Notes on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 48
The xlviii. PSALM.
This Psalm seems to be made upon some notable deliverance that Ierusalem had, from some potent armie made up of several nations that had besiedged it, but by a special and immediate hand of God w…re wonderfully defeated, and sent away, without effecting any thing against it; whence the pen-man takes occasion. to commend the happie estate and condition of that Citie above all places in the world, partly for the natural scituation, but chiefly for the divine priviledges and protection God had vouchsafed it. And from their present experience argues unto future confidence of grace and merciemercy in like sort, like as in their distress they had been incouraged by calling to mind former acts of power and grace to them and their forefathers. For which their so wonderful deliverance, he sayes God will have praise every where, but acknowledgeth it chiefly due from them, and that both of his power, goodness, and faithfulness; exciting all that partake of that happiness to express their thankfulness joyfully, and that they may the better do it, he wishes them to survey, as the glorie of Ierusalem, so withall the glorious power and providence of God, that hath preserved it undefaced maugre their enemies, the memory whereof he would have entailed upon posterity for ever, for the help of the saith of Gods Church and people in all ages, and distresses.
A Psalm to be both sung and plaid by voices and instruments by the family of the Korathites, Psalm xlviii. A song, and Psalm for the sonnes of Korah.to whom it is committed for that purpose.
1 GOd in his Majesty and Power hath manifested himself to be exceeding great all the world over,1GReat is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the Citie of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. in all places, to all people, by his works of creation and dayly providence, but beyond all these, he is declared unto us, and hath declared himself for us both great and gracious, in most remarkable mercies of transcendent natures, in the behalf of his own Citie Jerusalem, chosen for the peculiar place of his worship and service, where therefore he is to be praised accordingly, for his more than ordinary favours vouchsafed to that place and people, and chiefly in mount Sion the glory of Jerusalem, where the Ark resideth, and with it his special presence, there therefore is he principally to be magnified.
2 A place it is of it self naturally pleasant and sweetly scituated,2Beautifull for scituation, the joy of the whole earth is mount Sion, on the sides of the North, the Citie of the great King. beautified also with the glorious splendour of the Temple built thereon, admirable to behold, but more to be admired for the spirituall beauty and glory that shines forth thence to all the world, holding forth the saving Gospel-truths of Jesus Christ the promised Messiah in their types and lively representations, to all that by faith will lay hold of him, and come in unto him from the four corners of the earth, and from whence shall spring the doctrin of salvation, which shall be preached all the world over to the joy of all that shall receive it, specially Northerly, whether by its situation it partly looks, and is thereby pleasantly refreshed with the coole winds that blow from thence in that hot countrey. Every way commendable it is, but in nothing more than in this; That it is the chosen Metropolis of King David and Salomon where they specially resided, and swayed the Scepter over Jews and Gentils, in representation of Christ rule and dominion in and over his Church universall.
3God is known in her palaces for a refuge.3 Nor doth the strength of this beautifull Citie Jerusalem consist onelyonly in that of Art and Nature, which yet is very considerable in her above others, but chiefly in the favour and protection of God himself there specially residing, by the Ark in the Temple that glorious structure, and in those Kingly types inhabiting the royall places thereof, to which and to the whole Citie for their sakes he hath sundry times yielded admirable preservations, and given great deliverances, as God shall to his Church and people for Christs sake their King and Priest
4For …o, the Kings were assembled, they passed by together.4 Many instances may be given, wherein God hath appeared miraculously in the behalf of this his Citie & the holy mountain in it, against sundry potent and combined forces of heathenish Kings, that have endeavoured the destruction of it more times than once, and have pitched before it for that purpose, but have been disappointed of their aimes, and sent away without their errand, having been able for all their great preparation and joynt combinations against it, to do it no more harm than as if they had been so many wayfaring men that passed by it.
5They saw it, and so th…y marvelled, they were troubled and hasted away.5 Nay, though they came with minds full fraught with pride and hatred against it, yet when they come to be eye-witnesses of the excellencies humane and divine, that appeared in the Citie and Temple, their hearts misgave them, and they were struck into astonishment and admiration of what they saw; God so awing their hearts, and doing such supernaturall execution upon their armies, that they wished they had never undertaken the enterprise, and thereupon got them gone as fast as they could, when they saw it was a place defended by the living God.
6 Though when they came to beseidge it,6Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woma… in travell. in their thoughts they had as good as taken it, promising themselves infallible success by the greatness of their power, but when they once set to work about it, and should have done execution upon it, God appeared against them, and then their courage quickly failed them, on a sudden their hearts were dashed, and they discomfited with extream distraction and unexpected terrour.
