Commentary on the Psalms of Ascent, Section 5
The .124. Psalme. If the Lord had not bene on our side, &c.
This Psalme is a thankes giuing to God for his great mercy in preseruing his people,The argument of the Psalme. placed (as the stories doe shewe) in the middes of the Gentiles and heathen people, as a flock of sheepe in a wild forrest,The people of Israel as a sheepe amōg many wolues or in respect of the multitude, as a citie compared to a mighty kingdom, being compassed on eueryevery side with the kings of the Assirians, the Egyptians, the Ammonites, the Ismaelites, the Moabites, whom Satan had stirred vp with deadly hatred, to vexe and persecute them, seeking by all meanes to roote them out from the earth, that thereby he might vtterly deface and abolish the word and worship of the Lord. This daunger Dauid sawe and thanked God which had preserued his people from the rage of so many lyons and dragons, which notwithstanding that they neuer ceased to seeke their destruction, yet all that they went about was in vaine. And what a miracle was this, that this people could so long continue notwithstanding the malice and rage of so many deuils? Dauid therefore in this Psalme exhorteth his people to be thankfull to the Lorde their God so mightely preseruing, defending and deliuering them from the violence of so many nations and kingdoms, hating and persecuting them on eueryevery side.
Which Psalme we also doe sing, not onelyonly against our aduersaries which hate and persecute the word, but also against spirituall wickednes. For we are taught by the Gospell that there are nowe seuen Deuills which lye in wayte for vsus (where as we were before in daunger but of one) which cease not to styrre vppe the whole worlde against vsus. Yea our case were more tolerable if we had but onelyonly the worlde, and not Satan also with all his angells and the gates of hell wholy bent against vsus. But yet further to molest and vexe vsus, besides all these we hauehave also the third enemie, which we cary alwayes about with vsus. which we nourish also and foster at home with vsus and euen with in vsus, the flesh I meane, which giueth vsus no rest, but continually tempteth vsus to sinne, fighteth against faith, and striueth in our members against the spirite.
For as much then as the Church of God is neuer free from these daungers, let vsus also sing to the praise of Christ this psalme: that he preserueth vsus his members from all these enemies. For it were extreme ingratitude not to acknowledge this miracle, that notwithstanding all these, the Church doth yet continue, and that there be some which truely teach and confesse Christ, & beleue in Christ, though Satan rage, the world and false brethren conspire against vsus, and the flesh (as an vntamed beast) fight against the word and faith neuer so much. This is the benefit then that Dauid so highly extolleth, and wisheth that his people would vnderstand and giuegive thankes to God for the same.
Verse. 1.
If the Lord had not bene on our side may Israel now say:
Verse. 2.
If the Lord had not bene on our side when men rose vp against vsus,
Verse. 3.
They had then swallowed vsus vppe quicke when their wrath was kindled against vsus.
Here the Prophet Dauid exhorteth the people to consider how mercifully God had deliuered them from the handes of their enemies, and how miraculously he had preserued that kingdom, and also to praise God with him for the same. Which words are not to be restreyned to Dauids time onelyonly. For the heathen people had oftentimes before warred against them with such force and power as was like to the rage of most huge and terrible floodes of wate… (whereof he speaketh here) ready to ouerflow them. Therfore seeing he mencioneth here no one kind of deliuerance, it seemeth that he meaneth in these wordes of thankes giuing to set foorth what so euer God had done for the succour and deliuerance of his people at any time before. Wherin he sheweth (as it were in a glasse) the daungerous state of the church from the beginning, that the faithfull may learne to knowe that it hath not bene preserued by: the strength and pollicie of man, but by the miraculous power & hand of God, and therefore in their troubles and afflictions should alwaies flie to God for helpe and succour.
Israell signifieth the people of God. Let vsus acknowledge then that there is no way for Gods people to escape the hands of their enemyes, but by the help and power of God, and that he wil hauehave the glory and praise thereof to be giuen to him alone. This praise can none giuegive vntounto God, but the true Israell, hauing experience both of their owne weakenes, the force & power of their enemyes, the daungers past, and of the mercifull helpe and protection of the Lord.
