COMMENTARY
ON
THE
BOOK OF PSALMS
BY JOHN
CALVIN
TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL LATIN,
AND COLLATED
WITH THE AUTHOR'S FRENCH
VERSION,
BY THE REV. JAMES
ANDERSON
VOLUME
FOURTH
The psalm commences with the celebration of the
infinite glory of God. It is then declared that such is his faithfulness that he
never deceives his own people, who, embracing his promises, wait with tranquil
minds for their salvation amidst all the tempests and agitations of the
world.
Psalm
93:1-2
1. Jehovah hath reigned, he
hath clothed himself with majesty:
fd1 Jehovah hath clothed himself with
strength, he hath girded himself:
fd2 he hath also established the world, it
shall not be moved. 2. Thy throne is stable;
fd3 from then, from everlasting art
thou.
1.
Jehovah hath
reigned. We here see what I have lately
adverted to, that in the power of God there is exhibited to us matter of
confidence; for our not investing God with the power which belongs to him, as we
ought to do, and thus wickedly despoiling him of his authority, is the source of
that fear and trembling which we very often experience. This, it is true, we
dare not do openly, but were we well persuaded of his invincible power, that
would be to us an invincible support against all the assaults of temptation. All
admit in word what the prophet here teaches, That God reigns; but how few are
there who oppose this shield to the hostile powers of the world, as it becomes
them to do, that they may fear nothing however terrible? In this then consists
the glory of God, that he governs mankind according to his will. It is said that
he clothes himself with majesty
and strength; not that we ought to
imagine that there is any thing in him which is derived from another, but it is
intended by the effect and indubitable experience to show his wisdom and
righteousness in the government of mankind. The Psalmist proves that God will
not neglect or abandon the world, from the fact that he created it. A simple
survey of the world should of itself suffice to attest a Divine Providence. The
heavens revolve daily, and, immense as is their fabric, and inconceivable the
rapidity of their revolutions, we experience no concussion — no
disturbance in the harmony of their motion. The sun, though varying its course
every diurnal revolution, returns annually to the same point. The planets, in
all their wanderings, maintain their respective positions. How could the earth
hang suspended in the air were it not upheld by God's hand? By what means could
it maintain itself unmoved, while the heavens above are in constant rapid
motion, did not its Divine Maker fix and establish it? Accordingly the particle
ãa,
aph, denoting emphasis, is introduced — Yea, he hath
established it.
2.
Thy throne is
stable. Some read, is prepared,
and this agrees well with the context. provided we take the two clauses as
one sentence, meaning —
O Lord, as thou art from
eternity, even so thy throne is erected or prepared from that
time. For the sense which some have
attached to the words, as if they contained a simple assertion of God's
eternity, is poor; and the Psalmist evidently intends to say that as God is
eternal in essence, so he has always been invested with power and majesty. The
term throne signifies, by the figure synecdoche, righteousness, and
office or power of government; it being customary to transfer such images taken
from men to God, in accommodation to our
infirmity.
fd4 By this ascription of praise the Psalmist
effectually disposes of all the absurd ideas which have been broached, tending
to deny or disparage the power of God, and declares, upon the matter, that God
may sooner cease to be, than to sit upon his throne in the government of this
world.
Psalm
93:3-5
3. The floods have lifted up,
O Jehovah! the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods shall lift up their
waves. 4. The waves
fd5 of the sea are terrible, by reason of the
noise of great waters, Jehovah is terrible above. 5. Thy testimonies are
singularly true: holiness is the glory of thy house, O Jehovah! for length of
days.
fd6
3.
The floods have lifted up, O
Jehovah! Various meanings have been
attached to this verse. Some think there is an allusion to the violent assaults
made upon the Church by her enemies, and the goodness of God seen in restraining
them.
fd7 Others are of opinion that the words
should be taken literally, and not figuratively, in this sense — Though
the noise of many waters be terrible, and the waves of the sea more fearful
still, God is more terrible than all. I would not be inclined to insist too
nicely upon any comparison that may have been intended. I have no doubt the
Psalmist sets forth the power of God by adducing one brief illustration out of
many which might have been given,
fd8 Intimating that we need not go farther
for a striking instance of Divine power — one that may impress us with an
idea of his tremendous majesty — than to the floods of waters, and
agitations of the ocean; as in
<192904>Psalm
29:4, the mighty voice of God is said to be in the thunder. God manifests his
power in the sound of the floods, and in the tempestuous waves of the sea, in a
way calculated to excite our reverential awe. Should it be thought that there is
a comparison intended, then the latter clause of the verse must be understood as
added, with this meaning, That all the terror of the objects mentioned is as
nothing when we come to consider the majesty of God himself, such as he is in
heaven. There is still another sense which may be extracted from the words, That
though the world may to appearance be shaken with violent commotions, this
argues no defect in the government of God, since he can control them at once by
his dreadful power.
5.
Thy testimonies
fd9 are singularly
true. As yet the Psalmist has insisted
upon the excellency of God in the work of creation, and the providential
government of the world. Now he speaks of his distinguishing goodness to his
chosen people, in making known to them the doctrine which bringeth salvation. He
begins by commending the absolute trust-worthiness and truthfulness of the law
of God. This being a treasure which was not extended to all nations
promiscuously, he adds immediately that the house of God would be adorned with a
glory which should last for ever. The Divine goodness is displayed in every part
of the world, but the Psalmist justly considers it as of all others the most
inestimable blessing, that God should have deposited in his Church the covenant
of eternal life, and made his glory principally to shine out of it. Some
translate the Hebrew word
hwan,
naävah, desirable,
fd10 as if the Psalmist had said that
the adorning of the temple was precious; but the grammatical construction
will not admit of this. By length of days is meant perpetual
succession,
fd11 and to this we find Isaiah
referring in striking terms, that the Divine truth might be preserved in
faithful custody through successive ages.
"Behold, I have put my
word in thy mouth, in the mouth of thy seed, and of thy seed's seed," (Psalms
59:21)
PSALM
94
The Psalmist implores Divine assistance against
wicked and violent men, who persecuted the upright in a cruel and tyrannical
manner. It is evident that he refers to domestic foes, whose unrighteous
domination was as vexatious and oppressive to the Lord's people, as all the
injuries received from the Gentile nations
without.
Psalm
94:1-6
1. O Jehovah! God of
vengeances; God of vengeances,
fd12 shine forth.
fd13
2. Lift up thyself, thou Judge of the
earth! render a reward to the proud. 3. O Jehovah! how long shall the
wicked — how long shall the wicked triumph? 4. They pour forth,
they speak hard things, all the workers of iniquity lift up themselves.
5. They break in pieces thy people, O Jehovah! and afflict thy
inheritance. 6. They slay the widow, and the stranger, and murder the
fatherless.
1.
O Jehovah! God of
vengeances. We know that the Jews were
surrounded by many neighbors who were not well affected towards them, and were
thus incessantly subject to the assaults and oppression of bitter enemies. As
this intestine persecution was even more afflictive than the rampant and
unrestrained violence of the wicked, we need not wonder that the Psalmist should
earnestly beseech God for deliverance from it. The expressions which he uses,
calling upon God to shine
forth conspicuously, and lift himself
up on high, amount in common language to this, that God would give some
actual manifestation of his character as judge or avenger; for in that case he
is seen ascending his tribunal to exact the punishment due to sin, and
demonstrate his power in preserving order and government in the world. The
phraseology is used only in reference to ourselves, disposed as we are to feel
as if he overlooked us, unless he stretched out his hand to help us in some
visible and open manner. In calling him twice successively the
God of
vengeances, and then,
judge of the
earth, the Psalmist uses these titles as
applicable to the present situation in which he stood, reminding Him in a manner
of the office which belonged to him, and saying — O Lord! it is thine to
take vengeance upon sinners, and judge the earth — see how they take
advantage of the impunity which is extended to their guilt, and triumph
audaciously in their wickedness! Not that God needs to be admonished of his
duty, for he never resigns himself to indifference, and even when he seems to
delay his judgments, is only adjusting them according to what he knows to be the
best season; but his people conceive of him in this way to themselves, and take
occasion from this to embolden and stimulate themselves to greater vehemency in
prayer.
fd14 The same may be said of the repetition
which the Psalmist uses. When the wicked then indulge in unrestrained excesses,
we are to remember that God can never cease to assert his character as the judge
of the earth who takes vengeance upon iniquity. Does he seem in our carnal
apprehension to have at any time withdrawn and hidden himself? let us put up
without hesitation the prayer which is here taught us by the Holy Spirit, that
he would shine
forth.
3.
O Jehovah! how long shall the
wicked? The Psalmist justifies himself
in this verse for the fervent importunity which he showed in prayer. There was
need of immediate help, when the wicked had proceeded to such an extent of
audacity. The necessity of our case may justly embolden us in our requests,
which must be all the more readily heard as they are reasonable; and here the
Psalmist insists that his complaints were not without cause, nor originated in
trifling reasons, but were extorted by injuries of the most flagrant
description. Notice is taken of the length of time during which their
persecutions had lasted, as an aggravating circumstance. They had become
hardened under the long-continued forbearance of God, and had in consequence
contracted a shamelessness, as well as obstinacy of spirit, imagining that he
looked upon their wickedness with an eye of favor. The term
how
long twice repeated, implies the extent
of impunity which had been granted, that it was not as if they had newly started
upon their career, but that they had been tolerated for a length of time, and
had become outrageously flagitious. It was thus that in former times wicked men
tyrannized to such a degree over the Church, while yet God did not interfere to
apply a remedy; and we need not be surprised that he should subject her now to
protracted persecutions, nor should we conclude that, because he does not
immediately proceed to cure existing evils, he has utterly forsaken her. The
term
triumph
denotes that fullness of audacious and boasting exultation which the wicked
feel when they are intoxicated with continued prosperity, and conceive that they
may indulge in every excess without
restraint.
4.
They pour forth, they speak
hard things.
fd15 He shows in still clearer terms,
how their fierceness in persecution was such that they did not scruple to glory
in their guilt. The Hebrew verb
[bn,
nabang, means more than to speak. Literally it signifies to
rush or boil forth, and comes to denote figuratively the uttering of
reckless or rash words. We see how wicked men are instigated by pride and
vain-glory, to demean and disgrace themselves so far as to boast vain-gloriously
of their power, breathing forth threatenings of bloodshed, violence, and
monstrous cruelty. It is to such ebullitions that the Psalmist refers, when men
who are lost to all sense of shame and modesty boast of the wickedness which
they can perpetrate at will. This is what he means by their
speaking hard
things, uttering discourse which is
under no restraint of fear, or prudential consideration, but which launches into
the most unbridled license. As the Lord's people had formerly to endure the
heavy trial of seeing the Church subjected to this wild tyranny and misrule, we
should account it no strange thing to see the Church suffering still under
miserable misgovernment, or positive oppression, but should pray for help from
God, who, though he connives at wickedness for a time, eventually comes to the
deliverance of his children.
5.
They break in pieces thy
people, O Jehovah! Having spoken of
their discourse or language as vain-glorious and shameless, he proceeds to speak
of their deeds, in cruelly persecuting the Church. It is hard that even the
subjects of heathen princes should be subjected to unjust persecution, but a
more intolerable thing still, that those who are God's own people, his peculiar
inheritance, should be trampled under the foot of tyranny. The prayer before us
is one which, as I have already remarked, is given with the intention that we
should prefer it ourselves, when we or others may be persecuted by wicked men,
and especially intestine enemies. Our safety is dear to the Lord, not only as we
are men, the workmanship of his hand, but as we are his peculiar heritage; and
this should lead us, when wronged at any time, to betake ourselves to God with
the more confidence. It is farther added — that they spare not
the
widow, and
the orphan, and murder the
stranger. God, while he has commanded us
in general to cultivate equity and justice in our common intercourse, has
commended the orphan, widow, and stranger, to our peculiar care, as being more
exposed to injury, and therefore more entitled to humanity and compassion. To
treat such objects with cruelty argues a singular degree of impiety, and
contempt of divine authority, and is not only an outrage of common justice, but
the infraction of a privilege of special protection which God has condescended
to cast around them.
fd16 They who are chargeable with such
conduct, particularly provoke the divine anger. As to little children
especially, their helplessness and tender age will even protect them from being
attacked by dogs and wild beasts. And what shall we think of the monstrous
inhumanity of men, who would make them the objects of their assault? We have
here a specimen of the dreadful state of matters which must then have prevailed
in the Church of God. The law was there, and the ordinances of divine
appointment, yet we see to what an awful extent every species of wickedness
abounded. Let us beware lest we fall into a similar state of corruption, and
should it so happen under our own observation that men persecute the stranger,
seize the widow, and rob the fatherless, let us, in imitation of the Psalmist,
who would have us alleviate their misfortunes, pray God to undertake their
defense.
Psalm
94:7-10
. 7. And they have said, God
shall not see, the God of Jacob shall not know. 8. Understand, ye stupid
fd17 among the people: and ye fools, when
will ye be wise? 9. He that planted
fd18 the ear, shall he not hear? he that
formed the eye, shall he not see? 10. He that chastiseth the nations,
shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge.
fd19
7.
And they have said, God shall
not see. When the Psalmist speaks of the
wicked as taunting God with blindness and ignorance, we are not to conceive of
them as just exactly entertaining this imagination of him in their hearts, but
they despise his judgments as much as if he took no cognisance of human affairs.
Were the truth graven upon men's hearts that they cannot elude the eye of God,
this would serve as a check and restraint upon their conduct. When they proceed
to such audacity in wickedness as to lay the hand of violence upon their
fellow-creatures, to rob, and to destroy, it shows that they have fallen into a
state of brutish security in which they virtually consider themselves as
concealed from the view of the Almighty. This security sufficiently proves at
least, that they act as if they never expected to be called to an account for
their conduct.
fd20 Though they may not then be guilty of
the gross blasphemy of asserting in so many words that God is ignorant of what
goes forward in the world, a mere nothing in the universe — the Psalmist
very properly charges them with denying God's providential government, and,
indeed, avowedly stripping him of the power and function of judge and governor,
since, if they really were persuaded as they ought of his superintending
providence, they would honor him by feeling a reverential fear — as I have
elsewhere observed at greater length. He intends to express the lowest and most
abandoned stage of depravity, in which the sinner casts off the fear of God, and
rushes into every excess. Such infatuated conduct would have been inexcusable
even in heathens, who had never heard of a divine revelation; but it was
monstrous in men who had been brought up from infancy in the knowledge of the
word, to show such mockery and contempt of
God.
8.
Understand, ye stupid among
the people. As it was execrable impiety
to deny God to be Judge of the earth, the Psalmist severely reprimands their
folly in thinking to elude his government, and even succeed by artifices in
escaping his view. The expression,
stupid among the
people, is stronger than had he simply
condemned them as foolish. It rendered their folly more inexcusable, that they
belonged to the posterity of Abraham, of whom Moses said,
"What people is there so great,
who have their gods so near unto them, as the Lord thy God hath this day come
down unto thee? For this is your understanding and wisdom before all nations, to
have God for your legislator."
(<050407>Deuteronomy
4:7)
fd21 Perhaps, however, he may be considered
as addressing the rulers and those who were of higher rank in the community, and
styling them degraded among the people, that is, no better than the
common herd of the vulgar. Proud men, who are apt to be blinded by a sense of
their importance, require to be brought down, and made to see that in God's
estimation they are no better than others. He puts them on a level with the
common people, to humble their self-complacency; or we may suppose that he hints
with an ironical and sarcastic allusion to their boasted greatness, that they
were distinguished above others chiefly for pre-eminent folly — adding, at
the same time, as an additional aggravation, that they were obstinate in their
adherence to it; for as much is implied in the question,
When will ye be
wise? We might consider it an
unnecessary assertion of Divine Providence to put the question to the wicked,
Shall not he who made the ear
hear? because there are none so
abandoned as openly to deny God's cognisance of events; but, as I have observed
above, the flagrant audacity and self-security which most men display in
contradicting his will, is a sufficient proof that they have supplanted God from
their imaginations, and substituted a mere dead idol in his place, since, did
they really believe him to be cognisant of their actions, they would at least
show as much regard to him as to their fellow-creatures, in whose presence they
feel some measure of restraint, and are prevented from sinning by fear and
respect. To arouse them from this stupidity, the Psalmist draws an argument from
the very order of nature, inferring that if men both see and hear, by virtue of
faculties which they have received from God the Creator, it is impossible that
God himself, who formed the eye and the ear, should not possess the most perfect
observation.
10.
He that chastiseth the nations,
shall not he correct? He would have them
argue from the greater to the less, that if God did not spare even whole
nations, but visits their iniquity with punishment, they could not imagine that
he would suffer a mere handful of individuals to escape with impunity. The
comparison intended, however, may possibly be between the Gentiles and the Jews.
If God punished the heathen nations, who had not heard his word, with much
severity, the Jews might expect that they, who had been familiarised to
instruction in his house, would receive still sharper correction, and that he
would vindicate his justice most in that nation over which he had chosen to
preside. Still the former sense of the passage appears to me preferable, That it
is folly in any number of individuals to flatter themselves with impunity, when
they see God inflicting public punishment upon collective people. Some think
there is an exclusive allusion to the signal and memorable instances of Divine
judgment recorded in Scripture, as in the destruction of Sodom with fire from
heaven, (Genesis 19.) and of the whole human family by the flood, (Genesis 7.)
But the simpler meaning is best, That it were the height of madness in
individuals to think that they could escape when nations perish. In adding that
God teacheth men
knowledge,
fd22 the Psalmist glances at the
overweening confidence of such as despise God, and pride themselves in their
acuteness and shrewdness, as we find Isaiah denouncing a woe against those
crafty enemies of God who dig deep, that they may hide themselves from his
sight,
(<232915>Isaiah
29:15.) It is a disease prevalent enough in the world still. We know the refuges
under covert of which both courtiers and lawyers take occasion to indulge in
shameless mockery of God.
fd23 It is as if the Psalmist had said
— You think to elude God through the confidence which you have in your
acute understandings, and would pretend to dispute the knowledge of the
Almighty, when, in truth, all the knowledge which is in the world is but as a
drop from his own inexhaustible
fullness.
Psalm
94:11-13
11. Jehovah knoweth the
thoughts of men,
fd24 that they are vain.
fd25 12. Blessed is the man whom thou
hast instructed, O God! And taught out of thy law; 13. To give him rest
from days of evil whilst the pit is digged for the
wicked.
11.
Jehovah knoweth the thoughts of
men, etc. He again insists upon the
folly of men in seeking to wrap themselves up in darkness, and hide themselves
from the view of God. To prevent them from flattering themselves with vain
pretexts, he reminds them that the mists of delusion will be scattered at once
when they come to stand in God's presence. Nothing can avail them, so long as
God from heaven stamps vanity upon their deepest counsels. The Psalmist's design
in citing them before the Judge of all, is to make them thoroughly search and
try their own hearts; for the great cause of their self-security lay in failing
to realize God, burying all distinction between right and wrong, and, so far as
that was possible, hardening themselves against all feeling. They might contrive
to soothe their minds by means like these, but he tells them that God ridiculed
all such trifling. The truth may be a plain one, and well known; but the
Psalmist states a fact which many overlook, and which we would do well to
remember, That the wicked, when they attempt to hide themselves under subtile
refuges, cannot deceive God, and necessarily deceive themselves. Some read
— They (that is, men themselves) are vanity; but this is a
forced rendering, and the form of expression is one which both in the Greek and
Hebrew may be translated, God knows that the thoughts of men are
vain.
12.
Blessed is the man whom thou
hast instructed, O God! The Psalmist now
passes from the language of censure to that of consolation, comforting himself
and others of the Lord's people with the truth, that though God might afflict
them for a time, he consulted their true interests and safety. At no period of
life is this a truth which it is unnecessary to remember, called as we are to a
continued warfare. God may allow us intervals of ease, in consideration of our
weakness, but would always have us exposed to calamities of various kinds. The
audacious excesses to which the wicked proceed we have already noticed. Were it
not for the comfortable consideration that they are a blessed people whom God
exercises with the cross, our condition would be truly miserable. We are to
consider, that in calling us to be his people, he has separated us from the rest
of the world, to participate a blessed peace in the mutual cultivation of truth
and righteousness. The Church is often cruelly oppressed by tyrants under color
of law — the very case of which the Psalmist complains in this psalm; for
it is evident that he speaks of domestic enemies, pretending to be judges in the
nation. Under such circumstances, a carnal judgment would infer, that if God
really concerned himself in our welfare he would never suffer these persons to
perpetrate such enormities. To prevent this, the Psalmist would have us distrust
our own ideas of things, and feel the necessity of that wisdom which comes from
above. I consider the passage to mean that it is only in the Lord's school we
can ever learn to maintain composure of mind, and a posture of patient
expectation and trust under the pressure of distress. The Psalmist declares that
the wisdom which would bear us onward to the end, with an inward peace and
courage under long-continued trouble, is not natural to any of us, but must come
from God.
fd26 Accordingly, he exclaims, that those are
the truly blessed whom God has habituated through his word to the endurance of
the cross, and prevented from sinking under adversity by the secret supports and
consolations of his own Spirit.
The words with
which the verse begins, Blessed
is the man whom thou hast instructed,
have no doubt a reference to chastisements and experience of the cross, but
they also comprehend the gift of inward illumination; and afterwards the
Psalmist adds, that this wisdom, which is imparted by God inwardly, is, at the
same time, set forth and made known in the Scriptures.
fd27 In this way he puts honor upon the use
of the written word, as we find Paul saying, that all things
"were written for our
learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have
hope"
(<451504>Romans
15:4)
This shows from what quarter we are to derive our
patience — the oracles of God, which supply us with matter of hope for the
mitigation of our griefs. In short, what the Psalmist means is summarily this:
Believers must, in the first place, be exhorted to exercise patience, not to
despond under the cross, but wait submissively upon God for deliverance; and
next, they must be taught how this grace is to be obtained, for we are naturally
disposed to abandon ourselves to despair, and any hope of ours would speedily
fail, were we not taught from above that all our troubles must eventually issue
in salvation. We have here the Psalmist's testimony to the truth, That the word
of God provides us with abundant ground of comfort, and that none who rightly
avails himself of it need ever count himself unhappy, or yield himself to
hopelessness and despondency. One mark by which God distinguishes the true from
the false disciple is, that of his being ready and prepared to bear the cross,
and waiting quietly for the Divine deliverance, without giving way to
fretfulness and impatience. A true patience does not consist in presenting an
obstinate resistance to evils, or in that unyielding stubbornness which passed
as a virtue with the Stoics, but in a cheerful submission to God, based upon
confidence in his grace. On this account it is with good reason that the
Psalmist begins by laying it down as a fundamental truth, necessary to be
learned by all the Lord's people, That the end of those temporary persecutions,
to which they are subjected, is their being brought at last to a blessed rest
after their enemies have done their worst. He might have contented himself with
saying, that the truly blessed were those who had learned from God's word to
bear the cross patiently, but that he might the more readily incline them to a
cheerful acquiescence in the Divine disposals, he subjoined a statement of the
consolation which tends to mitigate the grief of their spirits. Even supposing
that a man should bear his trials without a tear or a sigh, yet if he champ the
bit in sullen hopelessness — if he only hold by such principles as these,
"We are mortal creatures," "It is vain to resist necessity, and strive against
fate," "Fortune is blind" — this is obstinacy rather than patience, and
there is concealed opposition to God in this contempt of calamities under color
of fortitude. The only consideration which will subdue our minds to a tractable
submission is, that God, in subjecting us to persecutions, has in view our being
ultimately brought into the enjoyment of a rest. Wherever there reigns this
persuasion of a rest prepared for the people of God, and a refreshment provided
under the heat and turmoil of their troubles, that they may not perish with the
world around them, — this will prove enough, and more than enough, to
alleviate any present bitterness of
affliction.
By evil days, or
days of
evil, the Psalmist might thus mean the
everlasting destruction which awaits the ungodly, whom God has spared for a
certain interval. Or his words may be expounded as signifying, that the man is
blessed who has learned to be composed and tranquil under trials. The rest
intended would then be that of an inward kind, enjoyed by the believer even
during the storms of adversity; and the scope of the passage would be, that the
truly happy man is he who has so far profited, by the word of God, as to sustain
the assault of evils from without, with peace and composure. But as it is added,
whilst
fd28 the pit is digged for
the wicked, it would seem necessary, in
order to bring out the opposition contained in the two members of the sentence,
to suppose that the Psalmist rather commends the wisdom of those who reckon that
God afflicts them with a view to saving them from destruction, and bringing them
eventually to a happy issue. It was necessary to state this second ground of
comfort, because our hearts cannot fail to be affected with the most intense
grief when we see the wicked triumph, and no Divine restraint put upon them. The
Psalmist meets the temptation by appropriately reminding us that the wicked are
left upon earth, just as a dead body which is stretched out upon a bed, till its
grave be dug. Here believers are warned that, if they would preserve their
constancy, they must mount their watchtower, as Habakkuk says,
(<350201>Habakkuk
2:1) and take a view in the distance of God's judgments. They shall see worldly
men rioting in worldly delights, and, if they extend their view no farther, they
will give way to impatience. But it would moderate their grief, would they only
remember that those houses which are nominally appropriated to the living, are,
in fact, only granted to the dead, until their grave be digged; and that, though
they remain upon earth, they are already devoted to destruction.
fd29
Psalm
94:14-15
14. Surely Jehovah will not
cast off his people, and he will not forsake his inheritance. 15. But
judgment will return unto righteousness, and all the upright in heart after
him.
14.
Surely Jehovah will not cast
off his people. He enforces the same
truth which he had stated above in still clearer terms, denying it to be
possible that God should cast off his people, whom he had chosen in a manner to
be his inheritance. When assailed by afflictions, we should fly to this
consideration, as a sanctuary of refuge, that we are God's people, gratuitously
adopted into his family, and that he must necessarily have a most intimate and
tender regard for our safety, having promised to watch as carefully over his
Church as if it were his own heritage. We are thus again taught that our
patience will soon give way and fail, unless the tumult of carnal suggestions be
allayed by a knowledge of the Divine favor shining in upon our
souls.
15.
But judgment will return unto
righteousness. In the dark season of
affliction, it is not easy to recognize the secret love which God even then
bears to his own children, and the Psalmist adduces another ground of comfort,
in the consideration that God will eventually put an end to the confusions which
perplex them, and reduce matters to order. The form of expression used by the
Psalmist is a little obscure, and this has led some to read the first part of
the verse, as if it contained two distinct clauses — justice will
return at the end, and then,
judgment will
return. This is a violent wresting of
the context. I have no doubt the Psalmist meant to say that judgment would be
fitted or conformed to justice. And by judgment here is meant, as in many other
places, the government or public state of matters. The confusion which prevails
in the world, seems to argue some defect or unrighteousness of administration;
and he holds out to us that it shall be well in the issue. More is said than
merely that men who indulged in reckless oppression would be brought back to
equitable dealing. A deeper meaning is intended, That God, when he interposed to
restore the condition of his people, would bring forth openly to the light his
justice which had lain concealed; by which we are not to understand that he ever
deviates the least in his providence from the strictest rectitude, only there is
not always that harmony and arrangement which might make his righteousness
apparent to man's view, and the correction of this inequality is here called
justice of government.
fd30 As the sun's light is hid from view at
night, or at a cloudy season, so when the wicked persecute the righteous, and
are allowed to indulge in iniquity without restraint, the Divine justice is
obscured by the clouds which are thus interposed between us and the providence
of God, and judgment is in a manner separated from justice. But when things are
brought back again to their proper state, justice and government are seen to
harmonize perfectly together in the equality which prevails.
fd31 Faith no doubt, should enable us to
discern the justice of God even when things are most dark and disordered; but
the passage speaks of what would be obvious to sense and actual observation, and
asserts that the justice of God would shine as the sky when all is calm and
serene.
And all that are
upright in heart after him. Some read,
after it, that is, after righteousness; but as by righteousness
here we are to understand the equal and harmonious government which prevails
when God takes vengeance upon the wicked and delivers his own people, this
rendering will scarcely suit. It would rather seem that God himself is to be
understood, so that the relative is here without an antecedent. In the Hebrew,
when mention is made of God, the relative is not unfrequently put instead of the
name. The words then mean, that upon God's restoring order in the world, his
people would be encouraged to follow him with greater alacrity. Even when called
to bear the cross, they sigh after him under their troubles and distresses, but
it binds them more closely to his service when they see his hand stretched forth
in this visible manner, and sensibly experience his
deliverance.
Psalm
94:16-19
16. Who will rise up for me
against my adversaries? who will stand up for me
fd32 against the workers of iniquity?
17. Unless Jehovah had been my help, my soul had well nigh dwelt in
silence.
fd33 18. If I said, My foot has
fallen, thy kindness, O Jehovah! has held me up.
fd34 19. In the multitude of my
thoughts,
fd35 thy comforts within me delight my soul.
fd36
16.
Who will rise up for me
against my adversaries? Here the
Psalmist points out, in a lively and graphic manner, how destitute he was of all
human aid. As if at the moment in danger, he cries out —
Who will stand up for
me? Who will oppose himself to my
enemies? And immediately afterwards he replies, that had not God helped him, he
must have despaired of safety. In declaring that he had been thus miraculously
rescued from death, when deserted by all the world, he commends the more God's
kindness and grace. When men aid us, they are only instruments by which the
grace of God works; but we are apt not to recognize God's hand when we see any
subordinate agency in the deliverance. He speaks of his life dwelling in
silence, (verse 17) for the dead lie in the grave without feeling or
strength. Thus the Psalmist owns that there was no means by which his life could
have been preserved, had not God interposed without
delay.
18.
If I said, My foot has
fallen. What is said in this verse
confirms the preceding statement. The more to commend God's kindness and power,
he declares that it was no common danger from which he had been rescued, but in
a manner from present death. The import of the language is, that death stared
him so full in view, that he despaired of himself; as Paul speaks of having had
the message of death in himself, when his condition was desperate, and he had
given up hope of life,
(<470109>2
Corinthians 1:9.) The fact of the Psalmist having been delivered after he had
considered death certain, made the Divine interposition the more conspicuous. If
we understand him as speaking of temporal death only in the expression,
My foot has
fallen — there is nothing
unaccountable in the circumstance of his having despaired,
fd37 as God often prolongs the life of his
people in the world, when they had lost hope, and were preparing for their
departure. Possibly, however, the Psalmist only means that this was the language
of sense; and this is the more probable, because we have already seen that he
never ceased praying to God — a proof that he had still some hope. The
next verse affords still further proof, for there he tells us that his
afflictions were always mixed with some comfort. By thoughts, he means
anxious and perplexing cares, which would have overwhelmed him had not
consolation been communicated to him from above. We learn this truth from the
passage, That God interposes in behalf of his people, with a due regard to the
magnitude of their trials and distresses, and at the very moment which is
necessary, enlarging them in their straits, as we find stated in other places.
The heavier our calamities grow, we should hope that Divine grace will only be
the more powerfully manifested in comforting us under them,
(<190401>Psalm
4:1; 118:5,) But should we through weakness of the flesh be vexed and tormented
by anxious cares, we must be satisfied with the remedy which the Psalmist here
speaks of in such high terms. Believers are conscious of two very different
states of mind. On the one hand, they are afflicted and distressed with various
fears and anxieties; on the other, there is a secret joy communicated to them
from above, and this in accommodation to their necessity, so as to preserve them
from being swallowed up by any complication or force of calamity which may
assail them.
Psalm
94:20-23
20. Shall the throne of
iniquities have fellowship with thee, framing molestation for law?
fd38
21. They will gather together against
the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood. 22. But
Jehovah has been my fortress; and my God for the rock of my confidence.
23. And he shall repay their own iniquity upon them, and shall cut them
off in their wickedness; Jehovah our God shall cut them
off.
20.
Shall the throne of
iniquities have fellowship with thee? He
again derives an argument for confidence from the nature of God, it being
impossible that he should show favor to the wicked, or sanction their evil
devices. With God for their enemy, how could they escape being destroyed? The
words have greater force from being thrown into the form of a question, to show
how completely opposed all sin is to the divine nature. The term throne
is used, because those against whom the present charge is brought were not
common robbers or assassins, who are universally recognized as infamous, but
tyrants who persecuted the Lord's people under color of law. These, although
occupying the throne which has been consecrated to God, have stained and
polluted it with their crimes, and therefore have nothing in common with it. The
meaning is brought out more clearly in the subsequent clause of the verse, where
they are declared to be persons utterly estranged from God, who
frame molestation for
law, or, as the Hebrew word
qj,
chok, signifies, decree of law, or statute order. The
Psalmist aims at those profligate judges who, under pretense of pursuing the
strict course of office, perpetrate the worst species of enormities. Judges of
this abandoned character, as we know, with no other view than to retain
possession of a specious name for integrity, invent various excuses to defend
their infamous oppressions. The meaning of the Psalmist is apparent then; and it
is this, that honorable as a throne may be, so far as the name goes, it ceases
to have any worth or estimation with God when abused by wicked men; for iniquity
can never meet with his approbation.
21.
They will gather together against
the soul of the righteous. As the Hebrew
word
ddg,
gadad, or
dwg,
gud,
fd39 signifies to collect forces or a
band of men, the Psalmist evidently intimates that he had to do with leading
persons of influence, and not with those merely in private station. The term
implies too, that it was not merely one or two private individuals who
persecuted him, and others of the Lord's people, but a public convention.
Melancholy and disgraceful must the state of matters have been, when the wicked
thus ruled in lawful assembly, and those who formed the college of judges were
no better than a band of robbers. The case becomes doubly vexatious, when the
innocent victims of oppression are not only injured, but have a stigma fixed
upon their character. And what more unseemly spectacle, than when the whole
course of judicial administration is just a foul conspiracy against good and
innocent men?
fd40 The instance here recorded should
prepare us for a like emergency, if it chance to occur in our own day, when the
wicked may be permitted, in the providence of God, to mount the seat of
judgment, and launch destruction upon the upright and the righteous, under color
of law. Intolerable as it might seem at first sight, that persons innocent of
any crime should meet with cruel persecution, even from the hands of judges, so
as to be loaded with ignominy, we see that God tried his children in other times
by this double species of oppression, and that we must learn to bear
submissively not only with unrighteous violence, but with charges most injurious
to our character, and most undeserved.
fd41
22.
But Jehovah has been my
fortress. The Psalmist declares, that
great as were the extremities to which he had been reduced, he had found
sufficient help in the single protection of God; thus passing a new commendation
upon his power, which had been such as alone, and unaided, to put down the
mightiest endeavors — all the force and the fury of his numerous enemies.
He does more than say that God was a fortress, where he might hide with safety,
and from the top of which he could bid defiance to every assault. Having
congratulated himself upon the divine protection, he proceeds to denounce
destruction upon his enemies; for it is to be considered as God's special
prerogative to make the evil which his enemies devise against his people recoil
upon their own heads. The mere defeating, and frustrating their attempts, would
afford no inconsiderable display of divine justice; but the judgment of God is
far more marvellously manifested when they fall into the pit which they
themselves had prepared, when all the subtle plans which they have adopted for
ruining the innocent end in their being destroyed by their own craftiness, and
when having done their utmost, they fall by their own sword. We are slow to
believe that this shall be the issue, and accordingly it is said twice —
he shall cut them off — the
Lord our God shall cut them off. It may
be noticed also, that the Psalmist in using the expression our God, holds
out a ground of encouragement to the faithful, reminding us of what he had said
above, that God will not forget his own inheritance, even his people whom he has
brought unto the faith of himself.
PSALM
95
The inspired penman of this psalm, whoever he was,
fd42 in exhorting the Jews to praise God in
solemn assembly, states two grounds why God should be praised; the one, that he
sustains by his power the world which he created, the other, that he had of his
free grace adopted the Church into a gracious relationship with himself. As many
take God's praises into their lips in a hypocritical manner, he exhorts the
people at the same time to be sincere, serious, and devoted in the service, and
to show by the tenor of their life that they had not been chosen in vain. The
more effectually to guard them against hypocrisy, he mentions that their fathers
from the beginning had been of a stubborn spirit, and chargeable with
ingratitude to God; and he takes notice of the dreadful punishment which fell
upon them, and which might well deter their children from following in the
footsteps of their
rebelliousness.
Psalm
95:1-5
1. Come, let us rejoice
before Jehovah; let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation.
fd43 2. Let us come before his face
with praise, In psalms let us shout for joy unto him. 3. For Jehovah is a
great God, And a great King, above all gods. 4. For in his hand are the
deep places of the earth,
fd44 And the heights of the mountains are
his. 5. For his is the sea, and he made it; And the dry land his hands
formed.
1.
Come, let us rejoice before
Jehovah. This psalm is suited for the Sabbath,
when we know that the religious assemblies were more particularly convened for
the worship of God. It is not individuals among the godly whom he exhorts to
celebrate the divine praises in private; he enjoins these to be offered up in
the public meeting. By this he showed that the outward worship of God
principally consisted in the sacrifice of praise, and not in dead ceremonies. He
enjoins haste upon them; by which they might testify their alacrity in this
service. For the Hebrew word
µdq,
kadam, in the second verse, which I have rendered, let us come
before, etc., means to make haste. He calls upon them to speed into
the presence of God; and such an admonition was needed, considering how
naturally backward we are when called by God to the exercise of thanksgiving.
This indirect charge of indolence in the exercise, the Psalmist saw it necessary
to prefer against God's ancient people; and we should be made aware that there
is just as much need of a stimulus in our own case, filled as our hearts are
with similar ingratitude. In calling them
to come before God's
face, he uses language which was also well
fitted to increase the ardor of the worshippers; nothing being more agreeable
than to offer in God's own presence such a sacrifice as he declares that he will
accept. He virtually thus says, in order to prevent their supposing the service
vain, that God was present to witness it. I have shown elsewhere in what sense
God was present in the sanctuary.
3.
For Jehovah is a great
God. By these words the Psalmist reminds us
what abundant grounds we have for praising God, and how far we are from needing
to employ the lying panegyric with which rhetoricians flatter earthly princes.
First, he extols the greatness of God, drawing a tacit contrast between him and
such false gods as men have invented for themselves. We know that there has
always been a host of gods in the world, as Paul says,
"There are many on the
earth who are called
gods,"
(<460805>1
Corinthians 8:5.)
We are to notice the opposition stated between the
God of Israel and all others which man has formed in the exercise of an
unlicensed imagination. Should any object, that "an idol is nothing in the
world,"
(<460804>1
Corinthians 8:4,) it is enough to reply, that the Psalmist aims at denouncing
the vain delusions of men who have framed gods after their own foolish device. I
admit, however, that under this term he may have comprehended the angels,
asserting God to be possessed of such excellence as exalted him far above all
heavenly glory, and whatever might be considered Divine, as well as above the
feigned deities of earth.
fd45 Angels are not indeed gods, but the name
admits of an improper application to them on account of their being next to God,
and still more, on account of their being accounted no less than gods by men who
inordinately and superstitiously extol them. If the heavenly angels themselves
must yield before the majesty of the one God, it were the height of indignity to
compare him with gods who are the mere fictions of the brain. In proof of his
greatness, he bids us look to his formation of the world, which he declares to
be the work of God's
hands, and subject to his power. This is
one general ground why God is to be praised, that he has clearly shown forth his
glory in the creation of the world, and will have us daily recognize him in the
government of it. When it is said, that
the depths of the earth are in
his hand, the meaning is, that it is
ruled by his providence, and subject to his power. Some read, the bounds of
the earth, but the word means abysses or depths, as opposed to
the heights of the mountains. The Hebrew word properly signifies
searching.
Psalm
95:6-7
6. Come ye, let us worship,
and bow down;
fd46 let us kneel before the face of Jehovah
our Maker. 7. Because he is our God, and we the people of his pastures,
and the flock of his hand; to-day, if ye will hear his
voice.
6.
Come ye, let us
worship. Now that the Psalmist exhorts
God's chosen people to gratitude, for that pre-eminency among the nations which
he had conferred upon them in the exercise of his free favor, his language grows
more vehement. God supplies us with ample grounds of praise when he invests us
with spiritual distinction, and advances us to a pre-eminency above the rest of
mankind which rests upon no merits of our own. In three successive terms he
expresses the one duty incumbent upon the children of Abraham, that of an entire
devotement of themselves to God. The worship of God, which the Psalmist here
speaks of, is assuredly a matter of such importance as to demand our whole
strength; but we are to notice, that he particularly condescends upon one point,
the paternal favor of God, evidenced in his exclusive adoption of the posterity
of Abraham unto the hope of eternal life. We are also to observe, that mention
is made not only of inward gratitude, but the necessity of an outward profession
of godliness. The three words which are used imply that, to discharge their duty
properly, the Lord's people must present themselves a sacrifice to him publicly,
with kneeling, and other marks of devotion. The face of the Lord is an
expression to be understood in the sense I referred to above, — that the
people should prostrate themselves before the Ark of the Covenant, for the
reference is to the mode of worship under the Law. This remark, however, must be
taken with one reservation, that the worshippers were to lift their eyes to
heaven, and serve God in a spiritual manner.
fd47
7.
Because he is our
God. While it is true that all men were
created to praise God, there are reasons why the Church is specially said to
have been formed for that end,
(<236103>Isaiah
61:3.) The Psalmist was entitled to require this service more particularly from
the hands of his chosen people. This is the reason why he impresses upon the
children of Abraham the invaluable privilege which God had conferred upon them
in taking them under his protection. God may indeed be said in a sense to have
done so much for all mankind. But when asserted to be the Shepherd of the
Church, more is meant than that he favors her with the common nourishment,
support, and government which he extends promiscuously to the whole human
family; he is so called because he separates her from the rest of the world, and
cherishes her with a peculiar and fatherly regard. His people are here spoken of
accordingly as the people of his
pastures, whom he watches over with
peculiar care, and loads with blessings of every kind. The passage might have
run more clearly had the Psalmist called them the flock of his pastures,
and the people of his hand;
fd48 or, had he added merely — and
his flock
fd49 — the figure might have
been brought out more consistently and plainly. But his object was less elegancy
of expression than pressing upon the people a sense of the inestimable favor
conferred upon them in their adoption, by virtue of which they were called to
live under the faithful guardianship of God, and to the enjoyment of every
species of blessings. They are called
the flock of his
hand, not so much because formed by his
hand as because governed by it, or, to use a French expression, le Troupeau
de sa conduite.
fd50 The point which some have given
to the expression, as if it intimated how intent God was upon feeding his
people, doing it himself, and not employing hired shepherds, may scarcely
perhaps be borne out by the words in their genuine meaning; but it cannot be
doubted that the Psalmist would express the very gracious and familiar kind of
guidance which was enjoyed by this one nation at that time. Not that God
dispensed with human agency, intrusting the care of the people as he did to
priests, prophets, and judges, and latterly to kings. No more is meant than that
in discharging the office of shepherd to this people, he exercised a
superintendence over them different from that common providence which extends to
the rest of the world.
To-day,
if you will hear his voice.
fd51 According to the Hebrew
expositors, this is a conditional clause standing connected with the preceding
sentence; by which interpretation the Psalmist must be considered as warning the
people that they would only retain possession of their privilege and distinction
so long as they continued to obey God.
fd52 The Greek version joins it with the
verse that follows —
to-day,
if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts, and it reads well
in this connection. Should we adopt the distribution of the Hebrew expositors,
the Psalmist seems to say that the posterity of Abraham were the flock of God's
hand, inasmuch as he had placed his Law in the midst of them, which was, as it
were, his crook, and had thus showed himself to be their shepherd. The Hebrew
particle
µa,
im, which has been rendered
if,
would in that case be rather expositive than conditional, and might be rendered
when,
fd53 the words denoting it to be the
great distinction between the Jews and the surrounding nations, that God had
directed his voice to the former, as it is frequently noticed he had not done to
the latter,
(<19E720>Psalm
147:20;
<050406>Deuteronomy
4:6, 7.) Moses had declared this to constitute the ground of their superiority
to other people, saying, "What nation is there under heaven which hath its gods
so nigh unto it?" The inspired writers borrow frequently from Moses, as is well
known, and the Psalmist, by the expression
to-day,
intimates how emphatically the Jews, in hearing God's voice, were his
people, for the proof was not far off, it consisted in something which was
present and before their eyes. He bids them recognize God as their shepherd,
inasmuch as they heard his voice; and it was an instance of his singular grace
that he had addressed them in such a condescending and familiar manner. Some
take the adverb to be one of exhortation, and read, I would that they
would hear my voice, but this does violence to the words. The passage runs
well taken in the other meaning we have assigned to it. Since they had a
constant opportunity of hearing the voice of God — since he gave them not
only one proof of the care he had over them as shepherd, or yearly proof of it,
but a continual exemplification of it, there could be no doubt that the Jews
were chosen to be his flock.
Psalm
95:8-11
8. Harden not your heart, as
in Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness.
fd54 9. When your fathers tempted me,
they proved me, though yet they had seen my work. 10. Forty years, I
strove with this generation,
fd55 and said, They are a people that err in
heart,
fd56 and they have not known my ways.
11. Wherefore I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest:
fd57
8.
Harden not your heart, as in
Meribah. The Psalmist, having extolled
and commended the kindness of God their Shepherd, takes occasion, as they were
stiffnecked and disobedient, to remind them of their duty, as his flock, which
was to yield a pliable and meek submission; and the more to impress their minds,
he upbraids them with the obstinacy of their fathers. The term
hbyrm,
Meribah,
may be used appellatively to mean strife or contention; but as
the Psalmist evidently refers to the history contained in
<021702>Exodus
17:2-7,
fd58 I have preferred understanding it of the
place — and so of
hsm,
Massah.
fd59 In the second clause, however,
the place where the temptation happened may be thought sufficiently described
under the term
wilderness,
and should any read, according to the day of temptation (instead of
Massah) in the wilderness, there can be no objection. Some would
have it, that Massah and Meribah were two distinct places, but I see no ground
to think so; and, in a matter of so little importance, we should not be too nice
or curious. He enlarges in several expressions upon the hardness of heart
evinced by the people, and, to produce the greater effect, introduces God
himself as speaking.
fd60 By hardness of heart, he no doubt means,
any kind of contempt shown to the word of God, though there are many different
kinds of it. We find that when proclaimed, it is heard by some in a cold and
slighting manner; that some fastidiously put it away from them after they had
received it; that others proudly reject it; while again there are men who openly
vent their rage against it with despite and blasphemy.
fd61 The Psalmist, in the one term which he
has employed, comprehends all these defaulters, the careless — the
fastidious — such as deride the word, and such as are actuated in their
opposition to it by frenzy and passion. Before the heart can be judged soft and
pliable to the hearing of God's word, it is necessary that we receive it with
reverence, and with a disposition to obey it. If it carry no authority and
weight with it, we show that we regard him as no more than a mere man like
ourselves; and here lies the hardness of our hearts, whatever may be the cause
of it, whether simply carelessness, or pride, or rebellion. He has intentionally
singled out the odious term here employed, to let us know what an execrable
thing contempt of God's word is; as, in the Law, adultery is used to
denote all kinds of fornication and uncleanness, and murder all kinds of
violence, and injury, hatreds, and enmities. Accordingly, the man who simply
treats the word of God with neglect, and fails to obey it, is said here to have
a hard and stony heart, although he may not be an open despiser. The attempt is
ridiculous which the Papists have made to found upon this passage their favorite
doctrine of the liberty of the will. We are to notice, in the first place, that
all men's hearts are naturally hard and stony; for Scripture does not speak of
this as a disease peculiar to a few, but characteristic in general of all
mankind,
(<263626>Ezekiel
36:26.) It is an inbred pravity; still it is voluntary; we are not insensible in
the same manner that stones are,
fd62 and the man who will not suffer himself
to be ruled by God's word, makes that heart, which was hard before, harder
still, and is convinced as to his own sense and feeling of obstinacy. The
consequence by no means follows from this, that softness of heart — a
heart flexible indifferently in either direction, is at our command.
fd63 The will of man, through natural
corruption, is wholly bent to evil; or, to speak more properly, is carried
headlong into the commission of it. And yet every man, who disobeys God therein,
hardens himself; for the blame of his wrong doing rests with none but
himself.
9.
When your fathers tempted me,
they proved me. The Psalmist insinuates,
as I have already remarked, that the Jews had been from the first of a perverse
and almost intractable spirit. And there were two reasons which made it highly
useful to remind the children of the guilt chargeable upon their fathers. We
know how apt men are to follow the example of their predecessors; custom begets
a sanction; what is ancient becomes venerable, and such is the blinding
influence of home example, that whatever may have been done by our forefathers
passes for a virtue without examination. We have an instance in Popedom, of the
audacity with which the authority of the fathers is opposed to God's word. The
Jews were of all others most liable to be deceived upon this side, ever
accustomed as they were to boast of their fathers. The Psalmist accordingly
would detach them from the fathers, by taking notice of the monstrous
ingratitude with which they had been chargeable. A second reason, and one to
which I have already adverted, is, that he would show them the necessity in
which they stood of being warned upon the present subject. Had their fathers not
manifested a rebellions spirit, they might have retorted by asking the question,
Upon what ground he warned them against hardness of heart, their nation having
hitherto maintained a character for docility and tractableness? The fact being
otherwise — their fathers having from the first been perverse and
stubborn, the Psalmist had a plain reason for insisting upon the correction of
this particular vice.
There are two ways of
interpreting the words which follow. As tempting God is nothing else than
yielding to a diseased and unwarrantable craving after proof of his power,
fd64 we may consider the verse as connected
throughout, and read, They
tempted me and proved me, although they had already seen my
work. God very justly complains, that
they should insist upon new proof, after his power had been already amply
testified by undeniable evidences. There is another meaning, however, that may
be given to the term
proved,
— according to which, the meaning of the passage would run as
follows: — Your fathers tempted me in asking where God was,
notwithstanding all the benefits I had done them; and they proved me, that is,
they had actual experience of what I am, inasmuch as I did not cease to give
them open proofs of my presence, and consequently they saw my work. Whatever
sense we adopt, the Psalmist's design is plainly to show how inexcusable the
Jews were in desiring a discovery of God's power, just as if it had been hidden,
and had not been taught them by the most incontestable proofs.
fd65 Granting that they had received no
foregoing demonstration of it, they would have evinced an unbecoming spirit in
demanding of God why he had failed to provide them with meat and drink; but to
doubt his presence after he had brought them from Egypt with an outstretched
hand, and evidenced his nearness to them by most convincing testimonies, —
to doubt his presence in the same manner as if it had never been revealed, was a
degree of perverse forgetfulness which aggravated their guilt. Upon the whole, I
consider the following to be the sense of the passage — Your fathers
tempted me, although they had abundantly proved — perceived by clear and
undeniable evidences, that I was their God — nay, although my works had
been clearly set before them. The lesson is one which is equally applicable to
ourselves; for the more abundant testimonies we may have had of the power and
loving-kindness of the Lord, the greater will our sin be, if we insist upon
receiving additional proofs of them. How many do we find in our own day
demanding miracles, while others murmur against God because he does not indulge
their wishes? Some may ask why the Psalmist singles out the particular case of
Meribah, when there were many other instances which he might have adduced. They
never ceased to provoke God from the moment of their passing the Red Sea; and in
bringing this one charge only against them, he might seem by his silence on
other points to justify their conduct. But the figure synecdoche is common in
Scripture, and it would be natural enough to suppose that one case is selected
for many. At the same time, another reason for the specification may have been,
that, as plainly appears from Moses, the ingratitude and rebellion of the people
reached its greatest height on this occasion, when they murmured for water. I am
aware that interpreters differ upon this. Such, however, was the fact. They then
crowned their former impiety; nor was it until this outcry was made, as the
consummating act of all their preceding wickedness, that they gave open proof of
their obstinacy being incurable.
fd66
10.
Forty years I strove with this
generation.
fd67 The Psalmist brings it forward as
an aggravation of their perverse obstinacy, that God strove with them for so
long a time without effect. Occasionally it will happen that there is a violent
manifestation of perversity which soon subsides; but God complains that he had
constant grounds of contention with his people, throughout the whole forty
years. And this proves to us the incurable waywardness of that people. The word
generation
is used with the same view. The word
rwd,
dor, signifies an age, or the allotted term of human life; and it is here
applied to the men of an age, as if the Psalmist had said, that the Israelites
whom God had delivered were incorrigible, during the whole period of their
lives. The verb
fwqa,
akut, which I have rendered
I
strove, is, by some, translated
contemned, and in the Septuagint it reads,
proswcqisa,
fd68 I was incensed, or enraged;
but Hebrew interpreters retain the genuine meaning, That God strove with
them in a continual course of contention. This was a remarkable proof of their
extreme obstinacy; and God is introduced in the verse as formally pronouncing
judgment upon them, to intimate, that after having shown their ungodliness in so
many different ways, there could be no doubt regarding their infatuation.
Erring in
heart, is an expression intended not to
extenuate their conduct, but to stamp it with folly and madness, as if he had
said, that he had to do with beasts, rather than men endued with sense and
intelligence. The reason is subjoined, that they would not attend to the many
works of God brought under their eyes, and more than all, to his word; for the
Hebrew term
°rd,
derech, which I have rendered
ways,
comprehends his law and repeated admonitions, as well as his miracles done
before them. It argued amazing infatuation that when God had condescended to
dwell in such a familiar manner amongst them, and had made such illustrious
displays of himself, both in word and works, they should have shut their eyes
and overlooked all that had been done. This is the reason why the Psalmist,
considering that they wandered in error under so much light as they enjoyed,
speaks of their stupidity as amounting to
madness.
11.
Wherefore I have sworn in my
wrath. I see no objection to the
relative
rça,
asher, being understood in its proper sense and reading — To
whom I have sworn. The Greek version, taking it for a mark of similitude,
reads, As I have
sworn. But I think that it may be
properly considered as expressing an inference or conclusion; not as if they
were then at last deprived of the promised inheritance when they tempted God,
but the Psalmist, having spoken, in the name of God, of that obstinacy which
they displayed, takes occasion to draw the inference that there was good reason
for their being prohibited, with an oath, from entering the land. Proportionally
as they multiplied their provocations, it became the more evident that, being
incorrigible, they had been justly cut off from God's rest.
fd69 The meaning would be more clear by
reading in the pluperfect tense — I had sworn; for God had
already shut them out from the promised inheritance, having foreseen their
misconduct; before he thus strove with them. I have elsewhere adverted to the
explanation which is to be given of the elliptical form in which the oath runs.
fd70 The land of Canaan is called God's
rest
in reference to the promise. Abraham and his posterity had been wanderers in
it until the full time came for entering upon the possession of it. Egypt had
been a temporary asylum, and, as it were, a place of exile. In preparing to
plant the Jews, agreeably to his promise, in their rightful patrimony of Canaan,
God might very properly call it his rest. The word must be taken, however, in
the active sense; this being the great benefit which God bestowed, that the Jews
were to dwell there, as in their native soil, and in a quiet habitation. We
might stop a moment here to compare what the Apostle states in the third and
fourth chapters of his Epistle to the Hebrews, with the passage now before us.
That the Apostle follows the Greek version, need occasion no surprise.
fd71 Neither is he to be considered as
undertaking professedly to treat this passage. He only insists upon the adverb
To-day, and upon the word
Rest.
And first, he states that the expression to-day, is not to be
confined to the time when the Law was given, but properly applies to the Gospel,
when God began to speak more openly. The fuller and more perfect declaration of
doctrine demanded the greater share of attention. God has not ceased to speak:
he has revealed his Son, and is daily inviting us to come unto him; .and,
undoubtedly, it is our incumbent duty, under such an opportunity, to obey his
voice. The Apostle next reasons from the
rest,
to an extent which we are not to suppose that the words of the Psalmist
themselves warrant.
fd72 He takes it up as a first position, that
since there was an implied promise in the punishment here denounced, there must
have been some better rest promised to the people of God than the land of
Canaan. For, when the Jews had entered the land, God held out to his people the
prospect of another rest, which is defined by the Apostle to consist in that
renouncing of ourselves, whereby we rest from our own works while God worketh in
us. From this, he takes occasion to compare the old Sabbath, or rest, under the
Law, which was figurative, with the newness of spiritual life.
fd73 When his said that he
swore in his
wrath, this intimates that he was in a
manner freed to inflict this punishment, that the provocation was of no common
or slight kind, but that their awful obstinacy inflamed his anger, and drew from
him this oath.
PSALM
96
This psalm contains an exhortation to praise God, an
exhortation which is directed not only to the Jews, but to all nations. We must
infer from this, that it has reference to the kingdom of Christ. God's name
could not be called upon in any other part of the world than Judea, until it had
been revealed; and the heathen nations were at that time necessarily altogether
incapacitated for any such exercise.
fd74 Yet it is evident that the Holy Spirit
stirred up the saints who were under the Law to celebrate the Divine praises,
till the period should arrive when Christ, by the spread of the Gospel, should
fill the whole earth with his
glory.
Psalm
96:1-3
1. Sing to Jehovah a new
song, sing unto Jehovah, all the earth. 2. Sing unto Jehovah, bless his
name; show forth his salvation from day to day. 3. Declare his glory
among the heathen; his wonders among all
people.
1.
Sing unto Jehovah a new
song. This commencement shows that, as I
have already observed, the Psalmist is exhorting the whole world, and not the
Israelites merely, to the exercise of devotion. Nor could this be done, unless
the gospel were universally diffused as the means of conveying the knowledge of
God. The saying of Paul must necessarily hold true,
"How shall they call upon
him in whom they have not believed?"
(<451014>Romans
10:14.)
The same Apostle proves the calling of the Gentiles,
by adducing in testimony of it, "Praise the Lord, ye Gentiles, with his people"
— from which it follows, that fellowship in the faith stands connected
with the joint celebration of praise,
(<451511>Romans
15:11.) Besides, the Psalmist requires a
new
song,
fd75 not one which was common, and had
formerly been raised. He must therefore refer to some unusual and extraordinary
display of the Divine goodness. Thus, when Isaiah speaks of the restoration of
the Church, which was wonderful and incredible, he says, "Sing unto the Lord a
new song,"
(<234210>Isaiah
42:10.) The Psalmist intimates accordingly, that the time was come when God
would erect his kingdom in the world in a manner altogether unlooked for. He
intimates still more clearly as he proceeds, that all nations would share in the
favor of God. He calls upon them everywhere to show forth his salvation, and, in
desiring that they should celebrate it from day to day, would denote that it was
not of a fading or evanescent nature, but such as should endure for
ever.
3.
Declare his glory among the
heathen. Additional terms are adduced to
commend the salvation spoken of. It is called
his
glory and
his
wonders; which is equivalent to saying
that it was glorious and admirable. By such titles the Psalmist would
distinguish it from any deliverances which had formerly been granted, as indeed
there can be but one opinion, that when God appeared as Redeemer of all the
world, he gave a display of his mercy and of his favor, such as he never
vouchsafed before. This salvation it was impossible, as I have said, that the
Gentile nations could have celebrated, had they been left without it. The words
teach us that we can never be said to have rightly apprehended the redemption
wrought out by Christ, unless our minds have been raised to the discovery of
something incomparably wonderful about
it.
Psalm
96:4-6
4. For Jehovah is great, and
greatly to be praised; he is terrible above all gods.
fd76
5. For all the gods of the nations are
vanities;
fd77 but Jehovah made the heavens. 6.
Strength and honor are before him; power and glory are in his
sanctuary.
4.
For Jehovah is great, and
greatly to be praised. He particularly
describes that God, whom he would have men to celebrate, and this because the
Gentile nations were prone to merge into error upon this subject. That the whole
world might abjure its superstitions, and unite in the true religion, he points
out the one only God who is worthy of universal praise. This is a point of the
greatest importance. Unless men are restrained by a due respect to it, they can
only dishonor him the more that they attempt to worship him. We must observe
this order if we would not profane the name of God, and rank ourselves amongst
unbelieving men, who set forth gods of their own invention. By
gods
in the verse may be meant, as I observed already,
(<199503>Psalm
95:3,) either angels or idols. I would still be of opinion that the term
comprehends whatever is, or is accounted deity. As God, so to speak, sends rays
of himself through all the world by his angels, these reflect some sparks of his
Divinity.
fd78 Men, again, in framing idols, fashion
gods to themselves which have no existence. The Psalmist would convince them of
its being a gross error to ascribe undue honor either to the angels or to idols,
thus detracting from the glory of the one true God. He convicts the heathen
nations of manifest infatuation, upon the ground that their gods are vanity and
nought, for such is the meaning of the Hebrew word
µylyla,
elilim,
fd79 which is here applied to idols in
contempt. The Psalmist's great point is to show, that as the Godhead is really
and truly to be found in none but the one Maker of the world, those religions
are vain and contemptible which corrupt the pure worship of him. Some may ask,
Are angels then to be accounted nothing and vanity, merely because many have
been deceived in thinking them gods? I would reply, that we do injury to the
angels when we give them that honor which is due to God only; and, while we are
not on this account to hold that they are nothing in themselves, yet whatever
imaginary glory has been attached to them must go for nothing.
fd80
But the Psalmist has in his eye the gross
delusions of the heathen, who impiously fashioned gods to
themselves.
Before refuting their absurd
notions, he very properly remarks of God that he is
great, and greatly to be
praised — insinuating that his
glory as the infinite One far excels any which they dreamt of as attaching to
their idols. We cannot but notice the confidence with which the Psalmist asserts
the glory of the true God, in opposition to the universal opinion which men
might entertain. The people of God were at that time called to maintain a
conflict of no inconsiderable or common description with the hosts and
prodigious mass of superstitions which then filled the whole world. The true God
might be said to be confined within the obscure corner of Judea. Jupiter was the
god every where received — and adored throughout the whole of Asia,
Europe, and Africa. Every country had its own gods peculiar to itself, but these
were not unknown in other parts, and it was the true God only who was robbed of
that glory which belonged to him. All the world had conspired to believe a lie.
Yet the Psalmist, sensible that the vain delusions of men could derogate nothing
from the glory of the one God,
fd81 looks down with indifference upon the
opinion and universal suffrage of mankind. The inference is plain, that we must
not conclude that to be necessarily the true religion which meets with the
approbation of the multitude; for the judgment formed by the Psalmist must have
fallen to the ground at once, if religion were a thing to be determined by the
suffrages of men, and his worship depended upon their caprice. Be it then that
ever so many agree in error, we shall insist after the Holy Ghost that they
cannot take from God's glory; for man is vanity himself, and all that comes of
him is to be mistrusted.
fd82 Having asserted the greatness of God, he
proves it by reference to the formation of the world, which reflects his
perfections.
fd83 God must necessarily exist of himself,
and be self-sufficient, which shows the vanity of all gods who made not the
world. The heavens are mentioned — a part for the whole — as
the power of God is principally apparent in them, when we consider their beauty
and adornment.
6.
Strength and honor are before
him. I translate the Hebrew word
dwh,
hod, by strength, and think those interpreters who render it glory
have not duly considered the context. It is evident that the next member of
the verse is a repetition, and there it reads,
Power and Glory are in his
sanctuary. The Psalmist means that we
cannot be said to know God if we have not discovered that there is in him an
incomparable glory and majesty. He first takes notice of his power and strength,
as that in which his glory consists. There, as God is invisible, he directs the
thoughts of his people to the sanctuary, which we have already seen to be the
symbol of his presence. Such is the weakness of our minds that we rise with
difficulty to the contemplation of his glory in the heavens. The Psalmist
reminds us that we have no reason to say that his glory is obscure, since there
were emblems of his presence in the temple, the sacrifices, and the ark of the
covenant. Let us endeavor, when we make mention of God, to conceive of this
glory which shines before him — otherwise, if we do not apprehend his
power, it is rather a dead than a living God whom we worship.
fd84
Psalm
96:7-9
7. Give to Jehovah, O ye
assemblies of peoples! give to Jehovah glory and strength.
fd85
8. Give to Jehovah the glory of his
name; bring an offering,
fd86 and come into his courts. 9.
Worship before Jehovah in the beauty of the sanctuary;
fd87 let the whole earth tremble before his
face.
7.
Give to Jehovah, etc. Since praise
waited for God in Zion,
(<196501>Psalm
65:1,) and that was the place devoted to the celebration of his worship, and the
posterity of Abraham were alone invested with the privilege of priesthood, we
cannot doubt that the Psalmist refers here to that great change which was to
take place in the Church upon the advent of Christ. An opposition or distinction
is intended between God's ancient people and the Gentile tribes, which were to
be afterwards adopted into the same fellowship. To declare
his glory and
strength, is the same with declaring the
glory of his
strength. And to show that man can boast
nothing of his own, and in refusing to celebrate God, impiously despoils him of
his just honors, he subjoins,
Give unto the Lord the glory of
his name; an expression which denotes
that God borrows nothing from without, but comprehends all that is worthy of
praise in himself. He calls upon the Gentile nations in so many words to render
unto God the same worship which the Jews did; not that we must worship God now
according to the outward ritual which was prescribed under the Law, but he
signifies that there would be one rule and form of religion in which all nations
should accord. Now, unless the middle wall of partition had been broken down,
the Gentiles could not have entered along with God's children into the courts of
the sanctuary. So that we have here a clear prediction of the calling of the
Gentiles, who needed to have their uncleanness taken away before they could be
brought into the holy assembly. The mincha, or oblation, was only one
kind of sacrifice, but it is here taken to denote the whole worship of God,
because it was a part of divine service more ordinarily practiced. We see from
this, and other passages, that the inspired penmen describe the inward worship
of God under symbols common in the age when they lived. God would not have
meat-offerings presented to him after Christ had come; but the words which the
Psalmist employs intimate that the doors of the temple, once shut, were now to
be opened for the admission of the Gentiles. The Apostle, in his Epistle to the
Hebrews,
(<581315>Hebrews
13:15) tells us what are those sacrifices with which God will now be worshipped.
Hence the absurdity of the Papists, who would adduce such passages in support of
the mass and their other fooleries. We may very properly learn from the words,
however, that we ought not to come empty-handed into the presence of God,
enjoined as we are to present ourselves and all that we have as a reasonable
service unto Him,
(<451201>Romans
12:1;
<600205>1
Peter 2:5.)
9.
Worship before
Jehovah. The Psalmist prosecutes the
same train of sentiment. In requiring oblations of his people, God was not to be
considered as standing in need of the services of the creature, but as giving
them an opportunity of professing their faith. The true reason, therefore, is
here mentioned why the oblation was enjoined, That his people might prostrate
themselves before him, and acknowledge that they and all belonging to them were
his. Mention is made of the
beauty of the temple, referring to the
fact that the Gentiles should be raised to a new honor, in being associated into
one body with God's chosen people.
fd88 At the time when this psalm was written,
it was generally deemed scarcely credible that the heathen nations would be
admitted into the temple in company with the holy seed of Abraham. This should
make us think all the more highly of our calling as Gentiles, which seemed then
so incredible and impracticable a thing. We may be convinced that God only could
have opened for us the door of salvation. The
beauty of the
temple is an expression intended to
beget a reverential view of the temple, that men may approach it with humble
fear, instead of rushing without consideration into God's presence. The clause
which follows in the verse is inserted for the same purpose —
tremble before his
face, intimating that we should
prostrate ourselves as suppliants before him when we consider his awful majesty.
Not that he would deter worshippers from drawing near to God. They should esteem
it their greatest pleasure and enjoyment to seek his face. But he would have us
humbled to the right and serious worship of God. I may add, that the beauty or
glory of the sanctuary did not consist in silver and gold, in the preciousness
of the material of which it was made, nor in polished stones, nor in any
splendor and decoration of this kind, but in the representation of the heavenly
pattern which was shown to Moses on the mount,
(<022509>Exodus
25:9.)
Psalm
96:10-13
10. Say among the heathen,
Jehovah reigneth; also the world shall be established, it shall not be moved: he
shall judge the peoples
fd89 in righteousness, [literally, in
righteousnesses.] 11. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
let the sea thunder, and the fullness thereof. 12. Let the field be
joyful, and all that is therein; likewise let all the trees of the wood rejoice.
fd90
13. Before Jehovah; for he cometh, for
he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and
the people with his truth.
fd91
10.
Say among the heathen,
Jehovah reigneth. His language again
implies that it is only where God rules and presides that he can be worshipped.
The Gentiles could not possibly profess the worship of God, so long as his
throne was only in the small corner of Judea, and they were not acknowledging
his government. Accordingly, the Psalmist speaks of his extending his kingdom to
all parts of the world, with the view of gathering unto himself in one, those
who had formerly been divided and scattered. The expression,
Say among the
heathen, signifies that God would
enlarge the boundaries of his kingdom by his word and doctrine. What is said of
the world being established, is particularly worthy of our observation.
So far as the order of nature is concerned, we know that it has been Divinely
established, and fixed from the beginning; that the same sun, moon, and stars,
continue to shine in heaven; that the wicked and the unbelieving are sustained
with food, and breathe the vital air, just as do the righteous. Still we are to
remember that so long as un-godliness has possession of the minds of men, the
world, plunged as it is in darkness, must be considered as thrown into a state
of confusion, and of horrible disorder and misrule; for there can be no
stability apart from God. The world is very properly here said therefore to be
established, that it should not shake, when men are brought back into a state of
subjection to God. We learn this truth from the passage, That though all the
creatures should be discharging their various offices, no order can be said to
prevail in the world, until God erect his throne and reign amongst men. What
more monstrous disorder can be conceived of, than exists where the Creator
himself is not acknowledged? Wicked and unbelieving men may be satisfied with
their own condition, but it is necessarily most insecure, most unstable; and
destitute as they are of any foundation in God, their life may be said to hang
by a thread.
fd92 We are to recollect what we have seen
taught,
(<194605>Psalm
46:5) "God is in the midst of the holy city, she shall not be moved." Very
possibly there may be an indirect allusion to the imperfect and uncompleted
state of things under the Law, and a contrast may have been intended between the
perfect condition of things which should obtain under Christ, and the prelude to
it under the former period. Next he predicts that the kingdom to be introduced
should be distinguished by righteousness, according to what we have seen,
(<194506>Psalm
45:6) "A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom." The term
judging, in the Hebrew, includes government of any kind. If God's method
of governing men be to form and regulate their lives to righteousness, we may
infer, that however easily men may be satisfied with themselves, all is
necessarily wrong with them, till they have been made subject to Christ. And
this righteousness of which the Psalmist speaks has not reference merely to the
outward actions. It comprehends a new heart, commencing as it does in the
regeneration of the Spirit, by which we are formed again into the likeness of
God.
11.
Let the heavens rejoice, and
let the earth be glad. With the view of
giving us a more exalted conception of the display of God's goodness in
condescending to take all men under his government, the Psalmist calls upon the
irrational things themselves, the trees, the earth, the seas, and the heavens,
to join in the general joy. Nor are we to understand that by the heavens
he means the angels, and by
the
earth men;
fd93for he calls even upon the dumb fishes of
the deep to shout for joy. The language must therefore be hyperbolical, designed
to express the desirableness and the blessedness of being brought unto the faith
of God. At the same time, it denotes to us that God does not reign with terror,
or as a tyrant, but that his power is exercised sweetly, and so as to diffuse
joy amongst his subjects. The wicked may tremble when his kingdom is introduced,
but the erection of it is only the cause of their fear indirectly.
fd94 We might notice also, that the hyperbole
here employed does not want a certain foundation of a more literal kind. As all
elements in the creation groan and travail together with us, according to Paul's
declaration,
(<450822>Romans
8:22) they may reasonably rejoice in the restoration of all things
according to their earnest desire. The words teach us how infatuated that joy
is, which is wantonly indulged in by men who are without God. From the close of
the psalm, we learn that it is impossible to experience the slightest measure of
true joy, as long as we have not seen the face of God,
Rejoice before the Lord, because
he cometh. And if the very sea and land
mourn so long as God is absent, may we not ask what shall become of us, who are
properly the subjects of God's dreadful curse? The Psalmist, to remove all doubt
regarding an event which might seem incredible, repeats his assertion of it, and
states, at the same time, in what that rectitude consists, which he had formerly
mentioned, when he adds, that God
shall govern the world with righteousness and
truth. This shows us that it is only by
the light of God's righteousness and truth that the wickedness and hypocrisy of
men can be removed and dispelled.
PSALM
97
The description which we have of the kingdom of God
in this psalm, does not apply to the state of it under the Law. We may infer,
accordingly, that it contains a prediction of that kingdom of Christ, which was
erected upon the introduction of the Gospel. The Psalmist, while he commends it
to us by insisting upon its greatness and glory, so well calculated to compel
the reverential fear of men, gives an amiable representation of it, by informing
us that it has been erected for the salvation of mankind
sinners.
Psalm
97:1-5
1. Jehovah reigns: let the
earth rejoice, let the great islands
fd95 be glad. 2. Clouds and darkness
are round about him; righteousness and judgment are the habitation
fd96 of his throne. 3. A fire shall go
before his face, and shall burn up his enemies round about. 4. His
lightnings enlightened the world; the earth shall see, and tremble. 5.
The hills flow down like wax at the presence of Jehovah, at the presence of the
Lord of the whole
earth.
1.
Jehovah
reigns. His inviting men to rejoice, is
a proof that the reign of God is inseparably connected with the salvation and
best happiness of mankind. And, the joy he speaks of being common to the whole
world and to the regions beyond the seas, it is evident that he predicts the
enlargement of God's kingdom, which had been confined within the narrow
boundaries of Judea, to a far wider extent. The Psalmist, in setting forth the
various particulars of the Divine glory in the four verses which follow, would
seek to impress all men with a reverential fear of him. Thus he gives us a
representation of the formidable majesty attaching to God, that he may dash and
humble vain confidence and carnal pride. A cloudy sky overawes us more than a
clear one, as the darkness produces a peculiar effect upon the senses. The
Psalmist makes use of this symbol, no doubt, to impress the world with the
greater reverence of God. Others refine more upon the words, and think that
clouds are said to be round about God, to check human rashness and presumption,
and restrain that excessive curiosity which would pry more than is fit into the
mysteries of Godhead. This is an interpretation of the words which makes them
convey a very useful lesson; but I am against all refined renderings, and think
that the Psalmist intended in associating darkness with God, to impress the
hearts of men with a fear of him in general.
fd97 The same meaning is brought out in the
remaining context, when fire is
said to go before him, and burn up his enemies, his lightnings to shake the
earth, and the mountains to flow down. Should
any object that this does not agree with what was said of the joy which his
kingdom diffuses, I might answer, first, that although God is ready on his part
to diffuse blessedness wherever he reigns, all are not capable of appreciating
it. Besides, as I have already hinted, the truth is one of use to believers,
humbling the pride of the flesh, and deepening their adoration of God. God's
throne is represented as founded in justice and judgment,
to denote the benefit which we derive from it. The greatest misery which can
be conceived of, is that of living without righteousness and judgment, and the
Psalmist mentions it as matter of praise exclusively due to God, that when he
reigns, righteousness revives in the world. He as evidently denies that we can
have any righteousness, till God subjects us to the yoke of his word, by the
gentle but powerful influences of his Spirit. A great proportion of men
obstinately resist and reject the government of God. Hence the Psalmist was
forced to exhibit God in his severer aspect, to teach the wicked that their
perverse opposition will not pass unpunished. When God draws near to men in
mercy, and they fail to welcome him with becoming reverence and respect, this
implies impiety of a very aggravated description; on which account it is that
the language of denunciation suits with the kingdom of Christ. The Psalmist
intimates that those who should despise God in the person of his only-begotten
Son, will feel in due time and certainly the awful weight of his majesty. So
much is implied in the expression used — The earth Shall
See. For the wicked, when they find that their attempts are vain in fighting
against God, resort to subterfuge and concealment. The Psalmist declares that
they would not succeed by any such vain artifice in hiding themselves from
God.
Psalm
97:6-8
6. The heavens have declared
his righteousness, and all the people have seen his glory. 7. Confounded
be all those who serve graven images, who glory in their inventions;
fd98 let all the gods worship before him.
8. Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah
fd99 rejoiced because of thy judgments, O
Jehovah!
6.
The heavens have declared his
righteousness. Here he states that there
would be such an illustrious display of the righteousness of God, that the
heavens themselves would herald it. The meaning is not the same as in the
beginning of the nineteenth psalm, "The heavens declare the glory of God," etc.
In that psalm David means no more than that the wisdom and power of God are as
conspicuous in the fabric of the heavens, as if God should assert them with an
audible voice. The meaning of the passage before us is, that the spiritual
righteousness of God should be so signally manifested under the reign of Christ
as to fill both heaven and earth. There is much force in this personification,
in which the heavens, as if even they were penetrated with a sense of the
righteousness of God, are represented as speaking of it. It is equally probable,
however, that the heavens signify here the angels, who are contained in
heaven, by the figure of metonomy or synecdoche, while, in the corresponding
clause, instead of the earth being mentioned, he speaks of the peoples who dwell
upon it. The angels may very properly be said to announce and celebrate the
Divine glory.
7.
Confounded be all those who
serve graven images. The Psalmist draws
a broad distinction here, as in the psalm next to this, between the true God and
the false gods which men form for themselves. This he does that the praise which
he had ascribed might not be applied to any but the true God. Men are all ready
to admit that they ought to celebrate the praises of God, but, naturally prone
as they are to superstition, few indeed will be bound down to worship God in the
manner which is right. No sooner have they to do with God than they deviate into
the most baseless delusions. Each fashions a god for himself, and all choose
what suits them best in the medley of inventions. This is the reason why the
sacred writers, under the apprehension that men may turn to false gods, are
careful in giving exhortations to the worship of God, to state at the same time
who the true God is. The order observed by the Psalmist suggests the remark,
that corrupt superstitions will never be removed until the true religion
obtains. Prevented from coming to the true God by the slowness of their
spiritual apprehension, men cannot fail to wander in vanities of their own; and
it is the knowledge of the true God which dispels these, as the sun disperses
the darkness. All have naturally a something of religion born with them,
fd100 but owing to the blindness and
stupidity, as well as the weakness of our minds, the apprehension which we
conceive of God is immediately depraved. Religion is thus the beginning of all
superstitions, not in its own nature, but through the darkness which has settled
down upon the minds of men, and which prevents them from distinguishing between
idols and the true God. The truth of God is effectual when revealed in
dispelling and dissipating superstitions. Does the sun absorb the vapors which
intervene in the air, and shall not the presence of God himself be effectual
much more? We need not wonder then that the Psalmist, in predicting the Kingdom
of God, triumphs over the ungodly nations, which boasted in graven images, as
when Isaiah, speaking of the rise of the Gospel, adds,
"Then all the idols of
Egypt shall fall,"
(<231905>Isaiah
19:50)
Since the knowledge of God has been hid from the view
of men, we are taught also that there is no reason to be surprised at the host
of superstitions which have overspread the world. We have an exemplification of
the same truth in our own day. The knowledge of the true doctrine is
extinguished amongst the Turks, the Jews, and Papists, and, as a necessary
consequence, they lie immersed in error; for they cannot possibly return to a
sound mind, or repent of their errors, when they are ignorant of the true God.
When the Psalmist speaks of their being
confounded,
he means that the time was come when those who were given to idolatry should
repent, and return to the worship of the true God. Not that all without
exception would be brought to genuine repentance, — for experience has
taught us in these our own times how atheistical men
fd101 will cast off superstition, and yet
assume the most shameless effrontery, but that this is one of those consequences
which the knowledge of God should effect, the turning of men from their errors
unto God. Some there are who obstinately resist God, of which we have many
examples in the Papacy; but we have every reason to believe that they are
secretly prostrated by that which they affect to despise, and confounded
notwithstanding their opposition. What the Psalmist says a little after,
Let all the gods
fd102 worship before
him, properly applies to the angels, in
whom there shines forth some small portion of divinity, yet it may, though less
appropriately, be extended to fictitious gods; as if he had said, Whatever is
accounted or held as a god must quit its place and renounce its claims, that God
alone may be exalted. Hence it may be gathered that the true definition of piety
is, when the true God is perfectly served, and when he alone is so exalted, that
no creature obscures his divinity; and, accordingly, if we would not have true
piety entirely destroyed amongst us, we must hold by this principle, That no
creature whatever be exalted by us beyond
measure,
8.
Zion heard, and was
glad. In the former part of the psalm he
had spoken of that joy which should be common to all the world. Now he makes
special mention of God's chosen nation; and this partly, because they were to
enjoy the first-fruits of this joy, and partly, because he would remove all
occasion for rivalry or envy. Accordingly, having said that the Gentile nations
should be brought to equal privileges with the posterity of Abraham, he adds,
that the Jews would not suffer any diminution of honor by this co-partnership of
privilege, but might rather reasonably rejoice in being chosen of God to be the
fountain out of which the world was to be watered and refreshed. Those of whom
the Psalmist speaks were the true children of Abraham and them only. They had a
double reason for rejoicing, when God extended his government and glory from the
rising to the setting sun; for, while he exhibited to them in Christ the
complete fulfillment of that redemption which was promised, they, at the same
time, saw the glory of God diffused from the narrow limits of Judea to all parts
of the world. When the nations were blessed in the seed of Abraham, agreeably to
the prediction which had gone before, this was no inconsiderable confirmation of
their faith, as also, when they saw a religion which had been hated and despised
universally embraced. But why, it may be asked, does he speak of those things
being
heard,
rather than seen? Two reasons may be given for this. First, he
would have God's believing people anticipate the blessing by hope, ere the
consummation of it arrived; and, again, the language intimates, that the glory
of the Gospel would be spread to such distant quarters, that the Jews would
rather hear of it by report, than witness it with their own
eyes.
Psalm
97:9-12
9. For thou, Jehovah, art
high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods. 10. Ye
that love Jehovah, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his meek ones; he will
deliver them out of the hand of the wicked. 11. Light has been sown for
the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. 12. Rejoice in
Jehovah, ye righteous, and celebrate the memory of his
holiness.
9.
For thou, Jehovah, art high
above all the earth. Having already, in
another place, explained these words, I shall not say more at present upon them.
Only it is to be noticed, that there is a comparison drawn between God and the
angels, and whatever has any claim to eminence. The Psalmist limits all other
excellency in such a manner, as to leave no room for questioning that all
majesty is comprehended in God only. This was the case more eminently when God
manifested himself in his only-begotten Son, who is the express image of
himself. Before that period his greatness was less apparent, because he was less
known.
10.
Ye that love Jehovah, hate
evil. Those that fear God are here
enjoined to practice righteousness, as Paul says,
"Let every one that
nameth the name of Christ depart from
iniquity,"
(<550219>2
Timothy 2:19)
He shows from the very nature of God, that we cannot
be judged and acknowledged to be his servants unless we depart from sin, and
practice holiness. God is in himself the fountain of righteousness, and he must
necessarily hate all iniquity, unless we could suppose that he should deny
himself; and we have fellowship with him only on the terms of separation from
unrighteousness. As the persecution of the wicked is apt to provoke us to seek
revenge, and unwarrantable methods of escape, the Psalmist guards us against
this temptation, by asserting that God is the keeper and protector of his
people. If persuaded of being under the Divine guardianship, we will not strive
with the wicked, nor retaliate injury upon those who have wronged us, but commit
our safety to him who will faithfully defend it. This gracious act of
condescension, by which God takes us under his care, should serve as a check to
any impatience we might feel in abstaining from what is evil,
fd103 and preserving the course of integrity
under provocation.
11.
Light has been sown for the
righteous. He confirms the truth just
advanced, and anticipates an objection which might be brought against it. We
have seen that the Lord's people are often treated with the utmost cruelty and
injustice, and would seem to be abandoned to the fury of their enemies. The
Psalmist reminds us for our encouragement that God, even when he does not
immediately deliver his children, upholds them by his secret power.
fd104In the first clause of the verse there
is a double metaphor. By
light
is meant joy, or a prosperous issue, (according to a phraseology which is
common in Scripture,) as darkness denotes adversity. The latter metaphor of
sowing is rather more difficult to understand.
fd105Some think that gladness is sown for the
just, as seed which, when cast into the ground, dies or lies buried in the earth
a considerable time before it germinates. This idea may be a good one; but,
perhaps, the simplest meaning of the words is the following, that though the
righteous may be almost banished out of the world, and unable to venture
themselves forth in public, and hidden from view, God will spread abroad their
joy like seed, or bring forth to notice the light of their joy which had
been shut up. The second clause of the verse is an exegesis of the first —
light
being interpreted to mean joy, and
the
righteous such as are
upright in
heart. This definition of
righteousness is worthy of notice, That it does not consist in a mere
outward appearance, but comprehends integrity of heart, more being required to
constitute us righteous in God's sight than that we simply keep our tongue,
hands, or feet, from wickedness. In the concluding verse he exhorts the Lord's
people to gratitude, that looking upon God as their Redeemer, they should lead a
life corresponding to the mercy they have received, and rest contented under all
the evils they encounter, with the consciousness that they enjoy his
protection.
PSALM
98
This psalm has a great resemblance to the
ninety-sixth, not only in matter, but language. The great scope of it is to show
that the glory of God would be illustriously displayed in the spread of the
knowledge of his name throughout the world, both from the more ample fulfillment
which would be given upon the manifestation of the Savior, to the promises made
to the posterity of Abraham, and from the sudden extension of salvation to all
parts of the earth. He calls upon men to magnify the name of God on this
account.
Psalm
98:1-3
1. Sing unto Jehovah a new
song, for he hath done marvelous things: his own right hand, and the arm of his
holiness, hath gotten him the victory.
fd106
2. Jehovah hath made known his
salvation: his righteousness he hath revealed in the sight of the heathen.
3. He hath remembered his goodness and truth towards the house of Israel:
all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our
God.
fd107
1.
Sing unto Jehovah a new
song. I have already remarked, that the
expression here used denotes an extraordinary, not a common, ascription of
praise. This appears from the reason assigned for it, That God had manifested
his salvation in a singular and incredible manner. For having spoken of
marvelous
things, he represents this as the sum of
all, that God had procured salvation
with his own right
hand;
fd108
that is, not by human means, or in an
ordinary way, but delivering his Church in an unprecedented manner. Isaiah
enlarges upon this miracle of God's power:
"The Lord looked if there were any
to help, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his own arm
brought salvation, and his righteousness sustained him,"
(<235916>Isaiah
59:16)
In both passages the arm of God
stands opposed to ordinary means, which although when employed they derogate
nothing from the glory of God, yet prevent us from so fully discovering his
presence as we might otherwise do. The language of the Psalmist amounts to a
declaration that God would not save the world by means of an ordinary kind, but
would come forth himself and show that he was the author of a salvation in every
respect so singular. He reasonably infers that mercy of such a wonderful, and,
to us, incomprehensible kind, should be celebrated by no ordinary measures of
praise. This is brought out still more clearly in the verse which follows, where
it is said that his
salvation and righteousness are shown to the
nations. What could have been less
looked for than that light should have arisen upon these dark and benighted
places, and that righteousness should have appeared in the habitations of
desperate wickedness? Salvation is mentioned first, although it is, properly
speaking, the effect of righteousness. Such an inversion of the natural order is
often observed in stating divine benefits; nor is it surprising that what is the
means, and should be mentioned first, is sometimes set last, and follows by way
of explanation. I may add, that the righteousness of God, which is the source of
salvation, does not consist in his recompensing men according to their works,
but is just the illustration of his mercy, grace, and
faithfulness.
3.
He hath remembered his
goodness. Having spoken of the general
manifestation of his salvation, he now celebrates his goodness more particularly
to his own chosen people. God exhibited himself as a Father to Gentiles as well
as Jews; but to the Jews first, who were, so to speak, the first-born.
fd109
The glory of the Gentiles lay in their being
adopted and in-grafted into the holy family of Abraham, and the salvation of the
whole world sprung from the promise made to Abraham, as Christ said,
"Salvation is of the Jews,"
(<430422>John
4:22) The Psalmist therefore very properly observes, that God in redeeming the
world remembered his truth, which he had given to Israel his people
— language, too, which implies that he was influenced by no other motive
than that of faithfully performing what he had himself promised.
fd110 The more clearly to show that the
promise was not grounded at all on the merit or righteousness of man, he
mentions the
goodness
of God first, and afterwards his faithfulness, which stood connected
with it. The cause, in short, was not to be found out of God himself, (to use a
common expression,) but in his mere good pleasure, which had been testified long
before to Abraham and his posterity. The word
remembered
is used in accommodation to man's apprehension; for what has been long
suspended seems to have been forgotten. Upwards of two thousand years elapsed
from the time of giving the promise to the appearance of Christ, and as the
people of God were subjected to many afflictions and calamities, we need not
wonder that they should have sighed, and given way to ominous fears regarding
the fulfillment of this redemption. When it is added,
all the ends of the earth have
seen the salvation of God, this is not
merely commendatory of the greatness of the salvation, meaning that it should be
so illustrious that the report of it would reach the ends of the earth; but it
signifies that the nations formerly immersed in delusions and superstitions
would participate in it.
Psalm
98:4-9
4. Exult before Jehovah all
the earth; make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. 5. Sing to
Jehovah upon the harp, upon the harp, and with the voice of a psalm.
fd111
6. With trumpets, and sound of the
cornet, sing before Jehovah the King. 7. Let the sea roar, and the
fullness thereof; the world, and those who dwell therein.
fd112
8. Let the floods clap their hands:
fd113 let the hills be joyful together,
9. Before Jehovah: for he cometh to judge the earth; with righteousness
shall he judge the world, and the people with
uprightness.
4.
Exult before Jehovah all the
earth. Here he repeats the exhortation
with which he had begun, and by addressing it to the nations at large, he
indicates that when God should break down the middle wall of partition all would
be gathered to the common faith, and one Church formed throughout the whole
world. When he speaks of musical instruments the allusion is evidently to the
practice of the Church at that time, without any intention of binding down the
Gentiles to the observance of the ceremonies of the law. The repetition made use
of is emphatical, and implies that the most ardent attempts men might make to
celebrate the great work of the world's redemption would fall short of the
riches of the grace of God. This is brought out still more forcibly in what
follows, where feeling is ascribed to things inanimate. The whole passage has
been elsewhere expounded, and it is unnecessary to insist further upon
it.
PSALM
99
This psalm differs from those which precede it in one
respect, that it speaks of the kingdom of God, and the blessings consequent upon
it, as confined within Judea; and rather calls upon the posterity of Abraham, in
distinction from the surrounding nations, to praise God for the privilege of
their adoption.
Psalm
99:1-4
1. Jehovah reigns; let the
people tremble: he dwells between the cherubim; let the earth be moved.
2. Jehovah is great in Zion; and he is high above all nations. 3.
They shall acknowledge thy great and terrible name; it is holy. 4. The
king's strength
fd114 also loves judgment; thou hast
established equity, thou hast done judgment and righteousness in
Jacob.
1.
Jehovah
reigns. The people, who were formerly
called upon to rejoice, are now commanded to tremble. For as the Jews were
encompassed by enemies, it was of the utmost importance that God's power should
be magnified among them, that they might know that, while under his
guardianship, they would be constantly and completely safe from the hatred and
fury of every foe. The Hebrew word
zgr,
ragaz, as we have elsewhere seen, sometimes signifies to tremble,
at other times, to be angry, and, in short, denotes any strong
emotion arising either from anger or fear.
fd115 Accordingly, the prophet here intends
that God, in the emancipation of his chosen people, should give such a palpable
display of his power, as would strike all the nations with dismay, and make them
feel how madly they had rushed upon their own destruction. For it is with regard
to men that God is said to reign, when he exalts himself by the magnificent
displays which he gives of his power; because, while the aid which he gives to
them remains invisible, unbelievers act a more presumptuous part, just as if
there were no God.
2.
Jehovah in
Zion. It is proper that we should not
forget the antithesis I formerly mentioned, namely, that God is great in Zion to
destroy and annihilate all the enemies of his Church; and that, when the
Psalmist goes on to say, he is
high above all nations, his meaning is,
not that he presides over them to promote their welfare, but to disconcert their
counsels, to baffle their designs, and to subvert all their power. That which
immediately follows about the
praising of God's
name, refers not to the nations at
large, but in my opinion to the faithful, from whom alone the prophet demands a
tribute of gratitude. For although God compels his vanquished enemies to
acknowledge him, yet as they do not cease from speaking against his glory, and
blaspheming his holy name, it cannot be to them that the exhortation is
addressed, Praise the name of
God,
for it is
holy; but to the faithful, who, from
their knowledge of God's holy name, very cordially engage in the celebration of
its praises.
4.
The king's strength also
loves judgment. This may be viewed as a
threatening designed to fill his enemies with dismay; as if he should say, such
is God's regard for righteousness and equity, that he hath clothed himself with
power to avenge the injuries which his enemies have done to him. I think it
preferable, however, to apply it to the Church, because she is under the
government of God for the express purpose
fd116 of practicing righteousness and
holiness. There is another interpretation which is by no means objectionable,
namely, that which does not associate ideas of tyranny with the government of
God, because there is constant concord between his power and justice. But when I
consider the whole context, I have no doubt, that the prophet, after having
introduced God as established upon his royal throne, now speaks of the manner in
which he governs his kingdom; for he adds,
thou hast established
equity and righteousness. This clause is
susceptible of two interpretations; either that God in his law has commanded his
people to practice perfect equity, or that, in supporting and defending them, he
has uniformly testified his great regard for his justice and equity. It is most
true that the highest equity has always characterized the works and judgments of
God, yet it appears more probable that it refers to that system, that form of
government which God, who loves justice, appointed among the people of Israel,
and which was the best rule for leading a life of honesty and integrity. And
hence the word to do is improperly taken to signify to order or
command. Should any one choose to consider this last clause as relating to
God's government, I am by no means disposed to disagree with him. For there is
nothing that more animates and encourages the faithful to render obedience to
God, or inspires them with greater zeal to observe his law, than to find in this
course of action that they are the objects of his paternal care, and that the
righteousness, which he requires from his own people in words, is on his part
reciprocated by kind deeds.
Psalm
99:5-9
5. Exalt Jehovah our God, and
worship at his footstool; he
fd117 is holy. 6. Moses and Aaron
among his priests, and Samuel among those who call upon his name; they called
upon Jehovah, and he answered them. 7. He spake unto them in the cloudy
pillar:
fd118 they kept his testimonies, and the
statute which he gave them. 8. O Jehovah our God, thou wast a God that
wast favorable to them, though thou didst take vengeance upon their inventions.
9. Exalt Jehovah our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for Jehovah
our God is holy.
5.
Exalt Jehovah our
God. This exhortation is properly
addressed to the Church alone, because having been made a partaker of the grace
of God, she ought the more zealously to devote herself to his service, and to
the love of godliness. The Psalmist, therefore, calls upon the Jews to exalt
that God from whom they had received such manifest help, and enjoins them to
render that worship appointed in his Law. The temple indeed is frequently in
other places denominated God's seat, or house, or rest, or
dwelling-place; here it is called his footstool, and for the use of this
metaphor, there is the best of all reasons. For God desired to dwell in the
midst of his people in such a manner, as not only to direct their thoughts to
the outward temple and to the ark of the covenant, but rather to elevate them to
things above. Hence the term house or dwelling-place tended to impart courage
and confidence to them, that all the faithful might have boldness to draw near
unto God freely, whom they beheld coming to meet them of his own
accord.
But as the minds of men are prone to
superstition, it was necessary to check this propensity, lest they should
associate with their notions of God things fleshly and earthly, and their
thoughts should be wholly engrossed by the outward forms of worship. The
prophet, therefore, in calling the temple God's footstool, desires the godly to
elevate their thoughts above it, for he fills heaven and earth with his infinite
glory. Nevertheless, by these means he reminds us that true worship can be paid
to God no where else than upon mount Zion. For he employs a style of writing
such as is calculated to elevate the minds of the godly above the world, and, at
the same time, does not in the least degree detract from the holiness of the
temple, which alone of all places of the earth God had chosen as the place where
he was to be worshipped. From this we may see, since the days of Augustine, how
vainly many perplex themselves in endeavoring to ascertain the reason for the
prophet ordering God's footstool to be worshipped. The answer of Augustine is
ingenious. If, says he, we look to Christ's manhood, we will perceive a reason
why we may worship the footstool of God, and yet not be guilty of idolatry; for
that body in which he wishes to be worshipped he took from the earth, and on
this earth nothing else than God is worshipped, for the earth is both the
habitation of Deity, and God himself condescended to become earth. All this is
very plausible, but it is foreign to the design of the prophet, who, intending
to distinguish between legal worship, (which was the only worship that God
sanctioned,) and the superstitious rites of the heathen, summons the children of
Abraham to the temple, as if to their standard, there, after a spiritual manner,
to worship God, because he dwells in celestial
glory.
Now that the shadowy dispensation has
passed away, I believe that God cannot otherwise be properly worshipped, than
when we come to him directly through Christ, in whom all the fullness of the
Godhead dwells. It were improper and absurd for any one to designate him a
footstool. For the prophet merely spake in this manner to show that God was
not confined to the visible temple, but that he is to be sought for above all
heavens, fd119
inasmuch as he is elevated above the whole
world.
The frantic bishops of Greece, in the
second Council of Nice, very shamefully perverted this passage, when they
endeavored to prove from it that God was to be worshipped by images and
pictures. The reason
fd120 assigned for exalting Jehovah our God,
and worshipping at his footstool, contains an antithesis:
he is
holy. For the prophet, in hallowing the
name of the one God, declares all the idols of the heathen to be unholy; as if
he should say, Although the heathen claim for their idols an imaginary sanctity,
they are nevertheless very vanity, an offense, and abomination. Some translate
this clauses for it is holy; but it will appear from the end of the psalm
that it was the design of the prophet by this title to distinguish God from all
idols.
6.
Moses and
Aaron. The Psalmist magnifies the
special grace which God in a very remarkable manner vouchsafed to the seed of
Abraham, that thence he chose for himself prophets and priests to be, as it
were, mediators between him and the people, to ratify the covenant of salvation.
And he mentions three persons who were famous in former times. For Moses was, as
it were, a mediator to reconcile the people unto God. Aaron was invested with
the same office; and, subsequently, Samuel sustained the same character. There
is no doubt, however, that under these three persons he included all the people
with whom God had made a covenant. But he mentions the names of those who were
the depositaries and guardians of this invaluable treasure. It may appear
improper that he should speak of Moses as
among the
priests, since his sons were only among
the common Levites, and that Moses himself, after the giving of the law, never
held the office of high priest. But as the Hebrews call
µynhwk,
chohanim, those who are chief and very eminent personages,
fd121 such as kings' sons, there is nothing
to prevent the prophet from giving this designation to Moses, as if he had said
that he was one of the holy rulers of the Church.
fd122 Moreover, if we go back to the first
original — to the period prior to the publication of the law, it is
certain that Moses was then invested with the high priest's office. The design
of the prophet must also be kept in mind, namely, that God not only adopted the
seed of Abraham, but set apart some of them to act as mediators, whom he
enjoined to call upon his name, in order that his covenant might be the more
confirmed. For the invocation of which he speaks must not be understood
indiscriminately of every manner of
calling
upon, but only of that which belongs to
the priests, who were chosen by God, as intercessors to appear in his presence
in the name of all the people, and to speak on their
behalf.
They called upon
Jehovah. The Psalmist explains more
fully what I have just now said, that God from the very first, and with a
special reference to his gracious covenant, bestowed great benefits upon the
descendants of Abraham — the Jews. And, therefore, as often as they
experienced the loving-kindness of God, it behooved them to call to mind his
former loving-kindness. The prophet, too, makes particular mention of the
visible symbol of the cloudy
pillar, by which God designed to testify
in all ages that his presence was ever with his people, according as he employed
temporal signs, not only for their benefit to whom they were exhibited, but also
for the benefit of those who were to succeed them. Not that God always showed a
cloudy pillar to his ancient people, but considering that the dullness of men is
so great, that they do not perceive the presence of God unless they are put in
mind by external signs, the prophet very properly reminds the Jews of this
memorable token. And as God had appeared openly in the desert to their fathers,
so their posterity might be well assured that he would also be near to them. He
adds, that they had kept God's
testimonies, for the purpose of
enforcing the duty of like obedience upon succeeding
generations.
8.
O Jehovah our
God. The prophet here reminds them that
God had heard their prayers because his grace and their piety harmonized.
Consequently, encouraged by their exemplary success in prayer, their posterity
ought to call upon God, not merely pronouncing his name with their lips, but
keeping his covenant with all their heart. He farther reminds us that if God
does not display his glory so bountifully, and so profusely in every age, the
fault is with men themselves, whose posterity have either utterly forsaken, or
greatly declined from the faith of the fathers. It is not to be wondered at that
God should withdraw his hand, or at least not stretch it forth in any remarkable
way, when he beholds piety waxing cold on the
earth.
O God, thou hast been
propitious to them.
fd123 From these words it is quite
obvious that what the Psalmist had formerly said concerning Moses, Aaron, and
Samuel, refers to the whole people; for surely they did not officiate as priests
merely for their own benefit, but for the common benefit of all the Israelites.
Hence the transition is more natural which he makes from these three to the
remaining body of the people. For I neither restrict the relative, to these
three persons, nor do I interpret them exclusively of the same, but I rather
think that the state of the whole Church is pointed out; namely, that while God,
at the prayers of the priests, was propitious to the Jews, he, at the same time,
sharply punished them for their sins. For on the one hand, the prophet magnifies
the grace of God in that he had treated the people so kindly, and had so
mercifully forgiven their iniquity; on the other hand, he specifies those awful
examples of punishment by which he punished them for their ingratitude, that
their descendants might learn to submit themselves dutifully to him. For it must
not be forgotten, that by how much God deals graciously with us, by so much will
he the less easily endure that we should treat his liberality with
scorn.
In the close of the psalm he repeats the
same sentence which we had in the fifth verse, only substituting
his holy
mountain instead of his footstool;
and as for the sake of brevity he had formerly said somewhat obscurely
awh
çwdq, kadosh hu, he is holy, he now
says more plainly, Jehovah our
God is holy. His intention is to show
that God is not to be worshipped by the Israelites at random, (as the religion
of the heathen depended upon fancy alone,) but that his worship is founded upon
the assurance of faith.
PSALM
100
The title of this psalm may serve for a summary of
its contents Moreover, its brevity renders a lengthened discourse unnecessary.
The Psalmist, in an especial manner, invites believers to praise God, because he
has chosen them to be his people, and has taken them under his
care.
Psalm
100:1-3
A Psalm of Praise 1. Let all
the earth make a joyful noise to Jehovah. 2. Serve Jehovah with gladness:
come into his presence with joyfulness. 3. Know ye that Jehovah himself
is God: he made us, and not we ourselves: we are his people, and the sheep of
his pasture.
1.
Make a joyful
noise. The Psalmist refers only to that
part of the service of God which consists in recounting his benefits and giving
thanks. And since he invites the whole of the inhabitants of the earth
indiscriminately to praise Jehovah, he seems, in the spirit of prophecy, to
refer to the period when the Church would be gathered out of different nations.
Hence he commands (verse 2) that God should
be served with
gladness, intimating that his kindness
towards his own people is so great as to furnish them with abundant ground for
rejoicing. This is better expressed in the third verse, in which he first
reprehends the presumption of those men who had wickedly revolted from the true
God, both in fashioning for themselves gods many, and in devising various forms
of worshipping them. And as a multitude of gods destroys and suppresses the true
knowledge of one God only, and tarnishes his glory, the prophet, with great
propriety, calls upon all men to bethink themselves, and to cease from robbing
God of the honor due to his name; and, at the same time, inveighs against their
folly in that, not content with the one God, they were become vain in their
imaginations. For, however much they are constrained to confess with the mouth
that there is a God, the maker of heaven and earth, yet they are ever and anon
gradually despoiling him of his glory; and in this manner, the Godhead is, to
the utmost extent of their power, reduced to a nonentity. As it is then a most
difficult thing to retain men in the practice of the pure worship of God, the
prophet, not without reason, recalls the world from its accustomed vanity, and
commands them to recognize God as God. For we must attend to this short
definition of the knowledge of him, namely, that his glory be preserved
unimpaired, and that no deity be opposed to him that might obscure the glory of
his name. True, indeed, in the Papacy, God still retains his name, but as his
glory is not comprehended in the mere letters of his name, it is certain that
there he is not recognized as God. Know, therefore, that the true worship of God
cannot be preserved in all its integrity until the base profanation of his
glory, which is the inseparable attendant of superstition, be completely
reformed.
The prophet next makes mention of the
great benefits received from God, and, in an especial manner, desires the
faithful to meditate upon them. To say
God made
us is a very generally acknowledged
truth; but not to advert to the ingratitude so usual among men, that scarcely
one among a hundred seriously acknowledges that he holds his existence from God,
although, when hardly put to it, they do not deny that they were created out of
nothing; yet every man makes a god of himself, and virtually worships himself,
when he ascribes to his own power what God declares belongs to him alone.
Moreover, it must be remembered that the prophet is not here speaking of
creation in general, (as I have formerly said,) but of that spiritual
regeneration by which he creates anew his image in his elect. Believers are the
persons whom the prophet here declares to be God's workmanship, not that they
were made men in their mother's womb, but in that sense in which Paul, in
<490210>Ephesians
2:10, calls them, To<
poihma, the workmanship of God, because they
are created unto good works which God hath before ordained that they should walk
in them; and in reality this agrees best with the subsequent context. For when
he says, We are his people, and
the sheep of his pasture, he evidently
refers to that distinguishing grace which led God to set apart his children for
his heritage, in order that he may, as it were, nourish them under his wings,
which is a much greater privilege than that of merely being born men. Should any
person be disposed to boast that he has of himself become a new man, who is
there that would not hold in abhorrence such a base attempt to rob God of that
which belongs to him? Nor must we attribute this spiritual birth to our earthly
parents, as if by their own power they begat us; for what could a corrupt seed
produce? Still the majority of men do not hesitate to claim for themselves all
the praise of the spiritual life. Else what mean the preachers of free-will,
unless it be to tell us that by our own endeavors we have, from being sons of
Adam, become the sons of God? In opposition to this, the prophet in calling us
the people of
God, informs us that it is of his own
good will that we are spiritually regenerated. And by denominating us the
sheep of his
pasture, he gives us to know that
through the same grace which has once been imparted to us, we continue safe and
unimpaired until the end. It might be otherwise rendered, he made us his
people, etc.
fd124 But as the meaning is not altered, I
have retained that which was the more generally received
reading.
Psalm
100:4-5
4. Enter into his gates with
praise, and into his courts with rejoicing: give glory
fd125 to him, and bless his name. 5.
Because Jehovah is good, his mercy endureth for ever, and his truth from
generation to
generation.
4.
Enter his
gates. The conclusion of the psalm is
almost the same as the beginning of it, excepting that he adopts a mode of
speech which relates to the worship of God which obtained under the law;
fd126 in which, however, he merely reminds us
that believers, in rendering thanks to God, do not discharge their duty aright,
unless they also continue in the practice of a steady profession of piety.
Meanwhile, under the name of the temple, he signifies that God cannot be
otherwise worshipped than in strict accordance with the manner prescribed in his
law. And, besides, he adds, that
God's mercy endureth for
ever, and that his truth also is
everlasting, to point out to us that we can never be at a loss for constant
cause of praising him. If, then, God never ceases to deal with us in this
manner, it would argue the basest ingratitude on our part, if we wearied in
rendering to Him the tribute of praise to which he is entitled. We have
elsewhere taken notice of the reason why truth is connected with mercy. For so
foolish are we, that we scarcely feel the mercy of God while he openly manifests
it, not even in the most palpable displays of it, until he open his holy lips to
declare his paternal regard for us.
PSALM
101
David was not as yet put in possession of the
kingdom, but having been already created king by the appointment of God, he
prepares himself for exercising the government in the best manner. And he not
only stirs up himself to perform faithfully the duties of his kingly office by
devoutly meditating on this subject, but also engages by a solemn vow to be
God's faithful servant, in order to induce Him to put him speedily in possession
of the kingdom.
Psalm
101:1-5
A Psalm of David. 1. I will
sing of mercy and of judgment: unto thee, O Jehovah! will I sing psalms.
2. I will behave myself prudently in a perfect way, till thou comest to
me:
fd127 I will walk in the integrity of my
heart in the midst of thy house. 3. I will not set a wicked thing before
my eyes: I hate the work
fd128of those who turn aside; it shall not
adhere to me. 4. The perverse heart shall depart from me: I will not know
evil fd129
5. Whoso slandereth his neighbor in
secret, him will I destroy: the man whose eyes are lofty, and whose heart is
wide, I cannot endure.
1.
I will sing of mercy and of
judgment. What David here says
concerning singing must be understood by the reader as intimating that this
psalm contains the substance of his meditations with himself, as to what kind of
king he would be whenever he should be put in possession of the sovereign power
which had been promised him. To
sing therefore of
mercy and of
judgment, is equivalent to declaring in
solemn terms, that he would be a just and an upright king. Augustine understands
this as meaning that God is to be praised, whether he punish men with severity,
or whether he show himself merciful to them; but this interpretation is too
refined. David does not speak of God's secret judgments, but of the due
administration of the kingdom, that he might both by words and deeds fulfill his
vocation. When he asserts, Unto
thee, O Jehovah! will I sing psalms, he
acknowledges that it was by the favor of God that he was appointed to so
distinguished and honorable an office; for it would have been an act of
presumptuous rashness for him to have thrust himself into it, at the mere
impulse of his own mind. He very properly comprehends all princely virtues under
these two particulars, mercy and
judgment; for as it is the principal
duty of a king to yield to every man his own right, so he is also required to
possess a considerate love and compassion towards his subjects. Solomon
therefore justly says,
(<201612>Proverbs
16:12) "The throne is established by
righteousness."
2.
I will behave myself
prudently in a perfect way. David here
shows that he carefully considered how weighty a charge was laid upon him when
he was made king. We know, and it is a truth taught us by experience, that
almost all kings are intoxicated with the splendors of royalty; and the proverb
was not used without foundation in ancient times, "A king must be born either a
king or a fool." It is indeed a mistake to say that kings are born fools. Men
were led to speak in this manner, because it commonly happens that those who are
invested with the government of kingdoms and empires are fools and blockheads.
And surely it is a remarkable instance of the vengeance of God, that beasts, and
such as are altogether unworthy to be numbered among men, commonly possess the
highest authority. But although kings are not born fools, yet they are so
blinded by their dignity, that they think themselves in no respect indebted to
their subjects, become arrogant and haughty in their carriage, recklessly plunge
into their pleasures, and at length utterly forget themselves. David therefore
says, I will behave myself
prudently, or, which amounts to the same
thing, I will look warily to myself; it being a rare virtue for the man who may
do as he pleases to exercise such moderation, as not to allow himself liberty in
any degree to do evil. He then who is exalted to sovereign power, and yet,
instead of attempting to go as far as he can in doing mischief, restrains
himself by self-control, is endued with true understanding. In short, David
protests that he will not be like other kings who are infatuated by their own
dignity; but that according to the greatness of the charge imposed upon him, he
would endeavor wisely to perform his duty. It is to be observed, that he
represents wisdom as consisting
in a perfect
way, or in uprightness. From this we
learn that tyrants who employ their talents in forming wicked devices, and who
are daily contriving new methods for burdening and oppressing their subjects; in
short, who are ingenious only in doing mischief, are not wise towards God. Many
persons, it is true, dislike such craftiness; but still, it is undeniable that,
if kings are intent upon enlarging the boundaries of their kingdom, and are
masters in refined policy for accomplishing such a purpose, this is accounted
the most perfect wisdom which they can possess, and is extolled to the skies.
David, on the contrary, covets no other wisdom but that which is the mistress of
integrity. Till thou comest to
me. These words may be read in two ways.
Some translate them interrogatively, When wilt thou come? as if David
besought God not to subject him to any longer delay. And truly he had just
ground to groan and lament, when he saw himself so long oppressed with poverty,
and driven from place to place a wretched exile. It had been better for him to
have lived obscure and unnoticed in his father's cottage, following his former
occupation as a shepherd, than to be anointed king, that, being driven out of
his country, he might live in utter dishonor and hatred. But I prefer reading
the sentence without interrogation, until or when thou comest; and
yet even this I interpret somewhat differently from the majority of
commentators, understanding it to mean, that although David still continued in
the condition of a private person, and did not enjoy the royal power which had
been promised him, he nevertheless did not cease in the meantime to follow after
uprightness. Thus he sets the
midst of his house in opposition to
palaces and public buildings; as if he had said, Within my private house or in
my family.
3.
I will not set a wicked thing
before my eyes. After having protested,
that in leading a private life, he would practice virtue and righteousness, even
as it becomes good princes to begin with this, he now adds, that in executing
the office of prince, he will be the enemy of all injustice and wickedness.
To set a wicked thing before
one's eyes, is equivalent to purposing
to do something that is wicked. He therefore declares, that he will turn away
from all wickedness; and it is certain, that no man can be a just and an
impartial punisher of wrongdoing, but he who abhors it with all his heart.
Whence it follows that kings, in order to the performance of their duty, must
keep themselves entirely free from all consent to wickedness. Some join to the
first sentence the word
hwç[,
asoh, which we translate
work,
and supply the letter
l,
lamed; as if it had been said, I will not set before my eyes any wickedness
to do it, or, nothing wicked will be acceptable to me to execute it. But the
other sense is more probable, which is, that David, after having declared that
he will not suffer any iniquity before his eyes, immediately adds for the sake
of confirmation, that he will be an enemy to all injustice. If the last clause
is referred to the persons who turn aside, there is a change of the number. It
may, however, be explained of the work itself, implying that he would never have
any share in wicked defections from the path of
rectitude.
4.
The perverse heart shall
depart from me. Some by
perverse
heart understand perfidious men; but
this I reject as a sense too forced, and it is moreover inconsistent with the
context. As David has added in the second clause by way of exposition,
I will not know
evil, he doubtless in the first protests
that he will be free from all perfidiousness and wickedness. The amount is, that
he will do his endeavor to keep himself from all wrong-doing, and that he will
not even know what it is to do wrong to his
neighbors.
5.
Whoso slandereth his
neighbor
fd130
in secret, him will I
destroy. In this verse he speaks more
distinctly of the duty of a king who is armed with the sword, for the purpose of
restraining evil-doers. Detraction, pride, and vices of every description, are
justly offensive to all good men; but all men have not the power or right to cut
off the proud or detractors, because they are not invested with public
authority, and consequently have their hands bound. It is of importance to
attend to this distinction, that the children of God may keep themselves within
the bounds of moderation, and that none may pass beyond the province of his own
calling. It is certain, that so long as David lived merely in the rank of a
private member of society, he never dared to attempt any such thing. But after
being placed on the royal throne, he received a sword from the hand of God,
which he employed in punishing evil deeds. He particularises certain kinds of
wickedness, that under one species, by the figure synecdoche, he might intimate
his determination to punish all sorts of wickedness. To detract from the
reputation of another privily, and by stealth, is a plague exceedingly
destructive. It is as if a man killed a fellow-creature from a place of ambush;
or rather a calumniator, like one who administers poison to his unsuspecting
victim, destroys men unawares. It is a sign of a perverse and treacherous
disposition to wound the good name of another, when he has no opportunity of
defending himself. This vice, which is too prevalent every where, while yet it
ought not to be tolerated among men, David undertakes to
punish.
He next characterises the proud by two
forms of expression. He describes them as those whose
eyes are
lofty, not that all who are proud look
with a lofty countenance, but because they commonly betray the superciliousness
of their proud hearts by the loftiness of their countenance. He farther
describes them as wide
fd131 of
heart, because those who aspire after
great things must necessarily be puffed up and swollen. They are never satisfied
unless they swallow up the whole world. From this we learn that good order
cannot exist, unless princes are sedulously on the watch to repress pride, which
necessarily draws after it and engenders outrage and cruelty, contemptuous
language, rapine, and all kinds of ill treatment. Thus it would come to pass,
that the simple and the peaceable would be at the mercy of the more powerful,
did not the authority of princes interfere to curb the audacity of the latter.
As it is the will of God that good and faithful kings should hold pride in
detestation, this vice is unquestionably the object of his own hatred. What he
therefore requires from his children is gentleness and meekness, for he is the
declared enemy of all who strive to elevate themselves above their
condition.
Psalm
101:6-8
6. My eyes are towards the
faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he who walketh in an upright
way shall minister to me. 7. He who worketh [or practiseth] deceit shall
not dwell in the midst of my house: he who speaketh falsehoods shall not abide
in my sight. 8. Early
fd132 will I destroy all the wicked of the
land; that I may cut off all the workers of iniquity from the city of
Jehovah.
6.
