Explanatory Notes upon the Old and New Testaments

The wickedness of Doeg, and his doom, ver. 1-5. The righteous will see it and fear, ver. 6, 7. David comforts himself in God, ver. 8, 9. To the chief musician, Maschil, A psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech.

1. Continually - God is continually doing good: thou art continually doing mischief. O mighty - He speaks ironically. O valiant captain! To kill a few weak and unarmed persons.

2. Deviseth - Expresses what thy wicked mind had devised. Deceitfully - Doeg pretended only to vindicate himself from disloyalty, 1 Sam. xxii, 8, but he really intended to expose the priests, to the king's fury.

5. Pluck thee - Violently and suddenly as the Hebrew word signifies, from thy house and lands, and all the wages of thy righteousness. Root - Though thou seemest to have taken deep root, yet God shall pluck thee up by the very roots, and destroy thee both root and branch.

6. Fear - Reverence God's just judgment.

8. The house - In God's church, or among his people.

9. Thou hast - Destroyed mine and thine implacable enemies, and established me in the throne, of which I am no less assured, than if it were already done. I will continue in thy way, placing my whole confidence in thy power and goodness, and faithfulness. Before - In the presence of thy saints.

David here describes the wickedness of mankind, nearly in the same words as in chap. xiv. To the chief musician upon Mahalath, Maschil, A psalm of David. Title of the psalm. Mahalath - This also seems to be the name of a musical instrument, or tune.

5. Scattered - Hath not only broken their bones, their strength, and force, but also dispersed them hither and thither, so as there is no hope of a restoration. Thee - Against my people. Thou - Thou oh Jerusalem, which they besiege.

David prays for help against his enemies, ver. 1-3. Comforts himself with the assurance of deliverance, ver. 4-7. To the chief musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A psalm of David, when the Ziphim came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us.

1. Name - By thy own strength. Judge - Plead my cause.

3. Strangers - The Zephites, whom, though Israelites, he calls strangers in regard of their barbarous and perfidious carriage.

5. Thy truth - Whereby thou art engaged to fulfil thy promises and threatenings.

David complains to God, ver. 1-8. Prays for help against his enemies, ver. 9-15. Assures himself of God's protection, ver. 16- 18. And their destruction, ver. 19-23. To the chief musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A psalm of David.

3. Voice - Their clamours and threats, and slanders. Cast - They lay many crimes to my charge.

4. The terrors - Deadly terrors; such as seize upon men in the agonies of death.

8. Tempest - From the force and fury of mine enemies.

9. Destroy - Destroy them by dividing. Tongues - Their speech, as thou didst at Babel, Gen. xi, 9, their votes, and opinions, and counsels. Which was eminently done among Absalom's followers, 2 Sam. xvii, 23. Strife - Injustice and fraud, oppression and contention rule here, instead of that public justice and peace which I established. City - In Jerusalem; which in Absalom's time was a sink of all sins.

10. They - Violence and strife. Go about - Do encompass it, as it were a garrison. Walls - In the outward parts, as also in the very midst of it. So that all parts were horribly corrupted.

11. Streets - The places of buying and selling, and of public commerce.

12. Hated - With a manifest or old hatred.

13. Equal - Not in power, but in reputation, for wisdom, and influence upon my people. Guide - Whose counsel I highly prized, and constantly followed. All which agrees to Achitophel.

15. Them - All such as pretend to religion, and have manifestly apostatized both from the profession and practice of it. The grave - Cut off by a sudden and violent death. Among them - Hebrew. in their inwards. Wickedness is deeply rooted in their hearts.

17. Evening, &c. - The three stated times of prayer among the Jews.

18. He hath - He speaks of a future deliverance, as a thing done, because of the certainty of it. He hath restored me to my former peace and tranquility. For - For there were more with me than against me; even the holy angels whom God employed to defend and deliver me.

19. Hear - My prayers. Eternity - Who is eternal, and therefore unchangeable, and almighty. Because - They meet with no crosses nor disappointments. Therefore - Their success makes them go on securely, without any regard to God, or dread of his judgments.

20. He - They, the persons last mentioned.

22. Burden - All thy crosses, and cares, and fears, lay them upon the Almighty, by faith and prayer. He directs this speech to his own soul, and to all good men in like circumstances. Suffer - As he doth wicked men. Tho' he may for a season suffer them to be shaken, yet not to be overwhelmed.

23. Them - The wicked. Not live - But shall be cut off by an untimely and violent death. Trust in thee - And in this confidence I will quietly wait for deliverance.

