A Brief Explication of the Other Fifty Psalms, Psalm 99
PSAL. XCIX.
FOr the comfort of the Church against the multitude of enemies round about her, there is in this Psalm … declaration of the Kingdom of Christ, reigning as God, one with the Father and holy Spirit, in the Church of Israel, before his Incarnation: with a fourefold exhortation to all who shall heare tell of him. The first exhortation is to stand in …we of him, because of his great majesty manifested in Sion, ver …, 2. Another exhortation is, to praise him for his greatnesse, terriblenesse, holinesse and righteousnesse, ver. 3, 4. A third exhortation is, to glorifie and worship him for sundry reasons, ver. 5, 6, 7, 8. For which he repeateth the exhortation the fourth time, ver. 9.
Ver. 1. THe LORD reigneth, let the people tremble: he sitteth between the Cherubims, let the earth be moved.
2. The LORD is great in Sion, and he is high above all people.
From the first exhortation to feare Christ, and to stand in awe of him; Learn, 1. Christ was King in his Church, before his incarnation, and did reigne in the sight of his Saints, from the beginning of the world: for as the Father from the beginning was in Christ his Sonne the Mediatour, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them: so Christ the eternal Sonne was in the Father, and with the Father and holy Spirit gathering and governing his Church all the time before his incarnation: for it is Christ of whom …ere the Psalmist speaketh, and calleth him Iehovah, King in Sion; The Lord reigneth. 2. Albeit the Church be compassed about with enemies, as the lilie among the thornes; yet because her Lord reigneth in the midst of her, she hath r…ason not only to comfort her selfe in him, but also hath ground of de…ying her enemies, and boasting against them; The Lord reigneth, let the people or Nations tremble. 3. The Lords people do not worship an unknown God, they know who he is, and where to finde him, to wit, in his ordinances, on the throne of grace, reconciling himself to the world in Christ; He sitteth between the Cherubims. 4. Whosoever do seek God in Christ, have the Angels attending on Christ, to go forth for the service and safety of the beleever and worshipper; for this did the ceremonial figure signifie: He sitteth between the Cherubims. 5. As Christ is attended by Angels to the comfort of his Church, so also for the terrour and punishment of all adversaries in the world; He sitteth between the Cherubims, let the earth be moved. 6. Albeit the Lord be great in his works every where, yet is his greatnesse most manifest to his Church by his Word and Works to her and for her; The Lord is great in Sion. 7. There is no opposition which can be made against the Church; no power or multitude of people able, to prevail by counsel, device, plot or practice against his Sion or his Church; for, He is high above all people: to dissipate their devices, bridle their fury, and destroy them at his pleasure.
Ver. 3. Let them praise thy great and terrible Name, for it is holy.
4. The Kings strength also loveth judgement, thou dost establish equity: thou executest judgement and righteousnesse in Iacob.
The second exhortation is to praise Christ the King of his Church, for his greatnesse, terrour, holinesse, moderation of his power, and love of justice. Whence learn, 1. Whatsoever we know or understand of God, we should not only by faith subscribe to it, and seale it, and praise God for it our selves, but should also commend it to others, and wish the like should be done by all men: Let them praise thy Name. 2. As the greatnesse of God in Christ on the one hand should induce men; so the terrour of our God, who is a consuming fire to his adversaries on the other hand, should presse men to praise him; Let them praise t…y great and terri…le Name. 3. Whatsoever in Scripture is said of Christ, will be found to be really in him; he will answer to his name perfectly in all things, without staine or blot: Let them praise thy great and terrible Name, for it is holy. 4. Albeit the enemies of Christ, despise the weaknesse and simplicity of his Government, yet he is a powerful and strong King, both in himself, and in and for all who beleeve in him; for here the Church praiseth the Kings strength. 5. Christ moderateth his power, specially in relation to his subjects, and doth not what he may: dealeth not in the rigour of justice with his people, layeth no more on them then they are able to beare: his yoke is easie and his burden is light; yea, he suffereth them not to be tempted above their strength, but dealeth discreetly with them; moderation and discretion pleaseth him: The Kings strength loveth judgement. 6. The course which our God hath set down for comforting the afflicted, relieving the oppressed, taking order with hypocrites and obstinate offenders, is very equitable, and a course which he will not alter or change; for, He loveth judgement, and thou dost establish equity, saith he. 7. Christs actions and dispensations are answerable to his Lawes and his revealed Word; he teacheth his subjects righteousnesse; he maketh them righteous, performeth his promises, and executes his threatenings in his Church, according to his sacred Word: Thou executest judgement and righteousnesse in Iacob.
Ver. 5. Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool: for he is holy.
A third exhortation, wherein he presseth the same duty of glorifyng of God the third time, by three reasons; One is, because he is holy, ver. 5. Another is, from the example of the Lords most approved servants, who did subject themselves unto the Lords ordinances, to their own and others advantage, ver. 6, 7. A third reason, from the example of the Church both in the wildernesse and in after-times, who as they found the benefit of obedience of the ordinances of God, when theyr worshipped God as he commanded them: so did they smart so their disobedience when they followed their own inventions, ver. 8. whereupon he repeateth the exhortation the fourth time, ver. 9.