My eyes are towards the faithful of the
land. David here lays down another
virtue of a wise prince, when he affirms that it will be his care to make all
the faithful of the
land his intimate friends, — that
he will avail himself of their good offices, and have as domestic servants such
only as are distinguished for personal worth. Some understand the words,
that they may dwell with
me, in a general sense thus: I will not
neglect the good and inoffensive, nor will I suffer them to be unjustly
molested; but I will secure, that under my administration, they shall live in a
state of peace and tranquillity. But his meaning rather is, that he will
exercise discretion and care, that, instead of taking persons into his service
indiscriminately, he may wisely determine each man's character, so as to have
those who live a life of strict integrity as his most intimate friends, and that
he may intrust them with the offices of state. He speaks of the
faithful
in the first place, because, although a man may possess talents of a high
order, yet if he is not devoted to fidelity and integrity, he will never rightly
execute the office of a judge. This is worthy of special notice; for although a
prince may be the best of men, yet if his servants and officers are not of a
corresponding character his subjects will experience hardly any advantage from
his uncorrupted integrity. Servants are the hands of a prince, and whatever he
determines for the good of his subjects they will wickedly overthrow it,
provided they are avaricious, fraudulent, or rapacious. This has been more than
sufficiently demonstrated by experience. The greater part of kings, indeed,
passing over the good and the upright, or, which is worse, driving them away
from them, purposely seek to have as servants those who are like themselves, and
who may prove fit tools for their tyranny; yea, even good and well disposed
princes often manifest so much indolence and irresolution as to suffer
themselves to be governed by the worst counsels, and inconsiderately prostitute
the offices of state by conferring them on the
unworthy.
7.
He who worketh deceit shall
not dwell in the midst of my house. This
verse may be explained of all magistrates to whose charge the exercise of public
judgments is committed, as well as of household servants. But as David has just
now spoken in general of all officers, he seems now to speak properly of those
who are near the person of the king. When the chief counsellors of kings and
other intimate acquaintances who have gained possession of their ears, are
deceitful and crafty, this becomes the source of all corruptions; for by their
example they encourage others in evil, lifting up as it were the banner of
licentiousness. And it is impossible that he who does not maintain good order in
his own house, can be a fit person for holding the government of a whole realm.
The authority which cannot preserve its influence under the domestic roof is of
little worth in state
affairs.
8.
Early will I destroy all the
wicked of the land. The Psalmist at
length concludes by asserting, that he will endeavor to the utmost of his power
to purge the land from infamous and wicked persons. He affirms that he will do
this
early;
for if princes are supine and slothful, they will never seasonably remedy
the evils which exist. They must therefore oppose the beginnings of evil. The
judge, however, must take care not to yield to the influence of anger, nor must
he act precipitately and without consideration. The original word for
early
is in the plural number, (it being properly at the mornings,) which
denotes unremitted exertion. It were not enough that a judge should punish the
wicked sharply and severely in one or two instances: he must continue
perseveringly in that duty. By this word is condemned the slothfulness of
princes, when, upon seeing wicked men daringly break forth into the commission
of crime, they connive at them from day to day, either through fear or an
ill-regulated lenity. Let kings and magistrates then remember, that they are
armed with the sword, that they may promptly and unflinchingly execute the
judgments of God. David, it is true, could not purge the land from all
defilements, however courageously he might have applied himself to the task.
This he did not expect to be able to do. He only promises, that without respect
of persons he will show himself an impartial judge, in cutting off all the
wicked. Timidity often hinders judges from repressing with sufficient rigor the
wicked when they exalt themselves. It is consequently necessary for them to be
endued with a spirit of invincible fortitude, that relying upon Divine aid, they
may perform the duties of the office with which they are invested. Moreover,
ambition and favor sometimes render them pliant, so that they do not always
punish offenses alike, where this ought to be done. Hence we learn that the
strictness, which is not carried to excess, is highly pleasing to God; and, on
the other hand, that he does not approve of the cruel kindness which gives loose
reins to the wicked; as, indeed, there cannot be a greater encouragement to sin
than for offenses to be allowed to pass unpunished. What Solomon says should
therefore be remembered,
(<201715>Proverbs
17:15) "He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just,
even they both are abomination to the Lord." What David adds,
That I may cut off all the
workers of iniquity from the city of God,
is also emphatic. If even heathen kings are commanded in common to punish
crimes, David well knew that he was under obligations of a more sacred kind to
do so, since the charge of the Church of God had been committed to him. And
certainly if those who hold a situation so honorable do not exert themselves to
the utmost of their power to remove all defilements, they are chargeable with
polluting as much as in them lies the sanctuary of God; and they not only act
unfaithfully towards men by betraying their welfare, but also commit high
treason against God himself. Now as the kingdom of David was only a faint image
of the kingdom of Christ, we, ought to set Christ before our view; who, although
he may bear with many hypocrites, yet as he will be the judge of the world, will
at length call them all to an account, and separate the sheep from the goats.
And if it seems to us that he tarries too long, we should think of that morning
which will suddenly dawn, that all filthiness being purged away, true purity may
shine forth.
PSALM
102
This prayer seems to have been dictated to the
faithful when they were languishing in captivity in Babylon. Sorrowful and
humbled, they first bewail their afflictions. In the next place, they plead with
God for the restoration of the holy city and temple. To encourage themselves to
come before him in prayer with the greater confidence, they call to remembrance
the Divine promises in reference to the happy renovation both of the kingdom and
of the priesthood; and they not only assure themselves of deliverance from
captivity, but also beseech God to bring kings and nations in subjection to
himself. In the close of the psalm, after having interposed a brief complaint
concerning their distressing and afflicted condition, they draw consolation from
the eternity of God; for, in adopting his servants to a better hope, he has
separated them from the common lot of men.
A prayer for the
afflicted, when he shall be shut up, and shall pour out his meditation before
Jehovah.
Whoever of the prophets composed this psalm, it is
certain that he dictated it to the faithful as a form of prayer for the
re-establishment of the temple and the city. Some limit it to the time when,
after the return of the Jews from Babylon, the building of the temple was
hindered by the neighboring nations; but with this I cannot agree. I am rather
of opinion that the poem was written before the return of the people, when the
time of their promised deliverance was just at hand; for then the prophets began
to be more earnest in lifting up the hearts of the godly according to these
words of Isaiah,
(<234001>Isaiah
40:1) "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God."
fd133 The design of the sacred poet was, not
only to inspire the people with courage, but also to excite in them greater care
about the welfare of the Church. The title of the psalm indicates the end and
purpose which it was intended to serve. Those who translate the verbs in the
past tense, A prayer for the afflicted, when he was in distress, and poured
out his meditation,
fd134 seem to give an incorrect view
of the mind of the prophet. He rather intended to relieve the sorrow of those
whose hearts he saw depressed; as if he had said, Although you may be afflicted
with anguish and despair, you must not on that account desist from prayer. Some
translate the verb
ãf[,
ataph, when he shall hide himself, and conceive that this is a
metaphorical expression of the gesture of a man engaged in prayer, when, on
account of his grief, unable to lift up his face, he, as it were, hides himself,
and keeps his head wrapped up in his bosom. But there appears to me to be an
elegant play upon the words, when the distresses of the mind, and its being
shut up, are spoken of, on the one hand, and the pouring out of
prayers on the other; teaching us that, when we are so shut up by grief as to
shun the light and presence of men, the gate is so far from being shut against
our prayers, that then in truth is the most proper season for engaging in
prayer, for it is a singular alleviation of our sorrows when we have opportunity
freely to pour out our hearts before God. The verb
jwç,
suach, often denotes to pray; but, as it also signifies to
meditate, the noun derived from it properly means, in this place,
meditation. It is, moreover, to be observed that, by these words, the
Psalmist admonishes the Israelites as to the frame of mind with which it became
them to use this form of prayer at the throne of grace; as if he had said, that
he prescribed it to those only who were distressed on account of the desolate
condition of the Church.
Psalm
102:1-2
1. O Jehovah! hear my
prayer, and let my cry come to thee. 2. Hide not thy face from me in the
day of my affliction; incline thy ear to me: in the day when I cry make haste,
answer
me.
1.
O Jehovah! hear my prayer. This
earnestness shows, again, that these words were not dictated to be pronounced by
the careless and light-hearted, which could not have been done without grossly
insulting God. In speaking thus, the captive Jews bear testimony to the severe
and excruciating distress which they endured, and to the ardent desire to obtain
some alleviation with which they were inflamed. No person could utter these
words with the mouth without profaning the name of God, unless he were, at the
same time, actuated by a sincere and earnest affection of heart. We ought
particularly to attend to the circumstance already adverted to, that we are thus
stirred up by the Holy Spirit to the duty of prayer in behalf of the common
welfare of the Church. Whilst each man takes sufficient care of his own
individual interests, there is scarcely one in a hundred affected as he ought to
be with the calamities of the Church. We have, therefore, the more need of
incitements, even as we see the prophet here endeavoring, by an accumulation of
words, to correct our coldness and sloth. I admit that the heart ought to move
and direct the tongue to prayer; but, as it often flags or performs its duty in
a slow and sluggish manner, it requires to be aided by the tongue. There is here
a reciprocal influence. As the heart, on the one hand, ought to go before the
words, and frame them, so the tongue, on the other, aids and remedies the
coldness and torpor of the heart. True believers may indeed often pray not only
earnestly but also fervently, while yet not a single word proceeds from the
mouth. There is, however, no doubt that by
crying
the prophet means the vehemence into which grief constrains us to break
forth.
2.
Hide not thy face from me in
the day of my affliction. The prayer,
that God would not hide his face, is far from being superfluous. As the people
had been languishing in captivity for the space of nearly seventy years, it
might seem that God had for ever turned away his favor from them. But they are,
notwithstanding, commanded, in their extreme affliction, to have recourse to
prayer as their only remedy. They affirm that they cry
in the day of their
affliction, not as hypocrites are
accustomed to do, who utter their complaints in a tumultuous manner, but because
they feel that they are then called upon by God to cry to
him.
Make haste, answer
me. Having elsewhere spoken more fully
of these forms of expression, it may suffice, at present, briefly to observe,
that when God permits us to lay open before him our infirmities without reserve,
and patiently bears with our foolishness, he deals in a way of great tenderness
towards us. To pour out our complaints before him after the manner of little
children would certainly be to treat his Majesty with very little reverence,
were it not that he has been pleased to allow us such freedom. I purposely make
use of this illustration, that the weak, who are afraid to draw near to God, may
understand that they are invited to him with such gentleness as that nothing may
hinder them from familiarly and confidently approaching
him.
Psalm
102:3-7
3. For my days are consumed
like smoke
fd135 and my bones are burnt up as a hearth.
fd136
4. My heart is smitten, and withered
like grass, because I have forgotten to eat my bread. 5. By reason of the
voice of my groaning, my bones cleave to my flesh.
fd137
6. I have become like a pelican
fd138 of the wilderness; I have become like
an owl
fd139 of the deserts. 7. I have
watched, and have been like a sparrow which is alone upon the house-top.
fd140
3.
For my days are consumed like
smoke. These expressions are
hyperbolical, but still they show how deeply the desolation of the Church ought
to wound the hearts of the people of God. Let every man, therefore, carefully
examine himself on this head. If we do not prefer the Church to all the other
objects of our solicitude, we are unworthy of being accounted among her members.
Whenever we meet with such forms of expression as these, let us remember that
they reproach our slothfulness in not being affected with the afflictions of the
Church as we ought. The Psalmist compares his days
to
smoke, and
his bones to the stones of the
hearth, which, in the course of time,
are consumed by the fire. By
bones
he means the strength of man. And, were not men devoid of feeling, such a
melancholy spectacle of the wrath of God would assuredly have the effect of
drying up their bones, and wasting away their whole
rigor.
4.
My heart is smitten, and
dried up like grass. Here he employs a
third similitude, declaring that his heart is withered, and wholly dried up like
mown grass. But he intends to express something more than that his heart was
withered, and his bones reduced to a state of dryness. His language implies,
that as the grass, when it is cut down, can no longer receive juice from the
earth, nor retain the life and rigor which it derived from the root, so his
heart being, as it were, torn and cut off from its root, was deprived of its
natural nourishment. The meaning of the last clause,
I have forgotten to eat my
bread, is, My sorrow has been so great,
that I have neglected my ordinary food. The Jews, it is true, during their
captivity in Babylon, did eat their food; and it would have been an evidence of
their having fallen into sinful despair, had they starved themselves to death.
But what he means to say is, that he was so afflicted with sorrow as to refuse
all delights, and to deprive himself even of food and drink. True believers may
cease for a time to partake of their ordinary food, when, by voluntary fasting,
they humbly beseech God to turn away his wrath, but the prophet does not here
speak of that kind of abstinence from bodily sustenance. He speaks of such as is
the effect of extreme mental distress, which is accompanied with a loathing of
food, and a weariness of all things. In the close of the verse, he adds, that
his body was, as it were, consuming or wasting away, so that his bones clave to
his skin.
6.
I have become like a pelican
of the wilderness. Instead of rendering
the original word by
pelican,
some translate it bittern, and others the cuckoo. The Hebrew
word here used for
owl
is rendered by the Septuagint
nuktikorax,
which signifies a bat.
fd141 But as even the Jews are
doubtful as to the kind of birds here intended, let it suffice us simply to
know, that in this verse there are pointed out certain melancholy birds, whose
place of abode is in the holes of mountains and in deserts, and whose note,
instead of being delightful and sweet to the ear, inspires those who hear it
with terror. I am removed, as if he had said, from the society of men, and am
become almost like a wild beast of the forest. Although the people of God dwelt
in a well cultivated and fertile region, yet the whole country of Chaldea and
Assyria was to them like a wilderness, since their hearts were bound by the
strongest ties of affection to the temple, and to their native country from
which they had been expelled. The third similitude, which is taken from the
sparrow, denotes such grief as produces the greatest uneasiness. The word
rwpx,
tsippor, signifies in general any kind of bird; but I have no doubt that
it is here to be understood of the sparrow. It is described as solitary
or alone, because it has been bereaved of its mate; and so deeply
affected are these little birds when separated from their mates, that their
distress exceeds almost all sorrow.
fd142
Psalm
102:8-11
8. My enemies have reviled
me daily; and those who are mad against me have sworn by me.
fd143
9. For I have eaten ashes like bread,
and mingled my drink with weeping, [or, with my tears,] 10. On account of
thy indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.
11. My days are like a shadow which declineth; and I am dried up like the
grass.
8.
My enemies have reviled me
daily. The faithful, to excite the
compassion of God towards them, tell him that they are not only objects of
mockery to their enemies, but also that they swore by them. The indignity
complained of is, that the ungodly so shamefully triumphed over God's chosen
people, as even to borrow from their calamities a form of swearing and
imprecation. This was to regard the fate of the Jews as a signal pattern in
uttering the language of imprecation. When, therefore, at the present day the
ungodly, in like manner, give themselves loose reins in pouring forth against us
contumelious language, let us learn to fortify ourselves with this armor, by
which such kind of temptation, however sharp, may be overcome. The Holy Spirit,
in dictating to the faithful this form of prayer, meant to testify that God is
moved by such revilings to succor his people; even as we find it stated in
<233723>Isaiah
37:23,
"Whom hast thou
reproached and blasphemed, and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice? even
against the Holy One of Israel;"
and in the verse immediately preceding the prophet
had said, "He hath despised thee, O daughter of Zion! against thee hath he
shaken the head, O daughter of Jerusalem!" It is surely an inestimable comfort
that the more insolent our enemies are against us, the more is God incited to
gird himself to aid us. In the second clause the inspired writer expresses more
strongly the cruelty of his enemies, when he speaks of their being
mad against
him. As the verb
llh,
halal, which we have rendered
mad,
generally signifies to praise, it might here be understood as having,
by the figure antiphrasis, a sense the very opposite — those who
dispraised or reproached me. But it is better to follow the commonly
received interpretation. Some maintain that they are called
mad,
because they manifested their own folly, making it evident from the manner
in which they acted, that they were worthless persons; but this opinion does too
much violence to the text. The more satisfactory sense is, that the people of
God charge revilers with cruelty or furious
hatred.
9.
For I have eaten ashes like
bread. Some think that the order is here
inverted, and that the letter
k,
caph, the sign of similitude, which is put before
µjl,
lechem, the word for
bread,
ought to be placed before
rpa,
epher, the word for
ashes; as if it had been said, I find no
more relish for my bread than I do for ashes; and the reason is, because sorrow
of heart produces loathing of food. But the simpler meaning is, that lying
prostrate on the ground, they licked, as it were, the earth, and so did eat
ashes instead of bread. It was customary for those who mourned to stretch
themselves at full length with their faces on the ground. The prophet, however,
intended to express a different idea — to intimate, that when he partook
of his meals, there was no table set before him, but his bread was thrown upon
the ground to him in a foul and disgusting manner. Speaking, therefore, in the
person of the faithful, he asserts that he was so fixed to the ground that he
did not even rise from it to take his food. The same sentiment is expressed in
the last part of the
verse, I have mingled my
drink with weeping; for while mourners
usually restrain their sorrow during the short time in which they refresh
themselves with food, he declares that his mourning was without intermission.
Some, instead of reading in the first clause,
as
bread, read, in bread;
fd144 and as the two letters,
k,
caph, and
b,
beth, nearly resemble each other, I prefer reading in bread, which
agrees better with the second clause.
10.
On account of thy anger and thy
wrath. He now declares that the
greatness of his grief proceeded not only from outward troubles and calamities,
but from a sense that these were a punishment inflicted upon him by God. And
surely there is nothing which ought to wound our hearts more deeply, than when
we feel that God is angry with us. The meaning then amounts to this — O
Lord! I do not confine my attention to those things which would engage the mind
of worldly men; but I rather turn my thoughts to thy wrath; for were it not that
thou art angry with us, we would have been still enjoying the inheritance given
us by thee, from which we have justly been expelled by thy displeasure. When God
then strikes us with his hand, we should not merely groan under the strokes
inflicted upon us, as foolish men usually do, but should chiefly look to the
cause that we may be truly humbled. This is a lesson which it would be of great
advantage to us to learn.
The last clause of
the verse, Thou hast lifted me
up, and cast me down, may be understood
in two ways. As we lift up what we intend to throw down with greater violence
against the ground, the sentence may denote a violent method of casting down, as
if it had been said, Thou hast crushed me more severely by throwing me down
headlong from on high, than if I had merely fallen from the station which I
occupied.
fd145 But this seems to be another
amplification of his grief, nothing being more bitter to an individual than to
be reduced from a happy condition to extreme misery, the prophet mournfully
complains that the chosen people were deprived of the distinguished advantages
which God had conferred upon them in time past, so that the very remembrance of
his former goodness, which should have afforded consolation to them, embittered
their sorrow. Nor was it the effect of ingratitude to turn the consideration of
the divine benefits, which they had formerly received, into matter of sadness;
since they acknowledged that their being reduced to such a state of wretchedness
and degradation was through their own sins. God has no delight in changing, as
if, after having given us some taste of his goodness, he intended
forthwith to deprive us of it. As his goodness is inexhaustible, so his
blessing would flow upon us without intermission, were it not for our sins which
break off the course of it. Although, then, the remembrance of God's benefits
ought to assuage our sorrows, yet still it is a great aggravation of our
calamity to have fallen from an elevated position, and to find that we have so
provoked his anger, as to make him withdraw from us his benignant and bountiful
hand. Thus when we consider that the image of God, which distinguished Adam, was
the brightness of the celestial glory; and when, on the contrary, we now see the
ignominy and degradation to which God has subjected us in token of his wrath,
this contrast cannot surely fail of making us feel more deeply the wretchedness
of our condition. Whenever, therefore, God, after having stripped us of the
blessings which he had conferred upon us, gives us up to reproach, let us learn
that we have so much the greater cause to lament, because, through our own
fault, we have turned light into
darkness.
11.
My days are like the shadow which
declineth.
fd146 When the sun is directly over
our heads, that is to say, at mid-day, we do not observe such sudden changes of
the shadows which his light produces; but when he begins to decline towards the
west the shadows vary almost every moment, This is the reason why the sacred
writer expressly makes mention of
the shadow which
declineth. What he attributes to the
afflicted Church seems indeed to be equally applicable to all men; but he had a
special reason for employing this comparison to illustrate the condition of the
Church when subjected to the calamity of exile. It is true, that as soon as we
advance towards old age, we speedily fall into decay. But the complaint here is,
that this befell the people of God in the very flower of their age. By the term
days
is to be understood the whole course of their life; and the meaning is, that
the captivity was to the godly as the setting of the sun, because they quickly
failed. In the end of the verse the similitude of
withered
grass, used a little before, is
repeated, to intimate that their life during the captivity was involved in many
sorrows which dried up in them the very sap of life. Nor is this wonderful,
since to live in that condition would have been worse than a hundred deaths had
they not been sustained by the hope of future deliverance. But although they
were not altogether overwhelmed by temptation, they must have been in great
distress, because they saw themselves abandoned by
God.
Psalm
102:12-14
12. And thou, O Jehovah!
shalt dwell for ever; and the memorial of thee from generation to generation.
13. Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion; for the time to pity her,
for the appointed time, is come. 14. For thy servants take pleasure in
her stones, and will have compassion upon her
dust.
12.
And thou, O Jehovah! shalt dwell
for ever. When the prophet, for his own
encouragement, sets before himself the eternity of God, it seems, at first
sight, to be a far-fetched consolation; for what benefit will accrue to us from
the fact that God sits immutable on his heavenly throne, when, at the same time,
our frail and perishing condition does not permit us to continue unmoved for a
single moment? And, what is more, this knowledge of the blessed repose enjoyed
by God enables us the better to perceive that our life is a mere illusion. But
the inspired writer, calling to remembrance the promises by which God had
declared that he would make the Church the object of his special care, and
particularly that remarkable article of the covenant, "I will dwell in the midst
of you,"
(<022508>Exodus
25:8) and, trusting to that sacred and indissoluble bond, has no hesitation in
representing all the godly languishing, though they were in a state of suffering
and wretchedness, as partakers of this celestial glory in which God dwells. The
word
memorial
is also to be viewed in the same light. What advantage would we derive from
this eternity and immutability of God's being, unless we had in our hearts the
knowledge of him, which, produced by his gracious covenant, begets in us the
confidence arising from a mutual relationship between him and us? The meaning
then is, "We are like withered grass, we are decaying every moment, we are not
far from death, yea rather, we are, as it were, already dwelling in the grave;
but since thou, O God! hast made a covenant with us, by which thou hast promised
to protect and defend thine own people, and hast brought thyself into a gracious
relation to us, giving us the fullest assurance that thou wilt always dwell in
the midst of us, instead of desponding, we must be of good courage; and although
we may see only ground for despair if we depend upon ourselves, we ought
nevertheless to lift up our minds to the heavenly throne, from which thou wilt
at length stretch forth thy hand to help us." Whoever is in a moderate degree
acquainted with the sacred writings, will readily acknowledge that whenever we
are besieged with death, in a variety of forms, we should reason thus: As God
continues unchangeably the same — "without variableness or shadow of
turning" — nothing can hinder him from aiding us; and this he will do,
because we have his word, by which he has laid himself under obligation to us,
and because he has deposited with us his own memorial, which contains in it a
sacred and indissoluble bond of
fellowship.
13.
Thou shalt arise, and have mercy
upon Zion. We have here the conclusion drawn
from the truth stated in the preceding verse — God is eternal, and
therefore he will have compassion upon Zion. God's eternity is to be considered
as impressed upon the memorial, or word, by which he has brought himself under
obligation to maintain our welfare. Besides, as he is not destitute of the
power, and as it is impossible for him to deny himself, we ought not to
entertain any apprehension of his failing to accomplish, in his own time, what
he has promised. We have observed, in another place, that, the verb
to arise
refers to what is made apparent to the eye of
sense; for although he continues always immutable, yet, in putting forth his
power, he manifests his majesty by the external act, as it is
termed.
When the prophet treats of the
restoration of the Church, he sets forth the divine mercy as its cause. He
represents this mercy under a twofold aspect, and therefore employs different
words. In the first place, as in the matter under consideration, the good
deserts of men are entirely out of the question, and as God cannot be led from
any cause external to himself to build up his Church, the prophet traces the
cause of it solely to the free goodness of God. In the second place, he
contemplates this mercy as connected with the Divine promises.
Thou shalt have mercy upon Zion,
for the time appointed, according to thy good pleasure, is
come. Meanwhile, it is to be observed
that, in magnifying the Divine mercy, his design was to teach true believers
that their safety depended on it alone. But we must now attend to what time is
alluded to. The word
d[wm,
moed, signifies all kind of fixed or appointed days. There is, then,
beyond all doubt, a reference to the prophecy of Jeremiah, recorded in
<242910>Jeremiah
29:10, and repeated in the last chapter of the Second Book of Chronicles, at the
21st verse. That the faithful might not sink into despondency, through the long
continuance of their calamities, they needed to be supported by the hope that an
end to their captivity had been appointed by God, and that it would not extend
beyond seventy years. Daniel was employed in meditating on this very topic, when
"he set his face unto the Lord God, to seek, by prayer and supplications," the
re-establishment of the Church,
(<270902>Daniel
9:2) In like manner, the object now aimed at by the prophet was to encourage
both himself and others to confidence in prayer, putting God in mind of this
remarkable prophecy, as an argument to induce him to bring to a termination
their melancholy captivity. And surely if, in our prayers, we do not continually
remember the Divine promises, we only cast forth our desires into the air like
smoke. It is, however, to be observed, that although the time of the promised
deliverance was approaching, or had already arrived, yet the prophet does not
cease from the exercise of prayer, to which God stirs us up by means of his
word. And although the time was fixed, yet he calls upon God, for the
performance of his covenant, in such a manner, as that he is still betaking
himself to his free goodness alone; for the promises by which God brings himself
under obligation to us do not, in any degree, obscure his
grace.
14.
For thy servants take pleasure in
her stones. To restrict this to Cyrus
and Darius is altogether unsuitable. It is not at all wonderful to find the
Jewish doctors hunting, with excessive eagerness, after foolish subtilties; but
I am surprised that some of our modern commentators subscribe to such a poor and
cold interpretation. I am aware that, in some places, the unbelieving and the
wicked are called the servants of God, as in
<242509>Jeremiah
25:9, because God makes use of them as instruments for executing his judgments.
Nay, I admit that Cyrus is called by name God's chosen servant,
(<234428>Isaiah
44:28) but the Holy Spirit would not have bestowed so honorable a title, either
on him or Darius, without some qualification. Besides, it is probable that this
psalm was composed before the edict was published, which granted the people
liberty to return to their native country. It therefore follows, that God's
people alone are included in the catalogue of his servants, because it is their
purpose, during the whole of their life, to obey his will in all things. The
prophet, I have no doubt, speaks in general of the whole Church, intimating that
this was not the wish entertained merely by one man, but was shared by the whole
body of the Church. The more effectually to induce God to listen to his prayer,
he calls upon all the godly, who were then in the world, to join with him in the
same request. It, unquestionably, very much contributes to increase the
confidence of success, when supplications are made by all the people of God
together, as if in the person of one man, according to what the Apostle Paul
declares,
"Ye also, helping
together by prayer for us, that, for the gift bestowed upon us, by the means of
many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf."
(<470111>2
Corinthians 1:11)
Farther, when the deformed
materials which remained of the ruins of the temple and city are emphatically
termed the stones of Zion, this is designed to intimate, not only that
the faithful in time past were affected with the outward splendor of the temple,
when, besides attracting the eyes of men, it had power to ravish with admiration
all their senses, but also, that although the temple was destroyed, and nothing
was to be seen where it stood but hideous desolation, yet their attachment to it
continued unalterable, and they acknowledged the glory of God, in its crumbling
stones and decayed rubbish. As the temple was built by the appointment of God,
and as he had promised its restoration, it was, doubtless, proper and becoming
that the godly should not withdraw their affections from its ruins. Meanwhile,
as an antidote against the discouraging influence of the taunting mockery of the
heathen, they required to look into the Divine word for something else than what
presented itself to their bodily eyes. Knowing that the very site of the temple
was consecrated to God, and that that sacred edifice was to be rebuilt on the
same spot, they did not cease to regard it with reverence, although its stones
lay in disorder, mutilated and broken, and heaps of useless rubbish were to be
seen scattered here and there. The sadder the desolation is to which the Church
has been brought, the less ought our affections to be alienated from her. Yea,
rather, this compassion which the faithful then exercised,
fd147 ought to draw from us sighs and groans;
and would to God that the melancholy description in this passage were not so
applicable to our own time as it is! He, no doubt, has his churches erected in
some places, where he is purely worshipped; but, if we cast our eyes upon the
whole world, we behold his word every where trampled under foot, and his worship
defiled by countless abominations. Such being the case, his holy temple is
assuredly every where demolished, and in a state of wretched desolation; yea,
even those small churches in which he dwells are torn and scattered. What are
these humble erections, when compared with that splendid edifice described by
Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Zechariah? But no desolation ought to prevent us from
loving the very stones and dust of the Church. Let us leave the Papists to be
proud of their altars, their huge buildings, and their other exhibitions of pomp
and splendor; for all that heathenish magnificence is nothing else but an
abomination in the sight of God and his angels, whereas the ruins of the true
temple are sacred.
Psalm
102:15-18
15. And the nations shall
fear the name of Jehovah,
fd148 and all the kings of the earth thy
glory. 16. For Jehovah hath built up Zion, and hath appeared in his
glory. 17. He hath regarded the prayer of the solitary,
fd149 and hath not despised their prayers.
fd150
18. This shall be registered for the
generation that is to come: and the people to be created shall praise him.
fd151
15.
And the nations shall fear the
name of Jehovah. The prophet here
describes the fruit which would result from the deliverance of the ancient
tribes; which is, that thereby God's glory would be rendered illustrious among
nations and kings. He tacitly intimates, that when the Church is oppressed, the
Divine glory is at the same time debased; even as the God of Israel was, no
doubt, at the period referred to, derided by the ungodly, as if he had been
destitute of the power to succor his people. It is therefore declared, that if
he redeem them, it will afford such a remarkable proof of his power as to
constrain the Gentiles to reverence him whom they
contemned.
The concluding part of the 16th
verse, He hath appeared in his
glory, refers to the manifestation which
God made of himself when he brought forth his Church from the darkness of death;
even as it is said in another place concerning her first deliverance, "Judah was
his sanctuary, and Israel his dominions"
(<19B402>Psalm
114:2) In like manner in the present passage, by again gathering to himself his
people who were dispersed, and by raising his Church, as it were, from death to
life, he appeared in his glory. It is surely no ordinary consolation to know
that the love of God towards us is so great, that he will have his glory to
shine forth in our salvation. It is true, that when the pious Jews were in the
midst of their afflictions, the working of divine power was hidden from them;
but they nevertheless always beheld it by the eye of faith, and in the mirror of
the divine promises.
17.
He hath regarded the prayer
of the solitary. It is worthy of notice,
that the deliverance of the chosen tribes is ascribed to the prayers of the
faithful. God's mercy was indeed the sole cause which led him to deliver his
Church, according as he had graciously promised this blessing to her; but to
stir up true believers to greater earnestness in prayer, he promises that what
he has purposed to do of his own good pleasure, he will grant in answer to their
requests. Nor is there any inconsistency between these two truths, that God
preserves the Church in the exercise of his free mercy, and that he preserves
her in answer to the prayers of his people; for as their prayers are connected
with the free promises, the effect of the former depends entirely upon the
latter. When it is said, that the
prayers of the solitary were heard, it
is not to be understood of one man only, (for in the clause immediately
following, the plural number is used;) but all the Jews, so long as they
remained ejected from their own country, and lived as exiles in a strange land,
are called
solitary,
because, although the countries of Assyria and Chaldea were remarkably
fertile and delightful, yet these wretched captives, as I have previously
observed, wandered there as in a wilderness. And as at that time this solitary
people obtained favor by sighing, so now when the faithful are scattered, and
are without their regular assemblies, the Lord will hear their groanings in this
desolate dispersion, provided they all with one consent, and with unfeigned
faith, earnestly breathe after the restoration of the
Church.
18.
This shall be registered for the
generation that is to come. The Psalmist
magnifies still more the fruit of the deliverance of his people, for the purpose
of encouraging himself and others in the hope of obtaining the object of their
prayers. He intimates, that this will be a memorable work of God, the praise of
which shall be handed down to succeeding ages. Many things are worthy of praise,
which are soon forgotten; but the prophet distinguishes between the salvation of
the Church, for which he makes supplication, and common benefits. By the word
register,
he means that the history of this would be worthy of having a place in the
public records, that the remembrance of it might be transmitted to future
generations. There is in the words a beautiful contrast between the new creation
of the people and the present destruction; of which interpreters improperly omit
to take any notice. When the people were expelled from their country, the Church
was in a manner extinguished. Her very name might seem to be dead, when the Jews
were mingled among the heathen nations, and no longer constituted a distinct and
united body. Their return was accordingly as it were a second birth.
Accordingly, the prophet with propriety expects a new creation. Although the
Church had perished, he was persuaded that God, by his wonderful power, would
make her rise again from death to renovated life. This is a remarkable passage,
showing that the Church is not always so preserved, as to continue to outward
appearance to survive, but that when she seems to be dead, she is suddenly
created anew, whenever it so pleases God. Let no desolation, therefore, which
befalls the Church, deprive us of the hope, that as God once created the world
out of nothing, so it is his proper work to bring forth the Church from the
darkness of death.
Psalm
102:19-22
19. For he hath looked
down from the high place of his holiness;
fd152 Jehovah hath looked down from the
heavens unto the earth, 20. To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to
release the sons of death; fd153
21. That the name of Jehovah may be
declared in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem; 22. When the peoples [or
the nations] shall be gathered together, and the kingdoms to serve
Jehovah.
19.
For he hath looked down from the
high place of his holiness. Now the
prophet contemplates the deliverance after which he breathes with anxious
desire, as if it had been already accomplished. That the malignity of men might
not attempt to obscure such a signal blessing of Heaven, he openly and in
express terms claims for God his rightful praise; and the people were
constrained in many ways to acknowledge therein the divine hand. Long before
they were dragged into captivity, this calamity had been foretold, that when it
took place the judgment of God might be clearly manifested; and at the same time
deliverance had been promised them, and the time specified to be after the lapse
of seventy years. The ingratitude of men therefore could not devise or invent
any other cause to which to ascribe their return but the mere goodness of God.
Accordingly, it is said, that God looked down from heaven, that the Jews
might not attribute to the grace and favor of Cyrus the deliverance which
evidently proceeded from Heaven.
The high place of his
holiness or sanctuary is here
equivalent to heaven. As the temple, in some parts of Scripture,
(<192608>Psalm
26:8 and
<197602>Psalm
76:2) is called "the habitation of God," in respect of men, so, that we may not
imagine that there is any thing earthly in God, he assigns to himself a
dwelling-place in heaven, not because he is shut up there, but that we may seek
him above the world.
20.
To hear the groaning of the
prisoner. Here the prophet repeats once
more what he had previously touched upon concerning prayer, in order again to
stir up the hearts of the godly to engage in that exercise, and that after their
deliverance they might know it to have been granted to their faith, because,
depending on the divine promises, they had sent up their groanings to heaven. He
calls them
prisoners;
for although they were not bound in fetters, their captivity resembled a
most rigorous imprisonment. Yea, he affirms a little after that they were
devoted to death, to give them to understand that their life and safety
would have been altogether hopeless, had they not been delivered from death by
the extraordinary power of
God.
21.
That the name of Jehovah may
be declared in Zion. Here is celebrated
a still more ample and richer fruit of this deliverance than has been previously
mentioned, which is, that the Jews would not only be united into one body to
give thanks to God, but that, when brought back to their own country, they would
also gather kings and nations into the same unity of faith, and into the same
divine worship with themselves. At that time it was a thing altogether
incredible, not only that the praises of God should within a short period
resound, as in the days of old, in that temple which was burnt and completely
overthrown,
fd154 but also that the nations should resort
thither from all quarters, and be associated together in the service of God with
the Jews, who were then like a putrefied carcase. The prophet, to inspire the
people with the hope of returning to their own land, argues that it was
impossible that the place which God had chosen for himself should be left in
perpetual desolation; and declares, that so far from this being the case there
would be new matter for praising God, inasmuch as His name would be worshipped
by all nations, and the Church would consist not of one nation only, but of the
whole world. This we know has been fulfilled under the administration of Christ,
as was announced in prophecy by the holy
patriarch,
"The scepter shall not
depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and
unto him shall the gathering of the Gentiles be,"
(<014910>Genesis
49:10.)
But as the prophets are wont, in
celebrating the deliverance from the Babylonish captivity, to extend it to the
coming of Christ, the inspired bard in this place does not lay hold on merely a
part of the subject, but carries forward the grace of God, even to its
consummation. And although it was not necessary that all who were converted to
Christ should go up to Jerusalem, yet following the manner of expression usual
with the prophets, he has laid down the observance of the divine worship which
was appointed under the law, as a mark of true godliness. Farther, we may learn
from this passage, that the name of God is never better celebrated than when
true religion is extensively propagated, and when the Church increases, which on
that account is called,
"The planting of the
Lord, that he might be glorified,"
(<236103>Isaiah
61:3.)
Psalm
102:23-28
23. He hath afflicted my
strength in the way; and shortened my days. 24. I said, O my God! Cut me
not off in the midst of my days: for
fd155 thy years are from generation to
generation. 25. Thou hast aforetime founded the earth; and the heavens
are the work of thy hands. 26. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure:
and all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change
them, and they shall be changed: 27. But thou art the same,
fd156 and thy years shall not fail.
fd157
28. The children of thy servants shall
dwell, and their seed shall be established before
thee.
23.
He hath afflicted my strength in
the way. Some improperly restrict this
complaint to the time when the Jews were subjected to much annoyance after the
liberty granted them to return to their own land. We are rather to understand
the word journey or
way
in a metaphorical sense. As the manifestation of Christ was the goal of the
race which God's ancient people were running, they justly complain that they are
afflicted and weakened in the midst of their course.
fd158 Thus they set before God his promise,
telling him, that although they had not run at random, but had confided in his
protection, they were nevertheless broken and crushed by his hand in the midst
of their journey. They do not indeed find fault with him, as if he had
disappointed their hope; but fully persuaded, that he does not deal deceitfully
with those who serve him, by this complaint they strengthen themselves in the
hope of a favorable issue. In the same sense they add, that
their days were
shortened, because they directed their
view to the fullness of time, which did not arrive till Christ was revealed.
fd159
It accordingly follows, — (verse 24,)
Cut me not off in the midst of my
days. They compare the intervening
period until Christ should appear to the middle of life; for, as has been
already observed, the Church only attained to her perfect age at his coming.
This calamity, no doubt, had been foretold, but the nature of the covenant which
God had entered into with his ancient people required that he should take them
under his protection, and defend them. The captivity, therefore, was as it were
a violent rupture, on which account the godly prayed with the greater
confidence, that they might not be prematurely taken away in the midst of their
journey. By speaking in this manner, they did not fix for themselves a certain
term of life; but as God, in freely adopting them, had given them the
commencement of life, with the assurance that he would maintain them even to the
advent of Christ, they might warrantably bring forward and plead this promise.
Lord, as if they had said, thou hast promised us life, not for a few days, or
for a month or for a few years, but until thou shouldst renew the whole world,
and gather together all nations under the dominion of thine Anointed
One.
What then does the prophet mean when he
prays, Let us not perish in the
midst of our course?
fd160 The reason stated in the clause
immediately following, Thy years
are from generation to generation, seems
to be quite inapplicable in the present case. Because God is everlasting, does
it therefore follow that men will be everlasting too? But on Psalm 90:2, we have
shown how we may with propriety bring forward his eternity, as a ground of
confidence in reference to our salvation; for he desires to be known as eternal,
not only in his mysterious and incomprehensible essence, but also in his word,
according to the declaration of the Prophet
Isaiah,
"All flesh is grass, and
all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field; but the word of our
God shall stand for
ever."
<234006>Isaiah
40:6-8
Now since God links us to himself by
means of his word, however great the distance of our frail condition from his
heavenly glory, our faith should nevertheless penetrate to that blessed state
from which he looks down upon our miseries. Although the comparison between his
eternal existence and the brief duration of human life is introduced also for
another purpose, yet when he sees that men pass away as it were in a moment, and
speedily evanish, it moves him to compassion, as shall presently be declared at
greater length.
25.
Thou hast aforetime founded
the earth. Here the sacred writer
amplifies what he had previously stated, declaring, that compared with God the
whole world is a form which quickly vanishes away; and yet a little after he
represents the Church as exempted from this the common lot of all sublunary
things, because she has for her foundation the word of God, while her safety is
secured by the same word. Two subjects are therefore here brought under our
consideration. The first is, that since the heavens themselves are in the sight
of God almost as evanescent as smoke, the frailty of the whole human race is
such as may well excite his compassion; and the second is, that although there
is no stability in the heavens and the earth, yet the Church shall continue
steadfast for ever, because she is upheld by the eternal truth of God. By the
first of these positions, true believers are taught to consider with all
humility, when they come into the divine presence, how frail and transitory
their condition is, that they may bring nothing with them but their own
emptiness. Such self-abasement is the first step to our obtaining favor in the
sight of God, even as He also affirms that he is moved by the sight of our
miseries to be merciful to us. The comparison taken from the heavens is a very
happy illustration; for how long have they continued to exist, when contrasted
with the brief span of human life, which passes or rather flies away so swiftly?
How many generations of men have passed away since the creation, while the
heavens still continue as they were amidst this continual fluctuation? Again, so
beautiful is their arrangement, and so excellent their frame-work, that the
whole fabric proclaims itself to be the product of
God's
hands.
fd161 And yet neither the long period
during which the heavens have existed, nor their fair embellishment, will exempt
them from perishing. What then shall become of us poor mortals, who die when we
are as yet scarcely born? for there is no part of our life which does not
rapidly hasten to death.
Interpreters, however,
do not all explain these words, The heavens shall perish, in the same
way. Some understand them as expressing simply the change they shall undergo,
which will be a species of destruction; for although they are not to be reduced
to nothing, yet this change of their nature, as it may be termed, will destroy
what is mortal and corruptible in them, so that they shall become, in a manner,
different and new heavens. Others explain the words conditionally, and make the
supplement, "If it so please God," regarding it as a thing absurd to say that
the heavens are subject to corruption. But first, there is no necessity for
introducing these supplementary words, which obscure the sense instead of making
it plainer. In the next place, these expositors improperly attribute an immortal
state to the heavens, of which Paul declares that they "groan and travail in
pain," like the earth and the other creatures, until the day of redemption,
(<450822>Romans
8:22) because they are subject to corruption; not indeed willingly, or in their
own nature, but because man, by precipitating himself headlong into destruction,
has drawn the whole world into a participation of the same ruin. Two things are
to be here attended to; first, that the heavens are actually subject to
corruption in consequence of the fall of man; and, secondly, that they shall be
so renewed as to warrant the prophet to say that
they shall
perish; for this renovation will be so
complete that they shall not be the same but other heavens. The amount is, that
to whatever quarter we turn our eyes, we will see everywhere nothing but ground
for despair till we come to God. What is there in us but rottenness and
corruption? and what else are we but a mirror of death? Again, what are the
changes which the whole world undergoes but a kind of presage, yea a prelude of
destruction? If the whole frame-work of the world is hastening to its end, what
will become of the human race? If all nations are doomed to perish, what
stability will there be in men individually considered? We ought therefore to
seek stability no where else but in
God.
28.
The children of thy servants
shall dwell. By these words the prophet
intimates that he does not ask the preservation of the Church, because it is a
part of the human race, but because God has raised it above the revolutions of
the world. And undoubtedly, when He adopted us as his children, his design was
to cherish us as it were in his own bosom. The inference of the inspired bard is
not, therefore, far-fetched, when, amidst innumerable storms, each of which
might carry us away, he hopes that the Church will have a permanent existence.
It is true, that when through our own fault we become estranged from God, we are
also as it were cut off from the fountain of life; but no sooner are we
reconciled to Him than he begins again to pour down his blessings upon us.
Whence it follows that true believers, as they are regenerated by the
incorruptible seed, shall continue to live after death, because God continues
unchangeably the same. By the word
dwell,
is to be understood an abiding and everlasting
inheritance.
When it is said that the seed of
God's servants shall be established before his face, the meaning is, that
it is not after the manner of the world, or according to the way in which the
heavens and the earth are established, that the salvation of true believers is
made steadfast, but because of the holy union which exists between them and God.
By the
seed
and
children of the godly, is to be
understood not all their descendants without exception — for many who
spring from them according to the flesh become degenerate — but those who
do not turn aside from the faith of their parents. Successive generations are
expressly pointed out, because the covenant extends even to future ages, as we
shall again find in the subsequent psalm. If we firmly keep the treasure of life
intrusted to us, let us not hesitate, although we may be environed with
innumerable deaths, to cast the anchor of our faith in heaven, that the
stability of our welfare may rest in God.
PSALM
103
By this psalm every godly man is taught to give
thanks to God for the mercies bestowed upon himself in particular, and then for
the grace which God has vouchsafed to all his chosen ones in common, by making a
covenant of salvation with them in his law, that he might make them partakers of
his adoption. But the Psalmist chiefly magnifies the mercy by which God sustains
and bears with his people; and that not on account of any merit or worth of
theirs, for they only deserve to be visited with severe punishment, but because
he compassionates their frailty. The psalm is at length concluded with a general
ascription of praise to God.
Psalm
103:1-5
A Psalm of David.
fd162 1. Bless Jehovah, O my soul! and
all my inward parts, bless his holy name. 2. Bless Jehovah, O my soul!
and forget not any of his benefits: 3. Who forgiveth all thine
iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4. Who redeemeth thy life from
the grave; who crowneth
fd163 thee with mercy and compassions;
5. Who satisfieth [or filleth] thy mouth with good: thy youth shall be
renewed as the eagle's.
fd164
1.
Bless Jehovah, O my soul! The prophet,
by stirring up himself to gratitude, gives by his own example a lesson to every
man of the duty incumbent upon him. And doubtless our slothfulness in this
matter has need of continual incitement. If even the prophet, who was inflamed
with a more intense and fervent zeal than other men, was not free from this
malady, of which his earnestness in stimulating himself is a plain confession,
how much more necessary is it for us, who have abundant experience of our own
torpor, to apply the same means for our quickening? The Holy Spirit, by his
mouth, indirectly upbraids us on account of our not being more diligent in
praising God, and at the same time points out the remedy, that every man may
descend into himself and correct his own sluggishness. Not content with calling
upon his
soul
(by which he unquestionably means the seat of the understanding and
affections) to bless
God,
the prophet expressly adds his
inward
parts, addressing as it were his own
mind and heart, and all the faculties of both. When he thus speaks to himself,
it is as if, removed from the presence of men, he examined himself before God.
The repetition renders his language still more emphatic, as if he thereby
intended to reprove his own
slothfulness.
2.
And forget not any of his
benefits. Here, he instructs us that God
is not deficient on his part in furnishing us with abundant matter for praising
him. It is our own ingratitude which hinders us from engaging in this exercise.
In the first place, he teaches us that the reason why God deals with such
liberality towards us is, that we may be led to celebrate his praise; but at the
same time he condemns our inconstancy, which hurries us away to any other object
rather than to God. How is it that we are so listless and drowsy in the
performance of this the chief exercise of true religion, if it is not because
our shameful and wicked forgetfulness buries in our hearts the innumerable
benefits of God, which are openly manifest to heaven and earth? Did we only
retain the remembrance of them, the prophet assures us that we would be
sufficiently inclined to perform our duty, since the sole prohibition which he
lays upon us is, not to forget
them.
3.
Who forgiveth all thy
iniquities. He now enumerates the
different kinds of the divine benefits, in considering which he has told us that
we are too forgetful and slothful. It is not without cause that he begins with
God's pardoning mercy, for reconciliation with him is the fountain from which
all other blessings flow. God's goodness extends even to the ungodly; but they
are, notwithstanding, so far from having the enjoyment of it, that they do not
even taste it. The first then of all the blessings of which we have the true and
substantial enjoyment, is that which consists in God's freely pardoning and
blotting out our sins, and receiving us into his favor. Yea, rather the
forgiveness of sins, since it is accompanied with our restoration to the favor
of God, also sanctifies whatever good things he bestows upon us, that they may
contribute to our welfare. The second clause is; either a repetition of the same
sentiment, or else it opens up a wider view of it; for the consequence of free
forgiveness is, that God governs us by his Spirit, mortifies the lusts of our
flesh, cleanses us from our corruptions, and restores us to the healthy
condition of a godly and an upright life. These who understand the words,
who healeth all thy
diseases, as referring to the diseases
of the body, and as implying that God, when he has forgiven our sins, also
delivers us from bodily maladies, seem to put upon them a meaning too
restricted. I have no doubt that the medicine spoken of has a respect to the
blotting out of guilt; and, secondly, to the curing us of the corruptions
inherent in our nature, which is effected by the Spirit of regeneration; and if
any one will add as a third particular included, that God being once pacified
towards us, also remits the punishment which we deserve, I will not object. Let
us learn from this passage that, until the heavenly Physician succor us, we
nourish within us, not only many diseases, but even many
deaths.
4.
Who redeemeth thy life from
the grave. The Psalmist expresses more
plainly what our condition is previous to God's curing our maladies — that
we are dead and adjudged to the grave. The consideration that the mercy of God
delivers us from death and destruction ought, therefore, to lead us to prize it
the more highly. If the resurrection of the soul from the grave is the first
step of spiritual life, what room for self-gloriation is left to man? The
prophet next teaches us that the incomparable grace of God shines forth in the
very commencement of our salvation, as well as in its whole progress; and the
more to enhance the commendation of this grace, he adds the word
compassions
in the plural number. He asserts that we are surrounded with them; as
if he had said, Before, behind, on all sides, above and beneath, the grace of
God presents itself to us in immeasurable abundance; so that there is no place
devoid of it. The same truth he afterwards amplifies in these words,
thy mouth is
satisfied, by which metaphor he alludes
to the free indulgence of the palate, to which we surrender ourselves when we
have a well-furnished table; for those who have scanty fare dare scarcely eat
till they are half satisfied.
fd165 Not that he approves of gluttony in
greedily devouring God's benefits, as men give loose reins to intemperance
whenever they have great abundance; but he borrowed this phraseology from the
common custom of men, to teach us that whatever good things our hearts can wish
flow to us from God's bounty, even to perfect satisfaction. Those who take the
Hebrew word
yd[,
adi, for ornament,
fd166 mar the passage by a mere
conceit of their own; and I am surprised how so groundless an imagination should
have come into their minds, unless it may be accounted for from the circumstance
that it is usual for men of a prying or inquisitive turn of mind, when they
would show their ingenuity, to bring forward mere puerilities. The Psalmist next
adds, that God was constantly infusing into him new vigor, so that his strength
continued unimpaired, even as the Prophet Isaiah,
(<236520>Isaiah
65:20) in discoursing on the restoration of the Church, says that a man of a
hundred years old shall be like a child. By this mode of expression, he
intimates that God, along with a very abundant supply of all good things,
communicates to him also inward rigor, that he may enjoy them; and thus his
strength was as it were continually renewed. From the comparison of the eagle,
the Jews have taken occasion to invent, for the purpose of explanation, a
fabulous story. Although they know not even the first elements of any science,
yet so presumptuous are they, that whatever may be the matter treated of, they
never hesitate to attempt to explain it, and whenever they meet with any thing
which they do not understand, there is no figment so foolish that they do not
bring forward, as if it were an oracle of God. Thus, for expounding the present
passage, they give out that eagles, every tenth year, ascend to the elemental
fire, that their feathers may be burnt,
fd167 and that then they plunge themselves
into the sea, and immediately new feathers grow upon them. But we may easily
gather the simple meaning of the Prophet from the nature of the eagle, as
described by philosophers, and which is well-known from observation. That bird
continues fresh and vigorous, even to extreme old age, unenfeebled by years, and
exempt from disease, until it finally dies of hunger. That it is long-lived is
certain; but at last, its beak or bill grows so great that it cannot any longer
take food, and, consequently, is forced to suck blood, or to nourish itself by
drinking. Hence the ancient proverb in reference to old men who are addicted to
drinking, The eagle's old
age; for necessity then constrains
eagles to drink much. But as drink alone is insufficient to maintain life, they
die rather through hunger, than fail by the natural decay of strength.
fd168 Now we perceive, without the help of
any invented story, the genuine meaning of the Prophet to be, that as eagles
always retain their rigor, and even in their old age are still youthful, so the
godly are sustained by a secret influence derived from God, by which they
continue in the possession of unimpaired strength. They are not always, it is
true, full of bodily vigor while in this world, but rather painfully drag on
their lives in continual weakness; still what is here said applies to them in a
certain sense. This unquestionably is common to all in general, that they have
been brought out of the grave, and have experienced God to be bountiful to them
in innumerable ways. Were each of them duly to reflect how much he is indebted
to God, he would say with good reason
that his mouth is filled with
good things; just as David, in
<194005>Psalm
40:5, and 139:18, confesses that he was unable to reckon up the Divine benefits,
because "they are more in number than the sands of the sea." Did not our own
perverseness blind our understandings, we would see that, even in famine, we are
furnished with food in such a manner, as that God shows us the manifold riches
of his goodness. With regard to the renovation of our strength, the meaning is,
that since, when our outward man decays, we are renewed to a better life, we
have no reason to be troubled at the giving way of our strength, especially when
he sustains us by his Spirit under the weakness and languishing of our mortal
frames.
Psalm
103:6-8
6. Jehovah executeth
righteousness and judgment for all ,hat are oppressed. 7. He made known
his ways to Moses, his doings to the children of Israel. 8. Jehovah is
merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in
goodness.
6.
Jehovah executeth
righteousness. David having recounted
the Divine benefits bestowed upon himself, now passes from this personal
consideration to take a wider view of the subject. There is, however, no doubt
that when he declares God to be the succorer of
the
oppressed, he includes himself among the
number, for he had enjoyed the Divine help under many persecutions; and, from
his own experience, he describes the character in which God is accustomed to
manifest himself towards all who are unrighteously afflicted. As the faithful,
while in this world, are always living among wolves, by using the plural number,
he celebrates a variety of deliverances, to teach us that it is God's ordinary
work to succor his servants whenever he sees them injuriously treated. Hence we
are taught to exercise patience when we find that God takes it upon him to
avenge our wrongs, and that he covers us with the shield of his justice, or
defends us with the sword of his judgment, as often as we are assaulted
wrongfully.
7.
He hath made known his ways
to Moses. David now speaks in the name
of the chosen people; and this he does very suitably, being led to it by the
consideration of the benefits which God had bestowed upon himself. Convinced
that it was only as a member of the Church that he had been enriched with so
many blessings, he immediately carries back his contemplations to the common
covenant made with the people of Israel. He, however, continues the same train
of thought as in the preceding verse; for these
ways,
which he says had been shown to Moses, were nothing else than the
deliverance wrought for the people until they entered the promised land. He
selected this as an instance of God's righteousness and judgment, surpassing all
others, to prove that God always shows himself righteous in succoring those who
are oppressed. But since this instance depended upon the Divine promise, he
doubtless has an eye principally to it; his language implying that God's
righteousness was clearly demonstrated and seen in the history of the chosen
people, whom he had adopted, and with whom he had entered into covenant. God is
said to have made known his ways first to Moses, who was his servant and
messenger, and afterwards to all the people. Moses is here represented as
invested with the office to which he was Divinely appointed; for it was God's
will to be made known to the people by the hand and working of that
distinguished man. The
ways,
then, and the doings of
God, are his rising up with wonderful
power to deliver the people, his leading them through the Red Sea, and his
manifesting his presence with them by many signs and miracles. But as all this
flowed from the free covenant, David exhorts himself and others to give thanks
to God for having chosen them to be his peculiar people, and for enlightening
their minds by the truths of his law. Man, without the knowledge of God, being
the most miserable object that can be imagined, the discovery which God has been
pleased to make to us in his Word, of his fatherly love, is an incomparable
treasure of perfect happiness.
8.
Jehovah is merciful and
gracious. David seems to allude to the
exclamation of Moses, recorded in
<023406>Exodus
34:6, where the nature of God, revealed in a remarkable way, is more clearly
described than in other places. When Moses was admitted to take a nearer view of
the Divine glory than was usually obtained, he exclaimed upon beholding it, "O
God! merciful and gracious, forgiving iniquity, slow to wrath, and abundant in
goodness." As, therefore, he has summarily comprehended in that passage all that
is important for us to know concerning the Divine character, David happily
applies these terms, by which God is there described, to his present purpose.
His design is to ascribe entirely to the goodness of God the fact that the
Israelites, who by their own wickedness forfeited from time to time their
relation to him, as his adopted people, nevertheless continued in that relation.
Farther, we must understand in general, that the true knowledge of God
corresponds to what faith discovers in the written Word; for it is not his will
that we should search into his secret essence, except in so far as he makes
himself known to us, a point worthy of our special notice. We see that whenever
God is mentioned, the minds of men are perversely carried away to cold
speculations, and fix their attention on things which can profit them nothing;
while, in the meantime, they neglect those manifestations of his perfections
which meet our eyes, and which afford a vivid reflection of his character. To
whatever subjects men apply their minds, there is none from which they will
derive greater advantage than from continual meditation on his wisdom, goodness,
righteousness, and mercy; and especially the knowledge of his goodness is fitted
both to build up our faith, and to illustrate his praises. Accordingly, Paul, in
<490318>Ephesians
3:18, declares that our height, length, breadth, and depth, consists in knowing
the unspeakable riches of grace, which have been manifested to us in Christ.
This also is the reason why David, copying from Moses, magnifies by a variety of
terms the mercy of God. In the first place, as we have no worse fault than that
devilish arrogance which robs God of his due praise, and which yet is so deeply
rooted in us, that it cannot be easily eradicated; God rises up, and that he may
bring to nought the heaven-daring presumption of the flesh, asserts in lofty
terms his own mercy, by which alone we stand. Again, when we ought to rely upon
the grace of God, our minds tremble or waver, and there is nothing in which we
find greater difficulty than to acknowledge that He is merciful to us. David, to
meet and overcome this doubting state of mind, after the example of Moses,
employs these synonymous terms: first, that God is merciful; secondly, that he
is gracious; thirdly, that he patiently and compassionately bears with the sins
of men; and, lastly, that he is abundant in mercy and
goodness.
Psalm
103:9-12
9. He will not always
chide: nor will he keep his anger for ever. 10. He hath not dealt with us
after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11. For in
proportion to the height of the heavens above the earth has been the greatness
of his goodness
fd169 upon
fd170 them that fear him. 12. As far
as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from
us.
9.
He will not always
chide. David, from the attributes
ascribed to God in the preceding verse, draws the conclusion, that when God has
been offended, he will not be irreconcilable, since, from his nature, he is
always inclined to forgive. It was necessary to add this statement; for our sins
would be continually shutting the gate against his goodness were there not some
way of appeasing his anger. David tacitly intimates that God institutes an
action against sinners to lay them low under a true sense of their guilt; and
that yet he recedes from it whenever he sees them subdued and humbled. God
speaks in a different manner in
<010603>Genesis
6:3, where he says, "My Spirit shall no longer strive with man," because
the wickedness of men being fully proved, it was then time to condemn them. But
here David maintains that God will not always chide, because so easy is he to be
reconciled, and so ready to pardon, that he does not rigidly exact from us what
strict justice might demand. To the same purpose is the language in the second
clause: nor will he keep anger
for ever. The expression,
to keep anger for
ever, corresponds with the French
phrase, Je lui garde, Il me l'a garde,
fd171 which we use when the man, who
cannot forgive the injuries he has received, cherishes secret revenge in his
heart, and waits for an opportunity of retaliation. Now David denies that God,
after the manner of men, keeps anger on account of the injuries done to him,
since he condescends to be reconciled. It is, however, to be understood that
this statement does not represent the state of the Divine mind towards all
mankind without distinction: it sets forth a special privilege of the Church;
for God is expressly called by Moses,
(<050509>Deuteronomy
5:9) "a terrible avenger, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the
children." But David, passing by unbelievers, upon whom rests the everlasting
and unappeasable wrath of God, teaches us how tenderly he pardons his own
children, even as God himself speaks in Isaiah,
(<235407>Isaiah
54:7, 8,) "For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great
mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from them for a
moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on
thee."
10.
He hath not dealt with us after
our sins. The Psalmist here proves from
experience, or from the effect, what he has stated concerning the Divine
character; for it was entirely owing to the wonderful forbearance of God that
the Israelites had hitherto continued to exist. Let each of us, as if he had
said, examine his own life; let us inquire in how many ways we have provoked the
wrath of God? or, rather, do we not continually provoke it? and yet he not only
forbears to punish us, but bountifully maintains those whom he might justly
destroy.
11.
For in proportion to the height
of the heavens above the earth. The
Psalmist here confirms by a comparison the truth that God does not punish the
faithful as they have deserved, but, by his mercy, strives against their sins.
The form of expression is equivalent to saying that God's mercy towards us is
infinite. With respect to the word
rbg,
gabar, it is of little consequence whether it is taken in a neuter
signification, or in a transitive, as is noted on the margin; for in either way
the immeasurableness of God's mercy is compared to the vast extent of the world.
As the mercy of God could not reach us, unless the obstacle of our guilt were
taken away, it is immediately added, (verse 12th,) that God removes our sins as
far from us as the east is
distant from the west. The amount is,
that God's mercy is poured out upon the faithful far and wide, according to the
magnitude of the world; and that, in order to take away every impediment to its
course, their sins are completely blotted out. The Psalmist confirms what I have
just now stated, namely, that he does not treat in general of what God is
towards the whole world, but of the character in which he manifests himself
towards the faithful. Whence also it is evident that he does not here speak of
that mercy by which God reconciles us to himself at the first, but of that with
which he continually follows those whom he has embraced with his fatherly love.
There is one kind of mercy by which he restores us from death to life, while as
yet we are strangers to him, and another by which he sustains this restored
life; for that blessing would forthwith be lost did he not confirm it in us by
daily pardoning our sins. Whence also we gather how egregiously the Papists
trifle in imagining that the free remission of sins is bestowed only once, and
that afterwards righteousness is acquired or retained by the merit of good
works, and that whatever guilt we contract is removed by satisfactions. Here
David does not limit to a moment of time the mercy by which God reconciles us to
himself in not imputing to us our sins, but extends it even to the close of
life. Not less powerful is the argument which this passage furnishes us in
refutation of those fanatics who bewitch both themselves and others with a vain
opinion of their having attained to perfect righteousness, so that they no
longer stand in need of
pardon.
Psalm
103:13-16
13. As a father is
compassionate towards his children, so has Jehovah been compassionate
fd172
towards them that fear him. 14. For he
knoweth of what we are made; he hath remembered that we are dust. 15. As
for man, his days are like the grass: as a flower of the field, so he
flourisheth. 16. As soon as the wind passeth over it, it is gone;
fd173 and its place shall know it no
more.
13.
As a father is compassionate
towards his children, The Psalmist not
only explains by a comparison what he has already stated, but he at the same
time assigns the cause why God so graciously forgives us, which is, because he
is a
father.
It is then in consequence of God's having freely and sovereignly adopted us
as his children that he continually pardons our sins, and accordingly we are to
draw from that fountain the hope of forgiveness. And as no man has been adopted
on the ground of his own merit, it follows that sins are freely pardoned. God is
compared to earthly fathers, not because he is in every respect like them, but
because there is no earthly image by which his unparalleled love towards us can
be better expressed. That God's fatherly goodness may not be perverted as an
encouragement to sin, David again repeats that God is thus favorable only to
those who are his sincere worshippers. It is indeed a proof of no ordinary
forbearance for God to "make his sun to rise on the evil and on the good,"
(<400545>Matthew
5:45;) but the subject here treated is the free imputation of the righteousness
by which we are accounted the children of God. Now this righteousness is offered
only to those who entirely devote themselves to so bountiful a Father, and
reverently submit to his word. But as our attainments in godliness in this
world, whatever they may be, come far short of perfection, there remains only
one pillar on which our salvation can securely rest, and that is the goodness of
God.
14.
For he
knoweth. David here annihilates all the
worth which men would arrogate to themselves, and asserts that it is the
consideration of our misery, and that alone, which moves God to exercise
patience towards us. This again we ought carefully to mark, not only for the
purpose of subduing the pride of our flesh, but also that a sense of our
unworthiness may not prevent us from trusting in God. The more wretched and
despicable our condition is, the more inclined is God to show mercy, for the
remembrance that we are clay and dust is enough to incite him to do us
good.
To the same purpose is the comparison
immediately following, (verse 15,) that all the excellency of man withers away
like a fading flower at the first blast of the wind. Man is indeed improperly
said to flourish. But as it might be alleged that he is, nevertheless,
distinguished by some endowment or other, David grants that he flourishes like
the grass, instead of saying, as he might justly have done, that he is a vapor
or shadow, or a thing of nought. Although, as long as we live in this world, we
are adorned with natural gifts, and, to say nothing of other things, "live, and
move, and have our being in God,"
(<441728>Acts
17:28 ;) yet as we have nothing except what is dependent on the will of another,
and which may be taken from us every hour, our life is only a show or phantom
that passes away. The subject here treated, is properly the brevity of life, to
which God has a regard in so mercifully pardoning us, as it is said in another
psalm:- "He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passeth
away, and cometh not again,"
(<197839>Psalm
78:39.) If it is asked why David, making no mention of the soul, which yet is
the principal part of man, declares us to be dust and clay? I answer, that it is
enough to induce God mercifully to sustain us, when he sees that nothing
surpasses our life in frailty. And although the soul, after it has departed from
the prison of the body, remains alive, yet its doing so does not arise from any
inherent power of its own. Were God to withdraw his grace, the soul would be
nothing more than a puff or blast, even as the body is dust; and thus there
would doubtless be found in the whole man nothing but mere
vanity.
Psalm
103:17-18
17. But the goodness of
Jehovah is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his
righteousness upon the children's children ; 18. To those who keep his
covenant, and remember his statutes to do
them
17.
But the goodness of Jehovah,
etc. The Psalmist leaves nothing to men
to rely upon but the mercy of God; for it would be egregious folly to seek a
ground of confidence in themselves. After having shown the utter emptiness of
men, he adds the seasonable consolation, that, although they have no intrinsic
excellence, which does not vanish into smoke, yet God is an inexhaustible
fountain of life, to supply their wants. This contrast is to be particularly
observed; for whom does he thus divest of all excellence? The faithful who are
regenerated by the Spirit of God, and who worship him with true devotion, these
are the persons whom he leaves nothing on which their hope may rest but the mere
goodness of God. As the Divine goodness is everlasting, the weakness and frailty
of the faithful does not prevent them from boasting of eternal salvation to the
close of life, and even in death itself. David does not confine their hope
within the limits of time — he views it as commensurate in duration with
the grace on which it is founded. To
goodness
is subjoined
righteousness,
a word, as we have had occasion frequently to observe before, denoting the
protection by which God defends and preserves his own people. He is then called
righteous, not because he rewards every man according to his desert, but because
he deals faithfully with his saints, in spreading the hand of his protection
over them. The Prophet has properly placed this righteousness after goodness, as
being the effect of goodness. He also asserts that it extends to the children
and children's children, according to these words in
<050709>Deuteronomy
7:9, "God keepeth mercy to a thousand generations." It is a singular proof of
his love that he not only receives each of us individually into his favor, but
also herein associates with us our offspring, as it were by hereditary right,
that they may be partakers of the same adoption. How shall He cast us off, who,
in receiving our children and children's children into his protection, shows to
us in their persons how precious our salvation is in his
sight?
Farther, as nothing is more easy than for
hypocrites to flatter themselves under a false pretext, that they are in favor
with God, or for degenerate children groundlessly to apply to themselves the
promises made to their fathers, it is again stated, by way of exception, in the
18th verse, that God is merciful only to
those
who, on their part,
keep his
covenant, which the unbelieving make of
none effect by their wickedness. The keeping, or observing of the
covenant, which is here put instead of the fear of God, mentioned in
the preceding verse, is worthy of notice; for thus David intimates that none are
the true worshippers of God but those who reverently obey his Word. Very far
from this are the Papists, who, thinking themselves equal to the angels in
holiness, nevertheless shake off the yoke of God, like wild beasts, by trampling
under foot his Holy Word. David, therefore, rightly judges of men's godliness,
by their submitting themselves to the Word of God, and following the rule which
he has prescribed to them. As the covenant begins with a solemn article
containing the promise of grace, faith and prayer are required, above all
things, to the proper keeping of it. Nor is the additional clause superfluous
— who remember his
statutes; for, although God is
continually putting us in mind of them, yet we soon slide away to worldly cares
— are confused by a multiplicity of avocations, and are lulled asleep by
many allurements. Thus forgetfulness extinguishes the light of truth, unless the
faithful stir up themselves from time to time. David tells us that this
remembrance of God's statutes has an invigorating effect when men employ
themselves in doing them. Many are sufficiently forward to discourse upon them
with their tongues whose feet are very slow, and whose hands are well nigh dead,
in regard to active service.
Psalm
103:19-22
19. Jehovah hath
established his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. 20.
Bless Jehovah, ye his angels, who are mighty in strength, who do his
commandment, in hearing
fd174 the voice of his word. 21. Bless
Jehovah, all ye his hosts; ye his ministers, who do his pleasure. 22.
Bless Jehovah, all ye his works in all places of his dominion: bless Jehovah, O
my soul!
19.
Jehovah hath established his
throne in the heavens. David having
recounted the benefits by which God lays each of us in particular, and also the
whole Church, under obligation to him, now extols in general his infinite glory.
The amount is, that whenever God is mentioned, men should learn to ascend in
their contemplations above the whole world, because his majesty transcends the
heavens; and they should farther learn not to measure his power by that of man,
since it has under its control all kingdoms and dominions. That none may think
that earthly creatures only are here put in subjection to God, the Psalmist
chiefly addresses the angels. In calling upon them to join in praising God, he
teaches both himself and all the godly, that there is not a better nor a more
desirable exercise than to praise God, since there is not a more excellent
service in which even the angels are employed. The angels are doubtless too
willing and prompt in the discharge of this duty, to stand in need of incitement
from us. With what face then, it may be said, can we, whose slothfulness is so
great, take it upon us to exhort them? But although these exalted beings run
swiftly before us, and we with difficulty come lagging after them, yet David
enjoins them to sing God's praises for our sake, that by their example he may
awaken us from our drowsiness. The object he has in view, as I have adverted to
before, is to be noted, which is, by addressing his discourse to the angels to
teach us, that the highest end which they propose to themselves is to advance
the divine glory. Accordingly, while in one sentence he clothes them with
strength,
in the immediately following, he describes them as hanging on God's word,
waiting for his orders, —
Ye who do his
commandment. However great the power, as
if he had said, with which you are endued, you reckon nothing more honorable
than to obey God. And it is not only said that they execute God's commandments,
but to express more distinctly the promptitude of their obedience, it is
asserted, that they are always ready to perform whatever he commands
them.
21.
Bless Jehovah, all ye his
hosts. By
hosts
is not to be understood the stars, as some explain it. The subject of the
preceding verse is still continued. Nor is the repetition superfluous; for the
word
hosts
teaches us that there are myriads of myriads who stand before the throne of
God, ready to receive every intimation of his will. Again, they are called
his ministers who do his
pleasure, to intimate to us, that they
are not there intent in idly beholding God's glory, but that having been
appointed as our ministers and guardians, they are always ready for their work.
Instead of word, the term
pleasure
is here used, and both are employed with much propriety; for although the
sun, the moon, and the stars, observe the laws which God has ordained for them,
yet being without understanding, they cannot properly be said to obey his word
and his voice. The term obey is indeed sometimes transferred to the mute
and insensible parts of creation.
fd175 It is, however, only in a
metaphorical sense that they can be said
to hearken to God's
voice, when by a secret instinct of
nature they fulfill his purposes. But this in the proper sense is true of
angels, who actively obey him upon their understanding from his sacred mouth
what he would have them to do. The word
pleasure
expresses more plainly a joyful and cheerful obedience, implying that the
angels not only obey God's commandments, but also willingly and with the
greatest delight receive the intimations of his will, that they may perform what
he would have them to do. Such is the import of the Hebrew noun, as has been
stated elsewhere.
22.
Bless Jehovah, all ye his
works. The Psalmist in conclusion
addresses all creatures; for although they may be without speech and
understanding, yet they ought in a manner to re-echo the praises of their
Creator. This he does on our account, that we may learn that there is not a
corner in heaven or on earth where God is not praised. We have less excuse, if,
when all the works of God by praising their Maker reproach us for our sloth we
do not at least follow their example. The express mention of
all places of his
dominion, seems to be intended to stir
up the faithful to greater ardor in this exercise; for if even those countries
where his voice is unheard ought not to be mute in his praise, how can we
lawfully remain silent to whom he opens his mouth, anticipating us by his own
sacred voice? In short, David shows that his design in recounting God's
benefits, and magnifying the extent of his empire, was to animate himself the
more to the exercise of praising him.
PSALM
104
This psalm differs from the preceding, inasmuch as it
neither treats of the special benefits which God bestows upon his Church, nor
lifts us up to the hope of the heavenly life, but by presenting to us a lively
image of his wisdom, power, and goodness in the creation of the world, and in
the order of nature, encourages us to praise him for the manifestation he has
made of himself as a father to us in this frail and perishable life.
fd176
Psalm
104:1-4
1. Bless Jehovah, O my soul!
O Jehovah my God! thou art exceeding great; thou hast clothed thyself with
praise and glory. 2. Being arrayed
fd177 with light as with a garment; and
spreading out the heavens as a curtain: 3. Laying the beams of his upper
rooms
fd178 in the waters; making the clouds his
chariot; and walking upon the wings of the wind; 4. Making the winds his
messengers; and his ministers a flaming
fire.
1.
Bless Jehovah, O my
soul! After having exhorted himself to
praise God, the Psalmist adds, that there is abundant matter for such an
exercise; thus indirectly condemning himself and others of ingratitude, if the
praises of God, than which nothing ought to be better known, or more celebrated,
are buried by silence. In comparing
the
light with which he represents God as
arrayed
to a garment, he intimates, that although God is invisible, yet his glory is
conspicuous enough. In respect of his essence, God undoubtedly dwells in light
that is inaccessible; but as he irradiates the whole world by his splendor, this
is the garment in which He, who is hidden in himself, appears in a manner
visible to us. The knowledge of this truth is of the greatest importance. If men
attempt to reach the infinite height to which God is exalted, although they fly
above the clouds, they must fail in the midst of their course. Those who seek to
see him in his naked majesty are certainly very foolish. That we may enjoy the
light of him, he must come forth to view with his clothing; that is to say, we
must cast our eyes upon the very beautiful fabric of the world in which he
wishes to be seen by us, and not be too curious and rash in searching into his
secret essence. Now, since God presents himself to us clothed with light, those
who are seeking pretexts for their living without the knowledge of him, cannot
allege in excuse of their slothfulness, that he is hidden in profound darkness.
When it is said that the heavens
are a curtain, it is not meant that
under them God hides himself, but that by them his majesty and glory are
displayed; being, as it were, his royal
pavilion.
3.
Laying the beams of his
chambers in the waters. David now
proceeds to explain at greater length what he had briefly stated under the
figure of God's raiment. The scope of the passage is shortly this, that we need
not pierce our way above the clouds for the purpose of finding God, since he
meets us in the fabric of the world, and is everywhere exhibiting to our view
scenes of the most vivid description. That we may not imagine that there is any
thing in Him derived, as if, by the creation of the world, he received any
addition to his essential perfection and glory, we must remember that he clothes
himself with this robe for our sake. The metaphorical representation of God, as
laying the beams of his chambers
in the waters, seems somewhat difficult
to understand; but it was the design of the prophet, from a thing
incomprehensible to us, to ravish us with the greater admiration. Unless beams
be substantial and strong, they will not be able to sustain even the weight of
an ordinary house. When, therefore, God makes the waters the foundation of his
heavenly palace, who can fail to be astonished at a miracle so wonderful? When
we take into account our slowness of apprehension, such hyperbolical expressions
are by no means superfluous; for it is with difficulty that they awaken and
enable us to attain even a slight knowledge of
God.
What is meant by his
walking upon the wings of the
wind, is rendered more obvious from the
following verse, where it is said, that
the winds are his
messengers. God rides on the clouds, and
is carried upon the wings of the wind, inasmuch as he drives about the winds and
clouds at his pleasure, and by sending them hither and thither as swiftly as he
pleases, shows thereby the signs of his presence. By these words we are taught
that the winds do not blow by chance, nor the lightnings flash by a fortuitous
impulse, but that God, in the exercise of his sovereign power, rules and
controls all the agitations and disturbances of the atmosphere. From this
doctrine a twofold advantage may be reaped. In the first place, if at any time
noxious winds arise, if the south wind corrupt the air, or if the north wind
scorch the corn, and not only tear up trees by the root, but overthrow houses,
and if other winds destroy the fruits of the earth, we ought to tremble under
these scourges of Providence. In the second place, if, on the other hand, God
moderate the excessive heat by a gentle cooling breeze, if he purify the
polluted atmosphere by the north wind, or if he moisten the parched ground by
south winds; in this we ought to contemplate his
goodness.
As the apostle, who writes to the
Hebrews,
(<580107>Hebrews
1:7) quotes this passage, and applies it to the angels, both the Greek and Latin
expositors have almost unanimously considered David as here speaking
allegorically. In like manner, because Paul, in quoting
<191904>Psalm
19:4, in his Epistle to the Romans,
(<451018>Romans
10:18) seems to apply to the apostles what is there stated concerning the
heavens, the whole psalm has been injudiciously expounded as if it were an
allegory.
fd179 The design of the apostle, in that part
of the Epistle to the Hebrews referred to, was not simply to explain the mind of
the prophet in this place; but since God is exhibited to us, as it were, visibly
in a mirror, the apostle very properly lays down the analogy between the
obedience which the winds manifestly and perceptibly yield to God, and that
obedience which he receives from the angels. In short, the meaning is, that as
God makes use of the winds as his messengers, turns them hither and thither,
calms and raises them whenever he pleases, that by their ministry he may declare
his power, so the angels were created to execute his commands. And certainly we
profit little in the contemplation of universal nature, if we do not behold with
the eyes of faith that spiritual glory of which an image is presented to us in
the world.
Psalm
104:5-9
5. He hath founded the earth
upon its foundations, so that it shall not be moved for ever. 6. He hath
covered it with the deep as with a garment: the waters shall stand above the
mountains. 7. At thy rebuke they shall flee; at the voice of thy thunder
they shall haste away. fd180
8. The mountains shall ascend, and the
valleys shall descend
fd181 to the place which thou hast founded
for them. 9. Thou hast fixed a bound over which they shall not pass; they
shall not return to cover the
earth.
5.
He hath founded the earth
upon its foundations. Here the prophet
celebrates the glory of God, as manifested in the stability of the earth. Since
it is suspended in the midst of the air, and is supported only by pillars of
water, how does it keep its place so steadfastly that it cannot be moved? This I
indeed grant may be explained on natural principles; for the earth, as it
occupies the lowest place, being the center of the world, naturally settles down
there. But even in this contrivance there shines forth the wonderful power of
God. Again, if the waters are higher than the earth, because they are lighter,
why do they not cover the whole earth round about? Certainly the only answer
which philosophers can give to this is, that the tendency of the waters to do so
is counteracted by the providence of God, that a dwelling-place might be
provided for man. If they do not admit that the waters are restrained by the
determinate appointment of God, they betray not only their depravity and
unthankfulness, but also their ignorance, and are altogether barbarous. The
prophet, therefore, not without reason, recounts among the miracles of God, that
which would be to us wholly incredible, did not even experience show its truth.
We are very base indeed if, taught by such undoubted a proof, we do not learn
that nothing in the world is stable except in as far as it is sustained by the
hand of God. The world did not originate from itself, consequently, the whole
order of nature depends on nothing else than his appointment, by which each
element has its own peculiar property. Nor is the language of the prophet to be
viewed merely as an exhortation to give thanks to God; it is also intended to
strengthen our confidence in regard to the future, that we may not live in the
world in a state of constant fear and anxiety, as we must have done had not God
testified that he has given the earth for a habitation to men. It is a singular
blessing, which he bestows upon us, in his causing us to dwell upon the earth
with undisturbed minds, by giving us the assurance that he has established it
upon everlasting pillars. Although cities often perish by earthquakes, yet the
body of the earth itself remains. Yea, all the agitations which befall it more
fully confirm to us the truth, that the earth would be swallowed up every moment
were it not preserved by the secret power of
God.
6.
He hath covered it with the
deep as with a garment, This may be
understood in two ways, either as implying that now the sea covers the earth as
a garment, or that at the beginning, before God by his omnipotent word held
gathered the waters together into one place, the earth was covered with the
deep. But the more suitable sense appears to be, that the sea is now the
covering of the earth. At the first creation the deep was not so much a garment
as a grave, inasmuch as nothing bears less resemblance to the adorning of
apparel than the state of confused desolation and shapeless chaos in which the
earth then was. Accordingly, in my judgment, there is here celebrated that
wonderful arrangement by which the deep, although without form, is yet the
garment of the earth. But as the context seems to lead to a different view,
interpreters are rather inclined to explain the language as denoting, That the
earth was covered with the deep before the waters had been collected into a
separate place. This difficulty is however easily solved, if the words of the
prophet, The waters shall stand
above the mountains, are resolved into
the potential mood thus, The waters would stand above the mountains;
which is sufficiently vindicated from the usage of the Hebrew language. I
have indeed no doubt that the prophet, after having said that God had clothed
the earth with waters, adds, by way of exposition, that the waters would stand
above the mountains, were it not that they flee away at God's rebuke. Whence is
it that the mountains are elevated, and that the valleys sink down, but because
bounds are set to the waters, that they may not return to overwhelm the earth?
The passage then, it is obvious, may very properly be understood thus, —
that the sea, although a mighty deep, which strikes terror by its vastness, is
yet as a beautiful garment to the earth. The reason of the metaphor is, because
the surface of the earth stands uncovered. The prophet affirms that this does
not happen by chance; for, if the providence of God did not restrain the waters,
would they not immediately rush forth to overwhelm the whole earth? He,
therefore, speaks advisedly when he maintains that the appearance of any part of
the earth's surface is not the effect of nature, but is an evident miracle. Were
God to give loose reins to the sea, the waters would suddenly cover the
mountains. But now, fleeing at God's rebuke, they retire to a different quarter.
By the rebuke of God, and the
voice of his thunder, is meant the awful
command of God, by which he restrains the violent raging of the sea. Although at
the beginning, by his word alone, he confined the sea within determinate bounds,
and continues to this day to keep it within them, yet if we consider how
tumultuously its billows cast up their foam when it is agitated, it is not
without reason that the prophet speaks of it, as kept in check by the powerful
command of God; just as, both in Jeremiah,
(<240522>Jeremiah
5:22) and in Job,
(<182825>Job
28:25) God, with much sublimity, commends his power, as displayed in the ocean.
The ascending of the mountains,
and the descending of the valleys, are
poetical figures, implying, that unless God confined the deep within bounds, the
distinction between mountains and valleys, which contributes to the beauty of
the earth, would cease to exist, for it would engulf the whole earth. It is said
that God has founded a place for
the valleys; for there would be no dry
land at the foot of the mountains, but the deep would bear sway, did not God
command the space there to be unoccupied by the sea, as it were contrary to
nature.
9.
Thou hast set a bound which they shall not
pass. The miracle spoken of is in this
verse amplified, from its perpetuity. Natural philosophers are compelled to
admit, and it is even one of their first principles, that the water is circular,
and occupies the region intermediate between the earth and the air. It is
entirely owing to the providence of God, that part of the earth remains dry and
fit for the habitation of men. This is a fact of which mariners have the most
satisfactory evidence. Yea, were even the rudest and most stupid of our race
only to open their eyes, they would behold in the sea mountains of water
elevated far above the level of the land. Certainly no banks, and even no iron
gates, could make the waters, which in their own nature are fluid and unstable,
keep together and in one place, as we see to be the case. I have just now said
that earthquakes, which bring destruction upon some places, leave the globe,
upon the whole, as it was before; and in like manner, although the sea, in some
parts of the world, overpasses its boundaries, yet the law, which confines it;
within certain limits, stands fast, that the earth may be a fit habitation for
men. The Baltic Sea, in our own time, inundated large tracts of land, and did
great damage to the Flemish people and other neighboring nations. By an instance
of this kind we are warned what would be the consequence, were the restraint
imposed upon the sea, by the hand of God, removed. How is it that we have not
thereby been swallowed up together, but because God has held in that outrageous
element by his word? In short, although the natural tendency of the waters is to
cover the earth, yet this will not happen, because God has established, by his
word, a counteracting law, and as his truth is eternal, this law must remain
steadfast.
Psalm
104:10-15
10. Sending out springs by
the valleys, which shall run between
fd182 the hills. 11. All the beasts of
the field shall drink thereof: the wild asses
fd183 shall quench
fd184 their thirst. 12. Nigh them the
fowls of the air shall dwell, from the midst of the branches they shall send out
their voice. fd185
13. Watering the mountains from his
chambers: the earth shall be satisfied from the fruit of thy
fd186 works. 14. Making grass to grow
for cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may produce bread out of
the earth. 15. And wine cheereth the heart of man, to make his face to
shine with oil, and bread sustaineth man's heart.
fd187
10.
Sending out springs by the
valleys. The Psalmist here describes
another instance both of the power and goodness of God, which is, that he makes
fountains to gush out in the mountains, and to run down through the midst of the
valleys. Although it is necessary for the earth to be dry, to render it a fit
habitation for us, yet, unless we had water to drink, and unless the earth
opened her veins, all kinds of living creatures would perish. The prophet,
therefore, speaks in commendation of that arrangement by which the earth, though
dry, yet supplies us with water by its moisture. The word
µyljn,
nechalim, which I have rendered
springs,
is by some translated, torrents or rivers; but springs
is more appropriate. In the same sense it is added immediately after, that
they run among the
hills; and yet, it is scarcely credible
that fountains could spring forth from rocks and stony places. But here it may
be asked, why the prophet says that
the beasts of the field quench
their thirst, rather than men, for whose
sake the world was created? I would observe, in reply, that he obviously spake
in this manner, for the purpose of enhancing the goodness of God, who vouchsafes
to extend his care to the brute creation, yea, even to the
wild
asses, under which species are included
all other kinds of wild beasts. And he purposely refers to desert places, that
each of us may compare with them the more pleasant, and the cultivated parts of
the earth, afterwards mentioned. Rivers run even through great and desolate
wildernesses, where the wild beasts enjoy some blessing of God; and no country
is so barren as not to have trees growing here and there, on which birds make
the air to resound with the melody of their singing. Since even those regions
where all lies waste and uncultivated, furnish manifest tokens of the Divine
goodness and power, with what admiration ought we to regard that most abundant
supply of all good things, which is to be seen in cultivated and favorable
regions? Surely in countries where not only one river flows, or where not only
grass grows for the feeding of wild beasts, or where the singing of birds is
heard not only from a few trees, but where a manifold and varied abundance of
good things everywhere presents itself to our view, our stupidity is more than
brutish, if our minds, by such manifestations of the goodness of God, are not
fixed in devout meditation on his glory.
The
same subject is prosecuted in the 13th verse, where it is said
that God watereth the mountains
from his chambers. It is no ordinary
miracle that the mountains, which seem to be condemned to perpetual drought, and
which, in a manner, are suspended in the air, nevertheless abound in pastures.
The prophet, therefore, justly concludes that this fruitfulness proceeds from
nothing else but the agency of God, who is their secret cultivator. Labour
cannot indeed, in the proper sense, be attributed to God, but still it is not
without reason applied to him, for, by merely blessing the earth from the place
of his repose, he works more efficaciously than if all the men in the world were
to waste themselves by incessant
labor.
14.
Making grass to grow for
cattle. The Psalmist now comes to men,
of whom God vouchsafes to take a special care as his children. After having
spoken of the brute creation, he declares, that corn is produced, and bread made
of it, for the nourishment of the human race; and he mentions in addition to
this, wine and oil, two things which not only supply the need of mankind, but
also contribute to their cheerful enjoyment of life. Some understand the Hebrew
word
tdb[l,
laäbodath, which I have rendered
for the
service, to denote the labor which men
bestow in husbandry; for while grass grows on the mountains of itself, and
without human labor, corn and herbs, which are sown, can only be produced, as is
well known, by the labor and sweat of men. According to them the meaning is,
that God blesses the toil of men in the cultivation of the fields. But this
being too strained an interpretation, it is better to understand the word
service,
in the ordinary sense of the term. With respect to the word
bread,
I do not object to the view of those who understand it in a restricted
sense, although it probably includes all kinds of food; only I dislike the
opinion of those who exclude bread. There is no force in the reason which they
allege for taking this view, namely, that in the following verse another use of
bread is added, when it is said, that it strengthens the heart of man; for there
the same thing is expressed in different words. The prophet, in stating that God
causeth the earth to bring forth
herbs
for the support of men, intends to say that the earth supplies them not only
with food in corn, but also with other herbs and fruits; for the means of our
sustenance is not limited exclusively to one kind of
food.
15.
And wine that cheereth the heart
of man. In these words we are taught,
that God not only provides for men's necessity, and bestows upon them as much as
is sufficient for the ordinary purposes of life, but that in his goodness he
deals still more bountifully with them by cheering their hearts with wine and
oil. Nature would certainly be satisfied with water to drink; and therefore the
addition of wine is owing to God's superabundant liberality. The expression,
and oil to make his face to
shine, has been explained in different
ways. As sadness spreads a gloom over the countenance, some give this
exposition, That when men enjoy the commodities of wine and oil, their faces
shine with gladness. Some with more refinement of interpretation, but without
foundation, refer this to lamps. Others, considering the letter
m,
mem to be the sign of the comparative degree, take the meaning to be,
that wine makes men's faces shine more than if they were anointed with oil. But
the prophet, I have no doubt, speaks of unguents, intimating that God not only
bestows upon men what is sufficient for their moderate use, but that he goes
beyond this, giving them even their
delicacies.
The words in the last clause,
and bread that sustains man's
heart, I interpret thus: Bread would be
sufficient to support the life of man, but God over and above, to use a common
expression, bestows upon them wine and oil. The repetition then of the purpose
which bread serves is not superfluous: it is employed to commend to us the
goodness of God in his tenderly and abundantly nourishing men as a kind-hearted
father does his children. For this reason, it is here stated again, that as God
shows himself a foster-father sufficiently bountiful in providing bread, his
liberality appears still more conspicuous in giving us
dainties.
But as there is nothing to which we
are more prone, than to abuse God's benefits by giving way to excess, the more
bountiful he is towards men, the more ought they to take care not to pollute, by
their intemperance, the abundance which is presented before them. Paul had
therefore good reason for giving that prohibition,
(<451314>Romans
13:14)
"Make not provision for
the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof;"
for if we give full scope to the desires of the
flesh, there will be no bounds. As God bountifully provides for us, so he has
appointed a law of temperance, that each may voluntarily restrain himself in his
abundance. He sends out oxen and asses into pastures, and they content
themselves with a sufficiency; but while furnishing us with more than we need,
he enjoins upon us an observance of the rules of moderation, that we may not
voraciously devour his benefits; and in lavishing upon us a more abundant supply
of good things than our necessities require, he puts our moderation to the test.
The proper rule with respect to the use of bodily sustenance, is to partake of
it that it may sustain, but not oppress us. The mutual communication of the
things needful for the support of the body, which God has enjoined upon us, is a
very good check to intemperance; for the condition upon which the rich are
favored with their abundance is, that they should relieve the wants of their
brethren. As the prophet in this account of the divine goodness in providence
makes no reference to the excesses of men, we gather from his words that it is
lawful to use wine not only in cases of necessity, but also thereby to make us
merry. This mirth must however be tempered with sobriety, first, that men may
not forget themselves, drown their senses, and destroy their strength, but
rejoice before their God, according to the injunction of Moses,
(<032340>Leviticus
23:40;) and, secondly, that they may exhilarate their minds under a sense of
gratitude, so as to be rendered more active in the service of God. He who
rejoices in this way will also be always prepared to endure sadness, whenever
God is pleased to send it. That rule of Paul ought to be kept in mind,
(<500412>Philippians
4:12,)
"I have learned to
abound, — I have learned to suffer want."
If some token of the divine anger is manifest, even
he who has an overflowing abundance of all kinds of dainty food, will restrict
himself in his diet knowing that he is called to put on sackcloth, and to sit
among ashes. Much more ought he whom poverty compels to be temperate and sober,
to abstain from such delicacies. In short, if one man is constrained to abstain
from wine by sickness, if another has only vapid wine, and a third nothing but
water, let each be content with his own lot, and willingly and submissively wean
himself from those gratifications which God denies
him.
The same remarks apply to oil. We see from
this passage that ointments were much in use among the Jews, as well as among
the other eastern nations. At the present day, it is different with us, who
rather keep ointments for medicinal purposes, than use them as articles of
luxury. The prophet, however, says, that oil also is given to men, that they may
anoint themselves therewith. But as men are too prone to pleasure, it is to be
observed, that the law of temperance ought not to be separated from the
beneficence of God, lest they abuse their liberty by indulging in luxurious
excess. This exception must always be added, that no person may take
encouragement from this doctrine to
licentiousness.
Moreover, when men have been
carefully taught to bridle their lust, it is important for them to know, that
God permits them to enjoy pleasures in moderation, where there is the ability to
provide them; else they will never partake even of bread and wine with a
tranquil conscience; yea, they will begin to scruple about the tasting of water,
at least they will never come to the table but in fearfulness. Meanwhile, the
greater part of the world will wallow in pleasures without discrimination,
because they do not consider what God permits them; for his fatherly kindness
should be to us the best mistress to teach us
moderation.
Psalm
104:16-18
16. The trees of Jehovah
fd188 shall be satiated; the cedars of
Lebanon, which he hath planted; 17. For there the birds build their
nests: the stork,
fd189 whose dwelling is the fir trees.
18. The high mountains are for the deer
fd190 and the rocks are a place of shelter
for the hedgehogs.
fd191
16.
The trees of Jehovah shall be
satiated. The Psalmist again treats of
God's general providence in cherishing all the parts of the world. In the first
place, he asserts, that by the watering of which he had spoken the trees are
satiated, or filled with sap, that thus flourishing they may be a place of abode
to the birds. He next declares, that the wild deer and conies have also their
places of shelter, to show that no part of the world is forgotten by Him, who is
the best of fathers, and that no creature is excluded from his care. The
transition which the prophet makes from men to trees is as if he had said, It is
not to be wondered at, if God so bountifully nourishes men who are created after
his own image, since he does not grudge to extend his care even to trees. By
the trees of the
Lord, is meant those which are high and
of surpassing beauty; for God's blessing is more conspicuous in them. It seems
scarcely possible for any juice of the earth to reach so great a height, and yet
they renew their foliage every
year.
Psalm
102:19-22
19. He hath appointed the
moon to distinguish seasons: the sun knoweth his going down. 20. Thou
makest darkness, and it is night; wherein all the beasts of the forest creep
forth. 21. The lions roar after their prey, and in seeking their food
from God.
fd192 22. The sun shall rise, and they
shall gather themselves together, and lie down in their dens.
fd193 23. Man shall go forth to his
work, and to his labor, until the
evening.
19.
He hath appointed the moon to
distinguish seasons. The Psalmist now
comes to another commendation of God's providence as manifested in the beautiful
arrangement by which the course of the sun and moon alternately succeeds each
other; for the diversity in their mutual changes is so far from producing
confusion, that all must easily perceive the impossibility of finding any better
method of distinguishing time. When it is said, that the
moon was appointed to distinguish
seasons, interpreters agree that this is
to be understood of the ordinary and appointed feasts. The Hebrews having been
accustomed to compute their months by the moon, this served for regulating their
festival days and assemblies, both sacred and political.
fd194 The prophet, I have no doubt, by the
figure synecdoche, puts a part for the whole, intimating, that the moon not only
distinguishes the days from the nights, but likewise marks out the festival
days, measures years and months, and, in fine, answers many useful purposes,
inasmuch as the distinction of times is taken from her course. As to the
sentence, The sun knoweth his
going down, I understand it not only of
his daily circuit, but as also denoting that by gradually approaching nearer us
at one time, and receding farther from us at another, he knows how to regulate
his movements by which to make summer, winter, spring, and autumn. It is farther
stated, that the beasts of the
forest creep forth during the night,
because they go out of their dens with fear. Some translate the verb
çmr,
ramas, to walk; but its proper signification which I have given is not
unsuitable; for although hunger often drives wild beasts into fury, yet they
watch for the darkness of the night, that they may move abroad from their
hiding-places, and on account of this fearfulness they are said to creep
forth.
21. The
lions roar after their
prey. Although lions, if hunger compels
them, go forth from their dens and roar even at noon-day, yet the prophet
describes what is most usually the case. He therefore says, that lions do not
venture to go abroad during the daytime, but that, trusting to the darkness of
the night, they then sally forth in quest of their prey. Herein is manifested
the wonderful providence of God, that a beast so dreadful confines itself within
its den, that men may walk abroad with the greater freedom. And if lions
sometimes range with greater liberty, this is to be imputed to the fall of Adam,
which has deprived men of their dominion over the wild beasts. There are,
however, still some remains of the original blessing conferred by God on men,
inasmuch as he holds in check so many wild beasts by the light of day, as if by
iron cages or chains. The expression,
They seek their food from
God, is not to be understood of their
casting themselves upon the care of God, as if they acknowledged him to be their
foster-father, but it points out the fact itself, that God in a wonderful manner
provides food for such ravenous
beasts.
22.
The sun shall
rise. The Psalmist continues to
prosecute the same subject, showing that God so distributes the successions of
time, as that the day belongs properly to man. Did not God put a restraint upon
so many wild beasts which are hostile to us, the human race would soon become
extinct. As wild beasts since the fall of man may seem to be born to do us hurt,
and to rend and tear in pieces all whom they meet with, this savage cruelty must
be kept under check by the providence of God. And in order to keep them shut up
within their dens, the only means which he employs is to inspire them with
terror, simply by the light of the sun. This instance of divine goodness, the
prophet commends the more on account of its necessity; for were it otherwise,
men would have no liberty to go forth to engage in the labors and business of
life. Man being thus protected by the light against the violence and injuries of
wild beasts, in this is to be seen the unparalleled goodness of God, who in so
fatherly a manner has provided for his convenience and
welfare.
Psalm
104:24-26
24. O Jehovah! how
magnificent are thy works! thou hast made all things in wisdom: the earth is
full of thy riches. 25. Great is this sea, and wide in extent; therein
are things creeping innumerable, both small and great animals. 26. There
go the ships
fd195 and the leviathan, which thou hast made
to sport itself in it.
24.
O Jehovah! how magnificent are
thy works. The prophet does not make a
full enumeration of the works of God, which would be an endless task, but only
touches upon certain particulars, that every one may be led from the
consideration of them to reflect the more attentively on that wisdom by which
God governs the whole world, and every particular part of it. Accordingly,
breaking off his description, he exclaims with admiration, —
How greatly to be praised are
thy works! even as we then only ascribe
to God due honor when seized with astonishment, we acknowledge that our tongues
and all our senses fail us in doing justice to so great a subject. If a small
portion of the works of God make us amazed, how inadequate are our feeble minds
to comprehend the whole extent of them! In the first place, it is said,
that God has made all things in
wisdom, and then it is added,
that the earth is full of his
riches. The mention of
wisdom
only is not intended to exclude the divine power, but the meaning is, that
there is nothing in the world confused, — that, so far from this, the vast
variety of things mixed together in it are arranged with the greatest wisdom, so
as to render it impossible for any thing to be added, abstracted, or improved.
This commendation is set in opposition to the unhallowed imaginations, which
often creep upon us when we are unable to discover the designs of God in his
works, as if indeed he were subject to folly like ourselves, so as to be forced
to bear the reprehension of those who are blind in the consideration of his
works. The prophet also, by the same eulogium, reproves the madness of those who
dream, that the world has been brought into its present form by chance, as
Epicurus raved about the elements being composed of atoms. As it is an
imagination more than irrational to suppose, that a fabric so elegant, and of
such surpassing embellishment, was put together by the fortuitous concourse of
atoms, the prophet here bids us attend more carefully to the wisdom of God, and
to that wonderful skill which shines forth in the whole government of the world.
Under riches are comprehended the goodness and beneficence of God; for it
is not on his own account that he has so richly replenished the earth but on
ours, that nothing which contributes to our advantage may be wanting. We ought
to know that the earth does not possess such fruitfulness and riches of itself,
but solely by the blessing of God, who makes it the means of administering to us
his bounty.
25.
Great is this sea, and wide in
extent. After having treated of the
evidences which the earth affords of the glory of God, the prophet goes down
into the sea, and teaches us that it is a new mirror in which may be beheld the
divine power and wisdom. Although the sea were not inhabited by fishes, yet the
mere view of its vastness would excite our wonder, especially when at one time
it swells with the winds and tempests, while at another it is calm and
unruffled. Again, although navigation is an art which has been acquired by the
skill of men, yet it depends on the providence of God, who has granted to men a
passage through the mighty deep. But the abundance and variety of fishes enhance
in no small degree the glory of God in the sea. Of these the Psalmist celebrates
especially the leviathan or the
whale
fd196 because this animal, though
there were no more, presents to our view a sufficient, yea, more than a
sufficient, proof of the dreadful power of God, and for the same reason, we have
a lengthened account of it in the book of Job. As its movements not only throw
the sea into great agitation, but also strike with alarm the hearts of men, the
prophet, by the word
sport,
intimates that these its movements are only sport in respect of God; as if
he had said, The sea is given to the leviathans, as a field in which to exercise
themselves.
Psalm
104:27-30
27. All things wait upon
thee, that thou mayest give them food in their season. 28. Thou shalt
give it to them, and they shall gather it: thou shalt open thy hand, and they
shall be filled [or satiated] with good. 29. Thou shalt hide thy face,
and they shall be afraid: thou shalt take away their spirit, and they shall die,
and return to their dust. 30. Thou shalt send forth thy spirit, and they
shall be created:
fd197 and thou shalt renew the face of the
earth.
27.
All these wait upon
thee. The prophet here again describes
God as acting the part of the master of a household, and a foster-father towards
all sorts of living creatures, by providing liberally for them. He had said
before, that God made food to grow on the mountains for the support of cattle,
and that sustenance is ministered to the very lions by the hand of the same God,
although they live upon prey. Now he amplifies this wonder of the divine
beneficence by an additional circumstance. While the different species of living
creatures are almost innumerable, and the number in each species is so great,
there is yet not one of them which does not stand in need of daily food. The
meaning then of the expression,
All things wait upon
thee, is, that they could not continue
in existence even for a few days, unless God were to supply their daily need,
and to nourish each of them in particular. We thus see why there is so great a
diversity of fruits; for God assigns and appoints to each species of living
creatures the food suitable and proper for them. The brute beasts are not indeed
endued with reason and judgment to seek the supply of their wants from God, but
stooping towards the earth, they seek to fill themselves with food; still the
prophet speaks with propriety, when he represents them as waiting upon God; for
their hunger must be relieved by his bounty, else they would soon die. Nor is
the specification of the
season when God furnishes them with food
superfluous, since God lays up in store for them, that they may have the means
of sustenance during the whole course of the year. As the earth in winter shuts
up her bowels, what would become of them if he did not provide them with food
for a long time? The miracle, then, is the greater from the circumstance, that
God, by making the earth fruitful at stated seasons, extends in this way his
blessing to the rest of the year which threatens us with hunger and famine. How
wretched would we be when the earth in winter shuts up her riches, were not our
hearts cheered with the hope of a new increase? In this sense, the Psalmist
appropriately affirms, that God
opens his
hand. If wheat should grow up daily,
God's providence would not be so manifest. But when the earth becomes barren, it
is as if God shut his hand. Whence it follows, that when he makes it fruitful,
he, so to speak, stretches out his hand from heaven to give us food. Now if he
supply wild and brute beasts with sustenance in due season, by which they are
fed to the full, his blessing will doubtless be to us as an inexhaustible source
of plenty, provided we ourselves do not hinder it from flowing to us by our
unbelief.
29.
Thou shalt hide thy face, and
they shall be afraid. In these words,
the Psalmist declares, that we stand or fall according to the will of God. We
continue to live, so long as he sustains us by his power; but no sooner does he
withdraw his life-giving spirit than we die. Even Plato knew this, who so often
teaches that, properly speaking, there is but one God, and that all things
subsist, or have their being only in him. Nor do I doubt, that it was the will
of God, by means of that heathen writer, to awaken all men to the knowledge,
that they derive their life from another source than from themselves. In the
first place, the Psalmist asserts, that
if God hide his face they are
afraid; and, secondly, that
if he take away their spirit they
die, and return to their dust; by which
words he points out, that when God vouchsafes to look upon us, that look gives
us life, and that as long as his serene countenance shines, it inspires all the
creatures with life. Our blindness then is doubly inexcusable, if we do not on
our part cast our eyes upon that goodness which gives life to the whole world.
The prophet describes step by step the destruction of living creatures, upon
God's withdrawing from them his secret energy, that from the contrast he may the
better commend that continued inspiration, by which all things are maintained in
life and rigor. He could have gone farther, and have asserted, that all things,
unless upheld in being by God, would return to nothing; but he was content with
affirming in general and popular language, that whatever is not cherished by Him
falls into corruption. He again declares, that the world is daily renewed,
because God sends forth his
spirit. In the propagation of living
creatures, we doubtless see continually a new creation of the world. In now
calling that God's spirit, which he before represented as the spirit of
living creatures, there is no contradiction. God sendeth forth that spirit which
remains with him whither he pleases; and as soon as he has sent it forth, all
things are created. In this way, what was his own he makes to be ours. But this
gives no countenance to the old dream of the Manicheeans, which that filthy dog
Servetus has made still worse in our own day. The Manicheeans said that the soul
of man is a particle of the Divine Spirit, and is propagated from it as the
shoot of a tree; but this base man has had the audacity to assert, that oxen,
asses, and dogs, are parts of the divine essence. The Manichees at least had
this pretext for their error, that the soul was created after the image of God;
but to maintain this with respect to swine and cattle, is in the highest degree
monstrous and detestable. Nothing was farther from the prophet's intention, than
to divide the spirit of
God into parts, so that a portion of it
should dwell essentially in every living creature. But he termed that the
spirit of
God which proceeds from him. By the way,
he instructs us, that it is ours, because it is given us, that it may quicken
us. The amount of what is stated is, that when we see the world daily decaying,
and daily renewed, the life-giving power of God is reflected to us herein as in
a mirror. All the deaths which take place among living creatures, are just so
many examples of our nothingness, so to speak; and when others are produced and
grow up in their room, we have in that presented to us a renewal of the world.
Since then the world daily dies, and is daily renewed in its various parts, the
manifest conclusion is, that it subsists only by a secret virtue derived from
God.
Psalm
104:31-35
31. Glory be to Jehovah
for ever; let Jehovah rejoice in his works. 32. When he looketh upon the
earth, it shall tremble: if he touch the mountains, they shall smoke.
fd198 33. I will sing to Jehovah
whilst I live: I will sing psalms to my God as long as I have my being.
fd199 34. Let my speech [or words
fd200] be acceptable to him:
fd201 I will rejoice in Jehovah. 35.
Let sinners perish from the earth, and the wicked till they cease to be any
more. O my soul! bless thou Jehovah.
Hallelujah.
31.
Glory be to Jehovah for
ever. The inspired writer shows for what
purpose he has celebrated in the preceding part of the psalm the power, wisdom,
and goodness of God in his works, namely, to stir up men to praise him. It is no
small honor that God for our sake has so magnificently adorned the world, in
order that we may not only be spectators of this beauteous theater, but also
enjoy the multiplied abundance and variety of good things which are presented to
us in it. Our gratitude in yielding to God the praise which is his due, is
regarded by him as a singular recompense. What the Psalmist adds,
Let Jehovah rejoice in his
works, is not superfluous; for he
desires that the order which God has established from the beginning may be
continued in the lawful use of his gifts. As we read in
<010606>Genesis
6:6, that "it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth," so when he
sees that the good things which he bestows are polluted by our corruptions, he
ceases to take delight in bestowing them. And certainly the confusion and
disorder which take place, when the elements cease to perform their office,
testify that God, displeased and wearied out, is provoked to discontinue, and
put a stop to the regular course of his beneficence; although anger and
impatience have strictly speaking no place in his mind. What is here taught is,
that he bears the character of the best of fathers, who takes pleasure in
tenderly cherishing his children, and in bountifully nourishing them. In the
following verse it is shown, that the stability of the world depends on this
rejoicing of God in his works; for did he not give vigor to the earth by his
gracious and fatherly regard, as soon as he looked upon it with a severe
countenance, he would make it tremble, and would burn up the very
mountains.
33.
I will sing to Jehovah whilst I
live. Here the Psalmist points out to
others their duty by his own example, declaring, that throughout the whole
course of his life he will proclaim the praises of God without ever growing
weary of that exercise. The only boundary which he fixes to the celebration of
God's praises is death; not that the saints, when they pass from this world into
another state of existence, desist from this religious duty, but because the end
for which we are created is, that the divine name may be celebrated by us on the
earth. Conscious of his unworthiness to offer to God so precious a sacrifice, he
humbly prays, (verse 34,) that the praises which he will sing to God may be
acceptable to him, although they proceed from polluted lips. It is true,
that there is nothing more acceptable to God, nor any thing of which he more
approves, than the publication of his praises, even as there is no service which
he more peculiarly requires us to perform. But as our uncleanness defiles that
which in its own nature is most holy, the prophet with good reason betakes
himself to the goodness of God, and on this ground alone pleads that He would
accept of his song of praise. Accordingly, the Apostle, in
<581315>Hebrews
13:15 teaches that our sacrifices of thanksgiving are well pleasing to God, when
they are offered to him through Christ. It being however the case, that whilst
all men indiscriminately enjoy the benefits of God, there are yet very few who
look to the author of them, the prophet subjoins the clause,
I will rejoice in the
Lord; intimating, that this is a rare
virtue; for nothing is more difficult than to call home the mind from those wild
and erratic joys, which disperse themselves through heaven and earth in which
they evanish, that it may keep itself fixed on God
alone.
35.
Let sinners perish from the
earth. This imprecation depends on the
last clause of the 31st verse,
Let Jehovah rejoice in his
works. As the wicked infect the world
with their pollutions, the consequence is, that God has less delight in his own
workmanship, and is even almost displeased with it. It is impossible, but that
this uncleanness, which, being extended and diffused through every part of the
world, vitiates and corrupts such a noble product of his hands, must be
offensive to him. Since then the wicked, by their perverse abuse of God's gifts,
cause the world in a manner to degenerate and fall away from its first original,
the prophet justly desires that they may be exterminated, until the race of them
entirely fail. Let us then take care so to weigh the providence of God, as that
being wholly devoted to obeying him, we may rightly and purely use the benefits
which he sanctities for our enjoying them. Farther, let us be grieved, that such
precious treasures are wickedly squandered away, and let us regard it as
monstrous and detestable, that men not only forget their Maker, but also, as it
were, purposely turn to a perverse and an unworthy end, whatever good things he
has bestowed upon them.
PSALM
105
The Psalmist magnifies the singular grace of God
displayed in selecting and freely adopting one people from amongst all nations
of the world. To show that it was not in word only that he had made a covenant
with Abraham and his offspring, God did not cease, after having delivered them
from Egypt, to confer upon them innumerable benefits; and his design in this
was, that those who had been delivered might on their part faithfully keep his
covenant, and devote themselves unfeignedly to his service.
fd202
Psalm
105:1-5
1. Praise ye Jehovah; invoke
his name: announce his works among the peoples. 2. Sing ye to him: sing
psalms to him: speak ye of all his wonders. 3. Rejoice ye in his holy
name:
fd203 let the heart of those who seek Jehovah
rejoice. 4. Seek ye Jehovah, and his strength: seek his face continually.
5. Remember the marvelous works which he hath performed; his wonders, and
the judgments of his
mouth.
1.
Praise ye Jehovah,
etc. The object of these opening words
simply is, that the offspring of Abraham should place all their blessedness in
the free adoption of God. It was indeed a blessing not to be despised that they
had been created men, that they had been cherished in the world by God's
fatherly care, and that they had received sustenance at his hand; but it was a
far more distinguished privilege to have been chosen to be his peculiar people.
While the whole human race are condemned in Adam, the condition of the
Israelites was so different from all other nations, as to give them ground to
boast, that they were consecrated to God. This is the reason why the prophet
heaps together so many words in commendation of this grace. He does not treat of
the government of the whole world as he did in the preceding psalm, but he
celebrates the fatherly favor which God had manifested towards the children of
Israel. He indeed names in general
his
works, and
his
wonders, but he limits both to that
spiritual covenant by which God made choice of a church, that might lead on
earth a heavenly life. He does not intend to include as among these wonders,
that the sun, moon, and stars, daily rise to give light to the world, that the
earth produces its fruit in its seasons, that every living creature is supplied
with abundance of all good things for its food, and that the human family are
liberally provided with so many conveniences; but he celebrates the sovereign
grace of God, by which he chose for himself from amongst the lost race of Adam a
small portion to whom he might show himself to be a father. Accordingly, he
enjoins them to rejoice in
the name of God, and to call upon
him; a privilege by which the Church alone is distinguished. Whence it
follows, that this language is addressed to none but true believers, whom God
would have to glory in his name, since he has taken them under his special
protection.
4.
Seek ye Jehovah, and his
strength.
fd204
Although he had in the preceding verse
characterized the faithful by the honorable designation, those who seek God,
yet he again exhorts them to earnestness in seeking him, which is not an
unnecessary exhortation. Seeking God, it is true, is the mark by which all
genuine saints are particularly distinguished from the men of the world; but
they come far short of seeking him with due ardor; and, accordingly, they have
always need of incitements, to urge them on to this exercise, although they run
of their own accord. Those whom the prophet here stirs up to seek God are not
fickle persons, nor such as are altogether indolent, and who cleave to the
impurities of earth, but those who with a prompt and ready mind already aim at
doing this; and he thus stimulates them, because he perceives that they are
obstructed by many impediments from advancing in their course with sufficient
rapidity. However willing then we may be, we have notwithstanding, need of such
incitement to correct our slowness.
The
strength and
face of
God, doubtless refer to that kind of
manifestation by which God, accommodating himself to the rudeness of the times,
drew at that time true believers to himself. The ark of the covenant is in many
other places called both the
strength and
the face of
God, because by that symbol the people
were reminded, that he was near them, and also really experienced his power.
fd205 The more familiarly then God showed
himself to them, with the more promptitude and alacrity would the prophet have
them to apply their hearts in seeking him; and the aid by which God relieves our
weakness should prove an additional stimulus to our zeal. Modesty also is
recommended to us, that, mindful of our slowness in seeking God, we may keep the
way which he has prescribed to us, and may not despise the rudiments through
which he by little and little conducts us to himself. It is added
continually,
that no person may grow weary in this exercise, or, inflated with a foolish
opinion of having reached perfection, may neglect the external aids of piety, as
is done by many, who, after having advanced a few degrees in the knowledge of
God, exempt themselves from the common rank of others, as if they were elevated
above the angels. Again, the injunction is given
to remember the marvelous works
which God had performed, in the
deliverance of his people from Egypt, when he displayed his power in new and
unusual ways. By the judgments of his mouth, some understand the law. But
as I read all the three expressions,
his marvelous works, his wonders,
and the
judgments of his
mouth, as referring to one series of
events, I prefer explaining it rather of the miracles by which God subdued the
pride of Pharaoh. Still, however, there is some doubt as to the reason of this
manner of speaking. Some are of opinion, that these miracles are called the
judgments of God's mouth, because he had foretold them by Moses, which is highly
probable. At the same time, the expression might be taken more simply, as
denoting that the power of God was manifested in an extraordinary manner in
these miracles; from which it would be easy to gather, that they were performed
by him. I do not mean to exclude the ministry of Moses, whom God had raised up
to be a prophet to the Egyptians, that in denouncing what was to come to pass,
he might show that nothing happened by chance. Yet I think there is an allusion
to the manifest character of the miracles, as if it had been said, Although God
had not uttered a word, the facts themselves evidently showed, that he was the
deliverer of his people.
Psalm
105:6-11
6. Ye seed of Abraham his
servant, the sons of Jacob his chosen. 7. He is Jehovah our God: his
judgments are through all the earth. 8. He hath remembered his covenant
for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations;
fd206 9. Which he made with Abraham;
and his oath which he swore to Isaac;
fd207 10. And established it to Jacob
for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:
fd208 11. Saying, I will give thee the
land of Canaan, the cord [or measuring line
fd209] of your
inheritance.
6.
