is the same in substance and almost in words with the end of Psal. 40. PSAL. LXXI Verse 14. ANd will yet praise thee more and more I will adde to thy praise so the words are in the Originall as if he should say God hath had some praise in the world already I would fain adde something for my part I would come in with my share and that he might have some more praise for me Vers. 16. I will go in the strength of the Lord God That is to go forth 1. In a right apprehension of a mans interest in God by vertue of the new Covenant by which one hath an interest in all his attributes 2. To go forth in the former experiments that he hath had of God Austin saith Calvin plus centies ad evertenda operum merita hoc testimonio utitur PSAL. LXXII Verse 1. GIve the King thy judgements O God and thy righteousness unto the Kings son Judgement is an ability to know what we ought to do 1 King 3. 15. Righteousness is a willingness to do what we know Vers. 3. The mountains shall bring peace to the people and the little hils by righteousness Some understand it literally from all parts of the Land so Calvin rather the supream and inferiour Magstrates Vers. 6. He shall come down like rain upon the mowen grass Or as some write it for so the Originall will bear it He shall come down like rain upon the Fleece having relation to Gideons Fleece It is chiefly understood of Christ yet of Salomon also as a type of Christ and indeed of every good Governour See 1 King 4. 25. Vers. 9. And his enemies shall lick the dust They shall fall down so low when they worship him that their mouthes shall touch the earth Scimus Orientales hac caeremonia fuisse usos Calvinus Vers. 17. His Name shall be continued as long as the Sunne Filiabitur nomen ejus Montanus Shall be continued as the Name of the Father in the Son The Greek turneth it his name continueth The sense is That there shall alwaies be a true Church even to the end of the world in which Christ gets to himself in which he is worshipped and praisâ—d Glass Onomat See Muis. PSAL. LXXIII Verse 1. TRuly God is good to Israel What ever God doth though wicked men prosper and the godly be much afflicted Israel is the common name of the people of God in the Old Testament See Whitefoot on Gen. 47. 29. Vers. 4. For there are no bands in their death Are not held long a dying had no lingering disease or consumption Vers. 23. Thou hast holden me by my right hand That is helpt him in any thing he did See Isa. 45. 1. Vers. 24. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsell That is shalt give me counsell I will not take counsell of my self and that counsell shall be my guide Vers. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee He had communion with Christ the glorious Angels Abraham Isaac and Jacob. See Heb. 12. 23 24. The substantials of blessedness lie in God these are but accidentals He had beautifull and wise children on earth Vers. 26. My flesh and my heart faileth Flesh that is the outward man and my heart that is the inward man the courage But God is the strength of my heart His at last gasp And my portion for ever That is the lot wherewith he was content Vers. 28. But it is good for me to draw near to God Best see vers 25. 1 In respect of the act of prayer to have communion with God 2. In respect of the issue of it all graces are exercised and increased sins mortified mercies sanctified and sweetned PSAL. LXXIV Verse 9. WE see not our signes That is the Ordinances Vers. 11. Pluck it out of thy bosom This denoteth a performance of the work without slackness See Prov. 26. 15. Ainsw Vers. 13. Thou brakest the heads of the Dragons in the waters That is the Egyptians the Noblemen of Egypt who pursuing the Israelites were drowned in the red sea Exod. 14. 28. For great persons are likened to Dragons or whale-Whale-fishes as Ezek 29. 3. Ainsw Regem principes AEgyptios as Grotius Vers. 14. Thou brakest the heads of Leviathan or Whale in pieces That is Pharaoh King of Egypt And gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness For their faith not bellies While they were in the wilderness they remembred Gods mercy to them at the red sea Vers. 19. O deliver not the soul of thy turtle Dove into the multitude of the wicked The Church is so called for as the Turtle Dove hath but one mate so the Church must have God only for her love and is exposed to prey PSAL. LXXV Verse 3. THe earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved Salomon almost ruined all I bear up the pillars of it Not by any industry of men Omnis potestas a summa potestate Aug. Vers. 6. For promotion cometh neither from the East nor from the West nor from the South The desart that is the South or North for desarts were in both ends of the Land of Canaan Vers. 8. For in the hand of the Lord there is a Cup. There is a twofold Cup 1. Of blessing salvation 2. Of cursing wrath death as here and Psal. 11. 6. See Hab. 2. 16. Ezek. 23 31 32. Jer. 25. 28. And the wine is red Wine is wrath Job 21. 20. Red noting fiery indignation Full of mixture Of all manner of judgements as Rev. 14. 