Exposition of the Whole Bible

or fkip for joy, as the word is rendered in Fer. xiviii. 27, and then it muft be underftood of the ‘righteous; who feeing the vengeance on the wicked, rejoice, as in P/al. lil. 6. and lviii. 10. tho’ as they are afterwards particularly mentioned, others feem to be defigned. The word is ufed for lamenting and bemoaning one’s felf, in er. xxxi. 18: and fo may be applied to the friends of the wicked, Jamenting and bemoaning their ruin, and their being bereaved of them, Rev. xviii. 9, 11.

¥. 9. And all men foall fear, &c.| Either God himfelf, or his judgments; they fhall be affrighted at them, learn righteoufnels by them, worfhip God, and give glory to him: they fhall fear him as King of faints, "his judgments being made manifeft; not with a flavifh fear, but with reverence and godly fears fee Rev, xi. 13: and xv. 4. And fhail declare the work of God the punifhments infli€ted on wicked men; his work of juftice and judgment, which is his work, his ftrange work; for there is no evil of punifhment but the Lord has done it, J/a. xxviii. 21. \4mes ili. 6, - For they fhall wifely -confider of bis doings;. confider that it is done by him, and done well and wifely, after the counfel of his own will’; and fo confider it as to be admoniffied, and take warning and caution’ by it, This is the ufe men in general fhould make of fuch difpenfations of providence; the ufe the righteous in particular make of them follows:

“NOME copies of the Septuagint, and Vulgate Latin verfions, tead * a fong of Jeremiah and

““Exckidl, fung by the people of the captivity, *< when they were about to Come our;”’ and fome copies have Haggai: but though it is poffible it | might be fung upon that occafion, it is. certain it was not then compofed, but was written by David, as the ge vine title fhews:- as for eremiah, he was hot carried captive to Babylon, and Ezekiel died before the return of the people from it; nor is there any thing in the pfalm relating to that captivity. The title ‘of it indeed, in the Arabié verfion, is concerning the captivity of the people; which it feems to have taken from fome Greek copy; and Kimchi and Arama interpret it of the captivity of the people of the Jews; but then they mean their prefent captivity, and their deliverance from: it. According to the title of it in the Syriac verfion, the occafidn of it was the bringing up of the ark of God to Sion 5 atid’ Aben Eztais of opinion that David conipofed the pfalm ‘at that time; or that one of the fingers compoféd it at'the building of the temple, and which hé thinks is right, and perhaps is concluded from 3. 1, 3. and who alfo fays it was com- fed in'a year of drought 5 but it rather feems to have béen written in a year of great plenty, as the Jatter part of it fhews; and the whole feems to refpect the -fruitful, Hoarimhitg and happy ftaté of ¢ church in gofpel-times, for

; Mi AT beter) scfttass /: ipigg hy > eu ‘

Yi 10. The righteous fhall be glad in the Lord, &c.] They rejoice at the vengeance executed on the wicked; but then their joy centers in the Lord: it is not at the ruin of the wicked, fimply confidered, but becaufe of the glory of God’s juftice difplayed therein, and of his grace and mercy to them, They rejoice in the Lord; becaufe of what he is unto them, and becaufe of what he has done for them; becaufe of his righteoufnefs they are clothed with, from whence they are denominated righteous ones; and becaufe of the falvation he has wrought out for them; and they are the more affected with it, when they fee the calamities, woes and deftruction of wicked men; fee the note on Pfal. xxx. 11. And foail truft in bim; whois known by hi8 judgments he executes on the wicked; ahd the more he is known, be it in what way it will, the more is he trufted in, P/a/.ix. 10, 16, The Targum paraphrafes it, *¢ and fhall truft in his Word;” either in his word of promife, or rather in his effential Word, Chrift. And ail the upright in heart fhall glory; not in men, nor in themfelves, nor in any creature, or creature-enjoyments; nor in their wifdom, ftrength, riches, nor righteoufnefs; but in Chrift, in his wifdom, righteoufnefs and ftrength; in whom all the feed of //rael are juftified and glory; and in what he is tothem, and has done for them; of the upright in heart, fee the note’ on P/a/. xxxii. 11.

