Notes on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 122 – Psalm 123
The cxxii. PSALM.
David overjoyed to see the universal concord and conformitie in his people for the bringing the Ark to Ierusalem, and worshipping the Lord there, as God had appointed; the more to sharpen them to it, and ingratiate it to them, highly commends the prerogative of that place and that people by reason of it: and therefore exhorts them not to degenerate, but in love and zeal still to labour and pray for the happiness of it, promising happiness to those that do so, and so does he himself, and shews the reasons why.
See the title of the 120 Psalm, Psalm cxxii. A song of degrees of David.the Authors name superadded here.
1 HOw infinitly did it rejoyce me to hear and see such an universal unanimity in my people Israel to submit to,1I Was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord. and approve of the transportation and fixing the Ark and sanctuarie in Jerusalem where God had appointed it, with desire and forwardness to worship God there, without the least scruple or question.
2 Saying,2Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. amongst themselves with rejoycing, now is the time, and Jerusalem is the place that God will fulfil his promise by giving his Ark a settled condition, which hitherto hath moved and removed from place to place, and together with his Ark his Church and people Israel, who have been both for worship and Government in an unsetled and various state, but now shall there be an happie establishment, as both Christ and the Church by Christ shall have at his glorifying.
3Jerusalem is builded as a Citie, that is compact together.3 And indeed a blessed and desireable place Jerusalem is exceeding lovely, for uniformitie of structure, order in Government and harmonie of hearts and affections in the inhabitants towards the true worship of the onelyonly true God, stately and strong both in men, and materials, sweetly composed and well compact, a Citie specially blessed of God to represent the happie condition of his Church both under Christ on earth, united by faith in him their head, and with Christ in heaven.
4Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimonie of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord.4 It is the most beautiful place of the world, and enriched with the most singular and Divine priviledges of any on earth, being a resemblance of heaven it self and the Church both there and here, for as thither the twelve tribes of Israel, a chosen generation out of the whole world do congregate and ascend to the mount of God, solemnly to worship him before the Ark the testimonie of his covenant and presence with his people, so shall his elect the Church of the first born all the world over be gathered to Jesus, and ascend into the heavenly Jerusalem, evermore to praise him in that general assembly the celestial Quire of innumerable Angels, and spirits of just men made perfect, Yea, by spirit and faith they shall meet in one bodie mystical on earth, and with raised affections worship one God in Christ, that blessed Emmanuel the mediatour of the new testament upon mount Sion in spiritual Jerusalem, the Church, that Citie of the living God.
5 And as Christs Priestly office is established and clearly held forth in the sanctuarie-worship in Jerusalem,5For there are set thrones of judgement: the thrones of the house of David. so also is his Kingly in those thrones of honour and justice civil and ecclesiastical, erected and perpetuated there in the royal line of David & his posterity, Kings of Judah, the figure and progenitours of Christ according to the flesh as is his tribunal in heaven, where he hath dominion over his Church and the whole world, and from whence he shall come to judge all flesh at the latter day.
6 Many are the enemies of this flourishing Citie Jerusalem,6Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper that love thee. as shall be to the Church, yea, all the world is against it, and the worship and Government that is in it, but yet we need not fear, for God is for it, able to preserve it in peace and prosperitie maugre all its adversaries, if our sins and carnal presumption do not indispose him to it. Therefore all ye Israelites, specially ye that with a spiritual understanding are inlightned to know the worth and excellencie of the place, which is in the world as the sun is in the firmament, mystically comprehending all that Divine light and life, that the sun of righteousness the Messiah shall illuminate the world withall when he comes to save his Church as Gods High-priest, and take possession of his Kingdom, as King of Kings and Lord of Lords; do you serve the Lord and seek to him for the continuation of his grace and favour to it, and his blessing upon it, that it may be evermore happie with his love and presence, and as a consequent thereof, have rest and quiet from its enemies. And of this be confident, that they that thus for Christ and religion sake, under that notion and relation, sincerely love, pray for and endeavour the happiness of it; shall, how ever it may suffer by other mens sins, and formal hypocrisies, within the pale, or without by external violence of Gentile enemies, be themselves happie and blessedly rewarded of God, with grace, peace, and protection in their own particulars.
7Peace be within thy walls, and prosperi…ie within thy palaces.7 It is and shall be my heartie prayer, that the Lord will preserve thee as from outward forrain enemies, so also from intestine civil broils and disunions, in peace, unanimity and concord within thy self, as the Church shall be in heaven, and ought to be on earth; as one, so at one, under their one and onelyonly head the Lord Christ. And that the throne of David, his royal seed, & successours over his people Israel here in Jerusalem may successively flourish in peace and prosperitie and by the blessing and favour of God be established in judgement and righteousness there administred in honourable equipage, as shall the Prince of peace, Christ Jesus the righteous his throne and dominion over his Church be for ever in heaven.