10. It is said to be without mixture of mercy And he poureth out of the same viz. Unto his own people Jer. 25. 17 18. keeps it not in the Cup. But the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out Shall wring out the dregs how bitter soever they be Significat his figuris Propheta non posse impios effugere quin sugendo ad ultimam usque guttam calicem â—bibant à Deo propinatum Calvinus PSAL. LXXVI Verse 4. THe mountains of prey Either those places where conquering Armies divided the spoil after a victory obtained or where robbers preyed upon passengers Vers. 10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee Which is not so meant as if the wicked in their rage should praise God but that their rage should yield great store of matter for God to raise his praise and glory thereby to make his power providence and wisdom to be known to men Vers. 12. He shall cut off the spirit of Princes The word is he slippeth off as one should slip a cluster of Grapes from a Vine so soon and easily is it done PSAL. LXXVII Verse 10. THe years of the right hand of the most high The years and times of my life wherein I had experience of Gods mercy and love for
laying down his life John 10. 19. In the midst of my bowels the Hebrew and Chald. Par. these note the tendrest affections Col. 1. 12. Phil. 1. 8. a Law of love to the Saints John 10. 18. Vers. 10. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart There is a threefold hiding 1. Out of envy as here as being unwilling that others should partake of it so Matth. 23. 13. 2. Out of sloath Matth. 25. 25. 3. Out of care Matth. 13. 44. Psal. 119. 11. Vers. 11. For thy loving kindness and thy truth continually preserve me Loving kindness and truth are fitly joyned in the first of which that is promised which is not owed in the other that is performed which is promised Vers. 12. Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me Christ confesseth our sinnes as his own See Heb. 10. 6 7. This whole Psalm is of Christ this is a very remarkable place they were his sinnes say some by imputation and voluntary acceptation PSAL. XLI Verse 3. THou wilt make all his bed in his sickness Heb. turn Either he sends us health so some expound it he turns the bed of sickness into a bed of health or turns our bed for us in our sickness that is refresheth us giveth us ease when we lie upon our sick bed it is a metaphor borrowed from those which attend sick persons that help to make their bed easie and soft and turn them that they may lie at ease Vers. 6. His heart gathereth iniquity to it self The word signifies dispersum aliquid congregare Vers. 9. Yea â—inâ— own familiar friend Heb. The man of my peace an Hebraism that is my familiar friend which was at peace with me Judas Christs own disciple John 13. 18. Hath lift up his heel against me An expression of the highest pride and greatest contempt PSAL. XLII Verse 1 AS the Hart panteth after the water-brooks The Hart is a thirsty creature of it self but especially when it is chased The Hinâ—e the female is here meant and in females the passions are stronger than in males Vers. 7. Deep calleth upon deep Deep that is great afflictions Ezek. 26. 19. Jon. 2. 5. The depth of our misery on the depth of Gods mercy Vers. 8. Yet the Lord will command his loving kindness It is a phrase taken from Kings and Princes and great Commanders in the field whose words of command stand for Laws It signifies effectually and powerfully to command if God will command loving kindness it will act Vers. 10. Where is thy God That is thy God is no where thou hast none to help or deliver thee PSAL. XLIII Vers. 2. FOr thou art the God of my strength In whom all my strength and power is laid up thiue essentially mine federally See Col. 1. 11. Vers. 3. â— send out thy light and thy truth The Hebrew word signifies to send an Ambassadour 2 Kings 14 8. and to send out with authority and commission from heaven that it may enlighten and guide me in the way By light Calvin understands favour and saith he adds truth because he hoped for light only from Gods promises Vers. 5. Why art thou disquieted within me The word in that conjugation signifies He disquieted himself I shall yet praise him In after-times praise him for this very dispensation under which my heart is now discouraged I shall be delivered and my mourning shall be turned into singing The health of my countenance That is my present help which stands before me continually as the shew-bread was called the bread of countenance or faces because it stood still before God PSAL. XLIV Verse 12. THou sellest thy people for nought Thou hast so contemned thy people that without any gain thou hast delivered them into servitude one while to the Moabites another while to the Canaanites and Philistims which histories are in the Book of Judges See Deut. 32. 30. Isa. 52. 3. Vers. 19. Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons The Hebrew word Ainsworth saith is common both for land and water dragons So Psal. 148. 