M LXV. pfalm and fong of David.

of God, and which is fo called uhder the gofpeldifpenfation,, Heb. xii, 22. Rev, xiv. 1. is, the place’ where praifé waits for God, that béing the city of our folemnities, as well’as the city. of the great King; and not only a houfe of prayer but of praife, where the facrifices, both of prayer and praife, are offered to’ God through Chrift with acceptance: and praife may be faid to wait for him here, becaufe it is due to him here, as fome render it; on account of many bleffing’s and privileges of grace here enjoyed, through the word and ordinances; and becaufe the people of God wait upori him here with their tribute of praife, which _ is comely in them to bring, and is agreeable and acceptable to him; and becaufe it remains, abides, and continues here; or, in other words, the faints are continually praifing the Lord here, giving thanks to him always ‘for all things, P/a/. Ixxxiv. ~ 4. Eph. v. 20. fome render the words prai/e is Jilent for thee*; becaufe there is no end of it, as JFarch obferves; or becaufe of the greatnefs. of the works of the Lord, praife cannot réach him, as Ben Melech expreffes it.. The greateft fhouts, and. loudeft acclamations of praife, are but filence in comparifon of what ought, if it could be exprefied, on account of the nature, perfections, and works of God. The Zargum is, ¢* before thee praife is «¢ geputed as filence.”” In the king of Spain’s Bible it is, “ the praife of angels is reputed before thee ‘* as filence;” perhaps it may be beft rendered, to thee belong, or are due, /ilence and praife*: there ought to be firft a filent and quiet waiting upon God for metcies wanted, and which he has promifed to give; -and when they are beftowed, praife fhould be rendered unto him. Guffetius® gives the fenfe of the words; and renders them,‘ praifes’ which is b de¥ wredgrig] CGC. - «thine “ # Tibi filentium’ ef" & laus, Pifcator, Géjerars

** thine image, which bears a likenefs to thee, fhall: they,are effectually called by the grace of God, and

“¢ be paid in Sion.” And unto thee fhall the vow be

are juftified by the righteoufnefs of Chrift, and performed, that is, of praife and thankfulnels forfhall be glorified; or in time, for there is a choice ~ | deliverance and falvation, made ina time of trouble.

x. 2. O thou that heareft prayer, &c.] Soas to ‘anf{wer it fooner or Jater, in one way or another, and always in the fitteft time, and in the beft way; fo as to fulfil the requefts, and fupply the wants of men, fo far as may be for their good, and God’s glory; which is a proof of the omniprefence, omnifcience, and all-fufficiency of God; who can hear the prayers of his people in all places at the fame time, and knows all their perfons and wants, and ‘what is moft proper for them, and can and does fupply all their needs, and caufes all grace to abound ‘towards them; and it alfo fhews his wondrous grace and condefcenfion, to liften to the cries, and regard the prayers of the poor and deftitute. Unto ‘thee fhall_all fiefh come; being encouraged by the above character of him. All forts of perfons may come tohim; men of all nations, of every rank and degree, condition and circumftance,; there is no bar unto, nor bounds about the throne of grace; the way to it lies open through the Mediator; and all fenfible finners fhall, and do come thither, tho’ they are but fled, frail and mortal, corrupt and finful creatures, and know themfelves to be fo; and they that come aright come through Chrift, the.

new and living way, in his name, and in the faith of him, and of being heard for his fake, and under the gracious influences of the fpirit of grace and fupplication: it may be confidered as a prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles, and of their calling upon God through Chrift, and of their coming to God in his houfe, which was to be, and is an houfe of Prayer to all people, Jai. Ivi, 7. Zech. viii. 21, 223 23.

