A Brief Explication of the Last Fifty Psalms, Psalm 104
PSALME CIV.
AS in the former Psalme, the Prophet stirred up himself, and all others to glorifie God, specially for the works of grace; so here he stirreth up himself, and others to glorifie God, specially for the works of creation, and providence: And in the first place he sheweth the scope of all the Psalme, v. 1. In the second place he bringeth arguments for pressing the duty of praising God, from the first dayes work of creation, to wit, the light; And from the second dayes work in spreading forth the Heavens, v. 2, 3, 4. And from the 3d. days work of bringing forth the Earth, the Sea, the Floods, and Plants, for the use of Man and Beast, which were the work of the sixth day, v. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. And from the works of the fourth day, Sun and Moon, v. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. And from the works of the fifth day, Fishes, greater and smaller, v. 25, 26, In the third place, he bringeth arguments of Gods praise, fr…m the preservation, specially of living creatures, v. 27, 28, 29, 30. In the fourth place is the conclusion of the Psalme, with some further reasons for praising of GOD, v. 31, 32, 33, 34, 35.
Ver. 1. BLesse the LORD, O my soul, O LORD my God, thou art very great: thou art cloathed with honour and majesty.
Here is the scope of the whole Psalme, wherein he stirreth up his own soul, and by his own example, all others that have ears to hear, to glorifie our God for his greatnesse and Majesty, manifested in his works of Creation and Providence. Whence learn, 1. The Lord is to be praised by his children; not only for his benefits bestowed upon them, but also for his own glorious Majesty and greatnesse; not only is he to be praised for the works of Redemption and Grace to his Elect children, but also for the works of Creation, and what he hath bestowed upon the creatures, as this Psalme compared with the former doth teach us. 2. Because men have oft-times the words of praise in their mouth, and do care little to have their affection suitable to the work in their heart; therefore when we go about to praise God we should stir up our spirits unto a Religious disposition, as David doth here, saying: Blesse the Lord, O my soul. 3. When we go about the work of …ods praise, we should consider his Majesty, how great he is, and worthy to be praised: O LORD, thou art very great. 4. Then is the heart best fitted for Gods praises, when the soul that is about the work of praise, doth apprehend its interest in God, and looketh upon him as reconciled, and in Covenant with it self: O Lord my God, thou art very great. 5. The praises of God do not depend upon tbe man that praiseth him, but are fixed in God, and flow forth from himself so clearly, that none can be excused of ingratitude, who do not acknowledge his glory: Thou art cloathed with honour and Majesty. Albeit God be invisible, and unsearchable; yet his honour and Majesty may be seen in his works, which are as a garment, both to hide him in one respect, and hold him forth in another to be seen: Thou art cloathed with honour and Majesty.
Vers. 2. Who coverest thy selfe with light, as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtaine.
3. Who layeth the beames of his chambers in the waters, who maketh the clouds his charet, who walketh upon the wings of the winde.
