A Brief Explication of the First Fifty Psalms, Psalm 45
PSAL. XLV. To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, for the sonnes of Korah, Maschil: a song of loves.
Laying aside what useth to be spoken here of Solomons marrying of Pharaohs daughter, and of some typicall things therein, (tending to the extenuation of Solomons fault) as conjectural, and serving nothing to the advantage of that marriage, presuppose the conjecture did hold, both concerning the occasion, and also what might seem typical in it, because similitudes taken from, and types made of what thing soever God pleaseth, do serve to make clear what the Spirit will have taken up about Christ, or about any spiritual antitype; but doth not serve to make clear the thing resembled by the antitype, from being sinful, as by the type of Agar, and of the brazen Serpent, and of Ionas his punishment, and sundry other similitudes and parables set down in Scripture doth appear: But we are sure this Psalme is a song, describing the mystical marriage of the Messiah Christ Iesus our Lord, and his Church, wherein Christ the Bridegroom is praised, ver. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. And the Church his Spouse is instructed in her duty to him, ver. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. And the end of the song declared to be the everlasting praise of Christ, ver. 16, 17.
COncerning the Inscription, that this Psalme is altogether spiritual and holy, appeareth; First by this, That it is directed to the publick Minister of Gods worship, to be made publickly use of in Gods publick praises. To the chief Musician, for the sonnes of Korah. Secondly, it is intituled Maschil, a song to give instruction to the Church of God, concerning the Majesty and grace of the Kingdom of Christ, and the duty of the Church, and the spiritual blessings of the Believers. Thirdly, it is a part of divine Scripture, ranked among the holy Psalmes, and acknowledged by the Church of the old Testament for such. Fourthly, the testimony of the Apostle, applying it directly as the word and speech of the Father to the Sonne of God, Christ Jesus, Heb. 1.8. Fifthly, the matter and words of the Psalme, which cannot be verified in any person save in Jesus Christ alone. Sixthly, the plurality of loves here spoken of, to shew unto the Reader the excellency of the love of Christ, or the love of God to us in Christ Jesus; wherein the perfection of all loves that ever was heard tell of, is surpassed; It is a song of loves.
Ver. 1. MY heart is enditing of a good matter▪ I speak of the things which I have made touching the King: my tonque is the pen of a ready writer.
THis Verse is a commendation given to this song by the Spirit of God, by way of Preface. 1. It is a good matter. 2. It is inspired; The Spirit of the Lord making the heart filled with his presence, to be boiling in the enditing of it. 3. It is of Christ the King. 4. It is the Poem of the inspired Prophet, made ready to expresse what is furnished by the Spirit, for the edification of the Church in all ages. Whence learn, 1. The knowledge of the love of Christ to his Church, and of his espousing of her, is the sweetest subject, the matter of the most glad tydings that ever sinners did hear of, and worthy indeed to be called a good matter. 2. The heart acquainted with this sweet and saving knowledge, will be more ready to communicate what it knoweth, then able to expresse it self; the heart will be as a spring-well, a boiling pot, according to the measure of the Lords presence in it. 3. The theam of the praises of the believing soul is Christs person, cloathed with offices for the salvation of souls. For the main subject of this song is touching the King.
4 When the heart is full of gracious affection, the tongue wil be loosed to praise God, so as others may be edified: out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth wil speak heartily; My tongue, saith he, is the pen of a ready writer.
Ver. 2. Thou art fairer then the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.
3 Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty: with thy glory and thy majesty;
4 And in thy majesty ride prosperously, because of truth, and meekness, and righteousnesse: and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.
5. Thine arrowes are sharpe in the heart of the Kings enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.
6 Thy throne (O God) is for ever and ever: the scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter.
7 Thou lovest righteousness▪ and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath annointed thee with the oyl of gladnesse above thy fellows.
