The Book of Psalms Paraphrased, Book 3 · Psalm 78
PSALM LXXVIII.
Maſchil of Aſaph.
ARGUMENT.
When God gave his Law to the Iſraelites, He commanded them, not onelyonly to be carefull to ſtudy it themſelves but, to inculcate it upon their Children (as the Pſalmiſt here remembers, Ver. 5.) that they might propagate the knowledge of it to all future generations, IV. Deut. 9. VI. 7, 8, &c XI. 18, 19, &c And particularly to inſtruct them in the reaſon of their Feaſts; which were appointed for the commemoration of ſeveral benefits, which he would not have forgotten, XIII. Exod. 8, 14. In proſecution of which end, as Theodoret well obſerves, this Pſalm was indited, by the Prophetical grace; (as his words are) that they and all their poſterity, might preſerve in mind the wonderfull works of God. An Epitome of which (for the help of their memory) He here preſents them withall; from the time of their coming out of Egypt, till David's promotion to the Throne.
Where this Narration concluding, it makes it probable this Pſalm was compoſed by that Aſaph, ſo often mentioned, as one of the principal Singers in thoſe days: who, ſetting before the peoples eyes, as in a Table, the benefits their Fathers had received, with their ſhamefull ingratitude, and the puniſhments inflicted upon them for it, teaches and inſtructs them who ſucceeded (for which reaſon ſome will have it called Maſchil: ſee Pſal. XXXII.) to learn greater gratitude and fidelity to their Benefactour: for fear they ſhould incur his higher diſpleaſure, if they did not beware by ſuch ſad Examples.
1. GIve ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
1. ATtend reverently, O my Countrymen, for whom I have a particular affection, unto the Admonition, which now I intend to give you: liſten diligently I beſeech you to the following inſtruction.
2. I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark ſayings of old:
2. It is no vulgar leſſon, which I would have you learn; nor will I be ſparing in my inſtruction: but I will abundantly inform you in the moſt remarkable paſſages of God's Providence in former times; which are more worthy your knowledge then the skill of reſolving the darkeſt Riddles.
3. Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
3. And I will not report uncertain or doubtfull things to you; or things done in another Nation: But ſuch as are of unqueſtionable credit; which you have heard and know to be recorded in your holy Books; and our Forefathers, who were eyewitneſſes of them, have faithfully regiſtred and tranſmitted unto us.
4. We 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. Who will not be ſo treacherous, as to loſe the memory of them in our days; but diligently propagate them to poſterity: endeavouring that all future generations may underſtand, how much the Lord deſerves to be praiſed, for the mighty and ſtupendious works, which He hath done in former Ages.
5. For he eſtabliſhed a teſtimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Iſrael, which he commanded our fathers that they ſhould make them known to their children.
5. And indeed, when God gave us the Law, He ſtrictly charged our Forefathers, and made a particular injunction about it, which He frequently repeated (Deut. IV. VI. XI. ſee the Argument;) that they ſhould be carefull to leave the knowledge of theſe things as a ſacred legacy, or inheritance unto their Children.
6. That the generation to come might know them, even the children which ſhould be born: who ſhould ariſe and declare them to their children:
6. In order to the conveying them, by their hands, to the next generation; who were then unborn: who ſhould be taught alſo when they were grown up, to deliver them with the ſame diligence to their deſcendants; and ſo preſerve the memory of them to all ſucceeding generations.
7. That they might ſet their hope in God, and not forget the works of God: but keep his commandments:
7. To the end, that they might learn by ſuch wonderfull inſtances of his powerfull goodneſs, to adhere unto Him, and confide in Him alone; and by the conſtant commemoration of his benefits, be provoked religiouſly to obſerve his Precepts.
8. And might not be as their fathers, a ſtubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that ſet not their heart aright: and whoſe ſpirit was not ſtedfaſt with God.
8. And take warning by the puniſhments inflicted on them, not to imitate the ingratitude of their Forefathers; who were not onelyonly a refractory generation, but ſo fickle, that they fell off from God to the worſhip of Idols, preſently after they came out of Egypt: For they did not lay to heart what He had done for them, and ſo were never rightly diſpoſed to his ſervice; or if, in a good fit, they were inclined to it, they ſoon revolted from Him.
