2. Teacheth vs particularly to stirre vp both priests and people to that duety when we find them slacke Verse 3. Teacheth vs that the Lords continual goodnes towards vs should draw vs on to praise his name Ver. 4. Teacheth vs that euen his gracious election particularly aboue the rest should be a singular argument of our prayse and thankesgiuing Ver. 5. Teacheth vs the particular experience which wee or any of vs haue had of Gods power should be a notable proppe to our fayth Ver. 6. Teacheth vs that nothing can withstand his purpose and power Ver. 7. Teacheth that euen all naturall thinges are guided and gouerned by him and his appoyntment Ver. 8. Teacheth vs that the Lorde in executing his iudgements vpon the wicked respecteth no mans person Ver. 9. Doeth the same thing teaching vs further that Gods iudgements are so plain and manifest as the wicked are not able to alledge either ignorance or excuse against them for themselues Ver. 10. Teacheth vs that though God vse meanes for the performance of his counsels yet the accomplishment and glory of them belongeth to him alone It teacheth also further which thing also Verse 11. Doeth that there is no power wisedome counsel multitudes or authoritie able to hinder though neuer so litle the Lord in his workes Ver. 12. Teacheth vs that they haue right to lande and inheritance to whom it pleaseth the Lord to giue the same because he is the Lorde of the whole earth Verse 13. Teacheth vs that God in all ages leaueth notable spectacles of his power to al people to the ende that thereby they might bee drawne vnto him Ver. 14. Teacheth vs that though the Lorde bee angry with his people for a while yet he wil turne to them in euerlasting loue Ver. 15.16.17 Set out vnto vs the horrible vanity and great abuse of idoles Ver. 18. Teacheth vs that the idole the idole maker and al such also as serue them are not onely beastly and blockish before men but shall before god in good time come to shame and confusion Ver. 19.20 Teach vs that it is méete for al the faithful but specially for the Lords ministers as guides vnto the rest to praise the Lord for his great goodnes Ver. 21 teacheth them to performe that seruice to him euen in the publike assemblies of his saints Psalme 136. IN this Psalme the Prophet doeth exhort all the faithfull people Di. to praise God first for the excellency of his nature and singular maiesty ver 1.2.3.26 secondly for his workes of creation and prouidence generally and particularly ver 4.5.6.7.8.9.25 Thirdly for his great iudgements vpon the enemies of his people ver 10.15.17.18.19.20 and fourthly for his excéeding fauour towards his owne seruants ver 11.12.13.14.16.21.22.23.24 This Psalme hath no title as many such wee haue had heretofore Se. as Psal 104.105 and sundry such like Ver. 1. Praise ye the Lord vz. O yée faythfull people because he is good vz. towards al but specially towards you for his mercy vz. which is the first course of all his goodnes indureth for euer i. shall neuer haue end This sentence is repeated in euery verse of this Psalme not as idle superfluous or vaine but to shewe that Gods goodnes is the fountaine both of al our praises and al his works which doctrine because it ought to be perpetual therefore did the Leuites sing this Psalme or some other of the same argument or matter dayly in the olde Church of the Iewes as appeareth 1. Chron. 16.41 and it séemeth also to shewe how much we should continue in the acknowledging of gods graces Ver. 2. Praise ye the God of gods i. he that is aboue all that haue any diuine or heauenly offices whether they be men as magistrates or Angels or any other thing which hath the name of God giuen vnto it sée Deut. 10.17 for his mercy vz. towardes all but specially towards his owne people indureth for euer all this is expounded before Ver 3. Praise ye the Lord of Lords i. he that hath the fulnes and perfection of rule and authority in him for whatsoeuer other men haue they haue it from him because it pleaseth him to bestow the same vppon them sée 1. Tim. 6.15 Reuelat. 17.14 for his mercy indureth for euer this is expounded before and therfore we shal not néede to repeate it againe Ver. 4. Which vz. God our Lorde onely i. by himselfe alone and his owne power none ioyning with him as assistant doth great wonders vz. euen as we our selues know and can report Ver. 5. Which by his wisedome i. most wisely and with great vnderstanding yea wich such wisedome and prouidence as is wonderfull Sée Prouerb 3.19 wee may vnderstande also by wisdom his eternal sonne sée Pro. 8. from ver 22. to the ende of the 31. made vz. in the beginning as Gene. 1.1 the heauens vz. and all thinges therein conteined for so large doe I take the worde to be here as Psal 124.8 Ver. 6. Which hath stretched out the earth i. the continent and firme land vpon the waters sée Psal 24.2 hee meaneth that God hath caused the waters to withdraw themselues from of the earth to the end it might be a place for men to dwell therein sée Gene. 1.9 Ver. 7. Which made great lights vz. two as Gene. 1.16 of which he speaketh afterwards particularly and they are called great because they are in our iudgments in déed greater then the other Ver. 8. As vz. for example the sunne to rule the day i. to shine in it and to make it light whereas otherwise it woulde be all darknes Verse 9. The moone and the starres to gouerne the night i. to shyne and shewe forth themselues in that season Verse 10. Which smote vz. with his plagues Egypt i. the lande and the people inhabiting it with their first borne i. all their first borne from man to beast Sée Psalme 135.8 Verse 11. And brought out Israell vz. who was kept in captiuity and thraldome putting Israel for the Israelites from among them i. quite and cleane out of their company and land this history is written in the 13. chapt of Exod. Ver. 12. With a mighty hand i. with such great power as the Egiptians coulde no way resist and stretched out arme i. with singular fauour and proâ—ection ouer his owne and great iudgements vppon the wicked for the arme serueth both for defence and for striking Ver. 13. Which diuided the red Sea into two parts vz. that his people might passe through it Sée Exod. 14.22 Verse 14. And made Israell i. the Israelites hee speaketh thus of them all as though they were but one man because they were but one body to passe through their iddest of it i. of the waters so diuided Verse 15. And ouerthrewe vz. by his almighty power Pharaoh vz. who was king of Egypt and his hoste i. the people which hee had gathered together to pursue the Israelites in their flight yea hée so destroyed them that
here ver 5. The sorrowes of the graue i. such extreme sorrowes as in a maner kil men and bring them to the graue the snares of death i. deadly snares in which if I had bene taken I had died for it ouertake me i. almost seased vpon me being in a most extreme danger for almost being catched therein q.d. there was but a little betwéene me and death ver 6. Out of his temple i. either out of heauen or else from betwéen the Cherubins for the temple materiall was not builded in Dauids time but in his sonne Solomons sée 1. Samuel 1.9 and my cry vz. which I made or poured forth ver 7. Then i. after that the Lord had heard my praiers the earth trembled and quaked i. there was a great earthquake which that he might the better expresse he vseth two words signifying almost one thing q.d. God shewed by wonders and signes that my prayer came vp to him the foundations also of the mountains q.d. this earthquake was not only vpon the vpper parts of the earth but euen the rootes as it were of the mountains wch lie déepe within the ground were shaken also by which he meaneth nothing else but a most vehement earthquake because he was angry vz. agaynst my enemies and that for the iniury they offered me Ver. 8. Is vttered by the way of a similitude q.d. God was so greatly angry that it séemed that smoke c. sée such a maner of spéech attributed to Leuiathā Iob. 41.11.12 Ver. 9. he bowed the heauens i. he made them séeme so low as though they had touched mens heads which is then done when the cloudes are thick and darke and came down this also is spoken after the maner of men Now God is sayd to come downe when by euident tokens he sheweth his wrath in confounding the wicked as Gen. 9.7 and darkenes i. darke cloudes whiche are called darkenes because they séeme to bring darkenes with them hee meaneth nothing else by these maner of spéeches but that God by a very great tempest declared himselfe to be present to defend his seruaunt and to strike his enemies Ver. 10. vpon Cherub the singular for the plurall Cherubines of whiche you may read Gen. 3.24 they are certayne Angels which readilye execute Gods will whereby and by his riding vpon them the Prophet noteth nothing else but Gods swiftnes in comming to succour him which also he noteth by wings of the winde Ver. 11. Darkenesse put for thick cloudes as before ver 9. and his pauilion round about him vnderstand was euen darkenes of waters i. cloudes full of rayne or water which are called darkenes of waters because they haue a certayne darkish colour as the waters also haue and cloudes of the aire i. more bright and shining cloudes q.d. God putteth both the one kind of clouds the other betwéene himselfe and the wicked as a testimony of his wrath ver 12. at the brightnes of his presence q.d. when God beginneth to shew his maiestie his cloudes passed i. were as a man would say made more light or else did cleaue as it were in sunder and they are called his cloudes because they are gouerned and directed at his appoyntment sée Iob. 37.15 Haylestones and coales of fyre vz. came from the Lord after that the cloudes were broken for coales of fire sée ver 8. ver 13 In the heauen i. in the firmament or in that region of the aire where the thunder is as Philosophers déeme and the highest gaue his voyce i. thundered sée Psalme 29.3 c. so that it is nothing but a repetition of that whiche went before haylestones and coales of fyre vnderstand he gaue q.d. he sent forth also or gaue hailestones c. Ver. 14. Then i. after al this he sent out his arrowes i. after some his lightning but I rather take it for all the afflictions that God layd vppon the vngodly sée Psal 38.2 and scattered thē i. destroyed them for then an armye is wont to perish when the order thereof decaieth ver 15. and the chanels of waters were séene i. the depths wher the waters run or as you would say the bottom of the sea the foundations of the world he alludeth to the miracle shewed at the red sea for then were the springs of the waters which he calleth the foundations of the earth by reason of their wonderfull depth discouered so that a man mighte as it were sée from whence so many sloudes had their beginning at thy rebuking i. when thou séemedst to rebuke them turning their courses contrary to those which they had before at the blasting of the breath of thy nostrels this is spoken according to man q.d. there was no néede that thou shouldest commaund them when thou diddest but breath vpon thē it was ynough to make the drie lande appeare ver 16. He hath sent down vz. his power or his Angels for God did vse to deliuer his children by Angels frō aboue from heauen and taken me i. deliuered me vz. out of many daungers hee hath drawne me q.d. euen by violence maugre the heads and harts of mine enimies out of many waters i. not only many but very great daungers sée Psa 69.1.2 Psal 124.4 Ver. 17. from my strong enimie he meaneth enemies one number being put for an other or else by one he vnderstandeth al that one being the ringleader of the rest ver 18. They preuented me vz. by their subtiltie and had almost taken me in the snare they layd for me in the day of my calamity i. when I was in calamity and affliction was my stay i. not only on whom I did leane vpon and trust to but my helper deliuering me from them ver 19. into a large place he meaneth by this his liberty and deliuerance for his calamities were as a prison or narrow roome vnto him because he fauoured me i. preuented me with his holy fauour and that with out any merit or desert of mine at all ver 20. Righteousnesse put for righteous cause as before Psal 41. purenesse of my hands i. integrity soundnes of my déeds hands put for déedes and workes by which the workes and déeds are performed note that Dauid in this verse setteth out his good cause agaynst them that slaundered him not speaking of his whole life giuing thē to vnderstand that he attempted nothing but right and well and that according to Gods commaundements Verse 21. The wayes of the Lorde 1. Lawes and commaundements as verse 22. of this Psalme and by kéeping he meaneth a carefull minde and a certaine abilitie also that GOD hath giuen him to performe the same and did not wickedly he meaneth not of some simple fal for we read of diuers before he came to the kingdom and after but of reuolting falling away that doth quite and clean alienate turn away frō God ver 22. before me i. in my sight vz. that I might not commit any thing against thē and I did not cast away vz. as though I
to set out her glory and these handmaydes are called her companions not because they were her equals but because they were continually in her company as it were Ver. 15. He sheweth after what sort this glorious troupe shal come vz. with ioy gladnes i. with al mirth that possible may be see Psal 43.4 Ver. 16. In stéed of thy fathers i. thy auncesters q.d. there is no cause why thou shouldest think vpon them for thou shalt haue multitudes of children and thy posterity shal be wonderfully inlarged yea aduanced to great and wonderfull honour for that meaneth hée by making them Princes throughout all the earth meaning by earth the land of Iudah which promise was not fulfilled in Salomon and his séede not because God was not able but because the couenants and conditions on his part and his wiues were not performed Ver. 17. Are the words of the Prophet conteined wherein he promiseth to publish and that for a long season the glory and renowne of Salomon and his kingdome and that the people shal for a great while yeeld him prayse for his peaceable and quiet gouernement For so must the word Many generations world without ende bee vnderstood as referred to Salomon And thus wee sée howe it agréeth to him nowe let vs gather the doctrines out of it and sée howe in trueth it agréeth to our Sauiour and his time Do. Ver. 1. Teacheth vs first to take héed that we vtter nothing but good things and secondly to do that willingly and readily lest wee bee preuented by death or some other occasion and thirdly to dispose our selues with all the power we haue to set foorth holy marriage specially that which is betwéene Christ and his Church of which sée Hoshea 2.19.20 Ver. 2. Is fulfilled in Christ not in mans iudgement as appeareth Isaiah 53.2.3 But is to bee séene by the eye of faith only whose glorious beauty and gift of perswasion may appeare that hee in the ministery of his Apostles conuerted of all nations vnder the heauen some to imbrace the Gospel and when it is said that God hath blessed him it must bee vnderstoode in respect of his humanitie for otherwise in respect of his deity he is God equal with his father Ver. 3. Christs sword is spiritual is in déede Gods word of which sée Isaiah 11.4 Heb. 4.12 Reue. 1.16 Wherein also standeth his glory and worshippe when he is serued according to that and not as man deuiseth and in this verse Christ is called most mighty because he hath all power both in heauen and in earth Math. 28.18 And doeth whatsoeuer pleaseth him Ver. 4. Christ is admonished in respect of his humanitie to talke vppon him and to execute his gouernement séeing hée is so replenished with giftes and is described like a triumphant conquerour amiable and comfortable to his owne people but terrible and fearefull to rebels as 2. Corinth 2.15.16 Ver. 5. Hée describeth Christes weapons and the munition of his kingdome which are not carnall but mighty through God to cast downe holdes and imaginations and euery high thing c. sée 2. Corinth 10.4.5.6 Ver. 6. Setteth out the euerlastingnes and equity of Christes kingdom of which sée Heb. 1.8 Ver. 7. First marke one manner of speach which in the sense I haue omitted louing one thing and hating another which kind of rehearsing by the contraries the Iewes often vse and hath in it great force vz. to note the earnestnes and soundnes of loue toward righteousnes and well doing and the sincere hatred of all sinne and corruption Howe this was verified in Christ wée néede not to stand vppon God is called Christes God in respect of his manhood and Christ in that respect also is said to be annoynted with the oyle of gladnes because hee had the fulnes of the spirite so that of his fulnes haue we al receiued euen grace for grace i. abundance of grace as Ioh 1.16 And by oile of gladnes is ment the fulnes and anointing of the spirit through whom it commeth to passe that the kingdome of God is righteousnes peace ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 And by fellowes he meaneth not equals but generally all Christians who yet notwithstanding through faith are partakers of his dignitie Ver. 8. Doth allegorically set out the swéetnes and pleasure that is to bee found in our Sauiour and when hee speaketh of some that haue made him glad hee meaneth Christians who are called the friendes of the bridegrome because they stand and heare him and reioyce greatly by reason of his voyce Iohn 3.29 Ver. 9. Is described the glory of the church which is but one wife if wee respect it generally or else many if wee respect either the seuerall congregations or the particular members of the seueral congregations as wee say that euery part of a bone broken is a bone and euery part of earth is earth and yet there is but one bone and one earth Ver. 10. Christ requireth of the Church faythfulnes in him and denyall of her selfe Ver. 11. Hee sheweth what profit shall come to the Church by obedience to Christ Ver. 12. Setteth out the inlarging of Christes kingdom by the calling of the Gentiles Ver. 13. Sheweth that the glory of the Church standeth not in outward shewe and brauery Ver. 14. Setteth out the glory of the Church generally which is amplified by this circumstance that particular Churches which the holy ghost resembleth to handmaydes wayting vpon her shall adorne and beautifie her Ver. 15. Sheweth the manner howe the faithfull shoulde appeare in the presence of God in his assemblies Ver. 16. Expresseth the wonderfull inlargment of Christes kingdome which wee haue séene performed and the great glory that his children shall haue though not here yet eternall in the heauens Ver. 17. Teacheth that the prayses of our Sauiour who is the onely head of the Church shall continue for euer and that there shal bee no end of his kingdome as Luke 1.33 Other good Lessons may here and there be gathered as ver 2. that beauty and eloquence are good gifts in a Prince Ver. 3. That it becommeth a magistrate to be couragious Ver. 4. That he should professe and practise truth meekenes and righteousnes Ver. 8. That sumptuousnes in apparell for Princes is not altogether to bee condemned of Salomons apparell fée what our Sauiour sayth Matth. 6.29 Ver. 10. That marriage requireth forsaking of all that the wife may cleaue to the husbande and the husbande to the wife Gene. 2.24 Ver. 17. That the faithfull generally and euery one of them particularly shoulde carefully indeuour to aduance and set foorth the great glory of GOD and of our Sauiour Christ Psalme 46 THis Psalme may bee diuided into two partes Di. In the first the Prophet declareth howe that nothwithstanding the great trouble they were in they were sure they shoulde bee deliuered through Gods goodnes from ver 1. to the ende of the 7. In the second hee exhorteth others for their comfort
name of the Father for his séede and posterity or else Ioseph the whole man for a parte of him vz. his bones which they brought with them at their comming out of Egipt but I like the former better Immanuel and others expounde it otherwise but in my opinion not so rightly Verse 16. The waters vz. of the redde sea and Iordan as appeareth in Exodus and Iosua saw thée O God i. did féele thy maiestie and power in turning the courses of them for otherwise man can not see or féele God much lesse the waters and he repeateth the same agayne for the more certayntie of the matter and were afrayde vz. at thy presence which he gathereth because they were diuided and fled as a man woulde saye backward yea the depths vz of the waters and he allegeth these wordes to expresse the greatnesse of Gods power for though it fall out that the vpper partes of the water is many times troubled yet the depths sieldome or neuer but this was done to the end the people might passe vppon the drie grounde Verse 17. The cloudes vz. in the firmament poured out water vz. in greate abundaunce for that doth the worde of pouring out note sée Eccle. 11.3 he meaneth that God had al creatures ready at his commaundemente to execute his will for the sauegard of his and the punishment of the vngodly the heauens i. the Firmament and the regions of the ayre aboue vs gaue a sounde vz. of thunder and lightning and winde and stormie tempest thine arrowes i. thy thunderboltes and other meanes to manifest thy wrath vppon thy enemies went abroad i. did flie abroad in euery place striking feare into them Sée Exod. 14.24.25 Verse 18. The voice i. the sound or noise of thy thunder i. of the thunder that thou sendest forth was round about vz. all thine enemies or else he meaneth euery quarter and region of the ayre the lightnings vz. which came from thee lightened the world i. they were so greate and many that they might haue bene séene all the world ouer the earth i. this frame of the world trembled and shooke for feare of thy presence Al this is nothing else but an excellent description of Gods eternall maiestie and power Ver. 19. Thy way is in the sea some expound it thus Thy way i. the way that thou preparedst for thy people of Israel is in the sea i. in the red sea ascribing that vnto God because he was the author of it which did belong to the Israelites Some thus thy way i. thy counsels is in the sea i. in darke vnsearchable places known vnto none but to thée alone making it the same with ver 13. of this Psalm but I like the former better by reason of that whiche followeth in the last verse of this Psal thy paths vz. by which thou cariedst thy people all the rest is wel expounded in the note of Geneua Bible Ver. 20. Thou didst lead vz. out of Egipt and thorow the wildernes towards the land of promise thy people as shéepe i. tenderly softly and louingly for shéepe may not be hurried by the hand i. by the labour diligence ministery of these two excellent personages Moses and Aaron And al this the Prophet alleageth that he might raise vp his hope and comfort himself in the middest of those great assaults Verse 1 teacheth that God is nigh to them that earnestly cal vpon him Do. Ver. 2 teacheth that the more afflictions and miseries increase vpon vs the more earnest we should be with the Lord by prayer Ver. 3 sheweth that we thorow our own corruption and sathans malice vse that in the time of prayer as a mean to draw vs back from earnestnesse of prayer which shoulde make vs more carefully to think vpon God I meane our gréefs and afflictions Ver. 4 teacheth that nothing commeth to Gods children but by the speciall not only sufferance but appointment and prouidence of God Ver. 5 sheweth that Gods goodnes declared before should comfort those that are in affliction now Ver. 6 teacheth good men in the time of their heauinesses to cōfort themselues in the consideratiō of these good thinges that thorowe Gods goodnesse they haue felt in themselues Ver. 7.8.9 shew the great conflict that the godly many times haue wreastling mightily betwixt fayth and dispayre Verse 10 teacheth vs that Gods power and the true tast thereof is a good proppe to our faith Verse 11.12 teache vs to record Gods workes for the strengthening of our hope and to speake of them with delight and pleasure Verse 13. teacheth that God alone is the only God Verse 14. that whatsoeuer God doth he doth it for the good of his children or the punishing of his aduersaries Verse 15 sheweth that God careth for his people euen when they be in their greatest distresse Verse 16 17 18 19 teache that God hath all his creatures at his commaundement for the manifesting of his glory and grace towards his and for the declaring of his iustice towards the vngodly which is comfortable to know that the whole course of nature shall stand on our side Ver. 20. teacheth Gods loue and care towards his people which then also most manifestly appeareth when he prouideth for them good Magistrates and Ministers Psalme 78. Di. THe Psalme it selfe is very large and as it were a summary recitall of all the fiue Bookes of Moses and therefore cannot easily be diuided Notwithstanding methinketh it speciallye propoundeth these pointes following first an Exordium or entraunce into the matter the Prophet labouring thereby to make the people attentiue taken partly from the excellencie of the matter and partly from his and their own experience and this is conteyned in the eyght first verses Secondly he rehearseth the great rebellion of this people and of their forefathers vpō whom God had bestowed such great and wonderfull graces as vpon none the like and this is comprehended in verse 8 9 10 11 17 18 19 20 22 32 34 35 36 37 40 41 42 56 57 58. Thirdelye hee setteth out Gods great mercy notwithstanding their manifolde wickednesses and rebellion against him and this is comprised in verse 12 13 14 15 16 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 38 39 52 53 54 55 68 69 70 71 72. Lastly he largely declareth the excéeding great iustice of GOD againste sinne and vngodlinesse which he sheweth by executing the same partly vpon his owne people as appeareth verse 21 30 31 33 59 60 61 62 63 64 67 and partlye vppon his and their enimies as appeareth also verse 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 6◠66. which may teach all men to driue away the vayne imagination that they haue of Gods mercy only neuer looking into the execution of his iustice and iudgements against the world for sinne Se. The title hath bin sundry times expounded before sée the same Title Psalme 73 also Psalme 50. Verse 1. Heare vz. both with your outward eares and inward vnderstanding my doctrine i.
