Notes on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 78
The lxxviii. PSALM.
The Prophet after an attractive insinuating preamble to gain attention, for edification and caution from what shall be delivered, falleth to depaint as in a table, and in a compendious map to set forth the world of gracious priviledges, which peculiarly God hath bestowed and conferred on Israel, and the wonderfull unspeakable things he did for them, and the many miraculous mercies that he had vouchsafed to them from time to time, all along from Egypt to their establishment under David and Solomon. Together with their monstrous ingratitudes of gross unbelief, and rebellious provocations endlesly persisted in, by all their forefathers throughout so many ages as expired betwixt their coming out of Egypt to those dayes. Also interweaves the just and terrible judgements of God acted upon them, though with much long-suffering and unwillingness, for those their unfaithfull and disobedient ingratitudes, with their feigned repentances, and constant backslidings, and notwithstanding all, records Gods gracious perseverance towards them, and faithfull performance of his promise in bringing that Church and Kingdom unto so flourishing a condition, as it enjoyed under David and Solomon.Psalm lxxviii. Maschil of (or, for) Asaph.
A Psalm, advertising the people of Israel of Gods mighty works and singular favours to their forefathers, and their ill requitals of them: made probably by Asaph the seer, or some other holy man of God, and committed to his successours that bare his name.
1 THus saith the Lord,1GIve ear, O my people, to my law; encline your ears to the words of my mouth. by me his Prophet, hearken diligently to the doctrine that I am about to teach you, give good attention to what I shall speak, for it is of concernment to you.
2I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old.2 Though it was acted long before your time; For that I am about to deliver doctrinall truths, couched in historicall examples, transacted and recorded of old, but of good use for ever.
3Which we have heard and known: and our fathers have told us.3 It is what hath been inculcated continually, by our fathers, and their fore-fathers successively, from age to age have these things been taught and pressed, the godly in every generation have been carefull to derive the knowledge of them to their posterity, for their benefit and the glory of God.
4We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come, the praises of the Lord: and his strength and his wonderfull works that he hath done.4 And as it hath been transmitted to us by them, with intention to pass it down throughout all the generations of Israel, accordingly let us also that are their children, hand it still down-ward to our posterity and theirs, even the doctrin of the prais-worthy acts of God, those powerfull deliverances that he wrought, and miraculous mercies he vouchsafed his people in times past.
5For he established a testimony in Ja…ob, and ap…ointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers: that they should make them known to their children.5 For this was not done as a bare arbitrary act of care by our parents, but as a duty also laid upon them by God, who gave them in charge to do so, as also to transfer his holy covenant made up of commandments and promises, both by doctrine, and exemplary observation of faith and obedience down to their children.
6That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born: who should arise & declare them to their children.6 That so the next generation following might learn what to know, and how to do, by the early teaching and good example of the next fore-going, that so they also being well instructed, and timely trained up in their tender years, might grow so ripe and perfect, as also in like sort to convey them to their children, as they received them from their fathers.
7 To the end that all of us from first to last,7That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God: but keep his commandments. might learn to fix our hope and confidence upon the Lord alone, and believe in him, as a gracious and al-sufficient God unto us throughout all ages, and in all conditions, considering and ever bearing in mind what he had don for our fore-fathers, what wonders he had wrought for them, to be standing presidents and pledges to posteritie, that so they might be well acquainted both with his works and word, by the one, to learn to believe in him, and by the other, to reverence and obey him.
8 Thus the godly Patriarks,8And might not be as their fathers, a stubbourn and rebellious generation: a generation that set not their hearts aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God. Prophets, and teachers of old were wont to do, take pains to indoctrinate youth in the works and waies of God, to keep still alive a godly seed, a spiritual people to the Lord, that might not be as was for most part their fore-fathers, for all their good instructions, an untractable, stiff-necked, unbelieving people as lived upon the earth, refusing their own mercies, murmuring, and rebelling against God, his magistrates, ministers, and oppugning all that would have done them good, and made them happy, who, for all that God did, or could do for them, which were admirable things, and marvelous mercies, he could not gain them heartily and sincerely to be his, so as to believe in him stedfastly, love him cordially, and obey him uprightly, but were with every temptation drawn away from him, to distrust him, and to imbrace sin and Idolatrie, rather than his worship and service.