David complains of his enemies, and begs for mercy, and help against them, ver. 1-7. Expresses his confidence in God, ver. 8-13. To the chief musician upon Jonath-elem-rechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath. Title of the psalm. Jonath-elem-rechokim. Which is supposed to be the name of a song.

4. Will praise - I will praise the Lord for his word, for his promises of protection and deliverance, made to his people. Flesh - Infirm and mortal men, called flesh by way of contempt, as chap. lxxviii, 39 Isaiah xxxi, 3.

6. They gather - After they have severally employed their thoughts against me, they meet together to compare them, and to put them in execution. Hide - They lurk secretly, that they may pry into my most private actions. Steps - That they may find some occasion to reproach me. Soul - Or, life, to take it away.

7. Escape - Shall they secure themselves by injurious and malicious practices. The people - These who are mine enemies.

8. Wanderings - How I have been hunted from place to place. Put - Regard and pity them. Are they not - But why do I pray to God to do that which he hath already done?

12. Thy vows - I had made vows to express my gratitude, and resolve to perform them.

13. Walk - That I may serve and glorify thee. The light - ln this life.

David here begins with prayer and complaint, tho' not as without hope, ver. 1-6. He concludes with joy and praise, ver. 7- 11. To the chief musician Al-taschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave. Title of the psalm. Al-taschith - The word signifies, destroy not. Which some think to be a preface, containing the sum of the psalm. The cave - Either

1. That of Adullam, 1 Sam. xxii, 1, or

2. That of Engedi, 1 Sam. xxiv, 1.

3. Send forth - Will discover them, by affording his gracious help in pursuance of his promises.

4. Lions - Fierce and bloody men. I lie - I have my abode. On fire - From hell. Who are mere fire-brands, breathing out wrath and threatenings, and incensing Saul against me.

5. Excited - Glorify thy power, and goodness, and justice, and faithfulness, by my deliverance. Above, &c. - To the highest degree possible.

7. Fixed - In a stedfast belief of thy promises.

8. My glory - My tongue, the instrument of singing. Awake - I will employ all the powers of my soul and body.

9. The people - Among the Israelites, and among the Heathens, as I shall have occasion.

David describes his enemies, ver. 1-5. Foretells their ruin, ver. 6-9. Which would be to the comfort of good men, and to the glory of God, ver. 10, 11. To the chief musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David.

1. O congregation - The word seems to point at Saul's Judges and counsellors; who met together to consult what they should do against David. Sons of men - So he calls them; to mind them that they were men, and must give an account to God for all their hard speeches.

2. Heart - With free choice and consent. Hands - He intimates that they did great wrong under the pretense of justice, and while they seemed exactly to weigh the true proportion between the actions and the recompenses allotted to them, they turned the scale; and pronounced an unjust sentence. Land - Or, in this land, where God is present, and where you have righteous laws to govern you.

3. Estranged - From God, and from all goodness. Their very natures are corrupt, even from their birth: they are the wicked offspring of sinful parents. Astray - By actual sins, from their childhood, as soon as ever they were capable of the exercise of reason.

4. Poison - Their malicious disposition.

5. Not hearken - As they commonly say of the adders, such really are these men: deaf to all my counsels, to their own consciences, and to God's law. Of the charming or enchanting of serpents, mention is made both in other places of scripture, and in all sorts of authors, ancient and modern, Hebrew and Arabick, and Greek and Latin. And particularly the Arabick writers (to whom these creatures were best known) name some sorts of serpents, among which the adder is one, which they call deaf, not because they are dull of hearing, but, as one of them expressly faith, because they will not be charmed.

6. Their teeth - Their powerful instruments of doing mischief.

7. Melt away - As waters arising from melted snow, which at first run with great force, but are suddenly gone.

8. Melteth - Which is quickly dissolved.

9. Before - Before your pots can be heated. Take them - Violently and irresistibly. Living - Alive, as he did Korah.

10. Rejoice - For the blessed effects of it; the vindication of God's honour, and the deliverance of himself and of all good men. Wash - There shall be so great a slaughter of his enemies that he might, if he pleased, wash his feet in their blood.

David prays for deliverance from his enemies, ver. 1-7. He foretells their destruction, ver. 8-17. To the chief musician, Al- taschith, Michtam of David: when Saul sent and they watched the house to kill him.