4. Who maketh his Angels spirits: his ministers a flaming fire.
In the second place are set down the Arguments for praising of God, taken from the works of creation, such as were wrought the first and second day, whereof only so much is spoken, as may lead us unto what is said more thereof, in the History written by Moses. Whence learne, 1. The works of creation, besides their natural use, do serve for spiritual uses also; to wit, to furnish unto us the knowledge of God, to edifie us in faith, and stirre us up to glorifie the Maker, as here doth appear. 2. Among all the sensible creatures of God, the creation of the light hath the first place, for manifestation of his glory; whether we look unto the brightnesse and admirable purity of it, which cannot be polluted by any filthinesse whereupon it shines; or the use it hath in operation upon, and setting forth of the beauty of the r…st of the creatures, therefore he beginneth at it here. 3. Our thoughts of God should be higher, larger more purified from bodily apprehensions and all imperfections, then our thoughts of created light are, when we look upon the light i…u…inated all the world at once; For as the garment of a King sheweth his Majesty, and yet is no part of his substance or essence, and in its nature is much inferiour to his worth, so is the light nothing but Gods creature, serving to shew forth his glory, and is infinitly inferiour unto him: Who covereth himself with light, as a garment. 4. As light filling the world, is nothing but as the garment of the glorious Creator, manifesting himself wirhin the compasse of the world to his creatures; so the Heavens in their largest circle, are but the Canopy cast about the seat of a King: for he stretcheth out the heavens like a curtaine. 5. This world is like a stately house, which is divided in upper or lower roomes, by joysts, beames and plankes, pu… between the lower roomes and the higher; and the firmament sustaining the clouds, is the first division: Who layeth the beames of his chambers in the waters: Or in the second region of the aire, where the waters in the clouds are gathered, and stored up as it were in th…ir distinct chambers, for the severall uset which God hath for them. 6. As the glory of Kings is to be seen when they go i… Coaches; and their train is following them, or when they ride on h…e-back with their followers attending the…; so is the glory of the Lord seen, when he maketh the weighty clouds, having in them fl…uds of water, to move from place to place, as charets ab…ve our heads, and not fall down at once: He m…keth ehe clouds his chariot. 7. The swift and unperceivable motion of the windes, being raised by God, from all parts in all places of the world, doth serve as a shadow to point out the everywhere-presence of God; Who walketh upon the wings of the winde. 8. The Angels are the Lords creatures, and do serve him at his pleasure, as the winds and flaming fire do, swiftly going where he commandeth them, and in the fervour of their love to him, dispatching every businesse committed to them: Who maketh his Angels spirits, and his Ministers a flame of fire. 9. Great and glorious must our Lord Jesus be, who is the Creator and Lord of Angels: And maketh his Angels spirits.
Ver. 5. Who laid the foundations of the earth that it should not be removed for ever.
6. Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountaines.
7. At thy rebuke they fled: at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.
8. They go up by the mountaines: they go downe by the valleyes, unto the place which thou hast founded for them.
9. Thou hast set a bound that they may not passe over: that they turne not again to cover the earth.
From this to the 19th. ver. he describeth the third dayes work of the Creation, prepared for the use of man and beast, which were the sixth dayes work. The preparation of the dwelling house of man and beast, and other living creatures above the earth, is set down in these five Verses. Whence learn, 1. The setling of the earth in a like distance on all hands from the circle of heaven, compassing it round about, and hanging of the earth in the midst of the globe, and fixing it by his sole command, where it is now fixed, declareth the unsearchable power of God, and glory of his workmanship: He laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be moved for ever. 2. The natural place of the Element of water, is to be above all …he earth on …ll parts round about: He covereth the earth with the depth as a garment, and the waters stood above the mountaines. 3. That a dwelling house might be sitted and prepared for man not as yet created, the Lord by his powerful command, made the waters go off so much of the earth as might serve for mans use; and straightway, as if the waters had been driven and chased, they did run away hastily from off the bounds allotted unto them, as it were terrified at the thundering, imperious and effectual command of God: At thy rebuke they fled; at the vo ce of thy thunder they hasted away. 4 If a man had been present when God commanded the Seas to retreat from the Earth, he might have seen both a terrible and a joyful spectacle of a wonderful hasty chase and flight of the waters running fiercely over the mountaines; and when no more mountaines were in their way, glyding down through the valleys into the place wherein they are now: They go up by the mountaines, they go down by the valleys, unto the place which thou hast founded for them. 5. The waters of the Sea, albeit they be higher then the Earth, yet are they bounded in the place wherein they are, that without command given to them from God, they may not passe over the bounds prescribed unto them, but do stay within the Sea-mark, and there lay down their proud boasting waves: Thou hast set a bound that they may not passe over, that they turne not again to cover the earth: Which they would infallibly do by their own natural motion, if this miraculous standing command were not constantly in force, as was to be seen in the flood of Noah, when the boundaries were loosed for a year, till God did execute vengeance on the wicked world, and thereafter they were sent back never to come again for such an universal judgment.
Ver. 10. He sendeth the springs into the valleys which run among the hills.
11. They give drink to every beast of the field: the asses quench their thirst.
12 By them shall the fowles of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.
13. He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.
14. He causeth the grasse to grow for the cattel, and herbe for the service of man, that he may bring forth food out of the earth:
15. And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oile to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth mans heart.
