Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 6 · Book 5 · Commentary on psalm 36 – Commentary on psalm 38
PSAL. CXLVIII.
The Psalmist exhorteth all the heavenly, 7. the earthly, 11. and the reasonable creatures to praise God.
Halelu-jah.
PRaise yee Iehovah from the heavens, praise yee him in the high places. Praise ye him all his Angels, praise yee him all his hosts. Praise yee him Sunne and Moone, praise ye him all starres of light. Praise yee him heavens of heavens, and the waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of Iehovah, for he commanded, and they were created. And hee stablished them for aye for ever; a statute hee gave, and it shall not passe. Praise ye Iehovah from the earth, Dragons, and all deepes.
Fire and haile, snow and vapour, stormie wind, doing his word. Mountaines and all hils, fruitfull tree and all cedars. The wilde beast and all cattell, creeping thing and fethered fowle. Kings of the earth and all peoples, Princes and all Iudges of the earth.
Young men and also maidens, old men with children. Let them praise the name of Iehovah, for high advanced is his Name, even his alone; his glorious Majestie is above earth and heavens. And hee hath exalted the horne of his people, the praise of all his gracious Saints, the sonnes of Israel, a people neare him; Halelu-jah.
Annotations.
FRom the heavens] ye heavenly creatures; as the Chaldee, yee holy creatures of heaven: so after, from the earth, vers. 7. is earthly creatures. Compare Rev. 5. 13. in the high places] which the Chaldee expoundeth, high Angels.
Vers. 3. starres of light] bright shining starres, which praised God together, Iob 38. 7.
Vers. 4. above the heavens] in the clouds of the aire, Gen. 1. 7. Job 26. 8. and 37. 11.
Vers. 6. stablished] or, made them stand, Psalm. 119. 91. a statute] that is, statutes or decrees, rules, ordinances, whereby every creature is bounded to his set time and place, as Job 14. 5, 13. and 26. 10. whereupon mention is made of the statutes or ordinances of heaven, of the Moone and starres, &c. Iob 38. 33. Ier. 31. 35. and 33. 25. it shall not passe] that is, not any of the things fore-mentioned shall passe the statute (or bound) set of God; or it, the statute shall not passe away, or faile, or, not be altered; as Esth. 1. 10. and 9. 27. 28.
Vers. 7. dragons] or whale-fishes.
Vers. 8. vapour] or smoake, exhalation, dampe. As these and all other creatures are here stirred up to praise the Lord; so for our sakes are these things written, that we should learne by them to praise the Creator. And it is a rule in the Hebrew Canons, that for winds when they blow tempestuously, and for lightning & thunder, &c. for lights in the aire which seeme to be starres that fall, or runne from place to place, or blazing stars, comets, &c. when a man seeth any of these, hee is to blesse God who hath filled the world with his power and might. Also, he that seeth the beautifull creatures, as going out into the fields or gardens in the spring time, seeth the trees sprouting and blossoming, he is to blesse God, who hath not let his world lacke any thing, but hath created in it goodly creatures and saire trees. &c. for the use of the sons of Adam. So, for mountaines and hills, seas and desarts, rivers, &c. if he see any of them from three daies to three daies, he is to blesse the Creater of the world. Maimony in Misneh, in Beracoth, chap. 10. sect. 14. 13. 15.
Vers. 10. fethered fowle] or winged bird: Hebr. bird of wing.
Vers. 13. high advanced] or set on high: so Esay 12. 4. It is a strong tower, into which the righteous runneth, and is also set on high in safety, Prov. 18. 10.
Vers. 14. the horne] the power and glory, as the Chaldee saith, the glory of the kingdome of his people: see Psal. 75. 10. This is accomplished in Christ, the horne of salvation, Luk. 1. 69. the praise] understand, which is the praise of his Saints, that is, their glory, or an argument of praise to them. neare him] Gods people are said to be neare unto him, in respect of his covenāt with them in Christ, Ephes. 2. 13. their service of him, Levit. 10. 3. and spirituall alliance in Christ, Ioh. 20. 17. 1 Joh. 3. 1. For this word, nigh, is used for kindred, Lev. 21 3. Christ draweth neare unto God for them, Jer. 30. 21. and they by him, Heb. 10. 19. 22.
PSAL. CXLIX.
God is publikely to be praised for his graces to his Church, and power given to the same.
Halelu-jah.
SIng ye to Iehovah a new song, his praise in the Church of gracious Saints. Let Israel rejoyce in his makers, let the sons of Sion be glad in their King. Let them praise his name with flute; with timbrell and harpe, let them sing Psalmes unto him. For Iehovah taketh pleasure in his people, he will beautifie the meeke with salvation. The gracious Saints shall be gladsome in glory, shall shout joyfully upon their beds. The exaltations of God in their throat, and a twoedged sword in their hand. To doe vengeance on the heathens, reproofs in the nations.
To binde their Kings in chaines, and their Nobles in fetters of iron. To doe on them the judgement written, this comely honour is to all his gracious Saints; Halelu-jah.
Annotations.