4. Run - To and fro, to receive Saul's commands, and to execute them with all speed.

5. The God - A God in covenant with all true Israelites, whom thou hast promised to protect and bless. The heathen - Or, these heathens, who though they are Israelites by birth; yet in their dispositions they are mere Heathens. Be not - For indeed thou canst not according to thy word, be merciful to such incorrigible offenders.

6. Return - Watching for me: which they did at this time all the night long, 1 Sam. xix, 11. A dog - When he is pursuing his prey. Go round - When they did not find him in his own house, they sought for him in other parts of the city.

7. Pour out - Sharp and bitter word's, abundantly and vehemently, as a fountain doth waters, as this word signifies. Swords - Words as keen and mischievous as swords. For who - David doth not hear us, and God either doth not hear, or not regard what we say.

10. Prevent - Thou wilt help me sooner than I expect.

11. My people - Over whom thou hast appointed me to be governor in due time. Forget - Their former danger, and thy glorious mercy in delivering them. Scatter - Let them wander from place to place, that they may carry the tokens of thy justice, and their own shame to all places.

12. Pride - For their proud and insolent speeches against thee. Lying - For their execrations and lying reports, which they have spread concerning me.

13. Not be - In the land of the living any more.

David remembering God's judgments on the land, prays for help, ver. 1-5. Triumphs in confidence of receiving it, ver. 6-12. To the chief musician upon Shushan-eduth, Michtam of David, to teach; when he strove with Aram-naharaim, and with Aram- zobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of salt, twelve thousand. Title of the psalm. Shushan-eduth - This seems to be the name of an instrument, or tune, then well known, but now unknown and forgotten. To teach - For the special instruction of God's people. Aram-naharaim - The Syrians (so called from Aram, the son of Shem, Gen. x, 22,) of the two rivers, or of Mesopotamia, the country between Tygris and Euphrates. Aram-zobah - The Syrians of Zobah, part of Syria so called.

2. Tremble - A poetical expression, signifying great changes among the people.

3. To drink - Thou hast filled us with no less honour, than men intoxicated with strong drink.

4. A banner - Which is a sign and instrument,

1. Of union. This people who were lately divided, thou hast united under one banner, under my government:

2. Of battle. Thou hast given us an army, and power to oppose our enemies; which blessing God gave to Israel, for the sake of those few sincere Israelites who were among them. The truth - Not for any merit of ours, but to shew thy faithfulness in making good thy promises.

5. Beloved - Thy beloved people.

6. Rejoice - Therefore I will turn my prayers into praises, for what God has already done. Divide - Which supposeth possession and dominion. Shechem - A place within Jordan, in mount Ephraim. Succoth - A place without Jordan. He mentions Shechem, and Succoth; for all the land of Canaan, within and without Jordan.

7. Gilead - All the land beyond Jordan, which was possessed by Reuben and Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh. Manasseh - The other half of that tribe within Jordan. The strength - A chief part of my strength, either to offend mine enemies, or to defend myself. For this tribe was very numerous, and valiant and rich. Law-giver - The chief seat of my throne and kingdom, and of the inferior throne of judgment, chap. 1xxii, 5.

8. Wash-pot - In which I shall wash my feet. I shall bring them into the lowest degree of servitude. Shoe - I will use them like slaves; a proverbial expression. Triumph - It is an ironical expression, signifying that her triumphs were come to an end.

9. Who - None can do it but God. City - The cities; the singular number for the plural. Having beaten his enemies out of the field, he desires God's assistance to take their strong-holds, and so secure himself from farther attempts. Edom - Which was an high and rocky country, Obad 1-3, fortified by nature, as well as by art, and therefore not to be subdued without a Divine hand.

10. Hadst cut off - But now hast graciously returned to us.

David flees to God, and resolves to trust him, ver. 1-4. Praises God from an assurance of future blessings, ver. 5-8. To the chief musician upon Neginah, A psalm of David.

2. The end - To which David was driven. Lead me - Convey me into some high and secure fortress.

4. I will - I shall, I doubt not, be restored to the tabernacle, and worship thee there all my days.

5. Heritage - Thou hast granted me this singular mercy, to live in God's land, to enjoy his presence, and to worship in his tabernacle; which is the heritage that all that fear thee, prize and desire above all things.

6. Prolong - The years of my life and reign. Thus he speaks because his kingdom was not like Saul's, but established to him and his heirs; and because Christ, his son and heir, should actually, and in his own person possess the kingdom forever. 7. Abide - In the throne. Before God - Living and ruling as in God's presence, serving God and worshipping him in his tabernacle. Truth - Thy truth in giving me those mercies which thou hast promised, and thy mercy in giving me such further blessings as I needs.

