The Book of Psalms Paraphrased, Book 5 · Psalm 147
PSALM CXLVII.
Hallelujah. See CXLVI.
ARGUMENT.
Saint Chryſoſtome and Theodoret think this Pſalm hath reſpect to the return of the Jewiſh Nation from the Captivity of Babylon; and the inſtauration of Jeruſalem, which followed upon it. And the ſecond and thirteenth Verſes, may well incline us to be of the opinion, that it was made by ſome holy man at that time, (Haggai or Zachariah ſome ancient Interpreters imagin; or rather Nehemiah, who built the Walls and ſet up the Gates) eſpecially if we obſerve that there are ſome phraſes in it, which ſavour of the Chaldaean language. And though this can be no more then a conjecture; yet it is very certain and evident that in that deliverance, God gave ſuch illuſtrious proofs of his power, wiſedom, mercy and juſtice, as the Pſalmiſt here exhorts the people to celebrate with their thankfull praiſes. I ſhall follow it therefore in my Paraphraſe; it being reaſonable to ſuppoſe that devout perſons would be as forward to acknowledge the wonderfull Providence of God in their reſtauration, as they were to bewail (which they do Pſ. CXXXVII.) the ruin of their Country; and that poſterity would be no leſs carefull to preſerve what was compoſed in memory of the one, then they had been to continue the memory of the other: And there is no Hymn, we can find, ſo ſutable to that occaſion as this.
1. PRaiſe ye the LORD: for it is good to ſing praiſes unto our God; for it is pleaſant, and praiſe is comely.
1. LET all the Nations praiſe the Lord; who will ſend us new benefits, when we are truly thankfull to Him our great Benefactour, for the old: For it is a thing highly acceptable to Him, as well as delightfull to thoſe who are imployed therein; and beſt becomes us of all other things, there being nothing ſo decent as to ſee men gratefull to Him that hath obliged them.
2. The LORD doth build up Jeruſalem: he gathereth together the outcaſts of Iſrael.
2. To which we ſtand bound above all other men; for the Lord hath not onelyonly delivered us out of a ſad Captivity; but, in ſpite of all the oppoſition our enemies have made to it, (IV. Ezra 12.) hath raiſed Jeruſalem out of its ruines: whereby He invites the reſt of our Brethren, who remain behind, to return to their own Country from whence they are expelled.
3. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
3. He comforts us after our long ſorrows, which had in a manner broken our heart with grief and ſadneſs: and hath in ſome meaſure repaired our breaches, which like a feſtering wound, indangered the life of our Nation.
4. He telleth the number of the ſtars: he calleth them all by their names.
4. Whom He knows how to gather, out of all their diſperſions, and to find every one of them whereſoever they are, though as numerous as the ſtars of heaven: (XV. Gen. 5.) which He as diſtinctly and exactly underſtands (how confuſedly ſoever they ſeem to us, to be ſcattered in the skie) as we do thoſe things, which we call by their proper names.
5. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his underſtanding is infinite.
5. Let us not deſpair of it; for nothing is impoſſible with our Lord and Governour: who is not like earthly Kings, that rule over a few petty Provinces; but the great Sovereign of the whole world; whoſe power and wiſedom are ſo unlimited, that He is able to doe whatſoever He pleaſes, and knows how to compaſs whatſoever He deſigns.
6. The LORD lifteth up the meek: he caſteth the wicked down to the ground.
6. And doth not, becauſe He is ſo great, deſpiſe the afflicted: but, if they meekly commit themſelves to his care, will raiſe them up to a better condition; and throw down the mightieſt Princes that proudly oppreſs them, as low as the very ground.
7. Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving: ſing praiſe upon the harp unto our God.
7. Celebrate therefore with your thankfull Songs (you cannot make a leſs return unto Him) this infinite Power, and Wiſedom, and Goodneſs: Begin now, with the uſual Inſtruments of Muſick, to ſing Hymns of praiſe unto our God, for all his benefits.
8. Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh graſs to grow upon the mountains.
8. Particularly for the great plenty He hath given us by his almighty Goodneſs; (II. Haggai 1.) which ſhews it ſelf, firſt in raiſing vapours from the earth; and then turning them into clouds, wherewith He covers the face of heaven; and then bringing forth rain out of thoſe clouds: which He ſends back to the earth again; and makes not onelyonly the green paſtures, but the parched mountains and deſart places, become fruitfull.