8 All thy garments smell of mirrhe, aloes, and cassia: out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.
9 Kings daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the Queen in gold of Ophir.
In the description of the excellency of Christ, the very true Son of God, there are set down sundry points of glory. The first is, no beauty among men comparable to the beauty of Christ, who is not only the fairest of ten thousand for wisdome and holinesse, and whatsoever vertue can be named, as he is man; but also as he is God, he is the resplendency of his Fathers glory, the holy one of Israel; of whose glory the whole earth is full, by whose beautiful righteousness and power the deformity of sin and misery of his own is taken away in part, and shall be removed fully, therefore justly is it said of him, Thou art faire… then the children of men. 2. Christ by the doctrine which he delivereth is able not only to discover sin and misery, and the true way of delivery from the same by grace, and to direct a man in the way of salvation by grace, but also graciously and powerfully to perswade a man to embrace it, Grace is poured into thy lips. 3. Christ as man is furnished abundantly and above measure, for communicating of the blessing to his hearers invincibly and infallibly, and for making his Doctrine effectually powerful to salvation to whomsoever he wil; for, Therefore (or to this purpose) God hath blessed him for ever. 4. Christ is furnished to subdue and conquer and bring in so many as he pleaseth under subjection unto his Kingdome; he hath his sword even the rod of his mouth, his word which is sharper then any two-edged sword which no man can withstand. 5. He goeth not abroad to conquer or subdue without this his sword, which is his word; it is alwayes with him ready to be drawn forth, and to be thrust in the soul and conscience of the hearer, with whom he mindeth to deal, His sword is girded upon his thigh. 6. Christ is Almighty, and so able to make good all that he speaketh, and to make his word of precept, promise and threatning effectual unto the errand for which it is sent, He is most mighty. 7. Where he is pleased to open his word and to discover himself what he is, they that s…t in darkness do see a great light of his own glory as God, a shining light, a glorious light, making open the deep counsel of God, and mystery of mens salvation, Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory. 3. Where he pleaseth to shew himself, there the stateliness of a mighty Monarch is seen, the soveraignty of the rule of heaven and earth is seen, able to shake the heart with fear, and awe of his greatness, with his glory there is majesty or stately magnificence. 9. The wheels of Christs Chariot, whereupon he rideth when he goeth to conquer and sub…ue new converts to his Kingdome, are Majesty, truth, meekness, righteousness, manifested in the preaching of his Gospel; Majesty, when the stately magnificence of his person and offices is declared; Truth, when the certainty of all that he teacheth in Scripture is known; Meekness when his grace and mercy is offered to rebels; and Righteousness, when justification by f…ith in his name, is clearly set forth. 10. Christ goeth no voyage in vain, he cometh not short of his intent and purpose, but doth the work for which hee cometh, preaching the Gospel, In his majesty, truth, meekness, and righteousness he rideth prosperously. 11. Christ can do what he will; he can do terrible things to make his enemies tremble, and his friends reverence him with holy fear, having omnipotency in him to work by, as ready as a man hath his right hand to employ; let him but will to have any thing done, and it shall be done; he hath not long to advise what he is able to do, as men consult with their ability, whether they be so powerful as to effect what they intend, or would have done, Thy right hand shal teach thee terrible things. 12. Albeit he needeth no admonition to do what he is in doing or wil do, yet loveth he to have his children furthering the advancement of his Kingdom, shewing unto him what they would have done, & praying unto him that his Kingdom may more and more come, as the form of speech endited by the holy spirit doth import, Gird thy sword, ride thou prosperously, &c. 13. Christ in his conquest is to meet with his enemies, of whō some wil openly oppose him, some wil feignedly profess subjection, but wil not heartily submit themselves unto him, but stand aloof and at a distance, being far from him in their hearts, when with their lips they draw neer-hand unto him; both these are here called The Kings enemies. 14. Such as do not draw neer unto him in their heart, he can and wil send messengers of wrath unto their heart, threatnings which shal be executed, terrors which shall be followed with judgments, and judgments which shall end in their destruction, sudden and unexpected; how many or how strong soever they seem to be, they shal not stand before him nor be able to hinder his conquest, Thine arrowes are sharp in the heart of the Kings enemies, wherby the people fall under thee. 15. Christ Jesus the promised Messiah was revealed to the Church of Israel, to be the very true eternal God, that their faith and ours might have satisfaction, and a solid ground to rest upon, in the all-sufficiency and infinite worthiness of the promised Redeemer, as the Apostle, Heb. 1.8. confirmeth unto us, citing to this purpose this very text, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever. 16. Christ shall not want a Church from generation to generation; let persecuters do their worst, he shal reign as King, and sit on his throne in his Church, giving forth his laws, and executing them, oppose him who wil, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever ▪ 17. The Scepter of Christs Kingdom, which is the Gospel or the word of God in Scripture, whereby he gathereth his subjects and ruleth them, and the manner of his governing his people by the rules of his law and discipline, is most just and equitable, a righteous scepter, wherby the subjects may be instructed in all righteousness, and may be justified and made righteous; The scepter of thy Kingdome is a right scepter. 