7. that is either the desolate wildernesse where the Dragons inhabit or into the bottom of the Sea PSAL. XLV THis Psalm say some is an Epithalamium or Congratulatory Hymne made at Salomons wedding when he married Pharaohs daughter she being a Proseliâ—e to the Jewish Church was a Type of the Gentiles Many expound it therefore historically Christs excellency is set out in this Psalm the Apostle expresly applies it to him Heb. 1. 8. Vers. 1. My heart is enditing a good matter Boyling or frying see Psal. 119. 171. In both places there is a Metaphor as some think from a fountain that continually bubleth up water or as others from a full stomack and they translate it eructare belching proceeds from fullnesse of stomack See Rivet Vers. 2 Thou art fairer than the children of men The Hebrew word Japhiaphita is of double form to note out double that is very excellent beauty This fairness is not of body only but specially of the minde in wisdome holinesse Heb. 7. 26. Fairer more comely desirable excellent glorious Grace is poured into thy lips See Cant. 5. 13. Christ was amiable in speaking he spake gracious words abundantly this is that which they call in French La grace de bien parler or La bonne grace See Luke 4. 22. The Chaldee expoundeth it The Spirit of prophecy is given into thy lips Vers. 7. Therefore God thy God hath annointed thee with the oyl of gladnesse above thy fellows The oyl wherewith Christ was annointed is called the oyl of gladnesse ab effectu saith Calvin it fils the soul of his members with spiritual gladnesse and it was the oyl also of holinesse Above thy fellows That is Christs manhood was filled with the gifts and graces of God both in measure number and degree above all men and Angels The word signifies a Collegue Companion Consort Partaker of the same sufferings and priviledges with Christ as he is called Gods fellow so the Saints in some respect are fellows with Christ. Vers. 10. Forget also thine own people and thy Fathers house That which is commanded to Salomons wife is commanded to all Christians This wife of Salomon is the soul of every Christian the Spouse of Christ the true Salomon who by nature is daughter to Heathen Pharaoh that is to sinne corruption and wrath but being married to Christ must forget her own kindred and Fathers house that is their own nature and carnal desires and then shall Christ our King and spiritual husband take pleasure in us and rejoyce to do us good Vers. 12. And the daughter of Tyre The inhabitants of Tyre Tyre was the rich Merchant-city Even the rich among the people shall intreat thy favour Beg that they may enjoy of thy priviledges Vers. 13. The Kings Daughter is all glorious within A good Expositor thinks within here is not opposed
so is this phrase interpreted Psal. 17. 7. 80. 17. Vers. 19. Thy way is in the sea and thy path in the great waters As he led the people at the red sea PSAL. LXXVIII Verse 2. I Will open my mouth in a parable Parables are sententious speeches speeches filled with weight of wisdom To open the mouth in a parable is to have an active intention of the Spirit preparing and fitting the mouth to open Vers. 8. A stubborn and rebellious generation A metaphor taken from beasts that will not be guided by their rider Vers. 25. Man did eat Angels food Bread of the Mighties that is of the Angels as the Chaldee and Greek explaineth it which are mighty in strength Psal. 103. 20. and Manna is called their bread either because by their Ministry God sent it so Austin or because it came from heaven the habitation of Angels as the Chaldee paraphraseth or because it was excellent so as the Angels if they needed any food might eat it See 1 Cor. 13. 1. Vers. 27. As dust as the sand of the sea Three things in the Scripture are used proverbially to declare a great multitude The dust of the earth the sand of the sea and the starres of heaven Gen. 13. 16. Numb 13. 10. Gen. 22. 17. Deut. 1. 10. Gen. 32. 13. Jer. 15. 8. Hab. 1. 9. Isa. 10. 22. 48. 19. Hos. 1. 10. Vers. 32. And beleeved not for his wondrous works They did beleeve the History of his works viz. that such things as are there recorded were done but they did not beleeve the prophesie or promise which was virtually in those works viz. that God would do more wonders for them till he had finisht and accomplisht their deliverance Vers. 36. And they lied unto him with their tongues Saying to Moses whatsoever the Lord shall say to us that will we do Jerome One cannot speak too highly of God but because they beleeved him not to be their Rock and Redeemer Vers. 38. And did not stirre up all his wrath Which was in him or which their sinne deserved Vers. 39. For he remembred that they were but flesh That is weak or in opposition to Spirit See Psal. 56. 5. Vers. 41. And limited the holy one of Israel There is a threefold limiting God 1. To means 2. To time so they limited him 3. To manner Vers. 42. They remembred not his hand That is they walkt not answerably to so great a deliverance Vers. 49. By sending evil angels among them That is say some good Angels so called because of the effects they may be instruments of temporall evils but the Hebrew Rang is scarce so used in Scripture and as Tarnovius saith the good Angels are never so called Rather evil in themselves the devil and evil spirits Others incline to the Rabbins and others who by evil angels understand the evils or plagues themselves sent upon Egypt and the rather because that expression is familiar with the Hebrews of old Psal. 89. 