LXVI.
To the chief mufician, A fong or pfalm.
HIS pfalm does not bear the name of David in the title of it, yet is generally thought to be one of his; but beeaufe the plural number is ufed in it, which is not fo common in David's pfalms, Aben Ezra is of opinion, it is not his, but wrote by the fingers. This is not a fufficient objection: and befides, from y.13. to the end, the fingular number is ufed. The Arabic verfion aferibes it to David, and that verfion makes: the fubjeét- matter of it to be concerning the refurrection; as do the Septuagint, Ethiopic, and Vulgate: Latin verfions. The title of the Syriac verfion is, ‘* con- ‘© cerning facrifices and burnt-offerings, and the «© incenfe of rams; the fpiritual fenfe intimates “* to us the calling of the Gentiles, and the preach- <* ing, 7. e, of the gofpel;” which comes neareft the truth: for the pfalm refpeéts gofpel-times, and the church of Chrift under the New Tefta- ‘ment, fpread throughout the world, and efpecially as it will be in the latter day; fee ¥. 1, 4. and'fo in Yalkut Simeont on the pfalm,. it'is faid to be a pfalm for time to come, and'agrees with Zeph, iii. ‘9. 1 will turwto the people a pure language, 8c. Kimchi fays, it isa pfalm concerning the gathering of the captives of I/racl; and fo'Farchi and Obadiab expound it; and Theodoret fays, David wrote this pfalm for the captives in Babylon..)
y.1. Make a joyful noife unto God, 8c.) The. Creator of the ends of the earth 5 the Provider for all his creatures; and the Difpenfer of. the bleffings of grace, under the gofpel-difpenfation, to men'in ‘all countries. -The Meffiah may wellibe thought:
to be intended, ‘fince the pfalm refers to gofpel-' times’; who is God over all, bleffed for ever 5. to! ‘whom a joyful noife, fhouts and acclamations, are ‘to be made by all his fubjeéts, ‘true® believers in’ him, in all lands, as to their King 5 fee Num. xxiii. ‘212 who is afcended on high, has led ‘captivity cap- ‘tive; received gifts for men, and gives them t
‘them; is enthroned on his Father’s right hand, is’ ‘crowned with glory and honour; ‘where he reigns, ‘and muft reign, till all enemies are put under: his “feet; when his kingdom will be from fea to fea, ‘and from the river to the ends of the earth: and ‘upon the deftruétion of his enemies, and the en will be heard in heaven, the church; and fuch joyful noifes as are here exhorted and directed to, Rev. xix. 1-7. and xi. 15,16, 17. and xv, 3,4. Moreover, fuch acclamations are fuitable to him, as a victorious conqueror;, who; at his death, overcame fin, Satan, the world, and death itfelf; and by the miniftry of the gofpel, went forth conquering, and to conquer; and has fubdued many people in all mations, and caufed his minifters to triumph in him in every place 5, and who, by his Spirit and grace, ftill continues to bring {fouls to a fubjection to him, to difpoflefs Satan from them, to fet_up his throne in their hearts, and reign there, and to make them more than conquerors through
| himfelf that has loved them: of which there will be more numerous inftances in the latter day; and. all fuch are under great obligations to make a joyful noife unto him, or to exprefs.their joy and thankfulnefs in loud finging of his praifes. » 4 7 ye lands 5 that is, all the inhabitants of the earth, as the Largum 3 not Fudea, to which fome reftrain it, but the whole earth: for Chrift is the Saviour of fome, in all countries, of the children, of God, that are fcattered abroad throughout the whole world, for whom he is a propitiation, The gofpel has been’ fent to all nations, and preached to every creature; fome in all lands have been converted, and made partakers of the bleflings and privileges
_of the gofpel, and therefore have reafon to be glad and make a joyful noife; and the more fo, inafmuch 4s they were in a ftate of great darknefs and ignorance before, without Chrift, without hope, and without God in the world., Hy iii y¥.2. Sing forth the honour of his, name, &c.} Meaning not any particular names of the Meffiah, fuch as in J/a. ix. 6, and vii. 14. or his name. Feus, a Saviour; though they are all. honourable and glorious, and furnifh out fufficient matter, for a fong: but rather that, by which he was made known. to the fons of men, his gofpel; fee 4s
‘ix. 15... Which is a glorious gofpel; the truths of which may be exprefied in a fong of praife, to.the honour and glory of Chrift, and to the inftruction and profitof men, Coloff, iii. 16... Or rather, Chrift himfelf is meant; his name often defigns himéfelf, given him; which is done when all divine perfections and works are afcribed to him, divine worfhip is paid him, and the glory of falvation given him; which may be done in pfalms, hymns, and fpiritual fongs. Make bis praife glorious; let the high praifes of him be in your mouths; give him the moft excellent praife; praife him in the beft This is done when we fing his praife with grace in our hearts in exercife; when we with one mind and mouth glorify him; and when we honour him, the Son, as we honour the Father.
