A Brief Explication of the Other Fifty Psalms, Psalm 66
PSAL. LVI. To the chief Musician, A song or Psalme.
THis Psalm being all of praises, may be divided into three parts In the first, the Psalmist exhorteth all the earth to praise God, ver. 1, 2, 3, 4. and that because of the works which God did of old for his people, ver. 5, 6. and because he is able to do the like when he pleaseth, ver. 7. In the second part, he exhorts the Church of Israel living with him in that age, to praise God for the late experience of Gods goodnesse towards them, in the delivery granted to them out of their late trials, troubles, and sore vevations, ver. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. In the third place, the Prophet expresseth his own purpose of thankfulnesse unto God for the large experience which he had in particular of Gods mercies to himselfe, from ver. 13. to the end.
Ver. 1. MAke a joyful noise unto God, all yee lands.
2. Sing forth the honour of his Name: make his praise glorious.
From this urgent exhortation to praise God; Learn, 1. As the duty of praise is most necessary, and most spiritual: so are we more dull, and indisposed thereto, then to any other exercise spiritual, and had need to be stirred up thereunto; therefore saith he, Make a noise, sing forth, &c 2. The Prophets of old had it revealed unto them, that the Gentiles should be brought to the knowledge of God, and made to worship him; as, Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands, importeth. 3. The praise of the Lord is a task for all the world to be imployed about, and a duty whereunto all are bound, seeing they all do see his works, and all do hold what they have of him; but specially those that hear of him by his Word to whom most specially the Word doth speak; Make a joyful noise all ye lands. 4. Men ought to go about the work of praising God so cheerfully so wisely and so avowedly, as they who do hear his praise spoken of, may understand his Majesty, magnificence, goodnesse, power, and mercy: Make a noise unto God, sing forth the honour of his Name; make his praise glorious.
Ver. 3. Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works? through the greatnesse of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.
4. All the earth shall worship thee; and shall sing unto thee, they shall sing to thy Name. Selab.
Here the Psalmist, as the Lords pen-man, doth furnish matter and words of praising God unto the hearers, and prophesieth that the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall concurre in his worship, and take part in the song of his praise; Whence learn, 1. Because we can do nothing of our selves in this work of the Lords praise, God must furnish to us matter & words; Say unto God, How terrible, &c. 2. As the work of the praise of God should be done in love and confidence, and sincerity, and in his own strength: so may it be directed to him immediately, and that without flattery; (otherwayes then men are praised) for praise properly is due to God only, and no man can speak of him, except in his own audience; Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works? 3. The works of the Lord, every one of them being rightly studied, are able to affright us, by discovering the incomparable, dreadful, and omnipotent Majesty of the worker thereof; How terrible art thou in thy works? 4. When the Lord is pleased to let forth his judgements on his adversaries, and to let them see what he can do, none of them dare stand out against him; but if they be not converted, yet will they be forced to feign submission unto him; Through the greatnesse of thy power shall thy enemies submit themselves to them? 5. Over and above what is already accomplished of this prophecie concerning the conversion of the Gentiles, a higher measure is yet to be expected in the bringing in of that number of them, which the Scripture calleth the fulnesse of the Gentiles; and the making all the Kingdomes of the earth to become the Lords, and his Sonne Christs; for this word in a greater measure then yet is come to passe, must be fulfilled; All the earth shall worship thee, they shall sing unto thee; they shall sing unto thy Name: Which word doth import the revealing of the glad tidings of Jesus Christ unto them, and their joyful acceptation of the Gospel, and glorifying of God for it. 6. As it is the Lords glory to have many praising him: so should it be the joy of all that love him, now to foresee the successe of Christs Kingdome, as well as it was of old, when it was the Churches song; All the earth shall worship thee.
Ver. 5. Come let us see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.