¥. 3 Iniquities prevail againft me, &c.| _ Or are mightier than I“; this may be underftood, either of the iniquities of others, hisenemies; their words of iniquities' Or iniquitous words, as in the Hebrew text; their calumnies, reproaches, falfe char- ‘ges and accufations, which prevailed againft David in Saul’s court; or rather his own iniquities, in- ‘ward lufts, indwelling fins, as well as open tranfgreffions, which he confiders as his enemies, as nu- ‘merous and powerful, too mighty for him, which warred againft him, and fometimes got the afcendant of him, and threatened him with utter ruin and deftruction; but amidft all this he {pies atonement and pardon through the blood and facrifice of Chrift, as follows. As for our tranfgreffions, thou foalt purge them away; not only his own, but others, which Chrift has done by the facrifice of himfelf; and when his blood is applied to the confcience of a fenfible finner, it purges it from all his fins, Heb. i, 3. and ix. 14. it may be rendered, thou fhalt expiate them, or make atonement for them*; which Chrift, our propitiation, has done: this was the work appointed him, which he undertook, came into the world to do, andhas performed, Dan. ix, ~ ‘24. Heb. ii, 17. and ix. 26. or thou Jhalt cover them; with the blood and righteoufnefs of Chrift; or forgive them for the fake of them, P/al. xxxii.

¥. 4. Blefed is the man whom thou choo/eft, é&c.} ‘In eternity; both to grace and glory; for fuch have true faith in Chrift given them, called the faith of God’s elect, and fhall never perifh:

in time, as the fruit, effect, and evidence of the eternal choice, and is no other than effectual vocation; fee Fobu xv. 19. 1 Cor. i, 26. and happy are thofe who are both chofen and called; both election and vocation are to grace and glory, and fpring from the good-will and pleafure of God; and the Targum in the king of Spain’s Bible is, * blefled ‘© isthe man in whom thou art well-pleafed.’’ And caufeft to approach unto thee; the fame Zargum {upplies ‘* unto the fear of thee;” or unto thy fear and worfhip. The perfons whom God has chofen for himfelf are, in their ftate of nature, at a diftance from him by reafon of fin; and thro’ the blood and facrifice of Chrift, by which atonement is made, they are brought nigh to him; and in the faith of Chrift the Mediator, their hearts are engaged to approach unto God, and come with boldnefs to his throne, and afk grace and mercy of him; and thro’the grace of Chrift they have nearnefs to him, and communion with him, Eps. ii. 13, 18, and iii. 12. That be may dwell in thy courts; or he foall dwell’; the man that is chofen of God, and brought nigh by Chrift; he fhall not only come into the houfe of God, and tread in his courts, but he fhall dwell there, ever abide, and never go out. We fhall be fatisfied with the goodnefs of thy boufe; even all that are like this man, chofen by the grace of God, redeemed by the blood of Chrift, brought into the houfe of God, and have a place and a name there, better than that of fons and daughters of men: by the houfe of God we are to underftand the church of God; and by the goodne/s of it, the provifions of grace in it, the word and ordinances, and the bleffings of grace held forth in them, and efpecially Chrift the bread of life, whofe flefh is meat indeed, and whofe blood is drink indeed; of which true believers may eat, and do to full fatisfaction; and bleffed are they that have fuch food, and appetites for it, and are filled with it. The Targum paraphrafes it, ** the righteous fhall fay, we fhall << be fatisfied with the goodnefs of thy houfe.” Ie follows, Even of thy boly temple; which means the fame as the houfe of God; namely, the church; fee Eph. ii, 21. Some, as Aben Ezra obferves, interpret it, thou holy One in thy temple; as if it was an addrefs to God, and a defcription of him as in his temple..