Ye seed of Abraham his
servant. The Psalmist addresses himself
by name to his own countrymen, whom, as has been stated, God had bound to
himself by a special adoption. It was a bond of union still more sacred, that by
the mere good pleasure of God they were preferred to all other nations. By
calling them the seed of Abraham,
and the sons of Jacob, he reminds them
that they had not attained so great dignity by their own power, but because they
were descended from the holy fathers. He, however, affirms at the same time,
that the holiness of their fathers flowed exclusively from God's election, and
not from their own nature. He expressly states both these truths, first, that
before they were born children of Abraham, they were already heirs of the
covenant, because they derived their origin from the holy fathers; and,
secondly, that the fathers themselves had not acquired this prerogative by their
own merit or worth, but had been freely chosen; for this is the reason why Jacob
is called God's
chosen. Although Abraham is also here
called God's
servant,
(<012624>Genesis
26:24) because he purely and sincerely worshipped him, yet in the second clause
it is testified that the commencement of this distinction was not to be traced
to men, but to God alone, who conferred upon the Israelites the honor of
choosing them to be his peculiar
possession.
From this covenant the Psalmist
infers that although the government of God extends through the whole world, and
although he executes his judgment in all places, he was nevertheless especially
the God of that one people, (verse 7) according to the statement in the song of
Moses,
"When the Most High divided
to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the
bounds of the people, according to the number of the children of Israel: For the
Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance."
<053208>Deuteronomy
32:8, 9
The prophet again intended to show that
the reason why the children of Israel excelled others was not because they were
better than others, but because such was the good pleasure of God. If the divine
judgments are extended through all the regions of the globe, the condition of
all nations is in this respect equal. Whence it follows that the difference
referred to proceeded from the love of God, — that the source of the
superiority of the Israelites to other nations was his free favor. Although,
then, He is the rightful proprietor of the whole earth, it is declared that he
chose one people over whom he might reign. This is a doctrine which applies to
us also at the present day. If we duly ponder our calling, we will undoubtedly
find that God has not been induced from anything out of himself to prefer us to
others, but that he was pleased to do so purely from his own free
grace.
8.
He hath remembered his
covenant for ever. The Psalmist now
celebrates the effect and actual fulfillment of the covenant, and proves from
the deliverance wrought for the Israelites what he had stated before, namely,
That God, while he reigned alike over all nations, extended his peculiar favor
to the offspring of Abraham alone. How comes it to pass that God, in delivering
his people, displayed the might of his arm by so many miracles, if it was not
that he might faithfully perform the promise which he had made to his servants
in time past? It is evident, then, that the ancient covenant was the cause of
the deliverance granted to the chosen tribes; for in order that God might
faithfully keep his promises, it behooved him first to be merciful. As a long
series of years had elapsed between the promise and the performance, the prophet
uses the word
remember,
intimating that the Divine promises do not become obsolete by length of
time, but that even when the world imagines that they are extinguished and
wholly forgotten, God retains as distinct a remembrance of them as ever, that he
may accomplish them in due season. This is more strongly confirmed in the next
clause, where the correspondence between the form or tenor of the covenant and
the accomplishment is celebrated. It is not for a day, he would say, or for a
few days, that God has made a covenant with Abraham, nor has he limited the
continuance of his covenant to the life of man, but he has promised to be the
God of his seed even to a thousand generations. Although, therefore, the
fulfillment was for a long time suspended, God nevertheless showed by the effect
that his promise did not fail by length of
time.
As Abraham was the first who was called
when he was mingled with idolaters, the prophet begins with him. He, however,
afterwards declares that the covenant was also confirmed in the hand of his son
and his son's son. God then deposited his covenant with Abraham, and by solemn
oath engaged to be the God of his seed. But to give greater assurance of the
truth of his promise, he was graciously pleased to renew it to Isaac and Jacob.
The effect of such an extension of it is, that his faithfulness takes deeper
hold on the hearts of men; and, besides, his grace, when it is thus testified on
frequent recurring occasions, becomes better known and more illustrious among
men. Accordingly, it is here declared by gradation how steadfast and immovable
this covenant is; for what is affirmed concerning each of the patriarchs belongs
equally to them all. It is said that God swore to Isaac. But had he not
sworn to Abraham before? Undoubtedly he had. It is also
said that it was established to
Jacob for a law, and for an everlasting
covenant. Does this mean that the
covenant was previously only temporal and transitory, and that then it had
changed its nature? Such an idea is altogether at variance with the meaning of
the sacred writer. By these different forms of expression he asserts that the
covenant was fully and perfectly confirmed, so that, if perhaps the calling was
obscure in one man, it might be more evident, by God's having transmitted the
testimony of it to posterity; for by this means the truth of it was the better
manifested. Here again we must remember that God with great kindness considers
our weakness when, both by his oath, and by frequently repeating his word, he
ratifies what he has once promised to us. Our ingratitude then appears the
fouler in disbelieving him when he not only speaks but also
swears.
11.
Saying, I will give thee the land
of Canaan. As this was only a small
portion of the blessings offered to the fathers, the prophet seems at first view
too much to limit the covenant of God, which extended even to the hope of an
eternal inheritance. But he considered it enough to show, by the figure
synecdoche, that a part of what God had promised to the fathers had received its
complete accomplishment. His drift is to intimate that they did not possess the
land of Canaan by any other right than because it was the legitimate inheritance
of Abraham according to the covenant which God had made with him. If man exhibit
the promised earnest of a contract, he does not violate the contract. When,
therefore, the prophet proves by a visible symbol that God did not make a
covenant with his servants in vain, and that he did not disappoint their hope,
he does not take away or abolish the other blessings included in it. Nay,
rather, when the Israelites heard that they possessed the land of Canaan by
right of inheritance, because they were the chosen people of God, it became them
to look beyond this, and to take comprehensive view of all the privileges by
which He had vouchsafed to distinguish them. Hence it is to be noted, that when
He in part fulfills his promises towards us, we are base and ungrateful if this
experience does not conduce to the confirmation of our faith. Whenever he shows
himself to be a father towards us, he undoubtedly really seals on our hearts the
power and efficacy of his word. But if the land of Canaan ought to have led the
children of Israel in their contemplations to heaven, since they knew that they
had been brought into it on account of the covenant which God had made with
them, the consideration that He has given to us his Christ, "in whom all the
promises are yea and amen,"
(<470120>2
Corinthians 1:20) ought to have much greater weight with us. When it is said,
I will give thee the measuring
line of Your inheritance, the change of
the number points out that God made a covenant with all the people in general,
though he spake the words only to a few individuals; even as we have seen a
little before that it was a decree or an everlasting law. The holy patriarchs
were the first and principal persons into whose hands the promise was committed;
but they did not embrace the grace which was offered to them as what belonged
only to themselves, but as what their posterity in common with them were to
became sharers of.
Psalm
105:12-15
12. When they were but
very few in number; and strangers in it. 13. And walked about from nation
to nation, and from one kingdom to another people. 14. He did not suffer
men to hurt them; and rebuked kings for their sake; 15. Saying, Touch not
my anointed ones, and do my prophets no wrong.
fd210
12.
When they were but very few in
number. The prophet here recounts the
benefits which God had conferred upon the holy fathers from the commencement, to
manifest that even long before the deliverance from Egypt, the covenant was not
ineffectual. The great object aimed at in this recital, is to show that ever
since God took Abraham under his protection, he cherished him in a wonderful
manner, and also that his fatherly love and care were displayed in maintaining
and defending the other two patriarchs. When it is said, that
they were but very few in
number, the power of God by this
circumstance is not only magnified, but the cause why he was so beneficent
towards them is also pointed out. We must then, in the first place, attend to
this, that the prophet, lest the Jews should arrogate anything to themselves,
expressly declares, that their fathers had experienced the divine favor, even
when they were feeble and despised, wandering from place to place, in every
respect poor and miserable according to the flesh. Thus also Moses reproaches
them,
"The Lord did not set his
love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people;
for ye were the fewest of all people; but because the Lord loved you."
<050707>Deuteronomy
7:7, 8,
In short, in the choosing of this people, no regard
was had either to number, or to any excellence whatever. There was only the
house of Abraham, and yet it was barren. Isaac was compelled to banish to a
distance from him one of his two sons, and he saw the other cut off from his
family. The house of Jacob was indeed more fruitful, but it was nevertheless of
a low condition. Besides, they were not only ignoble and despised when
sojourning in a strange land, but famine, and the want of other things also,
compelled them frequently to go from one place to another. All these things
being taken into view, the consideration of human worth falls to the ground, and
it is clearly seen, that all the blessings which God had bestowed upon them
flowed from no other fountain than his own free love. And the cause of this love
is not to be sought for out of himself. If the Holy Spirit is so careful in
magnifying the grace of God in these earthly blessings, how much more must he
observe this rule, when the subject of which he speaks is the heavenly
inheritance! When it is said, that
they walked about from nation to
nation, this intimates the more plainly
how wonderfully the divine protection was displayed in preserving them. Had they
found any quiet nest in which to repose, such comfort would have been a notable
sign of the divine goodness; but when they were as exiles in divers countries,
and were driven from one place to another with bitter scorn, as chaff is driven
about by the wind, the guardianship which God exercised over them shone forth
much more conspicuously. Since their life everywhere hung only by a thread, and
the changing of their place of sojourn exposed them from time to time to fresh
injuries, it is evident that it was the divine power alone which preserved them
in safety.
14.
He did not suffer men to hurt
them. Abraham and his children had not
merely two or three enemies: they were harassed by whole nations. As then many
rose up one after another in troops against them, the Psalmist says
indefinitely, that men were withheld from hurting them; for
µda,
adam, is the word here used, which is the one most generally employed to
signify
man.
He next amplifies the love of God towards his servants, in setting himself
in opposition to kings for their sake. When God did not spare even the kings of
Egypt and Gerar, it is evident how precious the welfare of Abraham and his
offspring was in his sight. We have said a little before that the holy fathers
were of no estimation in the eyes of the world. God therefore displayed his
goodness so much the more signally in preferring them to kings. Now we here see,
that the Jews were humbled in the person of their fathers, that they might not
imagine that they found favor in the sight of God by any merit of their
own.
15.
Saying, Touch not my anointed
ones. The Psalmist proceeds farther,
affirming, that when God made war against kings for the sake of his servants,
they were defended by him, not only as he is accustomed to succor the miserable
and the unjustly oppressed, but because he had taken them under his special
guardianship. God protects his people, not only upon a general ground, but
because he has declared on account of his free adoption, that he will maintain
them. This is the reason why these holy patriarchs are here honored with two
designations, his
prophets and
his anointed
ones. In speaking of other men, God
would have said, Touch not these men who have done wrong to nobody, hurt not
these poor wretched creatures who have deserved no such treatment at your hands.
But in the person of Abraham and his children, he shows that there was another
reason for his defending them. He calls them
anointed
ones, because he had set them apart to
be his peculiar people. In the same sense, he designates
them
prophets, (a title with which Abraham is
also honored,
<012007>Genesis
20:7) not only because God had manifested himself more intimately to them, but
also because they faithfully spread around them divine truth, that the memory of
it might survive them, and flourish after their death. Anointing, it is true,
was not as yet in use, as it was afterwards under the law; but the prophet
teaches, that what God at a subsequent period exhibited in the ceremonies of the
law was really and in very deed in Abraham, even as God engraves the mark of
sanctification on all his chosen ones. If God's inward anointing was of such
powerful efficacy, even at the time when he had not yet appointed, or delivered
the figures of the law, with how much greater care will he defend his servants
now, after having exhibited to us the plenitude of anointing in his only
begotten Son!
Psalm
105:16-19
16. And he called a famine
upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread. 17. He sent a man
before them; Joseph was sold for a slave. 18. They afflicted his feet in
the stocks: the iron entered into his soul. 19. Until the time that his
word came: the word of Jehovah tried
him.
16.
And he called a famine upon the
land. Here the inspired writer recounts
a most illustrious proof of divine providence towards the chosen people, at the
time when the covenant might seem to be void and disannulled. The inheritance of
the land of Canaan (as has been stated above) was added, as an earnest or pledge
for confirmation. The descent of Jacob into Egypt, which deprived his house of
the sight of the land, could not make the covenant to perish. In this the
constancy of God shone forth the brighter; yea, by this trial he manifested more
plainly how provident a father he was in preserving the seed of Abraham. But it
is better to consider each particular in the verse. In the first place, it is
taught, that the famine which drove Jacob into Egypt did not happen by chance.
Although only one particular famine is here treated of, it is to be held as a
general principle, that there is no other cause of any scarcity of sustenance
except this, that God, in withdrawing his hand, takes away the means of support.
The curse of God is expressed more emphatically, when it is said, that
the famine was
called; as if it were ready at his
command, as a minister of his wrath. By this we are instructed, that famine,
pestilence, and other scourges of God, do not visit men by chance, but are
directed by his hand whither it pleases him, and are obedient to his will.
fd211 The manner in which the famine was
called is next stated, namely, when he
brake the staff of
bread. The metaphor of
staff
is very appropriate; for God has put into bread the power and property of
strengthening man, by a secret virtue which fits it to sustain us. So long as it
pleases him to nourish us by such means, a staff as it were lies hidden within
it. This staff is broken in two ways; either, first, when he takes away the
supply of grain necessary for our nourishment, the sense in which it seems to be
used in Ezekiel
"Moreover, he said
unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and
they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by
measure, and with astonishment;"
<260416>Ezekiel
4:16
or, secondly, when he breathes in anger
upon the bread itself, so that those who would satisfy themselves by devouring
it, instead of having their hunger thereby removed, remain famished still. And
certainly to the barrenness of the earth this second is commonly added, namely,
that he takes away the sustaining power which is in bread; for, as it is
declared in
<050803>Deuteronomy
8:3, bread does not give life of itself, but borrows its secret virtue from the
mouth of God.
17.
He sent a man before
them. This whole passage graphically
teaches us, that whatever befell that people was by the hand and counsel of God.
The simple recital would have been to say, that the famine came upon the land,
after Joseph had been sold by his brethren, and carried into Egypt. But the
prophet speaks emphatically, declaring that Joseph by the divine counsel had
been sent before into Egypt, to support his father's house, that afterwards the
famine was called, and that then, by God's providence, a remedy was presented
beyond all hope. This, indeed, is generally true in human affairs; but there is
here commemorated a special care which God took in governing and nourishing his
Church. Moreover, the prophet mentions that as second in place which was first
in the order of time. Accordingly, in regard to the word
send,
the pluperfect tense would better express the sense, he
had
sent; implying that before God afflicted
the land of Canaan with famine, he had prepared a remedy for his servant Jacob,
and for his household, in having sent Joseph before as a steward to provide them
with food. Here two contraries as it were are stated, to render the divine
superintendence in the whole the more conspicuous. How was Joseph sent of God?
It was in this way:- When he was doomed to death, it happened that his brethren
preferred selling him to leaving him in his grave. This selling, if considered
merely by itself, like a cloud interposed, obscured and concealed the divine
providence. When counsel was taken to put Joseph to death, who would have
expected that he was to be the sustainer of his father's house? Afterwards a
kind of death was devised for him less cruel; but then he was cast into a well
or pit, and in that situation how could he succor others? The last hope was,
that at length being sold, he came forth from the pit. But again, he was well
nigh rotting all his life long in prison.
Who
could think that processes so intricate and circuitous were controlled by divine
providence? The prophet therefore meets this difficulty by saying, that in
respect of men, he was indeed
sold;
but that he had nevertheless been previously sent by the divine purpose. The
passage is worthy of notice, admirably vindicating, as it does, the providence
of God against the perverse stupidity of our corrupt nature. Resting on the
second causes which meet the eye, or ascribing to the direction of man whatever
is done in this world, or thinking that all things happen by chance, very few
trace them to the appointment of God. And yet the selling of Joseph is not here
interposed as a veil to hide divine providence; but is rather set forth as a
signal instance of it to teach us that whatever men may undertake, the issues
are in the hand of God; or rather, that by a secret influence, he bends the
hearts of men in whatever direction he pleases, that by their instrumentality,
whether they will or no, he may bring to pass what he has determined should be
done. Agreeably to this Joseph said to his brethren, "Now, therefore, be not
grieved nor angry with yourselves that ye sold me hither; for God did send me
before you to preserve life,"
(<014505>Genesis
45:5) Farther, God so governs human affairs by his secret controlling influence,
and overrules men's wicked devices to a right end, as that his judgments are
notwithstanding uncontaminated by the depravity of men. The brethren of Joseph
wickedly conspire his death; they also wrongfully sell him: the fault is in
themselves. Contemplate now how God directs and controls all. By the hand of
these brethren he provides for the good both of themselves and of their father
Jacob, yea for that of the whole Church. This holy purpose contracts no
defilement or spot from the malice of those who aimed at an entirely opposite
end; even as Joseph testified
afterwards,
"But as for you, ye
thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass as it is
this day, to save much people alive,"
(<010120>Genesis
1:20)
18.
They afflicted his feet in the fetters.
It is not without cause that the Psalmist prosecutes the winding course of
Jacob's early history, which might so confuse the minds of men as to prevent
them from directing their attention to the counsel of God. What seemed less
likely than to believe that God, by so directly opposite and circuitous a path,
meant to accomplish what he had purposed? But his providence, by surmounting so
many obstacles, is brought out more conspicuously, than if he had despatched the
whole matter by a short and easy road. Had Joseph, as soon as he arrived in
Egypt, been presented to the king, and made its governor, the way to what
followed would have been easy. But when he was carried away to prison, and lay
there separated from the society of men, living as one half-dead; and when his
becoming known to the king was a long time subsequent to this, and beyond all
expectation, such a sudden change renders the miracle much more evident. This
circuitous course then, which the prophet recounts, serves not a little to
illustrate the subject in hand. Joseph was many times dead before he was sold.
Hence it follows, that God as often showed his care of his Church by delivering
him who might be termed her father. When after, having been brought into Egypt,
Joseph was conveyed from hand to hand till he descended into another grave, is
it not the more clearly manifest from this that God, while he seems to be asleep
in heaven, is all the while keeping the strictest watch over his servants, and
that he is carrying forward his purpose more effectually by these various
windings, than if he had gone straight forward, yea, than if he had run with
rapid pace? For this reason the prophet affirms that
his feet were afflicted in the
fetters; a fact which, although not
stated in the narrative of Moses, he speaks of as well known. And no doubt, many
things were delivered by tradition to the Jews of which no mention is made in
the Scriptures.
fd212 It is also probable enough, that,
instead of being put at first under mild restraint, as was afterwards the case,
he was rigorously confined. Whether we read, his soul entered into the iron,
or the iron entered into his
soul,
fd213 the meaning, which, in either
case, is exactly the same, amounts to this, that the holy man was so galled with
fetters, that it seemed as if his life had been given over to the sword. Whence
it follows, that the safety of his life was as hopeless as the restoration of
life to a dead body.
19.
Until the time that his word
came. Here the prophet teaches, that
although, according to the judgment of the flesh, God seems to be too tardy in
his steps, yet he holds supreme rule over all things, that he may at length
accomplish in due time what he has determined. As to the term
word,
it is here doubtless to be taken, not for doctrine or instruction, but for a
heavenly decree. The relative
his
admits of being understood as well of God himself as of Joseph; but its
application to the latter appears to me to be preferable, implying that Joseph
remained in prison until the issue of his affliction was manifested, which was
hidden in the divine purpose. It is always to be kept in mind, that the prophet
calls back the minds of men from that impious imagination, which would represent
fortune as exercising a blind and capricious control over human affairs. Since
nothing could be more involved in uncertainty than the welfare of the Church,
whilst Joseph was accounted as a condemned person, the prophet here elevates our
minds, and bids us look at the hidden word, that is, the decree, the proper
opportunity and time for the manifestation of which had not yet arrived. After
the same manner I explain what follows,
the word of God tried
him. To expound it of Joseph's
prophesying,
fd214 as many do, seems too refined. Until
the happy issue appeared, which God kept long hidden and in suspense, Joseph's
patience was severely tried. What worldly men, who acknowledge not God to be the
Governor of human affairs, call fate, the prophet distinguishes by a more
appropriate name, terming it
word,
and the word of each man. Nor do I see any impropriety in using the French
word destinée. When the Stoics dispute, or rather babble, about
destiny, they not only involve themselves and the thing also of which they treat
in intricate mazes, but, at the same time, involve in perplexity an indubitable
truth; for in imagining a concatenation of causes, they divest God of the
government of the world. It is an impious invention so to link together causes,
interwoven with each other, as that God himself should be tied to them. Our
faith then ought to mount up to his secret counsel, by which, uncontrolled, he
directs all things to their end. This passage also teaches us that God will
continue the afflictions of the godly only until they are thereby thoroughly
proved.
Psalm
105:20-24
20. The king sent and
loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and set him free. 21. He made
him lord over his house; and ruler over all his substance: 22. To bind
his princes
fd215 at his pleasure; and to teach his
elders wisdom. 23. And Israel came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the
land of Ham. fd216
24. And he greatly increased his
people, and multiplied
fd217 them above their
oppressors.
20.
The king sent and loosed
him. The Psalmist celebrates in high
terms the deliverance of Joseph; for God's singular power was conspicuously
displayed in a matter so incredible. What is of more rare occurrence than for a
most powerful monarch to bring a stranger out of prison to constitute him ruler
over his whole kingdom, and to raise him to a rank of honor, second only to
himself? The phrase in verse 22,
to bind his
princes, is commonly explained as
implying that Joseph was invested with the chief sovereignty in the
administration of the government, so that he could cast into prison, at his
pleasure, even the nobles of the realm. Others, conceiving this interpretation
to be somewhat harsh, derive the verb
rwsal,
lesor, which Moses employs, not from
rsa,
asar, which signifies to
bind, but from
rsy,
yasar, which signifies to instruct, by changing the letter
y,
yod, into
a,
aleph.
fd218 But I am surprised that neither
of them have perceived the metaphor contained in this word, which is, that
Joseph held the lords of Egypt bound to him at his pleasure, or subject to his
power. What is here spoken of is not fetters, but the bond or obligation of
obedience, both the princes and all others being dependent on his will. The
expression, which is added a little after,
to teach his elders
wisdom, evinces that Joseph did not bear
sway like a tyrant, difficult and rare a thing as it is for men, when invested
with sovereign power, not to give loose reins to their own humor: but that he
was a rule and a pattern, even to the chief of them, in the high degree of
discretion which he exemplified in the administering the affairs of
state.
23.
And Israel came into
Egypt. The prophet does not rehearse the
whole history, nor was this necessary. He only presents to our view how divine
providence was concerned in it, which very few consider in reading the narrative
of Moses. He accordingly declares, that after Joseph had been sent before into
Egypt, to be the means of supporting his father and the whole family, Jacob then
came into Egypt, that is, he did so when all things were admirably arranged,
that he might find abundance of bread among a people, the proudest of the whole
world,
fd219 when all others were perishing for want
of food. From this it appears, that what is accounted to be slowness in God,
tends to no other end than to accomplish his work on the best possible
occasion.
24.
And he greatly increased his
people. The singular favor of God
towards his Church is now commended by the additional circumstance, that within
a short space of time, the chosen people increased beyond the common proportion.
In this matter the wonderful blessing of God was strikingly displayed. So much
the more offensive then is the barking of some dogs, who insolently scoff at the
account given by Moses of the multiplying of the people, because it goes far
beyond what takes place in the ordinary course of things. Had the people
increased only at the common rate, these persons would have immediately
objected, that therein no work of God was to be seen. Thus the object which they
pursue by their cavillings is nothing else than to make it to be believed, that
the blessing of God had no connection with the case. But we, who are persuaded
that it is unwarrantable for us to measure God's power according to our own
understandings, or according to what happens by the common law of nature,
reverently admire this extraordinary work of his hand. The subsequent clause is
a little obscure, especially if we read,
The people were
strengthened;
fd220 for the prophet does not seem to
refer to that period when the Israelites lived at ease and in prosperity, but to
the time when they were contemptuously and barbarously dealt with as slaves. We
may, however, understand the language as spoken by anticipation, — as
pointing to what was to happen. In the following verse, it is affirmed, that the
Egyptians having changed their mind, began to treat the people with cruelty.
Although then the Egyptians did not as yet openly exercise their cruelty against
the people, when they were increasing both in number and strength, yet the
prophet calls them persecutors. It is certain, that the Israelites, even when
they were oppressed as slaves, were a terror to their enemies; and Moses plainly
affirms,
(<020112>Exodus
1:12) that when they were under tyranny and wrongful oppression, it was still
abundantly manifest, that the blessing of God rested upon
them.
Psalm
105:25-30
25. He turned their heart,
so that they hated his people, and dealt craftily with his servants. 26.
He sent Moses his servant; Aaron whom he had chosen. 27. They set among
them the words of his signs and his miracles in the land of Ham. 28. He
sent darkness, and made it dark; and they were not rebellious against his words.
29. He turned their waters into blood, and killed their fish. 30.
Their land brought forth frogs, yea, even within the chambers of their
kings.
25.
He turned their heart, so that
they hated his people. The Egyptians,
though at first kind and courteous hosts to the Israelites, became afterwards
cruel enemies; and this also the prophet ascribes to the counsel of God. They
were undoubtedly driven to this by a perverse and malignant spirit, by pride and
covetousness; but still such a thing did not happen without the providence of
God, who in an incomprehensible manner so accomplishes his work in the
reprobate, as that he brings forth light even out of darkness. The form of
expression seems to some a little too harsh, and therefore they translate the
verb passively, their (i.e., the Egyptians') hearts were
turned. But this is poor, and does not suit the context; for we see that it
is the express object of the inspired writer to put the whole government of the
Church under God, so that nothing may happen but according to his will. If the
delicate ears of some are offended at such doctrine, let it be observed, that
the Holy Spirit unequivocally affirms in other places as well as here, that the
minds of men are driven hither and thither by a secret impulse,
(<202101>Proverbs
21:1) so that they can neither will nor do any thing except as God pleases. What
madness is it to embrace nothing but what commends itself to human reason? What
authority will God's word have, if it is not admitted any farther than we are
inclined to receive it? Those then who reject this doctrine, because it is not
very grateful to the human understanding, are inflated with a perverse
arrogance. Others malignantly misrepresent it, not through ignorance or by
mistake, but only that they may excite commotion in the Church, or to bring us
into odium among the ignorant. Some over-timid persons could wish, for the sake
of peace, that this doctrine were buried. They are surely ill qualified for
composing differences. This was the very cause why in former times the doctors
of the Church, in their writings, swerved from the pure and genuine truths of
the gospel, and turned aside to a heathen philosophy. Whence originated the
doctrine of free-will, whence that of the righteousness of works, but because
these good fathers were afraid of giving occasion to evil-tongued or malignant
men if they freely professed what is contained in the sacred Scriptures? And had
not God, as it were by a strong hand, prevented Augustine, he would, in this
respect, have been exactly like the rest. But God, so to speak, polishing him
with a hammer, corrected that foolish wisdom, which rears its crest against the
Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, we see, affirms that the Egyptians were so wicked,
that God turned their hearts to hate his people. The middle-scheme men seek to
evade and qualify this statement, by saying, that his turning their hearts,
denotes his permitting this;
fd221 or, that when the Egyptians set their
hearts upon hating the Israelites, he made use of their malice, as what, so to
speak, came accidentally in his way; as if the Holy Spirit, from being defective
in the power of language, spoke one thing, when he meant another. If the
doctrine of this text, at first sight, seem strange to us, let us remember that
God's judgments, in other places, are justly called "unsearchable,"
(<451133>Romans
11:33) and "a great deep,"
(<193606>Psalm
36:6) Did not our capacity fail in reaching the height of them, they would not
have that intricacy and mystery by which they are characterized. It is, however,
to be observed, that the root of the malice was in the Egyptians themselves, so
that the fault cannot be transferred to God. I say, they were spontaneously and
innately wicked, and not forced by the instigation of another. In regard to God,
it ought to suffice us to know, that such was his will, although the reason may
be unknown to us. But the reason is also apparent, which vindicates his
righteousness from every objection. If we learn and keep in mind only this small
word of advice, That the revealed will of God ought to be reverently acquiesced
in, we will receive, without disputation, those mysteries which offend either
the proud, or such as would be over-careful to remove the difficulties, in
which, according to their view, such mysteries seem to be involved.
fd222 The prophet next expresses the manner
in which the Egyptians wrought mischief against the people of God: they did not
assault them openly, that they might put them to death, but they endeavored, in
the way of craft and policy, to oppress them by little and little. His
expression is borrowed from Moses himself. And it is purposely used, that we may
not think that the hearts of the ungodly are permitted without restraint to work
our destruction. It is a consideration which ought surely to satisfy our minds,
that whatever the devil and wicked men may plot against us, God nevertheless
represses their attempts. But it is a double confirmation of our faith, when we
hear that not only their hands are bound, but also their hearts and thoughts, so
that they can purpose nothing except what God
pleases.
26.
He sent Moses his
servant. Here the prophet briefly
adverts to such things regarding the deliverance of the people as were worthy of
particular notice. Had the Egyptians of their own accord suffered the people to
depart, neither the service of Moses nor miracles would have been required. God
then appointed that their deliverance should take place in such a way, as would
render the denial of his being its author impossible. Moses is called
the servant of the
Lord, to teach us that he was not
self-elected to his office, and that he attempted nothing by his own authority,
but, being the minister of God, executed the office with which he had been
intrusted. The same thing is expressed still more plainly with respect to Aaron,
when he is said to have been
chosen. What is attributed to each of
these eminent men in particular, applies equally to both, and therefore the
sentence ought to be explained thus: God sent Moses and Aaron, his servants, not
because of their own intrinsic fitness, or because they spontaneously offered to
him their service, but because he chose them. This passage teaches us, that
those who are engaged in active and useful service for the Church, are not
prepared exclusively by their own exertions, or framed to it by their own
talents, but are stirred up thereto by God. Moses was a man of heroic virtue:
but, considered merely in himself, he was nothing. Accordingly, the prophet
would have all that is accounted worthy of remembrance in Moses, as well as in
Aaron, to be ascribed to God alone. Thus it appears that whatever men do for the
welfare of the Church, they owe the power of doing it to God, who, of his free
goodness, has been pleased thus to honor
them.
27.
They set among them the words of
his signs.
fd223 The prophet, in the first place,
briefly glances at those things which Moses has detailed at greater length. Nor
does he follow the order of the events observed in the history; for he contents
himself with showing, that the deliverance of the chosen people was the work of
God. He again distinguishes between the power of God, and the ministry of Moses
and Aaron. He indeed asserts that these men performed miracles, but these
miracles proceeded from God, so that celestial power was not obscurely displayed
by their instrumentality.
In the 28th
verse he specifics one of these miracles, which yet was not the first in
order, but from which it is easy to gather that God was the author of the
deliverance of Israel, and in which the course of nature was entirely changed;
for nothing is more astonishing than to see the light turned into darkness. In
the second clause, he commends the faithfulness of Moses and Aaron, in
courageously executing whatever God had commanded them:
And they were not rebellious
against his words.
fd224
There was, as if it had been said, the most
perfect harmony between the command of God and the obedience of both his
servants.
29.
He turned their waters into
blood. How grievous this plague was to
the Egyptians may be conjectured from the consideration, that the element of
water is one of the two great means of supporting life. And the power of God
shines forth the brighter, from the fact, that although the land of Egypt is
well irrigated, yet the Egyptians were parched with drought amidst abundance of
water. It is afterwards said, that
frogs were brought
forth,
fd225 and entered even
into the chambers of the
kings; by which God manifestly evinced
that he was the author of the miracle; for although all Egypt swarmed with
frogs, the courts of the kings ought to have been exempt from this nuisance. By
the term
kings,
is denoted either the nobles of the realm, or the king's sons, who were
brought up in the expectation of the royal power; for at that time, as is well
known, one king alone reigned over all Egypt. From this we learn how easily, and
as it were by a kind of mockery, God humbles those who pride themselves in the
flesh. He did not gather together an army to fight against the Egyptians, nor
did he forthwith arm his angels, or thunder out of heaven, but brought forth
frogs, which contemptuously trampled upon the pride of that haughty nation, who
held in contempt the whole world beside. It would have been no disgrace for them
to have been conquered by powerful enemies; but how dishonorable was it to be
vanquished by frogs? God thus intended to show that he has no need of powerful
hosts to destroy the wicked; for he can do this, as it were in sport, whenever
he pleases.
Psalm
105:31-38
31. He spake, and there
came a swarm of flies,
fd226 and lice
fd227 in all their borders. 32. He
gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire upon their land. 33. And he
smote their vines and their fig trees; and destroyed the trees throughout their
borders. 34. He spake, and the grasshopper came, and the caterpillar
fd228 without number, 35. And they
devoured all the herbage in their land, and consumed the fruit of their ground.
36. And he smote all the first-born in their country, even the beginning
of all their strength. fd229
37. And he brought them forth with
silver and gold: nor was there a feeble person among his tribes. 38.
Egypt rejoiced at their departure: for their terror had fallen upon
them.
31.
He spake, and there came a swarm
of flies. By the word
spake
the Psalmist intimates that
the
flies and
lice
came not forth by chance. The command, we know, was uttered by the mouth of
Moses; for although God could have given the command himself, he interposed
Moses as his herald. God, however, gave no less efficacy to his word, when he
commanded it to be uttered by a man, than if he himself had thundered from
heaven. When the minister executes his commission faithfully, by speaking only
what God puts into his mouth, the inward power of the Holy Spirit is joined with
his outward voice. Here again it is to be observed, that the Egyptians were
afflicted with the plague of the flies and lice, that God, with the greater
ignominy, might subdue their rebellion and obstinacy. When it is said, that he
gave them hail for
rain, it denotes a hail of such
appalling violence, that it could not be attributed to natural causes. It is
probable that Egypt is not so subject to this annoyance as other countries, and
it is very seldom visited even with rain, being watered with the Nile. This made
it appear to the Egyptians the more wonderful that their country was stricken
with hail. To render this calamity the more dreadful, God also mingled with it
fire. The hail, then, was accompanied with a tempestuous whirlwind, that the
Egyptians who had hardened themselves against the other miracles, inspired with
terror, might know that they had to deal with
God.
34.
He spake, and the grasshopper came. This
calamity, which was brought upon the fields, could not be attributed to Fortune;
for the grasshoppers made their appearance suddenly and in countless multitudes,
so that they covered all the land of Egypt. The miracle was very evident from
the word spoken, by which it was introduced. Its being announced as to happen,
removed all doubt of its being the work of the Most High. Accordingly, it is
expressly said, that grasshoppers and caterpillars rushed in at the commandment
of God, as if soldiers should run to battle at the sound of the trumpet.
Whenever these insects molest us and destroy the fruits of the earth, they are
assuredly the scourges of God, but it is here intended to point out an
extraordinary work of his hand. In fine, the prophet recites the last miracle,
which was wrought by the angel on the night previous to the departure of the
people, when he slew all the first-born throughout Egypt. I only take a hasty
and passing glance at this history, as I have, in like manner, done of the other
facts preceding, because they have been more copiously treated elsewhere, and at
this time it is sufficient for us to know the design of the sacred writer. He,
however, amplifies this display of the Divine power by a repetition, declaring
that the first-born and the
flower of their strength were destroyed.
Some translate, but unhappily, The beginning of their sorrow. As
man's strength shows itself in generation, the Hebrews term the first-begotten
the beginning of strength, as we have explained on Genesis 49:3,
—
"Reuben, thou art my
first-born, my might,
and the
beginning of my strength."
37.
And he brought them forth with
silver and gold.
fd230 The prophet, on the other hand,
celebrates the grace of God which preserved the chosen people untouched and safe
from all these plagues. If both parties had been indiscriminately afflicted with
them, the hand of God would not have been so signally manifest. But now when the
Israelites, amidst so many calamities, experienced an entire exemption from
harm, this difference exhibits to us, as in a picture, God's fatherly care about
his own people. For this reason, it is stated,
Nor was there a feeble
person, or one who
stumbled;
fd231 for the verb
lçk,
kashal, has both these meanings. But I prefer taking it simply in this
sense, That whilst Egypt was hastening to destruction, the people of God were
vigorous, and free from every malady. When it is said,
He brought them
forth, and when it is afterwards added,
in his
tribes, there is a change of the number,
which is quite common in the Hebrew language. Some refer the word his to
God; but this I am afraid is too
forced.
38.
Egypt rejoiced at their
departure. The Psalmist sets forth the
power of God from the additional circumstance, that the Egyptians willingly
allowed the chosen people to depart, when yet nothing was farther from their
intention. Although they wished them destroyed a hundred times, yet they thought
that they had the wolf by the ears, as we say;
fd232 and thus the fear of revenge made them
more determined to blot out the memory of that people. Whence it follows, that
when they all at once laid aside their former purpose, it was a secret work of
divine providence.
fd233 To the same effect is the statement in
the preceding verse, that they
were brought forth with gold and silver.
The Egyptians could never have had the heart voluntarily to strip
themselves, to enrich those whom they would have willingly deprived of life.
This was then the bounty of God, in whose hand, and at whose disposal, are all
the riches of the world. He might have taken by force from the Egyptians what he
had given them; but he bowed their hearts, so that of their own accord they
denuded themselves. The expression,
for their terror had fallen upon
them, is to be understood passively; for
the Israelites were not afraid of the Egyptians, but, on the contrary, were
terrible to them. Nor does the prophet speak of an ordinary fear. A little
before fear had stirred them up to cruelty and tyranny; but as even to that day,
they had endeavored, with indomitable audacity, to shake off all fear, God
suddenly laid them prostrate by the extraordinary terror which fell upon them.
It is, therefore, here justly reckoned among the displays of the wonderful power
of God, that he subdued the impetuous fury with which the Egyptians boiled
before, that they might allow those to depart free, whom they had determined to
handle rudely, and to waste in servile employments; which was like rendering
sheep terrible to wolves.
Psalm
105:39-43
39. He spread out a cloud
for a covering; and fire to give light during the night. 40. He asked,
fd234 and he brought quails, and filled them
with the bread of heaven. 41. He opened the rock, and the waters gushed
out; they ran in the dry places like a river. 42. For he remembered his
holy promise, which he had spoken to Abraham his servant. 43. And he
brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with
gladness.
39.
He spread out a cloud for a
covering. The Psalmist enumerates
certain miracles by which God continued his grace towards his people in the
wilderness. This order is worthy of notice; for it was no small confirmation
which was added to that incomparable work of redemption, when God ceased not to
show himself the guide of their journey. Accordingly, after they had passed
through the Red Sea, he spread a cloud over them by day to protect them from the
heat of the sun; and during the night, he gave them light by a pillar of fire,
that even in the midst of the darkness they might have a bright token of his
presence. This continued display of his goodness was surely an unquestionable
proof of his perpetual love, an open demonstration that he had adopted the
children of Abraham, to foster them under his protection even to the end. What
follows concerning
quails,
is introduced for a different purpose than that for which reference is made
to the same fact in
<197826>Psalm
78:26. In that passage, God's bringing in an abundance of quails is ascribed
rather to his wrath than to his beneficence, that the people might satiate the
flesh; and we have seen in the exposition of that place, that this is mentioned
as a matter of reproach to them. But in the text before us, passing over their
ingratitude, the prophet celebrates the unremitting exercise of the divine
loving-kindness towards them. Some, however, may be rather inclined to take the
word ask in a bad sense, because the people besought not God with
humility,
fd235 but through their impatience proceeded
at once to murmuring, or rather arrogantly spake against him. Thus taken, the
passage, by way of amplification, would mean that God, departing from his own
right, humoured even their unhallowed lust. As, however, their fault is not here
mentioned, let us rest in that meaning which is the most simple, namely, that
the blessings by which God ratified the redemption which he had wrought are here
clustered together. It next follows, that
they were filled with the bread
of heaven. This appellation, as we have
seen elsewhere, is given to the manna by way of eminence. The natural way in
which the food which we eat is obtained is from the ground; but God then opened
his hand more widely to the Jews, and fed them even from heaven. As it was not
enough for them to be refreshed with food when they were hungry, unless they
were also supplied with drink, it is added, that
the rock was
opened, and that
the waters flowed from it through
the dry places, or the desert.
42.
For he remembered his holy
promise. The Psalmist again mentions the
cause why God dealt so graciously with that people, and sustained them so
tenderly, namely, that he might fulfill his promise; for he had entered into a
covenant with Abraham, engaging to be the God of his seed. Nor did the prophets
without cause teach so carefully as we find them doing, that the free covenant
is the fountain whence the deliverance, and the continual welfare of the people
flowed. Thereby the grace of God became better known, since what took place, so
far from happening upon the sudden, and without anticipation, was only the
fulfillment of what he had promised four hundred years before. God then, for
ages previous to this, gave the light of his word of promise, that his grace and
truth might be brought the more distinctly into view. For this reason the
prophet again repeats, that God was not led from some new cause to deliver his
people, but that his design in doing so was to prove the faithfulness of his
covenant, and to give it effect; just as if a man should dig up from the ground
a treasure which he had buried in it. Nor is it to be doubted, that the prophet
aimed at leading the faith of his countrymen still farther, — that his
object was that their posterity might be persuaded beyond all doubt, that as God
had then proved, in the experience of that generation, the sure and substantial
truth of his promise delivered many hundred years before, so he would not be to
them otherwise than their fathers had found him to be in times past.
Accordingly, he signalises this promise by the epithet,
holy,
intimating, that after the death of Abraham it retained its virtue and
efficacy unimpaired. God had spoken it to Abraham; but the force of the covenant
died not with him. God continued to show himself faithful towards the posterity
of the patriarch.
43.
And he brought forth his people
with joy. The prophet makes mention of
joy
and
gladness,
the more highly to magnify the greatness of God's grace. It was no small
matter, that at the very time when the Egyptians were afflicted by a severe and
dreadful plague, — when the whole kingdom was full of weeping and howling,
— and when in almost every house there was a dead body, — the people
who a little before were groaning in great distress, or rather lay almost dead,
went forth with joyful hearts. By the appellation
the chosen of
God, they are reminded, that his favor
was not thus exercised towards them on account of their own merits, or on
account of the worth of their race, but because he had adopted them, that men
having nothing left them in which to vaunt themselves might learn to glory in
God alone.
Psalm
105:44-45
44. And he gave them the
countries of the nations: and they possessed the labor of the peoples.
fd236 45. That they might observe his
ordinances, and keep his law.
Hallelujah.
44.
And he gave them the
countries of the nations. The Psalmist
sets forth the final cause why God in so many ways displayed his wonderful power
in redeeming the people, why he did not cease to cherish and defend them in the
deserts — why he gave them the possession of the land as he had promised;
and this was, that they might dedicate and devote themselves wholly to his
service. And, in fact, the end which God proposed in our election was, that he
might have on the earth a people by whom he should be called upon and served.
The more effectually to stir up the Jews to gratitude, the prophet magnifies the
greatness of the divine goodness, by declaring, that they occupied far and wide
the countries of the
nations, and that all the property which
many states had acquired with great labor, they now possessed as it were by
right of inheritance. The plural number, both as to the word
countries
and
nations,
serves to exhibit in a still more striking light the divine goodness in this
matter. The psalm concludes with briefly defining the manner of glorifying God,
That they might keep his
law. It would not be enough to celebrate
his grace only with the tongue. To this there must be added practical and
experimental piety. And as God rejects all religious services of men's
invention, the only way of rightly serving him which remains, consists in
keeping his commandments.
PSALM
106
This psalm differs from the preceding, inasmuch as
there the Psalmist showed that God had been more than a bountiful father to his
chosen people, in order to procure for himself, in coming ages, a race of pure
worshippers, while here he acknowledges that these remarkable benefits had been
turned to a bad account; because the Jews from time to time threw off the yoke
of God, basely abused his kindness, defiled themselves with many pollutions, and
also perfidiously departed from his word. Nevertheless, it is not so much in the
shape of a reproof or complaint, as a confession of their sins, in order to the
obtaining the pardon of them. For the prophet commences with the praises of God,
with the design of encouraging both himself and others to cherish good hope in
him. Then he prays that God would continue his blessing to the seed of Abraham.
But because the people, after so frequently revolting from God, were unworthy of
the continuation of his kindness, he asks pardon to be extended to them, and
this after he had confessed that from first to last, they had provoked God's
wrath by their malice, ingratitude, pride, perfidy, and other vices.
fd237
Psalm
106:1-5
1. Hallelujah.
fd238 Praise ye Jehovah; because he is good;
fd239 because his mercy endureth for ever.
2. Who shall express the power of Jehovah? who shall declare all his
praise? 3. Blessed are they that keep judgment, and blessed is he who
worketh in righteousness at all times.
fd240
4. Remember me, O Jehovah! with the
good will which thou bearest towards thy people: visit me with thy salvation;
5. That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the joy
of thy nation, and glory with thy
heritage.
1.
Praise ye
Jehovah. This exhortation supplies the
want of a title; not that the psalm contains nothing else than thanksgiving and
praise to God, but that the people, from the experience of past favors, may
obtain the assurance of reconciliation; and thus entertain the hope that God,
although at present offended, would soon be pacified towards them. In
celebrating the praises of God, therefore, he orders them to call to mind such
things as would have a tendency to assuage their grief on account of present
ills, and to animate their spirits, and prevent them from sinking into despair.
fd241
2.
Who shall
express. This verse is susceptible of
two interpretations; for if you read it in connection with the one immediately
following, the sense will be, that all men are not alike equal to the task of
praising God, because the ungodly and the wicked do nothing else than profane
his holy name with their unclean lips; as it is said in the fiftieth psalm: "But
unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that
thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?" And hence to this sentence the
following clause should have been annexed, in the form of a reply,
Blessed are they that keep
judgment. I am of opinion, however, that
the prophet had another design, namely, that there is no man who has ever
endeavored to concentrate all his energies, both physical and mental, in the
praising of God, but will find himself inadequate for so lofty a subject, the
transcendent grandeur of which overpowers all our senses. Not that he exalts the
power of God designedly to deter us from celebrating its praises, but rather as
the means of stirring us up to do so to the utmost of our power. Is it any
reason for ceasing our exertions, that with whatever alacrity we pursue our
course, we yet come far short of perfection? But the thing which ought to
inspire us with the greatest encouragement is, the knowledge that, though
ability may fail us, the praises which from the heart we offer to God are
pleasing to him; only let us beware of callousness; for it would certainly be
very absurd for those who cannot attain to a tithe of perfection, to make that
the occasion of their not reaching to the hundredth part of
it.
3.
Blessed are they that keep
judgment. I make a distinction between
this and the preceding verse, and yet so as to preserve the connection between
them. For the prophet, having declared the magnitude of God's power to be such
that no tongue could utter all its praises, now says, that the praises of the
lip merely are not acceptable to God, but that the concurrence of the heart is
indispensable, nay, that even the whole of our deportment must be in unison with
this exercise. Now, when he first commands to
keep
judgment, and then to
work
righteousness, he gives us a short
description of genuine godliness. I have no doubt, that in the former clause he
describes the sincere affection of the heart, and that, in the latter, he refers
to external works. For we know, there is nothing but the mere shadow of
righteousness, unless a man cordially devote himself to the practice of honesty.
He requires perseverance, too, that no one may imagine that he has discharged
this duty properly, excepting he whose constant and continued aim it is to live
righteously and justly. We behold not a few who have only an empty profession;
others show some signs of virtue, but do not maintain a consistent course of
conduct.
4.
Remember
me. By these words the prophet declares
it to be his chief desire, that God would extend to him that love which he bore
towards the Church, that he might thus become a participator of all the
blessings which, from the very first, he bestows upon his chosen, and which day
by day he continues with them. Nor does he desire this for himself alone, but in
name of the Church Catholic, offers up a prayer alike for all, that, by his
example, he might stimulate the faithful to present similar
petitions.
Remember
me, says he,
with the good will which thou
bearest towards thy people; that is to
say, grant to me the same unmerited kindness which thou art pleased to confer
upon thy people, that so I may never be cut off from thy Church, but always be
included among the number of thy children; for the phrase,
good will towards thy
people, is to be understood passively of
that love which God graciously bears to his elect. It is, however, by a metonymy
employed by the prophet to point out the marks of God's love. For from this
gracious source flows that proof which he actually and experimentally gives of
his grace. But the prophet, if accounted to belong to the number of the people
of God, would consider this to be the summit of true happiness; because, by this
means, he would feel that God was reconciled to him, (than which nothing is more
desirables) and thus, too, he would experience that he was bountiful. The term,
remember,
relates to the circumstance of time, as we shall see towards the end of the
psalm that it was penned when the people were in a state so sad and calamitous,
that the faithful might entertain some secret apprehension that their God had
forgotten them. To obviate this is the tendency of the next clause,
visit me with thy
salvation. For God is said to visit
those from whom he had apparently withdrawn himself; and their salvation is a
demonstration of his good-will towards them. In the next verse he repeats the
same sentiment, that I may see
the good of thy chosen. For he desires
to be an associate and participator of the blessings which are constantly
realised by the elect of God. The verb
to
see, is very plainly taken to denote the
enjoyment of the blessings, as "to see the kingdom of God,"
(<430303>John
3:3;) and "to see good and life"
(<600310>1
Peter 3:10,) denote the corresponding blessings. Those who expound it, that I
may see thee do good to the chosen, are mistaken; because the preceding verse
upon which this depends will not bear this interpretation, and the exposition
which I have given is supported by the words which follow,
that I may rejoice in the joy of
thy nation, and glory with thy heritage.
For it is quite obvious that the prophet is solicitous to become a sharer in
all the benefits which are the portion of the chosen, that, satisfied with God
alone, he may, under his providential care, live joyfully and happily. Whatever
might be the then mournful state of the Church, the prophet, amid all such
tumult, still clings fast by this principle, that there is nothing better than
to be regarded as belonging to the flock and people of God, who will always
prove the best of fathers to his own, and the faithful guardian of their
welfare. All that he asks is, that God would deal with him, as he is wont to
deal with his Church; and declares that he could not bear the thought of being
severed or separated from the common lot of the Church. These words, however,
imply a tacit complaint that at that time God was withholding his
loving-kindness from his afflicted Church, as if he had cast her off
altogether.
Psalm
106:6-11
6. We have sinned with our
fathers, we have acted iniquitously, we have done wickedly. 7. Our
fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude
of thy kindnesses; they rebelled at the sea, even the Red Sea. 8. Yet he
saved them for his own name's sake, that he might make his power to be known.
9. Also he rebuked the Red Sea, and dried it up; and made them walk
through the depths, as through the desert. 10. And saved them from the
hand of the enemy, and delivered them from the hand of the wicked. 11.
And the waters covered their oppressors: there was not one of them
left.
6.
We have sinned with our
fathers. It is quite plain from these
words, that although the prophet may have spoken in the person of one man, he
yet dictates a form of prayer for the common use of the whole Church, seeing
that he now identifies himself with the whole body. And from this to the end of
the psalm, he gleans from ancient histories that their fathers had always been
of a malign and perverse spirit, of corrupt practice, rebellious, ungrateful and
perfidious towards God; and confesses that their descendants were not better;
and having made this confession,
fd242 they come and ask the remission of
their sins. And as we are unable to obtain the pardon of our sins until we have
first confessed ourselves to be guilty of sin, and as our hardness of heart
shuts out the grace of God from us, the prophet, therefore, with great
propriety, humbly acknowledges the guilt of the people in this their severe and
sore chastisement, and that God might justly inflict upon them a yet harder
punishment. On another account it was advantageous for the Jews to have their
sins set before them; because, if God punish us severely, we at once suppose
that his promises have failed. But when, on the contrary, we are reminded that
we are receiving the reward due to us for our transgressions, then if we
thoroughly repent, those promises in which God appears as pacified towards us
will come to our aid. Besides, by the three expressions which he employs in
reference to their transgressions, he points out their enormity, that (as is
usually the case) their hearts might not be slightly affected, but deeply
wounded with sorrow. For we know how men are fettered by their vices, and how
ready to let themselves alone, until compelled to examine themselves in good
earnest; nay, what is more, when God calls them to judgment, they make a kind of
verbal confession of their iniquities, while, at the same time, hypocrisy blinds
their minds. When, therefore, the prophet says, that the
people acted iniquitously in
sinning, and had become ungodly and
wicked, he employs no useless or unnecessary accumulation of words. Let any of
us examine ourselves, and we will easily find that we have equal need to be
constrained to make an ingenuous confession of our sins; for though we dare not
say that we have no sin, yet there is not one of us but is disposed to find a
cloak and subterfuge for his sin.
In a very
similar manner, Daniel, in the ninth chapter of his prophecies, acknowledges the
guilt of his own iniquities and those of the people; and it may be that the
author of this psalm followed his example. From both let us learn, that the only
way of pleasing God is to institute a rigid course of self-examination. Let it
also be carefully observed, that the holy prophets, who never departed from the
fear and worship of God, uniformly confessed their own guilt in common with the
people; and this they did, not out of feigned humility, but because they were
aware that they themselves were tainted with manifold corruptions, for when
iniquity abounds, it is almost impossible for even the best of men to keep
themselves from being infected by its baneful effects. Not comparing themselves
with others, but sisting themselves before God's tribunal, they at once perceive
the impossibility of making their escape.
At
that time impiety had attained to such a degree of enormity among the Jews, that
it is not astonishing if even the best and most upright men were carried away,
as if by the violence of a tempest. How very abominable, then, is the pride of
those who hardly imagine that they offend in the least possible way; nay, who
even, like certain fanatics of the day, conceive that they have attained to a
state of sinless perfection! It must be borne in mind, however, that Daniel, who
carefully kept himself under the fear of God, and whom the Holy Spirit, by the
mouth of the prophet Ezekiel, declares to be one of the most upright of men, did
not with reigned lips acknowledge his own transgressions, and those of the
people, when he confessed them, under a deep sense of their grievously and
dreadfully abhorrent character in the eyes of God. True, indeed, he was not
overwhelmed in the same torrent of iniquity with others; but he knew that he had
contracted a very large amount of guilt. Besides, the prophet does not bring
forward their fathers for the purpose of palliating his own delinquency, (as
many at the present day set at nought all reproof, shielding themselves with
this, namely, that they have been so taught by their fathers, and that,
therefore, their bad education, and not they, is at fault,) but rather to show
that he and those of his own nation were obnoxious to severe punishment, because
even from the very first, and as if co-existent with their early infancy, they
never ceased to provoke the displeasure of God against themselves more and more
by their fresh transgressions. It is in this manner that he involves the fathers
with the children in many of the grounds of condemnation.
fd243
7.
Our fathers understood not
thy wonders in Egypt, Here he relates
how the people immediately, from the very commencement of their emancipation
from bondage, were ungrateful to God, and conducted themselves in a rebellious
manner. Nor does he confine himself to the history of one period only, but the
whole drift of his narrative is to point out that the people had never ceased
from doing wickedly, although God met them in return with inconceivable
kindness; which is a proof of the invincible and desperate perversity of this
nation. He first blames the folly of the people as the occasion of such
ingratitude. In calling it folly, he does not intend to lessen the offense, (as
some are often wont to do,) but to expose the vile and disgraceful stupidity of
the people, in being blind in matters so plain; for God's works were such that
even the blind might behold them. Whence could such gross ignorance originate,
unless that Satan had so maddened them that they did not regard the miracles of
God, which might have moved the very stones? Now, when he adds,
they remembered
not, he expresses more forcibly the
inexcusable nature of their ignorance, nay, that their blindness was the result
of stupid indifference, more than the want of proper instruction. For the cause
of their ignorance was their overlooking those matters which, in themselves,
were abundantly manifest. He further mentions how quickly that forgetfulness
came upon them, which tended to increase their guilt. For it was marvelous that
not even the very sight of these things could arouse their spirits. Hence it
came to pass, that while they had scarcely made their departure from Egypt, and
were passing through the sea, they proudly rose up against their deliverer.
Surely not one year, nor even a century, ought to have erased from their minds
deeds so worthy of being remembered. What madness, then, at that very time to
murmur against God, as if he had abandoned them to be slaughtered by their
enemies? That arm of the sea through which the people passed is, in the Hebrew,
called the Sea of Suph. Some translate it the Sea of Sedge, and
will have the word
pws,
suph, to signify sea-weed.
fd244 But whatever be its derivation,
there can be no doubt about the place. It is very likely that the name was given
to it because it abounded with
rushes.
8.
And saved them. The prophet here teaches
what any one could easily learn from the preceding sentence, that the Israelites
were saved, not on account of their deserving to be so, but because God had a
regard to his own glory. That obstacle being removed, God went on to accomplish
that deliverance which he had commenced, in order that his holy name might not
become a reproach among the heathen. Besides, we must not overlook the
antithesis between the name of
God and the merits of men, because God,
out of a regard to his own glory, can find in us no cause wherefore he should be
moved to save us. The inestimable kindness of God, which, for the sake of a
people so perverse, altered the usual order of nature, is more illustriously
displayed by the account which is afterwards given of the means by which they
were preserved. When he says that the
sea was
rebuked, he extols the power of God, at
whose command and will the sea was dried up — the waters receded, so that
a free passage was opened up between the opposite heaps of waters. With the
design of magnifying the miracle, he employs a similitude, which, in all
likelihood, was drawn from Isaiah; for in the sixty-third chapter and thirteenth
verse, he says, "Thou hast made thy people to walk through the deeps, as an
horse in the wilderness, that he might not stumble." When the people walked
through the sea as upon a dry plain, the prophet informs us that this was done
solely by the astonishing power of God. It is quite possible, that in the desert
in which the people wandered, there was many an abyss, the path rugged, and many
a hill and dale and ragged rock. But it cannot be doubted that the prophet
extols the power of God in the passage through the sea, and enhances it by this
consideration, that the path through that deep sea was smooth. Besides, he gives
greater strength to the miracle in saying that
their enemies were
drowned; because, when the sea afforded
a free passage to the children of Israel, and covered and engulfed the
Egyptians, so that not one of
them escaped alive, whence proceeded
this instantaneous difference, but from this, that God made a distinction
between the one people and the
other?
Psalm
106:12-15
12. Then they believed his
words; they sang his praises. 13. They made haste, and forgot his works;
they did not attend to his counsel; 14. And lusted greatly in the desert,
and tempted God in the wilderness. 15. And he gave them their desire; but
sent leanness into their soul.
12.
Then they believed his
words. In stating that they believed
God's word, and sang his praise, the prophet does not say this to their
commendation, but rather to increase, in a twofold manner, their guilt; because,
being convinced by such indubitable testimony, they yet instantly resumed their
wonted disposition of mind, and began to rebel against God, as if they had never
beheld his wonderful works. How very inexcusable was that impiety which in a
moment could forget the remarkable benefits which they had been constrained to
admit! Overpowered by the grandeur of God's works, they were, he says, in spite
of themselves, compelled to believe in God, and give glory to him, and thus the
criminality of their rebellion was increased; because, although their
stubbornness was overcome, yet they immediately relapsed into their former state
of unbelief. A question, however, arises, seeing that true faith always
corresponds with the nature of the word, and as the word is an incorruptible
seed, so though it may happen to be almost, it never can be totally destroyed.
But there is a temporary faith, as Mark calls it,
(<410417>Mark
4:17) which is not so much a fruit of the Spirit of regeneration, as of a
certain mutable affection, and so it soon passeth away. It is not a voluntary
faith which is here extolled by the prophet, but rather that which is the result
of compulsion, namely, because men, whether they will or not, by a sense which
they have of the power of God, are constrained to show some reverence for him.
This passage ought to be well considered, that men, when once they have yielded
submission to God, may not deceive themselves, but may know that the touchstone
of faith is when they spontaneously receive the word of God, and constantly
continue firm in their obedience to it.
In order
to point out the inconstancy of the people, he says,
they made
haste. Some explain this in the
following manner, namely, that after they had set out on their journey, they
hastened to come to the place called Marah. This, however, is to give a very
tame representation of the emphatic style in which the prophet speaks, when
severely reprehending their hasty and headlong departure from the way, in that
they believed only for a very short time, and speedily forgot God's works; for
they had only journeyed three days from their passage through the sea till they
came to Marah, and yet they began to murmur against God, because they could not
procure pleasant waters.
fd245 Meantime, we must here observe what we
have seen elsewhere, that the alone cause why men are so ungrateful towards God,
is their despising of his benefits. Were the remembrance of these to take fast
hold of our hearts, it would serve as a bridle to keep us in his fear. The
prophet declares what their transgression was, namely, that they did not suspend
their desires till a fitting opportunity occurred for granting them. The
insatiable nature of our desires is astonishing, in that scarcely a single day
is allowed to God to gratify them. For should he not immediately satisfy them,
we at once become impatient, and are in danger of eventually falling into
despair. This, then, was the fault of the people, that they did not cast all
their cares upon God, did not calmly call upon him, nor wait patiently until he
was pleased to answer their requests, but rushed forward with reckless
precipitation, as if they would dictate to God what he was to do. And,
therefore, to heighten the criminality of their rash course, he employs the term
counsel;
because men will neither allow God to be possessed of wisdom, nor do they
deem it proper to depend upon his counsel, but are more provident than becomes
them, and would rather rule God than allow themselves to be ruled by him
according to his pleasure. That we may be preserved from provoking God, let us
ever retain this principle, That it is our duty to let him provide for us such
things as he knows will be for our advantage. And verily, faith divesting us of
our own wisdom, enables us hopefully and quietly to wait until God accomplish
his own work; whereas, on the contrary, our carnal desire always goes before the
counsel of God, by its too great
haste.
14.
And they
lusted. He goes on, according to the
history, to mention the sin which, agreeably to the duty of his office as a
teacher, he had briefly noticed. Should any one inquire in what way they did not
attend to God's counsel, he answers, because they had indulged in the
gratification of their lusts; for the only way of acting with proper moderation
is, when God rules and presides over our affections. It is therefore the more
necessary to bridle that strong tendency to fleshly lusts which naturally rage
within us. For whoever allows himself to desire more than is needful, openly
sets himself in direct opposition to God, inasmuch as all fleshly lusts are
directly opposed to him.
To
tempt God is not to acquiesce in his
will, but to desire more than he is willing to grant. And since there are a
variety of modes of tempting God, the prophet here adverts to one mode of doing
so, namely, that the people had been so presumptuous as to limit God to means of
their own devising; and thus, in rejecting the way which they ought to have
followed, they ascribed to God a property altogether novel, as much as to say,
If God do not feed us with flesh we will not regard him as God. He gave them the
food which ought to have satisfied them. And though God is not limited by any
means whatsoever, yet it is his will that our minds be rendered subservient to
the means which he has appointed. For instance, although he can nourish us
without bread, nevertheless it is his will that our life be sustained by such
provision; and if we neglect it, and wish to point out to him another way of
nourishing us, we tempt his power.
15.
He gave them their
desire. There is a fine paronomasia in
the word
ˆwzr,
razon, for if, instead of
z,
zain, we read
x,
tsädhé, the word would signify good pleasure. The
prophet, therefore, in allusion to their lusting, by a word which is very
similar to good pleasure or desire, says that
God sent leanness into their
souls; meaning by that, that he had
indeed gratified the inordinate desires of the people, in such a way, however,
as that those who had loathed the manna, now received nothing but leanness.
fd246 Thus the prophet would seem to charge
the people with what we daily observe among those who live luxuriously and are
fastidious, especially when their stomach, in consequence of the fluids poured
into it, being vitiated, has no relish for wholesome food. For such persons only
relish that food which is pernicious; and, therefore, the more they pamper
themselves with it, so much the more do they become the creatures of noxious
habits; and thus in a very short time, the very food itself makes them pine
away. The prophet, seems, therefore, to apply to the mind what he says about the
unhealthy state of the body, and to compare the Jews to those morbid persons,
whose voraciousness, instead of promoting health, injures it, because they do
not derive any nourishment from their food. The reason is, that God withheld his
blessing from the food which they had so immoderately longed for, in order that
this their punishment for their transgression might humble them. But their
perversity is seen to be very great, in that even this mode of punishing them
did not overcome their stubborn hearts. It is a proverbial saying, that fools
learn wisdom from the experience of evil. How insane and incorrigible must they
have been, whom even compulsion itself could not
reform!
Psalm
106:16-22
16. And they envied Moses
in the camp, and Aaron the saint of Jehovah. 17. The earth opened and
swallowed up Dathan, and covered over the tent of Abiram. 18. And a fire
was kindled in their assembly, and the flame consumed the wicked. 19.
They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped before the molten image. 20.
And they changed their glory into the likeness of an ox that eateth grass.
21. They forgot God their preserver, who had done great things in Egypt;
22. And wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things at the Red
Sea.
16.
And they
envied. He refers here very shortly to
another transgression, and that, too, in such a way as to furnish both to
himself and others ample grounds for deep consideration. For, as the people, in
devising from time to time new modes of sinning, displayed so much cunning in
their attempts to provoke God's anger, so we ought the more to be filled with
fear on that account. Moreover, when he says that they
envied Moses and
Aaron, his meaning is, that, acting
under the influence of diabolic pride, they had risen up against God, and were
endeavoring to throw off the yoke which he had laid upon them; according as
Moses also said,
"What am I, and what is
Aaron, that ye murmur against us?"
(<041611>Numbers
16:11)
As it was the will of God to rule the people by means
of Moses and Aaron, not to submit to their rule was virtually to set themselves
obstinately to resist the authority of God himself. There is therefore great
importance attached to the term,
envy,
namely, that at the very time when God was treating the children of Israel
with the utmost kindness and care, they yet were discontented with their lot,
and rebelled against him. Could such madness serve any other purpose than to
show, that, casting off all farther dependence upon the providence of God for
their support, they aspire to rise above the very heavens? In this sense Aaron
is called the saint of
Jehovah,
fd247 in order that we might know that
both he and Moses were equally identified with God; for under the person of the
one, the designation is applied to both, and in this way the prophet shows that
they had been Divinely invested with that authority which they were exercising.
In renouncing their authority, therefore, and, to the utmost of their power,
dishonoring these saints, Dathan and Abiram were rebelling not against men, but
against God.
17.
The earth
opened. The heinousness of their sin may
be seen in the magnitude of the punishment by which it was visited. But the
design of the prophet was to accuse and reprove publicly the obstinacy of the
people, who, so far from being bettered by their corrections, (although the
vengeance of God was so terrible as almost to move the very stones,) conducted
themselves the more perversely. That was surely an awfully ominous event, when
the earth swallowed up alive Dathan and Abiram, and all their
accomplices; and when fire coming down from heaven consumed
fd248 them, according to the saying of
Moses,
"If any thing common happen
to these men, then believe not that God who ruleth in heaven rules over you and
me; but if this new and extraordinary thing happen, namely, that the earth open
her mouth and swallow them up, then indeed believe that I am sent by God,"
<041629>Numbers
16:29
When the Israelites were so infatuated as
to rise in rebellion against God, then did the terrible nature of their
distemper appear in that it could not be cured by the stringent remedy which was
applied to it. And as even hypocrites are afraid when they feel the severity of
God, it was the height of folly in them to fret and quarrel with God where he
was visiting their iniquities with stripes. Should any one ask why God charges
the faults of a few upon the whole body of the people? the answer is obvious;
for although there were only two individuals who were the principal abettors of
the conspiracy, and along with them two hundred and seventy seditious persons,
yet it would seem, from the murmurings and cavillings of the whole congregation,
that they also were affected with the same distemper. The punishment did not
extend beyond the captains
fd249 and ringleaders of this wicked
conspiracy, it being the design of God to mitigate it, and to spare the people
at large, who nevertheless had been most desirous of innovation, seeing they
could not endure the authority of Moses and
Aaron.
19.
They made a
calf.
fd250 Here he represents their
rebellion as exceedingly base, in that they abandoned the true worship of God,
and made to themselves a calf. For although it was their intention to worship
God in this manner, yet the prophet reprehends their brutal stupidity, because
they worshipped before the molten
image,
fd251 and represented God
by the figure of an ox which
eateth grass.
fd252 From this the prophet infers,
that God had been robbed of his honor, and that all his glory had been
tarnished. And surely it is so; for although the idolaters feign to serve God
with great zeal, yet when, at the same time, they represent to themselves a God
visible, they abandon the true God, and impiously make for themselves an idol.
But he reproaches them with being guilty of still greater impiety, when he says,
after the likeness of an ox that
eateth grass; and contrasts with it
their honor or glory. For seeing that God had clothed them with his own
glory, what madness was it to substitute in place of him not only an ox, but the
inanimate form of an ox, as if there were any resemblance between God who
createth all kinds of food, and that stupid animal which feeds upon
grass?
It is necessary, however, to observe the
design of the prophet, which is to point out the blindness of men as more base
and abominable, because not contenting themselves with any common form of
superstition, but casting off all sham they give themselves up to the most
shocking forms of worshipping God. Had the people formed for themselves a
likeness of God under the likeness of a man, even that would have been impiously
robbing God of his due; how much more shameful was their conduct when they
assimilated God to an ox? When men preserve their life by eating and drinking,
they acknowledge how frail they are, because they derive
fd253 from dead creatures the means of its
continuation. How much greater is the dishonor done to God when he is compared
to the brutal tribes? Moreover, the comparison referred to increases the
enormity of their guilt. For what credit was it for a holy people to worship the
inanimate likeness of an ox instead of the true God? But God had condescended to
spread out the overshadowing wings of his glory upon the children of Abraham,
that he might put on them the highest honor. Therefore, in denuding themselves
of this honor, they had exposed their own baseness to the derision of all the
nations of the earth. And hence Moses employs the phrase of nakedness,
when he is showing that crime of
idolatry:
"And when Moses saw that
the people were naked, (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among
their
enemies)"
<023225>Exodus
32:25.
Should any one be disposed to say that
the ark of the covenant was a representation of God, my answer is, That that
symbol was given to the children of Israel, not to engross the whole of their
attention, but only for the purpose of assisting and directing them in the
spiritual worship of God.
21.
They forgot
God. The prophet again repeats that the
people had sinned not simply through ignorance, but also wilfully, inasmuch as
God had already given a very palpable manifestation of his power and glory. And
as he makes himself known in the creation of the heavens and of the earth, the
blindness of men is totally inexcusable. But far more aggravating is the sin of
the children of Israel, who, after God had made himself known to them, in the
most condescending manner, cast him off altogether, and gave themselves up to
the practice of brutish idolatry. And God having from heaven put forth his
Almighty power for their salvation, there must surely be no little importance
attached to such displays of his power as proclaim the praise and honor of his
great name. Had he merely given an ordinary token of his power, even that ought
to have attracted so much consideration as should have kept the people in the
fear and worship of God. Now, that these miracles were so very notable, or
rather terrible and rare, the people acted a very base part to shut their eyes
upon them, and give themselves over to idolatry. For as the darkness is
dispelled by the beamy lustre of the sun, so all inventions and perverse errors
should vanish before such knowledge of
God.
Psalm
106:23-27
23. And he said that he
would destroy them, unless that Moses his chosen had stood in the breach before
his face, to turn away his wrath, that he might not destroy them. 24. And
they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe his word; 25. And
they murmured in their tents, and did not listen to the voice of Jehovah.
26. And he lifted up his hand against them, to destroy them in the
desert: 27. And to destroy their seed among the heathen, and to scatter
them throughout the lands.
fd254
23.
And he
said. The prophet informs us, by these
words, that the people had a feeling sense of their remarkable deliverance from
impending destruction, by means of prayer alone, which, for a season, restrained
God's vengeance from bursting forth against them. In a very short time, however,
they return to their wonted disposition of mind, a striking proof of the awful
perversity of their hearts. To represent how highly God was offended, the
prophet says that he had purposed to destroy the transgressors: not that God is
subject to human passions, to be very angry for a little, and then immediately
afterwards, on being appeased, changes his purpose; for God, in his secret
counsel, had resolved upon their forgiveness, even as he actually did pardon
them. But the prophet makes mention of another purpose, by which God designed to
strike the people with terror, that coming to know and acknowledge the greatness
of their sin, they might be humbled on account of it. This is that repentance so
frequently referred to in the Scriptures. Not that God is mutable in himself;
but he speaks after the manner of men, that we may be affected with a
more feeling sense of his wrath: like a king who had resolved to pardon an
offender, yet sisted him before his judgment-seat, the more effectually to
impress him with the magnitude of the kindness done to him. God, therefore,
while he keeps to himself his secret purpose, declared openly to the people that
they had committed a trespass which deserved to be punished with eternal death.
Next he says that Moses stood in
the breach, meaning that he had made
intercession with God, lest his awful vengeance might break forth among the
people. There is here an allusion to the manner in which cities are stormed; for
if a breach is made in the wall by any of the various engines which are employed
in war, brave soldiers will instantly throw themselves into the breach to defend
it.
fd255 Hence Ezekiel reproaches the false
prophets, who, unlike Moses, deceiving the people by their flatteries, making,
as it were, a mud-wall, do not place themselves in the breach in the day of
battle.
"Ye have not gone up into
the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel, to stand in the
battle in the day of the Lord,"
<261305>Ezekiel
13:5.
Some expositors are of opinion that the
prophet refers to the separation which the people had made among themselves in
violating the covenant of God, and the sacred relation in which they stood to
each other; but the meaning is the same. For in that breach which gave rise to
this metaphor or similitude, God, in defending his people so faithfully, was to
them in place of a wall or bulwark. Having provoked him to anger anew, he was
about to rush upon them for their destruction, had not Moses interposed as their
intercessor.
24.
And they
despised. It was an evident
demonstration of the unconquerable wickedness of the Jews, that, after they had
been in the jaws of destruction, and while they had scarcely escaped from danger
so great and so imminent, they rose up in rebellion against God. What was the
cause of this rebellion? The despising of the Holy Land, which of all things
ought to have been most desired by them. The country of Canaan, which had been
destined to them, as the place where they were to be brought up under God's
paternal care, and as a people separated from heathen nations were to worship
him only, and which, also, was more especially to them a pledge of the heavenly
inheritance, — this country here, and in several other passages, is very
properly called the pleasant
land. Was it not, then, the basest
ingratitude to despise the holy habitation of God's chosen people? To the cause
of this scorn the prophet refers, when he says,
they did not believe God's
word. For had they laid hold upon God's
promise with that faith which it was incumbent upon them to do, they would have
been inflamed with such a strong desire for that land, that they would have
surmounted all obstacles which might occur in their way to it. Meanwhile, not
believing his word, they not only refuse the heritage which was offered to them,
but excite a rebellion in the camp, as if they would rise up in arms against
God.
26.
And he lifted up. He describes another
example of the vengeance of God, the recollection of which ought to have been
deeply seated in their hearts, so that cherishing a constant fear of him, they
might watch over themselves with the utmost solicitude. No good having ensued
from all this, it is obvious that the madness of that people was incurable. At
that time God did restrain his anger, in that he did not disperse their
offspring throughout various parts of the earth; but his threatening of itself
ought to have sufficed for the subduing of their pride, had they not been
incorrigible. To lift up the
hand is in this passage susceptible of
two meanings. In Scripture God is frequently said to lift up his hand to inflict
punishment. But as it is generally admitted that the prophet is here speaking of
swearing,
fd256 with this opinion I most readily
coincide. The practice of lifting up the hand, as if they would have called God
down from heaven, was a solemn usual rite among them, accompanying an oath; and
is therefore improperly applied to God, whose sublimity rises above all things,
and who, as the apostle says, cannot swear by a greater than himself,
(<580613>Hebrews
6:13) In employing it, therefore, it must be understood that he borrows it from
the common customs which prevail among men. Had not the Holy Land been preserved
to the people by the prayers of Moses, awful indeed would their dispersion have
been.
Psalm
106:28-31
28. And they joined
themselves to Baal-peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead. 29. And they
provoked God to anger by their works,
fd257 and the plague broke out among them.
30. And Phinehas stood up, and executed justice: and the plague was
stopped. 31. And that deed was imputed to him for righteousness from
generation to generation for
ever.
28.
And they joined themselves to Baal-peor.
The prophet tells us that the Jews, after they had been threatened with very
awful punishment, very soon fell into a new species of apostasy. Some think,
that they are indirectly accused of falling away to the superstitions of the
Midianites, in consequence of having been imposed upon by female intrigue. This,
it is well known, was the design of Balaam, as soon as he knew that he was
forbidden by God to curse the people. His counsel to king Balak was to set the
daughters of Moab before the people, to entice them by their allurements to the
practice of idolatry,
"Behold,
these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to
commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor."
<043116>Numbers
31:16
And as the idolatry here mentioned
originated from carnal intrigues, some expositors are of opinion, that on this
account the prophet charges the people with the commission of a twofold
trespass, in their not only being inveigled by the Midianitish women, but also
in binding themselves by another bond to Baal-peor, (Numbers 25) Be that as it
may, the prophet exclaims against the perfidy of his own nation, because in
forsaking the true worship of God, they had broken that holy union by which they
had been betrothed to him. For we know, that as God adopts the Church as his
spouse, when she gives herself up to idolatry, she no less shamefully violates
her fidelity, than when a wife leaves her husband, and becomes an adulteress. It
is well known, that Baal-peor was the idol of the Midianites; but it is not so
well known how he received this appellation. The word
l[b,
Baal, has a signification
fd258 equivalent to lord, master, or
patron. And since
r[p,
paar, signifies to open, some render it the God of opening,
and assign as a reason, which, however, I dare not affirm, their shamefully
exposing themselves in his presence. Perhaps it is the name of some place, for
we know that the heathens often gave to their idols the names of the countries
where they were worshipped.
fd259 We now perceive the prophet's meaning,
That the Jews had wickedly revolted from God, and defiled themselves in joining
themselves to Baal-peor. In saying that they
ate the sacrifices of the
dead,
fd260 he points out the greater
baseness of their offense. By the sacrifices of idols, he means that they ate
things that were offered to idols, as they had been wont to partake of those
sacrifices which bound them to the true God, the inexhaustible fountain of life.
Hence their conduct was the more detestable, when they wilfully gave themselves
over to death by perpetrating such a heinous crime. And we know, that banqueting
was to some extent connected with their worship. The result of this was, that,
renouncing the true God, they joined themselves in marriage with the dead; and
thus the prophet charges them with acting a very disgraceful part, in not only
bowing the knee to Baal, and offering sacrifices to him, but also in feasting
upon these sacrifices.
29.
And they provoked God to
anger. The prophet once more informs us,
that they had been put upon their guard by another plague, in order that it
might appear that God had always a strict regard for his own glory, in
chastising the people; but as they were not bettered by these plagues, these
chastisements were fruitless. Having formerly stated, that God's wrath had been
appeased by the prayers of Moses, he now says, that the plague had been arrested
or ceased by means of the kind interposition of Phinehas. Some render the word
llp,
pillel, to pray; but the other rendering, to
execute
justice, is more in accordance with the
context; namely, that by his zeal in executing justice upon the profligates, he
turned away God's vengeance from the Israelites.
He stood
up therefore, that is, he rose up or
interposed, when all others maintained a careless indifference. As the Jews were
sensible that it was by the kind intervention of one man that the plague was now
healed, their obstinacy was the less excusable in not even then ceasing to sin.
We must not forget that all these things are addressed to us. For when God from
time to time chastises us, and calls upon us to repent by setting before us the
example of others, how few profit by his corrections! Moreover, it deserves to
be noticed, that the plague ceased at the very time when Phinehas executed
justice. From this we may learn, that the most effectual way to quench the fire
of God's anger, is when the sinner willingly sits in judgment upon himself for
the punishment of his own transgressions; as Paul says,
<461131>1
Corinthians 11:31,
"If we would
judge ourselves, verily we would not be judged of the
Lord."
And surely God confers no small honor
upon us, in placing the punishment of our sins within our reach. At the same
time, it must be observed, that on that occasion the plague ceased in
consequence of the punishment of a single person, because the people then shrunk
from the abominable wickedness to which they had been
addicted.
31.
And that deed was
imputed. The prophet, in thus praising
one individual, heaps reproach upon the whole body of the people. For we infer
from this token of approbation with which the Holy Spirit condescended to stamp
the excellent action of Phinehas, how very base their conduct must have been.
Neither was this honor reserved for him alone, but his posterity were to enjoy
it throughout their succeeding generations. In order, therefore, to cast the
greater reproach upon the people, Phinehas alone is contrasted with them. Some
may be disposed to inquire, how the zeal of a single individual, overstepping
the boundaries
fd261 of his calling, taking a sword and
executing justice, could be approved of God? For it would seem, as if he had
ventured upon this action without due consideration. I answer, that the saints
have sometimes been under peculiar and extraordinary impulses, which ought not
to be estimated by the ordinary standard of actions. When Moses slew the
Egyptian,
(<020212>Exodus
2:12) though not yet called by God to be the deliverer of Israel, and while he
was not yet invested with the power of the sword, it is certain, that he was
moved by the invisible and internal impulse of God to undertake that deed.
Phinehas was moved by a similar impulse. No one indeed imagined that he was
armed with the sword of God, yet he was conscious to himself of being moved by a
heavenly influence in this matter. And hence it is to be observed, that the
common mode and order of calling which God adopts, does not prevent him,
whenever it seems proper, to stir up his elect by the secret influence of the
Spirit to the performance of praiseworthy
deeds.
But a more difficult question still
remains, How that one action could be imputed to Phinehas for righteousness?
fd262 Paul proves that men are justified by
faith alone, because it is written,
"Abraham believed
God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness,"
<450403>Romans
4:3
In
<011506>Genesis
15:6, Moses employs the same word. If the same thing may be said respecting
works, the reasoning of Paul will be not only feeble, but frivolous. First of
all, let us examine, whether or not Phinehas was justified on account of this
deed alone. Verily the law, though it could justify, by no means promises
salvation to any one work, but makes justification to consist in the perfect
observance of all the commandments. It remains, therefore, that we affirm, that
the work of Phinehas was imputed to him for righteousness, in the same way as
God imputes the works of the faithful to them for righteousness, not in
consequence of any intrinsic merit which they possess, but of his own free and
unmerited grace. And as it thus appears, that the perfect observance of the law
alone (which is done no where) constitutes righteousness, all men must prostrate
themselves with confusion of face before God's judgment-seat. Besides, were our
works strictly examined, they would be found to be mingled with much
imperfection. We have, therefore, no other source than to flee for refuge to the
free unmerited mercy of God. And not only do we receive righteousness by grace
through faith, but as the moon borrows her light from the sun, so does the same
faith render our works righteous, because our corruptions being mortified, they
are reckoned to us for righteousness. In short, faith alone, and not human
merit, procures both for persons and for works the character of righteousness. I
now return to Paul. And it is not from a single expression, that he argues that
we are justified freely, and by faith only, but he assumes higher principles, to
which I lately referred, that all men are destitute of righteousness, until God
reconcile them to himself by the blood of Christ; and that faith is the means by
which pardon and reconciliation are obtained, because justification by works is
no where to be obtained. Hence he very properly concludes, that we are justified
by faith alone. But righteousness by works is as it were subordinate (as they
say) to the righteousness just mentioned, while works possess no value in
themselves, excepting, and as far as, out of pure benevolence, God imputes them
to us for righteousness.
Psalm
106:32-39
32. And they provoked him
to anger at the waters of strife
fd263, and it turned out ill to Moses on
their account: 33. For they grieved his spirit,
fd264 so that he spake with his lips.
34. They did not destroy the nations whom Jehovah had commanded them:
35. But were mingled with
fd265 the heathen, and learned their works.
36. And served their idols: which were the occasion of their overthrow.
37. And sacrificed their sons and daughters unto devils, 38. And
they shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and their daughters whom they
sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was defiled with blood. 39.
And they were polluted with their own works, and went a whoring after their
own inventions.
fd266
32.
And they provoked him. The prophet
mentions another offense of which they were guilty, in that, they contended with
God at the waters of strife, from which circumstance that place derived its
name. The clamor was, it is true, raised directly against Moses, but if we
examine the matter properly, we will find that they virtually murmured against
God himself. And to point out the aggravation of their offense, he says that
Moses was hardly dealt with on their account. From this it may be inferred that
their transgression was very heinous, in that God did not spare even his own
servant, whom he had chosen in preference to all others. We do not deny that
Moses deserved that punishment; but if we search for the origin of the trespass,
we will find that it was the sin of the people that was visited upon him. If
Moses was prevented from entering the land of Canaan, because through the
influence of the sin of others, and in opposition to the convictions of his own
mind, he had been hurried on to the commission of iniquity, how much more
inexcusable is the impiety of that people who deliberately strove with God, and
by their folly and fretfulness, brought in Moses for a share of their
guilt?
33.
For they grieved his
spirit. The verb
hrm,
marah, properly signifies to vex or irritate, but as it is
here put in what the Hebrews call the Hiphil conjugation, some are of opinion
that it is to be understood passively, to denote that it was the people who were
the occasion of the rebellion; which interpretation does not appear to me to be
very objectionable. I cannot, however, agree with those who would have the
particle
ta,
eth, to be a sign of what is denominated the dative case, as if Moses
might be said to have rebelled against the Spirit of God. Had he done so, then
assuredly the prophet would not have spoken so severely of the sin and folly
into which he had inadvertently fallen. The meaning which I have already given
answers very well, That the prime movers of the rebellion must have committed a
very heinous offense, seeing that Moses, who had been pushed on by the
impetuosity of the people to sin, was so severely dealt with by God. But while
the prophet informs us that Moses was punished on the people's account, he is
not to be understood as saying that he was altogether blameless. For even
admitting that his spirit was ruffled in consequence of the tumult of the
people, this ought to have made him the more careful to continue steadfast in
his adherence to the Law of God. He adds, that
he spoke with his
lips; and this I take to refer to Moses,
there being no ground for the conjecture that it refers to the punishment which
God expressly denounced against Moses. It is more likely that these words were
intended by the prophet to express how greatly the spirit of Moses was agitated
when he openly murmured against God. The prophet, therefore, informs us that the
submissive and gentle spirit of Moses was fanned, as it were, into a breeze by
the perverseness of the people, so that even he spake un-advisedly, saying, "Can
God give you water out of the rock?"
(<042010>Numbers
20:10) For such was the indignation which he felt burning within him, that he
could not calmly wait for the commandment of God to smite the
rock.
34.
They did not destroy the
nations. It appears to me that those
persons are mistaken who think that the prophet is here simply giving a relation
of the punishment which was inflicted upon the Jews, as if he were imputing to
them the entire blame of not exterminating the nations, in consequence of their
not deserving the honor of obtaining any more victories over them. But he rather
prefers another charge against them, that they had been remiss in driving out
the heathen, or more probably that they had not obeyed the Divine command to
root them out of the land. Now that the cup of the iniquity of the Amorites was
full, it was the purpose of God that they should be exterminated, lest their
society might prove injurious to the holy people. For God, having chosen that
land for a habitation to himself, intended that it should be holy and purified
from all defilement. In refusing, therefore, to execute the vengeance enjoined
upon them, the people showed their willingness to associate with the
uncircumcised inhabitants of Canaan. In manifesting such indifference about
God's command respecting the driving out these nations, they gave just cause for
his anger waxing hot against them. Behold, saith he, I have commanded all these
nations to be cut off by the sword; and now, because ye have not obeyed my
voice,
"they shall be pricks in
your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye
dwell,"
<043355>Numbers
33:55
The not destroying all these nations, but
permitting some of them to remain, might appear to be an act of mercy; but in
thus acting, the people were guilty of neglecting to execute God's righteous
vengeance upon them, and of leaving the land liable to be polluted with their
abominations. From these things it ought to be noticed, that there are two
extremes in which men are apt to indulge, either in being unnecessarily over
rigorous, or in defeating the ends of justice by too great lenity. We must,
therefore, adhere strictly to God's command, if we would desire to shun both
extremes. For if the Israelites are condemned for sparing some of these nations
wholly, what are we to think of those judges who, from a timid and apathetic
attention to the responsible duties of their office, exercise too much lenity to
a few persons, thus weakening the restraints of the inlets to vice, to the great
detriment of the public
weal?
35.
But were
mingled. He describes what was the
result of this foolish humanity; namely, that they were defiled with the
pollutions of the nations whom they had spared. Had they exclusively inhabited
the land of Canaan, they would have more easily retained the pure worship of
God. Allured by the influence of such neighbors, it is not wonderful that they
soon degenerated from the footsteps of their fathers, for we are more inclined
to follow the example of the bad than of the good. And now he speaks of the
descendants of those who had so frequently provoked God's anger in the
wilderness, and declares, that as the same unbelief, rebellion, and ingratitude,
were rampant in the succeeding race, they were no better than their
fathers.
In mingling with the heathens they
openly rejected the distinguishing loving-kindness of God, who adopted them as
his children, under the express condition that they should be separated from
these profane nations. Therefore, in associating with them indiscriminately,
they render this holy covenant of no effect. When he adds,
that they learned their
works, he warns us, that nothing is more
dangerous than associating with the ungodly; because, being more prone to follow
vice than virtue, it cannot but be, that the more conversant we are with
corruption, the more widely will it spread. In such circumstances, the utmost
care and caution are requisite, lest the wicked, with whom we come into contact,
infect us by their vitiated morals; and particularly where there is danger of
relapsing into idolatry, to which we are all naturally prone. What, then, will
be the effect produced upon us when instigated by others to commit sin, but to
add sin to sin?
fd267 The prophet, therefore, declares that
the Jews were already so much under the tuition of the heathen as to abandon
themselves to the practice of their idolatrous rites. In employing the word
to
serve, he confutes the contemptible
evasion of the Papists, who pretend that they do not give to images the worship
that is due to God alone, but only a sort of honorary adoration.
fd268 But if the worshipping of images be
lawful, the prophet had no sufficient cause to condemn his own nation for
serving strange gods. Despicable, therefore, is the distinction, that Divine
homage is to be paid to God alone, and that a kind of honorary adoration is to
be given to images. He adds, that this
issued in their
overthrow, in order that their obstinate
attachment to their follies, and their despising the chastisements of God, may
more palpably
appear.
37.
And they sacrificed. The prophet here
mentions one species of superstition which demonstrates the awful blindness of
the people; their not hesitating to sacrifice their sons and daughters to
devils.
fd269In applying such an abominable
designation to the sin of the people, he means to exhibit it in more hateful
colors. From this we learn that inconsiderate zeal is a flimsy pretext in favor
of any act of devotion. For by how much the Jews were under the influence of
burning zeal, by so much does the prophet convict them with being guilty of
greater wickedness; because their madness carried them away to such a pitch of
enthusiasm, that they did not spare even their own offspring. Were good
intentions meritorious, as idolaters suppose, then indeed the laying aside of
all natural affection in sacrificing their own children was a deed deserving of
the highest praise. But when men act under the impulse of their own capricious
humor, the more they occupy themselves with acts of external worship, the more
do they increase their guilt. For what difference was there between Abraham and
those persons of whom the prophet makes mention, but that the former, under the
influence of faith, was ready to offer up his son, while the latter, carried
away by the impulse of intemperate zeal, cast off all natural affection, and
imbrued their hands in the blood of their own
offspring.
38.
And they
shed. He inveighs with still greater
indignation against that religious phrensy which led them to sacrifice their own
children, and thus to pollute the land by the shedding of innocent blood. Should
any one object that Abraham is praised, because he did not withhold his only
son, the answer is plain, That he did it in obedience to God's command, so that
every vestige of inhumanity was effaced by means of the purity of faith. For if
obedience is better than sacrifice,
(<091522>1
Samuel 15:22) it is the best rule both for morality and religion. It is an awful
manifestation of God's vindictive wrath, when the superstitious heathens, left
to their own inventions, become hardened in deeds of horrid cruelty. As often as
the martyrs put their life in jeopardy in defense of the truth, the incense of
such a sacrifice is pleasing to God. But when the two Romans, by name Decii,
fd270 in an execrable manner devoted
themselves unto death, that was an act of atrocious impiety. It is not without
just cause, therefore, that the prophet enhances the guilt of the people by this
consideration, that to the perverse mode of worshipping God, they had added
excessive cruelty. Nor is there less cause for charging them with having
polluted that land out of which God had commanded them to expel the ancient
inhabitants, in order that he might render it the peculiar scene where he was to
be worshipped. The Israelites then were doubly wicked, who, by not only defiling
the land with their idolatry, but also by cruelly butchering their children,
robbed God of his due, and in a manner frustrated his
designs.
39.
And they were polluted with their own works.
He now concludes by stating generally, that the Jews, in adopting the
abominable practices of the heathen, were become wholly filthy; because in all
the devices of men there is nothing else than impurity. He denominates as the
works of
men all the false worship which they
devise without the Divine sanction; as if he should say, that the holiness,
which is truly connected with the worship of God, comes from his word, and that
all human inventions and admixtures in religion are profane, and tend to corrupt
the service of God. Doubtless it was the intention of the Israelites to serve
God, but the Holy Spirit declares that all the fruit of their burning zeal was
their becoming more abominable in God's sight by their lewd inventions. For a
strict adherence to the word of God constitutes spiritual
chastity.
Psalm
106:40-46
40. And the wrath of
Jehovah waxed hot against his people, and he abhorred his own inheritance:
41. And he delivered them into the hands of the heathen; and their
enemies ruled over them. 42. And their adversaries subdued them, and they
were afflicted under their hand. 43. Many times he delivered them; and
they provoked him with their counsel, and were oppressed by their iniquity.
44. And he saw when they were in straits, in that he heard their cry:
45. And he remembered his covenant towards them, and it repented him
according to the greatness of his mercies. 46. And he made them to find
pity from those who had carried them away
captive.
40.
And the wrath of Jehovah waxed
hot. The severity of the punishment
inflicted upon the people confirms the truth of what we formerly said, that they
had been guilty of no trivial offense, in presuming to corrupt the worship of
God. And they themselves showed how hopeless their reformation was, in that all
this as yet failed to bring them truly to repent of their sin. That the people,
who were God's sacred and chosen heritage, were delivered up to the abominations
of the heathen, who themselves were the slaves of the devil, was an awful
manifestation of his vindictive wrath. Then, at least, ought they to have held
in abhorrence their own wickedness, by which they had been precipitated into
such direful calamities. In saying,
that they were subdued and
afflicted by their enemies, the prophet
points out, in a still more astonishing manner, the baseness of their conduct.
Reduced to a state of bondage and oppression, their folly appears the more
disgraceful, in that they were not truly and heartily humbled under God's
almighty hand. For prior to this, they had been warned by Moses, that they had
not casually fallen into that bondage so galling to them, neither had it
happened by the valor of their enemies, but because they were given over, and,
as it were, sold to it by God himself. That those who had refused to bear his
yoke, should be delivered up to tyrants to harass and oppress them, and that
those who would not endure to be ruled by God's paternal sway, should be subdued
by their enemies, to be trodden under their feet, is a striking example of God's
retributive justice.
43.
Many
times. As the wicked perversity of the
people was manifested in that God's severe chastisements failed to produce their
reformation, so now, on the other hand, the prophet deduces the detestable
hardness of their hearts from the fact, that all the benefits which they had
received from God could not bend them into obedience. They did, indeed, in the
time of their afflictions, groan under the burden of them; but when God not only
mitigated their punishment, but also granted them wonderful deliverances, can
their subsequent backsliding be excused? It becomes us to bear in mind, that
here, as in a glass, we have a picture of the nature of all mankind; for let God
but adopt those very means which he employed in relation to the Israelites, in
order to reclaim the majority of the sons of men, how comparatively few are
there who will not be found continuing in the very same state as they were? And
if he either humble us by the severity of his rod, or melt us by his kindness,
the effect is only temporary; because, though he visit us with correction upon
correction, and heap kindness upon kindness, yet we very soon relapse into our
wonted vicious practices. As for the Jews, their insensate stupidity was
insufferable, in that, notwithstanding the many and magnificent deliverances
which God wrought out for them, they did not cease from their backslidings. For
the Psalmist says, that they,
nevertheless, provoked God with their wicked
inventions. Then he declares that they
received a just recompense of reward in being oppressed by their iniquity.
Moreover, he informs us, that though they were most deserving of all their
afflictions, yet their groanings were heard; whence we learn, that God, in his
unwearied kindness, did not cease to strive with them on account of their
perverseness of spirit.
For what pity was this,
to hear the cry of those who turned a deaf ear to his wise instructions, and
were regardless of all his warnings and threatenings? And yet after all this
forbearance and long-suffering, their exceedingly depraved hearts remained
unchanged.
45.
And he remembered. God's being mindful
of his covenant is here assigned as the cause of his great mercy and
long-suffering. In that covenant, he not only declares that there is a gracious
pardon for transgressions, but he also adverts to the perverse blindness of
those who were not brought back by such remedies to the covenant, in which they
were well aware that their safety was placed. But above all, he charges them
with ingratitude; because, when deserving to perish, they did not acknowledge
that they were indebted to the mercy of God alone for their preservation. This
observation is strengthened by the next clause of the verse, in which he says
that God had spared them
according to the greatness of his
mercies. For the greatness of the
punishment which their sins deserved, may be inferred from the great treasures
of his loving-kindness, which God had to open in order to procure their
redemption. The word to
repent
expresses no change in God, but only in the mode of administering his
corrections. It may seem as if God altered his purpose, when he mitigates
punishment, or withdraws his hand from executing his judgments. The Scripture,
however, accommodating itself to our weak and limited capacity, speaks only
after the manner of
men.
46.
And he made them to find pity. As he had
above said, that the Jews had been delivered into the hands of their enemies,
because God's anger was, as it were, arms to their adversaries to subdue them;
so now he says, that the same God had softened the hearts of these very enemies,
who, by terrible means, and with great cruelty, had executed his vengeance upon
them. As, then, the hearts of all men are entirely under God's control, to
harden or to soften them according to his sovereign pleasure, so, while his
anger was kindled against his people, their enemies were at the same time also
inflamed with implacable resentment towards them. But the moment his anger was
appeased, the fire which issued from the furnace of his judgment was
extinguished, and the cruelty of their enemies was changed into mercy. And that
enemies, cruel and barbarous, should begin to love and pity those whom they
formerly hated, was a change so astonishing as to be incredible, had they not,
in the kind providence of God, from wolves been transformed into
lambs.
Psalm
106:47-48
47. Save us, O Jehovah our
God! and gather us from among the heathen, to praise thy holy name, and to glory
in thy praise. 48. Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, for ever and
ever; and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye Jehovah.
fd271
47.
Save us, Jehovah our
God! From the conclusion of the psalm,
it is evident, that it was composed during the sad and calamitous dispersion of
the people. And although subsequent to the times of Haggai and Malachi, no
famous prophets appeared among the people, it is nevertheless probable that some
of the priests were endued with the spirit of prophecy, in order that they might
direct them to the source whence they might receive all needful consolation. It
is my opinion, that after they were dispersed by the tyranny of Antiochus, this
form of prayer was adapted to the exigency of their existing circumstances, in
which the people, by reflecting upon their former history, might acknowledge
that their fathers had, in ways innumerable, provoked God to wrath, since the
time he had delivered them. For it was needful for them to be completely
humbled, to prevent them from murmuring against God's dispensations. And seeing
that God had extended pardon to their fathers though undeserving of it, that was
calculated to inspire them hereafter with the hope of forgiveness, provided they
carefully and cordially sought to be reconciled to him; and especially is this
the case, because there is here a solemn remembrance of the covenant, through
the faith of which they might draw near to God, though his anger was not yet
turned away. Besides, as God had chosen them to be his peculiar people, they
call upon him to collect into one body the dissevered and bleeding members,
according to the prediction of
Moses,
"If any of thine be driven
out unto the utmost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God gather
thee, and from thence will he fetch thee,"
<053004>Deuteronomy
30:4
This prediction was at length accomplished,
when the widely separated multitude were gathered together, and grew up in the
unity of the faith. For although that people never regained their earthly
kingdom and polity, yet their being grafted into the body of Christ, was a more
preferable gathering together. Wherever they were, they were united to each
other, and also to the Gentile converts, by the holy and spiritual bond of
faith, so that they constituted but one Church, extending itself over the whole
earth. They subjoin the end contemplated by their redemption from captivity,
namely, that they might celebrate the name of God, and employ themselves
continually in his praises.
48.
Blessed be Jehovah, the God of
Israel. The prophet here regulates the
prayers and desires of the people in such a way, as that, amid their grievous
oppression, the dejected captives may not cease to render thanks to God; and
this is a matter which must be carefully attended to, because, when borne down
by adversity, there is scarcely one among a hundred, who, with composure of
spirit, draws near to God; but, on the contrary, he betrays the pride of his
heart by the careless and insipid manner in which he prays, or in pouring out
complaints about his afflicted condition. But the only way in which we can
expect God to lend a favorable ear to the voice of our supplications is, in the
spirit of meekness to submit to his corrections, and patiently to bear the cross
which he is pleased to lay upon us. It is with great propriety then, that the
prophet exhorts the afflicted captives to bless God, even when he was chastising
them with considerable severity. It is to the same purpose that it is added,
let the people say,
Amen; as if he were commanding them all
to consent to the praises of God, though both privately and publicly they were
overwhelmed in a sea of troubles.
PSALM
107
The Psalmist teaches us, in the first place, that
human affairs are not regulated by the fickle and uncertain wheel of fortune,
but that we must observe the judgments of God in the different vicissitudes
which occur in the world, and which men imagine happen by chance. Consequently,
adversity and all the ills which mankind endure, as shipwrecks, famines,
banishments, diseases, and disasters in war, are to be regarded as so many
tokens of God's displeasure, by which he summons them, on account of their sins,
before his judicial throne. But prosperity, and the happy issue of events, ought
also to be attributed to his grace, in order that he may always receive the
praise which he deserves, that of being a merciful Father, and an impartial
Judge. About the close of the psalm, he inveighs against those ungodly men who
will not acknowledge God's hand, amid such palpable demonstrations of his
providence.
fd272
Psalm
107:1-9
1. Praise Jehovah, because
he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever. 2. Let the redeemed of
Jehovah say this,
fd273 whom he hath redeemed out of the hand
of the afflicted.
fd274 3. Whom he hath gathered out of
the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
fd275
4. They wandered from the way in the
solitary desert,
fd276 they did not find a city of habitation.
5. Both hungry and thirsty, so that their soul fainted within them.
6. In their straits they called upon Jehovah, and he delivered them from
all their afflictions. 7. And he directed them by a right way, that they
might come to a city of habitation. 8. Let them praise the mercy of
Jehovah in his prescience, and his marvelous works in the presence of the sons
of men. 9. Because he hath satisfied the longing soul, and hath filled
the hungry soul with
goodness.
1.
Praise
Jehovah. We have already explained this
verse, for it formed the commencement of the preceding psalm. And it appears
that it was not only frequently used among the Jews, but also so incorporated
with other psalms, that when one part of the chorus on the one side was singing
a portion of the psalm, the other part of the chorus on the opposite side in its
turn, after each succeeding verse, responded,
Praise Jehovah, because he is
good, etc. The penman of this psalm,
whoever he was, has, instead of the ordinary preface, inserted this beautiful
sentiment, in which praise and thanksgiving to God were so frequently expressed
by the Israelitish Church. Immediately he proceeds to speak more particularly.
And first, he exhorts those to offer up a tribute of gratitude to God; who,
after having been delivered from slavery and imprisonment, and after a long and
painful journey, arrived in safety at their place of abode. These he
calls the redeemed of
God; because, in wandering through the
trackless desert, and howling wilderness, they many a time would have been
prevented from returning home, had not God, as it were, with his outstretched
hand, appeared as their guard and their guide. He does not here refer to
travelers indiscriminately, but to such as either by hostile power, or by any
other kind of violence, or by stern necessity, having been banished to distant
regions, felt themselves to be in the midst of imminent dangers; or it may be,
that he refers to those who had been made prisoners by enemies, pirates, or
other robbers. He reminds them that it was by no casual occurrence that they had
been driven about in that manner, and had been brought back to their native
country, but that all their wanderings had been under the superintending
providence of God.
But the second verse might be
conjoined with the first, as if the prophet were commanding the persons whom he
was addressing to sing this celebrated ode. It may with equal propriety be read
by itself thus: Let the redeemed of Jehovah, who have returned from captivity to
their own land, come forth now, and take part in the celebration of God's
praises, and let them publish his loving-kindness which they have experienced in
their deliverance. Among the Jews, who had occasion to undertake extensive
journeys, such occurrences as these were very common; because they could hardly
leave their own land, without from all quarters encountering ways rugged, and
difficult, and perilous; and the same observation is equally applicable to
mankind in general. He reminds them how often they wandered and turned aside
from the right way, and found no place of shelter; a thing by no means rare in
these lonely deserts. Were a person to enter a forest without any knowledge of
the proper direction, he would, in the course of his wandering, be in danger of
becoming the prey of lions and wolves. He has, however, particularly in his eye
those who, finding themselves unexpectedly in desert places, are also in danger
of perishing for hunger and thirst. For it is certain that such persons are
hourly in hazard of death, unless the Lord come to their
rescue.
6.
In their straits they called upon Jehovah.
The verbs are here in the past tense, and according to grammarians,
represent a continued action. The meaning therefore is, that those who are
wandering in desert places are often pinched with hunger and thirst in
consequence of finding no place in which to lodge; and who, when all hope of
deliverance fails them, then cry unto God. Doubtless, God grants deliverance to
many when in straits, even though they do not present their supplications to Him
for aid; and hence it was not so much the design of the prophet in this passage
to extol the faith of the pious, who call upon God with all their heart, as to
describe the common feelings of humanity. There may be not a few whose hope does
not center on God, who, nevertheless, are constrained, by some invisible
disposition of mind, to come to Him, when under the pressure of dire necessity.
And this is the plan which God sometimes pursues, in order to extort from such
persons the acknowledgement that deliverance is to be sought for from no other
quarter than from Himself alone; and even the ungodly, who, while living
voluptuously, scoff at Him, he constrains, in spite of themselves, to invoke his
name. It has been customary in all ages for heathens, who look upon religion as
a fable, when compelled by stern necessity, to call upon God for help. Did they
do so in jest? By no means; it was by a secret natural instinct that they were
led to reverence God's name, which formerly they held in derision. The Spirit of
God, therefore, in my opinion, here narrates what frequently takes place,
namely, that persons destitute of piety and faith, and who have no desire to
have any thing to do with God, if placed in perilous circumstances, are
constrained by natural instinct, and without any proper conception of what they
are doing, to call on the name of God. Since it is only in dubious and desperate
cases that they betake themselves to God, this acknowledgement which they make
of their helplessness is a palpable proof of their stupidity, that in the season
of peace and tranquillity they neglect him, so much are they then under the
intoxicating influence of their own prosperity; and notwithstanding that the
germ of piety is planted in their hearts, they nevertheless never dream of
learning wisdom, unless when driven by the dint of adversity; I mean, to learn
the wisdom of acknowledging that there is a God in heaven who directs every
event. It is unnecessary to allude here to the sarcastic retort of the ancient
buffoon, who, on entering a temple, and beholding a number of tablets which
several merchants had suspended there as memorials of their having escaped
shipwreck, through the kind interposition of the gods, smartly and facetiously
remarked, "But the deaths of those who have been drowned are not enumerated, the
number of which is innumerable." Perhaps he might have some just cause for
scoffing in this manner at such idols. But even if a hundredfold more were
drowned in the sea than safely reach the harbour, this does not in the least
degree detract from the glory of the goodness of God, who, while he is merciful,
is at the same time also just, so that the dispensing of the one does not
interfere with the exercise of the other. The same observation applies to
travelers that stray from the path, and wander up and down in the desert. If
many of them perish for hunger and thirst, if many are devoured by wild animals,
if many die from cold, these are nothing else than so many tokens of the
judgments of God, which he designs for our consideration. From which we infer
that the same thing would happen to all men, were it not the will of God to save
a portion of them; and thus interposing as a judge between them, he preserves
some for the sake of showing his mercy, and pours out his judgments upon others
to declare his justice. The prophet, therefore, very properly adds, that by the
hand of God they were led into the
right way, where they may find a
suitable place for lodging; and
consequently he exhorts them to render thanks to God for this manifestation of
his goodness. And with the view of enhancing the loving-kindness of God, he
connects his wondrous
works with his mercy; as if he should
say, in this kind interposition, God's grace is too manifest, either to be
unperceived or unacknowledged by all; and for those who have been the subjects
of such a remarkable deliverance, to remain silent regarding it, would be
nothing less than an impious attempt to suppress the wonderful doings of God, an
attempt equally vain with that of endeavoring to trample under their feet the
light of the sun. For what else can be said of us, seeing that our natural
instinct drives us to God for help, when we are in perplexity and peril; and
when, after being rescued, we forthwith forget him, who will deny that his glory
is, as it were, obscured by our wickedness and
ingratitude?
Psalm
107:10-16
10. They who dwell in
darkness, and in the shadow of death, being bound in trouble and iron; 11.
Because they rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of
the Most High: 12. When he humbled their heart with affliction; they were
brought low, and there was none to help them. 13. In their affliction
they cried to Jehovah, and he delivered them from their tribulations. 14.
He rescued them from darkness and from the shadow of death, and broke off
their chains. 15. Let them praise the mercy of Jehovah in his presence,
and his marvelous works in the presence of the sons of men. 16. Because
he hath broken the brazen gates, and dashed in pieces the iron bars.
fd277
10.
They who dwell in
darkness. The Spirit of God makes
mention here of another species of danger in which God manifestly discovers his
power and grace in the protecting and delivering of men. The world, as I said,
calls these vicissitudes the sport of fortune; and hardly one among a hundred
can be found who ascribes them to the superintending providence of God. It is a
very different kind of practical wisdom which God expects at our hands; namely,
that we ought to meditate on his judgments in the time of adversity, and on his
goodness in delivering us from it. For surely it is not by mere chance that a
person falls into the hands of enemies or robbers; neither is it by chance that
he is rescued from them. But this is what we must constantly keep in view, that
all afflictions are God's rod, and that therefore there is no remedy for them
elsewhere than in his grace. If a person fall into the hands of robbers or
pirates, and be not instantly murdered, but, giving up all hope of life, expects
death every moment; surely the deliverance of such a one is a striking proof of
the grace of God, which shines the more illustriously in proportion to the
fewness of the number who make their escape. Thus, then, should a great number
perish, this circumstance ought by no means to diminish the praises of God. On
this account the prophet charges all those with ingratitude, who, after they
have been wonderfully preserved, very soon lose sight of the deliverance thus
vouchsafed to them. And, to strengthen the charge, he brings forward, as a
testimony against them, their sighs and cries. For when they are in straits,
they confess in good earnest that God is their deliverer; how happens it, then,
that this confession disappears when they are enjoying peace and
quietness?
11.
Because they
rebelled. In assigning the cause of
their afflictions he corrects the false impressions of those persons who imagine
that these happen by chance. Were they to reflect on the judgments of God, they
would at once perceive that there was nothing like chance or fortune in the
government of the world. Moreover, until men are persuaded that all their
troubles come upon them by the appointment of God, it will never come into their
minds to supplicate him for deliverance. Farther, when the prophet assigns the
reason for their afflictions, he is not to be regarded as speaking of those
persons as if they were notoriously wicked, but he is to be considered as
calling upon the afflicted carefully to examine some particular parts of their
life, and although no one accuse them, to look into their hearts, where they
will always discover the true origin of all the miseries which overtake them.
Nor does he only charge them with having merely sinned, but with having rebelled
against the word of God, thus intimating that the best and only regulation for
our lives consists in yielding a prompt obedience to his commandments. When,
therefore, sheer necessity compels those who are in this manner convicted to cry
unto God, they must be insensate indeed, if they do not acknowledge that the
deliverance which, contrary to their expectation, they receive, comes
immediately from God. For brazen gates and iron bars are spoken of for the
purpose of enhancing the benefit; as if he said, the chains of perpetual slavery
have been broken asunder.
Psalm
107:17-22
17. Fools are afflicted on
account of the way of their transgression, and by reason of their iniquities.
18. Their soul loatheth all food;
fd278 and they approach the gates of death.
19. Then they cry unto Jehovah in their tribulation; He saves them from
their straits. 20. He sendeth his word, and healeth them, and rescues
them from all their corruptions.
fd279 21. Let them praise the mercy of
Jehovah in his presence, and his marvelous works in the presence of the sons of
men. 22. And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of praise, and declare his
works with
rejoicings.
17.
Fools are afflicted on account of the way of their
transgression. He comes to another
species of chastisement. For as he observed above, that those were given over to
captivity who refused to yield obedience to God, so now he teaches that others
have been visited by God with disease, as the fruit of their transgressions. And
when the transgressor shall find that it is God who is administering correction
to him, this will pave the way for his arriving at the knowledge of his
grace.
He denominates those
fools,
who, thoughtlessly giving themselves up to sensuality, bring destruction
upon themselves. The sin which they commit is not the result of ignorance and
error only, but of their carnal affections, which depriving them of proper
understanding, cause them to devise things detrimental to themselves. The maxim,
that the fear of God is wisdom, must never be lost sight of. Hence it plainly
follows, that they who shake off the yoke of God, and surrender themselves to
Satan and sin, are the victims of their own folly and fury. And as constituting
a principal ingredient of this madness, the prophet employs the term deletion
or
transgression;
and subsequently he adds
iniquities;
because it happens that when once a man departs from God, from that moment
he loses all self-control, and falls from one sin into another. But it is not of
the distempers which commonly prevail in the world to which a reference is made
in this passage, but to those which are deemed fatal, and in which all hope of
life is abandoned, so that the grace of God becomes the more conspicuous when
deliverance from them is obtained. When a man recovers from a slight
indisposition, he does not so plainly discern the effects of God's power, as
when it is put forth in a wonderful and notable manner to bring back some from
the gates of death, and restores them to their wonted health and rigour. He
says, therefore, that they are preserved from many corruptions, which is
equivalent to his saying, that they are delivered from as many deaths. To this
purport are the following words of the prophet, in which he says,
that they approach the gates of
death, and that they loathe all food. We
have already adverted to their calling upon God, namely, that when men are
reduced to the greatest straits, they, by thus calling upon God for aid,
acknowledge that they would be undone unless he wonderfully interposed for their
deliverance.
20.
He sendeth his
word. Again, in saying that they are
delivered from destruction, the prophet shows that he is here alluding to those
diseases which, in the opinion of men, are incurable, and from which few are
delivered. Besides, he contrasts God's assistance with all the remedies which
are in the power of man to apply; as if he should say, that their disease having
baffled the skill of earthly physicians, their recovery has been entirely owing
to the exertion of God's power. It is proper also to notice the manner in which
their recovery is effected; God has but to will it, or to speak the word, and
instantly all diseases, and even death itself, are expelled. I do not regard
this as exclusively referring to the faithful, as many expositors do. I own,
indeed, that it is of comparatively little consequence to us to be the subjects
of bodily care, if our souls still remain unsanctified by the word of God; and
hence it is the intention of the prophet that we consider the mercy of God as
extending to the evil and unthankful. The meaning of the passage, therefore, is,
that diseases neither come upon us by chance, nor are to be ascribed to natural
causes alone, but are to be viewed as God's messengers executing his commands;
so that we must believe that the same person that sent them can easily remove
them, and for this purpose he has only to speak the word. And since we now
perceive the drift of the passage, we ought to attend to the very appropriate
analogy contained in it. Corporeal maladies are not removed except by the word
or command of God, much less are men's souls restored to the enjoyment of
spiritual life, except this word be apprehended by
faith.
And let them
sacrifice. This clause is subjoined by
way of explanation, the more strongly to express how God is robbed of his due,
if in the matter of sacrifice his providence be not recognised. Even nature
itself teaches that some kind of homage and reverence is due to God; this is
acknowledged by the heathens themselves, who have no other instructor than
nature. We know too, that the practice of offering sacrifices has obtained among
all nations; and doubtless it was by the observance of this ritual, that God
designed to preserve in the human family some sense of piety and religion. To
acknowledge the bounty and beneficence of God, is the most acceptable sacrifice
which can be presented to him; to this subject, therefore, the prophet intends
to recall the attention of the insensate and indifferent portion of men. I do
not deny that there may be also an allusion to the ceremonial law; but inasmuch
as in the world at large sacrifices formed part of the religious exercises, he
charges those with ingratitude, who, after having escaped from some imminent
peril, forget to celebrate the praises of their Great
Deliverer.
Psalm
107:23-32
23. They
fd280 that go down to the sea in ships,
trading in the great waters, 24. See the works of Jehovah, his wonders in
the deep. 25. He speaks, and raiseth the stormy wind, and causeth the
billows thereof to mount on high. 26. They mount up to the heavens, they
descend into the deeps; their soul breaketh because of trouble. 27. They are
tossed and totter like a drunken man, and all their senses are overwhelmed.
fd281 And they cry to Jehovah in their
straits,
fd282 and he rescues them from their
troubles. 29. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are
still. 30. And they rejoice because they are calmed; and he brings them
to the coast which they desired. 31. Let them celebrate the mercy of
Jehovah in his presence, and his wonders among the sons of men; 32. And
let them exalt him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the
assembly of the elders.
fd283
23.
