The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 187
SECT. CLXXXVII.
DAvid now deputes certain of the Levites (a)See 1 Chro. 6.31. there the chief mentioned were Aſaph, Heman, and Ethan, call'd alſo Jeduthun; theſe were famous men, and chief Singers, and withal Prophets and Penmen of ſome Pſalmes, 2 Chron. 29.30.to attend upon the Ark of the Lord, and to declare and publiſh his great and glorious acts in their Songs and Hymns, and to praiſe him with their voices and Muſical inſtruments (namely ſuch as were appointed for his ſervic(b)1 Chron. 16. v. 42. call'd Muſical Inſtruments of God.,) and that conſtantly every day at the hour appointed. Then David (who in regard of that Divine skill he had in compoſing Pſalmes, was ſtiled the ſweet Singer of Iſrael, 2 Sam. 23.1.) delivered to Aſaph and his Brethren a Pſalm to have a Tune put to it, and to be ſung in the ſervice of God, which is here recorded; the ſeveral parts whereof were afterwards much enlarged by him, and reduced into ſeveral Pſalmes (as we may ſee Pſal. 105. & 96.) the former part of it to v. 23. is part of Pſal. 105. and the ſum of it is to praiſe the Lord for publick benefits afforded to his Church and people, in regard whereof in times of great joy they uſed (it ſeems) to ſing this Pſalm, as may be gathered from Iſa. 12.4. it begins, Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people; ſet forth his glorious Attributes; ſeek to know the Lord, and his ſtrength, and reſort to the Ark (from whence he uſes to give forth his Oracles, Exod. 25.22. and is the Symbol of his Almighty preſence among us, and therefore call'd the Ark of his ſtrength, Pſal. 132.8.) yea, ſeek his favour continually day after day as occaſion requires. Remember the judgments of his mouth (which he firſt threatned and then executed) O ye ſeed of Jacob, who are his adopted and peculiar people, freely choſen by him. He is our God, he executeth his judgments on his enemies throughout the whole world: O let us be mindful always of his Covenant, wherein he hath declared what duties he expects from us, and what rewards we may expect from him upon our obedience, [Gen. 17.7, 9.] which Covenant he hath commanded to be obſerved by us, and the generations following us, even the Covenant which he made with Abraham, [Gen. 17.7. & 15.18.] and his Oath unto Iſaac, [Gen. 26.3, 4.] renewing the ſame Covenant to him which by Oath he had confirmed unto Abraham, [Gen, 22.16, 17.] and which he gave to Jacob for a Law or Statute, and to Iſrael for an everlaſting Covenant, [Gen. 28.13] ſaying unto thee and thy ſeed will I give the land of Canaan for an inheritance: And this promiſe he made to them when they were but few in number, and ſtrangers in the land; and when they travelled from Nation to Nation, and from one Kingdom to another, his Providence was viſibly and remarkably over them: He ſuffered not the Inhabitants of the places where they ſojourned to do them wrong, but reproved Kings for their ſakes, (as particularly Pharaoh, Gen. 12.17. and Abimelech, Gen. 20.3.) ſaying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my Prophets no harm; that is, wrong not thoſe whom I have conſecrated to my ſelf by the anointing of my holy Spirit, and to whom I do familiarly reveal my will in dreams, viſions, and by the miniſtry of my holy Angels, that they may teach and inſtruct others; and God did thus defend them becauſe by ſpecial Covenant he had taken them under his protection.
That which follows from hence to the 34 ver. the Pſalmiſt (it ſeems) afterwards made a new Pſalm of, viz. the 96, the drift of which is to ſtir up all Nations to praiſe the Lord, and conſequently includes a Propheſie of Chriſt, and the gathering all Nations into the Church by the Preaching of the Goſpel. It begins, Sing unto the Lord all ye Nations of the earth, ſhew forth from day to day, and time to time (as occaſion is offered) his ſalvation, viz. the redemption and ſalvation purchaſed by the Meſſias. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be feared above all Gods. For the Gods of the heathen are Idols, but our God made the Heavens. God is a King of infinite Majeſty, Glory and honour, moſt ſtrong and mighty, the fountain of all ſtrength and gladneſs to his people; ſuch his people find him in his Sanctuary (where he reveals himſelf unto them) and ſuch with glad hearts they acknowledg him to be. See Pſal. 96.6. O ye kindreds and families of the earth aſcribe unto the Lord glory and ſtrength, give unto him the glory due unto his name; that is, which is due unto him in reſpect of his Glorious Attributes; bring an offering, and come into his Court, the place appointed for his ſolemn Worſhip; and worſhip him in his glorious holy Sanctuary (c)1 Chron. 16. v. 29. Worſhip him in the beauty of holineſs. Sanctitas pro Sanctuario per metonymiam adjuncti; vel in ornatu ſanctitatis, i. e. pura mente.. Fear before him all ye inhabitants of the earth; by him the world was made at firſt, and by his ſupporting Providence it is eſtabliſhed, and firmly ſetled, and therefore we need not fear but he will alſo ſupport his Church and people. Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice, and let men ſay one to another, the Lord reigneth. Let the Sea roar (a)Humane affections are here aſcribed to inſenſible creatures, thereby to ſet out mans duty.with the fulneſs thereof; that is, with all that therein is, thereby as it were expreſſing its joy. Let the fields alſo rejoice, and the trees of the wood ſing out before the Lord when he cometh to judg the world; that is, to rule and govern it, which he will do with righteouſneſs and faithfulneſs. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, his mercy endureth for ever. Save us O God of our Salvation, and gather us together, and firmly unite us, who have been before too much rent and divided, and deliver us from the Heathen, that we may glory in thy praiſe-worthy works, and count it our happineſs and glory, that we may ſerve and praiſe thee. Bleſſed be God for ever and ever, and let all the people ſay, Amen.
1 Chron. Ch. 16. from v. 4, to the end.