Notes on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 105
The cv. PSALM.
This Psalm made by David, as appears by part of that song upon the Arks remove to Ierusalem, 1 Chron. 16. Exciteth the people of Israel to be thankfull to God, to praise him, and in faith to seek him, for all that he hath done in the behalf of them and their fore-fathers of old, in that he chose them, entred covenant with them of all the earth; for which covenant sake he had so infinitely befriended them ever since, in the Patriarks sojournings, Iosephs preferring, Israels preserving in Egypt, and wonderfull deliverance thence, their provision and conduct in the wilderness, and possession of Canaan; and lastly shews the final cause of all the service of God, and what should be the result. His praise.Psalm cv.
1 AFter so many and great mercies as God hath afforded you above all people,1O Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. even to the setling the Ark of his presence amongst you upon his holy hill, the resting place of it and him; be not unmindfull of, nor ungratefull for them; but pour out your souls in thankfull acknowledgements of them all to the Lord, especially of this, tending so much to the perfecting and full accomplishment of the happie condition of this Church and Kingdom, so long since promised and foretold, and to that purpose frequent this place of his special residence here, to worship him, pray to him, and praise him, yea, every where, where you come and have opportunitie, publish the great things he hath done from time to time, and the wonders he hath wrought in behalf of his chosen Israel, to get him glorie both amongst Jews and Gentiles.
2 Make it your business to praise the Lord every way,2Sing unto him, sing Psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wonderous works. and by all manner of means, sing forth his praises with heart and voice, in Psalms solemnly sung, and Quire-like with all the Art and Melodie, that musical instruments added thereunto can make, and at your own houses as well as at his, busie your selves about him, when you have not opportunitie to glorifie him one way, do it another way; speak and discourse of him and his works wrought for you, to the keeping them alive in memorie and affections, both your own and others, at home and abroad as you have occasion.
3Glorie ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoyce that …ear the Lord.3 Make your boasts of God ye that are so nearly related to him, both of what he hath done, and of what he is able and hath promised to do for you, be strong in faith, and with assured hope and confidence rejoyce in the Lords future favour and grace to his people, have no doubts nor fears to the contrarie, onelyonly frequent his sanctuary, and there worship him, and open your hearts in faithfull prayer unto him.
4Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.4 You know where the Lord is to be sought, and where he will be found, his Ark is both the pledge of his strength and favour, there you may have them for asking, therefore be not lazie, lose not such pearls for the digging; though it cost you some travel, yet such gains will quit your cost; bestir you therefore, come, often, at least as oft as he requires you and your posteritie after you, keep him now you have him, never forsake him, and he will never forsake you.
5Remember his marvelous works that he hath done: his wonders, and the judgements of his mouth.5 And when you do come, come warm in affection, carrie along in your hearts the faithfull and gratefull memorie of what wonderfull works he hath alreadie heretofore wrought in your behalfs, the better to possess you of his power and good will towards you, and to animate you in faithfull prayer towards him, that you have found so faithfull and true of his word both of promise to you, and of judgements to your enemies, as he threatened.
6 What I have spoken by way of exhortation,6O ye seed of Abraham his Servant: ye children of Jacob his chosen. I speak it to you and you onelyonly that are the Israel of God, heirs of promise, the people of his covenant which he made with Abraham your father, and his faithfull and obedient servant, who as you come of him, so I exhort you to inherit and imitate his graces, that his God may be yours; as also your more immediate father Jacob, that holy Patriarch, chosen of Gods free grace, and you in him to be his peculiar Church and people, when as his elder brother Esau, and the Edomites his posteritie were and are rejected, and given up to serve other gods, yea, all the world but you.
7 He onelyonly is the Lord,7He is the Lord our God: his judgements are in all the earth. and hath vouchsafed us the honour to be his onelyonly people of all the earth, which for our sakes he hath every where judged, and punished the nations thereof in several parts of the world, where we and our forefathers have sojourned, in case of violence and injurie done us, which in most places we have met with.
8 We have cause thankfully to bear in mind,8He hath remembered his covenant for ever: the word which he commanded to a thousand generations how graciously God hath always born us in mind, in all places and conditions, never forgetting us nor the promise of protection and merciemercy he of old made to us, at no time, but hath faithfully performed the covenant on his part which he commanded us to trust in and yield obedience to on our, Thereby to maintain a blessed and mutual correspondencie of interest and relation of him for ours, and we for his everlastingly.