They that go down to the sea in
ships. Here we have another instance of
God's superintending care towards mankind pointed out to us by the prophet,
exemplified in the bringing of those who are shipwrecked to the harbour, and
this, too, as if he had raised them from the depth and darkness of the tomb, and
brought them to live in the light of day. I do not understand what is here said
about those who are accustomed to navigate the ocean
seeing the wonders of
God, as referring generally to the many
wonderful things with which it abounds. Such persons are well fitted to bear
testimony regarding the works of God, because they there behold more vast and
various wonders than are to be seen upon earth. But it appears to me preferable
to connect this with the subsequent context, where the prophet is his own
interpreter, and where he shows how suddenly God raises and calms the
tempest.
The sum of the matter is, that the
scope of the passage is to point out that the lives of those who navigate the
seas are often in great jeopardy by the storms which they encounter; because, as
often as the ocean heaves and is agitated, and the billows rise and rage, so
often does death stare them in the face. But he furnishes us with a still more
vivid picture of the providence of God; for in telling us, that the sea does not
of its own accord rise into a tempest, he makes use of the verb,
he
speaks, intimating that the word and
providence of God make the winds blow, to agitate the sea. True, indeed, the
mariners imagine from certain phenomena, that a storm is approaching, but sudden
changes proceed only from the secret appointment of God. Therefore, he gives not
merely a historical narrative of the manner in which squalls and storms arise,
but, assuming the character of a teacher, begins with the cause itself, and then
directs to the imminent danger with which the tempest is fraught; or rather,
portrays, as in a picture, the image of death, in order that the goodness of God
may appear the more conspicuous when the tempest happily ceases without any loss
of life. They mount
up, says
he, to the heavens, they descend
into the deeps; as if he should say,
they mount up into the air, so that their life may be destroyed, and then they
tumble down towards the caverns of the ocean, where they may be drowned.
fd284 Next, he mentions the fears which
torment them, or rather which may deprive them of understanding; intimating by
these words, that however skilfully mariners may steer their vessels, they may
happen to be deprived of their senses; and being thus paralysed, they could not
avail themselves of aid, were it even at hand. For though they collect all their
tackling, cast their sounding line into the deep, and unfurl their sails to all
points, yet after making every attempt, and all human skill is baffled, they
give themselves up to the mercy of wind and wave. All hope of safety being cut
off, no farther means are employed by them. And now that all human aid fails,
they cry unto God for deliverance, which is a convincing evidence that they had
been as it were dead.
fd285
29.
He maketh the storm a
calm. A profane author, in narrating the
history of such an event, would have said, that the winds were hushed, and the
raging billows were calmed; but the Spirit of God, by this change of the storm
into a calm, places the providence of God as presiding over all; thereby
meaning, that it was not by human agency that this violent commotion of the sea
and wind, which threatened to subvert the frame of the world, was so suddenly
stilled. When, therefore, the sea is agitated, and boils up in terrific fury, as
if wave were contending with wave, whence is it that instantly it is calm and
peaceful, but that God restrains the raging of the billows, the contention of
which was so awful, and makes the bosom of the deep as smooth as a mirror?
fd286 Having spoken of their great terror, he
proceeds next to mention their
joy, so that their ingratitude may
appear the more striking, if they forget their remarkable deliverance. For they
are not in want of a monitor, having been abundantly instructed by the storm
itself, and by the calm which ensued, that their lives were in the hand and
under the protection of God. Moreover, he informs them that this is a species of
gratitude which deserves not only to be acknowledged privately, or to be
mentioned in the family, but that it should be praised and magnified in all
places, even in the great assemblies. He makes specific mention of
the
elders, intimating that the more wisdom
and experience a person has, the more capable is he of listening to, and being a
witness of, these praises.
Psalm
107:33-41
33. He turneth rivers into
a wilderness, and springs of water into dryness; 34. A fruitful land into
saltness,
fd287 because of the wickedness of those who
dwell in it. 35. He turneth the desert into a pool of water, and the land
of barrenness into springs of water. 36. And there he maketh the hungry
to dwell, that they may build a city of habitation; 37. And sow fields,
and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of the increase. 38. And he
blesses them, and they multiplied greatly; and he maketh not their cattle to
decrease. 39. Afterwards they are lessened and dejected, by reason of
anguish, misery, and sorrow. 40. He poureth contempt upon princes, and
maketh them to wander in a wilderness, where there is no way;
fd288 41. And he raiseth the afflicted
out of misery, and maketh him families like a
flock.
33.
He turneth rivers into a
wilderness. Here then is an account of
changes which it would be the height of folly to attribute to chance. Fruitful
lands become unfruitful, and barren lands assume the new aspect of freshness and
fruitfulness. And how happens it that one district becomes sterile, and another
becomes fat and fertile, contrary to what they were wont to be, but because that
God pours out his wrath upon the inhabitants of the one, by taking his blessing
from them, and renders the other fruitful to feed the hungry? It may be ascribed
to the thinness of the population, that many parts of Asia and Greece, once
exceedingly fruitful, now lie uncultivated and unproductive; but we must ascribe
to the providence of God, which the prophet praises, the well authenticated
fact, that in some places the earth that was fruitful has now become barren and
parched, while others are beginning to be
fertile.
It is, however, not sufficient merely
to observe, that these wonderful revolutions of the surface of the earth are the
result of God's overruling purpose, unless we also observe, in the second place,
what the prophet does not omit, that the earth is cursed by him on account of
the iniquity of its inhabitants, who prove themselves to be undeserving of being
so amply sustained by his bountiful hand. He has put
pools and springs of
water for fields or countries where
there is an abundance of water; because moisture is required to nourish the
plants by which fruit is produced. The term saltness is employed
metaphorically, inasmuch as there is nothing more sterile than salt; hence that
saying of Christ's,
"If the salt have lost
its saltness, what further purpose will it
serve?"
<410950>Mark
9:50
not even indeed for barrenness. And, consequently,
when men designed to doom any place to remain unproductive, they usually sowed
it with salt. And probably it is in allusion to this ancient custom, that the
prophet says that the land was covered with
salt.
35.
He turneth the desert into a pool
of water. This change, in contrast with
the former, places the miraculous power of God in a more luminous position.
Because, were the fields ceasing to be so productive as in former times, men of
the world, as was common of old, would attribute this to the frequent crops
which exhausted their productive power. But whence is it that parched grounds
become so fruitful, that one would almost say that the atmosphere, as well as
the nature of the soil, had undergone a change, unless it be that God hath there
put forth a wonderful display of his power and goodness? Wherefore, the prophet
very justly says, that the
deserts were turned into pools of
water, so that populous cities may rise
up in waste and uncultivated places, where once there was not a single cottage.
For it is as improbable that the nature of the soil is changed, as that the
course of the sun and stars is changed. The clause,
the hungry are
filled, may mean, either that they
themselves, after considerable privations, have got what may supply their need,
or that those poor persons, living in a country where they cannot longer find
daily bread, being constrained to leave it, and to seek a new place of abode,
are there bountifully supplied by God. I am rather disposed to think, that this
clause refers to what frequently occurs, namely, that the famishing, whose wants
the world refuses to supply, and who are expatriated, are comfortably
accommodated in these desert places, where God blesses them with abundance. The
passage which I have translated,
fruit of the increase, is, by not a few
Hebrew expositors, considered as a repetition of two synonymous terms, and are
for supplying a copulative conjunction, making it,
fruit and
increase. But it was rather the
intention of the prophet to refer to fruit yielded annually; as if he said, the
fertility of these regions is not temporary, or only for a few years, it is
perennial. For
twawbt,
tebuaoth, is the term which, in the Hebrew, denotes full-grown fruit
annually produced by the earth. And when he says, that the
new settlers sow and
plant, he gives us to understand, that,
prior to their arrival, cultivation was unknown in these places, and,
consequently, in becoming so unusually fertile, they assumed a totally different
aspect. And, in fine, he adds, that it was entirely owing to the Divine blessing
that those who were once oppressed with poverty and want are now daily
increasing in the good things of this
life.
39.
Afterwards they are
lessened. Ere I enter upon the
consideration of the truths contained in this verse, I must make some brief
verbal observations. Some make the word
rxw[,
otser, to signify tyranny, and certainly
rx[,
atsar, does signify to bear rule. But since it is used metaphorically
for anguish, it appears to me that this is the meaning which is most
accordant with the tenor of the passage. The last two words of the verse may be
read as in the nominative case, as I have rendered them, or in the genitive, the
anguish of misery and
sorrow. This lection appears to
me preferable, through the anguish of misery,
fd289 and through
sorrow.
We come now to notice shortly the
main things in the passage. And as we had formerly a description of the changes
which these districts underwent in relation to the nature of the soil, so now we
are informed that mankind do not for ever continue in the same condition;
because they both decrease in number, and lose their place and property by being
reduced by wars or by civil commotions, or by other casualties. Therefore,
whether they are wasted by the pestilence, or are defeated in battle, or are cut
off by intestine broils, it is manifest that both their rank and condition
undergo alteration. And what is the occasion of this change, but that God
withdraws his grace, which hitherto formed the hidden spring from which all
their prosperity issued? And as there are a thousand casualties by which cities
may be ruined, the prophet brings forward one species of change of all others
the most palpable and remarkable. And since God's hand is not observed in that
which relates to persons living in comparative obscurity, he brings into view
princes themselves, whose name and fame will not permit any memorable event
which befalls them to remain in obscurity. For it seems that the world is made
on their account. When God, therefore, hurls them from their lofty estate, then
men, aroused as it were from their slumber, are prepared to regard his
judgments. Here, too, the mode of address which is employed must be attended to;
in saying, that God poured
contempt upon princes, it is as if it
was his pleasure, so long as they retained their dignity, that honor and respect
should be paid to them. The words of Daniel are well known,
"O king, God hath put the
fear of thee in the very fowls of the heaven and the beasts of the earth,"
(<270208>Daniel
2:8)
And assuredly, though princes may clothe themselves
with power, yet that inward honor and majesty which God has conferred upon them,
is a greater safeguard than any human arm. Nor even would a single village hold
out for the space of three days, did not God, by his invisible and invincible
agency, put a restraint upon the hearts of men. Hence, whenever God renders
princes contemptible, their magnificent power must of necessity be subverted.
This is a fact corroborated by history, that mighty potentates, who have been
the terror and dread of the whole world, when once denuded of their dignity and
power, have become the sport even of their own dependants. And inasmuch as such
a striking revolution as this should be regarded as a wonderful display of God's
power, yet such is the obtuseness of our minds, that we will not acknowledge his
overruling providence. As a contrast to these reverses, the prophet afterwards
shows, that the poor and ignoble are exalted, and their houses increased, and
that those who were held in no estimation, suddenly increase in wealth and
power. In these things men would assuredly recognize the providence of God, were
it not that the perversity of their minds rendered them
insensate.
Psalm
107:42-43
42. The righteous shall
see that, and shall rejoice: and all iniquity
fd290 shall stop her mouth.
fd291 43. Whosoever is wise, so as to
observe these things, even they shall understand the loving-kindness of
Jehovah.
42.
The righteous shall see that,
and shall rejoice. The prophet now draws
the conclusion, that so many evident tokens of God's superintending and
overruling providence could not transpire before the righteous without
attracting their notice, and that their vision being illuminated by faith, these
scenes are contemplated by them with unfeigned delight; while the wicked remain
perplexed and mute. For he very judiciously makes a distinction between these
two classes of persons. In whatever manner the wicked may be constrained to
recognize God as the supreme ruler of the universe, nevertheless, in seeing they
see not, and derive nothing from the sight, except that their conduct is
rendered the more inexcusable. But the righteous are not only able to form a
good and sound judgment of these events, they also spontaneously open their eyes
to contemplate the equity, goodness, and wisdom of God, the sight and knowledge
of which are refreshing to them. For the joy which they experience in this
exercise is a pledge that their thus observing these things was the spontaneous
effusion of their hearts. With regard to the despisers of God, it is not meant
that they are so deeply impressed as truly to acknowledge that the world is
under his superintending care, but that they are merely so far kept in check as
not to presume to deny the existence of that providence as their natural
inclination would lead them to do; or, at least, that they meet with a vigorous
repulse whenever they attempt to speak in opposition to it. Although the
judgments of God are before their eyes, yet is their understanding so darkened,
that they cannot perceive the clear light. And this manner of speaking is more
energetic than if it had been said, that the wicked themselves are become mute.
In fact, they do not cease from murmuring against God's dispensations of
providence; for we see with what arrogance and contempt they set themselves in
opposition to our faith, and have the hardihood to pour forth horrid blasphemies
against God. This does not impeach the veracity of the prophet's statement, that
the mouth of wickedness is
stopped, because, in fact, the more
proudly and violently they assail God, the more notorious does their impiety
appear. Besides, the joy here mentioned arises from this, that there is nothing
more calculated to increase our faith, than the knowledge of the providence of
God; because, without it, we would be harassed with doubts and fears, being
uncertain whether or not the world was governed by chance. For this reason, it
follows that those who aim at the subversion of this doctrine, depriving the
children of God of true comfort, and vexing their minds by unsettling their
faith, forge for themselves a hell upon earth. For what can be more awfully
tormenting than to be constantly racked with doubt and anxiety? And we will
never be able to arrive at a calm state of mind until we are taught to repose
with implicit confidence in the providence of God. Moreover, it is declared in
this verse, that God manifests his goodness to all men without exception, and
yet there are comparatively few of them who benefit by it. Wherefore, when he
formerly called upon all to celebrate the goodness of God, it was in order that
the ingratitude of the majority of them might the more plainly
appear.
43.
Whosoever is wise, so as to
observe these things. We are now
informed that men begin to be wise when they turn their whole attention to the
contemplation of the works of God, and that all others besides are fools. For
however much they may pique themselves upon their superior acuteness and
subtilty, all this is of no avail so long as they shut their eyes against the
light which is presented to them. In employing this interrogatory form of
address, he indirectly adverts to that false persuasion which prevails in the
world, at the very time when the most daring heaven-despiser esteems himself to
be the wisest of men; as if he should say, that all those who do not properly
observe the providence of God, will be found to be nothing but fools. This
caution is the more necessary, since we find that some of the greatest of
philosophers were so mischievous as to devote their talents to obscure and
conceal the providence of God, and, entirely overlooking his agency, ascribed
all to secondary causes. At the head of these was Aristotle, a man of genius and
learning; but being a heathen, whose heart was perverse and depraved, it was his
constant aim to entangle and perplex God's overruling providence by a variety of
wild speculations; so much so, that it may with too much truth be said, that he
employed his naturally acute powers of mind to extinguish all light. Besides,
the prophet not only condemns the insensate Epicureans, whose insensibility was
of the basest character, but he also informs us that a blindness, still greater
and more detestable, was to be found among these great philosophers themselves.
By the term,
observe,
he informs us, that the bare apprehension of the works of God is not enough,
— they must be carefully considered in order that the knowledge of them
may be deliberately and maturely digested. And, therefore, that it may be
engraven upon our hearts, we must make these works the theme of our attentive
and constant meditation. When the prophet says,
Whosoever is wise, even they
shall understand, the change of the
singular into the plural number is beautifully appropriate. By the one he
tacitly complains of the fewness of those who observe the judgments of God; as
if he should say, How seldom do we meet with a person who truly and attentively
considers the works of God! Then he adverts to the fact of their being so
visibly before all, that it is impossible that men could overlook them, were it
not that their minds are perverted by their own wickedness. And if any person be
disposed to inquire how it comes to pass that the prophet, after treating of the
judgments and severity of God, now makes mention of his loving-kindness, I
answer, that his loving-kindness shines most conspicuously, and occupies a very
prominent place in all that he does; for he is naturally prone to
loving-kindness, by which also he draws us to himself.
PSALM
108
Psalm
108:1-13
A Song or Psalm of David.
1. My heart is prepared, O God! my heart is prepared; I will sing and give
praise, even with my glory. 2. Awake, psaltery and harp: I will arise at
break of day. 3. I will praise thee, O Jehovah! among the people; and
sing unto thee among the nations: 4. Because thy goodness is great above
the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. 5. Be thou, O God! exalted
above the heavens; and thy glory above all the earth: 6. That thy chosen
may be set free, save me by thy right hand, and hear me. 7. God has
spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and measure the
valley of Succoth. 8. Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is the
strength of my head: Judah is my lawgiver.
fd292
9. Moab is the pot of my washing; over
Edom I will cast my shoe; over Philistina I will triumph. 10. Who will
bring me into the fortified city? who will bring me even unto Edom? 11.
Wilt not thou, O God! who hadst repulsed us? and wentest not out, O God!
with our armies? 12. Lord us help out of our tribulations; because the
help of man is vain. 13. Through God we will do valiantly, and he shall
trample under foot our enemies.
Because
this psalm is composed of parts taken from the fifty-seventh and sixtieth
psalms, it would be superfluous to repeat, in this place, what we have already
said by way of exposition in those psalms.
fd293
PSALM
109
This psalm consists of three parts. It begins with a
complaint; next follows an enumeration of various imprecations; and then comes a
prayer with an expression of true gratitude. And although David here complains
of the injuries which he sustained, yet, as he was a typical character,
everything that is expressed in the psalm must properly be applied to Christ,
the Head of the Church, and to all the faithful, inasmuch as they are his
members; so that when unjustly treated and tormented by their enemies, they may
apply to God for help, to whom vengeance belongs.
fd294
Psalm
109:1-5
To the Chief Musician, a Psalm of
David. 1. O God of my praise! be not silent; 2. Because the mouth
of the wicked and the mouth of deceit are opened upon me: they have spoken
against me with the tongue of guile. 3. And they have encompassed me with
the words of hatred, and have contended with me without cause. 4. On
account of my love they have been opposed to me; but I gave myself to prayer.
5. They rendered to me evil for good, and hatred for
love.
1.
O God of my praise! be not
silent. In these words, which may be
considered as an introduction to the psalm, David declares that he neither could
find nor would desire any other than God to stand forward in vindication of the
integrity of his heart. For in denominating him
the God of his
praise, he intrusts to him the
vindication of his innocence, in the face of the calumnies by which he was all
but universally assailed. Some are of opinion that this clause is to be
understood as referring to David's having actually declared that he himself was
the publisher of God's praises; but the scope of the passage is opposed to such
an interpretation; for we find David appealing to the judgment of God against
the unjust and cruel hatred to which he was subjected in the world. There is in
the words an implied contrast, because, when calumny is rampant, innocence is
duly and properly estimated by none but God only. The meaning of the passage is
this: Lord, although I may be regarded as the vilest of the vile, and exposed to
the reproach of the world, yet thou wilt maintain the uprightness of my
character, and on this account thou wilt also set forth my praise.
fd295 This interpretation corresponds well
with that which is immediately subjoined,
be not
silent. For when we are overwhelmed by
the aspersions of the wicked, it would surely be improper on the part of God,
who is the witness of our innocence, to remain silent. At the same time, what I
formerly stated must not be forgotten, that while David mourns over the injuries
which he in particular was suffering, yet, in his own person, he represented
Christ, and the whole body of his Church. From this we are taught, when we are
subjected to every species of indignity by men, to repose with perfect
confidence under the protection of God alone. No man, however, can, with
sincerity of heart, surrender himself entirely into the hand of God, except he
has first formed the resolution of treating with contempt the reproaches of the
world, and is also fully persuaded that he has God as the defender of his
cause.
2.
Because the mouth of the
wicked. David here very plainly
declares, that he was the more solicitous to obtain help from God, in
consequence of justice not being found among men. And though it is probable that
he was rashly and furiously assailed, nevertheless, he complains that the mouth
of deceit and fraud had been opened against him, and that he was surrounded with
false tongues. Whence, to those who were ignorant of his real situation, there
would appear to be some plausible pretext for his being loaded with reproaches,
so much so indeed, that he would not be able to evade the charge of
criminality.
3.
And they have encompassed me. He
complains, that from all quarters he was assailed with the most hostile and
abusive epithets, and that, too, most undeservedly. And, under a beautiful
similitude, he shows that the tongues of his enemies were so full of deadly
poison, that it was harder for him to endure their attacks than that of a great
army, and the more so that he merited no such treatment at their hands. This
species of warfare, to the exercise of which God very frequently summons his
children, must be carefully considered by us. For though Satan may assault them
with open violence, yet as he is the father of lies, he endeavors, by the
amazing dexterity which he possesses in heaping calumny upon them, to tarnish
their reputation, as if they were the most abandoned of mankind. Now, as that
which was prefigured by David was fulfilled in Christ, so we must remember, that
that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ is daily filling up in
believers,
<510124>Colossians
1:24; because, he having once suffered in himself, calls them to be sharers and
associates with him in his
sufferings.
4.
On account of my love they
have been opposed to me.
fd296 The Psalmist had already
solemnly declared, that his adversaries, unprovoked by any injury inflicted upon
them by him, and without any just cause, became, through mere diabolical rage,
his most implacable foes. Here he confirms the truth of that declaration by
saying, that he had been their friend. For there is far more merit in showing
kindness to an enemy than simply abstaining from doing that which is evil. And
from this we may perceive, that the influence of Satan must be awfully powerful
when he takes the hearts of men captive at his will. For nothing can be more
unnatural than to hate and cruelly persecute those who love us. To
love
he also adds deeds of kindness, meaning, that it was his aim to secure their
good will by outward acts of
beneficence.
5.
But I gave myself to
prayer.
fd297 Some are of opinion, that these
words refer to David's pouring out a prayer for his enemies at the very moment
when they were furiously assaulting him, and with this opinion corresponds that
which we have stated in
<193513>Psalm
35:13. But the more plain, and, to me, the preferable interpretation, is, that
when he was attacked in a cruel and hostile manner, he did not betake himself to
such unlawful means as the rendering of evil for evil, but committed himself
into the hand of God, fully satisfied that he alone could guard him from all
ill. And it is assuredly a great and desirable attainment for a man so to
restrain his passions as directly and immediately to make his appeal to God's
tribunal, at the very time when he is abused without a cause, and when the very
injuries which he sustains are calculated to excite him to avenge them. For
there are some persons who, while it is their aim to live in terms of friendship
with the good, coming in contact with ill men, imagine that they are at perfect
liberty to return injury for injury; and to this temptation all the godly feel
that they are liable. The Holy Spirit, however, restrains us, so that though
oftimes provoked by the cruelty of our enemies to seek revenge, we yet abandon
all fraudulent and violent means, and betake ourselves by prayer to God alone.
By this example, which David here sets before us, we are instructed that we must
have recourse to the same means if we would wish to overcome our enemies through
the power and protection of God. In
<196913>Psalm
69:13, we have a parallel passage: "They that sit in the gate spake
against me; and I was the song of those who drink strong drink. But my prayer
was made to thee, O Jehovah!" In that passage, as well as in the one under
review, the mode of expression is elliptical. Besides, it is the design of David
in these words to inform us, that although he was aware that the whole world was
opposed to him, yet he could cast all his cares upon God, and this was enough to
render his mind calm and composed. And as the Holy Spirit taught David and all
the godly to offer up prayers like these, it must follow, that those who, in
this respect, imitate them, will be promptly helped by God when he beholds them
reproachfully and vilely
persecuted.
Psalm
109:6-11
6. Set
fd298 thou over him a wicked person; and let
the adversary stand at his right hand. 7. When he is judged, let him
depart guilty, and let his prayer be turned into sin.
fd299
8. Let his days be few:
fd300 and let another receive his office.
9. Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow: 10. And
fd301 let his children wander without any
settled habitation, and let them be beggars, and let them seek food out of their
waste places. fd302
11. Let the extortioner
fd303 seize
fd304 all that belongs to him, and let
strangers spoil his
labor.
6.
Set thou over him a wicked
person.
fd305 Hitherto he poured out his complaint
against a vast number of persons; now he seems to direct it against a single
individual. Probably he speaks of each of them individually. It is, however,
equally probable that he refers in very marked terms to some one in particular
among these wicked persons, the most notorious transgressor of any of them. Some
conjecture, and not without reason, that Doeg is the person here aimed at, who,
by his treason and revolt, sought to bring ruin, not only upon David, but also
upon all the holy priests; and we know that this psalm is applied by Peter to
Judas,
(<440120>Acts
1:20) But with equal propriety, and certainly not less forcibly, may this
complaint be considered as applicable to some most intimate and particular
friend of the Psalmist. Respecting the imprecations contained in this psalm, it
will be proper to keep in mind what I have said elsewhere, that when David forms
such maledictions, or expresses his desires for them, he is not instigated by
any immoderate carnal propensity, nor is he actuated by zeal without knowledge,
nor is he influenced by any private personal considerations. These three matters
must be carefully weighed, for in proportion to the amount of self-esteem which
a man possesses, is he so enamoured with his own interests as to rush headlong
upon revenge. Hence it comes to pass, that the more a person is devoted to
selfishness, he will be the more immoderately addicted to the advancement of his
own individual interests. This desire for the promotion of personal interest
gives birth to another species of vice. For no one wishes to be avenged upon his
enemies because that such a thing would be right and equitable, but because it
is the means of gratifying his own spiteful propensity. Some, indeed, make a
pretext of righteousness and equity in the matter, but the spirit of malignity,
by which they are inflamed, effaces every trace of justice, and blinds their
minds.
When these two vices, selfishness and
carnality, are corrected, there is still another thing demanding correction, the
repressing the ardor of foolish zeal, in order that we may follow the Spirit of
God as our guide. Should any one, under the influence of perverse zeal, produce
David as an example of it, that would not be an example in point; for to such a
person may be very aptly applied the answer which Christ returned to his
disciples, "Ye know not what spirit ye are of,"
<420955>Luke
9:55. How detestable a piece of sacrilege is it on the part of the monks, and
especially the Franciscan friars, to pervert this psalm by employing it to
countenance the most nefarious purposes! If a man harbour malice against a
neighbor, it is quite a common thing for him to engage one of these wicked
wretches to curse him, which he would do by daily repeating this psalm. I know a
lady in France who hired a parcel of these friars to curse her own and only son
in these words.
But I return to David, who, free
from all inordinate passion, breathed forth his prayers under the influence of
the Holy Spirit. Then, as to the ungodly, who live as the contemners of God, and
who are constantly plotting the overthrow of the unsuspecting and the good,
casting off all restraint, so that neither modesty nor honesty proves a check to
them, surely they are deserving of the punishment of
having a wicked person set over
them. And since, by means of intrigue
and perfidy, they are constantly aiming at the extermination of the good, they
are most justly punished by God, who raises up against them an adversary that
should never depart from their side. Only let believers be on their guard, lest
they should betray too much haste in their prayers, and let them rather leave
room for the grace of God to manifest itself in their behalf; because it may
turn out that the man, who to-day bears towards us a deadly enmity, may by
to-morrow through that grace become our
friend.
7.
When he is judged, let him
depart guilty. Another imprecation is,
that, being summoned to judgment, he might be punished without mercy, and that,
though he humbly crave forgiveness, the judge should remain inexorable. This
might with propriety be understood to relate not merely to his being judged at
the bar of men, but also at the tribunal of God. But as it accords very well
with the decisions awarded by an earthly judge, and as this is the commonly
received interpretation, I have no wish to depart from it. There are two things
which must be noticed here; that the wickedness of the wicked may be so palpable
as to leave no room to escape from the execution of justice, and that all their
entreaties for pardon may be disregarded. Accordingly, the Psalmist represents
him as a condemned criminal leaving the presence of the judge, bearing the
ignominy of the condemnation which he righteously merited, having his nefarious
deeds disclosed and detected. With respect to the other interpretation which
places the ungodly before God's judgment-seat, it by no means appears absurd to
say that their prayers should be turned against them to sin, the more especially
as we know that all their sacrifices are an abomination unto him. And by how
much they themselves are filthy, by so much do all their plausible virtues
become offensive and displeasing to God. But as the scope of the passage is in
favor of that interpretation which applies it to earthly judges, I do not
consider it necessary to insist farther upon this
point.
8.
Let his days be few. Although this world
is the scene of much toil and trouble, yet we know that these are pledges and
proofs of God's loving-kindness, inasmuch as he frequently, and as a token of
his love, promises to prolong the lives of men; not that it is absolutely
necessary for us to remain long here, but that we may have an opportunity of
sharing of God's fatherly love which he bears towards us, by which we may be led
to cherish the hope of immortality. Now, in opposition to this, the brevity of
human life is here introduced as a mark of God's disapprobation; for when he
cuts off the wicked after a violent manner, he thus testifies that they did not
deserve to breathe the breath of life. And the same sentiment is inculcated
when, denuding them of their honor and dignity, he hurls them from the place of
power and authority. The same thing may also happen to the children of God, for
temporal evils are common to the good and to the bad; at the same time, these
are never so mingled and blended together, but that one may perceive
occasionally the judgments of God in a very manifest and marked manner. Peter,
quoting this verse,
<440120>Acts
1:20, says it behoved to be fulfilled in Judas, because it is written here, "let
another take his bishopric." And this, he does on the assumed principle of
interpretation that David here spoke in the person of Christ. To this it cannot
be objected, that the Hebrew term
hdwqp,
pekudah, signifies generally superintendence,
fd306 because Peter very properly
applies it to the apostleship of Judas. In expounding this passage, sometimes in
reference to a wife, or to the soul, (which is a precious jewel in man,) or to
wealth and property, there is good reason to believe that, in doing so, the
Jewish interpreters are actuated by pure malice. What purpose can it serve to
pervert the sense of a word, the meaning of which is so pointed and plain,
unless that, under the influence of a malignant spirit, they endeavor so to
obscure the passage, as to make it appear not to be properly quoted by Peter?
From these words we learn, that there is no cause why the ungodly should be
proud while their reputation is high in this world, seeing they cannot after all
escape from that doom which the Holy Spirit here declares awaits them. Here too
we are furnished with very valuable matter of comfort and patience, when we hear
that, however elevated may be their rank and reputation now, their downfall is
approaching, and that they will soon be stript of all their pomp and power. In
the two succeeding verses the malediction is extended both to the wife and
children; and the desire, that she may be left a widow and they become
fatherless, depends upon the brevity of that life to which the prophet formerly
adverted. Mention is likewise made of
beggary,
and the want of all the necessaries of life, which is a proof of the
magnitude of their guilt; for assuredly the Holy Spirit would not denounce
against them a punishment so grievous and heavy for a trivial offense. In
delivering up his property
fd307 as booty to the
extortioners,
David must be understood as alluding to the poverty which was to overtake
his children; for he is not speaking of a poor and mean person who at his death
can leave nothing to his family, but of one who, regardless of right or wrong,
has amassed wealth to enrich his children, but from whom God takes away the
goods which he had unrighteously taken from
others.
Psalm
109:12-16
12. Let there be none
prolonging mercy to him: and let there be none to pity his fatherless children.
13. Let his posterity be cut off; in the next generation let their name
be effaced. 14. Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before
Jehovah; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out. 15. Let them
be before Jehovah continually, and let him cut off their memorial from the
earth.
fd308 16. Because he forgot to show
mercy, but persecuted the afflicted and poor man, and the sorrowful in heart,
that he might slay
him.
12.
Let there be none prolonging
mercy to him. To continue to show
humanity and mercy is, according to the Hebrew idiom, equivalent to constant and
successive acts of kindness; and it also sometimes denotes pity, or the being
moved to sympathy, when, through the lapse of years, anger is appeased, and even
one's calamity melts the heart of the man who bore hatred towards him.
fd309 Accordingly, there are some who
understand this clause to mean, that there will be none to show kindness to his
offspring; which interpretation is in conformity with the next clause of the
verse. David, however, includes also the wicked man himself along with his
children; as if he should say, Though he visibly pine away under such
calamities, and these descend to his children, yet let no one show pity towards
them. We are aware it not unfrequently happens, that the long-continued
misfortune of an enemy either excites the sympathy of men of savage
dispositions, or else makes them forget all their hatred and malevolence. But in
this part of the psalm, David expresses a desire that his enemy and all his
posterity may be so hated and detested, that the people may never be wearied
with beholding the calamities which they endure, but may become so familiarised
with the spectacle, as if their hearts were of iron. At the same time, let it be
remarked, that David is not rashly excited by any personal anguish to speak in
this manner, but that it is as God's messenger he declares the punishment which
was impending over the ungodly. And verily the law accounts it as one of the
judgments of God, his hardening men's hearts, so that they who have been
passionately and unmercifully cruel, should find no sympathy,
<050230>Deuteronomy
2:30. It is just that the same measure which they have used towards others,
should also be meted out to
themselves.
13.
Let his posterity be cut off. This is a
continuation of the same subject, upon the consideration of which the prophet
had just now entered, that God would visit the iniquities of the fathers upon
their children. And as he had to deal with the whole court of Saul, and not with
any single individual, he here employs the plural number. But as in deeds of
wickedness, there are always some who are the prime movers, and act as the
ringleaders of others, we need not be surprised that having spoken of one
person, he next addresses the many, and then returns to the same person. The
more natural and simple mode of explanation is to refer it to his offspring, for
the Hebrew term which signifies
posterity
is collective, implying a multitude, and not a single individual only. This is a
heavier imprecation than the former. It sometimes happens, that a family,
overthrown by an unexpected disaster, rises up again at a subsequent period;
here, however, it is the wish of the prophet, that the wicked may be so
completely ruined, as never to be able to regain their former state; for thus
much is implied in their name
being effaced in the next generation, or
after the lapse of ages.
And as the destruction
which he denounces against the houses and families of the wicked is so
extensive, that God punishes them in the person of their posterity, so he
desires that God may remember the
iniquities of their fathers and mothers,
in order that their condemnation may be complete; and this is a principle in
perfect accordance with the commonly received doctrine of Scripture. God, out of
regard to his covenant, which is in force to a thousand generations, extends and
continues his mercy towards posterity; but he also punishes iniquity unto the
third and fourth generation. In doing this he does not involve the guiltless
with the wicked indiscriminately, but by withholding from the reprobate the
grace and illumination of his Spirit, he prepares the vessels of wrath for
destruction, even before they are born,
<450921>Romans
9:21. To the common sense of mankind, the thought of such severity is
horrifying: but then we must recollect, that if we attempt to measure the secret
and inscrutable judgments of God by our finite minds, we do him wrong. Struck
with horror at the severity of this threatening, let us improve it as the means
of filling us with reverence and godly fear. In reference to the language of
Ezekiel,
"The son shall not bear
the iniquity of the father, but the soul that sinneth, it shall die;"
<261820>Ezekiel
18:20
we know that in these words he disproves the
groundless complaints of the people, who, boasting that they were guiltless,
imagined that they were punished wrongfully. When, however, God continues his
vengeance from the father to the children, he leaves them no room for palliation
or complaint, because they are all equally guilty. We have already said, that
vengeance commences when God in withdrawing his Spirit, both from the children
and the fathers, delivers them over to Satan. Some may inquire how it comes to
pass, that the prophet, in desiring that their
sin may be continually before
God's eyes, does not likewise add, let
their name be blotted out from heaven, but merely wishes them to be cut off,
and to perish in the world? My reply is, that he spoke agreeably to the
custom of the age in which he lived, when the nature of spiritual punishments
was not so well understood as in our times, because the period had not yet
arrived, when the revelation of God's will was to be full and complete. Besides,
it is the design of David, that the vengeance of God may be so manifest, that
the whole world may acquiesce in his equity as a
judge.
16.
Because he forgot to show
mercy. The prophet comes now to show
that he had good reason for desiring such awful and direful calamities to be
inflicted upon his enemies, whose thirst for cruelty was insatiable, and who
were transported with rage, no less cruel than obstinate, against the afflicted
and poor man, persecuting him with as little scruple as if they were attacking a
dead dog. Even philosophers look upon cruelty, directed against the helpless and
miserable, as an act worthy only of a cowardly and grovelling nature; for it is
between equals that envy is cherished. For this reason the prophet represents
the malignity of his enemies as being bitter in persecuting him when he was in
affliction and poverty. The expression,
the sorrowful in
heart, is still more emphatic. For there
are persons who, notwithstanding of their afflictions, are puffed up with pride;
and as this conduct is unreasonable and unnatural, these individuals incur the
displeasure of the powerful. On the other hand, it would be a sign of desperate
cruelty to treat with contempt the lowly and dejected in heart. Would not this
be to fight with a shadow? This insatiable cruelty is still farther pointed out
by the phrase, forgetting to show
mercy; the meaning of which is, that the
calamities, with which he beheld this guiltless and miserable man struggling,
fail to excite his pity, so that, out of regard to the common lot of humanity,
he should lay aside his savage disposition. In this passage, therefore, the
contrast is equally balanced on the one side between such obstinate pride, and
on the other, the strict and irrevocable judgment of God. And as David spoke
only as he was moved by the Holy Spirit, this imprecation must be received as if
God himself should thunder from his celestial throne. Thus, in the one case, by
denouncing vengeance against the ungodly, he subdues and restrains our perverse
inclinations, which might lead us to injure a fellow-creature; and on the other,
by imparting comfort to us, he mitigates and moderates our sorrow, so that we
patiently endure the ills which they inflict upon us. The wicked may for a time
revel with impunity in the gratification of their lusts; but this threatening
shows that it is no vain protection which God vouchsafes to the afflicted. But
let the faithful conduct themselves meekly, that their humility and contrition
of spirit may come up before God with acceptance. And as we cannot distinguish
between the elect and the reprobate, it is our duty to pray for all who trouble
us; to desire the salvation of all men; and even to be careful for the welfare
of every individual. At the same time, if our hearts are pure and peaceful, this
will not prevent us from freely appealing to God's judgment, that he may cut off
the finally impenitent.
fd310
Psalm
109:17-20
17. As he loved cursing,
so let it come upon him:
fd311 as he did not take delight in blessing,
so let it be far from him. 18. And let him be clothed with cursing as
with a garment, and let it come as water into his bowels, and as oil into his
bones. fd312
19. Let it be to him as a mantle to
cover him, and a girdle to gird himself with continually. 20. Let this be
the work from Jehovah of those who are hostile to me, and of those who speak
evil against my soul.
17.
As he loved
cursing. David still continues to
enumerate the sins of his adversaries, and is thus severe in his treatment of
them, in order to render it more apparent, that he is strictly conforming to the
judgment of God. For as often as we draw near to the tribunal of God, we must
take care that the equity of our cause may be so sure and evident as to secure
for it and us a favorable reception from him. Fortified by the testimony of an
approving conscience, David here declares his readiness to commit the matter
between him and his enemies to the judgment of God. The words, which are
expressive of cursing and blessing, are in the past tense,
cursing came upon him, and
blessing was far from him, but it is
necessary to translate them as expressive of a wish or desire; for David
continues to pray that his enemy may be visited with the same unparalleled ills
which he had inflicted upon others. A stranger to every act of kindness, and
taking pleasure in doing evil, it is the wish of the Psalmist that he may now be
subjected to every species of calamity. Some take malediction to mean
cursing and imprecation, thereby intimating that this man was so addicted
to execration, that mischief and malevolence were constantly in his heart, and
proceeding from his lips. While I do not reject this opinion, I am yet disposed
to take a more extended view of the passage, That by injury and abuse, he aimed
at the suppression and abolition of every mark of kindness, and that he took
delight in the calamities which he beheld coming upon the unsuspecting and the
good.
Not a few interpreters translate the next
two verses in the past form, he
clothed himself with cursing, etc.,
which would be tantamount to saying that the enemy was as fond of cursing as
of costly apparel, or that he clothed himself with it as with a garment, and
that, like an inveterate disease, it was deeply seated in the marrow of his
bones. The other interpretation is more simple, That cursing should cleave to
the wicked, that it should envelop him like a cloak, gird him about as his
girdle, and should even penetrate to his bones. And that no one may rashly take
for an example what David here spoke by the special influence of the Holy
Spirit, let him keep in mind that the Psalmist is not pleading here in reference
to any personal interest, and that it is no ordinary character to whom he
refers. Belonging to the number of the faithful, he would not omit the law of
charity, in desiring the salvation of all men. But in this instance God elevated
his spirit above all earthly considerations, stript him of all malice, and
delivered him from the influence of turbulent passion, so that he might, with
holy calmness and spiritual wisdom, doom the reprobate and castaway to
destruction. Others, would have the phrase, he loved cursing, to mean
that he purposely drew down the vengeance of God upon himself, as it were
procuring destruction for himself by his open hostility to him; but this is an
unnatural construction of the passage. The interpretation which I have given is
preferable, That he was so addicted to mischief and wrong, that no act of
justice or kindness was to be expected from him. In the meantime, let it be
observed, that all the machinations of the wicked will eventually recoil upon
their own heads, and that when they are raging more violently against others,
then it is that the mischief, which they so eagerly desire may come upon them,
falls upon themselves, even as the wind called Cecias by blowing attracts the
clouds unto
him.
20.
Let this be the work from Jehovah. That
is, let the gain or reward of the work be from God. In pointing out the work as
proceeding immediately from God, he intends to show that, though deprived of all
human aid, he yet entertained the hope that God would grant him deliverance, and
avenge the injuries of his servant. From this verse we learn that David did not
rashly, or unadvisedly, utter curses against his enemies, but strictly adhered
to what the Spirit dictated. I acknowledge, indeed, that not a few, while they
pretend a similar confidence and hope, nevertheless, recklessly rush beyond the
bounds of temperance and moderation. But that which David beheld by the
unclouded eye of faith, he also uttered with a zeal becoming a sound mind; for
having devoted himself to the cultivation of piety, and being protected by the
hand of God, he was aware that the day was approaching when his enemies would
meet with merited punishment. From which we also learn, that his trust was
placed in God alone, and that he did not regard the persons of men so as to
direct his course according as the world smiled or frowned upon him. And,
assuredly, whosoever places his dependence on men, shall find that the most
trifling incident will annoy him. Therefore, should the whole world abandon us,
it becomes us, in imitation of this holy man, to lift up our heads to heaven,
and thence look for our defender and deliverer. If it be his intention to employ
human instrumentality for our deliverance, he will soon raise up those who will
accomplish his purpose. Should he, for the trial of our faith, deprive us of all
earthly assistance, instead of regarding that as any reflection upon the glory
of his name, we ought to wait until the proper time arrive when he will fully
display that decision in which we can calmly
acquiesce.
Psalm
109:21-27
21. And thou, O Jehovah my
Lord! undertake for me, for thy name's sake; deliver me, because thy mercy is
good; 22. Because I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
23. I walk about as a shadow when it declineth.
fd313 I am tossed as the locust.
fd314
24. My knees are become feeble through
fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness. 25. But I became a reproach to
them; when they see me they shake their head. 26. Help me, O Jehovah my
God! save me according to thy mercy: 27. And they shall know that this is
thy hand, and that thou, O Jehovah! hast done
it.
21.
And thou, O Jehovah my
Lord! From the pouring out of complaints
and imprecations against his enemies, the Psalmist passes to prayers; or rather,
after having betaken himself to God as his guardian and deliverer, he appears to
take occasion, from this circumstance, to encourage himself in prayer; even as
all the pious reflections by which the faithful exercise and strengthen their
faith, stimulate them to call upon the name of God. At the same time, he does
not pique himself upon any service which he has rendered to God, as deserving of
his help, nor does he rely upon his own worthiness, but he places all his
confidence in the free grace and mercy of God. That integrity of which he was
conscious, he placed in opposition to his enemies, for the purpose of making
their iniquity more manifest; but he does not aspire after any recompense from
God, because he adopts the nobler principle, that of owing every thing to God's
voluntary choice, upon which also he acknowledges his safety depends. Were it
lawful for any one to boast of his virtues and merits, certainly David was not
the man who was least entitled to do so; and, moreover, he was the
representative of Christ, and of the whole Church. Hence it follows, that all
our prayers will vanish in smoke, unless they are grounded upon the mercy of
God. The case of Christ was indeed a peculiar one, inasmuch as it was by his own
righteousness that he appeased the wrath of his Father towards us. As, however,
his human nature was entirely dependant on the good pleasure of God, so it was
his will, by his own example, to direct us to the same source. What can we do,
seeing that the most upright among us is constrained to acknowledge that he is
chargeable with the commission of much sin; surely we never can make God our
debtor? It follows, therefore, that God, on account of the benignity of his
nature, takes us under his protection; and that, because of the goodness of his
mercy, he desires his grace may shine forth in us. In coming to God, we must
always remember that we must possess the testimony of a good conscience, and
must beware of harbouring the thought that we have any inherent righteousness
which would render God our debtor, or that we deserve any recompense at his
hands. For if, in the preservation of this short and frail life, God manifests
the glory of his name and of his goodness, how much more ought all confidence in
good works to be laid aside, when the subject-matter referred to is life
heavenly and eternal? If, in the prolonging of my life for a short time on
earth, his name is thereby glorified, by manifesting of his own accord towards
me his benignity and liberality; when, therefore, having delivered me from the
tyranny of Satan, he adopts me into his family, washes away my impurity in the
blood of Christ, regenerates me by his Holy Spirit, unites me to his Son, and
conducts me to the life of heaven, — then, assuredly, the more bountifully
he treats me, the less should I be disposed to arrogate to myself any portion of
the praise. How different a part does David act, who, in order to procure favor
for himself, publishes his own poverty and misery? And as outward affliction is
of no avail, unless a man, at the same time, be humbled, and his proud and
rebellious spirit be subdued, the Psalmist here repeats, that his heart was
wounded within him. From which we may learn, that God will be a physician to
none, except to such as in the spirit of genuine humility send up their sighs
and groans to him, and do not become hardened under their
afflictions.
23.
I walk about as a shadow. These are two
very appropriate similitudes: to the first of them I formerly adverted in
<19A212>Psalm
102:12; namely, that the afflicted person, and he who is almost lifeless, is
very fitly compared to the shadow of the evening. At sunrise, or when he is
shining in noon-day brightness, the constant shifting of the shadow is not so
perceptible; but, towards sunset, the shadow flits before us during every moment
that passes. By the other similitude, the transitory nature of all sublunary
things is pointed out. For as the locusts are constantly skipping from one place
to another, so David complains of his life being ever rendered uneasy by
incessant persecution, so that no space was allowed him for repose; and this is
similar to what he says in
<191101>Psalm
11:1, that he was compelled to flee like a sparrow, for which the fowler lays
snares in all directions. In short, he mourns over his forlorn situation, that
he could find no place of safety, and that, even among men, he could get no
habitation. And, as in this psalm, he presents us with a picture of the whole
Church, we need not be surprised if God try us, and arouse us from our lethargy,
by an innumerable variety of events. Accordingly, Paul,
<460411>1
Corinthians 4:11, speaking of himself and others, says, that they have no
certain dwelling-place; a description which is more or less applicable to all
the children of
God.
24.
My knees are become feeble. Though David
had the necessaries of life, yet he emaciated himself by voluntary abstinence,
to which, as well as to prayer, he gave himself, and therefore we may regard
this verse as expressive of his sorrow and sadness. We may also understand it as
expressive of his having no relish for meat or drink, knowing, as we do, that
persons who are in sorrow and sadness have no appetite for food; even life
itself is burdensome to them. Should any one prefer restricting the
interpretation to David's being in want of the necessaries of life, when he hid
himself in the dens of wild beasts, to escape the fury of his enemies, and was
then subjected to hunger and thirst, he may do so. It appears to me, however,
that by this language he intends to point out the extreme anguish which he felt,
because, with death staring him in the face, he loathed all food; and this is in
accordance with the next clause, in which he says, my
flesh faileth of
fatness; because "a sorrowful spirit
drieth up the bones,"
(<201722>Proverbs
17:22) By the term, fatness, some understand delicacies; meaning that he was
deprived of all that food which is pleasing to the palate. The more natural way
is to consider it as denoting his becoming emaciated by reason of grief and
fasting, inasmuch as the natural moisture was wasted. Another proof of his sad
situation arises from this, that, according to what he states in
<192207>Psalm
22:7, he was held in scorn by all. It is, indeed, a sad and bitter thing which
God's children endure, when they are made to feel that the curse which he
denounces against the transgressors of his law is directed against themselves;
for the law says to the despisers of it,
"Thou shalt become an
astonishment, a proverb, and laughing-stock,"
(<052837>Deuteronomy
28:37)
With this species of temptation David was assailed;
and he declares that he was not only regarded as a condemned person, but also
cruelly derided; God at the same time coming in for a share of it; for it is
usual with the ungodly to conduct themselves with insolence and pride towards us
when they see us oppressed under afflictions, and, at the same time, to rail at
our faith and piety, because God renders us no help in our
miseries.
26.
Help me, O
Jehovah! The prophet repeats his prayer,
because the more we are assailed by the subtilty and deceit of Satan, the more
necessary is it for us to strive more ardently, and display the greater
boldness. We may, indeed, have the full assurance of God being propitious
towards us, yet when he delays to manifest it, and when the ungodly slander us,
it must be that various doubts which keep intruding themselves upon us arise in
our minds. Hence, it is not without reason that David, in order that he might
withstand such attacks, places himself under the protection of that God who,
according to his mercy and goodness, helps his people in their time of need. He
implores that deliverance may be extended to him, not by ordinary means, but by
the peculiar and special display of God's power, so that his enemies may stand
abashed, and not dare to open their mouths; and we know that God sometimes
secretly grants succor to his servants, while, at other times, he stretches out
his hand in such a visible manner, that the ungodly, though they shut their
eyes, are constrained to acknowledge that there is divine agency connected with
their deliverance. For as his enemies had exalted themselves against God, so it
was his desire, after they shall have been subdued, to exult over them in the
name of God. In cherishing this desire, he has no wish to procure for himself
the renown of being valiant in war, but that God's power may be displayed, that
no flesh may glory in his sight. The words may also be viewed as referring both
to his deliverance from his enemies, and to his affliction; his desire being to
attribute his deliverance mainly to the grace of God; because, in opposing the
hand of God to fortune and to all human means of deliverance, it is plainly his
intention that God should be recognised as the alone author of it. This deserves
to be carefully considered by us, for however anxious we are to be delivered by
the hand of God, yet there is scarcely one among a hundred who makes the
manifestation of God's glory his chief end; that glory for which we ought to
have a greater regard than for our own safety, because it is far more excellent.
Whosoever then is desirous that the ungodly may be constrained to acknowledge
the power of God, ought the more carefully to take heed to the help of God which
in his own case he experiences; for it would be most absurd to point out the
hand of God to others, if our minds have not recognised
it.
Psalm
109:28-31
28. They shall curse, but
thou shalt bless: when they arise, they shall be put to shame; but thy servant
shall rejoice. 29. My adversaries shall be clothed with shame, and
covered with their own confusion, as with a garment. 30. I will praise
Jehovah greatly with my mouth; and I will extol him in the midst of the great,
fd315
31. Because he standeth at the right
hand of the poor, to deliver his soul from condemnations.
fd316
28.
They shall
curse. Interpreters are divided in their
opinions about the meaning of these words. One class would render them as
expressive of a desire or wish:
Let them curse, provided that
thou bless: let them arise, and be clothed with
confusion. Another class, and with them
I readily agree, adopt the future tense of the indicative mood,
They shall curse,
etc. Should any prefer to understand the
passage as indicating, on the part of the Psalmist, his resolution to suffer and
submit to the curses of his enemies, I do not oppose their interpretation. In my
opinion, however, those who view the words as a prayer, misinterpret them;
because David, having already presented his petitions to God, and being secure
in his favor, seems now rather to boast that their cursing will do him no harm;
for Thou, says he, wilt bless me. By this means, he proves how little and how
lightly he regarded the menaces of his enemies, though they might assail him by
the poison of the tongue, and the power of the sword. From the example of David,
let us learn to form the resolution of engaging God on our side, who can baffle
all the designs of our enemies, and inspire us with courage to set at defiance
their malice, wickedness, audacity, power, and
fury.
And then, indeed, it is that the
loving-kindness of God appears, when it banishes from our minds the fears which
we entertain of the threatenings of the world. Therefore, relying upon the grace
of God, boldly setting at nought the machinations and attacks of his enemies,
believing that they could not prevail against God's blessing, David raises the
shout of triumph even in the midst of the battle. This truth is still more
impressively inculcated in the succeeding clause of the verse:
Though they arise, yet shall they
be put to shame. By these words it is
obviously his design to intimate that the ungovernable violence of his enemies
is not yet subdued, but that he can endure all their fury and foam so long as
the hand of God is stretched forth to maintain and defend him; and thus he
animates and fortifies himself against all the pride of the world, and, at the
same time, by his example emboldens all the faithful, so that they do not feel
dejected even when the perverseness of their enemies seems to get the advantage
over them, and to menace them with instant destruction. Cherishing such a hope,
he trusts that, for the future, he shall be delivered from all his sorrows.
Whence let us learn to bear patiently and meekly our trials, until the fit
season and the full time, which God hath appointed, arrive for turning our
weeping into joy. In the following verse he proceeds in the same strain of
exultation, because, though he beholds the ungodly assuming a lofty air, yet,
looking beyond the present state of things with the eye of faith, he entertains
no doubt that God will frustrate all their designs, and pour contempt upon all
their schemes.
30.
I will praise Jehovah greatly
with my mouth. These words clearly
establish the truth of the observation I formerly made, that David does not pray
God to curse his enemies, but, by the holy boldness of his faith, sets them at
defiance; for he prepares to offer up a tribute of gratitude to God, as if he
had already realised the object of his desire. The
phrase, with my
mouth, is not, as some erroneously
suppose, superfluous, but is to be considered as a public acknowledgement, on
his part, of his thanksgiving to God for the deliverance vouchsafed to him; as
if he should say, I will, not only when alone and when no human eye beholds me,
and in the inward recesses of my heart, meditate upon the great goodness which I
have received from God, but also in the appointed sacrifice of praise will I
declare publicly, before men, how much I am indebted to his grace. Agreeably to
this meaning, he adds, in the
assembly of great, or of many men;
for the term
µybr,
rabbim, is susceptible of being rendered both ways. I prefer rendering
it, great men, because it appears to me, that David refers to an assembly
of men of notable and noble rank. He declares that he will acknowledge the
goodness of God, not only in some obscure corner, but also in the great assembly
of the people, and among governors and those of noble rank. In the celebration
of God's praises, there can be no question that these must issue from the heart
ere they be uttered by the lips; at the same time, it would be an indication of
great coldness, and of want of fervor, did not the tongue unite with the heart
in this exercise. The reason why David makes mention of the tongue only is, that
he takes it for granted that, unless there be a pouring out of the heart before
God, those praises which reach no farther than the ear are vain and frivolous;
and, therefore, from the very bottom of his soul, he pours forth his heart-felt
gratitude in fervent strains of praise; and this he does, from the same motives
which ought to influence all the faithful — the desire of mutual
edification; for to act otherwise would be to rob God of the honor which belongs
to him.
Moreover, he also subjoins the form in
which he rendered thanks; namely,
that God stood at the right hand
of the poor. By this language he
intimates, that when God had apparently forsaken and abandoned him, and stood
far from him, even then he was always near and ready to render him seasonable
and needful help; and, assuredly, his poverty and affliction gave some reason
for suspecting that he was forsaken of God, inasmuch as he then either withdrew
or concealed his loving-kindness. Notwithstanding of this seeming departure, he
acknowledges that, during his affliction and poverty, God never ceased to be
present to render him assistance. In saying that he was saved from the judges
of his life, he sets forth, in a still stronger light, the very trying
situation in which he was placed; his having to deal with very formidable
enemies, such as the king and the princes of the realm, who, proudly presuming
upon their grandeur and greatness, and regarding his recovery hopeless, treated
him as if he had been a dead dog. It is my firm conviction, that in this passage
he complains both of the torturing cruelty of his enemies, and also that his
character had been unjustly aspersed by calumny and reproach; for we know that
he was borne down by the malignity and wickedness of those who, being invested
with authority, boastingly, yet falsely, pretended that they wished to act as
judges and as the executors of justice, which plausible pretexts they adopt as a
cloak for their iniquity.
PSALM
110
In this psalm David sets forth the perpetuity of
Christ's reign, and the eternity of his priesthood; and, in the first
place, he affirms, That God conferred upon Christ supreme dominion, combined
with invincible power, with which he either conquers all his enemies, or compels
them to submit to him. In the second place, he adds, That God would
extend the boundaries of this kingdom far and wide; and, in the third
place, That Christ, having been installed into the priestly office with all
the solemnity of an oath, sustains the honors of that equally with those of his
regal office. Finally, That this shall be a new order of priesthood,
whose introduction shall put an end to the Levitical priesthood, which was
temporary, and that it shall be everlasting.
A Psalm of
David.
Having the testimony of Christ that this psalm was
penned in reference to himself, we need not apply to any other quarter for the
corroboration of this statement; and, even supposing we neither had his
authority, nor the testimony of the apostle, the psalm itself would admit of no
other interpretation;
fd317 for although we should have a dispute
with the Jews, the most obstinate people in the world, about the right
application of it, we are able, by the most irresistible arguments, to compel
them to admit that the truths here stated relate neither to David nor to any
other person than the Mediator alone. It is acknowledged that the kingdom of
Christ is typified in the person of David, but it cannot be asserted of him, or
of any of his successors, that he should be a king whose dominion should be
widely extended, and who, at the same time, was to be a priest, not according to
the law, but according to the order of Melchizedek, and that for ever; for, at
that time, no new and unusual priestly dignity could be instituted, without
depriving the house of Levi of this peculiar honor. Besides, the perpetuity
which is ascribed to the sacerdotal office cannot belong to any man, because,
with the exception of the man Christ Jesus, this honor terminates immediately at
the close of the short and uncertain course of the present life. But as these
topics will be considered, more at large, in their proper place, it is
sufficient that we have, at this time, briefly alluded to
them.
Psalm
110:1-3
1. Jehovah said to my Lord,
Sit at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. 2.
Jehovah shall send out of Zion the scepter of thy power: rule thou in the midst
of thine enemies. 3. Thy people shall come with voluntary offerings, at
the time of the assembling of thine army,
fd318 in beauty of holiness:
fd319 from the womb as from the morning dawn
to thee has been the dew of thy
youth.
1.
Jehovah said to my Lord.
fd320 What is here stated might to
some extent be applied to the person of David, inasmuch as he neither ascended
the royal throne illegally, nor did he find his way to it by nefarious
artifices, nor was he raised to it by the fickle suffrages of the people, but it
was by the direct authority of God that he reigned over Israel. It may be justly
affirmed of all the kings of the earth, that they have been placed upon their
thrones by the hand of God, for the kingdoms of this world are appointed by the
decree of heaven, and "there is no power but of God,"
(<451301>Romans
13:1) Besides, as this kingdom was altogether peculiar, it was the design of
David to make a distinction between it and all other kingdoms. God indeed
invests kings with authority, but they are not consecrated as David was, that
like him, in consequence of the holy anointing oil, they might be elevated to
the rank of Christ's vicegerents. In the eighty-second psalm they are called
gods, because by the will of God they hold their position, and in some respects
are his representatives, (all power being lodged in him;) but they are not
clothed with that sacred majesty by which David was honored to be a type of
God's only begotten Son. Moreover, he justly observes that the kingdom was
conferred upon him in a totally different manner from other earthly kings, who,
while they acknowledge that it is by the grace of God they reign, yet, at the
same time, do not consider that they are sustained by his power, but, on the
contrary, imagine that they reign either by their own policy, by hereditary
right, or by the kindness of fortune; and, therefore, in so far as it respects
themselves, it must be affirmed, that they have no legitimate title to reign.
And since they do not recognize the hand of God in what they derive from him,
his command cannot be properly addressed to them. David, who was well aware that
he was anointed by God to be king over Israel, and who maintained an obscure and
retired position until summoned to assume the reins of government, shows good
cause why he is not to be classed with the ordinary kings of the earth; meaning
that he reigned by a Divine right. That the whole of what is stated in this
verse cannot be entirely and exclusively applied to David, is very obvious from
Christ's reply to the Pharisees,
(<402244>Matthew
22:44) They having said that Christ was to be the son of David, he saith unto
them, "How then doth David himself call him
Lord?"
The objection started by the Jews, that
Christ's reply was captious, is entirely frivolous, because David does not speak
in his own name, but in that of the people. This objection is easily repelled.
For even granting that this psalm was penned in name of the whole Church, yet as
David himself constituted one of the number of the godly, and was a member of
the body under the same head, he could not separate himself from that class, or
be dissevered from this head; what is more, he could not compose this psalm for
others without, at the same time, taking part with them in it. There is besides
another thing deserving of notice, the assumption of the principle or maxim then
generally admitted, that David spake by the spirit of prophecy, and consequently
prophesied of the future reign of Christ. This principle of interpretation being
admitted, it is plainly to be inferred that he had a reference to Christ's
future manifestation in the flesh, because he is the sole and supreme Head of
the Church. From which it also follows, that there is something in Christ more
excellent than his humanity, on account of which he is called the Lord of David
his father. This view is strengthened by what is stated in the second clause of
the verse. Earthly kings may indeed be said to sit at God's right hand, inasmuch
as they reign by his authority; here, however, something more lofty is
expressed, in that one king is chosen in a peculiar manner, and elevated to the
rank of power and dignity next to God, of which dignity the twilight only
appeared in David, while in Christ it shone forth in meridian splendor. And as
God's right hand is elevated far above all angels, it follows that he who is
seated there is exalted above all creatures. We will not maintain that angels
were brought down from their high estate to be put in subjection to David. What,
then, is the result, but that by the spirit of prophecy Christ's throne is
exalted far above all principalities in heavenly places? The simile is borrowed
from what is customary among earthly kings, that the person who is seated at his
right hand is said to be next to him, and hence the Son, by whom the Father
governs the world, is by this session represented as metaphorically invested
with supreme dominion.
Until I
make thine enemies thy footstool.
fd321 By these words the prophet
affirms that Christ would subdue all the opposition which his enemies in their
tumultuous rage might employ for the subversion of his kingdom. At the same
time, he intimates that the kingdom of Christ would never enjoy tranquillity
until he had conquered his numerous and formidable enemies. And even should the
whole world direct their machinations to the overthrow of Christ's royal throne,
David here declares that it would remain unmoved and unmoveable, while all they
who rise up against it shall be ruined. From this let us learn that, however
numerous those enemies may be who conspire against the Son of God, and attempt
the subversion of his kingdom, all will be unavailing, for they shall never
prevail against God's immutable purpose, but, on the contrary, they shall, by
the greatness of his power, be laid prostrate at Christ's feet. And as this
prediction will not be accomplished before the last day, it must be that the
kingdom of Christ will be assailed by many enemies from time to time until the
end of the world; and thus by-and-bye it is said,
rule thou in the midst of thine
enemies. The particle
until
does not refer to that which may happen after the complete carnage of the
enemies of Christ.
fd322 Paul certainly declares that he will
then deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father, which he received from him,
(<461524>1
Corinthians 15:24;) but we are not to take these words as denoting that he shall
cease to reign, and become, as it were, a private individual; we are to regard
them as describing the manner of his reign, that is, that his Divine majesty
will be more conspicuous. Moreover, in this passage he is speaking solely of the
reprobate who fall under Christ's feet to their own ruin and destruction. All
mankind are naturally opposed to Christ, and hence it is, that ere they be
brought to yield a willing obedience to him, they must be subdued and humbled.
This he does with regard to some of them whom he afterwards makes partakers with
him in his glory; while he casts off others, so that they may remain for ever in
their lost
state.
2.
Jehovah shall send out of Zion the scepter of thy
power. The Psalmist not only confirms,
in different terms, what he stated above, but also adds, that Christ's kingdom
shall be vastly extended, because God would make his scepter stretch far and
wide. David did indeed render not a few of the surrounding nations tributaries
to him, but still his kingdom, when contrasted with other monarchies, was always
confined within narrow limits. There is in the words an implied contrast, as if
he had said, that Christ should not reign as King upon mount Zion only, because
God would cause his power to extend to the remotest regions of the earth. And
for this reason it is denominated
the scepter of his
power,
fd323 and how astonishing was it, that though
the whole world was leagued in opposition to Christ's kingdom, it yet continued
to spread and prosper. In a word, David here animates the hearts of the godly
against being dispirited by the foolhardy attempts on the part of those who
presume to introduce discord and disorder into the kingdom of Christ; for he
shows them that God will put forth his invincible power for the maintaining of
the glory of his sacred throne. What time, then, our minds are agitated by
various commotions, let us learn confidently to repose on this support, that
however much the world may rage against Christ, it will never be able to hurl
him from the right hand of the Father. Moreover, as he does not reign on his own
account, but for our salvation, we may rest assured that we will be protected
and preserved from all ills under the guardianship of this invincible King.
Doubtless our condition in this world is connected with many hardships; but as
it is the will of God that Christ's kingdom should be encompassed with many
enemies, and that too with the design of keeping us in a state of constant
warfare, it becomes us to exercise patience and meekness; and assured of God's
aid, boldly to set at nought the rage of the whole world. From this passage we
are instructed as to the calling of the Gentiles. Because, if God had not told
us in this place respecting the extension of Christ's kingdom, we would not this
day have been classed among his people. But as the wall is broken down,
(<490214>Ephesians
2:14) and the gospel promulgated, we have been gathered together into the body
of the Church, and Christ's power is put forth to uphold and defend
us.
3.
Thy people shall
come.
fd324 In this verse the Psalmist sets
forth the honors of Christ's kingdom in relation to the number of his subjects,
and their prompt and cheerful obedience to his commands. The Hebrew term, which
he employs, frequently denotes voluntary oblations; but, in the present
case, it refers to the chosen people, those who are truly Christ's flock;
declaring that they shall be a willing people, spontaneously and cheerfully
consecrating themselves to his service.
At the time of the assembling of
thine army, that is to say, as often as
there shall be a convening of solemn and lawful assemblies, or the king shall
desire an account of his people; which may be expressed in French, au jour
des montres, — in the day of the review. Others render it, in the
day of thy power;
fd325 but the former is preferable,
for when Christ shall wish to assemble his people, immediately they will yield a
prompt obedience, without being forcibly constrained to it. Moreover, for the
purpose of assuring us that this, in preference to all other kingdoms, was set
apart by God for his peculiar services, it is added,
the beauties or honors of
holiness, thereby intimating, that all
who become Christ's subjects will not approach him as they would do an earthly
king, but as they would come into the presence of God himself, their sole aim
being to serve God.
Out of the
womb of the morning,
fd326 etc. It would not be for
edification to recount all the interpretations which have been given of this
clause, for when I have established its true and natural import, it would be
quite superfluous to enter upon a refutation of others. There does not, indeed,
appear to me any reason to doubt that, in this place, David extols the Divine
favor displayed in increasing the number of Christ's people; and hence, in
consequence of their extraordinary increase, he compares the youth or race which
would be born to him to the dew.
fd327 As men are struck with astonishment at
seeing the earth moistened and refreshed with dew, though its descent be
imperceptible, even so, David declares that an innumerable offspring shall be
born to Christ, who shall be spread over the whole earth. The youth, therefore,
which, like the dew-drops, are innumerable, are here designated
the dew of
childhood or
of
youth. The Hebrew term,
twdly,
yalduth, is used as a collective noun, that is, a noun which does not
point out a single individual only, but a community or society.
fd328 Should any wish to attach a more
definite and distinct signification to the term, he may do so in the following
manner: That an offspring, innumerable as the dew-drops of the morning, shall
issue from his womb. The testimony of experience proves that there was good
reason for uttering this prediction. The multitude who, in so short a time, have
been gathered together and subjected to Christ's sway, is incredible; the more
so, as this has been accomplished by the sound of the Gospel alone, and that,
too, in spite of the formidable opposition of the whole world. Besides, it is
not surprising that aged persons, who are recently converted to Christ, should
be designated children newly born, because the spiritual birth, according to
Peter, makes all the godly become as new-born babes,
(<600202>1
Peter 2:2) To the same purpose are the words of Isaiah,
(<235310>Isaiah
53:10,) that Christ "shall see a seed whose days shall be prolonged;" and under
his reign the Church has the promise of enjoying a season of incalculable
fertility. What has been said will serve to account for the appellation given to
the Church or children of God. And, assuredly, it is matter of surprise that
there should be any, though the number may be few, gathered out of a world lying
in ruins, and inhabited by the children of wrath; and it is still more
surprising, that such vast multitudes are regenerated by the Spirit of Christ
and by the word. At the same time, we would do well to bear in mind, that to
execute God's commands promptly and cheerfully, and to be guided solely by his
will, is the peculiar honor and privilege of his chosen; for Christ will
recognize none as his people, except those who willingly take his yoke upon
them, and come into his presence at the voice of his word. And that no one may
imagine that eye-service is a proper discharge of his duty, the Psalmist very
properly adds, that Christ will not be satisfied with mere external ceremony,
but that he must be worshipped with true reverence, such as he himself instructs
us to bring into the presence of
God.
Psalm
110:4
4. Jehovah hath sworn, and
will not repent him,
fd329 Thou art a priest for ever, according
to the manner of
Melchizedek.
4.
Jehovah hath
sworn. This verse is a satisfactory
proof that the person here spoken of is none other than Christ. When the Jews,
with the view of mystifying this prediction, render the term
ˆhwk,
chohen, a prince, their translation is at once feeble and frivolous. I
acknowledge, indeed, that those of noble descent or of royal blood are in Hebrew
denominated
µynhk,
chohanim; but would it have been saying any thing to the honor of Christ
for David merely to give to him the title of a chief, which is inferior to that
of royal dignity? Besides, what would be the import of saying that he was a
prince for ever, and according to the manner of Melchizedek? There can be no
question then, that the Holy Ghost here refers to something specific and
peculiar, as distinguishing and separating this king from all other kings. This,
too, is the well known title with which Melchizedek was honored by Moses,
(<011418>Genesis
14:18) I grant, indeed, that anciently among heathen nations kings were wont to
exercise the priestly office; but Melchizedek is called "the priest of
the most high God," in consequence of his devoutly worshipping the only true
God. Among his own people, however, God did not permit the blending of these
offices. Hence Uzziah, David's legitimate successor, was struck with leprosy
because he attempted to offer incense to God,
(<142621>2
Chronicles 26:21) The circumstances connected with the lineage of David were
vastly different from those relating to Melchizedek. What these are it is not
difficult to ascertain, inasmuch as in this new King the holy office of the
priesthood shall be united with the crown and the throne. For assuredly the
imperial majesty was not so conspicuous in such an obscure prince as
Melchizedek, as on that account to warrant his being held out as an example
above all others. Salem, the sole seat of his throne, and where he reigned by
sufferance, was at that time a small obscure town, so that with regard to him
there was nothing deserving of notice saving the conjunction of the crown and
the priesthood. Ambitious of procuring greater reverence for their persons,
heathen kings aspired after the honor of the sacerdotal office; but it was by
divine authority that Melchizedek was invested with both these
functions.
All dubiety as to this being the
meaning of David ought to be banished from our minds by the authority of the
Apostle. And although the Jews may maintain the contrary as obstinately as they
please, yet reason manifestly declares that the beauty of holiness, to
which I formerly adverted, is here very clearly described. To this a decisive
and peculiar mark is appended, which elevates Christ above all other kings with
regard to the dignity of the priesthood, and which at the same time tends to
point out the difference between his priesthood and that of Levi. In connection
with his sacerdotal office, mention is made of
God's
oath, who was not wont to mingle his
venerable name with matters of minor importance; but, on the contrary, to teach
us by his own example to swear deliberately and reverently, and never unless in
weighty and important matters. Admitting, then, that God had sworn that the
Messiah would be the prince and governor of his people, according as Melchizedek
was, this would have been nothing else than an unbecoming profanation of his
name. When, however, it is quite apparent that something unusual and peculiar
was denoted in this place, we may therefore conclude that the priesthood of
Christ is invested with great importance, seeing that it is ratified by the oath
of God. And, in fact, it is the very turning point upon which our salvation
depends; because, but for our reliance on Christ our Mediator, we would be all
debarred from entering into God's presence. In prayer, too, nothing is more
needful for us than sure confidence in God, and therefore he not only invites us
to come to him, but also by an oath hath appointed an advocate for the purpose
of obtaining acceptance for us in his sight. As for those who shut the door
against themselves, they subject themselves to the guilt of impeaching him with
being a God of untruth and of perjury. It is in this way that the Apostle argues
the disannulling of the Levitical priesthood; because, while that remained
entire, God would not have sworn that there should be a new order of priesthood
unless some change had been contemplated. What is more, when he promises a new
priest, it is certain that he would be one who would be superior to all others,
and would also abolish the then existing
order.
Some translate the term
ytrbd,
diberathi, according to my word,
fd330 an interpretation which I am not
disposed entirely to reject, inasmuch as David would be represented as affirming
that the priesthood of Melchizedek is founded upon the call and commandment of
God. But as the letter
y,
yod, is frequently redundant, I, in common with the majority of
interpreters, prefer translating it simply manner. Moreover, as not a few
of the fathers have misapprehended the comparison between Christ and
Melchizedek, we must learn from the Apostle what that resemblance is; from which
will be readily seen the error into which they fell respecting it. For can there
be any thing more absurd than to overlook all the mysteries about which the
Spirit, by the mouth of the Apostle, hath spoken, and attend only to such as he
has omitted? Such persons argue solely about the bread and wine, which they
maintain were offered both by Melchizedek and Christ. But Melchizedek offered
bread and wine, not as a sacrifice to God, but to Abraham as a repast to refresh
him on his march. "In the holy Supper there is not an offering of bread and wine
as they erroneously imagine, but a mutual participation of it among the
faithful. As to the passage under review, the similitude refers principally to
the perpetuity of his priesthood, as is obvious from the particle
µlw[l,
leolam, that is to say, for ever. Melchizedek is described by
Moses as if he were a celestial individual; and, accordingly, David, in
instituting a resemblance between Christ and him, designs to point out the
perpetuity of his priestly office. Whence it follows, (a point which is handled
by the Apostle,) that as death did not intercept the exercise of his office, he
has no successor. And this circumstance demonstrates the accursed sacrilege of
the Popish mass; for, if the Popish priests will assume the prerogative of
effecting a reconciliation between God and men, they must of necessity denude
Christ of the peculiar and distinguishing honor which his Father has conferred
upon him.
Psalm
110:5-7
5. The Lord at thy right
hand
fd331 hath broken in pieces kings in the day
of his wrath. 6. He shalt judge among the heathen, he shall fill all with
ruins; he shall break the head over a great country. 7. He shall drink of
the torrent in the way, and therefore shall he elevate his head on
high.
5.
The Lord at thy right hand. In these
words David celebrates the dreadful nature of that power which Christ possesses
for the dispersion and destruction of his enemies; and by this means he affirms,
that though encompassed by bands of deadly foes, yet their malignant attempts
would not prevent God from upholding the King whom he has set up. It is proper
to consider the expression, in
the day of his wrath, by which we are
instructed patiently to endure the cross, if it happen that God, for a time,
conceals himself during the prevalence of the cruelty and fury of enemies; for
he knows well when the full and fit season arrives for executing vengeance upon
them. Next, he invests Christ with power over the nations, and the people of
uncircumcised lips; meaning, that he was not chosen King to reign over the
inhabitants of Judea only, but also to keep under his sway distant nations,
agreeably to what was predicated of him in
<190208>Psalm
2:8. And because, in all parts of the earth, as well as in the confines of
Judea, there would be many rebellious and disobedient persons, he adverts also
to their destruction; thus intimating, that all who should set themselves in
opposition to Christ, must be made to fall before him, and their obstinacy be
subdued.
7.
He shall
drink. Not a few interpreters, in my
opinion, expound this verse in a very harsh manner: that the carnage would be so
great, as to cause the blood of the slain to flow in torrents, out of which
Christ, the Conqueror, might drink till he was satiated.
fd332 Akin to this is the exposition of those
who would have it to be a figurative representation of misery and grief, and
thus descriptive of the many afflictions to which Christ was liable during this
transitory life. The similitude seems rather to be drawn from the conduct of
brave and powerful generals, who, when in hot pursuit of the enemy, do not
suffer themselves to be diverted from their purpose by attending to luxuries;
but, without kneeling down, are content to quench their thirst by drinking of
the stream which they are passing. It was in this way that Gideon found out the
brave and warlike soldiers; regarding such as kneeled down to drink as destitute
of courage, he sent them back to their homes,
<070705>Judges
7:5. It therefore appears to me that David figuratively attributes military
prowess to Christ, declaring that he would not take time to refresh himself, but
would hastily drink of the river which might come in his way.
fd333 This is designed to strike his enemies
with terror, intimating to them the rapid approach of impending destruction.
Should any one be disposed to ask, Where then is that spirit of meekness and
gentleness with which the Scripture elsewhere informs us he shall be endued?
<234202>Isaiah
42:2, 3; 61:1, 2; I answer, that, as a shepherd is gentle towards his flock, but
fierce and formidable towards wolves and thieves; in like manner, Christ is kind
and gentle towards those who commit themselves to his care, while they who
wilfully and obstinately reject his yoke, shall feel with what awful and
terrible power he is armed. In
<190209>Psalm
2:9, we saw that he had in his hand an iron scepter, by which he will beat down
all the obduracy of his enemies; and, accordingly, he is here said to assume the
aspect of cruelty, with the view of taking vengeance upon them. Wherefore it
becomes us carefully to refrain from provoking his wrath against us by a
stiff-necked and rebellious spirit, when he is tenderly and sweetly inviting us
to come to him.
PSALM 111
fd334
The title to this psalm supplies the place of an
argument; and, that others may be induced to engage in the praises of God, the
Psalmist points out the manner of doing so by his own example. Then he gives a
short account of the manifold benefits which, in olden times, he conferred upon
the faithful, and is daily conferring upon them. The psalm is composed in
alphabetical order, each verse containing two letters. The first verse begins
with a,
a
aleph, while the letter b,
b
beth, is placed at the commencement of the next half of the verse. The last
two verses only are not divided into hemistiches; but each of these has three
letters. If, however, any one will closely examine the contents, he will find
that this has occurred through mistake or inadvertence; for if we make these two
verses into three,
fd335 the construction of the sentences
corresponds very well one with another; and consequently, the transcribers have
erred in not attending to the prophet's
distinction.
Psalm
111:1-4
1. Praise ye Jehovah.
fd336
(a,
aleph,) I will praise Jehovah with my whole heart,
(b,
beth) In the congregation and assembly of the just. 2.
(g,
gimel,) The works of Jehovah are great,
(d,
daleth,) Sought out of all who have a desire to them. 3.
(h,
he,) His work is beautiful and magnificent:
(w,
vau,) And his justice endureth for ever. 4.
(z,
zain,) He hath caused his marvellous works to be remembered:
(j,
cheth,) Jehovah is compassionate and
merciful.
1.
I will praise
Jehovah. The best and most efficient
method of inculcating the performance of any duty is to be exemplary; and,
accordingly, we find that the prophet, in the present instance, sets himself for
an example, to lead others to engage in the celebration of God's praises. His
resolution to praise God consists of two parts; that he would celebrate God's
praises unfeignedly, with all his heart, and that he would do it publicly, in
the assembly of the faithful. He very properly begins with heart-praise, because
it is much better to praise in secret, and when no one is conscious of it, than
to lift up our voice, and shout forth his praises with feigned lips. At the same
time, the person who, in secret, pours out his heart in grateful emotions
towards God, will also set forth his praises in swelling strains, otherwise God
would be deprived of one half of the honor which is due to him. The prophet then
determines to praise God with the whole heart, that is, with an upright and
honest heart; not that he engages to come up to the full measure of his duty,
but he declares that he would not be like the hypocrites, who, coldly and with a
double heart, or rather guilefully and perfidiously, employ their lips only in
the praises of God. This is a point worthy of notice, lest any should be
discouraged, in consequence of not being able to cherish the hope of attaining
to that perfection of heart which is so desirable; for however defective our
praises may be, they may nevertheless be acceptable to God, provided only we
strive unfeignedly to render unto him this act of devotion. We come now to the
other part of his resolution, in which he says he would proclaim the praises of
God before men; for although the Hebrew term
dws,
sod, denotes a private assembly,
fd337 yet I think that, in this passage, he
employs two words of synonymous import. At the same time, should any one be
inclined to take a more refined view of the passage, he may do so if he please.
He says, in the congregation of
the just, because the principal object
for which holy assemblies are convened, is to afford the worshippers of God an
opportunity of presenting to him sacrifices of praise, agreeably to what is
stated in
<196501>Psalm
65:1,
"Praise waits for thee, O
Jehovah! in Zion."
2.
The works of Jehovah are
great. He now proceeds to inform us that
there are abundant materials for praising God, supplied by his works, to which
at present he makes only a general reference, and which he, subsequently,
defines more explicitly in relation to the government of the Church. The
magnitude of God's works is a subject which, generally, eludes the observation
of men, and, therefore, few of them are acquainted with it. This ignorance the
prophet ascribes to the indifference and ingratitude of men, comparatively few
of whom condescend to notice the great wisdom, goodness, justice, and power,
which shine forth in these works. Expositors are divided in their sentiments
about the second clause of the verse. Some translate it,
sought out for all their
delights; and, indeed, the Hebrew term
˜pj,
chaphets, signifies good pleasure; but as this is too harsh an
interpretation of the word, it is better to understand it as an adjective,
expressing the idea of loving or desiring. As to the participle,
sought out, which, according to the Hebrew verb,
çrd,
darash, properly denotes, to search with diligence, we yet find
that the works of Jehovah are, in this place, called
µyçwrd,
derushim, that is, perceived or found out. Hence, in
<236501>Isaiah
65:1, it is said, "I was found of them who sought, me not." I must, however, not
lose sight of the prophet's design, namely, that in consequence of so few
applying themselves to the study of the works of God, he teaches us that that is
the reason why so many are blind amidst a flood of light; for, when he says that
the excellency of the works of God is known to all who desire it, he means that
none are ignorant of it, except such as are wilfully blind, or rather,
malignantly and contemptuously quench the light which is offered to them. We
must, however, attend to the means which we possess for arriving at the
knowledge of these words because we know, that as long as the faithful are on
earth, their understandings are dull and weak, so that they cannot penetrate the
mysteries, or comprehend the height of the works of God. But, incomprehensible
as is the immensity of the wisdom, equity, justice, power, and mercy of God, in
his works, the faithful nevertheless acquire as much knowledge of these as
qualifies them for manifesting the glory of God; only it becomes us to begin the
study of his works with reverence, that we may take delight in them,
contemptible though they be in the estimation of the reprobate, who treat them
with impious scorn. The LXX. having rendered it, sought out in all his wills,
Augustine has therefore taken occasion, with philosophic finesse, to ask,
How can there be, or, at least, appear to be, a plurality of wills in God? And
it is indeed a pleasing consideration, that though God manifest his will in his
law, nevertheless there is another secret purpose by which he is guided in the
wonderful management of human affairs. This doctrine, however, is, foreign to
the exposition of this
passage.
3.
His work is
beautiful. Others render it splendor.
The meaning of the clause is this, That every act of God is replete with
glorious majesty. In the following part of the verse he specifies more clearly
in what this beauty and magnificence consist, by stating that
the justice of
God is everywhere conspicuous. It is not
the design of God to furnish us with such a display of his power and sovereignty
in his works, as might only fill our minds with terror, but he also gives us a
display of his justice in a manner so inviting as to captivate our hearts. This
commendation of the works and ways of God is introduced in opposition to the
clamor and calumny of the ungodly, by which they impiously endeavor, to the
utmost extent of their power, to disfigure and deface the glory of the works of
God. In the next verse, he more especially extols the wonderful works in which
God has principally set forth his power.
To cause his marvellous works to
be remembered, is equivalent to the
doing of works worthy of being remembered, or the renown of which shall continue
for ever.
fd338 And having above called upon us to
contemplate his justice, now, in like manner, and almost in like terms, he
celebrates the grace and mercy of God, principally in relation to his works,
because that justice which he displays in the preservation and protection of his
people, issues from the source of his unmerited favor which he bears towards
them.
Psalm
111:5-8
5.
(f,
teth,) He hath given a portion to them that fear him:
(y,
yod,) He will remember his covenant for ever. 6.
(k,
caph,) He hath declared to his people the power of his works,
(l,
lamed,) To give the heritage of the heathen to them. 7.
(m,
mem,) The works of his hands are truth and judgment;
(n,
nun,) All his statutes are true. 8.
(s,
samech,) They are established for ever,
([,
ain,) And are done in truth and
righteousness.
5.
He hath given a portion to
them that fear him. The Church being a
mirror of the grace and justice of God, what the prophet said respecting them is
here expressly applied to her; not that he designs to treat of the justice of
God, in general, but only of that which he peculiarly displays towards his own
people. Hence he adds, that God's care of his people is such as to lead him to
make ample provision for the supply of all their wants. The word
ãrf,
tereph, which we have translated portion, is frequently taken for
a prey:
fd339 others render it meat;
but I rather choose to render it portion, in which sense it is taken
in
<203008>Proverbs
30:8, and
<203115>Proverbs
31:15; as if he should say, that God had given his people all that was needful,
and that, considered as a portion, it was large and liberal; for we know that
the people of Israel were enriched, not in consequence of their own industry,
but by the blessing of God, who, like the father of a family, bestows upon his
household every thing necessary for their subsistence. In the following clause
of the verse, he assigns as the reason for his care and kindness, his desire of
effectually demonstrating that his covenant was not null and void. And here it
must be carefully observed, that if, in former times, and from a respect to his
gracious covenant, he manifested so great kindness towards the people of Israel,
in like manner, the goodness which we receive from him is the result of our
adoption into his family; and because God is never weary in showing kindness to
his people, he says that the remembrance of his covenant shall never be effaced.
Moreover, as he daily and constantly loads us with his benefits, so our faith
must, in some measure, correspond with it: it must not fail, but must rise above
life and death.
The next verse is subjoined, by
way of exposition, for the purpose of showing that God, in bestowing upon his
people the heritage of the heathen, had manifested to them the power of his
works. He does indeed employ the term show, but he means a true showing;
because the possession of the Holy Land was not acquired by mere human power,
but it was given to them by Divine power, and through the working of many
miracles; and thus God, as it were, openly testified to the descendants of
Abraham with what incomparable power he is invested. It is on this account that
he sets up the people of Israel as a match for so many other nations, who would
assuredly never have vanquished so many enemies, unless they had been sustained
from on high.
7.
The works of his
hands. In the first clause of the verse
he exclaims that God is known to be faithful and upright in his works, and then
he goes on to extol the same truth and rectitude as pervading the doctrine of
the law; the amount of which is, that a beautiful harmony characterises all the
sayings and doings of God, because every where he shows himself to be just and
faithful. We have a memorable proof of this fact in the redemption of his
ancient people. Yet I doubt not, that, under the term,
works,
the prophet comprehends the constant government of the Church; because God
daily and unceasingly shows that he is just and true, and unweariedly pursues
the same course. Among men it is reckoned to be of more importance for one to be
found just in practice than in profession; yet, as the doctrine of the law was
the very life and safety of the people, the prophet very properly, and in
several expressions, dwells upon the sentiment contained in the second clause of
the verse; saying, all his
statutes are true, they are established for ever, and are drawn up in perfect
accordance with the strict law of truth and
equity. And assuredly, but for God's
having kept the people united to him by the sacred chain of the law, the fruit
of their redemption would have been very small, and even that benefit would have
soon been lost by them. We ought to observe, then, that this subject is brought
prominently forward in this place; because, in attesting the eternal love of
God, it became the means of imparting
life.
Psalm
111:9-10
9.
(p,
phe,) He sent redemption to his people;
(x,
tzaddi,) he hath commanded His covenant for ever:
(q,
koph,) holy and terrible is his name. 10.
(r,
resh,) The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom:
(ç,
schin,) good understanding have all they who do these things:
(t,
tau,) his praise endureth for
ever.
9.
He sent redemption to his people. What
he had already stated is here repeated in different words. And as the
deliverance of his people was the commencement of their salvation, it is first
introduced; next is subjoined its confirmation in the law, by reason of which it
comes to pass that God's adoption could never fail. For though, long prior to
this, God had established his covenant with Abraham, which also was the occasion
of the redemption of the people; yet what is here mentioned refers exclusively
to the law, by which the covenant was ratified, never to be disannulled. The
amount is, that, in the deliverance of the people, God did not act the part of a
beneficial father, merely for a day, but that, in the promulgation of the law,
he also establishedhis grace, that the hope of eternal life might continue for
ever in the Church. Moreover, you must attend carefully to what I have elsewhere
cautioned you against, and to which I shall advert more at length on Psalm 119,
where the law is spoken of, That the commandments must not be taken always
abstractly, for the Holy Spirit, in an especial manner, refers to the promises
which are in Christ, by which God, in gathering his chosen people to himself,
hath begotten them again to eternal
life.
10.
The fear of
Jehovah. Having treated of the kindness
of God, and paid a well-merited tribute to the law, the prophet goes on to
exhort the faithful to reverence God, and be zealous in the keeping of the law.
In calling the fear of God, The
beginning or source of wisdom, he
charges with folly those who do not render implicit obedience unto God. As if he
should say, They who fear not God, and do not regulate their lives according to
his law, are brute beasts: and are ignorant of the first elements of true
wisdom. To this we must carefully attend; for although mankind generally wish to
be accounted wise almost all the world lightly esteem God, and take pleasure in
their own wicked craftiness. And as the very worst of men are reputed to be
superior to all others in point of wisdom; and, puffed up with this confidence,
harden themselves against God, the prophet declares all the wisdom of the world,
without the fear of God, to be vanity or an empty shadow. And, indeed, all who
are ignorant of the purpose for which they live are fools and madmen. But to
serve God is the purpose for which we have been born, and for which we are
preserved in life. There is, therefore, no worse blindness, no insensibility so
grovelling, as when we contemn God, and place our affections elsewhere. For
whatever ingenuity the wicked may possess, they are destitute of the main thing,
genuine piety. To the same effect are the words which immediately
follow, a good understanding have
all they who keep God's commandments.
There is great emphasis upon the qualifying adjunct
bwf,
tob; because the prophet, in inveighing against the foolish opinion to
which we have already adverted, tacitly condemns those who delight in their own
wicked craftiness. His meaning is, I admit, that they are usually deemed wise
who look well to their own interests, who can pursue a temporising policy, who
have the acuteness and artifice of preserving the favorable opinion of the
world, and who even practice deception upon others. But even were I to grant
that this character belongs to them, yet is their wisdom unprofitable and
perverse, because true wisdom manifests itself in the observance of the law.
Next he substitutes the keeping
of God's commandments for the fear of
God. For though all men, without exception, boast that they fear God, yet
nothing is more common than for them to live in the neglect of his law. Hence
the prophet very properly inculcates upon us the voluntary assumption of his
yoke, and submission to the regulations of his word, as the most satisfactory
evidence of our living in the fear of God. The term
beginning
fd340 has misled some, leading them to
imagine that the fear of God was denominated the entrance of wisdom, as it were
the alphabet, because it prepares men for true piety. Such an opinion is
scarcely deserving of notice, seeing that, in
<182828>Job
28:28, it is called "wisdom." In this passage fear is not to be understood as
referring to the first or elementary principles of piety, as in
<620418>1
John 4:18, but is comprehensive of all true godliness, or the worship of God.
The conclusion of the psalm requires no explanation; it being the object of the
prophet simply to inculcate upon the faithful, that nothing is more profitable
for them, than to spend their lives in the celebration of the praises of
God.
PSALM
112
As the majority of mankind expect to prosper by evil
deeds, and as they generally endeavor to enrich themselves by plunder, fraud,
and every species of injustice, the prophet enumerates the blessings of God
which attend those who worship him in purity, in order that we may know that, in
aiming at a life of piety and morality, we shall not lose our reward.
fd341
Psalm
112:1-3
1. Praise ye Jehovah!
Blessed is the man that feareth Jehovah; he will greatly delight in his
commandments. 2. His seed shall be powerful in the earth:
fd342 the generation of the righteous shall
be blessed. 3. Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his
righteousness endureth for
ever.
1.
Blessed is the man that feareth Jehovah.
Although the prophet begins with an exhortation, he has, as I have already
pointed out, something farther in view, than simply the calling upon the
faithful to praise God. To practice wickedness, and perpetrate injustice, is, in
all quarters, accounted a great happiness; and, although integrity may be
occasionally praised, nevertheless, there is scarcely one among a hundred who
pursues it, because all imagine that they will be miserable unless, by one means
or another, they seize as booty every thing which comes in their way. In
opposition to this, the prophet tells us that more advantage is to be expected
from God's paternal regard, than from the inflicting of every species of injury,
and the perpetrating of every kind of injustice in our power; and by setting
before us the certain hope of reward, he calls us back to the practice of equity
and beneficence. The following is the analysis which I give of the verse:
Blessed is the man that feareth
the Lord, and delighteth himself in his
commandments; and thus, by the second
clause of the verse, the prophet specifies in what the fear of God consists. And
that the addition of this explanatory clause is called for, is quite apparent
from what we remarked towards the conclusion of the preceding psalm. For, while
the law is boldly contemned by mankind, yet nothing is more common than to
pretend that they fear God. Such impiety is well refuted by the prophet, when he
acknowledges none as belonging to the worshippers of God, but he who endeavors
to keep his law. The Hebrew verb
˜pj,
chaphets, is rather emphatical, which is, as it were, to take his
pleasure, and I have rendered
to delight
himself. For the prophet makes a
distinction between a willing and prompt endeavor to keep the law, and that
which consists in mere servile and constrained obedience. We must, therefore,
cheerfully embrace the law of God, and that, too, in such a manner, that the
love of it, with all its sweetness, may overcome all the allurements of the
flesh, otherwise, mere attention to it will be unavailing. Hence a man cannot be
regarded as a genuine observer of the law, until he has attained to this —
that the delight which he takes in the law of God renders obedience agreeable to
him. I now resume the consideration of the passage at large. The prophet, in
affirming that the worshippers of God are happy, guards us against the
very dangerous deception which the ungodly practice upon themselves, in
imagining that they can reap a sort of happiness, I know not what, from doing
evil.
2.
His seed shall be powerful. For the
purpose of confirming the statement which he advanced respecting the happiness
of the man that fears Jehovah and takes delight in his commandments, the prophet
enumerates the tokens of God's loving-kindness, which he is wont to bestow upon
his worshippers. And, in the first place, he says that God's fatherly kindness
is not confined to their own persons, it also extends to their posterity:
agreeably to what is said in the law, "I am merciful to a thousand generations,
towards them that love me and keep my commandments,"
<023407>Exodus
34:7. And in
<19A308>Psalm
103:8, 9, and other passages, we have formerly adverted to this doctrinal
statement. As, however, not a few are disposed to pervert this doctrine, by
applying it as the standard according to which God dispenses his temporal
favors, it is therefore proper to bear in mind what I have said in
<193725>Psalm
37:25, that these are bestowed according to the manner, and in the measure,
which God pleases. Sometimes it happens that a good man is childless; and
barrenness itself is considered a curse of God. Again, many of God's servants
are oppressed with poverty and want, are borne down under the weight of
sickness, and harassed and perplexed with various calamities. It is therefore
necessary to keep this general principle in view, That God sometimes bestows his
bounty more profusely, and, at other times, more sparingly, upon his children,
according as he sees it to be most for their good; and, moreover, he sometimes
conceals the tokens of his kindness, apparently as if he had no regard for his
people at all. Still, amid this perplexity, it constantly appears that these
words were not uttered in vain,
the righteous and their offspring
are blessed. God very frequently blasts
the vain hopes of the ungodly, whose sole object is to bear rule in the world,
and to raise their children to places of wealth and honor. On the other hand, as
the faithful are satisfied with bringing up their children in the fear of God,
and contented to live sparingly, God, as it were with an outstretched hand,
exalts them to honor. Add to this, that anciently, under the law, the truth of
this doctrine was more evident; because it was requisite for a people
inexperienced and feeble, to be trained gradually, by means of temporal
benefits, to entertain a better hope. And in our times, but for our vices, God's
temporal kindness would shine more brightly upon us. For experience demonstrates
that what is immediately subjoined does not uniformly hold true,
wealth and riches shall be in the
houses of the righteous. It is no
uncommon occurrence for the virtuous and holy to suffer hunger, and to be in
want even of the most homely fare; and, for this reason, it would not be for
their good were God to bestow more earthly benefits upon them. In afflicting
circumstances, numbers of them would be incapable of behaving in a manner
becoming their profession. In the meantime, we may observe, that the grace which
the prophet commends appears principally in this, that the good and sincere are
satisfied with their humble estate, whereas no portion, however large, even to
the extent of the world itself, will content the ungodly worldling. The old
adage holds true, That the covetous wants that which he has, as well as that
which he has not; because he is master of nothing, and is the slave of his own
wealth. In connection with this clause must also be taken that which follows,
the righteousness of good men
endureth for ever. This, in fact,
constitutes the true and proper difference between the godly and ungodly;
because the latter may, for a time, hoard up immense wealth; yet, all that
shall, according to the words of the prophet, "suddenly vanish away at the blast
of the Almighty,"
<370109>Haggai
1:9. And we daily see that what has been acquired by violence and deceit,
becomes the prey and property of others. But, to the faithful, their integrity
is the best and surest preserver of God's
blessings.
Psalm
112:4-8
4. Light ariseth
fd343 in darkness to the righteous: he is
gracious, merciful, and just. 5. A good man
fd344 showeth pity, and lendeth: he manages
his affairs uprightly. 6. Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the just
shall be held in perpetual remembrance. 7. He shall not be afraid when he
hears evil tidings: his heart is fixed, because he confides in Jehovah.
8. His heart is established, he shall not be afraid,
until
fd345 he see his desire
fd346 upon his
enemies.
4.
Light ariseth. The Hebrew verb
jrz,
zarach, may be taken intransitively, as I have inserted it in the text,
or transitively, as in the marginal reading; in either way the signification is
the same. Whichsoever of these translations you adopt, the words are susceptible
of a twofold interpretation; either, that as the sun shines on one part of the
earth, and all the other parts of it are enveloped in darkness, so God exempts
the righteous from the common calamities of human life; or, as day succeeds
night, so God, though he permit the hearts of his servants to be in heaviness
for a season, will cause a time of calmness and clearness to return to them. If
the latter exposition is adopted, then, by
darkness,
or by the cloudy, and rainy, or stormy season, the prophet means the
afflictions to which God subjects his servants for the trial of their patience.
The former interpretation appears to be more appropriate, That, when the whole
world is overwhelmed with troubles, God's grace shines upon the faithful, who
feel comfortable and happy, because he is propitious towards them. It is thus
that their condition is properly distinguished from that which forms the common
lot of other men. For the ungodly, however they may exult in prosperity, are,
nevertheless, blind in the midst of light, because they are strangers to God's
paternal kindness; and, in adversity, they are plunged into the darkness of
death; and, consequently, they never enjoy a season of calm repose. On the
contrary, the godly, upon whom the favor of God constantly shines, though liable
to the ills incident to humanity, are never overwhelmed with darkness, and hence
the propriety of what is here stated,
light ariseth to them in
darkness. If we give to the Hebrew verb
an active signification, then, in one respect, the construction of the words
will be preferable. For I have no doubt that the prophet intends, as applicable
to God, the epithets, gracious,
merciful, and just. Therefore, if we
read it as a neuter verb, light
ariseth, then the latter clause of the
verse will be the reason for the statement made in the former clause. As to the
exposition, that the righteous and humane do not diffuse darkness over the
world, as the unrighteous and wicked do; that they do not extract smoke from
light, but light from smoke; it must be viewed as nothing else than a perversion
of the prophet's language.
5.
A good
man. This is the commonly received
interpretation of the passage. I am disposed, however, to prefer another, That
it shall be well with those who are gracious and communicative; because this is
more in accordance with the purport of the prophet's language. It is his
intention to show how greatly the ungodly are deceived, when they aspire after
happiness by nefarious and unlawful practices; seeing that the favor of God is
the source and cause of all good things. Hence it becomes necessary to supply
the relative who. He proceeds, therefore, to put us on our guard as to
the deception which those practice upon themselves, who hasten to enrich
themselves by sordid parsimony and oppressive extortion; inasmuch as the
faithful, by their clemency and kindness, open up a channel, through which the
favor of God flows to them: for the term
bwf,
tob, though in the masculine gender, signifying
good,
is often taken as if it were neuter, to denote that which is good. He puts
lending
as if it were the fruit of mercy; for the usurer also lends, but it is that,
under the false pretense of assisting the distressed, he may plunder them. It
is, then, the truly liberal, who, from compassion, and not with the design of
ensnaring the poor, grant relief to them, that God makes prosperous. The term
µybd,
debarim, in the end of the verse, signifies words; but, along with
David Kimchi, the most correct expositor among the Rabbins, I take it to mean
affairs.
Words is a very tame translation,
fd347 not to say, that, if this had been the
prophet's intention, he would have expressed himself in more simple terms. The
translation which I have given is the proper one, that the righteous will manage
their affairs with prudence and discernment; so that, in their domestic affairs,
they will neither be too lavish nor sordidly parsimonious; but, in every thing,
they will study to combine frugality with economy, without giving way to luxury.
And, in all their mercantile transactions; they will always be guided by the
principles of equity and
morality.
6.
Surely he shall not be
moved. The Hebrew particle
yk,
ki, may here be taken in its natural or causal meaning, and thus be
rendered for, especially if in the preceding verse we adopt the marginal
reading, It shall be well with the man. For he refers in more explicit
terms to that happiness of which he spake, that God sustains the compassionate
and humane, so that amid all the vicissitudes of life they remain unmoved; that
he makes their innocence appear, and protects them from unjust calumny. It is
said they are never
moved. They are indeed liable to the
incidents common to humanity, and even may often appear as if they were about to
sink under the weight of their calamities; but their confidence remains
unshaken, and by invincible patience they surmount all their adversities. With
God as the defender of their righteousness, they yet do not escape from being
assailed by the slanders of the ungodly, but it is enough for them that their
name is blessed before God, the angels, and the whole assembly of the
godly.
7.
He shall not be afraid when
he hears evil tidings. This may appear
to be a confirmation of the statement contained in the preceding verse, being as
much as to say, That the righteous are exempted from the infamous name which the
reprobate secure to themselves by their vicious conduct. I rather take the
meaning to be, that the righteous, unlike unbelievers, who tremble at every even
the slightest rumor, calmly and peacefully confide in God's paternal care, amid
all the evil tidings which may reach them. Whence is it that unbelievers are in
constant agitation, but that they imagine they are the sport of fortune on the
earth, while God remains at ease in heaven? No wonder, then, that the rustling
of the falling leaf troubles and alarms them. From such uneasiness the faithful
are freed, because they neither give heed to rumors, nor does the fear of them
prevent them from constantly invoking God. The children of God may also manifest
symptoms of fear at the prospect of impending danger; for were they altogether
regardless of calamities, such indifference would be the result, not of
confidence in God, but of insensibility. But should they not be able to lay
aside all fear and anxiety, yet, acknowledging God as the guardian of their
life, and pursuing the tenor of their way, they intrust themselves to his
preserving care, and cheerfully resign themselves to his disposal. This is that
magnanimity of the righteous, under the influence of which the prophet declares
they can disregard those rumors of evil which strike others with alarm. Wisely,
too, do they rely upon God for support; because, encompassed on all sides with
deaths innumerable, we would sink into despair were we not borne up by the
confidence that we are secure under God's protection. Genuine stability, then,
is that which the prophet here describes, and which consists in reposing
with unshaken confidence in God. On the other hand, that presumptuous confidence
with which the ungodly are intoxicated exposes them the more, to the indignation
of God, inasmuch as they overlook the frailty of human life, and in their pride
of heart madly set themselves in opposition to him. Therefore, when "they shall
say, Peace and safety, then shall sudden destruction come upon them,"
(<520503>1
Thessalonians 5:3.) But a sense of calamities, while it alarms and disconcerts
the faithful, does not make them faint-hearted, because it does not shake their
faith, by which they are rendered bold and steadfast. In a word, they are not
insensible to their trials,
fd348 but the confidence which they place in
God enables them to rise above all the cares of the present life. Thus they
preserve calmness and composedness of mind, and wait patiently till the fit
season arrives for taking vengeance upon the
reprobate.
Psalm
112:9-10
9. He has distributed, he
has given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be
exalted with honor. 10. The wicked shall see it, and be angry; he shall
gnash with his teeth, and melt away:
fd349 The desire of the wicked shall
perish.
9.
He has distributed, he hath
given to the poor. Once more he affirms
that the righteous never lose the fruit and the reward of their liberality. And
first, by
dispersing,
the prophet intimates, that they did not give sparingly and grudgingly, as
some do who imagine that they discharge their duty to the poor when they dole
out a small pittance to them, but that they give liberally as necessity requires
and their means allow; for it may happen that a liberal heart does not possess a
large portion of the wealth of this world. All that the prophet means is, that
they are never so parsimonious as not to be always ready to distribute according
to their means. Next he adds,
they give to the
poor, meaning that they do not bestow
their charity at random, but with prudence and discretion meet the wants of the
necessitous. We are aware that unnecessary and superfluous expenditure for the
sake of ostentation is frequently lauded by the world; and, consequently, a
larger quantity of the good things of this life is squandered away in luxury and
ambition than is dispensed in charity prudently bestowed. The prophet instructs
us that the praise which belongs to liberality does not consist in distributing
our goods without any regard to the objects upon whom they are conferred, and
the purposes to which they are applied, but in relieving the wants of the really
necessitous, and in the money being expended on things proper and lawful. This
passage is quoted by Paul,
(<470909>2
Corinthians 9:9) in which he informs us that it is an easy matter for God to
bless us with plenty, so that we may exercise our bounty freely, deliberately,
and impartially, and this accords best with the design of the prophet. The next
clause, his righteousness
endureth for ever, is susceptible of two
interpretations. That immoderate ambition which impels the ungodly to squander
away their goods merits not the name of virtue. It may, therefore, with
propriety be said, that it is a uniform course of liberality which is here
praised by the prophet, according to what he formerly observed, that the
righteous manage their affairs with discretion. If any prefer to refer it to
the fruit of righteousness, I have no objection. And, indeed, it appears to be a
repetition of the same sentence which lately came under our notice. Then the
prophet shows how God by his benefits preserves the glory of that righteousness
which is due to their liberality, and does not disappoint them of their reward,
in that he exalteth their horn more and more, that is, their power or their
prosperous condition.
10.
The wicked shall see
it.
fd350 Here follows a contrast similar to that
which we met with in
<190205>Psalm
2:5, which renders the grace of God towards the faithful the more illustrious.
His meaning is, that though the wicked may cast off all regard to piety, and
banish from their minds all thoughts of human affairs being under the
superintending providence of God, they shall yet be made to feel, whether they
will or no, that the righteous, in compliance with God's command, do not vainly
devote themselves to the cultivation of charity and mercy. Let them harden
themselves as they choose, yet he declares that the honor, which God confers
upon his children, shall be exhibited to them, the sight of which shall make
them gnash with their teeth, and shall excite an envy that shall consume them by
inches.
fd351 In conclusion, he adds, that
the wicked shall be disappointed
of their desires. They are never
content, but are continually thirsting after something, and their confidence is
as presumptuous as their avarice is unbounded. And hence, in their foolish
expectations, they do not hesitate at grasping at the whole world. But the
prophet tells them that God will snatch from them what they imagined was already
in their possession, so that they shall always depart destitute and
famishing.
PSALM
113
In this psalm the providence of God furnishes matter
for praising him, because, though his excellency is far above the heavens,
nevertheless, he deigns to cast his eyes upon the earth to take notice of
mankind. And as not a few are disconcerted by the vicissitudes which they behold
occurring in the world, the prophet takes occasion, from these sudden and
unlooked for changes, to warn us to attend expressly to God's providence, that
we may entertain no doubt that all things are governed according to his will and
pleasure.
fd352
Psalm
113:1-4
1. Praise ye Jehovah.
Praise, ye servants of Jehovah! praise the name of Jehovah. 2. Blessed be
the name of Jehovah henceforth and for ever. 3. Jehovah's name is to be
praised, from the rising of the sun unto his going down. 4. Jehovah is
high above all nations, his glory is above the
heavens.
1.
Praise, ye servants of Jehovah! This
psalm contains abundant reasons for all men without exception to praise God. The
faithful alone being endued with spiritual perception to recognize the hand of
God, the prophet addresses them in particular. And if we consider how cold and
callous men are in this religious exercise, we will not deem the repetition of
the call to praise God superfluous. We all acknowledge that we are created to
praise God's name, while, at the same time, his glory is disregarded by us. Such
criminal apathy is justly condemned by the prophet, with the view of stirring us
up to unwearied zeal in praising God. The repetition, then, of the exhortation
to praise him, ought to be considered as referring both to perseverance and
ardor in this service. If, by the
servants of
God, some would rather understand the
Levites, to whom the charge of celebrating his praises under the Law was
committed, I am not much opposed to it, provided they do not exclude the rest of
the faithful, over whom formerly God appointed the Levites as leaders and chief
musicians, that he might be praised by all his people without exception. When
the Holy Spirit addresses the Levites expressly in relation to the subject of
God's praises, it is designedly that, by their example, they may show the way to
others, and that the whole Church may respond in one holy chorus. Now that we
are all "a royal priesthood,"
(<600209>1
Peter 2:9) and as Zechariah testifies,
(<381421>Zechariah
14:21) that under the reign of Christ, the meanest of the people shall be
Levites, there is no question that, excepting unbelievers who are mute, the
prophet invites us all in common to render this service unto
God.
2.
Blessed be the name of
Jehovah. The prophet confirms what I
stated above, that the praises of God must be continued throughout the whole
course of our life. If his name is to be continually praised, it ought, at
least, to be our earnest endeavor, during our brief pilgrimage here, that the
remembrance of it may flourish after we are dead. In the next verse, he extends
the glory of God's name to all parts of the earth; wherefore our apathy will be
totally inexcusable, if we do not make its praises resound among ourselves.
Under the law, God could not be praised aright, excepting in Judea by his own
people, to whom the knowledge of him was confined. His works, however, which are
visible to all nations, are worthy of the admiration of the whole world. To the
same effect is the following clause respecting the loftiness of God's glory; for
can there be any thing more base, than for us to magnify it but seldom and
tardily, considering it ought to fill our thoughts with enrapturing admiration?
In extolling the name of God so highly, the prophet intends to show us that
there is no ground for indifference; that silence would savor of impiety were we
not to exert ourselves to the utmost of our ability to celebrate his praises, in
order that our affections may, as it were, rise above the heavens. When he adds,
that God is high above all
nations, there is an implied reproach,
by which he fastens upon the chosen people the charge of apathy in the exercise
of praise. For can there be any thing more preposterous, than for those who are
eye-witnesses of God's glory, which shines forth even among the blind, to
refrain from making it the theme of their praises? At the very time when God
conferred upon the Jews the exclusive honor of being the depositaries of the
knowledge of his heavenly doctrine, he was nevertheless, according to Paul, not
without a witness,
(<441417>Acts
14:17;
<450120>Romans
1:20) After the promulgation of the Gospel, his exaltation above the nations was
more evident, for then the whole world was placed under his
sway.
Psalm
113:5-9
5. Who is like unto Jehovah
our God, who hath his dwelling on high, 6. Who humbleth himself to behold
the things that are done in heaven, and on earth!
fd353
7. Who raises the poor from the dust,
who lifts the afflicted from the dunghill; 8. That he may place him with
princes, with the princes of his people. 9. Who maketh the barren woman
to dwell in the family, a joyful mother of children. Praise ye Jehovah.
fd354
5.
Who is like unto Jehovah our
God. The prophet strengthens his
position for the celebration of God's praises, by contrasting the height of his
glory and power with his unbounded goodness. Not that his goodness can be
separated from his glory; but this distinction is made out of regard to men, who
would not be able to endure his majesty, were he not kindly to humble himself,
and gently and kindly draw us towards him. The amount is, that God's dwelling
above the heavens, at such a distance from us, does not prevent him from showing
himself to be near at hand, and plainly providing for our welfare; and, in
saying that God is exalted above the heavens, he magnifies his mercy towards
men, whose condition is mean and despicable, and informs us that he might
righteously hold even angels in contempt, were it not that, moved by paternal
regard, he condescends to take them under his care. If in regard to angels he
humble himself, what is to be said in regard to men, who, grovelling upon the
earth, are altogether filthy? Is it asked, whether or not God fills heaven and
earth? The answer is obvious. The words of the prophet simply mean, that God may
trample the noblest of his creatures under his feet, or rather that, by reason
of their infinite distance, he may entirely disregard them. In short, we must
conclude that it is not from our proximity to him, but from his own free choice,
that he condescends to make us the objects of his peculiar
care.
7.
Who raiseth the poor from the
dust. In this passage, he speaks in
terms of commendation of God's providential care in relation to those
diversified changes which men are disposed to regard as accidental. He declares
that it is solely by the appointment of God that things undergo changes far
surpassing our anticipations. If the course of events were always uniform, men
would ascribe it merely to natural causes, whereas, the vicissitudes which take
place teach us that all things are regulated in accordance with the secret
counsel of God. On the other hand, struck with astonishment at the events which
have happened contrary to our expectation, we instantly ascribe them to chance.
And as we are so apt to view things from a point the very reverse from that of
recognising God's superintending care, the prophet enjoins us to admire his
providence in matters of marvellous, or of unusual occurrence; for since
cowherds, and men of the lowest and most abject condition, have been elevated to
the summit of power, it is most reasonable that our attention should be arrested
by a change so unexpected. We now perceive the prophet's design. In this
passage, as well as in others, he might have set before us the structure of the
heavens and the earth; but, as our minds are unaffected by the ordinary course
of things, he declares that the hand of God is most apparent in his marvellous
works. And in saying that men of mean and abject condition are not merely
elevated to some petty sovereignty, but that they are invested with power and
authority over God's holy people, he increases the greatness of the miracle
— that being of far more consequence than to rule in other parts of the
earth; for the state or kingdom of the Church constitutes the principal and
august theater where God presents and displays the tokens of his wonderful
power, wisdom, and
righteousness.
9.
Who maketh the barren woman
to dwell in the family. He relates
another work of God, which if, apparently, not so notable, ought not, on that
account, the less to engage our thoughts. Unimpressed as we are by the ordinary
works of God, we are constrained to express our astonishment when a woman who
has been for a long period barren, unexpectedly becomes the mother of a numerous
family. The Hebrew term,
tybh,
habbayith, is to be understood, not simply of a house, but also of
a household, — that is, the thing containing, for that which is
contained, — just as the Greeks apply
oikov,
and the Latins domus, to a household. The meaning is, that the
woman who was formerly barren is blessed with fruitfulness, and fills the house
with children. He attributes joy to mothers, because, though the hearts of all
are prone to aspire after wealth, or honor, or pleasures, or any other
advantages, yet is progeny preferred to every thing else. Wherefore, since God
superintends the ordinary course of nature, alters the current of events,
elevates those of abject condition and ignoble extraction, and makes the barren
woman fruitful, our insensibility is very culpable, if we do not attentively
contemplate the works of his hand.
PSALM
114
This psalm contains a short account of that
deliverance by which God, in bringing his people out of Egypt: and conducting
them to the promised inheritance, gave a proof of his power and grace which
ought to be held in everlasting remembrance. The design of that wonderful
deliverance was, that the seed of Abraham might yield themselves wholly to God,
who, receiving them by a gracious act of adoption, purposed that they should be
to him a holy and peculiar people.
fd355
Psalm
114:1-4
1. When Israel went out from
Egypt, and the house of Jacob from a barbarous people;
fd356
2. Judah was for his
fd357 holiness, Israel for his dominions.
3. The sea saw, and fled:
fd358 Jordan was turned backward. 4.
The mountains leaped like rams, and the hills as the lambs of the
flock.
1.
When Israel went out from
Egypt. That exodus being a remarkable
pledge and symbol of God's love for the children of Abraham, it is not
surprising that it should be so frequently called to remembrance. In the
beginning of the psalm, the prophet informs us that the people whom God
purchased at so great a price are no more their own. The opinion of certain
expositors, that at that time the tribe of Judah was consecrated to the service
of God, according to what is said in
<021906>Exodus
19:6, and
<600209>1
Peter 2:9, appears to me foreign to the prophet's design. All doubt about the
matter is removed by what is immediately subjoined, God's taking Israel under
his rule, which is simply a repetition of the same sentiment in other words.
Judah being the most powerful and numerous of all the tribes, and occupying the
chief place among them, here takes the precedency of the rest of the people. At
the same time, it is very evident that the honor which is in a peculiar manner
ascribed to them, belongs equally to the whole body of the people.
fd359 When God is said to be sanctified, it
must be understood that the prophet is speaking after the manner of men,
because, in himself, God is incapable of increase or diminution.
Judah is called his holiness,
fd360 and Israel his
dominion,
fd361 because his holy majesty, which
hitherto had been little known, secured the veneration of all who had witnessed
the displays of his incredible power. In delivering his people, God erected a
kingdom for himself and procured respect for his sacred name; if then they do
not constantly reflect upon such a remarkable instance of his kindness, their
insensibility is totally
inexcusable.
3.
The sea saw, and
fled. He does not enumerate in
succession all the miracles which were wrought at that time, but briefly alludes
to the sea, which, though a lifeless and senseless element, is yet struck with
terror at the power of God. Jordan did the same, and the very mountains shook.
