The Book of Psalms Paraphrased, Book 5 · Psalm 116 – Psalm 117
PSALM CXVI.
ARGUMENT.
I do not underſtand the reaſon why Theodoret applies this Pſalm to the times of Antiochus Epiphanes, when it agrees ſo exactly to the condition of David in his flight from his Son Abſalom, (which ſeems to be mentioned Ver. 11.) when Ahitophel and others proved very falſe to him; and he had little or nothing to depend upon, but onelyonly the Goodneſs of the Almighty; who was pleaſed to plead his cauſe, and deliver him. For which he reſolved to be very thankfull, and to call all his Friends to rejoice with him, as I have expreſſed it Ver. 13. where the firſt words ſufficiently declare the ſenſe; but I have added more to explain the phraſe, which is borrowed from the cuſtom of thoſe days: about which the Reader may conſult Mr. Mede, p. 483. laſt Edit. In this reſolution he was ſo ſerious, that he repeats it again in the concluſion; and ſaith he will pay his vows in the midſt of Jeruſalem: from whence the Hiſtory tells us he was forced to fly in great haſte, to ſave his life, 2 Sam. XV. 14, &c.
This ſeems to be the occaſion of the Pſalm, which may very well befit any other perſons, that receive any great deliverance from God; and accordingly I will order the Paraphraſe, and fit it for the expreſſing of their devout affections.
1. I Love the LORD, becauſe he hath heard my veice, and my ſupplications.
1. O How I love the Lord! He knows that I love Him exceedingly: and there is the greateſt reaſon for it; becauſe He hath ſo graciouſly heard my prayer, when in my diſtreſs I cried unto Him.
2. Becauſe he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
2. I cannot chuſe but mention again this love of his, in granting ſo readily my deſires: which incourages, and ingages me, on all ſuch occaſions, to addreſs my ſelf, with thankfull acknowledgments, unto Him; and, to the laſt breath of my life, to expect deliverance from Him.
3. The ſorrows of death compaſſed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and ſorrow.
3. Great was my miſery; exceeding great: Death it ſelf, and the grave were ready to ſeize on me; and I ſaw no way to eſcape: nay, I my ſelf, in the anguiſh of my Soul, inconſiderately caſt my ſelf into danger.
4. Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beſeech thee, deliver my ſoul.
4. Yet I did not deſpond in theſe ſtraits; but made the mighty, wiſe and good Providence of God my refuge; to whom I cryed, ſaying; O Lord, who waſt before all things, and commandeſt them as Thou pleaſeſt; reſcue me, I moſt humbly beſeech Thee, from thoſe dangers, which threaten my deſtruction.
5. Gracious is the LORD, and righteous: yea, our God is mercifull.
5. And it was not in vain that I cryed unto Him; for the Lord hath ſhewn me how ready He is to doe good, and how faithfull in his promiſes: and withall how gentle in his puniſhments, and inclinable to pardon our faults; which demonſtrates that no people ſerve ſuch a gracious Maſter, as our mercifull God.
6. The LORD preſerveth the ſimple: I was brought low, and he helped me.
6. I had periſhed, I am ſure, if I had relied onelyonly on my own Wiſedom, or the skill and policy of others: But the Lord was my hope, who preſerves the moſt ſimple and incautious Souls, when they commit themſelves to Him, and wholly depend on his Providence. I ought to ſay ſo; who was reduced to a moſt forlorn eſtate, and then, by his aſſiſtance, in a wonderfull manner delivered.
7. Return unto thy reſt, O my ſoul, for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.
7. What haſt Thou then to doe, O my Soul, who haſt been ſo tempeſtuouſly toſſed, but to ſettle thy ſelf again in peace and tranquillity? loving and praiſing the Lord, who hath very many ways expreſſed his bounty moſt liberally to thee.
8. For thou haſt delivered my ſoul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
8. For when the dangers of death ſurrounded me, Thou, O my God, didſt deliver me: when ever any ſadneſs ſeized on me, Thou haſt been my Comforter: and when I have been in danger of hurts, maims, or bruiſes (or of falling into the hands of my enemies) Thou ſtill haſt been my Protectour.
9. I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.
9. I ought therefore, and I am reſolved to imploy all that health and chearfulneſs, that ſoundneſs of body and mind, that peace and ſafety, which Thou haſt thus graciouſly beſtowed on me, in doing Thee (to whom as my Sovereign Lord I owe) all faithfull ſervice; as long as I ſtay in this world.
