The Book of Psalms Paraphrased, Book 4 · Psalm 106
PSALM CVI.
Hallelujah, i. e. Praiſe the Lord.
ARGUMENT.
There is little doubt to be made, but this is the Title of the Pſalm, as it is of many other, (CXI, &c.) whereby the Authour excites them to acknowledge God's bounty to their ungratefull Forefathers. For as in the foregoing Pſalm (they are the words of Theodoret) the Divine Benefits are commemorated; ſo in this the Pſalmiſt both commemorates them, and alſo upbraids the ingratitude of thoſe that received them. Which magnified the mercies of God the more; in being ſo very kind to thoſe wicked people, that when He puniſhed them, He did not utterly deſtroy them.
The opinion of that Father is, that the Pſalm was compoſed in the perſon of the more pious ſort of people; who bewail the common calamities, and implore the Divine indulgence. And moſt Interpreters, that I have met withall, imagin it to have been made in the time of the Captivity of Babylon: but the proof of it is very weak. For the laſt verſe but one, upon which they ground that conjecture, may have another conſtruction; and mean no more but this: that God would be pleaſed when the Nation, or any part of it, ſhould be carried captive, to take pity upon them; and reſtore them again to their Country. Or rather, in my opinion, it refers to thoſe who, in the days of Saul, or before, were taken priſoners by the Philiſtines, and other Nations: whom David prays God to gather to their own Land again; that they might worſhip Him in that place, which He had prepared for the Ark of his preſence. For it ſeems plain enough, that this was one of the Pſalms, which he delivered then to Aſaph: the firſt verſe and the two laſt being ſet down in the 1 Chron. XVI. 36, 37, as the beginning and ending of another Pſalm, (which can be none but this) which he then gave in with the other two there mentioned, (XCVI. and CV.) to praiſe the Lord withall.
1. PRaiſe ye the LORD, O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever.
1. O Make your thankfull acknowledgments, to the great Lord of all the World; who was exceeding gracious to your Forefathers, and will continue his kindneſs, you may hope, unto all ſucceeding ages.
2. Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? who can ſhew forth all his praiſe?
2. Praiſe Him with all your might; for when you have done your beſt, you muſt acknowledge that it is impoſſible to expreſs your obligations to his omnipotent Goodneſs. For who is able to tell how miraculous that power was, which wrought ſuch wonders for us in Egypt; and in the Wilderneſs, and in the Land of Canaan? where ſhall we find a man, that can ſet forth, as they deſerve, all the praiſe-worthy acts of the Lord?
3. Bleſſed are they that keep judgment: and he that doeth righteouſneſs at all times.
3. Which are ſo great and many, that they are moſt happy men, who by faithfull obedience to all his precepts, (not onelyonly when they have newly received his benefits, but throughout the whole courſe of their lives) preſerve themſelves in the favour of ſo gracious a Lord and Maſter (which our Forefathers fooliſhly loſt, by revolting preſently from their mercifull Deliverer.)
4. Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou beareſt unto thy people: O viſit me with thy ſalvation:
4. Make me, good Lord, one of this happy number; and let me partake of the favour Thou ſtill deſigneſt for thy people; and find Thee ready at hand, in all dangers, to preſerve and deliver me (1 Chron. XVIII. 6, 13, 14.)
5. That I may ſee the good of thy choſen, that I may rejoice in the gladneſs of thy nation: that I may glory with thine inheritance.
5. That I may live to ſee thy choſen people Iſrael, ſettled in a peaceable enjoyment of all thy bleſſings, (1 Chron. XXII. 18.) and have my ſhare in their joy and felicity, (1 Chron. XXIX. 9.) nay triumph together with them, in the higheſt praiſes of thy bounty towards thy own Nation, and peculiar inheritance, 1 Chron. XXIX. 10, 11, 12, 13, &c.
6. We have ſinned with our fathers; we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.
6. Our ſins indeed may hinder theſe bleſſings from us; for we are no better then our Forefathers, but have offended after their example; by which we ought to have been amended: we are guilty of many iniquities againſt one another, and much impiety againſt Thee.
