Exposition Upon Select Psalms, Biblical commentary · Psalm 65
The Argument of the LXV. Pſalme.
It is a pſalme of thankſgiuing. Dauid burſteth foorth firſt in giuing of thankes and prayſing of God in the … and …. verſes. Then follow the …rgumentes of the propoſed thankſgiuing, to the end of the pſalme. All thoſe argumentes are taken from Gods bleſſinges and benefites. The benefites are partlie ſpirituall and eternall, which belong onelyonly to the affayres of the Church, vntounto the 7, verſe. And partlie bodielie and temporall, which againe are of two ſortes in this pſalme For partly they a… common, and belonging to all things created vntounto the 10, verſe and partelie they are proper and peculiar, beſtowed vponupon the Church of God vntounto the ende of the pſalme.
The LXV. Pſalme.
1 A Pſalme, the ſong of DAVID, committed to be ſung, to the maiſter of Muſick.
2 O God whoe art in Tzijon, ſetled hope and praiſe is due vntounto the, and to thee the vowe is to be rendred.
3 O thou who beareſt the prayer, vntounto thee ſhall all fleſh come.
O GOD] The firſt part of the pſalme, in which Dauid, firſt through a ſenſe of his miſerie and ſinne, then through a feeling of Gods merciemercy, as it appeareth out of the fourth verſe; thirdly by a faith quieting the ſelfe in GOD, hee burſteth out into Gods praiſe, and aſcribeth onelie vntounto him firſt the confidence of his ſoule; Then, the prayſe of his mouth; Thirdly, whatſoeuer duty we hauehave bound our ſelues by a vowe to pay vntounto our God, and this thinge DAVID doeth in the ſeconde verſe. Then next in the thirde verſe, he promiſeth that it ſhall certainely come to paſſe, that euerie man through faith ſhall come vntounto GOD. The reaſon is conteined vnderunder the title which hee giueth vntounto GOD, while hee calleth him the God who heareth the prayer. In the thirde verſe, hee promiſeth that faith of men in God, which hee ſayeth was peculiarlie due vntounto him in the ſecond verſe: As if hee ſhoulde ſay. Men indeede O God, oughte to giuegive their faith vntounto thee, and they ſhall giuegive it thee, and ſhall beleeue in thee. Learne out of this place, what it is properlie to praiſe or glorifie God, it is indeede to aſcribe vntounto him, the thinges which ar due vntounto him: alſo the thinges which are due to him are thoſe, firſte confidence of the hearte; then praiſe of the mouth; thirdlie, are theſe duties which we are bound to accompliſh, either by a vow or by any other whatſoeuer obligation. Then next wee learne heare, that it is not in the power of any man to burſt foorth into the glorifying of God by theſe groundes; from which out of queſtion the prayſing of Dauid proceedeth, neither yet is anye man able indifferentlie to pronounce thoſe wordes which Dauid then at that time ſpake [Setled hope and praiſe is due vntounto thee,] But that man is onelyonly able to do this thing, who putteth his truſt in God, through a feeling of Gods merciemercy, and quieteth himſelfe in him. For no man glorifieth God, vnleſſe it be of faith, alſo he that beleeueth in him, he both confeſſeth and profeſſeth faith, & that all other offices are due vntounto God in Chriſt.
4 Thou clenſeſt the wicked thinges and our defections, which have preuailed ouer vsus.
5 Bleſſed is he whome thou chooſeſt and admoniſheſt, who maye dwell in thy courtes, we are ſatisfied with the good thing of thy houſe, with the holy thinges of thy temple.
6 Thou ſpeakeſt out vntounto vsus in righteouſneſſe thinges that are to be reverenced, ô God of our ſaluation, the confidence of all the vttermoſt parts of the earth & ſea, that are fartheſt off.
