell, 〈…〉 are Heaven, said God by prayer.

And plenteous in mercy ] Both to 〈◊〉 sin, and to give good Hos. 14. • .

Vers. 6. Give ear, O Lord &c. ] The hearing of our suits is earnestly to be sought and reckoned among our chiefest 〈◊〉 .

Vers. 7. In the day of my trouble, &c.] God's Petitioners must pray and believe, and believe and pray 〈…〉 . David had said verse • God is man in mercy to all that call upon him. Here he 〈◊〉 and con ••• th , 〈…〉 in the day of my trouble will call upon him, therefore he will answer me.

Vers. 8. Among the God's ] Whether deputed or reputed.

There is none like unto thee ] Either in essence, or in operation. See 〈◊〉 15.11.

Vers. 9. As Nations whom thou hast 〈◊〉 come, &c. ] I were 〈◊〉 they should, Rev. 4. ult. 'tis to be hoped they shall, Isa. 11. & 43. not by • hange of • race, but 〈◊〉 , respon • ing their irreligions, and yielding unto Christ the 〈◊〉 of faith. Some understand this Text of that general Assembly at the 〈◊〉 .

Vers. 10. For thou are gr ••• ] Great is the Lord without quantity, good without quality, everlasting without time, omni present without place, containing all things without extent; within all things, and contained of nothing; without all things, and sustained of nothing, &c. Now the least 〈◊〉 of this knowledge is worth all the gleams of human wisdom.

And doest wondrous things ] The Schools have laid down a threefold way of knowing God; First, Negation of Imperfections. Secondly, Affirmation of Perfections. Thirdly, Causation of great works.

Vers. 11. Teach me thy way ] David knew much of God, and yet he desireth to be taught more; delivering himself up to God's discipline, and saying as once Solon did

Unite my heart to fear thy name ] i. e. To serve thee with simplicity and godly 〈◊〉 2 Cor. •• cleav •• to thee with full purpose of heart, Act. 11.23. and attending upon thee without distraction, 1 Cor. 7.35. As thou a • God alone ( verse 10.) so let my heart be towa • d thee alone. Behold I find it divided, disjointed, and so disabled for duty (for anima disper sa fit minor ) Oh do thou unite it I beseech thee, giving me that one heart thou hast promised, until we all come unto that oneness of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, &c. Ephes. 4.13.

Vers. 12. I will praise thee ] While he prayed, he found his prayer answered; and therefore thus breaketh forth into praises.

Vers. 13. 〈…〉 delivered my soul from the lowest hell ] That is from deadly and desperate dangers. Some understand it of the damnation of hell which David had deserved by his sins. The Rabbin's gloss is, A loco adulter is appropriate.

Vers. 14. O God, the proud ] The strangers some read it (by the change of a letter in the original) who are commonly cruel.

And the assemblies of violent men ] Nebulonum, some render it, sturdy varlets, 〈…〉 .

Vers. 15. But thou O Lord art a God full, &c. ] These are part of those thirteen Attributes of Almighty God, set down and proclaimed by himself, Exod. 34.6. Middoth the Rabbin's call them, that is, Properties.

Vers. 16. O turn unto me ] Or, Look toward me; the life of a believer consisteth in the light of God's countenance.

Give thy strength unto thy servant ] Master, pray lend me your hand, saith the servant to his Master,, when he wants help.

〈…〉 ] q. d. I was both in thy house, came religious Parents, &c. therefore do me good for their sakes at least, as Ishmael was blessed for Abraham's.

Vers. 17. Shew me a token for good ] Make me King as thou hast promised; and mean while to deliver me, that my greatest adver •••• , may be convinced of their malice and madness. At the death of some tokens were flown 〈…〉 , for instance 〈…〉 , and the Sun • hope of a da •• cloud so full, that he was forced to look another way.

PSAL. LXXXVII.

A Psalm or song ] Made, likely, by David, after that he had settled the Ark in Mount Zion, 2 Sam. 6. and understood that the Temple should be built in Mount Moriah; In which two mountains (or rather one mountain with two tops) the Rabbin's say that this Psalm was composed; and thereunto they draw the next words, His foundation, or the argument of this Psalm, is in and of those holy Mountains. But this seemeth not to be the sense.

Vers. 1. His foundation is in the holy Mountains ] Which cannot be removed, but abide forever, Psal. 125.1. Some read it, The foundation thereof, viz. of the Temple, but especially of the Church universal that spiritual Temple (built of living stones by God the best Architect, Christ himself being the chief corner-stone) is in the holy Mountains: For out of Zion went forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem; which is therefore called the Mother-Church, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the chief Church, the root of the Gentile -Churches, Rom. 11. the conversion whereof is here foretold, verse 4. and perpetual happiness promised.

Vers. 2. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion] Nothing but his mere love moved him to make choice of it, above all other places there to declare his power, presence, and goodness. He first chose it for his love, and then loved it for his choice; and so he doth his Church.

Vers. 3. Glorious things are spoken of thee ] Dicta & praedicta, told and foretold of thee, Heb. in thee, sc. by the holy Prophets, especially concerning the Christian Church. See Isa. 40. to the end of that Prophecy. Nihil honorificum non praedicatur de te; & nihil praedicatur dete quin sit honorificentissimum.

Thou City of God ] The God of glory, Act. 7.1. the great King, Mat. 5.35. the only potentate, 1 Tim. 6.15. who maketh his Church the place of his residence, &c.

Selah ] O rem dignam perpetua admiratione, O wonderful!

Vers. 4. I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon] Rahab is Egypt, and so called for its strength, and pride. Babel the chief City of the Babylonians. These were deadly enemies to Jerusalem, which was ground betwixt them as betwixt a pair of Milstones, but they shall be reckoned hereafter, saith God, among my domestics, among those that know me, or rather are known of me. See Isa. 19.19, 21, 25. 1 Pet. 5.13.

Behold Philistia] The Philistines were ever bitter enemies to the Israelites, but shall be converted and become children of the Church. See Isa. 54.1. & 44.5.

And Tyre] Which shall leave heaping and hoarding, and employ her Merchandise to feed and clothe God's Saints. Isa. 23.18. Act. 21.3, 4.

With Aethopia] Heb. Cush, of Cush, the son of Ham, their Father and founder, Gen. 10.6. Ethiopians they were called from their burnt faces. The Eunuch received the Gospel, and published it, Act. 8. the Christian faith was professed among them, as 'tis thought, from the Apostles time; though now, for above an hundred years, they have again forsaken it.

This man was born there ] Natus, id est renatus in illa. The men of these several and other Countries were born, that is, born a new, and so made free-denisons of the new Jerusalem, fellow-citizens with the Saints, and of the house-hold of God, Ephes. 2.19.

Vers. 5. And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her ] i. e. Converted; and so a daily accession made to the Church of Christ, as was by Peters • ermon, &c. and now so many Nations; Behold the World is gone after him, said those envious Pharisees, Joh. 12.19. and the Papists grudge as much at the late glorious Reformation begun by Luther, wherein so many rejoice, and shall do to all eternity. Bucholcerus blesseth God that he was born in the days, and was bred under the discipline of holy Melancthon Luther's colleague,

Beatus Ludovicus would be called Ludovicus de Pissiaco, rather than take greater titles, because there he became a Christian. He thought no birth to a new birth in Christ; no parentage to that of God to his Father, the Church to his Mother, Christ to his elder Brother, &c. Some apply this text to the places of holy men's birth, and tell us, that he loves the very ground his servants tread on, the very air they first breath in, their walls are continually before him, Isa. 49.16. he thinks the better of the houses where they dwell.

And the highest himself shall establish her ] So that the gates of Hell shall not unsettle her. Other states and Polities have their times and their turns, their rise and their ruin; not so the Church.

Vers. 6. The Lord shall count when he writeth up the people. ] When he maketh his Cense-book (called the writing of the house of Israel, Ezek. 13.9. the Lord's book of remembrance, Mal. 3.16. the Register of the living in Jerusalem. Isa. 4.3.) he shall muster them in the roll of his soldiers, number them in the catalogue of his Citizens, call them in the nomenclatura of his Disciples, &c. A glorious privilege surely.

As well the singers as the players, &c. ] There shall be an exuberancy of joy in the holy Ghost, the only comfortable soul-ravishing music, far beyond that of the material Temple.

All my springs are in thee ] i. e. All my thoughts run upon thee, with greatest; delight; My eyes are wholly fixed upon thee, so some read it: Others, My bowels are in thee, making these to be the words of the Psalmist. But methinks they do better that make them to be the words of God, promising plenty of grace and comfort to his people, as from ever-flowing over-flowing fountains.

PSAL. LXXXVIII.

A Song or Psalm ] Psalmus totus luctuosus, a doleful ditty beginning and ending with complaints; and therefore sung in the primitive times, among other penitential Psalms, at the public confession of persons excommunicated.

Upon Mahalath Leannoth] A musical instrument sounding heavily as a shaulm doth; and therefore called Infirmity, for humbling, or for Antiphonies. A fit title.

Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite ] i.e. The instruction of Heman, who was a very wise man, 1 King. 4.31. descended of Zerah the son of Judah, 1 Chron. 2.4. and thence called the Ezrahite, Brother to Ethan who penned the next Psalm. 1 Chron. 2.6. Nobile par fratrum.

Vers. 1. O Lord God of my salvation ] This is the only one expression of his faith found in this whole Psalm; and it must be understood that he thus believed and prayed, as here, and verse 2, when he was at worst, and most despairingly complained.

I have cried day and night before thee ] Though in such a state as they were, Act. 27.20. when neither Sun nor Star appeared, yet he cast anchor, and prayed still for day.

Vers. 2. Let my prayer come before thee ] He did not cast out brutish and wild complaints and moans in misery, as 'tis natural for people to do, but poured forth his soul into God's blessed bosom, and now prayeth an answer.

Vers. 3. For my soul is full of trouble ] Hypotyposis hominis luctuosissime affecti. Here we have the lively picture of a man under bitter affliction. Extraordinary wise he was, and extraordinary troubles he had. None out of hell suffer more than God's dearest children. This good man felt himself in the suburbs of hell, as it were.

And my life draweth nigh unto the grave ] Or, Unto hell; The same word signifieth both, because death is hells harbinger; and would be so to the •• ect, but for Christ.

Vers. 4. I am counted with them, &c. ] I am looked upon as irrecoverable, given up for desperate. Conclamatum est.

I am as a man that hath no strength ] A man no man; weak as water, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

Vers. 5. Free among the dead ] Free of that company, one of the Many among the Manes, or Ghosts; a free denizon of that society, of that moiety of mankind that are dead. Yea, I am mortuorum minimus, as R. Jonah rendereth it, according to the Arabic.

Like the stain that lie in the grave ] That are thrown on heaps into a pit, as after a field fought.

Whom thou rememberest no more ] As to this present world, and as it way seem to others, with whom out fo sight, out of mind, dead folk are soon forgotten. Varro thinks Lethum death, hath its name 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , from forgetfulness; because they which have now forgotten all the world, should soon be forgotten of the world.

And they are cut off from thine hand ] Thy providence over them in matters belonging to life is at an end.

Vers. 6. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit ] In cisterna infimbrum, in the deepest dungeon, in lutoso lacu. such as Jeremy was cast into, chap. 37.

In the deeps ] In voragin • bus, out of which none escapeth, nothing can be boyed up, as they call it.

Vers. 7. Thy wrath lyo • b hard upon me ] So it did upon David, Psal. 32.3. but especially upon the Son of David, the Lord Christ, of whose sufferings these were but types; or as chips of his cross.

And thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves ] But all this while it is thy doing, and that carrieth comfort in it.

Vers. 8. Thou hast put away mine acquaintance, &c. ] Job and David complain of the like misery. Optimum solatium sodalitium; but woe to him that is alone.

I am shut up ] Miserably inclaved in this forlorn comfortless condition, a perpetual prisoner.

Vers. 9. Lord, I have called daily upon thee ] Which he would not have done, if he had cast away his confidence; for how shall they call upon him, on whom they have not believed, Rom. 10? The Saints when they want the Sun, yet they have the day-star in their hearts.

Vers. 10. Wilt thou show wonders to the dead? ] Wilt thou delay to deliver me till I am dead, and then raise me again by a miracle, that I may praise thee? But he should have considered, that God neither needeth our poor praises, not can his help ever come too late.

Shall the dead arise ] Heb. The Giants, that is, those that are swallowed up of death, as the Giants were of the deluge.

Vers. 11. Shall thy loving kindness, &c. ] The same again, and verse 12. a third time, pro more delentium. See Psal. 6.5. & 30.9.

Vers. 12. In the land of forgetfulness ] So the state and place of the dead is called, and why, see the Note on verse 5.

Vers. 13. But unto thee have I cried ] O condescend to thy poor crying creature in extremity.

In the morning ] See the Note on Psal. 5.3.

Vers. 14. Lord why castest thou off, &c. ] Luther saith of himself, that after his conversion he lay three days in desperation. And afterwards, he sometimes suffered such desertions, ut nec calor, nec sanguis, nec sensus, nec vox superesset, saith an eye-witness.

Vers. 15. I am afflicted, &c. ] He was brought up in the School of temptations, and kept in this form from his youth. He was put soon tooit, and so deep lessons had he set him, that he had like to have lost his wits. I am distracted, saith he, I am held upon the wheel.

Vers. 16. Thy foirce wrath, &c. ] As rivers of brimston.

Have cut me off ] Multis excisionibus, ideo{que} duplicatur Tau.

Vers. 17. They compassed me about ] As the water compasseth the earth like a girdle.

Vers. 18. Lover and friend, &c. ] See verse 8. and mark how mournfully he concludeth; as doth also the Church, Lam. • . ult.

PSAL. LXXXIX.

MAschil of Ethan the Ezrahite ] Who having out-lived Solomon, and seen both the defection of the Ten Tribes from the House of David, and the woeful work made by Shishack King of Egypt in the Kingdom of Judah, 2 Chron. 12. composed this Psalm (as it may seem) and left it for an erudisive, or instruction to all succeeding Ages what to do in such dismal changes and concussions. That Jew-Doctor mentioned by Ibn-Ezra was more nice than wise, who would neither read nor hear this Psalm, Quia videtur dura de Deo proferre, because it seemeth to speak hardly of God, verse. 39.

Vers. 1. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord ] God's Mercies moved him to promise, his faithfulness bindeth him to perform; Ethan promiseth to celebrate both, were the times never so bad, their case never so calamitous.

I will make known thy faithfulness ] Which yet I am sometimes moved to make question of. Thus the Psalmist insinuateth before he complaineth, Vt faclendum docent Rhetores in causis invidiosis; wherein he showeth himself a right Rhetorician.

Vers. 2. For I have said ] I believed, therefore have I spoken it, I dare say it shall be so, because thou hast said it (so the Greek here hath it) what God saith we may write upon it, because all the words of his mouth are in righteousness, neither is there anything froward or perverse in them, Prov. 8.8.

Mercy shall be built up forever ] Till the top-stone be laid, and judgment be brought forth into victory, Mat. 12.20. the sure mercies of David fail not.

Thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the heavens ] Or, with the very heavens; that is, so sure as they are established. If that Martyr could say, The Heavens shall sooner fall than I will forsake the truth I have learned; how much more may we say so of God's unfaileable faithfulness? See verse. 33.

Vers. 3. I have made a Covenant with my chosen ] i.e. With Christ (who is God's elect one, Isa. 42.1.) and in him with all his people, Ephes. 1.4.

I have sworn unto David] The Father and Figure of Christ, who is frequently called David, and is here chiefly to be understood. O happy we, for whose sake God hath sworn, saith Tertullian! and O most wretched, if we believe him not thus swearing!

Vers. 4. Thy Seed will I establish forever ] David's for a long time, but Christ's forever and aye.

And build up thy throne to all generations ] Christ's Kingdom hath no end, Isa. 9.7. Luke 1.33. This is very comfortable. The Jews understanding this promise of David's Kingdom, have oft attempted the restauration of it; but in vain, and to the ruin of their Nation.

Vers. 5. And the heavens shall praise thy Wonders ] Heb. Thy Miracle, viz. in their circumgyration (which showeth a first mover) in their embroidery, influences, &c. yielding matter and occasion of praise. And thus, All thy Works praise thee, O Lord, but thy Saints bless thee, Psa. 145.10. and so by Heavens here we may understand the Angels of Heaven (as they are called, Mat. 24 36.) as by the Congregation of Saints, the Church universal in heaven and earth, by whom God is highly praised for the Covenant of Grace.

Vers. 6. For who in the heaven can be compared, &c? ] Thou far transcendest the brightest Cherub, all whose excellency is but derivative, a drop of thine Ocean, a spark of thy flame.

Who among the Sons of the mighty ] Inter chores Angelorum, saith the Chaldee; What Angel, what Man?

Vers. 7. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly, &c. ] Heb. Daunting terrible in the socret of the Saints very much. The holy Angels make their addresses unto him with greatest reverence, and self-abasements; for they know that he humbleth himself to behold things in heaven, Psal. 113. How much more then should we set ourselves to serve him with reverence and godly fear, since our God is a consuming fire? Heb. 12.28, 29.

Vers. 8. Who is a strong Lord, like unto thee ] Heb. Who is like thee, mighty Jab? This is to magnify God, when we get above all Creatures, in our conceptions of him.

Or to thy faithfulness 〈◊〉 out thee. ] those that are round about thee, or thou art full of faithfulness.

Vers. 9. Thou 〈◊〉 the raging of the sea ] That it overwhelm not the earth; this work of God's Power is often celebrated as well it may, all things cinfide ••• .

Vers. 10. Than hast broken Rahab in 〈◊〉 ] i. e. which is called Rahab. for it strength •• •• de.

As a 〈◊〉 is slain. ] Or, as one deadly wounded as such an one is soon dispatched, so here.

Then hast 〈◊〉 &c. ] See Isa. 25. •• . with the Note.

Vers. 11. 〈◊〉 heaven is 〈◊〉 , th •• earth also in thine ] Th ••• madest them by thy Power and thou maintainest them by the Provide ••• thou doest whatsoever thou wilt in both, Psal. 115.3.

As for the World, &c. ] See Psal. 24. 〈…〉 .

Vers. 12. Tabor and Hermon ] That is, the West and East of Judea but put here for the West and East of the World; Judea was the World of the World, as Athe • s the Greece of Greece, as Solon the Epitome of Athens.

Vers. 13. Thou hast a mighty arm ] Men should therefore both tremble before God, and trust in him. 1 Pet. 2.6.

Strong is thy hand ] Even thy left hand, q. d. tu polles utra{que} manu, thou hast both hands alike powerful.

Vers. 14. Justice and Judgment are the •• bitation (or basis) of thy 〈◊〉 ] these are the supporters, and pillars.

Mercy and Truth, &c. ] These are the fore-runners, or satellites; I should much fear Justice and Judgment, saith Austin, were it not that Mercy and Truth comfort me: Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ, Joh • .

Vers. 15. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound ] Jubilatio ••• , the sound of thy Word, the free use of thine Ordinances; serving thee with cheerfulness, and giving thee thanks with exaltation of he ••• and rapture of spirit, Scias unde gau •• quod verb •• explicate 〈◊〉 possis, saith A • sti • s, Accipa quod se ••• antequam 〈◊〉 , faith Cyprian, writing to Donatur, concerning the joy of his Conversion.

They shall walk, O Lord in the light of thy 〈◊〉 ] In the fear of the Lord, and in the comforts of the holy Ghost.

Vers. 16. In thy name shall they rejoy 〈◊〉 a day ] Or, every day. Bonis semper ferie, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , saith Di • genes in Plutarch. God crowneth the Calendar of good men's lives with many fe • tivals.

Vers. 17. For thou art the glory of thew strength ] And hence it is that they are filled to pfull with comfort, and do over-abound exceedingly with joy in all their tribulation, 2 Cor. 7.4.

Vers. 18. For the Lord is our defense ] Heb. our shield; the body cannot be wounded, but through the shield.

And the holy one of 〈◊〉 our King ] How then can any one cry aloud? Mich. 4.9.

Vers. 19. Then thou spakest in Vision to thy holy one ] i. e. to Samuel thy Priest, and Prophet • 1 Sam. 16.12.) one of those few that lived and died with glory.

I have 〈…〉 upon one 〈◊〉 is migthy ] I have called David to the Kingdom, and qualify him 〈…〉 chiefly intended here is Christ, able to save them to the 〈…〉 to God by him Heb. 7.29.

〈…〉 One of them 〈◊〉 or one of singular 〈…〉 of the vulgar.

Vers. 20. 〈…〉 and in 〈…〉 .

With my holy oil have I annointed him ] How Christ was appointed and annoy 〈…〉 .

Vers. 21. 〈…〉 and carry him thorough all conditions with comfort, See Ezra. 22 with the Note.

〈…〉 ] i.e. 〈…〉 more strength than the hand.

Vers. 22. The enemy shalt 〈…〉 ] Or shall profit nothing, 〈…〉 at all, as the Chaldee and 〈◊〉 have it.

Nor the son of wickedness ] Heb. Of injurious-evil, one that is set upon mis ••• , as 〈◊〉 said, this people 〈…〉 Exod. 32.22.

Vers. 23. And I will beat down his fees. &c. ] Victory 〈…〉 Lord: He may 〈…〉 Monarch, 〈…〉 I take part with, is sure to prevail.

That hare him ] That secretly malign him, though they can do mischief.

Vers. 24. But my faithfulness and my 〈◊〉 ] My power without 〈◊〉 according to promise, and my peace 〈◊〉 him that passeth all understanding shall guard his heart and mind in Christ Jesus, Phil. • .7.

Shall his horn be exalted ] He shall be 〈◊〉 and eximious.

Vers. 25. 〈…〉 ] He shall be a Vice-god, Dan. 12.7. Rov. 10. 〈…〉 gave the Persians earth and water, in token of subjection to Darius their King. Christ is the true 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a title anciently usurped by S • s • tr •• King of Egypt.

Vers. 26. He shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father ] This was a royalty above all the rest. Job. 1.12. 1. Job. 3.1. and applied to Christ the only-begotten son of God; it sets him above all the Angels, Heb. 1.

My God ] This is the Be-hive of heavenly honey.

Vers. 27. also I will make him my 〈…〉 ] Christ is the first-born of every Creature, and in all things hath the • p •••• ence. David also shall be the highest Prince on earth, blessed and accepted far beyond any of them. 〈…〉 • ilecte Dee, &c.

Vers. 28. My 〈◊〉 I will keep for 〈◊〉 ] It shall be ready at all times for his relief, even the 〈…〉 of David, neither will I utterly take it from him, as I did from Saul.

And my Covenant shall stand fast with him ] Faster than the mountains, Isa. 54.10. firmer than the courses of Sun and Moon, day and night, Jer. 31.35, 36. & 33.20, 21.

Vers. 29 His seed also, &c. ] This is chiefly mean of christ and his Kingdom.

And his 〈◊〉 as the days of Heaven ] i.e. As the Kingdom of Heaven, eternal; for the aspectible Heave • • con ••• ptible.

Vers. 30. If his children forsake my law, &c. ] If they fall into sins of commission; If they shoot beyond the 〈◊〉

And walk not in my Judgments ] If they fall into sins of omission, and shoot short. Where note, that every 〈◊〉 , and dis-obedience (that is, every commission and omission) receiveth a just recompense of reward, Heb 2.2.

Vers. 31. If they break my 〈◊〉 ] Heb. If they 〈◊〉 or make void; q.d. be their sins never so h • inous, I will forgive them; though I take vengeance temporal of • eir •••• ions, Psal 99.8

〈…〉 of God, not-sacrificing in a sin, Mal. 3.18. Eccles. 9.2. See verse. 30.

Vers. 32. Thus will I vi ••• their 〈…〉 The 〈◊〉 of the Saints 〈…〉 with the r • d of 〈…〉 .

Vers. 33. 〈…〉 .

Nor suffer 〈…〉 with him.

Vers. 34. My Covenant I will not break ] Heb. I will not propham my Covenant, though they have profaned my statutes verse. 31.

Nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips ] But will pardon their failings, and cause them to keep my Commandments.

Vers. 35. Once have I sworn by mine Holiness ] Which is as deep an oath as I know how to take; for my holiness is myself, who am most holy, and the fountain of all holiness. By this I have sworn once, that is, once for all, immobiliter, immutabiliter.

Vers. 36. His seed shall endure forever ] Christ shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days; and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands, Isa. 53.10. filiabitur nomine ejus, Psal. 72.17. See there.

Vers. 27. It shall be established forever, as the Moon ] If his sons be good, they shall shine as the Sun in his strength (saith Kimchi ) as, if they be not, yet they shall be as the Moon that shineth, though for a time obscured or eclipsed. A fit resemblance (saith another Expositor) of the throne of Church of Christ, which hath not always one face or appearance in the World, though it be perpetual. The Papists would have this Moon always in the full; and if she show put little light to us, they will not yield she is the Moon. And yet (except in the Eclipse) Astronomers demonstrate that the Moon hath at all times as much light as she hath in the full; but oftentimes a great part of the bright side is turned to Heaven, and a lesser part to the earth. And so the Church is ever conspicuous to God's eye, though it appear not always so to us.

And as a faithful witness in Heaven ] As oft then as we see the Sun and Moon in Heaven, let us think of the constancy of God's Covenant, and the perpetuity of Christ's Kingdom. By this faithful witness, some understand the Rainbow, Gen. 9.13, &c.

Vers. 38. But thou hast cast off, and abhorred ] So it seemed to the Psalmist through infirmity of the flesh (though his faith did ubi{que} micare, appear ever and anon amidst his complaints) and so the enemies reported and insulted.

Thou hast been wroth with thine anointed ] sc. Out of love displeased. And here, as likewise in the verses following, omnia sunt Asyndeta, ad vehementiam

Vers. 39. Thou hast made void the Covenant ] This passage a certain Spanish Rabbi stumbled at (as hath been noted on the title of this Psalm) but without cause; for all these things are spoken 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , according to opinion, and not according to the truth of things. And therefore Kimchi saith well here, Many wonder at this Psalmist, and I do as much wonder at their wondering, &c.

Thou hast profaned his Crown ] By rendering his regal dignity contemptible. The Greek rendereth it, his Sanctuary.

Vers. 40. Thou hast broken down all his hedges ] Or walls. The walls of Sparta were their Militia, of England are their ships, of all lands their Laws, Eccles. 10.8.

Thou hast brought his strong-holds to ruin ] Or to consternation, and deadly fright.

Vers. 41. All that pass by the way spoil him ] They rob and rifle him; such havoc was made by Shishak, and is still by the Churches enemies, Heb. 10.34.

He is a reproach to his neighbors ] Who now look upon him as a King of Clouts, and ask, where is his invincible Majesty?

Vers. 42. Thou hast set up ] Thou seemest to be on their side.

Thou hast made all his enemies ] To revel in his ruins.

Vers. 43. Thou hast turned the edge ] Disarmed and disabled him.

And hast not made him, &c. ] but turned his courage into cowardice.

Vers. 44. Thou hast made his glory to cease ] Heb. his brightness, the splendent glory and dignity of the Kingdom: Some understand it of the Priesthood, and the following words of the Kingdom.

Vers. 45. The days of his youth hast thou shortened ] Thou hast nipped him in the bud, snatched him away by an untimely end, as a young man is sometimes in his prime and pride.

Thou hast covered him with shame; Selah] Thou hast wrapped him up in the winding-sheet of shame. Lord, this is true.

Vers. 46. How long, Lord, &c. ] Here faith prevaileth against flesh, and falleth a praying, and at length a praising God.

Vers. 47. Remember how short ] See Psal. 39.5.

Wherefore hast thou, &c. ] As thou mayest seem to have done, unless they may cheerfully serve thee, and enjoy thee.

Vers. 48. What man is he that liveth, &c? ] q. d. Since die we must, let us live while we may, to some good purpose.

Selah] q.d. Mark it, and meditate well and oft on this savoury subject.

Vers. 49. Lord where are, &c. ] q. d. Thou seemest to have lost them, and we would fain find them again for thee.

Vers. 50. Remember Lord ] Thou seemest to have forgotten us and our sufferings, and we would fain remind thee.

Verse. 51. The fool steps of thine anointed ] Heb. The heels or foot-soles, that is, his doings and sufferings. The Chaldee and others render it, tarditates, mor as Christi tui, the delays of thy Christ in coming, whom therefore they twit us with, velut tar digradum vel loripedem & claudum, and say, where is the promised Messiah?

Vers. 52. Blessed be the Lord, &c. ] sc. For a Christ; or for adversity as well as for prosperity; and this, not formally and slightly, but earnestly, and with utmost affection, Amen, and amen.

PSAL. XC.

A Prayer of Moses] Made by him belike, when he saw the carcasses of the people fall so fast in the wilderness; committed to writing for the instruction of those that were left alive, but sentenced to death, Numb. 14. and here fitly placed, as an illustration of that which was said in the precedent Psalm, Vers. 48. What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.

Vers. 1. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place ] In all our troubles and travels thorough this wilderness, and before, we have not been houselesse and harborless, for Thou hast been our dwelling-place, our habitacle of refuge, as some render it. We use to say A man's house is his castle. The civile-law saith, De domo sua nemo extrahi debet, aut in jus vocari, quia domus tutissimum cui{que} resugium at{que} receptaculum, No man ought to be drawn out of his house at the suit of another; because his house is his safest refuge and receptacle. He that dwelleth in God cannot be unhoused, because God is stronger than all; neither can any one take another out of his hands, Joh. 10. Here then it is best for us to take up as in our mansion-house, and to seek a supply of all our wants in God alone. It was a witty saying of that learned Picus Mirandula, God created the Earth for beasts to inhabit, the Sea for fishes, the Air for fouls, the Heaven for Angels and stars. Man therefore hath not place to dwell and abide in, but the Lord alone. See Ezek. 11.16.2 Cor. 6.8, 9, 10.