9 The covenant which of old laid the foundation9Which covenant he made with Abraham: and his oath unto Isaac. of friendship and relation betwixt God and us in our fore-father Abraham, promising to be his God, and the God of his seed, in case they would be his people, walk before him, and be perfect by a stedfast faith, and upright obedience, which covenant he reiterated to Isaac, and reinforced with an oath to increase our confidence, and ingage us deeper in reciprocal love and gratuituosness.
10And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law: and …o Israel for a… everlasting covenant.10 Which he further ratified to Ja…ob by a legislative sanction, more uchangeable than the laws of Medes and Persians, and not onelyonly whilest his name was Jacob, but after he had the name of Israel, which was to endure to him and his posteritie, even all the faithful Israel of God, and so was the Covenant entailed upon him.
11Saying unto thee will I give the land of Canaan: the lot of your inheritance.11 As is evident by that promise of the investiture of his off-spring into the land of Canaan, which by lot was to be divided for a sure possession and inheritance, which we see litterally fulfilled this day in ample sort, and so shall spiritual Canaan, heaven it self be given to Gods spiritual Israel by virtue of the same covennant.
12When they were but a few men in number: yea, very few and strangers in it.12 And this promise did he make to Israel, not when they were a numerous bodie of many hundred thousands, as after by his blessing they multiplied unto, but then when he in the nature of a Pater-familias, with some sons, and a few servants, guest-waies, sojourned here and there in the land, then wholely inhabited and possessed by many and great nations, altogether strangers to him, and he to them.
13When they went from one nation to another: from one Kingdom to another people.13 When God by appointment and providence led them from place to place without any settlement, wandering amongst nations, first one, and then another, of strange language, and different religions, now in this Kingdom, and anon in that Republike.
14 And for all they traversed the earth in that sort,14He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved Kings for their sake…. and many Princes and people picked quarrels with them, that to speak humanely, had been able to have swallowed them up; yet the Lord so protected them, that they were still preserved, they and their flocks wheresoever they went, and those that did attempt to wrong them, as Pharaoh, King of Egypt, and Abimelech, King of Gerar, by taking Sarah from Abraham, were made to restore her, and glad to crie Peccavi.
15 For God had warned them of him,15Saying, Touch not mine anointed: and do my Prophets no harm. what manner of man he was whom they offered to wrong, how that he was a chosen vessel and an extraordinarie servant of his; a Prophet, and therefore at their uttermost peril if they persisted to wrong him, or his, or to harm them in the least. And the same protection he afforded him, he afforded to the rest of the Patriarks, Abrahams successours in their itineraries, so that Isaac and Jacob sojourned amongst them as he did safe enough from harm amongst strangers, and those that bare them no good will, by the meer over-awing power of God, moving the hearts of the Kings, and rulers of the countries where they came, to think reverently of them, and treat them well for his sake, whose in special manner, and in extraordinary relation and profession he made it known to them, they were consecrated peculiarly above all men, for the instructing and propagating a Church unto him, that were to come out of their loins.
16Moreover he called for a famin upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.16 And when the Lord was pleased to command that great famin to be, which happened in the days of Joseph, over the whole earth, so that in no countreys was bread, that chief support of mans life, to be had.
17He sent a man before them: ev…n Joseph who was sold for a servant.17 No more in Canaan where Jacob and his sons sojourned than any where else, yet the Lord was so mindfull of and provident for them, that he took a course before-hand to provide for them, and therefore so disposed it by his providence, that Joseph who proved so famous a man afterward, he, by the errour of his brethren that sold him: but by the over-ruling hand of God, was carried into Egypt, and there sold of them for a servant to Potiphar, who after commanded all Egypt, and sustained his father and brethren there during that long famin.
18Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in Iron.18 But first he under-went great hardship, was sold as a slave, falsly accused by his mistress, wrongfully imprisoned by his master, with cruel usage there for a time, being laid long in irons, which te into his own flesh, and were extream painfull to him, and that for no offence of his.
19Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tryed him.19 This life he led during the time that God had ordained him so to do, till the time came wherein God purposed, and had promised in a dream long before, that better should befall him, till then what God had ordained and decreed concerning the humbling him, and exercising of his faith and patience, did thus happen to him for his triall.
20 But when that time was come,20The King sent and loosed him: even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. then though he was a prisoner, an abject person, and a stranger, an Hebrew, no Egyptian, yet did God so bring things about, as even he in this estate was made known to the King, who by express command, sent no meaner a man than his own Master, Captain of the guard, that had the chief custody of the Kings prisoners, and himself had cast Joseph among them, to loose him, and bring him into his presence, and took such contentment in him, that he not onelyonly commanded him to be set at liberty;
21 But made him chief next under himself in honour and command,21He made …im Lord of his house: and ruler of all his substance. over all that he had in his dominions at home and abroad, domestick or republick.