9. The children of Ephraim being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battel.
9. What could be more ſhamefull, then their baſe refuſal to go and ingage the Canaanites, when they were ſo well appointed for the fight? and were commanded by God, in whoſe power they had no confidence, to go up and take poſſeſſion of the Land? (I. Deut. 26.) unleſs it were their foul cowardiſe when they did ingage them againſt his command; (I. Deut. 43, 44.) and the Ephraimites themſelves, though a valiant Tribe and excellent Archers, ran away, and were chaſed in a ſhamefull manner by their enemies.
10. They kept not the covenant of God, and refuſed to walk in his law:
10. For they brake their word with God; (who therefore would not be with them, XIV. Numb. 43.) and would not be governed by his will, but by their own.
11. And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had ſhewed them.
11. Never thinking of the illuſtrious works, which their eyes had ſeen; and ſo diſtruſting his power, notwithſtanding all the Miracles, whereby He had demonſtrated the greatneſs of it to them.
12. Marvellous things did he in the ſight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
12. Nor were the next Generation any better; though the memory was then freſh of that heap of wonders, which their Fathers ſaw him doe publickly: not in a corner, but in all the Land of Egypt: yea, in and about the principal City of the Kingdom.
13. He divided the ſea, and cauſed them to paſs through, and he made the waters to ſtand as an heap.
13. From whence when He had delivered them, and they were in great diſtreſs at the red Sea; He made it give way to them, that they might walk through it on dry ground: the fluid waters ſwelling into little hills (XV. Exod. 8.) which ſtood like a ſolid wall on either hand, to ſecure them in that dangerous paſſage (XIV. Exod. 22.)
14. In the day-time alſo he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
14. Through which He conducted them, as He did at all other times, by a glorious Cloud: whoſe dark ſide ſerved alſo in the day-time, for a ſhadow from the ſcorching rays of the Sun; and its bright ſide in the night, for a torch to guide them when they travelled; or if they reſted, to light them in their Tents.
15. He clave the rocks in the wilderneſs, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.
15. And when they wanted water in the wilderneſs, He brought it out of the Rocks (which He commanded Moſes to ſmite more then once, firſt at Rephidim (XVII. Exod. 6.) and then in Kadeſh, XX. Numb. 8, 11.) And they had it in ſuch plenty, both for themſelves and their cattel; as if it had been a great pond or lake.
16. He brought ſtreams alſo out of the rock, and cauſed waters to run down like rivers.
16. And yet it was no ſtanding, but a flowing water; which ran continually out of the dry Rock, as out of its Fountain, in ſeveral ſtreams: or rather, like unto Rivers; which followed them in their travels.
17. And they ſinned yet more againſt him, by provoking the moſt High in the wilderneſs.
17. But all theſe miraculous works, did not alter their depraved Nature; which broke out into new and greater provocations; in that very place, where, without the ſingular Providence of their moſt high Benefactour, they had all been ſtarved.
18. And they tempted God in their heart, by asking meat for their luſt.
18. For they were not content with the bountifull proviſion which he had made for them; (XVI. Exod.) but muttered within themſelves againſt Him: And wiſht, if He was ſo powerfull and kind as was pretended, that He would give them a new proof of it; by ſending them meat to ſatisfie their wanton appetite.
19. Yea, they ſpake againſt God: they ſaid, Can God furniſh a table in the wilderneſs?
19. And at laſt, they openly declared that diſtruſt of his power, which was in their hearts; ſaying, Is God able to make us a feaſt here in this barren wilderneſs? XI. Numb. 4, 5, &c.
20. Behold, he ſmote the rock that the waters guſhed out, and the ſtreams overflowed; can he give bread alſo? can he provide fleſh for his people?
20. It is true He hath brought water out of a Rock for us in great abundance; (which perhaps was lodged there before in the caverns of it, and might have flowed out of it ſelf) but can he give us more ſubſtantial bread? (not ſuch light ſtuff as this Manna is, which He alſo hath ſent us, XI. Numb. 6.) here where no corn grows? and make an ample proviſion for all this multitude, of ſuch fleſh as this place doth not afford?
21. Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth, ſo a fire was kindled againſt Jacob, and anger alſo came up againſt Iſrael;
21. Which rude and inſolent language highly incenſed the Divine diſpleaſure; ſo that He ſent lightning from heaven (XI. Numb. 1.) to conſume thoſe, whom He had before cheriſhed: and He reſolved alſo to puniſh them more ſeverely, before He had done with them (Ver. 33.)