Vers. 2. Before the Mountains were brought forth ] And they were made at the creation, not cast up by the Flood, as some have held. Moses first celebrateth God's eternity, and then setteth forth man's mortality: that the one being set over against the other (as Solomon speaketh in another case) God may be glorified, and man comforted, which is the main end of the holy Scriptures, Rom. 15.4. and far beyond those consolatiunculae • Philosophicae.

Vers. 3. Thou turnest man to destruction ] Ad minutissimum quiddam, so Beza rendereth it, to a very small business, to dust and powder. Others, ad contritionem vel contusionem; by turning loose upon him diverse diseases and distresses; thou turnest him out of the World, Eccles. 1.13. And generally, thou layest of all and singular sons of men.

Return ye ] Your bodies to the earth, according to the decree Gen. 3.17, 18, 19. your souls to God that gave them, Eccles. 12.7. And here the course of man's life is compared (saith One) to a race in a Tilt or Turney, where we soon run to the end of the race as it were, and then return back again, Intelligit Moses vit am humanam similem osse gyro, saith Another. Mans life is compared to a ring or round. we walk a short round; and then God gathers us in to himself. One being asked what Life was? made an answer answerless, for he presently turned his back and went his way. We fetch here but a turn, and God saith, Return ye Children of men. This some make to be an irony; as if God should say, Live again, if ye can. Some apply it to the Resurrection, others to Mortification, and Vivification.

Vers. 4. For a thousand years in thy sight, &c. ] q. d. Live men a longer or shorter space, Serius aut citius, thou endest their days; and in comparison of thine Eternity, Punctum est quod vivimus & puncto minus, it is a small space of time that the longest liver hath upon earth, 2 Pet. 3.8. Psal. 39.5. Non multum sane abest à nihilo. Some would hence infer, that the Day of Judgment shall last a thousand years; sides sit penes authors.

When it is passed ] We judge better of the shortness of time, when it is past.

And as a watch in the night ] Which is but three hours space; for Soldiers divide the Night into four Watches, and our life is full of the darkness of error and terror.

Vers. 5. Thou carryest them away as with a flood ] Suddenly, violently, irresistibly, by particular Judgments, besides that general necessity of dying once, Heb. 9.27. This is set forth by a treble comparison, of Flouds, Sleep, and Flowers here; and indeed the vanity and misery of man's life is such, as cannot sufficiently be set forth by an similitudes. See Vers. 9, 10.

They are like a sleep ] Or dream; the dream of a shadow, saith Pindarus; the shadow of smoke, saith another.

They are as grass ] An ordinary comparison, Isa. 40.6. Jam. 1.

Vers. 6. In the morning it flourisheth ] So doth man in his prime and vigor, his bones full of marrow, his breasts of milk.

In the evening it is cut down ] So is man by Deaths mortal Sythe, which moweth down the Lilies of the Crown, as well as the Grass of the Field. In the evening grass will cut better, and the Mowers can better work at it.

Vers. 7. For we are consumed by thine anger ] Justly conceived for our sins, ver. 8. this is a cause of death that Philosophy discovereth not, as being blind, and not able to see far off, and therefore cannot prescribe any sufficient remedy against the fear of death, such as is here set down, verse. 12. but such as made Tully complain, that the Disease was too hard for the Medicine, and such as left men either doubtful ( Socrates, for instance) or desperate, and devoyd of sense, as Petronius in Tacitus, Qui in ipsis atriis mortis delicias quaesivit, solaced himself with singing such light Sonnets as this;

And by thy wrath are we troubled ] Consternati sumus, Death stings us and sticks us; the motion and mention of it is terrible to us, through sense of sin, and fear of wrath, Heb. 2.15.

Vers. 8. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee ] As a Judge doth the misdeeds of a Malefactor, together with the proofs and evidences.

Our secret sins ] Which we either never took notice of or had utterly forgotten ( the sins of our youth, some render it, but not so well) those sins which we had hoped to have secreted, such was our hypocrisy.

In the light of thy countenance ] This light thou hast made use of for the discovery of our inmost evils, those that lie most up in the heart of the Country, as it were, as the murmurings, and misbelief of our hearts, &c. these thy pure eyes, more clear and radiant than the Sun itself, have plainly discerned. Nature teacheth us, that the fiery eye needeth no outward light, but seeth extramittendo, by sending out a ray, &c.

Vers. 9. For all our days are passed away ] Heb. Do turn away the face. See verse. 3.

We spend our years as a tale that is told ] The grace whereof is brevity. Some render it, as a thought, that ariseth and passeth. To this sense the Greek Poet;

The Chaldee hath it, Ut flatus oris in Hyeme, as the breath of ones mouth in Winter. See Jam. 4.14.

Vers. 10. The days of our years are threescore, &c. ] So Solon in Laertius saith, the term of man's life is seventy years; this few exceed, and fewer attain to. To the same sense speaketh Macrobius also, saying, Septies deni anni à Physicis creditor meta vivendi, & hoc vitae humanae perfectum spacium terminatur, &c. The Fathers lived longer; but as men's wickedness increased, so their days decreased; and now their lives are daily shortened, the Generations dispatched away, that the World may the sooner come to an end. If Moses and Aaron of old, and Johannes de temporibus, and some few others of latter time live longer, even to an hundred or more, these are singular examples, and it is of the generality that the Psalmist here speaketh.

And if by reason of strength, &c. ] One readeth it thus; And if by fortitude fourscore years, even their latitude is labor and sorrow; that is, this enlarging of the time bringeth nothing but labor and misery, because now the body is diseased, &c.

For it is soon cut off ] As a Web, or as Grass.

And we flee away ] As a Bird upon the wing, or as an hour of the day:

I am not eternity, said Epictetus, but a man; that is, a small part of the whole, as the hour is of the day; I must therefore come and go away as the hour doth.

Vers. 11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? ] None doth, since it is such as no man can either avoid or abide; and such is men's stupidity, that few will believe ti • l they feel it; no though their lives be so short, and uncertain.

Even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath ] Ira tua non est minor timore nostro; let a man fear thee never so much, he is sure to feel thee much more, if once he fall into thy fingers.

Vers. 12. So teach us to number our days ] The Philosopher affirms, that man is therefore the wisest of Creatures, because he alone can number. But in this Divine Arithmetic of numbering our days (to the which all other is not to be compared, no though we could, as Archimedes boasted, number the Stars of Heaven, or the Sands by the Sea shore) God himself must be our Teacher, or we shall never do it to purpose. R. Solomon observeth, that the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 rendered So, here, if taken as numeral letters, maketh Seventy, and they years of our life are seventy; out of which, say other Rabbin's, if we deduct the time of Child-hood and Youth, which is vanity, the time of sleep, repose, repast, and recreation (which is more than the one half) and the time of affliction and grief which we enjoy not, what a poor pittance will life be reduced unto?

That we may apply our hearts ] Heb. That we may cause them to come; for naturally they hang off and make strange.

Unto Wisdom ] To the true fear of God, and mortification of sin, which is the sling of death, and makes it a trap-door to hell. This is hard to do, but must be done; or men are undone forever. To live with dying thoughts, is the way to die with living comforts.

Vers. 13. Let it repent thee ] Or, comfort thou thy servants.

Vers. 14. O satisfy us early ] As thou didst our Fathers with Manna.

Vers. 15. Make us glad according ] Let us have a proportion at least.

Vers. 16. Let thy work appear ] Thy proper work, which is to show mercy; for to do Justice is thy work, thy strange work. Isa. 28.21.

And thy glory unto their children ] That they at least may enter into the Land of Canaan, according to Numb. 14.31.

Vers. 17. And let the beauty of the Lord, &c. ] i.e. The bounty; the Italian rendereth it, La Giocondita, jucunditas Domini sit innos.

And establish thou the work, &c. ] Thus we had all need to pray; for,

PSAL. XCI.

VErs. 1. He that dwelleth in the secret place, &c. ] The safety of a Saint is in this whole Psalm ( Quo nihil ne{que} solidius ne{que} splendidius dici potest ) set forth to the life, Verbis vivis, animatis sententiis & spiritus f • rvore flagrantissimis.

Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty ] Under the pleasant and assured defense of God; he shall lodge under the shadow of Shaddai, and there sing away care, and fear.

Vers. 2. I will say of the Lord ] I dare say it is so as I have said, said the Psalmist, (whom the Jews make to be Moses ) and I will presently make proof of it in myself; Non verbis solum praedicans, sed exemplis. Some conceive that the Believer having heard the former Proposition, verse. 1. is here brought in professing his faith; and saying to the Psalmist, Behold, I dwell in the secret place of the most High, and shall I abide under the shadow of the Almighty? The Answer follows.

Vers. 3. surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the Fowler ] i. e. Of the Devil, and his Emissaries, 2 Tim. 2.26. who by force and fraud seek to ensnare the Saints. Gratiae privativae multo plures sunt quam positivae, saith Gerson. God daily delivereth his from innumerable deaths and dangers. By Fowler here, some understand the punishing Angel, 2 Sam. 24. and conceive that this Psalm was penned upon occasion of that great Plague that followed upon David's numbering the people; for then, if ever, both Prince and People stood in need of special comfort, and here they have it. Divine consolations are therefore sweet, because seasonable and suitable.

And from the noisome Pestilence ] That uncomfortable and contagious disease. The vulgar rendereth it, and from rough words. In Hebrew Dabhar signifieth a word, Debher, a Pest; an evil tongue hath the Pestilence in it.

Vers. 4. He shall cover thee with his feathers ] As the Hen doth her Chickens; Fides est quae pullastrum, Christum gallinam facit, ut sub pennis ejus, speres; num salus in pennis ejus, saith Luther: It is Faith which maketh thee the little Chicken, and Christ the Hen; that thou mayest hide, and hope, hover, and cover under his wings; for there is health in his wings.

And under his wings shalt thou trust ] For without Faith what use is there to us of the Promises. Non de se debet sperare Christianus; si vule esse firmus vapore materno nutriatur, ut pullus gallinaceus, saith Austin; Let no man hope for safety or strength, but under Christ's wings graciously stretched out over him.

Vers. 5. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night ] Thou shalt be freed, if not from the common destruction, yet from the common distraction.

Nor for the arrow that flieth by day ] Sudden ill occurrences quae nec provident nec praecavent fideles, the arrows of Death shall come whisking by thine ears, and not hit.

True Faith is a Target, and saveth a man, if not from the smart, yet from the hurt of evil accidents.

Vers. 6. Nor for the Pestilence ] Called before Terror, and Arrow, as some conceive. Hippocrates calleth it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Divine Disease, because sent more immediately from God, as an evil Messenger. Not but that a good man may die of the Plagues, as did Oecolampadius, and many others; Hezekiah is thought to have had it, so had reverend Beza (his Family was four several times visited here with) who was much comforted under that and other heavy afflictions by this sweet Psalm, which therefore he hug'd and held most dear all the days of his life, as himself witnesseth in his argument, and use of this Psalm.

Nor for the destruction that wasteth at noon-day ] For the noon-day-Devil (so the Vulgar rendereth it after the Sept.) as, for Pestilence walking in darkness, one old English Manuscript hath Goblin. The Chaldee here expounds it, the company of Devils. As, in the next verse, A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand, &c. R. Solomon expoundeth, A thousand Devils shall pitch their tents on thy right hand, and on thy left; but shall not hurt thee, because the good Angels shall counterguard thee against them. But it is better to understand all (as before) of the Pestilence, though I doubt not but the Devil that old man-slayer hath a hand in this, and other common calamities; yet not without the Lord's over-ruling power limiting him.

Vers. 7. A thousand shall fall, &c. ] This deadly disease lays heaps upon heaps, (as we have had lamentable experience) and scarce leaveth living enow to bury the dead, as in the days of Decius the Emperor.

But it shall not come nigh thee ] Thou shalt be antidoted, and privileged; sc. if God see it good for thee. See verse. 6. and thou be careful to serve his providence. The Turks shun not the company of those that have the plague; but pointing upon their foreheads, say, It was written there at their birth when they shall die. Thus to do, is not to trust god, but to tempt him.

Vers. 8. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold ] And say, O the severity of divine justice! O the venomous and mischievous nature and effects of men's sin! Behold the goodness and severity of God; on them which sell severity, but toward me goodness, if I continue in his goodness; otherwise I shall also be cut off, Rom. 11.22.

And see the reward of the wicked ] Thy self being as it were shot-free; thy sincerity prevailing for thy safety.

Vers. 9. Because thou hast made the Lord which is my refuge, &c. ] Because thou hast done, as I do, thou shalt speed as I have sped; for God is rich in mercy to all his.

Even the Most High thy habitation ] See Psal. 90.1.

Vers. 10. There shall no evil befall thee ] No devoratory evil, as Tertullian expresseth it; nothing that tendeth ad exitium, but only ad exercitium, and such as shall end in thy good.

Neither shall any plague ] What a wonderful separation made the Lord betwixt the houses of the Israelites and the Egyptians, Exod. 11.7? See Job 5. and take these places, as verse 6. For it may befall a Saint to share in a common calamity; as the good Corn and weeds are cut down together, but for a different end and purpose,

Vers. 11. For he shall give his Angels charge over thee ] This guard of Angels, many Angels, yea all, if need be, to secure every poor believer, how manly soever he thinks of himself, or is esteemed by others, is no small privilege. See Mat. 4 6. with the Note.

To keep thee en all thy ways ] In all thy lawful and Christian undertakings; for no further doth God or his holy Angels take charge of thee. If we keep not within God's precincts, we cannot look for his protection. Wefts and strayes fall to the Lord of the soil. The State secureth none that are abroad at undue hours, that travel not betwixt Sun and Sun. Divines observe, that the Devil, citing this Text, Mat. 4.6. left out these words on purpose, as not for his purpose; yet doth not our Savior so much as upbraid him with this mutilation, nor yet tell him of that which followeth, verse 13. Thou shalt tread upon the Lyon and Adder, &c. to teach us, in dealing with an adversary, not to lie at the catch, but answer to the thing, &c.

Vers. 12. They shall bear thee up in their hands ] See the Note on Mat. 4.6. and be sensible of the many good offices done us by the blessed Angels, not once looking for our thanks.

Vers. 13. Thou shalt tread upon the Lyon, &c. ] No Creature shall harm thee, so as to hinder thineeternal happiness. See Isa. 11.6, 7, 8. Hos. 2.18. Job 5.23. Mar. 16.18. this Text was shamefully abused by Pope Alexander, Anno 1159. when at Venice he trod upon the neck of the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa; and said, as here, super leonem & aspidem ambulabis, &c.

Vers. 14. Because he hath set his love upon me, &c. ] Because he cleaveth unto me, and acquiesceth in me. Thus God is brought in speaking toward the close of all, for greater assurance. Ibn-Ezra saith, it is the speech of God to his Angels.

I will set him on high, because he hath known my name ] And hence it is, that his heart is so set upon me. They that know God's name will surely trust in him, Psal. 9.10. Thy name is as an ointment poured out, therefore do the Virgins love thee, Cant. 1.3. But unkent unkist, as the Northern Proverb hath it; men therefore care not for God, because they know not his excellencies.

Vers. 15. He shall call upon me ] This is an indispensable duty; and will be cheerfully performed by those that know and love the Lord.

I will deliver him, &c. ] As he did David, Joseph, Daniel, and others.