It is in a poetical strain that the Psalmist describes the receding of the sea
and of the Jordan. The description, however, does not exceed the facts of the
case. The sea, in rendering such obedience to its Creator, sanctified his name;
and Jordan, by its submission, put honor upon his power; and the mountains, by
their quaking, proclaimed how they were overawed at the presence of his dreadful
majesty. By these examples it is not meant to celebrate God's power more than
the fatherly care and desire which he manifests for the preservation of the
Church; and, accordingly, Israel is very properly distinguished from the sea,
the Jordan, and the mountains — there being a very marked difference
between the chosen people and the insensate
elements.
Psalm
114:5-8
5. What ailed thee, O see!
that thou fleddest? and thou, Jordan, that thou turnedst back? 6. The
mountains, that ye did leap like rams; and ye hills, like lambs of the flock?
7. At the presence of the Lord, tremble, thou earth,
fd362 at the presence of the God of Jacob;
8. Who turned the rock into pools of water,
fd363 and the mighty rock into a fountain of
waters.
fd364
5.
What ailed thee, O
sea! The prophet interrogates the sea,
Jordan, and the mountains, in a familiar and poetical strain, as lately he
ascribed to them a sense and reverence for God's power. And, by these
similitudes, he very sharply reproves the insensibility of those persons, who do
not employ the intelligence which God has given them in the contemplation of his
works. The appearance which he tells us the sea assumed, is more than sufficient
to condemn their blindness. It could not be dried up, the river Jordan could not
roll back its waters, had not God, by his invisible agency, constrained them to
render obedience to his command. The words are indeed directed to the sea, the
Jordan, and the mountains, but they are more immediately addressed to us, that
every one of us, on self-reflection, may carefully and attentively weigh this
matter. And, therefore, as often as we meet with these words, let each of us
reiterate the sentiment, — "Such a change cannot be attributed to nature,
and to subordinate causes, but the hand of God is manifest here." The figure
drawn from the lambs and
rams
would appear to be inferior to the magnitude of the subject. But it was the
prophet's intention to express in the homeliest way the incredible manner in
which God, on these occasions, displayed his power. The stability of the earth
being, as it were, founded on the mountains, what connection can they have with
rams and lambs, that they should be agitated, skipping hither and thither? In
speaking in this homely style, he does not mean to detract from the greatness of
the miracle, but more forcibly to engrave these extraordinary tokens of God's
power on the illiterate.
7.
At the presence of the
Lord. Having aroused the senses of men
by interrogations, he now furnishes a reply, which many understand to be a
personification of the earth; because they take
y,
yod, to be the affix of the verb
ylwj,
chuli; and they represent the earth as saying, It is my duty to tremble at
the presence of the Lord. This fanciful interpretation is untenable; for the
term, earth, is immediately subjoined. Others, with more propriety,
considering the
y,
yod, in this, as in many other passages, to be redundant, adopt this
interpretation: It is reasonable and becoming that the earth should tremble in
the presence of the Lord. Again, the term
ylwj,
chuli, is by many rendered in the imperative mood; which interpretation I
readily adopt, as it is most probable that the prophet again makes an appeal to
the earth, that the hearts of men may be the more sensibly moved. The meaning is
the same, — It must be that the earth quake at the presence of her King.
And this view receives confirmation from the term
ˆwda,
adon, being used, which signifies a lord or a master. He
then immediately introduces the name
of the God of
Jacob, for the purpose of banishing from
men all notions of false gods. Their minds being prone to deceit, they are
always in great danger of allowing idols to usurp the place of the true God.
Another miracle is mentioned, in which God, after the passage of the people
through the Red Sea, gave an additional splendid manifestation of his power in
the wilderness. The glory of God, as he informs us, did not appear for one day
only, on the departure of the people; it constantly shone in his other works, as
when a stream suddenly issued out of the dry rock,
<021706>Exodus
17:6. Waters may be found trickling out from among rocks and stony places, but
to make them flow out of a dry rock, was unquestionably above the ordinary
course of nature, or miraculous. I have no intention of entering into any
ingenious discussion, how the stone was converted into water; all that the
prophet means amounts simply to this, that water flowed in places formerly dry
and hard. How absurd, then, is it for the sophists to pretend that a
transubstantiation takes place in every case in which the Scripture affirms that
a change has been produced? The substance of the stone was not converted into
water, but God miraculously created the water, which gushed out of the dry
rock.
PSALM
115
It is obvious that this psalm was penned when the
Church was deeply afflicted. Unworthy as they are to be heard by God, the
faithful, nevertheless, offer up supplications to him for deliverance, lest his
holy name might be exposed to scorn and reproach among the heathen. Then,
mustering courage, they mock at the madness of all who are addicted to the
worship of idols; and, with holy boasting, they magnify their own happiness, in
that they have been adopted by God; and from this also they take occasion to
stimulate one another to acknowledge the kindness which they have received from
him.
Psalm
115:1-3
1. Not unto us, O Jehovah!
not unto us, but unto thy name give the glory, on account of thy mercy, on
account of thy truth. 2. Why should the heathen say, Where is now their
God? 3. Surely our God is in heaven: he hath done whatsoever pleased
him.
1.
Not unto us, O Jehovah! It is not
certain by whom, or at what time, this psalm was composed.
fd365 We learn from the first part of it,
that the faithful betake themselves to God, in circumstances of extreme
distress. They do not make known their desires in plain words, but indirectly
hint at the nature of their request. They openly disclaim all merit, and all
hope of obtaining deliverance otherwise than God's doing it from a sole
regard to his own glory, for these things are inseparably connected.
Deserving, therefore, to meet with a repulse, they yet beseech God not to expose
his name to the derision of the heathen. In their distress they desire to obtain
consolation and support; but, finding nothing in themselves meritorious of God's
favor, they call upon him to grant their requests, that his glory may be
maintained. This is a point to which we ought carefully to attend, that,
altogether unworthy as we are of God's regard, we may cherish the hope of being
saved by him, from the respect that he has for the glory of his name, and from
his having adopted us on condition of never forsaking us. It must, also be
noticed, that their humility and modesty prevent them from openly complaining of
their distresses, and that they do not begin with a request for their own
deliverance, but for the glory of God. Suffused with shame by reason of their
calamity, which, in itself, amounts to a kind of rejection, they durst not
openly crave, at God's hand, what they wished, but made their appeal indirectly,
that, from a regard to his own glory, he would prove a father to sinners, who
had no claim upon him whatever. And, as this formulary of prayer has once been
delivered to the Church, let us also, in all our approaches unto God, remember
to lay aside all self-righteousness, and to place our hopes entirely on his free
favor. Moreover, when we pray for help, we ought to have the glory of God in
view, in the deliverance which we obtain. And it is most likely they adopted
this form of prayer, being led to do so by the promise. For, during the
captivity, God had said, "Not for your sake, but for mine own sake will I do
this,"
<234811>Isaiah
48:11. When all other hopes fail, they acknowledge this to be their only refuge.
The repetition of it is an evidence how conscious they were of their own
demerit, so that, if their prayers should happen to be rejected a hundred times,
they could not, in their own name, prefer any charge against
him.
2.
Why should the heathen say, Where is now their
God? They here express how God would
maintain his glory in the preservation of the Church, which, if he permitted to
be destroyed, would expose his name to the impious reproaches of the heathen,
who would blaspheme the God of Israel, as being destitute of power, because he
forsook his servants in the time of need. This is not done from the persuasion
that God requires any such representation, but rather that the faithful may
direct their thoughts back to that holy zeal contained in the words to which we
have formerly adverted, "The railings of those that railed against thee have
fallen upon me,"
<196910>Psalm
69:10. And this is the reason for not having recourse to rhetorical
embellishment, to move him to put forth his power to preserve the Church; they
simply protest that their anxiety for their own safety does not prevent them
from valuing the glory of God, even as it is worthy of being more highly valued.
They go on to show how the glory of God was connected with their deliverance, by
declaring that he was the Author of the covenant, which the ungodly had boasted
was abolished and disannulled; and who, consequently, had declared that the
grace of God was frustrated, and that his promises were vain. This is the ground
on which they remind him of his favor and faithfulness, both of which were
liable to mischievous calumnies, should he disappoint the hopes of his people,
to whom he was bound by an everlasting covenant; and upon whom, in the exercise
of his gratuitous mercy, he had bestowed the privilege of adoption. And as God,
in making us also partakers of his Gospel, has condescended to graft us into the
body of his Son, we ought to make a public acknowledgement of the
same.
3.
Surely our God is in
heaven.
fd366 The faithful, with holy
boldness, encourage themselves the more to prayer. Our prayers, we know, are
worthless when we are agitated with doubts. Had that blasphemy penetrated their
hearts, it would have inflicted a mortal wound. And hence they very opportunely
guard against it, by discontinuing the train of their supplications. By-and-bye
we shall consider the second clause of this verse in its proper place, where
they scoff at the idols, and lewd superstitions of the heathen. But, at present,
every word in this clause demands our careful inspection. When they place God in
heaven, they do not confine him to a certain locality, nor set limits to his
infinite essence; but they deny the limitation of his power, its being shut up
to human instrumentality only, or its being subject to fate or fortune. In
short, they put the universe under his control; and, being superior to every
obstruction, he does freely every thing that may seem good to him. This truth is
still more plainly asserted in the subsequent clause, He
hath done whatsoever pleased
him. God, then, may be said to dwell in
heaven, as the world is subject to his will, and nothing can prevent him from
accomplishing his purpose.
That God can do
whatsoever he pleaseth is a doctrine of great importance, provided it be truly
and legitimately applied. This caution is necessary, because curious and forward
persons, as is usual with them, take the liberty of abusing a sound doctrine by
producing it in defense of their frantic reveries. And in this matter we daily
witness too much of the wildness of human ingenuity. This mystery, which ought
to command our admiration and awe, is by many shamelessly and irreverently made
a topic of idle talk. If we would derive advantage from this doctrine, we must
attend to the import of God's doing whatsoever he pleaseth in heaven and on the
earth. And, first, God has all power for the preservation of his Church, and for
providing for her welfare; and, secondly, all creatures are under his control,
and therefore nothing can prevent him from accomplishing all his purposes.
However much, then, the faithful may find themselves cut off from all means of
subsistence and safety, they ought nevertheless to take courage from the fact,
that God is not only superior to all impediments, but that he can render them
subservient to the advancement of his own designs. This, too, must also be borne
in mind, that all events are the result of God's appointment alone, and that
nothing happens by chance. This much it was proper to premise respecting the use
of this doctrine, that we may be prevented from forming unworthy conceptions of
the glory of God, as men of wild imaginations are wont to do. Adopting this
principle, we ought not to be ashamed frankly to acknowledge that God, by his
eternal counsel, manages all things in such a manner, that nothing can be done
but by his will and appointment.
From this
passage Augustine very properly and ingeniously shows, that those events which
appear to us unreasonable not only occur simply by the permission of God, but
also by his will and decree. For if our God doeth whatsoever pleaseth him, why
should he permit that to be done which he does not wish? Why does he not
restrain the devil and all the wicked who set themselves in opposition to him?
If he be regarded as occupying an intermediate position between doing and
suffering, so as to tolerate what he does not wish, then, according to the fancy
of the Epicureans, he will remain unconcerned in the heavens. But if we admit
that God is invested with prescience, that he superintends and governs the world
which he has made, and that he does not overlook any part of it, it must follow
that every thing which takes place is done according to his will. Those who
speak as if this would be to render God the author of evil are perverse
disputants. Filthy dogs though they be, yet they will not, by their barking, be
able to substantiate a charge of lying against the prophet, or to take the
government of the world out of God's hand. If nothing occurs unless by the
counsel and determination of God, he apparently does not disallow sin; he has,
however, secret and to us unknown causes why he permits that which perverse men
do, and yet this is not done because he approves of their wicked inclinations.
It was the will of God that Jerusalem should be destroyed, the Chaldeans also
wished the same thing, but after a different manner; and though he frequently
calls the Babylonians his stipendiary soldiers, and says that they were stirred
up by him,
(<230526>Isaiah
5:26;) and farther, that they were the sword of his own hand, yet we would not
therefore call them his allies, inasmuch as their object was very different. In
the destruction of Jerusalem God's justice would be displayed, while the
Chaldeans would be justly censured for their lust, covetousness, and cruelty.
Hence, whatever takes place in the world is according to the will of God, and
yet it is not his will that any evil should be done. For however
incomprehensible his counsel may be to us, still it is always based upon the
best of reasons. Satisfied with his will alone, so as to be fully persuaded,
that, notwithstanding the great depth of his judgments,
(<193606>Psalm
36:6) they are characterized by the most consummate rectitude; this ignorance
will be far more learned than all the acumen of those who presume to make their
own capacity the standard by which to measure his works. On the other hand, it
is deserving of notice, that if God does whatsoever he pleases, then it is not
his pleasure to do that which is not done. The knowledge of this truth is of
great importance, because it frequently happens, when God winks and holds his
peace at the afflictions of the Church, that we ask why he permits her to
languish, since it is in his power to render her assistance. Avarice, fraud,
perfidy, cruelty, ambition, pride, sensuality, drunkenness, and, in short, every
species of corruption in these times is rampant in the world, all which would
instantly cease did it seem good to God to apply the remedy. Wherefore, if he at
any time appears to us to be asleep, or has not the means of succoring us, let
this tend to make us wait patiently, and to teach us that it is not his pleasure
to act so speedily the part of our deliverer, because he knows that delay and
procrastination are profitable to us; it being his will to wink at and tolerate
for a while what assuredly, were it his pleasure, he could instantly
rectify.
Psalm
115:4-8
4. Their idols are silver
and gold, the work of men's hands. 5. They have a mouth, but they do not
speak: they have eyes and see not: 6. They have ears, and do not hear:
they have noses, and smell not: 7. They have hands, and feel not: they
have feet, and walk not: they do not speak through their throat.
fd367
8. Those that make them shall be like
unto them; and all those who trust to
them.
4.
Their
idols. This contrast is introduced for
the purpose of confirming the faith of the godly, by which they repose upon God
alone; because, excepting him, all that the minds of men imagine of divinity is
the invention of folly and delusion. To know the error and the madness of the
world certainly contributes in no small degree to the confirmation of true
godliness; while, on the other hand, a God is presented to us, whom we know
assuredly to be the maker of heaven and earth, and whom we are to worship, not
without reason or at random. The more effectually to silence the arrogance of
the ungodly, who proudly presume to set at nought God and his chosen people, he
contemptuously ridicules their false gods, first calling them
idols,
that is to say, things of nought, and, next, showing from their being formed
of inanimate materials, that they are destitute of life and feeling. For can
there be anything more absurd than to expect assistance from them, since neither
the materials of which they are formed, nor the form which is given to them by
the hand of men, possess the smallest portion of divinity so as to command
respect for them? At the same time, the prophet tacitly indicates that the value
of the material does not invest the idols with more excellence so that they
deserve to be more highly esteemed. Hence the passage may be translated
adversatively, thus, Though they are of gold and silver, yet they are not gods,
because they are the work of men's hands. Had it been his intention merely to
depreciate the substance of which they were composed, he would rather have
called them wood and stone, but at present he speaks only of gold and silver. In
the meantime, the prophet reminds us that nothing is more unbecoming than for
men to say that they can impart either essence, or form, or honor to a god,
since they themselves are dependent upon another for that life which will soon
disappear. From this it follows, that the heathen vainly boast of receiving help
from gods of their own devising. Whence does idolatry take its origin but from
the imaginations of men? Having abundance of materials supplied to their hand,
they can make of their gold or silver, not only a goblet or some other kind of
vessel, but also vessels for meaner purposes, but they prefer making a god. And
what can be more absurd than to convert a lifeless mass into some new deity?
Besides, the prophet satirically adds, that while the heathen fashion members
for their idols, they cannot enable them to move or use them. It is on this
account that the faithful experience their privilege to be the more valuable, in
that the only true God is on their side, and because they are well assured that
all the heathen vainly boast of the aid which they expect from their idols,
which are nothing but shadows.
This is a
doctrine, however, which ought to receive a greater latitude of meaning; for
from it we learn, generally, that it is foolish to seek God under outward
images, which have no resemblance or relation to his celestial glory. To this
principle we must still adhere, otherwise it would be easy for the heathen to
complain that they were unjustly condemned, because, though they make for
themselves idols upon earth, they yet were persuaded that God is in heaven. They
did not imagine that Jupiter was either composed of stone, or of gold, or of
earth, but that he was merely represented under these similitudes. Whence
originated this form of address common among the ancient Romans, "To make
supplication before the gods," but because they believed the images to be, as it
were, the representations of the gods?
fd368 The Sicilians, says Cicero, have no
gods before whom they can present their supplications. He would not have spoken
in this barbarous style, had the notion not been prevalent, that the figures of
the heavenly deities were represented to them in brass, or silver, or in marble;
fd369 and cherishing the notion, that in
approaching these images the gods were nearer to them, the prophet justly
exposes this ridiculous fancy, that they would enclose the Deity within
corruptible representations, since nothing is more foreign to the nature of God
than to dwell under stone, or a piece of marble, or wood, and stock of a tree,
or brass, or silver.
fd370 For this reason, the prophet Habakkuk
designates that gross mode of worshipping God, the school of falsehood.
(<350218>Habakkuk
2:18.) Moreover, the scornful manner in which he speaks of their gods deserves
to be noticed, they have a mouth,
but they do not speak; for why do we
betake ourselves to God, but from the conviction that we are dependent upon him
for life; that our safety is in him, and that the abundance of good, and the
power to help us, are with him? As these images are senseless and motionless,
what can be more absurd than to ask from them that of which they themselves are
destitute?
8.
They who make them shall be
like unto them. Many are of opinion that
this is an imprecation, and hence translate the future tense in the optative
mood, may they become like unto
them. But it will be equally appropriate
to regard it as the language of ridicule, as if the prophet should affirm that
the idolaters are equally stupid with the stocks and stones themselves. And he
deservedly severely reprehends men naturally endued with understanding, because
they divest themselves of reason and judgment, and even of common sense. For
those who ask life from things which are lifeless, do they not endeavor to the
utmost of their power to extinguish all the light of reason? In a word, were
they possessed of a particle of common sense, they would not attribute the
properties of deity to the works of their own hands, to which they could impart
no sensation or motion. And surely this consideration alone should suffice to
remove the plea of ignorance, their making false gods for themselves in
opposition to the plain dictates of natural reason. As the legitimate effect of
this, they are willfully blind, envelop themselves in darkness, and become
stupid; and this renders them altogether inexcusable, so that they cannot
pretend that their error is the result of pious zeal. And I have no doubt that
it was the prophet's intention to remove every cause and color of ignorance,
inasmuch as mankind spontaneously become
stupid.
Whosoever trusteth in
them. The reason why God holds images so
much in abhorrence appears very plainly from this, that he cannot endure that
the worship due to himself should be taken from him and given to them. That the
world should acknowledge him to be the sole author of salvation, and should ask
for and expect from him alone all that is needed, is an honor which peculiarly
belongs to him. And, therefore, as often as confidence is reposed in any other
than in himself, he is deprived of the worship which is due to him, and his
majesty is, as it were, annihilated. The prophet inveighs against this
profanity, even as in many passages the indignation of God is compared to
jealousy, when he beholds idols and false gods receiving the homage of which he
has been deprived,
(<023414>Exodus
34:14;
<050509>Deuteronomy
5:9) If a man carve an image of marble, wood, or brass, or if he cast one of
gold or silver, this of itself would not be so detestable a thing; but when men
attempt to attach God to their inventions, and to make him, as it were, descend
from heaven, then a pure fiction is substituted in his place. It is very true
that God's glory is instantly counterfeited when it is invested with a
corruptible form; ("To whom hast thou likened me?" he exclaims by
<234025>Isaiah
40:25, and 46:5, and the Scripture abounds with such texts;) nevertheless, he is
doubly injured when his truth, and grace, and power, are imagined to be
concentrated in idols. To make idols, and then to confide in them, are things
which are almost inseparable. Else whence is it that the world so strongly
desires gods of stone, or of wood, or of clay, or of any earthly material, were
it not that they believe that God is far from them, until they hold him fixed to
them by some bond? Averse to seek God in a spiritual manner, they therefore pull
him down from his throne, and place him under inanimate things. Thus it comes to
pass, that they address their supplications to images, because they imagine that
in them God's ears, and also his eyes and hands, are near to them. I have
observed that these two vices can hardly be severed, namely, that those who, in
forging idols, change the truth of God into a lie, must also ascribe something
of divinity to them. When the prophet says that unbelievers put their trust in
idols, his design, as I formerly noticed, was to condemn this as the chief and
most detestable piece of
profanity.
Psalm
115:9-15
9. O Israel! Trust
fd371 thou in Jehovah: he is their help and
their shield. 10. O house of Aaron! trust ye in Jehovah: he is their help
and their shield. 11. Ye that fear Jehovah! trust in Jehovah: he is their
help and their shield. 12. Jehovah has been mindful of us; he will bless
us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron.
13. He will bless them that fear Jehovah, both the small with the
great. 14. Jehovah will add unto you, unto you and unto your children.
15. Blessed are ye of Jehovah, who made heaven and
earth.
9.
O Israel! trust thou in
Jehovah. The prophet again resumes the
doctrinal point, that the genuine worshippers of God have no cause to fear that
he will forsake or frustrate them in the time of need; because he is as much
disposed to provide for their safety as he is furnished with power to do it. He
proceeds, in the first place, to exhort all the Israelites generally to place
their confidence in God; and, secondly, he addresses the house of Aaron in
particular; and, thirdly, he sets down all who fear God. For this arrangement
there was good cause. God had adopted indiscriminately all the people, to whom
also his grace was offered, so that they were bound in common to place their
hope in him. In accordance with this Paul says, that the twelve tribes of Israel
wait for the promised deliverance,
(<442607>Acts
26:7) The prophet, therefore, with great propriety first addresses Israel at
large. But having in a peculiar manner set apart the Levites for himself, and
more especially the priests of the house of Aaron, to take the precedence, and
to preside over ecclesiastical matters, he demands more from them than from the
common people; not that salvation was promised specially to them, but because it
was proper that they who had the exclusive privilege of entering the sanctuary
should point out the way to others. As if the prophet had said, Ye sons of
Aaron, whom God hath chosen to be the teachers of religion to his people, be ye
to others an example of faith, seeing that he hath so highly honored you in
permitting you to enter his
sanctuary.
11.
Ye who fear
Jehovah! He does not speak of strangers,
as some erroneously suppose, as if this were a prediction respecting the calling
of the Gentiles. Connecting them with the children of Israel and with the sons
of Aaron, they are of opinion that he refers to the heathens and to the
uncircumcised who were not yet gathered into the sheepfold. By parity of reason
one might infer, that the priests are not of the seed of Abraham, because they
are separately mentioned. It is more probable that there is in these words a
tacit correction of what he had said before, by which he makes a distinction
between the genuine worshippers of God and those hypocrites who were the
degenerate sons of Abraham. Not a few of the seed of Abraham according to the
flesh having departed from the faith of their father, the prophet here restricts
the promise to those who, having received it by faith, were worshipping God in
purity. We now perceive the reason for his first addressing
the
Israelites, next
the house of
Aaron, and then
the fearers of
Jehovah. It is as if a person in our
times were to point his exhortation first to the whole body of the Church, and
then come more particularly to the ministers and teachers, who ought to be
ensamples to others. And as many falsely pique themselves upon the mere name of
being connected with the Church, and hence deserve not to be classed with God's
true followers, he expressly mentions the genuine and not the counterfeit
worshippers of God.
12.
Jehovah hath remembered
us. Many render the term
bless
in the past tense, he has blessed, it being the design of the
prophet, according to them, to propose the past experience of God's kindness as
an encouragement to cherish good hope for the future: "We have already, from
long experience, been taught how valuable the favor of our God is, because from
this source alone have flowed our prosperity, our abundance, and our stability."
He assumes the principle, the truth of which ought to be admitted by all, that
we neither enjoy prosperity nor happiness further than it pleases God to bless
us. As often as the Israelites were rescued from manifold dangers, or succored
in time of need, or treated in a friendly manner, so many palpable proofs had
they of the loving-kindness of God towards them. As, however, there is no just
cause to urge us to change the verb from the future into the past tense, it is
quite in unison with the scope of the passage, if we say that the same blessing
is here promised to the faithful which they have formerly realized. Thus the
meaning will be, that God, mindful of his covenant, has hitherto been attentive
to us; therefore, as he has begun to favor us, he will continue to do so for
ever. In pronouncing these blessings, he observes the same order as above,
assigning to the children of Aaron a superior place in God's benediction,
excluding from it those among the Israelites who were
hypocrites.
He says,
both the small with the
great, by which circumstance he
magnifies God's paternal regard the more, showing that he does not overlook even
the meanest and most despised, provided they cordially invoke his aid. Now, as
there is no acceptance of persons before God, our low and abject condition ought
to be no obstruction to our drawing near to him, since he so kindly invites to
approach him those who appear to be held in no reputation. Moreover, the
repetition of the word
bless
is intended to mark the uninterrupted stream of his loving-kindness. Should
any prefer the past tense, he has blessed, the meaning will be, that the
favor of God towards his people has continued for a long period, which ought to
be a sure evidence of the perpetuity of his fatherly regard. This interpretation
is strengthened by the subsequent verse, in which he says, that God would
multiply the benefits which he had up to that time conferred upon them. For
God's liberality is an inexhaustible fountain, which will never cease to flow so
long as its progress is not impeded by the ingratitude of men. And hence it will
be continued to their posterity, because God manifests the grace and the fruit
of his adoption even to a thousand
generations.
15.
Ye are blessed of
Jehovah. In the preceding verse the
prophet had given them the hope of uninterrupted happiness, arising from God's
infinite resources never failing, however liberally and largely he bestows, and
from his never ceasing to enrich those whom he hath admitted as sharers of his
bounty. In confirmation of this doctrine, he declares that the children of
Abraham were separated from other nations; so that, relying upon this privilege,
they might unhesitatingly and unreservedly surrender themselves to a father so
benignant and bountiful. And as the flesh, in consequence of its stupidity,
cannot perceive the power of God, the understanding of which preserves us in a
state of peace and security under his protection, the prophet, in designating
him the maker of heaven and earth, reminds us that there is no ground to fear
that he is unable to defend us; for, having created the heaven and the earth, he
does not now remain unconcerned in heaven, but all creation is under his
sovereign control.
Psalm
115:16-18
16. The heavens, the
heavens are Jehovah's: but the earth he hath given to the children of men.
17. O God! the dead shall not praise thee, nor those who go down to
silence. 18. But we will bless God from this time, and for ever. Praise
ye Jehovah.
16.
The heavens, the heavens are
Jehovah's. In this passage the prophet
extols the bounty of God, and his paternal regard for the human race, in that,
though he stood in need of nothing himself, he yet created the world, with all
its fullness, for their use. How comes it to pass that the earth is every where
covered with such a great variety of good things, meeting our eye in all
directions, unless that God, as a provident father of a family, had designed to
make provision for our wants? In proportion, therefore, to the comforts which we
here enjoy, are the tokens of his fatherly care. This is the prophet's meaning,
which I am astonished is so little attended to by the most of interpreters. The
amount is, that God, satisfied with his own glory, has enriched the earth with
abundance of good things, that mankind may not lack any thing. At the same time
he demonstrates, that, as God has his dwelling-place in the heavens, he must be
independent of all worldly riches; for, assuredly, neither wine, nor corn, nor
any thing requisite for the support of the present life is produced there.
Consequently, God has every resource in himself. To this circumstance the
repetition of the, term
heavens
refers, The heavens, the heavens are enough for God; and as he is
superior to all aid, he is to himself instead of a hundred worlds. It remains,
therefore, as another consequence from this, that all the riches with which the
world abounds proclaim aloud what a beneficent father God is to mankind. It is
indeed surprising that there should be no relish for this doctrine, considering
that the Holy Spirit spoke of the inestimable goodness of God. Under the papacy,
they chanted this psalm in their churches, and they continue the practice still;
but is there one among a hundred of them who reflects that God, in bestowing all
good things upon us, reserves nothing for himself, except a grateful
acknowledgment of them? And not only in this matter does the ingratitude of the
world appear, but the wicked wretches have conducted themselves most vilely, in
open and infamous blasphemy; perverting this verse, and making a jest of it,
saying that God remains unconcerned in heaven, and pays no regard to the affairs
of men. The prophet here expressly declares that the world is employed by God,
for the sole purpose of testifying his paternal solicitude towards mankind; and
yet these swine and dogs have made these words a laughing-stock, as if God, by
reason of his vast distance from men, totally disregarded them. And here I am
induced to relate a memorable story. While we were supping in a certain inn, and
speaking of the hope of the heavenly life, a profane despiser of God happening
to be present, treated our discourse with derision, and now and then mockingly
exclaimed, "The heaven of heavens is the Lord's." Instantly afterwards he was
seized with dreadful pain, and began to vociferate, "O God! O God!" and, having
a powerful voice, he filled the whole apartment with his cries. Then I, who had
felt indignant at his conduct, proceeded, in my own way, to tell him warmly,
that now at least he perceived that they who mocked God were not permitted to
escape with impunity. One of the guests, an honest and pious man, yet alive, but
withal facetious, employed the occasion thus, "Do you invoke God? Have you
forgotten your philosophy? Why do you not permit him to remain at ease in his
own heaven?" And as often as the one bawled out, "O God!" the other, mocking
him, retorted, "Where is now thy Coelum coeli Domino?" At that
time his pain indeed was mitigated; nevertheless, the remainder of his life was
spent in impunity.
17.
O God! the dead shall not
praise thee. In these words the prophet
goes on to beseech God to show himself propitious towards his Church, were there
no other object to be gained than the preventing mankind from being utterly cut
off, and the preserving a people, not only to enjoy his kindness, but also to
invoke and praise his name. After celebrating God's peculiar favor towards the
Israelites, and the beneficence which he displayed towards mankind at large, he
has recourse to the mercy of God for the pardoning of the sins of his people.
And he proceeds on this footing, that though the heathen nations revel amidst
the profuseness of God's bounty, yet the seed of Abraham alone are set apart to
celebrate his praises. "Lord, if thou shouldst allow us to perish, what would be
the result, but that thy name would become extinct, and would be entombed with
us?" From his appearing to deprive the dead of all sensibility, a question
occurs: If souls, after they have departed from their corporeal prison, still
survive? It is certain that they are then more vigorous and active, and;
therefore, it must inevitably follow that God is also praised by the dead.
Moreover, in appointing mankind their abode upon earth, he so disconnects them
with God, that he leaves them a life such as they enjoy in common with the
brutal tribes. For the earth was not given exclusively to men, but also to oxen,
swine, dogs, lions, and bears, and what is more, to every sort of reptile and
insect. For there is not a fly, nor a creeping thing, however mean, which the
earth does not supply with an abode.
fd372 The solution of the first question is
easy. Men were so situated on the earth that they might, as it were, with one
voice celebrate the praises of God. And it was to this concord that the prophet
in this place referred, as does also the Scripture in many other
passages.
"I shall not die, but
live, and declare the words of the
Lord,"
(Psalm 118:
17).
The good king Hezekiah also, said,
"The living, the living,
he shall praise thee,"
(<233819>Isaiah
38:19).
Jonah, too, when cast out of the belly of the fish,
said,
"I will offer sacrifices,
and I will pay my vows unto the Lord,"
(<320210>Jonah
2:10.) fd373
In short, the prophet very justly excludes the dead
from taking any part in the celebration of God's praises; for among them there
is no communion and fellowship qualifying them for mutually sounding forth his
praises: the proclaiming of his glory on the earth being the very end of our
existence. The reply to the second inquiry is this: The prophet says that the
earth was given to mankind, that they might employ themselves in God's service,
until they be put in possession of everlasting felicity. True, indeed, the
abundance of the earth belongs also to the brutal tribes; but the Holy Spirit
declares that all things were created principally for the use of men, that they
might thereby recognize God as their father. In fine, the prophet concludes that
the whole course of nature would be subverted, unless God saved his Church. The
creation of the world would serve no good purpose, if there were no people to
call upon God. Hence he infers that there will always be some left alive upon
the earth. And he not only promises that the Church shall be preserved, but also
calls upon all who are thus preserved to offer a tribute of gratitude to their
deliverer; and, moreover, he engages in their name to set forth the praises of
God. He does not speak merely of the persons who belong to one age, but of the
whole body of the Church which God upholds from one generation after another,
that he may never leave himself without some to testify and declare his justice,
goodness, and mercy.
PSALM
116
David, being delivered out of very great dangers,
relates what cruel torment and anguish of mind he endured, and then how
remarkably he was preserved by God. The desperate state of matters with him
tended to make the power of God in his preservation more conspicuous; for had
not God interposed for his deliverance, all hope would have failed. In this way
he stirs himself up to gratitude, and acknowledges that he can make no other
return to him for his innumerable benefits.
fd374
Psalm
116:1-4
1. I have loved, because
Jehovah shall hear the voice of my supplication. 2. Because he hath
inclined his ear to me, and during my days I will call upon him. 3. The
snares
fd375 of death compassed me,
fd376and the sorrows of the grave found me:
fd377 I found tribulation and grief.
4. And I will call upon the name of Jehovah; I beseech thee, O Jehovah!
deliver my
soul.
1.
I have loved, because Jehovah will hear the voice of my
supplication. At the very commencement
of this psalm David avows that he was attracted with the sweetness of God's
goodness, to place his hope and confidence in him alone. This abrupt mode of
speaking, I have
loved, is the more emphatic, intimating
that he could receive joy and repose nowhere but in God. We know that our hearts
will be always wandering after fruitless pleasures, and harassed with care,
until God knit them to himself. This distemper David affirms was removed from
him, because he felt that God was indeed propitious towards him. And, having
found by experience that, in general, they who call upon God are happy, he
declares that no allurements shall draw him away from God. When, therefore, he
says, I have
loved, it imports that, without God,
nothing would be pleasant or agreeable to him. From this we are instructed that
those who have been heard by God, but do not place themselves entirely under his
guidance and guardianship, have derived little advantage from the experience of
his grace.
The second verse also refers to the
same subject, excepting that the latter clause admits of a very appropriate
meaning, which expositors overlook. The phrase,
during my days I will call upon
him, is uniformly understood by them to
mean, I, who hitherto have been so successful in addressing God, will pursue the
same course all my life long. But it should be considered whether it may not be
equally appropriate that the days of David be regarded as denoting a fit
season of asking assistance, the season when he was hard pressed by necessity. I
am not prevented from adopting this signification, because it may be said that
the prophet employs the future tense of the verb
arqa,
ekra. In the first verse also, the term,
he shall
hear, is to be understood in the past
tense, he has heard, in which case the copulative conjunction would
require to be taken as an adverb of time, when, a circumstance this by no
means unusual among the Hebrews. The scope of the passage will run very well
thus: Because he has bowed his ear to me when I called upon him in the time of
my adversity, and even at the season, too, when I was reduced to the greatest
straits. If any are disposed to prefer the former exposition, I will not dispute
the matter with them. The subsequent context, however, appears to countenance
the latter meaning, in which David commences energetically to point out what
those days were. And, with the design of magnifying God's glory according to its
desert, he says that there was no way of his escaping from death, for he was
like one among enemies, bound with fetters and chains, from whom all hope of
deliverance was cut off. He acknowledges, therefore, that he was subjected to
death, that he was overtaken and seized, so that escape was impossible. And as
he declares that he was bound by
the cords of death, so he, at the same
the adds, that he fell into
tribulation and sorrow. And here he
confirms what he said formerly, that when he seemed to be most forsaken of God,
that was truly the proper time, and the right season for him to give himself to
prayer.
Psalm
116:5-9
5. Jehovah is gracious and
just; our God is merciful. 6. Jehovah guards the simple; I was brought
low, and he saved me. 7. Return, O my soul! into thy rest; for Jehovah
hath recompensed unto thee. 8. Because thou hast delivered my soul from
death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. 9. I will walk in
the presence of Jehovah in the land of the
living.
5.
Jehovah is gracious. He comes now to
point out the fruits of that love of which he spoke, setting before him God's
titles, in order that they might serve to preserve his faith in him. First, he
denominates him
gracious,
because he is so ready graciously to render assistance. From this source
springs that justice
which he displays for the protection of his own
people. To this is subjoined
mercy,
without which we would not deserve God's aid. And as the afflictions which
overtake us frequently appear to preclude the exercise of his justice, hence it
follows that there is nothing better than to repose upon him alone; so that his
fatherly kindness may engross our thoughts, and that no voluptuous pleasure may
steal them away to any thing else. He then accommodates the experience of God's
benignity and equity to the preserving of the simple, that is, of such as, being
undesigning, do not possess the requisite prudence for managing their own
affairs. The term, rendered
simple,
is often understood in a bad sense, denoting persons inconsiderate and
foolish, who will not follow wholesome advice. But, in this place, it is applied
to those who are exposed to the abuse of the wicked, who are not sufficiently
subtle and circumspect to elude the snares which are laid for them, — in
short, to those who are easily overreached; while, on the contrary, the children
of this world are full of ingenuity, and have every means at their command for
maintaining and protecting themselves. David, therefore, acknowledges himself to
be as a child, unable to consult his own safety, and totally unfit to ward off
the dangers to which he was exposed. Hence the LXX. have not improperly
translated the Hebrew term by the Greek,
ta<
nh>pia, little children.
fd378 The amount is, that when those
who are liable to suffering have neither the prudence nor the means of effecting
their deliverance, God manifests his wisdom towards them, and interposes the
secret protection of his providence between them and all the dangers by which
their safety may be assailed. In fine, David holds forth himself as a personal
example of this fact, in that, after being reduced to the greatest straits, he
had, by the grace of God, been restored to his former
state.
7.
Return, O my soul! unto thy
rest. He now exhorts himself to be of
good courage; or rather, addressing his soul, tells it to be tranquil, because
God was propitious towards him. By the term
rest,
some commentators understand God himself, but this is an unnatural
interpretation. It is rather to be regarded as expressive of a calm and composed
state of mind. For it is to be noticed, that David confesses himself to have
been sorely agitated and perplexed amid an accumulation of ills, in the same way
as each of us is conscious of his own inquietude, when the terrors of death
encompass us. Although, therefore, David possessed unusual fortitude, he was yet
distressed by reason of the conflict of grief, and an inward tremor so
distracted his mind, that he justly complains of being deprived of his peace. He
declares, however, that the grace of God was adequate to quiet all these
troubles.
It may be asked, whether the
experience of the grace of God alone can allay the fear and trepidation of our
minds; since David declares, that, having experienced relief from Divine aid, he
would, for the future, be at rest? If the faithful regain their peace of mind
only when God manifests himself as their deliverer, what room is there for the
exercise of faith, and what power will the promises possess? For, assuredly, to
wait calmly and silently for those indications of God's favor, which he conceals
from us, is the undoubted evidence of faith. And strong faith quiets the
conscience, and composes the spirit; so that, according to Paul, "the peace of
God, which passeth all understandings" reigns supremely there,
<500407>Philippians
4:7. And hence the godly remain unmoved, though the whole world were about to go
to ruin. What is the import of this
returning unto
rest? I answer, that however much the
children of God may be driven hither and thither, yet they constantly derive
support from the word of God, so that they cannot totally and finally fall away.
Confiding in his promises, they throw themselves upon his providence; and still
they are sorely distressed by disquieting fears, and sadly buffeted by the
storms of temptation. No sooner does God come to their assistance, than not only
inward peace takes possession of their minds, but, from the manifestation of his
grace, they are supplied with grounds for joy and gladness. Of this latter kind
of quietness David here treats — declaring that, notwithstanding of all
the prevalence of agitation of mind, it was now time for him to delight himself
calmly in God. The term
lmg,
gamal, is improperly rendered to reward; because, in Hebrew, it
usually signifies to confer a favor, as well as to give a recompense; which is
confirmed by him in the following verse, in which he says that
his soul was delivered from
death. This, then, properly speaking, is
the recompense; namely, that God, in delivering him from death, had wiped away
the tears from his eyes. The arrangement of the words is transposed; for,
according to our idiom, we would rather have said,
he hath delivered my feet from
falling; and mine eyes from tears, and
then he hath delivered my soul
from death; for we are wont to follow
that arrangement, by which the most important circumstance comes to be mentioned
last. Among the Hebrews such a collocation of the words, as in this passage, is
by no means improper. This is their import: God has not only rescued me from
present death, but also treated me with farther kindness, in chasing away
sorrow, and stretching out his hand to prevent me from stumbling. The grace of
God is enhanced, in that he restored to life one who had been almost
dead.
9.
I will walk in the presence
of Jehovah. To wall in the presence of God is,
in my opinion, equivalent to living under his charge. And thus David expects to
enjoy his safety continually. For nothing is more desirable than that God should
be upon the watch for us, that our life may be surrounded by his protecting
care. The wicked, indeed, regard themselves as secure, the farther they are from
God; but the godly consider themselves happy in this one thing, that he directs
the whole tenor of their life. God adding,
in the land of the
living, he means to point out to us the
course that we are expected to pursue; and that, almost every moment of time,
fresh destructions press upon us, if he overlook
us.
Psalm
116:10-11
10. I have believed,
therefore I will speak; fd379
I am afflicted very sore. 11. I said
in my fear, Every man is a liar.
fd380
10.
I have
believed. That his wonderful deliverance
may appear the more conspicuous, he again relates the imminent danger in which
he had been placed. He begins by declaring that he spake in the true sincerity
of his heart, and that nothing proceeded from his lips but what was the fruit of
long reflection, and mature deliberation. Such is the import of the clause,
I have believed, therefore I will
speak; words which proceed from the full
affection of the heart. In
<470413>2
Corinthians 4:13, Paul, quoting this passage, follows the Greek version, "I
believed, therefore I have spoken." I have elsewhere remarked that it was not
the design of the apostles to repeat every word and syllable; it is enough for
us that the words of David are appropriately applied in their proper and natural
sense to the subject to which Paul there refers. Having referred indirectly to
the Corinthians, who were exalting themselves above the clouds, as if they had
been exempted from the common lot of mankind, "I believed " says he, "and
therefore I have spoken, that he who hath once raised Christ from the dead, will
also extend Christ's life to us;" that is, I believe, and therefore I speak.
Thus he charges the Corinthians with being inflated with foolish pride, because
they do not humbly submit to the cross of Christ; especially as they ought to
speak in the exercise of the same spirit of faith with himself. The particle
yk,
ki, which we translate therefore, is by some Hebrew interpreters
understood as a disjunctive particle; but the more correct meaning, and which is
supported by the best scholars, is, I will speak nothing but the sentiments of
my heart. The drift of the passage, too, requires this; namely, that the
external professions of the lips correspond with the internal feelings of the
heart: for many talk inconsiderately, and utter what never entered into their
hearts. "Let no person imagine that I employ unmeaning or exaggerated terms;
what I speak, the same I have truly believed." From this we learn the useful
doctrine, that faith cannot remain inoperative in the heart, but that it must,
of necessity, manifest itself. Here the Holy Spirit unites, with a sacred bond,
the faith of the heart with outward confession; and "what God hath joined
together, let not man put asunder." Those dissemblers, therefore, who
spontaneously envelop their faith in obscurity, treacherously corrupt the whole
Word of God. We must remember, however, that the order which David here observes
is demanded of all God's children, their believing, before they make any
professions with their lips. But, as I said, he speaks of his imminent danger,
that he may the more enhance the safety and deliverance which God had vouchsafed
to him.
11.
I said in my
fear. Some take the word
zpj,
chaphaz, to denote haste or flight, and consider it as expressive of what
David said when he fled in great haste from the face of Saul. But, as it
figuratively signifies fear, I have no doubt that David here declares
that he felt astonished and dejected in spirit, as if he were upon the brink of
a precipice, ready to tumble into the abyss. He acknowledges that, when he was
so dreadfully harassed in mind, his heart had almost sunk within him. Annotators
are not agreed about the meaning of the second member of the verse. One class
holding that David declares that he doubted the promise of the kingdom made to
him by the prophet Samuel. That Samuel was a competent witness, admits of no
question; but when David saw himself banished from his native country, and
constantly exposed to death in various forms, he might be overtaken by the
temptation that he had been vainly and ineffectually anointed by Samuel.
According to them, the meaning is — I had almost perished in my flight,
and the promise given me fled away; and, moreover, I had been deceived by
delusive hope. Another class, putting an opposite interpretation upon this
passage, assert that David surmounted the temptation; so that, when Satan by his
wiles wished to make him despair, he instantly recovered himself; and removed
all occasion of unbelief in the following manner: "What art thou doing,
miserable man that thou art, and whither art thou hastening? Darest thou, even
indirectly, impute falsehood to God? Nay, rather let him be true, and let
vanity, and falsehood, and perfidy, lie at thine own door." My own opinion is,
that this doctrine is to be understood more generally, that David did not intend
this prediction directly for himself; but, his mind being perplexed, he
inadvertently entangled himself in the snares of Satan, and was unable to place
his confidence any where. The faithful often stagger, and Satan bringing them
into a state of deep darkness, the word of God almost forsakes them; still they
do not abandon their confidence, nor deliberately charge God with falsehood, but
rather keep their evil thoughts under restraint. The verb to say, among
the Hebrews, is expressive of firm persuasion, as we say in French, J'ay
conclu, ou resolu, "I have concluded, or resolved;" and, therefore,
we are to understand that this temptation could not enter David's heart, without
his instantly withstanding it. Consequently, the view which I have given of the
passage is the proper one, That David did not see God during this season of
mental darkness. The faithful do not deliberately speak against God, or ask
whether he be true or not, nor does this horrid blasphemy completely engross
their thoughts; but, on the contrary, as often as it arises, they banish it from
them, and hold it in abhorrence. Nevertheless, it occasionally happens that they
are so troubled, that they behold nothing except vanity and falsehood. Such was
David's experience during this fear and trouble; he felt as if a dense fog
obstructed his vision. "There is no certainty, no security. What shall I think?
In what shall I confide? To what shall I have recourse?" Frequently do the
faithful thus reason with themselves, there is no trust to be reposed in men. A
veil is spread over their eyes, which, preventing them from seeing the light of
God, causes them to grovel upon the earth, till, being elevated above the
heavens, they begin anew to discern the truth of
God.
The design of David, as I formerly
observed, is in all respects to magnify the grace of God; and for this purpose,
in speaking of his trials, he acknowledges that he did not deserve divine help
and comfort; for he ought to have recollected, that, depending on the prophecy,
he would have risen superior to all unbelief. This, he says, he did not do,
because, owing to the perturbation of his mind, he could see nothing but vanity.
If his faith was shaken in this violent manner, what will we do if God do not
support and sustain us? This is not meant to keep the faithful in suspense
between doubt and uncertainty, but rather to make them call more earnestly upon
God. We ought to consider this trial attentively, for we can form no conception
of these assaults until we actually experience them. Let us at the same time
remember, that David's attack was only temporary, continuing while he was
perplexed with doubt, in consequence of the prophecy having escaped from his
recollection.
Psalm
116:12-14
12. What shall I render
unto Jehovah? all his benefits are upon me. 13. I will take the cup of
salvation,
fd381 and call upon the name of Jehovah.
14. I will pay my vows to Jehovah now in the presence of all his
people.
12.
What shall I render unto
Jehovah? He now exclaims with devout
admiration, that the multitude of God's benefits was greater than he could find
language to give expression to the grateful emotions of his heart. The question
is emphatic, What shall I
render? and imports, that it was not the
desire, but the means, of which he was destitute, to enable him to render thanks
to God. Acknowledging his inability, he adopts the only means in his power, by
extolling the grace of God as highly as he could. "I am exceedingly wishful to
discharge my duty, but when I look around me, I find nothing which will prove an
adequate recompense." Some understand the phrase, upon me, to intimate,
that David had the recollection of all the benefits which God bestowed on him
deeply engraven upon his mind. Others, along with the LXX., supply the particle
for, What shall I render
unto Jehovah for all his benefits towards
me? But it is much better to make the
first clause of the verse a complete sentence, by putting a period after
Jehovah.
Because, after confessing his incompetency, or rather his having nothing to
offer to God as a sufficient compensation for his benefits, he at the same time
adds in confirmation of it, that he was laid under such obligations, not by one
series of benefits only, but by a variety of innumerable benefits. "There is no
benefit on account of which God has not made me a debtor to him, how should I
have means of repaying him for them?" All recompense failing him, he has
recourse to an expression of thanksgiving as the only return which he knows will
be acceptable to God. David's example in this instance teaches us not to treat
God's benefits lightly or carelessly, for if we estimate them according to their
value, the very thought of them ought to fill us with admiration. There is not
one of us who has not God's benefits heaped upon us. But our pride, which
carries us away into extravagant theories, causes us to forget this very
doctrine, which ought nevertheless to engage our unremitting attention. And
God's bounty towards us merits the more praise, that he expects no recompense
from us, nor can receive any, for he stands in need of nothing, and we are poor
and destitute of all things.
13.
The cup of
salvation. He refers to a custom which
was prevalent under the Law. For when they rendered solemn thanks to God, a
feast was also appointed, at which, in token of their gladness, there was an
holy libation. This being a symbol of their deliverance from Egyptian thraldom,
is for that reason here called the
cup of
salvation.
fd382 The term to call upon,
signifies to celebrate the name of God; and this he expresses more plainly,
subsequently, by saying that he would
pay his vows in the assembly of
the faithful, the sanctuary alone being
the place where sacrifices could be offered. The amount is, that the faithful
need not be greatly perplexed about the way of performing their duties, God not
demanding from them a return which he knows they are unable to give, but being
satisfied with a bare and simple acknowledgment. The proper return is to own our
obligation to him for every thing. If God deal so kindly and mercifully with us,
and we fail in giving to him the tribute of praise for our deliverance which he
claims, then our supineness becomes the more base. And certainly they are
unworthy of the enjoyment, I say not of the riches of the world, but of the
light of the sun and the air by which we breathe and live, who would rob the
Author of them of the small return which so legitimately belongs to him. The
Mosaic ritual has indeed been abrogated, and along with it the external libation
referred to by David, yet the spiritual service, as we found in
<195023>Psalm
50:23, "The sacrifice of praise shall glorify me," is still in force. Let us,
however, bear in mind, that God is lawfully praised by us, when we offer in
sacrifice not only our tongues, but also ourselves, and all that we possess. And
this not because God derives any profit from it, but because it is reasonable
that our gratitude should manifest itself in this
way.
14.
I will pay my vows unto
Jehovah. The steadfastness of his piety
shines forth in this, that, in the midst of his dangers, he had vowed unto God.
And now he proves that he by no means forgot these engagements, as most men do,
who, when the hand of God lies heavy upon them, implore his help for a short
time, but soon bury in oblivion the deliverance which they have received. The
Holy Spirit, speaking of the true worship of God, very properly connects, by an
indissoluble bond, these two parts of worship, "Call upon me in the day of
trouble;" and, "after thy deliverance glorify me,"
<195015>Psalm
50:15. If any regard it as an absurdity for the faithful to enter into covenant
with God by making vows to him, to procure his approbation, my reply is, that
they do not promise the sacrifice of praise, to soothe him by their flatteries,
as if he were a mortal like themselves, or to bind him to them by proposing some
reward, for David had previously protested that he would not offer any
recompense. The design, then, and the use of vows is, first, That the children
of God may have their hearts strengthened with the confidence of obtaining
whatever they ask; and, secondly, That they may be stimulated the more to offer
up their tribute of gratitude to God for his mercies. To aid the children of God
in their infirmity, the privilege of vowing may surely be conceded to them, for
by this means their most merciful Father condescends to allow them to enter into
familiar converse with him, provided they make their vows for the object I have
stated. Happen what may, nothing must be attempted without his permission. And
hence the Papists appear the more ridiculous, who, under pretext of what is
advanced in this place, defend all sorts of vows, however foolish and absurd and
rashly made; as if drunkenness were lawful, because God permits us to
eat.
Psalm
116:15-19
15. Precious in the eyes
of Jehovah is the death of his meek ones. 16. Come, O Jehovah! because I
am thy servant; I am thy servant, the son of thine handmaid: thou hast broken my
fetters. 17. I will sacrifice the sacrifices of praise to thee, and call
upon the name of Jehovah. fd383
18. I will pay my vows now in the
presence of all his people, 19. In the courts of the house of Jehovah, in
the midst of thee, O Jerusalem! Praise ye
Jehovah.
15.
Precious in the eyes of Jehovah
is the death of his meek ones. He goes
on now to the general doctrine of God's providential care for the godly, in that
he renders them assistance in time of need; their lives being precious in his
sight. With this shield he desires to defend himself from the terrors of death,
which often pressed upon him, by which he imagined he would instantly be
swallowed up. When we are in danger and God apparently overlooks us, we then
consider ourselves to be contemned as poor slaves, and that our life is regarded
as a thing of nought. And we are aware that when the wicked perceive that we
have no protection, they wax the more bold against us, as if God took no notice
either of our life or death. In opposition to their erroneous doctrine, David
introduces this sentiment, that God does not hold his servants in so little
estimation as to expose them to death casually.
fd384 We may indeed for a time be subjected
to all the vicissitudes of fortune and of the world; we will nevertheless always
have this consolation, that God will, eventually, openly manifest how dear our
souls are to him. In these times, when innocent blood is shed, and the wicked
contemners of God furiously exalt themselves, as if exulting over a vanquished
God, let us hold fast by this doctrine, that the death of the faithful, which is
so worthless, nay, even ignominious in the sight of men, is so valuable in God's
sight, that, even after their death, he stretches out his hand towards them, and
by dreadful examples demonstrates how he holds in abhorrence the cruelty of
those who unjustly persecute the good and simple. If he put their tears in a
bottle, how will he permit their blood to perish?
<195608>Psalm
56:8 At his own time he will accomplish the prediction of Isaiah, "that the
earth shall disclose her blood,"
<232621>Isaiah
26:21. To leave room for the grace of God, let us put on the spirit of meekness,
even as the prophet, in designating the faithful
meek
ones, calls upon them to submit their
necks quietly to bear the burden of the cross, that in their patience they may
possess their souls,
<422119>Luke
21:19.
16.
Come, O Jehovah! because I am
thy servant. As, in the former verse, he
gloried that in him God had given an example of the paternal regard which he has
for the faithful, so here he applies, in an especial manner, to himself the
general doctrine, by declaring that his
fetters had been
broken, in consequence of his being
included among the number of God's servants. He employs the
term
fetters, as if one, with hands and feet
bound, were dragged by the executioner. In assigning, as the reason of his
deliverance, that he was God's servant, he by no means vaunts of his services,
but rather refers to God's unconditional election; for we cannot make ourselves
his servants, that being an honor conferred upon us solely by his adoption.
Hence David affirms, that he was not God's servant merely, but the
son of his
handmaid. "From the womb of my mother,
even before I was born, was this honor conferred upon me." He therefore presents
himself as a common example to all who shall dedicate themselves to the service
of God, and place themselves under his protection, that they may be under no
apprehension for their safety while they have him for their
defense.
17.
I will sacrifice the sacrifices
of praise to thee. He once more repeats
what he had said about gratitude, and that publicly; for we must manifest our
piety, not only by our secret affection before God, but also by an open
profession in the sight of men. David, along with the people, observed the rites
of the law, knowing that these, at that time, were not unmeaning services; but
while he did this, he had a particular reference to the purpose for which they
were appointed, and offered principally the sacrifices of praise and the calves
of his lips. He speaks of the
courts of God's
house, because at that time there was
but one altar from which it was unlawful to depart, and it was the will of God
that the holy assemblies should be held there, that the faithful might mutually
stimulate one another to the cultivation of godliness.
PSALM
117
Psalm
117:1-2
1. Praise Jehovah, all ye
nations; magnify him:, all ye peoples.
fd385
2. Because his mercy is strengthened
fd386 towards us: and the truth of Jehovah
remains for ever. Praise ye
Jehovah.
1.
Praise Jehovah, all ye nations. The Holy
Spirit having, by the mouth of the prophet, exhorted all nations to celebrate
the praises of God's mercy and faithfulness, Paul, in his Epistle to the Romans,
very justly considers this as a prediction respecting the calling of the whole
world,
(<451511>Romans
15:11.) How can unbelievers be qualified for praising God, who, though not
entirely destitute of his mercy, yet are insensible of it, and are ignorant of
his truth? It would therefore serve no purpose for the prophet to address the
heathen nations, unless they were to be gathered together in the unity of the
faith with the children of Abraham. There is no ground for the censorious
attempting, by their sophistical arguments, to refute the reasoning of Paul. I
grant that the Holy Spirit elsewhere calls upon the mountains, rivers, trees,
rain, winds, and thunder, to resound the praises of God, because all creation
silently proclaims him to be its Maker. It is in a different manner that he is
praised by his rational creatures. The reason assigned is, that
God's mercy and
truth furnish materials for celebrating
his praises. Besides, the prophet does not mean that God shall be praised
everywhere by the Gentiles, because the knowledge of his character is confined
to a small portion of the land of Judea, but because it was to be spread over
the whole world. First, he enjoins God to be praised,
because his goodness is
increased, or
strengthened,
for the Hebrew term admits of both meanings. Secondly,
because his truth remains
steadfast for ever. How, then, are those
qualified to celebrate his praises, who, with brutal insensibility, pass over
his goodness, and shut their ears against his heavenly
doctrine?
The
truth of God, in this passage, is
properly introduced as an attestation of his grace. For he can be true even when
he menaces the whole world with perdition and ruin. The prophet, however, has
placed his
mercy
first in order that his faithfulness and truth, comprising an assurance of
his paternal kindness, might encourage the hearts of the godly. His power and
justice are equally praiseworthy; but as men will never cordially praise God
until they are drawn by a foretaste of his goodness, the prophet very justly
selects God's mercy and truth, which alone open the mouths of those who are mute
to engage in this exercise. When his truth is said to be
everlasting,
it is not set in opposition to his mercy, as if it, after flourishing for a
season, then instantly passed away. The same reason would go to prove, that it
was small compared with his mercy, which is said to be abundant. The meaning is,
that God's mercy is rich towards us, flowing in a perennial stream, because
united to his eternal truth. If we read,
his mercy is
confirmed, all difficulty will be
removed, for then both constancy and stability will alike adorn his mercy and
his truth.
PSALM
118
At the time when this psalm was penned, whenever that
was, David having attained to the possession of royal power, and aware that he
reigned for the common safety of the Church, calls upon all the children of
Abraham to ponder attentively this grace. He also recounts his dangers, the
magnitude and variety of which would have slain him a hundred times, had not God
wonderfully succored him. From this it is obvious that he came to the throne of
the kingdom, neither by his own policy, nor by the favor of men, nor by any
human means. At the same time, he informs us that he did not rashly or by wicked
intrigues rush forward and take forcible possession of the kingdom of Saul, but
that he was appointed and established king by God himself. Let us remember that
it was the design of the Spirit, under the figure of this temporal kingdom, to
describe the eternal and spiritual kingdom of God's Son, even as David
represented his person.
fd387
Psalm
118:1-4
1. Praise ye Jehovah;
because he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever. 2. Let Israel
now
fd388 say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
3. Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
4. Let those who fear Jehovah now say, that his mercy endureth for
ever.
1.
Praise ye
Jehovah. In this passage we see that
David does not merely in a private capacity render thanks to God, but that he
loudly summons the people to engage in the common exercises of piety. This he
does, not simply from his having been divinely appointed to be the captain and
teacher of others; but, God having invested him with royal power, had manifested
his sympathy with his distressed Church. Hence he exhorts the Israelites to
magnify the grace of God, under whose kind protection he appears to re-establish
them in safety. In the beginning of the psalm he alludes generally to the
goodness and mercy of God, but he shortly instances himself as an evidence of
his goodness, as will be seen in its proper place. It becomes us at present to
recall to mind what I mentioned in the preceding psalm, that a reason for
praising God is given to us on account of his mercy, in preference to his power
or justice; because, though his glory shine forth in them also, yet will we
never promptly and heartily sound forth his praises, until he win us by the
sweetness of his goodness. Accordingly, in
<195117>Psalm
51:17, we found that the lips of the faithful were opened to praise God, when
they perceived that he was truly their deliverer. In restricting his address to
Israel, and to the children of Aaron, he is guided by a regard to his own times,
because, up to that period, the adoption did not extend beyond that one nation.
He again resumes the order which he observed in
<19B601>Psalm
116:1; for, after exhorting the children of Abraham, who had been separated from
the Gentiles by the election of God, and also the sons of Aaron, who, by virtue
of the priesthood, ought to take the precedence in conducting the psalmody, he
directs his discourse to the other worshippers of God; because there were many
hypocrites among the Israelites, who, occupying a place in the Church, were yet
strangers to it. This is not inconsistent with David's here speaking by the
spirit of prophecy, respecting the future kingdom of Christ. That kingdom, no
doubt, extended to the Gentiles, but its commencement and first-fruits were
among God's chosen people.
Psalm
118:5-9
5. I called upon God in my
distress, and God heard me, by setting me at large. 6. Jehovah is with
me: -I will not fear what man may do unto me. 7. Jehovah is with me among
those who help me, and I shall see my desire upon mine enemies. 8. It is
better to hope in Jehovah than to confide in man: 9. It is better to hope
in Jehovah than to confide in
princes.
5.
I called upon God in my
distress. We have here a particular
application of the doctrine we formerly mentioned, to the person of David; with
which also is conjoined the rejoicing of the whole Church, for whose public
welfare God made provision by upholding him. By his own example he establishes
the faithful, showing them that they ought not to faint in the day of adversity.
He seems designedly to anticipate an objection, which is apt to arise in the
minds of men the moment that the goodness of God is proclaimed, "Why does he
permit his servants to be so sore oppressed and afflicted?" David therefore
reminds them, notwithstanding, that God's mercy never fails, for we have in
prayer, consolation and an antidote for all our ills. The season, too, in which
he says that he made supplication, by means of which he obtained deliverance,
was that of distress, which touches us, that the time of sad adversity is most
proper for abounding in
prayer.
6.
Jehovah is with me among those who help me.
Confiding solely in God's help, he sets at defiance not a few enemies
merely, but the whole world. "Defended by God's hand, I may boldly and safely
set at nought all the machinations of men." When all the power of the universe
is deemed as nothing, in comparison of God, then, indeed, is due honor
attributed to him. Thus he tacitly reproves the unbelief of almost all men, who
spontaneously alarm themselves with groundless fears. All, indeed, desire peace
of mind; but, in consequence of robbing God of the praise due to his power,
their own ingratitude does not permit them to realize this blessing. Were they,
as is fitting, to submit in all things to the good pleasure and power of God,
they would be always ready boldly to surmount all those difficulties, the dread
of which from time to time annoys them. But paying more regard to the
mischievous attempts of men, than to the help which God can give them, they
deserve to tremble at the rustling of the falling leaf. It is the wish of David,
by his own example, to correct such perversity; and, with this view, he affirms
that, in the enjoyment of God's favor, he would fear no man, being fully
persuaded that he could rescue him from all the nefarious plots which were laid
for him. Or if he composed this psalm after his deliverance, we see how much he
had profited by the experience of the grace of God. Therefore, as frequently as
God shall succor us, let our confidence in him for the future be increased, and
let us not be unmindful of his goodness and power, which we experienced in our
extremity. Possibly, he relates the meditations which occurred to him in the
midst of his distresses; the former conjecture appears more probable, that,
after he obtained deliverance, he gloried, for the future, in God's continued
assistance. Some refer the clause,
those who are helpers with
me, to the small troop which David had
drawn to him; but this, in my opinion, is too refined; for it would tend little
to the honor of God to class him among the six hundred whom David commanded, as
if he were one of the troop. My interpretation is more simple, that he calls God
his helper. "It is enough for me that God is on my side." Were he deprived of
all human aid, still he would have no hesitation in opposing God against all his
enemies.
8.
It is better to trust in
Jehovah. He appears to state nothing but
what is common-place, it being unanimously admitted, that when God and men come
into comparison, he must be viewed as infinitely exalted above them, and
therefore it is best to trust in him for the aid which he has promised to his
own people. All make this acknowledgment, and yet there is scarcely one among a
hundred who is fully persuaded that God alone can afford him sufficient help.
That man has attained a high rank among the faithful, who, resting satisfied in
God, never ceases to entertain a lively hope, even when he finds no help upon
earth. The comparison, however, is improper, inasmuch as we are not allowed to
transfer to men even the smallest portion of our confidence, which must be
placed in God alone. The meaning is by no means ambiguous; the Psalmist is
ridiculing the illusory hopes of men by which they are tossed hither and
thither; and declares, that when the world smiles upon them they wax proud, and
either forsake God or despise him. Some are of opinion that David bitterly
reproaches his enemies with their being deceived in depending upon the favor of
Saul. This appears to me to be too limited a view of the passage; and I question
not that David here proposes himself as an example to all the faithful; in that
he had reaped the full fruit of his hope, when, depending solely upon God, he
had patiently borne the loss of all earthly succor. In the 9th verse, in which
he substitutes
princes
for
men,
there is an extension of the idea. "Not only those who put their confidence
in men of low degree act foolishly, but also, those who confide even in the
greatest potentates; for the trust that is put in flesh shall at last be
accursed, but the enjoyment of God's favor will convert even death itself into
life."
Psalm
118:10-14
10. All nations compassed
me: but in the name of Jehovah I will surely cut them off. 11. They
compassed me; yea, they compassed me: in Jehovah's name I will surely cut them
off. 12. They compassed me as bees: they are quenched
fd389 as a fire of thorns: in Jehovah's name
I will surely cut them off. 13. Thrusting, thou hast thrust at me, that I
might fall:
fd390 but Jehovah helped me. 14. God
is my strength and song, and he hath saved
me.
10.
All nations compassed
me. In these verses he relates the
wonderful deliverance which he had received, that all might know that it was not
of human but divine origin. Once and again he declares, that he was compassed
not by a few persons, but by a vast multitude. The people, being all inflamed
with anger and fury against him, compassed him so that there were no means for
his escape, and he could procure help from no quarter but from heaven. Some
consider his complaint, that all nations were adverse to him, as referring to
the neighboring nations, by whom we know David was surrounded with danger. His
meaning, in my opinion, is, that the whole world was adverse to him; because he
places God's help alone in opposition to the deadly and furious hatred both of
his own countrymen and of the neighboring nations towards him, so that there was
not a spot upon the earth where he could be safe. There was, it is true, no
army, collected from several nations, besieging him; still he had no peaceable
retreat except among the haunts of wild beasts, from which also he was driven by
terror. And in proportion to the number of persons he encountered were the
snares laid to entrap him. It is, therefore, not wonderful that he said he was
compassed by all nations. Besides, this elliptical mode of speaking is more
forcible than if he had merely said that he trusted in God, by reason of which
he had become victorious. By publicly mentioning
the name of
God alone, he maintains that no other
means of deliverance were within his reach, and that but for his interposition
he must have perished. It appears to me preferable to translate the particle
yk,
ki, affirmatively.
fd391 "Besieged as I am on all sides by the
world, yet if the power of God help me, that will be more than adequate for the
extermination of all mine enemies." Their obstinate and implacable hatred is
pointed out by him in the repetition of the phrase
compassed
about, and their outrageous fury is set
forth in comparing them to bees, which, though not possessed of much
strength, are very fierce, and when in their insensate fury they attack a
person, they occasion no little fear. He shortly adds,
they are quenched as a fire of
thorns, which at first makes a great
crackling, and throws out a greater flame than a fire of wood, but soon passes
away. The amount is, that David's enemies had furiously assailed him, but that
their fury soon subsided. Hence he again repeats, that sustained by the power of
God, whatever opposition might rise against him would soon pass
away.
13.
Thou hast sorely thrust at
me. He either now changes the person, or
directs his discourse to Saul, his principal enemy. In the person of one, he
sets at defiance all his enemies together. In saying that he
had been thrust
at, he admits that he did not withstand
the onset by his own bravery, as those who are powerful enough to encounter
opposition, sustain the assaults of their enemies without flinching. The power
of God is more illustriously displayed in raising him up even from ruin
itself.
In the subsequent verse he draws the
conclusion that God is his
strength and song. By the former adjunct
he candidly acknowledges his weakness, and ascribes his safety exclusively to
God. And having admitted that his strength was in God alone, because he was
sustained by his power, immediately he adds, that God is his praise or
his song, which must be understood passively. "In myself there was no
ground for boasting, to God belongs entirely all the praise of my safety." The
last clause of the verse, in which he says that
God was his
salvation, refers to the same
subject.
Psalm
118:15-21
15. The voice of shouting
and salvation is in the tabernacles of the just: the right hand of Jehovah hath
done valiantly. 16. The right hand of Jehovah is exalted, the right hand
of Jehovah hath done valiantly. 17. I shall not die, yea, I shall live,
and speak of the works of God. 18. God chastising has chastised me; but
he did not deliver me unto death. 19. Open to me the gates of
righteousness; and having entered into them, I will praise God. 20. This
is the gate of Jehovah, the just shall enter into it. 21. I will praise
thee, because thou hast heard me, and hast been my
salvation.
15.
The voice of shouting and
salvation is in the tabernacles of the just.
He affirms that the kindness which God had conferred upon him was so
extensive, that it would not do to render thanks to him privately. In the
benefits which he had received, God's power appeared both remarkable and
memorable, and the fruit of it also was extended to the whole Church. Therefore,
as David's deliverance was wonderful and advantageous generally to all the
godly, he promises that he would make a public thanksgiving; and invites them to
join him in this holy exercise. By this circumstance, he chiefly aims at
magnifying the grace of God, and also by its effects to demonstrate, that not
merely his individual preservation, but that of the whole Church, in his person,
was accomplished. Intercommunion among believers does, indeed, bind them
alternately to render thanks to God for each other; in David's case, there was
the specific reason which I have mentioned, his wonderful preservation from many
deaths, and his having assigned to him the sovereignty of God's chosen people.
It is worthy of notice, that he combines the voice of joy and gladness with the
praise of God, by which he shows that believers ought to mingle with their mirth
a sense of the grace of God. To
do valiantly, is tantamount to a
magnificent display of his power, so that there may be a bright manifestation of
its effulgence. God ofttimes secretly, and when apparently feeble, grants
deliverance to his faithful people, that they may be sensible that it comes from
him; but this is not so well known to others. Here, however, David asserts that
the operation of God was so plainly developed, no one could doubt whence his
safety came. The other phrase,
that the right hand of God was
exalted, refers to the same subject,
because, by working powerfully and unwontedly, God had exalted his
hand.
17.
I shall not
die. David speaks like one emerging from
the sepulcher. The very same person who says,
I shall not
die, acknowledges that he was rescued
from death, to which he was near as one condemned to it. For a series of years
his life was in imminent danger, exposed every moment to a thousand deaths, and
no sooner was he delivered from one than he entered into another. Thus he
declares that he would not die, because he regained life, all hope of
which he had entirely abandoned. We, whose life is hid with Christ in God, ought
to mediate upon this song all our days,
<510303>Colossians
3:3. If we occasionally enjoy some relaxation, we are bound to unite with David
in saying, that we who were surrounded with death are risen to newness of life.
In the meantime, we must constantly persevere through the midst of darkness: as
our safety lies in hope, it is impossible that it can be very visible to us. In
the second member of the verse, he points out the proper use of life. God does
not prolong the lives of his people, that they may pamper themselves with meat
and drink, sleep as much as they please, and enjoy every temporal blessing, but
to magnify him for his benefits which he is daily heaping upon them. Of this
subject we have spoken on Psalm 115.
18.
In chastising God has chastised
me. In these words David owns that his
enemies assailed him unjustly, that they were employed by God to correct him,
that this was fatherly chastisement, God not inflicting a deadly wound, but
correcting him in measure and in mercy. He seems to anticipate the perverse
decisions of perverse men which grievously pressed upon him, as if all the ills
which he had endured were so many evidences of his being cast off by God. These
calumnies which the reprobate cast upon him he applies very differently, by
declaring that his correction was mild and paternal. The main thing in adversity
is to know that we are laid low by the hand of God, and that this is the way
which he takes to prove our allegiance, to arouse us from our torpidity, to
crucify our old man, to purge us from our filthiness, to bring us into
submission and subjection to God, and to excite us to meditate on the heavenly
life.
If these things were recollected by us,
there is not one of us who would not shudder at the thought of fretting against
God, but would much rather yield submission to him with a mild and meek spirit.
Our champing the bit, and rushing forward impatiently, certainly proceeds from
the majority of men not looking upon their afflictions as God's rods, and from
others not participating in his paternal care. The last clause of the verse,
therefore, merits particular attention, That God always deals mercifully with
his own people, so that his correction proves their cure. Not that his paternal
regard is always visible, but that in the end it will be shown that his
chastisements, so far from being deadly, serve the purpose of a medicine, which,
though it produce a temporary debility, rids us of our malady, and renders us
healthy and
vigorous.
19.
Open unto me the gates of
righteousness.
fd392 Under the influence of ardent
zeal, David here sets himself to testify his gratitude, commanding the temple to
be opened to him, as if the oblations were all already prepared. He now confirms
what he said formerly, That he would render thanks to God publicly in the
properly constituted assembly of the faithful. It was the practice of the
priests to open the doors of the temple to the people; it appears, however, that
David here alludes to his long exile, which supposition is corroborated by the
following verse. Having been for a long period prevented from having access to
the sanctuary, and even from coming within sight of it, he now rejoices and
exults at being again admitted to offer sacrifice unto God. And he declares that
he will not approach as the hypocrites were wont to do, whom God, by the prophet
Isaiah, reproaches with treading his courts in vain, but that he will come with
the sacrifice of praise,
(<230112>Isaiah
1:12) Fully persuaded that he drew near in the spirit of genuine devotion, he
says it is proper that the doors of the temple, which lately he durst not enter,
should be opened to him and such as he.
It
is, says he,
the gate of
Jehovah, and, therefore, he will open it
for the just. The meaning is, that banished as David had been from the temple
and from his country, now that the kingdom is in a better condition, both he and
all the true worshippers of God regained their right to approach his sanctuary.
Thus he indirectly mourns over the profanation of the temple, in that, while
under the tyranny of Saul, it was occupied by the profane contemners of God, as
if it had been a kennel for dogs and other unclean animals. This abomination,
the temple being for a long time a den of thieves, is here inveighed against;
but now that it is patent to the righteous, he declares it to be God's holy
house. What occurred in the days of Saul is visible in these days, God's bitter
enemies most wickedly and shamefully occupying his sanctuary. The Pope would not
be Antichrist if he did not sit in the temple of God,
(<530204>2
Thessalonians 2:4). Having, by his vile pollutions, converted all temples into
brothels, let us endeavor as much as we can to purge them, and prepare them for
the pure worship of God. And as it has pleased Him to choose his holy habitation
among us, let us exert ourselves to remove all the defilements and abominations
which disfigure the purity of the Church. David then relates briefly the reason
of his offering the sacrifice of praise to God, namely, that he had been
preserved by his grace.
Psalm
118:22-26
22. The stone which the
builders rejected is become the head of the corner.
fd393
23. This was done by Jehovah; it is
marvelous in our eyes. 24. This is the day which Jehovah made; let us
rejoice and be glad in it. 25. I beseech thee, O Jehovah! save me; I
beseech thee, I beseech thee, O Jehovah! give prosperity, I beseech thee. 26.
Blessed is he who cometh in the name of Jehovah: we bless you out of the
house of Jehovah.
22.
The stone which the builders
rejected. In these words David boldly
pours contempt on the calumnies with which he was unjustly and undeservedly
assailed. As there was something ominous in his being condemned by the entire
assemblage of the nobles, and all those who were invested with authority, and as
the opinion was prevalent, that he was a wicked and rejected man; this error he
deliberately refutes, and vindicates his innocence in the face of the principal
men among them. "It is of little importance to me that I am abandoned by the
chief men, seeing I have been visibly chosen by the judgment of God to be king
over Israel." The similitude which he employs is appropriate, comparing himself
to a
stone, and the principal rulers of the
Church to
master-builders.
It might, indeed, appear most irrational on his part to assert that the
heads of the realm, to whom the government of the Church was intrusted, should
be deprived of the Spirit of God, and divested of a sound judgment. Hence, in
opposition to their perverse and erroneous judgment, he places the grace of God,
declaring that he was placed by the purpose and power of God to sustain the
whole building. In a word, he shows that splendid titles and high rank, in which
his enemies glory, are no obstruction to him, because, relying upon the call of
God, he possesses a glory superior to the verdict of the whole world. It being a
difficult matter to persuade them of the truth of this, he magnifies and
enlarges upon the grace of God, in order that its authority might suppress all
evil speaking and clamorous
surmises.
This,
says he, is the doing of
Jehovah. "Go and quarrel with God, all
ye that strenuously endeavor to eject me from my throne, to which I have not
been elevated accidentally, or by human policy, but by the manifest power of
God." This he confirms by all being constrained to wonder at what had occurred
as a thing incredible. Now, when God doeth marvellously, and in a manner that
surpasses our comprehension, his power cannot fail to be so much the more
apparent unto us. Should any prefer to interpret it thus:-Although this work may
fill men with astonishment, yet that is no reason for rejecting it; he may do
so. To me, however, it certainly appears more probable that David employs the
term wonderful, that the haughtiness of man may submit to God, and that
none may presume to breathe a whisper against him. The fitness of these things
being applied to Christ will be more properly discussed when I come to consider
the twenty-fifth verse.
24.
This is the day which Jehovah
made. He now speaks of that as a happy
and pleasant day, on which he was at last established king over Israel, and the
anointing of him by Samuel ratified by this event. Doubtless, all days were
created alike by God, nevertheless David, by way of eminence, calls that
the day of
God which, after a long period of
darkness, had dawned for the weal of the Church, because it was signalized by a
notable event, deserving of being remembered by succeeding generations; and
because the Church had thus emerged from a state of deep obscurity, he exhorts
the faithful to mirth and joy, and that, too, by reason of the ignorance which
many still displayed of the grace of God, or of their treating it with contempt,
and of others being so lettered by their perverse attachment to Saul, that they
could scarcely be brought to yield allegiance to
David.
25.
I beseech thee, O Jehovah! save me. As
the term
an,
na, in Hebrew is frequently used as an adverb of time, not a few render it,
in this place, now: Save, I beseech thee, now. It is also often used in
the form of asking, and this is the meaning I attach to it, and which accords
very well with this passage; for I am persuaded that the Holy Spirit, in
repeating the same phrase, designed, by the mouth of the prophet, to stir up and
stimulate the faithful to great earnestness and ardor in prayer. If any prefer a
different interpretation, it will not be difficult to prevail on me to agree to
it. One thing is plain, that there is here a form of prayer prescribed to the
chosen people, to seek for prosperity to the kingdom of David, upon which the
common safety of all depended. In these words, too, he protested that he held
his kingdom by Divine legation, and, therefore, they who would not agree to wish
prosperity to his reign were unworthy of occupying a place in the
Church.
In the verse following, a particular
request is subjoined, which the faithful must entertain; namely, that as God had
thus appointed David to be the minister of his grace, so he would
also bless
him. Those are said
to come in the name of the
Lord, whom God employs for the welfare
of his Church — such as prophets and teachers, whom he raises up to gather
together his Church; and generals and governors, whom he instructs by his
Spirit. But as David was a type of Christ, his case was peculiar; it being the
will of God that his people should dwell under him and his successors till the
advent of Christ. The clause,
blessed is he that cometh, may be viewed
as a form of congratulation; but seeing that the benediction of the priests is
immediately annexed, I am disposed rather to believe that the people wished for
David God's grace and favor. To induce them to present this petition with more
alacrity, and thus be encouraged to receive the king whom God appointed them,
this promise is added in the person of the priests,
We bless you out of the house of
the Lord.
They speak in this manner
agreeably with the nature of their office, which enjoined on them the duty of
blessing the people, as appears from several passages in the books of Moses, and
particularly from
<040623>Numbers
6:23. It is not without reason that they connect the welfare of the Church with
the prosperity of the kingdom, it being their desire to throw out the
suggestion, and to represent that the safety of the people would remain as long
as that kingdom continued to flourish, and that they would all share in the
blessings which would be conferred upon their king, because of the indissoluble
connection which exists between the head and members. Knowing, as we now do,
that when David was constituted king, the foundation of that everlasting
kingdom, which was eventually manifested in the advent of Christ, was then laid,
and that the temporal throne upon which the descendants of David were placed was
a type of the eternal kingdom given to Christ by God his Father, in consequence
of which he obtained all power, both in heaven and on earth, there can be no
question that the prophet calls upon the faithful to pray fervently and
constantly for the prosperity and progress of this spiritual kingdom; for it was
incumbent on those who lived during the shadowy dispensation to pray for David
and his successors; but after all the grandeur of that kingdom was overthrown,
it behooved them to entreat the more ardently that God, in fulfillment of his
promise, would re-establish it. In short, all that is here stated properly
relates to the person of Christ; and that which was dimly adumbrated in David
was brightly represented and fulfilled in Christ. The election of David was
secret; and after he was anointed by Samuel to be king, he was rejected by Saul,
and by all the heads of the people, and all abhorred him as if he had been a
person deserving of a hundred deaths. Thus disfigured and dishonored, he did not
appear to be a fit stone for occupying a place in the building. Similar to this
was the beginning of the kingdom of Christ, who, being sent by his Father for
the redemption of the Church, not only was despised by the world, but also hated
and execrated, both by the common people and the dignitaries of the
Church.
But it may be asked, how the prophet
designates those master-builders who, so far from wishing the protection of the
Church, aim at nothing so much as the demolition of the entire structure? We
know, for instance, with what vehemence the scribes and priests, in Christ's
time, labored to subvert all true piety. The reply is not difficult. David
refers solely to the office which they held, and not to the inclinations by
which they were actuated. Saul and all his counsellors were subverters of the
Church, and yet, in relation to their office, they were chief-builders. To the
ungodly the Holy Ghost is wont to concede the honorable titles which belong to
their office, until that God remove them from it. How abandoned, oftentimes,
were the priests among the ancient people of God, and yet they retained the
dignity and honor which belonged to their office, until they were denuded of it.
Hence the words of Isaiah,
"Who is blind, but my
servant; and who is foolish., but he whom I have sent?"
<234219>Isaiah
42:19
Now, though their intention was to undermine the
whole constitution of the Church, yet, as they were divinely called for a
different object, he calls them the servants and the sent of God. In our day,
also, the Pope and his filthy clergy, who usurp the title of the priesthood,
nevertheless continue the professed enemies of Christ; from which it follows,
that they are any thing rather than God's legitimate servants, -and occupying
the position of pastors — while they scatter the flock, their condemnation
will be the greater. Between them and the Levitical priests there is assuredly a
wide difference. As, however, they are invested with the usual authority, there
can be no harm in conceding the title to them, provided they do not use it as a
cloak to conceal their vile tyranny; for if the mere title was sufficient to
procure for them personal reverence, then Christ must, of necessity, have been
silenced, seeing that the priests rejected his doctrine. This passage rather
informs us, that those who are intrusted with the office of ruling the Church,
sometime, prove the worst workmen. David, speaking by the Spirit, denominates
chief-builders those who attempted to destroy the Son of God and the salvation
of mankind, and by whom the worship of God was adulterated, religion wholly
corrupted, and the temple of God profaned. If, therefore, all who are clothed
with the ordinary authority must be listened to without exception, as legally
appointed pastors, then must Christ not speak, because it very frequently
occurs, that his bitterest enemies are concealed under the garb of
pastors.
Here we behold with how strong and
impregnable a shield the Holy Ghost furnishes us against the empty vauntings of
the Papal clergy. Be it so, that they possess the name, "chief-builders;" but if
they disown Christ, does it necessarily follow that we must disown him also? Let
us rather contemn and trample under our feet all their decrees, and let us
reverence this precious stone upon which our salvation rests. By the expression,
is become the head of the
corner, we are to understand the real
foundation of the Church, which sustains the whole weight of the edifice; it
being requisite that the corners should form the main strength of buildings. I
do not approve of the ingenious opinion of Augustine, who makes Christ the
corner-stone, because he united both Jews and Gentiles, thus making the corner
the middle stone between the two different
walls.
David then proceeds to repeat, at some
length, as I have observed, that it is erroneous to estimate the kingdom of
Christ by the sentiments and opinions of men, because, in spite of the
opposition of the world, it is erected in an astonishing manner by the invisible
power of God. In the meantime, we ought to remember, that all that was
accomplished in the person of Christ extends to the gradual development of his
kingdom, even until the end of the world. When Christ dwelt on the earth, he was
despised by the chief priests; and now, those who call themselves the successors
of Peter and Paul, but who are truly Ananiases and Caiaphases, giant-like wage
war against the Gospel and the Holy Ghost. Not that this furious rebellion ought
to give us any uneasiness: let us rather humbly adore that wonderful power of
God which reverses the perverse decisions of the world. If our limited
understandings could comprehend the course which God follows for the protection
and preservation of his Church, there would be no mention made of a miracle.
From this we conclude, that his mode of working is incomprehensible, baffling
the understandings of men.
Was it necessary, it
may be asked, that Christ should be reproached by the master-builders? It would
certainly indicate a sad state of the Church, if she never had any pastors
except those who were deadly enemies to her welfare. When Paul styles himself "a
master-builder," he informs us that this office was common to all the apostles,
(<460310>1
Corinthians 3:10). My answer therefore is, that all who bear rule in the Church
are not charged with perpetual blindness; but that the Holy Spirit meets with
this stumblingblock, which, in other respects, is wont to prove a hindrance to
many when they witness the name of Christ enveloped with worldly splendor. When
God, for the purpose of making his glory shine forth more brightly, looseth
Satan's rein, so that those who are invested with power and authority reject
Christ, then it is that the Holy Spirit bids us be of good courage, and setting
at nought all these perverse decisions, receive with all respect the King whom
God has placed over us. From the first, we know that the master-builders have
endeavored to subvert the kingdom of Christ. The same thing is taking place in
our times, in those who are intrusted with the superintendence of the Church
having made every attempt to overturn that kingdom, by directing against it all
the machinery which they can devise. But if we call to mind this prophecy, our
faith will not fail, but will be more and more confirmed; because, from these
things it will the better appear that the kingdom of Christ does not depend upon
the favor of men, and that it does not derive its strength from earthly
supports, even as he has not attained it by the suffrages of men. If, however,
the master-builders build well, the perverseness of those who will not permit
themselves to be appropriated to the sacred edifice will be so much the less
excusable. Moreover, as often as we shall, by this species of temptation, be put
to the trial, let us not forget that it is unreasonable to expect that the
Church must be governed according to our understanding of matters, but that we
are ignorant of the government of it, inasmuch as that which is miraculous
surpasses our comprehension.
The next clause,
this is the day that God hath
made, reminds us that there will be
nothing but the reign of moral darkness, until Christ the Sun of Righteousness
illumine us by his gospel. We are also reminded that this work is to be ascribed
to God, and that mankind must not arrogate to themselves any merit on account of
their own endeavors. The call to the exercise of gratitude, which immediately
follows, is intended to warn us against yielding to the madness of our enemies,
however furiously they rage against us, in order to deprive us of the joy which
Christ has brought to us. From him all our happiness is derived, and,
consequently, there is no cause for surprise that all the ungodly fume with
vexation, and feel indignant, that we should be elevated to such a pitch of joy
as to suppress all the sorrows and soothe all the asperity of the trials we have
to endure. Prior to the advent of Christ, the prayer that follows was familiar
to the people, and even to the children, for the Evangelists declare that Christ
was received with this form of salutation. And certainly it was the will of God
to ratify, at that time, the prediction which he had spoken by the mouth of
David; or rather that exclamation clearly demonstrates that the interpretation,
against which the Jews now raise a clamor, was unanimously admitted; and this
renders their obstinacy and malice the more inexcusable. I blame them not for
their stupidity, seeing that they purposely spread around them the mists of
ignorance to blind themselves and others. And as the Jews never ceased to put up
this prayer during that sad desolation, and those hideous devastations, their
perseverance ought to inspire us with new vigor in these days. At that time they
had not the honor of a kingdom, no royal throne, no name but with God; and yet
amid this deplorable and ruinous state of things, they adhered to the form of
prayer formerly prescribed to them by the Holy Spirit. Instructed by their
example, let us not fail to pray ardently for the restoration of the Church,
which, in our day, is involved in sad desolation. Besides, in these words, we
are also informed that Christ's kingdom is not upheld and advanced by the policy
of men, but that this is the work of God alone, for in his blessing solely the
faithful are taught to confide. Moreover, the very repetition of the words
which, as we have observed, renders them more forcible, ought to arouse us from
our lethargy, and render us more intensely ardent in breathing forth this
prayer. God can, indeed, of himself, and independently of the prayer of any one,
erect and protect the kingdom of his Son; but it is not without good cause that
he has laid this obligation on us, as there is no duty more becoming the
faithful than that of earnestly seeking for the advancement of his
glory.
Psalm
118:27-29
27. Jehovah is God, and
has given light to us: bind ye the lamb with cords, even to the horns of the
altar. fd394
28. Thou art my God, and I will praise
thee: my God, I will exalt thee. 29. Praise ye Jehovah; because he is
good: because his mercy endureth for
ever.
27.
Jehovah is
God. Here the prophet establishes what
he said formerly, that God, out of compassion to his Church, dissipated the
darkness, and introduced the light of his grace, when David mounted the throne,
for that was the harbinger of the redemption which was anticipated to be
effected in due time by Christ. He also asserts that God was the author of that
deliverance, so wonderful and unlooked for, and he declares that, by the result,
he plainly showed himself to be truly God. These words,
Jehovah himself is a strong God,
because he has restored the light of life to
us, are tacitly emphatical. For as the
faithful, in consequence of the confused state of the Church, were reduced
almost to the brink of despair; the ungodly imagined that all this had happened
regarding the children of Abraham, by reason of God himself having, as it were,
forsaken them. Wherefore he returns to offer up anew his thankful
acknowledgments for the divine grace. He commands the faithful
to bind the victim to the horns
of the altar, because, according to the
legal institute, they could not render solemn thanks unto God without
sacrifices. As David was a strict observer of the Law, he would not omit the
ceremonial observances which God had enjoined. He would, however, always keep
his attention steadily fixed on their grand design, and would have recourse to
them only as helps to assist him in presenting a spiritual service unto God. Now
that the shadowy dispensation has passed away, it remains that we offer unto God
our thanksgivings through Christ, who sanctifies them by his own immaculate
offering, lest we should be debarred from this exercise of godliness, by the
corruptions of our flesh. And that David turned his attention to the praises of
God, is abundantly manifest from the following verse, in which he promises that
he would celebrate the name of
God, because he was his God, and he knew
it; that is, he felt from experience that from his hand he might calculate on
receiving sure and immediate assistance.
PSALM
119
As this psalm treats of various matters, it is
difficult to give an epitome of its contents. There are, however, two things
which the prophet mainly aims at; the exhorting of the children of God to follow
godliness and a holy life; and the prescribing of the rule, and pointing out the
form of the true worship of God, so that the faithful may devote themselves
wholly to the study of the Law. Along with these he frequently blends promises
for the purpose of animating the worshippers of God to live more justly and
piously; and, at the same time, he introduces complaints respecting the impious
contempt of the Law, lest they should become tainted by bad examples. In short,
he frequently passes from one topic to another, and prosecutes no one particular
subject continuously;
fd395 and therefore it will be best to
discuss each subject in its proper
place.
Psalm
119:1-8
a
1. Blessed are they who are upright,
fd396 in their way, walking in the law of
Jehovah.
a
2. Blessed are they who, keeping his testimonies, seek him with all their
heart.
a
3. Surely they do not work iniquity, who walk in his ways.
a
4. Thou hast commanded that thy statutes should be observed carefully.
fd397
a
5. I wish that my ways may be directed to the observing of thy statutes!
a
6. Then I shall not be ashamed, when I have respect to all thy precepts.
a
7. I will praise thee in the uprightness
of my heart, when I shall have learned the judgments of thy righteousness.
a
8. I will observe thy statutes: do not forsake me very
far.
fd398
Some call this the octonary
psalm, because that, through every successive eight verses, the initial words of
each line begin with the same letter in alphabetical order. That this was done
to aid the memory, may be gathered from each part containing a doctrine, which
ought to form a theme of constant meditation among the children of God. For the
purpose, therefore, of rendering it less irksome to the reader, the prophet has
distinguished every successive eight verses by their beginning each with the
corresponding letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and thus all excuses, on the score
of ignorance, are removed, even from the callous and slothful. This help does
not extend to those who read it in other languages; but the principle must not
be overlooked, that the doctrine exhibited in this psalm should be carefully
studied by all the children of God, and treasured up in their hearts, to render
them the more conversant with it. Touching the author, I assert nothing, because
it cannot be ascertained, even by probable conjecture, who he was; and
expositors are agreed that no satisfactory conclusion can be arrived at in the
matter. As David surpassed all others in point of poetical and devotional
talent, I will not scruple occasionally to insert his
name.
fd399
It may be proper to take notice of
certain terms which frequently occur in the psalm. Of the term
hrwt,
torah, I say nothing, which, having its derivation from a word which
signifies to instruct, is yet uniformly taken for law. Some of the
Rabbis affirm that
µyqwj,
chukim, signifies statutes, or divinely appointed rites, the, reason of
which is very obvious. They say that
µydqp,
phikudim, denotes those precepts which relate to natural justice. It is
certain that
µyfpçm,
mishpatim, signifies commandments, because this is proved by the
etymology of the word. As to
twd[,
edoth, the Hebrews understand it of the doctrine of the law, but with the
certain indication, pointing out to us that it is comprehensive of the manner in
which God enters into covenant with his people. The precepts of the law are
denominated judgments and righteousness, to inform us that God enjoins nothing
except what is right and just, and that mankind ought to seek for no other rule
for the perfecting of holiness, but what consists in regulating their life by
rendering obedience to the law. The meaning is almost synonymous when they are
called the ways of the Lord, intimating that those who do not depart from
the direction of the law, may safely conclude that they are in no danger of
going astray. The ordinances of God, and the edicts offerings, have the term
µyqwj,
chukim, applied to them indiscriminately,
and,
µydwqp, phikudim, refers to different
kinds of justice, as is manifest from many parts of Scripture which demonstrates
that there is no foundation for the subtle distinction and difference formerly
noticed. And in this psalm almost all these terms are synonym as the context
will show.
fd400 To procure greater respect for the law,
the prophet adorns it with a variety of titles, taking care constantly to enjoin
upon us the same doctrine. I now proceed to the consideration of the contents of
the psalm.
1.
Blessed are they who are
upright. In these words the prophet sets
forth the same paradox which we met with at the commencement of the Book of
Psalms. All men naturally aspire after happiness, but instead of searching for
it in the right path, they designedly prefer wandering up and down through
endless by-paths, to their ruin and destruction. The Holy Spirit deservedly
condemns this apathy and blindness. And but for man's cupidity, which, with
brutish impetuosity, hurries him in the opposite direction, the meaning of the
words would appear quite plain to him. And the further a man wanders from God,
the happier does he imagine himself to be; and hence all treat, as a fable, what
the Holy Spirit declares about true piety and the service of God. This is a
doctrine which scarcely one among a hundred
receives.
The term
way,
is here put for the manner, or course and way of life: and hence he calls
those upright in their way, whose sincere and uniform desire it is to practice
righteousness, and to devote their life to this purpose. In the next clause of
the verse, he specifics more clearly, that a godly and righteous life consists
in walking in the law of
God. If a person follow his own humor
and caprice, he is certain to go astray; and even should he enjoy the applause
of the whole world, he will only weary himself with very vanity. But it may be
asked, whether the prophet excludes from the hope of happiness all who do not
worship God perfectly? Were this his meaning, it would follow that none except
angels alone would be happy, seeing that the perfect observance of the law is to
be found in no part, of the earth. The answer is easy: When uprightness is
demanded of the children of God, they do not lose the gracious remission of
their sins, in which their salvation alone consists. While, then, the servants
of God are happy, they still need to take refuge in his mercy, because their
uprightness is not complete. In this manner are they who faithfully observe the
law of God said to be truly happy; and thus is fulfilled that which is declared
in
<193202>Psalm
32:2, "Blessed are they to whom God imputeth not sins." In the second verse, the
same doctrine is confirmed more fully, by pronouncing blessed, not. such as are
wise in their own conceit, or assume a sort of fantastical holiness, but those
who dedicate themselves to the covenant of God, and yield obedience to the
dictates of hits law. Farther, by these words, he tells us that God is by no
means satisfied with mere external service, for he demands the sincere and
honest affection of the heart. And assuredly, if God be the sole judge and
disposer of our life:, the truth must occupy the principal place in our heart,
because it is not sufficient to have our hands and feet only enlisted in his
service.
3.
Surely they do not work iniquity. The
statement, that they who follow God as their guide do not work iniquity, may
seem to be a mere common-place, and universally admitted truth. The prophet has
two reasons for making it; first, to teach us that our life must be entirely
under the direction of God; and, secondly, that we may more diligently and
carefully attend to his doctrine. It is acknowledged by every one, that those
who render obedience to God are in no danger of going astray, and yet every one
is found turning aside to his own ways. Does not such licentiousness or
presumption palpably demonstrate that they have a greater regard for their own
devices than for the unerring law of God? And after all, as often as a man
happens to fall, is not the plea of inadvertence instantly alleged, as if none
ever sinned knowingly and voluntarily; or as if the law of God, which is an
antidote to all delinquencies, because it keeps all our vicious propensities in
check, did not furnish us with sufficient wisdom to put us upon our guard? The
prophet, therefore, very justly declares, that those who are instructed in the
law of God, cannot set up the plea of ignorance when they fall into sin, seeing
they are willfully blind. Were they to attend carefully to God's voice, they
would be well fortified against all the snares of Satan. To strike them with
terror, he informs them in the fourth verse, that God demands a rigid observance
of the law; from which it may be gathered, that he will not suffer the
contemners of it to escape with impunity. Besides, by speaking to God in the
second person, he places him before our eyes as a
Judge.
5.
I wish that my ways may be directed. The
original word
ˆwk,
kun, is sometimes rendered to establish, and, accordingly, it may
seem as if the prophet were soliciting for himself the virtue of perseverance. I
am rather inclined to understand it as signifying to
direct;
for, although God's plainly instructing us in his law, the obtuseness of our
understanding, and the perversity of our hearts, constantly need the direction
of his Spirit. Our main desire, therefore, ought to be for an understanding
wisely regulated by the law of God, and also for a docile and obedient heart.
Next, he adds, if a man carefully observe the law of God, he need be under no
apprehension that he will ever regret what he has done or undertaken to do. The
word
respect
intimates, that we must not be influenced by our own designs, nor decide,
according to Carnal reason, what we are to do, but must at once come to the
determination, that they who turn not aside, either to the right hand or the
left, from the observance of God's commandments, are indeed in the right path.
They who reverently respect his law, may not escape the censure of the great
bulk of mankind, yet the prophet declares, that
They shall not be
ashamed, because they have a good
conscience in the presence of God and the angels, and, with the approval of this
celestial assembly, they are well satisfied and contented; for if they depended
upon the opinion of the world, their courage would presently fail. He says,
all thy
precepts, intimating, that among the
snares of Satan, amid such thick darkness and so great insensibility as ours,
the utmost vigilance and caution are necessary, if we would aim at being
entirely exempted from blame. Wherefore, in all that we do, we must endeavor to
have the law before us, to keep us from
falling.
7.
I will praise thee. He affirms it to be
a singular instance of the loving-kindness of God, if a person has made
considerable proficiency in his law. As a token and testimony of this, he here
puts the giving of thanks to God; as if he should say, Lord, thou wilt confer
upon me an inestimable blessing, if thou instruct me in thy law. It follows,
therefore, that nothing in this life is more to be desired than this; and my
fervent prayer is, that we may be fairly and fully convinced of the truth of it.
For while searching carefully after such things as we deem advantageous to us,
we do not overlook any earthly convenience, and yet we neglect that which is of
most importance. The phrase, the
judgments of thy
righteousness, is the same with the
commandments, in which perfect righteousness is comprehended; and thus the
prophet commends God's law on account of the thorough perfection of the doctrine
contained in it. From this verse we learn, that none will praise God unfeignedly
and cordially but he who has made such proficiency in his school as to mold his
life into subjection to him. It is vain to make a pretense of praising God with
the mouth and the tongue if we dishonor him by our life. Hence the prophet very
justly here makes the fruit of genuine piety to consist in celebrating the
praises of God without
hypocrisy.
8.
I will observe thy statutes. In these
words he avers it to be his intention to observe the law of God, but, conscious
of his own weakness, he utters a prayer that God would not deprive him of his
grace. The term
forsake
is susceptible of two interpretations, either that God withdraws his Spirit,
or that he permits his people to be brought low by adversity, as if he had
forsaken them. The latter interpretation agrees best with the context, and is
most in accordance with the phrase immediately
subjoined, very
far. The prophet is not altogether
averse to the trial of his faith, only he is apprehensive lest it might fail
were the trial to be too long protracted, and therefore he desires to be treated
with tenderness in his infirmity.,' O God! thou sees my frame of mind, and, as I
am but a man, do not conceal too long from me the tokens of thy favor, or defer
helping me longer than is proper for me, lest, imagining myself to be forsaken
of thee, I turn aside from the direct pursuit of
godliness."
Psalm
119:9-16
b
9. Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according
to thy word.
b
10. I have sought thee with my whole heart; do not permit me to wander
from thy commandments.
b
11. I have hid thy word in my heart,
fd401 that I might not sin against thee.
b
12. Blessed art thou, O Jehovah! teach me thy statutes.
b
13. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.
b
14. I have taken pleasure in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in
all riches.
b
15. I will meditate upon thy precepts, and will take heed to thy paths.
b
16. I will delight, myself in thy statutes; I will not forget thy
words.
9.
Wherewith shall a young man
cleanse his way? In this place he
repeats, in different words, the same truth which he formerly advanced, That,
however much men may pique themselves upon their own works, there is nothing
pure in their life until they have made a complete surrender of themselves to
the word of the Lord. The more effectually to excite them to this, he produces,
in an especial manner, the example of children or youths. In mentioning these,
he by no means gives an unbridled license to those who have arrived at mature
years, or who are aged, as if they were competent to regulate their own life,
and as if their own prudence served as a law to them; but because youth puts men
where two ways meet, and renders it imperative for them to select the course of
life which they mean to follow, he declares that, when a person sets about the
regulation of his life, no advice will prove of any advantage, unless he adopts
the law of God as his rule and guide. In this way the prophet stimulates men to
an early and seasonable regulation of their manners, and not to delay doing so
any longer, agreeably to the words of Solomon, "Remember thy Creator in thy
youth, ere the days of trouble come, and the years which shall be grief unto
thee,"
<211201>Ecclesiastes
12:1.
fd402 They who defer from time to time become
hardened in their vicious practices, and arrive at mature years, when it is too
late to attempt a reformation. There is another reason, arising from the fact,
of the carnal propensities being very powerful in youth, requiring a dortble
restraint; and the more they are inclined to excess, the greater is the
necessity for curbing their licentiousness. The prophet, therefore, not without
reason, exhorts them particularly to attend to the observance of the law. We may
reason from the greater to the less; for if the law of God possesses the power
of restraining the impetuosity of youth, so as to preserve pure and upright all
who take it for their guide, then, assuredly, when they come to maturity, and
their irregular desires are considerably abated, it will prove the best antidote
for correcting their vices. The reason, therefore, of so much evil prevailing in
the world, arises from men wallowing in their own impurity, and being disposed
to yield more to their own inclination than to heavenly instruction. The only
sure protection is, to regulate ourselves according to God's word. Some, wise in
their own conceit, throw themselves into the snares of Satan, others, from
listlessness and languor, live a vile and wicked
life.
10.
With my whole
heart. Conscious of the integrity of his
heart, the prophet still implores the help of God, that he might not stumble by
reason of his infirmity. He makes no boast of self-preparation, as if he had
spontaneously begun to inquire after God, but in praising the grace which he had
experienced, he at the same time aspires after steadfastness to persevere in
walking in his ways. It is folly on the part of the Papists to seize upon this
and similar passages, as if the saints, of their own free will, anticipated the
grace of the Holy Spirit, and afterwards were favored with his aid. The prophet
does not make a division between God and himself, but rather prays God to
continue his work till it is completed, agreeably with what we are generally
taught, to keep God mindful of his benefits until he accomplish
them.
In the meantime, there is good cause for
presenting our supplication to God, to stretch out his hand towards us when he
sees our minds so settled, that we are solicitous of nothing so much as acting
uprightly. And as he elevates us with confidence to ask the gift of
perseverance, when he inspires our hearts with proper affection towards him, so
also does he entreat us for the future not to sink into a careless and languid
state like soldiers who have been discharged, but seek to be constantly directed
by the spirit of wisdom, and to be sustained by the principles of fortitude and
virtue. David here, from his own example, points out to us a rule, that by how
much a man finds himself succored by God, by so much ought he to be induced the
more carefully and earnestly to implore the continuance of his aid; for unless
he restrain us, we will instantly wander and go astray. This sentiment is more
explicitly stated in the original word
yngçt,
tashqeni, which is in the passive voice, and signifies,
to be led
astray.
fd403 From the import of the term, I
do not mean to establish the doctrine that God secretly incites us to commit
sin, but only to let my readers know, that such is our liability to err,
that we immediately relapse into sin the instant he leaves us to ourselves.
This passage also admonishes us that the man who swerves but a little from God's
commandments is guilty of going
astray.
11.
I have hid thy word in my heart.
This psalm not being composed for the personal and peculiar use of the
author only, we may therefore understand, that as frequently as David sets
before us his own example, under this model he points out the course we ought to
pursue. Here we are informed that we are well fortified against the stratagems
of Satan when God's law is deeply seated in our hearts. For unless it have a
fast and firm hold there, we will readily fall into sin. Among scholars, those
whose knowledge is confined to books, if they have not the book always before
them, readily discover their ignorance; in like manner, if we do not imbibe the
doctrine of God, and are well acquainted with it, Satan will easily surprise and
entangle us in his meshes. Our true safeguard, then, lies not in a slender
knowledge of his law, or in a careless perusal of it, but in hiding it deeply in
our hearts. Here we are reminded, that however men may be convinced of their own
wisdom, they are yet destitute of all right judgment, except as far as they have
God as their teacher.
12.
Blessed art thou, O
Jehovah! Such had been the prophet's
proficiency, that he was not only one of 'God's disciples, but also a public
teacher of the Church. Nevertheless, acknowledging himself and all the upright
to be only one their journey till they arrive at the close of life, he fails not
to ask for the spirit of understanding. This passage informs us generally, that
if God do not enlighten us with the spirit of discernment, we are not competent
to behold the light which shines forth from his law, though it be constantly
before us. And thus it happens, that not a few are blind even when surrounded
with the clear revelation of this doctrine, because, confident in their own
perspicacity, they contemn the internal illumination of the Holy Spirit.
Farther, let us learn from this passage, that none are possessed of such
superiority of intellect as not to admit of constant increase. If the prophet,
upon whom God had conferred so honorable an office as a teacher of the Church,
confesses himself to be only a disciple or scholar, what madness is it for those
who are, greatly behind him in point of attainments not to strain every nerve to
rise to higher excellence? Nor does he depend upon his own merits for obtaining
his requests; he beseeches God to grant them from a regard to his own glory.
This appears from the phraseology by which he introduces his request,
Blessed art thou, O
Jehovah! intimating, that his confidence
of success originated in God's being fully entitled to all praise on account of
his unbounded goodness, justice, and
mercy.
13.
With my
lips. In this verse he declares that the
law of God was not only deeply engraven on his own heart, but that it was his
earnest and strenuous endeavor to gain over many of his fellow-disciples into
subjection to God. It is indeed a heartless matter to speak of the law of God
abstractly, as we see hypocrites do, who talk very fluently about the whole
doctrine of godliness, to which they are entire strangers. What the prophet
noticed above, respecting the affection of the heart for God's law, he now
likewise applies to the lips. And, immediately afterwards, he again establishes
the truth of what he had asserted about his cordial and unfeigned endeavors to
instruct others; by saying, that he derived no less pleasure from the doctrine
of God than from all the riches of the world. He indirectly contrasts his holy
love for the law, with which he was inflamed, with the unholy avarice which has
taken possession of almost all the world. "As wealth attracts to itself the
hearts of mankind, so I have taken more exquisite delight in the progress which
I make in the doctrine of godliness, than if I abounded in all manner of
riches."
15.
In thy
precepts. That to which I formerly
adverted must not be forgotten — the prophet's not making a boast of his
own acquirements, but setting before others an example for their imitation. We
are aware that the majority of mankind are so much involved in the cares of the
world, as to leave no time or leisure for meditating upon the doctrine of God.
To meet this callous indifference, he very seasonably commends diligence and
attention. And even were we not so ensnared by the world, we know how readily we
lose sight of the law of God, in the daily temptations which suddenly overtake
us. It is not therefore without reason that the prophet exhorts us to constant
exercise, and enjoins us to direct all our energies to the subject of meditation
on God's precepts. And as the life of men is unstable, being continually
distracted by the carnality of their minds, he declares that he will consider
attentively the ways of God. Subsequently, he repeats the exquisite
pleasure he took in this pursuit. For our proficiency in the law of God will be
small, until we cheerfully and heartily set our minds upon it. And, in fact, the
commencement of a good life consists in God's law attracting us to him by its
sweetness. By the same means the lusts of the flesh, too, are subdued or
mitigated. In our natural state, what is more agreeable to us than that which is
sinful? This will be the constant tendency of our minds, unless the delight
which we feel in the law carry us in the opposite
direction.
Psalm
119:17-24
g
17. Do good to thy servant, that! may live, and keep thy word.
g
18. Open my eyes, and I shall see the marvelous things of thy law.
g
19. I am a stranger on the earth: do not conceal from me thy
commandments.
g
20. My soul is rent with the desire it hath at all times unto thy
judgments.
g
21. Thou hast destroyed the proud, they are accursed that wander from thy
commandments.
g
22. Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy
testimonies.
g
23. Princes also did sit, they spoke against me: thy servant meditated on
thy statutes.
g
24. Also thy testimonies are my delights, the men of my
counsel.
17.
Do good to thy
servant. The term
lmg
gamal, which some render to requite, does not, among the Hebrews,
import mutual recompense, but frequently signifies to confer a benefit,
as in
<19B607>Psalm
116:7, and many other passages. Here it must be viewed as expressive of free
favor. The words, however, may admit of two senses. They may be read as a
separate clause, in this manner: O God! display thy goodness to thy servant, and
thus I shall live, or then I shall esteem myself happy. Or the verse may form
one connected statement: O God! grant to thy servant the favor that, while I
live, I may keep thy commandments. If the former lection is adopted, then, by
these words, the prophet declares that, without the favor of God, he is like a
dead man; that though he might abound in every thing else, yet he could not
subsist without feeling that God was propitious towards him. The latter
interpretation is preferable, That the prophet asks as a principal favor, that,
while he lives, he may devote himself entirely to God; being fully persuaded
that the grand object of his existence consists in his exercising himself in his
service, an object which he firmly resolves to pursue. For this reason these two
clauses are connected together,
that I may live, and keep thy
word. "I desire no other mode of living
than that of approving myself to be a true and faithful servant of God." All
wish God to grant them a prolongation of their life; a wish after which the
whole world ardently aspire, and yet there is scarcely one among a hundred who
reflects upon the purpose for which he ought to live. To withdraw us from
cherishing such irrational propensities, the prophet here describes the main
object of our existence. He declares it to be owing to the peculiar grace of the
Holy Spirit, that any person keeps the law of God. Had he imagined that the
preparing oneself for the observance of his law depended on his own free will,
then this prayer would have been nothing else than downright
hypocrisy.
Very similar is the doctrine
contained in the next verse. Having acknowledged, that power to keep the law is
imparted to men by God, he, at the same time, adds, that every man is blind,
until he also enlighten the eyes of his understanding. Admitting that God gives
light to us by his word, the prophet here means that we are blind amid the
clearest light, until he remove the veil from our eyes. When he confesses that
his eyes are veiled and shut, rendering him unable to discern the light of the
heavenly doctrine, until God, by the invisible grace of his Spirit, open them,
he speaks as if he were deploring his own blindness, and that of the whole human
race. But, while God claims this power for himself, he tells us that the remedy
is at hand, provided we do not, by trusting to our own wisdom, reject the
gracious illumination offered to us. Let us learn, too, that we do not receive
the illumination of the Spirit of God to make us contemn the external word, and
take pleasure only in secret inspirations, like many fanatics, who do not regard
themselves spiritual, except they reject the word of God, and substitute in its
place their own wild speculations. Very different is the prophet's aim, which is
to inform us that our illumination is to enable us to discern the light of life,
that God manifests by his word. He designates the doctrine of the law,
marvelous things,
fd404 to humble us, to contemplate
with admiration its height; and to convince us the more of our need of the grace
of God, to comprehend the mysteries, which surpass our limited capacity. From
which we infer, that not only the ten commandments are included in the term la
but also the covenant of eternal salvation, with all its provisions, which God
has made. And knowing, as we do, that Christ, "in whom are hid all the
treasures of knowledge and wisdom," "is the end of the law," we need not be
surprised at the prophet commending it, in consequence of the sublime mysteries
which it contains,
<510203>Colossians
2:3;
<451004>Romans
10:4.
19.
I am a stranger on the
earth. It is proper to inquire into the
reason for his calling himself a sojourner and stranger in the world. The great
concern of the unholy and worldly is to spend their life here easily and
quietly; but those who know that they have their journey to pursue, and have
their inheritance reserved for them in heaven, are not engrossed nor entangled
with these perishable things, but aspire after that place to which they are
invited. The meaning may be thus summed up: "Lord, since I must pass quickly
through the earth, what will become of me if I am deprived of the doctrine of
thy law ?" We learn from these words from what point we must commence our
journey, if we would go on our way cheerfully unto
God.
Besides, God is said
to conceal his
commandments from those whose eyes he
does not open, because, not being endued with spiritual vision, in seeing they
see not, so that what is before their eyes is hid from them. And, to demonstrate
that he does not present his request in a careless manner, the prophet adds,
that his affection for the law is most intense; for it is no common ardor which
is expressed by him in the following language,
My soul is rent with the desire
it hath at all times unto thy judgments.
As the man who may concentrate all his thoughts on one point with such
intensity as almost to deprive him of the power of perception, may be said to be
the victim of his intemperate zeal, so the prophet declares the energy of his
mind to be paralyzed and exhausted by his ardent love for the law.
fd405 The clause,
at all
times, is meant to express his
perseverance; for it may occasionally happen that a man may apply himself with
great ardor to the study of the heavenly doctrine; but it is only temporary-his
zeal soon vanishes away. Steadfastness is therefore necessary, lest, through
weariness, we become faint in our
minds.
21.
Thou hast destroyed the
proud. Others render it:, Thou hast
rebuked the proud; a translation of which the Hebrew term
r[g,
gaar, admits when the letter
b,
beth, is joined with it in construction; but this being awaiting, it is
better to render it
destroy.
fd406 It makes, however, little
difference to the main drift of the passage, there being no doubt that the
intention of the prophet is, to inform us that God's judgments instructed him to
apply his mind to the study of the law; and certainly this is an exercise which
we ought on no account to defer till God visit us with chastisement.. But when
we behold him taking vengeance upon the wicked, and the despisers of his word,
we must be stupid, indeed, if his rod do not teach us wisdom; and, doubtless, it
is an instance of special kindness on God's part, to spare us, and only to
terrify us from afar, that he may bring us to himself without injuring or
chastising us at all.
It is not without reason
that he denominates all unbelievers
proud,
because it is true faith alone which humbles us, and all rebellion is the
offspring of pride. From this we learn how profitable it is to consider
carefully and attentively the judgments of God, by which he overthrows such
haughtiness. When the weak in faith see the wicked rise in furious. opposition
against God, arrogantly casting off all restraint, and holding all religion in
derision with impunity, they begin to question whether there be a God who sits
as judge in heaven. God may, for a time, wink at this: by-and-bye, we witness
him setting forth some indication of his judgment, to convince us that he hath
not in vain uttered threatening against the violators of his law; and we ought
to bear in mind that all who depart from him are
reprobate.
Let it be carefully observed
that, by wandering from his
commandments, is not meant all kinds of
transgression indiscriminately, but that unbridled licentiousness which proceeds
from impious contempt of God. It is, indeed, given as a general sentence,
that
"every one is
cursed who continueth not in
all
things which are written,"
<052726>Deuteronomy
27:26
But as Godwin his paternal kindness, bears with those
who fail through infirmity of the flesh, so here we must understand these
judgments to be expressly executed upon the wicked and reprobate; and their end,
as Isaiah declares, is,
"that the
inhabitants of the earth may learn
righteousness,"
(<232609>Isaiah
26:9)
22.
