Notes on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 147
The cxlvii. PSALM.
David exceedingly exciteth the people of God, his Israel, to be frequent and conversant in praising the Lord, by sweet motives and powerfull arguments proper and common, shewing sometimes his tender care in speciall over his Church, then again illustrating him by his native excellencies, also by his gracious, just and different dispensations to good and bad, all having relation to his people, whom he again stirs up to the dutie of thanksgiving and praise, by acts of powerfull providence above and below, to beast and birds. He further cautionizeth them not to be misled in judgement, so as to think the favour of God, or success from God is attainable by humane inducem…nes or probabilities; no, but by faith and holy fear, which being the things that indear us to God, he again incites gods people to praise him for the priviledge of such truths revealed, and such graces exhibited, whereby they are so blessed and prospered with peace and plentie by him, who as Lord paramount commands the whole creation, and is obeyed by it both in heaven and earth; but he is Israels, and Israel his after a more peculiar and excellent manner than any other nations, or all the worlds besides, for which he concludes they ought to praise him answerably.Psalm cxlvii.
1 O Ye people of the Lord be much busied in praising him,1PRaise ye the Lord, for it is good to sing praises unto our God: for it is pleasant, and praise is co…ly. no greater testimonie of a good heart towards God, than to be praisefully affected and disposed; nothing we can do more profitable and available to our selves, for it keeps the heart in a holy frame and tunableness in the exercise of faith, and love to God-ward, and gains upon him exceedingly, who is much delighted with that kind of service and sacrifice, to have the honour done him, and homage paid him thats due unto him from the creature, specially his people that do it with faith and understanding; it is a work well becoming these, to magnifie the Lord both for what he is in himself considered, and also to them in grace and gracious dispensations.
2 Who indeed deserves praise but he▪.2The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the out-casts of Israel. That is all in all, specially to his Church; it is he that laieth the foundation of it in election, and builds it progressively by faith and sanctification, and finisheth his work of grace, and his peoples happiness in glorification, like as out of all the world, Jerusalem is the chosen place of his worship, and Israel a chosen people to worship him, both which he of meer grace by an Almightie power doth bless and build up unto a flourishing state and condition, and that notwithstanding their many enemies. Yea, he brings his people Israel out of their several mis-fortunes and dispersions, to be the sole subjects of his Kingdom, and to be united under me their head, his substitute, in a formed Church and Common-wealth, thereby to live happilie, and serve him acceptably, as in like sort he shall call his chosen all the world over into one body, his Church, under one head Christ to serve and honour him, and partake of his happiness. It is he that doth both the one, and the other.
3He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.3 God many times is pleased to break and bruise his people with outward afflictions, and inward depressions of mind and conscience by the weight of sins, guilt, or his dis-favour, but it is but to find his grace and spirit work, to shew his skill, and to verifie his word, who healeth them again with the balm of Gilead, the light of his countenance ariseth upon such a soul after some conflict; for God is tender over his people, specially in distress, and most specially in soul-agonies, when they pant under a troublesom spirit: he is the true Samaritan that poureth in wine and oyl, and binds up the wound of his Church and chosen, which the world without or trouble within hath made.
4He telleth the number of the stars: he calleth them all by their names.4 He that can number the numberless stars from one end of the heavens to the other, and knoweth them particularly and distinctly one by one, as many as they are, having indeed made them all, and ordained each one its orb and office, causing them to appear and act in their seasons orderly and successively without confusion, notwithstanding their infinite number, as also their variable, manifold, and inter-winding courses: he as well knoweth the number of the stars on earth, as in heaven, his people, wheresoever dispersed upon the face of the whole earth, to gather them into his bodie, as Israel into Canaan from their dispersions, yea, every particular person and member of his Church universal, knows he to bring him in, in his season, age, and generation, and both where and how to imploy him, in what station of the world, and place in his Church for the service of him and it.
5 For as the Lord is great in knowledge,5Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. so also in power; there can no bounds be set to either, he is infinite in understanding past our capacitie, a fit object of of our faith, and subject of our praise in all his proceedings.