David expresses his confidence in God, ver. 1-7. Excites others to trust in him, ver. 8-12. To the chief musician, to Jeduthun. A psalm of David. Title of the psalm. Jeduthun - A famous musician, 1 Chron. ix, 16.

3. Ye - Mine enemies; to whom now he turns his speech. Against - Against me, a man like yourselves, whom common humanity obliges you to pity.

9. Vanity - Vain, and helpless creatures. A lie - They promise much, but generally deceive those who trust in them.

10. Vain - Feeding yourselves with vain hopes of felicity, from those riches which you take from others by violence.

11. Spoken - Frequently, both immediately as at Sinai, and by his holy prophets, from time to time. That - That power is God's prerogative; and consequently all creatures, either against or without him, are poor impotent things.

12. Therefore - God is almighty, therefore he can easily destroy all his enemies: he is also merciful, and therefore will pardon good mens failings. Renderest - And this as he is obliged to do by his holy nature, so is he able to do it, being omnipotent, and willing to do it to the godly (which was the only thing that might be doubted, because of their manifold miscarriages) because he is merciful and gracious.

David's desire and esteem of God, ver. 1-4. His satisfaction, and communion with God, ver. 5, 6. His joyful dependence upon God, ver. 7, 8. His holy triumph in him, ver. 9-12. A psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

1. Early - Hebrew. in the morning, Which implies the doing it with diligence and speed. Thirsteth - For the enjoyment of thee in thy house and ordinances. Flesh - The desire of my soul, is so vehement, that my very body feels the effects of it. No water - In a land where I want the refreshing waters of the sanctuary.

2. To see - To enjoy. Power - The powerful and glorious effects of thy gracious presence.

5. Satisfied - When thou shalt fulfil my earnest desire of enjoying thee in the sanctuary.

9. Shall go - Into the grave.

10. Foxes - Their carcases shall become a prey to wild and ravenous creatures.

11. The king - I who am already anointed king. Everyone - That sweareth by the name of God, in truth, and judgment, and righteousness. Every sincere servant and worshipper of God. Shall glory - Shall rejoice in my deliverance.

David describes his enemies and prays for deliverance from them, ver. 1-6. Foretells their destruction, ver. 7-10. To the chief musician, A psalm of David.

6. Iniquities - They study diligently, to find new ways of doing mischief. Deep - Cunning, both to contrive and conceal, and to execute their plots.

8. Flee - Through fear of being involved in their destruction.

10. Glad - For the honour of God, which by this means is vindicated.

David praises God for hearing prayer, pardoning sin, satisfying and protecting his people, ver. 1-5. For fixing the mountains, calming the sea, preserving the succession of day and night, and making the earth fruitful, ver. 6-13. To the chief musician, A psalm and song of David.

4. Approach - To draw near to God in his house and ordinance, by prayer and praise, and other acts of communion with him. Satisfied - With the blessings there conferred upon thy people, the favour and fellowship of God, remission of sins, renovation of heart and life, joy and peace, and well-grounded assurance of eternal life.

5. Righteousness - By virtue of thy faithfulness, and goodness. Wilt thou - Thou wilt graciously answer our prayers. The confidence - Thou art the stay and support of all mankind, by thy powerful and gracious providence.

7. Tumult - No less wild and impetuous.

8. Thy tokens - Terrible thunders and lightnings, and earthquakes, and comets or other strange meteors, or works of God in the air. Morning - The successive courses of the morning and evening; or of the sun and moon which go forth at those times. Thus the whole verse speaks of the natural works of God, the former clause, of such as are extraordinary and terrible, the latter of such as are ordinary and delightful.

9. River - With rain, which he very significantly calls a river for its plenty, and the river of God, of God's immediate providing. Them - The inhabitants of the earth. Provided - Or, disposed, the earth, which without this would be hard and barren.

10. Bringest down - For the rain dissolves the high and hard clods of earth.

12. Wilderness - Which though neglected by men, are furnished with food for beasts.

13. Sing - They are abundantly satisfied with thy goodness, and in their manner sing forth the praise of their benefactor.

The psalmist calls on all people to praise God, for his sovereign power over the whole creation, ver. 1-7. For his special favour to his people, ver. 8-12. Praises him for his goodness to himself in particular, ver. 13-20. To the chief musician, A song or psalm.

1. All lands - Ye people of all nations. He invites the Gentile world, to the contemplation and celebration of God's works.