9 In so much as the children of Ephraim,9The children of Ephraim being armed and carrying bowes: turned back in the day of battel. though strong enough in men and arms, furnished with those kind of weapons, and skill to use them, wherewith they were able to gall and beat back the enemy at a distance, and never come to handle blows; yet how cowardly, being degenerated in faith and good conscience, did they by the just judgement of God turn their backs and flie before their enemies, the Philistines, and caused the rest to do so too, even to the loosing of the Ark, chiefly intrusted in their Tribe; and after for their sinfull revolting from the true worship of God to Jeroboams Idolotrous calves, how did they and their partizans, the ten Tribes fall before the enemie, and wast away until they were led captive and extinct. Let us beware.
10They kept not the covenant of God: and refused to walk in his law.10 They totally fell off from God, to whom they were tyed by all manner of bonds, even by special contract and covenant, mutually stipulated betwixt God and them, he promising to be their protector and deliverer, and they to believe in him as such, than which they did nothing less; and no wonder, when as they had quite forsaken him, his Tabernacle-worship at Shiloh, and his Temple at Jerusalem, and took to high places, & Jeroboams calves, nor would they be reclaimed by any thing God could do, or his Prophets say.
11And forgat his works: and his wonders that he had shewed them.11 Most ungratefully turning their back upon, and forsaking that God that had done such wonders for his people, whereof they were both eye, and ear-witnesses, for they were not ignorant of what he did of old, as well as of late, the wonders and the great things that were done by him they knew well enough, but they set light by them, let them slip out of memory, and note, though well enough instructed in them by our godly forefathers.
12Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers: in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.12 Who ever were carefull to derive the memory and notice of such mercies down to posteritie, though for the generalitie, Israel, as well in the twelve, as in the ten Tribes, hath ever been of a degenerate revolting disposition from God, (which should caution us to be careful;) for we have heard of the marvellous miracles God wrought before their faces, and for their sakes, the wonderfull plagues he brought upon the Egyptians, both King and people, citie and countrey, all the land over, even in the very Court, and royal citie it self, whilest yet, they in Goshen felt no harm.
13 And to secure them,13He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through: and he made the waters to stand as a heap. after he had brought them out from Pharaoh and his host, who pursued them; why? he quite changed the course of nature, turned water into dry land, and made the sea it self, foardable for them, fixing those fluid waters like stone walls on each hand of them, whilest they passed through with ease and safetie.
14 Nor did he leave them there,14In the day time also he led them with a cloud: and all the night with a light of fire. but conducted them himself along the wilderness, and gave them eminent and special tokens of his presence with them, as a guid and protector to them in the day time, by reason of the scorching sun, going before them, encompassing, and over-shadowing them with a cool refreshing cloud from morning to night; a Baptismal pledge of Christ his gracious interposing and protecting his faithfull people from the justice and wrath of God, and therefore ought to have been the more set by; as also in the night time by a pillar of fire, lightening them when the sun was down, so that both night and day, God was carefull of them, as Christ will be of his in all times and states.
15 Once and again did God by Moses open,15He clave the rocks in the wilderness: and gave them drink as out of the great depths. as before the waters for dry land, so now the dry and stony rocks to give them and their cattel water in the wilderness, when they were necessitated with thirst, he miraculously supplied them (as Christ will spiritually his people) out of the inmost parts of the earth, in that dry and sandie wilderness, where naturally were few or no veins or springs of water.
16He brought streams also out of the rock: and caused waters to run down like rivers.16 In this unlikely place, yea, out of the very rocks in the wilderness did he bring them water in such abundance, that upon a sudden it ran like a stream, and had as perfect a current, as if it had been an ancient river in a known channel.
17And they sinned yet more against him: by provoking the most high in the wilderness.17 And they well requited him, for as he in merciemercy multiplied miracles for them, they multiplied sins against him, every foot provoking him by murmuring against, and misbelieving the most high and mighty Lord God, even in that very place where he was so specially present with them, and for them in their protection and supply.
18And they tempted God in their hearts: by asking meat for their lust.18 Their carnal hearts not making spiritual use of any the things God did for them, either by returning the praise and thanks they were worthy of, or improving them to the increase of faith, nor picking out the spiritual kernel and Gospel-sense, that lay hid in those misterious, yet significant mercies; but for carnal ends, for lust sake, putting God to it to shew forth his omnipotencie, and to work still more and more miracles for them, and yet believing never the more in him neither, nor having never the more contented minds for having him their God so present with them, and powerful for them, but if at any time they had not what they would, they would be discontent at what they had, murmuring at Manna, because they had not flesh also to please their carnal appetite.