9. He giveth to the beaſt his food, and to the young ravens which cry.
9. By which wonderfull Providence He provides food, even for the wild goats and ſuck like beaſts; that live upon the top of craggy rocks: For He neglects not the vileſt creatures, but ſatisfies the hunger of the young ravens; though it be ſo ravenous, that they are continually crying for new ſupplies.
10. He delighteth not in the ſtrength of the horſe: he taketh not pleaſure in the legs of a man.
10. Let us not doubt then, but He that takes care of crows, will much more take care of us; and not be afraid, though we are of little force, (IV. Nehem. 3, 4. VII. 4.) and have no armies of horſe and foot to defend us: For the Lord (who fights for us, IV. Nehem. 20.) hath no need of theſe; and will not take part with our enemies, becauſe they are ſuperiour to us in the ſtrength of their horſes, and the nimbleneſs of their ſouldiers.
11. The LORD taketh pleaſure in them that fear him, in thoſe that hope in his mercy.
11. But delights to give thoſe his aſſiſtance and protection, who, worſhipping Him devoutly, fear to offend Him: and, having no help in themſelves, nor any earthly refuge to fly unto, depend notwithſtanding with a ſtedfaſt faith on his infinite mercy.
12. Praiſe the LORD, O Jeruſalem: praiſe thy God, O Sion.
12. Praiſe the Lord, O ye inhabitants of Jeruſalem; ſing joyfull Hymns unto your God, O ye people of Sion, (XII. Nehem. 27, 31, 40, 43.) who have ſeen this truth abundantly demonſtrated in your days.
13. For he hath ſtrengthened the bars of thy gates: he hath bleſſed thy children within thee.
13. For He hath made this City, which was lately without Walls and Gates, ſo ſtrong a place; that no enemy dare aſſualt it, (VI. Nehem. 15, 16.) and hath increaſed the number of thy Citizens which were but few, (VII. Nehem. 4. XI. 1, 2.) by the manifold bleſſings He hath poured on them.
14. He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the fineſt of the wheat.
14. Which are not confined within the Walls of that City, but He hath ſettled all the Country in peace: no enemy appearing to infeſt thy borders, and to diſturb the husbandmen in their labours; which have produced ſo rich a crop, that plentifull proviſion is made for all our ſatisfaction.
15. He ſendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very ſwiftly.
15. This we ought to aſcribe to his mercifull Providence, who ſhews by the fruitfull ſeaſons He ſends, after all things ſeem to be killed by a hard winter, that He doth not intend by our affliction to deſtroy us; and that He can eaſily bring all our Brethren hither, who remain ſtill in Captivity: For when He would have any alteration made in the earth, it is done as ſpeedily as we can ſpeak.
16. He giveth ſnow like wooll: he ſcattereth the hoar froſt like aſhes.
16. He ſends, for inſtance, a ſudden cold: which ſometimes turns the moiſt vapours, in the air, into flakes of ſnow, to cover the earth as with a fleece of wool, and defend the corn from the biting winds; and ſometimes into hoary froſt, which He gently ſcatters and ſtraws, like aſhes, upon the earth.
17. He caſteth forth his ice like morſels: who can ſtand before his cold?
17. And ſometimes congeals them into ice; which He breaks into bits, and throws down in violent hail: accompanied with ſuch extremity of cold, that neither man nor beaſt nor the fiſhes in the ponds and rivers are able long to endure it.
18. He ſendeth out his word, and melteth them: he cauſeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.
18. But then, to prevent the hurt that might inſue by its continuance, He iſſues forth another command, which as ſuddenly (Ver. 15.) makes a thaw; and, by the warm breath of ſofter winds, looſens the waters which were bound up; and cauſes them to flow again.
19. He ſheweth his word unto Jacob, his ſtatutes and his judgments unto Iſrael.
19. In ſuch things as theſe the whole world ſee how powerfull, and how good He is: But we have more peculiar reaſons to depend upon Him for a happy return of our Nation; whom He doth not teach merely by the ſnow, the hoar froſt, and the ice; but by another ſort of word then that which ſends them upon the earth: (Ver. 15.) even by His Ten Commandments delivered from heaven (XX. Exod. 1.) in a moſt glorious and aſtoniſhing manner, (Ver. 18.) and by Laws of all ſorts, which He hath given us for the government of our life.
20. He hath not dealt ſo with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praiſe ye the LORD.
20. This is a privilege which no other Nation in the world enjoys, (IV. Deut. 32, 33.) For, though they all receive the ſhowres and ſnow out of the clouds yet, Laws from thence they have no acquaintance withall. Therefore let not us diſhonour Him ſo much, as to diſtruſt his Providence; but continually praiſe the Lord, and acknowledge his bounty to us.