The Book of Psalms Paraphrased, Book 5 · Psalm 108
PSALM CVIII.
A Song or Pſalm of David.
ARGUMENT.
The Title tells us this Song-Pſalm (ſee the reaſon of this name upon Pſal. LXVII.) was made by David: and was placed here, as I conjecture, becauſe now he was in a hopefull way to perfect ſome Victories, which he had begun to win; whereby ſome of thoſe Captives in ſtrange Lands (mentioned Ver. 2. and 3. of the foregoing Pſalm) were reſcued and ſet at liberty. What thoſe Nations were, over whom he was about to triumph, ſee in the Title of Pſalm LX: For the latter part of this Pſalm from Ver. 6. to the end, is the very ſame (with ſome light variations) with the eight laſt Verſes of that; As the former part of it, is very little different from the five laſt Verſes of Pſalm LVII. Which the Pſalmiſt I ſuppoſe here placed inſtead of thoſe, wherewith the LX. begins (though he retains all the latter end of it) becauſe now, as I ſaid, he had made ſome progreſs in thoſe Wars, which he was but entring upon, when he made that LX. Pſalm And therefore here he begins with thanks to God for his mercy, as there he laments the ill condition, wherein he found the affairs of the Kingdom, when he came to the Crown.
1. O God, my heart is fixed, I will ſing and give praiſe, even with my glory.
1. MY heart is ready, O moſt gracious God; it is firmly reſolved to give Thee moſt ſolemn thanks: My tongue alſo, wherewith I ought to glorifie Thee, ſhall ſing of thy Goodneſs; and, with all the expreſſions of joy, ſet forth thy praiſe.
2. Awake pſaltery and harp: I my ſelf will awake early.
2. Nor ſhall any of the inſtruments of Muſick be ſilent, but accompany my Hymns: which I will ſing unto Thee ſo early, that I will prevent the riſing of the Sun.
3. I will praiſe thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will ſing praiſes unto thee among the nations.
3. Nor will I merely make Thee my private acknowledgments; but publiſh thy praiſe in the greateſt aſſemblies of thy people, among whom this Song ſhall be ſung: yea, other Nations ſhall reade therein, how thankfull I am for what Thou haſt begun to doe for us.
4. For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.
4. For it is fit my thankfulneſs ſhould be as boundleſs as thy mercy: which infinitely tranſcends all my expreſſions; and hath nothing equal to it, but thy faithfulneſs and truth.
5. Be thou exalted, O God above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth;
5. Be Thou more and more exalted in theſe, O God; and raiſe to thy ſelf thereby the higheſt praiſes: ſpread the fame of them every where, that Thou mayeſt be glorified throughout the world.
6. That thy beloved may be delivered: ſave with thy right hand, and anſwer me.
6. Eſpecially now, I beſeech Thee, to grant my humble petitions, that by thy mighty power accompanying my Arms, I may be an inſtrument of delivering thy beloved people from their Oppreſſours.
7. God hath ſpoken in his holineſs, I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.
7. Why ſhould I doubt of it, and not rather rejoice in aſſured hope of a perfect Victory? ſince God who is moſt holy and cannot lie, hath ſaid He will deliver them by my hand; (2 Sam. III. 18.) and hath already put me in poſſeſſion, (as He alſo promiſed, Ver. 2.) of all the Country about Samaria; which I will diſtribute under ſuch Officers, as I think fit to ſet over them.
8. Gilead is mine, Manaſſeh is mine, Ephraim alſo is the ſtrength of mine head, Judah is my lawgiver.
8. Gilead alſo and Manaſſeh, who were lately under another King, (2 Sam. II. 9.) have ſubmitted themſelves to me; and ſo hath the of Ephraim, which is a main ſupport of my Authority: Theſe, and all the reſt of the Tribes of Iſrael, are united to the royal Tribe of Judah; which (according to the prophecy of our Forefather, XLIX. Gen. 10.) ſupplies me with wiſe and able men to adminiſter the Laws, and order the affairs of my Kingdom.
9. Moab is my waſhpot, over Edom will I caſt out my ſhoe: over Philiſtia will I triumph.
9. Which ſhall now extend it ſelf beyond the bounds of this Country; for I will tread the Moabites under my feet, and reduce them to the vileſt ſervitude; (2 Sam. VIII. 2.) I will trample alſo upon the Edomites, and make them my ſlaves: (Ib. Verſe 14.) the Philiſtines alſo, whom I have begun to ſmite, (2 Sam. V. 17, &c. 22.) ſhall add to my Triumphs, and be forced to ſubmit unto me, as their conquering Lord, (2 Sam. VIII. 1.)
10. Who will bring me into the ſtrong city? who will lead me into Edom?
10. Theſe are difficult things indeed, and I may well ask, when I conſider how potent theſe Nations are, by what power or force I ſhall be able to enter that ſtrongly fenced City, in the frontiers of their Country? Who is it that will conduct me into Idumaea, and make me Maſter of it?
11. Wilt not thou, O God, who haſt caſt us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hoſts?
11. But I can ſoon anſwer my ſelf: For why ſhould I deſpair of thy preſence with us, O God of all power and might? who formerly indeed didſt reject us, and forſake the conduct of our Armies, (1 Sam. XXXI. 1, 7.) but now, I hope, wilt graciouſly aid us, and make us victorious.
12. Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
12. Do not fruſtrate theſe hopes; but afford us thy help againſt the Syrians alſo (2 Sam. VIII. 5.) now that they diſtreſs us: for no humane force is able to deliver us; nor have we any confidence in it, but in Thee alone.
13. Through God we ſhall doe valiantly: for he it is that ſhall tread down our enemies.
13. By whoſe aſſiſtance we will behave our ſelves couragiouſly, and doe valiant Acts: For God will utterly rout our Enemies; and tread them down, like the mire in the ſtreets.