Exposition Upon Select Psalms, Biblical commentary · Psalm 137
The Argument of the CXXXVII. Pſalme.
A Pſalme it is of a mixt kinde, Of doctrine and of prayer, It is not manifeſt by whome it was written▪ Yet it is likely that it was written by ſome Prophet, & that in name of the whole Church of the Iewes, being nowe in captivitie. It appeareth alſo, to be written at that time, when the people were carryed away into Babylonia, yea, even then when they were in the very journey, as it may be gathered out of the firſt verſe. Nowe it is compoſed of two parts. The firſt is, an heavy complaint of the Church, vntounto the 7. verſe. The other, is an heavie imprecation, and a propheticall denunciation, againſt the enemies of the Church, vntounto the end of the Pſalme.
The CXXXVII. Pſalme.
1 By the rivers of Babylonia, we ſitting there, we wept very much, when we remembred of Tzijon.
2 In it we hanged vp our harpes vppon the willowes:
3 Although in that place theſe vvho had led vsus away captiues and had buried vsus together, required of vsus ioyfull ſonges, ſaying: ſing to vsus of the ſonges of Tzijon.
4 How could we hauehave ſoong the, ſonge of Iehoua in the land of ſtrangers?
5 If I forget thee, O Ieruſalem, let my right hand forget the ſelfe.
6 Let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth, if I remember thee not, if I call not backe vntounto Ieruſchalaim the heade of my ioy.
BY the rivers] The firſt parte of the Pſalme; The complainte, in which there is firſt, the propoſition of the complaint, when he ſayeth, wee weept very much] That is, we were extreame ſorrowfull: For the Spirit maketh interceſsion for the church, with ſighes that cannot be expreſſed Ro. 8. ſo to ſpeak with the Apoſtle: And it cannot be ſufficientlie ſpoken, with how great heavineſſe, the Church is accuſtomed to be moved, when ſhe is humbled vnderunder the hande of God. This murning and ſorrow of the Church, is circumſcrived by the own ſubject, when he ſayeth, By the ryvers of Babylonia] That is, of the Babylonical monarchie: For the Iewes wer not only caryed away into Babylonia, ſo properly called, but they were diſperſed throughout the Babylonicall juriſdictions; as it may be moſt clearly gathered out of Ezekiel, Daniell, & Ezra. Then the place is the Babylonicall monarchie in general, but in particular the brinkes of the rivers: For he ſayth, By the rivers of Babylonia: Wee ſitting there, that is, ſitting vponupon the brinks of the rivers, vntounto ſuch time, as all were ferried over. This place of the Babylonical monarchie, conteineth in the ſelfe, a certaine cauſe of this weeping, which hee ſetteth downe. For the place manifeſtlie ſheweth, the baniſhment, and carrying away into captivity, from their natiue ſoile to an ſtrange lande. Then the people being in their journey, farre from home, and baniſhed, bewayleth their ſinnes, which ought to hauehave bin bewayled at home. Not-with-ſtanding, thoſe who will not murne at home, they are compelled to murne far frō their home. For ſinnes of neceſſitie, are once to be bewayled, and wee muſt bee ſorrowfull, either ſooner or later, becauſe we hauehave offended GOD. And if wee be not ſorrowfull at home, ſurely wee ſhall murne far from home. And if we murne not in this life, ſurely wee ſhall be ſorrowfull in that other life, or rather death, where there ſhall nothing be heard, but wayling and gnaſhing of teeth. Bleſſed are they alſo who later, yea, and that in exile, yea, at any time whatſoever ar earneſtly ſorrowful for their ſinnes, if ſo be, they deferre not their mourning to an other Worlde, bleſſed are they. For even thoſe, who do later, yea, or at whatſoever time, murne and repent in this life; in that other life, all teares ſhall bee wiped awaye from their eies: But thoſe who laugh in this life, and refuſe to murne in that other life, there ſhall be none ende or meaſure of their ſorrow. When wee remembred] This is the other cauſe of the mourning, but ſome-what more cleare, to witte, the remembrance of Tzijon, that is, of Ieruſalem, where the viſible and outwarde preſence of God to be looked vponupon was. For theſe who are baniſhed from God, they do ſurely feele, what great profite, yea, and it were no more but this which is in the preſence of GOD, and which is in this his viſible miniſtery, & what great diſcommoditie is in that his abſence: we while we hauehave God preſent in his miniſtery, and beholde him after ſome ſort in that mirrour of his Goſpell, we acknowledge not how happie we bee, and it were no more, but for that ſelfe ſame cauſe. But if it ſhall come to paſſe at any time, through the righteous judgment of GOD, that this mirrour of the Goſpell, and this outwarde miniſterie be taken away from our eies, then indeed wee ſhall feele in effecte, what great miſery it is to bee deſtitute thereof. I ſpeake ſpecially concerning thoſe, who are accuſtomed at any time to feele ſome pleaſure, of this ſincere preaching of the worde, & adminiſtration of the Sacraments. David being in exile, Remembring thoſe