Verse. 2.
If the Lorde had not bene on our side when men rose vp against vsus.
This repetition is not in vaine. For whiles we are in daunger, our feare is without measure: but when it is once past, we imagin it to hauehave bene lesse then it was in deede. And this is the delusion of Satan, to diminish and obscure the grace of God. Dauid therfore with this repetition stirreth vp the people to a more thankfulnes vntounto God for his gracious deliuerance, & amplifieth the daungers which they had passed. Wherby we are taught how to think of our troubles and afflictions past, least the sense and feeling of Gods grace vanish out of our mindes. And here note howe God dealeth with his people in their distresse, who suffereth their enemies so farre to preuaile ouer them, & differreth his help so long, till it seeme vnpossible for them to escape: so that they are compelled to confesse and acknowledge, that they must needes hauehave perished if the mighty hand of God had not deliuered them. These 2. thinges then we see the Israelites here to acknowledge: firste that the Lorde was on their side, that is, succoured and deliuered them: then also that it had not bene possible but they must vtterly hauehave perished if God had not preserued and defended them.
By men is here vnderstand what so euer is great and mightie in the world. As if he said: we are counted as abiects & outcastes of the world. The Princes, the rulers, the wise, the rich of ye world rise vp against vsus, to destroy vsus and to roote vsus out from the face of the earth. If ye beholde with how great and how many kingdoms we are compassed about, which beare a deadly hatred against vsus, we may seeme like to a seely sheepe compassed about with a multitude of cruell wolues, eueryevery moment ready to deuoure it. That we liue in safetie therefore, and that our enemyes preuaile not against vsus, acknowledge it to be the great mercy of God, O Israell, whiche so miraculously preserueth and defendeth so small a flocke.
In like maner we are compelled to say and confesse at this day, that if God did not miraculously defend and preserue his church, the power of Satan is so great, that one of his Angells is able in one moment to destroy vsus all that either teache or professe Christe, and to fill the world with bloodshed and slaughter. We see the Princes, the Pope, the Prelates, the mightie and welthy of the world, yea the whole worlde in a maner bent to destroy vsus. Against whom what hauehave we to defend vsus, but that the Lord of hostes hath stretched out his mightie arme ouer vsus, which as a brasen wall, defendeth vsus against all the cruell dartes whiche both Satan and the worlde doe dayly cast against as. That we liue then, that we teache and you heare the worde, that we hauehave place and libertie in the Church so to doe, these thinges Satan can not abide, and therefore he rayseth the gates of hell against vsus: notwithstanding he is compelled to suffer all these thinges through the power of Christ our King, who sitteth at the right hand of God: for by mans strength and power these things could not be retained and defended. If Satan then at any time hauehave his will in troubling the Church, in murthering the people of God, and such like, therefore it is, because God would shewe what Satan is able to doe eueryevery moment if he were not resisted by the almightie power of God, to the ende that we should walke in the feare of God, and acknowledging this inestimable benefite, continually pray vntounto God for the same. Let vsus learne then to sing with Dauid: If the Lord had not beene on our side, &c. whose mightie hand hath defended vsus, whose power alone hath preserued vsus. And although the worlde rage against vsus, though Satan vexe vsus neuer so sore, they can not hurt vsus. Be of good comfort (saith Christ our Sauiour) for I hauehave ouercome the worlde. Againe: I giuegive vntounto them euerlasting life, and none shall take them out of my hand.
Verse. 3.
They had then swallowed vsus vppe quicke, when their wrath was kindled against vsus.
In these words he expresseth, not onelyonly the strength, rage, and crueltie of the enemies: but also how weake and vnable the Israelites were to withstand them. And here he vseth a similitude taken of fierce and outragious beastes, whose propertie is, when they hauehave taken their prayes, to swallow them vp aliue. Likewise when we would expresse the crueltie or malice of any towardes vsus, we are wont to say: he hateth me so deadly, that he could finde in his heart to eate me or swallow me vppe quicke. The Prophet meaneth then that their enemies were so many and so mighty, that they neded no armour or weapons to destroy them, but were able, like fierce and cruell beastes, to swallow them vp aliue, being so weake and so litle a flocke.