in God he sheweth the roote of all their sinne vz. Diffidence and distrust in GOD and his power and trusted not in his helpe vz. which he had promysed to perform for them which also maketh their sinne the greater because they beléeued not his promise whereby we sée that incredulitie is so déepely rooted in mans nature that it is impossible to pull it out except God work miraculously therein Verse 23. Yet he q.d. though God had bestowed very great abundāce and plenty had commaunded the cloudes aboue i. by his commaundement had brought to passe that the clouds poured down Manna as in the next verse had opened the dores of heauen i. had giuen them in great plenty an excellēt Metaphor to expresse the abundance of it Ver. 24. And had rayned down Manna sée Exod. 15. almost thorow out and had giuen them of the Wheat of Heauen he calleth Manna by this name because God caused it in great plēty to come down from the heauen by wheat you must vnderstand a food that had in it the same vse of nourishment that wheat had sée Num. 11.7.8 Ver. 25. Man i. men and euery one of the people of Israel did eat the bread of Angels i. excellente bread and such as Angels might vse if they did eat and not that they do eat it but because it came downe from that place that Angels inhabite this is a vsual phrase in scripture by things attributed to Angels to vnderstand very excellent things Sée Acts 6.15 also 1. Cor. 13.1 he i. God sent vz. from Heauen meate ynough i. strange and delicate flesh ynough as may appeare ver 28 29 30 31 of this Psalme also Exodus 16. and in other places Verse 26. He caused the East wind to passe in the Heauen i. he stirred it vp in the ayre or the Firmament It is likely that he meaneth that winde whiche is expressed Num. 11.31 which brought the Quailes vpon them and that which followeth in the next verse séemeth to strengthē the same and thorow his power he brought in the south wind meaning that God had al elements at his commaundement for the performaunce of his worke whatsoeuer Ver. 27. He rayned i. hée gaue them great plenty as ver 24. of this Psalm flesh vz. of Quailes as may appeare by the story Num. 11. as dust i. in such great abundaunce and as thicke by a maner of spéech as dust is vpon the earth see Genesis 13 16 also Numbers 23.10 also 2. Chronicles 1.9 and feathered foule i. Quayles for of them particularly he speaketh and meaneth as the sand of the sea i. innumerable as it were sée 1. Sam. 13.5 Psalme 139. Verse 17.18 Verse 28. And hee made it fall vz. from the heauen or the firmamente meaning it also of the fleshe of Quayles or Quayles themselues in the middest of their Campe i. of the place where they camped and not of the tents or campes themselues and round about their habitations i. the places where they dwelte for the time sée for this Numb 11.31 by these spéeches he meaneth that they might with ease gather them for they were not farre of Verse 29. So i. hauing these blessings and graces bestowed vpon them from God they did eat vz. of Quails were wel filled i. satisfied with the flesh thereof for he gaue them their desire i. god gaue thē that which they longd lusted after Ver. 30. They were not turned frō their lust i. frō the thing they longed after lusted for q.d. they were not wery of quails though they had eatē thē a whole mōth together sée num 11.20 they were as a mā would say ready to burst with fulnes but the meat i. the flesh of quails which they had eaten was yet in their mouthes i. euen as they were eating of it as may appeare Num. 11.33 Ver. 31 When the wrath of God i. punishment and vengeance sent from him vpon thē for their sinnes came euē vpon thē vz. as they were eating then gods wrath is sayd to come vpon any when he taketh iudgement in hand against them executeth the same vpon them flew the strongest of them who no doubt had abused the strong constitution of their body agaynst God thinking they were able to make their partye good with him and smote down vz. to the ground by death the chosen men in Israell i. the picked ones as men of greatest hope so that we sée no mans strength or neatnesse can turne away Gods iudgement from thē which by sin they haue pulled vpon thēselues Ver. 32. For al this i. notwithstanding the benefits God had giuen thē and the punishments he had layd vpon them they sinned still i. they procéeded on in their iniquities murmuring cōtinually against god as appereth Num. 14 12. c. num 16.1.2 c. num 17. almost thorowout num 20.2.3 c. and beléeued not his wondrous works i. had not their perswasion strengthened by the maruailous thinges that God did for them but did as much doubt of his power and good will as though he had shewed no signe or miracle at al Verse 33. Therefore i. for their sinnes and namely not profiting by his corrections their dayes i. the dayes and times of their life appointed vnto them did he consume in vanity i. God made them to passe away as vain transitory and vnprofitable things some expound it thus he caused thē to die some thus God thorow his curse vpon them cut off the time of their life so that they liued not out half their days nor brought thē into the lande of promise but layd their Karkases in the wildernes sée Num. 14.28.29 al commeth to one sence their yeres hastily he meaneth that they died hastilye sodainlye or when they thought least of it as appeareth verse 3. of this Psalm Ver. 34. And when hee slewe them i. when he did not only destroy them by his iudgements but also when soeuer he layd any affliction vpon them they sought him vz. in hipocrisie and counterfeiting as appeareth ver 36.37 of this Psal so that they did but séeme only to séeke him or made as though they would séeke him and they returned vz. from their euil wayes but this was in outward shew onlye and not from the hart as Iudas is sayd to repent Matth. 27.3 and sought God vz. by hypocriticall and dissembled prayers such as are mentioned Isaiah 29.13 early vz. in the morning pretending that they would spare no labour or payn Ver. 35. And they remembred that God was their strength i. he that strongly defended them from their enimies and gaue them strength to incounter with them and the most high God their redéemer vz. from al distresses trouble and daunger Ver. 36. But they flattered him with their mouth i. they went aboute by words and faire spéeches to deceaue God as it were and this was not only because they did not vnfainedly confesse their offences but also did not truly and
the kingdome for euer i. for a long time if you referre it to the outward gouernement but if you referre it to Christ it signifieth perpetuity and euerlastingnes of time and set vppe vz. to continue and abyde thy throne i. thy kingdome putting a part of the kingdom for the whole from generation to generation sée ver 1. of this Psalme there are two partes of this promise the one is heires and successours the other is the kingdome Sée Genesis 15.3.4.5 where the like order is obserued in promising two things Ver. 5. O Lorde euen the heauens i. either the firmament it selfe the thinges therein contained as the Sunne Moone starres c. or else the Angels or rather in déede both together Sée Psalm 148.1.2.3 c. shall praise thy wonderous woorkes i. they shall magnifie that great power of thine by which thou doest as it were miraculously vpholde thy Church yea vz. they shall prayse and set out thy trueth i. thy faythfulnes in kéeping and perfourming promises made in the congregation of the Saintes i. in the society fellowship and assembly of the children of God in the Church meaning that the Angels and heauenly spirites should bee Gods instruments to publish the same vnto men and to shewe them also matter of praysing God Ver. 6. For who is equal vz. in name maiesty power c. to the Lorde vz. the onely God in the heauens i. amongest all that glorious company of Angels and blessed spirites which are in the heauens putting the thing conteining for the thinges conteined q.d. not one of them no not all of them together are in any respect equall to him and who is like to the Lorde vz. in power maiesty might c among the sonnes of the Gods some vnderstande this Angels who in déed may be so named because they haue not their beginning from the earth neither clothed with a corruptible body but are heauenly spirits beautified with diuine glorye for mine owne part I woulde rather turne it thus amongest the sonnes of the mighty i. amongest the most mightiest of the earth of what state or condition soeuer they bee and so haue you the worde vsed before Psalm 29.1 also Ezech. 17 13. and chapter 32.21 and then it may bee the same in sense with that which is Psalme 73.25 Verse 7. GOD is very terrible i. hée sheweth manifest tokens of his maiestye and might which strike terrour into all in the assemblye of the Sayntes it skilleth not much whether wee take it for the company of Angels or for that which verse 5. of this Psalme is called the congregation of the Sayntes but I woulde take it rather in the latter sense because of that which followeth in this verse the Prophet meaning in my mynde that GOD is terrible both to men and angels and to be reuerenced aboue all i. more to be feared then all Angels or whatsoeuer else that are about him i. Angels or heauenly creatures whatsoeuer who are sayd after the manner of men to bée about as those that are alwaies ready to execute his commaundement Neither doeth the holy ghost meane in saying that God is to be reuerenced aboue all that therefore the Angels and dead Saints may haue a seruice and reuerence dedicated vnto them for if they will referre it to them why then should not the Sunne and Moone which the gentiles also worshipped as well as the Papists do Angels and dead Saintes be worshipped séeing that they are about God and attend vppon him to execute his will Verse 8. O Lorde God of hostes i. thou God who hast all thy creatures euen as it were so many armies to execute thy will and commaundement who is like vnto thée q.d. surely none for the Hebrews vse by such interrogations strongly to deny which art a mighty Lorde vz. a most mighty Lorde and an eternall being for hee vseth the name of God Iah in this place and thy trueth i. thy faithfulnes and constancy in all thinges and namely in perfourmaunce of thy promises is about thée i. compasseth thee in on euery side q.d. thou art full of all faithfulnes and trueth Verse 9. Thou rulest i. thou stillest makest calme as appeareth by that which followeth in this ver the raging of the Sea i. the mighty waues thereof which rage and roare and make a feareful noyse when the waues thereof arise vz. by some great wind or tempest thou stillest them i. thou makest them calme and still Verse 10. Thou hast beaten downe vz. to the ground and that by thy might and power Rahab i. Egipt as before Psalm 87.4 and here he toucheth the deliuerance of the people out of Egipt of which sée Exod. 14.15 c. as a man slayne vz. with the sword hee meaneth that God by the waues of the Sea destroyed the Egiptians as one man doeth an other by the edge of the swoorde thou hast scattered thine enemies i. thou hast discomfited them as men put to flight in a battaile runne some hither and some thither and so being out of aray lye open to be wounded and slayne of their enemies with thy mighty arme i. with thy great force power and strength so wée haue had armie vsed sundry tymes before Verse 11. The heauens i. the thinges themselues and all other things whatsoeuer therein conteined are thine i. at thy commaundement to be vsed when where and howsoeuer it shall please thée the earth also vz. with al things therein conteined is thine i. is at thy commaundement as before he meaneth that all thinges both in heauen and earth are at his commaundement which séemeth wonderfully to expresse the great maiesty and power of God thou hast layde vz. by thy almighty power the foundations of the worlde vz. in such sort that it shall not bee mooued and all that therein is vz. thou hast created and established Verse 12 Thou hast created the North and the South i. the whole worlde putting these two partes of it for the whole Tabor it is the name of a mountain towards the West of this mention is made Iosh 19.22 and Hermon this is the name of a mountaine towardes the East of which mention is made Deut. 3.8.9 and they are two high mountaines in Iudea by which no doubt he meaneth the whole land of Canaan shal reioyce in thy name i. shall prayse thy great power and maiestie Vere 13. Thou hast a mightye arme i. thou art of great power might and force strong is thy hande vz. thy left hande vnderstanding thereby the smallest manifestation of Gods power meaning that euen there is such strength as none is able to resist and high vz. in greatnesse and might is thy right hand i. thy mighty power and the full manifestation thereof Verse 14. Righteousnesse and equitie q.d. although thou art mightie in all manner of power yet thou gouernest not by power or strength only but in all vprightnesse iustly rendring vnto thine enemies that they haue deserued and faythfully perfourming to thy
people as the sea and floods do when they gayne vpon the lande but this in my iudgment is the more simple sense that hee meaneth that though the noyse of the floods and sea vnderstanding thereby if you will all the hurliburlies of the earth bee very great and forcible yea euident testimonies of Gods power and might yet if they bée compared with Gods owne maiesty and might they are as much as nothing and this sense is confirmed by that which followeth in the next verse the floods lift vp their waues vz. and make a great and fearefull noyse and this expoundeth what he ment before when he ascribed voyce to the floods Verse 4. The waues of the sea are marueilous vz. considered in themselues if a man mark their goinges greatnes and the noyse of them but yet more marueilous are they in the respects before alleadged through the noyse of many waters vz. which fal into them and ioyn with them sée Ecclesi 1.7 and so by that meanes the waues and noyse of the floodes are greater yet the Lord on high vz. in heauen is more mighty vz. then them al as who hath the ordering disposing and gouerning of them al at his good pleasure q.d. though it be true that the sea and floods make a great noyse and so expresse a great power yet that is nothing if they be compared to God by whose appointment they doe that which they doe Ver. 5. Thy testimonies i. thy worde and all thinges therein conteined as Psal 19.7 specially thy promises made vnto thy seruants are very sure vz. so that they can not be altered at any time or by any way holines i. thy holines or such holines as thou both appointest and giuest becommeth thyne house i. adorneth and beautifieth thy Church and congregation for euer i. continually Do. Ver. 1. Teacheth sundry thinges first Gods great power and maiesty the consideration whereof is terrible to the wicked and comfortable to his children secondly it setteth out not onely the great care that God hath ouer the earth and the things therein so that they can not be shaken but also how litle or nothing at all mans Counsell can preuaile to hurt or hinder much lesse to vndoe any thing that the Lorde will haue to remaine stedfast and sure Ver. 2. Setteth out the eternity and euerlastingnes of almighty God Ver. 3. Teacheth that the very creatures may manifest vnto vs some part and piece of Gods excellencye and power the same thing doeth Verse 4. Teache but yet so that it sheweth further that all that wee can beholde in them is not so much as a shadowe to the trueth if it bee compared with the Creator himselfe Verse 5. Is comfortable to the consciences of the godly because it assureth them of the certaintie of Gods worde and promises also it sheweth that the holinesse of Gods Church is from GOD himselfe and not from the Church Psalme 94 THis Psalme in my iudgement may very aptly bée diuided into two partes Di. In the first the Prophet doeth not onely praye against the vngodly but reckoneth vp their particular sinnes and doeth sufficiently comfort all their vayne imaginations and this part reacheth from verse 1. to the ende of the 11. In the second part he doth especially shew in what a good and blessed case they are whose God is the Lorde interlasing notwithstanding the attempts of the wicked all which the Lorde will for his peoples sake frustrate bring to nought and this reacheth from ver 12. to the end of the Psalme This Psalme is without title as the Psalme next going before is Se. and also sundry other Psalmes following and namely 95.96.97.99 Ver. 1. O Lorde GOD the auenger O God the auenger i. O God to whome alone it belongeth to punish the wicked Roman 12.19 shewe thy selfe clearly i. openly manifest thy power and might by punishing the wicked and defending the good Sée Deutron 33.2 q.d. punish the vngodly openly and in the sight of all men Verse 2. Exalt thy selfe i. doe not onely shewe thy selfe vnto the vngodly but declare thy selfe to bee great and high q.d. lift vppe thy selfe not onely aboue them but oppose and set thy selfe in thy power and might against them O Iudge of the worlde i. O thou to whome the iudgement of al men and matter appertaine Sée Genesis 18.25 Psalme 82.7 Render a rewarde to the proude vz. for their pryde against thée and men q.d. paye them home and punish them for that they haue proudlye set themselues against thee and thy people Verse 3. Lorde howe long shall the wicked this hée speaketh not as though hée would prescribe GOD a time but as praying that the rage and power of the wicked might not continue long howe long shall the wicked hée repeateth the same wordes not onely to set out the great cruelty and pride of the vngodly but to expresse also his earnestnesse in prayer triumph vz. in their pride and mirth against thée and thy people and by this manner of speach hée meaneth a certaine kinde of gladnesse full of outrage and boasting as though all thinges were lawfull for wicked men to doe Verse 4. They prate vz. with an open and full mouth not béeing ashamed of their speaches and speake vz. rashly and that without any feare of thy maiesty or modesty towardes men fearcely i. not onely rough and harde things but proudly and presumptuously Sée 1. Samuel 2.3 all the workers of iniquitie i. all they that giue ouer themselues to commit sinne with gréedinesse vaunt them selues vz. in themselues and their transgressions making that a great part as it were of their glorye Verse 5. They smite downe vz by their force and might and that vnto the grounde meaning by this speach all manner of affliction that the wicked laye vpon them thy people i. that people whome thou hast chosen for thine owne and trouble vz. very much with sundry sortes of crosses and afflictions thine heritage i. that people whome thou hast chosen to bée a peculiar inheritaunce vnto thy selfe Sée Psalm 28.9 Verse 6. They slay vz. through extortion rauening and violence the widowe and the straunger i. all manner of persons that euen in curtesie should bee fauoured and murther vz. cruellye and without any remourse of conscience or tendernes of heart the fatherles i. them that bee destitute of helpe and comfort Sée Hosea 14.3 q.d. they in their cruelty and rage spare none Ver. 7. Yet q.d. for all this wickednesse that they commit they say vz. not so much in their woordes as in their perswasion and by their factes Sée Psalm 14.1 Hée meaneth that without any checke or controlement of their owne heartes or woordes they gaue themselues ouer to commit euil casting behind them the feare of God and perswading themselues that hee regarded not thinges done vpon the earth the Lord shal not sée vz. the iniquity and sinne that we commit against him q.d. wee haue meanes to bleare his eyes and to stop vp