22 All Pharaohs great men and officers were at and under Josephs command,22To bind his Princes at his pleasure: and teach his senatours wisdom. what he directed was done, yea, the wisest of his counsellours were ordered by him, and received orders from him.
23 By whose means his father and brethren were all well provided for in that time of extream famine,23Israel also came into Egypt: and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. for by the leave of Pharaoh he sent for Israel, even Jacob and all his sons, and th…ir families to come into Egypt to him, whither accordingly he and they came, and sojourned there among the posterity of Cham, of whom came the Egyptians, being there sustained by the plenty that Joseph had stored up in that land.
24 And the Lord did greatly multiply the seed of Israel his people whilest they were in Egypt,24And he increased his people greatly: & made them stronger than their enemies. insomuch that the Egyptians grew to be afraid of their numerousness, least they should be able in time to over-master them in their own land, which fear turned into enmity against them.
25He turned their heart to hate his people: to deal subtilly with his servants.25 Insomuch, that as well as at first, they were received amongst the Egyptians, and for all the good offices Joseph had done to that nation, yet the Lord so ordered it according to his predictions, that Egypt soon after grew ungratefull and unmindfull of all that was past, and so hated Israel as they laid plots to suppress them, and keep them so at an under, that they should not multiply after that sort, and to imbase and enervate their spirits, that so by base drudgeries imposed upon them, they should never have the courage to attempt their liberty and departure thence, but should serve the Egyptians everlastingly for slaves and labourers;
26He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen.26 Which they were a long time, till the appointed period came, and that they cried to the Lord by reason of their insupportable pressures. And then did the Lord miraculously preserve Moses, and sent him as his great Embassabour to Pharaoh, he and Aaron, these two onelyonly he chose to carry on and perfect that great work of Israels deliverance out of Egypt, the one of them his extraordinary Prophet and servant, and the other afterwards his High-Priest.
27They shewed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.27 Which deliverance was marvellously compassed by strange and miraculous wonders, wrought by these men through the power of the Almighty, to let those Egyptians, the posterity of Cham that cursed progenitour, see what a God of power the God of Israel was.
28He sent darkness and made it dark: and they rebelled not against his word.28 The Lord therefore at Moses his stretching forth his hand towards heaven, when Pharaoh would not let Israel go, sent strange and extraordinary darkness both for its nature and continuance upon the whole land of Egypt. Yea, what ever the Lord commanded those two faithfull servants of his to do or say in the whole transaction of this great business betwixt Pharaoh and him for the deliverance of his people, they failed not either in their messages or commands, but though with never so much perill to themselves, did whatsoever they were appointed of God continually, and all creatures obeyed as readily.
29 By their Ministery,29He turned their waters in o bloud, and slew their fish. when Pharaoh would not yet let Israel go, God also turned the waters into bloud throughout all the land of Egypt, every where, both in their rivers, pooles, and houshold-cisternes, so that neither they could drink it, nor the fish live in it but were killed.
30 Also by Aarons stretching out his hand over the waters of Egypt upon Pharaohs further hardening,30The land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their Kings. God brought infinite of frogs upon the land, like grass that grows upon the ground, which dispersed themselves into all places, so that Pharaoh and his Princes, even their very bed-chambers were full of those crawling creatures, no place free.
31 Furthermore Aaron stretched out his rod upon the dust of Egypt,31He spake, and there came diverse sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts. and the dust became lice all the land over, which crept upon man and beast; also God commanded and there was likewise grievous swarms of severall sorts of uncouth flies in all the land, thus with base vermin did the Lord plague the proud Egyptians for lording it over his people.
32 There where useth to be no hail nor rain,32He gave them hail for rain: and flaming fire in their land. the Lord at Pharaohs refusall to let his people go, sent, by the hand of Moses stretched forth to heaven, a grievous storm of hail mixt with fire, and accompanied with terrible thunder-claps, which fell as thick as rain from the clouds, the hail and fire killing and consuming all without doores that was in the field.
33He smote their vines also and their fig-trees: and brake the trees of their coasts.33 Yea, so forcible was the storm, and so extraordinary the hail, that it spoiled their vines, fig-trees, and brake all other sorts of trees also throughout the coasts and quarters of Egypt.