19 Despising Manna that glorious type of Christ,19Yea, they spake against God: they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? speaking against it, and against him that gave it, quarrelling God for what they wanted, but blessed him not for that they had; and not onelyonly quarrelled him, but also questioned his power, thinking because it was their wills to have it, that therefore either it was not just in God to deny it, or that else it was his will to have given it if he could have done it; and so they limited his good will towards them, and power for them to just so much, and no more as at present he did for them, thinking that he did not love them, if he did not please them, and every while stitch saying, can God do this, and can God give that? he hath given us bread and water, but can he give us variety of meats to such as we had in Egypt? can he please our palates, as well as sustain our natures? No, he cannot: so they quarrelled his providence, and blasphemed his omnipotence.
20 They could not but acknowledge what he had done to be very great things,20Behold, he sm…te the rock, that the waters gushed out, & the streams over-flowed: can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people. and to argue him to be no less than omnipotent, and yet they could not believe in him one jot further than what they saw already done to their hands, but upon the very next occasion questioned the self same power that but ere-while they adored and admired, quite perverting the use they ought to have made, for instead of arguing from his will to his power, thus, he that gave water enough, if he please can give bread also, and he that gave bread enough, can give flesh; and if not, seeing he does not, because he will not, we ought to submit. They on the contrary, argue from his power to his will, and say presumptiously; He that could give us water, no doubt if he could, would give us bread too; and he that gave us bread, would if he could give us flesh, for that we are the self-same people related to him, and he to us; but seeing he does not, therefore he cannot, or if he can, why does he not? we will not believe it, except we see it.
21Therefore the Lord heard this and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel.21 Seeing they would never cease provoking God, nor learn to believe and submit, but still every foot murmur, quarrel, and question him; he therefore could hold no longer, but however he was willingly deaf to them once and again, yet he could not alwaies bear them, (though they were his people, and for Jocobs sake was loth to punish them,) but at last let them know he saw, and heard their carriage before, but passed it over in silence and patience, which now he would do no longer, but made it appear how ill he resented their baseness by inflicting both a severe and strange kind of punishment upon them, even a fire, the fire of the Lord burnt amongst them at Taberah, kindled and maintained by, and from the anger of the Almighty, which fearfully flaming up towards heaven, consumed many of them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp of Israel.
22Because they believed not in God: and trusted not in his salvation.22 Because they submitted not themselves to God with quiet and contented minds, in the faith of his power and promise, and assured hope of his grace and providence to be answerable in their behalfs for their preservation and provision, still as there was cause.
23Though he had commanded the clouds from above: and opened the doors of heaven.23 24 Although their eyes were witnesses, what God in their necessities had done already, as to bread, how he had strangely altered the course of nature for them;24And had rained down Manna upon them to eat: and had given them of the corn of heaven. for whereas the corn that sustains us ordinarily, and naturally grows out of the ground, God at this time and place in their need, extraordinarily ordained the clouds over their heads plentifully from heaven, to distil down Manna which fell round about their camp, and lay like dew upon the earth for them to gather, thus miraculously did God send them provision for their hunger, as it were corn from heaven to sustain them.
25 Insomuch as that rather than God would break his word,25Man did eat angels food: he sent them meat to the full. or suffer them to perish for want of sustenance, he did supernaturally supply them; and whereas he could have done it with materials of nature, terrestrial corn or bread, he chose rather to do it with the bread of heaven, such food as nature never did produce, extraordinary provision, as well as in an extraordinary way, descended from the heavenly mansion of the blessed angels, to shew in what a degree of honour and amity, God admits his chosen people that are on earth, fellow-servants, and of the same houshould with the angels, whereof God is the Lord, as really by faith feeding them with Christ the son of God, that spiritual soul-sustaining bread of life (Mediator of angels and men) figured by Manna, as the angels do feed their eyes and desires in continually beholding him in heaven, and are there sustained by him in that their blessed and unchangeable state; nay, he gave them not onelyonly bread, but flesh too in abundance.