22. Becauſe they believed not in God, and truſted not in his ſalvation:
22. Becauſe they had ſo mean an opinion of Him, that they durſt not confide in Him, and commend themſelves to his good providence; to preſerve and conduct them ſafe to Canaan.
23. Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,
23. No, not after ſuch extraordinary benefits, as they had received from Him: for He had undertaken in a miraculous manner (as is fit to be more particularly remembred) to diſpenſe food to them, from above; and to make the clouds their granary, whoſe doors he opened to them.
24. And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.
24. And, inſtead of rain (to make the earth with long labour become fruitfull) to ſend ſhowers of Manna out of the air (XVI. Exod. 4.) which was a kind of Corn ready prepared for them, XI. Numb. 8, 9.
25. Man did eat angels food: he ſent them meat to the full.
25. There was not a man among that vaſt multitude, but was fed with that ſtrong and hearty, or rather princely food; brought to them from the habitation, and by the miniſtry of Angels: This was their daily entertainment, as long as their travels in the wilderneſs laſted; and they had it in ſuch abundance, that none of them could pretend they were not ſufficed, XVI. Exod. 16, 17, 35.
26. He cauſed an eaſt-wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the ſouth-wind.
26. And therefore it was not to ſatisfie their hunger, but to reprove their unbelief, that He was pleaſed to comply with their deſires; and, when the wind blew violently out of the Eaſt, turned it by his power into the South:
27. He rained fleſh alſo upon them as duſt, and feathered fowls like as the ſand of the ſea.
27. Which brought a great Cloud of Quails (a delicious Bird) from the coaſts about the red Sea: which (either tired with long flight, or beaten down with the wind) came pouring down like ſhowres of rain; and lay on the ground, as thick as the duſt or the ſand on the Sea ſhore, from whence they came, XI. Numb. 31.
28. And he let it fall in the midſt of their camp, round about their habitations.
28. There was no need of labour, or of any art to catch them; neither needed they go far to take them up: for they dropt down in the midſt of their Camp; and lay alſo many miles round it in ſuch heaps, that they, who would, might fetch enough to ſerve them for a whole month, XI. Numb. 20, 31.
29. So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own deſire;
29. So they had not onelyonly a taſte of his liberality; but were glutted and crammed with them: for He ſatisfied their longings to the full.
30. They were not eſtranged from their luſt: but while the meat was yet in their mouths,
30. And they were not hindred from eating as much as they pleaſed; nor was this diet become at all nauſeous to them: but they greedily feaſted on theſe Birds to the end of the month; and at that very time had theſe ſweet morſels in their mouths, (XI. Numb. 33.)
31. The wrath of God came upon them, and ſlew the fatteſt of them, and ſmote down the choſen men of Iſrael.
31. When the Divine vengeance ſeiſed on them, by a very great peſtilence: (XI. Numb. 33.) which ſwept away the ſtrongeſt and goodlieſt perſons that were in Iſrael
32. For all this they ſinned ſtill: and believed not for his wondrous works.
32. But theſe puniſhments wrought no more change in their hearts, then his benefits: for they added new ſins to all the former; and were not moved by any of his wonderfull works, to believe that He was able to bring them into the Land of promiſe, XIV. Numb. 2, 3, 4.
33. Therefore their days did he conſume in vanity, and their years in trouble.
33. For which cauſe He reſolved they ſhould never come thither, but be conſumed in the wilderneſs: (XIV. Numb. 28, 33, &c.) Where, though they travelled up and down very much and long, yet it was to no purpoſe; for they were never the nearer to their journeys end; nor were ever free from one plague or other, till they were utterly deſtroyed.
34. When he ſlew them, then they ſought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.
34. They relented indeed ſometime; and when God cut off ſome of them, the reſt began to deprecate his diſpleaſure: (XIV. Numb. 39, 40.) and, by promiſing amendment, moſt earneſtly ſought to recover his favour.
35. And they remembred that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.
35. And profeſſed that they would truſt in God hereafter for ſafety and deliverance: who they acknowledged was ſuperiour to all other Gods, and had been their mighty Redeemer.
36. Nevertheleſs they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.
36. But all this was little more then ſpeaking him fair, while they lay under his correcting hand: and they did not ſincerely intend to doe as they promiſed, when it was removed.
37. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they ſtedfaſt in his covenant.
