Notes on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 104
The civ. PSALM.
This Psalm as it is subsequent to the last, so it is coherent with it, made doubtless by the same Author, the beginning and end of both being alike, and the argument not unlike. The one treating of God as a gracious redeemer of his Church and people, and the benefits that redownd thereby, the other as a powerful Creatour of all things, heavens, earth, seas and all things in them, together with their orderly conservation and provident preservation. All which things strikes the Psalmist into admiration, and puts him upon ingagement to constant meditation and praise, wishing none might live,Psalm civ. that live not to the Lord in like sort.
1BLess the Lord, O my soul, O Lord my God, thou art very great, thou art clothed with honour and Majestie.1 O Thou my soul, my best and principal part, praise thou the Lord, the Lord Almighty which is the onelyonly true God whom I worship and serve, Thou, Lord, art wonderfully great in power and dominion, the whole frame and order of nature in the great work of creation shew thee to be such, specially the heavens, (whose scituation is above as thou art,) which as in a mirrour shew forth thine incomparable honour and Majesty in those glorious lights, which is the visiblest representation of thee to our capacities, thy throne being there.
2Who coverest thy self with light, as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain.2 Thou hast spread the light over our heads throughout the aery element, so that it is filled therewith, and the Heavens where thou art, seem to be covered thereby from our sight, who can onelyonly see on this side those supernal luminaries. And as the light, so that vast expanse of heaven, thy Princely pavilion is drawn between thine unaccessible Majesty and us, like the curtains of a royal Tent.
3 Who,3Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters, who maketh the clouds his chariot, who walketh upon the wings of the wind. as he hath laid the foundation of the earth, which is his foot-stool in the depths of the sea, so hath he laid the floor of his upper loft, the heavens (where principally he resides as great men do above stairs) amongst the clouds that spread like a sea far and wide over our heads, on which he seems to ride as great men do in Chariots, directing the uncertain motions thereof hither and thither, and so also disposeth of the winds in their swift transition, and sudden mutation, to go and do as pleaseth him.
4 Who therefore hath made the glorious angels,4Who maketh his angels spirits, his ministers a flaming …ire. those heavenly messengers of his, not of such natures as we sublunaries are, but spirits, agil and active to come and go of his errands, and do his pleasure here below instantly and effectually as far distant as it seems, making those celestial ministers of his to execute his fiery indignation, either visibly appearing as flames of fire as sometimes they have done, so the Israelites were consumed in the wilderness, or invisibly destroying his enemies, but suddenly and terribly like as fire devoures combustible matter.
5 Who also hath by his transcendent supernatural wisdom so established the earth upon its center,5Who laid the foundations of the earth: that it should not be removed for ever. as a house upon a firm foundation, so that though it be pendent as a ball in the air, and therefore seems nothing more moveable, yet indeed there is nothing more immoveable, all the winds and storms that overthrow other things that have foundations, cannot stir this that hath none, but from the first creation to the uttermost dissolution of all things it shall continue firm.
6Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.6 In the first creation thou didst overflow all the earth, and encompassed it with those waters that are now the sea, they then spread themselves over the earth as a garment over a mans body so that no drie land appeared, the mountains as well as the valleys were then under water.
7At thy rebuke they fled: at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.7 Until thou wast pleased to command the contrarie, and then when thou preparedst that great Abyss to receive them that now contains them, and biddest them contrarie to their nature that would still be overflowing all, and drowning the whole earth, to retire into it as into their mansion and place of abode, they in reverence & obedience to thee, their Creatour made hast to their confinement at thy appointment; Thy word of command pronounced with such power and Majestie as if the heavens had thundred upon them, so awed them, that it made them yield ready obedience, and give place to the surface of the earth to appear above them, that ere while were so far above it.
8They go up by the mountains: they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.8 But when as thy pleasure was otherwayes made known, they in post hast, break through thick and thin, nothing could stay them, mountains could not dam them, nor level and flat valleys hold them, from speeding their course to the place thou hadst appointed for them, so effectual was thy command, that ascending and descending, up-hill and down-hill was then alike easie to them, they could rest no where till they were imbodied in the Abyss that thou createdst for them to be their elemental place and station.