10. I believed, therefore have I ſpoken: I was greatly afflicted.
10. I had nothing, I will thankfully remember, to depend upon, but onelyonly thy kind Providence: In this I placed my truſt; in this I placed my truſt; in this I gloried to others, when I was in my greateſt ſtraits: for the truth is I was extreamly miſerable;
11. I ſaid in my haſte, All men are liars.
11. Preſſed on all ſides with dangers; from which when I fled as faſt as I was able, (2 Sam. XV. 14. XVII. 16. 22.) I concluded it was vain to rely on the friendſhip and help of men: For they in whom I truſted proved ſo falſe and treacherous, (2 Sam. XV. 31.) that I had reaſon to think the reſt would deceive and fail my expectation; when I was in the greateſt need of them.
12. What ſhall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits towards me?
12. O the greatneſs of thy love! who even then didſt interpoſe and deliver me, by the aſſiſtance of ſome faithfull Friends, who ſtill ſtuck to me! (2 Sam. XVII. 13, &c.) What ſhall I render unto the Lord, who heard my prayer? (2 Sam. XV. 31.) How ſhall I ſhew my ſelf gratefull to Him, for this, and for all other his benefits, which He hath heaped upon me?
13. I will take the cup of ſalvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.
13. All that I can doe, cannot make Him more happy: But, as my duty binds me, I will praiſe the Lord, and ſpeak good of his Name, and give Him thanks, in the beſt and moſt ſolemn manner I am able: I will call all my Friends together to rejoice with me, and taking the Cup, which we call the Cup of Deliverance, (becauſe when bleſſed and ſet apart, we are wont to commemorate the bleſſings we have received) I will magnifie the Power, Goodneſs and Faithfulneſs of God my Saviour before all the company; and will drink my ſelf, and then give it to them, that they may praiſe his Name together with me.
14. I will pay my vows unto the LORD, now in the preſence of all his people.
14. And whatſoever I have promiſed Thee, O Lord, in the time of my diſtreſs, I will faithfully ingage my ſelf to perform before them all: They ſhall ſee I am not forgetfull of Thee, who waſt ſo mindfull of me in my trouble.
15. Precious in the ſight of the LORD is the death of his ſaints.
15. As indeed Thou art of all good men, whoſe lives Thou preſerveſt as a precious Jewel: and wilt not give them up to the pleaſure of their enemies; nor ſuffer them to be loſt, but by thy ſpecial Providence.
16. Oh LORD, truly I am thy ſervant, I am thy ſervant, and the ſon of thy handmaid: thou haſt looſed my bonds.
16. Accept, good Lord, of theſe my reſolutions; for I am ſenſible that I am thy ſervant; every way thy ſervant, and intirely obliged to be faithfull to Thee: both by my Birth, and by my Education; and by this marvellous Deliverance, whereby Thou haſt reſcued me from the power of death, which had, in a manner, taken hold of me.
17. I will offer to thee the ſacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.
17. I can never ſure prove ungratefull to Thee, unto whom I am tied by ſo many bonds; But will always be making Thee my moſt thankfull, ſolemn acknowledgments, for the benefits I have received: And together with thoſe praiſes, and thankſgivings, wait upon thy Goodneſs, for the like mercies in time to come.
18. I will pay my vows unto the LORD, now in the preſence of all his people:
18. I reſolve again, religiouſly to make good theſe, and all other my vows, wherein I ſtand ingaged to the Lord: and that not onelyonly in private; but here at this ſolemnity, in the face of all his people:
19. In the courts of the LORD's houſe in the midſt of thee O Jeruſalem. Praiſe ye the LORD.
19. When they are gathered together at his Houſe, in the midſt of the holy City of our God; where they meet to worſhip Him, and to doe Him honour. There let them all join with me, to bleſs and praiſe the great Creatour and Preſerver of all things.
PSALM CXVII.
ARGUMENT.
This Pſalm (like the CX.) ſeems to be altogether Prophetical, of the joy that all the world ſhould conceive, at the coming of the Meſſiah: to give Salvation, firſt to the Jews, and then to all other Nations; according to his faithfull promiſe. Saint Paul applies the firſt words of it to this buſineſs, Rom. XV. 11. and ſome of the Hebrews juſtifie his application; confeſſing that this Pſalm belongs to that matter. The brevity of it makes it the more remarkable; and eaſier to be remembred both by Jews and Gentiles.
1. O Praiſe the LORD, all ye nations: praiſe him, all ye people.
1. LET not the praiſes, which are due to the great Lord of all, be confined to our Nation; but let all people upon the face of the earth praiſe Him: Let all mankind ſing thankfull hymns unto Him.
2. For his mercifull kindneſs is great towards us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praiſe ye the LORD.
2. For they are all concerned in his tranſcendent kindneſs; which hath done mighty things for us: and the Lord, who changes not, will never fail to perform his faithfull promiſes to the worlds end. Therefore let us all join our praiſes, to our common Benefactour.