¥. 3. Say unto God, &c.] Or, concerning God *, as fome; or, before God, as the Targum; fay to him as follows, in pfalms and hymns of praife: How terrible art thou in thy works! or reverend”! to be feared and reverenced with a godly fear on account of them; fuch as the works of nature and providence, which are ftupendous and marvellous, fearfully and wonderfully wrought; and efpecially thofe of grace and redemption, in which the goodnefs of Chrift is manifeft, and for which he is to be feared: unlefs rather his judgments upon his enemies are here meant; who, though he is a Lamb to his own people, is the Lion of the tribe of Fu- ‘dab to them, whom he will break in pieces as a ‘potter’s veffel. It may be read, bow serrible, or tremendous, is every one of thy works; fo Aben Ezra, and alfo Farchi, who interprets the next claufe, Through the greatne/s of thy power, thus, *¢ when thou fheweft to the world thy power, by «« the peftilence, or fword, or famine, or light- “* nings 3” Shall thine enemies fubmit them/felves unto thee; in a lying, flattering and deceitful manner, as the word ™ here ufed fignifies; fee the note on Pfal. xviii. 44. or as the above interpreters, «¢ they fhall, through the greatnefs of fear, confefs “¢ the lies and tranfgreffions they have committed.” It will be a forced, and not a free confeffion and fubmiffion; Chrift’s enemies, whether they will or - no, will be obliged to own that he is Lord, to the y. 4. All the earth foall worfbip thee, &c.] The
Meffiah, who is equal with God; the Creator of men; the Redeemer of his people; the Head of the church, and King of faints; their Lord, and therefore to be worfhipped; with internal worfhip, in the exercife of faith, hope and love; and-with external worfhip, in the word and ordinances, by prayer and praife, public and private. This univer{al worfhip that will be yielded him, will be in ‘the latter day; which fhews that this pfalm refpects thofe times, when Chrift fhall be King over all the earth, and his name, worfhip and religion one, Zech. xiv. 9,16. Rev. xv. 4. And fhall fing unto thee; the fong of Mo/es and the Lamb, the Lamb’s new fong, the fong of redeeming grace; which none but the redeemed ever can fing aright, Rev. xiv. 3. and xv. 3. They foall fing to thy name; or, they fhail, or let them fing thy name*, thou ‘fhalt ‘be the fubject of their fong; thy perfon, offices, kingdom, grace and glory: or they “fhall fing to the honour of thy name, as in y. 2, Selab; of this word, fee the note on P/a/. iii: 2,
¥. 5. Come and fee the works of God, &c.) Of the Meffiah, God manifeft in the flefh; thofe divine works which he did when here on earth; his miraculous works, which were proofs of his Deity and Meffiahfhip; his preaching the gofpel, in fo t CYMIND TON dicite de Deo, Campentfis apud Gejeram; and fome in Michaelis.
divine a manner as never man did; his works of obedience to the law, which were pure and perfect; the everlafting righteoufnefs he wrought out for the juftification of his people; and the great work of redemption and falvation finifhed by him, which none but God could ever have fected, This is an invitation to the inhabitants of all lands, where the gofpel fhould come with power, to take notice of and confider thefe works of Chrift, and the glory of his might, wifdom and grace in them, in order to engage them to fing his praife’ He is terrible in his doing toward the children of men; in his vengeance on the Jews, for difbelieving and rejecting him 3 in deftroying Antichrift, and pouring out the vials of his wrath on the antichriftian ftates; and in the everlafting damnation of the wicked. So that as his other works in the former claufe defign thofe of grace, this doing of his refpeéts his work, his ftrange work of judgment on his enemies; on account of which he is terrible to them, and reverenced by his people.