9 And as by the force and efficacie of thy command they were thus with-drawn from over-flowing the earth,9Thou hast set a bound that they may may not pass over: that they turn not again to cover the earth. into the depths prepared for them, and made to yield a readie obedience to it, so by the same Almightie power, are they now kept in that station by no more visibler bounds than the bare sands, that they cannot return to that universal inundation, though by their mountainous waves and raging violence, they shew their propensitie and inclination, and that a supernatural power onelyonly restrains them.
10 Which water he returns again amongst the hils and valleys,10He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hils. not as it would by a deluge, but as he wills by an orderly and usefull way of springs and rivers, which though issuing from the salt sea, yet are so strained through the veins of the earth, and thereby refined that they are made fresh, and are refreshing to all creatures both in mountains and valleys, where they spring up and run down.
11 To the satisfying of all sorts of beasts,11They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst. where ever bred and fed by natures instinct, whether on hils or in dales, those that are out of mans reach to provide for, and of themselves have no forecast as other creatures have, yet does the Lord, out of his al-sufficient store-house, so dispose it, that they have no lack, but as he hath ordained the fields to give them meat even in the most desert places of the earth, where the foot of man never trod, there also hath he ordered nature to give them drink, by springs and rivers rising and running here and there for the quenching of their thirst, and maintaining the life that God hath given them.
12 The fowls of the air resort thither also as well12By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches. as the beasts of the field, selecting by special instinct such places as are well watered to be conversant in; building their nests, and chirping out their notes in those trees that grow in and about them, being thereby maintained fresh and green fittest for them.
13He watereth the hils from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of his works.13, 14 And as thus he provides for one part of natures sustenance, the quenching of thirst, so also for the satisfying of hunger, he as a faithfull and bountifull Creatour and benefactour,14He causeth the grass to grow for the cattel, and hearb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth. supplies the creature in both, and therefore waters the earth it self by seasonable and plentifull showres, even the high hils and barren mountains have the influences, and dew falls off the clouds from heaven upon them, to the satisfying and quenching of their thirst too, so that thereby the earth is every where made fruitfull by the Lords thus husbanding of it, and caring for it, and brings forth every creature in its kind, and according to the nature thereof both grass and hearbs for food for man and beast, as it was at first appointed to do, which otherwise would be barren and fruitless.
15And wine that makes glad the heart of man, and oyl to make his face to shine: and bread which strengtheneth mans heart.15 Nor doth the Lord cause the earth of it self onelyonly by his own husbandry to bring forth mere necessaries to sustain nature, but also by his blessing upon mans art and industrie, makes it bring forth far better things than hearbs, which as they are of near affinity with grass, and appointed for the food of man, to humble him into the apprehension of some kind of equality with the very beasts, so to shew his supremacie above them, he also hath bountifully enriched the earth for his sake with store of creatures of a higher kind, and of better nutriment, and that not onelyonly to sustain, but delight nature in a lawfull and moderate sort, as wine to chear the heart within, and strengthen the stomack; oyl and sweet oyntments to fresh his countenance without, and refresh his senses, and corn whereof bread is made, that staff of mans life, wherewith above all it is supported.
16 What is there that hath life,16The trees of the Lord are full of sap: the Cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted. that God doth not provide for, or that can live without him of what kind soever, whether they be creatures rational, as man, sensitive as beasts, or vegetive, as hearbs that grow upon the surface of the earth, or trees that lift up their tops on high, they also wheresoever they are, take root by his appointment, and grow up and increase to their height, breadth, and bigness by the thriving moisture he affords them, watering the earth with showres which as well gives sap sufficient for them, as for the meanest shrub or hearb that grows thereon. Those famous trees of Lebanon which exceed all others in the world for height and growth, were such by his special blessing, being intended and put to a special use, the building of the temple.
17 Them hath he ordained to be a place of harbour and delight to the fowls of the air,17Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir-trees are her house. where they secretly make their nests out of harms way, each according to their natural instinct, as the stork in the fir-trees, because the highest of all the rest.
18 All things,18The high hils are a refuge for the wild Goats: and the rocks for the conies. and all places have their use and property, and each creature its several disposition, way, and means of life and preservation, as the high trees harbour birds, so the high hils the wild goats, the unaccessible rocks they are not uninhabited neither, the coneys climbe them though other creatures cannot, and so secure themselves, and there propagate their kind, by a natural instinct given them of God, of self-preservation.