37. For their hearts were not rightly diſpoſed, nor firmly reſolved to adhere unto Him; as appears by their frequent revolts from their engagements: which they never faithfully obſerved; but as conſtantly broke, as they renewed their Covenant with Him, XVI. Numb. 3. XX. 3, 4. XXI. 5, 7. XXV. 1, 2, &c.
38. But he being full of compaſſion, forgave their iniquity, and deſtroyed them not; yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not ſtir up all his wrath.
38. Yet He was ſo full of compaſſion, that, after He had threatned utterly to deſtroy them, (XIV. Numb. 11, 12.) He remitted very much of the ſeverity of the ſentence: and did not cut them off at once, (Ib. Ver. 15, 17, 18.) but very often ſpared them when they deſerved to be puniſhed; or, when He puniſhed them, did it leſs then their deſerts.
39. For he remembred that they were but fleſh; a wind that paſſeth away and cometh not again.
39. For He conſidered how frail they were, and that they could not continue long (though He did not ſnatch them away) but would moulder of themſelves into duſt; and vaniſh like a blaſt of wind, which makes a buſtle and noiſe for a little time, and then is diſperſed and heard of no more.
40. How oft did they provoke him in the wilderneſs, and grieve him in the deſert?
40. How many times, before this terrible threatning, did they provoke Him to anger in the wilderneſs? (XIV. Numb. 22.) and afterward, did things exceeding offenſive to Him, in other parts of the deſert? Numb. XVI. XX. XXI. XXV.
41. Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the holy One of Iſrael.
41. Being ſo vilely ungratefull, as to talk of returning into Egypt; (XIV. Numb. 4.) or requiring, upon every occaſion, new proofs of his power: Nay, queſtioning whether it could doe all things, though He had wrought ſo many wonders; and appointing Him, who had ſo often ſhewn Himſelf to be incomparably greater then all other Gods, what He ſhould doe (as I ſaid before Ver. 19, 20.) if He intended to have them believe on Him.
42. They remembred not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.
42. For they quite forgot (this was the reaſon of their naughtineſs, Ver. 11, 12. which is fit again to be repeated) or never laid to heart, the mighty things He had done for them: eſpecially that memorable time, when He, by his power alone, delivered them from the tyranny of Pharaoh, who moſt miſerably oppreſſed them.
43. How he had wrought his ſigns in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:
43. They did not ſeriouſly ponder the evident demonſtration He gave of his uncontroulable power, in the miraculous judgments which He ſent upon the Egyptians; even upon the Court of Pharaoh, and the principal City of the Kingdom.
44. And had turned their rivers into bloud; and their flouds, that they could not drink.
44. When, for inſtance, He left them no water to quench their thirſt; by turning the River Nile (VII. Exod. 17, 19, 20.) with all the ſtreams that were derived from it, and all their Ponds and Pools of water, into bloud.
45. He ſent divers ſorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which deſtroyed them.
45. And ſent an infinite ſwarm of the moſt peſtilent (and to them the moſt odious) ſort of Flyes (VIII. Exod. 21, 22.) which bit the Egyptians, as they uſed to do their Dogs: As not long before He had ſent ſuch an army of Frogs to invade all places (VIII. Exod. 3, 8, 9, &c.) and ſo to ſpoil their meat and drink, and every thing elſe; that if this plague had laſted, they muſt have left their Country, or not have lived.
46. He gave alſo their increaſe unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locuſt.
46. After which He expoſed the Fruits of the Earth, for which they had taken long pains, to be devoured by various kinds of Locuſts; with which the whole Country was ſo overſpread, that nothing elſe, but they, were to be ſeen upon the face of the earth (X. Exod. 5.)
47. He deſtroyed their vines with hail, and their ſycomoretrees with froſt.
47. Which had been miſerably haraſſed before, by ſtorms of Hail, both ſmall and great: whereby not onelyonly the Grapes and ſuch like Fruit, were ſmitten down; but the Trees themſelves (for inſtance, the Vines, and the wild Figtrees) quite killed, and corrupted at the very root, IX. Exod. 18, 19, 25.
48. He gave up their cattel alſo to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.
48. For there was a dreadfull Thunder and Lightning mixt together with it: which let no living Creature eſcape, but deſtroyed even the Cattel and the Flocks, which were left abroad in the Field, IX. Exod. 22, 23, &c.
49. He caſt upon them the fierceneſs of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by ſending evil angels among them.