for his excellent gouernment and prouidence Verse 13 teacheth that howsoeuer men be corrupted in their iudgements and gouernment yet God is not sée Psal 94. verse 20. Psalme 97 THis Psalme may be diuided into thrée parts Di. In the first is described the greatnesse and excellency of almightye God and and his power From verse 1 to the end of the sixte In the seconde is declared that this power of his is terrible to the wicked and comfortable to the godly whome the Prophet therfore exhorteth to yéeld obedience and thankfulnesse to the Lorde from verse 7 to the end of the Psalme This Psalme hath no Title as sundry both before it and after it haue not likewise and therefore we cannot determine eyther who was the Author of it Se. or when it was penned Certaine it is that the holye Ghost therein purposeth to exhort the faythfull to shew themselues ioifull for the Lordes fauour loue and power towards them Verse 1. The Lord reigneth sée Psalme 93.1 let the earth reioyce i. people inhabiting the earth as Psalme 96.1 q.d. Let the people be excéedingly glad euen in that respecte that the Lordes power beareth a sway Let the multitude of the Iles i. the multitude of people inhabyting the Ilandes be glad vz. for the same cause and occasion Ver. 2. Clouds and darkenesse i. most fearefull and terrible maiestie and power sée Psalm 18.11 And he doth thus describe God that he might more liuely touch mens harts to yéeld him reuerence and honour are round about him i. compasse him in on euery side meaning that he hath both plenty of them and in a readinesse also to performe whatsoeuer pleaseth him righteousnesse i. all vprightnesse and equitie and iudgement i. true and right iudgement and this the holy Ghost addeth as it were to preuent that which the wicked might obiect as though gods power and maiestie were full of iniustice are the foundation of his throne i. are so tied to his kingdom that they can no more be separated from his kingdom then the foundation of his building Vnderstanding by throne the signe of a kingdome the kingdome it selfe and by foundation the straight and narrowe coniunction of iustice and sound iudgement to it Verse 3. There shall goe a fyre before him he vnderstandeth by the word fire the wrath and vengeaunce of God and burne vp his enemies round about i. it shall vtterlye consume those that set themselues agaynst him and that on euerye side before him and behinde him on the lefte hande and on the right hand so that none shall escape Verse 4. His lightninges i. the lightnings that come from him and are sente by his appoyntment gaue lighte vnto the world i. were so great that all the Worlde mighte sée them the earth i. the people dwelling on the earth saw vz. with their bodilye eyes and sensiblye it i. those lightninges one number put for an other and was afrayde vz. of his great power and maiesty whiche appeared therein By this and the thyrde verse before going and the nexte verse following it the holy Ghost myndeth nothing but to shewe the greatnesse of almightye Gods power in so much that nothing though it be neuer so stoute and stéedye is able to stande before it Verse 5. The Mountaynes vz. though they were neuer so greate strong and mighty melted like waxe vz. helde agaynst the fyre or the heate of the Sunne He meaneth by this Metaphor that they quickly consumed at the presence of the Lorde i. so soone as the Lorde gaue some shew of his presence or maiestie at the presence of the Lorde of the whole earth i. of him that ruleth the earth and all thinges therein contayned Verse 6. The Heauens declare his righteousnesse i. euen those thinges whiche are done in the Firmament as fyre hayle thunder lightning the Lorde thereby plaguing the wicked doe sufficientlye declare him to be vpright and iust in all his wayes and all the people vz. of the earth sée i. plainlye and sensiblye perceyue by the thinges done there his glorye i. his great power and mighte In this verse the Prophet mindeth to declare that God is most glorious manifest tokens of whose glory and iustice appeare in the very heauens and are set out before mens eyes to make them without excuse sée Psalme 19.1 Romanes 1 20. Verse 7. Confounded vz. thorowe the mightye power and iudgemente of almightye GOD bée all they vz. of what state or condition soeuer they bee q.d. let them bée confounded and ouerthrowne that serue vz. any manner of waye or with anye sorte of worship grauen Images i. images or pictures made framed and grauen by the hande arte and cunning of man and that glorye i. eyther boaste of or speake of them as to allowe them anye manner of waye in Idols see before Psalme 96 5. Leuiticus 19.4 Worshippe vz. according to the prescripte rule of his worde him vz. onelye all yée Gods i. not only mightye men and Magistrates of the world but all thinges that in the worlde is esteemed as God The Prophet meaning that eyther they shoulde doe it willinglye and of a good mynde or else by constraynt and inforcemente because they coulde not resist his power Verse 8. Sion i. the Church as Psalme 48.11.12 hearde vz. by thy workes and by thy worde of it vz. that goeth before i. the confusion and ouerthrowe of the idolatrers and was gladde vz. for the iust execution of thy iudgementes vppon them and the Daughters of Iudah i. not onely the Cittyes and Townes of that Lande in whiche sence you shall sundrye tymes haue the worde Daughters taken but the people inhabiting the same places meaning notwithstadding the particular members of the Church reioyced i. were excéedinglye glad because of thy iudgementes O Lord vz. executed vppon the wicked and vngodlye by whiche also it hath pleased thée to prouide for their deliueraunce and safetie Verse 9. For thou Lord vz. alone arte moste high aboue all the earth i. arte greater in power and mighte then all thinges in the earth because that they whatsoeuer they be are subiecte to thy authoritie and power Thou arte muche exalted vz. in thy iustice and iudgementes aboue all Gods sée Psalme 95 3. Verse 10. Yée that loue the Lorde vz. indéede vnfeignedlye and with a good hearte hate i. detest and abhorre from the bottome of youre hartes sée Romanes 12.9 Euill i. whatsoeuer is sinne and transgression before him or inclining that waye sée 1. Thessalonians 5.22 hée preserueth i. God mayntayneth defendeth and kéepeth the soules i the life and whole person of his Sayntes i. of those whome hee hath framed to holynesse and inflamed with the loue thereof hée will deliuer them i. set them safe and sounde from the hande i. from the cruell power and outrage of the wicked vz. that séeke to destroy them Verse 11. Lighte i. ioye prosperitie and eternall blessednesse Sée Ester 8 16. as by the contrarye vz. darkenesse is signifyed myserye is sowne
the person from the second to the thirde sendeth vz. by his eternall appoyntment and power the springs into the valleyes the Prophet meaneth that by Gods decree and appoyntment the fountaines and springes keepe their course euen in those places that he hath assigned them that is in the vales and lenelles of the lande which vz. fountaines or springes runne betwéene the mountaines q.d. not withstanding that they séeme to bee little thinges yet God doeth sometimes so increase them that they rise as high as some part of the mountaines This serueth to set out Gods power in the ordinarye gouernement euen of his creatures also Ver. 11. They i. the waters and springes shall giue drink vz. in great plenty and abundance to all the beastes of the fielde vz. so that not one of any kinde shal bee excepted and hee speaketh rather of beastes then of men the better to set out the grace of GOD not only in that he prouideth for bruite beastes but also in that hee giueth them which drinke more then men such great abundaunce of it and the wilde asses shall quench their thirst q.d. euen the beastes that drinke most by reason of their heate shall not onely be satisfied but leaue abundaunce beside of the wilde asse Sée Iob. 39. ver 8.9 10.11 Ver. 12. By these springes vz. spoken of before shall the foules of the heauen i. the birdes of the ayre heauen put for the aire Sée Matth. 6.26 dwell i. abide and continue and that with delight which hée expresseth afterwardes and shall sing vz. for ioy and pleasure that they shall take therein among the braunches vz. of the trees that stande along by the riuers sides Ver. 13. He i. God watereth the mountaines i. powreth downe abundance of waters vppon the mountaines so that by reason of the rayne which he sendeth hee maketh the mountaines otherwise barren very fruitfull from his chambers i. from the cloudes which are sayde to bee Gods chambers because it séemeth to vs that the Lorde dwelleth in and aboue them so that chambers is taken in an other sense here then in verse 3. of this Psalme and the earth i. the whole worlde so that there is no part exempted no nor no creature either man or beast as may appeare by that which followeth in this Psalme is filled vz. plentifully and in very great abundaunce with the fruite of thy workes i. with those fruites which by thy workes thou doest graciously minister vnto them which fruites also through thy blessing and commaundement the earth it selfe doth yéeld And marke the sodaine chaunge of the person from the thirde to the second Ver. 14. Hée i. God causeth vz. by his almighty power as the first cause and by rayne and dewe from heauen as the seconde cause grasse to growe vz. vppon the earth for the cattle i. for the vse of cattle that it may bee meate vnto them and herb i. euerye gréene thing sée Genesis 1 29. for the vse of man i. for man to vse eyther necessarily or of pleasure that he vz. man being strengthened by the vse of the hearbes trées c. may bring forth vz. by his ordinary labour and trauayle bread though the Prophet meane it principally of bread yet he vnderstandeth also thereby all manner of sustenaunce out of the earth vz. laboured and tilled in the sweat of mans face Gen. 3.18.19 Immanuel readeth the latter part of the ver thus that they i. both man beast reading it in the plural number may fet meat out of the earth i. may haue al maner of food ministred vnto them out of the earth for the maintaynaunce of their life whatsoeuer it be all commeth to one end vz. to shew that God by his power doth this and doth that Verse 15. And wine vz. God giueth that maketh glad the hart of man i. maketh mans hart to reioyce when it is striken downe with heauinesse sée Prouerb 31.6.7 and oyle to make the face to shine i. to make him séeme to haue a merry and chearefull countenaunce he speaketh this according to the manner of those hote countries wherein men vsed with sauours and oyntmentes both to strengthen and refresh themselues and bread vz. he giueth also vnderstanding by bread as before verse 14 that strengtheneth mans hart i. whiche is a good meane to ad strength and courage to a mans stomach And mark the Prophets course he sheweth in this place that God plentifullye giueth vnto all his creatures and namely vnto man not only life but al thinges necessary for the maintaynaunce thereof Whether they be thinges necessary as breade and foode or profitable as wine and drinke or seruing to pleasure delighte or comlinesse of the body as oyle and oyntments c. Verse 16. The high Trées he passeth from men to trées shewing that euen Gods power and prouidence also watcheth ouer them are satisfyed vz. with moysture dew and rayne sent from the Lord to make them grow and increase euen the Cedars of Lebanon sée Psalme 29 5. which he hath planted i. which the Lord himselfe hath caused to grow which sort of Trees must néedes excell them that are set by Art Verse 17. That the birdes vz. of the Woods and Forrests yea the very foules of heauen may make their neasts there vz. in those trées because they are so great high and mighty The Prophet doth not meane only as I take it that God ordeyned the Trées to this end that birdes might build their neasts therin but also to shew the greatnesse of Gods power in creating such great trées as are able to receiue the Fowles of the ayre the storke dwelleth in the Firre trées he meaneth not only that they build their neasts there for their yong ones but also haue as it were their continuall abode Verse 18. The high Mountaynes vz. otherwise barren and bare are yet notwithstanding good and profitable are for the Goates vz. good to féede on and to liue in the Rockes are a refuge for the Conies vz. to kéepe them safe in as it were from al distresse and feare Verse 19. He vz. God appoynted vz. by the order which he himselfe set in creation the Moone i. that glorious and excellent creature for certayne seasons i. not only to distinguish the night from the day and other times spoken of Gene. 1.14 c. as monethes yéeres c. but also for some principall feastes obserued in the lawe and the sunne i. that other great and excellent creature knoweth vz. by the boundes and orders which God hath set out his going downe i. in what part it shoulde set according to the seuerall quarters of the yéere Verse 20. Thou makest darkenesse i. thou causest darkenes to come in an ordinarye course And not as though GOD did euery night make newe darkenesse for hee did once create the same Gene. 1.2 to continue as the rest of his creatures and it is night i. night commeth presently for none is able to let or withstande it wherein i. in
aduāced Ioseph Israel i. Iaakob al his people for he putteth the principal man of the familye for the whole came to Egipt vz. not only to sée Ioseph but also to tary abide there sée Gen. 46.1 c. Iaakob i. he and his posterity was a stranger i. dwelt soiorned as a stranger in the land of Ham i. in Egipt which is called the land of Ham because they came of Ham Noahs secōd son as appeareth Gen. 10.6 sée before Psal 78 51. ver 27. of this Psal Ver. 24. And for this word read where then the sence wil be more plaine he i. God increased vz. thorow his especial blessing his people vz. of Israel excéedingly vz. into an infinit multitude number in respect of them wch went down into Egipt and made them stronger vz. both in power might then their oppressors i. then the Egyptians who oppressed them by reason of their multitude increasing of thē stood in feare of thē sée for this Exod. 1.7 8 c. Ver. 25. He vz. God turned their harts i. the harts of the posterity of the king and the people of Egipt as appeareth also Exod. 1.8 c. to that his people wheras their predecessors loued fauored the and to deale craftily he meaneth by this spéech the subtil wicked cruel deuises that the Egiptians had to kéepe the people of Israel vnder mentioned Exod. 1. ver 8 10 11 c. with his seruants i. with those whom the Lord had chosen called to serue him These spéeches in outward shew séeme to make god the author and cause of sinne but we must note that the Prophet meaneth not any such thing thereby but to declare that in that the Egiptians hated and dealt cruelly with the children of Israel it was not don without Gods prouidēce counsel yet so that the roote séed of malice corruption and cruelty was wholy in the Egyptians and that no péece of fault could therfore be ascribed to God Ver. 26. Then i. when the Egiptians did deale so wickedly and cruelly agaynst his people sent he vz. of mercy and goodnes pittying their misery Moses his seruaunt i. that excellent man whom he had appoynted to serue his turne in the deliuery of his people and Aaron whom he had chosen vz. to go with Moses and to be his mouth in that great busines sée for this matter Exod. chapt 3 4 thorowout Ver. 27. They i. Moses Aaron shewed vz. by the power that God had giuen them and according to his commaundement among them i the Egiptians and the Israelits both but chéefely the Egiptians the message of his signes euident demonstrations and proofes that the signs and wonders wch they wrought they did by his power not otherwise and wonders i. wonderful things meaning that they did them a particular resitall wherof followeth in the next verses in the land of Ham i. in Egipt sée before verse 23 of this Psalme Verse 28. Hée i. God true it is that it may be referred to Moses or God but I rather vnderstand it of God without whom Moses could do nothing and by whom alone Moses was inabled to do that which he did sent darkenesse vz. amongst the Egyptians and made it darke i. made the whole land darke so that nothing in it could behold any light sée this story Exod. 10.21 where you shall finde it to bee one of the last plagues though here the Psalmist reckon it vp first by which we sée that the holy Ghost is not greatly curious of order and they i. as some think Moses and Aaron othersome vnderstand it of the signs and wonders were not disobediēt to his cōmission i. they did perform those things which he had enioined and laid vpon thē It is not much material whether we refer it to the men or to the signes but I had rather refer it to the wonders themselues q.d. They did readily performe that which god had enioyned they were not vneffectual but were performed euen as Moses had sayd Ver. 29. Hee i. God by the ministery of his seruant Moses turned their waters i. the waters of the Egiptians into blood so that they could not drink thē and slew their fish vz. which were in the waters sée Exod. 7 20 21 Ver. 30. Their lād i. Egipt brought forth frogs vz. in great abūdance and multitude and that by gods specyal appointmēt euē in their kings chambers q.d. there was no place frée from thē Kings is here a word of the plurall number whiche we must not vnderstande as though Egypt had many Kinges for wee knowe it had but one but he meaneth thereby eyther the King and the Nobles of his kingdome who ioyned with him were as it were little Kinges or else the Kinges children who were nourished and brought vp in the hope of the kingdome Sée this more largely set out Exodus 8 verse 5 6 c. Ver. 31. Hee spake q.d. The Lord made not much adoe to plague Egypt for euen as soone as hee spake any thing it was performed and there came vz. immediately being sente from God swarmes of Flyes i. wonderfull abundaunce so that men could not say it was naturall and the word which we turne swarmes of Flies doth in déede signifye troupes of all sortes of creatures which serued also to make the myracle so much the more straunge and lice vz. hee sente and that in greate store and aboundaunce in all their quarters i. in all the quarters of the land of Egypt sée Exodus 8 verse 17 c. vnto the end of the chapeer Verse 32. he gaue them haile for raine i. wheras by reason of the drouth of the country they did much desire rain the Lord gaue them in stéed therof terrible fearful hail and flames of fire vz. sent frō heauen in their land i made manifest in the land wherin they dwelt sée Exod. 9 23 24 c. Ver. 33. He smote their vines also their fig trées vz. with that haile thunder lightning c. sent from heauen and brake down vz. euen to péeces the trées in their coasts i. the trées that were in al the coasts and quarters of their country fée Exod. 9 25. Ver. 34. He spake i. so soone as he spake sée verse 31 of this Psalme and the grashoppers came vz. in great number sent from him caterpillers innumerable vz. to destroy the fruit that the Grashoppers had left Ver. 35. And did eate vp vz. the grashoppers caterpillers did euen consume and deuour al the gras i. al the gréen and flourishing things that were sprouted forth in their land i. in the land of Egipt and deuoured the fruit of their ground i. did also consume and wast the fruit that their ground yéelded sée Exod. 10 13 14 c. Ver. 36. Hée smote also vz. in his wrath and anger and that not with pain and sicknesse only but euen with death all the first born in the land
in that he beginneth with them he doth not only closely as it were reproue them for their vnthankfulnesse because that whereas they are more bound to God then others by reason the greater benefits they haue receaued from him and yet notwithstanding they are more slow to doe their dutie in this behalfe vnlesse they be wonderfully prouoked and pricked on forward defrauding God by that meanes of the praise which is due vnto him supposing that the world was made only for them but also secretly telleth thē their dutie to wit that they should go before others in the performance of that great office for the more that any hath receaued and in the offices of his exaltation draweth nigh to God the more is he bound to serue him and to magnify the riches of his grace and al people vz. of the world of what nation country or kinred soeuer they be princes and all iudges of the world i. al that haue the matters of state or publike iustice committed vnto them Ver. 12. Yong men and maids old men and children the particular recitall of the distinction of ages and sexes which the Prophet vseth in this verse doth sufficiently declare that all without exception should imploy themselues in the seruice praysing of God And these two words virgins children import an amplifying as it were of the matter q.d. yea let virgins which are not so well instructed as the male kind is and let children which are not so skilfull as the old sort are performe this dutie of praise vnto the Lord. Ver. 13. Let them vz. altogether both heauenly and earthly reasonable and vnreasonable but chéefely the reasonable creatures laste rehearsed verse 11 12. prayse the name of the Lorde i. his goodnesse power and might for his name only is to be exalted vz. in the songes and prayses of his peoples meaning that none is worthy of prayse in respect of himselfe but he alone sée Psalme 145 3. and his praise aboue the earth and the heauens i. he is to be praysed more then the heauens or the earth or else his prayse is so great that neither the heauens nor the earth nor all thinges therein contayned are able sufficiently to expresse it and this is the firste reason why they should prayse him taken from the excellēcy of Gods own maiestie Ver. 14. For he vz. alone hath exalted vz. by his power and mighte the borne of his people i. their strength for so haue we had the word horne vsed sundry times heretofore meaning that God aduaunced his Churche both into great strength and dignity which vz. exaltation and lifting vp of their glory and strength is a prayse to all his saints i. tendeth not only to their glory and prayse but also offreth them a plentifull occasion to prayse and magnifie his name by reason of the grace which he hath shewed them For the worde Saints sée Psalme 145 10. euen for the children of Israell i. euen for the true and right Israelites and this is an other terme proper and peculiar to Gods sonnes and seruaunts a people that is nere vnto him vz. by the reason of the couenant which God hath made with them in the person of Abraham and confirmed in his sonne Christ and thus he doth more and more specifie the people who haue most singular occasion to praise him praise yee the Lorde sée Psal 146 in the end Do. One generall doctrine is offred in this Psalme from ver 1. to the end of the 10. vz. that if all Gods creatures in the dutie and by the right of their creation are bound to praise God in their kind much more man for whose sake all the creatures were made that are made An other generall doctrine wee may gather out of verse 2. that if Angels must be put in mind of the performance of this dutie men had much more néede to be remembred and not only so but to bee pricked and prouoked forward thereto Verse 5 being a generall inference vpon the particular premisses doth playnly proue that Angels as well as other things were created and that therefore that is a dotage of some to thinke that they were without beginning and withall it plainlye and sufficientlye ouerthroweth the dreame of the Sadduces who did thinke that there was neither Angell nor spirit Verse 6 teacheth vs that not one of the creatures nor all the creatures can go beyonde the boundes which God hath set them in his eternall decrée Verse 8 teacheth vs that al gods creatures are but instruments to execute that which God will haue them to doe Verse 11 teacheth vs that as Kings are the highest so they should be the first and examples to others in the seruice of God Verse 12 teacheth vs that no age or sexe can or should be exempted from the sincere worship and seruice of God Ver. 13. teacheth vs that as God onely is to be praysed so he is only to be prayed vnto because praise and prayer belong onlye vnto him alone Verse 14 teacheth vs first that al the glory and strength which the church hath it hath it from God secondly that God neuer bestoweth benefit vpon the Churche but that it becommeth the same aboue all others to bée thankfull to God for it Psalme 149 THis psalme may bee deuided into two partes Di. In the first hee exhorteth the faithfull to praise God for his great grace and mercie bestowed vpon them from Ver. i. to the end of the 4. In the second he prouoketh them to prayse him for the strength and power which he gaue them to subdue their enemies from Ver. 5. to the end of the psalme The title is expounded before Psalme 148. Se. in sundrie other places Ver. 1. Singe yee vz. which are his sonnes and seruantes vnto the Lord vz. your God a newe song i. a singular and excelent song by reason of an vnacustomed benefite which you haue receaued from the Lord. sée Psalme 33.3 also psalme 144.9 let his praise i. songes and Psalmes made vnto his praise be heard vz. openlie and painelie in the congregation of saincte i. in his Church this is an excelent description of the Church for saincts sée Psalme 148.14 Ver. 2. Let Israell i. the Church of God and faithfull people sée Psalme 147.19 also 148.14 reioyce vz. excedinglie and with an vnfeyned ioye in him that made him i. in God and hee meaneth it not here of the generall creation onely but also of their frée adoption by which they were chosen seperated from all mankinde to be a peculiar people to God which was as it were a newe creation and let the children of Sion i. the faithfull members of the Church sée Psalme 146.10 and 147.12 reioyce vz. as before in this verse in their king i. either in Dauid and so by consequent in Christ because Dauid was but a figure of him or els in God whom the faithfull many times call their king as Psalme 5.2 and this latter do I rather allowe