19He appointeth the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.19 Nor are the earth and the things thereof onelyonly ordered by him, but the heavens also and those glorious luminaries that so orderly succeed one another, and measure out time into days, nights, moneths, years, yea, the several seasons in each year, as summer, winter, spring, Autumn, all these are regularly squared out of God, by the sun and moons vicissitudes, declensions▪ altitudes, and augmentations.
20Thou makest darkness and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forrest do creep forth.20 And as thou hast made the day and the light thereof, usefull for some creatures that converse more orderly and civilly than others, so again hast thou ordained the night and the darkness thereof, to be the time when beasts of prey and rapine, take their turns, and come out of their dens and caves, by a wise and gracious providence, awing their natures by the day light, that then other creatures, as men and cattel, may with more securitie go about their business and sustain their natures without hazard of their lives.
21The young lions roar after their prey: and seek their meat from God.21 The stoutest and ravenousest of all beasts, by a special hand of restraining providence, even the very lions are afraid of the light, that they themselves may not affright other creatures, and therefore do they also, yea the fiercest of them, the young lions in the night-season onelyonly rouze themselves out of their dens, and after their kind make known their want to their kind make known their want to God by roaring for their prey, for as ravenous, and strong as they are, they cannot be their own carvers, but depend upon God; what his providence hath appointed to fall in their way, without their knowledge or expectation, that, and onelyonly that must serve their turns to satisfie hunger, and sustain nature, who else would devour all at once.
22, 23 As the sands bounds the seas,22The sun ariseth they gather themselves together: and lay them down in their dens. so it is as strange that the meer day-light should serve to enervate the furie of such ravenous savage creatures, which yet it does,23Man goeth forth to his work: and to his labour until the evening. for no sooner the sun riseth, but they, as if they were driven by heards, of their own accord cease their ranging, and not one, but all the kind of them by special instinct and providence, go tamely to their dens, and lay them down to sleep then, when men and cattel take their turns to go forth to work and feed, which till the sun go down again, that their time come, they do securelie.
24 O Lord,24O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. when I enter into the consideration of each particular work of creation, and providence wherein thou appearest, how am I at my wits end to think how numberless they are! a few may serve to strike us into admiration of them, and all the rest, to see and consider the powerfull wisdom that hath given them such beings, ways of subsistances without confusion, or destruction of themselves, and one another, as soon would fall out amongst both the elements and creatures, diddest not thou over-power them by thine hand, and over-rule them by thy wisdom, infinitely is the whole earth replenished every where, and enriched with thy bounty and goodness, nourishing and bringing forth creatures animate, and inanimate for the use one of another, and all for the glory of thee, the sole and great Creatour of all things.
25So is the great and wide sea: wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great.25 And as the earth, so the Sea, which by its own vast dimensions (if there were nothing else) doth sufficiently manifest this power and greatness; but especially if we consider how full fraught that Element is; for, as infinite of Fishes are there, as Beasts here on earth, not onelyonly of individuals▪ but of several kindes and quantities, all which (as many as there are, though innumerable, yet) have room enough there to swim, a motion like that of creeping creatures, that on earth glide upon their bellies.
26There go the ships: there is that Leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.26 There sail the ships too and fro, trading from countrey to countrey, even as men pass and repass about their business on land. There is that singular fish the Whale, that for greatness so far exceeds every living creature; the Lion, or King of all the rest, that by his strength and greatness sets forth thine who hast made him, and placed him in that element (inoffensive to man) which is so large and capacious, that as great as he is, there is room enough for him to take his pleasure, and disport himself by swimming and moving hither and thither, as a bird in the air, and with as much ease and dexteritie, as the least fish in the sea.
27These wait all upon thee: that thou maist give them their meat in due season.27 All these forementioned creatures, in what station or element soever they are, whether birds of the air, beasts of the field, or fishes in the sea, as they have all of them their beings from thee by creation, so also their well-being by providence, wonderfully providing suitable sustenance for each creature, and each kind, as many and divers as they are, and dost not onelyonly provide it for them suitable to their natures, but administer it to them seasonably, not suffering them to be their own carvers, who out of their ravenous and irrational disposition would keep no mean, but thou restrainest them, and at fit times dost exhibit a meet measure and proportion of food to them, and till then, nor beyond that, they cannot carve for themselves none of them all.