things (ſayth he) I poure out my ſoule vponupon my ſelf, when I remember that I was woont to paſſe by in the congregation▪ to walke with them vntounto the houſe of God, &c. Behold David, being baniſhed from the viſible Church of God, he was exceeding greatly ſorrowfull: But what is the cauſe? Even, becauſe hee vvas woont to vvalke together vvith the Church vntounto the houſe of GOD, vvith the voyce of ſinging and prayſe: That is, becauſe he was to feele no little pleaſure of that external and viſible miniſterie. And therefore being nowe a baniſhed man, the remembrance of that Spiritual pleaſure & joy, mooved him to no ſmal diſpleaſure. Here we ar to be admoniſhed, that this dolor proceeding frō the remembrance of that heavenly ioy, is not the ſorrow of this worlde; But it is, that dolour, which is called the godly ſorrow, which ſurely, hath greater ioy mixed therwith, then is the whole joy of this worlde, yea, albeit it be voyde of all ſenſe of ſorrow. For every one of the godly, while they mourne, they feele in the meane time, ane vnſpeakable ioy, conioyned with ſighes that cannot bee expreſſed. In it we hanged vppe our Harpes vppon the Willowes] A certaine amplification, of the murning & ſorrow ſet down. The Church murned, & caſt away al inſtruments & matter of conſolation: For theſe who are ſorrowfull earneſtly, & from their hearte, they thinke that all ioye, and matter of ioye, is a diſpleaſure vntounto them, and contrariwiſe, they thinke all heauineſſe to bee vntounto them as a pleaſure: My teares are vntounto me (ſayeth DAVID) in ſteede of meate. But what manner of ſongs were theſe?Pſal. 42. 4… They were holie ſonges, and the ſonges of the Lorde; thoſe who earneſtlie & ſanctifiedly do weepe, vſe not ſo much indeed, as to ſing holy ſongs, For at ſuch time, as the Lord caſteth vsus downe and humbleth vsus; at that time, it becommeth vsus to mourne, rather then to ſinge,Iam 5. 13. to bee in diſpleaſure, then to be joyfull?Ezek. 3. 1. If any man be afflicted among you? Let him pray: Is any man merrie, let him ſing. All things hauehave the owne time, There is a time of vveeping, and there is a time of ſinging. Although in that place] The amplifying of the deed immediatly preceeding, to wit, of the caſting away of the inſtruments, & of al matter of joy, from the contrarie authoritie & commandement of the Babylonians, who, when they had caried the people of God away captiue, they required of them, thus carried awaie, Joyfull ſongs; but the Church indeede was not mooved and brought on to ſing, for all their authority and command. For the ſoule that is humbled by Gods hand, cannot be lifted vp by any authority of men, neither can bee be merry. It is God alone, who as he induced either by praier or reward to hūbleth, ſo may he lift vp the dejected minde.Pſal. 40. 4. He put a new ſong into my mouth. Marke next, that he addeth, Thoſe who carried vsus away captiues [as if he ſhould ſaye: Thoſe ſelfe ſame men, who were the cauſe of ſorrowe vntounto vsus, they required vsus that we ſhould miniſter joy vntounto them. Nowe the Prophet ſignifieth here, that they would hauehave had the people to do ſome abſurde and vnreaſonable thing; for the enemies of God and of the Church, are not to bee ſtirred vp to joy; for ſo they ſhould flatter and pleaſe themſelues, in their owne malice. Thou ſeeſt againe here, that the Babylonians, are not ſo much indeede as touched with any ſenſe of the preſent ſorow of the Church. The vngodly know not, what the diſpleaſure, or what the ioye of the godly is. They vaniſh away in their owne imaginations, neither yet do they feele inwardly in their hart, ether true & ſolide dolour and joy: For their hart is not eſtabliſhed by grace. Heb. 13. ….How could we] The church bringeth in the cauſes, wherefore ſhee was not mooved, no, not ſo much, as by the authority of the Babylonians to ſing, to the end that you may know it is not ſufficient, if we reſiſt the ſuperiour powers, of any obſtinate affection, and obdured minde (for the power of the Babylonians over the people, was according to the will and ordinance of GOD) except wee hauehave alſo moſt iuſt and graue cauſes to diſobey. Alſo, the firſt reaſon is taken, from the prophaning of the holy ſongs, which is to bee vnderſtoode in theſe wordes: The ſongs of Iehova: Then, in the Lande of ſtrangers: That is, in a prophane land, among prophane men. For to ſing the ſongs of Iehova, that is, the ſongs that are holy vntounto God, at the pleaſure of prophane men; what other thing is it, then to prophane the holy things of God? for to lay out whatſoever holy things, either the word of God, or the Sacraments, or any other thing of that ſort, vntounto the pleaſure of men, that are defiled and vncleane, which doe not ſeeke ſo much as their owne edifying in them, or the glory of God, but their owne vncleane delight, what other thing is it, I praye you, then to caſte pearles before ſwine? If I forget] the other reaſon, from the forgetting of Ieruſchalaim, & of the church of God: it is made