A Brief Explication of the Last Fifty Psalms, Psalm 115
PSALM CXV.
THe Church of Israel being under the power of the heathen, and unable to help themselves, do flee to God for relief; and in the former part of the Psalm, they pray for delivery, strengthening their hope to be heard, by foure argu…ts, unto v. …. In the latter part, the Church is encourage… to trust in God, and to expect deliverance in due time, by several reasons, all serving to confirme their faith, unto the end of the Psalme.
Vers. 1. NOt unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy Name give glory: for thy mercy, and for thy truths sake.
In praying for relief from the bondage of idolaters, they reject all confidence in themselves, and bring arguments of their hope to be helped from other grounds. Whence learn, 1. It is no strange thing to see Gods people for their chastisement, or trial, put under the power of idolaters, as this experience of Israel doth shew. 2. When we seek any thing from God, we ought to acknowledge our own unworthinesse and ill deserving, and to renounce all confidence in our selves: Not unto us give the glory, saith the Church here. 3. Albeit the Lords afflicted people may want all ground of hope from their own behaviour, yet grounds of hope can never be wanting, when they look to Gods mercy and truth, and the glory of his grace in helping of them: Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy Name give glory: for thy mercy, and for thy truths sake.
Vers. 2. Wherefore should the heathen say: Where is now their God?
The second reason of hope to have their … granted, is because if the Lord do not deliver them, idolaters, under whose power they do lie, will continue to blaspheme the true Religion, and the true God, whom the true Church doth worship. Whence learn. 1. The enemies of the Church are ready to blaspheme the true Religion, when the Lords people are brought in straits, and under their power, as here, The heathen say, Where is now their God? When we have brought our selves in misery, and our Religion in danger of disgrace, we ought to be more carefull to have the Lord restored to his honour; and true Religion restored unto its own beauty, then to be freed from misery; for the Church here cannot endure the dishonour of God in their affliction: Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?
Vers. 3. But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he pleased.
The third reason of hope to be heard, is, because God is omnipotent, and supreme Governour of all things, and his authority is as his power, absolute, to do what he pleaseth: and this reason strengthens also the former reason. Whence learn. 1. The more the wicked do oppose God and the true Religion, the more should his servants assert his glory, and truth: as the Church doth here, saying, But our God is in heaven. 2. The consideration of Gods absolute power, and authority exalteth God above all idols, stoppeth all murmuration against his dispensation toward his people, and their enemies; closeth all disputation against his revealed will, and looseth all objections, arising from difficulties, and impediments, which might hinder hope to be helped out of misery, as here we see, Our God is in heaven, he doth whatsoever he pleaseth.
Vers. 4. Their idols are silver and gold: the work of mens hands.
5. They have mouths, but they speake not: eyes have they, but they see not.
6. They have eares, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not.
7. They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.
A fourth reason of hope, that the Church shall be delivered from the power of idolaters, is, because there is no other God to deliver them, save the Lord: Idols can neither help their worshippers, nor hurt Gods people who despise them, and therefore his people will hope in their own true God, and despise idolaters and their idols both. Whence learn. 1. Images in the matter of Religion whatsoever they seem to be, or represent, are but idols; for so are they called here. 2. Images in Religion profit nothing, but bring trouble to men, as their name in the original importeth. 3. Albeit idolaters do bestow largely upon their Idols; and put upon them artificially some shape, to represent some perfections by them, yet the riches of the matter can give them no excellency: They are but silver or gold at the best, their forgers and authours are but men; for it is sufficient to disgrace any point of Religion if it be of mans devising: They are the work of mens hands. 4 So many members as the Images have, serving to represent some perfections by them, are so many lies: for they have mouthes, but speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; They have …ares, but they heare not; noses have they, but they smell not; they have, hands but they handle not; feet have they, but they walk not, neither speak they through their throat.
Vers. 8. They that make them, are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.