Whence learne, 1. Then is God rightly acknowledged, when his Covenant of grace offered in Christ is embraced, when men ioyne themselves to the true God of Israel, and when they esteeme of God and acknowledge him, as supreme Lord and King over all: Exalt ye the Lord our God 2. God will be worshipped, when, and where, and how he pleaseth to command, and will not be worshipped but in Christ, figured by the Temple and Ark of the Testimony in it: worship as o… before his fo…tstool. 3. The worshippers of God under the Old Testament were taught to lift their minde… above all earthly things, and loose their mindes from all limitation of God unto any corporal presence in the Sanctuary or Ark, and to worship him at Solomon did, to wit, as God incomprehensible, every where present, and to be sought in heaven, and adored in a spiritual manner: for the Temple and Ark were but as his footstool, 1 Kings 18. 27. Exalt the Lord our God, and wors…ip at his footstool. 4. Holinesse is the Lords property: he is holy in himself, holy in his appointing of his ordinances, and holy in his receiving of worship; rejecting all worship, But what he commandeth and calleth for, and he will be acknowledged holy by all that worship him: and worthy is he so to be esteemed of; for, He is holy: and this is the first reason.
Ver. 6. Moses and Aaron among his Priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his Name: they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
7. He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his Testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.
The next reason is from the example of holy men of God, Moses and Aaron, Priests or chief Officers, and Samuel a Priest, Prophet, and Ruler of the Lords people, who all of them subjected themselves to the Ordinances of God; and worshipped him to their own great utility, and advantage also of them, with and for whom they prayed unto God, and worshipped him. Whence learn, 1. The examples of holy men of God commended in Scripture unto us, do serve for inducement and encouragement unto us, to beleeve in God, to worship, and to obey him: Moses and Aaron among his Priests, or chief Officers, and Samuel among them that call upon his Name. 2. Because the holiest men of God that ever were in the Church, stood in need of the ordinary meanes of grace and worship, and subjected themselves unto Ordinances, the Lord will have none of his people to neglect Ordinances, or lift themselves above Ordinances; for, Moses, Aaron and Samuel were among them that call upon his Name. 3. Whoever worship God, and obey his Ordinances uprightly, are enrolled in the catalogue with the chiefest Saints, worshippers of God; Moses, Aaron and Samuel among them that call upon his Name. 4. The prayers of the faithfull are not frustrated, but have a good answer; and the answer of the holiest supplicants is set forth to encourage the meanest of believers to call upon God also, as the impartial hearer of the prayers of all that call upon God in truth; for he is no accepter of persons: and to shew this, it is said here, They called upon the Lord, and he heard them. 7. The more evidences we have of Gods presence, and the more familiarly he condescendeth to teach us, the more humble and observant should we be of his Ordinances and Commands; He spake unto them in the cloudie pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the Ordinances which he gave them.
Ver. 8. Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.
The third reason to move all to the duty of worship and obedience, is from the example of the mercy of God toward sincere worshippers on the one hand, and justice toward them that followed mens inventions in Religion in the wildernesse or afterward on the other hand. Whence learne, 1. The same God; the same Mediator, the same Covenant of grace belong to the true Church both in former & latter ages; Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God. 2. Albeit the Lord give fo…th his Ordinances most holy and perfect, to direct men in their worshipping; yet so perverse is mens corrupt nature, as from time to time they are devising devices, and following their own inventions, as here is imported. 3. As the Lord is very merciful to his people, when they continue in his fear: so is he just to correct them, when they pollute Religion; Thou tookest vengeance of their inventions. 4. Penitent sinners; although plagued for their sin, yet were never refused forgivenesse of sin, when they prayed and sought unto God for it; Thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions. 5. Plagued inflicted for sin upon Gods people, are not punishments satisfactory unto justice, but means of correction, serving to drive men to repentance, and to seeking of mercy, and may well stand with forgivenesse of sins; for G…d can both plague sinners to drive them to repentance, and forgive their sin when they do repent: Thou wast a God that forgav… them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.
Ver. 9. Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill: for the LORD our God is holy.
The fourth exhortation to glorify God, wherein he doth expound what he meaneth by the footstool of the Lord spoken of, ver. 5. to wit, mount Sion, the holy hill where the Ark was▪ adding the same reason of the exhortation which was was before, because the Lord our God is holy. Whence learn, 1. It is a part of our exalting of the true God, to joyne with his true Church, and to offer unto him with others, such worship as he doth prescribe; Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill. 2. The Lords holinesse requireth of all men the exaltation of his Name, and subjection to his Ordinances; neither can his holinesse suffer any other worship then what he himselfe doth appoint: Worship at his holy hill, for the Lord our God is holy. 3. The holinesse of God, and the untainted glory of all his attributes, is both the glory and comfort of his people who are in Covenant with him, and a motive also to them, to invite all men to the fellowship of his service with themselves: Exalt the Lord our God, for the Lord our God is holy.