A Brief Explication of the First Fifty Psalms, Psalm 33
PSAL. XXXIII.
This Psalm in Gods Providence hath no Inscription, as also many others have none; that we may look upon holy Scriptures as altogether inspired of God, and not put price upon it for the Writers thereof, whether their name be expressed or not. In it there is first an exhortation to praise God, ver. 1, 2, 3. for his powerful, wise, and righteous government of all things in general, ver. 4, 5. and more specially for his powerfull guiding the workes of Creation, ver. 6, 7. Secondly, an exhortation, as to praise God, so also to fear him, for his omnipotency, and his powerful over-ruling and disappointing all the devices of men against his Church, and his powerfull executing all his own wil, v. 8, 9, 10, 11. Thirdly, a proclaiming the blessedness of the Lords Church and People, and of Gods praises in reaching his Providence over all the world, in favours of his People, ver. 12, 13, 14, 15. In special, for disappointing and evacuating all vaine confidences of men, great and smal, who do not trust in him, ver. 16, 17. and taking care of such as fear him, and trust in him, to deliver them from all evil, v. 18, 19. Fourthly, the use is set down which the godly doe make of this doctrine, and song of praise.
Ver. 1. REjoyce in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.
2 Praise the Lord with Harp, sing unto him with the Psaltery, and an instrument of ten strings.
3 Sing unto him a new Song, play skilfully with a loud noise
FRom the exhortation made to the godly to praise God, Learne, 1. That to rejoyce in God is a point of praising of him, for it is here expounded to be praise; Rejoyce in the Lord saith he, for praise is comely. 2. Albeit all be bound to praise God, yet none wil do it chearfully and acceptably, save only the godly, Rejoyce, ye righteous. 3. There is no exercise more becoming the godly, then praising of God, whether we look to the object of the praise, which is God; or whether we look to their obligation above all people in the world; For praise is comely to the upright. 4. There is no exercise whereunto we have more need to be stirred up, then to praise; such is our dulnesse, and such is the excellency and necessity of the worke, as the Ceremonial use of musical instruments in the paedagogie of Moses, did signifie and import; the religious use whereof, albeit it be taken away, with the rest of the Ceremonial Law; (the natural or civil use thereof remaining stil the same, both before the Ceremonial Law and after it,) yet the thing signified, which is the bending all the powers of our soule and body to praise God, is not taken away: and this necessity of our up-stirring is imported in a threefold exhortation. 5 The praises of the Lord, being wel considered, wil yeild continually new matter, and fresh delight in the work. Sing unto him, saith he, … new Song.
Ver. 4. For the Word of the Lord is right, and all his works are done in truth
5 He loveth righteousnesse and judgment: the earth is ful of the goodnesse of the Lord.
From the arguments of praise taken from his good governing of all things in the general, Learne, 1. The powerfull appointment of what is done in the world, and the execution thereof in effect, is most holy, just and equitable, that the creatures are so ranked as they are, some of them superiour, some inferiour; some of them ruling, some of them serving; some of them stronger, some weaker; some of them agreeing to other, some of them disagreeing one from another; some of them feeding upon, and others of them made food and prey to others; all making up a harmony of wel ruled concords and discords, all is done wel and equitable: for, The Word of the Lord is right, and all his workes are done in truth. 2. The Lord cannot but do justly, because his nature is such, He loveth righteousnesse and judgment. 3. There is no part of the world wee can set our eyes upon, but it speaketh praise to God for his bounty to his creatures, and specially to man. The earth is ful of the goodnesse of the Lord.
Ver. 6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made: and all the hoste of them by the breath of his mouth
7 He gathereth the waters of the Sea together as an heap, he layeth up the depth in store houses.
From the Works of Creation, Learne, 1. The omnipotency and wisdom of God in creating heaven and earth, and all things of nothing; as they do praise God, so also do they prove the power and righteousnesse of his governing them. By the Word of the Lord the heavens were made. 2. How easie a thing it is to God, to govern and guide the World wel, appeareth by his making of all things at a word, He made all the hoste of them by the breath of his mouth, and it can cost him no more to uphold and rule them at his pleasure. 3. He is able to ward off whatsoever evil can befal us: For he gathers the waters of the sea as an heap, which would naturally overflow the earth. 4. He hath more bands over our heads to keep us in fear, and awe before him, and amongst the the rest, He layeth up the deep in store-houses, to let them loose, when and where, and how far he pleaseth.
Ver. 8. Let all the earth feare the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
9 For he spake, and it was done, he commanded, and it stoodfast.
10. The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought; he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.