THou clengeſt] Here follow the arguments of the praiſe ſet downe, from the benefites of God himſelf; and firſt the benefites ſpirituall towarde the Church. Of the ſpirituall the firſte is the forgiuenes of ſinnes, by which he concludeth that propoſed praiſe, to witt, that confidence is due vntounto God, &c. Of this argumente that appeareth to bee true, which wee hauehave ſpoken, that DAVID burſteth foorth into this praiſe, from a ſenſe of Gods merciemercy, and of the remiſſion of his ſinnes. The wordes themſelues, whereby this benefite is expreſſed, clearelie do ſignifie that DAVID had firſt wraſtled with his ſinne, then that ſinne preuailed ouer him in this combat. Thirdly, that God had purged this ſinne, from thence he giueth the glory of the forgiueneſſe of his ſins, or of his deliuerance from ſin, to God alone. Thou (ſayth he) clengeſt] for it cānot be, that any man can aſcrive to God the praiſe of the remiſſion of his ſinnes, vnleſſe hee hauehave firſt foughten with ſinne, and hauehave felt himſelfe weaker then ſin in that combat: Then that God is ſtronger then ſinne, to the which he himſelfe was inferiour, from whence I praye you proceedeth that voice of PAVLE, I thank God by Chriſt? We reade in the ſame chapter, that David had foughten with ſin: Then, that hee was carried captiue awaye vnderunder the lawe of ſinne: of which ariſeth that complaint, ô miſerable man that I am, who ſhall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death? After this complaint, wee eaſilie perceive, that a godlie man hath his refuge vntounto Chriſt, & in that in him he hadde obteined deliuerance from his ſinnes, whereof proceedeth that holy giuing of thanks, I thank my God throgh Ieſus Chriſt? Wherefore we come not to the ſenſe of the feeling of Gods mercy without a fighting, to the glorifying of God himſelf. And there is alway a glorious yſſue of our combate, for it endeth in the glorifiing of God, with an vnſpeakeable and glorious joy Then next, the word of clenſing is to be marked, whereby is ſignified a purging by ſome ſacrifice propiciatorie, whereof he ſpeaketh. Pſalm. 51. 9. purge me ô lord with byſſope, that is, by the holy bloode of Chriſte, ſhaddowed out by that figure. This worde therefore ſignifieth that which is ſet down in Heb, 9. Without blood there is no forgiueneſſe of ſinnes. For the fathers did not vnderunder the lawe implore at any time mercy & pardon for their ſinnes without blood & ſacrifice to pacifie the wrath of God Neither we our ſelues this day feele in our heartes the forgiueneſſe of our ſinnes, but by that ſacrifice of Chriſt, apprehended firſt by faith, neither yet dare we ſeeke the forgiueneſſe of our ſinnes, except in Chriſt and and in his ſacrifice. Bleſſed is he whome] The ſecond argument of praiſe, from the benefite of ca…ling, which by the ordour of nature, preceedeth the remiſſion of ſinnes. Then he ariſeth a litle higher in reckoning out of the ſpirituall benefites of God to forgiueneſſe, the preceeding cauſe. Now he comprehendeth Calling within thoſe partes as it were. The firſt is whereby God chooſeth any man, that is, calleth him out from the number of loſte men, vponupon this parte doeth that follow, whereby he bringeth vsus neerer, and maketh vsus to approch hard to himſelfe. For vnles he himſelfe tooke holde of vsus, & drew vsus, as it were to himſelfe, ſurelie, being called out, we ſhoulde not bee moved out of our place. VponUpon this finallie doeth that part follow, which maketh vsus to dwell in his courtes. Our calling therefore beginneth from that choiſe which God maketh, and it paſſeth fordward by that drawing neere vntounto God, and at laſt it endeth in that dwelling which is with GOD in his Church. But the phraſe of ſpeach which hee vſeth in vttering out of this benefite of calling, is not to bee pretermitted in ſilence. For hee ſpeaketh not this coldlie & barelie, thou chooſeſt vsus, but with ane outcrye and a certaine woundering of the greatneſſe of this benefite; Bleſsed is he (ſayeth hee) whome thou chooſeſt. So wee are taught not ſo much to pronounce as to wonder at al the benefits of God in Chriſt ſuch is that in comprehenſible and vnſpeakeable greatneſſe of them all. But ſurelie ſome certaine apprehenſion is ſpeciallie required to this matter, of the benefites of God in our own harts. For of the aboundance of the heart the mouth ſpeaketh, and he who feeleth nothing in his heart, verelie ſpeaketh ather litle or