¥. 6. He turned the fea into dry land, 8c.) The Red-fea, or fea of Suph, as the Targum; by caufing a ftrong eaft wind to blow, which made it dry, fo that the children of J/rae/ paffed through it on dry ground, Exod. xiv,.21, 22. Or be turneih’; for tho’ the allufion is to the making the Red-fea dry land, when the J/raelites paffed through it 5 yet it refers to fomething to be done in the times of Chrift and the gofpel-difpenfation. So Chrift might be faid to do this literally, when he walked upon the fea of Galilee as on dry land, and enabled Peter to do fo likewife, Matt. xiv. 25, 29. and figuratively, when he makes his people walk thro’ the fea of this world, and the waters of afflictions in it, without overflowing them. He is with them, bears them up, and upholds them with his right hand; fo that they pafs on, as on dry land, till they come fafe to the fhores of blifs and happinefs. They went through the flood on foot; or river”; the river Jordan, as the Targum: for this alludes not to the paflage of the J/raelites through the fea, but through Yordan, when they entred into the land of Canaan, Johh. iii. 17. The words may be rendered according to Kimchi, ‘they thall ‘¢ pafs thro’ the river on foot;” the Targum adds, ‘* the children of J/rael;” fo the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Ethiopic and Arabic verfions.. Such things are faid in prophecy concerning the le of Cod in future ead fee Ifa. tote: i. hh li. 10, 11. So the river Euphrates thall be dried up, to make way for the kings of the eaft, Rev. xvi. 12. There did we rejoice in him; ftill alluding to the above cafes, when J/rae/ paffed through the Red-fea, and fung praife to God; and went through Fordan, and fet up ftones of memorial, Exod. xv. 1. Fofh. iv. 6,7. Or, there {hall we. rejoice in bim, fo the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Ethiopic, Syriac and Arabic verfions; only the latter _ reads in the fingular, bé foall rejoice. The Zar- — gum is; ** I will lead them tothe mountain ‘© of his holinefs, there fhall we rejoice in his ‘word:”? in the effential Word, the Meffiah,.as the, faints do rejoice in him in his houfe, und his word and ordinances; when they fee the falvation wrought out by him, and their intereft in it the righteoufnefs he has brought in, and themfelves clothed with it; pardon procured by him, and that applied to them; and when they are favoured with a fight of him, and communion with him; fo will they rejoice in him, when the marriage of the Lamb is come, and the bride is. ready 3 when Antichrift fhall be deftroyed, and they fhall have got the victory over him; then they fhall ftand on the fea of glafs, and there fhall they fing the fong of Mojes and of the Lamb, Rev. xix. 7, 8; and xviii. 20. and xv. 2, 3. and when they fhall have got thro’ all their difficulties fafe to heaven; there fhall they rejoice in Chrift, and with him to all eternity. pein y 7. He ruleth by bis power for ever, 8c.) Chrift is the Ruler in J/rae/, King over his holy hill of Zion; who mutt reign till all enemies are put under his feet. He rules in the kingdom of nature and providence by his power, and does whatfoever he pleafes; nor can any ftay his hand. He rules in the kingdom of grace, in the hearts of his people, by his efficacious grace; which makes them willing, in the day of his power, to be fubject to him; and in the latter day he will take to. himfelf his great power and reign, when he will be King for ever. His kingdom is an everlafting kingdom, it fhall never be fubverted nor ufurped; nor will he in it be fucceeded by another 5 he will reign to the end of the world, throughout the thoufand years, with his faints on earth, and then with them in heaven for evermore: The Targum renders it, “ over the world; over the whole world; for Chrift will be King over all the earth in the latter day, Zech. xiv. 9. His eyes bebold the nations; the antichriftian ftates. He fees all the idolatry and wickednefs committed in them; and his eyes will be as flames of fire to deftroy them, when the time is come. The allufion is to God’s looking thro’ the pillar of fire and cloud upon the Egyptians in the Red fea, and troubling them, Exod. xiv, 24. Let not the rebellious exalt themfelves. Selah. that are rebels againft Chrift, would not have him to reign over them; Antichrift, who exalts. himfelf above all that is called God, and all his followers. Or, they fhail not exalt themfelves*: or, as the Fargum, ‘* they fhall not be exalted in themfelves for * ever;” fee Rev. xviii. 7, 8.
¥.8. O blefs our God, ye people, &c.| In all countries, that know the Lord and fear him; afcribe bleffing, and honour and glory, to Chrift our God, ‘on account of his works, actions, perfeétions, kingdom and power; and becaufe of the deftruétion of thofe, who are rebels to his governs ment. And make the voice of bis praife to be heard, far and near, in pfalms, and hymns, and fpiritual fongs; by fhoutings, and loud acclamations of joys fee Rev. xix. 5, 6. where Chrift is called our. God, and a like exhortation is made as here. Per
¥. 9. Which boldeth our foul in life, 8c.) Or, putteth our foul in life, or among the living. Which is not to be underftood of infufing a living foul in man, nor of the prefervation of natural life, which is common to all men; but of appointing and ordaining them unto eternal life, as the Targum; and of procuring it for them by Chrift; and of implanting a principle of fpiritual life in them, by his Spirit and grace; and of the prefervation of the _ principle of life, that it be not loft; and of giving them a right and title to eternal life, and that itfelt: all which are-a fufficient reafon, and powerful argument, to blefs our God, and praife his name. Ic follows: And fuffereth not our fees to be moved;
that is, not to be greatly moved; or if moved fo as to flip and fall, yet not fo as to fall finally and totally; fee P/al. lv. 22, and Ivi. 12, 13.