6 As appears by the certain conclusions he brings out of uncertain providences,6The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground. how those that meekly, and humbly undergo their time and portion of sufferings, (the share of all his servants) wherein they seem to themselves and others to be forlorne and helpless, he by an Almightie hand, beyond imagination, relieves and releaseth them, makes them able with joy to over-top their sorrows, how despicable soever they were in the eyes of the world, whereas on the contrarie, those that with worldly, pomp and affluence are lifted up to do wickedly against him, or his Church oppressing them, or contemning him; these, as high as they are in power and pride, and though they seem to the world and themselves, in respect of their present condition to be as immoveable as a mountain, God notwithstanding, nay, therefore ruinates them, and lets the world see the difference of good and bad, of them that fear him, and also of them that fear him not.
7Sings unto the Lord with thanks-giving: sing praise upon the harp unto our God.7 Consider the thank-worthy goodness of God, to stir you up to zeal and gratitude when you praise him in Psalms and Hymns, which neglect not to do, even to do with all your might, and the best of your skill, both of voice and instrument, and all too little to give God his due, specially we his peculiar people, cannot do too much in this way, who by special priviledge are the onelyonly people of all the world, that worship the onelyonly true God.
8Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.8 For it is he that by his power so alters the face of the heavens (as we often see) from serene and clear, suddenly over-spreading them with thick and dark clouds, so disposing it for the use and benefit of the earth, that needs as well rain as fair weather, which he transmits by those clouds so convoked, and thereby causeth the earth to fructifie, which else would be barren and like fallow land; yea, the very mountains are made pasturable by this means, that are not capable of the benefit of flouds like lower grounds, yet by his blessing from above are usefull, and productive of grass and hearbs.
9He giveth to the beast his food: and to the young ravens which crie.9 And so provideth sustentation for the irrational creature, making nature to supply the want of art and husbandrie to the very beast, and that variously too, according to the several kinds thereof, in apt times and places, producing suitable food to the several Species of that vast Genus, and the birds as well as beasts are sustained and provided for by him, yea, those that we least set by, the raven, that though it be not meat for man, yet God (it being his creature) provides meat for it, and that too, when they are young, and early forsaken of the old, and so want skill to shift for themselves, yet have they their cries heard which nature hath taught them to put up, & their need supplied by God, who even hears them.
10 Think not that it is any created excellencie,10He delighteth not in the strenght of horse: he taketh not pleasure in the leggs of a man. that commends men to God, he is not moved by such objects, and arguments as man is, he bestows not his blessings upon man, either by or for his own, or the creatures strength or exceellencie, to give success either therefore, or thereafter.
11 No,11The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him: in those that hope in his merciemercy. that whch moves with God, is his own graces, active and stirring in the hearts of his people; if you would be blessed of him, & be in favour with him, then with filial fear endeavour his pleasing in all you do, and avoid the contrarie, and so walking before him, confidently trust in him for grace and merciemercy; chearup your hearts in hope of his goodness and faithfulness toward you, this, and onelyonly this is the way to be accepted of him, and blessed by him.
12 Wherein you that are his Church and people have the odds of all the world,12Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem: praise thy God, O Sion. who for those extrinsecal created priviledges of men, and horses may go beyond you, but not as to God: it is your intrinsecal graces wrought by him, and active towards him, that prefers you above all the world in his esteem. O therefore praise the Lord, ye his Israel, his Church & chos̄e, that have the happiness to congregate at Jerusalem, to worship him there in his holy mountain, which he hath peculiarely set apart for the place to be worshiped in, like as you for the people, (representing his church universal chosen out of the world) to have the honour to worship and serve him from all others, on whom he bestows his grace, and in whom he onelyonly takes content and pleasure; no creature but the new creature, (since the fall) being delightfull to him; for which, they therefore that are so, ought to praise him, even for this their happie proprietie and interest in him.
13For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates: he hath blessed thy children within thee.13 Whereby it is that Jerusalem (both real and mystical) is fortified against all earthly power by divine protection, stronger than horse or man; the sons and daughters of the Church, whereof God is the father, is blessed in that their relation and interest, and are under the Lords special care and power for their preservation, as Jerusalem with the inhabitants, and faithfull worshippers therein, is and shall be secured by the special presence of God there resident.