18. The holiness and righteousnesse of Jesus Christ, both as he is God, and as he is God incarnate, is so essential to his person and employment, that his rule of government and administration of his affaires in his kingdome cannot be but right, as for direction, so also for rewards to them who obey his direction, and punishments of the disobedients, Thou lovest righteousnesse, and hatest iniquity. 19. As Christ is very God, so is he very man in all things (except sin) like unto us whom he calleth, Psal. 22.22. and Heb. 2.12. his brethren, and here his fellows, sharemen and partakers of all that is given to him, and joynt heirs with him, Rom. 8.17. and by reason of making covenant in our name with the Father, and by assuming of our nature, according to the tenor of the covenant, God becometh his God and our God, and he in our name as man receiveth the gifts of the holy spirit without measure, for fitting him as he is man to manage his Kingdome in righteousness effectually; for it is said, Therfore, or to that intent, God, thy God hath annointed thee with the oyl of gladness. 20. The gifts and graces of the holy Spirit spoken of here in terms of oile, (employed for figuring mens furnishing unto their calling, and enabling of Kings and Priests unto their offices, and employed also in the entertainment of honourable guests invited to a feast) are so bestowed on believers, joynt-heirs with Christ, as Christ is not degraded from his soveraignty by his partners exaltation; for of Christ it is said, Thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladness above thy fellowes. 21. As the attendants of great persons are refreshed by the smel of their oyntments and perfumed garments, so are Christs attendants refreshed with the consolation of Christs Spirit perfuming all his outward ordinances, wherein as in his garments he doth shew forth himself to his church more comfortably, then any perfume or odoriferous spice can set forth, All thy garments smel of myrrhe and aloes and cassi…h. 22. Not only the heavens where God sheweth fo…th his glory to souls of just men made perfect, but also all the places where his honour dwelleth, all the meetings of his church where he sheweth himself in his ordinances to a spiritual eye, are all of them most glorious and stately palaces; for there is the Temple of the Holy Ghost, and there is the beauty of holiness, whence doth come forth the smel of his graces in his ordinances, as out of Ivory palaces. 23. It is savoury and well-pleasing to Christ, when his people find pleasure in him, and are refreshed by his blessing upon the publick ordinances; for, Therby they have made thee glad, saith the Psalmist to Christ. 24. Albeit the catholick church consisting of true converts or real Saints, be but the one and onelyonly true Spouse of Christ, yet particular visible churches consisting of Saints by calling, by obligation, by profession & common estimation, their own or others; some of them being true Saints indeed in the Spirit, some of them but counterfeits, and Saints in the letter only, are in number many, as they are dispersed for time and place wherein they do live, and do make up sundry incorporations and Ecclesiastick consociations in Parishes, Townes, Countries and Kingdomes, as the Lord giveth them occasion, opportunity or possibility to make use one of another for communion of Saints; in this respect (I say) they are many, and therfore the true Spouse, the true church consisting of true converts (whose praise is of God, to whom only they are certainly known, and not of men) being but one, is compared to the Queen; but the particular churches, whose collections and consociations is known to men, being many, are compared to Ladies of Honour which serve the Queen; of this sort is here prophesied, that the most renowned cities, countries, Provinces, and Kingdomes should be professed attendants of Christ the bridegroom's honour, and professed servants of his church, and promoters of the honour, estate, and welfare of his spouse; Kings daughters among thy honourable women. 25. Albeit our Lord wil allow a place of honour and room in his own court unto visible churches in their several consociations greater and smaller, for that service which they may do in order to the gathering in of the Elect into the inner court of neerest spiritual communion with him, yet it is the universal invisible church which he counteth his Spouse; she is the Queen who hath access unto him to be in highest honour beside him, Upon thy right hand did stand the Queen. 26. As the whole society of true Saints reverently attend the wil of the Lord, that every one of them in their place may honour the Lord: so are they all highly honoured of the Lord, and adorned with whatsoever may make them glorious; for the ornaments put on by Christ, such as are adoption, justification, sanctification, with all other relations tending to their felicity, are here compared to the finest Gold; The Queen doth stand at his right hand in gold of Ophir.