26 27 28 For in regard they tempted him,26He caused an East-wind to blow in the heavens: and by his power he brought the South-wind. and mis-doubted his power to do it, therefore to vindicate his omnipotencie, (not in favour and respect to them▪) he by a South-west wind which he then raised,27He rained flesh also upon them as dust: and feathered fowls like the sand of the sea. and caused to blow full upon the place where they pitched from the sea-ward,28And he let it fall in the middest of their camp: r…und about their habitations. brought home to their doors infinite of Quails, which fell as thick as rain, and lay for a days journey like sea sand round about their camp at Kibroth-hattaavah two cubits high upon the face of the earth.
29So they did eat▪ and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire.29 30 So that they both saw, and felt by experience, that God could do what they thought he could not,30They were not estranged from their lust: but whilest the meat was in their mouths. even furnish a table in the wilderness with dainties, far fetched upon the wings of the wind, such as they fed not on in Egypt, whereof they had plenty, and eat their fill; for God stinted them not, but gave them enough to glut themselves, (and so they did) of that they so inordinately desired, not to sustain or suffice nature, but to palliate their lusts, wherein God gave them the full length of teather, abridged them not; but withall, this sweet meat had sowre sauce; even whilest these unbelievers were greedily feeding upon these dainties, without confessing their sin, and giving the glory to God,
31The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them: and smote down the chosen men o… Israel.31 The wrath of the Lord was kindled against them, and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague, which God so disposed, as that it chiefly swept away the more insolent carnal-minded ringleaders in this mutiny; they that having been used to dainties in in Egypt, could not be without them in the wilderness, but whether God would or not must have them, or murmur and quarrel for want of them, and set the rest to do so too; these chief mutiners principal men in the camp of Israel, did God chiefly slay by the plague, to affright the rest.
32For all this they sinned st…ll: and believed not for his wonderous works.32 But nothing could reclaim this stubborn people, nothing that God could do for them, or against them, no blessings though miraculous, no punishments though never so formidable and capital, could do good upon them, to make them leave their murmuring, and live by faith.
33 Therefore whereas he promised them Canaan,33Ther…fore their days did he consume in vanity: and their years in trouble. if they had believed in him, and been obedient to him; contrarily he adjudged them to wander out their days in that wilderness where they so murmured and misbelieved; even all in effect that came out of Egypt, wasted out their lives in a vain unprofitable pilgrimage there, to their exceeding great trouble, and in Gods disfavour for forty years space after they were arrived at the skirts of Canaan, in which time they were all destroyed by their sins, and Gods just judgements.
34 They were a people that God could do no good on by mercies and benefits,34When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God. but the better he was, the worse they were, onelyonly when for their rebelliousness God was forced to fall heavy upon them, and to destroy them, sometimes by one judgement, sometimes by another; then upon the same principles that before they murmured against him, would they then seek unto him; the one, for self-pleasing, the other for self-saving: when the fire was burning, and the plague consuming, then down on their knees, and up with their hands, promising any thing to be spared; Oh, what a reformed, and changed people they will be! then they post as fast as they can to Moses to pray for them, and save their carcasses, and desiring but to know their sin; Oh, how would they then repent of it and their duty! how they might but please God for the time to come, and they would never fail to perform it!
35And they remembred that God was their rock: and the high God their redeemer.35 Then there was none but God with them, they could then remember all the great deliverances he had wrought for them, and recount them one by one, how this time, and the other time God saved them from being destroyed by their enemies, and his own judgements; then they could give him his titles, and acknowledge his attributes of Sovereignty and Omnipotencie; he that they never thought well of, nor could afford a good word, now is becom their onelyonly saviour, they cannot say too much of him, nor give too much to him.
36Nevertheless, they did …latter him with th…ir m…uth: and they lyed unto him with their to …gue….36 But all this was but to deceive God, to carry fair towards him to work their ends upon him, pretending sorrow for sin, and resolution of amendment, when as all that was spoken by them was but from teeth outward, so long as the blow smarted, never meant as they spake, nor made good any thing they said.
37For their heart was not right with him: neither were they stedfast in his covenant.37 For all was but pretences to serve their own turns, there was no true inward remorse for all their shew of sorrow, nor no sincere change, for all their fair promises, their hearts were as wicked as ever, and as bad principled towards God, breaking promises as fast as they made them, yea, the grand charter, the covenant it self so solemnly contracted,, and so often renewed between God, their fore-fathers, and themselves; that God would be their God, and that they would be his people, and walk thereafter; this they made not good, but notwithstanding all Gods promises to them, and theirs to him, they sinned against him, deviated from him, and falsified with him,
38But he being full of compa…ion, forgave their iniquitie, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.38 But the Lord having chosen them for his people, and remembring the ancient league of amity and friendship that was betwixt him, and their fore-fathers, could not find in his heart to do to them as their sins deserved, but being a people that for his names sake he would be good unto, and preserve himself a Church and holy seed amongst, he from time to time with patience and pitie overcame their provocations, and his own hot displeasure that justice called to destroy them; but merciemercy staid his hands, and moderated his furie,, so that his punishments were rather examplary than otherwise, never destroying all that offended, which yet justice called upon his wrath to do again and again.