¥. 10. For thou, O God, haft proved us, &c.)} And by the experiment found them to be true and faithful; to-have the truth of grace, and the root of the matter in them; not reprobate filver, or their grace counterfeit grace; but of the right kind, folid and fubftantial. Thou bajft tried us as filver | is tried; in a furnace, where it is put and melted by the refiner, and purified from the drofs that attends it. Sothe Zargum, ‘+ thou haft purified us ‘“< as the filverfimith purifieth the filver 5”? or tries it by melting and purifying it. Thus the Lord puts his people into the furnace of afflictions, and fits as a refiner and purifier of them; hereby he tries their graces, faith, patience, hope and love, their prine ciples and their profeflions; refines their graces, and makes them more bright and illuftrious; removes their drofs and tin, and reforms their manners; and proves them to be good filver, and approves of them, and efteems them as fuch, even as his peculiar treafure. From whence it appears, as well as from the following verfes, that afflictions are of God. that they are for the good of his people, and not their hurt; like filver they are put into. the fire of affliction, not to be deftroyed and loft, but to be purged and refined; and that they are not in wrath, but in love: and this with what follows, may refpect the fufferings of the faints under Rome, pagan and papal; when Chrift’s feet, the members of his mydtical body, were like un~ to fine brafs, as if they burned. in a furnace; when their graces were tried, their works were known, and their perfons proved and approved, Rev. i. 45+ and li. g, 10-13, 18, 19. fee Zech, xiii. 9.
¥. 11. Thou broughteft us into the net, &c.) That is, fuffered them to be taken in the net of wicked men, which they laid and fpread for them; whereby they: were drawn either into bad principles or bad practices, or into ruinous circumftances; tho? the Lord does not leave his own people there, but breaks the net or fnare, fooner or later, and they efcape;\ fee Pfal. ix. 15. and x. g. and cxxiv, 6, 7. Jarchi interprets it of a ftrait place, as in a prifon; and which has often been literally true of the people of God, into which, though they have been caft by Satan, or by men. inftigated by him, yet, becaufe permitted by the Lord, it is afcribed to him, Rev. ii. 10, Thou laidft affiittion upon our loins; the Targum renders it a4 chain; the word fignifies any thing that is binding and preffing; it feems to be a metaphor, taken from the binding of burdens upon the backs of any creatures,, Afflictions often lie heavy upon the faints, are very clofe | upon them, and prefs them fore, even, as they fometimes think, beyond meafure; though the Lord fupports them, and will not fuffer them to fink under y. 12. Thou baft caufed men to ride over our beads, &c.J, Farchi, and Kimchi interpret ic of the kings and nations of the world ruling over J/rael; and may very well defign the heathen powers and antichriftian flates tyrannizing over Chriftian people. The word in the original text is fingular, a man ‘, a frail mortal man; and may be underftood of the man of fin and fon of perdition; who rides upon the heads of men, exalts himfelf above: all that is called God, and has exercifed dominion over the wk ae iPicitines faints PESWN qui pofuit, * WUN hominem, Pagni:
vi t 4 re Rg BR. eet Ok ee ee faints in a moft Jawlefs and tyrannical manner. Vitringa, on Ifa. xliii. 2. interprets it of Antiochus Epiphanes, who was a type of Antichrift, and fuppofes the following claufe to refer to the perfecution of the church in his time. ‘The Targum renders it, a lord of rebuke; that is, either one worthy of rebuke, as Antichrift is; or one that gives rebukes, delivers out anathemas and excommunications, as he does: though fome tranflate the words of the Targum, lords of ufury, ot ufurers, a title not unfit for the creatures of Antichrift. We went through fire and through water; through afflictions.
compared to fire and water; through fiery trials and overwhelming providences, though not deftroyed by them, becaufe the Lord was with them;; fee fa. xliti. 2. therefore they are faid to go thro’ them, not to abide in them; norto fink under them, and perifh by them: they went chearfully through them for Chrift’s fake, even the greateft hardfhips and difficulties, which this phrafe may be expreffive of. It may have a particular reference to the fufferings of the faints in gofpel-times; to the burning of the martyrs with fire and faggot, who, like E/ijab, went up to heaven in a fiery chariot; and to the flood of waters caft out after thé woman, the church, by the dragon; fee Rev. i. 15. and xii. 15,16. But thou broughteft us out into a wealthy place; the Targum is, into largene s;
or into a large place; fee P/al. xvili. 19. and cxviii. 5. This may intend either the ftate of the church upon the Reformation, or rather, as it will be in the latter day-glory; when there will be a large fpread of the gofpel, and of the intereft of Chrift every where; when the church will be enlarged with converts, and the members of it with the gifts and graces of the Spirit’; and’ which will be a ftate of great liberty and freedom in the worfhip of God, both inward and outward. The Septuagint verfion renders it, into refrefhment; {fo the Tigurine verfion, and Pifcator, as thofe times will be times of refrefhing from the prefence of the Lord, which will be every where among his people, in his word and ordinances, and to a great degree; fee Aés iii. 19.