¥. 5. By terrible things in Heng” wilt thou anfwer us, &c.) Not by affiictive difpenfations of providence, which, though difagreeable to flefh and blood, and are fometimes terrible to good men, when they apprehend the wrath of God in them, and look upon. them as punifhments for fins yet thefe are confiftent with the love of God to them, are for their fpiritual good, and when viewed in this light, they rejoice and glory in them; ye; afflictions are not prayed for, nor to be praye for, there being no direction for it, nor example of it. they cannot be confidered as anfwers of prays but the Lord anfwers his people in this way inflicting judgments on their enemies: by fuc fea in ‘the wildernefs, and in the land and in this way. will he anfwer his peo ftruétion of Antichrift and his followe g. and xvi. 6. and xviii, 8. and xi

‘ over, by terrible things may be meant things ftuge marvellous, and even miraculous; and y fuch things does God fometimes anfwer his people, in deftroying their enemies and faving them; and which are fo called, becaufe they injeét horror: and terror into their enemies, and fill them with fear and reverence of God: and which are done in righteoufne/s; in faithfulnefs to his promifes made to his people; in the exercife of his vindictive juftice upon their enemies; in goodnefs, grace, and mercy to them, as righteoufne/s fometimes fignifies, asin P/a/.li. 14. and not for their righteoufnefs, who do not prefent their fupplications to him for the fake of that; but for the righteoufnefs of his Son, for the fake of which they are heard and anfwered. O God of our falvation; not only temporal, but fpiritual and eternal; which he has refolved upon, and chofe his people to, and has fettled the way and manner of, in which it fhould be brought about; has fecured it in covenant for them, promifed it in his word, fent his Son to obtain it, and his Spirit to give knowledge, and make application of it; and from this character of his, and the concern he has in falvation, it may be concluded he will anfwer the prayers of his people for their good. Who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth; of all that dwell upon the continent, to the uttermoft parts of the habitable world. And of them that are afar off wpon the fea; not only in fhips upon the fea, but upon iflands in the fea; and fo the Zargum, “and of the iflands of the fea, <¢ which are afar off from the dry land,” and Kimchi and Ben Mélech interpret it in the fame manner; fuch as are the ifles in which we live: this feems to refer to gofpel-times, in which the Lord is not only the confidence or hope of Ijrael, but of the Gentiles alfo; who are encouraged to hope in the Lord, and put their confidence in him, feeing with him there is forgiving mercy, and plenteous redemption; hath appointed Chrift to be his falvation to the ends of the earths has fent his gofpel into all the world declaring this; and Chrift in it encourages all the ends of the earth to look unto him for falvation; and multitudes upon the continent, and in different ifles, have been enabled to hope in him. ¥. 6. Which by bis ftrength fetteth fast the mountains, &c.] In the firft creation and formation of them, when they were fettled on their bafis fo firmly that they are rarely removed, and when they are, it is fomething extraordinary. Some underftand this of the Lord’s preparing the mountains with the rain of his ftrength, for the bringing forth of herbs and grafs for the fervice of man and beatt, and of his adorning them with trees; and the Zargum is, “ who prepareft food for the wild goats of the mountains;” others interpret them of kingdoms and communities, comparable to mountains, er. li. 25. Zech. iv. 7. Rev. xvii. g. but thefe ‘are not fet faft, they are not firm and ftable, but in a courfe of time are removed, and give way to others; rather the church of God is meant; fee J/a.

ii. 2. where the fame phrafe is ufed as here; and mountains may fignify particular churches, or indeed particular believers; for all that truft in the Lord are like to mountains, P/al. cxxv. 1. and thefe are fet faft in the everlafting love of God, by which their mountain is made to ftand {trong; in eterna election, which is the foundation of God that ftands fure; in the covenant of grace,which is more immoveable than hills and mountains; and on Chrift the rock, againft whom the gates of hell can never prevail; and who are fo eftablifhed, fettled, and kept by the power of God, that they cannot be removed by the moft boifterous ftorms and winds of the world’s perfecutions, Satan’s temptations, or their own fins and corruptions. Being girded with power; not the mountains, but God himfelf; whofe power, like himfelf, is infinite, and appears in the works of his hands, of nature, providence and grace: the allufion is toa mighty man girded for battle; or for the performance of great undertakings.