8For my brethren and companions sake, I will now say, Peace be with thee.8 Nor am I a self-seeker in my well-wishes to this place, no, the Lord can witness for me that I desire the good and happiness of all the faithful, yea, of all Israel, as mine own, who to me are as dear as my nearest kindred and acquaintance, by that relation natural and civil that God hath given me to them, knowing right well that in the peace and prosperitie of it, the Government and worship in it, consists the happiness and tranquillitie of all Israel, chiefly the Israel of God, whose heaven upon earth Jerusalem is, where they worship and serve the God of Israel, seek his face and enjoy his presence, therefore pray I for her prosperitie and well-fare, that they may be blessed with her and by her, who are interessed and concerned equally in her felicitie with my self, I as the head, and they as the bodie.
9 It is the zeal I have to the Church and glorie of God that makes me pray thus,9Because of t…e house of the Lord our God, I will seek thy good. and for which I will spend and be spent, therefore will I lay out mine uttermost endeavours to compass the good and well-fare of Jerusalem, that that singular happiness and priviledge of the sanctuarie, and sanctuarie-worship of the Lord God of Israel, who there is present with us his people, and from thence hears our prayers, and to which appertains so many excellent promises, and by it to us redounds so many precious priviledges and benefits; and where is performed the onelyonly true honour and service to the onelyonly true God in all the world. Therefore for these reasons do I, will I, evermore pray, and faithfully endeavour the good of this place, and so let all others do that are good, together with me, as members of the Church & bodie mystical, typified in this resemblance.
The cxxiii. PSALM.
The Church and people of Israel being at present either under Babylons captivitie or Antiochus his crueltie, some Prophet or holy man of God bespake the Lord in this pathetical short psalm in her behalf, uttering much of the spirit in few words; for afflictions commonly swell the heart too big for the mouth, which makes him here to pray rather by signs than words, with his eies rather than his tongue, yea, with both he presseth hard upon God for free grace to shew them merciemercy in their unspeakable miserie, professing their patient waiting till then.
See the title of the 120 Psalm.Psalm cxxiii. A song of degree…
1 WHat the present distress and calamities of thy poor Church and people Israel are,1UNto thee lift I up mine eye…, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. thou Lord knowest right well, utterly helpless and hopeless, forlorn and disconsolate, none on earth favouring us, shewing any merciemercy or compassion to us, but exercise all manner of crueltie and scorn towards us; yet, Lord, in thy Churches and mine own behalf I am an humble suitor to thee in the agonie of my heart, who, I dare not, can not, believe, hast quite forgotten to be gracious, though thou seemest so as things frame here below, but, O thou that inhabitest the heavens, and hast thy reserves of good will and pleasure there known to thy self, unknown to us, but hoped in by us, and power to bring them to pass, though to us impossible, as much above all sublunarie powers as heaven is above earth, to thee there, with groans and sighs lift we up our eyes, speechless with grief, for thee graciously to look down upon us here in this our calamitie.
2Beho…d, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their maiters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress: so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have merciemercy upon us.2 Look how bond-men and bond-women, who by their condition are (as we) exposed to hard and uncourteous usage, depend upon the free grace and beneficence of their masters and mistesses, can chalenge nothing, no wages, nor reward, but wait with patience till pitie and compassion move them to extend their hand of favour and good will to them; so do we under this just deserved punishment of long and grievous thraldom by cruel task-masters, humbly and patiently wait till thine own merciemercy move thee towards us a sinful undeserving people, yet thy people, and thou our God by grace and election, which hold us in hope.
3Have merciemercy upon us, O Lord, have merciemercy upon us; for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.3 Good Lord, take our case into consideration and commiseration, to pitie us at last, and to shew merciemercy to us, a people that are made the very scum and scorn of our proud imperious enemies, who for thy sake, whose name we bear and whose we are, do Lord it over us with disdain, which imbitters our sorrows and breaks our hearts.
4 Yea,4Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud. Lord, it is not to be spoken how afflictive the reprochful vilifications of our insolent enemies are to us, who judging by events, because of our calamities scoff and scorn us as a vain besotted people, that believe in we know not what, and worship we know not whom, and boast themselves unmeasurably over us, our God, and religion, to our unutterable grief, because of their superioritie and present felicitie, which puffs them up with pride and contempt, even to blasphemie.