39 For the Lord knew if he should give way to his anger according to the instigation of his justice,39For he remembered that they were but flesh: a wind that passeth away and cometh not again. and their demerit, they that were mortal and short lived by nature, would quickly perish under his hand, and come to nought, even in a moment, if he took that course, he should destitute himself for ever of a Church and people upon earth, and quite overthrow the design of his grace, for of them Christ was to come, which must not be frustrated.
40 There is evident testimony of Gods long-suffering,40How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness: and grieve him in the desert. for how oft did they provoke him, murmuring and quarrelling time after time in the wilderness, where God did miracle after miracle for their sakes, and still they were the same men persisting to sin against God, and by their ungratefull unbelief, and stubbornness to grieve his patience, and irritate his anger, even there where they were so at his mercy, having nothing supplied to them by art and nature, but were at his immediate finding, who notwithstanding all their provocations there, did either provide them food and raiment, for which they neither digged nor span.
41Yea, they turned back and tempted God: and limited the holy one of Israel.41 Yea, they appostatiz'd many and many a time, breaking all ingagements, and committing old sins upon new occasions, never wanting any thing, but presently fall a murmuring; yea, they threatened God to go back into Egypt again, if they might not have their wills in the wilderness, and thus provoked, and tempted him to destroy them, that would fain have saved them, every foot questioning, and mis-believing his power, faithfulness, and good-will towards them, notwithstanding his gracious promises, and wonderfull performances, if they had not all things they had a mind to.
42They remembered not his hand: nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.42 And the cause of this was, because they were a sinfull ungratefull people, never heeding mercies longer than God wrought them, nor valuing them for any other end, than self-pleasing and preservation, never regarding them as to God, or the bettering of their faith, and obedience unto him, but so soon as they had suck'd the honey, they despised the flower: all mercies (though miracles) were transient things perished in the deed done, even that great one, when with such an out-streched arm he brought them out of Egypt, and set them free from Pharaoh, the very day and hour whereof they ought never to have forgotten.
43How he had wrought his signs in Egypt: and his wonders in the field of Zoan.43 Yea, every jot of that wonderfull deliverance ought to have been treasured up in everlasting rememberance, which yet was quite forgotten, what clusters of miracles there grew upon the stem of that one onelyonly deliverance? what clear tokens of his omnipotent power and goodness he made to appear then, and there in his peoples behalf, by those ten plagues brought successively, for their sakes, upon the King and kingdom of Egypt, in Court and countrey; The story is well known, but not so well remembered.
44 How miraculously he turned all the waters of Egypt into bloud by the stroke of Moses his rod,44And had turned their rivers into bloud: and their flouds that they could not d…ink. the famous over-flowing river of that countrey, with all their lesser streams; yea, their ponds, and cisterns also all the land over was turned into bloud, so that the fish died, the river stunck, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water, no not of Nilus, whose streams could not purge it.
45 Also when that would not do to get Israels release,45He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them: and frogs which destroyed them. he multiplied more plagues upon them, sent grievous swarms of several sorts of promiscuous venemous flies, and noisom worms into the house of Pharaoh, and of his servants, and into all the land of Egypt, so that the land was corrupted with them, and many of the Egyptians destroyed by them. Aaron also brought frogs out of the waters of Egypt so abundantly, that they covered the whole land, went up into Pharaohs house, his bed-chamber and bed, and into the house of his servants and people, their ovens and kneading-troughs, yea, crept upon the person and persons of the King and people, and destroyed many.
46 He also utterly destroyed the fruits of the earth,46He gave also their increase unto the catterpiller: and their labour unto the locust. to the loss both of their husbandry & harvest, by sending (upon Moses his streching out his rod over the land of Egypt) an East-wind over all the land which brought into, and scattered all over Egypt such infinite of caterpillars and locusts exceeding grievous, never was there any such, nor shall be, covering the face of the whole earth, darkening the land, devouring every green thing both upon the ground, and growing on trees, hearbs and fruits.
