The Book of Psalms Paraphrased, Book 5 · Psalm 127 – Psalm 131
PSALM CXXVII.
A Song of degrees for Solomon. See CXX.
ARGUMENT.
The Hebrew particle which here we tranſlate for, is thought by our Interpreters, in moſt other places, to ſignifie of: and ſo they tranſlate it a little before, in the Title of Pſal. CXXIV. and a little after, in that of CXXXI. Therefore I ſhall look upon this Pſalm as compoſed by Solomon; who, you reade, 1 King. IV. 32. made above three thouſand Songs: though none of them (except that large Poem called the Song of Songs, and as ſome think Pſal. CXXXII. and, as I ſuppoſe, the next to this) have been tranſmitted to poſterity, but onelyonly this: which is a commentary upon a pious Maxime of his, often repeated in the Book of his Proverbs; that it is in vain to attempt any thing, if the Lord do not proſper it. Teaching us therefore in all our ways to acknowledge Him, (III. Prov. 6. XVI. 3.) and not to preſume, that it is in our power to direct our own way (that is, our deſigns, enterpriſes and actions) to what iſſue we pleaſe. For Though a man's heart deviſeth his way, yet it is the Lord that directeth his ſteps, XVI. Prov. 9. XX. 24. XXI. 30, 31. A truth to be deeply pondered by all; eſpecially by Princes: in whoſe affairs, this over-ruling Providence is moſt viſible. Of A Song of degrees, ſee CXX.
1. EXcept the LORD build the houſe, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
1. THE ſucceſs of all our undertakings depends ſo intirely upon the Lord's bleſſing, that it is in vain, by building Houſes and Cities, to enter into Societies; unleſs He proſper the deſign: and when they are framed, all the care of the Souldier and the Magiſtrate is to no purpoſe; unleſs his good Providence be their guard.
2. It is vain for you to riſe up early, to ſit up late to eat the bread of ſorrows: for ſo he giveth his beloved ſleep.
2. And as fruitleſs, unleſs He favour it, is the toil and ſolicitude of you, the Artificers and Tradeſmen in the City; who riſe betime, and go to bed late, and fare hardly: when they whom He loves (becauſe they own his Providence, and depend upon his Bleſſing, more then their own diligence) live ſecurely, and want nothing that is fit for them; though they have no ſuch ſtrong guard of Souldiers to defend them; nor break their ſleep with labour and care, to ſupply their neceſſities.
3. Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
3. Obſerve it alſo; it is not in the power of the ſtrongeſt and moſt healthfull perſons (though nature deſigns above all things the propagation of mankind) to have Children when they pleaſe; to inherit the riches they have got: but the Lord beſtows them as freely, as Parents do their eſtates; and makes thoſe women fruitfull, whoſe pious reliance upon Him, He thinks good to reward.
4. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man: ſo are children of the youth.
4. And yet there is nothing of which we are more deſirous, then a numerous iſſue; eſpecially in the flower and vigour of our youth: for they will be no leſs defence to us in our age; then arrows or darts are in the hand of a valiant Champion, to beat off his Aſſailants.
5. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them, they ſhall not be aſhamed: but they ſhall ſpeake with the enemies in the gate.
5. Happy is that man who hath obtained ſo much favour of the Lord, as to have his houſe as full of them, as the Champions quiver is of arrows: they will undauntedly appear for him, to anſwer any challenge ſent him by his Enemies*See Theodoret.; or any accuſation put in againſt him before the Judges.
PSALM CXXVIII.
A Song of degrees.
ARGUMENT.
It is not unlikely, that this Pſalm was compoſed by the ſame Authour that made the former; to excite men to be truly Religious, as the onelyonly way to obtain the bleſſings there mentioned of the Lord. Which as he there ſhews we muſt have from his free gift, and not think to acquire merely by our own induſtry: ſo here he ſhews the Lord is wont to beſtow on thoſe; who, fearing to offend Him, ſincerely keep his Commandments.
Some think this was a form preſcribed to be uſed at the bleſſing of their Marriages: when they wiſhed the new married couple all manner of happineſs; eſpecially a long life in peaceable times, Verſ. 5, 6. Of A Song of degrees, ſee CXX.
1. BLeſſed is every one that feareth the LORD: that walketh in his ways.
1. WHoſoever thou art that deſireſt to be happy, be ſure to add unto the devout Worſhip of the Lord, the practice of Juſtice and Charity, and all other Vertues: and thou ſhalt never miſs of it,
2. For thou ſhalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy ſhalt thou be, and it ſhall be well with thee.
2. For then He will proſper thy honeſt labours; and give thee an heart alſo to enjoy the fruit of them: yea, this will ſeem no ſmall part of thy happineſs; that thou art able to live of thy ſelf, and not be beholden unto others.