The Arabic verfion, unto rest; from’ adverfity, from ‘perftcution: for after this ftate takes place, there «willbe no more perfecution;_ no more fines, imprifonment, racks, and torturing deathis, for the fake of Chrift and his gofpel. The word ufed fignifies a well watered place“, or land; fuch as was the land‘of Canaan, Deut: viii. 7, 8, 9. and fuch will be the ftate of the church in the latter day: the Spirit will be poured down like floods of water uponthe dry ground; the doctrines of the gofpel will drop as the rain, and as fhowers upon the grafs;
the ordinances ‘of it will be as green paftures befide the ftill waters; and every pelieva: will be as a watered garden, whofe fprings fail not; it will bea time of great’ plenty-and profperity'in fpiritual things. “Ainfwor th renders it, to an abun- out of all their troubles, and brought into a large, tree, plentiful, and comfortable condition, will come together into the place of public worthip, and there unite in their facrifices of praife to God 5 will come and prefent them({elves as a whole burnt-. offering ‘to the Lords will come with hearts inflamed with love to God and one another, which. is more than all whole burnt-offerings and. facrifi-. ces; Mark xii, 33. Iwill pay thee my vows; thankf, givings iter in time of diftrefs, as follows; fee Pfal. 1, y. 14. Which my lips have uttered, &c.) Or opened*; publickly and diftin@tly declared, and from whieh there is no going back; fee Fudg. Xi. 33. And my mouth hath fpoken when I was in trouble; this refers to the time when the people of God were under antichriftian tyranny and bondage; and when they vowed and promifed, that if the Lord would deliver them, they would give him all Praife and glory.
y. 15. I will offer unto thee burnt Sacrifices of fatlings, &e. ]} Of the fatteft of the flock; that is, of the beft; fuch as /de/ offered, Gen. iv. 4. With the incenfe of rams; or rams with incenfe*; the Targum is, <* with fweet incenfe, the facrifice of rams;’’ Kimchi interprets it of incenfe of the fat of rams. J will offer bullocks with goats. Selah. he propofed.to offer all kind of offerings, to thew gratitude and thankfulnets for the fayours received; by all which are meant the calves, or fruit of the lips, the facrifices of praife, thank{eiving to God, in the name of the whole church and people of God; fee Rev. X1X. 17, (091)
y. 16. Come and hear, all ye that fear God, 8ec.] Who have a reverential affection for him, and by whom he is worfhipped and ferved with reverence and godly fear; thefe have good things done for themfelves, and will glorify. God for what he does for others: thefe know the nature, worth, and value of the good things the Lord does for the fouls of men, and hear them with pleafure and profit; when to tell them to others, is cafting pearl before fwine, and giving that which is holy to dogs; and therefore only fuch as fear the Lord are called upon to come and hear what follows: Farchi interprets this character of profelytes; fee Aés xXiti. 26. dud I will declare what be bath done for my foul, not what he had done for God, or offered unto him, or fuffered for his fake; nor what God had done for his: body in the make and prefervation of it; but what he had done for his foul, and the falvation of that: what God the Father had done in fetting him apart for himfelf; in making a fure; well-or- — dered, and everlafting covenant with him in Chrifts - in bleffing him with all fpiritual bleffings in him; in providing for the redemption of his foul by him;
in pardoning his fins, juftitying his perfon, adopt» ing him into his family, and regenerating, quickening; and fanctifying him: alfo what God the
Son had done for him) in engaging tovaflume a: true body ‘and a,eafohable foul on: his a o* and to:make that fouban offering, for-hisy in, and — thereby obtain for him eternal ned the falvation of his immortal foul. — or S dant ‘place’, {0° Géjeruss a place abounding with all good ‘things’: a wealthy one, as’ we tranflate it. And even ina literal fenfé, this will be the wealthy time of the church 5 when ‘kings fhall ‘come into it, “and bring their riches" ‘and honour there, and ufe them for the good*of it,’ J/a. xlix. 23. and lx. 3,19) 165-17. and then’alfo will the faints be'enriched with every gift, and be ich i in Bite and in all good works,: wet y¥er3. L-will go into aby bows swith burn-offer: ings,\8cc.] The pfalmift here perfonates the faints and Aaithivh in- thofe ‘Sie who being delivered
God 'the Spirit had done:for him; in quickenir and enlightening ‘his fouls in implanting p ples of grace and holinefs in it 5) in fhewit; unto him, and bringing near his righteo) leading him. to him: for falvation and ocr in applying exceeding great and precious promifes to him, and peirtibend to him {uch on which af Ke eh atic oh e he Wiperinanines Pagina, Monians, Vai, Gem “
‘SN VIP Coy arietes cum incenfo, Gejerus; fo Campenfis in ibid. AO) ph® had caufed him to hope; in delivering him out of temptation and troubles, and in carrying on the work of his grace in him hitherto: thefe are things that are not to be concealed in a man’s breaft, but to be told to the church and people of God, to their joy and comfort, and to the glory of divine grace; fee Mark v.19.
