The Book of Psalms Paraphrased, Book 5 · Psalm 138
PSALM CXXXVIII.
A Pſalm of David.
ARGUMENT.
This is one of David's Pſalms, (as the Title aſſures us) wherein he thankfully acknowledges God's Goodneſs to him, in advancing him from a low and afflicted condition to the royal dignity: which remarkable change would invite, he thought, other Kings and Princes to have a very great regard to his Divine Majeſty: who, he hoped therefore, would ſupport and defend him, in his new-gotten Kingdom; by the ſame Almighty power, which raiſed him unto it.
1. I Will praiſe thee with my whole heart, before the gods will I ſing praiſe unto thee.
1. I Will make Thee my thankfull acknowledgments, O Lord, with the devouteſt affections of my heart: thy holy Angels ſhall be witneſſes of my gratitude, which I will expreſs in Pſalms and Hymns, in the preſence of the great Aſſembly of the Judges, (XXII. Exod. 9. LXXXII. Pſal. 1, 6.) that they may remember, to whom they owe their power and authority.
2. I will worſhip towards thy holy temple, and praiſe thy name, for thy loving kindneſs, and for thy truth: for thou haſt magnified thy word above all thy name.
2. I will proſtrate my ſelf in the humbleſt adorations of Thee, toward the place where the Monument of thy Divine Preſence is; and acknowledge how much I am indebted to thy almighty Goodneſs: firſt for promiſing me, out of thy mere grace and favour, the royal Dignity; and then for performing thy promiſe moſt faithfully: For Thou haſt manifeſted thy moſt excellent power and goodneſs to me in nothing ſo much, as in punctually fulfilling thy promiſe, (1 Sam. XVI. 13.) nowithſtanding all the oppoſition which was made to it; nay in raiſing me higher then I expected.
3. In the day when I cried, thou anſweredſt me: and ſtrengthenedſt me with ſtrength in my ſoul.
3. I had long ago faln ſhort of this honour, to which I am advanced, hadſt not Thou, during all the time of Saul's perſecution, as readily relieved me, as I cried to Thee: and mightily ſupported my ſpirit, by a couragious faith and hope in Thee.
4. All the kings of the earth ſhall praiſe thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth.
4. Which will move, ſure, all our neighbouring Kings, who have any knowledge of my affairs, (2 Sam. V. 11, 12. VIII. 10.) to join with me, in praiſing Thee, O Lord: when they ſhall hear, by how many ſtrange providences Thou haſt brought to paſs, that which Thou promiſedſt to me by thy Prophet.
5. Yea, they ſhall ſing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.
5. The wonderfull ways, whereby the Lord brings things about, ſhall be the ſubject of their Songs; and they ſhall think it their greateſt happineſs to be guided and governed by Him: for they ſhall confeſs, that none can doe ſuch glorious things, as the Lord hath wrought.
6. Though the LORD be high, yet hath he reſpect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
6. Whoſe ſublime greatneſs doth not make Him neglect (as they ſee in me) the meaneſt perſons; eſpecially when their minds are as humble as their conditions: but will not let Him ſtoop to the loftieſt Princes (as they may ſee in Saul) whom He deſpiſes, when they are forgetfull of Him, and ungratefull to Him for his benefits.
7. Though I walk in the mids of trouble, thou wilt revive me, thou ſhalt ſtretch forth thine hand againſt the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand ſhall ſave me.
7. Which have been ſo great to me, that ſhould I fall again into the ſame ſtraits, wherein I was before, and be incompaſſed with them; I ſhould hope that Thou wouldſt preſerve me, and bring me ſafe out of them all: Thy power, I am confident, will repreſs the violent aſſaults of my enemies; and by thy almighty Goodneſs I ſhall be delivered from their wrath and fury, 2 Sam. V. 17, &c. VIII. 1, &c.
8. The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forſake not the works of thine own hands.
8. The Lord who hath begun, will go on to finiſh his gracious intentions towards me: not for my merits (I know they are none at all) but for thy own mercy ſake, O Lord; which as it was the ſole motive to what Thou haſt done for me, ſo will I hope (for it is ſtill the ſame, and ever will be) incline Thee to preſerve and ſettle me in that dignity; to which not my ambition, but thy own good will and pleaſure hath promoted me.