Vers. 16. with long life, &c. he shall have enough of this life present even to a satiety; and Heaven in the end. The Hebrews call this Psalm Canticum de accidentibus. When Beza came first to the reformed Church, he found them singing this Psalm, and was greatly encouraged.

PSAL. XCII.

A Psalm or song for the Sabbath day ] The Sabbath in the Hebrew hath its name from resting; and is near allied to two other words, the first whereof signifieth to sit still, and second to worship and give praise. On this day they met for works of Piety (as sacrificing, reading and expounding the Scriptures, praying, singing, as here, &c.) and of mercy, Matth. 12.2-7, 8, 11, 12. And this Psalm treating of God's great Works, was purposely set for a Canon of sanctifying that day called by the Jews the Queen of days; in praise whereof, before and after meat, they daily say certain verses.

Vers. 1. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord ] And the Sabbath-day is a good time to do it in; for then (as Kimchi here noteth) men are at leisure and liberty to do it most solemnly; the better day, the better deed.

And to si • g praises unto thy name ] The Psalmist common ends it, and presently sets upon the doing of it. So Psal. 122.6, 7. he no sooner bids pray for the Peace of Jerusalem, but himself prays, Peace be within thy walls, &c.

Vers. 2 To show forth thy loving kindness in the morning ] Every morning, that God may have the first fruits of the day, but especially on the Sabbath-morning, when we awake and rise, ad quietem & ad delicias animi & corporis, as Kimchi here hath it. The Jews bless God at the Sabbaths coming in, and going out.

And thy faithfulness in the night ] Breaking our sleep for that purpose; yea we must be in the fear of the Lord all the day long, Prov. 23.17. how much more on the Sabbath-day? then our whole work must be to be ravished in spirit, doing no work, but such as whereby we either bless God, or look to receive a blessing from God; none but such as wherein we would the Lord should find us at his coming; which Lactantius saith will be on the Sabbath-day.

Vers. 3. Upon an instrument of ten strings, &c. ] This was part of the Jewish pedagogy; and teacheth us to use all lawful means to enforce ourselves to that, whereunto we are so dull and backward.

Vers. 4. For thou Lord hast made me glad, &c. And I will improve this cheerfulness to thankfulness, Jam. 5.13. On the Sabbath we ought solummodo spiritualibus gaudiis repleri, to be filled with spiritual joys only, saith the Council of Paris held Anno 820.

I will triumph in the works of thy hands ] sc. The works of Creation, Administration, but especially of Redemption.

Vers. 5. O Lord, how great are thy works? ] Surely so great, that I cannot utter then, and must therefore thus vent myself by an exclamation.

And thy thoughts are very deep ] Here then we must do as those Romans did, who when they found a Lake, the depth whereof was unknown, they dedicated it to Victory. Cry, O the depth, and there rest us.

Vers. 6. A brutish man knows not ] A sottish sensualist who hath his soul for salt only, to keep his body from putrifying, (as we say of swine) he takes no knowledge of God's great works, but grunts and goes his ways; contenting himself with a natural use of the Creatures, as beasts do.

Vers. 7. When the wicked spring as the grass, &c. ] This the fool admireth, calling the proud happy, &c. Mal. 3.15. and not considering that that proud grass shall be mown down, and that flourish shall soon perish.

It is that they shall be destroyed forever ] Not grow again, as mown grass doth: Exoriuntur ut exurantur. It is but as Haman's banquet before execution.

Vers. 8. But thou Lord art most high, &c. ] q.d. Flourish the wicked never so much, shoot they up never so high, thou art higher, and in the thing wherein they deal proudly, thou art above them, Exod. 18.11.

Vers. 9. For loe thine enemies, &c. ] The Psalmist by this demonstrative particle Loe, points to it as it were with the Finger, as a thing most evident and undoubted.

Shall be scattered ] Disparant se, dissiliunt, dispart themselves.

Vers. 10. Like the horn of an Unicorn ] Which is very fair, hard, and well lifted up. See Numb. 23.26. I am in good plight.

I shall be anointed ] It is well for the present, and it will be better hereafter.

Vers. 11. Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies ] Or, on mine observers, who watch for my halting.

Vers. 12. The Righteous shall flourish like the Palm ] A tree that groweth not in these cold climats, but where it doth, is noted for tall, constantly green, longlived, sweet, firm, straight, &c.

Though it hath many weights at the top, and many snakes at the bottom, yet it still faith, Nec premor, nec perimor.

Like a Cedar ] Not like grass, as the wicked do. Verse 7.

Vers. 13. Those that be planted ] Having taken deep root there; Hypocrites are only thrust in, as a stake, into the earth. Mnason was an old Disciple, Andronicus and Junia were in Christ before Paul, and therefore of note among the Apostles for well rooted and fruited.

In the Courts of our God ] In Christ, and under the ordinances.

Vers. 14. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age ] Quantumvis veteres, non veterascent, though old, yet they shall retain their former vigor and verdure; and be like that Persian tree in Theophrastus, that at the same time doth bud, blossom, and bear fruit, pullulantes & succulentae.

They shall be fat and flourishing ] Uividi & vegeti, not as the Brabanti or Flemmings, qui quo magis senescunt, eo magis stultescunt, saith Erasmus, the elder, the foolisher; nor as Trapezuntius, who outlived all his learning; but as Moses, whose sight failed not, his heat abated not; as Wine, the older the better; as the Sun which shineth most amiably toward the descent.

Vers. 15. To show that, &c. ] This is one of their principal fruits, to give God 2 testimonial, such as good old Moses doth, Deut. 32.4.

PSAL. XCIII.

VErs. 1. The Lord reigneth ] i.e. The Lord Christ. Kimchi here noteth that all the following Psalms till the hundred and first are de diebus Christi, of the days of Christ. Here we have his empire and regality asserted, first, by his works, secondly, by his word, verse. 5. See the like, Psal. 19.1, 2. — 7, 8. &c. and that manifestation of himself by his word far preferred.

He is clothed with Majesty ] He hath now put off his arms, and put on his robes, he will henceforth rule all wisely and righteously.

The Lord is clothed with strength ] For the battle; in case his enemies stir, to attempt against him, Ezra. 8.22.

The World also is established ] The earth, though it hang like a ball in the air, without a basis, Ponderibus librata suis, yet is immovable; how much more the Church?

Vers. 2. Thy throne in established of old ] Christ shall reign, utcun{que} fremant scelerati, & omnia quantum in se est conturbent, rage the wicked never so; for he is Jehovah, verse. 1. the eternal, here;

Vers. 3. The floods have lifted up, O Lord ] Armies of enemies have attempted great matters, but thou hast soon queld and quasht them. Immota manet, may well be the Churches motto.

The floods lift up their waves ] The Word for waves hath its name from dashing or breaking; the enemies do but beat themselves into foam and froth against Christ the Rock, qui instar rupis quae in mar • vadoso, horridi Jovis, & irat • , ut ita dicam, Neptuni fervidis assultibus undique verberata, non cedit aut minuitur, sed obtendit assuetum fluctibus la • us; & firmâ duritie tumentis undae impetum sustinet ac frangit.

Vers. 4. The Lord on high is mightier ] He overtops Tyrants and persecutors, be they never so terrible for noise and number. •• he but thunder they are husht, and glad to wriggle, as worms, into their holes.

Vers. 5. Thy Testimonies are very sure ] Thy promises infallible; and therefore rage the World never so, thou shalt still have an holy Catholic Church, such as whose principles, practices, and aims are divine and supernatural; such as walk worthy of God in all well-pleasing, and inasmuch as they have these rich promises, do cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, 2 Cor. 7.1.

Holiness becometh thine house ] God looks to be served like himself; he will be sanctified of all those that draw near unto him in holy duties, Levite. 10.3. This the Heathens were not altogether ignorant of, and therefore at their sacrifices the Priests cried out 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , who is here? whereunto the people that were present answered, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , here are many, and those good men all.

PSAL. XCIV.

VErs. 1. O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth ] Heb. Jehovah God of revenges; so Jer. 51.56. The Lord God of recompenses. Vengeance is mine saith He, I will repay, Deut. 32.35. And it is best he should; for he returneth a just recompense of reward, Heb. 2.2. whereas men seek oft an unequal revenge, as a stab for the lie given; and besides, in seeking the lives of others, they sometimes lose their own.

Shew thyself ] Heb. Shine forth, appear for thy poor wronged servant. David knew the Law, and submitted to it; he turneth over his enemies to God to be ordered by him; neither did he himself herein any dis-service. I seek not mine own glory (so mine own revenge) saith Christ; but there is one that seeketh it. God never faileth to do it, to be their Champion, who strive not for themselves, only they must wait his leisure, and not preoccupate his executions.

Vers. 2. Lift up thyself thou Judge of the earth ] Judges as they ascend the Tribunal, so when to pass sentence they usually stand up. And hereunto the Psalmist alludeth.

Vers. 3. Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long? ] Bis, quia de die in diem gloriantur, saith Ibn-Ezra. Twice he saith it, because the wicked boast day after day, with such insolency and outrage, as if they were above control.

Vers. 4. Hour long shall they utter ] Heb. They will bluster (or will-out as a fountain) they will speak hard things (speak millstones, throw daggers) they will boast themselves (talk largely of their good parts and practices) all this is expressed by an elegant Asyndeton, to show that they did all this ordinarily, and incessantly.

Vers. 5. They break in pieces thy people ] They make potsherds of them. And this is the best use they make of thy patience; break it off therefore.

Vers. 6. They slay the widow and the stranger ] Those sacred persons, thy proper clients; to such an height of hard-heartedness are they grown, that they pity not them whom nature and curtesy would show compassion to.

Let us bless ourselves out of the bloody fingers of barbarous and brutish men, skillful to destroy.

Vers. 7. Yet they say, The Lord shall not see ] To all other their enormities they added this, that they denied a divine providence, and professed profaneness. Irridendum vero, curam agere reruns humanarum illud quicquid est summum, saith Pliny, delivering the sense of all other Atheists.

Vers. 8. Under stand O ye bru • ish ] Ye that are ringleaders to the rest, but no wiser than the reasonless creatures; yea, therefore worse, because ye ought to be better. Polybius complaineth of man's folly above that of other Creatures, in these words, Caetera animantes ubi semel offenderint, cavent; non vulpes aa laqueum, lupus ad foveam, canis ad fustem temere redibunt; Solus home ab aevo ad aevum peccat fere iniisdem.

Vers. 9. He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? ] Shall the Author of these senses be senseless? Our God is not as that Jupiter of Crete, who was pictured without ears, and could not be at leisure to attend upon small matters. He is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; he is also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , all eye, all ear. We read of a people called Panotii, God only is so, to speak properly.

He that formed the eye, shall he not see? ] He saith formeth, because there are many forms or species in the eye continually; and as the optic virtue in thy eye seeth all, and is seen of none, so doth God much more. All David's ways were in God's sight, all God's laws in David's sight, Psal. 119.168.

Vers. 10. He that chastiseth the Heathen, shall not he correct? ]. Qui totis gentibus non parcit, vos non redarguet? He that punisheth profane Nations that know him not, shall he spare you, Amos 3.2? Shall not tribulation and anguish be upon the Jew first. Rom. 2.9? The Chaldee thus paraphraseth, He that gave a law to his people, shall he not punish them when they transgress it?

He that teacheth man knowledge ] Shall not be know? is to be supplied to make sense. The Psalmist seemeth so displeased at men's doubting or denying of this, that he could not perfect his sentence, through passion of mind. Some causes indeed do give that which themselves have not; as the lifeless heaven inliveneth; the dull whetstone sharpeneth. But here it is far otherwise, and woe be to such as act not accordingly, Isa. 29.15.

Vers. 11. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanity ] Or worse; that they are ever weaving spiders webs, or else hatching Cockatrice eggs, Isa. 59.5. This sentence St. Paul allegeth against the Worlds wizards, 1 Cor. 3.20. who the wiser they were, the vainer they were, Rom. 1.21. As Austin writing to a man of great paris, saith, Ornari abste Diabolus quarit, the Devil would fain be tricked up by thee.

Vers. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, &c. ] And thereby effectest, that his vain thoughts lodge not within him, Jer. 4.14. but that the wicked forsake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and return to thee, &c. Isa. 55.7. Feri Domine, feri, said Luther, strike whiles thou pleasest, Lord; only to thy correction add instruction, Ut quod noceat, doceat. See my Lovetokens.

And teachest him out of thy law ] Lashing him, but withal lessoning him, ut resipiscat, & serviat tibi cord perfecto, saith Kimchi here, that he may repent and serve thee with an upright heart; for which purpose affliction sanctified is of singular use. Crux voluntat is Dei schola, morum disciplina, felicitatis meditatorium, gau dii Spiritus sancti officina, breviter bonorum omnium thesaurus, saith Brenz on Job 33.16.

Vers. 13. That thou mayest give him rest ] Here usually, but hereafter certainly. Mors arumnarum requies, was Chaucers Motto; those that die in the Lord shall rest from their labors. Mean-while they are chastened of the Lord, that they may not be condemned with the World, 1 Cor. 11.32.

Untill the pit be digged for the wicked ] Untill the cold grave hold his body, and hot Hell hold his soul.

Vers. 14. For the Lord will not cast off his people ] Though he cast them into the furnace of affliction. The wicked he bringeth into misery, and there leaveth them, to come off as they can, Ezek. 22.20. & 29.5. Not so the Saints, Zach. 13.9. Isa. 43.2. Heb. 13.5.

Nor for sake his inheritance ] Because His. Patriam quivis ama, 〈◊〉 quia pulchram, sed quia suam. All love their own.

Vers. 15. But judgment shall return unto Righteousness ] All shall be set to rights, and everyone have his due, according to Rom. 2.6, 7, 8, 9, 10. if not sooner, yet at the day of judgment without fail. Some give this sense, severity shall be changed into mercy, the rigor of the law to the clemency of the Gospel. Others thus, judgment shall return to Righteousness, that is, to its own place; licet defertur judicium non aufertur.

And all the upright in heart shall follow it ] viz. In their affections; they are carried out after it, earnestly desiring that dear day when God will unriddle his providences, and clear up his proceedings with the sons of men. Some read, shall follow him, that is, God; being brought home to him by their afflictions, they shall follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. Not so every loose ungirt Christian or profligate professor.

Vers. 16. Who will rise up for me? ] q.d. But a very few fast friends find I at Court, Jonathan excepted. Some there are that will sprinkle me with Court-holywater (as they say) give glozing speeches; but 'tis little that they will do, and yet less that they will suffer for me. Faithful friends, saith One, are gone on pilgrimage, and their return is uncertain.

Vers. 17. Except the Lord had been my help ] He loveth to help at a pinch; he usually reserveth his hand for a dead lift. See 2 Tim. 4.16, 17.

My soul had almost dwelt in silence ] i.e. In the dark cloisters of death. The Greek and Latin Translators render it, In Hell.

Vers. 18. when I said my foot slippeth ] I stand on a precipice, and shall be down. Hypotyposis est.

Thy mercy O Lord held me ] I have subsisted merely by a miracle of thy mercy, by a prop of thine extraordinary pity and patience.