¥. 17. Icried unto him with my mouth, &c.] Crying defigns prayer, and fuppofes diftrefs; and crying with the mouth denotes vocal, ardent and fervent prayer. And he was extolled with my tongue s at the fame time the pfalmift prayed for deliverance out of his diftrefles, he praifed God for the mercies he had received; and did, as the apoftle Pau/ directs, make known his requefts with thanfgiving, Phil. iv. 6. or be was exalted under my tongue ®; that is, in his heart, as fome interpret it; his heart and his mouth went together; and out of the abundance of his heart his tongue {poke of the goodnefs, kindnefs, and mercy of Godtohim. The Zargum is, ‘* and his promife was under my tongue;” and fo he was very different from a wicked \man, who y. 18. If I regard iniquity in my beart, &c.) There was iniquity in his heart, as there is in every good man’s heart, and a great deal too; it is full of it; and it fhould be regarded in fome fenfe, fo.
as to guard againft it, and pray tobe kept from it, that it may not break forth into action; and fo as to loath it, abhor it, and be humbled for it; but not fo as to nourifh and cherifh it, to take de-
739° light and pleafure init: or if I look upon it®; as. it may be rendered; that. is, with approbation of. it, and fatisfaction in it, andordered his converfation according to it; or acted the deceitful and hypocritical part in prayer; or had any evil intention in his petitions, to confume on his lufts what he afked for. Tbe Lord will not hear me; for the Lord hears not finners that delight in fin, and live in it; neither profane finners nor hypocrites; fee Fobn ix. 31. Fob xxvii. 8, 9:
¥. 19, But verily God hath heard me, &c.}. So that it was a plain cafe that he had not regarded ' iniquity in his heart; had not lived a vicious courfe of life, nor was an hypocrite; otherwife God would not have heard his prayer; whereas he had, and which is confirmed in the following claufe.. He hath attended to the voice of my prayer, which is an inftance of the grace and condefcenfion of God, and fhewed in what high favour the pfalmift was with the Lord, and what regard he had unto him; and therefore could not be the man his enemies reprefented him to be,
¥. 20. Bleffed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, &c.] Has not been angry againft it, fhut it out, or covered himfelf. with a cloud, that it might not pafs through, which fometimes faints have complained of, P/al. Ixxx. 4. Lam. iii. 8, 44. but gracioufly heard and received it. Nor his mercy from me tor that endures for ever, and is from everlafting to everlafting on them that fear the Lord, P/al. ciii. 17. all which require thankfulnefs and praife, which is here given..