3. Thy wife ſhall be as a fruitfull vine by the ſides of thine houſe, thy children like olive plants: round about thy Table.
3. He will bleſs thee alſo in thy Wife; and make her as fruitfull as the Vine, which ſpreads it ſelf, laden with full cluſters, over all the ſides of thy Houſe: and in thy hopefull Children too; who ſhall grow up and flouriſh like the young Olive plants, that are ſet in thy Arbour, round about thy Table.
4. Behold, that thus ſhall the man be bleſſed: that feareth the LORD.
4. Obſerve it, that this ſhall be the comfortable portion of the Man that religiouſly ſerveth the Lord: who alone can bleſs our labours; and continue the product of them in our Families.
5. The LORD ſhall bleſs thee out of Zion: and thou ſhalt ſee the good of Jeruſalem, all the days of thy life.
5. Addreſs thy ſelf unto Him in his holy place; and the Lord ſhall beſtow on thee, whatſoever bleſſings thou askeſt of Him: yea, maiſt thou be ſo happy, as to ſee Jeruſalem, the Seat of Juſtice and Religion, in a flouriſhing condition, all thy life long.
6. Yea, thou ſhalt ſee thy childrens children: and peace upon Iſrael.
6. And long maiſt thou live, to ſuch a good old age, as to ſee thy Childrens Children: and the whole Nation, all the time, in a proſperous tranquillity.
PSALM CXXIX.
A Song of degrees. See CXX.
ARGUMENT.
This Pſalm was made when ſome new Calamity threatned them: either by Senacherib, or as Theodoret thinks, by thoſe Nations which combined to deſtroy the Jews, as ſoon as they returned from the Captivity of Babylon. When they were taught by Ezra, or ſome ſuch holy man, to recount what God had done for them, ever ſince they were a people; and to denounce the divine Vengeance againſt thoſe, that now ſought their ruine. The former conjecture ſeems the truer; becauſe as yet, he ſaith verſ. 2. their Enemies had not prevailed againſt them: unleſs we expound that phraſe, as I have done in the Paraphraſe (according to the received interpretation of the Pſalm) that they had not quite deſtroyed them, and made them ceaſe to be a Nation.
1. MAny a time have they afflicted me from my youth: may Iſrael now ſay.
1. OUR Adverſaries, may Iſrael now upon this occaſion ſay, have very often, and very ſorely diſtreſſed us; ever ſince we began to be a People.
2. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed againſt me.
2. It is hard to number how oft, or to tell into how great ſtraits they have reduced us; ever ſince we began to be a Nation: and yet, by the ſpecial favour of God, they have not been able to compaſs their deſire, of our utter extirpation.
3. The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.
3. They have laid us ſometimes exceeding low: and not onelyonly ſcourged us ſo ſeverely, that the marks of it might be ſeen as plainly, as the furrows are which the Plough makes in the ground; but long continued alſo our vexation and torment.
4. The LORD is righteous: he hath cut aſunder the cords of the wicked.
4. But the Lord, at laſt, in much mercy hath made good his faithfull Promiſes, and broken in pieces the power of wicked Oppreſſours: that they might not always hold us under their yoke, and thus miſerably tyrannize over us.
5. Let them all be confounded and turned back, that hate Zion.
5. And may all thoſe that ſtill hate us and our Religion, never have better ſucceſs: but be ſhamefully defeated; and forced to deſiſt in all their attempts upon us.
6. Let them be as the graſs upon the houſe tops: which withereth afore it groweth up:
6. Let none of their deſigns ever come to maturity; but be blaſted like the graſs upon the houſe-top: which having no root, withers of it ſelf; and needs no bodies hand to pluck it up.
7. Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand: nor he that bindeth ſheaves, his boſome.
7. And as it lies unregarded by thoſe that reap or that carry in the fruits of the Earth; ſo let theſe men and all their enterpriſes become contemptible, and be looked upon as good for nothing.
8. Neither do they which goe by, ſay, The bleſſing of the LORD be upon you: we bleſs you in the Name of the LORD.
8. Let all their hopes ſo ſpeedily vaniſh, that there be none to favour them; nor ſo much as to wiſh proſperity to them: No more then there are gathethers of ſuch withered graſs appear, to whom the Paſſingers (after the uſual form, II. Ruth 4.) ſhould ſay; The Lord give you a good harveſt; We pray God you may reape the fruit of your labours.
PSALM CXXX.
A Song of degrees. See CXX.
ARGUMENT.
