The Book of Psalms Paraphrased, Book 5 · Psalm 145
PSALM CXLV.
David's Pſalm of Praiſe.
ARGUMENT.
After David had obtained theſe favours of God for himſelf and for the Nation, which he begs in the foregoing Pſalm; he compoſed (according to his promiſe there Ver. 9.) this admirable Hymn: which is contrived with ſuch Art, that, it is manifeſt from thence, he made it when he was much at leaſure; and God had given him reſt from all his enemies: (2 Sam. VII. 1.) For every Verſe begins with a new Letter of the Alphabet in order: which are all here, except the Letter Nun; which is wanting, Verſe 13. I ſuppoſe it was loſt, when this Pſalm came to the hands of the Collectour of this Book: and he would not adventure to ſupply it, with one of his own inventing. The Greek indeed (that is, the preſent Greek Copies; for Theodotion, and Aquila, and the ancient LXX. had it not) and Latin and Arabick (which in effect are but one and the ſame) have another Verſe, which we may well think, if it ever were in the Hebrew, began with that Letter Nun: But it differs ſo little from the ſeventeenth Verſe (when there is no repetition, in any other part of the Pſalm) that it doth not, in my opinion, look like the true original Verſe. And it may be doubted, whether there ever was any ſuch Verſe in that place (where we ſuppoſe one wanting) for the Pſalmiſt might be carried (ſee Pſalm XXV.) by the ſtrength of the inſpiration, which was upon him, out of the method he had at firſt propoſed to himſelf.
Certain it is, this Pſalm was always eſteemed ſo excellent, that the Title of the whole Book of Pſalms, is taken from this: which is wholly ſpent in praiſing God, with ſuch admirable devotion; that the ancient Hebrews were wont to ſay (as Valentine Schindler hath long ago obſerved) He could not fail to be a child of the world to come, who would ſay this Pſalm three times every day. And for that reaſon perhaps it was compoſed Alphabetically; that ſo uſefull a Pſalm might be the more eaſily learnt, and remembred by every body.
1. I Will extoll thee, my God, O King, and I will bleſs thy name for ever and ever.
1. I Will proclaime to all the world, O my God, the ſupreme Governour of heaven and earth, how excellent thy Majeſty is; infinitely ſurpaſſing the higheſt of our thoughts: and will never ceaſe to expreſs the delightfull ſenſe I have of all thy glorious Attributes; whereby Thou art made known unto us.
2. Every day will I bleſs thee, and I will praiſe thy name for ever and ever.
2. This ſhall be my daily imployment; and I will ſing joyfull Hymns in praiſe of thy glorious perfections, without any end.
3. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praiſed; and his greatneſs is unſearchable.
3. For the Lord is immenſely great, in power and dominion, and all other ways; and therefore to be honoured with our higheſt, and with our endleſs praiſes: But when we have ſaid all we can, our beſt praiſe of Him will be, to confeſs that his tranſcendent excellencies cannot be comprehended.
4. One generation ſhall praiſe thy works to another, and ſhall declare thy mighty acts.
4. For there are none of thy works, which we ſee, that we are able to underſtand; but, though this Age tranſmit its obſervations to the next, and that recommend the ſtudy of them to poſterity yet, ſtill we are ignorant and cannot praiſe them enough: no, nor ſufficiently declare the prodigious acts of thy miraculous Providence, for the preſervation of thy people, which ſhall be perpetually commemorated.
5. I will ſpeak of the glorious honour of thy majeſty, and of thy wondrous works.
5. It ſhall be my buſineſs, in this preſent age, to ſpeak of the dazling ſplendour and beauty of thy Majeſty: which I want words to expreſs, but appears in thy ſtupendious works.
6. And men ſhall ſpeak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatneſs,
6. Which they that come after ſhall rehearſe; and, from the narratives that I ſhall make of thy magnificent greatneſs, declare to their poſterity, what dreadfull things were done by thy irreſiſtable power, for the ſubverſion of our enemies.
7. They ſhall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodneſs, and ſhall ſing of thy righteouſneſs.
7. And with the ſame diligence ſhall they continue the conſtant memory of thy numerous benefits to us: which they ſhall no more ceaſe to celebrate with their praiſes, then a ſpring doth to pour out water; but publiſh, in their perpetual Hymns, how juſt and faithfull Thou art to thy word.