47He destroyed their vines with hail: and their syromore trees with frost.47, 48. He furthermore sent so terrible a hail, and great quantities of hard frozen ice as brake the trees, vines, and sycomores, destroyed the hearbs, yea, the very men and beasts that were in the field;48He gave their cattel also to the hail: and their flocks to hot thunderbolts. for it came tempestuously, accompanied with thunder and fire that ran along upon the ground; so that there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, terribly tormenting and destroying all it light on.
49He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger: wrath and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.49 God did infinite of waies magnifie and manifest the power and terrour of his wrath, indignation, and anger, and the ardencie of it also against those enemies of his people, to be as an everlasting monument to his Church, of his love and care over them, and to their enemies of his fearfull displeasure: for in the fierceness of his wrath he gave them into the power of the Prince of the air, and his emissarie, evil angels, by whose means and operation many of those judgements which were inflicted upon Egypt, were wrought and terribly executed.
50He made a way to his anger, he spared not their soul from death: but gave their life over to the pestilence.50, 51. These plagues, and more than these he sent upon the Egyptians, which yet were all but fore-runners of the last, which was worst, and most capital of all the rest;51And smote all the first-born of Egypt▪ the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham. wherein his anger did most appear, when as he sent a plague amongst them, that at midnight destroyed the first-born in every house, and caused such lamentation in Egypt, as never was, nor shall be the like; for each father and mother there, lost the first-begotten, their dearest child, the staff of their age, the flower of Egypt, throughout all the families of that cursed people who were the posteritie of Mizraim, second son to Ham, cruel oppressours and mortal enemies to the Church and Israel of God.
52 The posteritie of Sem,52But made his own people to go forth like sheep: and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. whom God chose to be a people to him peculiarly related; his own both by choise and covenant, and these in despight of their enmitie to them, and empire over them, he conducted by the guidance of Moses and Aaron (himself especially being present) out of Egypt from under their burthens, and from amongst their cruel task-masters, even every man, woman, and child of them (as loth as Pharaoh was to part with them) into the wilderness through the red sea, where he had most tender care of them to protect them, and provide for them as a sheepheard over his sheep.
53 And for all that Pharaoh with his power and malice could do,53And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea over-whelmed their enemies. God preserved them, as he could not keep them in Egypt, so nor overtake them when they went thence (though in eager pursuit after them) to do them any hurt, for God made them a passage through the sea it self, where they went safely, and without fear of drowning, but Pharaoh and his whole host were over-whelmed in those waters.
54 After that he had led them from station to station,54And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary: even to his mountain, which his right hand had purchased. provided for them time after time, preserved and defended them from one enemy after another, till he brought them safe to the very skirts of Canaan, the type of heaven, a land long before promised them, and designed for the special place of his worship, and residence of his Church; where when they were ready to enter, and he to give them possession, how did they then also murmur and disbelieve? so that that generation was not permitted to enter, but wandered in the wilderness till they perished there, but their posteritie lived to enjoy it: God brought them into possession of this promised land, by as great victories and miracles, as their fore-fathers had seen in Egypt, and the wilderness; casting out the inhabitants from before them in every place where they came; yea, the scornfull self-confident Jebusites, by the hands of his servant David, whom he made able to dislodge them from of mount Sion, that strong fort so long detained, and possess it for his special use and service, placing his Sanctuary there.
55He c…st out the h…athen also be…ore them, an… divided th…m a… inheritance by …: and made the tribes of Israel to dwel in their tents.55 As great and gyant-like as the natives of Canaan were, and as high and strong as were the walls, yet God made way for his people to pass through the land, as conquerours where ever they came, no enemy could stand before them, but were either put to flight, or taken and killed. So that they were enriched with the spoils of the land which they became Lords and masters of: the heathen-native Canaanites (by Gods just judgements, and mighty power) being ejected, the whole countrie was apportioned amongst them as they thought good, each tribe being possessed of those cities, towns, and houses that fell to their lot, which were built to their hands.
56Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God: and kept not his testimonies.56 Yet these Israelites to whom God gave possession of this promised land, notwithstanding all the wondrous works he wrought for them, and the terrible judgements they saw executed before their faces, and by their very hands upon their Idolatrous enemies; yet did they from time to time, even in the land of Canaan, do as did their fore-fathers in the way thither, provoke the Lord to anger, even the God of whom they had had such experience for his power to punish them in case they sinned, and faithfulness to fulfil his promise, in case they believed and obeyed, which they did neither.