49. Many other ways He plagued them, which were tokens of his ſevereſt diſpleaſure; by a grievous murrain, by fiery boils, by a moſt diſmall darkneſs, (IX. Exod. 10.) till at length He ſent evil Angels (who had frighted them in that darkneſs XVII. Wiſd. 3.) as the Miniſters of his heavy wrath.
50. He made a way to his anger, he ſpared not their ſoul from death: but gave their life over to the peſtilence.
50. Which irreſiſtibly and ſpeedily ſeiſed on them, whereſoever He found them; and ſpared not their lives: but took away the Firſt-born of all their Cattel by a peſtilential diſeaſe, XXI. Exod. 30.
51. And ſmote all the firſt-born in Egypt: the chief of their ſtrength in the tabernacles of Ham:
51. As well as the Firſtborn of all their Children, (the prop of their Families, in whom the hope of future ſucceſſion was principally laid) throughout the dwellings of the poſterity of Cham, the Father of the Egyptians, (X. Gen. 6. XII. Exod. 30.)
52. But made his oron people to go forth like ſheep: and guided them in the wilderneſs like a flock.
52. And by that means brought forth his people from among them, (XII. Exod. 31.) as peaceably as a Shepherd doth his Sheep out of their Folds (not ſo much as a Dog moving his tongue againſt them, XI. Exod. 7.) and then directed them the way they ſhould go in the wilderneſs (XIII. Exod. 18, 21.) where He graciouſly provided for them.
53. And he led them on ſafely, ſo that they feared not: but the ſea overwhelmed their enemies.
53. He conducted them ſecurely even through the red Sea, without any apprehenſion of danger, (XIV. Exod. 19, 22.) but overwhelmed Pharaoh and his followers, in that very path where they travelled in ſafety.
54. And he brought them to the border of his Sanctuary, even to this mountain which his right hand had purchaſed.
54. And never ceaſed his care over them (notwithſtanding all their provocations) till He brought them into his holy Land; and (in the iſſue) to this Mount Sion: which, not their proweſs but, his mighty power, by the hand of David, won for them, 2 Sam. V. 6, &c.
55. He caſt out the heathen alſo before them, and divided them an inheritance by line: and made the tribes of Iſrael to dwell in their tents.
55. And, after He had expelled the old inhabitants, who were not able to ſtand before them (XII. Joſh.) He diſtributed by lot, to every Tribe their portion of Land, which they ſhould inherit (XIV. Joſh.) and ſettled them in a quiet poſſeſſion of it, XXI. Joſh. 43, 44.
56. Yet they tempted and provoked the moſt high God: and kept not his teſtimonies:
56. Yet, after ſo many and ſo great benefits, they behaved themſelves no better, in that good Land; then they had done in the Wilderneſs: but as ſoon as Joſhua and the Elders were dead (II. Judg. 7, 10.) they disbelieved the threatnings of their Law, and would make a trial whether they were true or no; provoking the great Lord of all the world, by ſlighting his Commandments, which He had ſo ſtrictly injoined them to obſerve.
57. But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aſide like a deceitfull bow.
57. They imitated their Fore-fathers, both in their frequent apoſtaſies from God, and in their falſeneſs to their promiſes, when they pretended to repent of them, (II. Judg. 13, 18, 19. III. 7, &c.) having depraved minds and hearts, which (like an ill made Bow, that never tends the Arrow to the mark) would turn aſide into crooked ways, and not be directed according to the will of God.
58. For they provoked him to anger with their high places: and moved him to jealouſie with their graven images.
58. For they highly incenſed Him, by their Altars and Images, (VI. Judg. 25.) which they built after the manner of the heathen (XXII. Numb. 41.) in the high places: where they worſhipped a number of falſe Gods, (X. Judg. 6.) to his great offence and diſhonour.
59. When God heard this, he was wroth and greatly abhorred Iſrael:
59. Which was ſo notorious, that the Judge of the world could not but take notice of it, and ſeverely puniſh it; by abandoning that people, for whom He had done ſuch wonders, into the hands of the Syrians, the Moabites, the Midianites, Philiſtines, and the Children of Ammon, (ſee the Book of Judges) who made them as contemptible unto others, as they were loathſome unto Him.
60. So that he forſook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men:
60. Inſomuch that at laſt He quite forſook the City of Shiloh, where, in his Tabernacle, He had been graciouſly pleaſed to be preſent with them, (1 Sam. IV. 3, 4.) and would never return unto it any more, (VII. Jer, 12. and ſee Arg. of LXVIII. Pſ.)
