A Brief Explication of the Last Fifty Psalms, Psalm 145
PSALME CXLV. Davids Psalme of praise.
THis Psalme is altogether of praises, every verse beginning with a several letter of the Hebrew, A, B, C, from the first to the last: wherein David stirreth up himself to the work of Gods praise somewhat more generally, from the beginning to v. 8. and from the eighth verse, he praiseth God more particularly, giving ten arguments of praise, unto the last verse, and closeth the Psalme with the engaging of himself anew again, and exhortation of others to follow the song for ever.
From the Inscription, which is A Psalme of praise; Learne, 1. It is our duty, and a point of spiritual wisdom, to set aside all particulars of our own, and go about the work of praising God only, as this Psalme teacheth us. 2. The praises of God are able to fill all the volumes in the world, and what composition of letters can be made in any language: and this the going thorow all the letters of the Hebrew A, B, C, giveth us to understand. 3. It is expedient to commit to memory some select Psalmes, especially about Gods praises, for to help memory: The wisdom of God hath ordered this, and some other Psalmes, so as the order of the letters of the Hebrew Alphabet may help the memory not a little.
Ver. 1. I Will extoll thee, my God, O King: and I will blesse thy Name for ever and ever.
2. Every day will I blesse thee: and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever.
He engageth himself unto the work of praising of God twice: in the former part of the Psalme once, v. 1, 2. and of this he giveth a reason, and prophesieth that the praise of the Lord shall be perpetuated throughout all ages, v. 3; 4. then he engageth himselfe the second time, and Prophecies of the Churches holding up this song, v. 5.6.7.
In Davids first engaging of himselfe to praise; Learn, 1. The man who heartily can praise God, is he that is reconciled to God; a man in Covenant of grace, reconcliation, and frienship with God▪ as David was: I will extoll thee, my God. 2. Then is God praised, when the man who giveth praise to God, is humbled before God, and all things created are put down under Gods feet, and God lifted up in estimation above all: I will extoll thee. 3. Every King should do homage unto God, as King over him, as David doth: I will extoll thee, my King. 4. Praise should so be given unto God, as the man who praiseth may approve himselfe to God, for sincerity of purpose, as unto a present hea…er of those praises: I will extoll thee, I will blesse thy Name. 5. He who will praise God, must know him as he hath revealed himself, and praise him according to that rule: I will blesse thy Name. 6. Seeing God is essenti…lly blessednesse in it selfe, and the fountaine of blessing to his worshippers, it is a point of our thankfulnesse, and praise of him, to acknowledge so much: I will bl…sse thy Name. 7. As an upright worshipper of God, hath no time set to his purpose of service, so no time shall end his task: I will blesse thy Name, for ever and ever. 8. Praising of God is not a work for solemne dayes only, but also must be ordinarily discharged: for every day giveth new reasons for it: Every day will I blesse thee.
Ver. 3. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: and his greatnesse is unsearchable.
4. One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.
From the reasons of this engagement taken from Gods greatnesse, and from the Prophecie of the continuall proclamation of it to be in the Church; earn, 1 The greatnesse of God manifested in his work, partly in the manne… of manifestation of his presence now and then, by apparitions; partly in the amplitude of his dominion, of his p…wer… of his wisdome, and of his providence, &c. is worthy of ou… meditation, and to be acknowledged by us; and the Lord himselfe worthy to be praised for this his greatnesse: Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised. 2. When we have searched what we can, and have meditated till we be faint, there is no finding out of the Lords greatnesse; His greatnesse is unsearchable. 3. As it is the duty of the Church in every age to praise God, and to transmit the praises of God to the posterity: so it is the Lords purpose to have a care, that this duty be done in all ages: for it is prophesied, One generation shall praise thy works to another. 4. Every age shall have their own addition of Gods mighty acts, in their time unto what he hath done formerly: They shall declare thy mighty acts.
Ver. 5. I will speak of the glorious honour of thy Majesty, and of thy wondrous workes.
6. And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible actes: and I will declare thy greatnesse.
7 They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodnesse: and shall sing of thy righteousnesse.
In Davids engaging of himself the second time to praise God, and in his prophesying of the Churches holding up the song; Learn, 1. In God, and in his works and wayes, there is a wonderfull beauty and comelinesse, a splendor of glory, and a shining Majesty to be seen; and that should be observed and talked of by the observers, unto the edification of others: I will speak of the glorious honour of thy Majesty. 2. There is no looking in up…n God immediately, but men must behold him as he letteth forth himselfe in his Word and works to be seen: for, I will speake of thy wondrous works, is subjoyned to the talking of Gods glorious honour and Majesty. 3. When men do not mark his works of mercy and bounty, the Lord will shew unto them works of justice, that is, terrible works, and give them matter of talking upon this account: And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts. 4 He who knoweth most of God or hath seen and observed best his operations, should labour most to set forth his praise; who ever come short in the duty, such a man should not faile, as David doth teach us, saying, I will declare thy greatnesse. 5. Albeit every work of God be matter of his praise, yet the works of mercy and truth to, and for his Church, is the special theme, which the Lord giveth his people to study and declare: They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodnesse. 6. The righteousnesse of God, whereby he justifieth sinners, and sanctifieth the justified, and executeth judgement for his reconciled people, is the sweetest object of the Churches joy: for they shall sing of thy righteousnesse.