Vers. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me ] My perplexed, intricated, ensnarled, intertwined (as the branches of a tree) cogitations and ploddings upon my daily sufferings; when I know not what to think, or which way to take to.

Thy comforts delight my soul ] The Believer is never without his cordial; he hath comforts that the World wots not of. The good Lantgrave of Hessen being held prisoner for a long time together by Charles the fifth Emperor, said, that he could never have held it out so, but that he felt the divine consolations of the Martyrs. Martyr etiam in catena gaudet, &c. saith Austin; Crux inunct a est, saith Bernard. Godliness hath many crosses, and as many comforts; like as Egypt hath many venomous Creatures, but withal many Antidotes against them.

Vers. 20. Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee? ] Shall Tyrants and Oppressors (who do exercise regiment without righteousness) entitle thee to their wicked proceedings, and go unpunished? See Isa. 36.10. with 37.36. the Throne or Tribunal is called, The holy place, Eccles. 8.10. woe then to those that pollute it.

Which frameth mischief by a Law ] As did the Primitive Persecutors, with their bloody Edicts against Christians; and the Popish Bishops, or whose Laws that of Politian was verified,

Some render it, Praeter, vel contra legem, beside or against Law.

Vers. 21. They gather together ] Heb. Run by troops, as Thieves do.

Against the soul ] Which they would gladly destroy, if it lay in their power. This the Popish persecutors oft attempted, but God hath better provided, Mat. 10.28.

Vers. 22. But the Lord is my defense ] Heb. My high place, where I am set out of their reach.

Vers. 23. And he shall bring upon them, &c. ] See Psal. 7.15, 16.

PSAL. XCV.

VErs. 1. O come, let us sing unto the Lord ] It is thought by this beginning, that this Psalm was not penned by David for private use, but for public Assemblies, to be sung by the Congregation on the Sabbath, and such like times, It may very well be that they began their morning Sacrifice with this Psalm, as the Latin Church also afterwards did their Matins, or Morning Service.

Let us make a joyful noise ] With a clear and loud voice, as of a Trumpet; singing with grace in our hearts unto the Lord.

Vers. 2. Let us come before his presence ] Heb. Prevent his face, be there with the first. Let us go speedily — I will go also, Zech. 8.21. Let praise wait for God in Zion, Psal. 65.1. Rabbi Gaon, Praveniamus & ante diem judicii, Let us make haste, saith he, to do it before the Day of Judgment; and lest we be taken with our task undone. Others, let us anticipate his face, that is, prepare our hearts at home, before we come into the public; or, let us give thanks for mercies already received, that we may make way for more.

With Psalms ] Oratione prorsà & vorsâ.

Vers. 3. For the Lord is a great God ] Understand it of Christ, as the Apostle also doth, Heb. 3. & 4. 1 Cor. 10.

Above all God's ] Whether reputed so, or deputed, as Kings.

Vers. 4. In his hand are the deep places ] Heb Searching, that is, much searched aster, but sound to be unsearchable.

The strength of the hills ] Heb. The heights, such as will sport a bird to get to the top of them. Depths and heights are his.

Vers. 5. The Sea is his, &c. ] Canutus confuted his Flatterers (who told him that all things in his Dominions were at his beck and check ) by laying his command on the Sea, to come up no higher into his Land, but it obeyed him not.

And his hands formed the dry land ] Worship him therefore, Rev. 4.

Vers. 6. O come, let us worship, and fall down ] With our whole bodies prostrate on the ground, our hands and feet stretched out. The Jews gesture of adoration at this day is the bowing forward of their bodies, for kneeling they use none (no more do the Grecians ) neither stir they their Bonnets in their Synagogues to any man, but remain still covered.

The Lord our Maeker] Who hath not only created us, but advanced us, as he did Moses and Aaron, 1 Sam. 12.6.

Vers. 7. The people of his pasture ] Whom he turns not out into Commons and Fallows, but feeds among Lilies, Cant. 2.16.

And the sheep of his hand ] His Cades brought up at hand, eating of his meat, and drinking of his cup, and lying in his bosom, as Uriah’s Ewe-Lamb did, 2 Sam. 12.3.

To day if ye will hear his voice ] i.e. Whiles the day of grace lasteth, which is not long, 2 Cor. 6.2. Qui paenitenti veniam spofpondit, peccanti crastinum non promisit, saith Gregory.

Vers. 8. Harden not your hearts ] by unbelief, and the deceitfulness of sin, Heb. 3.12, 13. which gradually obfirmeth the heart against God.

As in the provocation As your fathers did at Massah and Meribah: be not you as good at resisting the Holy Ghost us they were, Act. 7.51.

Vers. 9. When your Fathers tempted me ] The times, all along the wilderness, though

They saw my works ] Both mercies and judgments, Psal. 98.8. yet they were refractory and unmalleable.

Vers. 10. Was I grieved ] Litigavi, vel cum taedio pertuli.

That do err in their hearts ] Wandering, though not so wide, as to miss of Hell.

They have not known ] viz. practically and savingly.

Vers. 11. Unto whom I sware ] When put past all patience. Patientia lasa fit furor.

If they enter, &c. ] This God sweareth cum reticentia, to show how greatly he was incensed.

PSAL. XCVI.

VErs. 1. O sing unto the Lord a new song ] For this new mercy of the Ark now brought into Jerusalem from the house of Obed-Edom, I Chron. 16.23. but especially of Christ (typified by the Ark) who should be preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the World, received up to glory.

Sing unto the Lord all the earth ] Which they could not do aright, till they had heard, believed, and were sealed, Ephes. 1.13. Unbeleevers can have no true notion of God, but as of an enemy; and therefore all their verbal praises are but a black sanct is, suitable to such Saints.

Vers. 2. Sing unto the Lord, &c. ] David was at this time full of affection, and exultation of Sprit (insomuch as Michal mocked him for it, 1 Chron. 15.29.) and thence this heap of holy expressions to the same purpose. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh.

Shew forth his salvation ] Evangelize, Preach the Gospel of salvation by Christ; see Psal. 40.10. 2 Sam. 18.18. Isa. 61.1. where the same word is used.

Form day today ] Other news delights us only at first hearing; but the good news of our redemption is sweet from day today, ac si in eodem die redemptio fuisset operata, saith Kimchi here, as if it were done but today. Tam recens mihi nunc Christus est, saith Luther, ac si hac horâ fudisset sanguinem, Christ is now as fresh unto me as if he had shed his blood but this very hour.

Vers. 3. Declare his glory ] Hob. S • pher it up in the particulars; that God be no loser by you.

His wonders among all people ] There is a world of wonders in the work of man's redemption by Christ; and all other mercies meet in this, as the lines in the center, streams in the fountain.

Vers. 4. For the Lord is great ] Vere magnus est Christianorum Deus, said Calocerius an Heathen; he is omni laude major, & merito mituendus, saith David here, and elsewhere often. Sound out therefore and send abroad his worthy praises, the others may hear and fear.

Vers. 5. For all the God's, &c. ] Deunculi, deastri, Those petty God's, those dunghill-deities of the Heathens, are nullities; indeed they are Devils, and those Idols were their receptacles, and as it were their bodies, from whence in some places they gave oracles; but were silenced at Christ's coming in the flesh, to the great amazement of their superstitious worshipers.

But the Lord made the Heavens ] With singular artifice, Heb. 11.10. using 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 every engine of wisdom.

Vers. 6. Honor and Majesty are before him ] These are his Harbingers, and they go often coupled, as Psal. 21.45.111.145. Job 40. &c. By the former seemeth to be meant outward port and splendor; by the latter, inward reverence and respect following thereupon.

Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary ] God's glory shineth more in his Church, than in all the World besides.

Vers. 7. Give unto the Lord ] See Psal. 29.1, 2. One rendereth it Tribuite ponderose, unde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 onus, pondus portate: to show, that our praises of God should be ponderous and substantial.

Vers. 8. Give unto the lord the glory, &c. ] It was hard for the Heathens to forgo their superstitions ( Tully resolved he would never do it, &c.) therefore they are here so pressed to it. See • ev. 14.6, 7. With the Notes there. One Expositor geiveth this note here, Ternarius numerus est sacer • b mysterium Triadis; ideo enim co scriptura gaudet. The Scripture oft presseth or expresieth things thrice over, in reference to the mystery of the holy Trinity.

Bring an offering ] Reasonable service, Rom. 12.1. spiritual sacrifices acceptable by Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. 2.5.

Vers. 9. O worship the Lord, &c. ] Supplicate proni, fall flat on your faces. See Psal. 95.6.

In the beauty of holiness ] i.e. In his courts, as verse 8. or in holy beauty, as some render it; that is, in true faith, and with good affections.

Fear before him ] Rejoice before him with trembling, Psal. 2.

Vers. 10. Say among the Heathen ] Proclamate undi{que} praecones, &c. Make proclamation everywhere, that now the Lord Christ reigneth; and that there shall be a general Jubilee.

The World also shall be established ] There is no true stability, but where Christ reigneth; he will settle peace and good order, which the Devil, that turbulent spirit, and his agents, desire to disturb, and to set all on an hurry-comb.

Vers. 11. Let the Heavens rejoice, &c. ] Let there be a general joy for the general renovation by the coming of Christ, Rom. 8.22. after which the whole creation groaneth also. Basil and others by Heaven, Earth, &c. understand Angels, men of all sorts, an Islanders, seamen, fieldmen, woodlanders, &c. Vel est simil • tudo ad denotandam in mundo pacem, saith Kimchi, Or it is a similitude to note peace all over the World. And surely when Christ came there was an universal aut pax aut paectio (saith Florus ) peace or truce under the government of Augustus.

Let the Sea roar ] Heb. Thunder; Externo fragore & bombo testetur internam animi laetitiam; let it testify its joy, perstrependo & reboando by roaring its utmost.

Vers. 12. Let the field be joyful, &c. ] And so give check to the hardness of man's heart, not at all affected with those benefit by Christ, wherein they are far more concerned than these insensible creatures; which yet have lain bed-ridden as it were, ever since man's fall, and earnestly wait for the manifestation of the Sons of God, Rom. 8.19.

Vers. 13. Before the Lord, for he cometh, for he cometh ] Certainly, suddenly, happily, &c. for this is the sum of all the good news in the World, that Christ cometh and cometh; that is saith Basil, once to show the World how they shall be saved; and a second time to judge the World, for neglecting so great salvation, &c.

PSAL. XCVII.

VErs. 1. The Lord reigneth ] This is matter of greatest joy to the Righteous. Gandeo quod Christus Dominus est, all • oqui totus desperassem, I am glad that Christ is Lord of all; for otherwise I should utterly have been out of hope, saith Micon • us in an Epistle to Calvin, upon the view of the Churches enemies.

Let the multitude of Isles be glad ] As more happy herein than any of those called the Fortunate Islands, or than Cyprus anciently called Macaria, that is, The blessed Isle, for her abundance of commodities.

Vers. 2. Clouds and darkness are round about him ] As once at the delivering of the Law; so now in the publishing Gospel, he is no less terrible, having vengeance in store for the disobedient, 2 Cor. 10.6. It is a savor of death to unbelievers. Christ came to send fire on the earth, Luk. 12.49.

Righteousness and judgment, &c. ] Mercy Christ hath for the penitent: judgment for the rebellious, who seek to dethrone him. Woe to those Gospel-sinners.

Vers. 3. A fire goeth before him ] For even our God is a consuming fire, Heb. 12.29. (and not the God of the Jews only) as shall well appear at the last day, 2 Thes. 1.8. See the Note on verse 2.

Vers. 4. His Lightenings enlightened the World ] His Apostles, those fulmina Ecclesinstica, shall spread Gospel-light and amaze people; the Lord working with them, and confirming their word with signs following, Mar. 16.20.

Vers. 5. The hills melted like wax ] Nothing shall be so stout and steady as to be able to stand before them.

Before the Lord ] Adon, Dominator, The Maker and Master of all, the rightful Proprietary and Paramount. The Latin translation hath it, All the earth is before the face of the Lord.

Vers. 6. The Heavens declare his Righteousness ] As so many Catholic Preachers, Psal. 19.1. & 50.4.6. By Heavens some understand Angels, concurring with men to glorify God. Others, the heavenly bodies pleading God's cause against Atheists and Idolaters. They that worshipped the Sun were Atheists by night; and they that worshipped the Moon were Atheists by day, as Cyril wittily.

Vers. 7. Confounded be all they that serve graven images ] Those Instruments of Idolatry, and lurking-places of Devils, diabolicae inspirationis & instine • us participes. Such and their Servants we may lawfully pray against.

That boast themselves of Idols ] As did that Idolatrous Micah, Judge. 17. Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 3. Julian called therefore Idolian, the Papists at this day. See D. Rainolds de Idololatria Romana.

Worship him all ye God's ] i. e. All ye Angels, saith the Greek and Arabic; and the Apostle saith the same, Hob. 1.6. proving Christ to be God-man. This Psalm saith Beza is highly to be prized of all Christ's, as containing a most divine Epitome of all Gospel-mysteries.

Vers. 8. Zion heard and was glad ] Heard what? the downfull of the Devils Kingdom, and the erecting of Christ's scepter; this was good news to the Church, and her Children. Bern was the first Town that after the Reformation burnt their images. Zurich followed on an Ashwensday, which they observe and celebrate every year to this day, with all mirth, plays and pastimes, as an Ashwednesday of God's own making.

Vers. 9. For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth ] Declared now to be so with power, as Rom. 1.4. and the World convinced of singularr sottishness in fancying other divinities.

Thou art exalted far above all gods ] Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this World, but also in that which is to come, Ephes. 1.21. Here then we have the superexaltation of Christ's person; and the Apostle manifestly alludeth to it, Ephesians 4.10. Phil. 2.9.

Vers. 10. Ye that love the Lord ] As having tasted of Christ's sweetness, being justified by his merit, and sanctified by his Spirit, 1 Pet. 2.4 1 Cor. 6.11. carried after him with strength of Desire, Psal. 42.1. and Delight, Psal. 73.25. Such as these only are Christ's true subjects; others will pretend to him, but they are but Hangbies, unless the love of Christ constrain them to hate evil, to hate it as Hell, Rom. 12.9. Sin seemeth to have its name of Sana to hate (the word here used) because it is most of all to be hated, as the greatest evil; as that which setteth us furthest from God the greatest good. This none can do but those that love the Lord Christ in sincerity; for all hatred comes from love. A natural man may be angry with his sin, as a man is sometimes with his wife or friend for some present vexation; but hate it he cannot; yea he may leave it (for the ill consequents of sin) but not loathe it. If he did, he would loathe all, as well as any; for hatred is ever against the whole kind of a thing, saith Aristole.

Vers. 11. Light is sown for the Righteous ] The Righteous is haeres cruc •• the Heir of the Cross; and many are his troubles. A Child of light may walk in darkness and have no light, Isa 50.10. yet Christ will not leave him comfortless, Joh. 14. Light is sown for him; 'tis yet seeding-time, and that is usually wet and dropping; and the seed must have a time to lie, and then to grow, ere a crop can be expected; there must be also weeding and clodding. &c. behold the Husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it. By ye also patient, stablish your hearts, &c. Jam. 5.7, 8. We look not to sow and reap in a day, as He saith of the Hyperborean people far North, that they sow shortly after the Sun-rising with them, and reap before the Sun-ser, so: because the whole half year is one continual day with them. Deliverance will come in God's good time; and as before the morning-light is the thickest darkness; as the seed that lieth longest under ground, cometh up at length with greatest increase, so here. Semen modicum, sed me ssis faecunda, saith Ibn-Ezra on the Text.

