A Brief Explication of the Other Fifty Psalms, Psalm 92
PSAL. XCII. A Psalme or Song for the Sabbath-day.
THis Psalm is intituled, A Psalme for the Sabbath-day; wherein the Church is stirred up …o praise God, by sundry reasons, ver. 1, 2, 3. but specially for these three causes; First, for the great work of creation, sust…ntation and wise governing of the creatures, ver. 4, 5. The second cause is, for his wisdom and justice in punishing the wicked, ver. 6, 7, 8, 9. The third is, for his grace and goodnesse toward beleevers, ver. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.
From the Inscription; Learn, 1. The Lord hath had a special care of sanctifying the Sabbath, as the appointing of this Psalme for that day may amongst other things give evidence: A Psalme, a Song for the Sabbath-day. 2. For the sanctification of the Sabbath, it is not sufficient to rest from our own bodily, servile, distractive works, bot we must rest and cease from our own works, and be imployed in religious service and worship, and exercises suitable for that day, whereof singing of Psalmes to the honour of God is one; This is a Song for the Sabbath-day. 3. God hath appointed that the Church should have solemn meetings on the Sabbath, wherein God may be publickly by his own ordinances honoured, and the Congregation edified in their most holy faith: for this Psalme is given to the Church with this title and Inscription, A Psalme or Song for the Sabbath-day; to be sung in the Assemblies.
Ver. 1. IT is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD: and to sing praises unto thy Name, O most High.
2. To shew forth thy loving kindnesse in the morning; and thy faithfulnesse every night.
3. Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the Psaltery: upon the Harp with a solemne sound.
From the exhortation unto praising of God, and thanksgiving with the reasons thereof; Learn, 1. Albeit we be daily receiving mo and mo benefits from God, yet are we flow to acknowledg this, or to give thanks unto him, and have need to be stirred up to the duty, as this exhortation importeth. 2. Not onelyonly do we discharge a piece of our duty in thanksgiving unto God, but we also receive a new benefit by doing of this duty: It is a good thing▪ (pleasant to God, and profitable to us and others) to give thanks unto the Lord. 3. Albeit we cannot give thanks unto God as we desire, or as he deserveth, yet to acknowledge and confesse to God our debt, and what we have received of him, shall be accounted thanksgiving; for the word in the o…ginal doth give ground for this. 4. Approving of our selves to God in sincerity of affection, when we are about the Lords praises, is no lesse profitable to us, then it is pleasant to God, It is a good thing to sing praises to thy Name, O most High. 5. It is not enough to praise God in and with the Church publikely assembled; but also it is a duty to be performed daily by every family and person, according to their place and power, as fit occasion is offered, morning and evening: It is good to shew forth thy kindnesse in the morning, and thy faithfulnesse every night. 6. The matter of Gods praise and our rejoycing, is chiefly the Lords mercy and truth, in pitying, and pardoning, and lovingly entreating of sinfull men, and performing the promises of the Covenant to his people, contrary to their deserving; It is good to shew forth thy loving kindnesse and thy faithfulnesse. 7. As it is the duty of every one to study to observe and to beleeve, and to be sensibly affected with the Lords mercy and truth: so also to expresse their beliefe and sense thereof cheerfully and joyfully, according as the signification of typicall ceremonie of musicall instruments under the pedagogie of the Law did require, It is good to shew forth thy loving kindnesse, &c. upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the Psaltery, upon the Harp, with a solemne sound.
Ver. 4. For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.
5. O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.
The Psalmist descendeth more specially to the works of creation and common providence, which is the first special matter of Gods praise, and of the worshippers joy, wherein he setteth forth the glory and greatnesse of Gods works, and deepnesse of his wisdome and counsell. Whence l…arn, 1. One of the parts of the well-spending of the Sabbath, is the looking upon, and conside…ation of the works of creation: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. 2. The consideration of the Lords works, is a matter full of sweet refreshment and joy, when God blesseth our meditation; which blessing as we should call and look for at his hands, so should we acknowledge it thankfully, when we finde it bestowed on us, and lift up our hearts in his way, being so encouraged: Lord, thou hast made me glad by thy works, I will triumph in the work of thy hands. All the works of the Lord in their own order and degree, even the least of them, do beare the Impression of wonderfull greatnesse, and shall be acknowledged to be such by the man that seeth them rightly: O Lord, how great are thy works. 4. There is as great wisdome of God in ruling and disposing of the creatures, as there is power in making of them; and as the power in making is wonderfull great, so is his wisdome also in governing them passing deep, and thy thoughts are very deep.
Ver. 6. A brutish man knoweth not: neither doth a foole understand this.
7. When the wicked spring as the grasse, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish: it is, that they shall be destroyed for ever.