Remove from me reproach. This verse may
admit of two senses: Let the children of God walk as circumspectly as it is
possible for them to do, they will not escape being liable to many slanders, and
therefore they have good reason to petition God to protect the unfeigned
godliness which they practice against poisonous tongues. The following meaning
may not inappropriately be given to the passage: O Lord, since I am conscious to
myself, and thou art a witness of my unfeigned integrity, do not permit the
unrighteous to sully my reputation, by laying unfounded accusations to my
charge. But the meaning will be more complete if we read it as forming one
continued sentence: O God, permit not the ungodly to mock me for endeavoring to
keep thy law. For this impiety has been rampant in the world even from the
beginning, that the sincerity of God's worshippers has been matter of reproach
and derision; even as, at this day, the same reproaches are still cast upon
God's children, as if not satisfied with the common mode of living, they aspired
being wiser than others. That which was spoken by Isaiah must now be
accomplished, "Behold I and my children, whom thou hast given me to be for a
sign;" so that God's children, with Christ their head, are, among the profane,
as persons to be wondered at. Accordingly, Peter testifies that they charge us
with madness for not following their ways,
(<600404>1
Peter 4:4;) and as this reproach — the becoming the subjects of ridicule
on account of their unfeigned affection for God's law — tends to the
dishonor of his name, the prophet very justly demands the suppression of all
these taunts; and Isaiah also, by his own example, directs us to flee to this
refuge, because, although the wicked may arrogantly pour out their blasphemies
on the earth, yet God sitteth in heaven as our
judge.
In the following verse, he states more
plainly that it was not in vain he besought God to vindicate him from such
calumnies; for he was held in derision, not only by the common people, and by
the most abandoned of mankind, but also by the chief men, who sat as judges. The
term, to sit, imports that they had spoken injuriously and unjustly of
him, not merely in their houses and at their tables, but publicly and on the
very judgment-seat, where it behooved them to execute justice, and render to
every one his due. The particle
µg,
gam, which he employs, and which signifies
also
or even, contains an implied contrast
between the secret whisperings of the common people, and the imperious decisions
of these imperious men, enhancing still more the baseness of their conduct.
Nevertheless, in the midst of all this he steadfastly persevered in following
after godliness. Satan was assailing him with this device in order to drive him
to despair, but he tells us that he sought a remedy from it in meditation on the
law of God. We are here taught, that it is not unusual for earthly judges to
oppress God's servants, and make a mock of their piety. If David could not
escape this reproach, why should we, in these times, expect to do so? Let us
further learn, that there is nothing more perverse than to place dependence upon
the judgments of men, because, in doing so, we must, of necessity, constantly be
in a state of vacillation. Let us therefore rest satisfied with the approbation
of God, though men causelessly defame us — not only men of low degree, but
also the very judges themselves, from whom the utmost impartiality might be
expected.
24.
Also thy testimonies are my
delight. The particle
µg,
gam, connects this with the preceding verse. To adhere unflinchingly to
our purpose, when the world takes up an unjust opinion of us, and, at the same
time, constantly to mediate on God's law, is an example of Christian fortitude
seldom to be met with. The prophet now informs us how he overcame this
temptation. Thy
testimonies, says
he, are my
delight: "Although the cruel
injustice of men, in charging me falsely, grieves and annoys me, yet the
pleasurable delight which I take in thy law is a sufficient recompense for it
all." He adds, that God's testimonies
are his
counselors, by which we are to
understand he did not rely on his own judgment simply, but took counsel from the
word of God. This point ought to be carefully considered, inasmuch as we see how
blind affection predominates in directing the lives of men. Whence does the
avaricious man ask council, but from the erroneous principle which he has
assumed, that riches are superior to every thing? Why does the ambitious man
aspire after nothing so much as power, but because he regards nothing equal to
the holding of honorable rank in the world? It is not surprising, therefore,
that men are so grievously misled, seeing they give themselves up to the
direction of such evil counselors. Guided by the word of God, and prudently
yielding obedience to its dictates, there will then be no inlet to the deceits
of our flesh, and to the delusions of the world, and we will stand :invincible
against all the assaults of
temptation.
Psalm
119:25-32
d
25. My soul cleaveth to the dust: quicken me according to thy word.
d
26. I have declared my ways, and thou didst answer me: teach me thy
statutes.
d
27. Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: and I will meditate on
thy wonderful works.
d
28. My soul, droppeth
fd407 away for grief:
fd408 raise me up according to thy word.
d
29. Take away from me the way of falsehood: and grant to me the favor of
thy law.
d
30. I have chosen the way of truth: and I have set thy judgments before
me.
d
31. I have cleaved to thy testimonies: O Jehovah! let me, not be ashamed.
d
32. I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt have enlarged
my heart.
25.
My soul cleaveth to the
dust.
fd409 He means that he had no more
hope of life than if he had been shut up in the tomb; and this must be carefully
attended to, that we my not become impatient and grieved, whenever it may please
God to make us endure various kinds of death. And, by his own example, he
instructs us, when death stares us in the face, and all hope of escape fails, to
present our petitions to God, in whose hand, as we have elsewhere seen, are the
issues of death, and whose peculiar prerogative it is to restore life to those
that are dead,
(<196821>Psalm
68:21) As the combat is hard, he betakes himself to the promises of God, and
invites others to do the same. The expression,
according to thy
word,
fd410 is an acknowledgment, that
should he depart from God's word, no hope would be left for him; but as God has
affirmed that the life of the faithful is in his hand, and under his protection,
shut up as he was in the grave, he yet comforted himself with the expectation of
life.
26.
I have declared my
ways. In the first part of this verse he
affirms he had prayed sincerely, and had not imitated the proud, who, trusting
to their own wisdom, fortitude, and opulence, make not God their refuge. That
man is said to declare his ways
to God, who presumes neither to attempt
nor undertake any thing unless with His assistance, and, depending wholly on His
providence, commits all his plans to His sovereign pleasure, and centers all his
affections in Him; doing all this honestly, and not as the hypocrites, who
profess one thing with their lips, and conceal another within their hearts. He
adds, that he was heard,
which was of great importance in making him
cherish good hope for the future.
In the second
part of the verse he solemnly declares, that he holds nothing more dear than the
acquiring of a true understanding of the law. There are not a few who make known
their desires unto God, but then they would that he would yield to their
extravagant passions. And, therefore, the prophet affirms that he desires
nothing more than to be well
instructed in God's statutes. This
statement is strengthened by the next verse, in which he once more asks the
knowledge of these to be communicated to him. In both passages it must be
carefully observed, that with the law of God set before us, we will reap little
benefit from merely perusing it, if we have not his Spirit as our internal
teacher.
Some expositors will have the word
which I have translated, I will
meditate, to be, I will entreat or
argue, and thus the Hebrew term
jwç,
shuach, is referred both to the words and thoughts. The latter meaning is
most in accordance with the scope of the passage. I take the import of the
prophet's words to be this: — That I may meditate upon thy wondrous works,
make me to understand thy commandments. We will have no relish for the law of
God until he sanctify our minds, and render them susceptible of tasting heavenly
wisdom. And from this disrelish springs indifference, so that it is a grievous
thing for the world to give a respectful attention to the law of God, having no
savor for the admirable wisdom contained in it. With great propriety, therefore,
does the prophet pray that this way may be opened to him by the gift of
knowledge. From these words we are instructed, that in proportion to the spirit
of knowledge given to us, our regard for the law of God, and our delight in
meditating on it, ought to
increase.
28.
My soul droppeth away for grief. As a
little before he said that his soul cleaved to the dust, so now, almost in the
same manner, he complains that it melted away with grief. Some are of opinion
that he alludes to tears, as if he had said that his soul was dissolved in
tears. But the simpler meaning is, that his strength was poured out like water.
The verb is in the future tense, yet it denotes a continued action. The prophet
assures himself of a remedy for this his extreme sorrow, provided God stretch
out his hand towards him. Formerly, when almost lifeless, he entertained the
expectation of a revival through the grace of God; now also, by the same means,
he cherishes the hope of being restored to renovated and complete vigor,
notwithstanding he was nearly consumed. He repeats the expression,
according to thy
word, because, apart from his word,
God's power would afford us little comfort. But when he comes to our aid, even
should our courage and strength fail, his promise is abundantly efficacious to
fortify us.
29.
Take away from me the way of
falsehood. Knowing how prone the nature
of man is to vanity and falsehood, he first asks the sanctification of his
thoughts, lest, being entangled by the snares of Satan, he fall into error.
Next, that he may be kept from falsehood, he prays to be fortified with the
doctrine of the law. The second clause of the verse is interpreted variously.
Some render it, make thy law pleasant to me. And as the law is
disagreeable to the flesh, which it subdues and keeps under, there is good cause
why God should be asked to render it acceptable and pleasant to us. Some expound
it, have mercy upon me according to thy law as if the prophet should draw
pity from the fountain-head itself, because God in his law promised it to the
faithful. Both of these meanings appear to me forced; and, therefore, I am more
disposed to adopt another, freely
grant to me thy
law. The original term,
ynnj
channeni, cannot be translated otherwise in Latin than, gratify thou
me; an uncouth and barbarous expression I admit, yet that will give me:
little concern, provided my readers comprehend the prophet's meaning.
fd411 The amount is, that being full of
blindness, nothing is more easy than for us to be greatly deceived by error.
And, therefor unless God teach us by the Spirit of wisdom, we will presently be
hurried away into various errors. The means of our being preserved from error
are stated to consist in his instructing us in his law. He makes use of the term
to gratify. "It is indeed an incomparable kindness that men are
directed by thy law, but in consequence of thy kindness being unmerited, I have
no hesitation in asking of thee to admit me as a participator of this thy
kindness." If the prophet, who for some time previous served God, in now
aspiring after farther attainments, does not ask for a larger measure of grace
to be communicated to him meritoriously, but confesses it to be the free gift of
God, then that impious tenet, which obtains in the papacy, that an increase of
grace is awarded to merit as deserving of it, must fall to the
ground.
30.
I have chosen the way of
truth. In this and the following verse
he affirms that he was so disposed as to desire nothing more than to follow
righteousness and truth. It is, therefore, with great propriety he employs the
term to
choose. The old adage, that man's life
is as it were at the point where two ways meet, refers not simply to the general
tenor of human life, but to every particular action of it. For no sooner
do we undertake any thing, no matter how small, than we are grievously
perplexed, and as if hurried off by a tempest, are confounded by conflicting
counsels. Hence the prophet declares, that in order constantly to pursue the
right path, he had resolved and fully determined not to relinquish the truth.
And thus he intimates that he was not entirely exempted from temptations, yet
that he had surmounted them by giving himself up to the conscientious observance
of the law.
The last clause of the verse,
I have set thy judgments before
me, relates to the same subject. There
would be no fixed choice on the part of the faithful, unless they steadily
contemplate the law, and did not suffer their eyes to wander to and fro. In the
subsequent verse he not only asserts his entertaining this holy affection for
the law, but also combines it with prayer, that he might not become ashamed and
enfeebled under the derision of the ungodly, while he gave himself wholly to the
law of God. Here he employs the same term as formerly, when he said his soul
cleaved to the dust, and, in doing so, affirms he had so firmly taken hold of
God's law, that he cannot be separated from it. From his expressing a fear lest
he might be put to shame or overwhelmed with reproach, we learn that the more
sincerely a man surrenders himself to God, the more will he be assailed by the
tongues of the vile and the
venomous.
32.
I will run the way of thy
commandments. The meaning of the prophet
is, that when God shall inspire him with love for his la he will be vigorous and
ready, nay, even steady, so as not to faint in the middle of his course. His
words contain an implied admission of the supineness inability of men to make
any advancement in well-doing until God enlarge their hearts. No sooner does God
expand their hearts, than they are fitted not only for walking, but also for
running in the way of his commandments. He reminds us that the proper observance
of the law consists not merely in external works, — that it demands
willing obedience, so that the heart must, to some extent, and in some way,
enlarge itself. Not that it has the self-determining power of doing this, but
when once its hardness and obstinacy are subdued, it moves freely without being
any longer contracted by its own narrowness. Finally, this passage tells us,
when God has once enlarged our hearts, there will be no lack of power, because,
along with proper affection, he will furnish ability, so that our feet will be
ready to run.
Psalm
119:33-40
h
33. Teach me, O Jehovah! the way of thy statutes; and I will keep it unto
the end.
h
34. Make me to understand, and I will observe thy law; and keep it with
my whole heart.
h
35. Direct me in the way of thy statutes; for in it does my heart take
pleasure.
h
36. Incline my heart to thy testimonies, and not unto covetousness.
h
37. Turn away mine eyes from seeing vanity; in thy way quicken me.
h
38. Confirm thy word to thy servant, who '.is devoted to thy ear.
h
39. Remove from me the reproach of which I am afraid: for thy judgments
are good.
h
40. Lo! I have a desire to thy commandments: quicken me in thy
righteousness.
33.
Teach me, O Jehovah/the way of
thy statutes. He again presents the same
prayer which he has already frequently done in this psalm, it being of the last
importance for us to know that the main thing in our life consists in having God
for our governor. The majority of mankind think of anything rather than this, as
that which they ought to ask from God. The Holy Spirit, therefore, often
inculcates this desire, and we ought always to keep it in mind, that not only
the inexperienced and unlearned, but those who have made great progress, may not
cease to aspire after farther advancement. And as the Spirit of understanding
comes from above, they should seek to be guided by his invisible agency to the
proper knowledge of the law.
In the second
clause of the verse the prophet points out the particular kind of doctrine of
which he treats, that which virtually and effectually tends to renovate the
heart of man. Interpreters explain the word
bq[,
ekeb, two ways. Some would have it to denote wages or reward, and then the
Psalmist's meaning would be: After I have been well instructed, then shall I
know that those who apply themselves to the observance of thy law will not labor
in vain; and, therefore, for the sake of the reward, I will keep thy
commandments, persuaded that thou wilt never disappoint thy servants. Others
render it, until the end,
because those whom God teaches he teaches
successfully, and, at the same time, strengthens them for prosecuting their
journey without feeling lassitude or languor by the way, and enables them to
persevere with constancy until they arrive at the termination of their course. I
am far from supposing that he has no reference to the grace of perseverance. Let
my readers, however, consider whether this verse may not be taken simply as the
words stand in the original. The preposition
until
is not expressed by the prophet, who merely says,
I will keep the
end. "Lord, I have need of
constant teaching, that I may not fall short of, but keep my eye continually
upon my mark; for thou commandest me to run in thy course, on condition that
death alone should be the goal. Unless thou teach me daily, this perseverance
will not be found in me. But if thou guide me, I will be constantly upon the
watch, and will never turn away my eyes from my end, or aim." In my version I
have inserted the commonly received
reading.
34.
Make me to
understand. We are here informed that
true wisdom consists in being wise according to the law of God, that it may
preserve us in fear and obedience to him. In asking God to confer this wisdom
upon him, he owns that men, in consequence of their natural blindness, aim at
anything rather than this. And, indeed, it is quite foreign to the notions
usually prevalent among mankind to strain every nerve to keep God's law. The
world esteems as wise those only who look well to their own interests, are acute
and politic in temporal matters, and who even excel in the art of beguiling the
simple. In opposition to such a sentiment, the prophet pronounces men to be void
of true understanding as long as the fear of God does not predominate among
them. For himself he asks no other prudence than the surrendering of himself
entirely to God's direction. At the same Lime, he acknowledges this to be the
special gift of God, which none can procure by his own power or policy; for were
each adequate to be his own teacher in this matter, then this petition would be
superfluous.
Moreover, as the observance of the
law is no common occurrence, he employs two terms in reference to it. "Lord, it
is a high and hard thing to keep thy law strictly as it ought, which demands
from us purity beyond what we are able to attain; yet, depending on the heavenly
illumination of thy Spirit, I will not cease my endeavors to keep it." The
following, however, renders the meaning more clear: "Give me understanding to
keep and observe thy law with my whole heart." Mention is made of
the whole
heart, to tell us how far they are from
the righteousness of the law who obey it only in the letter, doing nothing
deserving of blame in the sight of men. God puts a restraint principally on the
heart, that genuine uprightness may flourish there, whose fruits may afterwards
appear in the life. This spiritual observance of the law is a most convincing
evidence of the necessity of being divinely prepared and formed for
it.
35.
Direct me in the
path. The frequent repetition of this
phraseology by the prophet is not to be considered as redundant. Seeing that the
end of man's existence ought to consist in profiting in God's school, we
nevertheless perceive how the world distracts him by its allurements, and how he
also forms for himself a thousand avocations calculated to withdraw his thoughts
from the main business of his life. The next clause of the verse,
in it I take
pleasure, must be carefully attended to.
For it is an indication of rare excellence when a person so arranges his
sentiments and affections as to renounce all the enticements pleasant to the
flesh, and take delight in nothing so much as in the service of God. The prophet
had already attained to this virtue but he still perceives that he is not yet
perfect. Therefore, that his desire may be fully accomplished, he solicits fresh
assistance from God, according to the saying of Paul,
"It is God that worketh
in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasures"
<503813>Philippians
2:13.
Let it be remembered, that he does not boast of the
inherent working of his nature, but sets forth the grace he has received, that
God may complete the work he has begun. "Lord, thou hast given me courage, grant
me also strength." Hence in the term
pleasure
there is an implied opposition to the lusts of the flesh, which keep the
hearts of mankind lettered by their
enticements.
36.
Incline my
heart. In this verse he confesses the
human heart to be so far from yielding to the justice of God, that it is more
inclined to follow an opposite course. Were we naturally and spontaneously
inclined to the righteousness of the law, there would be no occasion for the
petition of the Psalmist, Incline
my heart. It remains, therefore, that
our hearts are full of sinful thoughts, and wholly rebellious, until God by his
grace change them. This confession on the part of the prophet must not be
overlooked, That the natural corruption of man is so great, that he seeks for
any thing rather than what is right, until he be turned by the power of God to
new obedience, and thus begin to be inclined to that which is
good.
In the second clause of the verse the
prophet points to those impediments which prevent mankind from attaining to the
desire of righteousness; their being inclined to covetousness. By a figure of
speech,
fd412 in which a part is put for the whole,
the species is put for the genus. The Hebrew term,
[xb
batsang, signifies to use violence, or to covet, or to
defraud; but covetousness is most in accordance with the spirit of the
passage, provided we admit the prophet to have selected this species, "the root
of all evils," to demonstrate that nothing is more opposed to the righteousness
of God,
(<540610>1
Timothy 6:10). We are here instructed generally, that we are so much under the
influence of perverse and vicious affections, our hearts abhor the study of
God's law, until God inspire us with the desire for that which is
good.
37.
Turn away mine
eyes. By these words we are taught that
all our senses are so filled with vanity, that, until refined and rectified,
their alienation from the pursuit of righteousness is no matter of surprise. In
the former verse he informed us of the reigning of that depravity in the hearts
of men, which he now says reaches also to the outward senses. "The
disease of covetousness not only lurks in our hearts, but spreads over every
part, so that neither eyes, ears, feet, nor hands, have escaped its baneful
influence; in a word, nothing is exempted from corruption." And we know,
assuredly, that the guilt of original sin is not confined to one faculty of man
only; it pervades his whole constitution. If our eyes must be turned away from
vanity by the special grace of God, it follows, that, as soon as they are
opened, they are eagerly set on the impostures of Satan, by which they are beset
on all sides. If Satan only laid snares for us, and were we possessed of
sufficient prudence to guard against his deceits, it could not, with propriety,
be said that God turned away our eyes from vanity; but, as they are naturally
set upon sinful allurements, there is need for their being withdrawn from them.
As often, then, as we open our eyes, we must not forget that two gates are
opened for the devil to enter our hearts, unless God guard us by his Holy
Spirit. The remarks which he makes, in reference to the eyes, are equally
applicable to the other senses, inasmuch as he again employs that figure of
speech, by which a part is taken for the
whole.
The other clause of the verse corresponds
well with the meaning here given. Others may propose different interpretations;
I think, however, the following is the most natural: Lord, as the whole life of
mankind is accursed, so long as they employ their powers in committing sin,
grant that the power which I possess may aspire after nothing except the
righteousness which thou appointest us. The better to manifest this, we must lay
it down as a first principle, that seeing, hearing, walking, and feeling, are
God's precious gifts; that our understandings and will, with which we are
furnished, are a still more valuable gift; and, after all, there is no look of
the eyes, no motion of the senses, no thought of the mind, unmingled with vice
and depravity. Such being the case, the prophet, with good reason, surrenders
himself entirely to God, for the mortification of the flesh, that he might begin
to live anew.
38.
Confirm thy word unto thy
servant. Here we have briefly set forth
the sole end and legitimate use of prayer, which is, that we may reap the fruits
of God's promises. Whence it comes to pass, that they commit sin who utter vague
and incoherent desires. For we perceive the prophet allows not himself to
petition or wish any thing but what God hath condescended to promise. And
certainly their presumption is great, who rush into the presence of God without
any call from his word; as if they would make him subservient to their humor and
caprice. The argument by which the Psalmist enforces his plea deserves to be
noticed; because I am devoted to
thy fear. The relative
rça
asher, in this place bears the signification of the causal conjunction,
because
or for. The prophet intimates that he does not content himself with
mere temporal enjoyments, as worldly men do; and that he did not make a
preposterous abuse of God's promises, to secure the delights of the flesh, but
that he made his fear and reverence his aim. And truly the best assurance which
we can have of obtaining our requests is when these and God's service harmonize,
and our sole desire is that he may reign in and over
us.
39.
Take away my
reproach. It is not certain to what
reproach he alludes. Knowing that many calumniators were on the watch to find
occasion for reviling him, should they happen to detect him in any offense, it
is not without :reason he dreaded lest he might fall into such disgrace, and
that by his own fault. Probably he might be apprehensive of some other reproach,
aware that wicked men shamefully and injuriously slander the good generally,
and, by their calumnies, distort and pervert their good actions. The concluding
clause, Because the judgments of
God are good, is the reason why God
should put to silence the mischievous tongues, which pour out the venom of their
malice without shame against the innocent, who are reverently observing his law.
If any be inclined to view the word
reproach
as directed against God himself, such an
interpretation is by no means objectionable, That the prophet, whose aim it was
to stand approved as to his life in God's sight, merely desired, when he
appeared before his tribunal, not to be judged as a reprobate man; just as if,
with great zeal and magnanimity, he would despise all the empty talk of the men
of the world, provided he stood upright in God's sight. Above all, it becomes
holy men to dread the reproach of being suffused with shame at God's
judgment-seat.
40.
Behold, I have a desire to thy
precepts. This is a repetition of what
he declared a little before, with regard to his pious affection, and his love of
righteousness; and that nothing was wanting but God to complete the work which
he had commenced. If this interpretation be admitted, then,
to be quickened in the
righteousness of God, will be tantamount
to being quickened in the way. The term
righteousness
is often put in this psalm for the law of God, or the rule of a righteous
life. This view tends to make the two parts of the verse accord with one
another. "Lord, this is now a remarkable kindness thou hast done me, in
having inspired me with a holy desire to keep thy law; one thing is still
necessary, that this same virtue pervade my whole life." But as the word
righteousness
is ambiguous, my readers may, if they choose,
understand it thus: Restore, defend, and maintain me for the sake of thy
goodness, which thou art wont to show to all thy people. I have already pointed
out the exposition which I
prefer.
Psalm
119:41-48
w
41. And let thy mercies come to me, O Jehovah! and thy salvation,
according to thy word.
w
42. And I will answer a word to him who reproacheth me, because I have
trusted in thy word.
w
43. And take not the word of truth too long out, of my mouth, because I
hope for thy judgments.
w
44. And I will keep thy law always, even for ever and ever.
w
45. And I will walk at ease;
fd413 because I have sought thy
statutes.
w
46. And I will speak of thy testimonies before kings, and will not be
ashamed.
w
47. And 1f will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.
w
48. And I will lift up my hands to thy statutes, which I have loved, and
will meditate on thy precepts.
41.
Let thy mercies come to
me. There can be no doubt, that, in
mentioning the mercy of
God first, and afterwards
his
salvation, the Psalmist, according to
the natural order, puts the cause before the effect. By adopting this
arrangement, he acknowledges that there is no salvation for him but in the pure
mercy of God. And while he desires a gracious salvation, he, at the same time,
relies on the promise, as we have already elsewhere
seen.
In the second verse he boasts that he is
furnished with the best defense against the calumnies of his enemies, arising
from his trust in the word of God. We may resolve the future tense into the
optative mood, as many do: O Lord, since
I have trusted in thy
word, grant that my mouth with all
boldness may repel the slanders which they utter against me, and suffer me not
to be silent when they load me with unmerited reproach." Whichever of these
meanings we adopt, we are taught that there will always be evil-speakers, who
will not cease to defame the children of God, though they be entirely
undeserving of such treatment. It is somewhat dubious to what particular kind of
reproach he refers; for the ungodly not only cover the children of God with
ignominy, but also make their faith the subject of ridicule. I prefer the
following interpretation, because it agrees best with the context, and David is
here placing his trust in God in opposition to their derision. "I shall have
something to reply to the base mockery of the enemies who injure me without
cause, in that God never disappoints those who place their confidence in him."
If any one be inclined to consider the passage as embracing both meanings, I
offer no objection to it. Besides, he does not simply say, that he trusted in
God, but that he also trusted in his word, which is the ground of his trust. We
must carefully attend to the correspondence and mutual relation between the term
word,
in the first part of the verse, and that in the other. Were not God, by his
Word, to furnish us with another word for our defense, we would instantly be
overwhelmed with the insolence of our enemies. If, then, we wish to be proof
against the attacks of the world, the commencement and foundation of our
magnanimity is here pointed out to us, — our trusting in God's word,
guarded by which, the Spirit of God calls upon us boldly to contemn the virulent
blasphemies of the ungodly. And to qualify us for repelling such blasphemies, he
connects the word of hope with the word of
confession.
43.
Take not the word of truth too
long out of my mouth.
fd414 It may be asked, why he demands
rather to have his tongue filled with, than his heart fortified by, the
word of
truth; inasmuch as the latter takes the
precedence, both in point of order and of excellence. What will it profit us to
be fluent and eloquent in speech, if our hearts are destitute of faith? On the
other hand, wherever there is firm faith, there to speech will flow
ultroneously. My reply is, that David was not so concerned about outward
confession as not to give the preference to the faith of the heart; but
considering that he is making his address to God, there is nothing strange in
his making mention only of the former, under which, however, he includes also
the latter. "Lord, support not only my heart by faith, lest I be overwhelmed
with temptation, but grant me also freedom of speech, that I may fearlessly
sound forth thy praises among men." We observe, when he asks to be endued with
boldness of speech, that he begins with the
heart.
It may be farther inquired here, why he
says too
long, just as if he were not afraid of
being deprived of the word of truth for a short time. Such a supposition were
most absurd, seeing we must watch every moment lest we be overtaken by the
enemy, when we are unarmed and powerless. The solution of this difficulty must
be drawn from our own experience; for in this, the infirmity of our flesh, it is
almost impossible but that, occasionally, even the stoutest heart will quail
under the violent assaults of Satan. And although their faith fails not, yet it
shakes, and they do not find such presence of mind, as that there is constantly
a uniform train of speech, and a prompt reply to the derision's of the ungodly;
but, on the contrary, they rather begin to stagger and quake for a short time.
Conscious of this weakness, which is perceptible in all mankind, he accommodates
his prayer in the following manner: "Though I am not always prepared with that
boldness of speech which is desirable, suffer me not to continue long silent."
By this language the prophet tacitly admits, that he had not been so steadfast
and bold as was requisite, but that he was, as it were, struck speechless by
reason of fear. Whence we may learn, that the faculty of speaking freely is no
more in our power than are the affections. of the heart. As far, then, as God
directs our tongues, they are prepared for ready utterance; but no sooner does
he withdraw the spirit of magnanimity, than not only our hearts faint, or rather
fail, but also our tongues become mute. The cause of this is subjoined in these
words, for I have waited for thy judgments for so he literally expresses
himself. From which we conclude, that
judgments
refer not merely to the precepts of the law, but also to the promises, which
constitute the true foundation of our confidence. Some render it, I was
afraid of thy. judgments, deriving the word here employed from the root
lwj
chul; which translation I am unable to say whether it be suitable or not.
But of this I am certain, that to understand
judgments
as equivalent to punishments, is quite
foreign to the design of the prophet.
44.
I will keep thy law
continually. He resolves to devote
himself to the study of the law, not for a short time only, but even to the
termination of his life. The employing of three synonymous words,
dymt,
tamid,
µlw[,
olam,
d[,
ed, so far from being viewed as a superfluous accumulation of terms,
contains an implied indication, that, unless the faithful make a strenuous and
steady opposition, the fear of God may be gradually effaced from their minds by
various temptations, and they will lose the affection which they bear for the
law. In order, therefore, that he may be the better prepared for meeting these
trials, he alludes to the difficulty and danger connected with
them.
The next verse may be read as expressing a
desire that he might walk. Be this as it may, we retain the commonly received
reading, That David exults at the thought of his path becoming plain and easy,
in consequence of his seeking diligently after God's precepts; that is,
to walk at
ease. The ways of men are frequently
rugged and obstructed, because they themselves lay various stumblingblocks in
them, or entangle themselves in many inextricable windings. Hence it comes to
pass, that while none will submit to the word of God as their rule, every man
endures the punishment legitimately due to such arrogance. On all sides God lays
snares for us, puts pitfalls in our way, causes us to fall in with paths broken
and rugged, and at last shuts us up in a bottomless pit: and by how much the
more politic a mart is, by so much the more will he meet with obstructions in
his path.
This verse teaches us that, if any man
yield implicit obedience to God, he will receive this as his reward, that he
shall walk with a calm and composed mind; and should he meet with difficulties,
he will find the means of surmounting them. The faithful, however readily and
submissively they give themselves up to God, may happen to find themselves
involved in perplexity; nevertheless, the end contemplated by Paul is
accomplished, that though they be in trouble and toil, yet they do not continue
in irremediable distress, because it is the duty (so to speak) of God to point
out a way for them where there seems to be no way,
(<470408>2
Corinthians 4:8.) Moreover, when grievously oppressed, even then they walk at
ease, for they commit the doubtful issue of events to God in such a manner,
that, having him for their guide, they have no doubt they will come out boldly
from the depths of distress.
46.
And I will steal, of thy
testimonies before kings.
fd415 In these words he seems to
believe that he is in possession of that which he formerly prayed for. Having
said, "Take not away the word out of my mouths" and now, as if he had obtained
what he requested, he rises up, and maintains he will not be dumb, even were he
called upon to speak in the presence of kings. There can be no question that he
affirms he would willingly stand forward in vindication of the glory of God in
the face of the whole world. He selects kings, who are generally more to be
dreaded than other men, and haughtily shut the mouths of God's witnesses.
Sometimes, indeed, it happens we will not hold out even in the presence of men
in the humblest ranks of life. The moment a man sets himself in opposition to
the word of God, we instinctively shrink back from fear; and that boldness of
speech, of which we boasted at first, instantly disappears: but our want of
courage is most palpable when we are summoned before the thrones of kings. And
this is the reason why David asserts, that he will not only hold out against
enemies among the meanest of men, but also will remain firm and fearless before
kings. These words inform us that we have profited well and truly by God's word,
when our hearts are so completely fortified against the fear of man, that we do
not dread the presence of kings, even though all the world attempts; to fill us
with dejection and dismay. It is most unbecoming that God's glory should be
obscured by their empty
splendor.
47.
And I will delight myself. The sentiment
contained in this verse is similar to that which he had previously mentioned.
The amount is, he held the commandments of God in such high esteem, that he
experienced nothing more pleasant to him than the making of them his constant
theme of meditation. By the term
delight,
he expresses the intensity of his love. The phrase
I will lift up my
hands, refers, to the same thing. It is
a sure indication that we eagerly desire a thing when we stretch out the hands
to grasp and enjoy it. This simile, therefor denotes the ardor of his desire.
fd416 If a man, by his mien and gait pretend
any such affection for the law of God, and yet pay no regard to it in the
affairs of life, he would be justly chargeable with the basest hypocrisy. Again,
he affirms, that that affection, so earnest and so ardent, springs from the
sweetness of the law of God having knit our hearts to it. Finally, he says, he
would meditate on God's
testimonies. Along with the majority of
commentators, I have no doubt that the word
jwç
shuach, denotes that silent and secret musing in which the children of
God exercise themselves.
Psalm
119:49-56
z
49. Remember thy word to thy servant, I, which thee hast made him hope.
z
50. This is my consolation in my affliction, because thy word revives me.
z
51. The proud have greatly scorched me: I have not turned aside from thy
law.
z
52. I called to mind thy judgments of old, O Jehovah! and comforted
myself.
z
53. Terror seized me, for' the wicked who forsake thy law.
z
54. Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.
z
55. By night I remembered thy name, O Jehovah! and I kept, thy law.
z
56. This is done to me, because I have kept thy
statutes.
49.
Remember thy
word. He prays that God would really
perform what he promised; for the event proves that he does not forget his word.
That he is speaking of the promises we infer from the end of the verse, in which
he declares, that cause was given him to hope, for which there would be no place
unless grace had been presented to him. In the second verse he asserts, that
though God still kept him in suspense, yet he reposed with confidence in his
word. At the same time he informs us, that during his troubles and anxieties, he
did not search after vain consolation as the world is wont to d who look around
them in all quarters to find something to mitigate their miseries; and if any
allurements tickle their fancy, they make use of these as a remedy for
alleviating their sorrows. On the contrary, the prophet says he was satisfied
with the word of God itself; and that when all other refuges failed him, there
he found life full and perfect; nevertheless, he covertly confesses, that if he
do not acquire courage from the word of God, he will become like a dead man. The
ungodly may sometimes experience elevation of spirit during their miseries, but
they are totally destitute of this inward strength of mind. The prophet, then,
had good reason for stating, that in the time of affliction the faithful
experience animation and rigor solely from the
word of God inspiring them with
life,. Hence, if we meditate carefully
on his word, we shall live even in the midst of death, nor will we meet with any
sorrow so heavy for which it will not furnish us with a remedy. And if we are
bereft of consolation and succor in our adversities, the blame must rest with
ourselves; because, despising or overlooking the word of God, we purposely
deceive ourselves with vain
consolation.
51.
The proud have greatly scorned
me. This example is eminently useful, as
it serves to inform us, that though our honesty may render us obnoxious to the
insults of the ungodly, we ought, by our unflinching constancy, to repel their
pride, lest we should take a dislike to the law of God. Many who, in other
respects, would be disposed to fear God, yield to this temptation. The earth has
always been filled with the impious contemners of God, and at this day it is
almost overrun with them. Wherefore, if we do not disregard their reviling,
there will be no stability in our faith. In calling unbelievers
proud,
he applies to them a very appropriate
designation: for their wisdom consists in despising God, lightly esteeming his
judgments, trampling all piety under foot, and, in short, pouring contempt upon
the celestial kingdom. Were they not blinded with pride, they would not follow
such a headlong course. We must interpret the words in this manner: Though the
proud have treated me with scorn, I have not turned aside from thy law. We must
not overlook the,, particle very much, or greatly, which imports, that he
was harassed, not merely occasionally or for a short time, by the ungodly, but
that the attack was continued from day to day. Let us learn from these words,
that the wicked, in consequence of their forming the great majority of mankind,
arrogate to themselves the greater liberty. The number of the godly who worship
God reverently is always small. Hence we must hold out against a large troop and
rabble of the impious if we would maintain our
integrity.
52.
I called to mind thy judgments of old, O
Jehovah! In this psalm, the
judgments of
God are generally taken for his statutes
and decrees, that is, his righteousness.
fd417 In this place, in consequence of
the qualifying phrase, of old, it is more probable that they refer to the
examples by which God has made himself known as the righteous Judge of the
world. Why does he say that the law of God has been from everlasting? This may
to some extent be accounted for from the righteousness here mentioned not being
of recent growth, but truly everlasting, because the written law is just an
attestation of the law of nature, through means of which God recalls to our
memory that which he has previously engraved on our
hearts.
I am rather inclined to adopt another
interpretation, That David remembered the judgments of God, by which he
testified that he had established his law perpetually in the world, Such a
settlement is very necessary for us; because, when God does not make bare his
arm, his word frequently produces little impression. But when he takes vengeance
upon the ungodly, he confirms what he had spoken; and this is the reason why in
civil law penalties are called confirmations. The term accords better with God's
judgments, by which he establishes the authority of his law, as if a true
demonstration accompanied his words. And seeing he declares that he called to
mind the most ancient of God's judgments, it becomes us to learn, that if his
judgments are not displayed as frequently as we would desire, for the
strengthening of our faith, this is owing to our ingratitude and apathy; for in
no past age have there been wanting clear demonstrations for this very purpose;
and thus it may with truth be affirmed, that God's judgments have flowed in one
continued manner from age to age, and that the reason why we have not perceived
them is, our not deigning to open our eyes to behold them. If any one object,
that it is contrary to the nature of his judgments to afford consolation to
because they are calculated rather to strike us with terror, the answer is at
handy — that the faithful are made to tremble for fear of God's judgments,
as far as is requisite for the mortification of their flesh. On the other hand,
these supply them with a large source of consolation, from the fact of their
learning from them, that God exercises his superintending providence over the
human race. Farther, they learn, that after the wicked have reveled in
licentiousness for a season, they shall at length be sisted before the
judgment-seat of God; but that they themselves, after having patiently combated
under such a Guardian of their welfare, can be in no doubt about their
preservation.
53.
Terror seized
me.
fd418 This verse may be understood in
two senses; either that the prophet was grievously afflicted when he saw God's
law violated by the wicked, or that he was horror-struck at the thought of their
perdition. Some would render it ardor, which does not so properly agree
with the nature of the passage; I therefore abide by the
term
fear, by which I think his ardent zeal
is pointed out, in that he was not only deeply grieved at the transgressions of
the law, but held in the utmost detestation the impious boldness of those who
lightly esteemed the law of God. At the same time, it is worthy of notice, that
it is no new ground of offense to the faithful, if numbers throw off God's yoke,
and set up the standard of rebellion against him. This, I repeat, must be
attended to, because many derive flimsy and frivolous pretexts for it, from the
degeneracy of the age, as if they must needs howl while they live among wolves.
In the days of David, we see there were many who apostatized from the faith, and
yet, so far was he from being discouraged or dismayed by these things, that the
fear of God rather kindled a holy indignation in his bosom. What is to be done,
then, when surrounded by bad examples, but that we should vie with each other in
holding them up to detestation? And here a contrast, if not directly stated, is
implied, between the flattering unction which we apply to ourselves, believing
that all is lawful which is common, and the horror with which the prophet tells
us he was seized. If the wicked, haughtily and without restraint, set themselves
in opposition to God, in consequence of our not being alive to his judgments, we
convert that into an occasion of perverse confidence and insensibility. On the
contrary, the prophet asserts that he was seized with horror, because, though he
considered the long-suffering of God, on the one hand, yet, on the other, he was
fully persuaded that he must, sooner or later, call for condign
punishment.
54.
Thy statutes have been my songs.
fd419 He repeats in different words
what he had formerly mentioned, that the law of God was his sole or special
delight during all his life. Singing is an indication of joy. The saints are
pilgrims in this world, and must be regarded as God's children and heirs of
heaven, from the fact that they are sojourners on earth. By the
house of their
pilgrimage, then, may be understood
their journey through life. One circumstance merits particular notice, that
David, during his exile from his native country, ceased not to draw consolation,
amid all his hardships, from the law of God, or rather a joy which rose above
all the sadness which his banishment occasioned to him. It was a noble specimen
of rare virtue, that when he was denied a sight of the temple, could not draw
near to the sacrifices, and was deprived of the ordinances of religion, he yet
never departed from his God. The phrase, the
house of his
pilgrimage, is employed, therefore, to
enhance the conduct of David, who, when banished from his country, still
retained the law of God deeply engraved on his heart, and who, amid the severity
of that exile, which was calculated to deject his spirits, cheered himself by
meditating upon the law of
God.
55.
By night I remembered thy name, O Jehovah!
As the second clause of the verse depends on the first, I consider the whole
verse as setting forth one and the same truth; and, therefore, the prophet means
that he was induced, by the remembrance he had of God, to keep the law. Contempt
of the law originates in this, that few have any regard for God; and hence, the
Scripture, in condemning the impiety of men, declares that they
have
forgotten God,
(<195022>Psalm
50:22; 78:11; 106:21). To rectify this, David exhorts that the
remembrance of God is the only remedy for preserving us hi his fear, and in the
observance of his law; and assuredly, as often as his majesty occurs to our
minds, it will tend to humble us, and the very thought of it will provoke us to
the cultivation of godliness. The word
night
is not intended by him to mean the remembering
of God merely for, short time, but a perpetual remembrance of him; he, however,
refers to that season in particular, because then almost all our senses are
overpowered with sleep. "When other men are sleeping, God occurs to my
thoughts during my sleep." He has another reason for alluding to the
night-season, That we may be apprised, that though there was none to observe
him, and none to put him in remembrance of it, — yea, though he was
shrouded in darkness, — yet he was as solicitous to cherish the
remembrance of God, as if' he occupied the most public and conspicuous
place.
56.
This was done to
me. I doubt not that the prophet, under
the term
taz,
zoth, comprehends all God's benefits; but as he comes before God in
relation to blessings then being enjoyed by him, he speaks as if he were
pointing to them. Hence, under this term is included an acknowledgment of all
the benefits with which he had been crowned; or, at all events, he declares that
God had borne testimony, by some signal deliverance, to the integrity of his
conduct. He does not boast of meriting any thing, as the Pharisees in our day
do, who, when they meet with any such matter in Scripture, pervert it to prove
the merit of works. But the prophet had no other design, than to set himself in
diametrical opposition to the despisers of God, who either impute all their
prosperity to their own industry, or ascribe it to chance, and malignantly
overlook or conceal God's superintending providence. He therefore calls upon
himself to return to God, and invites others to follow his example, and exhorts
them, that as God is an impartial judge, he will always reserve a recompense for
piety. Probably, too, by this holy boasting he repels the base slanders of the
ungodly, by which we lately saw he was grievously
assailed.
Psalm
119:57-64
j
57. Thou art my portion, O Jehovah! I have said I will keep thy words.
j
58. I have earnestly besought thy face with my whole heart; have mercy upon
me according to thy word.
j
59. I thought upon my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.
j
60. I made haste, and did not delay to keep thy commandments.
j
61. The cords of the wicked have caught hold of me;
fd420 but I did not forget thy law.
j
62. I will rise at midnight to praise thee for thy righteous judgments.
j
63. I am a companion to all those who fear thee, and who keep thy precepts.
j
64. O Jehovah! the earth is full of thy mercy; teach me thy
statutes.
57.
Thou art my portion, O
Jehovah! The meaning of this clause is
doubtful, because the term
Jehovah
may be rendered either in the nominative or vocative case, and the phrase,
I have
said, may relate either to the former or
latter part of the verse. One lection then is, Jehovah is my portion,
and, therefore, I have resolved to observe thy law. Another
is, O God! who art my portion, I have resolved to observe thy law. A
third is, I have said, or have resolved, that God is my portion, in
order to observe his law. A fourth is, I have said, or have
resolved, O Lord! that my portion is to observe thy law; and this is the
reading of which I approve. The following interpretation is quite applicable,
That God being our portion, ought to animate and encourage us to observe his
law. We have already noticed in several other passages, that God is denominated
the heritage of the faithful, because he alone is sufficient for their full and
entire happiness. And seeing he has chosen us for his peculiar possession, it is
only reasonable on our part, that we should rest satisfied with him alone; and
if we do this, our hearts will also be disposed to keep his law and, renouncing
all the lusts of the flesh, our supreme delight, and firm resolution, will be to
continue in the same.
I have already said, that
this exposition is not inconsistent with the scope of the passage, and that it
furnishes a very useful doctrine. But the last and fourth reading, of which I
remarked I approved, is more simple, — I am fully persuaded that my best
portion consists in keeping God's law; — and this accords with the saying
of Paul, "Godliness is the best gain,"
(<540606>1
Timothy 6:6). David here draws a comparison between the keeping of the law, and
the imaginary good which captivates the ambition of mankind. "Let every one
covet what seems to him good, and revel in his own pleasures; I have no ground
to envy them, provided I retain this as my portion, the complete surrender of
myself to the word of
God."
58.
I have earnestly besought thy face. In
this verse David asserts, that he still persevered in the exercise of prayer;
for without prayer faith would become languid and lifeless. The manner in which
he expresses himself, which, in other languages, might be unpolished, among the
Hebrews, expresses that familiar communication to which God admits, and even
invites his servants when they come into his presence. The substance of his
prayers, and the sum of his desires, he comprehends in a single sentence;
namely, that he implored the mercy of God, the sure hope of which he had formed
from his word. Let us observe, then, in the first place, we are aroused from our
supineness, that we may exercise our faith by prayer. In the second place, the
principal thing for which we ought to pray is, that God, out of his free grace,
may be favorable to us, look on our affection, and grant us relief. God does,
indeed, aid us in a variety of ways, and our necessities also are innumerable;
still the thing which we must principally and particularly request is, that he:
will have mercy upon us, which is the source of every other blessing. And, in
the last place, that we may not present prayers that have no meaning, let us
learn that God, in all his promises, is set before us as if he were our willing
debtor.
59.
I thought upon my
ways.
fd421 The amount is, that after the
prophet had paid due regard to his manner of life, his only aim then was to
follow the teaching of the law. In these words he intimates indirectly, that if
it be inquired why men go astray, and are miserably distracted amidst
conflicting impulses, the reason is, their thoughtlessly :indulging themselves
in the gratification of their passions. Every man watches most carefully, and
applies all his energy to whatever his inclination may lead him, but all are
blind in choosing the object which they ought to pursue; or rather, as if their
eyes were sealed, they are either hurried away inconsiderately, or else, through
carelessness, wander imperceptibly from one object to another. One thing is
certain, that there is no one who carefully considers his ways; and, therefore,
it is not without reason the prophet exhorts us, that the commencement of a
godly life consists in men awaking from their lethargy, examining their ways,
and, at last, wisely considering what it is to regulate their conduct properly.
He next instructs us, that when a person is inclined in good earnest to frame
the course of his life well, there is nothing better than for him to follow the
direction which the Lord points out. In fact, were not men infatuated, they
would universally and unanimously make choice of God to be the guide of their
life.
60.
I made
haste. Though the words are in the past
tense, they denote a continued act. The prophet declares with what promptitude
he dedicated himself to the service of God. Diligence and dispatch demonstrate
the favor of his zeal. Next, in saying that he
delayed
not,
fd422 this, according to the Hebrew
idiom, gives intensity to the idea conveyed by the phrase,
I made
haste. As among the Hebrews, to speak
and not to keep silence is equivalent to speaking freely, unreservedly, and
without dissimulation, as the occasion demands, so to
make haste and not
delay is to run quickly without doubt or
delay. If we reflect on our own listlessness, and on the snares which Satan
never fails to put in our way, we will at once perceive that these words are not
added in vain. For let a man be ever so desirous of applying himself truly and
heartily to the righteousness of God, yet, according to Paul, we know that
"he does not the thing that he would,"
(<450715>Romans
7:15, 18, 19). Although no outward obstacle may stand in our way, yet we are so
retarded by impediments within, that nothing is more difficult than to make
haste to keep the law of God. At the same time we must remember, that the
prophet is here speaking comparatively in reference to those who are chargeable
with procrastination during the greater part of their life, and who draw near to
God, not only hesitatingly and tardily, but also purposely loiter in their
course, or else prevent themselves from coming by their tortuous ways. The
prophet did not manifest more alacrity in serving God than Paul; all he intends,
therefore, is, that having surmounted all obstacles which lay in his way, he
prosecuted his journey with rapidity. And by his example he teaches us, that the
pleas which we offer in extenuation of our indolence, either arising from the
impediments presented by the world or our own infirmity, are vain and
frivolous.
61.
The cords of the wicked have
caught hold of me. Those who translate
ylbj,
cheblei, by sorrows, bring out no natural meaning, and perplex
themselves as well as wrest the passage. Two readings then remain, either of
which may be admitted: The cords
of the wicked have caught hold of me, or
The companies of the wicked have robbed
me.
fd423 Whether we adopt the one or the
other of these readings, what the prophet intends to declare is, that when Satan
assailed the principles of piety in his soul, by grievous temptations, he
continued with undeviating steadfastness in the love and practice of God's law.
Cords
may, however, be understood in two ways; either, first, as denoting the
deceptive allurements by which the wicked endeavored to get him entangled in
their society; or, secondly, the frauds which they practiced to effect his ruin.
If the first sense is preferred, David intimates that he had manifested a rare
virtue, in continuing in the observance of God's law, even when the wicked
seemed to have involved him in their nets; but as it is more generally agreed
that the verb
dw[,
ived, signifies to despoil or rob, let us adopt this
interpretation — That the prophet being assailed by troops of the ungodly,
and afterwards robbed and rifled at their pleasure, never deserted his ground.
This was a proof of singular fortitude; for when we are exposed to dangers and
wrongs of a more than ordinary kind, if God does not see our us we immediately
begin to doubt of his providence: it seems to be of no advantage for a man to be
godly; we imagine also that we may lawfully take revenge; and amidst these
waves, the remembrance of the Divine law is easily lost, and, as it were,
submerged. But the prophet assures us:, that to continue to love the law, and to
practice righteousness, when we are exposed as a prey to the ungodly, and
perceive no help from God, is an evidence of genuine
piety.
62.
I will rise at midnight to praise thee.
In this verse he shows not only that he approved and embraced with his whole
heart whatever the Divine law contains, but that he also gave evidence of his
gratitude to God for having made him partaker of so great a blessing. It seems
to be quite a common thing professedly to assent to God when he teaches us by
his law; for who would dare to lift up his voice against Him? But still the
world is very far from acknowledging that the truth which he has revealed is in
all respects reasonable. In the first place, such is the rebellion of our
corrupt nature, that every man would have somewhat either altered or taken away.
Again, if men had their choice, they would rather be governed by their own will
than by the word of God. In short, human reason, as well as human passions, is
widely at variance with the Divine law. He then has profited not little, who
both obediently embraces revealed truth, and, taking sweet delight in it, gives
thanks to God for it. The prophet, however, does not simply declare that he
magnifies God's righteous judgments; he also affirms that
he rose at
midnight to do so, by which he expresses
the earnestness of his desire; for the studies and cares which break our sleep
necessarily imply great earnestness of soul. He also, at the same time,
intimates, that in bearing his testimony in behalf of the Divine law, he was far
from being influenced by ostentation, since in his secret retirement, when no
human eye was upon him, he pronounced the highest encomiums on God's righteous
judgments.
63.
I am a companion to all those who
fear thee. He does not simply speak of
the brotherly love and concord which true believers cultivate among themselves,
but intimates that, whenever he met with any individual who feared God, he gave
him his hand in token of fellowship, and that he was not only one of the number
of God's servants, but also their helper. Such concord is undoubtedly required
in all the godly, that they may contribute to each other's advancement in the
fear of God. There seems to be a tacit comparison between this holy combination,
by which the faithful mutually keep up and foster among themselves the worship
of God and true godliness, and the impious associations which prevail every
where in the world. We see how worldly men array their troops against God, and
assist one another in their attempts to overthrow his worship. The more then is
it necessary for the children of God to be stirred up to the maintenance of a
holy unity. The Psalmist commends the faithful, first, for their fearing God,
and, secondly, for their observing the law. The fear of God is the root or
origin of all righteousness, and by dedicating our life to His service, we
manifest that His fear dwells in our
hearts.
64.
O Jehovah! the earth is full of
thy mercy. Here the prophet beseeches
God, in the exercise of his infinite goodness, which is reflected in every part
of the world, graciously to make him a partaker of the treasure of heavenly
wisdom — a manner of prayer which is very emphatic. When, therefore, he
says that the earth is full of
God's mercy, it is a kind of earnest
entreaty. He not only magnifies the goodness of God, in general, (as he does in
other places,) in leaving no part of the world devoid of the proofs of his
liberality, and in exercising it not only towards mankind, but also towards the
brute creation. What does he then? He desires that the mercy of God, which is
extended to all creatures, may be manifested towards him in one thing, and that
is, by enabling him to make progress in the knowledge of the Divine law. Whence
we gather, that he accounted the gift of understanding as an inestimable
treasure. No if to be endued with the spirit of understanding is a chief token
of God's favor, our want of this, proceeding from our own unbelief, is an
indication of our alienation from him. It behooves us to remember what we have
stated elsewhere, that it is an evidence that we have given ourselves up to the
most shameful sloth, when, contented with a superficial knowledge of Divine
truth, we are, in a great measure, indifferent about making further progress,
seeing so renowned a teacher of the Church labored with the greatest ardor to
become more and more acquainted with God's statutes. Besides, it is certain that
he does not here treat of external teaching, but of the inward illumination of
the mind, which is the gift of the Holy Spirit. The law was exhibited to all
without distinction; but the prophet, well aware that unless he were enlightened
by the Holy Spirit, it would be of little advantage to him, prays that he may be
taught effectually by supernatural
influence.
Psalm 119:
65-72
f
65. O Jehovah! thou hast done good to thud servant, according to thy
word.
f
66. Teach, thee goodness of taste and knowledge: for I have believed the
commandments.
f
67. Before I was brought low I went astray: but now I keep thy word.
f
68. Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
f
69. The proud have weaved lies against me: but I will keel, thy statutes
with my whole heart.
f
70. Their heart is fat as grease: but I delight in thy law.
f
71. It has been good for me that I was affected; that I might learn thy
statutes.
f
72. The law of thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and
silver.
65.
O Jehovah! thou hast done good to thy
servant. Some understand this generally,
as if the prophet protested that, in whatever way God dealt with him, he took it
in good part, convinced that it would ultimately issue in his welfare; but as
express mention is made of the Divine word or promise, the prophet, I have no
doubt, celebrates the faithfulness of God in performing the grace which he had
promised. I have really experienced (as if he had said) that Thou art true, and
dost not delude thy servants with empty words. Special reference is therefore
here made to God's promises, because thence all his benefits flow to us, not,
indeed, as from the original fountain-head, but, as it were, by conduit pipes.
Although his free goodness is the only cause which induces him to deal
bountifully with us, yet we can hope for nothing at his hand until he first
bring himself under obligation to us by his
word.
66.
Teach me goodness of taste and
acknowledge. After having confessed that
he had found, by experience, the faithfulness of God to his promises, David here
adds a request similar to what is contained in the 64th verse, namely, that he
may grow in right understanding; although the phraseology is somewhat different;
for instead of thy statutes, as in that verse, he here uses
goodness of taste and
knowledge. As the verb
µ[f
taam, signifies to
taste, the noun which is derived from it
properly denotes
taste.
It is, however, applied to the mind. David, there is no doubt, prays that
knowledge, accompanied with sound discretion and judgment, might. be imparted to
him. Those who read, disjunctively,
goodness and
taste, mar the whole sentence. It is,
however, necessary, in order to our arriving at the full meaning, that the
latter clause should be added. He asserts that he
believed God's
commandments, in other words, that he
cheerfully embraced whatever is prescribed in the law; and thus he describes
himself as docile and obedient. As it was by the guidance of the Holy Spirit
that he became thus inclined to obedience, he pleads that another gift may be
bestowed upon him — the gift of a sound taste and good understanding.
Whence we learn, that these two things, right affection and good understanding,
are indispensably necessary to the due regulation of the life. The prophet
already believed God's commandments; but his veneration for the law, proceeding
from a holly zeal, led him to desire conformity to it, and made him afraid, and
not without cause, of inconsiderately going astray. Let us then learn, that
after God has framed our hearts to the obedience of his law, we must, at the
same time, ask wisdom from him by which to regulate our
zeal.
67.
Before I was brought low I went
astray. As the verb
hn[
anah, sometimes signifies to speak, or to testify, some adopt
this rendering, Before I meditated upon thy statutes I went astray; but
this seems too forced. Others go still farther from the meaning, in supposing it
to be, that when the prophet went astray, he had nothing to say in answer to
God. I will not stop to refute these conceits, there being no ambiguity in the
words. David in his own person describes either that wantonness or rebellion,
common to all mankind, which is displayed in this, that we never yield obedience
to God until we are compelled by his chastisements. It is indeed a monstrous
thing obstinately to refuse to submit ourselves to Him; and yet experience
demonstrates, that so long as he deals gently with us, we are always breaking
forth into insolence. Since even a prophet of God required to have his rebellion
corrected by forcible means, this kind of discipline is assuredly most needful
for us. The first step in obedience being the mortifying of the flesh, to which
all men are naturally disinclined, it is not surprising if God bring us to a
sense of our duty by manifold afflictions. Yea, rather as the flesh is from time
to time obstreperous, even when it seems to be tamed, it is no wonder to find
him repeatedly subjecting us anew to the rod. This is done in different ways. He
humbles some by poverty, some by shame, some by diseases, some by domestic
distresses, some by hard and painful labors; and thus, according to the
diversity of vices to which we are prone, he applies to each its appropriate
remedy. It is now obvious how profitable a truth this confession contains. The
prophet speaks of himself even as Jeremiah,
(<243118>Jeremiah
31:18,) in like manner, says of himself, that he was "as a bullock
unaccustomed to the yoke;" but still he sets before us an image of the
rebellion which is natural to us all. We are very ungrateful, indeed, if this
fruit which we reap from chastisements do not assuage or mitigate their
bitterness. So long as we are rebellious against God, we are, in a state of the
deepest wretchedness: now, the only means by which He bends and tames us to
obedience, is his instructing us by his chastisements. The prophet, at the same
time, teaches us by his own example, that since God gives evidence of his
willingness that we should become his disciples, by the pains he takes to subdue
our hardness, we should at least endeavor to become gentle, and, laying aside
all stubbornness, willingly bear the yoke which he imposes upon
us.
The next verse needs no explanation, being
nearly of the same import as the last verse of the former eight. He beseeches
God to exercise his goodness towards him, not by causing him to increase in
riches and honors, or to abound in pleasures, but by enabling him to make
progress in the knowledge of the law. It is usual for almost all mankind to
implore the exercise of God's goodness towards them, and to desire that he would
deal bountifully with them, in the way of gratifying the diversity of the
desires into which they are severally hurried by the inclinations of the flesh;
but David protests that he would be completely satisfied, provided he
experienced God to be liberal towards him in this one particular, which almost
all men pass over with disdain.
69.
The proud have weaved
fd424 lies against
me. He declares that, notwithstanding
the malignant interpretation which the wicked put upon all that he did, and
their attempts, by this artifice, to turn him aside from following after and
loving uprightness, the state of his mind remained unaltered. It is a severe
temptation, when, although innocent, we are loaded with reproach and infamy, and
are not only assailed by injurious words, but also held up to the odium of the
world by wicked persons, under some specious pretense or other. We see many who
otherwise are good people, and inclined to live uprightly, either become
discouraged, or are greatly shaken, when they find themselves so unworthily
rewarded. On this account the prophet's example is the more to be attended t
that we may not be appalled by the malignity of men; that we may not cease to
nourish within us the fear of God, even when they may have succeeded in
destroying our reputation in the sight of our fellow-creatures; and that we may
be contented to have our piety shining at the judgment-scat of God, although it
may be defaced by the calumnies of men. So long as we depend upon the judgment
of men, we will always be in a state of fluctuation, as has been already
observed. Farther, let our works be never so splendid, we know that they will be
of no account in the sight of God, if, in performing them, our object is to gain
the favor of the world. Let us therefore learn to cast our eyes to that heavenly
stage, and to despise all the malicious reports which men may spread against us.
Let us leave the children of this world to, enjoy their reward, since our crown
is laid up for us in heaven, and not on the earth. Let us disentangle ourselves
from the snares with which Satan endeavors to obstruct us, by patiently bearing
infamy for a season. The verb
lpf,
taphal, which otherwise signifies to join together, is here, by an
elegant metaphor, taken for to
weave, or to trim; intimating
that the enemies of the prophet not only loaded him with coarse reproaches, but
also invented crimes against him, and did so with great cunning and color of
truth, that he might seem to be the blackest of characters. But though they
ceased not to weave for him this web, he was enabled to break through it by his
invincible constancy; and, exercising a strict control over his heart, he
continued faithfully to observe the law of God. He applies to them the
appellation of proud; and the reason of this, it may be conjectured, is,
that the persons of whom he speaks were not the common people, but great men,
who inflated with confidence in their honors and riches, rose up against him
with so much the more audacity. He evidently intimates that they trampled him
under their feet by their proud disdain, just as if he had been a dead
dog.
With this corresponds the statement in the
subsequent verse (70th) that
their heart is fat as
grease,
fd425 — a vice too common among
the despisers of God. Whence is it that wicked men, whom their own conscience
gnaws within, vaunt themselves so insolently against the most eminent servants
of God, but because a certain grossness overgrows their hearts, so that they are
stupefied, and even frenzied by their own obstinacy? But wonderful and worthy of
the highest praise is the magnanimity of the prophet, who found all his delight
in the law of God: it is as if he declared that this was the food on which he
fed, and with which he was refreshed in the highest degree; which could not have
been the case had not his heart been freed, and thoroughly cleansed from all
unhallowed pleasures.
71.
It has been good for me that I
was afflicted. He here confirms the
sentiment which we have previously considered — that it was profitable to
him to be subdued by God's chastisements, that he might more and more be brought
back and softened to obedience. By these words he confesses that he was not
exempt from the perverse obstinacy with which all mankind are infected; for, had
it been otherwise with him, the profit of which he speaks, when he says that his
docility was owing to his being brought low, would have been merely pretended;
even as none of us willingly submits his neck to God, until He soften our
natural hardness by the strokes of a hammer. It is good for us to taste
continually the fruit which comes to us from God's corrections, that they may
become sweet to us; and that, in this way, we, who are so rebellious and
wayward, may suffer ourselves to be brought into
subjection.
The last verse also requires no
exposition, as it contains a sentiment of very frequent occurrence in this
psalm, and, in itself, sufficiently plain, — That he preferred God's law
to all the riches of the world, the immoderate desire of which so deplorably
infatuates the great bulk of mankind. He does not compare the law of God with
the riches he himself possessed; but he affirms, that it was more precious in
his estimation than a vast
inheritance.
Psalm
119:73-80
y
73. Thy hands have made and fashioned me: make me to understand, that I
may learn thy commandments.
y
74. They who fear thee shall see me and be glad; because I have hoped in
thy word.
y
75. I have known, O Jehovah! That thy judgments are justice; and thou
hast humbled me in truth.
y
76. I beseech thee let thy goodness be for my consolation, according to
thy word to thy servant.
y
77. Let thy compassion's come unto me, and let me live: for thy law is my
delight.
y
78. Let the proud be put to shame; for they have falsely endeavored to
pervert me: I will meditate on thy precepts.
y
79. Let such as fear thee turn unto me, and those who have known thy
testimonies.
y
80. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I may not be put to
shame.
73.
Thy hands have made and fashioned
me. The avowal of the prophet, that he
had been created by the hand of God, greatly contributed to inspire him with the
hope of obtaining the favor which he supplicates. As we are the creatures and
the workmanship of God, and as he has not only bestowed upon us vital motion, in
common with the lower animals, but has, in addition thereto, given us the light
of understanding and reasons — this encourages us to pray that he would
direct us to the obedience of his law. And yet the prophet does not call upon
God, as if He were under any obligations to him; but, knowing that God never
forsakes the work which he has begun, he simply asks for new grace, by which God
may carry on to perfection what he has commenced. We have need of the assistance
of the law, since all that is sound in our understandings is corrupted;
so that we cannot perceive what is right, unless we are taught from some other
source. But our blindness and stupidity are still more strikingly manifest, from
the fact that teaching will avail us nothing, until our souls are renewed by
Divine grace. What I have previously said must be borne in mind.. That whenever
the prophet prays for understanding being imparted to him, in order to his
learning the Divine commandments, he condemns both himself and all mankind as in
a state of blindness; for which the only remedy is the illumination of the Holy
Spirit.
74.
They who fear thee shall see me
and be glad. This verse is either
connected with the preceding, or it includes other benefits of God, besides the
blessing mentioned in that verse. Whether the Psalmist adverts only to one
particular species of blessing, or speaks generally, he by these words highly
extols the benefits with which God had honored him, that all genuine saints in
common might experience joy on that account. He does not mean to say that this
joy proceeds solely from the trust which he reposed in God, but that it also
proceeds from this, — that, having been preserved by him in a remarkable
way, and loaded with many benefits, his hope had received an ample reward. As
God invites all his servants in common to trust in him, it follows, that,
whenever he exhibits a token of his grace towards any one of them, he testifies
to all that he is faithful to his promises, and that they have no reason to be
afraid of his disappointing those who trust in
him.
75.
I have known, O Jehovah / that thy judgments are justice.
By
judgments,
in this psalm, we are to understand the precepts of the law; but as the
prophet immediately adds, that he was justly chastised, he seems to use the word
in this verse, for the punishments by which God stirs up men to repentance.
These two words,
qdx,
tsedek, justice, in the first clause, and
hnwma
emunah truth, in the last, have here nearly the same signification. In
the first clause, the prophet confesses in general that God so regulates his
judgments, as to shut the mouths of the ungodly, should any of them complain of
his cruelty or rigor; and that such equity shines forth in them, as to extort
from us the confession that nothing is better for men than in this way to be
called back to the consideration of themselves. He next exhibits an example of
this in his own person. Even hypocrites sometimes yield God the praise of
justice when he chastises others, and they never condemn his severity, so long
as they themselves are spared. But it is the property of true piety to be less
austere and rigid censors of the faults of others than of our own. The
knowledge
of which the prophet speaks, is a sure evidence of his having made a strict
and earnest examination of himself; for, had he not well weighed his own guilt,
he could not by assured experience have learned the righteousness of God in his
afflictions. If it is considered preferable to take the word
judgments
in its usual acceptation, the meaning of the text will be: Lord, I know that
thy law is holy and just, and severely as thou hast afflicted me, I still retain
the persuasion of this truth; for even in my afflictions I discern the
righteousness, which corresponds with the character of thy
word.
76.
I beseech thee let thy
goodness be for my consolation. Although
he has acknowledged that he had been justly humbled, yet he desires that his
sorrow may be alleviated by some consolation. He implores God's mercy, as what
was essentially necessary to relieve and cure his miseries. He thus shows that
nothing can remove sorrow from the faithful, until they feel that God is
reconciled to them. In the Word in which God offers his mercy, there is to be
found no small comfort for healing all the grief to which men are liable. But
the Psalmist is now speaking of actual mercy, if I may use that term,
when God by the very deed declares the favor which he has promised. Confiding in
the Divine promise, he already cherished in his heart a joy, proceeding from the
hope of receiving the communications of Divine grace. But as all our hope would
end in mere disappointment, did not God at length appear as our deliverer, he
requests the performance of that which God had promised him. Lord, as if he had
said, since thou hast graciously promised to be ready to succor me, be pleased
to make good thy word in effect. The observation which I have previously made
ought to be remembered, That it is not in vain to remind God of his promise. It
would be presumption for men to come into His presence, did he not, of his own
mere good pleasure, open up the way for them. When the Psalmist says,
to thy servant,
he does not claim God's mercy exclusively to
himself, as if it had. been promised to him alone by some special oracle; but he
applies to himself what God has promised to the whole Church, which it is the
peculiar province of faith to do; for unless I believe that I am one of those to
whom God addresses himself in his word, so that his promises belong to me in
common with others, I will never have the confidence to call upon
him.
77.
Let thy companions come unto
me. In this verse, the Psalmist repeats
and confirms almost the same request as in the preceding verse, although in
phraseology somewhat different. As he had just now said, that his sorrow could
not be removed, nor his joy restored, in any other way than by God's mercy being
exercised towards him; so now he affirms that he cannot have without being
reconciled to God. He thus distinguishes himself from worldly men, who are very
little affected with a concern about having God reconciled to them; or, rather,
who do not cease securely to enjoy themselves, although God is angry with them.
He distinctly affirms, that, until he know that God is reconciled to him, he is
a dead man even while living; but that, on the other hand, whenever God shall
cause his mercy to shine upon him, he will be restored from death to life. By
the way, he intimates that he was deprived for a time of the tokens of God's
fatherly favor; for it would have been needless for him to have wished that
it might come to
him, had it not been removed from him.
As an argument for obtaining what he supplicates, he asserts that
the law of God was his
delight; nor could he otherwise hope
that God would be merciful to him. Besides, no man truly feels what virtue is in
the Divine favor, but he who, placing his chief happiness in that alone, is
convinced that all who dissever themselves from God are miserable and accursed;
a truth which the prophet had learned from the
law.
78.
Let the proud be put to shame. We have
already often had occasion to remark, that, in the Hebrew language, the future
tense is frequently used in the sense of the optative mood, as here, —
They shall be put to shame, for, Let them be put to shame. Still
it would not be unsuitable to explain the meaning thus' As the proud have dealt
mischievously with me, and molested me without a cause, the Lord will give them
their reward. But as almost all interpreters are agreed that this is a prayer,
in the translation of the verse I am unwilling to depart from the generally
received explanation, especially as the language is expressly addressed to God
himself. It is important to attend to the reason why the Psalmist hopes that God
will be an enemy to his enemies; namely, because they wickedly and
maliciously assaulted him. The word
rqç,
sheker, which I have rendered
falsely,
is by some translated, without a cause; but they seem only to hit
upon the one half o£ the prophet's meaning; for this word, in my opinion,
is to be referred to the stratagems and artifices by which the wicked endeavored
to destroy David. Whence we gather, that whenever we are wrongfully persecuted
by wicked men, we are invited to have recourse directly to God for protection.
At the same time, we are taught that we have no reason to be abashed at their
insolence; for, whatever power they may arrogate to themselves, He will beat
down their loftiness, and lay it low, to their shame; so that, being confounded,
they will serve as an example, to teach others that nothing is more ridiculous
than to sing the song of triumph before the victory is gained. The verb
jyça,
asiach, in the second clause of the verse, may be rendered, I
will speak of, as well as I will meditate upon; implying,
that, when he had obtained the victory, he would proclaim the goodness of God,
which he had experienced. To
speak of God's statutes, is equivalent
to declaring out of the law, how faithfully he guards his saints, how securely
he delivers them, and how righteously he avenges their
wrongs.
79.
Let such as fear thee turn unto
me. In this verse, which is connected
with the preceding, the Psalmist affirms, that the deliverance which he obtained
would afford common instruction to all the godly. My condition, as if he had
said, may, for a time, have disheartened the righteous, as well as increased the
insolence of my enemies; but now, taking courage, they will turn their eyes to
this joyful spectacle. Moreover, let us learn from the two marks, by which he
distinguishes true believers, what is the nature of genuine godliness. He puts
the
fear, or the reverence of God, in
the first, place; but he immediately joins to it
the knowledge of Divine
truth, to teach us that these two things
are inseparably connected. The superstitious, indeed, exhibit a fear of God of a
certain kind, but it is a mere show, which quickly vanishes. Besides, they weary
themselves in their own inventions to no purpose; for God will take no account
of any other services, but those which are performed in obedience to his
commandments. True religion, then, and the worship of God, have their origin in
faith — in the faith of what he has enjoined; so that no person can serve
God aright, but he who has been taught in His
school.
80.
Let my heart be sound in thy
statutes. Having, a little before,
desired to be endued with a sound understanding, he now prays, in a similar
manner, for sincere affection of heart. The understanding and affections, as is
well known, are the two principal faculties of the human soul, both of which he
clearly shows to be depraved and perverse, when he requests that his
understanding may be illuminated, and, at the same time, that his heart may be
framed to the obedience of the law. This plainly refutes all that the Papists
babble about free will. The prophet not only here prays that God would help him,
because his will was weak; but he testifies, without qualification, that
uprightness of heart is. the gift of the Holy Spirit. We are, moreover, taught
by these words, in what the true keeping of the law consists. A great part of
mankind, after having carelessly framed their life according to the Divine law,
by outward obedience, think that they want nothing. But the Holy Spirit here
declares that no service is acceptable to God, except that which proceeds from
integrity of heart. As to the word,
µymt,
thamim, rendered
sound,
we have elsewhere said, that a sound heart is set in opposition to a
double or deceitful heart. It is as if the prophet had said, that those who are
without dissimulation, and who offer to God a pure heart, yield themselves truly
to Him. When it is added, that I
may not be put to shame, it is
intimated, that such shall be the undoubted issue as to all the proud, who,
disdaining the grace of God, lean upon their own strength; and as to all
hypocrites, who, for a time, parade themselves in gay colors. The amount, then,
is, that unless God govern us by his Spirit, and keep us in the performance of
our duty, so that our hearts may be sound in his statutes, although our shame
may be hidden for a time, yea, although all men should praise us, and hold us in
admiration, yet we cannot avoid falling, at length, into dishonor and
ignominy.
Psalm
119:81-88
k
81. My soul hath fainted for thy salvation: I hope in thy word.
k
82. My eyes have waxed dim in looking for thy promise, and I say, When
wilt thou comfort me?
k
83. For I have been as a bottle in the smoke; and yet I have not
forgotten thy statutes.
k
84. How many are the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment
on my persecutors ?
k
85. The proud have digged pits for me, which thing is not according to
thy law.
k
86. All thy commandments are truth; they persecute we deceitfully;
therefore help thou me.
k
87. They have almost consumed me upon the earth; yet I have not forsaken
thy statutes.
k
88. Quicken me according to thy goodness; and I will keep the testimony
of thy mouth.
81.
My soul hath fainted for thy
salvation. The Psalmist intimates that,
although worn out with continual grief, and perceiving no issue to his
calamities, yet trouble and weariness had not produced such a discouraging
effect upon his mind, as to prevent him from always reposing with confidence in
God. To bring out the meaning the more distinctly, we must begin at the second
clause, which is obviously added by way of exposition. There he affirms that he
trusts in God; and this is the foundation of all. But, intending to express the
invincible constancy of his trust, he tells us that he patiently endured all the
distresses, under which others succumb. We see some embracing with great
eagerness the promises of God; but their ardor, within a short time, vanishes;
or, at least, is quenched by adversity. It was far otherwise with David. The
verb
hlk,
kalah, which signifies to
faint,
or to be consumed, seems, indeed, at first sight, to convey a
different meaning. But the prophet, in this passage, as in other places, by
fainting
means that patience, which those who are deprived of all strength,
and who seem to be already dead, continue to cherish, and which inspires their
hearts with secret groanings, and such as cannot be uttered. This fainting,
then, is opposed to the delicacy of those who cannot suffer a long
delay.
82.
My eyes have waxed dim in
looking for thy word. This verse is very
similar to the preceding, — transforming to the eyes what had been said
before concerning the soul. The only difference is, that, instead of longing
after salvation or help, the expression, longing after God's word
compromise, is here used; for salvation is an act, as it is termed;
that is to say, it consists in effect, whereas
a
promise keeps us suspended in
expectation. God may not, all at once, openly perform what he has promised; and,
in this case, it being only in his word that he promises us help, there is no
other way by which we can hope for help, than by our reposing on his word. As,
then, the word precedes, in order, the help which God affords, or, rather, as it
is the manner in which it is represented to our view, the prophet, when sighing
after salvation, very properly declares that he kept his eyes fixed on the
Divine word, until his sight failed him. Here we have presented to us the
wonderful and incredible power of patience, under the infirmity of the flesh,
when, being faint and deprived of all rigor, we have recourse to God for help,
even while it is hidden from us. In short, the prophet, to prevent it from being
supposed that he was too effeminate and faint-hearted, intimates that his
fainting was not without cause. In asking God,
When wilt thou comfort
me? he shows, with sufficient plainness,
that he was for a long time, as it were, cast off and
forsaken.
83.
For I have been as a bottle in the smoke.
fd426 The particle
yk,
ki, translated for, might also, not improperly, be resolved into the
adverb of time, when; so that we might read the verse in one connected
sentence, thus' When I was like a dried bottle, I, nevertheless, did not
forget thy law. The obvious design of the Psalmist is to teach us, that,
although he had been proved by severe trials, and wounded to the quick, he yet
had not been withdrawn from the fear of God. In comparing himself to a
bottle
or bladder, he intimates that he was, as it were, parched by the
continual heat of adversities. Whence we learn, that that sorrow must have been
intense which reduced him to such a state of wretchedness and emaciation, that
like a shriveled bottle he was almost dried up. It, however, appears that he
intends to point cut, not only the severity of his affliction, but also its
lingering nature that he was tormented, as it were, at a slow fire;
fd427 even as the smoke which proceeds from
heat dries bladders by slow degrees. The prophet experienced a long series of
grief's, which might have consumed him a hundred times, and that, by their
protracted and lingering nature, had he not been sustained by the word of God.
In short, it is a genuine evidence of true godliness, when, although plunged
into the deepest afflictions, we yet cease not to submit ourselves to
God.
84.
How many are the days of thy
servant? etc. Some read these two
clauses apart, as if the first were a general complaint of the brevity of human
life, such as is to be met with in other psalms, and more frequently in the book
of Job; and next, in their opinion, there follows a special prayer of the
Psalmist, that God would take vengeance upon his enemies. But I rather prefer
joining the two clauses together, and limit both to David's afflictions; as if
it had been said, Lord, how long hast thou determined to abandon thy servant to
the will of the ungodly? when wilt thou set thyself in opposition to their
cruelty and outrage, in order to take vengeance upon them? The Scriptures often
use the word
days
in this sense; as, for example, "the days of Egypt,"
<263009>Ezekiel
30:9; "the days of Babylon," and "the days of Jerusalem,"
<19D707>Psalm
137:7; a word which, in other places, is called "the day of
visitation,"
<231003>Isaiah
10:3. By the use of the plural number, is denoted a certain determinate
portion of time, which, in other places, is compared to the "days of an
hireling,"
<181406>Job
14:6;
<231614>Isaiah
16:14. The Psalmist does not, then, bewail in general the transitory life of
man, but he complains that the time of his state of warfare in this world had
been too long protracted; and, therefore, he naturally desires that it might be
brought to a termination. In expostulating with God about his trouble, he does
not do so obstinately, or with a murmuring spirit; but still, in asking how long
it will be necessary for him to suffer, he humbly prays that God would not delay
to succor him. As to the point of his stirring him up by prayer to execute
vengeance, we have elsewhere seen in what sense it was lawful for him to make
such a request; namely, because the vengeance which he desired to see was such
as is properly suitable to God. It is certain that he had divested himself of
all the corrupt affections of the flesh, that he might, with a pure and
undisturbed zeal, desire God's judgment. He, however, in this passage, only
wishes in general to be delivered by the hand of God from the wrongs which were
inflicted upon him, without adjudging to perdition his adversaries; for he was
quite contented, provided God appeared to defend
him.
85.
The proud
fd428 have digged pits for
me. He complains that he had been
circumvented by the frauds and artifices of his enemies; as if he had said, They
have not only endeavored to injure me by open force and the violence of the
sword, but have also maliciously sought to destroy me by snares and secret arts.
The additional clause, which
thing is not according to thy Law, is
introduced as an argument, to excite God to exercise his mercy; for he is the
more inclined to succor his servants, when he sees that the attempts made upon
their welfare involve the violation of his own Law. At the same time, the
Psalmist furnishes a proof of his own innocence, intimating that he had deserved
no such treatment at their hands, and that whatever they practiced, he,
notwithstanding, patiently kept himself under restraint; not attempting any
thing which he knew to be contrary to the Divine
Law.
86.
All thy commandments are
truth. In this verse he again confirms
the statement, That, in whatever ways he was afflicted, his mind had not been
distracted by various devices, because, trusting in the word of God, he never
doubted of his assistance. In the first place, he tells us, that the
consideration, by which he was armed for repelling all assaults, was this, That
the faithful, under the conduct of God, engage in a prosperous warfare, the
salvation which they hope for from his word being absolutely certain. For this
reason he declares, that the
commandments of God are true; by which
encomium he teaches us, that those who rely upon the word of God are out of all
danger; and he lays down this truth, that such a support may always sustain our
courage. In the second place, he complains of the treachery of his enemies, as
he declared before. Here the word
rqç,
sheker, is repeated, by which he means, that they had no regard to equity.
From this consideration also he was led to entertain the hope of deliverance;
for it is the peculiar office of God to succor the poor and afflicted who are
wrongfully oppressed.
87.
They have almost consumed me upon
the earth. He repeats, in somewhat
different words, what he had spoken a little before, that, although he had been
sorely tempted, he had nevertheless kept his footing, because he had not given
up with true religion. A single declaration of this fact would have been enough
for those who are perfect; but if we call to mind our own weakness, we will
readily confess that it was not unworthy of being repeatedly stated. We not only
forget the law of God when we are shaken by extreme conflicts, but the greater
part lose their courage even before they engage in the conflict. On which
account this wonderful strength of the prophet is worthy of more special notice,
who, although almost reduced to death, yet never ceased to revive his courage by
continual meditation on the law. Nor is it in vain that he adds, that it was
upon the
earth that his enemies had almost
consumed him, conveying the idea, that, when the fears of death presented
themselves to him on all sides in this world, he elevated his mind above the
world. If faith reach to heaven, it will be an easy matter to emerge from
despair.
88.
Quicken me according to thy
goodness. This verse contains nothing
new. In the beginning of it David represents his life as depending on God's
mercy, not only because he was conscious of human frailty, but because he saw
himself daily exposed to death in multiplied forms, or rather because he was
convinced, that were God's power withdrawn from him, he would be laid prostrate
as if he were dead. He next promises, that when he shall be again restored to
life, he will not be ungrateful, but will duly acknowledge this as a blessing
from God, and that not only with the tongue, but also in his whole life. As the
various instances in which God succors us and delivers us from dangers are so
many new lives, it is reasonable that we should dedicate to his service whatever
additional time is allotted to us in this world. When the law is called the
testimony of God's mouth, by this eulogium its authority is very plainly
asserted.
Psalm
119:89-96
l
89. Thy word, O Jehovah! endureth for ever in heaven.
l
90. Thy truth is from generation to generation: thou hast, established
the earth, and it abideth.
l
91. By thy judgments they continue to this day; for all are thy servants.
l
92. Had not thy law been my delight, I had then perished in my
affliction.
l
93. I will never forget thy statutes, for thou hast quickened me in them.
l
94. I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy statutes.
l
95. The wicked wait for me to destroy me: but I consider thy testimonies.
l
96. In all perfection I have see, the end: thy commandment is exceeding
broad.
89.
Thy word, O Jehovah I endure
for ever. Many explain this verse as if
David adduced the stability of the heavens as a proof of God's truth. According
to them the meaning is, that God is proved to be true because the heavens
continually remain in the same state.
fd429 Others offer a still more forced
interpretation, That God's truth is more sure than the state of the heavens. But
it appears to me that the prophet intended to convey a very different idea. As
we see nothing constant or of long continuance upon earth, he elevates our minds
to heaven, that they may fix their anchor there. David, no doubt, might have
said, as he has done in many other places, that the whole order of the world
bears testimony to the steadfastness of God's word — that word which is
most true. But as there is reason to fear that the minds of the godly would hang
in uncertainty if they rested the proof of God's truth upon the state of the
world, in which such manifold disorders prevail; by placing God's truth in the
heavens, he allots to it a habitation subject to no changes. That no person then
may estimate God's word from the various vicissitudes which meet his eye in this
world, heaven is tacitly set in opposition to the earth. Our salvation, as if it
had been said, being shut up in God's word, is not subject to change, as all
earthly things are, but is anchored in a safe and peaceful haven. The same truth
the Prophet Isaiah teaches in somewhat different words:
"All flesh is grass, and
all the godliness thereof is as the flower of the field,"
(<234006>Isaiah
40:6.)
He means, according to the Apostle Peter's
exposition,
(<600124>1
Peter 1:24) that the certainty of salvation is to be sought in the word, and,
therefor that they do wrong who settle their minds upon the world; for the
steadfastness of God's word far transcends the stability of the
world.
90.
Thy truth is from generation to
generation. In this verse the Psalmist
repeats and confirms the same sentiment. He expressly teaches, that although the
faithful live for a short time as strangers upon earth, and soon pass away, yet
their life is not perishable, since they are begotten again of an incorruptible
seed. He, however, proceeds still farther. He had before enjoined us to pierce
by faith into heaven, because we will find nothing in the world on which we can
assuredly rest; and now he again teaches us, by experience, that though the
world is subject to revolutions, yet in it bright and signal testimonies to the
truth of God shine forth, so that the steadfastness of his word is not
exclusively confined to heaven, but comes down even to us who dwell upon the
earth. For this reason, it is added, that the earth continues steadfast, even as
it was established by God at the beginning. Lord, as if it had been said, even
in the earth we see thy truth reflected as it were in a mirror; for though it is
suspended in the midst of the sea, yet it continues to remain in the same state.
These two things, then, are quite consistent; first, that the steadfastness of
God's word is not to be judged of according to the condition of the world, which
is always fluctuating, and fades away as a shadow; and, secondly, that yet men
are ungrateful if they do not acknowledge the constancy which in many respects
marks the frame. work of the world; for the earth, which otherwise could not
occupy the position it does for a single moment, abides notwithstanding
steadfast, because God's word is the foundation on which it rests. Farther, no
person has any ground for objecting, that it is a hard thing to go beyond this
world in quest of the evidences of God's truth, since, in that case, it would be
too remote from the apprehension of men. The prophet meets the objection by
affirming, that although it dwells in heaven, yet we may see at our very feet
conspicuous proofs of it, which may gradually advance us to as perfect knowledge
of it as our limited capacity will permit. Thus the prophet, on the one hand,
exhorts us to rise above the whole world by faith, so that the word of God may
be found by experience to be adequate, as it really is adequate, to sustain our
faith; and, on the other hand, he warns us that we have no excuse, if, by the
very sight of the earth, we do not discover the truth of God, since legible
traces of it are to be found at our feet. In the first clause, men are called
back from the vanity of their own understanding; and, in the other; their
weakness is relieved, that they may have a foretaste upon earth of what is to be
found more fully in heaven.
91.
By thy judgments they
continue to this day. The word,
µwyh,
hayom, which, following other interpreters, I have translated to this
days might not improperly rendered daily, or every day. In that case,
however, the sense would be substantially the same; for the prophet means, that
the whole order of nature depends solely upon the commandment or decree of God.
In using the term
judgments,
he makes an allusion to the law, intimating, that the same regard to
rectitude which is exhibited in the law is brightly displayed in every part; of
God's procedure. From this it follows, that men are very perverse, when, by
their unbelief, they do what they can to shake and impair the faithfulness of
God, upon which all creatures repose; and, moreover, when by their rebellion
they impeach his righteousness, and deny the authority of his commands, upon
which the stability of the whole world depends. It is a harsh manner of
expression to say, that all the elements are God's servants; but it
expresses more than if it had been said, that all things are ready to yield
obedience to him. How can we account for it, that the air, which is so thin,
does not consume itself by blowing incessantly? How can we account for it, that
the waters do not waste away by flowing, but on the principle that these
elements obey the secret command of God? By faith, it is true, we perceive that
the continued existence of the world is owing to the fiat of God; but all who
have the smallest pretensions to understanding are led to the same conclusion,
from the manifest and undoubted proofs of this truth, which every where meet
their eye. Let it then be thoroughly impressed upon our minds, that all things
are so governed and maintained by the secret operation of God, as that their
continuing in the same state is owing to their obeying his commandment or word.
We must always remember the point which the prophet aims at; which is, that
God's faithfulness, which shines forth in his external works, may gradually
conduct us higher, until we attain such a persuasion of the truth of heavenly
doctrine as is entirely free from doubt.
92.
Had not thy law been my
delight. The prophet continues to
prosecute almost the same theme; affirming, that he would have been undone, had
he not in his calamities sought consolation from the law of God. The adverb,
za
az, signifies then; but as it is sometimes used for a long
time, it is equivalent here to long ago; unless some may prefer to
consider it as a significant and emphatic pointing to the thing, as if he were
still in the state which he describes. He confirms from his own experience what
he had previously said, to make it manifest that he did not speak of things with
which he was unacquainted, but that he asserts what he had really experienced,
— namely, that there is no other solace, and no other remedy for
adversity, but our reposing upon the word of God, and our embracing the grace
and the assurance of our salvation which are offered in it. He here
unquestionably commends the very same word, which he had but now said dwelt in
heaven. Though it resound on earth, enter into our ears, and settle in our
hearts, yet it still retains its celestial nature; for it descends to us in such
a manner, as that it is not subject to the changes of the world. The prophet
declares that he was grievously oppressed by a weight of afflictions enough to
overwhelm him; but that the consolation which he derived from the Divine Law in
such desperate circumstances, was as life to
him.
93.
I will never forget thy
statutes. This verse contains a
thanksgiving. As the law of the Lord had preserved him, he engages that he will
never forget it. Yet he, at the same time, admonishes himself and others how
necessary it is to cherish in the heart the remembrance of the Divine Law; for
though we have found from experience its life-giving power, yet we easily allow
it to pass from our memories, and on this account God afterwards justly punishes
us, by leaving us for a long time to languish in our
sadness.
94.
I am thine, save
me. In the first place, he takes
encouragement to pray from the consideration, that he is one of God's own stamp
and coinage, as we speak. In the second place, he proves that he is God's from
the fact of his keeping his commandments. This ought not, however, to be
understood as if he boasted of any merit which he possessed; as, in dealing with
men, it is customary to adduce something meritorious which we have done as an
argument for obtaining what we desire : — I have always loved and esteemed
you, I have always studied to promote your honor and advantage; my service has
always been ready at your command. But David rather brings forward the unmerited
grace of God, and that alone; for no man, by any efforts of his own, acquires
the high honor of being under the protection of God — an honor which
proceeds solely from his free adoption. The blessing which God had conferred
upon him is therefore here adduced as an argument why he should not forsake the
work which he had commenced. When he affirms, that he was earnestly intent upon
the Divine commandments, that also depended upon the Divine calling; for he did
not begin to apply his mind to God's commandments before he was called and
received into his household. As he desires, in this verse, that the Lord would
save him, so, in the next verse, he expresses the need he had of being saved,
saying, that the wicked sought for him to destroy him; by which he, at
the same time, declares the constancy of his godliness, inasmuch as he then set
his mind upon the law of God — a point worthy of special notice. Those
who, at other times, would the forward and willing to follow God, know not to
what side to turn themselves when they are assailed by the wicked, and, in that
case, are very prone to follow unhallowed counsel. It is therefore a great
virtue to do God the honor of resting contented with his promises alone, when
the wicked conspire for our destruction, and when, to all human appearance, our
life is in jeopardy. To consider
God's testimonies is, in this place,
equivalent to applying our minds to the word of God, which sustains us against
all assaults, effectually allays all fears, and restrains us from following any
perverse counsels.
96.
In all perfection, I have
seen the end.
fd430 The prophet again, using other
words, commends the same truth which he had taught in the first verse of this
part — that the word of God is not subject to change, because it is
elevated far above the perishable elements of this world. He here asserts, that
there is nothing under heaven so perfect and stable, or so complete, in all
respects, as not to have an end; and that the Divine word alone possesses such
amplitude as to surpass all bounds and limits. Since the verb
hlk
kalah, :signifies to consume and finish, as well as to make
perfect, some take the noun
hlkt
tichelah, for measure or end But it is necessary to translate
it perfection, that the comparison may be the more apparent, and the
better to amplify the faithfulness of the Divine word; the idea which the
prophet intended to convey being, that, after he had considered all things,
especially those which are distinguished by the greatest perfection, he found
that they were nothing when compared with God's word, inasmuch as all other
things will soon come to an end, whereas the word of God stands ever firm in its
own eternity.
fd431 Whence it follows, that we have no
ground for apprehending that it will forsake us in the midst of our course.. It
is termed
broad,
to denote that, though a man may mount above the heavens, or descend into
the lowest depths, or traverse the whole space from the right to the left hand,
yet he will not reach farther than the truth of God conducts us. It remains that
our minds should embrace this vast extent; and such will be the case when they
shall have ceased to enclose and shut themselves up within the narrow limits of
this world.
Psalm
119:97-104
m
97. O how have I loved thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
m
98. Thou hast made me wiser than my adversaries by thy commandments: for
they are ever with me.
m
99. Thou hast made me to know more than all my teachers; for thy
testimonies are my meditation.
m
100. I excelled the aged in understanding; for I have kept thy statutes.
m
101. I have restrained my feet from every evil path, that it may keep thy
word.
m
102. I have not declined from thy judgments; for thou hast taught me.
m
103. O how sweet/save been thy words to my palate! sweeter than honey to
my mouth!
m
104. By thy statutes I have acquired understanding; therefore I have
hated every false way.
97.
O how have I loved thy
law! Not contented with a simple
affirmation, the prophet exclaims, by way of interrogation, that he was inflamed
with incredible love to the law of God; and, in proof of this, he adds, that he
was continually engaged in meditating upon it. If any person boasts that he
loves the Divine Law, and yet neglects the study of it, and applies his mind to
other things, he betrays the grossest hypocrisy; for the love of the law, and
especially such an ardent love of it as the prophet here expresses, always
produces continual meditation upon it. And, assuredly, unless God's law inflame
and ravish our hearts with the love of it, many allurements will quickly steal
upon us, and lead us away to vanity. The prophet, then, here commends such a
love of the law, as, possessing all our senses, effectually excludes all the
deceits and corruption's to which we are otherwise too much
inclined.
98.
Thou hast made me wiser than
my adversaries. He here declares, that
he was more learned than his adversaries, his instructors, and the aged, because
he was a scholar of God's law. It is in a different sense that he describes
himself as endued with understanding above his adversaries, from that in which
he describes himself as wiser than his teachers. He surpassed his enemies,
because their cunning and artifices availed them nothing when they employed
these to the utmost to effect his destruction. The malice of the wicked is
always goading them to do mischief; and as they are often artful and deceitful,
we are afraid lest our simplicity should be imposed upon by their deceits,
unless we use the same crafts and underhand dealings which they practice.
Accordingly, the prophet glories, that he found in God's law enough to enable
him to escape all their snares. When he claims the credit of being superior in
knowledge to his instructors, he does not mean to deny that they also had
learned from the word of God what was useful to be known. But he gives God
thanks for enabling him to surpass, in proficiency:, those from whom he had
learned the first elements of knowledge.
fd432
Nor is it any new thing for the scholar to excel his master, according as God
distributes to each man the measure of understanding. The faithful, it is true,
are instructed by the pains and labor of men, but it is in such a way, as that
God is still to be regarded as enlightening them. And it is owing to this that
the scholar surpasses the master; for God means to show as it were, with the
finger, that he uses the service of men in such a way as that he himself
continues still the chief teacher. Let us therefore learn to commit ourselves to
his tuition, that we may glory with David, that by his guidance we have
proceeded farther than man's instruction could lead us. He adds the same thing
respecting the aged, for the more abundant confirmation of his statement.
Age is of great avail in polishing, by long experience and practice, men who, by
nature, are dull and rude. Now the prophet asserts, that he had acquired, by the
Divine Law, more discretion than belongs to aged men.
fd433
In short, he means to affirm, that whoever yields himself with docility to God,
keeps his thoughts in subjection to his word, and exercises himself diligently
in meditating upon the Law, will thence derive wisdom sufficient for enabling
him to consult his own safety in opposition to the stratagems of his enemies, to
exercise circumspection requisite for escaping their deceits; and, finally, to
match with the most eminent masters through the whole course of his life. David,
however, does not adduce his wisdom, that he may boast of it before the world;
but, by his own example, he warns us, that nothing is better for us than to
learn at God's mouth, since those only are perfectly wise who are taught in his
school. At the same time, sobriety is here enjoined upon the faithful, that they
may not seek for wisdom elsewhere than from God's word, and that ambition or
curiosity may not incite them to vain boasting. In short, all are here
recommended to behave themselves with modesty and humility, that no man may
claim to himself such knowledge as elevates him above the Divine Law; but that
all men, however intelligent, may willingly yield themselves to the lessons of
heavenly wisdom revealed in the Divine Word. When he says, that
he kept God's
statutes, he teaches us what kind of
meditation it is of which we have spoken, to let us know that he did not coldly
philosophies upon God's precepts, but devoted himself to them with earnest
affection.
101.
I have restrained my feet
from every evil path. He intimates that
he proclaimed war against every vice, that he might wholly devote himself to the
service o£ God. From this we learn the profitable lesson, that in order to
our keeping God's Law, we must, from the commencement, beware lest our feet
should step aside into crooked by-paths; for with a nature so corrupted as ours
is, amidst so many allurements, and with minds so fickle, we are in the greatest
danger of being led astray; yea, it is a rare miracle if any man hold on in his
life in a right course, without turning aside in one direction or another. The
faithful, therefore, have need to exercise the greatest circumspection, in order
to keep their feet from going astray.
In the
next verse, David commends his own constancy in observing the Law. He declares
that ever since he had learned from God the right manner of living, he had
pursued the right course. As the way is so slippery, and our feet so feeble, and
our whole disposition so prone to go astray after innumerable errors, no small
exertions are requisite on our part, in order to avoid declining from God's
judgments. But we must attend to the manner of teaching to which the Psalmist
refers; for though all, without exception, to whom God's word is preached, are
taught, yet scarce one in ten so much as tastes it; yea, scarce one in a hundred
profits to the extent of being enabled, thereby, to proceed in a right course to
the end. A peculiar manner of teaching is, therefore, here pointed out —
that which consists in God's drawing his chosen people to himself. I have been
brought, as if the Psalmist had said, into the way of salvation, and preserved
in it by the secret influence of the Holy
Spirit.
103.
O how sweet have been thy
words to my palate! He again repeats
what he had previously stated in different words, that he was so powerfully
attracted by the sweetness of the Divine Law, as to have no desire after any
other delight. It is possible that a man may be affected with reverence towards
the Law of God; but no one will cheerfully follow it, save he who has tasted
this sweetness. God requires from us no slavish service: he will have us to come
to him cheerfully, and this is the very reason why the prophet commends the
sweetness of God's word so often in this psalm. If it is demanded in what sense
he declares that he took such sweet delight in God's Law, which, according to
the testimony of Paul,
(<460309>1
Corinthians 3:9,) does nothing else but strike fear into men, the solution is
easy: The prophet does not speak of the dead letter which kills those who read
it, but he comprehends the whole doctrine of the Law, the chief part of which is
the free covenant of salvation. When Paul contrasts the Law with the Gospel, he
speaks only of the commandments and threatening. Now if God were only to
command, and to denounce the curse, the whole of his communication would,
undoubtedly, be deadly. But the prophet is not here opposing the Law to the
Gospel; and, therefore, he could affirm that the grace of adoption, which is
offered in the Law, was sweeter to him than honey; that is to say, that no
delight was to him equal to this. What I have previously said must be
remembered, that the Law of God will be unsavory to us, or, at least, that it
will never be so sweet to us, as to withdraw us from the pleasures of the flesh,
until we have struggled manfully against our own nature, in order to subdue the
carnal affections which prevail within
us.
104
By thy statutes I have acquired
understanding. The prophet seems here to
invert the order he has just now laid down. He observed that he had kept his
feet from going astray, that he might observe God's Law, and now he institutes a
contrary order, beginning with the observance of the Law; for he declares that
he had been taught by the word of God before he amended his faults. Yet these
two things are not inconsistent, — that the faithful should withdraw
themselves from their wanderings, in order to frame their life according to the
rule of God's word, and that when they are already advanced a considerable way
in a holy life, the fear of God being then more vigorous in them, they should
regard all vices with more intense hatred. The beginning of a good life,
unquestionably, is when a man endeavors to purge himself from vices; and the
more a man has made progress in a good life, he will burn with a, proportionate
zeal in his detestation of vices and in shunning them. Moreover, we are taught
by the words of the prophet, that the reason why men are so involved in
falsehoods, and entangled in perverse errors, is, because they have not learned
wisdom from the word of God. As the whole world are given to folly, those who
wander astray plead in excuse, that it is difficult for them to guard against
the allurements of vice. But the remedy will be near at hand, if we follow the
counsel of the prophet; that is to say, if, instead of leaning on our own
wisdom, we seek understanding from the word of God, in which he not only shows
what is right:. but also fortifies our minds, and puts us on our guard against
all the deceits of Satan, and all the impostures of the world. Would to God
that, at the present day, this were thoroughly impressed on the minds of all who
boast themselves of being Christians; for then they would not be continually
driven about, as the greater part of them are, with such inconstancy, according
to the conflicting impulses of prevailing opinions. As Satan is so sedulously
exerting himself to spread abroad the mists of error, let us apply ourselves
with the greater earnestness to the acquisition of this
wisdom.
Psalm
119:105-112
n
105. Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.
n
106. I have sworn, and will conform, to keep thy righteous judgments.
n
107. I am greatly afflicted, O Jehovah! quicken me according to thy word.
n
108. O Jehovah! I beseech thee let the free-will-offerings of my mouth be
acceptable to thee, and teach me thy judgments.
n
109. My soul is continually in my hand; and I have not forgotten thy law.
n
110. The wicked have laid a snare for me; and, have not erred from thy
statutes.
n
111. I have thy testimonies as an inheritance forever; for they are the
joy of my heart.
n
112. I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes forever, to the
end.
105.
Thy word is a lamp to my
feet. In this verse the Psalmist
testifies that the Divine Law was his schoolmaster and guide in leading a holy
life. He thus, by his own example, prescribes the same rule to us all; and it is
highly necessary to observe this rule; for while each of us follows what seems
good in his own estimation, we become entangled in inextricable and frightful
mazes. The more distinctly to understand his intention, it is to be noted, that
the word of God is set in opposition to all human counsels. What the world
judges right is often crooked and perverse in the judgment of God, who approves
of no other manner of living, than that which is framed according to the rule of
his law. It is also to be observed, that David could not have been guided by
God's word, unless he had first renounced the wisdom of the flesh, for it is
only when we are brought to do this, that we begin to be of a teachable
disposition. But the metaphor which he uses implies something more; namely, that
unless the word of God enlighten men's path, the whole of their life is
enveloped in darkness and obscurity, so that they cannot do anything else than
miserably wander from the right way; and again, that when we submit ourselves
with docility to the teaching of God's law, we are in no danger of going astray.
Were there such obscurity in God's word, as the Papists foolishly talk about,
the commendation with which the prophet here honors the law would be altogether
undeserved. Let us, then, be assured that an unerring light is to be found
there, provided we open our eyes to behold it. The Apostle Peter
(<610119>2
Peter 1:19) has more plainly expressed the same sentiment, when he commends the
faithful for taking heed to the word of prophecy, "as unto a light that shineth
in a dark place."
106.
I have sworn, and will
perform. Here the Psalmist speaks of his
own constancy. He had declared a little before, that during the whole course of
his life, he had not declined from God's law, and now he speaks of the purpose
of his mind. By the word swear, he intimates that he had solemnly pledged
himself to God not to alter his determination. The true manner of keeping God's
law is to receive and embrace what he commands heartily, and, at the same time,
uniformly, that our ardor may not forthwith abate, as is often the case. This
also is the proper rule of vowing, that we may offer ourselves to God, and
dedicate our life to him. It may, however, be asked, whether the prophet's oath
may not be condemned as rash, inasmuch as he presumed to engage to do far more
than man's ability is equal to; for who is able to keep the law? The man, then,
it may be alleged, vows rashly, who promises to God a thing which it is beyond
his power to accomplish. The answer is obvious: Whenever the faithful vow to
Him, they do not look to what they are able to do of themselves, but they depend
upon the grace of God, to whom it belongs to perform what he requires from them,
in the way of supplying them with strength by his Holy Spirit. When the question
is in reference to service to be rendered to God, they cannot vow anything
without the Holy Spirit; for, as Paul says in
<470305>2
Corinthians 3:5,
"Not that
are sufficient of ourselves to think
anything
as of
ourselves."
But when God stretches forth his hand to us, he bids
us be of good courage, and promises that he will never fail us; and this is the
source from which the boldness to swear, here spoken of, proceeds. Nor is it any
rashness at all, when, confiding in his promises, by which he anticipates us,
we, on our part, offer ourselves to his service. The question, however, still
remains unsolved; for although the children of God ultimately prove victorious
over all temptations by the grace of the Holy Spirit, yet there is always some
infirmity about them. But it is to be observed, that the faithful, in making
vows and promises, have a respect not only to that article of the covenant, by
which God has promised that he will cause us to walk in his commandments, but
also to that other article which is, at the same time, added concerning the free
forgiveness of their sins,
<261120>Ezekiel
11:20; 36:27;
<19A313>Psalm
103:13. David, therefore, according to the measure of grace given him, bound
himself by oath to keep God's la encouraged by these words of the
prophet,
"I will spare them, as a
man spareth his own son that serveth
him,"
<390317>Malachi
3:17.
107.
I am greatly afflicted, O
Jehovah! This verse teaches, that God
did not cherish the fathers under the law in his bosom so delicately as not to
exercise them with grievous temptations; for the Psalmist declares that he was
not afflicted lightly, or in an ordinary degree, but above measure. His prayer
to be quickened implies that he was at the point of death. He, however,
at the same time, shows, that though he was besieged by death, he yet fainted
not, because he leaned upon God — a point worthy of special notice; for
though, at the beginning, we may call upon God with much alacrity, yet when the
trial increases in severity, our hearts quail, and, in the extremity of fear,
our confidence is extinguished. Yet the prophet implores God for grace, not in
order to his life being preserved in safety, but in order to his recovering the
life he had lost, which indicates both the low condition to which he was
reduced, and his continued confidence in God. We must also observe attentively
the last part of the clause,
according to thy word. We will pray
coldly, or rather we will not pray at all, if God's promise does not inspire us
with courage in our sorrow and distress. In short, as we have said elsewhere, it
is indispensably necessary that we should have this key at hand, in order to our
having free access to the throne of
grace.
108.
O Jehovah! I beseech thee, let
the flee-will-offerings of my mouth.
This verse may be read in one connected sentence, as well as divided into
two members. According to the former view, the sense will be, Receive, e Lord,
my sacrifices, to this end, that thou mayest teach me thy commandments. If we
prefer dividing the verse into two clauses, then it will consist of two separate
prayers; first, a prayer that God would accept the prophet's sacrifices; and,
secondly, a prayer that he would instruct him in the doctrine of the law. I am
rather inclined to follow the first opinion. The prophet affirms, as we have
seen elsewhere, that nothing was more precious to him than to understand the
doctrine of the law. Lord, as if he had said, do thou, according to thy good
pleasure, accept the sacrifices which I offer thee; and as my chief desire is,
to be instructed aright in thy law, grant that I may be a partaker of this
blessing, which I am so anxious to obtain. We should mark all the places in
which the knowledge of divine truth is preferred to all the other benefits
bestowed upon mankind; and doubtless, since it contains in it the pledge of
everlasting salvation, there is good reason why it should be esteemed as an
inestimable treasure. Yet the prophet begins at a point remote from this,
praying that God would vouchsafe to approve of and accept his services. By the
word
twbdn,
nidboth, I have no doubt he denotes the sacrifices which were called
free-will-offerings. I indeed grant that he speaks properly of vows and
prayers; but as the chosen people to propitiate God, were wont to offer
sacrifices, according as every man had ability, he alludes to that custom which
prevailed under the law; even as Hosea
(<281402>Hosea
14:2) designates the praises of God "the calves of the lips." It was the design
of God, by that ceremony, to testify to the fathers that no prayers were
acceptable to him, but those which were joined with sacrifice, that they might
always turn their minds to the Mediator. In the first place, he acknowledges
that he was unworthy of obtaining any thing by his prayers, and that, if God
heard him, it proceeded from his free and unmerited grace. In the second place,
he desires that God would be favorable to him in the way of enabling him to
profit aright in the doctrine of the law. The verb,
hxr
ratsah, which he uses: signifies to favor of mere good will.
Whence it follows, that there is nothing meritorious in our prayers, and
that, whenever God hears them, it is in the exercise of his free
goodness.
109.
My soul is continually in my
hand. He declares, that no calamities,
afflictions, or dangers, which he had experienced: had withdrawn him from the
service of God, and the observance of his law. To bear his soul in his hand,
is equivalent to his being in danger of his life, so that the soul was, as
it were abandoned to the wind. Thus Job,
(<181314>Job
13:14,) when he pines in his miseries: and is looking for death every moment,
and dreading it, complains that his soul was in his hand; as if he had said, It
is plucked from its own dwelling-place: and is under the dominion of death.
fd434 This form of expression is therefore
unhappily wrested to an absurd meaning by ignorant people, who understand the
prophet as intimating, that it was in his own power to govern his life as he
pleased. So far from intending to convey such an idea, by this circumstance he
commends his own piety, declaring, that although he was tossed among shipwrecks,
and death in a hundred forms hovered before his eyes, so that he could not rest
in security for a single moment, yet he had not cast from him the love and study
of the Divine law. Here, again, it is well to notice the severe and arduous
conflicts by which the fathers, under the law, were tried, that dangers and
fears may not frighten us, or, by the weariness they produce, deprive us of
courage, and thus prevent the remembrance of the Divine law from remaining
impressed on our hearts.
110.
The wicked have laid a snare for
me. The meaning of this verse is similar
to that of the preceding. The prophet shows more definitely in what respect he
carried his life in his hand; namely, because, being hemmed in on all sides by
the snares of the wicked, he saw scarcely any hope of life. We have previously
observed how difficult it is to avoid wandering from the ways of the Lord, when
our enemies, by their subtle arts, endeavor to effect our destruction. The
depraved desire of our fallen nature incites us to retaliate, nor do we see any
way of preserving our life, unless we employ the same arts by which they assail
us; and we persuade ourselves that it is lawful for us to howl among wolves.
Such being the ease, we ought, with the more attention, to meditate upon this
doctrine, That, when the wicked environ and besiege us by their wiles, the best
thing we can do is to follow whither God calls us, and to attempt nothing but
what is agreeable to his will.
111.
I have thy testimonies as an
inheritance for ever. He again confirms
the sentiment, which cannot be too often repeated, That the law of God was more
precious to him than all the pleasures, riches, and possessions, of the world. I
have said, that it is not in vain that these things are so often repeated; for
we see how violently the men of the world boil to gratify their unruly lusts,
with what multiplied anxieties they are agitated, while they are unceasingly
coveting innumerable objects; and, in the meantime, scarcely one in a hundred
is, in a moderate degree, aiming to apply his mind to the study of the Divine
law. The prophet, then, to stir us up by his own example, asserts, that he took
such pleasure in God's, testimonies as to esteem nothing more precious. It is
love only which leads us to set a value on any object; and, therefore, it is
requisite, in order to our observing the Divine law with the reverence due to
it, that we begin with this delight in it. It is not wonderful, if God's
testimonies convey to our minds a joy, which, causing us to reject and
despise all other things, holds our affections fast bound to them. What can be
sweeter than to have heaven opened to us, that we may come freely into the
presence of God, when, adopting us to be his children, he pardons our sins? What
can be more desirable than to hear that he is so pacified towards us, as to take
upon himself the care of our life? This I have thought good to observe briefly,
that we might not think it strange to find David rejoicing so greatly in God's
law. The similitude of
inheritance
is of frequent occurrence in the Scriptures; and we apply the designation of
inheritance to that which we hold in the highest estimation, so that we
are contented to be deprived of all other things, provided we retain the safe
and full possession of that one thing. Accordingly, the prophet intimates, that
whatever good things he had obtained he accounted them as adventitious, and that
the truths revealed in God's word alone were to him as an inheritance. Without
the Divine word all other things were in his estimation as nothing; so that he
could willingly leave to others, riches, honors, comforts, and pleasures,
provided he possessed this incomparable treasure. It is not meant to say that
he; altogether despised the temporal benefits which God bestows, but his mind
was not bound fast to them.
112.
I have inclined my heart to
perform thy statutes. In this verse he
describes the right observance of the law, which consists in Our cheerfully and
heartily preparing ourselves for doing what the law commands. Slavish and
constrained obedience differs little from rebellion. The prophet, therefore, in
order briefly to define what it is to serve God, asserts, that he applied not
only his hands, eyes, or feet, to the keeping of the law, but that he began with
the affection of the heart. Instead of the verb incline, the verb
extend might with propriety be employed; but I am inclined to rest
in the more generally received interpretation, which is, that he devoted himself
with sincere affection of heart to the observance of the law. This inclination
of the heart is oppose to the wandering lusts which rise up against God, and
drag us any where rather than incline us to a virtuous life. The attempt of the
Papists to defend from this passage their doctrine of free will is mere
trifling. They infer from the words of the prophet, that it is in the power of
man to bend his own heart in whatever way he pleases. But the answer is easy.
The prophet does not here boast of what he had done by his own strength, for he
now repeats the very same word which he had employed before, when he said,
Incline my heart to these testimonies. If that prayer was not feigned, he
doubtless acknowledged by it that it was the peculiar work of the Holy Spirit to
incline and frame our hearts to God. But it is no new thing for that to be
ascribed to us which God works in us: Paul's statement to this effect is very
plain,
"It is God who worketh in
you, both to will and to do of his good pleasures"
(<503813>Philippians
2:13.)
When the prophet says of himself that he inclined
his heart, he does not separate his own endeavor from the grace of the Holy
Spirit, by whose inspiration he has previously declared that the whole was done.
At the same time, he distinguishes the constancy of his pious affection from the
transient favor of others. Thus, that he might not fail in the midst of his
course, or even go backward, he affirms that he had resolved to continue in the
same course during the whole of his life. The word
bq[,
ekeb, to the end, in my opinion, is added to the word
µlw[l,
leolam, for ever, by way of exposition; and to show us that he struggled
manfully against all obstacles and difficulties, that they might not break his
constancy; for no man perseveres in the service of God without arduous
exertions. Some take the word as denoting a reward;
fd435
but this seems too foreign to the design of the
passage.
Psalm
119:113-120
s
113. I have hated crooked thoughts, and loved thy law.
s
114. Thou art my hiding-place and my shield: I have trusted in thy word.
s
115. Depart from me, ye wicked! and I will keep the commandments of my
God.
s
116. Sustain me by thy word, and I shall live: and make me not ashamed of my
expectation.
s
117. Establish me, and I shall be safe: and I will consider thy statutes
continually.
s
118. Thou hast trodden under foot all those who wander from thy statutes;
for their deceit is falsehood.
s
119. Thou hast made all the wicked of the earth to cease as dross;
therefore I have loved thy testimonies.
s
120. My flesh trembled for fear of thee, and I was afraid of thy
judgments.
113.
I have hated crooked
thoughts. Those who are of opinion that
the word
µwp[s
seaphim, the first in the verse, and which is rendered crooked
thoughts, is an appellate noun, translate it, those who think evil;
fd436 but it is more correct to
understand it of the thoughts themselves,
fd437 and this interpretation is very
generally adopted. The noun
ã[s,
saeph, properly signifies a branch, but it is applied
metaphorically to the
thoughts,
which, growing out of the heart, as branches from the trunk of a tree,
spread themselves in every direction. As there is no doubt that in this passage
the term is taken in a bad sense, I have added the epithet, crooked,
which the etymology of the word requires.
fd438 As the branches of a tree shoot out
transversely, entangled and intertwined, so the thoughts of the human mind are,
in like manner, confusedly mingled together, turning and twisting about in all
directions. Some Jewish interpreters understand it of the laws of the heathen,
which, they say, were cut off from the law of God, as branches from a tree; but
although this is ingenious, it has no solidity. I therefore keep by the :more
simple explanation, That the crooked inventions of the human heart, and whatever
the wicked devise, according to their own perverse understandings, are set in
opposition to the law of God, which alone is right. And, assuredly, whoever
would truly embrace the law of God, must, necessarily, as his first business,
divest himself of all unhallowed and sinful thoughts, or rather go out of his
own nature. Such is the meaning, unless, perhaps, preferring another metaphor,
we understand
µwp[s,
seaphim, to signify high thoughts, since the verb
ã[s,
saaph, is taken for to lift up. Now we know that no sacrifice is
more acceptable to God than obedience, when we entertain low thoughts of
ourselves; and thus our docility begins with humility. But as this exposition
may seem also far-fetched, I pass from it. Let what I have: said suffice us,
That since God acknowledges as the disciples of his law those only who are well
purified from all contrary imaginations, which corrupt our understanding, the
prophet here protests that he is an enemy to all crooked thoughts, which are
wont to draw men hither and thither.
114.