16. The trees of the LORD are full of sap: the Cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted.
17. Where the birds make their nests: as for the Storke, the Fir-trees are her house.
18. The high hills are a refuge for the wilde goates, and the rockes for the Conies.
Thus the ground of mans habitation is swept; now here it is replenished, and furnished with all necessaries serving for mans use, and to fowles and beasts for mans sake. Whence learn, 1. Because the use of fresh waters was necessary for man, and necessary it was that man should have it nigh hand unto him; for the more commodious use, the Lord broke up wells of water in several places, and made brookes and waters, and rivers and floods, like veines in a mans body, to carry from them water along to all habitable places of the earth, where God had appointed men to dwell: He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. 2. Not only where men do dwell, but also where mens ordinary resort is not, the Lord hath set drinking vessels full of water, for the use of travelling men and other creatures, appointed to attend man, and some way to serve his use: He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which runne among the hills. 3. For the furnishing of mans house on earth, God hath pruvided him with parks for beasts to feed in, and trees for fowles and birds to live in, and ponds for fishes, as we will hear afterward; and these beasts and fowles, and singing birds, have their drinking vessels set for them: They give drink to every beast of the field, the wilde asses quen…h their thirst. 4. The Lord hath adorned the habitation of man, with trees growing beside the waters; not only for his own proper use, but also for the use of fowles and singing birds: By them shall the fowles of heaven have their habitat…on, which sing among the branches. 5. Where wells and rivers are not, as in hills and high places it is seen for the most part; there the Lord supplieth the inlack of waters, by rain from the clouds: He watereth the hills from his chambers, that is, from the clouds, wherein as in chambers he hath stored up great waters. 6. The Lord doth not dissolve the clouds all at once, but by little and little maketh them distill smaller or greater drops only: He watereth the hills from his chambers. 7. There is no part of the earth, whereupon God bestoweth not so much of the fruit of his operation, as may fill it full of his glory: The earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works. 8. The grasse and herbs, and the divers sorts of them, serving for the use of beasts and men, are worthy of a room in our meditation of Gods provident care for man and beast: He causeth the grasse to grow for the cattel, and herbs for the service of man, that he may bring forth food out of the earth. 9. The Lords allowance upon man is very large, not only for necessity, but also for delectation: For he hath provided wine, and oile, and bread. 10. The right use of Gods creatures is not to surfeit, and burie the memorie of God and of the excellencie of man above beasts, in gluttony and drunkenness; but to give him strength and gladnesse in such a measure, as may encourage him cheerfully to serve his Maker; And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oile to make his face to shine, and brcad which strengtheneth mans heart. 11. God will have his excellency taken notice o… in every thing, which is great, notable, excellent: upon which ground, great trees are called here, The trees of the Lord. 12. The Lord hath furnished trees, not only with so much sap as might make them grow; but also with so much sap, as might serve man for meat and drink, and medicine, and other uses: The trees of the Lord are full of sap. 13. Among the trees the Lord will have us take notice of the Cedars, as of a speciall plant of his husbandry on the earth, for their height and greatnesse, and durablenesse of the timber, and namely of those of Lebanon, designed for the use of his people: of which he saith, The Cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted. 14. It is worthy of our marking, that fot the nests of birds, he hath provided high trees, where they might breed and lodge, and bring forth their young more safely and securely: Where the birds make their nests: as for the Storke, the Firre-trees are her house. 15. It is worthy of our observation for glorifying of God, that God hath taught weak creatures, naturally to draw themselves to strong defences; and sundry sorts of them, to have their severall sorts of refuge: The high hills are a refuge for the wilde goates, and the rocks for the Conies.
Ver. 19. He appointed the Moone for seasons: the Sunne knoweth his going downe.
20. Thou makest darknesse and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forrest do creep forth.
21. The young lyons roare after their prey, and seek their meat from God.
22. The Sunne ariseth, they gather themselves together: and lay them down in their dennes.
23. Man goeth forth unto his worke, and to his labour, untill the evening.
24. O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdome hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches.