To the chief mufician, on Neginoth, a pfalm or fong,
Ccording to the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Arabic and Ethiopic verfions, this pfalm is a plalm of David, and very probably it was written by him, fince the fpirit and language of it agree with that fweet finger of Jfrael, though his name is not in the title; wherefore 4ben Ezra fays, we know not who compofed it; and fo the infcription of the Syriac verfion pronounces the fame uncertain; which adds, ‘* the people fung it when they brought «© David over Fordan;’ meaning after 4b/alom’s rebellion was over, 2 Sam. xix. 41. but what follows better expreffes the occafion and intent of it 5 «© but to us it intimates a prophecy in it concerning << the calling of the Gentiles, and the preaching of “© the apoftles; likewife concerning the judgments «© of the Lord:” and it feems indeed to breathe out the defires of the church after the coming of Chrift, and fpiritual bleffings by him, and the fpread of the gofpel among the Gentiles, as what would bring forth much fruit in the earth, and be the occafion of great joy. The ancient Jews! apply it ND? Wry to future time; the world to come, the times of the Meffiah:. and Kimchi underftands it of the gathering of the prefent captivity when the Meffiah comes, and of the deftruction of Gog dnd Magog. Of the word Neginotb; fee the note on the tide of P/al. iv. ‘
¥..1. God be merciful unto us, and blefs us, 8c.) That is, God of his unmerited mercy, of his rich grace and free favour, blefs us with the coming of his Son, the promifed feed, in whom all nations are to be blefied; and with the bleflings of peace, pardon and righteoufnefs in him; all which with him {pring from the tender mercy of God, the riches of his grace, and his great love; than which nothing could be more defirable to the Old Teftament-faints, who were fhut up under the Law, until faith came; and though children, they differed nothing from fervants, being in a ftate, and.under a, {pirit of bondage: for the pfalmift feems to perfonate the whole church under that difpenfation:. fome underftand the words as a prophecy, exprefs-. ' ing the certainty of what would be; and as the, words may be rendered, God will be merciful, or, gracious to us*, and he will blefs us; as he has pro-; mifed to do.. And caufe bis face to fhine upon us, Selah, that is, grant his gracious prefence, and the difcoveries of his love; that he would favour with communion with himfelf through Chrift, andia greater knowledge of him in him; or that he would caufe him, who is his face, his image, the bright-. nefs of his glory, to appear and fhine forth; the, great light, the Sun of righteoufnefs, and day-, {pring from on high, that was to,arife and thine, upon the people of God.. The Targum is, ‘* and “ caufe the fplendor of his face to fhine with us
“© always;” there feems to be fome reference to the high-prieft’s form of bleffing in Numb. vi.
24ume2.0. logs ve Ci ak ¥.2. That thy way may be known upon earth, &c.] God’s way and method of grace, in the falvation
233. 4- Yalkut Simeoni in loc.
vation of finners; the contrivance of it in Chrift, the impetration of it by him, and the application of it by his Spirit; and the way of finners to him through Chrift, the way, the truth, and the life, the new and living way to the Father; and the way of life and falvation, which is of grace, and by Chrift alone; and the gofpel which points out this way, and is itfelf called the way of God, 4s Xviii. 25. together with the ordinances of it, which are ways of pleafantnefs, and paths of peace; all this was made known by the apoftles, and firft preachers of the gofpel; not only in the land of Fudea, but throughout the whole earth. Thy faving health among all nations, or thy falvation; or thy Fefus'; whofe name fignifies a Saviour; and who is the only one, and an able and willing one, and is God’s falvation, of his appointing, promifing, and fending; falvation is by him, and by him only; he came to obtain it, and he is the author of it; health is alfo by him, he is the phyfician of fouls, and his blood the balm that cures every difeafe; fo that he is the Saviour, falvation, and faving health to his people: this was unknown tothe nations of the world until the gofpel came among them, until the grace of God bringing this falvation appeared unto them, and fhone upon them, Titus il. 11.
y. 3. Let the people praife thee, O God, &c.] Let them have occafion to praife God, the people of the Jews, for the miffion of Chrift, and for the bleffings of grace and peace with him. Let ail the people praife thee; all the nations of the world, for making known the way of life and grace, and the faving health or falvation of God unto them: the -word ufed fignifies to confe/s"; and fo the Targum, ‘the people fhall confefs before thee, O God; «« all the people fhall confefs. before thee;” that is, fhall confefs their fins, being made fenfible of them; and confefs the true and living God, turning from their idols to ferve him; and Chrift to be the only Saviour and Redeemer, being now made known unto them, through the preaching of the gofpel.
y. 4. O let the nations be glad and fing for joy, &c.] As they were glad, and did fing for joy, and glorified God, when Chrift was made known, and the gofpel was preached unto them, Aé7s viii. g, 8. and xiii, 47, 48. For thou shalt judge the people righteoufly; meaning not the people of the world at the laft day, at the general judgment, which will be a righteous one; when God will judge the world in righteoufnefs, according to the frith rules of juftice and equity by him whom he has ordained, P/al. xcvi. 13. Aéés xvii. 31. but either the righteous judgment which will be executed on the enemies of Chrift’s church and people; _particularly on Antichrift, which will be matter of great joy, Rev. xix. 1, 2. and Kimchi interprets it of the judgment of the nations which fhall ‘come with Gog and Magog; or elfe the judging and vindicating the Lord’s own people, defending their caufe, righting their wrongs, and fuffering no weapon to profper againft them. And govern the nations upon earth, Selab. or lead them" not to punifhment, as Kimchi, who interprets this claufe as the other; but by his grace and Spirit, into the knowledge of his way, and faving health; or as a fhepherd ieads his flock into green paftures, and befide the ftill waters; or as a king leads and governs his people, as David guided the people of J/rael, with the fkilfulnefs of his hands; fo Chrift leads and governs his people, protects and defends them, holds them by his right hand, guides them with his counfel, and then receives them to glory; fee Pfal. xxiii. 2. and Ixxviii. 72: and Ixxiii. 24. yp y. 5. Let the people praife thee, O God, &c.} This is repeated from y¥. 3. to fhew the earneft defire of the church that it might be fo; or that there might be an occafion for it; the ardour of her mind, and fervency of her petitions, and how much fhe was folicitous for the praife and glory of God 5 or to declare the certainty of ir, fhe moft ftrongly believing that fo it would be; as the Targum, the people fhall confefs, 8ec. becaufe of a new favour to be enjoyed, mentioned in the next verfe.