Verse. 4.
Then the waters had drowned vsus and the streame had gone ouer our soule.
Terrible is the rage of fire, but much more terrible is the violence and rage of water, for that no power can resist. Nowe, sayth Dauid, like as huge and mighty floods of water caried with great power and violence, doe suddenly ouerthrow & beare downe what so euer they meete withall: euen such is the rage of the enemies of Gods Church, which no power of man is able to withstande. Therefore let vsus learne to trust to the Lordes defence and succour. For what else is the Church, but as a litle boate tyed by a riuer side and by violence of the water soone caried away? or as a reede which by force of the streame is easily plucked vppe and caried away? Such was the people of Israell in Dauids time, being compared to the Gentils round about them. Such is ye church likewise at this day, compared to the aduersaries. Such is eueryevery one of vsus in respect of the force and power of the malignant spirit. We are like a reede which is easily plucked vppe: and he like a raging floode which with great might and violence ouerthroweth and carieth away all thinges. We are like a withered leafe, soone blowne from the tree, and he like a mighty winde or tempest, not onelyonly blowing downe leaues, but plucking vppe and ouerthrowing trees and all. What are we then pore wretches able to doe of our owne power and strength for our defence? We must learne therefore by fayth wholy to rest vponupon the word. For what is our victorie but euen our fayth? Albeit that armour and munitions hauehave their place, yet can they nothing helpe at all vnlesse we hauehave a trust and affiance in the Lorde, who hath promised to be our God, our strength, and our defence. Whose power is such, whose mighty arme also is so stretched out for the defence of his, that albeit neuer so great a tempest or violent rage of water should inuade the poorest and simplest cottage that can be, if forceth not. Let this be then our assured trust, let this be the rocke of our safetie, helpe and succour, that God will be our defender and keeper, that the great floodes and mighty waters cary vsus not away. This sure defence and mighty protection of our God the wicked neither know nor beleue: for they attribute all their successe & wellfare to their owne strength, wisedom, and riches. But Salomon, albeit he was a King aboundantly indued with all these thinges, yet sayth he: Except the Lord buyld the house, the builders labour in vayne: Except the Lorde keepe the citie they watch in vayne that keepe it.
Verse. 5.
Then had the swelling waters gone ouer our soule.
He setteth out yet more liuely and as it were before their eyes, the great daunger from the which God had deliuered them. And this vehement kinde of speech which he vseth here, hath as great force to make the faithfull to feele from what terrible destruction they were deliuered by the mightie hand of God, as if their daunger had bene present before their eies, & so to become more thankfull to God for the same.Note who are most thankfull. For he is thankfull to God in deede for his deliuerance and safetie, which doeth acknowledge that before his deliuerance he sawe nothing else but vtter destruction.
Thus Dauid setteth out the afflictions and calamities of the Church and of the godly, whom the world doth not onelyonly hate, but cruelly persecute. Whereby we may see that it hath not onelyonly a greedy desire, but also power to hurt, murder, and destroy. Satan likewise goeth about like a raging lyon seeking whom he may deuoure. Besides these, there are great and horrible sinnes sticking in our flesh. That we fall not therefore eueryevery moment into desperation or otherwise perish, it is because he is greater which is in vsus, then he which is in the world, or the whole world besides, as Dauid saith: If God had not bene with vsus, our enemies had swallowed vsus vp aliue. Now he addeth a notable similitude wherwith he amplifieth the daunger of the godly and power of the wicked.
Verse. 6.
Praised be the Lord, which hath not giuen vsus as a pray vntounto their teeth.