prepare arrowes for the persecutors i. those that with him doe persecute me ver 14. Behold q.d. notwithstanding all this he shall trauaile with wickednesse but yet he shal not be able to bring forth i. to worke that which he hath deuised for he hath conceaued vz. in his vnderstanding mischiefe vz. agaynst me but he shall bring forth a lie i. such a thing as shal deceaue him of his expectation and hope which he doth more particulerly and plainly declare in the next verse Ver. 15. by which and the 16. he noteth that all the mischiefes that the vngodly deuised agaynst the good and all the daungers that they thought to take the godly in shal light vpon themselues and they themselues be taken therewith ver 17. hath this meaning q.d. Propheta When I shall sée Gods iudgements vpon the wicked and his mercy in deliuering me I wil prayse him according to his righteousnesse he meaneth not so much as Gods righteousnesse i. his faythfull kéeping and performing of promises deserueth but rather noteth the cause that God hath giuen to prayse him for and by name in this verse he meaneth the excellent power maiestie of God which then appeareth when he ouerthroweth his enemies and deliuereth his owne ver 1. Trust and confidence in God Do. is alwaies necessary in them that pray to him also we learne to pray for deliuerance from our persecutours ver 2. describeth the cruel and subtill nature of the wicked ver 3. Sheweth that many of Gods children may stand vpō their innocencie to menward though not before God ver 4. Teacheth that we should ouercome euil with wel doing ver 6. Sheweth that we may sometimes pray against some enemies of the Church it teacheth this also to make Gods promises general or particular the ground of our prayers ver 8 Teacheth that when men wil not iudge rightly we may by prayer defer our causes to him that hath no respect of persons ver 9. that we shoulde pray for the direction and prosperitie of Gods people also that nothing no not the secret thoughts of our hearts can be hid from God ver 10. Teacheth two things 1. that we ought to hang vppon God 2. the fauour and loue hée beareth towards thē that sincerely feare him ver 11. Sheweth that God wil not the death of sinners in that he vseth so many meanes to bring them to amendmend ver 12. 13. Declare what mischieuous mindes the wicked carry towarde the godly and what meanes they wil worke to accomplish their naughtines ver 14.15.16 Shew the god shal ouerthrow al their purposes and practises so that good cause we haue to hang vpon him and litle cause to feare the other seeing that their deuises passe into smoke ver 17. Teacheth vs to thanke God either for the destruction of the wicked or the deliuerance of the good Psalme 8 Di. THis Psalme hath principally two partes In the first the Prophet sheweth that the excellent power and prouidence of almightie God may appeare in many his creatures as namely in the heauens and the things therin contained and this is comprehended in the three first verses But specially it is to be seene in man whose excellency in respect of his first creation the Prophet doth wonderfully extol From ver 4. to the end of the Psalme And this is the second part thereof The title of this Psalm hath bene expounded before al sauing this word Gittith which I take to be instruments the custody whereof was committed to Obed Edom the Gittith and to his familie or kinred that came of him of whom you may read 2. Samuel 6.10.11 ver 1. name put for power maiestie as Psal 7.17 q.d. O Lorde howe great doth the whole earth shew thy power to be which hast set thy glory aboue the heauens q.d. not onely the earth but the heauens also declare thy glory as Psal 19.1 Yea he meaneth further by these spéeches that though gods glory appeare in heauen and earth yet notwithstanding hee is infinite in maiestie and glory because his glory is farre aboue the highest heauens vers 2. Hast thou ordained strength i. thou hast strongly established vz. thy prouidence and power q.d. besides the earth and the heauens wee haue very infants preachers of thy power and goodnes and so doth our sauiour vnderstand it Mat. 12.16 Because of thine enemies i. thou hast done this that they thereby might bee confounded that thou mightest stil the enemie i. stoppe his mouth in such sort that he should haue nothing to say and the auenger he that reuengeth his own cause and leaueth not vengeance to the Lord to whom alone it belongeth Rom. 12.19 Who by their facts sheweth that they are perswaded that God careth not for mens matters or else would they neuer so violently breake into his office ver 3. The heauens are called gods both because he made them and also because he gouerneth there and they are as it were his dwelling place the worke of thy fingers i. which thou thy self hast most exactly and perfectly made the moone and the starres Hee particularly reciteth some of the heauenly creatures which thou hast ordeined vz. to bee there to giue light and to keepe their ordinary courses ver 4. That thou art mindfull of him vz. to shewe fauour and loue towardes him or the sonne of man i. his posterity here hee speaketh generally of all comparing man with the rest of the creatures sée Eccle. 1.3.4.5.6.7 that thou shouldest visit him i. haue regarde and consideration of him ver 5. For thou hast made him a litle lower then God Here hee speaketh of GOD in the first place in the second person in the second place in the third person the Apostle Heb. 2.6 expoundeth or translateth in thus Thou hast made him a litle inferiour to the Angels both in this place and in that of the Hebrewes the meaning is that the Lord gaue vnto men in this life a certaine angelicall and heauenly excellencie and crowned him i. Thou hast decked him as it were with a crowne with glory and worshippe some referre this to the mynde and reasonable soule of a man by whiche hee doeth not onely differ from beastes but draweth nigh to the heauenly nature I doe not onely stretch it so farre but vnderstand thereby also the dominion and Lordshippe that the Lorde hath giuen to him ouer all his creatures which followeth ver 6. In the woorkes i. ouer the works of thine hands i. which thou thy selfe hast made all thinges vnder his féete i. made thē subiect vnto him this was true in Adam by creatiō it is verified also in our sauiour as may appeare Heb. 2. We lost it by Adams fall but we haue it in part restored againe vnto vs by Christ in our regeneration ver 7. He doth particularise the general time all in the 6. verse Ver. 8. and that which passeth through the paths of the sea Hee meaneth the whale and other great fishes which make a smooth
haue laide snares in my way to trappe me as I go that I may thereby fall into their daunger and this latter I rather allowe of and my soule i. my life and body as sundry times before is pressed down vz. with their cruelty and mine owne misery the Prophet meaneth by this manner of speach the great daunger that hee was in They haue digged a pit before me i. they haue craftely deuised wayes and meanes to intrappe mee and that in the way as I should walke for I thinke that by laying of nets digging of pits the Prophet meaneth to note their subtilty and are fallē into the middest of it i. the mischiefe and hurt which they had prepared against mee is light vpon their owne heads sée Psal 7.15.16 Ver. 7. My heart is prepared O God my heart is prepared by doubling the speach the Prophet noteth not onely how ready he was but also howe resolute a purpose he carried with him to praise God and when he speaketh of the heart hee setteth it against hypocrites who haue nothing in their hart but all in their mouthes sée ver 1. of this Psalme I will sing vz. thy prayses and by singing he meaneth that he would publish them aloud with his tongue as well as haue them in his heart and giue prayse vz. to thee that art worthy all praise Verse 8. Awake my tongue hee stirreth vp the partes and members of his body to a certain liuelines and praysing the Lord sée Psalm 16.9 Awake viall and harp the better to inforce himself to this great duety he addeth certaine musicall instruments sée Psal 32.2 also Psal 43.4 I will awake earely vz. in the morning q. d. I will not be sluggish to praise GOD yea I will breake my sleepe rather then fayle that duety Ver. 9. The Prophet meaneth that hee will spreade abroade the prayses of God in all places and to all persons among whomsoeuer hee shall come and no doubt but in spirite hee did foresée the vocation of the gentiles who were to bee called to the knowledge of God Ver. 10. For thy mercy is great vnto the heauens and thy trueth vnto the cloudes i. thy goodnes and faithfulnes fulfil the whole worlde so that all people in euery place vnder heauen knowe thee to be mercifull and true in thy promises Ver. 11. Is the same with ver 5. both in wordes and meaning in which the Prophet beséecheth the Lord to declare his power not onely in the country of Iudea but also to exercise his iudgement throughout the whole world in succouring the innocent and in punishing the wicked Ver. 1. Teacheth vs in all our prayers to cleaue to Gods mercy Do. and not to our merits it instructeth vs also in our distresses and at all other times to hang vpon his great power and wonderful prouidence Ver. 2. Gods power Gods promise are two very good grounds of our prayers Ver. 3. Teacheth vs to bee assured to obtaine those things that wee shall aske according to his will Ver. 4. Setteth out the cruelty outrage and wonderful bitternes both of word and heart that the wicked haue Ver. 5. Teacheth vs to pray for the manifestation of Gods iustice and glory Ver. 6. Describeth the mischieuous subtilty of the wicked against the vngodly into which notwithstanding through Gods iust iudgement they themselues do fal Ver. 7. Teacheth to bee ready and willing to praise God Ver. 8. Teacheth vs to inforce al the parts and members of our body thereto and to vse al holy meanes either inwarde or outward wherby we may be prouoked to the performance of that duty Ver. 9. Teacheth vs neuer to be ashamed to do it in euery place and before all persons that other men may be drawne by our examples to do the like Ver. 10. Declareth for what causes wee shoulde praise God vz. for his mercy and for his faythfulnes Ver. 11. Is the same with verse 5. of this Psalme both in sense doctrine Psalme 58. THis Psalme may be diuided into two parts Di In the first hee declareth that the wicked are not onely frée from al goodnes but replenished on the other side with all maner of corruption and vngodlines and this reacheth from ver 1. to the ende of the fift In the second he maketh an earnest praier against the wicked shewing that in their ouerthrow the godly shall haue an occasion of mirth giuen them and other men shal be instructed in the iustice and righteousnes of God and this reacheth from ver 6. to the end of the Psalme Se. The title of this Psalme is expounded before Psal 57. Ver. 1. Is it true vz. that yee pretend and speake that yee speake iustly and deale vprightly q.d. no. For by such interrogations they doe certainely deny the thing O congregation hee speaketh no doubt of Sauls counsellers and courtiers against whom he inueigheth here speake ye iustly vz. concerning me my causes or do ye not rather for Sauls pleasure flatter him and flaunder me O sonnes of men sée this expounded before Psal 4.2 Iudge ye vprightly vz. of me and my matters q.d. no. The sense of this verse together is this much Hee directeth this speach to his enemies who were of Sauls court and counsell as if he should say thus I make you iudges whether vnder the shadowe of assembling your selues to consult for the common wealth and for a good iust matter you go not about to oppresse me that am innocent guiltlesse Ver. 2. Yea rather q.d. yee are so farre from that that yee execute the contrary in your heart i. secretly and priuily your handes execute cruelty the Prophet chargeth them with two thinges here first diuising of wickednes then practising and performing of the same by hand he meaneth not only the power they had to worke wickednes but that they thēselues with their owne hands were the executioners of the cruelty they had deuised sée Micah 2.1 vppon the earth i. vpon the people inhabiting the earth meaning also by this manner of speach that their cruelty was manifest as being séene and felt of men Ver. 3. The wicked in this verse the other following he setteth out the cause why Sauls courtiers commit al these things first by reason of the natural corruptiō which is in them maketh them to goe astray from God secondly because they carry with thē a fetled purpose to al maner of euil and wil not be reclaimed from it by any meanes Are straungers vz. from God and godlines as with whom they haue no maner of acquaintance at al frō the wombe vz. of their mother euen from the belly vz. of their mother haue they erred to wit from the right way of holines goodnes q.d. it is not to bee marueiled at that they are so wicked for it is no new thing because they haue had it euē from their birth Ver. 4. Their poison i. the malice of their harts and the mischieuous wordes that they vtter like the
and confusion that should fal vpon them that séeke mine hurt i. that indeuour to do me mischéefe Ver. 14. But I wil wait i. looke for help succour from thée and that in hope and patience and wil praise thée more and more vz. because thou ministrest more and more arguments of prayse vnto me by the particular delyuerances that thou doest bestow vpon me Verse 15. My mouth shall daylye rehearse i. continually speake of thy righteousnes i. that righteousnesse which thou exercisest towards the vngodly in punishing them and thy saluation i. the helpe and deliuerance that thou performest to thine when they are oppressed Some stretch the word righteousnesse further as that it should comprehēd also Gods assured goodnesse in sauing his and that he ioineth thē both together because we can not else where be certainly assured but in this that in as much as God is iust and righteous he maintaineth those that are his for I knowe not the number that word for would better be rendred though for here is a modest correction of his former spéech q.d. I wil declare vnspeakeable thinges not according to their excellency but according to the slender abilitie that thou hast bestowed vpon me I will doe my indeuour to set forth thy iustice and saluation though I must néedes confesse that thy iudgements exercised vpon the wicked and thy mercies towards thy children neyther are knowne to me neither can I reckon them sée Psal 40.5 Verse 16. I wil go forward q.d. notwithstanding that great difficultie before alleaged that I know not the number yet I will procéede to speake of them and that in the strength of the Lord God i. assisted and ayded with strength and abilitie from him to the performaunce thereof which I am not able to doe of my selfe and wil make mention i. speake of with my mouth and lippes as before Ver. 15. euen of thine only vz. and of no others q.d. that is sufficient more then I can doe Ver. 17. O god thou hast taught me vz. by thy iudgements vpon others thy benefites towards me he meaneth that God had instructed him in his iustice and in his saluation by those meanes and had giuen him plaine demonstrations and euident proofes thereof and that from his youth i. from the time of his birth as ver 6. of this Psalme therfore I will tell i. speake openly and fréely of thy wondrous workes i. in respect of man as Psal 40.5 Verse 18. Yea euen vnto mine old age and gray head i. euen vntill I come to be very olde vsing graye head or heares a signe of great age for old age it selfe as Leuit. 19.32 Gen. 42.38 This verse may either be ioyned to that that goeth before as it is in the Geneua text with a comma q.d. thou hast taught me from my youth vntil now yea euen vntill that I am very aged or else read by it selfe thus taking away the colon in the middle of this verse thus yea euen vnto mine old age gray head forsake me not q.d. as thou hast continued mercifull and fauourable to me heretofore so I pray thee leaue me not till I come euen to extremity of old age as it were yea euen vntil I haue declared c. as it followeth in this verse and this reading and sence I do approue as most fit vntil I haue declared i. made manifest and set out both by déedes and wordes thine arme i. the moste great workes and mightie power and so is it expounded in the wordes following vnto this generation vz. whiche is yet present and aliue that shall come vz. after these meaning that he would labour to publish it to posterity Verse 19. I will exalt on high i. greatly prayse the same because thou hast giuen me particular triall thereof for thou hast done great thinges i. thou alone without the helpe and assistaunce of any other O God who is like vnto thée vz. either amongst the gods as Psal 86 8. or else in heauen and earth as psa 73.25 and this question sheweth that none is any manner of waye comparable with him Verse 20. Which hast shewed me i. madest me to sée and féele great troubles and aduersities vz. both inwardly and outwardly but thou wilte returne vz. from afflicting me to thy accustomed loue and fauour as Psal 6.4 and reuiue me who was it were almost dead thorow sorrow and gréef q.d. thou wilt refresh me and as it were call me back from death to life and wilte come agayne vz. after this departure and long absence of thine from me and take me vp vz. safe and sound from the depth of the earth i. from very great troubles and extreme daungers Verse 2. Thou wilt increase mine honour which by the conspiracye and rebellion of my sonne Absalon was for a time layd as it were in the dust sée Psalme 3.3 and returne vz. vnto me being pleased with me againe and comfort me vz. with that comfort that belongeth to thine which none can take from them Verse 22. Therefore will I prayse thée he concludeth with promise of thanksgiuing q.d. I will not be vnthankful to thée for thy mercies though I cannot be so thākful as I should or would for thy faithfulnesse i. iust performaunce of thy promises made to me vpon instrument and viol he alludeth to the maner of that age prescribeth not a rule for vs vnder the gospell as some imagine O holy one of Israel i. O God as Psal 8.41 Now he is called the holy one of Israel because that all the sanctification that either that people or his Church haue they haue it from that one alone who sanctifieth al those that be his Verse 23. My lippes will reioyce when I sing vnto thée the Prophet in these wordes expresseth the greate delight that not only his lippes but that al the parts and members of his outward man shall take in praysing the Lord by lips one part vnderstanding all the rest and my soule i. his inward affection al that is within him as Psal 103 ◠which thou hast deliuered vz. from most dangerous distresses yea from death it self Ver. 24. My tongue also shal talk of thy righteousnesse daylye i. I wil inforce my seife continually to speake of thy righteousnesse sée verse 15.17 of this Psalme for they are confounded and brought vnto shame that séeke my hurt sée Psalme 70.2 also verse 13. of this Psalme Verse 1. Teacheth vs to hang vpon God only Do. how great soeuer our gréefes and daungers be Ver. 2. Teacheth that Gods faithful promises made vnto vs or performed vnto vs ought to be the grounds of our supplications prayers Ver. 3. Setteth out what great care God hath ouer his people and what safetie and assuraunce they are in that be vnder his protection Ver. 4. Teacheth vs to pray for deliueraunce from mischieuous men and cruell persons Ver. 5. Teacheth vs that God must be trusted vnto and hong vpon al the dayes of our life
the middest of iudgements which fall vppon others they are safely deliuered Ver. 54. Sheweth that the Lord is faithful in all his promises accomplishing the same the same is taught also in Ver. 55. Which serueth wonderfully to the strengthening of our faith Ver. 56. Setteth out the nature of desperate wicked ones who neither for gods heauy iudgements executed vpon others nor for his mercies bestowed vppon them are any whit at all bettered Ver. 57. Teacheth that euill children treade in the steppes many times of their euill fathers and therefore fathers not so much to be stickt to Verse 58. Teacheth that idolatrie and idoles do greatly prouoke Gods wrath against them that make vse allowe or maintaine the same Ver. 59. Sheweth that all sinne is naked before God also that out sinnes seperate betwéene God and vs which is confirmed also in the 60. verse following Verse 61. Teacheth that sinne bringeth in the subuersion of religion as it were Verse 62. Sheweth that sinne also destroyeth the politique state Verse 63 6â— Declare that God in the execution of his iudgements spareth no persons or condition that hath transgressed Ver. 65. Declareth that God will not alwaies afflict his children and let his enemies triumph ouer them Verse 66. Setteth out Gods iudgementes vppon the enemies of his people Verse 67. Sheweth that for the exercises of his seruice and worship is not tyed to men or places Verse 68. Teacheth that looke what place or what manner God appointeth for his worship that ought onely to bee obserued Verse 69. Setteth out the excellency and perpetuity as it were of the Church Verse 70. Teacheth that God chuseth not as man chuseth the great but the weake and feeble persons to the ende that all the glory might bée giuen vnto him Sée 1. Corinth 1.26.27 c. Verse 71. Doeth excellently describe the duety of godly and faithfull Magistrates Verse 72. Teacheth all by Dauids example painefully and wisely to trauaile in the offices castinges and places that the Lorde setteth them in Psalme 79. THis Psalme Di. being a pitifull discription of the miseries which Gods Church indured may as séemeth to mée bee diuided into thrée partes In the first the faithfull set out the great outrage and crueltie of their enemies and the distresses that they were in from verse 1. to the ende of the 4. In the second is conteyned an earnest prayer that they make as for their owne deliueraunce so for the ouerthrow of the wicked from verse 5. to the end of the 8. verse In the thirde they alleadge certaine reasons as it were to moue the Lord to take pity vpon them promising prayse and thankesgiuing to the Lorde for their deliueraunce and this reacheth from verse 9. to the ende of the Psalme The title hath béene sundry times expounded before and namely Psal 50. Se. Verse 1. O God the heathen either the Babylonians or Assyrians Sée 2. Chronic. 36.17.18.19 or else the people that came with Antiochus who marueilously prophaned the temple as appeareth 1. Machab. 1.46.47 c. also in Ioseph Antiq. Iudais lib. 12. cap. 7. For of both these it may bée vnderstood are come vz. with outrage and cruelty into thine inheritaunce i. the lande of Canaan afterwardes called the lande of Iudah or Israel and as a principall part of that lande the Citie of Ierusalem which GOD also had chosen to be the place of his aboade Thy holye temple vz. which was at Ierusalem and was called holy because the holy GOD gaue testimonies of his presence there and because holy exercises were vsed there haue they desiled both by spoyling it sheadding blood in it and by bringing into it all prophane and wicked thinges contrary to the lawe Sée the places before noted and mâ—â—e Ierusalem heapes of stones i. haue defaced the buildinges thereof and pulled downe the walles hee meaneth by this speach a great and pitiful ruine to beholde Verse 2. The dead bodyes of thy seruantes vz. which were slayne by the rage and cruelty of their enemies yeelding a constant confession to thy trueth and withstanding their pollutions haue they giuen to bée meate vnto the foules of heauen i. they haue cast them heere and there to the ende that they might bee rauened of the fowles of the ayre for by heauen hee meaneth the ayre in this place and here hee secteth out the cruelty of the enemies who woulde not shewe them so much fauour as to let them bee buryed This in déede is reckoned among the curses of Gods lawe Deutronom 28.26 But yet for all that wée may not condemne the faythfull who in respect of the afflictions of this life doe differ little or nothing from the vnbeléeuers and the flesh of thy Saintes vz. they haue cast or giuen and hée calleth Gods people Saintes because the Lorde accounted them holy and by his spirite had prepared and apted them to the workes of sanctification vnto the beastes of the earth i. vnto the wilde beastes that liue as it were by dead carion or to the dogges to bee deuoured of them as was the flesh of that wicked Iezabel 2. Kinges 9. verse 36. This is added but to aggrauate their cruelty and inhumanitie Verse 3. Their blood vz. of the Saintes and good people haue they i. the enemies and aduersaries shed like waters i. plentifully and in great abundaunce or else thus the enemies made no more account of mens liues and bloods then they did of water both senses are good but I rather allow the former rounde about Ierusalem hée meaneth both without the City and within without the city before the enemies came thither and within after they had taken the City q.d. there was no place frée from their cruelty and violence and there was none vz. either of their owne nation that durst or of others that woulde shew them so much curtesie as to bury them Ver. 4. Wée are a reproch vnto our neighbours vz. by the meanes of the misery which they sée vs in they thereby taking an occasion to reproch vpbrayd vs and by neighbours he vnderstandeth the people that bordered vpon their country as the Ammonits Moabites c. which also may appeare by that folowing in the verse vnto them that are rounde about vs vz. dwelling which word inserted after are will make the sense plaine And note that the faithfull doe not here complaine of the mockeries that were directed against their owne persons but of those also which after a sort did redound to the dishonour of God and the disgrace of his law Ver. 5. Lord howe long wilt thou bee angry for euer q.d. wilt thou neuer put an ende to our miseries which are testimonies of thy heauy wrath and continuall anger against vs Immanuel readeth this part of the verse better thus how long vz. wilt thou withhold help and ayde from vs set the wicked insult ouer vs as they do and then hee addeth an other interrogation thus wilt thou be angry for euer q.d. shal there be