11 The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
In the second place, he exhorteth as to praise, so also to fear him. Whence learn, 1. The right use of the works of Creation, is, to take up, how glorious and how dreadful the Creator of them is, and to beware to offend him. Let all the earth feare before the Lord. 2. No man on earth is exempted from Gods judgment, when he transgresseth Gods Law, albeit he be without the Church: Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 3. His omnipotency manifested in framing and setling the frame of the world at a word: should move men to feare him; for it is given for a reason to feare him, Because he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. 4. Such as fear not God, have many devices of their own, how to make themselves blessed, and how to overturn his Church and People; but God disappointeth them of their design, both in the one and in the other; He bringeth the counsel of the Heathen to nought, and he maketh the devices of the people of none effect, and therfore all should fear him. 5. The whole worke of the Lords Providence, from the beginning of the world to the end therof, is all at once before his eyes, and all the Lords work is deliberately fixed by him; The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever. 6. The Lord goeth on in executing of his determinate resolution, from one generation to another, without being frustrate of his purpose in any thing, lesse or more at any time: The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. 7. Such as follow Gods direction, do obey his revealed Wil, do take the course set down by him in his Word, for their reconciliation with him, through the Messiah Christ, and do set his Word before them, to be the rule of their faith and obedience, cannot be disappointed of what is promised by God in his revealed wil, For the counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, and the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
Ver. 12. Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord: and the People whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
13. The Lord looketh from Heaven: he beholdeth all the sons of men.
14. From the place of his habitation, he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
15. He fashioneth their hearts alike: he considereth all their works.
In the third place he sheweth the blessednesse of Gods people, in order to his praise who hath chosen them, and who doth dispose of all things to their behoof. Whence learn, 1. Of all the people on the earth, the Lord hath only entred in Covenant with his Church, to be their God in a peculiar way; for here, There is a Nation whose God is the Lord. 2. Such as do lay hold on God as their God, are the only blessed people in the world; for it is said, Blessed is that Nation, whose God is the Lord, 3. Such as in the sense of their own sin and misery, and consideration of the vanity of all things beside God, have chosen God for their God, to live in Communion with him, they have evidence of their Election; for they are here called, The people whom he hath chosen. 4. Such people, as is said, are that peculiar portion of the world, which God hath set apart for himself to draw the rent of his glory in the world by them, and from them in a special way; and whom he will keep in his possession for ever, and not suffer himself to be bereft of them; For they are the People whom he hath chosen for his inheritance. 5. Though the Church be the only inheritance of God, yet the rest of the world is the object of his wise, holy and powerful providence, no lesse then the Church: The Lord looketh down from heaven, and beholds all the sonnes of men. 6. There cannot be a plot on earth against Gods Church: but God is privy to it, and knoweth it perfectly; for from the place of his habitation, he looketh on all the inhabitants of the earth. 7. The Lord cannot be ignorant of the most secret device of men, better or worse, because he is the Maker of the hearts of all men, He fashioneth their hearts alike, (that is, the heart of one as well as of another) he considereth all their works, that he may make of them what he will. 8. Men had need to consider whereupon their heart is set, and what course they are upon, and what work they are about, for he knoweth the heart, and considereth every mans work.
Ver. 16. There is no King saved by the multitude of an hoste: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.
17. An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither, shall he deliver any by his great strength.
18. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him: upon them that hope in his mercy:
19. To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Here he sets at naught all carnal confidence of men, that his people may neither fear their enemies, nor trust in their own furniture, and preferreth trusting in God, to all carnal confidence whatsoever. Whence learn, 1. Trusting in means, (such as a mans strength, and the assistance of other men, or other creatures,) is an errour so natural, and fixed, as it had need to be refuted by God, who hath said, that they are a vaine confidence to lean unto, which cannot deliver a man, There is no King saved by the multitude of an hoste, a mighty man is not delivered by much strength, and a horse is a vain thing for safety: And the actuall frustrating of mens hopes, to be helped by authority, strength, or external helpes, should teach men not to lean to them, when they are making use of them. 2. The man that believeth in God, and feareth him, is in a more safe condition, then the wicked in all their power and riches: Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, and hope in his mercy, to deliver them. 3. The whole perfection of a Christian life is comprized in these two, trusting in Gods mercy, and fearing him: for this is the description here of the Elect, and blessed man. 4. The godly cannot secure themselves from being brought in straits and necessities, but may be sure that God shall have a care of them in their necessities, and give them a blessed out-gate out of them all, For his eye is on them, to deliver them from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Ver. 20▪ Our soul waiteth for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.
21. For our heart shall rejoyce i… him; because we have trusted in his holy Name.
22. Let thy mercy (O Lord) be upon us: according as we hope in thee.
In the last place is set down the use of this doctrine, which the godly should make of it. Whence learn, 1. All the points of the Lords praise, are props of the Saints faith, and grounds of their hope, as this Conclusion drawn from this song of praise, doth shew: Our soul waiteth for the Lord, &c. 2. Every believer may rejoyce, and promise to himself cause of rejoycing through faith in his name, Our hearts shall rejoyce in him, because we have trusted in him. 3. Faith always differenceth it self from presumption, by praying for what is promised, Let thy mercy be upon us, say the Believers. 4. Because the hope of the godly is grounded upon Gods promises, therefore it shall not be disappointed, But Gods mercy shall be on them, according as they hope in him.