7. Our fathers underſtood not thy wonders in Egypt, they remembred not the multitude of thy mercies, but provoked him at the ſea, even at the Red ſea.
7. We are the wicked offſpring of thoſe, who were ſo ſtupid, as not to be affected with the prodigious Works Thou didſt in Egypt; or preſently to forget that long ſeries of miraculous preſervations and deliverances, by which they were brought from thence: But in the very next ſtrait into which they fell (at the borders of the Sea, that remarkable place, the red Sea) diſtruſted his power; and wiſht He had left them in that cruel ſervitude, of which before they ſo heavily complained, XIV. Exodus 11, 12.
8. Nevertheleſs, he ſaved them for his names ſake: that he might make his mighty power to be known.
8. And yet (ſuch was his ſtupendious Goodneſs) He would not let them periſh in their ingratitude; but to preſerve the name He had gotten of their mighty Saviour, gave them a new deliverance: that the world might not imagin He wanted power, to compleat what He had begun to doe for them.
9. He rebuked the Red ſea alſo, and it was dried up: ſo he led them through the depths as through the wilderneſs.
9. On this conſideration, He checkt the courſe of that Sea by ſo ſtrong a wind, that He made a path in the midſt of it: and led them through thoſe depths on as hard and dry ground, as they trod upon in their march, through the parched deſarts, XIV. Exod. 21, 22.
10. And he ſaved them from the hand of him that hated them: and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
10. By which means He ſaved them from Pharaoh's Army; which preſſed hard upon their backs, as the Sea was before their face, (XIV. Exod. 9, 10.) He reſcued them from the power of thoſe implacable enemies, whoſe hatred carried them, to purſue them eagerly even into the Sea, (XIV. Exod. 23.)
11. And the waters covered their enemies; there was not one of them left.
11. Where they were drowned, every man of them; the Sea, which had ſtood fixed as a wall to ſave the Iſraelites, returning back with a mighty violence to overwhelm their adverſaries.
12. Then believed they his words, they ſang his praiſe.
12. Which was ſo evident a token of his power and goodneſs, that they were perſwaded by it, at that preſent, to believe God's promiſes, (XIV. Exod. 31.) and to ſing a Song of praiſe to Him, for this miraculous deliverance, XV. Exod. 1, &c.
13. They ſoon forgat his works, they waited not for his counſel:
13. But within three days they grew impatient again, (XV. Exod. 22, 24.) and forgetting the great and many pledges they had received of his Divine power, quarrelled with his Servants; and would not expect till He ſhewed, what way He intended to relieve them.
14. But luſted exceedingly in the wilderneſs, and tempted God in the deſart.
14. But not long after this, murmured again; (XVI. Exod.) And though, inſtead of puniſhing them for it, He ſatisfied them with bread from heaven, and gave them ſeveral other demonſtrations of his Divine preſence among them, in the wilderneſs, (Exod. XVI. XX. XXIV, &c.) yet, to pleaſe their wanton appetite, they mutined another time, and cried out vehemently for fleſh to eat, (XI. Numb. 4, 5, &c.) and deſired new proofs of his power to ſupply them.
15. And he gave them their requeſt, but ſent leanneſs into their ſoul.
15. Which He was pleaſed to grant in ſuch abundance, that they ſurfeited of the Quails, which He ſent them: and, inſtead of being nouriſhed, fell into a grievous diſeaſe, whereby great numbers of them were waſted and conſumed, XI. Numb. 31, 32, &c.
16. They envied Moſes alſo in the camp, and Aaron the ſaint of the LORD.
16. And they that eſcaped were not cured of their rebellious humour; but ſeditiouſly diſputed the Authority of Moſes: And accuſed both him and Aaron, whom the Lord had conſecrated for the ſervice of his Altar, as ambitious men, that took too much upon them, XVI. Numb. 3.