ouerthrowe the children of God may be incouraged to pray vnto him and to prayse him for it and this is conteined in verse 16. also that he himself and his power may thereby be glorifyed in that the wicked whether they will or no must of necessity confesse his might and this is in verse 18. Psalme 84 Di. THis Psalme may be deuided as I take it into two parts In the first part the Prophet sheweth what great desire hee had in the time of his exile to ioyne himselfe to the assemblies of Gods people and what good estate they are in that may so doe from verse 1. to the end of the 7. In the second he maketh his request to God for his returne assuring himselfe that God in good time will graciously looke vpon him for his good concluding that they are blessed that stay vpon the Lord from verse 8. to the end of the Psalme Se. The Title of this Psalme is expounded before Psal 8. Psal 45. in their titles Ver. 1. O Lord of hosts i. O mighty God which hast al things at thy cōmaundement as armies or hosts to execute thy will how amiable i. not onely swéete and pleasaunt but most tenderly beloued of me are thy tabernacles by this word he vnderstandeth both the places wher the holy assēblies were made frō whence he was banished thorow the crueltie of his enemies also the people there assembled namely principally Ierusalē the temple the assēblies made there Ver. 2. My soule i. I my self both body and soule putting one part for the whole longeth i. vehemently and earnestly desireth wee applye this spéech to women with child who if they haue not the thing they lust for are in great daunger yea and faynteth i. with desiring of it and not obtayning of it I languish away and am as it were dead or entring into a swoone for the courts of the Lord he doeth expreslye vse this worde Courtes because hée might not go further vnlesse he had bin a Priest for mine harte and my fleshe i. both my inward and outward man reioyce in the liuing God i. take pleasure in him and his seruices who alone is the only true God for by the terme liuing he separateth him from al the dead idols dum images of the Gentils Ver. 3. Yea the sparrow hath found her a house vz. in which she maye rest and take her pleasure and the Swallowe a neast for her i. a place of ease both for her selfe and yong ones as may appeare by that which followeth euen by thine altars i. not verye farre from them by many hee meaneth onely one for it was not lawfull to haue manye Altars to offer Sacrafice vppon Immanuel readeth the latter part of the second verse and this verse otherwise ioyning them together thus My harte and my fleshe crye oute with desire to come to the mighty liuing God vnto thine Altars O Lorde of hostes my King and my God yea the Sparrow hath found a house and the swallowe a neast for herselfe wherein she maye laye her yong ones but the sence varieth not much Verse 4. Blessed are they that dwell in thine house this hee meaneth of the Priests and Leuites who not only had their houses nigh vnto the Temple but their lodgings also sée 1. Samuel 3.2 c. they will euer prayse thée i. they will be continually occupied in praysing thée for thy goodnesse and truth Verse 5. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thée i. who renounceth his owne and others strength and trusteth onelye to thy mighte and power and in whose harte are thy wayes i. that haue a desire and purpose to walke according to thine ordinaunces and namelye in visiting thy Temple and repayring to the exercises of thy Religion And by the worde Man he vnderstandeth many or that number of good men who vsed that course Verse 6. They Marke the sodaine chaunge of the number going thorow the vale of Baca of this valey reade 2. Samuel 5.23.24 and it should appeare to be a very drie place because of the Mulberry trées therein whiche thriue best in drie places make Welles therein i. make accounte of the drinesse of the place as though they had abundaunce of water for the pleasure that they take in Gods seruice mittigateth the great thirst of this drie place the raine also vz. which falleth from heauen couereth the pooles i. falleth vppon the vpper parts of the waters of the pooles increasing them But for mine own parte I would haue all this verse wholly referred out of Immanuel thus Blessed i. in good case are they that going thorow the valey of Baca or Mulberrye Trées of which somewhat is sayd before make it a well i. make that account of it as of a Well or of a most pleasaunt place wherein are welles and springes whome also i. which men the raine of blessings i. rayne that commeth from God and is bestowed vpon the earth as a blessing of God to make the same fruitfull and by raine of blessings he vnderstandeth also abundaunce of raine couereth i. falleth much vpon them and yet hindereth them not from going to the exercises of god This then is his meaning in these thrée verses 4 5 6 that not only the Priests and Leuites are in better case then he but the cōmon people that trauaile thorow many dangers and distresses to come to the place of Gods seruice from which he was shut by reason of his exile and whether hee would haue come with as great payns as they if he might safely haue done it Verse 7. They i. the people that thus repayre to the exercises of God and his word go from strength to strength i. the Lord indueth them with al maner of strength so that they féele no weakenesse or féeblenesse til euery one appeare i. come and place himselfe not denying but that afterwards also the Lorde doth graciously strengthen them before God vz. according to the law Exod. 23.17 meaning also by this spéech the arke of the couenaunt which to the children of Israel was a testimony of Gods presence in Sion vz. which was the place wherin the arke was the seruice of God vsed when Dauid did write this Psalm Ver. 8. O Lord god of hosts this is sundry times expounded before heare my prayer i. graunt my requests and petitions that I make vnto thée hearken i. yéelde to my suite O God of Iaakob i. of the faythful ones putting the name of the father from whom they came for his holy posteritie Ver. 9. Behold vz. in mercy our languishing and fainting for the exercises of thy word so looke vpon vs that we may be restored thereto for here Dauid prayeth both for him selfe and others that were with him in the like case O God our shield i. protector and defender who kéepeth vs many degrées better then shields and tergats are sée Psal 18.2 looke vpon the face i. graciously accepte the persons and prayers of thine
of the Lorde i. shal tremble at his great power and maiesty though not with the reuerent and right feare thereof which his owne children only haue and al the kings of the earth q.d. this feare shal not onely sease the heartes of their common people but euen of their greatest and mightiest princes thy glory i. they shal feare thy maiesty glory which doest such great and glorious thinges for thy people Verse 16. When the Lorde hee noteth the time of the trembling of the kings and people shall builde vp Sion i. his Church vz. decayed and cast downe hee vseth this worde Sion generally for the place of Gods seruice because that sometime the arke of couenant was placed there and shal appeare in his glory i. shall shewe himselfe glorious and triumphant which shall no doubt be comfortable to his children and feareful to his enemies Ver. 17. And shal turne vz. his gracious and louing countenance meaning by this speach yéelding or graunting vnto the prayer i. to the harty supplications and requests of the desolate i. of thē that are forsaken of all whom though they stand in néede of euery mans helpe yet no man helpeth The worde properly signifieth a kinde of shrubble which groweth in vntilled places as a brier or such like by which he noteth also the people that were in the captiuity of Babylon as in a deserte and wilde place and not despise their prayer vz. which they make vnto him in their affliction hee speaketh one thing twise as it were of which sundry times before and not as though god did euer despise the supplications of his poore seruants Ver. 18. This vz. gracious hearing of his poore seruants prayers and deliuery of them out of captiuity shal be written vz. as an excellent thing and worthy of continual remembrance for the generation to come vz. that they therby may be instructed both of the power of God and his faithfulnes and trueth in performing his promises and the people vz. of Israel and Iudah which shalbée created i. which shal returne out of the captiuity of Babylon which hée compareth to be a second birth or creation as it were because they séemed therin to bée as dead Sée Ezech 37. from ver 1. to the ende of the 14. of which also for the greatnes of it it is sundry times sayd in the Prophets It shalbée no more sayd the Lord liueth that brought the people out of Egypt but that brought the people from the lande of the North shall prayse the Lorde vz. for his great goodnes and mercy towardes them Ver. 19. For hée hath looked downe vz. vppon the great outrage of his enemies and the wonderfull affliction of his people from the height of his sanctuary i. euen from the very heauens as hée séemeth to expound it euen in this verse out of the heauē which is the throne of his maiesty did the Lorde behold the earth i. not onely the earth it self but specially and chiefly men inhabiting the earth and amongest the rest his owne people as may appeare in the verses following Verse 20. That hee might heare vz. and so take pity of the mourning i. the sighings gronings and lamentable cryes of the prisoner i. of the prisoners one number put for an other meaning those that were bound and helde as captiues in Babilon and deliuer vz. out of daunger distresse and all manner of feare the children of death i. them that were at deaths doore or appointed to death as it were Sée Psal 79.11 Ver. 21. That they vz. so deliuered noting also the end why god giueth deliueraunce vnto his seruants may declare i. set out and publish and that both by word and déede the name of the Lord i. his power maiesty goodnes c. as Psal 21.1 in Sion i. in his Church and his prayse i. the prayse which is due vnto him for the same not that any is able to prayse him sufficiently for his power and goodnes in Ierusalem i. in the Church as before Sion and Ierusalem being the principall places of his worshippe put for his whole Church and the publike assemblies and congregations thereof sée Psal 2.6 Ver. 22. When the people vz. which are nowe in captiuity and dispersed abroad shal be gathered together vz. to serue the Lorde in these places and after that sort which he himselfe hath prescribed and the kingdomes vz. of the earth meaning hereby the calling of other people besides the Iewes to serue the Lord vz. according to the prescript rule of his word The Prophet noteth two thinges specially in this verse the one is the returning of the people out of Babylon the other is the calling of the Gentiles to the religion and seruice of God Ver. 23. He i. the Lorde abated vz. by outwarde and inward afflictions my strength i. whatsoeuer séemed excellent in mee putting one excellent thing for many in the way vz. wherein I walked meaning the daies and course of his life as may appeare by that which followeth in this verse and shortened vz. in mine owne iudgment and as I supposed for otherwise in respect of God our dayes are certainely numbred my dayes i. the dayes of my life Ver. 24. And I sayd vz. in that great affliction and griefe O my God take mee not away vz. out of this life q.d. let mee not vanishe awaye but shewe mée thy fauour in continuing my life in the middest of my dayes i. before I come to the full ende of my race and all this and that in the former verse the Prophet speaketh not onely in his owne person but in the name of the rest of the faithful thy yéeres indure from generation to generation i. thou continuest and abidest for euer and art alwayes one make mee therefore q.d. like vnto thy selfe Verse 25. Thou vz. O GOD hast afore tyme vz. in the beginning layde the foundation of the earth i. created and mainteined the earth and all thinges therein hee sheweth Gods eternitie because hee was before all thinges created and was the maker of all thinges whatsoeuer and the heauens vz. and all thinges therein conteined are the worke of thine handes i. thou hast made them handes attributed to GOD for our vnderstanding sake Verse 26. They vz. the heauen the earth and all thinges therein shall perish vz. not in respect of their substance but in respect of their qualities sée Isaiah 65.17 Isaiah 66.22 Reuelat. 21.1 2. Peter 3.12.13 and this perishing hée calleth afterwardes in this verse a chaunging but thou shalt indure vz. frée from any alteration or chaunge as Iames 1.17 and that for euer and euer hée here commendeth Gods eternity by comparison euen they all q.d. not one of them accepted shall waxe olde as doeth a garment i. shall through continuaunce of tyme decay as doeth a garment as a vesture shalt thou chaunge them this is a metaphor taken from men who changing their garmentes from worse to better of which chaunge of the creatures the Apostle
speaketh Roman 8.19.20.21.22 verses Nowe if any wil demaunde to what vse the creatures shal be imployed I answere that for as much as GOD in his worde hath not reueiled that it is more then curiositie to aske the same and they shal bee changed i. they shall certainely and without fayle bée chaunged for so much doeth the doubling of the worde chaunge import Verse 27. But thou art the same i. alwayes one and the selfe same without any shadowe of chaunging q.d. howsoeuer the creatures bee variable yet thou the creator art alwayes vnchaungeable and thy yeeres i. the time of thy essence and beeing shall not fayle vz. for euer and euer q.d. thou art and hast béene from euerlasting and so shalt continue Verse 28. The children of thy seruantes i. thy godly ones and their godly posterity shall continue vz. stedfast and sure alwayes safe vnder thy almighty defence whatsoeuer great alteration shal bee in heauen or earth and their séede i. their race and posteritie shall stande fast vz. so that they shall not bée mooued for euer in thy sight i. before thée hée meaneth that GOD will care for and preserue for euer the godly Ver. 1. Teacheth vs to be earnest with the Lord to grant vs our holy requests Do. Verse 2. Sheweth that in the time of affliction nothing is more grieuous to Gods children then to perceiue God any long time absent Ver. 3.4.5 Do declare what great affliction the godly are in for their sinnes and the wrath of God vppon them for the same Verse 6.7 Shewe that it is no new thing to sée the children of God forsaken of men Verse 8. Noteth two things the one is howe that the godly are subiect to the vyle both woordes and deedes of the vngodly the other that the wicked giue themselues a full swinge to all manner of outrage both in worde and deede Verse 9. Teacheth that so long as wée féele Gods wrath vppon vs for our sinnes our meat and drinke is not pleasaunt and delightfull vnto vs. Verse 10. Teacheth vs three things first howe much wee shoulde stande in awe of the fearce wrath and indignation of the Lorde Secondly that in this life Gods children haue no durable estate and thirdly that their exaltation and depressing is not by fortune as they say but from the Lorde onely Verse 11. Setteth out the shortnesse and troublesomnesse of mans life Verse 12. Setteth out the eternity and continuaunce of the almightie Verse 13. Teacheth vs to haue an assured trust that God wil looke graciously vppon the afflictions of his Church Verse 14. Teacheth Gods children two thinges first to delyte more euen in the verye ruines of the Church then in the palaces of the vngodly secondly to pity and pray for the reforming of the desolations thereof Ver. 15. and 16. Teach vs that Gods fauour shewed to his Church shalbée matter of sufficient terrour to the wicked and vngodly Ver. 17. Is comfortable shewing that the prayers of Gods poore people shall neuer returne empty from the Lorde Ver. 18. Teacheth the faithful to haue a care for their posterity that both Gods mercy towards them and his iudgements vpon the wicked might be conueyed to their children Ver. 19. Teacheth that God beholdeth al things done vpon the earth contrary to the imagination of them who suppose him to sit as idle in heauen Ver. 20. Teacheth that God taketh speciall regarde of those that be his and namely when they are in the greatest distresse Ver. 21. Teacheth that god doth deliuer his people out of al their feares specially to this end that they might publish his prayse for the same in the Church Ver. 22. Teacheth that our assemblies should be for the seruice and glory of god Ver. 23. Teacheth that God for the trial of his children layeth manifold afflictions vpon them in this life Verse 24. Teacheth vs that wee may pray for long life but yet so that that life may bée referred to Gods glory Verse 25. Teacheth that God is the maker of heauen and earth Verse 26. Teacheth the variablenesse of the creature which shoulde instruct vs so to vse the worlde as though wee vsed it not and no otherwise but as it may further vs to the hope of a better life Ver. 27. Teacheth that howsoeuer variable the creature is yet the creator is altogether vnchaungeable Ver. 28. Setteth out to the comfort of the godly their continuaunce Psalme 103. Di. THis Psalme may bee diuided into thrée partes In the first hee doeth stirre vp and prouoke himselfe to be thankful to the Lord and this is conteyned in the two first verses In the seconde hee sheweth causes for which men shoulde prayse the Lorde as for the forgiuenesse of their sinnes for their deliuery from daunger and the continuall course of his mercies from ver 3. to the end of the 19. In the last part he exhorteth euen all creatures to praise the Lord for the largenes of his goodnes from ver 20. to the end of the Psalme Se. The title of this Psalme hath beene expounded before in others of the lyke inscription Ver. 1. My soule hee exhorteth the soule to this great worke because if that be ready the other cannot be much backward and the word soule is vsed here for the seate of vnderstanding and afflictions prayse thou the Lord vz. for his great mercies and all that is within me as my thought my hart and all the powers both of the one and the other and hee meaneth all inwarde thinges because those parts specially doeth the Lorde regarde as Psal 51.17 Ioh. 4.23 prayse his holy name i. set foorth the glory that apperteineth to his maiesty power goodnes c. name is here vsed as Psalm 20.3 Ver. 2. My soule praise thou the Lord this is expounded before ver 1. and forget not vz. through negligence or otherwise but earnestly thinke vpon to the vttermost of thy power al his benefites i. not onely all but any one of them as possible thou canst and by this meanes he prepareth himself a way to speak of the blessings which afterwardes he reckoneth vp Ver. 3. Which vz. alone forgiueth thée fréely vz. and of his owne mercy onely without any merites or deserts of thyne at all all thine iniquity vz. committed either against God or man either of ignoraunce or of knowledge and he beginneth with the frée forgiuenes of sinnes because it is as it were the fountaine from which al other blessinges flowe many whereof he reckoneth vp afterwardes which are nothing else but the effects of that reconciliation and healeth vz. of his great goodnes his mighty power all thine infirmities vz. bodily or spirituall outwarde or inward Ver. 4. Which vz. alone as before ver 3. redéemeth vz. by his great and mighty power thy life i. thy whole man both body and soule putting a part for the whole from the graue i. from death and destruction Sée Psalm 16.10 putting that which followeth death for death it selfe and crowneth
