Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 6 · Book 1 · Commentary on psalm 33
PSAL. XXXIII.
God is to be praised for his goodnesse, 6 for his powerfull workes, 12 and for his providence. 20 Confidence is to be placed in God.
SHout joyfully ye just in Iehovah, praise becommeth the righteous. Confesse ye to Iehovah with harpe, with Psaltery with ten stringed instrument, sing Psalme unto him. Sing ye to him a new Song, doe well playing on the instrument, with triumphant noise. For righteous is the word of Iehovah, and all his worke in faith. He loveth justice and judgement, the earth is full of the merciemercy of Iehovah. By the word of Iehovah the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the spirit of his mouth. He gathereth together as an heape, the waters of the Sea; he giveth the deepes into treasuries. Let all the earth be in feare of Iehovan, let all the Inhabitants of the world shrinke with feare for him. For he said, and it was; he commanded, and it stood. Iehovah dissipateth the counsell of the Nations, he bringeth to nought the cogitations of the peoples. The counsell of Iehovah shall stand for ever, the cogitations of his heart to generation and generation. O blessed is the Nation whereof Iehovah is God, the people that he hath chosen for a possession to himselfe. From the heavens Iehovah doth behold, doth see all the sonnes of Adam. From the firme place of his dwelling he looketh forth unto all the inhabitants of the earth. He formeth altogether their heart, he discreetly attendeth unto all their works.
There is no King saved by multitude of a power; a mightie man shall not be delivered by multitude of able strength. A horse is falshood for salvation, and shall not deliver by multitude of his power. Loe the eie of Iehovah is unto them that feare him, to them that hopefully wait for his merciemercy. To rid free their soule from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our soule earnestly waiteth for Iehovah, he is our helpe and our shield. For in him our heart shall rejoyce, for in the name of his holinesse doe we trust. Let thy merciemercy Iehovah be upon us, even as we hopefully wait for thee.
Annotations.
BEcommeth] the word denoteth a faire and comely grace, for which a thing is to be liked and desired. So Psal. 93. 5. and 147. 1. The Apostle expresseth it in Greeke, by faire or beautifull, Rom. 10. 15. from Esa. 52. 7.
Vers. 2. with harpe] or, with sitterne; in Hebrew, Kinnor: a musicall instrument invented by Iubal, Gen. 4. 21. used for mirth and joy, Psal. 137. 1, 2. Esa. 24. 8. Gen. 31. 27. and therefore is called the pleasant harpe, Psal. 81. 3. opposed unto mourning, Iob 30. 31. in skill on this instrument David excelled, 1 Sam. 16. 16. 23. and with this and other they used in Israel to celebrate the Lord with gladnesse, 1 Chron. 13. 8. and 15. 16. 28. and 25. 1. Nehem. 12. 27. So spiritually in the New Testament, Rev. 14. 2. with Psalterie] or Lute, or Uioll: In Hebrew Nebel; an instrument so called of the forme, which (as seemeth) was with a round hollow bulke, much like a bottle: (fo… Nebel is also a bottle or pitcher, 1 Sam. 10. 3. Lam. 4. 2.) and of this the Greeks and Latines had their instruments named Nablé, Naulon, Nablium. The Greeke here calleth it Psaltérion. ten stringed instrument] this differed from the Psalterie, Psal. 92. 4. therefore the word with is here supplied.
Vers. 3. a new song] A thing is said to be new which is alwayes fresh, renewed upon new occasions, and so permanent; as Iob saith, my glorie was new with me. So Love is both an old and a new commandement, 1 Ioh. 2. 7, 8. Or these new songs (mentioned here, and Psal. 40. 4. and 96. 1. and 98. 1. and 144. 9. Esai. 42. 10.) may have reference to the state of things under the Gospell where there is a new covenant, Heb. 8. 8. 13. new heavens and new earth, Rev. 21. 1. a new man, Ephes. 2. 15. and 4. 24. a new Ierusalem, Revel. 21. 2. and all things new, 2 Cor. 5. 17. Rev. 21. 5. See also Rev. 5. 9. and 14. 3. doe well playing, &c.] that is, make good musicke, or melodie. So 1 Sam. 16. 17. 18. Esa. 23. 16. And this melodie we are now willed to make to the Lord in our hearts, Ephes. 5. 19. The Hebrew Nagan, (whereof commeth Neginoth, Psal. 4. 1.) properly is to play with the hand upon an instrument, 1 Sam. 19. 9.