He exhorteth the faithfull to be thankfull for their deliuerance, and expresseth vntounto them, how and (as it were) with what wordes they should declare their thankefulnes. Wherein he setteth forth yet further by an other similitude, that it coulde not be but they must vtterly hauehave perished, if God had not miraculously defended them. For they were, sayth he, no otherwise preserued then if a man should violently take a pray out of the iawes of a raging and cruell beast. As if he sayd: We were in deede like seely sheepe, and as a pray ready to be deuoured of cruell beasts: but praised be the Lorde our God, which woulde not suffer vsus so to perish. He sayth not: which hath deliuered vsus: albeit he did in deede mightely deliuer them: but, which hath not giuen vsus as a pray, &c. For this is it which specially y• holy Ghost here setteth forth, that the wicked can not hurt the godly be they neuer so many, mightie, furious, cruell and terrible, like to raging and violent waters, like to cruell & outragious beastes, falling vponupon them with open mouth, except the Lord giuegive them into their hands. Let vsus therefore with Dauid sing praises vntounto the Lord our God, which keepeth and defendeth vsus that the raging and cruell beasts which hauehave sharpned their teeth to deuour vsus, can not hurt vsus. Without this mercifull protection of our God, there is no way to stande against Satan & his cruell members the spare of one moment.
Verse. 7.
Our soule is escaped euen as a bird out of the snare of the fouler. The snare is broken and we are deliuered.
He amplifieth yet further by a third similitude, the great perils and daungers of the faithfull being in the handes of their enemies, as a bird that is taken in the snare is in the handes of the fouler, and yet notwithstāding they escaped by the mighty power of God, no otherwise then the birde that is deliuered out of the snare of the fouler. By the snare is here to be vnderstande as well the fraude and subteltie of the enemies, whereby the Israelites were brought into thraldom and captiuitie, as also the strength and power wherewith they were long oppressed: So that they had not onelyonly to do with bloody and cruell enemies, but also were entrapped and snared by fraude and subteltie, and with might and power miserably oppressed. Thus being vnable both in strength and pollicie to withstand their enemies, they were eueryevery way in daunger of death and destruction: whereby it appeareth that they were miraculously deliuered.
And here hauehave we an image of our spiritual thraldom and captiuitie vnderunder Satan, in whose snares we were once most miserably wrapped. Now therefore that we are deliuered by the inestimable benefice of Christ, let vsus acknowledge both our former calamitie, and the libertie of this grace wherein we stand and let vsus beware that we cast not our selues into ye snares of seruile bondage any more. For Satan sleepeth not but lyeth continually in waite for vsus, ready to draw vsus into those snares agayne, out of the which by the great mercy of God we were deliuered: yea & some times is suffred to hurt either our bodies or our soules, not only to shew vsus that he is able likewise to destroy both body and soule if God did so permitte: but also to stirre vsus vp to faith and prayer, that we should call vponupon him for ayde and succour agaynst these perilous snares, and being deliuered, should giuegive him thankes and prayse for the same.
Moreouer, eueryevery tentation is a snare, whether it be of the flesh or of the spirite. Persecution, torments, imprisonment, sclaunder, diseases and infirmities of the body be snares, which as they are permitted of God to exercise and strengthen our fayth: so by the malice of Satan they are wrought to afflict and to vexe men, that he may bring them to infidelitie and desperation, and so into the snares of eternall death. From the which snares, but by the speciall grace of God, there is no way to escape.
The snares of Satan.Thus our life lyeth alwayes open to the snares of Satan, and we as sely birdes are like at eueryevery moment to be caried away. Notwithstanding the Lord maketh a way for vsus to escape. Yea when Satan seemeth to be most sure of vsus, by ye mighty power of God the snares are broken & we are deliuered. Experience hereof we hauehave in those which are inwardly afflicted, & with heauines of spirit greeuously oppressed, that when they seeme to be in vtter despaire, & ready (as you would say) now to perish, yet euen at the last pinch & in the vttermost extremitie commeth the sweete comfort of Gods holy spirite and raiseth them vp againe. When we are most ready to perish, then is God most ready to helpe. Except the Lord had holpen me (sayth Dauid) my soule had almost dwelt in silence.Psal. 93.
Verse. 8.
Our helpe is in the name of the Lord who hath made both heauen and earth.