¥. 7. Which fiilleth the noife of the feas, the noife of their waves, 8c.) By a word {peaking; as our Lord did when here on earth, and which was a proof and evidence of his eternal power and Godhead. Thefe figurative expreffions are interpreted by the next claufe.,And the tumult of the people of wicked. men, who foam and rage againft the people of God, and are liké a troubled fea that cannot reft,; but God can fay to thefe proud waters, which threaten to go over their fouls, Peace, be ftill; he can ftop their oppofition, quell their infurrections, reftrain their wrath, and make them peaceable and quiet; wherefore the faints have no reafon to be afraid of them, P/a/. xlvi. 2, 3. and Ixxvi. 10, and cxxiv. 15.

y¥. 8. They alfo that dwell in the uttermoft parts are afraid at thy tokens, &c.| The tokens of his wrath and difpleafure at wicked men, feen ‘in the punifhments inflicted on them, which caufe them to fear and tremble. Some interpret them of the fun, moon, and ftars, which are fet for /igus, as the word™ ufed fignifies; and-which declare the glory of God to the uttermoft parts of the earth, and ftrike men with awe and reverence of him; and others of thunder and lightning, which are fometimes very dreadful and terrible. Moreover, the word * fignifies figns and wonders, marvelous things, miraculous operations; and may be under ftood of thofe that were wrought in the firft times of the gofpel, for the confirmation of it; fome of which were wrought in the uttermoft parts of the earth 3 or however, were heard of there and believed; which caufed them to receive the gofpel with all reverence, not as the word of man, but as the word of God. Thou makeft the outgoings of the morning and of the evening to rejoice; fome interpret this of the morning and evening-facrifices; others of the fun that goes forth in the morning, and rejoices as a ftrong man to run his race, and of the moon and ftars that appear in the evening, and both give pleafure and delight to the inhabitants of the earth; others of men who goforth in the morning chearfully to their labour, and of the beafts that go out in the evening to feek their prey, P al.

xix. 5. and civ. 20——23. but it feems better to underftand it the rifing of. the ftars before the fun in the morning, and the appearance of them after the moon is up in the evening; or of the rifing and fetting fun; of the eaft and weft, which include the whole world, and the inhabitants of it; who are made to rejoice at the coming of the gofpel among them, which brings the good news and glad tidings of peace, pardon, righteoufhefs and falvation by Chrift, whereby his name becomes great, and is praifed among the Gentiles; fee Mal. i. 11.

¥. 9. Thou vifiteft. the earth, and wateref. it, &c.] So the Lord looked upon the earth, quickly after its formation, before rain came upon it, and he watered the whole face of the ground, Gen.