nothing in his mouth [We are filled.] He commendeth this benefite of calling from the effects following The firſt is in Gods action toward them that are alreadie called bee him. The ſeconde is in the worde of God. As concerning the action, hee filleth vsus (ſayeth hee) with good thinges & holy, as concerning the words thou ſpeakeſt out vntounto vsus thinges to bee in thy righteouſnes reuerenced. He who receiueth anye man in ludgeing, and ſetteth him at table, there are two things ſummarilie that he is able to do in entreating of his guheſt humanelie and daintelie: Firſt in ſetting before him the moſt delicate meate which he may feede vponupon, the other is in delighting his eares, & making his heart glad with moſt pleaſant and glade ſpeeches of all ſortes: GOD dothe both theſe thinges to vsus, whome hee hath once called, and invited, hauing thought vsus worthie of his table. But the wordes are ſomewhat more diligentlie to bee conſidered. Of theſe thinges wherewith we are filled in the houſe of God there are two properties, firſt they are good and healthſome vntounto vsus: Then they are holie; By theſe good and holy thinges are all the ſpirituall bleſſinges in Chriſt meante. Of, the wordes alſo which hee ſpeaketh, there are likewiſe two properties, the firſt is, that they are reuerent, and therefore do require reuerence at the hearers hands. The ſecond is, that they are in righteouſneſſe that is, juſt, vpright and ſincere, without falſhood, without lying. Alſo in theſe words the promiſes of God concerning good and holy thinges are to bee vnderſtood, greater they are then we are able to comprehend in this life, but we ſhall be capable of them in that other life. You ſee then, with howe great gladneſſe, with howe greate a reioyſing of heart, we hauehave our abode in the houſe of God, and do ſit as it were at his table who not onelyonly are ioyfull by faith of the goode thinges preſent, that is, by the preſent apprehenſion of them, but alſo by the hope of the benefites to come, which will be farre greater then thoſe preſent. Of theſe effects wee ſee that, that David not without cauſe publiſhed that man to be bleſſed, whome God did chooſe. For what is it to bee bleſſed, if this bee not, with ſo great a joy and gladnes of ſoule, to bee filled with thinges ſo good, ſo holy, & in the meane time to heare the promiſes of things to come, exceeding great, ſo reuerent, ſo righteous, ſo true. O God of our ſaluation] There is two titles of God heare, the one which reſpecteth the Church: for ſaluation belongeth to the Church. The other which reſpecteth all thinges created, for confidence is of al things created. Conſider heare firſt then, as the goodnes of God not onelie extendeth the ſelfe to the Church, albeit chiefly to the Church, but alſo to al things created, & to theſe alſo which are without the Churche for he ſuffereth not yea euen the wicked to be deſtitute of his teſtimony, Doing good vntounto thē giuing vntounto them raynes from the heauēs & fruitful ſeaſons, filling their harts with food and gladnes. Euen ſo the Godlie look vponupon God, & not onlye vppon his benefites towarde the Church, but alſo in his benefites towarde All thinges created. Conſidder nixt that there is ſome confidence alſo in God of the dūme and brutiſh creatures, For in their owne faſhion they thirſte for the grace of God, and haueing gotten the ſame, in their owne maner, they repoſe themſelues quietlie in their God, finally they wait with certaine ſighes, the Reuelation of the ſonnes of God, with whome they alſo ſhal be ſet at freedome Of this matter looke Rom. 8. In which place the hope of that glorye to come, is not giuen to man, but to thoſe who hauehave the firſt fruites of the ſpirit, but in the ſame place, ſome hope notwithſtanding of the glorye to come is attributed to the creatures, that you maye ſee that the thinges create brutiſh and dumme are in a better caſe, then men, if they be not regenerated by the ſpirit of GOD. [Stabliſhing the mountaines.] Nowe followe the corporall benefites of God, belonging in common to all thinges created. Thou viſiteſt] Here follow the benefites bodielie, belonging to his owne Church, vntounto the ende of the Pſalme. All which thinges ſeeing they neede no expoſition, but are eaſie to be vnderſtoode, it ſhall be ſufficient to hauehave poynted out the prophetes minde, eſpecially in reſpect they maye bee knowne eaſilie out of the longer writings of others.