And gladness for the upright ] This clause expoundeth the former.

Vers. 12. Rejoice in the Lord ] See Psal. 32. ult. with the Note.

At the remembrance of his holiness ] That is, of himself; for whatsoever is in God is God; as also of his works and benefits, whereby he giveth you so good occasion to remember him.

PSAL. XCVIII.

A Psalm ] The Greek addeth, of David; A man might think it were rather of John the Baptist pointing out Christ, and his Kingdom, as it already come, with the great good thereby accruing to the Saints.

Vers. 1. O sing unto the Lord a new song ] See Psal. 96.1. and observe how the compiler of the Psalms hath hereabout set together sundry Psalms of the same subject.

His right hand and his holy arm ] His is emphatical, and exclusive, q.d. Christ alone hath done the deed, he is our sole Savior, Isa. 59.16. & 63.5. In the justification of a sinner, Christ and faith are alone, saith Luther, Tanquam sponsus & sponsa in thalamo. As Wax and Water cannot meet together, so neither can Christ and anything else in this work. Away then with that devilish Doctrine of the Saints Merits, Quibuscun{que} tandem pigmentis illita obtrudatur. If any commend or go after any other way to Salvation besides Christ, he doth according to the Greek Proverb, draw mischiefs to himself; as the Wind Caecius doth Clouds.

Vers. 2. The Lord hath made known his salvation ] His way of saving his people by his Som Christ, Mat. 1.21. this Mystery, so long kept secret, is now made known to all Nations for the obedience of faith, Rom, 16.25, 26.

His Righteousness ] Made ours by imputation; this, the Jews to this day deride, and the Papists call it putative, in a jeer.

Vers. 3. He hath remembered his mercy, and his truth ] His Mercy moving him to promise, and his Truth binding him to perform, 2 Sam. 7.18, 21. and hence all our happiness.

Vers. 4. Make a joyful noise ] Bless God for a Christ. The Argives when delivered by the Romans from the tyranny of the Macedonians and Spartans, Quae gaudia, quae vociferationes fuerunt? quid florum in Consulem profuderunt? what great joys expressed they? what loud out-cries made they? the very Birds that flew over them fell to the ground, assonied with their noises. They Cryer at the Nemean Games was forced to pronounce the word Liberty Iterum{que} iterum{que} again, and again.

Vers. 5. Sing unto the Lord with the Harp ] Tum cithararum tum vocum mutuis vicibus; do your utmost in the superlativest manner you can devise.

Vers. 6. Make a joyful noise ] By the repeating, and inculcating of this exhortation is intimated our dullness, and backwardness to a business of this nature; the necessity of the duty, and the excellency of the mercy that can never be sufficiently celebrated.

Vers. 7, 8, 9. See the Notes on Psal. 96.11, 12, 13.

PSAL. XCIX.

VErs. 1. The Lord reigneth ] Even the Lord Christ, as Psal. 97.1.

Let the people tremble ] Let them serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling; by the people some understand the Jews, and by the Earth all other Nations; let there be a general subjection yielded to the Scepter of his Kingdom.

Vers. 2. The Lord is great in Zion ] In his Church he giveth many great testimonies of his power and presence, and is therefore magnified by his people.

And he is high above all people ] In the things wherein they deal proudly he is above them, Exod. 18.11.

Vers. 3. Let them praise thy great and terrible Name ] Nomen illud Majestativum; Some hereby understand the name Jehovah, of which Josh. 7. What wilt thou do to thy great Name? And Jer. 44. I have sworn by my great Name. But God's Name is usually put for God's self.

For it is Holy ] And therefore to be sanctified in righteousness, Isa. 5.16.

Vers. 4. The Kings strength also loveth judgment ] i.e. abest à Tyrannide. God abuseth not his Kingly power to Tyranny, but Joyneth it with his Justice and Uprightnese. Regiment without Righteousness is but robbery with authority. The Ara bick hath it, Magnificentia Regis est, ut diligat aequitatem.

Vers. 5. Exalt the Lord our God ] Have high apprehensions of him, and answerable expressions: Set him up, and set him forth to the utmost.

And worship at his footstool ] i.e. At his Temple, saith the Chaldee: At the Ark of the Covenant, say the Rabbins, Austin interpreteth it of Christ's humanity; which although of itself, it is not to be adored, because it is a creature, yet as it is received into unity of person with the Divinity, and hath a Partner-agency with the God-head according to its measure in the works of Redemption and Mediation, 1 Tim. 2.5. it is to be worshipped. But how hard driven was that second Synod of Ni • e, when they abused this Text, among many others, to prove the worshipping of Images and Pictures?

Vers. 6. Moses and Aaron among his Priests ] or chief Officers, as 1 Chron. 18.17. Moses was, if not a Priest, yet a continual Intercessor for the people, and a type of Christ the great Mediator of his Church. Ibn-Ezra calleth him Cohen bacco • ani •• , the Priest of Priests; And Philo writing his life, concludeth, This was the life and death of Moses the King, the Lawgiver, the prophet, and the chief Priest.

And Samuel ] A man that could do much with God like wise, Jer 15.1. and is therefore (as some conceive) called Pethuel, that is, a persuader of God, Joel. 1.1.

Vers. 7. They kept his testimonies ] And so shown that they called upon God with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, Heb. 10.22.

Vers. 8. Thou wast a God, &c. ] A sin pardoning God, Neb. 5 • .17. So thou wast to them under the Law, so thou wilt be to those under the Gospel.

Though thou tookest, &c. ] Though Moses might no • enter for his unbelief, and Samuel smarted for indulging his son • .

Vers. 9. Exalt the Lord ] Versus amaelaus. See Vers. 5.

PSAL. C.

A Psalm of prcise ] Suavis & gravis, short and sweet; appointed likely to be sung at the Thank-offerings, quando pacifica erant offerende, say the Italian, and Spanish annotators. See verse. 4. Enter with Thanks-giving, or with Thank-sacrifice.

Vers. 1. All ye lands ] Both Jews and Gentiles, Rom. 15.10, 11. for your common salvation.

Vers. 2. Serve the Lord with gladness ] The Ca • balists have a Proverb, The Holy Ghost singeth not, but out of a glad heart. Cheerfulness is much called for in both Testaments, God loveth a cheerful server.

Vers. 3. Know ye that the Lord he is God ] Be convinced of it, ye Heathens whose fantasies have forged false gods; and ye Jews, acknowledge the true God to be Three in One, and One in Three.

It is he that hath mode us ] And new made us; for we are his workmanship (a second time) created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Eph. 2.10. The word signifieth, saith Kimchi, Ornate beneficiis, afficere donis, gratiis cumula • e (confer 1 Sam. 12.6.) and so is distinguished from Bar • to create, and Ja • sar to form. William of Malmesbury telleth of a certain Emperor of Germany, who coming by chance into a Church on the Sabbath day found there a most mis-shapen Priest, pene portentum natura, insomuch as the Emperor much scorned and contemned him: But when he heard him read those words in the Service, For it is be • that bath made us, and not we ourselves; the Emperor checked his own proud thoughts, and made in quiry into the quality and conditions of the man, and finding, upon examination, that he was a very learned and devout man, he made him Archbishop of Collen, which place he discharged with much commendations.

We are his people, and the sheep ] See Psal. 95.7. This is a privilege proper to the Communion of Saints.

Vers. 4. Enter into his gates, &c. ] As sheep into his sheepfolds, frequent his public Ordinances, wait at the posts of the gates of Wisdom; there, as at an heavenly Exchange, the Saints present duty, and God confers mercy.

Vers. 5. For the Lord is good ] Though we be evil, he giveth us all these good things gra •• e; and although we provoke him daily to punish us, yet his mercy is everlasting; like a fountain, it runneth after it hath run; And as the Sun which shineth after it hath shined. See Zach, 13.1. Job. 1.27.

And his truth endureth to all generations ] Heb. to Generation and Generation. He saith, not forever, saith an Interpreter, because his promises are true, but under a condition, which perhaps the following Generations will not observe; The condition is to the promise as an Oar in a Boat, or stern of a Ship, which turns it another way.

PSAL, CI.

A Psalm of David ] Wherein he promiseth and pre-engageth, that whenever he came to the Kingdom, he will be a singular example both as a Prince, and as a Master of a Family: In which respect this Psalm should be often read and ruminated by such, that their houses may be as the house of David, Zach. 12.8. and as the Palace of George Prince of Anba •• , which was, saith Melanctben, Ecclesia, Academia, Curia, a Church, an Academy, and a Court. Bishop Ridley read, and expounded this Psalm oftentimes to his household, hiring them with money to learn it, and other select Scriptures by heart. A good Governor is like that Noble-man who had for his Impress two bundle of ripe Mi •• et bound together, with this M • tto, Servare & Servari me •• est; for the nature of the Mi •• et is both to guard itself from all corruption, and also those things that lie near it. That is a rare commendation that is given the late Reverend and Religious Dr. Chatterton, that he was an house-keeper three and fifty years, and yet in all chat time, he never kept any of his servants from Church to dress his meat, saying, That he desired as much to have his servants know God, as himself.

Vers. 1. I will-sing of Mercy and Judgment ] • David's Ditty was composed of discords. Mercy and Justice are the brightest stars in the sphere of Majesty; the main supports of a Throne Royal: How heit there should be a preeminence to Mercy; as one well observeth from Micah 6.8. Mercy must be loved, and not shewn only: Justice must be done, and no more. The sword of Justice, must be bathed in the oil of Mercy; A well-tempered mixture of both, preserveth the Commonwealth, Rom. 13.34.

Unto thee, O Lord, will I sing ] Acknowledge thee alone, the bestower of these graces and thy glory • s the end. These are matters that Philosophers and Politicians mind not.

Vers. 2. I will behave myself wisely ] I will begin the intended reformation at myself, and then set things to rights in my family, which while Augustus did not, he was worthily blamed by his subjects, and told, that public persona must carefully observe,

Cate said, that he could pardon all men's faults, but his own. But Cate the wise, wanted the wisdom from above, and was therefore short of David, who promiseth here so be merry, I will sing, and yet wise, I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way; that is, in an upright conversation, and in a faithful discharge of the great trust committed unto me.

O • when wilt then come unto me? ] In the performance of thy promise concerning the Kingdom? For I am resolved not to ••• evert thee, but to wait thy coming; Est suspirium 〈…〉 ex abrupto, like that of Ju ••• , I have waited, O Lord; for thy salvation Gen. 49, 18. Or, When wilt thou come, viz. to reckon with me? For come thou wiles

I wilt walk within my house with a perfect heart ] And although my house •• not s • with God, 1 Sam. 23.5. yet this is all my desire (and shall be mine endeavor) although be make it not to grow, ib. I will walk incessantly, walk in the midst of mine house, 〈…〉 2 King. 4.35. and this I will do in the 〈◊〉 of mine heart▪ for that a man is in truth, that he is at home. Follow hypocrites home to their houses, and there you shall see what they are. Look upon Stage-players, and you may see them act the parts of Kings and honest men; but follow them to their tyring-houses, and there they are but base Varlets.

Vers. 3. I will set no wicked thing (Heb. thing of Belial ) before mine eyes ] that is, in my thoughts, saith Kimchi; for the thinking-faculty is in the fore-part of the brain, as are also the eyes. I will not gaze upon forbidden objects, nor venture upon a temptation to, or an occasion of sin. I will also be wise and wary in the choice of my servants, and under-officers. Theodosius his Court was virtutu •• officina, non vitior • m sentina, saith One. And Archbishop Granniers house was Schola vet palaestra pieta ••• & literarum, saith another. See above on the title of this Psalm.

I hate the work of them that turn aside ] Of treacherous men and Apostates; such as Constantius Chlorus, the Father of Constamine the Great sound (by proof made) some of his Counselors and Courtiers to be, and therefore turned them off, saying, He cannot be faithful to me, who is unfaithful to God: Pietate sublata fides to llitur.

It shall not cleave to me ] I will none of them, neither shall any such wickedness hang at my heels, to hinder my progress in piety and good government.

Vers. 4. A froward heart shall depart from me ] i.e. say some, I will endeavor to put off the old man with the lusts thereof, Eph. 4 22. the old crooked frame shall be dissolved, and a better erected. I will not know evil, that is, regard, or allow it, Psal. 1.6. Others understand the Text of rotten-hearted, and wicked Counselors, whom David would abhor and abandon.

Vers. 5. Whose privily slandereth his neighbor ] Heb. Him that in secret, tongue-smiteth his fellow-friend, will I suppress. This David purposed to do, but this he did not so thoroughly in the case of poor Mepbibes • eth, belied by false Zita; his resolution was Maledices & maleficot à se depellere, to drive away from him sycophants, back-byters, flatteres; but there is a great sympathy betwixt Princes, and such Pests, those Harpye • , and gaping Crows of Courts, as one calleth them. David promiseth fair to purge and disempester his house and Court of such, and to cut them off, secundum leges regni, according to the Laws of the Kingdom, as Ibn-Ezra glosseth.

Him that bath ax bigh look ] Pride will sit and show itself in the eyes as soon as anywhere. A man is seen what he is, in oculis, in poculis, in loculis, say the Rabbins, See Prov. 6.17.

And a proud heart ] Heb. a wide, or broad heart, that thinketh great things of himself, and seeketh great things for himself.

I will not suffer ] Heb. I will not, sc. away with, or endure at any hand. The Greeks, and after them others read, I will not eat with them; and by large of heart, they understand belly-gods, men of large appetites, such as were the two sons of Eli, Belialists, and Hellicones.

Vers. 6. Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land ] i.e. Let them live where they will, I will hearken them out, and find them out. The Rabbins say, that here David repenteth him of taking into his service and tuition those indebted and discontented persons, men of broken fortunes, and loose manners, 1 Sam. 22.1, 2. and resolveth to be better advised in the choosing and using of his retinue, when he cometh to the Kingdom, that his Court might be like that of Cyrus, whereof Xenophon saith, that though a man should seek or choose blindfold, he could not miss of a good man. Zonaras mainly commendeth Valentinian the first, and Les Armenius, Emperors, for their good choice of both Civil and Military Officers. He condemneth as much Macyinus for the contrary.

He shall serve me ] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he shall be of honorable employment about me, as Joseph was to Pharaoh, Cromwell to Hen. 8. his Vicar General.

Vers. 7. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell in my house ] If I may know him to be such an one, I shall soon cashiere him, and serve him as Philip of Macedon afterwards did two of his evil servants; the one whereof he compelled to run out of his Country, and the other to drive him. David was not guarded and surrounded, as many Princes are nowadays, Mag •• •• gmine Ai •••• , Nego •• m, Gan • o •• m, Palpenum, Gnathenum, Balatrenum.