17. The earth opened and ſwallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.
17. Which moved the Divine Juſtice to puniſh their preſumption, with a moſt terrible vengeance: for the earth opened, and buried alive Dathan and Abiram, and the faction that adhered to them, XVI. Numb. 32, 33.
18. And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burnt up the wicked.
18. And the other company raiſed by Korah, were ſmitten with lightning from heaven; which burnt up thoſe impious men, who were ſo bold as to invade the Office of the Prieſts of the Lord, XVI. Numb. 35.
19. They made a calf in Horeb, and worſhipped the molten image.
19. Whoſe anger they began very early to incenſe; for even at that very place where the Lord had newly appeared to them, in aſtoniſhing thunder and lightning and clouds, (XX. Exodus 18.) and had ſpoken to them with an audible voice, and at the ſecond word He ſpake had charged them not to make any graven image, (XX. Exod. 4.) and had called Moſes up into the Mount to receive the reſt of his Laws (which He had begun in a moſt dreadfull manner to deliver to them) they ſtupidly made a golden Calf, and proſtrated themſelves before the work of their own hands:
20. Thus they changed their glory into the ſimilitude of an ox that cateth graſs.
20. Slighting that Glorious preſence of the Majeſty of God, (XXIV. Exod. 16, 17.) which, appearing in the Cloud, had done many wonders for them: and chuſing rathe to commend themſelves to the protection of an Image, in which they ſaw no glory; the Image of a dull Ox, a creature without reaſon, a ſervant of man, that is ſupported it ſelf, by ſo weak a thing as hay, XXXII. Exodus 14.
21. They forgat God their ſaviour, which had done great things in Egypt:
21. The root of which ſottiſh Apoſtaſie was, that they did not keep in mind what deliverances God had granted them, under the conduct of Moſes; whom they now deſpiſed: (XXXII. Exod. 1.) But forgat his great works in the Land of Egypt, where they never ſaw any ſimilitude of Him.
22. Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red ſea.
22. Miraculous works; which filled the whole Country with wonder and aſtoniſhment; and concluded at laſt in the fearfull overthrow of Pharaoh and all his hoſt in the red Sea, through which they paſſed ſafely.
23. Therefore he ſaid that he would deſtroy them, had not Moſes his choſen ſtood before him in the breach: to turn away his wrath, leſt he ſhould deſtroy them.
23. Which provoked the Divine diſpleaſure ſo highly, that He reſolved to deſtroy them, (XXXII. Exod. 9, 10.) and had done it, if Moſes, for whom He had a great reſpect, had not, by his earneſt interceſſion, made up this breach; and reconciled Him ſo far to them, that He did not proceed then to take ſuch vengeance on them, XXXII. Exod. 11, 12, 14, 35.
24. Yea, they deſpiſed the pleaſant land: they believed not his word:
24. But when after this they deſpiſed (XIII. Numb. 32.) that goodly Country, to the borders of which He had brought them, (I. Deut. 19, 20.) which the Spies themſelves confeſſed was rich and deſirable: (XIII. Numb. 27. XIV. 32.) and would not believe that God intended, or was able to perform his promiſe to them, XIII. Numb. 37:
25. But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.
25. But murmured againſt Moſes and Aaron in their Tents, as if they had deluded them, (XIV. Numb. 1, 2, &c.) refuſing to march, when the Lord commanded them to go up, and take poſſeſſion of it, I. Deut. 21, 26, 32:
26. Therefore he lifted up his hand againſt them, to overthrow them in the wilderneſs:
26. Then he ſolemnly ſware, that not one of that wicked generation, who had ſo often rebelled againſt Him, ſhould ever come there; but all periſh in the wilderneſs, XIV. Numb. 21, 22, 35. I. Deut. 34:
27. To overthrow their ſeed alſo among the nations, and to ſcatter them in the lands.
27. And ſome of them be overthrown by the heathen, whom the Lord would have delivered up into their hand, (XIV. Numb. 45.) and others diſperſed in ſeveral parts of that Country, which they deſpiſed, XXI. Numb. 1.