Thou art my hiding place and
my shield. The meaning is, that the
prophet, persuaded that the only way in which he could be safe, was by lying hid
under the wings of God, confided in his promises, and, therefore, feared
nothing. And, assuredly, the first point is, that the faithful should hold it as
a settled principle, that amidst the many dangers to which they are exposed, the
preservation of their life is entirely owing to the protection of God; in order
that they may be excited to flee to him, and leaning upon his word, may
confidently wait for the deliverance which he has promised. This confidence,
That God is our refuge and our
shield, is, no doubt, derived from the
word; but we must remember that there is here a mutual relation — that,
when we have learned from the word of God that we have in him a safe
hiding-place, this truth is to be cherished and confirmed in our hearts, under a
consciousness of our absolute need of the divine protection. Besides, although
his power ought abundantly to suffice in inspiring us with the hope of
salvation, yet we should always set the word before us, that our faith may not
fail when his aid is slow in coming.
115.
Depart from me, ye
wicked! Some explain this verse as if
David declared that he would devote himself with more alacrity and greater
earnestness to the keeping of the law, when the wicked should have desisted from
assaulting him. And, unquestionably, when we feel that God has delivered us, we
are more than stupid if this experience does not stir up within us an earnest
desire to serve him. If godliness does not increase in us in proportion to the
sense and experience we have of God's grace, we betray base ingratitude. This,
then, is a true and useful doctrine; but the prophet meant to convey a different
sentiment in this place. As he saw how great a hindrance the ungodly are to us,
he banishes them to a distance from him; or rather, he testifies that he will
beware of entangling himself in their society. Nor has he said this so much for
his own sake as to teach us by his example, that if we would hold on in the way
of the Lord without stumbling, we must endeavor, above all things, to keep at
the greatest possible distance from worldly and wicked men, not in regard to
distance of place, but in respect of intercourse and conversation. Provided we
contract an intimate acquaintance with them, it is scarcely possible for us to
avoid being speedily corrupted by the contagion of their example. The dangerous
influence of fellowship with wicked men is but too evident from observation; and
to this it is owing, that few continue in their integrity to the close of life,
the world being fraught with corruption's. From the extreme infirmity of our
nature, it is the easiest thing in the world to catch infection, and to contract
pollution even from the slightest touch. The prophet, then, with good reason,
bids the wicked depart from him, that he may advance in the fear of God without
obstruction. Whoever entangles himself in their companionship will, in process
of time, proceed the length of abandoning himself to a contempt, of God, and of
leading a dissolute life. With this statement agrees the admonition of Paul, in
<470614>2
Corinthians 6:14, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers." It was,
indeed, beyond the prophet's power to chase the wicked to a distance from him;
but by these words he intimates, that from henceforth he will have no
intercourse with them. He emphatically designates God as his God, to
testify that he makes more account of him alone than of all mankind. Finding
extreme wickedness universally prevailing on the earth, he separated himself
from men, that he might join himself wholly to God. At the present day, that bad
examples may not carry us away to evil, it greatly concerns us to put God on our
side, and to abide constantly in him, because he is
ours.
116.
Sustain me by thy word, and I
shall live. Many read, According to
thy word, so that the letter
b,
beth, which signifies in, is taken for the letter
k,
caph, which signifies as; and thus the sense would be, Sustain me
according to the promise which thou hast made to me, or, as thou hast promised
to me. And, undoubtedly, whenever God stretches out his hand to us to raise us
up when we are fallen, or supports us with his hand, he fulfills his promises.
The prophet, however, seems to pray, that constancy of faith may be given him,
to enable him to continue steadfast in the divine word. We are said to fall from
God's word when we fall from the faith of it; and in like manner, so long as we
repose upon the truth and certainty of it, he is our sustainer. But, as the
prophet well knew that there is not strength in man adequate to this, he asks
from God ability to persevere as the singular gift of the Holy Spirit. It
follows, then, that true stability is to be found no where else but in the word
of God; and that no man can steadfastly lean upon it but he who is strengthened
by the power of the Holy Spirit. We must therefore always beseech God, who alone
is the author and finisher of faith, to maintain in us this grace. Farther, when
the Psalmist places life in faith, he teaches, that all that men promise
themselves without the word is mere falsehood. It is therefore the Lord alone
who quickens us by his word, even as it is said in Habakkuk,
(<350204>Habakkuk
2:4,) "The just shall live by faith." Both passages have the same meaning. After
Habakkuk has derided the foolish confidence of the flesh, with which men are
generally inflated, and as manifested in their raising themselves on high that
they may fall with the greater violence, he shows, that the faithful alone, whom
the word of God sustains, stand upon safe and sure
ground.
If the first interpretation is adopted,
the second clause, make me not
ashamed of my expectation, will be added
by way of exposition; for these two things — the prayer that the prophet
maybe preserved by God's grace according to his word, and the prayer that he may
reap the fruit of his hope — would amount to nearly the same thing. Yet,
after having beseeched God to grant him constancy to persevere, he seems now to
proceed farther, praying that God would, in very deed, show the thing which he
had promised. Every man's own infirmity bears witness to the many doubts which
intrude into our minds, when, after long endurance, the issue is not answerable
to our expectation; for God, in that case:. seems to disappoint
us.
To the same effect is the next verse, except
that no express mention is made of the word; and safety is put for
life. The prophet means to say, that whenever God withdrew his word, it
would be all over with his safety; but that, if he were established by the
Divine power, there was nothing of which he would have reason to be afraid. The
verb
h[ç
shaah, which we have translated
I will
consider, is rendered by many, I will
delight, and this sense is not unsuitable; for although God may give a very
desirable taste of his goodness in his bare word, yet the savor of it is not a
little increased when to the word the effect is added, provided we do not
perversely separate God's benefits from his promises. It is the true wisdom of
faith to consider all his benefits as the result or fruit of his promises, of
which, if we make no account, the enjoyment of all his good things will be of
little advantage to us, or rather will often prove hurtful and deadly. Yet it
appears to me preferable to render the verb by consider; for the more
experience any man has of God's help, the more ought he to awaken himself to
consider heavenly doctrine. The Psalmist adds, that he will continue to
persevere in this meditation during the whole of his
life.
118.
Thou hast trodden under foot
all those who wander from thy statutes.
By treading under foot he means, that God overthrows all the
despisers of his law, and casts them down from that loftiness which they assume
to themselves. The phrase is directed against the foolish, or rather frantic,
confidence with which the wicked are inflated, when they recklessly deride the
judgments of God; and, what is more, scruple not to magnify themselves against
him, as if they were not subject to his power. The last clause is to be
particularly noticed: for their
deceit is falsehood.
fd439 By these words the prophet
teaches, that the wicked gain nothing by their wiles, but that they are rather
entangled in them, or at length discover that they were mere sleight of hand.
Those ignorantly mar the sense who interpose the copula and, as if it had
been said, that deceit and
falsehood were in them. The word
hwmr,
remyah, signifies a subtle and crafty device. Interpreters, indeed,
often translate it thought; but this term does not sufficiently express
the propriety and force of the Hebrew word. The prophet means, that, however
well pleased the wicked are with their own cunning, they yet do nothing else
than deceive themselves with falsehood. And it was needful to add this clause;
for we see how the great bulk of mankind are fatally intoxicated with their own
vain imaginations, and how difficult it is to believe what is here asserted,
— that the more shrewd they are in their own estimation, the more do they
deceive themselves.
119.
Thou hast made all the wicked
of the earth to cease as dross. The meaning of
this verse is similar to that of the preceding. By the similitude employed,
there is described a sudden and an unexpected change, when their imaginative
glory and happiness become dissipated in smoke. It is to be observed, that the
vengeance of God against the wicked is not all at once manifested, so that they
completely perish, or are exterminated from the earth; but as God, in rooting
them out one after another, shows himself to be the judge of the world, and that
he is purging the earth of them, it is not wonderful to find the prophet
speaking of their destruction in this manner; for the Hebrew verbs often denote
a continued act. As God, then, executes his judgments by little and little, and
often suspends punishment until he see that the wicked abuse his long-suffering;
it becomes us, on our part, to continue patiently waiting until, as a heathen
writer observes, he compensate the delay of the punishment, by its severity when
inflicted. It is abundantly evident, that the particle of similitude, as,
is to be supplied before the word
dross.
fd440 Nor do I reject the opinion of
those who assert, that the wicked are compared to dross, because, so long as
they are mingled among the faithful as dregs, they infect and contaminate them;
but when they are removed as scum, the purity of the godly shines forth with
improved lustre. In the second place, the prophet adds, that the judgments of
God were not without fruit in him, since they led him to love the doctrine of
the law the more. Those who are not induced to commit themselves to the
protection of God, whenever, by lifting up his hand, he shows that the world is
governed by his power, must certainly be very perverse; but when, of his own
good pleasure, he offers himself to us by his word, those who do not make haste
to embrace so great a boon are stupid indeed. On the other hand, when he
connives for a long time at the wickedness of men, devout affection, which
should ravish us with the love of God's word,
languishes.
120.
My flesh hath trembled for fear of thee.
fd441 At first sight the prophet seems
to contradict himself. He had just now said, that, by God's severity, he was
gently drawn to love his testimonies; now he declares, that he was seized with
terror. But although these two effects differ widely from each other, yet, if we
consider by what kind of discipline God forms us to reverence his law, we will
perceive that they entirely harmonize. We require to be subdued by fear that we
may desire and seek after the favor of God. Since fear, then, is the beginning
of love, the prophet testifies, that he was awakened by a heart-felt fear of God
to look well to himself. Nor is the mortification of the flesh so easy a matter,
as that every one should consent to enter upon it, without the constraint of
violent means; and, therefore, it is not wonderful if God struck his servant
with terror, that, in this way, he might bend his mind to a holy fear of him. It
is an evidence of no common wisdom to tremble before God when he executes his
judgments, of which the majority of mankind take no notice. We are then taught
by these words of the prophet, that we ought to consider attentively the
judgments of God, that they may not only gently instruct us, but that they may
also strike us with such terror as will lead us to true
repentance.
FOOTNOTES
ftd1
Horsley translates, —
"Jehovah is
King,
Jehovah is
gorgeously arrayed."
And, on the second line, he has the following note:
— "The construction of the original is doubtful, though the sense be
obvious. The text may be expounded in either of these two ways;
hwhy
(Jehovah)
çbl
(hath put on).çbl
twag (majesty of dress;) or,
çbl
twag (majesty of dress) [is]
çbl
(the dress)
hwhy
(of
Jehovah.)"
ftd2
See volume 2, page 455, note 2. Bishop Lowth supposes that here, as well as in
that passage, there is an allusion to the precious and magnificent ornaments of
the priests' attire. "Such," says he, "was the gracefulness, such the
magnificence of the sacerdotal vestments, especially those of the High Priest;
so adapted were they, as Moses says,
(<022802>Exodus
28:2,) to the expression of glory and beauty, that to those who were impressed
with an equal opinion of the sanctity of the wearer, nothing could possibly
appear more venerable and sublime. To these, therefore, we find frequent
allusions in the Hebrew poets, when they have occasion to describe extraordinary
beauty or comeliness, or to delineate the perfect form of supreme Majesty. The
elegant Isaiah
(<236110>Isaiah
61:10) has a most beautiful idea of this kind when he describes, in his own
peculiar manner, (that is, most magnificently,) the exultation and glory of the
Church, after its triumphal restoration. Pursuing the allusion, he decorates her
with the vestments of salvation, and clothes her in a robe of righteousness. He
afterwards compares the Church to a bridegroom dressed for the marriage, to
which comparison incredible dignity is added by the word Ikohen,
a metaphor plainly taken from the apparel of the priests, the force
of which, therefore, no modern language can express. No imagery, indeed, which
the Hebrew writers could employ, was equally adapted with this to the display
(as far as the human powers can conceive or depict the subject) of the infinite
majesty of God, 'Jehovah' is therefore introduced by the Psalmist as 'clothed
with glory and with strength,'
(<199301>Psalm
93:1,) he is 'girded with power,'
(<196507>Psalm
65:7;) which are the very terms appropriated to the describing of the dress and
ornaments of the priests." — Lectures on the Sacred Poetry of the
Hebrews, volume 1, pages 174,
175.
ftd3
"Ou, prepare." — Fr. marg. "Or,
prepared."
ftd4
"Selon que ces similitudes-ci prinses des hommes ont de coustume d'estre
appropriees a Dieu, pour le regard et la portee de nostre infirmite." —
Fr.
ftd5
The Hebrew word
yrbçm,
mishberey, here used for waves, means "waves" that
"beat" against the shore or each other, and so are "broken," — "breakers."
Accordingly, Mant translates, "Strong the breakers tossing high." Horsley gives
a similar version. He reads the third and fourth verses thus,
—
3. "The floods, O
Jehovah! Raised
The
floods raised their
voice;
The floods
lifted up their
waves,
With the sound
of many waters.
4.
Mighty are the breakers of the
seal;
Mighty on High
is Jehovah!"
As to the fourth line, "With the sound of many
waters," he observes, "This is the first line of the fourth, but should be
joined to the third verse. And are not the floods here mentioned, the fluids of
the indigested chaos, in wild irregular agitation, before the Creator had
reduced it to form and order? Or rather, may they not be mystical, — the
tumults of the rebellious
people?"
ftd6
"Domui tuae decus, sanctitas Jehovah in longitudinum dierum." —
Lat. The translation in the French version is different, — "A ta
maison est donc magnificence: la sainctete du Seigneur est pour un
long temps." "To thy house then there is glory: the holiness of the Lord
is for a length of time." In the former version, holiness is represented
to be the true glory and ornament of God's house; in the latter, it is described
as the attribute of
God.
ftd7
Dr Morison, after stating the opinion of Mudge, who thinks that this psalm was
composed on occasion of some violent inundation, which threatened a general
confusion to the world, adds, "It is more probable, perhaps, that the floods
spoken of are entirely figurative; and that they represent in Eastern phrase,
those powerful enemies by whom the peace of David and the ancient Church was so
often disturbed. But though the floods were lifted high, and threatened
destruction to those who were within their reach, yet Jehovah was seen, as it
were, riding on their most tempestuous billows, and amidst their mightiest
tumult, his throne was unshaken and his kingdom unmoved." In support of this
view he refers to other passages of Scripture, as
<230807>Isaiah
8:7, 8; 17:12, 13; and
<184607>Job
46:7, 8, where the confederated enemies of God's Church are compared to the
tempestuous waves of the mighty ocean, which roll one after another with
resistless fury upon the storm-tossed
bark.
ftd8
"Non dubito quin Propheta quasi per hypotyposin Dei potentiam hic nobis
exprimat." — Lat. "Comme par une demonstration." —
Fr. Hypotyposis means strictly the first rough sketch of a
picture.
ftd9
"The testimonies of God, when taken generally, are the truths which he has
testified or declared, inclusive not only of moral precepts, but of gracious and
unchangeable promises. The combined result of which is, to impress on the minds
of men the weighty consideration, that those who trust in the mercy of God must
not, in a lower degree, venerate and adore his sanctity in all their converse
with him." —
Walford.
ftd10
"Quidam,
hwan,
pro desiderabili accipiunt: acsi dixisset propheta, Templi decus esse
pretiosum," etc. — Lat. The French version follows this exactly.
But the sentence is unsatisfactory; and there would seem to be some mistake, or
omission, in the original text. If the Hebrew word referred to be rendered
desirable, then when joined to
çdq,
the clause would read, holiness is desirable, or
becoming, to thy house, etc. — and not the
adorning of thy house is desirable, or
precious.
ftd11
"'Holiness becometh thine house — for ever,'
µymy
°ral, le-orec yamim, 'for length
of days:' during the whole lapse of time; till the sun and moon shall be no
more." — Dr Adam
Clarke.
ftd12
This is a literal translation of the original Hebrew, and Archbishop Secker
thinks it is much more spirited than that of our English version. The word
vengeance, when applied to God, means nothing more than his
retributive justice. It may not be one of the happiest words for representing
the Hebrew term when used to express this attribute of Deity, being liable to be
misunderstood, as if it implied a revengeful spirit, the sense which it commonly
bears when applied to men. "This retributive justice," says Dr Adam Clarke, "is
what we often term vengeance, but perhaps improperly; for
vengeance with us signifies an excitement of angry passions, in order to gratify
a vindictive spirit, which supposes itself to have received some real injury;
whereas, what is here referred to is the simple act of justice that gives to all
their
due."
ftd13
Mant renders,
"Beam forth with
all thy radiance bright."
"The Hebrew verb," he observes, "signifies to
irradiate, shine forth, as God in glory;
<198001>Psalm
80:1; 50:2; and that either in vengeance, as in this place, or kindness, as in
<181003>Job
10:3." — See Parkhurst's Lexicon on
[py.
ftd14
"Mais les fideles s'arrestent a mediter ainsi en eux-mesmes la nature d'iceluy,
afin de s'accourager, meilleure esperance, et soliciter a prier avec plus grande
ardeur et vehemence." —
Fr.
ftd15
In our English Bible this verse is put into the interrogative form, and the
words "how long" are supplied: "How long shall they utter and
speak hard things?" Calvin translates it as a simple statement, and without
any supplemental words; which Archbishop Secker considers to be more
correct.
ftd16
"Non seulement le droict commun est viole, mais aussi le privilege que Dieu a
voulu ordonner pour les maintenir en sauvete et seurete." —
Fr.
ftd17
"µyr[b,
boharum, ye brutish. From
r[b,
a brute." —
Bythner.
ftd18
"The Hebrew verb denotes planting in various senses: and is with great
propriety applied to the wonderful structure of the ear, and its insertion into
and connection with the head." —
Mant.
ftd19
Upon this and the preceding verse, Grotius says, "This is a very excellent way
of arguing; for whatever perfection there is in created beings, it is derived
from God; and therefore it must be in him in the most eminent manner." It is
well observed by Dr Adam Clarke, that "the Psalmist does not say, He that
planted the ear hath he not an ear? He that formed the eye hath
he not eyes? No, but shall he not hear — shall he
not see? And why does he say so? To prevent the error of
humanising God; of attributing members or corporeal parts to the infinite
Spirit."
ftd20
"Et certes une asseurance tant lourde monstre qu'ils pechent tout ainsi comme
s'ils ne devoyent jamais estre appelez , rendre raison de leur vie." —
Fr.
ftd21
The Latin reads here as follows: "Quis populus tam nobilis, qui deos sibi
appropinquantes hubeat, sicuti hodie Deus tuus ad te descendit? Haec enim vestra
est intelligentia coram cunctis Gentibus, et sapientia, Deum habere
legislatorem."
ftd22
In our English Bible, the words shall not he know? are added. "But
this is not acknowledged by the original nor by any of the versions. Indeed it
is not necessary; for, either the words contain a simple proposition, 'It is he
who teacheth man knowledge;' or this clause should be read in connection with
verse 11, 'Jehovah, who teacheth man knowledge, he knoweth the devices of man,
that they are vanity.' As he teaches knowledge to man, must He not know all the
reasonings and devices of the human heart?" — Dr Adam
Clarke.
ftd23
"Mais nous voyons avec quelles couvertures tant les courtisans que les gens de
justice obscurcissent leurs entendemens afin que sans aucune vergongne ils osent
bien se moquer de Dieu." —
Fr.
ftd24
Horsley reads, "the devices of man:" and asking, Did not St Paul for
µda
read
µr[,
or rather
µwr[?
refers to
<460320>1
Corinthians
3:20.
ftd25
The original word
lbh
is "from
lbh,
which first signifies to vanish, or come to nought,
as in
<240205>Jeremiah
2:5, 'They walked after
lbhh,
vanity,
wlbhyw,
and vanished, or came to nought;' and if understood here in this sense,
it must signify vanishing, transient, that soon comes to
nothing; and accordingly the Syriac renders it a vapour. But there
is another notion of
lbh;
it is put metaphorically for 'stultescere,' 'to grow
foolish.'
Thus in Psalms 62:11, it is best
rendered from the Hebrew, 'Trust not in oppression and rapine,
wlbhtAla,
become not vain,' i.e., .fools, to signify that
those that so trust, that depend on unlawful means for enriching themselves,
will certainly be deceived, find this the most perfect folly in the
event. And the term folly being that by which the Atheist is most
frequently expressed in Scripture, will be most agreeable to this place, where
the Atheist's cogitations are described, verse 7, confident of God's
not seeing nor regarding; which thoughts of his, as they are
Atheistical, and so false, and so foolish in one sense, as folly
is ignorance, so are they most impudent, (which is practical
and the greatest folly,) will never secure his wicked actions of
impunity, but, on the contrary, will betray him to all the ruin in the world.
And to this sense it is, that in verse 8 we find it said in the like style,
'Understand, O ye brutish; and ye fools, when will ye be wise?' and so this is
the adequate notion of the word here." —
Hammond.
ftd26
"Les hommes ne sont point si sages, qu'au milieu des afflictions continuelles
ils taschent d'un courage paisible de parvenir jusques au but; mais qui ceste
sagesse-la leur est donnee de Dieu." —
Fr.
ftd27
"Mais le Prophete adjouste incontinent, que ceste sagesse laquelle Dieu nous
inspire au dedans, nous est quant-et-quant proposee et manifestee en la Loy."
—
Fr.
ftd28
In our English Bible it is "until the pit be digged:" on which Hammond,
who gives the same translation as Calvin, comments as follows: — "The
rendering of
d[,
until, in this place, may much disturb the sense, and make it
believed that the rest [r
ymym, from the evil days,
i.e., from persecution, (see
<490516>Ephesians
5:16,) which God gives to good men, is to continue till the pit be digged
for the ungodly, i.e., till the measure of their sins be filled
up, and so destruction be ready for them: whereas, the contrary of this is
evident, that either the destruction of the wicked is first, and the quiet and
rest of the good (oppressed by them) a natural effect of that, and so subsequent
to it; or that both of them are of the same date, at once 'tribulation to them
that trouble you, and to you who are troubled rest,'
<530106>2
Thessalonians 1:6, 7. And this is evidently the meaning of it here, and so will
be discerned, if only the
da
be rendered dum, whilst, (as it is elsewhere used,
<320402>Jonah
4:2, ytwyh
da, 'whilst I was,'
<180116>Job
1:16, rbdm hz
da, 'whilst he was speaking,') for then thus it
will run very fitly, 'That thou mayest give him rest — whilst the pit is
digged —'" Horsley reads the verse
—
"To produce ease for him
out of the days of adversity, Whilst the pit is digging for the
impious."
ftd29
"Que les maisons qui sont destinees aux vivans, pour un peu de temps sont bien
concedees aux morts cependant qu'on leur fait leur fosse; et qu'en ceste facon
ceux qui neantmoins sont destinez a perdition, demeurent en vie," etc. —
Fr.
ftd30
"Mais pource qu'au regard des hommes ou ne voit pas tousjours une telle
moderation ou temperature que sa justice soit apparente; laquelle est nommee
Gouvernement juste, apres que l'inequalite est corrigee." —
Fr.
ftd31
"On voit un tresbon accord entre la domination et justice en une equalite bien
moderee." —
Fr.
ftd32
Horsley reads, "Who will set himself on my side?" The original words are
yl
bxytyAAym. "The verb
bxyty,"
says this critic, "I take to be a military term; literally, 'to take one's place
in
battalion'"
ftd33
"The Hebrew is
hmwd.
Sepulchrum, Pagn. Silentium, Mont. The Septuagint
has tw~|
a[|dh; and Jerome in inferno." —
Reeves' Collation of the Hebrew and Greek text of the
Psalms.
ftd34
"ynd[sy,
yisadeni, propped me. It is a metaphor taken from any
thing falling, that is propped, shored up, or
buttressed. How often does the mercy of God thus prevent
the ruin of weak believers, and of those who have been unfaithful?" —
Dr Adam
Clarke.
ftd35
In the Septuagint and Vulgate, it is "in the multitude of my
sorrows."
ftd36
Horsley reads the whole verse thus: —
"In the multitude
of my anxieties within
me,
Thy comforts
cheered my soul."
And he observes, "The original word
w[ç[çy
signifies 'to cause to leap or dance for joy;' but the English language will not
bear an application of this image to the soul; though we say, 'to make the
heart leap for
joy.'"
ftd37
"Si nous entendons le glissement du pied, seulement de la mort
corporelle, il ne sera point absurde de dire que le Prophere ait este en ce
desespoir." —
Fr.
ftd38
Dr Kennicott reads, "sub specie legis;" in which he is followed by Horsley:
"Framing oppression under the pretense of law." Fry's version of the
whole verse stands thus: —
"Is the tribunal of
iniquity in accord with
thee?
Decreeing wrong
against me by law?"
"Legal forms," he remarks, "have often been given to
the proceedings of the persecutors of God's people; and the sacred institutions,
both of the civil and religious authorities, have been perverted to be the tools
of
oppression."
ftd39
"wdwgy,
(ja-ghod-du,) will collect in a troop. Targ. 'will heap together
evils;' LXX. 'will hunt after.' From
ddg,
ran by troops, invaded with an army." —
Bythner.
ftd40
"Deinde quid minus consentaneum, quam ut tota forensis ratio nihil aliud sit
quam scelesta conspiratio ad insontes damnandos?" —
Lat.
ftd41
"Toutesfois pour autant que Dieu a jadis exerce ses serviteurs en l'une et
l'autre sorte de tentation, apprenons non seulement de porter patiemment une
violence injuste, mais aussi les calomnies indignes," etc. —
Fr.
ftd42
This psalm has no inscription, but the Septuagint, Vulgate, Æthiopic,
Arabic, and Syriac versions, and the apostle Paul in
<580407>Hebrews
4:7, ascribe it to David; so that there can be no doubt that it is one of the
compositions of the sweet singer of
Israel.
ftd43
Horsley reads the second clause, "Let us raise the loud peal of melody to the
Rock of our salvation;" on which he has the following note: "The verb
[yrh
signifies to make a loud sound of any sort, either with the voice or with
instruments. In the Psalms it generally refers to the mingled din of voices and
various instruments, in the temple-service. This wide sense of the word cannot
be expressed otherwise in the English language than by a peripharasis." Bishop
Mant, acting on this notion, has ventured, conformably to it, to specify in his
version some of the instruments commonly used in the temple-worship:
—
"Come, let us sing
Jehovah's praise!
To
him the pealing chorus
raise,
With trump,
and harp, and cymbals
ring;
The rock on
which our hopes are placed!"
ftd44
"The deep places of the earth," which are opposed to the "heights of the
mountains," plainly mean the deepest and most retired parts of the terraqueous
globe, which are explored by the eye of God, and by his only. Horsely reads the
verse thus, —
"The God in whose
hand are the nethermost recesses of the
earth,
Whose also are
the inaccessible summits of the mountains."
"This, and the following verse," says he, "are
expositive of the greatness of the Godship of Jehovah, generally mentioned in
the lst verse. 'The God, in whose hand.' Thus, I have endeavoured to preserve
the full force of the Hebrew phrase
wdyb
rça." Bythner's version of the last member
is, "And the strength of the mountains is his." He derives the noun
twp[wtw,
vethoaphoth, which he renders strength, from the verb
ã[y,
yaaph, was wearied; and observes, that this is "a noun plural
feminine, weariness, — by antiphrasis, strength: is read
four times in Scripture, and is said of mountains, silver, and the unicorn, the
weariness and difficulty in overcoming which, denote their great strength."
Pagninus gives a similar rendering. Montanus has cacumina, the
tops, which the Septuagint seems to agree, reading
ta< u[ yh tw~n
ojre>wn.
ftd45
"Deum ita excellere, ut longe emineat supra omnem coelestem gloriam et quicquid
divinum est, non minus quam supra omne terrenum figmentum." —
Lat.
ftd46
"That is, so as to touch the floor with the forehead, while the worshipper is
prostrate on his hands and knees. — See
<140703>2
Chronicles 7:3." —
Fry.
ftd47
"Il faut neantmoins tousjours adjoustor ceste exception, que les fideles
eslevans les yeux au ciel, adorent Dieu spirituellement." —
Fr.
ftd48
Hammond, after making a similar remark, adds — "But it is more reasonable
to take the explanation from the different significations of
h[r,
[the word which Calvin renders pasture,] as for feeding,
so for governing, equally applicable to men and cattle; from
whence it is but analogy, that
h[rm,
which signifies a pasture, where cattle are fed, should also
signify dominion or kingdom, or any kind of
politei>a,
wherein a people are governed. And then the other part,
the sheep of his hand, will be a fit, though figurative,
expression; the shepherd that feeds, and rules, and leads the sheep,
doing it by his hand, which manageth the rod and staff,
<192304>Psalm
23:4. The Jewish Arab reads, 'the people of his feeding, or flock, and the sheep
of his
guidance.'"
ftd49
The text reads, "Si tantum nomen Legis posuisset." This is evidently a mistake
of the printer for Gregis. The French version reads — "Le
Troupeau."
ftd50
The flock under his conduct or
guidance.
ftd51
The ancient Jewish writers frequently apply these words to the Messiah: and they
have argued from them, that if all Israel would repent but one day the Messiah
would come; because it is said, "To-day, if ye will hear his
voice."
ftd52
Hammond observes, that the particle
µa,
im, here rendered if, is in other places often used in an
optative signification, as in
<023232>Exodus
32:32, "If thou wilt" for "O that thou wouldst forgive them;" and that therefore
the rendering here may be, "O that to-day ye would hear his voice;" — a
reading, he adds, which "may be thought needful to the making the sense complete
in this verse, which otherwise is thought to hang (though not so fitly) on the
8th verse, and not to be finished without it." He then goes on to say, "But it
may be considered also, whether this verse be not more complete in itself by
rendering
µa,
if, thus: 'Let us worship and bow down, and kneel before the Lord our
Maker; for he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and sheep of his
hand, if ye will hear his voice to-day,' i.e., speedily,
— if ye will speedily perform obedience to him, — setting the words
in form of a conditional promise, thereby to enforce the performance of the
condition on our part. The condition to the performance of which they are
exhorted, (verse 6,) is paying God the worship and lowly obedience due to him;
and the promise secured to them in this performance, that he will be
their God, and they the people of his pasture,
etc., i.e., that God will take the same care of them
that a shepherd does of his sheep; preserve them from all enemies, Midianites,
Philistines, Canaanites,
etc."
ftd53
"Non erit proprie conditionalis, sed expositiva; vel pro temporis adverbio
sumetur." — Lat. — "Ne sera pas proprement conditionnelle,
mais expositive; ou bien elle sera prinse pour Quand." —
Fr.
ftd54
That is, in the wilderness of Midian, into which the people entered after
passing through the Red Sea. In their way towards Horeb, their fourth station
was at Rephidim, where they were chargeable with the sinful conduct here
referred
to.
ftd55
Paul, in quoting this passage in
<580309>Hebrews
3:9, joins the words forty years to the concluding part of the preceding
verse: "When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years;"
whereas, in the Hebrew text, and as Calvin connects them, they form the
commencement of the 10th verse. But this depends on the punctuation system of
the Masorites, which the Apostle has not followed. It is of little consequence
whether the words forty years are connected with the close of the 9th
verse or the beginning of the 10th; the sense in either case being substantially
the same. If the Israelites tempted God forty years, he strove with them during
that period; and if he strove with them for so long a time, it was because they
tempted him. The Apostle shows that either of these readings may be
indifferently adopted, when, in the 17th verse of that chapter, instead of
speaking of the forty years as the space of time during which the Israelites
tempted God, he speaks of them as the period during which God was grieved by
that rebellious people. "But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not
with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the
wilderness?"
ftd56
bbl y[t
µ[, am toe lebab, "a nation
wandering of heart."
Y[t,
toe, is from
h[t,
taah, he wandered, deviated. The LXX., whom Paul
follows in
<580310>Hebrews
3:10, have ajei<
planwntai; from which Reeves conjectures, that
instead of y[t
µ[, populus erratium, "a people
that do err;" they might have
read,y[t
µl[ "always erring." The phrase, erring in
heart, is emphatic, indicating the great stress which God lays on the
state of the heart. Moses Stuart, in his commentary on this passage, as quoted
in
<580310>Hebrews
3:10, understands the heart as pleonastic; so that the phrase imports
simply, They always err, i.e., they are continually
departing from the right way. But the phrase, we think, is intended to convey
another idea, — that God, in judging of the character and conduct of men,
has a special regard to the state of the heart. It is the heart which he
principally requires in our obedience; and this he chiefly looks to in men's
disobedience. When it is upright as to its general frame, design, and principle,
he will bear with many failings and shortcomings. When it is insincere, he will
set no value whatever on any outward professions or actions, however good in
themselves. We ourselves act upon the same principle, and are justified in doing
so. If a man discovers that he has just ground to suspect that the hearts of
those with whom he has intimate intercourse, are false and deceitful towards
him, he ceases to respect and love them, whatever may be their professions of
friendship. The lines of the Greek poet, though inconsistent with the subdued
feeling and tone of Christian benevolence, which, in this case, instead of
hatred to the person, produces regret and grief; yet show that men universally,
from their very nature, take into account the state of the heart in estimating
the professions and conduct of others towards them: —
"Ecqov
gar moi ceinov ojmwv ai`dao
pulhsin
Ov c eJteron men ceuqei
eni fresin, allo de
bazei"
"I
hate him like the gates of hell, who, pretending fairly to
me,
reserves other
things in his mind."
ftd57
The oath to which God here refers is recorded in
<041420>Numbers
14:20,
23.
ftd58
This remarkable part of Jewish history is alluded to in other places, and for
various purposes. Sometimes to reproach the Israelites on account of their sins,
as in
<050922>Deuteronomy
9:22, "And at Massah ye provoked the Lord to wrath;" sometimes to warn them
against falling into the like sins, as in
<050616>Deuteronomy
6:16, "Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God as ye tempted him in Massah;" and,
at other times, as an instance of the faithfulness of the Levites who clave to
God in these circumstances of trial,
<053308>Deuteronomy
33:8, "And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one,
whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters
of
Meribah."
ftd59
In our English Bible it is, "in the provocation — in the day of
temptation." But the most eminent critics agree with Calvin in thinking that it
is better to retain the terms Meribah and Massah than to translate
them. The places called by these names were so designated from the Israelites
provoking and tempting God at them; and the retaining of the proper names gives
more effect and liveliness to the allusion. See Psalm 81:7, volume 3, page 316,
n.
2.ftd60
Mant and Walford suppose that it is at the second part of verse 7, "To-day, if
ye will hear his voice," where God is introduced as speaking. "By an almost
imperceptible transition," remarks the former critic, "the person is here [last
clause of verse 7th] changed; Jehovah becomes the speaker; and with a
corresponding change of topic, the Ode, which had commenced with a spiritual
exhortation to exult in the blessings of the Gospel, concludes with a solemn,
affectionate, and impressive admonition of the danger of disobedience to it;
leaving the warning upon the mind with an abruptness peculiarly well calculated
to excite attention and to produce the desired effect." Dimock conjectures,
that, as God is introduced as speaking in the last clause of the 7th verse, we
should read with Mudge,
ylwqb,
for
wlqb,
(or, as 37 MSS. and two others at first,
wlwqb,)
"Oh that you may hear my voice this day: that you may not harden your
hearts,"
etc.
ftd61
"Ab aliis frigide audiri, et contemptim; ab aliis fastidiose respui; ab aliis
superbe rejici; ab aliis etiam furiose non sine probro et blasphemia proscindi."
—
Lat.
ftd62
"Combien qu'une telle perversite nous soit naturelle, toutesfois pource qu'elle
est volontaire, et que nous ne sommes pas insensibles comme les pierres."
—
Fr.
ftd63
"Il ne s'ensuit pas neantmoins qu'il soit en nostre puissance d'amollir nostre
coeur, ou de le flechir en l'une et l'autre part." —
Fr.
ftd64
"When the Scriptures speak of men as tempting God, the meaning is, that
men do that which puts the divine patience, forbearance, goodness, etc., to a
trial; i.e., makes it difficult, as it were, to preserve a strict
regard to these." — Stuart on
<580308>Hebrews
3:8.
ftd65
"D'autant qu'ils ont desire que la vertu de Dieu, laquelle leur estoit declaree
par tant d'experiences, leur fust manifestee, comme s'ils ne l'eussent jamais
cognue." —
Fr.
ftd66
"Solus ille strepitus, quasi omnium actionum catastrophe, palam ostenderit
insanabilem esse eorum pervicaciam." —
Lat.
ftd67
"The men of that age, or, as we say in English, the
generation then upon the stage." — Stuart on
<580310>Hebrews
3:10.
ftd68
"proswcqiza
I was indignant, was offended at. The word is Helenistic. The
Greeks use
ojcqe>w
and
ojcqi>zw.
According to etymology, it consists of
pro>v,
to, against, upon, and
ojcqh,
bank, shore. It is applied primarily to a ship infringing upon
the shore, or, as we say, running aground. It answers to the Hebrew
wq fwq
sam, etc." — Stuart on
<580310>Hebrews
3:10.
ftd69
"Satis superque innotuit, quia corrigi nullo modo poterant, non temere fuisse
abdicatos a requie Dei." —
Lat.
ftd70
See Commentary, Psalm 27:13, and 89:35. "The Hebrews used
µa,
in the latter clause of an oath, which ran thus: God do so to me,
if
(µa)
I do thus, etc. See the full form in
<090317>1
Samuel 3:17;
<100335>2
Samuel 3:35;
<120631>2
Kings 6:31. The former part of this oath was sometimes omitted, and
µa
had then the force of a strong negative; see
<101111>2
Samuel 11:11;
<091445>1
Samuel 14:45, alibi; vide Ges. Heb. Lex. under
µa,
number 6. So in
<199511>Psalm
95:11, ˆwaby
µa, contains a strong negative, which the
LXX., and Paul after them,
(<580311>Hebrews
3:11,) have rendered eij
eijseleu>sontai, they shall not
enter." — Stuart on
<580311>Hebrews
3:11. "The expression," says Dr Owen, "is imperfect, and relates to the oath of
God, wherein he sware by himself. As if he had said, 'Let me not live, or not be
God, if they enter,' which is the greatest and highest asseveration that they
should not enter. And the concealment of the engagement is not, as some suppose,
from a
paqov,
causing an abruptness of speech, but from the reverence of the person spoken of.
The expression is perfectly and absolutely negative. So
<410812>Mark
8:12, with
<401604>Matthew
16:4;
<091444>1
Samuel 14:44;
<112010>1
Kings 20:10." — Commentary on Hebrews
3:11.
ftd71
See volume 1, page 103,
note.ftd72
"Subtilius disputat quam ferant Prophetae verba." —
Lat.
ftd73
"Vetus et legale Sabbathum quod umbratile tantum erat, cum spirituali vitae
novitate." —
Lat.
ftd74
"Mutae erant ac surdae." —
Lat.
ftd75
We meet with a psalm very similar to this, in 1 Chronicles 16, delivered by
David to Asaph, to be sung on occasion of the removing of the ark from the house
of Obed-edom to Zion. But the ode, as it stands in 1 Chronicles 16, is
considerably longer, extending from the 8th verse to the 36th; and this is only
the part of it from the 23rd to the 33rd verse. It has been supposed that this
part was extracted from the psalm above mentioned, and, with a few
inconsiderable alterations, adapted to the solemnity of the dedication of the
second temple. This opinion is founded upon the inscription of the psalm in the
Septuagint, Vulgate, Æthiopic, and Arabic versions, which is, "A song of
David when the house was built after the captivity." Consequently, strictly
speaking, this is not a new song. But it may be called
new, from its having been adapted to a new purpose — from
its having been intended to celebrate new mercies conferred upon the Jews, and
to lead the mind forward to the glorious era of the coming of the Messiah, and
the establishment of his kingdom, which probably was the matter of more general
expectation among the chosen people, at the period when the temple was rebuilt,
than when the ark was brought to Mount Zion from the house of Obed-edom. It may
be observed, that the first verse is not in the original poem, as recorded in
the book of Chronicles, but appears to have been added for the new occasion to
which this shorter psalm was
adapted.
ftd76
The original word for gods is
µyhla,
elohim. Dr Adam Clarke, who doubts whether this word is ever by
fair construction applied to false gods or idols, reads —
"Jehovah is great,
and greatly to be
praised.
Elohim is to
be feared above all."
ftd77
"Ou, idoles." — Fr. marg. "Or,
idols."
ftd78
"Quia Deus per angelos irradiat totum mundum, in illis refulgent Deitatis
scintillae." — Lat. "Pource que Dieu jette comme ses rayons
sur tout le monde par les anges, des estincelles de Divinite reluisent en
iceux." —
Fr.
ftd79
lyla,
elil, signifies a thing of nought; as if from
la,
not, the
l
being doubled to denote extreme nothingness. Thus a false vision or prophecy, on
which no dependence can be placed, is called
lyla,
elil, "a thing of nought,"
<241414>Jeremiah
14:14, and a shepherd that leaves the flock, and instead of visiting, healing
and feeding them, devours and tears them in pieces, is called in
<381115>Zechariah
11:15, 16, "a pastor,
lylah,
haelil, of no value." In this sense the word is used of the
false gods of the heathen. Instead of being
µyhla,
elohim, gods, they are
µylyla,
elilim, mere nothings. Accordingly, Paul, in
<460804>1
Corinthians 8:4, speaks of an idol as being "nothing in the
world."
ftd80
"Sed quicquid imaginarium illis affingitur, nihilum esse." —
Lat.
ftd81
"Quia eorum vanitas nihil derogat unis Dei gloriae." —
Ib.
ftd82
"Car tout ainsi qu'ils sont vanite aussi tout ce qui procede d'eux est vain et
plein de deception." —
Fr.
ftd83
"The argument of God's superiority over all other beings, drawn from his
creation of the world, is sublimely expressed in the following lines ascribed by
Justin Martyr (de Monarchid. page 159, ed. Oxon. 1703) to
Pythagoras, —
Ei] tiv ejrei~,
Qeo>v eijmi pa>rex eJno<v, ou=tov
ojfei>lei
Ko>smon i]son
tou>tw| sth>sav eijpei~n ejmo<v
ou=tov.
"One God our hearts
confess: whoe'er
beside
Aspires with
Him our homage to
divide,
A world as
beauteous let him first
design,
And say, its
fabric finished, 'This is
mine.'"
—
Merrick's Annotations.
ftd84
"Car ceux qui separent de luy sa puissance, imaginent plustost une essence
morte, qu'une Divinite vive." —
Fr.
ftd85
The original word for strength is
z[,
oz, which is derived from
zz[,
azaz, he was strong. "The same word," says Hammond, "signifies
what the Greeks call
ejxousi>a,
power, dominion, empire. In the notion of strength
or valour it may probably be used in verse 6, where as beauty
so strength is said to be in his sanctuary; beauty in respect
of the glory of the divine presence, by the guard of angels that attend there,
and strength in respect of the assistance that is by God provided and
furnished there to all that seek it by prayer. But the other notion is fitter
for this place, where the word is joined with glory and attributed to
God; and so in
<600511>1
Peter 5:11, which seems to be taken from hence, it is
aujtw~| hJ do>xa kai< to<
kra>tov, 'to him be glory and dominion;'
and hence God's title of
pantokra>twr
is best rendered, not 'almighty,' or 'he that hath all strength' but 'he that
hath the
z[
or ,
kra>tov,
dominion or empire over
all.'"
ftd86
Horsley reads, "Take an offering." "A mincha," says he, "an
offering of bread and flour, not of
flesh."
ftd87
The words
çdqAtrdhb,
which Calvin renders, "in the beauty of the sanctuary," are rendered in our
English Bible "in the beauty of holiness." The Septuagint reads,
aujlh~ aJgia
aujtou, "in the court of his holiness;" from
which it has been thought probable that the text originally stood
w:wqArxjb.
See this word at the end of the preceding verse. In
<192902>Psalm
29:2, the same sentence occurs. The version of Calvin, and that of Jerome, which
is precisely the same, in decore sanctuarii, partake both of the
Hebrew and Septuagint
reading.
ftd88
"Pour monstrer que les Gentils devoyent estre receus a un honneur nouveau,
qu'ils feront un mesme corps avec le peuple eleu." —
Fr.
ftd89
"The peoples. The Hebrew word is plural, and it is rendered
plurally by all the ancient versions. It is not one people only, but
all the nations upon earth, that God will judge." —
Street.
ftd90
The Hebrew verb
wnnr,
rannenu, here rendered rejoice, "expresses," says
Mant, "the vibratory motion either of a dancer's feet, or of a singer's lips.
Hence it signifies, to wave to and fro' as trees." In support of this sense of
the word he refers to Bishop Horsley's note on
<199808>Psalm
98:8, and Parkhurst's Lexicon on
ˆnr,
1:2. Accordingly, he translates the verse —
"Be glad, ye
fields, and fruits, the fields that
spread;
Wave high, ye
woods, in worship wave the head;"
which, he observes, will remind the reader of Adam
and Eve's morning hymn: —
" — and wave
your tops, ye
pines,
With every
plant, in sign of worship wave." Paradise Lost, v.
ftd91
This psalm has been admired for its grandeur and magnificence. The three last
verses in particular have been frequently quoted as a specimen of sublimity in
sentiment and language, which cannot be surpassed. "Nothing can excel in this
respect," remarks Bishop Lowth, "that noble exultation of universal nature in
the 96th Psalm, which has been so often commended, where the whole animate and
inanimate creation unite in the praises of their Maker. Poetry here seems to
assume the highest tone of triumph and exultation, and to revel, if I may so
express myself, in all the extravagance of joy." — Lectures on
Sacred Poetry, volume 1, page
378.
ftd92
"Semper tamen fluctuari necesse est, et vitam eoram pendere de filo, quia in Deo
fundatus non est eorum status." —
Lat.
ftd93
"Neque enim metonymice de angelis vel hominibus loquitur." —
Lat. "Il ne faut pas penser que ce soit yci la figure nommee
Metonymie, et que par les Cieux il entende les Anges, par la Terre les hommes."
—
Fr.
ftd94
"C'est une chose accidentale." —
Fr.
ftd95
"Ou, que beaucoup d'isles." — Fr. marg. "Or, let the
many isles." Horsley and some other critics object to translating the original
word,
µyya,
iyim, by isles. He reads, "Let the various settlements
of man rejoice:" on which he observes, "I cannot more exactly render the force
of the Hebrew
µyya,
than by this periphrasis. The English language hath no single word to convey the
same idea; and the word 'isles' or 'islands,' hath hardly any relation to it."
Fry's note here is as follows: — "The Hebrew terms rendered, 'the
multitude of the isles,' 'the various settlements of men,' 'the extended
shores,' seem in a special manner to designate these western parts of the world,
which were known as distant coasts visited by the ships of Tyre. All Europe
might originally fall under this denomination, with some parts of the sea coasts
of Africa, and even of Asia; nor can there be any doubt, that all subsequent
discoveries by sea, once uninhabited, but now colonized, and settled from the
old countries, would be designated by this term. Some nations of this
description are called upon, in particular, to rejoice in the Savior's
appearing."
ftd96
The word
ˆwkm,
mechon, here rendered "habitation," is from
ˆwk,
kun, he prepared, fitted, confirmed. "It is
used," says Hammond, "for a place, seat, but especially
a basis, whereon anything is set: from whence the LXX. had their
mecwvw<q,
(the very Hebrew
twnwkm)
for basis,
<110727>1
Kings 7:27. The Chaldee here retains the original
ˆwkm,
but the LXX., from the notion of the verb for fitting, read
kato>rqwsiv,
'the setting right of his throne;' the Syriac, by way of paraphrase, 'by equity
and judgment thy throne is confirmed:' all which concur to the notion of
basis or foundation, which is the thing that gives the
rectitude first, and then the stability, to the chair or
throne that is set on it. And so that is unquestionably the right, intelligible
rendering of the phrase, 'Righteousness and judgment are the (not habitation
but) basis of his throne,' i.e., his sentences, decrees,
judicatures, are all built upon righteousness and judgment, as a throne is built
and established on a
foundation."
ftd97
"Que le Prophete a voulu par ce regard obscur de Dieu, toucher au vif les coeurs
des hommes, afin qu'ils tremblent." —
Fr.
ftd98
"Ou, idoles." Fr. marg. "Or, idols." The original word here
is
µylyla
elilim. See note 2, page
50.ftd99
"Judah's daughters, the inferior towns and villages of
Judea, so called with reference to the metropolis, or mother city. This is a
very elegant kind of personification, by which the subject, adjunct, accident,
effect, or the like, of any thing or place is called the son, or, as in this
instance, the daughter of that thing or place. Hence the Hebrew poets often
introduce, as it were, on the stage, nations, countries, or kingdoms, clothed in
the dress of women, and performing all the functions suited to such a character.
The practice is familiar to our minds; but probably it is so rendered by our
habitual acquaintance with the Hebrew idiom, to which it appears to owe its
origin." — Mant on Psalms
48:11.
ftd100
"Les hommes ont naturellement quelque religion," etc. —
Fr.
ftd101
"Lucianici homines." — Lat. "Disciples de Lucian et Atheistes."
—
Fr.
ftd102
With the exception of the Chaldee, which, instead of "gods," has "people," all
the ancient versions translate angels — all his angels,
as if the Hebrew reading had originally been
wykalm
lk, and not as in our present copies
µyhla
lk. It has indeed been questioned whether
µyhla,
elohim, can be correctly translated angels. The most
of modern lexicographers and critics reject this sense of the word. "But usage,
after all," says Moses Stuart, "pleads in favor of it. The Septuagint render
la
(God) by
a]ggelov,
in
<182015>Job
20:15; and
µyhla
by
a]ggeloi,
in
<190806>Psalm
8:6; 96:7; 137:1. Paul follows them by quoting
<190806>Psalm
8:6 in
<580207>Hebrews
2:7; and also by quoting
<199707>Psalm
97:7 in
<580106>Hebrews
1:6; i.e., supposing that he does actually quote it. Is not
this sufficient evidence that there was a usus loquendi among the Jews,
which applied the word
µyhla
occasionally to designate angels? It is admitted that kings and
magistrates are called elohim, because of their rank or dignity.
Is there any thing improbable in the supposition that angels may be also called
µyhla,
who at present are elevated above men,
<580207>Hebrews
2:7?"
Stuart, in the above remarks, speaks as if
it were doubtful whether Paul in
<580106>Hebrews
1:6, "And again, when he bringeth the first-begotten into the world, he saith,
And let all the angels of God worship him," quotes from the 7th verse of the
97th Psalm. Commentators are divided in opinion on this point, some maintaining
that the quotation is from Psalm 97, and others that it is from
<053243>Deuteronomy
32:43, in the Septuagint version, where the very words are found which appear in
<580106>Hebrews
1:6, although only in that version; the Hebrew and all the ancient
versions being without them. One difficulty attending the supposition of his
quoting from
<053243>Deuteronomy
32:43 is, that the subject connected with this command to the angels (if we
admit the clause in the Septuagint to be a part of the sacred text) has no
relation to the Messiah. The context celebrates the victory over the enemies of
Israel, which God will achieve. After saying that 'his arms should be drunk with
blood, and that his sword should devour flesh with the blood of the slain and of
captives, from the time when he begins to take vengeance on the enemy,' the
Septuagint (not the Hebrew) immediately inserts,
eujfra>nqhte oujranoi< a[ma
aujtw~| kai< prokunhsa>twsan aujtw~| pa>ntev a]ggeloi
qeou~. This in the place where it stands must mean,
"Let the inhabitants of the heavenly world rejoice in the victory of God over
the enemies of his people, and let them pay their adoration to him." But the
Messiah does not seem to be at all alluded to any where in the context, much
less described as being introduced into the world. It is not
therefore very likely that this is the passage quoted, unless we suppose that
Paul borrowed the words merely as fitted to express the idea which he intended
to convey, without any reference to their original meaning. The probability is
in favor of a quotation from the text before us; which in the Septuagint runs
thus: proskunh>sate aujtw~|
pa>ntev a]ggeloi aujtou~. Paul's words are,
kai proskunhsa>tw>san
aujtw|~ pantev a]ggeloi Qeou~. Here the variation
from the Septuagint is so very inconsiderable, making no change upon the sense
of the passage, that the discrepancy, especially when it is considered that very
few of the quotations from the Old Testament in the New agree verbatim
either with the Hebrew or Septuagint, is no argument against the supposition
of the Apostle's quoting this text from that version which was in general use
among the Jews. And this psalm admits of an easy application to the coming and
kingdom of the Messiah, whose advent was to destroy idolatry, and be the source
of rejoicing and happiness to all the righteous, which the passage in
Deuteronomy referred to does not. — See Stuart's Commentary
on
<580106>Hebrews
1:6, and Excursus
6.
ftd103
"De nous tenir en bride, de peur qu'il ne nous soit fascheux ou grief de nous
abstenir de malice," etc. —
Fr.
ftd104
"Quamvis non statim suos liberet Deus, arcana tamen virtute tucri eorum
salutem." —
Lat.
ftd105
Walford objects to the version light is sown, on the ground that
it presents an incongruous combination of figures; and he translates, "light is
diffused." "Who can say," he remarks, "what is meant by the sowing of light? The
diffusion or expansion of light is intelligible, and means that though good men
may be in darkness or adversity, light and prosperity will burst through the
cloud." The Septuagint, Vulgate, Arabic, and Æthiopic versions translate,
"light is risen for the righteous," probably reading
jrz,
zarach, which De Rossi found in one manuscript, instead of
[rz,
zara. Houbigant and others adopt this reading, conceiving it to be
more agreeable to the common idea of light. But Muis vindicates the text from
<19C605>Psalm
126:5; and Archbishop Secker thinks "sown" a very proper expression. In support
of the same rendering, Merrick, in his Annotations, quotes several passages from
the classic Greek authors, in which both light and gladness are said to be
sown.
ftd106
The last clause is "literally, have wrought deliverance for him,
i.e., not deliverance of him, as if God had been himself in danger or
distress; but that is done for any one, which is done agreeably to his
wishes and intentions, and at his instigation. The original, therefore,
expresses, that the deliverance wrought was originally designed and decreed by
God, and that his immediate power effected the thing intended without any other
aid." — Horsley. Street translates, "hath wrought salvation
for us." He thinks that instead of
wl,
for him, we should read
wnl,
for
us.
ftd107
The last part of this verse is in the same words with
<235210>Isaiah
52:10.
ftd108
"Car apres avoir parle des miracles, il les restreint specialement a une somme,
ascavoir, que Dieu s'est acquis salut par sa propre vertu."
—
Fr.
ftd109
"Afin qu'ils fussent comme les aisnez." —
Fr.
ftd110
"Qu'il n'a point este induit par autre raison, sinon afin que fidelement il
accomplist ce qu'il avoit promis." —
Fr.
ftd111
Horsley reads —
"Chant unto Jehovah
to the harp,
To the
harp, and the sound of the zimrah."
"hrmz
here," he remarks, "as in
<198102>Psalm
81:2, is certainly the name of some musical instrument. But what the particular
instrument might be, which went by that name, is quite uncertain. I therefore
retain the Hebrew
word."
ftd112
Street is of opinion that the nominative cases of the concluding part of this
verse do not belong to the verb of the preceding clause, but to the verb in the
subsequent verse. "Roar let the globe," says he, "'and those that inhabit it,'
is not so proper an expression as 'Let the globe and those that inhabit it clap
the
hand.'"
ftd113
"Let the floods clap their hands," is a most beautiful
prosopopoeia, a figure for which the Hebrew poets are remarkable, and which they
manage with equal elegance and boldness. Horsley renders, "Let the floods sound
applause;" observing, that it is literally "clap their hands." "The verb
ˆnr,"
he adds, "expresses the vibratory motion, either of a dancer's feet, or of a
singer's lip. Therefore, when applied figuratively to an inanimate thing that
can neither dance nor sing, it is better to render its general sense than to
confine it to either particular image. Our language has no word, which, like the
Hebrew, may express dancing or singing indiscriminately." The propriety of
deviating from the literal rendering may, however, be questioned. This ode is
highly animated; it is a burst of joy in God raised to the highest pitch; and it
is the property of this emotion, when felt in a high degree, to express itself
in the most daring and unusual figures. It may be added, that the whole of the
seventh and eighth verses furnish a beautiful specimen of personification. With
a sublimity of sentiment and an energy of language which cannot be surpassed,
all nature, animate and inanimate, is summoned to unite in the song of joy, and
to contend with eager rivalry in celebrating the praises of its
Creator.
ftd114
"The king's strength seems here put for the king himself."
— Merrick. Street removes the original word for strength
to the end of the preceding verse, reading holy and mighty;
and renders the first part of this verse thus: "Thou art a king that lovest
judgment;" observing, that, in the Hebrew it is
°lm,
melech, not
°lmh,
hamelech, that the word
bha,
aheb, that lovest, is a participle here, and that the
pronoun
hta,
atah, thou, belongs to the first clause. "According to the
translation of the English Bible," says he, "there is a great want of
connection. 'The king's strength also loveth judgment: thou dost establish
equity,' etc. There had been no king spoken of before except Jehovah, and the
Psalmist is here addressing him in the second person, not speaking of him in the
third."
ftd115
zgr,
ragaz, "denoting commotion either of the body or mind, imports in
the latter acceptation particularly two things, fear and anger,
those two principal emotions of the mind. In the sense of anger we have it
in
<014524>Genesis
45:24, where we render it falling out or quarrelling, and
in
<121927>2
Kings 19:27, 28, where we render it rage. So,
<202909>Proverbs
29:9, and in
<014110>Genesis
41:10, the Hebrew
ãxq,
(affirmed of Pharaoh, viz., that) he was wroth, is by the Chaldee
rendered
zgr.
And this is much the more frequent acceptation of the word in the Old
Testament." — Hammond's note on
<190404>Psalm
4:4. On the text before us, after observing that Abu Walid explains this root as
signifying in the Arabic trembling and commotion, arising
sometimes from anger, sometimes from fear, and other causes, the same critic
says, "Here the context may seem to direct the taking it in the notion of
commotion simply, as that signifies
ajkatastasi>a,
sedition or tumult of rebels or other adversaries. And then the
sense will be thus: 'The Lord reigneth, let the people be moved,'
i.e., Now God hath set up David in his throne, and peaceably settled
the kingdom in him, in spite of all the commotions of the people. The LXX.
render it to this sense, as
<190404>Psalm
4:4,
ojrgize>sqwsan,
'let the people be angry or regret it as much as they will.'" The verb here, and
the concluding verb of the verse, may be read in the future tense: "The people
or nations shall tremble, and the earth shall be moved," just as at the
giving of the Law, "the people trembled," and "the earth shook." Thus the
passage may be regarded as a prediction of the subjection of the heathen world
to the dominion of
Christ.
ftd116
"A ceste condition." — Fr. "Upon
condition."
ftd117
The marginal translation in our English Bible is, it is holy,
connecting holy with Jehovah's footstool, mentioned in the preceding
clause. This construction appears to be very appropriate. The third, the fifth,
and in effect the ninth verses, end with this expression, which seems to be a
kind of chorus, and thus divides the psalm into three parts. The first part
terminates with ascribing holiness to the name of Jehovah; the
second with attributing the same property to his abode; and at the
conclusion, holiness, essential, infinite, and immutable holiness, is ascribed
to Jehovah
himself.
ftd118
That God spoke to Moses and Aaron out of the cloudy pillar, there is no doubt.
In
<021610>Exodus
16:10, 11, we read,
"And it came to
pass as Aaron spoke unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that
they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the Lord appeared
in the cloud. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,"
etc.
And when God said to Moses,
<021706>Exodus
17:6, "Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb," The
meaning undoubtedly is, that the cloudy pillar, from which he was to speak,
would stand upon Horeb. See also
<021909>Exodus
19:9, 18, 19. To this intercourse Aaron as well as Moses was admitted, as we
learn from the 24th verse of that chapter, and from
<022021>Exodus
20:21, 22. The only difficulty here is, how God can be said to have spoken to
Samuel out of the cloudy pillar, of which we have no particular account in his
history. To this it may be answered, that when God called upon Samuel four times
successively, at the fourth time he "came and stood, and called as at other
times, Samuel, Samuel," (verse 10,) which seems parallel to those words of God
to Moses,
<021706>Exodus
17:6, "I will stand before thee upon the rock," and may, therefore, be presumed
to mean that the cloud, the usual emblem of the Divine presence under the former
dispensation, came and stood before Samuel, and that God spake from it, though
it is evident that at the three preceding calls it did not appear. Again, when
Samuel's offerings and prayers were so signally heard at Mizpeh, 1 Samuel 7, it
is said, verse 9, "The Lord answered him," and verse 10, "The Lord thundered
with a great thunder;" and as where thunder is, a cloud is supposed to exist,
this answering of Samuel with thunder may not unreasonably be supposed to denote
God's speaking to him at this time also out of the
cloud.
ftd119
"Comme aussi il est esleve par dessus tout le monde." —
Fr.
ftd120
"La cause qu'il rend." — Fr. "Causae redditio." —
Lat.
ftd121
"Ceux qui sont les principaux et les plus excellens personnages." —
Fr.
ftd122
Accordingly, some instead of priests read princes, or
chief men.
ˆhk,
ˆjk,
to minister, is a common title of civil as well as ecclesiastical
officers. Hence, in
<020216>Exodus
2:16, for the Hebrew term
ˆhk,
the Chaldee has
abr,
"the Prince of Midian." And in
<100818>2
Samuel 8:18, it is said of David's sons, that they were
µynhk,
which does not there mean priests, but princes or chief
rulers; —
ˆybrbr,
great men, as the Chaldee has it, or
µynwçarh,
"principal or chief men about the king," as they are termed in
<131817>1
Chronicles 18:17. Of this sort was Ira the Jairite, who, in
<102026>2
Samuel 20:26, is called
ˆhk,
which does not there denote priest, but a chief ruler about
David. Thus, as in the more general sense of the word, it comprehends civil as
well as ecclesiastical rulers, it is evident that Moses, no less than Aaron, may
be reckoned
wynhkb,
among God's rulers or chief men; and, as Calvin
states, it is to be noticed that Moses was, properly speaking, the Priest of the
Israelites before the appointment of Aaron and his family to the sacerdotal
office.
ftd123
Hammond translates, "O God, thou was propitiated for their sakes." He observes,
that
µhl,
lahem, which Calvin renders to them, is not to be
understood barely in the sense of the dative case, "thou wast propitiated to
them," or "forgavest them;" but means for them, that is, for
their sakes: God sparing the people, for or on account of the prayers
of Moses, Aaron, and Samuel. God did not destroy them when these holy and
devoted men pleaded with him in their behalf; he spared them, and drew back the
hand of vengeance in answer to prayer. Such was the effect of Moses'
intercessions. When the people caused Aaron to make the golden calf and
worshipped it, God's anger was kindled against them. And he said to Moses, "Now
therefore, let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot, and that I may consume them,
and I will make of thee a great nation." Had Moses let God alone, the whole of
that race would have been utterly consumed. But he pleaded with God in their
behalf, and "the Lord repented him of the evil which he thought to do unto the
people,"
<022210>Exodus
22:10-15. Nor was Aaron less prevalent in turning away the anger of God from the
rebellious Israelites, as is evident from
<041643>Numbers
16:43-45. When, on the occasion of the rebellion and murmuring of the people at
Moses and Aaron on account of what befell Korah and his company, God said to
Moses, "Get thee up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in
a moment;" Moses and Aaron "fell upon their faces," and prayed. Then it follows,
verse 46, "And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from
off the altar; and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and
make an atonement for them; for there is wrath gone out from the Lord; the
plague is begun. And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of
the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put
on incense, and made an atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead
and the living; and the plague was stayed." Equally successful were the
intercessions of Samuel. When the Israelites were sore pressed by the
Philistines, and afraid of them, they "said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the
Lord our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines."
Samuel did as they desired, and God was propitiated by his prayers: "Samuel took
a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt-offering wholly unto the Lord; and
Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him." —
<090707>1
Samuel 7:7, 8,
9.
ftd124
The Hebrew text has a keri, which is
wnjna
wlw, "and we are his," instead of
wnjna
alw "and not ourselves." The Septuagint supports
the latter reading, the ketib,
kai< oujc
hJmei~v, "and not we ourselves;" in which it is
followed by the Syriac and Vulgate versions. Jerome agrees with the keri,
Ipse fecit nos, et ipsius sumus; and so does the Chaldee.
"I am persuaded," says Lowth, in Merrick's Annotations, "that the Masoretical
correction,
wlw,
(and we are his,) is right: the construction and parallelism both
favour
it."
ftd125
"Donnez-luy gloire." —
Fr.
ftd126
"Sinon qu'il mesle des maniers de parler, qui se rapportent au service de Dieu
qui estoit sous la Loy." —
Fr.
ftd127
"Ou, quand viendras-tu a moy?" — Fr. marg. "Or, when
wilt thou come to
me?"
ftd128
"Toute oeuvre." — Fr. "All the
work."
ftd129
"Ou, le mauvais." — Fr. marg. "Or, the evil
man."
ftd130
The reading of the Chaldee is striking, "He who speaks with a triple
tongue," "i.e.," says Bythner, "an
informer, calumniator, detractor, who injures three
souls, his own, his hearers, and the calumniated; he inflicts a deep wound on
his own conscience, puts a lie into the mouth of his hearer, and injures the
subject of his slander; according to which, Herodotus has said,
Diabolh> ejsti deino>taton
ejn th|~ du>o me>n eijsin oiJ ajdike>ontev ei=v de oJ
ajdikeo>menov. 'Calumny is most iniquitous, in
which there are two injuring and one injured.'" The word
ynçwlm,
meloshni rendered slandereth, is from the noun
ˆwçl,
lashon, the tongue. In
<19E012>Psalm
140:12, it is said, "Let not
ˆwçl
çya, ish lashon, a man of
tongue, (i.e., a slanderer,) be established in
the
earth."
ftd131
The Hebrew noun
bjr,
rechab, for wide or large, is derived from
bjr,
rachab, dilatus est. "Applied to the heart or soul, it denotes
largeness of desires. — So
<202825>Proverbs
28:25, 'He that is çpn
bjr, large in soul;' where the LXX. fitly render
bjr,
by
a]plhstov,
'insatiable,' applying it either to wealth or honor, the insatiable desire of
either of which (as there follows) 'stirs up strife.' And so here they have
rendered it again a]plh>stw|
kardi>a|, 'he that cannot be filled in the
heart,' i.e., the covetous or ambitious man. The Syriac
reads, wide or broad; so the Jewish Arab, 'Him that is high
of eyes, and wide of heart, I can have no patience with those two.'" —
Hammond.
ftd132
"Hebrews aux matins." "Hebrews at the mornings." — Fr.
marg. Courts of judicature for the execution of public justice
were wont to be held in the morning in ancient times, as they are still with us,
or at least began then, and continued till the evening. Hugo Grotius and others
think there is here an allusion to these courts. "To this," says Hammond, "most
probably
µyrqbl
in the plural, in the mornings, here refers, the season wherein
David, as a judge entering the tribunal, destroys and cuts off the
wicked doers. The former part of the psalm contains his resolution for choice of
counsellors and officers of state, preferring the plain, honest, and not the
subtlest contrivers; and this last for the execution of justice,
discountenancing and judicially cutting off all wicked
men."
ftd133
"This plaintive poem was written by some pious exile towards the expiration of
the seventy years of captivity during which the people of Israel were detained
in Babylon. . . . . The author of the psalm had most probably been carried away
captive in early youth. He had survived nearly to the end of the term, and now,
worn with cares and anxieties, he was earnest with God that deliverance might
speedily arrive, lest he should sink into the grave without revisiting the
delightful scenes by which his imagination was enraptured, without witnessing
the fulfillment of the hopes which the prophets of God had excited by the
predictions which they had delivered relative to the returning prosperity of his
beloved country." — Walford. Hammond thinks that the psalm was
written by Nehemiah, after the return of Ezra with commission for rebuilding the
temple. See
<160103>Nehemiah
1:3, etc. Others ascribe it to Jeremiah or
Daniel.
ftd134
"Sa plainte." — Fr. "His
complaint."
ftd135
Hammond reads, "My days are consumed in the smoke." "The Syriac," says he,
"read, in smoke, and so the sense will best bear, either my
days or time of my life,
wlk,
consume and wither in smoke, as
<19B983>Psalm
119:83, a bottle in the smoke, afflictions have had the same
effect on me as smoke on those things which are hung in it, dried me up, and
deformed me: or perhaps
wlk,
end or fail, or consume in smoke, (as when any combustible
matter is consumed, smoke is all that comes from it, and so it ends in
that;) and to that the latter part of the verse may seem to incline it, 'And my
bones, or members, or body, are burnt up,' that being all one with
consumed."
ftd136
Hammond reads, "are burnt up as dry wood." "As for
dqwmk,
that is added," says he, "the interpreters differ in the understanding of it.
The word coming from
dqy,
accensus est, may be either the place where the fire is, or the
pot which is heated by the flame of the fire, or the wood which is set on fire.
The Syriac seems to take it in the first notion, rendering it, 'my bones are
grown white as the hearth,' for so the chimney or hearth doth with the fire
constantly burning on it. The Chaldee reads, 'as one of the stones that is set
under the pot or caldron.' But the LXX. read,
wJsei>
fru>cion, 'as dry wood,' and the Latin,
sicut cremium, 'as dry combustible wood,' and that is most
applicable to the matter in hand; the bones or members of the body, their being
burnt up as dry wood denotes the speedy exhausting of the radical moisture,
which soon ends in the consumption of the whole. And then the whole verse fitly
accords, 'My days are withered away in the smoke,' or perhaps 'end in smoke, my
bones are burnt up like dry
wood.'"
ftd137
"Tienent a ma peau." — Fr. "Cleave to my skin." Flesh is
more literal; but see Psalm 119:120, and
<181920>Job
19:20.
ftd138
The pelican is a bird of the desert, to which frequent allusion is made by the
sacred writers. Its Hebrew name
taq,
kaath, literally means, the vomiter, being derived from
the verb
awq,
ko, to vomit. It has a large pouch, or bag, suspended from
its bill and throat, which serves both as a repository for its food, and as a
net for catching it. In feeding its young ones, whether this bag is loaded with
water, or more solid food, it squeezes the contents of it into their mouths, by
strongly compressing it upon its breast with its bill, an action which might
well explain the origin of the name given to it by the Hebrews. It is a bird of
solitary habits, and is said by Isidore to live "in the solitude of the river
Nile:" indeed, it generally builds its nest in mossy, turfy places, in the
islands of rivers or lakes, far from the abode of man. It is here described as
living in the wilderness, a circumstance not inconsistent with its natural
fondness for water; for lakes, as well as fountains, are to be found in the most
desert parts. And although a water-fowl, it sometimes retires to a great
distance from the water, where, in some remote and concealed situation, it may
hatch its young with greater security. Its huge pouch, which is said to be
capable of containing near the size of a man's head, seems to be given to it for
the purpose of its being provided with a supply of food for itself and its young
ones when at a distance from the water. Bochart thinks that
taq,
kaath, here means the bittern. His chief reason for
this opinion is, that the Psalmist compares himself to the two birds specified,
on account of his groaning, and that, therefore, both of them should have a
mournful cry. But he finds that natural historians make no mention of this as a
property of the pelican, whereas they all agree that the bittern, by inserting
its bill in the mud of the marsh, or plunging it under water, utters a most
disagreeable cry, like the roaring of a bull, or the sound of distant thunder.
But the Psalmist may not so much compare his groaning to the plaintive cry of
these birds, as compare his situation to their solitary condition. Sorrow, when
pungent, drives the sufferer to solitude, and, on this occasion, the inspired
bard, under the overwhelming pressure of grief, seems to have become weary of
society, and, like the pelican, or the owl, to have contracted a relish for deep
retirement. Shaw's Travels, volume 2, page 302;
Paxton's Illustrations of Scripture, volume 2, pages
247-250.
ftd139
The owl, it is highly probable, is the bird here intended. The
original word
swk,
kos, which is evidently derived from the verb
hsk,
kasah, to hide, is applied, with much propriety, to denote
that bird, which constantly hides itself in the day-time, and comes abroad only
in the evening, or at night.
swk,
kos, is followed in construction by
twbrj,
charaboth, which comes from
brj,
charab, to be destroyed, or laid waste;
(<236012>Isaiah
60:12;
<242608>Jeremiah
26:8;
<360306>Zephaniah
3:6) and signifies a waste or desolate place, as the ruins of an uninhabited
house. The proper translation, then, should be, not the owl of the
desert, but the owl of the desolate or ruined
buildings, which exactly corresponds with the habits of this bird;
for such ruinous places, as is well known, are its ordinary haunt, where, in
undisturbed solitude, it may utter its melancholy howlings. The allusion in
Gray's celebrated Elegy may illustrate the language of the text,
—
"Save that from
yonder ivy mantled
tower,
The moping owl
does to the night complain," etc.
The habit of the owl in shunning the light of day,
and delighting in solitude, well describes the sensitiveness with which the
Psalmist, through the greatness of his grief, shrunk from society, and courted
seclusion. Bochart contends that
swk
here signifies, not the owl, but the ostrich, and,
if the Psalmist is comparing himself to the two birds specified, on account of
his groaning, this seems to favor that translation; for the female ostrich has a
most dismal and mournful voice, very much resembling the lamentation of a human
being in deep distress. But, as has been before observed, the Psalmist seems to
refer, not so much to the mournful voice of these birds, as to their solitary
condition.
ftd140
There is here a reference to the flat roof of the eastern houses, a usual place
of retirement, in ancient times, and even at this day, to the inhabitants of
these
countries.
ftd141
"La translation Grecque ha Nicticorax qui est Chauvesouris." —
Fr.
ftd142
Although Calvin expresses himself as having
no doubt that the sparrow is here intended, the most eminent expositors are of a
different opinion, contending that it is difficult to reconcile with the nature
of the sparrow the ideas of wakefulness and solitude which the
Psalmist represents as characteristic of the bird to which he compares himself.
The sparrow is not a solitary moping bird which sits mournfully on the housetop,
nor so timid as to betake itself to the darkest corners for concealment, and to
spend the live long night in sleepless anxiety. It is gregarious, is commonly
found chirping and fluttering about in the crowd, a pert, loquacious, and
bustling creature, and builds its nest in the habitations of men. Every part of
the description leads to the supposition that some nocturnal bird is to be
understood, which from instinct hates the light, and comes forth from its
hiding-place only when the shadows of the evening fall to hunt its prey, and
from amidst the fragments, of some mouldering ruin to attract the attention of
mankind by its mournful voice. Accordingly, it has been thought that the
Psalmist refers to some species of the owl, distinguished for its plaintive cry
and solitary disposition. — Paxton's Illustrations of
Scripture, volume 2, pages 355-357. "But," says Merrick, "as
chos, mentioned in the preceding verse, seems also to signify
an owl, we are perhaps to suppose two sorts of owls
intended, one of which confines itself to deserts or ruinous places, and the
other sometimes approaches cities or villages, and according to Virgil's
description, (which Bochart quotes as conformable to that of the Psalmist,)
sits alone on the
house-top.
'Solaque
culminibus ferali carmine bubo Visa queri, et longas in fletum ducere voces.'
Æneid,
lib. 4. 50. 462.
I doubt whether the
Psalmist would in two verses together compare his situation to that of the very
same bird, with no other difference than that of its sitting in the desert in
one verse, and on the house-top in the other." Bochart thinks that the
screech-owl is intended. The reason which Calvin assigns for the sparrow
being called solitary, namely, because of the extreme sorrow which she feels
when deprived of her mate, does not agree with the natural history of that bird;
for, unlike the turtle, who, on losing her spouse, remains in a state of
inconsolable widowhood, she accepts without reluctance the first companion that
solicits her
affections.
ftd143
Horsley renders the concluding sentence, —
"And the profligate
make me their standard of execration."
"Houbigant," says he, "rightly observes, that the
verb
[bçn,
governing its objects by the prefix
b,
signifies to swear by, not to swear against. For
w[bçn,
therefore, he would substitute another word; which, however, bears not the sense
he would impose upon it. Archbishop Secker attempts to explain the text as it
stands, but, in my judgment, unsuccessfully, unless
[bçn
may signify to execrate one's self or another. I find no example of this
use of the verb. But the [use] of the noun in
<040521>Numbers
5:21, and
<236515>Isaiah
65:15, may seem, in some degree, to countenance the Archbishop's interpretation.
The other passages to which he refers are little to the purpose."
Rosenmüller gives a similar interpretation. "They swear by
me; they derive their arguments and examples from my calamities; when
they mean to imprecate evil on themselves as the persons swearing, or on another
as the object of their malediction, they use my name as a form of execration, as
if they said, 'Let our fate be that of these miserable Jews, if we speak what is
false.' — See
<236515>Isaiah
65:15;
<242922>Jeremiah
29:22."
ftd144
Supposing the reading to be
µjlb,
balechem, instead of
µjlk,
calechem; and from the similarity in form between the letters
b
and
k,
transcribers might readily have mistaken the latter for the
former.
ftd145
"What is meant by
yntaçn,
'thou hast lifted me up,' etc., is to be judged by the immediate antecedents,
indignation and wrath; by these is meant vehement
displeasure and anger, and in God, in whom anger is not found, effects that bear
analogy with those which proceed from angry men. To such it is ordinary to
cast to the ground any thing that they are displeased with, and where the
displeasure is vehement, to lift it up first as high as they can, that
they may cast it down with more violence, and dash it in pieces by the
fall. And this is the meaning of the phrase here, and so is a pathetical
expression of his present affliction, heightened by the dignity of the public
office wherein Nehemiah was at the time of writing this mournful psalm,
(Nehemiah 1:1 and 2:1.) The greater his place was at Shushan, the deeper his
sorrow for his countrymen and for Jerusalem
(<160103>Nehemiah
1:3) pierced him, whereupon he complains that God, by way of indignation, hath
dealt with him, as those that take an earthen vessel and throw it against the
pavement, and that they may beat it to pieces the more certainly, lift it up
first as high as they can, to throw it down with more violence. This
the LXX. have fitly rendered,
ejpa>rav kate>rjrJaxa>v
me, and the Latin, elevans illisisti me,
'having lifted me up, thou hast dashed me to pieces.'" —
Hammond.
ftd146
It is literally, "My days are like a shadow, stretched out." As the sun descends
in the firmament, the shadow of any terrestrial object gradually lengthens, and
grows fainter as it becomes longer, until shooting out to an unmeasurable
length, it disappears. The Psalmist complains that his days were like a shadow
nearly stretched to its utmost length, and at the point of being lost in total
darkness. He felt that he had far passed his meridian, that the sun of life was
about to set, and the dark night of death to fall down upon him" — See
<19A923>Psalm
109:23.
ftd147
"Mais qui plus est ceste compassion que les fideles ont tenu lors."
—
Fr.
ftd148
"Craindront ton nom, Seigneur." — Fr. "Shall fear thy name, O
Lord!"
ftd149
The original word for the solitary is
r[rh,
ha-arar; and as
r[r[
signifies the tamarisk or myrtle, some translate, "the
afflicted or dejected man;" the myrtle being an emblem of a low and depressed
state of the Church. Accordingly, in the Chaldee, it is "the prayer of the
desolate," and in the Septuagint, "the prayer of the humble." Houbigant derives
the word from
[[r,
frangere, to break, and renders it, "the afflicted." Others
read, "the destitute," supposing the word to come from
hr[,
was naked, as Fry: "'When he hath turned himself to the prayer of
the destitute' — the people emptied, and poured forth — made bare or
stripped naked." Others prefer the version, "He regarded him when exciting his
prayer," as if the root of the Hebrew term were
rw[,
to
excite.
ftd150
Horsley translates the verbs in the 16th and 17th verses in the present,
—
"Truly Jehovah is
building Zion;
He
appeareth in his
glory.
He regardeth
the prayer of the
destitute,
And their
prayer he despiseth not."
He regards the Psalm as a "prayer and lamentation of
a believer, in the time of the last Antichristian persecution;" and after
observing that the 16th and 17th verses are rendered by our English Bible in the
future, he says, "These futures, in the original, are all present; 'buildeth
— appeareth — regardeth — and despiseth not.' The Psalmist in
his confidence of the event speaks of it as
doing."
ftd151
"Le Seigneur." — Fr. "The Lord." In the Hebrew it is
hy,
Jah.
ftd152
"Du haut lieu de son sanctuaire." — Fr. "From the high place of his
sanctuary."
ftd153
"C'est, ceux qui estoyent jugez a mort." — Note, Fr.
marg. "That is, those who were appointed to death, or destined
to be put to death." "Sons of death" is a Hebraism. "According to the
Hebrew idiom, the thing which is the effect, the object, the production of
another thing, or in almost any way can be said to belong to it, is called 'the
son' of that other. The expression is so thoroughly naturalised with us, that we
are hardly aware of its origin, which appears to be in the Hebrew writers."
—
Mant.
ftd154
"Qui estoit brusle et du tout ruine." —
Fr.
ftd155
"Car." — Fr. This supplement is not in the Latin
version.
ftd156
The original word for the same is
awh,
hua, literally He, — "But thou art He;" that
is, the Eternal; necessarily eternal; and, consequently,
unchangeable and imperishable. "The Hebrew word appears to be one of the divine
names, as if it were said, 'He who hath permanent existence, who exists
eminently.' Lowth observes, that it is often equivalent to the true and eternal
God; and that the phrase in this place expresses God's eternal and unchangeable
nature." —
Mant.
ftd157
This and the two preceding verses are applied by the Apostle Paul to Christ in
<580110>Hebrews
1:10, 11, 12, in proof of his superiority to angels. In this passage then,
Christ, it would appear, is the person addressed; for if the apostle's
inspiration is admitted, the correctness of his interpretation of the Old
Testament Scriptures cannot be doubted. Inappropriate applications of them, it
is evident, would be inconsistent with his having spoken under the infallible
guidance of the Spirit of God. And if these verses are applicable to the Savior
of men, they contain an irrefragable proof of his essential divinity. He is
called Jehovah throughout the psalm, a name peculiar to God only; the
creation of all things is said to be performed by him, a work peculiar to God
only; eternity and immutability are ascribed to him, attributes which in the
strict and absolute sense belong exclusively to
God.
ftd158
Way or journey is a term often used in Scripture to denote the course
of a man's life; and here the Psalmist speaks, as other sacred writers not
unfrequently do, of the whole Jewish nation as if it were one man, and of its
continuance, which was to be until the coming of Christ, as if the life of one
man. It was now, so to speak, only in its meridian. An attention to this remark
will assist the reader in understanding Calvin's exposition of the
passage.
ftd159
Consequently, the ruin and desolation to which they seemed given up by the
Babylonish captivity, was like the cutting off or shortening of their
days.
ftd160
"Possibly the Psalmist (whom some learned interpreters suppose to be Daniel) may
have respect to that prophecy,
<270924>Daniel
9:24, 25, which probably was published before this time; for this time was
almost precisely the midst of the days between the building of the material
temple by Solomon, and the building of the spiritual temple, or the Church, by
the Messias; there being about a thousand years distance between these two
periods, whereof seventy prophetical weeks, or four hundred and ninety years,
were yet to come. And so he prays that God would not root them out of this
Babylonish captivity, but would graciously restore them to their own land, and
preserve them as a Church and nation there, until the coming of the Messias."
— Poole's
Annotations.
ftd161
"The phrase is borrowed from the fact, that hands are the instruments by
which men usually perform any operation; and this is, like other human
operations and affections, figuratively transferred to God." — Stuart
on
<580110>Hebrews
1:10.
ftd162
The author of this beautiful and affecting psalm was David; but the time and
occasion of its composition are uncertain. Some are of opinion that it is a song
of gratitude for David's recovery from some dangerous sickness. Others think it
was written upon his receiving assurance that his great sin in the case of
Bathsheba and Uriah was forgiven. "I am not prepared to say," observes Walford,
"that this judgment is certainly correct; but as it is a subject of no great
moment, am willing to acquiesce in it. If it be correct, then we have two of the
most instructive examples of enlightened and fervent piety, which are contained
in the Holy Scriptures, occasioned by one failure in the conduct of a good man,
who was habitually remarkable for his steadfast obedience to the laws of God.
The one of these examples is in Psalm 51, in which the sacred writer records his
deep and humble penitence: and the other, which is now before us, displays the
feelings of sacred joy and thankfulness, in terms that are most delightful and
consolatory. So admirably adapted are these two psalms to the varied sentiments
and emotions of Christian feeling, that I can scarcely suppose any real
believer of the gospel is to be found who has not, on multiplied
occasions, made them the objects of his attentive meditation, so as to have, if
not the express words, yet the sense of them, engraven on his heart and memory,
in characters never to be effaced but by
death."
ftd163
"Ou, envirrone." — Fr. marg. "Or,
surroundeth."
ftd164
Walford's rendering of this verse is as follows: —
"Who satisfieth thy
advancing age with
good;
Thy youth is
renewed as the eagle's."
In defense of reading "thy advancing age" instead of
"thy mouth" as it is in our English translation, and as Calvin has it, he
observes, "The version here adopted is that of the Chaldee, and is supported by
the parallelism in the following
clause."
ftd165
"A grand' peine osent-ils manger a demi leur saoul." —
Fr.
ftd166
"Abu Walid mentions two interpretations: 1. That of our English translators; 2.
That which takes
°yd[
in the sense of ornament, 'who multiplieth thy adorning with
good,' i.e., 'who abundantly adorneth thee with good.' Aben Ezra
approves the notion of ornament, but applies it to the soul, the
ornament of the body, i.e., 'who satisfieth thy soul with good.'"
— Hammond. The Septuagint reads,
e]piqumi>an
sou, "thy desire," or "sensitive appetite,"
the satisfying of which is the providing for the body all the good things it
stands in need of, and thus it is equivalent to "satisfying," or "filling the
mouth," the organ for conveying nourishment to the body. Kimchi understands the
phrase as expressing David's recovery from sickness. In sickness the soul
abhorreth bread, and even dainty meat,
<183320>Job
33:20. The physician, too, limits the diet of the patient, and prescribes things
which are nauseous to the palate. This commentator, therefore, supposes that
David here describes the blessing of health, by his mouth being filled with
good
things.
ftd167
"Afin que leurs plumes soyent bruslees." —
Fr.
ftd168
What Calvin here asserts of the eagle has as little foundation in truth as the
Jewish fiction which he justly discards. Augustine's explanation of the renewal
of the youth of the eagle is equally fabulous. He affirms that in its old age
its beak grows out so long, and becomes so incurvated, as to hinder it from
taking food, thus endangering its life, but that it removes the excrescence, by
striking its beak against a stone, so that it is enabled to take its ordinary
food, and becomes young again. "There are," says Dr Adam Clarke, "as many
legends of the eagle among the ancient writers as there are in the Kalendar of
some saints, and all equally true. Even among modern divines,
Bible-Dictionary men, and such like, the most ridiculous tales concerning this
bird continue to be propagated; and no small portion of them have been crowded
into comments on this very verse." Of these "legends of the eagle," the accounts
given of it by the Jewish commentators, by Calvin himself, and by Augustine, are
a specimen; for they are altogether unsupported from its natural history. The
Psalmist, in speaking of the renewing of its youth, we conceive refers simply to
the changing of its feathers. Like all other birds, the eagle has its annual
moulting season, in which it casts its old feathers, and is furnished with a new
stock. When its plumage is thus renewed, its appearance becomes more youthful
and beautiful, while, at the same time, its rigour and liveliness are improved.
In like manner, by the communications of Divine grace, the spiritual beauty,
strength, and activity of the people of God are increased. Although any other
bird would have served the Psalmist's purpose, yet he may have preferred the
eagle, not only because it is the king of birds, superior to others of the
feathered tribe in size, strength, and vivacity, but because it retains its
vigor to a protracted old age, and preserves its youthful appearance to the last
by the frequent change of its plumage. The Prophet Isaiah uses the same
allusion, to illustrate the perseverance of the saints in
holiness,
"They that wait upon the
Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles."
<234031>Isaiah
40:31
The eagle seems to have borrowed its Hebrew name
rçn,
nesher, from the shedding of its plumage. Its root is the Chaldee
verb
rçn,
nashar, decidit, defluxit, he fell, he
shed. "The name agrees with
rwç,
to look at," says Bythner, "because the eagle can look at the sun
with a straight and steady gaze; also with
rçy,
to be straight, because it flies in a straight
course."
ftd169
"Ou, il a magnifie sa bonte." — Fr. marg. "Or, he
hath magnified his
goodness."
ftd170
"Hammond prefers reading above. "Though
l[,"
says he, "signifies on and towards, as well as above
or over, and may be fitly so rendered, verses 13 and 17, where
(as here) God's mercy is said to be
l[,
upon his children, and
l[,
upon them that fear him; yet the comparison that is here made
between the heaven and the earth, and the height or
excellence of the one
l[,
(not upon but) above the other, being answered, in the
ajnta
po>dosiv, by the greatness or strength
(so
rbg
signifies) of God's mercy,
wyary
l[; that phrase must by analogy be rendered
above, not upon, or towards them that fear
him. And then the meaning must needs be this, that whatsoever our
fear or obedience to God be, his mercy towards us is as far
above the size or proportion of that, as the heaven is above
the earth, i.e., there is no proportion between them; the one
is as a point to that other vast circumference; nay, the difference far greater,
as God's mercy is infinite, like himself, and so infinitely exceeding the
pitiful imperfect degree of our obedience. The other expression that follows
verse 12, taken from the distance of the East from the West, is
pitched upon, says Kimchi, because those two quarters of the world are of
greatest extent, being all known and inhabited. From whence it is that
geographers reckon that way their longitudes, as from North to South their
latitudes."
ftd171
"I am watching him, as he has watched to do a bad turn to
me."
ftd172
In the French the verb is in the present tense, "So Jehovah is
compassionate."
ftd173
It has been supposed that there is here a reference to that pestilential
destructive wind of the East, called the Simoon, which, from its extreme heat,
destroys at once every green thing. Disease and death overtake man, and reduce
him to his original dust, as surely and speedily as this scorching wind blasts
the tender
flower.
ftd174
In the French version it is "en obeissant," "in obeying." Hammond reads, "at
hearing;" and observes," The sense of
[mçl
in this place seems best expressed by the Arabic, ,as soon as they hear; for
that is the character of the angels' obedience, that as soon as they hear the
voice of God's word, as soon as his will is revealed to them, they promptly and
presently obey it. The Chaldee renders it, 'at his voice being heard;' and the
LXX. Tou~
ajkou~sai, 'as they hear,' or 'as soon as they
hear.'"
ftd175
"Aux creatures muetes et insensibles." —
Fr.
ftd176
"For regularity of composition, richness of imagery, sublimity of sentiment, and
elegance and perspicuity of diction, this hymn is perhaps the principal poem in
the whole collection of these inspired songs. As there is no allusion in it to
the Mosaic ritual, nor any mention of the deliverance of the Israelites from
Egypt, it should seem that it was of an earlier age than the Exodus. It consists
of parts sung alternately by two companies. The parts are easily distinguished,
inasmuch as one Semichorus always speaks of God in the third person, the other
addresses him in the second." —
Horsley.
ftd177
"It is a singular circumstance," says Horsley, "in the composition of this
psalm, that each of the parts of the First Semichorus after the first, [that is,
verses 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 13, 14, 19,] begins with a participle. And these
participles are accusatives, agreeing with
hwhy,
the object of the verb
ykrb,
at the beginning of the whole psalm. Bless Jehovah — putting on —
extending — laying — constituting — travelling — making
— setting — sending — watering — making — making.
Thus, this transitive verb, in the opening of the psalm, extending its
government through the successive parts of the same semichorus, except the last,
unites them all in one long period. As this singular artifice of composition
seems to be the characteristic of a particular species of ode, in this psalm, I
have scrupulously conformed to it in my translation, at the expense of the
elegance of my English style." Calvin, for the most part, translates these words
as participles, but in the nominative
case.
ftd178
"The original word, which comes from
hl[,
ascendit, signifies any upper room to which persons ascend. So
<101832>2
Samuel 18:32, 'he went up to
r[çh
tyl[, the chamber over the gate.' Accordingly, the
LXX. Here render it,
uJperw~on,
'an upper room', and the Latin, 'superiora ejus', 'his upper stories.' By
wytwyl[,
therefore, must be meant, though not the supreme, yet the superior or middle
region of the air, which is here described as an upper story in a house laid
firm with beams, (accounting the earth and the region of air about that as the
lower room,) and this floor is here said poetically to be 'laid in the waters,'
those waters which (Genesis 1) are above the expansion or lower region of the
air, which divides the waters from the waters. This is most evident by verse 13,
where God is said to 'water the mountains
wytwyl[m,
from these his upper rooms, these clouds whence the rain
descends.' In them, saith the Psalmist, 'the beams of these upper rooms were
laid,' i.e., whereas in the building of an upper story, there must
be some walls or pillars to support the weight of it, and in that the beams
are laid, God here by his own miraculous immediate power laid, and
ever since supported these upper rooms, there being nothing there but waters
to support them, and those we know the most fluid tottering body, not able
to support itself; and therefore that is another work of his divine power, that
the waters which are so fluid, and unable to contain themselves within
their own bounds, should yet hang in the middle of the air, and be as walls or
pillars to support that region of air, which is itself another fluid
body." — Hammond. Fry, after quoting Dr Geddes' version,
— "Flooring his chambers with waters," and Bishop Horsley's "Laying the
floors of his chambers upon the waters," goes on to say: — "After
referring, however, to the different places where the word occurs, and
considering the structure of ancient buildings, I conceive the allusion to be to
the roof, or contignated frame of the house.
<011908>Genesis
19:8, seems decisive. We seem to lose somewhat of the beauty of the original by
translating
twyl[
too literally. It signifies certainly, upper rooms, or stories;
but the allusion is not to these on account of their situation, but as the
part of the house principally inhabited by its owner, the lower parts of eastern
houses being used for offices. — See Parkhurst and authors there quoted:
compare Psalm 18, 'He set darkness his veil around him, — his canopy the
waters and thick mists of the clouds.'" Fry's translation is, "And framing his
habitation with
waters."
ftd179
See volume 1, page
314.
ftd180
"The waters, by a beautiful prosopopoeia, are supposed to be put into a panic at
the voice of Jehovah. See
<197716>Psalm
77:16" —
Dimock.
ftd181
Calvin here renders mountains and valleys in the nominative case.
In our English version they are rendered in the accusative: "They go up by the
mountains, they go down by the valleys." "It is not here certain," says Hammond,
"whether
µyrh,
mountains, and
tw[qb,
valleys or plains, be to be read in the nominative or in the
accusative case. If they be in the nominative, then we must read as in a
parenthesis, ('the mountains ascend, the plains or valleys slink down,') joining
the end of the verse, 'unto the place,' etc. to 'haste away,' verse 7, thus: The
waters once stood above the mountains, — those places which now are such;
— but at the uttering God's voice, they fled and hasted away (the
mountains ascending and the valleys descending) unto the place which thou hast
prepared for them.' Thus the LXX. and Latin understand it,
ajnabai>nousin o]rh
katabai>nousi pedi>a, 'ascendunt
montes, et descendunt campi,' 'the mountains ascend, and the plains descend,'
referring to the change that was made in the earth from being perfectly round
and encompassed with waters, into that inequality wherein now it is, great
mountains in some parts, and great cavities in other parts, wherein the waters
were disposed, which before covered the face of the earth. But they may be more
probably in the accusative case, and then
µym,
the 'waters,' verse 6, which were understood, verse 7, though not mentioned,
(for it was the waters that there fled and hasted away,) must be here continued
also, viz., that 'the waters
wl[y,
ascend,' or 'climb the mountains,' and
wdry,
'descend,' or 'fall down upon the valleys,' or 'fissures,' or 'hollow places,'
ditches, and the like receptacles of waters, (for so
[wqb
now signifies among the Rabbins.) And this sense the Chaldee follows, 'They
ascend from the abyss to the mountains, and they descend into the valleys, to
the place,' etc. And this is the clearest exposition of it, rendering an account
of the course of waters, since the gathering of them together in the
ocean, that from thence they are, by the power of God, directed to pass through
subterranean meatus to the uppermost parts of the earth, the hills and
mountains, where they break forth in springs, and then, by their natural weight,
descend, and either find or make channels, by which they run into the ocean
again, that
µwqm,
place, which God hath hewed out as a receptacle for them; and by their
thus passing, they are profitable for the use of men, in watering the cattle,
and the fruits that grow in the earth, verse 10,
etc."
ftd182
In our English version it is among; but between is the more
proper rendering.
"ˆyb,"
says Hammond, "must be rendered, not among but between,
ajname>son,
say the LXX., to denote the hollow receptacles for waters betwixt the hills,
or risings of the ground on both
sides."
ftd183
The wild ass differs from the tame only by being stronger and nimbler, more
courageous and lively. Wild asses are still found in considerable numbers in the
deserts of Great Tartary, in Persia, Syria, the islands of the Archipelago, and
throughout Mauritania. They are gregarious, and have been known to assemble by
hundreds and thousands. It has been observed of these animals that, though dull
and stupid, they are remarkable for their instinct in discovering in the arid
desert the way to rivers, brooks, or fountains of water, so that the thirsty
traveler has only to observe and follow their steps, in order to his being led
to the cooling
stream.
ftd184
The literal rendering of the Hebrew word
wrbçy,
yeshberu, is shall break, being derived from
rbç,
shabar, to break. As applied to hunger, it must signify to allay,
or, as here, to thirst, it must mean to quench. The phrase is
communicated to other languages, and is usual among us, who, by breaking of
fasting, understand
eating.
ftd185
"'From between these boughs or leaves the fowls of the air send out their
voice'; not by singing only, (for that is peculiar to few,) but by making
any noise that is proper to them." — Hammond. On the 10th,
11th, and 12th verses, Dimock observes, — "The murmuring brooks, the great
number of beasts and cattle, with the melodious birds, afford a most picturesque
scene of rural
delight."
ftd186
In the preceding clause God is spoken of in the third person, and here in the
second. The change of persons from the second to the third, and from the third
to the second, is very observable throughout this psalm. — See page 143,
note.ftd187
In the French version it is, "Et le vin qui resjouit le coeur de l'homme, et
l'huile pour faire reluire sa face, et le pain qui soustient le coeur de
l'homme." — "And wine that cheereth the heart of man, and oil to make his
face to shine, and bread that sustains the heart of
man."
ftd188
"In the Septuagint it is, xu>la
tou pedi>ou, 'trees of the field;' they,
therefore, read ydç
yx[; and
ydç
being a name of the Almighty, when differently
pointed, thus,
ydç,
was afterwards changed to
hwhy,
'Jehovah,' as the text now is. Theodoret notices in his time, that the Hebrew,
and other Greek interpreters of it, had
xu>la tou
kuri>ou, 'trees of the Lord.' So was the
Hebrew in Jerome's time, who has it ligna Domini." —
Reeves' Collation,
etc.
ftd189
"hdysj,
chasidah, the original word for the stork, is from
dsj,
piety, beneficence, because, says Bythner, "the stork nourishes,
supports, and carries on its back, when weary, its aged parents." Storks are a
species of birds very numerous in Palestine, and other eastern countries.
Doubdan thus speaks of them in his account of a journey from Cana to Nazareth in
Galilee, (page 513,) "All these fields were so filled with flocks of storks,
that they appeared quite white with them, there being above a thousand in each
flock, and when they rose and hovered in the air they seemed like clouds. The
evening they rest in trees." This account is confirmed by Dr Shaw, who informs
us, that as he lay at anchor near Mount Carmel, he saw "three flights of them,
some of which were more open and scattered, with larger intervals between them;
others were closer and more compact, as in the flight of wrens and other birds,
each of which took up more than three hours in passing by us, extending itself
at the same time more than half a mile in breadth." — See his Travels,
volume 2, page 269. The stork constructs her nest with exquisite skill of
dry twigs of trees and coarse grass from the marsh. But instead of confining
herself to one situation, she builds it sometimes on the highest parts of old
ruins and houses, — sometimes in the canals of ancient aqueducts, and
sometimes on the tops of the eastern mosques and dwelling-houses; so very
familiar is she by being never molested, the Mahometans accounting it profane to
kill, or even to hurt, or disturb this species of bird, because of their
important services in clearing the country of serpents, and other venomous
animals, on which they feed. She frequently retires from the noise and bustle of
the town to the adjacent field, selecting the highest tree of the forest on
which to build her nest, and always preferring the fir, when it is equally
suitable to her purpose. — Ibid. volume 2, page 272. Harmer
remarks, that
hdysj,
chasidah, seems to signify the heron as well as the
stork; and Dr Adam Clarke is of opinion, that the heron is
here meant, conceiving the description of its making the fir-tree its house, as
other bird.make their nests in the cedars of Lebanon, to be more agreeable to
its natural history than to that of the stork properly speaking. He farther
observes, that Aquila, who has given us an ancient Greek translation of the Old
Testament, and who is said to have been exquisitely skilled in the original
language, always understood the chasidah to mean the heron, rather
than the stork. "But," he adds, "the two species resemble each other so
much, that it is not improbable but one Hebrew word stood for both," and refers
to Doubdan, who supposes that storks in Palestine roost in trees. —
Harmer's Observations, volume 2, page 465, and volume 3, page
338.
ftd190
"On, chevreux." — Fr. marg. "Or, the kids." Calvin, by
giving two different translations of the original word, appears to have been at
a loss as to the animal meant. "The animal here intended," says Mant, "is the
Ibex or Rock Goat, a species of wild goat, deriving its Hebrew name from the
wonderful manner in which it mounts to the top of the highest rocks, to
which quality the sacred writers allude in the other two passages where the word
occurs as well as in this. — See
<092403>1
Samuel 24:3;
<183901>Job
39:1. To this quality natural historians bear abundant witness. Mr Cox thus
describes the action of the Ibex, in ascending the mountains of Switzerland:
— 'He mounts a perpendicular rock of fifteen feet at three leaps, or
rather three successive bounds of five feet each. It does not seem as if he
found any footing on the rock, appearing to touch it merely to be repelled, like
an elastic substance striking against a hard body. He is not supposed to take
more than three successive leaps in this manner. If he is between two rocks
which are near each other, and wants to reach the top, he leaps from the side of
one rock to the other alternately, till he has obtained the
summit.'"
ftd191
"Ou, connils." — Fr. marg. "Or, the conies, or
rabbits." The Hebrew name of this animal,
ˆpç,
shaphan, from the verbs
ˆpç,
shaphan, or
ˆps,
saphan, to hide, seems to indicate a creature of a timid and harmless
disposition. Feeble, and apprehensive of danger, it seeks a shelter among the
fissures of the rocks, where it may be concealed from its enemies. To this
circumstance allusion is here made; and it is also referred to by Solomon,
(<203026>Proverbs
30:26) "The shaphans are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the
rocks." It is evident from these words, that the shaphan is gregarious. What
particular animal then is indicated by this name? Calvin, from giving the
original term, one translation in the text, and a different one on the margin,
seems to have been uncertain as to the species of animal intended, and on this
point considerable variety of opinion has obtained. Some copies of the
Septuagint have hedgehogs, and others, hares, the former being
probably the right reading, as the Vulgate agrees with it. Bochart supposed
the jerboa, or jumping-mouse, to be meant. But to this it has been
justly objected, that the jerboa always digs its habitation in the smoother
places of the desert, especially where the soil is fixed gravel; that it is not
gregarious, nor distinguished by feebleness, which it supplies by its wisdom.
Nor can it be the coney, or rabbit, that is here referred to; for, instead of
seeking a habitation among the rocks, it delights to burrow in the sandy downs;
and if it sometimes digs a place of shelter among the rocks, it is only where
the openings are filled with earth. It is now pretty generally agreed, that
the shaphan is the Daman Israel, as suggested by Dr Shaw. "The
Daman Israel," says this traveler, "is an animal likewise of Mount Lebanus,
though common in other places of this country. It is a harmless creature, of the
same size and quality with the rabbit, and with the like incurvating posture and
disposition of the fore-teeth. But it is of a browner color with smaller eyes,
and a head more pointed, like the marmots. The fore-feet likewise are short, and
the hinder are nearly as long in proportion as those of the jerboa. Though this
animal is known to burrow sometimes in the ground, yet as its usual residence
and refuge is in the holes and clifts of the rocks, we have so far a more
presumptive proof, that this creature may be the shaphan of the Scriptures, than
the jerboa. I could not learn why it was called Daman Israel, i.e.,
Israel's lamb, as those words are interpreted." Travels, volume 2,
pages 160, 161. It is called in Amhara, "Ashkoko." Bruce confirms Dr Shaw's
opinion. He identifies the animals by the several other particulars mentioned in
Scripture, as well as by their attachment to rocks, and their constant residence
in holes and caves, as noticed in this psalm. See also Paxton's Illustrations of
Scripture, volume 2, pages
204-209.
ftd192
"What is here said of the lions peculiarly, that they 'roar after their
prey, and seek their meat from God,' may be illustrated by what is observed of
those creatures, that to their great strength and greediness and rapacity, they
are not proportionably provided with swiftness of body to pursue in the desert
those beasts on which they prey, nor yet so quick-scented, as to be able to
follow and trace them to their places of repose. It hath therefore been
necessary to the providing for these animals, that some supply should be made to
these defects by some other way. And it hath been affirmed by some, that their
very roaring is useful to them for this end, and that when they cannot
overtake their prey, they do by that fierce noise so astonish and amaze the poor
beasts, that they fall down before them. If this have that truth, which it
professes to have, it gives a clear account both of the phrase of roaring
after their prey, and of seeking it from God — of roaring,
as being able to do nothing else toward the getting it, but only thus to
frighten the hearers, and express his own hunger and want." —
Hammond.
ftd193
In the French version all the verbs in this verse are translated in the present
tense.
ftd194
"The greatest part of the Jewish feasts, as the New Moon, the Passover, the
Pentecost, etc., were governed by the moon." —
Dimoch.
ftd195
Fry reads in the text, "There pass the ships," and at the foot of the page,
"There go the whales." "I cannot," says he, "but indulge a conjecture in this
place, that either the word we translate ships had anciently another
meaning, and signified some aquatic animal; or that for
twyna,
we should read
µynynt,
or
µynt:
compare
<010121>Genesis
1:21, 'And God created great whales,
µyldgh
µynynj, and every living creature that moveth,
hyjh
tçmrh, which the waters brought forth
abundantly after their kind.' It has, however, been thought by some, that not
whales, but some large marine animals, known on the shores of the Mediterranean
Sea, are intended by the term." — "The first line of this verse," says
Dimock, "should probably be read in a parenthesis, if it is not an
interpolation; and the grammatical construction requires that we should read
ˆwklh.
That wonderful piece of mechanism, a ship, whereby man becomes the lord
of the sea, seems to have been originally constructed under the divine
direction. — See
<010614>Genesis
6:14."
ftd196
The leviathan, which is described at large in Job 40., is now generally
understood by commentators to be not the whale, but the crocodile, an inhabitant
of the Nile. That it should here be numbered with the marine animals, need not
surprise us, as the object of the divine poet is merely to display the kingdom
of the watery world. Of these wide domains the sea of the Nile
forms, in his view, a part.
"µy
transfertur ad omnia flumina majora. Est igitur in specie Nilus. Jes. 19,
5; Nab. 3, 8." — Sire. Lex. Heb. — See volume 3, page
175, note
1.ftd197
"This alludes to
<010102>Genesis
1:2 as the continual succession of things is a kind of creation." —
Dimock.
ftd198
"They smoke. Gejerus, Patrick, etc., refer this to
<021918>Exodus
19:18. But may it not have respect also to volcanic mountains in general?"
—
Dimock.
ftd199
"Through the whole of my existence,
ydw[b,
for my perpetuality. — See the word used in the same sense,
<19D918>Psalm
139:18." —
Horsley.
ftd200
"Ou, meditation." — Fr. marg. "Or,
meditation."
ftd201
In our English Bible it is, my meditation of him shall be sweet." As the prefix
l[,
al, signifies to, as well as on, it may be doubtful whether
wyl[
should be rendered to him or on him. If in the latter sense, our
English version is correct, "My meditation of or on him shall be sweet;"
and with this the last clause of the verse would well accord, "I will be glad in
the Lord," which is an effect of the sweetness felt in meditating upon him. But
all the ancient versions give the former rendering, according to these words in
<191914>Psalm
19:14, "Let the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight." Thus the
Septuagint has hJdunqei>h
aujtw~|, "Let it be sweet to him," and
similar is the rendering in the other
versions.
ftd202
This psalm has no title in the Hebrew or Chaldee, but in the Vulgate,
Septuagint, Æthiopic, and Arabic versions, the hallelujah which
concludes the preceding psalm is prefixed as the inscription. The first fifteen
verses correspond with the first part of a song of thanksgiving, which David
composed to be sung after the ark had been brought from Obed-edom to Zion.
— See
<131508>1
Chronicles 15:8-22. Hence some conclude, that David was its inspired penman, and
that he probably enlarged it at some subsequent period of his history, that it
might supply a more complete commemoration of God's signal and extraordinary
goodness towards the Israelites from the days of Abraham to their final
settlement in the land of Canaan; while others conclude, that it was enlarged by
some Hebrew bard, at the restoration of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity.
This psalm bears a strong resemblance to the 78th, as well in the subject as in
the style, except perhaps that the diction here is rather of a more simple
cast.
ftd203
In the French version it is, "Praise ye his holy name." Hammond, agreeably to
this, would read, "Praise ye the name of his holiness;" thinking that
b,
beth, in, is a
pleonasm.
ftd204
"For
wzw,
his strength, the LXX. seem to have read
wz[,
be strengthened, and accordingly render it
krataiwqh~te,
the Latin 'confirmamini', 'be confirmed,' and so the Syriac, 'be strengthened.'
This the sense would well bear, 'Seek the Lord, and be confirmed;' let all your
strength be sought from him. So the Jewish Arab, 'Seek the Lord, and seek that
he would strengthen you, or strength from him, or you shall
certainly be strengthened,' if by prayer you diligently seek him." —
Hammond. Horsley also reads, "Seek the Lord, and be
strong."
ftd205
With this agrees the interpretation of Lowth: "The holy ark, and the
shechinah which remained upon it, the symbol of the divine presence, is
called the face of God; and to seek the face of God, is to
appear before the ark, to worship at the sanctuary of God, which was required of
the Israelites thrice a year. — See
<102101>2
Samuel 21:1;
<140714>2
Chronicles 7:14;
<192708>Psalm
27:8;
<022317>Exodus
23:17, — Lectures on the Sacred Poetry of the Hebrews,
volume 2, page
24l.
ftd206
See
<011517>Genesis
15:17, 18; 17:2; 22:16; 26:3;
35:11.
ftd207
See
<012603>Genesis
26:3.
ftd208
To Jacob also he renewed at Beersheba all the gracious assurances of the
covenant which he had made with Abraham, and ratified to Isaac,
(<012810>Genesis
28:10-15;) and he again renewed them at Padan-aram,
(<013509>Genesis
35:9-15; 13:1-5,) when he changed his name from Jacob to
Israel.
ftd209
In our English version it is lot. But the original word signifies a
cord or line. There is here an illusion to the several lots or
portions into which the land of Canaan was divided among the twelve tribes;
which were measured by lines. See volume 1, page 225, note 4. It being thought
by some learned men that the descendants of Heber possessed the land of Canaan
before the Canaanites, and that the latter unjustly dispossessed them, (see
volume 3, page 264, note 3;) Dimock supposes that the phrase, "the lot of your
inheritance," refers to this prior and rightful possession. But the appellation
given them in verse 12th, as strangers in it, seems to militate against
such an opinion. Nor is it necessary for vindicating God to have recourse to
such a supposition. As he is the supreme proprietor of all the earth, he has a
right to give it to whomsoever he pleases; and the wickedness of the Canaanites
sufficiently justified their
expulsion.
ftd210
Dr Morison explains the 13th, 14th, and 15th verses thus: — "When they
went from one part of Canaan to another, which they found possessed by seven
great nations,
(<010701>Genesis
7:1;) when they were driven from one kingdom to another people, —
sometimes in Egypt,
(<011210>Genesis
12:10) sometimes in Gerar,
(<012001>Genesis
20:1; 26,) and sometimes in the country of the East, from whence they came,
(<012901>Genesis
29:1,) he suffered no one to injure them; on the contrary, he raised up friends
for them,
(<013124>Genesis
31:24, 42,) rebuked the kings of Egypt
(<011216>Genesis
12:16, 17) and Gerar
(<012003>Genesis
20:3) for their sakes, and counseled them in the most solemn terms not to touch
or injure the persons of his anointed servants,
(<012611>Genesis
26:11, 29,) by whom, that is by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Most High
communicated his will to his Church, pouring his Spirit upon them, and making
them kings and priests in the distinguished families to which they
belonged."
ftd211
"Famine is here finely represented as a servant, ready to come and go at the
'call' and command of God; for calamities, whether public or private, are the
messengers of divine justice." —
Horne.
ftd212
The memory of this circumstance might, therefore, have been preserved by
tradition; or it may be simply a conclusion drawn from Joseph's being
incarcerated, and from the crime of which he was accused. When it is considered
that prisoners were ordinarily secured by chains, and when the magnitude of the
crime charged upon him, that of making an attempt upon the chastity of his
mistress, is farther taken into account, it is a very probable inference, that
when cast into prison, he was put in
chains.
ftd213
The first of these readings is the most
probable. The Hebrew is
wçpn hab
lzrb. "The verb being here in the feminine gender
shows that the subject is
wçpn,
and that
lzrb
is accusative. In this manner the phrase is rendered by the LXX.
Si>dhron dih~lqen hJ yuch<
aujtou~, 'his soul passed through iron;' and so the
Syriac, 'his soul went into iron;' but the Chaldee, disregarding the gender, has
taken it the other way, 'the chain of iron went into his soul.'" —
(Phillips' Psalms in Hebrew, with a Critical, Exegetical, and
Philological
Commentary.)
ftd214
It is so understood by Dr Kennicott. He refers the first clause of the verse to
the completion of Joseph's interpretation of the dreams of the chief butler and
baker; an opinion which cannot be admitted, for Joseph was not delivered at that
time, but two years after it,
<014101>Genesis
41:1. He refers the second clause to the interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams,
called the Word or Oracle of Jehovah, because sent by him to Pharaoh. In
this sense Hammond also interprets it. "The word of the Lord."
says he, "is God's showing him the meaning of those dreams,
(<014139>Genesis
41:39) God's telling him, or revealing to him, the interpretation of them." Some
who take this view explain the verb tried, not as referring to the trial
of Joseph's patience, but as referring to the proof of his innocence.
"prx,"
says Street, "in its primary sense, signifies to refine metals, or to
examine their purity by fire: by metaphor it is applied to the human
heart, and signifies to purify, to prove, to examine; but as
metal, already free from dross, would not be refined, but only show its
purity on being assayed, so here the Word seems to signify showed him to
be innocent. Joseph, protesting his innocence to Pharaoh's butler, says,
(<014010>Genesis
40:10) 'Here also have I done nothing that they should put me in the dungeon;'
and Pharaoh assigns it as his reason for taking him from prison, and setting him
over the land of Egypt,
(<014138>Genesis
41:38) 'Can ye find as this is a man in whom the Spirit of God is?' His
interpreting, by the inspiration of God, their dreams, exempted him at once from
being any longer looked on as a criminal, and raised him to the highest honors."