8. The LORD is gracious, and full of compaſſion; ſlow to anger and of great mercy.
8. For the Lord (this ſhall be the ſubject of their, and of my Song) is exceeding propenſe to doe us good; and very indulgent when we doe amiſs: which makes Him that He doth not preſently puniſh, but rather chuſes to beſtow new and greater benefits upon us; if we repent of our faults.
9. The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
9. Nor is his goodneſs confined unto us; but extends it ſelf in various acts of bounty to all mankind: who need not doubt of his kindneſs; when they ſee He takes ſo tender a care of all his Creatures,
10. All thy works ſhall praiſe thee, O LORD, and thy ſaints ſhall bleſs thee.
10. Who all in their ſeveral kinds declare, O Lord, throughout all generations, how great, how wiſe, how powerfull and provident Thou art: which ſuch as we, who are particularly bound unto Thee for ſpecial favours beſtowed upon us, ought moſt ſenſibly to acknowledge with thankfull praiſes.
11. They ſhall ſpeak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power.
11. It is their duty to diſcourſe of the incomparable wiſedom, and goodneſs, and care, which Thou exerciſeſt in the government of the whole world; eſpecially of us: and to recount the memorable acts of thy invincible power among us.
12. To make known to the ſons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majeſty of his kingdom.
12. That all mankind, who regard not ſuch things ſo much as they ought, may be made ſenſible how mighty the Lord is: and adore the amazing ſplendour of his illuſtrious works; and the admirable order He obſerves in his government of all things.
13. Thy kingdom is an everlaſting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.
13. Which as they are all intirely ſubject to Him, ſo his Empire over them is immoveable; and neither ends nor decays: but, when earthly Kingdoms fail and are transferred from one to another, his dominion is ſtill the ſame throughout all ſucceſſions.
14. The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiſeth up all thoſe that be bowed down.
14. In which He doth not neglect any of his ſubjects that depend upon Him (as mortal Princes too frequently doe) but ſupports and comforts the meaneſt of them, that are oppreſſed with grievous afflictions: and gives them a ſeaſonable deliverance; when they are in danger to ſink and periſh under the heavy weight of their burthens.
15. The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou giveſt them their meat in due ſeaſon.
15. He makes a conſtant proviſion alſo for them: which every Creature, when their neceſſities call for ſupply, daily receive from Thee, O Lord; in the proper ſeaſon for it.
16. Thou openeſt thy hand, and ſatisfieſt the deſire of every living thing.
16. And Thou art not ſparing of thy bleſſings; but diſpenſeſt them with ſuch a bountifull hand, that there are none of them live without ſatisfaction: but have all their appetites filled; by thy liberality to the ſmalleſt of them.
17. The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.
17. And therefore let us not doubt, but thankfully acknowledge, that the Lord is not onelyonly juſt in all the diſpenſations of his Providence to us; (though perhaps we do not apprehend it) but exceeding mercifull, and kind, in every thing that befalls us.
18. The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
18. We need doe no more but piouſly commend our ſelves to Him, and He will take care of us: for He is ready on all occaſions, to relieve every one that addreſſes himſelf unto Him; with a ſincere heart, truly diſpoſed to be faithfull to Him.
19. He will fulfill the deſire of them that fear him: he alſo will hear their cry, and will ſave them.
19. He that ſatisfies the appetite of all Creatures, (Ver. 16.) will not fail, we may be confident, to gratifie in their deſires, ſuch religious perſons as fear to offend Him: But though He let them fall into troubles and ſtraits, in due time will be moved, by their importunate prayers, to ſend them a ſeaſonable deliverance.
20. The LORD preſerveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he deſtroy.
20. For ſince they love Him ſo well, that they had rather ſuffer any thing, then diſobey Him; the Lord undoubtedly will preſerve them: and deſtroy all thoſe impious men, who have no regard to his Laws; nor make any ſcruple to abuſe and oppreſs ſuch vertuous perſons.
21. My mouth ſhall ſpeak the praiſe of the LORD: and let all fleſh bleſs his holy name for ever and ever.
21. For which, and all the reſt of his benefits, I will never ceaſe to ſing Hymns of praiſe unto the Lord: and let all mankind (remembring how weak and frail they are) join together with me in this imployment, (as the greateſt ſupport, and comfort, and ſecurity they have) to bleſs his incomparable Goodneſs, and Power, and carefull Providence, for ever and ever.