34He spake, & the locusts came; and cater-pillars, and that without number34, 35 After this, the Lord commanded an Eastwind to blow, which brought strange kinds of locusts and cater-pillars,35And did eat up all the hearbs in the land: and devoured the fruit of their ground. in such an infinite number, that they darkened the land, which every where throughout all Egypt devoured every thing that was green, hearb or tree, which the hail had not consumed.
36He smote also all the first-born in their land: the chief of all their strength.36 When nothing else would do, he smote all the first-born in Egypt both of men and beast, King and people, so that in one night the flour of all Egypt perished because of Pharaohs hardened heart, that would not let Israel go.
37He brought them sorth also! with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their Tribes.37, 38 Whereupon according as God had foretold, Pharaoh let Israel go, and glad he and his people were to be rid of them, for whose sake God had so destroied his countrey, and by the conduct of Moses the Lord led them thence,38Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them. when first he had given them favour in the sight of the Egyptians, to depart to them their Jewels of silver and gold and raiment, all which they carried away with them to the spoil of the Egyptians, and their own exceeding enriching, and though they were so many hundred thousands, yet of all that number in none of all the twelve Tribes, was there any one, that for all the plagues that had befallen the Egyptians, amongst whom they lived, was a hair the worse, nor that either by their cruell usage, hard burdens, old age or sickness was creepled or enfeebled, unfit for travel, but every man, woman, and child, was lusty and strong to undertake their journey.
39 Nor did God leave them when he had thus delivered them,39He spread a cloud for a covering: and a fire to give light in the night. but provided for them in and along their journey through the wilderness, ordained supernaturally a cool refreshing cloud in the day-time, to wait upon them and travell along with them, which like a Canopie covered them from the scorchings of the Sun in that hot desart, as also in the night-time for light to travell by, he gave them a pillar of fire, in both which he himself conducted them.
40, 41 And as he provided for them light and shade for their well-being and better travelling,40The people asked and he brough… quailes: and satisfied them with the brea… of heaven. so did he above the course of nature, which could not then and there supply them,41He opened the rock and the waters gushed out, they ran in the dry places like a river. give them livelihood and things necessary for their strength and being, as meat and drink, and both by extraordinary and miraculous means, Manna that memorable bread and dew-fall of heaven, they had it in abundance, enough to serve that huge Host during all the time of their travell in the wilderness, besides which, when they asked (though not in that manner they ought) he gave them further provision, and by a wind which he caused to blow, brought Quails that fell round about the Camp, enow to serve that numerous people, also when they were thirstie he caused the rock of Horeb upon Moses his smiting it to open, and the waters to flow forth of it, which ran in that desart wilderness along as they travelled as it had been a river, that there had its naturall course, for the sustenance of them and their cattell.
42For he remembred his holy promise, and Abraham his servant.42 For though our fathers in that their journey did often sin grievously against God, and tempted him to have destroied them, rather than thus miraculously to provide for them, yet was he still mindfull of his sacred and gracious engagement, which he had promised and sworn concerning the people he had made choice of, how he would be their God and possess them of the land of Canaan, and therefore would he not for his own holiness sake break his word, as also for his faithfull servant Abrahams sake, to whom he made that promise, and whose seed by promise they were.
43And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness.43 Thus from first to last was the Lord propitious to, and protectour of his Church and people, whom he brought out of Egypt with an Almighty hand, after so long and cruell an embondagement delivering them, and at the red-sea destroying all those their cruell taskmasters and mortall enemies the Egyptians in their sight, and there setting them for ever free from them, to the infinite joy of those his people and chosen ones, when they thus saw themselves so dear to God, and regarded by him, and so freed from their adversaries and hardship.
44And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people.44 And so at last as well as at first, was he faithfull to his promise, and powerfull for his people, bringing them to the land of Canaan which he wholly bestowed upon them, and estated them in it, where they possessed Houses and Cities that they built not, and Vineyards that they planted not, he destroying and driving out before them the heathenish inhabitants, and nations that possessed it, made them Lords of it, which we hold and possess at this day, and have done ever since by that tenure of the gift of God.
45 All which benefits the Lord bestowed upon them to the end he might win their love,45That they might observe his statutes, & keep his laws. Praise ye the Lord. gain their hearts, and engage them in dutifull and obedient walking towards him, according to those laws and commandments which he had given them, especially to be observed in this very land, for as they were his speciall people, so he chose this for the place of his speciall worship before all the world, and to that end gave it them. Be you therefore for your parts now and hereafter, O ye Israelites, mindfull of these his mercies to praise him for them, and of your duties, to walk worthy of them.