Ver. 10. Hearken (O daughter) and consider, and encline thine ear: forget also thine own people, and thy fathers house,
11. So shal the King greatly desire thy beauty: he is thy Lord, and worship thou him.
12 And the daughter of Tyre shal be there with a gift, even the rich among the people shall entreat thy favour.
13. The Kings daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is of wrought gold.
14 Shee shal be brought unto the King in raiment of needle-work: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee.
15 With gladness and rejoycing shall they be brought: they shal enter into the Kings Palace.
This is the other part of the Psalme wherein the Spirit of the Lord speaketh to the true Church-militant, and directeth her in her duty, and encourageth her by sundry inducements to follow the Lords direction. Whence learn, 1. As because their is spiritual love and respect between God and his Church, therfore the Cevenant and the spiritual communion between Christ and his Church is compared to a marriage: So because the derivation of all spiritual life, grace and motion which the Church hath, is from God, and dependeth on him; Therfore the Church is compared to a daughter, Hearken, O daughter, and ver. 13. she is called the King… daughter. 2. The way and order of bringing the Church to her duty, is by her hearing of his word, consideration of what is taught, and subjection of her spirit to the obedience of faith; Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and encline thine ear. 3. Because even the true members of the Church, whose praise is not of men but of God, are in this life intangled in affections to their old wayes and corruption of manners; Therefore every one hath need to renounce and forget more and more their old lusts and enticements of the world, which is a very true fruit, and necessary evidence of their hearing in faith, Forget also (saith he) thine own people, and thy fathers house. 4. The more we renounce and abandon our lusts and sinful inclination in obedience to God, the more are we beautified with holiness, and are acceptable to God In our endeavours, Forsake thy fathers house, so shal the King greatly desire thy beauty. 5. Christ hath all right unto our service, and by creation, redemption, & covenant we are absolutely bound to serve and honor him in all things: He is thy Lord, and worship thou him. 6. When the Church honoureth Christ he wil honour her, and make the noble and potent in the world submit themselves to her and seek communion with her, and to esteem the meanest true member of the Church, more blessed then riches or honour can make any man: The daughter of Tyre shal be there with a gift: The rich among the people shall entreat thy favour. 7. The glory of the true Kirk, and of every true member thereof is in things spiritual, not discernable by the uptaking of the natural man; for what is outwardly professed, is inwardly studied unto sincerity by them who worship God in spirit and in truth; and the graces wherewith she is adorned, as knowledge, faith, love, hope zeal, courage, sob…iety, patience, are not the object of outward beholders, but most beautiful in the eyes of a spiritual discerner, and in the eyes of him that seeth in secret: The Kings daughter is all glorious within. 8. Whatsoever inherent graces the Saints have, and how beautiful soever they be; yet they have need of a garment which may hide their imperfections, and beautifie them before God; to wit, the imputed righteousness of Christ, the Husband of the Church, who only hath this garment to sel, Rev. 3.18. and though it be bought without mony and without price, yet it is very rich; for whatsoever either nature or art can furnish to set it forth, is but a shadowing similitude of it, Her cloathing is of wrought gold. 9. Though the marr…age of Christ and his Church be bound up, and the hand-fasting be past, and tokens of love be given to the Bride yet the full solemnity of the complete marriage is delayed til a set time, that the particular members and the whole Church may be perfected. The time of the brides being brought to a constant habitation with Christ, is at the Lords appointed time; to wit, at the death of every particular Saint, and of the whole Church together at the day of our Lords second coming; the day is coming, wherin she shall be brought unto the King. 10. Albeit now there be many imperfections of the Saints, which Christs imputed righteousness doth hide, yet in the day of the Churches being brought to the presence of God to be with him for ever; she shal have no imperfection, spot or wrinkle, or want of any thing which may per…ect her glory in all respects; she shal put on immortality and incorruption, and her very body of flesh shal be made conformable to the glorious body of our Lord Jesus; She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needle work: Wherin the height of artifice and of natures materials are joyned as the fittest similitude which can express this unexpressible glory. 11. The same shal be the glorious state of particular Saints, and particular congregations, which shal be of the whole church universal; whereof as every true congregation and particular Saint therein is a part, and have contributed their service in their time to the good of the whole church, as handmaids to the Mistris: so shal they share in the glorious reward; The virgins, her companions shal be brought unto thee, so saith the Psalmist unto Christ. 12. Great shal be the joy of men and angels in the general meeting of the whole church, all being gathered together by the angels, who have lived from the beginning of the world to the ending thereof, and all received in the fellowship of God in blessedness to endure for ever, with gladnesse and rejoycing shall they be brought, they shall enter into the Kings palace.