Vers. 8. The LORD is gracious and full of compassion: slow to anger, and of great mercy.
In the second place, he praiseth God more particularly, and giveth some ten reasons or arguments of his praise: the first is from his grace toward sinners. Whence learn. 1. Unworthinesse and ill deserving should not hinder sinners to come to receive mercy and reconciliation: The Lord is gracious. 2. Albeit the sinner hath drawn on much misery upon himselfe, and justice hath seized upon him for his sinnes, yet may he be relieved and brought out of his misery, if he seek the Lord: For the Lord is full of compassion. 3. Albeit the Lord be sundry wayes provoked to visit with the rod, yet he gives time to repent, before he declare his wrath: He is slow to anger. 4. The Lords anger doth not endure longer then his people be humbled in the sense of their provocation. and when they seek pardon he is ready to grant it; He is of great mercy.
Vers. 9. The LORD is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his workes.
The second reason of Gods praise, is his bounty generally unto all his creatures, and that for mans sake. Whence learn, 1. The Lord is good and kinde to all men, even the wicked not excepted: The Lord is good to all. 2. Gods mercy may be seen toward man, in the continuation of the whole course of the creatures, which being defiled by mans sinne, he might in justice have abolished, or made them either uselesse to man, or else instruments of his grief: His tender mercies are over all his workes.
Ver. 10. All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD: and thy Saints shall blesse thee.
The third reason of Gods praise, is the glory of his works, which do furnish matter unto the Saints to blesse God. Whence learn, 1. Albeit all men were silent, the Lords works one and all, shall speak each of them in their own kinde, to the praise of God. All thy works shall praise thee, O God. 2. Albeit every man doth not make use of Gods goodnesse and works, but most men do smother the glory of God in their atheisme, yet the Lord hath a number who have found grace in his eyes, who shall observe Gods goodnesse, both to the creatures and to themselves, and shall blesse him upon that account; And thy Saints shall blesse thee.
Vers. 11. They shall speak of the glory of thy Kingd…me: and talk of thy power.
12. To make known to the sonnes of men his mighty acts: and the glorious Majesty of his Kingdome.
The fourth reason of Gods praise, is from the Lords dominion and power, whereof the Saints are both observers and Heraulds. Whence learn, 1. There is no lesse matter of praising God, for the upholding, and governing of the creatures, then for making of them: They shall speak of the glory of thy Kingdome, and talk of thy power. 2. The Lord will have his Saints to instruct such as are not converted, to know his glory, power, and Majesty, that they may be brought in, and made subjects of his special Kingdome of grace: Thy Saints shall speak of the glory of thy Kingdome▪ and talk of thy power, to make known to the sonnes of men his mighty acts, and the glorious Majesty of his Kingdome.
Vers. 13. Thy Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome: and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.
The fifth reason of Gods praise, is from the perpetual endurance of Gods Kingdome. Whence learn, 1. Earthly Kings as they have but few subjects, so they live but a short while in their Kingdome: but the Kingdome of God, both that general Kingdome which he hath over all the creatures, and that special Kingdome over the Saints in his Church, is from age to age perpetual: Thy Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome, and thy dominions endureth throughout all generations.
Vers. 14. The LORD upholdeth all that fall: and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.
The sixth reason of Gods praise, is from his care and sustaining of the weakest of the subjects of the Kingdome of grace. Whence learn, 1. Albeit none of the subjects of the Kingdome of grace, are freed from the danger of falling into sin, and into trouble; yet they are preserved that they fall not so deep as the bottome of sinning unto death, or perishing in their troubles: for God interposeth himselfe to prevent their perdition: The Lord upholdeth all that fall. 2. So many of the subjects of the Kingdome of grace, as feel their own weaknesse and inability to stand under the burden, either of sinne or trouble or both, do finde God a supporter of them▪ a comforter of them, and a deliverer of them: He raiseth up all them that be bowed down.
Ver. 15. The eyes of all waite upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season.
16. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
The seventh reason of Gods praise, is his particular care to maintaine the life of every living creature, so long as he pleaseth to lend it. Whence learn, 1. The Lord doth not cast off the care of any living creature which he hath made, but keepeth so constant an eye of providence upon it, as doth make every living creature, in its own kinde, turne the eye of it toward him: The eyes of all waite upon thee. 2. There is a secret instinct of nature in all living creatures, which leadeth them toward their maker, in their danger to cry, and in their hunger to bestirre themselves; and the businesse which they make, going to and fro to seek their meat, is a kinde of hoping and waiting to finde some sustenance of their life, laid unto them by their maker, in one place or another They waite upon thee. 3 God doth not frustrate the na…ural expectation of hungry creatures, but giveth to every one of them that sort of food which is fit for them: Thou givest them their meat. 4. As in the variety of meat, suitable to the variety of living creatures; so also in the time and season of giving of it, the wisdome, riches and goodnesse of God doth appear; Thoug vest them their meat in due season. 5. As in the meate, and in the time o… b…stowing of it, so also in the measure bestowed, the Lords goodnesse and rich bounty is to be seen toward the basest of living creatures: Thou openest thy hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living creature.
Vers. 17. The LORD is righteous in all his wayes: and holy in all his works.
The eighth reason of Gods praise, is from his righteousnesse, and holinesse, in all his proceedings and works. When…e learn, 1. As the providence of God about the creatures i… common, is to be marked, so also and especially his dealing with man, according to the rule of equity and justice: The Lord is righteous (saith he) and holy. 2. Albeit the Lord deal otherwise in many things, then we could have expected, and otherwise sometime the… we can see the reason of his doing, yet is he alwayes just and holy in his proceeding: The Lord is righteous in his wayes, and holy in his works. …. It is not sufficient for us to give the glory of righteousnesse and holinesse unto God, only in some of his wayes, and works▪ or in his wayes toward others, and not toward our selves; or in his dealing with some persons, and not with all persons, but we must justifie the Lord in our hearts and words alwayes, and in all things▪ toward all men for ever: The Lord is righteous in all his wayes, and holy in all his works.
Vers. 18. The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him▪ to all that call upon him in truth.
19. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
The ninth reason of Gods praise, is for his hearing the prayer of needy supplicants. Whence learn, 1. The Lord loveth the praise, which ariseth unto him, from his goodness to his people, and citizens of his Church, more then any other points of his praise: as the often falling upon the praising of God from this ground doth shew. 2. Albeit God be every where present, yet there is a sort of more friendly presence, which God giveth to them that worship him, then that which is his common presence every where; and this is the nearnesse of grace and friendship: The Lord is nigh to them that call on him. 3. As God will have his gracious presence opened up, and manifested to his worshippers, by prayer, so will he have this favour alike patent to all that pray unto him, and seek him without exception of persons: The Lord is nigh to all them that call upon him. 4. Because there is a counterfeit and false sort of worshipping, and calling upon God, which is debarred from the benefit of this promise, to wit, when the party supplicant is not reconciled, nor seeking reconciliation through Christ the Mediator, or is seeking something not promised, or something for a carnall end, that he may bestow it on his lusts: therefore he who hath right unto th…s promise, must be a worshipper of God in faith, and sincere intention: and to such the Lord will shew himselfe nigh; He is nigh to all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. 5 Those are worshippers of God in truth, who fear him, and such mens holy desires, are prayers which the Lord will not refuse, but will satisfie them: He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him. 6. If the Lord answer not the prayer of the man that feareth him, at first, yet when he calleth in earnest, when he is in trouble, in straits and hazard, he will answer him, and close his exercise with salvation: He also will hear their crie, and will save them.
Vers. 20. The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.
The tenth reason of Gods praise, is from his different dealing with his friends, and with his foes. Whence learn, 1. True worshippers, and true fearers of God, are persons who love God, and such persons shall be sure, that all things shall work …o their welfare, nothing shall hurt them: The Lord preserveth all them that love him. 2. All such as do not love God, but love to lie still in sinne, and to follow their own lusts, shall be as certainly without exception destroyed, as the lovers of God shall be preserved: The Lord preserveth all them that fear him, but all the wicked will he destroy.
Vers. 21. My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh blesse his holy Name, for ever and ever.
He closeth the Psalme with a promise to praise the Lord yet more, and exhorteth all men to blesse him for ever. Whence learn, 1. When a man hath said all he can in Gods praise, he shall finde himselfe come short of his duty▪ and his obligation to praise God to be still lying on him, as this example of David in the close of the Psalme doth shew us. 2. The Lord will be praised in our spirits, and outwardly in our words and externall expressions also; My mouth shall speak the praises of the Lord. 3. Some duties belong to some persons, and other duties belong to other persons, but the duty of praising the Lord, is the duty of every man, albeit only the believer giveth obedience to this: Let all flesh blesse him. 4. It is needfull that every worshipper of God, in the discharge of praise, remember their own frailty, and be h…mbled: Let all flesh blesse him. 5. The duty of praising and blessing God must be so holily discharged, as the Lord may be honoured in effect: Let all flesh blesse his holy Name. 6. Such as praise God and b…esse him heartily, shall follow this exercise for ever: Let all flesh blesse his holy Name, for ever and ever.