6. He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot, there did we rejoyce in him.
7. He ruleth by his power for ever, his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.
He pointeth out in special the Lords works, already wrought for his people; Whence learn, 1. Albeit the Lord doth work for the delivery of the Church, and his own glory, yet men are so carelesse, to observe his works, that they can neither make use thereof for their own profit, nor for Gods praise; so that there is much need to stirre up our dulnesse, to observe them and make right use thereof; Come and see the works of God. 2. Whosoever do observe the works of God, which he hath wrought for his people, they shall be forced to fear and admire his wonderful Acts for them, and his respect unto them; He is terrible in his doing toward the children of men. 3. The work of redemption of his Church out of Egypt, is a work one for all worthy to be made use of to the end of the world; and sufficient to shew, that if need be, God will invert the course of nature for the good of his people, and for their delivery out of difficulties; He turned the sea into dry land. 4. As the Lord will work wonders for the delivery of his people out of misery: so will he work wonders for performing of promises to them, and for bringing them to the possession of what he hath given them right unto; for the drying of the river Iordan, that his people might go in to possesse the promised land, was a pawn and evidence of this his purpose for all time coming; They went through the flood on foot. 5. As all the people of God are one body, and that which is done in one age to one generation doth concern all and every one to make use of it in their generation: so every one in after-ages should reckon themselves one body with the Lords people in former ages, and make use of Gods dealing with them, as if they had been present then with them, as here the Church in the Psalmists time joyneth it selfe with the Church in Ioshuahs time, rejoycing in God with them, at their entring into Canaan; There did we rejoyce in him, say they. 6. Whatsoever the Lord hath done for his people in any time by-past, he is able and ready to do the like for his people in any time to come; He ruleth by his pouer for ever, and for this cause his former Acts, are perpetual evidences and pledges of like Acts to be done hereafter, as need is. 7. Nothing is done in any place, which the Lord is not witnesse unto; no plot or motion against his people, which he seeth not: His eyes behold the Nations. 8. Albeit there will be from time to time a generation, who will not submit themselves to this sovereign Ruler, but will stand out against him, and maligne his Church, yet shall they not long prosper, nor have cause of gloriation in their rebellion; Let not the rebellious exalt themselves.
ver. 8. O blesse our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard.
9. Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.
10. For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
11. Thou broughtest us into the net; thou layedst affliction upon our loines.
12. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads, we went through fire, and through water: but thou, broughtest us out into a wealthy place.
In the second part of the Psalm, the Psalmist exhorts the Church in his time, to praise God for preserving them from extirpation in the time of their fiery trial, and sore affliction under the tyranny and oppression of their enemies. Whence learn, 1. The Lords people in every age, besides all the reasons they have to praise God for his former works, want not their own particular reasons for his care, providence, and kindnesse to themselves in their own time to stirre up one another to blesse his Majesty; O blesse our God, ye people. 2. It is the Churches proper priviledge, and her glory, above all other incorporations and societies beside, to have special interest in God, as her own; O blesse our God. 3. It is not sufficient that the Lords people acknowledge inwardly the mercies of God to themselves; but it is their duty in an orderly way to bring others on to the knowledge of God, and to shew to others how praise-worthy he is: make the voice of his praise to be heard. 4. Albeit the Lord takes many things away from his people, when he is pleased to exercise them, yet he keeps life in their soul; some sweet communion of spirit between himself and them: and doth not suffer all his people to be extirpate, and rooted out from the earth; Which boldeth our soul in life. 5. It is great mercy to be kept from desperate courses in the time of sad calamities, and to be supported under burdens, that we sink not; and to be prevented from denying of God, or of his truth in time of persecution: He suffereth not our feet to be moved. 6. One end of the troubles of the Church, among others is, the trial of the graces of his people, and purging them from their corruptions: for which cause the Lord useth to bring on one trouble after another, as mettal is put in the fire oftner then once; For thou, O God, hast proved us, thou hast tried …, as silver is tried. 7. When God doth bring his Church into trial, there is no escaping; we must look for affliction, and not dream of declining it by our own wit or skill; Thou broughtest us into the net, thou layedst affliction upon our …ines. 8. It is wisdome and justice and goodnesse in God, to make his people know some time, whether his service or mens service be most easie; Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads. 9. When Gods service and mens service are compared, the service of men is a beastly bondage in comparison: for the enemies of the Church will abuse Gods people like beasts, when they fall under their power; Thou hast made men ride over our heads. 10. There is no sort of affliction, nor extremity of affliction, from which the godly may secure themselves, after the time of their entring into their trials, till Gods time come, wherein their triall is to end; We went through fire, and through waters. 11. After troubles and trials, the Lord giveth ever an event, and a gracious delivery to his own, which bringeth as much comfort with it, as their triall had grief in it; But thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.
Ver. 13. I will go into thy house with burnt-offerings: I will pay thee my vowe….