Ver. 16. In stead of thy fathers shall bee thy children, whom thou mayest mak… princes in all the earth.
17. I will make thy name to be remembred in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.
The two last verses may be applied both to the Bride the true militant church, and to the Bridegroom Christ Jesus, the King of Saints. As it is applied to the church, Learn, 1. The Saints have no ground of gloriation in their progenitors according to the flesh, of whom they draw nothing but what is polluted with sin; but all the glory of the church, is rather in her children which she bringeth forth by the Gospel unto God, In stead of thy fathers shall be thy children 2. What any member of the church seemeth to lose in the world by forsaking thereof and coming to Christ, it is made up to them by Christ in spiritual respects, if not also in temporal blessings when God seeth fit, In stead of thy fathers shall be thy children. 3. The true children of the church are indeed the excellent ones of the earth, and princes indeed, wherever they live, in comparison of all other men who are but the beastly slaves of Satan: Thy children are princes in all the earth. 4. The true church shal be honorable, and honore… by her kindly children in all generations, because of the estimation which God putteth upon her in his holy Scripture: I wil make thy name to be remembred in all generations: Therefore the people shal praise thee.
These verses may also be applied more pertinently to the bridegroome Christ Jesus, for whose praise the whole Psalm is composed. ver. 1. Of whom only the words can be verified fully, as onelyonly capable of what is ascribed directly to the person spoken unto here, and cannot be well ascribed to Solomon and Pharaohs daughter in their marriage; because partly Solomons marriage with outlandish women, is marked among his faults, and so can hardly be esteemed to be honoured with this song delivered to the Church for her perpetual instruction; partly because in the Inscription there is not so much as mention of Solomons name, either as type or resemblance of this marriage of Christ & his Church; & partly also because what is here spoken, hath little typical verity answering to it in the History of Scripture concerning Solomons marriage, or children of Pharaohs daughter. And lastly, this song is set down not in a typical manner, but in a simple similitude of the marriage of a King & Queen indefinitely, whose marriage useth to be the most glorious of all eatthly marriages, and fittest to lead us up to that incomparably glorious spiritual marriage of Christ & his Church. In which consideration from these words, Learn, 1. Christ doth not draw glory from his progenitors according to his flesh, but giveth being and gracious being to such as he regenerateth by his word and Spirit to be his children, and so it may be said to Christ, In stead of thy fathers shall be thy children. 2. The excellency of Christs children and their princely disposition above the rest of mankind unregenerate, is of Christs making; he only it is, of whom properly it may be said, Thou shalt make thy children princes in all the earth; for, He hath made us Kings and Prists to God and his Father. 3. By the Spirit that indited this Psalme, and all other Scriptures Christs name shall be holden forth and remembred from age to age, while the world lasteth, I will make thy name (saith the Spirit) to be remembred to all generations. 4. Christs espousing unto himself a Church, and gathering moe and moe from age to age by his word and Spirit unto it, his converting souls, and bringing them in to the fellowship of his family, and giving unto them princely mindes and affections where ever they live, is a large matter of growing and everlasting glory unto his majesty; for in regard of this point, and what is said before in this Psalme, he addeth as the close of all, Therefore shall the people praise thee.