Here he bringeth arguments of praise from the works of Creation on the fourth day, and sheweth the uses thereof: Whence learn, 1. The minde of man is not able to overtake all Gods works at once, whether in their number or order, or properties, or uses, as the Prophets pitching upon some of them only, doth teach us. 2. The making of two great lights, the Sunne and the Moon, is worthy of our special observation; for by them the glory of the rest of the works, is much manifested: He appointed the Moon for seasons, &c. 3. The making of two lights to move about the earth, the one to supply in a sort the others absence, is a reason of Gods praise: He made the Moon and the Sun. 4. The dividing of time into nights and dayes, and sundry seasons that the continuance thereof might not be i…ksome unto man; but the more acceptable by their interchanges and vicissi…udes, is a reason for magnifying Gods wisdome and goodnesse to man: He appointed the Moon for seasons, the Sun knoweth his going down. 5. The Lord hath so wise…y mixed the motion of the Sun and Moon, that a sweeter temper is not imaginable: for if their motion had been the same, and they did move near together, then the use of the Moon had been the lesse; if the Moon had been alwayes punctually opposite to the Sun, then she should have been in a perpetual eclipse; if the course of the Sun had not been compleat once a year, and the course of the Moon once every monethmonth, the earth could not have had so great service of both: But God hath appointed the Moon for seasons, and the Sun knoweth his going down; each of them exactly keeping their course as God hath ordained. 6. As Gods wisdome and goodnesse is to be seen in the Light, so also in the vicissitude of Darknesse between day and day; For Darknesse intervening between dayes, maketh Light every day a new gift, and Darknesse calleth man from his labour and travel unto r…st, that he may be refreshed therewith, and with sleep: Thou makest darknesse, and it is night 7 It is a remarkable providence, that ravenous beasts, for the most part are kept in their dennes all day, and not let loose for seeking their prey, till night, wherein all the beasts of the forrest creep forth. 8. None of the ravenous beasts finde their prey, till God bring it unto them: For the young Lions, for hunger, roar… after their prey. 9. The natural cries of the distressed creatures, are in substance natures prayer to its Maker for relief and help: The young Lions by their roaring, seek their meat from God. 10. It is a matter of praise to God, that the day-light is made a natural terrour to cruel beasts▪ or that any measure of being feared by man is left in them: The Sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dennes. 11. It is the Lords praise that he giveth daily new use of the light of the Sun to man, that he may follow his work and businesse the better, till the evening, and suffereth it to remaine only so long a time, as weak bodies may endure moderate travell: Man goeth forth to his work, and labour untill the evening. 12. The more men do meditate on Gods works, the more do they finde a bottomlesse deep; and the number and variety of them, more and more unsearchable: O Lord how manifold are thy works! 13. Thus much may be learned of Gods works, that they are all of them excellently well, and wisely wrought and ordered; and that the riches of Gods bounty to man and to the creatures, doth fill all the earth In wisdome hast thou made them all, the earth is full of thy riches.
Ver. 25. So is this great and wide Sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable: both small and great.
26. There go the ships: there is that Leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.
He cometh now to the works of the fifth day, specially the furnishing of the Sea as a fish-pond for mans use; and making it portable for ships to saile in. Whence learn, 1. The greatness and widenesse of the Sea, the ebbing and flowing thereof, the motion and saltnesse of it to keep it from rotting, do speak of the glory of God, no lesse then the ornament and rich furniture of the earth doth. For, as the earth is full of riches, so is this great and wide Sea 2. The diversity and number of great and small fishes in the Sea, speak much of Gods power, wisdome and bounty: wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great fishes. 3. The making of the Seas for the use of Navigation, that men who cannot flee nor swim, might the more commodiously keep commerce one with another in all parts of the world, is a point of Gods praise; There go the ships. 4 Albeit all and every one of Gods works do set forth Gods power, yet some of them do it more eminently then other some, for making men see Gods glory the more in the rest, yea▪ and in the meanest of his works; Such for example are the Elephant on earth, and the Whale, and other huge great monsters in the Sea: That Leviathan whom thou hast made to play therein.
Ver. 27. These wait all upon thee, that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.
28. That thou givest them, they gather: thou openest thine hand: they are filled with good,
29. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled, thou takest away their breath, they die: and returne to their dust.
30. Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.