28. They joined themſelves alſo unto Baal-peor, and ate the ſacrifices of the dead.
28. Nor did they grow much better, by theſe dreadfull threatnings and executions; but, not onelyonly moſt ſhamefully committed whoredom with the daughters of Moah but, embraced their Religion: devoting themſelves to the vile ſervice of Baal, whoſe Temple ſtood upon Mount Peor; and partaking with them, in the Sacrifices which they offered to dead men, XXV. Numb. 1, 2, 3.
29. Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them.
29. Which abominable wickedneſs incenſed the Divine diſpleaſure to ſuch a degree; that He commanded the Offenders to be kill'd and hang'd up, in the face of the Sun: and alſo ſent a grievous plague among the people, XXV. Numb. 4, 5, 9.
30. Then ſtood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and ſo the plague was ſtayed.
30. Which raged in the Camp, till Phinehas, in a holy zeal, went as boldly to puniſh, as others did to commit their crimes: and thruſt through the body, one of the Princes of the people, whom the Judges feared to meddle withall; and then the plague ceaſed, XXV. Numb. 5, 6, 7, 8.
31. And that was counted unto him for righteouſneſs, unto all generations for evermore.
31. Which ſeaſonable piece of Juſtice, the Lord, not onelyonly approved as a praiſe-worthy Act but, rewarded alſo with the promiſe of the Prieſthood: which He intailed upon his poſterity, throughout all generations, XXV. Numb. 12, 13.
32. They angred him alſo at the waters of ſtrife, ſo that it went ill with Moſes for their ſakes;
32. And, before this, they had been ſo unbelieving and rebellious, as, having had long experience of God's power and goodneſs in providing for them, to murmur for want of water; at that place, which took its name from their quarrel with Moſes, (XX. Numb. 3, 13.) who ſadly ſuffered upon their account, XX. Numb. 12.
33. Becauſe they provoked his ſpirit, ſo that he ſpake unadviſedly with his lips.
33. For, being exaſperated by their frequent mutinies, he let fall ſome paſſionate words; which expreſſed ſuch diſtruſt and impatience, as did not become ſo great a Miniſter of God, (XX. Numb. 12.) who thereupon reſolved, he ſhould not have the honour to accompliſh his promiſe, of bringing them to their reſt, XXVII. Numb. 24. I. Deut. 37.
34. They did not deſtroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them:
34. In which, being ſettled, they did not deſtroy thoſe ſeven Nations, (I. Judg. 21, 27, 29, &c.) whoſe abominations were ſo foul; that the Lord gave them a ſtrict charge, not to ſuffer them to live there any longer, XXIII. Exod. 30, 33. VII. Deut. 2.
35. But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.
35. But, quite contrary, they not onelyonly let them live but, againſt Gods expreſs commandment (XXIII. Joſh. 7, 12.) entred into familiarity, and made a Covenant and League with them, (II. Judg. 1, 2.) and ſo at laſt learnt to doe as they did, and imitated their evil manners.
36. And they ſerved their idols: which were a ſnare unto them.
36. For they forſook the Lord who had brought them thither; and worſhipped the Gods of thoſe people, whom they had conquered, (II. Judg. 11, 12. III. 5, 6.) which proved their utter ruin, and deſtruction, VII. Deut. 16, 26. II. Judg. 3.
37. Yea, they ſacrificed their ſons and their daughters unto devils,
37. For they were ſo beſotted with their Idolatry, as to imitate their moſt barbarous Rites: ſacrificing to infernal ſpirits, not onelyonly their beaſts, but (as the cuſtom of that Country was, XII. Deut. 30, 31.) their ſons and their daughters.
38. And ſhed innocent bloud, even the bloud of their ſons and of their daughters, whom they ſacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with bloud.