6. We - Our nation, or our ancestors, in whose loins we then were.

10. Proved us - As it were in a burning furnace; and with a design to purge out our dross.

11. Net - Which our enemies laid for us.

12. To ride - To use us like slaves.

15. I will go - One speaks in the name of all the rest. Incense - With the fat of rams, which is no less pleasing to God than incense.

18. Iniquity - Any sin. In heart - If my heart had been false to God, although I might have forborne outward acts. If I had been guilty of that, by heart was set upon sin, or I desired only that which I resolved in my heart to spend upon my lusts.

A prayer for Israel, ver. 1. For the conversion of the Gentiles, ver. 2-5. A prospect of glorious times, ver. 6, 7. To the chief musician on Neginoth, A psalm or song.

2. Thy way - The way of truth, or the true religion; the same which in the next clause is called his saving health, and both together signify the way of salvation; deal so graciously with thy people, that thereby the Gentile-world may at last be allured to join with them.

4. Judge - Rule them. Govern - Hebrew. lead; gently, as a shepherd doth his sheep; and not rule them with rigor, as other lords had done.

6. Them - When the people of the earth shall be converted to God, God will cause it to yield them abundance of all sorts of fruits. Under which one blessing, all other blessings both temporal and spiritual are comprehended. Our own - He who is Israel's God in a peculiar manner.

The occasion of this psalm, seems to have been David's translation of the ark to Zion, which was managed with great solemnity and devotion. For the first words are the very same which Moses appointed for such occasions, Num. x, 35, and the following verses pursue the same matter. Thence he falls into a description of some of the glorious works of the God to whom this ark belonged. But because David knew that both himself and the ark were types of Christ, and that the church of Israel were a type of the catholick church, consisting of Jews and Gentiles, and that the legal administrations were types of those of the gospel, he therefore by the spirit of prophecy, looked through the types, to the great mysteries of Christ's resurrection and ascension, and of the special privileges of the Christian church, and of the conversion of the Gentiles, and intermixes passages, which immediately belong to these things, although the words be so ordered, that they carry a manifest allusion to the present actions, and may be applied to them, in a secondary sense. He first prays against God's enemies, and for his people, ver. 1-3. Then praises God, for his greatness and goodness, ver. 4-6. For his wonderful works, ver. 7-14. For his special presence in his church, ver. 15- 17. The ascension of Christ, and the salvation of his people, ver. 18-20. His victories over his enemies, and favours to his church, ver. 21-28. The accession of the Gentiles to the church, ver. 29- 31. An awful acknowledgment of the glory and grace of God, ver. 32-35. To the chief musician, A psalm or song of David.

4. Jah - Is an abbreviation of the name Jehovah, which the Heathens pronounced Jao. Before him - Before the ark where he is present, as David is said to dance before the Lord, upon this occasion, 2 Sam. vi, 14.

5. Habitation - In heaven.

6. Rebellious - Those who rebel against God.

7. Wentest - In the cloudy pillar, as their captain leading them up out of Egypt.

8. Dropped - Poured down great showers, which accompanied those mighty thunders.

9. Weary - Dry and thirsty, and parched with excessive heat, and ready to faint for want of rain, chap. lxiii, 1.

10. Thy congregation - The people of Israel. It - This land for the use of thy people: which God did by designing it for them, and expelling the old inhabitants; by furnishing it with all sorts of provisions, and making it fruitful by his special blessing. Poor - Such thy really were, when God undertook the conduct of them into Canaan.

11. Gave - He put this triumphant song into their mouths.

12. Kings - The kings of Canaan, and other nations who came forth against the Israelites, accompanied with great and numerous armies. The spoil - There was enough, not only for those who took it, but also to be divided to their wives and children, when they came home.

13. Ye - Ye Israelites. Ye are - Tho' you have formerly been exposed to great reproach and misery, yet God hath changed your condition. Gold - Beautiful and glorious, like the feathers of a dove, which according to the variety of its postures, and of the light shining upon it, look like silver and gold.

14. Therein - In Canaan, at the coming of the Israelites. The land was as white as mount Salmon is with the snow.

15. The hill - Zion, the seat of God's ark. High hill - Which is not to be understood of external height, but of its spiritual height, or exaltation, in regard of the glorious privileges of God's presence, and worship.

16. Leap - Why do you triumph and look upon Zion with contempt? He speaks to the hills by an usual figure. Will dwell - This hill, though despicable in your eyes, is precious in God's, and chosen by him for his perpetual residence.