In the third place, he bringeth forth arguments of Gods praise, from the care the Lord hath of the preservation of his works, which most appeareth in the feeding of all living creatures, and propagation of the kinde; for when some of the kinde are dying from time to time, others are quickened and put in their room. Whence learn, 1. There is a natural instinct in all the living creatures in their want, to wait on Gods providence, which men may observe in them; although the brute creatures know not this, and cannot reflect upon their own inclinations: For the Psalmist speaking of all living creatures, no lesse then of the fishes, he saith; These all wait on thee, that thou mayest give them their meat. 2 So long as God will have any creature to live, he provideth timously enough for its food: They wait for thee, that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. 3. Gods providence reacheth to the least bit of food, which any living creature meeteth with: That thou givest them, they gather. 4 The Lord is liberal in his dispensation, and feede h… all the creatures abundantly, so long as he will have them to live: Thou openest thy hand, they are filled with good. 5. The Lord demonstrates himself to be the fountain of life, and that the living creatures do hold their life of him, as well by the sickening and weakening of the living creatures, as by the feeding and strengthening of them: For when God withdraweth in any measure the wonted influence of his power from them, then they finde a change to the worse: Thou hidest thy face from them, they are troubled. 6. God hath no lesse special hand in …emoving life, then in giving of it: Thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. 7. Albeit the Lord take away the life of all individual living creatures, yet he preserveth the species and kind of every liling creature, by making new ones, and raising them up in the roome of those that are taken away: Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created. 8. The same Spirit which created the world in the beginning, worketh yet powerfully in forming new creatures continually: Thou sendest out thy Spirit; they are created. 9. The Lord puts a new face as it were upon the earth, from time to time, partly by Spring-time and Summer every year; partly by young living creatures, in their several generations, one after another, and all these things do contribute to his renewed praise: Thou renewest the face of the earth.
Ver. 31. The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall reioyce in his works.
32. He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke,
In the last place is the conclusion wherein he addeth yet more reasons for praising of God, and then maketh sundry uses of the former Doctrine. He taketh up all that he would say, in this; That God shall have perpetual glory from the works of his goodness and power. Whence learn, 1. The end of all the workmanship of God, is Gods glory, and he is worthy of glory for his work, and shall not want his glory from his works for ever: The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever. 2. As the Lord saw all his work in the beginning to be good; so in the closing thereof, he shall see all that he hath done, to be good, and nothing properly to be repented of, whatsoever he hath done: The Lord shall rejoyce in his works. 3. As the Lord is bountiful to his creatures: so also is he terrible to the strongest of them, that he may be feared, as well as loved and praised: He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth; he toucheth the hills, and they smoak▪ 4. The signes of his terrible power which he hath actually manifested, in shaking of the earth, and kindling of the mountaines, do bear witnesse how powerful and terrible the Lord is: He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth; he toucheth the hills, and they smoak.
Ver. 33. I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God: while I have my being.
34. My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD▪
35. Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more: blesse thou the LORD, O my soule: Praise ye the LORD.
Here he setteth down the uses of this Doctrine, which are five, teaching us so many Doctrines: For the first use, here he bindeth upon himself an obligation, joyfully to praise God for ever, teaching us to do the same, when we consider the Lords works: I will sing unto the Lord so long as I live, I will sing praise to my God while I have any being. 2. For the second use of this Doctrine, he promiseth to himself joy and gladnesse, in the discharge of the work of Gods praise; which teacheth us how profitable it is to our selves to praise God: Nothing more sweet to a Believer, then to be about the glorifying of God, and beholding the matter of his praise, My meditation of him shall be sweet, I will be glad in the Lord. 3. For the third use, he denounceth wrath and destruction unto the contemners of God, who do not regard his glory, but do stand out as common enemies of God, and of all his workmanship; which teacheth us, that such as do not j…yne with Gods children in glorifying of God, but go on in transgressing of his commands, and abusing of his creatures, sh…ll be separated from the society of Gods servants; unto which judgement every Beleever must subscribe, as very righteous: Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. 4. For the fourth use, he stirreth up himself to blesse the Lord for his own particular, who had found favour to be no more of the numbe… of Gods enemies, but among the Lords servants, whereby he teacheth those whom God has called from the state of sin unto his holy service, to stir up …hemselves to thanksgiving: Blesse thou the Lord, O my soul. 5. For the fifth use, he calleth upon all other Beleevers, and exhorteth them to praise God, and teacheth us, that every one according to their place, should stirre up another unto the honouring of God: Praise ye the Lord.