38. Whom they did not merely conſecrate to the ſervice of Devils; but offered their bloud, the bloud of innocent babes, even of their own ſons and daughters (as I ſaid) upon the Altars of the Idols of Canaan: prophaning thereby the holy Land, with the moſt impious and unnatural Murthers.
39. Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.
39. Beſides other abominable works wherewith they defiled themſelves; ſuch as Whoredom, and all manner of beaſtly luſts: which were the filthy vices of thoſe Nations, whom God caſt out before them, XVIII. Lev. 24, 25, 27, 28, &c.
40. Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled againſt his people, inſomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.
40. And ſo contrary to nature as well as his Law, that the Lord was exceeding angry with them, (II. Judg. 14, 20.) and the more, becauſe He had made them his people: whom He now abominated, as impure and unclean; though once they had been very dear unto Him.
41. And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them, ruled over them.
41. And thereupon delivered them up to the power of thoſe impious Nations; with whom they contracted friendſhip, when they ſhould have deſtroyed them, (III. Judg. 3, 5. IV. 2. XIII. 1.) who retaining ſtill their ancient hatred, exerciſed a rigorous tyranny over them, IV. Judg. 3.
42. Their enemies alſo oppreſſed them, and they were brought into ſubjection under their hand.
42. And ſo did many other of their neighbouring enemies, the Meſopotamians and Moabites, (III. Judg. 8, 12.) the Midianites and Amalekites, (VI. 2, 3, &c.) and ſuch like, (X. 7, 8.) who not onelyonly grievouſly afflicted them; but deſervedly made thoſe their ſubjects, nay ſlaves, who would not ſerve their gracious God.
43. Many times did he deliver them, but they provoked him with their counſel, and were brought low for their iniquity.
43. Who ſtill continued ſo kind to them, that upon the firſt ſign of their repentance, He conſtantly raiſed up the ſpirit of ſome great Man or other; to reſcue them from every one of theſe Oppreſſours: though they as conſtantly provoked Him again, by relapſing to their former Idolatry; which in the iſſue brought them exceeding low, X. Judg. 8, 9.
44. Nevertheleſs, he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry.
44. And yet, ſuch was his tender compaſſion towards them, He did not abſolutely refuſe to help even theſe baſe revolters, (X. Judg. 14, 15, 16.) when, in their diſtreſs, they made a lamentable moan and promiſed amendment.
45. And he remembred for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.
45. For He was not unmindfull of the Covenant He had made with their Forefathers, (XXVI. Levit. 42, 44, 45. XXX. Deut. 1, 2, 3.) but let them reap the benefit of it: in ceaſing to puniſh them; and, when they deſerved to be utterly deſtroyed, beſtowing many and exceeding great bleſſings on them.
46. He made them alſo to be pitied of all thoſe that carried them captives.
46. For He inclined the hearts, even of thoſe who had ſubdued, and implacably hated them, unto ſome compaſſion towards them: ſo that they did not indeavour their total extirpation, XIII. Judg. 1. XIV. 2. XV. 9, 10, &c.
47. Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praiſe.
47. And therefore we humbly hope ſtill in the ſame great mercies; and beſeech Thee, O moſt mighty Lord, who haſt been wont to doe our Nation good, to deliver us, how unworthy ſoever, from all our preſent enemies: and to reſtore ſuch of us as are faln into their hands, unto their own Country; that they may join with us in giving thanks to thy incomparable goodneſs, and ſetting forth thy praiſes with the greateſt joy and triumph, ſaying;
48. Bleſſed be the LORD God of Iſrael from everlaſting to everlaſting: and let all the people ſay, Amen. Praiſe ye the LORD,
48. Let the great Lord of all the world, who hath been ſo gracious unto Iſrael, as to chuſe them for his own peculiar people, be moſt heartily bleſſed and praiſed: Let all generations bleſs Him, as long as the world ſhall laſt, and unto all eternity: and let all his people concur in theſe deſires, and wiſh it may be ſo; let them all praiſe the Lord, and deſire He may be ever praiſed.
The End of the FOƲRTH Book of Pſalms.