HIs makers] the Father, the Word, and the Hely Ghost, which three are one, 1 Ioh. 5. 7. The mysterie of the Trinity is in the Hebrew phrase; so in many other, as, Let us make man in our image, Gen. 1. 26. Where is God my makers? Iob 35. 10. Thy makers is thine husbands, Esai. 54. 5 Remember thy Creators, Eccles. 12. 1. and sundry the like. God also is our maker, both in nature and grace: see Psal. 100. 3. their King] Christ: as Matth. 21. 5. Song 14.
Vers. 3. with slate] …s Psal. 150. 4. or, in a dance; as Ier. 31. 4. 13. Ps. 30. 12. One name is given both to the dance, and the pipe whereto they danced.
Vers. 4. …] or adorne, make glorious: so Esa. 60. 7. 9. 13. The Greeke saith, exalt.
Vers. 6. The exaltations] that is, exalting songs, high acts, high praises, or, lifting up of the voice, preachings. in their throat] that is, aloud spoken of, and proclaimed: so Esa. 58. 1. Cry with the throat, is, Cry aloud. two edged] Hebr. a sword of mouths, that is, of two mouthes, as is expressed, Iudg. 3. 16. in Greeke two mouthed, that is, two edged, biting or cutting both waies. This sword is Gods word, and commeth out of Christs mouth, Ephes. 6. 17. Heb. 4. 12. Rev. 1. 16.
Vers. 7. on the beathens] by preaching against their idolatries, Act. 14. 15. and 17. 16, 17, 22, &c. Compare 2 Cor. 10. 4. 5. 6. Esa. 41. 15. reproofs] for sinne, as Ioh. 16. 8, &c.
Vers. 8. To binde their Kings] restraining their vices, and bringing them under the bonds and subjection of the gospell; see Ps. 2. 3. Mark. 6. 20. Acts 24. 26. Rev. 21. 24. Esa. 45. 14. a figure of captivity, Nahum 3. 10. 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5, 6. Matth. 16. 19. Nobles] or Honourable.
Vers. 9. written] in the booke of God; see 1 Cor. 4. 6. Rev. 22. 18. So the Chaldee paraphraseth, written in the Law. And this may have reference to that law, Deut. 7. 1, 2, &c. honour is] or, this shall be the honour of all his Saints.
PSAL. CL.
An exhortation to praise Gods holinesse, power, & goodnesse, with all kinde of instruments, and all breath.
Halelu-jah.
PRaise ye God in his sanctity, praise him in the firmament of his strength. Praise him in his powers, praise him according to the multitude of his greatnesse. Praise him with the sound of the Trumpet, praise him with the psaltery and harpe. Praise him with Tymbrel and Flute, praise him with Virginals and Organ. Praise him with well sounding Cymbals, praise him with loud sounding Cymbals. Let all breath praise Iah; Halelu-jah.
Annotations.
IN his sanctity] or, for his holinesse; his most holy being, Isa. 6. 3. the first argument of praise from Gods holy essence in himselfe: or, in his sanctitie, (his sanctuary) his holy place, meaning heaven, in the firmament of his strength] that is, for his strong firmament, (called heaven, Gen. 1. 8.) the second argument of praise, from the frame of the world, whereof heaven is chiefest: see Psal. 19. 2. or for the out-spreading of his strength, that is, for his strength spread out as the firmament.
Vers. 2. in his powers] or, for his powerfull acts, as Ps. 145. 4. the third argument of praise from Gods mighty administration of all things since the creati on. of his greatnesse] or majestie, in speciall merciemercy towards his owne people and against their enemies; which is the fourth argument of his praise. Compare Deut. 3. 24. and 9. 26. and 32. 3. Ex. 15. 16. 1 Chro. 17. 19. Luke 1. 46, 49, 58. Act. 2. 11. Psal. 79. 11. and 145. 3. 6. Majesty hath the name of greatnesse, and is applied to the greatest state of Polities or Common-weales; which is to be minded here.
Vers. 4. flute] or dance: Psal. 149. 3. Virginals] or, stringed instruments: this word is not else-where in Scripture. Organ] or, the Organon, as the Greeke translateth it: the Hebrew name signifieth a lovely (or delightfull) instrument: it is one of the ancientest of the world, invented by Iubal, Gen. 4. 21. and an instrument of joy, Iob 21. 12. & 30. 31. well sounding Cymbals] Hebr. Cymbals of hearing, that is, easie or delightfull to be heard, which the Greeke translateth well sounding. The Cymbals were of metall, as bels, and have their name of their shrill tinckling sound. loud sounding] or, joyfully sounding, or tinckling; as 1 Cor. 13. 1. Hebr. Cymbals of shouting sound.
Vers. 6. all breath] or, every breath, that is, every thing that hath breath: this word is used for the breath that God inspired into man, Gen. 2. 7. and so for mans minde or immortall soule, Isa. 57. 16. and usually is applied to man, and to the breath of God, Psal. 18. 16. but in Gen. 7. 22. it seemeth to be spoken of all living things. Compare Rev. 5. 13. where every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, were heard, saying; VntoUnto him that sitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb, be blessing, and honour, and glory, and power for ever and ever, Amen.
The end of the Booke of Psalmes.