He that telleth lies shall not t • rry in my sight ] Liars are frequent in Courts; as in Saul's, and do much mischief. The good Emperor Aurelius was much abused by them. Lewis the eleventh of France complained that he had plenty of all things, but of only one: And being asked of what? O • truth quoth he. Augustus took on exceedingly, when Va •• was slain in battle, and gave this for a reason, Quod non esset à quo verum oudire • , because he had not now a friend from whom he could hear the truth of things.

Vers. 8. I will early destroy all the wicked of the land. ] All, without partiality, and beti •• s, in Matutinis, without delay, making it my mornings work to do justice; for then was judgment executed, Jer. 21.12. Or, I will do it daily, and as duly as the house is swept. See Lam. 3.23.

That I may cut off all wicked doers from the City of God ] All the notorious Deboysheers from the Church; that I may weed out those wicked ones, those Trouble-towns, those Desper • does, the botches of human society. And here David describeth the utmost and chief end of Civil Government (that which the Philosophers never dreamed of) viz. That God may be purely and sincerely served in his City, that is, in his Church.

PSAL. CII.

A Prayer of the afflicted ] Or, for the afflicted, made by Daniel, or some other Prophet, not long before the return out of Babylon, where they suffered much, but prayed little, as Daniel confesseth, Chap. 9.13. Here therefore they are taught to take unto them words, and say, Hear my prayer, O Lord, &c. In greatest afflictions there is place left for prayer, Psal. 103.1. and something God will yield to it, when most bitterly bent against a people, Mat. 24.20, 21.

When he is overwhelmed ] Pressed out of measure above strength, 2 Cor. 1.8. ad deliquium animae, till heart faint, and faith seem to fail, bowing down through weight of grief, at si pars una corporis alia esset operta; for so the word here used signifieth, saith Kimchi, as if one part of the body were overcovered with another Estque pulchra collatis in verbi • gnataph & shaphac quae naturam fidei deping unt, saith Mollerus: Faith may be under a cloud for a season; but it will recover, and pour out its complaint before the Lord.

Vers. 1. Hear my prayer, O Lord ] O Lord Christ, for so this Psalm is to be understood, as the Apostle showeth, Heb. 1.

And let my cry ] Which is, that thou wouldest be pleased to bring us poor exiles back to our own Country; and so this prayer is answerable to that of Daniel, Chap. 9.

Vers. 2. Hide not thy face from me ] For this would be worse than all the rest. See Jer. 16.13. I will cast you cut of this land-and I will show you no favor: This last was a cutting speech, and far worse than their captivity; and yet,

Answer me speedily ] Festina, responde: In our earnest prayers we may press for expedition in general, not tying God to any particular time, as those Bethulians did in the book of Judith.

Vers. 3. For my days are consumed like smoke ] Which the higher it mounteth, the sooner it vanisheth. Some read it, in the smoke So Psal. 119.83. I am become like a bottle in the smoke, dried and withered, 〈…〉

And 〈◊〉 bones are burnt as an hearth ] Ossae mea quasi fri •• conta •• er ••• . My strength is gone. Here, to the twelfth verse, is a most lively picture of a dejected person, such as can hardly be paralleled; teaching us to be deeply affected with the Churches afflictions.

Vers. 4. My heart is smitten ] Blasted with thins indignation, that ventus urent & • xi • ans.

So that I forget eat my bread ] I am ••• achless, through want of that beat heart should supply.

Vers. 5. By reason of the voice of my 〈◊〉 ] A broken spirit drieth the bones. Prov. 17.22. and by drinking up the marrow and radical moisture, cas • eth all into a consumption.

Vers. 6. I am like a 〈◊〉 ] Or 〈◊〉 which liveth in lonely pla •••• , and crieth ou • 〈…〉

I am like an Owl of the Desert: ] Avis lutifuga, Night-bird, a Night-raven, the Vulgar hath it; others, a Bat, a Cuccow, but most an Owl, that noctis monstr •• , as Pliny speaketh of her, net cantu aliqu • vocales sedge • itu, hated of all other fouls, which never come near her, but to keep a wondering at her.

Vers. 7. I watch ] I can as little sleep, as eat, verse. 4. That nurse of nature, and sweet Parenthesi • of men's griefs and cares, sleep departeth from me,

And am as a sparrow ] That hath lost his mate, so have I mine associater, which is a sore loss; for optimum solatium sodalitium,

Vers. 8. Mine enemies reproach me all the day ] This is an evil that man's nature is most impatient of. See Psal. 137.

And they that are mad against me ] That let fly at me • or, that once praised me, flattered me • So the Sept.

Are sworn against me ] Have sworn my death, or do swear and curse by me, as the Turks do at this day, when to confirm a truth they say, Judaeus sim si sallam, I would I were a Jew, it is so. See Zach. 8.13. Isa. 6.15. Jer. 29.22. God make thee as Abab, and as Zedekiah, &c.

Vers. 9. For I have eaten ashes like bread ] Being cast on the ground as a mourner, I know not whether I eat bread or dust; this relisheth to me as well as that, my mouth is so out of taste.

And mingled my drink with weeping ] I forbare not to weep, no not while I drank; sorrow is dry, and wine driveth away sorrow we say; Not so from me.

Vers. 10. Because of thine indignation ] This lay heavier upon the good man's heart than all the rest, God was displeased.

For thou bast lifted me up, and cast me down ] That is, that I might fall with the greater poise. Significatur gravissima collisie. Here the Prophet accuseth not God of cruelty, but bewaileth his own misery; Miserum est suisse felicem, It is no small unhappiness to have been happy.

Vers. 11. My days are like a shadow that declineth ] As at Sun-set, the shadows are at longest, but not long lasting.

And I am withered like grass ] Mown down, and laid a drying.

Vers. 12. But thou, O Lord, shalt endure forever ] And therefore we thy Covenanters shall be restored, Lam. 5.19.

And thy remembrance ] Which thou hast of us, and we of thee.

Vers. 13. Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion ] This he speaketh with as much confidence, as if he had been in God's bosom; for he knew the promise of deliverance, after seventy years captivity. See the like Hab. 1.12.

For the time to favor her, &c. ] This he understood by books, as Dan. 9.2. and therefore presseth God to a speedy performance. God loveth to be burdened with his own word, to be sued upon his own bond, &c. But besides the promise, the Psalmist had another ground of his confidence, and that is in the next.

Vers. 14. For thy servants take pleasure in her stones ] They pity he • , and wish her welfare, much more then dost thou. He argueth from that sweet, tender, melting frame of spirit that was found in the faithful, which is but a reflex of that farsweeter that is in God.

And savor the dust thereof ] Theruines and the rubbish, heartily desiring, and expecting a re-edification, and restauration, whereof they had a sweet promise, Am. 9.9. and for the spiritual Temple to be built of Jews and Gentiles, they had many more. See all that followeth.

Vers. 15. So the beathen shall fear, &c. ] By the restauration of Jerusalem where the Messias was to be born and manifested, the everlasting Gospel shall be preached, and the Gentiles converted to the faith.

And all the Kings of the earth ] Caught by those Fishermen, and their successors in the Ministry.

Vers. 16. When the Lord shall build up Zion ] Isaiah had foretold that the second Temple should be more glorious than the first, Isa. 54.11. and 60.17. the stones whereof, were types of those living stones whereof that spiritual Temple was to be built, 1 P • t. 2.5. and wherein God would manifest more of his glory than ever li • had done in all the world besides.

Vers. 17. He will regard the prayer of the destitute ] Heb. Of the poor shrub, tha is in the wilderness trod upon by beasts, unregarded, worthless: Heath, Juniper, t Wild Ta mar • k; Tremelli •• rendereth it Nudatissimi; Others Excitantis se, the prayer of one that stirreth up himself to take hold of God, and thereby prevaileth with him. I came for thy prayer, saith the Angel to Daniel, chap. 10.12.

Vers. 18. This shall be written for the generation to come ] This, that the poor shrub hath sped so well in prayer; together with all other the particulars of this Psalm, and indeed the whole Scripture, Rom. 15.4. So little truth is there in that assertion of the Jesuits, that the Epistles of the Apostles were intended only for the use of those Churches, or persons, to whom they were first written.

And the people which shall be created ] Created in Christ Jesus unto good works, Eph. 2.10. his regenerated people; For God planteth the heavens, and layeth the foundations of the earth, that be may say to Zion, Thou art my people.

Vers. 19. For he hath looked down from the height, &c. ] This is no small condescension; since he abaseth himself to look upon things in heaven, Psal. 113.6.

From heaven did the Lord behold the earth ] That is, his poor despised servants, that are in themselves no better than the earth they tread on.

Vers. 20. To hear the groaning of the prisoner ] Those prisoners of hope held so long captive in Babylon, the cruelty whereof is graphically described, Jer. 51.34.

Vers. 21. To declare the Name of the Lord in Zion ] This shall be the business of the converted Gentiles, to make up one Catholic Church with the Christian Jews, and to bear a part in setting forth God's worthy praises. See verse. 18.

Vers. 22. When the people are gathered together ] sc. to the Lord Christ; For to Shil •• shall be the gathering of the people, Gen. 49.10.

And the Kingdoms to serve the Lord ] As they did under Constantine the Great, Valentinian, Theodosius, which three Emperors called themselves, Vasalles Christi (as Socrates reporteth) the Vassals of Christ: And the like may be said of other Christian Kings and Princes since, who have yielded professed subjection to the Gospel, and cast their Crowns at Christ's feet.

Vers. 23. He wea • ned my strength in the way ] This is the complaint of the poor captives yet undelivered, In via, hoc est in vita; quia bic sumus viatores, in coelo comprehensores, here we are but on our way to heaven, and we meet with many discouragements.

He shortened my days ] viz. According to my account, For otherwise in respect of God, our days are numbered.

Vers. 24. Take me not away in the midst of my days ] Heb. Make me not to ascend, Serus in coelum redeam. Fain I would live to see those golden days of Redemption. Abraham desired to see the day of Christ, Job. 8. Simeon did, and then sang out his soul. All the Saints after the Captivity, looked hard for the consolation of Israel.

Thy years are throughout all generations ] And that's the comfort of thy poor Covenanters, who are sure to participate of all thy goods.

Vers. 25. Of old thou hast laid the foundation, &c. ] Here is a clear proof of Christ's eternity; Heb. 1.10. because he was before the creation of the world, and shall continue after the consummation thereof, verse. 26, 27. So the Saints a parte pest, 1 Job. 2.17. The world passeth away, and the lusts thereof; but he that doth the will of God abideth forever.

Vers. 26. They shall perish ] i.e. They shall change form and state, being dissolved by the last fire, 2 Pet. 3.7, 10.

But thou shalt end • re ] Heb. Stand, and with thee thy Church, Mat. 22.32.

Yea all of them shall wax old as a garment ] Which weareth in the wearing; so do the visible heavens and the earth, what ever some write, de constantia naturae, Isaiah saith, It rotteth as a book (that is vener andae rubigini • and wasteth away as smoke, chap. 65.17. and 66.22.

At a vesture shalt thou change them ] The Greek hath roll them, confer Isa. 34 4.

Vers. 27. But thou art the same ] Therefore immutable, because Eternal, ut nihil tibi possit accedere vel decidere.

Vers. 28. The children of thy servants shall continue ] By virtue of the Covenant, and that union with thee which is the ground of communion. If it could be said of Caesar, that he held nothing to he his own that he did not communicate to his friends, how much more of Christ? Propterea been semper sperandum, etiamsi 〈◊〉 ruant, the Church is immortal, and immutable.

PSAL. CIII.

A Psalm of David ] Which he wrote when carried out of himself, as far as heaven, saith Beza; and therefore calleth not upon his own soul only, but upon all creatures from the highest Angel, to the lowest worm, to set forth God's praises.

Vers. 1. Bless the Lord, O my soul ] Agedum animul • mi, & intima mea visera. A good man's work lieth most within doors; he is more taken up with his own heart, than with all the world besides; neither can he ever be along so long as he hath God and his own soul to converse with. David's Harp was not of • ner out of tune, than his heart, which here he is setting right, that he may the better make melody to the Lord. Music is sweet, but the setting of the strings in tune is unpleasing; so is it harsh to set out hearts in order, which yet must be done, and thoroughly done, as here.

And all that is within me ] All my faculties and senses. The whole soul and body must be set a work in this service; the judgment to set a right estimate upon mercies; the memory to recognize and retain them, Dent. 6 11, 12. and 8.14. the Will which is the proper seat of thankfulness; the affections, love, desire, joy, confidence, all must be actuated, that our praises may be cordial, vocal, vital. In peace-offerings God called for the sat and inwards.

Vers. 2. Bless the Lord, O my soul ] David found some dullness and drowsiness; hence he so oft puts the thorn to the breast; hence he so imp •• ously instigateth his soul, as One shere phraseth it.

And forget not all his benefits ] Forgetfulness is a grave; look to it: Eaten bread is soon forgotten with us, as it is with children; neither perisheth anything so soon with many as a good turn. Alphonsus King of Aragon professed that he wondered not so much at his Courtiers ingratitude to him (who had raised many of them from mean, to great estates, which they little remembered) as at his own to God.

Vers. 3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities ] David not only taketh upon him with an holy imperiousness, laying God's charge upon his soul to be thankful; but intending to show himself good cause why to be so, he worthily beginneth with remission of fin, as a complexive mercy, and such as comprehendeth all the rest. He had a Crown of pure gold set upon his head, Psal. 21. But here he blesseth God for a better Crown, verse. 4. Who crowneth thee with loving kindness, &c. And how was this Crown set on his head, but by forgiving all his iniquities?

Who healeth all thy diseases ] Corporal and spiritual. Quod sani • as in corpore id sanctitas in cord: Jehovah Rophe, or the Lord the Physician (as he is called Exod. 15.26. cureth His people on both fides, maketh them whole every whit. See Isa. 19.22. Mat. 8.17. He bore out diseases.

Vers. 4. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction ] From hell, saith the Chaldee, from a thousand deaths and dangers every day. All this Christ our kind kinsman doth for us, dying virtually as ost as we offend.

WhO crowneth thee with loving kindness, &c. ] Incircleth and surroundeth thee with benefits, so that which way soever thou turnest thee, thou canst not look beside a blessing. See the Note on verse. 3.

Vers. 5. Who satisfieth thy mouth ] Heb. Thy jaws, so that thou art top full, eating as long as eating is good: God alloweth thee an honest affluence of outward comforts • Open thy mouth wide, and he will fill it, Psal. 81.10.

So that thy youth is • e •• ed like the Eagles ] The Eagle is of all birds the most vegetous and vivacious, renewing her youth and health, they say, at every ten years end, by casting her old feathers, and getting new, till she be an hundred years old. Augustine's observeth that when her bill is overgrown that she cannot take in her meat, she beateth it against a rock, and so ex •• it 〈◊〉 ro ••• i, she striketh off the cumbersome part of her bill, and thereby recovereth her eating. That which hindereth our renovation, saith he, the Rock Christ taketh away, &c. See Isa. 40.31.

Vers. 6. The Lord 〈◊〉 &c. ] The words are both plural to show that God will execute omnimodam justitiam & judicium, all, and all manner of justice and judgment, relieving the oppressed, and punishing the oppressor to the sull.