Vers. 4. in faith] that is, faithfull, true, and constant: for so this word is often used, as Exod. 17. 12. Moses hands were with faith, that is, steddy, firme, constant.
Vers. 5. the earth is full] the like is said, Ps. 119. 64. For God doth good unto all, both just and unjust, Matth. 5. 45. and saveth man and beast, Psal. 36. 7.
V. 6. the host of them] that is, the many creatures in them; as Angels, Suune, Moone, Starres, &c. Ps. 148. 1, 2, 3, 5. Gen. 2. 1. So mention is made of the powers or hosts of heaven, Matt. 24. 29. Spirit] or breath; thus Iehovah his Word and his Spirit are noted to be the maker of the world, as in Gen. 1.
Vers. 7. giveth the deepes] that is, putteth or disposeth the deepe waters into treasuries, or in cellars & secret store-houses, hidden from the eye of man, called elsewhere the secret roome of the deepe, Iob 38. 16. So God is said to have treasuries or store-houses of winde, Psal. 135. 7. of snow and haile, Iob 38. 22. of darkenesse, Isa. 45. 3. and the like. The Chaldee translateth, he putteth (the waters) into the treasuries of the deeps.
Vers. 9. it stood] that is, existed firme and stable, and so continued. So Psalm. 119. 91.
Vers. 10. dissipateth] or maketh frustrate, undoeth, abrogateth; a word opposed to ratifying, confirming, stablishing, Isa. 8. 10. and 19. 3. bringeth to nought] annihilateth, and breaketh.
Vers. 11. shall stand] that is, continue and have effect, whatsoever men purpose to the contrary. See Isa. 14. 24. 27. and 46. 10. Prov. 19. 21.
Vers. 12. is God] to wit, by speciall covenant and favour, though all the earth be his, Gen. 17. 7. Exod. 19. 5. and this is by the new Covenant, Heb. 8. 10. So Psal. 144. 15.
Vers. 15. altogether] or alone. The Hebrew jachad sometime signifieth alone without others, Iob 34. 29. Ezra 4. 3. (and so the Greeke Interpreters tooke it here, translating it kata monas, alone, or, by himselfe,) sometime it signifieth wholly, or every whit, Iob 10. 8. sometime together, or, in one, Ps. 2. 2. All these agree well here; for God onelyonly and wholly formeth every mans heart and spirit, Zach. 12. 1. whereupon he is called the Father of spirits, Hebr. 12. 9. and the God of the spirits of all flesh, Num. 16. 22.
Vers. 16. Of a power] that is, of an armie; so called, because there are strong, valiant, and active men, Psal. 136. 15.
Vers. 17. A horse is falshood] that is, a false and deceitfull helpe cannot save a man, but faileth those that trust in him, Zach. 10. 5. Ps. 76. 6. The horse is here used for all warlike furniture; this being above other creatures, strong, fierce, and couragious, Iob 39. 22,—28. and therefore is prepared for the day of battell, but salvation is of the Lord, Pro. 21. 31.
Vers. 18. The eye of Iehovah] that is, his care and providence for good, as the next verse sheweth, and as Ps 32. 8. Zach. 12 4. 1 Pet. 3. 12. Sometime the Lords eye is on men for evill, Amos 9. 4. 8.
Vers. 20. for Iehovah] in Chaldee, for the redemption of the Lord.
Vers. 21. in him] Chaldee, in his word.