«the preaching of the gofpel ‘by his apoftles, whofe

. § ‘734 ii. 5, 6. fo he cared for the land of ‘Fudea in particular, atid-watered it with che rain of} ‘heaven, Deut, exinaiy¥20 fee 2 Sam xxi. 114. to which fome waters the whole earth in’ general, at certain times and feafonsy ‘A#sxiv. 16, 17/ this may be: applied. ftosthe charch and people. of God in eo{pel* times, -who aréhis hufbandry, and the good ground on ewhichi the! feed falls and is received, and - brings, forth frait'; aid aré comparable to the ‘earth that drinks in the rain that comes oft’ upon it, and “brings‘forth herbs’ meet for thofe that drefs it, and receives a blefing from God, Heb. vi. 7. thus the, Lord wifited his people, by the miffion of his Son to redeem them, whofe ‘coming was as ‘the rain, the’ forimef ‘and latter ‘to the earth; ‘Luke i. 68, 78.0 Hof..vid 3. fo he vifited-the Gentile world, by doétiinés “dropped as the rain, and diftifled as the dew and fmall rain on the tender herb, and as fhow- ‘ers,on the grafs; and fo made a wildernefs a pool of watér, and the dry land {prings of water, és xv.) 14. Deut. xxxii. 2. J/a. xl. 18. and in like manner ‘hé vifits particular’ perfons in converfion, and watérs ‘them with:the eraces of his’ Spitit, by which he regenerates,” quickens, and’ fanctifies| thein,: wand makes them fruitful,® Tf. Xliv.°3. ‘Fobn ili. 5. “andviv. 14, and vir. 37, 38. Thou greatly, enritheft it with the river of God, which ‘7s “eal! of water; not Shiloab nor Fordan; but the clouds ‘which are! fall of rain, which -falling ‘upon the ‘earthy. ‘impregnate it with rich particles, ‘which ‘make‘it very fertile and fruitful;° fo the Targum,

«witha multitude of fruits thou’ enitichelt i it out, <soof the Aivér of God) which is in heaven, which) “6: ig:full/oflrain:” this may myftically’ denote the riverof God’s everlafting love,“ which is full-of the. bleiivigs® ofegrace, and which'flowing upon his peo-

‘Thom pr evarep them corn, when thou haft fo provided for iP; Or 'becaufe thot bajt Jo prepared it; chat is, thé’ earth being difpoféd‘and prepared by ithe Lord, watered ‘aad enriched withthe rain of heaven, pro- ‘duces C6fn dn great plentyfor the inhabitants of the earth }2which may “fpiritually ‘defign’ either the’ fruitfuliels of the faints, whole hearts are difpofed and prepared: by “thé erace‘of God to ‘receive’ the feed of theword, ‘which brings forth: fruitin them; or the biead- corn, that wheat ‘of the “gofpel, and Chrift the-fum “and fubftance of it, which is of God’s' _prépatine for his people, and: by: which | they are bi = and nade comfoptable's ‘fee Zech, fx) x5)" wr;

earthy thé little’ hills, ‘the higher parts.of ploughed | land;“thofeowhich ie between furrow and’ furtow feem' to be“méant, whith being watered with rain become lowe?” and are?made fruitful; thele fy | denote fuch'as' die lifted” up with ‘theit Own imaginary putity and righteoufnels 5 and who, when the. grace of God-takes hold upon them, are humbled, and'¢onfeb themfelves the chief of finners, ahd the. jealt SF faints, fenounices their own righteoutnels, and fabmit tol Chrift’s. Shou settler the furrows t cherdof s or thou cafe the rain.to defcend into, the furrows thereof? which fills chem, and makes them fraitfald and may defign humble'fouls, whom the

repeated, it is fo hard, that no impreffions can

Phixv.y.1 siljam | fruitful in every’ good ‘work. Thou makef he with foowers 5; which through drought is become _ like iron and brafs, and, without large and heathink Lebeivcnce’ is had héte; and fo he ‘vilits and fhowers, as the word * ufed fignifies, and th fuch is the hard heart of man, which God 0 can make foft by the means of his word, throt made upon it, nor any thing fpring out of i its ly the energy of his Spirit, and the efficacy of his gr race 5,