Vers. 7. He made known his ways unto Moses ] Even right Judgments, true Laws, good Statutes, and Commandments, Neh. 9.13, 14. The Rabbins by ways here, understand God's Attributes and Properties ( Middoth they call them) those thirteen proclaimed, Exod. 34. after that Moses had prayed, Exod. 33. Shew me thy ways; and the next words favor this interpretation.

Vers. 8. The Lord is merciful and gracious ] These are Moses his very expressions, Exod. 34.7. Theodoret calleth him worthily, The great Ocean of Divinity, &c.

His acts to the children ] His miracles in Egypt, and all along the wilderness, where they sed upon Sacraments.

Vers. 9. He will not always chide ] His still revenges are terrible, Gen. 6.3. with 1 Pet. 3.19. but God being appeased towards the penitent people, will not show his anger so much as in words, Isa. 57.16.

Neither will be keep his anger forever ] Much less must we, Levite. 19.18. Eph. 4.26. though against his enemies God is expressly said to keep it, Nab. 1.2.

Vers. 10. He hath not dealt with us after our sins ] Heb. Our errors, our involuntary and unavoidable infirmities.

According to our iniquities ] Heb. perversely committed: for of these evils also the Saints are not free; but God bea • eth with more than small faults, especially if not scandalous.

Vers. 11. For as the heaven is high above the earth ] How high the third heaven is cannot be conjectured. But for the middlemost heaven (wherein the Sun, Moon, and Stars, are placed) how exceeding high it is may be guessed and gathered, in that the Stars (whereof those of the first magnitude, are said to be everyone above a hundred and seven times as big again as the whole earth) do yet seem to us but as so many sparks or spangles. See Prov. 25.3. Eph. 4.10.

So great is his mercy ] The heavens are exceeding high above the earth, but God's mercy to his is above the heavens, Psal. 108.4. The original word Gabbar here used, is the same with that Gen. 7.20. used for the prevailing of the waters above the mountains.

Vers. 12. As far as the East, &c. ] And these we know to be so far asunder, that they shall never come together. The space also and distance of these two is the greatest that can be imagined, Deut. 4.32. Psal. 113.3. Isa. 45.6.

So far hath be removed out transgressions ] The guilt of them, whereby a man stands charged with the fault, and is obliged to the punishment due thereunto. See Isa. 43.25. and 38.17 Mic. 7.19. Ezekiel. 33.16. Peccata non redeunt. Discharges in Justification, are not repealed, called in again.

Vers. 13. Like as a Father pitieth ] There is an ocean of love in a fathers heart: See Luke 15.20. Gen. 33.2, 13, 14. and Chap. 4.3. how hardly, and with what caution Jacob parted with Benjamin. Sozomen maketh mention of a certain Merchant, who offering himself to be put to death for his two sons who were sentenced to die, and it being granted that one of the two (whom he should choose) should be upon that condition delivered; the miserable Father, aequali utriusque amore victus, equally affected to them both, could not yield that either of them should die, but remained hovering about both, till both were put to death.

So the Lord pitieth &c. ] So and ten thousand times more than so; For he is the Father of all mercies, and the Father of all the Father-beeds in heaven and earth, Eph. 3.15.

Vers. 14. For he knoweth our frame ] Our evil concupiscence saith the Chaldee; Figulinam & fragilem constitutionem nostram, saith Junius, that we are nothing better than a compound of dire and sin.

He remembereth th •• we are dust ] Our bodies are (for our souls are of a spiritual nature, divinae particula aurae ) and sooner or later to be turned to dust again.

Vers. 15. As for man, his days are at grass ] The frailty of man's life intimated in the former verse is here lively painted out under the similitude of grass, as likewise in many other Scriptures. See Psal. 37.2. and 90.5.6. &c.

As a slower of the field, so be flourisheth ] Take him in all his ga • ety, his beauty, and his bravery, he is but as a flower; and that not of the garden, which hath more shelter and better ordering, but of the field; and so more subject to heat, weather, p • lling 〈◊〉 or treading down, Isa. 40.6, 7, 8.

Vers. 16. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone ] Heb. It is not; that is, it neither continues any longer in being, nor returns anymore into being: So here. Job 14.7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.

And the place thereof shall know it no more ] Though whilst it stood and flourished, the place of is seemed as it were to know nothing but it; the glory and beauty of it drew all eyes to it, &c. Think the same of men in their flourish, soon forgotten, as dead men out of mind, Psal. 31.12.

Vers. 17. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting ] God is from all eternity, and unto all eternity kind to all that fear him, in what age of the world soever they live.

And his righteousness unto children's children ] That is, his kindness or bounty; for so the word Tsedac • ah should be taken, according to Psal. 112.3, 9. 2 Cor. 9.9.

Vers. 18. To such as keep his Covenant ] For else they shall know God's breach of promise, as it is Numb. 14.3, 4. Neither shall it benefit them to have been born of godly parents.

And to those that remember his Commandments ] That resolve to do them, though in many things they fail, Qui faciunt praetepta etiams • non perficiant, that wish well to that which they can never compass, Psal. 119.4, 5. If they cannot open the door, yet if they give a pluck at the bolt, or a lift at the latch, there is comfort.

Vers. 19. The Lord hath prepared ] Or fixed, founded, firmed, established. Here God is further praised for his most excellent Majesty, which appeareth first, From the loftiness of his Throne; secondly, From the largeness of his Dominion.

Vers. 20. Bless the Lord, ye his Angels ] In stirring up the Angels to praise God, he awakeneth himself; and for this purpose, Incipit à superioribus, & finite in infimis, saith Kimcbi here, he calleth in the help of all the creatures from the highest to the lowest; and after all, concludeth as he began with a saying to himself.

That excel in strength ] Heb. Giants for strength, such as can prevail, and do great exploits, yet is all their strength derivative, they have it from God (who it Hagibbor, the Mighty One, Deut. 10.17.) and hence the Angel Gabriel hath his name, God is my strength. Labor we to be like unto the Angels, strengthened with all might &c. Col. 1.11. walking about the world as Conquerors, able to do all things through Christ who strengtheneth us, Philip. 4.13.

That do his Commandments ] viz. Cheerfully, speedily, universally, humbly, constantly. Let us do accordingly, else we mock God when we pray, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Vers. 21. Bless ye the Lord all his hosts ] That is, all his creatures, which are fitly called God's hosts, First, For their number; Secondly, For their order; thirdly, for their obedience.

Ye Ministers of his ] Whether in State or Church. Kings are God's Ministers. Rom. 13.4, 6. So are Angels, Heb. 1.14. like as Ministers are Angels, Rev. 2.1. they have exchanged names, their office is Angel-like, to wait upon God, to stand before him, to serve in his presence, and to bless his Name.

Vers. 22. Bless the Lord all his works ] Whether living or lifeless; For all thy works praise thee, O Lord, and thy Saints bless thee, Psal. 145.10. Benedicite ter, ad mysterium Triadis, saith an Interpreter.

Bless the Lord, O my soul ] Whatever others do, let me be doing at it, as Josh. 24.14, 15.

PSAL. CIV.

Vers. 1. Bless the Lord, O my soul ] This was much in David's mouth, as Deo gratias was in Augustine's. See Psal. 103.1, and 22. after which this Psalm is fitly set. There he blesseth God for his benefits to himself, and the whole Church, here for his works of Creation and Government common to the whole world. The Greek and Latin Translations prefix this title, David de generation: Mandi, Continet opera Bereshith, saith Kimchi. It is of the same subject with the first Chapter of Genesis, the first five days works are here after a sort considered, and celebrated, as a mirror wherein God's Majesty may be clearly discerned. This Psalm is by some called, David's Physicks.

Thou art very great ] Non molis dimension • , sed virtutis & rerum gestarum gloria; Thou hast made thee a great Name by thy works of wonder.

Thou are clothed with Honor and Majesty ] i.e. With thy creatures, which are as a garment both to hide thee in one respect, and to hold thee forth in another, to be seen.

Vers. 2. Who coverest thyself with light ] That lovely creature that first shone out of darkness, and is chief among all things sensible, as coming nearest to the unapproachable glory of God; like as the robe royal is next unto the King. Herod upon a let day came forth arrayed in royal apparel, in clothe of silver, saith Josephus, which being beaten upon by the Sun-beams, dazzled the eyes of the people, and drew from them that blasphemous acclamation, Act. 12.21. God when he made the world, shown himself in all his royalty; neither can we ascribe too much unto him.

Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain ] The whole expanse or firmament is as a Canopy over God's Throne, or rather as a Curtain or Screen betwixt us and the Divine Majesty, the fight whereof we cannot bear.

Vers. 3. Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters ] God, as he hath founded the solid earth upon the fluid waters, Psal. 24.2. So the highest heaven upon those waters above the firmament, Gen. 1.7. Psal. 18.11. This notably sets forth the wisdom and power of this Almighty Architect, since Artists say, In solido extruendum, the foundation of a building should be hard and rocky, and experience sealeth to it.

Who maketh the clouds, &c. ] These are his Chariot royal, drawn (or rather driven) by the winds, as his Chariot-horses.

Vers. 4. Who maketh his Angels spirits ] Immaterial substances, fit to attend upon the Father of spirits, and with speed to move suddenly and invisibly into most remote parts.

His Ministers a flaming fire ] Seraphims they are called for their burning zeal, like so many heavenly Salamanders; as also for their irrestible power; the Angel that destroyed Sennacherib's. Army is held to have done it by burning them within, although it appeared not outwardly, as some have been burnt by lightning.

Vers. 5. Who laid the foundations of the earth ] Heb. He hath founded the earth upon her bases. See Psal. 24.2. Job 38.4, 6. with the Notes.

That is should not be removed forever ] Neither can it be, by reason of its own weightiness, whereby it remaineth immovable in the center of the universe. Say it should move any way it must move towards heaven, and so ascend, which is utterly against the nature of heavy bodies.

Vers. 6. Thou coverest it with the deep as with a garment ] Operueras, Thou hadst at first covered it, till thou for man's sake hadst made a distinction; for else such a garment would this have been to the earth, as the shirt made for the murthering of Agamemnon, where he had no issue out.

The waters stood above the mountains ] As the garment, in the proper use of it, is above the body; and so they would still, did not God for our sakes set them their bounds and borders.

Vers. 7. At thy rebuke they fled ] At thy word of command and angry countenance, overawing that raging and ranging creature; So Christ rebuked the winds and waves.

They hasted away ] They ran away headlong, as for life.

Vers. 8. They go up by the mountains ] They run any way in post hasle, breaking through thick and thin, and nowhere resting, till imbodied in the Abyss, their elemental place and station. This is check to our dullness, and disobedience. If a man had been present, saith One, when God thus commanded the seas to retreat from the earth, he might have seen both a terrible, and a joyful spectacle.

Vers. 9. Thou hast set a bound, &c. ] A certain compass and course, an argument of God's singular and sweet power and providence. See Job 38.10, 11. with the Notes.

Vers. 10. He sondeth the springs into the valleys ] God doth this; he by certain issues or ven • s sendeth forth the waters of the Sea, (which here and there break out in springs, leaving their saltness behind them) that men and other earthly creatures might have that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (as Pindar •• • iseth it) for the satisfying of their thirst, and for other necessary uses. This is David's Philosophy, and his son Solomon saith the same, Eccles. 1.7. Though Aristotle assign another cause of the perennity of the fountains and rivers.

Vers. 11. They give drink to every beast ] A great mercy, as we have lately found in these late dry years, 1653, 1654. wherein God hath given us to know the worth of water by the want of it; Bona sunt à tergo formosissima.

The wild-asses ] Those hottest creatures, Job 39.8, 9, 10, 11.

Vers. 12. By them shall the souls of the heaven ]

Which sing among the branches ] Most melodiously many of them; therefore it is reckoned at a judgment to lose them, Jer. 4.25. and 9, 10.

Vers. 13. He watereth the hills from his chambers ] That is, from his clouds, he giveth water to hills, and high places, where Wells and Rivers are not.

The earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works ] i.e. With the rain of thy clouds, dropping fatness.

Vers. 14. He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle ] He caused it to grow at first, before cattle were created, Gen. 1.11, 12. And so he doth still, as the first cause; by rain and dew from heaven, as the second cause.

And herb for the service of man ] Ad esum & ad usum, for food, physic, &c. Gen. 1.29. Green herbs, it seemeth, was a great dish with the Ancients, which therefore they called Holus, ab 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Aristippus told his Fellow-Philosopher who fed upon them, If you can please Dionysius, you need not eat green herbs. He presently replied, If you can eat green herbs, you need not please Dionysius, and be his Parasite.

That he may bring forth food out of the earth ] Alma parens Tellus. Labor not for the meat that perisheth, but for the meat. &c. Job. 6.37.

Vers. 15. And wine that maketh glad ] That he may the more cheerfully serve his Maker, his heart being listed up, as Jehosaphats was, in the ways of obedience, Judge. 9 13. Prov. 31.6, 7.

And oil to make his face to shine ] The word signifieth Oyntments of all sorts, whereof see Pliny lib. 12. and 13. These, man might want and subsist; But God is bountiful.

And bread which strengtheneth, &c. ] In nature, Animantis cujusque vita est fuga; were it not for the repair of nutrition, the natural life would be extinguished. The Latins call bread Panis, of the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; because it is the chief nourishment.

Vers. 16. The trees of the Lord are full of sap ] Heb. are satisfied, viz. with moisture sucked by their roots out of the earth plentifully watered, whereby they are nourished, grow mightily, and serve man for meat, drink, medicine, &c.

The Cedars of Lebanon ] These are instanced as tallest and most durable. God's Temple at Jerusalem was built of them; and so was the D • vils temple at Ephesus, for he will needs be God's Ape.

Vers. 17. Where the birds make their nests ] Each, according to their natural instinct, with wonderful art.

As for the Stork ] That Pietaticultri • , as Petronius calleth her (and her name in Hebrew soundeth as much) because she nourisheth and cherisheth the old ones whereof she came; whence 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

Vers. 18. The high hills are a refuge ] These wild, but weak creatures are so wise, as to secure themselves from violence, when pursued they run to their refuges, and should not we to God, for the securing of our comforts, and safe-guarding of our persons?

Vers. 19. He appointed the Moon for seasons ] Most Nations reckoned the year by the Moon, rather than by the Sun.

The Sun knoweth his going down ] As if he were a living and intelligent creature; so justly doth he observe the Law laid upon him by God, and runs through his work. See Job 38.12.

Vers. 20. Thou makest darkness ] Which though it be dreadful, yet is it useful, and in the vicissitude of light and darkness, much of God's wisdom and goodness in to be seen, We must see that we turn not the day into night, nor night into day, without some very special, and urgent occasion.

Vers. 21. The young Lions roar ] Rousing themselves out of their dens by night; and then usually seizing upon what prey God sendeth them in; for they are at his, and not at their own finding.

And seek] Like as the young Ravens cry to him, Psal. 147. implication only. See Joel 1.18, 20.

Vers. 22. They gather themselves together ] viz. into their dens and lurking holes, smitten with fear of light, and of men. A sweet providence, but little considered.