creatures both generally and particularly and this reacheth from verse 11. to the ende of the 23. And in the thirde parte hee doeth not onely expresse Gods excellency manifested in his creatures but speaketh also together both of his power and prouidence sometymes wondering at the Lordes woorkes sometimes praysing him for the same and sometyme praying against the wicked from verse 24. to the ende of the Psalme This Psalme hath no title as many other Psalmes haue not Se. yet notwithstanding a man may probably coniecture that hee which penned the other penned this also adding it to the former thus whereas hée had in the other set foorth Gods graces to the Church hee doeth in this set foorth Gods goodnes to all creatures Verse 1. My soule prayse thou the Lorde Sée Psalm 103.1 O Lorde my GOD i. the onely true God whome I thy poore seruant worshippe thou art exceeding great vz. in maiesty power glory c. as may appeare by that which followeth thou art clothed with glory and honour i. thou art compassed about on euery side with it and haste it in great abundaunce and all this as many other things in this Psalme are spoken of GOD according to mans capacity Verse 2. Which couereth himselfe with light as with a garment i. his honour and glorye doth greatly appeare euen in the creation of the light so that though GOD be inuisible in respect of his owne nature yet his glorye is sufficiently manifested and shining foorth throughout the worlde and spreadeth out the heauens like a curtaine i. layeth them abroade so that they may euidentlye bée séene as a thing spred out by heauens he vnderstandeth the firmament which also hath his name in the Hebrewe tongue of stretching out or ouerspreading it shoulde séeme that in this ver hee meaneth that which is expressed Genesis 1.3.6 And marke howe in this verse and the rest following hée sodaynely chaungeth the person Verse 3. Which layeth the beames of his chambers in the waters i. whose gouernement stretcheth euen vnto the verye deapthes of the waters The speach is somewhat darke but it is vttered to bring men into the greater admiration meaning that wee néede not to ascende so high as heauen to finde GOD out for if we looke belowe wée shall finde liuely portraitures of his glorye and maketh the cloudes his chariotes hee meaneth that GOD the gouernour of the world turneth the cloudes windes c. according to his good pleasure euen as easily as the cocheman doeth his chariot and walketh vz. as a ruler and gouernour vppon the winges of the wynde hée meaneth that hee gouerneth also the wyndes Sée Psalm 18.10.11 Also Isaiah 19.1 Verse 4. Which maketh the spirites his messengers i. hée vseth the windes and fire as messengers ministers and executioners of his will and iudgements so that in respect of their obedience they haue euen the name of Angels as it were giuen vnto them and a flaming fire his ministers i. hée sendeth forth thundringes lightninges and such other like straunge thinges in the ayre both to terrifie men and to perfourme whatsoeuer hee appointeth them The Apostle Hebrewes 1.7 applieth this to Angels and ministring spirits Ver. 5. Hée set the earth vppon her foundations i. by his vertue and power hée hath made it firme stable and sure euen as a frame set vppon a good foundation standeth fast so that it shall neuer moue vz. ordinarilye and in a continuall course otherwise this place letteth not but that through Gods speciall appoyntment there may bée terrible and fearefull earthquakes And that worde neuer must bée vnderstoode so long as the world indureth and also hauing respect vnto other creatures which by reason of their owne lightnesse and Gods appointment are caried hither and thither whereas the earth remayneth firme and sure Verse 6. Thou vz. O Lorde obserue the sodaine chaunge of the person coueredst it vz. the earth with the déepe vz. waters This may bée vnderstoode either of that which is spoken Genesis 1.2 or of the generall flood at both which times all the earth was ouercouered with waters as with a garment i. euery where and in euery place the waters will stande vz. euen at this day aboue the mountaines vz. vnlesse they were kept through thy power and prouidence within the boundes and borders which thou hast set them Verse 7. But at thy rebuke q.d. euen at thy bare worde and angry countenance only they flée vz. backewarde euen as though they were discomfited so that wee sée they can not rage whither they woulde and by that meanes they are in stéed of an ornament and beautifying vnto the earth some and that not amisse neyther referre it to the parting of the waters from the drie lande mentioned Genesis 1.6 at the voyce of thy thunder by rebuke before and thunder in this place hee meaneth nothing but that commaundement of GOD by which hee represseth the raging of the Seas they haste awaye vz. into the places that thou hast appointed them Verse 8. And the mountaines ascende i. appeare and shewe foorth themselues after the departure of the waters and the valleis descende i. are made manifest also to the place which thou hast established for them i. they lye and are setled in those places which thou hast appointed them Though this sense carry with it some probabilitye yet by reason of that which goeth before spoken of the waters and floods and by reason of that which followeth in the next verse spoken of them also I woulde this verse wholly restored out of Immanuel thus They vz. the waters went vppe by the hilles and went downe through the valleis in to the place which thou haddest establisted for them q.d. thou haddest no sooner spoken the woorde but they made a way for themselues euen through thicke and thinne as wée woulde saye sparing nothing till they came to the place that thou haddest appointed and set for them so that neither the high mountaines coulde hinder them nor the lowe valleyes conteine but of necessitie to that place they must goe which thou haddest set for them Verse 9. Thou vz. O Lorde onely and none but thou hast set vz. by thy almightye woorde and commaundement as Iob. 38.10 them i. all waters either of Seas or otherwise a bond i. a certaine compasse and course which they shall not passe vz. though they doe what they can and rage neuer so sore Sée Iob. 38.10.11 also Ieremie 5.22 They i. the waters generallye shall not returne vz. by any strengthe they haue of themselues or otherwise to couer the earth vz. as they haue doone heretofore Genesis 1. verse 2.6.9 or else as they did in the time of the flood Genesis 7.19 c. it may well bee referred to bothe to the former because GOD by creation hath set them an ordinarie course and to the latter because hée hath promised hee will neuer destroye the worlde with water againe Genesis 9.15 Verse 10. Hée i. GOD and marke the sodaine chaunge of
cause of all goodnesse towardes all his creatures Verse 29 teacheth vs that the wante of féeling of Gods fauour is the fountayne of all woe disquietnesse death c. Verse 30 teacheth vs that the continuaunce of Creatures is not onely by an ordinary course of nature but specially by the commaundement and blessing of almighty GOD. Verse 31 teacheth vs to prayse GOD continually for his mercy and to pray for the continuaunce thereof Verse 32 teacheth vs to stande in awe of so great a Maiestye as can doe whatsoeuer pleaseth him both in heauen and in earth Verse 33 teacheth vs to carrye with vs holy purposes to serue the Lord as long as we liue and carefully to labour the performance thereof Verse 34 teacheth vs to pray that euen our prayers maye bée regarded in Gods sight Verse 35 teacheth vs that we may sometimes pray against the wicked and vngodly also that we should carefully stirre vp both our selues and others to prayse the Lorde Psalme 105 Di. THis Psalme as I take it may be deuided into thrée partes In the firste hée exhorteth to prayse GOD for his mercies shewing who they are that shoulde doe it from the first verse to the ende of the sixte In the seconde part hee resiteth the particular graces that GOD bestowed vppon them from the tyme of their firste calling till their comming oute of Egipt from verse seuen to the ende of the 26. In the thirde hee setteth out both what iudgementes GOD bringeth vpon their enemies for their sakes and also what mercies he sheweth them after their deliuery from verse 27 to the end of the Psalme Se. Though there be no Title of this Psalme declaring who made it yet it should appeare by 1. Chronic. 16.7.8 c. that Dauid made it and committed it to Asaph and his brethren to sing it And it hangeth wel with the other Psalms before going vz. Psalme 103. and Psalme 104. and also with Psalme 106.107 following al being Psalms to stir vp the Church to prayse God partly for his graces towards the Church Psalme 103 and generallye towardes all creatures Psalme 104 and partly for benefites vppon the faythfull euen by trying and correcting them Psalme 105 106. and lastlye for graces towardes all men Psalme 107. Verse 1. Prayse the Lord vz. all ye good and faythful people he would haue them to shew themselues thankefull and to set forth his glorye for graces receaued and call vpon his name i. feare his Maiesty but specially pray vnto him putting one part of Gods seruice for the whole declare vz. openly and playnly and that in euery place his workes i. the maruaylous thinges that hée hath done among the people vz. not onely of Iudea but of the whole earth Verse 2. Sing vnto him sing prayse vnto him vz. alone the doubling of the worde serueth both to stirre vs vp and also to note the excellency of that Sacrifice of thanksgiuing Some make this difference betwéene the two wordes that the firste singing shoulde bée with the mouth and the latter singing with musicall Instrumentes according to the Lawe and talke vz. amongest your selues openlye and euerye where of all his wondrous workes vz. whiche hée hath done for you and your Fathers so that wée shoulde as neare as wée canne call to remembraunce all Gods graces and mercyes bestowed vppon vs. Verse 3. Reioyce in his holye name i. shewe your selues gladde in that greate power and Maiestye of his which besydes the excellencye thereof contayneth in it holinesse also lette the hearte i. the inwarde affection as well as the outwarde behauiour of them that séeke the Lorde vz. vnfeignedlye and with a good harte vnderstanding by séeking of the Lorde seruing of him according to his will reuealed in his worde reioyce vz. in the Lorde and bée glad euen for this that hée giueth them grace to séeke and serue him Verse 4. Séeke the Lorde vz. earnestlye and that euen now while hée maye bée founde as Isaiah 55.6 and his strength 1. the Arke of the Couenaunte from whence the Lorde gaue euidente testimonye of his power and myghte Sée 2. Chronicles 6. verse 41. also Psalme 78. verse 61. séeke his face i. the arke of couenaunte whiche is also called Gods face because from thence GOD gaue playne testimonies of his fauour and goodnesse towards his people continually i. so long as you liue q.d. Be neuer wearye of doing that dutie Verse 5. Remember i. déepely and diligently thinke vpon that you maye thereby bee the better stirred vp to praise him his marueilous workes i. the great and wonderfull things which he hath don for his people he calleth thē maruailous because the Gods marueilous power declared it selfe in thē euen so that a man might easily iudge that they came from him that he hath done vz. in time heretofore and that for you your fathers his wonders i. the strange things which he hath done far beyond the reache and compasse of mans wit and the iudgementes of his mouth i both the punishments whiche he hath threatned against others and also the law and word he hath giuen vnto you for I would referre it to both these Verse 6. Ye séede of Abraham i. O yée that come of Abraham and his posteritie according vnto the flesh his seruaunt i. that serued GOD hee setteth before them their Fathers example the better to draw them on to the performaunce of that great dutye ye children of Iaakob i. O ye that come of Iaakob wch are his elect i. which he hath fréely chosen from amongst al other nations and here he vseth another reason fet from their election to draw them on to obedience Verse 7. Hée vz. alone and none other but he is the Lord our God i. he that gouerneth vs and vpon whome we our selues depend his iudgementes vz. agaynst sinne and vngodlinesse meaning by iudgements punishments are thorow all the earth i. are made manifest in all the world though perhaps men haue not eyes to sée the same or else we may take iudgements for rule guiding and gouernment so you haue the word to iudge vsed Psalm 98 9. meaning that Gods gouernment was stretched thorow out all the world Verse 8. He hath alway remembred his couenaunt and promise vz. made with his sonnes and seruaunts mening by remembred not only thinking vppon it but also the execution and performaunce of it that he made vz. of his owne accord and frée goodnesse to a thousand generations i. not only to infinite numbers of people putting a nūber certayne for an vncertayne but also to last and indure for euer Verse 9. Euen that vz. couenaunt which he made with Abraham vz. our Father sée Genesis 12 2 3 and his oth vnto Isaak sée Genesis 26.3.4 c. and hee vseth the word oth to note the certaintie and assurednesse of the couenaunte passed betwéene God and the people Verse 10. And since vz. the time of Abraham and Izaak meaning after their death hath confirmed it vz. both
headed men dreame to the contrary secondly that he doth vpon the earth euen whatsoeuer pleaseth him Ver. 34 teacheth that sin and vngodlines is the mean to turn al plenty into pouerty and al blessings into cursings Verse 35 teacheth vs that fruitfulnesse of ground and plenty of al things is Gods only gift Ver. 36 teacheth that God in great mercy prepareth abundance for them that want and giueth them safety shilter from al their enemies Ver. 37. Teacheth Gods children euen in the middest of Gods blessings and abundance yet notwithstanding to imploy themselues in ordinary trauayle and labour Ver. 38 teacheth vs that it is not the trauayle of man but Gods blessing that maketh men rich sée Psal 127.2 Verse 39 teacheth that afflictions are good means to bring men to the right knowledge of God and themselues Verse 40 teacheth that the estate of Princes and great men is not so sure as they commonly fantasie Ver. 41 teacheth vs that preferment commeth not from the east nor weast but from the Lord only sée Psalme 75 6. Verse 42 teacheth that godly men may reioyce as in the benefites of God bestowed vpon others so in his iudgements poured forth vpon the wicked it teacheth also that Gods mercies vpon his children and his punishments vpon the vngodly bring forth an other effect in the wicked that is taketh from them all sence so that they neyther haue harts to conceiue nor mouthes to speake either with or against god in his dealings Ver. 43 teacheth first that men ought déeply to weigh Gods wonderful workes secondly that the number of thē that do so in déede is very small in respect of the other thirdly that the consideration of his works is one good means to make vs sée and féele not his power and prouidenee only but also his eternall goodnes and incomprehensible mercy Psalme 108 THis Psalme as I take it may be deuided into two parts Di. In the first the Prophet stirreth vp himself to prayse God calling also vpon him for helpe and deliuerance from verse 1. to the ende of the 6 verse In the second the Prophet assuring himselfe by reason of Gods promises that his enemies should be ouerthrowne maketh his prayer vnto God for strength to performe it And this part reacheth from verse 7 to the end of the Psalme Se. The title A song or Psalm of Dauid sée before Psal 48. in the title and in that it is sayd here a Psalm of Dauid it is euident that he was the author of it Though it be true that this Psal be made of two Psalmes before going that is of Psal 57 from ver 7 to the end of the Psal and of Psal 60 from verse 5. to the end of the Psal frō whence also the sence doctrines might very wel be fet yet notwithstanding because there is some difference somwhat shal be sayd in this place Ver. 1. O God mine hart i. my inward man is prepared vz. to prayse thée for thy mercies so is my tongue i. mine outward man also putting a part for the whole q.d. I am ready both in the inward man outward mā to magnify thée for thy graces I vz. my self none other for me wil sing gyue praise vz. vnto thée alone Ver. 2. Awake Viol and Harpe he incourageth not only himself but also his instruments to praise God that euen thereby hee himselfe might be the better prouoked thereto I will awake vz. from my sléepe and rise vp from my bed early vz. in the morning the Prophet meaneth that he will euen breake his sléepe to performe seruices to God Verse 3 I wil praise thée O Lord vz. for thy mercies great and vnspeakeable among the people vz. whom thou hast chosen vnto thy selfe and I will sing vnto thée vz. prayses and thanksgiuing amongst the nations vz. round about vs the Prophet meaneth that he would so publish Gods prayses that euen the Gentiles should heare of it Ver. 4. For thy mercy vz. towardes all men but speciallye towards thy sonnes and seruaunts is great i. is so great that it is aboue the heauens i. higher then the heauens themselues so that as the space betwéene heauen and earth is infinite so is thy mercy and thy truth vz. reacheth he vnderstandeth by truth Gods faythfulnesse in making kéeping and performing promise vnto the Cloudes by these maner of spéeches hée meaneth nothing else but that Gods mercy is vnmeasurable and incomprehensible as it were in respecte of the greatnesse of it Verse 5. Exalt thy selfe O GOD vz. by thy mighte and power aboue the heauens i. aboue the highest thinges that may be not that he meaneth that God was not then and alwayes is exalted but that he prayeth the Lorde by effect to shew it amongste men and let thy glory i. the praise that appertaineth vnto thy glory be vz. dispersed farre and wide vpon al the earth i. in euery place of the worlde The Prophet sheweth in this verse that the firste thing that moued him to make this request is Gods glorye In the nexte Verse hée sheweth that an other reason is the saluation and deliueraunce of his people Verse 6. That thy beloued vz. people that is suche people as thou fauourest and louest of thine owne mercye onely without any merites of theirs may be deliuered vz. out of the great daungers distresses and feares wherein they are helpe vz. both them and me and euerye one of vs in this case for it shoulde séeme that Dauid made this Psalme at the beginning of his Kingdome when thinking vppon his enimies and his owne weakenesse it was tyme to craue helpe at the Lords hands for himselfe and his people with thy right hand i. with thy mighty power and strength that so thereby I may ouercome these enemies and heare me vz. praying vnto thée for my selfe and my people vnderstanding by hearing graunting his requestes Verse 7. GOD vz. himselfe hath spoken vz. openlye and playnlye and that by his holye Prophet Samuell that hee will establshe and inlarge the kingdome in my hande yea he hath spoken it in his holinesse i. hée hath holilye and assuredly promised it mée so that I néede not doubte any more of it then of his holinesse therefore vz. for this his mercye I will reioyce vz. greatlye for séeing he hath promised mée I knowe that I shall diuide vz. as the right owner and possessor of it Shechem Shechem is the name of a place on this side Iordan as the valley of Succoth was beyond Iordan Hée nameth certayne places of the land whiche by reason of Saules stocke and those that tooke part with him as Abner and such like he had not at the enterance into his Kingdome in his possession and yet notwithstanding assured himselfe that he should haue them and measure vz. to euery man his portion as Ioshua did by which the prophet noteth his gouernment kingdome ouer it the valley of Succoth this is expounded alredy before euen in this verse