28 What thou pleasest in providence and bounty to bestow on them,28That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. that they must have and no more; it is not their power and strength, nor their rage and ravenousness that can make them exceed the limits thy providence sets them: they gather what thou lettest fall in their way; whilest thou suspendest to give, they cannot have, be it for a longer, or shorter time, which thou art pleased to do ordinarily in such a manner as may adapt their natures with appetite, and delight to receive the blessing intended for them, and then to bestow it. And this is true of all living creatures, as well men, as others; for it is not the advantage of reason, but thy dispensations that makes fruitfull seasons, and gives seasonable accommodations.
29 And as all things have their being and existence from thee,29Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. so also their determination and period. If thou seemest to be displeased with them, or to absent thy self from them by suspension of needfull things in the usual way of providence dispenced, then are they at their wits end, know not how to shift for themselves. And this thou art pleased to do, as to provide for them whilest thou hast determined them to live, so to take away either meat or stomach when thou hast appointed them to die, none of them being able to lengthen his life one minute or breathing time, beyond their determined period, for their subsistance is by the breath of life thou hast breathed into them, which when thou drawest back, they instantly expire, and in a very small time after rot, and consume to the dust▪ whereof at first all liveing creatures were made, than which their bodies are no better, when their souls cease to act in them, and depart from them.
30Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.30 And thou as soon and with as much ease makest new creatures, as dissolvest the old; for as the one is by withdrawing or detaining thy breath, so the other is but by inspiring, or breathing of it forth upon liveless materials, and presently the creature is formed into a living existence of what kind soever, and so by a continued succession and propagation, doest thou replenish the whole earth with one generation after another, as it were a new creation, and by the self-same spirit that then at the very first moved upon the face of the waters when all things were formed.
31The glorie of the Lord shall endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoyce in his works.31 This glorious fabrick of the world, and the creatures in it by succeeding generations shall endure as long as time it self lasteth, so long will the Lord carry on the creation, and for his pleasure sake manifest his glorious power in making, and providence in preserving the works of his hands in orderly progression.
32 And as thus living creatures are at Gods makeing and marring,32He looketh on the earth and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoak. so the earth it self is cherished with Gods favour to it, as if it were a sensible creature, and dejected even to trembling and amazement at the dispensations of his frowns and displeasure, the great stupendious mountains are but as stubble to the fire, if the Lord do but actuate the least token of his anger upon them, they also are extreamly troubled and affrighted, or annihilated and consumed for all their greatness, like other things,
33 Such are the works of God,33I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise unto my God, while I have my being. and so resplendent his greatness, and goodness in them, as that not a day shall go over my head wherein I will not out of the serious consideration, and happy impression they make upon my spirit, give glorie to God, and will sing their praises to him day by day, not for a fit, or in a humor, as hypocrits do when he humours them, but how ever it go with me, in weal or woe, him will I worship, and his name will I magnifie, nothing shall hinder whilest God lends me life.
34 I will not,34My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord. as most men do, overlook his works, and see nothing praise-worthy in them, the commonness of them shall not so blind mine eyes, but I will consider them, and his praise-worthy attributes that shine forth in them, I will not let mine heart stick in the creature, it shall be my foot-stool to lift me up to the Creator, to take a view of his excellencies and properties, there shall mine heart lay out it self and suck in their sweetnesses, which shall rejoice and establish it, because of my relation to, and interest in such a God so wonderfully qualified; I will improve my meditation into application, my thoughts shall not be meerly speculative, but practical to the warning, and working of my heart usefully towards God, when my head is imployed about the creature.
35Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more: bless thou the Lord, O my soul. Praise ye the Lord.35 Those that will not honour and serve such a God that hath done all these things, furnished the earth with such excellent commodities, whereof they reap the benefit, it is pitie they should live upon it to devour the creature, without magnifying the Creatour; especially they that abuse so much goodness, and turn grace into wantonness, making the creature against its nature to disserve the Lord by their perverting the use of it unto sin and Idolatrie; I would such were in their graves that discontent God, and discommode the godly. But what ever others do, O my soul, do thou thy duty, muster up all his mercies, meditate all his works, be thou affected by them to praise him for them, and return the glorie of his Attributes that shine forth in them. And all yee whose souls are like mine, even all that are faithfull and upright in heart, do as I do; let him have his due praises as well from you, as from me.