Notes on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 138
The cxxxviii. PSALM.
David having got through the worst of his troubles under Saul, whom God had dispatched, and being earnested of the whole Kingdom by possession of a considerable part, st…ds as it were, and admires what is past, and the wonderfull progress alreadie made by God in the fulfilling of his promise, promising himself cause of praising God for the rest that is behind; and promising God the actual performance of it, who hath never failed him in his need, but upheld his faith, which upheld him. Which wonderfull grace of his exaltation, shall shine as the sun in the firmament, to give light and conviction to all the Princes round about that hear of it, to their admiration, and Gods glorification. And lastly he recommends by experience, an humble suffering State, before a proud presumptuous one, not doubting of Gods perseverance in merciemercy towards him unto preservation, and in judgement towards his enemies unto their utter confusion.
A Psalm of thanks-giving, Psalm cxxxviii. A Psalm of David.of Davids making.
1 LOrd,1I will praise thee with my whole heart: before th… Gods will I sing … unto thee. I am neither unmindfull of, nor unthankfull for the great things thou hast done, and wilt do for me; but will (not with hypocrytical semblance, as too many do that worship thee,) but with an honest and sincere heart give the glory of them wholly to thee, and those opportunities that may most advance thy praise, will I take more especially to celebrate it, even then when the greatest concourse of heaven and earth is present, when the Princes of thy people Israel, and thy people with their Heads and Elders, are solemnly congregated at thy sanctuary, and thine Angels (those blessed spectatours) who are there figured by the Cherubims, attendants upon the Ark, that sacred representation of thine own presence, be present also, even in the sight and hearing of these created powers and principallities, celestial and terrene, will I with cordial affection, and musical adoration, celebrate thy praises that art God of Gods, and Lord of Lords.
2I will worship towards thy holy Temple, and praise thy name for thy loving kindness, and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.2 Yea, both in thy Sancturay, and out of it, will I memorize thy praise-worthy goodness to me, wheresoever I am, the face of my soul shall turn like the needle of a dial by sacred instinct towards thee in that holy repesentation of thee, the Ark of thy presence, when fixed upon Sion where it is to have its residence for ever; in the Temple which shall be built thereon, thither-ward will I worship thee that art there, wheresoever I am, (even as thy Church from all places on the earth, shall Christ their head in heaven) and magnifie thy power and goodness so clearly demonstrated on my behalf in those acts of grace and favour, and of no less truth and faithfulness vouchsafed me in my manifold protections, wonderfull deliverances, and happy establishment in the Kingdom, according as long since thou promised, and fore-told by thy Prophets, which considering the greatness of the thing, the remoteness of time, the improbability of means, the distance of my condition, and the difficulties intervening; these things considered, though all thine attributes of greatness and goodness shine with a beautifull lustre in thine accomplishment thus far advanced, yet thy faithfulness in fulfilling those thy so unlikely promises and prophesies, out-shines, and be-dims them all, for they being known to all, and believed of few or none, because of those interposing improbabilities, now they are fulfilled in a good measure in their view, and to their admiration: it makes thy truth to bear the bell, comparatively nothing else is thought of, thy power nor merciemercy, (saving in subservience thereunto.) It is magnified of all, and above all.
3 In my calamitous estate when as I cried unto thee,3In the day when I cried, thou answereds… me: and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. as I did oft and many a time, thou still heardest and answeredst me graciously, and gavest me inward supportation, strengthening me by faith in that thy word, to undergo my time of trouble with patience, and wait for the promised time of my deliverance with confidence.
4 All,4All the Kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, when they hear the words of thy mouth. even the heathen Kings that have little knowledge or sence of God, round about, when they hear and understand how this thing is brought to pass, that I am become King of Israel, a poor persecuted abject man, how that it was fore-told by thy Prophet that it should be so, and answerably fulfilled by thy power, it shall convince those very infidels to believe and admire thee, for thy word of truth, and the wonderfull unquestionable truth of that thy word, to the praise thereof.
5 Yea,5Yea, they shall sing in the waies of the Lord: for great is the glorie of the Lord. they shall be ravished in their spirits at the consideration of circumstances and providences, and shall not contain themselves, but in praisefull expressions shall vent their apprehensions of thee, touching those strange and circumferent waies thou hast taken, and untroden paths of unlikely means and providences which thou hast made use of, to bring to pass thy purpose towards me, so manifestly shalt thou appear even to them, to be the sole author of it, & so glorious shalt thou appear in those manifestations of my preservation, exaltation, and mine enemies confusion, notwithstanding the great disproportion that was betwixt me and them.
6 For though the Lord be in heaven,6Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect to the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. swaying there the universal scepter, and that such greatness seems to be at too infinite a distance and disparitie to one man of mankind, and he also a mean one as I was, that he should regard him; yet is that no cause of disregard in God; I have found it so, that this almightie glorious Lord, and heavenly Potentate, is, notwithstanding respectfull of the poor in spirit, that suffer wrongfully, and walk dependingly on his grace to relieve and protect them; whereas those that walk presumptuously to God, or oppressively towards their brethren, and think their places, or personal excellencies (as Gods on earth) engage him, or prefer them in his favour, such shall find that humble adversitie is more regarded of God, than proud prosperitie; he is near to those that to the world seem to be far from him, and far from those that upon mistaken grounds, think themselves near unto him, and much respected by him, for such he knows indeed, but with no good intentions towards them, to judge them, not to save them, I and mine enemies have found it so, and so shall others too.
7 The experience I have had of thy power and faithfulness,7Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt rev…ve me, thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. makes me confident for future, that however I may have troubles still, yea, though my life be a continual war-fare, and that I may seem to be crushed by them, yet my greatest extremity shall be but thine opportunitie, even from the grave it self as it were, wilt thou restore me (as thou shalt Christ.) Mine enemies rage against me, shall enrage thee against them, and instead of hurting me, they shall undo themselves, for in judgement shalt thou mightily destroy them, and with almighty merciemercy preserve me from them.
8 What the Lord had purposed and promised concerning me,8The Lord will perfect that which cocerneth me, thy merciemercy O Lord, endureth for ever▪ forsake not the works of thine own hands. though it seem impossible to be brought to pass, yet, he that hath thus far advanced it, will as certainly perfect it, as he will the Kingdom of Christ; it shall not miscarrie by any malice or power of men; for God is not as man, to say and unsay, do and undo; the works and calling of God are without repentance, what thou, O Lord, in mercy purposeth to, and for thy Church and people, that thou wilt in mercy perfect; thy Covenant is an everlasting Covenant, as merciemercy moved thee to it, so nothing shall remove thee from it, or make the grace & faithfulness of God of none effect; in mercy therefore persevere to finish, and lay the top-stone of grace concerning me, who am brought thus far onwards towards it, by thine almightie goodness and efficiencie, who hath done all that hath been done; and so must do still.