euer since the beginning hath preserued and increased the same the heauen and the earth vz. and al thinges therein conteined q.d. you may assure your selues of a most plentiful blessing séeing that he who blesseth you is the author preseruer gouernor of heauen al things therin of the earth al things therin which also he hath giuen to vs as verse following Ver. 16. The heauens euen the heauens i. the most high heauens are the Lords i. apperteine and belong vnto him as the special place of his delight and dwelling and yet we must not so vnderstand it as God were tyed to any one certaine place for his maiestie filleth the heauens and the earth but he hath giuen vz. of his large liberality and goodnes the earth vz. wherein men dwel to the sonnes of men i. to men and their séede after them that they should inhabite and vse it so that in this life they might by the thinges thereof bee prouoked to serue God and stirred vp thereby to the hope and fruition of eternal felicity Verse 17. The dead prayse not the Lord the Prophet meaneth that if God preserued not his Church the whole order and course of the worlde shoulde bee turned vpside downe for to what end should the creation of the worlde serue if there were not a people to call vpon God whereupon he gathereth that there shal always be some which shal praise the Lorde euen vntil the end of the world and so with al there is set out the end wherefore men are placed in the world vz. to prayse serue God q.d. that we dye not must be attributed to gods glory therfore euen our life also must be occupied about his praise sée Psal 6.5 whether they that go downe into the place of silence i. neither do they praise him that are brought to their graues and layed in them sée for this speach Psal 94.17 sée also Isaiah 38.18 The Prophet vttereth vnder diuers words one the selfesame thing Ver. 18. But we vz. which shal liue and be deliuered from our distresses wil prayse the Lord vz. for the benefites that we haue receiued from him from hencefoorth and for euer i. continually and alwaies prayse ye the Lord sée Psal 104. and Psal 105. in the very end Do. Ver. 1. Teacheth vs when we do in prayer appeare before the Lord to craue any thing at his handes vnfeignedly to cast from our selues all trust and confidence in our selues to flie to gods soueraine goodnes and trueth only Ver. 2. Teacheth vs that gods glory is after a sort hazarded amongst the enemies of God and his people when his own people are discomfited or disgraced Ver. 3. Teacheth vs that the more the enemies do blaspheme God the more we should be throughly perswaded of his power because that their dealing doeth prouoke him to execute a more swift and hard iudgment vpon them Ver. 4.5.6.7.8 doth liuely paint out the vanity of idoles themselues and of al such as either make or worship them Ver. 9. Teacheth the godly howsoeuer other men run a whoring after idols to cleaue only to the Lord. Ver. 10. Teacheth the ministers preachers of Gods word to make themselues examples vnto other of stedfast confidence in God Ver. 11. Teacheth vs that with the seruice of god there must be ioyned faith in God and his word or else it is nothing Ver. 12. Teacheth vs that God neuer forgetteth his children and merciful couenant made with them also that the godly shal haue from the Lord both assurednes and plentifulnes of blessings Ver. 13. Teacheth vs that God respecteth no mans person but in euery nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnes is accepted before him Ver. 14. Sheweth that Gods grace and loue reacheth euen to the godly and their posterity after them Ver. 15. Teacheth vs that those whom the Lord pursueth with his fauor shal not nor can not want any thing that is good Ver. 16. Setteth out the large liberality and fatherly care of God towardes men also it teacheth vs that séeing he hath giuen vs the things of this life we shold vse them wel and so as they may further vs to the hope of a better life Ver. 17. Teacheth vs that when God giueth vs life in this world he doth thereby as it were prouoke vs to set forth his glory and praise Ver. 18. Teacheth vs thrée things first that we should praise the Lorde for his mercies for euen to the ende haue we our life giuen and his blessings are bestowed vppon vs secondly that this our thanksgiuing should be continual and thirdly that we should prouoke and stirre vp other men to do the like Psalme 116. THis Psalme as I take it may bée diuided into two partes Di. In the first the Prophet setteth out on the one side his loue fayth towards the Lord and on the other side Gods mercy and goodnes towards him from ver 1. to the end of the 11. In the second part hee promiseth humble and hearty thankesgiuing vnto the Lorde for that continuall heape of benefites which hee had receiued from his mercifull handes from verse 12. to the ende of the Psalme This Psalme hath no title as many other Psalmes both before it Se. and after it haue not sée Psal 114.115.117.118 c. Ver. 1. I loue vz. with all my heart and vnfeignedly the Lord vz. only and alone and none either with him or besides him and vnder the word of loue the Prophet sheweth that there was nothing without god that either could like him or please him because hee hath heard i. because he hath yéelded vnto and granted my voyce vz. sent forth vnto him and my prayers vz. which I made vnto him vnder these words voice and prayers the Prophet meaneth such prayers as he powred forth vnto the Lord not only with his heart but also with his mouth and words Ver. 2. For he hath inclined his eare vz. as one that were ready for to heare mee this is spoken of God according to mans capacity vnto mée vz. being in distresse and when I prayed vnto him as followeth when I did call vppon him vz. for helpe and ayde by earnest and hearty prayers in my dayes i. in the tyme of my affliction as may appeare by the next verse following sée Psal 137.7 also Lament 1.21 and by the woorde dayes hée noteth that hee had continuaunce and length of trouble Ver. 3. When the snares of death compassed mee vz. on euery side and rounde about so that there was almost no hope of escaping no more then of a bird or wild beast taken in a snare or grin by this manner of speach hée meaneth that euen then when hee was ready to dye the Lord in mercy looked vppon him Sée 2. Sam. 22.5.6 also Psalm 18.4.5 and the griefes of the graue i. great and extreme griefes which brought me almost to the graue made me as it were ready to bee put into it caught
obey the wicked no though they haue the mastery of vs in euery thing that they demaunde specially when God and his glory shal be prophaned thereby Ver. 5. Teacheth vs continually to thinke vppon Gods Church and the misteries thereof that thereby we may be prouoked to powre forth earnest prayers to God for it Ver. 6. Teacheth vs that we should rather forget our selues then Gods Church it teacheth vs also that nothing in this life shoulde bee so ioyfull vnto vs as the restitution and florishing therof Verse 7. Teacheth vs that wee may safely pray against the wicked and vngodly Verse 8.9 Teach vs that God many times punisheth one sinne with an other as cruelty with crueltie not that he delighteth in sinne but to shewe that sinne shall not escape vnpunished and that to this ende and purpose hee rayseth vp one wicked man and people against an other Psalme 138 THe Psalme may bée deuided into thrée partes Di. In the first the Prophet promiseth humble and hearty thankesgiuing to the Lorde for his mercies towardes him verse 1.2.3 In the seconde hee doeth by the spirite of prophecie as it were foretell that other kings and people shall doe it as well as hée shewing the cause wherefore they shoulde so doe ver 4.5.6 In the thirde hee setteth out the assured perswasion that hee had of God and his goodnes towardes him praying for the continuaunce therof ver 7.8 The title A Psalme of Dauid i. a Psalme that Dauid made Se. to set foorth his thankefulnesse to God-warde Sée Psalme 4. in the title Ver. 1. I will prayse thée vz. O Lorde and that for thy mercies and benefites and this Psalme shoulde séeme to bee a publike confession that Dauid made vnto GOD for the blessinges which hee had receiued at his handes with my whole heart i. in sinceritie of heart with a sounde and not an hypocriticall heart and this is opposed against a double heart q.d. no parte of my heart nor of the affections thereof but they shall bée all wholly occupied in praysing of thee euen before the Gods i. openlye and before the Kinges and Magistrates of the worlde for so haue you the woorde Gods vsed Psalme 82.1 which thing also Dauid him-selfe promiseth Psalme 119.46 and in other places will I prayse thee vz. continually and vnfeignedly Verse 2. I will worshippe towardes thy temple i. I will call vppon thee bending my presence towardes the place where thou art serued Sée Psalme 5.7 and prayse thy name i. thy maiestye power goodnesse c. as sundry tymes before because of thy louing kindnes vz. towardes mee and for thy trueth vz. in accomplishing thy promises so here hee putteth downe the causes of his thankesgiuing Sée Psalme 115.1 for thou hast magnified thy name aboue all thinges i. thou hast made thy maiesty and power appeare more excellent and great then all thinges whatsoeuer by thy word i. by faithful accomplishment of those thinges which thou hast promised in thy word It may also receiue this sense q.d. the things which thou speakest and performest in thy woorde are more great and large then that men can either name them or thou bee sufficiently praysed for them Sée Psalme 71.15 Ver. 3. When I called vz. vpon thée by prayer then thou heardest mee i. grauntest mée my requestes and petitions Sée Psalm 120.1 and thou vz. alone for none could do it but thou hast increased strength in my soule i. hast made my soule and inward man very mightie and strong with patience to suffer all calamities whatsoeuer it may be also vnderstoode thus that God had more and more strengthened himselfe putting a part for the whole Ver. 4. All the kinges of the earth This séemeth to bee a prophecie of the calling of the Gentiles he meaneth that many kings their people shal bee conuerted to the Lorde shall prayse thee O Lorde vz. by myne example for they haue hearde the woordes of thy mouth i. they haue not onely with their eares heard but with their eyes séene and with their heartes consented vnto the trueth of thy word generally and particularly this that thou hast by wonderfull meanes brought mée to the kingdome and this hee speaketh specially of Hiram king of Tyrus and others néere vnto him Verse 5. And they shall sing vz. openly and in the hearing of others of the wayes of the Lorde i. of the thinges which the Lorde doeth and of the order and course which he obserueth therein he meaneth that they shal both acknowledge gods workes and prayse him for the same specially for the course which hee hath kept in preseruing Dauid from his enemies and exalting him to the kingdome because the glory of the Lorde is great i. because the thinges that he hath done gloriously and openly as it were a conquerour are very high and excellent Verse 6. For the Lorde is high i. mightie and passing the very heauens them-selues and so it may bée a reason of the great glorye of the Lorde whereof hée spake before yet q.d. notwithstanding the great distaunce betwéene him and vs hee beholdeth vz. with a fauourable and louing countenaunce and that not idlely but effectually and as one that hath altogether care ouer such the lowly i. such as are humbled despised and contemned amongest men but the proude vz. men of the earth hee knoweth vz. thorowly both within and without a farre off vz. howe farre off so euer they bée from him and it may bée that hee meaneth that as the proude doeth scornefully and as it were a farre off beholde others so dealeth the Lorde with them Immanuel readeth the whole verse thus though the Lorde bee lifted vppe vz. in great and exceeding glorie yet hee beholdeth the lowly i. such as are depressed and beaten downe of men and though hee him-selfe bee high i. lifted vppe euen aboue the heauens hee knoweth a farre off q.d. GOD hath both sight and certaine knowledge both of the good and of the bad the senses in my iudgements differ not much Verse 7. Though I walke i. though I bee much conuersaunt in the middest of trouble i. in very great daunger so that I am compassed about with both before and behind on the right hande and on the left Sée Psalme 23.3.4 yet wilt thou reuiue mee q.d. though my dangers were so great that I shoulde séeme to be dead yet thou wilt quicken me and preserue me from death Thou wilt stretch forth thine hande vpon the wrath of mine enemies i. thou wilt not onely set thy power betwéene mee and their rage to the end that they doe me not any hurt but thou wilt also oppose and set thy selfe against them Immanuel readeth it thus thou stretchedst out thy hande agaynst the face of mine enemies i. thou wilt strike them and that openly as it were with thy left hande and wilt defende mée with thy right as followeth in this verse and thy right hande i. thy gracious and mighty power shall saue me i. deliuer me out of
al my dangers Verse 8. The Lorde vz. whose purpose and power none is able to withstand will performe vz. graciously and in good time his worke i. the worke that hee hath begunne in me towardes me i. vpon me and for my cause q.d. hee will procéede 〈◊〉 declare that hee hath care ouer my saluatioon and will bring to perfection that which hee hath begunne Sée Philip. 1.6 O Lorde thy mercy vz. towardes all but chiefely towardes thy children indureth for euer i. shall neuer haue ende for though that in the life to come wee shall not sinne no more then the Angels in heauen doe nowe yet as they stand now so must wee then by his only mercy in Christ forsake not the woorkes of thine handes i. leaue not mee in myne affliction and the good thinges that thou hast begunne in mee Ver. 1. Teacheth vs vnfeignedly to prayse the Lorde for his mercies Do. yea that wée shoulde not bée ashamed to doe it before men of might and countenaunce Verse 2. Teacheth vs that Gods continuall grace towardes vs and the faythfull accomplishment of his promises shoulde alwaies prouoke vs to bee thankefull vnto him Verse 3. Teacheth vs that GOD is nigh to the earnest supplications and prayers of his seruauntes Verse 4. Teacheth vs that it is the duety euen of Kinges to serue the Lorde euen as well as the meanest of the people and that the hearing of Gods woorde is a good meane for mens conuersion Verse 5. Teacheth vs to take singular delight in the meditation and speach of Gods workes and worde Ver. 6. Teacheth vs that God considereth the conuersation both of the good and the bad but to diuers endes and effectes Verse 7. Teacheth vs that when Gods children are in the greatest distresse that euen then they should assuredly beleeue that God will worke most comfortably for their deliueraunce Verse 8. Teacheth vs that GOD beginneth nothing in his children but hee doeth accomplishe and make the same perfect and yet that it is our duety notwithstanding to vse continuall and hearty prayers vnto him for the performance thereof Psalme 139 Di. I Doe suppose that this Psalme may rightly bee diuided into foure partes In the first the Prophet sheweth that the Lorde did thorowly know him and al his waies both inward and outward and this reacheth from ver 1. to the ende of the 6. In the seconde hée declareth that nothing neither in heauen nor in earth nor in places vnder the earth is able to hyde him from this great presence and exact knowledge of God from verse 7. to the ende of the 12. In the thirde parte hee setteth out certaine reasons thereof taken from mans creation concluding with the excellency of Gods workes and wayes from ver 13. to the ende of the 18. and in the fourth part hee prayeth earnestly agaynst the wicked desiring the Lorde more and more to try him that in the ende hee may bee founde fit for him from ver 19. to the ende of the Psalme Se. The title to him that excelleth a Psalm of Dauid sée this expounded before Psalme 4. in the title Sée also the title of Psalme 14. Ver. 1. O Lorde vz. who alone art the searcher of the heartes and reynes thou hast tried vz. by sundry and many meanes mée vz. whome men speake so much euill of and knowne mee vz. thorowly both inwardly and outwardly so that my thoughtes wordes and déedes are open in thy sight and that which hee speaketh here generally hee vttereth in the next verses more particularly And this Dauid doth appealing to the iudgement of God and making him witnesse of his heart because hee sawe that hee was vniustly accused of his enemies Verse 2. Thou knowest vz. thorowly as before verse 1. my sitting and my rising i. whether I sit downe or ryse vp or doe any thing else it is naked before thée vnderstanding also by these two al the actions of the whole life of a man thou vnderstandest i. knowest and perceiuest my thought i. both it and the thinges that in it I thinke vppon a farre off i. long before it bee brought to effect yea long before it come into my minde or I haue conceiued any thing in my selfe Verse 3. Thou compassest my pathes and my lying downe i. thou art alwayes with mée whether I iourney trauayle or lye still and are accustomed i. well acquainted and as it were familiar with all my wayes i. with the conuersation and actions of my whole lyfe Verse 4. For there is not a woorde in my tongue i. I am not about to speake any thing at all hée putteth the instrument of speach and woordes conceiued and ready to bée vttered for woordes vttered already as it were but loe thou knowest it wholly O Lorde vz. euen before I speake it so that neither it nor any part of it can bee hidden from thée Verse 5. Thou holdest mée straite vz. by thy almighty power behinde and before i. on euery side as aboue and belowe on the right hande and on the left q.d. thy power and presence enuironeth mée on all sides so that I can neither thinke doe nor speake any thing but thou séest it and knowest it and layest thyne hande vppon mee i. thy power q.d. euen as though thou haddest arrested mee and made mee thy prisoner thou kéepest mée in such sort that I can not goe out of thy sight nor doe any thing but thou knowest it yea and guidest and gouernest mee also Verse 6. Thy knowledge i. the knowledge of thy maiesty and of thy wonderfull and excellent woorkes is to wonderfull i. ouer high and marueilous for mee vz. to reach vnto it it is so high i. excellent and exquisite that I can not atteine vnto it vz. by any wit or industrie that I haue q.d. I am not able to comprehende of my selfe or by any thing that is within mée or without mee to knowe thée and thy great woorkes because they are farre beyonde the reach of my reason capacitie and vnderstanding Verse 7. Whither i. into what place of heauen and earth shall I goe from thy spirite vz. to hyde mee from thy knowledge and vnderstanding because men conceiue and vnderstande thinges by the spirite which is a facultie and power of the inwarde man hee speaketh thus of God not meaning it of the holy Ghost which is the thirde person of the godheade q.d. I knowe not whither to goe but thou wilt alwayes perceiue and vnderstande where I am whither shall I flie from thy presence q.d. I knowe not whither to get mee from thy sight as may appeare by the particular enumeration following Verse 8. If I ascende i. goe vp into heauen vz. which is thy seate and dwelling house as it were thou art there i. I shall certainelye finde thee there if I lye downe in hell i. in the graue as wee haue had it sundrye tymes in this booke of Psalmes q.d. if I should rest in the graue and lower partes of the earth as men
doe in their beddes thou art there vz. in thy almightye power prouidence and presence Verse 9. Let mee take the winges of the morning i. as I take it the sunne beames putting a parte for the whole q.d. albeit I had as great quickenesse as the sunne hath both when it riseth and when as it were in a moment it goeth rounde about the worlde yet that woulde not profite mee to hyde mée from thy presence and knowledge and dwell in the vttermost partes of the Sea i. shoulde dwell as farre as there is any Sea or at the furthest ende of the Sea Verse 10. Yet thither vz. euen to that same very place shall thine hande i. thy power and might leade mee vz. euen as a shephearde is wont to leade his sheepe and thy righte hande i. thy great power and might holde mee vz. there and keepe mee in that place q.d. though I woulde thinke by flying hither and thither to withdrawe my selfe from thy presence yet I shoulde be in thy presence and power still because by it I should bée caried whither I my selfe would to stay there and to returne againe from thence at thy pleasure euen as the shéepe hang vppon the shephearde Verse 11. If I say i. if I shoulde either speake or thinke thus yet the darkenesse q.d. séeing other places and meanes can not helpe yet this shift I will haue I shal bee hidden from thée in the night for I take it that by darkenes hée vnderstandeth night as may appeare by that which followeth shal hyde me vz. from thy presence and knowledge so that thou shalt not sée or perceiue mee euen the night shal be light about me q.d. certainely I shal bee but deceiued for that which is done in the night is as wel known to thée as that which is done in the noone day for howsoeuer to me and other creatures the night is darke yet to thée that art the creator all thinges are open naked and bare as Heb. 4.13 Ver. 12. Yea the darknes i. the night nor no other darkenes whatsoeuer though it were as thicke and palpable as the darkenes of Egypt hydeth not vz. any either thought worde or déede from thée i. from thy sight and knowledge but the night shineth vz. before thée and in thy sight meaning by the worde shineth that it is as cleare for God to beholde any thing in as the noone tyde the darkenes and light i. the night and the day Sée Gene. 1.5 are both a like vz. to thée for thou séest as clearely in the one as in the other Verse 13. For thou hast possessed here hée yéeldeth a reason why God shoulde knowe the thinges before mentioned and it is taken from the notable creation of man by Gods wonder full gouernement q.d. by good reason all these thinges are knowne to thée because thou hast created man and euery part and péece of him and vnder the worde possessed the Prophet noteth first the knowledge that God hath of vs for no man possesseth euidences or houses but hee knoweth the right title roomes thereof Secondly his right and authoritie for howsoeuer men obtaine vniust possessions yet with the Lorde there is no iniustice my reines i. mine affections yea the most secret thoughtes of my heart and whatsoeuer lay or lyeth hid within me thou hast couered me in my mothers wombe Immanuel addeth here a terme that maketh the sense most plaine thus from the time that thou hast c. q.d. yea euen from my conception long before thou knewest al thinges concerning me And yet I deny not but this text of the Geneua Bible may haue a good sense thus thou hast couered mee vz. with flesh sinewes skin c. in my mothers wombe i. before I was borne when in that place thou gauest a forme and fashion to me and so it may be a reason why nothing can be hidden from God because God made him there and knewe him there therefore much more in this life Ver. 14. I wil praise thée vz. with my whole hart as psal 138.1 for I am fearefully wonderously made i. the very creation and making of me and the due consideration which I haue thereof do strike into me a feare of thy maiesty a wondering at thy workmanship or else thus thou hast created me after a feareful and wonderful sort Immanuel readeth it thus I doe praise thée because by these thy reuerend woorkes I am brought to wondering then repeateth these words I praise thy marueilous works my soule knoweth thē very well but I take the other text to be as good as this marueilous i. very excellent wonderfull are thy workes vz. euerie one of them and namely the continuall forming and creating of mankynde and my soule knoweth it well vz. through thy great goodnesse who hast put that light into it to know and consider of that excellente and wonderfull worke Verse 15. My bones i. neyther they all nor any one of them for thou kéepest them in a continuall account sée Psal 34 20. are not hid from thée for thou knowest both their names and their number though I was made in a secret place vz. in my mothers wombe as verse 13 q.d. the closenesse of that place could not hide them from thy presence and knowledge and fashioned beneath in the earth whereas thou notwithstanding was in heauen q.d. the distaunce of the place could not hinder thée from the sight and knowledge of me and of euery part and péece of me Verse 16. Thine eyes did sée me this is spoken of God according to mans vnderstanding not that God hath eyes but that the Lord knew more perfitly by many degrées then we know things by our sight when I was without forme i. when I had neither shape nor fashion but was as it were a rude lumpe he speaketh here of a great secret of nature Of which we should both think and speake reuerently and modestly for in thy booke this is spoken according to men who vse bookes for the helpe of their memory that they may haue euery thing by péecemeale as it were were all thinges written i. all the members and parts of my body were as well knowne in thy prouidence vnto thée as if they had bin written in a booke and layd before thée which vz. members and parts of mine in continuance vz. of time were fashioned vz. thorow thy great power woorking when there was none of thē before vz. created and made This is it that he meaneth that as God in the beginning made heauen earth as a huge heape without forme yet afterwardes gaue them that notable forme which they haue and out of them framed that great variety of excellent creatures so out of the rude lumpe conceaued first in the womb which yet notwithstanding did in it self containe the whole body did the Lord by a merueilous workmanship create that excellent forme and proportion of mans body and of the seueral members ioynts therof Ver.