| which coming in great abundance, like large fhowers of rain, removes the hardnefs of the heart, makes; it fufceptible of divine impreffions, and of yeni se ing the feed of the word, whereby it becom fruitful. Thou blefeft the Jpringing thereof tender blade, when it firft peeps out of the earths this the Lord nourifhes and cherifhes; he preferves it from the nipping frofts, by covering it wi fhow; he waters it with the dews of heaven, and warms it with the beams of the fun; he caufes it to grow, and brings it to perfection: fo the Lo 4 takes preat notice “of the fpringing and buddin forth of grace, of the firft acts and exercifes of it in young converts, and takes care of them; and as he will not hurt them himfelf, nor break the bruifed reed, nor quench the fmoaking flax 5, fo he takes care that others fhould not; fee nO ai. vi. 1. -V i. 11. and ii. 15. he gives them more grace, and ftrengthens what they have; caufes it to,grow, and brings it onto perfection. - The word here ufedis thé fame by. which Chrift, the branch, is year a Zech, hii. 8. and vi. 12. and. as the Lord has ble ed him with the bleflings of goodnefs; fo he blefles all the ae sa which: are in him, Jol, XV. 45 ‘5 Eph, i.. Ae + “Thott crownet the year with iby goodneliy &c.] The whole circling year, from one end it to the other; particularly t that feafon of i it wh the harveft is gathered in; the feed bein fe fow the earth Maple the Haier e of. it blefied, eI deemed, the whole gohel cies on, a Tt Z, and xii. 4. in certain feafons and petiods ‘of which there have been great, gatherings of fouls to Chrift’; at the firft of i it multitudes were converted in 7udea, and in the Gentile world, which. were the firftfroits of the Spirit; andi in ut ages there haye been more or lefs inftances of this kind and in the latter day there will be a large | harveft, when the Jews will, be’ converted, and: the futhels of the Gentiles brought in. 4nd "thy paths drop fatnefs; the heaae Farchi interprets it; or Tanabe as Kimchi, which are the chariots and horfes of God, in whieh he rides, and’ are. the duft of his feet; Pfal, civ. 3. Hab. iii. 15. Nab. i. 3. and. th drop _ down rain upon the earth, and ng iy and flourifhing; sand may myftically defign’ oan ftration of the gofpel, and | the agminiiahge dinances; “which ieee e paths is in which. goes forth t to his peop! and direéts them to, a kin, and in which he meets t thet with a fulnels « of eff | ings, ahd: fatisfies them; as ‘ith marrow and fatne ye Age » 18, drop upon ‘the. Riedie: ¢ } As well asu the pl loughed. 7 rd" ince into a fruitful elds * Pe a) thé Genti eworld, whithe or the go We Chrift, and preached be A “pil dc ines dropped as sthe r rain, ane Ne ih As

Boi) ae ie yids ‘good things, and makes them |

Pfixvi. y. T,2. - wildernefs as the garden of God. And the little bills rejoice on every fide; or joy girds the bills; or they are girded with joy*; or gird themfelves: with joy, asthe Targum; being covered on all fides with grafs, herbs and trees: thefe may denote the churches of Chrift, and little hills of Sion, who rejoice. ‘when the intereft of Chrift fourifhes, P al. Ixviii.

y. 13. The paftures are clothed with flocks, 8zc.] Of fheep, which are fo thick, that there is fcarce any thing to be feen upon the paftures but them; which look as if they were clothed with them: thefe may intend the multitude of converts, fignified by the flocks of Kedar, and rams of Nebaioth; which gathering about the church, and joining to her, fhe clothes herfelf with them as with an ornament, J/a. Ix. 7, 8. and xlix. 18. it may be rendered the rams clothe, or cover the flocks *; or the flocks are clothed, or covered with the rams, as expreflive of their copulation with them; and fo the Targum, ‘* the rams afcend upon the flocks;”” which fenfe is favoured by the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Ethiopic, and Arabic verfions. The valleys alfo are covered over with corn; being made very fruitful with the rain, and bringing forth in great abundance; fo humble fouls are the moft fruitful ones. They fhout for joy, they alfo fing; that is, the paftures, hills and valleys, being laden with all kind of fruit for the ufe of man and beaft, for neceffity and pleafure; which occafion joy to thé inhabitants of the earth: this may be expreflive of the joy that will be among men, when the intereft of Chrift: will be in a more flourifhing condition in the latter day; fee J/ai. xlix. 13. and lv.g—13.