14. Whichmy lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.
15. I will offer unto thee burnt-sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams: I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.
In the third and last part of the Psalme, the Psalmist sheweth forth his thankfulnesse for the favours shewed to himselfe in particular: and first, he promiseth to acknowledge his obligation to God in the place of publick worship, as the Lord had required in the ceremonial law, ver. 13, 14, 15. Secondly, he declareth his particular experience of Gods mercy, testifying his hearing of his prayer by his acceptance of it, ver. 18, 19. And last of all, he blesseth the Lord for the gracious answer of his prayer, ver. 20.
From the promise, which he maketh of publick acknowledgement of the mercy according to the prescript of the Lords appointment; Learn, 1. In common favours and deliveries granted to the visible Church, each true member have their own special mercies bestowed upon them, beside the common: for which in particular, and for the common mercies also, they ought publickly to be thankful, as the Psalmist is here, saying, I will go into thy house with burnt-offerings. 2. As it is a token of lively faith in desperate troubles to trust in God, and to hope for his deliverance, and to promise him praise before the delivery come: so is it a token of an upright heart, to be as willing to perform promises after the benefit received, as it was ready to make promises, before the benefit received; I will pay thee my vowes which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble. 3. As our persons and best service are polluted, except they be cleansed by the sacrifice of Christ: so in our approaches unto God we should acknowledge the sinfulnesse of our persons and performances, and the need we stand in of Christs mediation, and the riches of grace bestowed upon us through him, who perfumeth our persons, and prayers, and praises, as was shadowed forth in the ceremonies of the law; for this was the Prophets meaning, when he said, I will offer unto thee burnt-sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams: I will offer bullucks with goats, which were appointed in the law to be offered, partly for sin, and partly by way of thanksgiving.
Ver. 16. Come and hear all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soule.
17. I cried unto him with my mouth: and he was extolled with my tongue.
From his declaration of his lately felt experience of Gods mercy to him; Learn, 1. A spiritual man, as he will not neglect outward rites of commanded publick worship: so will he not rest on them, but will go about the real glorifying of God before others, as the Psalmist doth here; Come and hear what the Lord hath done for my soul. 2. The true disciples of Gods grace, who can best discern of Gods works, and of the experience of others, and who will be most ready to praise God with us, are those that fear God; Come and hear, all ye that fear God; I will declare what he hath done for my soul. 3. It is no lesse needful for the glorifying of God, and edification of others, to make the way of our coming by a benefit manifest to others, that it was by the use of holy ordinances, then to make mention of the benefit it selfe; I cried …nto him, saith he; that is, I was instant in prayer for the benefit. 4. There are cases wherein the uttering of words in prayer, do serve much, not only for our own up-stirring, and fixing of our mindes, and for others edification; but also concerneth Gods glory, on whom we professe dependance, and in whom we acknowledge power and goodnesse to dwell; And he was extolled with my tongue.
Ver. 18. If I regard iniquity in my heart: the Lord will not hear me.
19. But verily God hath heard me: he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
From the clearing of his sincerity in prayer; Learn, 1. Sincerl…y of heart should be joyned with the supplication of the mouth, and with selfe examination, that we may be sure we pray sincerely: for, If I regard iniquity in my heart, imports so much in the Psalmists practice. 2. He is an upright man in Gods accompt, who doth not entertain affection to any known sin, but doth oppose it sincerely in Gods sight; for this the Psalmist bringeth for the proof of his sincerity, that he did not regard sin in his heart. 3. Those onelyonly are the s…nners, whose prayer God will not hear; who live in the love of known sins, and pray for having satisfaction to their corrupt lusts. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. 4. The lawful prayer of the upright heart, shall be granted in substance, and it may be just a… it was desired; which as it is no small mercy, so should it be well marked, as the return of our prayer; But verily God hath heard me, he hath attended to the voice of my supplication.
Ver. 20. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.
Her closeth with thanksgiving for this particular experience, as an evidence of the running of the fountain of Gods mercy toward him. Whence learn, 1. As it is no small mercy, that our prayers are not rejected of God; albeit he should delay to answer us for a long time; so when he delayeth not to answer us, the mercy is the greater, and ought to be acknowledged in both respects Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer. 2. Th… gracious answer of an upright supplication, evidenceth ready accesse prepared yet mo…e for the supplicant, to the fountain o… Gods mercy; and this is yet more mercy: He hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.