This is the conclusion of thankesgiuing,The name of the Lorde is our onelyonly Sanctuary & succour in all afflictions. contayning a worthy sentence of great comfort, that against sinne, the horrour of death, and other daungers there is no other helpe or safetie but onelyonly the name of the Lord. If that were not (sayth he) we should fall into all maner of sinne, blasphemy, errours, and into all kind of calamities. But our helpe is in the name of the Lord which preserueth our faith and our life against the Deuill and the world. And as ye heard in the other verses before, so he sheweth in this verse also, that God suffereth his Sainctes to be tempted, and in their tentation to fall into great distresse, as euen nowe readie to be drowned and swallowed vp presently with great floodes of water: yet notwithstanding this comfort he sheweth them, that he will not vtterly forsake them. By the which examples we may learne to know the will of the Lord, and to seeke our help and safety at his hands, which suffereth his people to be exercised in the fornace of Egypt, not to their vtter destruction, but onelyonly to kill the olde man with his vaine hope and confidence which he hath in his owne strength. This is the cause why God suffereth his people so to be exercised. For it is not hearing, reading, talking, or teaching, nor speculation onelyonly which maketh a Christian man, but practise is that which specially is required in a true Christian, that is to say, the crosse, to plucke downe the fleshe and bring it to nothing, that man despairing of his owne strength and seeing no succour in himselfe, should resigne him selfe wholly vntounto the Lord, looking with patience and hope for helpe at his hande: for this is the will of God. Neither must we imagine to our selues any other God then such a one as will helpe the afflicted and oppressed with desperation and other calamities. To knowe this doctrine is one peece of the victory. For they that know it not when tentation assayleth them, either doe dispayre or seeke other helpes. Let vsus learne then out of this Psalme, that it is the will of God to exercise his Sainctes with troubles and afflictions. Who suffereth great floodes of water to runne ouer their heades: who also permitteth them to fall into the snares of the wicked, and tryeth eueryevery way, not to destroy them, but to shew them what they are of them selues, & so to teach them to trust in his sauing health. But the flesh looketh to the power and multitude of the aduersaries and her owne infirmitie: but to looke vntounto God and to hope for his helpe and succour, it is not able.
Wherefore this is a necessary conclusion: Our helpe is in the name of the Lord. It is a short sentence, but it setteth foorth most worthie doctrine and consolation: whereof▪ specially in these latter daies we hauehave great neede, seeing ye Pope, togither with the greatest part of the Princes & rulers of the world so cruelly doe persecute the doctrine of ye Gospel. In respect of these huge mountains what are we small molehills? Yea though there were no force nor power of man for vsus to feare, how are we able to stand against, not onelyonly so many deuills, but euen the very gates of hell also? And yet this experience we hauehave of the great mercy and goodnes of the Lord our God, that when we are euen in their handes and neuer so much oppressed, yet are we not forsakē, but are safe through our confidence and trust in his helpe. But to this wisedom it is vnpossible for vsus to attayne without continuall afflictions:The fruite of afflictions whereby it is necessary that the confidence of all worldly succours should be beaten downe. For vexation and trouble bringeth vnderstanding (as Esay sayth): whereby we are compelled to cry: Helpe Lorde for else we perish. So in the last houre when death approcheth there is nothing wherein mans heart can repose it selfe or finde comfort, but his trust and confidence in the helpe of ye Lorde. There is rest and quietnes, there is perfect peace. He that can then say: My helpe is in the name of the Lord, dyeth happely and is out of all daunger. Thus we may learne what it is to hauehave and enioy God, euen to rest in the sure trust of his mercifull helpe and succour in all daungers. These are the wordes therefore of a victorious and triumphing fayth: Our helpe is in the name of the Lord which made heauen and earth. As if he sayd: The maker of heauen and earth is my God and my helper. Shew me a God (O ye my aduersaries) like vntounto him What are your snares and your traynes then, compared vntounto this God? What are your threatnings, your power, your pollicies, &c.
Thus he setteth the eternall God, the maker of heauen and earth, against all terrours and daungers, against the floodes and ouerflowings of al tentations, and swalloweth vp, as it were with one breath, all the raging furies of the whole world, and of hell it selfe, euen as a litle droppe of water is swallowed vp of a mightie flaming fire. And what is the world with all his force and power, in respect of him which made heauen and earth? Let the worlde fret then, let it rage, so that this succour neuer faile vsus. And if it be the will of God that we shall suffer trouble and affliction, yet in him we shall ouercome at length.