57 Never cared for God further than to serve their turns upon him,57But turned back and delt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bowe. when they had need of him, then they could flatter and dissemble with fair promises, and pretended good affections just as did their forefathers, and made good nothing they said, but fell off presently from God, both disbelieved and disobeyed as did their perfidious ancestours before them, whom therefore God destroyed in the wilderness and would not suffer to enter Canaan, which yet he gave to these their posteritie, in hope they would take example from their predecessours sins and his punishments, to walk more closely and believe more firmly: But they utterly deceived his expectation, and warped from the rule he gave them to walk by, both in faith and manners, as an arrow deviates from the mark when shot by an unsteadie hand, or out of a crooked wrycast bow.
58 For in stead of frequenting his tabernacle,58For they provoked him to anger with their high places: and moved him to jealousie with their graven images. to worship him there as he appointed, they built altars in high places, an invention of their own, not commanded of God, and so provoked God to anger by worshipping, not onelyonly the true God in a false manner, but even other Gods, graven images, strange things for the chosen people of the living and great God to worship, especially after such and so wonderful declarations of himself and his power, whereby they grievously incensed him, to see them go a whoring in this sort, to whom he bare such conjugal affections, being his onelyonly spouse, and of whose reciprocal respect and love to him he was so jealous.
59 When the Lord saw this and heard the crie of59When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel. their ungrateful back-sliding in this manner come up to heaven, he could not hold, but grew extream angrie at such base abuse and rejection of him, and the more he had loved them, the more now upon this occasion he hated and abhorred his own chosen Israel.
60So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men.60 So that having cast off his people that would not worship him, he cast off the place too where he was to be worshipped, afforded no protection to Shiloh nor presence there, where the Ark and Tabernacle had been so long the pledge of his presence, where he hath vouchsafed to dwell and onelyonly there of all the earth, in his Tabernacle as in a tent, whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain.
61And delivered his strength into captivitie, and his glorie into the enemies hand.61 But in anger and discontent at such ingratitude and neglect, from a people that he had done so much for, and took such delight in, he at last even gave up his Ark, that pledge of his presence, and consequently of his gracious and powerful assistance, by which and for which he had given them so many deliverances from and victories over their enemies, into their enemies hand, whom he then made absolute victors over them and the Ark too, suffering the Philistines to take it prisoner, and carrie it away captive into their own countrey, and so left Israel naked and destitute of divine power and protection, and stript off the visible sign of the presence of the invisible God amongst them and for them, a most glorious priviledge afforded them above and beyond all the whole World, which they lost; and the Philistines (in punishment of their sins and to the everlasting shame and reproch of their cowardise, specially Ephraims) took and carried from them.
62 And to shew their strength was gone when God had left them,62He gave his people over also unto the sword: and was wroth with his inheritance. and suffered his Ark, the token both of him and it, to be taken by the uncircumcised Philistines, and how little he cared for them that cared not for him, he utterly forsook his people that day, and let the enemie kill and slay as they would themselves, so that there fell that day at Eben-Ezer thirtie thousand foot-men, they cowardly deserting the battel and fled every man to his tent, and this was the issue of their provoking God to anger, they lost him and themselves too.
63 For the jealousie of the Lord which was kindled against them suddenly consumed them,63The fire consumed their young men: and their maidens were not given in marriage. in his fierce displeasure did he expose them to the merciless sword of the Philistines, which hewed down so many thousands of the choice young men of Israel that day, which so unpeopled them that the maids could not have husbands, there not being men enow to marrie them, nor if there had, would those times (the saddest that ever befel Israel) have been oportune for bride-feasts, when all eyes were full of tears, and hearts full of sorrow at so great disaster upon such a slaughter, and the loss of the Ark of God their strength and glorie?
64 At which time also Hophni and Phinehas,64Their priests fell by the sword: and their widows made no lamentation. the two sons of Eli, that waited upon the Ark were likewise slain, wose widows were so transported with the loss of the Ark, as the loss of their husbands was swallowed up in it; for Phinehas his wife giving up the ghost at the dolour of it, her last words were, The glorie is departed from Israel for the Ark of God is taken: forgetting her husband.