7 Thou,7Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an Eastwind. O God, didst by them, even by these mighty armies, as thou dost sometimes by the strong and tall ships at sea, dashest them one against another by the storms thou raisest, and so splits and scatters them, that a whole Navie is brought to nothing, and so were they before Jerusalem, by the mighty and immediate hand against them.
8 God hath approved himself of the self-same goodness to us,8As we have heard so have we seen in the Citie of the Lord of hosts, in the Citie of our God, God will establish it for ever. Selah. as to our forefathers, and of the same faithfulness in performing as in promising, for what deliverances God wrought in the times of the Patriarks, and what he promised by the mouths of his Prophets, we in our times are able, as concerning his wonderfull deliverances of Jerusalem and this Nation, to draw a parallel line, to any that went before, and to write probatum est to what ever promise God made for the good of his chosen people, for he hath marvellously improved his power in the defence of this place, which is so peculiarly his above all places in the world, shewing himself to have the command of all earthly powers, and that he onelyonly is the Lord of Hosts, having sovereign Authority over them and their Kings, which hath been manifested by the glorious and marvellous victories he hath given this Citie, against such potent enemies as have come against it, because it is his after a peculiar sort, and he ours so too in a differing manner from all the people upon earth: and what he hath done is a sure sign and pledge of his future favour and grace, that he will still continue to be the same God to it and us, we continuing so to him, as Christ will be to his Church and people everlastingly. Even so be it.
10We have thought of thy loving kindness, O God, in the midst of thy Temple.9 In our distresses we had the happiness to have thy Temple (O Lord) to go unto, and in it the Ark of the Covenant and mercy-seat, signs of thy favour to us, and presence with us, which did much incourage us to seek unto thee, and there to mind thee, as of those speciall relations and ingagements, so of all thy former acts of love and kindness, which when we called to mind, exceedingly upheld our hearts in the midst of our greatest dangers, and gave us argument of prayer unto thee, and faith in thee for the like grace in the like occasion, to be shewn again and again, as oft as thy people and this place stands in need.
10According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness.10 According to the greatness of our deliverances which thou hast wrought, whereby the fame of thy grace and power to us-ward is spread throughout all the earth, such is the increase of thine honour, and renown, amongst those people far and near. And whilst others behold thee onelyonly in thy power and goodness to us, and admire thee for it, we have reason to see farther, and to acknowledg more of thee than so, even thy faithfulness also (according to what thou hast promised) in all these wonderfull works of deliverance which thou hast wrought for us, with an out-stretched arm of power and strength, for all the world to take notice of.
11 And though thy works do challenge the honour and praise that is due unto thee for them,11Let mount Sion rejoyce, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgements. from all Nations where the fame of them is spread, yet, chiefly from us that experiment the good of them, and the goodness of thee to us, that dost so great things for us, and for thy holy mountain, (the figure of thy Church in all ages) situate amongst us, whereby thou givest cause of joy and gladness, not onelyonly to it, but to all thy people round about it, that are so secured and safeguarded by it, from all their enemies; which, for the preservation of it, and them, thou hast destroyed with such remarkable manifestation of thy judgements upon them, and favour unto it and us.
12 The better to stirre you up to praise,12Walk about Sion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. and rejoycing, and confidence in God, take an exact view, and advisedly consider the beauty and strength that he hath bestowed upon this place (the type of heaven it self) above all places in the world, how though it hath been so often, and so mightily attempted by enemies, yet how fruitlesly on their behalf, that have not been able to deface the least beauty, nor to weaken the least strength belonging to it, but that round about on all sides God hath defended it (as Christ shall his Church every where) that nothing is diminished, though surrounded with armies of enemies on every side. The walls and towers (as you may see) are still the same they were.
13Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.13 Her fortifications not one jot demolished, her beautifull Temple and palaces no whit impaired. O wonderfull deliverance, O infinite grace, consider it again and again, what God hath done to and for his people, and peculiar place of residence, that you may declare it to your children, and they to theirs, to strengthen their faith in God, and to gain him the praises of after ages, who as well, as we, will tast the sweet of these past and present mercies, and which are a pledge of future favours unto them.
14For this God is our God for ever, and ever; he will be our guid even unto death.14 For this God whom we worship in Jerusalem, and who hath wrought such deliverances for it, is one and the same, his power and goodness unchangeable to his own faithfull people and servants in one age as well as in another, and shall be made so to appear even to the end of the world, and though he be always theirs, yet, then chiefly shall he shew himself their God and guid, when they have most need of him, and are in greatest danger.