y. 6. Then fall the earth yield her increafe, &c.] Notliterally the land of Jrae/, as in fome copies of the Targum, and as Kimchi interprets it; fee Lev. xxvi. 3, 4. but myftically and fpiritually the church of God in the times of the Meffiah,. Ezek, xxxiv. 23-27. the word of God preached in the world, is the feed fown in it; converts to Chrift are the increafe or fruit of it; and the church is God’s hufbandry, where it is yielded or brought forth; and this increafe is of God, and is owing to the efficacy of his grace attending the miniftration of the word, 1 Cor. iii. 6. it had its accomplithment in part in the firft times of the gofpel, when it was preached by the apoftles throughout the earth, and brought forth fruit every where, Col. i. 5, 6. and has been fulfilling more or lefs ever fince, and will appear more abundantly in the latter day; a large increafe, and a plentiful harveft of fouls fhall be brought in, both Jews and Gentiles: or this may be underttood of the fruitfulnefs of believers in Chrift, who may be called earth, becaufe of their common original from the earth with the reft of mankind; becaufe they are inhabitants of the earth; and becaufe they have earthly, as well as heavenly principles in them; but more efpecially becaufe they are the good ground on whom the feed of the word falls and becomes fruitful; or are the earth which drinks in the rain of the gofpel, and of grace, and brings forth fruit meet for them, by whom it is drefled, and receives bleffing of God, Matt. xiii. 23. Hed. -vi. 7. thefe yield the fruits of the Spirit, increafe in grace, and abound in the exercife of it’; bring forth fruits meet for repentance, being filled with the fruits of righteoufnefS by Chrift; for the increafe and fruit yielded by them are owing to the grace of God, to their ingrafture into Chrift the vine, and to the influence of the bleffed Spirit. Some of the ancients underftand this of the incarnation of Chrift; fee P/a.Ixxxv.i1. -
Tfai. xv. 8. then tbe earth is the virgin Mary, who was as to her original of the earth earthly; of whofe earthly fubftance Chrift took fefh, and is called the fruit of her womb; yea, the fruit of the earth, Luke i. 42. Ifa. iv. 2. for though he is the Lord from heaven, as to his divine nature, and came down from thence, not by change of place, but by affurnption of nature; yet, as to his human nature, he was made of a woman, and is the feed of the woman, the promifed feed, in whom all nations of the earth were to be bleffed; and it here follow And God, even our own God foall blefs uss the God of nature and providence only; bi God of grace, as a covenant-God in CI which fenfe he is peculiarly his peoples fo as he is not others; and as fuch h with all fpiritual bleffings in Chrift: or the repeti- tition of the word God, with the affix our owt, may denote the certainty of the divine bleffing, the affurance had of it, and ‘the. great. affection of the rfons that exprefs it: and fome think, becaufe fhe word is repeated three times in, this and the following verfe, refpect is had. to the Trinity of perfons in the Godhead; God the Father bleffes his people in Chrift with the bleffings of juftification, pardon, adoption, and eternal tife: the Son, ‘who is <Lnmanuel, God with us, God in our nature, our own God, God manifeft in the flefh; he ‘bleffes with the fame bleflings of grace, peace, and eternal happinefs;_ he was raifed up of God as:‘man and Mediator, and fent to blefs his people, és iii. 20,5. $y
¥. 7. God Jail blefs us, &c.] ‘The holy Spirit blefles with regenerating and renewing grace; with faith, comfort, joy and peace, by fhedding abroad in the heart the love of the Father and the Son; by applying precious promifes; by teftifying adoption; by making meet for heaven and happinefs, and working up for the felf-fame thing eternal glory. And all the ends of the earth fhall fear him; the one God,, Father, Son, and Spirit, the object. of religious fear, internal and external; for this includes the exercife of that inward grace of filial fear, and the performance of all divine worfhip, publick and private;.and which in the latter day’ will be found among Jews and Gentiles, in all the inhabitants of the earth, even to the ends of it, Hof. iii, 5. Rev. Xv. 4.