For closing this reason, he turneth the reproach, which idolaters did cast upon the true God and his worship, over upon themselves. Whence learn, 1. Albeit the Lord be angry at his own people, yet must they not forsake him, and go after idols to be helped by them: for so doth the Church here teach us. 2. The consideration of the folly of false Religion, should make us cleave the closer to the true Religion, and to abhorre the errors of humane devising; for so are we taught by this example. 3. As it is an honour to be of the true Religion, so it is the greatest disgrace a man can have, to be an idolater: for the disgrace of the idol falleth upon the worshipper thereof, as here we see. 4. All idolaters are brutish, the makers of idols, authorizers of them, worshippers and servers of them, are all like reasonlesse, and senslesse blocks, in this matter, like the idols which they make: They that make them, are like unto them, that is, They have eyes, and see not, &c. 5 Whosoever do expect any good, by making or worshipping of images, they joyne inward worshipping of them, with the outward: and in their expecting any good by that means, they prove themselves like reasonlesse blocks, as void of true wisdome in this point, as images are of sense and motion: So is every one that trusteth in them.
Vers. 9. O Israel trust thou in the LORD, he is their help, and their sheild.
10. O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help, and their sheild.
11. Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help, and their shield.
In the latter part of the Psalme, the Church is encouraged to trust in the Lord, and so to expect deliverance according to the petition set down, v. 1. And that by seven reasons. The exhortation to trust in God is threefold, one directed to Israel, v. 9. Another to the Priests, and Levits, v. 10. The third to all that fear God, v. 11. Unto which exhortation, the first reason of encouragement is added and repeated again and again. Whence learn, 1. No tentation of affliction should drive us from expecting relief in trouble, and trusting in God for it: for notwithstanding the Church here is under the feet of the heathen, yet all are exhorted to trust in God: O Israel, trust thou in the Lord. 2. Whosoever in their trouble do trust in God, may be assured to be delivered, and guarded against all evils which may marre their blessednesse: Trust in the Lord for he is their help, and their shield. 3. The Ministers of Gods house should go before the Lords people in trusting in God, and adhering to him, specially in time of trouble; O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord. 4. Such promises as are made in common to the house of Israel, are sufficient to support the faith of publick Ministers of the Lords house, as here we see: He is their help, and shield. 5. As every one that feareth God, is of the number of true Israelites: so trusting in the Lord, he may be no lesse confident of the consolation, and protection of God, then the publick Ministers of the Lords house: Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord, he is their help, and their sh…ld. And this is the first reason of encouragement to trust in God.
Ver. 12. The LORD hath been mindfull of us, he will blesse us, he will blesse the house … Israel: he will blesse the house of Aaron.
13. He will blesse them that fear the LORD: both small and great.
The second reason of encouragement is taken from former experience of Gods respect unto his people that fear him: and the third is taken from the promise of blessing them, in time to come. Whence learn, 1. Albeit the Lord useth to afflict his people, yet he doth not forget them▪ or lay aside affection to them: The Lord hath been mindful of us. 2. The right use of bypast experience of Gods care of us in affliction and trials, is to put trust in God in after-times of new trial and affliction, as here, The Lord hath been mindfull of us, is made use of to this end. 3 As the duty in trusting in the Lord, is common to all sorts of persons, so the blessing of faith is common▪ and doth belong to all sorts of beleevers, great and small: He will blesse us, he will blesse the house of Aaron, he will blesse them that fear the Lord, both great and small.
Vers. 14. The LORD shall encrease you more and more: you and your children.
The fourth reason of encouragement to trust in the Lord, is, because the number of beleevers shall be multiplied▪ Whence learn, Albeit the Church be driven, to deep affliction, and distresse, yet the number of the believers in God shall increase, and the measure of Gods graces in his people shall be augmented, and no age even unto the last shall want a posterity of believers, and God will make no end of blessing them▪ which is …o small encouragement unto believers: The Lord shall encrease you more and more, you and your children.