17. Chariots - The armies (whereof chariots were an eminent part in those times) which attend upon God to do his pleasure. Twenty thousand - An innumerable company, a certain number being put for an uncertain. Among them - Here the psalmist seems to be transported by the prophetic spirit, from the narration of those external successes, to the prediction of the Messiah; and of the transcendent privileges and blessings accruing to mankind thereby. As in Sinai - God is no less gloriously, though less terribly present here, than he was in Sinai, when the great God attended with thousands of his angels, solemnly appeared to deliver the law. Yea, here is a greater privilege than Sinai had, The Lord Jehovah descending from heaven into an human body, as appears by his ascending thither again, which the next verse describes.

18. Ascended - This has a manifest reference to Christ, and his ascension into heaven, in whom alone it is literally accomplished, and to whom therefore it is ascribed, Eph. iv, 8. Although the expressions are borrowed from the ancient custom of princes, who, after some glorious achievements, used to go up into their royal cities in triumphant chariots, being attended by their captive enemies, and afterward to distribute gifts to their soldiers and subjects, and sometimes to do some acts of clemency even to their rebels and enemies. Captivity - Those whom thou hast taken captive; death and sin, and the devil, and all the enemies of Christ, and of his people, whom Christ led in triumph, having spoiled them, and making a shew of them openly, Colossiansii, 15. Received - According to thy manhood thou hast received from God all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and all those gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, which are necessary either to the perfection of thy nature, or to the good of thy church and people. Rebellious - Thy most stubborn and rebellious enemies, whether Jews or Gentiles. Might dwell - That he who as man is ascended into the highest heavens, might, as God, come down to them, and dwell with them, not only in and by his ordinances in which he is present, but also by his spirit dwelling in their hearts.

20. Issues - Escapes or deliverances.

21. Hairy - In ancient times many people used to wear long and shaggy hair, that their looks might be more terrible to their enemies.

22. Bring again - I will give my people as great deliverances as I formerly did, when I saved them from Og, king of Bashan. The sea - From the Egyptians at the Red Sea.

23. That, &c. - And as it was at the Red Sea, and at Bashan before, so yet again thine enemies shall be slain in such numbers, that thou mayst wade in their blood, and thy dogs lick it up in the field.

24. They - Men saw and observed it. Goings - The procession of the ark to Zion, the solemnity whereof is particularly described in the following verses. The sanctuary - The tabernacle prepared for it.

26. Fountain - All ye people of Israel.

27. There is - Present in this solemn pomp of carrying the ark to Zion. Little - Called little, because it was exceedingly diminished, and almost extinguished under the Judges, Judg. xx, 35; xxi, 3 &c. Ruler - The tribe which had lately swayed the scepter, but now submitted to David. Company - The people of that tribe who waited upon them. Zebulun, &c. - He mentions these tribes, because they lived in the remotest parts of the land of Canaan. And so by naming two of the nearest tribes, and two of the farthest, he intimates that the other tribes also came upon this occasion, as is manifest from 2 Sam. vi, 15-19.

28. Thy God - Having spoken of Israel, he now directs his speech to them. Commanded - Hath ordained or effectually procured. Thy strength - all that strength and power which thou hast put forth at any time

29. thy temple - The temple which Solomon shall build. Kings - Kings of the Gentiles: which was done in part, in the times of Solomon and Hezekiah, but more fully when the Lord was come into his temple.

30. Rebuke - Chastise those that will not bring presents to thee. The bulls - The fierce and furious adversaries of God, and of his church; the calves, are people or soldiers depending upon them. Delight - That merely out of a love to mischief and spoil, make war upon others, and upon us particularly.

31. Ethiopia - He names these, as the ancient enemies of God, and of his people; but by them he understands all other nations of the like character. Unto God - Begging mercy of him. This prophecy, as also the next verse, evidently belongs to the times of the Messiah.

33. Heavens - The highest heavens; dwelling there in infinite glory, and from thence looking down upon all the inhabitants of the earth, and ruling them by his almighty power. Of old - From the beginning of the world; whereas the ark was only some hundred years old. A voice - His gospel, published by Christ and his apostles, assisted by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven; which might well be called God's voice, and that a mighty voice, because it produced such great and wonderful effects.

34. Ascribe - Acknowledge that he is able to do whatsoever he pleaseth. Excellency - His excellent power and goodness. Is over - Dwells among them. He is indeed the universal Lord, but in a special manner, he is the God of Israel.

35. Terrible - Deservedly to be feared.