65 The Lord himself was amazed at what was65Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep: and like a mightie man that shouteth by reason of wine. done, to see himself as it were taken prisoner, his strength gone like Sampsons, and as it were a binding by the Philistines to be made their pastime and reproch, as he was: whereupon the Lord, whom the Philistines thought they had vanquished as well as his people, having the Ark their prisoner, or that he had quite cast off care either of it or them, on a sudden he alone fell foul upon the Philistines, by his own immediate power in their own countrey, he took them to task for the rescue of his Ark, and vindicating his honour from their insolencies, and laid about him like Sampson awakened out of his sleep when his strength was upon him, or as some mightie Giant enraged and transported with wine and passion, dealing judgements on all hands to every Town and people, Lords and Commons where the Ark came, at Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron, destroying them with deadly destruction, so that their crie went up to heaven.
66And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproch.66 For the plague he sent amonst them made them die a pace, tormented with grievous pain and horrour, the disease being sore Emerods in their secret hinder parts. Neither could their God Dagon stand before it, but paid his head in homage to it when it came into his house; so that the Ark made such destruction wheresoever it came of them and their Gods, that these great conquerours made no brags of their booty, but sent it home again, and glad they were to be rid of it; accompanied with the Images and representations of those so shameful Emerods in their secret parts, by the advice of their priests sent as a trespass-offering, but ordered by providence to be indeed a perpetual monument and memorial among the Israelites of that disgraceful punishment and ignominious disease God inflicted on them, to whom they to their own shame were thus enforced to give glorie, even to the God of Israel, and ask him pardon, whom they thought they had overcome and taken prisoner, when they had his Ark captive.
67 But though God thus plagued his enemies,67Moreover, he refused the Tabernacle of Joseph: and chose not the tribe of Ephraim. and rescued his Ark out of their hands, and brought it home to Israel, yet to shew his displeasure against them too, he abandoned Shilo quite, and would not suffer that testimonie of his presence to return any more thither, whence it was taken captive for their sins, but refused to reside and be worshipped any longer in the tribe of Ephraim, the sons of Joseph behaved themselves so ill, within whose lotment Shiloh was, where his Ark had so long sojourned, and he had been so much neglected.
68 But instead thereof chose Jerusalem,68But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Sion which he loved. mount Sion there, which he preferred to all the earth to be the place for his Ark to reside on, there in the tribe of Judah did he chuse to fix his presence, appoint his worship (where he knew he should be faithfully served to his content) and established the Kingdom there also, which both Kingdom and Priest-hood in the tribe of Judah shall continue, and be preserved, when as Ephraim and that opposit Kingdom of the ten tribes with their Idolatrous service shall be quite extinct, and led away captive.
69 There did he build himself a glorious Temple,69And he built his sanctuarie like high palaces: like the earth which he had established for ever. in the glorious flourishing times of Solomon for his Ark to abide in immoveably, and with it his presence beautified, and enriched with all the ornaments, and precious things that nature or Art could contribute to it, raised upon a mount exceeding sightly for scituation, and it self stately for building and Architecture, there to flourish and abide firm, as the earth, by the mightie power of God protecting that, as he supports this; for so shall his Church spiritual which Christ shall build and beautifie (figured by the Temple) be established upon the earth as the earth, and in heaven for ever.
70He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheep-folds.70 And as that tribe and place was honoured with the temple & sacred service also so, with the Kingdom, and that eminent servant and Kingly type of the Messiah, David, who was chosen thence to rule his people, whom he advanced thereunto from a mean condition, even from keeping his fathers sheep, in token of Christs abasement before his glorious and sovereign advancement over his Church and Kingdom.
71From following the ewes great with young, he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.71 From taking care of his fathers flock, the yeanning ewes and tender lambs, did the Lord raise him to be the Kingly shepheard of his own espoused people, that have been his inheritance ever since they were Jacobs posteritie, that he might yield protection to these, and deliver them from their enemies, as he did those from the Lion and the Bear, and in tender love and care administer merciemercy and justice to them, instructing them in the fear of the Lord, as Christ shall do his Church.
72So he fed them according to the integritie of his heart: and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.72 And David did not fail of his dutie, no more shall Christ of his, but with an upright honest heart both towards God above him, and those under him, did he discharge his place, providing for them, protecting of them, and administring to them, and indeed throughout his reign ruled them very prosperously with much sagacitie of wisdom, and happie success in all his great undertakings. The spirit of God being with him, as he shall be with Christ.