49. The Chaldee Paraphrast And shall not see the Angel of death Hab. 3. 5. The Chaldee From before him was sent the Angel of death Ainsw and Grotius say hereby may be meant Moses and Aaron whom the Lord sent to denounce these plagues before they came and by their hand brought them on Egypt Exod. 7. 1 2 19. 18. 1 2 5. 16 21. â— 14 15. Rather the ten severall plagues saith Dr Clerke Vers. 57. They were turned aside like a deceitfull bow When a man shoots with a deceitfull bow though he levell his arrow directly toward the mark and think with himself to hit it yet the arrow goes a clean contrary way PSAL. LXXIX Verse 12. ANd render our neighbours sevenfold into their bosoms That is fully and abundantly The third and seventh number is used by sacred and prophane Writers for any great multitude Levit. 4. 6 7. 26. 18 21 24 28. Amos 1. 3 6. Psal. 13. 7. Job 5. 19. Prov. 9. 1. 24. 16. So the Latines say Ter faelix ter beatus Falices ter amplius Terque quaterque beati Into their bosoms That is largely and that it may affect and cleave unto them Isa. 65. 7. A speech familiar with the Hebrews Jer. 32. 18. Luke 6. 38. PSAL. LXXX Verse 4. HOw long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people Every word hath its Emphasis How long a great while Wilt thou be angry The word signifies to breath out anger and fury Ainsworth renders it smoak With the prayer it self of thy people Vers. 17. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand Christ is called the man of Gods right hand which implies three things Gods love to him Christs honour and defence PSAL. LXXXI Verse 3. BLow the trumpet in the new Moon The Lord would have them to keep these new Moons holy to him to teach them that it was he who ruled and governed the world and all the changes and vicissitudes of it for as the Moon is predominant over all the inferiour creatures so doth Gods providence rule all things here below Vers. 10. Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it As little birds open their mouthes and the old fils them Open thy mouth wide That is earnestly confidently call upon me Our Saviour openeth this sentence John 15. 17. And I will fill it That is I will satisfie thy desire to the full Vers. 16. Fed them also with the finest of wheat and with honey out of the Rock should have satisfied thee God never caused honey to come out of the Rock but their appetite made it seem honey to them PSAL. LXXXII Verse 2. SElah Wheresoever thou readest this word think there is in the same verse some special and notable thing to be mark'd As in this verse it signifies as much in English as though David had said Oh how great offence is it before God to pervert at one mans request Justice Vers. 6. Ye are gods In office not in nature not participatione Divinae essentiae but similitudine divinae potentiae PSAL. LXXXIII Verse 3. ANd consulted against thy hidden ones Things that we would keep safe we bring not ordinarily to common view Either those that the Lord undertook to protect or that were to him as his hidden treasure PSAL. LXXXIV Verse 4. BLessed are they that dwell in thy house Or Congregation which attend continually upon holy services Vers. 7. They go from strength to strength From company to company or troop to troop in allusion to the custom of the Jews all the Males went up thrice a year to Jerusalem and they went with their flocks and in troops those that were forward would overtake this and that troop Vers. 11. For the Lord God is a Sunne and Shield the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly This
matter Heb. That which is master of wing shall carry it abroad That is God will work a miracle to reveal it rather than it shall be concealed CHAP. XI Verse 1. CAst thy bread upon the waters for thou shalt finde it after many dayes Every word of this sentence is emphatical Cast. That is give with a good heart willingly readily and freely Cast. As men do seed not drop Thy Bread That is Seed of which bread is made like sowing thy seed on morish grounds or sowing in the Sea Bread A Synecdoche of the special By bread he meaneth all kinde of sustenance and maintenance meat drink apparel lodging money Matth. 25. 35. Thy Bread Got by divine providence therefore thou must give thine own Upon the waters That is the truly poor Jerome which are as common as waters For thou shalt finde it A reason to enforce this duty thy benefit shall not be fruitlesse though it seem to be cast into the Sea and utterly lost After many dayes Though not here in heaven Vers. 2. Give a portion to seven and also to eight for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth He setteth down the extent of our liberality shewing to how many we must give Give a part unto seven and also to eight A Synecdoche of the special a finite number being put for an infinite seven or eight poor For thou knowest not what evil shall be on the earth That is how long thou shalt enjoy thy goods and what need thou or thine may come to Vers. 4. He that observeth the winde shall not sowe and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap An allusion to the Husbandmen which disputing about the season lose the opportunity so those that will argue against giving from the times Vers. 