onely and not from any policie or deuise of man whatsoeuer Ver. 15. Sheweth that the Lorde can by his worde doe watsoeuer pleaseth himselfe Ver. 16.17.18 Teach vs that howsoeuer God vse secondarie causes in the accomplishment of his wil yet it is his power only that directeth disposeth of al things see to this end Iob. 37. throughout Ver. 19. Teacheth vs that gods word is the most singular iewel and blessing that God can giue vs in this life Ver. 20. teacheth vs that God wil haue mercy vpon whomsoeuer he wil haue mercie and he wil shew compassion to whomsoeuer he wil shewe compassion as for the other he wil harden psalme 148 THis Psalme may be diuided into three partes In the first Di. the Prophet exhorteth al the heauenly creatures to praise and glorifie God from ver 1. to the end of 6. In the second he stirreth vp earthly creatures to the performance of that great duety and al this he doth that hee might the better prouoke men therunto from ver 7. to the end of the 12. In the thirde hee exhorteth them al together to prayse the name of the Lorde shewing certaine notable causes wherefore they should do it and this is comprehended in the two last verses of the Psalme The title Prayse ye the Lord Sée before Psal 106. also 111. also 112. Se. also 113. also 146. also 135. and 149. 150. Verse 1. Prayse yee the Lorde from the heauen q.d. al ye things that are in the heauens and haue your abiding there magnifie the Lord and extol him for his goodnes praise ye him in the high places i. ye that are in the heauens haue your dwelling places as it were there and the heauens are called high places because they are high aboue vs and note that in this verse he speaketh generally vnto them al meaning them parcularly as it were one after another in the verses folowing ver 2. Praise ye him all yee his angels hee speaketh this not as though the Angels did not their duetie in that behalfe but because he woulde haue them to shewe men the way as it were to praise God and they are called Gods angels both because he created them and also because they are alwaies ready to execute his commandements praise him al his armies or hostes this is a general word and is to bee referred to all the heauenly creatures as Gene. 2.1 which are called Gods armies and hostes because he vseth their ministery and seruice either in the defence of his children or in the ouerthrow of his and their enemies yet notwithstanding it may very wel be applied to Angels especially as who are the chiefe and principall instruments which he vseth in those cases Verse 3. Prayse ye him sunne and moone he directeth his speach to the insensible creatures though they haue no vnderstanding because they glorifie their creator in doing their duty and kéeping the order which he hath set them and because Gods glory shineth forth in them and they do as it were with a loud cleare voyce publish and set foorth his prayses sée Psal 19.1 and Psal 145.11 all this hee doeth to shewe that it should be great vnkindnes if men should degenerate from the end of their creation prayse ye him al bright starres i. all starres for there is no starre but he hath brightnes and light in him to shine vppon the earth as Gene. 1.16.17 Ver. 4. Prayse ye him heauen of heauens i. not onely the circles and spheres wherein the planets are as it were in diuers seates dwelling houses as the Philosophers affirme but euen the very true heauēs the place of eternal ioy prepared for the elect sée for this phrase 1. King 8.27 and waters i. raine that bée aboue the heauen i. are in the cloudes aboue the firmament and are there vpholde by his almightie power Sée Genesis 1.7 so heauen in this place is put for the aire or the nethermost region of the aire aboue which the cloudes conteining the raine are Ver. 5. Let them vz. altogether and euery one of them prayse the name of the Lorde i. celebrate and set forth his maiesty power goodnes c. for hee commaunded i. hee spake the worde onely and they i. all and euery one of them were created vz. immediatly and presently as Psalme 33.6.9 Verse 6. And hee hath established them vz. by the strength and power of the same word whereby hee created them for euer and euer i. to all perpetuitie and this must chiefely be vnderstoode of the Angels and ministring spirites he hath made an ordinaunce i. he hath set a decrée or decréed by which they are lead to do the office wherunto they are appointed which shal not passe i. which shall not vanish or fléete away or rather thus which they shal not passe i. which they shal not transgresse or goe beyonde doe what they can Verse 7. Prayse yee the Lorde from the earth i. yee earthly thinges as from the heauen verse 1. was heauenlye thinges and this is a general terme comprehending the particulars expressed afterwardes ye Dragons the Hebrewe worde properly signifieth great fishes such as are Whales but yet it may bee applied generally to all great beastes whether they liue in the lande or in the waters and all depthes i. all déepe places or rather by the signe metonomia all thinges conteyned in the déepe places as whether they be in the bottome of the sea or in the caues of the earth Ver. 8. Fire i. lightning and haile i. which cōmonly commeth with stormes of thunder and lightning snow and vapours vz. in the ayre which are drawn vp thither by the power attractiue of the sunne stormie wind which vz. wind or else all of them together but I rather refer it to the wind execute his word i. obey his commaundement after their maner and fashion the accomplishment whereof we sée Exod. 14.25 And this he sayeth because alterations come not by fortune or chaunce but are guided and gouerned by Gods secret will Verse 9 Mountaines and all hils by this particular enumeration he declareth this to be his meaning that he would haue no creatures excepted though he do not reckon them vp all fruitfull trees i. trées that beare fruit for the nourishment of man and beast which thing many trées doe not being replenished only with boughes and leaues and all Cedars vz. how high and tall soeuer they be meaning that if the best were not excepted thē the worst should not Verse 10. Beasts and all cattel vz. of what kind or forme so euer they be the particulars whereof he reckoneth vp afterwardes créeping things vz. as wormes snakes serpents and such like which créepe or craule vnderstanding also by those the very fishes as may appeare Gen. 1.20 feathered foules i. euery thing that hath winges and flieth Ver. 11. Kings of the earth i. al maner of rulers and men of mighte by what title or name soeuer they are called and
and earth This verse and the verses following conteine and answere to the blasphemous scorning of the aduersaries conteined ver 3. and in this answere the true GOD is manifestly set out ver 4. and further it is declared that the false may not onely not be compared with him but not with men no not so much as with the smallest creature liuing ver 4.5.6.7 and therefore that men shoulde no more feare the worshippers of idoles then the idoles themselues ver 8. so that here he opposeth the assurance of fayth against the blasphemies of vnbeléeuers and declareth that God hath an infinite power and such a one as can not bee limited in so much that all the worlde being vnder his gouernement hée fréely executeth whatsoeuer pleaseth him no man being able to let him therein yea that he is not onely aboue all lets and hinderaunces but also that he vseth the same to serue to the furtherance of his purposes and therefore hée addeth that hee doeth whatsoeuer pleaseth him Ver. 4. Their idoles i. the idoles of the heathen ver 2. of this Psal and which they serue as siluer and golde i are made of siluer and gold q.d. that is the best they can bee made of the worke of mens handes i. they are such woorkes as mens handes haue made Verse 5. They haue a mouth i. the proportion and similitude of a mouth and speake not i. can not speake therewith they haue eyes i. a shewe and likenes of eyes and sée not i. can not sée therewith and after the same sort must you vnderstande all that is sayd of them ver 6.7 The faithful do hereby declare that it is an absurd thing for men demaund of idoles that which they want or to put any trust in them séeing that they haue neither mouing féeling nor any other sense And in these verses hée maketh an opposition betwéene the true God and the false gods which are nothing but dead idoles and haue no power at all in these verses is conteined also a laying of that iustly vpon these false gods which the idolaters vntruely did charge the true God withall and the argumentes are taken first of the effect because their idoles were nothing but terrors and such as did trouble mens myndes with grieuous superstition from whence also they séeme in Hebrewe to haue their names and not comforting and sauing any as God doeth all his continually Secondly of the matter because that though they bee very precious yet they are earthly thinges and without life but God is the author of life and dwelleth in heauen thirdly of their beginning because mens handes made them whereas God is eternall and vncreated who also by his very word made al things lastly because they are idle and vnprofitable and not indued with any power of life but rather vaine shadowes of liuing thinges whereas the Lorde doeth whatsoeuer pleaseth him And by this meanes hee beateth downe the vayne confidence and pride of the wicked who bragged of the helpe of their gods to whome they themselues gaue a beginning and though they bee made of golde and siluer vnderstanding thereby any other precious matter whatsoeuer yet so it is the value of the matter causeth not that the idoles should bée more excellent if they might be compared with GOD. Verse 8. They that make them i. the caruers grauers painters c. are like vnto them i. brutish as it were and insensible q.d. they are no more able to resist thée and thy power then those dead images are able to resist a liuing man neither are they able more to hurt thy people then a blocke or a stocke of it selfe can hurt a liuing creature so are i. in the like case and condition also are all vz. of what state or condition soeuer they bee that trust in them vz. either litle or much and here they shewe one cause wherefore God hateth idoles vz. because the honour due to him alone is giuen to thē Ver. 9. O Israel now he speaketh to the faithfull and exhorteth them to trust in God onely q.d. But thou O Israel séeing thou hast had proofe of the alsufficiency of God and of the vanity of idoles trust thou in the Lorde vz. alone ioyne no other with him for hee is their helpe i. of the faithfull and of those that truste in him q.d. he alwayes helpeth them and their shield vz. in the day of distresse meaning vnder this terme shielde his protecting and defending of them Sée Psal 18.2 Ver. 10. O house of Aaron i. O ye priests and Leuites which were ioyned vnto the priests for their ease he speaketh specially vnto these because they should shew the way vnto others trust ye in the Lord vz. also that ye in féeling the same your selues may the better teach and perswade other men to imbrace it for he is their helpe and their shield sée ver 9. of this Psal Ver. 11. Yée vz. of what nation soeuer ye be and are now come to the knowledge of God that feare the Lord i. worship him and serue him according to his word trust in the Lord for he is their helpe and their shield sée ver 9.10 of this Psalme Ver. 12. The Lord vz. himselfe hath beene mindfull i. by effect and déede hath declared his care and remembraunce of vs vz. being in distresse and that by reason of the couenant which he made with vs hee will blesse vz. vs al of what state or condition so euer we be vnderstanding by blessing all maner of prosperity whatsoeuer hée will blesse the house of Israell i. all the race and posterity of Israel nowe hée applieth that particularly which hée spake before generally hée will blesse the house of Aaron i. the Priestes and Leuites as before verse 10. Ver. 13. Hée will blesse them that feare the Lorde i. such as worship and serue him as before verse 11. Marke also howe he speaketh of God in the thirde person And this often repeating of the woorde blessing serueth not onely to note the continuall course of Gods graces vpon his children but also to expresse the certaintie and assurednes thereof both small and greate i. as well those that are vile and contemptible in the world as those that are in greatest estimation and regard the reason of it is because GOD respecteth no mans person Verse 14. The Lorde will increase vz. through his great goodnesse and mercy his graces towardes you vz. which are his people hée meaneth that he will giue them a dayly supply of new benefites and greater then they haue had before towardes you and towards your children hée noteth in these woordes the largenesse of Gods blessing to be bestowed vppon the godly and their godly posterity Verse 15. Yée are the blessed of the Lorde i. you are such as the Lorde himselfe hath not onely promised bur perfourmed great blessinges vnto and therefore you néede not doubt or feare which made vz. by the worde of his power in the beginning and
people but specially the Priests and Leuites to whome hée giueth this title by reason of the offices whervnto they were appoynted and that therfore they to the end also that by their example they might draw on others to do the like should be so much the more carefully stirred vp to the spiritual exercises of true religion ye that by night stand in the house of the Lord i. whiche doe not only serue God in the day time but in the night kéeping watch and ward about the temple of the Lord sée Num. 18.1.2 c. 1. Chron. 9.33 And though it be true that many of the people had that affection to remain day and night in the temple as it is reported of Anna Luk. 2.37 yet I refer it in this place only to the Priestes and Leuites and when he sayth stande hee meaneth their continuall aboade there as it were And by house of the Lorde hee meaneth eyther the place where the Arke was or the temple after it was builded Verse 2. Lift vp your handes i. praye and giue thankes the signe of prayer or an outwarde gesture vsed in it put for the thing it selfe as Psalme 141 2. also 1 Timothie 2 8. to the sanctuarye i. towardes the Sanctuarye meaning the place where the Arke was and the Arke it selfe out of which God had promised to aunswere his people and to heare their prayers and prayse the Lorde vz. for his mercyes as verse 1. and here hee sheweth that the principall ende of outward ceremonies is to set forth Gods praise and glory Verse 3. The Lord that made heauen and earth i. the God of all maiestie glory power c. sée Psalme 121 2 also Psalme 124 8 blesse thée vz. with all goodnesse and fauour out of Sion where the arke the sure testimonye of his fauoure and presence was so that here they acknowledge in the firste place his power and in the seconde his fatherlye loue which two must neuer be sundered but alwayes ioyned together for the strengthening of the fayth of gods children And whether he speaketh this in the person of the Priestes whose office it was to blesse the people as Numbers 6 23 or in his own person as praying for them and testifying his great loue vnto them it is not muche materiall Do. Verse 1. teacheth vs to exhort and prouoke all men yea the very ministers of God if they be negligent to the performance of their dutie Ver. 2 teacheth vs that Gods children should alwayes ioyne prayer and thanksgiuing vnto God together Ver. 3 teacheth vs in all holy affection and vnfeigned loue to pray for others as for our selues Psalme 135. IN my iudgement Di. this Psalme may bee diuided rightly into two partes In the first the Prophet exhorteth the faythfull of what state or condition so euer they bee to prayse the Lorde shewing certaine causes that may leade them thereto as his mercy his power his wonderful workes c. from ver 1. to the end of the 12. In the second he sheweth what great difference there is betwéene the true God and all the counterfeite Gods of the Gentiles exhorting al the faithful generally and the Priestes and Leuites particularly to prayse that true God whose seruice they professed from ver 13. to the end of the Psalme The title is prayse yée the Lorde sée this expounded before Psalme 106. Se. also Psalme 113. in the titles so that this title séemeth to comprehend the argument of the Psalme as though the whole Psalme did nothing else but prouoke men to prayse God Ver. 1. Prayse the name of the Lord i. his maiesty power goodnes c. as sundrie times before and namely Psal 20.1 and Psal 124.8 ye seruants of the Lorde this I referre generally to all as Psalm 134.1 but specially to the priests praise him this doubling of the exhortation séemeth to set out as mens dulnes and vnaptnes to the same so the excellency of the thing it selfe Ver. 2. Ye that stand in the house of the Lorde i. ye priestes specially and chiefly because they ought by their duety to shewe the way vnto others and in the courtes of the house of our God i. in those courtes that did appertein to the temple of the Lord amongst which the people had some which place is called 2. Chro. 4.9 the great court and this is the reason why though I referre it chiefely to the Priestes and Leuites yet I would haue it also to be vnderstood that this exhortation is directed to the people likewise Verse 3. Prayse ye the Lorde vz. for his wonderful kindnes and loue sée Psal 134.1 for the Lorde is good vz. euen of his owne nature and from that abundaunt goodnesse which is in him floweth all goodnesse which wee haue and this is as it were the first generall cause why men shoulde prayse him sing prayses vnto his name i. extol his maiesty power c. as before ver 1. for it is a comely thing vz. to do so meaning by comely pleasant and profitable sée Psal 133.1 also Psalm 92.1 Ver. 4. For the Lorde vz. whom I exhort you to praise and magnifie hath chosen vz. of his infinite mercy goodnes Iaakob i. the faithfull séede and posterity of Iaakob to himselfe i. to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe and vz. he hath fréely chosen for here you must repeat or vnderstand that word Israel i. the true Israelites or the Israel of God as Psal 124.1 for his chiefe treasure i. for a people whom hee maketh more account of by many degrees then men do of their chiefest treasures Sée Exod. 19.5 The Hebrewe worde signifieth treasure gathered together of verse most exquisite thinges as pearles precious stones or such like And in this verse is conteined a particular cause to prouoke thankfulnes vz. that GOD chose from al the nations of the earth the issue and séed of Abraham to bee his people Ver. 5. For I know vz. both by his worde workes and myne owne experience that the Lord vz. whom we serue is gret vz. in power might and that our Lorde vz. whom we worship according to his will reuealed in his word is aboue al Gods i. is higher and mightier then they whether they be Angels and magistrates to whom this name is sometimes giuen or idoles which the vaine people worship whose vanity he doeth afterwardes declare in this Psalme Ver. 6. Whatsoeuer pleased the Lord i. whatsoeuer it liked him to do that did he vz. because no power was able to resist him in heauen and in earth in the Sea and in al depthes i. euery where for no place is excepted from his power and presence as Psalm 139.7.8 c. and howe true this is the particular examples of his woorde doe declare specially these two the vniuersall flood and the confusion of Babel Gene. 7.8.11 chapt and in this verse is conteyned a thirde cause wherefore men should prayse God and that is the great power of God declared not onely in
the creation of heauen and earth the waters c. but also in that hee gouerneth euery thing according to his will and disposeth of them in a most wyse order Ver. 7. Hée vz. God alone bringeth vp vz. into the aire and skye and that by his almighty power the clouds i. vapors and exhalations which afterwardes in the middle region of the aire are turned into cloudes as we sée them from the endes of the earth i. from al the quarters of the worlde and maketh vz. by his almighty power the lightnings with the raine i. both lightning and rayne which are seldome sundered but come together as our dayly experience teacheth vs for wee haue seldome any lightning without rayne and thunder hee draweth foorth the wynds vz. by his almightie power stil to which euery thing euen the dumbe and insensible creatures must obey out of his treasures i. out of holes dens hidden and secret places in which as it were in treasure houses god keepeth the windes of which our sauiour Christ sayth Iohn 3.8 That the wind bloweth where it listeth and men heare the sound thereof but whence it commeth or whither it goeth no man can tell And thus wée sée that though by reason wee can giue a naturall cause of these meteors as that the cloudes are congealed of moist and watery vapours drawen out of the Sea and from the earth from which cloudes the rayne commeth as Ecclest 11.3 and that lightning is made of hote drye and firie exhalations drawen by the power of the sunne into the regions of the aire and so foorth of the rest yet we may perceiue by the playne woords of this text that nothing is done in the order of nature without the counsell and will of our GOD Sée Iob. 36. verse 27.28 c. also Iob. 37. throughout for this purpose Verse 8. Hée smote vz in his iustice and iudgement and that by his almighty power the first borne of Egipt i. all the first borne in the lande of Egypt both of man and beast i. of all men and beastes whatsoeuer Sée Exod. 12.29 Psalme 105.36 meaning by smiting destroying them with death And note that here he reckoneth vp a fourth cause wherefore the faythfull shoulde prayse God to wit for his speciall graces and benefites bestowed vppon his Church in their preseruation and deliuerance and his singular iudgements and punishments brought vpon their enemies wherein the principal prayse of his vertue and power is manifested Verse 9. Hée i. God himselfe hath sent vz. by his eternal power in the ministery of Moses and Aaron his seruants tokens vz. of his wrath and iudgement and wonders i. feareful and straunge thinges into the middest of thée O Egypt vz. so that thou canst not either pleade ignoraunce or alledge excuse for my iudgements were euen vppon Pharaoh vz. thy king and vppon all his seruauntes i. not onely them that attended vppon him but vppon all his people and subiectes the trueth and accomplishment of this Sée in Exod. 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. chapters Verse 10. Hée i. God smote vz. in his iudgement and that by the dint of the sworde and death many nations vz. greater and mightier then the people of the Iewes Sée Deutronom 2. 3. chapt throughout for this matter and flewe vz. by the sworde of his seruantes and people many kinges whereof some hee reckoneth vp in the next verse and others are mentioned Numb 21.1 and in other places Verse 11. As Sihon king of the Ammorites and Og the king of Bashan sée the historie of these Numb 21. Deut. 3. Ioshua 12. and all the kingdomes of Canaan which was diuided into sundry kingdomes and wherein dwelt seuen nations greater and mightier then the Iewes Ver. 12. And gaue vz. of his frée goodnes their lande i. the land of the Canaanites or that land which they inhabited for an inheritance euen an inheritance to Israel his people i. for a place for them as safely and as lawfully for them to dwell in as if it had descended to them by inheritance Ver. 13. Thy name i. thy maiesty power and goodnes indureth for euer vz. towardes all but specially towards thine owne people O Lorde thy remembraunce i. the continual instructions which thou giuest to thy people to remember thée is from generation to generation i. lasteth comtinually and goeth on from age to age so that there is no age but they haue euident examples thereof Ver. 14. For the Lorde vz himselfe will iudge i. guide gouerne and defend as Psalme 96.13 and Psalme 98.9 and bee pacified towardes his seruauntes i. hee will as it were chaunge his purpose and not execute with heauy iudgement that which he had determined against them and this is spoken of God according to the manner of men Ver. 15.16 17.18 Sée expounded before Psalm 115. ver 4.5.6.7.8 where you shall finde both the very same woordes and matters And hee here inueigheth so sharply agaynst idoles because that the prayse which belongeth vnto GOD is many tymes falsly giuen vnto them and therefore hee declareth that neither the matter it selfe whereof they are made nor the workeman can giue them the title of GOD or God heade Ver. 19. Prayse the Lorde sée ver 1.3 of this Psalme yee house of Israell i. yee that descende of Israell or Iaakob meaning by this speach all the people generally prayse the Lorde yée house of Aaron i. ye Priests who descend and come from Aaron to whose race familie and stocke the priesthood was by Gods ordinaunce onely appoynted and tyed Ver. 20. Prayse the Lorde yee house of Leui i. all ye Leuites who were inferiour vnto the Priestes though they came all from one father to wit Leui Iaakobs third sonne and by this place wee sée that euen by the very institution and ordinaunce of God there were two distinct orders amongest the people of the Iewes to wit priests and Leuites according to which also he speaketh here ye that feare the Lorde vz. with a reuerent child like feare meaning also by this speach such as did worshippe and serue him sée Psalme 128.1 prayse the Lorde vz. with a good heart sée before ver 1.3 of this Psalme Ver. 41. Praysed be the Lord vz. for his infinite mercies towards vs out of Sion i. in Sion which was the place appoynted for his worshippe for this phrase sée Psalm 128.5 also 134.3 which vz. Lord and God dwelleth in Ierusalem i. giueth most plaine testimonies of his presence and abode there and not that God is tied to any place The Prophet meaneth that in Sion and Ierusalem the place of his worshippe he gaue euident signes of his presence and power and not that hee was inclosed or tied to that place only praise ye the Lord this Psalme beginneth and endeth with like woordes for which sée Psal 105. and Psal 106. in the beginning and ending Do. Ver. 1. Teacheth vs to exhort and prouoke al gods people to thankefulnes to God for his benefites Ver.