61. And delivered his ſtrength into captivity, and his glory into the enemies hand.
61. Nay, He let the Ark of the Covenant, the ſpecial token of his preſence with them, from whence his power was wont to appear moſt gloriouſly for them, not onelyonly fall into their hands; but be carried away captive by the Philiſtines (1 Sam. IV. 11, 22. V. 1.).
62. He gave his people over alſo to the ſword: and was wroth with his inheritance.
62. Whoſe Sword ſlew a great number of his people; (1 Sam. IV. 10.) ſo exceeding angry was He with thoſe, whom He had formerly taken into his ſpecial care above all other Nations; XXXII. Deut. 8, 9.
63. The fire conſumed their young men: and their maidens were not given to marriage.
63. For it was by his Divine vengeance, more then the Philiſtines valour, that they loſt abundance of brave young men; the very flower of their Army: by which means many of their Virgins were conſtrained to remain unmarried; and they that found Husbands, were fain to omit all tokens of joy, in a time of publick ſorrow.
64. Their prieſts fell by the ſword: and their widows made no lamentation.
64. For ſome of their Prieſts, who were peculiarly conſecrated to God's ſervice, were ſlain in this Battel, (1 Sam. IV. 11.) and their Wives, oppreſſed with grief, did not long ſurvive, to make any publick Funeral for them; 1 Sam. IV. 20.
65. Then the LORD awaked as one out of ſleep, and like a mighty man that ſhouteth by reaſon of wine.
65. The Lord Himſelf alſo (who was wont to ſight for us) ſeemed no more concerned in all theſe calamities, which befell both us and our Religion; then a mighty Commander is at that, which is done to his Army when he is aſleep, or overcome with Wine: Till at laſt, like ſuch a great Warriour (who being awaked calls for his arms, and charges the enemy with greater fury) He vindicated his honour in a terrible manner, and made a very great deſtruction among them, 1 Sam. V. 9, 11.
66. And he ſmote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.
66. For beſides the fall of Dagon before the Ark, He ſmote ſeveral Cities of the Philiſtines, with a grievous ſort of Haemorrhoids; whereof many died, and the reſt languiſhed under moſt miſerable torments: (1 Sam. V. 6, 9, 12.) the monuments of which they themſelves were forced to make, and ſend back with the Ark; to his great glory, and their eternal reproach, 1 Sam. VI. 3, 4, 9.
67. Moreover he refuſed the tabernacle of Joſeph: and choſe not the tribe of Ephraim.
67. Yet he would not return to Shiloh again (which was in the Tribe of Ephraim, the Son of Joſeph) nor have the Ark of his preſence placed there any more:
68. But choſe the tribe of Judah, the mount Sion which he loved.
68. But firſt it was brought to Kiriathaim, (1 Sam. VI. 21.) a City of the Tribe of Judah, XV. Joſh. 6. where He reſolved hereafter to have his ſpecial reſidence: and ſo from thence (after a ſhort ſtay at the Houſe of Obed-Edom) unto Mount Sion (1 Chron. XIII. 6. XVI. 1, 3, 29.) which He preferred before the Hill of Kiriathaim (1 Sam. VII. 1.) or any other place in all the Country.
69. And he built his ſanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath eſtabliſhed for ever.
69. There Solomon built Him a ſtately Temple, which, as it was a high and lofty Fabrick, ſo was not moveable, like his former habitation; but remained perpetually fixed, like the earth on which it ſtood.
70. He choſe David alſo his ſervant, and took him from the ſheepfolds:
70. For as He had rejected Shiloh, and choſen Sion for the place of his dwelling; ſo He had likewiſe rejected Saul, and choſen David (the Father of Solomon) to be the King of his people: A man who ſerved Him as faithfully in that Office, as he had done his Father in keeping of his Sheep.
71. From following the ews great with young, he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Iſrael his inheritance.
71. From that mean imployment He took him, and raiſed him to the higheſt charge and dignity: that the care he had imployed in looking after the Ews, and their Lambs when they ſhould fall, he might exerciſe in governing his people; and endeavouring that they, whom He had choſen for his own peculiar inheritance, did no way miſcarry.
72. So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart: and guided them by the skilfulneſs of his hands.
72. And he did not deceive His expectation; but governed them with equal integrity and prudence: never deſigning any thing but their good; and dextrouſly accompliſhing whatſoever he deſigned.