"This word," says Phillips, "proved Joseph, or purified him, as the verb
literally means, for it made him appear pure or innocent in the eyes of the
people, who were thus assured that God was with him, and that he must therefore
be a pious person, and not guilty of the crime for which he was thrown into a
dungeon."
ftd215
"The meaning of to bind his princes is to exercise control over the
greatest men in the kingdom, which power was conferred on Joseph by Pharaoh: see
<014140>Genesis
41:40; also verses 43, 44. The capability of binding is to be regarded as an
evidence of authority; a power of compelling obedience; or, in default thereof,
of inflicting punishment." —
Phillips.
ftd216
"As the two members of the verse express substantially the same thing, we infer
the land of Ham to be the same as Egypt. Ham, the son of Noah, was father to
Mizraim, who is supposed to have been the founder of the Egyptians, and hence
the two names of the country. Jerome, in his note on
<011006>Genesis
10:6, observes that Egypt was called in his day, in the Egyptian language, by
the name of Ham." —
Ibid.
ftd217
"Ou, fortifia." — Fr. marg. "Or,
strengthened."
ftd218
"For
rsal,
the LXX., Vulgate, and Jerome, certainly had
rsyl,
'to tutor;' or they took
rsa
in the sense of
rsy,
as they took it in Hosea, chapter 10:10." —
Horsley.
ftd219
"En un peuple le plus superbe de tout le monde." —
Fr.
ftd220
"The root
µx[,"
says Phillips, "signifies to be strong, not only with regard to physical
force, but also with respect to number:
<193820>Psalm
38:20; 40:6; 69:5, etc.; in German, a great number is called eine starke
Anzahl, a strong number. Number seems to be referred to in this
passage."
ftd221
"Chrysostom says that he turned is the same as he permitted to
turn. See his note on the verse." —
Phillips.
ftd222
"Ou ceux qui veulent estre trop prudens pour remedier aux inconvenions, ce leur
semble." —
Fr.
ftd223
"The words of his signs, — i.e., declarations; which were
afterwards confirmed by miracles." — Cresswell. "In this phrase,"
says Hammond, "the words of his signs or prodigies,
yrbd,
words, seems to be somewhat more than a pleonasm. God had told them what
signs they should use, to convince the people first, and then Pharaoh, of their
mission; and so in each judgment God commands, and they show the sign; and God's
thus telling or speaking to them is, properly,
yrbd,
words, and the matter of these words expressed by
wytwta,
signs or prodigies of his, — viz., which as he directed, he
would also enable them to do among
them."
ftd224
They executed the command of God, with respect to the plagues brought on the
Egyptians, although they knew that in thus acting they would incur the heavy
displeasure of Pharaoh, and expose their lives to considerable danger. "The
import of al
wrm, they resisted not," says
Hammond, "seems no more than what is affirmed in the story,
<021021>Exodus
10:21, 22, 'The Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thy hand. — And Moses
stretched forth his hand,' — i.e., readily obeyed, and did what God
directed, and that at a time when Pharaoh was likely to be incensed, and
vehemently offended with him and Aaron. For which consideration the story there
gives us this farther ground: for as, verse 10, he had before expressed some
anger and threats, — 'Look to it, for evil is before you,' and 'they were
driven from his presence,' verse 11; so now, upon the hardening his heart, which
follows this plague of darkness, he said to Moses, 'Get thee from me, take heed
to thyself, see my face no more, for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt
die the death,' verse 28. This rage of Pharaoh, Moses in reason might well
foresee, but he dreaded it not; but boldly did as God directed, and that is the
meaning of "they resisted not God's
word.'"
ftd225
The Hebrew verb for brought forth is
˜rç,
sharats, which signifies to multiply exceedingly; and "the
noun is used for creeping things, because they procreate in great abundance. It
cannot therefore be more fitly translated, as is observed by Hammond, than by
swarming." —
Phillips.
ftd226
The original word for a swarm of flies is
br[,
arob. For some account of the noxious insects here meant, see volume 3,
page 258, note
2.ftd227
The Hebrew word for lice is
µynk,
kannim. The reading in the Septuagint is
sknifev,
and in the Vulgate sciniphes, which signifies a species of little gnats
that sting painfully in the marshy country of Egypt; the culex reptans of
Linnaeus, or the culex molestus of Forskal. In support of the accuracy of
this interpretation it has been said, that as the translators of the Septuagint
dwelt in Egypt, it can hardly be supposed that they were ignorant of what was
intended by the Hebrew name. Philo, an Alexandrian Jew, and Origen, a Christian
father, who likewise lived at Alexandria, have also been produced as confirming
this interpretation. Both Philo and Origen represent these insects as being very
small, but very troublesome. The latter describes them as winged insects, but so
small as to escape any but the acutest sight; and says, that when settled on the
body, they wound it with a most sharp and painful piercer. Jerome also supports
this view, while Gesenius, Boothroyd, and others, concur in it. The Jewish
interpreters, however, and Josephus, understand the original word as denoting
lice; which has been adopted by the translators of our English
Bible, and which Bochart likewise follows, with most of the modern commentators.
Bochart argues that gnats could not be intended: — 1. Because the
creatures here mentioned sprang from the dust of the earth, and not from the
waters. 2. Because they were both on men and cattle, which cannot be spoken of
gnats. 3. Because their name comes from a root which signifies to make firm,
fix, establish, which could not apply to gnats, flies, etc., as they are almost
constantly on the wing. 4. Because
hnk,
kinah, is the term given by the Talmudists for louse. The
translation given by Calvin, and in our English Bible, appears the most correct,
but whichever we adopt, it is necessary to conclude (which the history expressly
states) that the creatures were brought in swarms, most extraordinary even for
Egypt, and thus a miraculous interposition was made manifest. This judgment was
the more noisome and disgraceful to the Egyptians, from the great external
purity which they affected, and from their being very nice both in their persons
and clothing; bathing and making ablutions continually. They were particularly
solicitous not to harbour any vermin, thinking it would be a great profanation
of the temple which they entered, if any animalculae of this sort were concealed
in their
garments.
ftd228
The Hebrew word translated caterpillar is
qly,
yelek. This word is in our English Bible rendered caterpillar
here, and in
<245127>Jeremiah
51:27; but in
<290104>Joel
1:4, 2:25, and
<340315>Nahum
3:15, it is rendered cankerworm. In the passage in Nahum the creature is
spoken of as winged and bristled, whence some commentators suppose that a kind
of locust is intended. "It certainly means some insect remarkable for destroying
vegetables, probably the 'chafer' or 'maybug,'
broucov,
as the LXX. render it in five passages out of eight wherein it occurs. The
Vulgate throughout renders it bruchus, the 'chafer.' Michaelis thinks it
means the 'chafer,' particularly in its vermicular state, when it is much
more destructive to plants, namely, by gnawing, eating, and cankering their
roots, than after it has taken wing." — Parkhurst's Lexicon on
qly,
under
ql,
2.
ftd229
The beginning, or the first-fruit of all their strength, is
understood by Lowth to mean the first-born of the mother. His note on the verse
in Merrick's Annotations is as follows: —
"Aparch<n
po>nou, Primitias laboris vel partus.
LXX. Vulg. Hieron. Compare
<013518>Genesis
35:18. This, I think, is the right translation. The first-born, that were slain
on this occasion, were those that opened the womb; the first-born of the mother,
not of the father, as it appears from the circumstances of the history." The
first-born of cattle is no doubt also intended. — See
<014903>Genesis
49:3; and
<197851>Psalm
78:51.
ftd230
Allusion is made to the Israelites carrying with them in their departure from
Egypt, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, which they borrowed of the
Egyptians,
<021236>Exodus
12:36.
ftd231
"And there was not any one stumbling among his tribes. The LXX. have
rendered
lçwk
by
ajsqenhv
infirm, so that they understood the Psalmist to say, there was no one
incapable of following the multitude, — no one was prevented by disease or
infirmity from accomplishing the journey." — Phillips. What a
striking contrast between their condition and that of their oppressors! While in
every Egyptian dwelling, death had left his victim, not one of all the children
of Israel was unable to prosecute his heaven-directed flight from that land of
bondage.
ftd232
The meaning of this proverb is to be in danger, or hard set on every side; for
if you hold the wolf, he bites you by the fingers; if you let him go, he may
destroy
you.
ftd233
From the heavy and overwhelming judgments inflicted upon Pharaoh and his people,
for refusing to allow the Israelites to depart, they came to associate the
presence of that people in their land, with the most terrible manifestations of
divine displeasure. This at last led them, after all their inveterate
impenitence, to hail with gratitude the departure of the hated
tribes.
ftd234
See volume 3, page 248,
note.ftd235
"It does not appear from the history, that the Israelites supplicated God at
all, but only murmured against Moses and Aaron for bringing them into the
wilderness." —
Phillips.
ftd236
That is, the products of their labor; their buildings, vineyards, cultivated
fields, etc. The Israelites took possession of the land of Canaan, and of course
possessed themselves of the advantages arising from its occupation, and
cultivation by those who previously inhabited it. — See
<050610>Deuteronomy
6:10, 11;
<062413>Joshua
24:13.
ftd237
The first and two last verses of this psalm form a part of that psalm which
David delivered into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, to be sung before the
ark of the covenant, after it was brought from the house of Obed-edom to mount
Zion. See
<131634>1
Chronicles 16:34-36. Hence it has been ascribed to the pen of David. Many of the
ancients thought, and they are followed by Horsley and Mudge, that it was
written during the captivity; resting their opinion chiefly on verse 47; but as
that verse occurs in the psalm of David recorded in 1 Chronicles 16, at the 35th
verse, this argument is clearly without
force.
ftd238
"hy
wllh, Praise the Lord. These words
constitute the title, and are not to be considered as making any part of the
text of the psalm. The Chaldee retains them as a title; the LXX. and Vulgate
have the Hebrew words, which are joined into one; whilst the Syriac has in their
stead a sort of table of contents of the psalm." —
Phillips.
ftd239
"bwfAyk,
For he is good.
wyfpçm
is employed emphatically, denoting that God is good, without any mixture of
evil, perfectly good in himself, and is, as it were, the fountain from which
flows every good, and nothing but good. Hence we read in
<401917>Matthew
19:17, 'There is none good but one, that is, God.'" —
Ibid.
ftd240
Bishop Horsley, following the Syriac, which reads
wyfpçm,
and all the other versions, which read
yç[,
translates the verse, "Blessed are they that keep his judgments, and do
righteousness at all
seasons."
ftd241
It is the province of faith to celebrate the divine mercy in the most trying
circumstances.
ftd242
"Ils vienent a demander pardon de leurs pechez." —
Fr.
ftd243
"En beaucoup d'articles de condemnation." —
Fr.
ftd244
"At the Red Sea, i.e., at the Arabian Gulf; literally, at the
Sea of Suph, which, if Suph be not here a proper name, (as it seems to be in
<050101>Deuteronomy
1:1 and, with a slight variation, in
<042114>Numbers
21:14) means the sea of weeds; and that sea is still called by a
similar name in modern Egypt. This, its designation throughout the books of the
Old Testament, is in the Syriac version and the Chaldee paraphrase likewise
rendered the sea of weeds; which name may have been derived from
the weeds growing near its shore, or from the weeds, or coralline productions,
with which, according to Diodorus Siculus and Kircher, it abounded; and which
were seen through its translucent waters. Finati, quoted by Laborde, speaks of
the transparency of its waters, and the corals seen at its bottom."
— Cresswell. It has sometimes been asserted that this sea received the
appellation of Red from its color. But it has been abundantly attested by
those who have seen it, that it is no more red than any other sea. Niebuhr, in
his description of Arabia, says, "The Europeans are accustomed to give the
Arabian Gulf the name of Red Sea; nevertheless, I have not found it any more
red than the Black Sea or the White Sea, or any other sea in the world."
Artemidorus in Strabo expressly tells us that "it looks of a green color,
by reason of the abundance of sea-weed and moss that grow in it;" which
Diodorus Siculus also asserts of a particular part of it. It appears to have
derived its name of "Red Sea" from Edom, which signifies red. Although
throughout the whole Scriptures of the Old Testament it is called Yam Suph,
the weedy sea, yet among the ancient inhabitants of the countries adjoining
it was called Yam Edom, the sea of Edom,
(<110926>1
Kings 9:26;
<140817>2
Chronicles 8:17, 18,) the land of Edom having extended to the Arabian Gulf; and
the Edomites or Idumeans having occupied at one time a part, if not the whole,
of Arabia Petraea. The Greeks, who took the name of the sea from the
Phoenicians, who called it Yam Edom, instead of rendering it
the sea of Edom, or, the Idumean Sea, as they ought to have done,
took the word Edom, by mistake, for an appellative, instead of a proper name,
and accordingly rendered it eruqra
qalassa, that is, the Red Sea. Hence the
LXX. translate Yam Suph, by the Red Sea; in which they have
been followed by the authors of our English version. But the sea of weeds
is undoubtedly the best translation of the Hebrew text. — See
Prideaux' Connections, etc., volume 1, pages 39,
40.
ftd245
The history to which reference is here made is recorded in Exodus 15 We read in
the 22nd verse of that chapter, that the Israelites "went out into the
wilderness of Shur, and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no
water." They then came to Marah, where there was abundance of water; but it was
so bitter that they could not drink of it. Being thus disappointed in the hopes
with which the first sight of these waters inspired them, they murmured against
Moses, and said, "What shall we drink?" How rapid the
transition from gratitude and praise to discontent and murmuring! No sooner did
a new trouble befall that people, than they forthwith yielded to impatience,
forgat the long series of miracles which had been wrought for their deliverance
from Egypt, and distrusting God, appeared to be at once prepared to break out in
rebellion against him and Moses their
leader.
ftd246
The reference here is to the quails which God granted to the people in answer to
their request for flesh, but which, from the excess in which they partook of
them, so far from affording nourishment, proved the cause of disease. When food
of an unwholesome quality, or too much of that which is wholesome, is eaten,
nature with much violence seeks to throw it off from the system by the several
evacuations, upon which follows a sudden and almost incredible deprivation of
strength and flesh. The Israelites, when God gave them the quails, having
indulged their appetite to an immoderate degree,
(<021608>Exodus
16:8;
<197825>Psalm
78:25, 29,) the effect was their being seized with a sudden and wasting
sickness, which is supposed by some to have been what is called cholera, a
disease which produces a rapid prostration of strength and emaciation of the
whole frame. This opinion seems confirmed from what is stated in
<041120>Numbers
11:20, where it is threatened that the quails should "come out at their
nostrils," probably indicating the violent vomitings which accompany that
malady. It is indeed said, that the Lord smote the people with a very
great plague,
<041133>Numbers
11:33. But God's agency, and even his miraculous agency, admits of the
subserviency of means. French and Skinner read the clause, "But sent a wasting
disease among them." "The word
hzr,
to attenuate, emaciate," says Hammond, "is used also for
destroying,
<360211>Zephaniah
2:11, when God threatens that he will emaciate, i.e., destroy all the gods.
And then
ˆwzr,
may be rendered, more generally, destruction or plague, and so R. Tanchum on
Zephaniah renders it
destruction."
ftd247
"The saint, i.e., a man consecrated with holy oil to the office of
the priesthood, and wearing on his mitre a plate inscribed, 'Holiness to the
Lord,'
(<022836>Exodus
28:36)" — Cresswell.
Hwhy
çwdq, holy of the Lord. Aaron is thus
called, because he was separated from the whole congregation of Israel, and
appointed to direct the public worship, and to offer the sacrifices. In
reference to this, Moses said to Korah, 'The Lord will show who are His, and who
is holy,'
(<041605>Numbers
16:5) —
Phillips.
ftd248
The fire consumed two hundred and fifty, and fourteen thousand and seven hundred
died of the plague. —
<041635>Numbers
16:35,
49.
ftd249
"Capitaines et portenseignes." —
Fr.
ftd250
This idol seems to have been an imitation of the Egyptian God Apis, or Serapis,
a word which signifies the head of an ox, the Egyptians having exalted that
animal to the rank of a god whom they absurdly worshipped, and to whom they
resorted as to an oracle. "The modern Jews assert, that their ancestors were in
that matter misled by certain Egyptian proselytes, who had accompanied the
Israelites when they were delivered from their bondage. The Psalmist, it may be
remarked, does not observe the order of time in his narrative, the making of the
calf being prior to the fate of Dathan and Abiram. — Comp.
<023204>Exodus
32:4, 5." — Cresswell.
ftd251
"More properly, 'the overlaid image;' or, more literally still, 'the metalline
shell.'" — Horsley. "The Hebrew word," says Mant, "here, as
elsewhere, rendered by our translators 'molten image,' strictly and properly
means 'the metalline case' or 'covering spread over' the carved wood. It is
often joined with the 'carved wooden, image' which it covered. Aaron's calf was
thus made of wood, and overlaid with
gold."
ftd252
"That eateth hay — the Egyptians, when they consulted Apis,
presented a bottle of hay or of grass, and if the ox received it, they expected
good success." —
Cresswell.
ftd253
"Empruntent des creatures mortes la continuation d'icelle." —
Fr.
ftd254
Some interpreters, as Mudge and Horsley, have felt great difficulty in
interpreting this verse. "Nothing," says the latter critic, "was said about
overthrowing the seed, at the time when the adults, which came out of Egypt,
were sentenced to perish in the wilderness. On the contrary, it was promised
that their little ones, i.e., those who were under the age of twenty
years at the time of the general muster, should be settled in the land of
Canaan. — See Numbers 14." He farther adds, that "nothing was said at the
time alluded to about scattering the seed, which should be settled in Canaan, in
some future period, through the lands." And he concludes his note on the verse
by observing, that, upon the whole, he could not explain it to his own
satisfaction. But there seems in the passage to be a reference to those
prophetical denunciations afterwards uttered, by which God threatened that he
would punish the sins of the Israelites, not only in their own persons, but also
in their posterity; — denunciations which have been fulfilled in the
various dispersions of that people, and which are fulfilling at the present day.
—
<032633>Leviticus
26:33;
<052864>Deuteronomy
28:64. "It is obvious," says Dr Morison, "that those interpreters are mistaken
who refer the allusions of the 27th verse to the same history as those of the
26th. The people overthrown in the wilderness were to be destroyed by
pestilence; but the overthrow threatened in the 27th verse was by banishment and
captivity."
ftd255
The sins of the people had opened a breach or gap, for God as an
enemy to enter and destroy them. But, like soldiers who stand in the breach that
has been made in the walls of a beleaguered city to oppose the irruption of the
enemy, Moses, by his earnest prayer, stopped this breach,
<023211>Exodus
32:11-14. "Moses is here mentioned in the character of a mediator, under the
figure of one standing in the breach of the wall of a city made by besiegers, to
oppose any farther hostile aggressions. The figure of a breach is
frequently employed in Scripture to denote some destruction by God. Thus in
<072115>Judges
21:15, God made a
breach,˜rp,
in the tribes of Israel, i.e., He destroyed one of the tribes, viz.,
that of Benjamin: see also
<100608>2
Samuel 6:8;
<262230>Ezekiel
22:30. Hence in this passage we understand that God would have destroyed the
Israelites, had not Moses stood in the breach, i.e., interceded by his
prayers, just at the time when the divine judgments were about to be executed.
The Chaldee has paraphrased it thus, If Moses had not stood before Him and
prevailed in prayer, i.e., arrested the destruction." —
Phillips
ftd256
The passage refers to the oath which God swore against that people recorded in
<041421>Numbers
14:21-23. To the same oath there is an allusion in
<199511>Psalm
95:11. The Chaldee paraphrast has, "He lifted up his hand with an
oath."
ftd257
In our English Bible it is "their inventions." "Rather," says Horsley, "'their
frolics.'"
ftd258
"Signifie autant comme Maistre ou Patron." —
Fr.
ftd259
Baal was a very common name of the principal
male god of the nations of the East, as Ashtaroth was a common one for their
chief female deity. The Moabites, Phoenicians, Assyrians, Babylonians, and often
the Hebrews, worshipped this idol. Among the Babylonians, he was called Bel or
Belus. The sun only might at first be worshipped under that name, as we know
that under it the Phoenicians adored that luminary. But at length it came to be
applied to many other idols, according to these words of the Apostle, "There be
gods many, and baalims, or lords many,"
<460805>1
Corinthians 8:5. As the idol Jupiter among the Romans had different names and
different rites of worship, occasioned sometimes from the different benefits
which he was thought to bestow upon men, as Jupiter Pluvius, because he gave
rain, Jupiter Lucetius, because he gave light, Jupiter Altitonans, from
thundering; and sometimes from different places — as Jupiter Olympius,
from the hill Olympus, Jupiter Capitolinus, from the Capitol hill, Jupiter
Latialis, from that part of Italy which is called Latium: so Baal had his
distinctive titles, and different rites of worship, occasioned in the same
manner. He sometimes received his name from the benefits he was supposed to
confer, as Baal-tsephon,
(<021401>Exodus
14:1) the latter term denoting a watcher, and Baalzebub,
(<120102>2
Kings 1:2) which signifies the lord of the flies. He was worshipped under
this last name by the Cyrenians, but principally by Ekronites, because, whenever
they sacrificed to him, they believed that the swarms of flies, which at that
time molested the country, would die. At other times he received a distinctive
appellation from the places where he was worshipped, as Baal-peor, from the hill
Peor, mentioned in
<042328>Numbers
23:28; and his temple, whither his votaries resorted, standing on the same hill,
was called Beth-peor,
<050329>Deuteronomy
3:29. Possibly, however, the mountain might have taken its name from the god
that was there worshipped. The idol named Chemosh, in
<244807>Jeremiah
48:7, is thought to be the same as Baal-peor. "I take it," says Goodwin, "to be
applied to Baal-peor, by way of contempt, as if one should say their blind
god, according to that in the psalm, 'They have eyes, and see not;' for the
first letter, caph, signifies as it were, or like, and
çwm,
musch, to grope, or feel about in manner of blind men." Moses
and Aaron, page 170. This idol was also called Baal-bereth,
(<070833>Judges
8:33, and 9:4,) from his worshippers binding themselves to him by
covenant.
ftd260
"The dead" appears to be a term of contempt applied to idols. They are so called
in opposition to the true and living God. There may also be an allusion to the
fact, that many of the heathen idols were men who had been deified after their
death.
ftd261
"Lequel outre les limites de sa vocation." —
Fr.
ftd262
And it was counted to him for
righteousness. Dr Hammond properly observes, that this expression signifies
something more than justifying, as being the opposite of
condemning; for thus it would denote no more than acquitting
Phinehas, who had certainly committed no offense; on the contrary, by this
act an offended God was satisfied. He gives to
hqdx,
therefore, the sense of reward, in which he is supported by the Chaldee,
which has
wkzl,
for merit. Mendlessohn also, in his Beor to
<011506>Genesis
15:6, where this phrase occurs, assigns to
hqdx
the meaning of merit or reward. The reward in this case, we learn
from the history, consisted in placing the priesthood in his family for ever
and ever, as stated in the next portion of the verse. — See
<042513>Numbers
25:13." —
Phillips.
ftd263
At the waters of Meribah, where "they strove with the Lord,"
<042013>Numbers
20:13. — See
<199508>Psalm
95:8.
ftd264
"Ou, feirent rebeller." — Fr. marg. "Or, made his spirit to
rebel."
ftd265
"'But were mingled among' rather, 'But formed alliances with.'" —
Horsley.
ftd266
" — 'And went a whoring with their own inventions;' rather, — 'and
play the wanton in their perverse habits.'" —
Horsley.
ftd267
"Quid igitur fief ubi oleum camino adder aliena instigatio?" — Lat.
"Que sera-ce donc quand l'instigation d'autruy iettera (comme l'on dit) de
l'huile dedans le feu?" —
Fr.
ftd268
"Dum adoratione duliae, non latriae, se imagines colere excusant." —
Lat. — See volume 2, page 272,
note.ftd269
"µydçl,
to the devils. This word is found only here and in
<053217>Deuteronomy
32:17, 'They sacrificed unto devils, not to God,' etc. Some persons
derive it from
dwç,
to lay waste. Michaelis, from an Arabic word, signifying to be
black. Hengstenberg, from an Arabic word, signifying to exercise
lordship. Whatever root may be the true one, there is no doubt that
µydç
denotes false gods of some kind or another to which human sacrifices were
offered." — Phillips. That the Canaanites, and their
descendants, the Carthaginians, as well as other heathen nations, sacrificed
men, and even their dearest children, to appease their deities, is a fact
established not only from the Sacred Writings, but also from profane history;
and strange as it may seem, it is no less certain, that in this they were
imitated by the Israelites, who offered their sons and daughters to the same
false gods. Compare
<121603>2
Kings 16:3; 17:17; 21:6;
<142803>2
Chronicles 28:3; 33:6. They had been expressly warned against this horrid
practice,
(<031821>Leviticus
18:21; 20:3;
<051231>Deuteronomy
12:31; 18:10;) but so infatuated were they, and such is the desperate wickedness
of the human heart and the power of Satan over men, that they frequently
relapsed into it. Dr Adam Clarke translates the original word which Calvin
renders devils by demons. "Devil," says he, "is never in
Scripture used in the plural; there is but one devil, though there are
many
demons."
ftd270
"Mais quand les deux Romains nommez Decii." —
Fr.
ftd271
The Hebrew for "Praise ye Jehovah," is
hyAwllh,
Haleluyah, — a word which occurs very frequently at the
beginning and end of psalms. The LXX., leaving it untranslated, have
Allhloui`a.
From this solemn form of praise to God, which no doubt was far more ancient than
the time of David, the ancient Greeks plainly had their similar acclamation,
Allhloui`a,
with which they both began and ended their poems or hymns in honor of Apollo.
— See Parkhurst's Lexicon on
llh,
4. With this psalm is concluded the fourth of the books into which the Psalms
have been divided by the
Jews.
ftd272
"The author of this psalm is not known; but it was probably David, although some
think it better to consider it as having been written after the return from the
Babylonish captivity. This psalm is of very singular construction, and was
obviously intended to be sung in responses. It has a frequently recurring double
burden or intercalary verse. The first burden is found in verses 6, 13, 19, 28;
the second 8, 15, 21, 31; that is, after the description of a class of
calamities comes the first chorus expressing the cry to the Lord for
deliverance; then a single verse describes the deliverance as granted, after
which follows the chorus of thanksgiving — and thus on to verse 35, where
the system ends. The last two burdens are, however, separate by two verses
instead of one, as before. It will also be observed, that the second chorus has
sometimes annexed another reflective distich, illustrative of the sentiment, as
in verses 9, 16. There are many other examples of a similar arrangement to be
found in the Psalms; but in Lowth's opinion, few of them are equal, and none
superior, to this." — Illustrated Commentary upon the Bible. The
beauties of this very interesting and highly instructive composition are many
and striking, of which the least intelligent reader who peruses it with any
degree of attention must be convinced. In point of poetical beauty, it may,
according to the best judges, be classed with the most admired productions of
Theocritus, Bion, Moschus, or Virgil. "It may undoubtedly be enumerated,"
remarks Lowth, "among the most elegant monuments of antiquity; and it is chiefly
indebted for its elegance to the general plan and conduct of the poem. It
celebrates the goodness and mercy of God towards mankind, as demonstrated in the
immediate assistance and comfort which he affords, in the greatest calamities,
to those who devoutly implore his aid: in the first place, to those who wander
in the desert, and who encounter the horrors of famine; next, to those who are
in bondage; again, to those who are afflicted with disease; and, finally, to
those who are tossed about upon the ocean. The prolixity of the argument is
occasionally relieved by narration; and examples are superadded of the divine
severity in punishing the wicked, as well as of his benignity to the devout and
virtuous." — Lectures on the Sacred Poetry of the Hebrews, volume
2, page 376. "Had such an Idyl," says Dr Adam Clarke, "appeared in Theocritus or
Virgil, or had it been found as a scene in any of the Greek Tragedies, even in
æschylus himself, it would have been praised up to the heavens, and
probably been produced as their
masterpiece."
ftd273
"Let the redeemed of the Lord say, viz., what is said in the latter part
of the preceding verse, that his mercy endureth for ever. — See
<19B801>Psalm
118:1, and following verses." —
Phillips.
ftd274
"rxAdym,
from the hand or power of the enemy. Luther has
translated it, aus Noth, from want; in which translation he is
followed by Hengstenberg, who observes, that
rx,
want, 'is here personified, and is represented as a dangerous enemy, who
has Israel in his hand. In the whole psalm the discourse is not concerning
enemies, but only concerning want or misery.' — See verses 6, 13. He is
probably right, for it is doubtful whether
rx,
ever signifies an enemy, except, perhaps, in a few passages in the latter books
of the Bible." —
Phillips.
ftd275
The original word is
µymw,
"and from the sea;" to which agree all the ancient versions, and the Chaldee
interprets it of the Southern Sea.
µy
is often put for the Mediterranean Sea; which being west of Judea, this word
came to signify generally the west, when employed to express one of the cardinal
points,
<011208>Genesis
12:8;
<021019>Exodus
10:19. But it is also used for the Red Sea, as in
<19B403>Psalm
114:3, where
µy
is put absolutely for
ãws,
which lay to the south of Judea, and hence the word might denote the south
point. Hare, Secker, Kennicott, and Horsley, would read
ˆymym,
"from the south." Gesenius and Hengstenberg are of opinion, apparently without
sufficient reason, that
µy,
both in this passage and in
<234912>Isaiah
49:12, where it is also joined with
ˆwpx,
the north, has the signification of
west.
ftd276
"Ou, Ils se sont fourvoyez au desert tous seulets." — Fr. marg.
"Or, they wandered solitary in the
desert."
ftd277
To secure the gates of cities, it is customary in the East, at the present day,
to cover them with thick plates of brass and iron. Maundrell speaks of the
enormous gates of the principal mosque at Damascus, formerly the Church of St
John the Baptist, being plated over with brass. Pitts informs us, that Algiers
has five gates, and some of these have two, some three, other gates within them;
and that some of them are plated all over with thick iron, being made strong and
convenient for what it is — a nest of pirates. — Harmer's
Observations, volume 1, page 329. To such a practice, which, in all
probability, obtained in ancient times, there seems to be here a reference. From
this verse some have been inclined to think that the psalm was written after the
return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity. This deliverance was
predicted, in precisely the same terms, in that remarkable passage, where God
promises to go before Cyrus his anointed, and "break in pieces the gates of
brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron,"
(<234502>Isaiah
45:2) This phraseology appropriately expresses the superior and almost
impregnable strength of Babylon. "Abydenus, quoted by Eusebius in his
Praeparatio Evangelica, says that the wall of Babylon had brazen gates.
And Herodotus more particularly, — 'In the wall all around there are a
hundred gates all of brass; and so, in like manner, are the sides and the
lintels.' The gates likewise within the city, opening to the river from the
several streets, were of brass: as were those also of the Temple of Belus."
— (Lowth on
<234502>Isaiah
45:2) But still these brazen gates could not secure the city and the empire from
falling into the hands of the instrument chosen by God for the deliverance of
his people.
ftd278
"The Psalmist is speaking of sick men, to
whom the most desirable food is often abhorrent." —
Phillips.
ftd279
"Ou, fosses, ou pieges." — Fr. marg. "Pitfalls, or
snares."
ftd280
This psalm is distinguished for beautiful and inimitable description. In the
preceding part of it, the weary and bewildered traveler, — the forlorn and
wretched captive, shut up in the dungeon and bound in fetters, — the sick
and dying man, — are painted in the most striking and affecting manner. In
this verse there is a transition to ships, and the dangers of mariners
foundering in a storm, which is continued to the close of the 30th verse. This
has often been admired as one of the sublimest descriptions of a sea-storm
anywhere to be found, either in the Sacred Writings, or in profane
authors.
ftd281
Horsley reads, "And all their skill is drowned;" "that is," says he, "their
skill in the art of navigation is drowned; a metaphor taken from the particular
danger which threatens them." Phillips reads, And all their wisdom is
absorbed or swallowed up; which, in like manner, he explains
as denoting that "their alarm is so great, that their knowledge deserts them;
they lose all self-possession, and become entirely unfit for managing the
ship."
ftd282
Instead of in their straits, Phillips reads, from their prison-houses,
places of confinement. "By their prison-houses," says he, "we understand the
ship in which they were confined; to be liberated from which, and consequently
from the risk of a watery grave, they cried unto the
Lord."
ftd283
"µ[,
the people, is here evidently opposed to
µynqz,
elders, and both signify the whole assembly or congregation. For, among
the Jews, the doctors, rulers of the synagogue, and elders, had a
distinct apartment from the people, and the service being much in
antiphona, or response, part was spoken by them that officiated in the
seat of the elders, and the rest by the multitude of common men, the
ijdiw~tai,
that answered Amen at least, at their giving of thanks." —
Hammond.
ftd284
"The men of the ship go up to heaven, i.e., rise high in the air when the
wave lifteth up the ship, and afterwards, because of the wave they descend to
the deep; and from thus ascending and descending, the soul of the men of the
ship melteth within them on account of the danger in which they are placed."
—
Kimchi.
ftd285
The consternation into which those at sea are thrown in a dangerous storm, and
their deliverance by God in answer to prayer, is so beautifully described in the
well known and admirable hymn of Addison, that we shall take the liberty to
quote a part of it:
"Think, O my soul!
devoutly think,
How
with affrighted
eyes,
Thou saw'st the
wide-extended
deep,
In all its
horrors
rise.
"Confusion
dwelt on every
face,
And fear in
every heart;
When
waves on waves, and gulfs on
gulfs,
O'ercame the
pilot's art.
"Yet
then, from all my griefs, O
Lord,
Thy mercy set
me free;
Whilst in
the confidence of
prayer,
My soul took
hold on Thee.
"For
though in dreadful whirls we
hung
High in the
broken wave,
I knew
Thou wert not slow to
hear,
Nor impotent to
save.
"The storm was
laid, the winds
retir'd,
Obedient to
thy will;
The sea
that roar'd at thy
command,
At thy
command was still!"
ftd286
Among the circumstances selected by the prophet in this striking description of
a storm at sea, God's agency, both in raising and calming it, is not to be
overlooked. He is introduced as first causing, by His omnipotent command, the
tempest to sweep over the ocean, whose billows are thus made to rise in furious
agitation mountains high: and, again, as hushing the winds into a calm, and
allaying the agitation of the waves. The description would be utterly mutilated
were the special reference to the Divine power in such phenomena omitted. "How
much more comfortable, as well as rational, is the system of the Psalmist, than
the Pagan scheme in Virgil, and other poets, where one deity is represented as
raising a storm, and another as laying it. Were we only to consider the sublime
in this piece of poetry, what can be nobler than the idea it gives us of the
Supreme Being, thus raising a tumult among the elements, and recovering them out
of their confusion, thus troubling and becalming nature?" — Spectator,
Number
485.
ftd287
"hjlml,
into saltness, or barrenness. The word has here the force of
sterility. Pliny says, 'Omnislocus in quo reperitursal, sterilis est, nihilque
gignit.' — Hist. Nat. Lib. 31, cap. 7. Allusion is here made to the
destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, 'The whole land thereof is brimstone, and
salt, and burning; that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth
therein, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, which the Lord overthrew in
his anger, and in his wrath,'
(<052923>Deuteronomy
29:23) The Chaldee has paraphrased the verse as follows: 'The land of Israel
which bore fruit he hath laid waste as Sodom, which was overturned on account of
the wickedness of its inhabitants.'" —
Phillips.
ftd288
The words of this verse are found in
<181221>Job
12:21, 24, from which they are supposed, with great probability, to have been
borrowed.
ftd289
"Par angoisse de mal et par douleur." —
Fr.
ftd290
"Iniquity is here personified, and denotes the iniquitous;
but the abstract is more poetical." — Dr
Geddes.
ftd291
The same critic reads, "While all iniquity shall be tongue-tied." "Tongue
tied," says he, "literally mouth-shut: which perhaps
might be not improperly
vernacularised."
ftd292
"Ou, mon duc." — Fr. marg. "Or, my
leader."
ftd293
"The 108th psalm is altogether made up of extracts from the others; its first
part being identical (with the exceptions of a few slight variations) with the
third division of the 57th; its second, with the second division of the 60th.
And both these borrowed parts are discriminated, both in the 57th and 60th
psalms, from the rest of the context by the word Selah. This is a remarkable
fact, and illustrates strongly one of the functions of the Diapsalma. These
parts were, then, to a certain degree, regarded as distinct compositions, which
occasionally were disjointed from their original context; the very change of
sentiment and strain, which originated the word Diapsalma, sanctioning such an
occasional practice." — Jebb's Literal Version of the
Book of Psalms, with Dissertations, volume 2, page
109.
ftd294
From the express application of a part of this awfully prophetic poem to Judas
by the Apostle Peter,
(<440120>Acts
1:20) we learn that the punishment and sufferings of that unhappy man form its
subject. It has also been justly viewed as shadowing forth, not merely the fate
of the wretched Iscariot, and his immediate associates, but the dreadful and
justly-merited destiny of the Jewish polity and nation. "The first five verses
of this psalm," says Horsley, "clearly describe the treatment which our Lord met
with from the Jews. The curses that follow as clearly describe the judgments
which have fallen upon that miserable people. So that the whole is a prediction
of his sufferings, and of their punishment, delivered in the form of complaint
and imprecation." Whatever, therefore, may be said as to the primary reference
of the psalm to the lamentations and denunciations poured forth by David, in
consequence of the perfidy and cruelty of some inveterate foe, Christ must be
principally understood as the person who gives utterance to these lamentations
and denunciations, occasioned by the injurious treatment he received from his
betrayer and murderers. — See
Appendix.ftd295
The Septuagint and Vulgate attach the same meaning to the Psalmist's prayer. The
reading of the former being, W
Qeo<v th<n ai]nesi>n mou mh<
parasiwph>shv, and that of the latter, "Deus,
laudem meam ne tacueris," O God! be not silent of my praise.
The phrase, as it stands in the Hebrew text, is, however, capable of a
double signification; for it may refer either to God's praising David, or to
David's praising God. In the one case, it will intimate that God was the object
of his praise; in which sense it is said,
<051021>Deuteronomy
10:21, "He is thy praise, and He is thy God," and will mean, Be not silent to
refuse, neglect not my praising of thee. In the other sense the prayer is, as
our author states, Whilst others reproach me, be not silent of my praise, be
thou my advocate, plead my causes, proclaim and justify my
innocence.
ftd296
"This expression," says Hengstenberg, "finds its full truth in Christ. Christ's
love to man was daily manifested by his miraculous healing all the infirmities
of the body, which was returned by man's hatred of Him, as displayed in his
general
conduct."
ftd297
In the Hebrew, the sentence is very short and imperfect, "But I prayer;" I am a
man of prayer; or, I betake myself to prayer. Thus "I peace" is put for "I am
for peace." —
<19C007>Psalm
120:7.
ftd298
"The spirit of prophecy is blended in a high degree with all the denunciations
which follow, and which have relation to the impenitent Jews, and to the
traitorous apostle." —
Morison.
ftd299
"When his cause shall be examined, and when sentence shall be pronounced, let
him, as the original signifies, go out guilty; in other words, let him be
condemned; and when he pleads for a pardon, or for a mitigation of his sentence,
let his petition, instead of receiving a favorable answer, be regarded as an
aggravation of his crime." — Morison. Horsley understands the last
clause as referring to the Jewish worship, which, he affirms, is now become sin,
as it contains a standing denial of our Lord. Fry admits that Horsley's
exposition of this line is ingenious. "But," says he,
"hlpt,
[which Calvin renders prayer,] from its etymology, and from its
usage,
<181617>Job
16:17, may be understood to mean a judicial sentence, and the parallelism in
this place strongly argues for such an interpretation. Let the decision on him
be 'Guilty.'" Accordingly, he reads, "On his trial let him come forth condemned,
and let the decision be, For
sin."
ftd300
"His days shall be few. Hengstenberg says this word means few times,
as if he considered it a substantive rather than an adjective; but it is
doubtless an adjective belonging to
wymy,
(his days.) The expression denotes that the man here spoken of
should not live to a full age, but should meet with a premature death, either
violently by the hands of others or by his own, as was the case with Judas. An
untimely death is often mentioned in the Old Testament as a punishment on men
who are eminently guilty. 'Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half
their days,'
<195523>Psalm
55:23. See also
<201027>Proverbs
10:27. This passage is applicable not to Judas only, but also to the Jews in
general, for after the crucifixion of our Lord, their days were few; they were
soon dispossessed of their country, and became the outcasts of the earth."
— Phillips. Horsley also explains this of the days of the Jewish
commonwealth, which were very few after our Lord's ascension; and the subsequent
clause, "let another receive his office," he understands as denoting that "the
Christian Church is become the depository of revelation, which was the
particular charge of the Jewish
race."
ftd301
"The 10th and 11th verses allude to the state of the Jews in their dispersion,
having nowhere any settled home." —
Horsley.
ftd302
Horsley reads this verse as follows: —
"Let his children
be mere vagabonds, and
beg;
Let them be
driven out from the very ruins of their dwelling."
"For
wçrdy,"
says he, "the LXX. had
wçrgy;
'let them be driven out.' This reading Houbigant and Archbishop Secker approve.
The image is, vagabonds seeking a miserable shelter among the ruins of decayed
and demolished buildings, and not suffered to remain even in such places
undisturbed."
ftd303
"Literally, 'the lender' or 'creditor.' But from the hard-heartedness of the
Jews towards their debtors, of which we have instances in
<120401>2
Kings 4:1;
<160501>Nehemiah
5:1-13; the word seems in latter times to have carried a bad sense; and so it is
rendered in our translation, 'the extortioner.'" —
Mant.
ftd304
"çqny
shall catch, or secure. It seems to denote, to catch by laying
snares. See
<193813>Psalm
38:13. This sense suits very well this passage; for the usurer is accustomed to
obtain the substance of men by all kinds of artifices." — Phillips.
Horsley renders, "draw his net over all that he hath." How striking a
representation of the treatment which the Jews, since the time of the last
destruction of their city, and their dispersion by the Romans, have received
from almost all nations among whom they have been scattered! For some time they
have been permitted to live in Britain, Holland, and Germany, unmolested; but
what a tale of misery does the tyrannical exactions of which they have been the
prey for centuries
constitute!
ftd305
Dr Geddes translates the 6th verse thus: —
"May he be tried by
a wicked judge;
And
at his right had be placed the accuser."
On which he has the following note: — "May
he be tried by a wicked judge. He alludes to courts of judicature: and
wishes that his enemy may have a severe, nay, wicked judge,
— certainly one of the greatest curses that can befall one. — And
at his right hand be placed the accuser. Instead of a friend or advocate to
stand by him, let his only attendant be an accuser. What imagery this! But the
height of the metaphor is in the next verse: —
'When he is judged,
may he be found
guilty:
And may his
deprecation only aggravate his crime.'"
With this corresponds the interpretation of Phillips.
With Hammond, he understands to set over as denoting to set over as a
judge or inspector. "This notion of setting over," he observes,
"corresponds with the next member; for there it says, and an enemy shall
stand at his right hand, which shows that the wicked man was to be appointed
to act as a judge. The man at his right hand denotes an accuser, agreeably to
the custom which prevailed in a Jewish court of justice, of placing the accuser
at the right hand of the accused, (see Zechariah 3:1;) and hence we understand
in this verse
[çr
to be mentioned as acting in the capacity of a judge, and
ˆfr
in that of an accuser." Cresswell gives a similar explanation of the passage.
Green, who follows Dr Sykes in thinking that the imprecations from this verse to
verse 17 were pronounced not by David upon his enemies, but by David's enemies
upon him, reads the verse thus: — "Set a wicked man over him, say they,
to hear his cause, and let a false accuser stand at his right
hand."
ftd306
"Paefecturam generaliter significat." — Lat. "Signifie
generallement Superintendence." —
Fr.
ftd307
"Quand il donne les biens en proye aux exacteurs." —
Fr.
ftd308
"Tarnovius says, the passage treats not
concerning all memory, but only of an honorable one."
Phillips.
ftd309
"Et mesmes la calamite de quelqu'un amollit le ceur de celuy qui luy portoit
haine." —
Fr.
ftd310
"Ut desperatos omnes male perdat." — Lat. "Afin qu'il extermine
tous ceux qui sont du tout desesperez." —
Fr.
ftd311
"This curse alludes to the imprecation by which the Jews ventured to take upon
themselves the guilt of our Lord's death, when Pilate pronounced him innocent.
The blessing, 'on which they set not their heart,' was that which they might
have obtained from our Lord." —
Horsley.
ftd312
The Hebrew word for garment in this verse signifies, according to
Parkhurst, "a long robe, a garment commensurate with the body." See his Lexicon
rm,
3. Horsley renders it, "a garment fitted to him," which he takes to be the
precise sense of
wrm.
The phrase in the following verse he renders, "as the close garment which wraps
him." In the second clause there is probably an allusion to the water of
jealousy. See
<040518>Numbers
5:18. More forcible language than that of this and the subsequent verse could
not be employed to convey the strength and perfection of that curse which fell
on the Jewish nation; and the condition of that people, ever since their
dispersion by the Romans, affords abundant evidence that the terms here made use
of, strong as they are, to predict this condition, are but barely adequate to
afford us a just notion of its sad reality. "The curse that lighted on the
Jewish nation," observes Bishop Horne, in illustration of this and the next
verse, "is resembled, for its universality and adhesion, to a 'garment' which
covereth the whole man, and is 'girded' close about his loins; for its diffusive
and penetrating nature to 'water,' which from the stomach passeth into the
'bowels,' and is dispersed through all the vessels of the frame; and to 'oil,'
which imperceptibly insinuates itself into the very 'bones.' When that unhappy
multitude, assembled before Pontius Pilate, pronounced the words, 'His blood be
on us and on our children,' then did they put on the envenomed garment, which
has stuck to and tormented the nation ever since; then did they eagerly swallow
down that deadly draught, the effects whereof have been the infatuation and
misery of 1700
years."
ftd313
Horsley translates, "I am just gone, like the shadow stretched to its utmost
length." The allusion is to the state of the shadows of terrestrial objects at
sun-set, lengthening every instant, and growing faint as they lengthen, and in
the instant that they shoot to an immeasurable length, disappearing. As a
shadow, when it is extended by the sun's setting, is approaching to
evanescence, so, saith the speaker in this psalm, I am fast disappearing; that
is, am approaching the end of mortal
life.
ftd314
The Hebrew word for locust is in the singular number; but the Septuagint
reads in the plural, and a plurality may be intended. Locusts are accustomed to
fly in great numbers, and the swarms of them are sometimes so numerous in
Eastern countries, that they fly in the air like a succession of clouds, forming
enormous compact bodies. But when the wind blows briskly, locusts being weak and
feeble creatures, these swarms are often tossed, broken into separate masses,
thrown one upon another, and driven over the sea, into which they fall when no
longer able to sustain their flight. — See
<021013>Exodus
10:13, 19. So powerless was the speaker in this psalm before his persecuting
enemies. He was driven by them from place to place, without the power to offer
any resistance. Hammond, who considers the psalm as having been composed by
David when forced to flee from Jerusalem by the rebellion of his son Absalom,
after referring to this explanation of the metaphor, observes: "Another possible
way there is of understanding the resemblance. The locust is but a large sort of
grasshopper, which hath no set abiding-place or rest, but leaps to and fro,
roves about the field: so we have the 'running to and fro of locusts,'
<233304>Isaiah
33:4. And this uncertain, unsettled condition of those creatures, may be proper
also to express David's condition in his flight, when he had not where to lay
his head, but wandered from place to place uncertainly. But the former, that is
founded in the bands of locusts, is fitter to express David and the company with
him, his weak fugitive army, than that which is founded in the manner of the
single locust or
grasshopper."
ftd315
"En l'assemblee des grans." — Fr. "In the assembly of the great."
ftd316
"C'est, de ceux qui ont juge et condamne son ame a la mort." — Fr.
marg. "That is, from those who have judged and condemned his soul to
death."
ftd317
In
<402242>Matthew
22:42-45, Christ applies this portion of Scripture to himself; and this
application the Pharisees, before whom it was made, so far from disputing, at
once admitted, as appears from their inability to answer our Lord's question,
which was founded upon it; for had the psalm been differently interpreted by any
party among the Jews, the Pharisees would unquestionably have taken advantage of
such diversity of opinion, to escape from the difficulty in which they were
placed by the question addressed to them. The Messianic interpretation of this
psalm is also supported by the testimony of the apostles. The author of the
Epistle to the Hebrews
(<580113>Hebrews
1:13) quotes the first verse, to prove Christ's superiority in dignity to
angels, to whom Jehovah had never said, "Sit on my right hand, until I make
thine enemies thy footstool." In
<440234>Acts
2:34, 35, Peter quotes the same passage, as prophetical of Christ's ascension
into heaven. See also
<461525>1
Corinthians 15:25;
<580717>Hebrews
7:17;
<490120>Ephesians
1:20, etc. The psalm is thus beyond all controversy, a very clear prediction of
the divinity, priesthood, victories, and triumph of the Messiah. We have so many
Scriptural helps to its exposition, that we can be at no loss as to its meaning.
Such also is the strength of the internal evidence, in support of its
application to Christ, that although the Jews have taken a great deal of pains
to wrest it to another sense, yet several of the Rabbins have been forced to
acknowledge that it belongs to
him.
ftd318
"Au temps d'assembler ton exercice." —
Fr.
ftd319
Calvin, in pointing this verse, has very properly placed the colon after
holiness, and not after morning, as in our English
Bible.
ftd320
"The Lord said unto my Lord. Heb., 'Jehovah assuredly said unto my
Adon,' which last word is used for lord in every variety of
rank, from the master of a family to the sovereign of an empire. In its origin,
this title seems similar to the Italian cardinal, which means primarily a
hinge, as Adon does a socket; hence figuratively applied to executive
magistrates, on whom the government rests, and public affairs
turn." —
Williams.
ftd321
The expression is borrowed from the Eastern custom of conquerors putting their
feet upon the necks of their enemies. See
<061024>Joshua
10:24.
ftd322
"Until I make, etc. It is remarked by Genebrard, that the particle
d[
is to be taken emphatically, as if it were equivalent to etiam donec, and
signifies continuity; not the exception or exclusion
of future times. Jehovah is, therefore, speaking in substance as
follows: — 'Reign with me even until I make thy enemies thy
footstool; even at the time which seems opposed to thy kingdom, and
when thy enemies appear to reign, that is, before I have prostrated thy enemies,
and have caused them to make submission to thee. After this subjection of
thy adversaries, it is unnecessary to say, Thou wilt continue to reign.' If this
be not the force of the passage, then we must suppose that the reign of Christ
will cease when he has completely subjugated the world; which is contrary to
what we are taught elsewhere in Scripture. The particle is used in a similar
manner in
<19C303>Psalm
123:3;
<050724>Deuteronomy
7:24." —
Phillips.
ftd323
"The rod of thy strength, or the scepter of thy strength, i.e.,
thy powerful scepter, the scepter with which thou rulest thy powerful
kingdom." —
Phillips.
ftd324
"'Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power.' Voluntaries, a
people of voluntarinesses or of liberalities, (as
<196810>Psalm
68:10;) that is, shall most freely, willingly, and liberally present themselves
and their oblations to thee, as
<070509>Judges
5:9;
<441104>Acts
11:41;
<022502>Exodus
25:2;
<451201>Romans
12:1;
<194701>Psalm
47:10; 119:108; Song 6:11." — Ainsworth.
"twbdn
is literally promptitudines, readinesses; so that the term being
plural and abstract, may be regarded as highly emphatic, as if the Psalmist
said, Thy people shall be very willing. This noun also signifies
voluntary oblations. Thus Luther has rendered it by williglich opfern.
In this sense it is found in many passages, as
<023529>Exodus
35:29; 36:3;
<052324>Deuteronomy
23:24, and several other places. It will be necessary, if this meaning be
assigned to it here, to supply some such verb as
ayby.
The Psalmist, however, is evidently speaking of a battle, and, therefore, the
admission of this meaning would be incongruous." — Phillips.
"Since an army," says Rosenmüller, "is represented in this passage as
called out to a warlike expedition, we cannot understand
twbdn
otherwise than as signifying a prompt and willing mind, in which sense we find
it,
<281405>Hosea
14:5, ultro, voluntarily, of his own accord,
<195114>Psalm
51:14;
<070502>Judges
5:2, 9." — Messianic Psalms, Biblical Cabinet, volume 32, page
271.
ftd325
"I have rendered the words, dlyj
µwyb, in the day of thy power;
and I understand that day as referring to the time when, in consequence of
Peter's exhortation, three thousand persons made profession of the Christian
faith." — Dante on the Messianic Psalms, Biblical Cabinet, volume
32, page 318. With this corresponds the interpretation of Hammond: "The Messiah,
in the former verses, is set upon his throne, for the exercise of his regal
power, with a sword or scepter in his hand; and, as such, he is supposed to rule
in the world, to go out to conquer and subdue all before him. The army which he
makes use of to this end is the college of apostles, sent out to preach to
all nations; and the time of their thus preaching is here called
°lyj
µwy 'the day of his power' or 'forces,' or
'army.'" But Queen Elizabeth's translators understood the phrase in the same
sense as Calvin, rendering it, "The people shall come willingly at the time of
assembling thine army." In like manner, Rosemüller reads, "In the
day of thy army; that is," says he, "in the day when thou assemblest
and leadest forth thine army. The word
lyj,
militia, is here used as in
<051104>Deuteronomy
11:4;
<120615>2
Kings 6:15, signifying military forces." — Ibid. volume 32, page
273.
ftd326
"Des la matrice, comme de, l'estoille du matin."
— Fr. "Out of the womb, as if from or out of
the star of the
morning."
ftd327
"Among the earliest Greek writers, dew seems to have been a figurative
expression for the young of any animal. Thus,
drosov
is used by æschylus for an unfledged bird, (Agamemn. 145;) and
eJrsh,
by Homer, for a young lamb or kid, (Od. 1, 222.)" —
Horsley.
ftd328
"Qui ne se dit pas d'une personne seule, mais de quelque multitude et
compagnie." —
Fr.
ftd329
The addition, "and will not repent," is intended to indicate the absolute
character of the oath, that it cannot be annulled or suspended in consequence of
any altered circumstances; that no change of counsel or of conduct in the
parties concerned shall cause any change in the divine purpose, so that it may
be said, Jehovah repented, as he is said to have repented of creating man
on observing the wickedness of the human race,
(<010606>Genesis
6:6.) A similar form of expression is elsewhere employed to express the
immutability of what God declares or swears,
(<042319>Numbers
23:19;
<091529>1
Samuel
15:29.)
ftd330
"ytrbd
l[. Secundum meam constitutionem, (q. d.,)
Not according to the Levitical order, but according to my appointment,
the true Melchizedek. See Hebrews 7." — Goode's New Version
of the Book of Psalms, with
Notes.
ftd331
"The Lord at thy right hand. In this psalm it is evident, verse 1, that
hwhy
is the title of God the Father, and so again, verse 4, and
ynda
of the Messiah God the Son, in respect of that dignity, and dominion, and regal
power, to which he was to be exalted at his ascension, that 'at the name of
Jesus every knee should bow.' This is expressed, verse 1, by his 'sitting at
God's right hand,' for which the Apostle,
<461525>1
Corinthians 15:25, reads, 'it must be that he reign.' By this it is evident
that, in this verse, 'The Lord at thy right hand,' must be understood of the
Messiah instated in his regal power at the right hand of his father, and
not of the Father as his
parasta>thv,
to back and help him, as
<191608>Psalm
16:8, and elsewhere, the phrase is used. For of the Son thus exalted we know it
is that we read
<430522>John
5:22, that 'the Father has committed all judgment to the Son.' Agreeable to
which it is that this 'Adonai,' or 'Lord at Jehovah's right hand here, shall
strike through kings in the day of his wrath;' i.e., shall act revenges
most severely on the opposers of his kingdom; which revenges, in the New
Testament, are peculiarly attributed to Christ, and called 'the coming of the
Son of Man, coming in the clouds, coming with his angels, and the approaching or
coming of his kingdom.'" — Hammond. In this 5th verse the Psalmist
makes a sudden apostrophe to Jehovah. Horsley is much inclined to indulge in a
conjecture, which Dr Kennicott, too, seems to have entertained, that the word
hwhy,
Jehovah, has been lost out of the text after the original word for at
thy right hand; and that the passage should run thus: "The Lord at
thy right hand, O
Jehovah!"
ftd332
This opinion is held by Michaelis and Doederlein. But although a fearful carnage
of God's and his people's enemies is sometimes poetically described by His
arrows being made drunk with blood,
<053242>Deuteronomy
32:42; and as producing a stream of blood, in which his people, victorious over
them, might dip or wash their feet, as in
<196824>Psalm
68:24; yet neither He nor they are said to drink such blood. There
is a great difference between this latter and the two preceding metaphors; and
we cannot think that the idea of drinking human blood, much less of making God
drink it, would have entered the mind of any Israelite. The idea is abhorrent to
human nature, and must have appeared particularly shocking to the Jews, who were
strictly prohibited by the laws of Moses from eating even the blood of
beasts.
ftd333
Similar is the opinion of Grotius. He regards the words as containing a
description of a strenuous and active warrior, whom no obstacle can prevent from
prosecuting victory with the utmost ardor; "Who," to use his own language, "when
pursuing the enemy, does not seek for places of entertainment, that he may
refresh himself with wine, but is contented with water, which he takes hastily
in passing; and whenever he can find it, not only from a river, but from a
torrent." "Schnurrer," says Rosemüller, "seems to have perceived the true
meaning of the verse, which he gives in the following words: — 'Though
fatigued with the slaughter of his enemies, yet will he not desist; but, having
refreshed himself with water taken from the nearest stream, will exert his
renovated strength in the pursuit of the routed foe.'" — Messianic
Psalms, page
284.
ftd334
This and the subsequent psalms, to the 119th, are supposed to have been sung by
the Jews at the celebration of the Passover; and the subject-matter of them was
peculiarly adapted to such a purpose. "From the 111th to the 118th psalm,
inclusive," says Jebb, in his recent work on the Psalms, "we find very
interesting marks of a ceremonial which, tradition asserts, was observed by the
Jews at the eating of the Passover, namely, the singing of the Gospel Hallel
— that hymn, in all likelihood, which our blessed Lord sang with his
disciples after the Last Supper. Dr Lightfoot informs us that there is
considerable discrepancy of opinion among the Jews as to what psalms constituted
the Greater Hallel; the various opinions extending or contracting its range from
the 113th to the 137th psalm. As usual, these traditions are uncertain and ill
defined, and have more respect to the arbitrary dicta of the Rabbins than to the
internal evidence of Holy Scripture. Let us now examine this evidence. In the
first place, we are to remark, that all the psalms (except the 114th and 118th)
which precede the 119th, have Hallelujah (that is, Praise ye the Lord)
either prefixed or subjoined, or both, while those which are without this burden
are in evident connection; the 119th as evidently beginning a new series. In the
absence, then, of any consistent testimony, it seems fair to assume, that this
group of psalms formed the Greater Hallel, the sentiment they contain being
singularly applicable to the festival, — to the great deliverance from
Egypt, which it celebrated, and to the second delivery from Babylon, which so
strongly resembled it. According to Dr Lightfoot, the 113th and 114th psalms
were sung at one period of the feast, at the second cup; and after the fourth
cup, the other psalms, namely, the 115th to the 118th, inclusive; and here the
feast ordinarily ended. They thus held the place of grace before or after meat;
and this division is very consistent, the latter psalms being more evidently
Eucharistical." — Jebb's Literal Translation of the Book of
Psalms, with Dissertations, volume 2, pages
269-271.
ftd335
"These two verses," says Dr Geddes, "might just as well have made three, and
then the whole of both psalms would be regular." According to Jerome, this is
the first psalm that is exactly alphabetical, the rest of this
description, which precede it, being only nearly
so.
ftd336
The Hebrew for Praise ye Jehovah is Hallelujah. This is probably
the title, and no part of the psalm itself. The alphabetical construction
of the poem seems to confirm this opinion. It is acrostic, and begins
with aleph, and each succeeding hemistich commences with the other
letters of the alphabet in order; but were Hallelujah, which begins with
the fifth letter of the alphabet, answering to our H, the first word of the
psalm, that would destroy its perfectly alphabetical
character.
ftd337
"Aben Ezra and others think that
hd[
is put in opposition to
dws,
which denotes a more secret assembly; and so the verse, they say, means, in
substance, as follows: 'I will praise the Lord with all my heart, both privately
and publicly.' This, however, I think can scarcely be the sense: it is much more
likely that
dws
is here employed to express a congregation of Israelites; because the rest of
the world was excluded from such assembly, and so far it partook of the
character of private or secret. This is the view taken by Luther,
whose paraphrase of this verse is as follows: 'I thank the Lord here in this
public assembly, where we (Israelites) meet one another as in private counsel,
and where no heathen nor strangers can be present.'" —
Phillips.
ftd338
"hç[
rkz. He hath made a memorial for himself in his
wonderful works.
rkz,
the same as
ˆwrkz
in
<041705>Numbers
17:5. So the LXX., in
<021714>Exodus
17:14, render
rkz
by
o]noma,
name; accordingly,
hç[
rkz may signify, He hath made himself a
name; i.e., His wonderful works will exist as memorials of his name."
—
Phillips.
ftd339
"Given meat — Heb., 'Prey;' i.e., food. Some
think this refers to the manna rained upon Israel in the wilderness; we
should rather think, to the quails. See
<19A540>Psalm
105:40." — Williams.
"ãrf.
This word is usually translated prey, and the passage is thought, by
some, to refer to the spoiling of the Egyptians by the Israelites, mentioned in
<021236>Exodus
12:36. It is, however, more probable that
ãrf
signifies here food, and that allusion is made to the manna with which
the children of Israel were fed in the wilderness. See
<203115>Proverbs
31:15;
<390310>Malachi
3:10. The first hemistich is the consequence of what is stated in the second;
i.e., because God remembered his covenant, therefore he gave food
to them who fear him." —
Phillips.
ftd340
"The beginning, — the word, so translated, also signifies
the prime, the chief part, the perfection; a sense which it may
very well bear in this place: comp.
<051012>Deuteronomy
10:12;
<182828>Job
28:28;
<200107>Proverbs
1:7, 9:10" — Cresswell.
"tyçar.
this word may signify, the first in time, and so it may denote the
foundation of any thing; hence the meaning of the Psalmist here is, that the
foundation of all wisdom is the fear of the Lord. But
tyçar
has also the sense of being first in dignity, as well as in
order of time; thus hmkj
tyçar, wisdom is the chief thing,
<200407>Proverbs
4:7. Here it may be understood in the same manner; i.e., the fear of the
Lord is the chief wisdom." —
Phillips.
ftd341
This psalm is also acrostic or alphabetical; and the subject of it being only an
enlargement upon the last verse of the preceding, as Muis and others have
observed, the same author, it is not improbable, composed
both.
ftd342
"In the earth, or rather, with Green, in the land: as it
seems to mean the land of Israel, to which the promise of temporal
blessings was limited." —
Dimock.
ftd343
"Ou, il a fait reluire la lumiere." — Fr. marg. "Or, he hath made
light to arise or to shine." There is here perhaps, as Horsley supposes,
an allusion to what happened in Egypt, when the Israelites had light in all
their dwellings, while the land was wrapt in darkness. "The first hemistich,"
says Phillips, "is figurative. Trouble is represented by
°çj,
darkness; and health or prosperity by
rwa,
light. A pious man shall be found to enjoy prosperity, even when troubles
come upon the rest of the world; in such a period of general darkness there
shall spring up a light to the upright; viz., Jehovah himself, who is
gracious, and merciful, and just. The first two epithets of the second
member are found, in
<19B104>Psalm
111:4, applied to
God."
ftd344
"Ou, bien sera a l'homme qui." — Fr. marg. "Or, it shall
be well with the man who." With this corresponds the translation of
Archbishop Secker, which is, "Happy is the man who," etc. In proof that
bwf
signifies happy, he refers to
<230310>Isaiah
3:10;
<244417>Jeremiah
44:17;
<250409>Lamentations
4:9.
ftd345
"Until. This is not to be taken as if his freedom from fear would
continue no longer, but is to be extended to all future times."
Walford.
ftd346
"His desire is a supplement made in the French version, but not in
the Latin; and, if it is admitted, we must be careful not to understand it as
implying any thing like revenge. The good man has enemies of various kinds.
Worldly and wicked men are often his enemies. But he does not desire their
destruction; for this would be utterly inconsistent with the Christian
spirit. According to Hammond, the supplement is unnecessary. His reading is, "He
shall behold or look upon his oppressors or distressers;" which he
explains thus, "He shall behold them securely, confidently look in their faces,
as we say, as being now no longer under their power, being freed from their
tyranny and pressures." In
<195407>Psalm
54:7, we meet with a similar expression, which see explained, in reference to
David's circumstances at that time, in volume 2, page 324, note. It is used
again in
<195911>Psalm
59:11, "God shall let me see or look on mine enemies;" in
<199211>Psalm
92:11, "Mine eye hath looked on mine enemies, and mine ear hath heard of them
that rise up against me," that is, hath seen and heard of their destruction; and
in
<19B807>Psalm
118:7, "I shall look upon my haters," that is, having God for my helper, I shall
without fear look upon
them.
ftd347
It is so translated in some of the ancient versions, and by several critics. In
the Syriac it is, "will support his words in judgment;" i.e., will never
utter any thing but what is strictly true. In like manner, Cocceius. In the
Arabic, which is followed by Castalio, it is, "will moderate his words in
judgment;" i.e., will speak as favourably of delinquents as he can
consistently with truth, contrary to the practice of the wicked. —
<199421>Psalm
94:21.
ftd348
"Neque ferrei sunt neque stipites." — Lat. "Ils ne sont point de
fer, ne semblables a des souches." — Fr. "They are not of iron, nor
do they resemble
blocks."
ftd349
"µmnw,
And shall melt away. Root
ssm.
It is said to denote the total destruction of any thing by the process of
melting The verb is employed by way of figure, to express the annihilation of
the wicked, in
<196803>Psalm
68:3." —
Phillips.
ftd350
"The wicked shall see it; i.e., the exalted horn."
—
Dimock
ftd351
"Et par une envie qu'ils auront les fera mourir a petit feu." —
Fr.
ftd352
This interesting little ode, which is alike elegant in its structure, and
devotional in its sentiment, its theme being the celebration of Jehovah's power,
glory, and mercy, is thought by Bishop Patrick to be the commencement of what
the Hebrews called the Great Hallel or Hymns, which they recited at their tables
in the new moons and other feasts, especially in the paschal night, after they
had eaten the lamb. He supposes that the Great Hallel included this and the five
following psalms. See page 310. "It is very uncertain who was the author of this
psalm; but as the 7th and 8th verses are manifestly taken from
<090208>1
Samuel 2:8, and the 9th probably alludes to the history of Hannah, it might be
composed by Samuel or David, who were so nearly interested in the signal mercies
vouchsafed to her." —
Dimock.
ftd353
"Lowth translates rightly after Hare: —
'Who is like
Jehovah our God?
Who
dwelleth high,
Who
looketh low;
In
heaven and on earth.'
He refers to the same structure, Cant. 1, 5. For the
first part, see
<244908>Jeremiah
49:8; and for the whole, see
<19D806>Psalm
138:6;
<235715>Isaiah
57:15." — Archbishop Secker in Merrick's Annotations on the
Psalms. Lowth observes that the last member is to be divided, and assigned
in its two divisions to the two preceding members, as if it were, "Who dwelleth
high in heaven, and looketh low on
earth."
ftd354
The words, Praise ye Jehovah, at the end of the psalm, are, in the
Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac, Arabic, and Æthiopic versions, and in a very
ancient manuscript, placed at the head of next psalm, where, perhaps, they
formerly stood as the
title.
ftd355
"The exodus of Israel from Egypt, with some of its most remarkable accompanying
and consequent miracles, are, in this brief psalm, commemorated in the boldest
style of poetry, with personifications, indeed, of inanimate nature of the
utmost daring and sublimity, in 'thoughts that breathe, and words that
burn.'" — Drake's Harp of
Judah.
ftd356
The word
z[l,
loez, which Calvin renders, a barbarous people, is translated, in
our English Bible, "a people of strange language." His version is supported by
many authorities. The word is frequently found, in the sense he attaches to it,
in Rabbinical works, and is so understood here by the Chaldee paraphrast, who
has
yarbrb,
and by the LXX., who have
barba>rou.
The root of these terms, as well as the Latin word for barbarous, is
probably the Hebrew
rb,
out, or without, redoubled; and so it signifies, to a Jew, any man
of another nation. According to Parkhurst, the word, instead of signifying a
barbarous or foreign language or pronunciation, seems rather to refer to the
violence of the Egyptians towards the Israelites, or the barbarity of
their behavior, which, he observes, was more to the Psalmist's purpose than
the barbarity of their language, even supposing the reality of the latter in the
time of Moses. — See his Lexicon on
z[l.
Horsley reads, "a tyrannical
people."
ftd357
"There is a peculiar beauty in the conduct of this psalm, in that the author
utterly conceals the presence of God in the beginning of it, and rather lets a
possessive pronoun (i.e. His) go without a substantive, than he will so
much as mention any thing of Divinity there; because, if God had appeared
before, there could be no wonder why the mountains should leap, and the sea
retire; therefore, that this convulsion of nature may be brought in with due
surprise, his name is not mentioned till afterwards, and then, with a very
agreeable turn of thought, God is introduced at once with all
majesty." — Spectator, volume 6, No. 461. If, however, the
last two words of the preceding psalm,
hyAwllh,
Halelu-yah, Praise ye Jehovah, are the title to this psalm, the
antecedent to his is
supplied.
ftd358
In the Hebrew there is no pronoun after saw; nor is any inserted
in the Septuagint and Arabic versions, or in the Chaldee. In our English Bible,
it is inserted, and him in the Syriac version; but the sentence is
certainly much more sublime without any such
supplement.
ftd359
"Judah represents here the whole people of Israel, as Joseph does, in
<198106>Psalm
81:6. The reason assigned by Kimchi for this use of
hdwhy
here is, that at the time of the departure from Egypt, Judah was considered the
head or chief of the tribes; see
<014908>Genesis
49:8-10. This, however, is mere conjecture. If it be necessary to assign reasons
for the distinction here conferred on this tribe, I should mention as one:, that
the ark was kept in the region occupied by the descendants of Judah, and, as
another, that from him the Messiah was to spring." —
Phillips.
ftd360
God's holiness being often taken for the keeping his promise
sacred or inviolate, as in
<19A209>Psalm
102:9, when, reference being made to the immutability of his covenant, it is
added, "holy [as in another respect, reverend] is his
name;" some, as Hammond and Cresswell, suppose that the meaning here is, that
God's dealings towards Judah — the people of the Jews, were a
demonstration of his faithfulness in performing his promise made to Abraham long
before.
ftd361
Hammond reads, "And Israel his power," by which he understands that Israel was
an instance of his power; that God, in his acting for Israel, declared his
omnipotence most
signally.
ftd362
Street reads, "The earth was in pain." "All the ancient versions," says he,
"have the preterperfect here. The Targum alone agrees with the present reading,
if, indeed, that be an imperative mood. For I do not see why
ylwj
may not be a participle passive with an yod added to it, as
ykphh
may be a participle active with the same
addition."
ftd363
Hammond reads, "into a lake of water." "The
µga
µym," he observes, "is best rendered a lake
of water, to note the abundance of it; accordingly, the Chaldee renders it
htyral,
into a river: and so the Psalmist expressly describes the 'gushing
out of the waters from the rock,' that 'they ran in dry places like a river,'
<19A541>Psalm
105:41."
ftd364
"The divine poet represents the very substance of the rock as being converted
into water, not literally, but poetically — that is ornamenting his sketch
of the wondrous power displayed on this occasion." —
Walford.
ftd365
"As the former psalm ended abruptly, and this is connected with it by the
Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac, Arabic, Æthiopic, with nineteen MSS.; and as
the following ejaculations so naturally arise from the consideration of the
wonderful works of Jehovah just before recited, Lorinus's opinion, that it is
only a continuation of the former, is not improbable. Patrick refers it to
<142002>2
Chronicles 20:2. Some suppose it to be written by Moses at the Red Sea. Others,
by David in the beginning of his reign. Others, by Mordecai and Esther. Others,
by the three children in the fiery furnace. Perhaps by Hezekiah, or some one in
the Babylonish captivity. — See
<19B401>Psalm
114:1." — Dimoch. "There is nothing certain," observes Walford, "to
be concluded respecting the author of this psalm, or the occasion on which it
was written. It is conjectured, however, to belong to the time of Hezekiah, and
to have been composed in celebration of the very extraordinary deliverance which
was afforded to that pious prince, and to his people, from the blasphemies and
arrogance of Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, 2 Chronicles 32;
<233603>Isaiah
36:37. Whether this conjecture be agreeable to the truth, we are unable to say,
though a considerable probability that it is so, arises from the language of the
psalm
itself."
ftd366
"Our God, says he, is in heaven, as much as to say, that yours are
not. The verse may be also regarded as a response to the question of the
heathen, Where is now their God? Such a response was calculated to
fortify the minds of the pious worshippers of Jehovah, against the ridicule
which was heaped upon them by their idolatrous neighbors." —
Phillips.
ftd367
Hammond reads the last clause, "neither breathe, or murmur, they through
their throats." "What
wghy
here signifies," says he, "will be concluded by the context which immediately
before had mentioned their having mouths and not speaking. Here,
therefore, (as there the proper action of the mouth was
speech,) the proper action of the throat or larynx
seems to be intended, and that is to breathe. So when,
<199009>Psalm
90:9, he saith, 'We consume our days,
hgh
wmk, the Targum reads,
amwp lbh
°yh, 'as a vapor,' i.e., 'breath of the
mouth in winter.' If this is not the sense, then certainly it is an inarticulate
sound, contradistinct from speaking. So Kimchi and Aben Ezra state it, and quote
<233814>Isaiah
38:14, where the word is applied to the murmuring of the
dove."
ftd368
"Car que vouloit dire ceste facon de parler dont usoyent les anciens Romains,
faire oraison deuant les dieux sinon qu'ils estimoyent que les idoles estoyent
comme les representations des dieux?" —
Fr.
ftd369
But though these images might, at first, be intended merely to bring the real
Deity before the senses, and thus to impress the mind the more deeply with
sentiments of awe and devotion, yet in process of time they began to be
considered, especially by the ignorant multitude, as being really
gods.
ftd370
The heathen not only considered their idols or images as
representing their gods, but believed that, when consecrated by their priests,
they were thereby animated by the gods whom they represented, and hence were
worshipped as such. "Augustine (De Civitate Dei, B. 8, c. 23) tells us of
the theology of the heathen, received from Trismegistus, that statues were the
bodies of their gods, which, by some magical ceremonies, or
qeourgi>ai,
were forced to join themselves as souls, and so animate and enliven those dead
organs, to assume and inhabit them. And so Proclus (De Sacrif et Mag.)
mentions it as the common opinion of the Gentiles, that the 'gods were, by
their favor and help, present in their images;' and, therefore, the Tyrians,
fearing that Apollo would forsake them, bound his image with golden chains,
supposing then the god could not depart from them. The like did the Athenians
imagine when they clipped the wings of the image of Victory; and the Sicilians,
in Cicero, (De Divin.) who complain that they had no gods in their
island, because Verres, Praetor in Sicily, had taken away all their statues. And
so we know Laban, when he had lost his Teraphim, tells Jacob,
(<013130>Genesis
31:30,) 'that he had stolen his gods;' and so of the golden calf, after the
feasts of consecration, proclamation is made before it, 'These be thy gods, O
Israel!' But this of the animation and inspiriting of images, by their rites of
consecration, being but a deception and fiction of their priests, the Psalmist
here discovers it, and assures all men that they are as inanimate and senseless
after the consecration as before; base silver and gold, with images of mouths
and ears, etc., but without any power to use any of them, and, consequently,
most unable to hear or help their votaries." —
Hammond.
ftd371
Many interpreters translate the verb trust, which occurs here and in the
next two verses, in the indicative mood, "Israel trusteth in Jehovah," etc.;
judging this to be more agreeable to the occasion than the imperative, which is
found in the present copies of the Hebrew text. This emendation is supported by
all the ancient
versions.
ftd372
"Nulla enim musca est, nullus pediculus cui domicilium non praebeat terra."
—
Lat.
ftd373
Thus the present text of Scripture, and others of a similar kind, as
<190606>Psalm
6:6; 30:10; 88:11; and
<233818>Isaiah
38:18, 19, are not to be understood as implying that the Hebrews of those times
had no idea of a future state of existence beyond death and the grave. Such an
interpretation would be at variance with many passages of the Old Testament, as
<191610>Psalm
16:10; 49:15; 73:24;
<201432>Proverbs
14:32;
<210811>Ecclesiastes
8:11-13; 11:9; 12:14; with the most explicit declarations of the New, as to the
possession of this knowledge by the ancient Hebrews, Hebrews 11;
<422037>Luke
20:37; and with what might reasonably be supposed of persons who were favored
with a supernatural revelation, and who enjoyed special intercourse with God,
but who, had they been ignorant of a future state, knew less on this subject
than Pagan writers, many of whom anticipated such a state in which virtue would
receive its appropriate reward. In such passages the sensible appearances
occasioned by death, and these alone, are represented. As to the eye of sense,
nothing appears in the victim of death but inactivity, silence, decay, and
corruption, the sacred writers seize upon these concomitants of that solemn and
affecting event to add to the force of the argument which they are
prosecuting.
ftd374
This psalm is without a title in the Hebrew, although the LXX. Have prefixed to
it Hallelujah, with which Psalm 115 ends. There have been various
conjectures among interpreters as to its author. Some ascribe it to Hezekiah,
and suppose it to relate to his recovery from the dangerous sickness recorded in
Isaiah 38. Others think that it was composed by David upon his deliverance from
the rebellion excited by his son Absalom, after which he immediately had liberty
to return to the sanctuary and public assembly at Jerusalem, verses 14, 18, and
19. This opinion is confirmed from verse 11, in which he speaks of having for a
time, under the sad experience of human treachery and deception, pronounced all
men to be liars; a state of feeling more applicable to David's distressed
circumstances during the rebellion of his son, than to Hezekiah on his recovery
from
sickness.
ftd375
The root of the Hebrew word
ylbj,
cheblei, here rendered snares, "is
lbj,
which signifies to bind, and in Piel conj., to pain, or
torment. Geseius, in his Thesaurus, under
lbj,
says: — 'Pi. i. q. Kal, No. 1, torsit, inde cum tormentis et
doloribus enixa est.'
lbj
consequently signifies pain, or cable. It would seem from the
verb to which it is a subject, that the latter is the more suitable sense,
whilst the parallelism is in favor of the former. The former, however, is here
contained in the latter, for the expression
twm
ylbj alludes to the custom of binding the victims
for slaughter, or malefactors when taken to the place of execution; which
binding was productive of great pain." — Phillips. See volume 1,
page 264. Cresswell reads, "The straits of the grave, that is, the
terrors of instant death, had found me."
ftd376
" — 'compassed me.' The original word
ãpa
expresses the repetition of the encircling of the toils. They surrounded him
again and again." —
Horsley.
ftd377
Fry's translation of this clause is: —
"The nets of Hades
had caught hold upon me;"
on which he has the following note: — "Or,
according to the usual meaning of
rwx
and
rrx,
'the pangs or pains of hell.' It is not impossible, indeed, that it should be
derived from
rxn;
we might then render, 'The purveyors of Hades had found me:' and the imagery, at
any rate, seems to be taken from the toils of the hunter. Michaelis would read
ydwxm,
'nets,' instead of
yrwxm,
pangs; but it is very probable that, without any change,
yrwxm
signifies some part of the apparatus of hunting.
'rxm
a strait, distress, angustia.'
<19B805>Psalm
118:5; 116:3;
<250103>Lamentations
1:3. In which last text, Mr Lowth says that 'there is a metaphor from those that
hunt a prey, which they drive into some strait and narrow passage, from
whence there is no making an
escape.'"
ftd378
This rendering of the LXX. also suggests the idea of weakness, which Fry
has adopted, who reads, "Jehovah preserveth the weak." "The usual meaning of
µyatp,"
says he, "is simplices, fatui, persuasu faciles; but I believe the
Septuagint has preserved the true meaning of the passage,
Fula>sswn ta< nh>pia oJ
kuriov. The leading idea of
htp
is laxity or yielding, and may as well apply to the weakness of
the body, or of the faculties of the mind, under the pressure of grief and pain,
as to the relaxing of the powers of the understanding, in yielding to the
seductions of folly or
vice."
ftd379
"'I believed, therefore have I spoken;' I firmly believe what I say, therefore I
make no scruple of saying it. This should be connected with the preceding verse,
and the full stop should be placed at 'spoken.'" —
Horsley.
ftd380
Horsley's version of this verse is as follows: "'In an ecstasy of despair, I
said, the whole race of man is a delusion.' 'A delusion,' a lie, a cheat, a
thing of nothing, made to no purpose. So Mudge understands this latter part.
He judiciously observes, that the prefixed
h
necessarily determines the phrase,
µdah
lk, to the collective sense of the whole race.
Every man, or all men, should be
µda
lk, without
h."
Fry similarly translates, "The entire of the manhood is a lie; or," he observes,
"(as the word we render lie signifies,) a thing failing and
disappointing the hopes built upon
it."
ftd381
"C'est, des deliverances." — Fr. marg. "That is, of
deliverances."
ftd382
That there is here an allusion to the cup of wine drunk in the offering of
eucharistical sacrifices is very generally admitted by commentators. During the
feast that followed these sacrifices, the master of the family took a cup of
wine into his hands, and after solemnly giving thanks to God for the mercies
experienced, first drank of it himself, and then delivered it to all present to
be partaken of in rotation. "The cup here spoken of by the Psalmist," says
Cresswell, "was probably used by the master of a Hebrew family at an
entertainment in his own house, at which the remainder of the victims was eaten,
after he had offered
(<030711>Leviticus
7:11, etc.) the sacrifice of a peace-offering for a thanksgiving; when, lifting
up the cup of wine in his hand, he called upon the name of the Lord, giving him
thanks. The modern Jews are said to use a similar ceremony every year in
commemoration of the deliverance of their ancestors from the bondage of Egypt."
Some, indeed, deny that there is any allusion to such eucharistical sacrifices,
as Hengstenberg, who observes, that this communion cup is a mere fiction.
In the institution of the festival offerings, nothing is indeed said of the
cup; but we know from
<402629>Matthew
26:29, 30, that in the feast of the Passover, for instance, the drinking of a
cup of wine and the singing of a hymn were parts of the observance. From Jewish
tradition we also learn that such was the ancient practice. See Lightfoot's
Horae Hebraicae on Matthew 26. Our Lord, apparently in imitation of the Jewish
custom, as the head of the family, at the feast of the Passover, "took the cup,
and gave thanks,"
(<422217>Luke
22:17.) In allusion to this custom, Paul calls the communion cup in the Lord's
Supper "the cup of blessing,"
(<461016>1
Corinthians 10:16.) The Psalmist, then, here intimates his intention of publicly
yielding thanks to God for the mercies bestowed upon
him.
There was a libation of wine enjoined by
the Mosaic law to be made in the temple every morning and evening for a
drink-offering,
(<042807>Numbers
28:7,) to which some suppose there is here a reference, observing, that the
three last verses seem to intimate, that the Psalmist was now at the temple,
offering the meat-offering, drink-offering, and sacrifices, to the
Lord.
ftd383
"This seems to mean the sacrifice prescribed,
<030712>Leviticus
7:12, because the courts of the Lord's house are mentioned.
<195023>Psalm
50:23, and 56:12, perhaps mean only thanksgiving, as
<196930>Psalm
69:30, certainly doth. See verse 31." — Archbishop
Secker.
ftd384
"For their death to be precious is, in effect, no more than that it is, so
considered, rated at so high a price by God, as that he will not easily grant it
to any one that most desires it of him. Absalom here hostilely pursued David and
desired his death, he would have been highly gratified with it, taking it for
the greatest boon that could have befallen him: but God would not thus gratify
him; nor will he grant this desire easily to the enemies of godly men,
especially of those that commit themselves to his keeping, as David here did."
—
Hammond.
ftd385
"That all the nations here, and in the next word all peoples,
signify, in the greatest latitude, all the nations, all people of the
Gentile world, even pa~san
kti>sin, 'the whole creation,' and
ko>smon
a[panta, 'the whole world,'
<411615>Mark
16:15, appears both by
<402819>Matthew
28:19, where, parallel to those phrases in St Mark, is no more than
pa>nta ta<
e]qnh, 'all the nations,' as here; but especially
by Romans 15, where, for a proof of God's purpose that the Gentiles should be
received into the Church, and join with the believing Jews in one concert of
Christian love and faith, and praise God together in the same
congregation, the proof is brought, as from several other texts, so from these
words in this psalm. And this not only by expressly citing, verse 1, 'And again
praise the Lord, all ye nations, and laud him, all ye people;' but also in the
front of the testimonies, by the phrases, 'for the truth of God,' verse 8, 'for
the mercy or pity of God,' verse 9, both which are here mentioned, verse
2." —
Hammond.
ftd386
"Ou, multipliee." — Fr. marg. "Or,
multiplied."
ftd387
Calvin ascribes this psalm to David; but, as it is without any title, it is
uncertain who was its author. On this point, and the occasion of its
composition, various opinions prevail among commentators. According to
Hengstenberg, it celebrates the return of the Jews from the Babylonish
captivity, and the laying the foundation of the second temple; in support of
which he refers to
<150311>Ezra
3:11. Phillips thinks it "probable that it was written for the occasion when
David was to be anointed at Hebron king over the tribes of Israel, (2 Samuel 5;)
for, previously to his inauguration, he was subjected to many dangers, both from
avowed foes, as well as from Saul and his party. He was exposed to the hostility
of the Philistines (1 Samuel 29,) and the Amalekites, (1 Samuel 30;) from the
former he escaped in safety, and the latter he overcame in battle. Again,
although he had been long chosen king of Israel by God, for a considerable
period he was exposed to a severe persecution; he was obliged to flee for safety
from his country, and it was not till after the death of Saul that his troubles
ceased, and he ascended the throne, which had long been his by Divine
appointment. To David, therefore, at Hebron, this psalm will apply; for he could
then say, 'All nations compassed me about. The Lord hath chastised me, but he
hath not given me over unto death. The stone which the builders refused is
become the head-stone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous
in our eyes.'" Some assign it to the time of Hezekiah; and others to that period
of Israel's history, which is adorned by the illustrious achievements of the
Maccabees. "I shall not presume," says Walford, "to decide which of these
opinions is the most agreeable to truth. It will be more to our purpose to
observe, that the psalm was read on occasion of a solemn procession that was
formed by the king or chief magistrate, whoever he might be, the priests and the
people at large, of all ranks, in order to perform public sacrifices of
thanksgiving at the
temple."
ftd388
Horsley very properly translates the Hebrew word
an,
na, in this and the two following verses, by O, instead of
now: — "O, Let Israel say — O, Let the
house of Aaron say — O, Let them that fear Jehovah say." "The word
now," he observes, "in our language is a particle of entreaty, and
is therefore used by our translators to express the supplicatory particle of the
Hebrew language,
an.
But though now, in our language, is indeed a particle of entreaty, it is
only when the verb is in the imperative mood, and in the second person; as, 'Do,
now, grant me this favor;' or, at least, in speaking to the person of whom the
thing is asked. When
an
is joined to a verb in the third person, or when the person who is to grant the
petition, or perform the thing advised, is not immediately addressed, it should
be rendered by some other word or phrase. 'By all means,' or 'of all things,'
are equivalent phrases, in respect of the sense, but not sufficiently dignified
to suit the style of sacred poetry. O is perhaps the best particle, in
these cases, that our language
furnishes."
ftd389
The verb
wk[d,
doachu, here used has ordinarily the signification of to quench.
But in this text it is rendered in all the old versions in the sense of
to burn. "This makes it probable," says Hammond, "that as many other
words in the Hebrew language are used in contrary senses, so
°[d,
which signifies in other places passively to be consumed, or
extinguished, may signify here as an
ejnantio>shmon
to flame, or in an active sense, as in Arabic it is used, violently to
break in or set upon, as in war or contention when men violently rush
one on another." And this seems most suitable to the connection in which it
stands. At first sight one would think it strange to say that the adversaries of
David were quenched (i.e., destroyed) as the fire of
thorns; and for the Psalmist afterwards to state, In the name of
the Lord I will surely cut them off. If the verb is here interpreted in the
sense of to burn, the main object of the metaphor must be to express, by
a figure frequently employed in Scripture, the impotence and quick termination
of the rage of those men, however fierce and apparently formidable. It would
soon expend itself, and their power of doing injury be lost like a fire of
thorns, which, although for a moment it makes a great crackling, and rages
violently as if it would quickly consume every thing near, soon ceases, and
nothing remains but the ashes. If the verb is understood in the sense of to
quench, the language is very elliptical, and in the true genius of Hebrew
poetry, which frequently couches in a few words such images as in the hands of
Homer would be materials for an enlarged and dignified description, while it
leaves unexpressed more than half of what is intended to be understood. The
sudden quenching of the hostile army, like the extinction of a fire of thorns,
implies the previous comparison of such array to a fire. "It is remarkable that,
in a similar connection, Homer has such a comparison of an hostile army to fire,
in which he expresses what David left to be understood, and omits (for he
had no occasion to introduce) what David expresses, namely, the sudden quenching
of the fire: —
'As when devouring
flames some forest
seize
On the high
mountains, splendid from
afar
The blaze
appears, so, moving in the
plain,
The steel-clad
host innum'rous flash'd to
heav'n.'
Iliad 2,
516. Cowper."
— Illustrated Commentary upon the
Bible.
ftd390
Hammond reads, "Thou hast thrust sore at me to ruin or filling." "The
full import of
lpnl,"
says he, "is best expressed gerundially, ad cadendum, to falling, not
only to express their desire who thus pressed and thrust at him, that he
might fall, for that is supposed in the violence of their impulsion, expressed
by repetition of the verb hjd
yntyjd, thou hast by thrusting thrust me,
but to signify the event or success of it, that I was falling, or
ready to fall. Tou
pesei~n, say the LXX. in the infinitive mood
gerundially, and so the Chaldee and the Syriac; and so the Jewish Arab, 'It is a
long while that thou hast driven or thrust me to falling.' And this
expresses the greatness and seasonableness of the deliverance, that when he was
falling, God helped
him."
ftd391
"I take
yk
to be an affirmative adverb, surely, and not a conjunction." —
Lowth.
ftd392
The gates of the temple, or doors of the tabernacle, are supposed to have been
called the gates of righteousness, because they were intended for the
reception of those only who were
righteous.
ftd393
The learned Michaelis understands this literally. "It appears," says he, "that,
probably at the building of Solomon's temple, one of those stones, which David
had taken care to get provided and made ready for use, was found faith with by
the builders, and declared to be useless, and that God, for altogether different
reasons, commanded by a prophet that this stone should be made the corner-stone.
The Orientals regard the corner-stone as the one peculiarly holy stone in a
temple, and that it confers sanctity upon the whole edifice. It is, therefore,
the more probable that, either by the Urim and Thummim, (the sacred lot of the
Jews,) or by a prophet, God was consulted which stone he would direct to be
taken for the corner-stone. The answer was, that which they have perseveringly
rejected, and declared to be quite unserviceable. Certainly it must have been
for a very important reason, that God positively appointed this stone to be the
corner-stone. But the New Testament declares it to us in
<402142>Matthew
21:42;
<440411>Acts
4:11; and
<600207>1
Peter 2:7. The Jewish nation would conduct themselves towards the Messiah
precisely as the builders did towards this stone, and would reject him; but God
would select him to be the corner-stone, which should support and sanctify the
whole Church." — Quoted in Dr Pye Smith on the Priesthood of Christ,
page 150. Michaelis' opinion, that the words literally relate to a stone
which the builders at first rejected, but which they were subsequently induced
to place in the most important part of the building, is, however, mere
conjecture. The prophetic sense in which this verse is applicable to the
Messiah, who was rejected by the chief priests, elders, and Pharisees of his
time, and who is now the foundation of an ample and constantly increasing
Church, rests on more solid grounds; being sanctioned both by Christ himself and
his apostles.
The head stone of the corner
does not mean the top stone, but the chief stone of the foundation,
answering to what we call the first stone. — See
<490220>Ephesians
2:20, 21;
<600204>1
Peter 2:4,
5.
ftd394
"Yea even unto the horns of the altar — before these words
must be understood lead it: for the victims were bound to rings
fixed in the floor. The horns were architectural ornaments, a kind of
capitals, made of iron or of brass, somewhat in the form of the carved horns of
an animal, projecting from the four angles of the altar. The officiating priest,
when he prayed, placed his hands on them, and sometimes sprinkled them with the
blood of the sacrifice: comp.
<023003>Exodus
30:3;
<030407>Leviticus
4:7, 18. At the end of this verse, the word saying must be supplied."
— Cresswell.
ftd395
It is, however, a mistake to suppose, that no
connection of thought is observed throughout this lengthened composition, as has
sometimes been asserted even by writers of note. "It has been too commonly
assumed," says Jebb, that the 119th psalm is a collection of unconnected
thoughts. To this opinion, even that most profound religious philosopher, Dr
Barrow, inclines, (Sermon 48, on
<19B960>Psalm
119:60;) and his eloquent words must, in this instance, be received with no
small caution. 'this psalm,' he says, 'no less excellent in virtue than large in
bulk, containeth manifold reflections on the nature, the properties, the
adjuncts, and effects of God's law; many sprightly ejaculations about it,
conceived in different forms of speech; some in way of petition, some of
thanksgiving, some of resolution, some of assertion or aphorism; many useful
directions many zealous exhortations to the observance of it; the which are not
ranged in any strict order, but, like a variety of wholesome herbs in a fair
field, do, with a grateful confusion, lie dispersed, as they freely did spring
in the heart, or were suggested by the devout spirit of him who indicted this
psalm; where no coherence of sentences being designed, we may consider any one
of them absolutely or singly by itself.' The fine imagination of this eminent
writer justly recognizes the beautiful variety, the variegations of thought, the
polupoi>kilov
sofi>a exhibited in this psalm; but too much
seems to be conceded to the prevalent opinion of a want of connection. I
willingly allow, that the sentiments are not limited and enthralled by any exact
or Procrustean rule; that there are no measures of intellectual geometry adhered
to, reducing this divine poem to a rigid didactic system: that the mind of the
prophet is free, and flowing, and discursive. Still this very flow of thought
implies connection and association, and forbids the frigid idea that the psalm
is a mere canto of reflections, like Lord Bacon's collection of aphorisms, or
the maxims of Isocrates. I do not intend to maintain what could not be proved,
that a consecutive order can be traced throughout; but instances can,
undoubtedly, be drawn of passages which maintan a beautiful sequence and
connection between their several members." — Jebb's Literal
Translation of the Book of Psalms, with Dissertations, volume 2,
pages
274-276.
ftd396
"Vel, perfecti." — Lat. marg. "Or,
perfect."
ftd397
dam,
meod, superlatively, — to the
uttermost.
ftd398
Hammond reads, "O forsake me not to any great degree;" and adds, "The Hebrew
damAd[,
ad meod, here, and in verse 43, is literally unto very much. So
the LXX. render it, e[wv
sfo>dra, i.e., to any high
degree, the Chaldee, 'unto all at once,' but the Syriac, for ever,
both referring it to the time, whereas the Hebrew seems rather to the
degree, from the noun that signifies multitude, plenty,
abundance."
ftd399
Some consider this psalm, as well as all the other alphabetic psalms, to be much
more modern compositions than the time of David, and refer it to the time of the
captivity in Babylon. But many others, as Venema, Michaelis, etc., ascribe it to
David, and suppose it to have been written before his elevation to the throne.
Its contents, certainly, favor this latter opinion, seeming to accord so well
with the long and harassing persecution to which he was subjected by the malice
and revenge of Saul. If David was its author, it is the most artificial and
operose in its composition of all his psalms, and he has exhibited in the
treatment of his subject — which is the celebration of the perfection of
God's law, and the happiness of those who obey it — an extraordinary
fecundity of expression, as if one of his intentions had been to show in how
many various shapes, and with what copiousness of words, he could enunciate and
illustrate a few and the same topics. The aspirations for instruction,
consolation, and protection, with which almost every portion of this psalm is
mingled, have a soothing and delightful effect, whilst the language throughout
is rendered impressive by its peculiar strength and concinnity. It may, however,
be doubtful, whether it be just to elevate it, as has been done by some, above
all the other psalms. Dr Adam Clarke justly remarks, "Like all other portions of
divine revelation, it is elegant, important, and useful; and while I admire the
fecundity of the Psalmist's genius, the unabating flow of his poetic vein, his
numerous synonymes, and his copia verborum, by which he is enabled
to expound, diversify, and illustrate the same idea: presenting it to his reader
in all possible points of view, so as to render it pleasing, instructive, and
impressive; I cannot rob the rest of the book of its just praise by setting
this, as many have done, above all the pieces it contains. It is by far the
longest, the most artificial, and most diversified, yet, in proportion to its
length, it contains the fewest ideas of any in the
book."
ftd400
Others deny that these and other similar
terms, which frequently occur in this psalm, are mere synonymes; and they have
endeavoured to show from etymological investigation, that, although all of them
designate the law, yet they present it under a different aspect. Jebb has
attempted, at some length, to point out the specific differences between these
words. The following is an abstract of his remarks: — "The next
peculiarity to be observed in this psalm is, the regular recurrence of nine
characteristic words, at least one or other of which is found in each distich,
with one solitary exception, the second distich of the 12th division. These
words are law, testimonies, precepts, statutes,
commandments, judgments, word, saying; and a word which
only twice occurs as a characteristic, —
way.
"These are, doubtless, all
designations of the Divine Law; but it were doing a deep injury to the cause of
revealed truth to affirm that they are mere synonyms; in other words, that the
sentiments of this compendium of heavenly wisdom are little better than a string
of tautologies. The fact is, as some critics, both Jewish and Christian, have
observed, that each of these terms designates the same law of God, but each
under a different aspect, signifying the different modes of its promulgation,
and of its reception. Each of these words will now be examined in order, and an
attempt will be made to discriminate them.
"1.
Law. This word is formed from a verb which means to direct, to guide, to
aim, to shoot forwards. Its etymological meaning, then, would be a rule of
conduct, a kanw>n
safh<v. It means God's law in general, whether
it be that universal rule called the law of nature, or that which was revealed
to his Church by Moses, and perfected by Christ. In strictness, the law means a
plain rule of conduct, rather placed clearly in man's sight, than enforced by
any command; that is to say, this word does not necessarily include its
sanctions.
"2. Testimonies are derived
from a word which signifies to bear witness, to testify. The ark of the
tabernacle is so called, as are the two tables of stone, and the tabernacle: the
earnests and witnesses of God's inhabitation among his people. Testimonies are
more particularly God's revealed law: the witnesses and confirmation of his
promises made to his people, and earnests of his future
salvation.
"3. Precepts, from a word
which means to place in trust, mean something intrusted to man, 'that
which is committed to thee:' appointments of God, which consequently have to do
with the conscience, for which man is responsible, as an intelligent
being.
"4. Statutes. The verb from which
this word is formed means to engrave or inscribe. The word means a definite
prescribed written law. The term is applied to Joseph's law about the portion of
the priests in Egypt, to the law about the Passover, etc. But in this psalm it
has a more internal meaning; — that moral law of God, which is engraved on
the fleshy tables of the heart; the inmost and spiritual apprehension of his
will: not so obvious as the law and testimonies, and a matter of more direct
spiritual communication than his precepts: the latter being more elaborated by
the efforts of the mind itself, divinely guided indeed, but perhaps more
instrumentally, and less passively,
employed.
"5. Commandments, derived from
a verb signifying to command or ordain. Such was God's command to Adam about the
tree; to Noah about constructing the ark.
"6.
Judgments, derived from a word signifying to govern, to judge or
determine, mean judicial ordinances and decisions: legal
sanctions.
"7. Word. There are two
terms, quite distinct in the Hebrew, but both rendered word, in each of
our authorized versions. The latter of these is rendered saying in the
former volume of this work. They are closely connected; since out of twenty-two
passages in which word occurs, in fourteen it is parallel to, or in
connection with, saying. From this very circumstance it is evident they
are not synonymous.
"The term here rendered
word means the
Lo>gov,
or Word of God, in its most divine sense; the announcement of God's revealed
will; his command; his oracle; at times, the special communication to the
prophets. The ten commandments are called by this term in Exodus: and
rybd
is the oracle in the temple. In this psalm it may be considered as, — 1.
God's revealed commandments in general. 2. As a revealed promise of certain
blessings to the righteous. 3. As a thing committed to him as the minister of
God. 4. As a rule of conduct; a channel of
illumination.
"8. As to the remaining word
way, that occurs but twice as a characteristic word, and the places in
which it occurs must rather be considered as exceptions to the general rule: so
that I am not disposed to consider it as intended to be a cognate expression
with the above. At all events, its meaning is so direct and simple as to require
no explanation: a plain rule of conduct; in its higher sense, the assisting
grace of God through Christ our Lord, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life."
— Jebb's Literal Translation of the book of Psalms, with
Dissertations, volume 2, pages
279-293.
ftd401
I have hid thy word in my heart, i.e., I have laid it up
there, as men deposit their most precious possessions in a secure place known
only to themselves. Comp.
<201101>Proverbs
11:1; and see
<122013>2
Kings 20:13, etc., for an instance of the contrary
practice.
ftd402
— "Et les ans qui se seront en fascherie." —
Fr.
ftd403
"The Hebrew
yngçt
is here in the conjugation Hiphil, from
hgç,
to be ignorant or err. Now of that conjugation the Hebrews
observe, that as it signifies sometimes no more than to permit, so it
sometimes notes to cause, sometimes to occasion, that which the
verb imports." —
Hammond.
ftd404
Marvelous things "means things which are
difficult and wonderful. The reference here is to the figures and adumbration's
of the law, which so veiled and concealed the substances to which they related,
that the mass of readers quite lost sight of them. The Psalmist therefore prays
for Divine illumination, to enable him to solve, at least in some decree, the
enigmas in which future things were enveloped." —
Walford.
ftd405
"Every intense exertion of mind has an influence, if it be long continued, to
exhaust and impair the faculties in some degree. Such an effect is here alluded
to; the close and assiduous attention which the Psalmist had paid, and the
exertion of strong desire which he had exercised, produced the feeling which he
here speaks of. He is also to be regarded as using the language of poetry, which
admits of stronger colouring than prosaic description." —
Walford.
ftd406
"Maintenant veu qu'elle n'y est point adjoustee, le mot de Destruire y
conviendra mieux." —
Fr.
ftd407
My soul may here be considered equivalent to I myself. In
<245114>Jeremiah
51:14, by my soul is rendered, in our English translation, by
myself.
ftd408
"Mon ame s'escoule goutte a goutte." — Fr. "Floweth drop by drop."
Walford, who translates "is bowed down," considers Calvin's translation
objectionable, as it does not correspond with the prayer in the succeeding
sentence, Raise me up according to thy word. "The Vulgar translation of
this clause," says he, "'my soul melteth,' or, as other interpreters think, 'my
soul is dissolved into tears,' appears to be inadmissible, chiefly on account of
the next clause. Dathe, following Driessenius, Knapp, and Seiler, explains it,
as is here done, by 'is bowed down,' a sense which the word
ãld
has in the Arabic use of it, and which certainly agrees with the connection much
better than that of weeping or
dissolving."
ftd409
The original word for my soul might here, as in verse 28, be translated
I myself, or my life, and then, cleaving to the dust may
imply an apprehension of approaching death; and this agrees best with the
petition. "By dust is here probably meant the sepulchre or grave, as in
<192215>Psalm
22:15, 29, so that the Psalmist is to be understood to say, 'The dangers which
surround me are such as threaten my death;' and he immediately adds, ' Revive me
according to thy word,' i.e., Make me glad by delivering me from
these perils, in agreement with the promises which thou hast given me." —
Walford
ftd410
Arnobins and Augustine interpret thy
word as signifying, in this place, thy promise. See verse 28, and
<194425>Psalm
44:25.
ftd411
"On pourroit dire en francois, Donne moy gratuitement." — Fr. "One
can say in French, Give me
gratuitously."
ftd412
Per Synecdochen.
ftd413
"Au large." —
Fr.
ftd414
"O take not, etc. This verse seems to admit of either of the two
following interpretations: 'Suffer me not to desist utterly from making an open
profession of true religion; for I wait for thy promises:' or, 'Suffer me not to
be reproached with falsehood, (for having asserted that thou wouldest take
vengeance on the wicked,) because I have looked for thy judgments,'
i.e., thy penal judgments. Calvin favors the former interpretation,
the latter is Le Clerc's." — Cresswell. Walford, by word,
understands the answer that the Psalmist had to make to the accusations of his
enemies: and observes, "This answer, which asserted his innocence of the crimes
with which they charged him, he declares to be altogether true; and he entreats
that God, as a judge, would not suffer him to be deprived of the benefit of that
answer, but pronounce a righteous sentence between
them."
ftd415
"Dr Delaney supposes that this is spoken in reference to Achish, king of Gath,
whom David had instructed in the Jewish religion: but we have already seen that
it is most likely that the psalm was compiled under the Babylonish captivity.
But the words may, with more propriety, be referred to the case of Daniel, and
other bold and faithful Israelites, who spoke courageously before
Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and Darius. See the Books of Daniel, Ezra, and
Nehemiah." — Dr Adam
Clarke.
ftd416
"The lifting up of the hands is used in Scripture to denote, first,
praying,
(<192802>Psalm
28:2;
<250219>Lamentations
2:19;
<540208>1
Timothy 2:8;) secondly, blessing,
(<031922>Leviticus
19:22;
<192204>Psalm
22:4;) thirdly, swearing,
(<011422>Genesis
14:22;
<053240>Deuteronomy
32:40;
<19A626>Psalm
106:26;
<263607>Ezekiel
36:7;
<661005>Revelation
10:5;) fourthly, setting about any undertaking,
(<014144>Genesis
41:44;
<191013>Psalm
10:13;
<581212>Hebrews
12:12) Aben Ezra, however, explains, (and perhaps rightly,) that the metaphor,
in this place, is taken from the action of those who receive any one whom they
were glad or proud to see with uplifted hands." — Cresswell.
Merrick explains the phrase thus: "I will reach out my hands with eagerness, in
order to receive thy
commandments."
ftd417
"The Scriptures, like a true mirror, display the justice of God, in the
punishment of sinners, and his goodness, in rendering righteousness." —
Dimock.
ftd418
The Hebrew word here used for terror is
hp[lz,
zalaphah, and is supposed to refer to the blasting or scorching wind,
called the Simoom, well known to the Eastern nations. Accordingly, Michaelis
reads, "A deadly East wind seizes me." Cocceius reads, "Horror, as a tempest,
has seized upon me." "The sacred writer," says he, "represents the vehement
commotion of his mind as resembling a violent commotion in the air." According
to Dimock,
hp[lz
denotes, in this place, the burning fever which the pestilential winds in
the East occasioned. The word occurs only three times in Scripture; here, in
<191107>Psalm
11:7, and in
<250510>Lamentations
5:10. Our translators have rendered it, in
<191107>Psalm
11:7, by storm, and in
<250510>Lamentations
5:10, in the margin, plurally by terrors or storms. See volume 1,
page 168,
note.ftd419
"In the early ages, it was customary to versify the laws, that the people might
learn them by heart, and sing them." —
Williams.
ftd420
"Ou, les assemblees des meschans m'ont despouille', ou pille." —
Fr. marg. "Or, the assemblies of the wicked have robbed
me."
ftd421
"I thought on my ways.
ytbçj,
chashabti, I deeply pondered them; I turned them upside down: I viewed my
conduct on all sides. The word as used here is a metaphor taken from
embroidering, where the figure must appear the same on the
one side as it does on the other: therefore the cloth must be
turned on each side every time the needle is set in, to see that the stitch be
fairly set. Thus narrowly and scrupulously did the Psalmist examine his conduct;
and the result was, a deep conviction that he had departed from the way of God
and truth." — Dr Adam
Clarke.
ftd422
"The
original word, which we translate delayed not, is amazingly emphatical.
Ythmhmth
alw velo hethmahmaheti, I did not stand
what, what, whating; or, as we used to express the same
sentiment, shilly-shallying with myself; I was determined,
and so set out. The Hebrew word, as well as the English, strongly
marks indecision of mind, positive action being suspended, because the mind is
so unfixed as not to be able to make a choice." — Dr Adam
Clarke.
ftd423
"The congregation of the ungodly have robbed me. — Common
Prayer Book. Rather the cords of the wicked have unfolded me;
i.e., their machinations have been directed against me, and not
without effect. A cord, however, from its being composed of many strings twisted
together, was used metaphorically by the Hebrews, as, the word
band is by us, to denote a collection of men: and it is accordingly, in
<091005>1
Samuel 10:5, 10, rendered in our English Bible by company, in which sense
it is here taken in the version of our Book of Common Prayer, after the Chaldee:
the Septuagint gives the literal translation of the word." —
Cresswell.
ftd424
Archbishop Secker reads, "made up." "It
signifies," says he, "fastening things
together."
ftd425
The fat of the human body, as physiologists inform us, is absolutely insensible;
the lean membranous parts being those only which are sensitive. Accordingly,
fatness of heart is used, with much propriety, to express the
insensibility, stupidity, or sensuality of those feelings or affections of which
the heart is considered the
seat.
ftd426
Bottles, among the Jews and other nations of the East, were made of goats' or
kids' skins, as is the custom among the Eastern nations at this day. When the
animal was killed, they cut off its feet and head, and drew it, in that manner,
out of the skin without opening the belly. They afterwards sewed up the places
where the legs were cut off, and the tail, and when it was filled, they tied it
about the neck. In these bottles, not only water, milk, and other liquids were
put, but every thing intended to be carried to a distance, whether dry or
liquid. To these goat-skin vessels a reference is here undoubtedly made. The
peasantry of Asia are in the habit of suspending them from the roof, or hanging
them against the walls of their tents or humble dwellings: here they soon become
quite black with smoke; for, as in their dwellings there are seldom any
chimneys, and the smoke can only escape through an aperture in the roof, or by
the door, whenever a fire is lighted the apartment is instantly filled with
dense smoke. Accordingly, some suppose that the allusion here chiefly is to the
blackness which a bottle contracts by hanging in the smoke; and the translators
of our English Bible, by referring in the margin to
<183030>Job
30:30, as parallel to this, seem to have supposed that the Psalmist refers to
the blackness his face contracted by sorrow. "But," says Harmer, "this
can hardly be supposed to be the whole of his thought. In such a case, would he
not rather have spoken of the blackness of a pot, as it is supposed the
prophet Joel does,
(<290206>Joel
2:6,) rather than to that of a leather bottle?" —
Harmer's Observations, volume 1, page 218. When such bottles are
suspended in the smoky tent of an Arab, if they do not contain liquids, or are
not quite filled by the solids which they hold, they become dry, shrunk, and
shriveled; and to this, as well as to their blackness, the Psalmist may allude.
Long-continued bodily affliction and mental trouble produce a similar change on
the human frame, destroying its beauty and strength by drying up the natural
moisture. It has also been thought that there is a contrast between such mean
bottles and the rich vessels of gold and silver which were used in the palaces
of kings. "My appearance in the state of my exile is as different from what it
was when I dwelt at court, as are the gold and silver vessels of a palace from
the smoky skin bottles of a poor Arab's tent, where I am now compelled to
reside." — Ibid. and Paxton's Illustrations, volume
2, pages 409,
410.
ftd427
"Comme a petit feu." —
Fr.
ftd428
"µydz,
the proud. The proud here , as well as in many other parts of Scripture,
stands for lawless, wicked men. So the rendering of the LXX. Is
para>nomoi;
Vulg. Iniqui. The relative,
rça,
is referred to
twjyç,
pits, by many persons, as Amyraldus, who thus paraphrases the latter part
of the verse: 'At retia illa, cum lege tua directe pugnant.' Others make
çydz
the antecedent, of whom they consider the second hemistich as descriptive.
The proud, who have not acted according to thy Law, have dug
pits for me. The sense is more obvious, according to this latter exposition;
for one does not see the force of the phrase, 'digging pits,' which are not
according to God's Law, as if pits might be dug which are according
to it." —
Phillips.
ftd429
This is the explanation given by Walford. His translation is :
—
"O Jehovah! for
ever
Is thy word
established in the heavens."
Upon which he observes: "The design of these words is
by no means obvious, and the interpreters vary greatly in their explications. I
have not met with any explanation that is altogether satisfactory, and shall
therefore give what appears to me to be the true meaning. The design, in
general, of the Psalmist is, to celebrate the immutability of the word of God:
whatever He speaks is sure. To illustrate this position, he refers to the
creation of the heavens and of the earth; they were alike formed by the word of
God, — 'He spake, and it was done.' By virtue of that word these vast
productions abide through all ages, so that the word of God is established and
displayed in heaven and upon earth. As the same word uttered all the precepts
and institutions of the law, and all the promises of the covenant of mercy, the
unchangeableness of these precepts and promises is verified and manifested by
the perpetual conservation of all these instances of physical power and
energy."
ftd430
"The literal translation is, to the whole of perfection I perceive a
limit. The Hebrew word, however, which is rendered by perfection,
occurs only in this place. It seems clearly to have for its root a verb
signifying to complete, to finish: the meaning is, 'to every
created thing, however perfect, I see a boundary;' that is, it is limited as to
its capability, as well as to its duration." —
Cresswell.
ftd431
"All human things, however full, perfect, and admirable, are necessarily
deficient and mutable; but the law of God, like the nature of him from whom it
proceeds, endureth for ever, and is in all respects complete and unalterable. We
are to understand by the law here, the whole revealed will of God, comprehensive
of promise as well as precept." —
Walford.
ftd432
"As he had entered into the spiritual nature
of the law of God, and saw into the exceeding breadth of the commandment, he
soon became wiser than any of the priests, or even prophets who
instructed him." — Dr. Adam
Clarke
ftd433
"I understand more than the ancients. God had revealed to him more of
that hidden wisdom, which was in his law, than he had done to any of his
predecessors. And this was most literally true of David, who spoke more fully
about Christ than any who had gone before him; or, indeed, followed after him.
His compositions are, I had almost said, a sublime gospel."
—
Ibid.
ftd434
This proverbial expression occurs in several other places of Scripture, in all
of which it undoubtedly signifies, that the life of the person who employs it is
in danger; as in
<071203>Judges
12:3, "And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my
hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon;"
<091905>1
Samuel 19:5, "He put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistines;" and
<092821>1
Samuel 28:21, "And the woman came unto Saul, and said, I have put my life in
my hand." Phillips thus explains the figure: "We are accustomed to say, that
an affair is in a person's hands when the management and issue of it rest
entirely with him, and so we speak when that affair is the life or death of an
individual. Hence, similarly, when the Hebrews spoke of a person's life being in
his own hands, they might mean, that the preservation of his life was entirely
with him, that he was destitute of all external assistance, and that
consequently his life was in danger. This is particularly the case with military
men, who, as they fight bravely, or otherwise, may preserve or lose their lives:
so Jephthah, as appears from the passages above cited." The figure may, however,
be taken from the circumstance, that what a man carries openly in his hand is in
danger of taking, or of being snatched away by violence. "The LXX. have changed
the person of the pronoun, ejn
tai~v cersi sou; in thy hands; as also the
Syriac. It is probable that these ancient interpreters did not understand the
phrase, and so expressed it according to what they thought might be the original
reading, thus affording a very obvious sense. Augustine says, that many MSS. in
his time had the second person. However, no such MSS. are known now, and there
is no doubt whatever of the correctness of the present text. The Psalmist states
that, though his life was in danger, yet he did not forget God's law." —
Ibid.
ftd435
Thus, in the Arabic, it is, "on account of an eternal reward;" that is, the
reward of grace promised to all the faithful. According to this view, the
Psalmist would have a respect to the end and reward of faith and holy obedience.
See
<581126>Hebrews
11:26;
<600108>1
Peter 1:8, 9. As, however, the Psalmist, like all true believers, did not
embrace and obey the law of God, only or chiefly from the hope of reward, but
was chiefly attracted to obedience by love to God, and the intrinsic excellence
of the law, others prefer reading "the reward is
eternal."
ftd436
In the Chaldee, it is "vain thinkers;" and
thus the meaning would be, "I hate men that think evil, that devise wicked
devices, or that have false and evil opinions, opposite to God's law, or tending
to seduce men from
it."
ftd437
It signifies thoughts in
<180414>Job
4:14, and 20:2; and opinions in
<111821>1
Kings 18:21: and these may be either good or evil, their character being
determined by the context of the passage in which the word
occurs.
ftd438
The sense of the text also requires that the word for thoughts should
here be taken in a bad sense, for the Psalmist affirms that he hates them, and
sets God's law in opposition to them. Various epithets have been supplied to
describe the character of these thoughts, such as "crooked," by Calvin, "vain,"
by our English version, and "high minded," by Luther. Ainsworth supplies
wavering, observing, that the original term denotes the top branches of
trees, which are figuratively applied to the thoughts or opinions of the mind,
to denote that they are wavering and uncertain, as
<111821>1
Kings 18:21; or to persons distracted with their own cogitations. Poole remarks,
agreeably to Calvin's interpretation, that the thoughts, or opinions, or devices
of men differing from, or opposite to God's law, may be intended, since, in the
next clause, God's law is opposed to them, and as some, both Jewish and
Christian, expositors understand the Hebrew
word.
ftd439
Dimock thinks that, by this expression, the Psalmist; probably alludes to the
Lex Talionis amongst the Jews, and that the Apostle might refer to this
passage in
<530211>2
Thessalonians 2:11; where he says, "that God should send them strong
delusion, that they should believe a
lie."
ftd440
"Before the noun
µygs,
rendered dross, the particle
k,
of similitude, is understood, so that the Psalmist says, 'Thou hast entirely
removed (made to cease) all the wicked of the earth as dross,' which is removed
from metals by fusion, or from corn by winnowing. The society of men is as a
mass of metal in which the wicked are as rust and dross. The judgments of God,
which are searching, will cause a separation of the dross from the metal, and
thus He will destroy the one and preserve the other." — Phillips.
ftd441
The verb
rms,
samar, rendered hath trembled, denotes being seized with horror, so that
the hair stands on end. It occurs in Piel in
<180415>Job
4:15. This state of horror was produced on the mind of the Psalmist by a
contemplation of the divine judgments executed on the wicked, who are rejected
like dross; and he was thus brought to fear God.