8. But thou, LORD, art most High for evermore.
9. For lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for lo thine enemies shall perish: all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
The second speciall matter of Gods praise, is his just and wise providence in dealing with the wicked, whom the Lord punisheth and overturneth by their temporall prosperity which they seek so much after, as if it were their happinesse, Whence learn, 1. Albeit wicked men do seeme rationall, yet are they indeed beastly slaves to their sensuall lusts, and therefore are called here brutish men, back and belly is that which they most care for: and albeit they do seeme very wise, yet are they indeed fooles, because they do choose temporall things rather then everlasting; and lose themselves in seeking worldly gaine, and therefore are called here fooles. The wicked may for a time spring up, flourish in worldly prosperity, as here is presupposed, but this springing up and flourishing is of short continuance, and subject to sudden alteration: They spring up, and flourish as the grasse. 3. The end of the temporal prosperity of the ungodly, is perdition: They shall be destroyed for ever: yea, their very prosperity (by its somenting their sinful lusts, and hardening their hearts against Gods Word) becometh a meanes to draw on their everlasting perdition, and that in Gods righteous judgement against them, who have preferred earth to heaven, their bodily lusts unto the salvation of their souls and bodies; for when the wicked spring up as the grasse, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish, it is that they shall be destroyed for ever. 4. The ungo…ly are so besotted with the love of the world, and possession of things temporall, that they neither do know, nor will know, nor can know this mystery; except God supernaturally do reveale it to them, and give them spiritual wisdome: A brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a foole understand this. 5. Albeit the wicked be in power and high place, there be little appearance of their overthrow, yet God is higher then they, and so able according to his place to take order with them: and albeit they seeme to live long, yet God endu… for ever, and so able to cut them off when he pleaseth, and to perpetuate their torment for ever: But thou, Lord, art most high for evermore. 6. To acknowledge that God is supreme and everlasting Judge and Ruler of all things, is a sufficient ground to quiet our mindes, however matters see… to go: for because he is the Sovereigne Ruler of all the world, and the eternall God, he cannot but govern all things well and wisely; and will not faile to do as he hath said in his Word, to punish the wicked, how great soever prosperity he grant them for a time: for the beleever doth from this doctrine draw light to shew him the mystery of the perdition of the wicked, by the meanes of their prosperity, which the foolish and wicked man cannot consider; But thou, Lord, art most high for evermore: for lo, thine enemies, O Lord, shall perish. 7. Workers of iniquity, pretend what they please, are Gods enemies, and seeing they are Gods enemies, they cannot but perish: for lo, thine enemies, O Lord, and the second time, for lo, thine enemies shall perish. 8. The wicked who now combine together, shall be separated from God, and from the society of the blessed company of the righteous, and shall not be able to help one another in the day that God shall bring judgement upon them: All the workers of iniquity shall be scattered; and this is another part of the right spending of the Sabbath, to learn this lesson well.
Ver. 10. But my horne shalt thou exalt like the horne of an unicorne: I shall be anointed with fresh oile.
11. Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine eares shall heare my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.
The third speciall reason and matter of …ods praise, is his grace and goodnesse to beleevers, wherein the P…almist doth speak first with relation to his own particular, ver. 10, 11. And then in generall of all the godly, from what he beleeveth toward himself, as serving to teach every one to make application of the doctrine to their own use. Learn, 1. The same supremacie of God over all creatures, which giveth assurance of the over…row of the wicked, giveth also assurance of the welfare and felicity of the Godly; …or from ver. 8. he deduceth this also, But my horne shalt thou exalt. 2. The best condition of the godly, is not in what they are for the present, but in what they shall be hereafter; for albeit they be now under, they shall have dominion at length, expressed here under the termes of exalting the borne, which is the embleme of dignity and power and victory; My horne shalt thou exalt like the horne of the unicorne 3 That generall doctrine may be comfortable, it must be applied, as the …ists example doth teach here. 4. Whatsoever weaknesse …ef the godly do labour under for a while, they shall have in due time festivall refreshment, comfort and encouragement from Gods Spirit and powerful providence, and that renewed unto them from time to time as need requireth; I shall be anointed with oile, with fresh oile. 5. Whatsoever might be the Psalmists perswasion of victory over his par…icular enemies; yet as a type of Christ, and as one of the Believers having interest in Christ, and in all blessings purchased by him, he might by faith see and hear in the Lords Word the ovethrow of all the enemies of his welfare, and so may every beleeve: be perswaded; Mine eye also shall see my desire upon mine enemies; and mine cares shall beare my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.
Ver. 12. The righteous shall flourish like the Palmtree: he shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon.
13. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD, shall flourish in the Courts of our God.
14. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age: they shall be fat and flourishing.
15. To shew that the LORD is upright, he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousnesse in him.
From the Lords goodnesse to all beleevers in general; Learn, 1. The promises and comforts given to any one beleever, are not proper to him only, but common to all beleevers; and the man who can apply these promises to himself, is the fittest man to bear witnesse of the interest which others have therein: for what the Psalmist hath applied to himself, he extendeth to all in substance; The righteo…s shall flourish. 2. The godly shall get up their head, notwithstanding of whatsoever weight of troubles laid upon them, and they shall constantly grow up to the full stature of perfection, whatsoever opposition be made; They shall flourish like the Palme-tree, he shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon. 3. The Lords children are like trees which do not grow in every soile, are not nourished with every moisture; the place of their planting, growth and flourishing, is the house of the Lord, where the Word and Spirit of the Lord joyned with the holy ordinances may be had for food: They are planted in the house of the Lord, and fl…rish in the Courts of our God. 4. Not every barren tree or weed, not every one who is in the visible Court of Gods Church doth grow and flourish; or is made partaker of the spiritual grace and blessing of the ordinances, but only planted ones, that is, such plants as the heavenly Father hath planted: for to those only, who by Covenant have embraced God, is the promise made; Those that be planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the Courts of our God. 5. True beleevers shall still persevere, and the decay of the outward man shall not hinder the renewing of their inward man day by day; and their last works shall be better then their first; They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing. 6. The end of the Lords destroying of the wicked, and of his blessing of the true beleever with the growth of grace, and perseverance to the end, is the glory of Gods righteousnesse, singlenesse in Covenant-making, and of his constant affection to uprightnesse; for these threatenings and promises shall be made good, To shew that the Lord is upright. 7. Whosoever neglect to give glory unto God, the beleever will not faile to lay his own weight upon God, and build all his felicity on him, being assured that he will neither flee from, nor faile the godly; He is my rock. 8. L…t the Lord do what he pleaseth, let the wicked prosper for a while, and the godly be troubled for a while, yet God is wise, and just, and holy: and that man hath profited well in the school of God, who give…h this glory unto God constantly, as the Ps…lmist doth here; He is my rock, and there it no unrighteousnesse in him.