14He maketh peace in thy borders: and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.14 To whom he giveth peace and preservation, spite of her many enemies, even in all the borders of Israel, who by the blessing of God in their own land, enjoy peace and tranquilitie, as his Church and people shall peace of conscience, yea, and with peace, plentie, and that of the best of earthly blessings, of the flower of wheat, the staff of temporal life, like as his Church shall be happie, as in peace of conscience, so in Angels food, the joy of the holy Ghost, testifying the mind of God, his love and favour toward them, the best upholder of life spiritual.
15He sendeth forth his commandement upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly.15 This thy God, O Israel, is he that commands all the world over, and whatsoever throughout the whole creation he pleaseth effectually to will, is by all creatures obeyed accordingly, and can be no other; nothing can give impediment to his will, all second causes being at his beck to do his pleasure, so that the word of command is no sooner given to any creature, or creatures from one end of the world to the other, but it is obeyed, and the thing acted that he commanded, the whole course of nature being nothing else, but a ready and actual fulfilling of those things which he commands.
16 Witness the several and wonderfull effects thereof,16He giveth snow like wooll: he scattereth the hoar frost like ashes. how in the winter time by Gods appointmen and transmutation, the earth is quite changed in form and complexion, being covered over with snow, a white and light substance, as sheep with w…oll, which he transmits from above, and makes the hoarie frost lye upon the face of the earth scattered and dispersed, as ashes when they are blowne about by the wind.
17 Also the hail when it falls,17He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold. it is he, that as he formed it above, so sends it down below, not in one intire coagulated bodie, as is the nature of ice, which would overwhelm and destroy the creature, but in those showers and dispersions piece-meal, as we see. Who lives that is not sensible of the pinching weather that in winter time he is pleased to send, and that is able to endure the extremitie of cold without helps and arts whereby to keep them warm.
18 And as before he sent out his word,18He sendeth out his word and melt…th them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow. and that caused them to be both snow and frost, when and whilest they were, so when he pleaseth to change the scene, and that the earth and waters shall return to their proper elementarie appearance again; he doth but give the word, and it is done; as it made them, so it dissolves them; he commands but a moist thawing wind (for the winds also are his, and at his dispose) to blow, and that melts the snow and ice into the water, whereof it was congealed, and so reduceth the rivers, which in that could season were bound up with a firm unmoveable bodie of ice, into their motion and current as before, with an over-flowing augmentation, by the dissolving of those waterie Meteors.
19He sheweth his word unto Jacob: his statutes & his judgements unto Israel19 By the word of his power creative and providential, he is thus seen and known all the world over, no people nor nation but partake thereof evidently. But to Israel, Jacobs posteritie, his Church and chosen people, doth he besides that, hold forth another manner of word, to wit, a word of grace, declaring his whole will to them, and government over them, not onelyonly as a Creatour, but a Lord and Saviour, and so also owning them for his, not onelyonly as creatures, but sons and servants under the dispensations of grace on his part toward them, and laws and ordinances of holiness and righteousness on their part toward him.
20He hath not dealt so with any nation▪ and as for his judgements, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord.20 This peculiar priviledge hath the Israel of God above the whole world besides, and that by the meer and free grace of God, all nations in nature being alike to him, it is neither the people, nor the place that makes the difference, but his election, which for any reason out of himself might have passed upon any other people, as well as you; they might have had the sun of righteousness, the star of Jacob risen in their Hemisphere, the word and will of God, savingly, and sanctifyingly revealed to them, as it is to you, and you have been in darkness, as they are at this day; but in mercy it is quite contrarie, you have what they want, and they want what you have, even all the world are in darkness, and in the shadow of death for want of the word of light and life, of holiness and righteousnes on his part and theirs, but you, be ye therefore stirred up to suitable praise and thanks-giving, O ye his peculiar people, for such rare and singular mercies and benefits, so peculiarly bestowed upon you.