after this maner: If I ſhal now ſing (ſayeth the holy congregation) this were to forget Ieruſalem and the Church of God: But I will not forget Ieruſalem: Therfore I will not ſing: Marke then, what it is to ſing or rejoice in the meane time, that the Church of God is any way afflicted. Surely, it is no other thing, then to forget the church: But contrariwiſe, to murne with the murning Church, what other thing is it then to remember the Church? For we teſtifie, that we hauehave a regard of the Church of God, and that we take care thereof, from this common affection, and this mutual compaſſion; whereby it commeth to paſſe, that wee rejoyce with the rejoycing Church, & murne with her, when ſhe mourneth. The aſſumptiō of this reaſon, is not ſet down nakedly, but with an execration, wherby he wiſheth a vengeance to fal vponupon him ſelf; that is, the impotencie of his own right hand, if he ſhal ſtrik the harp therwith, & the vnmoveablenes of his tong if he ſhuld ſing with the ſame: for this cauſe he doth this thing, becaus he waited aſſuredly, for ſum trouble & no table judgement of God, to light vponupon himſelf, if it ſhould come to paſſe, that he ſhuld forget God & his church: for thee execrations & obteſtations, ar an evidēt, that ther abideth thē, who forget the Church of God, & who th… do laugh, when the Church weepeth, there abideth them, I ſaye, an heavie judgement of God. If I call not] This is the amplification of the words preceeding, as if he ſhuld ſay: Not only will I remember, but I will prefer and make more of the Church of GOD, aboue the head of my ioye, that is, I will eſteeme more of, then of my ioye, although it were never ſo great: For it is not ynough to remember the church, but we muſt of neceſſitie prefer it to all things whatſoever.
7 Remember, O Iehova, againſt the Edomits, the day of Ieruſchalaim, who ſaid, vncover, vncover ſo long as the foundation thereof ſhal be in it.
8 O Nation of Babylonia, that is to bee deſtroyed, let him be bleſſed, who ſhall recompenſe thee the wicked deede, whereby thou haſt troubled vsus!
9 Bleſſed ſhall he be who ſhal tak hold, and break in peeces thy yong ones, daſhing them againſt a ſtone.
REmember] The other parte of the Pſalme, or an imprecation againſt the Edomites, and a prophetical denunciation againſt the Babylonians. Firſt then after that the Church hath bewailed her captiuitie, in the middes of the ſorrow ſhe turneth her ſelfe vntounto God, and ſhee prayeth for an vtter vengeance vppon her neighbours the Edomites. Then ſhee turneth her ſelf againſt the Babylonians, and ſhe denunceth aſſuredly the judgement of God to come vponupon them. We learne by the example of this Church, from what affection, any imprecations and threatnings whatſoever, ſhould proceede againſt Gods enemies; That is, from an heavines and ſorrow of the heart, and not frō any light motion of the mind. For when they come from ſorrow & heavines, then indeed they are heavie, and in their owne time, they bring on a ſure judgement; otherwiſe, they are but light, and they provoke God more to wrath againſt our ſelues, then againſt our enemies. Marke, as concerning the Edomites; we read not that they, together with the Babylonians, overthrew the cittie of God, only they did ſhow… in allowing the Babylonians in the meane time, while they were deſtroying Ieruſchalaim, O Babylonians (ſaide they) vncover, vncover] And therefore they were involved in the ſame judgement with the Babylonians. They who aſſent to the wicked, and perſecutors of the Church, either in word or in hearte; they are reckoned alſo in the number of the perſecutors, and ſhall bee together judged with them▪ Then, as concerning the Babylonians, not only they denunce the judgment againſt them, but bleſſedneſſe is pronounced alſo, and promiſed vntounto the inſtruments and executors of that judgement to come Darîus Medus, & Cyrus, to the end that we might know, that thoſe are bleſſed who execute the work of GOD diligently, as contrariwiſe, they are curſed, who doe the worke of God negligently: Bleſſing is pronunced vponupon them alſo, who, notwithſtanding had not ſo much God before their eies in that work, as the enlarging of their own Empyre. How much more ſhall they be bleſſed, who while they ar doing the work of the lord diligently, for the Lords ſake himſelf they do it, that al the glorie of the work, may ſolidely & for ever, redound vntounto him, Amen.
Proverb 10 verſ. 7.
The memoriall of the juſt ſhall be bleſſed: But the name of the wicked ſhall rotte.
Iſaiah 57 verſ 1.
The righteous periſheth, and no man conſiddereth it in heart: and merciful men are taken away, and no man vnderſtandeth that the righteous is taken away from the evill to come.
Reuel. 11. 14. verſ. 13.
Then I heard a voyce from heauen, ſaying vntounto me, Write, Bleſſed are the dead, which hereafter die in Lord, Even ſo ſayeth the Spirite, for they reſt from their laboures, and their workes follow them.
FINIS.
End of the text · Robert Rollock, Exposition Upon Select Psalms (1600)