A Brief Explication of the Last Fifty Psalms, Psalm 146
PSALME CXLVI.
THis Psalme is a Psalme of praise wholly, wherein, when the Psalmist hath exhorted all men to praise the Lord, he engageth himselfe to the work, v. 1, 2. Then he teacheth the way how to praise God in eff…ct, to wit, by renouncing all carnall confidence, and trusting only in the Lord, v. 3, 4, 5. Thirdly, he giveth reasons, both of trusting in God, and praising of God: and closeth as he begun, with the same exhortation to praise God.
Vers. 1. PRaise ye the LORD: Praise the LORD, O my soul
2. While I live will I praise the LORD, I will sing praises unto my God, while I have any being.
From the stirring up of others and himselfe to praise God; Learn, 1. The duty of praising God is so necessary, so deserved by God, so profitable to us, and so spiritual, that we had need frequently to stirre up our selves and others unto it: Praise ye the Lord. 2. For discharging the duty of praise, all the powers of the soul must be stirred up: the minde, to meditate; the memory, to bring forth former observations; the heart and affections, for discharging of the duty in the best manner: Praise the Lord, O my soul. 3. Whatsoever concurrence we finde of others in the work of praise, lesse or more, let us set our selves seriously and heartily unto it, and engage our own heart for it: While I live, I will praise the Lord. 4. There can be little heartinesse in this work, till the soul lay hold on God by faith, and embrace the Covenant of grace, and so finde its own interest in God, and then the soul will praise in earnest, as the Psalmists example may shew us: I will sing praises to my God, while I have any being.
Vers. 3. Put not your trust in Princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.
4. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth: in that very day his thoughts perish.
He sheweth the way how to praise God really; to wit, by renunciation of all earthly confidence and fixing faith and trust on God alone for renouncing of all confidence in creatures, he giveth reasons, v. 3, 4. and for trusting in God, he giveth reasons, by praising of God, unto the end of the Psalme.
In the forbidding of carnall confidence; Learn, 1. What a man doth most trust in, that he esteemeth most of, and praiseth it in his heart most: therefore doth the Psalmist set us upon God, as on the right object of trust, and diverteth us from the wrong, that he may teach us to make God the only object of praise. 2. Because the maine object of our carnall confidence naturally, is man in power, who seemeth able to do for us, able to promote us to dignity and riches, and to keep us up in some state in the world, therefore must we throw down this idol… in particular, that we may place our confidence in God the better: Put not your trust in Princes. 3. To cut off carnal confidence in man, that neither mean men may trust in great men, nor great men may trust in the multitude of mean men, we must remember, that no man is naturally better then his progenitors, but such as his fathers were, such is he, that is, a sinfall, weak, and unconstant creature, Put not your trust in Princes, nor in the son of man. 4. The reason why we should not put trust in man is, because he can neither help himselfe, nor the man that trusteth in him when there is most need: In whom there is no help. 5. He that cannot deliver himselfe from death, is not to be trusted in, because it is uncertaine how soon death shall seize upon him: His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth. 6. Whatsoever the good will, or purpose, or promise of any man can give assurance of, all doth vanish when the man dieth: In that every day his thoughts perish.
Vers. 5. Happy is he that hath the God of Iacob for his help: whose hope is in the LORD his God.
In the exhorting of us to trust in God, he giveth this encouragement unto it, that he who trusteth in God, may look for help and happinesse in him. Whence learn, 1. The only true object of our faith, and confidence, is God, as he is revealed by his Word to his Church, to wit, The God of Iacob, the God of Israel. 2. Faith in God bringeth true felicity with it, and help in time of need: Happy is he that hath the God of Iacob for his help. 3. Hope of help and happinesse, from trust and confidence in God, must be grounded upon the Lords entering in Covenant with us, and becoming ours through the Mediator: whose hope is in the Lord his God.
Vers. 6. Which made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that therein is; which keepeth truth for ever.
7. Which executeth judgement for the oppressed, which giveth food to the hungry: the LORD looseth the prisoners.
8. The LORD openeth the eyes of the blinde, the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous.
9. The LORD preserveth the strangers, he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.
10. The LORD shall reigne for ever, even thy God, O Sion, unto all generations: Praise ye the LORD.
For encouraging of us yet more to believe in God, who offereth himselfe to be reconciled with us, and to be our God in Christ, he giveth other ten motives: and as every one of them is a point of Gods praise, so is it a prop and pillar to support the believers faith. The first motive to believe in God, and first reason of Gods praise, is, his omnipotency and al sufficiency, made manifest by the work of creation, and preservation of all creatures: Which made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and all that therein is. 2. The second motive to believe in God, is another point of Gods praise, to wit, his faithfulnesse in making and keeping Covenant, and performing his promises unto everlasting: Which keepeth truth for ever. 3. The third point of Gods praise, and prop of faith, is this, albeit the Lord, for the glory of his Name, and good of his own people, do suffer the godly to be persecuted and oppressed also, yet he will plead the cause and controversie of the believer, and will deliver the oppressed, and punish the oppressor: Which executeth judgement for the oppressed. 4. The fourth point of Gods praise, and pillar of faith, is this, albeit the Lord suffer the believer to feel the need of what is needfull for soul or body, yet he doth not suffer him to starve for want of what is necessary: He giveth food to the hungry. 5. The fifth point of Gods praise, is, albeit the believer may, for his sinnes or for trial of his faith, be cast in prison, and brought in bondage, yet the Lord will loose his bonds; The Lord looseth the prisoners. 6. The sixth point of Gods praise is, albeit the believer may be in darknesse of trouble, and anxiety of minde for a time, and knoweth not what to do, yet the Lord will shew him deliverance, and give him direction and comfort: The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind. 7. The seventh reason of Gods praise▪ and encouragement to trust in him is, that howsoever the burden of trouble may over-power the believer, and make him walk heavily under discouragement, yet the Lord will renew strength and comfort, and delivery unto him: The Lord raiseth them that are bowed down. 8. The eighth reason to praise God, and eighth encouragement to trust in God, is the believer who is fled to the righteousnesse of the Mediator for his justification, and studieth to a holy and righteous conversation, may be sure he is free from the curse, approved of God, and shall finde the fruits of Gods good will to him: The Lord loveth the righteous. 9. The ninth reason of Gods p…aise, and encou…agement to trust in him is, from the Lords different manner of dealing, on the one hand with the poor and needy believer, who hath none to do for him: and on the other hand, with the proud, and powerfull man of this world, who trusteth to carry his businesse by meanes of the creature, and misregardeth the Lord; he preserveth the one, and destroyeth the other: The Lord preserveth the stranger, and r…lieveth the fatherlesse, and the widow: but the way of the wicked he tu…neth upside down. 10. The t…nth reason of Gods praise, and the last encouragement of the believer to trust in him, and not to put confidence in Princes, is this▪ the Lord is the only Sovereign King, who liveth for ever, and hath engaged himself to the Church, and every believer in every age, therefore he only is wor…hy to be trusted in▪ and worthy to be praised; The Lord shall reigne for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generasions. Praise ye the Lord.