Some think David made this Prayer, after he had plunged himſelf into a very deep guilt, by his ſin with Bathſheba. I rather think, when he was perſecuted by Saul, and reduced to ſo low a condition; that his heart began to ſink within him. For the flouds of ungodly men (as he ſpeaks XVIII. Pſal. 4.) made him afraid, that he ſhould one day periſh in them, (1 Sam. XXIX. 1.) and he complains elſewhere, that he ſunk in the mire, where there was no ſtanding, &c. LXIX. Pſal. 2, 14, 15.
In this condition he implores the divine Mercy with great earneſtneſs: and beſeeches him to pardon his ſins, and the ſins of all the people: which made them deſerve that ill government, under Saul and his Flatterers.
It is the laſt but one, of the VII. penitential Pſalms.
1. OƲT of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.
1. IN the greateſt ſtraits, when I can ſee no bottom, no end of my troubles, but I ſtill ſink lower and lower into them; I never deſpair of thy mercy, O Lord: but cry unto Thee moſt earneſtly to deliver me.
2. LORD here my voice; let thi… ears be att… to the voice of my ſupplications.
2. Vouchſafe, good Lord, the Governour of all things, to grant my Petition: Do not reject it, I humbly beſeech Thee; but give me a favourable anſwer, when I deprecate thy diſpleaſure.
3. If thou, LORD, ſhouldeſt mark iniquities: O Lord, who ſhall ſtand?
3. I do not plead any merits of mine, but rather accuſe my ſelf before Thee: knowing that if I were the moſt innocent perſon in the world, yet if Thou, Lord, ſhouldeſt ſtrictly examine my life, and proceed againſt me, according to my deſerts (Lord, what would become of me?) I ſhould certainly be condemned.
4. But there is forgiveneſs with thee: that thou maiſt be feared.
4. But Thou moſt graciouſly inviteſt us unto thy ſervice, by thy readineſs to pardon all thoſe that are truly penitent: without the hope of which, we could not ſo much as think of becoming religious.
5. I wait for the LORD, my ſoul doth wait: and in his word do I hope.
5. This incourages me to wait and expect, when the Lord will deliver me: my Soul is earneſtly bent to expect this happy time: which I believe will come; becauſe I have his Promiſe for it, on which I depend.
6. My ſoul waiteth for the Lord, more then they that watch for the morning: I ſay, more then they that watch for the morning.
6. I direct my thoughts to the Lord alone for ſafety and relief; which I implore inceſſantly with my early Prayers: For they that watch in the Temple for the break of day; I ſay the Prieſts that watch in the Temple for the break of day; are not more forward then I, to offer up their morning Sacrifice to the Lord.
7. Let Iſrael hope in the LORD, for with the LORD there is mercy: and with him is plenteous redemption.
7. In whom let all his People place their truſt and confidence: for the Lord is very ready to doe good; and hath more ways then we can imagine, to reſcue thoſe that hope in Him out of the ſoreſt diſtreſſes.
8. And he ſhall redeem Iſrael, from all his iniquities.
8. And He will at laſt free them from all thoſe troubles; which He hath inflicted on them, as a puniſhment for their iniquities.
PSALM CXXXI.
A Song of degrees of David. See CXX.
ARGUMENT.
Though David could not purge himſelf from all manner of guilt (as he confeſſes in the foregoing Pſalm verſ. 3.) yet in that matter, which he was charged withall by his Enemies (of affecting the Kingdome) he could ſafely proteſt he was as innocent as a little Child. Which he doth in this Pſalm particularly; and in ſeveral parts of other Pſalms.
1. LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exerciſe my ſelf in great matters, or in things too high for me.
1. O Lord, I am accuſed of traiterous deſigns againſt my Sovereign, and of aſpiring to the Throne wherein Thou haſt placed him: But Thou, who ſearcheſt the hearts, knoweſt that I harbour no ſuch ambitious thoughts; nor hath my behaviour betrayed any ſuch intentions: For I never looked upon any man ſuperciliouſly; nor medled with affairs of State; or any thing elſe, that is above my place and calling.
2. Surely I have behaved and quieted my ſelf as a child that is weaned of his mother: my ſoul is even as a weaned child.
2. But have levelled my mind (elſe let me periſh) to an equality with my condition; and reſolved to acquieſce in the preſent ſtate of things: committing my ſelf unto thy care, and depending on thy Providence, as a Child that is newly weaned, doth upon its Mother: juſt ſo, do I ſilence my natural deſires; and am content to be diſpoſed of, as Thou pleaſeſt.
3. Let Iſrael hope in the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.
3. And let all good men, in like manner, modeſtly place their confidence and hope in the Lord, as long as they live: and chooſe rather to be depreſſed, then by any undue means raiſe themſelves to greatneſs and honour.