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheer thee in the dayes of thy youth and walk in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes Implying that that is the temper of that age Gaudet equis â—anibusque custode remoto Vers. 10. For Childhood and youth are vanity In the abstract all kinde of vanity of thoughts speeches carriage company CHAP. XII Verse 1. REmember now thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth while the evil dayes come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them Remember Not barely think on God remember to love fear reverence him as remember the Sabbath-day to prepare for it It is 1. To set the minde on work of the excellencies of God Psal. 104. 34. 2. To recollect our selves and return to him as the fountain of our salvation Psal. 22. 27. Hos. 2. 17. 3. It implies a reverent fear of him Prov. 23. 17. Psal. 16. 7. 4. To retain a thankfull sense of his mercy Deut. 18. 18. Psal. 106. 21. 5. To serve and obey him Deut. 8. 11. 6. When we alwayes consider what may please or displease him Col. 1. 10. Thy Creators Heb. as Isa. 54. 5. he speaks of God either by way of honour or alludes to the Trinity In the dayes of thy youth In the beauty vigour and strength of youth we have a sensible feeling of Gods creating bounty While the evil dayes come not i. e. Of old-age When thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them That is no sensitive pleasure Vers. 2. While the Sun or the light or the Moon or the Stars be not darkned nor the Clouds return after the rain That is all the abilities of the minde be decayed The Clouds return after the rain As in winter that is though one evil follows upon another Vers. 3. In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble The hands and arms prove crazy And the strong men The thighes and legs Shall bow themselves And the grinders Teeth Cease And those that look out of the windows The eyes Be darkned Vers. 4. And the doors shall be shut in the streets That is none shall have delight in their company And he shall rise up at the voice of the Bird. Take little rest And all the daughters of musick shall be brought low See 2 Sam. 19. 35. Vers. 5. Because man goeth to his long home See Job 30. 23. Isa. 26. 4. it is a lasting house Vers. 6. Or ever the silver cord be loosed Some interpret it of the marrow others of the sinews Or the golden bowl be broken or the pitcher be broken at the fountain The liver is the fountain of bloud the heart of spirits these lose their drawing and distributing power Vers. 7. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it To be rewarded or disposed of by him Vers. 11. The words of the wise are as goads and as nails fastened by the masters of Assemblies which are given from one shepherd The Arguments which the Lord useth to fasten duties on the soul and quicken us up to them There is a double power in the word of God preacht 1. Quickning to stir us to duty goads 2. Strengthning nails Vers. 13. Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of man q. d. If we could keep the Commandments without this this is not the thing The duty of every man or the whole duty of man ANNOTATIONS Upon the Book of CANTICLES OR THE SONG of SALOMON CHAP. I. CAnticles or Song of Songs That is the most excellent Song Titulus praestantiam ostendit authorem Brightm Salomon made a thousand Songs and five 1 King 4. 32. of all which this was most excellent yea and of all the Songs in the Scripture Non est enim strepitus oris sed jubilus cordis non sonus labiorum sed motus gaudiorum voluntatum non vocum consonantia Bern. Serm. 1. super Cantica Some make this Book wholly a Mystery some a History Brightman a Prophecy Christ is the woer the Church or a true Christian soul the Virgin or Spouse Est nuptiale carmen exprimens custos jucundosque complexus animorum morum concordiam Bern. Our Saviour cals his Church as his Spouse so his Sister at the least five times in the Canticles to note the greatness of his love to her The Church is called Fair fifteen times in this Book Vers. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth Whereby the Church desireth to have Christ manifested in the flesh and to have the loving and comfortable doctrines of his Gospel applied unto her conscience Foelix osculum ac stupenda dignatione mirabile in quo non â—s ori imprimitur sed Deus homini unitur Bern. super Cantica Serm. 12. Vers. 3. Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as an ointment poured forth There is no great savour of precious ointment when shut up in a box It alludes to his Name Messias and Christ is anointed Est