Vers. 15. You are blessed of the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
The fifth reason of encouragement is, because God omnipotent hath pronounced believers to be blessed, how miserable soever they may seem to themselves, and to others. Whence learn, 1. Whatsoever distresse believers may fall into, yet can they never be accursed nor deprived of the blessing of righteousnesse, and eternal life: for it is said to them all, You are blessed of the Lord, who calleth things that are not, and maketh them to be. 2. The sight of the Lords work in making heaven and earth of nothing, should strengthen us to apprehend how richly the Lord can and will perfect what he saith of blessing his people: You are blessed of the Lord, who made the heaven and the earth.
Vers. 16. The heaven, even the heavens are the LORDS: but the earth hath he given to the children of men:
The sixth reason of encouragement to trust in God is, that albeit the Lord be abundantly satisfied in himselfe, and needeth nothing from the world, yet men have need to depend upon his goodnesse, and trust in him, who hath given unto them the use of his creatures on the earth. Whence learn, 1. As it is no need of any creature which hath moved God to make a world, but rather his superabundant self-sufficiency hath made the heavens & the earth, to this end, that therein he may set forth his al… sufficiency to the creatures: so is it no need of mans service, which made him make a people and crave service of them: for he could be served with what he hath in Heaven; The heaven, even the heavens are the Lords. 2. Albeit God hath no need of m…n, and can live without dependance on man, yet man cannot live without dependance on God, and use of his creatu…es in the world▪ The heaven is the Lords, but the earth hath he given to the children of men, wherein they may dwell, and be sustained by what he bestoweth on them there. 3. As the plenty of …iches of the earth is a pawne of the Lords readinesse to give better things unto man: so it is an evidence of mans poverty, and need of the service of so many of Gods creatures, and of his obligation to trust in God and depend upon him: The heaven is the Lords, but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
Vers. 17. The dead praise not the LORD: neither any that go down into silence.
18. But we will blesse the LORD▪ from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD.
The seventh reason of encouragement to trust in God, is, because the Church of believers shall be continued from generation to generation, and shall never want reason to praise and blesse God, from this time forth▪ and for ever▪ Therefore in confidence of this mercy, let them trust in him, and praise him: this reason he maketh clear thus; The dead spiritually cannot praise the Lord, and if the succession of the Church of believers should be now cut off with this afflicted generation, neither could we who live, praise God in the earth longer then we live on it, nor should there be any Church after us to discharge this duty among the children of men: but this is impossible, for God shall not want a generation of living believers to praise and blesse him for his goodnesse to the worlds end; Therefore we shall … and come forth of this present affliction, and ere we die, another generation of believers shall take this work off our hand, and so shall we that are the Church of God, blesse him from this time forth and for evermore: Whereupon he exhorteth all men in this confidence to praise the Lord, and closeth the Psalme. Whence learn, 1. If there were not a Church of believers, God should want his praise on the earth: for the dead, to wit spiritually, do not praise the Lord. 2. And if in any time of affliction, while the world standeth, there were not a deliveran… …to the Church, so that one generation of believers might …ot follow another, then should Gods praise among the children of men be abolished out of the world: for as the … spiritually cannot praise the Lord, so neither can the dead bodily praise him among them that know him not; that is; on the earth, where God… praise is to be taught unto men: For the dead praise … the Lord, so neither any that go down into silence. 3. Because God shall never want living men on earth to praise him, and blesse him for his goodnesse, therefore the Church of believers shall be continued from one generation to another; that they may blesse and praise the Lord in every age, as here is said, But we shall praise the Lord, from this time forth and for evermore. 4. The Churches affliction cannot be so heavy, but they shall have cause to blesse the Lord for his goodnesse, and to stirre up others to praise God with them: for the Prophet closeth the Psalme made in deep affliction of the Church with, Praise the Lord.